Bishops(i)
1 Trauaile and carefulnesse for riches taketh away the sleepe, and maketh the fleshe to consume.
2 When one lyeth and taketh care, he waketh euer vp, lyke as a great sicknesse breaketh the sleepe.
3 The rich hath great labour in gathering his riches together, and then with the pleasure of his riches he taketh his rest and is refreshed.
4 But who so laboureth and prospereth not, he is poore: and though he leaue of, yet is he a begger.
5 He that loueth riches, shal not be iustified: and who so foloweth corruption, shall haue inough thereof.
6 Many one are come in great misfortune by the reason of golde, and haue founde their destruction before them.
7 It is a tree of falling vnto them that offer it vp, and all such as be foolishe fal therein.
8 Blessed is the rich which is founde without blemishe, & hath not gone after golde, nor hoped in money & treasures.
9 Where is there such a one, and we shal commend him and call him blessed? for wonderfull thinges doth he among his people.
10 Who so is tryed and founde perfect in such thinges, shalbe commended and praysed: who might offende, and hath not offended? who coulde do euill, and hath not done it?
11 Therfore shall his good be stablished, and the whole congregation shall declare his almes.
12 If thou sit at a great mans table, open not thy mouth wide vpon it, and say not there is much meate on it.
13 Remember that an euil eye is a shrewe: What thing created is worse then a wicked eye? therefore weepeth it before euery mans face?
14 Laye not thyne hande vpon euery thing that thyne eye seeth: and striue not with him in the dishe.
15 Ponder by thy selfe what thy neighbour would faine haue, and be discreete in euery poynt.
16 Eate the thing that is set before thee manerlie as it becommeth a man, and eate not to much, lest thou be abhorred.
17 Leaue thou of first of al, because of nurture, lest thou be he whom no man may satisfie, which may turne to thy decay.
18 When thou sittest among many men, reache not thyne hand out first of al, neither call thou first for drinke.
19 O how well content is a wyse man with a litle wine? so that in sleepe thou shalt not be sicke thereof, nor feele any payne.
20 A sweete holsome sleepe shall such a one haue, and feele no inwarde greefe, he ryseth vp betimes in the morning, and is wel at ease in him selfe: but an vnsatiable eater sleepeth vnquietly, and hath ache and payne of the body.
21 If thou feelest that thou hast eaten to much, arise, go thy way, cast it of thy stomacke, and take thy rest: and it shall ease thee, so that thou shalt bring no sicknesse vnto thy body.
22 My sonne heare me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shalt finde as I haue tolde thee: In all thy workes be diligent and quicke, so shall there no sicknesse happen vnto thee.
23 Who so is liberall in dealing out his meate, many men shall blesse him, and prayse him with their lippes: and the same is a sure token of his loue & faithfulnesse.
24 But he that is vnfaithfull in meate, the whole citie shall complaine of him: and that is a sure experience of his infidelitie and wickednesse.
25 Shewe not thy valiantnes in wine, for wine hath destroyed many a man.
26 The fire prooueth the hard iron: euen so doth wine prooue the heartes of the proude, when they be druncken.
27 Wine soberly druncken, quickeneth the lyfe of man: If thou drinkest it measurably, thou shalt be temperate: What is the lyfe of him that is ouercome with wine? what taketh away the lyfe? euen death.
28 Wine was made from the beginning to make men glad, and not for drunkennesse: wine measurably drunken is a reioycing of the soule and body: A measurable drinking is health to soule and body.
29 But if it be druncken with excesse, it maketh bitternesse and sorowe vnto the minde.
30 Drunkennesse filleth the minde of the foolishe with shame & ruine, minisheth the strength, and maketh woundes.
31 Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: Geue him no dispitefull wordes, and preasse not vpon him with contrary sayinges.