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Of magnanimite or strenth of mynde.

That man ought be countyd/of magnanimite
Or of an hyghe mynde/and cowrage valyant
Which in the defendynge/of ryhht and honeste
Al hardnes induryth/glad/and with mynde constant
Wyllyngly submyttynge hym selfe to deth instant
Rather than to recule/from the defence of ryght
No cruelte dredynge/of tyran/kynge/nor knyght

Soche one/feryth no man his mynde so constant is
He boldly contemnyth deth/and daunger mortall
Deuyse the tyran/Nero nor falarys
Nor all other tyrans/can hym nought moue atall
He prest is/to suffer/what euer thynge doth fall
Bolde mynde is nat mouyd/by thretnynge nor turment
But onely by reason/is mouyd his intent
Yet a manly cowrage/desyryth nat rasshely
To presume without cawse/on dowtfull thynge & hard
Howe be it euery persone/for moste part comonly
Wold nat bere gladly/the name of a cawarde
No thynge is more folysshe/than one to ren forward
To do that with daunger/with peryll and dystresse
Whiche myght without peryll/be done in quyetnes
That man is ouer mad/founde/and at worthy rest
Whiche beinge on these/in cawm tranquilyte
Desyreth/and prayeth/for vyolent tempest
For roughe wawes or fomynge feruour of these
Nat lesse ouersene/but moche madder is he
Whiche may haue his pleasour/and mynde with paciēce
Yet rennynge to daunger/by hasty vyolence
A tyran presumynge/for to subdewe iustyce
Inuadynge his cuntrey/by mad rebellyon
Is nat of hye cowrage/nor valyant in no wyse
But trayter/and rayser/of insurreccion
A rasshe and bolde brybour sekynge cōfusion
And whyle in his querell/folys theyr lyues spende
His lyfe and his purpose/cummyth to shamefull ende
Howe may a clerke descrybe/a wreche/so pestylent
His mynde hath no mercy/but rasshe audacyte
His mad mynde amasyd/by purpose imprudent
Of his natyfe cuntrey/sekyth captyuyte
His owne shame/and frendys/extreme calamyte
Soche ought nat be countyd/partyner of fortytude
But tyrannys trayterours/presumtuous and rude
Nor he is nat manly nor of an hyghe cowrage
Which suffryth great labour and peryll of this lyfe
For his singuler wele/and pryuate auantage
But that man whiche/fytyth/for his cuntrey natyfe
No vyolence doynge/to mayden chylde nor wyfe
Nor ageyn his countrey/nat beinge vyolent
Soche one/hath hye courage/& mynde magnificent

The mynd hath no praysyng: nor lawde worthy doutles
Nor that dede is countyd: of no preemynence
Where iustyce is nat gyde/where wantyth ryght wysnes
Where helth of our cuntrey: is voydyd from presence
And where the comon wele: fyndyth nat sure defence
Only a ryght wyseman: of iust and playn intent
Ought to be callyd stronge: of mynde magyficent
No man: saue a louer: of iust symplycyte
Without frawde or faynynge: boldly supportynge ryght
Ought for to haue the name of magnanimite
Let nat thyne own dedys be plesant in thy syght
Alyf the comon fame: them lawde with wordys lyght
Consyder wele thy selfe: if they be without blame
Trust more to that tryall: than to the comon fame
Let that onely plese the/and onely the delyte
A man of bolde spyryt/consyderyth honeste
And in honest dedys/whiche many doth profyte
Themselfe clere cōmendynge: hath he felycyte
Ryght lyttyll regardynge/the voyce of comonte
He hath no bolde cowrage/which onely doth depende
On mouth of the comons his dedys to cōmende
But he is moste manly/which in his dedys can
Gyue surely to hym self all that he doth requyre
Nat carynge the praysys/of woman chylde or man
Who that ouermoche/doth great namys desyre
Or coueyteth vayne tytyls/of honoure to conquyre
He shulde nat be countyd/a man of grauyte
But a chyldysshe persone/ensuynge vanyte
It namely belongyth/to man of bolde cowrage
All vayne thyngys outwarde/to despyse vtterly
Countynge all thynge moundayne/incertayne & volage
Which rude comon peple/moste louyth comonly
Thus a valyant mynde/all way mountyth on hye
Despysynge lowe thynges/thynge erthely in no wyse
Can content his courage/nor noble mynde suffyse
All erthys contentys/what euer is here on grounde
Isles than his cowrage nor can nat hym content
Soche treasour as hys iye/beholdyth here abounde
Or what euer he tochyth/is nat suffycyent
Yet sekyth he in mynde/for thynge more excellent
Thinge endles reuoluynge/and castynge in memory
Conteynynge these tryfels of thynges transsitory

I count hym moche gretter/than emperour or kynge
Whiche in mynde atteynyth/to thynge celestyall
Utterly dyspysynge/caduke and erthely thynge
Though he in this worlde/possesse no thynge at all
But on thother partye/what man wold great hym call
Whyche onely reuoluyth/lowe thynge and transitory
Nat lystynge hys reasō/from grounde: to perelesse glory
What persone wolde deny: but it were worthy thynge
And a great mannys dede by vertue to purchase
A great rome or offyce/with emperour or kynge
Than is he moche greatter/which hath the gyft of grace
With the kynge eternall/to purchase hym a place
With angels for to reygne/hye in the heuynly hall
Where is endles solace/and ioy perpetuall
What man wold deny hym/both bolde and valiant
Whiche by longe siegynge/strenth and audacite
Takyth great Cytyes/wele pepled and puysant
Well storyd of ryches/and armour in plente
Than moche more valyant/my/myghty and strong is he
Which as an ouercomer and myghty cōquerour
Hath won (by hys merytys) the hye and heuenly tour
No trauayle/nor labours/what so euer they be
Can moue a bolde cowrage/by ferfull fantasy
Thynge lawdable to leue/but that boldly wyll he
Perseuer and procede/concludynge fynally
Warkys wele attemptyd/and fyrst begyn wysely
The bolde nought abydyth/tyll all wysely be done
For wele he consyderyth/that thende gyuyth corone
And nought can be surely praysyd before the ende
Therfore: he therunto/contendyth constantly
So: be nat thou wery/but besely intende
At the heuynly palays/to knok perseuerantly
Than shall the porter opyn/the gatys fynally
For none he repellyth/which byde knocking with myght
Nor none he denyeth whiche askyth thynge of ryght
Wherfore haue ye done: ceste nat: perseuer knok & stande
Remyt nat thyne armys/by knockynge fitigate
Abyde? for thy meryt: anon is sure at hande
Thy rewarde is instant/thou shalt nat be frustrate
Before the victory/no man is lawreat
At endynge shalt thou haue/palme/vyctory/and mede
Than haste in thy voyage/perseuer and procede

Procede vnto the ende/in stormys and tempest
Ron ouer the streamys/with sure shyp and constant
Thou shalt/after trauayle/com to the hauyn of rest
And sure port of pleasour/and glory tryumphant
Nor thynke nat that the ende/or port is far dystant
Let no soche suspeccion/of longe delay the greue
The port is oft at hande/longe or thou wold byleue
A great mynde dysdaynyth/in bondage for to be
But from all maner vyce/and inconuenience
It selfe it preseruyth/at lyberte and fre
As sone as fyrst mocyon/of vyle concupiscence
Attempteth hym in mynde/for to cōmyt offence
Anone he dysdaynyth/soche vyle temptacion
Hys lustys refraynynge/with brydyll of reason
The veray fyrst mouynge/or temptynge vnto syn
He chasyth from hys mynde/and doth the same subdue
By reason wele nothynge/that if it entryd in
And restyd and space/sone after myght insue
Some pleasour or consent/or dede agayn vertue
Therfore he restyryth/begynnynge/with all myght
And alway for gydys/takyth reason and ryght
He suffreth nat vyle lust: nor blynde lascyuyte
To subdue his reason: wyt: or intellygence
But boldly: he brydlyth: all wylde enormyte
Moche stronly subduynge: carnall concupyscence
For certys/no bondage: nor vyle obedience
Is fowler to mankynde: fyrste fourmyd resonable
Than to be subduyd: to vycys detestable
And lye as outlawed: in mynde: and in reason
Under greuous yok: of vyce: or syn vnkynde
His carnall luste ragnynge: aboue dyscressyon
But certaynly: there is: no lyberte of mynde
Saue where no vyle lustys: nor vyce doth reason bynde
Where no lust oppressyth: the reason in bondage
There is trewe lyberte: nat subiect to seruage
A man thus indwed: with so great lyberte
Cōmendyth no plesour: vnstable: nor volage
That only whiche soundyth to lawde and honeste
He praysyth and lawdyth: of his moste hye cowrage
He forsyth nat fauour: of iuuent: nor of age
But that whiche abydyth iust: and contynuall
He lawdyth and praysyth: or els nought at all

A bolde mynde is constant/one maner man alway
Nat shrynkynge/for sorowe/nor hard aduersyte
But boldely he beryth/trowblys of euery fray
With stout port and stomake/in maner as though he
Felt none aduersyte/losse/nor necessyte
No chance can hym change/so bolde is his courage
Dysdaynynge for to fele/mysfortune or dammage
That bolde worthy cowrage/which thiketh for to haue
His hole treasour in hart/and al hys good in mynde
And nat in his body/as in a mortall graue
Soche one/in cernall trowbles/cā no dyspleasour fynde
Nor none aduerse fortune/reputyth he vnkynde
These chaungeable chauncys/of mysfortune mundayne
Ar to hym assuryd/no dyspleasour: nor payne
He onely contaynyth/all goodnes in hys mynde
Which beryth in hys herte/chryste Iesu day and nyght
This man hath grauyte/nought can hys reason blynde
So chryst hath inclered/hys mynde with inward lyght
His countenaunce is one/in euery mannys syght
No more faynt/nor ferefull/his he of hys langage
In moste greuous chauncys/than in chefe auantage
He sheweth no semblance/in worde nor coūtenaunce
Of inward dysplesour/his cowrage is so sure
And certys: it nat semyth/a great man of constaunce
To shewe cruell iyen/or loke/agayne nature
But rather with vysage/and countenaunce demure
These grym thretnynge lokys/betokyn no fortytude
But rather a prowd hert/vnkynde boystowys & rude
The stronge/is nat tryed nor prouyd by gesture
By face/nor countenaunce: but one may trye and fynde
What man hath hye cowrage/and boldnes of nature
By hys worthy dedys/and stablenes of mynde
Many one is ferrfull/and coward of his kynde
Counterfaytynge outward/a lyons countenaunce
Unstable in hys dedys/without perseueraunce
If thou be in offyse/or great auctoryte
Be nat more remys: do nat thy dutye les
Ancuste the comon wele/alyf thou fere to be
Sone after deposyd/by comons vnkyndnes
The nature of comons/is rotyd in rudenes
And veray hard it is/to please a multytude
Yet for the comon wele/fle nat sollicitude

Leaue thou nat thy cuntery/whan batayle is instant
But boldely prepare the/for it/to byde and fyght
Extreme nede best prouyth a cowrage valyant
Thou can nat better dye/than fyghtynge for the ryght
Than: nede moste requyreth to showe thy force & myght
Thou canst nat be knowē: stronge/nor of bolde cowrage
Saue/in bydynge daunger/and peryll of dāmage

Howe no couetous wretche can haue the trewe vertu of magnanimite.

A wretche/whome the fassion/and hunger execrable
Of golde/or vyle money hath blyndyd in intent
May nat be callyd great/but small and myserable
For thoughe this cursyd coyne/smal wretches doth tourment
Yet can it nat trowble/a mynde magnificent
A bolde mynde consyderyth it: gotten with great payne
Sauyd or kept with feare/with sorowe lost agayne
No man is more symple/vyle/nor of basse cowrage
Nor no mynde more pynchyd/or drownyd in dolour
Than he: which of money/is kept vnder bondage
Of whome wretchyd tresour/is lorde and gouernour
But that symple persone/is worth a conquerour
Whiche can dyspyse ryches/content with pouerte
Couetynge no ryches/nor vayne prosperyte
Soche one/in beholdynge the vayne solicytude
Of couetous caytyfs/and wretches of the grounde
He lawghyth vnto scorne/theyr lyfe and maners rude
Aduertynge to what care/and labours they be bounde
Which doth/all the iugemente/of theyr reason confounde
Of rest them bereuynge/on treasour whyle they thynke
To slepe thy intende nat/nor yet to meat nor drynke
Thus whyle they get ryches/fals/frayle and fugytyfe
These wretchys to them selfe/thā tyrānys more vnkynde
Lose rest/fame/and frenshyp/and also the swete lyfe
All this: a bolde cowrage reuoluyth oft in mynde
Wherfore no soche furour/can his hye reason blynde
But if he haue plente/of ryches/and treasour
He partyth it abrode: to nedefull: with honour
Unto his pore fryndys: which haue necessyte
He partyth and spredeth his tresour ioyusly
Delytynge: for to haue: suche prossybylyte
To many men to be: socour and subsedy
He stodyeth: with treasour: eternall blysse to bye
And louers in this lyfe: as thynge more cōmendable
Than all Cresus ryches/of golde inumerable

Howe comon is the clause/and sentence of pyrrus
Of moste famous auctours/countyd of dignyte
Whiche vnto the romayns/made noble answere thus
Whan they cam to hym/with treasour in plente
Theyr captyues to redeme/whiche in pryson had he
Whyle thynbassadours tolde/theyr raunsone in golde
Prrrus thus answerde/with courage fre and bolde
Your golde I demande nat/no siluer wyll I fele
No gyft shall ye gyue/your treasour I dispyse
Contende we with armour/of yren and of stele
Nat with golde nor gyftes/as tanerners haue gyse
Marchauntis/and other/insuynge couetyse
It semith vyle wretches/to handell coyne & golde
Bryght armour besemyth/men valyaunt and bolde
For certayne/this answer: semyd so noble a kynge
Of eacus/worthy/to come of hye lynage
Of whome this sayd pyrrus/had his byrth & of sprynge
This worde: well hym prouyd/stronge & of bolde courage
And thou also Curius: both sad/sober and sage
Thy selfe well declared/of mynde as stronge and bolde
Whan the samnytis/presentyd the with golde
As thou sittynge ydell/was dryenge by the fyre
Small rapis/as man symple/by ryches settynge nought
One of the samnytis/subiect to thyne empyre
Layd forth goldy gyftes/whiche he had to the brought
By sygnes whiche he sawe/reputynge in his thought
By suche maner gyftes/the greatly to content
By cause thou resemblyde/as pore and indigent
But what answer gaue thou forsoth a wyse and bolde
Saynge: I had leuer thus homely for to dyne
In an erthyn platter/than in a dysshe of golde
Retourne with thy gyftis/nought I demaunde of thyne
What nede I thy gyftis/sith thou thy selfe art myne
Of gouernours of golde/we wylbe gouernours
Rather than of golde/or other vayne tresours
This answer besemyd/a mynde magnificent
And a man establyd/in magnanimyte
But agayne retourne/we vnto our fyrste intent
A bolde mynde/in labour moste diligent must be
In thynge of moste peryll/and moste difficulte
Where thynges be moste hard/there must thou to preuayle
Chefely put thy body/to labour and trauayle

Yet though the thynge be nedefull/go nat therto rasshly
But before consyder/what way is ryght and sure
What reason affermyth: and what it doth deny
Attempte nothynge passynge/thy wyt/myght/and nature
Nor whose ende and proces/is vnto the obscure
A wyse man/by reason: consyderith well this same
But folys oft begyn/and leaue agayne with shame
And namely some/trustynge/in them selfe to greatly
Begyn/oft great thynges: wenynge to wyn them name
But whan all their purpose: procedith frowardly
In stede of cōmendynge/they get them rebuke and shame
Another thynge beware/whiche also wynnyth blame
So longe/do nat all thynge/before prouyde and cast
That thou seme to leaue all (as cowarde) at the last
Better dy with honour/than lyue in worldly shame
And leade thy lyfe dishonest: and foule: tyll vtter age
A bolde noble courage/desyrynge worthy name
Wolde muche rather dye/than lyue in vyle bondage
Contende nat in batayle/yf thou be sad and sage
Without nede constrayne the/or harde necessite
To shede blode/is brutall/and beastly cruelte
It semyth nat mankynde/but cruell beastis wode
Whiche of noble reason/parteners can nat be
To delyte in shedynge/echone of others blode
Begyn neuer batayle/as muche as is in the
But for the loue of peas/concorde and vnyte
And whan peas is compact/and sure confederate
Let no fraude nor treason/nor gyle/it violate
Nothynge in a great man/can be more cōmendable
Than to spare his foes/brought in obedience
To great god eternall/this man is moste semblable
Les laude is/to subdue/by force and vyolence
Than to shewe thyne enmy/thy mercy and clemence
More laude is to pardon/and spare wretches subiect
Than proude great rebellers/by batayle to correct
Amonge all the vertues/ascrybed to Cesar
This one is renomyd/moste chefe and pryncipall
That he was mercyfull/nat more in peas than warre
Sparynge the Cytezins/to hym subiect and thrall
All yf the bolde lyon/be cruell and brutall
To suche as be prostrate/of nature is he mylde
And vnderlyke maner/both to small beast and chylde

Thou sholdest nat contende/nor fyght agaynst thy fo
Except thou hast somwhat/playne warned hym before
For gyle prouyth a mynde/cowarde and faynt also
A fals ferefull hert/by nought is prouyd more
Than fraudfull assautis/and vengeaunce to sore
Pursewe non with hatred/with malice nor enuy
Theyse bynde thyne owne mynde/most streyght in mysery
If any haue greuyd the: with outher worde or dede
Agaynst ryght or reason: as oftyn tyme may fall
To suche a wretchyd personys/lyuynge take good hede
And count thy selfe by hym: no thynge greued attall
But say thus: as semyth: a man substanciall
This man wolde haue hurt me: but god is good & kynde
Nat grauntynge hym power/nor myght after his mynde
His mynde was to greue me/now hath it none effect
Unto his owne tourment/now tournith his delyte
And more cause haue other/his malyce to suspect
And certaynly/to sleape/that man hath small respyte
Whiche tournith and wakenith/whan euery fley doth byte
Many grefys happyn/whome pacient silence
Muche better subduith: than opyn violence
For certayne: no persone/is greatly hurt: in dede
Without he hurt hym selfe/by faynt thoughtis vnkynde
Despyse/though thy body: in dyuers partis blede
Without thyne owne consent: no man can greue thy mynde
Thy wronges to reuenge/whan thou shalt power fynde
Let this full suffice the/to haue thy foo subiect
And to haue suche myght his malice to correct
Take onely suche power/for vtter punysshement
Thou canst nat reuenge/thy wronge: in nobler wyse
Than whan of thy/foes/thou mayst haue thyne intent
To pardon theyr trespas: and theyr malyce despyse
Of secrete detractours/insue thou nat the gyse
Blame thou no man absent/whysperynge secretly
If thou haue cause to blame/assayle hym openly
A mynde/onely groundyd/on ryght and equite
And it selfe perceyuynge/ryghtwyse and innocent
Of spyryt may be bolde/with magnanymyte
These thynges/make namely/a mynde magnificent
A pure mynde/and symple: a ryght & playne intent
With iust fayth/and lyuynge/defylyd at no tyme
With none enorme maners/nor greuous spot of cryme

But vyle and foule synnes/and vicies of lyuynge
Makith man be ferefull/sad/heuy and pensyfe
For that wretche/suspectith/and dredyth euery thynge
Whiche is harde oppressyd/with his owne synfull lyfe
A pure herte and clene mynde/haue this prerogatyfe
Neuer to be slougysshe/by heuy drede or feare
Who is without trespas: what can hym hurt or dere
Or what hath he to drede/no maner thynge be sure
What shulde he drede of deth: it is ineuytable
The generall dutye/and trybute of nature
By whome he hath passage/to lyfe intermynable
What shulde he drede tourment/of tyran intretable
Of whome he nat felyth/displesour/hurt/nor grefe
Syth our lorde is redy/his woundes to relefe
What matter shulde he drede? what can hym fear or moue
Whome no treue trowblys/nor vycis can oppresse
Whome chryste his dere mayster/doth both defende & loue
Whome the gloryous vyrgyn/eternall empres
Defendith/and is redy/to helpe in all distres
Whome all heuynly spirites/doth fauour & defende
With his foes/redy: all season to contende
Who coude in tyme passyd/these holy martyrs feare
Or moue theyr great constance/from fayth: & true byleue
They/prynces ouercam/but no prynce coude them deare
No kynge coude them change: ouercome: nor remeue
No tyran/nor tourment: coude them in myndes greue
All yf theyr frayle bodyes/oft suffred vtter payne
Therat: theyr mynde constant: had vtterly disdayne
Accusyd of peples/and fals rulers: were some
Some caste to wylde beastis/in pecys co be rent
But no maner manace/nor peyne coude them ouercome
Wayke wymen/chyldren/olde fathers and Iuuent
Before cruell prouostes standynge/at iugement
And with them yonge virgyns/seynge theyr woundes blede
Of tyrannys nor tourment/had nother fear nor drede
No bowes nor dartis/nor other lyke armour
Nor bryght swerdes drawen: to theyr dedly tourment
Nu speris nor fyers/kyndled them to deuour
No pryson no scourgis/no pytche/of lothly sent
No thretnynge of pryson/nor vtter punysshement
No hunger nor thurst/nor feruent oyle brēnynge
Coude moue them to change/theyr fayth/nor pure lyuynge

No thretnynge/nor suffraunce/of waters vyolence
Coude change theyr sad purpose/establyd by wysdome
No gyftes/nor treasour/of greatest opulence
No promessys/of part/of empyre/nor kyngdome
Nor kynges maryage/coude these martyrs ouercome
Nor their holy purpose/moue/nor inclyne to flyght
In mynde were they strēghthed/so sure with heuynly syght
Nat onely: the parentes/sawe their chyldren in flame
With chere glad and ioconde/in hert and countenance
But many/their owne chyldren/exorted to the same
And for no short tourment/to fle from theyr constance
O meruelous myndes/o great perseuerance
The mother hath oft tymes/with voyce magnyficent
Exortyd her yonge chyldren/to peynes and tourment
The wyfe hath exorted her husbonde in lyke wyse
And one brother/another/strengthyd to martyrdome
And for our lordes cause/all tourment to despyse
But what man of lernynge/of vertue/or wysdome
Wolde say that these martyrs/thus dyenge/were ouercome
But rather in the myddes/of all theyr tourmentours
They stode nat ouercome: but lyker conquerous
The Iuge or tourmentour/by cruell tyrany
Myght subdue the body/somtyme vnto tourment
But the mynde perseuered/establyd constantly
In the fayth: and laudes: of god omnypotent
Thus were they by peynes/and mynde magnyficent
And by deth: subduers/of their owne corps carnall
Of tyrans: tourmentours: and fendes infarnall
The worlde: and vayne plesours subdued they also
Despysynge all plesour: of thynges transitory
Than: all these ouercōmynge/who lokyth clere therto
On erth can no man fynde: more worthy victory
In ouercōmynge erth: they wan eternall glory
And where men supposed: them: to haue ben ouercome
They ouercam: both men: erth: and the hye kyngdome
For certayne/lorde Iesu/who/thus may dye for the
To hym can nothynge be/of more beatytude
Of more parfite swetnes/of more felycite
More ioconde/more ioyous/nor yet more gratytude
Alas we blynde wretches/ar we nat dul and rude
Seynge our redemer/indure for vs suche peyne
And no payne/nor dolour/to endure for hym agayne

Nat onely may we dye/and suffer martyrdome
By tourment of tyran/by swerde/water or flame
But lyuynge we may dye/yf we: our selfe ouercome
This vyle corps despysynge/and lustis of the same
Who dyeth with swerde: but onys: hym selfe doth tame
By deth: but who tamyth his membres corporall
Is dayly mortifyed/by deth contynuall
Nor this deth is graunted/nat vnto euery man
Whiche couryt for to dye/for chryste our sauyour
Some wolde fayne be martyrs: by swerde: but they ne can
That is a speciall grace/of our dere redemptour
But this sayd other deth/to vaynquysshe all errour
To tame this frayle body/and lust to mortyfy
To euery one wyllynge/is graunted comonly
But whome chryste vouchsauyth/to dye by martyrdome
Of tyrannys tourment/no doute is: but he is
Next ioyned vnto god/aboue in his kyngdome
In endles fruicion/of his eternall blysse
And next them innocentis/whiche haue nat done a mys
But nat without meryte/and endles ioy is he
Whiche hym selfe subduyth/by magnanymyte
Wherfore haue done/redar/addresse the to vertue
In whose cause and quarell/be bolde to stande & fyght
Thy blynde carnall lustis/offrayle membres subdue
Be redy for to dye/for Iustice/treuth/and ryght
Despyse all iniury/so semyth chrystes knyght
Subdue this fals worlde/it is but vanyte
Than thynke thy selfe/stablyd/in magnanymyte
What ar these passions/of troubles transytory
But cloudes consumynge/and meanys for to call
Man from worldly folyes/to blysse and endles glory
Make nat double damage/of one displeasour small
Be stronge: trust: no tempest can last contynuall
After sorest stormys/moste clerest ayre wese
After aduers fortune/shynyth prosperyte
Who can nat abyde the one/shall nat attayne the other
The sour sauce is seruyd/before meat deynteous
Ioy saucyd is: with peyne: remember this my brother
Myxt with mysauenture/be chauncis prosperous
This lyfe is resemblyd/a byldynge ruynous
Nowe shakyd with the wynde/agayne: nowe reparate
So faryth by troublys/and chaūces fortunate

The chyldren of ysraell/passyd fyrste the read seye
And thyrty yere wandryd/in sauage wyldernes
In lande of promission: or they/in rest coude be
And longe tyme of batayle/indured harde distres
At last were they stablyd/in rest and quyetnes
So god wyll his seruantis: here in this lyfe chastice
Before he receyue them/to rest in paradyse
Than haue done/take confort/be of stoute courage
Haue hope/that these troublys/ar ernest (trust to me)
Of solace and confort/in endles heritage
Make lyght thynge of labours/by magnanymyte
Aduert all thynge mundayne/hath mutabylyte
Saue vertue/well rotyd/within a stedfast mynde
Nothynge is here constant/all tournyth as the wynde
Nothynge is here constant/nought permanent at all
Euer: perylles passyd/ar plesour for to tell
A man one grounde restynge/can muche lower fall
Let hope/and bolde spyrite/all mysery excell
Aduert what is wrytten/playnly/in the gospell
He muste trauers troublys/whiche wyll our lorde insue
Renownce the frayle worlde/and his owne selfe subdue
Our muse hath remayned/ynough/as thynkyth me
In the shape/descrybynge/of stoute perseuerance
Or payntynge the pycture/of magnanymyte
God gydynge our style/nowe let vs forth auaunce
To descrybe the vertue/of comely temperaunce
But fauourable redar/thynke nat peyne: but delyte
Rede forth/for I promyt: both plesour and profite
Thus endyth the descripcion of the thyrde Cardynall vertue named Magnanymyte: or fortytude/or strēgthe of great mynde: And hereafter enseweth the descripcion of the fourth & laste Cardynall vertue/called moderacion or Tempaūce.
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