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The Closet of Counsells

conteining The aduice of diuers wyse Philosophers, touchinge sundry morall matters, in Poesies, Preceptes, Prouerbes, and Parrables, translated, and collected out of diuers aucthors, into Englishe Verse: by Edmond Eluiden. Wherunto is anexed a pithy and pleasant discription of the abuses: and vanities of the vvorlde
Elviden, Edmund
 
[dedication]

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The closet of counsells.
 
Of forecaste.
 
Of Labour.
 
Of Reste.
 
Of Townes or Realmes.
 
Of the Common welthe
 
Of The honor of a reamle.
 
Of Prayse and disprasye.
 
Of Suffisanse.
 
Of offenses.
 
Of Beloued thinges.
 
Of a custome.
 
Of Corrupt rulers.
 
Of Honore.
 
Of Practyse.
 
Of Frendshippe.
 
Of Disdayne.
 
Of Measure.
 
Of an ould Lecherer.
 
Of Benefytes.
 
Of Pryde.
 
Of Wrath.
 
Of luste.
 
Of Repentaunse.
 
Of Gentlenes.
 
Of corage.
 
Of the lawe.
 
Of worldlyenes.
 
Of solitarines.
 
Of patience.
 
Of weomen.
 
Of the Tonge.
 
Of Measure.
 
Of Bryberye.
 
Of a Flatterer.
 
Of Sudayne chaunces.
 
Of The contēted state? &c.
 
Of Manye woordes.
 
Of Youthe.
 
Of Lyfe.
 
Of Truthe.
 
Of The pryuye enemye.
 
Of wysdome.
 
Of sorowe.
 
Of vnderstandynge.
 
Shamfastenes.
 
Of Ignoranse.
 
Of a foole
 
Of frendes.
 
Of Wrath.
 
Of wrathe.
 
Of Euill mens praise.
 
Of Gentlenes.
 
Of Mans course.
 
Of Women and childrē.
 
Of Lecherye.
 
Of a good Captayne.
 
Of seeking and fynding
 
Of experiense.
 
Of a wicked man.
 
Of good workes.
 
Of fame
 
Of victorye.
 
Of libertye.
 
Of truthe
 
Of the soule.
 
Of Loue.
 
Of Lyberalytie.
 
Of Feare.
 
Of Uyce.
 
Of Wytt.
 
Of a Foole.
 
Of loue.
 
Of death.
 
Of three pyttyfull thinges
 
Of good deedes.
 
Of frendship.
 
Of a godly feare.
 
Of fooles
 
Of Godlye woorkes
 
Of Luste & Lecherye.
 
Of prayer.
 
Of bringinge vp.
 
Of disobedience.
 
Of gentillnes.
 
Of the noble man.
 
Of lyes.
 
Of pouertye.
 
Of mysfortunes.
 
Of Pleasures.
 
Of couetousenes.
 
Of the pleasures of the soule
 
Of prosperytie.
 
Of idlenes.
 
Of measure.
 
Of the soule.
 
Of dissention.
 
Of wrathe.
 
Of Lawe.
 
Of science.
 
Of the learned.
 
Of conceyte.
 
Of faythe.
 
Of vnprofitable liuing.
 
Of the tonge.
 
Of perfecte patience.
 
Of gyftes.
 
Of sorowe.
 
Of a Iudge.
 
Of a Foole.
 
Of Nature.
 
Of godlye woorkes.
 
Of a wysemans harte.
 
Of an vniuste man.
 
Of honore.
 
Of Knowledge.
 
The depycture of a wrathfull man.
 
Of the harte.
 
Of reuenge.
 
Of the wyt.
 
Of prosperitie and aduersitie.
 
Of the begininge.
 
Of a scoldynge woman.
 
Of a fooles honore.
 
Of the knowledge of our selues.
 
Howe to prayse.
 
Of Idlenesse.
 
Of Dronkennesse.
 
Of nature.
 
Of inordinate desyre.
 
Of the kynges courte.
 
Of counsayll.
 
Of the prodygall & niggarde.
 
Of a Woman.
 
Of a good life.
 
Of our creation.
 
Of Feare.
 
Of Credence.
 
Howe to make the witt apt.
 
Of Loue.
 
Of lybertye.
 
Of frendes.
 
Of vice.
 
Of faythe.
 
Of Honore not dezerued.
 
Of Counsell.
 
Of mens Lawes.
 
Of a Iudge.
 
Of a quarreler.
 
Of a Prince.
 
Of the soule.
 
Of the Worlde.
 
Of the soules sycknes.
 
Of delyberation.
 
Of a Prynce.
 
Of frendshipp.
 
Of Hope.
 
Of mercie.
 
Of the lyberall man.
 
Of Loue.
 
Of good counsell.
 
Of Obedience.
 
Of Honest lyfe.
 
Of Riche men.
 
Of the happie man.
 
Of Uertew.
 
Of a Good man.
 
Of the yll.
 
Of the ignorante.
 
Who knowes.
 
Of a dead foole.
 
Of the slothfull.
 
Of an ignorant man.
 
Of perfecte good.
 
Of wyse men.
 
Of Youthe.
 
Of the Couetous man.
 
Of Flaterye.
 
Of Lust.
 
Of Diligence.
 
Of Richesse.
 
Of Fortune.
 
Of chyldren.
 
Of men whych liue in sorowe.
 
Of the soules vexacion.
 
Of a Pikethanke.
 
Of Trauell.
 
Of the Witt.
 
Of Uaynglorie.
 
Of purchasynge loue.
 
Of Wrathe.
 
Of the gyuer.
 
Of the spitefull man.
 
Of the witt.
 
Of the Tongue.
 
Of Equall Frendship.
 
Of an vnlearned Riche man.
 
Of Almes.
 
Of Slothe.
 
Of the Worlde.
 
Of the knowledge of this worlde.
 
Of Iustice.
 
Of punishment of the wicked.
 
Of Pacience.
 
Of a Prynce.
 
Of a Prynces office.
 
Of swearynge.
 
Of the ciuill lawe.
 
Of the witt.
 
Of Iudgement.
 
Of Iustice.
 
Of an vnquiet wife.
 
Of Counsell.
 
What is perfect honoure.
 
Of Rulers.
 
Of a Foole.
 
Of ignorance.
 
Of the Soule.
 
Of perseueraunce in counsell.
 
Of Foolishnes.
 
Of youthe.
 
Of a rare thynge.
 
Of a good Iudge.
 
Who may not bee iuste.
 
Of the witt without knowledge.
 
Of Contempte.
 
Of mans property.
 
Of Credyte.
 
Of selfeloue.
 
Of a Princes dutye
 
Of people or subiects.
 
Of the Worlde.
 
Of Rulers.
 
Of counsell takyng.
 
Of God.
 
Of worldly honor.
 
Of Lawe.
 
Of a wise man.
 
Of study.
 
Of man.
 
Of Riches.
 
Of childehode.
 
Of wordes.
 
Of good deedes.
 
Of Concorde.
 
Of vice.
 
Of vaine glory.
 
Of Uertue.
 
Of vertuous deedes.
 
Of fayre wordes.
 
Of an Enuious man.
 
Of Liberality.
 
Of the most euill thing.
 
Of Conditions.
 
Of giftes.
 
Of Fayth.
 
Of trueth.
 
Of good behauiour.
 
Of Loue.
 
Of sober demeanor.
 
Of Flatery.
 
Of wrath.
 
Of Wine.
 
Of the tongue.
 
Of speach.
 
Of a Lyar.
 
Of a fooles secrete.
 
Of pleasures.
 
Of the Flatterer.
 
Of Fortune.
 
Of the couetous man.
 
Of diligence.
 
Of happines.
 
Of sure liuing.
 
Of the knowledge of our selues.
 
Of wise mens fore knowledge.
 
Of deffe and blinde men.
 
Of vnsaciate desire
 
Of laysure.
 
Of aduisement.
 
Of vayne men.
 
Wherto man is made.
 
Of forecast.
 
Of our life and death.
 
Of Correction.
 
Of a King.
 
Of shame.
 
Of secretes.
 
Of Counsell.
 
Of the Lawe.
 
Of all Iniuries.
 
Of the wrathfull.
 
Of early risinge.
 
Of Wisedome.
 
Of honest liuing.
 
Of a whore.
 
Of Obedience.
 
Of trouble.
 
Of womens wrath.
 
Of the learned vertuous man.
 
Of Sciences.
 
Of womens counsell.
 
How to liue well.
 
Of a vertuous heart.
 
Of our corrupt nature.
 
Of measure in speach.
 
Of our state.
 
Of freendes duetyes.
 
Of Charitie.
 
Of vayne benefites.
 
Of a nigardes almes.
 
Of a learned prince.
 
What is our best knowledge.
 
Of three incombrances.
 
Of death.
 
Of a bewtiful foole.
 
Of fearefulnes or timorosity.
 
Of vertue and vice.
 
Of perfect good.
 
Of the wearines of nature.
 
Of abstinence.
 
Howe to see and perseaue folly in a man.
 
Of the lazy life.
 
How to make of foos freendes.
 
How to disclose our secreats.
 
How to trust.
 
Of pryde.
 
Of the eyes offence.
 
Of fruitles labor.
 
Of deliberate speaking.
 
Of worldly pleasures.
 
Of aduice in all things.
 
Of wittes exercise.
 
Of malice.
 
Of reason and knowledge.
 
Of wisedome.
 
Of Golde.
 
Of aduancement.
 
Of hope and life.
 
Of knowledge.
 
Of a vicious man.
 
Of Enuy.
 
Of wine and women.
 
Of foresight.
 
Of superfluous praters.
 
Of enuious men.
 
Of hasty attemptes.
 
Of thinges surpassing our capasitie.
 
Of the greatest shame.
 
Of a foole.
 
Of tender age.
 
Of Death.
 
Of Sorowe.
 
Of a sad countenance.
 
Of Obedience.
 
Of Charitie.
 
Of the tongue or wordes.
 
Of contented riches.
 
Of good aduice.
 
Of worldly care.
 
Of the worldes misery.
 
Of a kinges duety, written by Claudianus a famous Poete.
 
Of meeke witted men.
 
How to knowe a wise man.
 
Of honor and riches.
 
Of a good law.
 
Of the proofe of good counsell.
 
Of well doing.
 
Of Ignorance.
 
Of euill life.
 
Of learning and knowledge.
 
Of scornefull men.
 
Of Libertie.
 
Of frendship.
 
Of discorde.
 
Of concorde.
 
Of frequenting thy frendes house.
 
Of vowes.
 
Of superfluous curiositie.
 
Of good and yll.
 
Of the diuersitie of disceites.
 
How to purchase fame.
 
Of an euyll wife.
 
What best becomes a woman.
 
Of gentlenes.
 
How te instruct youth.
 
Of well doinge.
 
Of Wyne.
 
Of a licentious tonge.
 
Of goods ill gotten.
 
Of foule language.
 
Of Lust.
 
Of a fooles good fortune.
 
Of the pleasure in monie.
 
Of man and money.
 
Of the ende.
 
Of aucthoritie.
 
Of time.
 
Of a dissembler.
 
Of aduisement.
 
Of the body.
 
Of counterfeyt things or fraude.
 
Of a Souldiers dewtye.
 
Of vice or wickednes.
 
Of the hartes disease.
 
Of a frende.
 
Of ydellnes.
 
Of curiosytye.
 
Of vicious rulers.
 
Of man and his soule.
 
Of worldly men.
 
Of a happy realme.
 
Of mercy and iustice.
 
Of the auncesters.
 
Of freendship and iustice.
 
Of Wisedome.
 
Of wise men.
 
Of learning.
 
Of instruction.
 
Of truth and error.
 
Of fooles and wise men.
 
Of ignorant men.
 
Of feare or doubt.
 
Of feare.
 
Of vertue.
 
Of good men.
 
Of an euill lyfe.
 
Of goodnes and wickednes.
 
Of faythfulnes and trueth.
 
Of loue.
 
Of charitie.
 
Of a liberall heart.
 
Of geuing and receiuing.
 
Of a faythfull freende.
 
Of the wilfull man.
 
Of Enuie.
 
Of thretninge.
 
How to delaie spight or grudge.
 
Of warines.
 
Howe to praise.
 
Of sorowe.
 
Of vayne glory.
 
Of the misers sorow.
 
Of masters.
 
Of seruaunts.
 
Of labor and custome.
 
Of a womans duety.
 
Of thankfulnes.
 
Of the husbande.
 
Of good and wise men.
 
Of silence.
 
Of flattery.
 
Of scorne.
 
Of hawty mindes.
 
Of dronkennes.
 
Of couetousnes.
 
Of death.
 
Of instruction.
 
Of expences.
 
Of substance.
 
Of tryall.
 
Of dissembling.
 
Of freendlines.
 
Of importunatenes.
 
Of mortall vexation.
 
Of good fame
 
Of learning.
 
Of the tongue and the heart.
 
Of the apparell and speach.
 
Of superfluous talke.
 
Of slaunder and flattery.
 
Of the couetous man.
 
Of foresight.
 
Of an enemy
 
Of the feare of death.
 
Of Death.
 
Of the feare of God.
 
Of life and vertue.
 
Of feare.
 
Of reprouing.
 
Of the vncertainty of time.
 
Of sinne.
 
Of a hard thing.
 
Of a vayne thing.
 
Of wilfull will.
 
Of a misery.
 
Of good deedes done to the wicked.
 
Of foolish ioyes.
 
Of natures workes.
 
Wherin honor consisteth.
 
Of counsell taking.
 
Of riches left to a waster.
 
Of the force of riches.
 
Of constant loue.
 
Of giftes well imployed.
 
Of corrupt customes.
 
Of wyll.
 
Of a freende.
 
Of anger.
 
Of wrath.
 
Of spight and enuy.
 
Of malicious wordes.
 
Of the trauels of life and death.
 
Of vertuous.
 
Of truth and time.
 
Of welth.
 
Of vertue.
 
Of fayned freendes.
 
Of too much escrutiositie.
 
Of strikinge.
 
Of chorlish nature.
 
Of the profite of a realme.
 
Of wise mens loue, and fooles.
 
Of the worlde.
 
Of lyfe and wealth.
 
Of deceits.
 
Of women.
 
Of Wine.
 
Of a vicious man.
 
Of trueth.
 
Of an euill louer.
 
Of euill mens consente.
 
Of priuie benefites
 
Of speache and silence.
 
Of thankfullnes.
 
Of furye.
 
Who liues in quiet.
 
Sustayne and abstayne.
 
Of dispraysing.
 
Of a kinge.
 
Of a wicked soule.
 
Of wise sufferance.
 
Of the worldes misery.
 
Of vanishing thinges.
 
Of suffisance.
 
Of death.
 
Of the mighty man.
 
Of the conscience troubled.
 
Of measure.
 
Of the auaritious miser.
 
Of sensualitie.
 
Of the world to come.
 
Preceptes of liuinge.
 
Or thus.
 
A Pithy and pleasante discription of the Abbusions, and Uanities, of the Worlde.

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Of a kinges duety, written by Claudianus a famous Poete.

Though that thy power and prowes stretch
vnto the world his ende:
And through at large in euery place
and prouince do extende.
And though thou rulest the heuy charge

Seneca.


of rich Arabias might:
Of Seres, Medea, and the rest
and hast in Indea right.
49

If feare thy honor interrupt
or small things thee offende:
Or to desire which is corrupt
thy fansy do intende.
Thou art in bondage as a slaue
thy honor then doth fall:
Thy glory and fame suppressed is
and cleane defaced all.
And thou shalt rightly be esteemd
as worthy for to reigne:
When thou art ruler of thy selfe
and flyest all disdayne.
For euill custome had in vre
doth bring in filthy vse:
That vertue cleane refused is
and brought into abuse.
And wanton licence doth intende
great folly to allure:
And still pursuite of wanton sectes
doth wantonly procure.
Set not thy fansy therfore still
to liue in great delight:
Least that thy foolishnes of will
do worke thee further spight.
And if that lust or hasty wrath
thy stomake do assayle;
50

Subdue occasion, which subdewd
thy selfe shall then preuayle.
What thou maist do craue not to know
but what becomes thee best:
Keepe corage, lowe, & alwayes thinke
that measure is a feaste:
Loue well thy subiects and prouide
the meanest to maintayne:
Deuise thy welth and let them all
Be partners of thy gayne.
Be not addict to parcialnes
except it do pretende
Thy whole estate of commons all
and people to defende.
For by ensample of thy selfe
they be informed all:
And both in vertue and in vice
with thee they ryse and fall.
For lawes and statutes haue no force
nor any thing preuayle:
But as a ball the people turne
which euery way doth faile.
And if the ruler in his life
and liuing be not stable:
Both law and counsel sone are changde
and turnde into a fable.
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