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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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74

Preceptes of liuinge.

Be not to busy in the thinges
if fauour to obtayne

Zenopho


Thou dost desire, which to thy selfe
do nothing apertayne.
Indeuor not for to reforme
a foole inclynde to will:

Plato.


For thou shalt nothing profite him
but worke thy selfe some yll.
Take hede of wanton womens baytes
and wisely do beware:
Least sodainly thou be intrapt

Socrat.


in their disceitfull snare.
For nothing more if thou desire
in wisedome to preuayle:
That hinders trauell spent therin
or forceth it to fayle.
Accustome not thy selfe to wrath
nor seeke not to invre
The same: for it will be a blocke

Thessle


vnto thy selfe be sure.
74

If thou intende not to do good

Propercine.

yet bridle so thy will:
That it may neither once presume
to do the thing is yll.
Thou duely oughtest for to iudge

Properci

or rather to suppose
Thy selfe more weaker then the least
or weakest of thy foes.
Beware least thou corrupt thy selfe

Zenopho

or thine estate defile:
And neither let thy welth ne helth
ne bewty thee beguile.
Respect thy path with ready foote

Zenopho

and then deuoyde of flight:
Thou shalt no perils once incurre
but guide thy selfe aright
Seeke not with hareish to haue

Cleobilus.

thy matters done in hast:
For when the fancy seemes to raue
the matters fall to wast.
75

But rather so thy matters vse
and trauels do extende:

Cleobu.


As thou by good forecast mayst bring
thy matters to good ende.
In euery feare dissolue thy doubt
by counsell and aduise:

Cleobu.


For by the same the doubt will cease
but comfort wyll arise.
And thou must wisely take the same
as duety doth behoue:

Cleobu.


In good forbearing of the wordes
though they do thee reproue.
Eschew the felowship of him
that hath not great desire
To know himselfe, but bent to will

Dioge.


is thrall vnto his yre.
If thou wouldst be a happy wight
a good and vertuous man:

Dioge.


Be not a boulter which reiects
the flower, and kepes the branne.
75

To him that full of frustrate wordes

Dioge.

is geuen to babbell all:
With silence aunswere his requestes
els aunswere very small.
Indeuor to adorne thy state

Seneca.

and bewtify thy life:
And to adioyne vnto thy selfe
a good and honest wife.
If thou wouldst truly be beloued

Seneca.

then must thou vse thy payne:
To loue as thou dost wish or craue
to be beloued agayne.
It is thy parte so to forethinke

Seneca.

and haue so good respect:
That nothing passe but thou shouldst knowe
therof the full effect.
If thou pretende to promise ought

Pompe.

pretende likewise to pay
The same which thou dost graunt in hast
without a further stay.
76

Pleade not against the perfect case
which iustice doth vpholde:

Marcus aureli.


But in the matter which is right
to pleade and speake be bolde.
Invre thy selfe to labors vse
though motion do rebell:

Dioge.


That thou mayst better it forbeare
when motion doth compell.
Boast not thy selfe of none of thine
but that which is thine owne:

Marcus aureli.


Least after bragging thy defame
and blame as much be blowne.
Behaue thy selfe in gentle sorte
and curtesy retayne:

Dioge.


And fauour loue and good reporte
shalbe thy proper gayne.
If it would greue thee to receaue
rebuke or any shame:

Chilon.


Thou must disdayne to do the deedes
that do deserue the same.
76

For two especiall causes thou
mayst well be bolde to sweare:
For to discharge thy selfe of blame
if thou vngilty beare
The same: and likewise to preuent

Cihlon.

the dangers may ensewe
Unto thy freendes on good intente
his profite to renewe.
But for the purchase of the welth
or heapes of earthly store.
Thou oughtest neuer for to vow
or once to sweare therfore.
Desier rather to be cleane

Chilon.

then gorgeous in attyre:
For neede more better then excesse
contents a wise desire.
Looke wisely to thy selfe and well

Mar: au

beware of thine estate:
Least youth prouoke thee to be proude
or scornefull in thy fate.
Put rather trust and confidence
in wisedome then in wealth:
77

Or in vncertayne fortunes chaunce
which daily changeth health.
And rather seeke to get renowne

Alex se


in vertue vsing payne:
Then in the great abuse which seekes
by welth to get a gayne.
If thou for to continue long

Chilon.


in freendship dost desire:
Thou must forbeare thy frende in rage
when he is moued to yre.
Thou must determine so to guide
thy life, and it to leade:

Arsacides


As euery night thou didst suppose
a graue to be thy bed.
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