University of Virginia Library

Wise Sayings

55. Exhortation to Study

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Trin. Coll., O.2.53, fol. 60r.

Enforce thy wyttes for to lere
Aquaynt the wyth connyng for it is sure
yf fortune chaunge and pouerte a pere
He that ys connyng ys lyke to recure

56. The Vanity of Worldly Lusts

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Trin. Coll., O.2.53, fol. 73v.

What helpith it man to be vnstable
To sett his present lust on worldly vanyte
Syth all the Joy þerof is transmutable
Beaute rychesse strength and prosperyte
Trust ryght well all these shalle from þe fle
Save dedys good & badd payn or blysse
It shall not noy þe ofte to thynk on this

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57. The Transitoriness of Worldly Prosperity

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Trin. Coll., R.3.19, fol. 67r.

The vnware woo that commeth on gladnesse
Ys vnto hertys passyng encomberouse
And who hathe felte hys part of wylfulnesse
Sorow sewyng on ys to hym odiouse
And worst of all and most contrariouse
Ys when the statys hyghest of renowne
Byn from theyre noblesse sodenly brought downe
Bettyr ys to dy then euer to lyue in peyne

Vacat


Bettyr ys an ende then dedely heuynesse
Bettyr ys to dy then euer in woo compleyne
Bettyr ys to dy then lyue in wrechydnesse
And where as myschyef doth at folk dysdeyne
By wofull constreynte of long contynuaunce
Bettyr ys to dy then lyue in suche penaunce

58. Of the iiij Complexions

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Trin. Coll., R.3.19, fol. 52v.

Sanguineus

Natura pingues isti sunt atque forantes
Atque rumores cupiunt audire frequenter
Hos venis & brachijs delectant fercula risus
Et facit hos hillares et dulcea verba loquentes
Omnibus hij studiis habiles sunt ac magis apti
Qualibet ex causa nec hos leuiter mouet Ira
Largus amans hillaris ridens Rubri que coloris
Cantans carnosus satis audax atque benignus
Of yiftis large in love hathe gret delite
Jocond and glad ay of lawyng chere
Of Ruddy coloure meynt somdel with whight
Disposud be kynd to be a chauntere
Hardy I nowe manly and bold of chere
Of the Sanguine also it is a signe
To be demur Riche curteys and benigne

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Colericus

Est humor colere qui conuenit impetuoso
Nam genus hominum cupiunt percellere cunctos
Hij leuiter discunt multum comedunt cito crescunt
Ideo magnanimi sunt magni summa petentes
Hircutus fallax Irascens perditus audax
The coleric froward and full of disceyt
Irous in hert prodiggall in expence
Hardy also and werchithe ay be sleight
Slender and smal full light in existens
Right drye of nature for the gret fervens
of het and the Coleric hathe this signe
He is comonly of coloure Citryne

fflegmaticus

fflegma viros modicos latos faciet quoque breves
fflegma facit pingues sanguis reddit mediocres
Otio non studio tradunt se corpora sompno
Sensus eves terdus motus pigrina sompnus
Hic sompnolentus piger in sputamine multus
The flewmatique is sompnolent and slowe
With humores grosse replete ay habundaunt
To spitte Inuenons the fleumatic is knowe
By dull conseyt and voide vnsuffisaunt
The suptill art to accomplissh or haunt
ffat of kynd the flewmous men may trace
And know them best be fatnes of ther face

Malencolicus

Restat ad huc tristis colore substancia nigro
Que reddit tristes paruos que pauca loquentes
Hii vigilant studio nec mens est dedita sompno
Servant propositum sibi nil reputant fore tutum
Inuidus et cupidus tristis dextre que tenacis
The malancolius thus men aspie
He is thoughtful and set in coviteys

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Replenysshed full of fretyng Envie
Hes hert servithe hym to spend in no wise
Treason Envious fraude can he well devise
Coward of kynd when he shuld be a man
Thou shalt hym knowe be visage pale & wan
Explicit iiij complexions

59. Proverbs in Rimed Couplets

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Trin. Coll., O.9.38, fol. 70r.

Salamon seyth ther is none accorde
Ther euery man wuld be a lord
Wher euery man is plesyd with his degre
Ther is both pece and vnyte
Whos consciens is combred and is not clene
Of other men dedis the wursse wull deme
Deme not my dedys thowgh thyne be nowght
deme what þou wult . þou knowist not my thowghte
Demyng′ and mvsyng′ over ferre
Meny mennys wyttys it settisse yn erre
Power possessyon and rychesse
No man may sette yn sykernesse
The ende of lust is sorow and schame
Travell and parell and lost of name
loue to amende . and feyne to please
lothe to defende sufferaunce doth ease
In euery place wher y gan fare
lacke of forwytte is cause of care
Thow hast noo charter of thy lyfe
Cause þou neuer bate nother stryfe
Be neuer thrall vn to synne
And thynke on þe ende or þou be gynne
Ouer thy hed loke þou neuer hew
Pouerte hath but frendys few
Who so of welth takith no hede
He schall fynde fawte yn tyme of nede

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Thys worlde is mvtabyll so seyth sage
Therfor gedyr yn tyme . or thow fall yn age
Grace passyth golde and precyous stone
God schall be god when golde is gone

60. Praise of Contentment with Little

[_]

Univ. Libr., Gg.4.12, last flyleaf

Tuta paupertas
Hiegh Towers by strong wyndes full lowe be cast
When the lowe Cotages stand sure & fast
Therfor with surenes yt is better in povertie tabide
Then hastily to be Riche and sodaynly to slyde