Let not a man meddle with unhonest occupations not necessary for a common weal, but as Paul commandeth, with such as are good and profitable for the city or country without deceit, and every man to meddle with, and in his •ne calling, nether seeking other mens lucre, nor envying other mens profit, but walk ordinately and quietly labouring with their own ⟨p. lxvi⟩hands, avoiding usury, but doing to other as thou wouldest be done unto thine own self. And if thou (for all thy true and just dealing) yet prosperoussest not subject to many evil cha• ces, whereof the world is full, yet be thou content with God's will, for the poverty of the righteous, saith Solomon, is better then the infinite treasures of the ungodly. And a piece of bread or a mess of pottage with quietness, is better then a fat ox with brawling. Many men have great goods with much unquietness and little hon•e, for he hath set his soul to pledge, forsaken God & taken the devil to help h•m to lye & to deceive that he might be rich to leave his good to an unknown heir. David saith, follow not him that doth evil because thou seest 1him prosper in his wickedness: for he shall soon be cut down like grass, & like the flour fade away. But put thou thy trust in the lord & do right, dwell in the Lord & get thy living with trueth and just dealing. And fret not nor be aggrieved with him that prospereth in his own way, and leadeth a wicked life. &c. Unto this holy Psalm let every Christen man attend. The wives working place is within her 2house, there to oversee and to set all thing in good order, and to beware that nothing be lo•t, seldom to go forth, but when urgent causes call ⟨image 86⟩her forth. And therefore Phidias that ingenuous 3workman intending to describe an honest faithful housewife, did set her image under the shell of a snail, signifying that she should evermore keep her own house. Necessarily it is 4that she know these common sentences & learn them by heart. Thou must not regard what thing thou wouldest fain have, but what thou canst not lack. Stretch out thine arm no far there than thy sleeve will reach. What so ever thou ne•est not, is to dear of a farthing. Who so spareth not the penny, shall never come by the pound. Sparing is a rich purse. A thing is sooner spared then gotten.
Let not a man meddle with vnhonest occupacions not necessary for a common weal, but as Paul commaūdeth, wyth such as are good and profitable for the citie or countrey wythout deceyte, and euery man to medle wyth, and in hys •ne callyng, nether sekyng other mens lucre, nor enuieng other mens profyt, but walke ordinately and quietly labouryng wyth theyr owne ⟨p. lxvi⟩handes, auoydynge vsurye, but doynge to other as thou woldest be done vnto thyne owne selfe. And yf thou (for all thy true and iust dealynge) yet prosperoussest not subiect to many euel cha• ces, wherof the world is ful, yet be thou content with Goddes wyll, for the pouerte of the ryghtous, sayth Salomon, is better then the infinite treasures of the vngodly. And a pece of bread or a messe of potage with quietnes, is better then a fatte oxe with brawlyng. Many menne haue great goodes wyth muche vnquietnes and lytle hon•e, for he hath sette his soule to pledge, forsaken God & taken the dyuell to helpe h•m to lye & to deceaue that he myght be rytch to leaue his good to an vnknowen hayer. Dauid saythe, followe not hym that doth euell because thou seest 1hym prosper in his wyckednes: for he shall sone be cut downe lyke grasse, & lyke the floure faad awaye. But put thou thy trust in the lorde & do ryght, dwell in ye Lorde & get thy lyuynge wyth trueth and iust dealynge. And freat not nor be agreued wyth hym that prospereth in his owne waye, and leadeth a wycked lyfe. &c. Unto thys holye Psalme let euery Christen man attende. The wyues worckynge place is wythein her 2house, there to ouerse and to sette all thynge in good ordre, and to beware that nothyng be lo•t, seldome to go forth, but when vrgent causes call ⟨image 86⟩her forth. And therfore Phidias that ingenous 3worckemanne entendynge to describe an honest faythefull housewyfe, dydde sette her ymage vnder the shel of a snayle, signifieng that she shulde euermore kepe her owne house. Necessaryly it is 4that she knowe these common sentences & learne them by harte. Thou muste not regarde what thynge thou woldest fayne haue, but what thou canst not lacke. Stretche out thyne arme no far ther than thy sleaue wyll reatche. What so euer thou neest not, is to deare of a farthyng. Who so spareth not the penny, shall neuer come by the pownde. Sparynge is a rytche purse. A thynge is sooner spared then gotten.
- 1Psal. xxxvi.
- 2The wives must work wythein the house.The wyues must worcke wythein the house.
- 3Phidias.
- 4Comonsentē […] far the ke •ng or thy •ouses.Comonsentē 〈…〉 far the ke •ng or thy •ouses.
