CERTAINE
PRECEPTES
,
OR
DIRECTIONS
,
For
the
well
ordering
and
carriage
of
a
mans
life
:
As
also
oeconomicall
Discipline
for
the
gouernment
of
his
house
:
with
a
platforme
to
a
good
foundation
thereof
,
in
the
aduised
choise
of
a
Wife
:
Left
by
a
Father
to
his
Sonne
at
his
death
,
who
was
sometimes
of
eminent
Note
and
Place
in
this
Kingdome
.
And
published
from
a
more
perfect
Copie
;
than
ordinarily
those
pocket
Manuscripts
goe
warranted
by
.
EDINBVRGH
,
Printed
by
ANDRO
HART
,
1618.
TO
THE
READER
.
AGainst
good
Counsell
who
will
shutte
his
Eare
,
At
easie
Rate
maye
buye
Repentance
deare
.
THE
INDVCTION
.
BEloued
Sonne
,
the
manie
religious
and
morall
vertues
inherent
in
your
matchlesse
Mother
,
vnder
the
winges
of
whose
prudent
and
godly
gouernment
your
infancie
hath
beene
trayned
and
guided
vp
,
together
with
your
education
,
vnder
so
zealous
and
learned
a
Tutor
,
put
me
rather
in
assurance
than
hope
(
as
Tullie
some
time
exacted
from
his
Sonne
,
from
the
onelie
hearing
of
Cratippus
his
Master
)
that
you
are
not
ignorant
of
that
summary
bond
,
wherein
you
stand
oblieged
to
your
Creator
and
Redeemer
;
which
is
onely
able
to
make
you
happy
,
both
here
and
hereafter
,
in
life
and
death
:
In
mentioning
whereof
,
I
meane
not
only
a
bare
and
Hystoricall
knowledge
,
but
with
a
reall
and
practicall
vse
adjoyned
,
without
which
,
though
with
a
seemely
assumption
,
you
could
expresse
to
the
World
in
a
former
habite
and
liuing
portrayture
,
all
Aristotles
Morall
Vertues
,
and
walke
that
whole
Booke
in
Life
and
Action
,
yet
are
you
but
a
vaine
and
wretched
Creature
,
the
fayrest
out-side
of
the
miserablest
in
side
,
that
euer
was
concealed
by
Tombe
,
or
shadowing
.
And
although
I
nothing
doubt
,
your
youth
beeing
guided
,
and
your
greene
vessell
seasoned
by
such
wholsome
documents
and
instructions
,
deriued
from
so
all-sufficient
Teachers
,
that
you
are
not
vnfurnished
of
such
needefull
helpes
,
as
may
bee
furtherers
to
your
life
and
conuersation
:
Yet
that
I
may
the
better
retaine
and
expresse
the
zealous
affection
,
beseeming
a
Father
to
his
Sonne
,
or
that
you
should
bee
forced
to
deriue
your
stay
and
aduise
,
rather
from
the
rule
of
Strangers
,
than
from
him
from
whom
you
are
produced
,
and
brought
foorth
.
Out
of
these
fore-going
Considerations
therefore
,
thinking
it
not
vnmeete
,
I
haue
essayed
,
from
the
affection
of
a
Father
,
to
giue
you
such
good
aduertisements
and
rules
for
the
fitting
and
squaring
of
your
life
,
as
are
gayned
rather
by
my
long
experience
&
obseruation
,
than
by
much
reading
or
Study
:
beeing
such
(
in
my
hope
)
with
that
good
assistance
,
as
shall
Season
your
Youth
like
the
draw
of
Age
:
to
the
end
,
that
you
entering
into
this
exorbitant
and
intangling
Worlde
,
may
be
the
better
furnished
to
auoyde
those
harmefull
courses
,
whereinto
these
daungerous
times
,
and
your
inexperience
may
easily
insnare
you
.
And
because
I
woulde
not
confound
your
memory
,
I
haue
reduced
them
into
tenne
Preceptes
:
which
,
if
next
to
MOSES
Tables
,
you
imprint
in
your
minde
,
you
shall
reape
the
benefite
,
and
I
the
ende
of
my
expectation
and
content
.
And
thus
they
follow
.
The
Contents
of
this
Booke
.
Precept
I.
FOr
choyse
of
your
Wiues
.
-
II.
The
education
of
Children
.
-
III.
For
House-holde
Prouision
,
and
the
choyse
of
Seruantes
.
-
IV.
How
to
intreat
your
Kindred
and
Allies
.
-
V.
Aduiseth
to
keepe
some
great
man
to
your
Friende
:
and
how
to
complement
him
.
-
VI.
How
and
when
to
vndertake
suites
.
-
VII
.
Aduertiseth
for
Suretieship
.
-
VIII
.
How
to
behaue
a
mans
selfe
.
-
IX
.
How
farre
to
disclose
a
mans
secretes
.
-
X.
Be
not
scurrilous
in
conuersation
.
PRECEPT
I
,
For
the
choyse
of
your
Wiues
.
FIrst
,
when
it
shall
please
God
to
bring
you
vnto
Mans
estate
,
making
you
capable
of
that
Calling
,
vse
great
prouidence
and
circumspection
,
in
choyse
of
your
Wiues
,
as
the
roote
from
whence
may
spring
most
of
your
future
good
or
euill
:
For
it
is
in
the
choyse
of
a
Wife
,
as
in
a
project
of
Warre
,
wherein
to
erre
but
once
,
is
to
be
vndone
for
euer
.
And
therefore
bee
well
aduised
before
you
conclude
ought
therein
:
For
though
your
Errour
may
teach
you
wit
,
it
is
vncertaine
whether
you
shall
euer
find
time
to
practise
it
:
Therefore
the
more
securely
to
enter
herein
,
First
,
well
consider
your
estate
,
which
,
if
in
a
true
suruay
,
you
finde
firme
and
setteled
,
Match
neare
home
,
and
with
deliberation
:
But
if
otherwise
,
crazie
and
rented
,
then
farre
off
,
and
with
quicke
expedition
:
Bee
informed
truely
of
their
inclination
,
which
,
that
there
may
be
a
more
equall
Sympathie
,
compare
it
with
your
own
,
how
they
agree
:
for
you
must
know
,
that
euery
good
woman
maketh
not
for
euery
man
a
good
wife
:
no
otherwise
than
some
one
good
Dish
disgesteth
with
euery
stomacke
.
After
that
,
inquire
diligently
of
her
stocke
&
race
,
from
whence
she
sprung
,
and
howe
her
parentes
haue
beene
affected
in
their
youth
.
Let
her
not
be
poore
,
how
generous
soeuer
:
For
Generosity
without
her
support
,
is
but
a
faire
shell
,
without
her
kernell
,
Because
a
man
can
buy
nothing
in
the
Market
without
Money
.
And
as
it
is
the
safest
walking
euer
betweene
two
extreames
,
so
choose
not
a
Wife
of
such
absolute
perfection
and
Beauty
,
that
euery
carnall
eye
shall
bespeake
you
injury
:
Neither
so
base
and
deformed
,
that
may
breede
contempt
in
others
,
and
bring
you
to
a
loathed
Bedde
.
Make
not
choyse
of
a
Dwarfe
or
a
Foole
:
for
from
the
one
you
may
beget
a
race
of
Pigmeyes
,
as
they
other
will
be
your
daily
griefe
and
vexation
:
for
it
will
irke
you
so
oft
as
you
shall
heare
her
talke
:
and
you
shall
continually
finde
,
to
your
sorrowe
that
feele
that
Crosse
,
There
is
nothing
so
fullsome
as
a
shee-Foole
.
Touching
the
gouernment
of
your
House
,
let
your
Hospitalitie
bee
moderate
,
equalled
to
the
measure
of
your
estate
,
rather
bountifull
than
niggardly
,
yet
not
prodigall
,
nor
ouer-costly
:
for
though
some
,
who
hauing
otherwise
consumed
themselues
with
secret
vices
,
haue
endeuored
to
colour
their
riots
vpon
their
vertue
,
yet
in
my
obseruation
,
I
haue
not
heard
nor
known
any
man
growe
poore
,
by
keeping
an
ordinary
,
decent
,
and
thrifty
Table
.
Banish
Drunkennesse
out
of
your
Houses
,
and
affect
him
not
that
is
affected
therevnto
:
for
it
is
a
vice
that
impaires
health
,
consumes
wealth
,
and
transformes
a
man
into
a
beast
:
a
sinne
of
no
single
rank
,
no
ordinary
station
,
that
neuer
walks
vnattended
with
a
traine
of
misdemeanors
at
the
heeles
:
besides
,
for
the
credite
thereof
,
to
induce
a
man
,
I
neuer
heard
other
commendation
ascribed
to
a
Drunkard
,
more
than
the
wellbearing
of
his
drink
:
which
is
a
commendation
fitter
for
a
Bruers
horse
,
or
a
Dray-mans
backe
,
than
either
for
Gentlemen
or
seruingmen
:
for
especially
the
latter
being
taken
tardy
herin
,
is
thereby
doubly
diuorced
from
himselfe
:
for
,
beeing
first
sober
,
hee
is
not
his
own
man
:
and
beeing
drunke
,
hee
falles
short
by
two
degrees
.
Beware
thou
spend
not
aboue
three
of
the
4.
parts
of
thy
reuenue
,
nor
aboue
one
third
parte
thereof
in
your
house
:
for
the
other
two
partes
wil
but
defray
extraordinaries
,
which
wil
alway
surmount
your
ordinaries
by
much
:
for
otherwise
you
shall
liue
like
Beggars
in
continual
wants
:
&
the
needy
man
can
neuer
liue
happilie
,
nor
contented
,
being
broken
&
distracted
with
worldly
cares
:
for
the
euery
least
disaster
maks
him
ready
to
morgage
or
sell
:
and
that
Gentleman
that
selleth
an
acre
of
lande
,
looseth
anounce
of
credite
:
for
Gentilitie
is
nothing
but
auncient
Riches
:
So
that
if
the
foundation
doe
sinke
,
the
building
must
needes
consequently
fall
.
PRECEPT
II
,
Teacheth
the
Education
of
Children
.
BRing
your
Children
vp
in
obedience
and
Learning
,
yet
without
too
much
austeritie
,
praise
them
openly
,
reprehende
them
secretly
:
giue
them
good
countenance
,
and
conuenient
maintenance
,
according
to
your
abilitie
:
For
otherwise
your
liues
will
seeme
their
bondage
,
and
then
as
those
are
censured
,
that
deferre
all
good
to
their
ende
;
so
that
portion
you
shall
leaue
them
,
they
may
thanke
death
for
,
and
not
you
.
Marry
your
daughters
betimes
,
lest
they
marry
themselues
.
Suffer
not
your
Sonnes
to
passe
the
Alpes
:
for
they
shall
exchaunge
for
their
forraine
trauell
(
vnlesse
they
goe
better
fortified
)
but
others
Vices
for
their
owne
Vertues
,
Pride
,
Blasphemie
,
and
Atheisme
,
for
Humility
,
Reuerence
,
and
Religion
:
And
if
by
chaunce
,
out
of
a
more
wary
industry
,
they
attain
to
any
broken
Languages
,
they
will
profite
them
no
more
,
than
to
haue
one
Meate
serued
in
diuers
Dishes
.
Neither
by
mine
aduise
shall
you
traine
them
vp
to
Warres
:
For
he
that
sets
vp
his
rest
to
liue
by
that
profession
,
in
mine
opinion
,
can
hardly
be
an
honest
man
,
or
a
good
Christian
:
For
Euerie
Warre
of
it selfe
is
vnjust
,
the
good
cause
may
make
it
lawfull
:
Besides
,
it
is
a
Science
no
longer
in
request
than
vse
:
for
Souldiours
in
Peace
,
are
like
Chimneyes
in
Summur
,
like
Dogges
past
hunting
,
or
Women
when
their
beauty
is
done
.
As
a
person
of
quality
once
noted
to
the
like
effect
,
in
these
Verses
following
:
Friendes
,
Souldiours
,
Women
in
their
prime
,
Are
like
to
Dogges
in
Hunting
time
:
Occasion
,
Warres
,
and
Beautie
gone
,
Friendes
,
Souldiours
,
Women
heere
are
none
.
PRECEPT
III
,
For
House-holde
Prouision
,
and
of
the
choyse
of
Seruantes
.
LIue
not
in
the
Countrey
without
Corne
and
Cattle
about
you
:
For
he
that
must
present
his
Hande
to
his
Purse
for
euery
Expence
of
House-hold
,
shall
as
hardly
keepe
Money
therein
,
as
it
is
for
one
to
hold
Water
in
a
Siue
.
And
for
your
Prouision
,
Lay
to
buy
it
at
the
best
hand
,
for
there
may
be
sometimes
a
pennie
saued
,
betweene
buying
at
your
neede
or
when
the
season
most
fitly
may
furnish
you
.
Be
not
willingly
attended
,
or
serued
by
Kinsmen
or
Friendes
,
which
will
seeme
to
bee
men
,
as
it
were
intreated
to
stay
:
for
such
will
expect
much
,
and
stead
little
:
neither
by
such
as
are
amorous
;
for
their
heads
are
commonly
intoxicated
.
Keepe
rather
too
few
,
than
one
too
manie
:
feede
them
well
,
and
paye
them
with
the
most
,
so
maye
you
lawfully
demaund
seruice
at
their
handes
,
and
boldly
exact
it
.
PRECEPT
IV
,
How
to
intreat
your
Kindred
and
Allies
.
LEt
your
Kindred
and
Allies
bee
welcome
to
your
Table
:
Grace
them
with
your
countenance
,
and
euer
further
them
in
all
their
honest
actions
,
by
worde
,
liberalitie
,
or
industrie
:
For
by
that
meanes
you
shall
double
the
bonde
of
Nature
:
Bee
a
Neighbour
to
their
good
,
as
well
as
to
their
blood
:
By
which
reasonable
deseruinges
,
you
shall
finde
them
so
manie
Aduocates
,
to
pleade
an
Apologie
for
you
behind
your
backe
,
so
manie
Witnesses
of
your
Vertues
,
whensoeuer
others
shall
seeke
to
depraue
you
:
But
shake
off
the
Glow-wormes
,
I
meane
Parasites
and
Sycophantes
,
who
will
feede
and
fawne
on
you
,
in
the
Summer
of
your
Prosperitie
;
but
in
anie
aduerse
Storme
,
will
shelter
you
no
more
than
a
Cloake
of
Taffatie
,
or
an
Arbour
in
Winter
.
PRECEPT
V
,
Aduiseth
to
keepe
some
great
Man
to
your
Friend
,
and
how
to
complement
him
.
BE
sure
you
keep
some
great
Man
alwayes
to
your
Friend
:
yet
trouble
him
not
for
trifles
:
Complement
him
often
:
present
him
with
manie
,
yet
small
gifts
,
and
of
little
charge
.
And
if
you
haue
cause
to
bestow
any
great
gratuitie
on
him
,
then
let
it
be
no
Chest
commodity
,
or
obscure
thing
:
but
such
a
one
as
may
bee
dayly
in
sight
,
the
better
to
be
remembred
:
for
otherwise
you
shall
liue
but
like
a
Hop
without
Pole
,
or
a
Vine
without
her
Elme
,
subject
to
injury
&
oppression
,
ready
to
be
made
a
Football
for
euery
superior
insulting
companion
to
spurne
at
.
PRECEPT
VI
,
How
and
when
to
vndertake
suites
.
VNdertake
no
Suit
against
a
poore
man
,
without
receiuing
of
great
wrong
,
for
therin
you
make
him
your
Compeditor
:
Besides
that
,
it
is
helde
a
base
Conquest
,
to
triumph
vpon
a
weak
Aduersary
.
Neither
vndertake
law
against
any
man
,
before
you
be
fully
resolued
you
haue
the
Right
on
your
side
:
which
being
once
so
ascertained
,
then
spare
neither
cost
nor
paines
to
accomplish
it
:
For
a
Cause
or
two
being
so
close
followed
,
and
well
accomplished
,
may
after
free
you
from
Suits
a
great
part
of
your
life
.
PRECEPT
VII
,
Aduertiseth
for
Suretieshippe
.
BEware
of
Suretieshippe
,
yea
for
your
best
Friend
:
For
hee
that
payeth
another
mans
debts
,
goeth
the
way
to
leaue
other
men
to
pay
his
,
and
seeketh
his
owne
ouer-throwe
.
Therefore
if
hee
bee
such
a
one
,
as
you
cannot
well
say
nay
,
choose
rather
then
,
to
lend
that
mony
from
your selues
,
vpon
good
bonds
,
though
you
borrowe
it
:
so
may
you
pleasure
your
Friende
,
and
happily
secure
your selues
.
In
borrowing
of
Money
,
bee
euermore
precious
of
your
word
:
For
hee
that
hath
a
care
to
keepe
daye
of
payment
,
is
lord-commaunder
many
times
of
another
mans
Purse
.
PRECEPT
VIII
,
How
to
carrie
a
Mans
selfe
towardes
his
Superiours
,
and
Inferiours
.
TOwards
your
Superiours
bee
humble
,
yet
generous
:
with
your
Equalles
familiare
,
yet
respectiue
:
towardes
your
Inferiours
shewe
much
humilitie
,
with
some
familiaritie
;
as
to
bow
your
body
,
stretch
foorth
your
hand
,
vncouer
your
head
,
and
such
like
populare
complements
:
the
first
prepareth
way
to
aduancement
:
the
second
will
make
you
knowne
for
men
well
bred
:
the
thirde
gaineth
a
good
report
,
which
once
gained
,
may
easily
bee
kept
;
for
high
humilities
are
of
such
respect
in
the
opinion
of
the
multitude
,
that
they
are
easilier
won
by
vnprofitable
Courtesies
,
than
by
churlish
benefits
:
Yet
doe
I
not
aduise
you
,
ouermuch
to
affect
or
neglect
popularitie
.
PRECEPT
IX
,
How
farre
to
disclose
a
Mans
Secrets
.
TRust
no
man
with
your
Credite
,
or
Estate
:
For
it
is
a
meere
follie
for
a
man
to
inthrall
himselfe
further
to
his
Friende
,
than
that
hee
needeth
not
feare
him
beeing
his
Enemie
.
PRECEPT
X.
BE
not
scurrilous
in
conuersation
,
nor
Stoicall
in
your
wittes
;
for
the
one
maketh
you
vnwelcome
to
all
companies
,
as
the
other
pulleth
quarrels
on
your
heads
,
and
maketh
you
hated
of
your
best
Friends
.
Iestes
,
when
they
doe
sauour
of
too
much
trueth
,
leaue
a
bitternesse
in
the
minds
of
those
that
are
touched
.
And
,
although
I
haue
alreadie
pointed
at
these
inclusiue
,
yet
I
thinke
it
necessarie
to
leaue
it
to
you
as
a
Cantion
,
because
I
haue
seene
manie
so
prone
to
quippe
and
girde
,
that
they
had
rather
lose
their
Friende
than
their
Iest
:
And
if
by
chaunce
their
boyling
Brayne
yeeld
a
quaint
Scoffe
,
they
will
trauell
to
bee
deliuered
of
it
,
as
a
Woman
with
Childe
:
But
I
thinke
those
nimble
Apprehensions
,
are
but
the
Froth
of
the
Wittes
.
FINIS
.