IT is a wonder to se the world : Now a daies , the more straunge the better lyked , therfore vnnethe a manne maye knowe an honest man from a false harlotte . But peace / who is this gentylman that standeth here harkenynge ? What I saye myne olde felowe Gnatho , I praye the come forthe , ye steale not so awaye . Perdye I knowe youre olde facyon / though ye be nowe thus straungely disguysed .

Who speaketh to me : Pasquill ? Sawest thou not Harpocrates late ? I seeke for hym , he must come to my mayster .

I wote not whither thyneye soughte for Harpocrates , but sure I am , that thyn ere sought for Pasquillus . But I praye the tourne about : thou haste the strangest apparaise that euer I loked on : What haue we here ? A cappe ful of aglettes & bottons this longe estrige fether doeth wonderly wel / the tirfe of the cappe tourned downe afore lyke a pentise hathe a meruaylous good grace : but this longe gowne with strayte sleues is a non sequitur , and hit shall lette you to flee , & than youre fethers shall stande you in no stede , and so mought ye happen to be combred , if ye shulde come in to a stoure , where ye wold shyft for your selfe . God a vowe what doest thou with this longe typpet ? If it were white as it is blacke , I wolde haue sayd , thou camest to challenge men at wrastlynge , but I wene ye haue walked latein the strete , and pulled it from some worshypfull doctour . What a gods name / haue ye a boke in your hande ? A good feloweshyp wherof is it ? Let me se . Nouum testamentum ? What / thou deceiuest ●● / I had wend thou couldest haue skilled of nothynge but only of flatery . But what is this in your bosom ? An other boke , or els a payre of cardes of valery salse hed ? Dyd I not saye at the fyrst / that it is a wonder to se this worlde ? Lo som wyll be in the bowelles of diuinite er they knowe what belongeth to good humanitie . Let se , what is here ?

Troylus and Chreseyd ? Lord what discorde is bytwene these two bokes ? Yet a great dele more is there in thyn aparayll . And yet moost of all betwene the boke in thy hande and thy condicions . As god helpe me / as moch as betwene trouth and leasynge .

Well Pasquillus / thou wylte neuer leue thyn olde custome in raylynge . Yet haste thou wyt ynough to perceyue what damage and hindrance thou hast therby susteyned : and more arte thou lykely & with greater peryll / if thou haue not good awayte / what , and to whome / and where thou spekest . I herde the wordes that thou spakest whyle ere , wherof it I wolde be a reporter , it mought tourne the to no littell displeasure : but I know that thou arte a good felowe , and woldest that all thynge were well , though thy wordes be all crabbed . Wherfore not withstandynge that thou speakest rebukefully to me , I take hit in iape , ne wyll carye hense with me the presumtuous wordes that thou spakest . But by myne aduise leue nowe at the last thin vndiscrete libertie in speche , wherin thou vsest vnprofitable tauntes and rebukes / I may well calle them vnprofytable , wherby nothynge that thou blamist / is of one iote amended , and thou losest therby preferment , whiche thyn excellent wit doth require : & that wors is / trauailest in study of minde to augmente thin owne detriment , and therin losist moche tyme , that mought be better employed .

¶ I remembre , that ones I asked a man , that was wise and verye well lerned , howe I mought sonest come to promotion : he sayde . vsyng Aeschylus counsaylle / whiche was a writar of tragedies : and I demanded , what it was ? And he aunswered , holding thy tonge wher it behoueth the . And spekyng in tyme that whiche is conuenient . And the same lesson Pasquillus if thou woldeste obserue / I doute not , but that thou shuldest fynd therin no lytle commoditie .

Mary Gnato I wyl no more wonder at thy syde gowne : for thou arte moche wysar than I supposed . I had wende all this whyle , that by nature onely thou haddest ben instructed to flatter , but by saint I one I se now , that thou ioynest also therto a shrewde wyt , and preparest to the helpinge therof as it were a crafte gathered of lernynge and scripture . Notwithstanding a good felowshyp / if thy taryenge shall not be greuouse or hurtfull vnto the ( for I knowe howe expedient it is that thou be not longe oute of the syght of thy mayster , if thou wylt be Gna tho alone ) tell me how thou vnderstandest the sayd sentence of Aeschylus tragedy : for I feare we two do vnderstonde hym dyuersely , & than thy counsayle in respecte to thy purpose shall lytell profyte me .

Supposest thou so ? In good faythe and to me it semeth so playne , that it nedeth none expositor , but to the intent that my counsayll to the may take some effecte , in the lyttell tyme that I may now tary , I wyl as com pendiously as I can shewe my conceite / in declaringe what I thynke / that Aeschylus mente by the sayde sentence .

¶ It behoueth a man to holde his tunge , whan he aforeseeth by any experience , that the thinge / whiche he wolde purpose or speke of to his superiour / shall neyther be pleasantly herde nor thankefully taken . And in wordes oportunitie & tyme alwaye do depende on the affection and appetite of hym that hereth them .

How sayest thou Pasquill , is it not so ?

So ? No so mote I go . But one thyng here me . I wyll nat flatter the Gnatho . If thou vnderstandeste no better the newe testamtnt ( whiche thou cariest as solemnely with thee , as thou shul dest rede a priue lesson / Hem I had almoste tolde where openly ) than thou doest Aeschylus sentence / whiche as if thou haddest bene lerned , thou toldest to me for a counsaylle , thy brethe wyll be so hote shortly , that thou wylt make men aferde to come within twentye fote of the .

And herke in thyne eare . By my trouth , I wene it be neyther better nor warse .

Wyl ye not leue your ouerthwart facion . I can no more . I se it is vaine to counsaile a madde man to loke to his profite . Fare well , I haue somewhat els to do / than to attende to thy pratynge .

What be you angry for this ? Loke on the boke in your hande : perdie hit agreeth not with your profession to be out of charitie . But gentyll Gnatho tary so long as I may shew thee how I vnderstande the sayde sentence of Aeschylus .

Say on .

¶ Where two hostes be assembled , and in poynt to fyght : if thou be among them , though thou be a great astronomer / it behoueth the to hold thy tunge / and not to talke of coniunctions , and of the trine or quartil aspectes , but to prepare the to bataylle . Where a good felowshyp is sette at dyce or at cardes , thoughe thou be lerned in geometrie : holde thy tunge , and speke not of proporcions or figures . Where men be set at a good soupper / and be busily occupyed in eatynge and drynkynge , though thou be depely sene in philosophie / holde thy tonge and dispute not of temperaunce / or moderate diete . Where thou arte amonge a great companie , at bankettinges or other recreations : though thou be well lerned in holy scripture , holde thy tonge , interprete not Paules epistels / for therin is no daliaunce .

Whan thou arte sittynge in counsaile aboute maters of weighty importaunce : talke not than of passe tyme or daliaunce , but omittinge affection or dreede , speke than to the pourpose .

Where thou seeste thy frende in a great presence hououred of all men , though thou knowest in hym notable vices , yet there holde thy tonge , and reproche hym not of them . Where thou seest thy lorde or mayster in the presence of many / resolued in to fury or wantonnesse , thoughe thou hast all redy aduertisementes , howe he shall refrayne it : yet holde thy tonge than / for troublynge that presence .

¶ On the other parte . If before bataile ioyned , thou beholdest thy side the weiker : and thyne aduersaries more puissaunt and stronger : speke than of policie , wherby thou hopest to optayne the victorie .

¶ Before that thy frende syttethe downe to dyce , if thou dost perceiue , that he shal be ouermatched : discorage hym betyme / or he repent hym in pouertie .

¶ Whan thy frendes be set downe to souper / before the cuppes betwise fylled : reherce the peryll and also dishonesti that hapneth by glotony .

¶ Whan yonge men and women haue appoynted a bankette , than er the ouens be hete / and tables all couered / reherce hardely the sentences of saynt Paule , or saynt Hierome , if thou be lerned .

If thou be called to counsaile / after thou haste either herde one raisonne bifore the / or at the leest weye , in the balaunce of thyne owne raison ponderid the question : spare not to shew thine aduise , & to speke truely / remembring that god is not so ferre of , but that he can here the .

¶ If thou knowest a vice in thy frende , which is of a fewe men suspected , er it be talked of at the tauerne , or of his enemy reproched / warne him of the damage that may happen / if it be not amended .

¶ Whan thou percciuest thy Maister to be resolued in to wrath or affections dishonest , Before wrathe be incresed in to fury , and affection in to voluptuous appetite . As oportunitie serueth the / reuerently and with tokens of loue towarde hym , speke suche wordes as shal be conuenient .

¶ Oportunite consisteth in place or tyme / where and whan the sayd affections or passion of wrath be some dele mitigate and out of extremitie . And wordes be called conueniente , whiche haue respecte to the nature and state of the person , vnto whom they be spoken , and also to the detrimente / whiche mought ensue by the vice or lacke that thou hast espied , & it ought not to be as thou hast supposed . For oportunite & tyme for a counsayllour to speke / do not depend of the affection and appetite of hym that is counsayled : mary than counsaylle were but a vayne worde , and euery man wolde do as hym lyfte .

For if he listed not to here any counsayle , he shulde neuer be warned of his owne errour , but by satietie and tediousnesse of his owne vice , or by grace ( if he were worthi to haue it )

Nowe by the fayth I owe to god / I wold not haue thought / that thou haddest ben so well raysoned . For men haue alwaye reputed the but for a babbler and raylar .

Ye what men ? By god those / whiche oughte moste to haue thanked me . I saye , herke in thine eare : Popes , emperours / kinges / and cardinalles . Thou herest what I say . Whan they , by such as thou & Harpocrates be / were with flatery and dissimulation broughte in to the hate of god and the people , ones in yere / I gaue thē warning , neither for menaces , nor yet for beatynges , I neuer cessed . Thou arte remembred whan pope Leo sware , that he wolde throwe me in to the ryuer of Tyber . And that yere I went to saint Iames on pilgremage / which I auowed , if I escaped drowning . But in a vnlucky houre was I a pylgreme : for sens there haue comen bothe to sainct Iames at Compostella , and to saint Peter at Rome euery yere ten thousande pilgremes fewer , than there dyd a thousande yeres before that tyme . And menne saye , that in other contreys dyuers monasteries be lyke to breake hospitalitie , bicause theyr offringes be not the thyrde parte so moche as they were accustomed . For in dede nowe a daies mens deuocion waxeth euen as colde / as the mounkes be in the quyer at midnyght . that commoditie had Rome by myn absence . And yet after mi pilgremage done , I had for mi trouth & plainnesse as moch {per} done of god , as if I had bylded one cloyster in Rome / and an other in Parise / & put in to eueryche of them an hundred friers conuentuals . And yet were that a blessed dede , if the lawe were not agayne incresing of valiant beggers . But to my purpose . If these men that we spake of / had wysely & coldly expended and tried my wordes , that they called raylynge , many thinges mought haue ben preuented / that were after lamented .

Germany shulde not haue kicked agayne her mother : Emperours and princis shuld not haue ben in perpetual discorde / & often tymes in peril , prelates haue ben laughed at , as di●●sardes : saynctes blasphemed , and miracles reproued for iougglynges / lawes and statutes contemned / and officers littell regarded . What must nedes folowe / sens my breth faileth me ? I leue that to the Gnatho to coniect , for thou arte wyse moughe to consider .

I knowe what thou meanest / but a felyshyp leaue thy bourdinge and currishe philosophie , sens it is neyther profitable / plesant , nor thankefull . Who wolde be so madde to driue about a myll , and is sure / that all the meale / that he gryndeth / shall fall on the floore : sauinge a litle mylduste / that shall flie in to his eien , and put hym to payne and perchaunce make hym blynde ? And thou studyest ot speake many good wordes , whiche be lost in the rushes : and if any yll meaning may be pycked out , it is caste in thy nose to put thee in daunger . Lese no more laboure Pasquyll / but folowe my counsaylle : and if within two yeres thou be newe paynted and gylt / and haue mo men wondryng at the , than at any other ymage in Rome , by my trouthe I wyll stande in the rayne and sonne as longe as thou haste done , and yet it were an vuresonable wager .

Go to let se what is thy counsaill ?

Mary I wyll telle thee . Thou haste a very sharpe wytte and a redy : wherfore thou arte mete for the worlde . And pitie it were , that such a iewel shuld be neglected .

And pitie hit were , that suche a flaterar as thou art / shulde longe be vnhanged . But passe on a goddis name .

I wist well , that in suche as frowarde pice of tymbre I shulde lose moche laboure : yet wyll I proue / if good counsaylle may warke any thinge in the . Nowe here Pasquill what I say . By thy longe railinge , thy wyt is well knowen . Now tourne the lefe . And whan thou herist any thing purposed by them / whom thou hast offendid , what so euer it be , affirme it to be well / and therwith auaunce the wytte and intent of the persone that spake it , whiche thou mayst do excellently wel . For he that can dispise spytefully , can if he liste , prayse and commende also in comparably . And if thou canste not refrayne from rebukinge and tauntinge : practise thy naturall fury and woodenesse agayne them that repugne agayne the saide purpose . And where thou dyddest wonder to see me haue in my hande the Newe testament / if thou woldist do the same , and nowe in thyn age , laye apart the lesson of gentiles , called humanite , sens thou mayst haue good leysour / beinge not yet called to counsaile / pyke out here and there sentences out of holy scripture , to fournyshe thy reason with authoritie . I make god auowe , thou shalt be within thre monethes able to confounde the greattest diuine in all Italie . And whan thy conuersion and good opinion is knowen , than shalt thou be called fore . But than alway remembre howe so euer the tenour bell ryngeth , he ryngeth alwaye in tune and though he iarre somwhat / yet thou canste not here it / his soune is so great / and thine eares be so lytell . And if other men fynde it , saye that it is no faulte , but a quauer in musike / and became the bell , if they had the witte to perceyue it . I teache thee in parables , for this crafte wolde not be opened to euery man : for it shulde not be for my profyte : but thy subtill wyt comprehendeth all that I mene , thou art so acquainted with all our experience .

Now on my feith wel said / I coude not haue founden a craftier knaue to lerne of betwene this and Hierusalem . But cometh here ? He semeth a reuerende {per}sonage , he is none of thy sorte I trowe ?

By god we be right cosens , I by the mother syde , and he by the father . And that caused me to speake so moche as I doo / and hym so little , and yet is there smalle diuersite betwene oure condicions .

What meaneste thou therby ?

For we bothe haue one mayster . And whan he spekethe / or doethe any thynge for his pleasure : I studye with wordes to commende it . If my couseyn stande by / he speketh littell or nothyng / but formynge his visage in to a grauitie with silence / loketh as if he affirmed all thynge , that is spoken .

What is his name ?

Harpocrates .

That is a hard name by Iesus . But why holdeth he his fynger at his mouthe .

For he hathe espyed me talkynge / and bycause he weneth , that I speke to moche , he maketh a sygne / that I shulde cesse : but I am gladde , that I haue met with hym . Cosin Harpocrates I haue sought for you this two houres .

Why speketh he not ?

O that is his grauitie to pause a whyle or he speke , he lerned it whan he was student at Bonony .

What is the mater Gnato ?

My maister whan he hath dined , wyll syt in counsail about waightie causes .

And whan I haue dyned / I wyl gyue attendaunce .

Lo is it not as I sayde , a wonder to se this worlde ?

Hem Pasquillus .

Wel , ye thynke as moche as I speke for all your poynting and wynking .

But in silence is suretie .

Perchaunce naye . If I perceyued one at thy backe with a swerde drawen , redy to strike the / woldest thou that I shulde holde my peace / or els tell the ?

Naye , sylence were than oute of season .

Now well fare you for your balde reason , a manne maye see what wysedome there is in youre compendiouse speakynge / ye wyll season sylence . Marye I wene my lorde shulde haue a better cooke of you thanne a counsayllour . Not withstandynge for your silence ye mought be a confessour . But yet I doute me : for I remembre Gnato what thou saydest whyle ere / that whan ye were present both with your master , if thou commendest his sayenges or doinges / this man wold approue it with silence & countenance , which mought do more harme / than all thy flatcry / than what mischiefe mought folowe of his damnable sylence , if in secrete tyme of confession , wherin confessours haue aboue all men most largest lyberte to blame & reproue / he shulde eyther dissemble the vyces that he knoweth in hym , whome he hath in confession / or els forbeare to declare to hym the enormitie of suche capytall synnes as he hath confessed .

By my trouth thou art a busy felow , doest thou remembre / what thou saydest , whan thou dydest espie , that I had a boke of the Newe Testament .

What sayd I ?

Mary this thou saydest / that some wolde be in the bowels of diuinite or they know what belongeth to good humanite . Nowe thou takest thy selfe by the nose : for without hauyng regard to whom thou spekest / thou presumest to teche this worshypfull man what he shall do in confession .

It is well raysoned of you by swete saint Ronyon : ye define teaching , as wel as he dyd season his sylence . Didest thou here me teache hym , what he shulde do ? Nay and if thou hast so moche witte to remembre / vpon the wordes that thou thy self spakest / I declared what inconuenience mought happen by the flaterynge silence of a confessour : wenest thou that I was neuer confessed ? Yes I haue tolde a tale to a frier or this tyme , with a grote in my hande / and haue ben assoyled forthwith without any further rehersall : where if a poore man had tolde halfe so moche , he shulde haue ben made equall to the diuell / and haue ben so chidde , that whan he hadde gone from confession , he shulde haue hanged doune the eres / as if he had ben lerninge of pricke songe . All be it / it is the custome of some of you , that be courtiars , whan ye can not defend your matter with raison , to embrayed hym that speaketh with presumption , treson / misprison or such other like praty morselles / to stoppe hym of talkynge .

But betwene two men full of wordes , trouthe shall neuer or late be espied : wherfore I wil no more Gna tho meddel with thee , but from hens forth I wil speake to Harpocrates : for if he can perswade me , that his silence is better than my babblynge . I wyll folowe his doctryne rather than thyn / for I haue professed from my chyldehode neuer to speke in ernest to my mayster or frende / contrarye to that , that I thynke .

Ergo thou haste professed to stande styl in the rayne / and ones perchance to be throwen in to Tyber , or broken in pieces .

And perchaunce if god neuer lyed / I may be in the palaice mery / whan thou shalte sytte withoute on a ladder / and make all thy frendes sorye . Herdest thou neuer , that the worlde is rounde , and therfore it is euer tournynge , nowe the wronge side vpwarde , an other tyme the ryghte , but lette this passe . I praye the Harpocrates teache me howe thou doest season thy sylence , doest thou hit with salte or with spyces ?

Naye , with sugar , for I vse lyttell salte .

And that maketh your counsayl more swete than sauery .

Ye speke lyke a poticary .

And I haue knowen a wyse poticarie done moche more good , if he were trusted , than a folyshe phisition . But nowe to thy silence / that thou so moche praysest Harpocrates , Thou saydest that in sylence was suretie . And I asked , If I perceiued one at thy back with a sworde drawen redy to strike the , whither shuld I speke or kepe silence ? And thou answeredst , that silence was than out of season .

So sayd I.

I can the thanke , thou abidest by thy word : although at this day / that be accomted no polycie . But why saidest thou / that silence were than out of seson ?

For I mought be sore hurt , or perchance kylled / if I were not than warned , myn enmy beinge so nygh me .

Ye : I wiste well / that ye wold not be slayne , nor yet wounded , of ye mought haue rome ynough to ronne / or your long clothis did not let you . But I put ease I knewe , that your enmie were at youre chamber dore / or let it be further , at Poytiers in France , who had auowed to slee you , & were in his iournay towarde you / but whan or where he wolde strike you / I know not : shuld I forth with warne you , or els kepe silence vntill I sawe his sworde ouer your heed redi to kyl you , that I mought keepe silence all waye in seasone ?

No that were no frendshyp but rather traison / to knowe me to be in suche perylle , and to hyde hit from me , that there were no meane to escape , but only by fortune .

What no lasse than trayson ? Peace ye are yet no pope , & bycause ye be a priest ye be exempted from being emperour or kyng .

Hast thou any other terme more propre , where a man consenteth to the destruction of ceyued by hym / that I trusted , and drynke poyson in the stede of wyne : wherof I shulde eyther be deed / or fall in to suche sickenes and brekinge out / that all men shuld abhorre me .

I wolde to god / that thou woldest affirme alway truthe to thy maister / as thou doest nowe to me . But Harpocrates thou woldest not die / nor yet lyue to be abhorred of al men : therin I can preise the . Now sens thou arte a good manne ( as I suppose ) and also lerned , woldeste thou / that any warse thinge shulde happen to thy maister / that trusteth the / than thou woldest to thy selfe ?

No truely .

And if thou knewest any daunger towarde hym / as I haue rehersedde / thou oughtest as wel to warne hym of it , as I ought the .

I can not denie that .

And also thou woldest .

Why , wherfore shuld I not ?

For perauenture if your maister mistrusteth him not / that hathe auowed to kylle hym / & accompted your tale for a fantasye / or if he fauoureth hym moch that ye knowe wold poyson hym : he will suppose / that ye tell it hym of some suspicion or malice , and will leane a dese eare toward you . And than he , on whom ye complayned / beinge aduertised , shall omitte that / whiche he purposed , to proue you a lyar . And than shulde ye bothe lese your thanke of your master and be called a detractour : and also haue hym , whom ye accused , and all his bende , vigilant espialles to brynge you in daunger , is it not thus ?

Ye syr by Iesus .

What if a nother man , whiche loueth your maister no lasse than ye doo , gaue hym suche warninge , and ye knewe hir to be true : but ye perceyue / that youre maister listeth not to here of suche mater / or perchaunce commendeth hym / whiche is complayned on : wolde ye also preyse hym to support the truste that your maister hathe in hym , or commende your maister therin / for his constance and litell mistrustinge ?

Nay than were I worthy a hote mischiefing if I wolde helpe to bringe so my maister vnto his confusion .

What , wolde you hold your runge / & say nothinge ?

No but I wolde forbere for a time / and a wayte diligentely , to see yf the perille wolde cesse , or mought be by some occasion preuented , or by my maister other wise spied : but whan it were imminent / thanne wolde I giue warninge .

Imminent , what calle ye that ?

Whan his ennemie is at his backe with his sworde drawen / redy to strike him .

And what for poysonynge ?

Whan I sawe my frend haue the cuppe in his hande & were redy to drynke .

Nowe gate ye all this witte with so littell lernynge ?

It is not for nought / that ye be a counsaillour , sens ye haue suche a praty feate in seasonyng . Of likelyhode ye be well sene in constellations , and do knowe perfettly the subtile distinctions of tymes & momentes / ye wold forbeare to warne youre maister at the begynnynge of daungier / and whan he is at the poynt to fall in to it , perchaunce or ye shall not be present , or els not able or of powar to resiste it : but teache me I pray you , what ye calle imminent , for hit is a worde taken out of latine , and not commenly vsed .

Marye the thinge that is imminent , is whan it appereth to be in the instante to be done or to happen : and after some mens exposition , as hit thretned to come .

It is well expouned and clerkly . Than if ye wyll diuide the tyme into instantes / bycause perchance ye be a good Duns man : ye France , as I sayde at the fyrst , if ye know , that he purposeth to sle him : than it appereth to you , that the killinge of your maister is in the instant to be done , & is thretned to happen , ergo the perille is imminent , and ye are bounde to gyue your frende warninge .

Perchaunce I maye knowe a thinge , and yet it appereth not to me / and than your argument auayleth not an herryng . As I may knowe by other mennes tellynge , or by coniecture of a lyght suspicion .

Nay than shall we haue moche a do with you , if ye wyll compel me of euery worde that I speke , to make definition . Thoughe I haue not so moche lernyng as you / I vse alwaye my wordes in theyr propre signification , and to serue to the matter that I reason vnto . I knowe a thynge / whiche by a cause I consyder euidentely . And that whiche is onely reported / I doo here / but I knowe not : but coniceture is by signes / resemblaunce , or likely hoode , whiche may be false : and yet is hit not to be neglected , as it shal appere afterwarde . But now retourne we to knowelege , whiche being certein , as I haue defined hit , as soone as thou knowest that one wyll kylle or poyson thy mayster , the perill is imminent : than by thyn owne reason / thou oughtest to warne him : it not , thou art by thin owne sentence condempned of treason .

Thou sayest soore to me Pasquill . Not withstandynge yet me scmethe : I shulde not warne hym so soone , for the daungers , whiche thou rehersiddest , mought happen vnto me / if I lacked a thankfull and secrete herer / or els the purpose were chaunged : but it were better to tary , vntil it came to suche preparacion , that it moughte not be denied .

So mought it be / if ye were partner of the conspiracie , for than 〈…〉 happen to be made priuie to 〈…〉 whan / & the place , where 〈…〉 maister shuld stande in suc 〈…〉 die : but els ye mought know 〈…〉 a thinge purposed / & ye be 〈…〉 of the tyme / whan it shulde 〈…〉 cuted . Than if ye forbare to 〈◇〉 your maister vntil the perill mough● be more euident / and as ye saye / moughte not be denied : before that tyme it mought be more than imminent , and in the seconde instant , that is to saye in the selfe doynge / or to speke hit more clenly , in execucion .

But than were I out of daunger .

ye / that is all that he care for : yet moughte ye happen to be deceyued , and your silence in stede of suertie tourne you to trouble . For seldome is the maister in ieopardie , and the seruantes at libertie , specially they whiche be next about hym : Or if ye happen to escape enemis , if 〈…〉 perceyued / that ye knewe 〈…〉 le / and wold not discouer 〈…〉 de perchance escape hard 〈…〉 er , though ye had shaken 〈…〉 r longe robes , and were 〈…〉 erkynne Yet if ye warned 〈…〉 mayster at the begynnynge , 〈…〉 gh he toke it not thankfully / yet 〈◇〉 you your duetie / & can not lacke rewarde of god , who loueth truth / for your fidelite . And thoughe he , whom ye disapoynted , or his affinitie / shall seke howe to be aucnged on you : either god wyl defende you , or if there fall to you therby any aduersitie / finally falschode longe kepte in / wyll braste oute at the laste , and than shal repentance cause your simplicite to be had in renome and perpetual memorie : whiche part of honour to euery honest man , passeth alother rewarde , that may be gyuen in this lyfe that is transitorie . But bicause we spake while ere ●f coniement ? Or doest thou esteme the deth of the soule to be of lasse importance than the dethe of the bodye ? What sayst thou ? that iugement belongeth to thy faculte .

Indede there ye touche me .

Lyke wyse , a knocke on the heed / though it be to the scull / is not so daungerous to be healed / as an yuell affection thrast in to thy maisters braynes by false opinion . Nor a wipe ouer his face with a sworde , shal not blemmishe so moche his visage / as vice shall deforme his soule & deface his renome / wherby he is further knowen than by his phisonomy . Is there any poison can make him to be so abhorred of man / as auarice , tyranny / or bestly liuynge shall cause hym be hated of god and of man vniuersally ?

No in good faythe , I thynke thou sayest truely .

Than conferre all this togyther , with that whiche we before raysoned / and se where in any thynge that thy maister speaketh or dothe / if there by any of the perilles iminent / which I late rehersed : whither it were better to speke or kepe silence , and in whiche of them were most suretie . And consider also , that bytwene these two perilles , that I haue rehersed / is no lyttell diuersite , besydes that the one is moche more than the other . For in the bodilye perill / in the tyme of the stroke perchaunce youre maister wolde here you / & therby escape , or ye mought defende him : but the other perill of soule or mynde , the lenger that he continueth therin / the more gladly he receyueth the stroke , & the more he wyll disdayne to be warned by you : and than ye putte your selfe in more daunger of that / whiche we spake of before : but for all that neyther in tyme of daunger thou oughtest to leaue thy mayster vnwarned , which thou hast all redy graunted : nor yet whan thy maister is striken or poysoned , speche is vnprofitable as thou hast supposed .

Now proue you that ? For if ye be a surgeon , ye know it must be your dedes and not your wordis , that must help hym .

Now it is wel remembred ye shall haue goddes blessinge . I neuer herd a more foole by my holy dome / doeth a surgeon all his cure with playsters and instrumentes ? somtyme he speketh also / or if he be domme , one speaketh for hym , and telleth his pacient , what metes and drynkes be vnholsome , whiche be leuitiues and helpeth his medicine . Also whan he perceiueth hym to be faynte or discomforted , than with swete wordes and faire promisis he reuiueth his courage . If he be disobedient or riottouse / he rebuketh hym , and do aggrauate the daunger to make the sickenes more greuous . The same is the office of a good confessour , where he perceiuith mannes soule to be wounded with viciouse affections / syns that a confessoure serueth for none other pourpose / but to cure mannes soule of deedly synnes , whiche be hyr mortalle diseases : but can he do that without speakynge ? Also ye sayde / where mought be no longer resistence / speche nothynge auaylled : I wene ye said truer than ye were ware . For whan Gnatho with his flateri / and ye with youre silence haue ones rootid in your maisters hart false opinions , & vicious affectis , whiche is the poylon , that we so moche spake of , though ye perceue the daunger , and than sore repent you , yet shall it perchance be impossible with speche to remoue those opinions , & cure those affectis , except ye loued to well your maister , that for his helthe ye wolde confesse your owne errours .

Nay goddis body , to mought we get for our selfe a payre of tariars .

Well it were better tary , than runne to the dyuel with youre maister / or that good renoume shulde runne away from hym . But tell me Harpocrates as thou thinkest , were not speche nowe expedient ? or howe mought thy maister be otherwise curid ? with silence trowist thou ?