These be the two staues wherevpon age is stayed, & if in their steed you wyll lay on hym these two burdens: that is, memorie how synfully he hath ledde his life, and desperation of the felicitie that is too coome, I praye you what liuyng thyng can bee feyned too suffre sorer punishement and greater miserie? _spu._ Verely I can see nothyng although some man woulde saye an olde horse. _hedo._ Then to coclude it is too late to waxe wise And that saiyng appereth now || too bee very true. Carefull mornynges doo oftentymes folowe mery euentides, and all vayne and outragious mirth euer turneth into sorowfull sighes: yea, & they shulde haue considered both that there is noo pleasure aboue ye ioyfulnes of the heart, and that chearefull mynde maketh agee too florishe, an heauy spirit consumeth the boones, & also that all the dayes of the poore are euell: that is, sorowfull and wretched. And agayne a quiet mynde is lyke a contynuall feaste. _SPVDEVS._ Therfore they bee wyse, that thryue in tyme, and gather too gether necessaries for that agee coo[~m]. _HEDONI._ The holy scripture intreateth not soo wordely || as too measure the felicitie and highe consolation of manne, by the goodes of fortune, onely he is very poore, that is destitute and voyde of al grace & vertue, and standeth in boundage and debette, bothe of bodye & solle vnto that tyranne oure moost foo & mortall enemie the deuill. _SPV._ Surely he is one that is veri rigorous and impatient in demaundynge of his dutie. _HE._ Moreouer that man is ryche, whiche fyndeth mercye and foryeouenes at the handes of god. What shuld he feare, that hath suche a protectour? Whether men? where as playnely theyr hole power may lesse do agaest God, then the bytyng of a gnat, || hurteth the Elephant. Whether death? truly that is a right passage for good men vnto all sufficient ioy and perfection accordyng too the iust reward of true religion and vertue. Whether hell? For as in that the holy prophete speaketh boldely vnto God. Although I shulde walke in the middest of the shadow of death, I wil not feare any euils because ye art with me. Wherfore shulde he stande in feare of deuils, whiche beareth in his heart hym, that maketh the deuils too tremble and quake. For in diuers places the holye scripture praiseth and declareth opely the mynde of a vertuous man, too bee the right temple of God. And this to bee so true that || that it is not too bee spoken agaynst, ne in any wise shuld bee denied. _SPV._ Forsoth I can not see, by what reason these saiynges of yours can be confuted al thoughe they seme too varye muche from the vulgar and comune opinion of men. _HEDO._ Why doo they soo? _SPV._ After your reasonyng euery honest poore man, shulde liue a more pleasaunt life, then any other, how much soeuer he did haboud in riches, honour, and dignitie: and breuely though he had all kynde of pleasures. _HE._ Adde this too it (if it please you) too bee a kyng, yea, or an emperour if you take