24
THE PROLOGUE.
which euer desireth that that is profitable, but follow alwayes in deede things that are hurtfull, A man of such life and gouernement we may compare to him that knoweth good meates light of digestion, and the grosse ill and heauie: get ouercome with desire taketh that that is most hurtfull, and so being hurt, him selfe alone is the cause of all his yll.
Even ʃuch a man is he whome affection ʃuldueth. He vnderʃtandeth and is learned, and able to diʃcerne troth from falʃehoode, and yet will not put in proofe the true profit, nor once fellow and diʃire knowledge and wiʃedome. We might bring this man in the example of him that hauing his light good and perfite, ʃhutting his eyes would needes le ledde by a blinde man, ʃo that both they falling into a diche were drowned, and miʃerably died. Every man will condeme him for a foole, and worʃe than mad, that hauing his ʃight good and without blemiʃhe, that might haue ʃeene the daunger and ʃcaped it, and of mere fooliʃhneʃʃe would not. Therefore euerie wiʃe and diʃcrete perʃon muʃt continually labour to reade, and to vnderʃtande that he readeth, and muʃt then teache it to as many as deʃire to knowe it, and to doe the good workes of the knowledge he teacheth, that
