Fay Berry - My Story

Of Women, Wine, and Drunkenness from the Sages of Old. 1. Drunkenness makes a man unruly. 2. Drunkenness undoes him that delights therein. 3. Much Wine and Wisdom may not agree: for they be two contraries. 4. Wine unmeasurably taken is an enemy to the Soul. 5. Wrath and Wine drown both the Reason and […]

Of Liberty and Bondage, Masters and Servants from the Sages of Old. 1. He is not free that binds himself to another. 2. He obeys many, that obeys his body. 3. Hope is a bondage; but Mistrust, a Liberty. 4. The child is not bound to his parents; of whom he hath learned nothing. 5. […]

Of Anger, Wrath, Envy, Malice, and Revenge from the Sages of Old. 1. Private hatred is worse than open malice. 2. Wrath leads Shame on a leash. 3. It is a great marvel to see a wise man angry. 4. He is unhappy that continues in his malice; not thinking of the end. 5. Unhappy […]

Of Sorrow, Gladness, Fear, and Boldness, from the Sages of Old 1. It is a point of madness, to be sorry, or to rejoice, unmeasurably. 2. He ought to fear many; whom many do fear. 3. Great grief continues not long. 4. Continual fear suffers not a man to be happy. 5. Sorrow is a […]

Of Marriage and Married Folk 1. Happy are they that are happily married. 2. Happy is he that hath married a good Wife: and so is he that hath married none at all. 3. There is not a greater treasure than a good Wife; nor a greater evil than to be matched with an evil […]

Of Love, Lust, and Lechery from the Wisdom of the Sages. 1. Constant love is a principal Virtue. 2. Without love, no Virtue can be perfect. 3. There are two kinds of Love: the one Natural, and the other Heavenly. 4. The good Lover loves his Soul better than his body. 5. The evil Lover […]

Of Bringing up and Manners; of Dispositions and Instruction, from the Wisdom of the Sages. 1. A gentle heart, by its own accord, is given to goodness. 2. Noble wits, corrupted in the bringing up, prove more unhappy than others tat be more simple. 3. The wits which in Age will be excellent, may be […]

Of Truth, of Faith, of Error, and Lying from the Wisdom of the Sages. 1. Truth is the guide of all goodness. 2. Faith shines in danger. 3. Honour is the fruit of Virtue and Truth; and for the Truth, a man shall be worshipped. 4. He that uses Truth hath more, and mightier, servants […]

Of the Tongue; of Fair Speech; and of Flattery from the sages of old. 1. Fair and Flattering Speech is an honied snare. 2. A right commendable thing, both in heaven and earth, is a true tongue. 3. There5 is not a worse thing than a deceitful and lying Tongue. 4. Fair Speech in presence, […]

Of Money and Covetousness 1. An avaricious old man is like a monster. 2. He that overcomes his covetousness is more valiant than he that overcomes an enemy: and he is the mightiest conqueror that vanquishes his own will. 3. Covetise cannot be satisfied with Abundance; for the more that a man hath, the more […]