and had the
victorie of Pirrus.

[Sidenote: De Officiis Catonis.]

This chapitre declarithe how many gret offices of highe dignite Caton was
called and auctorised for his gret manhode and wisdom, and how he in his
age couraged the yong knightis to goo to feelde to venquisshe Cartage or he
died.

Also the noble senatoure of Rome Caton, that was so manlie, prudent, and of
holsom counceile, whiche in his yong daies occupied the office of a knight
in excersising armes, anothir season he occupied the office of tribune as a
chief juge among the Romayns, another season was a legat as an ambassatoure
into ferre contreis, yet anothir tyme in his gret auncien age, that he
might not gretlie laboure, was made consul of Rome to sit stille and avise
the weies and meenys how the Romayns might alway be puissaunt to resist
ayenst Cartage, whiche he hopid verralie or he died to see the saide cite
destroied. And the said Caton, in presence of yong Scipio and Lelius, .ij.
noblest yong knightis of Rome that visited Cato to here of his wise conduit
and counceile, he being then of full gret age, tendred so ferventlie the
well of comon profit of Rome, that he required and besought the immortalle
godis[154] of licence that he might not die till he might know Cartage
destroied by victorie of bataile, and to be avengid of the servage and
miserie of the noble Romayns whiche were prisoneris withe Quintus Fabius in
Cartage xxxiij yere passed.

{62}

[Sidenote: Doctor militum in armis.]

Of a semblable noble condition of Quintus Fabius according to Caton.

And Quintus Fabius, albeit he might not in his gret age laboure, left the
usage that he in his youthe taught yong knightis, as to renne, lepe, just
withe speris, fight afoote withe axes, yet he had in his olde age alway
gret solicitude and thought for the avauncement of the comon profit of the
citee by counceile, by reason and by inure deliberacion of hymsilf and of
the wise senatoure.

The diffinicion of the office that belongithe to the senate.

[Sidenote: Tullius de Senectute.]

And whiche terme senate is as moche for to say a companie of aged men
assembled togither.

How Caton writithe that citeis and contreis that were governed by men of
yong age were destroied, and they lost also theire lifelode wastefullie.

[Sidenote: Ita Officia danda juvenibus.]

And Caton saide that who so wolde rede in auncien histories he shulde finde
that citeis whiche were conduit and governed by men