[...]

AMonge alle the euyl condici [...]s a figures that may be [...] man the first and the gree [...]est is. whan he fereth not ne [...]ceth to dispose & make wooth god by synne & the peple by lyuyng disordonatly / whan [...]e retcheth not nor taketh hede vnto them that repreue hym and his vy­ces / But sleeth them. In suche wyse as did the emperour new· whiche did do slee his mayster ser [...]que / for as moche as he myght not suffre to be [...]preuyd & taught of hym in like wise was sōtyme a kyng in babilon that was named [Page] [...] the sage and wise men of [...] co [...]de not telle hym his [...] that he [...] myght and had forgoten [...] as hit [...] byble in the book of [...] this kyng thine [...] mero [...]ch was this game and playe of the chesse [...] Trewe it is that some [...]ch [...] that this play was [...] [...]an in the tyme of the [...]aylles and siege of twye. But that is not so / For this playe cam to the playes of the Caldees as diomedes the greest saith and re [...]er [...]th / that amonge the philosophees was the most reno [...]d playe amonge af other playes. And after that cam this playe in the tyme of ab [...]andre the gre [...] into egypt [...] so vnto alle the parties toward the south. And the cause wherfore this playe was so renomed shal he sayd in the iij chepitre.

[...] Capitulo ij

[...]His playe fonde a phylosopher of theeyent whyche was named in caldee Eversee or in gre [...]e phileme­tor which is as moche to say in englissh as he that [...]ouyth Iustyce and mesure / And this philosopher was renomed gretly among the grekes and them of Athenes whyche were good clerkys and phylosophers also renomed of their connyng / This philosopher was so Iust and trewe that he had leuer dye / than to lyue long and be a fals flaterer with the sayd kyng / For wh [...]n he behelde the soul & sy [...] ­ful lyf of the kyng. And that no man durst blame hym [Page] For by his grete cruelte he put them al to deth that if plesid hym. He put hym self in parel of deth and [...]iryd & [...]eo [...] rather to dye than lenger to lyue. The euyl lyf and disfamed of a kyng is the lyf of a cruel beste. and ought not longe to be susteyned / for he destroyeth hym that displesith hym. And therfore reherceth valerius. that there was a wyse man named theodore [...] whom his kyng dyd to hange on the crosse for as moche as he repteuyd hym of hys euyl & foul lyf / and alwey as he was in the torment he sayd to the kyng. Vpon thy counceyllours and theym that ben clad in thy clothyng and w [...]y [...] were more reson that this torment shold come [...] for as moche as they d [...] not say to the the trouth for to do Iustyse rightwyslye of my self I make no force whether I dye on the lond or on the water or otherwyse / As who sayth he retched not to dye for Iustyce. In like wyse as democreon the philoso­pher put out his owne eyen by cause he wold not see that no good myght come to the euyl and vycious peple wyth cut right / And also desortes the philosophre as he went toward his deth. His wyf that folowed after hym sayd that he was dayned to [...]th wrongfully thēn [...] he answerd and sayd to her· holde thy pees and be stylle hit is better and more meritorye to dye by a strong & vnrightful Iu­gement / than that I had deserued to dye.

The thyrd chappitre of the first tractate treteth wherfore the playe was founden and maad Capitulo iij

THe causes wherfore this playe was founden ben in The first was for to correcte and repreue the kyng for whan this styng enylmerodach sawe this playe▪ And the barons. knyghtes. and gentilmen of his court playe wyth the phylosopher / he merueylled gretly of the beau [...]e and noueltee of the playe. And desired to playe agaynst the philosopher / The philosopher answerd and sayd to hym that hit myght not be doon / but yf he first seruyd the play The kyng sayd hit was reson and that he wold put hym to the payn to lerne hit / Than the phylosopher began to [Page] eche hym / and to shewe hym the maner of the table / of the hesse lorde / and the chesse meyne. And also the maners & the condycions of a kyng of the nobles and of the comyn peple and of theyr offyces / and how they shold be touchyd & drawen / And how he shold amende hym self / and become vertuous / and when / this kyng herde that he repreuyd hym / he demaunded hym vpon payn of deth to lesse hym where­fore he had founden and maad this playe / and he answerd my right dere lord and kyng. the grettest and most thyng that I desire is that thou haue in thy self a glorious and vertuous lyf. And that may I not see / but yf thou be en­doctrined and wel manerd and that had. so mayst thou be­belo [...]yd of thy peple. Thus than I desire that thou haue other gouernement thēne thou hast had. & that thou haue vpon thy self first seign [...]urie & maistrie suche as thou hast vpon other by force / and not by right / Certeynly hit is not right that a man be maister ouer other & comalidour whē he can not rewle ne [...] may rewle hym self / and that his vertues domyne aboue his vyces / for seignourie by force and wylle may not longe endure / Thenne thus may thou see don of the causes why and wherfore I haue founden & maad this playt. whiche is for to correcte and repreue the of thy tyrannye & vicious lyuyng. for all kynges ought specially to here her corrigiours or correctours / and her cor­reccions to holde and kepe in mynde. In like wyse as va­lerius reherceth that the kyng alixandre had a noble and renomed knyght that sayd in repreuyng of Alixandre that he was to moche couetous / & in especial of the honours of the world / And sayd to hym yf the goddes had maade [Page] thy body as grete as is thy he [...]e. Alle the world [...] not holde the for thou holdest in thy right h [...]nd al t [...] [...]yent / and in thy lifte honde the o [...]cedent. sith than het is [...]o or thou art a god / or a man / or nought. yf thou be god. doo than wel and good / to the peple / as god doth and take not from them / that they ought to haue / and i [...] theyres. Yf thou be a man / thynke that thou shalt dye. and than thou shalt do [...]oon euyl / yf thou be nought / forgete thy self. There is no thyng so stronge and ferme. but that sumtyme / a feble thyng casteth doun and ouerthrowe hit. How wel that the lyon be the strengest beest / yet somtyme a lityl by [...]de e [...]eth hym / The second cause wherfore this playe was founden and maad. was for to kepe hym from ydlenesse / wherof seneque sayth vnto lucylle ydlenes wythout ony ocupacion is sepulture of a man ly­uyng / and varro saith in his sentences that in lyke wyse as men goo not for to goo / the same wyse the lyf is not gyuen for to lyue but for to doo wel and good. & therfore secondly the philosopher fond this playe for to kepe the pe­ple from ydlenes / for there is moche peple whan so is that they be fortunat in worldly goodes that they drawe them to ease & ydlenes wherof comyth ofte tymes many euyll is and gret [...] synnes / and by this ydlenes the herde is quen­chyd wherof comyth good desperacion. The thyrd cause is that euery man naturelly desireth to knowe and here no­uelteets and tydynges. for this cause they of Athenes studyed as we rede / and for as the corporal or bodelye sight enpessheth and letteth otherwhyle the knowleche of subtyl thynges. Therfore we rede that democrite the [Page] [...] put out his of [...]en [...]yn / For as moch as he [...] haue the [...]li [...]e en [...]d [...]ment and vnderst [...]ndyng [...]ng haue ben ma [...]e blynde that were grete c [...]e [...]is in [...] wyse as has dedimus bysshop of o [...]andrie. that how wel that he fa [...]e not. yet he was so grete a clerke / that gregore nazciz and saynt Ierome that were clerkes and mayst [...] to other cam for to be his soo [...]es and lernyd of hym. And saynt anthonye the grete her [...]yce a [...]m for defre hym on a tyme and amonge alle other thynges / he demaunded hym yf he were not gretly dysplesid that he was blynde & sawe not. and by answerd / that he was gretly abasshyd for that he supposid not that he was not displeasid in that he had lost his sight / and saynt anthonye answerd to hym I m [...] ­uaise moche that hit displesith the that thou hast lost that thyng whiche is comyn betwene the and bestes and thou knowest wel that thou hast not lost that thyng that is comyn betwene the and the aungellis / And for thise causes forsayd the phylosopher entended to put a wey al pensifne [...] and thoughtes. and do thynke onely on this playe as shal be sayd and appere in this / book after

[...] first chapiter tre [...]eth of [...] & of [...] estate Capitulo [...]

TThe kynge must be thus maad for he must syt [...]e in a chaye [...] clothyd in purpure / c [...]ed on his heed in his right hond a ceptre and in the lift [...]onde on apple of golde / for he is the most grettest and hyest in dygnyte as loue al other and most w [...]ethy. And that is signyfyed by the [...]one. for the glorie of the peple is the dygnyte of the Kyng / and aboue al other the kyng ought to be re­plenysshed with vertues and of grace. and this signyfieth the purpure. Fo [...] in like wyse as the ro [...]ee of purpure maketh fayr and en [...]e [...]ssheth the body. the same wyse vertues [Page] makyth that [...]owle / he ought alwey thynk on the gouerne­ment of the royame & who hath thadmynyst [...] of Ius­tyce / and this shold he by hym self pryncipally / This sig­nefyeth the appel of golde that he holdeth in his fift honde / and for as moche as it aperteyneth vnto hym [...] punysshe the rebelles hath he the septre in his right hand. And for as moche as mysericorde and trouth conserue and stepe the kyng in his trowne / Therfore ought a kyng to be merciful and debonayr for when a kyng or prynce desireth or wyl be belouyd of his peple lete hym be gouerned by debonayrde And vilerius saith that deboneyrte percyth the hertes of straungers / and amolissheth and makyth softe the hertes of his enemyes. wherof he reher [...]th that phylostratus that was due of athenes had a daughter. whom a man louyd so ordantly that on a tyme as he sawe her with her moder sodaynly he cam and kyssed her. wherof the moder was so angry and sorouful that she went and requyred of her lord the due / that his heed myght be smyten of. The prynce answerd to her and sayd yf we shold slee them that loue vs. What shal we do to our enemyes that hate vs. Cer­taynly this was the answer of a noble & debonayr prynce that suffred that vylonye [...]on to his doughter & to hym self yet more. This prynce had also a frende that was [...] ­med arispe that sayd on a tyme as moche vylonye vnto the prynce as ony man myght saye. And that myght not suffyse hym . but he [...]atchid hym in the vysage. the prynes suffryd hym paciently in suche wyse as though he had doon to hym no vylonye but curtesye. And whan his sonees wels haue auengyd this vylonye. he comaunded the [...] [Page] [...] so to dodo / The next day [...] of the right grete vylonye that he had [...] lord without cause / He fyl in dyspay [...] and [...] hym self / whan the due knewe and vnderst [...]e [...]. he cam to hym and said ne doubte the no thyng. and [...]re to hym by hys faith / that also wel he was and s [...] he his frend fro thē forthon as euer he had ben before yf he wold / and thus he respited hym of his deth by his de [...]onayte / and in lykewise rede we of the kyng pirre to whom was reported that they of tarente had sayd grete vilonye of hym for which cause he maad al them to come tofore hym & demaunded of them yf they had so said. than one of them answerd & said / yf the wyn & the candellis had not fayled / thys langage had ben but a Iape. in regarde of that we had thought to haue doon / Than the kyng began to law [...]e. For they had confessyd that suche langage as was said and spoken was by dronkenshyp / And for this cause of debonayrte the peple of tarente tooke for a custome that the dronken men shold be punysshid / and the sobre men preysed / The kyng thenne thus ought to loue humy [...]i [...]de and haue falsyte after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally. For the kyng in his royame representeth god & god is [...]rite. and therfore hym ought to say no thyng but yf hi [...] were vecry [...]able and stable / Valerius reherceth that Alyxandre wyth alle his doste rood for to destroye a cyte which was named lapsate / Whan than a phy­losophre whyche had to name anaxymenes whych had ben tofore maistre & gouernour of alixādre herd & vnderstood [Page] of hes comyng / cam agayn alixander to desire and [...] of hym. And whan he sowe alixander he supposed to haue [...]yd his request. Alixander broke his demaunde tofore and swore to hym to sort he axid [...]ny thyng by his goddes that suche thyng [...] he a [...]yd or requyerd of hym. he wold [...] no wysedom. T [...]enne the phylosopher requyerd hym to destroye [...] [...]yte wh [...]n Alixander vnderstood his desyre & the oth that he such maad. he suffrid the eyte to stonde and not to be destroyed ffor [...]st had leuer not to do his wyll [...] to be [...] and [...]sw [...]rn and doo ageynst his oth [...] that no grete man n [...] lord shold not [...] But where as is grete ne [...] and that the symple [...] or werde of a prynce oughe to be more stable thenne [...] of a mate [...]unt / Alas who kepe the prynces their [...] dayre / not onely her promyses but their [...] see se [...]e and wrytynges and signes of theyr pro [...] [...] handes alle faylleth god amende hit /

A kyng also ought to hate all cruelte / For we rede that neuer dyed yet ony preious persone of euyl deth. ne cruel persone of good deth Therfore recounteth Valerius that there was a man named therise a werkman in metalle / that maad a b [...]ole of coppre and a lityl wyket on the syde wherby men myght put in them that shold be brent therin And hit was maad in suche manere. that they that shold be put and enclosyd therin shold crye no thynge lyke to the voys of a man but of an oxe.

And thys maad he by cause men shold haue the lasse pyte of them / Whan he had maad thys boole of copper. he presentyd hit vnto a kyng whiche was called philarde [Page] that w [...] so cruel a tyraunt that he def [...]ed in no thynge but in cruelte. And [...] hym the [...] of the [...]ole Then phi [...]de here and vnderstood thys [...] alowed and praised moche the worke and after sayd to hym thou that art more cruel than I am shalt assay and proue hast thy presente and ye fee and so maad hym to go in to the boole and dye an euyl doth. Therfore sayth ou [...]de there is no thyng more resonable thenne that a man dye of suche deth an he purchaseth vnto other. Also the kyng ought sou [...] ­raynly kepe Iustyce / who maketh or ke [...]t a [...] with out Iustyce. of [...] so [...]e there must be grete [...]: thefte. Therfore re [...]erth Saynt Augustyn [...] book whyche is intituled the cyte of god that there was a theef of the see named deomedes that was a g [...]ete [...] so moche harme that the complayntes cam tofore [...] whiche dyd hym to be taken and brought a fore be [...] And he demaunded hym wherfore he was so [...] cruel in the see / And he answad to hym agayn [...] as moche as thou art [...]on a londe in the worlde. so [...] another in the see / But for as moche as the euyl that [...] doo is in oon galey or tweyn therfore I am callyd a [...]ee [...] But for as moche as thou doost in many shyppys and wyth grete puyssaunce and power. Therfore ar [...]e their callyd an Emperour. But yf fortune were for me in suche wyse / I wold froome a good man and better thenne I now am / But thou the more rycher and fortunat that thou art / The more worse art thou / alyxaunder said to hym I shal chaunge thy fortune in suche wise as thou ne say that thou shalt do it by pouerte [Page] but for euyl and mauayste. and so he made hym ryche / and this was he that afterward was a good prynce & a good Iusticier / The kyng ought to be soue mynly chaste / and this signefyeth a quene that is oonly on his right side. For it is to be beleuyd and credyble that whan the kyng is a good man / Iuste trewe and of good maners & con­diciens that his children shal folowe gladly the same. for a good sone and a trewe ought not to forsake and goo fro the good condicions of his fader / for certes it is agaynst god and nature in partye wh [...]n a man taketh other thēne his proper wyf / and that see we by byrdes. of whom the male and female haue to gyder the charge in kepyng and norisshyng of their yonge fowles and byrdes· For somme trance of f [...]wle [...] kepen them to their females oonly. As [...] by storkes dowues and turtils. But the fowles that n [...]r [...]ss [...]th not their birdes haue many wyues and [...] As the co [...] that no thyng nousshith his chekens And therfore amonge al the bestes that been / man and we man putteth most their entence and haue most [...] & charge in norisshyng of their children. & therfore d [...]n they agaynst nature in partye whan they [...] the [...]e wy [...]to for other women of their chafte to [...] valerius an ex [...]yse & saith that ther was a man of rome whiche was named scipio affricā for as moch an he had cōquerd affrique how wel that he was of rome born. whan he was of [...] yere of age he conquerd cartage: toke moche people in ostage among whom he was presented with a right saye mayde for his solas & pla [...]sir which was assured & hundfast vnto a noble yonge gentilman of cartage whiche was named [Page] Indiuicible / and anon as this gentil scipio knewe that not withstondyng that he was a prynce noble & lusty / dyd do calle anon the parents & kynnesman of them & delyuted to them their doughter with out doyng of [...]ny vylonye to her / And the raunson or gold that they had ordayned for their doughter. gaf hit euery deel in dowa [...]ire to her. and the yonge man that was her husbond sawe the fr [...]eters chise & gentilnes of hym / torned hym self and the hertes of the noble peple vnto the loue & alliaunce of the romaynes / & this suffisith as touchyng the kyng

The second chapitre of the second book and treteth of the forme and maners of the quene capitulo secundo

[Page]tHus ought the quene be maad / She ought to be a fayr lady sittyng in a chayer and crowned with a cowne on her heed and cladde with a cloth of gold and a mantel aboue furrid with [...]rmynes. and she shold sitte on the fift side of the kyng for the amplexions and enbrasynges of her husbond like as it is sayd in Scripture in the Canticles. her lifte arme shal be [...] heed and her right arme shal beclyppe and enbrace me. In that she is sette on his lifte side is by grace geuyn to the kynge by nature and of right. For better is to haue a kyng by successyon thenne by eleccion / For often tymes the elec­toure and chosers can not ne wylle not accorde / And so is the eleccion left / And otherwhyle they chese not the beste and most able and conuenyent / But hym that they best loue / or is for them most proffytable /

But whan the kyng is by liguage and by trewe succes­sion. He is caught enseygned and norisshyd in hys yougth all good and vertuou [...] [...]tches and maners of his fader. And also the prynces of the royame dar not so hardyly m [...]ue warre agaynst a kyng hauyng a sone for to reigne after hym / and so a quene ought to be chaste wyse. of honest lyf. wel manerd and not Curious in norysshyng of her chyldren / Her wysedom ought not onely to appere in fait and werkes / but also in spekyng that is to wete that she be secrete and telle not suche thynges as ought to be holden secrete.

Wherfore it is a comyn prouerbe that women can kepe no counceyl / And acoordyng therto Macrobe reherceth in the book of the dremes of Scypyo. That there was [Page] a chyld of rome that was named papirus that on a tyme went with his fader whych was a senatour in to the chambre where as they helde theyr counceyl. And that tyme they spake of suche maters as was comaunded and a­greed shold be kepte secret vpon payn of theyr hedes and so departed / And whan he was come [...] home from the senatoyre and fro the counceyl wyth his fader / His mo­der demasided of hym what was the counceyl and wherof they spake and had taryed so longe there / And the chylde answerd to her and sayd he durst not telle nor saye hit for so moche as hit was defended vpon payn of deth / Thenne was the moder more desirous to knowe than she was to fore / And began to flate [...]e hym one tyme / And afterward to menace hym that he shold saye and telle to her what it was / And whan the chylde sawe that he myght haue no reste of hys moder in no wyse / He made her first promyse that she shold fiere hit secrete. And to telle [...] to noon of the world And that doon / he feyned a lesing or a lye and sayde to her / that the Senatours had in counceyl a grete question and dyfference whiche was thys / whether hit were better and more for the comyn wele of Rome. that a man shold haue two wyues / Or a wyf to haue two b [...]s [...] ­ [...]ondys / And whan she had vnderstonde thys / He defended hyr that she shold telle hit to none other body / And after thys she went to her gossyd and tolde to her thys counceyll secretely. And she tolde to another. And thus euery wyf tolde hit to other in secrete [...]r thus hit happend anone after that alle the wyues of Rome [Page] cam to the senatoyre where the senatours were assemblyd and cryed with an hygh voys. that they had leuer / And also hit were better for the comyn wele that a wyf shold haue two husbondys than a man two wyues / The sena­tours heeryng this were gretely abasshyd and wyst not to say / nor what / nor how to answere. tyl atte laste that the child papire reherced to them all the caas and fayt how hit was happend. And whan the senatours herd and vnderstood the mater they were gretely ahasshyd / & cōmendyd gretly the Ingenye and wytte of the chyld that so wysely contryued the lye rather than he wold discouere their counceyl. And forth wyth made hym a senatour / and establisshed and ordeyned fro than forthon that no chyld in ony wise shold entre in to the coūceyl hows amonge them with their [...]ers except papitus· whome they wold that he shold aswey be amonge them. Also a quene ought to be chaste For as she is aboue al other in estate and reuerence. So shold she be ensaumple vnto al other in her lyuyng honest lye / wherof Ierome reherceth agaynst Ionynyan. that there was a gentyl man of rome named duele· and this man was he that first fond the maner to fight on the wa­ter / and had first the victorye / This duele had to his wyf one of the best women and so chaste. that euery woman myght take ensaumple of her / and at that tyme the synne of the flesshe was the grettest synne that ony myght doo agaynst nature / And this sayd good woman was named ylie. And so hit happend that this duele becam so olde that he stowped and quaked for age. and on a tyme one of his aduersayres repreuyd & reprochyd hym sayeng that he had [Page] a stynkyng breeth. And forth wyth he went home to hys wyf al angry and abasshyd / and [...]yed her why & wherfore she had not tolde his defaute to hym that he myght haue founden remedye to haue ben pourgyd therof & she answerd that as for as moche as she supposyd that euery man had the same faute as wel as he / For she kyst neuer ony mannes mouth but her husbondes. O moche was this woman to be praysed and haue a synguler lawde wenyng that this defaute had not ben onely in her husbond / wherfore she suffryd hit paciently / in suche wise that her husbond knewe his defaute sonner by other thenne by her. Also we rede that there was a wedowe named Anna / whiche had a frende that counorylled hyr to marye· For she was yonge fayr and ryche. to whom she answerd that she wold not so doo in no wyse / For yf I shold haue an husbond as I haue had & that he were as good as he was· I shold euer ben aferd to lose hym / lyke as I lost that other. & thenne shold I lyue alwey in feré and drede. whiche I wyl not. And yf hit happend me to haue a worse· what shold h [...]t proffyte me to haue an euyl husbond after a good. and so she concluded that she wold kepe her chastete. Saynt Austyn reherceth in the book de Ciuitate dei that in rome was a noble lady gentyl of maners and of hygh sy [...]ed named lucrecia / And had an husbond named Colatyne whiche desired on a tyme the Emperours sone named tor­quyne thorguyllous or the proude· and he was calle sixte for to come dyne and sporte hym in his castel or manoyr And whan he was entred amonge many noble ladyes he sawe lucrecia / And whan thys emperours sone had seen & [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] aduertysed her deportes. her countenaunce. her manere / & her beaulte. he was alle muysshed and esprysed wyth her loue forthwyth / And espyed a tyme whan her husbond Collatyn wente vnto the oost of themperour. and cam in to the place where as lucresse was with her felawshyp whom she receyued honourably. And whan tyme came to goo to bedde and slepe she maad redy a bedde rially for hym as hit apperteyned to the emperours sone. And this sixtus espyed where lucrecia laye. and whan he supposid & knewe that euery body was in his first sleep. he cam vnto the bedde of lucresse and that one hand sette on her breste and in that other honde a nakyd swerd. and sayd to her. Lu­cresse holde thy pees and crye not. For I am sixte [...]ar­quynus sone. for yf thou speke ony word thou shalt be dede / and for fere she helde her pees. Thēne he began to praye and promyse many thynges / and after he menaced and thretened her that she shold enclyne to hym to doo his wylle / and whan he sawe he coude nor myght haue his en­dente he sayd to her / yf thou do not my wylle / I shal slee the and one of thy seruauntis and shal say hym alle deed by thy syde / And thenne I shal say that I haue slayn you for your rybaudrye. and successe that than doubted more the shame of the world than the deth. consentyd to hym / And anone after as the emperours sone was departed· the lady sent lettres to her husbond her fader her brethern and to her frendes and to a man callyd brute counceyllour and neue we to tarquyn / and sayd to them that yesterday Syyte the emperours sone cam in to myn hows as an enemye in liknes of a frende· and hath oppressyd me / And [Page] knowe thou Colatyn that he hath dishonouryd thy bedde / And haw wel that he hath fowled and dishonoured my bo­dy. yet myn herte is not / wherfore I beseche the of pardon foryes [...]es and absolucion of the trespas but not of the payne. And he that hath doon thys synne to me hit shal ben to his myschaunce yf ye doo your [...]. and bycause no woman take ensaumple of lucresse and lyue after the trespas. but that she in lyke wyse take ensaumple also of the payne. And forthwyth with a swerde that she helde vnder her gowne or robe / she roof her self vnto the herte And deyed forthwyth tofore them. and thenne brute the counceyller and her husbond collatyn and alle her other frendes swore by the blood of lucresse that they wold ne­uer reste vnto the tyme that they had put out of rome tar­quyn and al his lygne / And that neuer after none of them shold come to dygnyte / and al this was doon / For they bare the deed corps though the cyte and meuyd the peple in suche wyse. That tarquyn was put in exyle. and Syxte his sone was slayn. A quene ought to be wel manerd and amonge alle she ought to be tumerous and Shamefast / For whan a woman hath lost shamefastnes she may ner can not weel be chaste. Wherfore sayth Sy­machus that they that ben not shamefast haue no consci­ence of luxurye / And saynt ambrose sayth that one of the best parementes and maketh a womman most fayr in her persone. is to be shamefast. Seneque reherceth that there was one named archezylle whiche was so shamefast that she put in a pelowe of fethers a certeyn somme of money. and put hit vnder the heed of a poure frende of [Page] heys / whiche dissymy [...] his pouerte and wolde not nos durst not be a knowen of his pouerte. for shame she durst not gyue it openly. but fad leuer that he shold fynde hyt than that she had gyuen hit hym. wherfore otherwhile men shold gyue & helpe her fomdes so secretly. that they knowe not whens it come / for whan we kepe it secret and make no. loste therof. our dedes and werkes shal please god and them also. A Quene ought to be chosen whan she shal be weddyd of the moste honest kynrede and peple / for often tymes the doughters folowen the tatches & maners of theym that they ben dyscended from wherof wleryus maximus sayth that there was one that wold marye. whiche cam to a philosopher and axyd counceyl what wyf he myght best take. he answerd that he shold take her that thou knowest derceynly that her moder & her grauntdame haue ben chaste and wel condycioned. for suche moder / suche doughter co­munely / Also a quene ought to teche her chyldren to ben contynent and kepe chasttie entierly. as hit is wryten in ecclesiastes. yf thou haue sones enseigne and teche them and yf thou haue doughters kepe wel them in chastyte·

For helemonde reherorth that euery kynge & prynce ought to be a clerke for to com [...]unde to other to studye and rede the lawe of our lord god / and therfore wrote themperour to the kyng of fraunce that he shold do lerne his children senes the seuen sciences liberal / and sayd amonge other thynges that a kyng not lettrid resembleth an asse [...]oro­ned / Themperour octou [...]an maad his sones to be taught and lerne to swymme / to sprynge and lepe / to Iuste / to playe wyth the axe and swerde / and al maner thyng that [Page] apperteyneth to a knyght / and his doughters he made him to lerne to sewe. to spynne to labour as wel in wolle as in lynen cloth. and al other werkis langyng to women / And whan his frendes demaunded wherfore he dyd so. he answerd how wel that he was lord and Syre of alle the world· yet wyste he not what shold befalle of his children and whether they shold falle or come to pouerte or noo / and therfore yf they conne a good crafte they may alwey lyue honestly. The quene ought to kepe her doughters in alle chastyte. For we rede of many maydens that for theis virgynyte haue ben maad quenes / For Poule the historiagraph of the lombardes reherceth that ther was a du­chesse named remonde whiche had thre sones & ij doughters And hit happend that the kynge of hongrye ca [...]t [...]uus assayled a castel where she and her chylddren were Inne / And on a day she behelde her enemyes / and amonge alle other she sawe the kyng that he was a wel faryng and a goodly man. Anone she was esprysed and taken wyth his loue. and that so sore that forth wyth she sent to hym that she wold delyuer ouer the castel to hym yf he wold take her to his wyf and wedde her / And he agreed therto and sware that he wold haue her to his wyf on that con­dicion. whan than the kyng was in the castel / his peple took men and women and alle that they fonde / her soones fledde from her / of whome one was named Ermoaldus & was yongest / and after was due of boneuentan & sithen kyng of the lumbardis / and the two susters toke chy­kens and put hem vnder her armes next the flessh and bytwene her pappes / that of the hete and chauffyng the [Page] flesh of she chikyns stanke / and whan so was that they of longrye wold haue enforced and defowled [...]n [...]ne they felte the stenche and fledde a wey and so lefte hem sayeng fy how these lomburdes stynke. and so they kepte theyr virgyntyte. Wherfore that one of hem afterward was quene of fraunce / and that other quene of almayn / and hit happend thenne that the kyng catunus toke acordyng to his promyse the duchesse / and lay wyth her one nyght for to saue his ooth. & on the morne he made her comune vnto al the hungres / And the thyrd day after he dyd doo put a staf of tree fro the nether porte of her. thrugh her [...]edy vnto her throte or mouthe / for by cause of the luste of her flessh she betrayed her cyte and sayd suche husbond suche wyf. and this suffyseth of the quene

The thyrd chappytre of the second traytye treteth of the Alphyns her offyces and maners capitulo tercio.

tHe alphyns ought to be maad and formed in manere of Iuges sittyng in a chayer wyth a book open tofore theyr eyen / and that is by cause that some causes ben crymynel / And some ben cyuyle as about possessions and other temporel thynges and trespaces / and therfore ought to be two Iuges in the royame / one in the black for the first cause / And that other in whyt as for the se­cond. Theyr offyce is for to counceylle the kyng. And to make by his cōmasidementis good sawes & to enforme [Page] alle the royame in good and vertuous maners / And to Iuge and gyue sentence wel and trewly after the aras is had. and to counceyl wel and Iustely alle them that axe counceyl of hem / wyth out hauyng of ony eye opene to ony persone / And to estudye diligently in suche wyse and to ordeigne alle that / that ought to be kept be obseruyd be faste and stable / So that they be not founde corupt. for yefte for fauour no forillgnage ne for enuye varriable. And as touchyng the first poynt Seneque saith in the book of benefets that the pour diogenes was more strong than alixandre / For Alixandre coude not gyue so moche as diogenes wold refuse. Marcus [...]rsus a romayn of grete renomee saith thus. that whan [...] had besieged and assayled them of Samente / and beneuentane which herde that he was poure / they took a grete masse and wedge of gold & sendyd hit to hym prayeng hym that he wold reseyue hit and leue his assault and siege / and whan they came with the present to hym they fond hym sittyng on the / erthe and ete his mete out of platers and dysshes of tree and of wode. and did th [...]n her message / to whom he answerd and said that they shold goo home and saye to them that sente them that Marcus cursus loueth better to be lord and wynne richesses than richesse shold wynne hym. For by batayle he shal not be ouercome and vayn­quysshed / nor by gold ne siluer he shal not be corrupt ne corompid. Oftentymes that thyng taketh an euyll ende that is vntrewe for gold and siluer. and that a man is subget vnto money may not be lord therof / Helymond reherceth that demos [...]ene demaūded of aristodone how moche [Page] he had wonne for pletyng of a cause for hys client. And he answer a mark of golde. Demostenes answerd to hym agayn / that he had wonne as moche for to holde hys pees and speke not / thus the tunges of aduocates & men of lawe ben perilo [...] & dōmegeable. yet they must be had yf thou wolt wynne thy cause. for with money and yefte thou shalt wynne. & oftentymes they selle as wel theyr scilence / as their vtteraunce. valerius reherceth that the senatours of rome took counceil to geder of two persones that one was poure & that other riche and couetous / whiche of hem bothe were most apte for to sende to gouerne and Iuge the contre of spayn / And sapyon of affrique said that none of hem bothe were good ne proffytable to be sent theder. For that one hath no thyng. And to that other may no thyng suffyse / And despysed in hys sayeng alle pouerte and auarice in a Iuge. For a co­uetous man hath nede of an halpeny. for he is seruaunt and bonde vnto money / and not lorde therof but pouerte of herte and of wylle ought to be gretely alowed in a Iuge / Therfore we rede that as longe as the Romaynes louyd pouerte they were lordys of alle the world. For many there were that exposed al theyr goodes for the co­myn welt. and for that was most proffitable for the co­mynalte that they were so poure that whan they were dede they were buryed and brought to erthe wyth the co­myn good / And theyr doughters were maryed by the cōmaundement of the senatours. but sithen that they despised pouerte / & begonne to gadre richesses. & haue made grete bataylles. they haue vsed many synnes / and so the [Page] comyn wele perisshed / for ther is no synne but that it reigneth there / there is none that is so blisful as he that hath al the world in despite / For he is in pees that dredith no man / & he is riche that coueiteth no thyng / valere reherceth that he is not riche that moche hath / but he is riche that hath lityl & coueyteth no thyng / than thus late the Iuges take hede that they enclyne not for loue or for hate in ony Iu­gement for the of cast saith that all loue is blynde· there loue is. there can not right Iugement be gyuen. for all loue is blynde. and therfore loue is none euyn Iuge· for ofte tymes loue Iugeth a fowle and lothly woman to be fayr / And so reherceth quinte curse in his first book that the grete godach [...]s sayth the same to Alyxandre / Men may saye in this was that nature is euyl / For euery man is lasse aduysed and worse in his owne feet and cause than in another mannys· And therfore the Iuges ought to kepe hem wel from Ire in Iugement / Tullyus sayth that an angry and yrous persone weneth that for to doo euyl is good counceyl / and socrates saith that two thynges ben contrarious to counceyl / & they ben hastynes and wrath. and galeren sayth in alexandrye / yf yre or wrath ouercome the whan thou sholdest geue Iugement / weye all thyng in the balaunce so that thy Iugement be not enclyned by loue / ne by yeft. ne fauour of persone torne not thy corage· Helemond reherceth that cambyses kyng of perce whiche was a right wis kyng had an vn­rightwes Iuge / whiche for enuye & euyl wyll had dāpned a man wrongfully and agaynst right / wherfore he dyd hym to be flayn al quyk and made the chayer or siege of [Page] Iugement to be couerid with his skyn / and made his sone Iuge and to sitte in the chayer on the skyn of his fader. to thende that the sone shold Iuge rightwisly / & abhoere the Iugement & payne of his fader. Iuges ought to punysshe the defaultes egally / & fulfille the lawe that they ordeyne. Caton saith accomplisshe and do the lawe in suche wyse as thou hast ordeigned & geuen / valerius reherceth that calen gius a consul had a sone whiche was taken in aduoultrye & therfore after the lawe at that tyme he was dampned to lose bothe his eyen. the fader wold that the lawe shold be acoomplisshed in his sone wyth out fauour. but al the cite was meuyd herewyth and wold not suffre hit / but in the ende his fader was vaynquysshed by theyr prayers. And ordeyned that his sone shold lese one eye whyche was put out. And he hym self lost an other eye. And thus was the lawe obseruyd and kept. And the prayer of the people was accomplisshed / We rede that there was a counceyllour of rome that had gyuen counceylle to ma­ke a statute that who some ener that entryd in to the se­natoyr and a swerde gyrt aboute hym shold be deed / Than hit happend on a tyme that he came from without & entrid in to the senatoir & his swerd gyrt about hym. wherof he toke none hede / & one of the senatours told hym of hit / & whan he knewe hit & remēbrid the statute / he drewe out his swerde & slewe hym self tofore them. rather to dye than to breke the lawe / for whos dethe alle the senatours maad grete sorowe / But alas we fynde not many in thyse dayes that so do / But they do lyke as anastasyus saith that the lawes of sōme ben like vnto the nettis of spyncoppis [Page] that take no grete bestes and sowles but let goo and flee thrugh / but they take flyes & gnattes & suche smale thyn­ges / In like wise the lawes now adayes ben not execu­ted but vpon the poure peple· the grete & riche breke hit & goo thrugh with al / and for this cause sourden batailles & discordes & make the grete & riche men to take by force & strengthe lordshippis & seignories vpon the smale & poure peple / & this d [...]n they specially that ben gentil of lignage & poure of goodes / & causeth them to robbe & reue / and yet constreyne them by force to serue them. & thys is no mer­uayle / for they that drede not to angre god / ner to breke the lawe & to false hit / falle often tymes by force in moche cursidnes & wickednes. but whan the grete peple do accor­dyng to the lawe / and punysshe the transgressours sharp­ly / The comyn peple absteyne & withdrawe hem fro doyng of euyl and chastiseth hem self hy theyr example / And the Iuges ought to entende for to studye. For yf the smythes the carpentiers the vignours and other crafty-men say that it is not necessarye to studye for the comyn proffit / And glorefye them in their cōnyng and say that they ben proffitable· than shold the Iuges studye and contemplaire moche more than they in that that shold be for the comyn wele. wherfore saith sene [...]e beleue me that they seme that they do no thyng / they do more than they that laboure for they do spirituel & also corporal werkis. And therfore amōge artificers ther is no plesaūt rest / but that reson of the Iuges hath maad & ordeyned hit. & therfore angelius saith in / li / attico (rum) de socrate / that socrates was on a tyme so pensif that in an hobe naturel day / he helde one [Page] estate that he ne meued mouth ne eye ne foot ne hand but was as he had ben died or rauysshed / and whan one demaū ded hym wherfore he was so pensif. he answerd in al worldly thynges and labours of the same and helde hym bour­geys and Cytezeyn of the world / and valerius rehercith that carnardes a knyght was so sage wyse and laborous in pensifnes of the comyn wele / that whan he was sette atte table for to ete / he forgate to put his hond vnto the mete to fede hym self / and therfore his wyf that was named Mellyse whom he had taken more to haue her compa­nye and felawshyp than for ony other thynge / Fedde hym to thende that he shold not dye for hongre in his pen­sifnes. Didimus sayd to alixandre we be not deynseyns in the world but straungers / not we ben not born in the world for to dwelle and abyde alwey therin. but for to goo and passe thrugh hit. we haue doon no [...]n euyl dede. but that it is worthy / to be punysshed & we to suffre payne therfore / and thenne we may goon with open face & good conscience. And so may we goo lightly and appertly the way that we hope and purpose to goo. Thys suffyseth as for the Alphyns /

The fourth chappitre of the second book treteth of the ordre of cheualrye and knyghthoode and of her offyces and maners capitulo quarto

tHe knyght ought to be maad al armed vpon an hors in suche wise that he haue an helme on his heed and a spere in his right hond / & couerid with his shelde / a swerd & a mace on his lyft syde. clad with an hawberk & plates tofore his breste. legge harn [...]ys on his legges· spores on his heelis / on hys handes hys gauntelettes. hys hores wel broken & taught and apte to bataylle & coueryd with hys armes. whan the knyghtes ben maad they ben [...]ayned or bathed· That is the signe that they shold lede [Page] a newe lyf and newe maners. also they wake alle the nyght in prayers and orisons vnto god that he wil geue him grace that they may gete that thyng that they may not gete by nature / The kyng or prynce gyrdeth a boute them a swerde in signe / that they shold abyde and kepe [...] hym of whom they taken their dispences and dignyte. Also a knyght ought to be wyse lyberalle / trewe. strong and ful of mercy and pyte and kep [...] of the peple and of the lawe / and right as cheualrye passeth other in vertue in dignyte in honour and in reuerence / right so ought he to surmounte alle other in vertue. for honour / is no thyng ellys but to do reuerence to another persone for the good & vertuous disposicion that is in hym / A noble knyght ought to be wyse and prouyd tofore he be maad knyght / hit behoued hym that he had long tyme vsid the warre & armes. that he may be expert and wyse for to gouerne the other / For sithen that a knyght is capitayn of a batayle. the lyf of them that shal be vnder hym lyeth in his honde / and therfore behoueth hym to be wyse & wel aduy­sed / For somtyme art craft and engyne is more worthe than strengthe or hardynes of a man that is not proued in armes / for other while it happeth that whan the prynce of the batayl affyeth and trusteth in his hardynes and strengthe / and wol not vse wisedom and engyne for to renne vpon his enemyes / he is vaynquysshed & his people slayn. therfore saith the philosopher that no man shold chese yōg peple to be captayns & gouernours / for as moche as ther is no certeynte in her wisdom / alixādre of macedone vaynquysshed & conquerd Egipte / Iude / calde [...] Affrique [Page] and affyrie vnto the marches of bragmans more by the counceyl of olde men than by the strengthe of the yong men. we rede in the historye of frome that there was a knyght whiche had to name malechete that was so wyse & trewe that whan the emperour Theodosius was dede· He made mortal warre ayēst his broder germayn which was named Gyldo or Guye. for as moche as this sayd / guye wold be lord of affrique with out leue and wylle of the se­natours / and thys sayd Guy had slayn the two sones of his broder malechete / And dyd moche torment vnto the crysten peple / and afore that he shold come in to the felde ayenst his broder Guyon. he went in to an yle of capayre and ladde with hym al the cristen men / that had ben sent theder in exyle. And maad hem alle to praye with hym by the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes. For he had grete affyaunce and truste in the prayers and orisons of good folke and specially that no man myght counceyl ne helpe but god / And thre dayes tofore he shold fight saynt Ambrose whiche was deed a litil tofore apperyd to hym & shewed hym by reuelacōn the tyme and howre that he shold haue victorye. And for so moche as he had ben iij dayes and thre nyghtes in orysone & prayers and that he was assuryd for to haue victorye / he faught wyth fyue thou­sand men ayenst his broder that had in his companye four soore thousand men. and by goddes helpe he had victorye And whan the barbaryns that were comen to helpe guyon sawe the discomfiture they fledde awey- And guyon fledde also in to affryque by shyppe. And whan he was there a­ryued he was sone after stranglid. These two knyghtes [Page] of whom I speke were two brethern germayns. whyche were sent in to affrique for to deffende the comyn wele. In lyke wyse Iudas machabeus / Ionathas / and Symon his brethern put them self in the mercy and garde of our lord god / And ageyn the enemyes of the lawe of god with litil people in regarde of the multitude that were a­gayn them / And had also victorye / The knyghtes ought to ben trewe to theyr prynces / For he that is not trewe leseth the name of a knyght. Vnto a prynce trouth is the grettest precious stone whan hit is med [...]d wyth Iustyce. Paule the historiagraph of the lombardes reherceth that there was a knyght named Enulphus & was of the cyte of papye that was so trewe and faythful to his lord and kyng named pathariche that he put hym in parylle of deth for hym / For hit happend that Grymald due of buneuentayns of whom we haue touched tofore in the chapytre of the quene. dyd do slee Godebert whyche was kyng of the lombardes by the hande of goribert due of tarente / whiche was descended of the crowne of lom­bardes. And this grymalde was maad kyng of lombardye in his place and after this put and banysshed out of the contraye this patharich whiche was broder vnto the kyng Godebert. that for fere and drede fledde in to hon­grye. And thenne this knyght enulphus dyd so moche that he gate the pees agayn of his lord patharich agaynst the kyng grymalde. And that he had licence to come out of hongrye where he was alwey in parell. and so he came and cryed hym mercy / And the kyng Grymalde gaf hym leue to dwelle and to lyue honestly in his contre [Page] alwey forseen that he took not vpon hym & named hym self kyng. How wel he was kyng by right / This doon a lityl whyle after / the kyng that beleuyd euyl tonges / thought in hym self how he myght brynge this pathariche vnto the deth. and al thys knewe wel the knyght Enulphus / whiche came the same nyght wyth his squyer for to vysite his lord· and maad hys squyer to vnclothe hym & to lye in the bedde of his lord / and maad his lorde to rise and clothe hym wyth the clothes of his squyer / And in this wyse brought hym out. brawlyng and betyng hym as his seruaunt by them that were asigned to kepe the hows of patharich that he shold not escape / which supposid that hit had been his squyer that he entreted so outragy­ously / and so he brought hym vnto his hows which Ioyned wyth the walles of the toun. And at mydnyght when al men were a slepe. he lete a doun his maistre by acorde. whiche took an hors out of the pasture and fledde vnto the cyte of [...]ast & there cam to the kyng of fraunce And whan it cam vnto the morne / hit was founden that enulphus and his squyer had deceyued the kyng and the watchemen / whom the kyng cōmaunded shold be brought tofore hym / and demaunded of them the maner how he was escapyd / and they tolde hym the trouthe / Thenne the kyng demaunded his counceyl of what deth they had deseruyd to dye that had so doon and wrought agayn the wylle of hym / Somme said that they shold ben honged & sōme said they shold be flayn / and other said that they shold be beheded. Than said the kyng by that lord that maad me. they ben not worthy to dye. but for to haue [Page] moche worshyp and honour / For they haue ben trewe to theyr lord. wherfore the kyng gaf hem a grete law [...] and honour for theyr feet. And after hit happend that the propre squyer and seruaunt of Godeberd slewe the traytre Gorybalde that by treson had slayn his lorde at a feste of Saynt Iohn in his cyte of tarente wherof he was lord and du [...] / Thus ought the knyghtes to loue to gyder. & eche to put his lyf in auenture for other. ffor so been they the strenger and the more doubted. lyke as were the noble knyghtes Ioab and abysay that fought ageynst the syryens and amonytes and were so trewe that one to that other that they vaynquysshed theyr enemyes / And were so ioyned to gyder that yf the firiens were strenger thēne that one of them. that other helpe hym / We rede that damon and phisias were so right parsight frendes to gyder that whan dionysius whiche was kyng of zealle had Iugged one to deth for his trespass in the cyte of si [...] sane whom he wold haue executed. he desired grace & leue to goo in to his contre for to dispose and ordeyne his testament / And his felawe pledgyd hym and was sewrte for hym vpon his heed that he shold come agayn / wherof they that herde and sawe this / helde hym for a fool & blamed hym. And he sayd alwey that he repentyd hym no thyng at all. For he knewe wel the trouth of his felawe / and whan the day cam and the howre that execucion shold be doon. his felowe cam and presented hym self tofore the Iuge. and dischargid his felowe that was pledge for hym wherof the kyng was gretely abasshyd. and for the grete trouthe that was founden in hym / he pardonyd hym and [Page] prayed hem bothe that they wold receyue hym as theyr grete frende and felowe· lo here the vertues of loue / that a man ought not to doubte the deth for his frende / Lo what it is to doo for a frende. and to lede a lyf debonayr / [...] and to be wyth out cruelte· to loue & not to hate / whyche causeth to doo good ayenst euyl. and to torne payne in to benefete and to quenche cruelte. Anthonyus sayth that Iulius cesar lefte not lightly frendshyp and amytye / But whan he had hit. he reteyned hit fasts & mayntened hit alwey. Scipion of affrique saith that there is no thyng so stronge as for to maynteyne loue vnto the deth The loue of concupissence and of lecherye is sone dissol­uyd and broken. but the verray trewe loue of the comyn wele and proffyt now a dayes is selde founden / where shal thou fynde a man in thyse dayes that wyl expose hym self for the worshyp & honour of his frende / or for the comyn wele / selde or neuer shal he be founden / also the knyghtes shold be large and liberal / For whan a knyght hath re­garde vnto his synguler prouffyt by his couetyse· he dyspoyleth his peple / For whan the souldyours se that they put hem in parel. and their mayster wyl not paye hem theyr wages lyberally / but entendeth to his owne propre gayn and proffyt / than whan the enemyes come they torne sone her backes and flee often tymes / And thus hit happeth by hym that entendeth more to gete money than vyctorye that his auaryce is ofte tymees cause of his confusion / Thenne lete euery knyght take hede to be lyberalle in suche wyse that he wene not ne suppose that his scarcete be to hym a grete wynnyng or gayn / And for thys cause [Page] he be the lasse louyd of his peple. and that his aduersa­rye wythdrawe to hym them by large geuyng· For ofte tyme batayle is auaunced more for getyng of siluer / than by the force and strengthe of men / For men see alle day that suche thynges as may not be achyeued by force of nature ben goten and and achyeued by force of money. And for so moche it behoueth to see wel to that whan the tyme of bataille cometh that he borowe not ne make no [...]ayllage For no man may be riche that leuyth his owne / kepyng to gete and take of other / Than alwey al her gayn and wynnyng ought to be comyn emong exept theyr armes For in like wyse as the vyctorye is comune so shold the dispoyse and botye be comune vnto them / And therfore dauyd that gentyl knyght in the first book of kynges in the last chappytre made a lawe. that he that abode behynde by maladye or sekenes in the tentes shold haue as meeke parte of the butyn as he that had ben in the batayle. And for the loue of this lawe he was maad afterward [...] of Israel / Alixandre of macedone cam on a tyme lyke a symple knyght vnto the court of porue kyng of Ynde for to espye thastate of the kyng and of the knyghtes of the court / And the kyng receyuyd hym right worshyp­fully. And demaunded of hym many thynges of Alix­ander and of his constance and strengthe. nothyng wenyng that he had ben alixander / but antygone one of his knyghtes / and after he had hym to dyner. and whan they had seruyd alixander in vessayl of gold and syluer with dyuerse metes / After that he had eten suche as plefid hym he voyded the mete & toke the vessayl and helde hic to [Page] hym self and put hit in his bosom or sleuys. wherof he was accusid vnto the kyng / After dyner thēne the kyng callyd hym and demaunded hym wherfore he had taken hys vayssayl and he answerd. sir kyng my lord I pray the to vnderstonde and take heed thy self & also thy knyghtes I haue herd moche of thy grete hyghnes / and that thou art more myghty and puyssaunt in cheualrye and in dispencis than is Alixaunder. and therfore I am come to the a poure knyght whiche am named Antygone for to serue the· Than hit is the custome in the courte of Alixander that what thyng a knyght is seruyd wyth / alle is hys mete and v [...]issel and cuppe. and therfore I had supposid that this custome had ben kept in thy court / for thou art richer than he / whan the knyghtes herde this. anone they lefte perus. and went to serue Alixaunder / and thus he drewe to hym the hertes of hem by yeftes / whiche after­ward slewe porus that was kyng of ynde. and they maad Alixandre kyng therof. Therfore remembre knyght alwey that wyth a closid and shette purse shalt thou neuer haue victorye / Ouyde saith that he that taketh yeftes / he is glad therwyth / For they wynne wyth yeftes the her­tes of the goddes and of men / For yf Iupyter were an grid. with yeftes he wold be plesid. the knyghtes ought to be stronge not onely of body but also in corage. there ben many stronge and grete of body / that ben faynt and feble in the herte / he is stronge that may not be vaynquysshed and ouercome. how wel that he suffrith moche other­whyle / And so we beleue that they that be not ouergrete ne ouer litel ben most corageous and beste in bataylle / [Page] We rede that cadeus due of athenes shold haue a bataylle agayn them of po [...]pe / And he was warned and had a re­uelation of the goddes / that they shold haue the vyctorye of whom the prynce shold be slayn in the batayle. And the prynce whiche was of a grete corage and trewe herte took other armes of a poure man / and put hym self in the fronte of the bataylle to thende that he myght be slayn and so he was / For the right trewe prynce had leuer dye / than his peple shold be ouercomen. and so they had the victorye / Certes hit was a noble and a fayr thynge to expose hym self to the deth for to diffende his contraye. But no man wold do so but yf he hopyd to haue a better thyng therfore / Therfore the lawe sayth that they [...]rue in her sowles gloriously that ben slayn in the wat [...]o for the comyn wele. A knyght ought also to be merciful [...] [...] pietous / For there is no thyng that maketh a knyght so renomed as is whan he sauyth the lyf of them that he may slee / For to shede and spylle blood is the condycion of a wylde beste and not the condycion of a good knyght Therfore we rede that scilla that was due of the romayns with out had many fair victories agaynst the romayns: within that were contrarye to hym in so moche that in the bataylle of puylle he slewe xviij thousand men. And in champayne lxx thousand / and after in the cyte he slewe thre thousand men vnarmed. & whan one of his knyghtes that was named Quyntus catulus sawe this cruelte sayd to hyin / Sesse now and suffre them to lyue and be merciful to them wyth whome we haue ben vyctorious. & wyth whom we ought to lyue / For it is the most hyest [Page] and fair vengeaunce that a man may do / as to spare them and gyue hem her lyf whom he may sle. Therfore I [...]ab [...]deyned whan absalon was slayn. he sowned a tr [...]m [...] that his peple shold nomore renne and slee theyr aduersaries / For there were slayn about xx thousand of them. And in like wyse dyd he whan he faught ayenst Abner / and abner was vaynquysshed and fledde. For where that he went in the ch [...]as he cōmaunded to spare the people. The knyghtes ought to kepe the peple / for whan the peple ben in their tentis or castellis. the knyghtes ought to kepe the watche / For this cause the romayns callyd them le­gyons / and they were made of dyuerse prouynces and of dyuerse nacions to thentente to kepe the peple / And the peple shold entende to theyr werke / For no crufty man may bothe entende to his crafte and to fight / How may a crafty man entende to his werke sewrely in tyme of warre but yf he be kept. and right in suche wyse as the knyghtes shold kepe the peple in tyme of pees in like wyse the peple ought to purueye for theyr dispencis. how shold a plow man be sewre in the felde / but yf the knyghtes made dayly watche to kepe them. For like as the-glorye of a kyng is vpon his knyghtes / So it is necessarye to the knyghtes that the marchauntes crafty men and comyn peple be defended and kepte / Therfore late the knyghtes kepe the peple in suche wyse that they may enioye pees and gete and gadre the costis and expencis of them bothe. we rede that athis sayd to dauyd whiche was a knyght· I make the my kepar & defendar al wey. thus shold the knyghtes haue goote zele that the lawe be kept. For the mageste [Page] [...] [...]ght not onely to be garnisshed wyth arme [...] but also wyth good lawes. And therfore shold they beleue [...] that they shold be wel [...] / Turgeus p [...]mpus rehercith of a noble knyght named ligurgyus that had made aun­cient lawes the whiche the peple wold not kepe ne obserue for they s [...]d hard for them to kepe / and wold constreyne hym to rapelle & sette hem a parte / whan the noble knyght sawe that. he dyd the [...] vnderstonde that he had not made them. but a go [...] [...] named apollo delphynus had made thing / & had comaunded hym that he shold do the peple kepe them / thyse wordes auayled not / they wold in no wyse kepe them. And than he sayd to them that it were good that or the sayd lawes shold be broken that he had gyuen to them / that he shold goo and speke wyth the g [...] Appollo / F [...] to gete of hym a dispensacion to breke him and that the peple shold kept and obserue them tyl that he retorned agayn / the peple accorded therto and swore that they shold kepe them vnto the tyme he retorned / than the knyght went in to grece in exyle and dwellyd there alle his lyf / And whan he shold dye he cōmaunded that hys body shold be cast in the see for as moche as yf / his body shold be foure theder. the peple shold wene to be quyt of theyr othe. and shold kepe no lenge [...] his lawes that were so good & resonable. that the knyght had leuer to forsake his owne contre & to dye so than to repele his lawes. and his lawes were suche / The first lawe was that the peple shold obeye and serue the prynces / And the pryn­ces shold kepe the people and doo Iustyce on the malefactours. the second lawe that they shold be al so [...]re · For

[Page]first Iustyce for it is most fayr of the vertues. For hit happeth ofte tyme that the mynystres by theyr pryde and [...]gueyl subu [...] Iustyce and doo no right / wherfore the kynges otherwhyle lose theyr wyames wyth out theyr culpe or gylte / For an vntrewe Iuge or offycer maketh his lord to be named vniuste and euyl / & contrarye wyse a trewe mynystre of the lawe and rightwys / causeth the kyng to be reputed Iust & trewe / The romayns ther­fore maad good lawes and wold that they shold be Iuste and trewe / and they that establisshid them for to gouerne the people. wold in no wyse breke them / but kepe them for to dye for them / For the auncient and wyse men said comynly that it was not good to make and ordeygne that lawe that is not Iust · wherof valeryus reherceth that there was a man that was named Themystydes whiche came to the counceyllours of athenes and sayd that he knewe a counceyl whiche was right proffytable for them But he wold telle hit but to one of them whom that they wold. And they assygned to hym a wyse man na­med aristydes. And whan he had vnderstonde hym he cam agayn to the other of the counceyl / and sayd that the counceyl of themystides was wel proffytable / but hit was not Iust / how be hit ye may reuolue hit in your mynde / and the counceyl that he sayd was thys. that there were comen two grete shippes fro lacedome and were arryued in theyr londe / & that hit were good to take them / & whan the coūceyl herde hym that sayd / that hit was not Iuste nor right / they left hem al in pees & wold not haue a doo with al. the vicair [...] iuge of the kyng ought to be so iust [Page] that he shold e [...]pl [...]ye al his [...] to saue the comyn [...] and yf hit [...] nede to put his lyf and [...] hit ther­fore / We haue an ensaumple of mac [...]s [...] Tullyus whēcheth in the [...]ook of offyces. And Saynt Augustyn also do Ciuitate [...] how he faught agayn them of cartage by see in shyppes and was vayn [...]uysshed and taken· Than hit [...] that they of cartage sent hym in her messeger to [...] to haue theyr poysones there / for [...] and so to chaunge and for another / And made hym [...] and promyse to come ageyn. And [...] to rome / and made proposicion [...]sce [...] the senate [...] [...]maunded them of co [...]tage of the senatours to be [...] as afore is sayd / and than the Senatours demau [...] [...] what counceyl he gaf. [...] sayd he I coun [...] yow that ye doo hyt not in no wyse. For [...] the peple of rome that they of cartage holde in [...] of [...] / Ben olde men and b [...]sid in the warre as I [...] my self / But they that ye holde in pryson of theyr peple is alle the floure of alle theyr folke whyche couunceyl they took. & than his frendes wold haue holden hym & coūceilled them to abyde there & not retorne agayn prisoner in to cartage / but he wold neuer do so / ner abyde but wold goo agayn & kepe his oth / how wel that he [...]ne we that he went toward his deth / for he had leuer dye than to breke his oth / valerius rehercith in the vj book of one emelie due of the romayns. that in the tyme whan he had ass [...]gid the phasistes. the sco [...]e maistre of the children de­ceyuyd the children of the gentilmen that he doe we hym a litil & a litil vnto the [...] of the romayns by fayr spithe [Page] And sayd to the due emelye / that by the moy [...] of the chyldren that he had brought to hym. He shold haue the cyde. For theyr fade [...] were bordes and gouernours / Whan emelye had herde hym he said thus to hym / Thou that art euyl and cruel. And thou that boldest gyue a gyfte of grete felonye and of mauastye / thou shalt ner hast not founden here / due ne peple that resembleth the. we haue also wel lawes to kepe in batayle and warre! as in our contrees and other places / And we wol obserue and kepe them vnto euery man as they ought to be kept and we ben armed ayenst our enemyes that wol defende them. and not ayenst them that can not saue their lyf whan their contre is taken. as thise litil children / Thou hast vaynquysshed them as moche as is in the by thy newe deceyuable falsnes & by subtilnes & not by nemés / But I that am a romayn shal vaynquysshe thē by craft & strength of armes / And anone he cōmaunded to take the sayd scole maister and to bynde his handes behynde hym as a traytour and sede hym vnto the parentis of the chyldren / And whan the faders and parentes sawe the grete curtoy­sye that he had doon to them / They opened the yates and yelded them vnto hym. We rede that Hanybal had ta­ken a prynce of rome whyche vpon his othe & promyse suf­fred hym to goo home / & to sende hym hys raunson. or he shold come agayn within a certeyn tyme / & whan he was at ho [...]e in his place / he said that he had deceyued hym by [...] false oth / And whan the senatours knewe therof / they constrayned hym to retorne agayn vnto hanybal / Amos florus tellith that the phisicien of kyng pirrus cam [Page] on a nyght to fabrice his aduersarye / and promyse [...] hym yf he wold geue hym for his labour that he wold enpry­sone preu [...]s his mayster. whan fabricius vnderstood this he dyd to take hym and bynde hym hand and foot / and sent hym to his maistre & dyd de sayte hym word for word like as the phisicien had said and promysed hym to do / & whan pirrus vnderstood this he was gretly admer [...]aylid of the loyalte and trouth of fabrice his enemye · and said certeynly that the sonne myght lightlyer & sonner be en­pesshid of his cours. thenne fabrice shold be letted to holde loyalte and trouthe. yf they than that were not crysten were so Iusté and trewe and louyd theyr contrey & theyr good renomee · what shold we now doon than that been Cristen · and that our lawe is sette al vpon loue and charite / but now a dayes there is no thynge ellis in the world but / barute tresō / deceit falsenes & trecherye mē kepe not their couenauntes / promyses. othes / writynges / ne trouth / the subgettis rebelle agayn their lord. ther is now no lawe kepte. nor fydelyte / ne othe holden. The people murmure and ryse agayn theyr lord and wol not be subget / they ought to be pietous in herte / whiche is a­uaylable to alle thyng / There is pyte in effect by com­passyon / and in worde by remyssyon and pardon / By almesse. for to enclyne hym self vnto the poure / For pyte is no thyng ellis but a right grete wylle of a debo­nayr herte for to helpe alle men / vastrius rebercith that there was a Iuge named sangie whiche dampned a wo­man that had deseruyd the deth for to haue her heed smy­ten of or ellys that she shold dye in pryson.

[Page]The Iayler that had pyte on the woman put not her anon to deth but put her in the pryson· and this woman had a doughter whiche came for to see and comforte her moder / But alwey or she entrid in to the prison the Iayler ser­chyd hyr that she shold bere no mete ne drynke to her mo­der. but that she shold dye for honger. than hit happend after thys that he meruayled moche why this woman dy­ed not / and began to espye the cause why she lyuyd so long And fonde atte laste how her doughter gaf sowk to her moder. and fedde her with her mylke / whan the Iayler sawe thys merueyle / he went and tolde the Iuge / And whan the Iuge sawe this grete pyte of the doughter to the mo­der he pardoned her and made her to be delyuerd out of her pryson / what is that / that pite ne amolissheth / moche peple wene that it is agaynst nature and wondre that the doughtre shold gyue the moder to souke. hit were agaynst nature but the children shold be kynde to fader and moder Seneka sayth that the kyng of bees hath no prykke to stynge wyth as other bees haue / And that nature hath take hit away from hym by cause he shold haue none ar­mes to assayle them. and this is an example vnto prynces that they shold be of the same condycion· valerius re­hercith in his fifthe book of Marchus martellus that whan he had taken the cyte of Syracusane / & was sette in the hyest place of the cyte / he behelde the grete destruccyon of the peple and of the cyte / he wepte & said / thou oughtest to be sorowful / for so moche as thou woldest haue no pyte of thy self / But enioye the for thou art fallen in the hande of a right debonair prynce / also he recoūteth when pomptes [Page] had conquerd the kyng of germanye that often tymes had foughten ayenst the romayns / & that he was brought to fore hym bounden / He was so pyetous that he wold not suffre hym to be longe on his knees tofore hym. but he receyued hym curtoysly. and sette the crowne agayn on his herd and put hym in thestate that he was tofore.

For he had oppynyon that it was as worshypful and sittyng to a kyng to pardone / as to punysshe / Also he reherceth of a counceyllour that was named poule that dyd to brynge tofore hym a man that was prysoner / And or he knelid tofore hym he toke hym vp fro the grounde and made hym to sitte besyde hym for to geue hym good espe­raunce and hope / and sayd to the other stondyng by / [...] thys wyse / yf hit be grete noblesse that we shewe our self contrarye to our enemyes. than this fete ought to be alo­wed that he shewe our self debonayr to our caytyfs and prisoners / Cesar whan he hard the deth of cathon whiche was his aduersarye sayd that he had grete enuye of hys glorye. and no thyng of his patrymonye- and therfore he lefte to his chyldren frely al hys patrymonye. Thus taught virgyle and enseygneth the glorious prynces to rewle and gouerne the peple of rome. and saynt Austyn de ciuitate dei sayth thus / Thou emperour gouerne the peple pyetously / and make pees ouerall / deporte and forbere thy subgettio. repreue and correcte the prowde / For so enseyne and deche the the lawes / And hyt was wryten vnto alixaunder. that euery prynce ought to be pyetous in punysshyng / and redy for to rewarde / ther is no thyng that causeth a prynce to be so belouyd of his peple. as whan [Page] he spekyth to hem swetely. and conceruyth wyth hem symply. and al this cometh of the [...] of pyte.

We rede of the emperour traian that his fre [...] [...] ­uyd hym of that he was to moche pryue and famuller wyth the comyn peple more than an emperour ought to be And he answerd that he wold be suche an emperour as euery man desyred to haue hym / also we rede of a [...]sa [...]der that on a tyme he ladde his hoost forth hastely / & in that haste he behelde where satte an olde knyght that was fore a colde / whom he dyd do aryse and sette hym in his owne sete or siege. what wondre was hit though the knyghtes desyred to serue suche a lorde that louyd better theyr helthe than his dignyte. The wokes ought also to be humble & meke· after the holy scripture whiche sayth / the gretter or in the hyer astate that thou art / so moche more oughtest thou be meker and more humble. valerius reherceth in his vij book that ther was an emperour named Pu [...]lius ce­sar. that dyd doo bete doun his hows whyche was in the myddes of the market place for as moche as hit was hy­er than other howses / For as moche as he was more gloryous in estate than other· therfore wold he haue a lasse hows than other / and scipion of affrique that was so poure of voluntarye pouerte that whan he was dede· He was buryed at the dyspencis and costes of the comyn good / They shold be so humble that they shold leue theyr offyces / and suffre other to take hem whan her tyme co­meth· and doo honour to other. For he gouerneth wel the royame that may gouerne hit whan he wyl. valerius rehercith in his iij book that fabyan the grete had ben maystre [Page] counceyllour of his fader his groundfire. And of his ground [...] fader and of alle his ancesstours / And yet [...] his payn and labour / that his sone shold neuer haue that offyce after hym. But for no thynge that he [...] [...]ted her sone for he was noble and wyse and more attempered than other but he wold that the offyce shold not alwey reste in the famylye and hows of the fabyans Also he reherceth in his seuenth book that they wold maste the sayd fabyan emperour / but he excusyd hym & sayde that he was blynde and myght not see for age. But that excusacion myght not helpe hym / Than sayd he to hem / seke ye and gete you another / For yf ye make me your emperour / I may not suffre your maners / nor ye may not suffre myn. There was a kyng of so subtyl engyne that whan men brought hym the crowne tofore that he to­ke hit / he remembrid hym a litil and sayd O thou crowne that art more noble thenne happy / For yf a kyng knewe wel and parfaytly how that thou art ful of parylles of thoughte and of charge / yf thou were on the grounde / he wold neuer lyfte nor take the vp Remembre the that whan thou art most glorious· thēne haue sōme men moste enuye on the. And whan thou hast most seignorye and shedshype / than shalt thou haue most care / thought and anguysshes / vaspasian was so humble that whan Nero was slayn alle the peple cryed for to haue hym emperour And many of his frendes came and prayed hym that he wold take hit vpon hym. So at the last he was con­streyned to taste hit vpon hym. and sayd to hys frendys hit is better and more to prayse and alowe for a man to [Page] take thempy [...] agaynst hi [...] wylle than for to [...] haue hit and to put hym self them. Thus right they [...] be humble and meke for to receyue worshyp the [...]fore [...] the byble that Ioab the sone of s [...]ryne that [...] captayn [...] of the warre of the kyng dauyd / whan he [...] to take and wynne a cyte. he sente to dauyd and desye [...] hym to [...] to the [...] / that the victorye sh [...]o [...]be geuen to Dauyd and not to hym self. also they ought to be [...]are that they chaunge not ofte tymes her offycers / Iosephus re­hercith that the frendes of Tyberius meruaylled moche why he helde his office [...]rs so longe in theyr offycers [...]yth out chaunchyng. And they demaūdes of hym the cause to whom he answerd I wolde chaunge them gladly. yf I wyse that hit shold be good for the peple / But I sawe on a tyme a man that was royneous and ful of [...]. and many flyes sa [...]de vpon the sores and souked hys blood that hit was meruayle to see· wherfore I smote & chaced them away / and he than sayd [...]o me why chasest & smytest thou away thyse flyes that been ful of my blood / & now shalt thou lete come other that be hongrye which shal [...]on to me double payne more than the other dyd· for the prick of the hongry is more poygnaunt the half. thenne of the fulle / And therfore sayde he I leue the offycers in theyr offyces. For they ben al riche / and to not so moche euyll & harme / as the newe shold do and were poure yf I shold sette hem in her places. They ought also to be pacient in heryng of wordes and in suffryng payne on her bodyes· as to the first / one sayd to alisaunder that he was not wor­ [...]hy to reigne / specially whan he suffred that lecherys and [Page] [...]yde to haue seignorye in hym / he suffrid hit paciently / And answerd none otherwyse but that he wold correct [...] hym self / And take better maners and more honeste / also hit i [...] re [...]cid that Iulyus Cesar was ballyd wherof he had displasir so grete that he kempt hys heer [...]s that laye on the after poets of his heed forward for to hy [...]e the bare tofore. Th [...]n sayd a knyght to hym· Cezar hit is lighther and soner to be maad that thou be not ballyd / than that I haue vsid ony cowardyse in the warre of Rome / or shee after shal doo ony cowardyse. He suffryd hye paciently and sayd not one [...]. another reprochyd hym by his lignage. and called hym baker / he answerd that hit is better that noblesse begynne in me. them hit shold faylle in me / another callyd hym tyraunt / he an­swerd yf I were one thou woldest not say so. A knyght callyd on a tyme scipyon of Affrique fowle & olde knyght in armes. And that he knewe lytyl good. And he an­swerd I was borne of my moder a lytyl chylde and feble and not a man of armes. And yet he was at alle tymes one of the best and most worthyest in armes that lyuyd Another sayd to vaspasion / & a wolf shold sōner chaunge his skyn and heer. than thou sholdest chaunge thy lyf. For the lenger thou lyuest the more thou coueytest / and he answerd of thyse wordes we ought to laughe / But we ought to amende our self / and punysshe the trespaces / Seneste rehercith that the kyng antygonus herde certeyn peple speke and say euyl of hym. and there was betwene hem nomor [...] but a couetyne / and than he sayd make an ende of your euyl langage lest the kyng here you· for [Page] the courtyne heeryth you wel ynough than as touchyng to the paynes that they ought to suffre paciently / valerius reheaceth that a tyraunt dyd do torment Anamaxymenes and thretenyd hym for to cutte of his tunge. to whom he sayd hit is not in thy power to do so. and forthwith he [...]te of his owne tongue / and chewid hit wyth his tethe and caste hit in the vysage of the tyraunt. hit is a grete vertu in a man that he forgete not to be pacient in correc­cions of wronges. hit is better to leue a gylty man vn­punysshed. than to punysshe hym in a wrath or yre / valerius rehercith that archyta of tarente that was mayster to plato sawe that his seldes and landes were destroy­ed and lost by the necligence of his seruaunt / to whom he sayd yf I were not angry with the I wolde take vengeaunce and turmente the. lo there ye may see that he had leuer to leue to punysshe / than to punysshe mere by yre & wrath than by right. And therfore sayth seneque / do not thyng that thou oughtest to doo whan thou arte angrye For whan thou art angry thou woldest do alle thynges after thy playsi [...] / and yf thou canst not vaynquysshe thyn yre. than must thyn yre ouercome the. After thys ought they to haue wylful pouerte / lyke as hit was in the aun­cient prynces. For they coueyted more to be riche in wytte and good maners thenne in money / And that rehercith valerius in his viij book that Scypyon of affryque was accused vnto the senate that he shold haue grete tresour. And he answerd certes whan I submysed Affrique in to your p [...]este. I helde no thyng to my self that I myght say this is myn saue onely the surname of affrique. Ner [Page] the affriquans haue not founden in me ner in my booder ony auaryce / nor that we were so couetouse that we had ne had gretter enuye to be riche of name than of richesses And therfore sayth Seneque that the kyng altagone vsyd gladly in his hows vessels of erthe / And somme sayd he dyd hit for couetyse / but he sayd that hit was bet­ter and more noble thynge to shyne in good maners than in vasseyll / And whan some men demaunded hym why & for what cause he dyd so / he answerd I am now kyng of Secylle. and was sone of a potter / and for as moche as I doubte fortune / for whan I yssued out of the hows of my fader and moder. I was sodaynly maad riche / wherfore I beholde the natyuyte of me and of my lignage / whyche is humble and meke. and al these thynges cometh of wylful pouerte / For he entended more to the comyn proffyt than to his owen. And of this pouerte speketh Saynt Augustyn in the book of the cyte of god that they that entende to the comyn proffyt. sorowe more that wylful pouerte is lost in rome. than the richesses of rome / for by the wylful pouérte was the renomee of good maners kepte entierly / thus by this richesse pouerte is not onely corrupt in thyse dayes ner the cyte ner the maners But also the thoughtes of the men ben corrupt by this couetise and by felonys that is worse than ony other enemye / and of the cruelte of the peple of rome speketh the good man of noble memorye Iohn the monke late cardynal of rome in the decretal the sixte in the chappytre gens scā where he sayth / that they ben felons ayenst god / contrarye to holy thynges / trayters one to that other. Enuyous to her [Page] neyghbours. pr [...]ud vnto straungers. rebell and vntrewe vnto their souerayns / not suffryng to them that [...]ly of lower degree than they & no thyng shamefast to [...] thynges discouenable and not to leue tyl they haue that they demaunde / and not plesyd but disagreable whan they haue receyued the yefte. they haue theyr tongues redy for to make grete boost. and do lityl / they ben large in promysyng and smale gyuers / thyy ben right fals deceyu [...]res / and right mordent and bytyng detractours. For whiche thyng hit is a grete sorowe to see the humylite the pacy­ence. and the good wysdom that was wonte to be in this cyte of rome whiche is chyef of al the world & is preuerted and torned in to maleheurte & thyse euylles. And me thynketh that in other parties of cristente they haue taken ensaumple of them to do euyl / They may say that this is after the decretale of seygndrye and dysobeysaunce / that sayth. that suche thynges that the souerayns do. is lightly and sone taken in ensaumple of theyr subgettis. also thyse vycayres shold be large and liberall. in so moche that suche peple as serue them ben duly payd and guerdone [...] of her labour. For euery man doth his labour the better & light­lyer whan he seeth that he shal be wel payed and rewarded And we rede that titus thesone of vaspasian was so large and so lyberal. that he gaf & promysed sumwhat to euery man. and whan his most preuy frendes demaunded of hym why he promysed more thenne he myght gyue / He answerd for as moche as it aperteyneth not to a prynce that ony man shold departe sorowful or tryste fre hym / Than hit happens on a day that he gaf ner promysed no [Page] thyng to ony man / and whan it was euen and aduysed hym self he sayd to his frendes. O ye my frendes thys day haue I lost for this day haue I don no good. and also we [...] of Iulius cesar that he neuer sayd in alle hys lyf to his knyghtes goo on. but alwey he sayd come come. For I loue alwey to be in your companye / And he knewe wel that it was lasse paynt and trauaylle to the knygh­tes whan the prynce is in her companye that loueth hem & comforteth hem. and also [...]e rede of the same Iulyus cesar in the book of truphe [...] of philosophers / that there was an auncient knyght of his that was in par [...]lle of a [...]aas hangyng tofore the Iuges of rome so he callyd cesar on a tyme and sayd to hym tofore al men that he shold be his aduocate. And cesar delyueryd and assygned to hym a right good aduocate. and the knyght sayd to hym / O cesar I put no vycay [...] in my place when thou were in pa­ryl in the batayl of assise / but I faught for the. & than he shewyd to hym the places of his woundes that he had receyued in the bataylle. and than cam cesar in his pr [...]pr [...] persone for to be his aduocate and to pl [...]te his cause for hym. he wold not haue the name of vnkyndenes. But doubted that men shold say that he were pr [...]ude· and that he wold not doo for them that had seruyd hym / they that can not do so moche as for to be belouyd of her knyghtes. can not loue the knyghtes. & this suffiseth of the [...]ol [...]es.

The iij tanciate of the offices of the comyn [...] the [...] is of the offyce of the [...] & [...]

fOr so moche as noble persones can not rewle ne gouerne without the seruyse and werke of the people Than hit behoueth to deuyse the cultrages and the offy­ces of the werkmen. than I shal begynne first at the first pawn that is in the playe of the chesse. & signefieth a man of the comyn peple on fote. for they be al named pietoms that is as moche to say as footmen / And thenne we wyl begynne at the pawn whyche standeth tofore the rocke on the right syde of the kyng. For an moche as thys pawne apperteyneth to serue the vycayre or lyeuetenaunt of the kyng and other officers / vnder hym of necessaries [Page] [...] this maner of [...] f [...]g [...]d & [...]ght [...] in the [...] and sh [...]pe of a man holdyng in his [...] at shou [...] and a more in the lyft h [...]d the [...] is for [...] and labour therwyth the [...] the redde is for to day [...] and coue [...]y [...] wyth al the [...]stys vnto her pasture / also he ought to haue on hys [...] for to [...] of the superflu­ytees of the vignes and t [...]s / And we rede in the bible that the first labourer that ou [...]r was. was caym the first sone of adā that was so euyl that he fleshe his broder abel For as moche as the smoke of his tithes went strayt vnto heuen / and the smoke and fume of the tythes of caym went doun ward vpon the erthe. and how wel that thys cause was trewe. yet was there another cause of enuye that he had vnto his broder▪ For when Adam theyr fader maryed there for to multeplye the erthe of his ligne / he wold not marye ner Ioyne to gyder the two that were borne attones. but gaf vnto caym her that was born with abel. and to abel her that was borne wyth caym. & thus began [...]he [...]yt that caym had ayenst abel / For hys wyf was fayere than cayms wyf / and for this cause he slewe abel wyth the chestebone of a beste / And at that tyme was neuer no maner of yron blody of mannes blood. And Abel was the fyrst martir in the olde testament. and thys sayd caym dyd many other euyl thynges whiche I leue / for it apperteyneth not to my mater. but it behoueth for necessyte that sōme shold laboure the erthe / after the synne of adam / for tofore or adam synned / churche brought forth fruyt without labour of handes but sithe he synned [Page] hit m [...]st [...] with the hands of [...] & for as moche as the cuthe is [...] of al thynges and that we were first formed & took [...] [...]gymyng of the [...] the same wyse at the last she shal be the [...] al [...] & to al thynges. & god that formed vs of the [...]. hath ordeyned that by the labour of men she shold gyue ad [...]tys­shyng vnto al that lyueth / & first the [...] of [...]rch ought to knowe his god that formed & mi [...] h [...]y & [...]the of nought and ought to haue loyalte & trouth in hym self and despise deth for to entende to his labours and he ought to geue thankynges to hym that made hym & of whom he receyueth al his goodes temporal / wherof his lyf is fastey­ned. and also he is bunden to paye the dismes & tythes of al his thynges. and not as caym dyd. but as abel dyd of the beste that he chese out alwey for to gyue to god and to plese hym / for they that grutche and so graue in that they rendre & geue to god the tienthes of her goodes / they ought to be aferd and haue drede that they shal falle in necissyte / And that they myght be despoylyd or robbyd by warre or by tempest that myght falle or happen in the contray / And hit is no merueylle though hys so happen / For that man that is disagreable vnto god / and beneth that the multeplyeng of his goodes temporal cometh by the vertu of his owne counceyl and his witte / the whiche is made by the only ordenaunce of hym that made al / and by the same ordenaūce is sone taken a wey for hym that is disagreable. & hit is reson that whan a man laboundeth by fortune in goodes & knowith not god by whō it cometh. that to hym come some other fortune by the whiche he may [Page] [...] and of the [...] sewe that [...] agayn his [...] & so [...] to god agayn. we [...] of the [...] of [...] that were rygh in [...] in [...] & that hungry & chaufty that they prayed & [...] of [...] he chaunged his wille & fine to [...] & [...] & flesh & when they was replenyshes [...] of the [...] of [...] & of the manna they made a calf of gold [...] whiche was a grete synne & [...]y [...]anyte. for wher they were hongry they [...] & [...] E [...]y [...] [...]o his [...] & [...]. they forgin ydelles & were ydolatreres. after this euery laboures ought to be withful and trewe that whan his maister delyuerith to hym his lande to be [...] that he take no thyng to hym self but that he ought to shun & is his but [...] truly and take nere & change in the name of hys mayster / [...] more diligently hys maysters labours than his [...] for the lyf of the most grete & ne [...] men nayt got deth in the hands of the [...] and thus of [...] and occupacions ben ordyned not only to suffise to the only but doth comyn. & so it happeth oft tyme that the labourer of the erth useth grete & hist [...] [...] & bryngeth to his maister more subtile & more dyn [...]rous metes. And valerius whereith in his flyt book that ther was a [Page] And that the d [...]th ought specially [...] she thee causees / one was that no man [...] with whether [...] / and the second [...] in what state he taketh a man. And the thyrd so wote neuer whether he shal goe / therfore eche man shold dispyse and flee the world and lyes wel and holde hym toward god. and whan this you geue an herde this thyng / he wente out of his contray and shode vnto a wyldernesse vnto an herrynge. and whan his fades had laste hym he made grete sorowe and dyd to enquere & felte hym so moche that atte last he was founden in the herry­tage And thenne his fader cam theder to hym and sayd. Dere sone come from thene / thou shalt be after my dethe erle and chyef of my signage. I shal be soft yf thou come not out from thens / & he than that wyst none otherwyse to eschewe the yre of his fader bethought hym and sayd Der [...] fader there is in your contre and lande a night euyll custume yf but plese you to put that awey I shal gladly come out of this place and goo with you. The fader was glad and had grete Ioye / and demaunded of hym what hit was. and yf be wold telle hym he promyses hym to take hit awey and in shold be lefte and sette a p [...] / Than he sayd [...] fader there dyen as wel the yonge folke as the olde in your contray. do that awey I praye you / whan his fader herde that. he sayd dere sone that may not be nor no man may put that awey but god onely / than answerd the sone to the fader. than wyl I serue hym and dwelle lare wyth hym that may do that / And so abide the childe in the herrytage and lyued there in good werkis after this hit apperteyneth to a labourer to entēde to his labour [Page] and flee yd [...] and thou oughtest to knowe that [...]yn prayseth moche in the suwlter the [...] labourrers & sayth thou shalt in the labour of thyn handes and thou art blessyd and he shal [...] to the good. And hit behoueth that the laboures endende to his labor on the werke dayes for to rauyel and gadre to gyore the fruyt of hye laboure and also he ought to reste on the holy day. bothe he & lye bestye / and a good labourer ought to norisshe and kepe his bestys. And this is signyfyed by the rodde that he hath / whiche is for to lede and dryue them to the posture. The first pastour that euer was was Abel whyche was Iuste and trewe / and offrid to god the lostis vnto hys sacrefise and hym ought he to folowe in craft and maners but no man that vseth the malyde of caym maye ensue: folowe abel and thus hit apperteyneth to the labourer to sette and graffe trees and vygnes. and also to plante: cutte them / and so dyd Noe whyche was the first that planted the vygne after the [...]age and flood / For as Iosephus wherceth in the took if naturel thynges Noe was he that fonde first the vygne. and he fonde hym but­ter and wylde and therfore he look four maners of blood that is to were the blood of a lyon / the blood of a lamb the blood of a swyne. and the blood of an ape & medlid them al to geder wyth the erthe / And than he cutte the vigne and put thys about the rotes therof to thende that the byttirnes shold be put awey / & that hit shold be swere And whan he had dronken of the fruyt of thys vygne. hit was so good & myghty that he becam so deon [...]ie that he despoysed hym in such wyse that his pryuy membres [Page] myght be seen / and his yongest sone [...] [...]equed and sk [...]ned hym and whan noe was [...] and was solue and fastyng / he assemblid his son [...] and shewed [...] them the nature of the vygne and of the wyn· & tolde to them the cause why that he had put the blood of the leftes about the rote of the vigne and that they shold knewe wel that otherwhile by the strengthe of the wyn men he maad as hardy as the lyon and yrous· and otherwhile they be made symple and shamefast as a lambe / & lecherous as a swyne and curious and ful of play as an ape / for the ape is of suche nature that whan he seeth one doo a thyng he enfor­ceth hym to do the same / and so don many whan they been dronke / they wyl meddle them with al offycers and ma­ters that apperteyne no thyng to them / and whan they ben fastyng & sobre they can scarcely accomplisshe theyr owne thynges / and therfore valerian reherceth that of auncient and in olde tyme women dranke no wyn for as moche as by dronkenshyp they myght falle in ony filthe or vylony and as ouyde saith. that the wynes otherwhyle apparaylle the corages in suche manere that they ben couenable to al synnes whiche take awey the herdes to do wel they make the poure. riche as longe as the wyn is in his heed / and shortly dronkenshyp is the begynnyng of alle euylles. & corrupteth the body / and destroyeth the sowle & mynyssheth the goodes temporels / & this suffiseth for the labourers /

The second chappytre of the thyrd tractate troteth of the forme and maner of the second pawne and of the maner of a smyth capitulo secundo

tHe second pawn that stondeth tofore the knyght on the right syde of the kyng hath the forme & fygure of a man as a smyth and that is reson / for hit apperety­neth to the knyghtes to lane bridellys sodellis spores and many other thynges maad by the handes of smythes and ought to holde an hamer in his right hond / and in his lift hande a squyer. and he ought to haue do his gyrdel a trowel / For by this is signefyed alle maner of weekmen. as goldsmythes. marchallis. Smythes of alle forges / [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] forgers and makers of money and al maner of smythes ben signefyed by the martel or hamer. The carpenters ben signefyed by the dolabre or squyer / and by the trowel we vnderstonde al masons and keruers of stones. tylers and al those that make howses castels and towres / And vnto al thyse crafty men / hit aperteyneth that they be trewe. wyse and stronge / And hit is nede that they haue in hem self fayth and loyaulte / For vnto the godlsmythes behoueth golde and syluer and alle other metallye. yron and steel to other. and vnto the carpentiers and ma­sons ben put to theyr edefyces the bodyes and goodes of the peple / and also men put in the handes of the maroners body and goodes of the peple and in the garde and sewerte of them men put body and sowle in the parilles of the see And therfore ought they to be trewe vnto whom men commytte suche grete charge and so grete thynges vpon her fayth and truste. and therfore sayth the phylosopher. He that leseth his fayth and beleue / may lose no gretter ne more thynge / and fayth is a souerayn good and cometh of the good wylle of the herte and of his mynde. and for no necessyte wyl deceyue no man. and is not corrupt for no mede. valerius rehercith that fabius had receyued of hanybal certeyn prysoners that he helde of the romayns for a certeyn some of money whiche he promysed to paye to the sayd hanybal and whan he cam vnto the senatours of rome and desyred to haue the money lente for hem. they answerd that they wold not paye nor lene / and than ffabiue sent his sone to rome and made hym to selle hys heritage and patrymonye. and sent the money that he [Page] receyuyd therof vnto hanybal. and had leuer and louyd better to be poure in his contrey of heritage / than of beleue and fayth / But in thyse dayes it were grete folye to haue suche affyaunce in moche peple but yf they had ben preuyd afore / for oftentymes men truste in them by whom they ben deceyuyd at theyr nede / and it is to were that these crafty men and werkmen ben soueraynly proffytable vnto the world / and wythout artificers and werkmen the world myght not be gouerned / and knowe thou verily that alle tho thynges that ben engendrid on the erthe and on the see. ben maad and formed for to do proffyt vnto the signage of man. For man was formed for to haue gene­racion / that the men myght helpe and proffyt eche other / And here in ought we to folowe nature / For she sheweth to vs that we shold do comyn proffyt one to another. and the first fondement of Iustyce is that no man shold noye ne greue other but that they ought do the comen proffyt For men say in reproche. that I see of thyn. I hope it shal be myn / but who is he in thyse dayes that entendeth more to the comyn proffyt than to his owne / certeynly none but alwey a man ought to haue drede and fere of his owne hows / whan he seeth his neyghbours hows afyre. And therfore ought men gladly helpe the comyn prouffyt / for men otherwhyle sette not by a lytyl fyre & myght quenche hit in the begynnyng / that afterward maketh a grete blasygng fire & fortune hath of no thyng so grete plesure as for to torne & werke alwey / & nature is so noble a thyng that where as she is she wyl susteyne and kepe. but thys rewle of nature hath faylled longe tyme. How wel that [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] the decree saith that alle the thynges that been ayenst the lawe of nature ought to be taken awey and put a parte / And he sayth tofore in the viij distinccion that the eyght lawe of nature defferenceth ofte tymes fro custom & sta [...] tes establisshyd / For by lawe of nature al thyng ought to be comyn to euery man / and thys lawe was of olde ty­me. and men wene yet specially that the troians stept this lawe. and we rede that the multitude of the troians was one herte & one sowle· and verayly we fynde that in tyme passid the philosophres dide the same. And also it is to be supposid that suche as haue theyr goodes comune and not propre is most acceptable to god. ffor ellis wold not thyse religyous men as monkes freres chanons obseruauntes and al other auowe hem and kepe the wylful pouerte that they ben professyd to. For in trouth I haue my self ben conuersaunt in a religious hows of whyt freres at gaunt whiche haue al thyng in comyn among them. and not one richer than another in so moche that yf a man gaf to a frere iij d or iiij d to praye for hym in his masse / as sone as the masse is don he delyueryth hit to his ouerest or procuratour in whiche hows ben many vertuous and deuout freris / and yf that lyf were not the best & the most holyest. holy chirche wold neuer suffre hit in religyon / And accordyng therto we rede in plato whiche sayth that the cyte is wel and Iustly gouerned and ordeyned in the which no man may say by right / by custome ne by ordenaū ce. thys is myn. But I say to the certeynly that sythen this custome came forth to say this is myn. and this is thyn. no man thought to preferre the comyn prouffyt so [Page] moche as his owne. and al werkmen ought to be wyse & wel aduysed so that they haue none enuye ne none euyll suspetion one to another / For god wyl that our humayn nature be couetous of two thynges / that is of religyon & of wysedom / but in this caas ben sōme often tymes decey / ued / For they take often tymes religyon & leue wysedom & they take wysedom & refuse religion / And none may be veray and trewe wyth out other· for it apperteyneth not to a wyse man to do ony thyng that he may repente hym of hit / and he ought to do no thyng ayenst his wylle / But to do al thyng nobly▪ mourely / fermely & honestly / & yf he haue enuye vpon ony / hit is folye / for he on whom he hath enuye is more honest and of more hauoyr than he whiche is so enuyous / For a man may haue none enuye on another. but by cause he is more fortunat & hath more grace than hym self / for enuye is a sorowe of corage that cometh of this ordenaūce of the prouffyt of another man and knowe thou verily that he that is ful of bounte shal neuer haue enuye of another. but thenuyous man seeth and thynketh alwey that euery man is more noble. and more fortunat than hym self / and saith alwey to hym self that man wynneth more than I / and myn neyghbours haue more plente of bestes / and her thynges multeplye more than myn / and therfore thou oughtest knowe that enuye is the most grettest dedely synne that is / For she tormenteth hym that hath her within hym / wythout tor­mentyng or doyng ony harme to hym. on whom he hath enuye / And an enuyous man hath no vertu in hym self For he corrumpeth hym self for as moche as he hateth [Page] alwey the welthe and vertues of other / And thus ought they to kepe them that they take none euyl suspecion. for a man naturelly whan his affeccion hath suspecion in ony man that he weneth that he doth. hit semeth to hym veryly that it is don. And it is an euyl thyng for a man to haue suspecion on hym self / For we rede that dyonyse of zecyle a tyraunt. was so suspecious that he had so grete fere and drede. for as moche as he was hated of alle men / that he put his frendes out of theyr offyces that they had and put other straungers in their places for to kepe his body / and chese suche as were right cruel and felons / and for fere & doubte of the harbours. he made his doughters to lerne shaue and kembe / and whan they were grete / he wold not they shold vse ony yron to be occupyed by them but to brenne and senge his heeris / and menaced them and durst not truste in them. And in like wyse they had none affyaunce in hym. and also he did do enuyronne the place where he lay wyth grete dyches and brode lyke a cas­tel. and he entrid by a drawe bridge whiche closid after hym. and his knyghtes laye wythout wyth his gardes whiche watched and kept straytly thys forteresse / & whan plato sawe thys said dionyse kyng of zecille thus enuy­roned and sette about wyth gardes and watchemen for the cause of his suspescion / sayd to hym openly tofore alle men kynge why hast thou don so moche euyl and harme / that the behoueth to be kept wyth so moche peple / & therfore I say that it apperteyneth not to ony man that wylle truly behaue hym self in his werkes to be suspecious / & also they ought to be stronge and seure in theyr werkys / and [Page] specially they that [...] maysters and ma [...]n [...]s in the [...] they be timerous and fearful they shold make [...] them that ben in theyr shippis / that knewe not the parilles. and so hit myght happen that by that drede and fere al men shold liue theyr labour / and so they myght be perisshed and dispeyrid in theyr corages. For a shyppe is soon perisshed and lost by a litil tempest / whan the gouer­nour faylleth to gouerne his shyppe for drede / and can geue no counceyl to other / thenne it is no meruaylle. though they be aferde that ben in his gouernaunce. And therfore ought to be in them strengthe. force and corage and ought to considere the paryls that myght falle. and the gouernour specially ought not to doubte / and yf hyt happyn that ony parril falle / he ought to promyse to the o­ther good hoop. and hit aperteyneth wel / that a man of good and hardy corage be sette in that office. in suche wyse that he haue ferme and seure mynde ayenst the parylles that oft tymes happen in the see. and wyth this ought the maronners haue good and ferme creaunce and beleue in god. and to be of good recomforte and of fayr langage vnto them that he gouerneth in suche parellys / And thys suffyseth to you as touchyng the labourers.

The thyrd chappytre of the [...] book tendeth of the office of notaries aduocate [...] s [...]yue [...]are and [...] or [...] capitulo [...]

tHe third pawn whiche is sette tofore the alphyn on the right syde ought to be fygured as a clerke / and hit is reson that he shold so be / for as moche as emonge the comune peple of whom we speke in this boke they plete the differences contencions and causes other whyle the whiche behoueth the alphyns to geue sentence and Iuge as Iuges / and hit is reson that the alphyn or Iuge haue his notarye / by whom the processe may be wreton. And this pawn ought to be maad and figured in this maners [Page] He must be made like a man that holdeth in his right hand a payr of she [...]s / or forcettis / and in the lyf [...] hand a grete knyf and on his gurdel a p [...]nner & an y [...]n. and on his tere a penne to wryte with / and that been the Instrumentis and the offyces that been maad and put be in wrytyng autentique and ought to haue passyd tofore the Iuges as libelles writes condempnacione & sentences and that is signefied by the scripture and the penne / and on that other parte hit aperteyneth to them to cutte clothe shere. dyght and dye. and that is signefyed by the for­cettis or sh [...]ris / and the other ought to shaue berdis and kembe the heeris. and the other ben coupers· coryers ta­wyers / skynners louchers / and kordwanners· and these ben signefyed by the knyf that he holdeth in hys hand. & sōme of thyse forsayd crafty men been named drapers or clothmakers for so moche as they werke with wolle. and the notaries skynnars Coryours and cordwaners werke by skynnes and hydes. as perchymyn velume / peltrie and cordewan / and the tayllours cutters of cloth / weuars· fullars / dyers. and many other craftes ocupyt and vse wulle. and al thyse crafty men & many other that I haue not named ought to do theyr craft and mestier. where as they ben duly ordeynyd curiously and trewly / Also there ought to be amonge thyse crafty men amyable companye and trewe honest countenaunce / And trouthe in theyr wordes / And hit is to wete that the notaryes ben ryght prouffytable and ought to be good and trewe for the co­myn. And they ought to kepe them from appropryyng to them self that thyng that aperteyneth to the comyn / [Page] And yf they be good to them self / they ben good to other and yf they be euyl for them self / they ben euyl for other And the processes that ben maad tofore the Iuges ought to ben wreton and passyd by them. And it is to wete that by their writyng in the processis may come moche prociffit And also yf they wryte otherwyse than they ought to doo may ensewe moche harme and domage to the comyn / Therfore ought they to take good hede that they chaunge not ne corumpe in no wise the content of the sentence / for than ben they first forsworne / and ben bounden to make a­mendis to them that by their trecherye they haue endoma­ged / and also ought they to rede visite & to knowe the statutes / ordenaunces & the lawes of the citete of the contre where they dwelle and enhabite. and they ought to consi­dere yf there be ony thyng therin conteyned ayenst right & reson. and yf they fynde ony thynge contrarie. they ought to admoneste & warne them that gouerne. that suche thynges may be chaunged in to better estate / for custume esta­blisshed ayenst good maners and ageynst the fayth. ought not to be holden by ryght. For as hit is sayd in the decree in the chappytre tofore / all ordenaunce maad ayenst right ought to be holden for nought / Alas who is now that aduocate or notarye that hath charge to wryte and kepe sentence that putteth his entente to kept more the comyn prouffyt or as moche as his owen. but alle drede of god is put aback. And they deceyue the symple men / & drawen them to the courtes disordenatly & constrayne them to swere and make othes not couenable / and in assemblyng the peple thus to gyder they make mo traysons [Page] in the cytees thenne they make good alyaunces. And otherwhile they deceyue theyr souerayns / whan they may do hit couertly / For there is no thyng at this day that so moche greueth rome and Italie as doth the college of notaryes and aduocates publique / for they ben not of one accorde. Alas and in Engelond what hurte doon the aduocates men of lawe and attorneyes of court to the co­myn peple of the royame as wel in the spirituel lawe as in the temporalle. how torne they the lawe and statutes at their plesure / how ete they the peple / how enpouere they the comynte / I suppose that in alle cristendom are not so many pletares attorneys and men of the lawe as been in englond onely. for yf they were nombrid alle that longe to the courtes of the chaunserye· kynges benche· comyn place· cheker / ressayt / and helle / and the bagge berars of the same / hit shold amounte to a grete multitude. And how al thyse lyue and of whom / yf hit shold be vttrid and tolde / hit shold not be beleuyd for they entende to theyr synguler wele and prouffyt and not to the comyn / how wel they ought to be of good wyl to gyder. And admoneste & warne the cytees eche in his right in suche wyse that they myght haue pees and loue one wyth another. & Tullyus saith that frendshyp and good wylle that one ought to haue ayenst another for the wele of hym that he loueth. with the semblable wylle of hym / ought to be put forth tofore al other thynges. & ther is no thyng so resēblyng and lyke to the bees that maken hony ne so couenable in prosperite and in aduersite as is loue. For by loue gladly the bees holden them to gyder.

[Page]and yf ony trespace to that other anone they renne vpon the malefactour for to punysshe hym. and veray trewe loue faylleth neuer for wele ne for euyl and the most swete & the most comfortyng thyng is for to haue a frend to whō a man may say his secret as wel as to hym self / but ve­rayly amytye and frendshyp is somtyme founded vpon sōme thyng delectable. and this amytie cometh of yong the in the which dwellith a disordynate hete / & otherwhile amytie is founded vpon honeste / and this amytie is vertuous / of the whiche tullyus saith that there is an amytie vertu­ous by the whiche a man ought to do to his frende al that he requyreth by reason / for for to do to hym a thyng disho­nest it is ayenst the nature of veray frendshyp & amytye And thus for frendshyp ne for fauour a man ought not to doo ony thyng vnresonable ayenst the comyn prouffyt ner ageynst his fayth ne ageynst his othe / For yf alle tho thynges that the frendes desyre and requyre were accomplisshed and doon / hyt shold seme that they shold be dyshoneste coniuracions / And they myght o­therwhyle more greue and hurte than proffyte and ayde / And herof sayth Seneque that Amytye is of suche wylle as the frende wylle. And to refuse that ought to be re­fused by reason. And yet he saith more· that a man ought to alowe & preise his frend tofore the peple / & to correcte & to chastyse hym pryuely / for the lawe of amytie is suche. for a man ought not to demaunde ner do to be doon to hys frende no vylayns thyng that ought to be kept secrete And Valerian sayth that it is a foule thynge and an euyl excusasion. yf a man confesse that he hath doon ony [Page] euyl for his frende ayenst right and reason. And sayth that there was a good man named [...]ssyle whiche herde one his frende requyre of hym a thynge dishoneste whiche he denyed & wold not do / & than his frende said to hym in grete despyte what nede haue I of thy frendship & amytes whan thou we lt not do that thyng that I requyre of the. & tassile answerd to hym. what nede haue I of the frēdship & of the amyte of the. yf I shold do for the thyng dishonest and thus loue is founded otherwhile. vpon good prouffytable / & this loue endureth as longe as he seeth his prouf­fyt. and herof men say a comyn prouerbe in englond / that loue lasteth as longe as the money endurith / & whan the money failleth than there is no loue / & varro rehercith in his sōmes / that the riche men ben al louyd by this loue. for their frendes ben like as the huske whiche is about the grayn. and no man may proue his frende so wel as in aduersite / or whan he is ponre. for the veray trewe frende fayleth at no nede / & seneque saith that sōme folowe the empe­rour for riches / & so don the flies the hony for the swetenes & the wolf the carayn. And thyse companye folowe the praye / and not the man. And Tullyus sayth that tarquyn the proud had a neuewe of his suster whiche was named brutus· and this neuewe had banysshed tarquyn out of rome and had sent hym in exyle. And than sayd he fyrst that he parceyued and finewe his frendes whyche were trewe and vntrewe. & that he neuer perceyued afore tyme whan he was puyssaunt for to do theyr wylle / & sayd wel that the loue that they had to hym / endured not but as longe as hit was to them prouffytable.

[Page]and therfore ought al the riche men of the world take hede be they kynges prynces or ducked to what people they doo prouffyt and how they may and ought be louyd of theyr peple. For cathon sayth in his book / see to whom thou geuest. & thys loue whiche is founded vpon theyr prouffit whiche fayleth and endureth not / may better be callid and sayd marchaundyse than loue / for yf we repute this loue to our prouffyt onely. & no thyng to the pur [...]ffyt of hym that we loue / it is more marchaundyse than loue / for he byeth our loue for the prouffyt that he doth to vs / And therfore sayth the versefier thyse two versis· Tempore fe­leci multi numerantur amici / Cum fortuna perit nullus amicus erit· Whiche is to say in englissh that as longe as a man is ewrous and fortunat he hath many frendes but whan fortune torneth and perissheth / there abydeth not to hym one frende. and of thys loue ben loued the medo­wes / feldes / trees & the bestys for the prouffyt that men take of them / but the loue of the men ought to be charite veray gracious and pure by good fayth / And the veray trewe frendes ben knowen in pure aduersite. And piers alphons sayth in his book of Moralite that there was a phylosophre in Arabye that had an onely sone / of whom he demaunded what frendes he had goten hym in his lyf And he answerd that he had many / and his fader sayd to hym. I am an olde man and yet coude I neuer fynde but one frende in al my lyf / and I trowe verely that it is no lytyl thyng for to haue a frende / and hit is wel gretter & more a man to haue many / and hit apperteyneth and behoueth a man to assaye and preue his frende or he haue nede [Page] and thenne cōmaunded the philosopher his sone· that he shold goo and slee a swyne / and put hit in a sa [...] / and fayne that it were a man dede that he had slayn and be [...] hit to his frendes for to burye hit secretly / And whan the sone had don as his fader cōmaunded hym and had requy­red his frendes one after another as afore is sayd / they denyed hym and answerd to hym that he was a vy­layne to requyre and desire of them thyng that was so pe­rilous· And than he came agayn to his fader and sayd to hym how he had requyred al his frendes. And that he had not founden one that wold helpe hym in his nede▪ And than his fader sayd to hym that he shold goo and requyre his frende whyche had but one· and requyre hym that he shold helpe hym in his nede. and whan he had re­quyred hym / Anone he put out al his mayne out of hys hows. and whan they were out of the waye or a slepe· [...]e dyd do make secretly a pytt [...] the grounde / and whan but was redy and wold haue buryed the body / he founde [...]t an hogge or a swyne and not a man / and thus this so [...]e preuyd this man to be a veray trewe frende of his fader And preuyd that his frendes were fals frendes of fortu­ne / And yet reherceth the sayd piers Alphons· that there were two marchauntes one of bandach and that other of Egypt whiche were so ioyned to geder by so grete frend­shyp that he of bandache cam on a tyme for to se his frende in Egypt of whom he was receyuyd right honuurably▪ And this marchaunt of Egypt had in his hows a fayre yonge mayden whom he shold haue had in mariage to hym self / Of the whiche mayde thys marchaunt of [Page] ban [...]ach was esprised with her loue so ordantly that he was right seek / and that men supposid hym to dye. And than the other dyd do come the phisisiens whiche sayd that in hym was no sestenes sauf passyon of loue / Thenne he [...]oyd of the seek man yf there were ony woman in hys howes that he loued and maad al the women of his howes to come tofore hym / And than he chees her that shold haue ben that others wyf and sayd that he was seek for her. Than his frende sayd to hym. frende comforte your self / for trewly I gyue her to you to wyf with alle the do­waire that is gyuen to me wyth her and had leuer to suffre to be wyth out wyf than to lese the body of his frende / And than he of bandach wedded the mayde. And went with his wyf and with his richesse ageyn in to his contre And after this anone after hit happend that the mar­chaunt of Egypt became so poure by euyl fortune. that he was constreyned to seche and begge his breed / by the con­tray in so moche that he cam to bandach / and whan he entrid in to the toun hit was derk nyght that he coude not fynde the hows of his frende / But went and lay thye nyght in an olde temple / And on the morne whan he shold yssue out of the temple / the offycers of the toun arestyd hym and sayd that he was an homycide and had slayn a man whiche lay there dede / And anone he confessid hyt wyth a good wylle. and had leuer to ben hangryd. than to dye in that myserable and pour lyf that he suffryd. And thus whan he was brought to Iugement. and sentence shold haue ben gyuen ayenst hym as an homycide. His frend of bandach cam and sawe hym and anone knewe that thys [Page] was his good frende of egypte. And forthwyth stepte in and sayd that he hym self was calpable of the deth of this man and not that other / and enforced hym in alle maners for to delyuer and excuse that other / And than whan that he that had d [...]on the feet and had slayne the man sawe this thyng / he considerid in hym self that these two men were innocent / of thys feet. And doubtyng the dyuyne Iugement. he came tofore the Iuge & confessyd all the feet by ordre / And whan the Iuge sawe and herd al thys mater and also the causes he considered the ferme and trewe loue that was betwene the two frendes and vnderstood the cause why that one wold saue that other and the trouth of the fayte of the homycide. And than he pardoned al the feet hooly and entierly. And after the marchaunt of bandach brought hym of egipt wyth hym in to his howes / And gaf to hym his sister in mariage / and departed to hym half his goodes. and so bothe of hem were riche / and thus were they bothe veray faythful and trewe frendes. Furthermore notaries / men of lawe & crafty men shold and ought to loue eche other and also ought to be contynent chaste and honeste / For by theyr craftes they ought so to be by necessyte. For they conuerse and ac­companye them ofte tyme wyth women / And therfore hit appo [...]teyneth to them to be chaste and honeste / And that they meue not the wemen not entyse them to lawghe and Iape by ony dysordynate ensignes or tokenes / Titus li­uius reherceth that the philosopher democreon dyd doo put out his eyen for as moche as he myght not beholde the women wyth out flesshly desyre. And how wel it is sayd [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] before that he dyd hit for other certeyn cause yet was this one of the pryncipal causes. And valerian tellyth that there was a yong man of rome of right excellent beaulte And how wel that he was right chaste. for as moch as his beaulte meuyd many women to desire hym / in so moche that he vnderstood that the parentes and frendes of them had suspecion in hym / he dyd his vysage to be kutte wyth a knyf and lancettis endlong and euerthwart for to de­forme his vysage. and had leuer haue a fowle vysage and disformed. than the beaute of his vysage shold meue o­ther to synne And also we rede that there was a Nonne a virgyne dyd do put out bothe her eyen· For as moche as the beaute of her eyen meuyd a kyng to loue her / whyche eyen she sende to the kyng in a present. And also we rede that plato the right ryche phylosopher lefte his owne lande and contre. and chase his mansion and dwellyng in achadomye a toun / whiche was not onely destroyed but also was ful of pestelence / so that by the cure and charge and customaūce of sorowe that he there suffrid. myght eschewe the hetes and occasions of lecherye / And many of hys dysciples dyd in lyke wyse / helemand reherceth that de­mostenes the philosopher laye ones by a noble woman for his dysporte / and playeng wyth her / he demaunded of her what he shold geue to haue to doo wyth her / and she answerd to hym a thousand pens. & he sayd ageyn to her I shold repente me to bye hit so dere. and whan he aduysed hym that he was so sore chauffyd to speke to her for to accom­plisshe his flesshly desyre. he despoyled hym al nakyd and wente and put hym in the myddes of the snowe / And [Page] Ouyde rehercith that thys thynge is the lefte that maye helpe and most greue the louers / and therfore saynt au­gustyn rehercith in his book de ciuitate dei that there was a right noble remayn named Marculian that wan and took the noble cite of Siracuse / And tofore [...] he dyd doe assayle hit or be fight hit / & or he had do beshedde ony blood he wepte and shedde many teeris tofore the cite / and that was for the cause that he doubted that his peple shold de­foule and corumpt to moche dishonestly the chastyte of the toun. and ordeyned vpon payn of deth that no man shold be so hardy to take and defoyle ony woman by force what that euer she were. After thys the crafty men ought to vnderstonde for to be trewe· and to haue trouth in her mouthes / And that theyr dedes folowe theyr wordes· For he that sayth one thyng and doth another / he condempneth hym self by his word / also they ought to see wel to that they be of one accorde in good / by entende / by word / and by dede. so that they be not discordaunt in no caas / But that euery man haue pure verite and trouth in hym self. For god hym self is pure verite / and men say comynly that trouth seketh none hernes ne corners· and trouth is a vertu by the whiche alle drede and fraude is put awey / Men saye trewly whan they saye that they knowe. And they that knowe not trouthe. ought to knowe hyt / And alwey vse trouthe· for saynt austyn sayth that they that wene to knowe trouth. and lyueth euyl and vyciously it is folye yf he knoweth hit not / and also he sayth in an other place that it is better to suffre payn for trouth / than for to haue a benefete by falsnes or by flaterye. And man [Page] that is callyd a beste resonable and doth not his werkys after reson and trouthe. is more bestyal that ony beste brute· and knowe ye that for to come to the trouthe / hit cometh of a resonable forsight in his mynde· And lyeng cometh of an outtrageous and contrarie thought in hys mynde / for he that lyeth wittyngly / knoweth wel that hit is ageynst the trouthe that he thynketh / and herof speketh saynt bernard and sayth. that the mouth that lyeth des­troyeth the sowle. and yet sayth saynt austyn in another place. for to say one thynge and do the contrarye / maketh doctryne suspecious. And knowe ye verily that for to lye is a right perilous thynge to body and sowle / For the lye that the auncient enemye maad eue and Adam to beleue hym / made hem for to be dampned with alle their lignage to the deth pardurable / and made hem to be cast out of para­dyse terrestre / For he maad them to beleue that god had not forboden them the fruyt / but onely by cause they shold not knowe that her mayster knewe / but how wel that the deuyl sayd thyse wordes / yet had he double entente to hem bothe / For they knewe anone as they had tastyd of the fruyt that they were dampned to th [...] deth pardurable·

And god knewe hit wel tofore· but they supposid wel to haue knowen many other thynges / and to be lyke vnto his knowleche and science. And therfore saith saynt poule in a pistyl· hit ne apperteyneth to sauer or knowe more than behoueth to sauer or knowe / but to sauer or knowe by mesure or sobrenes / And valerian rehercith that there was a good woman of firacusant that wold not lye vnto the kyng of Secille whyche was named dyoryse· and [Page] this kyng was so ful of tyrannye and so cruel that alle the world desired his deth and cursid hym. S [...]uf this woman onely whiche was so olde that she had seen iij or four kynges reignyng in the contre. and euery mornyng as sone as she was rysen she prayed to god that he wold gyue vnto the tyraunt good lyf and longe / and that she myght neuer see his deth / And whan the kyng dyonyse knewe this he sent for her / and meruaylled moche herof / for he knewe wel that he was sore behated / and demaūded her. what cause meuyd hyr to praye for hym / & she answerd and sayd to hym. sir whan I was a mayde we had a right euyl tyraunt to our kyng of whom we coueyted sore the deth / and whan he was dede there came after hym a werse / of whom we coueyted also the deth. and whan we were de­lyuerd of hym. thou camest to be our lord which art worst of al other. and now I doubte yf we haue one after the be shal be worse than thou art / and therfore I shal praye for the / and whan dyonyse vnderstood that she was so hardy in sayeng the trouth / he durst not do torment her for shame by cause she was so olde.

The fourth chap [...]itre of the third book [...] of the fou [...]th pa [...] & of the [...]

tHe fourth pawn is sette tofore the kyng. and is formed in the forme of a man holdyng in his right hand a balaunce and the weyght in the lyft hand. and tofore hym a table / and at his gurdel a purse ful of money redy for to geue to them that requyred hit. and by thys peple ben signefyed the marchauntes of cloth lynnen and wollen / and of al other marchaundyses / and by the table that is tofore hym is signefyed the chaungers· and they that lene money / & they that bye and selle by the weyght ben signefyed by the balaunces / and weyghtes And the [Page] [...] and [...] of [...] & of money [...] by the [...] ye that alle they [...] signified by this peple ought to [...] auarice and co [...]tyse and eschewe brekyng of the [...]yes of payment & ought to holde and kepe theyr promys [...] [...] ought also to rendre and restore that that is gyuen to them to kepe / & therfore hit i [...] reson that this peple be set tofore the kyng for as moche as they signefye the receyuours of the tre­sours tyal that ought alwey to be redy tofore the kyng. & to answer for hym to the knyghtes and to other persones for theyr wages and souldyes / & therfore haue I said that they ought to flee auarice. For auarice is as moche to say as an adourer or as worshyper of faln ymages / and herof sayth tullyus that auarice is a couetise to gete that thyng that is aboue necessite / and it is a loue disordynate to haue ony thyng / & it is one of the werst thynges that is & specially to prynces & to them that gouerne the thynges of the comunete. and this vyce causeth a man to do euyll and thys doyng euyl is whan hit reygneth in olde men / & herof sayth Seneque· that all worldly thynges ben mor­tefyed and appetissed in olde men reseruyd auarice onely whyche alwey abydeth wyth hym and dyeth with hym / But I vnderstonde not wel the cause wherof this cometh ne wherfore hit may be / And hit is a fowle thyng and contrarye to reson· that whan a man is at the ende of his Iourney for to lengthe his viage and to ordeyne more vitayl than hym behoueth / & this may wel be likned to the auaricious wolf. for the wolf doth neuer good tyl he be dede / and thus it is sayd in the prouerbys of the wyse men [Page] that th [...]uaricious man doth no good tyl that he be deed. and he desireth no thynge but to lyue long in thys synne / for the courtous man certeynly is not good for ony thyng for he is euyl to hym self & to the riche & to the poure· and fyndeth cause to gaynsay theyr desire / & herof whercith se­neque & sayth that antigonus was a couetous paynce / & whan tynque whiche was his frende requyred of hym a be saunt / he answerd to hym that he demaūded more than hyt apperteyned to hym / & than tynque constrayned by grete necessite axid & requyred of hym a peny / & he answerd to hym that it was no yefte couenable for a kyng. and so he was alwey redy to fynde a cause nought to geue. For he myght haue gyuen to hym a besaunt as a kynge to his frende / and the peny as to a poure man. & ther is no thyng so litil but that the humanyte of a kyng may geue hyt / auariceful of couetise is a maner of al vices of luxurye & Iosephus whercith in the book of aūcient histories / that ther was in rome a right noble lady named paulyne / and was of the most noble of rome. right honest for the no­blesse of chastite / whiche was maryed in the tyme that the wommen glorefyed them in theyr chastyte vnto a yonge man / fayr noble· and riche aboue al other· & was lyke and semblable to his wyf in al caasis. And thys pawlyne was belouyd of a knyght namyd enymerancian and was so ardantly esprised in her loue that he sent to her morny right riche yeftes / and made to her many grete promyses / but he myght neuer torne the herte of her which was on her syde also colde and harde / as marbyll / But she had leuer to refuse his yeftes and hys promyses. [Page] Than to intende to couetyse and to lose her chastyte / & we rede also in the histories of rome that there was a noble lady of rome whiche lyued a solytarye lyf & was chaste & honeste. & had gadrid to geder a grete sōme of golde. and had hyd hit in the erthe in a pytte wyth in her hows / & whan she was deed / the bisshop dyd do burye her in the chirche wel and honestly / and anone after this gold was foūden and born to the bysshop / and the bisshop had to caste hit in to the pytte where she was buryed. & thre dayes men herd her crye & make grete noyse / & say that she brenned in grete payn and they herd her ofte tymes thus tormentid in the cher­che. the neyghbours went vnto the bysshop & tolde hym therof / & the bisshop gaf hem leue to open the sepulcre. & whan they had openyd hit· they fonde al the golde molten with fire ful of sulphre· & was poured & put in her mouth & they herd one say. thou desiredest this gold by couetyse. take hyt and drynke hit / And thenne they took the body out of the tombe / And hit was cast out in a preuy place· Seneque rehercith in the boook of the cryes of women that auaryce is foundement of alle vyces / And valerian rehercith that auarice is a ferdful garde or kepar of richessis. for he that hath on hym or in his keppyng moche money or other richessis· is alwey aferd to lose hit or to be robbid or to be slayn therfore· & he is not ewrousner happy that by couetise getith hit / & al the euyls of this vice of auarice had a man of rome named septenulle / for he was a frend of one named tarchus / & this septenulla brent so sore & so cruelly in this synne of couetise. that he had no shame to smyte of the hede of hys frend by trayson [Page] For as moche as one framofian had promysed to hym as moche weyght of pure gold as the heed wayed. & he bare the said heed vpon a staf thrugh the cite of rome· and he voyded the brayn out therof & filled hyt ful of [...]eed for to weye the heuyar / this was a right horrible & cruel auarice Ptolome kyng of egipciens poursewed auarice in another manere. for whan anthonie emperour of rome sawe that he was right riche of gold & siluer / he had hym in grete hate & tormentid hym right cruelly / and whan he shold perissh by cause of his richessis. he toke al his hauoir & put hyt in a shippe / & went with alle in to the hye see to thende for to drowne & perissh there the shippe and his richesses by cause anthonye his enemye shold not haue hit / & whan he was there he durst not perisshe hit ner myght not fynde in hyes herte to departe from hit. but cam & brought hit agayn in to his bows where he receyuyd the rewarde of deth therfore & with out doubte he was not lord of the richesse but the richesse was lady ouer hym / & therfore hit is said in prouerbe that a man ought to seignorie ouer the riches / & not for to serue hit. & yf thou canst dewly vse thy richesse than she is thy chamberer. & yf thou can not departe from hit a vse hit honestly at thy plesure. knowe verily that she is thy lady / for the riches neuer satisfyeth the couetous / but the more he hath the more he desireth / & saluste saith that aua­rice destroubleth fayth / poeste / honeste & al thise other good vertues / And taketh for thyse vertues / pryde / cruelte and to forgete god. and sayth that al thynges be vendable And after this they ought to be ware that they lene not to moche ner make so grete creat [...]es by whiche they may [Page] falle in pouerte / for saynt ambrose saith vpon thoby. pouerte hath no lawe / for to owe hit is a shame / & to owe and not paye is a more shame. yf thou be poure beware how thou lo rowest. & thynke how thou mayst paye & rendre agayn yf thou be riche thou hast no nede to borowe & axe. & it is said in the prouerbis that hit is fraude to take that thou wylt not ner mayst rendre & paye agayn. & also hit is sayd in reproche whan I lene I am thy frende / & whan I aye I am thyn enemye. as who saith / god at the lenyng / & the deuyll atte rendryng. & seneke saith in his auctorites / that they that gladly borowe / ought gladly to paye. & ought to fur­molite in corage to loue hem the better by cause they lene hem & ayde hem in her nede. for benefetes & good tornes don to a man / ought to gyue hym thankynges therfore / and moche more ought a man to repaye that is lent hym in his nede. but now in these dayes many men by lenyng of their money haue made of their frendes enemyes. & herof speketh domas the philosopher & saith that my frende borowed money of me / & I haue lost my frende & my money there was a marchaūt of gene & also a chaungeour w [...]s name was albert ganor / & this albert was a man of grete trouth and loyalte. for on a tyme there was a man cam to hym and sayd and affermyd that he had desyueryd in to his banke v hondred floryns of gold to kepe whiche was not trouth for he lyed. whiche v C floryns the sayd albert knewe not of / ner coude fynde in al his bookes ony suche money to hym due / & this lyar coude brynge no wytnes· but began to braye· crye & deffame the said albert / & than this albert callyd to hym this marchaunt and sayd [Page]dere frende take here v hondred florene whiche thou offer: mest & sayest that thou hast delyuerd to me. & forthwyth tolde him and toke him to hym· & lo this good man had leuer to lose his good than his good name and renome [...] and this other marchaunt toke these florens that he had wrongfully receyuyd. and enployed them in dyuerse marchaundyse in so moche that he gate and encresed and wan with them xv thousand florens / and whan he sawe that he approched toward his deth· and that he had no children / he establisshed albert his heyr in al thynges / & sayd that with the v hondred florens that he had receyuyd of abbert falsely / he had goten alle that he had in the world / & thus by deuyne purueaūce he that had be a theef fraudelent / was maad afterward a trewe procurour & atorney of the sayd albert / but now in thyse dayes there be marchaūtis that do marchaundise with other mennys money whiche is taken to hem to kepe. & whan they ben requyred to repaye hyt / they haue no shame to denye hit appertly / wherof hit happēd that ther was a marchaūt which had a good & a grete name and renome of kepyng wel suche thynges as was de­lyuerd to hym to kepe. but whan he sawe place & tyme / he reteynyd hit lyke a theef. so hit befel that a marchaūt of without forth herd the good reporte & fame of this man / cam to hym & delyuerd hym grete tresour to kepe / & thys cresour abode in yere in his kepyng / & after this thre yere thys marchaunt came and requyred to haue his good de­lyuerd to hym agayn· And thys man knewe wel that he had no recorde ne witnes / to preue on hym this duete / nor he had no obligacion ne wrytyng of hym therof· [Page] In suche wyse that he denyed al entierly and saye playnly he knewe hym not. and whan this good man herd and vnderstood this. he went sorowfully. and kepyng from hym so ferce and longe that an olde woman mette wyth hym· and demaunded of hym the cause of his wepyng · and he sayd to her woman hit aperteyneth no thyng to the goo thy waye / And she prayed hym that he wold telle her the cause of his sorowe / For perauenture she myght geue hym counceyl good and proffytable / and thenne this man tolde to her by ordre the caas of his fortune / and the olde woman that was wyse and subtil demaunded of hym yf he had in that cite ony frende whiche wold be faythful and trewe to hym / and he sayd ye. that he had dyuerse frendes. Than sayd she goo thou to them and saye to them that they doo ordeyne and bye dyuerce cofres and chestes. And that they doo fylle them wyth some olde thynges of no value / & that they fayne & say that they be ful of golde siluer and other Iewels. and of moche grete tresour / & thenne that they brynge them to thys sayd marchaunt / & to say to hym that he wold kepe thē. for as moche as they had grete trust in hym / & also that they haue herd of his grete trouth & good renome / & also they wold go in to fer contre / and shold be longe or they retorned agayn / & whills they speke to hym of this mater / thou shalt come vpon them & requyre hym that he too delyuer to the · that thou tokest to hym· & I trowe by cause of tho good men that than shal proffre to hym the sayd tresour / and for the couetise to haue hit / he shal delyuer to the thy good agayn / but beware late hym not knowe they ben thy good frendes ner of thy knowleche [Page] This was a grete and good counceyl of a woman / and verily it cometh of nature often tymes to woman to geue counceyl sh [...]lly and vnaduysedly to thynges that ben in doubte or perilous and nedeth hasty remedye. and as ye haue herd. this good man dyd. and did afte [...] her coun­ceyl. and came vpon them whan they sp [...]ck of the mater to the marchaunt for to delyuer to hym the sayd cofres to kepe whiche his frendes had fayned and requyred of hym that he had taken to hym to kepe / and than anone the sayd marchaunt sayd to hym I knowe the now wel. for I haue aduysed me that thou art suche a men / and camest to me suche a tyme / and delyuered to me suche a thynge whyche I haue wel kept / and thenne callyd his clerk· and bad hym goo fetche suche a thyng in suche a place and delyuer hit to that good man / for he delyuerd hit to me / and than the good man receyuyd his good / and went his waye right Ioyously and glad. and this marchaunt trichour & deceyuour was defrauded from his euyl malice. and he ne had neyther that one ne that other ony thyng that was of value. and therfore hit is sayd in prouerbe to defraude the begiler is no fraude / and he that doth wel foloweth our lord / and seneke sayth that charite enseigneth and techeth that men shold paye wel / for good payement is somtyme good confessyon / And this marchaunt trichour and de­ceyuour resemblith and is lyke to an hound that bereth a chese in his mouth whan he swymmeth ouer a water / for whan he is on the watre. he seeth the shadowe of the chese in the watre / and than he weneth hit be another chese & for couetyse to haue that. he openyth his mouth to catche [Page] th [...] & than the chese that he bare fallith [...] in to the watre· and thus he loseth bothe the & in the same wyse was seruyd thys marchaūt deceyuour / for for to haue the cofres whiche he had not seen / he delyuerd agayn that he wold haue holden wrongfully. and thus by his couetise & propre malyce he was deceyuyd. and therfore hit apperteyneth to euery good and wyse man to knowe and considere in hym self how moche he hath receyued of other men. & vpon what cōdycion hit was delyuerd to hym / and it is to wete that thys thyng apperteyneth to receyuours and to chaungeours· and to alle trewe marchauntis and other what that someuer they be / and ought to kepe theyr bookes of resaytes and of payementes of whom and to whom & what tyme and day / and yf ye demaunde what thyng makyth them to forgete suche thynges as ben taken to them to ke [...] I answer and say that it is grete couetise for to haue th [...] thynges to them self and neuer to departe from them / and hit is alle her thought & desire to assemble alle the goodes that they may gete. for they beleue on none other god / But on her richesses theyr hertes ben so obstynat· and this suffyseth of the marchauntes.

The fifthe chappiter of the thyrd book [...]teth of physi­ciens medicynes spycers and appotiquaries capitulo v

tHe pawn that is sette tofore the quene signefyeth the physicien / spicer apotiquare · and is formed in the fygure of a man / and he is sette in a chayer as a maistre and holdeth in his right hand a book and an ample or a boxe with oynementis in his lyft hand / and at his gurdel his instrumentis of yron and of siluer for to make Inci­sions and to serche woundes and hurtes. and to cutte apostumes. And by thyse thynges ben knowen the surgyens By the book ben vnderstonden the phisicienes and all gramariens. logyciens / maysters of lawe / of geometrye / [Page] arsmetrique. musique and of astronomye / and by the ampole ben signefyed the makers of pygmentaries spicers & apotiquaries / and they that make confeccions and confites and medecynes maad wyth precious spyce / And by the fferremens and Instrumentis that hangen on the gurdel ben signefyed the Surgyens and the maysters and knowe ye forcerteyn that a maystre and physicyen ought to knowe the proporcions of lettres of gramayre. the monemens the conclucions and the sophyms of logique / the gracious speche and veteraunce of rethorique / the mesures of the houres and dayes· and of the cours of astronomye. the nombre of arsmetrique. and the ioyous songes of musique · and of al thyse tofore named the maysters of rethorique ben the chyef maysters in speci [...] tyf. and the two last that ben practiciens and wakes ben callyd physiciens and surgyens / how wel they ben sage and curious in thyse sciences · and how wel that mānys lyf is otherwhyle put in thordonaunce of the physicien or surgyen / yf he haue not sagesse and wysedom in hym self of dyuerse wrytynges and is not expert / and medlyth hym in the craft of physique / he ought better be callyd a slear of peple than a phisicien or surgyen. For he may not be a maystre but yf he be sewre and expert in the craft of phisike that he slee not moo than he cureth and maketh hoole / and therfore sayth auycenne in an anforysme yf thou curest the seek man. And knowest not the cause. wherof the maladye ought to be cured· hit ought to be sayd that thou hast cured hym by fortune and happe more than by ony kunnyng· And in al thyse maner of people [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] ther ought to be meurte of good maners / curtosie of wer­des / chastice of the body promysse of helthe· and as to them that been seek contynuel vysitacion of them· & they ought to enquere the cause of theyr sekenessys and the sygnes and tokens of theyr maladyes as is rehercid in the bokes of the auctours by right grete dyligence / and specially in the bookes of ypocras galiene and of auycene / and whan many maysters and phisiciens ben assemblid tofore the pacient or seke man. They ought not there to argue and dispute one agaynst another / but they ought to make good and symple colacion to geder in suche wyse as they be not seen in theyr dysputyng one agaynst another. for to encroche and gete more glory of the world to them self than to trete the salute and helthe of the pacient and seek man. I meruaylle why that whan they see and knowe that whan the seek man hath grete nede of helthe. wherfore than they make gretter obieccion of contrariousnes for as moche as the lyf of man is demened and put amonge them / but hit is by cause that he is reputed most sage and wyse that argueth and bryngeth in most subtiltees / And alle this maner is amonge doctours of lawe that tretith no thyng of mannes lyf / but of temporel thynges that he is holden most wyse and best lerned / that by hys counceyl can best accorde the contencions and dyssencions of men / and therfore ought the phisiciens and surgyens leue whan they be tofore the seek men al discencions and contrariousnes of wordes· in suche wyse that hit appere that they studye more for to cure the seek men than for to despute / And therfore is the phisicien duly sette tofore [Page] the quene. so that it is figured that he ought to haue in hym self chastyte and contynence of body / For hit apper­teyneth som tyme vnto the phisicien to vysite and cure quenes duchesses and countesses and alle other ladyes & see and beholde some secrete sekenessis that falle and come other while in the secretis of nature. And therfore hit a­perteyneth to them that they be chaste and folowe honeste and chastyte / and that they be ensaumple to other of good contynence· For valerian rehercith that ypocras was of meruayllous contynence of his body. For whan he was in the scoles of athenes / he had by hym a right fayr wo­man whiche was comyn / and the yong scolers and the Ioly felawes that were students promysed to the woman a besaunte yf she myght or coude torne the corage of ypo­cras for to haue to doon wyth her / and she came to hym by nyght and dyd so moche by her craft that she laye wyth hym in his bedde / But she coude neuer do so moche that she myght corumpe his chaste lyuyng ne defoule the crowne of his conscience. and whan the yonge men knewe that she had ben wyth hym al the nyght. & coude not chaunge his contynence. they began to mocque her / and to aye & demaunde of her the besaunt that they had geuen to her. And she answerd that hit was holden and gaged vpon an ymage / for as moche as she myght not chaunge hys contynence she callyd hym an ymage / and in semblable wyse rehercith valeryan of Scenocrates phylosopher that there laye wyth hym a woman alle nyght and tempted hym dysordonatly / but that right chaste man. made ne­uer semblaunt to her / ner he neuer remeuyd from hys [Page] freme purpoos / in suche wyse as she departed from hym al confused and shamed / Cornelius scipion that was sent by the romayns for to gouerne spayn / as sone as he entrid in to the castellys and in to the townes of that londe. he began to take aweye al tho thynges that myght stere or meue his men to becherye. wherfore men sayd that he drof and chased out of the hoost moo than two thousand bourdellys· and he that was wyse knewe wel that delyte of le­cherye corupted and apayred the corages of tho men that ben abandoned to the same delyte / And herof it is sayd in the fables of the poetes in the first book of the truphes of the philosophres by figure / that they that entrid in to the fonteyne of the Sirenes or mermaydens / were corum­ped and they took them awey wyth hem / And also ye ought to knowe that they ought to entende dylygently to the cures of the infirmytees in cyrurgerye / they ought to make theyr plaisters accordyng to the woundes of soores yf the wounde be rounde· the enplastre must be rounde. and yf hit be longe· hit must be longe / And other whyle hit must be cured by his contrarye. lyke as it apperteyneth to phisique. for the hete is cured by colde / and the colde by hete and Ioye by sorowe· and sorowe by Ioye· and hit happeth ofte tymes that moche peple be in grete parille in takyng to moche Ioye and lese her membris· and become half beno­men in the sodeyn Ioye / and ioye is a repleccion of thynge that is delectable sprad a brode in alle the membres wyth right grete gladnes. and al men entende and desyre to haue the sayd right grete Ioye naturelly / but they knowe not what may ensue & come therof / and this Ioye cometh [Page] other while of vertue of conscience / And the wise man is not wyth out this ioye / and thys Ioye is neuer interrupt ne in defaulte at no tyme. for hit [...]eth of nature. and fortune may not take awey that nature geueth / & marcial sayth that Ioyes sugetyues abyde not long / but fle awey anone· and valerian rehercith that he that hath force and strengthe resonable. hath hit of veray matiar of cōpleccōn and that cometh of loue / and this Ioye hath as moche power to departe the sowle fro the body· as hath the thondre wherof hit happend that there was a woman named lyna whiche had her husbond in the warre in the shyppys of the romayns· and she supposid verayly that he was deed but hit happend that he came agayn home. and as he entrid in to his yate / his wyf mette wyth hym sodaynly not warned of his comyng / whiche was so gladde and Ioyous that in enbracyng hym she fyl doun deed / Also of ano­ther woman to whom was reported by a fals messanger that her sone was deed. whiche went hoom soroufully to her hows· and afterward when her sone came to her / as sone as she sawe hym she was so esmourd wyth Ioye that she deyed tofore hym· but this is not so grete meruayle of women as is of the men. For the women ben lykened vnto softe waxe or softe ayer / and therfore she is callyd Mulier whiche is as moche to saye in latyn as mollis aer and in englissh softe ayer / and hit happeth ofte tymes that the nature of them that ben softe and mele. taketh sōner Inpressyon than the nature of men that be rude & stronge valerie rehercith that a knyght of rome named instaulo­fus that had newly cōquerid & subdued the yle of corsilia [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] and as he sat [...]sfyed his goddes he receyuyd [...] the seruice of Rome in which were [...] supplications / the whiche whan he vnderstood he [...] glad and so enterprised wyth Ioye. that he [...] what to do / and than a grete f [...] or smoke yssu [...]d [...] the fire in whiche he dispay [...] and fyl in to the fyre [...] he was anone deed / And also it is sayd that phy [...] lawghed so sort & distemper [...]tly that he dyed al [...] And we rede that ypocras the phisicien sond [...] thys Ioye / For whan he had [...]ng [...] out of hys contrey for to lerne kunnyng and wysedom· and shold retorne vnto his parentis and frendes whan he approchy [...] nygh them· he sent a messenger tofore for to telle to them his comyng / and cōmaunded hym to saye that he cam / for they had not longe tofore seen hym / and that they shold attempre them in that Ioye or they shold see hym / And also we rede that titus the sone of vaspasian whan he had conquerd Iherusalem and abode in the contrres by / he herde that his fader vaspasian was chosen by al the senate for to gouerne the empyre of rome / wherfore he had so right grete ioye that sodeynly he lost the strength of al his membris and became al Impotent. And whan Iosephus that made the historye of the romayns ayēst the Iewys. whiche was a right wyse phisicien sawe and knewe the cause of this sekenes of the sayd titus. he enquyred of his solle yf he had in ha [...] ony man gretely so moche that he myght not here speke of hym ne wel so hym. and one of the seruauntis of tytus sayd that he had one persone in hate so moche / that ther was no man in his courte so hardy that durst name [Page] hym in his presenting [...] Iosephus assigned a day whā this man shold [...] to be sette in the sight of titus / & did hit to be replenysshed plēteiously with al dayntees / & ordeyned men to be [...] to kepe hym in suche wise that no man shold hurt hym by the c [...]ment of titus / & ordeyned bo [...]t [...]rs / [...] & [...] officers for to serue hym worshipfully like an emperour and whan al this was redy / Iosephus brought in this man that titus hated & sette hym at the table tofore his eyen and was seruyd of yong men with grete reuerence right curtoisly. & whan ti­tus behelde his enemye sette tofore hym with so grete ho­nour. he began to chauffe hym self by grete felonye / and cōmaūded his men that this man shold be slayn / & whan he sawe / that none wold obeye hym / but that they alwey seruyd hym reuerently / he waxe so ardant· and enbracid wyth so grete yre. that he that had lost al the force & stomacke of his body and was al Impotent in alle his members [...] recouerd the helth agayn and strengthe of hys membris by the hete that entryd in to the wy [...]es and synewes And Iosephus dyd so moche that he was recoueryd and hoole / And that he helde that man no more for hys enemye / But helde hym for a verey trewe frende· And afterward maad hym his loyal felowe & companyoun. And the espycers and apoticaries ought to make trewly suche thynges as is cōmaunded to them by the phisiciens & they ought accomplisshe their billes & charge curiously with grete diligence. that for none other cause they shold be ocupied but in makyng medecynes or confeccōns trewly & that they ought vpon paryl of their sowle not to forgete [Page] by neglygence ne reche [...]snes to gyue o [...] [...]teryne for an other / in suche wyse that they be not s [...]a [...]s of men· And that they doo put no false thynges in her spices for to enrayre or encrecyng the weyght / for yf they so do they may better be callyd theuys than espycers or apoticaries / And they that ben acustumed to make oynementis they ought to make it proprely of trewe stuffe and of good odoure after the receptes of the auncient doctours. and after the forme that the phisiciens and surgiens deuyse vnto them also they ought to be ware that for none auayle ne gyfte that they ought haue / that they put in their medecynce no thyng venemous ne doyng hurte or scathe to ony persone of whom they haue no good ne veray knowleche to thende that they to whom the medecynes shold be geuen torne not to them hurt ne domage / ne in destruccōns of their neyghbours / & also that they that haue mynystrid the thynges to them. been not taken for parteners of the blame and of the synne of them / The surgyens ought also to be de­bonayr / amyable / and to haue pyte of theyr pacients· and also they ought not be hasty to launce & cutte apostumes & soores. ne open the hee [...]es· ner to arrache bones broken. but yf the cause be apparant. For they myght ellys lose theyr good renomee· And myght better be callyd bou­chers thenne helare or guarysshours of woundes and so­res / And also hit behoueth that alle thys maner of pe­ple a fore sayd that haue the charge for to make hoole and guarisshe alle maner of maladyes and Infirmytees that they first haue the cure of them self· and they ought to purge them self from alle apostumes and alle vyces [Page] in suche wyse that they be not and houste [...] in al good maners and that they shewe him [...] and pure & redy for to hel [...] other. and [...] sayth [...] consolaci­one in his first book that the sterres that ben hys vnder the [...] may gyue no light· And therfore yf ony man wyl beholde clerely the verite / [...] hy [...] with [...]we hym fro the des [...] and [...]nes of the cloudes of ygnoraūce for whan the engyne of a man sheweth in ioye or in sorow the pens [...] [...] thought is enuolup [...]d in obscurete and vnder the clow [...]

The sixte chappitre of the thyrd book treteth of the six [...] pawn whiche is lykenyd to cau [...]ners hostelers and vy­tayllers capitulo v [...]

[Page]the six [...]t pawn whiche stondeth tofore the alphyn on the lyftes syde is made in this forme / For hit is a man that hath the right hond stratched out as for to calle men / and holdeth in his lift honde a loof of breed and a [...]uppe of wyn. and on his gurdel hangyng a bondil of keyes / and this resemblith the tauerners hostelers / & sellare [...] of vytayl. and thyse ought properly to be sette tofore the alphyn / as tofore a Iuge / For there sourdeth oft tymes amonge hem contencion noyse and stayf. whyche behoueth to be ditermyned & trayted by the alphyn. whiche is Iuge of the kyng / and hit apperteyneth to them for to seke and enquere for good wynes and good vytayl for to gyue and selle to the byars· and to them that they herbe­rowe. And hit aperteyneth to them wel to kepe theyr herberowes and Innes / And alle tho thynges that they brynge in to theyr lodgyng. and for to putte hit in seu­re and sauf warde and kepyng. And the first of thein is signefyed by the lyfte hand in whyche he bereth breed and wyn. And the second is signefyed by the right hand whiche is stratched out to calle men / and the thyrd is representyd by the keyes hangyng on the gurdel / and thyse maner of peple ought to eschewe the synne of glo­tonye / For moche people come in to theyr howses for to drynke and for to ete / for whyche cause they ought reso­nably to rewle them self and to refrayne them from to moche mete and drynke· to thende that they myght the more honestly delyuer thynges ne [...]eful vnto the peple that come vnto them / & no thyng by outrage that myght noye the body· For hit happeth oft tymes that there cometh of [Page] glotonye▪ tencions / stryfs / riottes. wronges & molestacōns by whiche men lefe otherwhyle their handes / theyr eyen and other of theyr membris / and somtyme ben slayn or hurte vnto the deth as it is wreton in vitas patrum. as on a tyme kn [...]yte went for to vysite his gossibs. & the de­uyl apo [...] [...] hym on the wey in likenes of another her­myte [...] [...]mpte hym. & said thou hast left thyn hermy­tage / & [...] to visite thy gossibo / the behoueth by force to do one o [...] [...] iij thynges that I shal say to the / thou shalt [...]hese wh [...] [...]or thou wolt be dronk. or ellys haue to do flesshlye will [...] gossyb / or ellis thou shalt slee her husbond whiche in thy gossib also. & the hermyte that thought for to chese the leste euyl chase for to be dronke / and whan he cam vnto them he drank so moche that he was veray dronk and whan he was dronke and eschauffyd with the wyn· he wold haue a doo with his gossyb / & her husbond withstood hym / & than the hermyte shewe hym· & after that laye by his goss [...]b & knewe her flesshly. & thus by this synne of dronkenshyp he accomplisshed the two other synnes By whiche thyng ye may vnderstonde and knowe that whan the deuyl wyl take one of the castellys of Ihesu Cryst. that is to wete the body of a man or of a woman / he doth as a prynce that setteth a siege tofore a castel that he wold wynne. whyche entendeth to wynne the gate· For he knoweth wel whan he hath wonne the gate. he may sone doo his wylle wyth the castel / And in lyke wyse doth the deuyl wyth euery man and womman / For whan he hath [...]onne the gate / that is to wete the gate of the mouthe by glotonye or by ony other synne.

[Page]he may to wyth the offyces of the body al his wylle as ye haue herd tofore / & therfore ought euery man ete & drynke soberly in suche wyse as he may lyue / & not lyue to the glotously & for to drynke dronk / ye se comunely that a grete bole is suffisid with right a litil pasture. & that one wode suffiseth to many olephauntes· & hit behoueth a man to be fedde by the erthe or by the see / neuertheles it is no grete thynge to fede the bely. no thyng so grete as is the desire of many metes wherof Quyntilian saith / that hit happeth ofte tymes in grete festes and dyners. that we be fylled with the sight of the noble and lichorous metis & whan we wold ete we ben saciat and fylled / & therfore it is sayd in prouerbe. hit is better to fille the belye than the eye. & lu­can saith that glotony is the moder of al vices / & especial of lecherye / & also is destroyar of al goodes / & may not haue suffysaunce of lytil thynge· A couetous honger what se­kest thou mete and vytayllis on the lande and in the see. & thy ioye is no thyng ellis but to haue playnteuous dysshes & wel filled at thy table lerne how men may demene theyr lyf with litil thynge. and cathon saith in no wyse obeye to glotonye whiche is frende to lecherye / & the holy doctour saynt augustyn saith. the wyn eschauffith the bely that falleth anone to lecherye / the bely and the membris ben neighbours to lecherie. & thus the vice of glotonye prouoketh lecherye. wherof cometh forgetenes of his mynde and destruccion of alle quyck and sharpe reason / And is cause of distemperaunce of his wyttes. what synne is fowler than this synne & more stynkyng ne more dōma­geous / for this synne hath taken awey the vertu of man [Page] his prowesse languyssheth· his vertue is torned to diffan [...] the strengthe of body and of corage is tornes by the / and therfore saith basilly le graunt / late vs take hede how we serue the bely and the throte by glotanye like as we were doutl [...]e bestys / and we studye for to be lyke vnto belues of the see / to whom nature hath gyuen to be alwey enclyned toward the erthe· & therto loke for to serue their belyes· & herof sayth / Boecius de consolacione· in his fourth book that a man that lyueth and doth not the condicions of a man· may neuer be in good condicion / than must he [...] ne­des be that he be transported in nature of a beste or of a belue of the see / how wel that right grete men and women ful of meruaylleus sciences and noble counceyl in thyse dayes in the world be norisshed in this glotonye of wynes and metes / & ofte tymes ben ouer seen· how suppose ye. is hit not right a perilous thyng that a lord or gouernour of the peple & [...] wele how wel that he be wyse yf he eschaufft hym [...] that the wyn or other drynke sur­prise hym & ouercome his brayn / his wisedom is lost for as cathon sayth / Ire enpessheth the corage in suche as he may not kepe verite and trouth / & anone as he is chauffed lecherye is meuyd in hym in suche wyse that the lecherye makyth hym to meddle in dyuerse vylayns dedes / for than his wysedom is a slepe and goon. & therfore saith ouyde in his book or remed [...]d amoris yf thou take many and dyuerce wynes· they apparayle and enforce the corages to lecherye· And Thobye wytnessyth in his book that luxurie destroyeth the body and mynyssheth rychessys. she loseth the sowle. she febleth the strengthe she blyndeth the syght [Page] and maketh the voys hoore and trewe· he a right euyl & foule synne of dronkenshyp / by the perisshit [...] virgyny [...] whiche is sustes of aungellis possedyng al goodnes and scurte of al Ioyes perdurable. No [...] was one tyme so chauffyd wyth wyn that he discouerd and shewid to hys sones his preuy membris in suche wyse as one of his so­nes mocqued hym / and that other couerd hem· and loth whiche was a man right chaste. was so ass [...]ed by moche drynkyng of wyn. that on a mounteyn he knewe hys doughters carnelly / and had to doo wyth them as they had ben his propre wyuys / and Crete rehercith that Boece whiche was flour of the men / tresour of richesses / synguler hous of sapyence / myrrour of the world / odour of good renomes / and glorie of his subgettis lost al thise thynges by his luxurie. we haue seen that dyuerce that were Ioy­ned by grete amytie to geder whiles they were sobre· that that one wold put his body in parell of deth for that other and whan they were eschauffid with wyn and dronke / they haue ronne eche vpon other for to slee hem / and sōme haue ben that haue slayn so his frende / Herodes Antipas had not doon saynt Iohn baptist to ben beheded / ne had the dyner ben ful of glotonye and dronkship. balthazar kyng of babylone had not been chaced out of his kyngdom ne be slayn yf he had be sobre emonge hys peple whom tyrus and dares fond ▪ dronken and slewe hym. The hostelers ought to be wel bespoken and curtoys of wordes to them that they receyue in to theyr lodgyng / For fayr speche & Ioyous chiere and debonayr cause men to gyue the hoste­ler a good name· And therfore hit is sayd in a comyn [Page] prouerbe curtoyse langage & wel sayeng is moche worth and coste lytyl / And in another place it is sayd that curtesye passeth b [...]t [...]· also for as moche as many pa­rellys and aduentures may happen on the wayes & passages to hem that been herberowed wyth in theyr Innes. therfore they ought to accompanye them whan they departe and enseigne them the weyes and telle to them the pa­rilles / to thende that they may surely goo theyr vyage & Iourney. And also they ought to kepe theyr bodyes / theyr goodes. & the good fame & renomce of theyr Innes we rede that Loth whan he had receyuyd the aungellys in to his hows right debonayrly· whiche he had supposid had ben mortal men and straungers / to thende that then shold eskape the disordynate and vnnaturel synne of lecherye of the sodomytes / by the vertu of good fayth. he sette a part the naturel loue of a fader. & proferd to them his dough­ters· whiche were vyrgyns. to thende that they shold kepe them and defende them fro that villayn & horrible synne And knowe ye for certeyn that al tho thynges that been taken & delyuerd to kepe to the hoste or hostessis they ought to be sauf and yelden ageyn with out appayryng· for the hoste ought to knowe who that entrith in to hys hous for to be herberowed takith hit for his habitacion for the tyme he hym self / and alle suche thynges as he bryngeth wyth hym ben cōmysed of right in the warde and kepyng of the hoste or hosteler / and ought to be as sauf as they were put in his owne propre hows. and also suche hostes ought to holde seruauntes in theyr hows whiche shold be trewe & with out auarice / in suche wyse that they coueyte not to [Page] haue the goodes of theyr ghestes / and that they take not awey the prouender fro theyr horses whan hit is gyuen to them / that by tho [...]musion therof their horses perisshe not ne faylle theyr maister whan they haue nede / and myght falle in the handes of theyr enemyes. For than shold the ser­uandes be cause of that euyl. wherfore their maysters shold see to / for with out doubte this thyng is worse than thefte / hit happend on a tyme in the parties of lombardye in the cyte of Iene that a noble man was lodgyd in an hostelrye wyth moche companye. and whan they had gyuen prouendour to theyr horses. in the first oure of the nyght the seruaunt of the howe came secretly tofore the horses for to stele awey theyr prouendes / and whan he came to the lordes hores / the hores caught with his teth his came and helde hit fast that he myght not escape / and whan the theef sawe that he was so strongly holden / he began to caye for the grete payn that he suffrid and felte / in suche wyse that the noble mannys meyne cam wyth the hoste / But in no maner / nor for ought they coude doo. they coude not take the theef out of the horses mouth vnto the tyme that the neyghbours whiche were noyed wyth the noyse came and sawe hit / and the theef was knowen and taken & brought tofore the Iuge / and confessyd the fear and by sentence diffynytyf was hanged and lost his lyf. and in the same wyse was another that dyd so / and the hores smote hym in the vysage / that the prynte of the hore shoo & nayles alode euer in his vysage / another caas right cruel & vilaynous fyl at tholouse / hit happend a yong man and his fader went a pylgremage to Saynt Iames in galies and were [Page] lodgy [...] in an hostelrye of an euyl hoost and ful of right grete couetyse in so moche that he desires and coueyted the goodes of the two pylgrymes. and here vpon aduysed hym and put a cuppe of siluer secretly in the m [...]e that the yonge man [...]are· and whan they departed out of theyr lodgyng / he folowed after hem and sayd tofore the peple of the court that they had stolen and horne awey his cuppe and the yong man excused hym self and his fader· and sayd they were Innocent of that caas / And thenne they serchyd hem / and the cuppe was founden in the male of the yonge man / and forthwyth he was dampned to deth and hanged as a theef. and thys feet doon· al the goodes that longed to the pylgrym were delyuerd to the hoste as con­fisqued / And than the fader went forth for to do his pylgremage. and whan he came ageyn he must nedes come & passe by the place where his sone hynge on the gybet / and as he came he complayned to god and to saynt Iames how they myght suffre this aduenture to come vnto hys sone. anone his sone that hyng spake to his fader & said how that saynt Iames had kept hym wyth out harme / and bad his fader goo to the Iuge and shewe to hym the myracle / and how he was Innocent of that fact / and whan this thyng was knowen the sone of the pylgrym was taken doun fro the gybet. and the cause was brought tofore the Iuge / and the hoost was accused of the trayson. and he confessyd his trespaas / and sayd he dyd hit for coue­tyse to haue his good. and than the Iuge dampned hym for to be hanged on the same gybet where as the yonge pylgrym was hanged / And that I haue sayd of the [Page] [...] kyng [...]ten / the same I say of the women as chaumberers and dapsters / for semble [...]e caas fyl in sp [...] at saynt donne of a chaumberer. that put a cuppe in lyke wyfe in the scrippe of a pylgryme / by cause he wold not haue a do wyth her in the synne of lechreys / wherfore he was hanged / and his fader and moder that were there wyth hym went and dyd her pylgremage· and whan they came agayn they fonde her sone lyuyng / and than they went & tolde the Iuge / whiche Iuge sayd that he wold not beleue hit til a cok and an henne whiche rosted on the fyre were a lyue and the cok crewe / and anone they began to weye a lyue and the cok crewe and began to crowe & to pasture. and whan the iuge sawe this myracle / he went & toke doun the sone / and made the chaumberer to be taken and to be hanged. wherfore I say that the hostes ought to holde no capsteres ne chaumberers / but yf they were good. meure & honeste / For many harmes may be falle and come by the disordenate rewle of seruauntes.

The seuenth chappiter of the thyrd [...] [...]teth of lie­ [...] of townes / customes [...]to [...] ga [...]s capitulo vij

tHe gardes and kep [...]s of citees ben signefyed by the seuenth pawn whiche stondeth in the fyft side to fore the knyght / and is formed in the semblaunce of a man holdyng in his lyft hond grete lieyes and in hys right hand a potte and an elle for to mesure wyth & ought to haue on his gurdel a purse open. and by the keyes ben signefied the kepars of the citees and townes and comyn offyces / and by the potte and elle ben signefyed them that haue the charge to weye and mete and mesure trewly / and by the purse been signefyed them that receyue the [Page] costumes to [...]es / sc [...]wage / p [...]g [...] / and duet [...] of the cy­ [...]es and townes / and [...]yse peple ben sette by right tofore the knyght and hit behoueth that the ga [...] & assy [...] of the townes be taught and ensignad by the knyghte and that they knowe and enquyre hell the citees & [...] ben gouerned whiche apertayneth to be kept and defendidy by the knyghte / and first hit aperteyneth that the ke­pars of the cyte be dyligent / besy / clere sayeng and loueres of the comyn prouffyt and wele. as wel in the tyme of pees as in the tyme of warre / they ought alwey to goe in the cyte and enquyre of al thynges and ought reporte to the gouernours of the cyte suche thyng as they fynde and knowe / and suche thynge as aperteyneth and to the s [...]urte of the same▪ and to denounce and telle the defaultes and parellys that there be· and yf hit be in tyme of warre they ought not to open the yates by nyght to no man. And suche men as ben put in this offyce· ought to be of reno­me and fume / trewe / and of good conscience / in suche ma­nere that they loue them of the cyte or towne / And that they put to no man ony blame or vylanye with out cause by enuye couetyse ne by hate / but they ought to be sory and heuy whan they see that ony man shold be compleyned on for ony cause / For hit happeth ofte tymes that dyuerce offycers accuse the good peple fraudulently / to thende that they myght haue a thanke and ben praysed and to abyde stylle in theyr offyces / and trewly hit is a grete and hys maner of maltice to be in wylle to doo euyl and dysf [...]me other wyth out cause to grete glorye to hym self also the [...]epars and offycers of cytees ought to be suche that they [Page] [...] / And var [...] this y [...] [...] ymage lyke hym self s [...]ttyng in his magiste and the Iuges whiche were sette / one on the right side and that other on the lift side and vpon the se [...] cle aboue the he [...]de of the Iuge on the right side was wreton al they entre s [...]urely that wyl lyu [...] purely. and vpon the [...] of the Iuge on the lift side was wareton the vntre­we man ought to doubte / to doo thyng that he be put to pryson sore / and [...] the e [...]preour was [...]. I r [...]ke [...] ly [...]e in mys [...]y that I for lyue dysmesurably / and therfore hit ap [...]tey [...]th to a Iuge to sba [...]e to the peple for do drede and [...] to do euyl / and hyt apt [...]th to the [...] and offyce [...]s to [...] the Iuge [...] a [...] to doo trewly theyr s [...]y [...]s and offyces / & [...] [...]ynce to [...] the traytours and the male [...]c tours of right [...] and [...]rof we fyr [...] in the [...]cient histories of [...] the kyng [...]ys had a [...] he l [...]uyde the w [...]t / [...] alwey [Page] [...] [Page] his hand to the [...] had no more regarde vnto his [...] / he sayd to hym [...] not [...] ye not [...] ­sid / say yf ye se [...] any thyng otherwyse than [...] and wel. and he answerd see as [...] as I se [...] thys sharpe swe [...] [...]ngyng so s [...]b [...]tilly & per [...]sly ouer [...]yn hede I [...] wel that I a [...] not [...] / for I drede that hit shold falle on my hede▪ & thenne dysc [...]ed the kyng vnto hem a [...] wherfore he was alwey so heuy ch [...]rid & tryste· For where he [...] he thought alwey on the swerd of the secrete vengaunce of go [...] why [...]h he behelde alwey in his herte / wherfore he had alwey in hym s [...]ēf grete d [...]de / and ther­fore he worshypyd gladly the poure peple with glad vysage and good conscience / And by this sheweth the kyng wel. that what man that in alwey in drede is not alwey mery or blessyd / And her [...]f sayth [...]ynt [...]a [...] that thys drede furmounteth alle other ma [...]tres and euylles / for it is mao [...]turis of deede nyght and day. And it is verite that to hym that is doubted of moche peple. so muste be doubte moche / And that herde is lasse thenne his seruaū ­tes that dredyth his seruauntes / and truly hit is a right sure thyng to drede no thyng but god & somtyme right hardy men ben cōstrayned to lyue in drede / drede causith a man to be besy to kepe the thynges that be cōmysed to hym that they perisshe not / but to be to moche hardy & to moche ferd­ful. bothe two ben vices▪ the comyn officers ought to be wyse & wel aduysed in suche wise that they take not of the peple ne requyre no more thā they ought to haue by reson n [...] that they take of the sellars ne of the byars no more thā the right custume. for they here the name of a persone [Page] And therfore ought they to shewe them comune to alle men / and for as moche as the [...] and fellars haue sent tyme moche langage. they ought to haue wyth them these vertues. that is to were pacience· and good do [...]age wyth honeste / for they that ben despytous to the concerne / [...] otherwhile had in vylayne despite· therfore [...]e [...]a [...]e that thou haue no despyte vnto the poure mendy [...]ants yf thou wylt come and atteyne to thynges souemyn / for the I [...]iurye that is doon wyth out cause / t [...]rneth to diffame hym that doth hit. a Iogheler on a tyme beholde socrates & sayd to hym thou hast the eyen of corumpour of children and art as a traytre / and whan his dysciple herde hym / they wold auengyd theyr maister but he repreuyd hym by suche sentence sayeng / suffre my felawes· for I am he and suche one as he sayth. by the sight of my vysage / But I refrayne and kept me wel from suche thyng / this same so crates hym self was chidde & right foul spoken to of hys wyf & she Imposid to hym many grete Iniuries wyth out nombre / and she was in a place aboue ouer his heed / and whan she had brawled ynough she made her water & poured hit on his heed / and he answerd to her no thyng agayn sauf whan he had dryed and wyped his hied. he said he fine we wel that after suche wynde and thondce shold come [...] and watre. And the philosoph [...]rs blamed hym that he coude not gouerne twe women / that was his wyf and his chaumberer / and shewyd hym that one [...]ke go­uerned wel xv hennes· he answerd to them that he was so vsed & acustumed with theyr chidyng that the chidyngis of them ne of straungers dyd hym no greef ne harme / [Page] gyue thou place to hym that brawleth or chideth / And in suffryng hym thou shalt be his vaynquysshour and cathon saith whan thou lyuest rightfully / retche the not of the wordes of euyl peple / and therfore hit is sayd in a romyn prouer [...]e· he that wel doth retcheth not who seeth hit. and hit is not in our power to lette men to speke. and prosper sayth that to good men lacketh no goodnes / ne to euyl men tencions stryues & blames. & pacience is a right no­ble vertu. as a noble versefier saith / that pacience is a right noble maner to vaynquysshe. for he that suffreth ouerco­meth / and yf thou wylt vanquysshe and ouercome. lerne to suffre. the peagers ner they that kepe passages ought not to take other peage ne passage money but suche as the prynce or the lawe haue establisshed / so that they be not more robbours of money than receyuours of peage and passage· And hit aperteyneth to them to goo out of th [...]e perelous weyes and doubteuous for to kepe theyr offyce and they ought to requyre theyr passage of them that owe to paye hit wyth out noyeng and contencion · and they ought not to loue the comyn prouffyt so moche · that they falle in the hurtyng of theyr conscience. For that shold be a maner of robberye / and herof saith ysaye / woo to the that robbest. for thou thy self shalt be robbyd. The gardes or porters of the gates of citees and of the comyn good ought to be good and honeste / and al trouth ought to be in them & they ought not to take ne withdrawe we the goodes of the comyn that they haue [...]n kepyng more than aperteyneth to them for their pencion or fee / so that they that ben made tresorers & sic pars len not named theuys / [Page] For who that taketh more than his / he shal neuer thryue with al n [...]r shal not enioye hit longe. for of euyl goten good the third heyre shal neuer reioyse / & thys suffyseth.

This eyght chappytre of the third book treteth of ribaul­des. players of dyse & of messagers and curmurs ca viij

tHe ribauldes players at dyse & the messagers & our rour [...]s ought to be sette tofore the rook. for hit appreteyneth to the rook whiche is vicayr of the kyng to haue men couenable for to renne here & there for tenquyre & es­pye the places & citees that myght be contrarie to the kyng [Page] And thys pawn that representeth this peple ought to be formyd in this maner. he must haue the forme of a man that hath long heeris and black and holdeth in his eyght hand a litil money and in his life hand thre dyse. & aboute hym a corde in stede of a gurdel. and ought to haue a bayeful of lettres / & by the first whiche is money [...]s vnder­stonde they that be fole large & wastours of theyr goodes and by the second whiche is the dyse / ben represended the playes at dyse / ribauldes & butters / & by the thyrd whyche is the boxe ful of lettris. ben represented the messagers / currours / and he [...]es of lettres / & ye shal vnderstonde that the woke whiche is vycayre of the kyng whan he feeth to fore hym suche peple as ben sole large and wastours he [...] bounden to constitute and ordeygne vpon them tutour [...] & curatours to see that they ete not ne waste in suche maner their goodes ne their heritages. that pouerte constrayne hem not to stele for he that of custume hath had habun­daunce of money & goeth & dispendeth hit fo [...]ly & wasteth hit awey whan he cometh to pouerte & hath nought· he must nedes begge and axe his breed / or [...]llis he must be a theef For suche maner of peple / yf they haue been delycious they wyl not laboure / for they haue not lernyd hit /

And yf they be noble and comen of gentylm [...] / they be a shamyd to axe and begge / And thus must they by force whan they haue wasted theyr owne prepre goo­des yf they wyl lyue they must stele and robbe the goodes of other. And ye shalle vnderstonde that sole laege is a ryght euyl vyce· For how wel that she doeth good and prouffyt somtyme to other.

[Page]thre lockes I wyl leue to you / sauyng I wyl that yt geue in my presence or I dye whi [...]s I lyue to the frere pr [...] ­choures on hondred [...]unde / and to the fre [...]e [...] an hondred pounde / and to the heremytes of saynt austyn fifty pound to thende that whan I am buryed and put in the erthe ye may demaūde of [...]hem the keyes of th [...] chest where my tresou [...] is Inne / whiche keyes they kepe / and I haue put on eche keye a bylle and writyng in witnessyng of the thynges aboue sayd / And also ye shal vnderstonde that he dyd to be gyuen whiles he lay in his deth bedde to eche chirche and recluse· and to pour peple a certeyn quantite of money by the handes of his doughters husbondes whiche they dyd gladly in hope to haue shortly the money that they supposid in the cheste▪ and whan hit came to the last day that he dyed. he was borne to chirche and his exequye doon and was buried solempnly. And the seuenth day the seruyse worshypfully accomplisshed. They went for to demaunde the keyes of the religyous men that they had kept. whiche were delyuerd to them / & than they went and opend the coffre where they supposid the money had ben Inne / and there they fond no thyng but a grete clubbe. and on the handlyng was wreton / I Iohn of ca­nazath make this testament· that he be slayn wyth thys clubbe / that leueth his owne prouffyt / and gyueth hit to other / a [...] who sayth hit is no wysedom for a man to gyue his good to his chyldren and kepe none for hym self / And ye shal vnderstonde that hit is a grete folye to dys­pende and waste his good / in hope for to recouer hit of other be hit of sone of doughter or right nygh kynne / for a man [Page] ought to kepe in his hand in dispendyng his owne goodes tofore he see that he dispen [...]e other mennys / and he ought not to be holden for a good man· that hath litil re [...]omed and spendeth many thynges / and I trowe that suche per­sones wold gladly make noueltees as for to noye and greue seignories and meue warres and tencions ageynst them that haboūde in richessis and goodes / and also make extorcions clamours and tribulacōns ayenst their lord [...]s to thende to waste the goodes of the peple. lyke as they haue wasted theyres / and suche a wastour of goodes may neuer be good for the comyn prouffyt / and ye shal vnderstonde that after these wastours of goodes we saye that the players of dyse and they that vse lordellys ben worst of al other· for whan the hede of playeng at the dyse▪ & the couetise of theyr stynkyng lecherye hath brought hem to pouerte· hit foloweth by force that they must be the [...]ys and robbours / and also dronkenshyp glotenye and alle maner of euyls folowe them and myschyef / and they folowe gladly the companyes of knyghtes and of noble men whan they goon vnto the warre or bataylles. And they coueyte not so moche the victorye as they doo the robberye / and they doo moche harme as they goo / And they brynge lityl gayn or wynnyng / wherof hit happend on a tyme that saynt bernard rode on an hors about the contrey and mette wyth an hasardour or dyse player. which sayd to hym thou goddes man wylt thou playe at dyse with me thyn hors ayenst my sowle. to whom saint bernard answerd yf thou wylt oblyge thy sowle to me ayenst my hors / I wyl a lyght doun and playe wyth the / and yf thou haue [Page] mo p [...]y [...]tes than I on thre dyse I promyse the thou shalt haue myn [...] and thenne he was glad / and anone cast [...] thre dyse / and on ocle dyse was a sise / whiche made xviij [...] / and anone he took the hor [...] by the b [...]yd [...] / as he that was scure that he had wonne / and sayd that the hor [...]s was his [...] and than saynt bernard sayd abyde my sone· for there be mo poyntes on the dyse than xviij and than he cast the dyse / in suche wyse that one of the iij dyse clefte a sondre in the myddes / and on that one parte was vj. and on that other side an aas / and ache of that other was a sise· And than saynt bernard sayd that he had worrie his sowle for as moche as he had cast on thre dyse vix poyntes. and than whan this player sawe & apercey­uyd thys myracle. he gaf his sowle to saynt bernard and became a monke and finysshed his lyf in good werkys. The currours and berars of lettres ought hastely and spedely doo her vyag [...] that is cōmaunded hem. with out ca­ryeng. for theyr taryeng myght noye and greue them that sende hem forth· or ellis them to whom they be sent to And borne hem to right grete domage or vylonye / For whiche cause euery noble man ought wel to take hede to whom he delyuer his lettres and his maundementis. and otherwhiles suche peple ben Ioghelers and dronklewe. and goon out of their weye for to see abbayes and noble men for to haue avauntage· and hit happeth ofte tymes / that whan suche messagers or currours ben enpesshid by ony ta­rieng / that other currours here letters contrarye to hys. and come tofore hym / of whiche thynges ofte tymes co­meth many thynges discouenable of losse of frendes of [Page] castellys· and of [...]and [...] and many other thynges as in the feet of marchaundyses / and otherwhile hit happeth that a prynce for the faulte of suche messangers leseth to haue victorye vpon his [...]yes / and also there be sōme that whan they come in a cite where they haue not ben to fore. they ben more besy to visite the cyte and the noble men that dwelle therin. than they ben to do theyr voyage whiche thyng they ought not to do / but yf they had spe­cial charge of them that sent hem forth so to doo /

And also whan they be sent forth of ony lordes or mar­chauntes they ought to be wel ware· that they charge hem not wyth ouer moche mete on mornynges ne wyth to moche wyne on euenynges / wherby her sinewes & vaynes myght be greuyd / that they must for faute of good rewle tarye. but they ought to goo and come hastely for to re­porte to their maysters answers as hit apert [...]yneth. and chise suffysen of the thynges aboue sayd.

[Page]right hygh / and therfore made the philosopher the bordeur more hygh than the tablier. and as the blessyd Saynt Iherome sayth vpon the prophesie of ysaye / that is to wete vpon a mounteyn of obscurete. whiche wordes were sayd of babylone whiche standeth in caldee / & no thyng of that babylone that stondeth in egypt· for it is so that babilone whiche stondeth in caldee was sette in a right grete playn And had so hygh walles that by the heyght of them was contynuel derknes enuyronned and obscurete. that none erthly man myght beholde and see the ende of the highnes of the walle. and therfore ysaye callyd hit the montaigne obscure / And saynt Iherome saith that the mesure of the heyght of this walle was thre thousand paas. whiche extendeth vnto the lengthe of thre myle lombardes / hit is to wete that lombarde mylis and englissh myles ben of one lengthe / and in one of the corners of thys cyte was made a tour treangle as a shelde / wherof the heyght extended vnto the lengthe of vij thousand paas / which is seuen myle englissh / and thys toure was called the tour of babel the walles about the toure made a woman whos name was semyramis as sayth virgilius / As to the thyrd wherfore the comyn peple ben sette tofore the nobles in the felde of the batayl in one renge / first for as moche as they ben necessarye to al nobles / For the rook whiche stondeth on the right side and is vycayr of the kyng what may he doo yf the labourer were not sette tofore hym & laboured to mynystre to hym suche temporel thynges as be necessa­rie for hym / And what may the knyght do yf he ne had tofore hym the s [...]nyth for to forge his armours· sadellys [Page] axys and syeres & suche thynges as ap [...]rteyneth to hym· And what is a knyght worth wythout hors and armes / cert [...]ynly no thyng more than one of the peple or lasse pera [...] / and in what maner shold the nobles ly [...]e yf no man made cloth and bought and solde marchandyse And what shold kynges and quenes and the other lordes doo yf they had no physiciens ne surgyens / Than I say that the peple ben the glorye of the crowne and susteyne the lyf of the nobles. And therfore thou that art a lord or a noble man or knyght / despyse not the comyn people for as moche as they ben sette tofore the in the [...]saye The second cause is why the peple ben sette tofore the nobles and haue the table voyde tofore them to be cause [...] begynne the bataylle / they ought to take hede and [...] to do theyr offyces and theyr craftes / in suche weyse [...] they suffre the noble men to gouerne the cytees and [...] counceylle & make ordenaunces of the peple & of the bataylle. how shold a labourer a plow man or a crafty man counceyl and make ordenaunce of suche thynges as he neuer lerned. and wote ne knoweth the ma [...]e [...] v [...]o [...] what thyng the counceyl ought to be taken / Certes the comyn peple ought not to entende to none other thyng but for to do their seruyce and the offyce whiche is couenable vnto he [...] / and hit apporteyneth not to hem to be of counceyls ne at the [...] ocacions / ne to menace ne to threte no man / for ofte tymes by menaces and by force good counceyl i [...] [...] troubled / and whore good counceyl faylleth. there of to tymes the cytees ben betrayed and destr [...]d / And plato sayth that the comyn thynges and the cyteees

siege of his royament / for whan be wyl meue hym. he ought no [...] to passe at the first draught the nombre of iij p [...]yntes & whan he begynneth thus to meue from his whyt poynt / he hath the nature of the rookes of the right side & of the lift for to goo black or whyt. & also he may goo vnto the whyt poynt where the gardes of the cyte ben sette / & in this poynt he hath the nature of a knyght / & thise two maners of meuyng aperteyneth otherwhile to the quene / & for as moche as the kyng & the quene that be conioyned to geder by mariage ben one thyng as one flesshe & blood / therfore may the kyng meue on the lift side of his propre poynt also wel as he were sette in the place of the quene whiche is black / & whan he goeth right in maner of the rook onely & hit happen that the aduersary be not couerd in ony poynte in the second ligne / the kyng may not passe from his black poynt vnto the thyrd ligne / & thus he fortiseth the nature of the rook on the right side and lift side vnto the place of the knyghtes / And for to goo right tofore in to the whyt poynt tofore the marchaunt· and the kyng also sortist the nature of the knyghtes whan he goeth on the right side in two maners. for he may put hym in the voyde space tofore the phisicien / & in the black space tofore the tauerner. & on the other side he goeth in to other two places in like wyse that is tofore the smyth / and the notarye / & thus as in goyng out first in to four poyntes he sorteth the nature of knyghtes / And also the kyng sortyseth the nature of the olphyns at hys fyrst yssue in to two places. and he may goo on boothe sydes vnto the whyte place voyde / that one tofore the smyth on that one side / and that other [Page] tofore the tauerner on that other side. al these yssues hath the kyng out of his proper place of his owne vertu whan he begynneth to meue. but whan he is ones meuyd fro his propre place. he may not meue but in to one space or poynt and so from one to another / And than he fortiseth the nature of the comyn peple / And thus by good right he hath in hym self the nature of al / For al the virtue that is in the membris comyth of the heed / And al meuyng of the body. The begynnyng and lyf cometh from the herte And al the dygnyte that the subgettis haue by execusion and continuel apparence of theyr meuyng and yssue· the kyng deteyneth hit and is attribued to hym. the victorye of the knyghtes. the prudence of the Iuges [...] the auctorate of the vycayrs or legates. the contynence of the quene / the concorde and vnyte of the people / so ben alle thise thynges ascribed vnto the honour & worshyp of the kyng / in his yssue whā he meuyth first / the iij ligne tofore the peple he neuer excedyth. for in the third nombre alle maner of states begynne to meue· For the teynary nombre conteyneth thre parties. whyche make a perfect nom­bre / For a trynarye nombre hath j ij iij / whiche [...]oymed to gider maketh vj / which is the first parfit nombre· and signefieth in this place / vj persones named that constitute the perfeccion of a royame· that is to wete the kyng the quene Iuges knyghtes vicairs or legates. & the comyn peple / & therfore the kyng ought to begynne in his first meuyng of iij poyntes / that he shewe perfeccion of lyf as wel in hym self as in other / after the kyng begynneth to meue he may lede with hym the quene / after y^e maner of his issue

The second chappitre of the fourth book of the quene & how she yssueth out of her place capitulo. ter [...]io

wHan the quene whiche is accompanyed vnto the kyng begynneth to meue from her proper place / she goeth in double manere / that is to wete as an alphyn whan she is black / she may goo on the right side & come in to the poynt tofore the notarye / & on the lift side in the black poynt and come tofore the gardes of the cyte. and hit is to wete that she sortiseth in her self the nature in iij maners first on the right side tofore the alphyn. secondly on the lift side where the knyght is· & thirdly Indirectly vnto the black poynt tofore the phisicien. And the reason [Page] why / is for as moche as she [...]ath in his self by grace / the auctorite that the rookes haue by cōmyscion. for she may gyue and graunte many thynges to her subgettis graci­ously / and thus also ought she to haue perfyt wysedom as the alphyns haue whiche ben Iuges / as hit is sayd aboue in the chappytre of the quene. and she hath not the nature of knyghtes· and hit is not sittyng ne couenable thyng for a woman to goo to bataylle for the fragylite & feblenes of her / and therfore holdeth she not the waye in her draught as the knyghtes doon. & whan she is me [...]yd ones out of her place she may not goo but fro one poynte to another. and yet couertly whether hit be forwarde or bacward takyng or to be taken· and here may be axyd why the quene goeth to the bataylle wyth the kyng / cerceynly it is for the solace of hym / and ostencion of loue And also the peple desire to haue successyon of the kyng / and therfore the tartaris haue their wyues in to the felde with hem yet hit is not good that men haue theyr wyues wyth hem / but that they abyde in the cytees or wythin theyr owne termys. For whan they been out of theyr cytees & lymytes they ben not sure / but holden suspecte they shold be shamefast and holde al men suspect. For dyna Iacobs doughter as longe as she was in the hows of her brethern she kept her vyrgynyte / but assone as she wente for to see the straunge regyone / anone she was corupt & defowled of the sone of sichem / Seneks sayth that the women that haue euyl vysages ben gladly not chaste / but theyr corage desyreth gladly the companye of men / and solinus sayth that no bestys femeles desire to be touched of their males [Page] whan they haue conceyuyd / exept woman whiche ought to be a beste resonable. and in this caas she lefith her rayson / & sidr [...]c witnessith the same. & therfore in the olde lawe· the faders had dyuerse wyues and ancellis to thends whan one was with childe. they myght take another· they ought to haue the visage enclyned for teschewe the sight of the men. that by the sight they be not meuyd with Inconty­neyce & dyffame of other / and ouyde sayth that there ben sōme that how wel that they eschewe the dede· yet haue they grete ioye whan they be prayed / & therfore ought the good women fle the curiositees & places where they myght falle in blame & noyse of the peple /

The fourth chappytre of the fourth book of the issuyng of the alphyn capitulo quarto

[Page]tHe manere and nature of the draught of the al­phyn in suche that he that is black in his propre sie­ge is sette on the right side of the kyng / and he that is whyt is sette on the lift side / and ben callyd and named black and whyt / but for no cause that they be so in sub­staunce of her propre colour / but for the colour of the places in whiche they ben sette / and alwey be they black or whyt whan they ben sette in theyr places· the alphyn on the right side. goyng out of his place to the right syde ward cometh tofore the labourer / and hit is reason that the Iuge ought to deffende and kepe the labourers and pos­sessyons whiche ben in his Iurisdyccion by al right and lawe / And also he may goo on the lift side to the voyde place tofore the phisicien / for like as the physiciens haue the charge to hele the Infirmytees of a man· In like wise haue the Iuges charge [...]to appese all stryues & contencions and reduse vnto vnyte and to punysshe and correcte causes crymynels. the lift alphyn hath also two wayes fro his owne place one toward the right side vnto the black space voyde tofore the marchaunt· For the marchauntes nede ofte tymes counceyl and been in debate of questyons whiche must nedes be determyned by the Iuges and that other yssue is vnto the place tofore the rybauldes & that is by cause that ofte tymes among them falle noyses [...] dyscencions thefte & manslaughter / wherfore they ought to be punysshed by the Iuges / & ye shal vnderstonde that the alphyn goeth alwey cornerwyse fro the thyrd poynt to the thyrd poynt / kepyng alwey his owne siege / for yf be be black / he goeth alwey black [...] and yf he be whyt he goeth

and hit is wel reson that whan the labourer and husbondman hath laboured the feldes. the knyghtes ought to kepe them to the [...] that they haue vitailles for them self & theyr horses / The second yssue is that he may moue hym vnto the black sp [...]ce tofore the notarye or draper / for he is bounden to deffende and kepe them that make hys vestementes & couertours necessarye vnto hys body. The thyrd yssue is that he may goo on the lift side in to the place tofore the marchaunt whiche is sette tofore the kyng the whiche is black· and the reson is for as moche as he ought and is holden to deffende the kyng as wel as his owne persone / whan he passyth the first draught· he may goo four weyes / and whan he is in the myddes of the ta­blier he may goo in to viij places sondry / to whiche he may venne / and in like wyse may the lift knyght goo whiche is black and goeth out of his place in to whyt / And in that maner goeth the knyght fightyng by his myght / & g [...]oweth and multeplyeth in his poyntes / and ofte tymes by them the felde is wonne or lost / a knyghtes vertue and myght is not knowen but by his fightyng / And in his fightyng he doeth moche harme for as moche as his myght extendeth in to so many poyntes / they ben in many parellis in theyr fightyng. and whan they escape they haue the honour of the game. & thus is hit of euery man the more vallyant / & the more honoured / and he that m [...]keth hym self ofte tymes shyneth clerest.

¶The sixte chappytre of the fourth tract [...]se tr [...]th of the yssue of the mostes and of her progressyon capitulo vj

THe moeuyng & yssue of the rookes whiche ben vy [...] cayrs of the kynge is suche / that the right rook is black & the lift rook is whyt / and whan the chesse ben setes as wel the nobles as the comyn peple first in theyr propre places· the rookes by theyr propre vertu haue no waye to yssue but yf hit be maad to them by the nobles [...]e comyn peple / For they been enclosid in theyr propre sieges

And the reson why is suche. that for as moche as they ben vycayrs lieuetenaunted or cōmyssyoners of the kyng theyr auctorite is of none effect tofore they yssue out /

[Page]And that they haue begonne to euhaunce their offyce / for as longe as they be wythin the palays of the kyng. so longe may they not vse ne execute theyr cōmyssyon· but anone as they yssue they may vse theyr auctorite / and ye shal vnderstonde that theyr auctorite is grete / For they represente the persons of the kyng / and therfore where the [...]ablier is voyde they may renne alle the tablier· in lyke [...]oys [...] as they goon thrugh the royame / and they may goo a [...] wel whyt as black as wel on the right side and lifte as foreward and backward / and as fer may they renne as they fynde the tablier voyde· whether hit be of his aduer­saries as of his owen felawshyp. and whan the rook is in the myddel of the tablier / he may goo whiche way he wyl in to four right lignes on euery syde. and it is to wete that he may in no wyse goo cornerwyse / but alwey right forth geyng and comyng as afore is sayd. wherfore al the subgettis of the kyng as wel good as euyl ought to knowe by theyr moeuyng that the auctorite of the vy­cayrs and cōmyssyoners ought to be veray trewe rightwys and Iuste / and ye shal vnderstande that they ben strange and vertuous in bataylle. for the two wokes onely may vaynquysshe a kyng theyr aduersarye and take hym. and take from hym his lyf and his royame / and this was doon whan Cirus kyng of perse and Darius kyng of medes slewe balthazar and took his royame from hym. whiche was neuewe to enylmoradach vnder whom thys game was founden.

¶The vij chappytre of the fourth book of the yssue of the comyn peple capitulo septimo

ONe yssue and one moeuyng apperteyneth vnto all the comyn peple / for they may goo fro the poynt they stande in at the first meuyng vnto the third poynt ryght forth tofore them / and whan they haue so doon they may afterward meue nomore but fro one poynt right forth in to another. And they may neuer retorne [...]ward. and thus goyng forth fro poynt to poynt· they may gete by vertue and strength [...]. that thynge that the other nobles fynde by dygnyte / and yf the knyghtes and other no­bles helpe hem that they come to the ferthest signe tofore them where theyr aduersaryes were sette they acquyre the dignyte that the quene hath graunted to her by grace /

For yf ony of them may come to thys sayd signe yf he be whyt as labourer draper / phisicie [...]. or kepar of the cite been they reteyne suche dignyte as the quene hath / for they haue goten hit / & than retornyng agayn homeward / they may go [...]ke as it is sayd in the chappitre of the quene / and yf ony of the pawnes that be black· as the smyth· the mar­chaunt / the tauerner / & ribaulde may come without dōmage in to the same vtterest signe / he shal gete by his vertu the dygnyte of the black quene / & ye shal vnderstonde / whan thyse comune peple moue right forth in her signe / & fynde ony noble persone or of the peple of their aduersaries sette in the poynt on ony side tofore hym / In that corner poynte he may take his aduersarye whether hit be on the right side or on the lift / & the cause is that the aduersaries b [...]n sus­pecious that the comyn peple lye in a wayte to noble her goodes or to take her persones whā they go vpward right forth. and therfore he may take in the right angle to [...]e [...] hym one of his aduersaryes / as he had espied his persone and in the right angle as robber of his goodes· & whether hit be goyng forward or retornyng fro black to whyt / or whyt to black / the pawne must alwey goo in his right signe / & alwey take in the corner that he fyndeth in his waye but he may not goo on neyther side til he hath been in the fardest signe of theschequer / & that he hath taken the nature of the draughtes of the quene / & than he is a fiers· and than he may goo on al sides cornerwyse fro poynt to poynt onely as the quene both fightyng & takyng whom he fyndith in his waye. And whan he is thus comen vnto the place where the nobles his aduersaries were sette he shal [Page] be made whit fiers and black fiers / after the poynte that he is in / & there taketh he the dygnyte of the quene. & alle these thynges may appere to them that beholden the playe of the chesse / and ye shal vnderstonde that no noble man ought to haue despyte of the comyn peple for hit hath seen ofte tymes seen· that by their vertu and wytte / dyu [...]rce of them haue comen to right hygh & grete asta [...] as p [...]pe [...] bysshops / emperours and kynges / as we haue in the h [...]esrye of dauyd that was made kyng of a shepherd and [...] of the comyn peple & of many other / and in lyke wise we rede of the contrarye / that many noble men haue been brought to myserye by theyr defaulte / as of gyges [...] wrought riche of landes and of richessis [...] was so [...] that he went and demaunded of the god appollo [...] were ony in the world more riche and more [...] was / and than he herde a voys that yssued out of [...] fosse or pitte of the sacrefisee / that a peple camed aga [...]a [...] [...] sophide whiche were poure of goodes & riche of cor [...]g [...] [...] more acceptable than he whiche was kyng & thus the [...] appollo alowed more the sapyence and the surece of the poure man & of his sitel meyne / than he dyd the cleare and the persone of gyges ne of his riche mayne and his is more to alowe a lytyl thyng scurly poursewed then [...] moche good taken in sere and drede / and for as moche as a man of lowe lignage is by his vertue enhauused· so moche the more he ought to be glorious and of good rend mee. Virgyle that was borne in lombardye of the nacion of man [...]a and was of lowe and symple lignage / yet he was souerayn in wysdom and science & the most noble [Page] of al the poyntes of whom the renomee was / is and shal be duryng the world. so hit happend that another / [...]oe [...] axyd and demaunded of hym wherfore he sette not the versis of homere in his book and he answerd that he shold be of right grete strengthe and force that shold p [...]icke the clubbe out of hercules handes / and thys suffiseth the state and draughtis of the comyn peple /

The viij chappytre and the last of the fourth book of the epylogacion and recapytulacion of thys book capitulo viij

[Page]FOr as moche as we see and knowe that the memorye of the peple is not retentyf but right forgeteful whan some here longe talis and historyes whiche they can not al reteyne in her mynde or recorde. Therfore I haue put in thys present chappytre al the thynges abouesayd as shortly as I haue cōne / first this playe or game was foū den in the tyme of enylmerodach kyng of babylone / And excerses the philosopher other wyse named philometer foūde hit / and the cause why was for the correccion of the kyng lyke as hit apperith in thre the first chappytres· For the sayd kyng was so tyrānous & feloun that he myght suffer no correccion / but slewe them and dyd do put hem to deth that correctid hym· and had than doo put to deth many right wyse men / than the peple beyng sorouful and right euyl plesid of this euyl lyf of the kyng prayed and requyred the phylosopher· that he wold reprise and telle the kyng of his folye / and than the philosopher answerd that he shold be dede yf he so dyde· and the peple sayd to hym / certes thou oughtest sōner wylle to dye to thende that thy renome myght come to the peple. than the lyf of the kyng shold cōtynue in euyl for lacke of thy coūceil. or by fau [...]e of reprehension of the. or thou d [...]rist not doo & shewe / that thou sayest. & whan the philosopher herde thys he promysid to the peple that he wold put hym in deuoyr to correct hym And thenne he began to thynke hym in what maner he myght escape the deth and stepe to the people his promesse And thenne thus he maad in thys maner and ordeyg­ned the eschequer of lxiiij poyntes as is afore sayde / And dyd do make the forme of chequers of gold & siluer [Page] in humayn figure after the [...]acions & formes as we haue dyuysid & she wid to you tofore in theyr chappytres / & ordeyned the moeuyng & thestate after that / it is sayd in the chappitres of theschessys / & whan the pyhlosophre had thus ordeyned the playe or game. & that hit plesid alle them that sawe hit / on a tyme as the philosopher played on hit the kyng came and sawe hit and desired to playe at this game / And thenne the phylosopher began densigne and teche the kyng the science of the playe and the draughtes / Sayeng to hym first how the kyng ought to haue in hym self pyte debonayrte and rightwysnes / as hit is sayd tofore in the chappytre of the kyng / And he enseygned to hym the astate of the quene and what maners she ought to haue / And thenne of the alphyns as counceyllours and Iuges of the wyame /

And after the nature of the knyghtes / how they ought to be wyse. trewe and curtoys and al the ordre of knyght hode / And than after the nature of the vycayrs and Rookes as hit apperyth in theyr chappytre / And after thys how the comyn people ought to goo [...]che in his offyce And how they ought to serue the nobles. And whan the phylosopher had thus taught and enseygned the kynge and his nobles by the maner of the playe and had reprehendyd hym of his euyl maners. The kyng demaunded hym vpon payn of deth to telle hym the cause why and wherfore he had made and founden thys playe / and game / And what thyng mouyd hym therto / and than the phylosopher constrayned by fere & drede answerd. that he had promysed to the people whyche had requyryd hym [Page] that [...] and [...] the kyng of his euyl ve [...] [...] as [...]ache as he [...] the [...] had [...] that the kyng dyd [...] the saged & [...] that were so h [...]rdy to [...] me hym of hi [...] vyces. he was in grete an­ [...] and [...]we / ho [...] he myght fynde a maner to cor­recte and rep [...]ende the kyng. and to saue his owen lyf and thus he thought [...] studyed that he fond this game or playe. which be [...]ath do sette forth for to amende and correcte the lyf of the kyng and to chaunge his ma­ners. and he adiouseyd wyth al that he had founden thys game for so m [...] [...] the lordes and nobles habeundyng in de [...]ices and [...]ichess [...]. and enioyeng temporal [...]es shold eshewe ydelnes by playeng of thys game. and for to gyue hem cause to [...]e [...]e her pen [...]nes and [...]o [...]wes. in auys [...]ng and studyng ch [...] game / and whan the kyng had herde al thyse causes he thought that the philosopher had founde a good maner of correccion & than he thankyd hym grecely and thus by then signement and lernyng of the philosopher. he chaunged his lyf his maners and alle his euyll condicions / and by this maner hit happend that the kyng that tofore tyme had ben vycious and disordynate in hys lyuyng was made Iuste and vertuous / debonayr / gracious and ful of vertues vnto al peple. And a man that lyuyth in thys world without vertues lyueth not as a man but as a bes [...]e. Thenne late euery man of what condycion he be that redyth or herith this litel book redde· take [...]erby ensaumple to amende hym·