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 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 of money 〈…〉 by the 〈…〉 ye that alle they 〈…〉 signified by this peple ought to 〈◊〉 auarice and coâ—â—tyse and eschewe brekyng of the â—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 iâ— 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 that thâ—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 demauÌ„ded 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 auÌ„cient 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 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 soÌ„me of golde and had hyd hit in the erthe in a pytte wyth in her how 's / whan she was deed / the bisshop dyd do burye her in the chirche wel and honestly / and anone after this gold was fouÌ„den 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 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 â—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 th ende 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
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 â–ª And the barons knyghtes and gentilmen of his court playe wyth the phylosopher / he merueylled gretly of the beauâ—â—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 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 bebeloâ—yd of thy peple Thus than I desire that thou haue other gouernement theÌ„ne thou hast had that thou haue vpon thy self first seignâ—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 wheÌ„ he can not rewle neâ— 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 thy body as grete as is thy heâ—â—e Alle the world 〈◊〉 not holde the for thou holdest in thy right hâ—nd al tâ—â—â—â—yent / and in thy lifte honde the oâ—cedent sith than het is â—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 iâ— theyres Yf thou be a man / thynke that thou shalt dye and than thou shalt doâ—â—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 byâ—de eâ—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 gretâ— 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 〈…〉 put out his ofâ—en â—yn / For as moch as he 〈…〉 haue the â—â—liâ—e enâ—â—â—dâ—ment and vnderstâ—ndyng â—â—ng haue ben maâ—e blynde that were grete câ—eâ—â—is in 〈◊〉 wyse as has dedimus bysshop of oâ—â—â—andrie that how wel that he faâ—â—e not yet he was so grete a clerke / that gregore nazciz and saynt Ierome that were clerkes and maystâ—â—â— to other cam for to be his sooâ—es and lernyd of hym And saynt anthonye the grete herâ—yce aâ—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 mâ—â—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 pensifneâ— and thoughtes and do thynke onely on this playe as shal be sayd and appere in this / book after 〈…〉 first chapiter treâ—eth of 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 estate Capitulo 〈◊〉 TThe kynge must be thus maad for he must sytâ—e in a chayeâ— clothyd in purpure / câ—â—â—ed on his heed in his right hond a ceptre and in the lift â—onde on apple of golde / for he is the most grettest and hyest in dygnyte as loue al other and most wâ—ethy And that is signyfyed by the â—â—â—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 Foâ— in like wyse as the roâ—ee of purpure maketh fayr and enâ—eâ—â—ssheth the body the same wyse vertues makyth that â—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 â— 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
octouâ—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 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 caâ—tâ—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 flesh of she chikyns stanke / and whan so was that they of longrye wold haue enforced and defowled â—nâ—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 â—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 coÌ„masidementis good sawes to enforme 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 â—â—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 thâ—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 demosâ—ene demauÌ„ded of aristodone how moche 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 periloâ—â— doÌ„megeable 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 coÌ„maundement 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 comyn wele perisshed /
And vilerius saith that deboneyrte percyth the hertes of straungers / and amolissheth and makyth softe the hertes of his enemyes wherof he reherâ—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 â—â—on to his doughter to hym self yet more This prynce had also a frende that was â—â—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 â—â—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◠〈…〉 so to dodo / The next day 〈…〉 of the right grete vylonye that he had 〈…〉 lord without cause / He fyl in dyspayâ— and 〈…〉 hym self / whan the due knewe and vnderstâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 he cam to hym and said ne doubte the no thyng and â—â—re to hym by hys faith / that also wel he was and sâ—â—â— he his frend fro theÌ„ forthon as euer he had ben before yf he wold / and thus he respited hym of his deth by his deâ—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 lawâ—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 humyâ—iâ—de and haue falsyte after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally For the kyng in his royame representeth god god is â—rite and therfore hym ought to say no thyng but yf hiâ— were vecryâ—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 alixaÌ„dre herd vnderstood of hes comyng / cam agayn alixander to desire and 〈◊〉 of hym And whan he sowe alixander he supposed to haue â—â—yd his request Alixander broke his demaunde tofore and swore to hym to sort he axid â—ny thyng by his goddes that suche thyng 〈◊〉 he aâ—yd or requyerd of hym he wold 〈◊〉 no wysedom Tâ—enne the phylosopher requyerd hym to destroye 〈◊〉 â—yte whâ—n Alixander vnderstood his desyre the oth that he such maad he suffrid the eyte to stonde and not to be destroyed fforâ—st had leuer not to do his wyll 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—swâ—rn and doo ageynst his oth 〈…〉 that no grete man nâ— lord shold not 〈◊〉 But where as is grete neâ—â— and that the symple 〈◊〉 or werde of a prynce oughe to be more stable thenne 〈◊〉 of a mateâ—â—unt / Alas who kepe the prynces their 〈…〉 dayre / not onely her promyses but their 〈◊〉 see seâ—â—â—e and wrytynges and signes of theyr proâ—◠〈◊〉 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 bâ—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 that wâ—â— so cruel a tyraunt that he defâ—â—ed in no thynge but in cruelte And 〈…〉 hym the 〈◊〉 of the â—ole Then phiâ—â—â—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 ouâ—de there is no thyng more resonable thenne that a man dye of suche deth an he purchaseth vnto other Also the kyng ought souâ—â—raynly kepe Iustyce / who maketh or keâ—â—â—t a 〈◊〉 with out Iustyce of 〈◊〉 soâ—â—e there must be grete 〈◊〉 thefte Therfore reâ—â—erth Saynt Augustyn 〈◊〉 book whyche is intituled the cyte of god that there was a theef of the see named deomedes that was a gâ—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 â—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 â—â—eeâ— But for as moche as thou doost in many shyppys and wyth grete puyssaunce and power Therfore arâ—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 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 whâ—n a man taketh other theÌ„ne his proper wyf / and that see
â—are that they chaunge not ofte tymes her offycers / Iosephus rehercith that the frendes of Tyberius meruaylled moche why he helde his officeâ—rs so longe in theyr offycers â—â—yth out chaunchyng And they demauÌ„des 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 saâ—de vpon the sores and souked hys blood that hit was meruayle to see· wherfore I smote chaced them away / and he than sayd â—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 â—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 worâ—hy to reigne / specially whan he suffred that lecherys and â—â—yde to haue seignorye in hym / he suffrid hit paciently / And answerd none otherwyse but that he wold correctâ— hym self / And take better maners and more honeste / also hit iâ— reâ—â—â—cid that Iulyus Cesar was ballyd wherof he had displasir so grete that he kempt hys heerâ—s that laye on the after poets of his heed forward for to hyâ—e the bare tofore Thâ—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 soÌ„ner 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 nomorâ— but a couetyne / and than he sayd make an ende of your euyl langage lest the kyng here you· for 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 â—â—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 playsiâ— / 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 pâ—este I helde no thyng to my self that I myght say this is myn saue onely the surname of affrique Ner 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 how 's 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 how 's 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 scaÌ„ where he sayth / that they ben felons ayenst god / contrarye to holy thynges / trayters one to that other Enuyous to her neyghbours prâ—ud vnto straungers rebell and vntrewe vnto their souerayns / not suffryng to them that â—â—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
/ 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 ordenauÌ„ce 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 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 specially they that 〈◊〉 maysters and maâ—â—â—nâ—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 aduocateâ— sâ—â—yueâ—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 He must be made like a man that holdeth in his right hand a payr of sheâ—s / or forcettis / and in the lyfâ— hand a grete knyf and on his gurdel a pâ—nner an yâ—â—â—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 shâ—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 soÌ„me 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 / 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
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 customauÌ„ce 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 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 â— 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 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 thâ— 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 this kyng was so ful of tyrannye and so cruel that alle the world desired his deth and cursid hym Sâ—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 demauÌ„ded 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 chapâ—itre of the third book 〈…〉 of the fouâ—th paâ—â— 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
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 bâ—n suspecious that the comyn peple lye in a wayte to noble her goodes or to take her persones whaÌ„ they go vpward right forth and therfore he may take in the right angle to â—eâ—â— 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 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 / dyuâ—rce of them haue comen to right hygh grete astaâ—â— as pâ—â—peâ— bysshops / emperours and kynges / as we haue in the hâ—â—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 richessisâ— 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 agaâ—aâ—â—â—sophide whiche were poure of goodes riche of corâ—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 thenâ—â—â— 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 manâ—â—a and was of lowe and symple lignage / yet he was souerayn in wysdom and science the most noble of al the poyntes of whom the renomee was / is and shal be duryng the world so hit happend that another / â—oeâ— 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 pâ—â—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 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 coÌ„ne / first this playe or game was fouÌ„den in the tyme of enylmerodach kyng of babylone / And excerses the philosopher other wyse named philometer fouÌ„de 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 tyraÌ„nous 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 soÌ„ner wylle to dye to th ende that thy renome myght come to the peple than the lyf of the kyng shold coÌ„tynue in euyl for lacke of thy couÌ„ceil or by fauâ—â—e of reprehension of the. or thou dâ—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 in humayn figure after the â—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 â—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 that 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 the kyng of his euyl veâ—â—◠〈◊〉 as â—â—ache as he 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 had 〈◊〉 that the kyng dyd 〈◊〉 the saged 〈…〉 that were so hâ—rdy to 〈◊〉 me hym of hiâ— vyces he was in grete anâ—â—â— and â—â—â—we / hoâ—â— he myght fynde a maner to correcte and repâ—â—â—ende the kyng and to saue his owen lyf and thus he thought 〈◊〉 studyed that he fond this game or playe which be â—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 mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the lordes and nobles habeundyng in deâ—ices and â—ichessâ—â— and enioyeng temporal â—â—es shold eshewe ydelnes by playeng of thys game and for to gyue hem cause to â—eâ—â—e her penâ—â—â—nes and â—oâ—â—wes in auysâ—ng and studyng châ—â— 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 besâ—e Thenne late euery man of what condycion he be that redyth or herith this litel book redde· take â—â—erby ensaumple to amende hym· Explicit per Caxton