And vilerius saith that deboneyrte percyth the hertes of straungers / and amolissheth and makyth softe the hertes of his enemyes wherof he reherâth 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 ââon to his doughter to hym self yet more This prynce had also a frende that was ââmed 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 ââatchid 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 theâ ãâ¦ã so to dodo / The next day ãâ¦ã of the right grete vylonye that he had ãâ¦ã lord without cause / He fyl in dyspayâ and ãâ¦ã hym self / whan the due knewe and vnderstâââe ãâã he cam to hym and said ne doubte the no thyng and ââre to hym by hys faith / that also wel he was and sâââ 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 deâonayte / 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 lawâe 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 humyâiâde and haue falsyte after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally For the kyng in his royame representeth god god is ârite and therfore hym ought to say no thyng but yf hiâ were vecryâable 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 alixaÌdre herd vnderstood of hes comyng / cam agayn alixander to desire and ãâã of hym And whan he sowe alixander he supposed to haue ââyd his request Alixander broke his demaunde tofore and swore to hym to sort he axid âny thyng by his goddes that suche thyng ãâã he aâyd or requyerd of hym he wold ãâã no wysedom Tâenne the phylosopher requyerd hym to destroye ãâã âyte whân Alixander vnderstood his desyre the oth that he such maad he suffrid the eyte to stonde and not to be destroyed fforâst had leuer not to do his wyll ãâã to be ãâã and âââswârn and doo ageynst his oth ãâ¦ã that no grete man nâ lord shold not ãâã But where as is grete neââ and that the symple ãâã or werde of a prynce oughe to be more stable thenne ãâã of a mateââunt / Alas who kepe the prynces their ãâ¦ã dayre / not onely her promyses but their ãâã see seâââe and wrytynges and signes of theyr proââ ãâã 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 bâole 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 wââ so cruel a tyraunt that he defââed in no thynge but in cruelte And ãâ¦ã hym the ãâã of the âole Then phiâââde here and vnderstood thys ãâã 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 ouâde there is no thyng more resonable thenne that a man dye of suche deth an he purchaseth vnto other Also the kyng ought souââraynly kepe Iustyce / who maketh or keââât a ãâã with out Iustyce of ãâã soââe there must be grete ãâã thefte Therfore reââerth Saynt Augustyn ãâã book whyche is intituled the cyte of god that there was a theef of the see named deomedes that was a gâete ãâ¦ã so moche harme that the complayntes cam tofore ãâã whiche dyd hym to be taken and brought a fore be ãâã And he demaunded hym wherfore he was so ãâ¦ã cruel in the see / And he answad to hym agayn ãâã as moche as thou art âon a londe in the worlde so ãâã another in the see / But for as moche as the euyl that ãâã doo is in oon galey or tweyn therfore I am callyd a ââeeâ But for as moche as thou doost in many shyppys and wyth grete puyssaunce and power Therfore arâe 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 whân a man taketh other theÌne his proper wyf / and that see
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 godachâs 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 daÌpned a man wrongfully and agaynst right / wherfore he dyd hym to be flayn al quyk and made the chayer or siege of 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 th ende 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 remeÌbrid 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 soÌme ben like vnto the nettis of spyncoppis 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 dân 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 coÌnyng 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 seneââe 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 amoÌge artificers ther is no plesauÌt rest / but that reson of the Iuges hath maad ordeyned hit therfore angelius saith in / li / atticorum de socrate / that socrates was on a tyme so pensif that in an hobe naturel day / he helde one estate that he ne meued mouth ne eye ne foot ne hand but was as he had ben died or rauysshed / and whan one demauÌded 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 we le / 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 th ende 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 noân 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
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 we le 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 sâurte 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 th ende 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 dysfâme other wyth out cause to grete glorye to hym self also the âepars and offycers of cytees ought to be suche that they ãâ¦ã / And varâ this yâââ ãâ¦ã ymage lyke hym self sâttyng in his magiste and the Iuges whiche were sette / one on the right side and that other on the lift side and vpon the seâcle aboue the heâde of the Iuge on the right side was wreton al they entre sâurely that wyl lyuâ purely and vpon the ãâã 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 ãâ¦ã the eâpreour was ãâã I rââke ãâã lyâe in mysâây that I for lyue dysmesurably / and therfore hit apââteyââth to a Iuge to sbaââe to the peple for do drede and ãâã to do euyl / and hyt aptââââth to the ãâã and offyceâs to ãâã the Iugeâ aââ to doo trewly theyr sâââyâs and offyces / ãâ¦ã âââynce to ãâã the traytours and the maleââc tours of right ãâ¦ã and âârof we fyrââ in the âââcient histories of ãâ¦ã the kyng ââys had a ãâ¦ã he lâuyde the wât / ãâã alwey his hand to the ãâã had no more regarde vnto his ãâã / he sayd to hym ãâ¦ã not ãâã ye not âââsid / say yf ye seââ any thyng otherwyse than ãâã and wel and he answerd see as ãâã as I seâ thys sharpe sweâââ âângyng so sâbâtilly perââsly ouer âyn hede I ãâã wel that I aââ not ãâã / for I drede that hit shold falle on my hede ⪠thenne dyscâââed the kyng vnto hem aâ wherfore he was alwey so heuy chârid tryste· For where he ãâã he thought alwey on the swerd of the secrete vengaunce of goâ whyâh he behelde alwey in his herte / wherfore he had alwey in hym sâeÌf grete dââde / 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 herâf sayth ââyntâââaâ that thys drede furmounteth alle other maâââtres and euylles / for it is maoâturis 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 seruauÌtes that dredyth his seruauntes / and truly hit is a right sure thyng to drede no thyng but god somtyme right hardy men ben coÌstrayned to lyue in drede / drede causith a man to be besy to kepe the thynges that be coÌmysed 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 thaÌ they ought to haue by reson nâ that they take of the sellars ne of the byars no more thaÌ the right custume for they here the name of a persone And therfore ought they to shewe them comune to alle men / and for as moche as the ãâã and fellars haue sent tyme moche langage they ought to haue wyth them these vertues that is to were pacience· and good doâage wyth honeste / for they that ben despytous to the concerne / ãâã otherwhile had in vylayne despite· therfore âe âaâe that thou haue no despyte vnto the poure mendyâants yf thou wylt come and atteyne to thynges souemyn / for the Iâiurye that is doon wyth out cause / târneth 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 ãâã and watre And the philosophârs blamed hym that he coude not gouerne twe women / that was his wyf and his chaumberer / and shewyd hym that one ââke 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 / 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 prouerââe· 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
octouâan 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 caâtâuus 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 ânâne 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 âedy 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 coÌmasidementis 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 âârsus a romayn of grete renomee saith thus that whan ãâã 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 thân 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 demosâene demauÌded 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 periloââ doÌmegeable 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 coÌmaundement 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 /
his squyer had deceyued the kyng and the watchemen / whom the kyng coÌmaunded 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 soÌme 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 moche worshyp and honour / For they haue ben trewe to theyr lord wherfore the kyng gaf hem a grete lawââ 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 duâ / 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 theÌne 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 siââââ 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 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 / â 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 we le / 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 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 âayllage 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 ãâã 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 hym self and put hit in his bosom or sleuys wherof he was accusid vnto the kyng / After dyner theÌne 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 vâissel 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
âare that they chaunge not ofte tymes her offycers / Iosephus rehercith that the frendes of Tyberius meruaylled moche why he helde his officeârs so longe in theyr offycers ââyth out chaunchyng And they demauÌdes 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 ãâã and many flyes saâde vpon the sores and souked hys blood that hit was meruayle to see· wherfore I smote chaced them away / and he than sayd âo 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 âon 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 worâhy to reigne / specially whan he suffred that lecherys and ââyde 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 reâââcid that Iulyus Cesar was ballyd wherof he had displasir so grete that he kempt hys heerâs that laye on the after poets of his heed forward for to hyâe the bare tofore Thân 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 ãâã 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 soÌner 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 ââte 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 pâeste 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 prâud vnto straungers rebell and vntrewe vnto their souerayns / not suffryng to them that ââly of lower degree than they no thyng shamefast to ãâ¦ã 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 deceyuââres / 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 guerdoneâ 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 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 ãâã 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 âe rede of the same Iulyus cesar in the book of trupheâ of philosophers / that there was an auncient knyght of his that was in parâlle of a âaas 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 vycayâ 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 prâprâ persone for to be his aduocate and to plâte his cause for hym he wold not haue the name of vnkyndenes But doubted that men shold say that he were prâude· 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 âolâes The iij tanciate of the offices of the comyn ãâã the ãâ¦ã is of the offyce of the ãâã ãâ¦ã 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 ãâ¦ã this maner of ãâã fâgââd ââght ãâ¦ã in the ãâã and shâpe of a man holdyng in his ãâ¦ã at shouââ and a more in the lyft hââd the ãâ¦ã is for ãâ¦ã and labour therwyth the ãâ¦ã the redde is for to dayââ and coueââyâ wyth al the ââstys vnto her pasture / also he ought to haue on hys ãâ¦ã for to ãâã of the superfluytees of the vignes and tââs / And we rede in the bible that the first labourer that ouâr was was caym the first sone of adaÌ 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 âheââyt 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 soÌme 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 hit mââst ãâ¦ã with the hands of ãâã for as moche as the cuthe is ãâã of al thynges and that we were first formed took ãâã ââgymyng of the ãâã the same wyse at the last she shal be the ãâ¦ã al ãâã to al thynges god that formed vs of the ãâã hath ordeyned that by the labour of men she shold gyue adââtysshyng vnto al that lyueth / first the ãâã of ââârch ought to knowe his god that formed miââ hââây ââthe 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
aungellys in to his how 's right debonayrly· whiche he had supposid had ben mortal men and straungers / to th ende 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 th ende 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 coÌmysed 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 how 's and also suche hostes ought to holde seruauntes in theyr how 's whiche shold be trewe with out auarice / in suche wyse that they coueyte not to 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 thoâmusion 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 lodgyâ 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 mââe that the yonge man âare· 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 ãâã kyng âten / the same I say of the women as chaumberers and dapsters / for sembleââe caas fyl in spâââ 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 ãâã ââteth of lieâââ of townes / customes âtoââ gaâââs capitulo vij tHe gardes and kepââs 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 costumes toâes / scâwage / pââgââ / and duetâââ of the cyââes and townes / and âyse peple ben sette by right tofore the knyght and hit behoueth that the gaââââ assyâââ of the townes be taught and ensignad by the knyghte and that they knowe and enquyre hell the citees ãâã
a lyght doun and playe wyth the / and yf thou haue mo pâyâtes than I on thre dyse I promyse the thou shalt haue myn ãâã and thenne he was glad / and anone castâ thre dyse / and on ocle dyse was a sise / whiche made xviij ãâã / and anone he took the horâ by the bâydâ / as he that was scure that he had wonne / and sayd that the horâs was his â 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 vyagâ that is coÌmaunded 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 castellys· and of ââandâ 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 âââyes / and also there be soÌme 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 apertâyneth and chise suffysen of the thynges aboue sayd 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 sânyth for to forge his armours· sadellys axys and syeres suche thynges as apârteyneth to hym· And what is a knyght worth wythout hors and armes / certâynly no thyng more than one of the peple or lasse peraââââââ / and in what maner shold the nobles lyââe 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 âsaye The second cause is why the peple ben sette tofore the nobles and haue the table voyde tofore them to be cause ãâã begynne the bataylle / they ought to take hede and ãâã to do theyr offyces and theyr craftes / in suche weyse ãâã they suffre the noble men to gouerne the cytees and ãâã 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 maâeâ vâoâ 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 heâ / and hit apporteyneth not to hem to be of counceyls ne at the ãâã ocacions / ne to menace ne to threte no man / for ofte tymes by menaces and by force good counceyl iâ ãâã troubled / and whore good counceyl faylleth there of to tymes the cytees ben betrayed and destrâââd / And plato sayth that the comyn thynges and the cyteees siege of his royament / for whan be wyl meue hym he ought noâ to passe at the first draught the nombre of iij pâyntes 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
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 âto 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 noysesâ 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 blackâ 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 ãâã that they haue vitailles for them self theyr horses / The second yssue is that he may moue hym vnto the black spâce 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 / gâoweth 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 mâketh hym self ofte tymes shyneth clerest ¶ The sixte chappytre of the fourth tractâse trâââth of the yssue of the mostes and of her progressyon capitulo vj THe moeuyng yssue of the rookes whiche ben vyâcayrs 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 âe 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 coÌmyssyoners of the kyng theyr auctorite is of none effect tofore they yssue out / 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 coÌmyssyon· 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 âablier is voyde they may renne alle the tablier· in lyke âoysâ as they goon thrugh the royame / and they may goo aâ 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 coÌmyssyoners 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 âââward and thus goyng forth fro poynt to poynt· they may gete by vertue and strengthâ 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 / phisicieâ 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 ââke 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 doÌmage 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