THe holy appostle 〈…〉 saynt 〈…〉 Alle 〈…〉 vnto 〈…〉 Wherfore 〈…〉 that it myght 〈…〉 and vnderstandyng of suche as ben 〈…〉 Of which 〈◊〉 nombre is infenyte / And 〈◊〉 to the sâ—me saith Salomon that she nomber of falâ—e is infenyte And among alle other good werkyes It is a werke of ryght special recomendacion to enforme and to late vnderstonde wysedom and vertue vnto them that be not lerâ—yd ne can not dyscerne wysedom fro solye Thine emonge whom there was an excellent doctour of dyuynyte in the â—â—yame of fraunce of the ordre of thespyâ—ul of Saynt Iohns of Iherusalem whiche enteriâ—d the same and hath made a book of the chesse moâ—alyseâ— whiche at suche tyme as I was resident in brudgys the 〈◊〉 of Flaundres 〈◊〉 to my handes / which when I had redde and 〈◊〉 / ne semed ful necessarye for to be had in englisshe / And in eschewyng of ydlenes And to th ende that some which shue not seeâ— it / ne vnderstonde frenssh ne latyn I delybered in my self to translate it in to our maternal tonge And when I so had achyâ—â—â—d the sayd translacion I dyde doo sette in enprynte a certeyn nombre of theym Whiche anone were depeâ—â—ed and solde wherfore by cause thys sayd book is ful of holsom wysedom any â—â—â—fyeâ— vnto euery astate and degree / I haue purposed to enpeynte it / shewyng therin the figures of suche persons 〈◊〉 longer / to the â—saye In whom of astaâ—e and degrees 〈◊〉 compryseâ— / besechyng al them that this â—â—el wersie shal see 〈◊〉 / or nede to shue me for â—eased see the â—â—de symple makyng and â—dueyn in to 〈◊〉 englisshe / And were as â—â— definite to correcte and amende / and in so doyng they shal deserue meryte and thanke â–ª and I shal pray for them / that god of his grede mercy shal rewarde them in his euerlastyng blisse in heuen / to the whiche he beynge his / that wyth his precious blood redemed vs Amen This book is deuyded and departed in to four traytyes and partyes The first traytye How the playe of the chesse was fyrst sounden and vnder what kyng capitulo j wâ—â— fond first the playe of the chesse capitulo ij Wherfore the play was sounden and maad Capitulo iij The second traytye The forme of a kyng of his maners and estate ca j The fourme maners of a quene ca ij The condicions forme of the alphyns ca iij The ordre of chyualrye or knyghthode hâ—â— offyces and maners capitulo iiij The forme and maner of wokes capitulo v The thyrd traytye The offices maners of laâ—ourers Capitulo j The maner offyce of a smyth capitulo ij Thoffyce of noâ—â—ries / advoâ—â—â—es scâ—â—ners and derepers or clothmakers capitulo iij The maners of marchunies chaungers capitulo iiij The forme of phisiciens sâ—ches spycers and appotycaryes capitulo v Of treuerners hostelers vituillers capitulo vj Of kepers of townes Receyuers of custum and tollenars capitulo vij Of messagers aâ—rours Ryboulees and players at the dyse capitulo viij The fourth traytye Of the chesse lorde in genere how it is made capitulo j The draught of the kyng and how he moueth hym in the eschequer capitulo ij Of the moeuyng of the quene and how she yssueth out of her place capitulo iij Of the yssue of the Alphyns capitulo iiij Of the mouyng of the knyghtes capitulo v Of thyssue of the wostie of the progresse capitulo vj Of thyssue of the comyn peple whom the paâ—â—nes represente capitulo vij Of the epilogacion and recapitulacion of thys book capitulo viij 〈…〉 AMonge alle the euyl condiciâ—â—s a figures that may be 〈◊〉 man the first and the greeâ—est is whan he fereth not neâ—â—ceth to dispose make wooth god by synne the peple by lyuyng disordonatly / whan â—e retcheth not nor taketh hede vnto them that repreue hym and his vyces / But sleeth them In suche wyse as did the emperour new· whiche did do slee his mayster serâ—que / for as moche as he myght not suffre to be â—â—preuyd taught of hym in like wise was soÌ„tyme a kyng in babilon that was named 〈…〉 the sage and wise men of 〈…〉 coâ—â—de not telle hym his 〈◊〉 that he 〈…〉 myght and had forgoten 〈◊〉 as hit 〈…〉 byble in the book of 〈…〉 this kyng thine 〈◊〉 meroâ—â—ch was this game and playe of the chesse 〈◊〉 Trewe it is that some â—â—ch 〈◊〉 that this play was â—â—â—â—an in the tyme of the â—â—aylles and siege of twye But that is not so / For this playe cam to the playes of the Caldees as diomedes the greest saith and reâ—erâ—â—th / that amonge the philosophees was the most renoâ—d playe amonge af other playes And after that cam this playe in the tyme of abâ—andre the greâ—â— into egypt 〈◊〉 so vnto alle the parties toward the south And the cause wherfore this playe was so renomed shal he sayd in the iij chepitre 〈…〉 Capitulo ij â—His playe fonde a phylosopher of theeyent whyche was named in caldee Eversee or in greâ—e philemetor which is as moche to say in englissh as he that â—ouyth Iustyce and mesure / And this philosopher was renomed gretly among the grekes and them of Athenes whyche were good clerkys and phylosophers also renomed of their connyng / This philosopher was so Iust and trewe that he had leuer dye / than to lyue long and be a fals flaterer with the sayd kyng / For whâ—n he behelde the soul syâ—ful lyf of the kyng And that no man durst blame hym For by his grete cruelte he put them al to deth that if plesid hym He put hym self in parel of deth and â—â—iryd â—â—eoâ— rather to dye than lenger to lyue The euyl lyf and disfamed of a kyng is the lyf of a cruel beste and ought not longe to be susteyned / for he destroyeth hym that displesith hym And therfore reherceth valerius that there was a wyse man named theodore 〈◊〉 whom his kyng dyd to hange on the crosse for as moche as he repteuyd hym of hys euyl foul lyf / and alwey as he was in the torment he sayd to the kyng Vpon thy counceyllours and theym that ben clad in thy clothyng and wâ—yâ— were more reson that this torment shold comeâ— for as moche as they dâ—â— not say to the the trouth for to do Iustyse rightwyslye of my self I make no force whether I dye on the lond or on the water or otherwyse / As who sayth he retched not to dye for Iustyce In like wyse as democreon the philosopher put out his owne eyen by cause he wold not see that no good myght come to the euyl and vycious peple wyth cut right / And also desortes the philosophre as he went toward his deth His wyf that folowed after hym sayd that he was dayned to â—th wrongfully theÌ„nâ— he answerd and sayd to her· holde thy pees and be stylle hit is better and more
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
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 sâ—urte of the same â–ª 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 dysfâ—me other wyth out cause to grete glorye to hym self also the â—epars and offycers of cytees ought to be suche that they 〈…〉 / And varâ— this yâ—â—◠〈…〉 ymage lyke hym self sâ—ttyng in his magiste and the Iuges whiche were sette / one on the right side and that other on the lift side and vpon the seâ—cle aboue the heâ—de of the Iuge on the right side was wreton al they entre sâ—urely that wyl lyuâ— purely and vpon the 〈◊〉 of the Iuge on the lift side was wareton the vntrewe man ought to doubte / to doo thyng that he be put to pryson sore / and 〈…〉 the eâ—preour was 〈◊〉 I râ—â—ke 〈◊〉 lyâ—e in mysâ—â—y that I for lyue dysmesurably / and therfore hit apâ—â—teyâ—â—th to a Iuge to sbaâ—â—e to the peple for do drede and 〈◊〉 to do euyl / and hyt aptâ—â—â—â—th to the 〈◊〉 and offyceâ—s to 〈◊〉 the Iugeâ— aâ—â— to doo trewly theyr sâ—â—â—yâ—s and offyces / 〈…〉 â—â—â—ynce to 〈◊〉 the traytours and the maleâ—â—c tours of right 〈…〉 and â—â—rof we fyrâ—â— in the â—â—â—cient histories of 〈…〉 the kyng â—â—ys had a 〈…〉 he lâ—uyde the wâ—t / 〈◊〉 alwey his hand to the 〈◊〉 had no more regarde vnto his 〈◊〉 / he sayd to hym 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 ye not â—â—â—sid / say yf ye seâ—â— any thyng otherwyse than 〈◊〉 and wel and he answerd see as 〈◊〉 as I seâ— thys sharpe sweâ—â—â— â—â—ngyng so sâ—bâ—tilly perâ—â—sly ouer â—yn hede I 〈◊〉 wel that I aâ—â— not 〈◊〉 / for I drede that hit shold falle on my hede â–ª thenne dyscâ—â—â—ed the kyng vnto hem aâ— wherfore he was alwey so heuy châ—rid tryste· For where he 〈◊〉 he thought alwey on the swerd of the secrete vengaunce of goâ— whyâ—h he behelde alwey in his herte / wherfore he had alwey in hym sâ—eÌ„f grete dâ—â—de / and therfore he worshypyd gladly the poure peple with glad vysage and good conscience / And by this sheweth the kyng wel that what man that in alwey in drede is not alwey mery or blessyd / And herâ—f sayth â—â—yntâ—â—â—aâ— that thys drede furmounteth alle other maâ—â—â—tres and euylles / for it is maoâ—turis of deede nyght and day And it is verite that to hym that is doubted of moche peple so muste be doubte moche / And that herde is lasse thenne his seruauÌ„tes that dredyth his seruauntes / and truly hit is a right sure thyng to drede no thyng but god somtyme right hardy men ben coÌ„strayned to lyue in drede / drede causith a man to be besy to kepe the thynges that be coÌ„mysed to hym that they perisshe not / but to be to moche hardy to moche ferdful bothe two ben vices â–ª 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 〈◊〉 and fellars haue sent tyme moche langage they ought to haue wyth them these vertues that is to were pacience· and good doâ—age wyth honeste / for they that ben despytous to the concerne / 〈◊〉 otherwhile had in vylayne despite· therfore â—e â—aâ—e that thou haue no despyte vnto the poure mendyâ—ants yf thou wylt come and atteyne to thynges souemyn / for the Iâ—iurye that is doon wyth out cause / tâ—rneth to diffame hym that doth hit a Iogheler on a tyme beholde socrates sayd to hym thou hast the eyen of corumpour of children and art as a traytre / and whan his dysciple herde hym / they wold auengyd theyr maister but he repreuyd hym by suche sentence sayeng / suffre my felawes· for I am he and suche one as he sayth by the sight of my vysage / But I refrayne and kept me wel from suche thyng / this same so crates hym self was chidde right foul spoken to of hys wyf she Imposid to hym many grete Iniuries wyth out nombre / and she was in a place aboue ouer his heed / and whan she had brawled ynough she made her water poured hit on his heed / and he answerd to her no thyng agayn sauf whan he had dryed and wyped his hied he said he fine we wel that after suche wynde and thondce shold come 〈◊〉 and watre And the philosophâ—rs blamed hym that he coude not gouerne twe women / that was his wyf and his chaumberer / and shewyd hym that one â—â—ke gouerned wel xv hennes· he answerd to them that he was so vsed acustumed with theyr chidyng that the chidyngis of them ne of straungers dyd hym no greef ne harme / 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 prouerâ—â—e· he that wel doth retcheth not who seeth hit and hit is not in our power to lette men to speke and prosper sayth that to good men lacketh no goodnes / ne to euyl men tencions stryues blames pacience is a right noble vertu as a noble versefier saith / that pacience is a right noble maner to vaynquysshe for he that suffreth ouercometh / and yf thou wylt vanquysshe and ouercome lerne to suffre the peagers ner they that kepe passages ought not to take other peage
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
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 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 godachâ—s sayth the same to Alyxandre / Men may saye in this was that nature is euyl / For euery man is lasse aduysed and worse in his owne feet and cause than in another mannys· And therfore the Iuges ought to kepe hem wel from Ire in Iugement / Tullyus sayth that an angry and yrous persone weneth that for to doo euyl is good counceyl / and socrates saith that two thynges ben contrarious to counceyl / they ben hastynes and wrath and galeren sayth in alexandrye / yf yre or wrath ouercome the whan thou sholdest geue Iugement / weye all thyng in the balaunce so that thy Iugement be not enclyned by loue / ne by yeft ne fauour of persone torne not thy corage· Helemond reherceth that cambyses kyng of perce whiche was a right wis kyng had an vnrightwes Iuge / whiche for enuye euyl wyll had daÌ„pned 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 remeÌ„brid 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 soÌ„me 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 dâ—n they specially that ben gentil of lignage poure of goodes / causeth them to robbe reue / and yet constreyne them by force to serue them thys is no meruayle / for they that drede not to angre god / ner to breke the lawe to false hit / falle often tymes by force in moche cursidnes wickednes but whan the grete peple do accordyng to the lawe / and punysshe the transgressours sharply / The comyn peple absteyne withdrawe hem fro doyng of euyl and chastiseth hem self hy theyr example / And the Iuges ought to entende for to studye For yf the smythes the carpentiers the vignours and other crafty-men say that it is not necessarye to studye for the comyn proffit / And glorefye them in their coÌ„nyng 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 seneâ—â—e beleue me that they seme that they do no thyng / they do more than they that laboure for they do spirituel also corporal werkis And therfore amoÌ„ge artificers ther is no plesauÌ„t 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 demauÌ„ded hym wherfore he was so pensif he answerd in al worldly thynges and labours of the same and helde hym bourgeys and Cytezeyn of the world / and valerius rehercith that carnardes a knyght was so sage wyse and laborous in pensifnes of the comyn 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 noâ—n euyl dede but that it is worthy / to be punysshed we to suffre payne therfore / and thenne we may goon with open face good conscience And so may we goo lightly and appertly the way that we hope and purpose to goo Thys suffyseth as for the Alphyns / The fourth chappitre of the second book treteth of the ordre of cheualrye and knyghthoode and of her offyces and maners capitulo quarto tHe knyght ought to be maad al armed vpon
his squyer had deceyued the kyng and the watchemen / whom the kyng coÌ„maunded 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 soÌ„me 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 lawâ—â— 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 theÌ„ne 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 siâ—â—â—â— 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 â—ayllage For no man may be riche that leuyth his owne / kepyng to gete and take of other / Than alwey al her gayn and wynnyng ought to be comyn emong exept theyr armes For in like wyse as the vyctorye is comune so shold the dispoyse and botye be comune vnto them / And therfore dauyd that gentyl knyght in the first book of kynges in the last chappytre made a lawe that he that abode behynde by maladye or sekenes in the tentes shold haue as meeke parte of the butyn as he that had ben in the batayle And for the loue of this lawe he was maad afterward 〈◊〉 of Israel / Alixandre of macedone cam on a tyme lyke a symple knyght vnto the court of porue kyng of Ynde for to espye thastate of the kyng and of the knyghtes of the court / And the kyng receyuyd hym right worshypfully And demaunded of hym many thynges of Alixander and of his constance and strengthe nothyng wenyng that he had ben alixander / but antygone one of his knyghtes / and after he had hym to dyner and whan they had seruyd alixander in vessayl of gold and syluer with dyuerse metes / After that he had eten suche as plefid hym he voyded the mete toke the vessayl and helde hic to hym self and put hit in his bosom or sleuys wherof he was accusid vnto the kyng / After dyner theÌ„ne 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 vâ—issel and cuppe and therfore I had supposid that this custome had ben kept in thy court / for thou art richer than he / whan the knyghtes herde this anone they lefte perus and went to serue Alixaunder / and thus he drewe to hym the hertes of hem by yeftes / whiche afterward slewe porus that was kyng of ynde and they
valeryus reherceth that there was a man that was named Themystydes whiche came to the counceyllours of athenes and sayd that he knewe a counceyl whiche was right proffytable for them But he wold telle hit but to one of them whom that they wold And they assygned to hym a wyse man named aristydes And whan he had vnderstonde hym he cam agayn to the other of the counceyl / and sayd that the counceyl of themystides was wel proffytable / but hit was not Iust / how be hit ye may reuolue hit in your mynde / and the counceyl that he sayd was thys that there were comen two grete shippes fro lacedome and were arryued in theyr londe / that hit were good to take them / whan the couÌ„ceyl herde hym that sayd / that hit was not Iuste nor right / they left hem al in pees wold not haue a doo with al. the vicair â—â— iuge of the kyng ought to be so iust that he shold eâ—plâ—ye al his 〈◊〉 to saue the comyn 〈◊〉 and yf hit 〈◊〉 nede to put his lyf and 〈◊〉 hit therfore / We haue an ensaumple of macâ—â—s 〈…〉 Tullyus wheÌ„cheth in the â—ook of offyces And Saynt Augustyn also do Ciuitate 〈◊〉 how he faught agayn them of cartage by see in shyppes and was vaynâ—uysshed and taken· Than hit 〈◊〉 that they of cartage sent hym in her messeger to 〈◊〉 to haue theyr poysones there / for 〈…〉 and so to chaunge and for another / And made hym 〈◊〉 and promyse to come ageyn And 〈◊〉 to rome / and made proposicion â—â—sceâ— the senate 〈◊〉 â—â—maunded them of coâ—tage of the senatours to be 〈◊〉 as afore is sayd / and than the Senatours demauâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 what counceyl he gaf 〈◊〉 sayd he I counâ—â—â—â— yow that ye doo hyt not in no wyse For 〈…〉 the peple of rome that they of cartage holde in 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 / Ben olde men and bâ—â—sid in the warre as I 〈◊〉 my self / But they that ye holde in pryson of theyr peple is alle the floure of alle theyr folke whyche couunceyl they took than his frendes wold haue holden hym couÌ„ceilled them to abyde there not retorne agayn prisoner in to cartage / but he wold neuer do so / ner abyde but wold goo agayn kepe his oth / how wel that he â—ne we that he went toward his deth / for he had leuer dye than to breke his oth / valerius rehercith in the vj book of one emelie due of the romayns that in the tyme whan he had assâ—gid the phasistes the scoâ—e maistre of the children deceyuyd the children of the gentilmen that he doe we hym a litil a litil vnto the 〈◊〉 of the romayns by fayr spithe And sayd to the due emelye / that by the moyâ—â— of the chyldren that he had brought to hym He shold haue the cyde For theyr fadeâ—â— were bordes and gouernours / Whan emelye had herde hym he said thus to hym / Thou that art euyl and cruel And thou that boldest gyue a gyfte of grete felonye and of mauastye / thou shalt ner hast not founden here / due ne peple that resembleth the. we haue also wel lawes to kepe in batayle and warre as in our contrees and other places / And we wol obserue and kepe them vnto euery man as they ought to be kept and we ben armed ayenst our enemyes that wol defende them and not ayenst them that can not saue their lyf whan their contre is taken as thise litil children / Thou hast vaynquysshed them as moche as is in the by thy newe deceyuable falsnes by subtilnes not by nemés / But I that am a romayn shal vaynquysshe theÌ„ by craft strength of armes / And anone he coÌ„maunded to take the sayd scole maister and to bynde his handes behynde hym as a traytour and sede hym vnto the parentis of the chyldren / And whan the faders and parentes sawe the grete curtoysye that he had doon to them / They opened the yates and yelded them vnto hym We rede that Hanybal had taken a prynce of rome whyche vpon his othe promyse suffred hym to goo home / to sende hym hys raunson or he shold come agayn within a certeyn tyme / whan he was at hoâ—â—e in his place / he said that he had deceyued hym by â—â— false o th / And whan the senatours knewe therof / they constrayned hym to retorne agayn vnto hanybal / Amos florus tellith that the phisicien of kyng pirrus cam on a nyght to fabrice his aduersarye / and promyseâ— hym yf he wold geue hym for his labour that he wold enprysone preuâ—s his mayster whan fabricius vnderstood this he dyd to take hym and bynde hym hand and foot / and sent hym to his maistre dyd de sayte hym word for word like as the phisicien had said and promysed hym to do / whan pirrus vnderstood this he was gretly admerâ—aylid of the loyalte and trouth of fabrice his enemye · and said certeynly that the sonne myght lightlyer sonner be enpesshid of his cours thenne fabrice shold be letted to holde loyalte and trouthe yf they than that were not crysten were so Iusté and trewe and louyd theyr contrey theyr good renomee · what shold we now doon than that been Cristen · and that our lawe is sette al vpon loue and charite / but now a dayes there is no thynge ellis in the world but / barute tresoÌ„ / deceit falsenes trecherye meÌ„ kepe not their couenauntes / promyses othes / writynges / ne trouth / the subgettis rebelle agayn their lord ther is now no lawe kepte nor fydelyte / ne othe holden The people murmure and ryse agayn theyr lord and wol not be subget / they ought to be pietous in herte / whiche is auaylable to alle thyng / There is pyte in effect by compassyon / and in worde by remyssyon and pardon / By almesse for to enclyne hym self vnto the poure / For pyte is no thyng ellis but a right grete wylle of a debonayr herte for to helpe alle men / vastrius rebercith that there was a Iuge named sangie whiche dampned a woman that had deseruyd the deth for to haue her heed smyten of or ellys that she shold dye in pryson The Iayler that had pyte on the woman put not her anon to deth but put her in the pryson· and this woman had a doughter whiche came for to see and comforte her moder / But alwey or she entrid in to the prison the Iayler serchyd hyr that she shold bere no mete ne drynke to her moder but that she shold dye for honger than hit happend after thys that he meruayled moche why this woman dyed not / and began to espye the cause why she lyuyd so long And fonde atte laste how her doughter gaf sowk to her moder and fedde her with her mylke / whan the Iayler sawe thys merueyle / he went
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 deceyuâ—â—res / and right mordent and bytyng detractours For whiche thyng hit is a grete sorowe to see the humylite the pacyence and the good wysdom that was wonte to be in this cyte of rome whiche is chyef of al the world is preuerted and torned in to maleheurte thyse euylles And me thynketh that in other parties of cristente they haue taken ensaumple of them to do euyl / They may say that this is after the decretale of seygndrye and dysobeysaunce / that sayth that suche thynges that the souerayns do is lightly and sone taken in ensaumple of theyr subgettis also thyse vycayres shold be large and liberall in so moche that suche peple as serue them ben duly payd and 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 〈◊〉 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 â—e rede of the same Iulyus cesar in the book of trupheâ— of philosophers / that there was an auncient knyght of his that was in parâ—lle of a â—aas hangyng tofore the Iuges of rome so he callyd cesar on a tyme and sayd to hym tofore al men that he shold be his aduocate And cesar delyueryd and assygned to hym a right good aduocate and the knyght sayd to hym / O cesar I put no 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 prâ—prâ— persone for to be his aduocate and to plâ—te his cause for hym he wold not haue the name of vnkyndenes But doubted that men shold say that he were prâ—ude· and that he wold not doo for them that had seruyd hym / they that can not do so moche as for to be belouyd of her knyghtes can not loue the knyghtes this suffiseth of the â—olâ—es The iij tanciate of the offices of the comyn 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 is of the offyce of the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 fOr so moche as noble persones can not rewle ne gouerne without the seruyse and werke of the people Than hit behoueth to deuyse the cultrages and the offyces of the werkmen than I shal begynne first at the first pawn that is in the playe of the chesse signefieth a man of the comyn peple on fote for they be al named pietoms that is as moche to say as footmen / And thenne we wyl begynne at the pawn whyche standeth tofore the rocke on the right syde of the kyng For an moche as thys pawne apperteyneth to serue the vycayre or lyeuetenaunt of the kyng and other officers / vnder hym of necessaries 〈…〉 this maner of 〈◊〉 fâ—gâ—â—d â—â—ght 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 and shâ—pe of a man holdyng in his 〈…〉 at shouâ—â— and a more in the lyft hâ—â—d the 〈…〉 is for 〈…〉 and labour therwyth the 〈…〉 the redde is for to dayâ—â— and coueâ—â—yâ— wyth al the â—â—stys vnto her pasture / also he ought to haue on hys 〈…〉 for to 〈◊〉 of the superfluytees of the vignes and tâ—â—s / And we rede in the bible that the first labourer that ouâ—r 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 â–ª 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 â—heâ—â—yt that caym had ayenst abel / For hys wyf was fayere than cayms wyf / and for this cause he slewe abel wyth the chestebone of a beste / And at that tyme was neuer no maner of yron blody of mannes blood And Abel was the fyrst martir in the olde testament and thys sayd caym dyd many other euyl thynges whiche I leue / for it apperteyneth not to my mater but it behoueth for necessyte that soÌ„me 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 mâ—â—st 〈…〉 with the hands of 〈◊〉 for as moche as the cuthe is 〈◊〉 of al thynges and that we were first formed took 〈◊〉 â—â—gymyng of the 〈◊〉 the same wyse at the last she shal be the 〈…〉 al 〈◊〉 to al thynges god that formed vs of the 〈◊〉 hath ordeyned that by the labour of men she shold gyue adâ—â—tysshyng vnto al that lyueth / first the 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—rch ought to knowe his god that formed miâ—â— hâ—â—â—y â—â—the of nought and ought to haue loyalte trouth in hym self and despise deth for to entende to his labours and he ought to geue thankynges to hym that made hym of whom he receyueth al his goodes temporal / wherof his lyf is fasteyned and also he is bunden to paye the dismes tythes of al his thynges and not as caym dyd but as abel dyd of the beste that he chese out alwey for to gyue to god and to plese hym / for they that grutche and so graue in that they rendre geue to god the tienthes of her goodes / they ought to be aferd and haue drede that they shal falle in necissyte / And that they myght be despoylyd or robbyd by warre or by tempest that myght falle or happen in the contray / And hit is no merueylle though hys so happen / For that man that is disagreable vnto god / and beneth that
/ 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
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 coÌ„mysed 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 thoâ—musion therof their horses perisshe not ne faylle theyr maister whan they haue nede / and myght falle in the handes of theyr enemyes For than shold the seruandes be cause of that euyl wherfore their maysters shold see to / for with out doubte this thyng is worse than thefte / hit happend on a tyme in the parties of lombardye in the cyte of Iene that a noble man was lodgyd in an hostelrye wyth moche companye and whan they had gyuen prouendour to theyr horses in the first oure of the nyght the seruaunt of the howe came secretly tofore the horses for to stele awey theyr prouendes / and whan he came to the lordes hores / the hores caught with his teth his came and helde hit fast that he myght not escape / and whan the theef sawe that he was so strongly holden / he began to caye for the grete payn that he suffrid and felte / in suche wyse that the noble mannys meyne cam wyth the hoste / But in no maner / nor for ought they coude doo they coude not take the theef out of the horses mouth vnto the tyme that the neyghbours whiche were noyed wyth the noyse came and sawe hit / and the theef was knowen and taken brought tofore the Iuge / and confessyd the fear and by sentence diffynytyf was hanged and lost his lyf and in the same wyse was another that dyd so / and the hores smote hym in the vysage / that the prynte of the hore shoo nayles alode euer in his vysage / another caas right cruel vilaynous fyl at tholouse / hit happend a yong man and his fader went a pylgremage to Saynt Iames in galies and were 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 mâ—â—e that the yonge man â—are· and whan they departed out of theyr lodgyng / he folowed after hem and sayd tofore the peple of the court that they had stolen and horne awey his cuppe and the yong man excused hym self and his fader· and sayd they were Innocent of that caas / And thenne they serchyd hem / and the cuppe was founden in the male of the yonge man / and forthwyth he was dampned to deth and hanged as a theef and thys feet doon· al the goodes that longed to the pylgrym were delyuerd to the hoste as confisqued / And than the fader went forth for to do his pylgremage and whan he came ageyn he must nedes come passe by the place where his sone hynge on the gybet / and as he came he complayned to god and to saynt Iames how they myght suffre this aduenture to come vnto hys sone anone his sone that hyng spake to his fader said how that saynt Iames had kept hym wyth out harme / and bad his fader goo to the Iuge and shewe to hym the myracle / and how he was Innocent of that fact / and whan this thyng was knowen the sone of the pylgrym was taken doun fro the gybet and the cause was brought tofore the Iuge / and the hoost was accused of the trayson and he confessyd his trespaas / and sayd he dyd hit for couetyse to haue his good and than the Iuge dampned hym for to be hanged on the same gybet where as the yonge pylgrym was hanged / And that I haue sayd of the 〈◊〉 kyng â—ten / the same I say of the women as chaumberers and dapsters / for sembleâ—â—e caas fyl in spâ—â—â— 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 〈◊〉 â—â—teth of lieâ—â—â— of townes / customes â—toâ—â— gaâ—â—â—s capitulo vij tHe gardes and kepâ—â—s of citees ben signefyed by the seuenth pawn whiche stondeth in the fyft side to fore the knyght / and is formed in the semblaunce of a man holdyng in his lyft hond grete lieyes and in hys right hand a potte and an elle for to mesure wyth ought to haue on his gurdel a purse open and by the keyes ben signefied the kepars of the citees and townes and comyn offyces / and by the potte and elle ben signefyed them that haue the charge to weye and mete and mesure trewly / and by the purse been signefyed them that receyue the costumes toâ—es / scâ—wage / pâ—â—gâ—â— / and duetâ—â—â— of the cyâ—â—es and townes / and â—yse peple ben sette by right tofore the knyght and hit behoueth that the gaâ—â—â—â— assyâ—â—â— of the townes be taught and ensignad by the knyghte and that they knowe and enquyre hell the citees 〈◊〉
a lyght doun and playe wyth the / and yf thou haue mo pâ—yâ—tes than I on thre dyse I promyse the thou shalt haue myn 〈◊〉 and thenne he was glad / and anone castâ— thre dyse / and on ocle dyse was a sise / whiche made xviij 〈◊〉 / and anone he took the horâ— by the bâ—ydâ— / as he that was scure that he had wonne / and sayd that the horâ—s 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 coÌ„maunded 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 â—â—andâ— 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 â—â—â—yes / and also there be soÌ„me 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 apertâ—yneth 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 sâ—nyth for to forge his armours· sadellys axys and syeres suche thynges as apâ—rteyneth to hym· And what is a knyght worth wythout hors and armes / certâ—ynly no thyng more than one of the peple or lasse peraâ—â—â—â—â—â— / and in what maner shold the nobles lyâ—â—e yf no man made cloth and bought and solde marchandyse And what shold kynges and quenes and the other lordes doo yf they had no physiciens ne surgyens / Than I say that the peple ben the glorye of the crowne and susteyne the lyf of the nobles And therfore thou that art a lord or a noble man or knyght / despyse not the comyn people for as moche as they ben sette tofore the in the â—saye The second cause is why the peple ben sette tofore the nobles and haue the table voyde tofore them to be cause 〈◊〉 begynne the bataylle / they ought to take hede and 〈◊〉 to do theyr offyces and theyr craftes / in suche weyse 〈◊〉 they suffre the noble men to gouerne the cytees and 〈◊〉 counceylle make ordenaunces of the peple of the bataylle how shold a labourer a plow man or a crafty man counceyl and make ordenaunce of suche thynges as he neuer lerned and wote ne knoweth the maâ—eâ— vâ—oâ— 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 〈◊〉 ocacions / ne to menace ne to threte no man / for ofte tymes by menaces and by force good counceyl i◠〈◊〉 troubled / and whore good counceyl faylleth there of to tymes the cytees ben betrayed and destrâ—â—â—d / 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 pâ—yntes whan he begynneth thus to meue from his whyt poynt / he hath the nature of the rookes of the right side of the lift for to goo black or whyt also he may goo vnto the whyt poynt where the gardes of the cyte ben sette / in this poynt he hath the nature of a knyght / thise two maners of meuyng aperteyneth otherwhile to the quene / for as
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