sayd cofres to kepe whiche his frendes had fayned and requyred of hym that he had taken to hym to kepe / and than anone the sayd marchaunt sayd to hym I knowe the now wel for I haue aduysed me that thou art suche a men / and camest to me suche a tyme / and delyuered to me suche a thynge whyche I haue wel kept / and thenne callyd his clerk· and bad hym goo fetche suche a thyng in suche a place and delyuer hit to that good man / for he delyuerd hit to me / and than the good man receyuyd his good / and went his waye right Ioyously and glad and this marchaunt trichour deceyuour was defrauded from his euyl malice and he ne had neyther that one ne that other ony thyng that was of value and therfore hit is sayd in prouerbe to defraude the begiler is no fraude / and he that doth wel foloweth our lord / and seneke sayth that charite enseigneth and techeth that men shold paye wel / for good payement is somtyme good confessyon / And this marchaunt trichour and deceyuour resemblith and is lyke to an hound that bereth a chese in his mouth whan he swymmeth ouer a water / for whan he is on the watre he seeth the shadowe of the chese in the watre / and than he weneth hit be another chese for couetyse to haue that he openyth his mouth to catche thâ—â— than the chese that he bare fallith 〈◊〉 in to the watre· and thus he loseth bothe the in the same wyse was seruyd thys marchauÌ„t deceyuour / for for to haue the cofres whiche he had not seen / he delyuerd agayn that he wold haue holden wrongfully and thus by his couetise propre malyce he was deceyuyd and therfore hit apperteyneth to euery good and wyse man to knowe and considere in hym self how moche he hath receyued of other men vpon what coÌ„dycion hit was delyuerd to hym / and it is to wete that thys thyng apperteyneth to receyuours and to chaungeours· and to alle trewe marchauntis and other what that someuer they be / and ought to kepe theyr bookes of resaytes and of payementes of whom and to whom what tyme and day / and yf ye demaunde what thyng makyth them to forgete suche thynges as ben taken to them to keâ—â— I answer and say that it is grete couetise for to haue thâ— thynges to them self and neuer to departe from them / and hit is alle her thought desire to assemble alle the goodes that they may gete for they beleue on none other god / But on her richesses theyr hertes ben so obstynat· and this suffyseth of the marchauntes The fifthe chappiter of the thyrd book â—â—teth of physiciens medicynes spycers and appotiquaries capitulo v tHe pawn that is sette tofore the quene signefyeth the physicien / spicer apotiquare · and is formed in the fygure of a man / and he is sette in a chayer as a maistre and holdeth in his right hand a book and an ample or a boxe with oynementis in his lyft hand / and at his gurdel his instrumentis of yron and of siluer for to make Incisions and to serche woundes and hurtes and to cutte apostumes And by thyse thynges ben knowen the surgyens By the book ben vnderstonden the phisicienes and all gramariens logyciens / maysters of lawe / of geometrye / arsmetrique musique and of astronomye / and by the ampole ben signefyed the makers of pygmentaries spicers apotiquaries / and they that make confeccions and confites and medecynes maad wyth precious spyce / And by the fferremens and Instrumentis that hangen on the gurdel ben signefyed the Surgyens and the maysters and knowe ye forcerteyn that a maystre and physicyen ought to knowe the proporcions of lettres of gramayre the monemens the conclucions and the sophyms of logique / the gracious speche and veteraunce of rethorique / the mesures of the houres and dayes· and of the cours of astronomye the nombre of arsmetrique and the ioyous songes of musique · and of al thyse tofore named the maysters of rethorique ben the chyef maysters in speciâ—â— tyf and the two last that ben practiciens and wakes ben callyd physiciens and surgyens / how wel they ben sage and curious in thyse sciences · and how wel that maÌ„nys lyf is otherwhyle put in thordonaunce of the physicien or surgyen / yf he haue not sagesse and wysedom in hym self of dyuerse wrytynges and is not expert / and medlyth hym in the craft of physique / he ought better be callyd a slear of peple than a phisicien or surgyen For he may not be a maystre but yf he be sewre and expert in the craft of phisike that he slee not moo than he cureth and maketh hoole / and therfore sayth auycenne in an anforysme yf thou curest the seek man And knowest not the cause wherof the maladye ought to be cured · hit ought to be sayd that thou hast cured hym by fortune and happe more than by ony kunnyng· And in al thyse maner of people ther ought to be meurte of good maners / curtosie of werdes / chastice of the body promysse of helthe· and as to them that been seek contynuel vysitacion of them· they ought to enquere the cause of theyr sekenessys and the sygnes and tokens of theyr maladyes as is rehercid in the bokes of the auctours by right grete dyligence / and specially in the bookes of ypocras galiene and of auycene / and whan many maysters and phisiciens ben assemblid tofore the pacient or seke man They ought not there to argue and dispute one agaynst another / but they ought to make good and symple colacion to geder in suche wyse as they be not seen in theyr dysputyng one agaynst another for to encroche and gete more glory of the world to them self than to trete the salute and helthe of the pacient and seek man I meruaylle why that whan they see and knowe that whan the seek man hath grete nede of helthe wherfore than they make gretter obieccion of contrariousnes for as moche as the lyf of man is demened and put amonge them / but hit is by cause that he is reputed most sage and wyse that argueth and bryngeth in most subtiltees / And alle this maner is amonge doctours of lawe that tretith no thyng of mannes lyf / but of temporel thynges that he is holden most wyse and best lerned / that by hys counceyl can best accorde the contencions and dyssencions of men / and therfore ought the phisiciens and surgyens leue whan they be tofore the seek men al discencions and contrariousnes of wordes· in suche wyse that hit appere that they studye more for to cure the seek men than for to despute / And therfore is the phisicien duly sette tofore the quene so that it is figured that he ought to haue in hym self chastyte and contynence of body /
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
/ 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
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
For hit apperteyneth som tyme vnto the phisicien to vysite and cure quenes duchesses and countesses and alle other ladyes see and beholde some secrete sekenessis that falle and come other while in the secretis of nature And therfore hit aperteyneth to them that they be chaste and folowe honeste and chastyte / and that they be ensaumple to other of good contynence· For valerian rehercith that ypocras was of meruayllous contynence of his body For whan he was in the scoles of athenes / he had by hym a right fayr woman whiche was comyn / and the yong scolers and the Ioly felawes that were students promysed to the woman a besaunte yf she myght or coude torne the corage of ypocras for to haue to doon wyth her / and she came to hym by nyght and dyd so moche by her craft that she laye wyth hym in his bedde / But she coude neuer do so moche that she myght corumpe his chaste lyuyng ne defoule the crowne of his conscience and whan the yonge men knewe that she had ben wyth hym al the nyght coude not chaunge his contynence they began to mocque her / and to aye demaunde of her the besaunt that they had geuen to her And she answerd that hit was holden and gaged vpon an ymage / for as moche as she myght not chaunge hys contynence she callyd hym an ymage / and in semblable wyse rehercith valeryan of Scenocrates phylosopher that there laye wyth hym a woman alle nyght and tempted hym dysordonatly / but that right chaste man made neuer semblaunt to her / ner he neuer remeuyd from hys freme purpoos / in suche wyse as she departed from hym al confused and shamed / Cornelius scipion that was sent by the romayns for to gouerne spayn / as sone as he entrid in to the castellys and in to the townes of that londe he began to take aweye al tho thynges that myght stere or meue his men to becherye wherfore men sayd that he drof and chased out of the hoost moo than two thousand bourdellys· and he that was wyse knewe wel that delyte of lecherye corupted and apayred the corages of tho men that ben abandoned to the same delyte / And herof it is sayd in the fables of the poetes in the first book of the truphes of the philosophres by figure / that they that entrid in to the fonteyne of the Sirenes or mermaydens / were corumped and they took them awey wyth hem / And also ye ought to knowe that they ought to entende dylygently to the cures of the infirmytees in cyrurgerye / they ought to make theyr plaisters accordyng to the woundes of soores yf the wounde be rounde· the enplastre must be rounde and yf hit be longe· hit must be longe / And other whyle hit must be cured by his contrarye lyke as it apperteyneth to phisique for the hete is cured by colde / and the colde by hete and Ioye by sorowe· and sorowe by Ioye· and hit happeth ofte tymes that moche peple be in grete parille in takyng to moche Ioye and lese her membris· and become half benomen in the sodeyn Ioye / and ioye is a repleccion of thynge that is delectable sprad a brode in alle the membres wyth right grete gladnes and al men entende and desyre to haue the sayd right grete Ioye naturelly / but they knowe not what may ensue come therof / and this Ioye cometh other while of vertue of conscience / And the wise man is not wyth out this ioye / and thys Ioye is neuer interrupt ne in defaulte at no tyme. for hit â—â—eth of nature and fortune may not take awey that nature geueth / marcial sayth that Ioyes sugetyues abyde not long / but fle awey anone· and valerian rehercith that he that hath force and strengthe resonable hath hit of veray matiar of coÌ„pleccoÌ„n and that cometh of loue / and this Ioye hath as moche power to departe the sowle fro the body· as hath the thondre wherof hit happend that there was a woman named lyna whiche had her husbond in the warre in the shyppys of the romayns· and she supposid verayly that he was deed but hit happend that he came agayn home and as he entrid in to his yate / his wyf mette wyth hym sodaynly not warned of his comyng / whiche was so gladde and Ioyous that in enbracyng hym she fyl doun deed / Also of another woman to whom was reported by a fals messanger that her sone was deed whiche went hoom soroufully to her hows· and afterward when her sone came to her / as sone as she sawe hym she was so esmourd wyth Ioye that she deyed tofore hym· but this is not so grete meruayle of women as is of the men For the women ben lykened vnto softe waxe or softe ayer / and therfore she is callyd Mulier whiche is as moche to saye in latyn as mollis aer and in englissh softe ayer / and hit happeth ofte tymes that the nature of them that ben softe and mele taketh soÌ„ner Inpressyon than the nature of men that be rude stronge valerie rehercith that a knyght of rome named instaulofus that had newly coÌ„querid subdued the yle of corsilia and as he satâ—sfyed his goddes he receyuyd 〈…〉 the seruice of Rome in which were 〈…〉 supplications / the whiche whan he vnderstood he 〈…〉 glad and so enterprised wyth Ioye that he 〈…〉 what to do / and than a grete fâ—â—â—â— or smoke yssuâ—d 〈◊〉 the fire in whiche he dispayâ—â— and fyl in to the fyre 〈◊〉 he was anone deed / And also it is sayd that phyâ—â—â—â—â—â— lawghed so sort distemperâ—tly that he dyed al 〈◊〉 And we rede that ypocras the phisicien sond 〈…〉 thys Ioye / For whan he had â—â—ng 〈◊〉 out of hys contrey for to lerne kunnyng and wysedom· and shold retorne vnto his parentis and frendes whan he approchyâ— nygh them· he sent a messenger tofore for to telle to them his comyng / and coÌ„maunded hym to saye that he cam / for they had not longe tofore seen hym / and that they shold attempre them in that Ioye or they shold see hym / And also we rede that titus the sone of vaspasian whan he had conquerd Iherusalem and abode in the contrres by / he herde that his fader vaspasian was chosen by al the senate for to gouerne the empyre of rome / wherfore he had so right grete ioye that sodeynly he lost the strength of al his membris and became al Impotent And whan Iosephus that made the historye of the romayns ayeÌ„st the Iewys whiche was a right wyse phisicien sawe and knewe the cause of this sekenes of the sayd titus he enquyred of his solle yf he had in haâ—â— ony man gretely so moche that he myght not here speke of hym ne wel so hym and one of the seruauntis of tytus sayd that he had one persone in hate so moche / that ther was
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
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
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
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
And vilerius saith that deboneyrte percyth the hertes of straungers / and amolissheth and makyth softe the hertes of his enemyes wherof he reherâ—th that phylostratus that was due of athenes had a daughter whom a man louyd so ordantly that on a tyme as he sawe her with her moder sodaynly he cam and kyssed her wherof the moder was so angry and sorouful that she went and requyred of her lord the due / that his heed myght be smyten of The prynce answerd to her and sayd yf we shold slee them that loue vs. What shal we do to our enemyes that hate vs. Certaynly this was the answer of a noble debonayr prynce that suffred that vylonye â—â—on to his doughter to hym self yet more This prynce had also a frende that was â—â—med arispe that sayd on a tyme as moche vylonye vnto the prynce as ony man myght saye And that myght not suffyse hym but he â—â—atchid hym in the vysage the prynes suffryd hym paciently in suche wyse as though he had doon to hym no vylonye but curtesye And whan his sonees wels haue auengyd this vylonye he comaunded the◠〈…〉 so to dodo / The next day 〈…〉 of the right grete vylonye that he had 〈…〉 lord without cause / He fyl in dyspayâ— and 〈…〉 hym self / whan the due knewe and vnderstâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 he cam to hym and said ne doubte the no thyng and â—â—re to hym by hys faith / that also wel he was and sâ—â—â— he his frend fro theÌ„ forthon as euer he had ben before yf he wold / and thus he respited hym of his deth by his deâ—onayte / and in lykewise rede we of the kyng pirre to whom was reported that they of tarente had sayd grete vilonye of hym for which cause he maad al them to come tofore hym demaunded of them yf they had so said than one of them answerd said / yf the wyn the candellis had not fayled / thys langage had ben but a Iape in regarde of that we had thought to haue doon / Than the kyng began to lawâ—e For they had confessyd that suche langage as was said and spoken was by dronkenshyp / And for this cause of debonayrte the peple of tarente tooke for a custome that the dronken men shold be punysshid / and the sobre men preysed / The kyng thenne thus ought to loue humyâ—iâ—de and haue falsyte after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally For the kyng in his royame representeth god god is â—rite and therfore hym ought to say no thyng but yf hiâ— were vecryâ—able and stable / Valerius reherceth that Alyxandre wyth alle his doste rood for to destroye a cyte which was named lapsate / Whan than a phylosophre whyche had to name anaxymenes whych had ben tofore maistre gouernour of alixaÌ„dre herd vnderstood of hes comyng / cam agayn alixander to desire and 〈◊〉 of hym And whan he sowe alixander he supposed to haue â—â—yd his request Alixander broke his demaunde tofore and swore to hym to sort he axid â—ny thyng by his goddes that suche thyng 〈◊〉 he aâ—yd or requyerd of hym he wold 〈◊〉 no wysedom Tâ—enne the phylosopher requyerd hym to destroye 〈◊〉 â—yte whâ—n Alixander vnderstood his desyre the oth that he such maad he suffrid the eyte to stonde and not to be destroyed fforâ—st had leuer not to do his wyll 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—swâ—rn and doo ageynst his oth 〈…〉 that no grete man nâ— lord shold not 〈◊〉 But where as is grete neâ—â— and that the symple 〈◊〉 or werde of a prynce oughe to be more stable thenne 〈◊〉 of a mateâ—â—unt / Alas who kepe the prynces their 〈…〉 dayre / not onely her promyses but their 〈◊〉 see seâ—â—â—e and wrytynges and signes of theyr proâ—◠〈◊〉 handes alle faylleth god amende hit / A kyng also ought to hate all cruelte / For we rede that neuer dyed yet ony preious persone of euyl deth ne cruel persone of good deth Therfore recounteth Valerius that there was a man named therise a werkman in metalle / that maad a bâ—ole of coppre and a lityl wyket on the syde wherby men myght put in them that shold be brent therin And hit was maad in suche manere that they that shold be put and enclosyd therin shold crye no thynge lyke to the voys of a man but of an oxe And thys maad he by cause men shold haue the lasse pyte of them / Whan he had maad thys boole of copper he presentyd hit vnto a kyng whiche was called philarde that wâ—â— so cruel a tyraunt that he defâ—â—ed in no thynge but in cruelte And 〈…〉 hym the 〈◊〉 of the â—ole Then phiâ—â—â—de here and vnderstood thys 〈◊〉 alowed and praised moche the worke and after sayd to hym thou that art more cruel than I am shalt assay and proue hast thy presente and ye fee and so maad hym to go in to the boole and dye an euyl doth Therfore sayth ouâ—de there is no thyng more resonable thenne that a man dye of suche deth an he purchaseth vnto other Also the kyng ought souâ—â—raynly kepe Iustyce / who maketh or keâ—â—â—t a 〈◊〉 with out Iustyce of 〈◊〉 soâ—â—e there must be grete 〈◊〉 thefte Therfore reâ—â—erth Saynt Augustyn 〈◊〉 book whyche is intituled the cyte of god that there was a theef of the see named deomedes that was a gâ—ete 〈…〉 so moche harme that the complayntes cam tofore 〈◊〉 whiche dyd hym to be taken and brought a fore be 〈◊〉 And he demaunded hym wherfore he was so 〈…〉 cruel in the see / And he answad to hym agayn 〈◊〉 as moche as thou art â—on a londe in the worlde so 〈◊〉 another in the see / But for as moche as the euyl that 〈◊〉 doo is in oon galey or tweyn therfore I am callyd a â—â—eeâ— But for as moche as thou doost in many shyppys and wyth grete puyssaunce and power Therfore arâ—e their callyd an Emperour But yf fortune were for me in suche wyse / I wold froome a good man and better thenne I now am / But thou the more rycher and fortunat that thou art / The more worse art thou / alyxaunder said to hym I shal chaunge thy fortune in suche wise as thou ne say that thou shalt do it by pouerte but for euyl and mauayste and so he made hym ryche / and this was he that afterward was a good prynce a good Iusticier / The kyng ought to be soue mynly chaste / and this signefyeth a quene that is oonly on his right side For it is to be beleuyd and credyble that whan the kyng is a good man / Iuste trewe and of good maners condiciens that his children shal folowe gladly the same for a good sone and a trewe ought not to forsake and goo fro the good condicions of his fader / for certes it is agaynst god and nature in partye whâ—n a man taketh other theÌ„ne his proper wyf / and that see
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
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
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
no man in his courte so hardy that durst name hym in his presenting 〈…〉 Iosephus assigned a day whaÌ„ this man shold 〈…〉 to be sette in the sight of titus / did hit to be replenysshed pleÌ„teiously with al dayntees / ordeyned men to be 〈◊〉 to kepe hym in suche wise that no man shold hurt hym by the câ—â—â—â—â—ment of titus / ordeyned boâ—tâ—â—â—rs / 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 officers for to serue hym worshipfully like an emperour and whan al this was redy / Iosephus brought in this man that titus hated sette hym at the table tofore his eyen and was seruyd of yong men with grete reuerence right curtoisly whan titus behelde his enemye sette tofore hym with so grete honour he began to chauffe hym self by grete felonye / and coÌ„mauÌ„ded his men that this man shold be slayn / whan he sawe / that none wold obeye hym / but that they alwey seruyd hym reuerently / he waxe so ardant· and enbracid wyth so grete yre that he that had lost al the force stomacke of his body and was al Impotent in alle his members â— recouerd the helth agayn and strengthe of hys membris by the hete that entryd in to the wyâ—es and synewes And Iosephus dyd so moche that he was recoueryd and hoole / And that he helde that man no more for hys enemye / But helde hym for a verey trewe frende· And afterward maad hym his loyal felowe companyoun And the espycers and apoticaries ought to make trewly suche thynges as is coÌ„maunded to them by the phisiciens they ought accomplisshe their billes charge curiously with grete diligence that for none other cause they shold be ocupied but in makyng medecynes or confeccoÌ„ns trewly that they ought vpon paryl of their sowle not to forgete by neglygence ne recheâ—â—snes to gyue oâ—â—â—â—teryne for an other / in suche wyse that they be not sâ—aâ—â—s of men· And that they doo put no false thynges in her spices for to enrayre or encrecyng the weyght / for yf they so do they may better be callyd theuys than espycers or apoticaries / And they that ben acustumed to make oynementis they ought to make it proprely of trewe stuffe and of good odoure after the receptes of the auncient doctours and after the forme that the phisiciens and surgiens deuyse vnto them also they ought to be ware that for none auayle ne gyfte that they ought haue / that they put in their medecynce no thyng venemous ne doyng hurte or scathe to ony persone of whom they haue no good ne veray knowleche to th ende that they to whom the medecynes shold be geuen torne not to them hurt ne domage / ne in destruccoÌ„ns of their neyghbours / also that they that haue mynystrid the thynges to them been not taken for parteners of the blame and of the synne of them / The surgyens ought also to be debonayr / amyable / and to haue pyte of theyr pacients· and also they ought not be hasty to launce cutte apostumes soores ne open the heeâ—es· ner to arrache bones broken but yf the cause be apparant For they myght ellys lose theyr good renomee· And myght better be callyd bouchers thenne helare or guarysshours of woundes and sores / And also hit behoueth that alle thys maner of peple a fore sayd that haue the charge for to make hoole and guarisshe alle maner of maladyes and Infirmytees that they first haue the cure of them self · and they ought to purge them self from alle apostumes and alle vyces in suche wyse that they be not and houste 〈◊〉 in al good maners and that they shewe him 〈◊〉 and pure redy for to helâ— other and 〈◊〉 sayth 〈…〉 consolacione in his first book that the sterres that ben hys vnder the 〈◊〉 may gyue no light· And therfore yf ony man wyl beholde clerely the verite / 〈◊〉 hyâ— withâ—â—â—we hym fro the desâ—â—â—â— and â—â—â—â—nes of the cloudes of ygnorauÌ„ce for whan the engyne of a man sheweth in ioye or in sorow the pensâ—◠〈◊〉 thought is enuolupâ—d in obscurete and vnder the clowâ—â— The sixte chappitre of the thyrd book treteth of the sixâ—â— pawn whiche is lykenyd to cauâ—ners hostelers and vytayllers capitulo vâ— the sixâ—t pawn whiche stondeth tofore the alphyn on the lyftes syde is made in this forme / For hit is a man that hath the right hond stratched out as for to calle men / and holdeth in his lift honde a loof of breed and a â—uppe of wyn and on his gurdel hangyng a bondil of keyes / and this resemblith the tauerners hostelers / sellareâ— of vytayl and thyse ought properly to be sette tofore the alphyn / as tofore a Iuge / For there sourdeth oft tymes amonge hem contencion noyse and stayf whyche behoueth to be ditermyned trayted by the alphyn whiche is Iuge of the kyng / and hit apperteyneth to them for to seke and enquere for good wynes and good vytayl for to gyue and selle to the byars· and to them that they herberowe And hit aperteyneth to them wel to kepe theyr herberowes and Innes / And alle tho thynges that they brynge in to theyr lodgyng and for to putte hit in seure and sauf warde and kepyng And the first of thein is signefyed by the lyfte hand in whyche he bereth breed and wyn And the second is signefyed by the right hand whiche is stratched out to calle men / and the thyrd is representyd by the keyes hangyng on the gurdel / and thyse maner of peple ought to eschewe the synne of glotonye / For moche people come in to theyr howses for to drynke and for to ete / for whyche cause they ought resonably to rewle them self and to refrayne them from to moche mete and drynke· to th ende that they myght the more honestly delyuer thynges neâ—eful vnto the peple that come vnto them / no thyng by outrage that myght noye the body· For hit happeth oft tymes that there cometh of glotonye â–ª tencions / stryfs / riottes wronges molestacoÌ„ns by whiche men lefe otherwhyle their handes / theyr eyen and other of theyr membris / and somtyme ben slayn or hurte vnto the deth as it is wreton in vitas patrum as on a tyme knâ—â—â—â—â—yte went for to vysite his gossibs the deuyl apoâ—â—◠〈◊〉 hym on the wey in likenes of another hermyte 〈◊〉 â—â—mpte hym said thou hast left thyn hermytage / 〈◊〉 to visite thy gossibo / the behoueth by force to do one o◠〈◊〉 iij thynges that I shal say to the / thou shalt â—hese whâ—â—â—or thou wolt be dronk or ellys haue to do flesshlye will 〈◊〉 gossyb / or ellis thou shalt slee her husbond whiche in thy gossib also the hermyte that thought for to chese the leste euyl chase for to be dronke / and whan he cam vnto them he drank so moche that he was veray dronk and whan he was dronke and eschauffyd
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 〈◊〉