Some sayde that they shold ben honged and some sayd they shold ben flayn And other sayd that they shold be beheedid Than sayd the kynge by that lord that made me they ben not worthy to dye but for to haue moche worship and honour For they haue ben trewe to theyr lord wherfore 〈◊〉 kinge gaf hem a grete lawde and honour for their seet And after hit happend that the propre squyer and seruant of godeberd slewe the traytre Goribalde that by 〈◊〉 had slayn his lord at a feste of seynt Iohn in his 〈◊〉 of Tauryn wherof he was lord and duc Thus ought the knyghtes to loue to gyder And eche to put his lyf in auenture for other For so ben they the strenger And the more doubted Lyke as were the noble knyghtes Ioab and Abysay that fought agaynst the syryens and Amonytes And were so trewe that oon to that other that they vaynquysshid theyr enemies And were so Ioyned to gyder that yf the siryens were strenger than that one of them that other helpe hym we rede that damon and phisias were so ryght parfyt frendes to gyder that whan Dionisius whiche was kynge of cecylle had Iuged one to deth for his trespaas in the cyte of syracusane whom he wold haue executed he desired grace and leue to goo in to hys contre for to dispose and ordonne his testament And his felawe pleggid hym and was sewrte for hym vpon his heed that he shold come agayn Wherof they that sawe herd this helde hym for a foolÌ„ and blamed hym And he said allway that he repentid hym nothynge at all For he knewe well the trouth of his felawe And whan the day cam and the oure that execusion shold be doon his felawe cam and presented hym self to fore the Iuge And dischargid his felawe that was plegge for hym wherof the kynge was gretly abasshid And for the grete trouthe that was founden in hym He pardonyd hym and prayd hem bothe that they wold resseyue hym as their grete frende and felawe Lo here the vertues of loue that a man ought nought to doubte the deth for his frende Lo what it is to doo for a frende And to lede a lyf debonayr And to be wyth out cruelte to loue and not to hate whiche causeth to doo good ayenst euyll And to torne payne in to benefete and to quenche cruelte Anthonyus sayth that Iulius Cesar lefte not lightly frenshippe and Amytye But whan he had hit he reteyned hit faste and mayteyned hit alleway Scipion of Affricque sayth that ther is no thynge so stronge as for to mayntene loue vnto the deth The loue of concupiscence and of lecherye is sone dissoluyd and broken But the verray true loue of the comyn wele and prouffit now a dayes is selde founden where shall thou fynde a man in thyse dayes that wyll expose hym self for the worshippe and honour of his frende or for the comyn wele selde or neuer shall he be founden Also the knyghtes shold be large liberall For whan a knyght hath regarde vnto his singuler prouffit by his couetyse he dispoylleth his peple For whan the souldyours see that they putte hem in paryll And theyr mayster wyll not paye hem theyr wages liberally but entendeth to his owne propre gayn and prouffyt than whan the Enemyes come they torne sone her backes and flee oftentymes And thus hit happeth by hym that entendeth more to gete money than victorye that his auaryce is ofte tymes cause of his confusion Than late euery knyght take heede to be liberall in suche wyse that he wene not ne suppose that his scarcete be to hym a grete wynnynge or gayn And for thys cause he be the lasse louyd of his peple And that his aduersarye wythdrawe to hym them by large gyuynge For ofte tyme bataylle is auaunced more for getynge of siluer Than by the force and strengthe of men For men see allâ— daye that suche thynges as may not be achieuyd by force of nature ben goten and achieuyd by force of money And for so moche hit behoueth to see well 〈◊〉 that whan the tyme of the bataylle cometh that he borowe not ne make no tâ—yllage For noman may be ryche that leuyth his owne hopyng to gete and take of other Than allwaye all her gayn and wynnynge ought to be comyn amonge them exept theyr Armes For in lyke wyse as the victorie is comune so shold the dispoyll and lotye be comune vnto them And therfore Dauid that gentyll knyght in the fyrst book of kynges in the last chapitre made a lawe that he that abode behynde by maladye or sekenes in the tentes shold haue as moche parte of the butyn as he that had be in the bataylle And for the loue of thys lawe he was made afterward kynge of Israell Alexander of Macedone cam on a tyme lyke a symple knyght vnto the court of Porus kynge of Iude for to espye thestate of the kynge and of the knyghtes of the court And the kynge resseyuyd hym ryght worshipfully And demanded of hym many thynges of Alexander and of his constance and strengthe nothynge wenynge that he had ben Alexander But antygone one of his knyghtis and after he had hym to dyner And whan they had seruyd Alexander in vayssell of gold and siluer with dyuerce metes {etc} After that he had eten suche as plesid hym he wyded the mete and toke the vayssell and helde hit to hym self and put hit in his bosom or sleuys wherof he was accusid vnto the kynge After dyner than the kynge callid hym and demanded hym wherfore he had taken his vayssell And he answerd Syre kynge my lord I pray the to vnderstande and take heede thy self and also thy knyghtes I haue herd moche of thy grete hyenes And that thou art more myghty and puyssant in cheualrye in dispensis than is Alexander and therfore I am come to the a pour knyght whiche am named Antygone for to serue the Than hit is the custome in the Courte of Alexandre that what thynge a knyght is seruyd wyth all is alle his mete and vayssell 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 herd this anoÌ„n they lefte porus and wente for to serue alixandre and thus he drewe to hym the hertes of them by yeftes whiche afterward slewe Porus that was kynge of Iude And they made Alexandre kynge therof Therfore remembre knyght alleway that wyth a closid and shette purse shalt thou neuer haue victorye Ouyde sayth that he that taketh yeftes he is glad therwyth For they wynne wyth yeftes the hertes of the goddes and of men For yf Iupiter were angrid wyth yeftes he wold be plesid The knyghtes ought to be stronge not only of body but also in corage Ther ben many stronge and grete of body that ben faynt and feble in the herte he is stronge that may not be vaynquysshid
fro the gibet and the cause was brought to fore the Iuge And the hooste was accused of the trayson and he confessid his trespaas and sayd he dide hit for couetyse to haue his good And than the Iuge dampned hym for to be hanged on the same gibet where as the yonge pilgryme was hanged And that I haue sayd of the seruantes beynge men the same I saye of the women as chambriers and tapsters For semblable caas fille in spayne at saynt doune of a chamberier that put a cup in lyke wyse in the scrippe of a pilgryme be cause he wold not haue a doo wyth her in the synne of lecherye wherfore he was hanged And his fader moder that were there with hym wente and dyde her pilgremage And whan they cam agayn they fonde her sone lyuynge And than they wente and told the Iuge whiche Iuge sayd that he wolde not byleue hit tyll a cok and an henne whiche rosted on the fyre were a lyue the cok crewe And anon they began wexe a lyue the cok crewe and began to crowe and to pasture and whan the Iuge sawe this miracle he wente and toke doun the sone and made the chamberyer to be taken and to be hanged wherfore I saye that the hoostes ought to hold no tapsters ne chamberyers but yf they were good meure and honeste For many harmes may be falle and come by the disordenat rewle of seruantes The seuenth chapitre of the thirde Tractate treteth of kepars of townes customers and tolle gaderers {etc.} THe gardes and kepars of of cytees ben signefied by the .vii. pawn whiche stondeth in the lyfte side to fore the knyght And is formed in the semblance of a man holdynge in his right hande grete keyes And in his lifte hande a potte an elle for to mesure with And ought to haue on hys gurdell a purse open And by the keyes ben signefyed the kepars of the cytees and townes and comyn offices And by the potte and elle ben signefyed them that haue the charge to weye and mete mesure truly And by the purse ben signefied them that reseyue the costumes tolles scawage peages and duetes of the cytees townes And thyse peple ben sette by ryght to fore the knyght And hit behoueth that the gardes and offycers of the townes be taught And enseygned by the knyghtes And that they knowe and enquyre how the cytees or townes ben gouerned whiche apperteyneth to be kept and defended by the knyghtes And first hit apperteyneth that the kepars of the cyte be dilygente besy clere seeynge and louers of the comyn prouffit wele as well in the tyme of pees as in the tyme of warre They ought alleway to goo in the cyte and enquyre of all thynges and ought rapporte to the gouernours of the cyte suche thynge as they fynde and knowe And suche thynge as apperteyneth and to the seuerte of the same and to denoÌ„nce and telle the defaultes and paryls that ther bee 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 office ought to be of good renome fame trewe and of good conscience In suche maner that they loue them of the Cyte or town And that they put to no man ony blame or vilanye 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 complayned on for ony cause For hâ—t happeth ofte tymes that diuerce officers accuse the good peple fraudulently To thende that they myght haue a thanke be preysed and to abide stille in theyr offices And trewly hit is a grete and hye maner of malyce to be in will to doo euyll and diffame other wyth oute cause to gete glorie to hym self Also the kepars and officers of cytees ought to be suche that they suffre no wronges ne vylonyes to fore the Iuges and gouernours of cytees wyth out cause to be doon to them that ben Innocents but they ought to haue theyr eyen and regarde vnto hym that knoweth the hertes and thoughtes of alle men And they ought to drede doubte hym wyth oute whos grace theyr wacche and kepynge is nought And that promyseth to them that doubte hym shall be ewrous happy And by hym ben alle thynges accomplisshid in good Hit is founden in the historyes of rome that Temperour Frederik the seconde dide do make a gate of marble of meruayllous werke and entayll in the cyte of capnane vpon the watre that renneth aboute the same and vpon this yate he made an ymage lyke hym self sittynge in his mageste and two Iuges whiche were sette one on the right side and that other on the lifte side And vpon the sercle aboue the hede of the Iuge on the ryght side was wreton Alle they entre seurly that will liue purely And vpon the sercle of the Iuge on the lift side was wreton The vntrewe man ought to doubte to doo thynge that he be put to prison fore and on the sercle aboue themâ—our was wreton I make them lyue in misery that I see lyue dismesurably And therfore hit apperteyneth to a Iuge to shewe to the peple for to drede and doubte to doo euyll And hit apperteyneth to the gardes and officers to doubte the Iuges and to do trewly their seruyces and offices And hit apperteyneth to a prynce to menace the traytours and the malefactours of right greuous paynes And herof we fynde in the auncyent historyes of cecylle that the kynge denys had a broder whom he louyd sore well But allway where he wente he made heuy and tryste semblant And thus aâ— they wente bothe to gyder on a tyme in a chare ther cam agayn hem two poure men wyth glad visage but in foule habite And the kynge anon as he sawe them sprange out of his chare and resseyuyd them worshipfully with grete reuerence wherfore his barons were not only ameruaylled but also angry in their corages notwithstandynge fere and drede letted them to demande hym the cause But they made his broder to demande the cause and to knowe the certaynte And whan he had herde his broder saye to hym the demande and that he was blessyd also a kynge whiche was ryche and full of delites worshipis he demanded hym yf he wold assaye knowe the grace and beneurte of a kynge And his broder answerd ye And that he desired and requyred hit of hym and than the kinge comanded vnto alle his sugettis that they shold obeye in alle thynges only vnto his broder And than whan the oure of dyner cam and alle thynge was redy the broder was sette at the table of the kynge And whan he sawe that he was seruyd wyth right noble botelliers and other officers And he herde the sownes of musicque right melodious The kynge demanded hym than yf he supposid that he were benerous and blessid And he answerd I wene well that I am
goodes we saye that the pleyars of dyse and they that vse bordellis ben worst of alle other For whan the hete of playnge at the dyse And the couetyse of theyr stynkynge lecherye hath brought hem to pouerte hit foloweth by force that they muste ben theuys and robbeurs And also dronkenship glotonye And alle maner of euyllis folowe them and myschief And they folowe gladly the companyes of knyghtes and of noble men whan they goon vnto the warre or batayllis And they coueyte not so moche the victorye as they do the robberie And they do moche harme as they goo And they brynge lityll gayn or wynnynge wherof hit happend on a tyme that saynt bernard rode on an hors aboute in the contrey And mette wyth an hasardour or dyseplayer whiche sayd to hym thâ—n goddes man wilte thou playe at dyse wyth me thyn hors ayenst my sowle to whom saynt Bernard answerd yf thou wilt oblige thy sowle to me ayenst my hors I wolle a lighte doun playe wyth the and yf thou haue mo poyntes than I on thre dyse I promyse the thou shalt haue myn hors And than he was glad and anoÌ„n caste .iii. dyse And on eche dyse was a syse whiche made .xviii. poynts And anone he toke the hors by the brydell as he that was sewr that he had wonne and said that the hors was his And than saynt Bernard sayde abyde my sone For ther ben mo poyntes on the dyse than .xviii. And than he caste the dyse In suche wyse that one of the .iii. dyse clefte a sonder in the myddes And on that one parte was syse and on that other an Aas And eche of that other was a syse And than Saynt Bernard sayde That he had wonne hys sowle for as moche as he had caste on thre dyse .xix. poynts And than whan thys player sawe and apperceyuyd thys myracle He gaf hys sowle to saynt Bernard and be cam a monke and finysshid his lyf in good werkes The corrours and berars of lettres ought hastely and spedily do her viage that is comanded hem with oute taryenge For their taryenge might noye and greue them that sende hem forth or ellis them to whom they ben sent too And torne hem to ryght grete domage or villonye for whiche cause euery noble man ought well to take hede to whom he deliuere his lettres and his mandements and otherwhilis suche peple ben Ioghelers dronkelewe And goon out of their waye for to see abbayes and noble men for to haue auantage And hit happeth ofte tymes that whan suche messagers or currours ben enpesshid by ony taryenge That other currours bere lettres contrarye to his And come to fore hym of which thinges ofte tymes cometh many thinges discouenable of losse of frendes of castellys of lande many other thinges as in the feet of marchandise {etc} And otherwhile hit happeth that a prynce for the faulte of suche messangers leseth to haue victorye vpon hys enemyes And also ther ben some that whan they come In a cyte where they haue not ben to fore that ben more besy to visyte the Cyte and the noble men that dwelle theryn Than they ben to doo theyr wyage whyche â–ª thynge they ought not to doo But yf they had specyall charge of them that sente hem forth so to doo And also whan they be sente forth of ony lordes or marchauntes they ought to be well ware that they charge hem not wyth ouer moche mete on morenynges ne with to moche wyn on euenynges wherby her synewis and vaynes myght be greuyd that they muste for faute of good rewle tarye But they ought to goo and come hastely for to reporte to their maistres answers as hit apperteyneth And this suffisen of the thynges aboue sayd The fourth tractate the last of the progression and draughtes of the forsayd playe of the chesse The first chapitre of the fourth tractate of the chesse borde in genere how it is made ÈœE haue deuised aboue the thinges that apperteyne vnto the formes of the chesse men and of theyr offices that is to wete as well of noble men as of the comyn peple than hit apperteyneth that we shold deuyse shortly how they yssue and goon oute of the places where they be sette And first we ought to speke of the forme and of the facion of the chequer after that hit representeth and was made after For hyt was made after the forme of the cyte of Babyloyne In the whiche this same playe was founden as hit is sayd afore And foure thinges The first is wher ye shal vnderstande that ye ought to consydere here in fore that .lxiiii. poyntes ben sette in the eschequer whiche ben alle square The seconde is wherfore the bordeur aboute his hyher than the squarenes of the poyntes The thirde is wherfore the comyn peple ben sette to fore the nobles The fourthe wherfore the nobles and the peples ben sette in their propre places Ther ben as many poyntes in the eschequer wyde as full And ye shall first vnderstande wherfore that ther ben lxiiii poynts in the eschequyer For as the blessid saint Iherome saith the cyte of babilone was right grete and was made alle square and in euery quarter was .xvi. myle by nombre and mesure the whiche nombre foure tymes told was .lxiiii. myles After the maner of lombardye they be callid myles and in france leukes and in englong they be callid mylis also And for to represente the mesure of thys cyte In whiche thys playe or game was founden The philosopher that fonde hit first ordeyned a tablier conteynyng .lxiiii. poynts square the which ben comprised wyth in the bordour of the tablier ther ben xxxii on that on side .xxxii. on that other whiche ben ordeyned for the beaulte of the playe and for to shewe the maner drawynge of the chesse as hit shall appere in the chapitres folowynge and as to the seconde wherfore the bordour of the schequyer is hyher than the table wyth in hit is to be vnderstande that the bordour aboute representeth the walle of the cyte whiche is right hyghe And therfor made the philosopher the bordour more hyghe than the tablier And as the blessid saint Iherome saith vpon the prophesie of ysaye that is to wete vpon a montayne of obscurete whiche wordes were said of babilone whiche standeth in chaldee and nothinge of that babilone that stondeth in egipte for it is so that babilone whiche standeth in chaldee was sette in a right grete playne had so hyghe walles that by the heyghte of them was contynuell derkenes environed obscurete that none erthely man might beholde and see the ende of the hyghnes of the walle And therfore ysaye callid hit the montaigne obscure And saint Iherome sayth 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 english myles ben of one lengthe And in one of the corners of this
parfaytly how that thou art fullÌ„ of paryls of thoughte and of charge yf thou were on the grounde he wolde neuer lyfte ner take the vp Remembre the that whan thou art most gloryous than haue some men moste enuye on the and whan thou haste moste seignourye and lordships than shalt thou haue moste care thought and anguysshes Valpasian was so humble that whan Nero was slayn alle the peple cryed for to haue hym emê‘our and many of his frendes cam prayde hym that he wold take hit vpon hym so at the last he was constrayned to take hit vpon hym And sayd to his frendes Hit is better and more to preyse and alowe for a man to take thempire agaynst his wilÌ„ than for to laboure to haue hit and to put hym self therin Thus ought they to be humble and meke for to resseyue worship Therfore sayth the bible that Ioab the sone of Saryne that was captayn of the warne of the kynge Dauid whan he cam to take and wynne a Cyte He sente to Dauid and desired hym to come to the warre that the victorye shold be gyuen to Dauid And not to hym self Also they ought to be ware that they chaunge not ofte tymes her officers Iosephus reherceth that the frendes of tyberyus meruaylled moche why he helde hys offycyers so longe in theyr offices wyth oute changynge And they demanded of hym the cause to whom he answerd I wold chaunge them gladly yf I wyste that hit shold be good for the peple But I sawe on a tyme a man that was royuyous full of soores And many flyes satte vpon the soores and souked his blood that hit was meruaylle to see wherfore I suibâ—e and chaced them away And he than said to me why chacest and smytest away thyse flyes that ben full of my blood And now shallt then late come other that ben hongrye whiche shall doon to me double payne more than the other dide for the prikke of the hongrye is more poyngnant the half than of the fulle And therfore sayde he I leue the officiers in their offices for they ben allÌ„ riche and doo not so moche euylÌ„ harme As the newe shold doo were poure yf I shold sette hem in her places They ought also to be pacyent in herynge of wordes in suffrynge payne on her bodyes as to the first One said to alisander that he was not worthy to regne specially whan he suffrid that lecherie and delyte to haue seignoire in hym he suffrid hit paciently And answerd none otherwyse but that he wolde corrette hym self And take better maners and more honeste Also hit is reherced that Iulius cezar was ballyd wherof he had desplaysir so grete that he kempt his heeris that laye on the after parte of his heed forward for to hyde the bare to fore Than sayd a knyght to hym Cezar hit is lighther And sonner to be made that thou be not ballid than that I haue vsid ony cowardyse in the warre of rome or here after shall doo ony cowardyse he suffrid hit paciently and sayd not a word Another reproched hym by his lignage And callyd hym fornier he answerd that hit is better that noblesse begynne in me than hit shold faylle in me Another callid hym tyraunt he answerd yf I were one thou woldest not saie soo A knight callid on a tyme scipion of affricque fowle olde knyght in armes And that he knewe lityll good And he answerd I was born of my moder a lityll child and feble and not a man of armes And yet he was at alle tymes one of the best and moste worthy in armes that liuyd Another sayd to vaspasian And a wolf shold sonner change his skyn and heer than thou sholdest chauÌ„ge thy lyf For the lenger thou lyuest the moâ—e thou coueytest And he answerd of thyse wordes we ought to laughe But we ought to amende our self And punysshe the trespaces Seneque reherceth that the kynge Antygonus herde certayn peple speke and saye euyll of hym And therwas betwene hem no more but a courtyne And than he sayde make an ende of your euyll langage leste the kynge here yow for the courtyne heereth yow well I nowhe Than as towchynge to the paynes that they ought to suffre paciently Valerius reherceth that a tyrant dide do tormente Anamaximenes thretenyd hym for to cutte of his tonge To whom he sayd hit is not in thy power to doo soo and forthwyth he bote of his owne tonge And shewed hit wyth his teth and casted hit in the visage of the Tyrant Hit is a grete vertu in a man that he forgete not to be pacyent in corrections of wronges Hit is better to leue a gylty man vnpunysshyd than to punysshe hym in a wrath or yre Valerius reherceth that archita of tarente that was mayster to plato sawe that his feldes lande was destroyed and lost by the necligence of his seruant To whom he sayd yf I were not angry with the I wold take vengeance and turmente the Lo there ye may see that he had leuer to leue to punysshe than to pugnysshe more by yre wrath than by right And therfore sayth seneque doo no thynge that thou oughtest to doo whan thou art angry For whan thou art angry thou woldest doo alle thynges after thy playsir And yf thou canst not vaâ—nquysshe thyn yre than muste thyn yre ouercome the After thys ought they to haue wylfull pouerte lyke as hit was in the auncyent prynces For they coueyted more to be riche in wytte and good maners than in moneye And that reherceth Valerius in his .viii. booke that scipion of Affryque was accused vnto the Senate that he shold haue grete tresour And he answerd certes whan I submysed affryque in to your poeste I helde no thynge to my self that I myght saye this is myn saue only the surname of affryque Ner the affryquans haue not founden in me ner in my broder ony auarice ner that we were so couetouse that we had ne had gretter enuye to be riche of name than of rychesses And therfore sayth seneque that the kynge Altagone vsid gladly in his hows vessels of erthe And some sayde he dyde hit for couetyse But he sayde that hit was better and more noble thynge to shyne in good maners than in vayssell And whan some men demanded hym why and for what cause he dyde so he answerd I am now kynge of secylle and was sone of a potter and for as moche as I doubte fortune For whan I yssued out of the hous of my fader and moder I was sodaynly made riche wherfore I beholde the natiuyte of me and of my lignage whiche is humble meke And alle these thynges cometh of wilfull pouerte for he entended more to the comyn prouffyt than to his owen And of thys pouerte speketh saynt Augustyn in the booke of the cyte of god That they that entende to the comyn prouffyt sorowe more that wilfull pouerte is lost in rome
to selle his heritage patrimonye and sente the money that he resseyuyd therof vnto hanibalÌ„ And had leuer louyd better to be poure in his contrey of herytage than of byleue and fayth But in thyse dayes hit were grete folye to haue suche affiance in moche peple but yf they had ben preuyd afore For oftentymes men truste in them by whom they ben deceyuyd at theyr nede And it is to wete that these crafty men and werkemen ben souerainly prouffitable vnto the world And wyth oute artificers and werkmen the world myght not be gouerned And knowe thou verily that alle tho thynges that ben engendrid on the erthe and on the see ben made and formed for to do prouffit vnto the lignage of man for man was formed for to haue generacion that the men myght helpe and prouffit eche other And here in ought we to folowe nature For she shewed to vs that we shold do comyn prouffit one to an other And the first fondement of Iustice is that no man shold noye ne greue other But that they ought doo the comyn prouffit For men saye in reproche That I see of thyn I hope hit shall be myn But who is he in thyse dayes that entendeth more to the comyn prouffit than to his owne Certaynly none But all way a man ought to haue drede and feere of his owne hows whan he seeth his neyghbours hous a fyre And therfore ought men gladly helpe the comyn prouffit for men otherwhile sette not be a lityll fyre And might quenche hit in the begynnyng that afterward makyth a grete blasyng fyre And fortune hath of no thinge so grete playsir as for to torne werke allway And nature is so noble a thynge that were as she is she wyll susteyne and kepe but this rewle of nature hath fayllid longe tyme how well that the decree sayth that alle the thynges that ben ayenst the lawe of nature ought to be taken away and put a part And he sayth to fore in the .viii. distinition that the ryght lawe of nature differenceth ofte tymes for custome statutes establisshid for by lawe of nature all thinge ought to be comyn to euery man and this lawe was of old tyme And men wene yet specially that the troians kept this lawe And we rede that the multitude of the Troians was one herte and one sowle And verayly we fynde that in tyme passid the philosophres dyde the same And also hit is to be supposyd that suche as haue theyr goodes comune not propre is most acceptable to god For ellys wold not thise religious men as monkes freris chanons obseruantes all other auowe hem kepe the wilfull pouerte that they ben professid too For in trouth I haue my self ben conuersant in a religioê° hous of white freris at gaunt Whiche haue alle thynge in comyn amonge them and not one richer than an other in so moche that yf a man gaf to a frere .iii. d or .iiii. d to praye for hym in his masse as sone as the masse is doon he deliuerith hit to his ouerest or procuratour in whyche hows ben many vertuous and deuoute freris And yf that lyf were not the beste and the most holiest holy church wold neuer suffre hit in religion And acordynge therto we rede in plato whiche sayth that the cyte is well and Iustely gouernid and ordeyned in the whiche no man maye saye by right by custome ne by ordenance this is myn but I say to the certaynly that syn this custome cam forth to say this is myn And this is thyn no man thought to preferre the comyn prouffit so moche as his owen And alle wâ—rkemen ought to be wise well aduysyd so that they haue none enuye ne none euyll suspecion one to an other for god wylle that our humayne nature be couetous of two thynges that is of Religion And of wysedom but in this caas ben some often tymes deceyuyd For they take ofte tymes religion and leue wisedom And they take wysedom and reffuse religion And none may be vraye and trewe with oute other For hit apperteyneth not to a wyse man to do ony thynge that he may repente hym of hit And he ought to do no thynge ayenst his wyll but to do alle thynge nobly meurely fermely and honestly And yf he haue enuye vpon ony hit is folye For he on whom he hath enuye is more honest and of more hauoir than he whiche is so enuyous For a man may haue none enuye on an other but be cause he is more fortunat and hath more grace than hym self For enuye is a sorowe of corage that cometh of dysordynance of the prouffit of another man And knowe thou verily that he that is full of bounte shall neuer haue enuye of an other But thenuyous man seeth and thynketh alleway that euery man is more noble And more fortunat that hymself And sayth alleway to hym self that man wynneth more than I and myn neyghebours haue more plente of bestes and her thynges multiplye more than myn and therfore thou oughtest knowe that enuye is the moste grettest dedely synne that is for she tormenteth hym that hath her wythin hym wyth oute tormentynge or doyng ony harme to hym on whome he hath enuye And an enuyous man hath no vertue in hym self for he corrumpeth hym self for as moche as he hateth allway the welthe and vertues of other and thus ought they to kepe them that they take none euyll suspecoÌ„n For a man naturelly whan his affection hath suspecion in ony man that he weneth that he doth hit semeth to hym verily that it is doon And hit is an euyll thynge for a man to haue suspecion on hym self For we rede that dionyse of zecyll a tyrant Was so suspecionous that he had so grete fere and drede For as moche as he was hated of all men that he putte his frendes oute of theyr offices that they had And put other strangers in theyr places for to kepe his body and these suche as were ryght Cruell and felons And for fere and doubte of the barbours he made hys doughters to lerne shaue and kembe And whan they were grete He wold not they shold vse ony yron to be occupied by them but to brenne and senge his heeris and manaced them and durst not truste in them And in lyke wyse they had none affâ—ance in hym And also he dyde do enuyronne the place where he laye wyth grete diches and brode lyke a castell And he entryd by a drawbrygge whiche closyd after hym And hys knyghtes laye wyth oute wyth his gardes whiche wacchid and kept straytly thys forteresse And whan plato sawe thys Dionyse kynge of cezille thus enuyronned and set aboute wyth gardes wacchemen for the cause of his suspecion sayd to hym openly to fore all men kinge why hast thou don so moche euyll harme that the behoneth to be kept wyth so moche peple And therfor I saye that hit apperteyneth not to
rome â— ryght noble lady named Paulyne And was of the most noble of rome right honeste for the noblesse of chastete whiche was maryed in the tyme that the women gloryfied them in theyr chastete vnto a yonge man fayr noble and riche aboue alle other and was lyke and semblable to his wyf in alle caasis And this paulyne was belouyd of a knight named emmerancian And was so ardautly esprysed in her loue that he sente to her many right riche yeftes And made to her many grete promissis but he might neuer tâ—â—ne the herte of her whiche was on her side also colde and harde as marbill But had leuer to reffuse his yeftes and his promisses Than to entende to couetise to lose her chastete and we â—ede also in the historyes of rome that ther was a noble lady of rome whiche lyuyd a solitarye lyf and was chaste honeste And had gadrid to gyder a grete some of gold And had hid hit in the erthe in a pytte wyth in her hous And whan she was ded the bisshop dyde do burye her in the churche well and honestly And anone after this gold was founden born to the bisshop And the bisshop bad to caste hit in to the pytte wher she was buryed And .iii. dayes men herd her crye make grete noyse and saye that she brennyd in grete payne and they herd her ofte tymes thus tormentid in the chirche the neighbours wente to the bisshop told hym therof and the bisshop gaf hem leue to open the sepulcre and whan they had opend hit they fonde all the gold molten with fyre full of sulphre And was poured and put in her mouth and they herd one saye thou desiredest this gold by couetyse take hit and drynke hit And than they toke the body out of the tombe And hit was cast oute in a preuy place Seneque reherceth in the book of the cryes of women that auarice is foundement of alle vices And valerian reherceth that auarice is a ferdfull garde or kepar of rychessis for he that hath on hym or in his kepynge moche money or other rychessis is allway a ferd to lose hit or to be robbid or to be slayn therfore And he is not ewrous ner happy that by couetyse geteth hit And alle the euyllys of this vice of auarice had a man of rome named septemulle For he was a frende of one named tarchus And this septemulle brente so sore and so cruelly in this synne of couetyse that he had no shame to smyte of the hede of his frende by trayson For as moche as one framosian had promysed to hym as moche weyght of pure gold as the heed weyed And he bare the sayd heed vpon a staf thurgh the cyte of rome and he wyded the brayn out therof and fyld hit full of leed for to weye the heuyer This was a right horrible and cruell auarice Ptolome kynge of the Egipciens poursewed auarice in an other manere For whan anthome emperour of rome sawe that he was right riche of gold and siluer he had hym in grete hate and tormentid hym right cruelly And whan he shold perishe be cause of his richessis he toke alle his hauoyr and put hit in a shippe And wente wyth alle in to the hye see to thende for to drowne and perishe there the shippe and his rychesses be cause Anthonie his enemye shold not haue hit And whan he was there he durst not perisshe hit ner myght not fynde in his herte to departe from hit but cam and brought hit agayn in to his hows where he resseyuyd the reward of deth therfore And wyth oute doubte he was not lord of the richesse but the richesse was lady ouer hym And therfore hit is sayd in prouerbe that a man ought to sâ—ignorye ouer the riches and not for to serue hit and yf thou canst dewly vse thy rychesse than she is thy chamberyer And yf thou can not departe from hit and vse hit honestly at thy playsir knowe verily that she is thy lady For the richesse neuer satisfieth the couetouse but the more he hath the more he desireth And saluste sayth that auarice distourblith fayth poeste honeste and alle these other good vertues And taketh for these vertues pryde cruelte And to forgete god And saith that alle thynges be vendable And after this they ought to be ware that they lene not to moche ner make so grete creances by which they may fâ—lle in pouerte For saynt Ambrose saith vpon to bye pouerte hath no lawe for to owe hit is a shame to owe and not paye is a more shame yf thou be poure beware how thou berowest and thinke how thou maist paye rendre agayn yf thou be ryche thou hast none nede to borowe axe it is said in the prouerbes that hit is fraude to take that thou wilt not ner maist rendre paye agayn and also hit is said in reproche whan I leue I am thy frend whan I axe I am thy enemye as wo saith god at the leâ—yâ—ge the deuyll at rendrynge And seneque sayth in his auctorites that they that gladly borowe ought gladly to paye and ought to surmonte in corage to loue hem the better be cause they â–ª lene hem ayde hem in her nede For for benefetes good tornes doon to a man ought to gyue hym thankinges therfore And moche more ought a man to repaye that Is lente hym in his nede But now in these dayes many men by lenynge of their money haue made of their frendes enemyes And herof speketh Domas the philosopher and sayth that my frende borowed money of me And I haue lost my frende and my money attones Ther was a marchant of Gene also a chaungeour whos name was Albert gauor And this albert was a man of grete trouth and loyaulte for on a tyme ther was a man cam to hym and said affermed that he had delyueryd in to his banke .v. honderd floryns of gold to kepe whiche was not trouth for he lyed whyche fyue honderd floryns the said Albert knewe not of ner coude fynde in all hys bookes ony suche money to hym due And this lyar coude not brynge no wytnessis but began to braye crye and deffame the said albert And than this Albert callid to hym this marchauÌ„t and sayd Dere frende take here v â–ª honderd florms whyche thou affermest and sayst that thou hast deliuerid to me And forthwyth tolde hem and toke hem to hym And lo this good man had leuer to lose his good than his good name and renome And this other marchant toke these florins that he had wrongfully receyuyd and enployed them in diuerce marchandise in so moche that he gate and encresid and wan with them .xv. thousand florins And whan he sawe that he approchid toward his deth and that he had no children He establisshid albert his heyr in alle thingis And sayd that with the .v. honderd florms that he had receyuyd of albert falsely he had goten
lettres of gramayre the monemens the conclusions and the sophyms of logyque the gracioê° speche and vtterance of rethorique the mesures of the houres and dayes and of the cours and astronomye the nombre of arsmetryk the Ioyous songes of musyque And of alle thyse tofore named the maistres of rethorique ben the chyef maistres in speculatyf And the two laste that ben practisiens and werkers ben callyd phisicyens and cyrurgyens how well they ben sage and curyous in thyse sciences And how well that mannes lyf is otherwhile put in thordonance of the phisicyen or cyrurgyen yf he haue not sagesse and wysedom in hym self of dyuerce wrytynges and is not expert And medlyth hym in the craft of phisique He ought better be callyd a sâ—ear of peple than a phisicyen or cyrurgyen For he may not be a maystre but yf he be sewre and expert in the craft of phisike that he sâ—e not moo than he â—â—â—eth and maketh hoole And therfore sayth Auyâ—emie in an Enphormye yf thou curest the seke 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 haâ—pe more than by ony comynge And in alle thyse maner of peple Ther ought to be incurâ—e of good maners Curtoysie of wordes Chastite of the body promysse of helthe And as to them that ben seke contynuell visitacion of them And they ought to enquere the cause of theye sekenessis and the sygnes and tokens of theyr maladyes As is rehercid in the bookes of the auctours by ryght grete diligence And specially in the bookes of ypocras galyene and of Auycene And whan many maysters and phisicyens ben assemblid to fore the pacyent or seke man They ought not there to argue and dispute one agaynst an other But they ought to make good and symple colacion to geder In suche wyse as they be not seen in theyr desputynge onâ— agaynst an other for to encroche and gete more glorye of the world to them self than to trete the salute and helthe of the pacyent and seke man I meruayll why that whan they see and knowe that whan the seke man hath grete nede of helthe wherfore than they make gretter obiection of contraryousnes for as moche as the lyf of man is demened and put amonge them but hit is be cause that he is reputed most sage and wise that argueth and bryngeth in moste subtyltes And alle this maner is amonge doctours of lawe that treteth no thynge of mannes lyf But of temporelle thynges that he is holden most wyse and best lerned that by his counceyll can beste acorde the contencions and discencions of men And therfore ought the phisicyens and cyrurgyens leue whan they be to fore the seke men alle dissencions and contrariousnes of wordes in suche wyse that hit appere that they studye more for to cure the seke men than for to despute And therfore is the phisicien duly sette to fore the quene So that it is figured that he ought to haue in hymself chastite and contynence of body For hit apperteyneth somtyme vnto the phisicien to visite and cure Quenes duchesses and countesses and alle other ladyes and see and beholde some secrete sekenessis that falle and come otherwhile in the secretis of nature And therfore hit apperteyneth to them that they be chaste and folowe honeste and chastite and that they be ensample to other of good contynence For valerian reherceth that ypocras was of meruayllous contynence of his body For whan he was in the scoles of Athenes he had by hym a ryght fayr woman whyche was comyn And the yonge scolers and the Ioly felaws that were students promisyd to the woman a besanÌ„t yf she myght or coude torne the corage of ypocras for to haue to doon wyth her And she cam to hym by nyght and dyde so moche by her craft that she laye wyth hym in his bedd but she coude neuer do so moche that she myghte corrumpe his chaste liuynge ne defoule the crowne of his conscience and whan the yonge men knewe that she had ben with hym all the might And coude not chaunge his contynence they began to mocque her And to axe and demande of her the besant that they had gyuen to her And she answerd That hit was holden a gaged vpon an ymage For as moche as she might not change his contynence she callyd hym an ymage And in semblable wyse reherceth Valerian of Scenocrates philosopher that ther laye with hym a woman all night And tempted hym disordinaâ—ly but that ryght chaste man made neuer semblant to her Ner he neuer remeuyd from his ferme purpoos In suche wyse as she departid from hym alle confusid and shamed Cornelius scipion that was sent by the romayns for to gouerne spayne as sone as he entryd in to the castellis in to the townes of that lande He began to take away all the thynges that miht styre or meue his men to lecherye wherfore men sayd that he drof chared oute of the oste moo than two thousand hourdellys And he that was wyse knewe well that delyte of lecherye corrupted and apayred the corages of tho men that ben abandonned to that same delyte And herof hit is sayd in the fables of the poetes in the first book of the Truphes of the Philosophers by figure That they that entryd in to the fontayne of the sirenes or mermaydens were corrumpid and they toke them away with hem And also ye ought to knowe that they ought to entende diligently to the cures of the enfermytees in cyrugerye They ought to make theyr playsters acordynge to the woundes or sores yf the wounde be rounde The enplastre must be round and yf hyt be longe hyt muste be longe and otherwhile hit muste be cured by his contrarye lyke as hit apperteyneth to phisique For the hete is cured by cold and the colde by hete and Ioye by sorowe and sorowe by Ioye and hit happeth ofte tymes that moche peple be in grete paryll in takynge to moche Ioye and lese her membris and become half benomen in the sodayn Ioye And Ioye is a replection of thynge that is delectable sprad a brode in all the membris with right grete gladnes And all men entende and desire to haue the sayd ryght grete Ioye naturelly But they knowe not what may ensue and come therof And this Ioye cometh otherwhile of vertue of conscience And the wyse man is not wyth out this Ioye And this Ioye is neuer Interrupt ne in deffaulte at no tyme For hit cometh of nature And fortune may not take a waye that nature geueth And merciall saith that Ioyes fugitiues abide not longe But flee away anoÌ„n And valerian reherceth that he that hath force and strengthe raysonable hath hit of verray matier of complection 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
TO the right noble / right excellent vertuous prince George duc of Clarence Erle of warwyk and of salisburye / grete chamberlayn of Englond leutenant of Irelond oldest broder of kynge Edward by the grace of god kynge of England and of frauÌ„ce / your most humble seruant william Caxton amonge other of your seruantes sendes vnto yow peas helthe Ioye and victorye vpon your Enemyes Right highe puyssant and redoubted prynce For as moche as I haue vnderstand and knowe that ye are enclined vnto the comyn wele of the kynge our sayd saueryn lord his nobles lordes and comyn peple of his noble royame of Englond and that ye sawe gladly the Inh ans of the same enformed in good vertuous prouffitable and honeste maners In whiche your noble persone wyth guydyng of your hows haboundeth gyuyng light and ensample vnto all other Therfore I haue put me in deuour to translate a lityll book late comen in to myn handes out of frensh in to englisshe In which I fynde thauctorites dictees and stories of auncient Doctours philosophes poetes and of other wyse men whiche been recounted applied vnto the moralite of the publique wele as well of the nobles as of the comyn peple after the game and playe of the chesse whiche booke right puyssant and redoubtid lord I haue made in the name and vnder the shadewe of your noble protection not presumyng to correcte or enpoigne ony thynge ayenst your noblesse For god be thankyd your excellent renome shyneth as well in strange regions as with in the royame of england gloriously vnto your honour and lande whiche god multeplye and encrece But to thentent that other of what estate or degre he or they stande in â–ª may see in this sayd lityll book yf they gouerned them self as they ought to doo wherfor my right dere redoubted lord I requyre supplye your good grace not to desdaygne to resseyue this lityll sayd book in gree and thanke as well of me your humble and vnknowen seruant as of a better and gretter man than I am For the right good wylle that I haue had to make this lityll werk in the best wyse I can ought to be reputed for the fayte and dede And for more clerely to procede in this sayd book I haue ordeyned that the chapitres ben sette in the begynnynge to thende that ye may see more playnly the mater wherof the book treteth {etc} This booke conteyneth .iiii. traytees The first traytee is of the Inuencion of this playe of the chesse and conteyneth .iii. chapitres The first chapitre is vnder what kynge this playe was founden The .ii. chapitre who fonde this playe The .iii. chapitre treteth of .iii. causes why hit was made and founden The seconde traytee treteth of the chesse men and conteyneth .v. chapitres The first chapitre treteth of the forme of a kynge and of suche thinges as apperteyn 〈◊〉 a kynge The .ii. chapitre treteth of the quene her forme maners The .iii. chapitre of the forme of the alphins and her offices and maners The .iiii. chapitre is 〈◊〉 â—he kyâ—â—ht and of his offices The .v. is of the roâ—â—â— and of their maners and offices The third trayâ—â—◠〈◊〉 of the offices of the comyn peple And hath viiiâ— chapitres The first chapitre is of the labourers tilinge of the erthe The .ii. of and other werkes in yron metall The .iii. is of drapers and makers of cloth notaries The .iiii. is of and chaungers The .v. is of phisicyens and cirugiens and apotecaries The .vi. is of tauerners and hostelers The .vii. is of the gardes of the cit tollers customers The .viii. is of ribauldes disep and currours The .iiii. traytre is of the m and yssue of them And hath .viii. chapitres The first is of the eschequer The seconde of the yssue and progression of the kynge The thirde of the yssue of the quene The fourth is of the yssue of the alphyns The fifth is of the yssue of the knyghtes The sixty chapitre of the yssue of the rooks The seuenth is of the meuynge yssue of the comyn peple And the eyght and laste chapitre is of the epilegacion And of the recapitulacion of all these forsaid chapitres This first chapiter of the first tractate sheweth vnder what kynge the play of the chesse was founden and maad AMonge all the euyll condicions and signes that may be in a man the first and the grettest is whan he feereth not ne dredeth to displese and make wroth god by synne and the peple by lyuyng disordynatly whan he reccheth not ner taketh hede vnto them that repreue hym and his vices but sleeth them In suche wyse as dide the emperour Nero whiche dide do slee his maister seneque For as moche as he migâ—â—◠〈◊〉 suffre to be repreuid and taught of hym In lyke wyse was somtyme a kynge in babilome that was named Emsmerodac a Iolye man with oute Iustice and so cruell that he dyde do hewe his faders body in thre honderd pieces And gaf hit to ete and deuour to thre honderd birdes that men calle voultres And was of suche condicion as was Nero And right well resemblid and was lyke vnto his fader Nabogodonosor whiche on a tyme wold do slee alle the sage and wyse men of babylonye For as moche as they coude not telle hym his dreme that he had dremed on a nyght and had forgoten hit lyke as it is wreton in the bible in the book of danyell Vnder this kynge than Emlmerodach was this game and playe of the chesse founden Trewe it is that some men wene that this playe was founden in the tyme of the bataylles siege of troye But that is not soo For this playe-cam to the playes of the caldees as dyomedes the greek sayth and reherceth That amonge the philosophrs was the most renomed playe amonge all other playes And after that cain this playe in the tyme of Alixandre the grete in to Egipte And so vnto alle the parties toward the south And the cause wherfore thys playe was so renomed shall be sayd in the thirde chapitre This seconde chapitre of the first tractate sheweth who fonde first the playe of the chesse THys playe fonde a phylosopher of Thoryent whiche was named in Caldee Exerses or in greke philometor whiche is as moche to saye in english as he that loueth Iustice and mesure And this philosopher was renoâ—â—d gretly amonge the grekes and them of Athenes whiche were good clerkys and philosophers also renomed of theyr comiynge This philosopher was so Iuste and trewe that he had leuyr dye than to lyue longe and be a falâ— flaterer wyth the sayd kynge For whan he behelde the foull and synfull lyf of the kynge And that no man durst blame hym For by his grete cruelte he putte them alle to deth that displesid hym he put hym self in paryll of deth And louyd and chees rather to dye than longer to lyue The euyll lyf and diffamed of a kynge is the
lyf of a cruell beste And ought not longe to be susteyned For he destroyeth hym that displesith hym And therfore reherceth valeriuds that ther was a wise man named theodore cerem whom his kynge dyde do hange on the crosse for as moche as he repreuyd hym of his euyll fowll lyf And all way as he was in the torment he said to the kynge vpon thy counceyllours them that ben cladd in thy clothynge robes were more reson that this torment shold come For as moche as they dar not saye to the The trouthe for to do Iustice right wysly of my self I make no force whether I dye on the lande or on the water or otherwyse {etc} as who sayth he recched not to dye for Iustice In lyke wyse as democreon the philosophre put out his owen eyen be cause he wold not see that no good myght come to the euyll and vicyous peple wyth out right And also defortes the philosophre as he went toward his deth his wyf that folowed after hym saide that he was dampned to deth wrongfully than he answerd and sayd to her holde thy peas and be styll hit is better and more merytorye to dye by a wronge and vnrightfull Iugement than that I had deseruyd to dye The thirde chapitre of the â—irst tractate treteth wherfore the playe was founden and maad THe causes wherfore this playe was founden ben thre the first was for to correcte and repreue the kynge For whan this kynge Emâ—merodach sawe this playe And the barons knyghtes and gentillmen of his court playe wyth the philosopher he meruaylled gretly of the beaulte and nouelte 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 lerned the playe The kynge said hit was reson and that he wold put hym to the payne to lerne hit Than the philosophre began to teche hym and to shewe hym the maner of the table of the chesse borde and the chesse meyne And also the maners and condicions of a kynge of the nobles and of the comun peple and of theyr offices and how they shold be touchid and drawen And how he shold amende hym self become vertuous And whan this kynge herde that he repreuyd hym He demanded hym vpon payne of deth to telle hym wherfore he had founden and made this playe And he answerd my ryght dere lord and kynge the grettest and most thinge that I desire is that thou haue in thy self a gloryous and vertuous lyf And that may I not see but yf thou be endoctrined and well manerd and that had so mayst thou be belouyd of thy peple Thus than I desire that thou haue other gouernement than thou hast had And that thou haue vpon thy self first seygnorye and maistrye suche as thou hast vpon other by force and not by right Certaynly hit is not ryght that a man be mayster ouer other and comandour whan he can not rewle ner may rewle hym self and that his vertues domyne aboue his vices For seygnourye by force and wylle may not longe endure Than thus may thou see oon of the causes why and wherfore I haue founden and maad thys playe whyche Is for to correcte and repente the of thy tyraâ—nye and vicyous lyuynge For alle kynges specyally ought to here her corrygeours or correctours and her corrections to hold and kepe in mynde In lyke wyse as Valerius reherceth that the kynge Alixandre had a noble and renomed knyght that sayd in repreuynge of Alixandre that he was to moche couetous and in especyall of the honours of the world And sayd to hym yf the goddes had maad thy body as greet as is thy herte Alle the world coude not holde the For thou holdest in thy right hand alle the Oryent And in thy lyfte hande the occident syn than hit is so or thou art a god or a man or nought yf thou be god doo than well and good to the peple as god doth And take not from them that they ought to haue and is theyres yf thou be a man thinke that thou shalt dye And than thou shalt doo noon euyll yf thou be nought forgete thy self ther is no thynge so stronge and ferme but that somtyme a feble thinge casteth doun and ouerthrowe hit How well that the lyon be the strengest beste yet somtyme a lityll birde eteth hym The seconde cause wherfore this playe was founden and maad was for to kepe hym from ydlenesse wherof senecque saith vnto lucylle ydlenes wyth oute ony ocupacion is sepulture of a man lyuyng and varro saith in his sentences that in lyke wise as men goo not for to goo the same wyse the lyf is not gyuen for to lyue but for to doo well and good And therfore secondly the philosopher fonde this playe for to kepe the peple from ydlenes For ther is moche peple Whan so is that they be fortunat in wordly goodes that they drawe them to ease and ydlenes wherof cometh ofte tymes many euyllys and grete synnes And by this ydlenes the herte is quenchid wherof cometh desperacion The thirde cause is that euery man naturelly desireth to knowe and to here noueltees and tydynges For this cause they of atthenes studyed as we rede and for as the corporall or bodyly sight enpessâ—heth and letteth otherwhyle the knowleche of subtyll thinges therfore we rede that democrion the phylosopher put oute his owen eyen for as moche as he myght haue the better entendement and vnderstondynge Many haue ben made blynde that were grete clerkis in lyke wyse as was dydymus bisshop of Alixandrye that how well that he sawe not yet he was so grete a clerk that gregore nazan saynt Ierome that were clerkes and maystres to other came for to be his scolers lerned of hym And saint Anthonie The grete heremyte cam for to see hym on a tyme and amonge all other thynges he demanded hym yf he were not gretly displesid that he was blynde and sawe not And he answerd that he was gretly abasshid for that he supposid not that he was not displesid in that he had lost his sight And saynt Anthonye answerd to hym I meruayle moche that hit displesith the that thou hast lost that thynge whiche is comyn betwene the and bestes And thou knowest well that thou hast not loste that thynge that is comyn bitwene the and the angellis And for thise causes forsayd the philosopher entended to put away alle pensifnes and thoughtes and to thynke only on this playe as shall be said appere in this book after The seconde tractate the first chapiter treteth of the forme of a kynge of his maners and of his estate THe kynge must be thus maad For he must sitte in a chayer clothed in purpure crowned on his heed in his ryght hand a ceptre and in the lyfte hande an apple of gold For he is the most grettest and hyest in dignyte
aboue alle other and most worthy And that is signefyed by the corone For the glorye of the peple is the dignite of the kynge And aboue all other the kynge ought to be replenysshid with vertues and of grace and thys signefieth the purpure For in lyke wyse as the robes of purpure maketh fayr enbelysshith the body the same wise vertues maketh the sowle he ought alleway thenke on the gouernement of the Royame and who hath thadmynystracion of Iustice And thys shuld be by hym self pryncipally This signefieth the appÌ„ell of gold that he holdeth in his lyfte honde And for as moche as hit apperteyneth vnto hym to punysshe the rebelles hath he the sceptre in his right hand And for as moche as mysericorde and trouthe conserue and kepe the kynge in his trone Therfore ought a kynge to be mercyfull and debonayr For whan a kynge or prynce desired or will be belouyd of his peple late hym be gouerned by debonarite And valerius saith that debonairte percyth the hertes of straungers and amolisshith and maketh softe the hertes of his enemyes wherof he reherceth that philostratus that was duc of athenes had a doughter whom a man louyd so ardantly that on a tyme as he sawe her wyth her moder sodaynly he cam and kyssed her wherof the moder was so angry and soroufull that she wente and requyred of her lord the duc that his heed myght be smyten of The prynce answerd to her and sayde yf we shold slee them that loue vs what shall we doo to our enemyes that hate vs Certaynly this was thanswer of a noble debonair prynce That suffred that villonye don to his doughter and to hym self yet more This prince had also a frende that was named Arispe that sayd on a tyme as moche villonye vnto the prynce as ony man miht saye And that might not suffise hym but he scracchid hym in the visage The prynce suffryd hym paciently in suche wyse as thowh he had doon to hym no vilonye but curtoysye And whan his sones wold haue auengid this vilonye he comanded them that they shold not be so hardy so to do The next day folowyng arispe remembrid of the right grete vilonye that he had don to his frende and lord wyth oute cause He fyll in dispayr and wold haue slayn hym self whan the duc knewe and vnderstode that he cam to hym and sayd ne doubte the nothynge And swore to hym by his fayth that also well he was and shold be his frende fro than forthon as euery he had ben to fore yf he wold And thus he respited hym of his deth by his debonairte And in lyke wyse rede we of the kynge pirre to whom was reported that they of tarente had said grete vilonye of hym For whiche cause he maad alle them to come to fore hym And demanded of them yf they had so sayd Than oon of them answerd and sayd yf the wyn and the candellys had not fayllyd thys langage had ben but a Iape In regarde of that we had thought to haue doon Than the kynge began to lawhe for they had confessid that suche langage as was sayd and spoken was by dronkenship And for this cause of debonairte the peple of tarante toke for a custome that the dronken men shold be punysshyd And the sobre men preysed The kynge than thus ought to loue humylyte and hate falâ—â—te after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally For the kynge in his royame representeth god And god is verite And therfore hym ought to saye no thynge but yf hit were veritable and stable Valerius reherceth that Alixandre wyth alle his ooste rood for to destroye a cyte whyche was named lapsare whan than a phylosophre whiche had to name Anaximenes whiche had ben to fore maistre gouernour of Alixandre herd and vnderstood of his comyng Cam agayn Alixandre for to desire and requyre of hym And whan he sawe Alixandre he supposid to haue axid his requeste Alixander brake his demande to fore and swore to hym to fore he axid ony thynge by his goddes That suche thynge as he axid or requyryd of hym he wold in no wyse doon Than the philosopher requyred hym to destroye the cyte whan Alixandre vnderstood his desire and the oth that he had maad he suffrid the cyte to stande and not to be destroyed For he had leuer doo his wyll than to be periured and forsworn and doo agaynst his oth Quyntilian saith that no grete man ne lord shold not swere but where as is grete nede And that the symple parole or worde of a prynce ought to be more stable than the oth of a marchauÌ„t Alas how kepe the prynces their promisses in thise dayes not only her promises but their othes her sealis and wrytynges signes of their propre handes alle faylleth god amende hit {etc} A kynge also ought to hate alle cruelte For we rede that neuer yet dyed ony pietous persone of euyll deth ne cruell persone of good deth Therfore recounteth valerius that ther was a man named theryle a werkeman in metall that made a boole of coppre and a lityll wyket on the side wherby men myght put in them that shuld be brent therin And hit was maad in suche manere that they that shold be put and enclosid therin shold crye no thinge lyke to the wys of a man but of an oxe And this made he be cause men shold haue the lasse pite of them Whan he had made this bole of copper he presented hit vnto a kynge whiche was callyd philarde that was so cruell a tyrant that he delited in no thinge but in cruelte And he told hym the condicion of the bole whan philarde herde and vnderstode this he alowed and preysed moche the werke And after sayde to hym thou that art more cruell than I am thou shalt assaye proue first thy pÌ„sente and yeft And so made hym to goo in to the boole and dye an euyll deth Therfore saith Ouide ther is no thinge more raisonable than that a man dye of suche deth as he purchaseth vnto other Also the kynge ought souerainly kepe Iustice who maketh or kepeth a royame with oute Iustice of verray force ther muste be grete robberye and thefte Therfor reherceth saint Augustyn in a book which is intituled the cyte of god that ther was a theef of the see named diomedes that was a grete rouar and dide so moche harme that the complaintes cam to fore Alixander whiche dide hym to be taken brought to fore hym and he demanded hym wherfore he was so noyous cruell in the see And he answerd to hym agayn for as moche as thou art â—on a lande in the world so am I another in the see but for as moche as the euyll that I doo is in oon galeye or tweyne therfore I am callyd a theef but for as moche as thou dâ—st in many shippis and with grete puyssance and power therfore art thou
erthe with the comyn good And theyr doughters were maryed by the â—â—mandement of the senatours But syn that they despised pouertâ— And begonne to gadre rychesses And â—â—ue maad grete bataylles they haue vsed many synnes And so the comyn wele perysshid For there is no synne but that it regneth there Ther is none that is so â—ynfull as he that hath alle the world in despyte For he is in pees that dredeth no man And he is ryche that coueyteth no thynge Valere reherceth that he is not ryche that moche hath But he is ryche that hath lytyll and coueyteth no thynge Than thus late the Iuges take hede that they enclyne not for loue or for hate in ony Iugement For theophrast saith that alle loue is blynde ther loue is ther can not ryght Iugement by gyuen For alle loue is blynde And therfore loue is none euyn Iuge For ofte tymes loue Iugeth a fowll lothly woman to be fayr And so reherceth quynte curse in his first book that the grete Godaches sayth the same to Alixandre men may saye in this caas that nature is euyll For euery man is lasse auysed and worse in is owne feet and cause than in an other mans And therfore the Iuges ought to kepe hem well from yre in Iugement Tullius sayth that an angry yrous ê‘sone weneth that for to doo euyll is good counceyll and socrates saith that .ii. thinges ben contraryous to couÌ„ceyll and they ben hastynes wrath and Galeren sayth in Alexandrye yf yre or wrath ouercome the whan thou sholdest gyue Iugement weye all thinge in the balance so that thy Iugement be not enclyned by loue ne by yefte ne fauour of persone torne not thy corage Helemond reherceth that Cambyses kynge of perse whiche was a rightwys kynge had an vnrightwys Iuge whiche for enuye and euyll will had dampned a man wrongfully and agaynst right wherfore he dide hym to be flain all quyk and made the chayer or siege of Iugement to be couerid wyth his skyn And made his sone Iuge and to sitte in the chayer on the skyn of his fader to thende that the sone shold Iuge rightwysly And abhorre the Iugement payne of his fader Iuges ought to punysshe the defaultes egally And fullfille the lawe that they ordeyne Caton sayth accomplisshe and do the lawe in suche wyse as thou hast ordeyned and gyuen Valerius reherceth that calengius a consull had a sone whiche was taken in adwultrye And therfore after the lawe at that tyme he was dampned to lose bothe his eyen The fader wold that the lawe shold be accoÌ„plisshid in his sone with out fauour but all the cyte was meuyd herewyth And wold not suffre hit but in the ende his fader was vaynquysshid by theyr prayers And ordeyned that his sone shold lese oon eye whiche was put oute And he hym self lost an other eye And thus was the lawe obserued and kept And the prayer of the peple was accomplisshid We â—ede that ther was a counceyllour of rome that had gyuen counceill to make a statute that who some euer that entrid in to the senatoire a swerd gyrt aboute hym shold be ded Than hit happend on a tyme that he cam from with out and entrid in to the senatoyre his swerd gyrt aboute hym wherof he took noÌ„n heede and oÌ„n of the senatours told hym of hit and whan he knewe hit remembrid the statute he drewe oute his swerd slewe hym self to fore them rather to dye than to breke the lawe for whos deth all the senatours made grete sorowe but alas we fynde not many in thise dayes that soo doo but they doo lyke as anastasius saith that the lawes of some ben lyke vnto the nettis of spyncoppis that take no grete bestes fowles but lete goo flee thurgh But they take flyes gnattes suche smale thynges In lyke wise the lawes now a dayes ben not executed but vpon the poure peple the grete and riche breke hit goo thurgh with all And for this cause sourden bataylles discordes and make the grete riche men to take by force and strengthe lordshippis seignouries vpon the smale poure peple And this doon they specially that ben gentill of lignage poure of goodes And causeth them to robbe and reue And yet coÌ„strayned them by force to serue them And this is no meruayll for they that drede not to angre god ner to breke the lawe and to false hit Falle often tymes by force in moche cursednes and wikkidnes but whan the grete peple doo acordinge to the lawe and punysh the traÌ„sgressours sharply The comyn peple abstayne and withdrawe hem fro dooyng of euyll and chastiseth hem self by theyr example And the Iuges ought to entende for to studie for that yf smythes the carpeÌ„tiers that vignours and other craftsmen saye that it is most necessarye to studye for the comyn prouffit And gloryfye them in their connyng and saye that they ben prouffitable Than shold the Iuges studie and contemplaire moche more than they in that that shold be for the comyn wele wherfore sayth seneke beleue me that they seme that they do no thynge they doo more than they that laboure For they doo spirytuell and also corporall werkis and therfore amonge Artificers ther is no plesant reste But that reson of the Iuges hath maad and ordeyned hit And therfore angelius in libro actiui atticatorum de socrate sayth That socrates was on a tyme so pensyf that in an hole naturell daye He helde one estate that he ne meuyd mouth ne eye ne foote ne hand but was as he had ben ded rauysshyd And whan one demanded hym wherfore he was so pensyf he answerd in alle worldly thynges and labours of the same And helde hym bourgoys and cytezeyn of the world And valerius reherceth that carnardes a knyght was so sage wyse and laborous in pensifnes of the comyn wele that whan he was sette at table for to ete he forgate to put his hande vnto the mete to fede hym self And therfore his wyf that was named mellyse whom he had taken more to haue her companye felawship than for ony other thynge Fedde hym to thende that he shold not dye for honger in his pensifnes Dydymus sayd to Alixandrie we ben not deynseyns in the world but strauÌ„gers ner we ben not born in the world for to dwell and abyde allway therin but for to goo and passe thurgh hit we haue doon noon euyll dede but that it is worthy to be punysshid and we to suffre payne therfore And than we may goon with opon face and good conscience And so may we goo lightly and appertly the waye that we hope and purpose to goo This suffiseth as for the Alphyns The fourth chapitre of the seconde book treteth of the ordre of cheualerye and knyghthode and of her offices and maners THe knyght ought to be made alle armed vpon an hors in suche wyse that he haue an helme on his
than the richesses of rome For by the wilfull pouerte was the renomce of good maners kept entierly thus by this richesse pouerte is not only corrupt in thyse dayes ner the cyte ner the maners but also the thoughtes of the men ben corrupt by thys couetyse and by felonnye 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 cardynall of rome in the decretall the syxte in the chapitre gens sancta where he sayth that they ben felouÌ„s ayenst god contrarye to holy thynges traytres one to that other enuyous to her neyghbours proude vnto straungers rebelle and vntrewe vnto theyr souerayns Not suffringe to them that ben of lower degree than they and nothinge shamfast to demande thinges discouenable and not to leue tyll they haue that they demande and not plesid but disagreable whan they haue resseyuyd the yeft They haue their tonges redy for to make grete boost and doo lityll They ben large in promysynges And smale gyuers they ben ryght fals deceyuours And ryght inordent and bitynge detractours For whiche thynge hit is a grete sorowe to see the humylite the pacyence And the good wisedom that was woute to be in this cyte of rome whiche is chief of alle the world is peruertid torned in to maleheurte and thise euylles And me thynketh that in other partyes of crestiante they haue taken ensample of them to doo euyll They may saye that this is after the decretale of seygnourye and disobeysance that sayth That suche thynges that the souerayns doo Is lightly and sone taken in ensample of theyr subgets Also thise vicayres shold be large and liberall In so moche that suche peple as serue them ben duly payd and guerdoned of her labour For euery man doth his labour the better and lightlyer whan he seeth that he shall be well payd and rewarded And we rede that Titus the sone of vaspasian was so large and so liberall That he gaf and promysyd somewhat to euery man And whan hys moste pryuy frendes demanded of hym why he promysid more that he myght gyue he answerd for as moche as hyt apperteyneth not to a prynce that ony man shold departe sorowfull or tryste fro hym Than hit happend on a day that he gaf ner promysid no thynge to ony man And whan hit was euen and auysed hym self he sayd to hys frendes O ye my frendes thys day haue I lost for this day haue I don no good And also we rede of Iulius Cesar that he neuer saide in alle his lyue to his knyghtes goo oon but allway he sayde come come For I loue allway to be in youre companye And he knewe well that hit was lasse payne trauayll to the knyghtes whan the prynce is in her companye that loueth hem coÌ„forted hem And also we rede of the same Iulius cesar in the booke of truphes of phylosophers that ther was an Auncyent knyght of his that was in paryll of a caas hangynge to fore the Iuges of rome so he callyd cesar on a tyme and said to hym to fore all men that he shold be his aduocate And cesar deliueryd and assigned to hym a right good aduocate And the knyght sayd to hym O cesar I put no vicaire in my place whan thou were in parill in the batayll of assise But I faught for the. And than he shewed to hym the places of his woundes that he had receyuyd in the batayll And than cam cesar in his propre persone for to be his aduocate to plete his cause for hym he wold not haue the name of vnkyndenes but doubted that men shold saye that he were proude And that he wold not do for them that had seruyd hym They that can not do so moche as for to be belouyd of her knightes can not loue the knyghtes And this sufficeth of the rooks The thirde tractate of the offices of the comyn peple The fyrst chapitre is of the office of the labourers and werkemen FOr as moche as the Noble persone canne not rewle ne gouerne with oute the seruyce and werke of the peple than hit behoueth to deuyse the oâ—uurages and the offices of the werkemen Than I shall begynne fyrst at the fyrst pawne that is in the playe of the chesse And signefieth a man of the comyn peple on fote For they be all named pietous that is as moche to saye as footemen And than we wyll begynne at the pawne whiche standeth to fore the rooke on the right side of the kinge for as moche as this pawne apperteyneth to serue the vicaire or lieutenant of the kynge and other officers vnder hym of necessaryes of vitayll And this maner a peple is figured and ought be maad in the forme shappe of a man holdynge in his ryght hande a spade or shouell And a rodde in the lifte hand The spade or shouell is for to delue labour therwith the erthe And the rodde is for to dryue conduyte wyth all the Bestes vnto her pasture also he ought to haue on his gyrdell a crokyd hachet for to cutte of the supfluytees of the vignes trees And we rede in the bible that the first labourer that euer was was Cayin the firste sone of Adam that was so euyll that he slewe his broder Abel for as moche as the smoke of his tythes went strayt vnto heuen And the smoke fumeâ— of the tythes of Cayin wente dounward vpon the erthe And how well that this cause was trewe yet was ther another cause of enuye that he had vnto his broder For whan Adam their fâ—der maried them for to multyplie the erthe of hys â—ignye he wolde not marye ner Ioyne to gyder the two that were born aâ—â—ones but gaf vnto cayin her that was born wyth Abel And to Abel her that was born with cayin And thus began the nuye that cayin had ayenst abel For his wyf was fayrer than cayins wyf And for this cause he slough abel with the chekebone of a beste at that tyme was neuer no maner of yron blody of mannes blood And abel was the first martier in tholde testament And this cayin dide many other euylÌ„ thinges whiche I leue for hit apperteyneth not to my mater But hit behouetâ— for necessite that some shold labour the erthe after the synne of adam for to fore er adam synned the erthe brought forth fruyt with out labour of handes but syn he synned hit muste nedes be labourid with the handes of men And for as moche as the erthe is moder of alle thynges And that we were first formed and toke oure begynnyng of the erthe the same wyse at the laste she shall be the ende vnto alle vs and to alle thynges And god that formed vs of the erthe hath ordeyned that by the laboure of men she shold gyue nourysshyng vnto alle that lyueth and first the labourer of the erthe ought to knowe his god that formed and
made heuen erthe of nought And ought to haue loyaulte and trouth in hym self and despise deth for to entende to his laboure And he ought to gyue thankyngis to hym that made hym And of whom he receyueth alle his goodes temporall wherof his lyf is susteyned And also he is bounden to paye the dismes and tythes of alle his thynges And not as Cayin dyde But as Abell dyde of the beste that he chese out allway for to gyue to god to plese hym For they that grucche and be greuyd in that they rendre and gyue to god the tienthes of her goodes they ought to be aferd and haue drede that they shall falle in necessite And that they might be dispoyllyd or robbed by warre or by tempeste that myght falle or happen in the contrey And hit is meruayll though hit so happen For that man that is disagreable vnto god And weneth that the multiplynge of his goodes temporell cometh by the vertu of his owne couÌ„ceyll and his wytte the whiche is made by the only ordenance of hym that made alle And by the same ordenance is soone taken away fro hym that is disagreable and hit is reson that whan a man haboundeth by fortune in goodes And knoweth not god by whom hit cometh that to hym come some other fortune by the whiche he may requyre grace and pardon And to knowe his god And we rede of the kynge Dauid that was first symple one of the comyn peple that whan fortune had enhaunsed and sette hym in grete astate he lefte and forgate his god And fyll to aduoultrye and homicyde and other synnes Than anon his owne sone Absalon assaylled began to persecute hym And than whan he sawe that fortune was contrarye to hym he began to take agayn his vertuous werkis and requyred pardoun and so retorned to god agayn We rede also of the children of ysraelÌ„ that were nyghe enfamyned in desert and sore hongry thrusty that they prayd requyred of god for remedy Anon he changed his wyll sente to hem manna flessh {etc} And whan they were replenesshid fatte of the flessh of bestes of the manna they made a calf of gold and worshippid hit Whiche was a grete synne Inyquyte For whan they were hongry they knewe god And whan theyre belyes were fylde fatted they forgid ydoles were ydolatrers After this euery labourer ought to be faythfull trewe That whan his maystre delyuereth to hym his lande to be laboured that he take no thinge to hym self but that hym ought to haue is his but laboure truly take cure and charge in the name of his maistre and do more diligently his maisters labours than his owen for the lyf of the most grete noble men next god heth in the handes of the labourers and thus all craftes occupacions ben ordeyned not only to suffise to them only but to the comyn And so hit happeth ofte tyme that the labourer of the erthe vseth grete and boystous metes and bryngeth to his maister more subtile more deyntous metes And valerius reherceth in his .vi. book that ther was a wise noble maistre that was named Anthomê° that was accused of a caas of aduoultrye as the cause henge to fore the Iuges his accusers or denonciatours brought I labourer that closid his land for so moche as they sayde whan his maistre wente to doo the aduoultrye this same seruant bare the lanterne wherof Anthonyus was sore abasshyd and doubted that he shold depose agaynst hym But the labourer that was named papirion sayd to his maister that he shold denye his cause hardyly vnto the Iuges For for to be tormentid his cause shold neuer be enpeyrid by hym ner nothyngâ— shold yssue out of his mouth wherof he shold be noyed or greuyd And than was the labourer beten and tormentid and brent in many places of his body But he sayd neuer thynge wherof his mayster was hurte or noyed But the other that accused his maister were punysshid And papiryon was deliuerid of his paynes free and franc And also telleth valerius that ther was another labourer that was named penapion that seruyd a maister whos name was Themes whiche was of meruayllous faith to his maystre For hit befell that certain knyghtes cam to his maisters hows for to slee hym And anone as papiryon knewe hit he wente in to his maisters chambre And wold not be knowen For he dide on his maisters gowne and his rynge on his fynger And laye in his bedde And thus put hym self in parill of deth for to respite his maisters lyf But we see now a dayes many fooles that daigne not to vse groos metes of labourers And flee the cours clothynge And maners of a seruant Euery wise man a seruant that truly seruyth his maister is free and not bonde But a foole that is ouer proude is bonde For the debilite and feblenes of corage that is broken in conscience by pryde Enuye or by couetyse is ryght seruytude yet they ought not to doubte to laboure for feere drede of deth no man ought to loue to moche his lyf For hit is a fowll thynge for a man to reâ—me to the deth for the enemye of his lyf And a wyse man and a stronge man ought not to flee for his lyf but to yssue For ther is no man that lyueth but he must nedes dye And of this speketh claudyan and sayth that alle thoo thynges that the Ayer goth aboute and enuyronned And alle thynge that the erthe laboureth Alle thyngys that ben conteyned wyth in the see Alle thynges that the floodes brynge forth Alle thynges that ben nourysshid and alle the bestes that ben vnder the heuen shall departe alle from the world And alle shall goo at his comandement As well Kynges Prynces and alle that the world enuyronned and gooth aboute Alle shall goo this waye Than he ought not to doubte for fere of deth For as well shall dye the ryche as the poure deth maketh alle thynge lyke and putteth alle to an ende And therof made a noble versifier two versis whiche folowe Forma genus mores sapieÌ„cia res et honores â—orteruant subita sola manent merita Wherof the english is Beaulte lignage maners wysedom thynges honoures shal ben deffetid by sodeyn deth no thynge shalÌ„ abide but the merites And herof fynde we in Vitas patrum that ther was an erle a riche noble man that had a sone onely and whan this sone was of age to haue knowlech of the lawe he herde in a sermone that was prechid that deth spareth none ne riche ne poure and as well dyeth the yonge as the olde and that the deth ought specially to be doubted for .iii. causes one was that noman knoweth whan he cometh and the seconde ner in what state he taketh a man And the thirde he wote neuer whither he shall goo Therfore eche man shold dispise and flee the world and lyue well and holde hym toward god And whan this
and fraude is put away Men saye truly whan they saye that they knowe And they that knowe not trouthe ought to knowe hit And alleway vse trouthe For Saynt Austyn sayth that they that wene to knowe trouthe And lyuyth euyll viciously It is folye yf he knoweth hit not And also he sayth in an other place that is better to suffre peyne for trouthe Than for to haue a benefete by fâ—lsenes or by flaterye And man â—hat is callyd a beste resonable and doth not his werkes after reson and trouthe Is more bestyall than ony beste brute And knowe ye that for to come to the trouthe Hit cometh of a raysonable forsight in his mynde And lyenge cometh of an outrageous and â—â—ntrarye thought in his mynde For he that lyeth wetyngly Knoweth well that hit is agaynst the trouthe that he thynketh And herof speketh Saynt Bernard and sayth That the mouthe that lyeth destroyeth the sowle And yet sayth Saynt Austyn in an other place For to saye ony thynge And to doo the contrarye maketh doctryne suspecious And knowe ye veryly that for to lye is a right perillous thynge to body and sowle For the lye that the auncyent enemye made Eue adam to beleue hym made hem for to be dampned wyth alle theyr lignage to the deth pardurable And made hem to be cast oute of Paradyse terrestre For he made them to beleue that god had not forboden them the fruyt But only be cause they shold not knowe that her maister knewe But how well that the deuyll said thise wordes yet had she double entente to hem bothe For they knewe anoÌ„n as they had tasted of the fruyt that they were dampned to the deth pardurable And god knewe hit well to fore But they supposid well to haue knowen many other thynges And to be lyke vnto his knowleche and science And therfore sayth saynt poule in a pistyll hit ne apperteyneth to saure or knowe more than behoueth to saure or knowe but to sauoure or knowe by mesure or sobrenes And valerian reherceth that ther was a good woman of siracusane that wold not lye vnto the kynge of secylle whiche was named dyonyse And this kynge was so full of tyrannye so cruell that alle the world desired his deth and cursid hym Saauf this woman onely whiche was so olde that she had seen thre or .iiii. kynges regnynge in the contre And euery mornynge as sone as she was rysen she prayd to god that he wold gyue vnto the tyrant good lyf and longe And that she myght neuer see his deth And whan the kynge dyonise knewe this he sent for her And meruayllid moche herof For he knewe well that he was sore behated And demaunded her what cause meuyd her to pray for hym And she answerd and said to hym Syre whan I was a mayde we had a right euyll tyrant to our kynge of whom we coueyted sore the deth And whan he was ded ther cam after hym a worse of whom we coueyted also the deth And whan we were deliueryd of hym thou camst to be our lord whiche art worste of alle other And now I doubte yf we haue one after the he shall be worse than thou art And therfore I shall pray for the And whan dionyse vnderstod that she was so hardy in sayynge the truthe he durste not doo tormente her for shame be cause she was so olde The fourth chapitre of the thirde book treteth of the maner of the fourth pawn and of the marchants or changers THe fourth pawn is sette to for the kynge And is formed in the fourme of a man holding in his ryght hand a balance And the weyght in the lifte hand And to fore hym a table And at his gurdell a purse fulle of monoye redy for to gyue to them that requyre hit And by this peple ben signefied the marchans of cloth lynnen and wollen of all other marchandises And by the table that is to for hym is signefied the changeurs And they that leue money And they that bye selle by the weyght ben signefyed by the balances and weight And the customers â—ollers and resseyuours of rentes of money ben signefied by the purse And knowe ye that alle they that ben signefied by this peple ought to â—lee auaryce and couetyse And eschewe brekynge of the dayes of payement And ought to holde and kepe theyr promyssis And ought also to rendre restore that that is gyuen to them to kepe And therfor hit is reson that this peple be sette to for the kynge for as moche as they signefie the resscyuours of the tresours royall that ought allway to be redy to fore the kynge and to answere for hym to the knightes and other persones for their wages souldyes And therfor haue I sayd that they ought to flee auarice For auarice is as moche to say as an adourer or as worshipar of fals ymages herof saith Tullius that auarice is a couetise to gete that thing that is aboue necessite it is a loue disordinate to haue ony thynge And it is one of the werst thyngis that is And specially to prynces and to them that gouerne the thynges of the comunete And this vice causeth a man to do euyll And this doynge euyll is whan hit regneth in olde men And herof saith Seneque That alle wordly thynges ben mortifyed and appetissid in olde men reserued auaryce only whiche alleway abideth wyth hym and dyeth wyth hym But I vnderstande not well the cause wherof this cometh ne wherfore hit may be And hit is a fowle thynge and contrarie to reson That whan a man is at ende of his Iourney for to lengthe his viage and to ordeyne more vitayll than hym behoueth And this may well be lykened to the auarycious wolf For the wolf doth neuer good tyll he be dede And thus it is sayd in the prouerbis of the wisemen that thauaricious man doth no good tyll that he be ded And he desireth no thynge but to lyue longe in this synne For the couetouse man certaynly is not good for ony thynge For he is euyll to hymself and to the riche and to the poure And fynde cause to gayn saye theyr desire and herof reherceth seneque and saytâ— that Antigonus was a couetous prynce whan Tinque whiche was his frende requyred of hym a besauÌ„t he answerd to hym that he demanded more than hit apperteyned to hym And than tinque constrayned by grete necessite axid and requyred of hym a peny And he answerd to hym that hit was no yefte couenable for a kynge and so he was allway redy to fynde a cause nought to gyue For he myght haue gyuen to hym a besauÌ„t as a kynge to his frende And the peny as to a poure man And ther is no thynge so lytyll but that the humanyte of a kynge may gyue hit Auarice full of couetyse is a maner of alle vices of luxurye And Iosephus reherceth in the book of auncyent histories that ther was in
happend that ther was a woman named lyna whiche had her husbonde in the warre in the shipp is of the romayns And she supposid verily that he was ded But hit happend that he cam agayn home And as he entryd in to his yate his wif met wyth hym so deynly not warned of his comyng whiche was so glad and Ioyous that in enbrasynge hym she fyll doun ded Also of an other woman to whom was reportid by a fals messanger that her sone was ded whiche wâ—â—te home soroufully to her hows And afterward whan her sone cam to her As sone as she sawe hym she was so esmoued with Ioye that she deyde to fore hym But this is not so grete meruaylle of women as is of the men For the women ben likened vnto softe waxe or softe ayer and therfor she is callid mulier whyche Is as moche to saye in latyn as mollys aer And in english soyfte ayer And hit happeth ofte tymes that the nature of them that ben softe and mole taketh sonner Inpression than the nature of men that is rude and stronge Valerye reherceth a sayth that a knyght of rome named Iâ—staulosus that had newly conquerid and subiuged the yle of Corsika And as he sacrefyed his goddes he receyuyd lettres from the senate of rome In whiche were conteyned dyuerce supplicacyons The whiche whan he vndâ—rstood he was so glad and so enterprysed wyth Ioye that he knewe not what to doo And than a grete fuâ—â—ce or smoke yssued out of the fyre In whiche he dispayred and fyll in to the fyre where he was anone ded And also it is sayd that Philomenus lawhed so sore and distemperatly that he deyde alle lawhynge And we rede that â—pocras the phisicien fonde remedye for thys Ioye For whan he had longe dwellyd oute of his contreye for to lerne connynge and wysedom And shold retorne vnto his parentis and frendes whan he approchid nyghe them He sente a messanger to fore for to telle to them his comynge and comanded hym to saye that he cam for they had not longe to fore seen hym And that they shold attempre them in that Ioye er they shold see hym And also we rede that Titus the sone of vaspasian whan he had conquerd Iherusalem and abode in the contrees by he herde that his fader vaspasian was chosen by alle the senate for to gouerne the empire of rome wherfore he had so right grete Ioye that sodaynly he loste the strength of all his membres And he cam all Impotent And whan Iosephus that made the historye of the romayns ayenst the Iewis whiche was a ryght wyse phisicien sawe and knewe the cause of this sekenes of the sayd Titus he enquyred of his folk yf he had in hate ony man gretly so moche that he myght not here speke of hym ner well see hym And one of the seruantes of Titus sayd that he had one persone in haâ—â— so moche That ther was no man in his court so hardy that durste name hym in his presence and than Iosephus assigned a day whan this man shold come and ordeyned a table to sette in the sight of Titus and dide hit to be replenysshid plenteuously wyth alle dayntees and ordeyned men to be armed to kepe hym in suche wyse that no man shold hurte hym by the comandement of Titus and ordeyned boutellers Coques and other officers for to serue hym worshipfully lyke an Empour and whan all this was redy Iosephus brought in this man that tytus hated and sette hym at the table to fore his eyen and was seruyd of yonge men wyth grete reuerence ryght cortoisly And whan titus behelde his enemye sette to fore hym wyth so grete honour He began to chauffe hym self by grete felonnye And comanded his men that this man shold be slayn And whan he sawe that none wold obeye hym But that they allway seruyd hym reuerently he waxe so ardante and enbrasid wyth so grete yre that he that had lost alle the force and strengthe of his body and was alle Impotent in alle his membres Recoured the helthe agayn and strenghte of his membris by the hete that entryd in to the vaynes and finewis And Iosephus dide so moche that he was recouerid and hole And that he helde that man no more for his enemye but helde hym for a verray true frende And afterward made hym his loyall felawe and compaignon And the espicers and Apotecayres ought to make truly suche thynges as Is comanded to them by the physicyens And they ought â—accomplisshe theyr billis and charge curyously wyth grete disygence that for none other cause they shold be ocupied but in makynge medicynes or confections truly And that they ought vpon paryll of theyr souâ—le not to forgete by negligence ne rechelesnes to gyue one medecyne for an other In suche wyse that they be not sâ—ears of men And that they do putte no false thynges In her spyces for to empayre or encrecynge the weyght For yf they so doo they may better be callyd theuys than espicers or apotecayris And they that ben acustomed to make oynements they ought to make hyt proprely of true stuf and of good odoure after the receptes of the auncyent doctours And after the forme that the phisicyens and cyrurgyens deuyse vnto them Also they ought to beware that for none auayle ne gyfte that they myght haue that they put in theyr medicynes no thynge venemous ner doynge hurte or scathe to ony persone of whom they haue none good ne veray knowlege to thende that they to whom the medicynes shold be gyuen torne not to them hurte ne domage ne in destructions of theyr neyghbours and also that they that haue mynystrid tho thyngis to them ben not taken for parteners of the blame and of the synne of them The cyrurgyens ought also to be debonayr amyable to haue pytye of their pacyents And also they ought not be hasty to launse and cutte apostumes and soores ne open the heedes ner to arrache bones broken but yf the cause be apparant For they myght ellys lose theyr good renome And myght better be callyd bouchers than helars or guarisshors of woundes and soores And also hit behoueth that alle this maner of peple foresayd that haue the charge for to make hole and guarisshe alle maner of maladyes and Infirmitees that they first haue the cure of them self and they ought to purge them self fro alle apostumes and alle vices In suche wyse that they be net and honeste and enformed in alle good maners And that they shewe hem hole and pure redy for to hele other And herof sayth Boecius de Consolacione In his first booke that the sterres that ben hid vnder the clowdes maye gyue no light And therfore yf ony man wole beholde clerly the write Late hym wythdrawe hym fro the obscurete and derkenes of the clowdes of ignorance for whan the engyne of a man sheweth in Ioye or in sorowe
right well blessid and fortunat and that I haue well proued and fele and am expert therof And than the kynge secretly made to be hanged ouer his heed a sharp cuttynge swerde hangynge by an hors heer or a silken threde so small that no man myght see hit where by hit henge and whan he sawe his broder put no more his hand to the table ne had no more regarde vnto his seruantes he sayd to hym why ete ye not ar ye not blessid saye yf ye fele ony thynge otherwyse than blessid and well And he answerde for as moche as I see this sharp swerde hangynge so subtilly and parillously ouer my hede I fele well that I am not blessid for I drede that hit shold falle on my heâ—e and than discouerd the kynge vnto hem alle wherfore he was allway so heuy cherid and triste For where he was he thought alleway on the swerde of the secrete vengeance of god whiche he behelde alleway in his herte wherfore he had allway in hym self grete drede And therfore he worshipid gladly the poure peple wyth glad visage and good conscience And by this sheweth the kynge well that what man that is allway in drede is not allway mery or blessid And herof sayth Quyntilian that this drede surmounteth alle other maleurtees and euyllys For it is maleurte of drede nyght and day And it is verite that to hym that Is doubtid of moche peple so muste he doubte moche And that lord is lasse than his seruantes that dredeth hys seruantes And truly hit Is a ryght sure thynge to drede no thinge but god And sumtyme right hardy men ben constrayned to lyue in drede Drede causeth a man to be curyous and besy to kepe the thynges that ben commysed to hym that they perisshe not But to be to moche hardy to moche ferdfull bothe two ben vices The comyn officers ought to be wise discrete and well aduysed in suche wyse that they take not of the peple ne requyre no more than they ought to haue by reson ne that they take of the sellars ne of the byars no more than the right custom and toll for they bere the name of a coÌ„mun ê‘sone and therfore ought they to shewe them coÌ„mune to all men and for as moche as the byars and sellars haue somtyme moche langage they ought to haue with them these vertues that is to wete pacience and good corage with honeste for they that ben despiteus to the coÌ„mun ben otherwhile had in vilayns despite therfore beware that thou haue no despite to the poure mendicants yf thou wilt come and atteyne to thingis souerayn for the Iniurye that is don wyth oute cause torneth to diffame hym that doth hit A Iogheler on a tyme beheld socrates and said to hym thou hast the eyen of corrumpour of children art as a traytre And whan his disciples herde hym they wold auengid their maister But he repreuyd hem by suche sentence saynge Suffre my felaws for I am he and suche one as he saith by the sight of my visage But I refrayne and kepe me well from suche thynge This same socrates hym self was chidde and right fowll spoken to of his wyf and she Imposid to hym many grete Iniuries with out nombre and she was in a place a boue ouer his heed And whan she had brawlid Inowh she made her watre and pourid hit on his heed And he answerd to here no thynge agayn sauf whan he had dryed and wypid his heed he said he knewe well that after suche wynde and thonder sholde comen rayn and watre And the philosophres blamed hym that he coude not gouerne two women that was his wyf and his chambrere And shewde hym that one cokke gouerned well .xv. hennes He answerd to them that he was so vsed and accustomed wyth theyr chydynge that the chydynges of them ne of estrangers dyde hym no greef ne harme gyue thou place to hym that brawleth or chydeth and in suffrynge hym thou shalt be his vaynquysshour And Cathon sayth whan thou lyuyst ryghtfully recche the not of the wordes of euyll peple And therfore it is sayd in a comyn prouerbe he that well doth reccheth not who seeth hit hit is not in our power to lette men to speke â–ª And prosper sayth that to good men lacketh no goodnes her to euyll men tencions stryfs and blames And pacience is a right noble vertu as a noble versifier sayth That pacience is a ryght noble maner to vaynquysshe For he that suffreth ouercometh And yf thou wylt vaynquysshe and ouercome lerne to suffre The peagers ner they that kepe passages ought not to take other peage ne passage money but suche as the prynce or the lawe haue establisshid so that they be not more robbeurs of monoye than reseyuours of peage and passage And hit apperteyneth to them to goo out of the parylloê° weyes and doubteuous for to kepe their office and they ought to Requyre theyr passage of them that owe to paye hit wyth oute noynge and contencion And they ought not to loue the comyn prouffyt so moche That they falle in the hurtynge of theyr conscience For that shold be a manere of robberye And herof sayth ysaye Woo to the that robbest For thou thy self shalt be robbed The gardes or porters of the gates of cytees and of the comyn good ought to be good and honeste And alle trouthe ought to be in them and they ought not to take ne withdrawe the goodes of the comyn that they haue in kepynge more than apperteyneth to them for theyr pension or â—â—ee So that they that ben made tresorers and kepars ben not named theuys For who that taketh more than his He shall neuer thryue wyth alle ner shall not enioye hit longe For of euyll gooten good the thyrde heâ—r shall neuer reioyce And this suffisith {etc} This eygth chapitre of the thirde book treteâ—h of Rybauldis players of dyse and of messagers and corrours THe rybauldes players of dyse And the messangers and corrours ought to be sette to fore the rook For hit apperteyneth to the rook whiche is vicayre lieutenant of the kynge to haue men couenable for to renne here and there for tenquyre espie the place and cytees that myght be contrarye to the kynge And thys pawn that representeth thys peple ought to be formed in this maner he must haue the forme of a man that hath longe heeris and black and holdeth in his ryght hand a lityll monoye And in his lyfte hande thre Dyse And aboute hym a coâ—de in stede of a gyrdell and ought to haue a boxe fulle o lettres And by the first whiche is money is vnderstand they that be fole large wastours of theyr goodes And by the seconde whiche is the dyse Ben represented the players at dyse Rybauldes and butters And by the thyrde whiche is the boxe full of lettres ben representid the messagers corrours And berars of lettres And ye
loseth the rook That kynge is not well fortunat that leseth hym to whom his Auctoryte delegate apperteyneth who may doo the nedes of the royame yf he be priuyd taken or dede that was prouisour of alle the royame he shall bere a sack on his hede that Is shette in a cyte And alle they that were theryn ben taken in captiuite and shette vp {etc} The seconde chapiter of the fourth book of the quene and how she yssueth oute of her place WHan the Quene whiche is accompanyed vnto the kynge begynneth to meue from her propre place She goth in dowble manere that is to wete as an Alphyn whan she is black she may goo on the ryght syde come in to the poynt to fore the notayre And on the lifte syde in the black poynt and come to fore the gardees of the cyte And hit is to wete that she sortiseth in her self the nature in .iii. maners first on the ryght syde to fore the alphyn Secondly on the lifte syde where the knyght is And thirdly indirectly vnto the black poynt to fore the phisicyen And the rayson why Is for as moche as she hath in her self by grace the auctorite that the rooks haue by coÌ„myscion For she may gyue grauÌ„te many thynges to her subgetts graciously And thus also ought she to haue parfyt wisedom â— as the alphyns haue whiche ben Iuges as hit sayd aboue in the chapitre of the Quene And she hath not the nature of knyghtes And hit is not sittynge ne couenable thynge for a woman to goo to bataylle for the fragilite and feblenes of her And therfore holdeth she not the waye in her draught as the knyghtes doon And whan she is meuyd ones oute of her place she may not goo but fro oon poynt to an other and yet cornerly whether hit be foreward or backward takynge or to be taken And here may be axid why the quene goth to the bataylle wyth the kynge certainly it is for the solace of hym and ostencion of loue And also the peple desire to haue succession of the kynge And therfore the tartaris haue their wyues in to the felde with hem yet hit is not good that men haue theyr wyuys with hem but that they abyde in the cytees or within their owne termes For whan they ben oute of theyr cytees and limytes they ben not sure but holden suspecte they shold be shamfast and hold alle men suspect For dyna Iacobs doughter as longe as she was in the hows of her brethren she kept her virginite But assone as she wente for to see the strange Regyons Anone she was corrupt and defowled of the sone of sichem Seneca sayth that the women that haue euyll visages ben gladly not chaste but theyr corage desireth gladly the companye of men And Solynus saith that no bestes femellys desyre to be towched of theyr males whan they haue conceyuyd Except woman whyche ought to be a best Raysonable And in thys caas she leseth her rayson And Sidraâ— wythnesseth the same And therfore in the olde lawe the faders hadd dyuerce wyues and Anâ—â—llys to thende whan one was wyth childe they myght take another â–ª They ought to haue the visage enclyned for â—â—schewe the sight of the men that by the sight they be not meuyd with Incontynence and diffame of other And Ouyde sayth that ther ben some That how well that they eschewe the dede yet haue they grete Ioye whan they ben prayed And therfore ought the good women flee the curyositâ—es and places wher they myght fâ—â—lle in blame and noyse of the peple The fourth chapitre of the fourth book Is of the yssuynge of the Alphyn THe manere and nature of the draught of the Alphyn is suche that he that is black in his propre siege is sette on the right side of the kynge And he that is whyt is sette on the lifte side And ben callyd and named black and white But for no cause that they be so in substance of her propre colour But for the colour of the places in whiche they ben sette And alleway be they black or white whan they ben sette in theyr places the alphyn on the ryght syde goynge oute of his place to the ryght sydeward comyth to fore the labourer And hit is reson that the Iuge ought to deffende and kepe the labourers and possessions whiche ben in his Iurisdiction by alle right and lawe And also he may goo on the lyfte syde to the wyde place to fore the phisicien For lyke as the phisiciens haue the charge to hele the Infirmites of a man In lyke wyse haue the Iuges charge to appese alle stryues and contencions and reduce vnto vnyte And to punysshe and correcte causes crymynels The lyfte alphyn hath also two wayes fro his owen place oon toward the right syde vnto the black space wyde to fore the marchant For the marchants nede ofte tymes counceylle and ben in debate of questions whiche muste be determyned by the Iuges And that other yssue is vnto the place to fore the rybauldis And that ys be cause that ofte tymes amonge them falle noyses discencions thefte and manslaghter wherfore they ought to be punysshid by the Iuges And ye shall vnderstande that the alphyn goth alleway corner wyse fro the thirde poynt to the thirde poynt kepynge allway his owne siege For yf he be black he goth allway black And yf he be whyte he goth alleway whyte the yssue or goynge cornerly or angularly signefieth cautele or subtylyte whiche Iuges ought to haue The .iii. poyntes betoken .iii. thynges that the Iuge ought to attende A Iuge ought to furder rightfull a trewe causes secondly he ought to gyue trewe counceyll and thirdly he ought to gyue and Iuge rightfull sentences after tha legeances And neuer to goo fro the ryghtwisnes of the lawe And it is to wete that the Alphyn goth in six drawhtes alle the tablier round aboute and that he cometh agayn in to his owen place And how be hit that alle rayson and good perfection shold be in a kynge yet ought hit also specially be in them that ben conceyllours of the kynge and the Quene And the kynge ought not to doo ony thynge doubtouse tyll he haue axid counceyll of his Iuges And of the sages of the royame And therfore ought the Iuge â—o be parfaytly wyse and sage as well in science as in good maners And that is signefied whan they mene from thre poynts in to thre For the sixt nombre by whiche they goo alle theschequer And brynge hem agayn in to her propre place in suche wyse that thende of her moeuynge is comoyned agayn to the begynnynge of the place frowhens they departed And therfore hit is callid a parfayt moeuynge The fyfth chapitre of the fourth Tractate Is of the meuynge of the knyghtes AFter the yssue of the Alphyns we shall deuyse to yow the yssue the moeuynge of the knyghtes And we saye that the
shall be named white fiers or black fiers after the poynt that he is in and there taketh he the dignyte of the quene {etc} And all these thinges may appere to them that beholden the play of the chesse and ye shall vnderstande that no noble man ought to haue despite of the comyn peple for hit hath ben ofte tymes seen that by their vertu a witte Diuerce of them haue comen to right highe a grete astate as poopes bisshoppes Emperours and kynges As we haue in the historye of Dauid that was made kynge of a shepherd and one of the comyn peple and of many other {etc} And in lyke wyse we rede of the contrary that many noble men haue ben brought to myserye by their defaulte As of gyges whiche was right riche of landes and of richesses And was so proude that he wente and demanded of the god appollo yf ther were ony in the world more riche or more happy than he was and than he herde a wys that yssued out of the fosse or pitte of the sacrefices that a peple named agalaus sophide whiche were poure of goodes and riche of corage was more acceptable than he whiche was kynge And thus the god Appollo alowed more the sapience the seurte of the poure man and of his lityll mayne than he dide the astate and the persone of giges ne of his ryche mayne And hit is more to alowe a lityll thynge scurly poursiewed than moche good taken in fere and drede And for as moche as a man of lowe signage is by his vertue enhaunsed so moche the more he ought to be glorious and of good renomee virgile that was born in lombardye of the nacion of mantua and was of lowe and symple lignage yet he was souerayn in wisedom and science and the moste noble of alle the poctes of whome the renome is and shall be durynge the world so hit happend that an other poete axid and demanded of hym wherfore he setted not the versis of homere in his book And he answerd that he shold be of right grete strength and force that shold pluck the clubbe out of hercules handes And thys suffyceth the state and draughtis of the comyn peple {etc} The eyght chapitre and the last of the fourth book of the epilogacion and recapitulacion of this book FOr as moche as we see and knowe that the memorye of the peple is not retentyf but right forgetefull whan some here longe talis a historyes whiche they cannot alle reteyne in her mynde or recorde Therfore I haue put in this present chapitre all the thynges abouesayd as shortly as I haue conne First this playe or game was founden in the tyme of emâ—merodach kynge of Babilone And exerses the philosopher otherwyse named philometer fonde hit And the cause why was for the correction of the kynge lyke as hit apperith in thre the first chapitres for the said kynge was so tyrannous and felon that he might suffre no correction But slewe them and dide do put hem to deth that correctid hym and had than do put to deth many right wyse men Than the peple beynge sorowfull and ryght euyll plesid of this euyll lyf of the kynge prayd and requyred the philosopher that he wolde repryse and telle the kynge of his folye And than the philosopher answerd that he shold â—â—dede yf he so dide and the peple sayd to hym Certes then oughtest sonner wille to dye to thende that thy renome myght come to the peple than the lyf of the kynge shold contynue in euyll for lacke of thy counceyll or by faulte of reprehension of the or that thou darst not doo and shewe that thou saist And whan the philosopher herd this he promisid to the peple that he wold put hym in deuoyr to correcte hym and than he began to thynke in what maner he myght escape the deth and kepe to the peple his promesse And than thus he made in this maner and ordeyned theschequer of .lxiiii. poynts as Is a fore sayd And dide doo make the forme of chequers of gold and siluer In humayne fygure after the facyons and formes as we haue dyuysid and shewid to yow to fore in theyr chapitres And ordeyned the moeuynge and thestate after that it is said in the chapitres of theschesses And whan the philosopher had thus ordeyned the playe or game and that hit plesid alle them that sawe hit on a tyme as the philosopher playd on hit the kynge cam and sawe hit and desired to playe at this game And than the phylosopher began tenseigne and teche the kynge the science of the playe the draughtes Saynge to hym fyrst how the kynge ought to haue in hym self pytie debonairte and rightwisnes as hit is said to fore in the chapitre of the kynge And he enseygned to hym the estate of the quene and what maners she ought to haue And than of the alphyns as connceyllours and Iuges of the royame And after the nature of the knyghtes how they ought to be wise trewe and curtoys and alle the ordre of knyghthode And than after the nature of the vicaires rooks as hit apperyth in theyr chappitre And after this how the comyn peple ought to goo eche in his office And how they ought to serue the nobles And whan the philosopher had thus taught and enseigned the kynge and his nobles by the maner of the playe and had rephended hym of his euyll maners The kynge demanded hym vpon payne of deth to telle hym the cause why and wherfore he had made founden thys playe and game And what thynge meuyd hym therto And than the philosopher constrayned by fere and drede answerd that he had promysid to the peple whiche had requyred hym that he shold correcte and reprise the kynge of his euyll vices but for as moche as he doubtid the deth and had seen that the kynge dide do slee the sages wyse men That were so hardy to blame hym of his vices he was in grete anguysshe sorowe how he myght fynde a maner to correcte reprehende the kynge And to saue his owen lyf and thus he thought longe studyed that he fonde thys game or playe Whiche he hath do sette forth for to amende and correcte the lyf of the kynge and to change his maners and he adioustyd with all that he had founden this game for so moche as the lordes and nobles habondynge in delyces richessis And enioynge temporell peas shold eschewe ydlenes by playnge of this game And for to gyue hem cause to leue her pensifnes and sorowes In auysynge studyynge this game And whan the kynge had herd alle thyse causes He thought that the philosopher had founde a good maner of correction And than he thanketh hym gretly and thus by thenseygnement and lernynge of the phylosopher he changid his lyf his maners alle his euyll condicions And by this maner hit happend that the kynge that to fore tyme had ben vicyous and disordynate in his liuyng was made Iuste and vertuous debonayre gracious and and full of vertues vnto alle peple And a man that lyuyth in this world with out vertues liueth not as a man but as a beste And therfore my ryght redoubted lord I pray almighty god to saue the kyng our souerain lord to gyue hym grace to yssue as a kynge tabounde in all vertues to be assisted with all other his lordes in such wyse that his noble royame of Englond may prospere habounde in vertues and that synne may be eschewid iustice kepte the royame defended good men rewarded malefactours punysshid the ydle peple to be put to laboure that he wyth the nobles of the royame may regne gloriously In conquerynge his rightfull enheritaunce that verray peas and charite may endure in bothe his royames and that marchandise may haue his cours in suche wise that euery man eschewe synne and encrece in vertuous occupacions Praynge your good grace to resseyue this lityll and symple book made vnder the hope and shadowe of your noble protection by hym that is your most humble seruant in gree and thanke And I shall praye alimighty god for your longe lyf welfare whiche he preserue And sende yow thaccomplisshement of your hye noble Ioyous and vertuous desirs Amen Fynysshid the last day of marche the yer of our lord god a thousand foure honderd and lxxiiii