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
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
put forth to fore alle other thynges And ther is no thynge so resemblynge and lyke to the bees that maken honye ne so couenable in prosperite and in aduersite as is loue For by loue gladly the bees holden them to gyder And yf ony trespace to that other anone they renne vpon the malefactour for to punysshe hym And verray trewe loue faylleth neuer for wele ne for euyll and the most swete and the most confortynge thynge is for to haue a frende to whom a man may saye his secrete as well as to hym self But verayly amytye and frendship is somtyme founded vpon som thinge delectable And this amytye cometh of yongthe in the whiche dwelleth a disordinate heete And otherwhile amytie is founded vpon honeste And this amytie is vertuouse Of the whiche tullius saith that ther is an amytie vertuous by the whiche a man ought to do to his frende alle that he requyreth by rayson For for to do to hym a thynge dishonneste it is ayenst the nature of verray frendshipe amytie And thus for frendshipe ne for fauour a man ought not to doo ony thinge vnresonable ayenst the comyn prouffit ner agaynst his fayth ne ayenst his oth for yf alle tho thynges that the frendes desire and requyre were accomplisshid doon hit shold seme that they shold be dishoneste coniuracions And they myght otherwhile more greue hurte than prouffit and ayde And herof sayth seneque that amytie is of suche wylle as the frende wylle And to reffuse that ought to be reffusid by rayson And yet he sayth more that a man ought to alowe and preyse his frende to fore the peple and to correcte and to chastyse hym pryuyly For the lawe of amytie is suche For a man ought not to demande ner doo to be doon to his frende no vyllayns thynge that ought to be kept secrete And valerian sayth that it is a fowll thynge and an euyll excusacion yf a man conffesse that he hath done ony euyll for his frende ayenst right and rayson And sayth that ther was a good man named Tassile whiche herde one his frende repuyre of hym a thynge dishonneste whiche he denyed and wold not doo And than his frende sayth to hym in grete dispyte what nede haue I of thy frendship amytie whan thou wylt not doo that thynge that I requyre of the And Tassile answerd to hym what nede haue I of the frendship and of the amytie of the yf I shold doo for the thynge dishoneste And thus loue is founded otherwhile vpon 〈◊〉 prouffitable and this loue endureth as longe as he seeth his prouffit And herof men saye a comyn prouerbe in england that loue lasteth as longe as the money endureth and whan the money faylleth than there is no loue and varro reherceth in his sommes that the riche men ben alle louyd by this loue for their frendes ben lyke as the huske whiche is aboute the grayn and no man may proue his frende so well as in aduersite or whan he is poure for the veray trewe frende faylleth at no nede And seneque saith that some folowe the emê‘our for riches and so doon the fâ—â—es the hony for the swetenes and the wolf the karayn And thise companye folowe the proye and not the man And tullius saith that Tarquyn the proude had a neuewe of his suster which was named brutus and this neuewe had banysshid tarquyn out of rome and had sente hym in exyle And than sayd he first that he parceyuyd knewe his frendes whiche were trewe vntrewe and that he neuer perceyuyd a fore tyme whan he was puyssant for to doo their wyll and sayd well that the loue that they had to hym endured not but as longe as it was to them prouffitable and therfore ought all the ryche men of the world take hede be they Kynges Prynces or duâ—s to what peple they doo prouffit how they may and ought be louyd of theyr peple For cathon sayth in his book see to whom thougyuyst and this loue whiche is founded vpon theyr prouffit whiche faylleth and endureth not may better be callyd and said marchandyse than loue For yf we repute this loue to our prouffit only and nothynge to the prouffyt of hym that we loue It is more marchandyse than loue For he byeth our loue for the prouffit that he doth to vs and therfor saith the versifier thise two versis Tempore felici multi murmerantur amici Cum ina perit nullus amicus erit whiche is to saye in English that as longe as a man is ewrous and fortunat he hath many frendes but whan fortune torneth and perisshith ther abideth not to hym one frende And of this loue ben louyd the medowes feldes Trees and the bestes for the prouffit that men take of them But the loue of the men ought to be charyte veray gracious and pure by good fayth And the veray trewe frendes ben knowen in pure aduersite and pers alphons saith in his book of moralite that ther was a philosophre in arabye that had an onely sone of whom he demanded what frendes he had goten hym in his lyf And he answerd that he had many And his fader sayd to hym I am an olde man And yet coude I neuer fynde but one frende in alle my lyf And I trowe verily that it is no lytyll thynge for to haue a frende and hit is well gretter and more a man to haue many And hit appertayneth and behoueth a man to assaye and preue his frende er he haue nede And than comanded the philosopher his sone that he shold goo and slee a swyne and putte hit in a sack and fayne that hit were a man dede that he had slayn and bere hit to his frendes for to burye hit secretly And whan the sone had don as his fader comanded to hym and had requyred his frendes one after an other as a fore is sayd They deuyed hym And answerd to hym that he was a vylayne to requyre desire of them thynge that was so peryllous And than he cam agayn to his fader and sayd to hym how he had requyred alle his frendes And that he had not founden one that wolde helpe hym in his nede And than his fader said to hym that he shold goo and requyre his frende whiche had but one and requyre hym that he shold helpe hym in his nede And whan he had requyred hym Anone he put oute alle his mayne oute of his hows And whan they were oute of the waye or a slepe he dide do make secretly a pytte in the grounde And whan hyt was redy and wold haue buryed the body he fonde hit an hogge or a swyne and not a man And thus thys sone preuÌ„yd thys man to be a veray trewe frende of his fader And preuyd that his frendes were fals frendes of fortune And yet reherceth the sayd piers Alphons That ther were two marchantes one of Bandach and that other of Egipte whiche were
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
quene ought to be chaste for as she is aboue all other in astate reuerâ—ce so shold she be ensample to all other in her liuyng honestly wherof Ierome reherceth agaynst Ioâ—ynyan that ther was a gentilman of rome named duele and this man was he that first fond the maner to fight on the water and had first victorie this duele had to his wif one of the best women so chaste that euery woman might take ensample of her And at that tyme the synne of the flesshe was the grettest synne that ony might doo agaynst nature And this sayd good woman was named ylye and so hit happend that this duele becam so olde that he stowped quaqued for age And on a tymâ— one of his aduersaries repreuyd reprochid hym sayng that he had a stynkynge breth And forthwyth he wente home to his wyf alle angry and abasshid and axid her why and wherfore she had not told his defaulte to hym that he myght haue founden remedye to haue ben purgid therof And she answerd that as for as moche as she supposid that euery man had that same faute as well as he For she kyst neuer ony mannes mouth but her husbondes O moche was this woman to be preysed haue a singuler lawde wenynge that this defaulte had not ben only in her husbonde wherfore she suffrid hit paciently in suche wyse that her husbonde knewe his defaute sonner by other than by her Also we rede that ther was a wedowe named anna whiche had a frende that counceyllid her to marye For she was yong fayr and riche to whom she answerd that she wold not so doo in no wise For yf I shold haue an husbond as I haue had and that he were as good as he was I shold euer ben a ferd to lose hym lyke as I lost that other And than shold I lyue allwey in fere drede whiche I wyll not And yf hit happend me to haue a wors what shold hyt prouffite me to haue an euyll husbond after a good And so she concluded that she wold kepe her chastete Saynt Austyn reherceth in the book de Ciuitate dei that in rome was a noble lady gentill of maners of hyghe kynrede named lucrecia And had an husbonde named colatyne whiche desired on a tyme the Emê‘ours sone named Torquyne thorguyllous or the proude and he was callid sixte for to come dyne and sporte hym in his castell or manoir And whan he was entrid amonge many noble ladyes he sawe lucrecia And whan this Emê‘ours sone had seen aduertised her deportes her contenance her manere and her beaulte he was all rauysshid and esprised wyth her loue forthwyth And espyed a tyme whan her husbonde collatyn wente vnto the ooste of themê‘our and cam in to the place where as lucresse was with her felawship whom she receyuyd honorably and whan tyme came to goo to bedde and slepe she made redy a bedde ryally for hym as hit apperteyned to the emperours sone And this sixtus espyed where lucresia laye And whan he supposyd knewe that euery body was in his first sleep he cam to the bedde of lucresse and that oon hand sette on her breste and in that other hand a naked swerd and sayd to her lucresse holde thy pees and crye not For I am sixte tarquynus sone for yf thou speke ony worde thou shalt be dede And for fere she held her pees Than he began to praye and promise many thinges And after he menaced thretenyd her that she shold enclyne to hym to do his wyll And whan he sawe he coude ner might haue his entent he sayd to her yf thou do not my wyll I shall slee the and ooÌ„n of thy seruantes and shall leye hym all ded by thy syde And than I shall saye that I haue slayn yow for your rybawdrye And lucresse that than doubted more the shame of the world than the deth consentid to hym And anone after as the Emê‘ours sone was departid the ladye sente lres to her husbond her fader her brethern to her frendes and to a man callid brute conceyllour neuewe to tarquyn And sayd to them that yesterday sixte the emê‘ours sone cam in to myn hous as an enemye in likenes of a frende hath oppressid me And knowe thou colatyn that he hath dishonorid thy bedde And how well that he hath fowled dishonored my body yet myn herte is not wherfore I beseche the of pardon foryfnes absolucion of the trespas but not of the payne and he that hath doon this synne to me hit shall ben to his meschance yf ye doo your deuoir And be cause no woman take ensample of lucresse and lyue after the trespaas but that she in lykewyse take ensample also of the payne And forthwyth wyth a swerd that she helde vnder her gowen or robe she roof her self vnto the herte And deyde forthwyth to fore them And than brute the counseillr And her husbond collatyn and alle her other frendes swore by the blood of lucresse that they wold neuer reste vnto the tyme that they had put out of rome tarquyn and alle his lignee And that neuer after none of them shold come to dignite And alle this was doon For they bare the dede corps thurgh the cyte and meuyd the peple in suche wyse that tarquyn was put in exyle And sixte his sone was slayn A Quene ought to be well manerd amonge alle she ought to be tumerous and shamefast For whan a woman hath loste shamefastnes she may ner can not well be chaast Wherfore saith symachus that they that ben not shamefast haue no conscience of luxurye And saynt Ambrose saith that oon of the best parements and maketh a woman most fayr in her persone is to be shamefast Senecque reherceth that ther was oon named Archezille whiche was so shamefast That she put in a pelow of fethers a certain some of money and put hit vnder the heed of a pour frende of heeris whiche dissimyled his pouerte and wold not ner durst not be a knowen of his pouerte For for shame she durst not gyue hit openly but had leuer that he shold fynde hit than that she had gyuen hit hym wherfore otherwhile men shold gyue helpe her frendes so secretly That they knowe not whens hit come For whan we kepe hit secret and make no boost therof our deedes and werkes shall plese god and them also A Quene ought to be chosen whan she shall be wedded of the most honest kynrede and peple For oftentymes the doughters folowen the tacches and maners of them that they ben discended from wherof Valerius maximus sayth that ther was one that wold marye whiche cam to a philosopher and axid counceyll what wif he might best take He answerd that he shold take her that thou knowe certaynly that her moder and her grauntdame haue ben chaast and well condicioned For suche moder suche doughter comunely Also a quene ought to teche her childern to ben contynent and
lawes but he first kepte hem The fyfthe chapitre of the second book of the forme and maners of the rooks THe rooks whiche ben vicaires and legats of the kynge ought to be made lyke a knyght vpon an hors and a mantell and hood furryd with meneuyer holdynge a staf in his hande for as moche as a kyng mâ—y not be in alle places of his royame Therfore the auctorite of hym is gyuen to the rooks whiche represent the kynge And for as moche as a royame is grete and large and that rebellion or nouelletes might sourdre and aryse in oon partye or other therfore ther ben two rooks one on the right side and that other on the lifte side They ought to haue in hem pyte Iustice. humylite wilfull pouerte and liberalite Fyrst Iustice for hit is most fayr of the vertues For hit happeth oftetyme that the ministris by theyr pryde and orgueyll subuerte Iustice and do no ryght Wherfore the kynges otherwhile lose theyr royames with out theyr culpe or gylte For an vntrewe Iuge or ofâ—â—cyer maketh hys lord to be named vn Iuste and euyll â–ª And contrarye wyse a trewe mynestre of the lawe and ryghtwys causeth the kynge to be reputed Iuste and trewe The Romayns therfore made good lawes And wolde that that they sholde be Iuste and trewe And they that establisshid them for to gouerne the peple wold in no wyse breke them but kepe them for to dye for them For the auncyent and wyse men sayd comynly that it was not good to make and ordeygne that lawe that is not Iuste Wherof Valerius reherceth that ther was a man that was named Themistides whiche cam to the counceyllours of athenes and sayd that he knewe a counceyll whiche was ryght prouffytable for them But he wolde telle hyt but to but to one of them whom that they wold And they assigned to hym a wyse man named Aristides And whan he had vnderstand hym he cam agayn to the other of the counceyll And sayd that the counceyll of Themystides was well prouffitable but hit was not Iuste how be hit ye may reuolue hit in your mynde And the counceyll that he sayd was this that ther were comen two grete shipp is fro lacedome and were arryued in theyr londe And that hit were good to take them And whan the counceyll herde hym that sayde that hit was not Iuste ner right they lefte hem alle in pees And wold not haue adoo with alle The vicarye or Iuge of the kynge ought to be so Iuste that he shold enploye alle his entente to saue the comyn wele And yf hit were nede to put his lyf and lose hit therfore we haue an ensample of marcus regulus wherof Tullius reherceth in the book of offices And saynt Augustyn also de ciuitate dei how he faught agayn them of cartage by see in shippis and was vaynquysshid and taken Than hit happend that they of cartage sente hym in her message to rome for to haue theyr prisoners there for them that were taken and so to chauÌ„ge one for an other And made hym swere and promyse to come agayn And so he cam to rome And made proposicion to fore the senate And demanded them of cartage of the senatours to be chauÌ„ged as afore is sayd And than the senatours demanded hym what counceyll he gaf Certayn sayd he I couÌ„ceyll yow that ye do hit not in no wise For as moche as the peple of rome that they of cartage holde in prison of youris ben olde men and brusid in the warre as I am my self But they that ye holde in prison of their peple is alle the flour of alle their folke whiche counceyll they toke And than his frendes wolde haue holde hym and counceyllyd hym to abide there and not retorne agayn prysoner in to cartage but he wold neuer doo so ner abide but wold goo agayn and kepe his oth How well that he knewe that he wente toward his deth For he had leuyr dye than to breke his oth Valeriê° reherceth in the sixth book of one Emelye duc of the romayns that in the tyme whan he had assieged the phalistes The scole maystre of the children deceyuyd the children of the gentilmen that he drewe hym a lityll and a lytyll vnto the tentys of the romayns by fayr speche And sayd to the duc Emelie that by the moyan of the children that he had brought to hym he shold haue the cyte For theyr faders were lordes and gouernours Whan Emelie had herde hym he sayd thus to hym Thou that art euyll and cruell And thou that woldest gyue a gyfte of grete felonnye and of maâ—â—astye thou shalt ner hast not founden here Duc ne peple that resembleth the we haue also well lawes to kepe in batayll warre Aâ— in our contres other places and we wole obserue and kepe them vnto euery man as they ought to be kept And we ben armed agaynst our enemyes that wole defende them And not ayenst them that can not saue their lyf whan their contre is taken as thise lityll children Thou hast vaynquysshid them as moche as is in the by thy newe deceyâ—able falsenes and by subtilnes and not by armes but I that am a romayn shall vainquysshe them by craft and strengthe of armes And anon he comanded to take the said scole maister And to bynde his handes behynde hym as a traytour and lede hem to the parentis of the children And whan the faders parentis sawe the grete courtosie that he had don to them They opend the yates and yelded them vnto hym we rede that hanyball had taken a prince of rome whiche vpon his oth and promyse suffrid hym to gon home and to sende hym his raunson or he shold come agayn within a certain tyme And whan he was at home in his place he sayde that he had deceyuyd hym by a false oth And whan the senatours knewe therof they constrayned hym to retorne agayn vnto hanyball Amosflorus tellyth that the phisicien of kynge pirrus cam on a nyght to fabrice his aduersarye And promysid hym yf he wold gyue hym for his laboure that he wold enpoysone pirrus his maister whan fabricius vnderstode this He dyde to take hym and bynde hym hande foote and sente hym to his maistre and dyde do saye to hym word for worde lyke as the phisicien had sayd and promysid hym to doo And whan pirrus vnderstode this he was gretly ameruaylled of the loyalte and trouth of fabrice his enemye and sayd certaynly that the sonne myghte lighther and sonner be enpesshid of his cours than fabrice shold be letted to holde loyalte and trouthe yf they than that were not cristen were so Iuste and trewe and â— louyd their contrey and their good renomee what shold we now doon than that ben cristen and that oure lawe is sette alle vpon loue and charyte But now a dayes ther is nothynge ellys in the world but barate Treson deceyte
so Ioyned to gyder by so grete frendshippe that he of Bandach cam on a tyme for to see hys frende in Egipte of whom he was receyuyd ryght honourably And thyâ— marchant of Egipte had in his hows a fayr yonge mayden whom he shold haue had in maryage to hymself Of the whiche mayde thys marchant of Bandach was esprysed wyth her loue so ardantly that he was ryght seeke And that men supposid hym to dye And than the other dyde doo come the phisicyens whiche sayd that in hym was none other sekenes sauf passyon of loue Than he axid of the seeke man yf ther were ony woman in hys hows that he louyd and made alle the women of his hows to come to fore hym And than he chees her that shold haue ben that others wyf and sayd that he was seek for the loue of her Than hys frende sayd to hym Frende conforte your self For trewly I gyue her to yow to wyf wyth alle the dowayre that is gyuen to me wyth her And had leuer to suffre to be wyth oute wyf than to lese the body of his frende And than he of Bandach wedded the mayde And wente wyth his wyf and wyth his richesse ayen in to his contrey And after this anone after hit happend that the marchauÌ„t of Egipte be cam so poure by euyll fortune that he was constrayned to seche and begge his brede by the contrey in so moche that he cam to bandach And whan he entrid in to the toun hit was derke nyght that he coude not fynde the hows of his frende but wente and laye this nyght in an olde temple And on the morn whan he shold yssue oute of the temple the officers of the toun arestid hym and sayd that he was an homycide and had slayn a man whiche laye there dede And anoÌ„n he confessid hit wyth a good wylle And had leuyr to ben hangid than to dye in that myserable and poure lyf that he suffrid And thus whan he was brought to Iugement And sentence shold haue ben gyuen ayenst hym as an homicide his frende of bandach cam and sawe hym and anone knewe that this was his good frende of Egipte And forthwyth stept in and sayde that he hym self was culpable of the deth of this man and not that other and enforced hym in alle maners for to delyuer and excuse that other And than whan that he that had don the feet and had slayn the man sawe this thynge he considerid in hym self that these two men were Innocente of this feet And doubtynge the dyuyn Iugement he cam to fore the Iuge and confessid alle the feet by ordre And whan the Iuge sawe and herd alle this mater and also the causes he considerid the ferme and trewe loue that was betwene the two frendes And vnderstode the cause why that one wold saue that other and the trouth of the fayte of the homicide And than he pardoned alle the feet hoolly and entierly and after the marchant of bandach brought hym of egipte wyth hym in to his hous and gaf to hym his suster in mariage and departid to hym half his goodes And so bothe of hem were riche And thus were they bothe veray faythfull and trewe frendes Furthermore Notaires men of lawe and crafty men shold and ought to loue eche other And also ought to be contynent chaste honeste For by theyr craftes they ought so to be by necessite For they conuerse accompanye them ofte tyme with women And therfor hit apperteyneth to them to be chaste and honeste And that they meue not the women ner entyse them to law he and Iape by ony disordinate ensignees or tokens Titus liuyâ—s reherceth that the philosopher democreon dyde do put oute his eyen for as moche as he myght not beholde the women wyth oute flesshely desire And how well hit is said before that he dide hit for other certayn cause yet was this one of the pryncipall causes And Valerian telleth that ther was a yonge man of rome of ryght excellent beaute And how well that he was ryght chaste For as moche as his beaute meuyd many women to desyre hym in so moche that he vnderstode that the parents and frendes of them had suspecion in hym he dyde his visage to be cutte wyth a knyf and lancettis endlonge and ouerthwart for to deforme his visage And had leuer haue a fowle visage and disformed than the beaute of hys visage shold meue other to synne And also we rede that ther was a Nonne a virgyne dyde do put oute bothe her eyen For as moche as the beaute of her eyen meuyd a kynge to loue her whyche eyen she sente to the kynge in a presente And also we rede that plato the ryght ryche and wyse phylosophre lefte hys owne lande and Contre And cheese his mansion and dwellynge in a chadomye a town whiche was not only destroyed but also was full of pestelence so that by the cure and charge and customance of sorowe that he there suffrid myght eschewe the heetes and occasions of lecherye And many of his disciples dyde in lyke wyse Helemand reherceth that demostenes the philosopher lay ones by a right noble woman for his disporte and playnge with her he demanded of her what he shold gyue to haue to doo wyth her And she answerd to hym a thousand pens and he sayd agayn to her I shold repente me to bye hit so dere And whan he aduysed hym that he was so sore chauffid to speke to her for taccoÌ„plssh his flesshely desire he dispoylled hym alle naked and wente and putte hym in the middes of the snowe And ouide reherceth that this thynge is the leste that maye helpe and moste greue the louers And therfore saynt Augustyn reherceth in his book de Ciuitaâ—dâ—i that ther was a ryght noble romayne named mercuâ—ian that wan and toke the noble cyte of siracuse And to fore er he dyde do assaylle hit or befyghte hit and er he had do be shedde ony blood he wepte and shedde many treris to fore the cyte And that was for the cause that he doubted that his peple shold defoyle and corrumpe to moche dishonestly the chastyte of the toun And ordeyned vpon payne of deth that no man shold be so hardy to take and defoylle ony woman by force what that euer she were After this the craftymen ought to vnderstond for to be trewe and to haue trouthe in her mouthes And that theyr dedes folowe theyr wordes For he that sayth one thynge and doth another he condempneth hym self by his word Also they ought to see well to that they be of one Acorde in good by entente by word and by dede so that they ben not discordant in no caas But euery man haue pure veryte and trouth in hym self For god hym self is pure verite And men saye comynly that trouthe seketh none hernes ne corners And trouthe is a vertu by the whyche alle drede
alle that he had in the world And thus by dyuyne pourueance he that had be a theef fraudelent was made afterward a trewe procurour and attorney of the sayd albert But now in this dayes ther ben marchauÌ„s that do marchandise with other mens money whiche is taken to hem to kepe And whan they ben requyred to repaye hit they haue no shame to denye hit appertly wherof hit happend that ther was a marchant whyche had a good a grete name and renome of kepynge well suche thynges as was delyueryd to hym to kepe But whan he sawe place and tyme he reteynyd hyt lyke a theef So hyt befelle that a marchant of with oute forth herd the good reporte fame of this man cam to hym and deliuerid hym grete tresour to kepe And this tresour abode thre yer in his kepynge And after this thre yer thys marchant cam requyred to haue hys good deliueryd to hym agaym And thys man knewe well that he had no recorde ne wytnes to preue on hym this duete Nor he had no obligacion ne wrytynge of hym therof In suche wyse that he denyed alle entyerly And sayd playnly he knewe hym not And whan thys good man herde and vnderstode thys he wente sorowfully and wepynge from hym so ferre and longe that an old woman mette wyth hym And demanded of hym the cause of hys wepynge And he sayd to her woman hit apperteyneth no thynge to the Go thy way And she prayd hym that he wold telle her the cause of hys sorowe For parauenture she myght gyue hym counceylle good and prouffytable And than this man told to her by ordre the â—aas of his fortune And the old woman that was wyse subtyll demanded of hym yf he had in that cyte ony frende whiche wold be faythfull and trewe to hym And he sayd ye that he had dyuerce frendes Than said she goo thou to them and saye to them that they do ordeyne and bye dyuerce cofres chestie And that they do fylle them with som olde thinges of no value and that they fayne And saye that they be full of gold siluer other Iewels and of moche grete tresour And than that they brynge them to this sayd marchant And to saye to hym that he wold kepe them For as moche as they had grete trust and affiance in hym And also that they haue herd of his grete trouthe and good renome And also they wold goo in to a fer contre And shold be longe er they retorned agayn And whilis they speke to hym of this mater thou shalt come vpon them and requyre hym that he do deliuere to the that thou tokest to hym And I trowe be cause of tho good men that than shall profre to hym the sayd tresour And for the couetise to haue hit he shall deliuere to the thy good agayn But beware late hym not knowe in no wyse that they ben thy frendes ner of thy knowleche This was a grete and good couÌ„ceyll of a woman And verily hit cometh of nature oftentymes to women to gyue counceyll shortly and vnauysedly to thynges that ben in doute or perillous and nedeth hasty remedye And as ye haue herd this good man dyde And dyde after her counceyll And cam vpon them whan they spack of the mater to the marchant for to deliuere to hym the sayd cofres to kepe whyche his frendes had fayned and requyred of hym that he had taken to hym to kepe and than anoÌ„n the sayd marchant sayd to hym I knowe the now well For I haue auysed me that thou art suche a man And camst to me suche a tyme And deliuerest to me suche a thynge whiche I haue well kept And than callyd his clerck and bad hym goo fecche suche a thynge in suche a place and deliuere hit to that good man For he deliuerid hit to me And than the good man receyuyd his good And wente his way right Ioyously and gladd And this marchant trycheur and deceyuour was defrauded from his euyll malice And he ne had neyther that one ne that other ony thynge that was of value And therfore hit Is sayd in prouerbe to defraude the beguylar is no fraude And he that doth well foloweth oure lord And seneke saith that charyte enseygneth and techeth that men shold paye well For good payement is sometyme good confession And this marchant trycheour deceyuour resembleth Is lyke to an hound that bereth a chese in his mouth whan he swymmeth ouer a watre For whan he is on the watre He seeth the shadowe of the chese in the watre And than he weneth hit be an other chese And for couetyse to haue that he openth his mouth to cacche that And than the chese that he bare fallyth doun in to the watre And thus he loseth bothe two And in the same wise was seruyd this marchant deceynour For for to haue the coffres whiche he had not seen He deliueryd agayn that he wold haue holden wrongfully thus by his couetise and propre malice he was deceyuyd And therfore hit apperteyneth to euery good wyse man to knowe considere in hym self how moche he had resseyuyd of other men And vpon what condicion hit was deliuerid to hym And hit is to wete that this thinge apperteyneth to resseyuours to chaungeours And to alle true marchans and other what som euyr they bee and ought to kepe their bookes of resaytes of payements of whom to whom and what tyme day and yf ye demande what thynge makyth them to forgete suche thynges as ben taken to them to kepe I answere saye that hyt Is grete couetyse for to haue tho thynges to them self and neuer to departe from them And hit is all her thought and desire to assemble alle the good that they may gete For they beleue on none other god but on her richessis theyr hertes ben so obstynat and this sufficeth of the marchantes This fyfth chapitre of the thirde book treteth of phisiciens spicers and Apotyquaryes THe pawoÌ„n that is sette to fore the quene signefyeth the phisicyen spicer and Apotyquaire and is formed in the figure of a man And he is sette in a chayer as a maystre and holdeth in his right hand a book And an ample or a boxe wyth oynementis in his lyft hand And at his gurdell his Instrumentis of yron and of siluer for to make Incysions and to serche woundes and hurtes and to cutte apostumes And by thyse thynges ben knowen the cyrurgyens By the book ben vnderstanden the phisicyens and alle gramaryens logicyens maistres of lawe of Geometrye Arismetryque musique and of astronomye And by the ampole ben signefyed the makers of pigmentaries spicers and apotiquayres and they that make confections and confytes and medecynes made wyth precyous spyces And by the ferremens and Instrumentis that hangen on the gurdell ben signefied the cyrurgyens the maistres And knowe ye for certain that a maystre phisicyen ought to knowe the proporcions of