cyte was made a toure treangle as a shelde wherof the heyght extended vnto the lengthe of .vii. thousand paas whiche is .vii. myle english And this towr was callyd the tour of Babell The walles aboute the tour made a woman whos name was semiranus as sayth virgilius As to the thirde wherfore the comyn peple ben sette to fore the nobles in the felde of the bataylle in one renge First for as moche as they ben necessarye to alle nobles For the rooke whiche standeth on the ryght syde and is vicaire of the kynge what may he doo yf the labourer were not sette to fore hym and labourid to mynystre to hym suche temporell thynges as be necessary for hym And what may the knyght doo yf he ne had to fore hym the smyth for to forge his armours sadellis axis and spores and suche thynges as apperteyneth to hym And what is a knyght worth wyth oute hors and armes certaynly nothynge more than on of the peple or lasse ê‘auenture And in what maner shold the nobles lyue yf no man made cloth and bought and solde marchandyse And what shulde kynges and quenes and the other lordes doo yf they had no phisicyens ne cyrurgiens than I saye that the peple ben the glorye of the Crowne And susteyne the lyf of the nobles And therfore thou that art a lord or a noble man or knyght despise not the comyn peple for as moche as they ben sette to fore the in the playe The seconde cause is why the peple ben sette to fore the nobles and haue the table wyde to fore them is be cause they begyn the bataylle They ought to take hede and entende to do theyr offices and theyr craftes In suche wyse that they suffre the noble men to gouerne the cytees and to counceylle and make ordenances of the peple of the batayll how shold a labourer a plowman or a craftyman counceylle and make ordenance of suche thynges as he neuer lerned And wote ne knoweth the mater vpon what thynge the counceylle ought to be taken Certes the comyn peple ought not to entende to none other thynge but for to do their seruyse and the office whiche is couenable vnto hem And hyt apperteyneth not to hem to be of counceyllys ne at the aduocacions ne to menace ne to threte noman for ofte tymes by menaces and by force good counceylle is distroublid And where good counceyll faylleth there ofte tymes the cytees ben betrayed and destroyed And Plato sayth That the comyn thynges and the cytees ben blessid whan they ben gouerned by wyse men or whan the gouernours studye in wisedom And so hit apperteyneth to the comyn to lerne to vttre the maters the maner of procuracion to fore they be counceyllours For hit happeth oftetymes that he that maketh hym wyser that he vnderstandeth is made more foole than he is And the fourth cause wherfore that ther ben in the tabâ—er as many poynts wyde as ben full hit is to wete for that they what euer they be that haue peple to gouerne ought ten force to haue cytees castellis possessions for to sette his peple theryn And for to laboure doo their ocupacion For for to haue the name of a kynge with out royame is a name wyde and honour with oute prouffit And alle noblesse wyth oute good maners and with out suche thinges as noblesse may be mayntenyd ought better be callid folye than noblesse And shamefull pouerte is the more greuous whan hit cometh by nature of an hyhe and noble burth or hous For noman gladly wole repreue a poure man of the comyn peple But euery man hath in despite a noble man that is poure yf he haue not in hym good maners and vertuous by whiche his pouerte is forgoten and truly a royame with oute haboundance of goodes by whiche hit may be gouerned and prospere may better be callyd a latrocynye or a nest of theeuys than a royame Alas what haboundance was some tymes in the royames And what prospite In whiche was Iustice And euery man in his office contente how stood the cytees that tyme in worship and renome how was renomed the noble royame of Englond Alle the world dredde hit And spack worship of hit how hit now standeth and in what haboundance I reporte me to them that knowe hit yf ther ben theeuis wyth in the royame or on the see they knowe that laboure in the royame And sayle on the see I wote well the fame is grete therof I pray god saue that noble royame And sende good true and politicque counceyllours to the gouernours of the same {etc} And noblesse of lignage wyth oute puyssance and might is but vanyte and dispite And hit is so as we haue sayd to fore that the schequer whiche the philosopher ordeyned represented and figured the sayd cyte of Babilone And in lyke wyse may hit figure a royame and signefye alâ— the wâ—rld And yf men regarde and take heed vnto the poyntes vnto the middes of euery quadrante and so to double euery quadrant to other the myles of this cyte all way doublinge vnto the nombre of .lxiiii. The nombre of the same shulde surmounte alle the world And not only the world but many worldes by the doublinge of inylis whiche doublinge so as a fore is sayd shuld surmounte alle thynges And thus endeth the first chapitre of the fourth booke The seconde chapitre of the fourth tractate treteth of the draught of the kynge And how he meuyth hym in the chequer WE ought to knowe that in this world the kynges seygnourye and regne eche in his royame And in this playe we ought to knowe by the nature of hit how the kynge meueth hym and yssueth oute of his place For ye shall vnderstande that he is sette in the fourth quadrante or poynt of theschequer And whan he is black he standeth in the white and the knyght on his ryght side in white And the Alphyn and the rooke in black And on the lifte side the foure holden the places opposite And the rayson may be suche For be cause that the knyghtes ben the glorye the crowne of the kynge They ensiewe in semblable residence that they doo whan they ben sette semblably on the ryght side of the kynge on the lyfte side of the quene And for as moche as the rook on the ryght syde is vicayre of the kynge he accompanyeth the quene in semblable siege that the Alphyn doth whiche is Iuge of the kynge And in lyke wyse the lifte rook the lyfte Alphyn accompanye the kynge in semblable siege In suche wyse as they ben sette aboute the kynge in bothe sides wyth the Quene in manere of a crowne That they may seurely kepe the royame that reluyseth and shyneth in the kynge and in the Quene In suche wyse as they may conferme and diffende hym in theyr sieges and in theyr places And the more hastily renne vpon his enemyes And for as moche as the Iuge
the knyght and the vicaire kepe and garnysshe the kynge on that one syde They that ben sette on the other syde kepe the Quene And thus kepe they alle the strength and fermete of the royame And semblably otherwhile for to ordeyne the thynges that apperteyne to the counceyll and to the besoyngne of the royame For yf eche man shold entende to his owen proper thynges And that they defended not ner toke hede vnto the thingis that apperteynen to the kynge to the comyn and to the royame the royalme shold anoÌ„n be deuided in parties And thus myght the Iuge regne And the name of the dignyte royall shold be lost And truly for as moche as the kynge holdeth the dignyte aboue alle other and the seygnourye royall therfore hit apperteyneth not that he absente hym longe ne wythdrawe hym ferre by space of tyme from the maister siege of his royame For whan he wele meue hym he ought not to passe at the first draught the nombre of .iii. poynts And whan he begynneth thus to meue from his whyt poynt he hath the nature of the rooks of the right syde and of the lifte syde for to goo black or whithe And also he may goo vnto the white poynt where the gardes of the Cyte ben sette And in this poynt he hath the nature of a knyght And thyse two maners of meuynge apperteyneth other while to the quene and for as moche as the kynge and the quene that ben conioyned to geder by mariage ben one thynge as one flessh and blood therfore may the kynge meue on the lifte side of his propre poynt also wele as he were sette in the place of the quene whiche is black and whan he goth right in maner of the rook only And hit happen that the aduersarie be not couered in ony poynt in the seconde ligne The kynge may not passe from his black poynt vnto the thirde ligne And thus he sortisith the nature of the rook on the ryght syde and lyfte syde vnto the place of the knyghtes and for to goo ryght to fore In to the whyte poynt to fore the marchant And the kynge also sortyst the nature of the knyghtes whan he goth on the ryght syde in two maners For he may put hym in the wyde space to fore the phisicyen And in the black space to fore the tauerner And on the other side he goth in to other two places in lyk wise that is to fore the smyth and the notarye And thus as in goynge out first in to .iiii. poynts he sorteth the nature of knyghtes and also the kynge sortiseth the nature of the alphins at his first yssu in to .ii. places And he may goo on bothe sides vnto the white place wyde that one to fore the smith on that on side and that other â—o for the tauerner on that other side All these yssues hath the kyng out of his propre place of his owen vertue whan he begynneth to meue But whan he iâ— ones meuyd fro his propre place â— He may not meâ—e but in to one space or poynt and so from one to an other And than he sortiseth the nature of the comyn peple and thus by good right he hath in hym self the nature of alle For alle the vertue that is in the membres cometh of the heed and all meâ—yng of the body The begynnynge lyf comen from the herte â— And all the dignyte that the subgettes haue by execucion and contynuell apparence of their meuynge yssue The kynge deteyneth hit is attribâ—ed to hym the victorye of the knightes the prudence of the Iuges the auctorite of the vicaires or legates The coÌ„tynence of the quene the coÌ„corde vnyte of the peple Ben not all thise thinges ascribed vnto the honour and worship of the kynge In his yssue whan he meuyd first The thirde ligne to fore the peple he neuer excedeth Fro in the .iii. nombre alle maner of states begynne to meue For the trynary nombre conteyneth .iii. parties whiche make a perfect nombre For a trynarye nombre hath i.ii.iii Whiche Ioyned to geder maken .vi. Whiche is the first parfyt nombre And signefieth in this place vi persones named that constitute the ê‘fection of a royame That is to wete the kynge the quene Iuges knyghtes the vicaires or legats and the comyn peple And therfor the kynge ought to begynne in his first menynge of .iii. poyntes that he shewe perfection of lyf as well in hym self as in other After that the kynge begynneth to meâ—e he may lede wyth hym the quene after the maner of his yssue For why the quene foloweth vnto two angularye places after the maner of the alphyn and to a place indirect in the maner of a rook in to the black poynt to fore the phisicien herin is signefied that the women may not meue neyther make vowes of pylgremage ner of viage wythoute the wylle of theyr husbondes For yf a woman had a vowed ony thynge her husbonde lyuynge and agayn saynge she may not yelde ne accomplisshe her vowe yf the husbond wyll goo oughwer he may well goo wyth oute her And yf so be that the husbond wyll haue her wyth hym she is bounden to folowe hym And by reson For a man is the heed of a woman and not econuerso For as to suche thingis as longe to patrymony they ben lyke but the man hath power ouer her body And so hath not the woman ouer his And therfore whan the kynge begynneth to meâ—e the Quene may folowe And not alleway whan she meuyd it is no nede the kynge to meue For why four the first lignes be with in the limytes and space of the royame And vnto the thirde poynt the kynge may meue at his first meuynge out of his propre place And whan he passith the fourth ligne he goeth oute of his royame And yf he passe oon poynt late hym beware For the persone of a kynge Is acounted more than a thousand of other For whan he exposeth hym vnto the paryllis of bataylle Hit is necessarye that he goo temperatly and slyly For yf he be taken or ded or ellis Inclusid and shette vp Alle the strengthes of alle other faylle and alle Is fynysshid and loste And therfore he hath nede to goo and meue wysely And also therfore he may not meue but one poynt after hys fyrst meuynge but where that euer he goo foreward or bacward or on that one syde or that other or ellis cornerwyse He may neuer approche hys aduersarye the kynge nerrer than in the thirde poynt And therfore the kynges in batayll ought neuer tapproche one nyghe that other And also whan the kynge hath goon so ferre that alle his men be lost than he is sole And than he may not endure longe whan he is brought to the extremyte And also he ought to take hede that he stande not soo that a knyght or an other saith chek rook than the kyng
kepe chastite entyerly as hit is wreton in ecclesiastes yf thou haue sones enseigne and teche them And yf thou haue doughters kepe well them in chastite For helemonde reherceth that euery kynge prynce ought to be a clerke for to comande to other to studye and rede the lawe of our lord god And therfore wrote themperour to the kynge of france that he shold doo lerne hys children sones the seuen sciences â–ª lyberall And saide amonge other thynges that a kynge not lettryd resembleth an assâ— coroned Themperour Octauian maad his sones to be taught and lerne to swyme to sprynge and lepe to Iuste to playe wyth the axe and swerde And alle maner thynge that apperteyneth to a knyght And his doughters he made hem to lerne to sewe to spynne to laboure as well in wolle as in lynnen cloth And alle other werkis langynge to women And whan his frendes demanded wherfore he dyde so he answerd how well that he was lord syre of alle the world yet wyste he not what shold befalle of his children and whether they shold falle or come to pouerte or noo and therfore yf they conne a good crafte they mayâ— alleway lyue honestly The Quene ought to kepe her doughters in alle chastyte For we rede of many maydens that for theyr virginite haue ben made quenes For poule the historiagraph of the lombardes reherceth that ther was a duchesse named remonde whiche had .iii. sones two doughters And hit happend that the kynge of hongrye cantanus assaylled a castell where she her children were Iâ—â—e And on a day she behelde her enemyes And amonge all other she sawe the kynge that he was a well faryng and goodly man Anone she was esprised and taken wyth his loue And that so sore that forthwith she sent to hym that she wold deliuere ouer the castell to hym yf he wold take her to his wyf and wedde her And he agreed therto and sware that he wold haue her to his wyf on that condicion whan than the kynge was in the castell his peple toke men and women and alle that they fonde her sones fledde from her of whom one was named Ermoaldus and was yongest and after was duâ— of boneuentan And syn kynge of the lumbardis And the two susters toke chikens And put hem vnder her armes next the flessh and bytwene her pappes that of the heete chaffyng the flessh of the chikens stanke And whan so was that they of hongrye wold haue enforcid defowled hem anone they felte the stenche and fledde away and so lefte hem sayng fy how these lombardes stynke and so they kept their virginite wherfore that one of them afterward was Quene of france And that other Quene of Aleman And hit happend than that the kynge Catanus toke acordynge to his promyse the duchesse and laye with her one night for to saue his oth And on the morn he made her comune vnto alle the hongres And the thirde day after he dyde doo put a staf of tre fro the nether part of her thurgh her body vnto her throte or mouthe for be cause of the lust of her flessh she betrayed her cyte and sayd suche husbond suche wyf {etc} And this sufficeth of the Quene The thirde chapitre of the seconde tractate treteth of the alphyns her offices and maners THe Alphyns ought to be made and formed in manere of Iuges syttynge in a chayer wyth a book open to fore their eyen And that is be cause that some causes ben crymynell And some ben cyuyle as aboute possessyons and other temporell thynges and trespaces And therfore ought to be two Iuges in the royame one in the black for the first cause And that other in whyte as for the seconde Theyr office is for to counceyll the kynge And to make by his comandements good lawes And to enforme alle the royame in good and vertuous maners And to Iuge and gyue sentence well and truly after the caas is had And to counceyll well and Iustely alle them that axe counceyll of hem wyth oute hauynge of ony eye opene to ony persone And to estudye diligently in suche wyse and to ordeygne alle that that ought to be kept be obseruyd be faste and stable So that they be not founde corrupt for yeft for fauour ne for lignage ne for enuye variable And as touchynge the first poynt Seneque sayth in the book of benefetes that the poure Dyogenes was more stronge than Alixandre For Alixandre coude not gyue so moche as Diogenes wold reffuse Marcus curâ—us a romayn of grete renome sayth thus That whan he had besiegid assayllyd them of samente And boneuentans whiche herde that he was poure they toke a grete masse and wegghe of gold and sended hit to hym prayng hym that he wold resseyue hyt and leue his assault and siege And whan they cam with the present to hym they fonde hym sittynge on the erthe and ete his mete oute of platers and disshes of tree and of wode and dyde than her message to whom he answerd and sayde that they shold goo hoome and saye to them that sente hem that marcus cursus loueth better to be lord and wynne richesses than richesse shold wynne hym For by bataylle he shall not be ouercome and vaynquysshid Nor be gold ne siluer he shalÌ„ not be corrupt ne corompid Often tymes that thynge taketh an euyll ende that is vntrewe for gold and siluer And that a man is subgett vnto money may not be lord therof helimond reherceth that demonscene demanded of aristodone how moche he had wonne for pletynge of a cause for his clyent And he answerd a marck of gold Demoscenes answerd to hym agayn that he had wonne as moche for to hold his pees and speke not Thus the tonges of aduocates and men of lawe ben ê‘yllous and domegeable yet they must be had yf thou wylt wynne thy cause for wyth money and yeft thou shall wynne And oftetymes they selle as welle theyr scilence as theyr vtterance Valerius reherceth that the senatours of rome toke counceyll to geder of two persones that one was poure And that other riche and couetous whiche of hem bothe were most apte for to sende to gouerne and Iuge the contre of spayne and scipion of affricque sayd that none of them bothe were good ner prouffitable to be sente theder For that one hath no thynge And to that other may nothynge suffise And despised in his saynge alle pouerte and auerice in a Iuge For a couetous man hath nede of an halfpeny For he is seruant bonde vnto money and not lord therof But pouerte of herte of wylle ought to be gretly alowed in a Iuge Therfore we rede that as longe as the romayns louyd pouerte they were lordes of all the world For many ther were that exposed alle their goodes for the comyn wele and for that was most prouffitable for the comynaulte that they were so poure that whan they were dede they were buryed brought to
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
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
knyght on the right syde is whyt And on the lifte syde black And the yssue and moeuynge of hem bothe is in one maner whan so is that the knyght on the ryght syde Is whyt The lyfte knyght is black The moeuynge of hem is suche That the whyte may goo in to the space of the alphyn as hit apperyth of the knyght on the right side that is whyte And hath thre yssues fro his propre place one on his ryght syde in the place to fore the labourer And hit is well reson that whan the labourer and husbonde man hath laboured the feldes the knyghtes ought to kepe them to thentent that they haue vitailles for them self and their horses The second yssue is that he may meue hym vnto the black space to fore the notarye or draper For he is bounden to deffende and kepe them that make his vestementis couertours necessarye vnto his body The thirde yssue is that he may go on the lifte syde in to the place to fore the marchant whiche is sette to fore the kynge the whiche is black And the reson is for as moche as he ought and is holden to deffende the kynge as well as his owen persone whan he passith the first draught he may goo foure wayes And whan he is in the myddes of the tabler he may goo in to .viii. places sondry to whiche he may renne And in lyke wise may the lyfte knyght goo whiche is black and goth oute of his place in to white and in that maner goth the knyght fightynge by his myght and groweth and multiplieth in hys poyntis And ofte tymes by them the felde Is wonne or lost A knyghts vertue and myght is not knowen but by his fightynge and in his fightynge he doth moche harme for as moche as his myght extendeth in to so many poyntis they ben in many peryllis in theyr fightynge And whan they escape they haue the honour of the game And thus is hit of euery man the more vailliant the more honoured And he that meketh hym self ofte tymes shyneth clerest The sixt chapitre of the fourth tractate treteth of the yssue of the rooks and of her progression THe moeuynge and yssue of the rooks whiche ben vicairs of the kynge is suche that the ryght rook is black and the lifte rook is whyte And whan the chesse ben sette as well the nobles as the comyn peple first in their propre places The rooks by their propre vertue haue no wey to yssue but yf hyt be made to them by the nobles or comyn peple For they ben enclosed in their propre sieges And the reson why is suche That for as moche as they ben vicaires lieutenants or comyssioners of the kynge Theyr auctoryte is of none effecte to fore they yssue out And that they haue begonne truhaunce theyr office For as longe as they be within the palais of the kynge So longe may they not vse ne execute theyr commyssion But anon as they yssue they may vse theyr auctorite And ye shall vnderstande that their auctorite is grete for they represente the psone of the kynge and therfore where the tablier is wyde they may â—â—nne alle the triblier In lyke wyse as they goon thurgh the royame and they may goo as well white as black as well on the right sidâ— lifte as foreward and backward And as fer may they renne as they fynde the tablier wyde whether hit be of his aduersaryes as of his owen felowship And whan the rook is in the myddell of the tablier he may goo whiche way he wyll in to foure right lignes on euery side and hit is to wete that he may in no wyse goo cornerwyse but allway ryght forth goynge comynge as afore is sayd wherfore all the subgettis of the kinge as well good as euyll ought to knowe by their moeuynge that auctorite of the vicairca and comyssioners ought to be verray true rightwis Iuste and ye shall vnderstande that they ben stronge and vertuous in bataylle For the two rooks only may vaynquysshe a kynge theyr aduersarye and take hym and take from hym his lyf and his royame And this was doon whan chirus kynge of perse And darius kynge of medes slewe baltazar and toke his royame from hym Whiche was neuew to enylmoradach vnder whom this game was founden The seuenth chapitre of the fourth book treteth of the yssue of the comyn peple {etc} ONe yssue and one mouynge apperteyneth vnto alle the peple For they may goo fro the poynt they stande in at the first meuynge vnto the thirde poynt right forth to fore them whan they haue so don they may afterward mene no more but fro one poynt ryght forth in to an other And they may neuer retorne backward And thus goynge forth fro poynt to poynt They may gete by vertue and strengthe that thynge that the other noble fynde by dignyte And yf the knyghtes and other nobles helpe hem that they come to the ferthest sygne to fore them where theyr aduersaryes were sette They acquyre the dignyte that the quene hath graunted to her by grace For yf ony of them may come to thys sayd ligne yf he be white as labourer draper phiâ—icyen or kepar of the cyte ben they reteyne suche dignyte as the quene hath for they haue goten hit and than retornynge agayn homeward they may goo lyke as it is sayd in the chapitre of the quene And yf ony of the pawns that is black as the smyth the marchant the tauerner and the rybaulde may come wyth oute domage in to the same vtterist ligne he shall gete by his vertu the dignyte of the black quene And ye shall vnderstande whan thyse comyn peple mene right forth in her ligne and fynde ony noble persone or of the peple of their aduersaries sette in the poynt at on ony side to fore hym In that corner poynt he may take his aduersarye wherther hit be on the right side or on the lifte And the cause is that the aduersaries ben suspecyous that the comyn peple lye In a wayte to Robbe her goodes or to take her persones whan they goo vpward right forth And therfore he may take in the right angle to fore hym one of his aduersaries As he had espied his persone And in the lifte angle as robber of his goodes and whether hit be goynge foreward or retornynge fro black to whyte or whyte to black the pawn must allway goo in his right ligne and allway take in the corner that he findeth in his waye but he may not goo on neyther side tyll he hath ben in the furdest ligne of thesehequer And that he hath taken the nature of the dâ—â—nghtes of the quene And than he is a fiers And than he may goo on alle sides cornerwyse fro poynt to poynt only as the quene doth fightynge and takynge whom he findeth in his waye And whan he is thus comen to the place where the nobleâ— his aduersaries were sette he