a lyght doun and playe wyth the / and yf thou haue mo pâ—yâ—tes than I on thre dyse I promyse the thou shalt haue myn 〈◊〉 and thenne he was glad / and anone castâ— thre dyse / and on ocle dyse was a sise / whiche made xviij 〈◊〉 / and anone he took the horâ— by the bâ—ydâ— / as he that was scure that he had wonne / and sayd that the horâ—s was his â— and than saynt bernard sayd abyde my sone· for there be mo poyntes on the dyse than xviij and than he cast the dyse / in suche wyse that one of the iij dyse clefte a sondre in the myddes / and on that one parte was vj. and on that other side an aas / and ache of that other was a sise· And than saynt bernard sayd that he had worrie his sowle for as moche as he had cast on thre dyse vix poyntes and than whan this player sawe aperceyuyd thys myracle he gaf his sowle to saynt bernard and became a monke and finysshed his lyf in good werkys The currours and berars of lettres ought hastely and spedely doo her vyagâ— that is coÌ„maunded hem with out caryeng for theyr taryeng myght noye and greue them that sende hem forth· or ellis them to whom they be sent to And borne hem to right grete domage or vylonye / For whiche cause euery noble man ought wel to take hede to whom he delyuer his lettres and his maundementis and otherwhiles suche peple ben Ioghelers and dronklewe and goon out of their weye for to see abbayes and noble men for to haue avauntage· and hit happeth ofte tymes / that whan suche messagers or currours ben enpesshid by ony tarieng / that other currours here letters contrarye to hys and come tofore hym / of whiche thynges ofte tymes cometh many thynges discouenable of losse of frendes of castellys· and of â—â—andâ— and many other thynges as in the feet of marchaundyses / and otherwhile hit happeth that a prynce for the faulte of suche messangers leseth to haue victorye vpon his â—â—â—yes / and also there be soÌ„me that whan they come in a cite where they haue not ben to fore they ben more besy to visite the cyte and the noble men that dwelle therin than they ben to do theyr voyage whiche thyng they ought not to do / but yf they had special charge of them that sent hem forth so to doo / And also whan they be sent forth of ony lordes or marchauntes they ought to be wel ware· that they charge hem not wyth ouer moche mete on mornynges ne wyth to moche wyne on euenynges / wherby her sinewes vaynes myght be greuyd / that they must for faute of good rewle tarye but they ought to goo and come hastely for to reporte to their maysters answers as hit apertâ—yneth and chise suffysen of the thynges aboue sayd right hygh / and therfore made the philosopher the bordeur more hygh than the tablier and as the blessyd Saynt Iherome sayth vpon the prophesie of ysaye / that is to wete vpon a mounteyn of obscurete whiche wordes were sayd of babylone whiche standeth in caldee / no thyng of that babylone that stondeth in egypt· for it is so that babilone whiche stondeth in caldee was sette in a right grete playn And had so hygh walles that by the heyght of them was contynuel derknes enuyronned and obscurete that none erthly man myght beholde and see the ende of the highnes of the walle and therfore ysaye callyd hit the montaigne obscure / And saynt Iherome saith that the mesure of the heyght of this walle was thre thousand paas whiche extendeth vnto the lengthe of thre myle lombardes / hit is to wete that lombarde mylis and englissh myles ben of one lengthe / and in one of the corners of thys cyte was made a tour treangle as a shelde / wherof the heyght extended vnto the lengthe of vij thousand paas / which is seuen myle englissh / and thys toure was called the tour of babel the walles about the toure made a woman whos name was semyramis as sayth virgilius / As to the thyrd wherfore the comyn peple ben sette tofore the nobles in the felde of the batayl in one renge / first for as moche as they ben necessarye to al nobles / For the rook whiche stondeth on the right side and is vycayr of the kyng what may he doo yf the labourer were not sette tofore hym laboured to mynystre to hym suche temporel thynges as be necessarie for hym / And what may the knyght do yf he ne had tofore hym the sâ—nyth for to forge his armours· sadellys axys and syeres suche thynges as apâ—rteyneth to hym· And what is a knyght worth wythout hors and armes / certâ—ynly no thyng more than one of the peple or lasse peraâ—â—â—â—â—â— / and in what maner shold the nobles lyâ—â—e yf no man made cloth and bought and solde marchandyse And what shold kynges and quenes and the other lordes doo yf they had no physiciens ne surgyens / Than I say that the peple ben the glorye of the crowne and susteyne the lyf of the nobles And therfore thou that art a lord or a noble man or knyght / despyse not the comyn people for as moche as they ben sette tofore the in the â—saye The second cause is why the peple ben sette tofore the nobles and haue the table voyde tofore them to be cause 〈◊〉 begynne the bataylle / they ought to take hede and 〈◊〉 to do theyr offyces and theyr craftes / in suche weyse 〈◊〉 they suffre the noble men to gouerne the cytees and 〈◊〉 counceylle make ordenaunces of the peple of the bataylle how shold a labourer a plow man or a crafty man counceyl and make ordenaunce of suche thynges as he neuer lerned and wote ne knoweth the maâ—eâ— vâ—oâ— what thyng the counceyl ought to be taken / Certes the comyn peple ought not to entende to none other thyng but for to do their seruyce and the offyce whiche is couenable vnto heâ— / and hit apporteyneth not to hem to be of counceyls ne at the 〈◊〉 ocacions / ne to menace ne to threte no man / for ofte tymes by menaces and by force good counceyl i◠〈◊〉 troubled / and whore good counceyl faylleth there of to tymes the cytees ben betrayed and destrâ—â—â—d / And plato sayth that the comyn thynges and the cyteees siege of his royament / for whan be wyl meue hym he ought noâ— to passe at the first draught the nombre of iij pâ—yntes whan he begynneth thus to meue from his whyt poynt / he hath the nature of the rookes of the right side of the lift for to goo black or whyt also he may goo vnto the whyt poynt where the gardes of the cyte ben sette / in this poynt he hath the nature of a knyght / thise two maners of meuyng aperteyneth otherwhile to the quene / for as
moche as the kyng the quene that be conioyned to geder by mariage ben one thyng as one flesshe blood / therfore may the kyng meue on the lift side of his propre poynt also wel as he were sette in the place of the quene whiche is black / whan he goeth right in maner of the rook onely hit happen that the aduersary be not couerd in ony poynte in the second ligne / the kyng may not passe from his black poynt vnto the thyrd ligne / thus he fortiseth the nature of the rook on the right side and lift side vnto the place of the knyghtes / And for to goo right tofore in to the whyt poynt tofore the marchaunt· and the kyng also sortist the nature of the knyghtes whan he goeth on the right side in two maners for he may put hym in the voyde space tofore the phisicien / in the black space tofore the tauerner on the other side he goeth in to other two places in like wyse that is tofore the smyth / and the notarye / thus as in goyng out first in to four poyntes he sorteth the nature of knyghtes / And also the kyng sortyseth the nature of the olphyns at hys fyrst yssue in to two places and he may goo on boothe sydes vnto the whyte place voyde / that one tofore the smyth on that one side / and that other tofore the tauerner on that other side al these yssues hath the kyng out of his proper place of his owne vertu whan he begynneth to meue but whan he is ones meuyd fro his propre place he may not meue but in to one space or poynt and so from one to another / And than he fortiseth the nature of the comyn peple / And thus by good right he hath in hym self the nature of al / For al the virtue that is in the membris comyth of the heed / And al meuyng of the body The begynnyng and lyf cometh from the herte And al the dygnyte that the subgettis haue by execusion and continuel apparence of theyr meuyng and yssue· the kyng deteyneth hit and is attribued to hym the victorye of the knyghtes the prudence of the Iugesâ— the auctorate of the vycayrs or legates the contynence of the quene / the concorde and vnyte of the people / so ben alle thise thynges ascribed vnto the honour worshyp of the kyng / in his yssue whaÌ„ he meuyth first / the iij ligne tofore the peple he neuer excedyth for in the third nombre alle maner of states begynne to meue· For the teynary nombre conteyneth thre parties whyche make a perfect nombre / For a trynarye nombre hath j ij iij / whiche â—oymed to gider maketh vj / which is the first parfit nombre· and signefieth in this place / vj persones named that constitute the perfeccion of a royame· that is to wete the kyng the quene Iuges knyghtes vicairs or legates the comyn peple / therfore the kyng ought to begynne in his first meuyng of iij poyntes / that he shewe perfeccion of lyf as wel in hym self as in other / after the kyng begynneth to meue he may lede with hym the quene / after the maner of his issue The second chappitre of the fourth book of the quene how she yssueth out of her place capitulo terâ—io wHan the quene whiche is accompanyed vnto the kyng begynneth to meue from her proper place / she goeth in double manere / that is to wete as an alphyn whan she is black / she may goo on the right side come in to the poynt tofore the notarye / on the lift side in the black poynt and come tofore the gardes of the cyte and hit is to wete that she sortiseth in her self the nature in iij maners first on the right side tofore the alphyn secondly on the lift side where the knyght is· thirdly Indirectly vnto the black poynt tofore the phisicien And the reason why / is for as moche as she â—ath in his self by grace / the auctorite that the rookes haue by coÌ„myscion for she may gyue and graunte many thynges to her subgettis graciously / and thus also ought she to haue perfyt wysedom as the alphyns haue whiche ben Iuges / as hit is sayd aboue in the chappytre of the quene and she hath not the nature of knyghtes· and hit is not sittyng ne couenable thyng for a woman to goo to bataylle for the fragylite feblenes of her / and therfore holdeth she not the waye in her draught as the knyghtes doon whan she is meâ—yd ones out of her place she may not goo but fro one poynte to another and yet couertly whether hit be forwarde or bacward takyng or to be taken· and here may be axyd why the quene goeth to the bataylle wyth the kyng / cerceynly it is for the solace of hym / and ostencion of loue And also the peple desire to haue successyon of the kyng / and therfore the tartaris haue their wyues in to the felde with hem yet hit is not good that men haue theyr wyues wyth hem / but that they abyde in the cytees or wythin theyr owne termys For whan they been out of theyr cytees lymytes they ben not sure / but holden suspecte they shold be shamefast and holde al men suspect For dyna Iacobs doughter as longe as she was in the how 's of her brethern she kept her vyrgynyte / but assone as she wente for to see the straunge regyone / anone she was corupt defowled of the sone of sichem / Seneks sayth that the women that haue euyl vysages ben gladly not chaste / but theyr corage desyreth gladly the companye of men / and solinus sayth that no bestys femeles desire to be touched of their males whan they haue conceyuyd / exept woman whiche ought to be a beste resonable and in this caas she lefith her rayson / sidrâ—c witnessith the same therfore in the olde lawe· the faders had dyuerse wyues and ancellis to thends whan one was with childe they myght take another· they ought to haue the visage enclyned for teschewe the sight of the men that by the sight they be not meuyd with Incontyneyce dyffame of other / and ouyde sayth that there ben soÌ„me that how wel that they eschewe the dede· yet haue they grete ioye whan they be prayed / therfore ought the good women fle the curiositees places where they myght falle in blame noyse of the peple / The fourth chappytre of the fourth book of the issuyng of the alphyn capitulo quarto tHe manere and nature of the draught of the alphyn in suche that he that is black in his propre siege is sette on the right side of the kyng / and he that is whyt is sette on the lift side / and ben callyd and named black and whyt / but for no cause that they be so in substaunce
THe holy appostle 〈…〉 saynt 〈…〉 Alle 〈…〉 vnto 〈…〉 Wherfore 〈…〉 that it myght 〈…〉 and vnderstandyng of suche as ben 〈…〉 Of which 〈◊〉 nombre is infenyte / And 〈◊〉 to the sâ—me saith Salomon that she nomber of falâ—e is infenyte And among alle other good werkyes It is a werke of ryght special recomendacion to enforme and to late vnderstonde wysedom and vertue vnto them that be not lerâ—yd ne can not dyscerne wysedom fro solye Thine emonge whom there was an excellent doctour of dyuynyte in the â—â—yame of fraunce of the ordre of thespyâ—ul of Saynt Iohns of Iherusalem whiche enteriâ—d the same and hath made a book of the chesse moâ—alyseâ— whiche at suche tyme as I was resident in brudgys the 〈◊〉 of Flaundres 〈◊〉 to my handes / which when I had redde and 〈◊〉 / ne semed ful necessarye for to be had in englisshe / And in eschewyng of ydlenes And to th ende that some which shue not seeâ— it / ne vnderstonde frenssh ne latyn I delybered in my self to translate it in to our maternal tonge And when I so had achyâ—â—â—d the sayd translacion I dyde doo sette in enprynte a certeyn nombre of theym Whiche anone were depeâ—â—ed and solde wherfore by cause thys sayd book is ful of holsom wysedom any â—â—â—fyeâ— vnto euery astate and degree / I haue purposed to enpeynte it / shewyng therin the figures of suche persons 〈◊〉 longer / to the â—saye In whom of astaâ—e and degrees 〈◊〉 compryseâ— / besechyng al them that this â—â—el wersie shal see 〈◊〉 / or nede to shue me for â—eased see the â—â—de symple makyng and â—dueyn in to 〈◊〉 englisshe / And were as â—â— definite to correcte and amende / and in so doyng they shal deserue meryte and thanke â–ª and I shal pray for them / that god of his grede mercy shal rewarde them in his euerlastyng blisse in heuen / to the whiche he beynge his / that wyth his precious blood redemed vs Amen This book is deuyded and departed in to four traytyes and partyes The first traytye How the playe of the chesse was fyrst sounden and vnder what kyng capitulo j wâ—â— fond first the playe of the chesse capitulo ij Wherfore the play was sounden and maad Capitulo iij The second traytye The forme of a kyng of his maners and estate ca j The fourme maners of a quene ca ij The condicions forme of the alphyns ca iij The ordre of chyualrye or knyghthode hâ—â— offyces and maners capitulo iiij The forme and maner of wokes capitulo v The thyrd traytye The offices maners of laâ—ourers Capitulo j The maner offyce of a smyth capitulo ij Thoffyce of noâ—â—ries / advoâ—â—â—es scâ—â—ners and derepers or clothmakers capitulo iij The maners of marchunies chaungers capitulo iiij The forme of phisiciens sâ—ches spycers and appotycaryes capitulo v Of treuerners hostelers vituillers capitulo vj Of kepers of townes Receyuers of custum and tollenars capitulo vij Of messagers aâ—rours Ryboulees and players at the dyse capitulo viij The fourth traytye Of the chesse lorde in genere how it is made capitulo j The draught of the kyng and how he moueth hym in the eschequer capitulo ij Of the moeuyng of the quene and how she yssueth out of her place capitulo iij Of the yssue of the Alphyns capitulo iiij Of the mouyng of the knyghtes capitulo v Of thyssue of the wostie of the progresse capitulo vj Of thyssue of the comyn peple whom the paâ—â—nes represente capitulo vij Of the epilogacion and recapitulacion of thys book capitulo viij 〈…〉 AMonge alle the euyl condiciâ—â—s a figures that may be 〈◊〉 man the first and the greeâ—est is whan he fereth not neâ—â—ceth to dispose make wooth god by synne the peple by lyuyng disordonatly / whan â—e retcheth not nor taketh hede vnto them that repreue hym and his vyces / But sleeth them In suche wyse as did the emperour new· whiche did do slee his mayster serâ—que / for as moche as he myght not suffre to be â—â—preuyd taught of hym in like wise was soÌ„tyme a kyng in babilon that was named 〈…〉 the sage and wise men of 〈…〉 coâ—â—de not telle hym his 〈◊〉 that he 〈…〉 myght and had forgoten 〈◊〉 as hit 〈…〉 byble in the book of 〈…〉 this kyng thine 〈◊〉 meroâ—â—ch was this game and playe of the chesse 〈◊〉 Trewe it is that some â—â—ch 〈◊〉 that this play was â—â—â—â—an in the tyme of the â—â—aylles and siege of twye But that is not so / For this playe cam to the playes of the Caldees as diomedes the greest saith and reâ—erâ—â—th / that amonge the philosophees was the most renoâ—d playe amonge af other playes And after that cam this playe in the tyme of abâ—andre the greâ—â— into egypt 〈◊〉 so vnto alle the parties toward the south And the cause wherfore this playe was so renomed shal he sayd in the iij chepitre 〈…〉 Capitulo ij â—His playe fonde a phylosopher of theeyent whyche was named in caldee Eversee or in greâ—e philemetor which is as moche to say in englissh as he that â—ouyth Iustyce and mesure / And this philosopher was renomed gretly among the grekes and them of Athenes whyche were good clerkys and phylosophers also renomed of their connyng / This philosopher was so Iust and trewe that he had leuer dye / than to lyue long and be a fals flaterer with the sayd kyng / For whâ—n he behelde the soul syâ—ful lyf of the kyng And that no man durst blame hym For by his grete cruelte he put them al to deth that if plesid hym He put hym self in parel of deth and â—â—iryd â—â—eoâ— rather to dye than lenger to lyue The euyl lyf and disfamed of a kyng is the lyf of a cruel beste and ought not longe to be susteyned / for he destroyeth hym that displesith hym And therfore reherceth valerius that there was a wyse man named theodore 〈◊〉 whom his kyng dyd to hange on the crosse for as moche as he repteuyd hym of hys euyl foul lyf / and alwey as he was in the torment he sayd to the kyng Vpon thy counceyllours and theym that ben clad in thy clothyng and wâ—yâ— were more reson that this torment shold comeâ— for as moche as they dâ—â— not say to the the trouth for to do Iustyse rightwyslye of my self I make no force whether I dye on the lond or on the water or otherwyse / As who sayth he retched not to dye for Iustyce In like wyse as democreon the philosopher put out his owne eyen by cause he wold not see that no good myght come to the euyl and vycious peple wyth cut right / And also desortes the philosophre as he went toward his deth His wyf that folowed after hym sayd that he was dayned to â—th wrongfully theÌ„nâ— he answerd and sayd to her· holde thy pees and be stylle hit is better and more
on ony side tofore hym / In that corner poynte he may take his aduersarye whether hit be on the right side or on the lift / the cause is that the aduersaries bâ—n suspecious that the comyn peple lye in a wayte to noble her goodes or to take her persones whaÌ„ they go vpward right forth and therfore he may take in the right angle to â—eâ—â— hym one of his aduersaryes / as he had espied his persone and in the right angle as robber of his goodes· whether hit be goyng forward or retornyng fro black to whyt / or whyt to black / the pawne must alwey goo in his right signe / alwey take in the corner that he fyndeth in his waye but he may not goo on neyther side til he hath been in the fardest signe of theschequer / that he hath taken the nature of the draughtes of the quene / than he is a fiers· and than he may goo on al sides cornerwyse fro poynt to poynt onely as the quene both fightyng takyng whom he fyndith in his waye And whan he is thus comen vnto the place where the nobles his aduersaries were sette he shal be made whit fiers and black fiers / after the poynte that he is in / there taketh he the dygnyte of the quene alle these thynges may appere to them that beholden the playe of the chesse / and ye shal vnderstonde that no noble man ought to haue despyte of the comyn peple for hit hath seen ofte tymes seen· that by their vertu and wytte / dyuâ—rce of them haue comen to right hygh grete astaâ—â— as pâ—â—peâ— bysshops / emperours and kynges / as we haue in the hâ—â—esrye of dauyd that was made kyng of a shepherd and 〈◊〉 of the comyn peple of many other / and in lyke wise we rede of the contrarye / that many noble men haue been brought to myserye by theyr defaulte / as of gyges 〈◊〉 wrought riche of landes and of richessisâ— was so 〈◊〉 that he went and demaunded of the god appollo 〈…〉 were ony in the world more riche and more 〈…〉 was / and than he herde a voys that yssued out of 〈◊〉 fosse or pitte of the sacrefisee / that a peple camed agaâ—aâ—â—â—sophide whiche were poure of goodes riche of corâ—g◠〈◊〉 more acceptable than he whiche was kyng thus the 〈◊〉 appollo alowed more the sapyence and the surece of the poure man of his sitel meyne / than he dyd the cleare and the persone of gyges ne of his riche mayne and his is more to alowe a lytyl thyng scurly poursewed thenâ—â—â— moche good taken in sere and drede / and for as moche as a man of lowe lignage is by his vertue enhauused · so moche the more he ought to be glorious and of good rend mee Virgyle that was borne in lombardye of the nacion of manâ—â—a and was of lowe and symple lignage / yet he was souerayn in wysdom and science the most noble of al the poyntes of whom the renomee was / is and shal be duryng the world so hit happend that another / â—oeâ— axyd and demaunded of hym wherfore he sette not the versis of homere in his book and he answerd that he shold be of right grete strengthe and force that shold pâ—â—icke the clubbe out of hercules handes / and thys suffiseth the state and draughtis of the comyn peple / The viij chappytre and the last of the fourth book of the epylogacion and recapytulacion of thys book capitulo viij FOr as moche as we see and knowe that the memorye of the peple is not retentyf but right forgeteful whan some here longe talis and historyes whiche they can not al reteyne in her mynde or recorde Therfore I haue put in thys present chappytre al the thynges abouesayd as shortly as I haue coÌ„ne / first this playe or game was fouÌ„den in the tyme of enylmerodach kyng of babylone / And excerses the philosopher other wyse named philometer fouÌ„de hit / and the cause why was for the correccion of the kyng lyke as hit apperith in thre the first chappytres· For the sayd kyng was so tyraÌ„nous feloun that he myght suffer no correccion / but slewe them and dyd do put hem to deth that correctid hym· and had than doo put to deth many right wyse men / than the peple beyng sorouful and right euyl plesid of this euyl lyf of the kyng prayed and requyred the phylosopher· that he wold reprise and telle the kyng of his folye / and than the philosopher answerd that he shold be dede yf he so dyde· and the peple sayd to hym / certes thou oughtest soÌ„ner wylle to dye to th ende that thy renome myght come to the peple than the lyf of the kyng shold coÌ„tynue in euyl for lacke of thy couÌ„ceil or by fauâ—â—e of reprehension of the. or thou dâ—rist not doo shewe / that thou sayest whan the philosopher herde thys he promysid to the peple that he wold put hym in deuoyr to correct hym And thenne he began to thynke hym in what maner he myght escape the deth and stepe to the people his promesse And thenne thus he maad in thys maner and ordeygned the eschequer of lxiiij poyntes as is afore sayde / And dyd do make the forme of chequers of gold siluer in humayn figure after the â—acions formes as we haue dyuysid she wid to you tofore in theyr chappytres / ordeyned the moeuyng thestate after that / it is sayd in the chappitres of theschessys / whan the pyhlosophre had thus ordeyned the playe or game that hit plesid alle them that sawe hit / on a tyme as the philosopher played on hit the kyng came and sawe hit and desired to playe at this game / And thenne the phylosopher began densigne and teche the kyng the science of the playe and the draughtes / Sayeng to hym first how the kyng ought to haue in hym self pyte debonayrte and rightwysnes / as hit is sayd tofore in the chappytre of the kyng / And he enseygned to hym the astate of the quene and what maners she ought to haue / And thenne of the alphyns as counceyllours and Iuges of the wyame / And after the nature of the knyghtes / how they ought to be wyse trewe and curtoys and al the ordre of knyght hode / And than after the nature of the vycayrs and Rookes as hit apperyth in theyr chappytre / And after thys how the comyn people ought to goo â—che in his offyce And how they ought to serue the nobles And whan the phylosopher had thus taught and enseygned the kynge and his nobles by the maner of the playe and had reprehendyd hym of his euyl maners The kyng demaunded hym vpon payn of deth to telle hym the cause why and wherfore he had made and founden thys playe / and game / And what thyng mouyd hym therto / and than the phylosopher constrayned by fere drede answerd that he had promysed to the people whyche had requyryd hym that 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 the kyng of his euyl veâ—â—◠〈◊〉 as â—â—ache as he 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 had 〈◊〉 that the kyng dyd 〈◊〉 the saged 〈…〉 that were so hâ—rdy to 〈◊〉 me hym of hiâ— vyces he was in grete anâ—â—â— and â—â—â—we / hoâ—â— he myght fynde a maner to correcte and repâ—â—â—ende the kyng and to saue his owen lyf and thus he thought 〈◊〉 studyed that he fond this game or playe which be â—ath do sette forth for to amende and correcte the lyf of the kyng and to chaunge his maners and he adiouseyd wyth al that he had founden thys game for so mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the lordes and nobles habeundyng in deâ—ices and â—ichessâ—â— and enioyeng temporal â—â—es shold eshewe ydelnes by playeng of thys game and for to gyue hem cause to â—eâ—â—e her penâ—â—â—nes and â—oâ—â—wes in auysâ—ng and studyng châ—â— game / and whan the kyng had herde al thyse causes he thought that the philosopher had founde a good maner of correccion than he thankyd hym grecely and thus by then signement and lernyng of the philosopher he chaunged his lyf his maners and alle his euyll condicions / and by this maner hit happend that the kyng that tofore tyme had ben vycious and disordynate in hys lyuyng was made Iuste and vertuous / debonayr / gracious and ful of vertues vnto al peple And a man that lyuyth in thys world without vertues lyueth not as a man but as a besâ—e Thenne late euery man of what condycion he be that redyth or herith this litel book redde· take â—â—erby ensaumple to amende hym· Explicit per Caxton
And vilerius saith that deboneyrte percyth the hertes of straungers / and amolissheth and makyth softe the hertes of his enemyes wherof he reherâ—th that phylostratus that was due of athenes had a daughter whom a man louyd so ordantly that on a tyme as he sawe her with her moder sodaynly he cam and kyssed her wherof the moder was so angry and sorouful that she went and requyred of her lord the due / that his heed myght be smyten of The prynce answerd to her and sayd yf we shold slee them that loue vs. What shal we do to our enemyes that hate vs. Certaynly this was the answer of a noble debonayr prynce that suffred that vylonye â—â—on to his doughter to hym self yet more This prynce had also a frende that was â—â—med arispe that sayd on a tyme as moche vylonye vnto the prynce as ony man myght saye And that myght not suffyse hym but he â—â—atchid hym in the vysage the prynes suffryd hym paciently in suche wyse as though he had doon to hym no vylonye but curtesye And whan his sonees wels haue auengyd this vylonye he comaunded the◠〈…〉 so to dodo / The next day 〈…〉 of the right grete vylonye that he had 〈…〉 lord without cause / He fyl in dyspayâ— and 〈…〉 hym self / whan the due knewe and vnderstâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 he cam to hym and said ne doubte the no thyng and â—â—re to hym by hys faith / that also wel he was and sâ—â—â— he his frend fro theÌ„ forthon as euer he had ben before yf he wold / and thus he respited hym of his deth by his deâ—onayte / and in lykewise rede we of the kyng pirre to whom was reported that they of tarente had sayd grete vilonye of hym for which cause he maad al them to come tofore hym demaunded of them yf they had so said than one of them answerd said / yf the wyn the candellis had not fayled / thys langage had ben but a Iape in regarde of that we had thought to haue doon / Than the kyng began to lawâ—e For they had confessyd that suche langage as was said and spoken was by dronkenshyp / And for this cause of debonayrte the peple of tarente tooke for a custome that the dronken men shold be punysshid / and the sobre men preysed / The kyng thenne thus ought to loue humyâ—iâ—de and haue falsyte after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally For the kyng in his royame representeth god god is â—rite and therfore hym ought to say no thyng but yf hiâ— were vecryâ—able and stable / Valerius reherceth that Alyxandre wyth alle his doste rood for to destroye a cyte which was named lapsate / Whan than a phylosophre whyche had to name anaxymenes whych had ben tofore maistre gouernour of alixaÌ„dre herd vnderstood of hes comyng / cam agayn alixander to desire and 〈◊〉 of hym And whan he sowe alixander he supposed to haue â—â—yd his request Alixander broke his demaunde tofore and swore to hym to sort he axid â—ny thyng by his goddes that suche thyng 〈◊〉 he aâ—yd or requyerd of hym he wold 〈◊〉 no wysedom Tâ—enne the phylosopher requyerd hym to destroye 〈◊〉 â—yte whâ—n Alixander vnderstood his desyre the oth that he such maad he suffrid the eyte to stonde and not to be destroyed fforâ—st had leuer not to do his wyll 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—swâ—rn and doo ageynst his oth 〈…〉 that no grete man nâ— lord shold not 〈◊〉 But where as is grete neâ—â— and that the symple 〈◊〉 or werde of a prynce oughe to be more stable thenne 〈◊〉 of a mateâ—â—unt / Alas who kepe the prynces their 〈…〉 dayre / not onely her promyses but their 〈◊〉 see seâ—â—â—e and wrytynges and signes of theyr proâ—◠〈◊〉 handes alle faylleth god amende hit / A kyng also ought to hate all cruelte / For we rede that neuer dyed yet ony preious persone of euyl deth ne cruel persone of good deth Therfore recounteth Valerius that there was a man named therise a werkman in metalle / that maad a bâ—ole of coppre and a lityl wyket on the syde wherby men myght put in them that shold be brent therin And hit was maad in suche manere that they that shold be put and enclosyd therin shold crye no thynge lyke to the voys of a man but of an oxe And thys maad he by cause men shold haue the lasse pyte of them / Whan he had maad thys boole of copper he presentyd hit vnto a kyng whiche was called philarde that wâ—â— so cruel a tyraunt that he defâ—â—ed in no thynge but in cruelte And 〈…〉 hym the 〈◊〉 of the â—ole Then phiâ—â—â—de here and vnderstood thys 〈◊〉 alowed and praised moche the worke and after sayd to hym thou that art more cruel than I am shalt assay and proue hast thy presente and ye fee and so maad hym to go in to the boole and dye an euyl doth Therfore sayth ouâ—de there is no thyng more resonable thenne that a man dye of suche deth an he purchaseth vnto other Also the kyng ought souâ—â—raynly kepe Iustyce / who maketh or keâ—â—â—t a 〈◊〉 with out Iustyce of 〈◊〉 soâ—â—e there must be grete 〈◊〉 thefte Therfore reâ—â—erth Saynt Augustyn 〈◊〉 book whyche is intituled the cyte of god that there was a theef of the see named deomedes that was a gâ—ete 〈…〉 so moche harme that the complayntes cam tofore 〈◊〉 whiche dyd hym to be taken and brought a fore be 〈◊〉 And he demaunded hym wherfore he was so 〈…〉 cruel in the see / And he answad to hym agayn 〈◊〉 as moche as thou art â—on a londe in the worlde so 〈◊〉 another in the see / But for as moche as the euyl that 〈◊〉 doo is in oon galey or tweyn therfore I am callyd a â—â—eeâ— But for as moche as thou doost in many shyppys and wyth grete puyssaunce and power Therfore arâ—e their callyd an Emperour But yf fortune were for me in suche wyse / I wold froome a good man and better thenne I now am / But thou the more rycher and fortunat that thou art / The more worse art thou / alyxaunder said to hym I shal chaunge thy fortune in suche wise as thou ne say that thou shalt do it by pouerte but for euyl and mauayste and so he made hym ryche / and this was he that afterward was a good prynce a good Iusticier / The kyng ought to be soue mynly chaste / and this signefyeth a quene that is oonly on his right side For it is to be beleuyd and credyble that whan the kyng is a good man / Iuste trewe and of good maners condiciens that his children shal folowe gladly the same for a good sone and a trewe ought not to forsake and goo fro the good condicions of his fader / for certes it is agaynst god and nature in partye whâ—n a man taketh other theÌ„ne his proper wyf / and that see
we by byrdes of whom the male and female haue to gyder the charge in kepyng and norisshyng of their yonge fowles and byrdes· For somme trance of fâ—wleâ— kepen them to their females oonly As 〈…〉 by storkes dowues and turtils But the fowles that nâ—râ—ssâ—â—th not their birdes haue many wyues and 〈◊〉 As the coâ— that no thyng nousshith his chekens And therfore amonge al the bestes that been / man and we man putteth most their entence and haue most 〈◊〉 charge in norisshyng of their children therfore dâ—n they agaynst nature in partye whan they 〈◊〉 theâ—e wyâ—to for other women of their chafte to 〈◊〉 valerius an exâ—yse saith that ther was a man of rome whiche was named scipio affricaÌ„ for as moch an he had coÌ„querd affrique how wel that he was of rome born whan he was of 〈◊〉 yere of age he conquerd cartage toke moche people in ostage among whom he was presented with a right saye mayde for his solas plaâ—sir which was assured hundfast vnto a noble yonge gentilman of cartage whiche was named Indiuicible / and anon as this gentil scipio knewe that not withstondyng that he was a prynce noble lusty / dyd do calle anon the parents kynnesman of them delyuted to them their doughter with out doyng of â—ny vylonye to her / And the raunson or gold that they had ordayned for their doughter gaf hit euery deel in dowaâ—ire to her and the yonge man that was her husbond sawe the frâ—eters chise gentilnes of hym / torned hym self and the hertes of the noble peple vnto the loue alliaunce of the romaynes / this suffisith as touchyng the kyng The second chapitre of the second book and treteth of the forme and maners of the quene capitulo secundo tHus ought the quene be maad / She ought to be a fayr lady sittyng in a chayer and crowned with a cowne on her heed and cladde with a cloth of gold and a mantel aboue furrid with â—rmynes and she shold sitte on the fift side of the kyng for the amplexions and enbrasynges of her husbond like as it is sayd in Scripture in the Canticles her lifte arme shal be 〈…〉 heed and her right arme shal beclyppe and enbrace me In that she is sette on his lifte side is by grace geuyn to the kynge by nature and of right For better is to haue a kyng by successyon thenne by eleccion / For often tymes the electoure and chosers can not ne wylle not accorde / And so is the eleccion left / And otherwhyle they chese not the beste and most able and conuenyent / But hym that they best loue / or is for them most proffytable / But whan the kyng is by liguage and by trewe succession He is caught enseygned and norisshyd in hys yougth all good and vertuouâ—â—â—â—tches and maners of his fader And also the prynces of the royame dar not so hardyly mâ—ue warre agaynst a kyng hauyng a sone for to reigne after hym / and so a quene ought to be chaste wyse of honest lyf wel manerd and not Curious in norysshyng of her chyldren / Her wysedom ought not onely to appere in fait and werkes / but also in spekyng that is to wete that she be secrete and telle not suche thynges as ought to be holden secrete Wherfore it is a comyn prouerbe that women can kepe no counceyl / And acoordyng therto Macrobe reherceth in the book of the dremes of Scypyo That there was a chyld of rome that was named papirus that on a tyme went with his fader whych was a senatour in to the chambre where as they helde theyr counceyl And that tyme they spake of suche maters as was comaunded and agreed shold be kepte secret vpon payn of theyr hedes and so departed / And whan he was comeâ— home from the senatoyre and fro the counceyl wyth his fader / His moder demasided of hym what was the counceyl and wherof they spake and had taryed so longe there / And the chylde answerd to her and sayd he durst not telle nor saye hit for so moche as hit was defended vpon payn of deth / Thenne was the moder more desirous to knowe than she was to fore / And began to flateâ—e hym one tyme / And afterward to menace hym that he shold saye and telle to her what it was / And whan the chylde sawe that he myght haue no reste of hys moder in no wyse / He made her first promyse that she shold fiere hit secrete And to telle 〈◊〉 to noon of the world And that doon / he feyned a lesing or a lye and sayde to her / that the Senatours had in counceyl a grete question and dyfference whiche was thys / whether hit were better and more for the comyn wele of Rome that a man shold haue two wyues / Or a wyf to haue two bâ—sâ—â—ondys / And whan she had vnderstonde thys / He defended hyr that she shold telle hit to none other body / And after thys she went to her gossyd and tolde to her thys counceyll secretely And she tolde to another And thus euery wyf tolde hit to other in secreteâ—r thus hit happend anone after that alle the wyues of Rome cam to the senatoyre where the senatours were assemblyd and cryed with an hygh voys that they had leuer / And also hit were better for the comyn wele that a wyf shold haue two husbondys than a man two wyues / The senatours heeryng this were gretely abasshyd and wyst not to say / nor what / nor how to answere tyl atte laste that the child papire reherced to them all the caas and fayt how hit was happend And whan the senatours herd and vnderstood the mater they were gretely ahasshyd / coÌ„mendyd gretly the Ingenye and wytte of the chyld that so wysely contryued the lye rather than he wold discouere their counceyl And forth wyth made hym a senatour / and establisshed and ordeyned fro than forthon that no chyld in ony wise shold entre in to the couÌ„ceyl how 's amonge them with their â—â—ers except papitus· whome they wold that he shold aswey be amonge them Also a quene ought to be chaste For as she is aboue al other in estate and reuerence So shold she be ensaumple vnto al other in her lyuyng honest lye / wherof Ierome reherceth agaynst Ionynyan that there was a gentyl man of rome named duele· and this man was he that first fond the maner to fight on the water / and had first the victorye / This duele had to his wyf one of the best women and so chaste that euery woman myght take ensaumple of her / and at that tyme the synne of the flesshe was the grettest synne that ony myght doo agaynst nature / And this sayd good woman was named ylie And so hit happend that this duele becam so olde that he stowped and quaked for age and on a tyme one of his aduersayres repreuyd
octouâ—an maad his sones to be taught and lerne to swymme / to sprynge and lepe / to Iuste / to playe wyth the axe and swerde / and al maner thyng that apperteyneth to a knyght / and his doughters he made him to lerne to sewe to spynne to labour as wel in wolle as in lynen cloth and al other werkis langyng to women / And whan his frendes demaunded wherfore he dyd so he answerd how wel that he was lord and 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 may alwey lyue honestly The quene ought to kepe her doughters in alle chastyte For we rede of many maydens that for theis virgynyte haue ben maad quenes / For Poule the historiagraph of the lombardes reherceth that ther was a duchesse named remonde whiche had thre sones ij doughters And hit happend that the kynge of hongrye caâ—tâ—uus assayled a castel where she and her chylddren were Inne / And on a day she behelde her enemyes / and amonge alle other she sawe the kyng that he was a wel faryng and a goodly man Anone she was esprysed and taken wyth his loue and that so sore that forth wyth she sent to hym that she wold delyuer ouer the castel 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 kyng was in the castel / his peple took men and women and alle that they fonde / her soones fledde from her / of whome one was named Ermoaldus was yongest / and after was due of boneuentan sithen kyng of the lumbardis / and the two susters toke chykens and put hem vnder her armes next the flessh and bytwene her pappes / that of the hete and chauffyng the flesh of she chikyns stanke / and whan so was that they of longrye wold haue enforced and defowled â—nâ—ne they felte the stenche and fledde a wey and so lefte hem sayeng fy how these lomburdes stynke and so they kepte theyr virgyntyte Wherfore that one of hem afterward was quene of fraunce / and that other quene of almayn / and hit happend thenne that the kyng catunus toke acordyng to his promyse the duchesse / and lay wyth her one nyght for to saue his ooth on the morne he made her comune vnto al the hungres / And the thyrd day after he dyd doo put a staf of tree fro the nether porte of her thrugh her â—edy vnto her throte or mouthe / for by cause of the luste of her flessh she betrayed her cyte and sayd suche husbond suche wyf and this suffyseth of the quene The thyrd chappytre of the second traytye treteth of the Alphyns her offyces and maners capitulo tercio tHe alphyns ought to be maad and formed in manere of Iuges sittyng in a chayer wyth a book open tofore theyr eyen / and that is by cause that some causes ben crymynel / And some ben cyuyle as about possessions and other temporel 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 whyt as for the second Theyr offyce is for to counceylle the kyng And to make by his coÌ„masidementis good sawes to enforme alle the royame in good and vertuous maners / And to Iuge and gyue sentence wel and trewly after the aras is had and to counceyl wel and Iustely alle them that axe counceyl of hem / wyth out hauyng of ony eye opene to ony persone / And to estudye diligently in suche wyse and to ordeigne alle that / that ought to be kept be obseruyd be faste and stable / So that they be not founde corupt for yefte for fauour no forillgnage ne for enuye varriable And as touchyng the first poynt Seneque saith in the book of benefets that the pour diogenes was more strong than alixandre / For Alixandre coude not gyue so moche as diogenes wold refuse Marcus â—â—rsus a romayn of grete renomee saith thus that whan 〈◊〉 had besieged and assayled them of Samente / and beneuentane which herde that he was poure / they took a grete masse and wedge of gold sendyd hit to hym prayeng hym that he wold reseyue hit and leue his assault and siege / and whan they came with the present to hym they fond hym sittyng on the / erthe and ete his mete out of platers and dysshes of tree and of wode and did thâ—n her message / to whom he answerd and said that they shold goo home and saye to them that sente them that Marcus cursus loueth better to be lord and wynne richesses than richesse shold wynne hym For by batayle he shal not be ouercome and vaynquysshed / nor by gold ne siluer he shal not be corrupt ne corompid Oftentymes that thyng taketh an euyll ende that is vntrewe for gold and siluer and that a man is subget vnto money may not be lord therof / Helymond reherceth that demosâ—ene demauÌ„ded of aristodone how moche he had wonne for pletyng of a cause for hys client And he answer a mark of golde Demostenes answerd to hym agayn / that he had wonne as moche for to holde hys pees and speke not / thus the tunges of aduocates men of lawe ben periloâ—â— doÌ„megeable yet they must be had yf thou wolt wynne thy cause for with money and yefte thou shalt wynne oftentymes they selle as wel theyr scilence / as their vtteraunce valerius reherceth that the senatours of rome took counceil to geder of two persones that one was poure that other riche and couetous / whiche of hem bothe were most apte for to sende to gouerne and Iuge the contre of spayn / And sapyon of affrique said that none of hem bothe were good ne proffytable to be sent theder For that one hath no thyng And to that other may no thyng suffyse / And despysed in hys sayeng alle pouerte and auarice in a Iuge For a couetous man hath nede of an halpeny for he is seruaunt and bonde vnto money / and not lorde therof but pouerte of herte and of wylle ought to be gretely alowed in a Iuge / Therfore we rede that as longe as the Romaynes louyd pouerte they were lordys of alle the world For many there were that exposed al theyr goodes for the comyn welt and for that was most proffitable for the comynalte that they were so poure that whan they were dede they were buryed and brought to erthe wyth the comyn good / And theyr doughters were maryed by the coÌ„maundement of the senatours but sithen that they despised pouerte / begonne to gadre richesses haue made grete bataylles they haue vsed many synnes / and so the comyn wele perisshed /
an hors in suche wise that he haue an helme on his heed and a spere in his right hond / couerid with his shelde / a swerd a mace on his lyft syde clad with an hawberk plates tofore his breste legge harnâ—ys on his legges· spores on his heelis / on hys handes hys gauntelettes hys hores wel broken taught and apte to bataylle coueryd with hys armes whan the knyghtes ben maad they ben â—ayned or bathed· That is the signe that they shold lede a newe lyf and newe maners also they wake alle the nyght in prayers and orisons vnto god that he wil geue him grace that they may gete that thyng that they may not gete by nature / The kyng or prynce gyrdeth a boute them a swerde in signe / that they shold abyde and kepeâ— hym of whom they taken their dispences and dignyte Also a knyght ought to be wyse lyberalle / trewe strong and ful of mercy and pyte and kepâ—â— of the peple and of the lawe / and right as cheualrye passeth other in vertue in dignyte in honour and in reuerence / right so ought he to surmounte alle other in vertue for honour / is no thyng ellys but to do reuerence to another persone for the good vertuous disposicion that is in hym / A noble knyght ought to be wyse and prouyd tofore he be maad knyght / hit behoued hym that he had long tyme vsid the warre armes that he may be expert and wyse for to gouerne the other / For sithen that a knyght is capitayn of a batayle the lyf of them that shal be vnder hym lyeth in his honde / and therfore behoueth hym to be wyse wel aduysed / For somtyme art craft and engyne is more worthe than strengthe or hardynes of a man that is not proued in armes / for other while it happeth that whan the prynce of the batayl affyeth and trusteth in his hardynes and strengthe / and wol not vse wisedom and engyne for to renne vpon his enemyes / he is vaynquysshed his people slayn therfore saith the philosopher that no man shold chese yoÌ„g peple to be captayns gouernours / for as moche as ther is no certeynte in her wisdom / alixaÌ„dre of macedone vaynquysshed conquerd Egipte / Iude / caldeâ— Affrique and affyrie vnto the marches of bragmans more by the counceyl of olde men than by the strengthe of the yong men we rede in the historye of frome that there was a knyght whiche had to name malechete that was so wyse trewe that whan the emperour Theodosius was dede· He made mortal warre ayeÌ„st his broder germayn which was named Gyldo or Guye for as moche as this sayd / guye wold be lord of affrique with out leue and wylle of the senatours / and thys sayd Guy had slayn the two sones of his broder malechete / And dyd moche torment vnto the crysten peple / and afore that he shold come in to the felde ayenst his broder Guyon he went in to an yle of capayre and ladde with hym al the cristen men / that had ben sent theder in exyle And maad hem alle to praye with hym by the space of thre dayes and thre nyghtes For he had grete affyaunce and truste in the prayers and orisons of good folke and specially that no man myght counceyl ne helpe but god / And thre dayes tofore he shold fight saynt Ambrose whiche was deed a litil tofore apperyd to hym shewed hym by reuelacoÌ„n the tyme and howre that he shold haue victorye And for so moche as he had ben iij dayes and thre nyghtes in orysone prayers and that he was assuryd for to haue victorye / he faught wyth fyue thousand men ayenst his broder that had in his companye four soore thousand men and by goddes helpe he had victorye And whan the barbaryns that were comen to helpe guyon sawe the discomfiture they fledde awey And guyon fledde also in to affryque by shyppe And whan he was there aryued he was sone after stranglid These two knyghtes of whom I speke were two brethern germayns whyche were sent in to affrique for to deffende the comyn wele In lyke wyse Iudas machabeus / Ionathas / and Symon his brethern put them self in the mercy and garde of our lord god / And ageyn the enemyes of the lawe of god with litil people in regarde of the multitude that were agayn them / And had also victorye / The knyghtes ought to ben trewe to theyr prynces / For he that is not trewe leseth the name of a knyght Vnto a prynce trouth is the grettest precious stone whan hit is medâ—d wyth Iustyce Paule the historiagraph of the lombardes reherceth that there was a knyght named Enulphus was of the cyte of papye that was so trewe and faythful to his lord and kyng named pathariche that he put hym in parylle of deth for hym / For hit happend that Grymald due of buneuentayns of whom we haue touched tofore in the chapytre of the quene dyd do slee Godebert whyche was kyng of the lombardes by the hande of goribert due of tarente / whiche was descended of the crowne of lombardes And this grymalde was maad kyng of lombardye in his place and after this put and banysshed out of the contraye this patharich whiche was broder vnto the kyng Godebert that for fere and drede fledde in to hongrye And thenne this knyght enulphus dyd so moche that he gate the pees agayn of his lord patharich agaynst the kyng grymalde And that he had licence to come out of hongrye where he was alwey in parell and so he came and cryed hym mercy / And the kyng Grymalde gaf hym leue to dwelle and to lyue honestly in his contre alwey forseen that he took not vpon hym named hym self kyng How wel he was kyng by right / This doon a lityl whyle after / the kyng that beleuyd euyl tonges / thought in hym self how he myght brynge this pathariche vnto the deth and al thys knewe wel the knyght Enulphus / whiche came the same nyght wyth his squyer for to vysite his lord· and maad hys squyer to vnclothe hym to lye in the bedde of his lord / and maad his lorde to rise and clothe hym wyth the clothes of his squyer / And in this wyse brought hym out brawlyng and betyng hym as his seruaunt by them that were asigned to kepe the how 's of patharich that he shold not escape / which supposid that hit had been his squyer that he entreted so outragyously / and so he brought hym vnto his how 's which Ioyned wyth the walles of the toun And at mydnyght when al men were a slepe he lete a doun his maistre by acorde whiche took an hors out of the pasture and fledde vnto the cyte of â—ast there cam to the kyng of fraunce And whan it cam vnto the morne / hit was founden that enulphus and
of her propre colour / but for the colour of the places in whiche they ben sette / and alwey be they black or whyt whan they ben sette in theyr places· the alphyn on the right side goyng out of his place to the right syde ward cometh tofore the labourer / and hit is reason that the Iuge ought to deffende and kepe the labourers and possessyons whiche ben in his Iurisdyccion by al right and lawe / And also he may goo on the lift side to the voyde place tofore the phisicien / for like as the physiciens haue the charge to hele the Infirmytees of a man· In like wise haue the Iuges charge â—to appese all stryues contencions and reduse vnto vnyte and to punysshe and correcte causes crymynels the lift alphyn hath also two wayes fro his owne place one toward the right side vnto the black space voyde tofore the marchaunt· For the marchauntes nede ofte tymes counceyl and been in debate of questyons whiche must nedes be determyned by the Iuges and that other yssue is vnto the place tofore the rybauldes that is by cause that ofte tymes among them falle noysesâ— dyscencions thefte manslaughter / wherfore they ought to be punysshed by the Iuges / ye shal vnderstonde that the alphyn goeth alwey cornerwyse fro the thyrd poynt to the thyrd poynt / kepyng alwey his owne siege / for yf be be black / he goeth alwey blackâ— and yf he be whyt he goeth and hit is wel reson that whan the labourer and husbondman hath laboured the feldes the knyghtes ought to kepe them to the 〈◊〉 that they haue vitailles for them self theyr horses / The second yssue is that he may moue hym vnto the black spâ—ce tofore the notarye or draper / for he is bounden to deffende and kepe them that make hys vestementes couertours necessarye vnto hys body The thyrd yssue is that he may goo on the lift side in to the place tofore the marchaunt whiche is sette tofore the kyng the whiche is black· and the reson is for as moche as he ought and is holden to deffende the kyng as wel as his owne persone / whan he passyth the first draught· he may goo four weyes / and whan he is in the myddes of the tablier he may goo in to viij places sondry / to whiche he may venne / and in like wyse may the lift knyght goo whiche is black and goeth out of his place in to whyt / And in that maner goeth the knyght fightyng by his myght / gâ—oweth and multeplyeth in his poyntes / and ofte tymes by them the felde is wonne or lost / a knyghtes vertue and myght is not knowen but by his fightyng / And in his fightyng he doeth moche harme for as moche as his myght extendeth in to so many poyntes / they ben in many parellis in theyr fightyng and whan they escape they haue the honour of the game thus is hit of euery man the more vallyant / the more honoured / and he that mâ—keth hym self ofte tymes shyneth clerest ¶ The sixte chappytre of the fourth tractâ—se trâ—â—â—th of the yssue of the mostes and of her progressyon capitulo vj THe moeuyng yssue of the rookes whiche ben vyâ—cayrs of the kynge is suche / that the right rook is black the lift rook is whyt / and whan the chesse ben setes as wel the nobles as the comyn peple first in theyr propre places· the rookes by theyr propre vertu haue no waye to yssue but yf hit be maad to them by the nobles â—e comyn peple / For they been enclosid in theyr propre sieges And the reson why is suche that for as moche as they ben vycayrs lieuetenaunted or coÌ„myssyoners of the kyng theyr auctorite is of none effect tofore they yssue out / And that they haue begonne to euhaunce their offyce / for as longe as they be wythin the palays of the kyng so longe may they not vse ne execute theyr coÌ„myssyon· but anone as they yssue they may vse theyr auctorite / and ye shal vnderstonde that theyr auctorite is grete / For they represente the persons of the kyng / and therfore where the â—ablier is voyde they may renne alle the tablier· in lyke â—oysâ— as they goon thrugh the royame / and they may goo aâ— wel whyt as black as wel on the right side and lifte as foreward and backward / and as fer may they renne as they fynde the tablier voyde· whether hit be of his aduersaries as of his owen felawshyp and whan the rook is in the myddel of the tablier / he may goo whiche way he wyl in to four right lignes on euery syde and it is to wete that he may in no wyse goo cornerwyse / but alwey right forth geyng and comyng as afore is sayd wherfore al the subgettis of the kyng as wel good as euyl ought to knowe by theyr moeuyng that the auctorite of the vycayrs and coÌ„myssyoners ought to be veray trewe rightwys and Iuste / and ye shal vnderstande that they ben strange and vertuous in bataylle for the two wokes onely may vaynquysshe a kyng theyr aduersarye and take hym and take from hym his lyf and his royame / and this was doon whan Cirus kyng of perse and Darius kyng of medes slewe balthazar and took his royame from hym whiche was neuewe to enylmoradach vnder whom thys game was founden ¶ The vij chappytre of the fourth book of the yssue of the comyn peple capitulo septimo ONe yssue and one moeuyng apperteyneth vnto all the comyn peple / for they may goo fro the poynt they stande in at the first meuyng vnto the third poynt ryght forth tofore them / and whan they haue so doon they may afterward meue nomore but fro one poynt right forth in to another And they may neuer retorne â—â—â—ward and thus goyng forth fro poynt to poynt· they may gete by vertue and strengthâ— that thynge that the other nobles fynde by dygnyte / and yf the knyghtes and other nobles helpe hem that they come to the ferthest signe tofore 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 signe yf he be whyt as labourer draper / phisicieâ— or kepar of the cite been they reteyne suche dignyte as the quene hath / for they haue goten hit / than retornyng agayn homeward / they may go â—â—ke as it is sayd in the chappitre of the quene / and yf ony of the pawnes that be black· as the smyth· the marchaunt / the tauerner / ribaulde may come without doÌ„mage in to the same vtterest signe / he shal gete by his vertu the dygnyte of the black quene / ye shal vnderstonde / whan thyse comune peple moue right forth in her signe / fynde ony noble persone or of the peple of their aduersaries sette in the poynt