made heuen erthe of nought And ought to haue loyaulte and trouth in hym self and despise deth for to entende to his laboure And he ought to gyue thankyngis to hym that made hym And of whom he receyueth alle his goodes temporall wherof his lyf is susteyned And also he is bounden to paye the dismes and tythes of alle his thynges And not as Cayin dyde But as Abell dyde of the beste that he chese out allway for to gyue to god to plese hym For they that grucche and be greuyd in that they rendre and gyue to god the tienthes of her goodes they ought to be aferd and haue drede that they shall falle in necessite And that they might be dispoyllyd or robbed by warre or by tempeste that myght falle or happen in the contrey And hit is meruayll though hit so happen For that man that is disagreable vnto god And weneth that the multiplynge of his goodes temporell cometh by the vertu of his owne couÌ„ceyll and his wytte the whiche is made by the only ordenance of hym that made alle And by the same ordenance is soone taken away fro hym that is disagreable and hit is reson that whan a man haboundeth by fortune in goodes And knoweth not god by whom hit cometh that to hym come some other fortune by the whiche he may requyre grace and pardon And to knowe his god And we rede of the kynge Dauid that was first symple one of the comyn peple that whan fortune had enhaunsed and sette hym in grete astate he lefte and forgate his god And fyll to aduoultrye and homicyde and other synnes Than anon his owne sone Absalon assaylled began to persecute hym And than whan he sawe that fortune was contrarye to hym he began to take agayn his vertuous werkis and requyred pardoun and so retorned to god agayn We rede also of the children of ysraelÌ„ that were nyghe enfamyned in desert and sore hongry thrusty that they prayd requyred of god for remedy Anon he changed his wyll sente to hem manna flessh {etc} And whan they were replenesshid fatte of the flessh of bestes of the manna they made a calf of gold and worshippid hit Whiche was a grete synne Inyquyte For whan they were hongry they knewe god And whan theyre belyes were fylde fatted they forgid ydoles were ydolatrers After this euery labourer ought to be faythfull trewe That whan his maystre delyuereth to hym his lande to be laboured that he take no thinge to hym self but that hym ought to haue is his but laboure truly take cure and charge in the name of his maistre and do more diligently his maisters labours than his owen for the lyf of the most grete noble men next god heth in the handes of the labourers and thus all craftes occupacions ben ordeyned not only to suffise to them only but to the comyn And so hit happeth ofte tyme that the labourer of the erthe vseth grete and boystous metes and bryngeth to his maister more subtile more deyntous metes And valerius reherceth in his .vi. book that ther was a wise noble maistre that was named Anthomê° that was accused of a caas of aduoultrye as the cause henge to fore the Iuges his accusers or denonciatours brought I labourer that closid his land for so moche as they sayde whan his maistre wente to doo the aduoultrye this same seruant bare the lanterne wherof Anthonyus was sore abasshyd and doubted that he shold depose agaynst hym But the labourer that was named papirion sayd to his maister that he shold denye his cause hardyly vnto the Iuges For for to be tormentid his cause shold neuer be enpeyrid by hym ner nothyngâ— shold yssue out of his mouth wherof he shold be noyed or greuyd And than was the labourer beten and tormentid and brent in many places of his body But he sayd neuer thynge wherof his mayster was hurte or noyed But the other that accused his maister were punysshid And papiryon was deliuerid of his paynes free and franc And also telleth valerius that ther was another labourer that was named penapion that seruyd a maister whos name was Themes whiche was of meruayllous faith to his maystre For hit befell that certain knyghtes cam to his maisters hows for to slee hym And anone as papiryon knewe hit he wente in to his maisters chambre And wold not be knowen For he dide on his maisters gowne and his rynge on his fynger And laye in his bedde And thus put hym self in parill of deth for to respite his maisters lyf But we see now a dayes many fooles that daigne not to vse groos metes of labourers And flee the cours clothynge And maners of a seruant Euery wise man a seruant that truly seruyth his maister is free and not bonde But a foole that is ouer proude is bonde For the debilite and feblenes of corage that is broken in conscience by pryde Enuye or by couetyse is ryght seruytude yet they ought not to doubte to laboure for feere drede of deth no man ought to loue to moche his lyf For hit is a fowll thynge for a man to reâ—me to the deth for the enemye of his lyf And a wyse man and a stronge man ought not to flee for his lyf but to yssue For ther is no man that lyueth but he must nedes dye And of this speketh claudyan and sayth that alle thoo thynges that the Ayer goth aboute and enuyronned And alle thynge that the erthe laboureth Alle thyngys that ben conteyned wyth in the see Alle thynges that the floodes brynge forth Alle thynges that ben nourysshid and alle the bestes that ben vnder the heuen shall departe alle from the world And alle shall goo at his comandement As well Kynges Prynces and alle that the world enuyronned and gooth aboute Alle shall goo this waye Than he ought not to doubte for fere of deth For as well shall dye the ryche as the poure deth maketh alle thynge lyke and putteth alle to an ende And therof made a noble versifier two versis whiche folowe Forma genus mores sapieÌ„cia res et honores â—orteruant subita sola manent merita Wherof the english is Beaulte lignage maners wysedom thynges honoures shal ben deffetid by sodeyn deth no thynge shalÌ„ abide but the merites And herof fynde we in Vitas patrum that ther was an erle a riche noble man that had a sone onely and whan this sone was of age to haue knowlech of the lawe he herde in a sermone that was prechid that deth spareth none ne riche ne poure and as well dyeth the yonge as the olde and that the deth ought specially to be doubted for .iii. causes one was that noman knoweth whan he cometh and the seconde ner in what state he taketh a man And the thirde he wote neuer whither he shall goo Therfore eche man shold dispise and flee the world and lyue well and holde hym toward god And whan this
callyd an emperour but yf fortune were for me in suche wyse I wold be come a good man and better than I now am but thou the more richer and fortunat that thou art the more worse art thou Alixander sayd to hym I shall change thy fortune in suche wyse as thou ne saye that thou shalt doo hit by pouerte but for euyll and mauaiste And so he made hym ryche And thys was he that afterward was a good prynce and a good Iusticyer The kynge ought to be soueraynly chaste And this signefyeth a quene that is only on his ryght syde For hit is to be beleuyd and credible that whan the kynge is a good man Iuste trewe of good maners and condicions that his children shall folowe gladly the same for a good sone a trewe ought not to forsake goo fro the good condicions of his fader For certes hit is agaynst god and nature in partie whan a man taketh other than his propre wyf And that see we by birdes of whom the male and female haue to gyder the charge in kepynge and norisshinge of their yonge fowlis and birdis For some maner of fowlis kepen them to theyr femeles only As hit appereth by storkes dowues and turtils But tho fowles that norisshith not their birdes haue many wyues and femelles As the cock that no thynge norisshith his chekens And therfore amonge alle the bestes that been Man and woman putteth most theyr â—â—â—ente and haue moste cure charge in norisshyng of their children And therfore doon they agaynst nature in partye whan they leue theyr wyues for other women Of this chastete reherceth valerius an example and saith that ther was a man of rome which was named scipio affrican For as moche as he had conquerd affricque how well that he was of rome born Whan he was of .xxxiiii. yer of age he conquerd cartage And toke moche peple in Ostage Amonge whom he was presented wyth a right fair mayde for his solas and playsir whiche was assurid and handfast vnto a noble yong gentillman of cartage whiche was named Indimcible And anon as this gentill scipio knewe that Notwythstandyng that he was a prynce noble lusty Dyde do calle anon the parents and kynnesmen of them And deliuerid to them their doughter wyth oute doyng of ony vilonye to her and the raensoâ— or gold that they had ordeyned for their doughter gaf hiâ— euery dele In do waire to her And the yong man that was her husbonde sawe the fraunchisâ— â—nd gentilnes of hym torned hym self and the hertes of the noble peple vnto the loue alliance of the romayns And this suffiseth as towchynge the kynge {etc} The seconde chapitâ—â— of the seconde book treteth of the forme and maners of the Quene THus ought the Quene be maad she ought to be a fair lady sittynge in a chayer and crowned wyth a corone on her heed and cladd wyth a cloth of gold a mantyll aboue furrid wyth ermynes And she shold sytte on the lyfte syde of the kinge for the amplections and enbrasynge of her husbonde lyke as it is sayd in scripture in the canticles her lyfte arme shall be vnder my heed And her ryght arme shall be clyppe and enbrace me In that she is sette on his lyfte syde is by grace gyuen to the kynge by nature and of ryght For better is to haue a kynge by succession than by eleccion For oftentymes the electours and chosers can not ne wyll not accorde And so is the election 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 kynge is by lignage and by trewe succession he is taught enseygned and nourisshid in his yongth in alle good vertuous tacches and maners of hys fader And also the prynces of the royame dar not so hardily meue warre agaynst a kynge hauynge a sone for to regne after hym And so a Quene ought to be chaste wyse of honest peple well manerd and not curyous in nourisshynge of her children her wysedom ought not only tappere in feet and werkes but also in spekynge 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 counceyle And acordyng therto Macrobe reherceth in the book of the dremes of scipio That ther was a child of rome that was named papirus that on a tyme went with his fader whiche was a senatour in to the chambre where as they helde their counceyll And that tyme they spak of suche maters as was comanded and agreed shold be kept secrete vpon payn of their heedes And so departed And whan he was comen home from the senatoire and fro the counceyll with his fader his moder demanded of hym what was the counceyll and wherof they spack and had taryed so longe there And the childe answerd to her and sayd he durst not telle ner saye hit for so moche as hit was defended vpon payn of deth Than was the moder more desirous to knowe than she was to fore And began to flatere hym one tyme And afterward to menace hym that he shold saye and telle to her what hit was And whan the childe sawe that he might haue no reste of his moder in no wise He made her first promise that she shold kepe hit secrete And to telle hit to none of the world And that doon he fayned a lesing or a lye and sayd to her that the senatours had in counceyll a grete question and difference whiche was this whether hit were better and more for the comyn wele of rome that a man shold haue two wyuys or a wyf to haue two husbondes And whan she had vnderstonde this he defended her that she shold telle hit to none other body And after this she wente to her gossyb and told to her this counceyll secretly And she told to an other And thus euery wyf tolde hit to other in secrete And thus hit happend anone after that alle the wyues of rome cam to the senatorye where the senatours were assemblid And cryed wyth an hye wys that they had leuer and also hit were better for the comyn wele that a wyf shold haue two husbondes than a man two wyues The senatours heerynge this were gretly abasshid and wist not what to saye ner how to answere tyll at laste that the child papire reherced to them all the caas and feet how hit was happend And whan the senatours herd vnderstood the mater they were gretly abasshid and comended gretly the Iugenye wytte of the child that so wisely contriued the lye rather than he wolde discouere their couÌ„ceyll And forthwith made hym a senatour and establisshid ordeyned fro than forthon that no childe in ony wise sholl entre in to the counceyll hous amonge them with their faders exept papirus whome they wold that he shold alÌ„wey be among them also a
lyf of a cruell beste And ought not longe to be susteyned For he destroyeth hym that displesith hym And therfore reherceth valeriuds that ther was a wise man named theodore cerem whom his kynge dyde do hange on the crosse for as moche as he repreuyd hym of his euyll fowll lyf And all way as he was in the torment he said to the kynge vpon thy counceyllours them that ben cladd in thy clothynge robes were more reson that this torment shold come For as moche as they dar not saye to the The trouthe for to do Iustice right wysly of my self I make no force whether I dye on the lande or on the water or otherwyse {etc} as who sayth he recched not to dye for Iustice In lyke wyse as democreon the philosophre put out his owen eyen be cause he wold not see that no good myght come to the euyll and vicyous peple wyth out right And also defortes the philosophre as he went toward his deth his wyf that folowed after hym saide that he was dampned to deth wrongfully than he answerd and sayd to her holde thy peas and be styll hit is better and more merytorye to dye by a wronge and vnrightfull Iugement than that I had deseruyd to dye The thirde chapitre of the â—irst tractate treteth wherfore the playe was founden and maad THe causes wherfore this playe was founden ben thre the first was for to correcte and repreue the kynge For whan this kynge Emâ—merodach sawe this playe And the barons knyghtes and gentillmen of his court playe wyth the philosopher he meruaylled gretly of the beaulte and nouelte of the playe And desired to playe agaynst the philosopher The philosopher answerd and sayd to hym that hit myght not be doon But yf he first lerned the playe The kynge said hit was reson and that he wold put hym to the payne to lerne hit Than the philosophre began to teche hym and to shewe hym the maner of the table of the chesse borde and the chesse meyne And also the maners and condicions of a kynge of the nobles and of the comun peple and of theyr offices and how they shold be touchid and drawen And how he shold amende hym self become vertuous And whan this kynge herde that he repreuyd hym He demanded hym vpon payne of deth to telle hym wherfore he had founden and made this playe And he answerd my ryght dere lord and kynge the grettest and most thinge that I desire is that thou haue in thy self a gloryous and vertuous lyf And that may I not see but yf thou be endoctrined and well manerd and that had so mayst thou be belouyd of thy peple Thus than I desire that thou haue other gouernement than thou hast had And that thou haue vpon thy self first seygnorye and maistrye suche as thou hast vpon other by force and not by right Certaynly hit is not ryght that a man be mayster ouer other and comandour whan he can not rewle ner may rewle hym self and that his vertues domyne aboue his vices For seygnourye by force and wylle may not longe endure Than thus may thou see oon of the causes why and wherfore I haue founden and maad thys playe whyche Is for to correcte and repente the of thy tyraâ—nye and vicyous lyuynge For alle kynges specyally ought to here her corrygeours or correctours and her corrections to hold and kepe in mynde In lyke wyse as Valerius reherceth that the kynge Alixandre had a noble and renomed knyght that sayd in repreuynge of Alixandre that he was to moche couetous and in especyall of the honours of the world And sayd to hym yf the goddes had maad thy body as greet as is thy herte Alle the world coude not holde the For thou holdest in thy right hand alle the Oryent And in thy lyfte hande the occident syn than hit is so or thou art a god or a man or nought yf thou be god doo than well and good to the peple as god doth And take not from them that they ought to haue and is theyres yf thou be a man thinke that thou shalt dye And than thou shalt doo noon euyll yf thou be nought forgete thy self ther is no thynge so stronge and ferme but that somtyme a feble thinge casteth doun and ouerthrowe hit How well that the lyon be the strengest beste yet somtyme a lityll birde eteth hym The seconde cause wherfore this playe was founden and maad was for to kepe hym from ydlenesse wherof senecque saith vnto lucylle ydlenes wyth oute ony ocupacion is sepulture of a man lyuyng and varro saith in his sentences that in lyke wise as men goo not for to goo the same wyse the lyf is not gyuen for to lyue but for to doo well and good And therfore secondly the philosopher fonde this playe for to kepe the peple from ydlenes For ther is moche peple Whan so is that they be fortunat in wordly goodes that they drawe them to ease and ydlenes wherof cometh ofte tymes many euyllys and grete synnes And by this ydlenes the herte is quenchid wherof cometh desperacion The thirde cause is that euery man naturelly desireth to knowe and to here noueltees and tydynges For this cause they of atthenes studyed as we rede and for as the corporall or bodyly sight enpessâ—heth and letteth otherwhyle the knowleche of subtyll thinges therfore we rede that democrion the phylosopher put oute his owen eyen for as moche as he myght haue the better entendement and vnderstondynge Many haue ben made blynde that were grete clerkis in lyke wyse as was dydymus bisshop of Alixandrye that how well that he sawe not yet he was so grete a clerk that gregore nazan saynt Ierome that were clerkes and maystres to other came for to be his scolers lerned of hym And saint Anthonie The grete heremyte cam for to see hym on a tyme and amonge all other thynges he demanded hym yf he were not gretly displesid that he was blynde and sawe not And he answerd that he was gretly abasshid for that he supposid not that he was not displesid in that he had lost his sight And saynt Anthonye answerd to hym I meruayle moche that hit displesith the that thou hast lost that thynge whiche is comyn betwene the and bestes And thou knowest well that thou hast not loste that thynge that is comyn bitwene the and the angellis And for thise causes forsayd the philosopher entended to put away alle pensifnes and thoughtes and to thynke only on this playe as shall be said appere in this book after The seconde tractate the first chapiter treteth of the forme of a kynge of his maners and of his estate THe kynge must be thus maad For he must sitte in a chayer clothed in purpure crowned on his heed in his ryght hand a ceptre and in the lyfte hande an apple of gold For he is the most grettest and hyest in dignyte
aboue alle other and most worthy And that is signefyed by the corone For the glorye of the peple is the dignite of the kynge And aboue all other the kynge ought to be replenysshid with vertues and of grace and thys signefieth the purpure For in lyke wyse as the robes of purpure maketh fayr enbelysshith the body the same wise vertues maketh the sowle he ought alleway thenke on the gouernement of the Royame and who hath thadmynystracion of Iustice And thys shuld be by hym self pryncipally This signefieth the appÌ„ell of gold that he holdeth in his lyfte honde And for as moche as hit apperteyneth vnto hym to punysshe the rebelles hath he the sceptre in his right hand And for as moche as mysericorde and trouthe conserue and kepe the kynge in his trone Therfore ought a kynge to be mercyfull and debonayr For whan a kynge or prynce desired or will be belouyd of his peple late hym be gouerned by debonarite And valerius saith that debonairte percyth the hertes of straungers and amolisshith and maketh softe the hertes of his enemyes wherof he reherceth that philostratus that was duc of athenes had a doughter whom a man louyd so ardantly that on a tyme as he sawe her wyth her moder sodaynly he cam and kyssed her wherof the moder was so angry and soroufull that she wente and requyred of her lord the duc that his heed myght be smyten of The prynce answerd to her and sayde yf we shold slee them that loue vs what shall we doo to our enemyes that hate vs Certaynly this was thanswer of a noble debonair prynce That suffred that villonye don to his doughter and to hym self yet more This prince had also a frende that was named Arispe that sayd on a tyme as moche villonye vnto the prynce as ony man miht saye And that might not suffise hym but he scracchid hym in the visage The prynce suffryd hym paciently in suche wyse as thowh he had doon to hym no vilonye but curtoysye And whan his sones wold haue auengid this vilonye he comanded them that they shold not be so hardy so to do The next day folowyng arispe remembrid of the right grete vilonye that he had don to his frende and lord wyth oute cause He fyll in dispayr and wold haue slayn hym self whan the duc knewe and vnderstode that he cam to hym and sayd ne doubte the nothynge And swore to hym by his fayth that also well he was and shold be his frende fro than forthon as euery he had ben to fore yf he wold And thus he respited hym of his deth by his debonairte And in lyke wyse rede we of the kynge pirre to whom was reported that they of tarente had said grete vilonye of hym For whiche cause he maad alle them to come to fore hym And demanded of them yf they had so sayd Than oon of them answerd and sayd yf the wyn and the candellys had not fayllyd thys langage had ben but a Iape In regarde of that we had thought to haue doon Than the kynge began to lawhe for they had confessid that suche langage as was sayd and spoken was by dronkenship And for this cause of debonairte the peple of tarante toke for a custome that the dronken men shold be punysshyd And the sobre men preysed The kynge than thus ought to loue humylyte and hate falâ—â—te after the holy scripture that speketh of euery man generally For the kynge in his royame representeth god And god is verite And therfore hym ought to saye no thynge but yf hit were veritable and stable Valerius reherceth that Alixandre wyth alle his ooste rood for to destroye a cyte whyche was named lapsare whan than a phylosophre whiche had to name Anaximenes whiche had ben to fore maistre gouernour of Alixandre herd and vnderstood of his comyng Cam agayn Alixandre for to desire and requyre of hym And whan he sawe Alixandre he supposid to haue axid his requeste Alixander brake his demande to fore and swore to hym to fore he axid ony thynge by his goddes That suche thynge as he axid or requyryd of hym he wold in no wyse doon Than the philosopher requyred hym to destroye the cyte whan Alixandre vnderstood his desire and the oth that he had maad he suffrid the cyte to stande and not to be destroyed For he had leuer doo his wyll than to be periured and forsworn and doo agaynst his oth Quyntilian saith that no grete man ne lord shold not swere but where as is grete nede And that the symple parole or worde of a prynce ought to be more stable than the oth of a marchauÌ„t Alas how kepe the prynces their promisses in thise dayes not only her promises but their othes her sealis and wrytynges signes of their propre handes alle faylleth god amende hit {etc} A kynge also ought to hate alle cruelte For we rede that neuer yet dyed ony pietous persone of euyll deth ne cruell persone of good deth Therfore recounteth valerius that ther was a man named theryle a werkeman in metall that made a boole of coppre and a lityll wyket on the side wherby men myght put in them that shuld be brent therin And hit was maad in suche manere that they that shold be put and enclosid therin shold crye no thinge lyke to the wys of a man but of an oxe And this made he be cause men shold haue the lasse pite of them Whan he had made this bole of copper he presented hit vnto a kynge whiche was callyd philarde that was so cruell a tyrant that he delited in no thinge but in cruelte And he told hym the condicion of the bole whan philarde herde and vnderstode this he alowed and preysed moche the werke And after sayde to hym thou that art more cruell than I am thou shalt assaye proue first thy pÌ„sente and yeft And so made hym to goo in to the boole and dye an euyll deth Therfore saith Ouide ther is no thinge more raisonable than that a man dye of suche deth as he purchaseth vnto other Also the kynge ought souerainly kepe Iustice who maketh or kepeth a royame with oute Iustice of verray force ther muste be grete robberye and thefte Therfor reherceth saint Augustyn in a book which is intituled the cyte of god that ther was a theef of the see named diomedes that was a grete rouar and dide so moche harme that the complaintes cam to fore Alixander whiche dide hym to be taken brought to fore hym and he demanded hym wherfore he was so noyous cruell in the see And he answerd to hym agayn for as moche as thou art â—on a lande in the world so am I another in the see but for as moche as the euyll that I doo is in oon galeye or tweyne therfore I am callyd a theef but for as moche as thou dâ—st in many shippis and with grete puyssance and power therfore art thou
falsenes and trecherye Men kepe not theyr couenantes promyses othes writynges ne trouthe The subgettis rebelle agayn theyr lorde ther is now no lawe kepte nor fidelite ne oth holden the peple murmure and ryse agayn theyr lord and wole not be subget they ought to be piâ—tous in herte whiche is auaillable to all thinge ther is pite in effecte by compassion and in worde by remission and pardon by almesse for to enclyne hym self to the poure For pite Is nothynge ellis but a right grete will of a debonaire herte for to helpe alle men Valerius reherceth that ther was a Iuge named sangis whiche dampned a woman that had deseruyd the deth for to haue her heed smyten of or ellis that she shold dye in prison The Geayler that had pite on the woman put not her anone to deth but put her in the pryson And this woman had a doughter whiche cam for to se and conforte her moder But allway er she entryd in to the pryson the Iayler serchid her that she shold bere no mete ne drynke to her moder but that she shold dye for honger Than hit happend after this that he meruaylled moche why this woman deyd not And began to espye the cause why she lyuyd so longe And fonde at laste how her doughter gaf souke to her moder And fedde her with her melke whan the Iayler sawe this meruaill he wente told the Iuge And whan the Iuge sawe this grete pite of the doughter to the moder he pardoned her and made her to be delyuerid oute of her pryson what is that that pite ne amolisshith moche peple wene that it is agaynst nature and wondre that the doughter shold gyue the moder to souke hit were agayn nature but the children shold be kynde to fader and moder Seâ—â—ca sayth that the kynge of bees hath no prykke to stynge with as other bees haue And that nature hath take hit away from hym be cause he shold haue none armes to assaylle them And this is an example vnto prynces that they shold be of the same condicion Valerius reherceth in his .v. book of marchus martellus that whan he had taken the cyte of siracusane And was sette in the hyest place of the cyte he behelde the grete destruction of the peple and of the cyte he wepte and sayde thou oughtest to be sorofull for so moche as thou woldest haue no pite of thy self But enioye the for thou art fallen in the hande of a right debonaire prynce Also he recounteth whan pompeye had conqueryd the kynge of Germanye that often tymes had foughten ayenst the romayns And that he was brought to fore hym bounden he was so pietous that he wold not suffre hym to be longe on his knees to fore hym but he receyuyd hym cortoysly And sette the crowne agayn on his heed and put hym in the state that he was to fore For he had oppynyon that hit was as worshipfull and sittynge to a kynge to pardone as to punysshe Also he reherceth of a couÌ„ceyllour that was named poule that dide do brynge to fore hym a man that was prisonner And as he knelid to fore hym he toke hym vp fro the ground made hym to sytte beside hym for to gyue hym good esperance and hoope And sayd to the other stondynge by in this wyse yf hit be grete noblesse that we shewe our self contrarye to our enemyes than this fete ought to be alowed that we shewe our self debonair to our caytyfs prisonners Cesar whan he herde the deth of cathon whiche was his aduersarye sayde that he had grete enuye of his glorye And no thinge of his patrimonye and therfore he lefte to his children frely alle his patrimonye Thus taught vyrgyle and enseygned the gloryus prynces to rewle and gouerne the peple of rome And saynt Augustin de ciuitate deâ— saith thus Thou emperour gouerne the peple pietously And make peas ouerall deporte and forbere thy subgets repreue correcte the prowde for so enseyne And teche the the lawes And hit was wreton vnto Alexander that euery prynce ought to be pyetous in punysshynge And redy for to rewarde Ther is no thynge that causeth a prynce to be so belouyd of hys peple As whan he speketh to hem swetly and coÌ„uersith with hem symply And all this cometh of the roote of pyte we rede of the Emperour Traian that his frendes repreuyd hym of that he was to moche pryue and familier wyth the comyn peple more than an emperour ought to be And he answerd that he wold be suche an emperour as euery man desired to haue hym Also we rede of Alixander that on a tyme he ladde his oost forth hastely and in that haste he beheld where satte an olde knight that was sore a colde Whom he dide do arise and sette hym in his owne sete or siege what wondre was hit though the knightes desired to serue suche a lord that louyd better theyr helth than his dignite The rookes ought also to be humble meke After the holy scripture whiche saith the gretter or in the hier astate that thou arte so moche more oughtest thou be meker more humble Valerius reherceth in his .vii. book that ther was an emperour named publius cesar That dide do bete doun his hows whiche was in the middis of the market place for as moche as hit was heier than other houses for as moche as he was more glorious in astate than other Therfore wold he haue a lasse hous than other And scipion of affrique that was so poure of voluÌ„tarie pouerte that whan he was dede he was buried at the dispencis of the comyn good They shold be so humble that they shold leue theyr offices and suffre other to take hem whan her tyme comyth doo honour to other for he gouerneth welÌ„ the royame that may gouerne hit whan he will Valeriê° saith In his thirde book that fabyan the grete had ben maistre counceyllour of his fader his grauntsire And of his grauntsirs fader of alle his antecessours And yet dide he alle his payne and labour that his sone shold neuer haue that office after hym but for nothynge that he mystrusted his sone For he was noble and wise and more attemprid than other but he wold that the office shold not allway reste in the familye and hows of the fabyans Also he reherceth in his seuenth book that they wold make the sayd fabyan emê‘our but he excused hym and sayd that he was blynde and myght not see for age but that excusacion myght not helpe hym Than sayd he to hem seke ye and gete yow another For yf ye make me your emê‘our I may not suffre your maners nor ye may not suffre myn Ther was a kynge of so subtyll engyne That whan men brought hym the crowne to fore that he toke hit he remembrid hym a lityll and saide O thou crowne that art more noble than happy For yf a kynge knewe well and
yong man herde this thynge he wente oute of his contrey and fledde vnto a wyldernesse vnto an hermytage and whan his fader had loste hym he made grete sorowe and dyde do enquere seke hym so moche at last he was founden in the herimtage and than his fader cam theder to hym and sayde dere sone come from thens thou shalt be after my deth erle and chyef of my lignage I shall be lost yf thou come not out from thens And he than that wyste non otherwise to eschewe the yre of his fader bethought hym and sayde dere fader ther is in your contre and lande a right euyll custome yf hit plese yow to put that away I shall gladly come out of this place and goo with yow The fader was glad and had grete Ioye And demaūded of hym what hit was And yf he wold telle hym he promysid hym to take hit away and hit shold be left and sette a parte Than he sayde dere fader ther dyen as well the yong folk in your contrey as the olde do that away I pray yow whan his fader herde that he sayde Dere sone that may not be ner noman may put that away but god only Than answerd the sone to the fader than wylle I serue hym and dwelle here wyth hym that may do that And so abode the childe in the hermytage lyuyd there in good werkes After this hit apperteyneth to a labourer to entende to his laboure and flee ydlenes And thou oughtest to knowe that Dauid preyseth moche in the sawlter the trewe labourers and sayth Thou shalt ete the labour of thyn handes and thou art blessid and he shall do to the good And hit behoueth that the labourer entende to his labour on the werkedayes for to recuyell and gadre to gyder the fruyt of his labour And also he ought to reste on the holyday bothe he and his bestes And a good labourer ought to norysshe and kepe his bestes And this is signefied by the rodde that he hath Whiche is for to lede and dryue them to the pasture The firste pastour that euer was was Abel whiche was Iuste and trewe and offryd to god the bestes vnto his sacrefice And hym ought he to folowe in craft maners But no man that vseth the malice of Cayin maye ensue and folowe Abel And thus hit apperteyneth to the labourer to sette and graffe trees and vygnes and also to plante and cutte them And so dyde noe whiche was the first that planted the vygne after the deluge and flood For as Iosephus reherceth in the book of naturell thinges Noe was he that fonde fyrst the vygne And he fonde hym bitter and wylde And therfore he toke .iiii. maners of blood that is to wete the blood of a lyon the blood of a lamb the blood of a swyne and the blood of an ape and medlid them alto geder with the erthe And than he cutte the vygne And put this aboute the rootes therof To thende that the bitternes shold be put away and that hyt shold be swete And whan he had dronken of the fruyt of this vygne hit was so good and mighty that he becam so dronke that he dispoylled hym in suche wise that his pryuy membres might be seen And his yongest sone chammocqued and skorned hym And whan Noe was awakid was sobre fastinge he assemblid his sones and shewid to them the nature of the vygne and of the wyn And told to them the cause why that he had put the blood of the bestes aboute the roote of the vygne and that they shold knowe well that otherwhile by the strength of the wyn men be made as hardy as the lyon and yrous And otherwhile they be made symple shamefast as a lambe And lecherous as a swyn And curyous and full of playe as an Ape For the Ape is of suche nature that whan he seeth one do a thynge he enforceth hym to doo the same and so doo many whan they ben dronke they will medle them wyth alle officers matiers that apperteyne no thynge to them And whan they ben fastynge sobre they can scarsely accomplisshe theyr owne thynges And therfore valerian reherceth that of auncyente and in olde tyme women dranke no wyn for as moche as by dronkenship they myght falle in ony filthe or vilonye And as Ouide sayth that the wyns otherwhyle apparaylle the corages in suche manere that they ben couenable to alle synnes whiche take away the hertes to doo well They make the poure riche as longe as the wyn is in his heed And shortly dronkenshyp is the begynnynge of alle euyllys And corrompith the body and destroyed the sowle and mynusshith the goodes temporels And this suffyseth for the labourer The seconde chapitre of the thirde tractate treteth of the forme and maner of the second pawne and of the maner of a smyth THe seconde pawne that standeth to fore the knyght on the right side of the kynge hath the forme and figure of a man as a smyth and that is reson For hit apperteyneth to the knyghtes to haue bridellys sadellys spores and many other thynges made by the handes of smythes and ought to holde an hamer in his right hande And in his lyfte hande a dolabre and he ought to haue on his gyrdell a trowell For by this is signefied all maner of werkemen as goldsmithes marchallis smithes of all forges forgers makers of monoye all maner of smythes ben signefyed by the hamer The carpenters ben signefyed by the dolabre or squyer And by the trowell we vnderstande all masons keruars of stones tylers and alle them that make howses castels tours And to alle these crafty men hit apperteyneth that they be trewe Wise and stronge and hit is nede that they haue in hem self faith and loyaulte For vnto the goldsmythes behoueth gold siluer And alle other metallys yren steel to other And vnto the carpenters and masons ben put to theyr edifices the bodyes and goodes of the peple And also men put in the handes of the maronners body and goodes of the peple And in the garde and sewerte of them men put body sowle in the paryls of the see and therfore ought they to be trewe vnto whom men commytte suche grete charge and so grete thynges vpon her fayth and truste And therfore sayth the philosopher he that leseth his fayth and beleue may lose no gretter ne more thynge And fayth is a souerayn good and cometh of the good wyll of the herte and of his mynde And for no necessite wyll deceyue no man And is not corrupt for no mede Valerius reherceth that Fabius had receyuyd of hanybal certayn prysoners that he helde of the romayns for a certayn some of money whiche he promysid to paye to the sayd hanyball And whan he cam vnto the senatours of rome and desired to haue the money lente for hem They answerd that they wold not paye ner lene And than fabius sente his sone to rome made hym
so Ioyned to gyder by so grete frendshippe that he of Bandach cam on a tyme for to see hys frende in Egipte of whom he was receyuyd ryght honourably And thyâ— marchant of Egipte had in his hows a fayr yonge mayden whom he shold haue had in maryage to hymself Of the whiche mayde thys marchant of Bandach was esprysed wyth her loue so ardantly that he was ryght seeke And that men supposid hym to dye And than the other dyde doo come the phisicyens whiche sayd that in hym was none other sekenes sauf passyon of loue Than he axid of the seeke man yf ther were ony woman in hys hows that he louyd and made alle the women of his hows to come to fore hym And than he chees her that shold haue ben that others wyf and sayd that he was seek for the loue of her Than hys frende sayd to hym Frende conforte your self For trewly I gyue her to yow to wyf wyth alle the dowayre that is gyuen to me wyth her And had leuer to suffre to be wyth oute wyf than to lese the body of his frende And than he of Bandach wedded the mayde And wente wyth his wyf and wyth his richesse ayen in to his contrey And after this anone after hit happend that the marchauÌ„t of Egipte be cam so poure by euyll fortune that he was constrayned to seche and begge his brede by the contrey in so moche that he cam to bandach And whan he entrid in to the toun hit was derke nyght that he coude not fynde the hows of his frende but wente and laye this nyght in an olde temple And on the morn whan he shold yssue oute of the temple the officers of the toun arestid hym and sayd that he was an homycide and had slayn a man whiche laye there dede And anoÌ„n he confessid hit wyth a good wylle And had leuyr to ben hangid than to dye in that myserable and poure lyf that he suffrid And thus whan he was brought to Iugement And sentence shold haue ben gyuen ayenst hym as an homicide his frende of bandach cam and sawe hym and anone knewe that this was his good frende of Egipte And forthwyth stept in and sayde that he hym self was culpable of the deth of this man and not that other and enforced hym in alle maners for to delyuer and excuse that other And than whan that he that had don the feet and had slayn the man sawe this thynge he considerid in hym self that these two men were Innocente of this feet And doubtynge the dyuyn Iugement he cam to fore the Iuge and confessid alle the feet by ordre And whan the Iuge sawe and herd alle this mater and also the causes he considerid the ferme and trewe loue that was betwene the two frendes And vnderstode the cause why that one wold saue that other and the trouth of the fayte of the homicide And than he pardoned alle the feet hoolly and entierly and after the marchant of bandach brought hym of egipte wyth hym in to his hous and gaf to hym his suster in mariage and departid to hym half his goodes And so bothe of hem were riche And thus were they bothe veray faythfull and trewe frendes Furthermore Notaires men of lawe and crafty men shold and ought to loue eche other And also ought to be contynent chaste honeste For by theyr craftes they ought so to be by necessite For they conuerse accompanye them ofte tyme with women And therfor hit apperteyneth to them to be chaste and honeste And that they meue not the women ner entyse them to law he and Iape by ony disordinate ensignees or tokens Titus liuyâ—s reherceth that the philosopher democreon dyde do put oute his eyen for as moche as he myght not beholde the women wyth oute flesshely desire And how well hit is said before that he dide hit for other certayn cause yet was this one of the pryncipall causes And Valerian telleth that ther was a yonge man of rome of ryght excellent beaute And how well that he was ryght chaste For as moche as his beaute meuyd many women to desyre hym in so moche that he vnderstode that the parents and frendes of them had suspecion in hym he dyde his visage to be cutte wyth a knyf and lancettis endlonge and ouerthwart for to deforme his visage And had leuer haue a fowle visage and disformed than the beaute of hys visage shold meue other to synne And also we rede that ther was a Nonne a virgyne dyde do put oute bothe her eyen For as moche as the beaute of her eyen meuyd a kynge to loue her whyche eyen she sente to the kynge in a presente And also we rede that plato the ryght ryche and wyse phylosophre lefte hys owne lande and Contre And cheese his mansion and dwellynge in a chadomye a town whiche was not only destroyed but also was full of pestelence so that by the cure and charge and customance of sorowe that he there suffrid myght eschewe the heetes and occasions of lecherye And many of his disciples dyde in lyke wyse Helemand reherceth that demostenes the philosopher lay ones by a right noble woman for his disporte and playnge with her he demanded of her what he shold gyue to haue to doo wyth her And she answerd to hym a thousand pens and he sayd agayn to her I shold repente me to bye hit so dere And whan he aduysed hym that he was so sore chauffid to speke to her for taccoÌ„plssh his flesshely desire he dispoylled hym alle naked and wente and putte hym in the middes of the snowe And ouide reherceth that this thynge is the leste that maye helpe and moste greue the louers And therfore saynt Augustyn reherceth in his book de Ciuitaâ—dâ—i that ther was a ryght noble romayne named mercuâ—ian that wan and toke the noble cyte of siracuse And to fore er he dyde do assaylle hit or befyghte hit and er he had do be shedde ony blood he wepte and shedde many treris to fore the cyte And that was for the cause that he doubted that his peple shold defoyle and corrumpe to moche dishonestly the chastyte of the toun And ordeyned vpon payne of deth that no man shold be so hardy to take and defoylle ony woman by force what that euer she were After this the craftymen ought to vnderstond for to be trewe and to haue trouthe in her mouthes And that theyr dedes folowe theyr wordes For he that sayth one thynge and doth another he condempneth hym self by his word Also they ought to see well to that they be of one Acorde in good by entente by word and by dede so that they ben not discordant in no caas But euery man haue pure veryte and trouth in hym self For god hym self is pure verite And men saye comynly that trouthe seketh none hernes ne corners And trouthe is a vertu by the whyche alle drede
shall vnderstande that the roock whiche is vicaire of the kynge whan he seeth to fore hym suche peple as ben folelarge and wastours He is bounden to constitute and ordeyne vpon them tutours and curatours to see that they ete not ne waste in suche maner theyr goodes ne theyr heritages that pouerte constrayne hem not to stele For he that of custome hath had haboundance of moneye and goth and dispendith hit folily and wasteth hit away whan he cometh to pouerte and hath nought he muste nedes begge and are his breed orellis he muste be a theef For suche maner of peple yf they haue ben delicyous they wyll not laboure for they haue not lerned hit And yf they be noble and comen of gentilmen they be ashamed to axe and begge And thus muste they by force whan they haue wasted theyr propre goodes yf they wyll lyue they muste stele and robbe the goodes of other And ye shall vnderstande that folelarge is a right euyll vice for how well that she dooth good and prouffit somtyme to other yet she doth harme and domage to hym that so wasteth Cassiodore admonesteth the fole larges to kepe theyr thynges that by no necessite they falle in pouerte And that they be not constrayned to begge ne to stele of other men For he saith that hit is gretter subtilte to kepe well his owne goodes than to fynde strange thynge and that it is gretter vertue to kepe that is goten than to gete and wynne more and claudian saith in like wise in his book that hit is a gretter thynge better to kepe that is goten Than to gete more And therfore hit is sayd that the poure demandeth and beggeth er he felith and also hit is sayd that he that dispendith moâ—e than he hath with oute strook he is smyten to the deth Ther was a noble man named Iohn de ganazath whiche was ryght ryche And this man had but two doughters whom he maryed to two noble men And whan he had maryed them he loued so well his sones in lawe their husbondes that in space succession of tyme he departed to them alle his goodes temporell And as longe as he gaf to them they obeyed hym were right diligent to plese and serue hym so hit befell that on a tyme that he had alle gyuen in so moche that he had ryght nought Than hit happend that they to whom he had gyuen his goodes whiche were wonte to be amyable obeyssant to hym as longe as he gaf Whan tyme cam that he was poure and knewe that he had not they becam vnkynde Disagreable and disobeyssant And whan the fader sawe that he was deceyuyd by his debonayrte and loue of his doughters He desired and coueyted sore teschewe his pouerte At laste he wente to a marchant that he knewe of olde tyme. And requyred hym to â—ene to hym .x. thousand pound for to paye and rendre agayn wyth in thre dayes And he lente hit hym and whan he had brought hit in to his howâ— Hit happend that hit was a day of a solempne feste on whiche day he gaf to his doughters and her husbonde a right noble dyner and after dyner he entrid in to his chambre secretly wyth them And drewe out of a coffre that he had do make all newe shettynge with iii. lockis the menoye that the marchant had lente hym And poured out vpon a tapyte that his doughtres and theyr husbondes myght see hit And whan he had shewid hit vnto them he put hit vp agayn and put hit in to the cheste faynynge that hit had ben all his And whan they were departed he bare the money home to the marchant that he had borowed hit of And the next day after his doughters and theyre husbondes Axid of hym how moche moneye was in the cheste that was shette wyth .iii. lockis And than he fayned and saide that he had therin .xxv. thousand pound whiche he kepte for to make his testament and for to leue to his doughters and hem yf they wolde bere hem as well to hym ward as they dyde whan they were maried And than whan they herde that they were right Ioyous and glad And they thoughte and concluded to serue hym honorably as well in clothynge as in mete and drynke of alle other thynges necessarye to hym vnto his ende And after this whan the ende of hym began tapproche he callyd his doughters and her husbondes and sayd to hem in thys maâ—ere ye shall vnderstande that the moneye that is in the chest shette vnder .iii. lockes I wylle leue to yow Sanynge I wyll that ye gyue in my presence er I dye whilis I lyue to the frere prechours C. pound and to the frere menours C. pound And to the heremytes of saynt Augustyn .l. pound to thende that whan I am buryed and put in the erthe ye maye demande of them the keyes of the cheste where my tresour is Iime whiche keyes they kepe and I haue put on eche keye a bille writynge In witnessinge of the thynges aboue sayd And also ye shall vnderstande that he dyde do to be gyuen whilis he laye in his deth bedde to eche churche and recluse and to youre peple a certayn quantyte of moneye by the handes of his doughters husbondes whiche they dyde gladly In hope to haue shortly the money that they supposid had ben in the cheste And whan hit cam to the last day that he deyde He was born to churche and his exequye don and was buryed solempnly And the eygth day the seruyse worshipfully accomplisshid They wente for to demande the keyes of the Religious men that they had kept whiche were deliueryd to them And than they wente and opend the coffre where they supposid the money had ben Iâ—â—â— And there they fonde no thyng but a grete clubbe And on the the handlynge was wreton I Iohn of canazath make this testament that he be slayn wyth this clubbe that leuyth his owen prouffit And gyuyth hit to other as who sayth hit is no wysedom for a man to gyue his good to his children and kepe none for hym self And ye shall vnderstande that it is a grete folye to dispende and waste his good In hope for to recoure hit of other be hit of sone or doughter or ryght nyghe kyn For aman ought to kepe in his hande in dispendynge his owen goodes to fore he see that he dyspende other mennys And he ought not to be holden for a good man That hath lityll renome and spendeth many thyngys And I trowe that suche persones wold gladly make noueltees as for to noye and greue seignories and meue warres and tencions agaynst them that habounde in rychesses and goodes And also make extorcyons clamours trybulacyons ayenst theyr lordes to thende to waste the goodes of the peple lyke as they haue wasted theyris And suche a wastour of goodes may neuer be good for the comyn prouffit And ye shall vnderstande that after these wastours of
shall be named white fiers or black fiers after the poynt that he is in and there taketh he the dignyte of the quene {etc} And all these thinges may appere to them that beholden the play of the chesse and ye shall vnderstande that no noble man ought to haue despite of the comyn peple for hit hath ben ofte tymes seen that by their vertu a witte Diuerce of them haue comen to right highe a grete astate as poopes bisshoppes Emperours and kynges As we haue in the historye of Dauid that was made kynge of a shepherd and one of the comyn peple and of many other {etc} And in lyke wyse we rede of the contrary that many noble men haue ben brought to myserye by their defaulte As of gyges whiche was right riche of landes and of richesses And was so proude that he wente and demanded of the god appollo yf ther were ony in the world more riche or more happy than he was and than he herde a wys that yssued out of the fosse or pitte of the sacrefices that a peple named agalaus sophide whiche were poure of goodes and riche of corage was more acceptable than he whiche was kynge And thus the god Appollo alowed more the sapience the seurte of the poure man and of his lityll mayne than he dide the astate and the persone of giges ne of his ryche mayne And hit is more to alowe a lityll thynge scurly poursiewed than moche good taken in fere and drede And for as moche as a man of lowe signage is by his vertue enhaunsed so moche the more he ought to be glorious and of good renomee virgile that was born in lombardye of the nacion of mantua and was of lowe and symple lignage yet he was souerayn in wisedom and science and the moste noble of alle the poctes of whome the renome is and shall be durynge the world so hit happend that an other poete axid and demanded of hym wherfore he setted not the versis of homere in his book And he answerd that he shold be of right grete strength and force that shold pluck the clubbe out of hercules handes And thys suffyceth the state and draughtis of the comyn peple {etc} The eyght chapitre and the last of the fourth book of the epilogacion and recapitulacion of this book FOr as moche as we see and knowe that the memorye of the peple is not retentyf but right forgetefull whan some here longe talis a historyes whiche they cannot alle reteyne in her mynde or recorde Therfore I haue put in this present chapitre all the thynges abouesayd as shortly as I haue conne First this playe or game was founden in the tyme of emâ—merodach kynge of Babilone And exerses the philosopher otherwyse named philometer fonde hit And the cause why was for the correction of the kynge lyke as hit apperith in thre the first chapitres for the said kynge was so tyrannous and felon that he might suffre no correction But slewe them and dide do put hem to deth that correctid hym and had than do put to deth many right wyse men Than the peple beynge sorowfull and ryght euyll plesid of this euyll lyf of the kynge prayd and requyred the philosopher that he wolde repryse and telle the kynge of his folye And than the philosopher answerd that he shold â—â—dede yf he so dide and the peple sayd to hym Certes then oughtest sonner wille to dye to thende that thy renome myght come to the peple than the lyf of the kynge shold contynue in euyll for lacke of thy counceyll or by faulte of reprehension of the or that thou darst not doo and shewe that thou saist And whan the philosopher herd this he promisid to the peple that he wold put hym in deuoyr to correcte hym and than he began to thynke in what maner he myght escape the deth and kepe to the peple his promesse And than thus he made in this maner and ordeyned theschequer of .lxiiii. poynts as Is a fore sayd And dide doo make the forme of chequers of gold and siluer In humayne fygure after the facyons and formes as we haue dyuysid and shewid to yow to fore in theyr chapitres And ordeyned the moeuynge and thestate after that it is said in the chapitres of theschesses And whan the philosopher had thus ordeyned the playe or game and that hit plesid alle them that sawe hit on a tyme as the philosopher playd on hit the kynge cam and sawe hit and desired to playe at this game And than the phylosopher began tenseigne and teche the kynge the science of the playe the draughtes Saynge to hym fyrst how the kynge ought to haue in hym self pytie debonairte and rightwisnes as hit is said to fore in the chapitre of the kynge And he enseygned to hym the estate of the quene and what maners she ought to haue And than of the alphyns as connceyllours and Iuges of the royame And after the nature of the knyghtes how they ought to be wise trewe and curtoys and alle the ordre of knyghthode And than after the nature of the vicaires rooks as hit apperyth in theyr chappitre And after this how the comyn peple ought to goo eche in his office And how they ought to serue the nobles And whan the philosopher had thus taught and enseigned the kynge and his nobles by the maner of the playe and had rephended hym of his euyll maners The kynge demanded hym vpon payne of deth to telle hym the cause why and wherfore he had made founden thys playe and game And what thynge meuyd hym therto And than the philosopher constrayned by fere and drede answerd that he had promysid to the peple whiche had requyred hym that he shold correcte and reprise the kynge of his euyll vices but for as moche as he doubtid the deth and had seen that the kynge dide do slee the sages wyse men That were so hardy to blame hym of his vices he was in grete anguysshe sorowe how he myght fynde a maner to correcte reprehende the kynge And to saue his owen lyf and thus he thought longe studyed that he fonde thys game or playe Whiche he hath do sette forth for to amende and correcte the lyf of the kynge and to change his maners and he adioustyd with all that he had founden this game for so moche as the lordes and nobles habondynge in delyces richessis And enioynge temporell peas shold eschewe ydlenes by playnge of this game And for to gyue hem cause to leue her pensifnes and sorowes In auysynge studyynge this game And whan the kynge had herd alle thyse causes He thought that the philosopher had founde a good maner of correction And than he thanketh hym gretly and thus by thenseygnement and lernynge of the phylosopher he changid his lyf his maners alle his euyll condicions And by this maner hit happend that the kynge that to fore tyme had ben vicyous and disordynate in his liuyng was made Iuste and vertuous debonayre gracious and and full of vertues vnto alle peple And a man that lyuyth in this world with out vertues liueth not as a man but as a beste And therfore my ryght redoubted lord I pray almighty god to saue the kyng our souerain lord to gyue hym grace to yssue as a kynge tabounde in all vertues to be assisted with all other his lordes in such wyse that his noble royame of Englond may prospere habounde in vertues and that synne may be eschewid iustice kepte the royame defended good men rewarded malefactours punysshid the ydle peple to be put to laboure that he wyth the nobles of the royame may regne gloriously In conquerynge his rightfull enheritaunce that verray peas and charite may endure in bothe his royames and that marchandise may haue his cours in suche wise that euery man eschewe synne and encrece in vertuous occupacions Praynge your good grace to resseyue this lityll and symple book made vnder the hope and shadowe of your noble protection by hym that is your most humble seruant in gree and thanke And I shall praye alimighty god for your longe lyf welfare whiche he preserue And sende yow thaccomplisshement of your hye noble Ioyous and vertuous desirs Amen Fynysshid the last day of marche the yer of our lord god a thousand foure honderd and lxxiiii