Hoccleve's works. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.
Hoccleve, Thomas, 1370?-1450?, Furnivall, Frederick James, ed. 1825-1910.

[HOCCLEVE'S "REGEMENT" FOR HENRY V. WHEN PRINCE OF WALES.]

[Proem.]

(289,*. [This stanza is under an illumination of a little poet on his knees presenting his book bound in pink to a tall crownd man standing, clad in a blue cloak, collard and lined with ermine. His under robe is colourd lake, with a black belt, studded with gold. The robe has a white-borderd pocket-slit near the top of the left thigh. The poet is in a dull brick red gown, borderd with yellow, and has lake hose. At foot is a coat of arms hung on the ornament, a fret, or, on sable, quartering a lion rampant or, gules. The arms of? Rich. Durrundill.] MS. Reg. 17, D vi, to st. 293.)
Hyë and noblë princë excellent, [folio 40a]
     2017
My lord the prince, o my lord gracïous,
I, humble seruaunt and obedient
Vnto your éstate hye & glorious,
Of whiche I am full tendir & full ielous,
     2021
Me recomaunde vnto your worthynesse,
With hert entier, and spirite of mekenesse. Page  74
     2023
(290)
Right humbly axyng of you [the] licence, [folio 40b]
     2024
That with my penne I may to you declare
(So as that kan my wittës innocence,)
Myne inward wille that thursteth the welefare
Of your persone; and ellës be I bare
     2028
Of blisse, whan þat the coldë stroke of deth
My lyfe hath quenched, & me byraft my breth.
(291)
Though that my livelode and possession
     2031
Be skant, I riche am of beneuolence;
To you therof kan I be no nygon:
Goode haue I none, by whiche your excellence
May plesëd be; &, for myne impotence
     2035
Stoppeth the way to do as I were holde,
I write as he þat your goode lyfë faynë wolde.
(292)
Aréstotle, most famous Philosofre,
     2038
His Epistles to Alisaundre sent,
Whos sentence is wel bette than*. [that R.] gold in cofre,
And more holsomer grounded to trewe entent:
For all þat euer tho Epistles ment,
     2042
To settë was þis worthy Conquerour,
In reulë, how to sústene his honour.
     2044
(293)
The tendir loue, and the feruént chiertee
     2045
That this worthy clerk ay to this kyng bere,
Trustyng his welthë durable to be,
Vnto his hert[è] stak and satte so nere,
That by writýng his counseill yave he clere
     2049
Vnto his lord, to kepe hym fro myschaunce,
As witnesseth his booke of gouernaunce. Page  75
     2051
(294) (Harl. 4866 again.)
¶ Of which, and [eek] of Gyles of regyment [folio 37a]
     2052
Of princes, plotmel thynke I to translate.
And thogh that*. [that R, om. H.] senple be my sentëment,
O worthi prince, I yow biseeche al-gate
Considerith, how endityng hath in hate
     2056
Mi dul conceyt, and nat accordë may
With my childhode; I am so childissh ay.
     2058
(295)
¶ Also byseeche I that þe altitude
     2059
Of your estate—þogh þat þis pamfilet
Non ordre holdë, ne in him include—
Nat greuëd be, for I can do no bet.
Anothir day, whan wit & I be met,*. [bette . . mette R.]
     2063
Which longe is to, and han vs freenly*. [frendely.] kist,
Descouere I wole, thát now is nat wist.
     2065
(296)
¶ Nathëles, swich as is my smal konyng,
     2066
Withal so treewe an*. [and H, an R.] herte, I wole it oute,
As þo two dide, or euere Clerc lyfynge;
But tremblyng is my spirit out of doute,
That to performë þat I am a-boute;
     2070
Allas! þe stuf of sad intelligence
Me faillith, to speke in so hy presence.
     2072
(297)
¶ Simple is my goost, and scars my letterure,*. [scarce my lettrure R.]
     2073
Vnto your excellencë for to write
Myn inward loue, and yit in áuenture
Wyle I me puttë, thogh I can but lyte.
Mi derë maistir—god his soulë quyte!—
     2077
And fadir, Chaucer, fayn wolde han me taght;*. [Chaucer [in 1700 hand].]
But I was dul, and lernèd lite*. [lerned right R.] or naght. Page  76
     2079
(298)
¶ Allas! my worthi maister honorable, [folio 37b]
     2080
This landës verray tresor and richesse,
Deth, by thi deth, hath harme irreparable
Vnto vs doon; hir vengeable duresse
Despoilèd hath þis land of þe swetnesse
     2084
Of rethorik; for vn-to*. [fro vs to R.] Tullius
Was neuer man so lyk a-mongës vs.
     2086
(299)
¶ Also, who was hiër in philosophie
     2087
To Aristotle, in our tonge, but thow?
The steppës of virgile in poesie
Thow filwedist eeke, men wot wel y-now.
That combre-world, þat þe, my maistir, slow,
     2091
Wold I slayn were! deth was to hastyf
To renne on þe, and reuë the thi lyf.
     2093
(300)
¶ Deth hath but smal consideracïoun
     2094
Vnto þe vertuous, I haue espied,
No more, as shewith þe probacïoun,
Than to a vicious maistir losel tried;
A-mong an heep, euery man is maistried;*. [¶ Ecclesias|tici ijo. Mo|ritur doctus simul & in|doctus.]
     2098
With hire, as wel þe porre as is þe riche;
lered*. [Lered R, lerd H.] and lewde eeke standen al y-liche.
     2100
(301)
¶ She myghte han taried hir vengeance awhile,
     2101
Til that sum man had egal to thè be.
Nay, lat be þat! sche knew wel þat þis yle
May neuer man forth bryngë lyk to the,
And hir officë needës do mot she;
     2105
God bad hir so, I truste as for thi*. [the R.] beste;
O maister, maister, god þi soule reste!
     2107
Page  77
*. [The original leaf 39 of the Harl. MS. 4866 is out. It con|taind lines 2108-2160. They are inserted here from MS. Reg. 17 D vi.](302. The Regement. From MS, Reg. 17 D vi, to line 2160.)
Now to my matere, as that I began: [folio 42]
     2108
There is a booke, Iacob de Cessoles,
Of þe ordre of Prechours, made, a worthy man,
That "the Chesse moralisèd" cleped is,
In which I purpose eke to laboure y-wis,
     2112
And here & there, as that my litell witte
Afforthë may, I thynkë tránslate it.
     2114
(303)
And al be it that in that placë square
     2115
Of the lystës, I mane þe eschekere,
A man may lernë to be wise & ware,
I, that haue auentured many a yere,
My witte there-in is but litill the nere,
     2119
Save that somwhat I knowe a kyngës draught;
Of other draughtës, lerned haue I naught.
     2121
(304)
And, for that among the draughtës euerychone
     2122
That vnto þe chessë appertenë may,
Is none so nedëfull vnto your persone
To knowe, as that of the cheertë verray
That I haue hade vnto your noblesse ay,
     2126
And shall, yf your plesaunce it be to here,
A kyngës draught, reporte I shall now here.
     2128
(305)
I am sure that the bookës allë thre,
     2129
Redde hath & seen your Innat sapience;
And, as I hope, her vertues folwen ye;
But vnto you compile I this sentence,
That, at the goode luste of your excellence,
     2133
In short ye may behold and rede
That in hem thre is skatered ferre in brede. Page  78
     2135
(306)
And álthough it be no manér of nede [folio 42b]
     2136
Yow to counseilë what to done or leve,
Yf þat you liste of stories to take hede,
Somwhat it may profitë, by your leve:
     2139
At hardest, when*. [whan that R.] þat ye ben in Chambre at eve,
They ben goodë to drivë forth the nyght;
They shull not harme, yf þey be herd a-right.
(307)
To your hyenessë, thynke it not to longe,
     2143
Though in that draught I somwhat wadë deepe;
The thewës vertuous that to it longe
Wacchen my gost, & letten him to slepe.
Now God in vertu mayntene you and kepe!
     2147
And I besechë your magnificence,
Yeve vnto me benignë audience.
     2149
(308)
For though I to the steppes clergyall
     2150
Of thisë clerkës thre [may] not atteyne,
Yit, for to putte in prees my cónceyte small
Goode wille me arteth take on me the peyne;
But sorë in me quappeth euery veyne,
     2154
So dredefull am I of myne ignoraunce;
The crosse of criste me spedë and auaunce!
     2156
(309)
Now, gracious prince, agayn that the corone
     2157
Honoure you shall with roial dignitee,
Beseche I hym that sitte on hye in trone,
That, when þat chargë réceyued han ye,*. [This line ends the extract from MS. Reg. 17 D vi. With the next line, Harl. 4366 begins again, and runs on to the end.]
Swych gouernancë men may feele and se [folio 38a]
     2161
In yow, as may ben vn-to his plesance,
Profet to vs, and your good loos avance.
     2163
Page  79

[§ 1. ON THE DIGNITY OF A KING.]

(310)
¶ ffirst and foreward, the dignitee of kyng
     2164
Impressid be in the botme of your mynde,
Consideryng how chargeable a thyng
That ofice is; for so ye schul it fynde.
Vn-to good reulë ye yow knytte and bynde;
     2168
Of goddës*. [goddes R, god H.] wrechë haue ay drede and awe;
Do right to grete and smale, and keepë*. [ye overline, later H, kepe your R.] lawe.
(311)
¶ Onës þer was a kyng, as I haue rad,
     2171
Whan his coronë was vn-to hym broght,
Or he it tok, in thoght he stood al sad,
And þus he seidë, after he had thoght:
"O þou corone, noble and faire y-wroght,
     2175
What man that þe receyueth or admittith,
More esë þan he weneth from hym flittith.
     2177
(312)
¶ Who-so þe peril know, and charge and fere
     2178
That is in the, thogh þou at therthe*. [thoght þou at hert H, though thou at the erthe R.] lay,
He woldë noght the vp areyse or rere,
But lat þe lyë stille, and go his way.
ffor sooth is þis, and hath & schal ben ay,
     2182
This worldës hook, enuye hath to his bayt,
And ay hath hye degree sore in a-wayt."
     2184
(313)
¶ Now, noble princë, thogh I be nat wys,
     2185
Wel-willed am I, as I first yow tolde;
In þe name of ihesu, wirke after þe auys
That I compyle oute of this auctours olde.
And if I nat the wey of reson holde, [folio 38b]
     2189
ffolwe me nat; and if þat I do, thenne
Do as I schal reportë with my penne.
     2191
Page  80

[§ 2. ON A KING'S KEEPING HIS CORONATION OATHS; AND ON TRUTH AND CAUTIOUS SPEECH.]

(314)
¶ Tho othës that at your creacïoun
     2192
Shul thurgh your tongë*. [Shuly . . tong H, Shall . . tonge R.] passe, hem wel obserue;
Lat no colóurëd excusacïoun
Yow makë fro hem slippe aside or swerue;
Holde vp hir lyf,*. [hede R.] lat hem nat in yow sterue;
     2196
It is nat knyghtly*. [knygly H, knyghtly R.] from an oth to varie;
A kyng of trouth, oweth bene exemplarie.
     2198
(315)
¶ Lo! thus this Aristotle in his book seith
     2199
To Alisandre, and to be war hym bit,
That he ne breke his bondës ne his feith,
ffor vn-to folke vntrewë longith it;
He seith þat gracë nat in hym abit,
     2203
But wikked ende and cursid áuenture
Hym folowith, that forswere*. [to forswere R.] hym hath no cure.
(316)
¶ By*. [By the H R.] feith, is maad the congregacïoun
     2206
Of peple, and of citès enhabitynge;
By feith, han kyngës dominacïoun;
ffeith causith eek of men þe comunynge;
Castelx, by feith, dreden non ássailynge,
     2210
By feith, þe Citees standen vnwerréyed,
And kyngës of hir sogetȝ ben obeyed.
     2212
(317)
¶ Who leeseth feith, gretter thyng may non leese.
     2213
Or a man speke, or bynde hym by his sel,
And hath his ful libérte, and may cheese
What he do schal, hym oghte auyse hym wel
Or he promette; and*. [and R, om. H.] heetë naght a deel [folio 39a]
     2217
By word ne bond, but if he wole it laste;
ffor who so dooth, schal smerten at þe laste. Page  81
     2219
(318)
¶ Litel encheson haþ he for to speke,
     2220
To whos wordës is*. [is R, om. H.] ȝeuen no credence:
Perillous is,*. [is it R.] a man his feith to breke.
ffeith, by necessite ne indigence
Naght artid is: disceyt,*. [disceyue H, disceyte R.] & apparence
     2224
Of trouthe outward, and inward fikilnesse,
Bulteth*. [Bulteth R.] out schame, and causeþ gret smartnesse.
(319)
¶ What was þe cause of þe destruccïoun
     2227
Of þe peple of Scites & of Arabiee,
But for hir kyngës, in decepcioun
Of men and Citees nyh to hir contre,
Hir othis vseden, by sotilte
     2231
Brekyngë bondës þat stablisshed were
Mankynde to profitë, and not to dere?
     2233
(320)
¶ And for þat synnë, goddës riȝtwisnesse,
     2234
That punnysshith falshood and trecherie,
Nat myghte hem suffre endure in þat woodnesse;
But þey destroyed were, it is no lye.
Vntrouthe, allas! þe ordre of chyualrie
     2238
Dampneth it; thogh þat þe persone it vse,
Knyghthode itself mot algate it refuse.
     2240
(321)
¶ To god truste I, no lord in al þis lond
     2241
Is gilty of þat inconuenience;
ffy! what? a lord breke his byheste or bond?
Nay, god forbedë þat that*. [such R.] pestilence
In a lord dwelle, or holdë residence; [folio 39b]
     2245
ffor if þat he that wicked geste recette,
By suche a lorde wole honour no thing sette. Page  82
     2247
(322)
¶ Whan Marcus Regulus was, as I rede,*. [¶ De fideli|tate Marci Reguli.]
     2248
Venqwisshèd in a bataile of þe see
By hem of Cartage, hoom wiþ hem þey lede
This prisoner; and aftir, sent was he
By hem to Romë, his ownë contre,
     2252
Sworn to retournë to Cartage ageyn,
As tullius And eek seint Austyn seyn.
     2254
(323)
¶ The causë whi þey hym to Romë sente,
     2255
Was for to do to Romayns hir message,
Wityng of hem, if þat þey wolde*. [wolde R, worde H.] Assente,
That, syn*. [sithin R.] ther werë Romayns in cartage
In prisoun, and Romayns hadde eek in cage
     2259
Cartagiens, suffre hem at largë goo,
And þe Romayns go schulden*. [shulde R, schuld H.] [fre] also.
     2261
(324)
¶ Whan Marcus doon hadde as þat he was bode,
     2262
The senat axid hym what was his reed;
And he answerde, and seidë*. [seid H, seide R.] þus for gode:—
"Al þis, rede I, lat slepen,*. [slippen R.] & ben deed;
It may by no way sinke in-to myn heed,
     2266
That to vs Romayns were it couenable,
Swiche an eschaungë; but*. [is but R.] vnprofitable.
     2268
(325)
¶ "We Romayns þat þey han in prison loke,
     2269
Ben but ȝonge froth, vnlernëd in batayle,
And othir feble folk with age I-broke,
Of whiche I am on; we may nat availe;
Of vs no losse is; but with-outen faile, [folio 40a]
     2273
Ȝoure prisoners*. [prisoners R, prioners H.] ben myghty men and wyse,
And folk in armës preeuëd at deuyse." Page  83
     2275
(326)
¶ His freendës wolde han holde hym stillë there,
     2276
But thei nat myghte; he wolde alwey retourne;
To breke his oth, his goost was ay in fere;
He þoghte noght in his*. [his R, om. H.] contre soiourne.
Do qwat hem list, whether thei glade or mourne,
Vnto his foos as bliuë he hym dressith,
And knewe wel to be deed, the book witnéssith.
(327)
¶ He held*. [heled H, helde R.] it bette his oth for to obserue,
     2283
And dye in honur, as þat a knyght oghte,*. [sholde . . wolde . . be olde R.]
Than by periúrie his lif for to preserue;
Of suche vnknyghtly trikkës he nat roghte.*. [sholde . . wolde . . be olde R.]
I trowë now-a-dayës, thogh men soghte,*. [sholde . . wolde . . be olde R.]
     2287
His heir ful hard were in þis land to fynde;
Men list not so ferforth to trouthe hem bynde.
(328)
¶ Ȝit nat only to preyse is this Marcus
     2290
ffor trouthë, but eek, as it semeth me,
His renoun oghtë doubled ben, as þus—
Where as theschangë myghte han maad hym fre,
Qwit of his foos*. [fees (altered to foos) of R.] prisoun, gretter cheerte
     2294
He hadde of the profet vníuersel
Than of hym self: his deeth it preued wel.
     2296
(329)
¶ Amongës allë*. [alle R, al H.] þingës in a knyght,*. [¶ Nota de Alexandri iuramento.]
     2297
Trouthe is a þing that he ne lakkë may,
If his honur schal bere his heed vp right.
Valerie tellith how, wiþ greet array,*. [(R) De iura|mento regis Alexandri observato.]
Kyng Alisandre and his oost, on a day, [folio 42(40)b]
     2301
Meeued of ire and maléncolye,
Vn-to a citee dressid hym in hye, Page  84
     2303
(330)
¶ Whichë þat clept and called was Lapsat,
     2304
Purpósynge*. [H R insert "him."] bete it to þe erthe adoun;
And or þat this kyng fully cam ther-at,
Ther was a Philosophere in þe toun,—
A man of excellent discrecïoun,
     2308
That to this kyng somtyme had maister be,—
fful sore abasshed of him & his meyne.
     2310
(331)
¶ Out of þe toun he spedde hym on his weie,
     2311
As hastely as þat he coude or myghte,
Toward þe kyng, of grace hym for to preie;
And ás swithe as þe kyng hadde of hym sighte,
He knewe him and his menynge; and on highte*. [Harl. MS. "zighte," hight R.]
He seide him þus: "by þe goddës I swere,
Al þi labour schal nat be worth a pere;
     2317
(332)
¶ At þi prayerë do wole I no þing."
     2318
This Philosophre of his ooth took good hede,
And seide, "o worthy conquerour and kyng,
Than prey I þe, vnto the toun þè spede,
And it destroyë bothe in lengthe & brede;
     2322
Haue on it no pitee, but al doun caste;
This pray I þe, þat may*. [þat it R.] be done as faste."
     2324
(333)
¶ And whan þe kyng his prayere vnderstood,
     2325
Al his angir and his irrous*. [errenous R.] talent
Refreynèd he; he woldë for no good
On þe toun vengë him, as he had ment;
He rathir chees be disobedient [folio 41a]
     2329
To his vengeáble wil, and his oth kepe,
Than be forsworn of þat he swoor so depe. Page  85
     2331
(334)
¶ Or a kyng swere, it is ful necessarie
     2332
A-vise hym*. [hem H, hym R.] wel; for whan þat it is past,
He may his oth in no wise contrarie,
If he of sham or repreef be agast.
A kyng owéth of word be stidëfast;
     2336
No thing byhetë, but he it perfourme,
If he wole hym vnto his state conforme.
     2338
(335)
¶ A greet clerk, whiche clept is Crisostomus,*. [¶ Crisosto|mus super Matthaeum omelia 12. Nisi consue|tudo interdi|catur non possunt am|putari per|iuria. Ex iuramento enim periu|rium genera|tur; sicut enim qui habet in con|suetudine multum loqui neccesse est vt aliquando importune loquitur, sic, qui habet consuetudi|nem iurare in rebus ydoneis frequenter & in rebus superfluis & nolens con|suetudine trahente periurat. In Canone xxij. q. ij ¶ Isti tres. luramentum tres habet condiciones, videlicet, ve|ritatem, iudi|cium & iusti|ciam: verita|tem silicet, vt iurans sciat vel credat verum esse quod iurat; Iudicium, id est, discre|cionem vt discrete iuret, non precipi|tanter.]
     2339
Where he of the*. [the, om. H R.] matir of sweryng tretith,
Thyse arn the wordës that he writ to vs:—
"What man þe custume of othës nat letith,
In sweryng oftë, what he seith forgetith;
     2343
Vsage of othes, of periurie is cause."
And more he seith eke in þe samë clause.
     2345
(336)
¶ He seith, "periurie engendrid is of othis;*. [othis R, this H.]
     2346
ffor right as he þat custumably
Clappith and ianglith, and to stint loth is,
Moot othir whilë speke vnsittyngly,
Right so, vsage of swering, enemy
     2350
To trouthe is, and makith men hem forswere;"
fful necessarie is, othis to for-bere.
     2352
(337)
¶ Swering haþ thisë*. [thise R, this H.] thre condicïouns
     2353
ffolwynge, as trouthë, doom, and rightwisnesse.
Oth axiþ trouthe, and no decepcïouns,
But swere in his ententë sothfastnesse.
Doom moot discreetly, left*. [left R, lest H.] al hastynesse, [folio 41b]
     2357
Swere, and nat needles; and iustice also,
Leeffuly swere, and iustly euermo. Page  86
     2359
(338)
¶ Quintilian seith, þat vn-to hygh degre,*. [¶ Quintili|anus dicit, iurare nisi vbi neccesse est, grani viro,—id est, nobili & fa|moso,—pa|rum conuenit; verbum enim satis simplex in Rege vel in principe firmior sit quam iura|mentum in mercatore.]
     2360
Vnsittynge is to swere in any wise,
Bút it be causid of necessite;
ffor, as he seiþ, and othir clerkis wise,
A kyng or princes word oghtë suffise
     2364
Wel morë than, oghte a marchántes oth,
And to go ther ageyn be morë loth.
     2366
(339)
¶ And syn a princes oth, or his promesse,
     2367
Whan þei nat holden ben, him dishonure,*. [An instance of Hoccleve's false ryme of -oure -ure. See p. 21 above, and 'Minor Poems,' I, p. xxxix.]
His lettre and seel, whiche more open witnesse
Beren than þei, good is take hede and cure*. [An instance of Hoccleve's false ryme of -oure -ure. See p. 21 above, and 'Minor Poems,' I, p. xxxix.]
That þei be kept; writingë wil endure;*. [[R] Litera scripta ma|net.]
     2371
What a man is, it prest is for to preue;
Outhir, honure it shal him, or repreue.
     2373
(340)
¶ Now if it happe, as it haþ happed ofte,
     2374
A kyng in nedë borwe of his marchántis,
Greet wisdom were it tretë faire & softe,
And holde hem truëly her couenantis;
ffor trust it wel, whan hir couénant is
     2378
Nat to hem kept, as þat hir bonde requerith,
The kyng haþ schame, and eke it hem mys-cherith.
(341)
¶ Loth wolde hem ben eft-sonës for to lene;
     2381
He þat is brent, men seyn, dredith þe fire.
Be his day kept, he rekkeþ nat a bene,
But elles, siker, "don is in þe myre."*. [Cp. 'Chaucer' and 'Towneley Plays,' &c.]
Wiþ-outen dowte, a Marchantës desir [folio 42a]
     2385
Is with good herte his kyng honour and plese,
And, to his myght, refresche & doon him ese. Page  87
(342)
¶ In hem is þe substaunce of euery lone:
     2388
What folk cheuyce, as mochil as doon they?
Excellent Prince, I demë your persone,
To hem and to al othir, in good fay,
Wole holdë þat ye heeten hem alway,
     2392
And so to do, god, þe auctour of trouthe,
Yow graunte! and elles certes were it routhe.
(343)
¶ If þat a poorë man breke his byheste,
     2395
Or do ageyn his oth, or seel, or lettre,
Men hente him by þe heed, and him arreeste,
And to prisón he gooth; he gette no bettre,
Til his mainpernour his arrest vnfettre;
     2399
And yit he moot þe cours of lawe abyde,
Or his mainpernour mot deffende his syde.
     2401
(344)
¶ Among the poorë peple thus it goth,
     2402
Thei, for vntrouthe, han smert & open schame;
And if a lorde his bond breke, or his oth,
ffor soþe it is a foul spot in his name;
Thogh men dare not opynly him diffame,
     2406
Thei þinke, al be it þat þei no thing speke;
In swichë lordës is vntrouthe I-reke.
     2408
(345)
¶ And syn a kyng, by wey of his office,
     2409
To god I-likned is, as in manere,
And god is trouthe itself, þan may the vice
Of vntrouthë, naght in a kyng appeere,
If his officë schal to god referre. [folio 42b] *. [¶ Iacobus iij. Si quis verbo non offendit, perfectus est vir.]
     2413
A besy tongë bringeth in swiche wit,
He þat by word naght gilteþ, is perfit. Page  88
     2415
(346)
¶ A! lord, what it is fair and honurable,
     2416
A kyng from mochil spechë him refreyne;
It sitte him ben of wordes mesuráble,
ffor mochil clap wole his estate desteyne.
If he his tongë with mesurës reyne
     2420
Gouernë, than his honur it conserueth;
And by þe reuers, diëth*. [deyeth R, dith H.] it and sterueth.
     2422
(347)
¶ Bet is, þe peples erës thriste and yerne*. [¶ Aristoteles (de regis con|tinencia a multiloquio dicit R): Melius est quod aures hominum sint sitibundi ad Regis elo|quia, quam suis affatibus sacientur: quia saturatis auribus ani|ma eciam saturatur. Prouerbia|rum x. In multilo|quio non deerit pecca|tum. ¶ Ecclesias|tici capitulo xixo. Qui odit loquaci|tatem, extin|git maliciam. Prouerbia|rum xiij. ¶ Qui custo|dit os suum, custodit ani|mam, qui autem &c.]
     2423
Hir kyng or princes wordës for to here,
Than þat his tongë goo so faste & yerne
That mennës erës dul of his mateere;
ffor dullynge hem, dulleþ þe herte in fere
     2427
Of hem þat yeuen to him audience;
In mochil spechë wantiþ not offence.
     2429
(348)
¶ Who so þat hatiþ mochil clap or speche,
     2430
Qwenchiþ malice; and he þat his*. [his R, þis H, with 'his' in corrector's hand in margin.] mouth kepiþ,
Keepith his soule, as þat þe bookës teeche.
Vnbridlid wordës oftë man by-weepiþ;
Prudencë wakiþ whan þe tongë sleepiþ,
     2434
And slepith oftë whan þe tongë wakiþ;
Moderat speche engendrith reste, and makith.
(349)
¶ Allë*. [Alle R, Al H.] naturës of bestës and briddes
     2437
And of serpentës ben ymakid*. [ymaked R, makid H.] tame,*. [¶ Iacobi iij. Omnes nature bestiarum, volucrum & serpentum domantur. [R] Item in eodem: Lin|gua maculat totum corpus nostrum, &c.]
But tonge of man, as it wel knowe & kid is,
Nat may be tamed; o, fy! man, for schame!
*. [Leaf 45 is out of the Harl. MS. 4866. It contained lines 2441-2492. They are supplied here from MS. Reg. 17 D, vi, leaf 47 back, leaf 48.]Silence of tunge is wardein of good fame;
     2441
And after repreef fissheth, clappeth, fouleth;
The tunge of man, all the body defouleth. Page  89
     2443
(350)
And that [þat] oute of tunge of kyng procedeth,*. [[MS. Reg. 17 D 6.]]
     2444
The peple specially beren awey.
Wherfore, vnto a kyng þe more it nedeth
Avise hym what he spekë shall alwey,
In mochell spechë som behestë*. [MS. behest.] may
     2448
Lightly astertë, that may not be holde;
And than [þe] trouthë begynneth to colde.
     2450
(351)
O worthy princë, this, loo, meveth me
     2451
Of trouthë for to touchë thus sadly,
For that I woldë that the hye degree
Of Chiualrië vniuersally
Bare vp his hede, & bentë*. [MS. bent.] not awry;
     2455
Of his honour, vntrouthe a knyght vnlaceth,
And his renoun all vttirly defaceth.
     2457
(352 abb aa cc.)
And failyng it, the chief flour of his stile
     2458
Fadeth & falleth, & begynneth dye.*. [MS. to dye.]
Honoure appropred is to chiualry[e].
But now passe ouer; touche I wole a while
Of rightwisnesse, which that out of this ile
     2462
Purpóseth fully for to fare & wende,
So is our reule vnthrifty & vnthende.
     2464

[§ 3. OF JUSTICE.]

(353)
Seint Ancelme seith, Iustice is liberte*. [[R] Ansel|mus libro Cur deus homo. Justicia est animi liber|tas, tribuens vnicuique quod suum est secundum propriam dignitatem, &c.]
     2465
Of will, yeuyng vnto euery wight
Thát longeth to his propre dignite;
To god, obedience, as it is right;
And he þat poor is of degree & myght,
     2469
Vnto his better, honour & reuerence;
The grete eke to the smale, lore & science. Page  90
     2471
(354)
To thyne egall, concorde; vnto thy foo,*. [[MS. Reg. 17 D 6.]]
     2472
Suffrauncë; & to thy self, holynesse;
To the nedy, greved with wrecched wo,
Mercy in dede, & rewë his distresse
After thy power, & releve in heuynesse;*. [¶ Scriptum est: Sola be|neuolencia sufficit aman|ti, si facultas deest bene|ficiendi, &c.]
     2476
And rewe vpon hym, yf that thy myght faile,
For þat will shall þy dedë countervayle.
     2478
(355)
Who-so it be that Iusticë verray*. [Si quis es qui iusticiam veram sectari desideras, time prius deum.]
     2479
Desireth folowe, first mote he god drede,
And loue as hertly*. [MS. also hertily.] as he kan & may.
It not suffiseth to do no noyous dede,*. [Scriptum est: Non nocere, non est ius|ticia, sed mali abstinencia, &c.]
But who annoyë hym wold it forbede;
     2483
For none anoyë is no righwisnesse,
But it is abstinence of wickkednesse.
     2485
(356)
Of counceill & of helpe we be dettoures*. [MS. doctoures.]*. [Scriptum est: Ipso iure fra|ternitatis & societatis humane con|silii & auxilii debitores su|mus. Hoc enim volu|mus vt & ipsi nobis impen|dant consili|um, quo nos|tra erudiatur ignorancia, & auxilium quo iuretur infirmitas nostra.]
     2486
Eche to other, by right of bretherhede;
For whan a man y-falle in-to errour is,
His brother ought hym counceille & rede
To correcte & amende his wikked dede;
     2490
And yf he be vexed with maladie,
Mynystre hym helpe, his greef to remedie.
     2492
(357)
*. [Harleian MS. 4866 begins again.]¶ Euery man owiþ studien*. [to studie R.] and muse [Harl.4866 folio 43a] *. [[R] Vnusquis que fratrem suum docere studeat, que oporteat vel non oporteat facere, prouo|cans eum ad meliora, & consulens que recta sunt coram Deo; et hoc non verbo tan|tum, sed opere &c.]
     2493
To teche his brothir what þing is to do,
And what be-houëly is*. [byhoveth for.] to refuse;
That þat is good, prouokyng him þerto;
And þus he mote conseille his brothir, lo!
     2497
"Do þat right is, and good, to goddës pay,
In word nat only, but in werk al-way." Page  91
     2499
(358)
¶ Lawëful iustice is, as in manere,*. [¶ Egidius in ij parte primi libri, capitulo xio. Legalis iusticia est quodam modo omnis virtus; habere enim huiusmodi iusticiam est implere legem &c. [R.] Si igitur lex iubet omne bonum, prohibet omne malum, implere le|gem est per|fecte virtuo|sum, et iuusticia est integra et perfecta ma|licia &c. ¶ Aristoteles capitulo de forma et modo iusticie. 'Iusticia est de natura dei,' &c.]
     2500
Al vertu; and who wole han þis iustice,
The lawe of crist, to kepë mot he leere.
Now if þat lawë fórbeede euery vice,
And cómande al good þing, and it cherice,
     2504
ffulfillë lawë, is*. [it is R.] vertu perfyt,
And in-iustice is of al vertu qwyt.
     2506
(359)
¶ Iustice is of the kynde and the nature
     2507
Of god; and he haþ made it, and ordeyned
On remës and on euery crëature.
By iustice, is schedyng of blood refreyned,
And gilt punýsched, whan it is compleyned.
     2511
Iusticë déffendeth possessions,
And peple kepeþ from oppressions.*. [oppressions R, appressions H.]
     2513
(360)
¶ A kyng is made to kepen and maynteene
     2514
Iustice, for she makith obéisant
The mysdoers þat proudë ben & keene;
And hem þat ben in vertu hábundant
Cherisith; a kyng is, by couenant
     2518
Of ooth maad in his coronacioun,
Boundë*. [And bounden R.] to iustices sauuacioun.
     2520
(361)
¶ And a kyng, in fulfillinge of þat, is [folio 43b]
     2521
To god lik, whiche is verray rightwisnesse;
And men of yndë seyn and holden þis—
'A kyngës iustice is a greet richesse
Vnto his peple, as plentee or largesse
     2525
Of erthly good, and bettre þan reyn
ffallynge at eue from heuen,' þei seyn. Page  92
     2527
(362)
¶ fful often sithë*. [sothe R.] it is wist and seen,
     2528
That for þe wrong and þe vnryghtwisnesse
Of kyngës mynistres, þat kyngës bene
Holden gilty, where-as in soothfastnesse
Thei knowen no þing of þe wikkednesse;
     2532
Vniust mynístres ofte hir kyng accusen,
And thei þat iust ben, óf wrong hem excusen.
(363)
¶ If þe ministres do naght but iustice
     2535
To poorë peple, in contre as þei go,
Thogh þe kyng be vniust, yit is his vice
Hid to þe peple; thei wene eueremo
The kyng be iust, for his men gye hem so.
     2539
But ministres to seelde hem wel gouerne;
Oppressïoun regneth in euery herne.
     2541
(364)
¶ A kyng, me thinkeþ, for þe seuerte
     2542
Of his good loos, by-houeþ it enquere
Of hem þat han his éstate in cheerte,
What famë þat his poore peple him bere;
He of iustice is bounden hem to were
     2546
And to diffende; and if þat þei be greued,
By him thei mot be holpen and releued.
     2548
(365)
¶ Excusë schal hym naght his ignorance; [folio 44a]
     2549
He mot enquere of wrong, and it redresse;
ffor þat he peple haþ in gouernance,
He clept is kyng: if his men peple oppresse,
Witynge hym, and noght rekke of the duresse,
     2553
He may, be ryght, be clept no gouernour,
But of his peple a wilful déstroyour. Page  93
     2555
(366)
¶ O worthi king! benyngne Edward þe laste!
     2556
Thow haddist ofte in herte a drede impressid,
Whiche þat þyn humble goost ful sore a-gaste;
And to know if þou cursed were or blessid,
A-mong þe peple ofte hastow þe dressed
     2560
In-to contre, in symple array allone,
To herë what men seide of þi persone.*. [See, among others, "A Tale of King Edward and the Shepherd," in Hartshorne's Metrical Tales (from T. Wright).]
     2562
(367)
¶ Al-thogh a kyng haue hábundance of myght*. [¶ Sapientie. vo [i.e. cap. 6]. Quia non recte iudicas|tis [R. neque custodistis legem iusticie &c.].]
     2563
In his land, at his lust knytte & vnknytte,
Good is þat he his power vse ariȝt,
That fro the wey of iustice he ne flitte,
Leste oure lord god hym from his gracë schitte,
     2567
Of whom al rightwis power is deryued;
ffor if he doo, of blisse he schal be pryued.*. [pryved R, preyued H.]
     2569
(368)
¶ I fynde how þat Theódorus sireene,*. [Surcene R. (See Smith's Dict. Greek and Roman Biography. Theodorus 32. Cyrenaicus.)]*. [¶ Refert va|lerius maxi|mus qualiter Theodorus sirenus cruci|figebatur quia regem de lisemaco arguebat pro suis defecti|bus &c.]
     2570
ffor þat he to þe kyng of Lysëmak
Tolde his defautës, þe kyng leet for teene
Crucifie him; and as he heng & stak
Vppon þe croys, þus to þe kyng he spak:
     2574
"This peyne, or othir like þer-to, moot falle
Vppon þi falsë counsaillourës*. [Counsaillours, H, counceilours R.] alle.
     2576
(369)
¶ "Nought rekke I thogh I rote an hy or lowe,*. [lowe R, lawe H.] [folio 44b]
     2577
As he þat of þe deth hath no gastnesse;
I dye an innocent, y do the knowe;
I dyë to defendë rightwisnesse.
Thy flatereres, en-haunced in richesse,
     2581
Dreden to suffre for riȝt suche a peyne,
But I thereby nat settë resshës tweyne." Page  94
     2583
(370)
¶ Ther was a duke Romayn, clept Cámilus,*. [¶ Nota bene de generosi|tate & iusticia ducis Camili, & de falsitate cuiusdam Magistri qui pueros habe|bat informan|dum & doctri|nandum.]
     2584
Leyde onës seegë vn-to a citee,
ffalisk*. [Falex R.] namèd, as seiþ valerius,
Of whiche the men of moost auctorite,
And grettest of power and of degre,
     2588
To a Maister in þe citee dwellinge,
Bytook hir children, by wey of lernynge.
     2590
(371)
¶ What doth me this maister, but on a day
     2591
Somme of tho children out of þe tounë*. [towne R, toun H.] ledde,
The most expert in science, and þe way
Streight to þe Romayn tentës he hym spedde;
And þe duke þus counsailled he, and redde:
     2595
"Haueth this children in possessïoun,
And kepith hem in holde and in prisoun;
     2597
(372)
¶ "The fadres of hem han in gouernaunce
     2598
ffalisk*. [Falex R.] þe citee, at hir ownë list;
In hy and low, aftir hir ordenance
Is al þing doon: Whan it is to hem*. [hem R, hym H.] wist,
That ȝe hir children han vndir your fist,
     2602
Ye schul wel seen, hir children lyf to saue,
Hem and þe citee schul ye wynne & haue."
     2604
(373)
¶ The duke answerde anon to þis traytour: [folio 45a]
     2605
"Thogh þou be fals vn-to þyn ownë toun,
And rekkest nat of shame or déshonour,
But per cas for to gete of me guerdoun
Desirest ffaliskës*. [Falexes R.] déstruccïoun,
     2609
Nat were it knyghtly, me to þè consente,
That taken hast so traytourous entente. Page  95
     2611
(374)
¶ "We Romayns kepen riȝtës of bataile
     2612
As trewëly as þe rightës of pees;
Our custume is, no children to assayle;
Thogh we þe toun hadde wonnë, doutëlees
Ther schulde no childe amongës al*. [amonge all R, among as H.] þe prees
     2616
ffor vs han greued be; we armës bere
A-geyn the armëd men, hem for to dere,
     2618
(375)
¶ "And naght a-geyn children vndéfensable.
     2619
In þat in þe is, þi myght hastow do,
Thorgh wicked tresoun, false and déceyuable,
Thi citee to destroyen and for-doo;
But I, Romayn, agree me nat þerto;
     2623
By vertu of armés wole I it wynne,
ffor al þe myght of men þat ben þerinne."
     2625
(376)
¶ The duke comaundeth,*. [comaunded R.] schortly for to seyn,
     2626
His handës hym be-hindë to be bounde,
And bad þe children lede hym hoom a-geyn
To hir fadres; whiche, whan þat þey han founde
So greet iusticë in þis duke habounde,
     2630
The senat clept, and þis vnto hem tolde;
The hertës gan to change, of yonge & olde;
     2632
(377)
¶ All þey seiden, of hyë*. [hye R, hy H.] gentillesse, [folio 45b]
     2633
Groundid vppon iustice, did he þis,
And also of a chiualrous prowesse;
Thei seiden, "it to vs most sitting is
Oure ȝatës opne, & offre vs to ben his;
     2637
Is non so good, as lat vs mollifie
Our hertës stoutë*. [stout H, and stonde R.] to his genterie, Page  96
     2639
(378)
¶ "And of his pees, requiren hym & preye."
     2640
They diden so; but what was foluynge,
Nouȝt haue I red, wher-fore I can nat seie;
But þis Iust duke, as by my súpposynge,
Was to hem swiche, in wil & in workynge,
     2644
That*. [That R, What H.] he hem quittë so as myȝte hem queme:
What schulde I elles of suche a lordë*. [lorde R, lord H.] deme?
(379)
¶ Of Lancastre good duke henri also,*. [Henry, the first of the Plantagenet dukes of Lancaster, and father-in-law of John of Gaunt, one of the greatest men of the reign of Edward III.—T. Wright.]*. [[R] De nobili Henrico quondam Lancastrie duce.]
     2647
Whos Iustice is writén and auctorised,
Whi schulde I nat þè rekene a-mongës þo
That in hir tyme han Iustice excercised?
Ȝit þat vertu only nat haþ suffised
     2651
To þe, but al þat longith to knyȝthode
Was inned in þyn excellent manhode.
     2653
(380)
¶ I rede also how þat—hangynge a strif
     2654
Betwixt kyng Porrus and a lord clept ffabrice—*. [¶ Nota de fidelitate cuiusdam domini vocati ffabricius, & de falsitate cuiusdam medici.]
The leche of þys kyng, a cursëd caitif
Inuolued and y-wrappëd*. [ywrapped R, wrapped H.] in þe vice
Of couetisë, schoop hym for to trice
     2658
His ownë lord þe kyng, & hym to kille,
If þat it haddë ben fabricës wille.
     2660
(381)
¶ This leche vn-to fabrices house by nyght, [folio 46a]
     2661
As priuely as þat he coudë, went,
And vnto him ensuryd & be-hyght,
If him list to þe dedë [then] consent,—
He was so glad to plese him & content,*. [content R, concent H.]—
     2665
His lorde þe kyng with venym wolde he fede,
So þat ther-þurgh he steruen shuldë nede. Page  97
     2667
(382)
¶ This lorde, with þat, bad men his handës teye,*. [teye R, cey H.]
     2668
And lede vnto þe kyng þis traytrous*. [lede . . this traiterous R, led . . þeis traytours H.] wight,
And al þis treson vnto him be-wreye.
Whan þis was done, þe Kyng seyde anone right,
"Se here a trowth and manhode of a knyght!
     2672
Men may the sonne as lightly his curse*. [cours R.] reue,
As þis fabrices make his trowthë*. [trouthe R, trouth H.] leue."
     2674
(383)
¶ In Perse onës*. [ones R, one H.] þer was, by Iugëment*. [¶ Nota de iusticia cuiusdam Regis, qui quendam iudicem ex|coriari fecit, quia falsum reddidit iudicium [R. versus quen|dam, causa odij.]]
     2675
A man to deþë*. [dethe R, deþ H.] dampnyd in wrong wyse,
ffor wrath and hate, & þe*. [and R.] irous talent
Þat to þis ilkë*. [ilke R, ilk H.] man bare the Iustice;
And whan þe knoulech of þis false iowyse*. [iewyse R.]
     2679
Was comyn vnto þe kyngës audience,
Þis dome he ȝafe as blyue, and þis sentence:
     2681
(384)
¶ He bad men fla*. [flee R.] hym quyk out of his skynne,
     2682
And þer-with keuyr þe iudicial see,
And made his sonë to be set þer-inne,
That iuge aftir his fadir sholdë be,
To þis ende and entencïoun, þat he
     2686
Shuldë*. [Shulde R, shuld H.] be ware how*. [how R, whow H. "Whow" occurs also in the (?Midland) quaint "Jacob's Well," Fons Jacobi, Salisbury Cathedral MS. 103, which explains Prof. Skeat's name. See The Academy, Aug. 27, 1892. (The MS. is now at press for the E. E. T. Soc.)] he his domës ȝafe,
And lene alwey to right-wysenessë staffe.*. [ȝaf rightwisnesses staf R.]
     2688
(385)
¶ Naght ought a iugë, for hatrede*. [hate H R.] or loue [folio 46b]
     2689
Othir wey demë þen trouth*. [than trouthe R.] requirith,
But, at þe reuerence of god aboue,
Right ay fauoúr, whan þat it apperith.
Dede of iustice a*. [ay R.] conciëncë clerith,
     2693
Chasyng a-way thoughtës on wrong I-groundid;
Who iuggith wrongfully, is feendly woundid. Page  98
(386)
¶ What Iuge in dome eke ȝeuyth*. [yeveth R, ȝeuyt H.] iust sentence,*. [¶ Gregorius. Qui recte iu|dicat, & pre|mium remu|neracionis ex|pectat, frau|dem in deo perpetrat, quia iustici|am quam gratis partiri debuit, accep|tacio peccunie vendit.]
     2696
A-wayting vp-on a golden dragee,*. [draggee R.]
To god he doth displesaunce & offence;
ffor þe iusticë wich of duëtee*. [duetee R, dutee H.]
He shuldë*. [shulde R, shuld H.] do, cursidly sellith he,
     2700
ffor loue of mede him prouokiþ þer-to,
And riȝtwysnessë no þing so to do.
     2702
(387)
¶ To swich a iugë withdrawë þe hope*. [Eodem capit|ulo: cui si spes peccunie subtrahatur, confestim a iusticia re|cedit. ¶ Ysaye 33o. Qui excutit manus suas ab omni mu|nere, iste in excelsis habi|tabit.]
     2703
Of money, and he fro iusticë flyttyþ;
Wher he supposith mony [for] to grope,
Iust iugëment he in his hert admittith;
But who so þat his hand fro ȝiftys shittith,—
     2707
As vnto vs wyttenessith ysaye,—
He shal in heuen dwelle, & sitten hye.
     2709
(388)
¶ Cristen men, ȝelde oughten iust iugëment*. [xj. q. iij. non licet & xiiij. q. v. Sane, Iustum qui|dem iudicium gratis reddere debent Chris|tiani, quia non licet ven|dere iustum iudicium, quamiuis viro perito liceat vendere con|silium, &c.]
     2710
ffrely, for vnleful is it to selle;
Thogh it be leful and conuenient,
A wyse man for rewarde his reed to telle.
A iuges purs, with goldë noght shulde swelle;
     2714
If one iustice he shape his dome to bilde,
His iugëmentës he ȝiftlés must ȝilde.
     2716
(389)
¶ And he þat doth of iusticë rigoure, [folio 47a] *. [¶ Scriptum est: Qui ri|gorem iusticie excercere in|tendit, caueat ne puniendo delectet, vel iniurias suas vlcisci glori|entur; caueat eciam ne mo|dum excedat aut quantita|tem delicti.]
     2717
Let hym be ware he hauë no delyte
In [þe] punýsshyng of þe óffendoure,
Þat haþ I-do þe trespase, or the wyte;
Ner him reioyse of his anoyance plyte,*. [Never . . . noiaunce lite R.]
     2721
Ne þe maner excede in swichë*. [suche R, swich H.] case,
Or quantite of þe gilt, or þe trespace. Page  99
     2723
(390)
¶ Euen as a soule is bodies lyflynesse,
     2724
And when þat it*. [it, om. H.] is twynëd from a wight*. [¶ Egidius in ijda parte primi libri capitulo xjo. Sicut anima est corporis vita, &c.]
The hert is dede, so farith right-wisenesse;
ffor whan a reme is reulid by hir myght,
Þen may the peple be ful gladde & lyght,
     2728
Þe londe may bathen in prosperite;
And lost is al, if þat absent be she.
     2730
(391)
¶ Ther was a lawe I-made vppon a tyme*. [¶ Nota bene! qualiter satis|iactum erat legi per quondam consulem Romanum.]
     2731
At romë, by the consoulës assent,
Þat who so werë gilty of þe cryme
Of áduoutrië, and were þer-in hent.
His eyen bothë shulden*. [bothe shuld R, both shuld H.] out be brent.
     2735
Now fel it so, a man þat sonë was
To a conseil, was take in þis trespas.
     2737
(392)
¶ And whan þat þe myshappe of þis persone
     2738
Was to þe peple knowën of þe toune,
Thei loueden his fadir so, echon,
And had him in so chere*. [grete R.] affeccioun,
Þei seyden þat non execucioun*. [execucioun R, excusacioun H.]
     2742
Shuld on þis sonë for this dedë falle,
And þe consulës so þei preyden alle.
     2744
(393)
¶ To*. [To R, Tho H.] which þe fadir gan replië þo, [folio 47b]
     2745
And þus allegëd he for him, & seyde*. [seyde R, leyde H.]:—
"Considereth, sires, I am oon of þo
Þat to þis lawe consentid and obeide;
And shulde I now þe samë breke," he seyde,
     2749
"ffor fauour of myself or any of myne?
Nay, sirrës, to þat may I not enclyne. Page  100
     2751
(394)
¶ "Maffeith*. [Parde R.]! þat werë wrong and villonye!
     2752
Þe lawe shal forthë,*. [forthe R, forth H.] thogh it fille on me."
Þe peple gan to rumble, & clappe & crye,
And the consulës preyed of þe Citee
The reuers; and*. [and R, om. H.] thus ouercome was he;
     2756
So at the last he sye non othir wey,
But in party he must hir lust obeye.
     2758
(395)
¶ "Now," quod he, "sithen*. [sithen R, sen H.] it may be no bet,
     2759
Sum what to yow, me conformë wol I,
So þat þe lawë shal al noght be let,
Thogh þat it myght obseruëd be fully:
Thus wol I, and none othir truëly*. [truly H R.]:
     2763
Oon of myne eyen wol I now for-go;
Mi sone anoþir; it shal be riȝt so.
     2765
(396)
¶ "We two wol hauë but o mannës sight."
     2766
Thus was done*. [it done R.]; but naght al at the plesaunce
Of þe peple; but þei none othir myght.
Now if to-morowe fil þer swich a chaunce,
Shulde*. [Shulde R, Shul H.] men fyndë so iust gouernaunce?
     2770
Nay, nay! þis londe is al to scarce & lyte,
To fynde oon þat so iustly wolde hym quyte.
     2772

[§ 4. ON OBSERVING OF THE LAWS.]

(397)
¶ Prince excellent, hauë your lawës chere; [folio 48a] *. [¶ De legum obseruacione.]
     2773
Obserue hem, and offende hem by no wey!
Bi oth to kepe it, bounde is þe powere
Of kyng; and by it is kyngës nobley
Sustenëd; lawe is bothë*. [bothe R, both H.] lokke and key
     2777
Of suërtë; whil law is kept in londe,
A prince in his estate may sikir stonde. Page  101
     2779
(398)
¶ And doutëlesse, if þat fordone be*. [be R, by H.] lawe,
     2780
A princes power may goo pley him þenne;
ffor þei þat nought ne haue, with knyfe I-drawe,
Wol on hem þat of good be myghty, renne,
And hurt hem, and hir houses fire & brenne,
     2784
And robbe and slee, and do al swich folye,
Whan þer no lawe is, hem to iustifie.
     2786
(399)
¶ Now in gode feith, I pray god it amende,
     2787
Lawe is nye flemëd out of þis cuntre,
ffor fewë be þat dreden it offende.
Correccïoun and al is long on the:
Whi soffrest þou so many an ássemble
     2791
Of armëd folk? wel ny in euery shire,
Partye is made to venge her cruel ire;
     2793
(400)
¶ Thei, with her hande wrong, to hem done redresse;
Hem deyneth naght an accioun attame
At comun lawë: swich vnbuxumnesse
Suffréd, vs makë wol of seuerte lame.
Who-so may þis correct, is worthi blame
     2798
Þat he ne doth naght. alasse! þis suffraunce
Wol vs destroyë by continuance.
     2800
(401)
¶ Is ther no lawë þis to remedie? [folio 48b]
     2801
I can no morë; but, and this forth growe,
This londe shal it repent and sore abye;
And al such mayntenance, as men wel knowe,
Sustenëd is naght by personës lowe,*. [lowe R, lawe H.]
     2805
But Cobbes*. [cobbes R, great men, lords. Compare 'wattes,' l. 2816, p. 102.] gretë þis ryot sustene;
Correct it, gode is, whil þat it is grene. Page  102
     2807
(402)
¶ ffor, and it horë, þis lande is but lost;
     2808
He þat our heede is, sore it shal repent;
And this tamend, axith no gretter cost
But to do lawe in no vengeáble entent,
Seye I; but for þe better, hem take and hent,
     2812
And punysshe hem by lawful riȝtwysenesse,
And suffre naght ich othir þus to oppresse.
     2814
(403)
¶ Smal tendirnesse is had now of our lawes;
     2815
ffor if so be þat oon of þe grete wattes
A dede do, which þat a-geyn þe lawe is,
No thyng at al he punysshid for þat is;
Riȝt as lop-webbys, flyës smale & gnattes*. [R has in margin, in another hand: "Unde Solon, unus de vij sapientibus. Lex est araníe tela, quia si incideret quid debíle, retinetur; grave autem pertransit, tela cissa.:"]
     2819
Taken, and suffre gretë flyës go,
ffor al þis worlde, lawe is now rewlyd so.
     2821
(404)
¶ The riche and myghty man, thogh he trespace,
     2822
No man seith onës þat blak is his eye;
But to þe pore, is denyed al grace;
He snybbyd is, and put to tormentrie;
He naght a-stirtë*. [asterte R, astirt H.] may, he shal a-bye;
     2826
He caught is in the webbe, & may naght twynne;
Mochil gode reule is sowe, & spryngith thynne.
(405)
¶ Of þis groweth strifë, bataille, and discorde, [folio 49a]
     2829
And by þe gretë, poër folk ben greuyd;
ffor he þat noble is of blode, and a lorde*. [lord R, a lorde H.]
In stile, and naght hath, sterid is, and meved
Vnto rapynë; þis is often preuyd;
     2833
Þe pore it felith. þus of lawë lak,*. [the lak R.]
Norysshith wrong, and castith riȝt a-bak. Page  103
     2835
(406)
¶ When a kyng doþ his peyne and diligence,
     2836
His reme by lawë and reson to gye,
He stondith morë in beneualence
Of god, and more his werk shal fructifie,
And shal haue gretter mede, it is no lye,
     2840
Than þei þat swich a cure haue none on honde;
Thus fynde I wretyn, as I vndirstonde.
     2842
(407)
¶ Who-so þat in hye dignite is sette,
     2843
And may do greuous wrong & cruelte,
If he for-bere hem, to commend is bette,
And gretter shal his mede and meryte be,
Þen þei þat naght may kithe iniquite,
     2847
Ne naght may done; for were sum man*. [for if sum man were H, for yf sum man were H.] of myght,
Often wolde he do, grét harme and vnryght.
     2849
(408)
¶ Hye dignite, the philosofre writeþ,*. [¶ Princi|patus virum ostendit.]
     2850
Preueth a man, what he is in his dede.
When þat a prince in vertu him delitith,
Þen is his peple warisshëd of drede;
Then may thei sey and syng alowde, & grede,
     2854
"Honour, long lyfe, ioie, and cristës blyssyng,
Mot haue oure sustenour, our prince & kyng!"
(409)
¶ Whan þat an Emperour in dayës olde [folio 49b]
     2857
Corownëd was, aftir as blyue anone,*. [¶ In vita I hannis I lemosinani.]
Makers of tounbës cum vnto him sholde,
And ask him 'of what metal or what stone
His toumbe shulde ben'; & forth þei gone,
     2861
With swich deuyse as þe lorde list deuyse,
And vp þei make it in her bestë*. [best H R.] wyse. Page  104
     2863
(410)
¶ This was done, for to bring vnto*. [Thus was it done to bryng in R.] memórie
     2864
That he was naght but a man córuptible,
And þat þis worldis ioye is transitorie,
And þe trust on it slippir and fallible;
And þis considered, ought him be peynyble
     2868
His remë wel for to gouerne and gye;
ffor who so lyueþ wel, wel shal he dye.
     2870
(411)
¶ Like a bridel is deþës rémembraunce,*. [¶ Ecclesias|tici vijo Medi|tacio mortis est quasi frenum homi|nem refren|ans, ne ex|cerceat vltra.]
     2871
Þat mannës hertë*. [hert H R.] réstreyneth fro vice.
Þat kyng þat knyghtly*. [knyghtly R, knyght H.] is of gouernaunce,
Þat is to seyn,*. [seyen H, sey R.] doþ iustly his office,
Of loue and pes and rest he*. [he, om. H R.] is noryce;
     2875
And whan þat he is out of þis worlde went,
Thus seyn*. [seyen H, sey R.] men þat goon by his monument:
(412)
¶ "In heuen mote þis kyngës soulë rest!
     2878
Þis is a worthy kyng, gret was þe pees
Þat men had in his tyme, he was þe best
That myght be; he kept his peple harmles;
In*. ["In" is the first measure or foot.] his comyng, glad was al þe pres,
     2882
And sory weren of his départyng."
O, graciouse princë, swich be your wirkyng!
(413)
¶ Thus, my gode lorde, wynneth your peples voice; [folio 50a] *. [¶ Vox populi vox dei.]
ffor peples vois is goddes voys, men seyne.
And he þat for vs starf vpon þe croyse
Shal white*. [quyte R.] it yow, I doute it noght certeyne;
Your labour shal naght ydel be, ne veyne;
     2889
"No goode dede vnrewardid is, or quytte;*. [¶ Nullum bo|num irremu|neratum. &c.]
Ne euyl vnpunysshid," seith holy writte. Page  105
     2891
(414)
¶ In your prosperite and in your welthe,
     2892
Remembreth euer a-monge, þat ye shul dye,
And wot naght whan; it comeþ in a stelthe;
Haue often him*. [him R, om. H.] by-fore your myndes ye;
ffor whan no hertë*. [hert H R.] hydë may ne wrye
     2896
His secre*. [secrete R.] thoughtës, god al wot & weyeth;
Hym, loue & drede; and his lawës obeyeth.
     2898
(415)
¶ Now sen a kyng is to his lawës swore,*. [¶ Quod elec|ciones sint in ecclesiis cathedralibus libere.]
     2899
And lawë biddeth free elecïoun
In chirches passe; my godë lorde, þer-fore,
Let no fauour ne none affeccïoun
So meeue your wysë circumspeccïoun,
     2903
To lette hem*. [hem R, hym H.] of hir laweful liberte;
Lat hem reioyse hir propre duëte.
     2905
(416)
¶ The chapitre of a chirchë Cáthedral,
     2906
When þei haue chosen hir heed & pastour,
Which as hem thenkeþ sufficiant at al,
Hem for to rewle, and ben hir gouernoure,
Writeþ vnto þe pope in hir fauour,
     2910
Bisekyng humble[l]y*. [humbly R.] his fadir-hede
It to conferme; and þat is a iust dede.
     2912
(417)
¶ And if the lawë suffre yow to write [folio 50b]
     2913
ffor any man apart, herkenth now me;
Let vertu þennë þerto yow excite;
Lokith þat þe man haue abilite,
Þat shal resseyuë þat hy*. [by H, hye R.] dignite,
     2917
Þat is to seyn, he be clene of lyuyng,
Discrete, iust, and of súffisant konnyng. Page  106
     2919
(418)
¶ If þe pope to þat estate prouyde
     2920
A persone, at your prayer and instaunce,
Your sonde he takeþ to þe better syde;
He holdeth þe persone of sufficïaunce
To hauë swich a cure in gouernaunce,
     2924
ffor so wittenessith*. [witnesseth R.] þe suggestioun
Þat to hym made is for prouisïoun.*. [his promocioun R.]
     2926
(419)
¶ To kynges letters, yeven is credence;
     2927
Beth ware how þat ye wryte in swich matere,
Lest þat ye hurt and maynë concïence.
ffor if þat execute be your prayere,
Þe persone vnworthy, ye shul ful dere
     2931
Rewe it; no smal charche*. [charge R.] is the soulës cure
Of al a diocise, I yow ensure.
     2933
(420)
¶ Of swich writyng be of right súffrable,
     2934
And þe man able, swich charge to resseyue,
ffor whom ye writte, þat is comméndable;
And ellës wol*. [elles wole R, els wol H.] it your soule deseyve.
Help him þat able is*. [abl' is.]; and tunhable*. [tunhable H, unable R. The t of "th' unable" after d, is Midland, like the "qwat" for "what," and "whyte" for "quyte" above.] weyue;
     2938
Weyuë fauel with his polýsshïd speche;
And help him þat wel doth, and wel can teche.
(421)
¶ But certes, fauel hath caght so sad foote [folio 51a]
     2941
In lordës courtës,*. [courtes R, court H.] he may naght þens slyde;
Who com or go, algate abyde he moote;
His craft is to susteyne ay þe wrong syde,
And fro vertu his lordë to devide;
     2945
And, for soth*. [sothe R.] sawës ben to lordës lothe,
Noght wol he soth seyn, he hath made his oth. Page  107
(422)
¶ Let fauel passë; foule mot he falle!*. [¶ Qualiter quidam miles in exilium se posuit, quia leges bonas per se factas vellet obser|uari.]
     2948
fforth in iusticë wol I now procede:
Þer was a knyght, I not what men hym*. [hym R, hem H.] calle,
A iuste man and a trewe in al his dede,
Which on a tyme, as þought him it was nede,
     2952
Þe froward peple by sharp lawës bynde;
lawës ful iust he made, and in streyte*. [steyte R, sharp H.] kynde.
(423)
¶ And when þei weren byfore hem I-radde,*. [hem radde . . . madde R, him I-rad . . . mad H.]
     2955
Þei*. [þe H, They R.] made hem wondir wroth, & seyden al
Þei weren not so nycë ne so madde*. [hem radde . . . madde R, him I-rad . . . mad H.]
To hem assent, for ought that*. [that R, om. H.] may befalle*. [befalle . . . thralle R, befal . . . thral H.];
They wolden nat hem to þo lawës thralle,*. [befalle . . . thralle R, befal . . . thral H.]
     2959
And wold han artyd þis knyght hem repele,
Makyng ageyn him an*. [an R, and H.] haynous querele.
     2961
(424)
¶ When he se þis, he blyuë to hem seyde:
     2962
"I*. [I R, He H.] mad hem naght, it was god áppollo;
And on my bak," quod he, "þe charge he leyde
To kepe hem; sirës, what sey ye here-to?
As he me chargid hath, riȝt so I do."
     2966
And vnto þat, answerd anone þe prees,
"We wol hem naght admitten doutëles."
     2968
(425)
¶ "Wel," quod*. [koth R (as usual).] he, "þenne is gode, or ye hem breke, [folio 51b]
That vnto god apollo I me dresse,
To trete of þis matere, and with him speke,—
With-owtyn him I may it naght redresse,—
Biseche him wol I,*. [I R.] of his gentilnesse,
     2973
Repele hem,*. [hem R, him H.] sen þat þei to streytë be,
And do my deuer riȝt wel, ȝe shul see. Page  108
     2975
(426)
¶ "But or I go, ye shul vnto me swere
     2976
Þe lawës kepë til I agayn*. [ageyn R, gayn H.] come,
And Breke hem naght;" to which þei gan answere,
"Ȝee, ȝee, man, ȝee! we graunt it al and summe."
Þei made her oth, and he his wey hath nomme.*. [some . . . nome R.]
     2980
He nought to Apollo, but to grecë went,
And þer abode tyl þat þe deþ him hent.
     2982
(427)
¶ And whan his lastë daye*. [that his last day R, his last daye H.] gan to appere,
     2983
He bad men þrowe his body in þe see,
Lest vpon þe londe made were his bere,
Þe peple myghten vn-to hir Citee
His bonës cary, and at hir largë be
     2987
Quyte of hir oth, as to hir iugëment;
Thus he deuysid in his testament.
     2989
(428)
¶ Syn I spoke haue of iustice, as ye knowe,
     2990
Vnto pite—which mot ben had al-gatis,
And namëly in princes ought it growe—
Wol I me dressë: she opneþ the ȝates
Of helth to him þat in sekenesse estate is;
     2994
Sche esith many a wyght þat is distressid,
Þat nere hir helpë*. [nere hir helpe R, neuer hir help H.] shulde be sore oppressid.
     2996

[§ 5. DE PIETATE.*. [R. has in margin: "Scriptum est, Pietas est ex benigne mentis dulcedine grata omnibus auxiliatrix."]]

(429)
Pitee, naght ellës is, to vndirstonde,*. [This page has an illuminated initial letter, which extends from the top to the bottom, and a heading as above.—G. England.] [folio 52a]
     2997
But good wille inward of debónair hert,
And outhewarde*. [outward R.] spech, and werk of man, to fonde
To help him þat men sen in meschif smert.
Men selde*. [selde R, selden H.] him seen in-to wykkýd deþ stert, Page  109
Þat pitous is; but þei han cruel deþ
Often whos cruelte cruelly sleth.*. [sleth R, fleth H.]
     3003
(430)
Whilom þer was a tyraunt dispitouse,*. [¶ Refert Ho|rosius quali|ter quidam artifex subti|lis puniebatur per artem propriam.]
     3004
Þat so delited him in cruelte,
Þat of no þing was he so désirous.
Now shope it so, a man þat to pyte
ffo was, and frende vnto iniquite,
     3008
A sotel werkeman in craft of metal,
Wrought in þis wyse as I yow tellë*. [telle R, tel H.] shal.
     3010
(431)
His lorde þe king he þoughtë*. [þought H, thought to R.] plese and glade,*. [R. has in margin: "Nota, de crudel, itate cujusdam artificis subtilis, et qualiter per artem suam propriam puniebatur; et hoc refert Horosius."]
     3011
And craftëly he made a bol*. [craftely . . . bole R (bull), craftly . . . bol H.] of bras,
And in þe syde of it he slily made
A litel wyket, þat ordeynëd was
To réceyue hem þat stode in deþës case,
     3015
Vndir þe which men shulden sharpe fire make,
Tho folk to deþë*. [dethe R, deþ H.] for to brenne & bake.
     3017
(432)
And ȝit more-ouer, þe kyng for to meve
     3018
The lesse vnto pitee, it made was so
By sotil art*. [craft R.] þe dampnëd folk to greve
Þat whan to crye, hem cómpellyd*. [compelled hem R.] hir woo,
Hir woys was lyke a bolës euer-mo,
     3022
And nothyng lyke a mannys voise in soun,
As þe scripturë maketh mencïoun.
     3024
(433)
¶ But our lord god, of pite þe auctour, [folio 52b]
     3025
Displesid with þis cruel ordinaunce,
Swich rewarde shape vnto this*. [this R, his H.] losengeour,
Þat it abatid al his countenaunce;
And for to preue his fendely purueaunce,
     3029
How sharp it was, & coudë folk distreyne,
The first he was þat entryd in þat peyne. Page  110
     3031
(434)
¶ ffor whan þe kyng, his cruel werk had seyne,
     3032
Þe craft of it commendith he ful wele;
But þe entent he fully helde a-gayne,
And seydë, "þou þat art morë cruel
Than I, þe maydenhede of this Iuel
     3036
Shalt preue anone; þis is my Iugëment."
And so as blyue he was þer-in I-brent.
     3038
(435)
¶ Men may sen here, how fauel hym enclyneth
     3039
Ay to his lordys lust, what so it be;*. [¶ Contra blanditores.]
Vnto þat ende he bysieth hym and clynyth,*. [pyneth R.]
And no consideracïoun hath he,
Thogh it be harmë to his lordys degre,
     3043
Or a-geyn feith, honour, or concïence;
In fals plesaunce is al his diligence.
     3045
(436)
¶ To what þing it be, if it his lorde lyke,
     3046
He him conformyth; he neuer denyeth
His lordës resouns, but a þank to pike,
His lordys wil and witte he iustifieth;
Whil fauel liueþ, no fals conseil dieth;
     3050
ffauel is wedded to plesaunt deseyt,
And in þat wedlok trewe is his conceite.
     3052
(437)
¶ Grounde of treson, o þou cursyd*. [cruell R.] fauel! [folio 53a]
     3053
How longë*. [longe R, long H.] shalt þou be a potestate?
In lordës courtes þou pleyest*. [courtes . . . curt . . . pleyest R, pleyst H.] þi parcel,
So þat it strecchith to þi lordys mate;
ffor þu hast neuer þi lordys estate
     3057
To hertë*. [hert H R.] chere, but al þi bysynesse
Is for þi lucre, and þi cofres warmnesse. Page  111
     3059
(438)
¶ ffauel was neuer frendly, man vnto;*. [¶ Dicit Sene|ca de qui|busdam qui Neronem sequebantur. Mel musce se|quuntur, ca|dauera lupi; predam se|quitur ista turba non hominem.]
     3060
lordës, beth ware! it nedith trewëlye.*. [trewlye H, truly R.]
Senek, by hem þat folweden Nero,
Seith þus, "a fflyë folweþ the honye;
Þe wolf, careyn," he seith; so, wel wot I
     3064
Þat companyë folweden her pray,
And naght þe man; & so do men þis day.
     3066
(439)
¶ Whil þat þe swetnesse of riches endurith,
     3067
Vnto þe riche is manny man plesaunt;
Only þe richessë þer-to hem lurith;
What he comaundiþ, þei ben obysaunt*. [obedient R.]
To do, whil þat he of goode is habundaunt;
     3071
But whan þe pray, þe ricchesse, is a-goo,
The man forsaken þei for euermo.
     3073
(440)
¶ O ffauel! a blynde marchant art þou oone,*. [¶ Ieronimus. Adulator secus est qui pro questu vel gracia transitoria sua & alteri|us animam interficit.]
     3074
That, for wordly goode, & grace and fauoure,—
Which faylë shal & passe, and ouer goone,*. [passe in ouer goone H, faile and ouercome H.]—
Swich diligencë dost, and swich laboure,
Þat þou þi soulë fro our saueoure
     3078
Twynnest, and slest þi lordis soule also,
And causyst hem to peyne eternal go.
     3080
(441)
¶ Þer is a long and a large difference [folio 53b]
     3081
Twix vertuous plesaunce and flaterie:
Good plesaunce is of swich beneuolence,
Þat what gode dede he may in man espie,
He preysith it, and rébukith folye;
     3085
But fauel takeþ al on othir parte;
In wrong preysyng is al his craft and arte. Page  112
     3087
(442)
¶ A gloser also kepith his silence*. [¶ Hugo de sancto vic|tore. Adu|lator est ille qui tacet & dat consen|sum ne offendat quem optat habere pro|picium.]
     3088
Often, where he his lord seeth*. [seeth R, seith H.] him mystake.
Lest þat his answere myghtë*. [myght H R.] done offence
Vn-to his lorde, and him displesyd make,
He holt his pees; nat a worde dare he crake;
     3092
And for he naght ne seith, he his*. [his R, is H.] assent
Ȝeueþ*. [Yeveth R, þen H.] þerto, by mannës Iugëment.
     3094
(443)
¶ Who-so þat wot þe purpose of a wyght,*. [¶ Qui tacet, &c.]
     3095
Þat is agroundid vppon wykydnesse,
And noght ne lettith it, vnto his myght,
ffauorith it, as þe boke can expresse;*. [¶ Canonum xxiij. q. iij. capitulo. Qui potest.]
Who-so it*. [it R, om. H.] lokith, fynde it shal no lesse.
     3099
But of al þis now make I here an ende,
And to my tale of pite wol I wende.
     3101
(444)
¶ A Princë mot be of condicioun
     3102
Pitouse, and his angir refreyne, & ire,*. [¶ Aristoteles, in principum regimine, capitulo de Regis proui|dencia.]
Lest þat*. [þat, om. H R.] vnavisid commocioun
Hym chaufë so, & sette his hert on fire,
That hym to wenge*. [venge R.] as blyuë he desire,
     3106
And fulfille it in dede: hym owyþ knowe.
His errour, and*. [and R, an H.] qwenche þat firy lowe. [folio 54a]
     3108
(445)
¶ Aristotle amonestith wonder faste,
     3109
In his book whiche to Alisaundre he wroot,
If he wolde haue his regne endure and laste,
That for non ire he neuere be soo hoot,
Blood of man*. [of man to R, of a man H.] schede; and god seith, wel I woot,*. [¶ Michi vindictam. (R. adds: Item, Qui gladio per|cutit, &c.)]
That vnto hym reseruëd is vengeaunce;
     3114
Who-so þat sleþ, schal haue þe samë chaunce. Page  113
(446)
¶ But this noght ment is by þe cours of lawe,
     3116
That put a man to deth for cryme horrible.
Whan he a man y-murdred haþ and slawe,
A man to sle by lawe, it is lisible;
That slaughtre beforn god is ádmittible,*. [¶ ffacilitas venie incen|tiuum pre|bet delin|quendi.]
     3120
And if a kyng do swichë murdrers grace
Of lyf, he boldeþ hem eft to trespace.*. [trespace R, strepace H.]
     3122
(447)
¶ kyng of þis lond whilom, herde I seyn,*. [¶ Nota con|tra conces|siones carta|rum pardo|nacionum de murdris.]
     3123
ffor mannës deth a pardoun hadde e-graunted*. [be graunted R.]
Vnto a man, whiche afterward ageyn
The samë gilt hadde in an othir haunted;
Aftir whos deth, he homly haþ avaunted
     3127
He nas naght so frendlés, he woldë do
Wel y-now thogh he hadde slayn othir two.
     3129
(448)
¶ "Of frendes," quod he, "haue I largë wone,
     3130
That, for þat they haue had, and schul, of myne,
Byforne þe kyng for me schal knele echone;
They at þe fullë kunne his hertë myne;
Thidir wil I goo, streght as any lyne,
     3134
And þey þat now annoyen me or greue,
I schal hem qwite here-aftir, as I leue." [folio 54b]
     3136
(449)
¶ He cam vnto þe kyng, and axid grace
     3137
Of þat he wroghtë hadde*. [wrought hade R.] so synfully.
The kyng auysëd hym wel on his face,
And seydë, "frend, me þynketh how þat I
Haue vnto þe doon grace or þis, soothly;
     3141
I graunted onës a chartre to þe
Of mannës deth, as it remembreth me. Page  114
     3143
(450)
¶ "Hast þou now slayn an othir man also?"
     3144
Now stood a foolë*. [foole R, fool H.] sage þe kyng byside;
And or þe kyng spak any wordës moo,
He to hym seidë, "[Now,] for god þat dyde,
Whi demen ye þis man an homicide?
     3148
He slow hym naght, for ye your self*. [self R, om. H (with a later 'selfe' overline).] hym slow,
And, by your leuen,*. [leve R.] I schal tellen how:
     3150
(451)
¶ "If þat þe lawë myghte his cours han had,
     3151
This man here hadde ben, for þe firste man, deed;
fforyeue hym now; and yif þat*. [þat, om. H R.] he be drad
To slee þe thriddë, þan girde of myn heed.
Now be avisëd wel; it is my reed,
     3155
How ye your pardoun grauntë, leste errour
Of nycë pitee be your áccusour."
     3157
(452)
¶ This kyng wel þoughtë þat he seide hym trouthe,
And chartirles gooþ þis man ful of drede;
And aftirward, of whos dissert was routhe,
The lawe hym yaf þat longëd to his mede.
My tale is doon; now sooþly it is nede
     3162
To grauntës to wiþstondë, þat procure
Meschévous deth to many a crëature. [folio 55a]
     3164
(453)
¶ Pitee auailith mochil, but naght þere;
     3165
ffor bet it is to sle þe mordreman,
Than suffre hym regnë, for he haþ no fere
His hand to vsë forth as he by-gan;
And in my cónceit, feelë wel I can,
     3169
That of suche pitee, is þe abstinence
Of gretter pite, for þe consequence. Page  115
     3171
(454)
¶ If right-ful deth of oo man, kepe and saue
     3172
Two innocentës lyuës, þinkeþ me
By resoun morë merit oghte hym haue
That cómandith his*. [this R.] gylty man deed be,
Than he þat lif hym graunteþ: why lat se,
     3176
The gylty man is no wrong doon vnto,
But wrong is doon vnto*. [vnto R, to H.] thise othir two.
     3178
(455)
¶ Euery man woot wel, fór to saue tweyne
     3179
Is gretter gracë þan to*. [to R, om. H.] saue but on.
Of murdre, is cause gret for to*. [grete to R.] compleyne;
Tho pardons alle to lyghtly passe and goon;
Auyse hem þat fauoúre hem, by seynt Iohn;
     3183
Who so it be that þerto þe kyng meeveth,
Wel morë þan he woot, his soulë greeveth.
     3185
(456)
¶ Avise a kyng eek, for any requeste
     3186
Vnto hym maad, by greet estat or mene,
That he fauoúre it noght; it is þe beste
Tho réquestës to werne and voydë clene,
Of swiche in sothe as murdrers ben, I mene;
     3190
But and*. [and, an, if.] on be by malice of his foos
Endited, pardoun be to hym noght cloos. [folio 55b]
     3192
(457)
¶ If þat be sooth, lat pitee walk at large,
     3193
ffor sche and mercy þerto wil assente;
It is a parcel of hir either charge;
Routhë were it þe giltëles turmente;
Pitee schal soul of man to god presente,
     3197
And god, þat yaf vs ensample of pitee,
To pitous folk sauacïoun schal be. Page  116
     3199
(458)
¶ The pitous herte of Marcus Marcellus
     3200
Wele worthy is, be drawen in memórie;*. [¶ De pietate Marci Mar|celli.]
He may ensample and mirrour be to vs;
ffor, as Valerie writith in a storie,
Whan þis Marc obtened hadde*. [opteynede R (? hadde obtened).] þe victórie
     3204
By segë leyde to men of siracuse,
As I schal seyn, he heuyly gan*. [gan R, om. H.] muse.
     3206
(459)
¶ He wente hym vp on hy vppon a toure,*. [tree R.]
     3207
Where he byholdë myghte al þe citee,
And how fortune hadde schape hym þat honoure.*. [that he did see R.]
With hertë tendre than considered he,
And hadde of folkës dethës suche pitee,
     3211
That from wepynge he myghte hym not restreyne;
Al his tryumphë was to hym but peyne.
     3213
(460)
¶ Who-so hadde stonden by hym in þat tyde,
     3214
And hym avisëd on his contenaunce,
Wolde han supposëd that þat othir side
Rathir hadde I-putte hym to þe outraunce,
Than he hadde had of hem so fair a chaunce:
     3218
O worthy knyght! who schal þi steppës sue?
Thi súccessour halt hym to longe in mue. [folio 56a]
     3220
(461)
¶ O citee! syn fortune was contrarie
     3221
To the in o part, yit hir gentilnesse
Purveyëd þe a bénigne aduersarie.
Thanke hir of þat, for thy disese is lesse,
ffalle in þe daunger of lambës humblesse,
     3225
Than he with cruel woluës al to-frete;
A lamb is naght so gredy on hir mete. Page  117
     3227
(462)
¶ Ther nys no þing, as witnessith a*. [the R.] storie,
     3228
Makyth a knyght so schynynge in renoun,
Whan þat he of his foos hath þe victórie,
As rew on hym þat throwen is a-doun,
And of his blode eschue effusioun.
     3232
A bestes kynde is, þat is wilde and wood,
Victórie naght desire, but þe blood.*. [R. has in margin: Scriptum est, Ferarum genus est non victoriam sed sanguinem sitire.]
     3234
(463)
¶ Also, whan þat þe kyng of hermenye*. [¶ De pietate pompei.]
     3235
Venquysshet was in batayle by pompeye,
This kyng fel doun vnto his foot in hye,
And from hym caste his dyademe aweye;
But pompeyus, as blyue, of his nobleye
     3239
Stirte vnto hym, and vp hym lifte & hente,
And many a word benigne on hym dispente.
     3241
(464)
¶ He dide his myght hym to conforte and qweeme;
And right anon, with-oute any delay,
Vpon his heed bad sette his dyademe
Ageyn; and so*. [so R, om. H.] was doon, it is no nay.
Whan Cesar, emperour, eek on a day*. [¶ De pietate cesaris im|peratoris.]
     3246
Pompeyë saw biforn hym lad & bounde,
Cesar in terës saltë gan habounde.*. [abounde R, hobunde H.]
     3248
(465)
¶ Whan Alisaundre eek, as Vallerie haþ told, [folio 56b] *. [¶ De pietate Alexandri.]
     3249
Was, in a tyme, in þe feld wiþ his host,
An agëd knyght of his, for verray cold,
His lyfly myght he loren hadde al-moost,
So greuous tempest tho fil in þat coost;
     3253
And whan þis worþy kyng þis hadde aspied,
Out of his see he roos, and to hym hied, Page  118
     3255
(466)
¶ And by the hand þis oldë knyght he took,
     3256
Confortynge hym [right] in his 1beste manere,
And ledde hym to his1*. [1_1 best manere And ledde hym vnto his R, om. H.] tente, as seith þe book,
And in*. [in R, om. H.] his real seege and his chaiere
As blyue hym settë: þus may kyngës leere,
     3260
Distressëd knyghtes to helpë and releeue:
To take ensample of þis, it schal noght greue.
(467)
¶ What wonder was it, thogh þat knyghtës tho
     3263
Desirëden so noble princë serue,
Syn þat hym leuer was for to for-go
His dignite, and hir helþë*. [helthe to R.] conserue,
Than his estat keepe, and hym suffre sterue?
     3267
Yit hoope I seen his heir in þis prouince;
And þat schal ye be, my good lord þe prince.
     3269
(468)
¶ Before a iuge, eek in poynt to be deed,
     3270
Of Iulïus Cesar þer was a knyght,*. [¶ De Pietate Iulii Cesaris.]
Whiche, wiþ an hye voys, for to saue his heed,
To his lord Cesar cryde a-lowdë ryght,
By-sechynge hym þat, of his gracious myght,
     3274
He wolde hym helpe and rew*. [rewe R.] on his estat;
And Cesar sente hym a good aduocat. [folio 57a]
     3276
(469)
¶ And vnto þat, þis knyght as blyuë þus
     3277
On heightë wel, þat al þe peple it herde,
With manly cheerë spak to Iulius,
His lorde, and in þis wisë hym answerde:—
"Han ye for-gote how scharp it wiþ yow ferde,
     3281
Whan ye were in þe werrës of asie?
Maffeith! your lif stood þere in iupartie; Page  119
     3283
(470)
¶ "And aduocat ne sente I non to yow,
     3284
But my-self put in prees, & for yow faght;
My woundës beren good witnesse y-now
That I sooth seye; and, lest ye leeue it naght,
I schal yow schewe what harmë haue I*. [I haue R.] caght,
     3288
The doute out of youre hertë for to dryue."
He nakid hym, and schewëd hym as blyue.
     3290
(471)
¶ Of whiche, Cesar ful sorë was aschamed,
     3291
And in his hertë sorwe made, and moone;
He heeld hym selfen worthy to be blamed.
"My freend,"*. [frend R, feend H.] he seidë, "let me now allone;
Aduócat wole I be in my persone
     3295
ffor þe; I am wel holden to do soo."
And þus, þis knyght, his deth he saued fro.
     3297
(472)
¶ He dredde hym, if he naddë þus y-wroght
     3298
The peple hym wolde han*. [wolde hym haue R.] for a proude man deemed,
And vngentil, and þat he cowdë noght,
As that it scholde eeke haue vnto hym seemed,
Thanke hem þat worþy*. [worthy R, worþ H.] werë to be qwemed;
     3302
"What princë," quoth he, "peyneth hym naght wynne
His knyghtës*. [knyghtes R, knyghes H.] loue, his loue is to hem þynne." [folio 57b]
(473)
¶ Out of pitee, growith mercy and springiþ,
     3305
ffor piteelés man cán do no mercy;
What prince hem lakkith, naght aright he kyngeth;
And, for þat þei ben neghëboures so nygh,
To pitee, mercy ioynë now wole I.
     3309
Excellent prince haue in hem good sauour,
And ellës al in waast*. [all in veyne R, in waast H.] is your labour.
     3311
Page  120

[§ 6.] ¶ De Misericordia.*. [¶ Angustinus dicit, quod misericordia est aliene mi|serie ex corde vera com|passio, & hec vertus con|sistit in duo|bus, scilicet, dando & dimittendo.]

(474)
Mercy, aftir þe worde of seynt Austyn,*. [This page has an illuminated border and initial.]
     3312
Of herte is a verray compassïoun
Of othir menys harm, and þat comth yn
By gyfte of god, and by remissïoun;
As, if*. [if R, of H.] iniúrie or oppressioun
     3316
Be doon to vs, þat gilt for-yeue vs oghte,
ffor loue of crist, þat, by deth, our lif boghte.
     3318
(475)*. [¶ Matthaei vijo. Qui enim dimittit iniuriam, & si peccauerit ipse, dimit|tetur ei. ¶ Vnde domi|nus in euan|gelio: Date & dabitur vo|bis; dimitte & dimitetur vobis; sed qui dimittit & non dat, & si plene non operatus est, eam meliorem tamen par|tem tenet misericordie. ¶ Ambrosius. Quis fidelis sit, sobrius & castus & aliis vertuti|bus oneratus, si tamen mis|ericors non est miseri|cordiam non meritur. Di|cit enim Apos|tolus lacobus ijo. Iudicium sine miseri|cordia illi qui non facit misericor|diam.]
Who-so, wronge to hym doön, wole for-yeue,
     3319
His synnë schal to hym for-yeuen be;
Thogh þat he no þing of his goodës yeue,
The better part yit of mercy halt he;
Thus fynde I writen of auctorite:
     3323
but fully may þere no man do mercy,
But if þat he releuë þe nedy.*. [R. has the lines of this stanza wrong: 3319, 3324-5, 3320-1.]
     3325
(476)
Thogh þat a man be sobre, chaast, & trewe,
     3326
And be wiþ many an hy vertu endowëd,
And yeue, and naght for-yeue, it schal hym rewe:
Where as oure werkes mostë ben avowëd, [folio 58a]
The vnmerciáble schal be disallowëd:
     3330
Who naght forȝeueth, mercy dooth he non;
And mercyles man, mercy schal for-gon.
     3332
(477)
¶ Mercy, crist causëd to ben incarnate,
     3333
And humbled hym to take oure breþerhede.
God in-mortel, rewynge oure seek estate,
Mortel be-cam, to purge oure synful dede;
Hym lothid naght his precious body sprede
     3337
Vpon þe croys, this lord benyngne and good;
He wroot oure chartre of mercy with his blood. Page  121
(478)
¶ Of hym, his handwerk and his crëature,
     3340
ffor to be merciable, aright may lerne;
This lyf present schul but a whilë dure,
And lastynge it, your mercy naght ne werne,
O worthy princë, for to god eterne
     3344
It ful plesant is; dooth your mercy here;
ffor to late is, aftir ye goo to beere.
     3346
(479)
¶ Take hede, excéllent prince, of your graunt-syre,*. [¶ De miseri|cordia Iohan|nis ducis lancastrie, (cuius anime propicietur deus!) & de misericordia domini nostri Regis hen|rici, filii sui.]
How in his werkës he was merciáble;
He þat for mercy dydë, qwyte his hire!
He neuere was, in al his lyf, vengeáble,
But ay for-yaf the gylty and coupáble.
     3351
Our ligë lord your fadir, dith*. [doth R.] þe same;
Now folwe hem two, my lord, in goddis name!
(480)
¶ They often haddë gret cause hem to venge,
     3354
But hir spiritis bénigne and pesible
Thoghten þat craft vnlusty and alenge,
And fórbaar it; þei knewe it vnlisible. [folio 58b]
To mercy were hir hertës ay flexible;
     3358
ffor-why with mercy god schal qwyte hem wel,
Aftir þe wordës write in þe gospell.*. [¶ Beati misericordes &c.]
     3360
(481)
¶ It is to leue and deme, if a kyng schyne
     3361
In vertu, þat his sonë schuldë sue,
And to his fadris manerës enclyne,
And wykked teichës and vices eschue:
Thus oghte it be, this to natúre is due.
     3365
He mot considre of whom he took hys kynde,
And folwe his vertu, as men writen fynde. Page  122
     3367
(482)
¶ He moost is like to god, as seith Bernard,*. [¶ Ait beatus Bernardus, 'Ille maxime deum imitat, qui nichil iudicauerit preciosius quam mise|reri.']
     3368
Þat holdeth no þing morë precious
Than to be merciful; it is ful hard
To lakkë mercy and ben vnpitous.
"Mercy wole I," seith oure lord glorious;*. [¶ Matthaei. ij. clamauit deus, miseri|cordiam volo; qui quod vult deus, deo negat, a deo sibi quod desiderat, vult negari.]
     3372
He þat denyeth god, þát he wolde haue,
God nayte*. [nay R.] hym schal, þat he wil axe or craue.
(483)
¶ Senek seith how þe kyng and þe ledere*. [[R, om. H] Seneca dicit, quod rex apium om|nino sine aculeo est; voluit enim natura nec seuum esse, nec ulcionum expetere.]
     3375
Of bees is prikkëles; he haþ right non
Wherwith to styngen, or annoye, or dere;
But othir bees, prikkës*. [prikles R.] han euerichon;
Natúrë woldë sche schulde it*. [hir R.] for-goon,
     3379
And do no cruelte vnto þe swarm,
But mekely hem gouerne, & do non harm.
     3381
(484)
¶ Of þis, ensample schuldë kyngës take,
     3382
And princes, þat han peple for to gye;
ffor to hem longith it, for goddës sake,
To wayuë cruelte and tyrannye, [folio 59a]
And to pitee, hir hertës bowe & wrye,
     3386
And reule hir peple esily and faire:
It is kyngly, be meeke and debonaire.
     3388
(485)
¶ I rede of á kyng, þat Pirus was named,*. [¶ De miti animo Regis Piri.]
     3389
Whan hym was tolde, how þat men of Tarente
Hadde, at a festë, his estat diffamed,
He for þe samë folkës blyuë sente;
And whan þey cam, axid to what entente
     3393
They of hym spak so, and so foulë ferde;
And oon of hem, as ye schulle here, answerde:*. [answerde R, answere H.]Page  123
(486)
¶ "My lord, if þat þe wyne noght faillëd hadde,
     3396
Al þat we spak, nerë but game and play,
Hauynge rewardë*. [rewarde R, reward H.] to þe wordës badde
That we thoghte haue I-spoken in good fay."
The kyng took a laghtre, and wente his way,
     3400
And of al þat, he heeld hem*. [hem R, hym H.] ful excused:
He seide it wás wyne, þat so hem accused.
     3402
(487)
¶ Wengeance, in þis good lord, haddë no stide;
     3403
Mercy and humble disposicïoun
Dispensid*. [Dispendede he R.] with tho men, and grace hem dide,
And thriste vndír foote cruelte adoun.
O myghty princë! this condicïoun
     3407
To your highnessë is ful ácordant,
And vnto god al-myghty ryght plesant.
     3409
(488)
¶ Power withouten mercy, a kyng tourneth*. [¶ Potestas sine miseri|cordia vertit Regem in tirannum: ita scriptum est.]
     3410
Into a tyraunt, war þat feendly spek!
ffor in what man þat cruelte soiourneth,
Vnto his soule it is an odious spek. [folio 59b]
Tho men of god han nouthir look ne bek,
     3414
But if þat it be bekkës of manace,
Where as his*. [his R, is H.] mercy folweþ mochë grace.
     3416
(489)
¶ Salomon in his prouerbis expressith,*. [¶ Prouerbi|arum capitu|lo xxo. Misericordia & veritas Regem cus|todiunt; & roboratur clemencia thronus eius.]
     3417
'Mercy and trouthë,*. [trouthe R, trouche H.] wardeynes ben of kyngës;
And with iustice also,' as he witnéssith,
'His trone is strengþed:' what man þat a kyng is,
But if þat he, amongis oþir thyngës,
     3421
Endowëd he wiþ allë þisë thre,
Men seyn he halteth in his hyge*. [hye R.] degre. Page  124
     3423
(490)
¶ A noble and glorious kynde of vengeance*. [signe of mercy R.] is,
     3424
A knyght to spare, whan þat he sleë may.
Ther was a duc callid pisistaris,*. [¶ De miseri|cordia ducis Pisistaris.]
Þat a yong doghtir haddë, a fair*. [faire R.] may,
Whiche with hir modir walkid on a day—
     3428
Naght seith the book whider, ne what to done,
But þus it schoop, as I schal tellë sone.
     3430
(491)
¶ A yong, fresche, lusty, wel by-seyën man
     3431
So brente in loue, he wentë for to dye,
Rauyssht of þe beauté of þis womman,
This tendir*. [tendre R, tedir H.] yong morsel, þis doghter, I seye.
And as þis yong man mette hir in þe weye,
     3435
He at a leep was at hir, and hir kyste:
The modir, angry wood, whan sche it wiste,
     3437
(492)
¶ Sche right*. [right R, righ H.] anon hir lord, þe duc, be-soghte*. [besought R, be-soghe H.]
     3438
To putte hym to þe deth for his trespas.
He seydë nay; to do þat neuere he þoghte:
"Schulle*. [Shulde R, Schullen H.] we sleen hem þat louen vs? allas! [folio 60a]
What schuld we þanne in the contrárie cas,
     3442
That is to seyn, do*. [done to R, to do H.] to our enemys?"
Thus seide þis duc, mercïable and wys.
     3444
(493)
Allas! whi was þis womman so vengeáble?
     3445
Certes, in þat sche lakked wommanhede.
This louer hadde ben deede, it is no fable,
If þis duc hadde ben like*. [like R, om. H.] to hir in dede;
But mercy hym for-bad, any blood schede;
     3449
Sche and pitee weren of oon accord,
And senten pacïence vnto þis lord. Page  125
     3451
(494)
And for as mochil as þat pacïence
     3452
To mercy as in lyne of blood atteyneth,
Now wole I do my payne and diligence,
To telle how hir benignyte restreyneth
The feruent hetë þat þe hertë pyneth
     3456
Wrechë cruel to take, and scharp vengeaunce,
Of þat þe herte of man felith greuaunce.
     3458

[§ 7.] ¶ De Paciencia.

(495)
Gregórie seith, pacïencë verray*. [This page is illuminated with an initial G, and a scroll work border on three sides.—G. England.]*. [¶ Gregorius dicit, paci|encia vera est, aliena mala equanimiter pati, & contra eum qui mala irrogat, nullo dolore mori. ¶ Socrates dicit, Nemo bene sapiens est qui paci|enciam non habet; viri enim boni est scire pati &c.]
     3459
Is, of harm doon to man, softë souffraunce,
And naght be wrooth, by no manere of way,
With hym þat hath y-doon a man nusance.
Socrates seith, no mannës gouernance
     3463
Is wys, but it be by suffrancë preeued;
A good man souffrith wrong, and is not greued.
(496)
¶ The kynde of pacïence is to sustene [folio 60b]
     3466
Myghtily wrongës, and hem neuere wreke,
But hem for-yeue, and wratthe & irous tene
Out of þe hertë for to spere and steke.
Hir kynde is noght to lete a word out breke,
     3470
That harmful is; for hertë voyde of ire
Hath naght wherwith to sette a tonge afire.
     3472
(497)
¶ O pacïent, o humble kyng benyngne!
     3473
O kyng Dauid! þi pacïent meeknesse
Naght meeued was ageyn Semey maligne,
Whos hy malice and crabbid wikkidnesse
Yaf greet enchesoun to thy worthynesse
     3477
To vengë the; but þi benyngnite
ffor-bad þyn hand to kythë cruelte. Page  126
     3479
(498)
¶ As this kyng onës cam to bahurim,*. [¶ Regum 2o. Capitulo 16. Venit ergo Rex Dauid vsque bahu|rim & ecce egrediebatur &c.]
     3480
Out cam þis man, malicïous Semey,
Sone of Gera, and swiche despite dide hym
And to his men, as by hym wenten they,
Castyngë stonës vnto hym alwey,
     3484
That wondir was; for which, on Abusay*. [¶ Dixit au|tem Abusay filius Saruie: Quare male|dicit canis iste? &c. Vadam & am|putabo [ca|put ejus R], ¶ Et ait Rex: 'dimitte eum vt maledicit juxta precep|tum domini. Si forte respi|ciat dominus affliccionem meam, & reddet mihi bonum pro malediccione hac hodierna &c.]
Wolde haue hym slayn; but þe kyng seidë, "nay!
(499)
¶ "Lat hym curse, aftir þe comaundëment
     3487
Of god; whan he seeth myn affliccïoun,
And my disese, and my grevous turment,
He wole, for þis dayës malicïoun,
Par áventurë, do me som guerdoun."
     3491
Thus vndirstonde I, write is in þe bible,
Whiche is a book autentik and credible.
     3493
(500)
¶ The paciënce of Iob, men may nat hyde, [folio 61a] *. [¶ De pacien|cia Regis Alexandri.]
     3494
The comoun voys wole algate it by-wreye;
And Alisaundre, whos fame is sprad ful wyde,
fful pacïent was, as þe bookës seye.
A sad wys knyght of his with lokkës greye,
     3498
Grucchynge ageyn his fleschely lustës, seide
Vnto his lord, and þus he hym vp breyde:
     3500
(501)
¶ "O Alisaundre! it is vncouenable,
     3501
The for to haue of peple regyment,
Syn þi lust, bestial and miserable,
Hath qweynt thy resoun and entendëment
So ferforth, þat the hetë violent
     3505
Of leccherye is in þe, lord and sire;
Repreef, I dredë, qwytë schal þin hire. Page  127
     3507
(502)
¶ "ffy! schamëles vnworthy gouernour!"
     3508
And whan þe knyghtës talë was al endid,
The kyng answerde, "I knowë myn errour;"
And pacïently seide, "I haue offendid;
I woot it wel; and it schal be amendid."
     3512
A man also to Iulius Cesar onës*. [¶ De pacien|cia Iulii Cesaris.]
Crabbidly seid, and schrewdly*. [sharply R.] for þe nonës,
     3514
(503)
¶ And among othir wordës þat he speek,
     3515
"Iulius," quod he, "make it noght so tow,*. [tough R (rymes: ynough, hough)]
ffor of thy birthe art þou noght wort a leek:
Whens þat þou cam, men knowen wel I-now:
Wenest þou naght þat*. [that R, þan H.] I can tellen how
     3519
Thy fadir was a bakere? o, lat be!
Ne make it nat so qweyntë, I pray the!"
     3521
(504)
¶ Smylynge, vnto hym spak þis Emperour: [folio 61b]
     3522
"Whethir supposist þou bet, þat noblesse
Begynne in me, or noblesse and honour
Deffaile in þe?" this questïoun, I gesse,
Was, in swiche cas, but answer of softnesse;
     3526
ffor þat was seide in repreef of his name,
His pacïence, as who*. [who R, swo H.] seith, took*. [took it R.] in game.
     3528
(505)
¶ To þe chiualrous worþy*. [Chyualerous worthy R, chiualours worþ H.] Scipio*. [¶ De Pacien|cia Scipionis affricani bel|licosissimi.]
     3529
Of Aufrik, also speek onës a wight,
And seide, "in armës durste he but smal do;
He faght but smal whan he cam to þe fight."
And paciently answerde he anon right,
     3533
"My modir me bare, a childe feeble and smal,
And forth me broghte, and no fightere at al." Page  128
     3535
(506)
¶ Senek seith, how þe kyng Antigone
     3536
Herde onës folk speke of hym wikkedly,*. [¶ De benig|nitate [&] paciencia Regis Anti|gone.]
ffor ther nas*. [nas R, nat H.] but a curtyn, as seith he,
Twixt hym and hem; and whan hys tyme he sy,
Aside he drow the curtyn sodenly,
     3540
And seidë, "gooth hens, lest þe kyng yow here,
ffor þe curtyn haþ herde al your matere."
     3542
(507)
¶ Of duc Pisistaris eek wil I telle:
     3543
He hadde a freend, arispus was his name,*. [¶ De pacien|cia & miseri|cordia ducis pisistaris supra nomi|nati.]
Whiche onës hastily, with wordës felle
Rebukid so þis duc, þat it was schame
To heren it; and yit, with sorwe and grame,
     3547
He in despyt spette in þis dukës face;
And he þerto no word spak in þat place.
     3549
(508)
¶ He had him so in port & word and chere, [folio 62a]
     3550
Ryght as hym hadde be do no vilenye,
But luked forth in a freendely manere.
Now ther were in this dukës companye
His sonës two, that busked hem in hye
     3554
To this Arispus, and wolden ful*. [full R, su H.] fayn,
Nad hir fadir hem let, haue hym Islayn.
     3556
(509)
¶ The nextë day after, this Arispus
     3557
To takë gan consideracïoun
How that he to þe duke mys-bare hym thus,
And madë morë waymentacïoun
Than I can make of nominacioun*. [now mensioun R.];
     3561
He wolde han slayn himselfe, it is no lese,
But that this duke broughte al to rest & pees. Page  129
(510)
¶ Whan he knew how it with Arispus stood,
     3564
He dressid him to him, and þat as swithë,
And bad him to be glad of cheere and mood;
He seide, and swoorë*. [swore R, swoor H.] to him oftë sithë,
"As freendly wole I be, and stande as ny the
     3568
As I dide euere;" and thus his pacïencie
And meknesse hath qwenchid al*. [all R, as H.] þis offence.
     3570
(511)
¶ Salomon seith, in him is sapience*. [¶ Salomon. Ubi est hu|militas, ibi sapientia. Origines: si humilis non fueris in te non potuit habitare gra|cia spiritus sancti.]
     3571
That is indewed with benyngne humblesse.
Grace of þe holy goost, no residence
Holdith in þat man þat lakkéth meeknesse.
God took vppon him humble buxumnesse
     3575
Whan he him wrappid in our mortell rynde:
That oughte a myrour be to al man-kynde.*. [At the bottom of this page is the figure of a man in a pink jacket, lying on his back upon a patch of grass, and holding in his hands the end of a rope noose, with which he is pulling into its place stanza 512, left out at first, and then written in the margin opposite st. 511.—G. E.]
     3577
(512)
¶ Plesant to god was þe virginite*. [¶ Bernardus dicit, Beata maria, ex virginitate placuit deo, sed ex humil|itate conce|pit deum. [Written over stanza 512.]]
     3578
Of his modir; but verray god & man
Conseyued was thoruȝ þe humilite
Whiche he be-heeld in þat blyssed woman.
O humble maidë! who is it þat can
     3582
The debonaire humblessë tellen al,
Restynge in þy clennessë virginal?
     3584
(513)
¶ Thogh þat þe humble were a foul habyt, [folio 62b] *. [¶ Basilius. Humilis licet habitu vilis sit, gloriosus tamen est virtutibus. Superbus autem si de|corus vide|atur aspectu tamen operi|bus vilis est. ¶ Isodorus. Quamuis summus es humilitatem tene. Salo|mon. Quan|to maior, &c.]
     3585
Ȝit in vertuës glorious is he;
But þe proud man stant in anoþer plyt;
Thogh his array be fair & fresche to se,
His dedës and his werkës foulë*. [foule R, foul H.] be.
     3589
What hyȝe estate þat a man represente,
Humble to be, let hym sette his entente! Page  130
     3591
(514)
¶ Humylite verray, as seith Cesárie,*. [¶ Cesarius. Nunquam sine caritate vera humili|tas aut fuerat aut poterat esse. ¶ Ysodorus. Nullum pre|mium cari|tati equatur, caritas enim virtutum om|nium optinet principatum. A regno dei se separant qui semetipsos a caritate dissociant.]
     3592
May neuere be with-outen charite;
And sche is a vertu most necessarie:
Amongës allë vertuës þat be,
Sche on hem alle opteeneth dignite.
     3596
They fro þe regne of god hem-self dyuyde,
That charite wayven and caste a-syde.
     3598
(515)
¶ Right as a man ne may nat thider goo*. [¶ Anselmus. Et sicut sine via nullus peruenit quo tendit, Ita, sine caritate que dicta est via ab aposto|lo, non recte ambulare possumus in via dei. ¶ Augustin|us. Habe caritatem & fac quod vis, &c.]
     3599
Where he purposeth hym, but if a way
Be thiderward, seint Amselm seiþ, right so,
With-outen charite, men goo ne may
Aryght vnto godward: men mowen ay
     3603
Doon as him list, if þei ben charitable;
But lakkynge it, is no þing profitable.
     3605
(516)
¶ Only keepyng of charitee vs preeveth, [folio 63a]
     3606
That we disciples ben of god almyghty.*. [¶ Gregorius in moralibus. Omnipoten|tis eterni dei nos esse dis|cipulos sola custodia cari|tatis probat. ¶ Scriptum est, Nemo quidem sanc|torum ad celestem glor|iam, nisi pacienciam seruando peruenit.]
What þing it be þat harmeth man or greueth,
By goodnesse ouercome it paciently;
No seint to heuene comyth, as rede I,
     3610
But by kepynge of pacïence, and how
Men may it lerë, wole I schewë yow.
     3612
(517)
Take heede how, whan þat crist oure sauëour
     3613
Was bobbid, and his visage al be-spet,
And gret despit doon him, and déshonour,
Bounden and scourgëd & greuoúsly bett,
Crownëd with thorne, naylëd to þe gybett,
     3617
Ȝit, for al this tormént, no word he speeke,
So was he pacïent, benigne, and meke. Page  131
     3619
(518)
And syn our lord god was of swiche suffránce,
     3620
Thanne is it to his crëaturë schame,
On greef to hym doon, take any vengeánce.
Man oghtë rathir sorowe for the blame
That god schal konne him þat hath done þe grame,
Than for þe harme þat þe greuéd haþ hent:
So doth þe charitáble and pacïent.
     3626

[§ 8.] De Castitate.

(519)
To chastite purpóse I now to haste,*. [This page, 63 a, has an illuminated initial T, and scroll bordering on three sides.—G. E.]
     3627
Whiche couenable is, and conuenient,
Vn-to a kyng for to sauoure and taaste.
What princë þat with vnclennesse is brent,*. [¶ Scriptum est, Nisi pu|dicitia sedeat in mente, nulla perfec|tio sequitur in opere.]
And ther-in settith his luste and talent,
     3631
No perfyt dede or werk him folwe may:
Mochil, is hertë chaast, to goddys pay.
     3633
(520)
Right as þe persone of a prince outward
     3634
Honúred is wiþ clothës precïous,
So aughte his hertë cloþid ben inward
With vertu, and hym kythë vertuous.
ffresche apparaile and hertë leccherous [folio 63b]
     3638
Unsittynly ben in a Princë ioynt,
Namëly in a cristen kyng enoynt.
     3640
(521)
¶ In as mochel as dignite of a kyng
     3641
Excedith othir folk in reuerence,
The more hym oghtë peyne hym, lest al þing
Othir folk passe in vertuous excellence.
Honour noȝt ellës is in éxistence
     3645
Than reuerencë ȝeuen in witnesse
Of*. [Of R, Or H.] vertu, as þe scripturës*. [scripture doth R.] expresse. Page  132
     3647
(522)
¶ Honur, whiche was goten vertuously,*. [[R, om. H] Boecius dicit, Honor vir|tuose adqui|situs, non primo per dignitatem adquirebatur, sed dignitatis honor per virtutem ad|quisitus erat, &c.]
     3648
Ne was naght first by dignite purcháced,
As þat Boecë telleþ éxpresly,
But dignitees honour was émbraced
With vertu; dignite had ben vnlaced
     3652
And vngirt of honour, nad vertu be;
ffor vertu hath hir propre dignite.
     3654
(523)
¶ Aristotle counseilled Alisaundre,
     3655
To leccherye he noght enclynë scholde,
ffor it [is] hoggës lif, whiche were esclaundre*. [disclaundre R.]
To him, if he tho weiës takë wolde
That beestës resonles vsen and holde;
     3659
ffor of body it is destruccïoun,
And eek of al vertu corrupcioun.
     3661
(524)
¶ Syn thei, þat naght were*. [were R, neuer H.] of cristen bapteme,
     3662
Counseillëd men eschuë leccherie,
Than oghte vs cristen men þat vicë fleeme,
And swichë lustës in vs mortifie.
Who so entendeth in-to blisse stye, [folio 64a]
     3666
That firy sparkle algate he moste qwenche,
And lustës leue, of lady and of wenche.
     3668
(525)
¶ The scripture seïþ, no fornicatour,*. [¶ Ad Ephe|sios. vo. ffor|nicator non habebit here|ditatem in regno christi & dei. Ad Ebreos, iijo. fforni|catores & adulteros iudicabit deus.]
     3669
The regne of crist and god shal énherite;
It seith eek, that him and þe aduoutour
God demë shal; he can hir labour qwyte
fful scharply, that in tho tweynë delite,
     3673
And so he wolë, but*. [but yf R.] correccioun
Be mannës scheeld, & his proteccioun. Page  133
     3675
(526)
¶ Affrican Scipio, þat noble knyght,
     3676
Whan he was xxti and iiij of age,*. [¶ De casti|tate Scipionis Affricani.]
And by prowesse, and by manhode & myght
Cartágiens putte hadde into seruáge,
Ther was a mayde sent him into hostáge,
     3680
Of yeerës ripe I-now, and of beaute
Most excellent that men myghte owher se.
     3682
(527)
¶ And whan þis worthi ȝong prince honurable,
     3683
This woman sigh, of hir he took good ȝeme,
Thynkynge þat she was of beaute able,
The worthieste on lyuë for to queeme;
And in him multiplied thoughtës breeme;
     3687
But nathëles, for al þis besy þought,*. [thought R, þough H.]
Enquere he gan, if she wyf were, or nouȝt.
     3689
(528)
¶ Sche trouthëd was to Iudibal, men seide,
     3690
A lord of þat Citee; and Scipio,
On a mynystre of his þe chargë leide,
ffor hir fadir and modir blyuë goo.
Thei at his*. [his R, om. H.] hestë cam vnto him tho; [folio 64b]
     3694
And in hir clenë virginal estat,
Restorëd he þis mayde inuiolat.
     3696
(529)
¶ The gold eek þat for hir redempcioun
     3697
Purveyëd was, for-ȝaf he vtterly,
In help and increes and promocïoun
Of hir wedlok. and whan Iudibal sy
And knewe how scipio thus nobl[el]y
     3701
Demenëd him, he was ful wel apayed
Of þat he grucchid first, and was affrayed. Page  134
     3703
(530)
¶ He went vnto testatës*. [thestates R.] of þe toun,
     3704
And tolde hem al þe cas, as it befil;
And thei þis lord yaf loude*. [laude R.] and hy renoun
ffor þat; and allë,*. [alle R, al H.] with oon hert and wil,
Submitted hem to þis princë*. [(? vnto þis prince) to this prynces wille R.] gentil;
     3708
Thus hertë*. [hert H R.] chaast and tendre gentillesse
Conquéreth hertës, rather þan duresse.
     3710
(531)
¶ Or marcus marcellus had þe citee
     3711
Of Ciracusë taken or y-nome,
He leet do crye amongës his meyne,
That whan þe citee he had ouercome,
And his folk ther-in entred*. [entred R, entreted H.] were & come,
     3715
Noon be so hardy, þe wommen oppresse,*. [to oppresse R.]
Ne touche hem by no wey of vnclennesse.
     3717
(532)
¶ Ther was also a seemly fresshe yong man,
     3718
To whom naturë swiche fauour had lent*. [¶ De casti|tate cuiusdam iuuenis.]
Of schap and beaute, þat þer nas womman
That onës had a look on hym dispent,
But þat hir hertë*. [hert H R.] yaf flesshely consent; [folio 65a]
     3722
And nathëles eschuëd he þe taast
Of vnclennesse, and kepte his body chaast.
     3724
(533)
¶ By toknës knew he hire vnclene entente,
     3725
And with his naylës cracched he his face,
And scocched it with knyuës, and to-rente,
And it so wonderly þus*. [þus, om. H R.] gan difface,
That his beaute refusëd hadde hir place:
     3729
Al þis dide he, hir hertës*. [hertes R, hert H.] to remewe
ffrom him, and make hem vnclennésse eschue. Page  135
(534)
¶ Ierom tellith, agayn Iouinian,*. [¶ De casti|tate cuiusdam temine Vlie numcupate.]
     3732
A faire womman, a maidë clept Vlie,
Y-wedded was vnto an agëd man,
A Romayn, smyten with þe pallësie;
But sche in chastite was sette so hye,
     3736
That an ensaumple verrayliche was sche
To allë tho þat louëd chastitee.
     3738
(535)
¶ Hire housbonde herde onès*. [ones hade R, herde oned H.] an enemy,
     3739
Whiche þat he haddë, spoke*. [that said and spake R, þat he hadd spoke H.] in his repreef,
That his breth stank, as þat he stode him by;
Wher-of he toke gret heuynesse and greef;
He goth hoom to his wyf, and þis mescheef
     3743
fful heuely to hire he gan compleyne,
And þus of hire he gan to aske and freyne:
     3745
(536)
¶ "Whi, wyf," quod he, "han ye noght or this tyme
I-warnëd me how þat it wiþ me stood?"
"Sire, it was nought," quod sche, "aspied by me;
I held your breth ay also suete and good
As other mennës ben; I vnderstood [folio 65b]
     3750
Non othir, ne yit do in sothfastnesse."
fful fewë men had sche kist, as I gesse.
     3752
(537)
¶ She hily was to preyse and to commende,
     3753
That naght ne knewe by othir mennès mouthes
Hir makis vice: it*. [it R, at H.] was al wel, sche wende.
To fyndë many swiche ful vnkouthe is;
Lat vs awayte wel whan þe wynd south is
     3757
And north at onès blowynge on þe sky,
And fyndë swiche an hepe þan hardily. Page  136
     3759
(538)
¶ Plato, his patrimoygne and his contree*. [¶ De Platonis castitate.]
     3760
Lefte and for-sook, and dwelte in wildernesse,
ffor to restreynë fleschely nycete;
And his disciples louëd so clennesse,
And for to fallen hadden swiche gastnesse,
     3764
Hir eyën they out of hir heedës brente,
Lest sighte of hem, spottë myght*. [myght spotte R.] her entente.
(539)
¶ Demostenes his handës onës putte*. [¶ De Domes|tenes casti|tate.]
     3767
In a wommannës bosom iapyngly,
Of facë faire, but of hir body a slutte:
"With yow to delë," seide he, "what schal I
Yow yeuë?" "xl pens," quod sche, soothly.
     3771
He seydë nay, so dere he byë nolde
A thyng for whiche þat him repentë*. [repent H, R.] schulde.
(540)
¶ I fynde, how two doughtres of a duchesse,*. [¶ De casti|tate duarum filiarum cuiusdam ducisse.]
     3774
The fleschely touches of men for to fle,
When men of Hongary hem wolde oppresse,
In cónseruynge of hir virginite,
Thei hem purveyded a good sotilte: [folio 66a]
     3778
Thei chiknës flesche putte vndirneþe hir pappes,
Hem to defendë from vnclenly happes.
     3780
(541)
¶ Be-holde, of wommen here a noble wyle!
     3781
In schort avisëment, who can do bet?
Bi that þis flesche þus hadde leyen a while,
And þat it was y-chaufëd wel and hete,
It stank so foulë, þat it haþ I-lette
     3785
Tho men, þat wery þei were of hir pray,
And fórsook þe wommen, and went hir way. Page  137
     3787
(542)
¶ O wommanhode! in þe regneþ vertu
     3788
So excellent, þat to*. [to R, so H.] feble is my witt
To éxpresse it; wherefor I am eschu
To melde*. [medle R.] or make a long sermoun of it.
Som mannës mouth yit wolde I were I-schet,
     3792
That vice of wommen spareþ nought*. [not R, nough H.] bywreye,
ffor allë*. [alle R, al H.] soothës ben nought for to seie.
     3794
(543)
¶ But for to talkë forth of contynence
     3795
Or chastite,—who-so chaast lyuë schal,
Moot scourge his fleschely lust with abstinence,
Thristë him dowyn, yeue him no place at al:
Metës & drynkës make a soulë thral,
     3799
If þe body be reulëd by excesse;
ffor-thi it nedeth take of hem þe lesse.
     3801
(544)
¶ Excesse of mete and drynke is wombës frende,
     3802
And wombe is next to oure membres priue;
Glotonye is ful plesant to þe fende,
To leccherië redy path is sche.
The fend lyth in a-wayte of oure freelte, [folio 66b]
     3806
And stireth a man to drinkës delicat,
To make agaynës chastite debat.
     3808
(545)
¶ A man schulde ete and drynke in swiche a wise
     3809
As may be to his helthës sústenynge,
Aftir þe doctrine of Senek þe wise.
Sum man drynketh the wyn þat is wenynge;
Than*. [When R.] he drynkeþ his witt: more is preysinge
     3813
And honurable, a man compleyne of*. [of R, or H.] thrist,
Than dronken be, whan he þe cuppe haþ kist. Page  138
(546)
¶ Thus seidë Ierom vn-to a virgyne:
     3816
"O doghter, syn thapostle sorë dredde*. [¶ Ieronimus ad filiam vir|ginem. 'O filia,' inquit, 'si apostolus castigauit corpus & in seruitutem redegit.']
Lust of his flesche, and dide his body peyne,
And heeld it lowe, and symplëly it fedde,
Wherthoruȝ þe vice of vnclennesse he fledde,
     3820
Of continence how maist þou siker be,
Of foodë delicat þat hast plente,
     3822
(547)
¶ And specialy now in þi youthës hete*. [hete R, hede H.]?"
     3823
ffor who so wilneth to be contynent,*. [¶ Seneca. Si continenciam diligis, cir|cumcide su|perflua & voluptuosa.]
Many a lust superflu mot he lete,
And lykerous; by mesure, his talent
Mesúre he moot; whan resoun is regent
     3827
Of man, þan regneþ no delicacie;
Resoun, a man defendeth fro folye.
     3829
(548)
¶ The wynës delicat, and swete and strong,
     3830
Causen ful many an inconuenience;
If þat a man outrageously hem fonge,
Thei birien*. [birien R, biren H.] wit, and fórbeden scilence
Of conseil; thei outraien pacience, [folio 67a]
     3834
Thei kyndlen ire, and firen liccherie,
And causen both body and soulë dye.
     3836
(549)
¶ And trewëly*. [trewly H, truly R.] it is ful perilous
     3837
Vnto a princë, whiche þat hath a land
In gouernance, in þat be vicïous;
It nedeth him take heede vnto his hand,
Þat that vicë him combre not; for and
     3841
It do, he schal noght regnë but a throwe:
fful many a man haþ éxcesse ouerthrowe. Page  139
     3843
(550)
¶ Of babiloynë, þe kyng Baltasar,*. [¶ Danielis vio. Eadem nocte inter|fectus est Baltasar, Rex Caldeus, & Darius medus successit in regno, &c.]
     3844
Nat haddë ben I-pryuëd of his lyf,
If he of dronkenessë*. [drunkenesse R, dronkenes H.] hadde be war;
But for þat he þerin was défectyf,
It of his deth was verray causatyf;
     3848
By nyghtertale he was slayn by kyng dárie;
Thus payeth glotoun éxcesse hir salárie.
     3850
(551)
¶ Thorugh drunkenesse, how took his deth Nabal?*. [¶ Regum I. capitulo xxvo. Cor Nabal iocundum erat ebrius enim nimis, &c. Machabeo|rum xxviijo. ¶ Et cum inebriatus esset Simon & filii eius, surexit tholo|meus, &c.]
And how slow Tholome also Symoun?
Allas! þat drynkë so man seruë schal!
How leidë Lothës doghtres hem a-down
By hir fadir? whan his discrecïoun
     3855
Was dreynt with wyn, he with hem fleschely delte,
And þerof no thing ne wistë nor*. [nor R, or H.] feelte.
     3857
(552)
¶ How was eek Olofernë, by Iudith*. [¶ Genesis xixo. Veni, inebriemus eum vino, dormiamus|que cum eo, vt reseruare possimus ex patre nostro semen, &c. Iudith. capi|tulo 22o.]
     3858
The womman slayn, but þorugh his drunkenesse?
What prince it be, þat spotted is þerwith,
His welthe haþ but a brotil stablenesse:
Of swichë stories mo wolde I expresse, [folio 67b]
     3862
But for I noght ne can, I lete hem passe;
I am as lewed and dulle as is an asse.
     3864
(553)
¶ With litel foodë,*. [foode R, food H.] cóntent is natúre;
     3865
And bet þe body farith wiþ a lite,
Than whan it charged is out of mesúre.
Lookë what þing may þe body profite,
And þe soule in þe samë schal delite;
     3869
What þing þat it distempereth & dissesith,
The soule it hurteth, for it god displesith. Page  140
     3871
(554)
¶ Wratthë, þe body of man inward fretith,
     3872
And god þer-wiþ displesid is ful sore;
Envie also of god and man hir getith
Lik thank and ese, and schal do euermore;
And leccherie, as techiþ smertës lore,
     3876
The body wastith, and þe soulë grevith,
And foodë delicat þerto man meevith.
     3878
(555)
¶ Be-holde also, whan þat þe paunche is ful,
     3879
A fumë clymbith vp in-to þe heed,
And makiþ a man al lustles and al*. [all R, om. H.] dul;
He vexith*. [wexeth R.] heuy as a peece of leed.
Who-so þat þan woldë yeue him reed
     3883
To looke in a book of deuocïoun,
I trowe in ydel were his mocïoun.
     3885
(556)
¶ But conseil him to trotte vnto þe wyn,
     3886
And, for al his excesse and his outrage,
He þerto wole assentë wel and fyn,
And þerë wole he outen*. [uttre R.] his langáge,
And do to Bachus and Venus homáge; [folio 68a]
     3890
ffor non of hem two can be wel from othir,
Thei loue as vel*. [wele R.] as doth sustir & brothir.
     3892
(557)
And aftir moot he rownë with a pilwe,
     3893
His lyfles resouns þerë to despende.
We beestës resonable, allas! whi wil we
Ageyn resoun werrye, and hir offende?
O goodë*. [goode R, good H.] god! thy gracë to vs sende,
     3897
That we may fle suche superfluite,
And al þing that is foo to chastite!
     3899
Page  141

[§ 9.] De Regis Magnanimitate.

(558)
Off magnanimite now wole I trete,*. [This page is illuminated.—G. E.]
     3900
Þat is to seyn, strong herte or grete corage,
Whiche in knyghthode haþ stablisshed hir sete.*. [sete R, fete H.]
Ye, gracious Prince, of blode and of lynage
Descendid ben, to haue it in vsage;
     3904
Mars haþ euer ben frend to ȝour worþi lyne;
Ye moot of kyndë to manhode enclyne.
     3906
(559)
He þat is strong of corage and of herte,—
     3907
Yf he lordschipës haue, or grete richesse,
Or þat fortunës stynge hym ouerthwerte,*. [fortune . . ouerthwert R, fortunes . . ouerthwete H.]—
Is alwey on*. [one R.] in welthe and in distresse;
He, lucre and los, weyeth in euenesse;
     3911
He settiþ litel by good temperel;
How þe worlde schape, he takiþ it ay wel.
     3913
(560)
¶ But for to speke of corage of a kyng, [folio 68b]
     3914
he of his peple oweþ be so cheer,
That hir profet he moot for any þing
Promotë wit his myght and his power.
¶ And for his reme and him take him so neer,
     3918
That vnto þe perilës of bataille
He moot him puttë, and in hem trauaylle,
     3920
(561)
¶ And in diffense of holy chirche also,
     3921
And for oure feith putte him in iupartye*. [iuperdie R, partye H.];
Othir causes ben ther but fewë mo,
Whi a kyng aughte to bataylë hym hye,
And in tho causes drede him not to dye,
     3925
But kythe hym a good knyght a-mong his foos:
Thus wonne is magnanymyteës loos. Page  142
     3927
(562)
¶ Right as we seen by reson and natúre,
     3928
Part of mannys body diffendeth al;
As an arme putteþ him in áuenture
ffor þe body, þat nat perische it schal,
Right so a kyngës chertë special,
     3932
If he god loue, and his peple, & his*. [his, om. R.] land,
Whan nede is, mot diffende hem wiþ his hande.
(563)
¶ Thoruȝ grete*. [grete R, om. H.] emprises wonne is hy renoun;
     3935
Renoun is callëd glorie & honour;
Magnanimite haþ þis condicïoun,
That in bataile, how scharp þat be þe stour,
Hym leuere is to suffre dethës schour,
     3939
Than cowardly and schamëfully flee,
So manly of curáge and herte is he.
     3941
(564)
¶ He medleth neuere but of þingës grete, [folio 69a]
     3942
And hye, and vertuous; he neuere is meeved
With smalë thingës, as the bookës trete;
And swiche a drede haþ for to be repreued,
That vnto þing þat may be knowe or preued
     3946
ffor vilonous, or foul, or répreeuáble,
He neuere obeieþ, þis knyȝt honuráble.
     3948
(565)
¶ Thane I rede of oon clepet*. [I haue yredde of one clept R.] Coadrus,*. [¶ De mag|nanimitate Coadri Prin|cipis excer|citus athe|niensis.]
     3949
That was prince of þe oost of Athinyens,
How in þe feeld a lawë made was þus
Twixt his host and hem of Polipolens—
With triumphë schuldë*. [shulde R, schuld H.] þat part go þens,
     3953
Whos duc or Princë were vnarmëd slawe
In habit straungë; lo! swiche was þe lawe. Page  143
     3955
(566)
¶ Him leuer was him selfen for to dye,
     3956
And his men liuë, þan se hem be-stad
So streitë, þat by violent maistrie
His foos hadde hem venqwissht or ouer-lad.
A-dayës now is non swiche chierte had;
     3960
Algatës I ne can nat seen it vsid,
Knyghtës ben loth þerof to ben accused.
     3962
(567)
¶ O worthi Prince! I truste in ȝour manhode,
     3963
Medlid wiþ prudence and discrecïoun,
That ȝe schulle makë many a knyȝtly rode,
And þe pride of oure foos thristen adoun.*. [Hoccleve's trust was fulfild at Agincourt, &c.]
Manhode and witt conquéren hy renoun;
     3967
And qwo-so*. [who so R.] lakkiþ outhir of þe tweyne,
Of armës wantiþ þe bridél and reyne.
     3969
(568)
¶ Yf*. [Yf R, Of H.] þe ordre of knyghthode be resceyuëd, [folio 69b]
     3970
fful nedeful is a man to be prudent,
Ellës þat host may lightly be disceyuëd
That is vnto his gouernance I-bent;
Presumpcïon*. [Presumptuous R.] is disobedient
     3974
Al day, and by wisdom not will him gie,
All iustifieth his obstýnacie.
     3976
(569)
¶ Ofte in batailës hath be seen or this,
     3977
A sydë suffred hath discomfiture,
Whiche an vnwys heed giëd hath amys.
What knyght on hym takith þat charge or cure,
If he in knyghtly honur schal endure,
     3981
Him oghte endowëd ben of sapience,
And haue in armës greet experience. Page  144
     3983
(570)
¶ Experience and art in a*. [a R, om. H.] bataille,
     3984
Of þe prudent knyght morë may profite,
Than hardinesse or forcë may auaille
Of him þat þerof knoweþ noght or lite.
Hardinesse, in effecte, nat worth a myte
     3988
Is to victorious conclusïoun,
But wiþ hym medle art, wit, and resoun.
     3990
(571)
¶ Whan reueled wit and manly*. [reuled . . manly R, reueled . . namly H.] hardynesse
     3991
Ben knytte to-gidre, as ȝok of mariage,
Ther foloweþ of victórie þe swetnesse;
ffor to sette on hym whettith his coráge,
And wit restreyne his wil can & aswage
     3995
In tymë duë, and in*. [due and R.] couenáble;
And thus tho two ioynt ben ful profitable.
     3997
(572)
But be a knyght wys or coragëous, [folio 70a] *. [This page is illuminated.]
     3998
Or haue hem bothe at onès at his lust,
If þat his herte of good be désirous,
On his manhode is ther but litel trust.
God grauntë knyghtès rubbe away the rust
     4002
Of couetise, if it hir hertës cancre,
And graunte hem picche in souffisance hir ancre.

[§ 10.] Quod rex non debet felicitatem suam ponere in diuiciis.

(573)
Now, for as moche as magnanymyte
     4005
May no foot holde, if þat þe herte of man
Gretly vnto richesse enclynëd be,
Than is þe bestë reed þat I see can,
A kyng þer-in delyte hym naght; for whan
     4009
His herte is in þat vicë ficched hye,
Smal prowesse in hym wole it signifie. Page  145
     4011
(574)
And if a kyngës honour schal be queynt
     4012
With a foul and a*. [a R, om. H.] wrecched couetise,
His peples trust in hym schal be ful feynt;
A kyng may naght gouérne hym in þat wise;
The coueitous may do no gret emprise;
     4016
ffor whan his hertë lurketh in his cofre,
His body to batayle he dar not profre.
     4018
(575)
If þat a kyng sette his felicite
     4019
Principally on rychesse & moneye,
His peple it torneþ to aduersite,
ffor he ne rekkeþ in what wise or weye
He pile hem: allas! þat kyngës nobleye [folio 70b]
     4023
Turnë schulde into style of tirannye!
Allas! the peril, harme, and vilenye!
     4025
(576)
¶ God I byseeche, your hert to*. [hert to R, herte H.] enlumyne,
     4026
Gracïous princë, þat þe feend our foo
No power hauë so your hertë myne,
But of his gracë kepë yow ther-fro,
And grantë yow to gouernë yow so
     4030
As most holsom is for bodý and soule;
That desire I, by God and by seynt Poule.
     4032
(577)
¶ Whan that Marcus Curcius, a Romeyn,*. [¶ Qualiter Marcus Cur|cius dixit, quod mallet diuites ha|bere suo man|dato obedi|entes, quam diues ipsemet esse.]
     4033
Vnto þe Beneventans seegë leide,
ffor he was poore, as þat þey herdë seyn,
They a grete somme of gold hym sente, & preyde
Withdrawe his seege; and he answerde and seide,
"To hem retourneth / þat yow hider sente,
And thus to hem declareth myn entente: Page  146
     4039
(578)
¶ "Seye hem, Marcus Curcïus leuer is
     4040
Richë men haue at his commandëment,
Than to be riche hym-self; tellë hem this:
He may with gold not be corrupt, ne blent;
Of force of men eek, þey ben impotent
     4044
To venqwisshe hym; for þere hir art schal faile,
Hir blyndë profers schal hem noght auaile."
     4046
(579)
¶ To Alisaundre, as I schal tellen here,
     4047
A knyght, whiche was vnto hym specïal,*. [¶ Refert Va|lerius quali|ter quidam miles Alex|andri argue|bat eum de sua cupidi|tate.]
Thus spake, and blamed hym in þis manere:
He seide, "if oure goddës*. [goddes R, gooddes H.] thy body smal,
To thi gredy desire had maad egal, [folio 71a]
     4051
Al þe world haddë nouȝt be súffisant
To han receyuëd so large a Geaunt.
     4053
(580)
¶ "ffor with þi riȝt honde, thow þe orient
     4054
Shuldest han touchid, I am sure of þat;
And with þi lift honde, eke þe occident;
Now, syn þat þy*. [þy R, om. H.] body answérith nat
Vnto þi willë, what may*. [shall R.] I sey, what?
     4058
Ethir þou art a man, or god, or nouȝt;
Mechil of þe, merueyle I in my þought.
     4060
(581)
¶ "If þou be god, thow folow most his trace,
     4061
And nouȝt men of her gode robbe or be-reue,*. [nor reue R.]
But hem releue, & do hem ese and grace.
If þou be man, considere eke, by thy leue,
Þou art mortél, þou mayst be dede or eue.
     4065
If þou be no þing, þe putte out of mynde,
Os*. [As R.] he þat is of no nature or kynde. Page  147
     4067
(582)
¶ "Ther is no hye estate so sadde and stable,
     4068
Remembre wele,*. [wele R, wile H.] lat it nat be for-ȝete,
But he to falle in perile is ful able.
By deeth, a leon maad is briddës mete,
And bestës also his flessh gnawe & frete."
     4072
Þe answere of þe kyng, naught haue I herde;
My booke not telleth how he was answerde.
     4074
(583)
¶ Senek seith, the poër*. [poore R.] Diogenes,*. [¶ Pauper diogenes dicior erat Alexandro.]
     4075
Kyng Alisandre in richessë past,
ffor he ne myȝt, as he seith doutëles,
Ȝeue hym so mochil golde, ne on hym cast,
¶ As he refusë wolde: O! at the last, [folio 71b]
     4079
Men þinke shullen þei to mochil*. [moche R.] haue had,
And of þis worldys muk be ful vnglad.
     4081
(584)
Desire of good, a king mot leye apart,
     4082
And peyne him to purcháse him a good fame;
Ther-in lat him laboure, and doon his art;*. [part R.]
Ther nys no þing vnto*. [vnto = comparable to.] a worthi name;
And if a kyng it lakke, it were his shame,
     4086
And shame is contrarie vnto worthynesse;
Gode lose desserued,*. [loos decerued R.] is grettest richesse.
     4088
(585)
¶ And for largessë*. [largesse R, larges H.] wynneþ gode renoun,
     4089
Ther-of*. [Therof, pron. throf.] þink I now, to trete a litil stounde;
A prince & kyng of al a regioun
Mot avaricë thrist a-doune to grounde;
To hym þat lith in hellë depe I-bounde,
     4093
The,*. [Or is 'the' an article?] auarice, by-takë I to kepe;
Thow pynëpeny,*. [pynchepeny R.] ther ay mot þou slepe! Page  148
     4095
(586)
¶ Golde wolde, for*. [for R, om. H.] false enprisonyng,*. [fals prisonyng R.] a writ
     4096
Sue agayn þe, if he at largë were;
But he so fast is in þi cofre shit,
He may not out. O fals enprisonere,
Largessë woldë be with shelde & spere
     4100
Euen in þi berde, if he brake out to-morwe,
And for his sakë do thë care and sorwe.
     4102
(587)
¶ Þou to largessë dost ful muchil wronge,
     4103
Þat haþ*. [hast R.] hir seruant vndir þi seruage;
On the, and noght on hir, is it a-longe
Þat golde is lette to goon on hir message.
She haþ hym sent in many a viage [folio 72a]
     4107
Or this, & that was the comoun profyte,
The whiche to lette, is euere þi delyte.
     4109
(588)
Largesse only noght list golde seruant be
     4110
Vnto hir self; but the peple, she wolde
Had as gode part of hir seruyce as she;
To hir is al the comoun peple I-holde,
But þou makest þe peplës*. [peples R, peple H.] hertës colde;
     4114
Þou slest an hepë which þat she wolde saue;
Þou no wyte helpest, 5þow he þi help5*. [5_5 though he þyne help R. þow he þi peple H.] craue.
     4116
(589)
Me list no morë speke of þe this tyme,
     4117
But of myne helply lady souereyne
Largessë, my ladý, now wil I ryme,
And aftirward of þi cursëd careyne
I spekë shal; nought o worde wol I feyne,
     4121
But as scripturës treten of the, wrecche,
I touchë shal; þe feende*. [devell R.] the hennës fecche!
     4123
Page  149

[§ 11.] De Virtute Largitatis, & De Vicio Prodigalitatis.

(590)
Aristotil, of largesse, telleth this:*. [This page is illuminated, like the other section-head ones are.]*. [¶ Aristoteles de regimine principum, capitulo de largitate. 'Si vis virtutem largitatis ad|quirere, con|sidera posse tuum, tem|pora necessi|tatis & merita hominis,' &c.]
     4124
Who vertuously largë list to be,
Concider first of what power he is,
And eke the tymës of necessite;
And as þe men disseruen, so be fre;
     4128
Yif in mesure vn-to þe indigent
And the worthi, and þat is wel dispent.
     4130
(591)
¶ And who doth othir wyse in his ȝeuyng, [folio 72b] *. [[R, om. H] Qui aliter dat, regulam ex|cedit largita|tis. Qui lar|giter bona sua hominibus non indigen|tibus nulla; et quicquid datur indig|nis perditur; et qui fundit ultra modum diuicias suas, cito veniet ad amara litora paupertatis, et assimilatur illi qui victo|riam super se dat inimicis suis &c.]
     4131
Largesses rulë passith and excedith;
He nouther worthi is þank ne preysyng,
That to hym þat no nede hath, ȝiftës bedith.
Of verray folye also it procedith
     4135
To ȝeuë the onworthi; for þat*. [þi R.] cost
All mysse dispendid is, for it is lost.
     4137
(592)
¶ And he þat díspendith out of mesúre
     4138
Shal tast a-none pouértes bitternesse;
ffoole largesse is ther-to a verray lure.
Of hem also he berith the lyknesse,
That on him self, as þe booke berith witnesse,
     4142
Victórie ȝeueth to his enemys;
And he þat so dispendith, is not wyse.
     4144
(593)
¶ Largessë stant noght in mochil ȝeuynge,
     4145
But it is aftir þe wille & þe myght
Of hym þat ȝeueth aftir his hauynge;
ffor it may som tyme happë þat a wight,
Which of richessë berith nat but light,
     4149
Ȝeueth but smal; & ȝit larger is he
Than he þat ȝeueth gretter quantite. Page  150
     4151
(594)
¶ Aftir his goode, man may ȝeue & dispende
     4152
Wher as nede is; but he þat al*. [all R, hath al H.] dispendith,
And wastith al, shal him-selue first offende.
ffoolë largesse al day wrycchédly endith*. [Foole large . . . wrecchedly endith R, Fool largesse . . . wrycchedly enditith H.];
Many a man hir foule outragë shendith;
     4156
But of largesse is goode þe*. [of largesses goode R.] gouernaunce;
Bothë to god and man*. [Bothe . . . to man R, Both . . . man H.] it is plesaunce.
     4158
(595)
¶ Evene as a mannës blood is norisshyng [folio 73a]
     4159
To his body, if it corrupt naght be,
So ben richesses to soulës feedynge
Holsom, if þei, were-as necessite
Axith, despent ben, and also if he
     4163
Whiche þat hem wan, gat hem with riȝtwisnesse;
ffor heuene and helle is gotë*. [ben goten R.] by richesse.
     4165
(596)
¶ A crookid hors neuere is the bet*. [the better is R.] entecched,
     4166
Al-þogh his bridel glistre of gold, and schyne;
Right so a man þat vicious is, & wrecched,
And his richésses gote haþ of rapyne,
And also euele as man can ýmagyne,
     4170
Despendith hem / naght for hem þe bet is,
But mochil wers; good is*. [gode is to R.] take hede of þis.
     4172
(597)
¶ He þat his flesche dispendith, and his blood,
     4173
Mi lorde, in ȝour seruice, him ȝiftës bede;
There is largessë mesuráble good;
A kyng so bounde is, he moot doo so nede;
Seruice vnquyt and murdre, it is no drede,
     4177
As clerkes writen, and desheritaunce,
Bifore al-mighty god auxen*. [axen.] vengeaunce. Page  151
     4179
(598)
¶ Of fool largessë wole I talke a space;
     4180
How it befil, I not in what contree,
But þere was oon named Iohn of Canace,*. [This story, under different forms, was a very common one in the Middle Ages. One version will be found in my Latin stories, p. 28 . . . . the story of King Lear and his daughters is another version.—T. Wright, De Reg., p. 199.]
A richë man, & two douȝtres had he,
That to two worthy men of a Citee
     4184
He wedded*. [wedden R.] leet; and þerë was gladnesse
And reuel, morë than I can expresse.
     4186
(599)
¶ The fadir, his doughtres and hir husbondes [folio 73b]
     4187
Loued ful wele, and had hem leef & dere;
Tyme to tyme he ȝaf hem with his hondes
Of his goode passyngly; & þei swich chere
Him made, & were of so plesant manere
     4191
Þat he ne wist how be bettre at ese,
Þei couden hym so wele cheryssh & please.
     4193
(600)
¶ ffor he as mochil hauntid in partie
     4194
Hir house, as þat he did his ownë house;
Þei held hym vp so with her flaterye,
That of dispens he was outragëous,
And of goodë þei were ay desirous;
     4198
Al þat þei axed, haden þei redy;
Þei*. [And they R.] euer weren on hym right*. [right, om. R H.] gredy.
     4200
(601)
7 Þis sely man contynued his outráge,
     4201
Tyl al his goodë was disshid*. [wasted R.] & goone;
And when þei felt his dispenses a-swage,
Thei wax to him vnkyndë right*. [right R, om. H.] anone;
ffor after haddë*. [hade R, had H.] he cherishing none,
     4205
Thei wery weren of his companye:
And he*. [And he R, He H.] was wyse, and shope a remedye. Page  152
     4207
(602)
¶ He to a marchaunt goose, of his notise,
     4208
Wich þat his trusty frende had be ful ȝore,
Besechyng hym, þat he wold hym cheuyse
Of ten thousand*. ['x. Ml.' H, ten thousand R.] pounde, ne lenger ne more
Than dayës thre, and he wolde it restore
     4212
At his day; þis was done; þe summe he hent,
And to his ownë house þer-with he went.
     4214
(603)
¶ And on the mornë, prayde he to soupere [folio 74a]
     4215
His sonnës both & his doughtres also.
Þei to him cam, with-owten any daungere:
How þat þei ferden, lat I passe and goo;
Thei ferden wel, with-outen wordës moo;
     4219
To his konyng, he grete disport hem made,
He did his myght to chere hem, & to glade.
     4221
(604)
¶ Aftir souper, whan þei hir tymë sye,
     4222
Þei toke her leue, & home þei wolde al-gate;
And he answerd, and seyde hem sekirly,
"This nyȝt ye shul nat passe out of the gate;
Your house is fer, and it is dyrke and late;
     4226
Neuen it nat, for it shal nat be-tyde;"
And so al nyȝt he made hem to abyde.
     4228
(605)
¶ The fadir logëd hem, of sly purpóse,
     4229
In a chambre next to his ioynyng;*. [ioynyng R, ionyng H.]
ffor by-twix hem nas þer but a parclose
Of bordë, nauȝt but of homly*. [bord . . . homely R.] makyng;
Þurgh out þe which, at many a chynnyng,
     4233
In echë chambre þei myghten*. [myghten R, myght H.] beholde,
And see what othir dyden, if þat þei wolde. Page  153
     4235
(606)
¶ I kan nat sey how þei slepten þat nyȝt;
     4236
Also it longith*. [longeth R, logith H.] nat to my matere;
But on þe morwë, at brodë day liȝt
The fadir roose; and for þei shulden here
What þat he dyd, in a boystous manere
     4240
Vnto his chist, which þat*. [þat, om. H R.] three lokkys hadde,
He went, and þer-at wrested he ful sadde.
     4242
(607)
¶ And when it was I-opned & vnshytte, [folio 74b]
     4243
Þe bagged gold by þe marchaunt hym lent
He hath vncofred, and streyte forþ with it
Vnto his beddis feete gone is & went.
What doth þan þis fel*. [felle R.] man & right*. [right, om. H R.] prudent,
     4247
But out þis golde on a tippet hath shotte,
That in þe baggës leftë*. [left H R.] þere no grotte.
     4249
(608)
¶ And al þis did he noght but for a wyle,
     4250
As þat ye shul wel knowen aftirwarde;
He shope his sonnës & doughtres begile.*. [to begile R.]
His noysë made hem dressen hem vpwarde;
Þei cast her erës to his chambre-warde,
     4254
And herd of golde þe russhyng and the soun,
As that he rudëly threwe hem adoun.
     4256
(609)
¶ And to þe parclos þei hem hast and hye,
     4257
To wyte and knowë what her fadir wrought.
In at þe chynnës of þe borde þei prye,
And sigh how he amonge þe nobles sought
If défectif were any, as hem þought;
     4261
And on his nayl he threwe hem oft & cast,
And baggëd hem and cofred at the last; Page  154
     4263
(610)
¶ And opned his dore, & dounë goth his wey.
     4264
And aftir blyue, out of hir bedde þei rise,
And cam doune eke: hir fadir þanken þey
Of his gode cherë, in hir bestë*. [best H R.] wyse,—
And al was for þe goldës couetyse,—
     4268
And to gon hoom, þei axid of hym leue;
Thei ben departyd, and þei þere hym leue.
     4270
(611)
¶ Walkyng homward, þei iangeld fast, & speeke [folio 75a]
     4271
Of þe golde which þei sey hir fadir haue.
Oon seyd, "I wondre ther-on;" "and I eke,"
Quod a-nothir, "for, also god me saue,
Ȝistir-day, thogh I shuld in-to my graue
     4275
Haue crept, I durst on it haue leyde my lyfe,
That golde with hym nought haddë*. [hade R, had H.] ben so ryfe."
(612)
¶ Now lat hem muse on þat, what so hem list;
     4278
And to hir fadir now wol I me dresse.
He al þis golde takith out of his chist,
And to þe marchaunt payde it more & lesse,
Þankyng hym often*. [ofte R, oft H.] of his kyndënesse;
     4282
And þennës goth he homë to his mete,
And to his sonnës house when he had ete.
     4284
(613)
¶ When he cam thidir, thei made of hym more
     4285
Þan þat þei werë wont, by many folde;
So gret disport þei made hym noȝt ful ȝore.
"ffadir," quod þei, "þis is your owne housholde;
In feith, þer is no þing within oure holde,
     4289
But it shal be at your comandëment;
Wolde god þat ye weren at*. [werest H, were of R.] oure assent, Page  155
     4291
(614)
¶ Þennë*. [Þen H, Than R.] we shulden ay to-gedir dwelle."
     4292
Al what þei menten, wist he wel I-now:
"Sonnës and doughtres," quod he, "soth to telle,
Mi wille is goode also to be with yow.
How shuld I myrier be? nat wot I how,
     4296
Than with yow for to be continuel;
Your companyë liketh me ful wel."
     4298
(615)
¶ Now shope it so, þei helden house in fere, [folio 75b]
     4299
Sauf þe fadir; and as þei lough & pleyde,
His doughtres bothë with a*. [bothe with R, both with H.] lawghyng chere
Vn-to hir fadir spake, and þus þei seyde,
And to assoile hir questïoun hym preyde:

* As lines 4304-5, MS. Reg. 17 D vi, has:

"What so euer it be, koth the fader, now
And I kan or may, I shall it telle yow."

And for lines 4310-12 it has—

"As ye haue done, ye shull haue alle tho."
     4303
"Now, godë fadir, how mochil monye
In your strong bounden chist is, we yow preye?
(616)
¶ "Ten thousand*. ['Xm.' H, Ten thousand R.] pounde," he seide, & lyëd lowde,
"I told hem," quod he, "nat ful long agoo,
And þat as redely as þat I cowde.
Ȝif ye wil aftir þis do to me so
As ye haue done by-fornë, þan al tho
     4310
I in my testament disposë shal
ffor your profytë; yours it shal ben al."
     4312
(617)
¶ Aftir þis day, þei all in oon house were,
     4313
Til þe day com of þe fadirs deying.
Goode mete and drynke, and clothës for to were
He had, and payëd nat to his endyng.
When he sey þe tyme of his départyng,
     4317
His sonës and his doughtres did he calle,
And in this wise he spakë to hem alle: Page  156
     4319
(618)
¶ "Nat purpose I make othir testament,
     4320
But of þat is in my strong chist I-bounde;
And riȝt anone, or I be hennës*. [hens H R.] hent,
An hundred pound*. ['C. li' H, hundred pounde R.] of nobles gode and rounde,
Takith to prechours; tarryeth it no stounde;
     4324
An hundred pound*. ['C. li' H, hundred pounde R.] eke to þe frerës grey,
And carmës fifty*. [MS. 'l,' fifty R.]: tarrye it nought, I sey.
     4326
(619)
¶ "And when I buried am, of hem the keyes [folio 76a]
     4327
Of my chist takith, for þat*. [þat, om. H R.] þei hem kepe;
By euery keyë*. [key H R.] writen ben the weyes
Of my wille." þis golde was nat suffred slepe;
It was anone dalt, for hir hertis depe
     4331
Stak in his bounden cofre, and al hir hope
Was godë bagges þerin for to grope.
     4333
(620)
¶ To euery chirche and recluse of þe toune,
     4334
Bad hem eeke of golde ȝeue*. [yeue eke of golde R.] a quantite:
Al as he bad, þei weren prest and boune,
And did it blyuë; but, so mot I the,
fful slily he disceyuyd þis meyne,
     4338
His sonnës and his doughtres boþ, I mene;
Hir berdës shauëd he right smothe & clene.
     4340
(621)
¶ When he was dede, and his exéquies do,
     4341
Solenily*. [Solempnely R.] þei to þe frerës ȝide,
And bad þo keyes delyuere hem vn-to;
And as þat*. [þat, om. H R.] þei hem beden, so þei dide.
Tho ioyful sonës dresse hem to þe stide
     4345
Wher as þis strongë bounden chistë*. [strong . . . chist H (chest) R.] stoode;
But or þei twynned þens, þei pekkid moode. Page  157
     4347
(622)
¶ Thei opneden þe chist, & fonde riȝt nought
     4348
But a passyngly greet sergeántës mace,
In which ther gaily made was and I-wrought
This samë scripture: "I, Iohn of Canace,
Makë swhich testament here in þis place;
     4352
Who berith charge of othir men, & is
Of hem despisëd, slayn be he with this."
     4354
(623)
¶ Among folïes all is noon, I leue, [folio 76b]
     4355
More þan a*. [a R, om. H.] man his gode ful largëly
Despende, in hopë*. [hope R, hop H.] men wol hym releue
Whan his gode is despendid vtterly*. [vttirly R, viterly H.];
The indigént men setten no þing by.
     4359
I, Hoccleue, in swich*. [suche R, swich H.] case am gilty, þis me touchith,*. [See "am gilty / þis me touch / ith."]
So seith pouert, which oon foole large him vouchith.*. [Hoccleve de seipso. (In a later hand.)]
(624)
¶ ffor þogh I neuer were of hy degree,
     4362
Ne haddë*. [hade R, had H.] mochil gode ne gret richesse,
Ȝit hath þe vice of prodigalite
Smerted me sore, & done me hevynesse.
He þat but litil hath, may done excesse
     4366
In his degree, as wel as may þe riche,
Thogh hir dispenses werë nat elyche.*. [be not eliche R, were not lyche H.]
     4368
(625)
¶ So haue I plukked at my pursë*. [purses R, purs H.] strynges,
     4369
And made hem often for to*. [for to R, for H.] gape & gane,
Þat his smal stuf hath take hym to his wynges,
And hath I-sworne to be my welthës bane,
But if releef a-way my sorowe plane;
     4373
And whens it comë shal, can I nought gesse,
Mi lorde, but it procede of your hynesse. Page  158
     4375
(626)
¶ I me repent of my mysrewly lyfe*. [See Hoccleve's 'Male Regle' in his Minor Poems, I, p. 25.];
     4376
Wherfor, in þé wey of sauacïoun
I hope I be; my dotage éxcessyfe
Hath put me to swich castigacïoun,
Þat indigence hath dominacïoun
     4380
On me; o! had I help, now wolde I thryue,
And so ne did*. [so did R.] I neuer ȝit in my lyue.
     4382
(627)
¶ My yeerly guerdoun, myn annuite, [folio 77a]
     4383
That was me graunted for my long labóur,
Is al behynde, I may naght payëd be,
Whiche causeth me to lyuen*. [lyue H, liue R.] in langour.
O liberal prince! ensample of honour!
     4387
Vnto your gracë lyke it to promoote
Mi poore estat, and to my woo beth boote!
     4389
(628)
¶ And, worþy prince, at cristës reuerence
     4390
Herkeneth what I schal seyn, and be noght greued,
But lat me stande in your beneuolence;
ffor if myn hertës wil wiste were, and preeued,
How yow to loue it stirëd is and meeved,
     4394
Ye schulden knowe, y your honour and welþe
Triste and desire, and eek your soulës helþe.
     4396
(629)
¶ In al my book ye schul naght see ne fynde,
     4397
That I youre dedës lakke, or hem despreise;
But for I woldë þat ye hadde in mynde
Swich thyng as your renoun myghte vp areyse,
I write as my symple conceyt may peyse;
     4401
And trustith wel, al þat my pennë seith,
Proceedith of good herte and trewe, in feith. Page  159
     4403
(630)
¶ What kyng þat dooth more éxcessif despenses*. [¶ Aristoteles de regimine, capitulo de vicio super|fluitatis. "O Alexander, firmiter dico tibi, quod quis rerum superflue con|tulerit domi|naciones, vl|tra quod reg|num suum possit suffi|cere, talis Rex procul dubio destruit & destruitur.']
     4404
Than his land may to suffice or atteyne,
Schal be destruëd, after þe sentences
Of Aristotle; he schal naght fle þe peyne.
ffoolë*. [Foole R, Fool H.] largésse and avarice, þo tweyne,
     4408
If þat a kyng eschue, & largë be,
Reioyse he schal his rëal dignite.
     4410
(631)
¶ How fool largesse a kyng destroyë may, [folio 77b]
     4411
As blyuë wole I vnto yow declare:
ffool largessë yeueþ so moche a-way,
That it þe kyngës cofres makeþ bare,
And þanne awakiþ poorë peples care;
     4415
ffor al þat sche dispendid haþ & wastid,
They moot releuë, therto be þey hastid.
     4417
(632)
¶ The Tylere*. [tilyer R.] with his porë cote and land,
     4418
That may vnnethës gete his sustenance,
And he þat naght haþ but labóur of hand,
Ben often put vnto ful smert nusance.
Good is be-ware of goddës long suffrance;
     4422
Thogh he to venge hym tarie, & be suffráble,
Whan his strook cometh, it is importáble.
     4424
(633)
¶ Naght speke I ageyn eidës*. [dysmes (tenths) R.] vttirly,
     4425
In sum cas þey ben good and necessárie;
But whan þey goon to custumáblely,
The peple it makiþ for to curse and warie:
And if þey ben despended in contrárie
     4429
Of þat þey graunted of þe peple were,
The morë grucchen þey þe cost to bere. Page  160
     4431
(634)
¶ The pot so longë to þe watir goth,
     4432
That hoom it cometh at þe laste y-broke.
Whan þat þe peple, with a cherë loth,
Hir purs y-emptid*. [purses empted R.] haue, & eek hir poke,
Hem þynkith þat þey ouer nyh ben soke.
     4436
What harm of þat to kynges haþ be-tid,
Scripturës tellen; it may nought*. [nough H. It may not be be heled in no wise ne hidde R.] ben hid.
     4438
(635)
¶ But fauel naght reportith tho scripturis; [folio 78a] *. 3 Aristoteles eodem capit|ulo.3 Subditi vero propter iniuriam cla|mauerunt ad deum ex|celsum & gloriosum.]
     4439
His lordës soulë salue, he from hym*. [soules salve fro hym he R.] hydith;
He besieth hym so in sly portraituris,
Þat homly trouthë naght with hym abidith;
The swetë venym of his tongë gydeth
     4443
His lord vnto þe valeie of dirknesse,
If he gouérne hym by his fykilnesse.
     4445
(636)
¶ The trewë man, if he may apparceyue
     4446
A défaute in his lord, as othir while
It happith, he his lord it redith weyue,
And bit hym to vertu hym reconsile;
And yit fauel, þe net of fraude and gile,
     4450
The þank hath, and þat othir þe maugree:
O god! þat verray trouþe art for to see.
     4452
(637)
¶ Who þat, fro*. [for R.] drede of any lord or syre,*. [¶ Augusti|nus. Quis|quis metu alicuius po|testatis veri|tatem occul|tat, iram dei super se pro|uocat, quia magis timet hominem quam deum. ¶ libere veri|tatem pre|dicantes & praue vite gesta argu|uentes, non habent gra|tiam apud homines, &c.]
     4453
Hydeth þe trouthe, and naght wil it out seie,
He vppon hym prouokith goddës yre,
ffor þat he more of man than god*. [of man than god R, of god and man H.] hath eye.
They þat þe trouthë of hir hertes bywreye
     4457
To lordës, and telle hem hir wicked lyf,
No grace in hem fynden for hir motyf. Page  161
     4459
(638)
¶ But bet, for trouthe is to suffre turment,
     4460
Than richëly enhauncëd be for glose.
If þis lyf herë be naght wel dispent,*. [¶ Augusti|nus. Melius est pro veri|tate pati sup|plicium, quam adula|cione bene|ficium, &c.]
I wot it wel, I wele it naght suppose,
God wole his regnë from vs schitte*. [hide R.] & close.
     4464
Here is þe way to peynë, or to blisse;
Who so wel dooth, of yoye*. [ioye R.] he may naght misse.
(639)
Eternel god, the blessid trinite, [folio 78b]
     4467
Whiche þat*. [that R, þa H.] euery man of cristen byleeue
Knoweth an vndyuyded vnite,
His mercy and his gracë kythe & preeue
In yow, my lord; þat so your dedës cheeue
     4471
As þat your soule, aftir þis lyf present,
To heuene blisse vp may be take & hent.
     4473

[§ 12.] De Vicio Auaricie.*. ['De vicio auaricie' is also in black in the margin, as a di|rection to the rubricator.]

(640)
Now go*. [go R, ga H.] we to þe Auericïous,*. [This page is illuminated.]
     4474
To whom non hábundancë may suffice.
A chynchë neuere can be plentevous
Thogh al were his; swiche is his couetise;
To thriste ay aftir more, it is his gyse;
     4478
He is þe swolwe þat is neuere ful:
At Auericë now haue here a pul.
     4480
(641)
Sche may, as god forbede, vndo a*. [a R, om. H.] kyng
     4481
Thurgh hire insaciable gredynesse.
Hire herte is sette vppon non oþer þing
But how sche may golde hepe; al in dirknesse
Lurkith þe purchas of hire egrenesse;
     4485
In bagges vndir lok, hir gold sche thristeth;
Al to þe cofre it*. [it R, sche H.] goth, and al sche chistith. Page  162
     4487
(642)
There is it hidde; no sonne it seeþ, ne moone;
     4488
Thogh al þe world steruë schulde on a day
ffor lak of good, naght were it for to done
To borwe of hire; euere is hir answere nay;
That sche naght haþ, also sche swerith ay.
     4492
Hir nature is to kepe, and naght despende, [folio 79a]
And hir desir of good ne hath non ende.
     4494
(643)
¶ Auarice is a loue inmoderat,*. [¶ Scriptum est, Auaricia est amor im|moderatus adquirendi temporalia, & est pestis fere omnes homi|nes solicitans. Vnde pro|pheta ait Ieremie vjo A maiori vs|que ad min|orem omnes student Auariciam &c.]
     4495
Richésses temporel for to purcháce;
Sche besieth hir*. [desireth hye R.] in euerych estat;
Sche shapith*. [shapeth R, shapit H.] hir al þe world to*. [to R, om. H.] embrace
ffro*. [For R, Fro H.] þe morë to þe lessë; hir trace
     4499
To suë, studien men, seith Ysaye,
And sche þe thraldom is of Maumetrye.*. [mawmetrie R, Maumetye H.]
     4501
(644)
¶ Sche is a couetysë éxcessyf
     4502
Of othres good; & of hire ownë, sche
So streit and hard is, and so rétentyf,
That it profytë may in no degree.
O auericïous, what eilith þee?
     4506
Þe goodës whyichë*. [which þat R.] ben vnto þe lent,
Why hydest þou? I-wis þou wilt be schent.
     4508
(645)
¶ Weenest þou þat þou doost naght wickedly,
     4509
Þat so many a manys sustenance
Thi self wiþ-holdest soul*. [so R.]? yis, hardily.
Thow þat of richesse hast greet habundaunce,*. [¶ Iterum scriptum est Neque enim minus est criminis ha|benti tollere, quam cum possis & ha|bundans sis, indigentibus necessaria denegare.]
And to þe nedy yeuest no pitaunce,
     4513
No lesse offendist þou than he þat schakith
Men out of hire good, and from hem it takith. Page  163
(646)
¶ Thus may thy stylë likned be to thefte;
     4516
As a theef in þis world is hangid here,
ffor good whiche þat he of þe peple refte,
So schalt þou honge in helle, and bye it deere,
But if so be, or þou goo to þi beere,
     4520
Thow córrectë thy greedy appetyt, [folio 79b]
And of streit kepynge emptë þy delyt.
     4522
(647)
¶ The breed of hungry peple þou with-holdist,*. [¶ Item scrip|tum est. Esuriencium panis est quem tu de|tines; nu|dorum vesti|mentum est quod tu re|cludis.]
     4523
And schutest vp the nakid mennës cloth
That keuere hem sholde; if þou oght of god toldist,
ffor to doo so, þou woldest be ful loth.
Al þat þou getist, to hid place it goth.
     4527
As many men, hir good þow hem byreuest*. [¶ Iterum scriptum est, Tantoium ergo te scias inuadere bona, quan|torum de pos|sessione tua poteris sub|uenire, & non vis. Prouerbia|rum xxvij. Qui odit aua|riciam, longi fient dies eius.]
As þou releuë myghtest, and*. [and thou R.] it leuest.
     4529
(648)
¶ Who so þat fro þe poorë mannës cry*. [R. has "Prov. xxo. Qui obturat aurem suam ad clamorem pauperis, ipse clamabit, et non exaudietur."]
     4530
Stoppith his erës, þogh he lowdë crye,
Schal naght be herde; and more ouer, rede y,
His dayës schulle encresse & multiplie
That auerice hatith, þis is no lye.
     4534
Werse is no þing þan*. [than R, þat H.] to loue moneye,*. [¶ Ecclesias|tici x. Nichil iniquius quam amare pecuniam.]
As þat Ecclesiasticus can seye.
     4536
(649)
¶ Ambrosë seith, war, man, þat þou ne schitte*. [¶ Ambrosius de officiis. Caueas ne in|tra loculos tuos includas salutem in|opum, & tan|quam in tu|milo ne sepe|lias vitam pauperum.]
     4537
With-in þi purs þe nedy peples*. [peples R, peple H.] hele,
And to þe buriellës naght committe
The lyf of poorë men; ȝeue hem, & dele
Part of þi good; o, þy baggës vnsele;
     4541
Opne hem; hir knyttynge al to sore annoyeth;
Thy pynëd stuf, many a man destroyeth. Page  164
     4543
(650)
¶ Thow seist per cas, "yf I no man byreue
     4544
His good, what wrong, myn owne is it to hyde
And multiplie?" o, chynchë! by þi leue,
What seist*. [seyest R.] þou is þin? what was þin, þat tyde
Thow cam in-to þis world, þou homycide?
     4548
Thow broghtist naght; claymë no propertee [folio 80a] *. [Scilicet tem|pore necesci|tatis R.]
Of thing þat oghtë communë*. [oght comon R.] to be.
     4550
(651)
¶ Thi talkinge and þi clap is al of erthe,*. [¶ Ysaie xixo. de terra lo|queris & de humo audie|tur eloquium tuum propter amorem quem habes ad sordes. Luce xij. Cui multum da|tum est mul|tum queretur ab eo a deo & hominibus.]
     4551
And þe ground for-þi schal answere the,
ffor þat þe loue of muk sittith so neer þe.
Of him þat hath of goodës gret plentee,
Of god and man mochil axid schal be;
     4555
Thow schalt be rekned with, heer-aftir,*. [there as a R.] chynche,
Where as þou schalt not at þe acountës pynche.
(652)
¶ By what*. [what R, þat H.] title þat þou getist þi good,
     4558
Thow countist naght þe value of a myte;
Thyn hert is euermore on gold so wood,
That no thing ellës canst þou in*. [in, om. H, That in no . . . thow R.] delite;
Of conscïencë rekkist þou so lite,
     4562
What goodis þat þou getist of rapyne,
Þou hem affermest by good title þyne.
     4564
(653)
¶ ffeith and prowessë, leist þou vndir foote,*. [¶ Salustius dicit: Aua|ricia fidem & probitatem subpeditat, & docet homi|nem in se habere super|biam & cru|delitatem.]
     4565
And techist folk to haue in hem-self pride;
And cruelte hath caght in þe swiche roote,
That sche noght slippë may fro þe, ne slyde;
And euery vertu throwest þou a-syde.
     4569
O, euery prince and*. [and R, or H.] kyng moot ben eschu,
In al maneere, of þi lym and þi glu. Page  165
     4571
(654)
¶ ffor ellës is it light to vndirstonde,
     4572
To euery man þat wit can & resoun,
It is nat likly, á kyng for to stonde
In his welthë but a litil sesoun,
ffor Auaricë may ben énchesoun
     4576
His peple to destroyen*. [distroien R, destoyen H.] and oppresse; [folio 80b]
And, as I saydë, so may fool largesse.*. [H. wrongly puts st. 659 here, before sts. 655-8. R. puts st. 659 in its right place.]
     4578
(655)
¶ ffool largesse is a sekenesse curable,
     4579
Outhir of indigence, othir ellës*. [or elles of R.] age;*. [¶ Dicit idem philosophus, quod prodi|galitas est morbus cura|bilis, ab egestate vel etate.]
He þat fool large in ȝouthe is, is ful able
In eldë to abate it and aswage,
ffor agid folk ben more in þe seruage
     4583
Of auaricë þan ben folk in yowthe;
And what I schal eek seyn, herkneth wel nowþe.
(656)
¶ Of nede eek may it curid ben, and helid;*. [¶ Auaricia est morbus incurabilis, vt idem dicit.]
     4586
A man may so largë despenses make,
Til al is good be díspendid and delid;
And whan his purs y-emptid is, and schake,
Than, begynneþ indigence a-wake,
     4590
By whiche he cured is of þe seekenesse
Of prodigalitee, or fool*. [foole R, ful H.] largesse.
     4592
(657)
¶ But auarice, he seith, incurable is;
     4593
ffor ay þe more a man þerin procedith
And wexith olde, so mochil more I-wys,
He auaricious is; in him naght breedith
But thoght*. [thought R, toght H.] and woo, for ay his hertë dreedith
     4597
His good to leese; and morë for to hepe [folio 81a]
His thoghtës stirten heere & þere, and lepe. Page  166
     4599
(658)
¶ Now if þe heed of al a regioun,
     4600
By whom þat al gouérned is and gyed,
Be of so seekly a condicïoun,
That it may by no curë be maistryed,
Thanne is he to þe wersë part applied;
     4604
And as the philosofre seith vs to,
The lessë wikke is fool largesse of two.
     4606
(659)
¶ The philosofre preeueth Auarice*. [¶ Respice in Egidio de regimine principum: 'probat phi|losophus iiijto ethicorum, iijo racione, quod auaricia peior est pro|digalitate. [R adds] primo enim melius est infirmari morbo cura|bili quam incurabili.]
     4607
Wel wersë þan is prodigalite:
By thre causes he halt it gretter vice:
ffirst, he seith, it is better seek to be,
Of a sekenesse or infirmite
     4611
Of whiche a man may haue rekeueryng,
Þan of swiche on as þer is non helyng.
     4613
(660)
¶ The seconde cause is, prodigalitee [folio 83(81)a] *. [¶ Secundo, probat quod prodigalitas est magis propinqua virtuti quam Auaricia, nam liberalis non libenter recipit, sed libenter dat, quorum vtrumque fa|cit prodigus;]
     4614
Is morë ny to vertu many del
Than Auerice; and why, ye schul wele see:
He þat is liberal, naght list so wel
ffor to receyue any good or catell
     4618
As yeuë, but what man þat is fool large
To take and yeuë, yeueth he no charge.
     4620
(661)
¶ Wherfore he seiþ, þere is no difference*. [non ergo differt prodi|gus a liber|alitate, nisi quod prodi|gus non dat vt debet, & quibus debet, nec cuius gratia debet,]
     4621
Twixt*. [Twixit H, Betwixt foole large R.] fool largesse and liberalitee,
Sauf þe fool largë, óf his imprudénce,
Of his dispenses is to dislauee,*. [See Hoccl. Min. Poems I.]
And yeueth there as oghtë naght to be;
     4625
And for what cause also, and for what skile
He yeuë schal, non hede he takë wile. Page  167
     4627
(662)
¶ And syn fool large, on gold settiþ his herte*. [quare cum prodigus non sit amator pecunie sicut nec liberalis, de facili pro|digus fieri possit liber|alis &c.]
     4628
No morë þan þe liberal, þan may
ffool large into liberalite*. [liberalitee R, liberte H. (Scan 'libér / ali / te').] sterte
lightly ynow.*. [ynough R, now H.] for vertu is kynges pray,
He Auerice eschuë mot alway,
     4632
By causë sche more is contrarious [folio 81b]
To vertu, þan the large outragëous.
     4634
(663)
¶ The þriddë skile is, for a kyng is set*. [[R] Tercio, quia rex est positus in regno prop|ter salutem regni, & vt prosit hijs qui in regno sunt; auarus autem nulli prodest.]
     4635
In his remë for his peples*. [peples ese and R.] releef,
ffor þey schulden for hym fare þe bet;
But þe streyt chynchë qwencheþ neuere greef;
His gold is neuere saluë to myschef;
     4639
Only to gadre and kepe, he hym delitith;
But þe fool largë, many man profitith;
     4641
(664)
¶ Yit vices ben þey gretë bothë tweyne.*. [[R] Idem dicit quod largitas est ad similitudi|nem vaso|rum; vasa enim haben|cia os largum, abunde emit|tunt quod in eis est.]
     4642
O! worþy princë, take on yow largesse;
Dooth so, o gracious lord, for goddës peyne!
Largesse I-put is vnto þe liknesse
Of vessels, whos mouthës han gret wydnesse,
     4646
And hilde out hir licóur habundantly;
Thus seith þe philosofre trewëly.
     4648
(665)
¶ And in as mochil as a welle also,*. [[R] Cumergo tanto deceat fontem ha|bere largum os, quanto ex eo plures participare debent, tanto decet regem largiorem esse, &c.]
     4649
At þe whiche many folk hir water fecche,
Nedith to han the larger mouth; right so
The largesse of a kyng moot ferþer strecche,
If he of his estat any þing recche,
     4653
Than oþer mennës; for hir*. [hir, om. H R.] impotence
Strecchiþ naght so fer as his influence. Page  168
     4655
(666)
¶ Largesse is 'liberalitee' y-callid,
     4656
And likned is vnto hem þat ben free;
But he þat auaricious is, is thrallid
To moneie. a kyng moot algatës flee
A chynchës hertë, for his honeste
     4660
And for þe profyte, as I seide aboue, [folio 82a]
Of his peple, if he þynke wynne here loue.
     4662
(667)
¶ Victorie and honour, he schal hym purcháse*. [¶ Prouerbi|arum xxij. Victoriam & honorem ad|quiret qui dat munera. Item: ne dicas amico tuo 'vade & reuertere, & cras dabo tibi,' cum statim possis dare.]
     4663
That is of yiftës fre; but war alway
That he naght tarye ne delaye his grace;
Dryue it noght forth vnto anoþer day,
Whan, if hym list, anon he yeuë may;
     4667
Yeue it as blyue, hys þank is wel þe more;
This vouche I on holy scripturës lore.
     4669
(668)
¶ The vertu is of liberalitee,*. [¶ De virtute liberalitatis.]
     4670
Yeue and dispende, in place and in tyme*. [n tyme and place R.] due;
Right as largessë dooth in swiche degree,
They bothë moot in hir conseytes chue
Where is good yeue,*. [to yeue R.] and wherë to eschue,
     4674
The persone, and þe somme, and causë why:
What þey*. [ye R.] yeuen, yeue it vertuously.
     4676
(669)
¶ But it naght longeth to þe liberal
     4677
To yeue hym good þat vseþ flaterie;
His menynge and his éntencïoun final
On fals plesance, is set for briberie;
He is þe verray cofre of treccherie;
     4681
His doublenesse his lord doun ouerthroweþ;
The seed of his confusïoun he soweþ. Page  169
     4683
(670)
¶ That man I-born is in a blissed hour,*. [¶ Nota quod laudandus est ille quem pietas mouet reuelamen prestare indi|genti: nota bene hic!]
     4684
Whom þat pitee, dissert, or kyndënesse,
Stiren to yeue, or mynystre hym socour,
That infortunës strokës bitternesse
I-woundid hath wiþ pouertes scharpnesse*. [sikenesse R.]:
     4688
Nat mene I hem þat*. [Nought yeue hem R.] hire, and fees and wages, [folio 82b]
Hath*. [Hat H, That han R.] at þe dees loost, and*. [dice lost.] hir heritáges;
     4690
(671)
¶ But þo þat men welthy han*. [han R, and H.] ben byfore,
     4691
And vertuous ben, and han hir goodë*. [goode R, good H.] lost,
And can not beggë, to be deed þerfore;
On hem ful wel bystowëd is þe cost.
But welaway! as harde as is a post—
     4695
A post? nay, as a stoon—ben hertës now!
Lordës, for schamë! what þing eyleth yow?
     4697
(672)
¶ A gentil hertë, for to begge haþ schame;
     4698
His rody schamfastnessë dar not preye.
Ye þat of gentillesse han stile & name,
Lat nat your poorë bretheren by yow deye!
Se vnto hem, thogh þey nat speke or seie.
     4702
Is pitee fro yow fled? calle hir agayn!
ffor hir absence haþ many good man slayn.
     4704
(673)
¶ Senek seith, hé haþ nat þat þing for noght,
     4705
That byeth it by speche and by prayere.
There is no thyng þat is in eerthë wroght,
As þat he seith, þat is y-bought so deere;
It standith streytë, whan it schal apere,
     4709
ffor it is vois of wrecchidnesse and sorwe,
Whan þat a man schal praye, or begge, or borwe. Page  170
(674)
¶ Allas! þogh*. [though R, þoght H.] þat a man disceuere & pleyne
     4712
To many a lord his méscheuous myserie,
The lord naght deyneth vndirstonde his peyne;
He settith noght þerby a blakberie.
Welthe in þe lordës sayl bloweþ ful merye;
     4716
But the nedy berith his sail so lowe, [folio 83a]
That no wynd of comfórt may in hit blowe.
     4718
(675)
¶ Of liberalitee yit forthermore*. [¶ Hic caueant capitanei, quod non retineant vadia.]
     4719
I tellë wole, as þat I haue herd seyn
Amongës wysë folk, gon is ful yore.
What man a ledere is, or a chiefteyn
Of peple, his labour is al wast and veyn,
     4723
But he be fre vnto his sowdëours,
If þat he sekë conquest of*. [or R.] honours.
     4725
(676)
¶ And specialy þat he hir duëtee
     4726
Abriggë naght, ne naght syncope hir wages
That hem assigned ben: in certeyntee,
Peril of schamë folwen swiche vságes.
Whan al a-counted is, tho auantáges
     4730
That founded ben of wrong and on repreef,
Ben naght but auantáges of mescheef.
     4732
(677)
¶ This makith couetise or Auarice
     4733
Roote of al harmës, fo to conscïence;
Of wikked purchas is sche Emperice,
And mochil hath, and ay haþ indigence.
Sho rather wil lyuen*. [live R, lyue H.] in abstinence
     4737
Of mete and drynkë, for hertës scantnesse,
Than for þe soule or bodyes holsumnesse. Page  171
     4739
(678)
¶ Prince excellent! so moot ye wirke and wilne*. [wille R.]
     4740
As may your soulës helthë*. [helthe R, helth H.] edifie;
And a-mong othir þingës, þat your wilne*. [wille R.]
Be infecte wiþ no wrecched chyncherie.
Largesse mesúrable vnto yow tye,
     4744
And fool largessë voydeth fro yow clene [folio 83b]
ffor free largessë is a vertuous mene.
     4746

[§ 13.] De regis prudencia.

(679)
Now, gracious princë, lyke it yow to wyte*. [This page is illuminated.]
     4747
That touche I thynke of a kyngës prudence,
As þat I ther-of fynde in bookës write.
Prudence is callid wit and sapience,
And needës moot rëal magnificence
     4751
Be prudent, as þat þé scripture vs lereth,
If he schal ben as his estate*. [estate R, state H.] requerith.
     4753
(680)
Prudence, attemperancë, strengthe, and right,
     4754
Tho fourë ben vertuës principal*. [These are the Four Moral Virtues, as contrasted with the Seven Cardinal ones. In "Jacob's Well" (man's conscience) Salisbury Cathedral MS. 103, lf. 215 bk., col. 2, the writer says "I teld ȝou þis welle muste be made foure sqware with iiij vertuys, þat is, with a-vysement, & tempure, & gostly myȝt, & with ryȝtfulnes."];
Prudencë gooth by-fore, and ȝeueth light
Of counseil, what þo other thre do schal,
That þey may wirkë, be it greet or smal,
     4758
Aftir hir reed, wiþ-outen whom no man
Wel vnto god, né þe world lyuë can.
     4760
(681)
Prudence is vertu of entendëment;
     4761
She makith man by resoun him gouérne.
Who-so þat list to be wys and prudént,
And þe light folwe wole of hir lanterne,
he mostë caste his look*. [looke R, book H.] in euery herne Page  172
     4765
Of þyngës past, and ben, & þat schul be:
The endë seeþ, and eek mesúreth, sche.
     4767
(682)
There is no wight þat sche schapiþ disceyue,
     4768
And, thogh men casten hem*. [men casten hem R, man cast hym H.] hire to begile, [folio 84a]
Naght wole it be; by wit sche wole it weyue.
Eek sche obserueth so wele trouthës style,
And þerto can so wel her tonge affyle,
     4772
That, lest þe fauour of frendschipës corde,
Othir þan trouthë can sche not recorde.
     4774
(683)
¶ Sche bý-heetith by good avisëment,
     4775
And ȝeueth morë þan hir list promette;
Scho yeueth tó men eek commandëment
'Naght in fortune truste, or by hir sette;
And al þe truste, out of hir hertë schette,
     4779
Of myght of worldly dominacïoun:'
Vertu gyeth hir operacïoun.
     4781
(684)
¶ Prudence hath leuer louëd be þan drad;
     4782
Ther may no prince in his estate endure,
Ne ther-yn any whilë standë*. [endure R.] sad,
But he be louëd; fór loue is armure
Of seurëte. o! take on yow þe cure,
     4786
Excellent princë, louë to embrace,
And þan your herte is sette in siker place.
     4788
(685)
¶ Now, if þat ye graunten by your patente
     4789
To your seruauntës a yeerly guerdoun,
Crist scheeldë þat your wil or your entente
Be sette to maken*. [make H R.] a restriccioun*. [retraccioun R.]
Of paiëment; for þat condicïoun
     4793
Exileþ þé peples beneuolence,
And kyndeleþ hate vndir priue scilence. Page  173
     4795
(686)
¶ Beeth wel avisëd, or your graunt out go,
     4796
¶ How ye þat chargë may performe and bere; [folio 84b]
Whan it is past, obserue it wel also,
ffor ellës wole it yow annoye and dere;
ffor your honur it muchel bettre were,
     4800
No graunt to graunt at al, þan þat your graunt
Yow preeue a brekere of a couenaunt.
     4802
(687)
¶ He þat is louëd, men drede hym offende;
     4803
But he þat drad, & naght by-louëd is,
As Tullïus seith, lightly may descende,
And þe lordschipë leesë þat was his;
And Senek also seith as*. [as, om. H R.] touchyng þis,
     4807
The sogett hateth whom he haþ in drede;
And hate is hard, if it his venym schede.
     4809
(688)
¶ Was neuere dredë yit a good wardeyn,
     4810
To holdë lordschepe in his sikernesse,
But only loue is þing most souereyn;
Loue is norice of welþe and of gladnesse,
But out of louë spryngeþ ferdfulnesse,
     4814
And feere is good, whiche þat on loue hym groundeth,
But othir feerë naght heliþ, but woundeth.
     4816
(689)
¶ Louë, withouten a good gouernaille,
     4817
A kyng haþ non; for thogh men no word seye,
If he his peple oppresse, it is no faile
They loue hym noght, in no manere of weie;
They may his hestës outward wel obeie,
     4821
But in hir hertes is smal obediaunce,
And vnto god þey cómpleyne hir grevaunce. Page  174
     4823
(690)
¶ And swich a kyng is naght prudent ne wys,
     4824
¶ That of his peple purchaseth hym hate, [folio 85a]
ffor loue excedith al tresour in prys;
So hath it ben, and so be wole algate.
Whan þat richésses ebben & abbate,
     4828
If loue endurë, it may hym restore,
And loue is goten by prudénces*. [prudences R, prudentes H.] lore.
     4830
(691)
¶ By wise conseil, settith your hy estat
     4831
In swhiche an ordre as ye lyuë may
Of your good propre, in reule moderat;
Is it knyghtly lyue on rapynë? nay!
ffor Cristës sakë, so yow gyeth ay,
     4835
As þat may strecchë to your peples ese,
And þerwith-al ye schul god hily plese.
     4837
(692)
¶ It apparteneth a kyng for to be*. [¶ Egidius in ija parte j. libri politi|corum: Aris|toteles ad Re|gem maxime spectat vt sit rex secun|dum rei veri|tatem.]
     4838
A kyng in verray soth and éxisténce.
A kyng, of office and of dignite
The name is; he moot don his diligence
His peple for to gyë by prudénce;
     4842
ffor þat he rule hem schuldë duëly,
The stile of a 'kyng' he berith certeynly.
     4844
(693)
¶ As an archer may naght his arwe schete*. [¶ Eodem ca|pitulo: sicut sagittator non potest sagittam sufficienter dirigere in signum, nisi ipsum sig|num viderit, sic nec Rex &c.]
     4845
Euene at a merk, bút he þe merk see,
No morë may a kyng, I yow byhete,
Gouerne his peple in rigth*. [right H.] and equitee,
But by prudénce he reule his hyghe degree;
     4849
If þat be wel, his peple hath sikernesse
Of reste and pees, welþe, ioyë, and gladnesse. Page  175
     4851
(694)
¶ Bygynnynge of wisdom is, god to drede;*. [¶ Inicium sapiencie, timor domini.]
     4852
What kyng þat dredith god, is good and iust [folio 85b]
To his peple; beeþ swiche, my lord, I rede!
In*. [In R, I H.] loue and in awe of god, ficcheþ your lust;
Than be ye wys, and þan yow needës must,
     4856
Aftir your worldly sceptre transitórie,
In heuene regne in pérpetuel glorie.
     4858

[§ 14.] De consilio habendo in omnibus factis.

(695)
Now purpose I, to trete how to a kyng*. [This page is illuminated.]
     4859
It nedeful is to do by consail ay;
With-outen whiche, good is he do no þing;
ffor a kyng is but a man soul, parfay!
And be*. [be R, he H.] his witt neuere so good, he may
     4863
Erre and mistake hym oþer while among,
Where-as good counsail may exclude a*. [all R.] wrong.
(696)
Excellent princë, in axynge of reed,
     4866
Descouereþ naght your wille in no maneere;
What þat ye þinkë doo, lat it be deed
As for þe tymë, lat no word appere;
But what euery man seith, wel herkne & here;
     4870
And yit whan good counsail is yeuen yow,
What ye do wolë, kepe it close y-now
     4872
(697)
Til þat yow lykë párforme it in dede;
     4873
And if it schal be don, lat it noght tarie,
ffor þat is perillous with-outë drede;
Ther is no þing may make a lond myscarie
Morë than swiche delay; ful necessárie
     4877
It is, a gode purpos parforme as bliue, [folio 86a]
As, if it naght be,*. [And that ye not R.] out of mynde it dryue. Page  176
     4879
(698)
¶ And if þat á man of symple degree,
     4880
Or pore of birth, or ȝonge, be wel conseile,*. [be, goode counseile Yow yeve R.]
Admytte his resoun and take it in gre:
Why naght, my godë lorde? what shuld yow eyle?
But men do naght so; where-of I merueyle;
     4884
Þe worlde fauórith ay þe richës sawe,
Þow þat his conseil be noght worth an hawe.
     4886
(699)
¶ What he seith, is vp to þe clowdës bore;*. [¶ Ecclesias|tici xiiijo diues locutus est, & omnes tacuerunt, & verbum illius vsque ad nu|bes perdu|cunt: pauper locutus est, & dicunt, 'quis est hic?' &c.]
     4887
But and þe porë spekë worth þe twey,
His seed naght spryngë*. [spryng H R.] may, it nys but lore;
Thei seyen, "what is he, þis? lat hym goo pley!
O! worthi princë, beth wel ware, I prey,
     4891
Þat your hye dygnite and sad prudénce
No desdein haue*. [haue R, om. H.] of þe porës senténce.
     4893
(700)
¶ Thogh men contrárie eek your óppynyoun,
     4894
Þei may, per cas, conseilë*. [counceile R, conseil H.] yow þe best;
Also ye ben at your eleccioun
To doo or leuë, as your seluen lyst.
If it be gode, impresse it in þe chest
     4898
Of your memórie, and excusith it*. [execute R];
If it naght be, to leue it, is a wyt.
     4900
(701)
¶ And if yow list your cónseilere to preue,
     4901
Ye feynë mot ye haue necessite
Of golde; and if he sterë yow, and meeue,
Your Iewels ley in weddë,*. [wedde R, wed H.] certeyn he
Loueth your éstate and prosperite;
     4905
But he þat redith yow, your peple oppresse, [folio 86b]
He hatheth*. [hateth R.] yow, certéyne, it is no lesse. Page  177
     4907
(702)
¶ And if a man, in tyme of swich a nede,
     4908
Of his goode ȝeuë yow a goode substaunce,
Swich oon cherich, and ellës*. [Suche non cherissheth and elles R, els H.] god forbede,
Konneth hym þank of his goode cheuesaunce,
ffor him is leuer to suffre penaunce
     4912
Him-self, þan þat your peple shuldë*. [shulde R, shuld H.] smert;
Ther is a preef of trewë louyng hert.
     4914
(703)
¶ In auxenge*. [axyng R.] eeke of reed, ware of fauel;
     4915
Also ware*. [beware R.] of þe auaricïouse;*. [¶ Non exiga|tur consilium ab adulatore nec de auaro.]
ffor none of þo two can conseilë*. [counceille R, conseil H.] wel;
Hir reed & conseil is envenymouse;
Þei bothë*. [bothe R, bot H.] ben of golde so désirous,
     4919
Þei rekkë naght what bryge*. [brike R.] her lorde be Inne,
So þat þei mowen golde & siluyr wynne.
     4921
(704)
¶ And if your conseil which þat ye haue take,
     4922
Vnto þe knowlech or þe audience
Of your foos comen be, þan lat it slake,
And witterly putte it in abstinence;
ffor execute it were an*. [and H (it/it were grete prudence R!).] inprudence;
     4926
In swich a caas, is wisdam it to chaunge;
Goode is, your conseil be to your foes straunge.
(705)
¶ Conseil may wel be likend to a bridil,*. [¶ Scriptum est, quod consilium bene potest freno com|parari.]
     4929
Which þat an hors vpkepeth fro fallyng,
If man do by conseil; but al in Idel
Is reed, if*. [yf R, of H.] man naght folwe it in wirkyng.
Do no þing redeles, do by conseylyng
     4933
Of hedës wyse, and than*. [than R, om. H.] noo répentaunce*. [¶ Sine con|silio nichil facias, & post factum non penitebis.]
Þer folwe yow schal in your gouernaunce. [folio 87a] Page  178
     4935
(706)
¶ Comméndable is, conséil take óf þe wyse,*. [¶ Thobie 4o. Consilium semper a sa|piente per|quire, & non a fatuo, &c. ¶ Scriptum est, Cum fa|tuis non ha|beas consili|um, quia nou possunt dili|gere nisi quod eis placet. ¶ Iterum Thobie 4o. Omnia con|silia tua in deo perma|neant, &c. ¶ Scriptum est, Cum bo|nis fac tuum consilium, non cum impiis, &c. ¶ Prouerbia|rum 12o. con|silia impior|um fraudu|lenta. ¶ 3o Regum 12o. Ad Ro|boam dixer|unt Iuuenes qui nutriti erant cum eo, 'sic loqueris ad eos; Mini|mus digitus meus est grossior dor|so patris mei; & nunc pater meus posuit super vos iu|gum graue, ego autem addam super iugum ves|trum; pater mens cecidit vos flagellis, ego autem cedam vos scorpionibus.']
     4936
And noght of foolës, for þei may noght loue
But*. [But R, And H.] swich þing as hem likyth. in al wyse,
Your conseiler, chesith our lorde god a-boue;
Chesith eke godë men; ánd awey shoue
     4940
The wykkyd, whos conseyl is déceyuáble;
Þus byddyth holy writ, it is no fable.
     4942
(707)
¶ Chesith men eke of olde experience;
     4943
Hir wit and intellect is gloriouse;
Of hir conseil, holsome is þe sentence;
Þe oldë mannës rede is fructuouse;
Ware of yong cónseyl, it is perilouse;
     4947
Roboas fonde it so, whan he forsoke
Oldë conseil, and to þe yong hym toke.
     4949
(708)
¶ The éntente, wot I wele, of þe yong man
     4950
As louyng is and trewe, as of the olde,
Þogh þat he noght so wele conseilen can.
Yong men, strong ben, hardy, and bolde,
And more weldy to fight, if þat þei sholde;
     4954
But aske*. [aske R, þow H.] þe olde in tyme of pees or werre
Rede & conseil; it schal naght be þe werre.
     4956
(709)
¶ He þat is fressh and lusty now þis day,
     4957
By lengthe of yerees shal no þing be so;
ffresshnesse & lust may naght endure al-wey;
Whan age is comen, he commaundeth, ho!
But lat see, who considereth þis two,*. [who R.]
     4961
Goode is þat agë sette a gouernayle, [folio 87b]
And youthe it sue: thus may al avayle. Page  179
     4963
(710)
Excellent prince, eeke on the holydayes*. [¶ Mandatum est, sabata sanctifices.]
     4964
Beth warë þat ye nat your conseilles holde;
As for tho tymës,*. [the tyme R.] put hem in deleyes;
Thenketh wel this, ye wel apayed be nolde
If your soggettes not be your hestës*. [by your hest R.] tolde,
     4968
Right so our lorde god, kyng & commaundour
Of kynges al,*. [alle R.] is wroth with þat errour.
     4970
(711)
¶ In þe longe ȝere be werkë daye*. [ben werke dayes R.] I-nowe,
     4971
If þei be wel despent, for to entende
To conseilës*. [counceiles R, conseils H.]: to god your hertë*. [hert H R.] bowe,
If ye desire men hir hertës bende
To yow. What kyng nat dredeth god offende,
     4975
Ne naght rekkéth do hym desóbeisaunce,
He shal be disobeiëd eeke perchaunce.*. [perchaunce R, perchaunche H.]
     4977
(712)
¶ The firstë fyndere of our faire langáge,
     4978
Hath seyde in caas sembláble, & othir moo,
So hyly wel, þat it is my dotáge
ffor to expresse or touche any of thoo.
Alasse! my fadir fro þe worlde is goo—
     4982
My worthi maister Chaucer, hym I mene—
Be þou aduóket for hym, heuenes*. [heuen R.] quene!
     4984
(713)
¶ As þou wel knowest, o blissid virgyne,
     4985
With louyng hert, and hye deuocïoun
In þyne honour he wroot ful many a lyne;
O now þine helpe & þi promocïoun,
To god þi sonë make a mocïoun,
     4989
How he þi seruaunt was, maydén marie, [folio 88a]
And lat his louë*. [soule R.] floure and fructifie. Page  180
     4991
(714)
¶ Al-þogh his lyfe be queynt, þe résemblaunce*. [In the MS. Chaucer's carefully drawn and colourd likeness is in the right margin. At the top of the much commoner full-length figure in the left margin of MS. Reg. 17 D 6, is "¶ Chaucers yn age."]
     4992
Of him haþ in me so fressh lyflynesse,
Þat, to putte othir men in rémembraunce
Of his persóne, I haue heere his lyknesse
Do makë, to þis ende in sothfastnesse,
     4996
Þat þei þat haue of him lest*. [lost R.] þought & mynde,
By þis peynturë may ageyn him fynde.{illustration}


[Grass-green background, black hood and gown, gray hair, hazel eyes, red lips, paleish face and hands; black beads and penner on red strings.]
     4998
(715)
¶ The ymages þat in þe chirchë been,
     4999
Maken folk þenke on god & on his seyntes,
Whan þe ymáges þei be-holden & seen;
Were oft vnsyte*. [Wher as vnsight R.] of hem causith restreyntes
Of þoughtës godë: whan a þing depeynt is,
     5003
Or éntailëd, if men take of it heede,
Thoght of þe lyknesse, it wil in hem*. [hem R, hym H.] brede. Page  181
     5005
(716)
¶ Yit somme holden oppynÿoun, and sey,
     5006
Þat none ymáges schuld I-maked be:
Þei erren foule, & goon ont of þe wey;
Of trouth haue þei scant sensibilite.
Passe ouer þat: now, blessid trinite,
     5010
Vppon my maistres soulë, mercy haue,
ffor him, lady, eke þi mercy I craue.
     5012
(717)
¶ More othir þing, wolde I fayne speke & touche
     5013
Heere in þis booke; but such*. [such R, schuch H.] is my dulnesse—
ffor þat al voyde and empty is my pouche,—
Þat al my lust is queynt with heuynesse,
And*. [An R.] heuy spirit cómaundith stilnesse.
     5017
And haue I spoke of pees, I schal be stille; [folio 88b]
God sende vs pees, if þat it be his wille.
     5019

[§ 15. OF PEACE.]

(718)
Touche I wol heere, of pees, a worde or two,*. [This page is illuminated]*. [¶ Scriptum est, Qui am|plectitur pa|cem in mentis hospicio 4 mansionem preparit Christo, &c.4 leronimus: Qui sine pace est, christum non habet. apud christi|anos non qui patitur sed qui facit con|tumeliam miser est.]
     5020
As þat scripturës maken mencïoun,
And*. [And R, An H.] þan my boke is endid al, and do.
To crist ordeyneþ he a mancïoun,
Which in his hertës habitacïoun
     5024
Embraceth pees. wher pees is, crist is there,
ffor crist nat lyst a-byden ellës-where.*. [elleswhere R, els where H.]
     5026
(719)
A-mongës cristen folk, wreche is he none*. [Prouerbia|rum 12o. Qui pacis ineunt consilia, se|quitur eos gaudium. Ciprianus dicit, Sacri|ficium deo est pax nos|tra & fraterna concordia.]
     5027
Þat pacïéntly suffreth a duresse;
But sikirly a wrecchë*. [wrecche R, wrecch H.] is he one
Þat makiþ strife; & hym sueth gladnesse
Which þat of pees conséilith þe suernesse.*. [swetnesse R.]
     5031
Our pees also and concorde brothirly
Is sacrificë to god ál myghty. Page  182
     5033
(720)
Thyngës þat leden men to pees be thre:*. [¶ Scriptum est, Tria sunt pacis subsidia & ad pacem ducencia, scilicet con|formitas in deo, humilitas in seipso, & tranquillitas cum proximo, &c.]
     5034
Conformyng in god; in our self humblesse;
And with*. [with R, wit H.] our neighëboures tranquillite.
ffirst seye I þat we moot our willës dresse,
And hem conformen allë more & lesse
     5038
To goddis wil; al þingis*. [all thyng R.] is in his myght,
Sauf only þat he máy done non vnright.
     5040
(721)
Euene as a man is euer in werre and strife,
     5041
Þat besieth hym withstande a man, which he
¶ Nat may; right so hathe he peisible*. [pesible R, preisible H.] lyfe [folio 89a]
Continuelly, whos willës fully be
To goddës wille conformyng: o, pardee!*. [[R] Iob iiij to Quis resistit Deo, et pacem habuit? quasi diceret nullus.]
     5045
A-geyn god helpeth þere no résistence,
So strong and myȝty is his excellence.*. [residence R.]
     5047
(722)
¶ Humilite, to pees eke may men lede;
     5048
Men say two gretë may nat*. [grete may evill R, gret may nat H.] in o sak;
But symple humblesse is of such*. [such R, schuch H.] godely-hede,
Þat she of troubly hatë haþ no smak;
She stryueth nat; of discorde hath she lak;
     5052
She voyde and empty is of cruelte:
Humble spirit desirith vnite.
     5054
(723)
¶ The thrid is eke tranquillite of þought,
     5055
Þat gydeth man to pees; for as a wight
May in a bedde of þornës restë*. [rest H R.] noght,
Riȝt so, who*. [who þat H, he that R.] is with greuous þoughtës twight,
May with himself nor*. [nor R, non H.] othir folk a-riȝt
     5059
Hauë no pees; a man mot nedys smert
Whan irous þoughtës occupye his hert. Page  183
     5061
(724)
¶ And euene as vppon a pillow softe,
     5062
Man may him restë*. [rest H R.] wele, and take his ese,
Riȝt so þat lorde þat sittith in heuen a-lofte,
Hertë*. [Hert H R.] peisible can so like and plese,
Þat he wol entre þér-in, and it sese,
     5066
And occupie it as iust póssessoure;*. [¶ Scriptum est, In pace factus est locus eius, &c. [R] Est enim pax mala, que est vere paci contra|ria; & hoc est quando corda sunt in mala concor|dancia, &c. Talem pacem habuit Pila|tus cum Herode, &c. ¶ De tali pace loquitur psalmista, Zelam super iniquos pa|cem pecca|torum videns.]
In place of pees, resteth our savïour.
     5068
(725)
¶ But al an othir pees þer is also,
     5069
Which is naght worth; it is envenymouse;
ffor it is vnto verray pees a foo; [folio 89b]
Whan*. [Whan R, Wham H.] men in a purpós malicïouse
Acorden, þát pees is to god greuous:
     5073
Swich pees was twix Heródes & pilat;
And in swich caas, pees is wers þanne debat.
     5075
(726)
¶ A feynëd pees, eeke is to pees verray,
     5076
A foo; and swich was þe pees of Iudas
Kissyng crist. Lord! whedir þat þis day
Any swich pees vsëd is as*. [as R, os H.] þat was!
Ȝe, so I drede me, by seynt Thomas,
     5080
The kus of Iudas is now widë sprad,5
Tokenes of pees ben, but smal loue is had.5*. [5_5 spradde . . hadde R, sparde . . had H.]
     5082
(727)
¶ Men contrefete in wordis Tullïus,
     5083
And folwe in werke Iudas or Genyloun*. [The traitor at Roncesvalles. See Chaucer's Monk's Tale, Pedro of Spayne.];
Many an hony*. [hony R, heny H.] worde and many a kus
Ther is; but wayte on þe conclusïoun,*. [¶ Et de tali pace loquitur psalmista. Qui loquun|tur pacem cum proximo suo, mala autem, &c.]
And pryue galle all turnyth vp-so-doun;
     5087
Ther leueth naght of pees, but contenance,
ffor al þe peyntyd chere and daliance. Page  184
     5089
(728)
¶ Ther is also a pees inordinat,
     5090
Whan þe grettér obeith to þe lesse;
As*. [As R, And H.] þus, whan to his soget a prelat
Obeyeth; and whan reson, þe blyndnesse
Sueth of sensualitees madnesse,
     5094
Obeying it: al swich pees is haynous,
ffor it is goodë*. [to god. R.] pees contrarious.
     5096
(729)
¶ Right swich a pees, Adam had with Eue,
     5097
Whan þat he vnto hir desire obeyde;
He was, per caas, adraddë*. [adredde R, adrad H.] for to greue; [folio 90a]
Where-for he did as þat she to*. [as that she R, at þat she H.] hym seide:*. [¶ Contra talem pacem loquitur christus, Matthaei 10. Non veni, inquit, pacem mittere, sed gladium. &c.]
In þat obediencë he foleyde,
     5101
ffor god hir him bytoke him to obeye;
But I a-drad am þat I þus fer seye*. [ferre sey R, fer seide H.];
     5103
(730)
¶ If þat þis come vnto the audience
     5104
Of women, I am sure I shal be shent:
ffor þat I touche of swich obedience,
Many a browë shal on me be bent;
Thei willë wayten been*. [wolden waite to ben R, wil . . . H.] equipollent,
     5108
And sumwhat morë, vnto hir housbondis,*. [husbondis R, housbond (es scratcht out) H.]
And sum men seyn swich vsage in þis lond is.*. [lond is R, lond(es scratcht out) H.]
(731)
¶ And it no wonder is, as semeth me,
     5111
Whan þat I me be-þought haue al aboute,
Þogh þat womén desiren souereynte,
And hir housbondës makë to hem loute;
Thei made ware of a ribbe, it is no doute,*. [¶ Genesis 20. Mulier facta fuit de costa Ade; homo vero de limo terre, &c.]
     5115
Which more strong is, and súbstancial,
Þan slyme of eerthe, & clenner þer-with-al. Page  185
     5117
(732)
¶ Wher-for it semeth þat þe worthynesse
     5118
Of women, passyth mennës encerteyne;
And ȝit sum nysë men, of lewdënesse,*. [lewdenesse R, lewenes H.]
In répref of hem holden ther-a-geyn,
ffor crokid was þat ribbe; and speke & seyne,
     5122
That also crokid is hir curtaisie;
But a-gayn þat, strongly wil I replie;
     5124
(733)
ffor in the writyng and in þe scripture
     5125
Of Philosophers,*. [Philosofres R, Philosophes H.] men may see & reede,
¶ Cercly*. [Cerclelyk R.] shap is most perfite figúre, [folio 90b] *. [¶ Secundum omnes phi|losophos, ffigura circu|laris est per|fectissima figura, & significat in geometria vnitatem.]
Bi-tokenyng, in gémetrie, onhede;
And crokydnesse a part is, þat may lede
     5129
Sumwhat vnto*. [vnto (overline,? later) R, om. H.] cercle or a cumpas:
What so men seyen, women stonde in gode caas.
(734)
¶ ffor ther-by shewith it, þat crokydnesse
     5132
Streccheth vnto þe gretter perfeccioun,
Þan doth a þing þat is of euenesse;
Of þis helpith no contradiccïoun,
ffor it soth is;*. [is R, om. H.] it is no ficcïoun;
     5136
Euery perfit body þat man kan neuene,
Is rounde and crokyd, and noght*. [not R, nogh H.] streghte ne euene.
(735)
¶ By-gynnë first at heuen, & rounde it is;
     5139
Þe sonne and mone, & þe sterrës also;
Hed of man, þen mouth, & hert, I-wisse,
Ben allë*. [alle R, al H.] rounde; and othir ben þer moo
Than I expresse as*. [as R, os H.] now; but or I goo,
     5143
Ȝit shal I bet wommannës part sustene;
So biddeth pees, & þat to folwe I mene. Page  186
     5145
(736)
¶ Now for to speke or touchen of þe place
     5146
In which þat man & womman 1fourmed were:
Almyghty God to womman1*. [1_1 H om.] shope swich grace,
That she was formëd in the worthier;*. [¶ Mulier fuit formata in paradiso, & homo in agro damaseeno, qui locus est extra paradi|sum, &c.]
In paradys men wot wel he made here;
     5150
But man ymade*. [ymade R, made H.] was out of paradys,
In place of lessë worthinesse & prys.
     5152
(737)
¶ And of þe maner of formacïoun
     5153
Of bothë*. [bothe two herkeneth R, both . . . H.] two herkenþ now wel I prey;
The token or þe significacioun [folio 91a]
Of making of Adám, may be no way
Strecchë*. [Strecche R, Strecch H.] to so perfyte a goode, I say,
     5157
As didë*. [did H R.] þe formacïoun of Eue;
And þat as swithë here I schal it preue.
     5159
(738)
¶ ffor morë haue I for hir partye ȝit:*. [¶ Secundum augustinum & omnes doc|tores catho|licos, ffor|macio Eue significauit formacionem ecclesie & sa|cramentorum eius; Nam sicut, Adam dormiente, formabatur Eua & mem|bra eius de latere ipsius Ade, sic christo dor|miente in cruce, forma|batur de latere &c. [R eius ec|clesia et eius sacramenta.] Beatus ber|nardus dicit. ¶ A tempore quo christus erat duoden|nis, vsque ad annum xxxti, fuit cum ma|tre sua, ser|uiens ei in omnibus que sciuit sibi placitura, eo quod ad hoc venerat in mundum, vt doceret ver|am humili|tatem.]
     5160
Making of Euë tokned þe makyng
Of holy chirche, and sacramentes of it;
As of þe syde of Adam, him slepyng,
Euë vas*. [was R.] made, so our lorde crist deyeng
     5164
Vpon þe crois, holý chirche, of his syde,
And þe sacrámentes made were in þat tyde.
     5166
(739)
¶ ffro tyme eeke crist was of xij ȝerë*. [twelve yere of R.] age
     5167
Vnto þritty, he with his modir ay
Was seruyng hir with right*. [right, om. H R.] plesant coráge;
To teche humilite, he tooke þe way
ffro heuen hiddir, and mekënesse verray
     5171
Tauȝt he, þe mostë*. [most H R.] partie of his lyf,
Whil he was with his modir & his wyfe; Page  187
     5173
(740)
¶ ffor she was bothë*. [both H R.] two; and syn she had
     5174
So long of hir housbondë þe maystrie,
Women, I trowë,*. [trowe R, trow H.] be nat now so mad
Þat stylë to for-go; nay, swich folye,
What man þat can in a womán espye,
     5178
Is worthi shrynëd be; god saue hem alle,
And graunt hir hyë corage nat to palle!*. [This is a faint imitation of Chaucer.]
     5180
(741)
¶ Holy writ seith, 'if women souereynte*. [¶ Ecclesi|astici. 25o. Mulier, si primatum habeat, con|traria est viro suo.]
     5181
Of hir housbondës haue, how þat þei
Vnto housbondës*. [her husbondes R.] contrarïous be:' [folio 91b]
Þe text is such,*. [is such I wote wele R, I woot wel is schuch H.] I woot wel, but what þei?
That text I vndir-stondë þus al-wey:
     5185
Whan þat housbondës hem mys-take and erre,
Ageyn þat vicë wyuës maken werre.
     5187
(742)
¶ Thogh a woman hir housbonde contrarie
     5188
In his oppynyoun erroneous,
Shul men for þat deme hir his aduersarie?
Straw! be he neuer so harrageous,*. [outrageous R.]
If he & she shul dwellen in on house,
     5192
Goode is he suffre; therby pees may spring;
Housbondës pees is pesible suffryng.
     5194
(743)
¶ By concorde, smalë*. [smale R, smal H.] þingës multiplien;
     5195
And by discorde, hate, ire, and rancour,
Perysshen þingës grete, & wast & dyen.
Pees hath þe fruyt of eese*. [oseese H, ese R.] in his fauour;
To getë pees holsóme is þe labour,
     5199
And kepe it wel, whan a*. [that a R, a rubd out of H.] man hath it cauȝt,
That ire ne discórde bannysshe it naght. Page  188
     5201
(744)
¶ How plesant to god, is of pees þe myrthe!
     5202
What delyte eeke in pees and vnioun*. [¶ Et in terra pax homini|bus. Pax vobis. Pacem relin|quo vobis.]
The prince of pees hath shewëd in his birth,
By angels delitáble song and soun;
Also, aftir his resurreccïoun
     5206
He pees bad; and whan vnto heuen he stigh,
He leftë pees in erthë truëly.*. [lefte . . . truly R, left . . . truly H.]
     5208
(745)
¶ Þat ȝift of pees, þat precïouse Iewel,
     5209
If men it kepe, & do it naght away,
Sonës of crist þei may be clept*. [clept R, clepyd H.] ful wel; [folio 92a] *. [¶ Beati paci|fici &c.]
But strif, which moche is to þe fendës paye,
Among vs feruent is so, welawey!
     5213
We*. [We R, Whe H.] cristen folk, with-inne vs*. [what within R.] and with-out,
Haue so gret stryfe, þat þer may no pees rout.
(746)
¶ The ryot þat haþ ben with-in þis lande*. [lande R, londe H.]
     5216
Among our-self, many*. [full many R.] a wyntrës space,*. [The rebellions of the Percies against Henry IV.]
Hath to þe swerd put many a thousand:
The gredy hert, þat woldë al embrace,
With*. [With R, Wit H.] irous wil, and crabbed palë face,
     5220
And swypir*. [swepir R.] feendly hand with strook vengeáble,
Haþ many a woman maad hem cloþe*. [made clothed R, maad hem cloþ H.] in sable.
(747)
¶ Þis is no doutë, þat ambicïoun
     5223
And couetysë fyre al þis debate;
Tho two be of wikkéd condicïoun.
No wight halt hym content of his estate;
Euery man wilneþ to ben éxaltat;
     5227
Þogh he be gret, ȝit hirë*. [hier R.] wolde he goo,
And þeis aren causes of our stryues*. [ben . . . stryfe R.] & woo. Page  189
     5229
(748)
¶ Werrë within our-Iself is most harmfúl
     5230
And perillous, & most is a-gayn kynde.
Þer-with þis land hath wrastled many a pul;
Þe smert is swich, it may nat out of mynde,
ffor it haþ cast our welthë*. [welthe R, welth H.] far be-hynde,
     5234
And ferther wolë,*. [wole R, wold H.] but thoo werrës stynt;
No goode may come of werrës wrathful dynt.
(749)
¶ Whilës þat Romaynes were in hert al oon,
     5237
And vndeuydid, al*. [alle R.] hool stode, þei were
Lordës of al þe worlde; foo was þer non [folio 92b]
Out-warde, as who seith, myght hem greue or dere;
But al sauf welthë*. [welthe R, welth H.] may men suffre and bere;
     5241
With*. [With R, Wit H.]-Inne hym-self sprang such deuysïoun,
Þat it hem broughtë*. [brought H R.] to confusioun.
     5243
(750)
¶ What causyd hir inwárd werre and rumour*. [murmur R.]
     5244
But auericë? she reft hem her wele;
Whilës þei had in cheerte and fauour
Profit commun, thei hadden bi þe stele
Prosperite; but it a-way gan stele
     5248
Whan þei him drough to profyte singuler,*. [syngulere R, singurer H.]
And of profyt commun nat weren cheer.
     5250
(751)
¶ By-hold how*. [how R, of H.] auaricë crepith inne,*. [¶ Nota de Auaricia.]
     5251
And kyndlith werre, and quenchiþ vnite!
O fauel! þou myghtést ben of hir kynne,
ffor swich a breekë*. [breke pees R, breek pees H.]-pees as þat is she,
Right swich a-nothir, may I namë þe;
     5255
Þou rekkest nat, ne dredest nat, to wende
ffor muk to helle, vnto þe ferthest*. [into the ferrest R.] ende. Page  190
     5257
(752)
¶ This fauel is of pees a déstourbour;
     5258
Twix god and mannës*. [mannes R, man H.] soule he werrë reisith;
This worlde is blent by þis dissymulour;
Vertú he blameþ, ánd vicés he preysith;
Sore in þe bowe of treccherye he teisyth;
     5262
His shot is gay, but it is énvenymed;
His fikil art may nat a-ryght be rymed.
     5264
(753)
¶ Vertuouse trouthë,*. [trouthe R, trouth H.] hydë þou þine heede!
     5265
Þou mayst as wele, thyn art may nat a-vayle;
Out of þis worldës grace art þou as dede: [folio 93a]
But fauel, traitour! þi fals gouernaile
Makith ful manny shippës for to saile
     5269
In-to þi cofre; warme is þine office;
Þat trouthë*. [trouthe R, trouth H.] lesith, wynnë can þi vice.
     5271
(754)
¶ Alas! so manny a worthi clerk famóuse,
     5272
In Oxinford, and in Cambrigge also,
Stonde*. [Stonde R, Stode H.] vn-avancëd, wher the viciouse
ffauel hath chirches. & preuendres,*. [prebendes R.] moo
Þan god is plesid with;*. [with R, wit H.] alasse! of thoo
     5276
Þat weiuen vertu so to be*. [wernen . . . so to be R, weiuen (or weinen) . . . so be H.] promoted;
And þei helples, in whom vertu is rooted.
     5278
(755)
¶ The knyght or sqwier, on þat othir syde,
     5279
Or Ieman, þat haþ in pees or in werris
Dispent with his lorde his blode, but he hyde
Þe trouth, and*. [and R, an H.] can currey fauel, he nat þe nere is
His lordës grace; and vn-trouth ful fer is
     5283
ffrom him, þat worthy corage hath honóured;
Grace of his*. [his R, þis H.] lorde by fauel is deuóured. Page  191
     5285
(756)
¶ Now vnto my mateere of werre inwarde
     5286
Resort I; but to sekë stories olde
Non nede is, syn þis day sharp werre & harde
Is at þe dore here, as men may be-holde:
ffrauncë, no wondir þogh þine hertë*. [hert H R.] colde,
     5290
And brenne also:*. [also sithen R, also seith H.] swich is þine agonye,
Thi self manaseth þi self for to dye.
     5292
(757)
¶ Thi self destroye, and feble is þi victórye!
     5293
Thow hast in þi self stryven oft*. [ofte R, of H.] or nowe,
And hast appesid al,*. [all R.] haue in memórie, [folio 93b]
Thurgh þi prudence; wost þou nat wel how
Slaghtre is defendid? and nat rekkest þow
     5297
To rebelle a-geyn god þat it forbedith?
ffor the, myne heuy gost bisily dredith.
     5299
(758)
¶ What any part offendid hath to othir,
     5300
Redresse it faire and charytablely;*. [charitably R, charytably H.]
By lawe of god, ye ben ech others brothir.
O! now adayës is noon enemye
Lyke oon þat is to othir of bloodë nye;
     5304
Beth ware! correct it! lest men of yow seye,
'lo! whilom this was ffraunce of hye nobley!'
(759)
¶ I am an Englyssh-man, & am þi foo,
     5307
ffor þou a foo art vnto my lygeánce;
And yit myn hertë*. [hert H R.] stuffid is with woo
To see þyn vnkyndly disseueraunce:
Accordeth yow! girdeþ*. [gurdeth R.] yow with suffraunce!
     5311
Ye greuë god, and your-self harme & shame,
And your foos ther-of han disport & game. Page  192
     5313
(760)
¶ Alase! Also, þe greet dissencïoun,
     5314
The pitous harme, þe hatëful discorde,
Þat hath endurëd twix þis regioun
And othir landës cristen! he, þat lorde
Of Remes al is þe auctor of*. [all is the actour and R.] concorde
     5318
And pees, sore is meeuëd þer-with; but we
Naght dreden for to offend his mageste.
     5320
(761)
¶ Off fraunce and englonde, o cristen princes,
     5321
Syn þat your style of worthynes is ronge
Thurgh-out þe world, in al þe prouinces, [folio 94a]
If þat of yow myghtë*. [myght H R.] be red*. [radde R.] or songe
That ye were oon in herte, ther nys no*. [is no R, nys H.] tonge
     5325
That myghte expresse, how profitable and good
Vnto al peple it were of cristen blood.
     5327
(762)
¶ Yeue hem ensamplen!*. [ensample R.] ye ben hir mirrours;
     5328
They folowen yow: what sorwe lamentable
Is causëd of youre werrës scharpë schoures
Ther wot no wight, it is irréparable!
O noble cristen Princes honurable,
     5332
ffor him þat for yow suffred passïoun,
Of cristen blod, haueþ compassïoun!
     5334
(763)
¶ Allas! what peple haþ your werrë slayn!
     5335
What cornës wast, and dounë*. [wasted and doune R, wast and doun H.] trode & schent!
How many a wif and maide haþ be by layn!*. [forlayne R.]
Castels doun bette, and tymbred houses brent,
And drawen downe, and al to-tornë*. [all to-tore R, also torne H.] and rent!
     5339
The harm ne may nat rekened be, ne told;
This werrë wexiþ al to hoor and old. Page  193
     5341
(764)
¶ To wynnë worldly tresour and richesse,
     5342
Is of your strif þe*. [your R.] longe continuaunce;
Wherby it semeth þat ye han scantnesse
Of good, or ye konne haue no súffisaunce
Of plente; and if þér be hábundaunce
     5346
In youre cofres, and in your hertës nede,
Of lordly*. [lordes R.] cónceit may it not procede.
     5348
(765)
¶ Whan Alisaundre deed was, and y-graue,*. [in his graue R.]
     5349
And his toumbe óf gold wroght ful richëly,
As kyngës dignite wole axe and craue, [folio 94b]
Dyuerse philosophres droghen*. [drowe R, drogh H.] hem nygh
Therto; and as oon of hem stood þerby,
     5353
he seidë þus among þe folkës alle:—
"Seeþ swiche a chaunge is newë now byfalle!*. [chaunce now newe is falle R.]
(766)
¶ "This Alisaundre madë yistirday
     5356
Of gold his tresor, but gold makiþ now
Tresor of him, as ye be-holdë may."
An*. [An R, And H.] othir philosopher seide eek how
"Al þis world yistirday was nat y-now
     5360
To stoppen*. [stoppen R, stoppe H.] Alisaundres couetise,
And now thre elnes of cloþë*. [cloth hym do, cloþ him H.] him suffice."
     5362
(767)
¶ O worthi princes two, now takiþ hede!
     5363
As hardy, deth is yow for to assaille
As sche*. [he R.] dide Alisaundre, whom in drede
Hadde al þis world; what myght his force auaille
A-gayn þe deth? no thing, sanȝ faille;
     5367
ffor þogh þat he swerd wer*. [were R.] of chiualrie,
Deth threwe him doun to grounde, & lete him lye. Page  194
(768)
¶ With how*. [out R.] grete labour, or wiþ how*. [out R.] gret peyne,
Men wynnë good, to þe world [þey] leue it schal;
Vnto þe pitte goþ nought but þe careyne:
And þogh gold werë grauen þer-with-al,
Naght myght it helpë: beth nat goldës thral!
     5374
Suffiseth to your good,*. [Chaucer, Truth 'Suffiseth to your good, thogh it be smal.'] ye princes boþe;
With pees and restë, armë yow and clothe!
     5376
(769)
¶ Whan ye haue stryue and foughten al your fille,
Pees folwe moot; but good were it, or thanne,*. [¶ ffinis belli pax.]
That pees were hadde: what lust han ye to spille [folio 95a]
The blood þat crist with his blood boghte, whanne
He on þe croys starf? o lady seint Anne,
     5381
Thi doughter preyë to beseche hir sone
To stynte of werrës þe dampnáble wone.
     5383
(770)
¶ The book of reuelacïouns of Bride*. [¶ libro 4o de reuelacioni|bus sancte Brigide, ca|pitulo cvo Christus di|cit, "ego sum pax," &c. ¶ Si reges ffrancie & Anglie volue|rint habere pacem, ego dabo eis per|petuam pa|cem: sed pax vera non po|test haberi, nisi veritas & iusticia diligantur. Ideo quia al|ter Regum habet iustici|am, placet mihi quod per matrimo|nium fiat pax, & sic regnum ad legitti|mum here|dem poterit peruenire &c.]
     5384
Expressith how crist þus seide hir vnto:
"I am pees verray; þere I wole abide,
Where as pees is; non oþer wole I do.
Of ffraunce and Engëlond þe kyngës two,
     5388
If þei wole haue pees, pees perpetuel
Thei schul han"; thus hir book seiþ, woot I wel;
(771)
¶ "But verray pees may be had by no way,
     5391
But if trouthë and Iustice louëd be;
And for þat á*. [o R.] kyng haþ right, forthi may
By matrimoignë pees and vnite
Ben had;*. [Henry V's marriage with Francis's daughter Katherine. 'Cesynge' (l. 5397) turnd out in the end to be 'aggravating.'] cristës plesance is swiche; þus he
     5395
That right heir is, may þe remë reioyse,
Cesynge al strif, debate, or werre, or noyse." Page  195
     5397
(772)
¶ Now syn þe wey is open, as ye see,
     5398
How pees to gete in vertuous manere,
ffor loue of him þat dide vppon þe tree,
And of Mary, his blysful modir dere,
ffolweþ þat way, and your strif leye on bere;
     5402
Purchaseth pees by wey of marïage,
And ye þerinne schul fynden auauntage.
     5404
(773)
¶ Now, pees! approche, and dryue out werre & strif!
ffrenchepe! appere, and bannysshë thow hate!
Tranquillite! reuë þou*. [thou reve R.] ire hir lif [folio 95b]
That feruent is, and leef for to debate!
Ye thre vertuës, now late see abate
     5409
The malice of þe foulë vices thre,
Þat verray foos ben to al christiante.
     5411
(774)
¶ O cristen princes! for þe loue and awe
     5412
Of him þat is þe king of kingës al,*. [alle, falle, galle R.]
Nessheth*. [Softeth R.] your hertës, and to pees yow drawe!
Considereth what good may þerof fal!*. [alle, falle, galle R.]
The hony takiþ, and leuyth þe gal!*. [alle, falle, galle R.]
     5416
The sternë iugë in his iugëment
May doo but right for his punyschëment.
     5418
(775)
¶ What desobeïssance and rébellioun,
     5419
What wil vnbuxum, what vnkyndënesse,
May he preue in yow, þat destruccïoun
Don of men, his handwerk, soothly, I gesse.
It mostë nedës stire his rightwisnesse
     5423
A-geyn yow; stinteþ at his reuerence,
Sueth his grace and his beneuolence! Page  196
     5425
(776)
¶ ffrom hennës-forth lat þere by-twixe yow be
     5426
So vertuous a strif,*. [lyfe R.] for cristës sake,
That ye of pees and loue and charite
May striuë*. [be R.]; lat your pite now a-wake,
That longe haþ slept; and pees bytwixt yow make;
And on þe foos of crist, your rédemptour,
Werreth! thére kitheth your vigour!
     5432
(777)
¶ Vppon þe mescreantys to makë werre,
     5433
And hem vnto the feith of crist to brynge,
3Good were; therynne may ye*. [he R.] no thyng erre,
That were a meritórye werrying;*. [werreying R, werryng H.]
That is the wey vn-to the conqueryng
     5437
Of hevenes*. [heven R.] blyssë, that is endëles,
To which yow bryngë the*. [the Actour R, thauctour H.] auctour of pees. Amen!3*. [3_3 In the much later hand than the rest of the poem, the same as wrote the first leaf.]
Explicit.