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[§ 1. ON THE DIGNITY OF A KING.]
(310)
¶ ffirst and foreward, the dignitee of kyng
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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;
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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,
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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,
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What man that þe receyueth or admittith,
More esë þan he weneth from hym flittith.
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(312)
¶ Who-so þe peril know, and charge and fere
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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,
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This worldës hook, enuye hath to his bayt,
And ay hath hye degree sore in a-wayt."
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(313)
¶ Now, noble princë, thogh I be nat wys,
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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]
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ffolwe me nat; and if þat I do, thenne
Do as I schal reportë with my penne.
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