Hoccleve's works. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

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

(314)

¶ Tho othës that at your creacïoun Line 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; Line 2196 It is nat knyghtly [knygly H, knyghtly R.] from an oth to varie; A kyng of trouth, oweth bene exemplarie. Line 2198

(315)

¶ Lo! thus this Aristotle in his book seith Line 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, Line 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 Line 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, Line 2210 By feith, þe Citees standen vnwerréyed, And kyngës of hir sogetȝ ben obeyed. Line 2212

(317)

¶ Who leeseth feith, gretter thyng may non leese. Line 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] Line 2217 By word ne bond, but if he wole it laste; ffor who so dooth, schal smerten at þe laste. Line 2219

Line 2219

(318)

¶ Litel encheson haþ he for to speke, Line 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 Line 2224 Of trouthe outward, and inward fikilnesse, Bulteth [Bulteth R.] out schame, and causeþ gret smartnesse.

(319)

¶ What was þe cause of þe destruccïoun Line 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 Line 2231 Brekyngë bondës þat stablisshed were Mankynde to profitë, and not to dere? Line 2233

(320)

¶ And for þat synnë, goddës riȝtwisnesse, Line 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 Line 2238 Dampneth it; thogh þat þe persone it vse, Knyghthode itself mot algate it refuse. Line 2240

(321)

¶ To god truste I, no lord in al þis lond Line 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] Line 2245 ffor if þat he that wicked geste recette, By suche a lorde wole honour no thing sette. Line 2247

Line 2247

(322)

¶ Whan Marcus Regulus was, as I rede, [¶ De fideli|tate Marci Reguli.] Line 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, Line 2252 Sworn to retournë to Cartage ageyn, As tullius And eek seint Austyn seyn. Line 2254

(323)

¶ The causë whi þey hym to Romë sente, Line 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 Line 2259 Cartagiens, suffre hem at largë goo, And þe Romayns go schulden [shulde R, schuld H.] [fre] also. Line 2261

(324)

¶ Whan Marcus doon hadde as þat he was bode, Line 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, Line 2266 That to vs Romayns were it couenable, Swiche an eschaungë; but [is but R.] vnprofitable. Line 2268

(325)

¶ "We Romayns þat þey han in prison loke, Line 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] Line 2273 Ȝoure prisoners [prisoners R, prioners H.] ben myghty men and wyse, And folk in armës preeuëd at deuyse." Line 2275

Line 2275

(326)

¶ His freendës wolde han holde hym stillë there, Line 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, Line 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.] Line 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 Line 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 Line 2294 He hadde of the profet vníuersel Than of hym self: his deeth it preued wel. Line 2296

(329)

¶ Amongës allë [alle R, al H.] þingës in a knyght, [¶ Nota de Alexandri iuramento.] Line 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] Line 2301 Meeued of ire and maléncolye, Vn-to a citee dressid hym in hye, Line 2303

Line 2303

(330)

¶ Whichë þat clept and called was Lapsat, Line 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, Line 2308 That to this kyng somtyme had maister be,— fful sore abasshed of him & his meyne. Line 2310

(331)

¶ Out of þe toun he spedde hym on his weie, Line 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; Line 2317

(332)

¶ At þi prayerë do wole I no þing." Line 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; Line 2322 Haue on it no pitee, but al doun caste; This pray I þe, þat may [þat it R.] be done as faste." Line 2324

(333)

¶ And whan þe kyng his prayere vnderstood, Line 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] Line 2329 To his vengeáble wil, and his oth kepe, Than be forsworn of þat he swoor so depe. Line 2331

Line 2331

(334)

¶ Or a kyng swere, it is ful necessarie Line 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; Line 2336 No thing byhetë, but he it perfourme, If he wole hym vnto his state conforme. Line 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.] Line 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; Line 2343 Vsage of othes, of periurie is cause." And more he seith eke in þe samë clause. Line 2345

(336)

¶ He seith, "periurie engendrid is of othis; [othis R, this H.] Line 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 Line 2350 To trouthe is, and makith men hem forswere;" fful necessarie is, othis to for-bere. Line 2352

(337)

¶ Swering haþ thisë [thise R, this H.] thre condicïouns Line 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] Line 2357 Swere, and nat needles; and iustice also, Leeffuly swere, and iustly euermo. Line 2359

Line 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.] Line 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 Line 2364 Wel morë than, oghte a marchántes oth, And to go ther ageyn be morë loth. Line 2366

(339)

¶ And syn a princes oth, or his promesse, Line 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.] Line 2371 What a man is, it prest is for to preue; Outhir, honure it shal him, or repreue. Line 2373

(340)

¶ Now if it happe, as it haþ happed ofte, Line 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 Line 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; Line 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] Line 2385 Is with good herte his kyng honour and plese, And, to his myght, refresche & doon him ese.

(342)

¶ In hem is þe substaunce of euery lone: Line 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, Line 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, Line 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; Line 2399 And yit he moot þe cours of lawe abyde, Or his mainpernour mot deffende his syde. Line 2401

(344)

¶ Among the poorë peple thus it goth, Line 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, Line 2406 Thei þinke, al be it þat þei no thing speke; In swichë lordës is vntrouthe I-reke. Line 2408

(345)

¶ And syn a kyng, by wey of his office, Line 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.] Line 2413 A besy tongë bringeth in swiche wit, He þat by word naght gilteþ, is perfit. Line 2415

Line 2415

(346)

¶ A! lord, what it is fair and honurable, Line 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 Line 2420 Gouernë, than his honur it conserueth; And by þe reuers, diëth [deyeth R, dith H.] it and sterueth. Line 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 xix^o. Qui odit loquaci|tatem, extin|git maliciam. Prouerbia|rum xiij. ¶ Qui custo|dit os suum, custodit ani|mam, qui autem &c.] Line 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 Line 2427 Of hem þat yeuen to him audience; In mochil spechë wantiþ not offence. Line 2429

(348)

¶ Who so þat hatiþ mochil clap or speche, Line 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, Line 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 Line 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; Line 2441 And after repreef fissheth, clappeth, fouleth; The tunge of man, all the body defouleth. Line 2443

Line 2443

(350)

And that [þat] oute of tunge of kyng procedeth, [[MS. Reg. 17 D 6.]] Line 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 Line 2448 Lightly astertë, that may not be holde; And than [þe] trouthë begynneth to colde. Line 2450

(351)

O worthy princë, this, loo, meveth me Line 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; Line 2455 Of his honour, vntrouthe a knyght vnlaceth, And his renoun all vttirly defaceth. Line 2457

(352 abb aa cc.)

And failyng it, the chief flour of his stile Line 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 Line 2462 Purpóseth fully for to fare & wende, So is our reule vnthrifty & vnthende. Line 2464