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

[§ 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.] Line 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, Line 2469 Vnto his better, honour & reuerence; The grete eke to the smale, lore & science. Line 2471

Line 2471

(354)

To thyne egall, concorde; vnto thy foo, [[MS. Reg. 17 D 6.]] Line 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.] Line 2476 And rewe vpon hym, yf that thy myght faile, For þat will shall þy dedë countervayle. Line 2478

(355)

Who-so it be that Iusticë verray [Si quis es qui iusticiam veram sectari desideras, time prius deum.] Line 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; Line 2483 For none anoyë is no righwisnesse, But it is abstinence of wickkednesse. Line 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.] Line 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; Line 2490 And yf he be vexed with maladie, Mynystre hym helpe, his greef to remedie. Line 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.] Line 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! Line 2497 "Do þat right is, and good, to goddës pay, In word nat only, but in werk al-way." Line 2499

Line 2499

(358)

¶ Lawëful iustice is, as in manere, [¶ Egidius in ij parte primi libri, capitulo xi^o. 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.] Line 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, Line 2504 ffulfillë lawë, is [it is R.] vertu perfyt, And in-iustice is of al vertu qwyt. Line 2506

(359)

¶ Iustice is of the kynde and the nature Line 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. Line 2511 Iusticë déffendeth possessions, And peple kepeþ from oppressions. [oppressions R, appressions H.] Line 2513

(360)

¶ A kyng is made to kepen and maynteene Line 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 Line 2518 Of ooth maad in his coronacioun, Boundë [And bounden R.] to iustices sauuacioun. Line 2520

(361)

¶ And a kyng, in fulfillinge of þat, is [folio 43b] Line 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 Line 2525 Of erthly good, and bettre þan reyn ffallynge at eue from heuen,' þei seyn. Line 2527

Line 2527

(362)

¶ fful often sithë [sothe R.] it is wist and seen, Line 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; Line 2532 Vniust mynístres ofte hir kyng accusen, And thei þat iust ben, óf wrong hem excusen.

(363)

¶ If þe ministres do naght but iustice Line 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. Line 2539 But ministres to seelde hem wel gouerne; Oppressïoun regneth in euery herne. Line 2541

(364)

¶ A kyng, me thinkeþ, for þe seuerte Line 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 Line 2546 And to diffende; and if þat þei be greued, By him thei mot be holpen and releued. Line 2548

(365)

¶ Excusë schal hym naght his ignorance; [folio 44a] Line 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, Line 2553 He may, be ryght, be clept no gouernour, But of his peple a wilful déstroyour. Line 2555

Line 2555

(366)

¶ O worthi king! benyngne Edward þe laste! Line 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 Line 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).] Line 2562

(367)

¶ Al-thogh a kyng haue hábundance of myght [¶ Sapientie. v^o [i.e. cap. 6]. Quia non recte iudicas|tis [R. neque custodistis legem iusticie &c.].] Line 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, Line 2567 Of whom al rightwis power is deryued; ffor if he doo, of blisse he schal be pryued. [pryved R, preyued H.] Line 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.] Line 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: Line 2574 "This peyne, or othir like þer-to, moot falle Vppon þi falsë counsaillourës [Counsaillours, H, counceilours R.] alle. Line 2576

(369)

¶ "Nought rekke I thogh I rote an hy or lowe, [lowe R, lawe H.] [folio 44b] Line 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, Line 2581 Dreden to suffre for riȝt suche a peyne, But I thereby nat settë resshës tweyne." Line 2583

Line 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.] Line 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, Line 2588 To a Maister in þe citee dwellinge, Bytook hir children, by wey of lernynge. Line 2590

(371)

¶ What doth me this maister, but on a day Line 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: Line 2595 "Haueth this children in possessïoun, And kepith hem in holde and in prisoun; Line 2597

(372)

¶ "The fadres of hem han in gouernaunce Line 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, Line 2602 Ye schul wel seen, hir children lyf to saue, Hem and þe citee schul ye wynne & haue." Line 2604

(373)

¶ The duke answerde anon to þis traytour: [folio 45a] Line 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, Line 2609 Nat were it knyghtly, me to þè consente, That taken hast so traytourous entente. Line 2611

Line 2611

(374)

¶ "We Romayns kepen riȝtës of bataile Line 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 Line 2616 ffor vs han greued be; we armës bere A-geyn the armëd men, hem for to dere, Line 2618

(375)

¶ "And naght a-geyn children vndéfensable. Line 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; Line 2623 By vertu of armés wole I it wynne, ffor al þe myght of men þat ben þerinne." Line 2625

(376)

¶ The duke comaundeth, [comaunded R.] schortly for to seyn, Line 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, Line 2630 The senat clept, and þis vnto hem tolde; The hertës gan to change, of yonge & olde; Line 2632

(377)

¶ All þey seiden, of hyë [hye R, hy H.] gentillesse, [folio 45b] Line 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; Line 2637 Is non so good, as lat vs mollifie Our hertës stoutë [stout H, and stonde R.] to his genterie, Line 2639

Line 2639

(378)

¶ "And of his pees, requiren hym & preye." Line 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, Line 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.] Line 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 Line 2651 To þe, but al þat longith to knyȝthode Was inned in þyn excellent manhode. Line 2653

(380)

¶ I rede also how þat—hangynge a strif Line 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 Line 2658 His ownë lord þe kyng, & hym to kille, If þat it haddë ben fabricës wille. Line 2660

(381)

¶ This leche vn-to fabrices house by nyght, [folio 46a] Line 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.] — Line 2665 His lorde þe kyng with venym wolde he fede, So þat ther-þurgh he steruen shuldë nede. Line 2667

Line 2667

(382)

¶ This lorde, with þat, bad men his handës teye, [teye R, cey H.] Line 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! Line 2672 Men may the sonne as lightly his curse [cours R.] reue, As þis fabrices make his trowthë [trouthe R, trouth H.] leue." Line 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.]] Line 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.] Line 2679 Was comyn vnto þe kyngës audience, Þis dome he ȝafe as blyue, and þis sentence: Line 2681

(384)

¶ He bad men fla [flee R.] hym quyk out of his skynne, Line 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 Line 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.] Line 2688

(385)

¶ Naght ought a iugë, for hatrede [hate H R.] or loue [folio 46b] Line 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, Line 2693 Chasyng a-way thoughtës on wrong I-groundid; Who iuggith wrongfully, is feendly woundid.

(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.] Line 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, Line 2700 ffor loue of mede him prouokiþ þer-to, And riȝtwysnessë no þing so to do. Line 2702

(387)

¶ To swich a iugë withdrawë þe hope [Eodem capit|ulo: cui si spes peccunie subtrahatur, confestim a iusticia re|cedit. ¶ Ysaye 33^o. Qui excutit manus suas ab omni mu|nere, iste in excelsis habi|tabit.] Line 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,— Line 2707 As vnto vs wyttenessith ysaye,— He shal in heuen dwelle, & sitten hye. Line 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.] Line 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; Line 2714 If one iustice he shape his dome to bilde, His iugëmentës he ȝiftlés must ȝilde. Line 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.] Line 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.] Line 2721 Ne þe maner excede in swichë [suche R, swich H.] case, Or quantite of þe gilt, or þe trespace. Line 2723

Line 2723

(390)

¶ Euen as a soule is bodies lyflynesse, Line 2724 And when þat it [it, om. H.] is twynëd from a wight [¶ Egidius in ij^da parte primi libri capitulo xj^o. 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, Line 2728 Þe londe may bathen in prosperite; And lost is al, if þat absent be she. Line 2730

(391)

¶ Ther was a lawe I-made vppon a tyme [¶ Nota bene! qualiter satis|iactum erat legi per quondam consulem Romanum.] Line 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. Line 2735 Now fel it so, a man þat sonë was To a conseil, was take in þis trespas. Line 2737

(392)

¶ And whan þat þe myshappe of þis persone Line 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.] Line 2742 Shuld on þis sonë for this dedë falle, And þe consulës so þei preyden alle. Line 2744

(393)

¶ To [To R, Tho H.] which þe fadir gan replië þo, [folio 47b] Line 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, Line 2749 "ffor fauour of myself or any of myne? Nay, sirrës, to þat may I not enclyne. Line 2751

Line 2751

(394)

¶ "Maffeith [Parde R.] ! þat werë wrong and villonye! Line 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; Line 2756 So at the last he sye non othir wey, But in party he must hir lust obeye. Line 2758

(395)

¶ "Now," quod he, "sithen [sithen R, sen H.] it may be no bet, Line 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.] : Line 2763 Oon of myne eyen wol I now for-go; Mi sone anoþir; it shal be riȝt so. Line 2765

(396)

¶ "We two wol hauë but o mannës sight." Line 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? Line 2770 Nay, nay! þis londe is al to scarce & lyte, To fynde oon þat so iustly wolde hym quyte. Line 2772