The governance of England: otherwise called The difference between an absolute and a limited monarchy. A rev. text edited with introd., notes, and appendices by Charles Plummer.

CHAPTER XVI. HOW THE ROMAYNES PROSPERED WHILES THAI HADE A GRETE COUNSELL.

THE Romaynes, while thair counsell callid þe senate was gret, gate, through þe wysdome off that counsell, the lordshippe off gret partye of the world. And aftirward Julyus, thair ffirst emperowre, coun|selled by þe same senate, gate the monarchie ner|hande off all þe world. Wherthrough Octavian, þer secounde emperour, commounded all þe world to be discribed as subget vnto hym. But aftir this, when yll dysposed emperours, as Nero, Domician, and oþer had slayn grete parte off þe senatours, and dyspiced the counsell off þe senate, the estate off þe Romans and off þer emperours be ganne to fall doune, and hath ffallen alwey sythyn, in to suche decay, þat nowe the lordeshippes off þe emperour bith not so gret, as be þe lordeshippes off some kynge, wich, while þe senate was hole, was subget to þe emperour. Be wich ensample it is thought, þat yff the kyng haue such a Counsell as is beffore specified, his lande shall not only be ryche and welthy, as were

þe Romans, but also is hyghnes shalbe myghty, and off poiar to subdue his ennemyes, and all oþer that he shall liste to reygne uppon. Off such ensamples mony of the bokes off cronycles be full; and in especiall þe cronycles off þe Lacidemonies, and off þe Authenences, wich, whill thai prospered, were best counselled, and most dyd aftir counsell off any people off þe world, excepte the Romayns. But when thai lafte such counsell, thai ffell into non poiar and pouerte; as off the Cite off Athenes it mey well apere, be that it is nowe but a poure vilage, and some tyme was the moste worshipfull Cyte off Grece.