Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum octavum decimum.

ARTARXERSES, þe sone of Darius and of Parasitides, hadde a surname Mennon, [Menuon, Cx.] and þe Hebrewes cleped [clepiden, β.] hym Assuerus. He was þe elevenþe kyng of Pers, and regned fourty ȝere from Ynde [Inde, Cx.] to Ethiopia, over an hondred provinces and seven and twenty. His trone was in þe citee Susus [Susis, Cx., β., and γ., et infra.] : þe citee þat here hatte Susus is i-cleped [yclepud, γ.] Egbathanis [was called Egbatanis, Cx.] in þe book of Iudith, and was þe cheef [chyef, Cx.] citee of þe Elemytes. Iosephus seiþ þat Daniel made þere a wonder buriel of [for, α., β., γ., and Cx.] kynges, so wonderful þat it semeþ i-made [semede made, Cx.] þe same day þat it is i-seie. [that is to say, Cx., which makes no sense.] Þe kynges of Medea, of Pers, [Perses, Cx.] and of Parthia were woned [Perchea were wonte, Cx.] to be buried in þat buriel. Þis [þes, γ.] Artarxerses, þat heet [otherwyse callyd, Cx.] Assuerus

also, in þe þridde ȝere of his kyngdom, made greet revel and feste to his princes, þat durede an hondred dayes þre score and ten and [in, α., β., and Cx.; yn, γ.] þat wonderful paleys [palais, Cx.; palys, γ., et infra.] þat me redeþ of in þe storie [thistory, Cx.] of Alisaundre; þe pilers of þat paleys [pyllers of that palays, Cx.] were of silver, [seluer, γ., et infra.] þe helynge liche [keueryng like, Cx.] to þe firmament i-chaumbred and having precious stoones of dyvers colours to the liknesse of þe [þe] om. γ.] sterres. Afterward [after, Cx.] he lay wiþ his peple seven dayes [dawes, γ.] in þe orche|ȝerd [orchard, β., γ., and Cx.] of likynge; þere was a vyneȝerd, with vynes of silver, [seluer, Cx.] wiþ braunches of golde, and cloistres [clustres, Cx.; clostres, γ.] of precious stoones, [yn stude of grapes, added in γ.] þe pavylouns [pauilons, Cx.] were i-peȝt [ypiȝte, β.] uppon pilers of silver, of marbel, [marbre, γ.] and of yvory, [evory, α. and γ.; ivory, Cx.] wiþ roopes of white silk and of reed. Þere Fasty [Vasty, Cx. and γ.; Vasti, β.] þe queene was rebel, and wolde nouȝt come to the kyng, þerfore Hester was i-chose queene in her stede. Democritus þe philosofre deide þat tyme. Agellus spekeþ of hym and seiþ þat he putte out his owne eyȝen, [eyen, Cx.; yȝene, γ.] and þat for þre skiles [skylles, Cx.] : the firste, for his siȝt lette hym of his holy þouȝtes; þe secounde, for he myȝte nouȝt see [yse, γ.] wommen

wiþ oute greet temptaciouns [temptacioun, α.; temptacion, Cx. and γ.] ; þe þridde, for he sawe [syȝ, γ.] schrewes [shrewes oft mysdo and deden euyl . . . . ., Cx.] ofte mysbere hem and dede [diden, β.; do, γ.] evel dedes, and þat he myȝt [myȝte he, α.; myghte, Cx.] nouȝt suffre, but it greved hym sore. Tullius, epistola 995. [95, Cx. and β.] Democritus was woned to seie [wonte to say, Cx.; wond to segge, γ.] þat þe hestes of schrewes and þe noyse [noyes, Cx.] of þe wombe beeþ [ben, Cx.; buþ, γ.] in oon place. "What have I [ich, γ.] to doo þerwiþ," quod [sayd, Cx.; quaþ, γ.] he, "wheþer þis noyse sowne upward oþer dounward." Polichronicon, libro 7^o. Socrates þe philosofre, four score ȝere olde and nyntene, deyde, and [deyde and] om. Cx.] drank venym wiþ stedfast [dranke poyson with stydfast, Cx.; stedfast, β.] semblaunt. [Cx. inserts and dyed at the end of the sentence, not in the middle.] ℞. Leste errour byfalle in þe name of Socrates, take hede þat [for, Cx.] þere were þre Socrates: oon was auctor of doynge and of dedes. Cassiodorus, in þe storie þat hatte Tripartita, [thistory callyd tripertita, Cx.] preyseþ wel þis Socrates. Silencus [Selencus, Cx.; Seleucus, β. and γ.] Theodoricus, and Socrates made þat storie. Anoþer Socrates was of Grees, [Grece, Cx.] a greet philosofer and lawiere. [lawer, α. and Cx.; laweȝer, γ.] Of hym, libro primo Satur|nalium, is rehersed þat noble sawe, whanne he was prayed of his felawes to putte forþ somwhat of his noble spekynge, he seide, "As þis place axeþ, I spare no speche; and þe speche þat I spare is nouȝt covenable for þis place, noþer for þis tyme." Soche [Suche, Cx.; Siche, β.] a tale is i-tolde of Ysocras [Ipocras, Cx. and γ.] þe philosofre. The þridde Socrates was Plato his maister, [maystrer, Cx.] of hym is oure

speche as [at, α., β., γ., and Cx.] þis tyme. Polichronicon, libro 4^o, capitulo 6^o. Socrates was i-demed [reputed, Cx.] þe wisest by answere of Appolyn, and wiþ oute eny wiþ-seyenge [wiþsigginge, β.; wiþsiggyng, γ.] he passede þe sevene wise men þat were i-holde wise men among þe Grees, [Grekes, Cx.] and was acounted to fore [acompted before, Cx.] hem wiþ oute [oute] om. γ.] comparisoun, nouȝt onliche in wit and kunnynge, but also in manere of good levynge, þerfore Tullius, libro primo de Tusculanis quæstionibus, [Tuscul qō, Cx.] seiþ þat Socrates was prince of philosofie, and [that he] [From Cx.] cleped philosofie from hevene into [unto, Cx.; into eorþe, γ.] erþe, and stowed [stowide, β.] philosofie in citees. [stuffed cytees with philosophie, Cx.] Augustinus de Civitate, libro 8^o, capitulo 14^o. A spirit [spyryte, Cx.] folowede Socrates, and tauȝte hym þinges. Apulius, libro suo primo de [di, Cx.] deo Socrates, [Socratis, α., β., and γ.] reherseþ [Cx. inverts these two verbs.] and seiþ [Cx. inverts these two verbs.] þat þis spirit usede to warne Socrates to leve of his doynge whanne þe doynge schulde have non good ende. ℞. Þerfore Calcidius super librum Thimei seiþ [seiþ] om. Cx.] : [me seiþ] [From α., β., and Cx.] þat a spirit folowede and tauȝte Socrates from his firste childhood, nouȝt to com|pelle

[him] [From Cx. and β.] to doo ouȝt, but to forbede [forbeode, γ.] hym to doo what was nouȝt speedful, [doo thynge not spedeful, Cx.] and as in metynges [a dremes, Cx.] and swevenes [and swevenes] om. Cx.] it [hyt, γ.] semeþ a man þat [he] [From Cx.] hereþ [huyreþ, γ.] many þinges nouȝt by verray voys, but by som tokene þat foloweþ þe office [folowed thoffyce, Cx.] of manis vois, [foys, γ.] so Socrates his þouȝt while he was wakynge was conforted [comforted, Cx.] and i-tauȝt by warnynge of cleer [clere, Cx.] token of þe spirit. Tullius de divinatione, libro primo. We haveþ [habbeþ yleurned, γ.] i-lerned [haue lerned, Cx.] of Socrates, þat was alway tendaunt to a spirit þat was i-cleped [yclepud, γ.] demon; but he put [neuer moeued hym . . ., Cx.] on hym [a pot not on him, γ.] nevere to do dedes, but wiþdrowe hym ofte from doynge of dedes, and [and . . . schulde] not in Cx., an error of the scribe.] þerfore whanne he schulde, and þerfore whanne he schulde be dampned to deeþ, he ches forto die [chees to dye . . ., Cx.] in most riȝtful manere. But þo hadde he no token i-ȝeve hym of his God. Valerius, libro primo, capi|tulo 7^o. Socrates in his olde age usede harpynge and glee [armonye, Cx.; gle, γ.] of strenges, and seide þat it was bettre to lerne [use, α., β., γ., and Cx.] þat crafte late þan lerne [leurne, γ., et infra.] it nevere; and [Cx. omits and and reads he.] wolde [also] [From Cx.] take hede to þe craft [arte, β., γ., and Cx.] of musik, þat art þat [þat] om. Cx.] is ful medeful [meedful, α.; nedeful, β., fol neodfol, γ. Cx. reads: That art is right nedeful, sayde he. And so he. . .] ; so he helde [shield, Cx.] hym self evere pore [poure, Cx.] to lerne and riche to teche, and þeigh he were [though he was, Cx.] wise and witty evere he seide þat he couþe [coude, Cx.]

no good. Þerof come þe comoun [comune, Cx.; comyn, β. and γ.] sawe of Socrates, "I can nouȝt but þat I can nouȝt," as Ieromus [Jeronimus, Cx. and γ.] rehereseþ, epistola 39^a. [35^a, α. and Cx.] Valerius, libro 8^o. Socrates schamed nouȝt to take a reed [a rehed, Cx. and β.; a reod, γ.] bytwene his þyes and pleie wiþ his smale children. Polichronicon, libro 8. Hit is homeliche [and necessary] [From Cx.] oþerwhile to a wise man [a wyseman otherwhile to pley, not to . . ., Cx.] for to pleie, nouȝt forto putte awey þe use of vertues, [vertuwes, γ.] but to refresche hym self and to make hym [þe inserted in γ.] more strong to dedes of vertues. [to doo vertues of vertues, Cx.] Also Socrates was profitable [parfyt, γ.] in the [the] om. Cx.] vertues þat makeþ men i-liche to God, [lyke god, Cx.] for he was a man of good temperure, [temprure, Cx. and β.; temprer, γ.] as Agellius [agell, Cx.] seiþ, libro 2^o, þat wel nyh [neiȝ, β.] alle his lyf [lyues, Cx.] tyme he lyvede in hele, [helth, Cx.] wiþ oute siknesse, and also in þat moreyn [moreyne, Cx.] tyme þat destroyed [destruyde, γ.] þe citee Athene; þerfore Valerius, libro 2^o, seiþ þat Socrates seide þat meny men wil leve [wolde lyue, Cx.; wol lybbe, γ.] forto ete and drynke, [dryngke, γ., et infra.] and þat þey [he, Cx.] wolde ete and drynke and [and þat] om. Cx.] [þat] [In α. and γ.] forto lyve. Also

he was of greet suffraunce [suffrens, γ.] ; þerfore Seneca, libro 3^o de ira, seiþ þat Socrates walkede in þe citee and [walkede . . . and] om. γ.] was evel i-smete on [euyl smyten upon, Cx.] þe heed, and he answerde [answherede, γ., et infra.] and seide nouȝt elles [ellys, Cx.] ; but he seide, "It [hyt, γ.] is evel for men þat þey weteþ [wyteþ, α.; witeþ, β.; a weteþ, γ.; wytte, Cx.] nouȝt whan þey [α, γ.] schal [shold, Cx.; schul, β.] goo out wiþ basynettes [salettes. . ., Cx.; basnettis, β.; basnetes, γ.] on [her] [From Cx.] heed, and whan wiþ oute." Also whan a ȝong man spat [spytte, Cx.] on his face, while he desputede [a dispuytede, γ.] of werre, [wreþþe, α., β., and γ.; wrath, Cx.] he answerde and seide, "I am nouȝt wroþ, but I doute where [whether, Cx. and γ.] I schulde be wroþ or no." Also somtyme he was wrooþ wiþ a schrewed servaunt þat he hadde, and seide, "I [ich, β. and γ.] wolde bete [ete, α.; bete, Cx.] þe, and I [ich, β. and γ.] were nouȝt wrooþ." Also he hadde a wyf þat [lyght of hir body as who sayth comyne. . ., Cx.] was an hore, and children þat were rebel and horlynges, [horelinges, Cx.; horlingis, β.] and more liche to þe moder þan to þe fader, and [a] [Cx. and γ.] servaunt þat was alwey a schrewe, alway wrooþ and grucchinge; [grutchyng, Cx.; gruchching, γ.] noþeles Socrates suffred al way and was pacient. Þerfore Seneca, epistola 197^a, seiþ þat Socrates was wel nygh [neiȝ, β.] alway in batayle, oþer in tyrauntise, [owther in tyrannyse, Cx.; ty|raundys, γ.] oþer in fredom, hardiere [harder, Cx. and β.] þan bataille oþer tiraundise. Þerfore Ieromus contra Iovinianum, [Jeronimus contra Jonium, Cx.] and

also epistola 33, seiþ þat Socrates hadde tweie schrewed [shrewde, Cx.] wifes þat wolde alway chide and stryve, and hadde ofte stryf [Cx. and β. insert for hym here, and omit for Socrates at the end.] by twene hem for Socrates. Þe wifes hiȝte Zamphes [Zantippa, Cx.; Zantipes, β. and γ.] and Altipias, and in [on a tyme he. . ., Cx.] a tyme he [he] om. α.; Socrates, γ.] blamed hem for [bycause, Cx.] þey stryve for hym þat was but a foul [fowle, Cx.] þing, and seide, "ȝe stryveþ for aman wiþ snatted nose, wiþ a balled fortop, whiþ hery schuldres, [with heery shulders, Cx.] and wiþ croked þiȝes;" [thyes, Cx.] and at þe laste boþe [the] [Cx.] wifes torned [torneden, β.] aȝenst hym, and chidde [chidden, β.] wiþ oon assent, [chidden him alto scarthes by one assent, Cx.] and after greet chidynge and dispitous [dispytous, Cx.] wordes, þey þrewe on his heed wommen [theyr pisse of foure nyghtes pis|synge out of a soler. . . ., Cx.] pisse out of a chambre [soler, α., β., and γ.] ; and he answered [answherede and seyde, γ.] nouȝt elles, [ellys, Cx.] but wyped his heved, [heede, Cx.; heed, γ.] and seide, "I [ich, β.] wiste [woste, α.; ich wusted, γ.; wyste, Cx.] wel þat it schulde regne [rayne, Cx.; ryne, γ.] of [after, γ.] þonderynge of wordes." Agellius, [Agellus, Cx.] libro 2^o, et Polichronicon, libro primo. [5^o, α., β., γ., and Cx.] Oon axede of Socrates why he chastede [chastide, β.] nouȝt [chastysed not, Cx.] his wif

Zamphes, [Zantippa, Cx.; Zantipes, β. and γ.] þat was so ful of chidynge and of anger; oþer [or els why he pute hir not away from hyme and he sayde, Cx.] elles why he dede [a dude, γ.] hir nouȝt from hym out of his hous; and he seide, "I suffre suche oon at home forto [for] om. Cx.] have [habbe, γ.] use and custom, [customme, Cx.; costum, γ.] þat I may þe more paciently suffre wronges of oþere men." Seneca de ira, libro 3^o. Token of wreþþe [wrath, Cx.] in Socrates was lowe speche and liȝt. [and fewe wordes, Cx.; litel, β.] He was trew and trusty [trysty, γ.] in counsaille, [counseylle, Cx., et infra; con|sail, γ.] as Valerius, libro 8^o, seiþ þat a ȝong man axede counsaile of Socrates where [wheþer, α., γ., and Cx.] he schulde wedde awif oþer no. "Wheþer [Whether so thou do of thes tweyn seith he . . ., Cx.] ever," quod he, "þou doo of þese tweie, þou shalt forþinke [aþinke, α.; aþenkke, γ.] ful sore. For ȝif þou wedde [weddest, α.] no wif þou schalt have þese [this, Cx.; þeos, γ., et infra.] disadvauntages [desauauntages, γ.] ; þou schalt be allone, þou schalt have noon children, [no child, Cx.] a straunge man schal be þyn heire: [heyr, Cx.] and yf þou weddest [wedde, Cx.] a wif þou schalt have grete besynesse alwey, meny manere pleyntes, plee of dowynge, [doyng, Cx. and γ.] despisynge, chidynge, and strif of þy wife's dame, [damme, γ.] and unsikernes [unsekernesse, Cx.] [and drede] [From β., γ., and Cx.] of þy children [childers, Cx.] ende." Also Seneca, [And, Cx.] epistola 30^a, et Polichronicon, libro 7^o, oon axede of Socrates why pilgremages stood hym to no profit? [prouffyte, Cx.] "What wonder," quod [sayth, Cx.; quaþ, γ.] Socrates, "whyle þou berest þy self alway aboute wiþ þe. Þe same cause þat greveþ þe maketh þe goo from home. What profiȝteþ [profyteth, Cx.; profitiþ, β.] newe [nuwe, γ.] lond þere þe fliȝt fleeþ nouȝt [the]. [Added from β. and Cx] Þe disese of

þouȝt mowe [must, Cx.; mot, β. and γ.] be putte away, elles [els, Cx.] schal no place þe plese. Also, Polichronicon, libro 5^o, capitulo 6^o, oon axede of hym, who schulde gete hym best name [fame, α., β., γ., and Cx.] ? "Who þat dooþ best," quod [sayd, Cx.; quaþ, γ.] he, "and spekeþ litel. [lyte, α. and γ.; lytel, Cx.] Also Polichronicon, libro 7^o. Plato his scoleres hadde envie to Plato, [in Socrates his tyme, [scole, β. and γ.] ] [From α.; Cx. has in Socrates scole.] and [Plato axede of] [From α. and Cx.] Socrates how [houȝ a, γ.] he myȝte skape [escape, Cx.; ascape, β.] þe envie of envious men. "Be most wrecche," quod [sayd, Cx.; quaþ, γ.] he, "and þanne no man schal haue [haue] om. Cx.] envie to [to] om. Cx.] þe. No þing is wiþ oute envie but wrecchednesse allone." Ysidorus, Ethimologia, libro 2^o, capitulo xiiij^o. Þis [þes, γ.] Socrates ordeyned first moral philosofie, for rulynge of good lyvynge and [and] om. Cx.] [of] riȝtwisnesse, stalworþynesse [stalworthynesse] om. Cx.] and temperure, [temprure, Cx.] vertues and redynesse. [In γ. the sentence is—of good lyuung and of þewes and delede hyt in foure vertues, redynes, ryȝtwysnes, stalworþnes, and temprure.] Augustinus de Civitate Dei, libro 8^o. Þis Socrates tornede first all manere [of] [Cx.] philosophie to help of good lyvynge and of riȝtwisnesse [good maners, Cx.] stalworþynesse and [þewis, β.; þewes, γ.] tempe|rure; [stalworþynesse and temperure] om. α., β., γ., and Cx.] but I knowe nouȝt wheþer he dede, for þat [þat for, α. and Cx.] he was overcome wiþ [of greef of hardnesse, Cx.] noye and hardynesse [nuy of hardnes, γ.] of derk and [of] [Cx.] un|certyn

þinges, to fynde som certeyn manere [maner, Cx.] of doynge, by the whiche [whoche, γ.] þe [þe] om. Cx.] lyf of man myȝte be þe bettre, oþer for manis soule schulde bee þe bettre, and [þe bettre and] om. γ.] descharged of unskilful levynge [likynge, α. and β.; lykynge, Cx. and γ.] ; and be bore [and be borne, Cx.] up by kynde strengþes [strengthe, Cx. and γ.] to knowe þinges þat evere schale [schulen. β.] laste, for þe soule may not knowe þe [þe] om. Cx.] cheef causes of þinges, but whan he [it, Cx.] is pured and i-made al cleene. Þis Socrates whan he deide left many disciples on lyve, [alyve, α., γ., and Cx.] þat desputede [disputed, Cx.; despuytede, γ.] in many manere [wyse, Cx.] of oure laste ende, and of hym þat is [the] [Cx.] best; but of alle his scolers Plato was cheef. [chyef, Cx.] Seneca, epistola 107^a, spekeþ of þe cause and manere of þis [þis] om. Cx.; þes, γ.] Socrates his deeþ: For Socrates, he seiþ, was levere [sayd he was more lyef, Cx.] [to] [Cx.] swere [swerye, α. and γ., et infra.] by creatures þan by goddes, me putte aȝenst [it was leyde ayenst, Cx.] hym þat [þat] om. Cx.] he dede aȝenst þe lawe, and þat he apayred þe children, [appeyred childer, Cx.] and þerfore he was i-dampned to prisoun, þere he schulde use venym þat me clepeþ Farma|cum. [where he shold ete venym called fermacum, Cx.] Augustinus de vera religione, capitulo primo. Socrates was hardyer [hardur, γ.] þan oþer in swerynge, for me seiþ þat he wolde

swere [swerye, α.] by [hondes and stones, and al þat he wolde swere by] [From α. and γ.] þat [þat] om. α., γ., and Cx.] he hadde redy in mynde. I trow þat he understood þat al þe workes of kynde þat God ordeyneþ [ordeyned, Cx.] to be wrouȝt by worchynge of God, beþ wel bettre þan eny [ony crafty mannes werkes, Cx. and β.; eny craftesmen workes, γ.] craftes men workeþ, [workes, α.; workis, β.] and þerfore [it is] [Cx.] more worþy to take worschippes þat longeþ to God þan mawmettes þat were i-worschipped in temples. [℞.] [From α. and Cx.] Þerfore an expositour uppon [apon, γ.] Boys [Boece,] de Discipulis, [Boece de disciplina, Cx.] capitulo 4^o, seiþ þat oon of Socrates his disciples accused hym for he hadde i-made a book of oon God, and nouȝt of meny goddes; þerfore he was compelled to drinke [dryngke, γ., et infra.] a vene|mous [vememys, γ.] herbe in þat Goddes name, and he [he] om. α., β., γ., and Cx.] drank and deide nouȝt; and eft he was compelled to drynke in þe [þe] om. Cx. and β.] name of meny goddes, and drank and diede. Þerfore Tullius telleþ [seiþ, γ.] þat after þat he was i-dampned þe men of Athene were sory, and punsched [punysshed, Cx.; punyschide, β.] hem sore þat hadde accusyd hym, and made of [of] om. α. γ.; of hym, om. Cx.] hym an ymage of gold, [resemblyng and remembraunce of Socrates,] [Cx.] and sette it in þe [theyr, Cx.] temple. Also the commentor,

Eth., 5^o, [seyth] [Cx. and γ.] þat Socrates, whan he was accused, seide, "Men of Athene mowe [maye, Cx.; bote a mowe, γ.] dampne Socrates, but þey mowe [maye, Cx.; bote a mowe, γ.] not make him unriȝtful." Þo [Than, Cx.; þanne, β.] þe Athenes bygonne [began, Cx.] to use foure and twenty lettres, and usede to fore honde [bifore, Cx.] but [but] om. Cx.] sixtene. Eutropius et Gaufridus.