[CHAPTER CXXXVIII.]
The Fyrste enseygnement. Capitulo C xxxviij.
"[T]He fyrst enseygnement of the thre is this, that ye take none offyce of your souerayne lord̛ yf so be that ye haue good̛ ynough & good̛ suffysaunte after as your estate oughte to haue, and̛ nomore ye ought to aske of God̛; And therfore ye ought not put your self in subiection to lose your good̛ by somme euyll word̛ or by somme euyll reporte. For certaynly, my fayr sone, there be lordes of dyuerse condycions and̛ maners. Somme ben hasty, and̛ that lyghtely bileue; And̛ somme haue other maners of condycion; And̛ therfore men oughte to haue suffysaunce, and̛ be doubtynge to put hym self, his estate, and̛ worship, in parylle and̛ in the daunger of folke whiche ben lyght of wylle. The second̛ enseygnement is, that ye respyte no man that hath deseruyd̛ to deye, & specially yf he be custommed̛ to doo euylle; For, yf ye soo dyde, ye shold̛ be participant in al tℏe euylle that he afterward̛ [page sign. m., p. viii.] shold doo, as ryght were.