Three prose versions of the Secreta Secretorum / edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Steele and a glossary by T. Henderson

[Of vndyrstondynge, the whych is the Seconde Parte of Prudencia (in margin, at the top of page).] Now of vndyrstondynge, that is the Seconde Parte of this vertu Prudencia. Capitulum Vicessimum quartum.

[folio 41] tHe Secunde Parte of Prudencia is vndyrstondynge, as y afore Sayde. By this vertu a-vysyth a man hym of thynges that nowe bene. Amonge al thynges that byth to vndyrstonde, oone Soueraynly nedyth, that a man know hym-Selfe. For in vayne othyr thynges hym Paynyth to know, that hym-Selfe wolde for-yete.

Therfor, as seynte Ierome vs tellyth, in olde tymes whan the Pryncis of Rome retorned fro bataillis there as thay had victorie, the romanes makid thre maneres of honoures. The fryste was that al the pepill yede agaynes the Prynce with grete gladnys; The ije was that the Prysoneris and hostagis that were takyn in the battaille sholde follow the Pryncis chare on har fete, thare handis bounde be-hynde har backys; The iije was that the Prynce sholde be clothid in Iubiter thare godis cote, sittynge in a chare that iiij^e whyte horsyn drewe. But for-alsmoche as the romanys wolde that the Prynce for his honoure hym-Sylfe sholde not foryete, thre dyshonoures in the same day he moste Suffyre. The fryste was that ther as the Prynce, sate in his chare a bond-man and of fowle condycion̄ to signifie that euery man of the Pepill sholde haue hope to come to glorie of a Prynce or of an empyre, by prosse and vasselage. The ije Dishonoure was that the bonde-man that wyth the Prynce Sate [folio 22bL] buffetis and Strokis hym yaue Saynge in gru, Notisclotos, that is to Say, haue knowynge of thy-Selfe, and be not Prute of so hey vyrchipp; mynde thow how thow arte dedly. The thyrde

dyshonoure was, that euery man myght wyth-oute Payne or reproue and myssayne the Prynce for that Iorney.

In this wyse Iulyus Cesar the forte werryor, whan he came agayn̄ to Rome aftyr the conqueste of his enemys, many reprowis and Indyngnacionys of the Pepill recewid, of the whyche he neuer vengeaunce toke. Dauid the Profete sayth of men that in honoure byth and knowyth not ham-Selfe, Homo, cum in honore esset, non intellexit, etc, That is to say, "Whan a man was in honoure, he ne vndyrstode not, he is lykenyd to wylde bestis without reysone, as he is makyd alyke to ham." Also Dauy Sayth, Nolite fieri sicut equus et mulus, in quibus non est intellectus, etc, that is to say, "Ne be not as an horse and a mule, in whome is noone vndyrstondynge."