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

That a prynce sholde not truste to his enemy. Capitulum Vicessimum octauum.

bErnard Sayth, Debilitas inimici non est Pax, Sed ad tempus treuga, that is to Say, "The febilnes of the enemy nys not a pees, but a truse for the tyme," And yf thou trystis that thyn̄ enemy thynkyth not the Same sotilte that thou thynkyste, thou Puttyste thy-Selfe in drede, and therfor Salamon Sayth, Non confidas inimico tuo in eternum, that is to say, "Tryste thou neuer to thyn enemy." And touchynge this matiere y

fynde write in this maner. Two men haue ben companyed in one way, that oone was an Philosofoure and feythfull man, that othyr was a man the whych was an Iewe. The Philosofre rode vpon a mule that he hadd fosterid atte his owyn̄ plesynge, and bare with hym al necessaries for a man that ride sholde; the Ieue went on his fete, and noothynge he had to ette ne noone othyre necessari. they talkid togiddyr, and the Philosofre to the Iwe Sayde, " What is thy law and whate is thy feythe?" the Iue answerid, "I belewe that in hewyn is oone god whyche y honoure, and y will good to al men that accordyth with me in my feyth, and in my law, and my belewe, and good wolde to me. And who-so dyscordyth fro my lawe, hit is laweful to me hym to Sle, his mony take of hym, his wyfe and his chyldryn also, and abowe al tynge I ham acursid in my lawe, yf y kepe feyth and trouthe to hym, othyr hym helpe, or mercy do, or any [folio 29bL] thynge hym Spare." Aftyr thys Sayde the Iue to the Philosofre, "I haue now shewid the my law and my feyth, now shew thou thyne to me." The Philosofre Sayde, "this is my feyth and my lawe. Fryst y desyre good to my-Selfe and to my chyldryne and to my cosynys, and y will none harme to noo creature of god Of my lawe ne of noone othyr. And y belewe that mercy and ryght is to be don̄e to euery man lyvynge, and no wronge me Plesyth, and as me semyth yf harm̄e is befall to any man, that hit me touchyth and nuyth. I desyre Prosperite, helth, Solase, felicite, and goodnesse to al men in Comune." Than sayde the Iue, "And whate yf a man haue y-do the wronge or offence?" The Philosofre sayde, "I wonte that in hevyn is oon god, good, ryghtful, and wyse, and nothynge fro hym may be hydd, that rewardyth good men and il aftyr hare deserte." The Iue answerid̛, "why kepist thou not thy lawe, And why confermyst thou not thy feyth in ded doynge?" and he answerid, "how shal y hit do?" the Iue hym answerid, "See me here, a man a-foote, hungry, thursti, and for trauaille recreiet, and thou rydest thy-Selfe atte aise." "Soth sayst thou," quod the Philosofre, and anoone lyght doune of the mule, he opynyd his male, and yaue hym mette and drynke; And aftyr he sette hym on his Mule. Anoone aftyr the Iue Saw that he was wel ydressid̛, and that the mule was swyfte, he smote the mule wyth the sporis, the Philosofre behynde fere he lefte. And therefor he cried "alas, I ham [folio 45b] confused." The

Iue a lytill the mule [nule, MS.] restyd, and Sayde, "I Sewyd the my lawe and his condicion, and y wille hit conferme." Than hastly the mule forth he drowe; this Philosofre sayde, "Leue me not in this deserte to ben Slayne of lyons, othyr of othyr wylde bestis, or of [folio 30L] hungre, myssayse, thurste, or Some othyr myschefe dey; but haue mercy of me as y hadde of the." The Iue endeynyd not bakeward to be-holde hym, he wolde not hyre, he stynte not, tille he out of his syght y-Passyd was. And whan the Philosofre was so in dyspayre wythout Socoure, he remembrid hym of his Perfeccion and his feyth, and of that that he hadd sayd to the Iue, that in hevyn was oone god ryghtfull Iuge, vnto whome nothynge may be conseylid ne hid: than he lyfte vpe his hede to god, and Sayd, "lord god, thou woste that y belew in the, and in thy lawe, and in thy commandmentes, I preyse the and magnifie the, And therfor conferme thyn honoure anent this Iue." whan he hadd thus Sayde, he wente not fere thennes, ther-as he founde the Iue falle doune of the mule, that brake his thegh and his neke hurtdet, and the mule on his belly stondynge; and when the mule Sawe his lorde that hym nurchyd, he knew hym and agaynys hym wente. the Philosofre lepid vp the mule and departid fro the Iue, that ther In Peril of deth abode. The Iue cried, "a, fayre brodyr, haue mercy of me, for I dey. kepe thy lawe, for god hath graunte the victory." Than he began more besilli the Philosofre to blame, "Thow synnest vickydly yf thou me leuyste without mercy." Than Sayde the Philosofre, "thou synneste cursly whan thou leftyste me wyth-out mercy." the Iue answerid, "reproue me not of trespasis y-Paste, for y Sayde to the that Suche was my law, and my feyth in [in in, MS.] whych y was norshid in, and in whych y founde all myne auncestres ynorshid and myne eldryn̄ therin contynue." Therfor, nobill and gracious lorde, consydyr ye that youre yrysshe enemys ne hare auncestres wyth-nede any of them was trewe to you or to youre fadyr, than ye [folio 30bL] were strongyr than thay, wytnysse on youre-Selfe, that arthure Mcmirgℏ was no longyr trewe ne pees helde, than youre fadyr lyuet, for al the grete othis that he Sware. This Phylosofre aforsayde had mercy of the Iue, and makid hym ride behynde hym into the Place there-as he desyrid to be amonge his owyn Peple. Not longe aftyr the

Iue died̛, And whan the kynge Of the Cite herde of this matiere, he sende for the Philosofre, and makyd hym his prywey consailloure, for that Piteouse worke and for the bounte of his lawe.