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

Here is I-prowid that the Sowle Sueth the condycionys of the bodyes. Capitulum quinquagessimum Septimum.

cErtayne thynge hit is that the Sowle whyche Is the fourme of the body, sueth the kynde and the complexcion̄ and the propyrteys of the body, for ofte-tymes we sene opynly that the coragis of men ham chaungyth aftyr the Pascionys of the bodyes, and that apperyth in [folio 63] Dronknesse, In amours, In frenesy, in Dreddys, in Soroufulnesse, in desires, and in delites. For in al this Passions of the body, the Sowle and the corage ham chaungyth. And kynde is so grete a fellowe betwen body and Sowle, that the Passyons of body chaungyth the sowle; and the Passions of Sowle, chaungyth [folio 66L] the body. And that apperyth in the Passione of Dronknesse, whyche is bodely. For dronknesse makyth for-yetynge in the Sowle, by reyson that the grete smokkes gone vp to the brayn̄, and troubelyth the ymagynacion, whych Seruyth to the vndyrstondynge, and hym presentyth the lykkenesse of bodely thynges, and so puttyth away al the remembrance of thynges wych weryn afor-honde vndyrstonde, and destroubyth the knowlech of thynges that bene to vndyrstond̛. More-ouer the Sow[l]e is the begynnynge and cause of al the natural mevynges of the body, and neuer the latyr this vertue fro hym is takyn̄ away by dronknesse, whyche is a passion̄ of the body. For a dronken̄ man whan he sholde gone in his ryght hande, he goyth in his lyfte hande. In the Same manere may we Showe the contrary, that is to witte, that the Passions of the Sowle makyth the body chaunge, and his meuynges to dyuers. And that may a man See opynly in wrath, in dred, in lowe. For thes Passion makyth grete chaungynge to the body, as knowyth euery man that ham hath Prowid̛. And in mevynge hit apperyth also. As yf a man goo vpon a narrowe tree lyggynge in an hey Place, only by ymagynacion̄ and thoght of fallynge, ofte-tymes he fallyth. And

yf the Same tree were vpon erthe, here as drede ne perill were noght, he wolde neuer falle. More-ouer we sene that euery beest hath his propyr Sowle, and his Propyr body. Of thes Speces neuer faillyth, ne neuer was founde that any beeste had a body of oone spice, and a sowle of anothyr Spice. As hit may not be that oone beste haue the body of [folio 66bL] an harte, and a soule of a lyon̄. More-ouer we seen̄ that knyghtis knowyth the goodnys of horsyn̄, and the hunteres the goodnesse of hundis, by hare Shappes and fauncundes. Of al thes thynges aforsayde, we may reysonably conclude that the company and the accorde be-twen̄ the Sowle and the body is so grete and so myche confermyd and stabelid by kynde, that [in] the Passions of that oone, that other [ouer MS.] is Parcenere, or Partifelewe. And euery body hath a propyr sowle, And euery beste hath a propyr amanere and condicion̄ in dyuers Spyces, as amonge horsyn̄ that oone is lasse than that othyre, or in goynge or in coloure, and of othyr bestis in the same manere, as we haue aforsayde and shewid wythout doute, in manys Spice. O man is of oone maneres and condicion̄, and anothyr is of anothyr manere and condicion̄, in fygure and in face; and by othyr thynges that apperyth in the body, a man may deme the condicions and maneris whych he hath, othyr sholde haue by kynde. This Prouyth Aristotle at the begynnynge of his Phisnomye, y-translatid out of grue Into latyn̄.