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

Book IV.

Cap. 89. [Off þe makyng of man.]

Whenne god þe hieste made man̛, & made hym most noble of alle creatures, he comanded him, and defendyd hym, wherof he hauys failyng & mede, he hauys stabyld his body rigℏt as a Citee, and he hauys put vnderstondyng yn hym, as a kyng sette yn þe moste noble and most souerayn stede of man̛, þat ys yn þe heued. And ouer þat he hauys sette v. portours to gouerne it, and to presente to him what þing ys myster to him, & whareby he mowe helpe hym, & to kepe him fro what þing may be noyous to him. And he hauys no perfeccion̛ ne dwellynge but by hem; And he hauys stabyld to vche of þe v. portours, his wyt as his awen̛ arbytour or Iuge, in whom he hauys auatage, and is disseuyrd fro oþer faytours, and hauys his owen̛ propre maners, & some common̛ to oþer. And of þe gederynge & accordance of þe Iugementȝ, er þe substance and þe perfeccion̛ of his werkys Engendryd.

Cap. 90. Off þe V wyttes. [Of sight.]

Þes v. pertours byfore-sayd er þe v. wyttes, þat dwellys yn þe eighen, yn þe eryn, yn þe nese, yn þe tonge, and yn þe hondes. þer ar x maners of þe wyt of þe eighen̛, ablenesse of sigℏt; ligℏt, and derknesse, colour, and body, lyknesse, setynge, remuynge, & negℏcomyng, sterynge, & rest.

Cap. 91. [Off harkenyng.]

Þe sensibiliteȝ of þe Eres er harkenyng of souns, and þerof er two maners, of sawle, and nogℏt of sawle; soun̛ of sawle ys double, oon resonable, fallyng to man spekyng, anoþer vnresonabƚ, as hyneyinge of hors, chaterynge of bryddes, and swylk lyk souns. Soun̛ nogℏt of sawle ys a rappyngge togedre of stones, hewynge of wode, and swylk lyk, þat hauen̛ no lyf, as of þe thoner, of tympans, and oþer Instrumentȝ; and wote þat vche voys yn his ordre ys al hool whenne it ys stiryd yn þe Eyre þat berys it, & þat self noble spiritalte stirrys þerwitℏ, so þat part mellys nogℏt with part, to at þe laste come to wyt and herynge, þanne er þey brougℏt to-geder to a vertu ymagynary.

Cap. 92. [Off tastynge.]

[folio 31b] Þe sensibilyte of þe tonge ys by way of tastynge & sauour, And þarof er ix maneres; Swetnesse, bitternesse, saltnesse, &

vnctousite, Egrenesse & vnsauournesse, ponticite, stipticite, & acuement.

Cap. 93. [Off touch.]

Þe wyttys þat er þe hondes ys in atouchable & tastable stryngℏ, and his cours ys yn hete, yn cold, and in sharpe þing, and softe; And it ys content but bytwen̛ two skynnes, þe oon yn shewyng of þe body, þe oþer yn þat, þat it kepys to þe flescℏ.

Cap. 94. Off werkyng of wyttes.]

Þanne whenne any of þes wittes er getyn þat god geuys; of þe rote of þe harne, þare growyn ligℏt thynne skynnes as arayne webbys, & þey ar as a couerynge & a curtyn to þe gouernour. And whenne þat vche a wyt hauys in hym his represent, & commys to þo skynnes þat er yn þat substance of þe harnes, þanne gedirs togeder þe folwynges of þe sensibiliteȝ of man to a vertu ymaginatyf, þat representys hem to vertu pensyfe, þat ys yn myddes of þe harnes to byholde hem, And þanne it gedyrs hem to-gedre, & stodys yn þaire ffygures & ensamples, and knowitℏ what þing in hem er helpynge, and what þinge noyand, & what comys in wirkynge after þe mesurynge of hem.

Cap. 95. [Off perfeccioun of ffyue wyttes.]

Þanne þe stabylnesse and þe fullastyng of þe body dwellys yn þe v. wyttes afore-sayd: and þe perfeccioun of aƚƚ þinges ar yn ffyue þinges: þe speres by whom þe planetys sterys hem after her sercles er fyue; And maners of Bestes er fyue, þat ys to wete, man̛, and volatille, ffyssℏ of þe water, þat gooþ on ffoure feet, & þat stirrys vpon wombe; And ffyue þinges er, witℏ-outen whomm̛ no plauntyd þinge þat growiþ on þe erthe is perfyt, And er þes fyue, stoke, braunches, leuys, fruytes, and rotys; And fyue tones er of Musyke, and if þei ne were, no songe were accordant or perfyt. And ffyue dayes er most noble of aƚƚ of þe ȝeer, In þe laste ȝate of May.

Cap. 96. [Off conseillers.]

Be þanne þy porters and þy conseillers ffyue, yn þe doynge of aƚƚ þi werkys, and vche of hem be seueryd by hym-self. Witℏholde þanne þi conseiƚƚ and bigyn nogℏ to say to þy conseillers þat þat þou hauys in herte, and say nogℏt to hem ["þat" repeated in MS.]

þat þou wille amende hire conseiƚƚ ffor þanne þay shaƚƚ despyse þe. Attempre þanne yn þy sawle þaire wyl, as þe brayne doiþ of þat þat commys to hym of wyt, And bowe fro þaire conseiƚƚ [folio 32a] in þat, þat þey be contrarye to þy wyl; And þarfore Hermogenes sayde, whenne he was askyd, whether was better, þe doom of hym þat geuys conseiƚƚ or askys conseiƚƚ, And he answerde, "þe dom of þe Askand conseiƚƚ ys a spye of þe wyl," and þis ys a sotℏ word; þarefore whenne þou assemblys hem to gyf a conseil in þy presence, meƚƚ nogℏt with hem anoþer conseiƚƚ, But here whare-ynne þay accorden̛ to-gedir; If þey answere þe hastly & þay acorde sone to-gedyr, arrest hem yn þat and shewe hem þe contrary, þat þayre þougℏt be maad lenger & taryed to þe laste þynkynge of þe conseiƚƚ. Whenne þou hauys persayued þe rygℏtwysnesse of conseiƚƚ yn here wordys, or ellys yn þe wordes of any of hem, make it be holdyn hool, and shewe hem nohℏt where-ynne þy wyl ys sett to it be shewyd yn dede & in preue; And byholde sotilly who ledys most euyn to rigℏtwyse conseiƚƚ, and þat after þe mesure of loue þat he hauys to ȝowe, and to þe desyr of ȝwre of ȝowre welfare ressayue his conseiƚƚ so noþeles þat þou sette nogℏt oon afore anoþer, But make hem oon yn gyftes & in degres, and yn aƚƚ hit wyrkynges; ffor what ys moor distruccion̛ of werkys of a kynge in lengℏ of dayes & of tyme, þan to shewe to some of his vpberers more worschipe þan to þe oþer? And it ys nogℏt inconuenient þinge hole conseiƚƚ of a ȝonge man̛. And y say þe, þat Iugement folwys þe body, ffor whenne a body ys feble, þe Iugement ys feble.

Cap. 97. [Off byholding engenderures.]

Also, and it is to byholde, in some engenderures & lyu, ffor ofte-sithes he, þat ys engendryd, ys disposed or ordeyned after þe kynde of planetys þat er yn his engendrure, And yf it faƚƚ by auenture, þat þe engenderours of þe engendre lere hym any craft, þe kynde of þe þinges abown̛ shaƚƚ drawe hym̛ soueraynly to þe craft þat accordes to hem; ffor so it a byfeƚƚ a semblable þinge to some þat assemblyd yn a toune, & herberd hem yn a webbe hous, to whom þat nygℏt a child was born̛, And vpon his engendrure þey took and ordeyned his planetys, and þey fand him engendryd yn þe planetys of Venus & Mars, yn þe degre of Gemeals witℏ Balance, and he hadde no sterre vpsprongyn þat was euyl no contrary; so his engendrure shewyd hem

þat þe [folio 32b] child sholde be wys, & curteys, of [A blank here in MS.] [swift] honde & of wys conseiƚƚ, And þat he sholde be wel belouyd of kynges. But þai layned it to his ffader. Þe child wax yn prosperite, And his fadyr and his modir pyned hem to lere hym som craft of here wyrkynges, But þay mygℏte lere hym no-þing at aƚƚ; wharfore þey bet him, and skowryd hym greuously, and at þe laste þai leet hym goo at his wille, And he ȝons put him to folk of disceplyne, and he gat sciences, & knew cours and tyme vpon̛ heuenly þinges, & maners and gouernaiƚƚ of kynges, and after bycome a greet conseyller. Aƚƚ þe contrary byfeƚƚ of þe merueyllous werkynges and ordinance of þe planetys and her kyndes, þat byfeƚƚ to two sones of þe kyng of Inde born̛ on oon day to þe comparison of þe engendrynge; But it was laynyd to his ffadyr. And whenne þe oon was waxyn, þe kyng thotℏt to do lere him vpon̛ sciences, and sende hym þourgℏ Inde and oþer contreeȝ worschipfully, as it byfeƚƚ to þe sone of swylk a kyng. But it profyted nogℏt, ffor he mygℏte nogℏt bowe hys kynde but to þe craft of fforgynge; Wharof þe kyng was mekyƚƚ drobyld, and assemblyd aƚƚ þe wyse men of his kyngdom, and whanne þey were aƚƚe aresonyd herof, þay accordyd in oon, þat kynde ledde so þe chyld. So ofte sithes yn þe self manere it fallys, as ofte it preuyd.

Cap. 98. [To dyspys noght lytyll stature.]

And þarefore dyspys nogℏt lytyƚƚ stature of men̛ whom þou sees loue sciences, and er habundant yn wayes of wyt, & thewes, and eschewes þe fyltℏ of vyces. Loue swylk, and holde hem negℏ to þe, whenne þou persayues hem coragous yn swylk vertus, ffor swylk er customyd to be wel spekyng, wel tagℏt, curteys, and good storyers, knowyng of þy predycessours. Sette none byfore no byhynde anoþer witℏ-outen̛ conseyƚƚ, But drawe þe company of hym to þe, þat louys treutℏe, & þat þat fallys to a real magestee, þat er fast of wyl, stabyld of herte, trewe to þe, and rigℏtwys to þy subgitȝ; ffor wete þou, þat þys conseiƚƚ adressys þy vpberers, and ordeynes þy kyngdom, and þey þat er contrary to þys, put hem away. Put nogℏt byfore þat sholde be byhynde, ne behynde þat sholde be byfore, ne do no þinge withoute þe conseyƚƚ of Philosophye, ffor ffylosophers sayen̛ þat conseiƚƚ is sigℏt ["caght" in MS.] of þinges þat er to come.

Cap. 99. [How þe kyng awe to ask conseyll.]

[folio 33a] And it ys founden̛ yn þe wrytinges of Persyens, þat oon of her kynges askyd conseyƚƚ of his vpberers of rigℏt a pryue þyng, and it was shewyd to hem þat he louyd mekyƚƚ, And he was answerd þus of oon of hem: "It nedys nogℏt þat a kyng aske conseyƚƚ of vs, of any of his pryue doynges, But þat he aske seuerally of some his conseiƚƚ, ffor yn pryue conseils er swyk þinges shewed to oon, þat byfore many or mo shold nogℏt be shewyd"; þarfore y say, It nedys nogℏt þat þys be doon̛ yn alle doynges, But it nedys be doon̛ witℏ consideracion̛, and þat þay be callyd to þy presence yn þaire propertes, yn byndynge, & vnbyndynge, as byfore ys sayd. ffor oon olde ffhilosopher seitℏ, þat þe wyt of a kynge ys helpyd by his vpberers, as þe see waxis by þe receyt of fflodes and waters; And þat he may conquere many þinges by queyntyse and conseiƚƚ, þat he sholde nogℏt haue by mygℏt of bataiƚƚ. It is sent yn þis wordes yn a Book of Mede to his sone: "Sone, greet myster ys to þe, to haue conseiƚƚ, þat ys oon amonge men̛. Conseiƚƚ þanne witℏ hym þat of mygℏt may deliuere þe, & spare nogℏt þyn enemy. But yn eueryche tyme þat þou mowe shewe þy victorye yn hym, kepe þe out of þe mygℏt of þy enemy."

Cap. 100. [Off putting vpberers in þe kyngs stede.]

And þat þe abundance of þy wyt, in þy hopynge, no þe hynesse of þy state disturbe þe nogℏt in þy self, But aƚƚ dayes putte oþer conseiƚƚ to þyn, ffor some oþer conseiƚƚ ys profitable, & embrace it yf þe lyke it, and þyn awen̛ conseiƚƚ dwelle ay to þy self. And if it disacorde to þy demynge, þanne it ys to þe to loke whether it be helpand and profytable, and after þy deuys enbrace it, & if it be nogℏt profytable, leue it vterly. Besily and vnderstandandly y amonest þe, and gyues þe good conseiƚƚ, þat þou putte nougℏt any of þyne vpberers gouernour yn þi stede, ffor þanne mygℏt his conseiƚƚ destrue & putte to meschef þy kyngdom, & botℏ hegℏ and lawgℏ, & to gyf entent to his awen̛ profyt, and to study on þy vndoynge. If þou fynde nogℏt ffyue vpberers þat be lykynge to þe yn þe manere afore-sayd, Puruey þe of thre worthy and no lesse, ffor greet good shal come þareof, þat ys to say of tho thre, ffor yf mor certeyn þing nowere it sholde nogℏt be knowyn̛. [folio 33b] þe firste þing vpon̛ whom alle þinges dwellys is trinite, and by ffyue er ledde, & by seuen̛ fuƚƚ maad,

ffor seuen̛ heuens er, and seuen̛ planetys, & seuen̛ dayes, and þe cercuyt of þe moone ys seuen̛, and dayes of drynkynge or of medicyn er seuen̛, & dayes Periodies er seuen̛, and many oþer þinges bylonges to þe nombre of seuen̛, þat were longe to telle.

Cap. 101. [This is at the top of fol. 33b in MS.] Off Prudence to assaye a Conseller.

Oon þinge ys wherby þou mowe assay þy conseiller; If þou shewe þat þou hauys defaute of hauynge, And if he conseille þe to lytelynge of þi þinges þat þou hauys in tresour, & he say þat þat nedys þe, wete þou þat he puttys yn þe no good lernynge. And if he lede þe to take þe hauynge of þy subgitȝ, þat shal be a corupcion̛ of þy gouernance, And þay shaƚƚ hate þe as dysmesure. And if he profre þe þat he hauys, and says, "þis ys þat y haue of þy grace and of þy lordschipe getyn, & here y offre it to ȝow," and geuys ȝow yt; He þis ys by rigℏt to be praysed, and worthy of greet prys, As he þat chesys his confusion̛ for þy glorye. Þou shaƚƚ assay þy porteours in gyftes & rewardes, And him þat þou sees stout and prowd ouer mesure, trowe neuer good yn him, þat þinkes to gedyr mekyƚƚ hauynge, and to kepe tresour; haue neuer trist on him, ffor he seruys but for gold aƚƚ-oon, And he latys hauynge ryn witℏ wyttes of men̛. And also he ys as a wele withouten̛ grounde, and also yn him ys noþer terme ne ende; ffor þe more hauyng þat grewys on hym, þe more ys his besynesse and his entent to gete more. And swilk þing ys vndoynge of a kyngdome by many skyls; ffor it mygℏte byfaƚƚ þat þe loue and þe brynnynge to his hauynge mygℏte cause þy detℏ, or to anoþer to whom he geuys his entent þerto; And þerfore it ys a nedfuƚƚ þinge þat þy porteour be nogℏt farre out of þy presence, & bydde hym þat he drawe nogℏt to oþer kynges, and þat he rede hem no sende hem no letters ne tydinges; And if þou persayue any swylk þing yn him, remewe him witℏoute taryinge, ffor corages er swyft to euyl, & ligℏtly bowen̛ to contrarious willes. And loke þat þy porteours be couenable, & þat þey loue þy lyf, & be obedient to þe, ffor þis ys þe þinge þat moost ledys subgitȝ to loue þe, & puttys his persone, & his goodes to þi aboundon̛, & plesaunce, & þat haues þe vertuȝ & þe maners þat y shaƚƚ neuen̛ þe.

Cap. 102. [folio 34a] ffyuetene Vertueȝ off a good Conseiller.

At þe firste þat he haue perfeccion̛ of his membrys, þat hym nedys to werkys ffor whom, & to whilk, he ys chosyn. On þe oþer syde, þat he be goodly to witℏholde, and willed to vnderstonde, þat men sayen to hym; þe þridde, þat he be of good mynde to holde þat he herys, and þat he be nogℏt forȝetfuƚƚ; þe fferthe, þat he loke to, and be persayuant, whenne nede shal faƚƚ, as y afore haue sayd; þe ffyfte, þat he be curtays, and of fayr speche, and of swet tonge, acordant to þe hert and þe þougℏt, and þat he be of renable speche; þe sext part, þat he be knowynge yn aƚƚ sciences, and namely in arsmetyk, þat is ful sotℏ and shewable; wharof of kynde ys drawyn þe seuent part, þat he be sothfast of wordes, and louyng treutℏ, and fle lesynge, and þat he be wel ordeyned, of softe maners, & debonere, and tretable. Þe viije part, þat he be with-outen̛ þe teccℏ of engrotury, and dronkynnesse, & leccherye, bowynge fro playes and delyces. Þe ixe part, þat he be of greet corage yn purpos, and louynge honurabilite. Þe xe, þat gold, and siluer, and aƚƚ swylk accident þinges of þe world, be dispysable to hym, And þat his purpos and his entent be nogℏt put in þinges, þat fallys to worthynesse and gouernaiƚƚ, and þat he euen̛ deme negℏ & ferre. Þe xje, þat he deme and enbrace rigℏtwysse, and rigℏtwysnesse, and þat he hate wronges & trespas, ȝeldand to vche man þat ys his, helpynge to hem þat suffren disease and wronges, and þat he remewe alle Iniurys, and þat he make no difference in þe persones, no in þe degreeȝ of men þat god hauys maad euen̛. Þe xije, þat he be of stalwortℏ and lastyng purpos yn þinges þat he seeȝ to be doon, and hardy witℏ-outen drede and fayntnesse of corage. Þe xiije, þat he knowe alle þe issues of þi despensȝ, and þat no þinge be hidde to hym þat fallys to þe kyngdome, and þat þe subgitȝ pleyne hem nogℏt in þat, þat he mowe auaiƚƚe, But in cas sufferable. Þe xve, is þat he be no Iangelour, no ouer mekyƚƚ lagℏenge, [folio 34b] ffor attemprance plesys mekyƚƚ þe folk; But þat he shewe hym curteys to men, & debonerly tretand. Þe laste, þat he be of þe nombre of hem þat eschewen̛ synnys and vyces, And þat his court be opyn to aƚƚ suruenantȝ, and þat he be entendant to enquere tidynges of aƚƚ þinges þat mowe comforte subgitȝ, & to adresse þaire werkys, &

do hem solas in aduersyte, and som tyme vpberand and sufferand þaire symplenesse.

Cap. 103. [þat man ys þe lesse werld.]

Wete þat god hauys maad no creature mor wys þan man, and þat he gedrys in no þing þat sawle hauys, þat he gedyrs yn him, ffor þou shaƚƚ fynde yn no beste, costom no maner, þat þou ne shaƚƚ fynde yn him, ffor man ys hardy as a lyon̛, dredful as a hare, large as a Cokke, auerous as hounde, hard and feƚƚ as a krowe, pytous as turtyƚƚ, malicious as lyons, pryue and hamely as douve, queynte & trecherous as ffox, symple and softe as lombe, swyft and stirrand as goote, wayk and sleutℏfuƚƚ as Bere, Precious and dere as Elyfaunt, vyleyns and boystous as asse, rebeƚƚ as a rambe, obedient and meke as Poo, ffoltiscℏ as [ostrich], profitable as a Bee, and vnstable as Goot, Proud as Bole, sterrand as fyssℏ, Resonable as Angelee, leccherous as swyn, euyltagℏt as Owle, Conable as hors, noyand as Mouse; & haly to speke, þer ys no best, no thynge vegetable, no originale, no noumbrable, no heuene, no Planete, no tokenyng, no non oþer þinge beynge, of alle þinges þat ere, þat some properte of hem er founden̛ in man̛. Wherfore man ys callyd þe lesse werld.

Cap. 104. [Noght to haue trist yn man þat trowys noght þy lawe.]

And neuer haue trist yn man þat trowys nogℏt þy lawe, þat it faƚƚ nogℏt to þe as it fille to twoo men þat felawschipped hem to gedre in a way, of whom oon was oon enchauntere of þe orient, þe oþer a Iewe; þe enchauntere rade on his Mule, þat he hadde tagℏt at his likynge, þat bar him whanne him mysteryd by þe way; þe Iew wente on foote, and hadde nother mete ne drynke, no oþer þinge þat hym neded, witℏ him; And as þey wente spekynge to-geder by þe way, þe Enchantere sayde to þe Iew, "Whiche ys þy fayth, and þy lawe?" And he answerd hym, "I trowe þat in heuen̛ ys oon god, þat y worschippe, and of him y holde [folio 35a] goodnesse and thankynges to my sawle, and also to hem þat er of my lawe, of my faytℏ, and of my byleue; and it ys lefuƚƚ to me to shede þe blood of him þat acordys nogℏt to my lawe, and take fro him his hauyng, and aƚƚ þat fallys to him, wyf, ffader & Modre, and childryn. And

ouer þat, it ys holdyn to me a malyson̛ if y holde hym faytℏ, or do him helpe, or any mercy, or if y spare him ougℏt. Now haue y shewyd þe my ley and my fey; make me now certeyn of þy ley and þy fey." And he answerd hym, "My fey, My byleue, and my ley, er þes; I wyƚƚ first good to myself, and to þe sones of my lynage, and y wille non euyl to any godys creature, no to hem þat folwyn my ley, no to hem þat dysacordys witℏ me, And y beleue, þat euenheed & mercy er to be kepyd & holden̛ ynens vche man leuynge; no manere of wronge lykes me; And me þynk if any euyl faƚƚ to any leuyng man, þat þat euele fallys to me, & troblys me, ffor y desire welfare, heltℏ, stryngℏt, and goodnesse, aƚƚ holely to come to [MS. de] vche man̛." þanne sayde þe Iew, "What if any man do to þe wronge, or wretℏ þe?" þe Enchantere sayd, "I woot þat god ys yn heuene rigℏtfuƚƚ, good, and wys, to whom no þinge ys hydde, ne no priue þynge, ne no þing layned, þat rewardes þe good after hir goodnesse, & þe wyckyd and þe trespassours after her trespas." And þe Iew sayde to him, "Why kepys þou nogℏt þy ley and þy fey yn þe werkes as þou confermes?" "In what manere?" sayde þe enchantere. And þe Iew answerd & sayde, "y am a sone of þy lynage, and þou seeȝ me goon on foote hungry and wery, And þou art on horsse, hool and wel at ese." "þat ys sotℏ," sayde þe Enchantere, and ligℏtyd doun of his Mule, & opynd his male, and gaf him mete & drynke, and after he gart hym styrt vp and ryde, and after [þe Iew] was byfore rydant, and straak þe Mule with þe spores, and hastyd hym to forsake his felaw, and he cryed after him and sayde, "abide me, I am negℏ shent of goynge." And þe Iewe sayde, "shewed I þe nogℏ my ley, and þe manere þerof? I wiƚƚ now also fulfylle hit." And he peyned him to hasty þe Mule, And þe oþer folwynge after cryde and sayde, "O Iew, leue me nogℏt yn þys desert, þat lyouns deuoure me nogℏt, no þat I dye for hunger and [folio 35b] sorwfuƚƚ threst, But do mercy to me, as y haue don to þe." þe Iew wolde nogℏt loke aȝeyn, no gyf entent to his sawes, But he cesyd nogℏt, to he was passyd his sigℏt; And whenne þe Enchantere was yn despayr of alle socours, he bythogℏte hym of þe perfeccioun̛ of his ley & of his fey, and of þat þat he sayde to þe Iew, þat in heuen̛ was on god rigℏtfuƚƚ Iuge, to whom in creatures no þing ys hidde, ne no pryue þing layned. He lyft vp his hondes to þe

heuen̛, and sayde, "God þat sauyst hem þat tristyn yn þy lawe, & shewys þe holy yn þy comandementȝ, conferme my louynge in þe, ynens þis Iew"; after whenne he hadde sayd þys, he wente nogℏt ferre yn þe way; he fand þe Iew, cast of his Mule, & bette, and his thee brokyn, and his nekke euyl hurt. And þe Mule on þe oþer syde stood on farre; and whenne he saw his meyster, by kynde techinge he com negℏ toward hym, and he styrt vpon̛ him, and he lefte þe Iew sorwand, and he departyd fro hym. But þe Iew cryed after him, And sayde, "ffayr brother, for goddys sake, haue now mercy vpon̛ me." And þe Enchantere bygan þanne gretly to blame, & sayde him, þat he leffyd him withouten mercy, and þat he hadde greuously synned vpon̛ him; And þe Iew sayde to him, "repreue me nogℏt of þing passyd, ffor y shewyd þat þat was my lawe & my faytℏ, yn whom y am norsℏyd, & my kennysmen̛ and ancestres yn þe self lawe dwellyd, And here y dwelle aƚƚ to-ffrushyd, & y haue gret myster of pytee; haue mercy on me, for þe obseruance of þy lawe, þat hauys geuyn to þe victorye vpon̛ me." þe Enchanter hadde eft vpon̛ him pytee, & bare hym byfore hym to þe stede ordeyned, and bytogℏt hym to his ffolk; but he dyed witℏ-ynne a short while, And þe kyng of þat Citee whanne he herde þe doynges of þat Enchanteour, he clepyd him afore him, and for his pityuous doynges, and for þe goodnesse of his lawe, he ordeyned him oon of his Conseillers. Louynge be to god, of þis þing ys Ende.