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

Of the dyuersyte of kynges of maneris wych ben Praside and vnPrayside. Capitulum. iiijm.

IN fowre maners kynges ham demenyth. Some byth fre to ham-Selfe and to har subiectis, Otheris byth scars to ham-Selfe and to har sugettes. Of this two the ytaliance sayth, that in a kynge hit is noght reproue yf he be scarse to hym-Selfe. and large to his sugettes, But thay of Perse Sayth the contrary, that a kynge is noght worthe but yf he be large to hym-Selfe and to his sugettes. But amonge al othyrs, he is worste [folio 6bL] and moste reprovabill, that is large and fre to hym-Selfe, And scars and harde to his sugettes, For his roialme may not endure. For the forsayd thyngis hit be-howyth to witte whate is Fraunchise. Fraunchise in Englyshe is callid frenys, or fredome. Nede hit is to witte how hit may be conquerid, I-had, and mayntenyd. Also nede hit is to witte whate harmes dothe folargesse and scarcite. Wherfor hit Is to wytte, that hard is to knowe in al poyntis to holde the meen̄e, and lyght is hit to faille; As to hit the marke hit is harde, and to faylle hit is lyght. And therefor the more Maystri hit is, to know and conquere fraunchis, that holdyth the meen wey, than folargyse or auarice, that bene of two boundys. And therfor yf thow wolte largely lyue, and aftyr the vertu of Fraunches, thre thyngis thow moste beholde. The fryste, how moche thou mayste despende of thyn owyn propyr; The seconde take kepe in whate tyme hath yeftis most nede or defaute; the thyrde that ye can be viside, [Altered to aviside.] and see the Services and meritis of thy Subiectes.

[folio 32] Thow shalte Vndyrstonde that thow mayste despende, that frely aftyr thy Power thow mayste yeue of thyne owyn. For yf

thow Spendyst or yeveste othyr men goodes, thow Passyste Frauncesse, and out of Fredome thow walkyst. And who despendyth more than his Powere or his goodis strechyth, descende he moste in Powerte; And that is ayeyn̄e the vertu of larges. And his rule ouer-Passyth. For-why who-so-euer folyche hym Mayntenyth in ouer-grete costis ouer his Pouer, and wyth-oute nede, he is a wastoure of his goodes, and destrueth his roialme whate he may: he is not wourthy to be a gouernoure. Suche is callid a folle-large, or a wastoure, [folio 7L] that ouer-Passyth Wysdome and Purveyaunce. Of the Seden thynge be wel avisid. For yf thow wysely the gouerneste, and Spendyst thy goodis aftyr thy Pouere, than namely shalt thow can thy largesse to shewe to thy good Pepill, whan thow seyste ham nedfull and pouer. Than shalte thow be large to thy-Selfe and to thy Subiectis both; Than shalte thow fynde Frendis wythout Fayle, obeiance in al thynge; Than shall thy royalme endure and grow, in force of Power and richesse. Suche a kynge men in olde tyme Preysid, Suche is callid wertuȝ, large, and a good prynce. Of the thyrde thynge, bethynke the suttilly and vysely, that thow the can Parcewe of the Seruyces of the good dedis of the dyuersite of thy Pepill, whych to the bene profitabill, nedfull, and trew; And to ham yeue thow lyke har deserte, and to tho that nedfull byth, wel rewarde. For who-so yewyth hyme that neddyth noght and hath noght deservid, that yefte is loste, For hit Is not aftyr Fraunches and wertu. A ful thynge hit is to a kynge and vnsemely, to be harde and scarse, For noone Suche a man may loue, And wyth-out lowe a man may neuer duly and trewely Serwe, And therfor yf any kynge hym fellyth othyr scarse othyr folarge, yf he wolde do wel, he moste ordeyne some trewe men that may duly, als hit longyth to a kynge, his goodis to despende and ordeyn.