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

How a kynge hym Shall haue anente hym-self in vertues and in clothynge. Capitulum ixm.

amonge al othyr thyngis and vertues a kynge sholde haue, He sholde be Purveyaunt and Pensyfe of thynges that may come aftyrwarde, and aftyr that ordayne his doynges, So that the adventures comynge aftyrward, he may the more lyghtly Supporte. a kynge sholde be Pyteous, Enchu wreth, and the mowrnynges of his corage to hyde and hele, that he be not y-holde hastly by lyght Shewynge of his wrethe, othyr vnwyse. If hit happe a kynge to do any thynge vnawyssely, he owyth hit repel vmbethoght avysely, and wyth reyson know his defaute. Full grete vertu and Souerayne vysdome of connynge is hit in a kynge that he can gouerne hym [folio 12L] selfe aryght, And that he hym Selfe well demene. And whan a kynge shall do any thynge opynle, he shall not be ouer hastely ne ouer Slowe, that he be not holde hasty ne Slow. O alexander, desyre thow not the thynge that may not endure and anoone Passyth, and that thow most quykly forsake and leue, apparaill the to-geddyr richesse and tresure that may not rootte, the Perdurabill lyfe, the roialme wyth-out ende and yoy wythout doloure. Guy al thy thoghtis al tyme to do [folio 35] well, And Shewe thy Selfe glorious and hardi; Fle the maneres of wylde bestis and wode that can not haue mercy, and the fiersnes of the lyoone, and abow al thynge the filthede of the Stynkynge fleshly lust of a Swyn. This is sayde in lyckenys. Thow shalt not be crwel as a beste with-out reyson that Pite can not haue, But be merciable anent ham of whom thou haste the maystri or lordshuppe. Vmbe-thynke the of that, that may befall, Forwhy whate shal of aduenture to-morrow betyde thow knoweste noght. But gracious lorde how ye shall haue yow anent enemys rebelle, and thewis, aftyr in this boke ye shal fynde y-writte. Now yewe the not aftyr thy desyris, in mete, in drynke, in company of women, ne in ouer-longe Slepynges, as doth a Swyn. In vyue thyngis ye shal kepe yow fro lechurye whych ben prowid by this two versis: —

speche syght touchynge kyssynge laghynge Colloquium, Visus, contactus, basia, risus,

Sunt fomites veneris, hec fuge, saluus eris.

This byth the norchynges of lechurie; enchu ham, and thow shalte be sawid. What glory or what valure the may be-tyde, yf thow the accustumyst to the workys of bestis wythout reyson, Trow thow me wythout dute, that the foly company of women destrueth the body, sorthyth [folio 12bL] the lyuedayes, ondyth al vertues, ouerpassyth the lawys of god, And doghty men and hardy hit makyth lyke women, neshe and feynte, dedis of armys to done. Moche hit appendyth a kynge to be rychely and honestly y-clothyd ouer al otheris, that the heynesse of his dignyte may appere in his vesture, that men sette not the lasse by hym, but do hym du reuerence, and that his Pusaunce be not emblemyshit. a kynge sholde be good of Speke and Softe in worde, enchu moche speche, and Speke but lytill, but yf he nede haue. For bettyr is that men desyre hym to hyre, than of his Speche men fulfillit be. For whan a man is trowbelit and nvit of many wordes, he hyryth wyth the lasse wille.