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

Of the costome of Iwes, and how a kynge shold his Subiectis and namely his marchaundis mayntene. Capitulum xm.

tO a kynge hit appendyth noght that he hym company ouer-mych wyth men that lytill bethe sette of, or dyshoneste Personys, For company mayntenyth anent ham that lytill byth of value, as folis and dyshonest lyueris, makyth the honnoure of lordshupp rebutte in dyspite. Therfor ther was a fayre custome amonge the Iues, for onys a yere the kynge sholde haue of his Pepill and his hoste a monstrison, and in ryche apparaille richely enarmet, sittynge on his stede, shuld shew hym to his Peple; the Pepill beneth hym, his Erlis, his nobill folke and his baronys hym aboute. Than Esploite he the grete nedis, Than wer Shewyd and [and and, MS.] tolde the dyuers aduentures that were the roialme betyde, the grete contencions and Enuyes and cures of the neddis of the roialme. Atte that day of custume he yaue grete yieftis, giltles men out of Pryson delyueret, relessit greuous dettis, and [folio 13L] many othyr grete workys of Pite didde. Whan this were don than sholde the kynge go Sitte afore his Pepill, and than anone scholde stonde afor al the folke one of his consaillours that wer y-callide [folio 35b] amonge ham costeers, that is to say sitteres bysydde, for thy sholde sitte in

euery syde of hym. Than the moste Vyseman of ham and beste of facunde, to wyrshippe of the kynge sholde yelde lowynges and thankynges to god, that wel thare kynge gouernyde and the roialme of Iude and that god the reame so enournet and endowet of so vyse a kynge and wytty, that the pepill of Iude into that tyme was to preyse in obeissaunce, accorde, stablit, and confermyd. Than aftyr that he had god commendid and preysid, and the kynge, he sholde Prise the Pepill tellynge hare good vertues and maneres, to conquere and haue har good will. Than he sholde ham amoneste by good ensamplis and reysonys to obey and honoure and humblie Serwe hare kynge, and trewely lowe; Therfor criet the pepill, har kynge and his good werkes with hey woyce commendid and Preisit, and preyet god that har kynges lyfe holde and kepe. Atte the Departynge they went by Citteis and lynagis, and Praysid har kynge and his workis. Thes Pepill taght har chyldryn to loue, honoure, obey, drede, and doute har kynge, and So encresid har renoun. Atte that tyme the kynge was wonyd to deme the mysdoers wythoute mercy, to haue that thay shold no more do amysse, that otheres were therof chastisied. Atte that tyme the kynge wolde alleege truages, and relese to marchandis of har rentis, and ham in trouth defende and kepe. And therfor is Iude full of Pepill. For thedyr comyth Merchandis of al landis, and ther byth wel rescewid and moche good wynnyth. Ther may wynne ryche and pouere Citeseyns and foreyns. And there encressyd the truages [folio 13bL] of the land and rentys. Wel Sholde men enchu to ennue or wronge do to Marchandis, For they Passyth fro londe to londe, and expaundyth the rennons of kynges and roialmes lyke as thay fyndyth. And ouer that there nys no roialme that nathe nede of some thyngis that byth in othyr landis, And tho thyngis byth cariet fro lande into lande by Marchandys, And therfor who so ille demyth Marchandys in his lordshupp, the goode and the Prowe of the pepill he dystrowbyth and gretly amenusyth. And therfor he nys noght worthy, a roialme or a lordshuppe to haue or mayntene.