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

That a kynge is lykenyd to reyne, wynde, wyntyr, and Somyr. Capitulum xijm.

alykenys is betwen a kynge and the reynne, wynde, wyntyr, and Somer. Fryste betwen a kynge and the reyne: For of reyne comyth ile and good; good for hit moystieth the herbis, trene, and gardynes, And aftyr hit makyth herbis to ryse, cornys, treis and rootes sprynge, blowe, and kerne, and lewis, flowris, and frutis to bere: And of this comyth moche othyr goodis. Of the Reyne also comyth many otheris mesaduentures and many harmes, As thondyr, laitynge, the ryuers and wateres makyth ouer-Passe har boundys, bestis and Pepill peryschyth, whereof comyth moche harme. And thegh therof comyth so many harmys, yette men lewyth not therfore god to thanke that sendyth the reyne, of the wyche comyth full mych good to the land̛ and to the Pepill. The seconde lyckenys is be-twen a kynge and the wynde. Of the wynde comyth good̛ and ille: Good, for hit makyth cornes grow, and makyth frutes to ripe, hit makyth the reyne to fall, and makyth ham wey that Passyth the See, and many othyr goodis makyth the Wyndes. But ther-ayeynes dyuers Perillis and illis and destourbaunce fallyth,

throgh the wynde a-land and in the See. The Pepill in tempestes lesyth har goodes and har lyues, of the wynde comyth the corrupcion of the eire, Venymes ther-of be noryschyd, and othyr illis. And albe thes illis fallyth throgh wyndis, hit wer noght profitable to the pepill to be wythout the wynde. The thyrde lyckenes be-twene a kynge, wyntyr and Somyr: For the coldis and the hetis of the Somer and the wyntyr helpyth to the Spryngynge and the bourgynge of naturall thyngis. Albe that of ham [folio 14bL] comyth many Perillis and illis. So is hit of a kynge as of the thre thynges. For by the good kyngis, is wel gouernet the roialme and duly mayntene, and many othyr goodis he dothe to the Pepill, And al he dothe many thyngis aftyr lawe and ryght whereof Some byth damagid, Some byth myslade, And albe that he do whereof somen byth myspayed, And he [me MS.] doth ham dysplesynge, men owyth not therefor to leue to do har Preyer to god, that he mayntene and Sustene har kynge to the profite of the realme, and to the good of the comyne; and god ther owyth to thanke, that So good a kynge to ham hath yewe.