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

Of thre thyngis wherof a kynge or a prynce shulde hym a-vyse. And pryncipally of the thyrde, that a man sholde kepe fayth in his othes makynge for any thynge, &c. Capitulum xvm.

aLexandre, remembyr the of the dedis and werkis of thyne auncestres and to haue a papyr of al har actes and har lyues, for so shalte thow many good thynges Parcewe by the Ensamplis of har actis. Of the Seconde thynge be avysid, that thow haue not in dyspite men that fro riches byth falle into pouerte, For he that is now lowe by Pouerte, may by fortune be heyet and ryche y-makyd and relewid, And than he may nve and damage. The thyrde thynge for-yete not in no maner; Neuyr breke thy feyth that thow haste yewe, ne allyaunce confermyd̛: For that appartenyth to vntrew men. And ouer that hit is to witte, that an evil ende followyth vntrowthe. And thegh hit happe that throgh a feyth y-broke any good befall atte that tyme, more harme therof shal fall in anothyr tyme, than that goode afor amounted̛ by falsnes gotte. Ouer that he that feyth brekyth, Of falsnes and vntrowth he shal be Proclamyd and knowe.

Wytte thow, alexandyr, that by lewte and trowthe and feyth the Pepill byth vnyette, Citteis fulfillid̛, and mayntenyd lordshuppis. And yf feyth or lewte be forsake, than shall hit of the Pepill be and of lordshuppis [folio 15bL] As of wylde bestis, amonge woche euery olt hym abow hym to whome he is prere. For the whyche thynges, ful trewe Emperoure, kepe thy feyth, thyn vndyrtakynges, and thy Serementz In al Poyntes thegh thay nvous be, the whych thow haste take an hande. Witte thow, alexandre, that as Hermogenes seyth, that there byth two Spiritis abowte the; that oone is atte thy ryght hande that the kepyth, And that othyr in thy lyfte [folio 37] hande that the beholdyth. This Spyritte that al thy workys Seyth ande Parcewyth, yf thay be not good, he writyth ham and showyth ham to god̛ that the makyd. This thynge ounly Sholde wythdrawe the, and make alle men enchu il workys. Ther-for forswere thou noght

thy-Selfe in no vyse, ne thy feyth breke. Therfor thow moste enchue to Swere gladdly, For a kynge sholde not swere, but yf hit were for a grete encheson, ffor a kynge that gladly wolde swere, dothe dyshonoure to his roialme, ffor that appendyth to subiectes and to Serwauntes, and noght to gentiles ne to nobles. And know thow that the encheson of the destruccioun of the roialme of ambage and of the Cite. was be-cause that hare kynges weryn to moche costumabli to Swere flasly for whan hit be-felle ham any serement othyr feyth to make, that one Parti begilid that othyr and brake har Serementes and hare cownauntes. And thay brake the lewted̛ that Stablid was to Profite of mann hele. For the whyche thynge ham ne myght not longyr suffyr the fulle ryghtwysnesse of almyghty god̛.