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 shulde auaunce prowyd men in armys, and the Study of clergi to hawe wyth hym. Capitulum. xvjm.

alexandyr, make thy bachyllers and thy yonglynges to be prowid̛ in armes to yousty, and Serche and thay in al maner [folio 16L] of assautes be enfourmyd̛ for al maner of battaillis and of estowris. And many tymes do commande throgh thy roialme that al pepill hare chyldyr putte to scole, and make ham be taghte and study in hey scyencis and nobles that byth callid libral Sciencis, that is to Say fre scyencis, as gramer, arte, fisike, astronomye, and otheris: And thy Purveyaunce ham owyth to fynde har lywynge. To tho that wel Studyeth ye shall some auauncement yefe, So that otheres therof haue the bettyr wille to lernen. Hyre ham gladly in hare nedys, and auaunce ham that byth to rewarde. That shall make the of clerkis to be praysid̛ and commendit: That shall make ham thy good workys, thy Fraunchis, and thy bounteez to writte; So that thy good rennone thy shall make euer to Endure. The estudy of clergi well mayntenyth, is the wyrchipp of the Empire, the beauute of the realme, the lyght of the lorshuppe, the remenbraunce of all goodys. For by wrytynge of bokis, the whyche makyth clerkys to be Studiers, thyngis that Passyd byth men may cun ayeyn̄e, and in bokis a man may See ham oppynly. Throgh the whyche thynge was Enhawsid the realme of Grece, that makyth har renoun throw all the worlde to be know and So longe Endure. Certeynly that was throw the Clergy and Study that ther was so

grete, and by the full wyse Philosofours that ther dwellid in har study. So myche was the Study in Grece mayntenyd, that the yonge damselis in har Fadyr howses cowthe the courses of the Sterres, and of the yers, the Encheyson and the dyuersite of Shorte daies and longe, of Shorte nyghtes and longe, the courses of planetes, the mesuris of the Serclis, the signyfiaunce of the Sterres anent thyngis that were to cum, and many othyr thyngis appertenynge and Shewynge of Sterris. [folio 16bL]