Here begynneth the booke whiche is called the body of polycye And it speketh of vertues and of good maners, and the sayd boke is deuyded in thre partyes. The fyrst party is adressed to prynces. The seconde to knyghtes and nobles: and the thyrde to the vnyuersal people. The fyrst chapytre speketh of the dyscrypcyon of the body of polycye.

¶ The exhortacyons that men shulde make to the chyldren of prynces. Capitulo. v.

••••so the sone of y^e prynce he beyng in chyldhode ought to be at somtymes brought in to couns••yle where that

the wyse men ben assembled that determyne the nedes of the lande / and y^• causes that fallen therin▪ And the ordre to gouer ne well the polycye to that entent that from his chyldhode he shulde be desyrous to here and speke of the gouenaunce of the lordshyp whiche he is borne vnto / and that he is eyre of▪ so that he may at all tymes lerne to speke and to answere▪ of all suche thynges as belongeth vnto hym / And the knyghtes and the wyse men shulde say vnto hym that he shulde take good hede of that he hereth theym speke in counceyle / and that he bere it well awaye in his mynde▪ ¶ Furthermore they that haue hym in gouernaunce ought to make byfore hym▪ all maner of straunge thynges of dyuers countrees▪ And of the customes of men of werre. of batayles. And of the gouernaūce of dyuers places. of dyuers armes▪ Also of the feete of clergy / of the pope and of the churche▪ And the cōmaundementes to be shewed vnto hym by doctoures of Theologye▪ ¶ And all that a man ought to byleue as a good crysten man: Also he shulde here Sermons & collacions of clerkes at somtymes▪ And at som∣tyme to here speke of y^• comōs. of marchaūt{is}. of labourers how they leue and cheuys••he them selfe. of ryche men / & poore men. And also of all maner thynges to that entent that in his vn∣derstandyng he be nat ygnoraūt of no maner thyng y^• ought to be vertuously knowen▪ ¶ For the Phylosopher sayth that man is nat wyse y^• hath nat vnderstandyng in all maner thy ges: ¶ And also it is ryght well done y^• his body be put in ex∣cercyse of some maner of labour & trauayle▪ as in playng at y^e ••ame or at the baase or other lyke playes / so that it be nat ouer moche. but mesurably to that entent▪ that he war nat to wery nor ••o heuy / nor gowrdy by to moch rest / nor y^• it cause nat the superf••ue humours for to gadre in hym / semblably it shuld be tolde hym of the poore & nedy people & shewe them hym / & tell hym that he ought to haue pyte and compassyon vpon them.

••nd that he do them good for the loue of god / whiche shall 〈…〉〈…〉 a meane for to gette hym paradyse▪ And also that he haue py〈…〉〈…〉 vp on poore gentylwomen and orphalynes and socoure them in theyr nedes for the loue of god and gentylnesse▪ And to a〈…〉〈…〉 poore women and men to his power▪ And gentylly here they〈…〉〈…〉 requestes / and they shuld enduce hym also to be benygne an〈…〉〈…〉 humble and trew / and tell hym and she we hym that nat with standynge though he / by the grace of god be chosen to so gret estate. yet he is as mortall as another / and shal here nothyng with hym out of this worlde / but the good dedes and y^• euyll that he hathe done in this worlde▪ And for as moche as he is gretter than another man / he shall yelde the gr••tter accompt•• Also he ought nat to be proude nor feers in corage thoughe so be that men do hym great re••erences and worshyppes / but ought to yelde all y^• graces to god / and shuld knowe the great gyftes that he receyueth of our lorde / And all suche good en∣samples & mocyons wolde he shewed to y^• sone of the prynce / yet nat withstandynge this he muste be suffred at somtymes for to playe and take his dysportes lyke as it is rehersed here tofore▪ And alwayes amonge it shuld nat be forgoten to st••r•• hym to good vertues and maners.