The boke named the royall.

¶Of the prowesse of the knyghtes of Ihesu Cryst. Ca. lxix.

AFter I saye that vertues & charyte gyueth very prowesse. Thenne there is no prowesse by ryght but in the knyghtes of god whiche the holy ghoost adou∣beth and armeth with vertues & charyte. In prowesse ben thre partyes. Hardynes / strengthe / & stedfastnesse. There is none noble by ryght but yf he haue these .iii. thȳ¦ges / but yf he be hardy / prudent / & entreprenaunt of gre¦te thynges / and stronge & puyssaunt for to pursue them and ferme & stable to fynysshe theym. But without wyt and without pourueyaunce no thynge auayleth none of these thre thynges. For lyke as sayth the boke of the arte of chyualry. Errour without batayle may not be amen∣ded. For it is anone cōpared. Folysshe entrepryse is whe¦re as lyeth lytell prouffyte / moche dyspence & grete pay∣ne and peryll. These ben thentrepryses of them that be called wyse and hardy in this worlde / that theyr bodyes and theyr soules putteth in synne / in peryll / and in pay∣ne for to gete a lytel lose and praysynge whiche is moche vayne / and lytell endureth. ¶But vertue dooth make a man of grete herte / and of wyse entrepryse / whan that she maketh a man the whiche is nothynge but erthe soo hardy / that he dare entrepryse for to conquere the real∣me of heuen / and to vaynquysshe all the deuylles of hell

that ben so stronge ¶This enterpryse is good wyse and moche prouffytable. For there is therin lytel perylle / and lytell payne but there is glorye honour and prouffyte inestymable / & perdurable without mesure / who hath no vertu hath no grete herte / but he is lyke hym that is aferde of nought. Suche ben they y^t doubten the euylles the aduersytees / perylles / & trybulacyons of the worlde And that haue drede to lese that / whiche they may not longe kepe. ¶They haue no grete herte y^t gyue it ouer for nought / lyke as done they that gyue theyr hertes for to loue y^e godes of fortune / whiche in trouthe ben ryght nought / but fylthe charge and ordure too the regarde of the goodes & glorye perdurable ¶Thenne suche people ben lyke a chylde / y^t loueth better an apple or a myrrour than a royame. But vertu gyueth grete herte by ryght. For vertue maketh them too conquere heuen / despyse y^e worlde / & to bere grete dedes of penaunce. And to sup∣porte and gladly suffre all the euylles of the worlde and to endure theym for goddes sake. And also for too with∣stonde and resyste all the assaultes of y^e deuyll. Lyke as the wyse and prudente Seneke sayth / wepynges mys∣chaunces / sorows trybulacōns / harmes shames / peryl¦les / and all that whiche euyll fortune may menace and doo / haue noo more power ayenst vertu / than one drope of water sholde doo in y^e see / vertue maketh a man har∣dy as a lyon / stronge as an holyfaunte / ferme and dura¦blee as the sonne whiche alwaye renneth and is neuer wery. Thenne there is no prowesse ne strengthe but in vertues.