i. [Confessor] 5 L 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 ii. [Confessor] 65 L 70 75 80 85 90 L 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 134 L 140 144 L 150 155 160 L 165 170 174 L 180 185 190 195 200 iii. [Confessor] 205 L 210 215 220 L 225 230 L 235 L 240 245 250 L 255 260 264 L 270 275 279 L 284 L 290 295 L 300 305 310 315 L 320 325 330 335 340 345 350 355 360 365 Confessor 370 374 L 380 385 390 395 L 400 405 410 L 415 420 L 425 L 430 435 440 L 445 L 450 L 454 L L 460 L 465 470 475 480 485 490 495 500 505 510 515 520 L 525 530 535 540 545 550 L 555 560 565 570 574 L 580 585 L 590 595 600 L 605 610 615 620 625 630 iv. [Confessor] 635 L 640 645 650 655 660 665 670 675 680 685 690 695 700 705 710 715 720 L 725 730 735 740 745 750 754 L 760 765 770 L 775 780 785 790 795 800 L 805 810 814 L 820 825 830 835 840 845 850 855 860 865 870 875 880 885 L 890 895 900 905 L 910 915 920 925 930 934 L 940 945 950 954 L 960 965 970 975 L 980 985 990 995 1000 1005 1010 L 1016 1020 1025 1030 L 1035 1040 1045 1050 L 1055 1060 1065 L 1070 1075 1080 L 1085 1090 1095 1100 L 1105 1110 1115 1120 L 1125 1130 1135 1140 L 1145 1150 1155 1160 1165 L 1170 1175 1180 1185 L 1190 1195 1200 1205 1210 1215 L 1220 1225 1230 1235 1240 1245 1250 1255 1260 1265 1270 Confessor 1275 1280 1284 L 1290 1295 1300 1305 L 1310 1315 L 1320 1325 L 1330 1335 L 1340 1344 L 1350 1354 L 1360 L 1365 1370 L 1375 L 1380 1385 L 1390 L 1395 1400 L 1405 L 1410 1415 L 1420 1424 L 1430 1435 L 1440 1445 1450 1455 1460 1465 1470 1475 1480 1485 1490 1495 1500 1505 v. [Confessor]; 1510 L 1515 1520 1525 1530 1535 1540 1545 1550 1555 1560 1565 1570 1575 1580 1585 L 1590 1595 1600 1605 1610 1615 1620 1625 1630 1635 1640 vi. [Confessor] 1645 L 1650 1655 1660 1665 1670 1675 1680 1685 1690 1695 1700 1705 1710 vii. [Confessor] 1714 L 1720 1725 1730 1735 1740 1745 1750 L 1755 1760 1765 1770 1775 1780 1785 L 1790 1795 1800 1805 1810 1815 1820 1825 1830 1835 1840 1845 1850 1855 1860 1865 1870 1875 1880 L 1885 1890 1895 1900 1905 1910 1915 L 1920 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 viii. [Confessor] 1986 L 1991 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 L 2035 2040 2045 2050 2055 2060 L 2065 2070 2075 2080 2085 2090 2095 2100 2105 2110 2115 L 2120 2125 2130 2135 2140 L 2145 L 2150 2154 L 2160 2165 2170 2175 L 2180 L 2184 L 2190 2195 L 2200 2205 2210 2215 L 2220 2225 2230 2235 2240 2245 2250 2255 2260 2265 2270 2275 2280 2285 2290 2295 2300 2305 2310 2315 2320 2325 2330 2335 2340 2345 2350 2354 L 2360 2365 2370 2375 2380 2385 2390 2395 2400 2405 2410 L 2415 2420 2425 2430 2435 2440 2445 L 2450 2455 2460 2465 2470 2475 2480 2485 2490 L 2495 2500 2505 2510 2515 2520 2525 2529 L 2535 2540 2545 2550 2555 2560 2565 2570 2575 2580 2585 2590 2595 2600 2605 2610 2615 2620 2625 2630 2635 2640 2645 2650 2655 2660 2665 2670 2675 2680 2685 2690 ix. [Confessor] 2696 L 2700 2705 2710 2715 2720 2725 L 2730 2735 2740 2745 2750 2755 2760 2764 L 2770 2775 2780 2785 L 2790 2795 2800 2805 2810 2815 2820 2825 2830 L 2835 2840 2845 L 2850 2855 2860 2865 2870 2875 2880 2885 L 2890 2895 2900 2905 2910 2915 2920 L 2925 2930 2935 2940 2945 2950 2955 2960 2965 2970 2975 2980 2985 2990 2995 3000 3005 3010 3015 3020 3025 3030 L 3035 3040 3045 3050 3055 3060 3065 3070 3075 3080 3085 3090 3095 3100 x. [Confessor] 3105 L 3110 3115 3120 Nota 3125 3130 3135 L 3140 L 3145 3150 3155 3160 L 3165 3170 3175 3180 3185 3190 3195 3200 3205 3210 3215 L 3220 3225 3230 3235 3240 3245 3250 3255 3260 3265 L 3270 3275 3280 3285 3290 3295 L 3300 3305 3310 3315 3320 3325 3330 3335 3340 L 3345 3350 3355 L 3360 3365 3370 3375 3380 3385 L 3390 3395 3400 3405 3410 3415 L 3420 3425 3430 3435 3440 3445 3450 3455 3460 3465 3470 3475 3480 3485 3490 3495 3500 3505 3510 3515 3520 3525 3530 3535 3540 3545 3550 3555 L 3560 3565 3570 3575 3580 L 3585 3590 L 3595 3600 3604 L 3610 3615 3620 3625 3629 L 3635 3640 3645 3650 3655 3660 3665 3670 3675 3680 3685 3690 3695 3700 3705 3710 3715 3720 3725 3730 3735 3740 3745 3750 3755 3760 3765 3770 3775 3780 3785 3790 3795 3800 3805 L 3810 3815 3820 3825 3830 3835 3840 3845 L 3850 3855 3860 3865 3870 3875 3880 3885 3890 L 3895 3900 3905 3910 L 3915 3920 3925 L 3930 3935 3940 3945 L 3950 3955 3960 3965 3970 3975 3980 3985 3990 3995 4000 4005 4010 4015 4020 4025 4030 L 4035 4040 4045 4050 4055 4060 4065 L 4070 4075 L 4080 4085 4090 4095 4100 4105 4110 4115 4120 4125 4130 4135 4140 4145 L 4150 4155 4160 4165 4170 4175 4180 L 4185 4190 4195 4200 4205 4210 xi. [Confessor] 4216 4220 L 4225 4230 4235 4240 4245 4250 4255 L 4260 4265 4270 4275 4280 4285 4290 4295 4300 4305 4310 4315 L 4320 4325 4330 4335 4340 L 4345 4350 4355 4360 L 4365 4370 4375 4380 4385 4390 4395 4400 4405 L 4410 4415 4420 4425 4430 4435 4440 4445 4450 4455 4460 4465 4470 L 4475 4480 4485 4490 4495 L 4500 L 4505 L 4510 4514 L 4520 4525 4530 4535 4540 4545 4550 4555 L 4560 4565 4570 L 4575 4580 4585 4590 4595 L 4600 4605 4610 4615 4620 4625 4630 4635 4640 4645 4650 4655 4660 4665 4670 4675 4680 4685 4690 4695 4700 4705 4710 4715 4720 4725 4730 4735 4740 4745 4750 4755 L 4760 4765 4770 4775 4780 4785 4790 4795 4800 4805 4810 4815 4820 4825 4830 4835 4840 4845 4850 4855 4860 4865 4870 4875 4880 4885 4890 4895 4900 L 4905 4910 4915 4920 4925 4930 4935 4940 4945 4950 4955 4960 4965 4970 4975 4980 4985 4990 4995 5000 5005 5010 5015 5020 5025 5030 5035 5040 5045 5050 5055 5060 5065 5070 5075 5080 5085 5090 5095 5100 5105 5110 5115 5120 5125 5130 5135 L 5140 5145 5150 5155 5160 5165 5170 5175 5180 5185 5190 5195 5200 5205 5210 5215 5220 5225 5230 5235 5240 5245 5250 5255 5260 5265 5270 5275 5280 5285 5290 5295 5300 5305 5310 L 5315 5320 5325 5330 5335 5340 5345 5350 5355 5360 5365 5370 5375 5379 Nota 5385 5390 5395 Confessor 5400 5405 Amans 5410 5415 5420 5425 5429 Confessor 5435

Omnibus in causis sapiens doctrina salutem Consequitur, nec habet quis nisi doctus opem. Naturam superat doctrina, viro quod et ortus Ingenii docilis non dedit, ipsa dabit. Non ita discretus hominum per climata regnat, Quin, magis vt sapiat, indiget ipse scole.1 "I, Genius, the prest of love, Mi sone, as thou hast preid above That I the scole schal declare Of Aristotle and ek the fare Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht, I am somdel therof destrauht, For it is noght to the matiere Of love, why we sitten hiere To schryve, so as Venus bad. Bot natheles, for it is glad So as thou seist, for thin aprise To hiere of suche thinges wise, Wherof thou myht the time lisse, So as I can, I schal thee wisse. For wisdom is at every throwe Above alle other thing to knowe In loves cause and elleswhere. Forthi, my sone, unto thin ere, Though it be noght in the registre Of Venus, yit of that Calistre And Aristotle whylom write To Alisandre, thou schalt wite.      Bot for the lores ben diverse, I thenke ferst to thee reherce The nature of Philosophie, Which Aristotle of his clergie, Wys and expert in the sciences, Declareth thilke intelligences, As of thre pointz in principal.      Wherof the ferste in special Is Theorique, which is grounded On him which al the world hath founded, Which comprehendeth al the lore.      And for to loken overmore, Next of sciences the seconde Is Rethorique, whos faconde Above alle othre is eloquent. To telle a tale in juggement So wel can no man speke as he.      The laste science of the thre It is Practique, whos office The vertu tryeth fro the vice, And techeth upon goode thewes To fle the compaignie of schrewes, Which stant in disposicion Of mannes free eleccion. Practique enformeth ek the reule, Hou that a worthi king schal reule His realme bothe in werre and pes.      Lo, thus danz Aristotiles These thre sciences hath divided And the nature also decided, Wherof that ech of hem schal serve.      The ferste, which is the conserve And kepere of the remenant, As that which is most sufficant And chief of the Philosophie, If I therof schal specefie So as the Philosophre tolde, Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde." [Theory, the First Point of Philosophy]      Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summum: Qui caput agnoscit, sufficit illud ei.      Plura viros quandoque iuuat nescire, set illud Quod videt expediens, sobrius ille sapit.2 "Of Theorique principal The Philosophre in special The propretees hath determined, As thilke which is enlumined Of wisdom and of hih prudence Above alle othre in his science. And stant departed upon thre, The ferste of which in his degré Is cleped in Philosophie The science of Theologie; That other named is Phisique, The thridde is seid Mathematique. [Theology]      Theologie is that science Which unto man gifth evidence Of thing which is noght bodely, Wherof men knowe redely The hihe almyhti Trinité, Which is o God in unité Withouten ende and beginnynge And creatour of alle thinge, Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle. Wherof, as olde bokes telle, The Philosophre in his resoun Wrote upon this conclusioun, And of his wrytinge in a clause He clepeth God the ferste cause, Which of Himself is thilke good, Withoute whom nothing is good, Of which that every creature Hath his beinge and his nature. After the beinge of the thinges Ther ben thre formes of beinges: Thing which began and ende schal, That thing is cleped temporal; Ther is also be other weie Thing which began and schal noght deie, As soules, that ben spiritiel: Here beinge is perpetuel. Bot ther is on above the sonne, Whos time nevere was begonne, And endeles schal evere be; That is the God, whos magesté Alle othre thinges schal governe, And His beinge is sempiterne. The God, to whom that al honour Belongeth, He is creatour, And othre ben Hise creatures. The God commandeth the natures That thei to Him obeien alle; Withouten Him, what so befalle, Her myht is non, and He mai al. The God was evere and evere schal, And thei begonne of His assent; The times alle be present To God, to hem and alle unknowe, Bot what Him liketh that thei knowe. Thus bothe an angel and a man, The whiche of al that God began Be chief, obeien Goddes myht, And he stant endeles upriht. To this science ben privé The clerks of divinité, The whiche unto the poeple prechen The feith of holi cherche and techen, Which in som cas upon believe Stant more than thei conne prieve Be weie of argument sensible. Bot natheles it is credible, And doth a man gret meede have, To him that thenkth himself to save. Theologie in such a wise Of hih science and hih aprise Above alle othre stant unlike, And is the ferste of Theorique. [Physics]      Phisique is after the secounde, Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde To techen sondri knowlechinges Upon the bodiliche thinges. Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston, Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon That ben of bodely substance, The nature and the circumstance Thurgh this science it is ful soght, Which vaileth and which vaileth noght. [Mathematics]      The thridde point of Theorique, Which cleped is Mathematique, Devided is in sondri wise And stant upon diverse aprise. The ferst of whiche is Arsmetique, And the secounde is seid Musique, The thridde is ek Geometrie, Also the ferthe Astronomie.      Of Arsmetique the matiere Is that of which a man mai liere What Algorisme in nombre amonteth, Whan that the wise man acompteth After the formel propreté Of Algorismes abecé. Be which multiplicacioun Is mad and diminucioun Of sommes be th'experience Of this art and of this science.      The seconde of Mathematique, Which is the science of Musique, That techeth upon Armonie A man to make melodie Be vois and soun of instrument Thurgh notes of acordement, The whiche men pronounce alofte, Nou scharpe notes and nou softe, Nou hihe notes and nou lowe, As be the gamme a man mai knowe, Which techeth the prolacion Of note and the condicion.      Mathematique of his science Hath yit the thridde intelligence Full of wisdom and of clergie And cleped is Geometrie, Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte, Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte To knowe the proporcion Be verrai calculacion Of this science; and in this wise These olde philosophres wise, Of al this worldes erthe round, Hou large, hou thikke was the ground, Controeveden th'experience; The cercle and the circumference Of everything unto the hevene; Thei setten point and mesure evene.      Mathematique above th'erthe Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe, Which spekth upon Astronomie And techeth of the sterres hihe, Beginnynge upward fro the mone. Bot ferst, as it was for to done, This Aristotle in other thing Unto this worthi yonge king The kinde of every element Which stant under the firmament, Hou it is mad and in what wise, Fro point to point he gan devise." [Four-fold Creation] Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo, Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat. Nostraque quadruplici complexio sorte creatur. Corpore sicque suo stat variatus homo.3 "Tofore the creacion Of eny worldes stacion, Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle, So as these olde bokes telle, As soun tofore the song is set And yit thei ben togedre knet, Riht so the hihe pourveance Tho hadde under his ordinance A gret substance, a gret matiere, Of which he wolde in his manere These othre thinges make and forme. For yit withouten eny forme Was that matiere universal, Which hihte ylem in special. Of ylem, as I am enformed, These elementz ben mad and formed, Of ylem elementz thei hote After the Scole of Aristote, Of whiche if more I schal reherce, Foure elementz ther ben diverse. [Four Elements]      The ferste of hem men erthe calle, Which is the lowest of hem alle, And in his forme is schape round, Substancial, strong, sadd and sound, As that which mad is sufficant To bere up al the remenant. For as the point in a compas Stant evene amiddes, riht so was This erthe set and schal abyde, That it may swerve to no side, And hath his centre after the lawe Of kinde, and to that centre drawe Desireth every worldes thing, If ther ne were no lettyng.      Above th'erthe kepth his bounde The water, which is the secounde Of elementz, and al withoute It environeth th'erthe aboute. Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi This soubtil water myhtely, Thogh it be of himselve softe, The strengthe of th'erthe perceth ofte; For riht as veines ben of blod In man, riht so the water flod Th'erthe of his cours makth ful of veines, Als wel the helles as the pleines. And that a man may sen at ye, For wher the hulles ben most hyhe, Ther mai men welle stremes finde. So proveth it be weie of kinde The water heyher than the lond.      And over this nou understond, Air is the thridde of elementz, Of whos kinde his aspirementz Takth every lifissh creature, The which schal upon erthe endure. For as the fissh, if it be dreie, Mot in defaute of water deie, Riht so withouten air on lyve No man ne beste myhte thryve, The which is mad of fleissh and bon. There is outake of alle non.      This air in periferies thre Divided is of such degré, Benethe is on and on amidde, To whiche above is set the thridde, And upon the divisions There ben diverse impressions Of moist and ek of drye also, Whiche of the sonne bothe tuo Ben drawe and haled upon hy, And maken cloudes in the sky, As schewed is at mannes sihte; Wherof be day and ek be nyhte After the times of the yer Among ous upon erthe her In sondri wise thinges falle.      The ferste periferie of alle Engendreth myst and overmore The dewes and the frostes hore, After thilke intersticion In whiche thei take impression.      Fro the seconde, as bokes sein, The moiste dropes of the reyn Descenden into middilerthe, And tempreth it to sed and erthe, And doth to springe grass and flour. And ofte also the grete schour Out of such place it mai be take, That it the forme schal forsake Of reyn, and into snow be torned; And ek it mai be so sojorned In sondri places up alofte, That into hail it torneth ofte.      The thridde of th'air after the lawe Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe Of dreie thing, as it is ofte, Among the cloudes upon lofte, And is so clos, it may noght oute; Thanne is it chased sore aboute, Til it to fyr and leyt be falle, And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle, The whiche of so gret noyse craken, That thei the feerful thonder maken. The thonderstrok smit er it leyte, And yit men sen the fyr and leyte, The thonderstrok er that men hiere: So mai it wel be proeved hiere In thing which schewed is fro feer, A mannes yhe is there nerr Thanne is the soun to mannes ere. And natheles it is gret feere Bothe of the strok and of the fyr, Of which is no recoverir In place wher that thei descende, Bot if God wolde His grace sende.      And for to speken over this, In this partie of th'air it is That men fulofte sen be nyhte The fyr in sondri forme alyhte. Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth, And so the lewed poeple it demeth; Somtime it semeth as it were A sterre, which that glydeth there: Bot it is nouther of the tuo, The Philosophre telleth so, And seith that of impressions Thurgh diverse exalacions Upon the cause and the matiere Men sen diverse forme appiere Of fyr, the whiche hath sondri name.      Assub, he seith, is thilke same, The which in sondry place is founde, Whanne it is falle doun to grounde, So as the fyr it hath aneled, Lich unto slym which is congeled.      Of exalacion I finde Fyr kinled of the same kinde, Bot it is of another forme; Wherof, if that I schal conforme The figure unto that it is, These olde clerkes tellen this, That it is lik a got skippende, And for that it is such semende, It hatte Capra saliens.      And ek these astronomiens Another fyr also, be nyhte Which scheweth him to mannes syhte, Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth Upon a corde, as thou hast sein, Whan it with poudre is so besein Of sulphre and othre thinges mo.      Ther is another fyr also, Which semeth to a mannes yhe Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe A dragon brennende in the sky, And that is cleped proprely Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte, 'Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte Fleth up in th'air!' and so thei demen. Bot why the fyres suche semen Of sondri formes to beholde, The wise Philosophre tolde, So as tofore it hath ben herd. Lo thus, my sone, hou it hath ferd: Of air the due propreté In sondri wise thou myht se, And hou under the firmament It is ek the thridde element, Which environeth bothe tuo, The water and the lond also.      And for to tellen overthis Of elementz which the ferthe is, That is the fyr in his degré, Which environeth th'other thre And is withoute moist al drye. Bot lest nou what seith the clergie; For upon hem that I have seid The creatour hath set and leid The kinde and the complexion Of alle mennes nacion. Foure elementz sondri ther be, Lich unto whiche of that degré Among the men ther ben also Complexions foure and no mo, Wherof the Philosophre treteth, That he nothing behinde leteth, And seith hou that thei ben diverse, So as I schal to thee reherse. [Four Complexions] He which natureth every kinde, The myhti God, so as I finde, Of man, which is his creature, Hath so devided the nature, That non til other wel acordeth; And be the cause it so discordeth, The lif which fieleth the seknesse Mai stonde upon no sekernesse.      Of th'erthe, which is cold and drye, The kinde of man Malencolie Is cleped, and that is the ferste, The most ungoodlich and the werste; For unto loves werk on nyht Him lacketh bothe will and myht: No wonder is, in lusty place Of love though he lese grace. What man hath that complexion, Full of ymaginacion Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes, He fret himselven al to noghtes.      The water, which is moyste and cold, Makth Fleume, which is manyfold Forgetel, slou and wery sone Of everything which is to done. He is of kinde sufficant To holde love his covenant, Bot that him lacketh appetit, Which longeth unto such delit.      What man that takth his kinde of th'air, He schal be lyht, he schal be fair, For his complexion is blood. Of alle ther is non so good, For he hath bothe will and myht To plese and paie love his riht: Wher as he hath love undertake, Wrong is if that he be forsake.      The fyr of his condicion Appropreth the complexion Which in a man is Colre hote, Whos propretes ben dreie and hote. It makth a man ben enginous And swift of fote and ek irous; Of contek and folhastifnesse He hath a riht gret besinesse, To thenke of love and litel may. Though he behote wel a day, On nyht whan that he wole assaie, He may ful evele his dette paie.      After the kinde of th'element, Thus stant a mannes kinde went As touchende his complexion, Upon sondri division Of dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete, And ech of hem his oghne sete Appropred hath withinne a man. And ferst to telle as I began,      The splen is to Malencolie Assigned for herbergerie.      The moiste Fleume with his cold Hath in the lunges for his hold Ordeined him a propre stede, To duelle ther as he is bede.      To the Sanguin complexion Nature of hire inspeccion A propre hous hath in the livere For his duellinge mad delivere.      The dreie Colre with his hete Be weie of kinde his propre sete Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth, So as the Philosophre telleth. [Four Servants of the Heart]      Nou over this is for to wite, As it is in Phisique write Of livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen, Thei alle unto the herte ben Servantz, and ech in his office Entendeth to don him service, As he which is chief lord above. The livere makth him for to love, The lunge gifth him weie of speche, The galle serveth to do wreche, The splen doth him to lawhe and pleie, Whan al unclennesse is aweie. Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede. And to sustienen hem and fede In time of recreacion, Nature hath in creacion The stomach for a comun coc Ordeined, so as seith the boc. The stomach coc is for the halle, And builleth mete for hem alle, To make hem myhty for to serve The herte, that he schal noght sterve, For as a king in his empire Above alle othre is lord and sire, So is the herte principal, To whom reson in special Is gove as for the governance.      And thus nature his pourveance Hath mad for man to liven hiere; Bot God, which hath the soule diere, Hath formed it in other wise. That can no man pleinli devise; Bot as the clerkes ous enforme, That lich to God it hath a forme, Thurgh which figure and which liknesse The soule hath many an hyh noblesse Appropred to his oghne kinde. Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde Al onliche of this ilke point, That hir abydinge is conjoint Forth with the bodi for to duelle. That on desireth toward helle, That other upward to the hevene; So schul thei nevere stonde in evene, Bot if the fleissh be overcome And that the soule have holi nome The governance, and that is selde, Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde. Al erthli thing which God began Was only mad to serve man; Bot He the soule al only made Himselven for to serve and glade. Alle othre bestes that men finde Thei serve unto here oghne kinde; Bot to reson the soule serveth, Wherof the man His thonk deserveth And get him with hise werkes goode The perdurable lyves foode. [Four Divisions of the World]      Of what matiere it schal be told, A tale lyketh manyfold The betre, if it be spoke plein: Thus thinke I for to torne agein And telle plenerly therfore Of th'erthe, wherof nou tofore I spak, and of the water eke, So as these olde clerkes spieke, And sette proprely the bounde After the forme of mappemounde, Thurgh which the ground be pourparties Departed is in thre parties, That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe, The whiche under the hevene cope, Als ferr as streccheth eny ground, Begripeth al this erthe round. Bot after that the hihe wrieche The water weies let out seche And overgo the helles hye, Which every kinde made dye That upon middelerthe stod, Outake Noe and his blod - His sones and his doughtres thre - Thei were sauf and so was he. Here names, who that rede rihte, Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte; And whanne thilke almyhty hond Withdrouh the water fro the lond, And al the rage was aweie And erthe was the mannes weie, The sones thre, of whiche I tolde, Riht after that hemselve wolde, This world departe thei begonne.      Asie, which lay to the sonne Upon the marche of Orient, Was graunted be comun assent To Sem, which was the sone eldeste; For that partie was the beste And double as moche as othre tuo, And was that time bounded so Wher as the flod which men Nil calleth Departeth fro his cours and falleth Into the See Alexandrine, Ther takth Asie ferst seisine Toward the West, and over this Of Canahim wher the flod is Into the Grete See rennende; Fro that into the worldes ende Estward, Asie it is algates, Til that men come unto the gates Of Paradis, and there ho. And schortly for to speke it so, Of Orient in general Withinne his bounde Asie hath al.      And thanne upon that other syde Westward, as it fell thilke tyde, The brother which was hote Cham Upon his part Aufrique nam. Japhet Europe tho tok he, Thus parten thei the world on thre. Bot yit ther ben of londes fele In Occident as for the chele, In Orient as for the hete, Which of the poeple be forlete As lond desert that is unable, For it mai noght ben habitable.      The water eke hath sondri bounde, After the lond wher it is founde, And takth his name of thilke londes Wher that it renneth on the strondes: Bot thilke see which hath no wane Is cleped the gret Occeane, Out of the which arise and come The hyhe flodes alle and some. Is non so litel welle spring, Which ther ne takth his beginnyng, And lich a man that haleth breth Be weie of kinde, so it geth Out of the see and in agein, The water, as the bokes sein.      Of elementz the propretes Hou that thei stonden be degres, As I have told, nou myht thou hiere, Mi goode sone, al the matiere Of erthe, of water, air, and fyr. And for thou saist that thi desir Is for to witen overmore The forme of Aristotles lore, He seith in his entendement, That yit ther is an element Above the foure, and is the fifte, Set of the hihe Goddes gifte, The which that orbis cleped is. And therupon he telleth this, That as the schelle hol and sound Encloseth al aboute round What thing withinne an ey belongeth, Riht so this orbis underfongeth These elementz alle everychon, Which I have spoke of on and on.      Bot overthis nou tak good hiede, Mi sone, for I wol procede To speke upon Mathematique, Which grounded is on Theorique. The science of Astronomie I thinke for to specefie, Withoute which, to telle plein, Alle othre science is in vein Toward the scole of erthli thinges. For as an egle with his winges Fleth above alle that men finde, So doth this science in his kinde." [Astronomy] Lege planetarum magis inferiora reguntur, Ista set interdum regula fallit opus. Vir mediante deo sapiens dominabitur astris, Fata nec immerito quid nouitatis agunt.4 "Benethe upon this erthe hiere Of alle thinges the matiere, As tellen ous thei that ben lerned, Of thing above it stant governed, That is to sein of the planetes. The cheles bothe and ek the hetes, The chances of the world also, That we fortune clepen so, Among the mennes nacion Al is thurgh constellacion, Wherof that som man hath the wele, And som man hath deseses fele In love als wel as othre thinges. The stat of realmes and of kinges In time of pes, in time of werre It is conceived of the sterre: And thus seith the naturien Which is an astronomien. Bot the divin seith otherwise, That if men weren goode and wise And plesant unto the Godhede, Thei scholden noght the sterres drede. For o man, if him wel befalle, Is more worth than ben thei alle Towardes Him that weldeth al. Bot yit the lawe original, Which He hath set in the natures, Mot worchen in the creatures, That therof mai be non obstacle, Bot if it stonde upon miracle Thurgh preiere of som holy man. And forthi, so as I began To speke upon Astronomie, As it is write in the clergie, To telle hou the planetes fare, Som part I thenke to declare, Mi sone, unto thin audience.      Astronomie is the science Of wisdom and of hih connynge, Which makth a man have knowlechinge Of sterres in the firmament, Figure, cercle, and moevement Of ech of hem in sondri place, And what betwen hem is of space, Hou so thei moeve or stonde faste, Al this it telleth to the laste.      Assembled with Astronomie Is ek that ilke Astrologie, The which in juggementz acompteth Th'effect, what every sterre amonteth, And hou thei causen many a wonder To tho climatz that stonde hem under.      And for to telle it more plein, These olde philosophres sein That orbis, which I spak of err, Is that which we fro th'erthe a ferr Beholde, and firmament it calle, In which the sterres stonden alle, Among the whiche in special Planetes sefne principal Ther ben, that mannes sihte demeth, Bot th'orizonte, as to ous semeth. And also ther ben signes tuelve. Whiche have her cercles be hemselve Compassed in the zodiaque, In which thei have here places take. And as thei stonden in degré, Here cercles more or lasse be, Mad after the proporcion Of th'erthe, whos condicion Is set to be the foundement To sustiene up the firmament. And be this skile a man mai knowe, The more that thei stonden lowe, The more ben the cercles lasse; That causeth why that some passe Here due cours tofore another. Bot nou, mi lieve dere brother, As thou desirest for to wite What I finde in the bokes write, To telle of the planetes sevene, Hou that thei stonde upon the hevene And in what point that thei ben inne, Tak hiede, for I wol beginne, So as the Philosophre tauhte To Alisandre and it betauhte, Wherof that he was fulli tawht Of wisdom, which was him betawht. [Seven Planets]      Benethe alle othre stant the mone, The which hath with the see to done. Of flodes hihe and ebbes lowe Upon his change it schal be knowe. And every fissh which hath a schelle Mot in his governance duelle, To wexe and wane in his degré, As be the mone a man mai se; And al that stant upon the grounde Of his moisture it mot be founde. Alle othre sterres, as men finde, Be schynende of here oghne kinde Outake only the monelyht, Which is noght of himselve bright, Bot as he takth it of the sonne. And yit he hath noght al fulwonne His lyht, that he nys somdiel derk; Bot what the lette is of that werk In Almageste it telleth this: The mones cercle so lowe is, Wherof the sonne out of his stage Ne seth him noght with full visage, For he is with the ground beschaded, So that the mone is somdiel faded And may noght fully schyne cler. Bot what man under his pouer Is bore, he schal his places change And seche manye londes strange. And as of this condicion The mones disposicion Upon the lond of Alemaigne Is set, and ek upon Bretaigne, Which nou is cleped Engelond; For thei travaile in every lond.      Of the planetes the secounde Above the mone hath take his bounde, Mercurie, and his nature is this, That under him who that bore is, In boke he schal be studious And in wrytinge curious, And slouh and lustles to travaile In thing which elles myhte availe: He loveth ese, he loveth reste, So is he noght the worthieste; Bot yit with somdiel besinesse His herte is set upon richesse. And as in this condicion, Th'effect and disposicion Of this planete and of his chance Is most in Burgoigne and in France.      Next to Mercurie, as wol befalle, Stant that planete which men calle Venus, whos constellacion Governeth al the nacion Of lovers, wher thei spiede or non, Of whiche I trowe thou be on: Bot whiderward thin happes wende, Schal this planete schewe at ende, As it hath do to many mo, To some wel, to some wo. And natheles of this planete The moste part is softe and swete; For who that therof takth his berthe, He schal desire joie and merthe, Gentil, courteis, and debonaire, To speke his wordes softe and faire, Such schal he be be weie of kinde, And overal wher he may finde Plesance of love, his herte boweth With al his myht and there he woweth. He is so ferforth amourous, He not what thing is vicious Touchende love, for that lawe Ther mai no maner man withdrawe, The which venerien is bore Be weie of kinde, and therefore Venus of love the goddesse Is cleped: bot of wantounesse The climat of hir lecherie Is most commun in Lombardie.      Next unto this planete of love The brighte sonne stant above, Which is the hindrere of the nyht And forthrere of the daies lyht, As he which is the worldes ÿe, Thurgh whom the lusti compaignie Of foules be the morwe singe, The freisshe floures sprede and springe, The hihe tre the ground beschadeth, And every mannes herte gladeth. And for it is the hed planete, Hou that he sitteth in his sete, Of what richesse, of what nobleie, These bokes telle, and thus thei seie.      Of gold glistrende spoke and whiel The sonne his carte hath faire and wiel, In which he sitt, and is coroned With brighte stones environed; Of whiche if that I speke schal, Ther be tofore in special Set in the front of his corone Thre stones, whiche no persone Hath upon erthe, and the ferste is Be name cleped licuchis; That othre tuo be cleped thus, Astrices and ceramius. In his corone also behinde, Be olde bokes as I finde, Ther ben of worthi stones thre Set ech of hem in his degré, Wherof a cristall is that on, Which that corone is set upon; The seconde is an adamant; The thridde is noble and avenant, Which cleped is ydriades. And over this yit natheles Upon the sydes of the werk, After the wrytinge of the clerk, Ther sitten fyve stones mo: The smaragdine is on of tho, Jaspis and elitropius And dendides and jacinctus. Lo, thus the corone is beset, Wherof it schyneth wel the bet; And in such wise his liht to sprede Sit with his diademe on hede The sonne schynende in his carte. And for to lede him swithe and smarte After the bryhte daies lawe, Ther ben ordeined for to drawe Foure hors his char and him withal, Wherof the names telle I schal: Eritheus the ferste is hote, The which is red and schyneth hote, The seconde Acteos the bryhte, Lampes the thridde coursier hihte, And Philogeus is the ferthe, That bringen lyht unto this erthe, And gon so swift upon the hevene, In foure and twenty houres evene The carte with the bryhte sonne Thei drawe, so that overronne Thei have under the cercles hihe Al middelerthe in such an hye. And thus the sonne is overal The chief planete imperial, Above him and benethe him thre: And thus betwen hem regneth he, As he that hath the middel place Among the sevene, and of his face Be glade alle erthly creatures, And taken after the natures Here ese and recreacion. And in his constellacion Who that is bore in special, Of good will and of liberal He schal be founde in alle place, And also stonde in mochel grace Toward the lordes for to serve And gret profit and thonk deserve. And over that it causeth yit A man to be soubtil of wit To worche in gold, and to be wys In everything which is of pris. Bot for to speken in what cost Of al this erthe he regneth most As for wisdom, it is in Grece, Wher is apropred thilke spiece.      Mars the planete bataillous Next to the sonne glorious Above stant, and doth mervailes Upon the fortune of batailes. The conquerours be daies olde Were unto this planete holde. Bot who that his nativité Hath take upon the propreté Of Martes disposicioun Be weie of constellacioun, He schal be fiers and folhastif And desirous of werre and strif. Bot for to telle redely In what climat most comunly That this planete hath his effect, Seid is that he hath his aspect Upon the Holi Lond so cast, That there is no pes stedefast.      Above Mars upon the hevene, The sexte planete of the sevene, Stant Jupiter the delicat, Which causeth pes and no debat. For he is cleped that planete Which of his kinde softe and swete Attempreth al that to him longeth; And whom this planete underfongeth To stonde upon his regiment, He schal be meke and pacient And fortunat to marchandie And lusti to delicacie In everything which he schal do. This Jupiter is cause also Of the science of lyhte werkes, And in this wise tellen clerkes He is the planete of delices. Bot in Egipte of his offices He regneth most in special: For ther be lustes overal Of al that to this lif befalleth; For ther no stormy weder falleth, Which myhte grieve man or beste, And ek the lond is so honeste That it is plentevous and plein, Ther is non ydel ground in vein; And upon such felicité Stant Jupiter in his degré.      The heyeste and aboven alle Stant that planete which men calle Saturnus, whos complexion Is cold, and his condicion Causeth malice and crualté To him the whos nativité Is set under his governance. For alle hise werkes ben grevance And enemy to mannes hele, In what degré that he schal dele. His climat is in Orient, Wher that he is most violent.      Of the planetes by and by, Hou that thei stonde upon the sky, Fro point to point as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere. Bot overthis touchende his lore, Of thing that thei him tawhte more Upon the scoles of clergie Now herkne the philosophie. [Twelve Signs of the Zodiac]      He which departeth dai fro nyht, That on derk and that other lyht, Of sevene daies made a weke, A monthe of foure wekes eke He hath ordeigned in His lawe, Of monthes tuelve and ek forthdrawe He hath also the longe yeer. And as He sette of his pouer Acordant to the daies sevene Planetes sevene upon the hevene, As thou tofore hast herd devise, To speke riht in such a wise, To every monthe be Himselve Upon the hevene of signes tuelve He hath after His ordinal Assigned on in special, Wherof, so as I schal rehersen, The tydes of the yer diversen. Bot pleinly for to make it knowe Hou that the signes sitte arowe, Ech after other be degré In substance and in propreté The zodiaque comprehendeth Withinne his cercle, as it appendeth.      The ferste of whiche natheles Be name is cleped Aries, Which lich a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure. And as it seith in Almageste, Of sterres tuelve upon this beste Ben set, wherof in his degré The wombe hath tuo, the heved hath thre, The tail hath sevene, and in this wise, As thou myht hiere me divise, Stant Aries, which hot and drye Is of himself, and in partie He is the receipte and the hous Of myhty Mars the bataillous. And overmore ek, as I finde, The Creatour of alle kinde Upon this signe ferst began The world, whan that He made man. And of this constellacioun The verray operacioun Availeth, if a man therinne The pourpos of his werk beginne. For thanne he hath of propreté Good sped and gret felicité.      The tuelve monthes of the yeer Attitled under the pouer Of these tuelve signes stonde; Wherof that thou schalt understonde This Aries on of the tuelve Hath March attitled for himselve, Whan every bridd schal chese his make, And every neddre and every snake And every reptil which mai moeve, His myht assaieth for to proeve, To crepen out agein the sonne, Whan ver his seson hath begonne.      Taurus the seconde after this Of signes, which figured is Unto a bole, is dreie and cold; And as it is in bokes told, He is the hous appourtienant To Venus, somdiel descordant. This bole is ek with sterres set, Thurgh whiche he hath hise hornes knet Unto the tail of Aries, So is he noght ther sterreles. Upon his brest ek eyhtetiene He hath, and ek, as it is sene, Upon his tail stonde othre tuo. His monthe assigned ek also Is Averil, which of his schoures Ministreth weie unto the floures.      The thridde signe is Gemini, Which is figured redely Lich to tuo twinnes of mankinde, That naked stonde; and as I finde, Thei be with sterres wel bego: The heved hath part of thilke tuo That schyne upon the boles tail, So be thei bothe of o parail; But on the wombe of Gemini Ben fyve sterres noght forthi, And ek upon the feet be tweie, So as these olde bokes seie, That wise Tholomeus wrot. His propre monthe wel I wot Assigned is the lusti Maii, Whanne every brid upon his lay Among the griene leves singeth, And love of his pointure stingeth After the lawes of nature The youthe of every creature.      Cancer after the reule and space Of signes halt the ferthe place. Like to the crabbe he hath semblance, And hath unto his retienance Sextiene sterres, wherof ten, So as these olde wise men Descrive, he berth on him tofore, And in the middel tuo be bore, And foure he hath upon his ende. Thus goth he sterred in his kende, And of himself is moiste and cold, And is the propre hous and hold Which appartieneth to the mone, And doth what longeth him to done. The monthe of Juin unto this signe Thou schalt after the reule assigne.      The fifte signe is Leo hote, Whos kinde is schape dreie and hote, In whom the sonne hath herbergage. And the semblance of his ymage Is a leoun, which in baillie Of sterres hath his pourpartie: The foure, whiche as Cancer hath Upon his ende, Leo tath Upon his heved, and thanne nest He hath ek foure upon his brest, And on upon his tail behinde, In olde bokes as we finde. His propre monthe is Juyl be name, In which men pleien many a game.      After Leo Virgo the nexte Of signes cleped is the sexte, Wherof the figure is a maide; And as the Philosophre saide, Sche is the welthe and the risinge, The lust, the joie and the likinge Unto Mercurie; and soth to seie Sche is with sterres wel beseie, Wherof Leo hath lent hire on, Which sit on hih hir heved upon, Hire wombe hath fyve, hir feet also Have other fyve: and overmo Touchende as of complexion, Be kindly disposicion Of dreie and cold this maiden is. And for to tellen over this Hir monthe, thou schalt understonde, Whan every feld hath corn in honde And many a man his bak hath plied, Unto this signe is Augst applied.      After Virgo to reknen evene Libra sit in the nombre of sevene, Which hath figure and resemblance Unto a man which a balance Berth in his hond as for to weie: In boke and as it mai be seie, Diverse sterres to him longeth, Wherof on hevede he underfongeth Ferst thre, and ek his wombe hath tuo, And doun benethe eighte othre mo. This signe is hot and moiste bothe, The whiche thinges be noght lothe Unto Venus, so that alofte Sche resteth in his hous fulofte, And ek Saturnus often hyed Is in this signe and magnefied. His propre monthe is seid Septembre, Which gifth men cause to remembre, If eny sor be left behinde Of thing which grieve mai to kinde.      Among the signes upon heighte The signe which is nombred eighte Is Scorpio, which as feloun Figured is a scorpioun. Bot for al that yit natheles Is Scorpio noght sterreles; For Libra granteth him his ende Of eighte sterres, wher he wende, The whiche upon his heved assised He berth, and ek ther ben divised Upon his wombe sterres thre, And eighte upon his tail hath he. Which of his kinde is moiste and cold And unbehovely manyfold; He harmeth Venus and empeireth, Bot Mars unto his hous repeireth, Bot war whan thei togedre duellen. His propre monthe is, as men tellen, Octobre, which bringth the kalende Of wynter, that comth next suiende.      The nynthe signe in nombre also, Which folweth after Scorpio, Is cleped Sagittarius, The whos figure is marked thus, A monstre with a bowe on honde, On whom that sondri sterres stonde, Thilke eighte of whiche I spak tofore, The whiche upon the tail ben bore Of Scorpio, the heved al faire Bespreden of the Sagittaire; And eighte of othre stonden evene Upon his wombe, and othre sevene Ther stonde upon his tail behinde. And he is hot and dreie of kinde. To Jupiter his hous is fre, Bot to Mercurie in his degré, For thei ben noght of on assent, He worcheth gret empeirement. This signe hath of his propreté A monthe, which of dueté After the sesoun that befalleth The plowed oxe in wynter stalleth; And fyr into the halle he bringeth, And thilke drinke of which men singeth, He torneth must into the wyn. Thanne is the larder of the swyn; That is Novembre which I meene, Whan that the lef hath lost his greene.      The tenthe signe, dreie and cold, The which is Capricornus told, Unto a got hath resemblance: For whos love and whos aqueintance Withinne hise houses to sojorne It liketh wel unto Satorne, Bot to the mone it liketh noght, For no profit is there wroght. This signe as of his propreté Upon his heved hath sterres thre, And ek upon his wombe tuo, And tweie upon his tail also. Decembre after the yeeres forme, So as the bokes ous enforme, With daies schorte and nyhtes longe This ilke signe hath underfonge.      Of tho that sitte upon the hevene Of signes in the nombre ellevene Aquarius hath take his place, And stant wel in Satornes grace, Which duelleth in his herbergage, Bot to the sonne he doth oultrage. This signe is verraily resembled Lich to a man which halt assembled In eyther hand a water spoute, Wherof the stremes rennen oute. He is of kinde moiste and hot, And he that of the sterres wot Seith that he hath of sterres tuo Upon his heved, and ben of tho That Capricorn hath on his ende; And as the bokes maken mende, That Tholomeus made himselve, He hath ek on his wombe tuelve, And tweie upon his ende stonde. Thou schalt also this understonde, The frosti colde Janever, Whan comen is the newe yeer, That Janus with his double face In his chaiere hath take his place And loketh upon bothe sides, Somdiel toward the wynter tydes, Somdiel toward the yeer suiende, That is the monthe belongende Unto this signe, and of his dole He gifth the ferste primerole.      The tuelfthe, which is last of alle Of signes, Piscis men it calle, The which, as telleth the scripture, Berth of tuo fisshes the figure. So is he cold and moiste of kinde, And ek with sterres, as I finde, Beset in sondri wise, as thus: Tuo of his ende Aquarius Hath lent unto his heved, and tuo This signe hath of his oghne also Upon his wombe, and over this Upon his ende also ther is A nombre of twenty sterres bryghte, Which is to sen a wonder sighte. Toward this signe into his hous Comth Jupiter the glorious, And Venus ek with him acordeth To duellen, as the bok recordeth. The monthe unto this signe ordeined Is Februer, which is bereined, And with londflodes in his rage At fordes letteth the passage.      Nou hast thou herd the propreté Of signes, bot in his degré Albumazar yit over this Seith, so as th'erthe parted is In foure, riht so ben divised The signes tuelve and stonde assised, That ech of hem for his partie Hath his climat to justefie. Wherof the ferst regiment Toward the part of Orient From Antioche and that contré Governed is of signes thre, That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo: And toward Occident also From Armenie, as I am lerned, Of Capricorn it stant governed, Of Pisces and Aquarius: And after hem I finde thus, Southward from Alisandre forth Tho signes whiche most ben worth In governance of that doaire, Libra thei ben and Sagittaire With Scorpio, which is conjoint With hem to stonde upon that point. Constantinople the cité, So as the bokes tellen me, The laste of this division Stant untoward Septemtrion, Wher as be weie of pourveance Hath Aries the governance Forth with Taurus and Gemini. Thus ben the signes propreli Divided, as it is reherced, Wherof the londes ben diversed. [Fifteen Stars] Lo thus, mi sone, as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere Of hem that weren for his lore. Bot nou to loken overmore, Of othre sterres hou thei fare I thenke hierafter to declare, So as king Alisandre in youthe Of him that suche thinges couthe Enformed was tofore his yhe Be nyhte upon the sterres hihe.      Upon sondri creacion Stant sondri operacion, Som worcheth this, som worcheth that; The fyr is hot in his astat And brenneth what he mai atteigne, The water mai the fyr restreigne, The which is cold and moist also. Of other thing it farth riht so Upon this erthe among ous hiere; And for to speke in this manere, Upon the hevene, as men mai finde, The sterres ben of sondri kinde And worchen manye sondri thinges To ous, that ben here underlinges. Among the whiche forth withal Nectanabus in special, Which was an astronomien And ek a gret magicien, And undertake hath thilke emprise To Alisandre in his aprise As of magique naturel To knowe, enformeth him somdel Of certein sterres what thei mene; Of whiche, he seith, ther ben fiftene, And sondrily to everich on A gras belongeth and a ston, Wherof men worchen many a wonder To sette thing bothe up and under.      To telle riht as he began, The ferste sterre Aldeboran, The cliereste and the moste of alle, Be rihte name men it calle; Which lich is of condicion To Mars, and of complexion To Venus, and hath therupon Carbunculum his propre ston: His herbe is anabulla named, Which is of gret vertu proclamed.      The seconde is noght vertules; Clota or elles Pliades It hatte, and of the mones kinde He is, and also this I finde, He takth of Mars complexion: And lich to such condicion His ston appropred is cristall, And ek his herbe in special The vertuous fenele it is.      The thridde, which comth after this, Is hote Algol the clere rede, Which of Satorne, as I may rede, His kinde takth, and ek of Jove Complexion to his behove. His propre ston is dyamant, Which is to him most acordant; His herbe, which is him betake, Is hote eleborum the blake.      So as it falleth upon lot, The ferthe sterre is Alhaiot, Which in the wise as I seide er Of Satorne and of Jupiter Hath take his kinde; and therupon The saphir is his propre ston, Marrubium his herbe also, The whiche acorden bothe tuo.      And Canis Major in his like The fifte sterre is of magique, The whos kinde is Venerien, As seith this astronomien. His propre ston is seid berille, Bot for to worche and to fulfille Thing which to this science falleth, Ther is an herbe which men calleth Saveine, and that behoveth nede To him that wole his pourpos spede.      The sexte suiende after this Be name Canis Minor is; The which sterre is Mercurial Be weie of kinde, and forth withal, As it is writen in the carte, Complexion he takth of Marte. His ston and herbe, as seith the Scole, Ben achates and primerole.      The sefnthe sterre in special Of this science is Arial, Which sondri nature underfongeth. The ston which propre unto him longeth, Gorgonza proprely it hihte: His herbe also, which he schal rihte Upon the worchinge as I mene, Is celidoine freissh and grene.      Sterre Ala Corvi upon heihte Hath take his place in nombre of eighte, Which of his kinde mot parforne The will of Marte and of Satorne: To whom lapacia the grete Is herbe, bot of no beyete; His ston is honochinus hote, Thurgh which men worchen gret riote.      The nynthe sterre faire and wel Be name is hote Alaezel, Which takth his propre kinde thus Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus. His ston is the grene amyraude, To whom is goven many a laude. Salge is his herbe appourtenant Aboven al the remenant      The tenthe sterre is Almareth, Which upon lif and upon deth Thurgh kinde of Jupiter and Mart He doth what longeth to his part. His ston is jaspe, and of planteine He hath his herbe sovereine.      The sterre ellefthe is Venenas, The whos nature is as it was Take of Venus and of the mone, In thing which he hath for to done. Of adamant is that perrie In which he worcheth his maistrie; Thilke herbe also which him befalleth, Cicorea the bok it calleth.      Alpheta in the nombre sit, And is the tuelfthe sterre yit; Of Scorpio which is governed, And takth his kinde, as I am lerned; And hath his vertu in the ston Which cleped is topazion: His herbe propre is rosmarine, Which schapen is for his covine.      Of these sterres, whiche I mene, Cor Scorpionis is thritiene; The whos nature Mart and Jove Have goven unto his behove. His herbe is aristologie, Which folweth his astronomie. The ston which that this sterre alloweth, Is sardis, which unto him boweth.      The sterre which stant next the laste, Nature on him this name caste And clepeth him Botercadent; Which of his kinde obedient Is to Mercurie and to Venus. His ston is seid crisolitus, His herbe is cleped satureie, So as these olde bokes seie.      Bot nou the laste sterre of alle The tail of Scorpio men calle, Which to Mercurie and to Satorne Be weie of kinde mot retorne After the preparacion Of due constellacion. The calcedoine unto him longeth, Which for his ston he underfongeth; Of majorane his herbe is grounded. Thus have I seid hou thei be founded, Of every sterre in special, Which hath his herbe and ston withal, As Hermes in his bokes olde Witnesse berth of that I tolde. [Authors of Astronomy]      The science of Astronomie, Which principal is of clergie To dieme betwen wo and wel In thinges that be naturel, Thei hadde a gret travail on honde That made it ferst ben understonde; And thei also which overmore Here studie sette upon this lore, Thei weren gracious and wys And worthi for to bere a pris. And whom it liketh for to wite Of hem that this science write, On of the ferste which it wrot After Noe, it was Nembrot, To his disciple Ychonithon And made a bok forth therupon The which Megaster cleped was. Another auctor in this cas Is Arachel, the which men note; His bok is Abbategnyh hote. Danz Tholomé is noght the leste, Which makth the bok of Almageste; And Alfraganus doth the same, Whos bok is Chatemuz be name. Gebuz and Alpetragus eke Of Planisperie, which men seke, The bokes made: and over this Ful many a worthi clerc ther is, That writen upon this clergie The bokes of Altemetrie, Planemetrie and ek also, Whiche as belongen bothe tuo, So as thei ben naturiens, Unto these Astronomiens. Men sein that Habraham was on; Bot whether that he wrot or non, That finde I noght; and Moises Ek was another: bot Hermes Above alle othre in this science He hadde a gret experience; Thurgh him was many a sterre assised, Whos bokes yit ben auctorized. I mai noght knowen alle tho That writen in the time tho Of this science; bot I finde, Of jugement be weie of kinde That in o point thei alle acorden: Of sterres whiche thei recorden That men mai sen upon the hevene, Ther ben a thousend sterres evene And tuo and twenty, to the syhte Whiche aren of hemself so bryhte, That men mai dieme what thei be, The nature and the propreté.      Nou hast thou herd, in which a wise These noble philosophres wise Enformeden this yonge king, And made him have a knowleching Of thing which ferst to the partie Belongeth of Philosophie, Which Theorique cleped is, As thou tofore hast herd er this. Bot nou to speke of the secounde, Which Aristotle hath also founde, And techeth hou to speke faire, Which is a thing full necessaire To contrepeise the balance, Wher lacketh other sufficance." [Rhetoric, the Second Part of Philosophy] Compositi pulcra sermonis verba placere Principio poterunt, veraque fine placent. Herba, lapis, sermo, tria sunt virtute repleta, Vis tamen ex verbi pondere plura facit.5      "Above alle erthli creatures The hihe makere of natures The word to man hath gove alone, So that the speche of his persone, Or for to lese or for to winne, The hertes thoght which is withinne Mai schewe, what it wolde mene; And that is noghwhere elles sene Of kinde with non other beste. So scholde he be the more honeste, To whom God gaf so gret a gifte, And loke wel that he ne schifte Hise wordes to no wicked us; For word the techer of vertus Is cleped in Philosophie.6 Wherof touchende this partie, Is Rethorique the science Appropred to the reverence Of wordes that ben resonable. And for this art schal be vailable With goodli wordes for to like, It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiqe, That serven bothe unto the speche. Gramaire ferste hath for to teche To speke upon congruité. Logique hath eke in his degré Betwen the trouthe and the falshode The pleine wordes for to schode, So that nothing schal go beside, That he the riht ne schal decide, Wherof full many a gret debat Reformed is to good astat, And pes sustiened up alofte With esy wordes and with softe, Wher strengthe scholde lete it falle. The Philosophre amonges alle Forthi commendeth this science, Which hath the reule of eloquence.      In ston and gras vertu ther is, Bot yit the bokes tellen this, That word above alle erthli thinges Is vertuous in his doinges, Wher so it be to evele or goode. For if the wordes semen goode And ben wel spoke at mannes ere, Whan that ther is no trouthe there, Thei don fulofte gret deceipte; For whan the word to the conceipte Descordeth in so double a wise, Such Rethorique is to despise In every place, and for to drede. For of Uluxes thus I rede, As in the bok of Troie is founde, His eloquence and his facounde Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde, Hath mad that Anthenor him solde The toun, which he with tresoun wan. Word hath beguiled many a man; With word the wilde beste is daunted, With word the serpent is enchaunted, Of word among the men of armes Ben woundes heeled with the charmes, Wher lacketh other medicine; Word hath under his discipline Of sorcerie the karectes. The wordes ben of sondri sectes, Of evele and eke of goode also; The wordes maken frend of fo, And fo of frend, and pes of werre, And werre of pes, and out of herre The word this worldes cause entriketh, And reconsileth whan him liketh. The word under the coupe of hevene Set everything or odde or evene; With word the hihe God is plesed, With word the wordes ben appesed, The softe word the loude stilleth; Wher lacketh good, the word fulfilleth, To make amendes for the wrong; Whan wordes medlen with the song, It doth plesance wel the more.      Bot for to loke upon the lore Hou Tullius his Rethorique Componeth, ther a man mai pike Hou that he schal hise wordes sette, Hou he schal lose, hou he schal knette, And in what wise he schal pronounce His tale plein withoute frounce. Wherof ensample if thou wolt seche, Tak hiede and red whilom the speche Of Julius and Cithero, Which consul was of Rome tho, Of Catoun eke and of Cillene, Behold the wordes hem betwene, Whan the tresoun of Cateline Descoevered was, and the covine Of hem that were of his assent Was knowe and spoke in parlement, And axed hou and in what wise Men scholde don hem to juise. Cillenus ferst his tale tolde, To trouthe and as he was beholde, The comun profit for to save, He seide hou tresoun scholde have A cruel deth; and thus thei spieke, The consul bothe and Catoun eke, And seiden that for such a wrong Ther mai no peine be to strong. Bot Julius with wordes wise His tale tolde al otherwise, As he which wolde her deth respite, And fondeth hou he mihte excite The jugges thurgh his eloquence Fro deth to torne the sentence And sette here hertes to pité. Nou tolden thei, nou tolde he; Thei spieken plein after the lawe, Bot he the wordes of his sawe Coloureth in another weie Spekende, and thus betwen the tweie, To trete upon this juggement, Made ech of hem his argument. Wherof the tales for to hiere, Ther mai a man the scole liere Of Rethoriqes eloquences, Which is the secounde of sciences Touchende to Philosophie; Wherof a man schal justifie Hise wordes in disputeisoun, And knette upon conclusioun His argument in such a forme, Which mai the pleine trouthe enforme And the soubtil cautele abate, Which every trewman schal debate." [Practice, the Third Part of Philosophy] Practica quemque statum pars tercia Philosophie Ad regimen recte ducit in orbe vie: Set quanto maior Rex est, tanto magis ipsum Hec scola concernit, qua sua regna regat.7      "The ferste, which is Theorique, And the secounde Rethorique, Sciences of Philosophie, I have hem told as in partie, So as the Philosophre it tolde To Alisandre: and nou I wolde Telle of the thridde what it is, The which Practique cleped is.      Practique stant upon thre thinges Toward the governance of kinges; Wherof the ferst Etique is named, The whos science stant proclamed To teche of vertu thilke reule, Hou that a king himself schal reule Of his moral condicion With worthi disposicion Of good livinge in his persone, Which is the chief of his corone. It makth a king also to lerne Hou he his bodi schal governe, Hou he schal wake, hou he schal slepe, Hou that he schal his hele kepe In mete, in drinke, in clothinge eke: Ther is no wisdom for to seke As for the reule of his persone, The which that this science alone Ne techeth as be weie of kinde, That ther is nothing left behinde.      That other point which to Practique Belongeth is Iconomique, Which techeth thilke honesté Thurgh which a king in his degré His wif and child schal reule and guie, So forth with al the companie Which in his houshold schal abyde, And his astat on every syde In such manere for to lede, That he his houshold ne mislede.      Practique hath yit the thridde aprise, Which techeth hou and in what wise Thurgh hih pourveied ordinance A king schal sette in governance His realme, and that is Policie, Which longeth unto regalie In time of werre, in time of pes, To worschipe and to good encress Of clerk, of kniht and of marchant, And so forth of the remenant Of al the comun poeple aboute, Withinne burgh and eke withoute, Of hem that ben artificiers, Whiche usen craftes and mestiers, Whos art is cleped mechanique. And though thei ben noght alle like, Yit natheles, hou so it falle, O lawe mot governe hem alle, Or that thei lese or that thei winne, After th'astat that thei ben inne.      Lo, thus this worthi yonge king Was fulli tauht of everything, Which mihte give entendement Of good reule and good regiment To such a worthi prince as he. Bot of verray necessité The Philosophre him hath betake Fyf pointz, whiche he hath undertake To kepe and holde in observance, As for the worthi governance Which longeth to his regalie, After the reule of Policie." [Truth, the First Part of Policy] Moribus ornatus regit hic qui regna moderna, Cercius expectat ceptra futura poli. Et quia veridica virtus supereminet omnes, Regis ab ore boni fabula nulla sonat.8      "To every man behoveth lore, Bot to no man belongeth more Than to a king, which hath to lede The poeple; for of his kinghede He mai hem bothe save and spille. And for it stant upon his wille, It sit him wel to ben avised, And the vertus whiche are assissed Unto a kinges regiment, To take in his entendement. Wherof to tellen, as thei stonde, Hierafterward nou woll I fonde.      Among the vertus on is chief, And that is Trouthe, which is lief To God and ek to man also. And for it hath ben evere so, Tawhte Aristotle, as he wel couthe, To Alisandre, hou in his youthe He scholde of Trouthe thilke grace With al his hole herte embrace, So that his word be trewe and plein, Toward the world and so certein That in him be no double speche. For if men scholde trouthe seche And founde it noght withinne a king, It were an unsittende thing. The word is tokne of that withinne, Ther schal a worthi king beginne To kepe his tunge and to be trewe, So schal his pris ben evere newe. Avise him every man tofore, And be wel war, er he be swore, For afterward it is to late, If that he wole his word debate. For as a king in special Above all othre is principal Of his pouer, so scholde he be Most vertuous in his degré; And that mai wel be signefied Be his corone and specified.      The gold betokneth excellence, That men schull don him reverence As to here liege soverein. The stones, as the bokes sein, Commended ben in treble wise: Ferst thei ben harde, and thilke assisse Betokneth in a king constance, So that ther schal no variance Be founde in his condicion; And also be descripcion The vertu which is in the stones A verrai signe is for the nones Of that a king schal ben honeste And holde trewly his beheste Of thing which longeth to kinghede. The bryhte colour, as I rede, Which in the stones is schynende, Is in figure betoknende The cronique of this worldes fame, Which stant upon his goode name. The cercle which is round aboute Is tokne of al the lond withoute, Which stant under his gerarchie, That he it schal wel kepe and guye.      And for that Trouthe, hou so it falle, Is the vertu soverein of alle, That longeth unto regiment, A tale, which is evident Of trouthe in comendacioun, Toward thin enformacion, Mi sone, hierafter thou schalt hiere Of a cronique in this matiere. [Esdras on the King, Wine, Women, and Truth]      As the cronique it doth reherce, A soldan whilom was of Perce, Which Daires hihte, and Ytaspis His fader was; and soth it is That thurgh wisdom and hih prudence Mor than for eny reverence Of his lignage as be descente The regne of thilke empire he hente. And as he was himselve wys, The wisemen he hield in pris And soghte hem oute on every side, That toward him thei scholde abide. Among the whiche thre ther were That most service unto him bere, As thei which in his chambre lyhen And al his conseil herde and syhen. Here names ben of strange note, Arpaghes was the ferste hote, And Manachaz was the secounde, Zorobabel, as it is founde In the cronique, was the thridde. This soldan, what so him betidde, To hem he triste most of alle, Wherof the cas is so befalle: This lord, which hath conceiptes depe, Upon a nyht whan he hath slepe, As he which hath his wit desposed, Touchende a point hem hath opposed.      The kinges question was this: Of thinges thre which strengest is, The wyn, the womman, or the king? And that thei scholde upon this thing Of here ansuere avised be, He gaf hem fulli daies thre, And hath behote hem be his feith That who the beste reson seith, He schal resceive a worthi mede.      Upon this thing thei token hiede And stoden in desputeison, That be diverse opinion Of argumentz that thei have holde Arpaghes ferst his tale tolde, And seide hou that the strengthe of kinges Is myhtiest of alle thinges. For king hath pouer over man, And man is he which reson can, As he which is of his nature The moste noble creature Of alle tho that God hath wroght; And be that skile it semeth noght, He seith, that eny erthly thing Mai be so myhty as a king. A king mai spille, a king mai save, A king mai make of lord a knave And of a knave a lord also. The pouer of a king stant so, That he the lawes overpasseth; What he wol make lasse, he lasseth, What he wol make more, he moreth; And as the gentil faucon soreth, He fleth, that no man him reclameth; Bot he alone alle othre tameth, And stant himself of lawe fre. Lo, thus a kinges myht, seith he, So as his reson can argue, Is strengest and of most value.      Bot Manachaz seide otherwise, That wyn is of the more emprise; And that he scheweth be this weie. The wyn fulofte takth aweie The reson fro the mannes herte; The wyn can make a krepel sterte, And a delivere man unwelde; It makth a blind man to behelde, And a bryht yhed seme derk; It makth a lewed man a clerk, And fro the clerkes the clergie It takth aweie, and couardie It torneth into hardiesse; Of avarice it makth largesse. The wyn makth ek the goode blod, In which the soule which is good Hath chosen hire a resting place, Whil that the lif hir wole embrace. And be this skile Manachas Ansuered hath upon this cas, And seith that wyn be weie of kinde Is thing which mai the hertes binde Wel more than the regalie.      Zorobabel for his partie Seide, as him thoghte for the beste, That wommen ben the myhtieste. The king and the vinour also Of wommen comen bothe tuo; And ek he seide hou that manhede Thurgh strengthe unto the wommanhede Of love, wher he wole or non, Obeie schal; and therupon, To schewe of wommen the maistrie, A tale which he syh with yhe As for ensample he tolde this:      Hou Apemen, of Besazis Which dowhter was, in the paleis Sittende upon his hihe deis, Whan he was hotest in his ire Toward the grete of his empire, Cirus the king tirant sche tok, And only with hire goodly lok Sche made him debonaire and meke, And be the chyn and be the cheke Sche luggeth him riht as hir liste, That nou sche japeth, nou sche kiste, And doth with him what evere hir liketh; Whan that sche loureth, thanne he siketh, And whan sche gladeth, he is glad: And thus this king was overlad With hire which his lemman was. Among the men is no solas, If that ther be no womman there; For bot if that the wommen were, This worldes joie were aweie: Thurgh hem men finden out the weie To knihthode and to worldes fame; Thei make a man to drede schame, And honour for to be desired. Thurgh the beauté of hem is fyred The dart of which Cupide throweth, Wherof the jolif peine groweth, Which al the world hath under fote. A womman is the mannes bote, His lif, his deth, his wo, his wel; And this thing mai be schewed wel, Hou that wommen ben goode and kinde, For in ensample this I finde. [Tale of Alcestis]      Whan that the duk Ametus lay Sek in his bedd, that every day Men waiten whan he scholde deie, Alceste his wif goth for to preie, As sche which wolde thonk deserve, With sacrifice unto Minerve, To wite ansuere of the goddesse Hou that hir lord of his seknesse, Wherof he was so wo besein, Recovere myhte his hele agein. Lo, thus sche cride and thus sche preide, Til ate laste a vois hir seide, That if sche wolde for his sake The maladie soffre and take, And deie hirself, he scholde live. Of this ansuere Alceste hath give Unto Minerve gret thonkinge, So that hir deth and his livinge Sche ches with al hire hole entente, And thus acorded hom sche wente. Into the chambre and whan sche cam, Hire housebonde anon sche nam In bothe hire armes and him kiste, And spak unto him what hire liste; And therupon withinne a throwe This goode wif was overthrowe And deide, and he was hool in haste. So mai a man be reson taste, Hou next after the God above The trouthe of wommen and the love, In whom that alle grace is founde, Is myhtiest upon this grounde And most behovely manyfold.      Lo, thus Zorobabel hath told The tale of his opinion. Bot for final conclusion What strengest is of erthli thinges, The wyn, the wommen, or the kinges, He seith that trouthe above hem alle Is myhtiest, hou evere it falle. The trouthe, hou so it evere come, Mai for nothing ben overcome; It mai wel soffre for a throwe, Bot ate laste it schal be knowe. The proverbe is, who that is trewe, Him schal his while nevere rewe. For hou so that the cause wende, The trouthe is schameles at ende, Bot what thing that is troutheles, It mai noght wel be schameles, And schame hindreth every wyht. So proveth it, ther is no myht Withoute trouthe in no degré. And thus for trouthe of his decré Zorobabel was most commended, Wherof the question was ended, And he resceived hath his mede: For trouthe, which to mannes nede Is most behoveliche overal. Forthi was trouthe in special The ferst point in observance Betake unto the governance Of Alisandre, as it is seid: For therupon the ground is leid Of every kinges regiment, As thing which most convenient Is for to sette a king in evene Bothe in this world and ek in hevene." [Largess, the Second Part of Policy] Absit Auaricia, ne tangat regia corda, Eius enim spoliis excoriatur humus. Fama colit largum volitans per secula Regem, Dona tamen licitis sunt moderanda modis.9      "Next after Trouthe the secounde, In Policie as it is founde, Which serveth to the worldes fame In worschipe of a kinges name, Largesse it is, whos privilegge Ther mai non Avarice abregge. The worldes good was ferst comune, Bot afterward upon fortune Was thilke comun profit cessed, For whan the poeple stod encresced And the lignages woxen grete, Anon for singulier begete Drouh every man to his partie; Wherof cam in the ferste envie With gret debat and werres stronge, And laste among the men so longe, Til no man wiste who was who, Ne which was frend ne which was fo, Til ate laste in every lond Withinne hemself the poeple fond That it was good to make a king, Which mihte appesen al this thing And give riht to the lignages In partinge of here heritages And ek of al here other good. And thus above hem alle stod The king upon his regalie, As he which hath to justifie The worldes good fro covoitise. So sit it wel in alle wise A king betwen the more and lesse To sette his herte upon largesse Toward himself and ek also Toward his poeple; and if noght so, That is to sein, if that he be Toward himselven large and fre And of his poeple take and pile, Largesse be no weie of skile, It mai be seid, bot Avarice, Which in a king is a gret vice.      A king behoveth ek to fle The vice of Prodegalité, That he mesure in his expence So kepe, that of indigence He mai be sauf; for who that nedeth, In al his werk the worse he spedeth. As Aristotle upon Chaldee Ensample of gret auctorité Unto king Alisandre tauhte Of thilke folk that were unsauhte Toward here king for his pilage. Wherof he bad, in his corage That he unto thre pointz entende, Wher that he wolde his good despende. Ferst scholde he loke, hou that it stod, That al were of his oghne good The giftes whiche he wolde give, So myhte he wel the betre live.      And ek he moste taken hiede If ther be cause of eny nede, Which oghte for to be defended, Er that his goodes be despended. He mot ek, as it is befalle, Amonges othre thinges alle Se the decertes of his men; And after that thei ben of ken And of astat and of merite, He schal hem largeliche aquite, Or for the werre, or for the pes, That non honour falle in descres Which mihte torne into defame, Bot that he kepe his goode name, So that he be noght holde unkinde. For in cronique a tale I finde, Which spekth somdiel of this matiere, Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere. [Tale of Julius and the Poor Knight]      In Rome, to poursuie his riht, Ther was a worthi povere kniht, Which cam alone for to sein His cause, when the court was plein, Wher Julius was in presence. And for him lacketh of despence, Ther was with him non advocat To make ple for his astat. Bot thogh him lacke for to plede, Him lacketh nothing of manhede; He wiste wel his pours was povere, Bot yit he thoghte his riht recovere, And openly poverté alleide, To th'emperour and thus he seide: 'O Julius, lord of the lawe, Behold, mi conseil is withdrawe For lacke of gold; do thin office After the lawes of justice. Help that I hadde conseil hiere Upon the trouthe of mi matiere.' And Julius with that anon Assigned him a worthi on, Bot he himself no word ne spak. This kniht was wroth and fond a lak In th'emperour, and seide thus: 'O thou unkinde Julius, Whan thou in thi bataille were Up in Aufrique, and I was there, Mi myht for thi rescousse I dede And putte no man in my stede; Thou wost what woundes ther I hadde. Bot hier I finde thee so badde, That thee ne liste speke o word Thin oghne mouth, nor of thin hord To give a florin me to helpe. Hou scholde I thanne me beyelpe Fro this dai forth of thi largesse, Whan such a gret unkindenesse Is founde in such a lord as thou?'      This Julius knew wel ynou That al was soth which he him tolde; And for he wolde noght ben holde Unkinde, he tok his cause on honde, And as it were of Goddes sonde, He gaf him good ynouh to spende Forevere into his lives ende. And thus scholde every worthi king Take of his knihtes knowleching, Whan that he syh thei hadden nede, For every service axeth mede. Bot othre, whiche have noght deserved Thurgh vertu, bot of japes served, A king schal noght deserve grace, Thogh he be large in such a place. [Tale of Antigonus and Cinichus]      It sit wel every king to have Discrecion, whan men him crave, So that he mai his gifte wite, Wherof I finde a tale write, Hou Cinichus a povere kniht A somme which was over myht Preide of his king Antigonus. The king ansuerde to him thus, And seide hou such a gifte passeth His povere astat: and thanne he lasseth, And axeth bot a litel peny, If that the king wol give him eny. The king ansuerde, it was to smal For him, which was a lord real; To give a man so litel thing It were unworschipe in a king.      Be this ensample a king mai lere That for to give is in manere: For if a king his tresor lasseth Withoute honour and thonkles passeth, Whan he himself wol so beguile, I not who schal compleigne his while, Ne who be rihte him schal relieve. Bot natheles this I believe, To helpe with his oghne lond Behoveth every man his hond To sette upon necessité. And ek his kinges realté Mot every liege man conforte, With good and bodi to supporte, Whan thei se cause resonable. For who that is noght entendable To holde upright his kinges name, Him oghte for to be to blame. [Flattery]      Of policie and overmore To speke in this matiere more, So as the Philosophre tolde, A king after the reule is holde To modifie and to adresce Hise giftes upon such largesce That he mesure noght excede. For if a king falle into nede, It causeth ofte sondri thinges Whiche are ungoodly to the kinges. What man wol noght himself mesure, Men sen fulofte that mesure Him hath forsake: and so doth he That useth Prodegalité, Which is the moder of poverte, Wherof the londes ben deserte; And namely whan thilke vice Aboute a king stant in office And hath withholde of his partie The covoitouse flaterie, Which many a worthi king deceiveth, Er he the fallas aperceiveth Of hem that serven to the glose. For thei that cunnen plese and glose, Ben, as men tellen, the norrices Unto the fostringe of the vices, Wherof fulofte natheles A king is blamed gulteles.      A Philosophre, as thou schalt hiere, Spak to a king of this matiere, And seide him wel hou that flatours Coupable were of thre errours. On was toward the goddes hihe, That weren wrothe of that thei sihe The meschief which befalle scholde Of that the false flatour tolde. Toward the king another was, Whan thei be sleihte and be fallas Of feigned wordes make him wene That blak is whyt and blew is grene Touchende of his condicion. For whanne he doth extorcion With manye another vice mo, Men schal noght finden on of tho To groucche or speke theragein, Bot holden up his oil and sein That al is wel, whatevere he doth. And thus of fals thei maken soth, So that here kinges yhe is blent And wot not hou the world is went. The thridde errour is harm comune, With which the poeple mot commune Of wronges that thei bringen inne: And thus thei worchen treble sinne, That ben flatours aboute a king. Ther myhte be no worse thing Aboute a kinges regalie, Thanne is the vice of flaterie.      And natheles it hath ben used, That it was nevere yit refused As for to speke in court real; For there it is most special, And mai noght longe be forbore. Bot whan this vice of hem is bore, That scholden the vertus forthbringe, And trouthe is torned to lesinge, It is, as who seith, agein kinde, Wherof an old ensample I finde. [Tale of Diogenes and Aristippus]      Among these othre tales wise Of philosophres, in this wise I rede, how whilom tuo ther were, And to the scole for to lere Unto Athenes fro Cartage Here frendes, whan thei were of age, Hem sende; and ther thei stoden longe, Til thei such lore have underfonge, That in here time thei surmonte Alle othre men, that to acompte Of hem was tho the grete fame. The ferste of hem his rihte name Was Diogenes thanne hote, In whom was founde no riote. His felaw Arisippus hyhte, Which mochel couthe and mochel myhte. Bot ate laste, soth to sein, Thei bothe tornen hom agein Unto Cartage and scole lete. This Diogenes no beyete Of worldes good or lasse or more Ne soghte for his longe lore, Bot tok him only for to duelle At hom; and as the bokes telle, His hous was nyh to the rivere Besyde a bregge, as thou schalt hiere. Ther duelleth he to take his reste, So as it thoghte him for the beste, To studie in his philosophie, As he which wolde so defie The worldes pompe on every syde.      Bot Arisippe his bok aside Hath leid, and to the court he wente, Wher many a wyle and many a wente With flaterie and wordes softe He caste, and hath compassed ofte Hou he his prince myhte plese; And in this wise he gat him ese Of vein honour and worldes good. The londes reule upon him stod, The king of him was wonder glad, And all was do, what thing he bad, Bothe in the court and ek withoute. With flaterie he broghte aboute His pourpos of the worldes werk, Which was agein the stat of clerk, So that philosophie he lefte And to richesse himself uplefte. Lo, thus hadde Arisippe his wille.      Bot Diogenes duelte stille At home and loked on his bok. He soghte noght the worldes crok, For vein honour ne for richesse, Bot all his hertes besinesse He sette to be vertuous; And thus withinne his oghne hous He liveth to the sufficance Of his havinge. And fell per chance, This Diogene upon a day, And that was in the monthe of May, Whan that these herbes ben holsome, He walketh for to gadre some In his gardin, of whiche his joutes He thoghte have, and thus aboutes Whanne he hath gadred what him liketh, He satte him thanne doun and pyketh And wyssh his herbes in the flod Upon the which his gardin stod, Nyh to the bregge, as I tolde er. And hapneth, whil he sitteth ther, Cam Arisippes be the strete With manye hors and routes grete, And straght unto the bregge he rod, Wher that he hoved and abod; For as he caste his yhe nyh, His felaw Diogene he syh, And what he dede he syh also, Wherof he seide to him so: 'O Diogene, God thee spede It were certes litel nede To sitte there and wortes pyke, If thou thi prince couthest lyke, So as I can in my degré.' 'O Arisippe,' agein quod he, 'If that thou couthist, so as I, Thi wortes pyke, trewely It were als litel nede or lasse, That thou so worldly wolt compasse With flaterie for to serve, Wherof thou thenkest to deserve Thi princes thonk, and to pourchace Hou thou myht stonden in his grace, For getinge of a litel good. If thou wolt take into thi mod Reson, thou myht be reson deeme That so thi prince for to queeme Is noght to reson acordant, Bot it is gretly descordant Unto the scoles of Athene.' Lo, thus ansuerde Diogene Agein the clerkes flaterie.      Bot yit men sen th'essamplerie Of Arisippe is wel received, And thilke of Diogene is weyved. Office in court and gold in cofre Is nou, men sein, the philosophre Which hath the worschipe in the halle. Bot flaterie passeth alle In chambre, whom the court avanceth; For upon thilke lot it chanceth To be beloved nou aday. I not if it be ye or nay, Bot as the comun vois it telleth; Bot wher that flaterie duelleth In eny lond under the sonne, Ther is ful many a thing begonne Which were betre to be left - That hath be schewed nou and eft.      Bot if a prince wolde him reule Of the Romeins after the reule, In thilke time as it was used, This vice scholde be refused, Wherof the princes ben assoted. Bot wher the pleine trouthe is noted, Ther may a prince wel conceive, That he schal noght himself deceive, Of that he hiereth wordes pleine; For him thar noght be reson pleigne, That warned is er him be wo. And that was fully proeved tho, Whan Rome was the worldes chief, The sothseiere tho was lief, Which wolde noght the trouthe spare, Bot with hise wordes pleine and bare To th'emperour hise sothes tolde, As in cronique is yit withholde, Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere Acordende unto this matiere. [Triumph, Humility, and the Roman Emperors]      To se this olde ensamplerie, That whilom was no flaterie Toward the princes wel I finde; Wherof so as it comth to mynde, Mi sone, a tale unto thin ere, Whil that the worthi princes were At Rome, I thenke for to tellen. For whan the chances so befellen That eny Emperour as tho Victoire hadde upon his fo, And so forth cam to Rome agein, Of treble honour he was certein, Wherof that he was magnefied. The ferste, as it is specefied, Was, whan he cam at thilke tyde, The charr in which he scholde ryde Foure whyte stiedes scholden drawe; Of Jupiter be thilke lawe The cote he scholde were also; Hise prisoners ek scholden go Endlong the charr on eyther hond, And alle the nobles of the lond Tofore and after with him come Ridende and broghten him to Rome, In thonk of his chivalerie And for non other flaterie. And that was schewed forth withal; Wher he sat in his charr real, Beside him was a ribald set, Which hadde hise wordes so beset, To th'emperour in al his gloire He seide, 'Tak into memoire, For al this pompe and al this pride Let no justice gon aside, Bot know thiself, what so befalle. For men sen ofte time falle Thing which men wende siker stonde. Thogh thou victoire have nou on honde, Fortune mai noght stonde alway; The whiel per chance another day Mai torne, and thou myht overthrowe; Ther lasteth nothing bot a throwe.' With these wordes and with mo This ribald, which sat with him tho, To th'emperour his tale tolde. And overmor whatevere he wolde, Or were it evel or were it good, So pleinly as the trouthe stod, He spareth noght, bot spekth it oute; And so myhte every man aboute The day of that solempneté His tale telle als wel as he To th'emperour al openly. And al was this the cause why; That whil he stod in that noblesse, He scholde his vanité represse With suche wordes as he herde. [The Emperor and the Masons]      Lo nou, hou thilke time it ferde Toward so hih a worthi lord: For this I finde ek of record, Which the cronique hath auctorized. What Emperour was entronized, The ferste day of his corone, Wher he was in his real throne And hield his feste in the paleis Sittende upon his hihe deis With al the lust that mai be gete, Whan he was gladdest at his mete, And every menstral hadde pleid, And every disour hadde seid What most was plesant to his ere, Than ate laste comen there Hise macons, for thei scholden crave Wher that he wolde be begrave, And of what ston his sepulture Thei scholden make, and what sculpture He wolde ordeine therupon.      Tho was ther flaterie non The worthi princes to bejape; The thing was otherwise schape With good conseil; and otherwise Thei were hemselven thanne wise, And understoden wel and knewen. Whan suche softe wyndes blewen Of flaterie into here ere, Thei setten noght here hertes there; Bot whan thei herden wordes feigned, The pleine trouthe it hath desdeigned Of hem that weren so discrete. So tok the flatour no beyete Of him that was his prince tho. And for to proven it is so, A tale which befell in dede In a cronique of Rome I rede.      Cesar upon his real throne Wher that he sat in his persone And was hyest in al his pris, A man, which wolde make him wys, Fell doun knelende in his presence, And dede him such a reverence, As thogh the hihe God it were. Men hadden gret mervaille there Of the worschipe which he dede. This man aros fro thilke stede, And forth with al the same tyde He goth him up and be his side He set him doun as pier and pier, And seide, 'If thou that sittest hier Art God, which alle thinges myht, Thanne have I do worschipe ariht As to the God; and otherwise, If thou be noght of thilke assisse, Bot art a man such as am I, Than mai I sitte faste by, For we be bothen of o kinde.'      Cesar ansuerde and seide, 'O blinde, Thou art a fol, it is wel sene Upon thiself, for if thou wene I be a God, thou dost amys To sitte wher thou sest God is; And if I be a man, also Thou hast a gret folie do, Whan thou to such on as schal deie The worschipe of thi God aweie Hast goven so unworthely. Thus mai I prove redely, Thou art noght wys.' And thei that herde Hou wysly that the king ansuerde, It was to hem a newe lore; Wherof thei dradden him the more, And broghten nothing to his ere, Bot if it trouthe and reson were. So be ther manye, in such a wise That feignen wordes to be wise, And al is verray flaterie To him which can it wel aspie.      The kinde flatour can noght love Bot for to bringe himself above; For hou that evere his maister fare, So that himself stonde out of care, Him reccheth noght: and thus fulofte Deceived ben with wordes softe The kinges that ben innocent. Wherof as for chastiement The wise Philosophre seide, What king that so his tresor leide Upon such folk, he hath the lesse, And yit ne doth he no largesse, Bot harmeth with his oghne hond Himself and ek his oghne lond, And that be many a sondri weie. Wherof if that a man schal seie, As for to speke in general, Wher such thing falleth overal That eny king himself misreule, The Philosophre upon his reule In special a cause sette, Which is and evere hath be the lette In governance aboute a king Upon the meschief of the thing, And that, he seith, is Flaterie. Wherof tofore as in partie What vice it is I have declared; For who that hath his wit bewared Upon a flatour to believe, Whan that he weneth best achieve His goode world, it is most fro. And for to proeven it is so Ensamples ther ben manyon, Of whiche if thou wolt knowen on, It is behovely for to hiere What whilom fell in this matiere. [Tale of Ahab and Micaiah]      Among the kinges in the Bible I finde a tale, and is credible, Of him that whilom Achab hihte, Which hadde al Irahel to rihte; Bot who that couthe glose softe And flatre, suche he sette alofte In gret astat and made hem riche; Bot thei that spieken wordes liche To trouthe and wolde it noght forbere, For hem was non astat to bere, The court of suche tok non hiede. Til ate laste upon a nede, That Benedab king of Surie Of Irahel a gret partie, Which Ramoth Galaath was hote, Hath sesed; and of that riote He tok conseil in sondri wise, Bot noght of hem that weren wise. And natheles upon this cas To strengthen him, for Josaphas, Which thanne was king of Judee, He sende for to come, as he Which thurgh frendschipe and alliance Was next to him of aqueintance; For Joram sone of Josaphath Achabbes dowhter wedded hath, Which hihte faire Godelie. And thus cam into Samarie King Josaphat, and he fond there The king Achab: and whan thei were Togedre spekende of this thing, This Josaphat seith to the king, Hou that he wolde gladly hiere Som trew prophete in this matiere, That he his conseil myhte give To what point that it schal be drive.      And in that time so befell, Ther was such on in Irahel, Which sette him al to flaterie, And he was cleped Sedechie. And after him Achab hath sent, And he at his comandement Tofore him cam, and be a sleyhte He hath upon his heved on heyhte Tuo large hornes set of bras, As he which al a flatour was, And goth rampende as a leoun And caste hise hornes up and doun, And bad men ben of good espeir, For as the hornes percen th'eir, He seith, withoute resistence, So wiste he wel of his science That Benedab is desconfit. Whan Sedechie upon this plit Hath told this tale to his lord, Anon ther were of his acord Prophetes false manye mo To bere up oil, and alle tho Affermen that which he hath told, Wherof the king Achab was bold And gaf hem giftes al aboute. Bot Josaphat was in gret doute, And hield fantosme al that he herde, Preiende Achab, hou so it ferde, If ther were eny other man, The which of prophecie can, To hiere him speke er that thei gon. Quod Achab thanne, 'Ther is on, A brothell, which Micheas hihte; Bot he ne comth noght in my sihte, For he hath longe in prison lein. Him liketh nevere yit to sein A goodly word to mi plesance; And natheles at thin instance He schal come oute, and thanne he may Seie as he seide many day; For yit he seide nevere wel.' Tho Josaphat began somdel To gladen him in hope of trouthe, And bad withouten eny slouthe That men him scholden fette anon. And thei that weren for him gon, Whan that thei comen wher he was, Thei tolden unto Micheas The manere hou that Sedechie Declared hath his prophecie; And therupon thei preie him faire That he wol seie no contraire, Wherof the king mai be desplesed, For so schal every man ben esed, And he mai helpe himselve also.      Micheas upon trouthe tho His herte sette, and to hem seith, Al that belongeth to his feith And of non other feigned thing, That wol he telle unto his king, Als fer as God hath gove him grace. Thus cam this prophete into place Wher he the kinges wille herde; And he therto anon ansuerde, And seide unto him in this wise: 'Mi liege lord, for mi servise, Which trewe hath stonden evere yit, Thou hast me with prisone aquit; Bot for al that I schal noght glose Of trouthe als fer as I suppose; And as touchende of this bataille, Thou schalt noght of the sothe faile. For if it like thee to hiere, As I am tauht in that matiere, Thou mihte it understonde sone; Bot what is afterward to done Avise thee, for this I sih. I was tofor the throne on hih, Wher al the world me thoghte stod, And there I herde and understod The vois of God with wordes cliere Axende, and seide in this manere: "In what thing mai I best beguile The king Achab?" And for a while Upon this point thei spieken faste. Tho seide a spirit ate laste, "I undertake this emprise." And God him axeth, "In what wise?" "I schal," quod he, "deceive and lye With flaterende prophecie In suche mouthes as he lieveth." And He which alle thing achieveth Bad him go forth and don riht so. And over this I sih also The noble peple of Irahel Dispers as schep upon an hell, Withoute a kepere unarraied; And as thei wente aboute astraied, I herde a vois unto hem sein, "Goth hom into your hous agein, Til I for you have betre ordeigned."'      Quod Sedechie, 'Thou hast feigned This tale in angringe of the king.' And in a wraththe upon this thing He smot Michee upon the cheke; The king him hath rebuked eke, And every man upon him cride. Thus was he schent on every side, Agein and into prison lad, For so the king himselve bad. The trouthe myhte noght ben herd; Bot afterward as it hath ferd, The dede proveth his entente. Achab to the bataille wente, Wher Benedab for al his scheld Him slouh, so that upon the feld His poeple goth aboute astray. Bot God, which alle thinges may, So doth that thei no meschief have; Here king was ded and thei ben save, And hom agein in Goddes pes Thei wente, and al was founde les That Sedechie hath seid tofore.      So sit it wel a king therfore To loven hem that trouthe mene; For ate laste it wol be sene That flaterie is nothing worth. Bot nou to mi matiere forth, As for to speken overmore After the Philosophres lore, The thridde point of policie I thenke for to specifie." [Justice, the Third Part of Policy] Propter transgressos leges statuuntur in orbe, Vt viuant iusti Regis honore viri. Lex sine iusticia populum sub principis vmbra Deuiat, vt rectum nemo videbit iter.10      "What is a lond wher men ben none? What ben the men whiche are alone Withoute a kinges governance? What is a king in his ligance, Wher that ther is no lawe in londe? What is to take lawe on honde, Bot if the jugges weren trewe? These olde worldes with the newe Who that wol take in evidence, Ther mai he se th'experience, What thing it is to kepe lawe, Thurgh which the wronges ben withdrawe And rihtwisnesse stant commended, Wherof the regnes ben amended. For wher the lawe mai comune The lordes forth with the commune, Ech hath his propre dueté; And ek the kinges realté Of bothe his worschipe underfongeth, To his astat as it belongeth, Which of his hihe worthinesse Hath to governe rihtwisnesse, As he which schal the lawe guide. And natheles upon som side His pouer stant above the lawe, To give bothe and to withdrawe The forfet of a mannes lif; Bot thinges whiche are excessif Agein the lawe, he schal noght do For love ne for hate also.      The myhtes of a king ben grete, Bot yit a worthi king schal lete Of wrong to don al that he myhte; For he which schal the poeple ryhte, It sit wel to his regalie That he himself ferst justefie Towardes God in his degré: For his astat is elles fre Toward alle othre in his persone, Save only to the God alone, Which wol himself a king chastise, Wher that non other mai suffise. So were it good to taken hiede That ferst a king his oghne dede Betwen the vertu and the vice Redresce, and thanne of his justice So sette in evene the balance Towardes othre in governance, That to the povere and to the riche Hise lawes myhten stonde liche, He schal excepte no persone. Bot for he mai noght al him one In sondri places do justice, He schal of his real office With wys consideracion Ordeigne his deputacion Of suche jugges as ben lerned, So that his poeple be governed Be hem that trewe ben and wise. For if the lawe of covoitise Be set upon a jugges hond, Wo is the poeple of thilke lond, For wrong mai noght himselven hyde. Bot elles on that other side, If lawe stonde with the riht, The poeple is glad and stant upriht. Wher as the lawe is resonable, The comun poeple stant menable, And if the lawe torne amis, The poeple also mistorned is. [Emperor Maximin]      And in ensample of this matiere Of Maximin a man mai hiere, Of Rome which was emperour, That whanne he made a governour Be weie of substitucion Of province or of region, He wolde ferst enquere his name, And let it openly proclame What man he were, or evel or good. And upon that his name stod Enclin to vertu or to vice, So wolde he sette him in office, Or elles putte him al aweie. Thus hield the lawe his rihte weie, Which fond no let of covoitise: The world stod thanne upon the wise, As be ensample thou myht rede; And hold it in thi mynde, I rede. [Gaius Fabricius]      In a cronique I finde thus, Hou that Gayus Fabricius, Which whilom was Consul of Rome, Be whom the lawes yede and come, Whan the Sampnites to him broghte A somme of gold, and him besoghte To don hem favour in the lawe, Toward the gold he gan him drawe, Wherof in alle mennes lok A part up in his hond he tok, Which to his mouth in alle haste He putte it for to smelle and taste, And to his yhe and to his ere, Bot he ne fond no confort there. And thanne he gan it to despise, And tolde unto hem in this wise: 'I not what is with gold to thryve, Whan non of all my wittes fyve Fynt savour ne delit therinne. So is it bot a nyce sinne Of gold to ben to covoitous; Bot he is riche and glorious, Which hath in his subjeccion Tho men which in possession Ben riche of gold, and be this skile: For he mai aldai whan he wile, Or be hem lieve or be hem lothe, Justice don upon hem bothe.' Lo, thus he seide, and with that word He threw tofore hem on the bord The gold out of his hond anon, And seide hem that he wolde non: So that he kepte his liberté To do justice and equité, Withoute lucre of such richesse.      Ther be nou fewe of suche, I gesse, For it was thilke times used, That every jugge was refused Which was noght frend to comun riht. Bot thei that wolden stonde upriht For trouthe only to do justice Preferred were in thilke office To deme and jugge commun lawe, Which nou, men sein, is al withdrawe. To sette a lawe and kepe it noght Ther is no comun profit soght; Bot above alle natheles The lawe, which is mad for pes, Is good to kepe for the best, For that set alle men in reste. [Emperor Conrad]      The rihtful Emperour Conrade To kepe pes such lawe made That non withinne the cité In destorbance of unité Dorste ones moeven a matiere. For in his time, as thou myht hiere, What point that was for lawe set It scholde for no gold be let, To what persone that it were. And this broghte in the comun fere Why every man the lawe dradde, For ther was non which favour hadde. [Carmidotirus]      So as these olde bokes sein, I finde write hou a Romein, Which Consul was of the Pretoire, Whos name was Carmidotoire, He sette a lawe for the pes That non, bot he be wepneles, Schal come into the conseil hous, And elles as malicious He schal ben of the lawe ded. To that statut and to that red Acorden alle it schal be so, For certein cause which was tho. Nou lest what fell therafter sone. This consul hadde for to done, And was into the feldes ride; And thei him hadden longe abide, That lordes of the conseil were, And for him sende, and he cam there With swerd begert, and hath forgete, Til he was in the conseil sete. Was non of hem that made speche, Til he himself it wolde seche, And fond out the defalte himselve; And thanne he seide unto the tuelve, Whiche of the senat weren wise, 'I have deserved the juise, In haste that it were do.' And thei him seiden alle no; For wel thei wiste it was no vice, Whan he ne thoghte no malice, Bot onliche of a litel slouthe. And thus thei leften as for routhe To do justice upon his gilt, For that he scholde noght be spilt. And whanne he sih the maner hou Thei wolde him save, he made avou With manfull herte, and thus he seide, That Rome scholde nevere abreide His heires, whan he were of dawe, That here ancestre brak the lawe. Forthi, er that thei weren war, Forth with the same swerd he bar The statut of his lawe he kepte, So that al Rome his deth bewepte. [Cambyses]      In other place also I rede, Wher that a jugge his oghne dede Ne wol noght venge of lawe broke, The king it hath himselven wroke. The grete king which Cambises Was hote, a jugge laweles He fond, and into remembrance He dede upon him such vengance: Out of his skyn he was beflain Al quyk, and in that wise slain, So that his skyn was schape al meete, And nayled on the same seete Wher that his sone scholde sitte. Avise him, if he wolde flitte The lawe for the coveitise, Ther sih he redi his juise.      Thus is defalte of other jugge The king mot otherwhile jugge, To holden up the rihte lawe. And for to speke of th'olde dawe, To take ensample of that was tho, I finde a tale write also, Hou that a worthi prince is holde The lawes of his lond to holde, Ferst for the hihe Goddes sake, And ek for that him is betake The poeple for to guide and lede, Which is the charge of his kinghede. [Tale of Lycurgus]      In a cronique I rede thus Of the rihtful Ligurgius, Which of Athenis prince was, Hou he the lawe in every cas, Wherof he scholde his poeple reule, Hath set upon so good a reule, In al this world that cité non Of lawe was so wel begon Forth with the trouthe of governance. Ther was among hem no distance, Bot every man hath his encress; Ther was withoute werre pes, Withoute envie love stod; Richesse upon the comun good And noght upon the singuler Ordeigned was, and the pouer Of hem that weren in astat Was sauf: wherof upon debat Ther stod nothing, so that in reste Mihte every man his herte reste.      And whan this noble rihtful king Sih hou it ferde of al this thing, Wherof the poeple stod in ese, He, which forevere wolde plese The hihe God, whos thonk he soghte, A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte, And schop if that it myhte be, Hou that his lawe in the cité Mihte afterward forevere laste. And therupon his wit he caste What thing him were best to feigne, That he his pourpos myhte atteigne.      A parlement and thus he sette, His wisdom wher that he besette In audience of grete and smale, And in this wise he tolde his tale. 'God wot, and so ye witen alle, Hierafterward hou so it falle, Yit into now my will hath be To do justice and equité In forthringe of comun profit; Such hath ben evere my delit. Bot of o thing I am beknowe, The which mi will is that ye knowe: The lawe which I tok on honde, Was altogedre of Goddes sonde And nothing of myn oghne wit; So mot it nede endure yit, And schal do lengere, if ye wile. For I wol telle you the skile; The god Mercurius and no man He hath me tawht al that I can Of suche lawes as I made, Wherof that ye ben alle glade; It was the god and nothing I, Which dede al this, and nou forthi He hath comanded of his grace That I schal come into a place Which is forein out in an yle, Wher I mot tarie for a while, With him to speke, as he hath bede. For as he seith, in thilke stede He schal me suche thinges telle, That evere, whyl the world schal duelle, Athenis schal the betre fare. Bot ferst, er that I thider fare, For that I wolde that mi lawe Amonges you ne be withdrawe Ther whyles that I schal ben oute, Forthi to setten out of doute Bothe you and me, this wol I preie, That ye me wolde assure and seie With such an oth as I wol take, That ech of you schal undertake Mi lawes for to kepe and holde.' Thei seiden alle that thei wolde, And therupon thei swore here oth, That fro the time that he goth, Til he to hem be come agein, Thei scholde hise lawes wel and plein In every point kepe and fulfille.      Thus hath Ligurgius his wille, And tok his leve and forth he wente. Bot lest nou wel to what entente Of rihtwisnesse he dede so: For after that he was ago, He schop him nevere to be founde; So that Athenis, which was bounde, Nevere after scholde be relessed, Ne thilke goode lawe cessed, Which was for comun profit set. And in this wise he hath it knet; He, which the comun profit soghte, The king, his oghne astat ne roghte; To do profit to the comune, He tok of exil the fortune, And lefte of prince thilke office Only for love and for justice, Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte, Forevere after his deth to rihte The cité which was him betake. Wherof men oghte ensample take The goode lawes to avance With hem which under governance The lawes have for to kepe; For who that wolde take kepe Of hem that ferst the lawes founde, Als fer as lasteth eny bounde Of lond, here names yit ben knowe. And if it like thee to knowe Some of here names hou thei stonde, Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde. [First Lawgivers]      Of every bienfet the merite The God himself it wol aquite; And ek fulofte it falleth so, The world it wole aquite also, Bot that mai noght ben evene liche. The God he gifth the heveneriche, The world gifth only bot a name, Which stant upon the goode fame Of hem that don the goode dede. And in this wise double mede Resceiven thei that don wel hiere; Wherof if that thee list to hiere After the fame as it is blowe, Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe, Hou thilke honeste besinesse Of hem that ferst for rihtwisnesse Among the men the lawes made, Mai nevere upon this erthe fade. Forevere, whil ther is a tunge, Here name schal be rad and sunge And holde in the cronique write; So that the men it scholden wite, To speke good, as thei wel oghten, Of hem that ferst the lawes soghten In forthringe of the worldes pes. Unto th'Ebreus was Moises The ferste, and to th'Egipciens Mercurius, and to Troiens Ferst was Neuma Pompilius, To Athenes Ligurgius Gaf ferst the lawe, and to Gregois Foroneus hath thilke vois, And Romulus to the Romeins. For suche men that ben vileins The lawe in such a wise ordeigneth, That what man to the lawe pleigneth, Be so the jugge stonde upriht, He schal be served of his riht. And so ferforth it is befalle That lawe is come among ous alle. God lieve it mote wel ben holde, As every king therto is holde; For thing which is of kinges set, With kinges oghte it noght be let. What king of lawe takth no kepe, Be lawe he mai no regne kepe. Do lawe awey, what is a king? Wher is the riht of eny thing, If that ther be no lawe in londe? This oghte a king wel understonde, As he which is to lawe swore, That if the lawe be forbore Withouten execucioun, It makth a lond torne up so doun, Which is unto the king a sclandre. Forthi unto king Alisandre The wise Philosophre bad, That he himselve ferst be lad Of lawe, and forth thanne overal So do justice in general, That al the wyde lond aboute The justice of his lawe doute, And thanne schal he stonde in reste. For therto lawe is on the beste Above alle other erthly thing, To make a liege drede his king. Bot hou a king schal gete him love Toward the hihe God above, And ek among the men in erthe, This nexte point, which is the ferthe Of Aristotles lore, it techeth. Wherof who that the scole secheth, What policie that it is The bok reherceth after this." [Pity, the Fourth Part of Policy] Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regna Stringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi. Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum, Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo.11      "It nedeth noght that I delate The pris which preised is algate, And hath ben evere and evere schal, Wherof to speke in special, It is the vertu of Pité, Thurgh which the Hihe Magesté Was stered, whan His Sone alyhte, And in Pité the world to rihte Tok of the maide fleissh and blod. Pité was cause of thilke good, Wherof that we ben alle save. Wel oghte a man Pité to have And the vertu to sette in pris, Whan He Himself which is al wys Hath schewed why it schal be preised. Pité may noght be conterpeised Of tirannie with no peis; For Pité makth a king courteis Bothe in his word and in his dede.      It sit wel every liege drede His king and to his heste obeie, And riht so be the same weie It sit a king to be pitous Toward his poeple and gracious Upon the reule of governance, So that he worche no vengance, Which mai be cleped crualté. Justice which doth equité Is dredfull, for he no man spareth. Bot in the lond wher Pité fareth The king mai nevere faile of love, For Pité thurgh the grace above, So as the Philosophre affermeth, His regne in good astat confermeth.      Thus seide whilom Constantin: 'What Emperour that is enclin To Pité for to be servant, Of al the worldes remenant He is worthi to ben a lord.'      In olde bokes of record This finde I write of essamplaire: Troian the worthi debonaire, Be whom that Rome stod governed, Upon a time as he was lerned Of that he was to familier, He seide unto that conseillier, That for to ben an emperour His will was noght for vein honour, Ne yit for reddour of justice; Bot if he myhte in his office Hise lordes and his poeple plese, Him thoghte it were a grettere ese With love here hertes to him drawe, Than with the drede of eny lawe. For whan a thing is do for doute, Fulofte it comth the worse aboute; Bot wher a king is pietous, He is the more gracious, That mochel thrift him schal betyde, Which elles scholde torne aside. [Tale of Codrus]      Of Pité for to speke plein, Which is with mercy wel besein, Fulofte he wole himselve peine To kepe another fro the peine, For Charité the moder is Of Pité, which nothing amis Can soffre, if he it mai amende. It sit to every man livende To be pitous, bot non so wel As to a king, which on the whiel Fortune hath set aboven alle. For in a king, if so befalle That his Pité be ferme and stable, To al the lond it is vailable Only thurgh grace of his persone. For the Pité of him alone Mai al the large realme save. So sit it wel a king to have Pité; for this Valeire tolde, And seide hou that be daies olde Codrus, which was in his degré King of Athenis the cité, A werre he hadde agein Dorrence: And for to take his evidence What schal befalle of the bataille, He thoghte he wolde him ferst consaille With Appollo, in whom he triste; Thurgh whos ansuere this he wiste, Of tuo pointz that he myhte chese, Or that he wolde his body lese And in bataille himselve deie, Or elles the seconde weie, To sen his poeple desconfit. Bot he, which Pité hath parfit Upon the point of his believe, The poeple thoghte to relieve, And ches himselve to be ded. Wher is nou such another hed, Which wolde for the lemes dye? And natheles in som partie It oghte a kinges herte stere, That he hise liege men forbere. And ek toward hise enemis Fulofte he may deserve pris, To take of Pité remembrance, Wher that he myhte do vengance. For whanne a king hath the victoire, And thanne he drawe into memoire To do Pité in stede of wreche, He mai noght faile of thilke speche Wherof arist the worldes fame, To give a prince a worthi name. [Tale of Pompeius and the King of Armenia]      I rede hou whilom that Pompeie, To whom that Rome moste obeie, A werre hadde in jeupartie Agein the king of Ermenie, Which of long time him hadde grieved. Bot ate laste it was achieved That he this king desconfit hadde, And forth with him to Rome ladde As prisoner, wher many a day In sori plit and povere he lay, The corone of his heved deposed, Withinne walles faste enclosed; And with ful gret humilité He soffreth his adversité. Pompeie sih his pacience And tok pité with conscience, So that upon his hihe deis Tofore al Rome in his paleis, As he that wolde upon him rewe, Let give him his corone newe And his astat al full and plein Restoreth of his regne agein, And seide it was more goodly thing To make than undon a king, To him which pouer hadde of bothe. Thus thei, that weren longe wrothe, Acorden hem to final pes; And yit justice natheles Was kept and in nothing offended, Wherof Pompeie was comended. Ther mai no king himself excuse, Bot if justice he kepe and use, Which for t'eschuie crualté He mot attempre with Pité.      Of crualté the felonie Engendred is of tirannie, Agein the whos condicion God is himself the champion, Whos strengthe mai no man withstonde. Forevere yit it hath so stonde, That God a tirant overladde. Bot wher Pité the regne ladde, Ther mihte no fortune laste Which was grevous, bot ate laste The God himself it hath redresced. Pité is thilke vertu blessed Which nevere let his maister falle; Bot crualté, thogh it so falle That it mai regne for a throwe, God wole it schal ben overthrowe. Wherof ensamples ben ynowhe Of hem that thilke merel drowhe.      Of crualté I rede thus: Whan the tirant Leoncius Was to th'empire of Rome arrived, Fro which he hath with strengthe prived The pietous Justinian, As he which was a cruel man, His nase of and his lippes bothe He kutte, for he wolde him lothe Unto the poeple and make unable. Bot he which is al merciable, The hihe God, ordeigneth so, That he withinne a time also, Whan he was strengest in his ire, Was schoven out of his empire. Tiberius the pouer hadde, And Rome after his will he ladde, And for Leonce in such a wise Ordeigneth, that he tok juise Of nase and lippes bothe tuo, For that he dede another so, Which more worthi was than he.      Lo, which a fall hath crualté, And Pité was set up agein. For after that the bokes sein, Therbellis king of Bulgarie With helpe of his chivalerie Justinian hath unprisoned And to th'empire agein coroned. [Cruelty of Siculus]      In a cronique I finde also Of Siculus, which was ek so A cruel king lich the tempeste, The whom no Pité myhte areste, He was the ferste, as bokes seie, Upon the see which fond galeie And let hem make for the werre, As he which al was out of herre Fro Pité and misericorde; For therto couthe he noght acorde, Bot whom he myhte slen, he slouh, And therof was he glad ynouh. He hadde of conseil manyon, Among the whiche ther was on Be name which Berillus hihte, And he bethoghte him hou he myhte Unto the tirant do likinge, And of his oghne ymaginynge Let forge and make a bole of bras, And on the side cast ther was A dore, wher a man mai inne, Whan he his peine schal beginne Thurgh fyr, which that men putten under. And al this dede he for a wonder, That whanne a man for peine cride, The bole of bras, which gapeth wyde, It scholde seme as thogh it were A belwinge in a mannes ere And noght the criinge of a man. Bot he which alle sleihtes can, The devel, that lith in helle faste, Him that this caste hath overcast, That for a trespas which he dede He was putt in the same stede, And was himself the ferste of alle Which was into that peine falle That he for othre men ordeigneth: Ther was no man which him compleigneth.      Of tirannie and crualté Be this ensample a king mai se, Himself and ek his conseil bothe, Hou thei ben to mankinde lothe And to the God abhominable. Ensamples that ben concordable I finde of othre princes mo, As thou schalt hiere, of time go. [Dionysius and His Horse]      The grete tirant Dionys, Which mannes lif sette of no pris, Unto his hors fulofte he gaf The men in stede of corn and chaf, So that the hors of thilke stod Devoureden the mennes blod, Til fortune ate laste cam That Hercules him overcam, And he riht in the same wise Of this tirant tok the juise. As he til othre men hath do, The same deth he deide also, That no Pité him hath socoured, Til he was of hise hors devoured. [Lichaon]      Of Lichaon also I finde Hou he agein the lawe of kinde Hise hostes slouh, and into mete He made her bodies to ben ete With othre men withinne his hous. Bot Jupiter the glorious, Which was commoeved of this thing, Vengance upon this cruel king So tok, that he fro mannes forme Into a wolf him let transforme: And thus the crualté was kidd, Which of long time he hadde hidd; A wolf he was thanne openly, The whos nature prively He hadde in his condicion.      And unto this conclusioun, That tirannie is to despise, I finde ensample in sondri wise, And nameliche of hem fulofte, The whom Fortune hath set alofte Upon the werres for to winne. Bot hou so that the wrong beginne Of tirannie, it mai noght laste, Bot such as thei don ate laste To othre men, such on hem falleth; For agein suche Pité calleth Vengance to the God above. For who that hath no tender love In savinge of a mannes lif, He schal be founde so gultif, That whanne he wolde mercy crave In time of nede, he schal non have. [Nobleness of the Lion]      Of the natures this I finde, The fierce leon in his kinde, Which goth rampende after his preie, If he a man finde in his weie, He wole him slen, if he withstonde. Bot if the man coude understonde To falle anon before his face In signe of mercy and of grace, The leon schal of his nature Restreigne his ire in such mesure, As thogh it were a beste tamed, And torne awey halfvinge aschamed, That he the man schal nothing grieve. Hou scholde thanne a prince achieve The worldes grace, if that he wolde Destruie a man whanne he is yolde And stant upon his mercy al? Bot for to speke in special, Ther have be suche and yit ther be Tirantz, whos hertes no pité Mai to no point of mercy plie, That thei upon her tirannie Ne gladen hem the men to sle; And as the rages of the see Ben unpitous in the tempeste, Riht so mai no Pité areste Of crualté the gret oultrage, Which the tirant in his corage Engendred hath: wherof I finde A tale, which comth nou to mynde. [Tale of Spertachus and Thameris]      I rede in olde bokes thus, Ther was a duk, which Spertachus Men clepe, and was a werreiour, A cruel man, a conquerour With strong pouer the which he ladde. For this condicion he hadde, That where him hapneth the victoire, His lust and al his moste gloire Was for to sle and noght to save. Of rancoun wolde he no good have For savinge of a mannes lif, Bot al goth to the swerd and knyf, So lief him was the mannes blod. And natheles yit thus it stod, So as fortune aboute wente, He fell riht heir as be descente To Perse, and was coroned king. And whan the worschipe of this thing Was falle, and he was king of Perse, If that thei weren ferst diverse, The tirannies whiche he wroghte, A thousendfold welmore he soghte Thanne afterward to do malice. The God vengance agein the vice Hath schape: for upon a tyde, Whan he was heihest in his pride, In his rancour and in his hete Agein the queene of Marsagete, Which Thameris that time hihte, He made werre al that he myhte. And sche, which wolde hir lond defende, Hir oghne sone agein him sende, Which the defence hath undertake. Bot he desconfit was and take; And whan this king him hadde in honde, He wol no mercy understonde, Bot dede him slen in his presence. The tidinge of this violence Whan it cam to the moder ere, Sche sende anon ay wydewhere To suche frendes as sche hadde, A gret pouer til that sche ladde. In sondri wise and tho sche caste Hou sche this king mai overcaste; And ate laste acorded was, That in the danger of a pass, Thurgh which this tirant scholde passe, Sche schop his pouer to compasse With strengthe of men be such a weie That he schal noght eschape aweie. And whan sche hadde thus ordeigned, Sche hath hir oghne bodi feigned, For feere as thogh sche wolde flee Out of hir lond: and whan that he Hath herd hou that this ladi fledde, So faste after the chace he spedde, That he was founde out of array. For it betidde upon a day, Into the pas whanne he was falle, Th'embuisschementz tobrieken alle And him beclipte on every side, That fle ne myhte he noght aside, So that ther weren dede and take Tuo hundred thousend for his sake, That weren with him of his host. And thus was leid the grete bost Of him and of his tirannie. It halp no mercy for to crie To him which whilom dede non; For he unto the queene anon Was broght, and whan that sche him sih, This word sche spak and seide on hih: 'O man, which out of mannes kinde Reson of man hast left behinde And lived worse than a beste, Whom Pité myhte noght areste, The mannes blod to schede and spille Thou haddest nevere yit thi fille. Bot nou the laste time is come, That thi malice is overcome: As thou til othre men hast do, Nou schal be do to thee riht so.' Tho bad this ladi that men scholde A vessel bringe, in which sche wolde Se the vengance of his juise, Which sche began anon devise; And tok the princes whiche he ladde, Be whom his chief conseil he hadde, And whil hem lasteth eny breth, Sche made hem blede to the deth Into the vessel wher it stod. And whan it was fulfild of blod, Sche caste this tirant therinne, And seide him, 'Lo, thus myht thou wynne The lustes of thin appetit. In blod was whilom thi delit, Nou schalt thou drinken al thi fille.'      And thus onliche of Goddes wille, He which that wolde himselve strange To Pité, fond mercy so strange, That he withoute grace is lore. So may it schewe wel therfore That crualté hath no good ende; Bot Pité, hou so that it wende, Makth that the God is merciable, If ther be cause resonable Why that a king schal be pitous. Bot elles, if he be doubtous To slen in cause of rihtwisnesse, It mai be said no pitousnesse, Bot it is pusillamité, Which every prince scholde flee. For if Pité mesure excede, Kinghode mai noght wel procede To do justice upon the riht, For it belongeth to a knyht Als gladly for to fihte as reste, To sette his liege poeple in reste, Whan that the werre upon hem falleth. For thanne he mote, as it befalleth, Of his knyhthode as a leon Be to the poeple a champioun Withouten eny Pité feigned. For if manhode be restreigned, Or be it pes or be it werre, Justice goth al out of herre, So that knyhthode is set behinde. Of Aristotles lore I finde, A king schal make good visage, That no man knowe of his corage Bot al honour and worthinesse. For if a king schal upon gesse Withoute verrai cause drede, He mai be lich to that I rede; And thogh that it be lich a fable, Th'ensample is good and resonable. [Tale of the Mountain and the Mouse]      As it be olde daies fell, I rede whilom that an hell Up in the londes of Archade A wonder dredful noise made; For so it fell that ilke day, This hell on his childinge lay, And whan the throwes on him come, His noise lich the day of dome Was ferfull in a mannes thoght Of thing which that thei sihe noght, Bot wel thei herden al aboute The noise, of which thei were in doute, As thei that wenden to be lore Of thing which thanne was unbore. The nerr this hell was upon chance To taken his diliverance, The more unbuxomliche he cride; And every man was fledd aside, For drede and lefte his oghne hous. And ate laste it was a mous The which was bore and to norrice Betake; and tho thei hield hem nyce, For thei withoute cause dradde.      Thus if a king his herte ladde With everything that he schal hiere, Fulofte he scholde change his chiere And upon fantasie drede, Whan that ther is no cause of drede.      Orace to his prince tolde, That him were levere that he wolde Upon knihthode Achillem suie In time of werre, thanne eschuie, So as Tersites dede at Troie. Achilles al his hole joie Sette upon armes for to fihte; Tersites soghte al that he myhte Unarmed for to stonde in reste: Bot of the tuo it was the beste That Achilles upon the nede Hath do, wherof his knyhtlihiede Is yit comended overal. [A Time for War]      King Salomon in special Seith, as ther is a time of pes, So is a time natheles Of werre, in which a prince algate Schal for the comun riht debate And for his oghne worschipe eke. Bot it behoveth noght to seke. Only the werre for worschipe, Bot to the riht of his lordschipe, Which he is holde to defende, Mote every worthi prince entende. Betwen the simplesce of Pité And the folhaste of crualté, Wher stant the verray hardiesce, Ther mote a king his herte adresce, Whanne it is time to forsake, And whan time is also to take The dedly werres upon honde, That he schal for no drede wonde, If rihtwisnesse be withal. For God is myhty overal To forthren every mannes trowthe, Bot it be thurgh his oghne slowthe; And namely the kinges nede It mai noght faile for to spede, For he stant one for hem alle. So mote it wel the betre falle And wel the more God favoureth, Whan he the comun riht socoureth. And for to se the sothe in dede, Beholde the Bible and thou myht rede Of grete ensamples manyon, Wherof that I wot tellen on. [Gideon]      Upon a time, as it befell, Agein Judee and Irahel Whan sondri kinges come were In pourpos to destruie there The poeple which God kepte tho, And stod in thilke daies so, That Gedeon, which scholde lede The Goddes folk, tok him to rede And sende in al the lond aboute, Til he assembled hath a route With thritti thousend of defence, To fihte and make resistence Agein the whiche hem wolde assaille. And natheles that o bataille Of thre that weren enemys Was double mor than was al his; Wherof that Gedeon him dradde, That he so litel poeple hadde. Bot He which alle thing mai helpe, Wher that ther lacketh mannes helpe, To Gedeon His angel sente, And bad, er that he forther wente, Al openly that he do crie That every man in his partie Which wolde after his oghne wille In his delice abide stille At hom in eny maner wise, For pourchas or for covoitise, For lust of love or lacke of herte, He scholde noght aboute sterte, Bot holde him stille at hom in pes. Wherof upon the morwe he les Wel twenty thousend men and mo, The whiche after the cri ben go. Thus was with him bot only left The thridde part, and yit God eft His angel sende and seide this To Gedeon: 'If it so is That I thin help schal undertake, Thou schalt yit lasse poeple take, Be whom mi will is that thou spede. Forthi tomorwe tak good hiede, Unto the flod whan ye be come, What man that hath the water nome Up in his hond and lapeth so, To thi part ches out alle tho; And him which wery is to swinke, Upon his wombe and lith to drinke, Forsak and put hem alle aweie. For I am myhti alle weie, Wher as me list myn help to schewe In goode men, thogh thei ben fewe.'      This Gedeon awaiteth wel, Upon the morwe and everydel, As God him bad, riht so he dede. And thus ther leften in that stede With him thre hundred and no mo, The remenant was al ago. Wherof that Gedeon merveileth, And therupon with God conseileth, Pleignende als ferforth as he dar. And God, which wolde he were war That he schal spede upon his riht, Hath bede him go the same nyht And take a man with him, to hiere What schal be spoke in his matiere Among the hethen enemis; So mai he be the more wys, What afterward him schal befalle.      This Gedeon amonges alle Phara, to whom he triste most, Be nyhte tok toward thilke host, Which logged was in a valleie, To hiere what thei wolden seie; Upon his fot and as he ferde, Tuo Sarazins spekende he herde. Quod on, 'Ared mi swevene ariht, Which I mette in mi slep tonyht.      Me thoghte I sih a barli cake, Which fro the hull his weie hath take, And cam rollende doun at ones; And as it were for the nones, Forth in his cours so as it ran, The kinges tente of Madian, Of Amalech, of Amoreie, Of Amon and of Jebuseie, And many another tente mo With gret noise, as me thoghte tho, It threw to grounde and overcaste, And al this host so sore agaste That I awok for pure drede.'      'This swevene can I wel arede,' Quod th'other Sarazin anon: 'The barli cake is Gedeon, Which fro the hell doun sodeinly Schal come and sette such ascry Upon the kinges and ous bothe, That it schal to ous alle lothe. For in such drede he schal ous bringe, That if we hadden flyht of wynge, The weie on fote in desespeir We scholden leve and flen in th'eir, For ther schal nothing him withstonde.'      Whan Gedeon hath understonde This tale, he thonketh God of al, And priveliche agein he stal, So that no lif him hath perceived. And thanne he hath fulli conceived That he schal spede, and therupon The nyht suiende he schop to gon This multitude to assaile. Nou schalt thou hiere a gret mervaile, With what voisdie that he wroghte. The litel poeple which he broghte, Was non of hem that he ne hath A pot of erthe, in which he tath A lyht brennende in a kressette, And ech of hem ek a trompette Bar in his other hond beside; And thus upon the nyhtes tyde Duk Gedeon, whan it was derk, Ordeineth him unto his werk, And parteth thanne his folk in thre, And chargeth hem that thei ne fle, And tawhte hem hou thei scholde ascrie Alle in o vois per compaignie, And what word ek thei scholden speke, And hou thei scholde here pottes breke Ech on with other, whan thei herde That he himselve ferst so ferde; For whan thei come into the stede, He bad hem do riht as he dede.      And thus stalkende forth a pas This noble duk, whan time was, His pot tobrak and loude ascride, And tho thei breke on every side. The trompe was noght for to seke; He blew, and so thei blewen eke With such a noise among hem alle, As thogh the hevene scholde falle. The hull unto here vois ansuerde, This host in the valleie it herde, And sih hou that the hell alyhte; So what of hieringe and of sihte, Thei cawhten such a sodein feere, That non of hem belefte there. The tentes hole thei forsoke, That thei non other good ne toke, Bot only with here bodi bare Thei fledde, as doth the wylde hare. And evere upon the hull thei blewe, Til that thei sihe time, and knewe That thei be fled upon the rage; And whan thei wiste here avantage, Thei felle anon unto the chace.      Thus myht thou sen hou Goddes grace Unto the goode men availeth; Bot elles ofte time it faileth To suche as be noght wel disposed. This tale nedeth noght be glosed, For it is openliche schewed That God to hem that ben wel thewed Hath gove and granted the victoire: So that th'ensample of this histoire Is good for every king to holde; Ferst in himself that he beholde If he be good of his livinge, And that the folk which he schal bringe Be good also, for thanne he may Be glad of many a merie day, In what as evere he hath to done. For he which sit above the mone And alle thing mai spille and spede, In every cause, in every nede His goode king so wel adresceth, That alle his fomen he represseth, So that ther mai no man him dere; And als so wel he can forbere, And soffre a wickid king to falle In hondes of his fomen alle. [Saul and Agag]      Nou forthermore if I schal sein Of mi matiere, and torne agein To speke of justice and pité After the reule of realté, This mai a king wel understonde, Knihthode mot ben take on honde, Whan that it stant upon the nede: He schal no rihtful cause drede, No more of werre thanne of pes, If he wol stonde blameles; For such a cause a king mai have That betre him is to sle than save, Wherof thou myhte ensample finde. The hihe makere of mankinde Be Samuel to Saul bad, That he schal nothing ben adrad Agein king Agag for to fihte; For this the Godhede him behihte, That Agag schal ben overcome; And whan it is so ferforth come, That Saul hath him desconfit, The God bad make no respit, That he ne scholde him slen anon. Bot Saul let it overgon And dede noght the Goddes heste. For Agag made gret beheste Of rancoun which he wolde give, King Saul soffreth him to live And feigneth pité forth withal. Bot He which seth and knoweth al, The hihe God, of that he feigneth To Samuel upon him pleigneth, And sende him word, for that he lefte Of Agag that he ne berefte The lif, he schal noght only dye Himself, bot fro his regalie He schal be put foreveremo, Noght he, bot ek his heir also, That it schal nevere come agein. [David and Joab]      Thus myht thou se the sothe plein, That of to moche and of to lyte Upon the princes stant the wyte. Bot evere it was a kinges riht To do the dedes of a knyht; For in the handes of a king The deth and lif is al o thing After the lawes of justice. To slen it is a dedly vice, Bot if a man the deth deserve; And if a king the lif preserve Of him which oghte for to dye, He suieth noght th'ensamplerie Which in the Bible is evident: Hou David in his testament, Whan he no lengere myhte live, Unto his sone in charge hath give That he Joab schal slen algate; And whan David was gon his gate, The yonge wise Salomon His fader heste dede anon, And slouh Joab in such a wise, That thei that herden the juise Evere after dradden him the more, And God was ek wel paid therfore, That he so wolde his herte plye The lawes for to justefie. And yit he kepte forth withal Pité, so as a prince schal, That he no tirannie wroghte; He fond the wisdom which he soghte, And was so rihtful natheles, That al his lif he stod in pes, That he no dedly werres hadde, For every man his wisdom dradde. And as he was himselve wys, Riht so the worthi men of pris He hath of his conseil withholde; For that is every prince holde To make of suche his retenue Whiche wise ben, and to remue The foles: for ther is nothing Which mai be betre aboute a king Than conseil, which is the substance Of all a kinges governance. [Solomon's Wisdom]      In Salomon a man mai see What thing of most necessité Unto a worthi king belongeth. Whan he his kingdom underfongeth, God bad him chese what he wolde, And seide him that he have scholde What he wolde axe, as of o thing. And he, which was a newe king, Forth therupon his bone preide To God, and in this wise he seide: 'O King, be whom that I schal regne, Gif me wisdom, that I my regne, Forth with Thi poeple which I have, To Thin honour mai kepe and save.' Whan Salomon his bone hath taxed, The God of that which he hath axed Was riht wel paid, and granteth sone Noght al only that he his bone Schal have of that, bot of richesse, Of hele, of pes, of hih noblesse, Forth with wisdom at his axinges, Which stant above alle othre thinges.      Bot what king wole his regne save, Ferst him behoveth for to have After the God and his believe Such conseil which is to believe, Fulfild of trouthe and rihtwisnesse. Bot above alle in his noblesse Betwen the reddour and pité A king schal do such equité And sette the balance in evene, So that the hihe God in hevene And al the poeple of his nobleie Loange unto his name seie. For most above all erthli good, Wher that a king himself is good It helpeth, for in other weie If so be that a king forsueie, Fulofte er this it hath be sein, The comun poeple is overlein And hath the kinges senne aboght, Althogh the poeple agulte noght. Of that the king his God misserveth, The poeple takth that he descerveth Hier in this world, bot elleswhere I not hou it schal stonde there. Forthi good is a king to triste Ferst to himself, as he ne wiste Non other help bot God alone; So schal the reule of his persone Withinne himself thurgh providence Ben of the betre conscience. And for to finde ensample of this, A tale I rede, and soth it is. [Courtiers and the Fool]      In a cronique it telleth thus: The king of Rome Lucius Withinne his chambre upon a nyht The steward of his hous, a knyht, Forth with his chamberlein also, To conseil hadde bothe tuo, And stoden be the chiminee Togedre spekende alle thre. And happeth that the kinges fol Sat be the fyr upon a stol, As he that with his babil pleide, Bot yit he herde al that thei seide, And therof token thei non hiede. The king hem axeth what to rede Of such matiere as cam to mouthe, And thei him tolden as thei couthe. Whan al was spoke of that thei mente, The king with al his hole entente Thanne ate laste hem axeth this, What king men tellen that he is. Among the folk touchende his name, Or be it pris, or be it blame, Riht after that thei herden sein, He bad hem for to telle it plein, That thei no point of soth forbere, Be thilke feith that thei him bere.      The steward ferst upon this thing Gaf his ansuere unto the king And thoghte glose in this matiere, And seide, als fer as he can hiere, His name is good and honourable. Thus was the stieward favorable, That he the trouthe plein ne tolde. The king thanne axeth, as he scholde, The chamberlein of his avis.      And he, that was soubtil and wys, And somdiel thoghte upon his feith, Him tolde hou al the poeple seith That if his conseil were trewe, Thei wiste thanne wel and knewe That of himself he scholde be A worthi king in his degré. And thus the conseil he accuseth In partie, and the king excuseth.      The fol, which herde of al the cas That time, as Goddes wille was, Sih that thei seiden noght ynowh, And hem to skorne bothe lowh, And to the king he seide tho: 'Sire king, if that it were so, Of wisdom in thin oghne mod That thou thiselven were good, Thi conseil scholde noght be badde.' The king therof merveille hadde, Whan that a fol so wisly spak, And of himself fond out the lack Withinne his oghne conscience. And thus the foles evidence, Which was of Goddes grace enspired, Makth that good conseil was desired. He putte awey the vicious And tok to him the vertuous; The wrongful lawes ben amended, The londes good is wel despended, The poeple was no more oppressed, And thus stod everything redressed. For where a king is propre wys, And hath suche as himselven is Of his conseil, it mai noght faile That everything ne schal availe. The vices thanne gon aweie, And every vertu holt his weie; Wherof the hihe God is plesed, And al the londes folk is esed. For if the comun poeple crie, And thanne a king list noght to plie To hiere what the clamour wolde, And otherwise thanne he scholde Desdeigneth for to don hem grace, It hath be sen in many place, Ther hath befalle gret contraire; And that I finde of ensamplaire. [Folly of Rehoboam]      After the deth of Salomon, Whan thilke wise king was gon, And Roboas in his persone Receive scholde the corone, The poeple upon a parlement Avised were of on assent, And alle unto the king thei preiden, With comun vois and thus thei seiden:      'Oure liege lord, we thee beseche That thou receive oure humble speche And grante ous that which reson wile, Or of thi grace or of thi skile. Thi fader, whil he was alyve And myhte bothe grante and pryve, Upon the werkes whiche he hadde The comun poeple streite ladde. Whan he the temple made newe, Thing which men nevere afore knewe He broghte up thanne of his taillage, And al was under the visage Of werkes whiche he made tho. Bot nou it is befalle so, That al is mad, riht as he seide, And he was riche whan he deide; So that it is no maner nede, If thou therof wolt taken hiede, To pilen of the poeple more, Which long time hath be grieved sore. And in this wise as we thee seie, With tendre herte we thee preie That thou relesse thilke dette, Which upon ous thi fader sette. And if thee like to don so, We ben thi men foreveremo, To gon and comen at thin heste.'      The king, which herde this requeste, Seith that he wole ben avised, And hath therof a time assissed; And in the while as he him thoghte Upon this thing, conseil he soghte. And ferst the wise knyhtes olde, To whom that he his tale tolde, Conseilen him in this manere; That he with love and with glad chiere Forgive and grante al that is axed Of that his fader hadde taxed; For so he mai his regne achieve With thing which schal him litel grieve.      The king hem herde and overpasseth, And with these othre his wit compasseth, That yonge were and nothing wise. And thei these olde men despise, And seiden: 'Sire, it schal be schame Forevere unto thi worthi name, If thou ne kepe noght the riht, Whil thou art in thi yonge myht, Which that thin olde fader gat. Bot seie unto the poeple plat That whil thou livest in thi lond, The leste finger of thin hond It schal be strengere overal Than was thi fadres bodi al. And this also schal be thi tale, If he hem smot with roddes smale, With scorpions thou schalt hem smyte; And wher thi fader tok a lyte, Thou thenkst to take mochel more. Thus schalt thou make hem drede sore The grete herte of thi corage, So for to holde hem in servage.'      This yonge king him hath conformed To don as he was last enformed, Which was to him his undoinge. For whan it cam to the spekinge, He hath the yonge conseil holde, That he the same wordes tolde Of al the poeple in audience; And whan thei herden the sentence Of his malice and the manace, Anon tofore his oghne face Thei have him oultreli refused And with ful gret reproef accused. So thei begunne for to rave, That he was fain himself to save; For as the wilde wode rage Of wyndes makth the see salvage, And that was calm bringth into wawe, So for defalte of grace and lawe This poeple stered al at ones And forth thei gon out of hise wones; So that of the lignages tuelve Tuo tribes only be hemselve With him abiden and no mo. So were thei foreveremo Of no retorn withoute espeir Departed fro the rihtfull heir. Al Irahel with comun vois A king upon here oghne chois Among hemself anon thei make, And have here yonge lord forsake; A povere knyht Jeroboas Thei toke, and lefte Roboas, Which rihtfull heir was be descente.      Lo, thus the yonge cause wente: For that the conseil was noght good, The regne fro the rihtfull blod Evere afterward divided was. So mai it proven be this cas That yong conseil, which is to warm, Er men be war doth ofte harm. Old age for the conseil serveth, And lusti youthe his thonk deserveth Upon the travail which he doth; And bothe, for to seie a soth, Be sondri cause for to have, If that he wole his regne save A king behoveth every day. That on can and that other mai, Be so the king hem bothe reule, For elles al goth out of reule. [Wisdom and the King]      And upon this matiere also A question betwen the tuo Thus writen in a bok I fond; Wher it be betre for the lond A king himselve to be wys, And so to bere his oghne pris, And that his consail be noght good, Or otherwise if it so stod, A king if he be vicious And his conseil be vertuous. It is ansuerd in such a wise, That betre it is that thei be wise Be whom that the conseil schal gon, For thei be manye, and he is on; And rathere schal an one man With fals conseil, for oght he can, From his wisdom be mad to falle, Thanne he alone scholde hem alle Fro vices into vertu change, For that is wel the more strange.      Forthi the lond mai wel be glad, Whos king with good conseil is lad, Which set him unto rihtwisnesse, So that his hihe worthinesse Betwen the reddour and Pité Doth mercy forth with equité. A king is holden overal To Pité, bot in special To hem wher he is most beholde; Thei scholde his Pité most beholde That ben the lieges of his lond, For thei ben evere under his hond After the Goddes ordinaunce To stonde upon his governance.      Of th'emperour Anthonius I finde hou that he seide thus, That levere him were for to save Oon of his lieges than to have Of enemis a thousend dede. And this he lernede, as I rede, Of Cipio, which hadde be Consul of Rome. And thus to se Diverse ensamples hou thei stonde, A king which hath the charge on honde The comun poeple to governe, If that he wole, he mai wel lerne. Is non so good to the plesance Of God as is good governance. And every governance is due To Pité: thus I mai argue That Pité is the foundement Of every kinges regiment, If it be medled with justice. Thei tuo remuen alle vice, And ben of vertu most vailable To make a kinges regne stable.      Lo, thus the foure pointz tofore, In governance as thei ben bore, Of Trouthe ferst and of Largesse, Of Pité forth with Rihtwisnesse, I have hem told; and over this The fifte point, so as it is Set of the reule of Policie, Wherof a king schal modefie The fleisschly lustes of nature, Nou thenk I telle of such mesure, That bothe kinde schal be served And ek the lawe of God observed." [Chastity, the Fifth Part of Policy] Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis honestas, Nominis vt famam nulla libido ruat. Omne quod est hominis effeminat illa voluptas, Sit nisi magnanimi cordis, vt obstet ei.12      "The madle is mad for the femele, Bot where as on desireth fele, That nedeth noght be weie of kinde: For whan a man mai redy finde His oghne wif, what scholde he seche In strange places to beseche To borwe another mannes plouh, Whan he hath geere good ynouh Affaited at his oghne heste, And is to him wel more honeste Than other thing which is unknowe? Forthi scholde every good man knowe And thenke, hou that in mariage His trouthe plight lith in morgage, Which if he breke, it is falshode, And that descordeth to manhode, And namely toward the grete, Wherof the bokes alle trete. So as the Philosophre techeth To Alisandre, and him betecheth The lore hou that he schal mesure His bodi, so that no mesure Of fleisshly lust he scholde excede. And thus forth if I schal procede, The fifte point, as I seide er, Is Chasteté, which sielde wher Comth nou adaies into place; And natheles, bot it be grace Above alle othre in special, Is non that chaste mai ben all. Bot yit a kinges hihe astat, Which of his ordre as a prelat Schal ben enoignt and seintefied He mot be more magnefied For digneté of his corone, Than scholde another low persone, Which is noght of so hih emprise. Therfore a prince him scholde avise, Er that he felle in such riote, And namely that he n'assote To change for the wommanhede The worthinesse of his manhede.      Of Aristotle I have wel rad Hou he to Alisandre bad That for to gladen his corage He schal beholde the visage Of wommen, whan that thei ben faire. Bot yit he set an essamplaire, His bodi so to guide and reule, That he ne passe noght the reule, Wherof that he himself beguile. For in the womman is no guile Of that a man himself bewhapeth; Whan he his oghne wit bejapeth, I can the wommen wel excuse. Bot what man wole upon hem muse After the fool impression Of his ymaginacioun, Withinne himself the fyr he bloweth, Wherof the womman nothing knoweth, So mai sche nothing be to wyte. For if a man himself excite To drenche, and wol it noght forbere, The water schal no blame bere. What mai the gold, thogh men coveite? If that a man wol love streite, The womman hath him nothing bounde; If he his oghne herte wounde, Sche mai noght lette the folie; And thogh so felle of compainie That he myht eny thing pourchace, Yit makth a man the ferste chace, The womman fleth and and he poursuieth: So that be weie of skile it suieth, The man is cause, hou so befalle, That he fulofte sithe is falle Wher that he mai noght wel aryse. And natheles ful manye wise Befoled have hemself er this, As nou adaies yit it is Among the men and evere was, The stronge is fieblest in this cas. It sit a man be weie of kinde To love, bot it is noght kinde A man for love his wit to lese. For if the monthe of Juil schal frese And that Decembre schal ben hot, The yeer mistorneth, wel I wot. To sen a man fro his astat Thurgh his sotie effeminat, And leve that a man schal do, It is as hose above the scho, To man which oghte noght ben used. Bot yit the world hath ofte accused Ful grete princes of this dede, Hou thei for love hemself mislede, Wherof manhode stod behinde, Of olde ensamples as I finde. [Sardanapalus]      These olde gestes tellen thus, That whilom Sardana Pallus, Which hield al hol in his empire The grete kingdom of Assire, Was thurgh the slouthe of his corage Falle into thilke fyri rage Of love, which the men assoteth, Wherof himself he so rioteth, And wax so ferforth womannyssh, That agein kinde, as if a fissh Abide wolde upon the lond, In wommen such a lust he fond, That he duelte evere in chambre stille, And only wroghte after the wille Of wommen, so as he was bede, That selden whanne in other stede If that he wolde wenden oute, To sen hou that it stod aboute. Bot ther he keste and there he pleide, Thei tawhten him a las to breide, And weve a pours, and to enfile A perle: and fell that ilke while, On Barbarus, the Prince of Mede, Sih hou this king in wommanhede Was falle fro chivalerie, And gat him help and compaignie, And wroghte so, that ate laste This king out of his regne he caste, Which was undon foreveremo. And yit men speken of him so, That it is schame for to hiere. [David]      Forthi to love is in manere. King David hadde many a love, Bot natheles alwey above Knyhthode he kepte in such a wise, That for no fleisshli covoitise Of lust to ligge in ladi armes He lefte noght the lust of armes. For where a prince hise lustes suieth, That he the werre noght poursuieth Whan it is time to ben armed, His contré stant fulofte harmed, Whan th'enemis ben woxe bolde, That thei defence non beholde. Ful manye a lond hath so be lore, As men mai rede of time afore Of hem that so here eses soghten, Which after thei full diere aboghten. [Cyrus and the Lydians]      To mochel ese is nothing worth, For that set every vice forth And every vertu put abak, Wherof priss torneth into lak, As in cronique I mai reherse Which telleth hou the king of Perse, That Cirus hihte, a werre hadde Agein a poeple which he dradde, Of a contré which Liddos hihte; Bot yit for oght that he do mihte As in bataille upon the werre, He hadde of hem alwey the werre. And whan he sih and wiste it wel, That he be strengthe wan no del, Thanne ate laste he caste a wyle This worthi poeple to beguile, And tok with hem a feigned pes, Which scholde lasten endeles, So as he seide in wordes wise, Bot he thoghte al in other wise. For it betidd upon the cas, Whan that this poeple in reste was, Thei token eses manyfold; And worldes ese, as it is told, Be weie of kinde is the norrice Of every lust which toucheth vice. Thus whan thei were in lustes falle, The werres ben forgeten alle; Was non which wolde the worschipe Of armes, bot in idelschipe Thei putten besinesse aweie And token hem to daunce and pleie. Bot most above alle othre thinges Thei token hem to the likinges Of fleysshly lust, that chasteté Received was in no degré, Bot every man doth what him liste. And whan the king of Perse it wiste, That thei unto folie entenden, With his pouer, whan thei lest wenden, Mor sodeinly than doth the thunder He cam, forevere and put hem under. And thus hath lecherie lore The lond, which hadde be tofore The beste of hem that were tho. [Counsel of Balaam]      And in the Bible I finde also A tale lich unto this thing, Hou Amalech the paien king, Whan that he myhte be no weie Defende his lond and putte aweie The worthi poeple of Irael, This Sarazin, as it befell, Thurgh the conseil of Balaam A route of faire wommen nam, That lusti were and yonge of age, And bad hem gon to the lignage Of these Hebreus: and forth thei wente With yhen greye and browes bente And wel arraied everych on; And whan thei come were anon Among th'Ebreus, was non insihte, Bot cacche who that cacche myhte, And ech of hem hise lustes soghte, Whiche after thei full diere boghte. For grace anon began to faile, That whan thei comen to bataille Thanne afterward, in sori plit Thei were take and disconfit, So that withinne a litel throwe The myht of hem was overthrowe, That whilom were wont to stonde. Til Phinees the cause on honde Hath take, this vengance laste, Bot thanne it cessede ate laste, For God was paid of that he dede: For wher he fond upon a stede A couple which misferde so, Thurghout he smot hem bothe tuo, And let hem ligge in mennes yhe; Wherof alle othre whiche hem sihe Ensamplede hem upon the dede, And preiden unto the Godhiede Here olde sennes to amende: And He, which wolde His mercy sende, Restorede hem to newe grace.      Thus mai it schewe in sondri place, Of chasteté hou the clennesse Acordeth to the worthinesse Of men of armes overal; Bot most of alle in special This vertu to a king belongeth, For upon his fortune it hongeth Of that his lond schal spede or spille. Forthi bot if a king his wille Fro lustes of his fleissh restreigne, Agein himself he makth a treigne, Into the which if that he slyde, Him were betre go besyde. For every man mai understonde, Hou for a time that it stonde, It is a sori lust to lyke, Whos ende makth a man to syke And torneth joies into sorwe. The brihte sonne be the morwe Beschyneth noght the derke nyht, The lusti youthe of mannes myht, In age bot it stonde wel, Mistorneth al the laste whiel. [Lecherous Solomon and the Division of the Kingdom]      That every worthi prince is holde Withinne himself himself beholde, To se the stat of his persone, And thenke hou ther be joies none Upon this erthe mad to laste, And hou the fleissh schal ate laste The lustes of this lif forsake, Him oghte a gret ensample take Of Salomon, whos appetit Was holy set upon delit, To take of wommen the plesance. So that upon his ignorance The wyde world merveileth yit, That he, which alle mennes wit In thilke time hath overpassed, With fleisshly lustes was so tassed That he which ladde under the lawe The poeple of God, himself withdrawe He hath fro God in such a wise, That he worschipe and sacrifise For sondri love in sondri stede Unto the false goddes dede. This was the wise ecclesiaste, The fame of whom schal evere laste, That he the myhti God forsok, Agein the lawe whanne he tok Hise wyves and hise concubines Of hem that weren Sarazines, For whiche he dede ydolatrie. For this I rede of his sotie:      Sche of Sidoyne so him ladde, That he knelende hise armes spradde To Astrathen with gret humblesse, Which of hire lond was the goddesse.      And sche that was a Moabite So ferforth made him to delite Thurgh lust, which al his wit devoureth, That he Chamos hire god honoureth.      Another Amonyte also With love him hath assoted so, Hire god Moloch that with encense He sacreth, and doth reverence In such a wise as sche him bad. Thus was the wiseste overlad With blinde lustes whiche he soghte; Bot he it afterward aboghte.      For Achias Selonites, Which was prophete, er his decess, Whil he was in hise lustes alle, Betokneth what schal after falle. For on a day, whan that he mette Jeroboam the knyht, he grette And bad him that he scholde abyde, To hiere what him schal betyde. And forth withal Achias caste His mantell of, and also faste He kut it into pieces twelve, Wherof tuo partz toward himselve He kepte, and al the remenant, As God hath set His covenant, He tok unto Jeroboas, Of Nabal which the sone was And of the kinges court a knyht, And seide him, 'Such is Goddes myht, As thou hast sen departed hiere Mi mantell, riht in such manere After the deth of Salomon God hath ordeigned therupon, This regne thanne he schal divide: Which time thou schalt ek abide, And upon that division The regne as in proporcion As thou hast of mi mantell take, Thou schalt receive, I undertake. And thus the sone schal abie The lustes and the lecherie Of him which nou his fader is.'      So for to taken hiede of this, It sit a king wel to be chaste, For elles he mai lihtly waste Himself and ek his regne bothe, And that oghte every king to lothe. O, which a senne violent, Wherof so wys a king was schent, That the vengance in his persone Was noght ynouh to take alone, Bot afterward, whan he was passed, It hath his heritage lassed, As I more openli tofore The tale tolde. And thus therfore The Philosophre upon this thing Writ and conseileth to a king, That he the surfet of luxure Schal tempre and reule of such mesure, Which be to kinde sufficant And ek to reson acordant, So that the lustes ignorance Because of no misgovernance, Thurgh which that he be overthrowe, As he that wol no reson knowe. For bot a mannes wit be swerved, Whan kinde is dueliche served, It oghte of reson to suffise; For if it falle him otherwise, He mai tho lustes sore drede.      For of Anthonie thus I rede, Which of Severus was the sone, That he his lif of comun wone Gaf holy unto thilke vice, And ofte time he was so nyce, Wherof nature hire hath compleigned Unto the God, which hath desdeigned The werkes whiche Antonie wroghte Of lust, whiche he ful sore aboghte. For God his forfet hath so wroke That in cronique it is yit spoke. Bot for to take remembrance Of special misgovernance Thurgh covoitise and injustice Forth with the remenant of vice, And nameliche of lecherie, I finde write a gret partie Withinne a tale, as thou schalt hiere, Which is th'ensample of this matiere. [Tale of Tarquin and Aruns]      So as these olde gestes sein, The proude tirannyssh Romein Tarquinus, which was thanne king And wroghte many a wrongful thing, Of sones hadde manyon, Among the whiche Arrons was on, Lich to his fader of maneres; So that withinne a fewe yeres With tresoun and with tirannie Thei wonne of lond a gret partie, And token hiede of no justice, Which due was to here office Upon the reule of governance. Bot al that evere was plesance Unto the fleisshes lust thei toke. And fell so, that thei undertoke A werre, which was noght achieved, Bot ofte time it hadde hem grieved, Agein a folk which thanne hihte The Gabiens: and al be nyhte This Arrons, whan he was at home In Rome, a privé place he nom Withinne a chambre, and bet himselve And made him woundes ten or tuelve Upon the bak, as it was sene. And so forth with hise hurtes grene In al the haste that he may He rod, and cam that other day Unto Gabie the cité, And in he wente. And whan that he Was knowe, anon the gates schette, The lordes alle upon him sette With drawe swerdes upon honde. This Arrons wolde hem noght withstonde, Bot seide, 'I am hier at your wille, Als lief it is that ye me spille, As if myn oghne fader dede.' And forthwith in the same stede He preide hem that thei wolde se, And schewede hem in what degré His fader and hise brethren bothe, Whiche, as he seide, weren wrothe, Him hadde beten and reviled, Forevere and out of Rome exiled. And thus he made hem to believe, And seide, if that he myhte achieve His pourpos, it schal wel be yolde, Be so that thei him helpe wolde.      Whan that the lordes hadde sein Hou wofully he was besein, Thei token pité of his grief; Bot yit it was hem wonder lief That Rome him hadde exiled so. These Gabiens be conseil tho Upon the goddes made him swere, That he to hem schal trouthe bere And strengthen hem with al his myht; And thei also him have behiht To helpen him in his querele. Thei schopen thanne for his hele That he was bathed and enoignt, Til that he was in lusti point; And what he wolde thanne he hadde, That he al hol the cité ladde Riht as he wolde himself divise. And thanne he thoghte him in what wise He myhte his tirannie schewe; And to his conseil tok a schrewe, Whom to his fader forth he sente In his message, and he tho wente, And preide his fader for to seie Be his avis, and finde a weie, Hou thei the cité myhten winne, Whil that he stod so wel therinne. And whan the messager was come To Rome, and hath in conseil nome The king, it fell per chance so That thei were in a gardin tho, This messager forth with the king. And whanne he hadde told the thing In what manere that it stod, And that Tarquinus understod Be the message hou that it ferde, Anon he tok in honde a yerde, And in the gardin as thei gon, The lilie croppes on and on, Wher that thei weren sprongen oute, He smot of, as thei stode aboute, And seide unto the messager: 'Lo, this thing, which I do nou hier, Schal ben in stede of thin ansuere; And in this wise as I me bere, Thou schalt unto mi sone telle.' And he no lengere wolde duelle, Bot tok his leve and goth withal Unto his lord, and told him al, Hou that his fader hadde do. Whan Arrons herde him telle so, Anon he wiste what it mente, And therto sette al his entente, Til he thurgh fraude and tricherie The princes hefdes of Gabie Hath smiten of, and al was wonne: His fader cam tofore the sonne Into the toun with the Romeins, And tok and slowh the citezeins Withoute reson or pité, That he ne spareth no degré. And for the sped of this conqueste He let do make a riche feste With a sollempne sacrifise In Phebus temple; and in this wise Whan the Romeins assembled were, In presence of hem alle there, Upon th'alter whan al was diht And that the fyres were alyht, From under th'alter sodeinly An hidous serpent openly Cam out and hath devoured al The sacrifice, and ek withal The fyres queynt, and forth anon, So as he cam, so is he gon Into the depe ground agein. And every man began to sein, 'Ha lord, what mai this signefie?' And therupon thei preie and crie To Phebus, that thei mihten knowe The cause: and he the same throwe With gastly vois, that alle it herde, The Romeins in this wise ansuerde, And seide hou for the wikkidnesse Of pride and of unrihtwisnesse, That Tarquin and his sone hath do, The sacrifice is wasted so, Which myhte noght ben acceptable Upon such senne abhominable. And over that yit he hem wisseth, And seith that which of hem ferst kisseth His moder, he schal take wrieche Upon the wrong. And of that speche Thei ben withinne here hertes glade, Thogh thei outward no semblant made.      Ther was a knyht which Brutus hihte, And he with al the haste he myhte To grounde fell and th'erthe kiste, Bot non of hem the cause wiste, Bot wenden that he hadde sporned Per chance, and so was overtorned. Bot Brutus al another mente; For he knew wel in his entente Hou th'erthe of every mannes kinde Is moder. Bot thei weren blinde, And sihen noght so fer as he. Bot whan thei leften the cité And comen hom to Rome agein, Thanne every man which was Romein And moder hath, to hire he bende And keste, and ech of hem thus wende To be the ferste upon the chance, Of Tarquin for to do vengance, So as thei herden Phebus sein. [Tale of the Rape of Lucrece]      Bot every time hath his certein, So moste it nedes thanne abide, Til afterward upon a tyde Tarquinus made unskilfully A werre, which was fasteby Agein a toun with walles stronge Which Ardea was cleped longe, And caste a siege theraboute, That ther mai no man passen oute. So it befell upon a nyht, Arrons, which hadde his souper diht, A part of the chivalerie With him to soupe in compaignie Hath bede: and whan thei comen were And seten at the souper there, Among here othre wordes glade Arrons a gret spekinge made, Who hadde tho the beste wif Of Rome. And ther began a strif, For Arrons seith he hath the beste. So jangle thei withoute reste, Til ate laste on Collatin, A worthi knyht, and was cousin To Arrons, seide him in this wise: 'It is,' quod he, 'of non emprise To speke a word, bot of the dede, Therof it is to taken hiede. Anon forthi this same tyde Lep on thin hors and let ous ryde: So mai we knowe bothe tuo Unwarli what oure wyves do, And that schal be a trewe assay.' This Arrons seith noght ones nay. On horse bak anon thei lepte In such manere, and nothing slepte, Ridende forth til that thei come Al prively withinne Rome; In strange place and doun thei lihte, And take a chambre, and out of sihte Thei be desguised for a throwe, So that no lif hem scholde knowe. And to the paleis ferst thei soghte, To se what thing this ladi wroghte Of which Arrons made his avant. And thei hire sihe of glad semblant, Al full of merthes and of bordes; Bot among alle hire othre wordes Sche spak noght of hire housebonde. And whan thei hadde al understonde Of thilke place what hem liste, Thei gon hem forth, that non it wiste, Beside thilke gate of bras, Collacea which cleped was, Wher Collatin hath his duellinge. Ther founden thei at hom sittinge Lucrece his wif, al environed With wommen, whiche are abandoned To werche, and sche wroghte ek withal, And bad hem haste, and seith, 'It schal Be for mi housebondes were, Which with his swerd and with his spere Lith at the siege in gret desese. And if it scholde him noght displese, Nou wolde God I hadde him hiere; For certes til that I mai hiere Som good tidinge of his astat, Min herte is evere upon debat. For so as alle men witnesse, He is of such an hardiesse, That he can noght himselve spare, And that is al my moste care, Whan thei the walles schulle assaile. Bot if mi wisshes myhte availe, I wolde it were a groundles pet, Be so the siege were unknet, And I myn housebonde sihe.' With that the water in hire yhe Aros, that sche ne myhte it stoppe, And as men sen the dew bedroppe The leves and the floures eke, Riht so upon hire whyte cheke The wofull salte teres felle. Whan Collatin hath herd hire telle The menynge of hire trewe herte, Anon with that to hire he sterte, And seide, 'Lo, mi goode diere, Nou is he come to you hiere, That ye most loven, as ye sein.' And sche with goodly chiere agein Beclipte him in hire armes smale, And the colour, which erst was pale, To beauté thanne was restored, So that it myhte noght be mored.      The kinges sone, which was nyh, And of this lady herde and syh The thinges as thei ben befalle, The resoun of hise wittes alle Hath lost; for love upon his part Cam thanne, and of his fyri dart With such a wounde him hath thurghsmite, That he mot nedes fiele and wite Of thilke blinde maladie, To which no cure of surgerie Can helpe. Bot yit natheles At thilke time he hield his pes That he no contienance made, Bot openly with wordes glade, So as he couthe in his manere, He spak and made frendly chiere, Til it was time for to go. And Collatin with him also His leve tok, so that be nyhte With al the haste that thei myhte Thei riden to the siege agein. Bot Arrons was so wo besein With thoghtes whiche upon him runne, That he al be the brode sunne To bedde goth, noght for to reste, Bot for to thenke upon the beste And the faireste forth withal That evere he syh or evere schal, So as him thoghte in his corage, Where he pourtreieth hire ymage: Ferst the fetures of hir face, In which nature hadde alle grace Of wommanly beauté beset, So that it myhte noght be bet; And hou hir yelwe her was tresced And hire atir so wel adresced, And hou sche spak, and hou sche wroghte, And hou sche wepte, al this he thoghte, That he forgeten hath no del, Bot al it liketh him so wel, That in the word nor in the dede Hire lacketh noght of wommanhiede. And thus this tirannysshe knyht Was soupled, bot noght half ariht, For he non other hiede tok, Bot that he myhte be som crok, Althogh it were agein hire wille, The lustes of his fleissh fulfille; Which love was noght resonable, For where honour is remuable, It oghte wel to ben avised. Bot he, which hath his lust assised With melled love and tirannie, Hath founde upon his tricherie A weie which he thenkth to holde, And seith, 'Fortune unto the bolde Is favorable for to helpe.' And thus withinne himself to yelpe, As he which was a wylde man, Upon his treson he began: And up he sterte, and forth he wente On horsebak, bot his entente Ther knew no wiht, and thus he nam The nexte weie, til he cam Unto Collacea the gate Of Rome, and it was somdiel late, Riht evene upon the sonne set, As he which hadde schape his net Hire innocence to betrappe. And as it scholde tho mishappe, Als priveliche as evere he myhte He rod, and of his hors alyhte Tofore Collatines in, And al frendliche he goth him in, As he that was cousin of house. And sche, which is the goode spouse, Lucrece, whan that sche him sih, With goodli chiere drowh him nyh, As sche which al honour supposeth, And him, so as sche dar, opposeth Hou it stod of hire housebonde. And he tho dede hire understonde With tales feigned in his wise, Riht as he wolde himself devise, Wherof he myhte hire herte glade, That sche the betre chiere made, Whan sche the glade wordes herde, Hou that hire housebonde ferde. And thus the trouthe was deceived With slih tresoun, which was received To hire which mente alle goode. For as the festes thanne stode, His souper was ryht wel arraied. Bot yit he hath no word assaied To speke of love in no degré; Bot with covert soubtilité His frendly speches he affaiteth, And as the tigre his time awaiteth In hope for to cacche his preie. Whan that the bordes were aweie And thei have souped in the halle, He seith that slep is on him falle, And preith he moste go to bedde. And sche with alle haste spedde, So as hire thoghte it was to done, That everything was redi sone. Sche broghte him to his chambre tho And tok hire leve, and forth is go Into hire oghne chambre by, As sche that wende certeinly Have had a frend, and hadde a fo, Wherof fell after mochel wo.      This tirant, thogh he lyhe softe, Out of his bed aros fulofte, And goth aboute, and leide his ere To herkne, til that alle were To bedde gon and slepten faste. And thanne upon himself he caste A mantell, and his swerd al naked He tok in honde; and sche unwaked Abedde lay, bot what sche mette, God wot; for he the dore unschette So prively that non it herde, The softe pas and forth he ferde Unto the bed wher that sche slepte, Al sodeinliche and in he crepte, And hire in bothe his armes tok. With that this worthi wif awok, Which thurgh tendresce of wommanhiede Hire vois hath lost for pure drede, That o word speke sche ne dar, And ek he bad hir to be war, For if sche made noise or cry, He seide, his swerd lay faste by To slen hire and hire folk aboute. And thus he broghte hire herte in doute, That lich a lomb whanne it is sesed In wolves mouth, so was desesed Lucrece, which he naked fond, Wherof sche swounede in his hond, And, as who seith, lay ded oppressed. And he, which al him hadde adresced To lust, tok thanne what him liste, And goth his wey, that non it wiste, Into his oghne chambre agein, And clepede up his chamberlein, And made him redi for to ryde. And thus this lecherouse pride To horse lepte and forth he rod. And sche, which in hire bed abod, Whan that sche wiste he was agon, Sche clepede after liht anon And up aros long er the day, And caste awey hire freissh aray, As sche which hath the world forsake, And tok upon the clothes blake. And evere upon continuinge, Riht as men sen a welle springe, With yhen fulle of wofull teres, Hire her hangende aboute hire eres, Sche wepte, and no man wiste why. Bot yit among full pitously Sche preide that thei nolden drecche Hire housebonde for to fecche Forth with hire fader ek also.      Thus be thei comen bothe tuo, And Brutus cam with Collatin, Which to Lucrece was cousin, And in thei wenten alle thre To chambre, wher thei myhten se The wofulleste upon this molde, Which wepte as sche to water scholde. The chambre dore anon was stoke, Er thei have oght unto hire spoke; Thei sihe hire clothes al desguised, And hou sche hath hirself despised, Hire her hangende unkemd aboute, Bot natheles sche gan to loute And knele unto hire housebonde; And he, which fain wolde understonde The cause why sche ferde so, With softe wordes axeth tho, 'What mai you be, mi goode swete?' And sche, which thoghte hirself unmete And the lest worth of wommen alle, Hire wofull chiere let doun falle For schame and couthe unnethes loke. And thei therof good hiede toke, And preiden hire in alle weie That sche ne spare for to seie Unto hir frendes what hire eileth, Why sche so sore hirself beweileth, And what the sothe wolde mene. And sche, which hath hire sorwes grene, Hire wo to telle thanne assaieth, Bot tendre schame hire word delaieth, That sondri times as sche minte To speke, upon the point sche stinte. And thei hire bidden evere in on To telle forth, and therupon, Whan that sche sih sche moste nede, Hire tale betwen schame and drede Sche tolde, noght withoute peine. And he, which wolde hire wo restreigne, Hire housebonde, a sory man, Conforteth hire al that he can, And swor, and ek hire fader bothe, That thei with hire be noght wrothe Of that is don agein hire wille; And preiden hire to be stille, For thei to hire have al forgive. Bot sche, which thoghte noght to live, Of hem wol no forgivenesse, And seide, of thilke wickednesse Which was unto hire bodi wroght, Al were it so sche myhte it noght, Nevere afterward the world ne schal Reproeven hire; and forth withal, Er eny man therof be war, A naked swerd, the which sche bar Withinne hire mantel priveli, Betwen hire hondes sodeinly Sche tok, and thurgh hire herte it throng, And fell to grounde, and evere among, Whan that sche fell, so as sche myhte, Hire clothes with hire hand sche rihte, That no man dounward fro the kne Scholde eny thing of hire se: Thus lay this wif honestely, Althogh she deide wofully.      Tho was no sorwe for to seke. Hire housebonde, hire fader eke Aswoune upon the bodi felle; Ther mai no mannes tunge telle In which anguisshe that thei were. Bot Brutus, which was with hem there, Toward himself his herte kepte, And to Lucrece anon he lepte, The blodi swerd and pulleth oute, And swor the goddes al aboute That he therof schal do vengance. And sche tho made a contienance, Hire dedlich yhe and ate laste In thonkinge as it were up caste, And so behield him in the wise, Whil sche to loke mai suffise. And Brutus with a manlich herte Hire housebonde hath mad up sterte Forth with hire fader ek also In alle haste, and seide hem tho That thei anon withoute lette A beere for the body fette; Lucrece and therupon bledende He leide, and so forth out criende He goth into the marketplace Of Rome: and in litel space Thurgh cry the cité was assembled, And every mannes herte is trembled, Whan thei the sothe herde of the cas. And therupon the conseil was Take of the grete and of the smale, And Brutus tolde hem al the tale. And thus cam into remembrance Of senne the continuance, Which Arrons hadde do tofore, And ek, long time er he was bore, Of that his fadre hadde do The wrong cam into place tho; So that the comun clamour tolde The newe schame of sennes olde. And al the toun began to crie, 'Awey, awey the tirannie Of lecherie and covoitise!' And ate laste in such a wise The fader in the same while Forth with his sone thei exile, And taken betre governance. Bot yit another remembrance That rihtwisnesse and lecherie Acorden noght in compaignie With him that hath the lawe on honde, That mai a man wel understonde, As be a tale thou shalt wite, Of olde ensample as it is write. [Tale of Virginia]      At Rome whan that Apius, Whos other name is Claudius, Was governour of the cité, Ther fell a wonder thing to se Touchende a gentil maide, as thus, Whom Livius Virginius Begeten hadde upon his wif. Men seiden that so fair a lif As sche was noght in al the toun. This fame, which goth up and doun, To Claudius cam in his ere, Wherof his thoght anon was there, Which al his herte hath set afyre, That he began the flour desire Which longeth unto maydenhede, And sende, if that he myhte spede The blinde lustes of his wille. Bot that thing mai he noght fulfille, For sche stod upon mariage. A worthi kniht of gret lignage, Ilicius which thanne hihte, Acorded in hire fader sihte Was, that he scholde his douhter wedde. Bot er the cause fully spedde, Hire fader, which in Romanie The ledinge of chivalerie In governance hath undertake, Upon a werre which was take Goth out with al the strengthe he hadde Of men of armes whiche he ladde. So was the mariage left, And stod upon acord til eft.      The king, which herde telle of this, Hou that this maide ordeigned is To mariage, thoghte another. And hadde thilke time a brother, Which Marchus Claudius was hote, And was a man of such riote Riht as the king himselve was. Thei tuo togedre upon this cas In conseil founden out this weie, That Marchus Claudius schal seie Hou sche be weie of covenant To his service appourtenant Was hol, and to non other man; And therupon he seith he can In every point witnesse take, So that sche schal it noght forsake. Whan that thei hadden schape so, After the lawe which was tho, Whil that hir fader was absent, Sche was somouned and assent To come in presence of the king And stonde in ansuere of this thing. Hire frendes wisten alle wel That it was falshed everydel, And comen to the king and seiden, Upon the comun lawe and preiden, So as this noble worthi knyht Hir fader for the comun riht In thilke time, as was befalle, Lai for the profit of hem alle Upon the wylde feldes armed, That he ne scholde noght ben harmed Ne schamed, whil that he were oute; And thus thei preiden al aboute.      For al the clamour that he herde, The king upon his lust ansuerde, And gaf hem only daies tuo Of respit; for he wende tho, That in so schorte a time appiere Hire fader mihte in no manere. Bot as therof he was deceived, For Livius hadde al conceived The pourpos of the king tofore, So that to Rome agein therfore In alle haste he cam ridende, And lefte upon the field liggende His host, til that he come agein. And thus this worthi capitein Appiereth redi at his day, Wher al that evere reson may Be lawe in audience he doth, So that his dowhter upon soth Of that Marchus hire hadde accused He hath tofore the court excused.      The king, which sih his pourpos faile, And that no sleihte mihte availe, Encombred of his lustes blinde The lawe torneth out of kinde, And half in wraththe as thogh it were, In presence of hem alle there Deceived of concupiscence Gaf for his brother the sentence, And bad him that he scholde sese This maide and make him wel at ese; Bot al withinne his oghne entente He wiste hou that the cause wente, Of that his brother hath the wyte He was himselven for to wyte. Bot thus this maiden hadde wrong, Which was upon the king along, Bot agein him was non appel, And that the fader wiste wel. Wherof upon the tirannie, That for the lust of Lecherie His douhter scholde be deceived, And that Ilicius was weyved Untrewly fro the mariage, Riht as a leon in his rage, Which of no drede set acompte And not what pité scholde amounte, A naked swerd he pulleth oute, The which amonges al the route He threste thurgh his dowhter side, And al alowd this word he cride: 'Lo, take hire ther, thou wrongfull king, For me is levere upon this thing To be the fader of a maide, Thogh sche be ded, than if men saide That in hir lif sche were schamed And I therof were evele named.'      Tho bad the king men scholde areste His bodi, bot of thilke heste, Lich to the chaced wylde bor, The houndes whan he fieleth sor, Tothroweth and goth forth his weie, In such a wise for to seie This worthi kniht with swerd on honde His weie made, and thei him wonde, That non of hem his strokes kepte; And thus upon his hors he lepte, And with his swerd droppende of blod, The which withinne his douhter stod, He cam ther as the pouer was Of Rome, and tolde hem al the cas, And seid hem that thei myhten liere Upon the wrong of his matiere, That betre it were to redresce At hom the grete unrihtwisnesse, Than for to werre in strange place And lese at hom here oghne grace. For thus stant every mannes lif In jeupartie for his wif Or for his dowhter, if thei be Passende another of beauté.      Of this merveile which thei sihe So apparant tofore here yhe, Of that the king him hath misbore, Here othes thei have alle swore That thei wol stonde be the riht. And thus of on acord upriht To Rome at ones hom agein Thei torne, and schortly for to sein, This tirannye cam to mouthe, And every man seith what he couthe, So that the privé tricherie, Which set was upon lecherie, Cam openly to mannes ere; And that broghte in the comun feere, That every man the peril dradde Of him that so hem overladde. Forthi, er that it worse falle, Thurgh comun conseil of hem alle Thei have here wrongfull king deposed, And hem in whom it was supposed The conseil stod of his ledinge Be lawe unto the dom thei bringe, Wher thei receiven the penance That longeth to such governance. And thus th'unchaste was chastised, Wherof thei myhte ben avised That scholden afterward governe, And be this evidence lerne, Hou it is good a king eschuie The lust of vice and vertu suie. [Tale of Tobias and Sara]      To make an ende in this partie, Which toucheth to the Policie Of Chastité in special, As for conclusion final That every lust is to eschue Be gret ensample I mai argue: Hou in Rages a toun of Mede Ther was a mayde, and as I rede, Sarra sche hihte, and Raguel Hir fader was; and so befell, Of bodi bothe and of visage Was non so fair of the lignage, To seche among hem alle, as sche; Wherof the riche of the cité, Of lusti folk that couden love, Assoted were upon hire love, And asken hire for to wedde. On was which ate laste spedde, Bot that was more for likinge, To have his lust, than for weddinge, As he withinne his herte caste, Which him repenteth ate laste. For so it fell the ferste nyht, That whanne he was to bedde dyht, As he which nothing God besecheth Bot al only hise lustes secheth, Abedde er he was fully warm And wolde have take hire in his arm, Asmod, which was a fend of helle, And serveth, as the bokes telle, To tempte a man of such a wise, Was redy there, and thilke emprise, Which he hath set upon delit, He vengeth thanne in such a plit, That he his necke hath writhe atuo. This yonge wif was sory tho, Which wiste nothing what it mente; And natheles yit thus it wente Noght only of this ferste man, Bot after, riht as he began, Sexe othre of hire housebondes Asmod hath take into hise bondes, So that thei alle abedde deiden Whan thei her hand toward hir leiden, Noght for the lawe of mariage, Bot for that ilke fyri rage In which that thei the lawe excede. For who that wolde taken hiede What after fell in this matiere, Ther mihte he wel the sothe hiere. Whan sche was wedded to Thobie, And Raphael in compainie Hath tawht him hou to ben honeste, Asmod wan noght at thilke feste, And yit Thobie his wille hadde; For he his lust so goodly ladde, That bothe lawe and kinde is served, Wherof he hath himself preserved, That he fell noght in the sentence. O which an open evidence Of this ensample a man mai se, That whan likinge in the degré Of mariage mai forsueie, Wel oghte him thanne in other weie Of lust to be the betre avised. For God the lawes hath assissed Als wel to reson as to kinde, Bot he the bestes wolde binde Only to lawes of nature, Bot to the mannes creature God gaf him reson forth withal, Wherof that he nature schal Upon the causes modefie, That he schal do no lecherie, And yit he schal hise lustes have. So ben the lawes bothe save And everything put out of sclandre; As whilom to king Alisandre The wise Philosophre tawhte, Whan he his ferste lore cawhte, Noght only upon chasteté, Bot upon alle honesteté; Wherof a king himself mai taste, Hou trewe, hou large, hou joust, hou chaste Him oghte of reson for to be, Forth with the vertu of Pité, Thurgh which he mai gret thonk deserve Toward his Godd, that he preserve Him and his poeple in alle welthe Of pes, richesse, honour and helthe Hier in this world and elles eke.      Mi sone, as we tofore spieke In schrifte, so as thou me seidest, And for thin ese, as thou me preidest, Thi love throghes for to lisse, That I thee wolde telle and wisse The forme of Aristotles lore, I have it seid, and somdiel more Of othre ensamples, to assaie If I thi peines myhte allaie Thurgh eny thing that I can seie."      "Do wey, mi fader, I you preie! Of that ye have unto me told I thonke you a thousendfold. The tales sounen in myn ere, Bot yit myn herte is elleswhere, I mai miselve noght restreigne, That I nam evere in loves peine. Such lore couthe I nevere gete, Which myhte make me forgete O point, bot if so were I slepte, That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thenke of love and of his lawe; That herte can I noght withdrawe. Forthi, my goode fader diere, Lef al and speke of my matiere Touchende of love, as we begonne: If that ther be oght overronne Or oght forgete or left behinde Which falleth unto loves kinde, Wherof it nedeth to be schrive, Nou axeth, so that whil I live I myhte amende that is mys."      "Mi goode diere sone, yis. Thi schrifte for to make plein, Ther is yit more for to sein Of love which is unavised. Bot for thou schalt be wel avised Unto thi schrifte as it belongeth, A point which upon love hongeth And is the laste of alle tho, I wol thee telle, and thanne 'Ho.'" Explicit Liber Septimus

since; entreated [educational] circumstances (see note) perturbed (see note) instruction relieve inform (guide) circumstance perception book of rules what Callisthenes; (see note) once wrote know teachings learning categories (branches of learning); (see note) understands all matters of wisdom skill in language present a case at trial separates disposition scoundrels Which (i.e., Practique); disposal choice kingdom; war; peace don (professor) (see note) (see note) (t-note) (i.e., Aristotle) listen; mark (be sure) particular; (see note) high called (see note) second; (see note) called; (see note) (see note) physical (see note) (i.e., Aristotle) (see note) (see note) (see note) Has come into existence essential nature entities; (see note) Their manner of existence (essence); (see note) one; sun Their intention (see note) faith prove determinant argument (logic) causes one to have; reward lofty wisdom; learning (see note) entities birds physical (material) fully investigated is beneficial/profits (see note) fields of learning art of measuring (calculating) called (see note) learn computing with Arabic numbers signifies; (see note) computes the A,B,Cs of Arabic numbering (see note) Art of Composition (Harmony) harmony aloud piercing; gentle musical scale combination and rhythmic arrangement quality (see note) expertise (skill in calculation) Discovered by observation (t-note) (see note) fourth allows understanding of teaches about moon nature made; manner sound before knit is called hyle (primordial matter); (see note) are called; (t-note) (see note) its firmly established and undivided created right in the middle nature; to fall toward that center; (see note) obstruction (see note) nevertheless thin (pure) itself fortified matter hills; plains eye hills; high explains (see note) nature its breathing living Must for lack of exempted atmospheric layers one raised by interstice (slot) causes to flower taken rain lightning The lightning bolt strikes before it flashes light before they hear the thunder is perceived from a distance [That]; eye; nearer; (see note) sound; ear fear safety (shelter) Unless (see note) see by night fiery dragon ignorant; judge meteorite neither i.e., Aristotle vaporous emanations come into being many names A falling star; (see note) kindled ignited; (t-note) skipping goat is called "leaping goat" astronomers itself St. Elmo's fire running provided (furnished) more eye By; flies burning called say reckon i.e., Aristotle happens ways surrounds lacking moisture hear; learned traditions nature; constitution diverse Like [Such] that; leaves gives particular traits to; (see note) (see note) illness certitude Is called unhappy (unfortunate) should lose wears himself out; nothing Phlegm Forgetful; slow; weary perform sexually is appropriate nature sanguine pay; its just desserts Is a characteristic symptom of the constitution Choler called ingenious (cunning) irascible quarreling And have little ability to think about love promises well by day exert himself poorly perform sexually natural inclination cold; hot habitation lodging Phlegm place prescribed [to do] liver free (unencumbered) heat residence gall bladder know Strives causes one to inflict harm laugh; (see note) disease its behavior (function) cook; (see note) cooks food (t-note) die (starve) (see note) the governor given preparations; (see note) holds the soul dearly lofty perfection (excellence) Characteristic of its own entirely because of their destiny one yearns for wholly taken over seldom may dominate him please God's blessing obtains gets [for] himself by eternal life's (see note) pleases (see note) more completely map of the world by sections mantle of heaven Comprise vengeance high hills brought death to every creature Except; kin Their; understands correctly were called flood According to what they themselves divided sun region of the East greatest; (see note) set with boundaries Nile possession (see note) Mediterranean running in every way (continuously) stops (whoa!) befell at that time called took many the West; cold the East; heat abandoned not usable demarcations its; the same lands along the shore limits called; Ocean high tides its origin draws breath According to nature; goes ocean tell (t-note) hear teaching discourse sphere; (see note) egg sphere; contains one by one explicate (see note) its nature cold weather; hot call good fortune distresses many caused by natural philosopher astronomer/astrologer theologian; (see note) fear if he is lucky affects Must in learned sources hearing (see note) advanced learning (t-note) stars discloses Associated evaluates signifies regions sphere; spoke of earlier afar seven regards Beyond the celestial vault; (see note) spheres by themselves their by smaller before taught; (see note) commended instructed entrusted At the base of; (see note) ocean tides (see note) Except receives it from so that; is not difficulty i.e., Ptolemy's astronomical treatise; (see note) close to earth overshadowed born Germany labor (see note) its planetary orbit born zealous sluggish prosper (be sufficient) diligence (industry) its influences as it so happens (see note) whether; succeed or not one fortunes turn gladness (bliss); woe benevolent; pleasurable by; nature woos to such a degree knows not is born under Venus called region of influence eye birds at tall; shades makes glad principal (see note) all around (see note) By name called lychnites(?) Cat's eye; thunderstone diamond beautiful (pleasant) (see note) emerald Jasper; heliotrope (see note) chariot called; (see note) is called haste value region characteristic; attribute excelling in combat loyal (beholden) impetuous; foolhardy war influence peace sensual (luxurious) Tempers; pertains takes in Under the control of its planetary influence lucky in commercial business eager for pleasure (luxury) easy (frivolous?) pleasures (delights) i.e., every living creature excellent (rich) happiness (comfort) In whatever way he (Saturn) is involved the East made to learn schools of learning (see note) The one power book of rules one [month] vary are ordered its; as is proper (see note); (t-note) sheep sign of the zodiac (beast) belly; head (see note) refuge; (see note) (see note) (see note) true influence Is propitious; in [that sign] intrinsically Assigned; power assigned bird; choose its mate adder attempts spring its bull; dry pertaining somewhat; (see note) bull linked without stars eighteen April; (see note) Provides well endowed (see note) bull's one make-up nevertheless Ptolemy; (see note) (see note) song green leaves with his pricking assigned position retinue Describe nature moon called lodging keeping share (t-note) takes next virgin endowed one head August scale weigh seen; (see note) head; undertakes unappealing often times exalted in its exaltation any hurt on high treacherous evildoer without stars tail arranged on his head (see note) unfittingly beware prelude following (see note) Studded [with stars] by nature harm plow oxen [are] brought in unfermented grape juice; (see note) slaughter of the pigs called goat fellowship (see note) moon; is unpleasing; (see note) same; claimed lodging injury (outrage) who has brought together run by nature head mention (see note) to come (following) contribution (alms giving) primrose supplied with rain obstructs (see note) put in place region Armenia Alexandria significant control of that region entitled to them not in a northerly direction differentiated hear; (see note) caused to learn About those; instruction (t-note) By he who knew such things eye (see note) reach (t-note) (see note) (see note) teaching plant pertains to (brightest star in Taurus) Ruby Its; spurge (wartweed) not without power (the Seven Sisters); (see note) receives The stone attributed [to him] (brightest star in Perseus) for his benefit diamond allotted to him called hellebore Capella manner; before common or white horehound Sirius (the dog star) nature pertains to Venus beryl Juniper berries advance following By; Algomeiza (Procyon) treatise Mars School [of Aristotle] agate; primrose (see note) [in the constellation Corvus] lappacium maius profit onyx called Spica emerald great praise Sage Arcturus jasper Benenais (second star in Ursa Major) lodestone (magnet); stone; (see note) Chicory Alphecca (Gemma, in Corona Borealis); (see note) (t-note) topaz rosemary suited; its character (nature) Calbalacrab (Antares, Scorpio's heart) given for his benefit (use) (a medicinal plant) has as an attribute (see note) by its nature savory Denebalgedi (cauda capricorni); (see note) previous setting in order chalcedony possesses marjoram learning distinguish Their; teaching (see note) Noah Ptolemy (see note) science of measuring altitude Plane geometry Abraham; one Moses put in place (located) regarded as correct (trustworthy) are of themselves discern counterweight (balance) (see note) spoken language; given lose nowhere creature Thus adapt purpose (see note) Dedicated to (Reserved for) beneficial correctness declare peace power powerful; its activities Whether ear deceitful a manner (see note) linguistic facility conquered written charms friend; foe peace; war from disorder beguiles it pleases him vault either; or alleviated (allayed) (see note) Cicero Constructs; select release; construe [an argument] ambiguity [Caesar]; Cicero Who; then Cato; Silanus conspiracy (collusion) were associated [with him] bring them to justice (see note) was bound in duty punishment spoke speech learn construct deceitfulness true man; combat (see note) (see note) Ethics health maintain food; also nature Economics; (see note) (t-note) govern; rule; (see note) field of instruction pertains to kingship honor In town and out (i.e., everywhere); (t-note) craftsmen (tradesmen, workmen) professions craft (occupation) lose understanding prescribed Five; (see note) royal status learning is necessary guide royal power destroy (see note) appointed ascertain one Fidelity (Troth); dear knew how to do whole (see note) (see note) unseemly (inappropriate) repute; fresh (see note) bound by solemn compact make unstable (dispute) By; (see note) this distinctive feature Symbolizes; constancy promise pertains to royalty shining report rule rule (guide) [most] sovereign (see note) sultan; Persia Darius was called true seized esteem showed was called; (see note) those he trusted concepts (thoughts) made up his mind put the question most powerful their; take counsel; (t-note) promised reward took heed controversial debate destroy surpasses lessens increases calls him back free from law (unchallengeable) account; make clear greater potency cripple leap vigorous; weak to have eyesight bright-eyed [person]; scholar ignorant (lay) learning generosity logic nature vintner From eye (see note) anger meek by dragged him; it pleased her fondles; kissed it pleases her scowls; sighs overwhelmed By; lover (see note) fear forged deliverance (remedy); (see note) Admetus; (see note) Sick goodwill attain know woefully afflicted health (see note) took what she wished immediately well earth most necessary many times over (see note) time known regret (t-note) creature inquiry reward useful (profitable) settle (situate); at rest Generosity (Munificence) reduce in strength held in common quelled Soon; private gain knew (see note) resolve (settle) justice division; their royal power rob; pillage by; logic but rather is constrained also excessive extravagance moderation from poverty out of accord (hostile) must also merits according to how; kinship pursue; privilege duly constituted because; cash flow counsel (attorney) To plead knew restore pleaded legal counselor case Assigned [for service]; one outraged; fault rescue place know myself be proud enough true messenger requires reward; (see note) repay (see note) bestow overly great reduced his request dishonorable (undignified) learn diminishes know not direct moderate moderation (see note) false becomes aware of flattery flatter nurses Culpable One angry; what they saw deceit; falsehood flattery and say true eye is blinded royal court customary [Such] that royal lies against nature (see note) learning; achieved recount called unruly behavior was called knew and had the power to do much left possession bridge; hear wile; devious path devised often done; commanded against the proper role of a learned man opulent splendor; elevated seduction occupation possessions vegetable soup in all directions cleans washes; stream road stopped eye nearby herbs (plants) knew how to please knew how, as I do mind by reason judge please Against example avoided honor surpasses know not; (see note) Except; (t-note) time and again himself befuddled (deceived) truth-teller; beloved model ear; (see note) unforseen circumstances chariot triumphal cloak; wear royal chariot fool go astray (deviate); (see note) think secure moment fool Whether; or confirmed royal high dais food storyteller masons; desire to know buried Then delude contrived their ear possession royal excellence equal condition blind man; (see note) fool think (see note) own hand impediment applied many a one useful once happened (see note) was called Ahab Israel; govern knew how to use fair words courteously them wealthy (powerful) Israel called; (see note) gang in fellowship hear head Two leaping about (rampant) hope air defeated To speak flatteringly; those Corroborate (t-note) scoundrel (whoreson); called lain sloth fetch immediately predict no misfortune given repaid obscure (t-note) saw before lay [before me]; (t-note) Asking believes sheep; hill in disarray aimlessly invented provocation also scorned led facts despite all his [Ahab's] protective soldiers out of formation found to be lies (see note) (see note) kingdoms; restored (reformed) unite; (see note) commonwealth honor receives Has the inherent right to govern (t-note) keep From doing wrong (see note) (see note) judged impartially the same show favoritism to no one royal compliant (in agreement); (see note) are skewed appointment either; or found no impediment from (t-note) memory come and go eye; ear know not foolish sin too (t-note) according to this reason Whether [it] be pleasing or displeasing to them said to them; wanted none what is fair stir up trouble obstructed whatever fear commander of the Praetorian Guard unless; weaponless on the grounds of intending malice put to death by law counsel listen to waited for him to arrive girded investigate judgment sloth spared slain upbraid (censure) dead (lit., at the end of his days) aware mourned Will not take vengeance for a broken law avenged wrecked entirely skinned Alive circumvent judgment [that would befall him] olden days then bound uphold obliged (see note) for personal gain uncertainty (instability) Saw instituted knows; know I acknowledge entirely; sent by God reason know far removed commanded place All the while contrived; (t-note) established did not care about entrusted to him improve (advance, encourage); (see note) established region meritorious action; (see note) reward kingdom of heaven reward here hear widely acclaimed devised Hebrews; (see note) Greeks is plaintiff evaded (nullified) pays no heed By (see note) disgrace led fourth (see note) describe at length esteemed renown; continually moved; descended to earth amend (atone for) maiden (i.e., the Virgin Mary) esteem balanced By; weight It is suitable for; [to] fear command It befits (see note) (see note); (t-note) (t-note) Trajan; (see note) (t-note) rigor fear success to him; come about otherwise; (see note); (t-note) befits; living beneficial Valerius Maximus; (see note) the Dorians seek advice From; trusted knew Either defeated head limbs; (see note) guide show respect for praise vengeance arose (see note) war; uncertainty defeated poverty head tenderness; (see note) dais Before take pity undo angry [at each other] Came to terms; peace temper sin which stand against pleasing to God (i.e., one who is piteous) may happen for a little bit those who move that game piece; (see note) descended upon deprived [of power] nose off render him loathsome unsuitable driven out should receive judicial punishment (see note) sea; invented the galley had them made; war out of kilter (unhinged) compassion kill; killed was called ingratiate himself bull door; enter torture bellowing; ear deceptions knows who lies brought about; overthrown place designed lamented for him appropriate from time past value corral (see note) So that punished against Who; roused to anger by known wars books on natural history lion; nature resists somewhat (halfway) So that; injure (t-note) has yielded depends on; entirely sea (see note) duke called ransom dear to him honor they (tyrannical acts); hostile (vicious) wrath (see note) was called defeated conceive of mother's ear far and wide overthrow devised a means; surround herself (in her own person) disguised out of ranks Those lying in ambush disperse surrounded dead; captured cut down (laid to rest); pride (boast) who once gave no [mercy] saw judicial penalty estrange From; distant lost (see note) fearful cowardice (t-note) war in disorder put a good face on things So that Except without due consideration true cause once; hill Arcadia in childbirth birth pains judgment (doom) fear thought; lost nearer; by chance be delivered; (t-note) defiantly mouse That was born deemed themselves stupid were afraid; (see note); (t-note) countenance Horace rather follow Achilles war; avoid (eschew) did (t-note) (see note) assuredly own honor also obliged innocence rashness true bravery must; direct (control) turn away Unless; sloth succeed Since he [the king] represents them all helps (see note) Judah; Israel whom; looked after then And [as] it happened in those days thus betook himself to give advice company attack (assault); (t-note) battalion twice as many so few pleasant life set out keep himself quietly; peace lost proclamation had departed afterward fewer succeed river taken drinks labor [And] falls onto his stomach to drink pays close attention just so he did place more gone takes counsel Complaining (t-note) heathen lodged speaking; heard Interpret; dream correctly dreamed saw a barley cake hill terrified dream outcry be hateful escape stole away living person fare well following; prepared attack cunning; worked small group An earthen pot; takes lamp (metal cup) time Duke Set himself to raise the battle cry; (t-note) one voice in unison their pots break That Gideon himself; did so place did duke smashed; cried out The trumpet [blast] was not far behind also hill; their hill glowed with fire remained utterly their bare bodies hill knew their position (t-note) virtuous (well-bred) moon destroy; cause to succeed directs enemies injure (see note) (t-note) guiltless (t-note) promised defeated disregarded it command Because; promise ransom (see note) complained apart from his royal office excess and insufficiency blame follows (t-note) an order has given at once had passed on command did immediately judicial punishment well pleased make submissive (mollify) administer esteem bound remove fools inherits choose petition prayed by; rule kingdom prayer; demanded pleased health it is obligatory for him trustworthy severity Praise goes astray oppressed dearly paid for (suffered) are not guilty suffer what; deserves know not trust true (see note) fool jester's scepter played whole What sort of Whether; praise By thought to flatter hear thoughts [on the matter] understood said laughed holds its chooses not to relent hear seen repeatedly misfortune (see note) Resolved Either; or take away oppressively caused hardship arbitrary taxation guise then pillage seek advise (t-note) demanded disregards made up his mind (see note) plainly keep them utterly violence sea wild turn into a rough sea stirred themselves all simultaneously; (t-note) territory (place of dwelling) twelve tribes by themselves hope Israel their Jereboam Reheboam (see note) too zealous Before; become prudent (see note) one possesses knowledge, another power Provided that (see note) Whether one individual led especially so indebted (see note) Scipio; been (t-note) bound by duty; (see note) assert basis (foundation) blended Those two get rid of efficacious sexual urge (see note) male; made; female; (see note) one; many nature seek (entreat) plow implements; enough Fashioned; command noble (appropriate) (see note) think stands as a pledge (Aristotle); (see note) teaches (see note) seldom sanctified crown achievement (glory) take into consideration (advise himself) dissipation (debauchery) behave not foolishly (see note) the limit befuddles tricks whoever; muse upon them blame cause drown devotedly hinder cruel reason; follows times Deluded; themselves before weakest by way of nature natural; (see note) lose goes awry; know see; [apart] from By his foolishness [made] effeminate cease doing what shoe customary old stories; (see note) (see note) makes fatuous debauches bidden kissed; played train; cord to braid purse; string it so happened One; Media love is [i.e., should be] in moderation warfare desire follows war are grown overconfident (rash) lost; (t-note) before sets aside (impede) excellence; deficiency was called worse knew peace happened (see note) nurse pleasures honor (t-note) pleases him knew least expected lost then (see note) like pagan group; took arched; (see note) while pleased place were misbehaving thus them lie; sight Their; absolve purity succeed; fail snare It were better for him to escape sigh Shines Changes for the worse (see note) made (see note) wholly burdened withdrawn places dead folly Astarte; (see note) (see note) infatuated (see note) sacrificed to overcome paid for before; demise Foretells met greeted off divided garment swear pay for befits destroyed diminished (lessened) excess of luxury turned aside; (see note) (see note) (see note) practice (habit) wholly foolish who was offended by avenged tales; (see note) many a one (see note) duty it so happened war; won secret; took beat fresh wounds were shut attached pleasant it would be if; kill place rewarded agitated wondrously pleasant to them promised prepared then; health annointed vigorous condition desired completely villainous rascal (t-note) taken staff lily blossoms one by one off Immediately he knew heads; (see note) cut off prepared fires; kindled quenched injustice made known to them vengeance was called (t-note) knew thought; tripped a different thing meant nature hastened its duration; (see note) happen time without discretion war; nearby for a long time prepared knighthood invited dispute one who was useless; (see note) time assessment hidden time no living person might know them boast jokes they desired in such a way that no one knew surrounded utterly devoted To [their] work; worked wearing apparel Who Lies; discomfort If only God wanted that hear welfare in turmoil restrain it (Ardea); bottomless pit dispersed as [when]; besprinkle also leapt Embraced greater (made more) feel; know woefully afflicted broad daylight best [woman] heart yellow hair; arranged (braided) arrayed worked no detail (see note) moved (made supple) by some stratagem fickle watched satisfied mingled (see note) boast person; took fastest (closest) Just as devised ensnare then secretly Before; residence (inn) quite friendly [a] relative (see note) asks caused her to understand fared prepared (cooked) attempted embellishes tables as she thought proper near at hand who thought but [she] had an enemy ear listen remained asleep dreamed; (t-note) knows; unlatched secretly And all suddenly in delicacy careful (see note) intimidated her seized terrified (see note) completely overwhelmed had prepared himself pleased him knew arrogant lecher; (see note) remained knew before (see note) black incessantly eyes hair; ears would not delay most woeful; earth as if she would [turn] into water closed all in disarray hated hair; uncombed bow who was eager to know behaved then What is wrong unfit (horrible to look upon); (see note) most worthless countenance scarcely make eye contact troubles laments fresh intended stopped saw; needs must do it mortification angry Rebuke pierced; (see note) adjusted So that honorably also Fainting expression (see note) delay bier (coffin); obtain bleeding gathered shaken persistence done before done (see note) Away, away with know (see note) Concerning; (t-note) (see note) (see note) flower was engaged to be married was called father's view before the endeavor was finished underway by agreement [to be pursued] later pledged intended was called lecherous disposition wholly devised sent for knew utterly false figured then riding army till he should come Misled by seize knew censure to be blamed was wronged caused by the king against; recourse (appeal) knew obstructed Maliciously lion knows not; lead to thrust capture (seize) command hunted wild boar avoid parried (t-note) injustice make war; foreign lose; their own In danger saw clearly before their eyes was spoken of (came to mouth) knew ear avoid follow (see note) was called Crazy prepared Who knew died in bed their; laid honorable (see note) desire so seemly governed (see note) go wrong submitted; (see note) satisfaction (t-note) teaching received honorableness throes; relieve guide try alleviate Enough of this resound; ear; (see note); (t-note) am not unless; (t-note) feeling Leave skipped over yes ill-considered [say] "stop"