Lydgate and Burgh's Secrees of old Philisoffres A version of the "Secreta Secretorum": Edited from the Sloane MS. 2464, with introduction, notes and glossary, by Robert Steele |
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 | Lydgate and Burgh's Secrees of old Philisoffres |  |
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LYDGATE AND BURGH'S “SECREES OF OLD PHILISOFFRES.”
THE PROLOG OF A DOCTOR RECOMMENDING ARISTOTLE.
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God Almyghty save / and conferme our kyngIn al vertu / to his encrees of glorye
His Rewm and hym / by polityk lyving
With dred and love / to have memorye
Of his Enmyes / Conquest and victorye;
With sceptre and swerd / twen bothe to doo Ryght
Afftir his lawes / to euery maneer wyght.
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ffirst in al vertu / to sette his governaunceThe lord to plese / and his lawes to kepe,
And his legis / with hertly Obeyssaunce
In pees to kepe hem / wheer they wake or slepe;
To punysshe tyrauntys / & cherysshe hem that be meke
With two cleer Eyen / of discrecyoun,
As ye hem ffynde / of disposicyoun.
3
Them that be goode / cherysshe hem in goodnesse,And them that be / froward of Corage
Peyse the ballance / be greet Avysenesse,
ffor love nor hate / to doon Outrage.
Set a good mene / twen yong and Old of age.
Excellent prynce / this processe to Compyle
Takith at gre / the Rudnesse of my style.
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ffirst I that am / humble ServitourOf the kyng / with hool Affecyoun,
Voyde of Elloquence / I haue do my labour
To sette in Ordre / and execucyoun
ffirst my symplesse / vndir Correccioun,
With ryght hool herte / in al my best entent
ffor tacomplysshe / your comaundement.
5
Unto purpoos / my labour shewys,I haue be besy / with greet dilligence
To fynde the book / of al good thewys,
The which is holly / entytled in sentence
ffor prudent prynces / moost digne of Reuerence,
Callyd Secrees / of Old philisoffres
Of more valew / than is gold in Coffres.
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The which book / is notable of ffameWhylom compyled / by Arystotilees,
Which in sapience / of Secretees hath the name
Conveyed a mene / atwen werre and pees,
Ech thyng provyded / by vertuous encrees,
Set in Ordre / the tytles be wrytyng
To his disciple / of macedoyne kyng /
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Callyd Alysaundre / the myghty EmperourBorn by discent / Iustly to Succede,
With tweyne Crownys / as trewe Enherytour
Afftir his ffadir / to Regne in perce and mede,
Callyd philippus / pleynly as I Rede,
Thorugh al grece / namyd lord and Sire,
And by Conquest / hold the hool Empyre.
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This Alysaundre / the Crowne whan he took,Knyghtly dispoosyd / of herte and of Corage.
In whoos worshepe / compyled was this book
By Arystotyl / whanne he was falle in Age,
Had set asyde / by vertu al Outrage,
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ffor febylnesse / to counsayl in bataylle.
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With Alisaundre / preferryd in his dayes,Was noon so greet / in his Oppynyoun,
He was so trewe / founde at al assayes,
prudent and wys / and of discrecyoun,
And moost withal / of Reputacyoun:
Grettest clerk / in Grece thoo present,
And moost Sotyl / of Entendement.
10
And with al this / his OccupacyounWas fully set / with entieer dilligence
And spiritual studye / of Contemplacyoun.
Meknesse his guyde / with moderat Reuerence,
Moost charytable / al slouthe and necligence
ffolk in myscheef / and drery to counforte;
What euere he sauhe / the best to Repoorte.
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And Specially / Set was his ResounOn trouthe / On feithe / and on Rightwysnesse
Nat double of tounge / hatyd adulacyoun,
ffals Repoort / detraccyoun, ydelnesse,
fforgyd talys / with oute sekirnesse,
And moore in vertu / hym to magneffye,
With a spirit / endewyd of prophecye.
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Had in his tyme / prerogatyves twoffor his singuleer / vertuous excellence,
Callyd philisoffre / and prophete also;
Thorugh al Grece / had moost in Reuerence,
And for his gracious / Celestial inffluence
Bookys Recoorde / an Aungel was doun sent,
ffro god above / brought hym this present /
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That he shulde / the book Reherse kan,ffor his merytes / and vertuous dignite
Be callyd an Aungel / Rathere than a man
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Vnkouth and straunge / and merveyllous to se,
Which surmounte / by Recoord of scrypture,
Both witt of man / and werkys of nature.
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It is also / of hym maad mencyoun,As this stoory / pleynly doth expresse
ffor his vertuous / dysposicyoun
Groundid on god / Celestial of swetnesse,
In whoos memorye / wryters bere witnesse
He was Ravysshed / Contemplatyff of desir
Vp to the hevene / lyk a dowe of ffyr.
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Dewyd in vertu / be inspyracyounAbovyn alle othir / to his goostly avayl,
That Alysaundre / vnto subieccioun,
brought al kyngdammys / by his wys counsayl;
And Cronyclers / in ther Rehersayl,
Al hool the world / put in Remembrance,
And enclyned / to his Obeyssaunce.
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To his poweer / and RegalyeHe was Callyd kyng / and monarke of al,
And by his swerd / and famous Chevalrye,
By Aristotilees witt / in especial
Took in his hand / of goold the Round bal
To Occupyen / through his hih Renoun
vij. Clymatys / and Septemtryoun.
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No grucchyng was / nouthir in word ne dedeAgeyn his Conquest / he was so soore drad.
Al Arabye / Grece / Perce and Mede
Ech thyng Obeyed / what so euere he bad,
Alle his Empryses / demenyd wern and lad
By thavys / breffly in sentence,
Of Arystotiles / witt and providence.
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Ageyn his purpoos / there was noon Obstacle,ffadir and prynce / of philosophye
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Wroot Epistelys / of prudent policye,
To Alysaundre / And to his Regalye,
By cleer exanple / be which he myght knowe
To governe him / both to hihe and lowe.
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Whan the kyng / his pistel has seyn,And al the fourme / Conceyved in sentence,
To Arystotiles / he wrot thus ageyn
Of gentillesse / with greet Reuerence,
That he wolde / doon his dilligence,
Conceyue his menyng / and holly the matere
Of his Epistel / which that sewith here.
here is the fourme of the Epistil that kyng Alysaundre sent to his maister Aristotiles.
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Reuerent ffadir / doctour of discyplynemoost notable / and digne of Reuerence,
Phebus the sonne / moor clerly doth nat shyne,
As the Repoort / of your expert prudence
Aforn provides / of Royal Confidence.
In fewe teermys / I purpoose to Reherse
Thing toold to me / towchyng the lond of perce.
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ffirst how that lond / and that Regioun,Alle othir Reemys / in philosophye
It doth excelle / and of hih Resoun
Is moost inventyff / expert in ech partye.
Ther noblesse / for to magneffye
fferthest procede / by cleer entendement
ffor tacomplysshe / the ffyn of ther entent.
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Tencrese ther lordshippes / and have the souereynteOvir alle Citees / and straunge Regiouns,
And by ther marcial / magnanymyte
To sprede a brood / ther domynacyouns.
Wher vpon / lyk our entencyouns
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By your Avys / this perciens for to wynne.
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And here vpon / to make no dellayes,Mawgre ther myght / and ther Rebellyoun,
ffirst with my knyghthood / I wyl make Assayes
To haue al perce / in subieccyoun,
Abydyng Oonly / for short Conclusyoun
With your lettrys / for my Inpartye
On this matere / pleynly to signeffye.
Thanswere of Aristotilees /
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Sone Alisaundre / this matere to me is straunge,And includith / A maner of dyspayr.
Peyse in thy Silff / yif it be lyght to Chaunge
ffirst from the Erthe / the Watir and the Ayr,
And parte the Ellementys / in ther sperys fayr.
Whan this is doon / ferthermore in dede
Geyn percyens / in thy Conquest procede.
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ffirst thy purpoos / peyse it in ballaunce,Bothe in perce / and Septemtryoun:
Counte of ther Citees / the famous gouernaunce,
And haue ther with / Consyderacyoun
Be a forsyght / and Cleer inspeccyoun.
My counsayl is / towchyng the lond of perce,
ffroom thy purpoos / I Counsayl that thou Seece.
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Be gynne no thyng / with oute greet Avys,A ground of trouthe / first that it be possyble,
And I Counsayl / yif that thou be wys
fforeyn Empryses / which that be terryble,
Attempte hem nat / but yif it be Credyble
lykly on nature / by dysposicyoun
ffully taccomplysshe / thyn entencyoun.
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ffirst set a preef / in thy prudent avysIn Esy wyse / by Attemperaunce,
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To brynge hem Esyly / to good governaunce,
Of Oon Accoord / with oute varyaunce,
Vndir the wynges / of thy Royal bounte,
Them to Cherysshe / in thy benignyte.
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Yiff thou thus doo / by vertuous Repeyr,God shal encrese / of gracious inffluence,
And of full trust / I-brought out of dyspeyr
That ffynally / thy Royal excellence
Shal first plese god / in verray existence,
And thy sogettys / of hool herte and entent
Shall hool Obeye / to thy Comaundement.
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For entieer love / first groundid vpon theAffecyoun Rootyd / on Royal confidence,
Voyde of al Chaung / and mutabilite,
Peysybly / in thy magnificence;
As monarke / prevyd in existence,
lyk thy desirs / thyn herte for to queme
mong percyens / to were a dyademe.
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Thus by wryting / as made is mencyoun,Of Arystotyl / he gat al perce lond
With al the lordshippes / and euery Royal toun
And large Citees / maad soget to his hond.
Thus first of perce / as ye shal vndirstond,
Though he be birthe / with othir londys manye
Afftir his ffadir / was kyng of macedonye.
This Rubryssh rehersith name of the philisoffre Callid philip, born in parys, which was translator of this book.
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This philisoffre / famous and notableIn al his dedys / prudent & ryght-wys,
Callyd phelip / avysee and tretable,
In the Citee / brought forth of parys,
And above alle / moost excellent of prys,
Hadde in O thyng / souereyn avauntage,
His tounge ffyled / expert in al language:
8
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In Rethoryk / he hadde experyenceOf euery strange / vnkouth nacyoun,
Thorugh his sugryd / Enspyred Elloquence,
Kowde of ther tounge / make a translacyoun.
Termys Appropryd / be interpretacyoun
They were so set / by dilligent labour
Of Tullius gardyn / he bar awey the fflour.
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ffirst of hym sylff / he breffly doth expresse,His labour was / and his dilligence
Al his lyve / with wakir besynesse
Of Custummable / naturel providence,
Be disposicyoun / to have intelligence
Of Secre thynges / whan I was in dowte,
The hyd mysteryes / for to seke hem owte
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In this matere / was set al myn EntentAnd myn Inward / hertly attendaunce
Ther-of to have / Cleer entendement,
And of scryptures / Iust Reconysaunce.
To have with them / confederat Allyaunce
I sparyd noon / What fortune did falle
Philisoffres to seke / hem Oon and alle.
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So desirous I was / of herte and mynde,With al my wittys / to serchyn and visite
In Arrabia / and the ferther ynde
Philisoffres that cowde / hem sylff best quite,
And Rethoryciens / to compyle and endyte
Vnkouth mysteryes / I was glad hem to se
By ther suppoort / to lerne Some secree.
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I was so brent / in Cupydes ffyrTo knowe first / whanne I had gonne,
With hevenly fervence / Celestial of desir
To taste the licour / of Cytheroes tonne,
And knowe the cleernesse / of the bryght sonne,
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Breest of philisoffres / be grace tenlvmyne.
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Whanne I had serchyd / hihe and loweIn Sundry stodyes / and many greet lybrarye
Of this sonne / the bryghtnesse for to knowe,
I was wery / theron for to tarye,
Tyl at the laste / I fond a solytarye
Syttyng alloone / with lokkys hore and gray,
Which toward phebus / taught me the ryght way.
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The which sonne / of bryghtnesse perlees,Compyled aforn / by an expert philisoffre,
Callyd in his tyme / Exculapides,
To whoom I gan / my seruise for to Offre,
ffor gold nor Silvir / hadde I noon to proffre.
He hold hym first / be megre of Abstinence,
Whoom I besought / with devout Reuerence,
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That he wolde / goodly me EnspyreIn this matere / which I haue be-gonne
Toward the weye / which I moost desire,
The goldene path / direct unto the sonne,
Wheer philisoffres / as they Reherse konne,
Took ther laude / which that lastith euere
In parfight Clernesse / and may Eclypse neuere.
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Perseveraunt / in hoope whan I stood,Of my Request / with feithful attendaunce,
This solitarye / whan he vndirstood
Al that I mente / with euery Circumstaunce,
I fond in hym / no strange varyaunce
To myn entent / breffly to comprehende,
In goodly wyse / he lyst to condiscende.
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ffro poynt to poynt / taccomplysshe my desirs,Stood in greet hoope / it shulde me prevaylle
fforthryd in the weye / wheer phebus moost cleer is,
10
Was expleyted / that no thyng did faylle.
Cleer was the sonne / Watir, Erthe, and Eyer,
With which graunt / moost glad in my Repayer.
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Gretly Reioysshed / both of cheer and fface,And Renewyd / with a glad Corage,
Retournyd ageyn / to myn owne place,
Gaf thank to god / to my greet avauntage,
That he me gaff / so fortunat passage
In short tyme / and in so short a date
This seyd book / at leyser to translate
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With greet studye / tacomplysshe the byddyng,And to procede / in the translacyoun
Of this book / moost notable in wryting
Of Royal materis / souereyn of Renoun,
Which as monarcha / of euery Regioun,
Gaff me this Charge / knelyng on my kne
It to translate / fro greek in to Chalde.
here the Translator resortith ageyn to set in a prologe, on this wyse.
44
I gan Remembre / and muse in my Resoun,A Sodeyn consceyt / fyl in my ffantasye,
And made a stynt / in my translacyoun
A twix two / stood in Iupartye
To what party / my penne I shulde applye.
Thus in a dowte / kowde nat my Sylff counforte
Till I a brayde / in purpoos to Resorte
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To hym that drough / this processe moost devyne,Callyd in his tyme / in philoosophye
Sonne, merour / and launpe tenlvmyne
This translacyoun / of Royal policye
Out of Greek / and tounge of Arrabye
In to latyn / a Celestial werk
At Request / of this notable Clerk.
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Which in thoo dayes / was of greet dignite,Bysshop Sacryd / in the Citee Covalence,
Metropolitan / of moost Auctoryte,
By whoos Consayl / and in whoos Reuerence
A philisoffre / expert in ech science,
Callyd liberales / that been in nounbre sevene,
Namyd phillipus / myn Auctour doth hym nevene.
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Which took vpon hym / this vertuous labourVndir the wynges / of humble Obedyence,
That he of grace / wolde doon hym this ffavour,
This hooly Guydo / ffamous in ech science,
In whoos wurschepe / and in whoos Reuerence
By whoos byddyng / as he vndirtook,
Wroot to hym thus / the prologe of this book.
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Vndir your benigne / gracious suppoort,Twen hoope and dreed / Astonyd in my Symplesse,
ffor my moost vertuous / and Singuleer counfort,
With an exordye / groundid on meknesse,
With quakyng penne / my consceyt to expresse,
ffor lak of Rhethoryk / feerful to vnffoolde
To your noblesse / to wryten as I wolde.
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I have no Colour / but Oonly Chalk and sable,To peynte or portreye / lyst that I shulde Erre
Your hih Renoun / which is in-comperable;
Your hoolynesse / it spredith out so ferre,
lych as the moone / passith a smal sterre:
So your vertues / Reche vp to the hevene,
To Arthurus / And the sterrys sevene.
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And as phebus / with his bryght beemys,The goldene wayn / thorugh the world doth lede,
ffrom Est tyl West / with his celestial streemys
In merydien / fervent as the glede,
Bove moone and sterrys / in cleernesse doth excede;
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The vertues sprede / of your good name.
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In sondry konnynges / I Can Remembre noon,And I shulde / Reherse hem Ceryously,
But ye haue parcel / of hem euerychoon,
And shokkyd hem vp / in Ordre by and by;
And lyk myn Auctour / I dar seyn trewly,
And Repoorte / as it Comyth to mynde
In my translacyoun / to seyn ryght as I ffynde.
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ffirst with Noe / ye have expert prudence,With Abraham / feith, trouthe, and Equite;
With Isaak / prevyd conffydence,
And with Iacob / longanymyte;
Stabylnesse / with hardy Iosue,
Tretable abydyng / Reknyd in substaunce;
With duk Moyses / long perseveraunce.
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With helye / parfight devocyoun,Of Dauid / the grete benygnyte,
Of Elyseus / expert perfeccyoun,
Witt of Salamon / with Danyel Chastite;
Suffrance of Iob / in his Infirmyte,
Plente of language / with hooly Isaye,
And lamentaciouns / expert in Ieremye.
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And as your ffame / beryth Cleer witnesse,Ye haue also / with polityk prudence
In worldly thynges / greet avysenesse,
Circunspect / and vertuous dilligence,
And with Tullius / sugryd Elloquence:
The Repoort goth Est / West, North, and South,
Callyd Omerus / with the hony mouth.
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With alle these vertues / plentevous in lecture,Saddest exaunple / prevyd in sobirnesse,
Day and nyght / moost wakir in scripture,
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In moral vertues / Al vices to Represse,
Callyd Aurora / of spiritual doctryne,
Namely in mateerys / hevenly and divyne.
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Ye wer of lyff / Egal with hooly Seyntes,In parfight prayer / and Contemplacyoun,
fful Offte wepte / and made your compleyntes
ffor Synfful wrecchys / in desolacioun,
Disconsolat / in trybulacyoun,
That fro grace / and al vertu exyled,
Ye wern ay besy / tyl they were Reconcyled.
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By your dilligence / notable instruccyoun,ffro vicious lyff / ther corages to declyne,
And Race awey / al fals Occasyoun
Which ageyn vertu / shulde brynge hem to Rwyne,
ffor gracious phebus / that doth alwey shyne
To forthre yow / in spiritual avayl,
Was Alwey present / to been of your Counsayl.
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In liberal science / that be sevene in nounbre,Your studye ay stood / and your dilligence
bryght as Apollo / with oute shadwe or Owmbre,
ffor your cleer shynyng / was soth in existence,
Voyde of al pallyd / or Contirfeet Apparence,
Outward in Cheer / of pryde was no signe,
And in your poort / to alle folk moost benygne.
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And for ye wer / moost famous in science,Conveyed by grace / and with humylite,
Wheer euere ye wern / Abydyng in presence,
Men seyd ther was / An Vnyuersite
To yow entytled / of Antiquite,
As it was / Repoortyd in substaunce,
To yow appropryd / be goddys Ordynaunce,
60
With Addicioun / of the hevenly inffluence.ffor in your tyme / was no Creature
14
To be comparyd / nor of lecture
To your noblesse / and favour of nature
Was nat set bak / but lykly to contvne,
be god and grace / and favour of ffortune,
61
So to perseuere / and lastyn a long date,God lyst your yeerys / for to multiplye
Grace from abovyn / and your dispoosyd fate
At the sevene / wellys of philosophye,
With Crystallyn sprynges / Ran to ech partye,
That the swetnesse / of the soote streemys
Ther lycour shadde / in to alle Reemys.
62
I lakke language / breffly for to telleThe bawme vpclosyd / in your tresourye,
Which that ye drank / at Elyconys welle,
With lucan, Omer / foundours of poetrye,
And virgile / which had the Regalye,
Callyd in his tyme / the singuleer Crownyd man,
Above al othir / Poete mantvan.
63
Ye bar the keye / of the Secre Coffre,Callyd Registrer / of ther tresoury,
With two prerogatives / first a philisoffre,
And moost expert / your tyme in poetrye,
And yif I shal / breffly Speceffye
Your hihe merytes / and your magnificence
by Iugement yove / direct to your Clemence.
64
This book in Grece / was brought to your sightIn Antioche / your noblesse to delyte,
As a Charbouncle / ageyn dirknesse of nyght;
O Rychest Rubye / Or clerest margaryte
Of philisoffres / and pleynly for to wryte,
Sent of Assent / in their Oppynyoun
That ye therof / shulde have inspeccyoun.
15
65
Off entent / it shulde be translatydffrom Arabyk / to moor pleyn language,
ffor latyn is moore' pleyn / and moore dylatyd
In al nacyouns / to Oold and yong of Age;
And for I wolde / of herte and hool Corage
Obeye your byddyng / of humble Affeccyoun
I took vpon me / this Translacyoun.
66
To Condiscende / in al my best ententIn this matere / my labour for to shewe,
ffirst taccomplyshhe / your Comaundement
Yit wer me loth / Ovir myn hed to hewe,
But for ther been / of Copyes but a fewe
Of this book / Reknyd in sentence,
To doo yow plesaunce / and also Reuerence.
67
I took vpon me / your disciple and Clerk,As I Cowde / vndir Correccioun,
To procede and gynne / vpon this werk,
Out of Arabyk / with hool affeccyoun,
Into latyn / make this Translacyoun,
Oonly tagreen / with al humylite,
To your moost famous / magnanymyte.
68
Nat woord by woord / Cause of varyaunce,In this tonges / ther is greet difference;
But lyk my Symple / vnexpert suffysaunce,
ffolwyn myn Auctour / in menyng and sentence,
Ryght of hool herte / and entieer dilligence,
As Arystotiles / Rehersyth by wrytyng
In his Epistil / to Alisaundre kyng.
here folowith the secund pistil that kyng Alysaundre sent to his maistir Aristotiles.
69
Whan Alisaundre / as is Rehersyd heer,this philisoffre / for vertues many-foold,
16
With-oute Exskus / to come to his houshoold;
But he ageyn / for he was feble and Oold,
And inpotent / on the tothir syde,
And vnweldy / for to goon or Ryde.
70
But cheef cause / why Alisaundre senteA purpoos take / and a fantasye
To declare pleynly / what he mente;
He wyst in soth / that in philosophye,
With othir secretys / of Astronomye,
He was expert / and moost cowde vndirstonde,
This was in cheef Cause / of the kynges sonde.
71
Poweer of planetys / And mevyng of al sterrys,And of euery / hevenly intelligence,
Disposicioun / of pees and ek of werrys,
And of ech othir / straunge hyd science
As the sevene goddys / by ther Inffluence,
Dispoose the Ordre / of Incantaciouns,
Or of Sevene metallys / the transmutaciouns,
72
With othir Crafftys / which that be secre,Calculacioun / and Geomancye,
Difformacyouns / of Circes and meede,
lokyng of ffacys / and piromancye,
On lond and watir / Crafft of Geometrye,
Heyhte and depnesse / with al experience,
Therfore the kyng / desyryd his presence.
73
But for al thys / with Inne hym Sylff a thyng,Ther was a Secre / he kept nat do discloose,
Nor to puplysshe / Opynly to the kyng,
Takyng exaunple / by two thynges in a Roose;
ffirst how the fflour / greet swetnesse doth dispoose,
Yit in the thorn / men fynde greet sharpnesse;
And thus in konnyng / ther may been a lyknesse.
17
74
In herbe & fflour / in wryting woord and stoon,Ech hath his vertu / of god and of nature,
But the knowyng / is hyd fro many Oon,
And nat declaryd / to euery Creature;
Wherfore he Cast / twen Resoun and mesure
To shape a weye / bothe the kyng to plese,
Somwhat to vncloose / and sette his herte at Ese.
75
Ther is of ryght / a greet differenceTwen a prynces / Royal dignite
And atwen Comouns / Rude intelligence,
To whoom nat longith / to medle in no degre
Of konnynges / that shulde be kept secre;
ffor to a kynges / famous magnificence,
And to Clerkys / which haue experience,
76
It cordith wel / to serche Out scrypture,Misteryes hyd / of fowlys, beeste, and tree,
And of Aungellys / moost sotyl of nature,
Of mynerall / and fysshes in the see,
And of stoonys / Specially of three—
Oon myneral / Anothir vegetatyff,
Partyd on foure / to lengthe a mannys lyff.
77
Of which I Radde / among othir stoonysTher was Oon / was Callyd Anymal,
ffoure Ellementys / wrought Out for the noonys—
Erthe, Watir, and Eyr / And in Especial
Ioyned with ffyr / proporcyoun maad Egal;
And I dar seyn / breffly, and nat tarye,
Is noon suych stoon / ffound in the lapydarye.
78
I Rad Oonys / in a philisoffre,Ageyn ech Syknesse / of valew doth moost Cure;
Al the tresour / and gold in Cresus coffre,
Nor al the stoonys / that growe be nature,
Wrought by Crafft / or forgid by picture,
18
Aristotiles / gaf it the same name.
79
And for I haue / but litel Rad or seyn,To wryte or medle / of so hih materys,
ffor presumpcyoun / somme wolde haue disdeyn
To be so boold / or Clymbe in my disirys,
To scale the laddere / above the nyne sperys,
Or medle of Rubyes / that yeve so cleer a lyght
On hooly shrynes / in the dirk nyght.
80
I was nevir / noon expert Ioweler,In suych materys / to putte my Sylff in prees
With philisoffres / myn Eyen wer nat Cleer,
Nouthir with plato / nor with Socratees,
Except the Prynce / Aristotilees,
Of philisoffres / to Alisaundre kyng
Wrot of this stoon / the merveylle in werkyng,
81
In prevy wyse / lych to his Ententys,Secretys hyd / Cloos in philosophie;
ffirst departyng / of the foure Ellementys,
And afftirward / as he doth speceffye
Euerych of hem / for to Recteffye;
And afftir this / lyk his Oppynyoun,
Off this foure / make a Coniunccyoun.
82
And In suych wyse / performe vp this stoon,Seen in the Ioynyng / ther be noon Outrage;
But the fals Erryng / hath fonnyd many Oon,
And brought hem afftir / in ful greet Rerage,
By expensys / and Outragious Costage;
ffor lak of brayn / they wern maad so wood
Thyng to be-gynne / which they nat vndirstood.
83
ffor he that lyst / put in experience,fforboode Secrees / I holde hym but a fool,
lyk hym that temptith / of wylful necligence,
19
Or sparyth a stewe / and fyssheth a bareyn pool:
When al is doon / he get noon othir grace,
Men wyl scorne hym / and mokke his foltyssh fface.
84
It is no Crafft / poore men tassaye,It Causith Coffres / and Chestys to be bare,
Marryth wyttes / and braynes doth Affraye;
Yit be wryting / this book doth declare,
And be Resouns / lyst nat for to spare,
With goldeyn Resouns / in taast moost lykerous,
Thyng per ignotum / prevyd per ignocius.
85
Title of this book / labor philosophorum,Namyd also / de Regimine principum,
Of philisoffres / secreta secretorum,
Tresour compyled / omnium virtutum,
Rewle directorye / set up in a somme,
As Complexiouns / in helthe and syknesse,
Dispose them sylff / to mornyng or to gladnesse.
86
The which book / direct to the kyngAlisaundre / bothe in werre and pees,
lyk his Request / and Royal Comaundyng,
fful A-Complysshed / by Aristotiles,
ffeble for Age / and inpotent douteles,
Hool of Corage / and trewe in his entent,
Tobeye his byddyng / this book he to hym sent.
To telle of hym the Genealogie which translated this book.
87
He that first / this labour vndirtook,Was Callyd Iohn / And of nacyoun
A spaynol born / which began this book,
Of euery tounge / And euery Regioun;
he was expert / as maad is mencioun,
To speke ther language / myn Auctour tellith thus,
And Callyd sone / of Oon patricius.
20
88
Trewe expert / and dilligent to konne,mong philisoffres / put ay hym Sylff in prees,
Cam to Oraculum / Callyd of the sonne,
A place bylt / by Esculapides,
Wheer tabyde / his Restyng place he chees,
Thoughte he wolde / for a sesoun tarye,
Cause that he fond / A persone solitarye.
89
Dempte he was brought / thedir by myracle,In lowly wyse / besought hym On his kne
To vouchesauf / to shewe in that Oracle
hyd merveylles / which ther wer kept Secre;
And of Affeccioun / and gracious pite,
I ffond hym goodly / and benigne of Cheer,
My Requestys / at leyser for to heer.
90
And whanne I hadde / with oute more Obstacle,Seyn ther thynges / with Secrees delitable,
That wer divyne / and Cloos in that Oracle,
It was a paradys / verray incomparable:
And for this philisoffre / was so mercyable
Towardys me / and shewyd no dysdeyn,
Thankyng my maister / Retournyng hoom ageyn.
91
Afftir this labour / I gan dispoose meTo procede / on this translacyoun,
Out of greek tounge / and language Chalde,
To Arabyk afor / of hool entencyoun,
That I myght / for short conclusyoun,
lyk my desir / tacomplysshe and confoorme,
This pistil to-wryte / vndir this same foorme.
Here is the Epistil of the translator.
92
In the name of ArystotilesWel avysed / A processe to provide;
In his exskus / he was nat Rekkelees,
21
And Alleggyng / on the tothir syde,
The kynges lettres / he wel vndirstood,
Which for to Obeye / herte and wyl wer good.
93
Yif inpotence / of his vnweldy age,In his desirs / put hym nat abak,
To goon or Ryde / to lettyn his passage,
Hool in his wyl / ther was nevir lak,
Though his heer / was tournyd whyte fro blak;
Besought hym lowly / of his Royal grace,
To take a leyser / competent and space,
94
In his exskus / this pistil to vncloose;And first Advertise / in Especial,
Witt and Corage / and hym Silff dispoose,
To leve al manerys / that be bestial,
Vertues to folwe / that been Inperyal;
This to seyne / first prudently discerne,
Twen vice and vertu / his peple to governe.
95
Off his pistil / a breef Subcrypcyoun,Set lowly vndir / to god lefft vp his cheer,
And of hool herte / makyng this Orysoun
ffor Alysaundre / And this was his preyeer:
“God that sit hihest / Above the sterrys cleer,
Grant first our kyng / tavoyde from hym slouthe,
A fals stepmodir / And thanne begynne at trouthe.”
96
And of thy Counsayl / make hire cheef pryncesse,That she may provide / And takyn hede
With outyn handys / by greet avysenesse,
Outhir for favour / or for Old hatrede,
Chace flatererys / and hem that take mede,
And suych tounges / of Custom that be double,
And namely them / that Can sowe trouble.
97
Whysperyng tounges / of taast moost serpentyn,Silvir scalyd / whoos mouth is ful of blood,
22
And shewe two facys / in Oon hood;
Ther sugre is soote / ther galle doth no good,
Alle suych shulde / be voyded from Counsayl:
A bee yevith hony / and styngeth with the tayl.
98
This forseyd peple / togidere to Combyne,Which be froward / of ther Condiciouns,
Though that they been / discendid of Oon lyne,
Trouthe wyl nat folwe / ther Oppynyouns;
ffor vnto Royal / disposicyouns,
As I seyd Erst / Avoyde fro the slouthe,
And Cheef of uertues / set in hir place trouthe.
99
And to directe / lyk myn Oppynyoun,Whan thou hast voyded / slouthe and necligence,
And trouthe is entryd / with discrecyoun,
And Conveyed / to thy magnificence,
I trust ye shal / yeve hem Audience
In myn exskus / which in philisoffye
be Callyd ffadir / and in prophecye /
100
Have a spirit / to forn of knowlechyng.In your service / whan I first began,
Declaryd mysteryes / of the hevenly kyng,
Which excelle Resoun / and wit of man,
And how the lord / As I Reherse Can
ffor your sake / Sent an Aungel doun
moo to enspyre / by Revelacyoun.
101
As it is / Repoortyd in scripture,In Grekyssh bookys / Above the sterryd hevene,
Arystotiles / was Aungelyk of nature,
ffadir and ffoundour / of the sciencys sevene,
Reysed in a pyleer / wrought of ffyry levene,
So hih aloffte / be Revelacyoun,
Knew hevenly secretys / At his comyng doun.
23
102
By whoos Counsayl / in Arrabye folk Carpe,Hadde of sevene / Clymatys domynacyoun,
Of al the world / Emperour and monarke,
Ynde, Ethiope / and euery nacyoun:
And greete porrus / be poweer he Cast don,
Vowes of the pecock / doon be dayes Olde
wern a-Complysshed / by his knyghtes bolde.
103
Ther be secrees / of materys hih and lowe,Hyd in nature / Concelyed and Secre,
Which Alisaundre / desired for to knowe
By Aristotiles / a certeyn prevyte
Nat speceffyed / Cloos in hym Sylff kept he,
Which was delayed / Of greet providence,
Tyl he hym sylff / come to his presence.
104
Nnevirtheles / at Ellyconys welle,This philisoffre / by fulsom habundaunce,
Drank grettest plente / which hym lyst nat telle;
I mene secretys / moost souereyn of plesaunce,
Which to discure / or wryte hem in substaunce,
lyk his desirs / to servyn his entent,
I shal so doon / he shal be ful content.
105
By a manere / lyknesse and ffigure,Dirk Outward / mysty for to se,
lyk a thyng / that were above nature,
As it were seyd / in Enigmate,
Touchyd a parcel / I mene thus parde
As vndir Chaaf / is Closyd pure Corn,
Touchyd somdel / in partye heer-to-forn.
Of foure maner kynges diuers of disposicion.
106
Ther be kynges / dispoosyd by nature,Somme that broyde / on liberallyte,
And of hool herte / with al ther besy Cure
24
That ther Imperial / magnanymyte
Shulde nat be spottyd / in no maner wyse,
Towchyng the vice / of froward Coveityse.
107
The philisoffre / in Ordre doth expresse,That som kyng / to hym sylff is large,
And to his sogettys / shewith greet largesse,
And som kyng streyght / to take On hym the Charge
largely to parte / and haue hym Sylff Skarce;
But ytalyens / Recorde be Wrytyng
large on ech party / is vertuous in a kyng.
108
Aristotiles / writt of them in ynde,They Repoorte / that kyng is gloryous,
Which to hym Sylff / is most skars of kynde,
And to his sogettys / is large and plentevous;
Yit they of perce / be Contraryous:
But to my doom / that kyng that hath the Charge
Is moost Comendid / that is to bothe large.
109
I mene as thus / by a dyvisiounToward hym sylff / kepe his Estat Royal
By attemperaunce / and by discrecioun,
lyk his sogettys / in Especial,
As they disserve / to be liberal,
Twen moche and lyte / A mene to devise
Of to mekyl / And streight Coveitise.
110
Ther is a maner / straunge difference,ffor lak of Resoun / twen prodigalyte
And in a kynges / Royal magnificence,
Whan he lyst parte / of liberallite
To his sogettys / as they been of degre
So Egally / I-holdyn the ballaunce,
Ech man contente / with discreet Suffysaunce.
25
111
Ther is a mene / peysed in ballaunceAtwixen hym / that is a greet wastour
To kepe a meene / by attemperaunce,
That ech thyng / be peysed be mesour,
That foltyssh grucchyng / bryng in noon Errour,
Considred first / of prynces the poweer,
And next the merytes / of the laboureer.
112
Concludyng thus / twen good wyl and grucchyngOf them that been / feithful of servyse,
And of anothir / froward and grucchyng,
That wyl Obeye / in no maneer wyse,
To folwe the doctryne / and the greet Empryse,
To putte his body / in pereel / moost mortal,
And in Iupartyes / that be marcial.
113
To alle suych / A prynce of hihe noblesseShal nat spare / his gold / nor his tresour
To parte with hem / Stuff of his Rychesse,
Thing Apropryd / to euery Conquerour.
But yif ffredam / Conduite his labour,
That liberallyte / his Conquest doo provide,
At his moost nede / his men wyl nat abyde.
114
Aristotiles / made a discripcyounfful notable / in his wrytynges,
Sette a maneer / of divysyoun,
That ther be / dyuers maneer kynges;
Somme be large / in ther departynges
To bothe tweyne / Seith he is moost good
That atwen tweyne / trewly yevith his good.
115
But he that is / streyght in his kepyng,lokkith vp his tresour / in his Coffre,
And lyst nat parte / with no maner thyng
With his sogettys / nor no good to proffre
In nede or myscheef / lyst no part to Offre;
26
That vnto nouthir / lyst nat to entende.
116
A kyng that partyth / suych as god hath sentBe fortune / Or Conquest in bataylle,
To his knyghtes / or sowdiours of entent,
Suych at moost nede / in trouthe may avaylle,
And them Relevith / that be falle in poraylle,
What folwith afftir / breffly to termyne,
lyght of his noblesse / shal euere encreese & shyne.
117
Nature hath set / tweyne extremytees;ffirst be a maneer / discreet providence,
That the streemys / of liberallite
Set in good mesour / Reffreytes of prudence,
Peysed in ballaunce / So that Sapience,
Queen of vertues / as lady souereyne,
That suych a meene / be set atwen hem tweyne.
118
ffirst conceyved / and peysed ech Estat,That ther be no / froward transgressyoun
Of wylfulnesse / nor no froward debat,
Ech thyng in Ordre / Conveyed by Resoun
That mesour haue / domynacyoun,
As it is ryght / of trouthe and Equite,
Twen Avaryce / and prodigalyte.
119
And whoo that wyl / breeffly in sentenceTrewly devyde / vertuous largesse,
ffroom hym hath no / polityk Aduertence,
Them to governe / of Royal gentillesse,
I dar wel seyn / breffly and expresse,
Of good Repoort / shortly determyne
his sonne of vertues / thorugh the world shal shyne
120
With oute Eclypsyng / of Ony mystes blakeOr fals Repoort / of ony dirk shours,
Or froward tounges / that noyse or sclaundre make,
27
laureer Crownys / be maad for Conquerours
In tryvmphes / trewly for to deme
Whoo is moost wourthy / to were a dyademe.
121
A kyng dispoosyd / of Royal excellence,ffirst to be large / cheefly in thynges tweyne,
large to hym Sylff / And ffre in his dyspence,
Twen moche, litel / that wysdam to Ordeyne,
That discrecyoun / As lady Sovereyne,
With Resoun present / At good leyseer tabyde,
That hasty wyl / medle on nouthir syde;
122
Streyght to hym Sylff / in suych maneer wyse,Aforn Considred / his magnanymyte,
That Royal ffredam / dispoose So the Assyse
Toward his liges / that suych Repoort may be,
To kepe the ffraunchyse / of liberallyte,
Twen his noblesse / and his liges bothe,
In so good meene / that nouthir of hem be wrothe.
123
They of ytallye / in ther Oppynyoun,Seyn / it was / no vice in a kyng,
Yif he be large / be distrubucyoun
To them that been / vndir hym levyng;
But they of perce / Recorde in ther wryting,
He that is large / vnto bothe two,
ffirst to hym Sylff / and lige men Also.
124
But to my doom / and to my ffantasye,Seith Aristotiles / that kyng is moost comendable
That hath largesse / in his Regalye,
With good meenys / in vertu stonde stable,
Trewe in his feith / not feynt nor varyable,
Twen Avaryce / of trouthe and Equite,
The vice avoyding / of prodigalyte.
125
Breffly the vertu / of Royal hih largesse,Set in A meene / of prudent governaunce,
28
But a ryght Rewle / of Attemperaunce;
So that mesour / weye the ballaunce,
To Recompense / of Equite and Ryght,
lyk ther merytes / to euery maneer wyght.
126
Atwen trouthe / And forgyd fflateryeTher is a straunge / vnkouth difference,
Contraryous poysoun / I dar wel certeffye,
To alle Estatys / of Royal excellence:
Wheer double menyng / hath ony existence,
Ther growith ffrawde / And Covert fals poysoun,
And sugryd galle / honyed with Collusyoun.
127
Off Prynces Eerys / they be tabourerys,The tenour Round / And mery goo the bellys;
But with ther touch / they stynge wers than brerys,
With hunger, thrust / myd tantalus dyuers wellys,
fflours of proserpina / fayr and bittir smellys:
So semblaby / flatererys in Apparence,
Be outward sugryd / And galle in existence.
128
And he that wyl / be famous in largesse,And haue a name / of liberallyte,
lat hym Conceyve / Aforn in his noblesse,
The discertys / of hih and lowe degre,
Atwen mesour / excesse and skarsete,
So departe / by Attemperaunce,
That lyk discertys / Ech man haue Suffysaunce.
129
In the partyng / stant Wysdam and fooly,but discrecioun / medle in this matere;
Who yevith his tresour / to them that be wourthy,
And them guerdownyth / with glad face and Cheere,
As Ryght and Resoun / in tyme doth Requeere
In his departyng / As to myn Avys,
Suych a kyng / is provident and wys.
29
130
But whoo departith / his tresour and RychesseTo them that been / not wyse nor profitable,
It is Callyd / A maneer of excesse,
Which in A kyng / is nat honourable.
Of prudent partyng / in Corages that be stable,
Ther folwith Afftir / by Repoort of Wrytyng,
Greet laude and preys / namely in a kyng.
131
To them that falle / in Casuel indigence,Be sodeyn Caas / Or in necessyte,
Or infortunys / froward violence,
Than it accordith / to Royal dignite,
To shewe of ffredam / his liberallite:
Suych a kyng / Advertisyng his Charge,
Is to hym Sylff / and to his liges large.
132
And his lordshippe / And al his RegiounShal encrese / in long felicitye,
With laude and preys / love and subieccioun,
As Appartenyth / vnto his dignite,
To were his Crowne / in long prosperite;
I dar afferme / and mak my Sylf wol boold,
Suych wer Comendid / of philisoffres Oold.
133
But yif a kyng / Contraryous of sentence,partith his tresour / to them that ha no nede,
Or be nat falle / in Casuel indigence,
but wylfully / lyst nat taken hede,
What evir he spent / Cast aforn no drede:
This folwith therof / his tresour and his Cost,
With-Oute laude / bothe two ar lost.
134
Suych Oon gladly / wheer he wake or wynke,Escapith nat / be vanyte or veynglorye,
Of poverte / to fallyn in the brynke;
The philisoffre / put also in memorye
Suych fooly waast / get On him-Sylf victorye,
30
ffolk in daungeer / of froward Indigence.
135
In his departyng / whoo is inmoderat,This to seyn / whoo is nat mesurable
In his Rychesse / but disordinat,
Is Callyd prodigus / which is nat honourable,
Depopulator / A wastour nat tretable,
Which is a name / As be Old wrytyng,
Disconvenyent / to euery wourthy kyng.
136
Aristotiles / geyn this Condicioun,Set a Rewle / to Royal providence,
Moost notable / which in Conclusyoun
Shal directe / And Rewle his Clemence
In long prosperyte / of Royal Reuerence,
And good Repoort / which is a thyng divyne,
Tressyd as phebus / thorugh al the world to shyne.
137
Ther is A maneer / disconvenienceIn Re publica / is hoolde vicious,
A kyng to pleyne / vpon Indigence,
Outhir in desirs / to been Avaricious,
Outhir skars in kepying / large or Coveytous,
Or kepe a meene / twen vertuous plente,
Atwen largesse / and prodigalyte.
138
It hath be seyn / that Ovir large expenceIn Regiouns / and many greet Cite,
Hath vnwarly / brought in Indigence,
Bothe in Estatys / And in the Comounte;
but hermogenes / of greet Auctoryte,
Wroote in A somme / pleynly Concluding
That the noblesse / of a famous King,
139
Vndirstondyng / breffly to Conclude,Was perfeccioun / vp lokkyd in sentence,
Signed in a kyng / and the plenitude
31
And hym Sylff / to have an Abstinence
In his desirs / fro thyng that nat good is,
ffrom the tresour / and his liges goodys.
How Aristotil declarith to kyng Alisaundre of the stoonys.
140
Touchyng the stoon / of philisoffres Old,Of which they make / moost souereyn mencioun,
But ther is Oon / as Aristotil toold,
Which alle excellith / in Comparysoun,
Stoon of stoonys / moost souereyn of Renoun;
Towchyng the vertu / of this Ryche thyng,
Thus he wroot / to the moost souereyn kyng:
141
O Alisaundre / grettest of dignite,Of al this world / monark and Regent,
And of al naciouns / hast the souereynte,
Echoon to Obeye / And been Obedyent;
And to Conclude / the ffyn of our Entent,
Al worldly tresour / breeffly shet in Oon,
Is declaryd / in vertu of this stoon.
142
Thou must first / Conceyven in substaunce,by A maneer / vnkouth divysioun,
Watir from Eyr / by a dysseveraunce,
And ffyr froom Eyr / by a departysoun,
Echoon preservyd / ffrom Corrupcioun,
As philisoffres / Aforn haue Speceffyed,
Which by Resoun / may nat be denyed.
143
Watir from Eyr / departyd prudently,Eyr ffrom ffyr / And ffyr from Erthe doun,
The Craft conceyved / devyded trewly,
With Outyn Errour / or decepcyoun:
Pure euery Ellement / in his Complexioun,
As it partenyth / pleynly to his part,
As is Remembryd / perfightly in this Art /
32
144
This stoon of Colour / is Sumtyme Cytrynadelyk the sonne / stremyd in his kynde,
Gold tressyd / makith hertys ful glade,
With moor tresour / than hath the kyng of ynde,
Of precious stoonys / wrought in ther dew kynde:
The Citren Colour / for the sonne bryght,
Whyte for the moone / that shyneth al the nyght.
145
This philisoffre / brought forth in parysWhich of this stoonys / wroot fully the nature,
Al the divisyoun / set by greet Avys,
And ther vpon / did his besy Cure,
That the perfeccioun / longe shulde endure
lyk thentent / of Aristotiles sonde,
Which noon but he / Cowde wel brynge on honde.
146
ffor though the matere / Opynly nat tooldOf this stoonys / what philisoffres mente,
Aristotiles / that was expert and Oold,
And he of parys / that forth this present sent,
And in al his beste / feithful trewe entent,
With circumstaunces / of Arrabye, ynde, and perce,
Towchyng the stoonys / that Clerkys Can Reherse;
147
Hermogines / hadde hym Sylff Alloone,With seyd Phelip / that with hym was Secree,
knewh the vertu / of euery prevy stoone,
As they were / dispoosyd of degree,
ffrom hym was hyd / noon vnkouth previtiee;
This hermogenes / and he / knewh euery thyng
Of alle suych uertues / as longe to a kyng.
how kyng Alisaundre must prudently Aforn conceyve in his providence.
148
To eschewyn / alle excessys prudently,And specially / al froward Outragious largesse,
Avaryce and / gadering frowardly,
33
ffor he that wastith / and spendith by excesse
The grete goodys / and pocessyouns,
Wheer he hath lordshippe / and domynaciouns.
149
A Rewle groundid / On discreciounGeyn Appetites / that be bestial,
Oonly Conveyed / And brydlyd by Resoun
To withstande lustys / that be Carnal,
Geyn Avaryce / in Especial;
ffor Coveitise / with desir of Rychesse,
Doth in a kyng / Avaryce Represse.
150
Which Causith first / in his RegalyeWilful vntrouthe / by fals presumpcioun,
By extort poweer / groundid On Robberye
Geyn goddys lawe / wilful destruccioun
In al his werkys / for short conclusyoun,
To procede / by Recoord of scrypture,
In prosperite / shal nat longe endure.
how witt of Sapience or of discrecioun may be parceyvid in a kyng or a prynce.
151
First that the fame / of Royal Sapience,So that Repoort / of his notable ffame
Be voyde of vices / that Cleer intelligence
In his Empyre / be cleer from al diffame,
That no Repoort / blott not his name,
Nor no fals Counsayl / of folkys that be double
The Cleer shyning / of his good name trouble.
152
This is to seyn / that he be quiete & peysyble,Sogettys to kepe / hem from divysioun,
And nat lyghtly / to be Credyble
To talys / that make discencioun.
ffor wheer pees Regnyth / is al perfeccioun.
Kepith sogettys / as they shulde be,
ffroom alle stryves / quiete and vnite.
34
how a kyng shuld be Religious.
153
A kyng also / shulde been of lyff,by good exaunple / Sad and Religious,
Merciable / and kepe hym out of stryff,
And in his doomys / nat been to Rygerous,
Chastyse alle / that be vicious,
Namely, alle / that be founde shrewys
And Contrarye / vnto good thewys.
154
Off ful purpoos / hoolly for to wercheTo Chastice hem / of Equite and Right,
That been Enmyes / vnto hooly Cherche,
On heretiques / for to preve his myght;
And yif ther be / Ony maner wyght,
Hardy in dede / of presumpcioun,
To ffende his lawes / haue dewe Correccioun.
how a kyng shulde be arrayed lych his Estat.
155
To a kynges / Royal mageste,Array which is / Ryche and honourable,
pertinent / to his dignite,
Sad of his Cheer / in his demenyng stable,
And of his woord / nat feynt nor varyable;
Also of his behest / trusty and ek trewe,
Sad as a Saphir / and alwey of Oon hewe.
how this vertu Chastite apperteyneth wel in a kyng.
156
Noble prince / Considere in thy Estat Royalhow this vertu / Callyd Chastite,
Is a vertu / and in Especial
With abstinence / from al dishoneste;
And greet Recours / of ffemynynyte
pallith of prynces / the vertuous Corage,
And Or ther tyme / makith hem falle in Age.
35
how it longith to a kyng oonys in the yeer to shewe hym in his Estat Royal.
157
Afftir the Custom / of Royal excellence,And the vsage / Ek of Rome toun,
kynges ar wont / in ther magnificence,
To shewe ther noblesse / and ther hihe Renoun,
Ther lordshippe / and domynacyoun
To kepe ther Sogettys / verrayly in dede,
Vndir a yerde / atwix love and drede.
158
So that love / haue a prerogatyffTo be preferryd / Suych as haue poweer
To shewe hem Sylff / duryng al ther lyff
Of discrecioun / avoydyng al daungeer;
This to seyn / ech estat / in his maneer
Shal dewly / with euery Circumstaunce,
As they ar bounde / doon ther Observaunce.
Of his dewe observaunce that longith to a kyng.
159
Afftir his lawes / his statutys to Obeye.Peyne of deth / no wyght be Contrarye,
What he Comaundeth / his byddyng to with-seye;
ffor what euere / from his precept varye,
Or On his byddyng / be slouhe or lyst nat tarye,
Ther is no more / vpon that partye
but lyff and deth / stonde in Iupartye.
160
Whoo so euere / of presumpcioun,Dar attempte / On ony maner syde
The kynges Ryght / in his Oppynyoun
To interupte / of malyce or of pryde,
And ther-vpon / presvme tabyde,
To with-stonde / the kynges Royal myght,
Or ony thyng / that longith to his Ryght.
36
how solace and disport longith to a kyng.
161
And that it longith / also to a kyng,With Instrumentys / of hevenly Armonye,
ffor his dispoort / prynces Abydyng
fful solempnely / with divers menstralcye,
To Recounfoorte / and glade his Regallye
And Comownerys / with entieer dilligence,
With Ryght hool herte / Reioysshe his presence.
What appartenyth also to his glorye.
162
To his noblesse / & his singuler glorye,To haue aboute hym / many a wourthy knyght
ffor Chevalrye / Conservith the memorye,
And the sonne / alweye to shyne bryght,
That it shal nat / Eclypsen of his lyght;
But thorugh the world / bothe in lengthe & brede,
As ffyry phebus / bothe shyne and sprede.
The Similitude of a Kyng.
163
In four thynges / must considred beToward god / his Obedience,
And to the peple / his liberallyte
As they disserve / with dewe Reuerence
The kyng taquite / in his magnificence.
As his sogettys / be goodly to hym seyn,
Lyk ther decertys / he quyte so Ageyn.
how a kyng shulde be gouernyd in al maner of wedrys.
164
For herthe / holsom be the Reynes,It Causith flours / fresshly for to sprede,
And makith medwys / And Agreable pleynes
To shewe ther bewte / bothe in lengthe and brede
And Ovir moore / Whoo that takith hede,
With Oute moysture / and cherysshyng of the Reyn,
In his bewte / Comyth nouthir / flour nor greyn.
37
165
By a maneer / Iust Similitude,As Reyn counforteth / euery Erbe and tree
braunchys a-loffte / pleynly to conclude,
So shulde a kyng / of his benignite
Shewe hym gracyous / to hihe and lowe degre,
That euery wyght / with dewe Reuerence
Shulde with glad cheer / parte from his presence.
how a kyng shuld be mercyable.
166
Akyng Also / in his Estat notable,To his sogettys / of hih and lowh degre,
Shulde be gracious / and merciable,
leve Rancour / and haue on hem pite;
preserve mercy / Considre also and se
That mercy is vertuous / in his Trone,
Crownyd with gold / moost singuleer allone.
It longith to a kyng specially to kepe his promys.
167
Akynges promys / shulde be Iust & stable,As a Centre / stonde in O degre,
Nat Chaunge lightly / nor be varyable,
And be-war / of mutabylite.
Woord of a kyng / mvt stonde in O degre;
What that euere / that a prynce seith,
The Conclusyoun / dependith vpon feith.
how stodye & clergye shuld be promotyd in a kyngdome.
168
As the sonne / shewith in his guyseMong smale sterrys / with his bemys bryght,
Ryght so in / the same maner wyse,
An vniuersite / shewith Out his lyght
In a kyngdom / As it shulde be of ryght,
And by the prynce / have dewly favour,
So Clergye beryth / a-wey the fflour /
38
169
Wheer is Clergye / ther is philosophye,Marchaundyse / plente and Rychesse,
prudent Counsayl / diffence of Chevalrye.
In ech Estat / Wysdam, gentillesse,
Curtesye, ffredam / and prowesse;
And as the kyng / tencrese his name,
His peple wyl folwe / and gladly doo the same.
how a kyng hovith to haue a leche to kepe his body.
170
For helthe of body / the kyng of hool ententMust haue lyk / to his desir
Suych Oon / as knoweth the firmament,
And is expert / A good Astronomeer,
Which that knoweth / sesouns of the yeer;
As in his tyme / was Oold Cypryan,
A philisoffre / and an expert man.
171
He knewh the Cours / of planetys & disposicioun,Of moyst and drye / both of heete & Coold,
Chaung of the yeer / And Revolucyoun.
ffor in which thyng / he was expert and boold:
Of the Cours of planetys / manyfoold,
And of Elementys / the Revoluciouns,
Chaung of tymes / and Complexiouns.
172
And specially / in Astronomyeknowe the tyme / whan he shal slepe or wake,
vndir a Rewle / of philosophye,
In no wyse / that he noon excesse make.
He mvt also / Al surfeetys ek forsake;
ffor Ony lust / of froward Appetyght,
Counseyl of lechys / to modeffye his delyght.
173
Satourn is Slouhe / mars malencolyous,And phebus Causith / dysposyng to gladnesse,
In Rethoryk / helpith mercuryvs,
39
ffortune braydeth / ay On doubylnesse,
And sith a kyng / vpon ech partye
Stant vpon Chaunges / ful hard hem to guye.
how a kyng shuld be gouernyd in Astronomye.
174
Astronomerys / that knowe previtees,helthe of body / discrasyng of syknesse,
dyuers Causes / of Infirmytees,
Wherof ffeuerys / doo so greet distresse,
Achys, gowtes / of drynkes greet excesse:
And Out of tyme / be war of long wacchyng,
Which to the helthe / is contrarye to a kyng.
Next folowith the vtilite of the helthe of a kyng.
175
Oalisaundre / lych as providenceOf suych as been / expert lechys,
Suych as been prevyd / by experience,
And prevyd Auctours / as the phesyk techys,
Truste On the dede / And nat in gay spechys;
Woord is but wynd / leff woord and tak the dede,
Thyng wel expert / disservith wel his mede.
how mechil a-vayl is comprehendid in the diligence of a good leche.
176
A good leche / expert in A kyngffor dilligent / Conservaciouns,
A kynges helthe / be wrought in al thyng,
So that in qualyte / be founde noon Erryng
Nor hyndre his Appetyght / in mete nor drynk;
Nor be discrasyd / to hyndre his Appetyght,
Wherof nature / hath Contraryous delyght.
177
And O Rewle / specially shal I the teche,Towchyng the tyme / And hour of his dyete,
So he nat wante / the presence of his leche:
40
Tyme set Atwen / Coold and heete,
With his Reward / by Resoun to expresse,
By good avys / that he doo noon excesse.
A special Epistil to the Singuleer helthe of a prynce.
178
Naturel philisoffres / assentyd alle in Oon,Seyn that a man / is maad of iiij. humours,
And they Assentyn / in wryting euerychoon
Afftyr the wedyr / Reynes, haylles, and shours,
planetys a-loffte / and the hevenly tours.
Afftir they sette / in the hevene a governaunce
In Erthe folwyth / of helthe Attemperaunce.
179
Of mekil excesse / folwyth Corrupcioun,Excesse of travaylle / Causith febylnesse.
Thought sorwe / be greet Occasyoun,
To engendre / greet Syknesse,
And puttith folk / in froward distresse,
That vndigestion / with Oute Remedye,
Causith ofte sithe / by processe that they deye.
To conserve hele aftir a mannys Complexion.
180
Afftir drynesse / and humydite,And Chaungying also / of Complexiouns,
Of Etyng, drynkyng / wheer as necessyte
Requeryth his tyme / and yif purgacyouns
Be necessarye / Afftir the sesouns
Solve flewm / brennyng or moysture,
To kepe a mene / A leche mvt doon his Cure.
how a kyng must take keep whan he shal reste and whan he shal sleep.
181
Sleep is noryce / of digestioun,Yiff it be take / in attemperaunce,
Yif slogardye / yive Ony occasyoun,
41
Put a man Out / of good governaunce,
Be war of wach / kepe also the date,
To kepe a mesour / of Etyng and drynkyng late.
how a leche shal gouerne a prynce slepyng & wakyng.
182
Yif thou wilt been hool / & kepe þe fro syknesse,And Resiste / the strook of pestilence,
look thou be glad / and voyde al hevynesse;
ffleen wykked Eyerys / eschewe the presence
Of enfect placys / Causyng the violence;
drynk good wyn / and holsom metys take,
Walke in Clene Eyr / eschewe mystes blake.
183
And yf so be / lechys do the faylle,Than take good heed / and vse thynges thre,
Temperat dyete / and temperat travaylle,
Nat malencolyous / for noon Adversite,
Meke in al trouble / glad in poverte,
Ryche with litel / content with suffysaunce;
Yif phesyk lakke / make this thy gouernaunce.
184
Afftir mete be-war / make no long sleep,Heed, foot, and stomak / preserve hem ay fro Coold.
Be nat to pensyf / of thought take no keep,
Affter thy Rente / mayntene thyn housoold;
Suffre in tyme / and in thy ryght be boold,
Swere noon Othys / no man to be-gyle,
ffor worldly Ioye / lastith here but a whyle.
185
Thus in two thynges / stondith al weltheOf soule and boody / whoo so lyst hem sewe;
Moderat ffoode / yevith to man his helthe,
And al surffetys / doth from hym remewe,
And Charyte / to the sowle is dewe.
Wherfore this dyete / O Alisaundre, kyng!
To alle indifferent / is Rychest thyng.
42
Of the foure sesouns of ye yeer I gynne at veer.
186
What tyme the sesoun / is Comyng of the yeer,The hevenly bawme / Ascendyng from the Roote,
The ffresh Sesoun / of lusty grene veer,
Which quyketh Corages / and doth hertys boote,
Whan Rounde buddys / appere on braunchys soote,
The growyng tyme / and the yong sonne;
I mene the sesoun / whan veer is be gonne.
187
And bright phebus / Entryth the Rammys hed,And begynneth / Ascendyn in his spere,
Whan the Crowne / of Alceste whyte and Red,
Aurora passyd / ful fresshly doth Appere;
ffor Ioye of which / with hevenly nootys clere,
The bryddys syngen / in ther Armonye,
Salwe that sesoun / with sugryd mellodye.
188
Twen hoot and moyst / this veer is temperat,Havyng his moysture / of Wyntres sharp shours,
Of somyr folwyng / to fflora consecrat,
Hath moderat heete / be Recoord of Auctours;
The sesoun Ordeyned / taraye with newe Clours,
As gardeyns Erbys / and to sowe seedys,
And the lusty Silvir dewh / in the grene meedys.
189
Entrying this sesoun / wyntir doth leve take,ffrostys departyd / and molte with the sonne,
And euery ffoul / Chosen hath his make,
And nytyngalys / for Ioye her song hath be gonne;
Yonge Rabettys / be to ther Claperys Ronne,
And the Cokkow / that in Wyntir dare
In euery lay to synge / she lyst nat for to spare.
190
Lovers of Custom / do this sesoun preyse,And yonge folkys / flouryng in tendir Age,
Erly a morwen / Tytan makith hem Aryse;
43
Walkyng by Ryvaylles / holdyng ther passage
On plesaunt hylles / so holsom is the Ayr,
Havyng great Ioye / the wedir is so ffayr.
191
Wherfore Alisaundir / whoo so take hede,And lyst consydre / by good Avisement,
Of our yong Age / Accounte we must in dede
How that we hau / dyspendid ou[r] talent,
Outhir lyk foolys / or lyk folkys prudent,
To vs commytted / whyl we haue been here,
To for the Iuge / whan we shal appere.
Next than folowith the sesoun Callid Estas.
192
Now veer is past / with al his grene levys,Aprylle and May / with hire sharp shours,
The silver dewh / in woodys and in grevys,
hath spred his bawme / On bankys & on clours;
And next folwyth Estas / with his somyr flours,
As seith thes clerkys / by discrypcioun,
Is hoot and drye / of Complexioun.
193
This tyme gynneth / soone vpon Barnabe:Iune, Iule, August / lastith this sesoun,
Endith in Septembre / the sonne in Virgine
Hoot and drye / of disposicyoun,
And Coleryk / of Complexioun,
As is Remembryd / of Auctours Olde,
Endith with Bertylmew / with his dewys colde.
194
Ffyr, Colour, Estas / and Juventus Age,To-gidre Accorde / in heete and drynesse,
And Coleryk men / Citryn of visage,
Rough, slyh, and Angry / Sume haue gret hardynesse
Off growing slaundre / fumous of hastyness,
44
ffuryous of Ire / froward of dalyaunce.
195
In this sesoun / Rypith frut and Corn,A tyme ful notable / be Comendacyoun,
This tyme of yeer / Baptist Iohn was born,
Petir & Poule / suffryd passyoun,
And petrys cheynes / wer brooke in prysoun;
The feeste therof / Callyd lammesse,
And the translacyoun of Thomas / martryd in Crystemasse.
196
Been at mydsoomyr / bryng hoony to ther hyvys,The lyllyes whyte / Abrood ther levys sprede,
Beestys pasture / and shade hem vndir levys,
Ageyn the sonne / gras deyeth in the mede,
Chapelettys be maad / of Roosys whyte and Rede,
And euery thyng / drawith to his Rypyng,
As it faryth be man / in his Age growyng.
197
Strawberyes, Cheryes / in gardeynes men may seBenys Rype / and pesecoddys grene,
Ageyn heetys / whan men distempryd be
ffolkys gadre purslane / and letuse that be Clene.
This sesoun fflora / that is of fflours quene,
Hire ffressh motlees / she tournyth now Citryne,
The vertu of herbys / doth doun ageyn declyne.
198
In this processe / it nedith not to tarye,But Oonly to god / Set thyn Inward entent,
O Alisaundre / herte and thought nat varye,
But thank the lord / of what thing / that he sent,
Povert or Rychesse / ther-with to be content;
As god disposith / ther in to haue plesaunce,
As Oon in god / and god thy Suffysaunce.
199
ffor by the sentence / of Seyntes and of clerkys,Of thy discertys / afftir the Rekenyng,
45
Thou shalt be guerdownyd / this soth and no lesyng,
With pees Eternal / last at thyn Endyng,
With Cryst to Regne / in the hevenly consistorye,
Whan thou by tryvmphe / hast of thy foon victorye.
Thanne folowith after the Thridde sesoun callid Autumpne.
200
This tyme of Custom / set folkys in besynesse.Ech tydy man / yevith him to travaylle,
To Repe and mowe / and exclude ydelnesse,
No man sparyd / and husbondys wyl not faylle
To ryse vp erly / And calle vp the poraylle,
Blowe ther homys / or the larke synge,
And Stuff ther grangys / with Corn þt they hom brynge.
201
The tyme by processe / voydeth the feeld of greyn,Takith awey / from braunchys ther swetnesse,
Causeth the trees / of frute to be bareyn,
The levys falle / the wynd abrood hem dresse,
The day, the nyght / bothe of Oon gretnesse,
The sonne in libra / Egal be ballaunce,
As is the wyl / of goddys Ordynaunce.
202
This sesoun is dredfull / and distemperat,disposed to feverys / thorugh ayr of pestilence,
Offte Chaungyng / and seeld in Oon estat,
Peryllous for syknesse / and with violence;
Off trouble humours / doth folk ful greet offence,
ffor flewme this tyme / hath domynacioun;
Be-war of syknesse / that gynneth in that sesoun.
203
Erthe, Autumpnus / and Age accordyn in OonSlough, malencolye / spatlyng euere Among,
Dul Courbyd dounward / whan myght & lust is goon;
fful of Ire / though he be not strong,
Soone mevyd / wheer it be right or wrong:
And thus senectus / with Autumpne doth accorde,
He and this sesoun / drawe bothe be O corde.
46
204
Autumpne takith / his leve of seynt Clement,The tyme dyuerse / and wondir varyable,
With strange passions / sodeynly men schent,
be seknessys / which be unkurable;
And for this sesoun / is unkouth & unstable,
With sodeyn Chaunges / and complexyouns to greve,
Therfore in novembre / he takith his leve.
205
Wherfore considre / in thyn Estat Royal,Take the moralite / of Autumpne the sesoun,
how it is appropryd / and in Especial
to the thrydde age / and the complexioun
Off the and me / for short conclusyoun.
Wherfore, O Alysaundre / haue in remembraunce,
Peyse euery thyng / and kepe the in good gouernaunce.
The fourthe determynacioun of the foure sesouns of the yeer.
206
Afftir hervest / whan men thresshe shevys,Sowyn whete / gadre wyntre frute in gardynes,
And somyr trees / be bareyn of ther levys,
Men putte in Celerys / Cowche newe wynes;
must lesyth his name / toward seint martynes
muryly drounke / whan it is through ffyn,
And lastith tyl / the sesoun / of Seint Martyn.
207
The dayes shorte / the nyghtes wondir longe;Coold and moyst / of flewme nutrytiff,
Contrary to Estas / the frostys been so stronge.
In Rootys restith / the vertu vegetatyff,
Grene herbys / and braunchys lost ther lyff.
The sonne this sesoun / beeyng in Aquarye,
beestys to the bynne / for stormys dar not tarye.
208
Thus the foure sesouns / devided of the yeere,ffirst veer whan phebus / doth in his spere aryse,
The growyng tyme / whan buddys oute appere;
47
Sprede on ther stalkys / geyn tytan doth aryse;
Autumpne afftir / which longe doth nat tarye,
And yemps endith / the Ende of ffebruarye.
209
Thus four tymes / makith vs a merour CleerOff mannys lyff / and a ful pleyn ymage.
Ver and Iuuentus / togedir haue sogeer,
Estas folwith / longyng to saddere age;
To vs Autumpne / bryngeth his massage
Off Senectus / Wynter last of alle,
How dethys Orlogge / doth On vs calle.
210
With veer in youthe / we hadde lustynesse,Which is inpossyble / ageyn to Recure;
Etas gaff vs strengthe / and hardynesse
fflouryng in ffreshnesse / not longe tendure.
Autumpne afftir / bryngeth vs a ffigure
Off Senectus / Wynter of Crokyd age,
How al thyng passith / halt here no long Ostage.
211
Loo Alisaundre / ye mowne se thynges tweyne,Avauntyng lying / longyng vnto Age;
Malencoly / fals demyng and disdeyne,
Many passyouns / Rancour and dotage;
Ende of this lyff / terme of our viage:
ffor decrepitus / hath his marke sett,
This world shal ende / it may nat be lett.
212
Thus to make / a CombynacyounOff veer and youthe / be a manere accordaunce
Off mannys sadnesse / and Estas the sesoun
fflouring in lust / tyme of most plesaunce,
Autumpne and eld / with ther greet haboundaunce.
Thanne folwith wyntir / and al doth ovir caste:
So doth age for it / may not alwey laste.
48
213
Off this forseyd / take the morallite,Settith asyde / alle materys spooke in veyn:
The foure sesouns / shewe in ther degre,
ffirst veer and Estas / next Autumpne with his greyn,
Constreynt of wyntir / with frostys ovir leyn,
To our foure Ages / the sesouns wel applyed;
deth al consumyth / which may nat be denyed.
here deyed this translator and nobil poete: and the yonge folowere gan his prologe on this wyse.
214
Tendirnesse of age / and lak of Elloquence,this feerful matere / savyng supportacioun,
me hath constreyned / to put in suspence
ffrom yow, my lord / to whoom Recomendacioun
I mekly do sende / with al Subieccioun;
The dulnesse of my penne / yow besechyng tenlumyne,
Which am nat / aqueynted / with the musys nyne.
215
Wher flour of knyghthood / the bataylle doth refuse,what shulde the dwerff / entre in-to the place?
bareyn in sentence / shulde hym Sylf excuse,
And by presumpcyoun / nat shewe out his fface.
Off Iohn lydgate / how shulde I the sotyl trace
ffolwe in secrees / Celestial and dyvyne,
Sith I am nat aqueynted / with the musys nyne?
216
Ffrenescys sent / from the lady natureffor a conclusyoun / hir Iourne to Conveye,
As of Anthyclaudyan / Rehersyth the scripture,
Be sevene Sustrys / in her passage took the weye,
Gynnyng at grameer / as for lok and Keye,
In Ordre and proporsyoun / folwyng the doctryne,
Which was wel aqueynted / with the musys nyne.
217
These Sevene Sustryn / souereyn and entieere,Yif I my penne / to this matere doo applye,
The nyne musys / blame shal in maneere,
49
I yaff noon attendaunce / I may it nat denye.
how shulde I thanne / my matere doo Combyne,
Which am nat / aqueynted / with the musys nyne?
218
These Sustrys / Cheyned in parfight vnyte,departe may not / by natural resoun;
Ech with othir / hath Eternite.
how shulde I thanne / vse persuasioun,
Of my purpoos / to haue conclusyoun
In ech science / fayllyng degre and signe
ffor lak of aqueyntaunce / of the musys nyne?
219
Yif I shulde talke / in scyencys tryvyal,Gynnyng at grameer / in signes and figurys,
Or of metrys / the feet to make equal,
be tyme and proporcioun / kepyng my mesurys,
This lady lyst nat / to parte the tresourys
Of hire Substaunce / to my Childhood incondigne,
Which am not aqueynted / with the musys nyne.
220
This mateer to Conveye / by trewe conclusyoun,veritees of logyk / certys I must applye,
Wheer vndir flourys / restith the Scorpioun,
Which I fere / to take for my partye,
Premyssys congrew / which can nat applye,
Of Old philisoffres / to folwe the Doctryne,
Sith I am nat aqueynted / with the musys nyne.
221
I haue with Tully / gadryd no fressh flours,The Chaar of ffronestis / to paynte in dewe manere,
With Petir petrarke / of Rethoryk no Colours,
Of teermys ne sentence / in my wrytyng doth appere;
Arismetryk nor musyk / my Dulness doo not Clere.
how shulde I thanne / by Geometrye drawe ryght lyne,
Which am nat aqueynted / with the musys nyne?
50
222
Off Astronomye / the Secrees invisible,vnknowe with Tholomye / I faylle cognicioun,
Which by invencyoun / to me be inpossible,
With oute Doctours / and exposicioun;
Or of this sevene / to make a declaracioun,
Afftir your entent / this treetys to Combyne,
Which am nat aqueynted / with the musys nyne.
223
These thynges peysed / myn hand make to quake,Thre Causys / considred in Especial;
ffirst of this book / the difficulte to take,
Secunde of the persone / the magnificence Royal,
To whoom I wryte / in-to tremlyng cause me fal;
Of dirk ignoraunce / feryng the Engyne,
Which am nat aqueyntyd / with the musys nyne.
224
The thrydde cause / in the Audight countable,Entitled and Rollyd / of my remembraunce,
Is that detractours / Odyous and detestable,
Vnto Allecto / knet be affyaunce,
With sotyl menys / shal make perturbaunce
Affermyng to my witt / to moche that I enclyne
The werk to a taste / not knowyng the musys nyne.
225
Thus atwen tweyne / pereel of the see,Sylla and karybdys / put in desperacioun,
What to resceyve / and which for to flee,
Constreyned I am / to make dubytacioun;
The sharp corosye / of fretyng detraccioun
ffirst I feere / to my partye shal enclyne,
Sith I am nat aqueynted / with the musys nyne.
226
The Secund pereel / by Computacioun,In which I stande / this is incertayn
ffeer and dreed / of Indignacioun
Of your lordshipp / which doth nat disdeyn
Me to exhorte / to wryte in termys pleyn
51
lefft of Iohn lydgate / wel knowyng þe musys nyne.
227
Thus set in pereel / fayl I my socour,Me doth counforte / a proverbe in myn entent;
“Ech tale is endyd / as it hath favour.”
Wherfore to dreed / no lengere I wyl assent,
but breefly fulfille / your Comaundement
In modir tounge / this matere to Combyne,
Which sauff Support / knowe not the musys nyne.
how a kyng shal conserve natural hete & helthe of body.
228
Sone Alysaundre / of helthe to be sure.O thyng I the preye / first and principally
Dewe proporcioun / of heete in nature
To Conserve / for to knowe that Redyly
In double wyse / man deyeth fynally;
Off which as by Age / Oon is natural,
The othir by fortune / As be thynges accidental.
229
fferthere thy body / to make moyst and fatAfftir this sentence / folwe my doctryne.
Moche sleep / wyl kepe the / in hih Estat,
Metys swete / and wyn licour divyne,
Merydien Reste / mylk whight and Argentyne,
Alle good Odours / and flours afftir ther tyme,
With swete bathys / and Erbys good and ffyne.
230
Peyse thy tyme / numbre it parfightly,And in the bath / be not Ovir longe,
Tyme contynued / wyl feble the body,
And alle Joyntes / wil weyke / which be stronge;
Drynk no wyn / but watir be ther Amonge,
And in wyntir / take watir Alchymyn,
Which hot is of nature / to putte in thy wyn.
231
The malwe in somyr / And ek violet flours,Which in nature / be coold of trewthe and ryght,
52
ffroom Corrupt humours / makith the body light.
Oonys in the monyth / to have a vomyght
purgeth the stomak / makith it pure and clene,
That no Corrupcioun / ther-Inne may be sene.
232
fferthere be it knowe / to thy magnificence,That this vomyght / restoryth hete natural,
Yif it be doo / with oute violence,
And these Comoditees / Causith in Especial,
Moystnesse good / grees wel to deffye at al
Vndirstandyng / Resoun / glorye and gladnesse,
Of thyn Enmyes victorye / expellith al hevynesse.
233
Yif thou wylt be hool / to kepe the fro Syknesse,And resyste / the strook of Aduersite,
love to se playes / voyde al hevynesse,
And put delyght / in these thynges thre;
ffayr men and women / be delectable to the
To be holde / on thy body clene clothyng,
And of Antiquite / to se and rede wryting.
Aristotil writ in A pistil to Alisaundre which hurt the body.
234
Sone set in a preff / in thy prudent avys,To ete and drynke / by attemperaunce;
ffor afftir the sentence / of philisoffres wys,
The body doon feble / and sette in perturbaunce,
To Ete litel / and drynke with oute gouernaunce,
Sleep before mete / ovir moche travaylle,
With fretyng wratthe / gretly doon disuaylle.
235
And who so wyl / breffly in sentence,Goon ageyn myght / doute or it be nede,
To ech tale / yive hasty credence,
Offtyn goon to Chaumbir / ovir offtyn to blede,
With salt metys / lyst hym Sylf to fede,
Or drynk Oold Wyn / in greet foysoun,
Doth drye his blood / by natural disposicioun.
53
236
In watir also / Contagious of nature,Be not bathyd / in no degree.
The kynde of brynstoun / is perillous I the sure,
And ful replesshyd / I exhorte the
fflesshly lustys / and bathis to ffle,
Rennyng afftir mete / and also rydyng,
Which cause wyl / a seknesse / callyd quakyng.
237
In Etyng of ffyssh / make no Contynuaunce,ffor afftir the sentence / of expert Ipocras,
ffyssh / the Complexion / puttith to varyaunce,
And pure blood / Corruptith in short spas,
Medlyd with mylk / Causith boody and fas
With lepre / to be smet / thorugh disposicioun
Off vnkynde humours / by inward Corrupcioun.
how the body is devided into foure principal parties.
238
Oalysaundre / peyse in a ballauncehow principal partyes / foure ther be
In mannys boody / which for Remembraunce
And avayl / to thy magnanymyte
I shal entitle / And yif superfluyte
Of evil humours / to Ony of them enclyne,
I shal the teche / A special medicyne.
239
Off this Secrees / to yive the cognicioun,The first membryd / this matere to applye,
Wheer powrys Organycall / vse ther operacioun,
Is the heed / And where in the fourthe partye
Set In resydence / is the ffantasye,
And next in Ordre / ymaginacioun,
With mynde / Remembraunce and Estymacioun.
240
Yif Superfluyte / or Ony evil humoursOf qualitees gendre / by in-proporcyoun
In the hed / be signes / and Colours,
54
be this doctryne / and instruccioun:
The Eyen dymme / the browys wex greete,
The noose thrylles shrynke / the templys doon bete.
241
This to Recure / A Souereyn medicyneIs Aloes / as sey doctours of ffame,
Soore boylled / in dowset and swet wyn,
With a Roote / of which is the name
Pulgichyn / which boylle must in same
Tyl tyme the wyn / half wastyd be,
Which than thus vsyd / is profitable to the.
242
Take these Erbys / souereyn and entieerIn to thy mouth / with the swete licour,
And them close there / in dewe maneer,
Which distroye shal / ech Corrupt humour;
And kepe them there / tyl tyme thou savour
Of amendyng / the Comodite,
And expulcyoun / of Superfluyte.
243
fferthere to geve / the Enformacioun,Of mustard whyte / the seed is profitable
Grounde to poudir / for conservacioun
Reysed in tyme / a quantite mesurable:
And yif thou be / necligent and vnstable
In Eyen and brayn / in specially
In these thynges / thou shalt haue gret mallady.
The secund principal part of the body.
244
The secund part / this matere to combyne,Is the breest / which yif syknesse
Doo Enfeble / in degre or signe,
Toknys foure / to the / shal it expresse:
Tounge lettyd / mouth salt with bittirnesse
Or ovir swet / of stomak / the mouth egir,
Ache in membrys / in ech sesoun or wedir.
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245
For the breest thus brosyd / vse this medicyne:litel to Ete / is good phesyk,
To make vomyth / afftir my doctryne,
Sugre Roseet / with aloes, mastyk
Wel Chawyd / as sey doctours awtentyk,
Reseyved in tyme / proporcyoun and mesure,
Off vnkouth seknesses / the breest doon Recure.
246
And yif so be / that these doon the faylle,Take Sum Spice / good confortatyff,
Which to the Appetight / gretly doth avaylle,
And the body / conserveth in good lyff,
Causeth pees / where was debat and stryff;
Alle Corrupt humors / expelleth echoon
With a letuarye / Callyd Dionysoon.
247
In foure wyses / thou shalt have gret peynesYif thou my counseyl / refuse in this partye;
Sharp feverys / Ache in heed and Reynes:
Enpechement / the trewthe to speceffye,
Propirly to speke / the tunge which doth denye,
And is Occasyoun / Auctours bere witnesse
Of many vnkouth / and straunge syknesse.
The Thrydde principal party of the body.
248
The thrydde party / to speke in termys pleyne,Is the wombe / in the boody natural,
Which yif evil / in degre or signe conteyne,
knowe thou mayst / by these thynges in especial:
Rednesse in the kne / the wombe bolnyth with al
Of kynde / causith to goon hevyly,
Geyn which these medycines / take for Remedy.
249
Resceyve inward / sum light purgacioun,Which sotil and light / is of nature,
56
Aforeseid also / wyl it Recure;
And yif thow leve / these medicynes I the sure,
As Oold philisoffres / Cleerly doon expresse,
In many foold / cause it wyl seknesse.
250
Ache in the Rottle / And Ek in the haunches,In bak Ioyntes / And also Reynes,
With the fflix / And many othir braunches,
Evil digestioun / with othir divers peynes:
This shewith experience / which nevir feynes,
Modir of konnyng / and cheef maistresse,
As Oold philisoffres / in wryting ber witnesse.
The fourthe principal parte of the body.
251
The fourthe party / this matere to combyne,Is the genital / founde incerteyn,
Vnto which yif corrupcioun / do enclyne,
These be the signes / As philisoffres seyn;
Mete to Receyve / the stomak doth disdeyn,
To Coyllons, yerde / Rednesse doth resoorte,
Gayn which these medycynes / doon counforte.
252
An Erbe namyd Apus / breffly to expresse,With seed of ffenel / is profitable to the,
Off Archemise the Roote / Acheen & Atracies,
Which thus disposed / this seknesse make to ffle:
The herbe the Roote / put togidre al thre,
With white wyn / drynk it in the morwenyng,
ffrom seknesse in genital / kepith soget and kyng.
253
fferthere be it knowe / to thy magnificence,That watir and wyn / take in smal quantite,
litel to Ete / mesuryd by prudence,
Among othir / is profitable to the;
And yif this doctryne / of the dispysed be,
Thou shalt Renne / in Ache / of the bladder,
Which of the stoon / seknesse wyl Engender.
57
An Ensample how a kyng shulde be inquisitiff to knowe diuers Oppynyouns of lechis or of phisiciens.
254
Ferthere I haue Rad / in storyes of Antiquite,how to Assemble / made a myghty kyng
Alle phisiciens / hihest of Auctorite
Of Inde and Grece / them streyghtly comaundyng
Oon medicyn to teche / which ageyn al thyng
Noyows to the body / were Sufficient;
To whoom the Grecys / thus seyde ther entent:
255
“Whoo in helthe / to persevere wyl be sure,And Conserve / the hete natural
With oute langour / longe to endure,
hoot watir / to drynke / hym doth be fal:
The mouthe replesshyd / by proporcioun equal
Tymes thre / in Aurora fastyng,
Erly to drynke / is moost medicynable thyng.”
256
The physiciens of ynde / in ther Oppynyoun,Seide that madicyne / moost profitable
Was to vse / in dewe proporcioun,
Mylk whyte / with mastursu / thynges medicynable,
Receyved fastyng / moost avayllable
Man to Conserve / in prosperite and welthe,
Good inward disposicioun / and bodily helthe.
257
But knowe Alisaundre / And peyse in ballaunce,That in this doctryne / myn Oppynyoun
Clerly to entitle / in thy Remembraunce,
Breefly is this / for ful Conclusyoun,
Whoo slepith wel / be natural resoun,
Tyl wombe avoyde / al pondorosite,
Excludyng seknesse / stant in liberte.
258
Sleep receyved / in tyme and mesure,As resoun previth / and experience,
ffroom these seknessys / the boody doth Recure,
58
Palsy and Gowte / comyng of necligence,
Ache from the wombe / and Joyntes echoon,
ffrom tremblyng and quakyng / kepith membir & boon.
259
And he that vsith / in morwe these thre thynges,Alibi Aurei / thre dragmes in substaunce
Vue passes / or goode and swete Resynges,
Off flewme warde / shal haue noone perturbaunce;
The mynde hool / excludyng variaunce,
Shal be of kynde / and ygnoraunce dysdeyn,
The boody ffre / from the fevir quarteyn.
260
fferthere to entitle / in the Audight Countable,Off thyn Remembraunce / secrees of myn doctryne,
Notys te Ete / and fygges is profitable,
Or levys of Rewe / Agreable and ffyne,
Geyn al venym / souereyn medicyne;
And breffly to conclude / in especial
Alle these conserve / the heete natural.
How profitable is to knowe diuersite & kyndes of metes & drynkes.
261
Ferthere Alysaundre / be it knowe to theThat profitable is / in especial to a kyng,
Of metys & drynkes / knowe dyuersite,
With proporcioun / and tyme of Receyvyng;
ffor afftir the sentence / of philosoffres wrytyng,
Summe are sotil / groos by nature,
Othir A-twen bothe / in mene kepe mesure.
262
Blood pure Engendir / and EnlvmyneMetys smale / and sotyl in substaunce,
As whete hennys / Chekenys good and fyne
The boody norisshe / The stomak kepe fro grevaunce;
Groos metys / make no perturbaunce,
In labouryng men / which may them deffye;
In othir / engendir malencolye,
59
263
Which atwen bothe / kepe ther mesure,As phisciciens / wryte of Auctoryte,
Engendir noon flewm / by kynde of ther nature,
Ne of humours / superfluite;
As geet, motown / And othir that be
hoot and moyst / in ther operacioun
Moost indifferent / to ech complexioun.
264
How be it / that Sumtyme incerteynThese flecchys be kynde / make wombe hard & drye,
Yit newly rostyd / Receyved and newly slayn,
Take fro the speete / and ete hastily,
They be holsom / Resoun doth it not denye:
And breefly to conclude / this matere in sentence,
Of fysshes the kynde / is lyk thexperience.
265
The ffyssh litel / and of sotyl skyn,Norysshed in watir / swet and rennyng,
I mene as perche / with the sharp ffyn,
be moost holsom / to man them receyvyng:
And in ded watir / bothe Oold and ying
ffissh norhisshid / is vnprofitable,
And vnto kynde / not avayllable.
The knowyng of watrys, and which be moost profitable.
266
Thow owest to wete / that watir is profitablehere in herthe / to ech Creature,
To man, woman / and beeste vnresonable,
Which from Corrupcioun / the body doth recure,
Rennyng from hillys / and erthe which is pure,
Or neer to Citees / stillyng as perlys Rounde,
Passyng holsom / wher mersshys do noon habounde.
267
Watir also / which that is moost lyght,Swete or bittir / in ech degree and signe,
ffrom the see / comyng of trewthe and right,
Thorugh hih hyllys / As perl Argentyne,
knowe may be / whan they be good and ffyne,
60
Prevyd be resoun / and experience:
268
Lyght of nature / to make repeticioun,Cleer ther-with / and of good Odoure,
Soone hoot, soone Coold / be dyuers operacioun,
With oute Corrupcioun / and of good savour,
White also / and of bright Colour,
Of which the Contrary / by polityk prudence,
Thus knowe thou mayst / bexperience.
269
Off slepyng wayours / watrys incertayn,Salt, bittir, and fumous / the wombe doon drye,
In lowe valeys / also which be playn,
be hoot and hevy / trewthe to speceffye;
Wher strengthe of phebus / renewith his partye,
And watrys ther placys / kepe as they be-gan,
Of them to drynke / Causeth Coleram nigram.
270
Watrys that renne / be many diuers londys,Be hoot, grevous / vnholsoom, and hevy,
Which tarage haue / of foreyn dyvers sondys,
As by experience / previd is redily:
Whoo drynketh watir / ffeblyth his body,
Afore mete / of stomak heete with-drawith,
And ful replesshyd / flewme Engendrith.
271
As Oolde philisoffres / Accoorde al in Oon,Sleep is norysshe / of digestion;
To drynke watir / as they seye echoon,
At mete Contynually / causeth Currupcioun
In the stomak / and is Occasyoun
Off hevynesse / slouthe and disturbaunce,
Which puttith a man / out of good gouernaunce.
272
Thou owyst to drynke / in somyr watir Coold,Namly whan phebus / is in his hih degre;
lewk warm in wyntir / in phesyk as it is toold,
61
ffor as doctours / Recoorde of Auctoryte,
Coold in wyntir / in euery maneer wyght,
And hoot in somyr / destroye the Appetight.
Of knowynges of vynes, & noynges & bountes of them.
273
Sone Alysaundir / in these secrees devyne,ffor Chaung of Complexioun / by drynesse or humydite,
Profitable is / in ech degree and signe,
Off wyn to knowe / the werkyng and propirte,
Which receyved / where as necessite
And tyme requeryth / Afftir my doctryne,
Geyn al syknesse / is souereyn medycyne.
274
Wyn of the grape / which growith evene vpright,Ageyn hillys / to his singuleer counfort,
Where as phebus / with flamyng bemys bright,
Dayly vprisyng / newly doth resoort,
Is moore drye / Afftir philisoffres repoort,
Than othir which / growith naturally
In placys pleyn / moyst and shadwy.
275
The first flewmatyk / as folk Oold in age,Gretly doth profite / take by attemperaunce,
hoot and yong / puttith to damage,
In Oold mys-humours / restorith to gouernaunce
Superfluytees / and al disturbaunce
Puttith to flyght / and shewith to exigent,
by cause it is / to there nature convenient.
276
Wyn moost Reed / and thikke be kynde,Engendrith good blood / as Auctours repoort,
Which strong and myghty / dullith the mynde,
Take out of mesure / doth not counforte;
Corrupt humours / causith to Resoorte,
To ech membir / breffly to expresse,
Noyeth the stomak / reyseth wyndynesse.
62
277
To ech complexioun / of mannys nature,Moost medicynable / and lycour indifferent,
Is of the grape / which growith I the sure,
In large feeldys / to them convenient,
Strecchyd abrood / with oute inpediment,
With hillys and valys / Envirownyd aboute,
Gadryd in tyme / best lycour with outyn doute.
278
Breeffly as thus / to expresse what I mene,looke they be rype / and of good swetnesse,
Strong in substaunce / no grenness let be sene,
ffrom the stok / excludid al moystnesse;
And of this doctryne / to haue more redynesse,
looke of wyn of the grape / a litel departyd be
ffroom the kernel / for lak of humydite.
279
Wyn holsom also / owith to be of Colour,So atwen Red / and gold ffyne,
Ponyaunt, delectable / sharp in savour,
Thykke at the botme / of Colour Citrine,
Above Cleer / with licour divine;
Receyved in tyme / and mesurably,
Excludyng disese / Counfortith the body.
280
fferthere Alisaundre / to expresse what I mene,knowe and entitle / in thy Remembraunce,
That wyn good propirtees / hath ffortene,
Off Old philisoffres / peysed in ballaunce;
Enforsyng the stomak / excludith perturbaunce,
ffortefieth the heete / in the body natural,
Good digestioun / causith in especial,
281
Conservith the stomak / from Corrupcioun;By al the membrys / the mete doth lede,
Which convertyd / by transmutacioun,
Chaungid to norsshyng / the body doon fede
With pure blood / of this matere take hede,
63
ffroom the stomak / to the brayn by nature:
282
Evyl humours destroyeth / the Colour makith reed,Counfortith corages / Clarifieth the sight,
The tounge Elloquent / And delyuer in the heed,
ffroom fretyng malencolye / makith the body light,
Causith good Appetight / makith hardy to fight;
but these be vndirstande / breefly I the sure,
Of wyn receyved / in tyme and mesure.
283
And knowe Alisaundre / that wyn Outragiously,Out of tyme / Resceyved, and mesure,
Of these comoditees / Cause contrary,
And the body / longe to Endure,
Doon not permitte / in good Chaung and mesure,
but moo of syknessys / Causith haboundaunce,
That wyn mesuryd / commoditees in substaunce.
284
Bookys also / of phesyk and medicynes,be a maneer / of Comparysoun,
Atween the Rembarbe / good and holsom Wynes,
This lyknesse / make in disposicioun,
As the rembarbe / holsom of condicioun,
Take out of mesure / is dedly and venym,
ffor short conclusyoun / so holsom is wyn.
Here specially preyseth wyn, and techith a medycyn ageyn drounkenesse of it.
285
In sentence breef / to wryte in termys pleyn,Sorippys bittyr / be profitable to the,
fful or fastyng / receyved incerteyn,
Of humours or flewm / whan superfluite
Doon habounde / in signe or degre,
Which in the body / cause Corrupcioun
Of qualitees / shulde be in proporcioun.
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fferthere I mervaylle / in myn Oppynyoun,How man compiled / and maad of foure humours,
May be secke / or tende to Corrupcioun
Whyl he may haue / special thre socours,
Good breed of whete / fflesh that wel savours,
Of tarrage / and stok / good and holsom wyne,
Reyceyved in mesure / lycour moost divyne.
287
Contrarye be / of nature to these thre,Moche to Ete / Ovir moche travaylle,
drynk to Receyve / in superfluite,
Of the body / ech membre doth disvaylle;
but yif these / the body doon assaylle,
And of drynk / superfluite specially,
be sotyl meenys / vse this remedy.
288
ffirst to be washid / is profitable thyng,In watir boylled / hoot and temperat;
Afftir, ovir / a ryveer rennyng,
To be set / Arrayed to thyn estat,
With salwys, wyllwys / Envyronnd preperat,
Afftir the stomak / anoynted with-al,
With the Onyment / callyd Sandal.
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Phesciciens also / preve be prudence,How norisshyng / that tyme is the savour,
To nature of / good spices and encence,
Mesuryd in tyme / by dilligent labour;
And whoo of wyn / lyst to leve socour,
Hym behovith / by Successioun redily
It to leve / and not Sodeynly.
Of the Rightwisnesse of a Kyng and of his Counseil.
290
Ferthere / Alysaundre / gyff Advertence,though of accoord / philisoffres expresse,
To a prynces / hih magnificence.
Thyng Celestial / is Rightwysnesse,
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Of his sogettys / possessyouns and werkys,
In which / his Regalye stant / as sey clerkys.
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ffroom god sent / for his CreaturysRyghtwysnesse namyd / shap of intelligence,
In sogettys obeysaunt / Souereyn recurys,
Which doth cause / groundid on prudence,
Sent was / noote this sentence,
Vnto prynces / to conserve froom pillage,
Alle sogettys / extorciouns and damage.
292
Men of ynde / in ther Oppynyounffor this concludid / wrytyng berith witnesse,
Off a prynce / for breef conclusyoun,
To his sogettys / bettir is rightwysnesse
Than Aboundaunce / or plente of Richesse
In the Reem / and moore Avayllable
Than Reyn froom hevene / A kyng resonable.
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And for they shulde / make no dysseveraunce,but ther kyng / And ryghtwysness Ioye in Oon,
Atwen hem / they made Affyaunce,
Which was thus wryte / in marbyl stoon:
With oute ryghtwysnesse / prynce may be noon,
And breefly to wryte / with-oute superfluyte,
Ryght and the Kyng / as brethryn owen to be.
294
It is to the / also greet avaylle,And accordyng / to thy magnificence,
Oppynyouns to here / of thy counsaylle,
And benygly / to gyff audience,
To ther counsayl / giff advertence,
Intitle and rolle / ech Oppynyoun,
In thy remembraunce / but lerne this conclusyoun.
295
Thyn entent / do nat expresse,Which thou hast / at the begynnyng,
ffor thou owyst / of verray ryghtwysnesse
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keep tounge in mewe / be cloos in werkyng,
Tyl tyme thou be / in purpoos for avayl,
In effect to folwe / ther counsayl.
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Conceyve the Counseyl / peyse it in ballaunceOff eche persone / hih or lowe degre,
Which doth Iuge / with oute varyaunce,
ffor moost love / which he hath to the;
And whan alle thynges / determyned be
By thy counsayl / them put to execucioun,
ffor to a Reem / delayes Cause destruccyoun.
297
To make dellayes / namely tyme of nede,Is greet pereel / as philisoffres devyse
Off tendir in Age / to this mateer tak hede:
Prudent counsayl / loke thou nat despice,
ffor sinne of nature / be provident and wyse.
Summe folkys / by disposicioun
Afftir ther tyme / And constellacioun.
298
This to conclude / wrytyng I ffynde,A lyknesse previd / by experience
Off an Enfaunt / in the Cuntre of ynde,
Boore in a place / where men of intelligence
Herborwed were / which gevyng Aduertence
Of this Child / to ech proporcioun
This doom gaff / by natural resoun.
299
Boore he was / vndir such signe,Constellacioun / and planete delectable,
That he shulde / Enclyne to doctryne,
be light of membrys / Curteys and Amyable,
lovyd of statys / to Counsayl avayllable,
Of Sevene sciencys / hauyng in sight cleer,
Whoos ffadir of wevyng / was an Artificeer.
300
Tyme passyd / this child grew to Age,Weel proporciownyd in membrys Organycalle,
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Boonde and dysposyd / to crafft mechanycalle:
but this Enfaunt / for no thyng myght be falle,
lerne myght / ne for Correccioun,
Be-cause it was / ageyn disposicioun.
301
They took awey / the brydel of A-reest,Hym puttyng / to folwe his owne entent,
He sett his herte / to byde with the wyseest
Of that Cuntre / And moost prudent,
Which in labour / wolde be dilligent
Hym to Enforme / in science by lecture,
The kynde of thynges / Conteyned vndir nature.
302
The mevyng of the firmament / and al othir thyngesvndir nature / he lernyd Redily,
Good manerys also / to governaunce of kynges,
And by his wysdam / and sciencys fynally,
Be-cause he was / trustyd Specially,
He had the rewle / and disposicioun
Of the kyng / and al his Regioun.
303
Contrary to this / in wryting I ffyndeHow a nobil / and a Royal kyng
Two Children hadde / in the lond of ynde,
Off which whan Oon / Cam to growyng,
He was set / to liberal konnyng,
Taught by mastres / of hih Auctorite,
As a-partenyd / to his dignite.
304
But in that part / he was vntretable,Maystre ne ffadir / myght no thyng avaylle,
Science nor Crafft / to hym was delectable,
but to forge / malyable mataylle:
Put no delight / in countirfet Apparaylle,
but dysposed / in yong and tendir Age,
As Child bore / of vile and smal lynage.
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The kyng stonyd / greetly in thys partye,Of his Reem / Assemblyd in presence
Alle grettest clerkys / Comaundyng streyghtlye
That they shulde doo / ther entieer dilligence
Hym to Enfoorme / by ther science
Why his sone / of his disposicioun,
Sauf oonly to forge / wolde take noon informacioun.
306
In ther Oppynyoun / they accoordid alle in Oon,And yove this Answere / for ful conclusyoun
Of his nature / what Enfaunt that wer boorn
In that signe / or Constellacioun:
He shulde be / of natural resoun,
dysposyd that Crafft / Oonly to vse,
And alle othir / vttirly refuse.
307
These experymentys / Owe to meve a kyng,Nat to despise / A man I the sure,
litel of stede / and litel of growyng,
But afftir he spryngeth / in vertu and norture,
So hym to Cherysshe / owylle of nature,
Whethir he be / of hih or lowe degree,
A kyng florysshyng / in excellent dignitee.
308
He owyth to be lovyd / that vices will eschewe,Which lovith trowthe / and counseyllith trewly,
To the thy sogettys / stedfast, Iust, and trewe,
And of thy wyl / Sumtyme the contrary,
Which doth nat spare / to telle the feithfully,
To this counsayl / yive Affyaunce,
Which in thy Reem / Cause wyl good governaunce.
309
Ordre thy mateerys / afftir ther substaunceSet nat the last / there the first shulde be,
In al nedys / with dewe Circumstaunce,
To vse consayl / is profitable to the,
With prevy counceyllours / prudent and secre:
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Than of pepil / greet puissaunce in bataylle.
310
ffor this entent / in wrytyng as I Rede,A greet man wys / and provident,
Whoos dwellyng / was in the Reem of mede,
A lettere wroot / and to his sone it sent,
Of which the tenour / and the content,
With the prohemye / and conclusyoun,
This was with oute / varyacioun.
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“Dere sone, it is nede / in al thy werkysTo have counsayl / for thou art but O man
Of qualitees contrarye / Compiled as sey clerkys;
Wherfore thy counseyl / take of hem that Can
The directe / by polityk wysdam,
In ech mevyng / habite or passyoun,
The to reduce / by good discrecyoun.”
312
From thyn Enemy / I counseyl the be sure;Shewe thy poweer / And thyn victorye
Vpon hym / thy ryght to Recure:
But I the monysshe / first and pryncipally,
ffroom hym to tle / in tyme prudently.
Put not confidence / in the greetnesse
Of thyn prerogatyf / and excellent hihnesse.
313
Tak counseyl / in thought do not museAs it plesith / So it Receyve,
The best Accepte / badde do refuse,
hoo folwith thy wyl / the shal disceyve;
Wers smyt flateryng / than polex or gleyve.
Werfore perceyve / by logical resoun,
Whan vndir flours / restith the scorpioun.
314
Be sad of cheer / pley nat the Enfaunt,In answere prudent / wys nat chaungable,
Oon singuler man / to make thy leyf tenaunt,
70
ffor yif he be wood / and vntretable,
He may in his / furyous Cruelte
Thy pepil, thy Reem / destroye, and also the.
315
fferthermore, sone / tak hed to my doctryne,To haue officers / is profitable to the,
Thy worshippe and profight / for to mayntyne:
And yif thou wylt / lerne this of me,
Preve thyn officeer / of hihe or lowe degre,
By sotyl meenys / vse persuasyoun,
And thanne fynally / take this conclusyoun:
316
Make compleynt / shewe greet hevynesse,ffeyne the nedy / take hym to the neer
By sotil meenys / thy consceyt to expresse,
As to thy freend / touche thyn officeer,
And yif he counseyl / to chevyssh sylveer
Of thy Iowellys / or thyn tresours,
he is trewe / and louyth thyn honours.
317
Yif he Caste / or gynne to counte thy dettys,It is signe / of greet providence;
ffals and vntrewe / yif of thy sogettys,
Goodys to Resceyve / he gif Aduertence;
And yif he offre / of polityk prudence,
Part of Richessys / get in thy seruyse,
he is so trewe / no good man may hym mempryse.
318
Comende that Officeer / in thyn Oppynyoun,As hym that loueth / moore prosperite,
Vnyversal / of thy Regioun
Than pryvat avayl / to his singularyte;
Signe of good sogett / take this Auctoryte,
Is whan he dothe / for thy hih honour,
Moore than his charge / to thy singuleer plesour.
319
And trust not / On hym of discrecioun,Which in tresour / puttith his delight,
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Good to gadre / Whethir it be wrong or right,
On whoom growith / evir the Appetight
In greet Rychesse / And mony to Abounde,
Which as a depnesse / is with oute grounde.
320
Gyff no credence / to such an OfficeerThat is Corruptyd / in his affecyoun,
ffor he wyl redily / Seeke mateer,
And soone consente / to thyn destruccioun:
Tretyng with lordys / ne cognicioun
lete hym noon have / and yif he thus offende,
Oute of thy presence / hym vttirly suspende.
321
Love that officeer / of hool herte and entieer,Which the lovith / and is ay tretable
To thy sogettys / tak hede of this mateer
Them to make / to the Agreable,
ffroom thy seruice / which is not permutable;
In whoom also / these vertues may be sene
By computacioun / folwyng here ffyftene.
322
In membrys parfight / wel to travaylleIn the Office / hym commyttyd twoo,
Swyfft / vndirstandyng / gretly doth avaylle,
with redy consceyt / wheer meen haue to doo
That hym is Charged / to execucioun alsoo
Soone to putte / Curteys and doughty,
ffayr spekere / with-oute fflattery:
323
Groundid in science / and a good Clerk,Trewe of behest / hatyng lesynges,
gentyl of condiciouns / tretable in ech werk;
Wel mesuryd / specially in twoo thynges,
Mete and drynk / for a-boute kynges
In-sacyable glotonye / is detestable,
Inconvenient / and abhomynable.
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That he love worshepe / and encrese,Above al thynges / to thy goodlyheede,
To gadre gold / leve besynesse,
ffor as a-fore rehersyd / thou mayst rede
Suych an Officeer / in tyme of nede
Wyl be enclyned / be persuacioun
The to destroye / for Ambicioun.
325
That he love the / prevy and estraunge,Men of worshepe / put to reuerence,
Which for Corrupt[i]on / trewthe wyl not chaunge;
But to ech / be polityk prudence,
Graunte his labour / and his dilligence
To socoure them / which grevyd be in dispence,
With-oute carnalyte / makyng no difference.
326
In his purpoos / strong and perseueraunt,With outyn dreed / to se thyn Avaylle,
Meke of condiciouns / and no tyraunt,
Off thyn Rentys / knowyn the Resaylle,
Secreet in werkyng / sharp in travaylle,
ffroom greet spekyng / hym kepith discretly,
ffor moche spekyng / is signe of ffoly.
327
In mooche laughtir / that he nat abounde,To thy sogettys / gracious and benigne,
Off repoort / ay that he be founde,
Trewe and stable / in ech degre and signe
Among the peple / trewthe to mayntene;
To symple also / geve supportacioun,
And them correcte / which vse extorcioun.
328
It is to be titled / how prevy with oute obstacle,As Oold philisoffres / put in Remembraunce,
That in man / is founde greet myracle,
Namyd the litel world / by Auctours allegeaunce,
ffor many and / vnkouth circumstaunce
73
Namyd beeste resonable / be intelligence insure.
329
He is hardy as leown / dreedful as the hare,large as a Cok / and as a hound Coveytous,
hardy as an hert / in forest which doth fare,
Boxsom as the turtyl / As lyownesse dispitous,
Symple as the lamb / lyk the ffox malicious;
Swyfft as the Roo / as beere slough in tarying,
And lyk the Ellefaunt / precious in ech thyng.
330
As the Asse vyle / and Contagious,As a litel kyng / hasty and Rebeel,
Chaast as an Aungel / As swyn leccherous,
Meeke as a pecook / as boole wood and feel;
Profitable as the Bee / in his heve, which is his Cel,
ffair as the hors / As the howle malicious,
Dowmbe as the ffyssh / And as a mows noyous.
331
Noote this processe / in the Audith Countable,Of thy Remembraunce / and knowe redyly,
That in beeste / nor thyng vegitable,
No thyng may be / vnyuersally
But yif it be / founde naturally
In mannys nature / Wherfore of Oon Accoord
Oold philisoffres / Callyd hym the litel woord.
Of a kynges Secretary
332
Ferthere / Alysaundre / Conceyve in thyn ententThy prevy wyse men / for to vndirstande
In speche fair / in language prudent;
Gay in endityng / fair wryters with hande
looke they be / and ferthere in thy lande;
looke thy wryters / of thy secrees
In prevy place / wysely kepe thy lettrees.
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Lyke as a Robe / fayr of greet Rychesse,Worshippeth the body / of a myghty kyng,
So fair language / trewthe to expresse,
Worshippeth a lettir / with good endityng;
look thy secretary / Conceyve in ech thyng
Thyn entent / and it redily
To execucioun / Can put wittily.
334
Thy hihnesse also / for to enhaunce,And thy magnificence / lerne this of me;
With greet rewardys / doo them avaunce
Afftir here merytis / and ther degre,
Which aldayes / besy and wakyng be
In thy nedys / for in them stant the warysoun
Of thy worshepe / thy lyf or thy destruccioun.
What a kynges massageer oughte to bee.
335
Ferthere Alysaundre / to spede thy mateerysffor a-vayl / Enforce thy Corage
ffor to haue / swyfft massageerys,
Wys, redy / expert in language,
Moost Sufficient / for thyn Avauntage;
ffor a massageer / As philisoffres recoord,
Is the Eye, the Ere / and tounge of his loord.
336
His Iourne lette / which lyst for reyn ne shour,To whoom thou mayst / thy wyl also vncure,
Which the louyth / and thyn honour,
And if thou ne may / of suych Oon be sewre,
At the leste / gentil and demewre
look he be / which wel and feithfully
Can bere a lettre / and repoorte trewly.
337
Rakyl of tounge / or moche which doth museTo gete gifftys / what tyme he is sent
On thy massage / hym vttirly reffuse;
75
To hym which wyl be Impotent
In al membrys / be Outragious drounknesse,
ffor more than he knowith / suych Oon wyl expresse.
338
fferthere be prudence / entitle this mateer,And it Rolle / in thyn Countable mynde,
That hihe Estat / ne greet Officeer,
On thy massage / thou vse for to sende,
ffor yif he / to tresoun condiscende,
Off the and thy Reem / he may be destruccioun,
Whoos punysshment / I remytte to thy discrecioun.
Of Equiperacioun of Sogettys and Conservacioun of Justice.
339
Conceyve dere sone / how the hous of thy mynde,be thy sogettys / and the tresour,
By which thy Reem / Confermyd as I ffynde,
Doth Contvne / in greet and hihe honour,
lyk a gardeyn / of Redolent savour,
Aboundyng in trees / and divers ffrutys,
Which gryffyd on stokkys / haue many braunchys.
340
The braunchis sprede / the frute doth multiplye,And in Caas / lyk and comparable,
Off poweer excellent / trewthe to speceffye,
And of a Reem / tresour perdurable,
By the prudence / famous and agreable,
Off the Comownys / by polityk livyng,
Growe alle vertues / to worshepe of a kyng.
341
In werk and woord / and al ther dedys,To be mesuryd / is Covennable,
ffroom velonye / and wrong in al ther nedys,
Them to diffende / to the is portable,
Pepil to governe / to the is avayllable,
Afftir Custom / And Condicioun,
In ther partye / vsyd of thy Regioun.
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342
To ther Suppoort / gif them an Officeer,Which tendith not / to ther destruccioun,
Good of condicioun / wys in ech mateer,
In tyme pacient / vse noon extorcioun
ffor to take this / for ful conclusyoun,
Yif the Contrarye / thou doo / that I the telle,
Ageyn the / thy sogettys / shul rebelle.
343
To encrees of thy Court / And also of thy Reem,have Iuges trewe / good and wyse,
not parcial / but indifferent men,
Which for lukyr / trewthe will not despyse,
Prenotaryes / to haue / I the Advyse:
ne that the Iuges / Corrupt of entent,
Ageyn Iustice / gyf the Iugement.
Of the governaunce of Bataylle.
344
Ferthere Alysaundre / be-hold for thyn avayl,That to thyn hihenesse / it is Conuenient,
Not to contvne / werre and bataylle;
In thy persone / Conceyve myn entent,
ffor Coveitise or envye / to make busshement,
Or foly to fight / for presumptuousnesse,
Is thyng temerarye / and noon manlynesse.
345
Off thy Court / look thou be dilligent,ffor to here / the Comoun Oppinyoun,
Thy men of Armys / dispreyse not of entent;
But of me / lerne this conclusyoun,
Gyf them fair speche / behete them warysoun,
And to bataylle / entre not sodeynly,
but thow haue Armvre / and wepne necessary.
346
Vpon thy Enemy / renne not sodeynly,ne dispurveyed / dreede not for to flee,
What tyme thou art / besegyd traytourly,
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It is noon / lerne this of me;
Keep wel thyn Oost / and the logge al dayes,
Nyhe to hillys / watrys and woodyes.
347
Haue also greet / Aboundaunce of vitaylle,Moore than the nedith / be lyklynesse;
ffreshe trompetys / greetly doon avaylle,
Which to fight / gif greet hardynesse,
Strengthe, vertu / Ioye and lightnesse,
Vnto the Oost / which is On thy partye,
And the meny / discounfort / of thy Enemye.
348
Be not al tymes / Armyd Oon Armvre,look thou be kept / wel / with good Archeerys,
Summe of thy people / to stand fix and sure,
Othir to Renne vpon / to destroy Arblasteerys,
ffair behestys / wyl make fel as steerys,
Wherfore whan thou shalt / entre the bataylle,
Thy people to Counforte / greetly doth avaylle.
349
ffle al hastynesse / in especial chydyng,And if thorugh tresoun / constreyned thou be to flee,
To haue good hors / swifft of Rennyng,
Doth aparteyne / to thyn excellent dignitee,
Which Save thyn Oost / shal and also thee,
ffor thy conservacioun / yf thou resort,
To alle the puissaunce / gevith greet counfort.
350
And yif thy Enemyes / gynne for to fle,Chase them not / ovir hastely,
Holde al tyme / togidre thy meyne,
Which shal Cause / the haue victory:
Engynes to haue / is special remedy,
Yif thou assaylle / wyl Castel or tour,
With maystryes to myne / and special socour.
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There watrys destroye / or ellys envemyne,Expert in language / haue explotourys,
Them to be-traye / be sum Sotil Engyne,
And to knowe / alle ther labourys,
A poynt of werre / thoughe vndir flourys,
Of peynted language / reste the scorpioun,
ffor a traytour / to be-traye is no tresoun.
352
Lerne this Conclusyoun / folwe my doctrine,In poyntes of werre / take thyn avayl,
And yif thou may / thorugh grace which is dyvyne,
With oute werre / take hede to my Counsayl,
Gete thyn Entent / or withe oute batayl,
Off thyn Enmyes / thou owyst, as sey clerkys,
ffor werre shulde be / the laste of thy werkys.
Of the Crafft of physynomye, and the ymage of ypocras.
353
Ferthere I wyl / thou knowe in this partye,the excellent science / celestial and divine,
ffounde be philomon / I mene phisonomye,
Be which thou shalt / folwyng my doctryne,
knowe disposicioun / in ech degree and signe,
Of al thy peple / by polityk prudence,
Which folwe sensuallyte / and which intelligence.
354
The qualitees to enserge / and ther naturys,With othir Crafftys / which that be secree,
Poweer of planetys / in al Creaturys,
Dyfformaciouns / of Circes and medee,
lokyng in facys / lerne this of mee,
And of membrys / to se proporcioun,
Off ech wyght / declaryth the disposicioun.
355
In this science / philomon Expert was,And in al partyes / of philosophie,
In whoos tyme / Regnyd ypocras,
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Off whoom for purpoos / and ffantasye,
To preve philomon / in his Iugement,
disciples of ypocras / thus did of entent.
356
Of moost wyse ypocras / they put in picture,The ymage / in ech proporcioun,
And to philomon / they Offryd that ffigure,
hym be-sechyng / the disposicioun,
them to telle / with qualitees and condicioun,
Of that man / by his experyence,
Whoos figure they / hadde there in presence.
357
Poweer of planetys / and Ek the sterrys,And of every / hevenly intelligence,
Disposicioun of pees / and Ek of werrys,
And of ech straunge / othir science,
As the sevene goddys / by ther influence,
Or of natural body / the transmutacioun,
Of which he droof / this conclusyoun.
358
This man he Seide / of natural resoun,Was a disceyvour / lovyng leccherye,
ffor which the disciples / in that sesoun,
hym to destroye / purpoosyd ffynally,
And hym rebukyng / with woordys of velony,
They seide “ffool / this ymage prentyd was,
Afftir the ffigure / of moost wyse ypocras.”
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This wyse philisoffre / of greet providence,Wel disposed / seying on this maneer,
With this Resoun / stood at his diffence,
And seide “this ymage / Sovereyn and entieer,
Is of ypocras / ffigure bright and Cleer,
Wherfore I gaff yow / not enformacioun
Of Actual dede / but disposicioun.”
360
The Answere yove / they passyd his presence,And to ypocras / yove relacioun,
80
Off wyse philomon / for his disposicioun,
Which conceyvyng / his owne Complexioun,
Seide it was trewe / be lyknesse,
Al that of hym / philomon did expresse.
361
ffor this dere sone / I wryte in this partye,Rewlys abreggyd / and sufficient
In the science / of phisonomye,
Which to parceyve / looke thou be dilligent
In alle dowtys / which wyl the Content,
To nature, perteynyng / in substaunce,
And atwen qualitees / make disseveraunce.
362
In sentence breeff / to wryte to thyn honour,And exclude / al superfluyte,
Man which is / feble of Colour
ffor thyn avayl / looke that thou flee,
ffor he is pleynly / tak heed vnto me,
To lecchery dispoosed / be nature and kynde,
And othir evelys / many as I ffynde.
363
Man which lawheth / with wyl and herte,Iust / stedfast / and trewe is of nature,
Oute of thy presence / whych wyll not sterte,
But to be-holde / the deliteth in sure,
Reed, shamefast / witty and demevre,
Which with teerys / and syhyng makith moone,
Whan thou hym blamyst / louyth thy persoone.
364
As froom thy Enemy / fle his presence,Which a-complysshed / in membrys Organychall
Is not / and noote this sentence,
ffor avayl / of thy excellence Royal:
ffroom hym that is / looke thou ffal,
Markyd in visage / for lerne this Conclusyoun,
he is disceyvable / by disposicioun.
81
365
Best of Complexioun / to ech Creature,Is to be / breefly to expresse,
Wel proporciownyd / and meene stature,
In eyen and heerys / havyng blaknesse,
Colour meene / atwen whyte and Reednesse;
Visage rounde / boody hool and right,
With meenesse of the heed / is good in ech wyght.
366
Meene in voys / nouthir to hih nor baasIn moche speche / which doth noon Offence,
Spekith in tyme / and doth no trespaas
vnto the Eerys / of the Audience,
Conveieth his mateer / be resoun and prudence,
In ech Circumstaunce / vsith discrecioun,
Suych a man / is best of complexioun.
367
Eerys pleyn and soffte doon signeffyeMan to be boxom / Curteys and kynde,
Coold of brayn / trewthe to speceffye,
And the Contrarye / conserve this in mynde,
As Eerys sharpe / and thykke, as I ffynde,
Be evident toknys / and signes palpable,
Of a fool / nyce and varyable.
368
Off heer also / whoo hath greete quantiteOn wombe and breest / he is, I the sure,
Good of condiciouns / in ech signe and gre,
Merveyllous of complexioun / and singuleer in nature,
In whoos herte / longe doth endure
Thyng a-geyn Resoun / doo vnfeithfully
To his Rebuke / shame or velony.
369
Heerys blake / shewe rightwysnesseIn a man / and love and resoun,
The rede also / be signe of ffoolynesse,
lak of providence / and discrecioun,
Of fretyng wretthe / with Oute Occasyoun,
82
Of pesable man / is signe and witty.
370
And he that hath / Eeyen Out of mesureOvir greete / with oute proporcioun,
He is in voys / of kynde and nature,
Slaw, vnshamefast / with oute subieccioun;
A-twen bothe / which kepe dymencioun,
Of Colour brown / nouthir blak nor whyte,
Curteys trewe / and konnyng be of right.
371
Eeyen longe / and extendid visage,Signe be / of malice and Envye;
Dul of cheer / which lyst nat to rage,
But as the Asse / evir casteth his Eeye
To the Erthe / tak heed of this partye:
He is a fool / malicious, vntretable,
Hard of kynde / and not sociable.
372
Eeyen also / which be lightly mevyng,visage long / with oute mesure,
Off hasty man / vntrewe and levyng,
Be signes Evident / and tooknys I the sure;
Colour reed / Causyd of blood pure,
Is signe of strengthe / and greet manlynesse,
Which to fight / gevith greet hardynesse.
373
But of this mateere / looke thou heede take,That werst signe / in disposicioun
Is whan spottys / reede, whyte, or blake,
Mannys Eeyes / doo enviroun,
Werst of othir / with oute comparysoun;
And whoo so heer / thykke doth bere
On the browys / is a shrewd spekere.
374
fferthere, whoo hath / moche heer dependyngA-twene the browes / is a shrewd signe,
Browys large / to templys / ech strecchyng,
83
Which keepe meene / tak heed of my doctryne,
And in mooche heer / be not Aboundyng,
Evident signe be / of good vndirstandyng.
375
Noote this mateer / Entitle it Redily,long noose / strecchyng vnto the mouth,
Tokne is of man / boold and hardy,
And he that hath / the nature that is vnkouth,
Cammyd nose / bore in north or south,
With gristil of nose / litel redily,
Is sone wroth / hoot and hasty.
376
fferthere take heed / to my doctryne,large nose in myddys / which doth vp ryse,
Of a lyere / and greet spekyng is signe,
As Oold philisoffres / Clerly doth devise;
But best he is / in ech maner wyse.
That nose-thrylles / ne nose, I the hete,
Ovir litel hath / ne Ovir greete.
377
In this mateere / ferthere to procede,And it Entitle / vnto thy good grace,
Moo of membrys / to the it is nede
Propirtees to knowe / in special of the fface,
Dirk ignoraunce / awey which wyl chace;
Which plat and pleyn / though it be specious,
Is signe Evident / of man Envious.
378
Signes be / for ful conclusyoun,As in wryting / philisoffres seyn,
Whan face kepith / dew proporcioun,
These dymenciouns / he kepith in certeyn,
Not engrosyd / nouthir ovir pleyn,
Jawys and templys / in mene vp-rysyng,
Which signe is / of witt / and greet vndirstandyng.
84
379
Meene in voys / neythir to grete nor smalle,Signe is of trewthe / and rightwysnesse,
Whoo spekith soone / or ony man hym calle
Is vnresounable / as philisoffres expresse:
Greet voys / signe of hastynesse,
Greet sownyng / Envyous and Angry,
ffair and hih / of wyldenesse and ffooly.
380
Considre / Alysaundre / be dilligent labour,Whoo in talkyng / Conceyve what I mene,
Handys doth meve / is a disceyvour,
He stant stable / from these is pure and clene;
With nekke to smal / in proporcioun whoo be sene
Is a fool / ovir short / disceyvable,
And ovir gross / A lyeer detestable.
381
And he that hath / wombe greet withoute mesure,Proud, lecherous, is / and vnprudent,
breest greet, and shuldrys / large insure,
With bak wel shape / be signes Evident
Of many wourthy / wys and provident,
Good of vndirstandyng / hardy to fight,
Who hath the Contrary / is noyous to ech wyght.
382
Armys longe / strecchyng to the knee,Tokne of wysdam / is and hardynesse;
Shuldrys sharpe / I mene not reysed with slevys,
Off evyl feith / is lyklynesse,
longe fyngerys / trewthe to expresse,
Crafftys to lerne / yevith disposicioun,
In Especial / of manual Operacioun.
383
He that hath ffyngres / greet and shoortIs dispoosed / noote this doctryne,
To be a fool / nyce in his dispoort;
Whoo hath greet feet / vntrewthe wyl mayntyne,
litel and light / been evident signe
85
And smale leggys / be tokne of symple konnyng.
384
Of leggys and helys / be tokenyth largenesseMighty to be / in strength of body;
In knees also / trewthe to expresse,
He that is ovir / moche fflesshy,
Is soffte and feble / lerne this naturally;
Whoo hath litel / is evil of wyl,
In al thynges / hasty with oute skyl.
385
To al vertu / disposed, and science,Good and kynde / of Complexioun,
Is a man / havyng in sentence
Signes twelve / be computacioun;
ffleshe soffte / of disposicioun,
Or meenely sharp / and of mene stature.
Twen whyte and Reed / in Colour kepith mesure.
386
Swete of look / and the Eerys pleyn,Eyen menely / grete be mesure,
The heed not greet / but a-twen tweyn,
Moche and litel / is good I the sure;
Nekke sufficient / and of good stature,
Whos shuldrys bowe / a litel mesurably,
In leggis nor kneeys / be not moche fflesshy.
387
Cleer of voys / and eke mesurable,Palmys and ffyngrys / longe in suffysaunce,
Skornys to vse / is not comendable,
lawhyng visage / is good in daliaunce,
vsyd in mene / With dew Circumstaunce;
ffor afftir the mateer / requerith audience,
So contenaunce to shewe / is good providence.
388
Be oon in-sight / deme no man to soone,In sentence breeff / folwe my doctryne,
ffor hasty demyng / where men haue to doone,
86
And this book / breffly to termyne,
In oon membir / for ful conclusyoun,
nevir deme / mannys disposicioun.
389
Behoold al signes / give aduertence,Which moost aboundyn / to se is avaylable,
And in mynde / by polityk prudence,
nombre of them / which be most profitable,
In party best / and moost Amyable,
Which the mvt graunte / the lord moost imperial
Aboue al hevenys / Supra celestial. Amen.
390
Goo litel book / and mekely me excuse,To alle thoo that / shal the seen or rede,
Yf ony man / thy Rudnesse lyst accuse,
Make no diffence / but with lowlyhede
Pray hym refourme / wheer as he seth nede:
To that entent / I do the forth directe,
Wher thou fayllest / that men shal the correcte.
| Lydgate and Burgh's Secrees of old Philisoffres | |