upon this conclusioun, And of his wrytinge in a clause He clepeth god the ferste cause, Which of himself is thilke good, Withoute whom nothing is good, Of which that every creature Hath his beinge and his nature. 90 After the beinge of the thinges Ther ben thre formes of beinges: Thing which began and ende schal, That thing is cleped temporal; Ther is also be other weie Thing which began and schal noght deie. As Soules, that ben spiritiel, Here beinge is perpetuel: Bot ther is on above the Sonne, Whos time nevere was begonne, 100 And endeles schal evere be; That is the god, whos mageste Alle othre thinges schal governe, And his beinge is sempiterne. The god, to whom that al honour Belongeth, he is creatour, And othre ben hise creatures: The god commandeth the natures That thei to him obeien alle; Withouten him, what so befalle, 110 Her myht is non, and he mai al: The god was evere and evere schal, And thei begonne of his assent; The times alle be present To god, to hem and alle unknowe, Bot what him liketh that thei knowe: Thus bothe an angel and a man, The whiche of al that god began Be chief, obeien goddes myht, And he stant endeles upriht. 120 To this science ben prive The clerkes of divinite, The whiche unto the poeple prechen The feith of holi cherche and techen, Which in som cas upon believe Stant more than thei conne prieve Be weie of Argument sensible: Bot natheles it is credible, And doth a man gret meede have, To him that thenkth himself to save. 130 Theologie in such a wise Of hih science and hih aprise Above alle othre stant unlike, And is the ferste of Theorique. Phisique is after the secounde, Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde To techen sondri knowlechinges Upon the bodiliche thinges. Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston, Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon 140 That ben of bodely substance, The nature and the circumstance Thurgh this science it is ful soght, Which vaileth and which vaileth noght. The thridde point of Theorique, Which cleped is Mathematique, Devided is in sondri wise And stant upon diverse aprise. The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique, And the secounde is seid Musique, 150 The thridde is ek Geometrie, Also the ferthe Astronomie. Of Arsmetique the matiere Is that of which a man mai liere What Algorisme in nombre amonteth, Whan that the wise man acompteth After the formel proprete Of Algorismes Abece: Be which multiplicacioun Is mad and diminucioun 160 Of sommes be thexperience Of this Art and of this science. The seconde of Mathematique, Which is the science of Musique, That techeth upon Armonie A man to make melodie Be vois and soun of instrument Thurgh notes of acordement, The whiche men pronounce alofte, Nou scharpe notes and nou softe, 170 Nou hihe notes and nou lowe, As be the gamme a man mai knowe, Which techeth the prolacion Of note and the condicion. Mathematique of his science Hath yit the thridde intelligence Full of wisdom and of clergie And cleped is Geometrie, Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte, Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte 180 To knowe the proporcion Be verrai calculacion Of this science: and in this wise These olde Philosophres wise, Of al this worldes erthe round, Hou large, hou thikke was the ground, Controeveden thexperience; The cercle and the circumference Of every thing unto the hevene Thei setten point and mesure evene. 190 Mathematique above therthe Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe, Which spekth upon Astronomie And techeth of the sterres hihe, Beginnynge upward fro the mone. Bot ferst, as it was forto done, This Aristotle in other thing Unto this worthi yonge king The kinde of every element Which stant under the firmament, 200 Hou it is mad and in what wise, Fro point to point he gan devise. Tofore the creacion Of eny worldes stacion, Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle, So as these olde bokes telle, As soun tofore the song is set And yit thei ben togedre knet, Riht so the hihe pourveance Tho hadde under his ordinance 210 A gret substance, a gret matiere, Of which he wolde in his manere These othre thinges make and forme. For yit withouten eny forme Was that matiere universal, Which hihte Ylem in special. Of Ylem, as I am enformed, These elementz ben mad and formed, Of Ylem elementz they hote After the Scole of Aristote, 220 Of whiche if more I schal reherce, Foure elementz ther ben diverse. The ferste of hem men erthe calle, Which is the lowest of hem alle, And in his forme is schape round, Substancial, strong, sadd and sound, As that which mad is sufficant To bere up al the remenant. For as the point in a compas Stant evene amiddes, riht so was 230 This erthe set and schal abyde, That it may swerve to no side, And hath his centre after the lawe Of kinde, and to that centre drawe Desireth every worldes thing, If ther ne were no lettyng. Above therthe kepth his bounde The water, which is the secounde Of elementz, and al withoute It environeth therthe aboute. 240 Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi This soubtil water myhtely, Thogh it be of himselve softe, The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte; For riht as veines ben of blod In man, riht so the water flod Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines, Als wel the helles as the pleines. And that a man may sen at ije, For wher the hulles ben most hyhe, 250 Ther mai men welle stremes finde: So proveth it be weie of kinde The water heyher than the lond. And over this nou understond, Air is the thridde of elementz, Of whos kinde his aspirementz Takth every lifissh creature, The which schal upon erthe endure: For as the fissh, if it be dreie, Mot in defaute of water deie, 260 Riht so withouten Air on lyve No man ne beste myhte thryve, The which is mad of fleissh and bon; There is outake of alle non. This Air in Periferies thre Divided is of such degre, Benethe is on and on amidde, To whiche above is set the thridde: And upon the divisions There ben diverse impressions 270 Of moist and ek of drye also, Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuo Ben drawe and haled upon hy, And maken cloudes in the Sky, As schewed is at mannes sihte; Wherof be day and ek be nyhte After the times of the yer Among ous upon Erthe her In sondri wise thinges falle. The ferste Periferie of alle 280 Engendreth Myst and overmore The dewes and the Frostes hore, After thilke intersticion In which thei take impression. Fro the seconde, as bokes sein, The moiste dropes of the reyn Descenden into Middilerthe, And tempreth it to sed and Erthe, And doth to springe grass and flour. And ofte also the grete schour 290 Out of such place it mai be take, That it the forme schal forsake Of reyn, and into snow be torned; And ek it mai be so sojorned In sondri places up alofte, That into hail it torneth ofte. The thridde of thair after the lawe Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe Of dreie thing, as it is ofte, Among the cloudes upon lofte, 300 And is so clos, it may noght oute,- Thanne is it chased sore aboute, Til it to fyr and leyt be falle, And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle, The whiche of so gret noyse craken, That thei the feerful thonder maken. The thonderstrok smit er it leyte, And yit men sen the fyr and leyte, The thonderstrok er that men hiere: So mai it wel be proeved hiere 310 In thing which schewed is fro feer, A mannes yhe is there nerr Thanne is the soun to mannes Ere. And natheles it is gret feere Bothe of the strok and of the fyr, Of which is no recoverir In place wher that thei descende, Bot if god wolde his grace sende. And forto speken over this, In this partie of thair it is 320 That men fulofte sen be nyhte The fyr in sondri forme alyhte. Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth, And so the lewed poeple it demeth; Somtime it semeth as it were A Sterre, which that glydeth there: Bot it is nouther of the tuo, The Philosophre telleth so, And seith that of impressions Thurgh diverse exalacions 330 Upon the cause and the matiere Men sen diverse forme appiere Of fyr, the which hath sondri name. Assub, he seith, is thilke same, The which in sondry place is founde, Whanne it is falle doun to grounde, So as the fyr it hath aneled, Lich unto slym which is congeled. Of exalacion I finde Fyr kinled of the fame kinde, 340 Bot it is of an other forme; Wherof, if that I schal conforme The figure unto that it is, These olde clerkes tellen this, That it is lik a Got skippende, And for that it is such semende, It hatte Capra saliens. And ek these Astronomiens An other fyr also, be nyhte Which scheweth him to mannes syhte, 350 Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth Upon a corde, as thou hast sein, Whan it with poudre is so besein Of Sulphre and othre thinges mo. Ther is an other fyr also, Which semeth to a mannes yhe Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe A dragon brennende in the Sky, And that is cleped proprely 360 Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte, "Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte Fleth up in thair!" and so thei demen. Bot why the fyres suche semen Of sondri formes to beholde, The wise Philosophre tolde, So as tofore it hath ben herd. Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd: Of Air the due proprete In sondri wise thou myht se, 370 And hou under the firmament It is ek the thridde element, Which environeth bothe tuo, The water and the lond also. And forto tellen overthis Of elementz which the ferthe is, That is the fyr in his degre, Which environeth thother thre And is withoute moist al drye. Bot lest nou what seith the clergie; 380 For upon hem that I have seid The creatour hath set and leid The kinde and the complexion Of alle mennes nacion. Foure elementz sondri ther be, Lich unto whiche of that degre Among the men ther ben also Complexions foure and nomo, Wherof the Philosophre treteth, That he nothing behinde leteth, 390 And seith hou that thei ben diverse, So as I schal to thee reherse. He which natureth every kinde, The myhti god, so as I finde, Of man, which is his creature, Hath so devided the nature, That non til other wel acordeth: And be the cause it so discordeth, The lif which fieleth the seknesse Mai stonde upon no sekernesse. 400 Of therthe, which is cold and drye, The kinde of man Malencolie Is cleped, and that is the ferste, The most ungoodlich and the werste; For unto loves werk on nyht Him lacketh bothe will and myht: No wonder is, in lusty place Of love though he lese grace. What man hath that complexion, Full of ymaginacion 410 Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes, He fret himselven al to noghtes. The water, which is moyste and cold, Makth fleume, which is manyfold Foryetel, slou and wery sone Of every thing which is to done: He is of kinde sufficant To holde love his covenant, Bot that him lacketh appetit, Which longeth unto such delit. 420 What man that takth his kinde of thair, He schal be lyht, he schal be fair, For his complexion is blood. Of alle ther is non so good, For he hath bothe will and myht To plese and paie love his riht: Wher as he hath love undertake, Wrong is if that he be forsake. The fyr of his condicion Appropreth the complexion 430 Which in a man is Colre hote, Whos propretes ben dreie and hote: It makth a man ben enginous And swift of fote and ek irous; Of contek and folhastifnesse He hath a riht gret besinesse, To thenke of love and litel may: Though he behote wel a day, On nyht whan that he wole assaie, He may ful evele his dette paie. 440 After the kinde of thelement, Thus stant a mannes kinde went, As touchende his complexion, Upon sondri division Of dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete, And ech of hem his oghne sete Appropred hath withinne a man. And ferst to telle as I began, The Splen is to Malencolie Assigned for herbergerie: 450 The moiste fleume with his cold Hath in the lunges for his hold Ordeined him a propre stede, To duelle ther as he is bede: To the Sanguin complexion Nature of hire inspeccion A propre hous hath in the livere For his duellinge mad delivere: The dreie Colre with his hete Be weie of kinde his propre sete 460 Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth, So as the Philosophre telleth. Nou over this is forto wite, As it is in Phisique write Of livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen, Thei alle unto the herte ben Servantz, and ech in his office Entendeth to don him service, As he which is chief lord above. The livere makth him forto love, 470 The lunge yifth him weie of speche, The galle serveth to do wreche, The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie, Whan al unclennesse is aweie: Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede. And to sustienen hem and fede In time of recreacion, Nature hath in creacion The Stomach for a comun Coc Ordeined, so as seith the boc. 480 The Stomach coc is for the halle, And builleth mete for hem alle, To make hem myghty forto serve The herte, that he schal noght sterve: For as a king in his Empire Above alle othre is lord and Sire, So is the herte principal, To whom reson in special Is yove as for the governance. And thus nature his pourveance 490 Hath mad for man to liven hiere; Bot god, which hath the Soule diere, Hath formed it in other wise. That can noman pleinli devise; Bot as the clerkes ous enforme, That lich to god it hath a forme, Thurgh which figure and which liknesse The Soule hath many an hyh noblesse Appropred to his oghne kinde. Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde 500 Al onliche of this ilke point, That hir abydinge is conjoint Forth with the bodi forto duelle: That on desireth toward helle, That other upward to the hevene; So schul thei nevere stonde in evene, Bot if the fleissh be overcome And that the Soule have holi nome The governance, and that is selde, Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde. 510 Al erthli thing which god began Was only mad to serve man; Bot he the Soule al only made Himselven forto serve and glade. Alle othre bestes that men finde Thei serve unto here oghne kinde, Bot to reson the Soule serveth; Wherof the man his thonk deserveth And get him with hise werkes goode The perdurable lyves foode. 520 Of what matiere it schal be told, A tale lyketh manyfold The betre, if it be spoke plein: Thus thinke I forto torne ayein And telle plenerly therfore Of therthe, wherof nou tofore I spak, and of the water eke, So as these olde clerkes spieke, And sette proprely the bounde After the forme of Mappemounde, 530 Thurgh which the ground be pourparties Departed is in thre parties, That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe, The whiche under the hevene cope, Als ferr as streccheth eny ground, Begripeth al this Erthe round. Bot after that the hihe wrieche The water weies let out seche And overgo the helles hye, Which every kinde made dye 540 That upon Middelerthe stod, Outake Noe5 and his blod, His Sones and his doughtres thre, Thei were sauf and so was he;- Here names who that rede rihte, Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;- And whanne thilke almyhty hond Withdrouh the water fro the lond, And al the rage was aweie, And Erthe was the mannes weie, 550 The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde, Riht after that hemselve wolde, This world departe thei begonne. Asie, which lay to the Sonne Upon the Marche of orient, Was graunted be comun assent To Sem, which was the Sone eldeste; For that partie was the beste And double as moche as othre tuo. And was that time bounded so; 560 Wher as the flod which men Nil calleth Departeth fro his cours and falleth Into the See Alexandrine, Ther takth Asie ferst seisine Toward the West, and over this Of Canahim wher the flod is Into the grete See rennende, Fro that into the worldes ende Estward, Asie it is algates, Til that men come unto the gates 570 Of Paradis, and there ho. And schortly for to speke it so, Of Orient in general Withinne his bounde Asie hath al. And thanne upon that other syde Westward, as it fell thilke tyde, The brother which was hote Cham Upon his part Aufrique nam. Japhet Europe tho tok he, Thus parten thei the world on thre. 580 Bot yit ther ben of londes fele In occident as for the chele, In orient as for the hete, Which of the poeple be forlete As lond desert that is unable, For it mai noght ben habitable. The water eke hath sondri bounde, After the lond wher it is founde, And takth his name of thilke londes Wher that it renneth on the strondes: 590 Bot thilke See which hath no wane Is cleped the gret Occeane, Out of the which arise and come The hyhe flodes alle and some; Is non so litel welle spring, Which ther ne takth his beginnyng, And lich a man that haleth breth Be weie of kinde, so it geth Out of the See and in ayein, The water, as the bokes sein. 600 Of Elementz the propretes Hou that they stonden be degres, As I have told, nou myht thou hiere, Mi goode Sone, al the matiere Of Erthe, of water, Air and fyr. And for thou saist that thi desir Is forto witen overmore The forme of Aristotles lore, He seith in his entendement, That yit ther is an Element 610 Above the foure, and is the fifte, Set of the hihe goddes yifte, The which that Orbis cleped is. And therupon he telleth this, That as the schelle hol and sound Encloseth al aboute round What thing withinne an Ey belongeth, Riht so this Orbis underfongeth These elementz alle everychon, Which I have spoke of on and on. 620 Bot overthis nou tak good hiede, Mi Sone, for I wol procede To speke upon Mathematique, Which grounded is on Theorique. The science of Astronomie I thinke forto specefie, Withoute which, to telle plein, Alle othre science is in vein Toward the scole of erthli thinges: For as an Egle with his winges 630 Fleth above alle that men finde, So doth this science in his kinde. Benethe upon this Erthe hiere Of alle thinges the matiere, As tellen ous thei that ben lerned, Of thing above it stant governed, That is to sein of the Planetes. The cheles bothe and ek the hetes, The chances of the world also, That we fortune clepen so, 640 Among the mennes nacion Al is thurgh constellacion, Wherof that som man hath the wele, And som man hath deseses fele In love als wel as othre thinges; The stat of realmes and of kinges In time of pes, in time of werre It is conceived of the Sterre: And thus seith the naturien Which is an Astronomien. 650 Bot the divin seith otherwise, That if men weren goode and wise And plesant unto the godhede, Thei scholden noght the sterres drede; For o man, if him wel befalle, Is more worth than ben thei alle Towardes him that weldeth al. Bot yit the lawe original, Which he hath set in the natures, Mot worchen in the creatures, 660 That therof mai be non obstacle, Bot if it stonde upon miracle Thurgh preiere of som holy man. And forthi, so as I began To speke upon Astronomie, As it is write in the clergie, To telle hou the planetes fare, Som part I thenke to declare, Mi Sone, unto thin Audience. Astronomie is the science 670 Of wisdom and of hih connynge, Which makth a man have knowlechinge Of Sterres in the firmament, Figure, cercle and moevement Of ech of hem in sondri place, And what betwen hem is of space, Hou so thei moeve or stonde faste, Al this it telleth to the laste. Assembled with Astronomie Is ek that ilke Astrologie 680 The which in juggementz acompteth Theffect, what every sterre amonteth, And hou thei causen many a wonder To tho climatz that stonde hem under. And forto telle it more plein, These olde philosphres sein That Orbis, which I spak of err, Is that which we fro therthe a ferr Beholde, and firmament it calle, In which the sterres stonden alle, 690 Among the whiche in special Planetes sefne principal Ther ben, that mannes sihte demeth, Bot thorizonte, as to ous semeth. And also ther ben signes tuelve, Whiche have her cercles be hemselve Compassed in the zodiaque, In which thei have here places take. And as thei stonden in degre, Here cercles more or lasse be, 700 Mad after the proporcion Of therthe, whos condicion Is set to be the foundement To sustiene up the firmament. And be this skile a man mai knowe, The more that thei stonden lowe, The more ben the cercles lasse; That causeth why that some passe Here due cours tofore an other. Bot nou, mi lieve dere brother, 710 As thou desirest forto wite What I finde in the bokes write, To telle of the planetes sevene, Hou that thei stonde upon the hevene And in what point that thei ben inne, Tak hiede, for I wol beginne, So as the Philosophre tauhte To Alisandre and it betauhte, Wherof that he was fulli tawht Of wisdom, which was him betawht. 720 Benethe alle othre stant the Mone, The which hath with the See to done: Of flodes hihe and ebbes lowe Upon his change it schal be knowe; And every fissh which hath a schelle Mot in his governance duelle, To wexe and wane in his degre, As be the Mone a man mai se; And al that stant upon the grounde Of his moisture it mot be founde. 730 Alle othre sterres, as men finde, Be schynende of here oghne kinde Outake only the monelyht, Which is noght of himselve bright, Bot as he takth it of the Sonne. And yit he hath noght al fulwonne His lyht, that he nys somdiel derk; Bot what the lette is of that werk In Almageste it telleth this: The Mones cercle so lowe is, 740 Wherof the Sonne out of his stage Ne seth him noght with full visage, For he is with the ground beschaded, So that the Mone is somdiel faded And may noght fully schyne cler. Bot what man under his pouer Is bore, he schal his places change And seche manye londes strange: And as of this condicion The Mones disposicion 750 Upon the lond of Alemaigne Is set, and ek upon Bretaigne, Which nou is cleped Engelond; For thei travaile in every lond. Of the Planetes the secounde Above the Mone hath take his bounde, Mercurie, and his nature is this, That under him who that bore is, In boke he schal be studious And in wrytinge curious, 760 And slouh and lustles to travaile In thing which elles myhte availe: He loveth ese, he loveth reste, So is he noght the worthieste; Bot yit with somdiel besinesse His herte is set upon richesse. And as in this condicion, Theffect and disposicion Of this Planete and of his chance Is most in Burgoigne and in France. 770 Next to Mercurie, as wol befalle, Stant that Planete which men calle Venus, whos constellacion Governeth al the nacion Of lovers, wher thei spiede or non, Of whiche I trowe thou be on: Bot whiderward thin happes wende, Schal this planete schewe at ende, As it hath do to many mo, To some wel, to some wo. 780 And natheles of this Planete The moste part is softe and swete; For who that therof takth his berthe, He schal desire joie and merthe, Gentil, courteis and debonaire, To speke his wordes softe and faire, Such schal he be be weie of kinde, And overal wher he may finde Plesance of love, his herte boweth With al his myht and there he woweth. 790 He is so ferforth Amourous, He not what thing is vicious Touchende love, for that lawe Ther mai no maner man withdrawe, The which venerien is bore Be weie of kinde, and therefore Venus of love the goddesse Is cleped: bot of wantounesse The climat of hir lecherie Is most commun in Lombardie. 800 Next unto this Planete of love The brighte Sonne stant above, Which is the hindrere of the nyht And forthrere of the daies lyht, As he which is the worldes ije, Thurgh whom the lusti compaignie Of foules be the morwe singe, The freisshe floures sprede and springe, The hihe tre the ground beschadeth, And every mannes herte gladeth. 810 And for it is the hed Planete, Hou that he sitteth in his sete, Of what richesse, of what nobleie, These bokes telle, and thus thei seie. Of gold glistrende Spoke and whiel The Sonne his carte hath faire and wiel, In which he sitt, and is coroned With brighte stones environed; Of whiche if that I speke schal, Ther be tofore in special 820 Set in the front of his corone Thre Stones, whiche no persone Hath upon Erthe, and the ferste is Be name cleped Licuchis; That othre tuo be cleped thus, Astrices and Ceramius. In his corone also behinde, Be olde bokes as I finde, Ther ben of worthi Stones thre Set ech of hem in his degre: 830 Wherof a Cristall is that on, Which that corone is set upon; The seconde is an Adamant; The thridde is noble and avenant, Which cleped is Ydriades. And over this yit natheles Upon the sydes of the werk, After the wrytinge of the clerk, Ther sitten fyve Stones mo: The smaragdine is on of tho, 840 Jaspis and Elitropius And Dendides and Jacinctus. Lo, thus the corone is beset, Wherof it schyneth wel the bet; And in such wise his liht to sprede Sit with his Diademe on hede The Sonne schynende in his carte. And forto lede him swithe and smarte After the bryhte daies lawe, Ther ben ordeined forto drawe 850 Foure hors his Char and him withal, Wherof the names telle I schal: Erithe
s the ferste is hote, The which is red and schyneth hote, The seconde Acteos the bryhte, Lampes the thridde coursier hihte, And Philoge
s is the ferthe, That bringen lyht unto this erthe, And gon so swift upon the hevene, In foure and twenty houres evene 860 The carte with the bryhte Sonne Thei drawe, so that overronne Thei have under the cercles hihe Al Middelerthe in such an hye. And thus the Sonne is overal The chief Planete imperial, Above him and benethe him thre: And thus betwen hem regneth he, As he that hath the middel place Among the Sevene, and of his face 870 Be glade alle erthly creatures, And taken after the natures Here ese and recreacion. And in his constellacion Who that is bore in special, Of good will and of liberal He schal be founde in alle place, And also stonde in mochel grace Toward the lordes forto serve And gret profit and thonk deserve. 880 And over that it causeth yit A man to be soubtil of wit To worche in gold, and to be wys In every thing which is of pris. Bot forto speken in what cost Of al this erthe he regneth most As for wisdom, it is in Grece, Wher is apropred thilke spiece. Mars the Planete bataillous Next to the Sonne glorious 890 Above stant, and doth mervailes Upon the fortune of batailes. The conquerours be daies olde Were unto this planete holde: Bot who that his nativite Hath take upon the proprete Of Martes disposicioun Be weie of constellacioun, He schal be fiers and folhastif And desirous of werre and strif. 900 Bot forto telle redely In what climat most comunly That this planete hath his effect, Seid is that he hath his aspect Upon the holi lond so cast, That there is no pes stedefast. Above Mars upon the hevene, The sexte Planete of the sevene, Stant Jupiter the delicat, Which causeth pes and no debat. 910 For he is cleped that Planete Which of his kinde softe and swete Attempreth al that to him longeth; And whom this planete underfongeth To stonde upon his regiment, He schal be meke and pacient And fortunat to Marchandie And lusti to delicacie In every thing which he schal do. This Jupiter is cause also 920 Of the science of lyhte werkes, And in this wise tellen clerkes He is the Planete of delices. Bot in Egipte of his offices He regneth most in special: For ther be lustes overal Of al that to this lif befalleth; For ther no stormy weder falleth, Which myhte grieve man or beste, And ek the lond is so honeste 930 That it is plentevous and plein, Ther is non ydel ground in vein; And upon such felicite Stant Jupiter in his degre. The heyeste and aboven alle Stant that planete which men calle Saturnus, whos complexion Is cold, and his condicion Causeth malice and crualte To him the whos nativite 940 Is set under his governance. For alle hise werkes ben grevance And enemy to mannes hele, In what degre that he schal dele. His climat is in Orient, Wher that he is most violent. Of the Planetes by and by, Hou that thei stonde upon the Sky, Fro point to point as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere. 950 Bot overthis touchende his lore, Of thing that thei him tawhte more Upon the scoles of clergie Now herkne the Philosophie. He which departeth dai fro nyht, That on derk and that other lyht, Of sevene daies made a weke, A Monthe of foure wekes eke He hath ordeigned in his lawe, Of Monthes tuelve and ek forthdrawe 960 He hath also the longe yeer. And as he sette of his pouer Acordant to the daies sevene Planetes Sevene upon the hevene, As thou tofore hast herd devise, To speke riht in such a wise, To every Monthe be himselve Upon the hevene of Signes tuelve He hath after his Ordinal Assigned on in special, 970 Wherof, so as I schal rehersen, The tydes of the yer diversen. Bot pleinly forto make it knowe Hou that the Signes sitte arowe, Ech after other be degre In substance and in proprete The zodiaque comprehendeth Withinne his cercle, as it appendeth. The ferste of whiche natheles Be name is cleped Aries, 980 Which lich a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure. And as it seith in Almageste, Of Sterres tuelve upon this beste Ben set, wherof in his degre The wombe hath tuo, the heved hath thre, The Tail hath sevene, and in this wise, As thou myht hiere me divise, Stant Aries, which hot and drye Is of himself, and in partie 990 He is the receipte and the hous Of myhty Mars the bataillous. And overmore ek, as I finde, The creatour of alle kinde Upon this Signe ferst began The world, whan that he made man. And of this constellacioun The verray operacioun Availeth, if a man therinne The pourpos of his werk beginne; 1000 For thanne he hath of proprete Good sped and gret felicite. The tuelve Monthes of the yeer Attitled under the pouer Of these tuelve Signes stonde; Wherof that thou schalt understonde This Aries on of the tuelve Hath March attitled for himselve, Whan every bridd schal chese his make, And every neddre and every Snake 1010 And every Reptil which mai moeve, His myht assaieth forto proeve, To crepen out ayein the Sonne, Whan Ver his Seson hath begonne. Taurus the seconde after this Of Signes, which figured is Unto a Bole, is dreie and cold; And as it is in bokes told, He is the hous appourtienant To Venus, somdiel descordant. 1020 This Bole is ek with sterres set, Thurgh whiche he hath hise hornes knet Unto the tail of Aries, So is he noght ther sterreles. Upon his brest ek eyhtetiene He hath, and ek, as it is sene, Upon his tail stonde othre tuo. His Monthe assigned ek also Is Averil, which of his schoures Ministreth weie unto the floures. 1030 The thridde signe is Gemini, Which is figured redely Lich to tuo twinnes of mankinde, That naked stonde; and as I finde, Thei be with Sterres wel bego: The heved hath part of thilke tuo That schyne upon the boles tail, So be thei bothe of o parail; But on the wombe of Gemini Ben fyve sterres noght forthi, 1040 And ek upon the feet be tweie, So as these olde bokes seie, That wise Tholome
s wrot. His propre Monthe wel I wot Assigned is the lusti Maii, Whanne every brid upon his lay Among the griene leves singeth, And love of his pointure stingeth After the lawes of nature The youthe of every creature. 1050 Cancer after the reule and space Of Signes halt the ferthe place. Like to the crabbe he hath semblance, And hath unto his retienance Sextiene sterres, wherof ten, So as these olde wise men Descrive, he berth on him tofore, And in the middel tuo be bore, And foure he hath upon his ende. Thus goth he sterred in his kende, 1060 And of himself is moiste and cold, And is the propre hous and hold Which appartieneth to the Mone, And doth what longeth him to done. The Monthe of Juin unto this Signe Thou schalt after the reule assigne. The fifte Signe is Leo hote, Whos kinde is schape dreie and hote, In whom the Sonne hath herbergage. And the semblance of his ymage 1070 Is a leoun, which in baillie Of sterres hath his pourpartie: The foure, which as Cancer hath Upon his ende, Leo tath Upon his heved, and thanne nest He hath ek foure upon his brest, And on upon his tail behinde, In olde bokes as we finde. His propre Monthe is Juyl be name, In which men pleien many a game. 1080 After Leo Virgo the nexte Of Signes cleped is the sexte, Wherof the figure is a Maide; And as the Philosophre saide, Sche is the welthe and the risinge, The lust, the joie and the likinge Unto Mercurie: and soth to seie Sche is with sterres wel beseie, Wherof Leo hath lent hire on, Which sit on hih hir heved upon, 1090 Hire wombe hath fyve, hir feet also Have other fyve: and overmo Touchende as of complexion, Be kindly disposicion Of dreie and cold this Maiden is. And forto tellen over this Hir Monthe, thou schalt understonde, Whan every feld hath corn in honde And many a man his bak hath plied, Unto this Signe is Augst applied. 1100 After Virgo to reknen evene Libra sit in the nombre of sevene, Which hath figure and resemblance Unto a man which a balance Berth in his hond as forto weie: In boke and as it mai be seie, Diverse sterres to him longeth, Wherof on hevede he underfongeth Ferst thre, and ek his wombe hath tuo, And doun benethe eighte othre mo. 1110 This Signe is hot and moiste bothe, The whiche thinges be noght lothe Unto Venus, so that alofte Sche resteth in his hous fulofte, And ek Saturnus often hyed Is in this Signe and magnefied. His propre Monthe is seid Septembre, Which yifth men cause to remembre, If eny Sor be left behinde Of thing which grieve mai to kinde. 1120 Among the Signes upon heighte The Signe which is nombred eighte Is Scorpio, which as feloun Figured is a Scorpioun. Bot for al that yit natheles Is Scorpio noght sterreles; For Libra granteth him his ende Of eighte sterres, wher he wende, The whiche upon his heved assised He berth, and ek ther ben divised 1130 Upon his wombe sterres thre, And eighte upon his tail hath he. Which of his kinde is moiste and cold And unbehovely manyfold; He harmeth Venus and empeireth, Bot Mars unto his hous repeireth, Bot war whan thei togedre duellen. His propre Monthe is, as men tellen, Octobre, which bringth the kalende Of wynter, that comth next suiende. 1140 The nynthe Signe in nombre also, Which folweth after Scorpio, Is cleped Sagittarius, The whos figure is marked thus, A Monstre with a bowe on honde: On whom that sondri sterres stonde, Thilke eighte of whiche I spak tofore, The whiche upon the tail ben bore Of Scorpio, the heved al faire Bespreden of the Sagittaire; 1150 And eighte of othre stonden evene Upon his wombe, and othre sevene Ther stonde upon his tail behinde. And he is hot and dreie of kinde: To Jupiter his hous is fre, Bot to Mercurie in his degre, For thei ben noght of on assent, He worcheth gret empeirement. This Signe hath of his proprete A Monthe, which of duete 1160 After the sesoun that befalleth The Plowed Oxe in wynter stalleth; And fyr into the halle he bringeth, And thilke drinke of which men singeth, He torneth must into the wyn; Thanne is the larder of the swyn; That is Novembre which I meene, Whan that the lef hath lost his greene. The tenthe Signe dreie and cold, The which is Capricornus told, 1170 Unto a Got hath resemblance: For whos love and whos aqueintance Withinne hise houses to sojorne It liketh wel unto Satorne, Bot to the Mone it liketh noght, For no profit is there wroght. This Signe as of his proprete Upon his heved hath sterres thre, And ek upon his wombe tuo, And tweie upon his tail also. 1180 Decembre after the yeeres forme, So as the bokes ous enforme, With daies schorte and nyhtes longe This ilke Signe hath underfonge. Of tho that sitte upon the hevene Of Signes in the nombre ellevene Aquarius hath take his place, And stant wel in Satornes grace, Which duelleth in his herbergage, Bot to the Sonne he doth oultrage. 1190 This Signe is verraily resembled Lich to a man which halt assembled In eyther hand a water spoute, Wherof the stremes rennen oute. He is of kinde moiste and hot, And he that of the sterres wot Seith that he hath of sterres tuo Upon his heved, and ben of tho That Capricorn hath on his ende; And as the bokes maken mende, 1200 That Tholome
s made himselve, He hath ek on his wombe tuelve, And tweie upon his ende stonde. Thou schalt also this understonde, The frosti colde Janever, Whan comen is the newe yeer, That Janus with his double face In his chaiere hath take his place And loketh upon bothe sides, Somdiel toward the wynter tydes, 1210 Somdiel toward the yeer suiende, That is the Monthe belongende Unto this Signe, and of his dole He yifth the ferste Primerole. The tuelfthe, which is last of alle Of Signes, Piscis men it calle, The which, as telleth the scripture, Berth of tuo fisshes the figure. So is he cold and moiste of kinde, And ek with sterres, as I finde, 1220 Beset in sondri wise, as thus: Tuo of his ende Aquarius Hath lent unto his heved, and tuo This Signe hath of his oghne also Upon his wombe, and over this Upon his ende also ther is A nombre of twenty sterres bryghte, Which is to sen a wonder sighte. Toward this Signe into his hous Comth Jupiter the glorious, 1230 And Venus ek with him acordeth To duellen, as the bok recordeth. The Monthe unto this Signe ordeined Is Februer, which is bereined, And with londflodes in his rage At Fordes letteth the passage. Nou hast thou herd the proprete Of Signes, bot in his degre Albumazar yit over this Seith, so as therthe parted is 1240 In foure, riht so ben divised The Signes tuelve and stonde assised, That ech of hem for his partie Hath his climat to justefie. Wherof the ferste regiment Toward the part of Orient From Antioche and that contre Governed is of Signes thre, That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo: And toward Occident also 1250 From Armenie, as I am lerned, Of Capricorn it stant governed, Of Pisces and Aquarius: And after hem I finde thus, Southward from Alisandre forth Tho Signes whiche most ben worth In governance of that doaire, Libra thei ben and Sagittaire With Scorpio, which is conjoint With hem to stonde upon that point: 1260 Constantinople the Cite, So as the bokes tellen me, The laste of this division Stant untoward Septemtrion, Wher as be weie of pourveance Hath Aries the governance Forth with Taurus and Gemini. Thus ben the Signes propreli Divided, as it is reherced, Wherof the londes ben diversed. 1270 Lo thus, mi Sone, as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere Of hem that weren for his lore. But nou to loken overmore, Of othre sterres hou thei fare I thenke hierafter to declare, So as king Alisandre in youthe Of him that suche thinges couthe Enformed was tofore his yhe Be nyhte upon the sterres hihe. 1280 Upon sondri creacion Stant sondri operacion, Som worcheth this, som worcheth that; The fyr is hot in his astat And brenneth what he mai atteigne, The water mai the fyr restreigne, The which is cold and moist also. Of other thing it farth riht so Upon this erthe among ous here; And forto speke in this manere, 1290 Upon the hevene, as men mai finde, The sterres ben of sondri kinde And worchen manye sondri thinges To ous, that ben here underlinges. Among the whiche forth withal Nectanabus in special, Which was an Astronomien And ek a gret Magicien, And undertake hath thilke emprise To Alisandre in his aprise 1300 As of Magique naturel To knowe, enformeth him somdel Of certein sterres what thei mene; Of whiche, he seith, ther ben fiftene, And sondrily to everich on A gras belongeth and a Ston, Wherof men worchen many a wonder To sette thing bothe up and under. To telle riht as he began, The ferste sterre Aldeboran, 1310 The cliereste and the moste of alle, Be rihte name men it calle; Which lich is of condicion To Mars, and of complexion To Venus, and hath therupon Carbunculum his propre Ston: His herbe is Anabulla named, Which is of gret vertu proclamed. The seconde is noght vertules; Clota or elles Pliades 1320 It hatte, and of the mones kinde He is, and also this I finde, He takth of Mars complexion: And lich to such condicion His Ston appropred is Cristall, And ek his herbe in special The vertuous Fenele it is. The thridde, which comth after this, Is hote Algol the clere rede, Which of Satorne, as I may rede, 1330 His kinde takth, and ek of Jove Complexion to his behove. His propre Ston is Dyamant, Which is to him most acordant; His herbe, which is him betake, Is hote Eleborum the blake. So as it falleth upon lot, The ferthe sterre is Alhaiot, Which in the wise as I seide er Of Satorne and of Jupiter 1340 Hath take his kinde; and therupon The Saphir is his propre Ston, Marrubium his herbe also, The whiche acorden bothe tuo. And Canis maior in his like The fifte sterre is of Magique, The whos kinde is venerien, As seith this Astronomien. His propre Ston is seid Berille, Bot forto worche and to fulfille 1350 Thing which to this science falleth, Ther is an herbe which men calleth Saveine, and that behoveth nede To him that wole his pourpos spede. The sexte suiende after this Be name Canis minor is; The which sterre is Mercurial Be weie of kinde, and forth withal, As it is writen in the carte, Complexion he takth of Marte. 1360 His Ston and herbe, as seith the Scole, Ben Achates and Primerole. The sefnthe sterre in special Of this science is Arial, Which sondri nature underfongeth. The Ston which propre unto him longeth, Gorgonza proprely it hihte: His herbe also, which he schal rihte Upon the worchinge as I mene, Is Celidoine freissh and grene. 1370 Sterre Ala Corvi upon heihte Hath take his place in nombre of eighte, Which of his kinde mot parforne The will of Marte and of Satorne: To whom Lapacia the grete Is herbe, bot of no beyete; His Ston is Honochinus hote, Thurgh which men worchen gret riote. The nynthe sterre faire and wel Be name is hote Alaezel, 1380 Which takth his propre kinde thus Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus. His Ston is the grene Amyraude, To whom is yoven many a laude: Salge is his herbe appourtenant Aboven al the rememant. The tenthe sterre is Almareth, Which upon lif and upon deth Thurgh kinde of Jupiter and Mart He doth what longeth to his part. 1390 His Ston is Jaspe, and of Planteine He hath his herbe sovereine. The sterre ellefthe is Venenas, The whos nature is as it was Take of Venus and of the Mone, In thing which he hath forto done. Of Adamant is that perrie In which he worcheth his maistrie; Thilke herbe also which him befalleth, Cicorea the bok it calleth. 1400 Alpheta in the nombre sit, And is the twelfthe sterre yit; Of Scorpio which is governed, And takth his kinde, as I am lerned; And hath his vertu in the Ston Which cleped is Topazion: His herbe propre is Rosmarine, Which schapen is for his covine. Of these sterres, whiche I mene, Cor Scorpionis is thritiene; 1410 The whos nature Mart and Jove Have yoven unto his behove. His herbe is Aristologie, Which folweth his Astronomie: The Ston which that this sterre alloweth, Is Sardis, which unto him boweth. The sterre which stant next the laste, Nature on him this name caste And clepeth him Botercadent; Which of his kinde obedient 1420 Is to Mercurie and to Venus. His Ston is seid Crisolitus, His herbe is cleped Satureie, So as these olde bokes seie. Bot nou the laste sterre of alle The tail of Scorpio men calle, Which to Mercurie and to Satorne Be weie of kinde mot retorne After the preparacion Of due constellacion. 1430 The Calcedoine unto him longeth, Which for his Ston he underfongeth; Of Majorane his herbe is grounded. Thus have I seid hou thei be founded, Of every sterre in special, Which hath his herbe and Ston withal, As Hermes in his bokes olde Witnesse berth of that I tolde. The science of Astronomie, Which principal is of clergie 1440 To dieme betwen wo and wel In thinges that be naturel, Thei hadde a gret travail on honde That made it ferst ben understonde; And thei also which overmore Here studie sette upon this lore, Thei weren gracious and wys And worthi forto bere a pris. And whom it liketh forto wite Of hem that this science write, 1450 On of the ferste which it wrot After Noe5, it was Nembrot, To his disciple Ychonithon And made a bok forth therupon The which Megaster cleped was. An other Auctor in this cas Is Arachel, the which men note; His bok is Abbategnyh hote. Danz Tholome is noght the leste, Which makth the bok of Almageste; 1460 And Alfraganus doth the same, Whos bok is Chatemuz be name. Gebuz and Alpetragus eke Of Planisperie, which men seke, The bokes made: and over this Ful many a worthi clerc ther is, That writen upon this clergie The bokes of Altemetrie, Planemetrie and ek also, Whiche as belongen bothe tuo, 1470 So as thei ben naturiens, Unto these Astronomiens. Men sein that Habraham was on; Bot whether that he wrot or non, That finde I noght; and Moi5ses Ek was an other: bot Hermes Above alle othre in this science He hadde a gret experience; Thurgh him was many a sterre assised, Whos bokes yit ben auctorized. 1480 I mai noght knowen alle tho That writen in the time tho Of this science; bot I finde, Of jugement be weie of kinde That in o point thei alle acorden: Of sterres whiche thei recorden That men mai sen upon the hevene, Ther ben a thousend sterres evene And tuo and twenty, to the syhte Whiche aren of hemself so bryhte, 1490 That men mai dieme what thei be, The nature and the proprete. Nou hast thou herd, in which a wise These noble Philosophres wise Enformeden this yonge king, And made him have a knowleching Of thing which ferst to the partie Belongeth of Philosophie, Which Theorique cleped is, As thou tofore hast herd er this. 1500 Bot nou to speke of the secounde, Which Aristotle hath also founde, And techeth hou to speke faire, Which is a thing full necessaire To contrepeise the balance, Wher lacketh other sufficance. Above alle erthli creatures The hihe makere of natures The word to man hath yove alone, So that the speche of his persone, 1510 Or forto lese or forto winne, The hertes thoght which is withinne Mai schewe, what it wolde mene; And that is noghwhere elles sene Of kinde with non other beste. So scholde he be the more honeste, To whom god yaf so gret a yifte, And loke wel that he ne schifte Hise wordes to no wicked us; For word the techer of vertus 1520 Is cleped in Philosophie. Wherof touchende this partie, Is Rethorique the science Appropred to the reverence Of wordes that ben resonable: And for this art schal be vailable With goodli wordes forto like, It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiqe, That serven bothe unto the speche. Gramaire ferste hath forto teche 1530 To speke upon congruite: Logique hath eke in his degre Betwen the trouthe and the falshode The pleine wordes forto schode, So that nothing schal go beside, That he the riht ne schal decide. Wherof full many a gret debat Reformed is to good astat, And pes sustiened up alofte With esy wordes and with softe, 1540 Wher strengthe scholde lete it falle. The Philosophre amonges alle Forthi commendeth this science, Which hath the reule of eloquence. In Ston and gras vertu ther is, Bot yit the bokes tellen this, That word above alle erthli thinges Is vertuous in his doinges, Wher so it be to evele or goode. For if the wordes semen goode 1550 And ben wel spoke at mannes Ere, Whan that ther is no trouthe there, Thei don fulofte gret deceipte; For whan the word to the conceipte Descordeth in so double a wise, Such Rethorique is to despise In every place, and forto drede. For of Uluxes thus I rede, As in the bok of Troie is founde, His eloquence and his facounde 1560 Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde, Hath mad that Anthenor him solde The toun, which he with tresoun wan. Word hath beguiled many a man; With word the wilde beste is daunted, With word the Serpent is enchaunted, Of word among the men of Armes Ben woundes heeled with the charmes, Wher lacketh other medicine; Word hath under his discipline 1570 Of Sorcerie the karectes. The wordes ben of sondri sectes, Of evele and eke of goode also; The wordes maken frend of fo, And fo of frend, and pes of werre, And werre of pes, and out of herre The word this worldes cause entriketh, And reconsileth whan him liketh. The word under the coupe of hevene Set every thing or odde or evene; 1580 With word the hihe god is plesed, With word the wordes ben appesed, The softe word the loude stilleth; Wher lacketh good, the word fulfilleth, To make amendes for the wrong; Whan wordes medlen with the song, It doth plesance wel the more. Bot forto loke upon the lore Hou Tullius his Rethorique Componeth, ther a man mai pike 1590 Hou that he schal hise wordes sette, Hou he schal lose, hou he schal knette, And in what wise he schal pronounce His tale plein withoute frounce. Wherof ensample if thou wolt seche, Tak hiede and red whilom the speche Of Julius and Cithero, Which consul was of Rome tho, Of Catoun eke and of Cillene, Behold the wordes hem betwene, 1600 Whan the tresoun of Cateline Descoevered was, and the covine Of hem that were of his assent Was knowe and spoke in parlement, And axed hou and in what wise Men scholde don hem to juise. Cillenus ferst his tale tolde, To trouthe and as he was beholde, The comun profit forto save, He seide hou tresoun scholde have 1610 A cruel deth; and thus thei spieke, The Consul bothe and Catoun eke, And seiden that for such a wrong Ther mai no peine be to strong. Bot Julius with wordes wise His tale tolde al otherwise, As he which wolde her deth respite, And fondeth hou he mihte excite The jugges thurgh his eloquence Fro deth to torne the sentence 1620 And sette here hertes to pite. Nou tolden thei, nou tolde he; Thei spieken plein after the lawe, Bot he the wordes of his sawe Coloureth in an other weie Spekende, and thus betwen the tweie, To trete upon this juggement, Made ech of hem his Argument. Wherof the tales forto hiere, Ther mai a man the Scole liere 1630 Of Rethoriqes eloquences, Which is the secounde of sciences Touchende to Philosophie; Wherof a man schal justifie Hise wordes in disputeisoun, And knette upon conclusioun His Argument in such a forme, Which mai the pleine trouthe enforme And the soubtil cautele abate, Which every trewman schal debate. 1640 The ferste, which is Theorique, And the secounde Rethorique, Sciences of Philosophie, I have hem told as in partie, So as the Philosophre it tolde To Alisandre: and nou I wolde Telle of the thridde what it is, The which Practique cleped is. Practique stant upon thre thinges Toward the governance of kinges; 1650 Wherof the ferst Etique is named, The whos science stant proclamed To teche of vertu thilke reule, Hou that a king himself schal reule Of his moral condicion With worthi disposicion Of good livinge in his persone, Which is the chief of his corone. It makth a king also to lerne Hou he his bodi schal governe, 1660 Hou he schal wake, hou he schal slepe, Hou that he schal his hele kepe In mete, in drinke, in clothinge eke: Ther is no wisdom forto seke As for the reule of his persone, The which that this science al one Ne techeth as be weie of kinde, That ther is nothing left behinde. That other point which to Practique Belongeth is Iconomique, 1670 Which techeth thilke honestete Thurgh which a king in his degre His wif and child schal reule and guie, So forth with al the companie Which in his houshold schal abyde, And his astat on every syde In such manere forto lede, That he his houshold ne mislede. Practique hath yit the thridde aprise, Which techeth hou and in what wise 1680 Thurgh hih pourveied ordinance A king schal sette in governance His Realme, and that is Policie, Which longeth unto Regalie In time of werre, in time of pes, To worschipe and to good encress Of clerk, of kniht and of Marchant, And so forth of the remenant Of al the comun poeple aboute, Withinne Burgh and ek withoute, 1690 Of hem that ben Artificiers, Whiche usen craftes and mestiers, Whos Art is cleped Mechanique. And though thei ben noght alle like, Yit natheles, hou so it falle, O lawe mot governe hem alle, Or that thei lese or that thei winne, After thastat that thei ben inne. Lo, thus this worthi yonge king Was fulli tauht of every thing, 1700 Which mihte yive entendement Of good reule and good regiment To such a worthi Prince as he. Bot of verray necessite The Philosophre him hath betake Fyf pointz, whiche he hath undertake To kepe and holde in observance, As for the worthi governance Which longeth to his Regalie, After the reule of Policie. 1710 To every man behoveth lore, Bot to noman belongeth more Than to a king, which hath to lede The poeple; for of his kinghede He mai hem bothe save and spille. And for it stant upon his wille, It sit him wel to ben avised, And the vertus whiche are assissed Unto a kinges Regiment, To take in his entendement: 1720 Wherof to tellen, as thei stonde, Hierafterward nou woll I fonde. Among the vertus on is chief, And that is trouthe, which is lief To god and ek to man also. And for it hath ben evere so, Tawhte Aristotle, as he wel couthe, To Alisandre, hou in his youthe He scholde of trouthe thilke grace With al his hole herte embrace, 1730 So that his word be trewe and plein, Toward the world and so certein That in him be no double speche: For if men scholde trouthe seche And founde it noght withinne a king, It were an unsittende thing. The word is tokne of that withinne, Ther schal a worthi king beginne To kepe his tunge and to be trewe, So schal his pris ben evere newe. 1740 Avise him every man tofore, And be wel war, er he be swore, For afterward it is to late, If that he wole his word debate. For as a king in special Above alle othre is principal Of his pouer, so scholde he be Most vertuous in his degre; And that mai wel be signefied Be his corone and specified. 1750 The gold betokneth excellence, That men schull don him reverence As to here liege soverein. The Stones, as the bokes sein, Commended ben in treble wise: Ferst thei ben harde, and thilke assisse Betokneth in a king Constance, So that ther schal no variance Be founde in his condicion; And also be descripcion 1760 The vertu which is in the stones A verrai Signe is for the nones Of that a king schal ben honeste And holde trewly his beheste Of thing which longeth to kinghede: The bryhte colour, as I rede, Which in the stones is schynende, Is in figure betoknende The Cronique of this worldes fame, Which stant upon his goode name. 1770 The cercle which is round aboute Is tokne of al the lond withoute, Which stant under his Gerarchie, That he it schal wel kepe and guye. And for that trouthe, hou so it falle, Is the vertu soverein of alle, That longeth unto regiment, A tale, which is evident Of trouthe in comendacioun, Toward thin enformacion, 1780 Mi Sone, hierafter thou schalt hiere Of a Cronique in this matiere. As the Cronique it doth reherce, A Soldan whilom was of Perce, Which Daires hihte, and Ytaspis His fader was; and soth it is That thurgh wisdom and hih prudence Mor than for eny reverence Of his lignage as be descente The regne of thilke empire he hente: 1790 And as he was himselve wys, The wisemen he hield in pris And soghte hem oute on every side, That toward him thei scholde abide. Among the whiche thre ther were That most service unto him bere, As thei which in his chambre lyhen And al his conseil herde and syhen. Here names ben of strange note, Arpaghes was the ferste hote, 1800 And Manachaz was the secounde, Zorobabel, as it is founde In the Cronique, was the thridde. This Soldan, what so him betidde, To hem he triste most of alle, Wherof the cas is so befalle: This lord, which hath conceiptes depe, Upon a nyht whan he hath slepe, As he which hath his wit desposed, Touchende a point hem hath opposed. 1810 The kinges question was this; Of thinges thre which strengest is, The wyn, the womman or the king: And that thei scholde upon this thing Of here ansuere avised be, He yaf hem fulli daies thre, And hath behote hem be his feith That who the beste reson seith, He schal receive a worthi mede. Upon this thing thei token hiede 1820 And stoden in desputeison, That be diverse opinion Of Argumentz that thei have holde Arpaghes ferst his tale tolde, And seide hou that the strengthe of kinges Is myhtiest of alle thinges. For king hath pouer over man, And man is he which reson can, As he which is of his nature The moste noble creature 1830 Of alle tho that god hath wroght: And be that skile it semeth noght, He seith, that eny erthly thing Mai be so myhty as a king. A king mai spille, a king mai save, A king mai make of lord a knave And of a knave a lord also: The pouer of a king stant so, That he the lawes overpasseth; What he wol make lasse, he lasseth, 1840 What he wol make more, he moreth; And as the gentil faucon soreth, He fleth, that noman him reclameth; Bot he al one alle othre tameth, And stant himself of lawe fre. Lo, thus a kinges myht, seith he, So as his reson can argue, Is strengest and of most value. Bot Manachaz seide otherwise, That wyn is of the more emprise; 1850 And that he scheweth be this weie. The wyn fulofte takth aweie The reson fro the mannes herte; The wyn can make a krepel sterte, And a delivere man unwelde; It makth a blind man to behelde, And a bryht yhed seme derk; It makth a lewed man a clerk, And fro the clerkes the clergie It takth aweie, and couardie 1860 It torneth into hardiesse; Of Avarice it makth largesse. The wyn makth ek the goode blod, In which the Soule which is good Hath chosen hire a resting place, Whil that the lif hir wole embrace. And be this skile Manachas Ansuered hath upon this cas, And seith that wyn be weie of kinde Is thing which mai the hertes binde 1870 Wel more than the regalie. Zorobabel for his partie Seide, as him thoghte for the beste, That wommen ben the myhtieste. The king and the vinour also Of wommen comen bothe tuo; And ek he seide hou that manhede Thurgh strengthe unto the wommanhede Of love, wher he wole or non, Obeie schal; and therupon, 1880 To schewe of wommen the maistrie, A tale which he syh with yhe As for ensample he tolde this,- Hou Apemen, of Besazis Which dowhter was, in the paleis Sittende upon his hihe deis, Whan he was hotest in his ire Toward the grete of his empire, Cirus the king tirant sche tok, And only with hire goodly lok 1890 Sche made him debonaire and meke, And be the chyn and be the cheke Sche luggeth him riht as hir liste, That nou sche japeth, nou sche kiste, And doth with him what evere hir liketh; Whan that sche loureth, thanne he siketh, And whan sche gladeth, he is glad: And thus this king was overlad With hire which his lemman was. Among the men is no solas, 1900 If that ther be no womman there; For bot if that the wommen were, This worldes joie were aweie: Thurgh hem men finden out the weie To knihthode and to worldes fame; Thei make a man to drede schame, And honour forto be desired: Thurgh the beaute of hem is fyred The Dart of which Cupide throweth, Wherof the jolif peine groweth, 1910 Which al the world hath under fote. A womman is the mannes bote, His lif, his deth, his wo, his wel; And this thing mai be schewed wel, Hou that wommen ben goode and kinde, For in ensample this I finde. Whan that the duk Ametus lay Sek in his bedd, that every day Men waiten whan he scholde deie, Alceste his wif goth forto preie, 1920 As sche which wolde thonk deserve, With Sacrifice unto Minerve, To wite ansuere of the goddesse Hou that hir lord of his seknesse, Wherof he was so wo besein, Recovere myhte his hele ayein. Lo, thus sche cride and thus sche preide, Til ate laste a vois hir seide, That if sche wolde for his sake The maladie soffre and take, 1930 And deie hirself, he scholde live. Of this ansuere Alceste hath yive Unto Minerve gret thonkinge, So that hir deth and his livinge Sche ches with al hire hole entente, And thus acorded hom sche wente. Into the chambre and whan sche cam, Hire housebonde anon sche nam In bothe hire Armes and him kiste, And spak unto him what hire liste; 1940 And therupon withinne a throwe This goode wif was overthrowe And deide, and he was hool in haste. So mai a man be reson taste, Hou next after the god above The trouthe of wommen and the love, In whom that alle grace is founde, Is myhtiest upon this grounde And most behovely manyfold. Lo, thus Zorobabel hath told 1950 The tale of his opinion: Bot for final conclusion What strengest is of erthli thinges, The wyn, the wommen or the kinges, He seith that trouthe above hem alle Is myhtiest, hou evere it falle. The trouthe, hou so it evere come, Mai for nothing ben overcome; It mai wel soffre for a throwe, Bot ate laste it schal be knowe. 1960 The proverbe is, who that is trewe, Him schal his while nevere rewe: For hou so that the cause wende, The trouthe is schameles ate ende, Bot what thing that is troutheles, It mai noght wel be schameles, And schame hindreth every wyht: So proveth it, ther is no myht Withoute trouthe in no degre. And thus for trouthe of his decre 1970 Zorobabel was most commended, Wherof the question was ended, And he resceived hath his mede For trouthe, which to mannes nede Is most behoveliche overal. Forthi was trouthe in special The ferste point in observance Betake unto the governance Of Alisandre, as it is seid: For therupon the ground is leid 1980 Of every kinges regiment, As thing which most convenient Is forto sette a king in evene Bothe in this world and ek in hevene. Next after trouthe the secounde, In Policie as it is founde, Which serveth to the worldes fame In worschipe of a kinges name, Largesse it is, whos privilegge Ther mai non Avarice abregge. 1990 The worldes good was ferst comune, Bot afterward upon fortune Was thilke comun profit cessed: For whan the poeple stod encresced And the lignages woxen grete, Anon for singulier beyete Drouh every man to his partie; Wherof cam in the ferste envie With gret debat and werres stronge, And laste among the men so longe, 2000 Til noman wiste who was who, Ne which was frend ne which was fo. Til ate laste in every lond Withinne hemself the poeple fond That it was good to make a king, Which mihte appesen al this thing And yive riht to the lignages In partinge of here heritages And ek of al here other good; And thus above hem alle stod 2010 The king upon his Regalie, As he which hath to justifie The worldes good fro covoitise. So sit it wel in alle wise A king betwen the more and lesse To sette his herte upon largesse Toward himself and ek also Toward his poeple; and if noght so, That is to sein, if that he be Toward himselven large and fre 2020 And of his poeple take and pile, Largesse be no weie of skile It mai be seid, bot Avarice, Which in a king is a gret vice. A king behoveth ek to fle The vice of Prodegalite, That he mesure in his expence So kepe, that of indigence He mai be sauf: for who that nedeth, In al his werk the worse he spedeth. 2030 As Aristotle upon Chaldee Ensample of gret Auctorite Unto king Alisandre tauhte Of thilke folk that were unsauhte Toward here king for his pilage: Wherof he bad, in his corage That he unto thre pointz entende, Wher that he wolde his good despende. Ferst scholde he loke, hou that it stod, That al were of his oghne good 2040 The yiftes whiche he wolde yive; So myhte he wel the betre live: And ek he moste taken hiede If ther be cause of eny nede, Which oghte forto be defended, Er that his goodes be despended: He mot ek, as it is befalle, Amonges othre thinges alle Se the decertes of his men; And after that thei ben of ken 2050 And of astat and of merite, He schal hem largeliche aquite, Or for the werre, or for the pes, That non honour falle in descres, Which mihte torne into defame, Bot that he kepe his goode name, So that he be noght holde unkinde. For in Cronique a tale I finde, Which spekth somdiel of this matiere, Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere. 2060 In Rome, to poursuie his riht, Ther was a worthi povere kniht, Which cam al one forto sein His cause, when the court was plein, Wher Julius was in presence. And for him lacketh of despence, Ther was with him non advocat To make ple for his astat. Bot thogh him lacke forto plede, Him lacketh nothing of manhede; 2070 He wiste wel his pours was povere, Bot yit he thoghte his riht recovere, And openly poverte alleide, To themperour and thus he seide: "O Julius, lord of the lawe, Behold, mi conseil is withdrawe For lacke of gold: do thin office After the lawes of justice: Help that I hadde conseil hiere Upon the trouthe of mi matiere." 2080 And Julius with that anon Assigned him a worthi on, Bot he himself no word ne spak. This kniht was wroth and fond a lak In themperour, and seide thus: "O thou unkinde Julius, Whan thou in thi bataille were Up in Aufrique, and I was there, Mi myht for thi rescousse I dede And putte noman in my stede, 2090 Thou wost what woundes ther I hadde: Bot hier I finde thee so badde, That thee ne liste speke o word Thin oghne mouth, nor of thin hord To yive a florin me to helpe. Hou scholde I thanne me beyelpe Fro this dai forth of thi largesse, Whan such a gret unkindenesse Is founde in such a lord as thou?" This Julius knew wel ynou 2100 That al was soth which he him tolde; And for he wolde noght ben holde Unkinde, he tok his cause on honde, And as it were of goddes sonde, He yaf him good ynouh to spende For evere into his lives ende. And thus scholde every worthi king Take of his knihtes knowleching, Whan that he syh thei hadden nede, For every service axeth mede: 2110 Bot othre, which have noght deserved Thurgh vertu, bot of japes served, A king schal noght deserve grace, Thogh he be large in such a place. It sit wel every king to have Discrecion, whan men him crave, So that he mai his yifte wite: Wherof I finde a tale write, Hou Cinichus a povere kniht A Somme which was over myht 2120 Preide of his king Antigonus. The king ansuerde to him thus, And seide hou such a yifte passeth His povere astat: and thanne he lasseth, And axeth bot a litel peny, If that the king wol yive him eny. The king ansuerde, it was to smal For him, which was a lord real; To yive a man so litel thing It were unworschipe in a king. 2130 Be this ensample a king mai lere That forto yive is in manere: For if a king his tresor lasseth Withoute honour and thonkles passeth, Whan he himself wol so beguile, I not who schal compleigne his while, Ne who be rihte him schal relieve. Bot natheles this I believe, To helpe with his oghne lond Behoveth every man his hond 2140 To sette upon necessite; And ek his kinges realte Mot every liege man conforte, With good and bodi to supporte, Whan thei se cause resonable: For who that is noght entendable To holde upriht his kinges name, Him oghte forto be to blame. Of Policie and overmore To speke in this matiere more, 2150 So as the Philosophre tolde, A king after the reule is holde To modifie and to adresce Hise yiftes upon such largesce That he mesure noght excede: For if a king falle into nede, It causeth ofte sondri thinges Whiche are ungoodly to the kinges. What man wol noght himself mesure, Men sen fulofte that mesure 2160 Him hath forsake: and so doth he That useth Prodegalite, Which is the moder of poverte, Wherof the londes ben deserte; And namely whan thilke vice Aboute a king stant in office And hath withholde of his partie The covoitouse flaterie, Which many a worthi king deceiveth, Er he the fallas aperceiveth 2170 Of hem that serven to the glose. For thei that cunnen plese and glose, Ben, as men tellen, the norrices Unto the fostringe of the vices, Wherof fulofte natheles A king is blamed gulteles. A Philosophre, as thou schalt hiere, Spak to a king of this matiere, And seide him wel hou that flatours Coupable were of thre errours. 2180 On was toward the goddes hihe, That weren wrothe of that thei sihe The meschief which befalle scholde Of that the false flatour tolde. Toward the king an other was, Whan thei be sleihte and be fallas Of feigned wordes make him wene That blak is whyt and blew is grene Touchende of his condicion: For whanne he doth extorcion 2190 With manye an other vice mo, Men schal noght finden on of tho To groucche or speke therayein, Bot holden up his oil and sein That al is wel, what evere he doth; And thus of fals thei maken soth, So that here kinges yhe is blent And wot not hou the world is went. The thridde errour is harm comune, With which the poeple mot commune 2200 Of wronges that thei bringen inne: And thus thei worchen treble sinne, That ben flatours aboute a king. Ther myhte be no worse thing Aboute a kinges regalie, Thanne is the vice of flaterie. And natheles it hath ben used, That it was nevere yit refused As forto speke in court real; For there it is most special, 2210 And mai noght longe be forbore. Bot whan this vice of hem is bore, That scholden the vertus forthbringe, And trouthe is torned to lesinge, It is, as who seith, ayein kinde, Wherof an old ensample I finde. Among these othre tales wise Of Philosophres, in this wise I rede, how whilom tuo ther were, And to the Scole forto lere 2220 Unto Athenes fro Cartage Here frendes, whan thei were of Age, Hem sende; and ther thei stoden longe, Til thei such lore have underfonge, That in here time thei surmonte Alle othre men, that to acompte Of hem was tho the grete fame. The ferste of hem his rihte name Was Diogenes thanne hote, In whom was founde no riote: 2230 His felaw Arisippus hyhte, Which mochel couthe and mochel myhte. Bot ate laste, soth to sein, Thei bothe tornen hom ayein Unto Cartage and scole lete. This Diogenes no beyete Of worldes good or lasse or more Ne soghte for his longe lore, Bot tok him only forto duelle At hom; and as the bokes telle, 2240 His hous was nyh to the rivere Besyde a bregge, as thou schalt hiere. Ther duelleth he to take his reste, So as it thoghte him for the beste, To studie in his Philosophie, As he which wolde so defie The worldes pompe on every syde. Bot Arisippe his bok aside Hath leid, and to the court he wente, Wher many a wyle and many a wente 2250 With flaterie and wordes softe He caste, and hath compassed ofte Hou he his Prince myhte plese; And in this wise he gat him ese Of vein honour and worldes good. The londes reule upon him stod, The king of him was wonder glad, And all was do, what thing he bad, Bothe in the court and ek withoute. With flaterie he broghte aboute 2260 His pourpos of the worldes werk, Which was ayein the stat of clerk, So that Philosophie he lefte And to richesse himself uplefte: Lo, thus hadde Arisippe his wille. Bot Diogenes duelte stille A home and loked on his bok: He soghte noght the worldes crok For vein honour ne for richesse, Bot all his hertes besinesse 2270 He sette to be vertuous; And thus withinne his oghne hous He liveth to the sufficance Of his havinge. And fell per chance, This Diogene upon a day, And that was in the Monthe of May, Whan that these herbes ben holsome, He walketh forto gadre some In his gardin, of whiche his joutes He thoghte have, and thus aboutes 2280 Whanne he hath gadred what him liketh, He satte him thanne doun and pyketh, And wyssh his herbes in the flod Upon the which his gardin stod, Nyh to the bregge, as I tolde er. And hapneth, whil he sitteth ther, Cam Arisippes be the strete With manye hors and routes grete, And straght unto the bregge he rod. Wher that he hoved and abod; 2290 For as he caste his yhe nyh, His felaw Diogene he syh, And what he dede he syh also, Wherof he seide to him so: "O Diogene, god thee spede. It were certes litel nede To sitte there and wortes pyke, If thou thi Prince couthest lyke, So as I can in my degre." "O Arisippe," ayein quod he, 2300 "If that thou couthist, so as I, Thi wortes pyke, trewely It were als litel nede or lasse, That thou so worldly wolt compasse With flaterie forto serve, Wherof thou thenkest to deserve Thi princes thonk, and to pourchace Hou thou myht stonden in his grace, For getinge of a litel good. If thou wolt take into thi mod 2310 Reson, thou myht be reson deeme That so thi prince forto queeme Is noght to reson acordant, Bot it is gretly descordant Unto the Scoles of Athene." Lo, thus ansuerde Diogene Ayein the clerkes flaterie. Bot yit men sen thessamplerie Of Arisippe is wel received, And thilke of Diogene is weyved. 2320 Office in court and gold in cofre Is nou, men sein, the philosophre Which hath the worschipe in the halle; Bot flaterie passeth alle In chambre, whom the court avanceth; For upon thilke lot it chanceth To be beloved nou aday. I not if it be ye or nay, Bot as the comun vois it telleth; Bot wher that flaterie duelleth 2330 In eny lond under the Sonne, Ther is ful many a thing begonne Which were betre to be left; That hath be schewed nou and eft. Bot if a Prince wolde him reule Of the Romeins after the reule, In thilke time as it was used, This vice scholde be refused, Wherof the Princes ben assoted. Bot wher the pleine trouthe is noted, 2340 Ther may a Prince wel conceive, That he schal noght himself deceive, Of that he hiereth wordes pleine; For him thar noght be reson pleigne, That warned is er him be wo. And that was fully proeved tho, Whan Rome was the worldes chief, The Sothseiere tho was lief, Which wolde noght the trouthe spare, Bot with hise wordes pleine and bare 2350 To Themperour hise sothes tolde, As in Cronique is yit withholde, Hierafterward as thou schalt hiere Acordende unto this matiere. To se this olde ensamplerie, That whilom was no flaterie Toward the Princes wel I finde; Wherof so as it comth to mynde, Mi Sone, a tale unto thin Ere, Whil that the worthi princes were 2360 At Rome, I thenke forto tellen. For whan the chances so befellen That eny Emperour as tho Victoire hadde upon his fo, And so forth cam to Rome ayein, Of treble honour he was certein, Wherof that he was magnefied. The ferste, as it is specefied, Was, whan he cam at thilke tyde, The Charr in which he scholde ryde 2370 Foure whyte Stiedes scholden drawe; Of Jupiter be thilke lawe The Cote he scholde were also; Hise prisoners ek scholden go Endlong the Charr on eyther hond, And alle the nobles of the lond Tofore and after with him come Ridende and broghten him to Rome, In thonk of his chivalerie And for non other flaterie. 2380 And that was schewed forth withal; Wher he sat in his Charr real, Beside him was a Ribald set, Which hadde hise wordes so beset, To themperour in al his gloire He seide, "Tak into memoire, For al this pompe and al this pride Let no justice gon aside, Bot know thiself, what so befalle. For men sen ofte time falle 2390 Thing which men wende siker stonde: Thogh thou victoire have nou on honde, Fortune mai noght stonde alway; The whiel per chance an other day Mai torne, and thou myht overthrowe; Ther lasteth nothing bot a throwe." With these wordes and with mo This Ribald, which sat with him tho, To Themperour his tale tolde: And overmor what evere he wolde, 2400 Or were it evel or were it good, So pleinly as the trouthe stod, He spareth noght, bot spekth it oute; And so myhte every man aboute The day of that solempnete His tale telle als wel as he To Themperour al openly. And al was this the cause why; That whil he stod in that noblesse, He scholde his vanite represse 2410 With suche wordes as he herde. Lo nou, hou thilke time it ferde Toward so hih a worthi lord: For this I finde ek of record, Which the Cronique hath auctorized. What Emperour was entronized, The ferste day of his corone, Wher he was in his real Throne And hield his feste in the paleis Sittende upon his hihe deis 2420 With al the lust that mai be gete, Whan he was gladdest at his mete, And every menstral hadde pleid, And every Disour hadde seid What most was plesant to his Ere, Than ate laste comen there Hise Macons, for thei scholden crave Wher that he wolde be begrave, And of what Ston his sepulture Thei scholden make, and what sculpture 2430 He wolde ordeine therupon. Tho was ther flaterie non The worthi princes to bejape; The thing was other wise schape With good conseil; and otherwise Thei were hemselven thanne wise, And understoden wel and knewen. Whan suche softe wyndes blewen Of flaterie into here Ere, Thei setten noght here hertes there; 2440 Bot whan thei herden wordes feigned, The pleine trouthe it hath desdeigned Of hem that weren so discrete. So tok the flatour no beyete Of him that was his prince tho: And forto proven it is so, A tale which befell in dede In a Cronique of Rome I rede. Cesar upon his real throne Wher that he sat in his persone 2450 And was hyest in al his pris, A man, which wolde make him wys, Fell doun knelende in his presence, And dede him such a reverence, As thogh the hihe god it were: Men hadden gret mervaille there Of the worschipe which he dede. This man aros fro thilke stede, And forth with al the same tyde He goth him up and be his side 2460 He set him doun as pier and pier, And seide, "If thou that sittest hier Art god, which alle thinges myht, Thanne have I do worshipe ariht As to the god; and other wise, If thou be noght of thilke assisse, Bot art a man such as am I, Than mai I sitte faste by, For we be bothen of o kinde." Cesar ansuerde and seide, "O blinde, 2470 Thou art a fol, it is wel sene Upon thiself: for if thou wene I be a god, thou dost amys To sitte wher thou sest god is; And if I be a man, also Thou hast a gret folie do, Whan thou to such on as schal deie The worschipe of thi god aweie Hast yoven so unworthely. Thus mai I prove redely, 2480 Thou art noght wys." And thei that herde Hou wysly that the king ansuerde, It was to hem a newe lore; Wherof thei dradden him the more, And broghten nothing to his Ere, Bot if it trouthe and reson were. So be ther manye, in such a wise That feignen wordes to be wise, And al is verray flaterie To him which can it wel aspie. 2490 The kinde flatour can noght love Bot forto bringe himself above; For hou that evere his maister fare, So that himself stonde out of care, Him reccheth noght: and thus fulofte Deceived ben with wordes softe The kinges that ben innocent. Wherof as for chastiement The wise Philosophre seide, What king that so his tresor leide 2500 Upon such folk, he hath the lesse, And yit ne doth he no largesse, Bot harmeth with his oghne hond Himself and ek his oghne lond, And that be many a sondri weie. Wherof if that a man schal seie, As forto speke in general, Wher such thing falleth overal That eny king himself misreule, The Philosophre upon his reule 2510 In special a cause sette, Which is and evere hath be the lette In governance aboute a king Upon the meschief of the thing, And that, he seith, is Flaterie. Wherof tofore as in partie What vice it is I have declared; For who that hath his wit bewared Upon a flatour to believe, Whan that he weneth best achieve 2520 His goode world, it is most fro. And forto proeven it is so Ensamples ther ben manyon, Of whiche if thou wolt knowen on, It is behovely forto hiere What whilom fell in this matiere. Among the kinges in the bible I finde a tale, and is credible, Of him that whilom Achab hihte, Which hadde al Irahel to rihte; 2530 Bot who that couthe glose softe And flatre, suche he sette alofte In gret astat and made hem riche; Bot thei that spieken wordes liche To trouthe and wolde it noght forbere, For hem was non astat to bere, The court of suche tok non hiede. Til ate laste upon a nede, That Benedab king of Surie Of Irahel a gret partie, 2540 Which Ramoth Galaath was hote, Hath sesed; and of that riote He tok conseil in sondri wise, Bot noght of hem that weren wise. And natheles upon this cas To strengthen him, for Josaphas, Which thanne was king of Judee, He sende forto come, as he Which thurgh frendschipe and alliance Was next to him of aqueintance; 2550 For Joram Sone of Josaphath Achabbes dowhter wedded hath, Which hihte faire Godelie. And thus cam into Samarie King Josaphat, and he fond there The king Achab: and whan thei were Togedre spekende of this thing, This Josaphat seith to the king, Hou that he wolde gladly hiere Som trew prophete in this matiere, 2560 That he his conseil myhte yive To what point that it schal be drive. And in that time so befell, Ther was such on in Irahel, Which sette him al to flaterie, And he was cleped Sedechie; And after him Achab hath sent: And he at his comandement Tofore him cam, and be a sleyhte He hath upon his heved on heyhte 2570 Tuo large hornes set of bras, As he which al a flatour was, And goth rampende as a leoun And caste hise hornes up and doun, And bad men ben of good espeir, For as the hornes percen their, He seith, withoute resistence, So wiste he wel of his science That Benedab is desconfit. Whan Sedechie upon this plit 2580 Hath told this tale to his lord, Anon ther were of his acord Prophetes false manye mo To bere up oil, and alle tho Affermen that which he hath told, Wherof the king Achab was bold And yaf hem yiftes al aboute. But Josaphat was in gret doute, And hield fantosme al that he herde, Preiende Achab, hou so it ferde, 2590 If ther were eny other man, The which of prophecie can, To hiere him speke er that thei gon. Quod Achab thanne, "Ther is on, A brothell, which Micheas hihte; Bot he ne comth noght in my sihte, For he hath longe in prison lein. Him liketh nevere yit to sein A goodly word to mi plesance; And natheles at thin instance 2600 He schal come oute, and thanne he may Seie as he seide many day; For yit he seide nevere wel." Tho Josaphat began somdel To gladen him in hope of trouthe, And bad withouten eny slouthe That men him scholden fette anon. And thei that weren for him gon, Whan that thei comen wher he was, Thei tolden unto Micheas 2610 The manere hou that Sedechie Declared hath his prophecie; And therupon thei preie him faire That he wol seie no contraire, Wherof the king mai be desplesed, For so schal every man ben esed, And he mai helpe himselve also. Micheas upon trouthe tho His herte sette, and to hem seith, Al that belongeth to his feith 2620 And of non other feigned thing, That wol he telle unto his king, Als fer as god hath yove him grace. Thus cam this prophete into place Wher he the kinges wille herde; And he therto anon ansuerde, And seide unto him in this wise: "Mi liege lord, for mi servise, Which trewe hath stonden evere yit, Thou hast me with prisone aquit; 2630 Bot for al that I schal noght glose Of trouthe als fer as I suppose; And as touchende of this bataille, Thou schalt noght of the sothe faile. For if it like thee to hiere, As I am tauht in that matiere, Thou miht it understonde sone; Bot what is afterward to done Avise thee, for this I sih. I was tofor the throne on hih, 2640 Wher al the world me thoghte stod, And there I herde and understod The vois of god with wordes cliere Axende, and seide in this manere: "In what thing mai I best beguile The king Achab?" And for a while Upon this point thei spieken faste. Tho seide a spirit ate laste, "I undertake this emprise." And god him axeth in what wise. 2650 "I schal," quod he, "deceive and lye With flaterende prophecie In suche mouthes as he lieveth." And he which alle thing achieveth Bad him go forth and don riht so. And over this I sih also The noble peple of Irahel Dispers as Schep upon an hell, Withoute a kepere unarraied: And as thei wente aboute astraied, 2660 I herde a vois unto hem sein, "Goth hom into your hous ayein, Til I for you have betre ordeigned." Quod Sedechie, "Thou hast feigned This tale in angringe of the king." And in a wraththe upon this thing He smot Michee upon the cheke; The king him hath rebuked eke, And every man upon him cride: Thus was he schent on every side, 2670 Ayein and into prison lad, For so the king himselve bad. The trouthe myhte noght ben herd; Bot afterward as it hath ferd, The dede proveth his entente: Achab to the bataille wente, Wher Benedab for al his Scheld Him slouh, so that upon the feld His poeple goth aboute astray. Bot god, which alle thinges may, 2680 So doth that thei no meschief have; Here king was ded and thei ben save, And hom ayein in goddes pes Thei wente, and al was founde les That Sedechie hath seid tofore. So sit it wel a king therfore To loven hem that trouthe mene; For ate laste it wol be sene That flaterie is nothing worth. Bot nou to mi matiere forth, 2690 As forto speken overmore After the Philosophres lore, The thridde point of Policie I thenke forto specifie. What is a lond wher men ben none? What ben the men whiche are al one Withoute a kinges governance? What is a king in his ligance, Wher that ther is no lawe in londe? What is to take lawe on honde, 2700 Bot if the jugges weren trewe? These olde worldes with the newe Who that wol take in evidence, Ther mai he se thexperience, What thing it is to kepe lawe, Thurgh which the wronges