Chapter V: Part 5

[Sidenote: The red knight, though shieldless, overthrows his foe.]
His hawbrek helpit, ſuppos he had no ſcheld.
And he the king in to the ſcheld haith ton,
That horß and man boith to the erd ar gon. 1072
[Sidenote: The shrew restores his shield.]
Than to the kny{ch}t he cu{m}myth, that haith tan
His ſheld, to hyme deliu{er}ith It ayane,
Beſiching hyme that of his Ignorance,
That knew hyme nat, as takith no grewance. 1076
The kny{ch}t h{is} ſche[l]d but mor delay haith tak,
And let hyme go, and no thing to hyme ſpak.
Than thei the[T26] wich that ſo at erth haith ſen
[Sidenote: The men of the first-conquest king come to the rescue.]
Ther lord, the ferſt-conqueſt king, y meñ, 1080
In haiſt thei cam, as that thei var agrevit,
And manfully thei haith ther king Releuit.

[Footnote T26: MS. “thei,” altered to “thee,” which is still
wrong.]

[A]nd Arthuris folk, that lykith not to byde,
In goith the spur{is} in the ſted{is} syde; 1084
To-giddir thar aſſemblit al the oſt: [Fol. 14b.]
At whois meting many o kny{ch}t was loſt.
[Sidenote: The battle was right cruel to behold.]
The batell was richt crewell to behold,
Of kny{ch}t{is} wich that haith there lyvis ȝolde. 1088
One to the hart the ſpere goith throw the ſcheld,
The kny{ch}t{is} gaping lyith in the feld.
The red kny{ch}t, byrnyng in loues fyre,
Goith to o kny{ch}t, als ſwift as ony vyre, 1092
The wich he perſit throuch {and} throuch the hart;
[Sidenote: The red knight loses his spear, but draws his sword,
and roams the field like a lion.]
The ſpere is went; w{i}t{h} that anon he ſtart,
And out o ſuerd in to his hond he tais;
Lyk to o lyone in to the feld he gais, 1096
In to his Rag ſmyting to and fro
Fro ſum the arm, fro ſum the nek in two,
Sum in the feild lying is in ſwou{n},
[Sidenote: Some he cleaves to the belt.]
And sum his ſuerd goith to the belt al douñe. 1100
For qwhen that he beholdith to the qwen,
Who had ben thore his manhed to haue sen,
His doing in to armys and his myght,
Shwld ſay in world war not ſuch o wight. 1104
[Sidenote: His fellows take comfort from his deeds,]
His falouſchip siche comfort of his dede
Haith ton, that thei ther ennemys ne dreid;
But can them-self ay manfoly conten
In to the ſtour, that hard was to ſuſten; 1108
[Sidenote: though Galiot’s host was a surpassing multitude.]
For galyot was O paſing multitude
Of prewit men in armys that war gude,
The wich can w{i}t{h} o freſch curag aſſaill
Ther ennemys that day In to batell; 1112
[Sidenote: Had it not been for the manhood of the red knight,
Arthur’s folk had been in peril.]
That ne ware not the vorſchip {and} manhede
Of the red kny{ch}t, in p{er}ell and in dreid
Arthur{is} folk had ben, vith-outen vere;
Set thei var good, thei var of ſmal powere. 1116

[Headnote: GAWANE BEHOLDS THE RED KNIGHT.]

[Sidenote: Gawane is led to the parapet,]
And gawan, wich gart bryng hyme-ſelf befor
To the bertes, set he was vondit sore,
Whar the qwen vas, and whar that he my{ch}t see
The manere of the oſt and aſſemble; 1120
And when that he the gret manhed haith sen
[Sidenote: and saith to the queen, that none ever did better than
yon red knight.]
Of the red kny{ch}t, he ſaith one to the qwen,
“Madem, ȝone knyght in to the armys Rede,
Nor neu{er} I hard nore ſaw in to no ſted 1124
O kny{ch}t, the wich that in to ſchortar ſpace
In armys haith mor forton nore mor grace;
Nore bettir doith boith with ſper and ſcheild,
He is the hed and comfort of our feild.” 1128 [Fol. 15.]
[Sidenote: The queen prays for Lancelot.]
“Now, ſ{ir}, I traiſt that neu{er} more vas ſen
No man in feild more knyghtly hyme {con}ten;
I pray to hyme that eu{er}y thing hath cure,
Saif hyme fro deth or wykit aduenture.” 1132
[Sidenote: The field was perilous on both sides,]
The feild It was ry{ch}t p{er}ellus and ſtrong
On boith the ſydis, and continewit long,
[Sidenote: from early morn till the sun had gone down.]
Ay from the ſone the varld{is} face gan licht
Whill he was gone {and} cu{m}yne vas the nycht; 1136
And than o forß thei my{ch}t It not aſſtart,
On eu{er}y ſyd behouit them depart.
[Sidenote: Every knight then returns home, and the red knight
privily goes back to the city.]
The feild is don and ham goith eu{er}y kny{ch}t,
And prevaly, unwiſt of any wicht, 1140
The way the red kny{ch}t to the cete taiis,
As he had hecht, {and} in h{is} chambre gais.
When arthure hard how the kny{ch}t Is gon,
He blamyt ſore his lordis eu{er}ilk-one; 1144
And oft he haith remembrit in his thoght,
[Sidenote: Arthur, seeing the multitude of Galiot’s men, recalls
his dream, saying,]
What multitud that galiot had broght;
Seing his folk that ware so ewil arayt,
In to his mynd he ſtondith al affrayt, 1148
And ſaith, “I traiſt ful ſuth It ſal be founde
My drem Richt as the clerk{is} gan expounde;
[Sidenote: “My men now fail me at need.”]
For why my men failȝeis now at neid,
My-ſelf, my londe, in p{er}ell and in dreide.” 1152

[Headnote: GALIOT PROPOSES A TRUCE.]

[Sidenote: Galiot tells his council]
And galiot vpone hie worſchip set,
And his conſell anon he gart be fet,
To them he ſaith, “with arthur weil ȝe see
How that It ſtant, and to qwhat degre, 1156
Aȝanis ws that he is no poware;
[Sidenote: that there is no honour in conquering Arthur,]
Wharfor, me think, no worſchip to ws ware
In conqueryng of hyme, nor of his londe,
He haith no ſtrenth, he may ws not vithſtonde. 1160
Wharfor, me think It beſt is to delay,
[Sidenote: and proposes a twelvemonth’s truce.]
And reſput hyme for a tuelmoñeth day,
Whill that he may aſſemble al his myght;
Than is mor worſchip aȝanis hyme to ficht;” 1164
And thus concludit thoght hyme for the beſt.
The very kny{ch}t{is} paſſing to there Reſt;
Of melyholt the ladeis kny{ch}t{is} ilkone
Went home, and to hir p{rese}ns ar thei gon; 1168
[Sidenote: The lady of Melyholt asks her knights who hath won
most honour.]
At qwhome ful ſone than gan ſcho to Inquere,
And al the maner of the oſt{is} till spere;
How that It went, and in what man{er} wyß,
Who haith moſt worſchip, {and} who is moſt to pryß? 1172
“Madem,” q{uod} thei, “O kny{ch}t was In the feild, [Fol. 15b.]
[Sidenote: They reply, that a red knight had exceeded all others.]
Of Red was al his armour and his ſheld,
Whois manhed can al otheris to exced,
May nan report in armys half his deid; 1176
Ne wor his worſchip, ſhortly to conclud,
Our folk of help had ben al deſtitud.
He haith the thonk, the vorſchip in hyme lyis,
That we the feld defendit in ſich wyß.” 1180
[Sidenote: The lady wonders if her prisoner is meant.]
The lady thane one to hir-ſelf haith tho{ch}t,
“Whether Is ȝone my p{re}ſonar, ore noght?
The ſuthfaſtneß that ſhal y wit onon.”
When euery wight vn to ther Reſt war gon, 1184

[Headnote: THE LADY VISITS LANCELOT.]

[Sidenote: She calls her cousin,]
She clepith one hir cwſynes ful nere
Wich was to hir moſt ſpeciall and dere,
And ſaith to hir, “qwheyar if yone bee
Our preſoner, my consell Is we see.” 1188
[Sidenote: who takes a torch, and they go to the stable,]
With that the maden In hir hand hath ton
O torche, and to the ſtabille ar thei gon;
[Sidenote: and find his steed wounded.]
And fond his ſted lying at the ground,
Wich wery was, ywet w{i}t{h} mony wounde. 1192
The maden ſaith, “vpone this horß is ſen,
He in the place quhar strok{is} was hath beñ;
And ȝhit the horß It is no{ch}t wich that hee
Furt{h} w{i}t{h} hyme hade;”--the lady ſaid, “p{er} dee, 1196
He vſyt haith mo horß than one or two;
[Sidenote: Next they view his armour,]
I red one to his armys at we go.”
Tharwith one to his armys ar thei went;
[Sidenote: and find his hauberk rent, and his shield frushed all
to naught.]
Thei fond his helm, thei fond his hawbrek rent, 1200
Thei fond his ſcheld was fruſchit al to no{ch}t;
At ſchort, his armour In sich wyß vas vro{ch}t
In eu{er}y place, that no thing was left haill,
Nore neu{er} eft accordith to bataill. 1204
[Sidenote: They think he has well used his armour.]
Than ſaith the lady to hir cuſyneß,
“What ſal we ſay, what of this mat{er} geß?”
“Madem, I ſay, thei have no{ch}t ben abwsyt;
He that them bur ſchortly he has them vſyt.” 1208
“That may ȝe ſay, ſuppos the beſt that lewis,
Or moſt of worſchip in til armys prewis,
Or ȝhit haith ben in ony tyme beforñ,
Had them in feld in his maſt curag borñ.” 1212
[Sidenote: They next visit the knight himself,]
“Now,” q{uo}d the lady, “will we paß, and see
The kny{ch}t hyme-self, and ther the ſut{h} may we
Knaw of this thing.” Incontynent them[T27] boith [Fol. 16.]
Thir ladeis vn to his chambre goith. 1216
[Sidenote: who was now asleep.]
The kny{ch}t al wery fallyng was on ſlep;
This maden paſſith In, {and} takith kep.
[Sidenote: The lady’s cousin observes his breast and shoulders
bloody, his face hurt, and his fists swollen.]
Sche ſauch his breſt w{i}t{h} al his ſchowd{er}is bare,
That bludy war and woundit her and thare; 1220
His face was al to-hurt and al to-ſchent,
His newis ſwellyng war and al to-Rent.
Sche ſmylyt a lyt, and to hir lady ſaid,
“It ſemyth weill this kny{ch}t hath ben aſſaid.” 1224

[Footnote T27: “then” (?).]

[Headnote: THE LADY IS LOVE-SMITTEN.]

[Sidenote: The lady next observes him,]
The lady ſauch, and rewit in hir thoght
The kny{ch}t{is} worſchip wich that he haith vroght.
[Sidenote: and is smitten to the heart by the dart of love,]
In hire Reme{m}brance loues fyre dart
W{i}t{h} hot deſyre hir ſmat one to the hart; 1228
And then a quhill, w{i}t{h}-outen word{is} mo,
In to hir mynd thinking to and fro,
She ſtudeit ſo, and at the laſt abraid
[Sidenote: and prays her cousin to draw aside, while she kisses
the knight.]
Out of hir tho{ch}t, and ſudandly thus ſaid, 1232
“W{i}t{h}-draw,” q{uod} ſhe, “one ſyd a lyt[T28] the lyght,
Or that I paß that I may kyß the knyght.”

[Footnote T28: MS. “alyt.”]

[Headnote: HER COUSIN REPROVES HER.]

[Sidenote: Her cousin reproves her,]
“Madem,” q{uod} ſche, “what is It at ȝe meñ?
Of hie worſchip our mekill have ȝe señ 1236
So sone to be ſupp{ri}ſit w{i}t{h} o thoght.
[Sidenote: lest the knight should awake.]
What is It at ȝhe think? p{re}ſwm ȝe noght
That if yon kny{ch}t wil walkin, and p{er}ſaif,
He ſhal yarof no thing bot ewill conſaif; 1240
In his entent Ruput yow therby
The ablare to al ly{ch}tneß and foly?
And blam the more al vther{is} in h{is} mynd,
If your gret wit in ſich deſire he fynde?” 1244
[Sidenote: The lady replies.]
“Nay,” q{uod} the lady, “no thing may I do
For ſich o kny{ch}t may be defam me to.”
[Sidenote: Her cousin next argues the point;]
“Madem, I wot that for to loue yone kny{ch}t,
Conſidir his fame, his worſchip, and h{is} my{ch}t; 1248
And to begyne as worſchip wil dewyß,
Syne he ayaine my{ch}t lowe yow one ſuch wyß,
And hold yow for his lady and his loue,
It war to yow no maner of Reprwe. 1252
[Sidenote: “What if he loves another?”]
But quhat if he appelit be and thret
His hart to lowe, and ellis whar y-ſet?
And wel y wot, madem, if It be so,
His hart hyme sal not ſuffir to loue two, 1256
For noble hart wil have no dowbilneß; [Fol. 16b.]
If It be ſo, ȝhe tyne yowr low, I geß;
Than is your-ſelf, than is your loue Refuſit,
Your fam is hurt, your gladneß is concluſit. 1260
My conſell is, therfore, you to abſten
Whill that to yow the werray Ry{ch}t be ſeñ
Of his entent, the wich ful ſon ȝhe may
Have knawlag, If yow lykith to aſſay.” 1264
[Sidenote: She persuades the lady to return to her chamber,
without further delay.]
So mokil to hir lady haith ſhe vroght
That at that tyme ſhe haith Ret{ur}nyt h{ir} tho{ch}t,
And to hir chambre went, w{i}t{h}outen more,
Whar loue of new aſſaith hir ful sore. 1268
So well long thei ſpeking of the kny{ch}t,
[Sidenote: Her cousin labours to expel her love for Lancelot from
her thoughts, but her labour is in vain.]
Hir cuſynace hath don al at ſhe my{ch}t
For to expel that thing out of hir tho{ch}t;
It wil not be, hir labour Is for no{ch}t. 1272
Now leif we hir In to hir neweſt pan,
And to arthur we wil retwrn agañ.

EXPLICIT P{RI}M{US} LIBER, INCIPIT SECUND{US}.

[Headnote: ARTHUR’S GREAT ANXIETY.]

[BOOK II.]

[Sidenote: Night.]
++The clowdy nyght, wndir whois obſcure
The reſt and quiet of euery criatur 1276
Lyith ſauf, quhare the goſt w{i}t{h} beſyneß
Is occupiit, w{i}t{h} thoghtfull hewynes;
And, for that tho{ch}t furth ſchewing vil h{is} my{ch}t,
Go fare-wel reſt and quiet of the ny{ch}t. 1280
[Sidenote: Arthur cannot rest.]
Artur, I meyne, to whome that reſt is no{ch}t,
But al the ny{ch}t ſuppriſit is with tho{ch}t;
In to his bed he turnyth to and fro,
Remembryng the apperans of his wo, 1284
That is to ſay, his deith, his confuſioune,
And of his realme the opin diſtruccioune.
That in his wit he can no thing p{ro}wide,
Bot tak his forton thar for to abyd. 1288
[Sidenote: The sun goeth up.]
Vp goith the ſon, vp goith the hot morow;
The thoghtful king al the ny{ch}t to ſorow,
That ſauch the day, vpone his feit he ſtart, [Fol. 17.]
[Sidenote: Arthur goeth forth.]
And furth he goith, diſtrublit in his hart. 1292
A quhill he walkith in his penſyf goſt,
[Sidenote: He hears that a clerk has arrived,]
So was he ware thar cu{m}myne to the oſt
O clerk, with whome he was aqwynt befor,
In to his tyme non bett{er} was y-bore; 1296
Of qwhois com he gretly vas Reioſit,
For in to hyme ſum comfort he ſuppoſit;
[Sidenote: between whom and himself there was a hearty affection.]
Betuex them was one hartly affeccioune.
Non ord{er}is had he of Relegioune, 1300
Fam{us} he was, and of gret excellence,
[Sidenote: He was expert in the seven sciences,]
And ry{ch}t exp{er}t in al the vij. ſcience;
Contemplatif and chaſt in gou{er}nance,
[Sidenote: and was named Amytans.]
And clepit was the maiſt{er} amytans. 1304
The king befor his palȝou{n}e one the gren,
That knew hyme well, {and} haith his cu{m}myn ſeñ,
[Sidenote: Arthur welcomes him.]
Velcu{m}myt hyme, and maid hyme ry{ch}t gud chere,
And he agan, agrewit as he were, 1308
[Sidenote: He recks nothing of Arthur’s salutation.]
Saith, “nothir of thi ſaloſing, nor the,
Ne rak I no{ch}t, ne charg I no{ch}t,” q{uo}d hee.
[Sidenote: The king inquires what trespass he has committed.]
Than q{uod} the king, “maiſt{er}, {and} for what why
Ar ȝe agrewit? or quhat treſſpas have I 1312
Co{m}mytit, ſo that I ſhal yow diſples?”

[Headnote: AMYTANS REPROVES ARTHUR.]

[Sidenote: He replies, “It is not against me, but against thyself.]
Quod he, “no thing It is ayane myn eß,
But only {con}trare of thi-ſelf alway;
So fare the courß yow paſſith of the way. 1316
[Sidenote: Thy ship is almost drowned in the whirlpool.]
Thi ſchip, that goth apone the ſtormy vall,
Ney of thi careldis in the ſwelf it fall,
Whar ſhe almoſt is in the p{er}ell drent;
That is to ſay, yow art ſo far myſwent 1320
Of wykitneß vpone the vrechit dans,
That yow art fallyng in the storng[T29] vengans
[Sidenote: That is, God’s wrath shall soon devour thee.]
Of goddis wreth, that ſhal the ſon deuour;
For of his ſtrok approchit now the hour 1324
That boith thi Ringe, thi ceptre, {and} thi crovñ,
Frome hie eſtat he ſmyting ſhal adoune.
And that accordith well, for in thi tho{ch}t
[Sidenote: Because thou knowest Him not, who set thee up in this
high estate,]
Yow knawith not hyme, the wich that haith the wro{ch}t, 1328
And ſet the vp in to this hie eſtat
From powert; for, as the-ſelwyne wat,
It cu{m}myth al bot only of his myght,
And not of the, nor of thi eld{er}is Richt 1332
To the diſcending, as in heritage,
[Sidenote: though not begotten in spousage.]
For yow was not byget in to spouſag.
Wharfor yow aucht his biding to obſerf, [Fol. 17b.]
And at thy my{ch}t yow ſhuld hyme pleß {and} ſerf; 1336
That dois yow nat, for yow art ſo confuſſit
With this fals warld, that thow haith hyme Refuſit,
And brokine haith his reul and ordynans,
The wich to the he gave in gou{er}nans. 1340

[Footnote T29: So in MS. Is it necessary to alter it to
“strong”?]

[Headnote: THE TYRANNY OF KINGS.]

[Sidenote: He made thee king,]
He maid the king, he maid the gou{er}nour,
He maid the ſo, and ſet in hie honour
Of Realmys and of [diuerß] peplis ſere;
Eft{er} his loue thow ſhuld them Reul {and} ſtere, 1344
And wnoppreſſit kep in to Iuſtice,
The wykit men and pwnyce for ther wice.
Yow dois no thing, bot al in the {con}trare,
[Sidenote: and thou sufferest thy people to fare ill.]
And ſuffrith al thi puple to forfare; 1348
Yow haith non Ey but one thyne awn delyt,
Or quhat that pleſing ſhall thyne appetyt.
In the defalt of law and of Iuſtice,
Wndir thi hond is ſufferyt gret ſuppriß 1352
Of fadirleß, and modirleß alſo,
And wedwis ek ſuſtenit mekill wo.
[Sidenote: The poor are oppressed.]
With gret myſchef oppreſſit ar the pure;
And thow art cauß of al this hol Iniure, 1356
Whar-of that god a raknyng ſal craf
At the, and a ſore Raknyng ſal hafe;
For thyne eſtat is gewyne to Redreß
Thar ned, and kep them to ry{ch}twyneß; 1360
And thar is non that ther complant{is} her{is};
The my{ch}ty folk, and ek the flattereris
Ar cheif with the, and doith this oppreſſiou{n};
[Sidenote: If they complain, it is their confusion.]
If thai complen, It is ther confuſſiou{n}e. 1364
And daniell ſaith that who doith to the pure,
Or fad{er}leß, or modirleß, EnIure,
Or to the puple, that ilke to god doth hee;
And al this harme ſuſtenit Is throw the. 1368
Yow ſufferith them, oppreſſith {and} anoyith;
So yow art cauß, throw the thei ar diſtroyth;
Than, at thi my{ch}t, god ſo diſtroys yow.
[Sidenote: What wilt thou do, when God destroys sinners off the
visage of the earth?]
What ſhal he do aȝane? quhat ſhal yow, 1372
When he diſtroys by vengance of his ſuerd
The ſynar{is} fra the vysag{is} of the Erde?
Than vtraly yow ſhall diſtroyt bee;
And that Richt weill apper{is} now of thee, 1376
For yow allon byleft art ſolitere;
[Sidenote: Solomon saith, ‘Wo to him who is left alone! He hath
no help.’]
And the wyß salamon can duclar,
‘Wo be to hyme that is byleft alone,
He haith no help;’ so Is thi forton goñe; 1380 [Fol. 18.]
For he is callit, w{i}t{h} quhom that god is no{ch}t,
Allone; and ſo thi wykitneß haith wro{ch}t
That god hyme-ſelf he is bycu{m}myn thi fo,
[Sidenote: Thou hast lost thy people’s hearts,]
Thi pupleis hart{is} haith thow tynt alſo; 1384
Thi wykitneß thus haith the maid alon,
That of this erth thi fortone Is y-goñ.
Yow mone thi lyf, yow mone thi vorſchip tyne,
[Sidenote: and shalt come to death that hath no end.”]
And eft to deth that neu{er} ſhal haf fyne.” 1388

[Headnote: ARTHUR ASKS ADVICE.]

++“Maist{er},” q{uo}d he, “of yowre beneuolens,
Y yow beſech that tueching my{n} offens,
Ȝhe wald wichſaif your conſell to me If
[Sidenote: Arthur asks how he shall amend,]
How I ſal mend, and ek her-eftir leif.” 1392
“Now,” q{uo}d the maiſter, “and I have m{er}well qwhy
Yow aſkith conſail, and wil in non affy,
Nor wyrk thar-by; and ȝhit yow may In tym,
If yow lykith to amend the cryme.” 1396
“Ȝhis,” ſaith the king, “and ſuthfaſtly I will
[Sidenote: and promises to fulfil his bidding.]
Ȝour ordynans in eu{er}y thing fulfyll.”
“And if the liſt at conſail to abide,
[Sidenote: The master replies, “Thou must first dread the Lord.]
The remed of thi harme to p{ro}uyde-- 1400
Firſt, the begyning is of ſapiens,
To dreid the lord and his mag{ni}ficens;
And what thow haith in contrar hyme ofendit,
Whill yow haith my{ch}t, of fre deſir amend it;[T30] 1404
[Sidenote: Repent thy guilt.]
Repent thi gilt, repent thi gret treſpaß,
And remembir one goddis richwyſneß;
How for to hyme that wykitneß anoyt,
And how the way of ſynaris he diſtroit; 1408
And if ye lyk to ryng wnd{er} his peß,
Ye wengans of his my{ch}ty hond yow ſeß,
This ſchalt yow do, if yow wil be p{er}fit.
Firſt, mone yow be penitent and contrit 1412
Of euery thing that tuechith thi conſiens,
Done of fre will, or ȝhit of neglygens.
[Sidenote: Thy need requireth full contrition.]
Thi neid requirith ful contretioune,
Princepaly with-out concluſioune; 1416
With humble hart and goſtly byſyneß,
Syne ſhalt yow go deuotly the confeß
[Sidenote: Confess to some holy confessor.]
Ther-of vnto ſum haly confeſſour,
That the wil conſail tueching thin arour; 1420
And to fulfill his will and ordynans,
[Sidenote: Do penance, and amend all wrong.”]
In ſatiſfaccione and doing of penans,
And to amend al wrang and al Iniure,
By the ydone til euery Creature; 1424
If yow can In to thi hart fynde, [Fol. 18b.]
Contretioune well degeſt In to thi mynd.
Now go thi weie, for if it leful were,
Confeſſioune to me, I ſhuld It here.” 1428

[Footnote T30: MS. “amendit.”]

[Headnote: ARTHUR CONFESSES HIS SINS,]

[Sidenote: Arthur tries to remember every sin done since his years
of innocence,]
++Than arthur, Richt obedient {and} mek,
In to his wit memoratyvecan ſeik
Of euery gilt wich that he can pens,
Done frome he paſſith the ȝer{is} of Innocens; 1432
And as his maiſter hyme commandit hade,
[Sidenote: and made his confession with lamentable cheer.]
He goith and his confeſſione haith he maad
Richt deuotly with lementable chere;
The man{er} wich quho lykith for to here 1436
He may It fynd In to the holl romans,
Of confeſſione o paſing c{er}cumſtans.
I can It not, I am no confeſſour,
My wyt haith ewill conſat of that labour, 1440
Quharof I wot I aucht repent me ſore.
The king wich was confeſſit, what is more,
Goith and til his maiſt{er} tellith hee,
How euery ſyne In to his awn degree 1444
He shew, that mycht occuryng to his mynde.
[Sidenote: “Leftest thou aught behind,” quoth the master, “about
Ban, king of Albanak, and his disinherited wife?”]
“Now,” q{uo}d the maiſtere, “left thow aght behynde
Of albenak the vorſchipful king ban,
The wich that vas in to my ſ{er}uice ſlan, 1448
And of his wif diſheriſt eft alſo?
Bot of ther ſone, the wich was them fro,
Ne ſpek[T31] y not;”--the king in his entent
Abaſyt was, and furt{h}w{i}t{h} is he went 1452
[Sidenote: The king again confesses, and returns,]
Aȝane, and to his confeſſour declarith;

[Footnote T31: MS. apparently has “srpek;” but a comparison
with line 1543 shews that the apparent _r_ is due to the meeting
of two slight flourishes belonging to the _s_ and _p_.]

[Headnote: AND AGAIN ASKS FOR ADVICE.]

Syne to his maiſt{er} he ayane Reparith,
To quhome he ſaith, “I aftir my cu{n}yng
Your ordinans fulfillit in al thing; 1456
And now right hartly y beſeich and prey,
Ȝhe wald w{i}t{h}ſchaif ſum thing to me ſay,
[Sidenote: prays for comfort,]
That may me comfort in my gret dreid,
And how my men ar falȝet in my Neid, 1460
[Sidenote: and inquires about his dream.]
And of my dreme, the wich that is ſo dirk.”
[Sidenote: The master saith, “If thou art bound to work by my
counsel,]
This maiſt{er} ſaith, “and thow art bound to virk
[T32] ++AT my conſail, and if yow has maad
Thi confeſſione, as yow before hath ſaid, 1464
And in thi conciens thinkith p{er}ſeuere,
As I p{re}ſume that thow onon ſhalt here
That god hyme-ſelf ſhal ſo for y^e p{ro}uide,
[Sidenote: thou shalt abide in thy kingdom.]
Thow ſhal Remayne and In thi Ring abyd. 1468
And why thi men ar falȝet At this nede, [Fol. 19.]
At ſhort this is the cauß, ſhalt yow no{ch}t dred,
Fore thow to gode was frawart and p{er}wert;
Thi ryngne and the he tho{ch}t for to ſubwart; 1472
And yow ſal knaw na power may reciſt,
In contrar quhat god lykith to aſſi[ſ]t.

[Footnote T32: This line (though it should not) begins with an
illuminated letter.]

[Headnote: KINGS DERIVE THEIR POWER FROM GOD.]

[Sidenote: Strength of victory cometh from God only.]
The vertw nore the ſtrenth of victory
It cu{m}myth not of man, bot an{er}ly 1476
Of hyme, the wich haith eu{er}y ſtrinth; {and} than,
If that the waiis pleſſit hyme of man,
He ſhal have forß aȝane his e{n}nemys.
A-ryght agan apone the ſamyne vyß, 1480
[Sidenote: Whoso displeases Him shall be subject to his enemies,
as we read in the Bible concerning the Jews.]
If he diſpleß vn to the lord, he ſhall
Be to his fais a ſubiet or a thrall,
As that we may In to the bible red,
Tueching the folk he tuk hyme-ſelf to led 1484
In to the lond, the wich he them byhicht.
Ay when thei ȝhed in to his ways Richt,
Ther fois gon befor there ſuerd to no{ch}t;
[Sidenote: When they wrought against Him, they were so full of
fear that the sound of a falling leaf made a thousand flee.]
And when that thei ayanis hyme hath vro{ch}t, 1488
Thei war ſo full of radur and diſſpare,
That of o leif fleing in the air,
The ſound of It haith gart o thouſand tak
At onys apone them-ſelf the bak, 1492
And al ther manhed vterly foryhet;
Sich dreid the lord apone ther hart{is} set.
So ſhalt yow know no powar may w{i}t{h}ſtond,
Ther god hyme-ſelf hath ton the cauß on hond. 1496
[Sidenote: Thine own offence is the reason why thy people fail
thee.]
And ye quhy ſtant in thyne awn offens,
That al thi puple falȝhet off defens.
And ſum ar falȝeing magre ther entent;
Thei ar to quhom thow yewyne hath thi rent, 1500
Thi gret Reuard, thi richeß and thi gold,
And cheriſſith and held in thi houſhold.
Bot the moſt p{ar}t ar falȝheit the at wyll,
[Sidenote: Thou hast shewn some of them unkindness,]
To quhome yow haith wnkyndneß ſchawin till; 1504
Wrong and i{n}Iure, and ek defalt of law,
And pwnyſing of qwhich that thei ſtand aw;
And makith ſ{er}uice but reward or fee,
Syne haith no thonk bot fre{m}mytneß of the. 1508
Such folk to the cu{m}myth bot for dred,
Not of fre hart the for to help at nede.
And what awalith owthir ſheld or ſper,
Or horß or armoure according for ye were, 1512
Vith-outen man them for to ſtere and led? [Fol. 19b.]
[Sidenote: and a man that wanteth heart is dead.]
And man, yow wot, that vantith hart is ded,
That in to armys ſ{er}uith he of noght;
A cowart oft ful mekil harm haith vroght. 1516
In multitude nore ȝhit in confluens
Of ſich, is nowther manhed nore defens.
[Sidenote: Thou hast so conducted thyself as to lose all thy
people’s hearts.]
And ſo thow hath the rewlyt, that almoſt
Of al thi puple the hart{is} ben ylost; 1520
And tynt richt throw thyne awn myſgou{er}nans
Of auerice and of thyne errogans.
[Sidenote: What is a prince without honour?]
What is o prince? quhat is o gou{er}noure
W{i}t{h}outen fame of worſchip and honour? 1524
What is his my{ch}t, ſuppos he be A lorde,
If that his folk ſal no{ch}t to hyme accorde?
[Sidenote: Can he by himself sustain his kingdom, by serving his
own appetite?]
May he his Rigne, may he his holl Empire
Suſten al only of his owne deſyre, 1528
In ſerwyng of his wrechit appetit
Of awerice and of his awn delyt,
And hald his men, wncheriſt, in thraldome?
[Sidenote: His oppression of his people consumes his high estate,
and makes other kings war on them.]
Nay! that ſhal ſone his hie eſtat conſome. 1532

[Headnote: UNJUST KINGS ARE PUNISHED.]

For many o kny{ch}t[T33] therby is broght ydoune,
All vt{r}aly to ther confuſioune;
For oft it makith vther king{is} by
To wer on them In traſt of victory; 1536
And oft als throw his peple is diſtroyth,
That fyndith them agrewit or anoyth;
[Sidenote: God also punishes their vices.”]
And god alſo oft w{i}t{h} his awn ſwerd,
Punyſith ther wyſis one this erd. 1540
Thus falith not o king but gou{er}nans,
Boith realme and he goith one to myſchans.”

[Footnote T33: “king” (?).]

[Headnote: A MESSAGE FROM GALIOT.]

[Sidenote: Meanwhile, the king of a hundred knights and the
first-conquest king come from Galiot,]
++AS thai war thus ſpeking of this thinge,
Frome galiot cam two kny{ch}t{is} to the king; 1544
That one the king of hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was;
That other to nome the fyrst-co{n}queſt king[T34] has,
At firſt that galyot conquerit of one.
The n{er}eſt way one to the king thei gon, 1548
And vp he roß, as he that wel cout{h} do
Honor, to quhome that It afferith to;
And ȝhit he wiſt not at thei king{is} were;
So them[T35] thei boith and vyt{h} ry{ch}t knyghtly cher 1552
Reu{er}endly thei ſaluſt hyme, and thane
[Sidenote: and the former delivers his message, to the effect that]
The king of hund{er} knyght{is} he began
And ſaid hyme, “ſ{ir}, to ȝow my lord ws ſende,
Galiot, whilk bad ws ſay he wende, 1556 [Fol. 20.]
That of this world the vorthieſt king wor ȝhe,
Greteſt of men and of awtoritee.

[Footnote T34: MS. “kinghe,” a spelling due to confusion with
“knight.” See l. 1533.]

[Headnote: A TRUCE PROPOSED AND ACCEPTED.]

[Sidenote: Galiot wonders at the feebleness of Arthur’s folk,]
Wharof he has gret wond{er} that ȝhe ar
So feble cu{m}myne In to his contrare, 1560
For to defend your cuntre {and} your londe,
And knowith well ȝhe may hyme no{ch}t w{i}t{h}ſtonde.
Wharfor he thinkith no worſchip to conquere,
Nore in the wer{is} more to p{er}ſyuere; 1564
Conſiddir yowr wakneß and yowr Indegens,
Aȝanis hyme as now to mak defens.
[Sidenote: and is willing to grant a year’s truce,]
Wharfore, my lord haith grantit by vs here
Trewis to yhow and reſput for o ȝhere, 1568
[Sidenote: if Arthur will return to fight against him in a year’s
time;]
If that yhow lykith by the ȝher{is} ſpace
For to retwrn ayane In to this place,
Her to manteine yhour cuntre and w{i}t{h}ſtond
Hyme w{i}t{h} the holl power of yhour lond. 1572
And for the tyme the trewis ſhal endure,
Yhour cuntre and yhour lond he will aſſurre;
And wit ȝhe ȝhit his powar is no{ch}t here.
And als he bad ws ſay yhow by the yhere, 1576
[Sidenote: and desires to have the red knight in his household.]
The gud kny{ch}t wich that the Red armys bure
And in the feild maid the diſcumfiture,
The whilk the flour of kny{ch}thed may be cold,
He thinkith hyme to haue of his houſhold.” 1580
“Well,” q{uo}d the king, “I have hard quhat yhe ſay,
But if god will, and ek if that I may,
In to ſich wyß I think for to withſtond,
Yhour lord ſhall have no powar of my londe.” 1584
[Sidenote: Arthur rejoices at the truce,]
Of this meſag the king Reioſing haß,
And of the trewis wich that grantit was,
Bot anoyt ȝhit of the kny{ch}t was he,
Wich thei awant to have in ſuch dogre. 1588
Ther leif thei tuk; and when at thei war gon,
[Sidenote: which the master attributes to God’s providence, and
exhorts him, saying,]
[T36] ++This maiſt{er} ſaith, “how lykith god diſpone!

[Footnote T35: “then” (?).]
[Footnote T36: The initial T is illuminated.]

Now may yhow ſe {and} ſuth is my recorde;
For by hyme now is makith this accord; 1592
And by non vthir worldly p{ro}videns,
Sauf only grant of his bynewolans,
To ſe if that the lykith to amend,
And to p{ro}uid thi cuntre to defend. 1596
Wharfor yow ſhalt in to thi lond home fair,
And gowerne the as that I ſhall declaire.
[Sidenote: “First, serve God with humble heart, and let the wand
of law pass through the land.]
Firſt, thi god with humble hart yow ſerfe, [Fol. 20b.]
And his comand at al thi my{ch}t obſerf; 1600
And ſyne, lat paß the ilk bleſſit wonde
Of lowe w{i}t{h} m{er}cy Iuſtly throw thi londe;
And y beſeich--to quhome yow ſal direke
The rewle vpone, the wrang{is} to correk-- 1604
That yow be no{ch}t in thi electioune blynde;
For writin It Is and yow ſal trew It fynde.
That, be thei for to thonk or ell{is} blame,
And towart god thi p{ar}t ſhal be the ſam̅; 1608
Of Ignorans ſhalt yow no{ch}t be excuſit,
Bot in ther werk{is} ſorly be accuſit,
For thow ſhuld eu{er} cheß apone ſich wyß
[Sidenote: Thus shalt thou choose the ministers of justice.]
The mi{ni}ſteris[T37] that rewll haith of Iustice:-- 1612

[Headnote: HOW TO CHOOSE JUDGES.]

Firſt, that he be deſcret til wnd{er}ſtond
And lowe and ek the mat{er} of the londe;
And be of my{ch}t and ek Autoritee,
(For puple ay {con}tempnith low degre,) 1616
And that of trouth he folow furth the way;
That is als mych as he louyth trewth alway,
And haitith al them the wich ſal pas therfro.
Syne, that he god dreid and lowe al-so. 1620
[Sidenote: Avoid avaricious and wrathful men.]
Of auerice be-war with the deſyre,
And of hyme full of haſtynes {and} fyre;
Be-war thar-for of malice and deſire,
And hyme alſo that lowith no medyre; 1624
For al this abhomi{n}able was hold,
When Iuſtice was in to the tymis olde.
For qwho that is of an of thir by-know,
The leſt of them ſubu{er}tith all the low, 1628
And makith It w[n]Iustly[T38] to p{ro}cede;

[Footnote T37: MS. “mīſteris.”]
[Footnote T38: MS. “w Iustly.”]

[Headnote: KINGS MUST BE JUST AND TRUE.]

[Sidenote: Eschew unfit men, for this shall be thy meed in the day
of judgment.]
Eſchew tharfor, for this ſal be thi meid
Apone the day when al thing goith aright,
Whar none excuß hidyng ſchal ye lyght; 1632
But he the Iug, that no man may ſuſſpek,
Eu{er}y thing ful Iuſtly ſal correk.
Be-war thar-w{i}t{h}, as before have I told,
And cheß them wyſly that thi low ſhal hold. 1636
And als I will that it well oft be sen,
Richt to thi-self how thei thi low {con}ten;
[Sidenote: Be diligent to inquire how judgment is given.]
And how the Right, and how the dom is went,
For to Inquer that yow be delygent. 1640
And punyß for, for o thing ſhal yow know, [Fol. 21.]
The most treſpas is to ſubuert the low,
So that yow be not in thar gilt accuſit,
And frome the froit of bliſſit folk refuſit. 1644
[Sidenote: Visit every chief town throughout the bounds of thy
kingdom.]
And pas yow ſhalt to euery chef toune,
Throw-out the boundis of thi Regioune
Whar yow ſall be, that Iuſtice be Elyk
With-out diuiſione baith to pur {and} ryk. 1648
And that thi puple have [ane] awdiens
W{i}t{h} thar complant{is}, and alſo thi p{rese}ns;
For qwho his eris frome the puple ſtekith,
And not his hond in ther ſupport furth rekith, 1652
His dom ſall be ful grewous & ful hard,
When he ſal cry and he ſal no{ch}t be hard.
[Sidenote: Give thine ears to the poor.]
Wharfor thyne eris ifith to the pwre,
Bot in redreß of ned, & not of i{n}Iure; 1656
Thus ſall thei don of Reſſone & knawlag.

[Sidenote: Kings, while minors, may be excused; but, when
of age, they must punish those that have wrested justice.]
++But king{is} when thei ben of tend{er} ag,
Y wil not ſay I traſt thei ben excuſit,
Bot ſchortly thei ſall be ſar accuſit, 1660
When ſo thei cum to yheris of Reſone,
If thei tak not full contriſioune,
And pwnyß them that hath ther low myſgyit.
That this is trouth it may not be denyit; 1664
For vther ways thei ſal them not diſcharg,
[Excep thei pwnyß them that have the charg][T39]
One eſtatis of ther realm, that ſhold
W{i}t{h}-in his ȝouth ſe that his low be hold.[T40] 1668
[Sidenote: Temper justice with mercy.]
And thus thow the, w{i}t{h} mercy, kep alway
Of Iuſtice furt{h} the ilk bleſſit way.

[Footnote T39: A blank space here occurs, just sufficient to
contain one line.]
[Footnote T40: MS. “behold.”]

[Sidenote: Be true and stable in thy words.]
++And of thi wordis beis trew and ſtable,
Spek not to mych, nore be not vareable. 1672
O king{is} word ſhuld be o king{is} bonde,
And ſaid It is, a king{is} word ſhuld ſtond;
O king{is} word, among our fad{er}is old,
Al-out more p{re}cious & more ſur was hold 1676
Than was the oth or ſeel of any wight;
[Sidenote: A king should be the very light of truth.]
O king of trouth ſuld be the werray lyght,
So treuth and Iuſtice to o king accordyth.
And als, as thir clerk{is} old recordith, 1680
[T41] ++In tyme is larges and humilitee
Right well according vnto hie dugre,
And pleſſith boith to god and man al-so;
Wharfor I wil, in{con}tine{n}t thow go, 1684 [Fol. 21b.]
And of thi lond in euery p{ar}t abide,
Whar yow gar fet and clep one eu{er}y ſid
Out of thi cuntreis, and ek out of thi tovnis,
[Sidenote: Invite thy dukes, earls, great barons, thy poor knights,
and thy bachelors, and welcome them severally.]
Thi duk{is}, erlis, and thi gret baronis, 1688
Thi pur kny{ch}t{is}, and thi bach[e]ler{is},
And them reſauf als hartly as afferis,
And be them-ſelf yow welcum them ilkon:
Syne, them to glaid and cheris, thee diſpone 1692
With feſting and with humyll {con}tynans.

[Footnote T41: The initial I is illuminated; rather because
there is here a change of subject than because it begins a new
sentence.]

[Headnote: KINGS SHOULD CHERISH ALL MEN.]

Be not penſyve, nore proud in arrogans,
[Sidenote: Keep company not with the rich man only, but with the
poor worthy man also.]
Bot w{i}t{h} them hold in gladnes cumpany;
Not with the Rich nor myghty an{er}ly, 1696
Bot with the pure worthi man alſo,
W{i}t{h} them thow ſit, w{i}t{h} them yow ryd and go.
I ſay not to be our fameliar,
For, as the moſt philoſephur can duclar, 1700
[Sidenote: Yet remember that familiarity breeds contempt.]
To mych to oyß familiaritee
Contempnyng bryngith one to hie dugre;
Bot cherice them w{i}t{h} wordis fair depay{n}t,
So with thi pupelle ſal yow the aquay{n}t. 1704
[Sidenote: Choose out of each district an aged knight to be thy
counsellor.]
Than of ilk cuntre wyſly yow enquere
An agit kny{ch}t to be thi conſulere,
That haith ben hold in armys Richt fam{us},
Wyß and diſcret, & no thing Inwy{us}; 1708
For there is non that knowith ſo wel, I-wyß,
O worthy man as he that worthi Is.

[Headnote: KINGS MUST BE LIBERAL.]

[Sidenote: When thou hast sojourned long in a place, then provide
thee with plenty of horses, armour, gold, silver, and clothing;]
When well long haith yow ſwiornyt i{n} a place,
And well acqueynt the v{i}t{h} thi puple has, 1712
Than ſhalt thow ordand & p{ro}wid the
Of horß and ek of armour gret plente;
Of gold, and ſilu{er}, tressore, and cleithing,
And euery Riches that lo{n}gith to o king; 1716
[Sidenote: and, before leaving, distribute gifts liberally.]
And when the lykith for to tak thi leif,
By largeß thus yow thi reward geif,
First to the pure worthy honorable,
That is til armys and til ma{n}hed able; 1720
(Set he be pur, ȝhit worſchip in hyme bidith);
[Sidenote: Give to the poor worthy man the horse thou thyself
ridest.]
If hyme the horß one wich thi-ſelwyne Ridith,
And bid hyme that he Rid hyme for yhour ſak;
Syne til hyme gold and ſilu{er} yow betak; 1724
The horß to hyme for worſchip and prowes,
The treſor for his fredome and larges.
If moſt of Riches and of Cheriſing; [Fol. 22a.]
Eftir this gud kny{ch}t berith vitneſing. 1728
[Sidenote: Give to thy tenants and vavasours easy hackneys,
palfries, and coursers.]
Syne to thi te{n}nand{is} & to thi wawaſouris
If eſſy haknays, palfrais, and curſouris,
And robis ſich as pleſand ben and fair;
Syne to thi lord{is}, wich at my{ch}ty aire, 1732
[Sidenote: Give to thy lords things strange and uncouth.]
As duk{is}, erlis, princ{is}, and ek king{is},
Yow if them ſtrang, yow if them vncout{h} thing{is},
As diu{er}ß iowell{is}, and ek p{re}ciouß ſtonis,
Or halk{is}, hundis, ordinit for the nonis, 1736
Or wantone horß that can no{ch}t ſtand in ſtāble;
Thar gift{is} mot be fair and delitable.
Thus, firſt vn to the vorthi pur yow if
Giftis, that may ther pouerte Releif; 1740
And to the rich ift{is} of pleſans,
That thei be fair, ſet no{ch}t of gret ſubſtans;
For riches aſkith no thing bot delyt,
And powert haith ay ane appetyt 1744
For to support ther ned and Indigens:
Thus ſhall yow if and makith thi diſpens.
[Sidenote: So, too, shall the queen give to maidens and ladies,]
And ek the quen, my lady, ſhalt alſo
To madenis and to ladeis, quhar ȝhe go, 1748
If, and cheriß one the ſamyne wyß;
[Sidenote: for all thy welfare lies in liberality.]
For in to largeß al thi welfar lyis.
And if thy gift{is} with ſich {con}tinans
That thei be ſen ay gifyne v{i}t{h} pleſans; 1752
The wyß man ſais, and ſuth it is app{ro}uit,
Thar is no thonk, thar is no ift alowit,
Bot It be ifyne In to ſich manere,
[Sidenote: Remember that the giver should be as glad in his cheer
as the receiver.]
(That is to ſay, als glaid i{n} to his chere), 1756
As he the wich the ift of hyme Reſauith;
And do he not, the gifar is diſſauith.

[Headnote: LIBERAL KINGS ARE LOVED IN LIFE,]

For who that iff{is}, as he not if wald,
Mor p{ro}fit war his ift for to w{i}t{h}-hald; 1760
His thonk he tynith, and his ift alſo.
Bot that thow ifith, if w{i}t{h} boith two,
[Sidenote: Give with both hand and heart at once;]
That is to ſay, vith hart and hand atonis;
And ſo the wyſman ay ye ift diſponis. 1764
Beith larg and iff{is} frely of thi thing;
[Sidenote: for liberality is the treasure of a king.]
For largeß is the treſour of o king,
And not this other Iowell{is} nor this gold
That is in to thi treſory with-holde. 1768
Who gladly iffith, be vertew of larges [Fol. 22b.]
[Sidenote: Whoso gives liberally, his treasury increases.]
His treſory encreſis of Richeſß,
And ſal aȝañe the mor al-out reſawe.
[Sidenote: For the receiver shall place his goods at the king’s
disposal,]
For he to quhome he ȝewith ſall hawe, 1772
Firſt his body, ſyne his hart with two,
His gudis al for to diſpone also
[Sidenote: who shall gain, moreover, both worship and praise.]
In his ſ{er}uice; and mor atour he ſhall
Have O thing, and that is beſt of all; 1776
That is to ſay, the worſchip and the loß
That vpone larges in this world furth goß.
And yow ſhal knaw the lawbour & the preß
In to this erth about the gret Richeß. 1780
[Sidenote: Is there any labour except for meat and clothing?
All the remnant is for fame.]
Is ony, bot[T42] apone the cauß we see
Of met, of cloth, & of p{ro}ſperitee?
All the remanant ſtant apone the name
Of purches, furth apone this world{is} fame. 1784
And well yow wot, in thyne allegians
Ful many Is, the wich haith ſufficians
Of euery thing that longith to ther ned; 1787
What haith yow more, qwich [haith] them al to lede,
For al thi Realmys and thi gret Riches,
If that yow lak of worſchip the encreß?
Well leß, al-out; for eft{er} thar eſtate
Thei have vorſchip, and kepith It al-gat; 1792
And yow degradith al thyne hie dugree,
That ſo ſchuld ſhyne In to nobelitee,
Throuch wys and throw the wrechitneß of hart.

[Footnote T42: MS. “Is ony bout bot;” “bout” being defaced.]

[Headnote: AND COMMENDED AFTER DEATH.]

[Sidenote: Knowest thou not what shall be thy part, when thou
passest away from this world?]
And knowis yow not what ſall be[T43] thi part, 1796
Out of this world when yow ſal paß the courß?
Fair well, I-wyß! yow neu{er} ſhall Recourß
Whar no prince more ſhall the subiet[T44] have,
But be als dep in to the erd y-grave, 1800
[Sidenote: Virtue and honour will alone remain.]
Sauf vertew only and worſchip wich abidith;
W{i}t{h} them the world apone the laif dewidith;
[Sidenote: And if thy successor be liberal, he will be commended
of the world;]
And if he, wich ſhal eftir the ſucced,
By larges ſpend, of quhich that yhow had dreid, 1804
He of the world comendit is and priſit,
And yow ſtant furth of euery thing diſpiſit;
The puple ſaith and demyth thus of thee,
“Now is he gone, a werray vrech was hee, 1808
And he the wich that is our king and lord
Boith wertew haith & larges in accorde;
Welcum be he!” and ſo the puple ſoundith.
Thus through thi viß his wertew mor aboundith, 1812 [Fol. 23a.]
[Sidenote: and his virtue will abound through thy vice.]
And his vertew the more thi wice furth ſchawith.
Wharfor ȝhe, wich that princes ben y-knawith,
Lat not yhour vrechit hart so yhow dant,
That he that cu{m}myth next yhow may awant 1816
To be mor larg, nore more to be co{m}mendit;

[Footnote T43: MS. has “by.”]
[Footnote T44: MS. has “subei^et.”] [[superscript e only]]

[Headnote: LIBERAL KINGS WIN SUBJECTS,]

[Sidenote: Riches well spent are the best kept.]
Best kepit Is the Riches well diſpendit.
O ȝhe, the wich that king{is} ben, fore ſham
Remembrith yhow, this world hath bot o naam̅ 1820
Of good or ewill, eft{er} ȝhe ar gone!
And wyſly tharfor cheſſith yhow the toñ
Wich moſt accordith to nobilitee,
And knytith larges to yhour hie degre. 1824
For qwhar that fredome In O p{ri}nce Ri{n}gnis,
It bryngith In the victory of king{is},
And makith realmys and puple boith to dout,
And ſubect{is}[T45] of the cuntre al about. 1828
[Sidenote: Whoso will be a conqueror, let him not reck to give
largely.]
And qwho that thinkith ben o co{n}querour,
Suppos his largeß ſumquhat pas myſour,
Ne rak he nat, bot frely iffith ay;
And as he wynyth, beis var al-way 1832
To mych nor ȝhit to gredy that he hold,
Wich ſal the hart{is} of the puple colde.
[Sidenote: Both love and fear spring from liberality.]
And low and radour cu{m}myth boith two
Of larges; Reid and ȝhe ſal fynd It ſo. 1836
Alex{ander} this lord the warld that wan,
Firſt w{i}t{h} the ſuerd of larges he began,
[Sidenote: Alexander gave so liberally,]
And as he wynith ifith largely,
He rakith No thing bot of cheuelry; 1840
Wharfor of hyme ſo paſſith the Renown,
[Sidenote: that many cities desired to have such a lord,]
That many o cetee, and many o ſtrang towñ
Of his worſchip that herith the Recorde,
Diſſirith ſo to haveing ſich o lorde; 1844
[Sidenote: and offered themselves peaceably to him, though they
were manly men of war.]
And offerith them w{i}t{h}-outen ſtrok of ſpere,
Suppos that thei war manly men of were,
But only for his gentilleß that thei
Have hard; and ſo he louit was al-way 1848
For his larges, humilitee, and manhed,
W{i}t{h} his awn folk, that neu{er}more, we Reid,
For al his weris nor his gret trawell, [Fol. 23b.]
In al his tym that thei hyme onys faill; 1852
Bot in his worſchip al thar beſynes
Thei ſet, and lewith in to no diſtres;
Whar-throw the ſuerd of victory he berith.

[Footnote T45: Or “subett{is}.”]

[Headnote: BUT UNJUST ONES DESPOIL THEM.]

[Sidenote: Many princes bear the palm of victory, through
liberality;]
And many prince full oft the palm werith, 1856
As has ben hard, by largeß, of before,
In conqueringe of Rignis & of glore.
[Sidenote: while miserliness hath made realms desolate.]
And wrechitnes Richt ſo, in the contrar,
Haith Realmys maid ful deſolat & bare, 1860
And king{is} broght doun from ful hie eſtat;
And who that Red ther old buk{is}, wat
The vicis lef, the wertew have in mynde,
And takith larges In his awn kynd; 1864
[Sidenote: Choose the mean between prodigality and avarice.]
A-myd ſtanding of the vicis two,
Prodegalitee and awerice alſo.
Wharfor her-of It nedith not to more,
So mych ther-of haith clerk{is} vrit to-fore. 1868
[Sidenote: Whoso chooses to be liberal,]
Bot who the wertw of larges & the law
Sal cheß, mot ned conſidir well & knaw
[Sidenote: must understand three things: the _amount he has_,
to _whom_ he giveth, and the _fit time_ for giving.]
In to hyme-ſelf, and thir thre wnd{er}ſtande,
The ſubſtans firſt, the powar of his land, 1872
Whome to he iffith, and the cauß wharfore,
The nedful tyme awatith eu{er}more.
Kepith thir thre; for qwho that ſal exced
His rent, he fallith ſodandly in nede. 1876
[Sidenote: (1) The king that becomes _indigent_ overthrows his
subjects.]
And ſo the king, that on to myſt{er} drowis,
His subiett{is} and his puple he our-thrawis,
And them diſpolȝeith boith of lond and Rent;
So is the king, ſo is the puple ſchent. 1880
[Sidenote: For the voice of the oppressed shrieketh up ceaselessly
to heaven;]
For-quhi the woice It ſcrik[i]th vp ful ewyne
W{i}t{h}-out abaid, and paſſith to the hewyne,
Whar god hyme-ſelf reſauith ther the crye
Of the oppreſioune and the teranny, 1884
[Sidenote: and God smiteth down with the sword of vengeance.]
And vith the ſuerd of wengans dou{n} y-ſmytith,
The wich that caruith al to ſor, and bitith,
And hyme diſtroyth, as has ben hard or this
Of euery king that wirkith ſich o mys. 1888
For ther is few eſchapith them, It ſall
[Sidenote: For God hath given the king the wand of justice:]
Boith vpone hyme & his ſucceſſione fall;
For he forſuth haith ifyne hyme the wond
To Iuſtefy and Reull in pece his lond, 1892 [Fol. 24a.]
The puple all ſubmytit to his cure;
And he aȝan one to no creatur
Save only ſhall vn to his gode obey.

[Headnote: BEWARE OF INJUSTICE AND FLATTERY.]

And if he paſſith ſo far out of the wey, 1896
[Sidenote: and if he oppresses them whom he should rule,]
Them to oppreß, that he ſhuld reul & gid,
Ther heritag, there gwdis to dewide,
Ye, wnd{er} whome that he moſt nedis ſtond,
[Sidenote: God shall stretch His mighty hand for correction.]
At correccioune ſal ſtrek his my{ch}ty hond, 1900
Not euery day, bot ſhal at onys fall
On hyme, mayhap, and his ſucceſcione all.
[Sidenote: Herein, alas! is the blindness of kings.]
In this, allace! the blynd{is} of the king{is},
And Is the fall of princ{is} and of Rygnis. 1904
The moſt wertew, the gret Intellegens,
[Sidenote: The blessed token of a king’s wisdom is for him to
restrain his hand from his people’s riches.]
The bleſſit tokyne of wyſdom and prudens
Iſß, in o king, for to reſtren his honde
Frome his pupleis Riches & ther lond. 1908
Mot euery king have this wice i{n} mynd
In tyme, and not when that he ned fynde!
And in thi larges beith war, I pray,
[Sidenote: (2) Choose a _fitting time_.]
Of nedful tyme, for than is beſt alway. 1912
[Sidenote: (3) Take care _to whom_ you give.]
Awyß the ek quhome to that thow ſalt if,
Of there fam, and ek how that thei leif;
[Sidenote: Let not the virtuous and the vicious stand in the same
degree.]
And of the wertws and wicious folk alſo,
I the beſeich dewidith well thir two, 1916
So that thei ſtond no{ch}t in[to] o degree;
Diſcreccioune ſall mak the diu{er}ſitee,
Wich clepith the mod{er} of al vertewis.

[Headnote: FLATTERERS SUCCEED WHEN KINGS ARE FOOLISH.]