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,]