France that war of gude renoune, bathe in honour of armes, and othir wayes
of alde ancienetee, and that Knycht of Ducheland had tane thai armes newly,
in entent to be mare presit and honourit, and to be hyar auansit, and tak
mare wagis, in faith I traist that the King, at the persuyt and request of
partye, the King aw to punyse him be law of Armes. As in the lyke maner,
gif a maister armoureur of Parise, that had renoun to be the best of that
craft, that war in France, and in his werkis had a takyn that his werkis
were knawin by, and ane othir of Troyes in Champaigne tuke that ilke takyn,
sa that for the renoun of the Parisien, his werkis suld be the better
sauld; and rycht sa of coultellin, or ony othir craft, or of notairis, gif
ane dois falset vnder the sailign of ane othir, I say, all sik men suld be
well and cruelly punyst be justice; and gif the contrary war tholit, it war
grete damage to the realme.
HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOUR QUHAT ARMES AR MAIST NOBLE BE THE COLOURIS, AND
QUHAT COLOURIS AR MAIST NOBLE IN ARMES.
Bot be cause the Princis and Lordis beris Armes of mare noblesse na
otheris; and that the Doctouris has spokyn in othir tymes, and othir
placis, of Princis armes, and of thair baneris, quharefore I will nocht
here mak questioun, na dout the quhilk armes are the maist noblez and the
maist rychez; ffor quhy, that alwayis comparisoun is odious.[19] Bot it
plesis me to speke sum thing of Colouris of Armes, and of thair
descripciouns. And as the Doctour sais, that sum of thame is mare noble na
otheris, for the representatioun that thai mak be thair propre nature, and
be this cause, we say, that colour of Gold is the maist noble colour that
is in this warld here; and the resoun quhy is, ffor be the nature of gold,
it is clere and schynand, rich, vertuouse, and confortand; ffor oure
Maisteris, Doctouris, and Medicinaris, and Philosophouris, gevis the gold
in syndry wise in medicyne to folk that ar debilitez in thair nature, that
thai can get nane othir remede for souerane remede; and is lyknyt be his
condicioun and nature to the Sonne, the quhilk is the maist noble planet
that euer God maid, and beris lycht till all the warld, and encrescement
and confourt till all naturale creaturis. And the lawis sais, that of all
things that God maid, the claritee and licht is the maist noble; and,
tharefore, the Haly Wrytt sais, that the sanctis in hevyn schynis as the
sonne; and alssua oure Souerane Lord, quhen he transfigurit him before his
Apostlis, his visage apperit to thame as the Sonne in someris day brycht:
And because the Gold is comperit to the Sonne, as the propre effect of the
Sonne, the quhilk is king and lord of all planetis, and alssua is figurit
be Haly Wrytt be the visage of our Lord; and be that cause the ancien
Princis, in ald lawis of armes, ordanyt that na noble man suld bere gold in
his armes, bot Princis, Kingis, and Emperouris, for the nobless of him: And
thus conclude we, that the maist noble coloure is Gold. And suppose sum
ignorant men wald say, gold is metalle, and na coloure, that makis nocht;
ffor largely to tak colouris, be all oure Maisteris and Philosophouris, all
metallis, all low and lychtnes, that lemys and gevis sycht to the eyne, is
of the nature of colouris.
The Secound coloure that is in Armoury, is callit be thir maisteris Purpre;
the quhilk he callis here Rede colour; the quhilk representis the lowe of
Fyre, the quhilk is the maist clere, and lycht efter the Sonne, and the
maist noble of all the elementis; the quhilk colour suld nane in armes
were, bot anerly Kingis or Princis, be the alde custumes of Princis and
Faderis of Armes, of alde tymes.
The Thrid colour is Asure; the quhilk, be his figure and coloure,
representis the Ayer, the quhilk is next the fyre, the maist noble element;
ffor it is in itself lignie and sutile, and penetratys, ressauand the lycht
throu it, and hable till rassaue all influences of the planetis and of the
hevynly constellaciouns of nature, throw the quhilkis all this Erde is
gouernyt, and all Nature: and sum callis the coloure A[gh]ure, hafand the
colour of the firmament, sayand, that Asure is a hevynly colour, it makis
not: ffor thare is bot lytill betuene, nocht than the lift is nocht
colourit.
Ane othir coloure is the Quhyte coloure, the quhilk next the Asure is the
maist noble coloure that was countit in Armoury in ancien cronikis, because
that it is maist nere the nature of lycht and claritee; and for the
clereness of it, it is signyfyit to the vertu of puritee, of clenesse, and
innocence, and sympilness: And as to that the Haly Scripture sais, that the
clethingis of Jhesu Crist apperit ay to thame of quhite colour as snaw; and
this coloure of quhite representis the Water, the quhilk efter the Aire is
the maist noble element.
Ane othir colour is in Armoury that callit is Blak; the quhilk representis
the Erde, and be it is signyfyit dolour, ffor it is ferrest fra lichtness
and claritee that betakenis blythnes, and cummys nerest to myrknesse; and
tharefore, quhen ony peple or folk will mak dule for ony of thair frendis
dede, or in ony bataill tynt, or othir grete misauenture, men makis thair
dule in that clething; ffor it is the lawest of degree of all the four
elementis, and is signifyit be it humilitee. And for that cause, in
takenyng of humilitee, the religiouse men ar cled in blak wede, commonly to
schawe mekenes in hert, and put away all lust of vanitee, and vane glore
warldly.
PRIMA REGULA BELLI CLAUSTRALIS.
HERE SCHAWIS THE DOCTOUR CERTANE THINGIS AND DOCUMENTIS TOUCHAND CLOSE
BATAILL, THAT WE CALL BATAILL IN LISTIS.
And first, be cause that close bataill is rycht perilouse and mysty to be
jugit be ignorant men, that ar nocht instruct in the lawis, myn advys is,
that thare suld na Prince, na Lord, hald felde of bataille in Listis, bot
gif he had gude wise counsale of wele vnderstandand men of lawe; that is
for to say, of Doctouris in Canoun and Ciuile, to geve him gude counsale:
ffor commounly the casis ar sa subtile to juge, that Seclere men for
couatise and auarice of warldis wyn, gevis oft tyme counsale to Princis
that soundis mare to the desyre of wynnyng of warldis gude, na it dois to
resone or to rychtwise querele; and als thai wate quhat casis ar in the
lawis condampnyt vtterly, and reprouit, and quhat casis ar tholit and
permysit at the plesance of Princis; and wate alssua, quhat casis ar
priuilegit in the law quhilk nocht; and the lawis sais, That Aduocatis ar
procuratouris of mannis lignage. And ane othir resoun quhy I haue sett this
reugle is, ffor commonly the Clerkis ar mare sad of counsale, and mare
caulde of complexion, and mare temperit in thair curage, and ferrar can se
in the ground of a mater na Secleris; ffor Seclaris ar hate of blude, and
in ire, and oft tymes thai geve thair counsale and jugement again resoun,
with the wrang outhir for fede or frendschip, luferent, or haterent, or for
mede, or for ire, or breth, or othir singulare appetite, for honour or
richess, or lordschip or reddoure or otheris. And erar ar inclynyt to mak
were, na trety and concorde; and to ger bataill in barrieris be, na to
sloke it, and appese it; ffor ire lettis the mannis mynde to juge and
determe veritee.
SECUNDA REGULA BELLI CLAUSTRALIS.
HERE DECLARIS THE DOCTOUR ANE OTHIR REUGLE AND DOCTRYNE APON THE
GOUERNAUNCE OF CLOSE BATAILL.
That nocht gaynstandand that be malice or hete, woodnes, ramage, or pride
orguillouse, or be inclinacioun, auaricius appellacioun of bataill be maid,
and the party ressauis the gage of bataill, the Prince suld be wise in his
audience geving, and of gude tholemudenes, to suetely here the cause that
the Appelloure chalangis the appelland of; and wele copy and vnderstand all
the mater before, or he geve his consent, and gif the cause movis of dett
or of fede, or of ony othir singular cause he suld call counsale, and
inquere how and quhare, and in quhat place, and for quhat cause, and of
quhat tyme, and all the circumstancis, and gif the Prince may be ony way
get knawlage of other pruf or witnes, or othir pruf be instrument or
obligacioun, or to draw out of the party be inquisicioun or confessioun,
and othir maner of prufis. And gif the Prince may persaue be ony way that
ony knaulage may be gottyn be ony way of the warld, the Prince suld nocht
thole passe bataill. Or suppose na witnes war, bot anerly that the party
allegit witnes, [gh]it suld he assigne day till produce thai prufis before
the justice ordinare; ffor quhen pruf is offerit, or allegit, all wage of
bataill is slokit, be all lawis of canon and of ciuile.
To the Thrid reugle and doctrine of battaill in Listis is this: That the
Prince in na case suld juge bataill to be, bot quhare thare is na prufis
allegit na producit, and that is law commoun and reasonnable custum; bot he
sall suere, be his faith, that his cause can nocht be prufit in na way bot
be his persoun.
he Ferde doctrine teching and reugle of bataill in barrieris is: That a
Prince suld haue gude counsale to ger propone before him the maner of the
appellacioun, and the cause and occasiouns that the Appellour allegis in
his appellacioun, and gif him thinkis resonnable the cause of the
appellacioun, he suld admytt thame to the bataill; and gif thai war nocht
resonnable, sloke it out, and geue na consent tharetill, na tholaunce; ffor
gif fulis, throu thair foly, be sa daft that thai wage bataill for lytill,
evyn as to say, Quhethir growis better wynnis in Burgoyne or in Gascoyne?
or, Quhethir is thare fairar ladyes in Florence or in Barsalongne? or, In
quhat countree is thare best men of armes, in France or in Lombardy? And
the ta-part cast gage of bataill on the tothir, apon thir grete weris of
lawe; or to say, his hors runnys fastar na his; or, That his hors is better
na his, or syk lyke thing; or, That he lusis his lady better na he dois;
or, That he dancis or syngis better na he dois, or for syk maner of
tromperys; a Prince suld nocht juge na thole bataill to be, bot he suld,
before the peple, in presence of his counsall, punyse syk trompouris, that
otheris tuke ensample thareby in tyme to cum, to gage bataill for sik fule
causis.
The Fyft doctrine is: That for na wordis of hete, and sudane ire of chaude
cole or of chaude mellencoly, na injuriouse langage, thare suld na Prince
thole na consent gage of bataill in listis to pas; for wordis may be said
for hete, or for brethe, or for gude wyne, or othir wayis in lichtnes, that
sone efter he may repent: bot and the wordis be injurious and
dishonourable, crimynouss or defamatouris, and he perseuere in his
outrageous langage, and lykis nocht till amend; bot stand in his purpos
efter that the ire salbe past, ellis the Prince suld nocht juge bataill to
be: ffor gif he dois, he jugis again the Lawis writtin opynly.
The Sext doctrine is: That because thare is sum men sa hichty hautayn and
orguillous and full of surquedry, that thai haue na traist, na fyaunce in
God na his Sanctis, bot in thair awin propre pyth and vertu of corps and
strenth of membris; na has na will; na thocht on God to mend thair
mysdedis; na to tak counsale at gude men of lyf and deuocion; na to mak
gude ordynaunce for thame self, suppose the Prince suld the bataill to be
tholit to be done to the vtterest: And tharfore the King suld assigne
certane day of bataill and houre to the Appelloure, and he suld ger schaw
him the grete perile in the quhilk he puttis him in baith of body and of
saule, and monyse him, and exhort him on Goddis behalf, that all before
that euer he schape him for horse, harnais, na othir prouision for the
bataill, that first he schape him to se for a gude Confessour, that be a
gude wise clerke, wele letterit and wele instruct in the faith, and of gude
counsale and conscience, that he may discharge his conscience to, and
schrive him wele, and put his saule first in gude estate, and his gudein
ordinance, as he wald mak his testament to ga to dede, and as wyse man aw
to do: Quhilk gif he dois nocht, the King suld say him, "That sen he
traistit nocht in Goddis help, he suld nocht traist that he war a gude
Cristyn man, and that he suld haue the lesse fauour of him;" and than suld
he ordane him a term within quhilk he suld put him in gude estate of the
saule to Godwart, and syne spere, how thai had done at thair Confessoure,
and sa suld he do to the tothir: And this is a takyn that a Prince is wyse,
and lufis wele God, that begynnis at him to dispone all his gouernance and
dedis.
* * * * *
[Fol. 81. b.]
HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOURE QUHAT THINGIS EFFERIS TILL ALL GUDE PRINCE TO DO
As now sen he hes sum part declarit quhat properteis suld be in ane
Emperoure, now will he declare quhat properteis a gude King suld haue in
him: that is the maist hye dignitie efter the Emperoure. And [gh]it will
oure maisteris saye that the name of King is mare na the name of Emperoure
be excellence; ffor oure Lord Jhesu Crist in this erde here callit him
nocht Emperoure, bot tholit to be callit King of Kingis and Lord of Lordis,
as our Haly Writt beris witness. And alssua he was callit a Kingis Sone:
ffor he is callit in Haly Writt the Sone of David King; and that sais
Clerkis that he is of Kingis be the grettar excellence of lynage. And
[gh]it alssua Sanct Peter menyt to his teching, that the name of King was
mare excellent na the name of Emperoure, quhen he said till his disciples,
That thai suld be subgettis till all creature humayne for the honoure of
God [gh]our King, and specially till all Kingis for the honoure of him, as
to the hiest degree and maist excellent. And this approues the Pape
Gelasius, &c.
* * * * *
[Fol. 83. b.]
And trewly I say, and he kepe wele thir termes, he is a worthy Prince, and
worthy to be a King, and till haue superioritee and soueranitee, and
victory of his fais. And tharefor the Doctour settis here certane poyntis
of doctrine touchand a [gh]ong Prince, in Ryme, quhilkis spekis thus: A
King that will be ane worthy werryoure, he sulde be wiss, faire, and
curageous: And that he be Lord of his subjectis, asto the Quaile the
Sperehauk; and that he be misericorde and rigorouss in justice, as case
requeris; and that gif he will be wele fortunyt in armes, be ay first.
* * * * *
[Fol. 84. b.]
Item, a Prince or a King suld nocht oure lichtly trow all talis na sudayn
tydingis; ffor mony learis oft tymes flechis lordis with false talis, and
settis thame in wrang and euill purpose. And that is oure grete perile in
princis and grete lordis, to geue sudane credence till ony mannis tale,
quhill he war wele informyt of the suthfastnes: And he suld be wele and
ryply avisit, or that he write to the Pape ony materis, or till ony strange
Princis, for ony lycht mennis counsailis, or ony small wrechit mannis. And
quhen he wrytis, his writtis suld be wele and statelyke deuisit, and dytit
be wise Clerkis, and men of counsale, and expert in the lawis and purpose
lyke, and syne be notable gude wrytaris as efferis; bathe to the ryaltee of
him that sendis the writtis, and of him that thai wryttis ar send to; and
suld wele auise for quham he wrytis, that thai be worthy persouns, and
alssua for quhat thing he wrytis; that it be nocht a wrechit thing that he
wrytis for; and als that his peticioun be bathe rychtwise and honourable;
ffor quhen Princis prayis for vnworthy persouns, God is offendit and
displesit thareat. And syne the Pape or Princis that he wryttis till, will
hald him for ane vnwise Prince that the lettres send for sik a persone, and
will nocht sa gladly grant him his asking in tyme to cum. And thus sall the
renoun of a Prince pas oure all the Cristyndome, and geue him lofe and
honour that excedis all warldis richess, throu the quhilk he sal be prisit
and redoubtit bathe with fais and frendis, and haldin for wise Prince; and
syne sall he be lufit of God, and wyn throu that the joy of Paradise.
And [gh]it mare, suld a King be temperit and messurit in his conuersacioun,
and repair amang folk, in placis public, our oft tymes; ffor ony thing that
Commouns seis oure oft thai prise all the lesse. And quhen it is seldyn
sene it gevis folk in mare grete desyre to se it agayne ay mare and mare;
and for this cause the grete Souldane of Babilone cummys bot thrise in the
[gh]ere in publik audience furthwart, and than quhen he cummys furthwart,
on thre festuale dayes, he cummys rydand with sik a state and solempnitee
that all the peple desyris and presses the mare to se him, na he rade euery
day, or euery wolk or moneth; bot gif it be quhen that he rydis in
werefare, and than all his peple and cheualrye may se him.
And suppose I mycht [gh]it compile and gader togedir mony Vertues and
properteis that suld be in a Prince, and als mony thingis of Mysgouernaunce
that he suld eschew: Bot in gude faith the Doctour sais, that he was sa
irkit of wryting, that he mycht nocht as now na mare tak on hand as to put
in this Buke of Bataillis; bot and God geve him lyve dayes, he sais, in his
conclusioun of his Buke, he sall compile a Trety of propereteis of Gude
Condiciouns bathe of Temparale men and of men of Kirk, that sall be gude
and prouffitable for all men, that on lukis bathe langand the gouernaunce
of thair office and digniteis, as may be compylit be the foundement of Haly
Writt, and efter the Lawis writtyn. Bot here he prayis to God mekely that
he send grace and gude gouernaunce to the Prince that he has compilit this
wrytt for, and maid this Buke till, that is to say King Philip[20] of
Fraunce, and geue him grace sa to reule his realme, and his ryall magestee
and estate, that God be payit of him, and bring him till his euerlestand
joye of Paradise at his ending, and all his frendis and wele willaris. IN
NOMINE PATRIS, ET FILII, ET SPIRITUS SANCTI. AMEN.
_Explicit Liber Bellorum, sed potius Dolorum, ut rescitat Doctor in
pluribus, etc._
[Decoration]
No. II.
HERE BEFORE ENDIS THE BUKE OF BATAILLES, AND HERE EFTER BEGYNNYS
THE BUKE OF THE ORDERE OF KNYCHTHEDE.
[THIS PORTION OF THE MANUSCRIPT, FROM FOL. 85, TO FOL. 103, IS CONTAINED IN
THE PRESENT VOLUME.]
[Decoration]
No. III.
[Fol. 103. b.]
HERE ENDIS THE BUKE OF THE ORDRE OF KNYCHTHEDE; AND BEGYNNIS THE BUKE
CALLIT
THE BUKE OF THE GOUERNAUNCE OF PRINCIS, ETC.
HERE BEGYNNYS THE TABLE OF THE BUKE OF THE GOUERNAUNCE OF PRINCIS.
And first of the Prolog of the first fyndyng, and interpretacioun of the
said Buke out of diuerse langagis, etc.
Item, Of the first Pistle fend fra Alexander till Arestotil to ask him
counsale of the Gouernaunce of Perse new conquest; and of the form of the
Epistle, and of his Ansuere.
Item, Of ane othir of thé Ansueris of Aristotle till Alexander; and the
forme of the Epistle send fra Aristotle of his opynion.
The First chapiter is, How thare is four maneris of Kingis. 1
How auarice and fule largess suld be eschewit in a King. 2
How Princis and Kingis suld sett them for gude renoun here. 3
How thai suld eschew all outrageous carnall lustis and appetitis. 4
Quhat kynde of sapience efferis to Kingis, Princis, and grete Lordis. 5
Quhatkyn habyt anournement and clething thai suld haue. 6
How Kingis and Princis suld punyse mysdoaris, and honour gude men. 7
How thai suld haue in thame justice and equitee with merci. 8
Quhatkyn plesance, deduytis, and recreaciouns Princis suld tak. 9
How punycioun suld be maid efter the case and state of persons. 10
How Princis may be lyknyt to the dew of the hevyn. 11
How Kingis and Princis are of the samyn nature with symple men. 12
How thai suld delyte thame in bukis of stories of Vertues and Vicis,
and of othir honourable dedis of alde Ancestry, and of wisedome. 13
How thai sulde kepe gude faith and lautee till all Mankynde euer. 14
How Princis suld found scolis and studyes of sciences in thair
contreis. 15
How thai suld nocht gouerne thame be women, na trow thair counsale. 16
How thai suld nocht traist anerly in a medicine, but ma. 17
How Princes suld gouerne thame be a wyse Clerk, expert in astronomy. 18
Off the science of astronomy, and of the divisioun of it. 19
How Princis suld atoure all thing tak kepe to thair hele. 20
How and in quhat maner thai suld gouerne thair hele keping. 21
Here declaris the Philosophour certane documentis of medicyne. 22
Here declaris the Philosophour certane secrete documentis of medicyne. 23
Here declaris he the four rathis of the [gh]ere, and first of Ver. 24
And first of the kynde of the sesoun of Somer. 25
And syne of the third sesoun that is callit Hervist. 26
And syne of the nature of the Wynter. 27
Quhat thingis fattis or lenys men maist. 28
Here declaris the Philosophour ane othir poynt of medicyne. 29
Quhat kyndis of metis ar best for man. 30
Off syndry kyndis of wateris, and thair naturis. 31
Off syndry kyndis of wynis, and thair naturis. 32
Off bathis and stuphis [stoves], and thair gouernaunce and proffittis. 33
Quhat justice efferis till a Prince or a King. 34
How a Prince or a King suld ken himself. 35
How Kingis and Princis suld gouerne be grete counsale. 36
How the Man is maid of the four elementis. 37
How Princis suld haue discrete Secretaris. 38
How thai suld have discrete and traist messageris. 39
How the Prince and the Peple are comperit till a gardyn. 40
EXPLICIT TABULA DE REGIMINE PRINCIPUM.
HERE BEGYNNIS THE BUKE CALLIT THE BUKE OF THE GOUERNANCE OF PRINCIS, THAT
IS CALLIT THE SECRETE OF SECRETIS, MAID BE ARISTOTYLL TILL ALEXANDER THE
GRAND: AND FIRST THE PROLOUG AS IT IS CONTENYT IN THE FRANCH BUKE.
PROLOGUS.
Here declaris the Autour of this Buke that a clerk, callit Fair Patrix,
wyse in all langagis fand in Grece, kepit within a temple, callit the
Temple of the Sonne, (the quhilk the noble philosophour Esculapius had gert
mak,) this Buke of the Secretis of Aristotle in language of Grew; the
quhilk he translatit out of Grew in the langage of Caldee, the quhilk was
quhilom the langage of grete Babyloyne, and now is the langage of grete
Inde; and syne, at request of the King of Araby, he translatit it off the
langage of Caldee in his langage of Arrabyk. And syne, efter that mony a
[gh]ere, ane othir grete clerk, callit Philippus, translatit it out of
Arabyk in lang Latyne, and send it till ane reuerend Fader in Crist, and
wyse prelate, noble and honourable Sir Guy de Valance, Bischop of Tryploun:
And as beris witness be thair alde ancien stories, the worthy and noble
Philosophouris in thay tymes, that als lang as Alexander le Grant had with
him Aristotil the wyse clerk, he passit throuch and vencust all realmes,
and all his inymyes, throu the mekle prudence and wisedome of that noble
Philosophour and throu his counsale. And quhen he mycht no mare trauaile
with him, he send him ay betuene Lettres and Epistlis, how he suld gouerne
him in all his dedis and grete materis. And at the last, quhen he saw he
mycht nocht for elde langsumely be nature left, he compilit this Buke to be
a reugle of Gouernaunce till him euer mare quhill he lyvit, and send it
till him with grete regrate and lamentacioun, that he mycht no mare be with
him, sa mekle he lufit him, for cause he was his Maister and his techour
euer fra his begynnyng of barnehede till that tyme, and with him in his
conquestis. And syne was this ilke Buke translatit out of Latine in the
langage of Romaine, nocht all hallely bot alsmekle as thame thocht nedefull
and spedefull to the Gouernance of Princis. And tharfore the noble
Philosophour said in his counsale geving till Alexander, that it was nocht
spedefull that this Buke war till all men publist, bot anerly to the
secrete counsale of Princis, and of grete Lordis, and nocht to Commouns;
and to rede it oft tymes before thame, to tak, as myrour schawis the
faultis and the suthfastnes, ensample, and doctrine of gude lyfing, and
formable as efferis to thair honour and prouffit, and of thair subjectis.
For it is nocht spedefull that popularis wit the secrete of Princis, na
Lordis gouernance, na the reuglis of thair Ordre; and thairfor is the Buke
callit THE SECRETE OF SECRETIS OF ARISTOTIL, ordanyt for document and
teching of Gouernance of Princis.
HERE DECLARIS HE HOW ARISTOTLE RESSAUIT A PISTLE SENT FRA ALEXANDER
till him in his grete age, to ask counsale, quhen he had conquest
Perse, Quhethir he suld destroy and sla all the folk of that land, and
peple it with others? because that thay war perilouse to gouerne, and
subtile, and full of mychti maliciouse engyne of conquest, for the
quhilk he dred thair subtile malice.
FORMA EPISTOLE ALEXANDRI REGIS MAGNI AD ARISTOTILEM.
Till ane maist noble and worthy Lord of Justice, I signify to thy prudence,
that I haue foundyn in the land of Perse a kynde of folk rycht haboundand
in richess, and of lytill vnderstanding, settand thair study to mak
conquestis of realmes, and desyrand till haue lordschip atour othir men;
ffor the quhilk cause, that we can nocht fynd to be seker of thame, we haue
tane to purpose to put thame all to dede; bot bydand to haue thy counsale
thareto, be wrytt in lettres; the quhilk counsale we will kepe and fulfill
at the vtterast.