[The Emperor Conrad.]The rihtful Emperour ConradeHic narrat de iusticia nuper Conradi Imperatoris, cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone, aliqua seu precum interuencione quacunque vel auri redempcione, legum Statuta commutari seu redimi nullatenus potuerunt.To kepe pes such lawe made,That non withinne the citeIn destorbance of uniteDorste ones moeven a matiere.For in his time, as thou myht hiere,What point that was for lawe setIt scholde for no gold be let,11762840To what persone that it were.And this broghte in the comun fere,Why every man the lawe dradde,For ther was non which favour hadde.[The Consul Carmidotirus.]So as these olde bokes sein,I finde write hou a Romein,Nota exemplum de constancia iudicis; vbi narrat de Carmidotiro Rome nuper Consule, qui cum sui statuti legem nescius offendisset, Romanique super hoc penam sibi remittere voluissent, ipse propria manu, vbi nullus alius in ipsum vindex fuit, sui criminis vindictam executus est.Which Consul was of the Pretoire,Whos name was Carmidotoire,He sette a lawe for the pes,That non, bot he be wepneles,11772850Schal come into the conseil hous,And elles as maliciousHe schal ben of the lawe ded.To that statut and to that redAcorden alle it schal be so,For certein cause which was tho:Nou lest what fell therafter sone.1178This Consul hadde forto done,1179And was into the feldes ride;And thei him hadden longe abide,2860P. iii. 182That lordes of the conseil were,And for him sende, and he cam thereWith swerd begert, and hath foryete,1180Til he was in the conseil sete.Was non of hem that made speche,Til he himself it wolde seche,And fond out the defalte himselve;And thanne he seide unto the tuelve,Whiche of the Senat weren wise,‘I have deserved the juise,2870In haste that it were do.’And thei him seiden alle no;For wel thei wiste it was no vice,Whan he ne thoghte no malice,Bot onliche of a litel slouthe:And thus thei leften as for routheTo do justice upon his gilt,For that he scholde noght be spilt.And whanne he sih the maner houThei wolde him save, he made avou2880With manfull herte, and thus he seide,That Rome scholde nevere abreideHis heires, whan he were of dawe,That here Ancestre brak the lawe.Forthi, er that thei weren war,Forth with the same swerd he barThe statut of his lawe he kepte,1181So that al Rome his deth bewepte.(2900*)[Example of Cambyses.]In other place also I rede,Wher that a jugge his oghne dede2890P. iii. 183Nota quod falsi iudices mortis pena puniendi sunt. Narrat enim qualiter Cambises Rex Persarum quendam iudicem corruptum excoriari viuum fecit, eiusque pelle cathedram iudicialem operiri constituit: ita quod filius suus super patris pellem postea pro tribunali cessurus iudicii equitatem euidencius memoraretur.Ne wol noght venge of lawe broke,The king it hath himselven wroke.The grete king which CambisesWas hote, a jugge lawelesHe fond, and into remembranceHe dede upon him such vengance:Out of his skyn he was beflainAl quyk, and in that wise slain,So that his skyn was schape al meete,1182And nayled on the same seete11832900Wher that his Sone scholde sitte.Avise him, if he wolde flitteThe lawe for the coveitise,Ther sih he redi his juise.Thus in defalte of other juggeThe king mot otherwhile jugge,To holden up the rihte lawe.And forto speke of tholde dawe,To take ensample of that was tho,I finde a tale write also,2910Hou that a worthi prince is holdeThe lawes of his lond to holde,Ferst for the hihe goddes sake,And ek for that him is betakeThe poeple forto guide and lede,Which is the charge of his kinghede.[Lycurgus and his Laws.]In a Cronique I rede thusOf the rihtful Ligurgius,Hic ponit exemplum de Principibus illis, qui1184non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant, set vt commune bonum adaugeant, propriam facultatem diminuunt. Et narrat quod, cum Ligurgius Athenarum princeps subditos suos1185in omni prosperitatis habundancia divites et vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisset, volens ad vtilitatem rei publice leges illas firmius obseruari, peregre proficisci se finxit; set prius iuramentum solempne a legiis suis sub hac forma exegit, quod ipsi vsque in reditum suum leges suas nullatenus infringerent: quibus iuratis peregrinacionem suam in exilium absque reditu pro perpetuo delegauit.1186Which of Athenis Prince was,Hou he the lawe in every cas,2920P. iii. 184Wherof he scholde his poeple reule,Hath set upon so good a reule,In al this world that cite nonOf lawe was so wel begonForth with the trouthe of governance.Ther was among hem no distance,Bot every man hath his encress;Ther was withoute werre pes,Withoute envie love stod;Richesse upon the comun good2930And noght upon the singulerOrdeigned was, and the pouerOf hem that weren in astatWas sauf: wherof upon debatTher stod nothing, so that in resteMihte every man his herte reste.And whan this noble rihtful kingSih hou it ferde of al this thing,Wherof the poeple stod in ese,He, which for evere wolde plese2940The hihe god, whos thonk he soghte,A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte,And schop if that it myhte be,Hou that his lawe in the citeMihte afterward for evere laste.And therupon his wit he casteWhat thing him were best to feigne,That he his pourpos myhte atteigne.A Parlement and thus he sette,His wisdom wher that he besette2950P. iii. 185In audience of grete and smale,1187And in this wise he tolde his tale:‘God wot, and so ye witen alle,Hierafterward hou so it falle,Yit into now my will hath beTo do justice and equiteIn forthringe of comun profit:Such hath ben evere my delit.Bot of o thing I am beknowe,The which mi will is that ye knowe:2960The lawe which I tok on honde,Was altogedre of goddes sondeAnd nothing of myn oghne wit;So mot it nede endure yit,And schal do lengere, if ye wile.For I wol telle you the skile;The god Mercurius and no man1188He hath me tawht al that I canOf suche lawes as I made,Wherof that ye ben alle glade;2970It was the god and nothing I,Which dede al this, and nou forthiHe hath comanded of his graceThat I schal come into a placeWhich is forein out in an yle,Wher I mot tarie for a while,With him to speke, as he hath bede.1189For as he seith, in thilke stedeHe schal me suche thinges telle,That evere, whyl the world schal duelle,2980P. iii. 186Athenis schal the betre fare.Bot ferst, er that I thider fare,For that I wolde that mi laweAmonges you ne be withdraweTher whyles that I schal ben oute,Forthi to setten out of douteBothe you and me, this wol I preie,That ye me wolde assure and seie(3000*)With such an oth as I wol take,1190That ech of you schal undertake2990Mi lawes forto kepe and holde.’Thei seiden alle that thei wolde,And therupon thei swore here oth,1191That fro the time that he goth,Til he to hem be come ayein,Thei scholde hise lawes wel and pleinIn every point kepe and fulfille.Thus hath Ligurgius his wille,And tok his leve and forth he wente.Bot lest nou wel to what entente11923000Of rihtwisnesse he dede so:For after that he was ago,He schop him nevere to be founde;1193So that Athenis, which was bounde,Nevere after scholde be relessed,1194Ne thilke goode lawe cessed,Which was for comun profit set.And in this wise he hath it knet;He, which the comun profit soghte,The king, his oghne astat ne roghte;3010P. iii. 187To do profit to the comune,He tok of exil the fortune,And lefte of Prince thilke officeOnly for love and for justice,Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte,For evere after his deth to rihteThe cite which was him betake.Wherof men oghte ensample takeThe goode lawes to avanceWith hem which under governance11953020The lawes have forto kepe;For who that wolde take kepeOf hem that ferst the lawes founde,Als fer as lasteth eny boundeOf lond, here names yit ben knowe:And if it like thee to knoweSome of here names hou thei stonde,Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde.[The First Law-givers.]Of every bienfet the meriteThe god himself it wol aquite;3030Hic ad eorum laudem, qui iusticie causa leges primo statuerunt, aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat.And ek fulofte it falleth so,The world it wole aquite also,Bot that mai noght ben evene liche:The god he yifth the heveneriche,The world yifth only bot a name,Which stant upon the goode fameOf hem that don the goode dede.And in this wise double medeResceiven thei that don wel hiere;Wherof if that thee list to hiere11963040P. iii. 188After the fame as it is blowe,Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe,Hou thilke honeste besinesseOf hem that ferst for rihtwisnesseAmong the men the lawes made,Mai nevere upon this erthe fade.For evere, whil ther is a tunge,Here name schal be rad and sungeAnd holde in the Cronique write;So that the men it scholden wite,3050To speke good, as thei wel oghten,Of hem that ferst the lawes soghtenIn forthringe of the worldes pes.Unto thebreus was MoïsesThe ferste, and to thegipciensMercurius, and to TroiensFerst was Neuma Pompilius,To Athenes LigurgiusYaf ferst the lawe, and to GregoisForoneüs hath thilke vois,11973060And Romulus to the Romeins.For suche men that ben vileinsThe lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,1198That what man to the lawe pleigneth,[Kings must keep the Laws.]Be so the jugge stonde upriht,He schal be served of his riht.And so ferforth it is befalleThat lawe is come among ous alle:God lieve it mote wel ben holde,As every king therto is holde;3070P. iii. 189For thing which is of kinges set,With kinges oghte it noght be let.What king of lawe takth no kepe,Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.Do lawe awey, what is a king?Wher is the riht of eny thing,If that ther be no lawe in londe?This oghte a king wel understonde,As he which is to lawe swore,That if the lawe be forbore3080Withouten execucioun,It makth a lond torne up so doun,Which is unto the king a sclandre.Forthi unto king AlisandreThe wise Philosophre bad,That he himselve ferst be lad1199Of lawe, and forth thanne overalSo do justice in general,1200(3100*)That al the wyde lond abouteThe justice of his lawe doute,3090And thanne schal he stonde in reste.For therto lawe is on the besteAbove alle other erthly thing,To make a liege drede his king.Bot hou a king schal gete him loveToward the hihe god above,And ek among the men in erthe,This nexte point, which is the fertheOf Aristotles lore, it techeth:Wherof who that the Scole secheth,3100P. iii. 190What Policie that it isThe bok reherceth after this.[The Fourth Point of Policy. Pity.]x.Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regnaStringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi.1201Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum,Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo.It nedeth noght that I delateThe pris which preised is algate,Hic tractat de quarta Principum regiminis Policia, que Pietas dicta est; per quam Principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gracius1202consequuntur.And hath ben evere and evere schal,Wherof to speke in special,It is the vertu of Pite,Thurgh which the hihe magesteWas stered, whan his Sone alyhte,And in pite the world to rihte3110Tok of the Maide fleissh and blod.Pite was cause of thilke good,Wherof that we ben alle save:Wel oghte a man Pite to haveAnd the vertu to sette in pris,Whan he himself which is al wysHath schewed why it schal be preised.Pite may noght be conterpeisedOf tirannie with no peis;For Pite makth a king courteis3120Bothe in his word and in his dede.Nota.1203It sit wel every liege dredeHis king and to his heste obeie,And riht so be the same weieIt sit a king to be pitousToward his poeple and graciousP. iii. 191Upon the reule of governance,So that he worche no vengance,Which mai be cleped crualte.Justice which doth equite3130Is dredfull, for he noman spareth;Bot in the lond wher Pite farethThe king mai nevere faile of love,For Pite thurgh the grace above,So as the Philosophre affermeth,1204His regne in good astat confermeth.**Thapostle James in this wise1205Seith, what man scholde do juise,12063150*And hath not pite forth with al,The doom of him which demeth alHe may himself fulsore drede,That him schal lakke upon the nedeTo fynde pite, whan he wolde:For who that pite wol biholde,—It is a poynt of Cristes lore.And for to loken overmore,It is bihovely, as we fynde,To resoun and to lawe of kynde.3160*Cassodorus. Vbi regnat pietas, consolidatur regnum.Cassodre in his apprise telleth,‘The regne is sauf, wher pite duelleth.’Tullius. Qui pietate vincitur scutum victorie merito gestabit.And Tullius his tale avoweth,1207And seith, ‘What king to pite bowethAnd with pite stant overcome,He hath that schield of grace nome,P. iii. 192Which to the kinges yifth victoire.’Valerius narrat quod cum rex Alexander in ira sua quendam militem morti condempnasset, et ille appellauit, dixit rex, ‘In terra nullus maior me est: ad quem ergo appellas?’ Respondit miles, ‘Non a maiestate tua, set a sentencia ire tue tantum ad pietatem tuam appello.’ Et sic rex pietate motus ipsum in misericordiam benignissime suscepit.Of Alisandre in his histoireI rede how he a worthi knightOf sodein wraththe and nought of right3170*Forjugged hath, and he appeleth.And with that word the king quereleth,And seith, ‘Non is above me.’‘That wot I wel my lord,’ quoth he;‘Fro thy lordschipe appele I nought,But fro thy wraththe in al my thoughtTo thy pitee stant myn appeel.The king, which understod him wel,Of pure pite yaf him grace.And eek I rede in other place,3180*Thus seide whilom etc. (as3137 ff.)Constantinus Imperator ait: ‘Vere se dominum esse comprobat, qui seruum pietatis se facit.’Thus seide whilom Constantin:1208‘What Emperour that is enclinTo Pite forto be servant,Of al the worldes remenant3140He is worthi to ben a lord.’Troianus ait, quod ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere, eorumque benevolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat.1209In olde bokes of recordThis finde I write of essamplaire:1210Troian the worthi debonaire,Be whom that Rome stod governed,Upon a time as he was lerned(3190*)Of that he was to familier,He seide unto that conseiller,1211That forto ben an EmperourHis will was noght for vein honour,3150Ne yit for reddour of justice;Bot if he myhte in his officeP. iii. 193Hise lordes and his poeple plese,Him thoghte it were a grettere eseWith love here hertes to him drawe,Than with the drede of eny lawe.(3200*)For whan a thing is do for doute,Fulofte it comth the worse aboute;Bot wher a king is Pietous,1212He is the more gracious,3160That mochel thrift him schal betyde,Which elles scholde torne aside.*[Tale of the Jew and the Pagan.]*To do pite support and grace,1213The Philosophre upon a placeHic in pietatis exemplum prout Aristotiles Regi Alexandro nuper rettulit, declarans scribit qualiter Iudeus pedester cum quodam pagano asinum equitante per desertum itinerando ipsum de secta et fide sua strictius interrogauit. Qui respondens ait: ‘Paganus sum et fides mea hec est, vt omnes vno animo diligam et penes vnumquemque tempore necessitatis pietatem1214pro posse meo excerceam.’1215Cui Iudeus: ‘Permitte me ergo, qui lassatus itinere deficio, aliquantulum equitare, et tu respectu pietatis ob meam recreacionem pedibus pro tempore1216incedas.’ Et ita factum est, vnde postea paganus infra breue lassatus asino suo restitui1217a Iudeo postulauit. At ille ait: ‘Nequaquam: quia fides mea est, vt illi qui sectam meam non credit, nocumentum1218absque pietate prouocare debeo.’ Et hiis dictis asellum veloci passu coegit, et paganum a dorso illusum reliquit. Quod videns paganus in terram dolens corruit, extensisque in celum manibus summam iusticiam inuocabat. Postque a terra exurgens, cum paulisper deambulasset, respexit in quamdam vallem1219Iudeum a leone in mortis articulo prostratum; et sic asinum suum cum gaudio resumens, pietatem magis quam austeritatem laudabilem decreuit.1220In his writinge of daies oldeA tale of gret essample tolde3210*Unto the king of Macedoine:How betwen Kaire and Babeloine,1221Whan comen is the somer heete,It hapneth tuo men forto meete,As thei scholde entren in a pas,Wher that the wyldernesse was.And as they wenten forth spekendeUnder the large wodes ende,That o man axeth of that other:‘What man art thou, mi lieve brother?12223220*Which is thi creance and thi feith?’‘I am paien,’ that other seith,‘And be the lawe which I useI schal noght in mi feith refuseP. iii. 194To loven alle men aliche,The povere bothe and ek the riche:Whan thei ben glade I schal be glad,And sori whan thei ben bestad;So schal I live in uniteWith every man in his degre.3230*For riht as to miself I wolde,Riht so toward alle othre I scholde1223Be gracious and debonaire.Thus have I told thee softe and faireMi feith, mi lawe, and mi creance;And if thee list for aqueintance,Now tell what maner man thou art.’And he ansuerde upon his part:‘I am a Jew, and be mi laweI schal to noman be felawe3240*To kepe him trowthe in word ne dede,Bot if he be withoute drede1224A verrai Jew riht as am I:For elles I mai trewelyBereve him bothe lif and good.’The paien herde and understod,And thoghte it was a wonder lawe.And thus upon here sondri saweTalkende bothe forth thei wente.The dai was hoot, the sonne brente,3250*The paien rod upon an asse,And of his catell more and lasseWith him a riche trusse he ladde.The Jew, which al untrowthe hadde,P. iii. 195And wente upon his feet beside,Bethoghte him how he mihte ride;1225And with his wordes slihe and wiseUnto the paien in this wiseHe seide: ‘O, now it schal be seeneWhat thing it is thou woldest meene:3260*For if thi lawe be certeinAs thou hast told, I dar wel sein,Thou wolt beholde mi destresse.Which am so full of werinesse,That I ne mai unethe go,1226And let me ride a Myle or tuo,So that I mai mi bodi ese.’The paien wolde him noght despleseOf that he spak, bot in piteIt list him forto knowe and se3270*The pleignte which that other made;And for he wolde his herte glade,He lihte and made him nothing strange.Thus was ther made a newe change,The paien goth, the Jew alofteWas sett upon his asse softe:So gon thei forth carpende fasteOf this and that, til ate laste1227The paien mihte go nomore,And preide unto the Jew therfore3280*To suffre him ride a litel while.The Jew, which thoghte him to beguile,Anon rod forth the grete pas,1228And to the paien in this casP. iii. 196He seide, ‘Thou hast do thi riht,Of that thou haddest me behihtTo do socour upon mi nede;And that acordeth to the dede,As thou art to the lawe holde.And in such wise as I thee tolde,3290*I thenke also for mi partieUpon the lawe of Juerie1229To worche and do mi duete.Thin asse schal go forth with meWith al thi good, which I have sesed;And that I wot thou art desesed,I am riht glad and noght mispaid.’And whanne he hath these wordes said,In alle haste he rod aweie.This paien wot non other weie,3300*Bot on the ground he kneleth evene,His handes up unto the hevene,And seide, ‘O hihe sothfastnesse,That lovest alle rihtwisnesse,Unto thi dom, lord, I appele;1230Behold and deme mi querele,With humble herte I thee beseche;The mercy bothe and ek the wrecheI sette al in thi juggement.’And thus upon his marrement3310*This paien hath made his preiere:1231And than he ros with drery chiere,1232And goth him forth, and in his gateHe caste his yhe aboute algate,P. iii. 197The Jew if that he mihte se.Bot for a time it mai noght be;Til ate laste ayein the nyht,So as god wolde, he wente ariht,As he which hield the hihe weie,And thanne he sih in a valleie3320*Wher that the Jew liggende was,Al blodi ded upon the gras,Which strangled was of a leoun.And as he lokede up and doun,He fond his asse faste byForth with his harneis redelyAl hol and sound, as he it lefte,1233Whan that the Jew it him berefte:Wherof he thonketh god knelende.Lo, thus a man mai knowe at ende,3330*How the pitous pite deserveth.For what man that to pite serveth,As Aristotle it berth witnesse,God schal hise foomen so represse,That thei schul ay stonde under foote.Pite, men sein, is thilke rooteWherof the vertus springen alle:What infortune that befalleIn eny lond, lacke of pite1234Is cause of thilke adversite;3340*And that aldai mai schewe at yhe,Who that the world discretly syhe.1235Good is that every man therforeTake hiede of that is seid tofore;P. iii. 198For of this tale and othre ynowheThese noble princes whilom drowheHere evidence and here aprise,As men mai finde in many a wise,1236Who that these olde bokes rede:And thogh thei ben in erthe dede,3350*Here goode name may noght deieFor Pite, which thei wolde obeie,To do the dedes of mercy.And who this tale redilyRemembre, as Aristotle it tolde,He mai the will of god beholdeUpon the point as it was ended,Wherof that pite stod commended,Which is to charite felawe,As thei that kepen bothe o lawe.12373360*
[The Emperor Conrad.]The rihtful Emperour ConradeHic narrat de iusticia nuper Conradi Imperatoris, cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone, aliqua seu precum interuencione quacunque vel auri redempcione, legum Statuta commutari seu redimi nullatenus potuerunt.To kepe pes such lawe made,That non withinne the citeIn destorbance of uniteDorste ones moeven a matiere.For in his time, as thou myht hiere,What point that was for lawe setIt scholde for no gold be let,11762840To what persone that it were.And this broghte in the comun fere,Why every man the lawe dradde,For ther was non which favour hadde.[The Consul Carmidotirus.]So as these olde bokes sein,I finde write hou a Romein,Nota exemplum de constancia iudicis; vbi narrat de Carmidotiro Rome nuper Consule, qui cum sui statuti legem nescius offendisset, Romanique super hoc penam sibi remittere voluissent, ipse propria manu, vbi nullus alius in ipsum vindex fuit, sui criminis vindictam executus est.Which Consul was of the Pretoire,Whos name was Carmidotoire,He sette a lawe for the pes,That non, bot he be wepneles,11772850Schal come into the conseil hous,And elles as maliciousHe schal ben of the lawe ded.To that statut and to that redAcorden alle it schal be so,For certein cause which was tho:Nou lest what fell therafter sone.1178This Consul hadde forto done,1179And was into the feldes ride;And thei him hadden longe abide,2860P. iii. 182That lordes of the conseil were,And for him sende, and he cam thereWith swerd begert, and hath foryete,1180Til he was in the conseil sete.Was non of hem that made speche,Til he himself it wolde seche,And fond out the defalte himselve;And thanne he seide unto the tuelve,Whiche of the Senat weren wise,‘I have deserved the juise,2870In haste that it were do.’And thei him seiden alle no;For wel thei wiste it was no vice,Whan he ne thoghte no malice,Bot onliche of a litel slouthe:And thus thei leften as for routheTo do justice upon his gilt,For that he scholde noght be spilt.And whanne he sih the maner houThei wolde him save, he made avou2880With manfull herte, and thus he seide,That Rome scholde nevere abreideHis heires, whan he were of dawe,That here Ancestre brak the lawe.Forthi, er that thei weren war,Forth with the same swerd he barThe statut of his lawe he kepte,1181So that al Rome his deth bewepte.(2900*)[Example of Cambyses.]In other place also I rede,Wher that a jugge his oghne dede2890P. iii. 183Nota quod falsi iudices mortis pena puniendi sunt. Narrat enim qualiter Cambises Rex Persarum quendam iudicem corruptum excoriari viuum fecit, eiusque pelle cathedram iudicialem operiri constituit: ita quod filius suus super patris pellem postea pro tribunali cessurus iudicii equitatem euidencius memoraretur.Ne wol noght venge of lawe broke,The king it hath himselven wroke.The grete king which CambisesWas hote, a jugge lawelesHe fond, and into remembranceHe dede upon him such vengance:Out of his skyn he was beflainAl quyk, and in that wise slain,So that his skyn was schape al meete,1182And nayled on the same seete11832900Wher that his Sone scholde sitte.Avise him, if he wolde flitteThe lawe for the coveitise,Ther sih he redi his juise.Thus in defalte of other juggeThe king mot otherwhile jugge,To holden up the rihte lawe.And forto speke of tholde dawe,To take ensample of that was tho,I finde a tale write also,2910Hou that a worthi prince is holdeThe lawes of his lond to holde,Ferst for the hihe goddes sake,And ek for that him is betakeThe poeple forto guide and lede,Which is the charge of his kinghede.[Lycurgus and his Laws.]In a Cronique I rede thusOf the rihtful Ligurgius,Hic ponit exemplum de Principibus illis, qui1184non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant, set vt commune bonum adaugeant, propriam facultatem diminuunt. Et narrat quod, cum Ligurgius Athenarum princeps subditos suos1185in omni prosperitatis habundancia divites et vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisset, volens ad vtilitatem rei publice leges illas firmius obseruari, peregre proficisci se finxit; set prius iuramentum solempne a legiis suis sub hac forma exegit, quod ipsi vsque in reditum suum leges suas nullatenus infringerent: quibus iuratis peregrinacionem suam in exilium absque reditu pro perpetuo delegauit.1186Which of Athenis Prince was,Hou he the lawe in every cas,2920P. iii. 184Wherof he scholde his poeple reule,Hath set upon so good a reule,In al this world that cite nonOf lawe was so wel begonForth with the trouthe of governance.Ther was among hem no distance,Bot every man hath his encress;Ther was withoute werre pes,Withoute envie love stod;Richesse upon the comun good2930And noght upon the singulerOrdeigned was, and the pouerOf hem that weren in astatWas sauf: wherof upon debatTher stod nothing, so that in resteMihte every man his herte reste.And whan this noble rihtful kingSih hou it ferde of al this thing,Wherof the poeple stod in ese,He, which for evere wolde plese2940The hihe god, whos thonk he soghte,A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte,And schop if that it myhte be,Hou that his lawe in the citeMihte afterward for evere laste.And therupon his wit he casteWhat thing him were best to feigne,That he his pourpos myhte atteigne.A Parlement and thus he sette,His wisdom wher that he besette2950P. iii. 185In audience of grete and smale,1187And in this wise he tolde his tale:‘God wot, and so ye witen alle,Hierafterward hou so it falle,Yit into now my will hath beTo do justice and equiteIn forthringe of comun profit:Such hath ben evere my delit.Bot of o thing I am beknowe,The which mi will is that ye knowe:2960The lawe which I tok on honde,Was altogedre of goddes sondeAnd nothing of myn oghne wit;So mot it nede endure yit,And schal do lengere, if ye wile.For I wol telle you the skile;The god Mercurius and no man1188He hath me tawht al that I canOf suche lawes as I made,Wherof that ye ben alle glade;2970It was the god and nothing I,Which dede al this, and nou forthiHe hath comanded of his graceThat I schal come into a placeWhich is forein out in an yle,Wher I mot tarie for a while,With him to speke, as he hath bede.1189For as he seith, in thilke stedeHe schal me suche thinges telle,That evere, whyl the world schal duelle,2980P. iii. 186Athenis schal the betre fare.Bot ferst, er that I thider fare,For that I wolde that mi laweAmonges you ne be withdraweTher whyles that I schal ben oute,Forthi to setten out of douteBothe you and me, this wol I preie,That ye me wolde assure and seie(3000*)With such an oth as I wol take,1190That ech of you schal undertake2990Mi lawes forto kepe and holde.’Thei seiden alle that thei wolde,And therupon thei swore here oth,1191That fro the time that he goth,Til he to hem be come ayein,Thei scholde hise lawes wel and pleinIn every point kepe and fulfille.Thus hath Ligurgius his wille,And tok his leve and forth he wente.Bot lest nou wel to what entente11923000Of rihtwisnesse he dede so:For after that he was ago,He schop him nevere to be founde;1193So that Athenis, which was bounde,Nevere after scholde be relessed,1194Ne thilke goode lawe cessed,Which was for comun profit set.And in this wise he hath it knet;He, which the comun profit soghte,The king, his oghne astat ne roghte;3010P. iii. 187To do profit to the comune,He tok of exil the fortune,And lefte of Prince thilke officeOnly for love and for justice,Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte,For evere after his deth to rihteThe cite which was him betake.Wherof men oghte ensample takeThe goode lawes to avanceWith hem which under governance11953020The lawes have forto kepe;For who that wolde take kepeOf hem that ferst the lawes founde,Als fer as lasteth eny boundeOf lond, here names yit ben knowe:And if it like thee to knoweSome of here names hou thei stonde,Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde.[The First Law-givers.]Of every bienfet the meriteThe god himself it wol aquite;3030Hic ad eorum laudem, qui iusticie causa leges primo statuerunt, aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat.And ek fulofte it falleth so,The world it wole aquite also,Bot that mai noght ben evene liche:The god he yifth the heveneriche,The world yifth only bot a name,Which stant upon the goode fameOf hem that don the goode dede.And in this wise double medeResceiven thei that don wel hiere;Wherof if that thee list to hiere11963040P. iii. 188After the fame as it is blowe,Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe,Hou thilke honeste besinesseOf hem that ferst for rihtwisnesseAmong the men the lawes made,Mai nevere upon this erthe fade.For evere, whil ther is a tunge,Here name schal be rad and sungeAnd holde in the Cronique write;So that the men it scholden wite,3050To speke good, as thei wel oghten,Of hem that ferst the lawes soghtenIn forthringe of the worldes pes.Unto thebreus was MoïsesThe ferste, and to thegipciensMercurius, and to TroiensFerst was Neuma Pompilius,To Athenes LigurgiusYaf ferst the lawe, and to GregoisForoneüs hath thilke vois,11973060And Romulus to the Romeins.For suche men that ben vileinsThe lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,1198That what man to the lawe pleigneth,[Kings must keep the Laws.]Be so the jugge stonde upriht,He schal be served of his riht.And so ferforth it is befalleThat lawe is come among ous alle:God lieve it mote wel ben holde,As every king therto is holde;3070P. iii. 189For thing which is of kinges set,With kinges oghte it noght be let.What king of lawe takth no kepe,Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.Do lawe awey, what is a king?Wher is the riht of eny thing,If that ther be no lawe in londe?This oghte a king wel understonde,As he which is to lawe swore,That if the lawe be forbore3080Withouten execucioun,It makth a lond torne up so doun,Which is unto the king a sclandre.Forthi unto king AlisandreThe wise Philosophre bad,That he himselve ferst be lad1199Of lawe, and forth thanne overalSo do justice in general,1200(3100*)That al the wyde lond abouteThe justice of his lawe doute,3090And thanne schal he stonde in reste.For therto lawe is on the besteAbove alle other erthly thing,To make a liege drede his king.Bot hou a king schal gete him loveToward the hihe god above,And ek among the men in erthe,This nexte point, which is the fertheOf Aristotles lore, it techeth:Wherof who that the Scole secheth,3100P. iii. 190What Policie that it isThe bok reherceth after this.[The Fourth Point of Policy. Pity.]x.Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regnaStringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi.1201Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum,Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo.It nedeth noght that I delateThe pris which preised is algate,Hic tractat de quarta Principum regiminis Policia, que Pietas dicta est; per quam Principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gracius1202consequuntur.And hath ben evere and evere schal,Wherof to speke in special,It is the vertu of Pite,Thurgh which the hihe magesteWas stered, whan his Sone alyhte,And in pite the world to rihte3110Tok of the Maide fleissh and blod.Pite was cause of thilke good,Wherof that we ben alle save:Wel oghte a man Pite to haveAnd the vertu to sette in pris,Whan he himself which is al wysHath schewed why it schal be preised.Pite may noght be conterpeisedOf tirannie with no peis;For Pite makth a king courteis3120Bothe in his word and in his dede.Nota.1203It sit wel every liege dredeHis king and to his heste obeie,And riht so be the same weieIt sit a king to be pitousToward his poeple and graciousP. iii. 191Upon the reule of governance,So that he worche no vengance,Which mai be cleped crualte.Justice which doth equite3130Is dredfull, for he noman spareth;Bot in the lond wher Pite farethThe king mai nevere faile of love,For Pite thurgh the grace above,So as the Philosophre affermeth,1204His regne in good astat confermeth.**Thapostle James in this wise1205Seith, what man scholde do juise,12063150*And hath not pite forth with al,The doom of him which demeth alHe may himself fulsore drede,That him schal lakke upon the nedeTo fynde pite, whan he wolde:For who that pite wol biholde,—It is a poynt of Cristes lore.And for to loken overmore,It is bihovely, as we fynde,To resoun and to lawe of kynde.3160*Cassodorus. Vbi regnat pietas, consolidatur regnum.Cassodre in his apprise telleth,‘The regne is sauf, wher pite duelleth.’Tullius. Qui pietate vincitur scutum victorie merito gestabit.And Tullius his tale avoweth,1207And seith, ‘What king to pite bowethAnd with pite stant overcome,He hath that schield of grace nome,P. iii. 192Which to the kinges yifth victoire.’Valerius narrat quod cum rex Alexander in ira sua quendam militem morti condempnasset, et ille appellauit, dixit rex, ‘In terra nullus maior me est: ad quem ergo appellas?’ Respondit miles, ‘Non a maiestate tua, set a sentencia ire tue tantum ad pietatem tuam appello.’ Et sic rex pietate motus ipsum in misericordiam benignissime suscepit.Of Alisandre in his histoireI rede how he a worthi knightOf sodein wraththe and nought of right3170*Forjugged hath, and he appeleth.And with that word the king quereleth,And seith, ‘Non is above me.’‘That wot I wel my lord,’ quoth he;‘Fro thy lordschipe appele I nought,But fro thy wraththe in al my thoughtTo thy pitee stant myn appeel.The king, which understod him wel,Of pure pite yaf him grace.And eek I rede in other place,3180*Thus seide whilom etc. (as3137 ff.)Constantinus Imperator ait: ‘Vere se dominum esse comprobat, qui seruum pietatis se facit.’Thus seide whilom Constantin:1208‘What Emperour that is enclinTo Pite forto be servant,Of al the worldes remenant3140He is worthi to ben a lord.’Troianus ait, quod ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere, eorumque benevolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat.1209In olde bokes of recordThis finde I write of essamplaire:1210Troian the worthi debonaire,Be whom that Rome stod governed,Upon a time as he was lerned(3190*)Of that he was to familier,He seide unto that conseiller,1211That forto ben an EmperourHis will was noght for vein honour,3150Ne yit for reddour of justice;Bot if he myhte in his officeP. iii. 193Hise lordes and his poeple plese,Him thoghte it were a grettere eseWith love here hertes to him drawe,Than with the drede of eny lawe.(3200*)For whan a thing is do for doute,Fulofte it comth the worse aboute;Bot wher a king is Pietous,1212He is the more gracious,3160That mochel thrift him schal betyde,Which elles scholde torne aside.*[Tale of the Jew and the Pagan.]*To do pite support and grace,1213The Philosophre upon a placeHic in pietatis exemplum prout Aristotiles Regi Alexandro nuper rettulit, declarans scribit qualiter Iudeus pedester cum quodam pagano asinum equitante per desertum itinerando ipsum de secta et fide sua strictius interrogauit. Qui respondens ait: ‘Paganus sum et fides mea hec est, vt omnes vno animo diligam et penes vnumquemque tempore necessitatis pietatem1214pro posse meo excerceam.’1215Cui Iudeus: ‘Permitte me ergo, qui lassatus itinere deficio, aliquantulum equitare, et tu respectu pietatis ob meam recreacionem pedibus pro tempore1216incedas.’ Et ita factum est, vnde postea paganus infra breue lassatus asino suo restitui1217a Iudeo postulauit. At ille ait: ‘Nequaquam: quia fides mea est, vt illi qui sectam meam non credit, nocumentum1218absque pietate prouocare debeo.’ Et hiis dictis asellum veloci passu coegit, et paganum a dorso illusum reliquit. Quod videns paganus in terram dolens corruit, extensisque in celum manibus summam iusticiam inuocabat. Postque a terra exurgens, cum paulisper deambulasset, respexit in quamdam vallem1219Iudeum a leone in mortis articulo prostratum; et sic asinum suum cum gaudio resumens, pietatem magis quam austeritatem laudabilem decreuit.1220In his writinge of daies oldeA tale of gret essample tolde3210*Unto the king of Macedoine:How betwen Kaire and Babeloine,1221Whan comen is the somer heete,It hapneth tuo men forto meete,As thei scholde entren in a pas,Wher that the wyldernesse was.And as they wenten forth spekendeUnder the large wodes ende,That o man axeth of that other:‘What man art thou, mi lieve brother?12223220*Which is thi creance and thi feith?’‘I am paien,’ that other seith,‘And be the lawe which I useI schal noght in mi feith refuseP. iii. 194To loven alle men aliche,The povere bothe and ek the riche:Whan thei ben glade I schal be glad,And sori whan thei ben bestad;So schal I live in uniteWith every man in his degre.3230*For riht as to miself I wolde,Riht so toward alle othre I scholde1223Be gracious and debonaire.Thus have I told thee softe and faireMi feith, mi lawe, and mi creance;And if thee list for aqueintance,Now tell what maner man thou art.’And he ansuerde upon his part:‘I am a Jew, and be mi laweI schal to noman be felawe3240*To kepe him trowthe in word ne dede,Bot if he be withoute drede1224A verrai Jew riht as am I:For elles I mai trewelyBereve him bothe lif and good.’The paien herde and understod,And thoghte it was a wonder lawe.And thus upon here sondri saweTalkende bothe forth thei wente.The dai was hoot, the sonne brente,3250*The paien rod upon an asse,And of his catell more and lasseWith him a riche trusse he ladde.The Jew, which al untrowthe hadde,P. iii. 195And wente upon his feet beside,Bethoghte him how he mihte ride;1225And with his wordes slihe and wiseUnto the paien in this wiseHe seide: ‘O, now it schal be seeneWhat thing it is thou woldest meene:3260*For if thi lawe be certeinAs thou hast told, I dar wel sein,Thou wolt beholde mi destresse.Which am so full of werinesse,That I ne mai unethe go,1226And let me ride a Myle or tuo,So that I mai mi bodi ese.’The paien wolde him noght despleseOf that he spak, bot in piteIt list him forto knowe and se3270*The pleignte which that other made;And for he wolde his herte glade,He lihte and made him nothing strange.Thus was ther made a newe change,The paien goth, the Jew alofteWas sett upon his asse softe:So gon thei forth carpende fasteOf this and that, til ate laste1227The paien mihte go nomore,And preide unto the Jew therfore3280*To suffre him ride a litel while.The Jew, which thoghte him to beguile,Anon rod forth the grete pas,1228And to the paien in this casP. iii. 196He seide, ‘Thou hast do thi riht,Of that thou haddest me behihtTo do socour upon mi nede;And that acordeth to the dede,As thou art to the lawe holde.And in such wise as I thee tolde,3290*I thenke also for mi partieUpon the lawe of Juerie1229To worche and do mi duete.Thin asse schal go forth with meWith al thi good, which I have sesed;And that I wot thou art desesed,I am riht glad and noght mispaid.’And whanne he hath these wordes said,In alle haste he rod aweie.This paien wot non other weie,3300*Bot on the ground he kneleth evene,His handes up unto the hevene,And seide, ‘O hihe sothfastnesse,That lovest alle rihtwisnesse,Unto thi dom, lord, I appele;1230Behold and deme mi querele,With humble herte I thee beseche;The mercy bothe and ek the wrecheI sette al in thi juggement.’And thus upon his marrement3310*This paien hath made his preiere:1231And than he ros with drery chiere,1232And goth him forth, and in his gateHe caste his yhe aboute algate,P. iii. 197The Jew if that he mihte se.Bot for a time it mai noght be;Til ate laste ayein the nyht,So as god wolde, he wente ariht,As he which hield the hihe weie,And thanne he sih in a valleie3320*Wher that the Jew liggende was,Al blodi ded upon the gras,Which strangled was of a leoun.And as he lokede up and doun,He fond his asse faste byForth with his harneis redelyAl hol and sound, as he it lefte,1233Whan that the Jew it him berefte:Wherof he thonketh god knelende.Lo, thus a man mai knowe at ende,3330*How the pitous pite deserveth.For what man that to pite serveth,As Aristotle it berth witnesse,God schal hise foomen so represse,That thei schul ay stonde under foote.Pite, men sein, is thilke rooteWherof the vertus springen alle:What infortune that befalleIn eny lond, lacke of pite1234Is cause of thilke adversite;3340*And that aldai mai schewe at yhe,Who that the world discretly syhe.1235Good is that every man therforeTake hiede of that is seid tofore;P. iii. 198For of this tale and othre ynowheThese noble princes whilom drowheHere evidence and here aprise,As men mai finde in many a wise,1236Who that these olde bokes rede:And thogh thei ben in erthe dede,3350*Here goode name may noght deieFor Pite, which thei wolde obeie,To do the dedes of mercy.And who this tale redilyRemembre, as Aristotle it tolde,He mai the will of god beholdeUpon the point as it was ended,Wherof that pite stod commended,Which is to charite felawe,As thei that kepen bothe o lawe.12373360*
[The Emperor Conrad.]The rihtful Emperour ConradeHic narrat de iusticia nuper Conradi Imperatoris, cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone, aliqua seu precum interuencione quacunque vel auri redempcione, legum Statuta commutari seu redimi nullatenus potuerunt.To kepe pes such lawe made,That non withinne the citeIn destorbance of uniteDorste ones moeven a matiere.For in his time, as thou myht hiere,What point that was for lawe setIt scholde for no gold be let,11762840To what persone that it were.And this broghte in the comun fere,Why every man the lawe dradde,For ther was non which favour hadde.
[The Emperor Conrad.]
The rihtful Emperour Conrade
Hic narrat de iusticia nuper Conradi Imperatoris, cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone, aliqua seu precum interuencione quacunque vel auri redempcione, legum Statuta commutari seu redimi nullatenus potuerunt.
To kepe pes such lawe made,
That non withinne the cite
In destorbance of unite
Dorste ones moeven a matiere.
For in his time, as thou myht hiere,
What point that was for lawe set
It scholde for no gold be let,11762840
To what persone that it were.
And this broghte in the comun fere,
Why every man the lawe dradde,
For ther was non which favour hadde.
[The Consul Carmidotirus.]So as these olde bokes sein,I finde write hou a Romein,Nota exemplum de constancia iudicis; vbi narrat de Carmidotiro Rome nuper Consule, qui cum sui statuti legem nescius offendisset, Romanique super hoc penam sibi remittere voluissent, ipse propria manu, vbi nullus alius in ipsum vindex fuit, sui criminis vindictam executus est.Which Consul was of the Pretoire,Whos name was Carmidotoire,He sette a lawe for the pes,That non, bot he be wepneles,11772850Schal come into the conseil hous,And elles as maliciousHe schal ben of the lawe ded.To that statut and to that redAcorden alle it schal be so,For certein cause which was tho:Nou lest what fell therafter sone.1178This Consul hadde forto done,1179And was into the feldes ride;And thei him hadden longe abide,2860P. iii. 182That lordes of the conseil were,And for him sende, and he cam thereWith swerd begert, and hath foryete,1180Til he was in the conseil sete.Was non of hem that made speche,Til he himself it wolde seche,And fond out the defalte himselve;And thanne he seide unto the tuelve,Whiche of the Senat weren wise,‘I have deserved the juise,2870In haste that it were do.’And thei him seiden alle no;For wel thei wiste it was no vice,Whan he ne thoghte no malice,Bot onliche of a litel slouthe:And thus thei leften as for routheTo do justice upon his gilt,For that he scholde noght be spilt.And whanne he sih the maner houThei wolde him save, he made avou2880With manfull herte, and thus he seide,That Rome scholde nevere abreideHis heires, whan he were of dawe,That here Ancestre brak the lawe.Forthi, er that thei weren war,Forth with the same swerd he barThe statut of his lawe he kepte,1181So that al Rome his deth bewepte.(2900*)
[The Consul Carmidotirus.]
So as these olde bokes sein,
I finde write hou a Romein,
Nota exemplum de constancia iudicis; vbi narrat de Carmidotiro Rome nuper Consule, qui cum sui statuti legem nescius offendisset, Romanique super hoc penam sibi remittere voluissent, ipse propria manu, vbi nullus alius in ipsum vindex fuit, sui criminis vindictam executus est.
Which Consul was of the Pretoire,
Whos name was Carmidotoire,
He sette a lawe for the pes,
That non, bot he be wepneles,11772850
Schal come into the conseil hous,
And elles as malicious
He schal ben of the lawe ded.
To that statut and to that red
Acorden alle it schal be so,
For certein cause which was tho:
Nou lest what fell therafter sone.1178
This Consul hadde forto done,1179
And was into the feldes ride;
And thei him hadden longe abide,2860
P. iii. 182
That lordes of the conseil were,
And for him sende, and he cam there
With swerd begert, and hath foryete,1180
Til he was in the conseil sete.
Was non of hem that made speche,
Til he himself it wolde seche,
And fond out the defalte himselve;
And thanne he seide unto the tuelve,
Whiche of the Senat weren wise,
‘I have deserved the juise,2870
In haste that it were do.’
And thei him seiden alle no;
For wel thei wiste it was no vice,
Whan he ne thoghte no malice,
Bot onliche of a litel slouthe:
And thus thei leften as for routhe
To do justice upon his gilt,
For that he scholde noght be spilt.
And whanne he sih the maner hou
Thei wolde him save, he made avou2880
With manfull herte, and thus he seide,
That Rome scholde nevere abreide
His heires, whan he were of dawe,
That here Ancestre brak the lawe.
Forthi, er that thei weren war,
Forth with the same swerd he bar
The statut of his lawe he kepte,1181
So that al Rome his deth bewepte.(2900*)
[Example of Cambyses.]In other place also I rede,Wher that a jugge his oghne dede2890P. iii. 183Nota quod falsi iudices mortis pena puniendi sunt. Narrat enim qualiter Cambises Rex Persarum quendam iudicem corruptum excoriari viuum fecit, eiusque pelle cathedram iudicialem operiri constituit: ita quod filius suus super patris pellem postea pro tribunali cessurus iudicii equitatem euidencius memoraretur.Ne wol noght venge of lawe broke,The king it hath himselven wroke.The grete king which CambisesWas hote, a jugge lawelesHe fond, and into remembranceHe dede upon him such vengance:Out of his skyn he was beflainAl quyk, and in that wise slain,So that his skyn was schape al meete,1182And nayled on the same seete11832900Wher that his Sone scholde sitte.Avise him, if he wolde flitteThe lawe for the coveitise,Ther sih he redi his juise.Thus in defalte of other juggeThe king mot otherwhile jugge,To holden up the rihte lawe.And forto speke of tholde dawe,To take ensample of that was tho,I finde a tale write also,2910Hou that a worthi prince is holdeThe lawes of his lond to holde,Ferst for the hihe goddes sake,And ek for that him is betakeThe poeple forto guide and lede,Which is the charge of his kinghede.
[Example of Cambyses.]
In other place also I rede,
Wher that a jugge his oghne dede2890
P. iii. 183
Nota quod falsi iudices mortis pena puniendi sunt. Narrat enim qualiter Cambises Rex Persarum quendam iudicem corruptum excoriari viuum fecit, eiusque pelle cathedram iudicialem operiri constituit: ita quod filius suus super patris pellem postea pro tribunali cessurus iudicii equitatem euidencius memoraretur.
Ne wol noght venge of lawe broke,
The king it hath himselven wroke.
The grete king which Cambises
Was hote, a jugge laweles
He fond, and into remembrance
He dede upon him such vengance:
Out of his skyn he was beflain
Al quyk, and in that wise slain,
So that his skyn was schape al meete,1182
And nayled on the same seete11832900
Wher that his Sone scholde sitte.
Avise him, if he wolde flitte
The lawe for the coveitise,
Ther sih he redi his juise.
Thus in defalte of other jugge
The king mot otherwhile jugge,
To holden up the rihte lawe.
And forto speke of tholde dawe,
To take ensample of that was tho,
I finde a tale write also,2910
Hou that a worthi prince is holde
The lawes of his lond to holde,
Ferst for the hihe goddes sake,
And ek for that him is betake
The poeple forto guide and lede,
Which is the charge of his kinghede.
[Lycurgus and his Laws.]In a Cronique I rede thusOf the rihtful Ligurgius,Hic ponit exemplum de Principibus illis, qui1184non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant, set vt commune bonum adaugeant, propriam facultatem diminuunt. Et narrat quod, cum Ligurgius Athenarum princeps subditos suos1185in omni prosperitatis habundancia divites et vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisset, volens ad vtilitatem rei publice leges illas firmius obseruari, peregre proficisci se finxit; set prius iuramentum solempne a legiis suis sub hac forma exegit, quod ipsi vsque in reditum suum leges suas nullatenus infringerent: quibus iuratis peregrinacionem suam in exilium absque reditu pro perpetuo delegauit.1186Which of Athenis Prince was,Hou he the lawe in every cas,2920P. iii. 184Wherof he scholde his poeple reule,Hath set upon so good a reule,In al this world that cite nonOf lawe was so wel begonForth with the trouthe of governance.Ther was among hem no distance,Bot every man hath his encress;Ther was withoute werre pes,Withoute envie love stod;Richesse upon the comun good2930And noght upon the singulerOrdeigned was, and the pouerOf hem that weren in astatWas sauf: wherof upon debatTher stod nothing, so that in resteMihte every man his herte reste.And whan this noble rihtful kingSih hou it ferde of al this thing,Wherof the poeple stod in ese,He, which for evere wolde plese2940The hihe god, whos thonk he soghte,A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte,And schop if that it myhte be,Hou that his lawe in the citeMihte afterward for evere laste.And therupon his wit he casteWhat thing him were best to feigne,That he his pourpos myhte atteigne.A Parlement and thus he sette,His wisdom wher that he besette2950P. iii. 185In audience of grete and smale,1187And in this wise he tolde his tale:‘God wot, and so ye witen alle,Hierafterward hou so it falle,Yit into now my will hath beTo do justice and equiteIn forthringe of comun profit:Such hath ben evere my delit.Bot of o thing I am beknowe,The which mi will is that ye knowe:2960The lawe which I tok on honde,Was altogedre of goddes sondeAnd nothing of myn oghne wit;So mot it nede endure yit,And schal do lengere, if ye wile.For I wol telle you the skile;The god Mercurius and no man1188He hath me tawht al that I canOf suche lawes as I made,Wherof that ye ben alle glade;2970It was the god and nothing I,Which dede al this, and nou forthiHe hath comanded of his graceThat I schal come into a placeWhich is forein out in an yle,Wher I mot tarie for a while,With him to speke, as he hath bede.1189For as he seith, in thilke stedeHe schal me suche thinges telle,That evere, whyl the world schal duelle,2980P. iii. 186Athenis schal the betre fare.Bot ferst, er that I thider fare,For that I wolde that mi laweAmonges you ne be withdraweTher whyles that I schal ben oute,Forthi to setten out of douteBothe you and me, this wol I preie,That ye me wolde assure and seie(3000*)With such an oth as I wol take,1190That ech of you schal undertake2990Mi lawes forto kepe and holde.’Thei seiden alle that thei wolde,And therupon thei swore here oth,1191That fro the time that he goth,Til he to hem be come ayein,Thei scholde hise lawes wel and pleinIn every point kepe and fulfille.Thus hath Ligurgius his wille,And tok his leve and forth he wente.Bot lest nou wel to what entente11923000Of rihtwisnesse he dede so:For after that he was ago,He schop him nevere to be founde;1193So that Athenis, which was bounde,Nevere after scholde be relessed,1194Ne thilke goode lawe cessed,Which was for comun profit set.And in this wise he hath it knet;He, which the comun profit soghte,The king, his oghne astat ne roghte;3010P. iii. 187To do profit to the comune,He tok of exil the fortune,And lefte of Prince thilke officeOnly for love and for justice,Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte,For evere after his deth to rihteThe cite which was him betake.Wherof men oghte ensample takeThe goode lawes to avanceWith hem which under governance11953020The lawes have forto kepe;For who that wolde take kepeOf hem that ferst the lawes founde,Als fer as lasteth eny boundeOf lond, here names yit ben knowe:And if it like thee to knoweSome of here names hou thei stonde,Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde.[The First Law-givers.]Of every bienfet the meriteThe god himself it wol aquite;3030Hic ad eorum laudem, qui iusticie causa leges primo statuerunt, aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat.And ek fulofte it falleth so,The world it wole aquite also,Bot that mai noght ben evene liche:The god he yifth the heveneriche,The world yifth only bot a name,Which stant upon the goode fameOf hem that don the goode dede.And in this wise double medeResceiven thei that don wel hiere;Wherof if that thee list to hiere11963040P. iii. 188After the fame as it is blowe,Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe,Hou thilke honeste besinesseOf hem that ferst for rihtwisnesseAmong the men the lawes made,Mai nevere upon this erthe fade.For evere, whil ther is a tunge,Here name schal be rad and sungeAnd holde in the Cronique write;So that the men it scholden wite,3050To speke good, as thei wel oghten,Of hem that ferst the lawes soghtenIn forthringe of the worldes pes.Unto thebreus was MoïsesThe ferste, and to thegipciensMercurius, and to TroiensFerst was Neuma Pompilius,To Athenes LigurgiusYaf ferst the lawe, and to GregoisForoneüs hath thilke vois,11973060And Romulus to the Romeins.For suche men that ben vileinsThe lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,1198That what man to the lawe pleigneth,[Kings must keep the Laws.]Be so the jugge stonde upriht,He schal be served of his riht.And so ferforth it is befalleThat lawe is come among ous alle:God lieve it mote wel ben holde,As every king therto is holde;3070P. iii. 189For thing which is of kinges set,With kinges oghte it noght be let.What king of lawe takth no kepe,Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.Do lawe awey, what is a king?Wher is the riht of eny thing,If that ther be no lawe in londe?This oghte a king wel understonde,As he which is to lawe swore,That if the lawe be forbore3080Withouten execucioun,It makth a lond torne up so doun,Which is unto the king a sclandre.Forthi unto king AlisandreThe wise Philosophre bad,That he himselve ferst be lad1199Of lawe, and forth thanne overalSo do justice in general,1200(3100*)That al the wyde lond abouteThe justice of his lawe doute,3090And thanne schal he stonde in reste.For therto lawe is on the besteAbove alle other erthly thing,To make a liege drede his king.Bot hou a king schal gete him loveToward the hihe god above,And ek among the men in erthe,This nexte point, which is the fertheOf Aristotles lore, it techeth:Wherof who that the Scole secheth,3100P. iii. 190What Policie that it isThe bok reherceth after this.
[Lycurgus and his Laws.]
In a Cronique I rede thus
Of the rihtful Ligurgius,
Hic ponit exemplum de Principibus illis, qui1184non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant, set vt commune bonum adaugeant, propriam facultatem diminuunt. Et narrat quod, cum Ligurgius Athenarum princeps subditos suos1185in omni prosperitatis habundancia divites et vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisset, volens ad vtilitatem rei publice leges illas firmius obseruari, peregre proficisci se finxit; set prius iuramentum solempne a legiis suis sub hac forma exegit, quod ipsi vsque in reditum suum leges suas nullatenus infringerent: quibus iuratis peregrinacionem suam in exilium absque reditu pro perpetuo delegauit.1186
Which of Athenis Prince was,
Hou he the lawe in every cas,2920
P. iii. 184
Wherof he scholde his poeple reule,
Hath set upon so good a reule,
In al this world that cite non
Of lawe was so wel begon
Forth with the trouthe of governance.
Ther was among hem no distance,
Bot every man hath his encress;
Ther was withoute werre pes,
Withoute envie love stod;
Richesse upon the comun good2930
And noght upon the singuler
Ordeigned was, and the pouer
Of hem that weren in astat
Was sauf: wherof upon debat
Ther stod nothing, so that in reste
Mihte every man his herte reste.
And whan this noble rihtful king
Sih hou it ferde of al this thing,
Wherof the poeple stod in ese,
He, which for evere wolde plese2940
The hihe god, whos thonk he soghte,
A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte,
And schop if that it myhte be,
Hou that his lawe in the cite
Mihte afterward for evere laste.
And therupon his wit he caste
What thing him were best to feigne,
That he his pourpos myhte atteigne.
A Parlement and thus he sette,
His wisdom wher that he besette2950
P. iii. 185
In audience of grete and smale,1187
And in this wise he tolde his tale:
‘God wot, and so ye witen alle,
Hierafterward hou so it falle,
Yit into now my will hath be
To do justice and equite
In forthringe of comun profit:
Such hath ben evere my delit.
Bot of o thing I am beknowe,
The which mi will is that ye knowe:2960
The lawe which I tok on honde,
Was altogedre of goddes sonde
And nothing of myn oghne wit;
So mot it nede endure yit,
And schal do lengere, if ye wile.
For I wol telle you the skile;
The god Mercurius and no man1188
He hath me tawht al that I can
Of suche lawes as I made,
Wherof that ye ben alle glade;2970
It was the god and nothing I,
Which dede al this, and nou forthi
He hath comanded of his grace
That I schal come into a place
Which is forein out in an yle,
Wher I mot tarie for a while,
With him to speke, as he hath bede.1189
For as he seith, in thilke stede
He schal me suche thinges telle,
That evere, whyl the world schal duelle,2980
P. iii. 186
Athenis schal the betre fare.
Bot ferst, er that I thider fare,
For that I wolde that mi lawe
Amonges you ne be withdrawe
Ther whyles that I schal ben oute,
Forthi to setten out of doute
Bothe you and me, this wol I preie,
That ye me wolde assure and seie(3000*)
With such an oth as I wol take,1190
That ech of you schal undertake2990
Mi lawes forto kepe and holde.’
Thei seiden alle that thei wolde,
And therupon thei swore here oth,1191
That fro the time that he goth,
Til he to hem be come ayein,
Thei scholde hise lawes wel and plein
In every point kepe and fulfille.
Thus hath Ligurgius his wille,
And tok his leve and forth he wente.
Bot lest nou wel to what entente11923000
Of rihtwisnesse he dede so:
For after that he was ago,
He schop him nevere to be founde;1193
So that Athenis, which was bounde,
Nevere after scholde be relessed,1194
Ne thilke goode lawe cessed,
Which was for comun profit set.
And in this wise he hath it knet;
He, which the comun profit soghte,
The king, his oghne astat ne roghte;3010
P. iii. 187
To do profit to the comune,
He tok of exil the fortune,
And lefte of Prince thilke office
Only for love and for justice,
Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte,
For evere after his deth to rihte
The cite which was him betake.
Wherof men oghte ensample take
The goode lawes to avance
With hem which under governance11953020
The lawes have forto kepe;
For who that wolde take kepe
Of hem that ferst the lawes founde,
Als fer as lasteth eny bounde
Of lond, here names yit ben knowe:
And if it like thee to knowe
Some of here names hou thei stonde,
Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde.
[The First Law-givers.]
Of every bienfet the merite
The god himself it wol aquite;3030
Hic ad eorum laudem, qui iusticie causa leges primo statuerunt, aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat.
And ek fulofte it falleth so,
The world it wole aquite also,
Bot that mai noght ben evene liche:
The god he yifth the heveneriche,
The world yifth only bot a name,
Which stant upon the goode fame
Of hem that don the goode dede.
And in this wise double mede
Resceiven thei that don wel hiere;
Wherof if that thee list to hiere11963040
P. iii. 188
After the fame as it is blowe,
Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe,
Hou thilke honeste besinesse
Of hem that ferst for rihtwisnesse
Among the men the lawes made,
Mai nevere upon this erthe fade.
For evere, whil ther is a tunge,
Here name schal be rad and sunge
And holde in the Cronique write;
So that the men it scholden wite,3050
To speke good, as thei wel oghten,
Of hem that ferst the lawes soghten
In forthringe of the worldes pes.
Unto thebreus was Moïses
The ferste, and to thegipciens
Mercurius, and to Troiens
Ferst was Neuma Pompilius,
To Athenes Ligurgius
Yaf ferst the lawe, and to Gregois
Foroneüs hath thilke vois,11973060
And Romulus to the Romeins.
For suche men that ben vileins
The lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,1198
That what man to the lawe pleigneth,
[Kings must keep the Laws.]
Be so the jugge stonde upriht,
He schal be served of his riht.
And so ferforth it is befalle
That lawe is come among ous alle:
God lieve it mote wel ben holde,
As every king therto is holde;3070
P. iii. 189
For thing which is of kinges set,
With kinges oghte it noght be let.
What king of lawe takth no kepe,
Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.
Do lawe awey, what is a king?
Wher is the riht of eny thing,
If that ther be no lawe in londe?
This oghte a king wel understonde,
As he which is to lawe swore,
That if the lawe be forbore3080
Withouten execucioun,
It makth a lond torne up so doun,
Which is unto the king a sclandre.
Forthi unto king Alisandre
The wise Philosophre bad,
That he himselve ferst be lad1199
Of lawe, and forth thanne overal
So do justice in general,1200(3100*)
That al the wyde lond aboute
The justice of his lawe doute,3090
And thanne schal he stonde in reste.
For therto lawe is on the beste
Above alle other erthly thing,
To make a liege drede his king.
Bot hou a king schal gete him love
Toward the hihe god above,
And ek among the men in erthe,
This nexte point, which is the ferthe
Of Aristotles lore, it techeth:
Wherof who that the Scole secheth,3100
P. iii. 190
What Policie that it is
The bok reherceth after this.
[The Fourth Point of Policy. Pity.]x.Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regnaStringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi.1201Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum,Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo.
[The Fourth Point of Policy. Pity.]
x.Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regna
Stringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi.1201
Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum,
Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo.
It nedeth noght that I delateThe pris which preised is algate,Hic tractat de quarta Principum regiminis Policia, que Pietas dicta est; per quam Principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gracius1202consequuntur.And hath ben evere and evere schal,Wherof to speke in special,It is the vertu of Pite,Thurgh which the hihe magesteWas stered, whan his Sone alyhte,And in pite the world to rihte3110Tok of the Maide fleissh and blod.Pite was cause of thilke good,Wherof that we ben alle save:Wel oghte a man Pite to haveAnd the vertu to sette in pris,Whan he himself which is al wysHath schewed why it schal be preised.Pite may noght be conterpeisedOf tirannie with no peis;For Pite makth a king courteis3120Bothe in his word and in his dede.Nota.1203It sit wel every liege dredeHis king and to his heste obeie,And riht so be the same weieIt sit a king to be pitousToward his poeple and graciousP. iii. 191Upon the reule of governance,So that he worche no vengance,Which mai be cleped crualte.Justice which doth equite3130Is dredfull, for he noman spareth;Bot in the lond wher Pite farethThe king mai nevere faile of love,For Pite thurgh the grace above,So as the Philosophre affermeth,1204His regne in good astat confermeth.*
It nedeth noght that I delate
The pris which preised is algate,
Hic tractat de quarta Principum regiminis Policia, que Pietas dicta est; per quam Principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gracius1202consequuntur.
And hath ben evere and evere schal,
Wherof to speke in special,
It is the vertu of Pite,
Thurgh which the hihe mageste
Was stered, whan his Sone alyhte,
And in pite the world to rihte3110
Tok of the Maide fleissh and blod.
Pite was cause of thilke good,
Wherof that we ben alle save:
Wel oghte a man Pite to have
And the vertu to sette in pris,
Whan he himself which is al wys
Hath schewed why it schal be preised.
Pite may noght be conterpeised
Of tirannie with no peis;
For Pite makth a king courteis3120
Bothe in his word and in his dede.
Nota.1203
It sit wel every liege drede
His king and to his heste obeie,
And riht so be the same weie
It sit a king to be pitous
Toward his poeple and gracious
P. iii. 191
Upon the reule of governance,
So that he worche no vengance,
Which mai be cleped crualte.
Justice which doth equite3130
Is dredfull, for he noman spareth;
Bot in the lond wher Pite fareth
The king mai nevere faile of love,
For Pite thurgh the grace above,
So as the Philosophre affermeth,1204
His regne in good astat confermeth.*
*Thapostle James in this wise1205Seith, what man scholde do juise,12063150*And hath not pite forth with al,The doom of him which demeth alHe may himself fulsore drede,That him schal lakke upon the nedeTo fynde pite, whan he wolde:For who that pite wol biholde,—It is a poynt of Cristes lore.And for to loken overmore,It is bihovely, as we fynde,To resoun and to lawe of kynde.3160*Cassodorus. Vbi regnat pietas, consolidatur regnum.Cassodre in his apprise telleth,‘The regne is sauf, wher pite duelleth.’Tullius. Qui pietate vincitur scutum victorie merito gestabit.And Tullius his tale avoweth,1207And seith, ‘What king to pite bowethAnd with pite stant overcome,He hath that schield of grace nome,P. iii. 192Which to the kinges yifth victoire.’Valerius narrat quod cum rex Alexander in ira sua quendam militem morti condempnasset, et ille appellauit, dixit rex, ‘In terra nullus maior me est: ad quem ergo appellas?’ Respondit miles, ‘Non a maiestate tua, set a sentencia ire tue tantum ad pietatem tuam appello.’ Et sic rex pietate motus ipsum in misericordiam benignissime suscepit.Of Alisandre in his histoireI rede how he a worthi knightOf sodein wraththe and nought of right3170*Forjugged hath, and he appeleth.And with that word the king quereleth,And seith, ‘Non is above me.’‘That wot I wel my lord,’ quoth he;‘Fro thy lordschipe appele I nought,But fro thy wraththe in al my thoughtTo thy pitee stant myn appeel.The king, which understod him wel,Of pure pite yaf him grace.And eek I rede in other place,3180*Thus seide whilom etc. (as3137 ff.)
*Thapostle James in this wise1205
Seith, what man scholde do juise,12063150*
And hath not pite forth with al,
The doom of him which demeth al
He may himself fulsore drede,
That him schal lakke upon the nede
To fynde pite, whan he wolde:
For who that pite wol biholde,—
It is a poynt of Cristes lore.
And for to loken overmore,
It is bihovely, as we fynde,
To resoun and to lawe of kynde.3160*
Cassodorus. Vbi regnat pietas, consolidatur regnum.
Cassodre in his apprise telleth,
‘The regne is sauf, wher pite duelleth.’
Tullius. Qui pietate vincitur scutum victorie merito gestabit.
And Tullius his tale avoweth,1207
And seith, ‘What king to pite boweth
And with pite stant overcome,
He hath that schield of grace nome,
P. iii. 192
Which to the kinges yifth victoire.’
Valerius narrat quod cum rex Alexander in ira sua quendam militem morti condempnasset, et ille appellauit, dixit rex, ‘In terra nullus maior me est: ad quem ergo appellas?’ Respondit miles, ‘Non a maiestate tua, set a sentencia ire tue tantum ad pietatem tuam appello.’ Et sic rex pietate motus ipsum in misericordiam benignissime suscepit.
Of Alisandre in his histoire
I rede how he a worthi knight
Of sodein wraththe and nought of right3170*
Forjugged hath, and he appeleth.
And with that word the king quereleth,
And seith, ‘Non is above me.’
‘That wot I wel my lord,’ quoth he;
‘Fro thy lordschipe appele I nought,
But fro thy wraththe in al my thought
To thy pitee stant myn appeel.
The king, which understod him wel,
Of pure pite yaf him grace.
And eek I rede in other place,3180*
Thus seide whilom etc. (as3137 ff.)
Constantinus Imperator ait: ‘Vere se dominum esse comprobat, qui seruum pietatis se facit.’Thus seide whilom Constantin:1208‘What Emperour that is enclinTo Pite forto be servant,Of al the worldes remenant3140He is worthi to ben a lord.’Troianus ait, quod ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere, eorumque benevolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat.1209In olde bokes of recordThis finde I write of essamplaire:1210Troian the worthi debonaire,Be whom that Rome stod governed,Upon a time as he was lerned(3190*)Of that he was to familier,He seide unto that conseiller,1211That forto ben an EmperourHis will was noght for vein honour,3150Ne yit for reddour of justice;Bot if he myhte in his officeP. iii. 193Hise lordes and his poeple plese,Him thoghte it were a grettere eseWith love here hertes to him drawe,Than with the drede of eny lawe.(3200*)For whan a thing is do for doute,Fulofte it comth the worse aboute;Bot wher a king is Pietous,1212He is the more gracious,3160That mochel thrift him schal betyde,Which elles scholde torne aside.*
Constantinus Imperator ait: ‘Vere se dominum esse comprobat, qui seruum pietatis se facit.’
Thus seide whilom Constantin:1208
‘What Emperour that is enclin
To Pite forto be servant,
Of al the worldes remenant3140
He is worthi to ben a lord.’
Troianus ait, quod ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere, eorumque benevolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat.1209
In olde bokes of record
This finde I write of essamplaire:1210
Troian the worthi debonaire,
Be whom that Rome stod governed,
Upon a time as he was lerned(3190*)
Of that he was to familier,
He seide unto that conseiller,1211
That forto ben an Emperour
His will was noght for vein honour,3150
Ne yit for reddour of justice;
Bot if he myhte in his office
P. iii. 193
Hise lordes and his poeple plese,
Him thoghte it were a grettere ese
With love here hertes to him drawe,
Than with the drede of eny lawe.(3200*)
For whan a thing is do for doute,
Fulofte it comth the worse aboute;
Bot wher a king is Pietous,1212
He is the more gracious,3160
That mochel thrift him schal betyde,
Which elles scholde torne aside.*
[Tale of the Jew and the Pagan.]*To do pite support and grace,1213The Philosophre upon a placeHic in pietatis exemplum prout Aristotiles Regi Alexandro nuper rettulit, declarans scribit qualiter Iudeus pedester cum quodam pagano asinum equitante per desertum itinerando ipsum de secta et fide sua strictius interrogauit. Qui respondens ait: ‘Paganus sum et fides mea hec est, vt omnes vno animo diligam et penes vnumquemque tempore necessitatis pietatem1214pro posse meo excerceam.’1215Cui Iudeus: ‘Permitte me ergo, qui lassatus itinere deficio, aliquantulum equitare, et tu respectu pietatis ob meam recreacionem pedibus pro tempore1216incedas.’ Et ita factum est, vnde postea paganus infra breue lassatus asino suo restitui1217a Iudeo postulauit. At ille ait: ‘Nequaquam: quia fides mea est, vt illi qui sectam meam non credit, nocumentum1218absque pietate prouocare debeo.’ Et hiis dictis asellum veloci passu coegit, et paganum a dorso illusum reliquit. Quod videns paganus in terram dolens corruit, extensisque in celum manibus summam iusticiam inuocabat. Postque a terra exurgens, cum paulisper deambulasset, respexit in quamdam vallem1219Iudeum a leone in mortis articulo prostratum; et sic asinum suum cum gaudio resumens, pietatem magis quam austeritatem laudabilem decreuit.1220In his writinge of daies oldeA tale of gret essample tolde3210*Unto the king of Macedoine:How betwen Kaire and Babeloine,1221Whan comen is the somer heete,It hapneth tuo men forto meete,As thei scholde entren in a pas,Wher that the wyldernesse was.And as they wenten forth spekendeUnder the large wodes ende,That o man axeth of that other:‘What man art thou, mi lieve brother?12223220*Which is thi creance and thi feith?’‘I am paien,’ that other seith,‘And be the lawe which I useI schal noght in mi feith refuseP. iii. 194To loven alle men aliche,The povere bothe and ek the riche:Whan thei ben glade I schal be glad,And sori whan thei ben bestad;So schal I live in uniteWith every man in his degre.3230*For riht as to miself I wolde,Riht so toward alle othre I scholde1223Be gracious and debonaire.Thus have I told thee softe and faireMi feith, mi lawe, and mi creance;And if thee list for aqueintance,Now tell what maner man thou art.’And he ansuerde upon his part:‘I am a Jew, and be mi laweI schal to noman be felawe3240*To kepe him trowthe in word ne dede,Bot if he be withoute drede1224A verrai Jew riht as am I:For elles I mai trewelyBereve him bothe lif and good.’The paien herde and understod,And thoghte it was a wonder lawe.And thus upon here sondri saweTalkende bothe forth thei wente.The dai was hoot, the sonne brente,3250*The paien rod upon an asse,And of his catell more and lasseWith him a riche trusse he ladde.The Jew, which al untrowthe hadde,P. iii. 195And wente upon his feet beside,Bethoghte him how he mihte ride;1225And with his wordes slihe and wiseUnto the paien in this wiseHe seide: ‘O, now it schal be seeneWhat thing it is thou woldest meene:3260*For if thi lawe be certeinAs thou hast told, I dar wel sein,Thou wolt beholde mi destresse.Which am so full of werinesse,That I ne mai unethe go,1226And let me ride a Myle or tuo,So that I mai mi bodi ese.’The paien wolde him noght despleseOf that he spak, bot in piteIt list him forto knowe and se3270*The pleignte which that other made;And for he wolde his herte glade,He lihte and made him nothing strange.Thus was ther made a newe change,The paien goth, the Jew alofteWas sett upon his asse softe:So gon thei forth carpende fasteOf this and that, til ate laste1227The paien mihte go nomore,And preide unto the Jew therfore3280*To suffre him ride a litel while.The Jew, which thoghte him to beguile,Anon rod forth the grete pas,1228And to the paien in this casP. iii. 196He seide, ‘Thou hast do thi riht,Of that thou haddest me behihtTo do socour upon mi nede;And that acordeth to the dede,As thou art to the lawe holde.And in such wise as I thee tolde,3290*I thenke also for mi partieUpon the lawe of Juerie1229To worche and do mi duete.Thin asse schal go forth with meWith al thi good, which I have sesed;And that I wot thou art desesed,I am riht glad and noght mispaid.’And whanne he hath these wordes said,In alle haste he rod aweie.This paien wot non other weie,3300*Bot on the ground he kneleth evene,His handes up unto the hevene,And seide, ‘O hihe sothfastnesse,That lovest alle rihtwisnesse,Unto thi dom, lord, I appele;1230Behold and deme mi querele,With humble herte I thee beseche;The mercy bothe and ek the wrecheI sette al in thi juggement.’And thus upon his marrement3310*This paien hath made his preiere:1231And than he ros with drery chiere,1232And goth him forth, and in his gateHe caste his yhe aboute algate,P. iii. 197The Jew if that he mihte se.Bot for a time it mai noght be;Til ate laste ayein the nyht,So as god wolde, he wente ariht,As he which hield the hihe weie,And thanne he sih in a valleie3320*Wher that the Jew liggende was,Al blodi ded upon the gras,Which strangled was of a leoun.And as he lokede up and doun,He fond his asse faste byForth with his harneis redelyAl hol and sound, as he it lefte,1233Whan that the Jew it him berefte:Wherof he thonketh god knelende.Lo, thus a man mai knowe at ende,3330*How the pitous pite deserveth.For what man that to pite serveth,As Aristotle it berth witnesse,God schal hise foomen so represse,That thei schul ay stonde under foote.Pite, men sein, is thilke rooteWherof the vertus springen alle:What infortune that befalleIn eny lond, lacke of pite1234Is cause of thilke adversite;3340*And that aldai mai schewe at yhe,Who that the world discretly syhe.1235Good is that every man therforeTake hiede of that is seid tofore;P. iii. 198For of this tale and othre ynowheThese noble princes whilom drowheHere evidence and here aprise,As men mai finde in many a wise,1236Who that these olde bokes rede:And thogh thei ben in erthe dede,3350*Here goode name may noght deieFor Pite, which thei wolde obeie,To do the dedes of mercy.And who this tale redilyRemembre, as Aristotle it tolde,He mai the will of god beholdeUpon the point as it was ended,Wherof that pite stod commended,Which is to charite felawe,As thei that kepen bothe o lawe.12373360*
[Tale of the Jew and the Pagan.]
*To do pite support and grace,1213
The Philosophre upon a place
Hic in pietatis exemplum prout Aristotiles Regi Alexandro nuper rettulit, declarans scribit qualiter Iudeus pedester cum quodam pagano asinum equitante per desertum itinerando ipsum de secta et fide sua strictius interrogauit. Qui respondens ait: ‘Paganus sum et fides mea hec est, vt omnes vno animo diligam et penes vnumquemque tempore necessitatis pietatem1214pro posse meo excerceam.’1215Cui Iudeus: ‘Permitte me ergo, qui lassatus itinere deficio, aliquantulum equitare, et tu respectu pietatis ob meam recreacionem pedibus pro tempore1216incedas.’ Et ita factum est, vnde postea paganus infra breue lassatus asino suo restitui1217a Iudeo postulauit. At ille ait: ‘Nequaquam: quia fides mea est, vt illi qui sectam meam non credit, nocumentum1218absque pietate prouocare debeo.’ Et hiis dictis asellum veloci passu coegit, et paganum a dorso illusum reliquit. Quod videns paganus in terram dolens corruit, extensisque in celum manibus summam iusticiam inuocabat. Postque a terra exurgens, cum paulisper deambulasset, respexit in quamdam vallem1219Iudeum a leone in mortis articulo prostratum; et sic asinum suum cum gaudio resumens, pietatem magis quam austeritatem laudabilem decreuit.1220
In his writinge of daies olde
A tale of gret essample tolde3210*
Unto the king of Macedoine:
How betwen Kaire and Babeloine,1221
Whan comen is the somer heete,
It hapneth tuo men forto meete,
As thei scholde entren in a pas,
Wher that the wyldernesse was.
And as they wenten forth spekende
Under the large wodes ende,
That o man axeth of that other:
‘What man art thou, mi lieve brother?12223220*
Which is thi creance and thi feith?’
‘I am paien,’ that other seith,
‘And be the lawe which I use
I schal noght in mi feith refuse
P. iii. 194
To loven alle men aliche,
The povere bothe and ek the riche:
Whan thei ben glade I schal be glad,
And sori whan thei ben bestad;
So schal I live in unite
With every man in his degre.3230*
For riht as to miself I wolde,
Riht so toward alle othre I scholde1223
Be gracious and debonaire.
Thus have I told thee softe and faire
Mi feith, mi lawe, and mi creance;
And if thee list for aqueintance,
Now tell what maner man thou art.’
And he ansuerde upon his part:
‘I am a Jew, and be mi lawe
I schal to noman be felawe3240*
To kepe him trowthe in word ne dede,
Bot if he be withoute drede1224
A verrai Jew riht as am I:
For elles I mai trewely
Bereve him bothe lif and good.’
The paien herde and understod,
And thoghte it was a wonder lawe.
And thus upon here sondri sawe
Talkende bothe forth thei wente.
The dai was hoot, the sonne brente,3250*
The paien rod upon an asse,
And of his catell more and lasse
With him a riche trusse he ladde.
The Jew, which al untrowthe hadde,
P. iii. 195
And wente upon his feet beside,
Bethoghte him how he mihte ride;1225
And with his wordes slihe and wise
Unto the paien in this wise
He seide: ‘O, now it schal be seene
What thing it is thou woldest meene:3260*
For if thi lawe be certein
As thou hast told, I dar wel sein,
Thou wolt beholde mi destresse.
Which am so full of werinesse,
That I ne mai unethe go,1226
And let me ride a Myle or tuo,
So that I mai mi bodi ese.’
The paien wolde him noght desplese
Of that he spak, bot in pite
It list him forto knowe and se3270*
The pleignte which that other made;
And for he wolde his herte glade,
He lihte and made him nothing strange.
Thus was ther made a newe change,
The paien goth, the Jew alofte
Was sett upon his asse softe:
So gon thei forth carpende faste
Of this and that, til ate laste1227
The paien mihte go nomore,
And preide unto the Jew therfore3280*
To suffre him ride a litel while.
The Jew, which thoghte him to beguile,
Anon rod forth the grete pas,1228
And to the paien in this cas
P. iii. 196
He seide, ‘Thou hast do thi riht,
Of that thou haddest me behiht
To do socour upon mi nede;
And that acordeth to the dede,
As thou art to the lawe holde.
And in such wise as I thee tolde,3290*
I thenke also for mi partie
Upon the lawe of Juerie1229
To worche and do mi duete.
Thin asse schal go forth with me
With al thi good, which I have sesed;
And that I wot thou art desesed,
I am riht glad and noght mispaid.’
And whanne he hath these wordes said,
In alle haste he rod aweie.
This paien wot non other weie,3300*
Bot on the ground he kneleth evene,
His handes up unto the hevene,
And seide, ‘O hihe sothfastnesse,
That lovest alle rihtwisnesse,
Unto thi dom, lord, I appele;1230
Behold and deme mi querele,
With humble herte I thee beseche;
The mercy bothe and ek the wreche
I sette al in thi juggement.’
And thus upon his marrement3310*
This paien hath made his preiere:1231
And than he ros with drery chiere,1232
And goth him forth, and in his gate
He caste his yhe aboute algate,
P. iii. 197
The Jew if that he mihte se.
Bot for a time it mai noght be;
Til ate laste ayein the nyht,
So as god wolde, he wente ariht,
As he which hield the hihe weie,
And thanne he sih in a valleie3320*
Wher that the Jew liggende was,
Al blodi ded upon the gras,
Which strangled was of a leoun.
And as he lokede up and doun,
He fond his asse faste by
Forth with his harneis redely
Al hol and sound, as he it lefte,1233
Whan that the Jew it him berefte:
Wherof he thonketh god knelende.
Lo, thus a man mai knowe at ende,3330*
How the pitous pite deserveth.
For what man that to pite serveth,
As Aristotle it berth witnesse,
God schal hise foomen so represse,
That thei schul ay stonde under foote.
Pite, men sein, is thilke roote
Wherof the vertus springen alle:
What infortune that befalle
In eny lond, lacke of pite1234
Is cause of thilke adversite;3340*
And that aldai mai schewe at yhe,
Who that the world discretly syhe.1235
Good is that every man therfore
Take hiede of that is seid tofore;
P. iii. 198
For of this tale and othre ynowhe
These noble princes whilom drowhe
Here evidence and here aprise,
As men mai finde in many a wise,1236
Who that these olde bokes rede:
And thogh thei ben in erthe dede,3350*
Here goode name may noght deie
For Pite, which thei wolde obeie,
To do the dedes of mercy.
And who this tale redily
Remembre, as Aristotle it tolde,
He mai the will of god beholde
Upon the point as it was ended,
Wherof that pite stod commended,
Which is to charite felawe,
As thei that kepen bothe o lawe.12373360*