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<T EDUC TREAT>
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<S SAMPLE X>

[^THE PROSE WORKS OF SIR GILBERT HAY. VOLUME III. THE BUKE OF 
THE ORDRE OF KNYCHTHEDE AND THE BUKE OF THE GOUERNAUNCE OF 
PRINCIS. ED. BY JONATHAN A. GLENN. SCOTTISH TEXT SOCIETY, 
FOURTH SERIES, 21. EDINBURGH 1993.

SAMPLE 1: PP. 13.1-39.23
SAMPLE 2: PP. 73.1-115.98^]

[^THE OCCASIONAL EQUAL SIGNS FOUND IN THE MANUSCRIPT AND 
EDITION ARE RENDERED AS HYPHENS.^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P 13>
[N]ow sen the doctour' has declarit jn sum part the poyntis
of the ordre with the proprieteis and condiciouns - Now lykis
jt him to speke of the office yat folowis the said ordre / that
is
to say - to quhat purpos' jt was ordanyt /- to quhat fyne / and
quhat entencioun /. And how gif knychtis vs' nocht thair'
office / thai ar' contrarious' to thair' ordre / and to the
begynnyng of thair' awin making /. ffor the quhilk caus' he is
nocht veray knycht jn dede /. suppos' he bere the name /- ffor
sik knychtis ar' mare villaynis - na is outhir smythe wrycht
or masoun - yat dois thair' craft / as thai ar techit / And
thar'for' to schaw the poyntis of the ordre - js grete meryt to
thame yat wate jt nocht /. the quhilkis he declaris here
efter'wart / And first and formast knychthede was ordanyt to
manetene and defend halykirk and the faith . for the quhilk god
the fader' of hevyn . send his sone jn this warld to tak jn him
<P 14>
oure humanitee fleschly jnumbrit / and jncarnate jn the
glorious' virgyne mary his suete moder' be the joyfull message
brocht till hir be the angel Gabriel -/ And syne for oure sakis
and to synde vs of the origynale syn /- and to geve vs eternale
lyf / tuke dede and passioun here with grete dispising
vilaynous' /- to geve us ensample and jnformacioun how we
suld reule oure lyfing here /- quhilk ordanyt all writtis for   #
oure
teching / and doctrine /. And all his werkis and dedis here /   #
he
did for oure [\90r\] ensample and enformyng to multiply his
faith /- And thus / rycht as he has chosin to growe and
manetene his fayth / the worthi and wys' clerkis to hald scolis
and jlkane to teche othir' be the haly wryttis of prophecies    #
and
of lawis agaynis the jnymyes of the faith /- Rycht sa . the hye
glorious' god chesit knychtis tobe his campiouns /. sa yat the
vnworthy mystrowaris and rebellouris agaynis his faith /
mycht be throu thame chastisit / be force of armes to vencus'
and our' cum his jnymyes /. the quhilkis euery day fors' thame
at thair' powar' to put doune the fayth of haly kirk And thir
knychtis yat thus occupyis thame jn the defens' of his rychtis
ar callit his kynchtis of honour' jn this warld / and jn the
tothir /
yat defendis the haly kirk / and the cristyn faith /. quhilk is
oure saule hele and saluacioun / And thar'fore knychtis yat
has faith and baptesme jn him . and vsis nocht the vertues and
propreteis of the faith / ar' contrarious' till otheris yat     #
kepis
the
faith evyn as a man yat god has gevyn till - resoun - and
discrecion / And he dois evyn the contrary / Thus he yat has
faith . and kepis jt nocht /- js contrarious' till him self     #
ffor he
wald be sauf / and gais nocht the hye gate till his saluacioune
fforquhy / his will discordis with his witt / and ledis jt the  #
way
of mystreuth yat is agayne his saluacioun /- and ledis him to
the way of eternale dampnacioun / And syk men takis the
office and ordre / mare tobe prisit & honourit jn this warld ./
na for ony prouffit yat thai think to do to god . na to thair'
prince yat gave thame the office /- Bot the maist noble
officis and ordres jn this erde ar' office of clerkis and of
knychtis / And the best lufe jn this erde js ay betuix thame /
And thar'fore rycht as clergy was nocht ordanyt tobe agayn
the ordre of knychthede / bot to honour' jt / and thame yat
worthily beris jt / sa sulde knychtis / nocht be agaynis the    #
haly
ordre and office of clergy to manetene worschip and defend
<P 15>
jt / agaynis the rebellouris and euill willaris of the kirk /   #
yat
ar'
callit sonis of jniquitee / as thai ar oblist jn taking of the
said
ordre of knychthede /. ffor a man is nocht anerly oblist to
lufe his ordre / bot he is oblist with that / to lufe thame yat #
be
othir ordres vnder' his awin lord for / to lufe his ordre and
nocht to lufe the caus' yat his ordre is ordanyt for /- ffor    #
syk
lufe is nocht order'lyke / ffor god has ordanyt nane ordre
vnder' him . tobe contrair' till ane othir And as to that /     #
thare
is ordres of religious' yat few of thame lufis ane othir and    #
+git
lufis wele thair' awin ordre /. bot that is nocht the rycht     #
ordre
of lufe & charitee / yat suld be jn religious' /- And rycht sa  #
a
knycht suld nocht samekle lufe his awin ordre / yat he
myslufe other' ordres / ffor that war' agaynis god . and gude
faith ffor the ordre of knychthede is sa hye /. yat quhen a
king makis a knycht /- he sulde mak him lord and gouernour'
of grete landis and contreis efter' his worthines And all
knychtis suld think yat thare is a lord and syre abone all
knychtis / ffor the honour' of quham thai ar' all maid
knychtis /- for to do his will and serue him fyrst / and syne
thair' temporale lordis / (^jtem^) the Emperour' aw tobe knycht #
jn
signifiaunce yat he is lord and syre of all knychtis jn
temporailitee / And be caus' - yat the Emperour' may nocht
mak na gouerne all knychtis /- thare was ordanyt kingis tobe
subordinate personis / next efter' Emperouris to gouerne
realmes and contreis /- the quhilkis suld alssua be knychtis .
sa yat thai may mak knychtis /- ffor na man may mak
knychtis bot he be knycht before /. sauffand [\90v\] the        #
pape /.
Alssua all kingis suld haue vnder' thame dukkis and princis /
Erllis & vicountes / and vauvassouris & barouns / and vnder'
the barouns knychtis of a schelde / the quhilkis suld gouerne
thame be the ordynance of the barouns yat ar' jn the hyar'
degree of knychthede before namyt /. And that gerris he
multiply knychtis jn takenyng yat na king / bot he may na can
gouerne all the generalitee of knychtis jn erde /. ffor thare   #
is
nouthir Emperoure na king yat can na may jn his regne
gouerne all his subditis but help of his knychtis - bot the     #
king
of glore can wele allane / but othir power' na of his awin      #
vertu
and maiestee / can & may gouerne and reugle all this erde /
and all the hevin at his awin plesaunce the quhilk is ane       #
anerly
god allane jn Trinitee and vnitee / And thar'for' wald he
<P 16>
nocht / yat ony knycht allane mycht mak a knycht yat suld
gouerne all the knychtis of this warld bot he allane / And
thar'fore ordanyt he jn this warld mony of knychtis tobe / yat
his magestee may the better be knawin / And yat kingis and
princis suld mak officeris vnder' thame of knychtis / And
forthy dois a king or a prince grete wrang to the order' of
knychthede / quhen he makis othir schireffis baillies or
prouostis of othir lawlyar' men na knychtis /- ffor than ar'
kingis ande princis caus' of the abusioun of the ordre of
knychthede /- quhilk was ordanyt for sik caus' /- ffor that
ordre was ordanyt tobe substitute till princis ande kingis apon
the gouernement of the peple /. as maist worthy and maist
honorable for sik gouernaunce of small peple / And abone
thame dukis Erllis and barouns /- And abune thai / kingis and
princis /. And abone princis & kingis allanerly Emperouris
and papis /. And thus suld the warld be gouernyt be commoun
reugle of gouernaunce /. saufand kingis yat ar priuilegit or
prescribit jn thaire power' jmperiale /- And thus knychthede
is the hyest temporale ordre yat is jn the warld /- Bot nocht
the hiest office /- ffor kingis and Emperouris is nocht ordre
bot jt is office / Be the quhilk office thai precell abone all
othir
officis of temporalitee /. as dukis countes marquis vauvasour'
baroun and knychtis And suppos' of all officis of
honourabilitee the knychtis office be the lawast office of 
dignitee vnder' jmperiale or ryale magestee /. Neuertheless the
ordre is hyest and maist honorable /. ffor quhy / yat all
Emperouris and kingis aw to bere that ordre / or ellis thair'
dignitee is nocht perfyte /- ffor ellis may thai mak na
knychtis - And be honorabilitee of the order' of knychthede /-
grete honour' js ordanyt be the lawis to do to knychtis - And
be nobless' of honour yat is put till him /- he suld haue
nobless' of vertues and worthyness' jn his curage /. Be the
quhilk nobless' of curage / he suld be less' jnclynit till all
wikkitness' and all vicis of barat and trechery / and othir
villain condiciouns / na ony othir persone /- The office alssua
of knychthede aw to defend his naturale lord /. and manetene
him - ffor a king is bot a man allane but his men / And but
thame thare may na king gouerne . na deffend his peple /. na
+git nane othir lord . ffor thai ar' bot synglere personis /    #
And
thus gif ony man be agaynis the magestee or othir lordis of the
<P 17>
temporalitee / the knychtis suld help him . to defend and
manetene his rychtis /- Bot commonly ane euill wikkit knycht
takis party contrair' with a kingis subditis agayne him self /.
ffor he wald haue his lord put doune / yat he mycht haue sum
part of the lordschip /- [\91r\] Bot than wirkis he agayne his
awin ordre / and office yat he is ordanyt for' that is ane the
faith of jhesu Crist /- ane othir his naturale lord / the thrid
the
peple jn thair' richtis / ffor the knychtis ar adettit to       #
manetene
and defend justice // ffor rycht as a juge has powar' be his
office / to juge / and geue a sentence /- rycht sa has he       #
power'
to kepe his jugementis fra fors / and fra wrang and violence jn
excercisioun . and jn execucioun of his jugement and sentence .
And be caus' yat till jugement of caus' pertenis wele
wis'dome and discrecioun of clergy . to knaw the lawis . jt is  #
a
noble thing / quhen knychthede and clergy js assemblit
togeder' /. sa yat knychtis war' clerkis & wele letterit men /-
sa yat thai war' the mare sufficiand tobe jugis be the knaulage
of science of lawis / ffor than war' thare na man mare
worthy - na hable to be a juge na a knycht clerk /. ffor but
science of clergy . to knaw the lawis /. thare is na man worthy
to bere office of justice // knychtis suld be wele ryddin - and
in +gouthede lere tobe well ryddin /. on destrellis and
courseris / till haunte justis and tournaymentis /- to hald     #
table
round /. to hunt / and hauk at hert and hynde /- daa - and
raa - bere and baare loup & lyoun . and all sik honourable
plesauncis / And sa mayntenand the office and the ordre of
knychthede worthily And as all thir propri[{e{]teis beforesaid
pertenis till a knycht as to the habilnes of his corps /- Rycht
sa is thare othir proprieteis pertenand to the saule /. As
justice force . prudence /. and temperaunce / Charitee - and
veritee / lautee & humilitee faith - esperaunce - subtilitee /.
agilitee /- and with all othir vertues touchand to wis'dome
appertenis till him . as to the saule /- And forthy - quhen a
knycht has all strenthis and habiliteis yat appertenis to the
corps -/ and has nocht thame yat appertenis to the saule /. he
is nocht verray knycht /- bot is contrarious' to the ordre and
jnymy of knychthede /. ffor than jt war' lyke yat knychthede
war' contrarious' to the saule behufe /. the quhilk is fals' /-
ffor the principale caus' of the ordre is to the manetenaunce   #
of
the cristyn faith /. and of all vertues / and jnymy to vicis    #
(^jtem^)
<P 18>
office of knychtis is - to manetene and gouerne landis and
policy / and to defend thame /. ffor the raddour' and the drede
yat the peple has of the knychtis thai byde apon thair' craftis
and labouragis /- and grathis lyfing for the lordis /- for doubt
tobe vndone destroyit / & desertit / And thus ar' the kingis
dred for the knychtis / And thare sais the doctour' / yat a     #
fals'
knycht yat will nocht help to defend his king and his lord
naturale /. js lyke faith but gude charitable werkis / or
knychthede tume and jdill but office // or heretike agaynis the
faith /- And thus a fals' knycht - yat is vntrewe yat dois      #
nocht
the bidding of his prince . and is contrarious' till his        #
biddingis
and opyniouns / dois grete wrang to the knychtis yat fechtis to
the dede for justice / and for the faith / and for his prince   #
and
his naturale lord / And is worthy tobe punyst vtterly /- ffor
thare is na ordre na office yat is maid . bot jt may be
vnmaid /- or ellis goddis mycht war' bot small - And than sen
the ordre of knychthede was ordanyt be god almichty and
gouernyt and manetenyt be thame yat beris the said ordre /- gif
thai yat suld gouerne the said ordre / and manetene jt /-
mysgouernys jt /. and dois the contraire /- The ordre is lytill
behaldyn to thame /. ffor thai vndo the ordre [\91v\] And thus
the wikkit king vndois nocht anerly the order' of knychthede jn
him self / bot alssua he vndois it jn his knychtis - quhen he
gerris thame do agaynis the ordre / outhir be euill ensample    #
yat
he gevis thame / doand thingis yat ar agaynis the said ordre /
or be flatery yat thai mak to thair' wikkit maister' - and      #
fals'
suggestioun to ger' thame be lufit of him / knawand yat he is
euill sett and will redily trow euill talis /. And all thus gif #
jt be
euill done / to gerr' a knycht be misgouernyt / and mysfarne
throu euill gouernaunce / jt is mekle wer' done to misgouerne
mony knychtis As thir wikkit princis dois / yat all the charge
of the misgouernaunce of all the knychtis of his realme is be
his default and negligence /- or yat thai be sa wikkit jn thame
self / yat thai geve him vnworthy counsale / to do apon his
subiectis extorsiouns be wikkitness' of tyrannye or of barate   #
or
trechery tresone to thair' naturale lordis or vnleautee till    #
his
subditis be force of thair' wikkit curage / And than is syk a
prince mekle to pris' and to love / yat knawis syk trychouris
and trompouris /- and vnworthy traytouris yat beris waste
name of knychthede yat wald counsale him and tyce him to
<P 19>
forffet and vndo the worthy . and noble ordre of knychthede
yat he has sa honourably tane / and worthily hidertillis has
manetenyt mekle honour' and worschip is jn his curage of the
prince yat sa dois /- Ande mekle suld be lufit with thame yat
beris the ordre worthily /. quhen he takis sik vengeaunce of    #
the
jnymyes of the ordre / yat throu thair' wikkit counsale wald
corrumpe his noble curage (^jtem^) the ordre of knychthede      #
standis
jn the corage / and nocht jn the corssage /- ffor ellis war'    #
the
ordre litill worth / fforquhy /. a lytill persone may quhilum
throu habilitee of corps our' cum a mekle and tak him . and
enprisoun him /- Bot a thousand men suppos' thai be neuer sa
stark may nocht our' cum na vencus' a gude knychtis curage /
And thus is the ordre of knychthede mare worthily jn the
curage na jn the corssage ffor ellis war nocht yat // the
knychthede accordit better to the body - na to the saule And
be that / the vnworthy cowartis knychtis . yat fleis jn         #
bataillis
fra thair' lordis ar nocht worthy tobe callit knychtis /- na to
bere the honour yat to worthy knychtis efferis /- ffor thai
drede mare the distroublaunce and males' of thair' corssage na
the honoure and worschip of thair' curage yat appertenis to the
ordre of knychthede of rycht /- And thus nobless' of curage is
better pertenand to knychtis na is force of corssage / Or ellis
suerenes and cowardis' jn mannis persone suld be of the
proprieteis of the ordre /- And hardynes and largess' suld be
contrarious' till jt / And that war' mekle vnresoun / Bot be    #
all
gude way of order' / quhen a gude knycht is our sett with our'
grete powar' / and lesse has of help and of falouschip to       #
supple
him . jn sa mekle suld he haue mare hye curage and mare force
of spirit / to our' cum all his aduersaris And gif he be our'
thrawin / till manetene the poyntis - and proprieteis of the
worthy ordre of knychthede /- Than has he optenyt the
honour' and the los' of the worschipfull reward and meryt of
justice / yat deis for the defens' of the rycht / and
manetenaunce of the worschipfull and meritable poyntis of the
ordre / as he yat deis for lufe and leautee / and honour' of    #
the
noble ordre yat he was ordanyt to /. ffor the wis' man sais /
yat knychthede and hardynesse may neuer langsumly duell
togider' but wis'dome and discrecioun -/ ffor [\92r\] quhare
na wis'dome na discrecioun restis / how suld thare be knaulage
of honoure /. Na how suld that persone discerne betuix
<P 20>
honorable and dishonorable act of vndertaking of worschip /
quhare wis'dome is away /- ffor wisedome will neuermare
mak fault till his honour' / And forthy is jt signifyit till    #
all
knychtis of honour' / yat a knycht may neuer be hardy / na
haue the vertues yat to knychthede suld pertene / bot he haue
wis'dome jn him /. Na thare is na man yat may sa mekle
honour' do till his ordre of knychthede / As to stand to the
vtterest with stark curage for the rycht fermely /. and neuer
consent to leve his lord . na his rychtwis' actioun to dee
thar'fore / And treuly that mon be reuglit with witt ande
resoun . and nocht be foly na ignoraunce /- ffor quhen foly and
ignoraunce is with the order' of knychthede / wit and resoun -
knaulage and discrecioun ar flemyt tharefra /. ffor . wis'dome
resoun and discrecioun - ar the ledaris and gouernouris of
cheualrye bathe jn knycht king and Emperoure / and but
wis'dome the ordre is peruertit ffor jnpossible thing jt is /   #
yat
foly and jgnoraunce gouerne that worthy ordre And than mon
jt on nede force be gouernyt be wis'dome / And thus is jt / yat
sen the ordre is reuglit be witt / and wis'dome - Than suld all
gude knychtis pres thame tobe wys' /- and sett thar'on all
thair' hert and mynde / the quhilk makis knycht sa
curageous' /- yat he doubtis nocht the dede / jn regarde of
honoure and his rychtwis' caus' yat he may / lufe and honour'
his ordre to sauf bathe saule and honour' jn the contrair' of
foly and ignoraunce - (^jtem^) office of knychthede js / to
manetene and defend wedowis maidenis faderles and moderles
barnis and pore miserable personis and piteable /- and to help
the wayke agayne the stark / and the pure agayn the riche .     #
ffor
oft tymes sik folk ar' be mare stark na thai / pelit and
derobbit / and thair' gudis tane /- and put to destructioun and
pouertee for fault of power' and defens' /- And be caus' all
sik dedis . is wikkitnes crueltee and tyranny /- Thar'for' is   #
the
ordre of knychthede ordanyt / as jn that poynt amang the lave
to gaynstand - And gif a knycht him self be the manetenare or
doare of thir thingis ./ he is vnworthy to bere the ordre for   #
his
wikkitnes / And rycht as god has gevin to the knycht pithe
hardynes and hye curage /- Rycht sa has he gevin him pitee jn
hert to haue mercj of the pure yat gretis on him - askand help
and confourt / for traist yat thai haue jn thame of help /- And
thus suld a knycht haue gude sicht to the miserable personis /
<P 21>
gude eris to here thame and gude mynde to think on thame /
yat pitously cryis apon him for help / and confourt / And he    #
yat
has nocht thir vertues / js nocht verray knycht /. na suld      #
nocht
be comptit as ane of the order' of knychthede / Alssua and the
office of knychthede / yat sa mekle is lufit and prisit and
honourit / war' till derub / and destroy the pore folk / and    #
all
sik peceable personis / and till dissaue wedowis / yat has na
defence bot god and the office of knychthede / And till
mysgouerne jn thair' gudis and heritagis and dissaue the
faderles and moderles barnis / And all thing yat war' falsate
barate wikkitnes and trechery war' poyntis of the said office /
And the office war' alsmekle honourit for euill dedis / and
wickit lyfing / as jt is now for gude dedis /- Thare suld ma
press' to tak the said ordre / and office / na thare dois       #
now /.
ffor be caus' yat the ordre is foundit apon lautee curtaisy
liberalitee / lufe and pitee / Mony of thame yat beris the said
ordre [\92v\] jrkis thar'of jn the warld yat now is /. ffor the
office of knychthede suld have stark place jn gouernaunce /
And he suld be wele horsit / and haue power' of men to kepe
the contree / and the kingis wayis /. all pilgrymes             #
trauailouris
marchandis labouraris . and suld haue the jurisdictioun of
justice jn citeis and townis - And quhen nede war' to assemble
the folk for the prouffit of the commountee / and quhen perilis
war' apperand jn the landis - to byrn mysal housis & destroye
perilous' passagis /. ger hag woddis and byg /- and mak
reperacioun of euill biggit placis castellis and wallit         #
townis /
and fortress' /. and kepe and defend all gudely personis /.
chastis' . and punys' all misdoaris and wikkit cruell personis
ffor and the contrary of thir gude poyntis war' approprit to    #
the
ordre than all gude gouernaunce wald faile /. and na man wald
be seur' ffor the office js foundit ay on gude and prouffitable
werkis yat ar' spedefull to the commoun prouffit / and to
gaynstand all thame yat settis thame for the distrublaunce of
the pore peple / and hyndering of the commoun prouffit /- and
to put doune euill and wi[{k{]kit men /- And to fauour' nuris'
and manetene gude peple ffor rycht as the hewing ax is
ordanyt to cutt doune treis yat hynderis labouragis of landis /
and cartis and chariotis and marchandices to passe throu the
forestis /- Sa is the suerd of knychthede ordanyt to kutt away
ande destroye the wikkit vnworthy wedis & ronnis of thornis
<P 22>
of euill men yat lettis labouraris marchandis and traualouris   #
to
trauale throu the warlde quhilk is as a forest / and            #
wildernes -
quhen jt is nocht wele redde / Off the quhilk euill men . suld  #
be
wedit out / be knychtis . keparis of the lawe yat gude men
mycht lyve jn lee /- And he yat is a knycht /. and dois nocht
this /. bot dois evyn the contrary /. suld be tane be the       #
prince /
or be othir worthy faithfull and honourable knychtis / and put
till dede /. ffor quhen a knycht is a revare or a thef / or a
traytour' or a murtherar' / or a lollard . scismatike or        #
heretike
or jn syk crimys opinly knawin and approuit /. Than is he
vnworthy for to lyve /- bot tobe punyst jn example of           #
otheris /.
yat defoulis that maist noble and worthy ordre /. & abusit jt
agaynis the poyntis and the proprieteis of the order' / ffor jt
war' better to syk a knycht to +gelde him self to justice /     #
tobe
punyst with mortall punycioun /. na to lyve jn sik misordinate
lyf / for to vndo him self / and otheris mony /. quhilk lesse
euill
war' yat he war' vndone allane /- and less' charge till his
saule /. ffor gif a knycht or a lord . haue all thir forenamyt
vicis jn him / or ony part of thame /. and walde punys' otheris
and will nocht punys' him self /- that is nocht the rycht way   #
of
justice /- ffor gude justice begynnis at jt self /. and syne at
othir men /- ffor grete lak is to reproue and correct otheris   #
jn
that / yat he is foular' smyttit him self /- quhilk gif he will
nocht do /. othir knychtis suld do / for honoure of thair'      #
ordre /
till hald jt euer' jn honour and worschip - as wele efferis jt
tobe / And all knycht yat fauouris syk cruell dedis / and       #
gerris
nocht punys' thame /- thai ar foule jn the dede as the doaris   #
of
thame /. ffor syk men ar nocht verray knychtis bot feigned
beris the ordre . and dois nocht the office /- ffor rycht as a
knycht had a hurt jn ane of his handis /- that hurt is mare     #
nere
and dere / to the laue of his othir membris / na jt is to me or
ane othir man /. And erar' efferis till him . to sett remede
tharejn - And rycht sa - gif a knycht misgouernis him jn syk
kynde yat he be outhir thef / or traytour revare or murderar'   #
/.
jt appertenis mare [\93r\] till othir knychtis to sett tharejn
remede / na It dois till otheris yat ar na knychtis ffor all
knychtis ar' / and suld be as a cors ./ And thar'ffore knychtis
has mare wite of the mysgouernaunce of othir knychtis . na
ony othir man has . and mare dishonoure alssua . na men yat
ar' na knychtis /- ffor jt is thair' default /. sen the
correctioune
<P 23>
efferis to the order' / and to the office /- ffor quhy he is    #
jnymy
to the ordre / yat sa gouernys //- And than suld jt wele effere
to the ordre to punys' thair' jnymyes Quharefore / thou yat art
a knycht / and will correk otheris defaultis /. Correk thine    #
awin
faultis fyrst /. ffor a traytour' thef or revare knycht /- he   #
is
alssua thef / traytour and revare till his ordre / yat revis jt #
the
worschip and the honour' yat appertenis till jt mare na to reue
othir mennis gudis /. ffor he yat stelis or revis honour' fra   #
ony
persone / bringis him hame schame and dishonour' and euill
renoune /- quhilkis honour' passis all richess' . Quhat
difference is thare to gude vnderstanding / till a traytour yat
betraisis his awin lord naturale / or his castell or his wyf /  #
or his
douchter . or his eldest sone / or slais his counsale &         #
murderis
thame /- or sik dedis dois / jn regarde of him yat euer' was
lele & trewe jn all thir thingis / and deis for his lord jn
bataill
place /- And alssua quhen a knycht defendis ane othir' yat is
fals' and traytoure till his prince / or his naturale lord /.   #
and
will nocht thole him cum to justice / nor na punycioun tobe
done apon him /- he is wer' na he yat did the dede /- And the
ordre of knychthede is dishonourit jn his persone /- yat
manetenis / and will nocht bring to justice a fals' traytour' /
And vnworthy war' yat he had justice jn keping / Ane othir
poynt of the office of knychthede / is - to accus' traytouris -
agaynis his prince / or otheris yat jt efferis /. and till      #
appelle
thame of bataill - and feicht wyth thame /- And office of
traytour' is - to deny /. his tresone /- & hyde jt / and couer  #
jt /
quhill he may /. and eschewe all prufis thar'of / And thus ar   #
the
twa curagis wele contrarious' togidder' / yat neuer curage of
traytour' mycht our' cum ane noble curage of a trew knycht /-
bot gif jt be throw pride or surquidy - yat is callit our'
presumptuous' jn him self /- the quhilk god tholis quhilom be
punyst jn bataill place /- Bot the curage of a lele knycht -    #
yat
for a lele caus' debatis . may nocht be our' cummyn /- bot gif
jt be for sum syn agaynis the ordre of knychthede /. ffor gif a
knycht wald reve fra the small peple / the gude yat god has
gevin thame and geve jt till otheris yat he aw nocht to /. that
war' agayne the office of knychthede / to tak fra lawar' na
him self / outhir moble gudis or possessiouns and hald jt as
heretage till him /. nocht gevand / na restorand agayn /. he    #
may
be lyknyt to the wolf / yat the lord gave the schepe to kepe    #
to /.
<P 24>
as till a famulyar' faa -/ Or he may be lyknyt till a fule      #
lorde
yat left his faire wyf jn keping till a +gong traytour'         #
knycht /.
Or he yat left his stark castell and his gudis till a bitter
cuuatous knycht - vntrew knycht /- And thus is he mekle to
wyte yat gevis his castell or his wyf / or his schepe jn syk
gouernaunce / Or how ane othir suld traist his gouernance jn
him yat gouernis nocht wele him self /- ffor thir ar thingis    #
yat
men suld nocht put jn misgouernaunce of fule men - his faire
wyf / his castell / and his moble gudis /- ffor commonly syk
men yat begylis thair' lordis may neuer be refourmyt na
redressit till lautee - na till honour of knychthede (^jtem^)   #
ane
othir poynt of the office of knychthede is . to halde his
armouris clene and faire / and wele at poynt / and to se wele   #
to
the gouernaunce of his hors' / and nocht to play thame - at
playes of dice & of tables [\93v\] and othir licht playis /
quhilkis
ar nocht contenyt jn the poyntis of the ordre ffor jt is        #
forbedyn
jn the lawis to mak ony ath contrary to the ordre of knychthede
na to the office /- And he yat puttis doune the principle       #
thingis
quhare with the ordre and office is haldyn at honour and
worschip - throu lycht playes or othir wayis /- he honouris
nocht wele his ordre /. ffor knycht jn weris but hors' &        #
harnais
is lytill prisit / And sen jt is sa . yat god and man acordit   #
jn the
poyntis of the ordre of knychthede / yat na fals' aythis suld   #
be
thar'jn /. na jn thame yat gouernis the said ordre suld than
nane be /. Item lordis na knychtis suld nocht brek the ath of
mariage throu misordynate lechery /. ffor that is a poynt yat
discordis with the poyntis of the ordre /. ffor thare is thre   #
gree
of chastitee / the quhylkis all honourable personis ar'         #
behaldin
till - that is ane jn mariage / ane jn wedowhede / and ane jn
maidynhede yat is callit virginitee /. of quhilk the haly writt
biddis thame yat may nocht lyve chaste /. mary thame / and
syne kepe thair' maryage / ffor gif thai do nocht / and thai
brek mariage / that brekis thair' athe to godwart / the quhilk  #
is
agayn the ordre and office of knychthede /- ffor chastitee is
vertu /. and mysordanyt lechery js vice /. And thus sen all
vertu folowis the ordre / and all vice discordis with jt /- It
syttis wele - yat princis lordis and knychtis kepe honour jn
that poynt / And namely / nocht to forffet thair' mariage /
(^jtem^) justice and knychthede acordis togeder' . and justice  #
&
mariage bresing and othir disordinate lechery discordis with
<P 25>
justice / And thus knychthede and disordanyt lechery
discordis . as apperis be the lawis of haly kirk quhilkis       #
efferis
prelatis to correct /- And thus gif a prince or a lord or a
knycht brekis mariage /. he is mare to blame / na ony of lawar'
degree /. ffor the hyar' degree / the gretter fault and mare    #
tobe
punyst jn all excess' of vertu /. (^jtem^) ane othir poynt of
knychthede is . yat a knycht suld be meke & full of clemence /
and nocht prydy na presumptuous' /- na orguillous' - ffor oft
tymes of pryde and orguille and presumpcioun cummys jniure
and discensioun /- ffor orguille js contrary to justice /. and
jnymy to concorde /. And thar'fore thare sulde na knycht be
hautayn na feir' na prydefull . na presumptuous' /- Bot euer'
with mekenes and clemence & humilitee be symple as a may
amang peple And jn his jnymyes presence be as lyoun
rampand /. ffor quhat euer' he be / yat be full of pryde and
presumptuousnes / amang vertuous' men is repute nocht for
thai ar' contrarious' to pes & concorde / & pes & concorde are
contrarious' to justice /. And sa is pride agaynis the poyntis
of the ordre /. Ande humilitee is the rute of the stedefastnes  #
of
knychthede /- ffor schortly to say knychthede acordis till all
vertu and justice /- And all thingis yat ar contrarious' to     #
vertu
and justice / ar contrarious' to the ordre and office of
knychthede /- ffor knychthede suld defend all jniuris and
wrangis / all pilleries wrang weris and tribulaciouns and suld
hald the peple jn all justice equitee - veritee and lautee /.   #
pes.
and debonair'tee / And out sched the wikkit fra the gude peple
pesable /. quhilkis gif thai do nocht / bot dois the contrarye  #
jn
thair' gouernaunce / Thai ar' contrarious' to thair' ordre -    #
and
worthy tobe punyst / Bot thare is nane yat all knawis /. na all
may punys' /. Bot the Emperoure the quhilk ordanyt
knychthede spirituale to kepe justice ordinare [\94r\] be       #
reugle
vertuous' jn pes and concorde / & justice rigorous' . yat is    #
the
ordre of knychthede / quhilk suld on force compell euill men .
and of wikkit lyf to desist and cess' fra thair' wikkitness' /  #
and
punys' thame thar'for' And thus is thare knychtis of pes and
concorde amorous' - and be reugle of justice to mak gude
reugle and gracious' concorde and gouernaunce jn the peple .
And alssua knychtis of the justice rigorous' ordanyt - to
compelle be fors of armes - all tyrannis traytouris and all
othir mysdoaris - and cruell tormentouris of the haly
<P 26>
labouraris kirk men marchandis - and traualouris - to cess'
and desist fra thair' wikkitness' . The quhilkis knychtis suld
be full of vertues and gude lyf / to geve otheris ensample

(^HEre^) spekis the doctour' of the examinacioun of the squyer'
quhilk suld entre jn the ordre newly of knychthede /. sayand
yat he suld be first examynyt be ane alde knycht yat knewe
and lufit wele the said ordre atour' all thing next god /- ffor
thare is mony princis yat rekkis nocht quhat maner' of
condicioun na of lyf / his knychtis be /. sa yat he haue grete
nomber' of knychtis jn his company ./ Bot jt suld nocht be      #
sa /.
ffor knychthede takis na hede to multitude /- bot to nobless'   #
of
cheua[{l{]erye and of curage / And of gude thewis yat we haue
before spokyn of / And thar'fore gif he yat is examynour' lufis
better multitude / na nobless' of curage / and of vertu /. he   #
is
nocht worthy tobe examynour' of squyeris /. bot suld be
reprovit / and punyst be the prince of knychthede / of his
defoulyng of the ordre of knychthede /- And first and formast
jt suld be sperit /- gif he trowis lufis /. and doubtis god /-  #
but
quhilk poynt is na man worthy till nane ordre of nobless' -
(^jtem^) gif he dredis the defaultis to do . yat dishonouris    #
the
ordre / And thus . squier' but lufe /- and but drede to do      #
mys .
is vnworthy to the ordre /. And gif he takis jt agayn thir
proprieteis and condiciouns /- he wenis he takis honour' till
him . bot he takis dishonoure ffor a squyer' but nobless' - is
nocht worthy to sa hye honour' as to the worthy honour of
knychthede / Na +git jn the weris of his prince or otheris but
hors' armouris / and sik men ar nocht habil to wyn honour jn
armes - ffor men may nocht mare cruelly destroye the noble
order' of knychthede / na till haue ane vnworthy examynoure
of the squier' yat suld entre jn the said ordre / ffor gif he
admytt to the ordre a man of vnworthy curage / that is
destructioun of the ordre / And suld a squier' examyne him
self first / and think on the mony noble proprieteis and
condiciouns of the ordre / to think jn him self gif he war'
worthy or he put him to the examinacioun : rycht as scolaris
examynit tobe prestis or greid jn scolis / suld nocht sett      #
thame
thar'fore / bot thai fand thame worthy thar'fore / ffor dout    #
thai
war' repellit / or ellis defoulit thair' greis / Rycht sa suld
bacheler' squieris jn the examinacioun of the ordre of
<P 27>
knychthede /- ffor he suld nocht alssua ask the ordre yat he
wald efter' deffoule be his euill thewis . And alssua lordis    #
yat
ar sa jnformyt yat thai will mak sik men knychtis / thai do
agaynis the poyntis of the ordre / and chargis thair'
consciencis . ffor men knawis nocht nobless' of curage jn fair'
wordis bot jn worthy werkis . Na nocht jn fair' clething / ffor
oft tymes . vnder' a faire habyte may be a full fals' hert full #
of
barate . trechery / and traysoune [\94v\] Na he takis him nocht
be his faire harnais na his faire hors' . na othir faire
habilliamentis /. ffor oft tymes vnder' syk faire habilliament  #
ar
nocht the best men of armes / and worthiast jn vertues
Quhar'fore gif thou will wale worthyast / and maist noble
man of curage / thou seke him be thir takenis / that is for to
say justice . and temperance /. force - and prudence /.         #
ffayth .
esperaunce yat is gude hope . & cheritee . and leautee /- And
be thir takenis / thou sall knawe the nobless' of curage / be   #
the
quhilkis vertues / the noble hert defendis jt fra the jnymyes   #
of
knychthede /- quhilkis ar fals'hede trechery / traysone . thift #
&
murder and syk lyke thingis / (^jtem^) our +gong men suld nocht #
be
maid knychtis / bot gif thai had gude tutouris and curatouris .
for dout of misgouernaunce of the ordre for fault of
knaulage /- ffor quhen a childe is maid knycht . he thinkis
nocht on the poyntis of the ordre yat he sueris to kepe /. And
gif the squier' yat is ressauit be the examynouris tobe knycht
and admyttit / be a rekles man and a wikkit and of vile
condiciouns /. he dois grete wrang to the ordre yat he beris -
and till him self to /. ffor and he be vencust jn barrier' / or #
he
be cowart or full of wikkit vicis - as fleand fra bataillis /-
revand or steland /. he sall neuer haue honour' na prouffit of
his ordre /. ffor rycht as jt honouris the honourable jt
dishonouris the dishonourable / Bot of all thing / a knycht     #
suld
kepe him jn all vertu to hald the mydwart / ffor a[{s{] the
mydwart is vertu / sa is the extremitee vice /- And thus a
knycht suld be of resonable gude age / yat he knaw the
proprieteis and poyntis yat he aw till haue / yat he nouthir
excede / na be our' lache jn his dede Item jt suld be sperit at
him /. quhat is the caus' yat he takis the ordre for' /         #
quhethir
for fairnes of corssage / or for hardiness' of curage /. or for
richess' - yat he may be proudly cled / Or for pryde yat he
may tak mare state na his falowis yat now is /. Or for yat he   #
is
<P 28>
wele horsit and enarmyt / Or for tobe a myrour' jn his          #
lignie /-
yat nane is sa worthy as he tobe knycht /- Item men may mak
knychtis of pure mennis sonis and thai haue gude evin jn
frendschip of lordschip /. And with that yat thai haue the
vertues foresaid /. Bot and a knycht or a lord mak ane
vnworthy creature knycht . he puttis his honour jn dangere /
yat disprisis and dishonouris the noble ordre of knychthede /.
and makis his awin honour' mare law na jt was /. ffor the
fylth . and the wrechit vnhonestee yat he has lychtlyit the     #
said
ordre /- ffor be rycht resoun of worthyness' and nobless' of
the ordre /- thare may nocht - na suld nocht na villaine curage
cum be gude evin to the said ordre /- ffor that war' be gude
resoun vndoyng of the saide noble ordre / yat is ordanyt bot
for nobless' - and gentillesse of curage / and gude vertues as
foresaid is /. and gude thewis /. ffor hye parage and anciene
honour ar the first poyntis of the rute of knychthede / yat is
cummyn fra alde ancestry and syne worthy personis with
worschipfull condiciouns & proprieteis personalis of the
knycht him self / makis mariage betuix worschipfull vertues jn
hye parage and knychthede // quhilk aw nocht to lycht bot jn
nobless' / And thar'fore and a lord mary nocht hye parage /
and knychthede togeder' - he is contrarious' to nobless' and to
knychthede bathe /- Bot a lord may put of his power'
forssablye . agayn the noble lordis and knychtis willis - a man
jn the ordre yat is nocht worthy /. Bot he may nocht vndo yat
he has done ffor suppos' yat he haue power' to mak a
knycht /. he has na power' to vnmak him [\95r\] sa mekle Is
the vertu of knychthede / ffor na man but grete caus' . and     #
juge
with princis powar' may tak honour away quhare jt is anys
gevyn - Than be resoun - jt aucht nocht tobe yat prince nor
knycht mak na knycht of ane vnworthy persone / na of villaine
lignage /- ffor wald men vnderstand . yat alsmekle is nature
honourit / as for corporale nature . jn tree and beste as jn
man ./ Bot as for nature spirituale / man is mare honourde /-
Bot be the nobless' of the spiritualitee of the saule           #
resounable /
yat acordis with angelis of hevin /- thare is grete             #
difference /
And sen nobless' of curage suld be jn all knycht /- jt may
stand . yat a man of a new sprongyn lygnye yat be honourable
and worthy jn all gentris' /- mycht be conuenable and worthy
to the ordre sa yat the vertues condiciouns and proprieteis of
<P 29>
nobless' of curage acord yartill Bot this opynioun js vntrewe
and vnworthy - ffor and that mycht be /- jt war' mare lyke
yat the ordour' of knychthede suld better' or alswele accorde   #
to
the proprieteis corporales & personalis as spiritualis . the
quhilk is fals' . ffor knycht gaynis nocht bot for hye parage
and nobless' - with the sevin vertues before namyt be the
doctour as force / prudence . justice / and temperaunce with
faith gude hope and charitee /. with leautee - yat efferis to
knychthede / (^jtem^) the examynour' suld spere of the squieris
condiciouns and maneris and gude vertues and thewis amang
the peple /- And quhat documentis and techingis thai ar' of /-
ffor the fault of gude documentis and techingis gerris
vnworthy men be reboytit / and repellit fra the examinacioun
of the jnquisitouris /. yat thai cum nocht to that noble        #
ordre /-
ffor worthy examynouris will admytt nane - bot worthy /. ffor
grete foly war' to put jn the ordre thame yat efter'wart suld   #
be
repellit for thair' misgouernaunce /- And forthy suld the       #
knycht
yat is the jnquisitour' seke wele the poyntis of nobless' and   #
of
valour' / and of the vertuous' proprieteis / and gude thewis of
the squyer' yat suld be knycht /- and quhy - and for quhat
caus' he will tak the ordre /- and quhethir jt be for meritable
caus' till jmplye him for the haly kirk / the cristyn faith /-  #
and
for the commoun prouffit for the peace and for all peceable
personis /- Or he takis the ordre for pryde /- or couatis' /-   #
Or
for tobe honourit /- Or for vane glore /- or to wyn richess'
thareby - quhilk gif he may persaue /- yat his entencioun
cummys of ane vnworthy caus' /- admytt him neuer ffor rycht
as homycide . symony . vsure and scismatyke condicioun
repellis clerkis fra benefice and honour' and all dignitee /-   #
jn
lyke cas . suld thir faultis before namyt / repelle a squyer'   #
fra
the noble ordre of knychthede yat suld haue nane affinitee /-
bot till nobless' of corage as said js /- ffor and men wald     #
wele
knaw / and consider the grete chargis and dewiteis yat folowis
the said ordre with saule perile /- and worship oft jn were
Thay suld stand grete aw to tak that noble ordre /- mare na
tobe outhir monk or frere or othir' religious' / of the hardest
order' yat is /- ffor traistis wele /. yat grete honour' beris  #
ay
grete charge /- And gretter dises' jt is - to fall fra grete
honoure agayne /. yat anys a man has bene at / na euer' jt was
joy / tobe thareat /. Quia non est tanti gaudij /- excelsa
<P 30>
tenere /- quanti est meroris de excelso cadere /- And
thar'fore knycht suld mare dout honour' na dede /- And
schamefulnes suld mare chastis' a worthy knycht /- and geve
him a hardar' passioun - and jt suld happin him /- Na sulde
outhir hunger' or thrist / or hete or calde /- or ony dises'    #
yat he
mycht haue /- And namely grete princis and lordis sonis -
suld think grete schame to wyn ane euill name for lak of thair'
condiciouns jn thair' +gouthede // gif thai thocht euer' to cum #
to
the worthy and worschipfull ordre of nobless' yat knychthede
is callit /- ffor thai may wele traist yat the name yat thai    #
wyn
jn thair' +gong age /- remaynis with thame for euermare / And
than is jt grete auenture /- and euer' thai be worthy to
ressaue that ordre /- quhen the examynouris knawis wele
thair' condiciouns /- And thar'for' [\95v\] all syk perilis     #
suld
be
schawin to the squier' or he sett him tocum to the
examynyng /- Cheualry may nocht be vphaldyn but grete
costis and als expens' on hors' harnais mete and men . and
othir necessair' thingis yat till jt appertenis And thar'for'
thare
suld na man . suppos' he war worthy /. desyre to tak the
ordre /- bot he war' a lorde / or yat he had lord to mynister
him all his necessiteis . And halde his honour abufe jn tyme of
weris - ffor ellis jn default of hors' harnais and othir
necessiteis euill sett knychtis quhen thai waunt /. assemblis   #
syk
euill men as thame selff and gerris mony ruggaris and
revaris /- and othir wikkit men destroy the commouns and
distrouble the realme - and makis mekle wrang tobe done jn
thair' default (^jtem^) men countrefait jn thair' persone na    #
our'
grete growin men . na men our' fat /- or yat has euill
disposicioun or euill sekenes jn thair' body // ffor jt war lak #
to
the makare / to mak men knychtis yat war nocht hable till
armes and to do vailliaunce jn tyme of weris /- ffor the
nobilness' of the ordre is sa worschipfull yat jt sufferis na   #
man
yat has mahaigne na demembrit / Na othir wayis mankit jn
corssage visage na membris - be he neuer sa riche /- tobe
admyttit to the said maist noble ordre - the quhilk excludis
vttraly all ignobilitee / and vilitee Item the jnquisitour'
examynour' suld mak jnquest at the squyar' / gif euer' he did
ony grete excessiue syn /. as tresoune or scisme - sorcery or
wichecraft or grete murderis or syk lyke thingis /- the         #
quhilk /
suppos' he pris' thame lytill . may lett him to ressaue the     #
noble
<P 31>
ordre jn company tobe falowe to the worthy cheualrye /- Na
+git na vaneglorious' squyare suld be na knycht / ffor vane
glore tynis the meritis of all gude vertues - Na he suld nocht  #
be
a gabusour' na a flaitour' squyar' yat suld entre jn the said
ordre / Na +git hautane na fiere jn pride /- na orguillous'
squyer' suld nocht entre jn knychthede / Ande namely
outrageous' jn word /- and sclanderous' bakbytare sulde nocht
entre jn the ordre /- na commoun leare / Na commoun vicious'
hurdomare hasartour' / commoun tauernouris full of sleuthe /-
barganouris commouns glotouns kid & knawin for syk
dronkynsum manesuorne /- and all outrageous' commoun
vicious' men - ar nocht tobe ressauit to the ordre of
knychthede /- Bot suld be repellit be the examynouris of the
ordre /- And thus suld nane be ressauit to the ordre - bot
nobles of parage /- vertuous' honest and of worthy curage /
And jn all this suld squyer' be jnquerit / or he be knycht /

(^Here^) declaris the doctour' jn quhat fassoun and maner' suld
squyer' yat walde be knycht - ressaue the ordre of
knychthede /. And as to that / the squyer' quhen he is
examynyt / and admyttit /. he suld schriue him clene of all
synnys / and defautis / yat he may think on . yat euer' he maid
agaynis god and his magestee /. and tak his sacrament /-
sayand . jn the name of the and jn entencioun to serue the /    #
and
honour' the - my souerane lord god - and thy dere moder'
mary - and all thy haly sanctis of paradis' - j tak this day .
this worthy ordre /- And this suld be done be prince or lord jn
a grete feste /- as +gule . pasche or witsonday - or all
halowmess' /- ffor the mare honourable assemble js maid
thay dayes na jn otheris /- And than sulde the squyer' fast the
fest evin ./ and wake all that nycht jn prayeris of grace       #
asking /
And otheris als suld pray for him /. to geve him grace worthily
to ressaue and kepe / and worthily gouerne the said ordre / at
the plesaunce of god and the haly court of hevin /- And on the
day before he suld pas to the kirk jn his best array as         #
efferis /
and custum of the contree is / thare [\96r\] tobe jn prayeris   #
and
to here a preching / or a proposicioun langand the said         #
mater' /
Na he suld nouthir here na speke vicious' speche . na
trompouris na janglouris - for that is lak to the ordre / And
on the morne efter' quhen he is arayed jn habyte of knychtis
<P 32>
wede / thare mon be grathit a solempne messe with note And jn
the tyme of the offeratore . he sal cum before the altare and
offer' / And syne sall he mak ane athe to the ordre till        #
honoure
jt efter' his power' jn the honour of almychtj god prince of    #
all
cheualrye / And thare jn present place suld thare be maid a     #
fair
sermoun declarand the poyntis of the cristyn faith acordand
thame to geder with the poyntis of the ordre of knychthede /-
To the quhilkis poyntis of accordauns the squier' suld tak
gude tent / and knaw thame all . and hald thame prentit jn his
hert percure with all the vij sacramentis - the x.
commandementis - the xij articles of the treuth and to kepe
him fra the vij dedely /. to all the quhilkis poyntis of the    #
faith
to kepe and honoure and fulfill at his power' jn contynent yat
he haue tane the said ordre at the honour' and reuerence of
god /- and thare to suld mak his speciale prayeris for all the
tyme of the messe /- And fra thynefurth for all his lyfdais /.
And quhen the preching is done / than sal cum furth the
prince or lord yat suld mak him knycht /- the quhilk aw of dett
tobe knycht or he mak ony knychtis . Rycht as nane may mak
preste - bot he be preste /. Sa may nane mak knycht - bot first
he be maid knycht /. sauffand the pape /- ffor how may he
geve yat he has nocht /- ffor herbes and bestis may geve thair'
nature jlkane till othir to mak thair' nature perpetuale /- Bot
sa may nocht knychtis be maid /- bot first the makare be
possessit of his gift / and of his ordre /- ffor gif ony lord   #
wald
geve the ordre / and nocht haue jt / or vnworthily geve jt      #
othir
wayis na the ordre requeris /- he dois grete dishonour to the
ordre / And thai yat takis the said ordre of thame yat has na
power' vnworthily - thai haue na grace jn the ordre to do
wele /. na prouffit to thame na otheris . And thus is the       #
squyer'
begylit / and dissauit of his ordre / And all cheualrye
sclanderit /. And than suld the squier' hald vp his handis to   #
the
hevyn . and his eyne to the hicht / and his hert to god /-      #
syttand
on his kneis /- And thare suld the prince haue the suerd redy -
of honour gylt with golde and belt jt about his sydis - jn
takenyng of chastitee . justice - & cheritee And thare the
knycht suld outhir geve him a strake with his hand - or with a
drawin suerd jn the nek to think on the poyntis and defend his
dewiteis // And syne suld he outhir kys him jn the mouth - or
ellis kys the croce of the suerd /- and geve jt him . and ger'
<P 33>
him kis jt agayne and sa put jt jn the scalbourd /- and bid him
think on his athe / ande charge yat he has vndertane / and the
honour' yat he suld manetene / And efter' yat all this seruice
of god be done /- the new maid knycht suld ryde on ane
courser' out throu the citee / or toune - and schaw him to the
peple Sa yat thai may knaw him for a knycht defendour' of
haly kirk & commoun prouffit /. and haldar' of lawe and
justice /- and mayntenour of the peple yat quhasa has ado -
thai suld draw till him for help /. And yat he suld haue        #
[\96v\]
mare raddour and drede to do mys - or oucht yat suld be
agayne the lawe euer'mare jn tyme tocum - and to sauf the
honour' and the worschip of his noble ordre /- ffor raddour'
drede and schamefulnes . js hye grace till all personis yat has
honour to kepe /- And jn that day . suld thare be grete
festyng / justing & tournaymentis . with othir actis as lissis  #
&
behurdis /. geve grete giftis / and mak grete solempnitee jn    #
the
honoure of god and the grete feste / And yat herauldis ande
kingis of armes and menstralis war' rewardit / And than suld
the prince rewarde the new knycht with landis lordschippis or
othir worthy giftis and gouernementis - till eke his estate and
help to manetene the honoure of the ordre /- And thus suld
giftis be gevin bathe till him . and be him till otheris /.     #
ffor the
ordre requeris giftis tobe gevin jn doly placis . for honoure
and worschip of lordis of estate may nocht be kepit bot quhare
giftis ar gevin - and noble actis of honour' excersit / ffor
quhare honoure is nocht kepit / order' gais bakwart /

(^Here spekis the doctoure^) of the significacioun of the armes
of the ordre of knychthede /- Now declaris the doctour - yat
as the preste - quhilk jn the mess' sayand . has syndry habitis
and habilliamentis quhilkis jlkane has a syndry significacioun
as is acordand to thair' office and ordre And yat office of
preste and office of knycht has sa grete affinitee and          #
alliaunce
togeder' . ffor quhy . yat rycht as office of preste has        #
certane
thingis yat pertenis to the ordre /- and jlkane has a certane
significacioun /- sa has the order' of knychthede /. ffor ilke
thing pertenand till his ordre . has a certane significacioun   #
be
the quhilkis is signifyit the nobless' of the ordre of
knychthede /- And first and formast / thare is to the knycht
gevin a suerd with a crossit hilt / yat signifyis . yat rycht   #
as
<P 34>
oure lord jhesu Crist vencust jn the croce /. the jnymy of
mannis lygnage / to the quhilk he was dempt throu the syn of
Adam oure first fader' / yat rycht sa suld a knycht vencus' the
fais of the croce throu the suerd /- ffor the suerd is ordanyt  #
to
do justice with /. And thar'fore is jt maid with twa egeis - jn
takenyng yat he suld manetene and defend bathe temporalitee
and spiritualitee with the double scherand suerd /- Item to the
knycht is gevin a spere - quhilk is evin / and betakenis
rychtwis'ness' & veritee ffor - as the spere is evin - And
rycht sa suld he be bathe evynlyk and rychtwis' and manetene
and defend lautee and equitee jn contrary of fals'hede and
trecherye / And the scharp hard stelin poynt of the spere hede
betakenis yat suppos' fals'hede be neuer sa wele armit /- +git
will lautee pas throu him /- and vencus' him - And be the
pennoun on the spere end - jt schawis yat veritee hydis him
nocht /- bot schawis him to fals'hede - sayand ay - quhen jt
movis /- Lo me here veritee - yat has na drede of fals'hede na
trechery And veritee is the foundement of esperaunce yat is
gude hope /- and of all othir thingis yat ar signifyit be the
spere (^jtem^) chapellat of stele alssua js gevin to the        #
knycht - jn
takenyng of drede of schame & repruf / ffor a knycht suld be
schamefull as a maydin dredand repruf /. ffor knycht or
womman but drede of schame may nocht kepe honour'
langsumly ./ na be obedient to thair' ordre /- ffor rycht as
drede and schamefulnes gerris a persone cast doune [\97r\] the
hede / and luke to the erde / sa dois the stelin hat the knycht
cast doune his eyne / And rycht as the stelyn hat kepis the
knychtis hede quhilk is the hyast membre and maist principale
of his persone /. sa kepis drede of schame the knychtis honour'
yat is the hyast poynt of his ordre / and maist principale      #
poynt
of all . The quhilk drede of schame suld haue jn jt fyve        #
wittis /
to kepe yat throu nane of thaim suld dishonour' cum /. and yat
the nobless' of his curage suld defend thai fyve wittis yat
neuer throu thame euill na wikkitness' cum . (^jtem^)           #
haubergeoun
is gevin to the knycht . jn takenyng of castell to kepe him fra
his jnymyes . yat is evill vicis ffor rycht as a castell is     #
wallit
all about with stanis togeder' junyt to kepe knycht fra his
fais /- rycht sa is the haubert to kepe him rycht sa fra his    #
fais
yat ar vicis and defaultis till his maist noble ordre of
knychthede / the quhilk is maid of mony syndry pecis as of
<P 35>
maillis (^jtem^) leg harnais is gevin the knycht yat his leggis
and
fete war' seker to passe jn the wayes & stretis and kepe thame
yat na robbouris na thevis - na murderaris vmbesett the wayes
to reve na strouble lele marchandis na labouraris men of kirk
na pilgrimys yat passis jn the contree for the commoun
prouffit of the realme /. And jn sik keping he suld be garnyst  #
jn
his armouris and his wapnis yat he mycht do scathe and take
nane (^jtem^) thare is gevin him maisse /- that is to say .     #
pollax .
jn takenyng yat he is officer' ryale /- and yat gif ony man
disobeyis till his wand /- yat he lay that maisse on thame to
hald the kingis rychtis on fut / Alssua spuris ar' gevin him jn
signifiaunce yat rycht as spuris spedis the hors' to ryn fast /
and besy jn tyme of nede quhen his jnymyes cummys nere .
Rycht sa suld knycht jn tyme of nede be besy - quhen the king
or his contree is our'sett with lourdanis and revaris or
traytouris . or oyir wikkit misdoaris /- sa yat he slepe nocht
his tyme . bot be besy and diligent jn the commoun prouffit //
Of the suerd we haue spokyn of before jn quhat takenyng and
significacioun jt is gevin /. (^jtem^) the quhip is gevyn to    #
the
knycht jn his hand quhen he is on hors' . To that
significacioun yat he suld stand aw and be obedient till his
lord /. ffor disobeisaunce vndois the knycht and brekis his     #
ordre
yat all his ofspring will forthink /. As for the jnobedience of
Adam all his of spring was punyst (^jtem^) gorgelin is gevin    #
him
jn takenyng / yat thare suld nouthir entre na jsse throu his
gorge thing yat suld be villaine . na lak thing to the honoure
of the ordre / as tobe at bidding of his lord but               #
disobeysaunce /.
and but murmur do his lordis commandementis /- and nouthir
do na consent to tresone . orguille barate - na trechery .
vnleautee na othir vice / yat may cum throu word na thocht be
the gorge outwart /- na excess' of glutony - drunkynness' na
othir mystemperaunce throu the gorge jnwart /- And thus the
gorgelyn suld kepe the knychtis gorge /. (^jtem^) masse is      #
gevin
him . yat betakenis strenth and force of curage / the quhilk
masse is lyknyt till a fals' sterap - quhilk strykis on all     #
sydis
apon all kynde of harnais /- sa dois force of curage / jt       #
strykis
on all sydis and defendis the honour' of knychthede agayne all
vicis and enforcis uertues (^jtem^) thare is gevin to the       #
knycht his
lytill schort suerd - yat sum callis misericorde jn             #
signifyand -
yat quhen he has jmplyde his spere /- his lang suerde his polax
<P 36>
his fals' sterap /. and his falow be sa nere him - yat he may
nocht help him self with nane of thay /- Than js jt gude at
schort strakis / And jt is callit outhir [\97v\] schort suerd / #
or
misericord // ffor caus' yat a knycht suld nocht all traist jn  #
his
armoure na wapnis / bot jn his awin vertu /- and jn him yat
maid him and jn his mercj / and traist yat throu his help -
quhen all wapnis ar' faillit / yat he sall saue his honour and
bring him fra the perile of dede / and dishonoure / (^jtem^)
schelde
or targe js gevin to the knycht /- jn signifiaunce / yat as     #
office
of schelde is . tobe the targe betuix the knycht / and the
strakis /- sa suld the knycht be . betuix the prince or his     #
lorde
and the strakis // as the schelde ressauis the strakis before   #
the
knycht /. sa suld the knycht before his lorde /. kepe strakis   #
fra
him - And as schelde is couplit to the knychtis brest thare his
hert is /- sa suld the knycht be till his lord bounde jn lautee #
as
till his awin hert / and is a myd moyen betuix him and his
peple / Gloues of plate ar' gevyn to the knycht . jn takenyng
yat as thai kepe his handis fra strakis - & woundis /. and
manglyng / throu the quhilkis the body mycht be tynt /- Sa
suld he kepe his handis /. yat he geve na faith na athe - na    #
'mak
nane condicioun na obligacioun agayn his lord - ffor than war'
he vndone /. And as knycht liftis his wapnis mare seurely and
traistly yat his handis ar enarmyt / Sa suld he lift mare       #
seurely
to god almychtj yat he be enarmyt / yat his handis wirk na
misgouernaunce jn taking of wrangwis' gudis . na strykyng of
vnlefull personis na making of vnlefull condiciouns /- and
vnlefull touchingis // na put his handis jn vnlefull placis /-
The sadill yat he rydis jn . betakenis sekernes yat he be nocht 
lychtly put by his purpos' . sa kepis the sadill him /. yat he  #
be
nocht lichtly put fra his hors /- ffor quhen he war' doune
strykyn /. than war' his honour lawe /- And rycht as he is
ferme /- and seker jn his sete /. sa suld he be ferme and seker
jn his curage jn justice lautee nobless' veritee and            #
charitee //
ffor throw seuretee of a gude hardy knycht - mony gude dedis
ar' done - throu gude hardy men of armes /- and mony
cowartis ar declarit /- quhen hardy men ar' approuit /
vantouris . and vaynglorious' men - yat dar nocht be sene /
quhare the hardy and worthy knychtis apperis jn worthynes jn
bataill place /- And thare fortune enforsis hardyness' /- And
as the sadill with the grathe yat langis jt /- haldis him ferme
<P 37>
yat he movis nocht for na strake of spere of jnymy /. sa suld
fors' of curage kepe him yat he move neuer again gude faith -
na resoun /- and bow nocht with vice agayn vertu /- And as
the hors beris grete charge of the armyt knycht /- and sadill
and harnais - sa beris the knycht be vertu of his ordre grete
charge /- the quhilk he suld nocht lychtly be movit fra . And
as he is sett apon a hie sadill abone a hye coursour' /. sa     #
sulde
his courage be hye to defend the rycht /- and manetene the
poyntis of his maist hye and noble temporale ordre /. And
thar'fore is courser' gevin him or destrere to betakyn nobless'
and hicht of curage yat knycht sulde haue abone all othir
peple /. sen he has bathe maist hye and noble order' / and syne
maist noble habilliament of armoure /- and syne maist hye and
noble hors /- sa sulde he haue maist hye and noble curage
with force to pass' all otheris jn vailliaunce of armes and
honoure / And tobe sene abone all his men . and mare fer' of
sa yat men yat had nede of his help /- suld se him of fer' to
draw till him for help /- (^jtem^) his coursere or destryere    #
has
bridill gevin till him with irne bytt jn the mouth /. and       #
reynis
jn
the knychtis hand /- sa yat the knycht may refreyne the
hors /- yat he pas nocht away with him /- And that jryn bitt jn
mouth betakenis / yat he suld refren+ge his mouth fra bathe     #
evill
[\98r\] vicious' speche and euill thouchtis / And be the reynis #
is
betakenit / yat he suld hald his handis vndefoulit / or fylit 
with our' vilaynous' dedis / or yat he be our' large to geve    #
till
othir' yat he haue nede him self / and yat he be nocht sa lycht
of striking with his handis yat thare be na discrecioun jn his
dedis / and yat be thai reynis he suld be led with pure folk -
yat war' nede bestad of help . quhare thaire nedis war' to
trauaile to help thame / And yat he war nocht our' narow na
nedy yat he had lak tharethou /. nocht to spare his gude / and
spend his honour And yat he be of handis hardy to defend him
fra his fa . & doubte nathing ffor our' grete doute makis
knychtis haue la[{c{]he curage - (^jtem^) the hors' hede is
bundyn with ane hede stele of the bridill - jn that kynde yat   #
he
suld do nathing bot be ordynaunce of the knycht yat efferis     #
till
cours' of armes /. and bot be resoun / And the hede of the hors
gais before / and is bundyn to do resoune Sa suld the resoun ga
before all dede of armes and othir actis honourable yat he
dois /. And as his hede stele byndis his hede to resoun /. sa   #
dois
<P 38>
resoune the knycht / and kepis his worschip /- Alssua the
knychtis hors is enournyt with harnais before and behynd / on
his body /. sa efferis jt to knychtis tobe honourably enournyt
with honourable clething /- and alsa with vertues
honourable / And be caus' yat sum hors' ar enarmyt with sik
harneis as efferis to defend thair' corps fra harmes /. sa suld
knycht be enarmyt with richessis of temporale gudis /- or
ellis he may nocht gudely do his worschip nouthir jn pes na jn
were / And oft tymes gerris mony reueryes and wrang
wynnyngis be /. ffor clerkis sais /. (\quod propter jnopiam     #
multi
deliquerunt &c\) (^jtem^) jakkis war' ordanit to knychtis thai
tymes of +geris /- yat war' of grete solempnitee of sylk abone
all thair' harnais / yat signifyit grete trauailis yat efferis
till him
to do . ffor rycht as the jakkis ar abone the hauberkis and
ordanyt nerest bathe wynd and rayn and othir stormys / sa suld
a knycht for the peple susteyne all stormes & trauailis for
thame /. sa yat all mysterfull and peceable personis yat had
myster suld throu him haue reconfourt and refuge at nede for
the honoure of noble yat ordanyt that noble ordre /- for that
caus' tobe a protectour' and ane aduocate of all pore
miserable and peceable personis /. The quhilkis be the
nobless' and the creacioun of the ordre /- he is ordanyt to
defend manetene / and halde jn thair' richtis quhen thai haue
mister / and thai be requerit /. Quhilkis knychtis suld erar'
expone thame outhir tobe dede / or prisonare / or woundit sare
or he left thame but help yat ar' vnder' thair' cure and sauf
garde /- Be the quhilkis poyntis of the ordre / men may se /
yat knychtis be vertu of thair' ordre has a grete charge /-
quhat of justice halding /- quhat of thair' landis gouernyng
and of thair' peple mayntenyng /- and of thai peceable personis
defending / As ar kyrk men . and maidnis fra fors' and
ravisyng /- wedowis and faderles and moderles barnis fra
suppresing / labouraris marchandis and traualouris fra
distroubling and all peceable personis fra fors and wrangwis'
vexacioun . Efter' this takyn of armes to bere js gevin the
knycht jn his schelde /. or jn his cote of armes or othir       #
wayis /-
sa yat he be knawin and kend jn bataill be otheris sa yat gif   #
he
dois wele / he suld haue honoure and worschip /. And gif he
dois [\98v\] evill . he suld haue dishonour' and disworschip /
and sik as efferis till ane jnymy of the ordre of knychthede /.
<P 39>
ffor gif he be vailliaunt / and hardy jn bataill - or he be
feigned slak and cowart / & flee fra his lord jn bataill        #
(^jtem^)
baneris ar gevyn - bot that is bot to kingis and princis /      #
Erllis
dukkis - marquis vavassouris barouns and knychtis
bannerollis And thus quhen a baroun baneroll has mony
knychtis vnder' him . thai aw to diffend thair' lordis landis   #
and
his lyf and his honoure /. ffor the honour' of knychthede       #
standis
jn that / yat he be lufit lovit / prisit / honourit and doubtit
with
the prince lordis and peple of the realme /. ffor the honour'   #
of
lordis and princis standis jn the pluralitee of mony
worschipfull and honourable knychtis /- And as knychtis of
honour' ar honourde with princis lordis and peple / for
hardyness' noble curage vertu and worthyness' yat thai haue
wonnyn with thair' princis lordis & maisteris honoure jn thair'
+gouthede /. Rycht sa ar vnworthi cowartis . full of tresone
ande fals'hede / barate and trechery / and othir vicious' lyf /
suld be haldyn as dish[{on{]ourit and vnworthy tobe amang
thame yat ar honourable jn the said ordre and mare tobe
blamyt na othir lawlyar' folk / suppos' thai had done mys

<S SAMPLE 2>
<P 73>
(^Here declaris^) the philosophour' / how kingis and princis    #
suld
tak thair' [\110v\] recreaciouns and deduytis / and thair'
plesauncis quhilkis ar' leffull & but repruf O maist noble
Emperour' Alexander' . jt efferis wele till a prince tobe       #
seruit
with lele seruandis / till his prince / and hamely officis of   #
his
secretis /. with the quhilkis he suld tak his recreaciouns /    #
And
thai suld be the maist traist yat mycht be foundyn - And als he
suld oft tymes here the soundis and melodious' noys' of diuers'
jnstrumentis of musyk ./ And namely quhen he war' jn grete
penseis of thouchtis and of cogitaciouns displesant / yat       #
gerris
oft tymes a prince cum our' fer' jn malancolye yat may hynder
his hele and his growth /- ffor sik melodious' soundis of musik
gerris the mankynde tak dilectacioun naturale / and gerris his
spiritis naturale rest fra all vexacioun of mynde /. And all
thouchtis rycht sa restis & euanyschis fra syk remembraunce /
<P 74>
And all the corps is the mare strenthy /- And thar'for' gyf
thou will delyte the jn syk plesaunces /- but lak thou may vs'
thame betymes as may be sene spedefull to thy discrecioun -/
Bot luke yat this be done honestly and secretly /- And quhen
thou art jn syk plesaunce / and solace /. abstene the fra grete
excess' of drinking / bot lat otheris do thair' awin            #
plesaunce /
& fen+ge the till haue maid sum excess' - yat thou may mak na
mare /- and gerr' thame trow thou drinkis /- quhen thou sall
mak bot maner' /- And sa sall thou gerr' otheris be blythe /-
and kepe thy countenaunce and thy temperaunce fra all
excess' - And than sall thou here thame jn thair' blithenes
speke / and mak collacioun of thingis yat thou may tak
vnderstanding of thair' secretis /. and thai nocht of thyne /   #
bot
do nocht this oft / bot gif jt be four' or fyve tymes jn the
+gere /- And than sulde thou haue sum of thy speciale men yat
thou traistis mekle jn . about the jn that place of thy secrete
and traist famuliaris /- The quhilkis suld report to the all    #
thing
yat is done / or said of the jn all the parties of thy realme / 
And quhen thou art amang thy barouns - do ay maist honour
to the maist wys' and worthy personis /. and ger' ordane thair'
estatis /. and hald thame thare at And ger' summound to thy
hall to mete and drynk -/ ane to day /- ane othir to morne /
and sa furth euerilkane efter' othir . and leue nane . na thou  #
do
thame honour jlkane jn thair' degreis /. and hald talking and
collacioune than with thame /- And thus sall thai lufe the /.
and thou sall knawe the condiciouns / and the wis'dome of
euerilkane be him self /- And thus sall all the lordis and      #
noblis
of thy realme - knawe the worthynes / and the wis'dome of
the /- and the largess' of thy curage yat be euer' opyn - and
redy to mak thame gude chere /. and hamely till euerilkane jn
thair' degreis / And jn all this . thou suld haue jn the
discrecioun and countenaunce and mesure And of all thir kepe
the yat thou laugh neuer our' hiely and our' oft tymes ffor jt  #
is
a thing rycht euill sittand jn a prince / or ony persone
honourable And traist wele yat mekle lauchter gerris a persone
sone seme alde - and lakkis reuerence and honouris - and
engenderis vilipensioun - and lichtlynes quhen jt excedis

(^HEre^) declaris the noble philosophour' how princis sulde mak
punycioun [\111r\] of mysdoaris efter' the cas' - and efter'    #
the
<P 75>
state of the personis / Alexander' maist hye and michty
Emperour' / thou suld wit yat all men suld honour' thair' lord
our' all otheris . and namely jn his awin propre court /. and   #
sa
suld the lord honoure his naturale men jn his court / and
consistore abone othir / sa thai be gude men And gif thai be
mysdoaris / he suld ger' punys' thame efter' thair' desertis /
and efter' the qualitee of the persone /- sa yat otheris tak
ensample to kepe thame fra syk mysdedis /. and tobe mare
dredand to brek the lawis / And wit thou Alexander' faire
sone / yat all othir wayis . suld be punyst a notable man na a
man of lawar condicioun /. ffor jt efferis wele till a lorde    #
tobe
rigorous' jn execucioun of justice and tobe discrete to         #
discerne
betuix statis of personis / and the qualitee of the dede And
betuix soueraine and subgettis -/ And thar'to spekis
Esculapius /- yat all men ar behaldyn to lufe thair' king / and
thair' prince / and to honour' him maist next god and his
sanctis /- And sais - yat the egill is lyknyt till a king / as
lorde
& soueraine amang all foulis /. and has jn sum part syndry
condiciouns efferand to princis estate Bot quhen a king fyndis
ony mysgouernaunce jn his realme or jn his houshalde / he
suld ger' jnquere gyf jt be done jn playing or disporting / or
othir wayis jn lychtly contempt / of ony persone / nocht jn
felouny / & sa suld jt be poinyst / And gif jt war' done        #
agaynis
the magestee ryale / jn fellouny and forethocht felouny / jt
sulde be punyst to the dede /- ffor quhen ony man dois
dispising / or ony villany / or ony grete excess' to the        #
prince /.
or oucht yat belangis his maiestee / jt requeris dede but       #
mercj .
gif jt be done be his awin subiectis and legies /. And as to    #
haue
knawlage of that /. Alexander' fair' sone / thou suld
vnderstand . yat jn four' maneris of wis' thou may vnderstand
gude obeysaunce of subiectis to thair' souerane // ffirst jn    #
fair'
maner' halding till him /. to pray tenderly to god for him -    #
and
to haue grete luferent till him - To mak him grete honour and
worschip /- Alexander' - fair' sone . draw to the at all thy
power' the hertis of thi subiectis - and thair' curagis / And
kepe tobe nocht jrefull - na jniurious' agaynis thame /-
thouche thai speke quhilum with the /- and othir quhilis
agaynis the /- And vnderstand wele yat peple will speke
lichtly of lytill evyn /- And thar'fore kepe the wele / yat     #
thou
mak na caus' yat suld geue thame mater' na occasioun to
<P 76>
speke agaynis the ony thing / And sa may thai say rycht
nocht - yat may greue thy magestee /- na +git nocht wirk na do
agaynis the / quhen thare is na caus' /- ffor thare is nane sa
gude helyng of counsale /- as to do nane euill - And traist
wele / Alexander' fair' sone /. yat a rype discrecioun with
gude deliberacioun - is a grete glore to the dignitee / ryale   #
or
othir dignitee / and reuerence to the lordschip and exaltacioun
of a realme And the maist hye prudence and wys'dome yat ony
prince may haue / js to put payne and study /. to fynd the
wayis to ger' his peple lufe him / & to do him reuerence / and
jn drede and raddoure /- ffor jt is callit hye prudence jn a    #
king
to ger' him haue all this - lufe drede & reuerence of his
peple /- bot anerly to delyte him jn keping of the lawe &c

(^Here^) declaris the philosophour' to quhat thing princis ar'
comperit // And to [\111v\] that he sais . yat a prince or a    #
king
may be comperit to the rayne / ffor the rayne beris the
benedictioun of god /- and callit is be the grace of god - the
benediccioun of the hevyn /. the lyf of the erde / and the      #
grouth
of all fruytis yat ar here engenderit / and create /- And nocht
gaynstandand - yat the rayne is prouffitable /- +git cummys
thare with the rayn grete thonder and fyre flaucht / and mony
othir vexaciouns of grete wateris & speratis yat tormentis
the peple / and dois mekle euill oft tymes /. drownis men -
beris away cornis & hayis and hale housis . and othir gudis .
And +git nocht than - the peple lettis nocht for that / to lofe #
&
serue god /. ffor by all this . he sendis thame rayne yat dois
gude jn the gude sesoun of the +geris . yat dois thame grete
gude / and grete prouffit // and gerris thame for+get the       #
scathis
yat thai haue had throw jt / And sa dois a king / the commoun
prouffit till all men . quhen he kepis lawis /- Bot nocht       #
than .
jt dois grete scathe to sum men yat ar punyst be justice /. &
sum slayn . sum prisounyt /- sum thair' gudis tane And +git
lettis nocht the peple forthy / to love and lufe thair' king &
drede him and honoure him -/ ffor thare wald cum nane euill
jn this warlde to naman war jt nocht foreseruit for thair'
demeritis /- And +git comperis he a king to the wyndis quhilkis
dois grete gude alway till growand thing /- ffor but jt thai
mycht nocht wax / & +git na schippis saile /. and mony othir
behufull thingis Bot +git dois jt mekle scathe as all men       #
wate /
<P 77>
drownis schippis schakis cornis - brekis stepillis and kirkis /
and brekis treis with mony othir euill thingis and +git lettis
nocht the peple to pray to god to send gude wynd /- and lovis
him of all his giftis gracis and werkis /. ffor men suld
vnderstand yat the hye disposicioun of the conduyte / and the
gouernaunce of this warlde . the quhilk is throu divine
sapience prefixt and ordanyt tobe sa wele and perfytely / yat
better may nocht be deuisit / na ymagynyt /. he has ordanyt
certane landis for certane creaturis jn certane disposicioun to
serue his creaturis /- and gouerne and manetene And rycht sa
has he ordanyt kingis and princis tobe apon the peple to
fauo[{u{]r' & nuris' sum . and othir sum to punys' /- And +git
comperis he the king to wynter' and to the somer' / ffor as
the somer' gerris all fruytis cornis and othir creaturis wax    #
and
grow to mannis behufe / and all thing with his hete nurisis -
quhill jt cum to the hicht /. sa dois the hete of somer' agayne
with the chelle calde of wynter' puttis all thai fruytis and    #
treis
and flouris all to nocht - and destroyis thame vtterly / And
thus ar' the tymes of somer' and wynter' bathe doare &
vndoare to all erdly thing yat growis vnder' the hevyn / And
rycht thus is jt of the prince yat dois and vndois kepis ane .
and slais ane othir /- dois prouffit till ane and scathe till   #
ane
othir as caus' requeris /. dois to sum plesaunce /- to sum
displesaunce / And thus gais the warlde

(^Here spekis the^) noble philosophour' of the grete pouertee   #
of
all mankynde And how grete princis and kingis - thouch thai
haue gete office and charge / +git ar' thai bot men - and
mankynde mon endure /- and how thai suld be of grete drede
to scayle and sched mannis blude / our' reklesly / O
Alexander' faire sone / and gentill Emperour' / do all thy
diligence to [\112r\] enquere and spere of the grete necessitee #
of
the poure and schamefull creaturis of mankynde yat feble ar' /
and jn grete nede / and ordane lele men yat lufis thy saule to
jnquere of thame / and speke with thame / and do thame
humanitee for the reuerence of almychty god ./ And thai gude
mercifull dedis yat thou sall ger' be done to thame sall ger'   #
the
be lufit bathe with god and with thy peple / And se yat thou
ger' thy providouris of all thy prouisiouns be ay jn all thy
countreis providit of cornis and othir prouisiouns nedefull
<P 78>
atour' all commoun cours' of otheris prouisiouns - bathe for
thy necessitee / and of thy peple / gif jt befallis be auenture
ony
derth or hunger' jn thy landis . yat bathe thou may lyve jn
honour / and help to suplee sum of thy peple /. yat thou maist
salbe behaldyn to /. And than ger' opyn thy housis of
prouisiouns of cornis and wynis and othir nedefull thingis / &
mynister help to thy peple as caus' requeris / And this thou
may do / and jt salbe comptit to the grete witt and prudence /
and grete honour' and prouffit /. & saufing bathe of mony
saulis and lyfis of thy peple / and sall teche othir be thyne
ensample to gouerne sa jn othir tymes /- And than will thay
bathe doubte the & lufe the /. sayand this lord is worthy tobe  #
a
prince /- yat seis sa ferr' before the perile / and settis
prouisioun be his prudence /- And +git fair' sone Alexander' j
requere the /. to think on all my documentis and techingis /    #
And
namely that thou be peceable & sparum of mannis blude /
ffor jt is the thing yat plesis maist to god ./ and maist       #
efferis
till a noble prince to do // for god . yat kennis the secrete
thouchtis of mannis hert will reward the thar'fore jn thy grete
nede /- ffor suppos' thou be a king / and ryall Emperour' /     #
+git
art thou bot a man - & mankynde mon folowe /. And schape
the nocht to take the office of god the makare to wrangwis'ly
vndo the mankynde yat he has maid till his awin propre
semblaunce /- ffor we rede of ane rycht noble philosophour'
callit hermogenes /- quhilk sais jn his bukis notablez /. yat
quhasa slais ane othir creature of his awin kynde and nature -
slais him self / ffor he slais the verray semblance of god yat
he is maid efter' . And than cryis all the angelis and vertues  #
of
hevin - vengeaunce of that crueltee /. sayand . syr' syr' / thy
seruand schapis tobe falowe to the /. yat but resoun will sla
thy semblaunce / yat thou has maid And than ansueris the
hevynnis on goddis behalf /- Suffre +gou till the tyme ffor
traistis wele . he yat slais salbe slayn /- ffor quhy /- the
vengeance is jn my hand /- the quhilk j sall tak /- yat all the
uertues of the hevyn the misdedis of the wikkit / quhill he
haue tane vengeaunce of thai misdoaris of quhilkis thair'
punycioun is ordanyt jn endles perpetuale payne

(^Here declaris the noble^) philosophoure how jt efferis wele   #
to
kingis and princis /. to haue and ger' rede before thame oft
<P 79>
tymes alde anciene noble stories /- the quhilkis encrescis      #
thair'
wis'dome and mendis thair' lyfis /- O noble and maist worthy
Emperour' thou suld vnderstand . yat thou sulde haue
knaulage and vnderstanding of all maner' of warldly thingis /
& hevinly jn alsfer' as to the efferis /- ffor thou has         #
provit / &
experimentit mony merualous' and euill thingis / And forthy
suld thou haue jn mynde jn thy noble [\112v\] remembraunce
the glorious' dedis of thyne ancestris and forebearis of al
ancienetee . and thou suld ger' rede jn thy presence bathe
cronykis & histories . jn the quhilkis thou sall nocht fail+ge  #
to
fynd mony notable and worthy ensamplis . of alde anciene
faderis of armes wele techit and jnstruct jn the actis of
nobless' / to geue the ensample and jnstruccioun to wis'ly
gouerne the jn mony thingis yat now ar' werefull to the /- And
traist wele thou sall fynd thare mony thingis yat sall the geue
mony gude auisementis bathe of were and of pes / of tyme
bygane yat sall mak the wysar' to eschew perilis / and gouerne
the mare wisely jn tyme tocum . And specialy j requere the /
yat thou despis' neuer lawar' persone na thy self na mare
vnlikly . na mare symple creature /. ffor thou wate nocht /-
quhen god may mak of a pore riche / and of a foule vnlikly -
quhilum full mychty to help or to hynder'

(^Here declaris^) the philosophour' how all princis kingis and
nobiles suld kepe gude faith jn all condiciouns and
appoyntmentis yat thay mak till all creaturis /- Alexander'
faire sone /- our' all the thingis yat may be jn this warlde /-
kepe wele yat thou fail+ge neuer of thy hechtis . aithis na
promessis yat thou makis of condiciouns or alliaunce /- and
brese neuer thy leautee for nane erdly thing /- ffor that may   #
be
callit woman kynde to brek lautee And thar'fore our' all        #
thing /
kepe thy condiciouns / and ligis yat thou confermes be thy
lautee /. ffor ay to fraude thare folowis foule ende - how lang
yat euer' jt byde /- na quhat gude yat be apperaunce yat euer'
cum thar'of / be tymes ffor thou knawis wele / yat be the faith
and leautee of men /. all congregaciouns of men . and vnioun
of citeis and wallit townis is manetenyt / and vphaldyn And
alsa . be athe and faith and lautee - castellis ar kepit / &    #
stark
fortressis and wallit townis /. and all regne and dominacioun -
and othir gouernaunces ar sekerit confermyt / and vndoutably
<P 80>
kepit /- ffor & fayth and leautee war' away fra men jn this
warlde /. all wald be nocht / bot turne agayn as to the
begynnyng of the warld - to that jlke state yat thai war' at    #
the
begynnyng of the warlde that is to say . to the semblaunce of
vnresonable bestis /. And thar'fore Alexander' thou worthy
and maist lele Emperour' yat thou kepe thyne aithis - & thy
sacramentis condiciouns and appointmentis - and all thyne
alliauncis /- all be thai neuer sa scathefull . na sa hynderand
na greuable And think apon that / yat heremogenes sais jn his
wryttis . yat euerilke man jn this erde has twa angelis kepand
him . ane on his rycht hand / and ane on his left hand . to     #
tell
his werkis to god almychtj / and tobe witnes agaynis him jn his
euill dede /. and with him jn his gude dede /. And be this a
poynt wele aw the man to kepe him fra vicis and dedely
synnis /. O faire sone - Alexander' - quha constreynis the /-
or compellis the to suere sa oft / as thou sueris - Bot traist
wele . yat jt is agaynis gude thewis and vertues to suere /-    #
bot
gif jt be throu grete necessitee /- And yat a man be with grete
jnstance requerit or chargit be the justiceris -/ Or yat thou   #
be
requerit be thy grete counsale / and for rycht grete caus' /-
ffor a king sulde nocht lychtly suere /. na hecht nathing / bot
yat he will halde /- ffor suering is mare propre to thir' licht
men of euill lyf / and to subiectis & bonde men yat gevis
[\113r\] na force / quhat yat thai say / na suere / suppos'     #
thay
brek thair' athe / Bot till a lele man . jt is dede /- And gif  #
thou
will wit / quhy /. the realmes of the Albanois and of the
Sacienis was destroyit / j sall tell the for quhy /. It was .   #
be
caus' . yat thai with fraude and decepcioun . maid couenantis
and bandis of thair' allyancis betuixt thame /- and othir       #
citeis
thair' nychtbouris . And thair' kingis / and princis suore      #
grete
aithis to kepe thai bandis and condiciouns /- and jn thair'     #
hertis
was feynyt / and fals' . and thocht nocht to kepe thame /. bot
maid thair' athe jn fraude and barat / and jn entent of
decepcioun to dissaue thair' nychtbouris of the next citeis /   #
and
brak thair' contractis and condiciouns /. and did evin the
contrair' / And sa at the last /- god mycht nocht suffer' thame
na langar . knawand thair' malice / And gaue power' to thair
jnymyes yat thai wald haue destroyit / till our' cum thame /-
And thar'fore Alexander' fair' sone - tak gude tent to my
<P 81>
wordis / and my techingis bathe of before / and yat j sall say
the jn tyme tocum . and lichtly nocht my sawis

(^Here declaris the^) noble philosophour' how kingis and        #
princis
suld ger' mak scolis jn thair' realmes /. and founde citeis /
and multiply clerkis & sciencis Alexander' . faire sone ./ be
souerane lord of the dede /- And suppos' thou haue tholit a
thing passe / yat is nocht for thy prow /. Repent the nocht /
quhen it may nocht be wele amendit / ffor all syk thingis ar'
condiciouns of wommen / or of man yat is of feble curage and
mutable /- And do na thing yat thou walde nocht yat all men
wist / & suppos' thay wist / thou had na dishonour - na lak of
that dede /. Be alwayis courtais and kepe wele thy tong et jn
syk gouernaunce thy realme salbe seker - and wele defendit /
and thy fais confoundit /. And leue nocht behynd / yat jn euery
grete citee of thy realme - thou ordane gude placis gaynand
for scolis /- And yat thou commytt thair' gude worthy . and
wis' clerkis tobe maisteris - And ger' commaund till all men
yat ar' of powere to send thair' barnis to the lare /. And      #
thame
yat thou seis ar habilest to prouffyte /- help & forthir thame  #
to
contynewe /. and do thame sum courtasy /- yat otheris may
tak ensample to prouffit / jn sciencis / and to cum to
perfectioun of clergy /- And ay that sall geue otheris          #
occasioun
to prouffit mare and mare /- and sa sall thy realme cum jn
honour vertu / and gude gouernaunce throw thy prouidence
and god sall +gelde jt the / and thy peple sall honoure the and
lufe the /- And gif thai wryte to the /. or makis the ony
request /- here thair' prayeris /- and wryte graciously agayne
to thame /- and ay do honoure and loving to the maist wys'
and worthy men /- and that sall encress' thair' bountee /. and
the honour and worschip doublis ay agayn to the /- And ay
halde thame yat maist worthy and wys' clerkis ar' / nerest and
derest to the /- and do ay maist for thame /- and than sall     #
thou
move thame yat ar wis' . forto extoll thy name and thy
worschip our' all contreis jn thy lyve /. And sa sall thou wyn
gude renoune / yat we spak of before / yat sall remane efter'
thy dede / And thus sall thou haue honour - bathe dede / and
quyk /- And than sall thai put thy gude dedis - jn writt / and
jn cronyclis tobe jn perpetuale remembraunce - the quhilk
salbe repute to the rycht grete wis'dome and sapience /- And
<P 82>
be this sall the honour of thyne empire be mare fairly
extollit /- And thy court salbe enlumynyt with wis'dome and
clergy euermare /- & mare /- the quhilk is the glore of thy
croune /- and thyne empire /- Quham trowis thou Alexander'
[\113v\] to haue put jn memore and wrytt / the worthy mennis
dedis / and thayr' gouernance of tyme by gane / na sall do jn
tyme tocum . and maid thar'of stories and cronycles / bot grete
clerkis & studyaris jn scolis of sciencis - yat war' wys' and
worthy men -/ the quhilkis seruit to lordis tobe jn             #
honourable /
and worthy remembraunce /- and had of thame yat war'
princis jn the tyme mony worschipfull and honourable
rewardis // As we rede of a grete lordis douchter /- quhilk was
sa techit jn science of clergy /- and namely jn naturale
philosophy / and Astronomy yat scho knew - the cours' of the
+geris . dayes monethis and sesouns /- and all thair' maneris /
and als the cours' of sternis and planetis . with the           #
proprieteis
of the signis of the +godyac / and the caus' of the schorting   #
and
le[{n{]thing of the dais and the nychtis /- with the caus' of
coniunctiouns / and the diuers' movingis of the planetis . and
the kyndis of the constellaciouns and schortness' of cerclis    #
with
the kyndis of diuers' condiciouns of jnfluencis of the hevin /-
quhilkis throu thaire jnpressiouns steris all naturale thingis  #
to
generacioun / and corrupcioun - waxing and wanyng /. ledis
conditis . and gouernis all thair' operaciouns yat vnder' the
hevyn js engenderit /. be the quhilkis scho knewe and coud
juge of thingis yat was to cum be naturale cours' of the said
coniunctiouns / and mony othir thingis / yat naturale
philosophy schew hir clerely /- And thar'fore sen jt is thus .  #
yat
a woman coude consaue sik suteltee of naturale science /-
quhilk has nocht commounly - sa rype wit / as man - Thus js
jt to presume / yat thou quhilk has sa noble a witt / may
ressaue knaulage jn the of syk thingis better na ony womman
be rycht wayis and documentis of nature / and sa tocum to
gude perfectioun of science - to gouerne thy dedis jn tyme to
cum as efferis

(^Here declaris^) the philosophour /. how lordis na princis     #
suld
nocht trowe the counsale of wommen na gouerne be thame /
bot gyf thai had first assayit / and knawin thair' counsale
gude /. na +git jn a medicinare . allane na prince suld lepyn   #
his
<P 83>
hele jn tyme of nede / O Alexander' fair' sone . kepe wele yat
thou haue na traist jn wommenis werkis /. na jn thair'          #
wordis /.
na gouerne the nocht be thair' counsaile /. And gif jt cumis
apon a nedefors' . yat thou behufis to trow ane /. trow jn hir'
yat thou has knaulage of hir lautee /. and gudelynes of
before /. ffor quhen a womman tretis thy gouernaunce /. traist
wele thy persone is jn perile /. no mare to pris' . na the lyf  #
of a
calf put jn hir keping /. Thar'fore flee as poysoun thair'
venymous' condicioun mortale / ffor thai begyn nocht newly /
tobe jnymyes to mankynde /. Bot jt is thing knawin of lang
tyme syne / and notoire till all men /. As be alde stories .    #
men
may knawe // how mony honourable and worschipfull princis
kingis & patriarchis has bene throu thame vndone /. quhat be
poysouns . quhat traysouns /. quhat othir wayis vndone /. and
thair' dais schortit / and schamyt / thair' honouris loste /.   #
and
thair' lyfis tynt / be the mekle malice . yat jn thame          #
amovis -/
quhen thai the kepe jn thair' cure /. thou art nocht wele       #
kepit /
Bot faynde with fairnes to flee before thai the fang /.

(^Here^) declaris the noble philosophour /- how kingis and
princis sulde nocht [\114r\] traist jn a medycinare anerly /    #
bot
gif thai war' ma - sayand thus /- Alexander' faire sone . of
ony wis' . kepe the / yat thou may out of the handis of a
medicinare anerly Bot gif jt befall yat thou haue nede of
medicyne / tak the be the leste ten medycinaris the best yat
may be foundyn /. and lat thame consider thyne accident of
malady ./ and lat thame nocht ga seueraly /- bot ay togeder' -
quhill thou haue done with thame /. and tak neuer medicyne of
thair' hand . bot mony of the maist sufficient acorde jn the
medicyne geving /- ffor ane him allane may sone be tretit to do
the a villany /- quhare mony may nocht / be sa lychtly tretit
bot sum of thame sulde lufe thyne honoure / and thy lyf /- and
discouer the laue And als to ches' the droggis and gader thyne
herbis - thou suld tak traist men and of gude knaulage /. and
syne ger' thame be gouernyt & temperit the worthiest of thy
medicinaris - syndry or be all togeder' to melle thame be
weicht & be mesure as efferis /- And I pray the faire sone .
think on - how the quene of jnde send the mony jowellis and
speciale presentis /- amang the quhilkis thare was send the a
maidyn rycht ferly faire /- quhilk jn hir +gouth had bene       #
nurist
<P 84>
with venym of serpent of ane eddir' / as efter'wart was
approvit / yat hir nature was fundyn as nature of edder /- And
had j nocht hapnyt tobe thare jn the tyme /- thou had bene
vndone / and we all -/ ffor fra j sawe hir /- j persauit be my
jugement yat scho was enpoysounde /- and of venym
nurist /- And namely j appersauit hir' . yat scho sett hir      #
sicht
sa hardly - sa fermely -/ and sa forsablye /. and with sa
horrible ane behalding / apon a mannis visage yat scho lukit
on /. but ony cessing of contynual staryng jn the visage of a
man - yat scho stykkit hir eyne jn a man - as scho walde
throu lukand pers' him with hir sycht / And than sone
appersauit j - yat scho walde but dout enpoysoun a man and
put him to dede / with a byting of hir mouth as was efter'wart
approuit before the clerely /- And thus had thou bene dede / &
dishonourde and all thy company destroyit / and scailit / O     #
fair'
sone Alexander' kepe with all thy besy cure thy maist noble
saule /- quhilk god has maid to the semblaunce of him and his
angelis of hevin ./ And kepe jn thy gouernance the
commandementis of him . and his lawis /. and nocht jn
dishonour /- bot jn acquisicioun of glore perpetuale /- and be
nocht of the condiciouns of vnwis' men -

(^Here declaris the^) philosophour' how kingis and princis suld
gouerne thame be a worthy / and maist wys' clerk expert jn the
art of Astronomy /. O hie Emperoure and prince debonaire /
gif jt may gudely be / yat thou may gett / a notable and expert
maister' jn Astronomy /- se yat thou nouthir ly . na rys' - na
sytt / na stand - na ete na drynk /- na ony othir kynde of      #
thing
vndertak to do - but the counsale of that wys' clerk / yat be a
prouit man - in his science /- wittand wele yat the glorious'
god has na thing maid jn nature nouthir jn vane - na voide / na
jdill - for nocht but caus' /- na resoun - and liberale will of
the makare be certane resoun /- And be this caus' - oure
maister' platoun the worthy philosophour' had verray
knaulage of all the thingis of nature . yat euer' he sawe maid
jn erde jn diuers' parties / & of all [\114v\] thair'           #
contrairis /
and als of all the sternis / And thar'fore fair' suete sone
Alexander' tak na hede to the langage of fulis /- na traist
nocht jn jgnorant mennis wordis yat sais yat na mannis witt
may haue knaulage of the sternis . na of the planetis na of the
<P 85>
disposicioun of the firmament / and yat the science of thame is
sa stark -/ yat nane may knaw jt / ffor traist wele thai wate
nocht quhat thai say - ffor traist wele the wit of the man is   #
sa
noble /- yat be his subtile engyne he may vnderstand all thing
yat way of resoun may schawe sa yat he will sett his entent /
and his ernystfull study tharetill - yat all thing yat god and
nature has maid . is till him sensible and sauourable be way of
resoun / And be caus' yat sum men sais . yat god before the
begynnyng of the warlde . had ordanyt and deuisit all thingis
as thai suld be And thar'fore thai say . jt is bot tynt         #
trauaill .
and for nocht to study jn syk materis na makis na prouffit to
mannis gouernaunce / be caus' yat all thing mon be /- as god
has ordanyt but variacioun of mutacioun or changeing And
thar'fore thai think yat of na thingis for to cum may be na
science yat may prouffit / And thus the science of Astronomy
is nocht worth na prouffitable / Bot Alexander' faire sone /
thai wate nocht quhat thai say /- ffor & jt war' sa . as thai
say / yat all thing suld be as god has said . maid and          #
deuisit /
nocht than . quhen men knawis the nature of the jnfluencis of
the hevin / and the constellaciouns of the planetis . thai may
mare lichtly eschewe the perilis and mare esily bere the        #
chargis
efter' folowand na thai kend thame nocht /. ffor and men wist
be the constellaciouns jnfluencis & disposicioun of the
planetis / yat jt suld be a calde wynter' this +gere next       #
tocum .
men wald se for wod . and eldyn /. and puruay thame of better
clething / ande mend thair' housing jn syk a wys' yat thai suld
pas that felloun winter' with less' euill and lesse dises' . na #
jt
had cummyn apon thame sudaynly vnwarnist / And rycht sa -
of ane vnkynde +gere of distress' of cornis and vittailis men
may better puruay na It war' vnknawin na vnpuruayde of
before Or +git quha wist be the cours' of nature / yat the      #
somer'
next folowand suld be sa hate - na nane mycht lyve thingis yat
war' nedefull to refresche mannis nature / or ellis all suld be #
jn
dangere of dede or of gret malady Than wald men puruay
thame of culand metis and drinkis and of calde chamberis /
and single clething /- And rycht sa of the famyne to cum - for
fault of corne or wyne / & prouisioun . men wald puruay
thame yat thai suld pas with lesse cost and scathe - and saue
mony mennis lyfis /. na jt war' vnwittyn And alssua men wald
drede thair' god /- and meke thame till him . & mende thair'
<P 86>
lyfis with confessioun contricioun - and satiffactioun - and    #
ask
mercj and grace or the cas' hapnyt /- and kepe thame jn tyme
tocum . fra syk faultis and excess' /- And traist wele fair'
Emperour' / yat god has nocht sa straytely ordanyt his
werkis - na sa fremmytly excludit his powere jnfynyte fra his
werkis / yat he may nocht direct his power' to change the first
set [\115r\] of the devis' at his awin liber' arbitrage efter'
oure
desertis / and efter' as he seis men change thayr' condiciouns
and conuersaciouns and jnclynaciouns . be orisoun jn gude
deuocioun . reuth abstinence fasting / sacrifice almous' dede
cheritee and contricioun yat we may sa fair' grace and mercj
purchas at his almychtj jnmesurit power' ande misericorde /
yat all may be changit his jre jn pitee mercj and grace / or    #
ellis
war' he nocht almychtj . and may we purchas mercj of oure
myss' bygane / and grace to kepe vs jn tyme tocum . And
thar'fore as to the knawlage of the science of Astronomy - jt   #
is
to wit / yat jt is diuidit jn thre parties

(^Here spekis the^) philosophour' of the first teching of the
diuisioun of Astronomy . sayand yat jt is diuidit jn to thre
parties - that is to say jn first / jn the roundnes . and jn    #
the
cercles motiues . and jn the posicioun of the planetis . and
situacioun - and jn diuersitee of the saignys and jn thair'
lenthis and mouementis propri[{et{]ies & commouns / And this
parte is callit the propre science of the Astronomy - The
secund party is / to knaw the maner' of the mouementis and
thair' qualiteis /. and the rysing of the signes and takenis jn #
the
firmament / and the begynnyng of the takenis and emynentis
of the proprieteis of the thingis yat ar' tobe genderit jn tyme #
to
cum before or thai be maid jn effect realy vnder' the
firmament /- yat is callit the space fra the mone dounwart /.
ffor the firmament the ferme hevynnis fra the regioun of the
mone vpwart / And this party is callit astrology that is the
science of the signes and takenis of the firmament and the
jugement / of thair' condiciouns and empressiouns and
constellaciouns meruailous' / And this is the maist worthy part
of all astronomy - and the thrid - And thus is first the        #
science
of cercles and roundellis /- the tothir of planetis sternis and
signes / The thrid the knaulage of thair' constellaciouns and
diuersiteis jnpressiouns and jugement thar'of / of the quhilkis #
j
<P 87>
sall geve the better doctrine efter'wart /- ffor now j will
occupy me to declare sum part of the arte of medicyne - or j
pas forther'lyar' to teche the to kepe thy hele /- the quhilk   #
is
the best part of all medicyne to kepe hele quhen men has jt /-
and maist precious' for the jn the gouernance of thine empire

(^Here sendis the^) noble philosophour - Arestotil . a pistle   #
till
Alexander' . how he suld atour' all thing be curious' to kepe
his hele / sayand thus ffaire sone Alexander' . for the lufe of
almychtj god - tak gude kepe to thy hele /. ffor better is hele
na all the medicyne of the warld /- And vnderstand wele yat
na man may do - na conquere rychess' wis'dome na honour -
but clere witt and vnderstanding of man - And the wit of the
man has na power' of gouernaunce / bot gyf the body be jn
hele /-/ And bodily hele may nocht be haldyn - bot throu
equalitee of complectioun / and nane equaliteis of
complexiouns may lest but temperaunce of humouris / And the
temperaunce of humouris standis jn the mannis gouernaunce /
And +git the glorious' god has ordanyt / yat quhare mannis witt
fail+geis jn the gouernaunce of his temperaunce /- sa yat his
complexioun change he has ordanyt certane / and gude
suthefast remedis with certayn poyntis & [\115v\] certane
maneris of gouernaunce to kepe the man jn hele / and till hele
him quhen he is slyddin out of his propre temperaunce of
equalitee of complexioun of quhilk he has ordanyt certane
science / the quhilk science he has maid reuelacioun of / till
oure alde anciene faderis & philosophouris . & prophetis yat
war' haly men . and lufit with god / yat has bene before oure
tymes / the quhilkis was chosyn be the diuyne sapience of the
haly gaste / and jllumynit thair' spiritis to knaw syk secretis
of god . to teche till otheris be the giftis of the sapience of
god .
And syne the philosophouris yat come efter' that / multiplyit
the said science of philosophy jn ynde - pers' and Grece .      #
first
efter' thaim the quhilk war' twa philosophouris /- yat first
fand the principles of the said science and the secretis . be   #
the
quhilkis principles /- that is to say originale reuglis of
documentis quhilkis but ony dout / men fyndis the said science
throuche and the said secretis thar' of / yat nane may be
dissauit jn //. And thus mon thou sett the to kepe thy hele     #
first
of all thing /- ffor ellis thou art caus' of thy perdicioun /-  #
and
<P 88>
nocht anerly of thine /- bot of mony otheris - And thar'fore
suld men seke science / yat may teche thame to saue thair'
lyfis / & persewe It / quhill jt be gottyn /. And thou suld
vnderstand . yat the glorious' god almychtj abone all otheris
has maist jllumynit the philosophouris & the prophetis and
gevin the philosophouris grace to knaw all sciencis of nature -
as othir tymes j tald the /. and +git sall efter' this /. ffor  #
j
think
to procede furthe in the declaracioun of syk materis efter'
thair' bukis . & documentis &c -

(^Here^) declaris the noble philosophour - how men suld kepe
thair' hele and namely princis /- ffaire sone Alexander' -
thou mon first vnderstande yat the noble anciene
philosophouris fand be naturale science / yat all man is maid
of four' elementis /- and of four' contrarious' humouris / and
has ay nede of metis and drynkis to nuris' that composte /- or
ellis he may nocht lest / And than gif he takis mare of sik
lyflade na nedefull is - till his nature he will be seke /- And
gif
he takis lesse na is nedefull alssua he will be seke /. And gif #
he
vsis bot moyenly and mesurably with temperance / yat may
suffice till his corpolence and complexioun - he will be lang
hale - ande lyve lang lyf /. And with that / he mon be mesurit
jn sleping and waking trauailing and restyng /- and othir
syndry excess' yat j sall tell the efter'wart quhilk gyf / &
quhen he excedis - he mon on nedeforce be seke of syndry
sekeness' - off the quhilkis gif jt hapnys - j sall tell the /-
the
remedis conuenable and gaynand to restore the agayne till
hele /- Bot to kepe wele hele / thou mon vs' temperance jn all
thir forenamyt thingis / or thy hele sall nocht lang lest /-    #
And
traist this tobe veray suthe /- ffor j fand neuer +git /
philosophour' yat discordit to thir conclusiouns and
sentencis - ffor all the delytable thingis yat ar' jn erde
accordand to mannis desyre / outhir richessis or honouris or
carnale delectaciouns ar all ordanyt till haue lang durabilitee #
jn
this warld . sa yat jlke creature desyris to lyve lang / And    #
than
suld thai sett thaim for the thingis yat ar of lang             #
durabilitee /-
and yat gevis occasioun till men to lyve lang / and be of grete
durabilitee /- that is the thingis yat kepis man [\116r\] lang  #
jn
hele of his corps /. the quhilkis gyf he will wele kepe / he    #
mon
renounce till his propre lusty desyris of the flesche - and     #
nocht
<P 89>
ay folow desyris or the carnale lustis and delytis /- as gyf a
man has etyn . and dronkyn sufficiandly - yat furthwith
jncontynent efter' quhen he seis otheris etand and drinkand
gude metis and drinkis . yat he ete agayn than a fill apon ane
othir / ffor traist wele . that custume is mortall - and puttis #
a
man sone of his naturale equalitee of complexioun . and gerris
him be seke /- and the oft custume thareof / is dede /- as j
herde compt of the wis' ypocras - to the quhilk ane of his
disciples said . O maister' said he /. wald thou ete and drink
better na thou dois - thou wald be starkare na thou art / and
forciare . Bot thy lytill etyng and drinking makis the sa feble #
of
corps / To quham he ansuerde agayne / sayand - yat he ete jn
entent to lyve lang /. and lyvit nocht jn entent till ete /-
sayand . yat the lang lyf is nocht ordanyt for the mete /- bot
the mete is ordanyt to hald the lyf /- bot nocht tobe a         #
glutoune
of / ffor glutony schortis the lyf /- ffor we ar nocht ordanyt  #
to
lyve lang / for the eting of gude metis and gude drinkis / bot
gude metis and drinkis ar' ordanyt to halde the lyf lang jn the
body . Bot that suld be tane be mesure but excess' /- ffor j
remember' of men of abstinence yat wald nocht [{geve{] thair'
appetite glouuttounnous' all his desyris / bot lyvit be dyete
and abstinence / And thai men war' mare lyfly / hale faire
habil - and strenthyar' / delyuer and lycht /- and of lang      #
lyf /
and gude hele & memoire - na ony othir' yat gaue thair'
flesche all the lustis and desyris yat jt couatis And thus js   #
jt
grete vertu to nocht mak excess' /- And syk men yat ar' of syk
abstinence and temperaunce / ar lang hale /- ffor nature jn
thame has laiser' till expell his superfluitee /. and purgis    #
him -
And tharefore be all medicinaris /- abstynence is callit the
maist souerane medicine yat is jn the warlde here

(^Here declaris^) the worthy philosophour' Arestotil - certane
enseignementis documentis and techingis of medicyne / the
quhilkis ar gude of conseruacioun of mannis hele /. ffair' sone
Alexander' - thou mon first vnder'stand . yat jn the science
of medicyne / thare is certane documentis yat ar gevyn for the
conseruacioun of hele principaly /- The first is /. yat a man   #
tak
metis conuenable till his complexioun and his nature / and till
his age / of the quhilkis he has bene vsit tobe nurist jn his
perfyte elde /- The secund is . yat he vs' quhilum to ressaue
<P 90>
metis and drynkis yat be of gude stark nature of degestioun /-
quhilum yat thay be of tender nature of tenderar'
degestioun /- As thus - gif a man war' of stark
complexioun - and of hate nature and complexioun /. ffor the
naturale hete yat is jn him - and the moystnes of his corps /-
the nature is mare vaporable and of better degestioun to
corrump and bray the metis and our' cum thame na jn a
persone yat is of waykar' nature or complexioun /- And than is
mare spedeful till him . metis of gude pith / and starkar
metis /- na till otheris yat ar of waykar' complexioun /. or    #
ellis
to geue him metis of wayke degestioun is than nocht
spedefull -/ And than sall men knaw be thair' grete mater' yat
cumis fra thame jn gretare quantitee na jn otheris tymes / and  #
of
otheris metis of lychtar' degestioun /- and that is for the     #
grete
hete & moystnes yat has than dominacioun jn that corps /. And
quhen his body is dry . & sclender [\116v\] and lignye / than   #
is
nedefull till him tender metis of licht and sone degestioun and
delicious' thingis / and of sutil vapoiracioun moystis - ffor
quhen a persone is of small and ligny quantitee and sclender /.
than ar' the wayis of the naturalle conduytis smallar' and of
lesse roume . na thai ar' jn otheris of mare quantitee throu    #
the
quhilk grete metis of rude degestioun suld be his dede / And
alssua ane othir way - gif he be hate and dry - he suld haue
moyst and calde metis And gif he be calde and moyst / he suld
haue hate & dry metis /. ffor ay the contrary is curit with his
contrary /- ffor gif a man be hate and dry of nature and he be
fed with hate and dry metis /- than suld he sone be at ane end
ffor he mon haue equalitee of humouris gif he will haue lestand
hele ffor mannis lyf consistis jn hate and moyst / and the
contrary is his consummacioun and dede /. that is to say calde
and dry / And thus jt efferis till a man yat wald kepe his hele
langsumly yat he haue metis conuenable till his complexioun
gaynand /- And gif a man be fat & moyste / dry metis ar gude
till him /. And gif he be lene // moyste metis ar gaynand till
him // And thus is gude till a fat man and corpolent rostit
metis /- And till a sclender man and a lene / sodyn metis ar'
gude /. And gyf he be hate of complexioun - & moyste / geve
him grete metis culand /- And gif he be calde / geve him metis
yat reconfourtis & hetis him - And sum men worthis grete &
purssyd and corpolentis yat is of our' grete excess' of etyng   #
or
<P 91>
drinking restyng yat nature expellis nocht vtterly the
superfluiteis excessiues /. and than sulde he be gouernyt with
the contrairis to put him jn his rycht proporcioun of humouris
and reforme his complexioun /- And be caus' syk mennis
stomakis ar hate & moyste /. stark metis and dryand war'
gaynand maist for thame /- ffor the stomac yat [{i{]s rycht
mekle of hete /. is comperit till a grete fyre quhilk gif a man
will halde jt wele jn -/ he mon cast jn jt mekle brynt wod /    #
and
grete quantitee thar'of /- And a stomak yat is bot of
mesurable hete / requiris bot mesurable wod . to hald the fyre
jn - And oft tymes jn lygny men and sclender ar gude
stomakis /- And jn corssy men and fat / full wayke stomakis /.
And thar'fore to knawe a gude stark stomak j sall declare the
certane documentis . and signes euidentis - that is to say he
yat has a gude stark stomak / he has a blythe hert / & lichtsum
ay And gude clere wit / & redy /- and ay wele disposit to the
mete /- gude of sycht / nocht hevy of eyne // And he yat has a
wayke calde stomak - he is of hevy chere / and hevy hertit and
sad /- & suere /- rousty jn visage jn vnkyndely parties rede /
and oft tymes gantis and wamblis / bolkis with hevy suollen
eyne /- with stynkand ry[{f{]tis /. and vnkyndely colourit /
and oft tymes has felloun passioun jn thair' wame /. and jn
thair' stomak / as gryndingis brynnyng of hert / and            #
ventositeis
with dolorous' having & euill appetite to metis /. The quhilk
wayke stomak sone fylis / ande [\117r\] growis jn jt
corrupciouns for fault of gouernaunce / and tymous' remedis
yat of jt cummys all vnthrifty maladis . as feueres flux .
perleseis perdicioun of membris quhilkis corrumpis and
destroyis mannis nature and bringis till end before tyme

(^Here^) declaris the noble philosophour' certane secrete       #
thingis
of medycine yat ar rycht spedefull . and necessaire for mannis
hele of his body /. As thus . Alexander' faire sone / Sen jt is
sa - yat the body quhare thare is corrupcioun of gude
humouris - and jnequalitee of complexiouns changit be
misgouernaunce /- the body may nocht langsumly sa endure /-
ffor the quhilkis causis for to remede syk thingis - I will put
sum certane documentis jn this buke /- yat princis and kingis
yat vnderstandis thai documentis / thai sall nocht nede to seke
to nane othir medicine / bot gouerne thaim be the teching yat j
<P 92>
sall schaw thame here /- ffor jt is nocht spedefull to schaw    #
all
the secretis of princis to medycynaris - yat may be mendit but
thame sufficiently / off quhilkis techingis j traist thou salbe
wele payit & content / quhen thou heris thame /- And the
quhilk alsa . salbe honest thing // Bot as belangand othir
jnfirmiteis yat cummys of trauailis jn were / and of bataillis
and sudane accident /- off sik thing men suld haue counsale of
medicineris as maladyes yat men may nocht gudely
vmbechew /- And thar'fore faire Emperour' quhen thou rysis
jn the mornyng /. thou suld first mak thy passyng a lytill
quhile vp and doune /- and strek and rak thy membris -
suetely and softly & evinly / And syne efter' thou suld kembe
thy hede // ffor witt thou wele / the raxing of thy membris     #
esily
with a lytill spassing / makis all thy corps jn better
disposicioun - And syne the kembing of thy hede / chacis all
the vapouris and humouris yat ar ascendit fra thy stomak to
thy hede /- and gerris thame descend jn thy body /. to the
naturale ventis and jssues quhare jt appertenis /- and lichtis
thyne eyne // and thy fyve wittis makis mare hable /- And thus
sall all thy body be mare waldin and esy to dispone the till    #
all
thyne operaciouns / And kepe wele yat thou wesch oft tymes
jn somer' thy fete and thy visage /- and thy handis with cald
water' - faire and suete /- ffor jt restren+geis the hete of    #
thy
membris agayne jn thy body /- and perfornisis the remaynand
of thy degestioune and generis gude appetite till ete /. And
syne efter' that / thou sall clethe the with gude and faire and
riche clething /- ffor that is lychtyng to thy hert and gevis   #
the
a plesaunce to behald thy persone quhen thou art jn riche array
quhilk efferis wele till a kingis estate / and the delyte of    #
thi hert
reconfourtis thy nature / and enforsis thy vertu jn jt self /   #
of thy
beautee of thy corps / and thy clething /- And syne efter'      #
that /
Alexander' / thou sall wesche thy tethe /- and syne rub thame
with a bark of a tree yat be hate & dry and of all bitter       #
gustis
and euill sauouris jn thy mouth jt sall purge the /. and rub jt
all about thy mouth withjn - and on thy chaftis [\117v\] and It
sall clere thy voce / and clenge thy teithe / and gader         #
appetite
til
ete And syne suld thou avis' prouffitable blude lattingis for   #
the
tyme and the sesoun /- and that sall do the grete gude /. ffor
bathe jt opnys the clos' termes of the passagis of humouris /-
and gevis jssu till euill vapouris jnclosit within the          #
membris /
<P 93>
and gerris the membris of a man be mare grete and mare
forssy and namely - the nek and the armes and lymmys / and
cleris the coloure jn the visage /- and mendis the sicht / and
confourtis the neris and makis folk tobe fat / and confourtis   #
the
v- wittis and the memoire and jntelligence of resoun /- and
lettis a man tobe sone beld /. And syne efter' that /- ger' mak
vnguementis efter' bathis . and anoynt thy body with precious'
vnguementis efter' the sesoun sauourous' /- and the qualiteis
of the tyme /- ffor that is bathe confortable to thy body / and
plesand to thy saule / and thy lyf / & thy saule ar fulfillit   #
of
blithnes and plesaunce be gude sauouris and odouris yat is the
mete of thy lyf / ffor gude odouris reconfortis the hert & the
body / and gerris thame reioys' /- And than rynnis the blude
throw out the corps jn the rycht vaynis - be the gaynesse / and
the blytheness' of the saule / and of the spiritis vitales yat
conduytis the lyf and haldis all jn joye /- The vertues
nutrityuis are mare vertuous' to thair' naturale operaciouns /
And than sall thou tak Electuares /- quhilkis ar ordanyt jn
bukis of medicyne tobe maid to princis / And syne sall thou
tak of Reubarbe the mountaunce of four peny weicht / to purge
the fleume of thy stomak and of thy mouth - & fortifyis the
naturale hete of thy stomak and of all thy corps & makis suete
aynde And syne pas to goddis seruice /- And efter' that /
speke with thy wis' men of counsale apon the spedefull
gouernaunce of thy dedis - as thou art custumyt and do syk
thing as efferis the to do / quhill jt be houre to dyne / And   #
or
thou ete or drink / trauaill the sum thing / outhir on fut / or #
on
hors' - till engender jn the naturale hete yat wastis euill
humouris - ventositeis and fleumes - and makis the stomak
mare hable /- and expellis superfluiteis of euill humouris to
naturale jssues - And syne ger' bring before the mony and
syndry diuers' maneris of metis /. and ete of thame yat thyne
appetite best gevis the till ete of /. and maist plesis to      #
thyne
entent /. with gude brede - sum part levaynd and wele bakyn -
And first as j haue said the of before / ete of the metis yat   #
ar
maist gaynand - and avenand for thy nature and thy
complexioun - as thyne appetite gevis the /- and excede nocht
thine appetite /- and erast the maist moiste metis formest /.
ffor thai ar' of mare lycht degestioun /- and syne the dryare /
yat is of starkare degestioun efter'wart ffor thai dryar' metis
<P 94>
consumys euill fleumys /- and superfluiteis of the first moyste
mete /- And wald thou ete first the maist dryand metis - and
syne the moystast /- than suld the stark degestioun let the
waykare of degestioun /- and is agaynis naturale way of gude
nurisching and degestioune [\118r\] ffor metis yat ar'
restren+geand ar nocht spedefull tobe etyn first / bot erar'    #
metis
laxatiues /. and all dry metis ar restrictiues / Bot gyf jt     #
befell
yat a man walde ete mony syndry metis yat war' laxatyues -
at a tyme /. than war' jt spedefull yat he suld ete sum part of
metis constictiues yat war' constren+geand - or he ete thai
metis . for the ground of the stomak js mare hate . and mare
stark and mare forcy of degestioun na the humast part of the
stomak / ffor quhy the stomak is thare mare thyk / and lyis
nerest the lyuer - quhilk haldis jn the fyre of the stomak /    #
And
+git suld thou mak a paus' betuene coursis of mete ffor jt is
rycht spedefull to byde thine appetite ay /- and nocht precede
jt / to lay a mete hastily apon ane othir' / ffor that stoppis  #
the
hete naturale / and genderis mony superfluiteis jn the stomak
yat efter'wart fadis the vertu degestiue / & hynderis the
appetite - and greuis the stomak / and dois grete euill to      #
mannis
persone ffor the remaynis lyis lang jn the law of the ground of
the stomak / and consumes the caloure degestiue / and noyis
the ground of the stomak / and genderis vnkyndely hete jn the
lyuer / quhen jt lyis lang thare /- and lettis appetite to      #
drink
sone efter' dyner' /- and engenderis full euill maladies /      #
culis
the uertu degestiue / and destroyis the vertu of naturale fude  #
of
the mete throu fading of the stomak / And gif sik cas hapnis jn
grete hete - jt war' gude to drink culand thingis efter' / as
water' gyf na better thing mycht be gottin /. to cule and
clenge the stomak / And quhen thou has gouernyt the jn
maner' . yat thou has eschewit thir perilis foresaid /- and     #
thou
haue etyn ynouche - than schape the to sytt a lytill and rest
the /- and syne efter' - space a litill - and syne efter'       #
dispone
the to slepe a lytill nere be the space of ane houre apon thy
rycht syde / And syne efter' quhen thou wakenis . turn the apon
thy kerr' syde /. and thare end thy slepe /. ffor the ker' syde #
is
kyndely caldare na the rycht /- and has myster tobe helpit
with sum chaufing / And gif jt be hapnis the till fele ony
dolour' jn thy stomak / or jn thy wame / ger' hete a lynyn
clathe . and lay thare apon /- or ellis tak ane of the maist    #
fair'
<P 95>
maidnis yat thou may get /. and hald als nere thy stomak as
thou may brace hir all hate /- And gif jt hapnis the ony hert
wamblyng - egirly tak a vomyt of water' and vynager - or
othir wayis to ger' the cast / ffor the grete quantitee of      #
metis
yat is jn thy stomak may nocht be gouernyt na our'cummyn be
the naturale hete of thy stomak / and is a grete breking of thy
complexioun and of thy corps / And thar'fore is gude the
trauaile before mete / bot our' grete trauailing efter' mete -
yat a man be full of gude metis ./ js nocht spedefull // for he
chassis the mete jn the stomak / and gerris part ascend and
part descend to the ground of the stomak and engenderis mony
maladies / And traist wele yat sleping before thy mete with a
voyde stomak makis men lene and dry - bot sleping efter'
mete with resonable spacyng efter'wart / jt fulfillis the       #
nature
[\118v\] confortis the membris and nurischis the corps and
growis / ffor quhen the persone restis and reioysis / than the
naturale hete yat is our'spred our' all the corps / drawis than
agayn to the stomak to confourt jt and help the naturale
degestioun and to grynd the metis yat ar thare jn - And syne
efter' that the naturale vertu makis him to rest / And          #
thar'fore
sais syndry of oure grete maisteris philosophouris / yat the
metis yat ar ressauit jn the stomak at evin / ar mare
prouffitable to the nurisching of mannis nature /- na the metis
yat ar tane at morne /. ffor the metis yat ar tane jn the
mornyng / has nocht sa gude help of the naturale hete as the
metis yat ar' tane at evyn . at the souper ffor quhy /- the     #
metis
yat ar etyn jn the dyner' ressauis the hete of the day jn       #
mannis
corps . quhen he is wakand and trauailand / and bathe the
membris of mannis body / and his witt is than vext and
trauailit / for quhat yat a man than heris and seis and         #
spekis .
and thingis vexis his mynde jn syk maner' with the corporale
labour' and trauaile of his membris and mony othir plesancis
and displesancis yat him befallis jn the day yat drawis the     #
hete
fra the stomak / and scailis jt our' all the body /- sa yat jt  #
is
fer' waykare jn the stomak na jt war' vnyt togeder' - jn the
stomak /- And this makis the vertu of the naturale degestioun
fer' waykar' / and feblis the mannis corps / and lettis
degestioun tobe perfyte /- And efter' souper the mannis
persone restis and reposis jn the nycht /- and the membris and
the wit ar' bathe vnvexit - and labouris nocht / na seis nocht
<P 96>
na heris - na spekis nocht /- bot restis fra all vexacioun
corporale and mentale /- And than the nychtis ar' naturaly
calde - and the hete of the bed ane othir / way conseruis and
enforsis the naturale hete and all the membris repossis and
restis jn quiete /- And than the naturale hete yat is           #
reenforssit
/
js mare vertuous' / and consumys soner the fude jn the
stomak /- and sendis jt jn pes and rest to the partis of the
body quhare jt is ordanyt tobe /. to confort & reinfors' the
membris and the spiritis vitalis . for the conseruacioun of
mannis nature / And alssua Alexander' wit thou wele / yat a
persone yat is vsit and custumyt till ete twis' on the day - &
thai change thair' custum - and ete bot anys on the day - jt    #
sall
do grete hyndering to thair' growthe /- and alteris thair'
complexioun - and dois grete Evill to the body / And rycht
sa - gif ony persone be custumyt to ete bot anys on the day -
and thai change thaire custume and ete twis' on the day thai
sall fynd grete scathe . and redy taking of sekeness // for     #
quhy
jn the first / the nature of mannis kynde leppinis to the vs' .
and the custume yat jt is wount till / and quhen jt fail+geis   #
that
custume / thare mon be a fault /. And of the tothir the stomak
yat is vsit till anys eting /. quhen jt ressauis mare na jt was
wont to /. that remaynis jn the stomak vndegest and rawe /.
ffor the stomak yat is nocht wont thar'to /. may nocht our'cum
jt / jn the tyme / and jt makis grete jndisposicioun our' all   #
the
body /- and contynuand this langsumly . mon on nede fors
engender grete [\119r\] malady - And +git alssua a persone yat
is custumyt till ete at certane houris . and he excede his      #
houre
or cum before his houre / he sall jndispone his stomak / and
turne him to grete scathe and preiudice / And thar'fore be      #
nocht
lef to change thy custumes jn etyng and drinking / sleping and
waking And gif It befallis yat thou will change or mon on
nedis change thy custum do that be ordinaunce sobirly and
mesurablye / and nocht hastily . bot lytill and lytill . quhill
thou be brocht out of that custum - quhare thou wald be / ffor
vsage is ane othir nature the quhilk is perilous' to change /-
And our' all thing / kepe the wele yat thou ete neuer quhill
thou persaue and knaw wele yat thy stomak be emptyd and
voyde of the last mete yat thou ete And that sall thou knawe be
syndry takenis /. The first / yat thou haue gude will till      #
ete /
Ane othir yat thare habound mekle humour' jn thy mouth - &
<P 97>
yat jt be thin - and lignye and suete jn thy mouth but
ry[{f{]ting
or bolking or gantyng / ffor traist wele - quhen ony persone
takis mete quhen na nede is - to the body /- or quhen he has
nane appetite naturale / or jn ane vnclene gorgit voyde
stomak / his stomak is glaymyt and claggit and the naturale
hete is mystemperit / yat jt salbe lang / or he recouer agayne
gude appetite /. and jn grete aunter na he sall fall jn malady
vncurable and he vs' that custume /. And quhen a man takis
his mete mesurablye with gude appetite /. the naturale hete is
disposit to mak gude degestioun - ffor than js jt hate as       #
fyre /
and sethis the mete wele at poynt /- and than prouffitis jt to
the nature / and haldis the corps jn fors' hele / and gude
vertu /. and that makis gude blude - and blythe hert /- and
clere witt / and fair' membris /- And alssua quhen ony persone
has gude appetite till ete /- he suld nocht delay jt / gyf he
mycht /- ffor ellis jn the tyme the stomak be the vertu
attractiue drawis till jt syndry humouris and superfluiteis of
nature le[{f{]t of the tothir degestioun - quhilkis ar'         #
vnkyndely
till jt / and vnprouffitable / and fillis the stomak of the     #
froith of
fantasy /- quhilk hynderis syne the appetite / quhilk & jt be
contynewit grevis the nature gretely - and hynderis the
growth - and rasis fumygaciouns and vapouris as reke
quhilkis jndisponis the harnis - and stroublis the mynde and
lettis man to slepe and rest / And syne jt yat men etis or      #
drinkis
efter'wart / dois thame na prouffit /

(^Here declaris^) the noble philosophour' of the four' rathis   #
of
the +gere / that is for to say - ver' somer' - August and
wynter' /- ver' estas autumpnus & yemps /- Oure entencioun
is - faire sone Alexander' - to trete schortly here of the      #
four'
sesouns of the +gere /. bathe of thair' qualiteis & quantiteis  #
and
proprieteis /. and of thair' changeing and diuersiteis / Ande
thar'fore thou sall vnderstand . yat the first of thir four'    #
tymes
begynnis quhen the sone enteris jn a signe callit the Ram . &   #
jt
begynnis the xxij day of marche / and lestis quhill the xxij    #
day
of junij the quhilk [\119v\] tyme contenys four' skore and xiij
dayes . xxij houris and a quarter of ane houre And than jn the
first entre of that takyn callit the Ram / the day & the nycht  #
is
ylyke lang jn all regiouns of the warld / And jn thai dayes the
tyme is suete and moyste /. and the ayer' is mare soft / and    #
the
<P 98>
weder commonly mare plesant / na ony othir tyme of the +gere /
And the wyndis ar mare lowin and mare dryand na jn winter' .
and hardar' / And than the wellis begynnis till habound jn
wateris and stryndis to spring /. and the flouris and leuis
begynnis to burgeoun - and fruytis to grow /- and the treis to
clethe thame with verduris and burgeouns /. and medowis
worthis grene / and our'fret with diuers' naturis of colouris   #
of
herbes and flouris and fair' fluris' of all fruyte / Treis than
schawis thair' beauteis and thair' naturale flouris and         #
fairness'
And all the erde becummys our'cled - with all maneris of
herbes flouris and fruytagis of diuers' naturis /- and all      #
bestis
and foulis takis thair' pasture of the said flouris and herbis  #
and
fruytis and +geldis agayn thair' dueteis of nature to mankynde
and all thing takis vertu force and strenthe /- and foulis      #
suetely
singis with thair' melodious' armony . yat all hertis yat saule
or lyf has ressauit / reioysis jn that tyme of fair' suete
glorious' /. and fresche anournement - yat all the erde is
enournyt with /- of beautee with gracious' bountee Annext
efter' folowand Rycht as a faire and lusty spous' yat war'
anournyt with anournementis of faire clething jn hir fresch
+gong age /- And our' all grathit with precious' jowalis vchis
and besantis /. and stately array - tobe . and appere mare
fresche - & lusty the day of hir mariage /- and mare plesand
till hir lordis sicht /- the quhilk suld mary hir' / the quhilk #
is
callit the prime temps . and is lyknit to the ayre / for caus'  #
yat
jt is hate and moiste /. And jn this tyme the blude of man
movis jt / and passis throu the condytis of the body to all the
membris /- and makis all the cors mare vertuous' . and mare
strenthy as all othir kynde of bathe foule fische & beste and
makis gude complexioune And tharefore suld men jn this tyme
of +gere . ete gude tender metis as cheknys and eggis / and sik
lycht metis of degestioun /- and nocht our'mekle quantitee /
ffor that tyme is hate and moiste /. and restorand of jt self   #
be
nature And than suld men drink gayte mylk on mornis /. and
efter' none drynk temperit drynkis with calde herbis with
vynager . as is letus' purpy . penothis & syk like And jn that
tyme is gude to trauaile / and gude to lat blude jn best of the
+gere with counsale of medicyne / Alssua jt is rycht spedefull
till
haue the wambe than / moyste and laxatiue / and than is gude
bathing ande sueting / jn tymes drynk gude maner' of drinkis
<P 99>
and vs' gude spicis nocht our'constrictiues bot laxatiues and
nutritiues / and hald the wambe ay moiste // ffor jn that
tyme / quhat euer' a man les' of his blude / or of his nature   #
or
of his laxatiues /- the vertuous' sesoun with gude nutrimentis
and gouernementis restoris naturaly all agayne

(^Here declaris the noble philosophoure^) the kynde of the
sesoun of Somer' /- that is . quhen the sonne enteris jn a      #
signe
yat callit is the crab [\120r\] ffor as the crabbe gais be
semblaunce bakwart /- Sa dois the sonne fra thynefurth -
deualis agayne bakwart jn the firmament / and jt enteris and
begynnis the xxiij day of juny /- and endis the xxiiij day of
September' And fra jt entre the dayes schortis . and the nycht
lenthis - and takis of the day his lenthing The space yat
somer' contenis - is four' score and xij dayis - xxij houris -
and a thrid part of ane houre / And than begynnis drouthis and
grete hete of sonne to regne /- and wyndis softis . and         #
temperis
than - And than is jt spedefull tobe resonable jn latis of
lufing /- ffor all nature is than mare drawand to hete and
drouthis na ony othir tyme of the +gere /- serpentis than
genderis . venym than spredis /- and that tyme js naturaly drey
and hate and clere jn the ayre / and fruytis and herbis than
fadis and menys thair' vertues . And jn that sesoun . men shuld
kepe thame fra all thing yat is hate & dryand jn eting &
drinking and othir gouernaunce // for affermes all the uertues
of corps naturale And than suld folk kepe thame yat thai ete
nocht excedandly /- ffor the natural hete of the stomak is than
waykar' na othir tymes . be caus' yat the tyme is hate - jt
drawis the hete fra the stomak and leuis jt mare wayke of vertu
degestiue /. And than suld men ete culand metis and drinkis
and moiste and nocht dryand . with culand sals' of vert jus or
vinager or sourokkis / And than is gude calf flesch or kid
flesche foulis & bere caffit / or with grotis And kepe the than
fra grete traualis yat hetis mekle and als fra baithing and     #
blude
latting bot thare be rycht grete mister

(^Here declaris the noble^) philosophour' of the thrid sesoun   #
yat
is callit Autumpne yat we call hervist / the quhilk begynnis
quhen the sonne enteris jn a signe callit the balance /. yat
begynnis the xxiiij day of September' / and lestis quhill the
xxiij day of the month of december the quhilk contenis four'
<P 100>
score & viij dais . xxiij houris & thre xv partes of an         #
houre /-
And jn that begynnyng of tyme - the nycht and the day is ylike
lang / and ay growis the nycht - and schortis the day to the    #
end
of that terme And the ayre worthis cald /. and the wind
sourar' / and cummys commounly out of the south - and the
tyme changis - & wateris wanis and wellis stryndis lessis -
and all growth gais bakwart / and all greness' away gais and
herbis and flouris and fuellis rottis and drawis till a fadand
hewe and the erde tynis his beautee / and the treis thair'
clething / and the foulis thair' singing /- and sekis till hate
landis and warmare regiouns and serpentis enteris jn thair'
cauernis /. the emotis gaderis to thair' provisiouns for
agaynis the wynter' to thair' nestis - the quhilk tyme is
comperit till ane ald wyf gangand bakwart - jn the quhilk
tyme thare haboundis jn men a thing callit colare nygre / yat
drawis to malancoly And than is spedefull till haue all gude
metis - hate and moiste ande nutrityues and confortand
nature - as foulis +gong mutouns & capouns perdrix and
phesandis calfis and kiddis - and sik gude kyndis of metis with
gude hate spicis . drynk gude alde wynis ete rasyns and figgis
with [\120v\] brede And than suld men tak gude tent yat thai    #
ete
nathing yat engenderis malancoly or grete trauailis of body .
noyand ./ and sparandly dele with paramouris . bot +git may
thai thre tymes tak mare vnscathand / na jn the hete of somer'
sesoun And than is spedefull to mak bathis and stovis / and
purge the corps and the membris naturale mesurablye with
drinkis or vomitis gif nede be /- and thou fele thy stomak
foule / and that suld be done jn the hatast houre of the day /-
ffor than sall the euill humouris be fundyn to geder - And than
ar thai maist flowand / and redyast to lous' - and to pas out
with lesse prouocacioun na othir tymes /- and ay hald the
wame esy - and that will purge all colis / And than suld men
ete all thing / yat war' gude to purge colis that is            #
malancoly /
and restreyne gude humouris /- And than suld men haue gude
warme clething and gude fyris /-

(^Here declaris the noble^) philosophour the proprieteis and
nature of the wynter' sesoun . Winter' begynnis quhen the
sonne enteris jn the signe yat men callis . Sagittarius . that  #
is
to saye . the bowman or the schutare the quhilk begynnis the
<P 101>
xxiij day of decembre / and lestis quhill the xxj day of
marche /. And than begynnis the nychtis to schort /- and the
dayes to lenth . And than is grete frostis and calde wederis /-
and the wyndis ar' scharp and snell - and sare bytand /. And
than all the leuis fallis - & the erde helis with snawis /- and
all verdure is corrupt / and all bestis and foulis drawis thame
till holis and boris & leuthing placis /- and the tyme is
myrk and blak / and the air' stroublit // and all the vertues   #
of
mannis corps & bestis worthis waykare and feblare . as ane
ald wyf bludelas but naturale hete jn hir' / is calde and dry -
nakit and trembland gray & gretand /- and all for elde
drawand to the poynt of dede /- And that tyme thouche jt be
calde - +git / js jt moyste / And than suld men ete the best    #
metis
and drinkis yat thai mycht get hate and moiste to gender gude
blude - to reconfourt nature as foulis mutoun fesandis
perdrix . curleux paouns pluuaris fat capouns kyddis conyngis
with gude bredis spicis and wynis the best . mycht be gottin
with frituris of eggis / applis and peris - figgis rasyns datis
almandis And euer' think on . to haue gude esy jssu of wame /
and blede nocht but our' grete necessitee /- na to tak our'
grete habundaunce of metis till ourset his hete of naturale
degesti[{oun{] / And than suld men haue gude fyris to hete the
ayre jn thair' habitaciouns / and nocht to halde thame our'     #
nere
the fyris And efter' bathing thou suld be annoyntit with
vnguementis ryalis as balmes or otheris the best mycht be
gottyn hate laid on /- and frottit fast And bathe the nocht jn
oure hate wateris . hatare na thine awin blude /- And than
with syk gude gouernaunce mannis nature begynnis agayn to
reuert / and all tree . herbe and beste the vertu begynnis to   #
to
cum jn the Rute / And than may men mare tak plesaunce of
naturale company of wommen - na ony othir tyme of the
+gere /- wele ete . and wele drink / and rest / and be blythe -
and mak joy - ffor than is the naturale hete vnyt jn the        #
body /.
and makis mare vertuous' degestioun na ony othir tymes /-
And than [\121r\] may a man ete fer mare na ony othir tyme of
the +gere /. ffor jn all othir tymes the hete is mare / and
scailis
the natural hete our' all the body / and leuis lesse vertu jn   #
the
stomak degestiue - ffor quhy . It may lesse degest &c
<P 102>

(^Here declaris the noble^) philosophour . quhat thingis ar     #
maist
fattand and quhat maist lenand men of kyndis of metis -
sayand thus to Alexander' Alexander' / fair' sone . jt is a
precious' thing to be of gude abstinence / and to kepe wele
dyete /. ffor quhen a man kepis dyete /- he kepis wele his
naturale hete ffor quhen naturale hete is wele temperit jn      #
man .
than is he jn gude disposicioun and at es' of his body - ffor
thou sall vnderstand - yat be twa wayis men failis and gais to
the dede /- that is to say ./ the tane is for elde / yat jn him
naturaly mon fail+ge at the last / The tothir is -. be
accidente .- yat is outhir of mysgouernaunce . of excess' -
and for mystemperit complexioun - or for bataill - or othir
misfortunis / of forfaulting yat man makis till him self jn his
gouernaunce / And alsa wit thou yat the mannis body js nurist
and fattit be thre thingis principale / that is to say - be pes
and
rest / and gude metis and drynkis - delytable & plesaunt And
as for ane the suete mylk is rycht growand . to thame yat vsis
jt / and syne to slepe efter' mete apon a soft bede /- Alssua   #
to
fele gude sauourous' gustis - and sauouris of herbis metis and
spicis efter' the sesoun -/ and to bathe jn fair' suete water'
resonablye tane /. ffor our' hate water' - and our' lang tane -
makis the corps lene and meltis the fatnes away be the hete
excessiue / And jn thai bathis suld be gude precious' herbis /
and wele sauourand jn thair' sesoun - yat is jn somer' - ros'
& othir herbes of calde nature / And jn winter' with herbis yat
ar' of hate nature And mycht a man fynd the way to mak
vomytis anys or twys' euery moneth /- jt war' full spedefull .
and namely jn the somer' tyme - but greuaunce of the
stomak /- ffor syk maner' of vomytis purgis the stomak with
less' wering na dois purgaciouns yat passis throu be art of
medicynis of all euill humouris - ffor quhilum thare haboundis
our' mony . and jn oure grete quantitee /- And quhen thai ar
lessit be vomytis softly the naturale hete has mare force and
vertu degestiue / na quhen thare is our' mekle haboundaunce
of humouris yat fillis the stomak /- yat na perfyte degestioun
may be maid /- And specialy syk vomytis suld be tane quhen
princis or lordis war' blythe - and jn gude bones efter' grete
joy . or grete victory /- or glore of disconfiture of his       #
jnymyes
or othir wayis semblable / And that suld be with folk - yat he
has maist grete fyance jn thame / And than efferis till a
<P 103>
prince /- and rycht prouffitable is - to behalde faire visagis  #
of
folk and clethe him jn fair' clething //. here faire and gude
Romaunce of ald ancestryis -/ and storyes of best and maist
worthy men / here synging and menstralsy with all
blythenes /- rede on gude bukis /- hald blythe collacioun /.
change oft fair' clething /- vs' vnguementis oft tymes /- jn
tyme conuenable / And traist wele yat this gerris a man be jn
gude ply /- and the contrary puttis all out of ply /. As thus .
lytill ete /- oft drynk - and mekle trauaill and lytill         #
resting /
and oft tobe at the sonne and the wynde - & mak oft and ferr'
voyagis on fut /- mekle thrist / mekle hunger' / mekle waking
mekle murnyng /- mekle langing /. slepe before mete . bot he
had wakit jn the nycht before / slepe on hard bedding /- jn
foule clathis - haue euill clething on his body /- and          #
vnlikly /
grete thouchtis annoyous' with drede of dede schame or
pouertee /- bathing jn euill or foule wateris /- ete salt       #
metis /
drynk our' alde drynk /- ga our' oft to chameris esis / our'    #
oft
suete / our' oft blede /- our' oft [\121v\] haunt wommen / haue
heuy hert / sad and dolorous' /- euer' thinkand and pensyf -
and euer' jncontynent raddour and dises' / And traist wele thir
thingis makis men lene / nocht than - sum ar lene of thair'
nature /- Bot ypocras gave a reugle / sayand . yat quhen a
man is rycht full - he suld nouthir gang jn bathis /- na he     #
suld
nocht tak grete trauaile na hete him nocht / na he suld nocht
haue na dale with wommen jn that tyme /. na ryn - na ryde
fast And als he forbedis to ete fische and mylk togeder' /- and
namely salmonde - ffor gif he escapis mysalry /- he sall haue
the quhite spechis callit morphea / And rycht sa sulde men
forbere wyne and mylk - for jt is stoppand .

(^Here declaris the noble^) philosophour' ane othir poynt of
medicyne till Alexander' king /- Alexander' faire sone /- we
rede how a mychtj prince assemblit a grete men+ge of
medicinaris and phisiciens /- and gert thame mak thair' studye
to compone a medicine yat he suld vs' /- and neuer haue nede
of othir quhill he lyvit And he gert assemble all the           #
medicinaris
of ynde and of pers' . and of Mede and of Grece //- And the
medicinare of grece said - yat lat a man tak his mouth full of
clene water' twys' /- he suld neuer nede othir medicyne /-
And the phisiciene of Mede said /- yat and a man wald ete a
<P 104>
mouthful of myllet / he suld neuer myster othir medicyne And
jlkane of the tothir' said thair' verdyt as thame thocht best   #
to
thame / Bot as for me . j say - yat jt semys me / yat a man yat
lyvis sobirly lyf / and efter' slepis his naturale slepe but    #
gref /.
Sa yat jn his wakenyng he be nocht paysaunt / na hevy /. na
slepy than suld he nocht dout of no malady - And suppos' he
ete jn the sesoun euery day - vij or viij besaunt weicht of
rasyns /- that is to say - ane vnce weicht of rasins of gude
rypenes . & suetenes - he suld nocht dout na maner' of wys' na
malady fleumous' yat suld hurt his memoire / na his wit suld
be werrid /- na his complexioun changit / And lat him vs'
that // he salbe seker of all maladies / commouns feueres
quartes na otheris /- And wald he ete figues with nutis jn the
mornyng with a lytill of Rue / he suld haue na dout of venym
that day /- And traist wele yat the man may nocht be with
grete payn seke ryf / yat etis gude quhete brede / & gude lycht
flesche /- and gude vnvicious' wynis - sa yat he vs' thame
sobirly /- and yat he kepe him fra our' mekle drynking and
eting /. and othir excess' /- as our' grete trauaill -/ our'    #
grete
hete / our' grete calde /- our' mekle company of wommen And
gif a man thocht yat wyne war' our' stark drynk till him - and
he wald leve jt / and drynk nomare of jt / he suld nocht leue   #
jt
at anys sudaynly /- bot he sulde leue it lytill and lytill jn   #
the
begynnyng fra stark wyne to wayke wyne /. fra wayke wyne to
wyne and water' / fra wyne and water' - till all water' or
cerueis' or othir drink yat changit nocht his complexioun
sone /. bot yat he fell nocht jn maladye for that occasioun
sudane /- O souerane king Alexander' /- study jn all maneris
yat thou may to kepe thy naturale hete jn to thy body /- ffor
quhill naturale hete and moisture is jn thy body jn temperance
evynly paissand /- the mannis persone is jn hele /- ffor
mannis hele consistis jn thir twa qualiteis And quhen thir twa
ar' flemyt or discordand /- or ane of thame excedis jn mannis
persone /- than is the complexioun changit / and all the nature
changit / & corrumpit nature jn the man - makis him till haue
repugnaunce jn his qualiteis /- the quhilkis cummys
sumquhile for accidence /- and sum quhile for batailles or
mysgouernaunce of othir thingis yat cummys be fortune / and
nocht be naturale contrarietee of complexioun
<P 105>

(^Here declaris the^) noble philosophour /. quhat kynde of      #
metis
ar maist [\122r\] expedient for the mannis persone / efter'     #
thair'
naturis and qualiteis as thus /. Alexander' faire sone / wit
thou / yat of metis thare is sum yat is sutile / and othir yat  #
is
rude / and othir yat ar' mydlinis /- the sutil metis engenderis
gude blude clere and clene & subtil as clene quhete brede /.
chekinis wele nurist and eggis of hennis /. The royde metis ar
gevin to rude men and hate of complexioun trauailand .
quhilkis efter' grete trauailis playis thame /. and slepis      #
efter'
nonis /. the mydlyns metis engenderis na superfluiteis of euill
humouris - as calf flesche mutoun geldit +gong and elder . and
syk maneris of fleschis . quhilkis quhen men rostis thame -     #
thai
ar' hate and dry /- And thar'for' suld mutoun ay be etyn hate /
and with gude spicis Bot thare is ane othir kynde of flesche .
as bef & yhow mutoun . or gayte flesche yat engenderis
malancoly . Neuertheles - thare is sum of thai bef flesche &
otheris yat quhen thai ar' of a litill stature / and corpolent  #
and
+gong / & fat / and wele nurist be a ryuer syde of tender herbe
lignye of haire and thin of hyde / syk flesche of cow or calf   #
ar
naturale & gude jn wodland vpbrocht / And rycht sa is jt of
fysche - ffor sum fische is nurist jn water' yat is myngglit
fresche & salt / ar mare helesum . na othir' yat is gouernyt jn
the grete see / or jn the lytill wateris all fresch yat ar' of
ligny
skyn - nocht slymy /. and quhite fysche of tender degestioun .
and namly jn rynnand wateris nurist /. and the grettest is ay
best of fische / And commonly the best fische has the maist
hard skyn . as is gueddis perchis - bremes lussis - rougettis
sturis and syk lyke 

(^Here spekis^) the noble philosophour' of syndry kyndis of
wateris and thair' nature / Alexander' fair' sone . that water'
is of his nature calde and moiste and gyfis na nurising till    #
man
na beste /. bot his nature is sutile / & rynnis throu the       #
condytis
of the body . and refreschis the condicioun and complexioun
of man / and culis thame yat ar' hate and temperis thair'       #
hete /.
And traist wele yat water' is prouffitable till bathe man and
beste /- herbes and treis /- And wit thou yat all wateris .
bathe salt water' and suete water' cummys out of the see /.     #
that
is to say . the salt water' is the propre element / and the
fresche water' is vpliftit fra It / be vertu of the hevin / and
<P 106>
descendis agayn jn rayn . snaw haile /- or othir moisture and
rynnis jn the erde / and genderis thir fontaynes /- of quhilkis
cummys the ryueris of fresche wateris / And wit thou wele yat
the maist licht wateris ar ay the best and maist prouffitable   #
to
mankynde /. And thai cummis maist nere citeis and townis yat
ar' rynnand wateris . cummand of rayn quhen the aire is suete
& but fumositeis clere and fyne / & fair' suete & lycht Othir
wateris ar' naturaly engendred vnder' erde within craggis &
caues jn the erde amang stanis and grauellis and full of grete
fumositeis And sum may be knawin be thair' weight and
hewe / and be thair' sauour' as bryntstane And jn sik wateris
ar' oft tymes engenderit serpentes and paddokis snakis & euill
bestis venymous' /. And alsa the slepand wateris of lowis but
rynnyng / or of dubbis of sypis fra townis . and syk like
wateris ar nocht helesum . na prouffitable / na +git the        #
wateris
yat cummys fra muris and myris and marrais /. And thar'fore
to ken gude wateris thir ar the takenis /. the gude water' js   #
jn
gude place tane /. as before j haue said /. quhite and clere /
wele [\122v\] gustit and licht / and sone will be hate and sone
cule agayne to the propre kynde / Bot euill wateris ar hevy
paysand . and euill hewit / and euill gustit / and lang to tak
hete / and quhen thai ar' hate langar haldis thair' hete / And
thai ar bitter and barkand jn the mouth /. and dryand and
suelland jn the body / & makis mekle wambe to beste or man .
yat vsis thame ./ water' of pulis and dubbis ar' hate jn
somer' / and dry and bytter . for caus' thai ryn nocht /. and   #
the
sonne strykis on thaim all the day . And thar'for' thai
engenderis euill collis yat byndis mannis body and
mystemperis jt /. oft tymes gerris the longis cleve to the      #
ribbis
of catalle & folk / and stoppis thame within . outhir jn        #
lichtis
or lyuer or melt / (^jtem^) the wateris yat cummis betuix       #
landis
rynnand takis the nature of the landis yat jt rynnis throu jn
sum party /. and ar hate and sekely be the vnkynde nature of
the terrestreyteis of thame yat thai tak of that erde / And wit
thou Alexander' yat jt is nocht spedefull to drynk water'
allane /- ffor and thou drynk jt fastand / jt slokis the        #
naturale
hete of thy stomak / And drynk thou jt apon thy mete / jt       #
gerris
the stomak throu the nature of the mete draw ane vnkyndely
hete yat hinderis the degestioun and genderis euill fleumes jn
the stomak / & destroyis the vertu of the mete jn the stomak
<P 107>
yat hynderis the nature / and spillis degestioun and jndisponis
the stomak / And gif thou will drink water' - drink jt with thy
wine And drink jt jn somer' all calde / and jn wynter' hete     #
jt /-
and put jn thy wyne and than is jt confortand - ffor hate jn
somer' softis the stomak and makis jt mare feble and hynderis
the degestioun and stroyis the appetite / and calde water' jn
wynter' slokis the naturale hete of the stomak yat suld mak
degestioun and genderis stopping jn the breste / & noyis the
longis & engenderis mony maladyes

(^Here spekis^) the noble philosophour' of the syndry kyndis of
wynis and of thair' naturis and proprieteis efter' thair'
condiciouns and placis of thair' grouth /- Alexander' fair'
sone - thou suld vnderstand yat the wyne yat growis jn
mountaynes agaynis the sonne ar' mare dryand - and of dry
nature / na the wynis yat growis jn playne landis or moystis
and vnder' vmbris of treis And thir wynis yat growis thus jn
hye landis ar' better na the tothir / ffor thai wynis expellis  #
the
superfluiteis of nature / and hetis better the stomak and all   #
the
body - na dois the tothir kynde of wyne yat is of caldar' kynde
Bot this hate wynis ar nocht gude for +gong hate men - of hate
blude . ande till men yat ar' of nature colerykis And ay the
mare yat the wyne haue of redenes . jn samekle js jt of mare
vertu till engender blude naturale And ay the mare stark It
be /. the mare vertuous' js jt to thame yat may bere jt And
than js jt callit the first blude / and the first nurisching of
nature Bot he yat our' lang drynkis /- and our' mekle takis he
hynderis his nature and stroyis his complexioun / And quhen jt
is our' suete /- jt is nocht sa degestiue and engenderis
ventositeis / Bot of all wynis the best ar' thai yat growis     #
betuix
the hye and the lawe jn mydlyn erde - that is nouthir our' hye
na our' law erde /- and yat the rasyns be jn mydlyn way of
suetenes and lattyn rype quhill all the bitternes and sour'nes
be away be the vertu of the sonne / and the humouris of the
bark / and the bitternes of the [\123r\] curnis and gude        #
colour'
js evyn betuix rycht rede and +galow . yat is claret wyne / yat #
is
mare helesum till all complexioun /. nocht our' poignand na
our' suete / bot delytable of hewe and gust / clere but the
moder' scailde chosin be the odour' colour' & sauour' ground
and nature /. And gif thou hapnis faire sone Alexander' to get
<P 108>
syk maner' of wyne / se yat thou tak sobyrly of It / efter'
thyne age / and efter' the tyme of +gere /- and the             #
disposicioun
of the sesoun / ffor syk wynis confourtis the stomak / and      #
helpis
to the naturale hete / and to the gude degestioun . and kepis   #
the
stomak fra all corrupcioun - & gydis jt better throu the wayis
of the natural condytis - and sendis jt to the membris of the
body . quhare nature has ordanyt / and conuertis the metis
soner jn substance & blude & flesche na othir wyne dois / and
gerris jt serue better to the necessiteis of the disposicioun   #
of
the harnis with a temperit hete /. and amendis the wit / and    #
the
mynde of the man . and makis a man mare wys' and seure jn
his witt / with discrecioun and resoune and blithis the hert /
and makis gude hew vermylioun . and reddis the rutis of the
toung and gerris a man speke clerely and redly /. and puttis
vane thouchtis fra a man /- makis man hardy / and gevis him
gude appetite / and mony othir prouffitable thingis dois yat
mannis witt may nocht comprehende to count yat resoun and
temperaunce accordis - And quhasa euer' drynkis wyne jn
our' mekle habundance /- thareof cummys mony maladyes .
and othir mysgouernaunces /- ffor It stoppis the wittis of      #
man .
and hynderis the knaulage / jt stroublis the harnis /. waykis
the vertues naturale corporale & spirituale and lettis the
operaciouns of the body /- and makis man tobe vnthochtfull of
his honour and proffit/ for+gettand / and hurtis and woundis    #
the
fyve wittis yat gouernis the man - and makis him all othir jn
his complexioun naturale /- and gerris him quhilum his
membris tremble /- quhilum thai engender jn him othir
maladies jncurables /- and takis fra him gude appetite /- and
makis the body wayke /. And the eyne wayke and goirry / and
jllumynis the fyre to bryn the lyuer throu the colis yat is     #
callit
blak colle /- jn latyne colera nigra /- and makis the blude     #
our'
rude / and grete and hevy /. and gerris his hert be our'set     #
with
hevy blude /- quhilk genderis jn man raddour slombering
efter' mete with fantasies & fleying jn dremys and hevynes of
malancoly of misgouernance and mistemperance of metis and
drynkis quhilkis corrumpis mannis naturale sede /- quhilkis
engenderis quhilum generacioun hable till all maladies throu
abhomynable gouernaunce of thair' stomak / bathe till
perlesyis mysalries - podagris cankeris festres / And thar'fore
sais the medicines / yat quhasa takis our' mekle of the stark
<P 109>
wyne /- he takis als mekle venym /- And sa suld all men kepe
thame to tak our'mekle wyne /- quhethir jt be gude or euill -
for all noyis the nature /- ffor venym is comperit proprely to
a spice callit Reu barbaris - the quhilk is the propre hele of
the lyuer quhen jt is brynt with blak coleris - Bot +git may    #
men
tak samekle of jt / yat thai may tak thair' dede / quhen thai
excede our' outrageously / And alssua js gude wyne / quhilk
is conseruatour of mannis lyf / and his hele comperit to venym
of serpentis and of edderis / of the quhilkis is maid the       #
triacle
of the quhilk is maid a generale medicyne to hele all maladies
of poysoun and venym - sa precious' js jt our' all medicyne
agayn poysoun and venym - Bot nocht gaynstandand yat the
serpent beris nocht all the poysoun na venym yat all men yat
ar' poysound ar' poysound throuche /- no mare dois the
wyne /- Bot quhasa our' mekle takis of the wyne / quhilk is lyf
and hele to mankynde / +git sall jt be till his nature as       #
poysoune
till vndo him &c

[\123v\] (^Here declaris the noble^) the maneris of baithis and #
of
stovis /- ffair' sone Alexander' wit thou wele - yat stoving
and bathing is as a miracle of conseruacioun of mankynde jn
this warld . quhasa dois jt at poynt / the quhilk suld be maid
and ordanyt efter' the quatertemps of the +gere /- ffor the     #
cald is
comperit to the wynter' /- and the warme and the moiste to the
prime temps yat is callit ver' and the hete to the somer' / and
the dry to the hervyst / And thar'for' thare mon be grete
consideracioun to mak wele a bathis or a stovis /- ffor men
sulde ordane four' chaumeres jlkane besyde othir be ordre /-
of the quhilkis the first suld be callde / the secound warme /
as leuke hate the thrid hate / and the ferde dry /- And quhen
the man suld stove him . he suld first entre the first chaumer
yat is calde / and syne to the tothir yat is warme /- and syne  #
to
the hate and wete / and syne to the warme and dry /- and jn
jlkane byde a quhile be ordre yat sudaynly he war' nocht our'
tane with vnkyndely hete or calde yat walde put him jn a
mystemperance perilous' / And with that he suld nocht
sudaynly passe out / bot be ordre /. ffor quhen man passis
sudaynly fra grete hete to grete caulde he may nocht fail+ge to
fall jn ane jnconuenient // And traistis wele / syk thing sulde #
be
maid jn a hate place quhare thare war' gude ayer' And yat jt
<P 110>
had a grete fournas gevand the hete jnwarde / bot ye mouth of
jt / suld be frawart the place of the stove to send the lowe    #
fra
the stove / And jt suld be lawe sett nere a water' of fresche
water' / And thare suld be fair' herbaris with herbis of        #
diuers'
naturis /. faire and vertuous'/ gaynand for bathis efter' the
sesoun of jlke bathing and stoving tyme / And efter' the
stoving and bathing / men suld sytt on fair' bynkis jn thai
herberis /. and our'strynklit with ros' wateris his face and
handis and templis /- and frottit and rubbit his fete and his
handis / and othir parties of his body / at his desyre and
appetite with a faire lynnyn towale / apon a fair' fut schete /
quhite and clene / And sa sulde he gang jn the water' - and
wesche him agayn of all thai superfluiteis / And sa pas orderly
fra chaumer to chaumer / quhill he be wele culit / of his grete
hete / and syne efter' / at the last tyme /- he suld efter' all #
his
stoving and wesching be kembyt his haire and his body
anoynt / with suete balmes - or othir vnguementis - precious'
and conuenable / gaynand for the sesoun - And ay quhill he be
wele culit at his es' /- he suld occupy him jn syk delicious'
esementis - and culand spicis - quhill he war' culit at all
es' /- And gif he war' be ony cas' our' calde /- he suld vs' a
serop calefactiff / and of ane electuare mustakit / And syne
efter' thou sulde tak a lytill licht repast / of degestable     #
mete /.
and drink of a fyne small plesand wyne / temperit with
water' / and syne pas till a fair' bed - wele grathit with
sauourous' clathis and clene / and slepe a gude fully slepe / a
gude lang quhile /- ffor sik gouernaunce restoris agayn yat
thou has tynt jn sueting /- And syne efter' that / all the
remaynand of the day thou suld conuert jn joy - and solace /
and blythnes /- and jn repos' /- ffor that day is ordanyt for a
day of blithnes and es' of bodily hele / and restoring of
nature /- and to purge the corps - and the blude fra perilis    #
yat
may fall for excess' jn tyme bygane / and misgouernaunce of
mannis persone /- Bot quhen thou art alde & waykar' of
nature /- thou suld kepe the yat thou byde nocht sa lang
tharejn . Bot tak efter' thy qualitee thy refectioun and
purgacioun /. And gyf a man be wayke ande alde / jt may
suffice him tobe tharejn - quhill he haue suett a lytill // and
syne weschin him . And gyf a man be corssy /- and
<P 111>
fleumatyk /- kepe him yat he ga nocht tharejn . efter' mete /
bot ay fastand - yat he haue nouthir etyn na dronkyn &c

[\124r\] (^Here^) spekis the noble philosophour of justice yat
efferis till a prince /- Alexander' fair' sone thou suld
vnderstand . yat the vertu of justice js the fairest vertu yat  #
is jn
a prince / and ane of the proprieteis of the hye and glorious'
almychtj god /. And thar'fore suld na realmes be gevin jn
gouernaunce to nane / bot to thame yat war' fulfillit of        #
vertues
to gouerne the peple / and namely jn to justice / And proprely
to thame yat god has stablist to the go[{uer{]naunce of the
peple / and chosyn . as he yat may and can be abone his dedis
& chargit till his gouernaunce of his puple /. yat bathe can .
may and will bathe kepe and defende and manetene his gudis -
his werkis & dedis /- and his subiectes as dois god him self jn
all cheritee lautee - justice /- and equitee /- And thar'fore   #
js a
king lyknyt to god ffor he is / as depute and mynister to       #
god //
and suld folow him - and be lyke him - & conforme him till
him jn all his dedis of justice vertu / and veritee /. ffor all
the
gouernaunce and ordinaunce of the warld - js gouernyt
manetenyt & vphaldin be justice jn perfyte ordre of equitee /
lufe / and charitee /- And alssua hevyn & erde was maid and
ordanyt throu justice /- And be justice the kingis and princis
ar' ordanyt to gouerne realmes and peple /- ffor justice our'
cummys all othir thingis /- and saues the saules and the
bodyes of all creaturis fra vice and corrupcioun /- ffor        #
justice
is the forme and the foundement yat god the glorious' has sett
to gouerne all his creaturis to drawe thame till him at the     #
last /
And thar'fore suld all princis and kingis folow his steppis /-
and sett thame to conforme thame till his condiciouns /- ffor   #
as
sais the men of ynde /- A king yat regnis jn justice equitee &
lautee is prouffitable till his peple /- ffor of him cummys
plentee and welth jn his realme - And +git thai say mare /- yat
a just king is better - na the dew of the nycht yat gerris the
fruyte and corne growe /. ffor he sauues be justice bathe the
gudis and mennis lyfis . And the dew bringis bot the tane /-
that is to say the fruytis - (^jtem^) the peple of ynde gert    #
put jn
writt / yat a king rychtwis' and just / may be comperit the wit
of man ffor as the wit of man - throu his discrecioun discernis
betuix all causis /- and jugis the rycht / Sa suld a rychtwis'
<P 112>
king /- And alssua Alexander' . thou suld vnderstand / yat
thare is twa maneris of justice /- that is . ane opyn - ane     #
othir
couert /- Iustice clere & opyn that is jt / yat apperis jn dede
and werkis lelely and justly paysit / with a gude wit and
vnderstanding / The tothir couert justice / is - jn a gude      #
jugis
mynde / and jn his hert nocht schawin out / that is veritee and
lautee / yat lurkis jn his hert / yat apperis nocht outwart to
mannis sycht /. bot quhen him lykis to schawe jt / his just &
rychtwis' wordis . And syk a prince as this yat has bathe
justice jn hert and jn dede /- resemblis and is like to the
glorious' god almychtj - And quhat prince or king yat has
nocht this souerane vertu jn dede and jn hert /. he is nocht    #
king
na prince /- bot he is contrarious' to kingis and princis /-
ffor proprietee is - to king or prince tobe just /- Or ellis he
declynis fra the proprietee of princehede /- and fra the
glorious' god - of quham he tuke that office /- And waryid is
of his peple / suppos' he wate jt nocht /. And wenand to
blyndfell god . with fals' semblande of justice /. wenand to
ger' his peple trow / yat he war' rychtwis' - nocht doand the
rycht werkis /- And +git is thare ane othir maner' of justice
betuix a man - and his creatoure god almychtj - that is
deferrit / quhill the vterest terme /. quhilk justice men suld
nocht for+gett / And thai be wys' - And thar'fore faire sone
Alexander' - do justice jn this warlde here / and thou sall     #
fynd
it before the thare jn the warlde of warldis . ffor quhen thou
kepis justice amang thy subiectis / thou dois to thy self / and
to
thy [\124v\] souerane lord god almychty /- the quhilk sall mak
jnterrogacioun of all princis dedis of justice straytelyar' na  #
of
othir mennis dedis / and salbe fer' sairar' punist of thaire
faultis

(^Here declaris the noble philosophour - how^) a man suld ken
hym self / and namely a prince /. And how he yat kennis wele
him selff kennis wele all othir thingis of the warld . As       #
thus -
Alexander' fair' sone /. gif thou will knaw all thingis /- and  #
all
science and all veritee / Thou mon first wit how noble / and
how worthy thy saule is /- and thy lyf / Sa yat thou coud
gouerne jt / and lede jt the wayis quhare jt suld passe be      #
rycht
and resoun - And to the end - quhareto jt is ordanyt / And
quhen thou sall haue knaulage of this /- thou sall lychtly
<P 113>
knawe all othir thingis yat thou lykis to witt /. And fyrst     #
thou
suld vnderstand yat the grete god makare and gouernoure of
all thingis ./ has gevin to man and woman thair' v. wittis to
gouerne thaim with // and to knaw all erdely thing -/ And thus
counsale j the / yat for the gouernaunce of thy contree /- yat
thou haue fyve souerane baillies gouernouris vnder' the /. and
fyve counsailouris seueralie deuisit jlkane besyde othir / Bot
euer' halde jn thy hert / thy secrete thingis . yat thou        #
thinkis
to
do /- and schaw jt neuer to nane of thame /- na lete nocht yat
thou wald ask counsale at thame /- Na lat thame neuer haue a
fele jn quham thou fyes the maist /- na quhais counsaile of
thame thou wald erest traist jn /- and folow to do /. ffor and
thou do that / the laue sall pris' the /- the lesse / and lufe
the /- the wer' / And als that man yat wist / yat thou wald
maist folow his counsail . suld pride him tharejn - and
perauenture rus' him thareof /- and thou suld be the mare
lychtlyit / & lesse lattyn of /- jn all thy contree /- Bot ask
thair' opyniouns and here gladly jlkane of thame be thame self
seueraly - and trete jn to thy hert / and cast all thair'
counsailis jlkane till othir' jn thy mynde /- and wey thame as
thou thinkis the caus' requeris /- with thair' jugementis and
opyniouns / And syne ches' be thyne awin wit / the best / or at
the leste the lykliest for thy prouffit // and the commoun
prouffit of thy realme /- And to that / sais the wys'
philosophour' hermogenes /- yat the counsale of him yat
gevis the counsale - the quhilk is done and put jn execucioun
is better - and his wit mare prisit / na his wit yat askis the
counsaile /- and his jugement mare commendit /- And the
caus' quhy is /- be caus' yat he ordanis his dedis efter' the
counsale yat is gevin him - and nocht be his awin witt /- And
than may all men see yat his dede hingis jn the counsail of     #
that
man /- and nocht jn him self /- And thus the conclusioun of
his jugement suld depend apon otheris na him selff quhilk war'
a lak till his honoure /- and mysprising till his witt /. And
thar'fore quhen thou askis at thy counsailouris thair'
opyniouns /- jt is loving yat thou here thame diligently - and
seueralie jlkane efter' othir' jn thy presence /. and melle     #
nocht
thair' sawis togeder' - na lat nane othir persone cum amang
thame jn the tyme /- bot anerly thame self /- And tak gude tent
with all thy diligence - quhais sawis accordis togidder' /- and
<P 114>
quhais discordis and jn quhat poyntis /- And tak that with the
jn wrytt /. and lat it degest [\125r\] jn thy mynde / And mend
It - gif thou can better to thy purpos' - And syne thou sall
assemble thame agayn quhen thou art avisit / and geve out thy
conclusioun Ande thus sall thy wit be commendit / And thou
lovit / and doubtit / And gif jt befallis yat thai all togeder' #
be
ane accorde geve the a sudayn ansuere /- than suld thou
furthwith . myslowe that ansuere /. and sett jt at nocht / be   #
gude
resouns yat thou has studyit jn that jlke mater' before or thou
put jt jn thair' questioune ffor sudayn ansuere mycht neuer be
gude /- And thus sall thai be better avisit /. and tak layser'  #
to
ansuere the mare murely and ryply ane othir tyme /- and nocht
ansuere sa hastily / And thai and all otheris sall love the     #
mare /.
and pris' thy wis'dome /- and hald the for the maist discrete /
and wis' man of all thy counsale - And thus quhen thou has
provit thame lang /- and knawin thaire counsaile gude and
trewe / bathe jn word and dede /. ger' halde thame as syk wys'
men /- and do thame honour and prouffit / Bot schaw neuer
thame thy purpos' /. na the opynioun yat to thy purpos' maist
acordis /- quhill thou mak jt knawin jn dede be execucioun /-
Bot euer' think on - diligently /- and bere with the away .
quha best contynewis jn his trew and gude counsaile
vnfeynyngly and gais the maist rycht way - And he yat tuichis
nerest the quhite / and best gais nere the merche - And be that
sall thou knawe /. quha best lufis the / & the prouffit of thy
realme . and thyne honour /: and thy gude gouernaunce / And
quhen thou has lang provit that persone /- and fyndis him euer'
traist /- than may thou mare seur'ly and traistly /. and        #
hardily
commytt thyne honour jn his cure and jn his counsail traist /-
And mare na ony of the lave yat thou fyndis nocht sa traist /
na sa rype wittit / sa hye sett for thine honoure / and sa
diligent / Bot of na prys lat thame neuer wit / quham thou
traistis maist na maist lufis . na put nocht the tane of thair'
counsailis jn commendacioun opinly /. furtherlyar' na the
tothir -/ ffor that sall rais' enuy and despyte / bot hald      #
'thame
evynly togeder' - and honoure thame at all thy gudely power' /
ffor thare is nane sa redy destructioun na freting of a kingis
honour' and the destructioun of his realme as to wyrk the
contrair' of this yat j haue said the /. And traist wele /      #
quhen
thi counsailouris has jlkane envy at othir / thy worschip is jn
<P 115>
were / and the destruccioun [^ / BEFORE cioun^] of the and thy  #
realme approchis
nere /. ffor quhen thai haue enuy jlkane apon othir / than sall
thai sett jlkane for otheris vndoyng / secretly . gif thay dar'
nocht opynly /. And than sall all the laue bot that ane or twa  #
yat
thou folowis thair' counsaile / hate the dedely /. And thus
genderis diuisioun . and efter' diuisioun desolacioun /- ffor
than sall thai fynd occasiouns of malice and of fedis / quhilk
sall strouble the and thy realme - and bring jt sone doune to
distructioun



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