Part 11

[At this place a leaf of the MS., or more, has been lost.]

[Sidenote: Tullius Cicero.]

[Sidenote: Boecius.]

[Sidenote: Constellacio non necessitat sed forte disponit mores hominum altor' bene vel contra, ac impressiones aeris et causa mere naturalia concernencia.]

[Sidenote: Contra fiduciam adhibendam in prophesiis. Nota conclusionem. Nisi fuerit sanctissimis viris.]

[Sidenote: Josephus. Orosius. Titus Livius.]

[Sidenote: Gyldas.]

[Sidenote: Deexpulsione Britonum in Walliam et Cornewaylle propter peccata. Destruccio regnorum.]

[Sidenote: Nynyve. Babylon. Troye. Thebes. Athenes.]

[Sidenote: Rome.]

[Sidenote: Jerusalem.]

[Sidenote: Picti gentes.]

[Sidenote: Saxones.]

[Sidenote: Danii. Normanni. Andegavenses.]

[Sidenote: Galfridus Plantagenest.]

[Sidenote: Lucius Valerius.]

[Sidenote: Boicius.]

[Sidenote: De republica custodienda.]

[Sidenote: De justicia.]

whiche may noie be, for Cicero seicthe in the booke that he made of Divinacion, and the famous doctour seint Austyn in the book of Fre wille, and also Boecius in his booke of Consolacion, or[147] Comforte ayenst mysfortune, accorden to the same, that we shuld not only trust that the thinges whiche sounethe to adversite or infortune, and the whiche comethe to us adversarily or on the lift side, for oure offenses not keping the lawes of God, that oft tymes comythe, they dyvynyng that they fallithe be casuelte of fortune, by prophesies, orellis thoroughe influence and constellacions of sterris of hevyn, whiche jugementes be not necessarilie true, for and if it were like to trouthe it were but as contingent and of no necessite, that is to sey, as likely to be not as to be. And if a constellacion or prophesie signified that suche a yere or bethin suche a tyme there shulde falle werre, pestilence, or deerthe of vitaile to a contree or region, or privacion of a contre, it is said but dispositiflie and not of necessite or certente, for than it shulde folow that the prophesies, constellacions, and influence of sterris were maistris over Goddis power, and that wolde soune to an herisie orellis to a gret erroure. And if suche {51} prophesies and influence of the seide constellacions might be trew, yet God hathe gyve that souvereynte in mannys soule that he, havyng a clene soule, may turne the contrarie disposicion that jugement of constellacion or prophesies signified. As it is verified by the famous astrologien Ptolome in his booke called Centilogie, the capitalle, seieng _quod homo sapiens dominatur astris_, that a man is sovereyn abofe suche domes of constellacions. And therfor ye oughte not deme ne conceyve the gret adversite that fallithe to us is not falle to us by prophesie or by influence of constellacion of sterris, but only for synne and wrecchidnes, and for lak of prudence and politique governaunce in dew tyme provided, and havyng no consideracion to the comen wele, but rathir to magnifie and enriche oure silfe by singler covetise, using to take gret rewardis and suffring extorcions over the pore peple, for whiche inconvenientis by the jugementis and suffraunce of God, and of his divine providence, the whiche by divers and of his secretis and as misteries unknowen to us he hathe suffred this mysfortune among us here, and privacion of the saide roiaume of Fraunce and contreis ther to falle upon us. And who so wolle considre welle the histories of olde croniclers, as of Josephas, libro Antiquitatum, Orosius de Ormesta Mundi, Titus Livius of the Romayne battelis, and such othirs, how that gret chaunge of roiaumes and countreis frome one nacion to another straunge tong hathe be, for synne and wrecchidnesse and mysgovernaunce reignyng in the roiaume so conquerid. And as it is made mencion in the olde historien called Gildas that for pride, covetice, and flesshely lustis used amongis the olde Breton bloode lordis of this roiaume, God suffred the Saxons of Duche ys tung, a straunge nacion, to dryve them out of this land in Angle in Cornewale and Walis. And where is Nynnyve, the gret cite of thre daies? and Babilon, the gret toure, inhabited now withe wilde bestis? the citeis of Troy [and] Thebes, .ij. grete magnified citeis? also Athenes, that was the welle of connyng and of wisdam? and Cartage, the victorioux cite of gret renomme, most doubtable, by the Romayns was brent to asshes. {52} And also Rome, so gloriously magnified thoroughe alle the world, overthrow the gret part of it; aswelle as was Jerusalem. And to take an example of the many overthrowes and conquestis of this lande by straunge nacions sithen the Breton bloode first inhabited, as withe peple callid Pictics, commyng out of ferre northe partie of the worlde. Then after the Saxones drove out the olde Breton bloode. Than after the Danys peple conquerid the Saxons, and than the Normans conquerid the Danys. And sone after the Angevyns of highe Fraunce, full noble knightis of renomme, Geffrey erle Plantagenet erle of Angew maried withe dame Maud, doughter of the duke of Normandie and king of Englande, Harry the second, whych doughter, called dame Maude emperesse, and so haldyn stille the Normandie bloode and the Angevyns into this tyme. And Job in his booke seithe that nothing fallithe or risithe on the erthe without a cause, as who saiethe that none adversite fallithe not to us, but only for wikkidnesse of lyvyng and synne that reignithe on us; as pride, envye, singuler covetice, and sensualite of the bodie now a daies hathe most reigned over us to oure destruccion, we not havyng consideracion to the generalle profit and universalle wele of a comynalte. And to bring to mynde how the worshipfulle senatours Romayns did gife us many examples, as Lucius Valerius, and also the noble juge cenatoure of Rome Boecius, [of the grete lofe[148]] had alway to the cite of Rome. For the saide Lucius Valerius despendid so gret good upon the comyn profit of the said cite, to kepe and maynteyne the honoure of the citee, defending the cite and contreis about from here ennemies, that he died in gret povertee, but by the cenatours relevyng, and for his worshipfulle dedis they buried hym in the most solempne wise according to his worship. And the said juge Boecius loved rightwisnesse to be kept, and the pore comyns of Rome in that susteyned and maynteyned that he spared nothir lord ne none astate. But suffred hym to stande in the daunger of the hethyn king of Rome, and to be in exile rathir {53} than he wolde offende justice. Notwithestanding the saide adversite and tribulacions felle unto hem for avaunsing and tendring the comyn wele, and alle men of worship may put hem in worshipfulle remembraunce among worthy princes to here gret renomme and laude. Also it is to be noted that was one of the gret causis that the princes Romayns were so gret conquerours and helde the straunge roiaumes so long in subjeccion, but only using of trouthe and justice keping in here conquestis.

[Sidenote: De justicia Camilli in obcidionibus historia gloriosa.]

A fulle noble historie how that Camillus the duke of Rome wolde use justice in his conquest.

[Sidenote: Quod princeps debet vincere cicius per justiciam quam per traditionem.]

[Sidenote: Titus Livius decade primo.]

[Sidenote: Florens cytee.]

[Sidenote: Camillus.]

[Sidenote: Conciderandum.]

[Sidenote: Proposicio ad Romanos gentes.]

In example I rede in the Romayns stories of Titus Livius in the booke of the first decade that a prince Romayn clepid Camillus, whiche did so many victorioux dedis, and loved so welle the comyn profit of the cite of Rome, that he was called the second Romulus whiche founded first Rome, besieged a gret cite of Falistes, whiche is nowe as it is saide called Florence, to have hem undre the governaunce of the Romayne lawes. And as he had leyne long at the siege, and after gret batailes and scarmysshes it fortuned that a maister of sciencis of Falliste called now Florence, the whiche had all the enfauntes and childryn of the gouvernours and worshipfulle men of the saide citee in his rule to lerne hem virtuous sciencis, thought to wynne a gret rewarde and thank of the noble prince Camillus, and by the umbre of treson ayenst justice that the said maistre wolde wirke to cause the senatours of Faliste [the rather[149]] to deliver up the cite to the prince, the said maister by flatering and blandishing wordis meoved his clerkis to desport bethout the cite in the feeldis, and so fedde hem forthe withe sportis and plaies tille he had brought hem withyn the siege and power of Camillus, and came to his presence, saiyng to hym that he had brought to hym the sonnes of the chief lordes and governours of the cite of Falliste, {54} whiche and he wolde kepe the said chyldryn in servage, the faderis of hem wolle deliver hym the cite bethout any more werre making. Than saide that just prince Camillus that it was not the Romayns condicions to werre and punisshe such innocentis as never offendid in werre, ne knew not what werre meoved; and wolde not suffre that the Falistes be defrauded of here contre and cite by unjust menes of treason or fals covyn or undew alliaunce, but as naturalle werre wol fortune by manhod and just dede of armes to take the cite. And there the saide prince comaunded the scolemaister for his gret deceite to be dispoilid and to be betyn nakid withe baleese and sharpe roddis withe his owne clerkis into the cite ayen; than the governours and maistres of the cite, havyng consideracion of the gret justice and manhod that he used in his conquest, sent to Camillus ambassatours withe the keies of the cite, and purposid unto him, saieng, O ye fathir and prince of justice, wher as the welle honoure and renommee of justice and of victorioux dedis reignithe among you Romaynes by using of justice, and that for asmoche they perceyved that princes Romayns used feithe and justice, and peyned theym to kepe theire peple conquerid hem to be subgettis to Rome by justice, they were fulle joifulle and glad to lyve undre theire lawes, and so delivered hym the [keys and the[150]] citee, to the gret renomme of the saide prince and to alle the Romayns gretly to be magnified.

Historie of dame Cristyn, declaring how a prince and a ledar of peple shulde use prudence and justice by example of the noble cenatoure called Fabricius.

[Sidenote: Res publica.]

And also as dame Cristyn[151] in the .xv. chapitre of the first partie of hir seid booke of Tree of Batailes leiethe a noble example that {55} among alle vertues that shulde long to a prince, a duke, a cheveteyne, or to a governoure of a contre, citee, or towne, or a leder of peple, rehersithe how it is necessarie that he shulde be a prudent man and a wise and of gret trouthe, as by example it is write of the noble and trew senatoure Fabricius, leder of the Roman oostis, the whiche for his gret trouthe, vailliaunce, and manhod, and wise governaunce, king Pirrus his adversarie offred to gyve hym the .iiij^{the}. part of his roiaume and of his tresoure and goodis, so that the saide Fabricius wolde yelden and turne to his partie and become his felow in armes. To whiche Pirrus the said Fabrisius answerd, that a trew man might not to over moche hate and dispreise tresoure and richesse by treason and falshed evylle getyn, where as by possibilite and alle liklinesse may be honourable and truly vanquisshid and wonne bye armes, and not in noo maner wise by untrouthe and falshed. In whiche matier verifieng, saiethe Vigecius in his booke of Chevalrie, to a chiefteyne, to whome is commytted so gret a thing as is deliverid hym the charge and governaunce of noblesse of chevalrie, the dedis and entreprises of a prince is office is principally comytted hym for the governaunce of comon publique of a roiaume, dukedom, erledom, barnage, or seignourie, castelle, forteresse, citee, and towne, that is clepid vulgarlie the comon profite, the suerte and saufegarde of alle the saide contreis. And if by the fortune of batailes he might not only have a generall consideracion and cure of alle his ooste or over alle the peple, contree, or citee that he hathe take the charge of, but he must entende to every particuler charge and thing that nedithe remedie or relief for his charge; and any thing myssfortune to a comon universall damage in defaut of oversight of remedie of a particuler and singuler thing or charge, thoroughe whiche might grow to an universall damage, than it is to be wited his defaute. {56} And therefore in conclusion of this, late it take example to folow the noble and fructufulle examples of the noble cenatours. And we ought so to kepe us frome the offending and grevyng of oure sovereyne Maker not to usurpe ayenst justice as hathe be doo, in suche wise that thoroughe oure synfulle and wrecchid lyvyng ayenst his lawes he be not lengir contrarie to us, suffring us this grevouslie for oure offensis to be overthrow, rebukid, and punished as we bee, but lyve and endure in suche clene life, observyng his .x. preceptis, that he have no cause to shew on us the rod of his chastising as he dothe.

[Sidenote: Deploracio contra iniquos malefactores prevalentes.]

Another exhortacion to kepe the lawes of God, for in doubte that ellis God wulle suffre oure adversaries punisshe us withe his rodde.

[Sidenote: Nota optime.]

O mightifulle God, if it be soo as holy scripture seiethe, the whiche is not to mystrust, have not we deserved cause this to be punished, seeyng so many wrecchid synnes as among us dailie uncorrectid hathe reigned, for whiche we ought know we be righte worthy of moche more chastising and grettir punishement of God, he being just and not chaungeable; for it is wretyn in the booke of Paralipomenon that for the gret synnes used be theym of Israelle, God of his rightwisnesse suffred the Phillistyns that were they never so eville ne in so eville a quarelle to be persecutours and destroiers of the lande of Judee and of Goddis peple, and the rathir that the saide Israelites had a law gyven hem by Moises and kept it not.

[Sidenote: De republica augmentanda.]

How every officer spirituelle and temporelle shulde put hym in his devoire to the avaunsing of the comon profite.

[Sidenote: Tullius in nova rethorica.]

And it is for to remembre among alle other thingis that is made mencion in this Epistille that every man after his power and degre shuld principallie put hym in devoire and laboure for the {57} avaunsment of the comon profit of a region, contre, cite, towne, or householde; for, as alle the famous clerkis writen, and inespecialle that wise cenatoure of Rome Tullius in his booke De Officiis [de Republica, that Novius Marcellus makyth mencion of yn dyvers chapiters,[152]] and in other bookis of his De Amicicia, Paradoxis, and Tusculanis questionibus, that Res publica welle attendid and observed, it is the grounde of welfare and prosperite of alle maner peple. And first to wete the verray declaracion of these .ij. termys Res publica, as seint Austyn seiethe in the .v. booke and .xxviij. chapitre of the Cite of God, and the saide Tullius the famous rethoricien accordithe withe the same, saieng in Latyn termes: "Res publica est res populi, res patriae, res communis; sic patet quod omnis qui intendit bonum commune et utilitatem populi vel patriae vel civitatis augere, conservare, protegere, salva justicia intendit et rempublicam augere et conservare." And it is forto lerne and considre to what vertues Respublica strecchithe, as I rede in a tretie that Wallensis, a noble clerk, wrote in his book clepid Commune loquium, C^o. 3^o. p^e partis, seithe quod, "Respublica ordinatur hiis virtutibus, scilicet, legum rectitudine, justiciae soliditate, equitatis concordia, unanimitatis fidelitate mutua adjuvante, concilio salubri dirigente, morum honestate decorante, ordinata intentione consumpnante." As for the first partie it is verified by Tullie in his Rethorik the first booke: "Omnes leges ad commodum reipublicae judicis referre oportet, et lex nichil aliud est quam recta racio et anima justa, imperans honesta, prohibens contraria." And it is right expedient that alle tho that be justices, governours, or rulers of contrees, citees, or townes, to a comon profit, must doo it by prudent counceile and good avise of auncien approved men; for a governoure of a comon profit were in olde tyme named amongis the Romayns, havyng the astate that at this daies bene used [by] alle tho that bene called to highe digniteis, the emperoure, kingis, princes, dukis, marques, erlis, vicountes, barons, baronettis, consules, chevalers, esquiers, and aldermannes, justices, {58} baillifis, provostis, maires, and suche othirs officers. And Tullius in the first booke of Offices seiethe: "Parva sunt foris arma ubi consilium non est domi."

How auncient men growen in yeris be more acceptable to be elect for a counceilour, or for to gouverne a cite for a comyn profit, than yong men.

[Sidenote: Tullius de Senectute.]

[Sidenote: Examplum amplum.]

[Sidenote: Experiencia, &c.]

[Sidenote: Job.]

Tullius in his book De Senectute saiethe that auncient men that bene growen in age bene more profitable in gyvyng counceile for the avaunsing and governyng a comon profit of a citee, towne, or village, as to bere offices, than othirs that bene yong of age, althoughe he be [of] mighty power of bodie. For an example he puttithe, as there be men in a ship som that be yonge of mighty power halithe up the ankirs, othirs goithe feersly aboute the ropis fastenyng, and some goithe to set up the saile and take it downe as the govenoure the maister avisithe hem. Yet the eldist man that is halde wisist among hem sittithe and kepithe the rothir or sterne [of] the ship, and seethe to the nedille for to gide the ship to alle costis, behofefulle to the savyng of the ship frome dangers and rokkis, whiche dothe more profit and grettir avauntage to the vesselle than alle tho yong lusty men that rennen, halithe, or clymethe. Wherfor it may be concluded that the auncien approved men by long experience, made governours and counceilours of roiaumes, contrees, citeis, and townes, done grettir dedis by theire wise counceile, than tho that labouren in the feelde, cite, or towne by mighty power of her hand. And it is saide by Job, .12^o. that Roboam, whiche forsooke the counceile of olde men, and drew after the counceile of yong men, lost the kingdom [of] whiche he had the gouvernaunce; and whiche example is right necessarie to be had in remembraunce in every wise governoure is hert. And so wolde the mightifulle God that every governoure wolde have a verray parfit love to the governaunce of a comon wele by wise and goode counceile, and to folow the pathis and weies and examples {59} of the noble senatours of Rome, how they were attending to the commyn profit, setting aside singular availe. So tho famous region and citeis aboute undre theire obeissaunce reigned alle that tyme by many revolucion of yeris in gret worship and prosperite, as I shalle in example put here in remembraunce, and is founden writen in divers stories, as of one among othir ys

[Sidenote: De preferramento rei publice.]

How Fabius the noble cenatoure set by no worship of vayne glorie, but only laboured for the comon profit of Rome.

[Sidenote: Fabius cenator dexspexit vanam gloriam.]

[Sidenote: Quomodo Romani gentes fuerant divinatores et auguriste pro conservacione rei publice.]

Tullius de Senectute the first partie maketh mencion of a noble prince Romayne clepid Fabius, whiche had gret batailes and journeis withe Hanibal prince of Cartage, to kepe the conquest of Romayne contreis, and to see theire libertees and fraunchises observed and kept for the wele of alle maner peple; whiche Fabius despraised renommee and vayne glorie, but onlie gafe his solicitude, thought, and his bisy cure about the comon profit of Rome; for whiche cause the saide Fabius after his dethe was put in gret renomme and more magnified among the Romayns than he was in his liffe tyme. And the saide Fabius, after the right and usage was in tho daies, did gret diligence to lerne and know by augures and divinacions of briddis and by other causes naturell after the ceasons of the yeris and in what tymes prosperite, welthe, and plente, derthe, or scarsite of cornes, wynes, [and] oilis shulde falle to the contre of Romayns, to his grettist comfort for the avauncement of the comon wele. And he delited gretly to rede actis and dedis of armes of straunge nacions, to have a parfiter remembraunce and experience to rule a comon wele, that was moche bettir than before his daies ne sithe was no consulle like to his governaunce except the worthy Scipion's. And it were fulle necessarie that princes and lordis shuld know by naturalle cause of philosophie the seasons and yeris of prosperite or adversite falling to the region that he is of, to th'entent he might make his provision thereafter; but more pite is few {60} profound clerkis in this lande ben parfitelie grounded in suche workis or they fauten her principales in scolis, so they have no sufficient bookis, orellis they taken upon them the connyng of judicielle mateiris to know the impressions of the heire and be not expertid, and be this maner the noble science of suche judicielle mater in causis naturelle concernyng the influence of the bodies of hevyn ben defamed and rebukid.

How Lucius Paulus Fabricius and Curius Cornicanus, cenatours, in her grete age onlie studied and concellid for the proferring of the comon wele.

Also to bring to mynde for to folow the steppis of the full noble consulle of Rome Lucius Paulus, whiche the wise Caton is sonne maried the doughter of the saide Lucius Paule. Also the senatours clepid Fabricius and Curiois Cornecanois, that they aswelle as the forsaide Fabius in her grete age did none othir bisinesse but only by theire counceile and by theire auctorite counceiled, avised, and comaunded that that shulde bee to the comon profit of the saide cite of Rome.

How Appius the highe preest of the tempill of Mynerfe, albeit he was blinde, of good corage purposid tofore the Romains to make werre withe king Pirrus then to be com subjet to her auncient ennemy king Pirrus.

[Sidenote: Tullius de Senectute.]

[Sidenote: Ennius poeta.]

In like wise the [hyghe[153]] preest of the tempille of Mynerve of Rome clepid Appius, after he was for gret age blinde and feble, whan king Pirrus, king of Epirotes, werrid so ayenst Rome that he had [febled and[153]] werried them so sore and wan upon hem so gret contreis, that the Romains ayenst theire worship wolde have made pease and alliaunces withe hym to her uttermost dishonoure, {61} but the said Appius purposid tofore the noble senatoures Romayn and required hem to doo after the counceile of Ennius the wise consul, that the Romains shulde take good hert to hem, and not to abate here noble courages, to become subjet to theire auncient adversarie Pirrus; and that they shulde take new entreprinses upon Pirrus and destroie his gret armees; whiche the saide senatours were revived in theire courages thoroughe the wise exhortacions of Appius, and had the victorie of Pirrus.

[Sidenote: De Officiis Catonis.]

This chapitre declarithe how many gret offices of highe dignite Caton was called and auctorised for his gret manhode and wisdom, and how he in his age couraged the yong knightis to goo to feelde to venquisshe Cartage or he died.