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How a kynge ought to kepe his fayth or othe.

Above all thynge (dere sone) beware that thou breke not thy faythe and othe that thou hast made. For it is belongynge to strompettes, and also to people that kepe not, nor do not care for theyre faythe and othe. Wherfore kepe thy faythe that thou hast promysed, for and yf that thou do otherwyse, it wyll come to an evyll ende at the last. And yf by adventure or fortune, it chaunceth that ony welthe cometh by faythe brekynge, the trust therof sholde not be good, but veray evyll & reprovable, and suche a man is put in the nombres of them that be nought. Wyte thou then that by kepynge of faythe is made the goodly assemblynge of men. Cytees ben inhabyted with comyns, and soo is the good sygnouryes of kynges. By kepynge of fayth castelles ben holden and kepte in lordships. And yf thou breke thy fayth thou shalt be reputed of every man as a chylde or a brute beest than beware therof. And kepe also the others, and alyaunces that thou hast made, though that they be grevous and domageable to the. Wotest thou not that thou hast two spyrytes alwaye with the, one on the ryght syde and the other on the lyft syde, whiche knowe and kepe all thy workes. And report to thy creatoure al that thou hast done. Of a trouth thou ought onely to absteyne the frome all dyshonest workes. And constreyne none to swere, but he be moche requyred and prayed. And yf thou wylt wyte what was the destruccyon of Nubye, and of the assyryens. I certyfye the that theyr kynge made othes gylefully, to deceyve the men and cytezens next by. And brake his alyaunces and promysses that he had made, bycause they were profytable to his realme. And also to his subgectes he made many fals othes to destroy theyr next neyghboures. The ryghtwyse Juge coude susteyne nor suffre them no longer. Moost dere sone I wyll that thou knowe, that for the governynge and ordynaunce of thy realme I have made the some new doctrynes, the whiche specyally is for the profyte of thyn owne famylyers and the. But as yet it is not tyme to gyve them to the. I wyll gyve the them in a certayne place of this boke shortly abreged. The which yf thou kepe for thy selfe prouffytably, with the helpe of god thou shalt have prosperyte, and that that thou desyrest. Swete sone repente the not of thynges that be passed, for that belongeth to women whiche ben weyke of condycyon. Let thy goodnesse, thy faythfulnesse, and conscyence be all hoole, and manyfest. And they shall be saufegarde of thy realme and destruccyon of thyn enemyes.


next up previous contents
Next: Of studye. Up: The maner of kynges Previous: Of the knowlege of   Contents
tashid 2001-09-09