n and ouerthrowe
hit How well that the lyon be the strengest beste/ yet somtyme a lityll
birde eteth hym/ The seconde cause wherfore this playe was founden and
maad/ was for to kepe hym from ydlenesse/ whereof senecque saith unto
lucylle ydlenes wyth oute ony ocupacion is sepulture of a man lyuyng/
and varro saith in his sentences that in lyke wise as men goo not for to
goo/ the same wyse the lyf is not gyuen for to lyue but for to doo well
and good/ And therfore secondly the philosopher fonde this playe for to
kepe the peple from ydlenes/. For there is moche peple. Whan so is that
they be fortunat in worldly goodes that they drawe them to ease and
ydlenes wherof cometh ofte tymes many euyllys and grete synnes And by
this ydlenes the herte is quenchid wherof cometh desperacion/ The thirde
cause is that euery man naturelly desireth to knowe and to here
noueltees and tydynges. For this cause they of atthenes studyed as we
rede/ and for as the corporall or bodyly fight enpessheth and letteth
otherwhyle the knowleche of subtyll thinges/ therfore we rede that [48]
democrion the phylosopher put oute his owen eyen/ for as moche as he
myght haue the better entendement and understondynge/ Many haue ben made
blynde that were grete clerkis in lyke wyse as was dydymus bisshop of
Alixandrye/ that how well that he sawe not yet he was so grete a clerk/
that gregore nazan & saynt Ierome that were clerkes and maystres to
other/ came for to be his scolers & lerned of hym And saynt Anthonie The
grete heremyte cam for to see hym on a tyme/ and amonge all other
thynges/ he demanded hym yf he were not gretly displesid that he was
blynde and sawe not. And he answerd that he was gretly abasshid for that
he supposid not that he was not displesid in that he had lost his sight/
And saynt Anthonye answerd to hym I meruayle moche that hit displesith
the that thou hast lost that thynge whiche is comyn betwene the and
bestes. And thou knowest well that thou hast not loste that thynge that
is comyn bitwene the and the angellis And for thise causes forsayd the
philosopher entended to put away alle pensisnes and thoughtes/ and to
thinke only on this playe as shall be said & appere in this book after.

BOOK II.

[Illustration]

_The seconde tractate/ the first chapiter treteth of the forme of a
kynge of his maners and of his estate_.

The kynge must be thus maad. For he must sitte in a chayer clothed in
purpure/ crowned on his heed in h