is ryght hand a ceptre and in the lyfte
hande an apple of gold/. For he is the most grettest and hyest in
dignyte aboue alle other and most worthy. And that is signefyed by the
corone/. For the glorye of the peple is the dignite of the kynge/ And
aboue all other the kynge ought to be replenysshid with vertues and of
grace/ and thys signefieth the purpure. For in lyke wyse as the robes of
purpure maketh fayr & enbelysshith the body/ the same wise vertues
maketh the sowle/ he ought alleway thenke on the gouernement of the
Royame and who hath thadmynystracion of Justice/ And thys shuld be by
hym self pryncipally. This signefieth the appell of gold that he holdeth
in his lyfte honde/ And for as moche as hit apperteyneth unto hym to
punysshe the rebelles hath he y'e sceptre in his right hand And for as
moche as mysericorde and trouthe conserue and kepe the kynge in his
trone/ Therfore ought a kynge to be mercyfull and debonayr For whan a
kynge or prynce desired or will be belouyd of his peple late hym be
gouerned by debonarite And valerius saith that debonairte percyth the
hertes of straungers and amolisshith and maketh softe the hertes of his
enemyes/ wherof he reherceth that philostratus that was due of athenes
had a doughter/ whom a man louyd so ardantly/ that on a tyme as he sawe
her wyth her moder/ sodaynly he cam and kyssed her/ wherof the moder was
so angry and soroufull that she wente and requyred of her lord the duc/
that his heed myght be smyten of/ The prynce answerd to her and sayde/
yf we shold slee them that loue us/ what shall we doo to our enemyes
that hate us/ Certaynly this was thanswer of a noble & debonair prynce
That suffred that villonye don to his doughter and to hymself yet more
This prince had also a frende that was named Arispe that sayd on a tyme
as moche villonye unto the prynce as ony man miht saye And that might
not suffise hym/ but he scracchid hym in the visage/ The prynce suffryd
hym paciently in suche wyse as thowh he had doon to hym no vilonye but
curtoysye And whan his sones wold haue auengid this vilonye/ he comanded
them that they shold not be so hardy so to do The next day folowyng
arispe remembrid of the right grete vilonye that he had don to his
frende and lord wythoute cause. He fyll in dispayr and wold haue slayn
hym self/ whan the duc knewe and understode that/ he cam to hym and sayd
ne doubte the nothynge And swore to hym by his fayth/ that also well he
was and shold be his frende f