laboure, wynnyng renomme and worship; whiche .xij.
entreprinses of Hercules, albeit it be thought [but a poesye[118]]
impossible to any mortalle man to doo or take uppon hym, as for to bereffe
the skyn of the rampant lion, wrestlid withe Antheus and Poliphemus, the
gret giauntes, and hym overthrew, he slow the serpent clepit Ydra, made
tame the proude beestis clepid Centaurus, that be of halfe man and halfe
best, and many soche wonderfulle entreprises as is wreten that Hercules
did, whiche is writen in figure of a poesy for to courage and comfort alle
othre noble men of birthe to be victorious in entreprinses of armes. And
how, in conclusion, that there is no power, puissaunce, ne strenght, who so
lust manly [wyth prudens[118]] put forthe hymsilf may resist and
withestande ayenst such gret entreprises.

How a conquerour shulde use in especialle thre thinges.

[Sidenote: A conqueroure shuld use iij thinges.]

[Sidenote: j.]

[Sidenote: ij.]

And, as Vegecius in his booke of Chevalrie counceilithe that a conquerour
shulde use thre thinges in especialle whiche the Romains used, and alle
that tyme they had the victorie of here ennemies, that is to wete, The
first was science, that is forto undrestonde prudence, to seene before the
remedies of bonchief, or the contrarie; The second was exercitacion and
usage in dedis of armes, that they might be apte and redie to bataille whan
necessite fille; the thrid was naturalle love that a prince shulde have to
his peple, as doing his trew diligence to doo that may be to the comon wele
of his peple, whiche is to be undrestonde in the executing of justice
egallie. And for to kepe them in tranquillite and pece within hemsilfe.

{22}

[Sidenote: Menne of noblenesse shuld lefe sensualites and delites.]

How men of noblesse ought lefe sensualitees and delites.

Let it no lenger be suffred to abide rote, no forto use the pouder and
semblaunce of sensualite and idille delites, for Water Malexander seiethe,
that voluptuous delitis led be sensualite be contrarie to the exercising
and haunting of armes. Wherfor, like and after the example of the boore
whiche knowethe not his power, but foryetithe his strenghte tille he be
chafed and see his owne bloode, in like wise put forthe youre silf,
avaunsing youre corageous hertis to werre, and late youre strenght be
revyved and waked ayen, furious, egre, and rampanyng as liouns ayenst alle
tho nacions that soo without title of right wolde put y