not blessid for I
drede that hit shold falle on my hede/ and than discouerd the kynge vnto
hem alle wherfore he was allway so heuy cherid and triste For where he
was/ he thought alleway on the swerde of the secrete vengeance of god/
whiche he behelde alleway in his herte/ wherfore he had all way in
hymself grete drede And therfore he worshipid gladly the poure peple
wyth glad visage and good conscience And by this sheweth the kynge well/
that what man that is all way in drede is not all way mery or blessid.
And herof fayth Quyntilian that this drede surmounteth alle other
maleurtees and euyllys/ For it is maleurte of drede nyght and day/ And
it is verite that to hym that Is doubtid of moche peple/ so muste he
doubte moche/ And that lord is lasse than hys seruantes that dredeth hys
seruantes/ And truly hit Is a ryght sure thynge to drede no thinge but
god/ And sumtyme right hardy men ben constrayned to lyue in drede/ Drede
causeth a man to be curyous and besy to kepe the thynges that ben
commysed to hym that they perisshe not/ But to be to moche hardy & to
moche ferdfull/ bothe two ben vices The comyn officers ought to be wise,
discrete. and well aduysed in suche wyse that they take not of y'e peple
ne requyre no more than they ought to haue by reson/ ne that they take
of the sellars ne of the byars no more than the right custom and toll/
for they bere the name of a c[=o]mun sone/ and therfore ought they
to shewe them c[=o]mune to all men/ and for as moche as the byars and
sellars haue somtyme moche langage/ they ought to haue with them these
vertues/ that is to wete pacience and good corage with honeste/ for they
that ben despiteus to the c[=o]mun/ ben otherwhile had in vilayns
despite/ therfore beware y't thou haue no despite to the poure
mendicants/ yf thou wilt come and atteyne to thingis fouerayn/ for the
Iniurye that is don wyth oute cause/ torneth to diffame hym that doth
hit/ A Iogheler on a tyme beheld socrates and sayd to hym/ thou hast the
eyen of corrumpour of children & art as a traytre. And whan his
disciples herde hym/ they wold auengid their maister/ But he repreuyd
hem by suche sentence saynge/ Suffre my felaws for I am he and suche one
as he saith/ by the sight of my visage/ But I refrayne and kepe me well
from suche thynge/ This same socrates hymself was chidde and right fowll
spoken to of his wyf/ and she Imposid to hym many grete Iniuries with
out nombre/ and she was in a place a boue ouer his heed An