[Sidenote: Beware of flattery.] And beith war, I the beſeich of this, 1920 That is to ſay of flatry, wich that longith To court, and al the king{is} larges fongith. The vertuouß man no thing thar-of reſauith, The flatterer{is} now ſo the king diſſauith 1924 And blyndith them that wot no thing, I-wyß, When thei do well, or quhen thei do o myß; And latith king{is} oft til wnd{er}ſtonde Thar vicis, and ek ye falt{is} of ther lond. 1928 In to the realme about o king Is holde [Sidenote: A flatterer is worse than a storm or a pestilence.] O flatterere were than is the ſtormys cold, Or peſtelens, and mor the realme anoyith; For he the law and puple boith diſtroyith. 1932 [Sidenote: Three things make flatterers in favour.] And in to principall ben ther three thing{is}, [Fol. 24b.] That cauſſith flattereris ſtonding w{i}t{h} the king{is}; [Sidenote: First, the blind ignorance of kings.] And on, It is the blyndit Ignorans Of king{is}, wich that hath no gou{er}nans 1936 To wnd{er}ſtond who doith ſich o myß; But who that fareſt ſchewith hym, I-wyß, Moſt ſuffiſith and beſt to his pleſans. Wo to the realme that havith ſich o chans! 1940 [Sidenote: Secondly, where a king is vicious himself.] And ſecundly, quhar that o king Is Weciuß hyme-ſelf, he cheriſſith, ywys, Al them the wich that one to vicis ſoundith, Whar-throw that vicis and flattery ek aboundith. 1944 [Sidenote: Thirdly, where the king is so foolish, that he knows their flattery, yet withdraws from reproving them.] The thrid, is the ilk ſchrewit harrmful wice, Wich makith o king w{i}t{h}in hyme-ſelf ſo nyce, That al thar flattry and ther gilt he knowith In to his wit, and ȝhit he hyme w{i}t{h}-drowith 1948 Them to repref, and of ther vicis he wot; And this It is wich that diſſemblyng hot, That in no way accordith for o king. Is he not ſet abuf apone his Ri{n}gne, 1952 As ſou{er}ane his puple for to lede? [Sidenote: Why should a king spare to say the truth?] Whi ſchuld he ſpare, or quhom of ſchuld he dred To ſay the treuth, as he of Right is hold? And if ſo ware that al the king{is} wold, 1956 When that his leg{is} comytit ony wyce, As beith not to ſchamful, nore to nyce, That thei preſume that he is negligent, [Sidenote: He should reprove without dissembling, as it is fitting.] But als far as he thinkith that thei myß-went, 1960 But diſſemblyng reprewith as afferis; And pwnice them quhar pwnyſing Requeris, Sauf only m{er}cy in the tyme of ned. And ſo o king he ſchuld his puple led, 1964 That no treſpaß, that cu{m}myth in his way, Shuld paß his hond wne-pwniſt away;