Wherof if that thee list to hiere[1196] 3040 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 188=] After the fame as it is blowe, Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe, Hou thilke honeste besinesse Of hem that ferst for rihtwisnesse Among the men the lawes made, Mai nevere upon this erthe fade. For evere, whil ther is a tunge, Here name schal be rad and sunge And holde in the Cronique write; So that the men it scholden wite, 3050 To speke good, as thei wel oghten, Of hem that ferst the lawes soghten In forthringe of the worldes pes. Unto thebreus was Moïses The ferste, and to thegipciens Mercurius, and to Troiens Ferst was Neuma Pompilius, To Athenes Ligurgius Yaf ferst the lawe, and to Gregois Foroneüs hath thilke vois,[1197] 3060 And Romulus to the Romeins. For suche men that ben vileins The lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,[1198] That what man to the lawe pleigneth, [Sidenote: [KINGS MUST KEEP THE LAWS.]] Be so the jugge stonde upriht, He schal be served of his riht. And so ferforth it is befalle That lawe is come among ous alle: God lieve it mote wel ben holde, As every king therto is holde; 3070 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 189=] For thing which is of kinges set, With kinges oghte it noght be let. What king of lawe takth no kepe, Be lawe he mai no regne kepe. Do lawe awey, what is a king? Wher is the riht of eny thing, If that ther be no lawe in londe? This oghte a king wel understonde, As he which is to lawe swore, That if the lawe be forbore 3080 Withouten execucioun, It makth a lond torne up so doun, Which is unto the king a sclandre. Forthi unto king Alisandre The wise Philosophre bad, That he himselve ferst be lad[1199] Of lawe, and forth thanne overal So do justice in general,[1200] (3100*) That al the wyde lond aboute The justice of his lawe doute, 3090 And thanne schal he stonde in reste. For therto lawe is on the beste Above alle other erthly thing, To make a liege drede his king. Bot hou a king schal gete him love Toward the hihe god above, And ek among the men in erthe, This nexte point, which is the ferthe Of Aristotles lore, it techeth: Wherof who that the Scole secheth, 3100 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 190=] What Policie that it is The bok reherceth after this. [Sidenote: [THE FOURTH POINT OF POLICY. PITY.]] x. _Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regna_ _Stringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi._[1201] _Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum,_ _Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo._