And sette the balance in evene, So that the hihe god in hevene And al the poeple of his nobleie Loange unto his name seie. For most above all erthli good, Wher that a king himself is good [Sidenote: =P. iii. 224=] It helpeth, for in other weie If so be that a king forsueie, [Sidenote: Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achiui.] Fulofte er this it hath be sein, The comun poeple is overlein 3930 And hath the kinges Senne aboght, Al thogh the poeple agulte noght. Of that the king his god misserveth, The poeple takth that he descerveth Hier in this world, bot elleswhere I not hou it schal stonde there. Forthi good is a king to triste Ferst to himself, as he ne wiste Non other help hot god alone; So schal the reule of his persone 3940 Withinne himself thurgh providence Ben of the betre conscience. And forto finde ensample of this, A tale I rede, and soth it is. [Sidenote: [THE COURTIERS AND THE FOOL.]] In a Cronique it telleth thus: The king of Rome Lucius Withinne his chambre upon a nyht [Sidenote: Hic de Lucio Imperatore exemplum ponit, qualiter Princeps sui nominis famam a secretis consiliariis sapienter inuestigare debet; et si quid in ea sinistrum inuenerit, prouisa discrecione ad dexteram conuertat.] The Steward of his hous, a knyht, Forth with his Chamberlein also, To conseil hadde bothe tuo, 3950 And stoden be the Chiminee Togedre spekende alle thre. (4150*) And happeth that the kinges fol Sat be the fyr upon a stol, As he that with his babil pleide, Bot yit he herde al that thei seide, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 225=] And therof token thei non hiede. The king hem axeth what to rede Of such matiere as cam to mouthe, And thei him tolden as thei couthe. 3960 Whan al was spoke of that thei mente, The king with al his hole entente Thanne ate laste hem axeth this, What king men tellen that he is: Among the folk touchende his name, Or be it pris, or be it blame, Riht after that thei herden sein, He bad hem forto telle it plein, That thei no point of soth forbere, Be thilke feith that thei him bere. 3970 The Steward ferst upon this thing Yaf his ansuere unto the king And thoghte glose in this matiere, And seide, als fer as he can hiere, His name is good and honourable: Thus was the Stieward favorable, That he the trouthe plein ne tolde. The king thanne axeth, as he scholde, The Chamberlein of his avis. And he, that was soubtil and wys, 3980 And somdiel thoghte upon his feith, Him tolde hou al the poeple seith That if his conseil were trewe,