The epistle of Othea to Hector; or, The boke of knyghthodeChristine, de Pisan
Philosophy
The epistle of Othea to Hector; or, The boke of knyghthode
Christine, de Pisan
Fastolf, John, 1378?-1459; French poetry -- To 1500 -- Translations into English
Be Maymon, þe trwe cosyn, we may vnderstonde God of Heven, þe which hath
bene a full trwe cosyn for to take owre manhode, þe which benefette we
may not guerdon. Thus here may we take the Secunde Commawndement, that
seith, “Thow shalte not take the name of God in veyne,” that is to sey,
as Seynt Austyn seith,[300] “Thou shalt not swere dyshonestly, ne
withowte a cawse, ne for colour of falsenes, for there may no gretter
abusyon ben than to brynge to a flasse[301] wittenes the chefe and the
ryghte stefast trowthe.” And in this Commawndement all lesynges be
defendede, all periure and all blaspheme. The lawe seith to this
purpose, [“Non habebit Dominus insontem eum qui assumpserit nomen Domini
Dei sui frustra”].[302]
XXXVII.
Avyse the, or ony worde be shewede,
Off grete manisynges,[303] nyse or lewde,
Comyng forthe of thi mowth be to grete ire,
And looke well in Leomedom the fire.[304]
Leomedon was kyng of Troye and fader to Priant and, when Jason, Hercules
and theire felawes went to Colcos for to gete the flese of gold and were
arived and discendid at the porte of Troye ffor to refreysche theyme
withowte ony hurte of the cuntre, Leomedon, not wele avised, sent bostus
mesangers[305] to voyde theyme of the lond and to manyce theym gretly,
if thei voyded not in hast. Than the barons of Grece were so wrooth for
that wrongfull conveyng þat after that folowede the destruccion of the
fryst Troye. Þerfor it is seide to þe good knyght that, stondyng the
worde of manace is foule and velyens, it shulde be sadely passede[306]
or that it were spokyne, for many grete hurtes oftyn [Sidenote: f. 34.]
tymes folowyth theroff. To this purpose the poyete Omer seith, “He is
wyse that can refreyne his mowth.”
How the worde of grete manase cometh of arrogaunce, and þat to breke þe
Commawndment it is also an ouerhoope,[307] we may vndyrstonde by this
that noon shulde breke the halyday, for þat is ayenst the Commawndment
þat is seide, “Vmbethynke the to halowe the Sabat.” By the which Seynt
Austyn seith it is commawndede vs to halowe the Sunday in the stede of
the Jues Sabat, for than we shuld solemply allso take reste bodyly,
cesyng solemply of all werkes of thralledom, and to be in rest of sowle
in cesyng off all synne. And to this purpose Ysaye seyth, the profyte,
[“Quiescite agere perverse, discite bene facere”].[308]
XXXVIII.
Trust no thyng to be in certeynete
Vnto that þe trowth wele knowyn be;
For a lytell of presumcion
Piramus maketh the mencion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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