Game and Playe of the Chesse - Caxton
[Illustration]
_The sixthe chapitre of the thirde book treteth of the sixth pawn/
whiche is lykened to tauerners hostelers and vitayllers._
The sixthe pawn whiche standeth to fore the Alphyn on the lyfte syde is
made in thys forme. For hit is a man that hath the right hande stracched
oute as for to calle men/ And holdeth in his lyfte hande a loof of breed
and a cuppe of wyn/ And on his gurdell hangynge a boudell of keyes/ And
this resembleth the Tauerners. hostelers. and sellars of vitaylle. And
thise ought proprely to be sette to fore the/ Alphyn as to fore a Iuge
For ther sourdeth ofte tymes amonge hem contencion noyse and stryf/
whiche behoueth to be determyned and trayted by the alphyn/ whiche is
Iuge of the kynge/ And hit apperteyneth to them for to seke and enquyre
for good wyns and good vitayll for to gyue and selle to the byers/ And
to them that they herberowe/ And hit apperteyneth to them well to kepe
their herberowes and Innes/ and alle tho thyngis that they brynge in to
their loggynge and for to putte hyt in seure and sauf warde and kepynge/
And the firste of them Is signefyed by the lyfte hande in whiche he
bereth brede and wyn/ and the seconde is signefied by the right hande
whiche Is stracched oute to calle men/ And the thirde is representid by
the keyes hangynge on y'e gurdell And thyse maner of peple ought
teschewethe synne of glotonye/ For moche peple comen in to theyr howses
for to drynke and to ete for whyche cause they ought resonably to rewle
them self and to refrayne them from to moche mete and drynke/ to thende
that they myght the more honestly delyuere thyngis nedefull vnto the
peple that come vnto them/ And no thynge by oultrage that myght noye the
body/ For hit happeth ofte tymes that ther cometh of glotonye tencyons.
stryfs. ryottes. wronges. and molestacyons/ by whiche men lese other
while their handes. theyr eyen. and other of their membres/ And somtyme
ben slayn or hurt vnto the deth/ As it is wreton In vitas patrum As on a
tyme an heremyte wente for to visite his gossibs/ And the deuyll apperyd
to hym on the waye in lykenes of an other heremyte for to tempte hym/
and saide thou hast lefte thyn heremitage And goost to visyte thy
gossibs/ The behoueth by force to doo one of y'e thre thynges that I
shall saye to the/ thou shalt chese whether thou wylt be dronke/ or
ellys haue to do flessly wyth thy gossib or ellys thou shalt sle her
husbond whiche is thy gossip also/ And the hermyte that thought for to
chese the leste euyll chace for to be dronke/ and whan he cam vnto them
he dranke so moche that he was veray dronke And whan he was dronke and
eschaussed wyth the wyn/ he wold haue a doo wyth hys gossib/ And her
husbonde withstode hym. And than the hermyte slewe hym/ And after that
laye by his gossib and knewe her flessly/ And thus by this synne of
dronkenship he accomplisshid the two other synnes/ By whyche thynge y'e
may vnderstande and knowe y't whan the deuyll wyll take one of the
castellis of Ihesu cryst/ that is to wete the body of a man or of a
woman/ he doth as a prynce that setteth a siege to fore a castell that
he wold wynne/ whiche ent[=e]deth to wynne the gate/ For he knoweth well
whan he hath wonne the gate/ he may sone doo hys wylle wyth the castell.
And in lyke wyse doth the deuyll wyth euery man and woman For whan he
hathe wonne the gate/ that is to wete the gate of y'e mouth by glotonye
or by other synne He may doo wyth the offices of the body alle his wylle
as y'e haue herd to fore/ And therfore ought euery man ete and drynke
sobrely in suche wyse as he may lyue. And not lyue to ete glotonsly &
for to drynke dronke. y'e see comunly that a grete bole is suffisid wyth
right a lityll pasture/ And that a wode suffiseth to many olefauntes And
hit behoueth a man to be fedde by the erthe or by the see/ neuertheles
it is no grete thynge to fede the bely/ no thynge so grete as is the
desire of many metes Wherof Quyntylian sayth/ That hit happeth ofte
tymes in grete festes & dyners/ that we be fylde wyth the sight of the
noble and lichorous metis and whan we wolde ete we ben saciat and fild/
And therfore hit is sayd in prouerbe/ hit is better to fylle the bely
than the eye/ And lucan sayth that glotonye is the moder of alle vices/
and especiall of lecherye/ and also is destroyer of all goodes And may
not haue suffisance of lityll thynge/ A couetous honger what sekest thou
mete and vitayllis on the lande & in the see/ And thy Ioye is nothynge
ellis but to haue playnteuous disshes & well fylde at thy table lerne
how men may demene his lyf with lityll thynge/ And Cathon sayth in no
wyse obeye to glotonye whiche is frende to lecherye/ And the holy
doctour saynt Augustyn sayth/ the wyn eschausseth the bely that falleth
anone to lecherye/ The bely and the membrers engendreurs ben neyghebours
to lecherye/ And thus the vice of glotonye prouoketh lecherye/ wherof
cometh forgetenes of his mynde and destruction of alle quyk and sharp
reson And is cause of distemance of his wittes/ what synne is fowler
than this synne and more stynkynge ne more domageous For this synne hath
taken away the vertue of the man/ his prowesse languisshed/ his vertue
is torned to diffame/ the strengthe of body and of corage is torned by
the/ And therfore sayth Basille le grant/ late vs take hede how we serue
the bely & the throte by glotonye lyke as we were dombe bestes/ and we
studye for to be lyke vnto belucs of the see/ to whom nature hath gyuen
to be alleway enclined toward the erthe & ther to loke for to serue
theyr belyes/ And herof saith Boecius de consolacione in his fourth
book/ that a man that lyuyth and doth not the condicions of a man/ may
neuer be in good condicion/ Than muste hit nedes be that he be
transported in nature of a beste or of a belue of the see. How well that
ryght grete men and women full of meruayllous sciences and noble
counceyll in thise dayes in the world ben kept and nourisshid in this
glotonye of wyns and metes/ and ofte tymes ben ouerseen/ how suppose y'e/
is hit not right a perillous thinge that a lord or gouernour of the
peple and c[=o]mun wele/ how well that he be wyse/ yf he eschauffe hym
sone so that y'e wyn or other drynke surpryse hym and ouercome his
brayn. his wisedom is loste/ For as Cathon sayth/ Ire enpessheth the
corage in suche as he may not kepe verite and trouthe And anon as he is
chauffed/ lecherye is meuyd in hym in suche wyse that the lecherye
maketh hym to medle in dyuerse villayns dedes/ For than his wyfedom is a
slepe and goon/ And therfore fayth Ouide in his booke De remedio amoris/
yf thou take many and dyuerce wyns/ they apparylle and enforce the
corages to lecherye And Thobie witnessith in his booke/ that luxurye
destroyeth the body/ and mynussheth richesses/ she loseth the sowle/ she
febleth y'e strengthe she blyndeth the syght/ and maketh the wys hoos &
rawe/ Ha A ryght euyll and fowle synne of dronkenship/ by the perissheth
virginite/ whiche is suster of angellis possedynge alle goodnes and
seurte of all Ioyes pardurable/ Noe was one tyme so chauffed with wyn/
that he discouerd and shewid to his sones his preuy membres in suche
wyse as one of his sones mocqued hym/ And that other couerd hem/ And
loth whiche was a man right chaste. was so assoted by moche drynkynge of
wyn/ that on a montayne he knew his doughters carnelly/ And had to doo
wyth them as they had ben his propre wyues. And crete reherceth that
boece whiche was flour of the men/ tresor of rychesses/ singuler house
of sapience myrour of the world/ Odour of good renome/ and glorye of his
subgettis loste alle thyse thynges by his luxurye We haue seen that
dyuerce that were Ioyned by grete amyte to geder whiles they were sobre/
that that one wolde put his body in paryll of deth for that other/ and
whan they were eschauffed with wyn & dronke/ they haue ronne eche vpon
other for to fle* hem/ And somme haue ben that haue slayn so his frende/
Herodes Antipas had not doon saynt Iohn baptist to ben beheded/ ne had
y'e dyner ben full of glotonye and dronkenship/ Balthazar kynge of
babilone had not ben chaced out of his kyngdom ne be slayn yf he had ben
sobre amonge his peple whom tyrus and dares fonde dronken and slewe hym
The hostelers ought to be well bespoken and courtoys of wordes to them
that they receyue in to their loggynge For fayr speche & Ioyous chiere &
debonayr/ cause men to gyue the hostelyer a good name/ And therfore it
is said in a comyn prouerbe/ Courtoyse langage and well saynge is moche
worth and coste lityll/ And in an other place it is said that curtoysie
passeth beaulte/ Also for as moche as many paryls and aduentures may
happen on the wayes and passages to hem that ben herberowed with in
their Innes/ therfore they ought to accompanye them whan they departe
and enseigne them the wayes and telle to them the paryls/ to thende that
they may surely goo theyr viage and Iourney/ And also they ought to kepe
their bodies, their goodes. And the good fame and renomee of their
Innes/ we rede that loth whan he had receyuyd the angels in to his hous
right debonairly whiche he had suppofid had ben mortall men and
stra[=u]gers/ to thende that they shold eskape the disordinate and
vnnaturell synne of lecherye of the sodamites/ by the vertu of good
fayth/ he sette a part the naturell loue of a fader/ and proferd to them
his doughters whiche were virgyns/ to thende that they shld kepe them
and defende them fro that vyllayne and horrible synne/ And knowe y'e for
certayn that alle tho thynges that ben taken and delyueryd to kepe to
the hoste or hostesses they ought to be sauf and yelden agayn wyth out a
payringe For the ooste ought to knowe/ who that entryth in to his hous
for to be herberowhed taketh hit for his habitacion for the tyme/ he
hymself and alle suche thynges as he bryngeth wyth hym ben comysed of
ryght in the warde and kepynge of the hoost or hosteler And ought to be
as sauf as they were put in his owen propre hous And also suche hoostis
ought to hold seruantes in their houses whiche shold be trewe and wyth
oute auarice In suche wise that they coueyte not to haue the goodes of
their ghestes And that they take not away the prouender fro theyr horses
whan hyt is gyuen to them/ that by thoccasion therof theyr horsis
perisshe not ne faylle theyr maister whan they haue nede/ and myght
falle in the handes of theyr enemyes/ For than sholde the seruantes
because of that euyll/ wherfore theyr maisters shold see to For wyth
oute doubte this thynge is worse than thefte Hit happend on a tyme in
the parties of lomberdye in the cyte of Iene y't a noble man was logged
in an hostelerye wyth moche compaignye/ And whan they had gyuen
prouendour to their horses/ In the first oure of the nyght, the seruant
of the hous cam secretly to fore y'e horses for to stele away their
prouender/ And whan he cam to the lordes hors/ The hors caught wyth his
teth his Arme and helde hit faste that he myght not escape/ And whan the
theef sawe that he was so strongly holden/ he began to crye for the
grete payne that he suffryd and felte/ In suche wyse that the noble
mannes meyne cam with the hooste/ But in no maner/ ner for ought they
coude doo They coude not take the theef out of the horses mouth vnto the
tyme that the neyghbours whiche were noyed wyth the noyse cam and sawe
hit/ And than the theef was knowen and taken and brought to fore the
Iuge And confessid the feet and by sentence diffinytyf was hanged and
lost his lyf/ And in the same wyse was an other that dyde so/ And the
hors smote hym in the visage/ That the prynte of the horse shoo and
nayles abode euer in his visage/ Another was right cruell and villaynous
fylle at tholouse/ Hit happend a Ionge man and his fader wente a
pilgremage to saynt Iames in Galyce And were logged in an hostelrye of
an euyll hoost and full of right grete couetyse/ In so moche that he
defired and coueyted the goodes of the two pilgrimes And here vpon
auysed hym and put a cuppe of siluer secretly in the male that the yonge
man bare/ And whan they departed oute of their loggynge/ he folowed
after hem and sayd to fore the peple of the court that they had stolen
and born away his cuppe/ And the yonge man excused hym selfe and his
fader/ And sayde they were Innocent of that caas/ And than they serchid
hem and the cuppe was founden in the male of the yonge man And forthwyth
he was dampned to the deth and hanged as a theef/ and this feet doon all
the goodes that langed to the pilgrym were deliuerid to the ooft as
c[=o]fisqued And than the fader wente for to do his pilgremage/ and whan he
cam agayn he muste nedes come & passe by the place where his sone henge
on the gibet And as he cam he complaygned to god and to saynt Iames how
they might suffre this auenture to come vnto his sone,' Anone his sone
that henge spack to his fader And sayde how that saynt Iames had kepte
hym with out harme And bad his fader goo to the Iuge and shewe to hym
the myracle/ And how he was Innocent of thot fayte/ And whan this thynge
was knowen the sone of the pilgryme was taken down fro the gibet/ and
the cause was brought to fore the Iuge And the hooste was accused of the
trayson/ and he confessid his trespaas/ and sayd he dide hit for
couetyse to haue his good And than the Iuge dampned hym for to be hanged
on the same gibet where as the yonge pilgryme was hanged And that I haue
sayd of the seruantes beynge men/ the same I saye of the women as
chambriers and tapsters For semblable caas fille in spayne at saynt
donne of a chamberier/ that put a cup in lyke wyse in the scrippe of a
pilgryme/ be cause he wold not haue a doo wyth her in the synne of
lecherye/ wherfore he was hanged And his fader & moder that were there
with hym wente and dyde her pilgremage/ And whan they cam agayn they
fonde her sone lyuynge/ And whan they wente and told the Iuge/ whiche
Iuge sayd that he wolde not byleue hit tyll a cok and an henne which
rosted on the fyre were a lyue & the cok crewe. And anon they began wexe
a lyue & the cok crewe and began to crowe and to pasture/ and whan the
Iuge sawe this miracle/ he wente and toke doun the sone/ and made the
chamberyer to be taken and to be hanged/ wherfore I saye that the
hoostes ought to hold no tapsters ne chamberyers/ but yf they were good
meure and honeste/ For many harmes may be falle and come by the
disordenat rewle of seruantes.
[Illustration]
_The seventh chapitre of the thirde Tractate treteth of kepars of townes
customers and tolle gaderers &c._
The gardes and kepars of of cytees ben signefied by the .vii. pawn
whiche stondeth in the lyfte side to fore the knyght/ And is formed in
the semblance of a man holdynge in his right hande grete keyes And in
his lifte hande a potte & an elle for to mesure with And ought to haue
on hys gurdell a purse open/ And by the keyes ben signefyed the kepars
of the cytees and townes and comyn offices/ And by the potte and elle
ben signefyed them that haue the charge to weye and mete & mesure truly
And by the purse ben signefyed them that reseyue the costumes. tolles.
scawage. peages/ and duetes of the cytees & townes And thyse peple ben
sette by ryght to fore the knyght/ And hit behoueth that the gardes and
offycers of the townes be taught And enseygned by the knyghtes/ And that
they knowe and enquyre how y'e cytees or townes ben gouerned/ whiche
apperteyneth to be kept and defended by the knyghtes. And first hit
apperteyneth that the kepars of the cyte be dilygente. besy. clere
seeynge and louers of the comyn prouffit & wele/ as well in the tyme of
pees as in the tyme of warre/ They ought allewaye to goo in the cyte and
enquyre of all thynges and ought rapporte to the gouernours of the cyte
suche thynge as they fynde and knowe And suche thynge as apperteyneth
and to the seuerte of the same/ and to den[=o]nce and telle the defaultes
and paryls that ther bee/ And yf hit be in tyme of warre they ought not
to open the yates by nyght to no man/ And suche men as ben put in this
office/ ought to be of good renome. & fame, trewe. and of good
conscience/ In suche maner that they loue them of the Cyte or town/ And
that they put to no man ony blame or vilanye with out cause by enuye.
Couetyse ne by hate/ but they ought to be sory and heuy whan they see
that ony man shold be complayned on for ony cause. For hit happeth ofte
tymes that diuerce officers accuse the good peple fraudulently/ To
thende that they myght haue a thanke & be preysed and to abide stille in
theyr offices And trewly hit is a grete and hye maner of malyse to be in
will to doo euyll and diffame other wyth oute cause to gete glorie to
hymself Also the kepars and officers of cytees ought to be suche that
they suffre no wronges ne vylonyes to fore the Iuges and gouernours of
cytees wyth out cause to be doon to them that ben Innocents/ but they
ought to haue theyr eyen and regarde vnto hym/ that knoweth the hertes
and thoughtes of alle men/ And they ought to drede & doubte hym wyth
oute whos grace theyr wacche and kepynge is nought And that promyseth to
them that doubte hym shall be ewrous & happy/ And by hym ben alle
thynges accomplisshid in good/ Hit is founden in the historyes of rome
that Temperour Frederik the seconde dide do make a gate of marble of
meruayllous werke and entayll in the cyte of capnane vpon the watre that
renneth aboute the same/ and vpon this yate he made an ymage lyke
hymself sittynge in his mageste/ and two Iuges whiche were sette/ one on
the right side and that other on the lifte side. And vpon the sercle
aboue the hede of the Iuge on y'e ryght side was wreton/ Alle they entre
seurly that will liue purely/ And vpon the sercle of the Iuge on the
lifte side was wreton/ The vntrewe man ought to doubte/ to doo thynge
that he be put to prison fore/ and on the sercle aboue thempour was
wreton/ I make them live in misery/ that I see lyue dismesurably/ And
therfore hit apperteyneth to a Iuge to shewe to the peple for to drede
and doubte to doo eyull/ And hit apperteyneth to the gardes and officers
to doubte the Iuges and to do trewly their seruyces and offices And hit
apperteyneth to a prynce to menace the traytours and the malefactours of
right greuous paynes. And herof we fynde in the auncyent historyes of
cecylle that the kynge denys had a broder whom he louyd sore well/ But
allway where he wente he made heuy and tryste semblant/ And thus as they
wente bothe to gyder on a tyme in a chare/ ther cam agayn hem two poure
men wyth glad visage but in foule habite/ And y'e kynge anon as he sawe
them/ sprange out of his chare and resseyuyd them worshipfully with
grete reuerence/ wherfore his barons were not only ameruaylled but also
angry in their corages/ notwithstandynge fere and drede letted them to
demande hym the cause/ But they made his broder to demande the cause and
to knowe the certaynte/ And whan he had herde his broder saye to hym the
demande/ and that he was blessyd & also a kynge whiche was ryche and
full of delites & worshipis/ he demanded hym yf he wold assaye & knowe
the grace and beneurte of a kynge And his broder answerd y'e/ And that he
desired and requyred hit of hym/ and than the kinge comanded vnto alle
his fugettis that they shold obeye in alle thynges only vnto his broder
And than whan the oure of dyner cam and alle thynge was redy/ the broder
was sette at the table of the kynge And whan he sawe that he was seruyd
wyth right noble botelliers and other officers. And he herde the sownes
of musicque right melodious The kynge demanded hym than/ yf he supposid
y't he were benerous and blessid. And he answerd I wene well that I am
right well blessid and fortunat/ and that I haue well proued and fele
and am expert therof And than the kynge secretly made to be hanged ouer
his heed a sharp cuttynge swerde hangynge by an hors heer or a silken
threde so small that no man myght see hit where by hit henge/ and whan
he sawe his broder put no more his hand to the table/ ne had no more
regarde vnto his seruantes/ he sayd to hym why ete y'e not/ ar y'e not
blessid/ saye yf y'e fele ony thynge otherwyse than blessid and well/ And
he answerde for as moche as I see this sharp swerde hangynge so subtilly
and parillously ouer my hede I fele well that I am 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 And whan she had
brawlid I nowh/ she made her watre and pourid hit on his heed And he
answerd to here no thynge agayn/ sauf whan he had dryed and wypid his
heed he said/ he knewe well that after suche wynde and thonder sholde
comen rayn and watre And the philosophres blamed hym that he coude not
gouerne two women/ that was his wyf and his chambrere/ And shewde hym
that one cokke gouerned well .xv. hennes He answerd to them that he was
so vsed and accustomed wyth theyr chydynge that the chydynges of them ne
of estrangers dyde hym no greef ne harme/ gyue thou place to hym that
brawleth or chydeth/ and in suffrynge hym thou shalt be his
vaynquysshour/ And Cathon fayth whan thou lyuyst ryghtfully recche the
not of the wordes of euyll peple/ And therfore it is sayd in a comyn
prouerbe/ he that well doth reccheth not who seeth hit/ & hit is not in
our power to lette men to speke. And prosper sayth that to good men
lacketh no goodnes/ ner to euyll men tencions stryfs and blames And
pacience is a ryght noble vertu/ as a noble versifier sayth That
pacience is a ryght noble maner to vaynquysshe. For he that suffreth
ouercometh. And yf thou wylt vaynquysshe and ouercome/ lerne to suffre/
The peagers ner they that kepe passages ought not to take other peage ne
passage money but suche as the prynce or the lawe haue establisshid/ so
that they be not more robbeurs of moneye than reseyuours of peage and
passage And hit apperteyneth to them to goo out of the paryllo*9 weyes
and doubteuous for to kepe their office and they ought to Requyre theyr
passage of them that owe to paye hit wyth oute noynge and contencion/
And they ought not to loue the comyn prouffyt so moche/ That they falle
in the hurtynge of theyr conscience/ For that shold be a manere of
robberye And herof sayth ysaye Woo to the that robbest/ For thou thy
self shalt be robbed/ The gardes or porters of the gates of cytees and
of the comyn good ought to be good and honeste. And alle trouthe ought
to be in them and they ought not to take ne withdrawe the goodes of the
comyn that they haue in kepynge/ more than apperteyneth to them for
theyr pension or ffee/ So that they that ben made tresorers and kepars
ben not named theuys/ For who that taketh more than his/ He shall neuer
thryue wyth alle/ ner shall not enioye hit longe/ For of euyll gooten
good the thyrde heyr shall neuer reioyce/ And this suffisith &c.