A TREATISE ON POLITICS AND ETHICS [BY JOHN YONGE.]

Thus described in Carew's handwriting.

"This book was written in the time of King Henry V. by John Yonge, servant to James Butler, Earl of Ormond, and dedicated to his said Lord and Master."

The contents of this Book:--

"The first chapter containeth the titles of all the ensuing chapters, fol.2. From the first chapter unto the 17th it treateth of the education and government of Kings, and ends at fol.15. From the 17th chapter unto the 27th it treateth of Prudentia, and ends at fol.25. From the 27th chapter to the 30th it treateth of Justitia, and ends at fol.32. From the 30th chapter to the 34th it treateth of Fortitudo; and within these chapters, vid. the 33rd chapter, the King of England's title unto the realm of Ireland is handled, and ends at fol. 43. From the 34th chapter unto the 39th it treateth of Temperautia, and ends at fol.43. From the 34th chapter unto the 72nd and last chapter a miscellanea of things are treated of, ending at fol. 84."

Incipit:--"In the honnour of the hey Trenite Faddir, Son, and Holy Gost, all mighty God, our Lady Seint Mari, and to all the holy hollowis of hewyn. To yow noble and gracious lord Jamys de Butler, Erle of Ormound, lyttenant of our lege lord King Henry the fyfte [Altered to "fryste" (first), erroneously.] in Irland, humely recommenddith hyme yor poer servont Jamys Yonge, to your hey lordshuppe, all tymes desyrring in Crist your honnour and provyd of body and soull, and with all myn hert the Trenite aforsaid beseching that hit euer encreas. Amen. Amen. Amen."

"In on teching acordith and in on verite shewith the most wies clerkes and maisters of rennon that haw ben afor vs in al tymes tretting of prowis and worthynys of Emperouris, Kynges, and all othir gowernowris of chefualry that chewalry ys not only kepet, sawid, and mayntenyt by dedis of armys, but by wiesdom and help of lawis and of wit, and of wiesdome of vndirstanding."--

Caplm. LXXI.

Explicit:--Off thinges that don the contrary.

"This ben the thingis that the contrary to the thingis aforsaid:--Littill mete that ys not noreshing. Littill drink namely of febill. Moch trauaill and gret jorneyes mak. To be to long agains the son in hot weddir. Slep afore met. Going vppon hard paument. [? pavement.] Bathis in salt watter, othir wateris in which ther ys brymston. Moch ussing of salt metis, othir of old whyn moch to drynk. To have vomite moche blud. Moch bleding othir diuers tymes, aboes [Sic; a word omitted goods?] althinges enfeblith the body and distrueth the sprrittes. Waking moch. Ouer moch thoght. Companny of wemen to moch to vse. Gret dred. Moch doutting. Ofte tymes to be wroth, and wrath long to hold. Godis of fortun gretly to covete. Of hatred [and] vengaunce gretly to think. For the lossing of [Sic; a word omitted goods?] great sorow to make. Foull thinges vnsemly to behold. Songis of dolour to hire. Evill thinges to hire; thir myschances to remember. And fro all manner of mychef all myghty God defend now vs, and all that ben alyue in gode in gode [Sic.] vertuis; and all that ben in ille lif all myghty God send tham grace that they mow be amendit into a better lif. Amen.

"Explicit, [The rest is added by another hand.] with moch a doo.

I prey God neuer sorow my hart cum to."