F	The fourth tractate and the last: of the progressyon and draughtes of the forsayd playe of the chesse. The first chappitre of the fourth tractate of the chesse borde, in genere how it is maad.                                                                                                                                  Capitulo primo.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104	N N N N N N T N	We have devysed above the thynges that apperteyne unto the formes of the chesse men and of their offices that is to wete as wel of noble men as of the comyn peple. Than hit aperteyneth that we shold devyse shortly how they yssue and goon out of the places where they be sette. And first we ought to speke of the forme and of the facion of the chequer, after that hit representeth and was made after. For hit was made after the forme of the cyté of Babyloyne, in the whiche this same playe was founden, as hit is sayd afore.    And ye shal understonde that ye ought to considere here in foure thynges. The first is wherfore that sixty-four poyntes been sette in the eschequer, whyche ben al square. The second is wherfore the bordeure about is hygher than the squarenes of the poyntes. The thyrd is wherfore the comyn peple ben sette tofore the nobles. The fourth is wherfore the nobles and the peple been sette in theyr propre places.    Ther ben as many poyntes in the eschequer voyde as fulle. And ye shal first understonde wherfore that there ben sixty-four poyntes in the eschequyer. For as the blessyd Saynt Jherome sayth, the cité of Babylone was right grete and was maad al square. And in every quarter was sixteen myle by nombre and mesure, the whiche nombre four tymes tolde was sixty-four myles. After the maner of Lombardye, they be callyd myles, and in Fraunce leukes, and in Englond they be callyd myles also. And for to represente the mesure of this cyté, in whiche this playe or game was founden, the philosopher that fonde hit first ordeyned a tablier conteynyng sixty- four poyntes square, the whiche ben comprised wyth in the bordeur of the tablyer. There ben thirty-two on that one side and thirty-two on that other side, whiche ben ordeygned for the beaulté of the playe and for to shewe the maner and drawyng of the chesse, as hit shal appere in the chappytres folowyng.    And as to the second, wherfore the bordeure of the eschequyer is hygher than the table wyth in, hit is to be understonde that the bordeur about representeth the walle of the cyté, whyche is right hygh. And therfore made the philosopher the bordeur more hygh than the tablier. And as the blessyd Saynt Jherome sayth, upon the prophesie of Ysaye, that is to wete upon a mounteyn of obscureté, whiche wordes were sayd of Babylone, whiche standeth in Caldee, and nothyng of that Babylone that stondeth in Egypt. For it is so that Babilone, whiche stondeth in Caldee, was sette in a right grete playn, and had so hygh walles that by the heyght of them was contynuel derknes envyronned and obscureté that none erthly man myght beholde and see the ende of the highnes of the walle, and therfore Ysaye callyd hit “The Montaigne Obscure.” And Saynt Jherome saith that the mesure of the heyght of this walle was thre thousand paas, whiche extendeth unto the lengthe of thre myle Lombardes. Hit is to wete that Lombarde mylis and Englissh myles ben of one lengthe. And in one of the corners of thys cyté was made a tour treangle as a shelde, wherof the heyght extended unto the lengthe of [seven] thousand paas, whiche is seven myle Englissh. And thys toure was called the tour of Babel. The walles about the toure made a woman whos name was Semyramis, as sayth Virgilius.    As to the thyrd, wherfore the comyn peple ben sette tofore the nobles in the felde of the batayl in one renge: first for as moche as they ben necessarye to al nobles. For the rook, whiche stondeth on the right side and is vycayr of the kyng, what may he doo yf the labourer were not sette tofore hym and laboured to mynystre to hym suche temporel thynges as be necessarie for hym? And what may the knyght do yf he ne had tofore hym the smyth for to forge his armours, sadellys, axys, and speres, and suche thynges as aperteyneth to hym? And what is a knyght worth wythout hors and armes? Certeynly nothyng more than one of the peple or lasse, peraventure. And in what maner shold the nobles lyve yf no man made cloth and bought and solde marchandyse? And what shold kynges and quenes and the other lordes doo yf they had no physiciens ne surgyens? Than I say that the peple ben the glorye of the crowne and susteyne the lyf of the nobles. And therfore thou that art a lord or a noble man or knyght, despyse not the comyn people, for as moche as they ben sette tofore thee in the playe.    The second cause is why the peple ben sette tofore the nobles and have the table voyde tofore them is because they begynne the bataylle. They ought to take hede and entende to do theyr offyces and theyr craftes, in suche wyse that they suffre the noble men to governe the cytees and to counceylle and make ordenaunces of the peple and of the bataylle. How shold a labourer, a plow man, or a crafty man counceyl and make ordenaunce of suche thynges as he never lerned, and wote ne knoweth the mater upon what thyng the counceyl ought to be taken? Certes the comyn peple ought not to entende to none other thyng but for to do their servyce and the offyce whiche is covenable unto hem. And hit apperteyneth not to hem to be of counceyls, ne at the advocacions, ne to menace, ne to threte no man. For ofte tymes by menaces and by force, good counceyl is destroubled. And where good counceyl faylleth, there ofte tymes the cytees ben betrayed and destroyed.    And Plato sayth that the comyn thynges and the cytees ben blessyd whan they ben governed by wyse men, or whan the governours studye in wysedom. And so hit aperteyneth to the comyn to lerne to uttre the maters and the maner of procuracion tofore they be counceyllours. For hyt happeth often tymes that he that makyth hym wyser that he understandeth is made more foole than he is.    And the fourth cause wherfore that there ben in tablier as many poyntes voyde as been fulle, hit is to wete for that they, whatever they be that have peple to governe, ought to enforce to have citees and castellys and possessyons for to sette his peple therin, and for to laboure and do their ocupacion. For to have the name of a kyng wythout a royame is a name voyde and honour without prouffyt. And al noblesse without good maners, and wythout suche thynges as noblesse may be maynteyned, ought better be callyd folye than noblesse. And shameful poverté is the more grevous whan hyt cometh by nature of an hygh and noble byrth or hous. For no man gladly wyl repreve a poure man of the comyn peple, but every man hath in despyte a noble man that is poure, yf he have not in hym good maners and vertuous, by whiche his poverté is forgoten. And truly, a royame without habundaunce of goodes by whyche hyt may be governed and prospere may better be callyd a latrocynye or a nest of thevys than a royame.    Alas, what habundaunce was somme tymes in the royames, and what prosperité in whiche was justyce and every man in his offyce contente! How stood the cytees that tyme in worship and renome! How was renomed the noble royame of Englond! Alle the world dradde hit and spake worshyp of hit. How hit now standeth and in what habundaunce I reporte me to them that knowe hit. Yf there ben thevys wyth in the royame or on the see, they knowe that laboure in the royame and sayle on the see. I wote wel the fame is grete therof. I praye God save that noble royame and sende good, trewe, and polletique counceyllours to the governours of the same. And noblesse of lignage wythout puyssaunce and myght is but vanyté and dyspyte.    And hit is so, as we have sayd tofore, that the schequer whiche the phylosopher ordeyned represented and figured the said cité of Babylone. And in like wyse may hit figure a royame and signefye alle the world. And yf men regarde and take heed unto the poyntes unto the myddes of every quadrante, and so to double every quadrant to other, the myles of this cité alwey doublyng unto the nombre of sixty- four, the nombre of the same shold surmounte al the world. And not onely the world, but many worldes by the doublyng of myles, whiche doublyng so as afore is sayd shold surmounte all thynges.    And thus endeth the first chappytre of the fourth booke.
	The second chappitre of the fourth tractate treteth of the draught of the kyng and how he mevyth in the chequer.                                                                                   Capitulo secundo.
105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207	T	We ought to knowe that in thys world the kynges seygnourie and reygne eche in his royame. And in this play we ought to knowe by the nature of hit how the kyng meveth hym and yssueth out of his place. For ye shal understonde that he is sette in the fourth quadrante or poynt of the eschequer. And whan he is black, he standeth in the whyt, and the knyght on his right side in whyt, and the alphyn and the rook in black. And on the lift side the four holden the places apposite. And the reason may be suche: for bycause that the knyghtes been the glorie and the crowne of the kyng, they ensiewe in semblable residence that they do whan they be sette semblaby on the right side of the kyng and on the lift side of the quene. And for as moche as the rook on the right side is vicayr of the kyng, he accompanyeth the quene in semblable siege that the alphyn doth, whiche is juge of the kyng. And in like wyse, the lift rook and the lift alphyn accompanye the kyng in semblable siege.    In suche wyse as they ben sette about the kyng in bothe sides with the quene in maner of a crowne that they may seurely kepe the royame that reluyseth and shyneth in the kyng and in the quene. In suche wyse as they may conferme and diffende hym in their sieges and in theyr places, and the more hastely renne upon his enemyes. And for as moche as the juge, the knyght, and the vicayr kepe and garnysshe the kyng on that one side, they that been sette on the other side kepe the quene, and thus kepe they al the strength and fermete of the royame, and semblably otherwhile for to ordeigne the thynges that aperteyne to the counceyl and to the besoyngue of the royame. For yf eche man shold entende to his owne proper thynges, and that they deffendyd not ner toke hede unto the thynges that apperteynen to the kynge, to the comyn, and to the royame, the royame shold anone be devyded in parties. And thus myght the juge reygne, and the name of the dygnyté ryall shold be loste.    And trewly, for as moche as the kynge holdeth the dygnyté above alle other and the seignorye royall, therfore hit apperteyneth not that he absente hym long, ne wythdrawe hym ferre by space of tyme from the maister siege of his royame. For whan he wyl meve hym, he ought not to passe at the first draught the nombre of three poyntes. And whan he begynneth thus to meve from his whyt poynt, he hath the nature of the rookes of the right side and of the lift for to goo black or whyt. And also he may goo unto the whyt poynt where the gardes of the cyté ben sette. And in this poynt he hath the nature of a knyght. And thise two maners of mevyng aperteyneth otherwhile to the quene. And for as moche as the kyng and the quene that be conjoyned togeder by mariage ben one thyng as one flesshe and blood, therfore may the kyng meve on the lift side of his propre poynt also wel as he were sette in the place of the quene, whiche is black, and whan he goeth right, in maner of the rook onely. And hit happen that the adversary be not coverd in ony poynte in the second ligne, the kyng may not passe from his black poynt unto the thyrd ligne. And thus he sortiseth the nature of the rook on the right side and lift side unto the place of the knyghtes, and for to goo right tofore into the whyt poynt tofore the marchaunt. And the kyng also sortist the nature of the knyghtes whan he goeth on the right side in two maners. For he may put hym in the voyde space tofore the phisicien and in the black space tofore the taverner. And on the other side he goeth into other two places in like wyse, that is tofore the smyth and the notarye. And thus as in goyng out first into four poyntes, he sorteth the nature of knyghtes. And also, the kyng sortyseth the nature of the alphyns at hys fyrst yssue into two places. And he may goo on boothe sydes unto the whyte place voyde, that one tofore the smyth on that one side and that other tofore the taverner on that other side.    Al these yssues hath the kyng out of his propre place of his owne vertu whan he begynneth to meve. But whan he is ones mevyd fro his propre place, he may not meve but into one space or poynt, and so from one to another. And than he sortiseth the nature of the comyn peple, and thus by good right he hath in hymself the nature of al. For al the vertue that is in the membris comyth of the heed and al mevyng of the body, the begynnyng, and lyf cometh from the herte. And al the dygnyté that the subgettis have by execusion and continuel apparence of theyr mevyng and yssue, the kyng deteyneth hit, and is attributed to hym the victorye of the knyghtes, the prudence of the juges, the auctorité of the vycayrs or legates, the contynence of the quene, the concorde and unyté of the people. So ben alle thise thynges ascribed unto the honour and worshyp of the kyng in his yssue, whan he mevyth first.    The third ligne tofore the peple he never excedyth, for in the third nombre alle maner of states begynne to meve. For the trynary nombre conteyneth thre parties, whyche make a perfect nombre. For a trynarye nombre hath one, two, three, whiche joyned togider maketh six, which is the first parfit nombre, and signefieth in this place six persones named that constitute the perfeccion of a royame, that is to wete the kyng, the quene, juges, knyghtes, vicairs or legates, and the comyn peple. And therfore the kyng ought to begynne in his first mevyng of three poyntes that he shewe perfeccion of lyf as wel in hymself as in other.    After the kyng begynneth to meve, he may lede with hym the quene, after the maner of his issue. For why the quene foloweth unto two angularye places after the maner of the alphyn, and to a place indyrecte in the maner of a rook into the blacke poynt tofore the phisicien, herin is signefyed that the women may not meve nether make vowes of pylgremage ner of viage without the wylle of theyr husbondes. For yf a woman had avowed onythyng, her husbond lyvyng and agayn sayeng, she may not yelde ner accomplisshe her vowe. Yf the husbond wyl goo ony where, he may wel goo wythout her. And yf so be that the husbond wyl have her wyth hym, she is bounden to folowe hym. And by reson, for a man is the heed of a woman and not econverso. For as to suche thynges as longe to patrymonye, they ben like. But the man hath power over her body, and so hath not the woman over his. And therfore, whan the kyng begynneth to meve, the quene may folowe, and not alwey whan she mevyth it is no nede the kyng to meve.    For why: four [of] the first lignes be wyth in the lymytes and space of the royame, and unto the thyrd poynt the kynge may meve at his first mevyng out of his propre place. And whan he passyth the fourth ligne, he goeth out of his royame. And yf he passe one poynt, lete hym bewaar! For the persone of a kyng is acounted more than a thousand of other. For whan he exposith hym unto the parilles of bataylle, hit is necessarye that he goo attemporatly and slily. For yf he be taken or deed, or ellys inclusid and shette up, alle the strengthes of al other faylle, and al is finysshed and lost. And therfore he hath nede to goo and meve wysely.    And also, therfore, he may not meve but one poynt after hys first mevyng, but where that ever he goo, foreward or bacward, or on that one side or on that other, or ellis cornerwyse, he may never approche his adversarye the kyng nerrer than in the thyrd poynt. And therfore, the kynges in bataylle ought never to approche one nygh that other. And also, whan the kyng hath goon so ferre that al hys men be lost, than he is sole, and than he may not endure long whan he is brought to that extremyté. And also, he ought to take hede that he stonde not so that a knyght or another sayth "chek rook." Than the kyng loseth the rook. That kynge is not wel fortunat that lesith hym to whom his auctorité delegate aperteyneth, who may do the nedes of the royame yf he be pryvyd, taken, or deed, that was provysour of al the royame. He shal bere a sacke on his heed that is shette in a cité, and al they that were therin ben taken in captyvyté and shette up.
F T	The third chappitre of the fourth book: of the quene and how she yssueth out of her place.                                                                                                                              Capitulo tercio.
208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246	N N N N N	Whan the quene, whiche is accompanyed unto the kyng, begynneth to meve from her propre place, she goeth in double manere, that is to wete as an alphyn. Whan she is black, she may goo on the right side and come into the poynt tofore the notarye, and on the lift side in the black poynt and come tofore the gardes of the cyté. And hit is to wete that she sortiseth in herself the nature in three maners: first on the right side tofore the alphyn, secondly on the lift side where the knyght is, and thirdly indirectly unto the black poynt tofore the phisicien.    And the reason why is for as moche as she hath in herself by grace the auctorité that the rookes have by commyscion. For she may gyve and graunte many thynges to her subgettis graciously. And thus also ought she to have parfyt wysedom as the alphyns have, whiche ben juges, as hit sayd above in the chappytre of the quene. And she hath not the nature of knyghtes, and hit is not fittyng ne covenable thyng for a woman to goo to bataylle for the fragylité and feblenes of her. And therfore holdeth she not the waye in her draught as the knyghtes doon. And whan she is mevyd ones out of her place, she may not goo but fro one poynte to another, and yet covertly, whether hit be forwarde or bacward, takyng or to be taken.    And here may be axyd why the quene goeth to the bataylle wyth the kyng. Certeynly, it is for the solace of hym and ostencion of love. And also, the peple desire to have successyon of the kyng. And therfore the Tartaris have their wyves into the felde with hem. Yet hit is not good that men have theyr wyves wyth hem, but that they abyde in the cytees or wythin theyr owne termys. For whan they been out of theyr cytees and lymytes, they ben not sure but holden suspecte. They shold be shamefast and holde al men suspect.    For Dyna, Jacob's doughter, as longe as she was in the hows of her brethern, she kept her vyrgynyté. But assone as she wente for to see the straunge regyons, anone she was corupt and defowled of the sone of Sichem.    Seneka sayth that the women that have evyl vysages ben gladly not chaste, but theyr corage desyreth gladly the companye of men.    And Solinus sayth that no bestys femeles desire to be touched of their males whan they have conceyvyd, except woman whiche ought to be a beste resonable, and in this caas she lesith her rayson. And Sidrac witnessith the same.    And therfore, in the olde lawe the faders had dyverse wyves and ancellis to the ende whan one was with childe, they myght take another.    They ought to have the vysage enclyned for to eschewe the sight of the men, that by the sight they be not mevyd with incontynence and dyffame of other.    And Ovyde sayth that there ben somme that, how wel that they eschewe the dede, yet have they grete joye whan they be prayed. And therfore ought the good women fle the curiositees and places where they myght falle in blame and noyse of the peple.
	The fourth chappytre of the fourth book: of the issuyng of the alphyn.        Capitulo quarto.
247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284		The manere and nature of the draught of the alphyn is suche that he that is black in his propre siege is sette on the right side of the kyng and he that is whyt is sette on the lift side, and ben callyd and named “black” and “whyt,” but for no cause that they be so in substaunce of her propre colour, but for the colour of the places in whiche they ben sette. And alwey be they black or whyt whan they ben sette in theyr places.    The alphyn on the right side goyng out of his place to the right sydeward cometh tofore the labourer. And hit is reason that the juge ought to deffende and kepe the labourers and possessyons whiche ben in his jurisdyccion by al right and lawe. And also, he may goo on the lift side to the voyde place tofore the phisicien. For like as the physiciens have the charge to hele the infirmytees of a man, in like wise have the juges charge to appese alle stryves and contencions, and reduse unto unyté, and to punysshe and correcte causes crymynels.    The lift alphyn hath also two wayes fro his owne place, one toward the right side unto the black space voyde tofore the marchaunt, for the marchauntes nede ofte tymes counceyl and been in debate of questyons whiche must nedes be determyned by the juges, and that other yssue is unto the place tofore the rybauldes. And that is bycause that ofte tymes among them falle noyses, dyscencions, thefte, and manslaughter, wherfore they ought to be punysshed by the juges.    And ye shal understonde that the alphyn goeth alwey cornerwyse fro the thyrd poynt to the thyrd poynt, kepyng alwey his owne siege. For yf he be black, he goeth alwey black. And yf he be whyt, he goeth alwey whyte. The yssue or goyng cornerly or angularly signefyeth cautele or subtilyté, whiche juges ought to have. The thre poyntes betoken thre thynges that the juge ought to attende. A juge ought to further rightful and trewe causes. Secondly, he ought to geve trewe counceyl. And thyrdly, he ought to geve and juge rightful sentences after the alegeaunces, and never to goo fro the rightwysnes of the lawe.    And it is to wete that the alphyn goeth in six draughtes al the tablier rounde about, and that he cometh agayn into his owne place. And how be hit that al reason and good perfeccion shold be in a kyng, yet ought hit also specially be in them that ben counceyllours of the kyng and the quene. And the kyng ought not to do onythyng doubtouse til he have axyd counceyl of his juges and of the sages of the royame. And therfore ought the juge to be parfaytly wyse and sage as wel in science as in good maners. And that is signefyed whan they meve from thre poyntes into thre. For the sixte nombre by whiche they goo al the eschequer and brynge hem agayn into her propre place, in suche wyse that the ende of her moevyng is conjoyned agayn to the begynnyng of the place fro whens they departed. And therfore hit is callyd a parfayt moevyng.
F	The fifthe chappytre of the fourth tractate: of the mevyng of the knyghtes. Capitulo quinto.
285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311		After the issue of the alphyns we shal devyse to you the yssue and the moevyng of the knyghtes. And we say that the knyght on the right side is whyt and on the lift side black. And the yssue and moevyng of hem bothe is in one maner, whan so is that the knyght on the right side is whyt, the lift knyght is black. The moevyng of hem is suche: that the whyt may goo into the space of the alphyn as hyt apperyth of the knyght on the ryght syde that is whyt, and hath thre yssues from his propre place, one on his right side in the place tofore the labourer. And hit is wel reson that whan the labourer and husbond man hath laboured the feldes, the knyghtes ought to kepe them to the entente that they have vitailles for themself and theyr horses.    The second yssue is that he may meve hym unto the black space tofore the notarye or draper, for he is bounden to deffende and kepe them that make hys vestementes and covertours necessarye unto hys body.    The thyrd yssue is that he may goo on the lift side into the place tofore the marchaunt whiche is sette tofore the kyng, the whiche is black. And the reson is for as moche as he ought and is holden to deffende the kyng, as wel as his owne persone, whan he passyth the first draught, he may goo four weyes. And whan he is in the myddes of the tablier, he may goo into eight places sondry, to whiche he may renne. And in like wyse may the lift knyght goo, whiche is black, and goeth out of his place into whyt. And in that maner goeth the knyght fightyng by his myght, and groweth and multeplyeth in his poyntes. And ofte tymes by them the felde is wonne or lost.    A knyghte’s vertue and myght is not knowen but by his fightyng. And in his fightyng he doeth moche harme, for as moche as his myght extendeth into so many poyntes, they ben in many parellis in theyr fightyng. And whan they escape, they have the honour of the game. And thus is hit of every man the more vayllyant and the more honoured, and he that meketh hymself ofte tymes shyneth clerest.
	The sixte chappytre of the fourth tractate treteth of the yssue of the rookes and of her progressyon.                                                                                                Capitulo sexto.
312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337	N	The moevyng and yssue of the rookes, whiche ben vycayrs of the kynge, is suche: that the right rook is black and the lift rook is whyt. And whan the chesse ben sette, as wel the nobles as the comyn peple first in theyr propre places, the rookes by theyr propre vertu have no waye to yssue but yf hit be maad to them by the nobles or comyn peple. For they been enclosid in theyr propre sieges. And the reson why is suche: that for as moche as they ben vycayrs, lieuetenauntes, or commyssyoners of the kyng, theyr auctorité is of none effect tofore they yssue out. And that they have begonne to enhaunce their offyce, for as longe as they be wythin the palays of the kyng, so longe may they not use ne execute theyr commyssyon. But anone as they yssue they may use theyr auctorité.    And ye shal understonde that theyr auctorité is grete, for they represente the persone of the kyng. And therfore, where the tablier is voyde, they may renne alle the tablier, in lyke wyse as they goon thrugh the royame. And they may goo as wel whyt as black, as wel on the right side and lifte, as foreward and bacward. And as fer may they renne as they fynde the tablier voyde, whether hit be of his adversaries as of his owen felawshyp. And whan the rook is in the myddel of the tablier, he may goo whiche way he wyl into four right lignes on every syde. And it is to wete that he may in no wyse goo cornerwyse, but alwey right forth, goyng and comyng as afore is sayd, wherfore al the subgettis of the kyng, as wel good as evyl, ought to knowe by theyr moevyng that the auctorité of the vycayrs and commyssyoners ought to be veray trewe, rightwys, and juste. And ye shal understande that they ben stronge and vertuous in bataylle. For the two rookes onely may vaynquysshe a kyng, theyr adversarye, and take hym, and take from hym his lyf and his royame.    And this was doon whan Cirus, kyng of Perse, and Darius, kyng of Medes, slewe Balthazar and took his royame from hym, whiche was nevewe to Evylmoradach under whom thys game was founden.
	The seventh chappytre of the fourth book: of the yssue of the comyn peple.                                                                                                      Capitulo septimo.
338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394	N N N T	One yssue and one moevyng apperteyneth unto all the comyn peple. For they may goo fro the poynt they stande in at the first mevyng unto the third poynt ryght forth tofore them. And whan they have so doon, they may afterward meve nomore but fro one poynt right forth into another. And they may never retorne bacward. And thus, goyng forth fro poynt to poynt, they may gete by vertue and strengthe that thynge that the other nobles fynde by dygnyté. And yf the knyghtes and other nobles helpe hem, that they come to the ferthest ligne tofore them where theyr adversaryes were sette, they acquyre the dignyté that the quene hath graunted to her by grace. For yf ony of them may come to thys sayd ligne, yf he be whyt as labourer, draper, phisicien, or kepar of the cité been, they reteyne suche dignyté as the quene hath, for they have goten hit. And than retornyng agayn homeward, they may go like as it is sayd in the chappitre of the quene. And yf ony of the pawnes that be black, as the smyth, the marchaunt, the taverner, and ribaulde, may come without dommage into the same utterest ligne, he shal gete by his vertu the dygnyté of the black quene.    And ye shal understonde, whan thyse comune peple meve right forth in her ligne and fynde ony noble persone or of the peple of their adversaries sette in the poynt on ony side tofore hym, in that corner poynte he may take his adversarye, whether hit be on the right side or on the lift. And the cause is that the adversaries ben suspecious that the comyn peple lye in a wayte to robbe her goodes or to take her persones whan they go upward right forth. And therfore he may take in the right angle tofore hym one of his adversaryes, as he had espied his persone, and in the right angle as robber of his goodes. And whether hit be goyng forward, or retornyng fro black to whyt, or whyt to black, the pawne must alwey goo in his right ligne, and alwey take in the corner that he fyndeth in his waye. But he may not goo on neyther side til he hath been in the fardest ligne of the eschequer and that he hath taken the nature of the draughtes of the quene. And than he is a “fiers.” And than he may goo on al sides cornerwyse fro poynt to poynt onely as the quene, both fightyng and takyng whom he fyndeth in his waye. And whan he is thus comen unto the place where the nobles, his adversaries, were sette, he shal be made “whit fiers” and “black fiers” after the poynte that he is in. And there taketh he the dygnyté of the quene.    And alle these thynges may appere to them that beholden the playe of the chesse. And ye shal understonde that no noble man ought to have despyte of the comyn peple. For hit hath been ofte tymes seen that by their vertu and wytte, dyverce of them have comen to right hygh and grete astate as poopes, bysshops, emperours, and kynges, as we have in the historye of Davyd, that was made kyng of a shepeherd and one of the comyn peple and of many other. And in lyke wise we rede of the contrarye, that many noble men have been brought to myserye by theyr defaulte, as of Gyges, whiche was right riche of landes and of richessis, and was so proud that he went and demaunded of the god Appollo yf there were ony in the world more riche and more heppy than he was. And than he herde a voys that yssued out of the fosse or pitte of the sacrefises that a peple named Agalans Sophide, whiche were poure of goodes and riche of corage, was more acceptable than he whiche was kyng. And thus the god Appollo alowed more the sapyence and the sureté of the poure man and of his litel meyne than he dyd the astate and the persone of Gyges, ne of his riche mayne. And hit is more to alowe a lytyl thyng seurly poursewed thenne moche good taken in fere and drede. And for as moche as a man of lowe lignage is by his vertue enhaunsed, so moche the more he ought to be glorious and of good renomee.    Virgyle, that was borne in Lombardye of the nacion of Mantua and was of lowe and symple lignage, yet he was soverayn in wysedom and science, and the most noble of al the poyntes, of whom the renomee was, is, and shal be duryng the world. So hit happend that another poete axyd and demaunded of hym wherfore he sette not the versis of Homere in his book. And he answerd that he shold be of right grete strengthe and force that shold plucke the clubbe out of Hercules handes.    And thys suffiseth the state and draughtis of the comyn peple.
F	The eighth chappytre and the last of the fourth book: of the epylogacion and recapytulacion of thys book.                                                                                                       Capitulo octavus.
395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455	T	For as moche as we see and knowe that the memorye of the peple is not retentyf but right forgeteful, whan somme here longe talis and historyes whiche they can not al reteyne in her mynde or recorde. Therfore I have put in thys present chappytre al the thynges abovesayd as shortly as I have conne.    First, this playe or game was founden in the tyme of Evylmerodach, kyng of Babylone, and Excerses the philosopher, otherwyse named Philometer, founde hit. And the cause why was for the correccion of the kyng, lyke as hit apperith in thre [of] the first chappytres. For the sayd kyng was so tyrannous and feloun that he myght suffre no correcion but slewe them and dyd do put hem to deth that correctid hym, and had than doo put to deth many right wyse men. Than the peple, beyng sorouful and right evyl plesid of this evyl lyf of the kyng, prayed and requyred the phylo­ sopher that he wold reprise and telle the kyng of his folye. And than the philosopher answerd that he shold be dede yf he so dyde. And the peple sayd to hym: “Certes, thou oughtest sonner wylle to dye to the ende that thy renome myght come to the peple than the lyf of the kyng shold contynue in evyl for lacke of thy counceil, or by faulte of reprehension of thee, or thou darist not doo and shewe that thou sayest.”    And whan the philosopher herde thys, he promysid to the peple that he wold put hym in devoyr to correct hym. And thenne he began to thynke hym in what maner he myght escape the deth and kepe to the people his promesse. And thenne thus he maad in thys maner and ordeygned the eschequer of sixty-four poyntes, as is afore sayde. And dyd do make the forme of chequers of gold and silver in humayn figure after the facions and formes as we have dyvysid and shewid to you tofore in theyr chappytres, and ordeyned the moevyng and the estate after that it is sayd in the chappitres of the eschessys.    And whan the pyhlosophre had thus ordeyned the playe or game, and that hit plesid alle them that sawe hit, on a tyme, as the philosopher played on hit, the kyng came and sawe hit, and desired to playe at this game. And thenne the phylosopher began to ensigne and teche the kyng the science of the playe and the draughtes, sayeng to hym first how the kyng ought to have in hymself pyté, debonayrté, and rightwysnes, as hit is sayd tofore in the chappytre of the kyng. And he enseygned to hym the astate of the quene and what maners she ought to have. And thenne of the alphyns as counceyllours and juges of the royame. And after the nature of the knyghtes, how they ought to be wyse, trewe, and curtoys, and al the ordre of knyghthode. And than after the nature of the vycayrs and rookes, as hit apperyth in theyr chappytre. And after thys how the comyn people ought to goo eche in his offyce, and how they ought to serve the nobles.    And whan the phylosopher had thus taught and enseygned the kynge and his nobles by the maner of the playe, and had reprehendyd hym of his evyl maners, the kyng demaunded hym upon payn of deth to telle hym the cause why and wherfore he had made and founden thys playe and game, and what thyng mevyd hym therto. And than the phylosopher, constrayned by fere and drede, answerd that he had promysed to the people, whyche had requyryd hym that he shold correcte and reprise the kyng of his evyl vices. But for as moche as he doubted the deth and had seen that the kyng dyd do slee the sages and wyse men that were so hardy to blame hym of his vyces, he was in grete anguysshe and sorowe how he myght fynde a maner to correcte and reprehende the kyng and to save his owen lyf. And thus he thought longe and studyed that he fond this game or playe, whiche he hath do sette forth for to amende and correcte the lyf of the kyng and to chaunge his maners. And he adjoustyd, wyth al that he had founden, thys game for so moche as the lordes and nobles haboundyng in delices and richessis, and enjoyeng temporel pees, shold eshewe ydelnes by playeng of thys game, and for to gyve hem cause to leve her pensifnes and sorowes in avysyng and studyeng this game.    And whan the kyng had herde al thyse causes, he thought that the philosopher had founde a good maner of correccion. And than he thankyd hym gretely. And thus by the ensignement and lernyng of the philosopher, he chaunged his lyf, his maners, and alle his evyll condicions. And by this maner hit happend that the kyng that tofore tyme had ben vycious and disordynate in hys lyvyng was made juste and vertuous, debonayr, gracious, and ful of vertues unto al peple. And a man that lyvyth in thys world without vertues lyveth not as a man but as a beste. Thenne late every man of what condycion he be that redyth or herith this litel book redde, take therby ensaumple to amende hym.

Go To Bibliography

BOOK FOUR: FOOTNOTES

Title draughtes, moves; in genere, universally.

2 to wete, to say.

3 yssue, first advance.

5 facion, fashion or shape; chequer, chessboard.

9 wherfore, to what purpose; poyntes, spaces.

10 bordeure, border; squarenes, squareness (i.e., the square parts).

13 voyde, empty.

17 Lombardye, the Lombard region in northern Italy.

18 leukes, leagues.

20 ordeyned, arranged; tablier, chessboard.

23 drawyng, motion.

29 Ysaye, Isaiah; wete, know; obscureté, obscurity.

30 Caldee, Chaldea.

31 For it is so, For it is the case.

35 Montaigne, Mountain.

36 paas, paces (each roughly equal to a step of a flight of stairs).

38 tour treangle, triangular tower.

43 renge, row.

47–48 sadellys, axys, and speres, saddles, axes, and spears.

50 peraventure, perchance.

59 counceylle, rule or direct; ordenaunces of, decrees for.

61–62 wote ne knoweth, doesn't understand or know.

63 servyce, jobs.

64 covenable, appropriate.

65 advocacions, the callings of people to council.

66 destroubled, thwarted.

70 procuracion, management.

77 royame, kingdom.

79 grevous, grievous.

84 latrocynye, band of robbers.

86 somme tymes, formerly.

88 renome, renown.

90 reporte me, appeal.

92 wote, believe.

96 schequer, chessboard.

107 meveth hym, moves himself; yssueth out, advances out.

109 alphyn, bishop or judge.

110 apposite, opposite.

112 ensiewe, ensue or follow; semblable, similar.

114 vicayr, representative.

115 siege, seat or place.

118 seurely, surely; reluyseth, shines forth.

119–20 conferme and diffende, add strength to and defend.

120 renne upon, attack.

122 garnysshe, garrison.

123 fermete, integrity.

124 semblably otherwhile, similarly sometimes.

125 besoyngue, business.

129 ryall, royal.

132 ferre, far.

134 poyntes, spaces.

139 conjoyned togeder, conjoined together.

140 also wel as, in the same way as.

142 And, If; coverd, defended against.

144 sortiseth, acquires.

148 taverner, tavern keeper.

161 execusion, the act of doing or moving.

162 deteyneth, holds or restrains.

164 contynence, self-restraint.

167–68 alle maner of states, (i.e., all the pieces).

168 trynary, ternary.

174 perfeccion, perfection.

176 angularye, diagonal.

179 nether . . . ner, neither . . . nor; viage, voyage.

181 yelde ner accomplisshe, break or hold.

184 econverso, conversely; longe to, belong to.

188 For why, The reason for this is; lignes, lines.

191 acounted more, worth more.

193 attemporatly and slily, with moderation and stealthily.

194 inclusid and shette up, captured.

197 where that ever he goo, wherever he goes.

198 cornerwyse, diagonally; nerrer, nearer.

203 "chek rook," the call of check at the same time that one of the rooks is threatened with capture.

204 lesith, loses; auctorité delegate, delegated authority.

205 pryvyd, taken away or captured; provysour, the manager or head.

206 bere a sacke on his heed (i.e., all the pieces will be tossed back in a bag once the king is mated and the game ends).

Title yssueth, issues.

209 wete, understand; alphyn, judge or chess bishop.

211 notarye, personal secretary or clerk.

212 sortiseth, acquires.

216 commyscion, commission.

219 covenable, suitable.

224 axyd, asked.

225 ostencion, manifestation or display.

226 Tartaris, Tartars or inhabitants of Central Asia.

229 holden, held.

235 corage, disposition.

236 bestys femeles, female animals.

238 lesith, loses.

239 ancellis, female servants or concubines.

242 incontynence, lack of self-restraint; dyffame, disfame.

243 how wel, however well.

244 prayed, sexually solicited.

245 fle, flee.

248 siege, seat or place.

258 stryves, discords.
258–59 reduse unto unyté, bring them back to one accord.

259 causes crymynels, criminal cases.

263 rybauldes, ribald or dissolute characters.

264 noyses, troubles; dyscencions, disagreements.

269 cautele, craftiness; subtilyté, shrewdness.

272 sentences, verdicts; alegeaunces, duties (to the law).

273 rightwysnes, rule.

274 draughtes, moves; tablier, chessboard.

278 doubtouse, uncertain.

281 goo al the eschequer, complete the circuit of the board; hem, themselves.

283 conjoyned, conjoined.

Title mevyng, moves.

285 alphyns, judges or chess bishops; devyse, explain.

287–88 whan so is that, although.

289 apperyth, is expected.

292 husbond man, one who practices husbandry or a farmer.

293 to the entente, for the purpose; vitailles, food or provisions.

296 notarye or draper, clerk or dealers in cloth.

297 vestementes and covertours, clothes and coverings (either for beds or in the sense of garments).

302 myddes, middle; tablier, chessboard; sondry, individually or separately.

303 renne, run.

305 and groweth and multeplyeth in his poyntes (i.e., after the first move, the knight increases the spaces to which he is able to move).

309 parellis, risks.

311 he that meketh hymself, he who makes himself humble.

312 vycayrs, representatives.

314 propre, own.

316 sieges, places.

318 commyssyoners, commissioners.

325 fer, far.

328 it is to wete, this is to say.

329 cornerwyse, diagonally.

332 rightwys, forthright.

333 onely, alone.

343 dygnyté, nobility.

344 that, so that; ferthest ligne, farthest row.

348 have goten, have earned.

350 smyth, blacksmith; taverner, tavern keeper; ribaulde, ribald.

351 dommage, harm; utterest, farthest.

354–55 in the poynt on ony side tofore hym, in any diagonal square in front of him.

363 on neyther side, backwards; fardest, farthest.

364 "fiers," the name for a promoted pawn.

371 have despyte of, look down on.

373 astate, estate or social standing; poopes, popes.

375 of a shepeherd and one of the comyn peple, after being a shepherd and common.

379 heppy, happy.

380 fosse, pit.

380–81 Agalans Sophide, Aglaus of Psophis.

382 alowed more, praised more.

383 meyne, means.

384 mayne, means.

385 poursewed, pursued.

Title epylogacion, conclusion.

396 talis, stories.

398 abovesayd, aforementioned; shortly, briefly; have conne, am able.

402 feloun, felonious.

405 evyl plesid, displeased; requyred, requested.

407 Certes, Certainly.

408 sonner, sooner.

412 put hym in devoyr, do what he could.

414 ordeygned, arranged; eschequer, chessboard.

418–19 after that it is sayd, after the rules that are stated.

423 ensigne, instruct.

424–25 pyté, debonayrté, and rightwysnes, pity, graciousness, and honesty.

428 curtoys, courteous.

438 reprise, reprove; doubted the deth, feared death.

439 hardy, brave.

441 reprehende, rebuke.

444 adjoustyd, composed.

445 haboundyng, abounding; delices, delights.

447 pensifnes, pensiveness or worries; avysyng, considering.

452 tofore tyme, before; disordynate, unchecked or immoderate.
 

BOOK FOUR: EXPLANATORY NOTES

Abbreviations: CA: Gower, Confessio Amantis; CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; LGW: Chaucer, Legend of Good Women; OED: Oxford English Dictionary; PL: Migne, Patrologiae cursus completus, series Latina; Whiting: Whiting, Proverbs, Sentences, and Proverbial Phrases.

Chapter 1

14–16 For as the blessyd Saynt Jherome sayth, the cité of Babylone was right grete and was maad al square. In Le Jeu des Éschaz Moralisé Collet attributes this to Jerome's Commentary on Jeremey, Book 14.22–23. However, the version of this text that appears in PL does not seem to support this reference.

18–40 and in Englond they be callyd myles also . . . Hit is to wete that Lombarde mylis and Englissh myles ben of one lengthe . . . whiche is seven myle Englissh. These asides about English measurements are all added by Caxton.

28–29 And as the blessyd Saynt Jherome sayth, upon the prophesie of Ysaye. This comes from Jerome's Commentary on Isaiah, Book 5:13, verses 20–22. See Hieronymus Stridonensis [MED], PL 24:0163A–D.

29–31 whiche wordes were sayd of Babylone, whiche standeth in Caldee, and nothyng of that Babylone that stondeth in Egypt. The Babylon referred to here is the Biblical city, which is located in modern day Iraq, and not the Egyptian Babylon, an ancient city on the Nile.

40–41 The walles about the toure made a woman whos name was Semyramis, as sayth Virgilius. Although Jacobus refers to Virgil as the source for this story, it seems more likely that it is Dante's guide Virgil, who names Semiramis as a sinner in Canto V, verses 52–72 of the Inferno. The story of Semiramis and her building of the brick walls was common throughout the Middle Ages. In his Metamorphoses, Ovid refers to it in passing when describing Pyramus and Thisbe: "Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimus alter, / Altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis, / Contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam / Coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem" ["Pyramus and Thisbe — he, the most beautiful youth, and she, loveliest maid of all the East — dwelt in houses side by side, in the city which Semiramis is said to have surrounded with walls of brick"]. See Metamorphoses, 1:182 and 183. It also appears in Justinus' History of Trogus Pompeius, Book 1, chapter 2.7 (Justin, Epitome, p. 15).

68–69 And Plato sayth that the comyn thynges and the cytees ben blessyd whan they ben governed by wyse men, or whan the governours studye in wysedom. From Valerius, Memorable Doings and Sayings, Book 7.2, ext. 4 (2:118 and 119).

86–95 Alas, what habundaunce was somme tymes in the royames. . . . And noblesse of lignage wythout puyssaunce and myght is but vanyté and dyspyte. This section is added by Caxton.

Chapter 3

231 For Dyna, Jacob's doughter. The story of Dinah appears in Genesis 34.

234–35 Seneka sayth that the women that have evyl vysages ben gladly not chaste, but theyr corage desyreth gladly the companye of men. I have not been able to locate a source for this saying.

236–37 And Solinus sayth that no bestys femeles desire to be touched of their males whan they have conceyvyd. This is from Pliny's Natural History, Book 7, chapter 11. See Natural History, 2:536–39.

238 Sidrac. Sidrak, the wise Jew, counsels and converts Bokkus with his questions and exemplary discussions. On women's sexuality, desire, pleasure in love, pregnancy, and (un)controllability, see Sidrak and Bokkus, pp. 260–63.

243–47 And Ovyde sayth that there ben somme that, how wel that they eschewe the dede. This quote comes from Ovid's Art of Love, Book 1, line 345: "Quae dant quaeque negant, gaudent tamen esse rogatae" ["And, grant they or deny, yet they are pleased to be asked" (pp. 36 and 37)]. In the Liber Jacobus adds Book 1, poem 8, line 43 of the Amores: "Ludunt formosae: casta est quam nemo rogavit" ["Enjoy yourselves, beautiful ones: she is chaste whom no one has pursued"].

Chapter 6

335 And this was doon whan Cirus, kyng of Perse, and Darius, kyng of Medes. This scriptural example comes from Daniel 5:30.

Chapter 7

374 as we have in the historye of Davyd, that was made kyng. The story of David is narrated in 1 Kings 16–31, 2 Kings, and 3 Kings 1–2.

377 as of Gyges, whiche was right riche of landes and of richessis. The story of Gyges and his riches is found in Valerius, Memorable Doings and Sayings, Book 7.1.2 (2:106 and 107). It appears in a modified form in Book 3, chapter 9.38 of Cicero's De officiis (pp. 304–07), and Pliny's Natural History, Book 7, chapter 46 (2:606 and 607).

388–89 Virgyle, that was borne in Lombardye of the nacion of Mantua and was of lowe and symple lignage. This is a modified version of what appears in Macrobius' Saturnalia Book 5, chapter 3.16. In this instance, Virgil is described in the third person and is compared to stealing the club from Hercules. See Saturnalia, pp. 292–93.
 

BOOK FOUR: TEXTUAL NOTES

76 For. Caxton has "For for" here.

162 attributed. The text reads attribued.

Title, chapter 3 third. Although this is the third chapter of Book Four, the word "seconde" appears in both printings.

390 poyntes. In the first edition Caxton uses the word "poetes" here, which makes more sense.

401–02 thre [of] the. The text reads thre the.