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