The Secret of Secrets and Other Philosophical Treatises

...merciful to those who are angry.

On the king's chastity.

x. Do not incline yourself toward the sexual intercourse of women, for such intercourse is a certain characteristic of swine. What glory will there be for you if you practice the vices of irrational beasts and the acts of brutes? Believe me without doubt that sexual intercourse is the destruction of the body, the shortening of life, and the corruption of virtues. It is a transgression of the law; it generates effeminate manners original: "femineos mores." In the medieval context, this suggested that excessive lust made a man soft or weak, undermining the perceived masculine "gravitas" required to rule. and ultimately brings about that evil which we mentioned before.

On the king's solace and leisure.

xi. It is fitting for the royal majesty original: "regiã maiestatẽ." A formal title of address and a concept of the king's semi-divine status. to have his faithful high-ranking nobles with whom he may take delight with various instruments and types of musical devices when he becomes weary. For the human soul naturally delights in such things; the senses find rest, anxiety and worry vanish, and the whole body is strengthened. If you, therefore, wish to take delight in such things, persevere for the present in such a life for three or four days, according to what you see to be expedient, and it is always better and more honorable that these things be done privately. When you are in this state of solace, abstain from drink yourself, but allow others to drink as they please, and pretend to be warmed by wine, for then you will be able to see and hear many secrets. This should not be done frequently, but twice or thrice a year. You should also have special members of your household around you who may report back to you those things which are happening throughout the whole kingdom.

On the king's honor toward his subjects.

xii. When you are among your barons original: "barones." While specifically a feudal rank, here it refers generally to the high nobility and counselors of the realm., honor the wise.

And those whom you see are worthy of being honored, keep each one in his proper station. Invite one today, and another tomorrow. Introduce one today, and another tomorrow, but it is never fitting for the rank itself to be disregarded. Let there be no one among your nobles who does not feel your generosity original: "largitatem" or "liberalitas." This was the essential kingly virtue of giving freely to maintain loyalty and display power.; let the mercy of your majesty and the will of a liberal mind be open to all.

On the character of the king.

xiii. It is fitting for a king, among other things, to have discretion and restraint, and to abstain greatly from laughter; for much and frequent laughter takes away his weight of character and dignity. Furthermore, you ought to know that a king is more bound to honor men in his court and in your presence than elsewhere, because that is the seat of his majesty. If anyone, however, commits any injury, he must be punished according to the quality of his person, so that others may be terrified and learn to abstain from injuries. A noble and high-born man is to be punished in one way, and a common and lowly man in another. It is good, therefore, to observe rigor and restraint, so that there may be a distinction of persons between the king and his subjects. For it is written in the Book of Aesculapius original: "libro esculapıı." Refers to Hermetic or pseudo-scientific texts attributed to the legendary physician/sage Aesculapius, popular in the Middle Ages. that the king who is praiseworthy and to be loved is he who is like an eagle flying among birds, not he who is like one of the subject birds. If anyone in the court or in the presence of the royal majesty presumes to perpetrate an injury or offer an offense, it must be considered whether he did it with intent, or in play to please you...