Incipit Liber Septimus.
P. iii. 84
[The Education of Alexander.]
i. Omnibus in causis sapiens doctrina salutem
Consequitur, nec habet quis nisi doctus opem.
Naturam superat doctrina, viro quod et ortus
Ingenii docilis non dedit, ipsa dabit.
Non ita discretus hominum per climata regnat,
Quin, magis vt sapiat, indiget ipse scole.
I Genius the prest of love,
Quia omnis doctrina bona humano regimini salutem confert, in
hoc septimo libro ad instanciam Amantis languidi intendit Genius illam
ex qua Philosophi et Astrologi philosophie doctrinam Regem Alexandrum
imbuerunt, secundum aliquid declarare. Diuidit enim philosophiam in
tres partes, quarum prima Theorica, secunda Rethorica, tercia Practica
nuncupata est, de quarum condicionibus subsequenter per singula
tractabit.
Mi Sone, as thou hast preid above
That I the Scole schal declare
Of Aristotle and ek the fare
Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht,
I am somdel therof destrauht;
For it is noght to the matiere
Of love, why we sitten hiere
To schryve, so as Venus bad.
Bot natheles, for it is glad, 10
So as thou seist, for thin aprise
To hiere of suche thinges wise,
Wherof thou myht the time lisse,927
So as I can, I schal the wisse:
P. iii. 85
For wisdom is at every throwe928
Above alle other thing to knowe
In loves cause and elleswhere.
Forthi, my Sone, unto thin Ere,
Though it be noght in the registre