[1] But now concerning the demeanour of this new king, whose disordered maners brought himselfe and manie others vnto destruction; we find that in the beginning of his gouernement, though he was of nature giuen to lightnesse, yet being restreined with the prudent aduertisements of certeine of his coun|cellors, Polydor. to the end he might shew some likelihood of good proofe, be counterfeited a kind of grauitie, ver|tue and modestie; but yet he could not throughlie be so bridled, but that foorthwith he began to plaie diuers wanton and light parts, at the first indeed not out|ragiouslie, but by little and little, and that couertlie. For hauing reuoked againe into England his old mate the said Peers de Gaueston,Péers de Gaueston. he receiued him into most high fauour, creating him earle of Corne|wall, and lord of Man, his principall secretarie,The yeare next insuing, the Ile of Man was ta|ken by Ro|bert Bruce. and lord chamberlaine of the realme, through whose com|panie and societie he was suddenlie so corrupted, that he burst out into most heinous vices; for then vsing the said Peers as a procurer of his disordred dooings, he began to haue his nobles in no regard, to set no|thing by their instructions, and to take small héed vn|to the good gouernement of the commonwealth, so that within a while, he gaue himselfe to wantonnes, passing his time in voluptuous pleasure, and riotous excesse: and (to helpe them forward in that kind of life, the foresaid Peers, who (as it may be thought, he had sworne to make the king to forget himselfe, and the state, to the which he was called) furnished his court with companies of iesters, ruffians, flattering parasites, musicians, and other vile and naughtie ri|balds, that the king might spend both daies and nights in iesting, plaieng, banketing, and in such o|other filthie and dishonorable exercises: and more|ouer, desirous to aduance those that were like to him selfe, he procured for them honorable offices, all which notable preferments and dignities, sith they were ill bestowed, were rather to be accounted dishonorable than otherwise, both to the giuer and the receiuer, sith

Sufficiens honor est homini, cùm dignus honore est,

Q [...]i datur indigno non est honor, est o [...]us, imò

Iudibrium, veluti in scena cùm ludius est rex,

Quippe honor est soli virtuti debitamerces.