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The throne of seven steps.

thereto, whereby kings ascended thereto. And these steps were made very craftily & curiously. The first step was of an amethyst. The second step was of an Emerald. The third step was of a Topaz. The fourth step was of a garnet. The fifth was of a diamond. The sixth was of fine gold. And the seventh was of clay. And they were not without great causes ordained on this ways.

For the first step was an amethyst, for among all other stones it has this virtue, that it represses & holds down the [fumositee of wine] & the might thereof, & suffers not a man that bear it on him be troubled in his wit and in his mind through drunkenness. The second step was of an Emerald, the which clarifies & keeps the sight of him that bears [it] upon him, and so should a king have clear sight of his heart, wisely for to see & discern that that is speedful & profitable both for himself & for the common profit. The third step was of a Topaz, the which is so clear, that a man behold himself therein, it shall seem to him, as he head were turned downwards, and his feet upwards; And it signifies that a king should always take heed to his last end. The fourth step was of a garnet which passes all manner of precious stones in redness: & signifies that a king should be shameful for to consent to anything that is unlawful. The fifth was of a Diamond. The Diamond is so hard that it may not be broken neither with iron nor with stone, [unless] it first be annointed with [gayte] blood. On the same ways a king should be of se great constance & sadness that, for no prayer, and for no worldly good, he should not [hew?] from the way of right-wiseness. The sixth step was of fine gold; for right as gold passez all manner of metal in between, & in preciousness; right so a king ought to be preferred before other men & governors of them. *The seventh ws of Clay, to that intent that a man that is raised up to the dignity of a king should always [unbethink?] him that he was made of earth, & at the last

The throne of seven steps.

thereto, whereby kings ascended thereto. And these steps were made very craftily & curiously. The first step was of an amethyst. The second step was of an Emerald. The third step was of a Topaz. The fourth step was of a garnet. The fifth was of a diamond. The sixth was of fine gold. And the seventh was of clay. And they were not without great causes ordained on this ways.

For the first step was an amethyst, for among all other stones it has this virtue, that it represses & holds down the [fumositee of wine] & the might thereof, & suffers not a man that bear it on him be troubled in his wit and in his mind through drunkenness. The second step was of an Emerald, the which clarifies & keeps the sight of him that bears [it] upon him, and so should a king have clear sight of his heart, wisely for to see & discern that that is speedful & profitable both for himself & for the common profit. The third step was of a Topaz, the which is so clear, that a man behold himself therein, it shall seem to him, as he head were turned downwards, and his feet upwards; And it [be-takenes]