A Buffoon told one Day King Francis the First, that he had a Book of Fools, wherein he had writ the Name of the Emperour Charles the V. the King ask’d him the Reason; because, said he, by passing through France, he exposes himself to be stopt. But what wilt thou say, continued the King, if not only I let him pass, but likewise deliver up to him those Places I have promised him: Do you know, said the Buffoon, What I will do? I’ll blot Charles the V’s. name out of my Book, and writ yours instead of his.
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Un Bouffon dit un jour au Roy François qu’il avoit un Livre de Fous où il avoit écrit le nom de l’Empereur Charles Quint. Le Roy lui en demanda la Raison: Parce, dit il, qu’en passant par la France, il s’expose à être arrêté, Maïs que diras-tu, continua le Roy, si non seulement je le laisse passer, mais encore, si je lui livre les Places que je lui ai promises: Sçavez-vous, repondit le Bouffon, ce que je ferai? J’ôterai de mon Livre le Nom de Charles Quint, & je mettrai le vôtre en sa Place.
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Alphonsus King of Aragon was so liberal, that he some times gave away whole Cities and Dutchies, and took away great part of the Taxes from his People, which gave him the Sir-name of Bored-hand, and as one told him that his Donatives were excessive, he said, The chief care of a King ought to be to enrich his Subjects, and let these be never so rich, the Prince is never the poorer.
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Alphonse Roy d’Aragon étoit si liberal, qu’il donnoit quelquefois les Villes, & les Duchez, & remit à son Peuple une grande partie des Impôts, c’est ce qui le fit appeller Main-percée; & comme on lui temoignoit que ses Largesses étoient excessives, il disoit: Le principal Soin d’un Roy, doit être d’enrichir ses Sujects, car quelques riches qu’ils soient, le Prince n’en devient pas plus pauvre.
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The same King used to say: To live quiet in Marriage, the Husband ought to be Deaf, that he mayn’t hear his Wifes Brawling and Impertinence: and the Wife Blind, that she may not see her Husbands Debauchery.
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