190 THE KING'S MIRROR 



Father. It might be a sufficient answer to state that 

 it seems better to address princes in plural than in singu- 

 lar terms for the reason that well-bred people have found 

 it so from the beginning; and it has since become a cus- 

 tom among all discreet and courteous men, and is done 

 in honor of those who are addressed and are entitled to 

 a deferential mode of address. But this is the thought 

 which they had in mind who originated these expres- 

 sions, that men of power are not like all others who have 

 t,}} only themselves and their households to care for and 



(^ are responsible for a few men only.(jFor chieftains are 

 2 responsible for all those who are subject to them in serv- 

 ^ ice or authority ,~Jand they have not only one man's 

 answer on the tongue but have indeed to answer for 

 many. And when a good chief departs this life, it is not 

 as if one man is lost, but it is a great loss to all those who 

 received support and honors from him; and they seem 

 to be of less consequence after they have lost their chief 

 than before while he was living, unless one shall come 

 into his stead who will be as gracious to them as the 

 departed one was. Now since great lords both maintain 

 the honor of many and have great cares and liabilities 

 on their account, it is surely proper to honor them by 

 using the plural forms of address in all speech that those 

 who are humbler and of less consequence may have to 

 address to them. But there remain those things which 

 were learned or thought of when this custom was first 

 ordained: that kings and other powerful men are not 

 alone in their deliberations but are associated with many 

 S other wise and distinguished men;/and therefore, when 

 > a chief is addressed in plural terms, it may be thought 



