250 THE KING'S MIRROR 



before him as before God; for in so doing they worship 

 God and the holy name which the king bears but not 

 the king himself .^It is, therefore, in the very nature 

 of kingship to inspire all with a great awe and fear of 

 the king, wherefore every one trembles who hears him 

 named. But he ought also to appear gracious and 

 friendly toward all good men, lest any one should fear 

 him so much as to be deterred from presenting any im- 

 portant request to him because of his severity. 



In the night, as soon as the king is sated with sleep, 

 it should be his duty and businesslto center his thoughts 

 upon the kingdom as a whole and to consider how his 

 plans may be formed and carried out in such a way that 

 God will be well pleased with the care that he gives to 

 ,the realm! also how it may be made most/profitable and 

 ^obedient to himself; further what measure of firmness 

 <ne must use in restraining the rich lest they become too 

 / arrogant toward the poor, and what caution in uplifting 

 I the poor, lest they grow too defiant toward the wealthy;"? 

 wherefore he needs to ponder and plan judiciously how 

 to hold everyone to moderation in the estate in which 

 he is placed. This, too, the king must be sure to keep 

 in his thoughts, that when it becomes necessary to 

 chastise those who are not satisfied with what God has 

 planned for them, he must not be so lenient in his pun- 

 Jshment, that this excessive indulgence should lead any- 

 one to consider it safe to transgress what ought to stand 

 as rightfully ordained. Nor must he be so severe in his 

 penalties that God and rightminded men will regard 

 him as punishing more from a cruel disposition than 

 from a sense of justice. These things and many more a 



