Jean de Joinville Livre des saintes paroles et des bons faiz nostre roy saint Looys

English quotations and page-numbers are taken from Margaret R. B. Shaw (trans.) Chronicles of the Crusades (Harmondsworth: Penguin, [1963] 1973).

• Je ameroie mieus que uns Escoz venist d'Escosse et gouvernast le peuple du royaume bien et loyaument, que que tu le gouvernasses mal apertement.
  • I would rather have a Scot come from Scotland to govern the people of this kingdom well and justly than that you should govern them ill in the sight of all the world.
  • Page 167.
  • Speaking to his eldest son, Louis.

• On se doit assemer en robes et en armes en tel manière que li preudome de cest siècle ne dient que on en face trop, ne les joenes gens de cest siècle ne dient que on en face peu.
  • Our clothing and our armour ought to be of such a kind that men of mature experience will not say that we have spent too much on them, nor younger men say we have spent too little.
  • Page 171.

• A justices tenir et à droitures soies loiaus et roides à tes sougiez, sans tourner à destre ne à senestre, mais adès à droit, et soustien la querelle dou povre jeusques à tant que la verités soit desclairie.
  • In order to deal justly and equitably with your subjects, be straightforward and firm, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, but always following what is just, and upholding the cause of the poor till the truth be made clear.
  • Page 348.
  • To his successor Philippe.