(171)

Therror of a wise man is in lykenesse

As brekynge of a Shippe in his drownyng,
Brynging many a man to bitternesse.

So dothe a wise man grete troble bringing
When he is in errour, for men wenyng
That a wise man guydeth, & nought eschape,
And al is holden wisdam & no Iape.

Prout decet Regiam dignitatem populum sibi commissum esse obedientem ei, sic decet vt sit Rex studiosus circa statum eorum prius quam circa statum suum, quia sic est ipse penes eos, sicut anima penes corpus; hec Hermes.

(172)

As it semeth the kinges dignite

To haue of his people obedience,

Right so is accordynge of equite

That the kinge do daily trewe diligence
To tendre thair astate with his prudence,
Rather than his owne; & euen for why
They bene hym so nygh as sowle & body.

1198 As people obey the King,

he should seek their 1202 good before his own.

1204

Qui incedit cum mundo secundum sui disposicionem non est requirendus ad danda consilia, quia non dabit nisi arbitrio voluntatis, pro eo quod illius qui non mutatur mu[n]dum est amor intellectualis, et mutantis euin est Amor voluntarius; hec Socrates.

(173)

A worldly man in disposicion,

Folowyng the worlde daily in his mynde,

May not be of feithful entencion

To yeve trewe & iust counseil in his kynde.
For aftur his wille he wol hym selfe finde,
And every thinge determen wilfully,
Aye[n]ste Reason, & eke vnskilfully.

1205 A worldly

1209

1211

Si volueris quod non erret tuus filius vel seruus, Id queras quod est extra naturam; hec Pitagagoras (sic).

self-seeking

man can't
be trusted to
give good
counsel.

ASHBY.

H

(174)

Don't expect that your son or servant 'll never go wrong.

Silence is better than speech.

A wise man speaks little.

And at summe tyme right goode & credible. 1218

Securior est homo ex silencio quam ex multi-loquio, quia per 1[o]cuciones potest incedi in errores. hoc non contingit scienti quid loquitur, sed ignorans errat qui loqui vult proflue aut diminute. Et commodum tacendi est magis commodo loquendi. Et dampnum loquendi magis est dampno tacendi. Et sensatus cognoscitur ex multa taciturnitate, & ignorans ex multa loquacitate. Et qui per se non tacet, cogetur tacere per alium, & minus appreciabitur. Et qui tacet donec ad loquendum inducatur, est melior eo qui loquitur, donec tacere mandetur, loqucio est in posse hominis donec donec (sic) loquitur, & deinde euadit a posse Ipsius. Et si homo loquitur, cognoscitur si est perfectus aut diminutus; et si tacet, dubitatur qualis sit. Et qui vult loqui, prius consideret aspiciat suum verbum; quia melius est quod ipse suspiciat quam alter. Et eloquium tuum audietur, ergo nitaris recte pronunciare, aut taceas. Et qui tacet, scrutatur eloquia aliorum. Et qui dolet, ex eloquio assecuratur, quod sit percussus; hec Socrates. (175)

To profit, to be stille is more profit

1219

Thanne to speke; & harme to speke more damage Thanne te be stille, & grettir discomfit.

To speke litil, is knowen a man sage;

To speke meche, is knowen a man in Rage. 1223
Whan a mañ spekith, his wit is knoweñ,

To be stille, doubte is how it2 shal be blowen.

Utere bonis moribus & diligeris, et licet sis turpis, pulcritudo morum superabit sanctificacione3 figurarum. Hec Socrates.

1 ? That 2 MS. is it.

3 MS. sanctificacionem.

(176)

Man vsing goode maners, shal be Loued

Amonges goode men & honourable;

And thaugh he be foule and diffugured (sic),

The beaute of his maners commendable
Shal ouercome al other Reproueable.
And his figure in Recommendacioñ
Shal be had, and in Laudacion.

Qui amore mundi suam animam replet, tribus replet eam, scilicet, paupertate quam nunquam vitabit, vt diuicias contingat; & fiducia, que numquam peruenit ad finem; et impedimento1 sine expedicione. Hec Socrates. (177)

Who that wolbe worldly, & it louynge,

Thre defaultes he shal haue euermore:

In grete pouerte, for Riches sekynge;

1233 The worldly man shall reap poverty,

In truste, whiche shal neuer come to end therf[or]e; disappoint

And in gre[t] impediment more & more,

Whiche shal neuer haue expedicion.
This is sothe, with-oute any question.

ment, and 1237 hindrance.

1239

Non est paciens qui tam gravatus est quam tollerare potuit, & sustinuit illud; sed ille qui grauatus est ultra possibilitatem sue nature, et sustinuit illud; hec Pitagoras.

(178)

Non quiescatis vestris operibus in optinendis magnis delectacionibus, quia sustinere non poteris aduersitates cum venerint; hec Pitagoras.

1 MS. impedimentum.

You have 2 ears and

1 mouth, that you may listen, and

not talk too much.

Adquesce tuis auribus, nam propter ea, Habuisti duas aures, & os vnum, vt plus audias quam loquaris ; hec Diogenes.

(180)

Euery man hathe oon Mouthe & two eres,

1254

To thentente that he sholde here more1 thanne speke.

To speke meche, many people-is deres ;

To here many thinges, & to be meke,

Right meche wisdam & wertue it dothe seke. 1258
So, in litil speche & right meche heryng,
Many grete vertues is conquering.

1260

Non confidas in mundo, quia numquam soluit quod promissit predecessoribus; & idem faciet tibi. Hec

Socrates.

(181)

Trust not in Lete never2 man putte in ful confdence

the World,

for it does

not fulfil its promise.

In the world, for he maketh no p[ay]ment
Of his promisse, but so in negligence

1261

101

LIST OF WORDS

(BY F. J. FURNIVALL).