"Wisdom revives even dead bodies by its light, as the rain by its
moisture revives the dry earth."
The disciple saide to the Maister: "How shal I behave me to be accompted among sapient disciples?" The Maister: "Kepe scilence til it be necessary and neede to the to speke." Another Philosopher: "Only Silence is a wisdam and to speke[1] is a signe of foly." [Another]: "Ne hast thow nat to aunswer til an end be of the asker[2]; nor any questioun made in felawship ne tempt thow nat to assoile while thow biholdist ther any wiser than thow; neither ansvyer thow nat to any question made to anothe[r]; neither have thow appetite of lawde or praisyng for thyng to the vnknowen. [For the philosopher says]: 'Who of thyng to hym vnknowen appetith lawde or praisyng yieldith to prove hymsilf a lier'," Another: "Be thow restful, stil, and quiete vnto trowth, whether it be saide of the or obiect agenst the." [Another]: "Ne have thow no glory in thi wise wordis, for as the Philosopher witnessith, 'Who that glorieth in wise wordis provith hymsilf to be a foole.' Doyng thow al thiese thynges thov shalt be even nombred among disciples of sapience and of prudence."
[The philosopher says]: "Who can prudently inquire prudently vndirstandith the solucioun." [Another]: "Whosumever shameth to folowe the wisdam of other, more he shameth the same of hym to be inquired." Another: "Who that for a short tyme shameth to suffre loore, al tyme in shame and vnwisdam shal dwel and abide." [Another]: "Nat all tho whiche is saide sapient is sapient; but he that lierneth wisdam and can reteyne it." Another: "Who that in doctryne faileth, litel his kynred or gentilnes profiteth or availith. Nobilnes needith loore, sapience forsoth and experience." Another: "In whom the nobilnes of elders failith or endith or covenably reservith."[3] Another: "Nobility that proceeds from my own exertions is more precious to me than that which comes to me from my father."
III. The King and the Poets.[4]
Arabs: "Suche a versifiour prudent and curteys but vnnoble
of byrth to a kyng offred his vers; whos prudence noted the kyng
hym with worship tooke. Therfor to this other versifiers envieden to
