of god I shal deliver the.' To this the poore man saide: 'God
knowith that I have yielded as moche as I have founde.' Than the
philosopher vnto the kyng: 'If it please [the] to here, rightwis
iugement I shal say.' The kyng heryng this praied hym to deeme
and juge it.
Than the philosophre to the kyng: 'This[1] is moche more credible and gretter witnesse of trowth hath, and it is nat to bileeve nor trust hym that askith that he lost nat. And of that other partie it seemyth to me Right credible that this goode poore man fond nomore than he hath yolden, and forwhi if he were an evil or a fals man, he wold nat have yolde that he hath yielded, but rather conceled and hid it.' Than the kyng: 'What forsoth demest thow,' quod the kyng to the philosophre? The philosophre than, to the kyng: 'Take the money and yeve therof vnto the poore man an hundred talentis; and that remayneth kepe til he come that asked it, forwhi this money is nat his ; and this richeman went to the bedil and made hym to aske the bagge with ii serpentis.' Forsoth it pleased to the kyng this jugement and to al tho standyng aboute hym. Forsoth the Richeman whiche had lost the bagge heryng this saide: 'Sir, and my lord the kyng, in veray trowth I say to the the money was myn. But forwhi that I wold take awey that the bedil promysed to this poore man, yit hiderto I have saide I lacked another serpent. But now my kyng, have mercy on me and that the bedil promysed I shal yield to the pore man.' Than the kyng the money yieldid to the Riche and the Richeman to the poore; and so with the wit and engyne (f. 128b) of the philosopher the poore man was delivered."[2]
The link runs as follows in the Latin, beginning I, 25, l. 23:
The disciple: "This appears to be the spirit of philosophy, and in the light of this exemplum Solomon's judgment concerning the two women is not so remarkable."
The philosopher says: "Do not go on a journey with any man unless you have known him previously. If any unknown person joins thee on thy way and will learn about thy journey, tell him thou wishest to go further than thou plannedst for; and if he carries a lance go thou to the right; if a sword, go to the left."
The Arab corrected his son saying: "Follow beaten paths
though they are longer than bypaths." And again: "Take a maid
to wife though she be old." And again: "Bring thy wares to large
cities though thou expectest to sell them cheaper there." To this the
