pellid to doute. So bi a comune counsail they goyng[1] to hem, al
the cryme and blame that to theym was put, he pardond on covenaunt
that they shulden shewe the causes of the cryme and blame
to hem put. And they forsoth bi comune assent told hym the trowth
of the thyng and of al wern assoiled[2]. The denzyn[3] whiche had
decreed to die for his friende led hym in to his house [and] of al
the worship to hym bifore don saide: 'If thow wilt rest quietely and
dwel with me, al thinges as it bihovith shuln be to vs comune. If
forsoth thow wilt go ageyn[4], al thynges whiche that I have and be
myn, evenly we shuln departe.' Than he softly and swetely thanked
hym of his yudenes, submytted hym to that he hym offred in particioun
received, and so went hom ageyn in to his cuntrey[5]” Thiese
thinges reherced and told, saide the sone to the fader: "Vnneth
may any man fynde suche a friend."[6] Another philosopher said
about untried friends: "Provide thyself once with enemies and a
thousand times with friends, for thy friend may perhaps become an
enemy sometime, and it will thus be easier to bear thy loss."
Another philosopher also: "Avoid seeking counsel of any one until
he has proved faithful to thee." Another philosopher again: "Give
thy friend as much good advice as thou canst, even though he will
not believe thee; for it is just that thou give him good advice,
although the silly man may not follow it." Another: "Do not reveal
thy counsel to every man; for it is better to seek counsel of him who
retains it in his heart." Suche a phil[os]opher saith:[7] "Thyn hid
and secrete counsail as is in thi prison shit, forsoth opened and
shewed, holdith the as bounden in his prisoun."[8] Another: "Never
associate with enemies when thou canst find other companions; for
they will notice when thou doest evil, but fail to see the good things
thou doest."
A certain poet said: "It is one of the serious misfortunes of this
world that a free man must sometimes accept the help of his enemy.
A man once inquired of a certain Arab: 'What is the worst misfortune
that can happen to thee in this world?' The Arab: 'When
necessity compels me to ask my enemy to give me what I wish'."
Another: "Do not associate with a lecher for his society is a dis-
grace to thee." Another: "Do not exult in the praise of a lecher,
for his praise is blame and his blame praise for thee." As a certain
- ↑ 'y' and 'go' are wanting because the left corner of the leaf has been torn off and pasted on again.
- ↑ Lat. (I, 6, l. 6) Communi autem consensu omnibus absolutis.
- ↑ Lat. indigena.
- ↑ Lat. (I, 6, l. 9) Si vero repatriare volueris.
- ↑ Lat. has for last sentence only sicque repatriavit.
- ↑ At this point the translator has omitted several sentences of the long dialogue (I, 6, l. 12-9) connecting exampla II and III.
- ↑ Lat. I, 6, l. 22, Alius.
- ↑ This sentence is followed by a further omission of the sayings of several philosophers from the Latin, see I, 6, l. 24 ff.
