The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 20
HOW ME OUGHT NOT TO STRYUE AYENST THEM THAT BEN LANGAGEURS AND FULL OF WORDES.
AYRE doughters, I shall saye to yow an Ensample, how it is peryllous to speke and holde stryf to peple that have the world in their hande and that haue manere and wytte to speke. For gladly men ne wynne but lytel to holde stryf of bourdes and japes to suche men. For it happed at a grete feste where as were many grete ladyes and lordes, and that ther was the marchal of Clermōt, whiche merueiloussly had the world in honde as of fayre spekyng and lyeng subtylly, and to knowe hym self and his beyng among alle knyghtes and ladyes. So thenne ther was one lady that said to hym to fore alle the peple, "Clermont, in good faythe ye ought to gyue grete guerdon vnto god. For ye be a good knyght and semely ynough, and ye knowe many and conne many merueyles, and were parfite ynough yf your mockyng ne were and youre euyll tonge, whiche somtyme can not be stylle." "Now, Madame, is this the worst tatche that I have?" She sayd "Ye." "Now see we thenne in this poynt, as me semeth, for to juge rightfully that I have not so euylle a tonge as ye. And I shalle saye yow wherfore. Ye have me repreuyd and tolde me the worst tatche that I haue, after youre aduys, and I have not said the worst tatche that I knowe in yow. What wrong haue I doo thenne? Madame, I am not so swyfte of my speche as ye are." The lady helde her pees thenne, and wold that she had not stryuen ne spoken to hym, for dyuerse causes whiche I reherce not, as I have herd recounted that it was ynough spoken. And somme said that it had better for her to have ben stylle. And therfore this is a good Ensample, for it is better somtyme to be stylle and saye no thynge than to be ouer apperte and begynne wordes to such men as haue their wordes redy at hand, and that haue no shame to saye double wordes hauyng dyuerse ententes. And therfore take ye heede to whome ye enterpryse to speke, and beware that ye saye no thyng to theyr displaisire, for for to stryue is moche peryllous.