The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 59
THEXAMPLE OF THE QUENE SABA AND OF THE KYNGE SALAMON.
SHALLE telle yow another ensample of the quene Saba, whiche was a moche good lady and wyse, the whiche cam fro oryent in to Ierusalem for to demaunde & aske counceylle of the kynge Salamon, and she loste not her waye, for she had of hym good counceylle, of the whiche wel it happed to her. Therfore ye ought to take here good ensample, for euery good lady oughte to chese a good and krewe man, and also wyse, of her lygnage or else of other, and hold and kepe hym in love and frendship, of whome she may take counceylle of that she hath to doo. And yf she falle in plee or in ony contempte the good and wyse man shalle amodere hit, and shalle make her to haue her ryghte withoute grete costes and expenses, and euer therof cometh somme good, as did to the good quene Saba, that fro ferre came to haue counceylle of the kynge Salamon. Yet wold I ye wyst thexample of an Emperour of Rome. This emperour was seke and lay in the bedde of dethe. Euery one of the lordes and Senatours, for to please hym, sayd to hym that he shold soone be hole yf he coude swette. But ony frend that he had spake to hym noothyng of the prouffyte and saluacion of his sowle. There was there with hym one of his chamberlayne which he had nourysshed and brought vp of his yougthe. This chamberlayne sawe wel that his lord couthe not scape fro dethe, and how all they that were there sayd nought but for to please hym, wherfor he cam to hym and sayd, "Syre, how fele yow your herte?" And themperour ansuerd to hym, "Sore and feble is my hert." Then beganne the chamberlayn to saye moche humbly, "Syre, god hath gyuen to yow in this world alle worship & honour, and also grete quantite of worldly goodes, wherfor ye must thanke hym, and ye shall doo wel. And of suche goodes as god hath sente to yow ye must ordeyne, and departe to the poure folke a parte of them, in suche wyse that he haue no cause to repreue yow therof."
Whanne themperour had herd hym, he was wel pleased with hym that he had so sayd, and sayd two wordes, "More worthe is the frend whiche prycketh than the flaterynge frend whiche enoynteth." Thus he spak by cause that his other frendes had spoken to hym of bodyly helthe only for to please hym, but the same spake to hym of the saluacion of his sowle; for who that loueth the body of very loue ought in especiall to loue the sowle. And none oughte to cele or hyde nothynge fro his frend yf it be his prouffyte and honour. And for loue ne for hate of ony body he ought not to counceylle hym but trewely after his power as a good and trewe frend shold doo, and not flatere hym ne make the placebo, as dyd the frendes of themperour, whiche knewe wel that he coude not scape fro dethe, and durste not say ne shewe vnto hym the prouffyte of his soule, the which his trewe frend and pouer chamberlayne putte in the waye of saluacion. For themperour byleuyd hym and gaf and departed largely of his goodes to the poure for the loue of god.