CLVI.
Cogitacio finis in omnibus operibus est multum necessaria.

We rede in 'Libro de Dono Timoris,' how on̛ a tyme þer was a yong man̛ þatt went vnto a fayre; and when̛ he had walkid̛ abowte, & sene many shappis & mekuƚƚ chafir to seƚƚ, at þe laste he come vnto a shop̛ þer ane old̛ man̛ [st]ude; & he had as who say no thyng to seƚƚ. And þis yong man̛ askid̛ hym̛ what at he had *. [MS. repeats, hym what he had.] to seƚƚ. And þis alde man̛ answerd̛ & sayd he had to seƚƚ wisdom̛; and þis yong man̛ sayd̛ þat he wolde by itt, and askid̛ hym̛ whatt he sulde pay þerfor̛. And he said̛, "a hondretℏ mark̘." And þe toder þoght itt mekuƚƚ, nott-withstondyng he payed̛ hym̛ itt. And when̛ it was payed̛, þis olde man̛ taght hym̛ þis wysdom̛ & said̛; " In omni opere cogita primo ad quem finem venire potes, vnde versus; 'Quicquid agas operis finem primo mediteris.' þat is to say, in aƚƚ þi werkis, evur at þe begynyng vmthynk þe whatt wiƚƚ com̛ of þe endyng." And when̛ þis yong man̛ hard̛ þis, hym̛ forthoght hys bargan̛ & traystid̛ þat he had bene deseyvid̛. Than̛ þis olde man̛ said̛; "Go þi wais home! and forgett nott þis at I tolde þe, bod write itt in þi howse ouer þi hallyng, & in þi wyndows, & on̛ þi duris, & on̛ þi vesseƚƚ, & in oþer dyvers places in þi howse; & þou shaƚƚ fynd̛ att it saƚƚ be þe best chafir at evur þou boght." And he wente home & did so. And emang aƚƚ oþer he garte browde þis reson̛ opon̛ a clothe þat he was vsid̛ to be shavyn̛ with. So on̛ a tyme þis yong man̛ had enmys þat come vnto a barbur att vsid̛ to shafe hym̛, & hyrid hym̛ for a grete som̛ of money to sla hym̛ when̛ he shufe hym̛; & he tuke þer money & grawntid̛ þat he sulde do so. And when̛ þis barbur come to shafe þis gude man̛, as he was in wetyng of hym̛ he lukid̛ vpon̛ þe raster clathe; & he was somwhatt letterd̛ & red þis reson̛. And onone as he had red it, he vmbythoght hym̛ what ende wald̛ com̛ of þis Page  109 treson̛ & he did itt. & he said vnto hym̛ selfe þus; "and I sla þis man̛ I mon̛ be slayn̛ þerfor̛." And he began̛ to wax faynt & hevie & swownyd̛. And onone as þis gude man̛ saw hym̛ fare so, he steppid̛ vnto hym̛ & lifted̛ hym̛ vp on̛ his fete, and comfurthed̛ hym̛ & askid̛ hym̛ whatt hym̛ aylid̛. And he prayed̛ hym̛ to hold̛ hym̛ excusid̛ & be not wrothe & he sulde teƚƚ hym̛, & he essurid̛ vnto hym̛ þat he suld̛ not be wrothe. And þan̛ þis barbur sett þe speƚƚ on̛ end̛ & tolde hym̛ aƚƚ þe dede. & he forgaff hym̛ & bad a noder man̛ shafe hym̛. And þan̛ he thankid̛ God & þe wisdom̛ þat he boght, for þus he fand̛ þat it savid̛ þer lifes bothe. et c̛.