(346)
¶ A! lord, what it is fair and honurable,
Line 2416
A kyng from mochil spechë him refreyne;
It sitte him ben of wordes mesuráble,
ffor mochil clap wole his estate desteyne.
If he his tongë with mesurës reyne
Line 2420
Gouernë, than his honur it conserueth;
And by þe reuers, diëth [deyeth R, dith H.] it and sterueth.
Line 2422
(347)
¶ Bet is, þe peples erës thriste and yerne [¶ Aristoteles (de regis con|tinencia a multiloquio dicit R): Melius est quod aures hominum sint sitibundi ad Regis elo|quia, quam suis affatibus sacientur: quia saturatis auribus ani|ma eciam saturatur. Prouerbia|rum x. In multilo|quio non deerit pecca|tum. ¶ Ecclesias|tici capitulo xixo. Qui odit loquaci|tatem, extin|git maliciam. Prouerbia|rum xiij. ¶ Qui custo|dit os suum, custodit ani|mam, qui autem &c.]
Line 2423
Hir kyng or princes wordës for to here,
Than þat his tongë goo so faste & yerne
That mennës erës dul of his mateere;
ffor dullynge hem, dulleþ þe herte in fere
Line 2427
Of hem þat yeuen to him audience;
In mochil spechë wantiþ not offence.
Line 2429
(348)
¶ Who so þat hatiþ mochil clap or speche,
Line 2430
Qwenchiþ malice; and he þat his [his R, þis H, with 'his' in corrector's hand in margin.] mouth kepiþ,
Keepith his soule, as þat þe bookës teeche.
Vnbridlid wordës oftë man by-weepiþ;
Prudencë wakiþ whan þe tongë sleepiþ,
Line 2434
And slepith oftë whan þe tongë wakiþ;
Moderat speche engendrith reste, and makith.
(349)
¶ Allë [Alle R, Al H.] naturës of bestës and briddes
Line 2437
And of serpentës ben ymakid [ymaked R, makid H.] tame, [¶ Iacobi iij. Omnes nature bestiarum, volucrum & serpentum domantur. [R] Item in eodem: Lin|gua maculat totum corpus nostrum, &c.]
But tonge of man, as it wel knowe & kid is,
Nat may be tamed; o, fy! man, for schame!
[Leaf 45 is out of the Harl. MS. 4866. It contained lines 2441-2492. They are supplied here from MS. Reg. 17 D, vi, leaf 47 back, leaf 48.] Silence of tunge is wardein of good fame;
Line 2441
And after repreef fissheth, clappeth, fouleth;
The tunge of man, all the body defouleth.
Line 2443
