(678)
¶ Prince excellent! so moot ye wirke and wilne [wille R.]
Line 4740
As may your soulës helthë [helthe R, helth H.] edifie;
And a-mong othir þingës, þat your wilne [wille R.]
Be infecte wiþ no wrecched chyncherie.
Largesse mesúrable vnto yow tye,
Line 4744
And fool largessë voydeth fro yow clene [folio 83b]
ffor free largessë is a vertuous mene.
Line 4746
[§ 13.] De regis prudencia.
(679)
Now, gracious princë, lyke it yow to wyte [This page is illuminated.]
Line 4747
That touche I thynke of a kyngës prudence,
As þat I ther-of fynde in bookës write.
Prudence is callid wit and sapience,
And needës moot rëal magnificence
Line 4751
Be prudent, as þat þé scripture vs lereth,
If he schal ben as his estate [estate R, state H.] requerith.
Line 4753
(680)
Prudence, attemperancë, strengthe, and right,
Line 4754
Tho fourë ben vertuës principal [These are the Four Moral Virtues, as contrasted with the Seven Cardinal ones. In "Jacob's Well" (man's conscience) Salisbury Cathedral MS. 103, lf. 215 bk., col. 2, the writer says "I teld ȝou þis welle muste be made foure sqware with iiij vertuys, þat is, with a-vysement, & tempure, & gostly myȝt, & with ryȝtfulnes."] ;
Prudencë gooth by-fore, and ȝeueth light
Of counseil, what þo other thre do schal,
That þey may wirkë, be it greet or smal,
Line 4758
Aftir hir reed, wiþ-outen whom no man
Wel vnto god, né þe world lyuë can.
Line 4760
(681)
Prudence is vertu of entendëment;
Line 4761
She makith man by resoun him gouérne.
Who-so þat list to be wys and prudént,
And þe light folwe wole of hir lanterne,
he mostë caste his look [looke R, book H.] in euery herne
Line 4765
