[6-text p 241] [2833] ¶ And therfore seith Seint Augustyn ¶ That ther [¶ Augustinus] been two thynges / that arn necessarie and nedefulle / [2834] and that is good Conscience and good loos / [2835] þat is to seyn / good Conscience / to thyn owene persone inward / and good loos for thy neighebore outward /. [2836] And he that trusteth hym so muchel in his goode conscience / [2837] that he displeseth / and setteth at noght his goode name or loos / and rekketh noght though he kepe nat his goode name / nys but a crueel cherl /
[2838] Sire / now haue I shewed yow / how ye shul do in getynge richesses / and how / ye shullen vsen hem / [2839] and I se wel / that for the trust that ye han in youre richesses / ye wole moeue werre and bataille [2840] ¶ I conseille yow / that ye bigynne no werre / in trust of youre richesses / for they ne suffisen noght werres to mayn|tene [2841] ¶ And therfore / seith a Philosophre ¶ That [¶ Philosophus] man / that desireth / and wole algates han werre / shal neuere haue suffisaunce / [2842] for the richer that he is / the gretter despenses moste he make / if he wole haue wor|shipe and victorie [2843] ¶ And Salomon seith ‖. That the [¶ Salomon] gretter richesses that a man hath / the mo despendours he hath [2844] ¶ And deere sire / al be it so / that for youre richesses / ye mowe haue muchel folk [2845] yet bihoueth it nat. ne it is nat good to bigynne werre / where as ye mowe in oother manere / haue pees vn-to youre worshipe and [folio 169a] profit [2846] ¶ ffor the victories of batailles that been in this world / lyen nat in greet nombre or multitude of the peple / ne in the vertu of man / [2847] but it lith in the wyl / and in the hand of oure lord god almyghty [2848] ¶ And therfore / Iudas Machabeus / which was goddes knyght. [2849] whan he sholde fighte agayn his aduersarie that hadde a greet nombre / and a gretter mul|titude of folk / and strenger than was this peple of Macha|bee /. [2850] yet he reconforted his litel compaignye / and seyde right in this wise [2851] ¶ Als lightly quod he / may oure lord god almyghty yeue victorie to a fewe folk
