[6-text p 208] knowe / and this ne may nat be [2252. Car il est escript: la jenglerie des femmes ne puet riens céler fors ce qu'elle ne scet. [2253] Après, le philosophe dit: en mauvais conseil les femmes vainquent les hommes. Pour ces raisons je ne doy point user de ton conseil. MS of the first half of the 15th century in 'Le Ménagier de Paris,' i. 193, ed. 1846.]
[2254] ¶ Whan dame Prudence ful debonairly & with gret pacience hadde herd / al that hir housbonde liked for to seye / thanne axed she of hym / licence for to speke / and seyde in this wise [2255] ¶ My lord quod she / as to youre firste reson / certes it may lightly been answered / for I seye þat it is no folie to chaunge conseil / whan the thyng is chaunged / or ellis / whan the thyng semeth oother weys / than it was biforn [2256] ¶ And moore ouer I seye / þat thogh þat ye han sworn & bihight to parfourne youre emprise / & nathelees ye weyue to parfourne thilke same emprise by iuste cause / men sholde nat seyn therfore þat ye were a lyere / ne forsworn / [2257] for the book seith / þat the wise man / maketh no lesynge whan he turneth his corage to the bettre / [2258] And al be it so / þat youre emprise be establissed & ordeyned / by gret multitude of folk / yet thar ye nat accomplice thilke same ordinance / but yow like / [2259] for the trouthe of thynges & the profit ben rather founde in fewe folk / þat ben wise & ful of reson / than by gret multitude of folk ‖ ther euery man crieth & clatereth what þat hym liketh / soothly swich multitude / is nat honeste [2260] ¶ And to the seconde reson / where as ye seyn / þat alle wommen ben wikke / saue youre grace / certes ye despise alle wommen in this wyse / and he þat al despiseth / al displeseth / as seith the book. [2261] and Senec seith / that who so wole haue Sapi|ence / shal no man dispreise / but he shal gladly teche / the science þat he kan / withoute presumpcion or pride / [2262] and swiche thynges / as he noght ne kan / he shal nat ben ashamed to lerne hem & enquere [folio 219a] of lasse
