[6-text p 211] many a womman may men telle [2293] ¶ And furþermore whan þat oure lord had created Adam oure forme fader; he sayde in þis wise / [2294] It nys nought good to be a man allone ¶ Make we an helper semblable to him|self. [2295] ¶ Here may ȝe see þat if þat womman were nouȝt good and hire counseil good and profytable; [2296] Oure lord god of heuene ne wolde neuer han y-wrouȝt hem ne called hem þe helper of man . . . . . [no gap.] [2297] ¶ And þer sayde ones a clerk in tuo vers / what is bettre þan a good Iaspre . . . . . [no gap.] wisdom [2298] And what is bettre þan wisdam womman and what is bettre þan womman þat is a good womman no þing [2299] ¶ And sire by many of oþer resons may ȝe seen þat many wommen ben goode and eek here counseil good and profitable [2300] ¶ And þerfore sire if ȝe wiln truste to my counseil; I schal restore ȝou ȝoure doughter hool and sound [2301] ¶ And eek þat I wol to ȝou don so moche þat ȝe schuln haue honour in þis caas
[2302] ¶ When melybe had herde þe wordes of his wijf Prudence; he sayde þus [2303] þat þe wordes of Salamon is soþ ¶ For he saiþ þat wordes þat ben' spoken discretly by ordynaunce ben hony combes ffor þey ȝiuen swetnesse to þe soule and holsomnes to þe body [2304] ¶ And wyf by cause of þine swete wordes and eeke for I haue y-proued and sayd þin grete sapience and þin grete trouþe I wol gouerne me by þyn counseyl in alle þing
[2305] ¶ Now sire quod dame Prudence and seþenes ȝe fouche sauf to be gouerned by my counseil; I wol enforme ȝou how þat ȝe schuln gouerne ȝoure self in chesyng of ȝoure counseilours [2306] ¶ ȝe schuln ferst fourme alle ȝoure wekes mekely byseken to þe hihe god þat he wol ben ȝour counseilour [2307] And schapeþ ȝou to such entent þat he ȝiue ȝou counseil and confort as taughte Thobye [folio 221b] to his sone [2308] at alle tymes. thou schalt/ blesse
