[6-text p 213]
[2328] whan ȝe han taken counseil in ȝoure seluen . and han demed by good deliberacioun such þing as ȝow semeþ best [2329] ¶ þanne rede I ȝou þat ȝe kepe it secre . [2330] Bywreye nought ȝoure counseil to no persone but it so be þat ȝe wene sicurly that þurgh ȝoure bywreyinge ȝoure condicioun schal be to ȝow þe more profytable [2331] ¶ For Ihc Syrac saiþ ¶ Neiþer to þi foo ne to þi freend discouere not þy secre ne þy foly [2332] ¶ For þey wil ȝiue ȝou audience and lokyng and supportacioun in þi presence and scorn in thin absence [2333] ¶ anoþer clerk saiþ þat skarsly schalt þou fynde eny persone þat may kepe counseil secreely [2334] ¶ The book saith ¶ whil þou kepist þi counsail in þin herte þou kepest it in þi prisoun [2335] ¶ and whan þou bywreyest þi counseil to any wight; he holdeþ þe in his snare [2336] ¶ And þerfore ȝow is better hyde ȝoure counseil in ȝoure herte þan prayen him to whom ȝe haue bywryed ȝoure counseil þat he wol kepe it clos and stille [2337] ¶ For Seneca seith ¶ If so be þat þou ne maist not þin owne counsel hyde; how darst þou preven any oþer wight þi counseil secreely to kepe; [2338] ¶ But naþeles if þou wene securly þat þy bywreying of þy counsel to a persone wol make þy condicioun stonde in þe better plite; þanne schalt þou telle him þy counsel in þis wise [2339] ¶ First þou shalt make no semblaunt wher þe were leuer werre or pees . or þis or þat . ne schewe him not þi wille and þin entent . [2340] For truste wel þat comunly þese counseilours ben flaterers [2341] and namely þe counselours of grete lordes [2342] ¶ For þay enforcen hem alway raþer to speke plesaunt wordes enclynyng to þe lordes lust þan wordes þat been trewe and profitable [2343] ¶ And þerfore men say þat þe riche man haþ selden good coun|seil. but if he haue it of him self [2344] ¶ And after þat þou schalt consider þy frendes and þine enemyes . [2345] And as touching þy frendes; þou schalt con|sidere
