[6-text p 241] haue a good name . [2833] and þerfore saith seint augustyn þat þer ben tuo þinges þat ben necessarie and needful [2834] and þat is good conscience and good loos [2835] þat is to sayn. good conscience in þin oughne persone inward. and good loos of þin neghebor outward. [2836] and he þat trusteþ him so moche in his good conscience [2837] þat he displeseþ and settiþ at nought his good name or loos and rekkeþ nought þough he kepe not his good name; nys but a cruel churl
[2838] ¶ Sire now haue I schewed ȝow how ȝe schulde doon in getyng of good and riches and how ȝe schuld vse hem [2839] I see wel þat for þe trust þat ȝe haue in ȝoure riches; ȝe wolde meue werre and bataile [2840] ¶ I counseile ȝow þat ȝe bygynne no werre in trust of ȝoure riches. for thanne suffisen not werres to mayn|tene [2841] ¶ And þerfore saith a philosophre ¶ That man þat desireþ and wol algate haue werre; schal neuer haue sufficeaunce. [2842] For þe richere þat he is; þe gretter dispense most he make if he wol haue wor|schipe or victorie [2843] ¶ And Salamon saith. þe gretter riches þat a man haþ; þe moo despendours he haþ. [2844] And deere sire al be it so þat for ȝoure riches ȝe mowe haue moche folk; [2845] ȝit byhoueþ it not ne it is not good to bygynne werre þer as ȝe may in oþer maner haue pees vnto ȝoure worschipe and profyt. [2846] For þe victorie of batailles þat ben in þis world lith not in gret nombre or multitude of poeple ne in vertu of man; [2847] but it [folio 222a] lith in þe wille & in þe hond of oure lord god almighty [2848] And Iudas machabeus which was goddes knight [2849] whan he schulde fighte aȝeinst his aduersaries þat hadde a gretter nombre & a gretter mul|titude of folk and strengere þan was þe poeple of þis macha|be. [2850] ȝit he reconforted his litel poeple / and sayde ryȝt in þis wise [2851] ¶ As lightly quod he may oure lord god almighty ȝiue victory to fewe folk.
