[6-text p 214] which of hem ben most feithful / & most wyse / & eldest & most appreued in counseillyng / [2346] And of hem shalt þou axe thy counseil / as the cas requireth.
[2347] ¶ I seye / þat first ȝe shuln clepe to ȝoure coun|seil / ȝoure frendes that ben trewe / [2348] ffor Salamon seith / þat for right as the herte of a man / deliteth in sauour [¶ Nota] þat is swote / right so the counseil of trewe frendes / ȝeueth swetnesse to the soule // [2349] he seith also / there may no thyng / be likned to þe trewe frend / [2350] for certes / gold ne siluer ben nat so meche worth as the good wil / of a trewe frend // [2351] And eke he seith / that a trewe frend / is a strong defence / who-so þat it fyndeth / certes he fyndeth a gret tresor [2352] ¶ Thanne shuln ȝe eke considre / if þat ȝoure trewe frendes / ben discrete & wyse / for the book seith / Axe alwey thy counseil of hem / þat ben wyse / [2353] & by this same reson / shuln ȝe clepen to ȝoure counseil of ȝoure frendes þat ben of age / swich as han seyn / & ben expert in manye thynges / & ben appreued in counseillynges [2354] ¶ ffor the book seith / in olde men is al the sapience / & in longe tyme the prudence [2355] ¶ And Tullyus seith / þat grete þinges ne ben ay acomplissed by strengthe / ne be delyuernesse of body / but by good counseil / by auctorite of persones & by science // The which thre thynges / ne ben nat fieble by age / but certes þei enforcen / & en|cresen day by day / [2356] & thanne shuln ȝe kepe this / for a general reule // ffirst ȝe shuln clepe to ȝoure counseil a fewe of ȝoure frendes þat ben especiale [2357] ¶ ffor Salamon seith / many frendes haue þou / but a-mong a thousand / chese the oon / to be thy counseil|lour / [2358] for al it so be / þat þou first ne telle thy counseil / but to a fewe / þou maist afterward / telle it to moo folk / if it be nede / [2359] but loke alwey / þat þine counseillours haue thilke thre condicions / þat I haue seid
