Peter Alphonse

“ As a certain philosopher was passing along the highway he found another philosopher jesting with a lecher and said to him: "Birds of feather flock together." But that one replied: "I did not associate myself with him." To this the wayfarer: "Then why dost thou approve of him?" And he: "I do not, but in great need even an honest man must resort to a privy." Another philosopher: "Son, it is difficult to climb high houses but easy to descend from them." Another philosopher saide to his sone: "Bettir is the enymite of a wiseman than the friendship of a foole." ”

“ There was once a certain wise poet who, though distinguished, was poor and in need, and who was always complaining about his poverty to his friends, about which also he composed verses expressing some such sentiment as this: 'Thou who rejoicest in wealth, show me why I am in want. ”

“ Another philosopher said about untried friends: "Provide thyself once with enemies and a thousand times with friends, for thy friend may perhaps become an enemy sometime, and it will thus be easier to bear thy loss." Another philosopher also: "Avoid seeking counsel of any one until he has proved faithful to thee." ”

“ A man once inquired of a certain Arab: 'What is the worst misfortune that can happen to thee in this world?' The Arab: 'When necessity compels me to ask my enemy to give me what I wish'." Another: "Do not associate with a lecher for his society is a dis- grace to thee." Another: "Do not exult in the praise of a lecher, for his praise is blame and his blame praise for thee." ”

“ Another: "The gifts of this world are of different kinds; for some are given riches, some wisdom. A certain man speaking to his son said: "Which wouldest thou prefer to have given thee, money or wisdom?" ”

“ The denzyn [16] whiche had decreed to die for his friende led hym in to his house [and] of al the worship to hym bifore don saide: 'If thow wilt rest quietely and dwel with me, al thinges as it bihovith shuln be to vs comune. If forsoth thow wilt go ageyn [17] , al thynges whiche that I have and be myn, evenly we shuln departe.' Than he softly and swetely thanked hym of his yudenes, submytted hym to that he hym offred in particioun received, and so went hom ageyn in to his cuntrey [18] ” Thiese thinges reherced and told, saide the sone to the fader: "Vnneth may any man fynde suche a friend." ”

“ What is the cause of this maner of justice I wote nat, but that only it be of the grete suffraunce and pacience of god. Forsoth I knowe that god is a veray just juge and no hid synne levith vnpunysshed. And lest that he herafter take on me more harder vengeaunce, so of this maner of blame I shal nat deferre me to be gilty. And so from deth I shal assoile and loose [hym] to purge and clense the synne that I have don." [He] obeied hymsilf [10] therfor to the perel saieng: "I, I whiche hath don the evil ”

“ Another: "Who that for a short tyme shameth to suffre loore, al tyme in shame and vnwisdam shal dwel and abide." [Another] : "Nat all tho whiche is saide sapient is sapient; but he that lierneth wisdam and can reteyne it." Another: "Who that in doctryne faileth, litel his kynred or gentilnes profiteth or availith. Nobilnes needith loore, sapience forsoth and experience." Another: "In whom the nobilnes of elders failith or endith or covenably reservith." [27] Another: "Nobility that proceeds from my own exertions is more precious to me than that which comes to me from my father." ”

“ Many forsoth ther were in that maner that met hym, of the whiche oon was his friende of whos cause [8] he cam [to] Baldach, and sharply beholdyng hym tooke hym to be his friend whiche he left in Egipt. Remembryng also of the goodenes whiche he had done to hym in Egipt, thynkyng forwhi that after his deth he myght nat yield nor acquite hym his goode deede, decreed in hymsilf for hym to die. And with a grete voice cryeng, "What condempne yee an innocent? Whider wiln yee leede [hym] that no deth hath deserved? It is I that hath the man slayn." ”

“ Another saith: "Ne have thow nat for no grete thyng the frendship of a foole, forwhi it is nat to the abidyng." Another: "Bettir is the felawship of a simple man nurisshed among sapient men than led and brought furth with feders of prudent men." [22] Another: "Swetter it is to a wise man sharp lif amonge wise men than swete lif among vnwise men." Another saith: "Ther bien two maners and spices of wisdam: that oon is na (f. 121) tural and that other artificial, of the whiche that oon may nat be without that other." ”