Whan he no lengere myhte live,[1314] Unto his Sone in charge hath yive That he Joab schal slen algate; And whan David was gon his gate, The yonge wise Salomon His fader heste dede anon, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 222=] And slouh Joab in such a wise, That thei that herden the juise Evere after dradden him the more, And god was ek wel paid therfore, 3870 That he so wolde his herte plye The lawes forto justefie. And yit he kepte forth withal Pite, so as a Prince schal, That he no tirannie wroghte; He fond the wisdom which he soghte, And was so rihtful natheles, That al his lif he stod in pes, That he no dedly werres hadde, For every man his wisdom dradde. 3880 And as he was himselve wys, Riht so the worthi men of pris He hath of his conseil withholde; For that is every Prince holde, To make of suche his retenue Whiche wise ben, and to remue The foles: for ther is nothing Which mai be betre aboute a king, Than conseil, which is the substance Of all a kinges governance. 3890 [Sidenote: [SOLOMON’S WISDOM.]] In Salomon a man mai see What thing of most necessite [Sidenote: Hic dicit quod populum sibi commissum bene regere super omnia Principi laudabilius est. Et narrat in exemplum qualiter, pro eo quod Salomon, vt populum bene regeret, ab altissimo sapienciam specialius postulauit, omnia bona pariter cum illa sibi habundancius aduenerunt.] Unto a worthi king belongeth. Whan he his kingdom underfongeth, God bad him chese what he wolde, And seide him that he have scholde [Sidenote: =P. iii. 223=] What he wolde axe, as of o thing. And he, which was a newe king, Forth therupon his bone preide To god, and in this wise he seide: 3900 ‘O king, be whom that I schal regne, Yif me wisdom, that I my regne,[1315] (4100*) Forth with thi poeple which I have,[1316] To thin honour mai kepe and save.’ Whan Salomon his bone hath taxed, The god of that which he hath axed Was riht wel paid, and granteth sone Noght al only that he his bone Schal have of that, bot of richesse, Of hele, of pes, of hih noblesse, 3910 Forth with wisdom at his axinges, Which stant above alle othre thinges. Bot what king wole his regne save, [Sidenote: Hic dicit secundum Salomonem, quod regie maiestatis imperium ante omnia sano consilio dirigendum est.] Ferst him behoveth forto have After the god and his believe Such conseil which is to believe, Fulfild of trouthe and rihtwisnesse: Bot above alle in his noblesse Betwen the reddour and pite A king schal do such equite 3920