Ensewe the counsell of a wyse confessour Take nat colde water in stede of vermayll wyne: For moche swetnes, endure thou a lytell soure Kepe well the dyet and threfolde medicyne Ordayned for synne by spirituall doctryne That is confessyon, the next contrycyon. With satisfaccion these thre, with grace deuyne Ar salues parfyte for all transgressyon * * * * * Of ouer open takynges of counsel. [Illustration: Who that to clerely layeth his net or snare Before the byrdes whome he by gyle wolde take Them playnly techyth of his gyle to be ware And is a fole whether he slepe or wake Right so is he (and doth a sauegarde make) For his foes them (techynge remedy to fynde) Whiche sheweth them by thretenynge the secret of his mynde] Who that intendyth by chraft and polycy To take many byrdes, outher small or great And layeth before them to playne and openly His lynes snarys, his lyme twyggis or his net He shall no profyte gayne nor auauntage get For if that he his engynes can nat hyde The byrdes shall be ware, and lyghtly fle asyde So he that wyll openly manace and threte With worde and hande, as he wolde sle adowne ryght Is oft scant abyll a symple hounde to bete. For in his worde is all his force and myght And he that alway thretenyth for to fyght. Oft at the profe is skantly worth a hen For greattest crakers ar nat ay boldest men Who that agaynst his ennemy wolde fyght And gyueth hym before wepyn and armour. Agaynst hym selfe to encreas his foes myght Suche one hath reason and wyt of smal valour. Ryght so that sole is led in lyke errour Which nought can do, of mater les or more Without he crake and boste therof before. And also suche bosters and crakers comonly Whiche doth theyr mynde in hasty wordes declare Of other men ar lytell or nought set by And by theyr wordes, full often yll they fare A man also may ryght easely be ware Of folys whiche thus theyr counsell out expres Whose thretenyngs to theyr foes is armour and harnes But hym call I wyse and crafty of counsell Whiche kepeth close the secretis of his mynde And to no man wyll them disclose nor tell To man nor woman, ennemy nor yet frynde But do his purpose whan he best tyme can fynde Without worde spekynge, and so may his intent Best come to ende, his foo, beynge inprouydent And specially no man ought to be large Of wordes nor shewe his counsell openly In thynges weyghty, of peryll and great charge Consernynge a royallue, or helth of his body For many ar falsly disceyued fynally By lewde tale berers whiche seke the way to fynde To knowe the preuy counsell of theyr lordes mynde