LXXX.
Off a chylde beleue notte the counsell,
For off Troylus remenbre the wele.
Trest[[475]] ye may men aged and prouede,
That in armes hath sore bene charged.
When Kyng Priant had repared Troye ayen, the which was dystroyede because of the greuyng of theym that went into Colcos, |f. 60.| than Priant thought to take vengance for that distraccion and asemblyd his counsell, where that were many hy barons and wyse men, for to wete wheythir it were good that Paaris his sone shulde goo into Grece to ravyssh Elen or noon in achaunge for Esyona[[476]] his sistir, the which was taken be the Thelomonailles[[477]] and ledde into thraldom. But all the wyse men seyde nay, becavse of proficies and of scriptores, the whiche seide through that rauysshyng Troye shuld be dystroyed. Than Troylus, the whiche was a child and the yongest of Priantes sones, seyde that men shulde not in counsell of werre beleue olde men ne there prouerbes, the which threwe[[478]] there cowardyse counselleth euer to rest; so he counselled that they shulde goo togedir. Troylus conseil was holdyn, of the which felle myche harme. Therefor it is seyde to the good knyght that he shuld not holde ne beleve the counsell of a childe, the which of nature is full lyght and lityll to consydir. An auctorite seith to this purpose that where a childe is kyng þe londe ys onappy.[[479]]
That a good speryte shulde not agre hym to the counsell of a childe, it is to vndirstond that he shulde [not] be ignorant, but knowyng and full lerned in that the which may be prophyte to his helth; ffor ayens ignorant pepyll Seynt Austyn seith, “Ignorance is a full evyl modir, the which hath full evill doughteris, that is to sey, falssenes and doute; the fyrst is myschawnce, the secund is wreechednes, the fyrst is vicyous, but the secund is softer,[[480]] and these .ii. is drawen away by wysdome.” Therefor the wyse man seyth, [“Sapientiam prætereuntes non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorarent bona, sed insipientiæ suæ reliquerunt hominibus memoriam”].[[481]]
LXXXI.
Hate Calcas and his false disseytes,
Off whome the infynyte malicis