257
"And as for Attropos greuous compleynt
Line 1793
Vnto the goddes betokeneth nomore
But oonly to shewe the how frendely constreynt
On a stedfast hert weyeth full soore.
Line 1796
Good wyll requyreth good wyll ayene therfore.
Dyscorde to Dethe hathe ay byn a frende,
For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende.
Line 1799
258
"Wherfore Dethe thought he wolde avengyd be
Line 1800
On hys frendes quarell yef that he myght,
For her gret vnkyndnes, in so moche as she
Was among hem all had so in despyte
Line 1803
And at that banket made of so lyte;
Whyche causyd hym among hem to cast in a boon,
That found theym gnawyng ynough euerychoon.
Line 1806
259
"Thus oft ys seen oo frende for a nother
Line 1807
Wyll say & do & somtyme matyrs feyne;
And also kynnysmen, a cosyn, or a brother,
Woll for hys aly, er he haue cause, compleyne.
Line 1810
And where that he loueth do hys besy peyne,
Hys frendes matyr as hys owne to take,
Whyche oft sythe causeth mochyll sorow awake.
Line 1813
260
"Be hyt ryght or wrong, he changeth nat a myte-
Line 1814
As toward that poynt he taketh lytell heede.
So that he may haue hys froward appetyte
Performyd, he careth nat howe hys soule speede,
Line 1817
Of God or deuyll have suche lytyll dreede.
Howe be hyt, oon ther ys þat Lorde ys of all,
Whyche to euery wyght at last rewarde shall.
Line 1820
261
"And as for the batayll betwene Vyce & Vertew holde,
So pleynly appereth to the inwardly,
To make exposicion therof, new or olde,
Were but superfluyte—therfore refuse hit I.
Line 1824
In man shall thow fynde that werre kept dayly,
Lyke as thow hast seen hit fowtyn before thy face;
The pyctur me behynde shewyth hit in lytyll space.
