[6-text p 625] Now as for to speke of godis of nature / god wot that somtyme we haue hem in nature / als meche to oure damage / as to oure profite [458] And for to speke of hele of bodie / certes it passeth ful lightly / & eke hit is ful offte encheson of sikenesse of the soule / ffor god woot the flessh is a ful grete enemy to the soule / and therfore the more the bodie is hoole / the more ben we in perel to falle / [459] Eke for to pride him / in his strengthe of bodie / hit is an highe folye / ffor certes the flesshe coueiteth ageine the spirit / [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 282b] and ay the more stronge the flessh is / the soriere may the soule be / [460] And ouer al this / strengthe of bodie / & worldly hardinesse / causith ful offte many a man to perel & meschaunce / [461] Eke for to pride him in his gentrie / is a ful grete folie / ffor often tyme the gentrie of the bodie / bigynneth the gentrie of the soule / and eke we alle ben of on fader & of on moder / & alle we ben of oo nature roten & corrupte / riche & pore / [462] ffor sothe a manere of gentrie it is to preise that apparellith mannes corage / with vertues & moralitees / & makith him cristes childe / [463] ffor trusteth wel that ouer what man / that synne hath maistrie / he is verry chorle to synne /
[464] Now ben ther general thinges of gentillesse / as eschewynge of vices / or rebaudrie / & seruage of synne / In worde / in werke / & contenaunce / [465] & vsyng vertu / curtesie / and clennesse / & to be liberal / that is to seie large bi mesure / ffor that that passith mesure / is folie & synne / [466] Another is to remembre him / of bounte / that he of other folke hath receivede / [467] Another is to be benigne / to his goode subiectes / wherfore as seith Seneca / ther nys nothing more [¶ Seneca.] couenable to a man of high estate / than debonarte & pite / [468] And there . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] bees whan thei chese hem a kyng / thei chesen him that hath no prikke to stynge with // [469]
