[6-text p 662] wynneth he þe moste pray of þis world [851] ¶ And right as a marchaunt deliteþ him most in chaffare þat he haþ most auauntage of; Right so delitith þe feend in þis ordure
[852] ¶ This is þe oþer hond of þe deuel with fyue fyngres to cacche þe poeple to his vilonye [853] ¶ Þe firste fynger is þe foule lokyng of þe foule womman and of þe foule man þat sleth right as a basiliskoc sleþ folk by þe venym of his sight. For þe coueytise of eyen folwiþ þe coueytise of þe herte [854] ¶ The secounde fynger is the vileynes touchinge in wikkid manere. and þerfore saith salamon þat who-so touchith and handelith a womman; he farith lik him þat handelith þe scorpioun þat styngith and sodeinly sleeth þurgh his enuenemynge as who so touchith warm picche. it schent his fyngres [855] ¶ The þridde is foule wordes þat farith lik fuyr þat right anoon brenneþ þe herte [856] ¶ The ferþe is þe kissyng. and trewely he were a greet fool þat wolde kisse þe mouth of a brennyng ouen or of a forneys: [857] and more fooles ben þay þat kyssen in vilonye. For þat mouth is þe mouþ of helle. and namely þise olde dotard fooles holours. ȝit wol þay kisse þough þay may nought do & smater hem. [858] ¶ Certis þay ben like to houndes. For an hound whan he comeþ to a roser or by oþer beautes. þough he may nouȝt [folio 278a] pisse; ȝet wil he heue vp his leg and make a coun|tenaunce to pisse. [859] and for þat many man weneth he may not synne for licorousnes þat he doth with his wif; Certis þat oppinioun is fals. God wot a man may sle himself wiþ his owne knyf and mak himself dronke of his oughne tonne [860] ¶ Certis be it/ wif or child or eny worldly þing þat he louyth biforn god it is his maumet and he is an ydolastre /. [861] man schulde loue his wyf by discrescioun paciently and attemperelly. and þanne is sche as it
