[THE PREAMBLE.]
and bygynneth his tale of Multiplicacion;
With this Chanon / I dwelt haue seuene ȝere
And of his science / am I neuere the nere
Line 721
Al that I had / I haue lost ther-by
And god wot / so han many moo than I
There I was wont / to be right fressh and gay
Of clothynge / and of othere good array
Line 725
Now may I were / an hose / vp-on myn hed
And where my colour was / bothe fressh & red
Now is it wan / and of a leden hewe [folio 204b]
Who so it vseth / sore shal he rewe
Line 729
And of my swynk / ȝet blered is myn eye
lo which a vauntage is / to multiplie
That slydyng science / hath me mad so bare
That I haue no good / where so euere I fare
Line 733
And ȝet I am endetted so / ther-by
Of gold / that I haue borwed / trewely
That whil I lyue / I shal it quyte neuere
lat euery man / be war by me / for euere
Line 737
What maner man / þat casteth him ther-to
If he continue / I holde his thrift I-do
ffor so helpe me god / þer-by shal he nat wynne
But empte his purs / & make his wittes thynne
Line 741
And whan he thurgh his madnesse / & folye
hath loost his owne good / thurgh Iupartie
Thanne he exciteth / othere folk ther-to
To lese here good / as he him self hath do
Line 745
ffor vn-to shrewes / ioye it is and ese
To haue here felawes / in peyne & dissese
