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MORALITE.
[leaf 161, back, col. 2]Seth now, good sirs; this emperour̛, þat lovith so wele play, may be called̛ eche worldly man̛ þat occupieth him in vanytes of the world̛; but he moste take kepe of̘ the pley of̘ the chesse, as did the emperoure. the chekir or þe chesse hath viij. poyntes in eche partie. In euery pley beth viij. kyndes of men̛, scil. man, woman̛, wedewer, wedowis, lewid men̛, clerkes, riche men, and pouere men̛. at this pley pleieth vj. men̛. the first man̛, þat goth afore, hath not but oo poynt, but whenne he goth aside, he takith anoþer; so by a pouere man̛; he hath not, but when he comytℏ to þe detℏ witℏ pacience, þen shaƚƚ he be a kyng in heuen̛, with þe kyng of pore men̛. But if̘ he grucche ayenst his neighbour̛ of his stat, and be a thef̘, and ravissh þat wher̛ he may, þen he is ytake, and put in to the preson̛ of helle. The secund, scil. alphyn̛, renneth iij. poyntes both vpward̛ and douneward̛; [he] bytokenyth wise men̛, the whiche by deceyuable eloquence & takyng of money deceyueth, & so he is made oonly. The iij. scil. þe knyȝt, hath iij. poyntes, & goth þerwitℏ; [he] betokenytℏ gentilmen þat rennyth aboute, & ravisshith, and ioyetℏ for her kynrede, & for habundaunce of richesse. The fourtℏ, scil. þe rook, he holdith length & brede, and takith vp what so is in his way; he betokenytℏ okerers and false merchauntȝ, þat rennyth aboute ouer aƚƚ, for wynnyng & lucre, & rechitℏ not how thei geten̛, so that thei haue hit. The fifthe is þe quene, that goth fro blak to blak, or fro white to white, and is yset beside þe kyng, and is ytake fro the kyng. This quene bytokenyth virgyns and damesels, þat goth fro chastite to synne, and beth ytake by the deviƚƚ, for glovis or sucℏ maner yiftis. The vj. is to whom aƚƚ owe to obey and mynystre; and he gotℏ forth, and bakward̛ ayen̛, & in either side, & takith ouer aƚƚ; so sone discenditℏ in to þe world̛, and ascendith to god by praiers; But when he takith [no] kepe of god, and hatℏ no meyne, þan is hit to þe man chekmate. And þerfore let vs not charge of oure estatis, no more þan is with þe men̛, when þei be put vp in þe poket; then hit is no charge who be above or who be bynetℏ and so by the Spirit of̘