¶ Declaracio.
Frendes, this Emperour is our lord̛ Ihesu crist, that hathe .ij. doughtirs, one faire, that is, the worlde, the whiche is fuƚƚ faire to many a man, and the other doughtir blak̘, that is, poverte or tribulacion̛, that few men desiren for to wedde. Neverthelesse a comon̛ crie is made, by holy scripture, that in the world̛ thou shalt no thyng have but her fairenesse, that is, the vanyte of the world̛, that sone passetℏ away, as the fairenesse of man. ¶ But thei that take wilfuƚƚ poverte and tribulacion̛, for the love of Ihesu crist, withouten̛ doute thei shaƚƚ have the kyngdom̛ of heven̛; as crist saitℏ, ¶ ye that have forsake aƚƚ thyng, and haue folowed̛ me, ye shaƚƚ have an hundred̛ fold̛ more, and ever lastyng blisse therto. Many noble men and grete, in a passyng nombre, come for the first faire doughtir, that is, for the world̛, and witℏ labour sechen it, and sometyme fighten̛ by lond̛ and watir, that is, whan thei putten̛ aƚƚ her studie in worldly thynges; so that for the world̛ many a man is dede, witℏ outen nombre. for alle that is in the world̛ either it is pride of lyf̘, or concupiscance of eyen̛, or concupiscence of flessℏ, for aƚƚ the world̛ is but in wikkednesse. but he that weddid̛ the faire doughtir, for sothe is he, that witℏ aƚƚ his desire and assent strengthitℏ hym for to wedde the world̛, and in no maner wolle leve it, as the Avarous man, and covetous man. ¶ But he that weddeth the blak̘ doughtir, is a good̛ cristen man, that for the love of the kyngdom̛ of heven̛ levetℏ aƚƚ worldly thynges, and dispisetℏ hym self̘ bodely,