(438)
¶ ffauel was neuer frendly, man vnto; [¶ Dicit Sene|ca de qui|busdam qui Neronem sequebantur. Mel musce se|quuntur, [sequuntur R, sequitur H.] ca|dauera lupi; predam se|quitur ista turba non hominem.]
Line 3060
lordës, beth ware! it nedith trewëlye. [trewlye H, truly R.]
Senek, by hem þat folweden Nero,
Seith þus, "a fflyë folweþ the honye;
Þe wolf, careyn," he seith; so, wel wot I
Line 3064
Þat companyë folweden her pray,
And naght þe man; & so do men þis day.
Line 3066
(439)
¶ Whil þat þe swetnesse of riches endurith,
Line 3067
Vnto þe riche is manny man plesaunt;
Only þe richessë þer-to hem lurith;
What he comaundiþ, þei ben obysaunt [obedient R.]
To do, whil þat he of goode is habundaunt;
Line 3071
But whan þe pray, þe ricchesse, is a-goo,
The man forsaken þei for euermo.
Line 3073
(440)
¶ O ffauel! a blynde marchant art þou oone, [¶ Ieronimus. Adulator secus est qui pro questu vel gracia transitoria sua & alteri|us animam interficit.]
Line 3074
That, for wordly goode, & grace and fauoure,—
Which faylë shal & passe, and ouer goone, [passe in ouer goone H, faile and ouercome H.] —
Swich diligencë dost, and swich laboure,
Þat þou þi soulë fro our saueoure
Line 3078
Twynnest, and slest þi lordis soule also,
And causyst hem to peyne eternal go.
Line 3080
(441)
¶ Þer is a long and a large difference [folio 53b]
Line 3081
Twix vertuous plesaunce and flaterie:
Good plesaunce is of swich beneuolence,
Þat what gode dede he may in man espie,
He preysith it, and rébukith folye;
Line 3085
But fauel takeþ al on othir parte;
In wrong preysyng is al his craft and arte.
Line 3087
