(582)
¶ "Ther is no hye estate so sadde and stable,
Line 4068
Remembre wele, [wele R, wile H.] lat it nat be for-ȝete,
But he to falle in perile is ful able.
By deeth, a leon maad is briddës mete,
And bestës also his flessh gnawe & frete."
Line 4072
Þe answere of þe kyng, naught haue I herde;
My booke not telleth how he was answerde.
Line 4074
(583)
¶ Senek seith, the poër [poore R.] Diogenes, [¶ Pauper diogenes dicior erat Alexandro.]
Line 4075
Kyng Alisandre in richessë past,
ffor he ne myȝt, as he seith doutëles,
Ȝeue hym so mochil golde, ne on hym cast,
¶ As he refusë wolde: O! at the last, [folio 71b]
Line 4079
Men þinke shullen þei to mochil [moche R.] haue had,
And of þis worldys muk be ful vnglad.
Line 4081
(584)
Desire of good, a king mot leye apart,
Line 4082
And peyne him to purcháse him a good fame;
Ther-in lat him laboure, and doon his art; [part R.]
Ther nys no þing vnto [vnto = comparable to.] a worthi name;
And if a kyng it lakke, it were his shame,
Line 4086
And shame is contrarie vnto worthynesse;
Gode lose desserued, [loos decerued R.] is grettest richesse.
Line 4088
(585)
¶ And for largessë [largesse R, larges H.] wynneþ gode renoun,
Line 4089
Ther-of [Therof, pron. throf.] þink I now, to trete a litil stounde;
A prince & kyng of al a regioun
Mot avaricë thrist a-doune to grounde;
To hym þat lith in hellë depe I-bounde,
Line 4093
The, [Or is 'the' an article?] auarice, by-takë I to kepe;
Thow pynëpeny, [pynchepeny R.] ther ay mot þou slepe!
Line 4095
