(634)
¶ The pot so longë to þe watir goth,
Line 4432
That hoom it cometh at þe laste y-broke.
Whan þat þe peple, with a cherë loth,
Hir purs y-emptid [purses empted R.] haue, & eek hir poke,
Hem þynkith þat þey ouer nyh ben soke.
Line 4436
What harm of þat to kynges haþ be-tid,
Scripturës tellen; it may nought [nough H. It may not be be heled in no wise ne hidde R.] ben hid.
Line 4438
(635)
¶ But fauel naght reportith tho scripturis; [folio 78a] [¶ 3 Aristoteles eodem capit|ulo.3 [3_3 For this, R. has: Deficientibus redditibus et expensis, Reges extenderunt manus suas ad res et redditus alienorum.] Subditi vero propter iniuriam cla|mauerunt ad deum ex|celsum & gloriosum.]
Line 4439
His lordës soulë salue, he from hym [soules salve fro hym he R.] hydith;
He besieth hym so in sly portraituris,
Þat homly trouthë naght with hym abidith;
The swetë venym of his tongë gydeth
Line 4443
His lord vnto þe valeie of dirknesse,
If he gouérne hym by his fykilnesse.
Line 4445
(636)
¶ The trewë man, if he may apparceyue
Line 4446
A défaute in his lord, as othir while
It happith, he his lord it redith weyue,
And bit hym to vertu hym reconsile;
And yit fauel, þe net of fraude and gile,
Line 4450
The þank hath, and þat othir þe maugree:
O god! þat verray trouþe art for to see.
Line 4452
(637)
¶ Who þat, fro [for R.] drede of any lord or syre, [¶ Augusti|nus. Quis|quis metu alicuius po|testatis veri|tatem occul|tat, iram dei super se pro|uocat, quia magis timet hominem quam deum. ¶ libere veri|tatem pre|dicantes & praue vite gesta argu|uentes, non habent gra|tiam apud homines, &c.]
Line 4453
Hydeth þe trouthe, and naght wil it out seie,
He vppon hym prouokith goddës yre,
ffor þat he more of man than god [of man than god R, of god and man H.] hath eye.
They þat þe trouthë of hir hertes bywreye
Line 4457
To lordës, and telle hem hir wicked lyf,
No grace in hem fynden for hir motyf.
Line 4459
