(670)
¶ That man I-born is in a blissed hour, [¶ Nota quod laudandus est ille quem pietas mouet reuelamen prestare indi|genti: nota bene hic!]
Line 4684
Whom þat pitee, dissert, or kyndënesse,
Stiren to yeue, or mynystre hym socour,
That infortunës strokës bitternesse
I-woundid hath wiþ pouertes scharpnesse [sikenesse R.] :
Line 4688
Nat mene I hem þat [Nought yeue hem R.] hire, and fees and wages, [folio 82b]
Hath [Hat H, That han R.] at þe dees loost, and [dice lost.] hir heritáges;
Line 4690
(671)
¶ But þo þat men welthy han [han R, and H.] ben byfore,
Line 4691
And vertuous ben, and han hir goodë [goode R, good H.] lost,
And can not beggë, to be deed þerfore;
On hem ful wel bystowëd is þe cost.
But welaway! as harde as is a post—
Line 4695
A post? nay, as a stoon—ben hertës now!
Lordës, for schamë! what þing eyleth yow?
Line 4697
(672)
¶ A gentil hertë, for to begge haþ schame;
Line 4698
His rody schamfastnessë dar not preye.
Ye þat of gentillesse han stile & name,
Lat nat your poorë bretheren by yow deye!
Se vnto hem, thogh þey nat speke or seie.
Line 4702
Is pitee fro yow fled? calle hir agayn!
ffor hir absence haþ many good man slayn.
Line 4704
(673)
¶ Senek seith, hé haþ nat þat þing for noght,
Line 4705
That byeth it by speche and by prayere.
There is no thyng þat is in eerthë wroght,
As þat he seith, þat is y-bought so deere;
It standith streytë, whan it schal apere,
Line 4709
ffor it is vois of wrecchidnesse and sorwe,
Whan þat a man schal praye, or begge, or borwe.
