[6-text p 572]
ffor any wit þat men han now a dayes
They mowe wel chiteren / as þat doon Ioyes [[so]]
Line 1397
And in hir termes / sette hir lust and peyne
But to hir purpos / shul they neuere atteyne
A man may lightly lerne / if he haue aught
To multiplie / and brynge his good to naught
Line 1401
¶ Lo / swich a lucre / is in this lusty game
A mannes myrthe / it wol turne vn-to grame
And empten also / grete and heuye purses
And maken folk / for to purchacen curses
Line 1405
Of hem / þat han hir good / ther-to ylent
ffy for shame / they þat han been brent
Allas / kan they nat flee / the fires heete
Ye that it vse / I rede ye it leete
Line 1409
Lest ye lese al / for bet than neuere is late
Neuere to thryue / were to long a date
Though ye prolle ay / ye shul it neuere fynde
Ye been as boold as is Bayard the blynde
Line 1413
That blondreth forth / and peril casteth noon
He is as boold / to renne agayn a stoon
As for to goon / bisides in the weye
So faren ye / that multiplie I seye
Line 1417
If þat youre eyen / kan nat seen aright
Looke þat youre mynde / lakke noght his sight
ffor though ye looken neuer so brode and stare
Ye shul no thyng wynne on that chaffare
Line 1421
But wasten / al that ye / may rape and renne [folio 205b]
Withdraweth the fir / lest it to faste brenne
Medleth namoore / with that Art I mene
ffor if ye doon / youre thrift is goon ful clene
Line 1425
And right as swithe / I wol yow tellen heere
What þat the Philosophres seyn in this mateere
LO thus seith Arnold of the newe toun
As his Rosarie / maketh mencioun
Line 1429
He seith right thus / with-outen any lye
Ther may no man / Mercurie mortifie
