[6-text p 625] ¶ Now as for to speke of goodes of nature / god woot þat som tyme we han hem in nature / as muche to oure damage / as to oure profit [458] ¶ As for to speke of heele of [folio 248a] body / certes it passeth ful lightly / & eek it is ful ofte encheson / of the siknesse of the soule / for god woot the flessh is a ful greet enemy to the soule / and therfore / the moore þat the body is hool / the moore be we in peril to falle ‖ [459] Eke for to pryde hym in hys strengthe of body / it is an heigh folye / for certes / the flessh coueiteth agayn the spirit / & ay the moore strong þat the flessh is / the sorier may the soule be / [460] and ouer al this / Strengthe of body & worldly hardynesse / causeth ful ofte many man / to peril & meschance ‖ [461] Eke / for to pryde hym of his genterye / is ful gret folie / for ofte tyme / the genterie of the body / bynymeth the genterie of the soule / & eek / we ben alle / of .o. fader & of o moder / & alle we ben of o nature roten / and corrupt bothe riche & pouere / [462] for sothe / o manere gentilrye / is for to preise / that apparayleth mannes corage with vertues / & moralitees / & maketh hym cristes child / [463] for truste wel / þat ouer what man þat synne hath maistrye / he is verray cherl to synne
[464] ¶ Now / ben ther general signes of gentilesse / as eschewynge of vice / or rybaudye & seruage of synne / in word / in werk / and contenance / [465] & vsynge vertu / curteisye / & clennesse / & to be liberal / that is to seyn / large by mesure / for thilke that passeth mesure / is folye & synne ‖ [466] Another is / to remembre hym of bounte / þat he of oother folk hath receyued ‖ [467] Another is / to ben benygne / to hise goode subgetz / wher fore as seith Senek ther is no thyng moore couenable to a man of heigh estat/ than debonairetee & pitee / [468] and therfore thise flyes / þat men [nota] clepe bees / whan they maken hire kyng they chesen oon þat hath no prikke / wher with he may stynge ‖ [469]
