and be-gynneþe þe tale [THE PREAMBLE.]
[Sloane 1685 folio 167]
Wyth þis Chanon dwellyd haue I seuen ȝeere
And of hys science neuere þe nere
Line 721
And þat I hade I haue loste þerby
And god woote so hathe mony mo þan I
There I was wonte to be riȝt fresshe & gay
Of cloþinge and of gode array
Line 725
Nowe may I were an hose vpon myne hede
And where my coloure was bothe fressh & reede
Nowe it ys wan and of a len hewe
Who so hit vseþe sore shalle he rewe
Line 729
And of my swynke blered ys myn eyee
Lo whiche avauntage hit ys to multiply
þat slydynge science hathe me made so bare
That I haue no gode where þat euere I fare
Line 733
And ȝit / I am endetted so þer by
Of golde þat I haue borowed truly
þat whyle I lyue hit/ shalle I quyte nevere
lat euery man by ware by me for euere
Line 737
what manere man þat casteth hym þer to
yf/ he contynewe I holde hys thryfte y-do.
[But so helpe me god ther/-by schall he noght wynne.
But empten his/ purs/ & make his/ wittis/ thynne.
Line 741
And whan he thorough his/ madnesse & folye/.
Hath lost his/ owne good thorough iopardye.
Than he exitith other/ men therto.
Line 744
To lese her/ good as/ hym self haþ do. [Harl. 1758 folio 145a] ]
ffor vnto shrewes Ioye hit ys and ese [Sloane MS 1685 folio 168a]
To haue hir/ felawes in peyne and dissese
