[6-text p 322]
And euer þe hyer he is of astate
þe more he is y-halden desolate
If þat a prince vse hasardrye
In alle gouernaunce and alle polesye
Line 600
he is as by comun opynyon
y-halde þe lasse in reputacion
[Stilbon that was holde. a wise ambassatour
Was sent in-to Corynthy . with ful grete honour [Reg. 17 D xv folio 222a] ]
ffro Calydonye to maken him alleaunce
And whan he cam him happede þis chaunce
þat alle þe grettest þat were of þis lande
Pleying at þe hasard he hem fande
Line 608
ffor which as sone as þat mighte be
he stal him home aȝein to his cuntre
And sayde þer I wol nought lese my name
I ne wol nought take on me so gret diffame
Line 612
ȝou to alleye to none hasardoures
Sendeþ oþerwise embassetoures
ffor by my trouþe me were leuer deye /
þan I to ȝou schulde hasardoures alleye /
Line 616
ffor ȝe þat ben so glorious in honoures
Schal nouȝt aleye ȝou wiþ hasardoures
As by my wille ne as by my trete
Þis wise Philosophre sayde to me
Line 620
loke þou vse no pley of dees in þin hous
loke eek þat to þe king Demetrus
Sente him a payre of dees of gold in scorn
ffor he hadde vsed hasardye þer byforn [folio 199b]
Line 624
ffor which he helde his glorie and his renoun
At no value of reputacioun
lordes mighten fynden oþer maner pley
honeste ynough to dryue þe day awey
Line 628
NOw wol I speke of oþes false and grete
A word or tuo as oþer bookes entrete
Gret sweryng is a þing abhominable
And fals swerynge is more reprouable
Line 632
