'I am the samë (thys the cas,)
Off whom that whylom wrot Esdras,
Apemenen, wych, hyr sylff al sool,
Made the kyng so gret a fool:
Line 17424
Whan she was hevy, he was sad;
Whan she lowh, than he was glad;
She took hys crowne, and leyd yt doun,
And he, by lowh subieccïoun,
Line 17428
Al hyr lustys dyde obeye,
ffor he durste hyr nat with-seye:
Thus yt stood, and thus yt was,
As thow shalt fynden in Esdras.
Line 17432
'By wych exaumple, thow mayst se
That yt fareth thus by me;
ffor I kan, by my werkynges, [folio 247b]
Deceyuë prynces and ek kynges;
Line 17436
And al the meyne off the cheker,
I kan make off herte enter,
To robben abbeys euerychon,
And to dyspoylle hem, on by on,
Line 17440
With-outen any compassïoun.
'And touchyng ek my nacïoun, [prose cap xiii]
And my name (yiff I shal telle,)
I was engendryd fyrst in helle;
Line 17444
And ther the pryncë Sathanas
(Yiff thow wylt wyte,) my fader was;
And in that Valey Infernal
I was begete: lo her ys al.
Line 17448
'And my name ek to devyse,
I am callyd Covetyse
(Off verray ryht, and nat off wrong,)
And Avaryce, somwhyle Among;
Line 17452
But Coveytysë, men calle me
Off verray ryht and equyte,
Whan I am mevyd in [[om. C., St.]] my blood
To coueyte other mennys good.
Line 17456
And Avarycë men me calle,
Whan that I fro folkys alle
Kepe al that euere I getë kan,
And wyl departë with no man,
Line 17460
