(15)
¶ Quod þe mouþe, "ȝe playne whyle y ete;
And while y faste, ȝe make gret doel."
Quod hondes and feet, "also we gete
Þat þou spendest eche a deel.
Line 116
We may play, swynke, and swete,
While mouþe in mesure makeþ his mele.
For mesure kepeþ kynde hete,
And al þat tyme we fare wele."
Line 120
(16)
¶ I likne a kyngdom in good astate, [Nota bene]
To stalworþe man, myȝty in hele.
While non of his lymes oþer hate,
He is myȝty, wiþ a-noþer to dele.
Line 124
Ȝif eche of his lymes wiþ oþer debate,
He waxeþ syk, for flesch is frele.
His enemys wayte erly and late,
In his feblenesse, on hym to stele.
Line 128
(17)
¶ And hed were fro þe body stad,
Noþer partye were set at nouȝt,
And body wiþoute armes sprad.
Were armes wiþ-oute handis ouȝt?
Line 132
Ne handis, but þey fyngres had?
Wiþoute fingere, what were wrouȝt?
Þes lymes makeþ hed ful glad,
And al þe body, and it be souȝt.
Line 136
(18)
¶ Ȝif a man hurte þy fynger or too,
But þou make deffens o ferre,
Leg or arm may take þe fro;
To body or hed, auntre hym herre.
Line 140
Ensample to kyngdom, y set this so:
And oure frendis be distroyed by werre,
Þan kepe þe wisely fro þy foo;
For wiþ all his myȝt he wole come nerre.
Line 144
