[Linenotes: 1794 _shollen_--sholden 1795 _þe_--tho 1796 _oþer_--oothre 1801 _swiftenesse_--sweftnesse 1803 _ȝiuen_--MS. ȝiueþ, C. yeuen 1806, 1807 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good 1807 _whiche_--whych 1809 _þe_--omitted _þan byforne_--thanne byforn 1810 [_thy eyen_]--from C.; MS. _has_ ȝeuen aȝeyne _almost_--almest _welfulnesse_--welefulnesse 1811 _seyne rycchesse_--seyn Rychesses 1814 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good _myche_--moche _oþer_--oothre 1815 _þouȝt[e]_--thowhte _from_--fram 1816 _aȝeyne_--ayein 1818 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good _of_--omitted _alle_--al _derke_--dirkyd 1819 [_but----paath_]--from C. 1820 _dronke_--dronken _paþe_--paath 1821 _home_--hym] [Headnote: ALL SEEK THE CHIEF GOOD.] [Sidenote: By no means. No state is happier than that in which a man is above want, and independent of others.] [Sidenote: [* fol. 16.]] ¶ Certys þer nys non oþer þing þat may so weel p{er}fo{ur}ny blisfulnesse as an estat plenteuo{us} *of alle 1824 goodes þat ne haþ nede of none oþer þing. but þat it is suffisant of hy{m} self. vnto hym self. [Sidenote: Are they guilty of folly that seek esteem and reverence?] and foleyen swyche folk þanne. þat wenen þat þilk þing þ{a}t is ryȝt goode. þat it be eke ryȝt worþi of honour {and} of 1828 reuerence. [Sidenote: No; for that is not contemptible for which all men strive.] ¶ Certis nay. for þat þing nys neyþer foule ne worþi to ben dispised þat al þe entenc{i}ou{n} of mortel folke trauaille forto geten it. [Sidenote: Is not power to be reckoned amongst desirable goods?] ¶ And power auȝt[e] nat þat eke to be rekened amonges goodes [Sidenote: Why not? For that is not an insignificant good which invests a man with authority and command.] what ellis. 1832 for it nys nat to wene þat þilke þing þat is most worþi of alle þinges be feble {and} wiþ out strengþe {and} clernesse of renou{n} auȝte þat to ben dispised. [Sidenote: Fame also is to be regarded, for everything excellent is also shining and renowned.] ¶ Certys þer may no man forsake þat al þing þat is ryȝt excellent 1836 {and} noble. þat it ne semeþ to be ryȝt clere {and} renomed. [Sidenote: We hardly need say that happiness is not an unjoyous and melancholy state, for in the pursuit of the smallest matters men seek only pleasure.] ¶ For certis it nediþ nat to seie. þat blisfulnesse be anguissous ne dreri ne subgit to greua{n}ces ne to sorwes. syn þat in ryȝt litel þi{n}g{us} folk seken to 1840 haue {and} to vsen þat may deliten hem.