[Sidenote: [* fol. 17.]] *¶ For syn þat rychesse ne may nat 1956 al don awey nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may it þanne be þat ȝe wenen þat rychesses mowen ȝeue{n} ȝow suffisau{n}ce. [Linenotes: 1938 _nediþ no helpe_--nedede non help 1939 _myȝt[e]_--myhte 1940 _doutles_--dowteles 1941 _rycchesse_--Rychesses 1943 _helpe_--help _whiche_--whych 1944 _rycches_--Rychesse _dryuen_--dryue 1945 _hungre_--hungyr _þrest_--thurst 1946 _þei_--the _colde_--coold _in_--on 1947 _wilt answere_--wolt Answeren _y-nouȝ_--y-now 1948 _þrest_--thurst 1949 _colde_--coold 1950 _nat_--omitted 1951 _outerly_--vtrely 1953 _myȝt[e] ben_--myhte be 1957 _rychesse_--Rychesses] QUAMUIS FLUENTER DIUES. [Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: The rich man, had he a river of gold, would never rest content.] ++Al were it so þat a ryche couetous man hadde riuer 1960 fletynge alle of golde ȝitte sholde it neuer staunche hys couetise. [Sidenote: Though his neck be loaded with precious pearls, and his fields be covered with innumerable herds, yet shall unquiet care never forsake him; and at his death his riches shall not bear him company.] ¶ And þouȝ he hadde his nekke I-charged wiþ p{re}ciouse stones of þe rede see. {and} þouȝ he do erye his feldes plentiuo{us} wiþ an hundreþ oxen neuere 1964 ne shal his bytyng bysynesse forleten hym while he lyueþ. ne þe lyȝt[e] rychesses ne shal nat beren hym [[pg 72]] compaignie whanne he is dede. [Linenotes: 1960 _riuer_--a Ryu{er} 1961 _alle_--al _golde_--gold _ȝitte_--yit _staunche_--stau{n}chyn 1962, 1963 _þouȝ_--thow 1964 _erye_--Ere _hundreþ_--hundred 1965 _while_--whyl 1966 _lyȝt[e]_--lyhte _shal_--shol 1967 _dede_--ded] [Headnote: OF DIGNITIES.] SET DIGNITATIB{US}.[4] [Footnote 4: Read _dignitates_.] [Sidenote: [The 4^the p{ro}se.]] [Sidenote: It may be said that _dignities_ confer honour on their possessors.] ++Bvt dignitees to whom þei ben comen make þei hym 1968 honorable {and} reuerent. [Sidenote: But have they power to destroy vice or implant virtue in the heart?] han þei nat so grete strengþe þat þei may putte vertues in þe hertis of folk. þat vsen þe lordshipes of hem. or ellys may þei don awey þe vices. [Sidenote: So far from expelling vicious habits, they only render them more conspicuous.] Certys þei [ne] ben nat wont to don awey wikkednesses. 1972 but þei ben wont raþer to shew[en] wikkednesses. [Sidenote: Hence arises the indignation when we see dignities given to wicked men.] {and} þer of comeþ it þat I haue ryȝt grete desdeyne. þat dignites ben ȝeuen ofte to wicked men.