of whiche [two] senek enforced[e] hym to ȝiue{n} to Nero his rychesses. {and} also to han gon in to solitarie exil. ¶ But whan þe grete weyȝt. þat is to sein of lordes power or of fortune 2104 draweþ hem þat sholden falle. neyþer of hem ne myȝt[e] do þat he wolde. [Sidenote: What then is Power, which terrifies its possessors, and which cannot be got rid of at pleasure?] what þing is þanne þilke power þat þouȝ men han it þat þei ben agast. ¶ {and} whan þou woldest han it þou nart nat siker. ¶ And 2108 yif þou woldest forleten it þou mayst nat eschewen it. [Sidenote: No advantage is to be gained by friendship based on prosperity instead of virtue.] ¶ But wheþir swiche men ben frendes at nede as ben conseiled by fortune {and} nat by vertue. [Sidenote: Adversity will turn this sort of friendship into enmity. And what greater plague can there be than the enmity of thy familiar friend?] Certys swiche folk as weleful fortune makeþ frendes. contrarious fortune [[pg 77]] makeþ hem enmyse. ¶ And what pestilence is 2113 more myȝty forto anoye a wiȝt þan a familier enemy. [Linenotes: 2077 _had[de]_--hadde 2078 _shewid[e]_--shewede 2079 _realmes_--Reaumes _swerde_--swerd _heng_--MS. henge, C. heng 2081 _besines_--bysynesse 2083 _ȝit_--yif _glorifien_--gloryfye 2084 _þilk[e]_--thylke 2087 _haþ_--MS. haþe _environed_--enuyrownede 2088 [_hem_]--from C. 2089 _þen_--than 2091 [_or_]--from C. 2092 _realmes_--Reames 2093 _feblenesse_--feblesse 2094 _real_--Ryal 2095 [_ofte_]--from C. _constreined[e]_--co{n}streynede 2096 _his_ (1)--hyr _seneca_--Senek 2097 _comaundid[e]_--comau{n}dede 2098 _her_--hyr 2099 _whiche_--which _had[de] ben long_--þ{a}t hadde ben longe 2100 _courte_--court _wolde_--wolden 2101 [_two_]--from C. _enforced[e]_--enforcede 2102 _ȝiuen_--yeuen _his_--hyse 2104 _weyȝt_--weyhte 2105 _sholden_--sholen 2106 _myȝt[e]_--myhte] [Headnote: GLORY IS DECEPTIVE.] QUI SE UALET[5] ESSE POTENTEM. [Footnote 5: Read _uolet_] [Sidenote: [The 5^the Met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: He who would obtain sovereign power must obtain conquest over himself, and not yield to his passions.] ++Who so wolde ben myȝty he mot dau{n}ten hys cruel corage. ne put[te] nat his nekke ouercomen vndir 2116 þe foule reines of lecherie. [Sidenote: Though your dominion extended from India to Thule, yet if thou art tormented by care thou hast no real power.]