gouerned wiþ no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by flityng errour folyly {and} lyȝtly. ¶ And if þei somtyme maky{n}g an ost aȝeynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure leder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse i{n} to hys toure. {and} þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels vnp{ro}fitable forto taken. but we þat ben heyȝ abouen syker fro al tumulte {and} wode noise. ben stored {and} enclosed in syche a palays. whider as þat chateryng or anoying folye ne may not attayne. ¶ We scorne swiche rauiners {and} honters of foulest[e] þinges. QUISQ{UI}S COMPOSITO. [Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}.]] ++Who so it be þat is clere of vertue sad {and} wel ordinat of lyuyng. þat haþ put vnderfote þe prowed[e] wierdes {and} lokiþ vpryȝt vpon eyþer fortune. he may holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. ¶ Þe rage ne þe manace of þe co{m}moeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro þe botme. ne schal not moeue þat man. ne þe vnstable mountaigne þat hyȝt veseuus. þat wircheþ oute þoruȝ hys broken[e] chemineys smokyng fires. ¶ Ne þe wey of þonder lyȝt þat is wont to smyte heyȝe toures ne schal not mouene þat man. ¶ Wherto þen wrecches drede ȝe tyrauntes þat ben wode {and} felownes wiþ-outen ony strenkeþ. ¶ Hope after no þing ne drede nat. {and} so schalt þou desarmen þe ire of þilke vnmyȝty tyraunt. ¶ But who so þat quakyng dredeþ or desireþ þing þat nis not stable of his ryȝt. þat man þat so doþ haþ cast awey hys schelde {and} is remoeued fro hys place. {and} enlaceþ hym i{n} þe cheyne wiþ whiche he may be drawen. SENTIS NE INQUIT. [Sidenote: [The verthe p{ro}se.]] ++FElest þou q{uod} sche þise þinges {and} entren þei ouȝt in þi corage. ¶ Art þou like an asse to þe harpe. Whi wepest þou whi spillest þou teres. ¶ Yif þou abidest after helpe of þi leche. þe byhoueþ discouere þi wounde. ¶ Þo .I. þat hadde gadered strenkeþ in my corage answered[e] {and} seide. {and} nedeþ it ȝitte q{uod} .I. of rehersyng or of amonic{i}ou{n}. {and} scheweþ it not ynouȝ by hym self þe scharpnes of fortune þat wexeþ woode aȝeynes me. ¶ Ne moeueþ it nat þe to seen þe face or þe man{er}e of þis place (.i. p{r}isou{n}.). ¶ Is þis þe librarie wyche þat þou haddest chosen for a ryȝt certeyne sege to þe i{n} myne house. ¶ Þere as þou desputest of[te] wiþ me of þe sciences of þinges touching diuinitee {and} touchyng mankynde. ¶ Was þan myn habit swiche as it is now. was þan my face or my chere swiche as now. [Interlinear: quasi d{ice}ret non.] ¶ Whan I souȝt[e] wiþ þe secretys of nature. whan þou enfo{ur}medest my maners {and} þe resou{n} of al my lijf. to þe ensaumple of þe ordre of heuene. [Interlinear: ironice]