Lernedest nat þou 888 in grek whan þou were ȝonge þat in þe entre or in þe seler of Iuppiter þer ben couched two tunnes. þat on is ful of good þat oþer is ful of harme. [Sidenote: What if you have drunk too deep of the first vessel?] ¶ What ryȝt hast þou to pleyne. yif þou hast taken more plenteuously 892 of þe goode syde þat is to seyne of my rycchesse {and} p{ro}sp{er}ites. {and} what eke. yif I be nat departed fro þe. [Sidenote: My mutability gives thee hope of happier days.] What eke. yif my mutabilitee ȝiueþ þe ryȝtful cause of hope to han ȝit better þi{n}ges. [Sidenote: Desire not to be exempted from the vicissitudes of humanity.] ¶ Naþeles desmaie þe 896 nat in þi þouȝt. and þ{o}u þat art put in comune realme of alle: ne desijr[e] nat to lyue by þine oonly p{ro}pre ryȝt. [Linenotes: 874 _worþe_--worth _wilt_--wolt 876 _doun_--adou{n} _whanne_--wan _pleye_--pley _Wost þou_--wistesthow 877 _kyng_ (1)--the kyng _lyndens_--lydyens 878 _byforne_--byforn 880 _reyne descended[e]_--rayn dessendede _from_--fro 881 _rescowed[e]_--rescowede 882 _take_--takyn 885 _an_--a 886 _þe_--omitted 887 _seyne_--seyn 890 _tunnes_--tonnes 891 _harme_--harm 892 _hast þou_--hasthow 893 _seyne_--seyn _rycchesse_--rychesses 894 _I be nat_--I ne be nat al 896 _better_--beter{e} 898 _lyue_--lyuen _þine_--thin] [Headnote: THE COVETOUS ARE EVER DISCONTENTED.] SI Q{UA}NTAS RAPIDIS. [Sidenote: [the secu{n}de met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: Though Plenty, from her teeming horn, poured down as many riches on the world as there are sands on the sea-shore, or stars in heaven, mankind would not cease to complain.] ++ÞOuȝ plentee þat is goddesse of rycches hielde adou{n} wiþ ful horn. {and} wiþdraweþ nat hir hand. ¶ As 900 many recches as þe see turneþ vpwardes sandes whan it is moeued wiþ rauysshing blastes. or ellys as many [[pg 36]] rycches as þer shynen bryȝt[e] sterres on heuene on þe sterry nyȝt. Ȝit for al þat mankynde nolde not cesce to 904 wope wrecched[e] pleyntes. [Sidenote: Though Heaven may grant every desire, they will still cry for more.] [Sidenote: [* fol. 10.]] ¶ And al be it so *þat god receyueþ gladly her p{ra}yers {and} ȝeueþ hem as ful large muche golde {and} app{ar}aileþ coueytous folk wiþ noble or clere hono{ur}s. ȝit semeþ hem haue I-gete noþing. 908 but alwey her cruel ravyne deuourynge al þat þei han geten shewiþ oþer gapinges. þat is to seye gapen {and} desiren ȝit after moo rycchesse. [Sidenote: What rein can restrain unbounded avarice?]