¶ But naþeles þ{a}t þou shalt not wilne to leten þi self a wrecche. ¶ Hast þou forȝeten þe nou{m}bre {and} þe 936 manere of þi welefulnesse. [Sidenote: I shall not speak of your happiness in being provided for (in your orphanage) by the chief men of the city; nor of your noble alliance with Festus and Symmachus;] I holde me stille how þat þe souerayn men of þe Citee toke{n} þe in cure {and} kepynge whan þou were orphelyn of fadir {and} modir. {and} were chosen i{n} affinite of p{r}inces of þe Citee. 940 ¶ And þou bygu{n}ne raþer to ben leef {and} deere þan forto ben a neyȝbo{ur}. þe whiche þing is þe most p{re}ciouse kynde of any p{ro}pinquitee or aliau{n}ce þat may ben. ¶ Who is it þat ne seide þou nere ryȝt weleful 944 wiþ so grete a nobley of þi fadres in lawe. [Sidenote: nor of your virtuous wife, and manly sons.] ¶ {And} wiþ þe chastite of þi wijf. {and} wiþ þe oportunite {and} noblesse of þi masculyn children. þat is to seyne þi sones {and} ou{er} al þis me lyst to passe of comune þinges. 948 ¶ How þou haddest in þi þouȝt dignitees þat weren warned to olde men. but it deliteþ me to comen now to þe singuler vphepyng of þi welefulnesse. ¶ Yif any fruyt of mortal þinges may han any weyȝte or price of 952 welefulnesse. [Sidenote: Can you ever forget the memorable day that saw your two sons invested with the dignity of Consuls?] ¶ Myȝtest þou euere forȝeten for any charge of harme þat myȝt[e] byfallen. þe remembrau{n}ce of þilke day þat þou sey[e] þi two sones maked conseillers. {and} ylad to gidre from þin house vndir so gret 956 assemble of senatours. {and} vndir þe blyþenesse of poeple. {and} whan þou say[e] hem sette in þe court in her chaieres of dignites. ¶ Þou rethorien or p{ro}nou{n}cere [[pg 38]] of kynges p{re}ysinges. deseruedest glorie of wit {and} of 960 eloquence. [Sidenote: When in the circus you satisfied the expectant multitude with a triumphal largess?] whan þou sittyng bytwix þi two sones conseillers in þe place þat hyȝt Circo. {and} fulfildest þe abydyng of multitude of poeple þat was sprad about þe wiþ large p{ra}ysynge {and} laude as me{n} syngen in victories. 964 [Sidenote: By your expressions you flattered Fortune, and obtained from her a gift which never before fell to any private person.] þo ȝaue þou wordes of fortune as I trowe. þat is to seyne. þo feffedest þou fortune wiþ glosynge wordes {and} desseiuedest hir. whan she accoied[e] þe {and} norsshed[e] þe as hir owen delices. ¶ Þou hast 968 had of fortune a ȝifte þat is to seyn swiche gerdou{n} þat she neu[er]e ȝaf to p{re}ue man [Sidenote: Will you therefore call Fortune to account?] ¶ Wilt þou þerfore leye a rekenyng wiþ fortune.