[Linenotes: 1515 _seye_--seyn 1516 _streite_--streyt 1517 _þan_--thanne 1518 _inne_--in _leest[e]_--leste _þilk_--thilke _þenke ȝe_--thinken ye 1520 _born forþe_--MS. borne, C. born, forth _narwe_--narwh 1521 _streyt_--streyte _myche_--mochel 1522 _conteinþe_--coueyteth 1525 _habitacle_--MS. habitache, C. habytacule 1529 [_nat_]--from C. 1531 _last[e]_--laste 1532 _writeþ_--writ 1533 _hadde_--hadden _ȝitte_--omitted 1534 _hyȝt_--hyhte _þilk_--thikke 1535 _wexen_--waxen 1536 _Sest þou_--sestow 1538 _shew_--shewe 1539 _singlere_--singler] [Headnote: FAME IS NOT ETERNAL.] [Sidenote: It is not the interest of any man who desires renown to have his name spread through many countries.] ¶ and þer of comeþ þat þouȝ a man delite hy{m} in p{re}ysyng of his renou{n}. he ne may nat i{n} no wise [[pg 58]] bryngen furþe ne sprede{n} his name to many manere peoples. [Sidenote: He ought, therefore, to be satisfied with the glory he has acquired at home.] ¶ And þerfore euery man{er} man auȝte to ben 1548 paied of hys glorie þat is puplissed among hys owen neyȝbores. [Sidenote: But of how many personages, illustrious in their times, have the memorials been lost through the carelessness and neglect of writers.] ¶ And þilke noble renou{n} shal be restreyned wiþ-i{n}ne þe boundes of o maner folk but how many a man þat was ful noble in his tyme. haþ þe 1552 nedy {and} wrecched forȝetynge of writers put oute of mynde {and} don awey. [Sidenote: But writings do not preserve the names of men for ever.] ¶ Al be it so þat certys þilke writynges p{ro}fiten litel. þe whiche writy{n}ges longe {and} derke elde doþ aweye boþe he{m} {and} eke her auto{ur}s. 1556 [Sidenote: But perhaps you suppose that you shall secure immortality if your names are transmitted to future ages.] but ȝe men semen to geten ȝow a p{er}durablete whan ȝe þenke þat in tyme comyng ȝoure fame shal lasten. [Sidenote: If you consider the infinite space of eternity you will have no reason to rejoice in this supposition.] ¶ But naþeles yif þou wilt maken co{m}parisou{n} to þe endeles space of eternite what þing hast þou by whiche þou 1560 maist reioysen þe of lo{n}g lastyng of þi name. [Sidenote: If a _moment_ be compared with 10,000 years, there is a proportion between them, though a very small one.] ¶ For if þer were maked co{m}parysou{n} of þe abidyng of a mome{n}t to ten þousand wynter. for as myche as boþe þo spaces ben endid. ¶ For ȝit haþ þe moment some 1564 porciou{n} of hit al þouȝ it a litel be.