*QUI SERERE I{N}GENIUM. [Sidenote: [The fyrst met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: He who would sow seed must first clear the ground of useless weeds, so that he may reap an abundant harvest.] ¶ Who so wil sowe a felde plentiuous. lat hym first delyuer it of þornes {and} kerue asondre wiþ his hooke 1740 þe bushes {and} þe ferne so þat þe corne may come{n} heuy of eres {and} of greins. [Sidenote: Honey tastes all the sweeter to a palate disgusted by offensive flavours.] hony is þe more swete yif mouþes han firste tastid sauoures þ{a}t ben wikke. [Sidenote: The stars shine all the clearer when the southern showery blasts cease to blow.] ¶ þe sterres shynen more agreably whan þe wynde Nothus letiþ his 1744 ploungy blastes. [Sidenote: When Lucifer has chased away the dark night, then Phœbus mounts his gay chariot.] {and} aftir þat lucifer þe day sterre haþ chased awey þe derke nyȝt. þe day þe feir{e}r lediþ þe rosene horse of þe sonne. [Sidenote: So you, beholding the false felicity, and withdrawing your neck from the yoke of earthly affections, will soon see the sovereign good.] ¶ Ryȝt so þou byholdyng first þe fals[e] goodes. bygynne to wiþdrawe þi nek[ke] 1748 fro þe ȝok of erþely affecc{i}ou{n}s. {and} afterwarde þe verrey goodes sholle{n} entre i{n} to þi corage. [Linenotes: 1740 _delyuer_--delyuere _of_--fro _hooke_--hook 1741 _bushes_--bosses _ferne_--fern _corne_--korn 1743 _firste_--fyrst _wikke_--wyckyd 1744 _wynde_--wynd _his_--hise 1745 _haþ_--MS. haþe 1746 _feirer_--fayrere 1747 _horse_--hors _Ryȝt_--And Ryht 1748 _fals[e]_--false _bygynne_--bygyn _wiþdrawe_--w{i}t{h} drawen _nek[ke]_--nekke 1749 _afterwarde_--afft{er}ward 1750 _entre_--entren] [Headnote: THE DESIRE OF THE TRUE GOOD.] TUNC DEFIXO PAULULU{M}. [Sidenote: [The 2^de p{ro}se.]] [Sidenote: Philosophy, with a serious air, and appearing to recollect herself, and to rouse up all her faculties, thus began.] ++ÞO fastned[e] she a lytel þe syȝt of hir eyen {and} wiþdrow hir ryȝt as it were in to þe streite sete of hir 1752 þouȝt. {and} bygan to speke ryȝt þ{us}. [Sidenote: All the cares and desires of men seek one end--happiness.] Alle þe cures q{uo}d she of mortal folk whiche þat trauaylen hem i{n} many manere studies gon certys by diu{er}se weies. [Sidenote: [* fol. 15 _b_.]] ¶ But naþeles þei enforced hem *to comen oonly to on 1756 ende of blisfulnesse [[pg 65]] [Sidenote: True happiness is that complete good which, once obtained, leaves nothing more to be desired.]