<< In clothing was he ful fetys, And lovede wel have hors of prys. He wende to have reproved be 1135 Of thefte or mordre, if that he Hadde in his stable an hakeney. And therfore he desyred ay To been aqueynted with Richesse; For al his purpos, as I gesse, 1140 Was for to make greet dispense, Withoute werning or defence. And Richesse mighte it wel sustene, And hir dispenses wel mayntene, And him alwey swich plentee sende 1145 Of gold and silver for to spende Withoute lakking or daungere, As it were poured in a garnere. And after on the daunce wente LARGESSE. LARGESSE, that sette al hir entente 1150 For to be honourable and free; Of Alexandres kin was she; Hir moste Ioye was, y-wis, Whan that she yaf, and seide, 'have this.' Not Avarice, the foule caytyf, 1155 Was half to grype so ententyf, >> Maintenir moult se délitoit. Cis se chauçoit bien et vestoit, 1120 Si avoit les chevaus de pris; Cis cuidast bien estre repris Ou de murtre, ou de larrecin, S'en s'estable éust ung roucin. Por ce amoit-il moult l'acointance De Richece et la bien-voillance, Qu'il avoit tous jors en porpens De demener les grans despens, Et el les pooit bien soffrir, Et tous ses despens maintenir; 1130 El li donnoit autant deniers Cum s'el les puisast en greniers. Après refu Largece assise, Qui fu bien duite et bien aprise De faire honor, et de despendre: El fu du linage Alexandre; Si n'avoit-el joie de rien Cum quant el pooit dire, 'tien.' Neis Avarice la chétive N'ert pas si à prendre ententive 1140 << As Largesse is to yeve and spende. And god y-nough alwey hir sende, So that the more she yaf awey, The more, y-wis, she hadde alwey. 1160 Gret loos hath Largesse, and gret prys; For bothe wys folk and unwys Were hoolly to hir baundon brought, So wel with yiftes hath she wrought. And if she hadde an enemy, 1165 I trowe, that she coude craftily Make him ful sone hir freend to be, So large of yift and free was she; Therfore she stood in love and grace Of riche and povre in every place. 1170 A ful gret fool is he, y-wis, That bothe riche and nigard is. A lord may have no maner vice That greveth more than avarice. For nigard never with strengthe of hond 1175 May winne him greet lordship or lond. For freendes al to fewe hath he To doon his wil perfourmed be. And who-so wol have freendes here, He may not holde his tresour dere. 1180 For by ensample I telle this, Right as an adamaunt, y-wis,