throw, mannes trust of selinesse in love: as in riches, suffisance to have maintayned that was begonne by worldly catel; in dignitè, honour and reverence of hem that wern underput by maistry 65 therby to obeye. In renomè, glorie of peoples praising, after lustes in their hert, without hede-taking to qualitè and maner of doing; and in power, by trouth of lordships mayntenaunce, thing to procede forth in doing. In al whiche thinges a longe tyme mannes coveytise in commune hath ben greetly grounded, to come 70 to the blisse of my service; but trewly, they were begyled, and for the principal muste nedes fayle, and in helping mowe nat availe. See why. For holdest him not poore that is nedy?' 'Yes, pardè,' quod I. 'And him for dishonored, that moche folk deyne nat to 75 reverence?' 'That is soth,' quod I. 'And what him, that his mightes faylen and mowe nat helpen?' 'Certes,' quod I, 'me semeth, of al men he shulde be holden a wrecche.' 80 'And wenest nat,' quod she, 'that he that is litel in renomè, but rather is out of the praysinges of mo men than a fewe, be nat in shame?' 'For soth,' quod I, 'it is shame and villany, to him that coveyteth renomè, that more folk nat prayse in name than preise.' 85 'Soth,' quod she, 'thou sayst soth; but al these thinges are folowed of suche maner doinge, and wenden in riches suffisaunce, in power might, in dignitè worship, and in renomè glorie; wherfore they discended in-to disceyvable wening, and in that service disceit is folowed. And thus, in general, thou and al suche other that so 90 worchen, faylen of my blisse that ye long han desyred. Wherfore truly, in lyfe of reson is the hye way to this blisse; as I thinke more openly to declare herafter. Never-the-later yet, in a litel to comforte thy herte, in shewing of what waye thou art entred *selfe, and that thy Margarite may knowe thee set in the hye way, 95 I wol enforme thee in this wyse. Thou hast fayled of thy first purpos, bicause thou wentest wronge and leftest the hye way on thy right syde, as thus: thou lokedest on worldly living, and that thing thee begyled; and lightly therfore, as a litel assay, thou songedest; but whan I turned thy purpos, and shewed thee 100 a part of the hye waye, tho thou abode therin, and no deth ne ferdnesse of non enemy might thee out of thilk way reve; but ever oon in thyn herte, to come to the ilke blisse, whan thou were arested and firste tyme enprisoned, thou were loth to chaunge thy way, for in thy hert thou wendest to have ben there 105 thou shuldest. And for I had routhe to sene thee miscaried, and wiste wel thyn ablenesse my service to forther and encrese, I com my-selfe, without other mene, to visit thy person in comfort of thy hert. And perdy, in my comming thou were greetly