'O good lady!' quod I than, 'see now how, seven yere passed and more, have I graffed and +grobbed a vyne; and with al the wayes that I coude I sought to a fed me of the grape; but frute have I non founde. Also I have this seven yere served Laban, to a wedded Rachel his doughter; but blere-eyed Lya is brought to 95 my bedde, which alway engendreth my tene, and is ful of children in tribulacion and in care. And although the clippinges and kissinges of Rachel shulde seme to me swete, yet is she so barayne that gladnesse ne joye by no way wol springe; so that I may wepe with Rachel. I may not ben counsayled with solace, 100 sithen issue of myn hertely desyre is fayled. Now than I pray that to me [come] sone fredom and grace in this eight[eth] yere; this eighteth mowe to me bothe be kinrest and masseday, after the seven werkedays of travayle, to folowe the Christen lawe; and, what ever ye do els, that thilke Margaryte be holden so, lady, in 105 your privy chambre, that she in this case to none other person be committed.' 'Loke than,' quod she, 'thou persever in my service, in whiche I have thee grounded; that thilke scorn in thyn enemyes mowe this on thy person be not sothed: "lo! this man began to edefye, 110 but, for his foundement is bad, to the ende may he it not bringe." For mekenesse in countenaunce, with a manly hert in dedes and in longe continuaunce, is the conisance of my livery to al my retinue delivered. What wenest thou, that me list avaunce suche persons as loven the first sittinges at feestes, the highest stoles 115 in churches and in hal, loutinges of peoples in markettes and fayres; unstedfaste to byde in one place any whyle togider; wening his owne wit more excellent than other; scorning al maner devyse but his own? Nay, nay, god wot, these shul nothing parten of my blisse. Truly, my maner here-toforn hath ben [to] worship[pe] 120 with my blisse lyons in the felde and lambes in chambre; egles at assaute and maydens in halle; foxes in counsayle, stil[le] in their dedes; and their proteccioun is graunted, redy to ben a bridge; and their baner is arered, like wolves in the felde. Thus, by these wayes, shul men ben avaunced; ensample of 125 David, that from keping of shepe was drawen up in-to the order of kingly governaunce; and Jupiter, from a bole, to ben Europes fere; and Julius Cesar, from the lowest degrè in Rome, to be mayster of al erthly princes; and Eneas from hel, to be king of the countrè there Rome is now stonding. And so to thee I say; 130 thy grace, by bering ther-after, may sette thee in suche plight, that no jangling may greve the leest tucke of thy hemmes; that [suche] are their +jangles, is nought to counte at a cresse in thy disavauntage. CH. V. 1. one. 2. maner; _read_ maneres. purpose. 3. nowe. the. 4. proued. 6. howe. 9. suertie. 15. so; _read_ to. 17. lyueng.