Be these ensamples here above, 2190 Lo, now, mi Sone, as I have told, Thou miht wel se, who that is bold And dar travaile and undertake The cause of love, he schal be take The rathere unto loves grace; For comunliche in worthi place The wommen loven worthinesse Of manhode and of gentilesse, For the gentils ben most desired. Mi fader, bot I were enspired 2200 Thurgh lore of you, I wot no weie What gentilesce is forto seie, Wherof to telle I you beseche. The ground, Mi Sone, forto seche Upon this diffinicion, The worldes constitucion Hath set the name of gentilesse Upon the fortune of richesse Which of long time is falle in age. Thanne is a man of hih lignage 2210 After the forme, as thou miht hiere, Bot nothing after the matiere. For who that resoun understonde, Upon richesse it mai noght stonde, For that is thing which faileth ofte: For he that stant to day alofte And al the world hath in hise wones, Tomorwe he falleth al at ones Out of richesse into poverte, So that therof is no decerte, 2220 Which gentilesce makth abide. And forto loke on other side Hou that a gentil man is bore, Adam, which alle was tofore With Eve his wif, as of hem tuo, Al was aliche gentil tho; So that of generacion To make declaracion, Ther mai no gentilesce be. For to the reson if we se, 2230 Of mannes berthe the mesure, It is so comun to nature, That it yifth every man aliche, Als wel to povere as to the riche; For naked thei ben bore bothe, The lord nomore hath forto clothe As of himself that ilke throwe, Than hath the povereste of the rowe. And whan thei schulle both passe, I not of hem which hath the lasse 2240 Of worldes good, bot as of charge The lord is more forto charge, Whan god schal his accompte hiere, For he hath had hise lustes hiere. Bot of the bodi, which schal deie, Althogh ther be diverse weie To deth, yit is ther bot on ende, To which that every man schal wende, Als wel the beggere as the lord, Of o nature, of on acord: 2250 Sche which oure Eldemoder is, The Erthe, bothe that and this Receiveth and alich devoureth, That sche to nouther part favoureth. So wot I nothing after kinde Where I mai gentilesse finde.