I finde write of Babio; Which hadde a love at his menage, Ther was non fairere of hire age, 4810 And hihte Viola be name; Which full of youthe and ful of game Was of hirself, and large and fre, Bot such an other chinche as he Men wisten noght in al the lond, And hadde affaited to his hond His servant, the which Spodius Was hote. And in this wise thus The worldes good of sufficance Was had, bot likinge and plesance, 4820 Of that belongeth to richesse Of love, stod in gret destresse; So that this yonge lusty wyht Of thing which fell to loves riht Was evele served overal, That sche was wo bego withal, Til that Cupide and Venus eke A medicine for the seke Ordeigne wolden in this cas. So as fortune thanne was, 4830 Of love upon the destine It fell, riht as it scholde be, A freissh, a fre, a frendly man That noght of Avarice can, Which Croceus be name hihte, Toward this swete caste his sihte, And ther sche was cam in presence. Sche sih him large of his despence, And amorous and glad of chiere, So that hir liketh wel to hiere 4840 The goodly wordes whiche he seide; And therupon of love he preide, Of love was al that he mente, To love and for sche scholde assente, He yaf hire yiftes evere among. Bot for men sein that mede is strong, It was wel seene at thilke tyde; For as it scholde of ryht betyde, This Viola largesce hath take And the nygard sche hath forsake: 4850 Of Babio sche wol no more, For he was grucchende everemore, Ther was with him non other fare Bot forto prinche and forto spare, Of worldes muk to gete encress. So goth the wrecche loveles, Bejaped for his Skarcete, And he that large was and fre And sette his herte to despende, This Croceus, the bowe bende, 4860 Which Venus tok him forto holde, And schotte als ofte as evere he wolde. Lo, thus departeth love his lawe, That what man wol noght be felawe To yive and spende, as I thee telle, He is noght worthi forto duelle In loves court to be relieved. Forthi, my Sone, if I be lieved, Thou schalt be large of thi despence. Mi fader, in mi conscience 4870 If ther be eny thing amis, I wol amende it after this, Toward mi love namely. Mi Sone, wel and redely Thou seist, so that wel paid withal I am, and forthere if I schal Unto thi schrifte specefie Of Avarices progenie What vice suieth after this, Thou schalt have wonder hou it is, 4880 Among the folk in eny regne That such a vice myhte regne, Which is comun at alle assaies, As men mai finde nou adaies.