And he it schal of yifte have; 330 And over that ek forth withal He seith that other have schal The double of that his felaw axeth; And thus to hem his grace he taxeth. The coveitous was wonder glad, And to that other man he bad [Sidenote: =P. i. 171=] And seith that he ferst axe scholde: For he supposeth that he wolde Make his axinge of worldes good; For thanne he knew wel how it stod, 340 That he himself be double weyhte Schal after take, and thus be sleyhte, Be cause that he wolde winne, He bad his fela ferst beginne. This Envious, thogh it be late, Whan that he syh he mot algate.[563] Make his axinge ferst, he thoghte, If he worschipe or profit soghte, It schal be doubled to his fiere: That wolde he chese in no manere. 350 Bot thanne he scheweth what he was Toward Envie, and in this cas[564] Unto this Angel thus he seide And for his yifte this he preide,[565] To make him blind of his on yhe, So that his fela nothing syhe. This word was noght so sone spoke, That his on yhe anon was loke, And his felawh forthwith also Was blind of bothe his yhen tuo. 360 Tho was that other glad ynowh, That on wepte, and that other lowh, He sette his on yhe at no cost, Wherof that other two hath lost. Of thilke ensample which fell tho,[566] Men tellen now fulofte so, [Sidenote: =P. i. 172=] The world empeireth comunly: And yit wot non the cause why; For it acordeth noght to kinde Min oghne harm to seche and finde 370 Of that I schal my brother grieve; It myhte nevere wel achieve. [Sidenote: Confessor.] What seist thou, Sone, of this folie? [Sidenote: Amans.] Mi fader, bot I scholde lie, Upon the point which ye have seid Yit was myn herte nevere leid, Bot in the wise as I you tolde.[567] Bot overmore, if that ye wolde[568] Oght elles to my schrifte seie Touchende Envie, I wolde preie. 380 [Sidenote: Confessor.] Mi Sone, that schal wel be do: Now herkne and ley thin Ere to. [Sidenote: [iii. DETRACTION.]] iii. _Inuidie pars est detraccio pessima, pestem_ _Que magis infamem flatibus oris agit._[569] _Lingua venenato sermone repercutit auras,_ _Sic ut in alterius scandala fama volat._ _Morsibus a tergo quos inficit ipsa fideles,_ _Vulneris ignoti sepe salute carent._ _Set generosus amor linguam conseruat, vt eius_ _Verbum quod loquitur nulla sinistra gerat._