Upon the bench sittende on hih With Avarice Usure I sih, [Sidenote: Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie, que Vsura dicitur, cuius creditor in pecunia tantum numerata plusquam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri adauget.] Full clothed of his oghne suite, Which after gold makth chace and suite With his brocours, that renne aboute Lich unto racches in a route. Such lucre is non above grounde, Which is noght of tho racches founde; 4390 For wher thei se beyete sterte,[247] That schal hem in no wise asterte, Bot thei it dryve into the net Of lucre, which Usure hath set. Usure with the riche duelleth, To al that evere he beith and selleth[248] He hath ordeined of his sleyhte Mesure double and double weyhte: Outward he selleth be the lasse, And with the more he makth his tasse, 4400 Wherof his hous is full withinne. He reccheth noght, be so he winne,[249] Though that ther lese ten or tuelve: His love is al toward himselve And to non other, bot he se That he mai winne suche thre; [Sidenote: =P. ii. 275=] For wher he schal oght yive or lene, He wol ayeinward take a bene, Ther he hath lent the smale pese. And riht so ther ben manye of these 4410 Lovers, that thogh thei love a lyte,[250] That scarsly wolde it weie a myte, Yit wolde thei have a pound again,[251] As doth Usure in his bargain. Bot certes such usure unliche It falleth more unto the riche, Als wel of love as of beyete, Than unto hem that be noght grete, And, as who seith, ben simple and povere; For sielden is whan thei recovere, 4420 Bot if it be thurgh gret decerte. And natheles men se poverte With porsuite and continuance[252] Fulofte make a gret chevance And take of love his avantage,[253] Forth with the help of his brocage, That maken seme wher is noght.[254] And thus fulofte is love boght For litel what, and mochel take, With false weyhtes that thei make. 4430 [Sidenote: Confessor.] Nou, Sone, of that I seide above Thou wost what Usure is of love: Tell me forthi what so thou wilt, If thou therof hast eny gilt. [Sidenote: Amans.] Mi fader, nay, for ought I hiere. For of tho pointz ye tolden hiere [Sidenote: =P. ii. 276=] I wol you be mi trouthe assure, Mi weyhte of love and mi mesure Hath be mor large and mor certein Than evere I tok of love ayein: 4440 For so yit couthe I nevere of sleyhte, To take ayein be double weyhte Of love mor than I have yive. For als so wiss mot I be schrive And have remission of Sinne, As so yit couthe I nevere winne, Ne yit so mochel, soth to sein,