Be the streynth of Babilonie, wherein men shuld not trost, it is to vndirstonde that the good sperite shulde not trust ne attende to thynges that the worlde promysith; and Seynt Austyn spekith therof in the booke of Syngularite of Clerkes,[533] that it is to lewde a trust[534] to name his lyffe to be swre ayens the perell of this worlde. And it is a folych hope to wene to be saue among the byttynges[535] of synnys; yit the victorie incerteyne is as long as men be among the dartes of there enmyes and kepith theyme vnhurte,[536] but who so is envirouned with flawmes is not lyghtly delyuered withowtyn brennyng. Trost to hym that hath the experience; though the world lawith[537] on the, tryst it not, lete thi hoope be sette in God. Therefor seith the prophete Dauid, “Spera in Domino,” etc.[538] XC. Hector me must pronunce thi deth smerte. Wherefor grete sorwe bitteth my herte. That shall [be] whene that Priant the kyng [Thou] woldest not trost, which come the praying.[539] The day that Hector was sleyne in bataile Andromatha his [Sidenote: f. 68.] wiffe come to pray Kyng Priant with full grete compleyntes and wepynges that he wolde not that day suffre Hector to goo to bataile, for withowte dowte he shulde be sleyne yf he went thedir.[540] Mars, the god of bataile, and Minerve, the godesse of armes, hade veraly shewed it there in hir slepe,[541] where thei apperid to hir. Priant dide all that he myghte for he shulde not fyght that day, but Hector stale fro his fadir and stirte owte of the cete by a waye vndir the erthe and went to the bataile, where he was sleyne. And for because he neuer dishobehed his fadir but that day, [it] may be seide the day that he shulde dishabey his ffadir than shulde he die. And it may be vnderstond that noon shulde dishobey his souereyne ne his good ffrendes, when they awyse hym as in reson. And therfor Aristotil seide to Alexandir, “As long as thou trustist the cownsell of theyme that vsith wisdom and that loued the truly, thou salt reigne glorously.” Where she[542] seide to Hector that she most pronounce his name,[543] [it] is that the good sperite shulde haue contynell mynde on the owre of deth. Thereof seith Seynt Bernard[544] that in mankyndely thynges men fynde no thyng more certeyne þan deth, ne lesse incerteyne than is the owre of deth; for deth hath no mercy of pouerte and dothe no worshippe to reches; it sparith neythir wisedom, condicions ne age; men hath non othir certeyne of deth but that it is at the doores of aged men and it is in the mydwes[545] of yong men. To this purpose the wise man seith, [“Memor esto, quoniam mors non tardat”].[546] XCI. I purpose yet to make the sadde and wyse,[547] That thou vse in batailes ffor no gise Off thyne harneis discouered for to be, For thi deth than it will opyn to the.