[Sidenote: [the secu{n}de met{ur}.]]
[Sidenote: Though Plenty, from her teeming horn, poured down as
many riches on the world as there are sands on the sea-shore, or
stars in heaven, mankind would not cease to complain.]
++ÞOuȝ plentee þat is goddesse of rycches hielde adou{n}
wiþ ful horn. {and} wiþdraweþ nat hir hand. ¶ As 900
many recches as þe see turneþ vpwardes sandes whan it
is moeued wiþ rauysshing blastes. or ellys as many [[pg 36]]
rycches as þer shynen bryȝt[e] sterres on heuene on þe
sterry nyȝt. Ȝit for al þat mankynde nolde not cesce to 904
wope wrecched[e] pleyntes.
[Sidenote: Though Heaven may grant every desire, they will still
cry for more.]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 10.]]
¶ And al be it so *þat
god receyueþ gladly her p{ra}yers {and} ȝeueþ hem as ful
large muche golde {and} app{ar}aileþ coueytous folk wiþ
noble or clere hono{ur}s. ȝit semeþ hem haue I-gete noþing. 908
but alwey her cruel ravyne deuourynge al þat þei
han geten shewiþ oþer gapinges. þat is to seye gapen
{and} desiren ȝit after moo rycchesse.
[Sidenote: What rein can restrain unbounded avarice?]
¶ What brideles
myȝten wiþholde to any certeyne ende þe desordene 912
coueitise of men ¶ Whan euere þe raþer þ{a}t it fletiþ in
large ȝiftis: þe more ay brenneþ in hem þe þrest of
hauyng.
[Sidenote: He who thinks himself poor, though he be rich, doth
truly labour under poverty.]
¶ Certis he þat quakyng {and} dredeful weneþ
hym seluen nedy. he ne lyueþ neu{er}e mo ryche. 916
[Linenotes:
899 _rycches_--rychesses
901 _recches_--rychesses
_vpwardes_--vpward
902 _rauysshing_--rauyssynge
903 _rycches_--rychesses
_bryȝt[e]_--bryhte
_on_ (1)--in
904 _nyȝt_--nyhtes
905 _wope wrecched[e]_--wepe wrecchede
906 _her_--hir
_ful_--fool
907 _muche_--meche
_folk_--men
908 _haue_--hauen
_I-gete_--I-getyn
909 _her_--hir
910 _seye_--seyn
911 _rycchesse_--rychesses
912 _wiþholde_--wytholden
_certeyne_--certeyn
914 _þrest_--thurst
915 _dredeful_--dredful
916 _lyueþ_--leueth]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS IS NOT UNHAPPY.]