[Sidenote: _P._ Every man is in need of what he desires.]
for soþe q{uod} she þan nediþ þer
somwhat þat euery man desireþ.
[Sidenote: _B._ Certainly he is.]
ȝe þer nediþ q{uod} I.
[Sidenote: _P._ If a man lack anything can he be supremely happy?]
¶ Certis q{uod} she {and} he þat haþ lakke or nede of a
wyȝt nis nat in euery way suffisaunt to hym self. 1920
[Sidenote: _B._ No.]
no q{uod} .I.
[Sidenote: _P._ Did you not in your abundance want for somewhat?]
{and} þou q{uo}d she in alle þe plente of þi
rycchesse haddest þilke lak of suffisaunce.
[Sidenote: _B._ What then if I did?]
¶ what
ellis q{uod} .I.
[Sidenote: _P._ It follows that riches cannot put a man beyond all
want, although this was what they seemed to promise.]
¶ þanne may nat rycchesse maken þat a
man nis nedy. ne þat he be suffisaunt to hym self. {and} 1924
þat was it þ{a}t þei byhyȝten as it semeþ.
[Sidenote: Money may part company with its owner, however
unwilling he may be to lose it.]
¶ and eke
certys I trowe þat þis be gretly to consydere þat moneye
ne haþ nat in hys owen kynde þat it ne may ben by-nomen
of hem þat han it maugre hem.
[Sidenote: _B._ I confess that’s true.]
¶ I by-knowe 1928
it wel q{uod} I
[Sidenote: _P._ It ought to be confessed when every day we see
_might_ prevailing over _right_.]
¶ whi sholdest þou nat by-knowen it
q{uod} she. whan euery day þe strenger folke by-nymen
it fram þe febler maugre hem.
[Sidenote: From whence springs so much litigation, but from this,
that men seek to recover their own of which they have been
unjustly deprived?]
¶ Fro whennes comen
ellys alle þise foreine compleintes or quereles of 1932
plety{n}g{us}. ¶ But for þat men axen aȝeine her moneye
þat haþ be by-nomen hem by force or by gyle. {and}
alwey maugre hem.
[Sidenote: _B._ Nothing is more true.]
¶ Ryȝt so it is q{uod} I.
[Sidenote: _P._ Then a man needs the assistance of others in order
to keep his riches.]
þan q{uo}d
she haþ a man nede to seke{n} hym foreyne helpe by 1936
whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may say nay q{uod} .I.
[Linenotes:
1913 _þat----lakkedest_--And was nat þ{a}t q{uod} she for
þ{a}t the lacked som-what
1915 _had_--MS. hadde, C. had
1917 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
1919 _haþ_--MS. haþe
_a wyȝt_--awht
1921 _alle_--al
1922 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_lak_--lakke
1923 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1927 _haþ_--MS. haþe
_owen_--owne
1930 _strenger folke by-nymen_--strenger{e} folk by-nemyn
1931 _fram_--fro
_febler_--febeler{e}
_Fro_--for
1933 _aȝeine_--ayeyn
1934 _haþ_--MS. haþe
_be_--ben
1936 _haþ_--MS. haþe
_helpe_--help
1937 _say_--sey]
[[pg 71]]
[Headnote:
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES.]
[Sidenote: If he had no money to lose he would not stand in need
of this help?]
¶ Certis q{uod} she {and} hym nediþ no helpe
yif he ne hadde no moneye þat he myȝt[e] leese.
[Sidenote: _B._ That is beyond all doubt.]
¶ þat
is doutles q{uod} .I.
[Sidenote: _P._ Then the very reverse of what was expected (from
riches) takes place? For riches add to a man’s necessities.]
þanne is þis þi{n}g turned in to þe contrarie 1940
q{uod} she ¶ For rycchesse þat men wenen sholde
make suffisau{n}ce. þei maken a man raþer han nede of
foreine helpe.
[Sidenote: Tell me how do riches drive away necessity? Are not
rich men liable to hunger, thirst, and cold?]
¶ whiche is þe manere or þe gise q{uod}
she þat rycches may dryuen awey nede. ¶ Riche folk 1944
may þei neiþer han hungre ne þrest. þise ryche men
may þei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter.
[Sidenote: You will say that the rich have wherewithal to satisfy
these wants.]
¶ But
þou wilt answere þat ryche men han y-nouȝ wher wiþ
þei may staunchen her hunger. {and} slaken her þrest 1948
{and} don awey colde.
[Sidenote: By riches indigence may be alleviated, but they cannot
satisfy every want.]
¶ In þis wise may nede be co{n}forted
by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may nat al
out{er}ly be don awey.
[Sidenote: Even if gaping and greedy necessity be filled with
riches, yet some cravings will remain.]
for þouȝ þis nede þat is alwey
gapyng {and} gredy be fulfilled wiþ rycchesses. {and} axe 1952
any þing ȝit dwelleþ þanne a nede þat myȝt[e] ben fulfilled.
[Sidenote: A little suffices for nature, but avarice never has
enough.]
¶ I holde me stille {and} telle nat how þat litel
þing suffiseþ to nature. but certys to auarice ynouȝ ne
suffiseþ no þinge.
[Sidenote: If riches, then, add to our wants, why should you think
that they can supply all your necessities?]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 17.]]
*¶ For syn þat rychesse ne may nat 1956
al don awey nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may
it þanne be þat ȝe wenen þat rychesses mowen ȝeue{n}
ȝow suffisau{n}ce.
[Linenotes:
1938 _nediþ no helpe_--nedede non help
1939 _myȝt[e]_--myhte
1940 _doutles_--dowteles
1941 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1943 _helpe_--help
_whiche_--whych
1944 _rycches_--Rychesse
_dryuen_--dryue
1945 _hungre_--hungyr
_þrest_--thurst
1946 _þei_--the
_colde_--coold
_in_--on
1947 _wilt answere_--wolt Answeren
_y-nouȝ_--y-now
1948 _þrest_--thurst
1949 _colde_--coold
1950 _nat_--omitted
1951 _outerly_--vtrely
1953 _myȝt[e] ben_--myhte be
1957 _rychesse_--Rychesses]