[Sidenote: [The 3^de p{ro}se.]]
++CErtis also ȝe men þat ben erþelich{e} bestes dreme{n} alwey [yowre
bygynnynge] al þouȝ it be wiþ a þinne ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} by a maner
þouȝt al be it nat clerly ne p{er}fitly ȝe looken from a fer til þilk
verray fyn of blisfulnesse. and þerfore þe naturel entenc{i}ou{n} ledeþ
ȝow to þilk verray good ¶ But many manere errours misto{ur}niþ ȝow þer
fro. ¶ Considere now yif þat be þilke þinges by whiche a man weniþ to
gete hym blysfulnesse. yif þat he may comen to þilke ende þat he weneþ
to come by nature ¶ For yif þat moneye or hono{ur}s or þise oþer
forseide þinges bryngen to men swiche a þing þat no goode ne faille hem.
ne semeþ faille. ¶ Certys þan wil I graunt[e] þat þei ben maked blisful.
by þilke þinges þat þei han geten. ¶ but yif so be þat þilke þi{n}ges ne
mowe nat p{er}fo{ur}men þat þei by-heten {and} þat þer be defaute of
many goodes. ¶ Sheweþ it nat þan clerely þ{a}t fals beaute of
blisfulnesse is knowe {and} a-teint in þilke þinges. ¶ First {and}
forward þou þi self þat haddest haboundaunces of rycchesses nat long
agon. ¶ I axe ȝif þat in þe haboundaunce of alle þilk[e] rycchesses þou
were neuer anguissous or sory in þi corage of any wrong or greuau{n}ce
þat by-tidde þe on any syde. ¶ Certys q{uo}d I it remembreþ me nat þat
euere I was so free of my þouȝt. þat I ne was al-wey in anguysh{e} of
somwhat. þ{a}t was þat þou lakkedest þat þou noldest han lakked. or
ellys þou haddest þat þou noldest han had. ryȝt so is it q{uod} I þan.
desiredest þou þe p{re}sence of þat oon {and} þe absence of þat oþer.
I graunt[e] wel q{uod} .I. for soþe q{uod} she þan nediþ þer somwhat þat
euery man desireþ. ȝe þer nediþ q{uod} I. ¶ Certis q{uod} she {and} he
þat haþ lakke or nede of a wyȝt nis nat in euery way suffisaunt to hym
self. no q{uod} .I. {and} þou q{uo}d she in alle þe plente of þi
rycchesse haddest þilke lak of suffisaunce. ¶ what ellis q{uod} .I.
¶ þanne may nat rycchesse maken þat a man nis nedy. ne þat he be
suffisaunt to hym self. {and} þat was it þ{a}t þei byhyȝten as it semeþ.
¶ 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. ¶ I by-knowe it wel q{uod} I ¶ whi sholdest þou nat
by-knowen it q{uod} she. whan euery day þe strenger folke by-nymen it
fram þe febler maugre hem. ¶ Fro whennes comen ellys alle þise foreine
compleintes or quereles of 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. ¶ Ryȝt so it is q{uod} I. þan q{uo}d she haþ a man nede to
seke{n} hym foreyne helpe by whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may
say nay q{uod} .I. ¶ Certis q{uod} she {and} hym nediþ no helpe yif he
ne hadde no moneye þat he myȝt[e] leese. ¶ þat is doutles q{uod} .I.
þanne is þis þi{n}g turned in to þe contrarie q{uod} she ¶ For rycchesse
þat men wenen sholde make suffisau{n}ce. þei maken a man raþer han nede
of foreine helpe. ¶ whiche is þe manere or þe gise q{uod} she þat
rycches may dryuen awey nede. ¶ Riche folk may þei neiþer han hungre ne
þrest. þise ryche men may þei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter.
¶ But þou wilt answere þat ryche men han y-nouȝ wher wiþ þei may
staunchen her hunger. {and} slaken her þrest {and} don awey colde. ¶ In
þis wise may nede be co{n}forted by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may
nat al out{er}ly be don awey. for þouȝ þis nede þat is alwey gapyng
{and} gredy be fulfilled wiþ rycchesses. {and} axe any þing ȝit dwelleþ
þanne a nede þat myȝt[e] ben fulfilled. ¶ I holde me stille {and} telle
nat how þat litel þing suffiseþ to nature. but certys to auarice ynouȝ
ne suffiseþ no þinge. ¶ For syn þat rychesse ne may nat 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.