For we leden wel our lif · & louen to be simple.
Ye say we are as gods. In ȝoure sonde, sire king · ȝe saide þis wordus;—
Þat we alle godus arn · as ȝe deme nouþe,
1008Or euere elles til hem · enuye we haue.
But þe same þat ȝe so · by vs silf trowe
Longeþ, ludus, to ȝou · þat liuen so in ese.
But ye are so rather, For ȝe leden ȝoure lif · in lordschipe & in myrthe,
1012Of noble kind for ȝe come · & kid ben of grete.
being rich, and gaily clad. In clene cloþus ȝe gon · & claimen to be riche;
Al ȝoure minde is on mirþe · & most vp-on goodus.
Ȝoure fingrus of fin gold · ȝe fullen wiþ ryngus,
1016As is wommenus wone · for wordliche glose.
Your boastful deeds will make you proud. But, burnus, be ye ful sur · þo bostful dedeus,
Where-fore ȝe holde ȝou her · hiest on erþe,
1019Schal ȝou procre to pryde · & to no profit ellus,
But skaþe for ȝoure vn-skile · whan ȝe skapen hennus.
Gold feeds no one. Gold fedeþ no gome · ne no good soule;
But we þat selkouþus sen · & soþus mow knowe,
And kenne þe kinde of þe gold · þat corsed is founde,
1024We faren alle to þe flod · þere we finde mowe
Gret plente of fold · on þe ground ligge.
We spurn it. Þanne we wollen of þe watur · wilfully drinke,
& de-foule wiþ our fet · þe fine gold schene.
1028For gold, þouh it gay be · hit gaynus ful lite
Of hard hongur and þirst · to helpe any peple.
meliora non deus sed dei amicus appellatur. De nominibus igitur et continentur (sic) viuimus cur dicis aut dii sumus aut contra ipsos concitamur inuidia? Hec siquidem suspitie quam de nobis habetis vos tangit. Nam ex multis perosperitatibus quas habetis multa superbia turgitati estis. Corpora vestra gloriosus (sic) vestibus ornatis et immittitis in digitis vestris aurea instrumenta. Sed quid vobis hoc prodest? Ex auro enim anime vestre nullatenus salue fiunt nec humana corpora satiuntur. Nos vero qui vtilitatem nouimus et ipsius auri naturam discernimus; quando sitimus, pergimus ad fluium vt babamus. Ipsum etiam aurum si reperimus pedibus conculcamus. Aurum enim famem [ed. famen] non tollit nec sitim reprimit; nec potest egritudines ab humanis corporibus variare. Si sitiret homo et aurum bi-
