what hath he eased or profited thee? Certainly little or nought. For, and he hath flattered or dissimuled with thee one day or one hour, he hath loured and grutched with thee[1] an whole year there- fore. Hast thou not understood him in all this time, but hanged upon him always, so long as thou mightest; and longer wouldest if thou might? But now the season [and time] is come he will depart from thee; and what distress that ever thou art in, little will he savour, succour or help thee. Such as thou thinkest be thy friends will show thee a feigned favour, till they know the certainty of thy riches; and if thou have goods they will cherish and favour thee for a season, and complain and wail thy death. And yet they would right fain thou were a-gone, and be right glad of thy death. And when thine eyes be closed, thine hearing a-gone, thy speech withdrawn and may not speak, then shalt thou see what thy master the World will do for thee. Seek thy coffers he will, and every corner by the way of likelihood where any goods is in. And little will thy worldly friends depart with[2] to thee then, and little com- passion will they have on thy poor soul. And if they find little or nought in thy coffers, what will they say then? They will say thou were a fool, a waster; thou couldest not keep; thou spendest more than thou haddest. Thus will they say by thee. And though they find much, thou shalt have but a little thereof, and fare but little the better.
