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1120
The stoon so cleer was and so bright,
That, al-so sone as it was night,
Men mighte seen to go, for nede,
A myle or two, in lengthe and brede.
Swich light [tho] sprang out of the stoon, 1125
That Richesse wonder brighte shoon,
Bothe hir heed, and al hir face,
And eke aboute hir al the place.
Dame Richesse on hir hond gan lede
A yong man ful of semelihede, 1130
That she best loved of any thing;
His lust was muche in housholding.

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Ne fu si biaus veus, ce cuit,
Car il fu tout d'or fin recuit;
Mes cis seroit bons devisierres
Qui vous sauroit toutes les pierres,
Qui i estoient, devisier,
Car l'en ne porroit pas prisier 1100
L'avoir que les pierres valoient,
Qui en l'or assises estoient.
Rubis i ot, saphirs, jagonces,
Esmeraudes plus de dix onces.
Mais devant ot, par grant mestrise,
Une escharboucle ou cercle assise,
Et la pierre si clere estoit,
Que maintenant qu'il anuitoit,
L'en s'en veist bien au besoing
Conduire d'une liue loing. 1110
Tel clarte de la pierre yssoit,
Que Richece en resplendissoit
Durement le vis et la face,
Et entor li toute la place.
Richece tint parmi la main
Ung valet de grant biaute plain,
Qui fu ses amis veritiez.
C'est uns hons qui en biaus ostiez

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In clothing was he ful fetys,
And lovede wel have hors of prys.
He wende to have reproved be 1135
Of thefte or mordre, if that he
Hadde in his stable an hakeney.
And therfore he desyred ay
To been aqueynted with Richesse;
For al his purpos, as I gesse, 1140
Was for to make greet dispense,
Withoute werning or defence.
And Richesse mighte it wel sustene,
And hir dispenses wel mayntene,
And him alwey swich plentee sende 1145
Of gold and silver for to spende
Withoute lakking or daungere,
As it were poured in a garnere.
And after on the daunce wente LARGESSE.
LARGESSE, that sette al hir entente 1150
For to be honourable and free;
Of Alexandres kin was she;
Hir moste Ioye was, y-wis,
Whan that she yaf, and seide, 'have this. '
Not Avarice, the foule caytyf, 1155
Was half to grype so ententyf,

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Maintenir moult se delitoit.
Cis se chaucoit bien et vestoit, 1120
Si avoit les chevaus de pris;
Cis cuidast bien estre repris
Ou de murtre, ou de larrecin,
S'en s'estable eust ung roucin.
Por ce amoit-il moult l'acointance
De Richece et la bien-voillance,
Qu'il avoit tous jors en porpens
De demener les grans despens,
Et el les pooit bien soffrir,
Et tous ses despens maintenir; 1130
El li donnoit autant deniers
Cum s'el les puisast en greniers.
Apres refu Largece assise,
Qui fu bien duite et bien aprise
De faire honor, et de despendre:
El fu du linage Alexandre;
Si n'avoit-el joie de rien
Cum quant el pooit dire, 'tien. '
Neis Avarice la chetive
N'ert pas si a prendre ententive 1140

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As Largesse is to yeve and spende.
And god y-nough alwey hir sende,
So that the more she yaf awey,
The more, y-wis, she hadde alwey. 1160
Gret loos hath Largesse, and gret prys;
For bothe wys folk and unwys
Were hoolly to hir baundon brought,
So wel with yiftes hath she wrought.
And if she hadde an enemy, 1165
I trowe, that she coude craftily
Make him ful sone hir freend to be,
So large of yift and free was she;
Therfore she stood in love and grace
Of riche and povre in every place. 1170
A ful gret fool is he, y-wis,
That bothe riche and nigard is.
A lord may have no maner vice
That greveth more than avarice.
For nigard never with strengthe of hond 1175
May winne him greet lordship or lond.
For freendes al to fewe hath he
To doon his wil perfourmed be.
And who-so wol have freendes here,
He may not holde his tresour dere. 1180
For by ensample I telle this,
Right as an adamaunt, y-wis,

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Cum Largece ere de donner;
Et Diex li fesoit foisonner
Ses biens si qu'ele ne savoit
Tant donner, cum el plus avoit.
Moult a Largece pris et los;
Ele a les sages et les fos
Outreement a son bandon,
Car ele savoit fere biau don;
S'ainsinc fust qu'aucuns la haist,
Si cuit-ge que de ceus feist 1150
Ses amis par son biau servise;
Et por ce ot-ele a devise
L'amor des povres et des riches.
Moult est fos haus homs qui est chiches!
Haus homs ne puet avoir nul vice,
Qui tant li griet cum avarice:
Car hons avers ne puet conquerre
Ne seignorie ne grant terre;
Car il n'a pas d'amis plente,
Dont il face sa volente.