5557   Poverte, and such Adversite,
5558   Bifore than doth prosperite;
5559   ffor the toon yeveth conysaunce,
5560   And the tother ignoraunce.
5561   'And thus in poverte is in dede
5562   Trouthe declared fro falsheed;
5563   ffor feynte frendis it wole declare,
5564   And trewe also, what wey they fare.
5565   ffor whanne he was in his richesse,
5566   These freendis, ful of doublenesse,
5567   Offrid hym in many wise
5568   Hert and body, and servise.
5569   What wolde he thanne ha yow to ha bought
5570   To knowen openly her thought,
5571   That he now hath so clerly seen?
5572   The lasse bigiled he shulde have bene
5573   And he hadde thanne perceyved it,
5574   But richesse nold not late hym witte.
5575   Wel more avauntage doth hym thanne,
5576   Sith that it makith hym a wise man,
5577   The gret myscheef that he pceyveth,
5578   Than doth richesse that hym deceyveth.
5579   Richesse riche ne makith nought
5580   Hym that on tresour sette his thought;