[Sidenote: This inconstant dame sometimes deserves well of men, when she appears in her true colours.]
yit som-tyme it by-falleth þ{ a}t she desseyuable desserueth to han ryht good thank of men // { And} þ{ a}t is whan she hir{ e} self opneth / { and} whan she descou{ er}eth hir frownt / 1644 { and} sheweth hir maneres p{ ar}-auentur{ e} yit vndirstondesthow nat þ{ a}t .I. shal seye //
[Sidenote: And what I say may perhaps appear paradoxical.]
it is a wondyr þ{ a}t .I. desyr{ e} to telle /
[Sidenote: That is, that adverse fortune is more beneficial than prosperous fortune.]
{ and} forthi vnnethe may I. vnpleyten my sentense w{ i}t{ h} wordes for I. deme þ{ a}t contraryos fortune 1648 p{ ro}fiteth mor{ e} to men than fortune debonayr{ e} //
[Sidenote: The latter lies and deceives us, the former displays her natural inconstancy.]
For al-wey whan fortune semeth debonayr{ e} than she lyeth falsly in by-hetynge the hope of welefulnesse // but forsothe { con}traryos fortune is alwey sothfast / whan she 1652 sheweth hir self vnstable thorw hyr chau{ n}gynge //
[Sidenote: That deceives us, this instructs us; that, by a fallacious show of good, enslaves the mind; this, by the knowledge of her fickleness, frees and absolves it.]
the amyable fortune desseyueth folk / the contrarye fortune techeth // the amyable fortune byndeth w{ i}t{ h} the beaute of false goodys the hertes of folk þ{ a}t vsen he{ m} / the 1656 contrarye fortune vnbyndeth he{ m} by þ^e knowynge of freele welefulnesse //
[Sidenote: The one is wavering and incapable of reflection, the other is staid and wise through experience of adversity.]
the amyable fortune maysthow sen alwey wyndynge { and} flowynge / { and} eu{ er}e mysknowynge 1659 of hir self // the contrarye fortune is a-tempre { and} restreynyd { and} wys thorw excersyse of hir aduersyte //
[Sidenote: Lastly, prosperous fortune leads men astray. Adversity teaches them wherein real happiness consists.]
at the laste amyable fortune w{ i}t{ h} hir flaterynges draweth mys wandrynge men fro the souereyne good // the contraryos fortune ledith ofte folk ayein to sothfast goodes / 1664 { and} haleth hem ayein as w{ i}t{ h} an hooke /
[Sidenote: It renders us no inconsiderable service in enabling us to recognize our true friends.]