"Why do ye mortall men seeke outwardly your felicitie within you?
Error and blyndnes confoundes you. I will shew the shortly the
thressholl of thy felicitie. Is there to the ought more precious than thy
selfe?" "Nothing", quoth I . "Then if thou be wise, thou shalt
possesse that nether thou canst lose, nor fortune take away. And that
thou mayste knowe felicitie not to stand in happing chaunces, considir it
this. Yf happynes be the greatest good of nature lyuing by reason, nor
hit the greatest good that may be taken away, the cause hit doth exceede
that may not so, It is manifest, that fortunes change can not attayn to
the getting of bliss. Besydes, whom falling felicitie caryes, eyther
knowith her, or seeth her mutabilitie. Yf he be ignorant, what happy
luck can blynde felicitie haue? Yf he know it, he must needes feare
to lose that he is sure can not be kepte. His contynuall feare then, depriuith
his happynes. Or if he haue lost, will he not care for it? for hit
should be a slender good that a man wold easely lose.