No More Learning

at men axen a? eine her moneye
? at ha? be by-nomen hem by force or by gyle. {and}
alwey maugre hem.

[Sidenote: _B. _ Nothing is more true. ]

? Ry? t so it is q{uod} I.

[Sidenote: _P. _ Then a man needs the assistance of others in order
to keep his riches. ]

? an q{uo}d
she ha? a man nede to seke{n} hym foreyne helpe by 1936
whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may say nay q{uod} . I.

[Linenotes:
1913 _? at----lakkedest_--And was nat ? {a}t q{uod} she for
? {a}t the lacked som-what
1915 _had_--MS. hadde, C. had
1917 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
1919 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_a wy? t_--awht
1921 _alle_--al
1922 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_lak_--lakke
1923 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1927 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_owen_--owne
1930 _strenger folke by-nymen_--strenger{e} folk by-nemyn
1931 _fram_--fro
_febler_--febeler{e}
_Fro_--for
1933 _a? eine_--ayeyn
1934 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_be_--ben
1936 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_helpe_--help
1937 _say_--sey]

[[pg 71]]
[Headnote:
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES. ]

[Sidenote: If he had no money to lose he would not stand in need
of this help? ]

? Certis q{uod} she {and} hym nedi? no helpe
yif he ne hadde no moneye ? at he my? t[e] leese.

[Sidenote: _B. _ That is beyond all doubt. ]

? ? at
is doutles q{uod} . I.

[Sidenote: _P. _ Then the very reverse of what was expected (from
riches) takes place? For riches add to a man's necessities. ]

? anne is ? is ? i{n}g turned in to ? e contrarie 1940
q{uod} she ? For rycchesse ? at men wenen sholde
make suffisau{n}ce. ? ei maken a man ra? er han nede of
foreine helpe.

[Sidenote: Tell me how do riches drive away necessity? Are not
rich men liable to hunger, thirst, and cold? ]

? whiche is ? e manere or ? e gise q{uod}
she ? at rycches may dryuen awey nede. ? Riche folk 1944
may ? ei nei? er han hungre ne ? rest. ? ise ryche men
may ? ei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter.

[Sidenote: You will say that the rich have wherewithal to satisfy
these wants. ]

? But
? ou wilt answere ? at ryche men han y-nou? wher wi?
? ei may staunchen her hunger. {and} slaken her ? rest 1948
{and} don awey colde.

[Sidenote: By riches indigence may be alleviated, but they cannot
satisfy every want. ]

? In ? is wise may nede be co{n}forted
by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may nat al
out{er}ly be don awey.

[Sidenote: Even if gaping and greedy necessity be filled with
riches, yet some cravings will remain. ]

for ? ou? ? is nede ? at is alwey
gapyng {and} gredy be fulfilled wi? rycchesses. {and} axe 1952
any ? ing ? it dwelle? ? anne a nede ? at my? t[e] ben fulfilled.

[Sidenote: A little suffices for nature, but avarice never has
enough. ]

? I holde me stille {and} telle nat how ? at litel
? ing suffise? to nature. but certys to auarice ynou? ne
suffise? no ? inge.

[Sidenote: If riches, then, add to our wants, why should you think
that they can supply all your necessities? ]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 17. ]]

*? For syn ? at rychesse ne may nat 1956
al don awey nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may
it ? anne be ? at ? e wenen ? at rychesses mowen ? eue{n}
? ow suffisau{n}ce.

[Linenotes:
1938 _nedi? no helpe_--nedede non help
1939 _my? t[e]_--myhte
1940 _doutles_--dowteles
1941 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1943 _helpe_--help
_whiche_--whych
1944 _rycches_--Rychesse
_dryuen_--dryue
1945 _hungre_--hungyr
_? rest_--thurst
1946 _? ei_--the
_colde_--coold
_in_--on
1947 _wilt answere_--wolt Answeren
_y-nou? _--y-now
1948 _? rest_--thurst
1949 _colde_--coold
1950 _nat_--omitted
1951 _outerly_--vtrely
1953 _my? t[e] ben_--myhte be
1957 _rychesse_--Rychesses]


QUAMUIS FLUENTER DIUES.

[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}. ]]

[Sidenote: The rich man, had he a river of gold, would never rest
content. ]

++Al were it so ? at a ryche couetous man hadde riuer 1960
fletynge alle of golde ? itte sholde it neuer staunche
hys couetise.

[Sidenote: Though his neck be loaded with precious pearls, and his
fields be covered with innumerable herds, yet shall unquiet care
never forsake him; and at his death his riches shall not bear him
company. ]

? And ? ou? he hadde his nekke I-charged
wi? p{re}ciouse stones of ? e rede see. {and} ? ou? he do
erye his feldes plentiuo{us} wi? an hundre? oxen neuere 1964
ne shal his bytyng bysynesse forleten hym while he
lyue? . ne ? e ly? t[e] rychesses ne shal nat beren hym [[pg 72]]
compaignie whanne he is dede.

[Linenotes:
1960 _riuer_--a Ryu{er}
1961 _alle_--al
_golde_--gold
_? itte_--yit
_staunche_--stau{n}chyn
1962, 1963 _? ou? _--thow
1964 _erye_--Ere
_hundre? _--hundred
1965 _while_--whyl
1966 _ly? t[e]_--lyhte
_shal_--shol
1967 _dede_--ded]


[Headnote:
OF DIGNITIES. ]

SET DIGNITATIB{US}. [4]

[Footnote 4: Read _dignitates_. ]

[Sidenote: [The 4^the p{ro}se. ]]

[Sidenote: It may be said that _dignities_ confer honour on their
possessors. ]

++Bvt dignitees to whom ? ei ben comen make ? ei hym 1968
honorable {and} reuerent.

[Sidenote: But have they power to destroy vice or implant virtue
in the heart? ]

han ? ei nat so grete streng? e
? at ? ei may putte vertues in ? e hertis of folk. ? at vsen
? e lordshipes of hem. or ellys may ? ei don awey ? e
vices.

[Sidenote: So far from expelling vicious habits, they only render
them more conspicuous. ]

Certys ? ei [ne] ben nat wont to don awey wikkednesses. 1972
but ? ei ben wont ra? er to shew[en] wikkednesses.

[Sidenote: Hence arises the indignation when we see dignities
given to wicked men. ]

{and} ? er of come? it ? at I haue ry? t grete desdeyne.
? at dignites ben ? euen ofte to wicked men.
[Sidenote: Hence Catullus' resentment against Nonius, whom he
calls the botch, or impostume of the State. ]

? For whiche ? ing catullus clepid a consul of Rome ? at 1976
hy? t noni{us} postum. or boch. as who sei? he clepi?
hy{m} a congregac{i}ou{n} of uices in his brest as a postum
is ful of corrupc{i}ou{n}. al were ? is noni{us} set in a
chayere of dignitee.

[Sidenote: The deformities of wicked men would be less apparent if
they were in more obscure situations. ]

Sest ? ou nat ? an how gret vylenye 1980
dignitees don to wikked men. ? Certys vnwor? ines of
wikked men shold{e} ben ? e lasse ysen yif ? ei nere renomed
of none hono{ur}s.

[Sidenote: Would you free yourself from peril by accepting a
magistracy along with Decoratus a buffoon and informer? ]

? Certys ? ou ? i self ne
my? test nat ben brou? t wi? as many p{er}ils as ? ou 1984
my? test suffren ? at ? {o}u woldest bere ? i magistrat wi?
decorat. ? at is to seyn. ? at for no p{er}il ? at my? t[e] bifalle{n}
? e by ? e offence of ? e kyng theodorik ? ou noldest
nat ben felawe in gouernaunce w{i}t{h} decorat. whanne 1988
? ou say[e] ? at he had[de] wikkid corage of a likerous
shrewe {and} of an acusor.

[Sidenote: Honours do not render undeserving persons worthy of
esteem. ]

? Ne I ne may nat for swiche
honours Iuge{n} hem wor? i of reuerence ? at I deme {and}
holde vnwor? i to han ? ilke same hono{ur}s.

[Sidenote: If you find a man endowed with wisdom you deem him
worthy of respect and of the wisdom which he professes. ]

? Now yif 1992
? ou saie a man ? at were fulfilled of wisdom. certys ? ou
ne my? test nat demen ? {a}t he were vnwor? i to ? e [[pg 73]]
hono{ur}. or ellys to ? e wisdom of whiche he is fulfilled.

[Sidenote: _B. _ I could not do otherwise. ]

No q{uod} . I.

[Sidenote: _P. _ Virtue has her proper worth, which she ever
transfers to her votaries. ]

? Certys dignitees q{uod} she app{er}tienen 1996
p{ro}perly to vertue. {and} uertue transporte? dignite anon
to ? ilke man to whiche she hir self is conioigned.

[Linenotes:
1969 _make_--maken
1969 _grete_--gret
1972 [_ne_]--from C.
_ben_--be
1972, 1973 _wikkednesses_--wykkydnesse
1973 _to_--omitted
_shew[en]_--shewen
1974 _come? _--comth
_grete desdeyne_--gret desdaign
1976 _whiche_--which
1977 _hy? t_--hyhte
_nonius_--MS. vonn{us}, C. nomy{us}
_boch_--MS. bo? e, C. boch
_clepi? _--clepyd
1979 _nonius_--MS. uonn{us}, C. nomy{us}
_set_--MS. sette, C. set
1980 _Sest ? ou_--Sesthow
_? an_--thanne
_vylenye_--fylonye
1981 _vnwor? ines_--vnworthynesse
1982 _ben_--be
_ysen_--MS. ysene, C. I-sene
1984 _many_--manye
1985 _bere_--beren
1986 _my? t[e]_--myhte
1987 _? e_ (2)--omitted
1988 _whanne_--whan
1989 _say[e]_--saye
_had[de]_--hadde
1994 _demen_--deme
1995 _whiche_--which
1996 _quod she_--omitted
1997 _vertue_--vertu
_uertue_--vertu
1998 _whiche_--whych]

[Headnote:
DIGNITIES APPERTAIN TO VIRTUE. ]

[Sidenote: Honours conferred by the populace do not make men
worthy of them, for they have no intrinsic merit to bestow. ]

? And for as moche as hono{ur}s of poeple ne may nat
maken folk digne of hono{ur}. it is wel seyn clerly ? at 2000
? ei ne han no p{ro}pre beaute of dignite. ? And ? it men
au? ten take more hede in ? is.

[Sidenote: Dignities conferred upon shrews only make their vices
the more conspicuous. ]

? For if it so be ? at he
is most out cast ? at most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne
may nat maken shrewes wor? i of no reuerences. ? an 2004
make? dignites shrewes more dispised ? an p{re}ised. ? e
whiche shrewes dignit[e] schewe? to moche folk

[Sidenote: Nor do dignities themselves escape without injury; for
worthless men take their revenge upon them, and defile them by
their contagious villanies. ]

? {and}
for so? e nat vnpunissed. ? at is forto sein. ? at shrewes
reuengen hem a? einward vpon dignites. for ? ei ? elden 2008
a? ein to dignites as gret gerdou{n} whan ? ei byspotten
{and} defoulen dignites wi? hire vylenie.

[Sidenote: These shadowy honours have nothing in their nature to
procure respect; for if a man, having borne the honours of the
consulate, should go among barbarians would this honour gain him
their respect? ]

? And for as
moche as ? ou mow[e] knowe ? at ? ilke verray reuerence
ne may nat comen by ? e shadewy t{ra}nsitorie dignitees. 2012
vndirstonde now ? is. yif ? at a man hadde vsed {and}
hadde many manere dignites of consules {and} were
come{n} p{er}auenture amonges straunge nac{i}ou{n}s. sholde
? ilke hono{ur} maken hym worshipful {and} redouted of 2016
straunge folk

[Sidenote: If respect were an attribute of honour it would
infallibly bring esteem everywhere, just as heat is ever an
attribute of fire. ]

? Certys yif ? at honour of poeple were
a naturel ? ifte to dignites. it ne my? te neuer cesen
nowher amonges no maner folke to done hys office.

[Linenotes:
2000 _clerly_--MS. clerkly, C. clerly
2002 _au? ten----hede_--owhten taken mor heed
2002-3 _For----dignite_--For yif so be ? {a}t a wykkyd whyght be
so mochel the fowler{e} {and} the moore owt cast ? {a}t he
is despised of most folk so as dignete
2004-2007 _maken----so? e_--maken shrewes digne of Reu{er}ence
the whych shrewes dignete sheweth to moche foolk thanne
makith dignete shrewes rather so moche mor{e} despised than
preysed {and} forsothe
2008 _? elden_--yilden
2009 _byspotten_--by-spetten
2010 _hire_--hyr
2011 _moche_--mochel
_mow[e]_--mowe
2012 _? e shadewy_--thyse shadwye
2013 _vndirstonde_--vndyrstond
_? is_--thus
2014 _hadde_--had
2018 _? ifte_--yift
2019 _folke_--foolk
_done_--don]

[Headnote:
DIGNITIES DO CONFER ESTEEM. ]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 17 _b_. ]]

? Ry? t as fire i{n} euery contre ne stinte? nat to 2020
enchaufen {and} *to ben hote.

[Sidenote: Honours arise from the false opinions of men, and
vanish when they come among those who do not esteem them, that is,
among foreign nations. ]

but for as myche as forto
be holden honorable or reuerent ne come? nat to folk of
hir p{ro}pre streng? e of nat{ur}e. but only of ? e fals[e] [[pg 74]]
opiniou{n} of folk. ? at is to sein. ? at wenen ? at dignites 2024
maken folk digne of hono{ur}. An on ? erfore whan ? at
? ei comen ? er as folk ne knowe{n} nat ? ilke dignites.
her hono{ur}s vanissen awey {and} ? at on oon. but ? at is
a-mong straung folk. maist ? ou sein.

[Sidenote: Do they always endure in those places that gave birth
to them? ]

but amo{n}g{us} 2028
hem ? at ?