]
for wherto
or whiche woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen
armes.
for wherto
or whiche woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen
armes.
Chaucer - Boethius
ing be good ?
at anoye?
hym
? at ha? it.
[Sidenote: Am I deceived in this? You will say no; for riches have
often hurt their possessors. ]
? Gabbe I of ? is. ? ou wolt seye nay. 1308
? Certys rycchesse han anoyed ful ofte hem ? at han ? e
rycchesse.
[Sidenote: Every wicked man desires another's wealth, and esteems
him alone happy who is in possession of riches. ]
? Syn ? at euery wicked shrew {and} for
hys wickednesse ? e more gredy aftir o? er folkes rycchesse
wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or 1312
p{re}cious stones. [[pg 50]]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 13. ]]
{and} weni? hym *only most wor? i ? at
ha? hem
[Sidenote: You, therefore, who now so much dread the instruments
of assassination, if you had been born a poor wayfaring man,
might, with an empty purse, have sung in the face of robbers. ]
? ? ou ? an ? at so besy dredest now ? e swerde
{and} ? e spere. yif ? ou haddest entred in ? e pa? e of ? is
lijf a voide wayfaryng man. ? an woldest ? ou syng[e] 1316
by-fore ? e ? eef. ? As who sei? a poure man ? at bere?
no rycchesse on hym by ? e weye. may boldly syng[e]
byforne ? eues. for he ha? nat wher-of to ben robbed.
[Sidenote: O the transcendant felicity of riches! No sooner have
you obtained them, than you cease to be secure. ]
? O preciouse {and} ry? t clere is ? e blysfulnesse of 1320
mortal rycchesse. ? at wha{n} ? ou hast geten it. ? an hast
? ou lorn ? i syke[r]nesse.
[Linenotes:
1278 _hire owen_--hir owne
1281 _ne_ (2)--omitted
_vndirstonde_--vndyrstondyn
1282 _gret_--MS. grete, C. gret
1284 _o? er er? ely_--oothre worldly
_? resten_--threste
1285 _by-ne? en_--by-nethe
_if_--yif
1286 _good_--MS. goode, C. good
_? ing_--thinge
_preciouse_--p{re}syos
_? ilk ? ing_--thilke thinge
1287 _? e_ (2)--tho
1288 _summytten_--submitten
1289 _self_--seluen
_foulest[e]_--fowleste
1290 _bitidi? _--tydeth
1291 _out_--owte
_desert_--desertes
1292 _al_--alle
1293 _self_--selue
1294 _it is_--is it
1296 [_leuynge_]--from C.
_hem_--hym
1297 _? at_--omitted
1298 _come? _--comth
1299 _? ing_--thinge
1302 _put_--MS. putte, C. put
1303 _whiche_--which
1306 _fil? e_--felthe
1307 _? ing_--thinge
_good_--MS. goode, C. good
1308 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1309 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_? e_--tho
1310 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_shrew_--shrewe
1311 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1312 _golde_--gold
1314 _ha? _--MS. ha? e, C. hat
_besy_--bysy
_swerde_--swerd
1315 _pa? e_--paath
1316 _wayfaryng_--wayferynge
_syng[e]_--synge
1317 _by-fore_--by-forn
_sei? _--MS. sei? e, C. seyth
_poure_--pore
_bere? _--berth
1318 _boldly syng[e]_--boldely synge
1319 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1320 _preciouse_--p{re}cyos
_clere_--cler
1321 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1322 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn]
[Headnote:
THE GOLDEN AGE. ]
FELIX IN MIRU{M} PRIOR ETAS.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Happy was the first age of men. They were contented
with what the faithful earth produced. ]
++Blysful was ? e first age of men. ? ei helden hem
apaied wi? ? e metes ? at ? e trewe er? es brou? ten 1324
fur? e. ? ? ei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e] not hem
self wi? outerage.
[Sidenote: With acorns they satisfied their hunger. ]
? ? ei weren wont ly? tly to slaken
her hunger at euene wi? acornes of okes
[Sidenote: They knew not Hypocras nor Hydromel. ]
? ? ei ne
cou? e nat medle ? e ? ift of bacus to ? e clere hony. 1328
? at is to seyn. ? ei cou? e make no piment of clarre.
[Sidenote: They did not dye the Serian fleece in Tyrian purple. ]
ne ? ei cou? e nat medle ? e bri? t[e] flies of ? e co{n}tre
of siriens wi? ? e venym of tirie. ? is is to seyne. ? ei
cou? e nat dien white flies of sirien contre wi? ? e 1332
blode of a manar shelfysshe. ? at men fynden in tyrie.
wi? whiche blode men deien purper.
[Sidenote: They slept upon the grass, and drank of the running
stream, and reclined under the shadow of the tall pine. ]
? ? ei slepen
holesom slepes vpon ? e gras. and dronken of ? e rynnyng
watres. {and} laien vndir ? e shadowe of ? e hey? e 1336
pyne trees.
[Sidenote: No man yet ploughed the deep, nor did the merchant
traffick with foreign shores. ]
? Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf
? it ? e heye see wi? oores or wi? shippes. ne ? ei ne
hadden seyne ? itte none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse [[pg 51]]
in to dyuerse co{n}tres.
[Sidenote: The warlike trumpet was hushed and still. ]
? ? o weren ? e cruel 1340
clariou{n}s ful whist {and} ful stille.
[Sidenote: Bloodshed had not yet arisen through hateful quarrels. ]
ne blode yshed by
egre hate ne hadde nat deied ? it armurers.
[Sidenote: Nothing could stimulate their rage to engage in war,
when they saw that wounds and scars were the only meeds.
]
for wherto
or whiche woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen
armes. whan ? ei seien cruel woundes ne none medes 1344
ben of blood yshad
[Sidenote: O that those days would come again! ]
? I wolde ? at oure tymes sholde
turne a? eyne to ? e oolde maneres.
[Sidenote: The thirst of wealth torments all; it rages more
fiercely than AEtna's fires. ]
? But ? e anguissous
loue of hauyng brenne? in folke moore cruely ? an ? e
fijr of ? e Mou{n}taigne of Ethna ? at euer brenne? . 1348
[Sidenote: Cursed be the wretch who first brought gold to light. ]
? Allas what was he ? at first dalf vp ? e gobets or
? e wey? tys of gold couered vndir er? e. {and} ? e p{re}cious
stones ? at wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp p{re}cious
perils. ? at is to seyne ? at he ? at hem first vp dalf. he 1352
dalf vp a p{re}cious peril.
[Sidenote: It has since proved perilous to many a man. ]
for-whi. for ? e p{re}ciousnesse
of swyche ha? many man ben in peril.
[Linenotes:
1324 _er? es_--feeldes
1325 _fur? e_--forth
_destroyed[e]_--dystroyede
1327 _her_--hyr
_at_--MS. as, C. at
_euene_--euen
1328 _cou? e_--cowde
_medle_--medly
_? ift_--yifte
_clere_--cleer
1329 _cou? e_--cowde
_of_--nor
1330 _cou? e_--cowde
_bri? t[e] flies_--bryhte flee? es
1331 _siriens_--Seryens
_seyne_--seyn
1332 _cou? e_--cowde
_dien_--deyen
_flies_--fle? es
1333 _blode_--blood
_shelfysshe_--shyllefyssh
1334 _blode_--blood
1335 _holesom_--holsom
_rynnyng watres_--rennynge wateres
_shadowe_--shadwes
_hey? e_--heye
1337 _pyne_--pyn
_no_ (2)--omitted
[_ne_]--from C.
_karf_--karue
1339 _hadden seyne ? itte_--hadde seyn yit
1341 _whist_--hust
_blode yshed_--blod I-shad
1343 _whiche woodenesse_--whych wodnesse
1344 _seien_--say
1346 _turne a? eyne_--torne ayein
1347 _folke_--folk
1348 _? e_--omitted
_euer_--ay
1351 _hid_--MS. hidde, C. hydd
1352 _seyne_--seyn
_he_ (2)--omitted
1354 _swyche_--swych thinge
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
_ben_--be]
[Headnote:
OF DIGNITIES AND POWERS. ]
QUID AUTE{M} DE DIGNITATIB{US} {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The sixte p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: But why should I discourse of dignities and powers
which (though you are ignorant of true honour and real power) you
extol to the skies? ]
++But what shal I seyne of dignitees {and} of powers.
? e whiche [ye] men ? {a}t nei? er knowen verray dignitee 1356
ne verray power areysen hem as heye as ? e
heuene.
[Sidenote: When they fall to the lot of a wicked man, they produce
greater calamities than the flaming eruption of AEtna, or the most
impetuous deluge. ]
? e whiche dignitees {and} powers yif ? ei come
to any wicked man ? ei don [as] greet[e] damages {and}
distrucc{i}ou{n} as do? ? e fla{m}me of ? e Mou{n}taigne 1360
Ethna whan ? e fla{m}me wit walwi? vp ne no deluge
ne do? so cruel harmes.
[Sidenote: You remember that your ancestors desired to abolish the
Consular government (the commencement of the Roman liberty),
because of the pride of the Consuls; as their ancestors before for
the same consideration had suppressed the title of King. ]
? Certys ye remembri? wel
as I trowe ? at ? ilke dignitee ? at men clepi? ? e emperie
of {con}sulers ? e whiche ? at somtyme was bygynnyng 1364
of fredom. ? ? oure eldres coueiteden to han
don a-wey ? at dignitee for ? e p{r}ide of ? e conseilers.
[Linenotes:
1355 _seyne_--seye
1358 _come_--comen
1359 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_[as] greet[e]_--as grete
1360 _distruccioun_--destrucciou{n}s
_do? _--MS. do? e, C. doth
_flamme_--flaumbe
1361 _flamme_--flawmbe
_wit_--omitted
1362 _do? _--MS. do? e, C. doth
1363 _clepi? _--clepyn
1364 _whiche_--whych
_somtyme_--whilom
1366 _for_--MS. of, C. for]
[[pg 52]]
[Headnote:
HONOURS NOT INTRINSICALLY GOOD,]
? And ry? t for ? e same p{r}ide ? oure eldres byforne ? at
tyme hadden don awey out of ? e Citee of rome ? e 1368
kynges name. ? at is to seien. ? ei nolden haue no
lenger no kyng ? But now yif so be ? {a}t dignitees
{and} powers ben ? euen to goode men. ? e whiche ? ing
is ful ? elde. what agreable ? i{n}ges is ? er in ? o dignitees. 1372
or powers. but only ? e goodenes of folk ? at vsen hem.
[Linenotes:
1368 _don_--MS. done, C. don
1369 _seien_--seyn
1370 _lenger_--lenger{e}
_kyng_--kynge
1371 _whiche_--which
1373 _folk_--foolkys]
[Headnote:
FOR THEY FALL TO THE LOT OF THE WICKED. ]
[Sidenote: Virtue is not embellished by dignities, but dignities
derive honour from virtue. ]
? And ? erfore it is ? us ? at hono{ur} ne come? nat to
vertue for cause of dignite. but a? einward. hono{ur}
come? to dignite by cause of vertue.
[Sidenote: But what is this power, so much celebrated and
desired? ]
but whiche is 1376
? oure derwor? e power ? at is so clere {and} so requerable
[Sidenote: What are they over whom you exercise authority? ]
? O ? e er? elyche bestes considere ? e nat ouer whiche
? ing ? at it seme? ? at ? e han power.
[Sidenote: If thou sawest a mouse assuming command over other
mice, wouldst thou not almost burst with laughter? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 13 _b_. ]]
? Now yif ? ou
say[e] a mouse amo{n}g{us} *o? er myse ? at chalenged[e] to 1380
hymself ward ry? t {and} power ouer alle o? er myse. how
gret scorne woldest ? ou han of hit. ? _Glosa. _ ? So
fare? it by men. ? e body ha? power ouer ? e body.
[Sidenote: What is more feeble than man, to whom the bite of a fly
may be the cause of death? ]
For yif ? ow loke wel vpon ? e body of a wy? t what 1384
? ing shalt ? ou fynde moore frele ? an is mannes kynde.
? e whiche ben ful ofte slayn wi? bytynge of smale
flies.
? at ha? it.
[Sidenote: Am I deceived in this? You will say no; for riches have
often hurt their possessors. ]
? Gabbe I of ? is. ? ou wolt seye nay. 1308
? Certys rycchesse han anoyed ful ofte hem ? at han ? e
rycchesse.
[Sidenote: Every wicked man desires another's wealth, and esteems
him alone happy who is in possession of riches. ]
? Syn ? at euery wicked shrew {and} for
hys wickednesse ? e more gredy aftir o? er folkes rycchesse
wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or 1312
p{re}cious stones. [[pg 50]]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 13. ]]
{and} weni? hym *only most wor? i ? at
ha? hem
[Sidenote: You, therefore, who now so much dread the instruments
of assassination, if you had been born a poor wayfaring man,
might, with an empty purse, have sung in the face of robbers. ]
? ? ou ? an ? at so besy dredest now ? e swerde
{and} ? e spere. yif ? ou haddest entred in ? e pa? e of ? is
lijf a voide wayfaryng man. ? an woldest ? ou syng[e] 1316
by-fore ? e ? eef. ? As who sei? a poure man ? at bere?
no rycchesse on hym by ? e weye. may boldly syng[e]
byforne ? eues. for he ha? nat wher-of to ben robbed.
[Sidenote: O the transcendant felicity of riches! No sooner have
you obtained them, than you cease to be secure. ]
? O preciouse {and} ry? t clere is ? e blysfulnesse of 1320
mortal rycchesse. ? at wha{n} ? ou hast geten it. ? an hast
? ou lorn ? i syke[r]nesse.
[Linenotes:
1278 _hire owen_--hir owne
1281 _ne_ (2)--omitted
_vndirstonde_--vndyrstondyn
1282 _gret_--MS. grete, C. gret
1284 _o? er er? ely_--oothre worldly
_? resten_--threste
1285 _by-ne? en_--by-nethe
_if_--yif
1286 _good_--MS. goode, C. good
_? ing_--thinge
_preciouse_--p{re}syos
_? ilk ? ing_--thilke thinge
1287 _? e_ (2)--tho
1288 _summytten_--submitten
1289 _self_--seluen
_foulest[e]_--fowleste
1290 _bitidi? _--tydeth
1291 _out_--owte
_desert_--desertes
1292 _al_--alle
1293 _self_--selue
1294 _it is_--is it
1296 [_leuynge_]--from C.
_hem_--hym
1297 _? at_--omitted
1298 _come? _--comth
1299 _? ing_--thinge
1302 _put_--MS. putte, C. put
1303 _whiche_--which
1306 _fil? e_--felthe
1307 _? ing_--thinge
_good_--MS. goode, C. good
1308 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1309 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_? e_--tho
1310 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_shrew_--shrewe
1311 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1312 _golde_--gold
1314 _ha? _--MS. ha? e, C. hat
_besy_--bysy
_swerde_--swerd
1315 _pa? e_--paath
1316 _wayfaryng_--wayferynge
_syng[e]_--synge
1317 _by-fore_--by-forn
_sei? _--MS. sei? e, C. seyth
_poure_--pore
_bere? _--berth
1318 _boldly syng[e]_--boldely synge
1319 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1320 _preciouse_--p{re}cyos
_clere_--cler
1321 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1322 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn]
[Headnote:
THE GOLDEN AGE. ]
FELIX IN MIRU{M} PRIOR ETAS.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Happy was the first age of men. They were contented
with what the faithful earth produced. ]
++Blysful was ? e first age of men. ? ei helden hem
apaied wi? ? e metes ? at ? e trewe er? es brou? ten 1324
fur? e. ? ? ei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e] not hem
self wi? outerage.
[Sidenote: With acorns they satisfied their hunger. ]
? ? ei weren wont ly? tly to slaken
her hunger at euene wi? acornes of okes
[Sidenote: They knew not Hypocras nor Hydromel. ]
? ? ei ne
cou? e nat medle ? e ? ift of bacus to ? e clere hony. 1328
? at is to seyn. ? ei cou? e make no piment of clarre.
[Sidenote: They did not dye the Serian fleece in Tyrian purple. ]
ne ? ei cou? e nat medle ? e bri? t[e] flies of ? e co{n}tre
of siriens wi? ? e venym of tirie. ? is is to seyne. ? ei
cou? e nat dien white flies of sirien contre wi? ? e 1332
blode of a manar shelfysshe. ? at men fynden in tyrie.
wi? whiche blode men deien purper.
[Sidenote: They slept upon the grass, and drank of the running
stream, and reclined under the shadow of the tall pine. ]
? ? ei slepen
holesom slepes vpon ? e gras. and dronken of ? e rynnyng
watres. {and} laien vndir ? e shadowe of ? e hey? e 1336
pyne trees.
[Sidenote: No man yet ploughed the deep, nor did the merchant
traffick with foreign shores. ]
? Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf
? it ? e heye see wi? oores or wi? shippes. ne ? ei ne
hadden seyne ? itte none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse [[pg 51]]
in to dyuerse co{n}tres.
[Sidenote: The warlike trumpet was hushed and still. ]
? ? o weren ? e cruel 1340
clariou{n}s ful whist {and} ful stille.
[Sidenote: Bloodshed had not yet arisen through hateful quarrels. ]
ne blode yshed by
egre hate ne hadde nat deied ? it armurers.
[Sidenote: Nothing could stimulate their rage to engage in war,
when they saw that wounds and scars were the only meeds.
]
for wherto
or whiche woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen
armes. whan ? ei seien cruel woundes ne none medes 1344
ben of blood yshad
[Sidenote: O that those days would come again! ]
? I wolde ? at oure tymes sholde
turne a? eyne to ? e oolde maneres.
[Sidenote: The thirst of wealth torments all; it rages more
fiercely than AEtna's fires. ]
? But ? e anguissous
loue of hauyng brenne? in folke moore cruely ? an ? e
fijr of ? e Mou{n}taigne of Ethna ? at euer brenne? . 1348
[Sidenote: Cursed be the wretch who first brought gold to light. ]
? Allas what was he ? at first dalf vp ? e gobets or
? e wey? tys of gold couered vndir er? e. {and} ? e p{re}cious
stones ? at wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp p{re}cious
perils. ? at is to seyne ? at he ? at hem first vp dalf. he 1352
dalf vp a p{re}cious peril.
[Sidenote: It has since proved perilous to many a man. ]
for-whi. for ? e p{re}ciousnesse
of swyche ha? many man ben in peril.
[Linenotes:
1324 _er? es_--feeldes
1325 _fur? e_--forth
_destroyed[e]_--dystroyede
1327 _her_--hyr
_at_--MS. as, C. at
_euene_--euen
1328 _cou? e_--cowde
_medle_--medly
_? ift_--yifte
_clere_--cleer
1329 _cou? e_--cowde
_of_--nor
1330 _cou? e_--cowde
_bri? t[e] flies_--bryhte flee? es
1331 _siriens_--Seryens
_seyne_--seyn
1332 _cou? e_--cowde
_dien_--deyen
_flies_--fle? es
1333 _blode_--blood
_shelfysshe_--shyllefyssh
1334 _blode_--blood
1335 _holesom_--holsom
_rynnyng watres_--rennynge wateres
_shadowe_--shadwes
_hey? e_--heye
1337 _pyne_--pyn
_no_ (2)--omitted
[_ne_]--from C.
_karf_--karue
1339 _hadden seyne ? itte_--hadde seyn yit
1341 _whist_--hust
_blode yshed_--blod I-shad
1343 _whiche woodenesse_--whych wodnesse
1344 _seien_--say
1346 _turne a? eyne_--torne ayein
1347 _folke_--folk
1348 _? e_--omitted
_euer_--ay
1351 _hid_--MS. hidde, C. hydd
1352 _seyne_--seyn
_he_ (2)--omitted
1354 _swyche_--swych thinge
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
_ben_--be]
[Headnote:
OF DIGNITIES AND POWERS. ]
QUID AUTE{M} DE DIGNITATIB{US} {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The sixte p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: But why should I discourse of dignities and powers
which (though you are ignorant of true honour and real power) you
extol to the skies? ]
++But what shal I seyne of dignitees {and} of powers.
? e whiche [ye] men ? {a}t nei? er knowen verray dignitee 1356
ne verray power areysen hem as heye as ? e
heuene.
[Sidenote: When they fall to the lot of a wicked man, they produce
greater calamities than the flaming eruption of AEtna, or the most
impetuous deluge. ]
? e whiche dignitees {and} powers yif ? ei come
to any wicked man ? ei don [as] greet[e] damages {and}
distrucc{i}ou{n} as do? ? e fla{m}me of ? e Mou{n}taigne 1360
Ethna whan ? e fla{m}me wit walwi? vp ne no deluge
ne do? so cruel harmes.
[Sidenote: You remember that your ancestors desired to abolish the
Consular government (the commencement of the Roman liberty),
because of the pride of the Consuls; as their ancestors before for
the same consideration had suppressed the title of King. ]
? Certys ye remembri? wel
as I trowe ? at ? ilke dignitee ? at men clepi? ? e emperie
of {con}sulers ? e whiche ? at somtyme was bygynnyng 1364
of fredom. ? ? oure eldres coueiteden to han
don a-wey ? at dignitee for ? e p{r}ide of ? e conseilers.
[Linenotes:
1355 _seyne_--seye
1358 _come_--comen
1359 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_[as] greet[e]_--as grete
1360 _distruccioun_--destrucciou{n}s
_do? _--MS. do? e, C. doth
_flamme_--flaumbe
1361 _flamme_--flawmbe
_wit_--omitted
1362 _do? _--MS. do? e, C. doth
1363 _clepi? _--clepyn
1364 _whiche_--whych
_somtyme_--whilom
1366 _for_--MS. of, C. for]
[[pg 52]]
[Headnote:
HONOURS NOT INTRINSICALLY GOOD,]
? And ry? t for ? e same p{r}ide ? oure eldres byforne ? at
tyme hadden don awey out of ? e Citee of rome ? e 1368
kynges name. ? at is to seien. ? ei nolden haue no
lenger no kyng ? But now yif so be ? {a}t dignitees
{and} powers ben ? euen to goode men. ? e whiche ? ing
is ful ? elde. what agreable ? i{n}ges is ? er in ? o dignitees. 1372
or powers. but only ? e goodenes of folk ? at vsen hem.
[Linenotes:
1368 _don_--MS. done, C. don
1369 _seien_--seyn
1370 _lenger_--lenger{e}
_kyng_--kynge
1371 _whiche_--which
1373 _folk_--foolkys]
[Headnote:
FOR THEY FALL TO THE LOT OF THE WICKED. ]
[Sidenote: Virtue is not embellished by dignities, but dignities
derive honour from virtue. ]
? And ? erfore it is ? us ? at hono{ur} ne come? nat to
vertue for cause of dignite. but a? einward. hono{ur}
come? to dignite by cause of vertue.
[Sidenote: But what is this power, so much celebrated and
desired? ]
but whiche is 1376
? oure derwor? e power ? at is so clere {and} so requerable
[Sidenote: What are they over whom you exercise authority? ]
? O ? e er? elyche bestes considere ? e nat ouer whiche
? ing ? at it seme? ? at ? e han power.
[Sidenote: If thou sawest a mouse assuming command over other
mice, wouldst thou not almost burst with laughter? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 13 _b_. ]]
? Now yif ? ou
say[e] a mouse amo{n}g{us} *o? er myse ? at chalenged[e] to 1380
hymself ward ry? t {and} power ouer alle o? er myse. how
gret scorne woldest ? ou han of hit. ? _Glosa. _ ? So
fare? it by men. ? e body ha? power ouer ? e body.
[Sidenote: What is more feeble than man, to whom the bite of a fly
may be the cause of death? ]
For yif ? ow loke wel vpon ? e body of a wy? t what 1384
? ing shalt ? ou fynde moore frele ? an is mannes kynde.
? e whiche ben ful ofte slayn wi? bytynge of smale
flies.
