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.
hadde many manere dignites of consules {and} were
come{n} p{er}auenture amonges straunge nac{i}ou{n}s.
Chaucer - Boethius
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 ? ei weren born duren ? ilk[e] dignites alwey.
[Sidenote: The Praetorate was once a great honour, but now it is
only an empty name and a heavy expense. ]
? Certys ? e dignite of ? e p{ro}uostrie of Rome was somtyme
a grete power. now is it no ? ing but an ydel
name. {and} ? e rente of ? e senatorie a g{r}et charge. 2032
[Sidenote: What is more vile than the office of the
superintendency of provisions? ]
{and} yif a whi? t somtyme hadde ? e office to taken he[de] to
? e vitailes of ? e poeple as of corne {and} what o? er ? inges
he was holden amonges grete. but what ? ing is more
nowe out cast ? anne ? ilke p{ro}uostrie
[Sidenote: That which hath no innate beauty must lose its
splendour or value according as popular opinion varies concerning
it. ]
? And as I haue 2036
seid a litel here byforne. ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at ha? no
p{ro}pre beaute of hym self resceyue? somtyme pris {and}
shinynge {and} somtyme lesi? it by ? e opiniou{n} of
vsaunces.
[Sidenote: If dignities cannot confer esteem, if they become vile
through filthy shrews, if they lose their lustre by the change of
times, if they become worthless by the change of popular opinion,
what beauty do they possess which should make them desirable, or
what dignity can they confer on others? ]
? Now yif ? at dignites ? anne ne mowen 2040
nat maken folk digne of reuerence. {and} yif ? {a}t dignites
wexen foule of hir wille by ? e fil? e of shrewes. ? and
yif ? at dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of
tymes. and yif ? ei wexen foule by estimac{i}ou{n} of 2044
poeple. what is it ? at ? ei han in hem self of beaute
? at au? te ben desired. as who sei? none. ? anne ne
mowen ? ei ? iuen no beaute of dignite to none o? er.
[Linenotes:
2020 _enchaufen_--eschaufen
2021 _myche_--mochel
2022 _be_--ben
2023 _fals[e]_--false
2024 _? at_ (2)--omitted
2027 _her_--hyr
_vanissen_--vanesshen
2028 _a-mong_--amonges
_straung_--strau{n}ge
_but_--ne
2029 _? at_--ther
_duren ? ilk[e]_--ne duren nat thylke
2030 _somtyme_--whylom
2031 _grete_--gret
2032 _? e_ (2)--omitted
2033 _somtyme_--whylom
_? e_--MS. ? e ? e
2034 _corne_--corn
_what_--omitted
2035 _more nowe_--now more
2036 _cast_--MS. caste, C. cast
2037 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
_here byforne_--her by-forn
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
2042 _fil? e_--felthe
2043 _? at_--omitted
2046 _au? te_--owhte
_none_--non
2047 _? ei_--MS. ? e, C. they
_none_--non]
QUA{M}UIS SE TIRIO.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Nero, though invested with the purple and adorned with
pearls, was hated by all men. ]
++Al be it so ? at ? e proude nero wi? al his woode luxurie 2048
kembed hym {and} apparailed hym wi? faire purp{er}s
of Tirie {and} wi? white perles. Algates ? itte throf he
hateful to alle folk ? ? is is to seyn ? at
al was he by-hated [[pg 75]]
of alle folk.
[Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the
dishonoured seats of dignity. ]
? ? itte ? is wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ? af somtyme to ? e dredeful senatours ? e
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ? vnworshipful setes
he clepi? here fore ? at Nero ? at was so wikked ? af ? o
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews? ]
who wolde ? anne resonably wenen ? at blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ? euen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _? itte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_? af somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}enc?
2055 _fore_--for
_? af_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY. ]
AN UERO REGNA.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do kingdoms and a familiarity with princes make a
man mighty? ]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ? ei maken a
ma{n} to ben my? ty.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should they not if they are durable? ]
how ellys. ? whanne hir 2060
blysfulnesse dure? p{er}petuely
[Sidenote: _P. _ Past ages, as well as the present, furnish us with
many examples of princes who have met with dismal reverses of
fortune. ]
but certys ? e olde age of
tyme passe? . {and} eke of p{re}sent tyme now is ful of
ensau{m}ples how ? {a}t kynges ? at han chaunged in to
wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: O then how noble and glorious a thing is power that is
too weak to preserve itself! ]
? O a noble ? ing 2064
{and} a cler ? ing is power ?
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 ? ei weren born duren ? ilk[e] dignites alwey.
[Sidenote: The Praetorate was once a great honour, but now it is
only an empty name and a heavy expense. ]
? Certys ? e dignite of ? e p{ro}uostrie of Rome was somtyme
a grete power. now is it no ? ing but an ydel
name. {and} ? e rente of ? e senatorie a g{r}et charge. 2032
[Sidenote: What is more vile than the office of the
superintendency of provisions? ]
{and} yif a whi? t somtyme hadde ? e office to taken he[de] to
? e vitailes of ? e poeple as of corne {and} what o? er ? inges
he was holden amonges grete. but what ? ing is more
nowe out cast ? anne ? ilke p{ro}uostrie
[Sidenote: That which hath no innate beauty must lose its
splendour or value according as popular opinion varies concerning
it. ]
? And as I haue 2036
seid a litel here byforne. ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at ha? no
p{ro}pre beaute of hym self resceyue? somtyme pris {and}
shinynge {and} somtyme lesi? it by ? e opiniou{n} of
vsaunces.
[Sidenote: If dignities cannot confer esteem, if they become vile
through filthy shrews, if they lose their lustre by the change of
times, if they become worthless by the change of popular opinion,
what beauty do they possess which should make them desirable, or
what dignity can they confer on others? ]
? Now yif ? at dignites ? anne ne mowen 2040
nat maken folk digne of reuerence. {and} yif ? {a}t dignites
wexen foule of hir wille by ? e fil? e of shrewes. ? and
yif ? at dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of
tymes. and yif ? ei wexen foule by estimac{i}ou{n} of 2044
poeple. what is it ? at ? ei han in hem self of beaute
? at au? te ben desired. as who sei? none. ? anne ne
mowen ? ei ? iuen no beaute of dignite to none o? er.
[Linenotes:
2020 _enchaufen_--eschaufen
2021 _myche_--mochel
2022 _be_--ben
2023 _fals[e]_--false
2024 _? at_ (2)--omitted
2027 _her_--hyr
_vanissen_--vanesshen
2028 _a-mong_--amonges
_straung_--strau{n}ge
_but_--ne
2029 _? at_--ther
_duren ? ilk[e]_--ne duren nat thylke
2030 _somtyme_--whylom
2031 _grete_--gret
2032 _? e_ (2)--omitted
2033 _somtyme_--whylom
_? e_--MS. ? e ? e
2034 _corne_--corn
_what_--omitted
2035 _more nowe_--now more
2036 _cast_--MS. caste, C. cast
2037 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
_here byforne_--her by-forn
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
2042 _fil? e_--felthe
2043 _? at_--omitted
2046 _au? te_--owhte
_none_--non
2047 _? ei_--MS. ? e, C. they
_none_--non]
QUA{M}UIS SE TIRIO.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Nero, though invested with the purple and adorned with
pearls, was hated by all men. ]
++Al be it so ? at ? e proude nero wi? al his woode luxurie 2048
kembed hym {and} apparailed hym wi? faire purp{er}s
of Tirie {and} wi? white perles. Algates ? itte throf he
hateful to alle folk ? ? is is to seyn ? at
al was he by-hated [[pg 75]]
of alle folk.
[Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the
dishonoured seats of dignity. ]
? ? itte ? is wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ? af somtyme to ? e dredeful senatours ? e
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ? vnworshipful setes
he clepi? here fore ? at Nero ? at was so wikked ? af ? o
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews? ]
who wolde ? anne resonably wenen ? at blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ? euen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _? itte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_? af somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}enc?
2055 _fore_--for
_? af_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY. ]
AN UERO REGNA.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do kingdoms and a familiarity with princes make a
man mighty? ]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ? ei maken a
ma{n} to ben my? ty.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should they not if they are durable? ]
how ellys. ? whanne hir 2060
blysfulnesse dure? p{er}petuely
[Sidenote: _P. _ Past ages, as well as the present, furnish us with
many examples of princes who have met with dismal reverses of
fortune. ]
but certys ? e olde age of
tyme passe? . {and} eke of p{re}sent tyme now is ful of
ensau{m}ples how ? {a}t kynges ? at han chaunged in to
wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: O then how noble and glorious a thing is power that is
too weak to preserve itself! ]
? O a noble ? ing 2064
{and} a cler ? ing is power ?
