ei may nat
chau{n}ge
?
Chaucer - Boethius
?
ou ne mayst nat
wene ? at he be a man.
[Sidenote: The greedy robber, you will say, is like a _wolf_. ]
? For ? if he [be] ardaunt in
auarice. {and} ? at he be a rauyno{ur} by violence of 3460
foreine rychesse. ? ou shalt seyn ? at he is lyke to a
wolf.
[Sidenote: He who gives no rest to his abusive tongue, you may
liken to a _hound_. ]
{and} yif he be felonous {and} wi? out reste {and}
ex{er}cise hys tonge to chidynges. ? ou shalt lykene hym
to ? e hounde.
[Sidenote: Does he delight in fraud and trickery? then is he like
young _foxes_. ]
{and} yif he be a p{re}ue awaito{ur} yhid {and} 3464
reioyse? hym to rauysshe by wyles. ? ou shalt seyne
hym lyke to ? e fox whelpes.
[Sidenote: Is he intemperate in his anger? then men will compare
him to a raging _lion_. ]
? And yif he be distempre
{and} quaki? for ire men shal wene ? at he bere?
? e corage of a lyou{n}.
[Sidenote: If he be a coward, he will be likened to a _hart_. ]
{and} yif he be dredeful {and} fleynge 3468
and drede? ? inges ? at ne au? ten nat ben dred. men
shal holde hym lyke to ? e h{er}te. [[pg 122]]
[Sidenote: If he be slow, dull, and lazy, then is he like an
_ass_. ]
{and} yif he be slowe
{and} astoned {and} lache. he lyue? as an asse.
[Sidenote: Is he fickle and inconstant? Then is he like a _bird_. ]
{and} yif he
be ly? t {and} vnstedfast of corage {and} chaunge? ay his 3472
studies. he is lickened to briddes.
[Sidenote: Doth he wallow in filthy lusts? Then doth he roll
himself in the mire like a nasty _sow_. ]
? {and} yif he be
plounged in foule {and} vnclene luxuries. he is wi? holden
in ? e foule delices of ? e foule soowe.
[Sidenote: It follows, then, that he who ceases to be virtuous,
ceases to be a man; and, since he cannot attain divinity, he is
turned into a beast. ]
? ? an folwe? it
? at he ? at forleti? bountee {and} prowesse. he forleti? to 3476
ben a man. syn he ne may nat passe in to ? e condic{i}ou{n}
of god. he is tourned in to a beest.
[Linenotes:
3452 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. forlorn
3453 _as_--omitted
_enhawnse_--enhawsen
3455 _whiche_--which
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3459 [_be_]--from C.
3464 _yhid_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hidd
3465 _seyne_--seyn
3468 _dredeful_--dredful
3469 _ben_--to ben
_dred_--MS. dredde, C. dredd
3470 _holde_--holden
_lyke_--lyk
_herte_--hert
_slowe_--slowh
3472 _vnstedfast_--vnstidefast
_his_--hise
3475 _? an_--MS. ? at, C. thanne
3477 _passe_--passen]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 27 _b_. ]]
*V[E]LA NARICII DUCIS.
[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Ulysses was driven by the eastern winds upon the shores
of that isle where Circe dwelt, who, having entertained her guests
with magic draughts, transformed them into divers shapes--one into
a boar, another into a lion;]
++Evrus ? e wynde aryue? ? e sayles of vlixes duc of ? e
contre of narice. {and} hys wandryng shippes by ? e 3480
see in to ? e isle ? ere as Circe ? e fayre goddesse dou? ter
of ? e sonne dwelle? ? at medly? to hir newe gestes
drynkes ? at ben touched {and} maked wi? enchau{n}tment? .
{and} after ? at hir hande my? ty of ? e herbes 3484
had[de] chau{n}ged hir gestes i{n} to dyuerse maneres. ? at
oon of hem is couered his face wi? forme of a boor. ? at
o? er is chau{n}ged in to a lyou{n} of ? e contre of marmorike.
{and} his nayles {and} his te? e wexen.
[Sidenote: some into howling wolves, and others into Indian
tigers. ]
? ? at 3488
o? er of hem is newliche chaunged in to a wolf. {and}
howeli? whan he wolde wepe. ? at o? er go? debonairly
in ? e house as a tigre of Inde.
[Sidenote: But Mercury, the Arcadian god, rescued Ulysses from the
Circean charms. Yet his mariners, having drunk of her infected
drinks, were changed to swine, and fed on acorns. ]
but al be it so ? at ? e
godhed of mercurie ? at is cleped ? e bride of arcadie ha? 3492
had mercie of ? e duc vlixes byseged wi? diu{er}se yueles
{and} ha? vnbounden hym fro ? e pestilence of hys
oosteresse algates ? e rowers {and} ? e maryners hadden by
? is ydrawen in to hir mou? es {and} dronken ? e wicked[e] 3496
drynkes ? ei ? at were woxen swyne hadden by ? is [[pg 123]]
chau{n}ged hire mete of brede forto ete acorns of ookes.
[Sidenote: All traces of the human form were lost, and they were
bereft of speech. ]
non of hir lymes ne dwelli? wi? he{m} hoole. but
? ei han lost ? e voys {and} ? e body.
[Sidenote: Their souls, unchanged, bewailed their dreadful fate. ]
Oonly hir{e} ? ou? t 3500
dwelle? wi? hem stable ? {a}t wepi? {and} bywaili? ? e
monstruous chaungynge ? at ? ei suffren.
[Sidenote: O most weak, are Circe's powers compared with the
potency of vice, to transform the human shape! ]
? O ouer ly? t
hand. as who sei? . ? O feble {and} ly? t is ? e hand of
Circes ? e enchaunteresse ? at chaunge? ? e bodies of folk 3504
in to bestes to regarde {and} to co{m}parisou{n} of mutac{i}ou{n}
? at is makid by vices.
[Sidenote: Circe's herbs may change the body, but cannot touch the
mind, the inward strength of man. ]
ne ? e herbes of circes ne ben nat
my? ty. for al be it so ? at ? ei may chau{n}gen ? e lymes
of ? e body. ? algates ? it ?
ei may nat chau{n}ge ? e 3508
hertes. for wi? inne is yhid ? e streng? e {and} ? e vigour
of me{n} in ? e secre toure of hire hertys. ? at is to seyn
? e streng? e of resou{n}.
[Sidenote: But vice is more potent than Circe's poisonous charms. ]
but ? ilke uenyms of vices to-drawen
a man to hem more my? tily ? an ? e venym of 3512
circes.
[Sidenote: Though it leaves the body whole, it pierces the inner
man, and inflicts a deadly wound upon the soul. ]
? For vices ben so cruel ? at ? ei percen {and}
? oru? passen ? e corage wi? i{n}ne. {and} ? ou? ? ei ne anoye
nat ? e body. ? itte vices wooden to distroien men by
wounde of ? ou? t. 3516
[Linenotes:
3479 _aryue? _--aryuede
_vlixes_--MS. vluxies, C. vlixes
3481 _Circe_--Circes
3483 _enchauntment? _--enchauntement?
3484 _hande_--hand
_of_--ou{er}
3485 _had[de]_--hadde
_gestes_--MS. goostes, C. gestes
3486 _boor_--boer{e}
3488 _his_ (1)--hise
_his te? e_--hise teth
3489 _newliche_--neweliche
3490 _go? _--MS. go? e
3491 _house_--hows
3492 _bride_--bryd
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3493 _mercie_--MS. mercurie, C. mercy
3494 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3495 _oosteresse_--oostesse
3496 _wicked[e]_--wikkede
3497 _were woxen swyne_--weeren wexen swyn
3498 _chaunged_--Ichaunged
_brede_--bred
_forto_--MS. {and} forto
_ete acorns_--eten akkornes
3499 _hoole_--hool
3501 _wepi? _--MS. kepi? , C. weepith
3502 _monstruous_--MS. monstronous, C. Monstruos
3504 _Circes_--MS. Cirtes
_folk_--folkys
3509 _yhid_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hydd
3515 _wooden_--MS. wolden, C. wooden]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED ARE TORMENTED BY A THREEFOLD WRETCHEDNESS. ]
TUNC EGO FATEOR INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I confess that vicious men are rightly called
beasts. ]
++? an seide I ? us I confesse {and} am aknowe q{uo}d I. ne
I ne se nat ? at men may seyn as by ry? t.
[Sidenote: They retain the outward form of man, but the qualities
of their souls prove them to be beasts. ]
? {a}t
shrewes ne ben nat chaunged in to beestes by ? e
qualite of hir soules. ? Al be it so ? {a}t ? ei kepen ? itte 3520
? e forme of ? e body of mankynde.
[Sidenote: I wish, however, that the wicked were without the power
to annoy and hurt good men. ]
but I nolde nat of
shrewes of whiche ? e ? ou? t cruel woode? alwey in to
destrucc{i}ou{n} of good[e] men. ? at it wer{e} leueful to hem
to done ? at.
[Sidenote: _P. _ They have no power, as I shall presently show
you. ]
? Certys q{uo}d she ne it nis nat leueful 3524
to hem as I shal wel shewen ? e in couenable place.
[Sidenote: But were this power, which men ascribe to them, taken
away from the wicked, they would be relieved of the greatest part
of their punishment. ]
? But na? eles yif so were ? at ? ilke ? at me{n} wene{n} ben
leueful for shrewes were bynomen hem. so ? at ? ei ne [[pg 124]]
my? ten nat anoyen or don harme to goode men. ? Certys 3528
a gret p{ar}ty of ? e peyne to shrewes shulde ben allegged
{and} releued.
[Sidenote: The wicked are more unhappy when they have accomplished
their evil designs than when they fail to do so. ]
? For al be it so ? {a}t ? is ne seme nat
credible ? ing p{er}auent{ur}e to so{m}me folk ? it mot it
nedes be ? at shrewes ben more wrecches {and} vnsely. 3532
whan ? ei may don {and} p{er}forme ? at ? ei coueiten [than
yif they myhte nat complyssen ? {a}t they coueyten].
[Sidenote: If it is a miserable thing to will evil, it is a
greater unhappiness to have the power to execute it, without which
power the wicked desires would languish without effect. ]
? For
yif so be ? at it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don yuel[;]
? an is it more wrecchednesse to mowen don yuel. 3536
wi? oute whiche moeuyng ? e wrecched wille sholde
languisshe wi? oute effecte.
[Sidenote: Since, then, each of these three things (_i. e. _ the
will, the power, and the accomplishment of evil) hath its misery,
therefore a threefold wretchedness afflicts those who both will,
can, and do commit sin. ]
? ? an syn ? at eueryche of
? ise ? inges ha? hys wrecchednesse. ? at is to seyne wil
to done yuel. and moeuynge to done yuel. it mot nedes 3540
be. ? at ? ei (shrewes) ben constreyned by ? re vnselynesses
? at wolen {and} mowen {and} p{er}formen felonyes
{and} shrewednesses.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I grant it--but still I wish the vicious were
without this misfortune. ]
? I accorde me q{uo}d I. but I
desire gretely ? at shrewes losten sone ? ilke vnselynesses. 3544
? at is to seyne ? at shrewes were despoyled of moeuyng
to don yuel.
[Sidenote: _P. _ They shall be despoiled of it sooner than you wish
perhaps, or than they themselves imagine. ]
? so shulle{n} ? ei q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 28. ]]
sonnere
p{er}auenture ? en ? {o}u woldest *or sonnere ? en ? ei hem
self wenen to lakken mowynge to done yuel.
[Sidenote: In the narrow limits of this life, nothing, however
tardy it appears, can seem to an immortal soul to have a very long
duration. ]
? For 3548
? ere nis no ? ing so late in so short bou{n}des of ? is lijf
? at is longe to abide. namelyche to a corage inmortel.
[Sidenote: The great hopes, and the subtle machinations of the
wicked, are often suddenly frustrated, by which an end is put to
their wickedness. ]
Of whiche shrewes ? e grete hope {and} ? e heye co{m}passy{n}g{us}
of shrewednesse is often destroyed by a 3552
sodeyne ende or ? ei ben war. {and} ? at ? ing establi? to
shrewes ? e ende of hir shrewednesse.
[Sidenote: If vice renders men wretched, the longer they are
vicious the longer must they be miserable. ]
? For yif ?
wene ? at he be a man.
[Sidenote: The greedy robber, you will say, is like a _wolf_. ]
? For ? if he [be] ardaunt in
auarice. {and} ? at he be a rauyno{ur} by violence of 3460
foreine rychesse. ? ou shalt seyn ? at he is lyke to a
wolf.
[Sidenote: He who gives no rest to his abusive tongue, you may
liken to a _hound_. ]
{and} yif he be felonous {and} wi? out reste {and}
ex{er}cise hys tonge to chidynges. ? ou shalt lykene hym
to ? e hounde.
[Sidenote: Does he delight in fraud and trickery? then is he like
young _foxes_. ]
{and} yif he be a p{re}ue awaito{ur} yhid {and} 3464
reioyse? hym to rauysshe by wyles. ? ou shalt seyne
hym lyke to ? e fox whelpes.
[Sidenote: Is he intemperate in his anger? then men will compare
him to a raging _lion_. ]
? And yif he be distempre
{and} quaki? for ire men shal wene ? at he bere?
? e corage of a lyou{n}.
[Sidenote: If he be a coward, he will be likened to a _hart_. ]
{and} yif he be dredeful {and} fleynge 3468
and drede? ? inges ? at ne au? ten nat ben dred. men
shal holde hym lyke to ? e h{er}te. [[pg 122]]
[Sidenote: If he be slow, dull, and lazy, then is he like an
_ass_. ]
{and} yif he be slowe
{and} astoned {and} lache. he lyue? as an asse.
[Sidenote: Is he fickle and inconstant? Then is he like a _bird_. ]
{and} yif he
be ly? t {and} vnstedfast of corage {and} chaunge? ay his 3472
studies. he is lickened to briddes.
[Sidenote: Doth he wallow in filthy lusts? Then doth he roll
himself in the mire like a nasty _sow_. ]
? {and} yif he be
plounged in foule {and} vnclene luxuries. he is wi? holden
in ? e foule delices of ? e foule soowe.
[Sidenote: It follows, then, that he who ceases to be virtuous,
ceases to be a man; and, since he cannot attain divinity, he is
turned into a beast. ]
? ? an folwe? it
? at he ? at forleti? bountee {and} prowesse. he forleti? to 3476
ben a man. syn he ne may nat passe in to ? e condic{i}ou{n}
of god. he is tourned in to a beest.
[Linenotes:
3452 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. forlorn
3453 _as_--omitted
_enhawnse_--enhawsen
3455 _whiche_--which
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3459 [_be_]--from C.
3464 _yhid_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hidd
3465 _seyne_--seyn
3468 _dredeful_--dredful
3469 _ben_--to ben
_dred_--MS. dredde, C. dredd
3470 _holde_--holden
_lyke_--lyk
_herte_--hert
_slowe_--slowh
3472 _vnstedfast_--vnstidefast
_his_--hise
3475 _? an_--MS. ? at, C. thanne
3477 _passe_--passen]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 27 _b_. ]]
*V[E]LA NARICII DUCIS.
[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Ulysses was driven by the eastern winds upon the shores
of that isle where Circe dwelt, who, having entertained her guests
with magic draughts, transformed them into divers shapes--one into
a boar, another into a lion;]
++Evrus ? e wynde aryue? ? e sayles of vlixes duc of ? e
contre of narice. {and} hys wandryng shippes by ? e 3480
see in to ? e isle ? ere as Circe ? e fayre goddesse dou? ter
of ? e sonne dwelle? ? at medly? to hir newe gestes
drynkes ? at ben touched {and} maked wi? enchau{n}tment? .
{and} after ? at hir hande my? ty of ? e herbes 3484
had[de] chau{n}ged hir gestes i{n} to dyuerse maneres. ? at
oon of hem is couered his face wi? forme of a boor. ? at
o? er is chau{n}ged in to a lyou{n} of ? e contre of marmorike.
{and} his nayles {and} his te? e wexen.
[Sidenote: some into howling wolves, and others into Indian
tigers. ]
? ? at 3488
o? er of hem is newliche chaunged in to a wolf. {and}
howeli? whan he wolde wepe. ? at o? er go? debonairly
in ? e house as a tigre of Inde.
[Sidenote: But Mercury, the Arcadian god, rescued Ulysses from the
Circean charms. Yet his mariners, having drunk of her infected
drinks, were changed to swine, and fed on acorns. ]
but al be it so ? at ? e
godhed of mercurie ? at is cleped ? e bride of arcadie ha? 3492
had mercie of ? e duc vlixes byseged wi? diu{er}se yueles
{and} ha? vnbounden hym fro ? e pestilence of hys
oosteresse algates ? e rowers {and} ? e maryners hadden by
? is ydrawen in to hir mou? es {and} dronken ? e wicked[e] 3496
drynkes ? ei ? at were woxen swyne hadden by ? is [[pg 123]]
chau{n}ged hire mete of brede forto ete acorns of ookes.
[Sidenote: All traces of the human form were lost, and they were
bereft of speech. ]
non of hir lymes ne dwelli? wi? he{m} hoole. but
? ei han lost ? e voys {and} ? e body.
[Sidenote: Their souls, unchanged, bewailed their dreadful fate. ]
Oonly hir{e} ? ou? t 3500
dwelle? wi? hem stable ? {a}t wepi? {and} bywaili? ? e
monstruous chaungynge ? at ? ei suffren.
[Sidenote: O most weak, are Circe's powers compared with the
potency of vice, to transform the human shape! ]
? O ouer ly? t
hand. as who sei? . ? O feble {and} ly? t is ? e hand of
Circes ? e enchaunteresse ? at chaunge? ? e bodies of folk 3504
in to bestes to regarde {and} to co{m}parisou{n} of mutac{i}ou{n}
? at is makid by vices.
[Sidenote: Circe's herbs may change the body, but cannot touch the
mind, the inward strength of man. ]
ne ? e herbes of circes ne ben nat
my? ty. for al be it so ? at ? ei may chau{n}gen ? e lymes
of ? e body. ? algates ? it ?
ei may nat chau{n}ge ? e 3508
hertes. for wi? inne is yhid ? e streng? e {and} ? e vigour
of me{n} in ? e secre toure of hire hertys. ? at is to seyn
? e streng? e of resou{n}.
[Sidenote: But vice is more potent than Circe's poisonous charms. ]
but ? ilke uenyms of vices to-drawen
a man to hem more my? tily ? an ? e venym of 3512
circes.
[Sidenote: Though it leaves the body whole, it pierces the inner
man, and inflicts a deadly wound upon the soul. ]
? For vices ben so cruel ? at ? ei percen {and}
? oru? passen ? e corage wi? i{n}ne. {and} ? ou? ? ei ne anoye
nat ? e body. ? itte vices wooden to distroien men by
wounde of ? ou? t. 3516
[Linenotes:
3479 _aryue? _--aryuede
_vlixes_--MS. vluxies, C. vlixes
3481 _Circe_--Circes
3483 _enchauntment? _--enchauntement?
3484 _hande_--hand
_of_--ou{er}
3485 _had[de]_--hadde
_gestes_--MS. goostes, C. gestes
3486 _boor_--boer{e}
3488 _his_ (1)--hise
_his te? e_--hise teth
3489 _newliche_--neweliche
3490 _go? _--MS. go? e
3491 _house_--hows
3492 _bride_--bryd
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3493 _mercie_--MS. mercurie, C. mercy
3494 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3495 _oosteresse_--oostesse
3496 _wicked[e]_--wikkede
3497 _were woxen swyne_--weeren wexen swyn
3498 _chaunged_--Ichaunged
_brede_--bred
_forto_--MS. {and} forto
_ete acorns_--eten akkornes
3499 _hoole_--hool
3501 _wepi? _--MS. kepi? , C. weepith
3502 _monstruous_--MS. monstronous, C. Monstruos
3504 _Circes_--MS. Cirtes
_folk_--folkys
3509 _yhid_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hydd
3515 _wooden_--MS. wolden, C. wooden]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED ARE TORMENTED BY A THREEFOLD WRETCHEDNESS. ]
TUNC EGO FATEOR INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I confess that vicious men are rightly called
beasts. ]
++? an seide I ? us I confesse {and} am aknowe q{uo}d I. ne
I ne se nat ? at men may seyn as by ry? t.
[Sidenote: They retain the outward form of man, but the qualities
of their souls prove them to be beasts. ]
? {a}t
shrewes ne ben nat chaunged in to beestes by ? e
qualite of hir soules. ? Al be it so ? {a}t ? ei kepen ? itte 3520
? e forme of ? e body of mankynde.
[Sidenote: I wish, however, that the wicked were without the power
to annoy and hurt good men. ]
but I nolde nat of
shrewes of whiche ? e ? ou? t cruel woode? alwey in to
destrucc{i}ou{n} of good[e] men. ? at it wer{e} leueful to hem
to done ? at.
[Sidenote: _P. _ They have no power, as I shall presently show
you. ]
? Certys q{uo}d she ne it nis nat leueful 3524
to hem as I shal wel shewen ? e in couenable place.
[Sidenote: But were this power, which men ascribe to them, taken
away from the wicked, they would be relieved of the greatest part
of their punishment. ]
? But na? eles yif so were ? at ? ilke ? at me{n} wene{n} ben
leueful for shrewes were bynomen hem. so ? at ? ei ne [[pg 124]]
my? ten nat anoyen or don harme to goode men. ? Certys 3528
a gret p{ar}ty of ? e peyne to shrewes shulde ben allegged
{and} releued.
[Sidenote: The wicked are more unhappy when they have accomplished
their evil designs than when they fail to do so. ]
? For al be it so ? {a}t ? is ne seme nat
credible ? ing p{er}auent{ur}e to so{m}me folk ? it mot it
nedes be ? at shrewes ben more wrecches {and} vnsely. 3532
whan ? ei may don {and} p{er}forme ? at ? ei coueiten [than
yif they myhte nat complyssen ? {a}t they coueyten].
[Sidenote: If it is a miserable thing to will evil, it is a
greater unhappiness to have the power to execute it, without which
power the wicked desires would languish without effect. ]
? For
yif so be ? at it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don yuel[;]
? an is it more wrecchednesse to mowen don yuel. 3536
wi? oute whiche moeuyng ? e wrecched wille sholde
languisshe wi? oute effecte.
[Sidenote: Since, then, each of these three things (_i. e. _ the
will, the power, and the accomplishment of evil) hath its misery,
therefore a threefold wretchedness afflicts those who both will,
can, and do commit sin. ]
? ? an syn ? at eueryche of
? ise ? inges ha? hys wrecchednesse. ? at is to seyne wil
to done yuel. and moeuynge to done yuel. it mot nedes 3540
be. ? at ? ei (shrewes) ben constreyned by ? re vnselynesses
? at wolen {and} mowen {and} p{er}formen felonyes
{and} shrewednesses.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I grant it--but still I wish the vicious were
without this misfortune. ]
? I accorde me q{uo}d I. but I
desire gretely ? at shrewes losten sone ? ilke vnselynesses. 3544
? at is to seyne ? at shrewes were despoyled of moeuyng
to don yuel.
[Sidenote: _P. _ They shall be despoiled of it sooner than you wish
perhaps, or than they themselves imagine. ]
? so shulle{n} ? ei q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 28. ]]
sonnere
p{er}auenture ? en ? {o}u woldest *or sonnere ? en ? ei hem
self wenen to lakken mowynge to done yuel.
[Sidenote: In the narrow limits of this life, nothing, however
tardy it appears, can seem to an immortal soul to have a very long
duration. ]
? For 3548
? ere nis no ? ing so late in so short bou{n}des of ? is lijf
? at is longe to abide. namelyche to a corage inmortel.
[Sidenote: The great hopes, and the subtle machinations of the
wicked, are often suddenly frustrated, by which an end is put to
their wickedness. ]
Of whiche shrewes ? e grete hope {and} ? e heye co{m}passy{n}g{us}
of shrewednesse is often destroyed by a 3552
sodeyne ende or ? ei ben war. {and} ? at ? ing establi? to
shrewes ? e ende of hir shrewednesse.
[Sidenote: If vice renders men wretched, the longer they are
vicious the longer must they be miserable. ]
? For yif ?
