t hys owen
p{ro}pre
bounte 3404
?
?
Chaucer - Boethius
3360
[Linenotes:
3324 _shrewednesse_--shrewednesses
_clere_--cleer
3325 _nat----power_--nawht ne han no power
3326 _whiche_--which
_? at is_--of this
3327 _here_--her
3328 _nis_--is
3329 _so? e_--soth
3329, 3330 [_and thilke----quod I_]--from C.
3334 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_none ? at_--non thanne
3335 _done_--doon
_good[e]_--goode
3336 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_done_--don
3337 _yuel[e]_--yuele
_? is_--it
3338 _don_--MS. done, C. don
3339 _? itte_--yit
_? ere_--ther
3340 _shewed here byforne_--Ishewed her by-forn
_al_--alle
3341 _amonge_--among
3344 _don_--MS. done, C. don
3346 _au? ten be_--owhte ben
3347 _al_--alle
_au? t[e]_--owhte
3351 _clere_--cler
3352 _so? e_--soth
_? at sey? _--MS. but si? e, C. ? {a}t seyth
3353 [_doon_]--from C.
3355 _seyne_--seyn
3357 _whiche_--which]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED ARE UNHAPPY. ]
QUOS UIDES SEDERE CELSOS.
[Sidenote: [The ij^de Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Whosoever might strip of their purple coverings, proud
kings, who, surrounded by their guards, sit on lofty thrones, and
whose stern looks wear fierce threatenings, and boiling breasts
breathe fury; would see those mighty lords inwardly fettered, and
tormented by lust, passion, grief, and delusive hopes. ]
++Who so ? at ? e couertures of her veyn apparailes
my? t[e] strepen of ? ise proude kynges ? at ? ou
seest sitten on hey? e in her chayeres glyterynge in
shynynge purpre envyroned wi? sorweful arm{ur}es 3364
manasyng wi? cruel mou? e. blowyng by woodnesse of
herte. ? He sholde se ? an ? at ilke lordes beren wi?
i{n}ne hir corages ful streyte cheynes for leccherye tormenti?
he{m} on ? at oon syde wi? gredy venyms {and} 3368
troublable Ire ? at araise? in hem ? e floodes of troublynges
tourmenti? vpon ? at o? er side hir ? ou? t. or sorwe halt
he{m} wery or ycau? t. or slidyng {and} disseyuyng hope
tourmenti? hem.
[Sidenote: Since, then, so many tyrants bear sway over one
head--that lord, oppressed by so many masters (i. e. vices), is
weak and feeble, and his actions are not obedient to his will. ]
And ? erfore syn ? ou seest on heed. 3372
? at is to seyne oon tyraunt bere so many[e] tyrauntis.
? a{n} ne do? ? ilk tyraunt nat ? at he desiri? . syn he
is cast doune wi? so many[e] wicked lordes. ? at is to
seyn wi? so many[e] vices. ? at han so wicked lordshipes 3376
ouer hym.
[Linenotes:
3361-63 _her_--hir
3362 _my? t[e]_--myhte
3363 _hey? e_--heygh
3364 _sorweful_--sorwful
3365 _mou? e_--Mowth
3366 _se_--seen
_ilke_--thilke
3368 _on_--in
3369 _hem_--hym
3371 _disseyuyng_--deceyuynge
3373 _seyne_--seyn
_bere_--beeren
3373-75-76 _many[e]_--manye
3373 _tyrauntis_--tyranyes
3374 _do? _--MS. do? e
_? ilk_--thilke
3375 _doune_--down
_wicked_--wikkede
3376 _wicked_--wikkedly]
[[pg 119]]
[Headnote:
THEY DO NOT ESCAPE PUNISHMENT. ]
VIDES NE IGITUR QUANTO.
[Sidenote: [The iij. ^de p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: See you not in how great and filthy a mire the wicked
wallow? ]
++SEest ? ou nat ? an in how gret fil? e ? ise shrewes ben
ywrapped. {and} wi? whiche cleernesse ? ise good
folk shynen.
[Sidenote: This is a proof that good folks do not go unrewarded,
nor do the evil-doers escape punishment. ]
In ? is shewe? it wel ? at to good folk ne 3380
lakke? neuer mo hir medes. ne shrewes ne lakken
neuer mo to{ur}mentis.
[Sidenote: Every action is done for a certain end, and that end is
the reward of the action. ]
for of alle ? inges ? at ben ydon
? ilke ? ing for whiche any ? ing is doon. it seme? as by
ry? t ? at ? ilke ? ing be ? e mede of ? at. as ? us. ? yif a 3384
man renne? in ? e stadie or in ? e forlonge for ? e corone.
? an lie? ? e mede in ? e corone for whiche he renne? .
[Sidenote: But Happiness is that good for which all things are
done. Therefore happiness is the reward which all the human race
seek as the reward of their actions. ]
? And I haue shewed ? at blisfulnesse is ? ilke same
good for whiche ? at alle ? i{n}g{us} ben don. ? an is ? ilke 3388
same good p{ur}posed to ? e werkes of mankynde ry? t as
a comune mede.
[Sidenote: This good is inseparable from the virtuous, therefore
virtue can never want its reward. ]
whiche mede ne may ben disseuered
fro good folk. for no wy? t as by ry? t fro ? ennes for? e
? {a}t hym lakki? goodnesse ne shal ben cleped good. 3392
For whiche ? ing folk of good[e] maneres her medes ne
forsaken hem neuer mo.
[Sidenote: Evil men may rage as they please against the good, but
the crown of the wise shall not fall nor fade. ]
For al be it so ? at sherewes
waxen as wood as hem list a? eynes good[e] folk. ? itte
neuer ? e les ? e corone of wise men ne shal nat fallen 3396
ne faden.
[Sidenote: The wickedness of another cannot deprive a virtuous
soul of its own honour. ]
? For foreine shrewednesse ne bynyme?
nat fro ? e corages of good[e] folk hire p{ro}pre honoure.
[Linenotes:
3379 _whiche_--which
3380 _good_--goode
3381 _ne_ (2)--omitted
3383 _whiche_--which
3385 _forlonge_--forlong
3386-88-90 _whiche_--which
3391 _for? e_--forth
3393 _whiche_--which
_good[e]_--goode
3395 _wood_--woode
_good[e]_--goode
3396 _les_--leese
_ne_--omitted
3398 _good[e]_--goode]
[Headnote:
THE REWARD OF THE GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: If a man pride himself on the possession of an
advantage received from another, he may be deprived of it, either
by the giver or by others. ]
but yif ? at any wy? t reioise? hem of goodnesse ? at ? ei
had[de] taken fro wi? oute. as who sei? yif [? {a}t] any 3400
wy? t had[de] hys goodnesse of any o? er man ? an of
hym self. certys he ? at ? af hym ? ilke goodnesse or
ellys som o? er wy? t my? t[e] bynym[e] it hym.
[Sidenote: But, as the reward of the virtuous is derived from
virtue, a man cannot lose this meed unless he ceases to be
virtuous. ]
but for
as moche as to euery wy?
t hys owen p{ro}pre bounte 3404
? eue? hy{m} hys mede. ? an at arst shal he faylen of
mede whan he forleti? to ben good.
[Sidenote: Lastly, since a reward is desired because it is
supposed to be a good, can we believe that he who is capable of
good is deprived of the recompence? ]
{and} at ? e laste so
as alle medes be{n} requered for men wenen ? at ? ei ben
good[e]. who is he ? at wolde deme ? at he ? at is ry? t [[pg 120]]
my? ty of goode were p{ar}tles of mede. 3409
[Sidenote: What reward shall he receive? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 27. ]]
*{and} of what
mede shal he be gerdoned.
[Sidenote: Certainly the fairest and richest of all rewards. ]
certys of ry? t faire mede
{and} ry? t greet abouen alle medes.
[Sidenote: Call to mind that excellent corollary I have already
given thee, and reason thus:--]
? Remembre ? e of
? ilk noble corolarie ? at I ? af ? e a lytel here byforne. 3412
{and} gadre it to gidre in ? is manere.
[Sidenote: Since the supreme good is happiness, it follows that
all good men are happy in as much as they are good; but if they
are happy they must become as it were gods. ]
so as god hym self
is blisfulnesse. ? an is it clere {and} certeyn. ? at alle good
folk ben makid blisful for ? ei ben good[e]. and ? ilke
folk ? at ben blisful it accordi? {and} is couenable to ben 3416
godde[s].
[Sidenote: The reward (_i. e. _ divinity) of the righteous is such
that no time can impair it, no power can diminish it, nor can any
wickedness obscure it. ]
? an is ? e mede of goode folk swiche. ? at no
day [ne] shal enpeyren it. ne no wickednesse shal endirken
it. ne power of no wy? t ne shal nat amenusen it
? at is to seyn to ben maked goddes.
[Sidenote: Since, then, happiness belongs to good men, punishment
inseparably attends the wicked. ]
? and syn it is 3420
? us ? at goode men ne faylen neuer mo of hir{e} medes.
[Linenotes:
3399 _reioise? _--reioyse
_hem_--hym
_? ei had[de]_--he hadde
3400 [_? at_]--from C.
3401 _had[de]_--hadde
3402 _self_--MS. selk
3403 _my? t[e] bynym[e]_--myhte be-nyme
3404 _owen_--owne
3406 _laste_--last
3408 _good[e]_--goode
_wolde_--nolde
3409 _goode_--good
_of_ (2)--of the
3411 _greet_--grete
3412 _here byforne_--her by-forn
3413 _god_--good
3414 _is_ (1)--his
_clere_--cleer
3415 _good[e]_--goode
3417 _godde[s]_--goddes
_swiche_--swich
3418 [_ne_]--from C.
_endirken_--derken]
[Headnote:
VIRTUE EXALTS MANKIND. ]
? certys no wise man ne may doute of ? e vndep{ar}table
peyne of shrewes. ? ? at is to seyn ? at ? e peyne of
shrewes ne dep{ar}ti? nat from hem self neuer mo. 3424
[Sidenote: For since _good_ and _evil_ are contraries, so are
_rewards_ and _punishments_. ]
? For so as goode {and} yuel {and} peyne {and} medes ben
contrarie it mot nedes ben ? {a}t ry? t as we seen by-tiden
in gerdou{n} of goode.
[Sidenote: It is evident that rewards follow good actions, and
punishments attend evil actions; then as virtue itself is the
reward of the virtuous, so vice is the punishment of the vicious. ]
? at also mot ? e peyne of yuel
answer{e} by ? e contrarie partye to shrewes. now ? an so 3428
as bounte {and} prowesse ben ? e medes to goode folk.
also is shrewednesse it self torment to shrewes
[Sidenote: He who is punished with pain and uneasiness knows that
he is afflicted with evil. ]
? ? an
who so ? at euer is entecched {and} defouled wi? yuel.
[Sidenote: If, then, the wicked did rightly understand themselves
they would perceive that they are not exempted from punishment. ]
yif shrewes wolen ? an p{re}isen hem self may it semen 3432
to hem ? at ? ei ben wi? oute{n} p{ar}tye of tourment.
[Sidenote: Since vice, the extreme and worst kind of evil, not
only afflicts them, but infects and entirely pollutes them. ]
syn ? ei ben swiche ? at ? e [vtteriste wikkednesse / ? {a}t is to
seyn wikkede thewes / which ? {a}t is the] out{er}este {and}
? e w[or]ste kynde of shrewednesse ne defouli? nat ne 3436
entecehi? nat hem oonly but infecti? {and} enuenemy?
he{m} gretely
[Sidenote: But contemplate the punishment of the wicked. ]
? And al so loke on shrewes ? at ben ? e
contrarie p{ar}tye of goode men.
how grete peyne felawshipe? [[pg 121]]
{and} folwe? hem.
[Sidenote: You have been taught that _unity_ is essential to being
and is good--and all that have this unity are good; whatsoever,
then, fails to be good ceases to exist. ]
? For ? ou hast lerned a litel 3440
here byforn ? at al ? i{n}g ? at is {and} ha? beynge is oon.
{and} ? ilke same oon is good. ? an is ? is consequence ? at
it seme? wel. ? at al ? at is {and} ha? bey{n}ge is good. ? is
is to seyne. as who sei? ? at beynge {and} vnite {and} 3444
goodnesse is al oon. {and} in ? is manere it folwe? ? an.
? at al ? ing ? at faile? to ben good. it stynti? forto be.
{and} forto haue any beynge.
[Sidenote: So that it appears that evil men must cease to be what
they were. ]
wher fore it is ? at shrewes
stynten forto ben ? at ? ei weren.
[Sidenote: That they were once men, the outward form of the body,
which still remains, clearly testifies. ]
but ? ilke o? er forme 3448
of mankynde. ? at is to seyne ? e forme of ? e body wi?
oute. shewi? ? it ? at ? ise shrewes were somtyme men.
[Linenotes:
3422 _wise man_--wysman
_? e_--omitted
_vndepartable_--MS. vndirp{ar}table, C. vndepartable
3423 _of_ (1)--of the
3428 _answere_--answery
_? e_--omitted
3434 [_vtteriste----is the_]--from C.
3438 _gretely_--gretly
3439 _grete_--gret
3441 _al_--alle
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3443 _al_--alle
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3446 _al_--alle
3447 _haue_--han
3448 _stynten_--MS. styntent
3450 _were somtyme_--weeren whilom]
[Headnote:
HE WHO CEASES TO BE VIRTUOUS CEASES TO BE A MAN. ]
[Sidenote: Wherefore, when they degenerate into wickedness they
lose their human nature. ]
? wher fore whan ? ei ben p{er}uerted {and} torned in to
malice. certys ? an han ? ei forlorn ? e nature of mankynde. 3452
[Sidenote: But as virtue alone exalts one man above other men, it
is evident that vice, which divests a man of his nature, must sink
him below humanity. ]
but so as oonly bounte {and} prowesse may enhawnse
euery man ouer o?
[Linenotes:
3324 _shrewednesse_--shrewednesses
_clere_--cleer
3325 _nat----power_--nawht ne han no power
3326 _whiche_--which
_? at is_--of this
3327 _here_--her
3328 _nis_--is
3329 _so? e_--soth
3329, 3330 [_and thilke----quod I_]--from C.
3334 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_none ? at_--non thanne
3335 _done_--doon
_good[e]_--goode
3336 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_done_--don
3337 _yuel[e]_--yuele
_? is_--it
3338 _don_--MS. done, C. don
3339 _? itte_--yit
_? ere_--ther
3340 _shewed here byforne_--Ishewed her by-forn
_al_--alle
3341 _amonge_--among
3344 _don_--MS. done, C. don
3346 _au? ten be_--owhte ben
3347 _al_--alle
_au? t[e]_--owhte
3351 _clere_--cler
3352 _so? e_--soth
_? at sey? _--MS. but si? e, C. ? {a}t seyth
3353 [_doon_]--from C.
3355 _seyne_--seyn
3357 _whiche_--which]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED ARE UNHAPPY. ]
QUOS UIDES SEDERE CELSOS.
[Sidenote: [The ij^de Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Whosoever might strip of their purple coverings, proud
kings, who, surrounded by their guards, sit on lofty thrones, and
whose stern looks wear fierce threatenings, and boiling breasts
breathe fury; would see those mighty lords inwardly fettered, and
tormented by lust, passion, grief, and delusive hopes. ]
++Who so ? at ? e couertures of her veyn apparailes
my? t[e] strepen of ? ise proude kynges ? at ? ou
seest sitten on hey? e in her chayeres glyterynge in
shynynge purpre envyroned wi? sorweful arm{ur}es 3364
manasyng wi? cruel mou? e. blowyng by woodnesse of
herte. ? He sholde se ? an ? at ilke lordes beren wi?
i{n}ne hir corages ful streyte cheynes for leccherye tormenti?
he{m} on ? at oon syde wi? gredy venyms {and} 3368
troublable Ire ? at araise? in hem ? e floodes of troublynges
tourmenti? vpon ? at o? er side hir ? ou? t. or sorwe halt
he{m} wery or ycau? t. or slidyng {and} disseyuyng hope
tourmenti? hem.
[Sidenote: Since, then, so many tyrants bear sway over one
head--that lord, oppressed by so many masters (i. e. vices), is
weak and feeble, and his actions are not obedient to his will. ]
And ? erfore syn ? ou seest on heed. 3372
? at is to seyne oon tyraunt bere so many[e] tyrauntis.
? a{n} ne do? ? ilk tyraunt nat ? at he desiri? . syn he
is cast doune wi? so many[e] wicked lordes. ? at is to
seyn wi? so many[e] vices. ? at han so wicked lordshipes 3376
ouer hym.
[Linenotes:
3361-63 _her_--hir
3362 _my? t[e]_--myhte
3363 _hey? e_--heygh
3364 _sorweful_--sorwful
3365 _mou? e_--Mowth
3366 _se_--seen
_ilke_--thilke
3368 _on_--in
3369 _hem_--hym
3371 _disseyuyng_--deceyuynge
3373 _seyne_--seyn
_bere_--beeren
3373-75-76 _many[e]_--manye
3373 _tyrauntis_--tyranyes
3374 _do? _--MS. do? e
_? ilk_--thilke
3375 _doune_--down
_wicked_--wikkede
3376 _wicked_--wikkedly]
[[pg 119]]
[Headnote:
THEY DO NOT ESCAPE PUNISHMENT. ]
VIDES NE IGITUR QUANTO.
[Sidenote: [The iij. ^de p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: See you not in how great and filthy a mire the wicked
wallow? ]
++SEest ? ou nat ? an in how gret fil? e ? ise shrewes ben
ywrapped. {and} wi? whiche cleernesse ? ise good
folk shynen.
[Sidenote: This is a proof that good folks do not go unrewarded,
nor do the evil-doers escape punishment. ]
In ? is shewe? it wel ? at to good folk ne 3380
lakke? neuer mo hir medes. ne shrewes ne lakken
neuer mo to{ur}mentis.
[Sidenote: Every action is done for a certain end, and that end is
the reward of the action. ]
for of alle ? inges ? at ben ydon
? ilke ? ing for whiche any ? ing is doon. it seme? as by
ry? t ? at ? ilke ? ing be ? e mede of ? at. as ? us. ? yif a 3384
man renne? in ? e stadie or in ? e forlonge for ? e corone.
? an lie? ? e mede in ? e corone for whiche he renne? .
[Sidenote: But Happiness is that good for which all things are
done. Therefore happiness is the reward which all the human race
seek as the reward of their actions. ]
? And I haue shewed ? at blisfulnesse is ? ilke same
good for whiche ? at alle ? i{n}g{us} ben don. ? an is ? ilke 3388
same good p{ur}posed to ? e werkes of mankynde ry? t as
a comune mede.
[Sidenote: This good is inseparable from the virtuous, therefore
virtue can never want its reward. ]
whiche mede ne may ben disseuered
fro good folk. for no wy? t as by ry? t fro ? ennes for? e
? {a}t hym lakki? goodnesse ne shal ben cleped good. 3392
For whiche ? ing folk of good[e] maneres her medes ne
forsaken hem neuer mo.
[Sidenote: Evil men may rage as they please against the good, but
the crown of the wise shall not fall nor fade. ]
For al be it so ? at sherewes
waxen as wood as hem list a? eynes good[e] folk. ? itte
neuer ? e les ? e corone of wise men ne shal nat fallen 3396
ne faden.
[Sidenote: The wickedness of another cannot deprive a virtuous
soul of its own honour. ]
? For foreine shrewednesse ne bynyme?
nat fro ? e corages of good[e] folk hire p{ro}pre honoure.
[Linenotes:
3379 _whiche_--which
3380 _good_--goode
3381 _ne_ (2)--omitted
3383 _whiche_--which
3385 _forlonge_--forlong
3386-88-90 _whiche_--which
3391 _for? e_--forth
3393 _whiche_--which
_good[e]_--goode
3395 _wood_--woode
_good[e]_--goode
3396 _les_--leese
_ne_--omitted
3398 _good[e]_--goode]
[Headnote:
THE REWARD OF THE GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: If a man pride himself on the possession of an
advantage received from another, he may be deprived of it, either
by the giver or by others. ]
but yif ? at any wy? t reioise? hem of goodnesse ? at ? ei
had[de] taken fro wi? oute. as who sei? yif [? {a}t] any 3400
wy? t had[de] hys goodnesse of any o? er man ? an of
hym self. certys he ? at ? af hym ? ilke goodnesse or
ellys som o? er wy? t my? t[e] bynym[e] it hym.
[Sidenote: But, as the reward of the virtuous is derived from
virtue, a man cannot lose this meed unless he ceases to be
virtuous. ]
but for
as moche as to euery wy?
t hys owen p{ro}pre bounte 3404
? eue? hy{m} hys mede. ? an at arst shal he faylen of
mede whan he forleti? to ben good.
[Sidenote: Lastly, since a reward is desired because it is
supposed to be a good, can we believe that he who is capable of
good is deprived of the recompence? ]
{and} at ? e laste so
as alle medes be{n} requered for men wenen ? at ? ei ben
good[e]. who is he ? at wolde deme ? at he ? at is ry? t [[pg 120]]
my? ty of goode were p{ar}tles of mede. 3409
[Sidenote: What reward shall he receive? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 27. ]]
*{and} of what
mede shal he be gerdoned.
[Sidenote: Certainly the fairest and richest of all rewards. ]
certys of ry? t faire mede
{and} ry? t greet abouen alle medes.
[Sidenote: Call to mind that excellent corollary I have already
given thee, and reason thus:--]
? Remembre ? e of
? ilk noble corolarie ? at I ? af ? e a lytel here byforne. 3412
{and} gadre it to gidre in ? is manere.
[Sidenote: Since the supreme good is happiness, it follows that
all good men are happy in as much as they are good; but if they
are happy they must become as it were gods. ]
so as god hym self
is blisfulnesse. ? an is it clere {and} certeyn. ? at alle good
folk ben makid blisful for ? ei ben good[e]. and ? ilke
folk ? at ben blisful it accordi? {and} is couenable to ben 3416
godde[s].
[Sidenote: The reward (_i. e. _ divinity) of the righteous is such
that no time can impair it, no power can diminish it, nor can any
wickedness obscure it. ]
? an is ? e mede of goode folk swiche. ? at no
day [ne] shal enpeyren it. ne no wickednesse shal endirken
it. ne power of no wy? t ne shal nat amenusen it
? at is to seyn to ben maked goddes.
[Sidenote: Since, then, happiness belongs to good men, punishment
inseparably attends the wicked. ]
? and syn it is 3420
? us ? at goode men ne faylen neuer mo of hir{e} medes.
[Linenotes:
3399 _reioise? _--reioyse
_hem_--hym
_? ei had[de]_--he hadde
3400 [_? at_]--from C.
3401 _had[de]_--hadde
3402 _self_--MS. selk
3403 _my? t[e] bynym[e]_--myhte be-nyme
3404 _owen_--owne
3406 _laste_--last
3408 _good[e]_--goode
_wolde_--nolde
3409 _goode_--good
_of_ (2)--of the
3411 _greet_--grete
3412 _here byforne_--her by-forn
3413 _god_--good
3414 _is_ (1)--his
_clere_--cleer
3415 _good[e]_--goode
3417 _godde[s]_--goddes
_swiche_--swich
3418 [_ne_]--from C.
_endirken_--derken]
[Headnote:
VIRTUE EXALTS MANKIND. ]
? certys no wise man ne may doute of ? e vndep{ar}table
peyne of shrewes. ? ? at is to seyn ? at ? e peyne of
shrewes ne dep{ar}ti? nat from hem self neuer mo. 3424
[Sidenote: For since _good_ and _evil_ are contraries, so are
_rewards_ and _punishments_. ]
? For so as goode {and} yuel {and} peyne {and} medes ben
contrarie it mot nedes ben ? {a}t ry? t as we seen by-tiden
in gerdou{n} of goode.
[Sidenote: It is evident that rewards follow good actions, and
punishments attend evil actions; then as virtue itself is the
reward of the virtuous, so vice is the punishment of the vicious. ]
? at also mot ? e peyne of yuel
answer{e} by ? e contrarie partye to shrewes. now ? an so 3428
as bounte {and} prowesse ben ? e medes to goode folk.
also is shrewednesse it self torment to shrewes
[Sidenote: He who is punished with pain and uneasiness knows that
he is afflicted with evil. ]
? ? an
who so ? at euer is entecched {and} defouled wi? yuel.
[Sidenote: If, then, the wicked did rightly understand themselves
they would perceive that they are not exempted from punishment. ]
yif shrewes wolen ? an p{re}isen hem self may it semen 3432
to hem ? at ? ei ben wi? oute{n} p{ar}tye of tourment.
[Sidenote: Since vice, the extreme and worst kind of evil, not
only afflicts them, but infects and entirely pollutes them. ]
syn ? ei ben swiche ? at ? e [vtteriste wikkednesse / ? {a}t is to
seyn wikkede thewes / which ? {a}t is the] out{er}este {and}
? e w[or]ste kynde of shrewednesse ne defouli? nat ne 3436
entecehi? nat hem oonly but infecti? {and} enuenemy?
he{m} gretely
[Sidenote: But contemplate the punishment of the wicked. ]
? And al so loke on shrewes ? at ben ? e
contrarie p{ar}tye of goode men.
how grete peyne felawshipe? [[pg 121]]
{and} folwe? hem.
[Sidenote: You have been taught that _unity_ is essential to being
and is good--and all that have this unity are good; whatsoever,
then, fails to be good ceases to exist. ]
? For ? ou hast lerned a litel 3440
here byforn ? at al ? i{n}g ? at is {and} ha? beynge is oon.
{and} ? ilke same oon is good. ? an is ? is consequence ? at
it seme? wel. ? at al ? at is {and} ha? bey{n}ge is good. ? is
is to seyne. as who sei? ? at beynge {and} vnite {and} 3444
goodnesse is al oon. {and} in ? is manere it folwe? ? an.
? at al ? ing ? at faile? to ben good. it stynti? forto be.
{and} forto haue any beynge.
[Sidenote: So that it appears that evil men must cease to be what
they were. ]
wher fore it is ? at shrewes
stynten forto ben ? at ? ei weren.
[Sidenote: That they were once men, the outward form of the body,
which still remains, clearly testifies. ]
but ? ilke o? er forme 3448
of mankynde. ? at is to seyne ? e forme of ? e body wi?
oute. shewi? ? it ? at ? ise shrewes were somtyme men.
[Linenotes:
3422 _wise man_--wysman
_? e_--omitted
_vndepartable_--MS. vndirp{ar}table, C. vndepartable
3423 _of_ (1)--of the
3428 _answere_--answery
_? e_--omitted
3434 [_vtteriste----is the_]--from C.
3438 _gretely_--gretly
3439 _grete_--gret
3441 _al_--alle
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3443 _al_--alle
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3446 _al_--alle
3447 _haue_--han
3448 _stynten_--MS. styntent
3450 _were somtyme_--weeren whilom]
[Headnote:
HE WHO CEASES TO BE VIRTUOUS CEASES TO BE A MAN. ]
[Sidenote: Wherefore, when they degenerate into wickedness they
lose their human nature. ]
? wher fore whan ? ei ben p{er}uerted {and} torned in to
malice. certys ? an han ? ei forlorn ? e nature of mankynde. 3452
[Sidenote: But as virtue alone exalts one man above other men, it
is evident that vice, which divests a man of his nature, must sink
him below humanity. ]
but so as oonly bounte {and} prowesse may enhawnse
euery man ouer o?
