e w[or]ste kynde of
shrewednesse
ne defouli?
Chaucer - Boethius
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? er men. ? an mot it nedes be
? at shrewes whiche ? at shrewednesse ha? cast out of ? e
condic{i}ou{n} of mankynde ben put vndir ? e merite {and} 3456
? e deserte of men.
[Sidenote: You cannot, therefore, esteem him to be a man whom you
see thus transformed by his vices. ]
? an bitidi? it ? at yif ? ou seest a
wy? t ? at be t{ra}nsformed in to vices. ? 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 ?
? 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? er men. ? an mot it nedes be
? at shrewes whiche ? at shrewednesse ha? cast out of ? e
condic{i}ou{n} of mankynde ben put vndir ? e merite {and} 3456
? e deserte of men.
[Sidenote: You cannot, therefore, esteem him to be a man whom you
see thus transformed by his vices. ]
? an bitidi? it ? at yif ? ou seest a
wy? t ? at be t{ra}nsformed in to vices. ? 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 ?
