[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 þat þe proude nero wiþ al his woode luxurie 2048
kembed hym {and} apparailed hym wiþ faire purp{er}s
of Tirie {and} wiþ white perles. Algates ȝitte throf he
hateful to alle folk ¶ þis is to seyn þat
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.]
¶ ȝitte þis wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ȝaf somtyme to þe dredeful senatours þe
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ¶ vnworshipful setes
he clepiþ here fore þat Nero þat was so wikked ȝaf þo
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews?]
who wolde þanne resonably wenen þat blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ȝeuen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _ȝitte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_ȝaf somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}encȝ
2055 _fore_--for
_ȝaf_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY.]