[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 þat þe couertures of her veyn apparailes
myȝt[e] strepen of þise proude kynges þat þou
seest sitten on heyȝe in her chayeres glyterynge in
shynynge purpre envyroned wiþ sorweful arm{ur}es 3364
manasyng wiþ cruel mouþe. blowyng by woodnesse of
herte. ¶ He sholde se þan þat ilke lordes beren wiþ
i{n}ne hir corages ful streyte cheynes for leccherye tormentiþ
he{m} on þat oon syde wiþ gredy venyms {and} 3368
troublable Ire þat araiseþ in hem þe floodes of troublynges
tourmentiþ vpon þat oþer side hir þouȝt. or sorwe halt
he{m} wery or ycauȝt. or slidyng {and} disseyuyng hope
tourmentiþ 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 þerfore syn þou seest on heed. 3372
þat is to seyne oon tyraunt bere so many[e] tyrauntis.
þa{n} ne doþ þilk tyraunt nat þat he desiriþ. syn he
is cast doune wiþ so many[e] wicked lordes. þat is to
seyn wiþ so many[e] vices. þat han so wicked lordshipes 3376
ouer hym.
[Linenotes:
3361-63 _her_--hir
3362 _myȝt[e]_--myhte
3363 _heyȝe_--heygh
3364 _sorweful_--sorwful
3365 _mouþe_--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 _doþ_--MS. doþe
_þilk_--thilke
3375 _doune_--down
_wicked_--wikkede
3376 _wicked_--wikkedly]
[[pg 119]]
[Headnote:
THEY DO NOT ESCAPE PUNISHMENT.]