[Sidenote: [The iij.^de p{ro}se.]]
[Sidenote: See you not in how great and filthy a mire the wicked
wallow?]
++SEest þou nat þan in how gret filþe þise shrewes ben
ywrapped. {and} wiþ whiche cleernesse þise good
folk shynen.
[Sidenote: This is a proof that good folks do not go unrewarded,
nor do the evil-doers escape punishment.]
In þis sheweþ it wel þat to good folk ne 3380
lakkeþ 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 þinges þat ben ydon
þilke þing for whiche any þing is doon. it semeþ as by
ryȝt þat þilke þing be þe mede of þat. as þus. ¶ yif a 3384
man renneþ in þe stadie or in þe forlonge for þe corone.
þan lieþ þe mede in þe corone for whiche he renneþ.
[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 þat blisfulnesse is þilke same
good for whiche þat alle þi{n}g{us} ben don. þan is þilke 3388
same good p{ur}posed to þe werkes of mankynde ryȝt 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 wyȝt as by ryȝt fro þennes forþe
þ{a}t hym lakkiþ goodnesse ne shal ben cleped good. 3392
For whiche þing 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 þat sherewes
waxen as wood as hem list aȝeynes good[e] folk. ȝitte
neuer þe les þe 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 bynymeþ
nat fro þe 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 _forþe_--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 þat any wyȝt reioiseþ hem of goodnesse þat þei
had[de] taken fro wiþoute. as who seiþ yif [þ{a}t] any 3400
wyȝt had[de] hys goodnesse of any oþer man þan of
hym self. certys he þat ȝaf hym þilke goodnesse or
ellys som oþer wyȝt myȝt[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 wyȝt hys owen p{ro}pre bounte 3404
ȝeueþ hy{m} hys mede. þan at arst shal he faylen of
mede whan he forletiþ 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 þe laste so
as alle medes be{n} requered for men wenen þat þei ben
good[e]. who is he þat wolde deme þat he þat is ryȝt [[pg 120]]
myȝty 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 ryȝt faire mede
{and} ryȝt greet abouen alle medes.
[Sidenote: Call to mind that excellent corollary I have already
given thee, and reason thus:--]
¶ Remembre þe of
þilk noble corolarie þat I ȝaf þe a lytel here byforne. 3412
{and} gadre it to gidre in þis 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. þan is it clere {and} certeyn. þat alle good
folk ben makid blisful for þei ben good[e]. and þilke
folk þat ben blisful it accordiþ {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.]
þan is þe mede of goode folk swiche. þat no
day [ne] shal enpeyren it. ne no wickednesse shal endirken
it. ne power of no wyȝt ne shal nat amenusen it
þat 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
þus þat goode men ne faylen neuer mo of hir{e} medes.
[Linenotes:
3399 _reioiseþ_--reioyse
_hem_--hym
_þei had[de]_--he hadde
3400 [_þat_]--from C.
3401 _had[de]_--hadde
3402 _self_--MS. selk
3403 _myȝt[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 þe vndep{ar}table
peyne of shrewes. ¶ þat is to seyn þat þe peyne of
shrewes ne dep{ar}tiþ 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 þ{a}t ryȝt 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.]
þat also mot þe peyne of yuel
answer{e} by þe contrarie partye to shrewes. now þan so 3428
as bounte {and} prowesse ben þe 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.]
¶ þan
who so þat euer is entecched {and} defouled wiþ yuel.
[Sidenote: If, then, the wicked did rightly understand themselves
they would perceive that they are not exempted from punishment.]
yif shrewes wolen þan p{re}isen hem self may it semen 3432
to hem þat þei ben wiþ 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 þei ben swiche þat þe [vtteriste wikkednesse / þ{a}t is to
seyn wikkede thewes / which þ{a}t is the] out{er}este {and}
þe w[or]ste kynde of shrewednesse ne defouliþ nat ne 3436
entecehiþ nat hem oonly but infectiþ {and} enuenemyþ
he{m} gretely
[Sidenote: But contemplate the punishment of the wicked.]
¶ And al so loke on shrewes þat ben þe
contrarie p{ar}tye of goode men.
how grete peyne felawshipeþ [[pg 121]]
{and} folweþ 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 þou hast lerned a litel 3440
here byforn þat al þi{n}g þat is {and} haþ beynge is oon.
{and} þilke same oon is good. þan is þis consequence þat
it semeþ wel. þat al þat is {and} haþ bey{n}ge is good. þis
is to seyne. as who seiþ þat beynge {and} vnite {and} 3444
goodnesse is al oon. {and} in þis manere it folweþ þan.
þat al þing þat faileþ to ben good. it styntiþ 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 þat shrewes
stynten forto ben þat þei weren.
[Sidenote: That they were once men, the outward form of the body,
which still remains, clearly testifies.]
but þilke oþer forme 3448
of mankynde. þat is to seyne þe forme of þe body wiþ
oute. shewiþ ȝit þat þise shrewes were somtyme men.
[Linenotes:
3422 _wise man_--wysman
_þe_--omitted
_vndepartable_--MS. vndirp{ar}table, C. vndepartable
3423 _of_ (1)--of the
3428 _answere_--answery
_þe_--omitted
3434 [_vtteriste----is the_]--from C.
3438 _gretely_--gretly
3439 _grete_--gret
3441 _al_--alle
_haþ_--MS. haþe
3443 _al_--alle
_haþ_--MS. haþe
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 þei ben p{er}uerted {and} torned in to
malice. certys þan han þei forlorn þe 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 oþer men. þan mot it nedes be
þat shrewes whiche þat shrewednesse haþ cast out of þe
condic{i}ou{n} of mankynde ben put vndir þe merite {and} 3456
þe deserte of men.
[Sidenote: You cannot, therefore, esteem him to be a man whom you
see thus transformed by his vices.]
þan bitidiþ it þat yif þou seest a
wyȝt þat be t{ra}nsformed in to vices. þou ne mayst nat
wene þat he be a man.
[Sidenote: The greedy robber, you will say, is like a _wolf_.]
¶ For ȝif he [be] ardaunt in
auarice. {and} þat he be a rauyno{ur} by violence of 3460
foreine rychesse. þou shalt seyn þat 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} wiþ out reste {and}
ex{er}cise hys tonge to chidynges. þou shalt lykene hym
to þe 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
reioyseþ hym to rauysshe by wyles. þou shalt seyne
hym lyke to þe fox whelpes.
[Sidenote: Is he intemperate in his anger? then men will compare
him to a raging _lion_.]
¶ And yif he be distempre
{and} quakiþ for ire men shal wene þat he bereþ
þe 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 dredeþ þinges þat ne auȝten nat ben dred. men
shal holde hym lyke to þe 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 lyueþ as an asse.
[Sidenote: Is he fickle and inconstant? Then is he like a _bird_.]
{and} yif he
be lyȝt {and} vnstedfast of corage {and} chaungeþ 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 wiþholden
in þe foule delices of þe 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.]
¶ þan folweþ it
þat he þat forletiþ bountee {and} prowesse. he forletiþ to 3476
ben a man. syn he ne may nat passe in to þe 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
_haþ_--MS. haþe
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 _þan_--MS. þat, 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 þe wynde aryueþ þe sayles of vlixes duc of þe
contre of narice. {and} hys wandryng shippes by þe 3480
see in to þe isle þere as Circe þe fayre goddesse douȝter
of þe sonne dwelleþ þat medlyþ to hir newe gestes
drynkes þat ben touched {and} maked wiþ enchau{n}tmentȝ.
{and} after þat hir hande myȝty of þe herbes 3484
had[de] chau{n}ged hir gestes i{n} to dyuerse maneres. þat
oon of hem is couered his face wiþ forme of a boor. þat
oþer is chau{n}ged in to a lyou{n} of þe contre of marmorike.
{and} his nayles {and} his teþe wexen.
[Sidenote: some into howling wolves, and others into Indian
tigers.]
¶ þat 3488
oþer of hem is newliche chaunged in to a wolf. {and}
howeliþ whan he wolde wepe. þat oþer goþ debonairly
in þe 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 þat þe
godhed of mercurie þat is cleped þe bride of arcadie haþ 3492
had mercie of þe duc vlixes byseged wiþ diu{er}se yueles
{and} haþ vnbounden hym fro þe pestilence of hys
oosteresse algates þe rowers {and} þe maryners hadden by
þis ydrawen in to hir mouþes {and} dronken þe wicked[e] 3496
drynkes þei þat were woxen swyne hadden by þis [[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 dwelliþ wiþ he{m} hoole. but
þei han lost þe voys {and} þe body.
[Sidenote: Their souls, unchanged, bewailed their dreadful fate.]
Oonly hir{e} þouȝt 3500
dwelleþ wiþ hem stable þ{a}t wepiþ {and} bywailiþ þe
monstruous chaungynge þat þei suffren.
[Sidenote: O most weak, are Circe’s powers compared with the
potency of vice, to transform the human shape!]
¶ O ouer lyȝt
hand. as who seiþ. ¶ O feble {and} lyȝt is þe hand of
Circes þe enchaunteresse þat chaungeþ þe bodies of folk 3504
in to bestes to regarde {and} to co{m}parisou{n} of mutac{i}ou{n}
þat is makid by vices.
[Sidenote: Circe’s herbs may change the body, but cannot touch the
mind, the inward strength of man.]
ne þe herbes of circes ne ben nat
myȝty. for al be it so þat þei may chau{n}gen þe lymes
of þe body. ¶ algates ȝit þei may nat chau{n}ge þe 3508
hertes. for wiþ inne is yhid þe strengþe {and} þe vigour
of me{n} in þe secre toure of hire hertys. þat is to seyn
þe strengþe of resou{n}.
[Sidenote: But vice is more potent than Circe’s poisonous charms.]
but þilke uenyms of vices to-drawen
a man to hem more myȝtily þan þe 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 þat þei percen {and}
þoruȝ passen þe corage wiþ i{n}ne. {and} þouȝ þei ne anoye
nat þe body. ȝitte vices wooden to distroien men by
wounde of þouȝt. 3516
[Linenotes:
3479 _aryueþ_--aryuede
_vlixes_--MS. vluxies, C. vlixes
3481 _Circe_--Circes
3483 _enchauntmentȝ_--enchauntementȝ
3484 _hande_--hand
_of_--ou{er}
3485 _had[de]_--hadde
_gestes_--MS. goostes, C. gestes
3486 _boor_--boer{e}
3488 _his_ (1)--hise
_his teþe_--hise teth
3489 _newliche_--neweliche
3490 _goþ_--MS. goþe
3491 _house_--hows
3492 _bride_--bryd
_haþ_--MS. haþe
3493 _mercie_--MS. mercurie, C. mercy
3494 _haþ_--MS. haþe
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 _wepiþ_--MS. kepiþ, 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.]