[Sidenote: [The ferthe p{ro}se.]]
++Þan seide I þus I confesse {and} am aknowe q{uo}d I. ne I ne se nat
þat men may seyn as by ryȝt. þ{a}t shrewes ne ben nat chaunged in to
beestes by þe qualite of hir soules. ¶ Al be it so þ{a}t þei kepen ȝitte
þe forme of þe body of mankynde. but I nolde nat of shrewes of whiche þe
þouȝt cruel woodeþ alwey in to destrucc{i}ou{n} of good[e] men. þat it
wer{e} leueful to hem to done þat. ¶ Certys q{uo}d she ne it nis nat
leueful to hem as I shal wel shewen þe in couenable place. ¶ But naþeles
yif so were þat þilke þat me{n} wene{n} ben leueful for shrewes were
bynomen hem. so þat þei ne myȝten nat anoyen or don harme to goode men.
¶ Certys a gret p{ar}ty of þe peyne to shrewes shulde ben allegged {and}
releued. ¶ For al be it so þ{a}t þis ne seme nat credible þing
p{er}auent{ur}e to so{m}me folk ȝit mot it nedes be þat shrewes ben more
wrecches {and} vnsely. whan þei may don {and} p{er}forme þat þei
coueiten [than yif they myhte nat complyssen þ{a}t they coueyten]. ¶ For
yif so be þat it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don yuel[;] þan is it more
wrecchednesse to mowen don yuel. wiþ oute whiche moeuyng þe wrecched
wille sholde languisshe wiþ oute effecte. ¶ þan syn þat eueryche of þise
þinges haþ hys wrecchednesse. þat is to seyne wil to done yuel. and
moeuynge to done yuel. it mot nedes be. þat þei (shrewes) ben
constreyned by þre vnselynesses þat wolen {and} mowen {and} p{er}formen
felonyes {and} shrewednesses. ¶ I accorde me q{uo}d I. but I desire
gretely þat shrewes losten sone þilke vnselynesses. þat is to seyne þat
shrewes were despoyled of moeuyng to don yuel. ¶ so shulle{n} þei q{uo}d
she. sonnere p{er}auenture þen þ{o}u woldest or sonnere þen þei hem self
wenen to lakken mowynge to done yuel. ¶ For þere nis no þing so late in
so short bou{n}des of þis lijf þat is longe to abide. namelyche to a
corage inmortel. Of whiche shrewes þe grete hope {and} þe heye
co{m}passy{n}g{us} of shrewednesse is often destroyed by a sodeyne ende
or þei ben war. {and} þat þing establiþ to shrewes þe ende of hir
shrewednesse. ¶ For yif þat shrewednesse makiþe wrecches. þan mot he
nedes be most wrecched þat lengest is a shrewe. þe whiche wicked shrewes
wolde ydemen aldirmost vnsely {and} caytifs yif þat hir shrewednes ne
were yfinissed. at þe leste weye by þe outerest[e] deeþ. for [yif] I
haue concluded soþe of þe vnselynesse of shrewednesse. þan sheweþ it
clerely þat þilke shrewednesse is wiþ outen ende þe whiche is certeyne
to ben p{er}durable. ¶ Certys q{uo}d I þis [conclusion] is harde {and}
wonderful to graunte. ¶ But I knowe wel þat it accordeþ moche to [the]
þi{n}ges þat I haue graunted her byforne. ¶ þou hast q{uo}d she þe ryȝt
estimac{i}ou{n} of þis. but who so euere wene þat it be an harde þing to
acorde hym to a conclusiou{n}. it is ryȝt þat he shewe þat so{m}me of þe
p{re}misses ben fals. or ellys he mot shewe þat þe colasiou{n} of
p{re}posic{i}ou{n}s nis nat spedful to a necessarie conclusio{n}. ¶ and
yif it be nat so. but þat þe p{re}misses ben yg{ra}nted þer nis nat whi
he sholde blame þe argument. for þis þing þat I shal telle þe nowe ne
shal not seme lasse wondirful. but of þe þinges þat ben taken al so it
is necessarie as who so seiþ it folweþ of þat whiche þat is p{ur}posed
byforn. what is þat q{uo}d I. ¶ certys q{uo}d she þat is þat þ{a}t þise
wicked shrewes ben more blysful or ellys lasse wrecches. þat byen þe
tourmentes þat þei han deserued. þan yif no peyne of Iustice ne
chastied[e] hem. ne þis ne seye I nat now for þat any man myȝt[e]
þenk[e] þat þe maneres of shrewes ben coriged {and} chastised by
veniaunce. {and} þat þei ben brouȝt to þe ryȝt wey by þe drede of þe
tourment. ne for þat þei ȝeuen to oþer folk ensample to fleyen fro{m}
vices. ¶ But I vndirstonde ȝitte [in] an oþer manere þat shrewes ben
more vnsely whan þei ne ben nat punissed al be it so þat þere ne ben had
no resou{n} or lawe of correcc{i}ou{n}. ne none ensample of lokynge.
¶ And what manere shal þat ben q{uo}d I. ouþer þan haþ ben told here
byforn ¶ Haue we nat graunted þan q{uo}d she þat good[e] folk ben
blysful. {and} shrewes ben wrecches. ȝis q{uo}d I. [thanne q{uod} she]
ȝif þat any good were added to þe wrecchenesse of any wyȝt. nis he nat
more blisful þan he þat ne haþ no medelyng of goode in hys solitarie
wrecchednesse. so semeþ it q{uo}d I. and what seyst þou þan q{uo}d she
of þilke wrecche þat lakkeþ alle goodes. so þat no goode nis medeled in
hys wrecchednesse. {and} ȝitte ouer alle hys wickednesse for whiche he
is a wrecche þat þer be ȝitte anoþer yuel anexid {and} knyt to hym. shal
not men demen hym more vnsely þan þilke wrecche of whiche þe vnselynesse
is re[le]ued by þe p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n} of som goode. whi sholde he nat
q{uo}d I. ¶ þan certys q{uo}d she han shrewes whan þei ben punissed
somwhat of good anexid to hir wrecchednesse. þat is to seyne þe same
peyne þat þei suffren whiche þat is good by þe resou{n} of Iustice. And
whan þilke same shrewes ascapen wiþ outen tourment. þan han þei somwhat
more of yuel ȝit ouer þe wickednesse þat þei han don. þat is to seye
defaute of peyne. whiche defaute of peyne þou hast graunted is yuel.
¶ For þe desert of felonye I ne may nat denye it q{uo}d I. ¶ Moche more
þan q{uo}d she ben shrewes vnsely whan þei ben wrongfully delyuered fro
peyne. þan whan þei beþ punissed by ryȝtful vengeaunce. but þis is open
þi{n}g {and} clere þat it is ryȝt þat shrewes ben punissed. {and} it is
wickednesse {and} wrong þat þei escapin vnpunissed. ¶ who myȝt[e] denye
þat q{uo}d I. but q{uo}d she may any ma{n} denye. þat al þat is ryȝt nis
good. {and} also þe contrarie. þat alle þat is wrong nis wicked. certys
q{uo}d I þise þinges ben clere ynouȝ. {and} þat we han concludid a litel
here byforn{e}. but I p{re}ye þe þat þou telle me yif þou accordest to
leten no to{ur}ment to þe soules aftir þat þe body is dedid by þe deþe.
þis [is] to seyn. vndirstondest þou ouȝt þat soules han any to{ur}ment
after þe deþe of þe body. ¶ Certis q{uo}d she ȝe {and} þat ryȝt grete.
of whiche soules q{uo}d she I trowe þat so{m}me ben to{ur}mentid by
asprenesse of peyne. {and} so{m}me soules I trowe be exc{er}cised by a
p{ur}ging mekenesse. but my conseil nys nat to determyne of þis peyne.
but I haue trauayled and told it hider to. ¶ For þou sholdest knowe þat
þe mowynge [.i. myght] of shrewes whiche mowynge þe semeþ to ben.
vnworþi nis no mowynge. {and} eke of shrewes of whiche þou pleynedest
þat þei ne were nat punissed. þat þou woldest seen þat þei ne weren
neuer mo wiþ outen þe torment of hire wickednesse. {and} of þe licence
of mowynge to done yuel. þat þou p{re}idest þat it myȝt[e] sone ben
endid. {and} þat þou woldest fayne lerne. þat it ne sholde nat longe
endure. {and} þat shrewes ben more vnsely yif þei were of lenger duryng.
{and} most vnsely yif þei weren p{er}durable. {and} after þis I haue
shewed þe þat more vnsely ben shrewes whan þei escapen wiþ oute ryȝtful
peyne. þan whan þei ben punissed by ryȝtful uengeaunce. and of þis
sentence folweþ it þat þan be{n} shrewes constreyned atte laste wiþ most
greuous tourment. whan men wene þat þei ne ben nat ypunissed. whan I
considre þi resou{n}s q{uo}d I. I. ne trowe nat þat men seyn any þing
more verrely. {and} yif I to{ur}ne aȝeyn to þe studies of men. who is
[he] to who{m} it sholde seme þat [he] ne sholde nat only leue{n} þise
þinges. but eke gladly herkene he{m}. Certys q{uo}d she so it is. but
men may nat. for þei han hire eyen so wont to derkenesse of erþely
þinges. þat þei may nat liften hem vp to þe lyȝt of clere soþefastnes.
¶ But þei ben lyke to briddes of whiche þe nyȝt lyȝtneþ hyre lookyng.
{and} þe day blyndeþ hem. for whan men loken nat þe ordre of þinges but
hire lustes {and} talentȝ. þei wene þat oþir þe leue or þe mowynge to
done wickednesse or ellys þe escapi{n}g wiþ oute peyne be weleful. but
co{n}sider{e} þe iugement of þe p{er}durable lawe. for if þou conferme
þi corage to þe beste þinges. þou ne hast no nede to no iuge to ȝiue{n}
þe p{r}is or meede. for þou hast ioigned þi self to þe most excellent
þing. and yif þou haue enclined þi studies to þe wicked þinges. ne seek
no foreyn wrekere out of þi self. for þou þi self hast þrest þe in to
wicked þinges. ryȝt as þou myȝtest loken by dyuerse tymes þe foule erþe
{and} þe heuene. {and} þat alle oþer þinges stynten fro wiþ oute. so þat
þou [ner{e} neyther in heuene ne in erthe] ne say[e] no þing more. þan
sholde it semen to þe as by only resou{n} of lokynge. þat þou were in þe
sterres. {and} now in þe erþe. but þe poeple ne lokeþ nat on þise
þinges. what þan shal we þan app{ro}chen vs to hem þat I haue shewed þat
þei ben lyke to þe bestes. (q. d. no{n}) ¶ And what wilt þou seyne of
þis ¶ yif þat a man hadde al forlorn hys syȝt. {and} had[de] forȝeten
þat he euer saw {and} wende þ{a}t no þing ne fayled[e] hym of
p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} of ma{n}kynde. now we þat myȝten sen þe same þing
wolde we nat wene þat he were bly{n}de (q. d. sic). ne also ne accordeþ
nat þe poeple to þat I shal seyne. þe whiche þing is susteyned by a
stronge foundement of resou{n}s. þat is to seyn þat more vnsely ben þei
þat don wrong to oþer folk. þen þei þat þe wrong suffren. ¶ I wolde
heren þilke same resou{n}s q{uo}d I ¶ Deniest þou q{uo}d she þat alle
shrewes ne ben worþi to han to{ur}ment. nay q{uo}d I. but q{uo}d she I
am certeyne by many resou{n}s þat shrewes ben vnsely. it accordeþ q{uo}d
I. þan [ne] dowtest þou nat q{uo}d she þat þilke folk þat ben worþi of
to{ur}ment þat þei ne ben wrecches. It accordeþ wel q{uo}d I. yif þou
were þan q{uo}d she yset a Iuge or a knower of þinges. wheþer trowest
þou þ{a}t men sholde to{ur}ment[e] hym þat haþ don þe wronge. or hym þat
haþ suffred þe wronge. I ne doute nat q{uo}d I. þat I nolde don
suffissaunt satisfacc{i}ou{n} to hym þat had[de] suffred þe wrong by þe
sorwe of hym þat had[de] don þe wronge. ¶ þan semeþ it q{uo}d she þat þe
doar of wrong is more wrecche þan he þat haþ suffred þe wrong. þat
folweþ wel q{uo}d [I]. þan q{uo}d she by þise causes {and} by oþer
causes þat ben enforced by þe same roate þat filþe or synne by þe
p{ro}pre nature of it makeþ men wretches. {and} it sheweþ wel þat þe
wrong þat me{n} don nis nat þe wrecchenesse of hym þat receyueþ þe
wrong. but þe wrecchednesse of hym þat doþ þe wronge ¶ but certys q{uo}d
she þise orato{ur}s or aduocatȝ don al þe contrarie for þei enforcen hem
to co{m}moeue þe iuges to han pite of he{m} þat han suffred {and}
resceyued þe þinges þat ben greuous {and} aspre. {and} ȝitte men sholden
more ryȝtfully han pitee on hem þat don þe greuaunces {and} þe wronges.
þe whiche shrewes it were a more couenable þing þat þe accuso{ur}s or
aduocatȝ not wroþe but pitous {and} debonaire ladden þe shrewes þat han
don wro{n}g to þe Iugement. ryȝt as men leden seke folk to þe leche. for
þat þei sholden seken out þe maladies of synne by to{ur}mentȝ. and by
þis couenaunt eyþer þe entent of þe defendo{ur}s or aduocatȝ sholde
fayle {and} cesen in al. or ellys yif þe office of aduocatȝ wolde
bettre p{ro}fiten to men. it sholde be to{ur}ned in to þe habit of
accusac{i}ou{n}. þat is [to] s[e]yn þei sholde{n} accuse shrewes.
{and} nat excuse hem. {and} eke þe shrewes hem self. ȝit it were
leueful to hem to seen at any clifte þe vertue þat þei han forleten.
{and} sawen þat þei sholde putten adou{n} þe filþes of hire vices
by [the] to{ur}mentȝ of peynes. þei ne auȝten nat ryȝt for þe
reco{m}pensac{i}ou{n} forto geten hem bounte {and} prowesse whiche þat
þei han lost demen ne holden þat þilke peynes weren to{ur}mentes to hem.
{and} eke þei wolden refuse þe attendau{n}ce of hir aduocatȝ {and} taken
hem self to hire iuges {and} to hir accusours. for whiche it bytideþ
[þ{a}t] as to þe wise folk þer nis no place ylete to hate. þat is to
seyn. þat hate ne haþ no place amonges wise men. ¶ For no wyȝt wolde
haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a fole. ¶ and forto haten
shrewes it nis no resou{n}. ¶ For ryȝt so as languissing is maladie of
body. ryȝt so ben vices {and} sy{n}ne maladies of corage. ¶ and so as we
ne deme nat þat þei þat ben seek of hire body ben worþi to ben hated.
but raþer worþi of pite. wel more worþi nat to ben hated. but forto ben
had in pite ben þei of whiche þe þouȝtes ben constreined by felonous
wickednesse. þat is more cruel þa{n} any languissinge of body.