RICHES HAVE NO INTRINSIC VALUE.

QUISQUIS UOLET2 PERHENNEM CAUTUS. 2 MS. ualet.

What maner He who would have a stable and lasting seat must not build upon lofty hills; nor upon the sands, if he would escape the violence of winds and waves. man stable and war þat wil founden hym
a perdurable sete and ne wil not be cast doune 1156
wiþ þe loude blastes of þe wynde Eurus. and wil dispise
þe see manassynge wiþ floodes ¶ Lat hym eschewe to
bilde on þe cop of þe mountayngne. or in þe moyste
sandes. ¶ For þe fel[le] wynde auster tourmenteþ þe cop 1160
of þe mountayngne wiþ alle his strengþes. ¶ and þe
lowe see sandes refuse to beren þe heuy weyȝte. If thou wilt flee perilous fortune, lay thy foundation upon the firmer stone, so that thou mayst grow old in thy stronghold. and
forþi yif þou wolt flee þe perilous auenture þat is to
seine of þe worlde ¶ Haue mynde certeynly to ficchyn 1164
þi house of a myrie site in a lowe stoone. ¶ For al
þouȝ þe wynde troublyng þe see þondre wiþ ouereþrowynges
¶ Þou þat art put in quiete and welful by
strengþe of þi palys shalt leden a cleer age. scornyng 1168
þe wodenesses and þe Ires of þe eir.

GLORY NOT IN RICHES; THEY ADD NOTHING TO VIRTUE.

SET CUM RACIONUM IAM IN TE.

But for as It is now time to use stronger medicines, since lighter remedies have taken effect. moche as þe noryssinges of my resouns
descenden now in to þe. I trowe it were tyme to
vsen a litel strenger medicynes. What is there in the gifts of Fortune that is not vile and despicable? ¶ Now vndirstonde 1172
here al were it so þat þe ȝiftis of fortune nar[e] nat
brutel ne transitorie. what is þer in hem þat may be
[* fol. 12.] þine *in any tyme. or ellis þat it nys foule if þat it be
considered and lokid perfitely. Are riches precious in themselves, or in men’s estimation? ¶ Richesse ben þei 1176
preciouse by þe nature of hem self. or ellys by þe
nature of þe. What is most precious in them, quantity or quality? What is most worþi of rycchesse. is it
nat golde or myȝt of moneye assembled. Bounty is more glorious than niggardliness. ¶ Certis
þilke golde and þilke moneye shineþ and ȝeueþ better 1180
renoun to hem þat dispenden it. þen to þilke folke þat
mokeren it. Avarice is always hateful, while liberality is praise-worthy. For auarice makeþ alwey mokeres to be
hated. and largesse makeþ folke clere of renoun
¶ For syn þat swiche þing as is transfered from o 1184
man to an oþer ne may nat dwellen wiþ no man.
Money cannot be more precious than when it is dispensed liberally to others. Certis þan is þilke moneye precious. whan it is translated
in to oþer folk. and stynteþ to ben had by
vsage of large ȝeuyng of hym þat haþ ȝeuen it. If one man’s coffers contained all the money in the world, every one else would be in want of it. and 1188
also yif al þe moneye þat is ouer-al in þe world were
gadered towar[d] o man. it sholde maken al oþer men
to ben nedy as of þat. ¶ And certys a voys al hool
þat is to seyn wiþ-oute amenusynge fulfilleþ to gyder 1192
þe heryng of myche folke. Riches cannot be dispensed without diminution. but Certys ȝoure rycchesse
ne mowen nat passen vnto myche folk wiþ-oute amenussyng
¶ And whan þei ben apassed. nedys þei maken
hem pore þat forgon þe rycchesses. O the poverty of riches, that cannot be enjoyed by many at the same time, nor can be possessed by one without impoverishing others! ¶ O streite and 1196
nedy clepe I þise rycchesses. syn þat many folke [ne]
may nat han it al. ne al may it nat comen to on man
wiþ-oute pouerte of al oþer folke. ¶ And þe shynynge
of gemmes þat I clepe preciouse stones. draweþ it nat 1200
þe eyen of folk in to hem warde. þat is to seyne for þe
beaute. The beauty of precious stones consists only in their brightness, wherefore I marvel that men admire that which is motionless, lifeless, and irrational. ¶ For certys yif þer were beaute or bounte
in shynyng of stones. þilke clerenesse is of þe stones
hem self. and nat of men. ¶ For whiche I wondre 1204
gretly þat men merueilen on swiche þinges. ¶ For
whi what þing is it þat yif it wanteþ moeuyng and
ioynture of soule and body þat by ryȝt myȝt[e] semen
a faire creature to hym þat haþ a soule of resoun. 1208
Precious stones are indeed the workmanship of the Creator, but their beauty is infinitely below the excellency of man’s nature. ¶ For al be it so þat gemmes drawen to hem self a
litel of þe laste beaute of þe worlde. þoruȝ þe entent
of hir creatour and þoruȝ þe distinccioun of hem self.
ȝit for as myche as þei ben put vndir ȝoure excellence. 1212
þei han not desserued by no weye þat ȝe shullen
merueylen on hem. Doth the beauty of the field delight thee? ¶ And þe beaute of feeldes deliteþ
it nat mychel vnto ȝow. B. Why should it not? for it is a beautiful part of a beautiful whole. Boyce. ¶ Whi sholde it nat
deliten vs. syn þat it is a ryȝt fayr porcioun of þe ryȝt 1216
fair werk. þat is to seyn of þis worlde. Hence, we admire the face of the sea, the heavens, as well as the sun, moon, and stars. ¶ And ryȝt
so ben we gladed somtyme of þe face of þe see whan
it is clere. And also merueylen we on þe heuene and
on þe sterres. and on þe sonne. and on þe mone. 1220
P. Do these things concern thee? darest thou glory in them? Philosophie. ¶ Apperteineþ quod she any of þilke
þinges to þe. whi darst þou glorifie þe in þe shynynge
of any swiche þinges. Do the flowers adorn you with their variety? Art þou distingwed and embelised
by þe spryngyng floures of þe first somer 1224
sesoun. or swelliþ þi plente in fruytes of somer. whi
art þou rauyshed wiþ ydel ioies. Why embracest thou things wherein thou hast no property? why enbracest þou
straunge goodes as þei weren þine. Fortune can never make that thine which the nature of things forbids to be so. Fortune shal neuer
maken þat swiche þinges ben þine þat nature of þinges 1228
maked foreyne fro þe. The fruits of the earth are designed for the support of beasts. ¶ Syche is þat wiþ-outen
doute þe fruytes of þe erþe owen to ben on þe
norssinge of bestes. If you seek only the necessities of nature, the affluence of Fortune will be useless. ¶ And if þou wilt fulfille þi
nede after þat it suffiseþ to nature þan is it no nede 1232
þat þou seke after þe superfluite of fortune. Nature is content with a little, and superfluity will be both disagreeable and hurtful. ¶ For
wiþ ful fewe þinges and with ful lytel þing nature
halt hire appaied. and yif þou wilt achoken þe fulfillyng
of nature wiþ superfluites ¶ Certys þilke 1236
þinges þat þou wilt þresten or pouren in to nature
shullen ben vnioyeful to þe or ellis anoies. Does it add to a man’s worth to shine in variety of costly clothing? ¶ Wenest
þou eke þat it be a fair þinge to shine wiþ dyuerse
cloþing. The things really to be admired are the beauty of the stuff or the workmanship of it. of whiche cloþing yif þe beaute be agreable 1240
to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on þe nature of þe
matere of þilke cloþes. or ellys on þe werkeman þat
wrouȝt[e] hem. Doth a great retinue make thee happy? but al so a longe route of meyne. makiþ
[* fol. 12 b.] þat a blisful *man. If thy servants be vicious, they are a great burden to the house, and pernicious enemies to the master of it. þe whiche seruauntes yif þei ben 1244
vicioũs of condiciouns it is a greet charge and a
destruccioun to þe house. and a greet enmye to þe lorde
hym self If they be good, why should the probity of others be put to thy account? ¶ And yif þei ben goode men how shal
straung[e] or foreyne goodenes ben put in þe noumbre 1248
of þi rycchesse. Upon the whole, then, none of those enjoyments which thou didst consider as thy own did ever properly belong to thee. so þat by alle þise forseide þinges. it is
clerly shewed þat neuer none of þilke þinges þat þou
accoumptedest for þin goodes nas nat þi goode. If they be not desirable, ¶ In
þe whiche þinges yif þer be no beaute to ben desired. 1252

RICHES BRING ANXIETIES.

why shouldst thou grieve for the loss of them? whi sholdest þou be sory yif þou leese hem. or whi
sholdest þou reioysen þe to holden hem. If they are fair by nature, what is that to thee? ¶ For if þei
ben fair of hire owen kynde. what apperteneþ þat to þe.
They would be equally agreeable whether thine or not. for as wel sholde þei han ben faire by hem self. 1256
þouȝ þei weren departid from alle þin rycchesse. They are not to be reckoned precious because they are counted amongst thy goods, but because they seemed so before thou didst desire to possess them. ¶ For-why
faire ne precioũs ne weren þei nat. for þat þei
comen amonges þi rycchesse. but for þei semeden fair
and precious. þerfore þou haddest leuer rekene hem 1260
amonges þi rycchesse. What, then, is it we so clamorously demand of Fortune? but what desirest þou of fortune
wiþ so greet a noyse and wiþ so greet a fare
Is it to drive away indigence by abundance? ¶ I trowe þou seke to dryue awey nede wiþ habundaunce
of þinges. But the very reverse of this happens, for there is need of many helps to keep a variety of valuable goods. ¶ But certys it turneþ to ȝow al in þe 1264
contrarie. for whi certys it nediþ of ful many[e] helpynges
to kepen þe dyuersite of preciouse ostelmentȝ.
They want most things who have the most. and soþe it is þat of many[e] þinges han þei nede þat
many[e] þinges han. They want the fewest who measure their abundance by the necessities of nature, and not by the superfluity of their desires. and aȝeyneward of litel nediþ 1268
hem þat mesuren hir fille after þe nede of kynde and
nat after þe outrage of couetyse Is there no good planted within ourselves, that we are obliged to go abroad to seek it? ¶ Is it þan so þat ye
men ne han no propre goode. I-set in ȝow. For
whiche ȝe moten seken outwardes ȝoure goodes in 1272
foreine and subgit þinges. Are things so changed and inverted, that god-like man should think that he has no other worth but what he derives from the possession of inanimate objects? ¶ So is þan þe condicioun
of þinges turned vpso doun. þat a man þat is a devyne
beest by merit of hys resoun. þinkeþ þat hym
self nys neyþer fair ne noble. but if it be þoruȝ 1276
possessioun of ostelmentes. þat ne han no soules.

IGNORANCE CRIMINAL IN MAN.

Inferior things are satisfied with their own endowments, while man (the image of God) seeks to adorn his nature with things infinitely below him, not understanding how much he dishonours his Maker. ¶ And certys al oþer þinges ben appaied of hire owen
beautes. but ȝe men þat ben semblable to god by ȝoure
resonable þouȝt desiren to apparaille ȝoure excellent 1280
kynde of þe lowest[e] pinges. ne ȝe ne vndirstonde nat
how gret a wrong ȝe don to ȝoure creatour. God intended man to excel all earthly creatures, yet you debase your dignity and prerogative below the lowest beings. for he
wolde þat man kynde were moost worþi and noble of
any oþer erþely þinges. and ȝe þresten adoun ȝoure 1284
dignitees by-neþen þe lowest[e] þinges. In placing your happiness in despicable trifles, you acknowledge yourselves of less value than these trifles, and well do you merit to be so esteemed. ¶ For if þat al
þe good of euery þing be more preciouse þan is þilk
þing whos þat þe good is. syn ȝe demen þat þe
foulest[e] þinges ben ȝoure goodes. þanne summytten 1288
ȝe and putten ȝoure self vndir þo foulest[e] þinges by
ȝoure estimacioun. ¶ And certis þis bitidiþ nat wiþ
out ȝoure desert. Man only excels other creatures when he knows himself. For certys swiche is þe condicioun
of al man kynde þat oonly whan it haþ knowyng of it 1292
self. þan passeþ it in noblesse alle oþer þinges. When he ceases to do so, he sinks below beasts. and
whan it forletiþ þe knowyng of it self. þan it is
brouȝt byneþen alle beestes. Ignorance is natural to beasts, but in men it is unnatural and criminal. ¶ For-why alle oþer
[leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem 1296
self. but whan þat men leten þe knowyng of hem self.
it comeþ hem of vice. How weak an error is it to believe that anything foreign to your nature can be an ornament to it. but how brode sheweþ þe errour
and þe folie of ȝow men þat wenen þat ony þing may
ben apparailled wiþ straunge apparaillementȝ ¶ but 1300
for-soþe þat may nat be don. If a thing appear beautiful on account of its external embellishments, we admire and praise those embellishments alone. for yif a wyȝt shyneþ wiþ
þinges þat ben put to hym. as þus. yif þilke þinges
shynen wiþ whiche a man is apparailled. ¶ Certis
þilke þinges ben commendid and preised wiþ whiche 1304
he is apparailled. The thing covered still continues in its natural impurity. ¶ But naþeles þe þing þat is
couered and wrapped vndir þat dwelleþ in his filþe.
I deny that to be a good which is hurtful to its owner. and I denye þat þilke þing be good þat anoyeþ hym
þat haþ it. Am I deceived in this? You will say no; for riches have often hurt their possessors. ¶ Gabbe I of þis. þou wolt seye nay. 1308
¶ Certys rycchesse han anoyed ful ofte hem þat han þe
rycchesse. Every wicked man desires another’s wealth, and esteems him alone happy who is in possession of riches. ¶ Syn þat euery wicked shrew and for
hys wickednesse þe more gredy aftir oþer folkes rycchesse
wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or 1312
precious stones. [* fol. 13.] and weniþ hym *only most worþi þat
haþ hem You, therefore, who now so much dread the instruments of assassination, if you had been born a poor wayfaring man, might, with an empty purse, have sung in the face of robbers. ¶ þou þan þat so besy dredest now þe swerde
and þe spere. yif þou haddest entred in þe paþe of þis
lijf a voide wayfaryng man. þan woldest þou syng[e] 1316
by-fore þe þeef. ¶ As who seiþ a poure man þat bereþ
no rycchesse on hym by þe weye. may boldly syng[e]
byforne þeues. for he haþ nat wher-of to ben robbed.
O the transcendant felicity of riches! No sooner have you obtained them, than you cease to be secure. ¶ O preciouse and ryȝt clere is þe blysfulnesse of 1320
mortal rycchesse. þat whan þou hast geten it. þan hast
þou lorn þi syke[r]nesse.

THE GOLDEN AGE.

FELIX IN MIRUM PRIOR ETAS.

Blysful was Happy was the first age of men. They were contented with what the faithful earth produced. þe first age of men. þei helden hem
apaied wiþ þe metes þat þe trewe erþes brouȝten 1324
furþe. ¶ þei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e] not hem
self wiþ outerage. With acorns they satisfied their hunger. ¶ þei weren wont lyȝtly to slaken
her hunger at euene wiþ acornes of okes They knew not Hypocras nor Hydromel. ¶ þei ne
couþe nat medle þe ȝift of bacus to þe clere hony. 1328
þat is to seyn. þei couþe make no piment of clarre.
They did not dye the Serian fleece in Tyrian purple. ne þei couþe nat medle þe briȝt[e] flies of þe contre
of siriens wiþ þe venym of tirie. þis is to seyne. þei
couþe nat dien white flies of sirien contre wiþ þe 1332
blode of a manar shelfysshe. þat men fynden in tyrie.
wiþ whiche blode men deien purper. They slept upon the grass, and drank of the running stream, and reclined under the shadow of the tall pine. ¶ þei slepen
holesom slepes vpon þe gras. and dronken of þe rynnyng
watres. and laien vndir þe shadowe of þe heyȝe 1336
pyne trees. No man yet ploughed the deep, nor did the merchant traffick with foreign shores. ¶ Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf
ȝit þe heye see wiþ oores or wiþ shippes. ne þei ne
hadden seyne ȝitte none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse
in to dyuerse contres. The warlike trumpet was hushed and still. ¶ þo weren þe cruel 1340
clariouns ful whist and ful stille. Bloodshed had not yet arisen through hateful quarrels. ne blode yshed by
egre hate ne hadde nat deied ȝit armurers. Nothing could stimulate their rage to engage in war, when they saw that wounds and scars were the only meeds. for wherto
or whiche woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen
armes. whan þei seien cruel woundes ne none medes 1344
ben of blood yshad O that those days would come again! ¶ I wolde þat oure tymes sholde
turne aȝeyne to þe oolde maneres. The thirst of wealth torments all; it rages more fiercely than Ætna’s fires. ¶ But þe anguissous
loue of hauyng brenneþ in folke moore cruely þan þe
fijr of þe Mountaigne of Ethna þat euer brenneþ. 1348
Cursed be the wretch who first brought gold to light. ¶ Allas what was he þat first dalf vp þe gobets or
þe weyȝtys of gold couered vndir erþe. and þe precious
stones þat wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp precious
perils. þat is to seyne þat he þat hem first vp dalf. he 1352
dalf vp a precious peril. It has since proved perilous to many a man. for-whi. for þe preciousnesse
of swyche haþ many man ben in peril.

OF DIGNITIES AND POWERS.

QUID AUTEM DE DIGNITATIBUS ET CETERA.

But what shal But why should I discourse of dignities and powers which (though you are ignorant of true honour and real power) you extol to the skies? I seyne of dignitees and of powers.
þe whiche [ye] men þat neiþer knowen verray dignitee 1356
ne verray power areysen hem as heye as þe
heuene. When they fall to the lot of a wicked man, they produce greater calamities than the flaming eruption of Ætna, or the most impetuous deluge. þe whiche dignitees and powers yif þei come
to any wicked man þei don [as] greet[e] damages and
distruccioun as doþ þe flamme of þe Mountaigne 1360
Ethna whan þe flamme wit walwiþ vp ne no deluge
ne doþ so cruel harmes. You remember that your ancestors desired to abolish the Consular government (the commencement of the Roman liberty), because of the pride of the Consuls; as their ancestors before for the same consideration had suppressed the title of King. ¶ Certys ye remembriþ wel
as I trowe þat þilke dignitee þat men clepiþ þe emperie
of consulers þe whiche þat somtyme was bygynnyng 1364
of fredom. ¶ Ȝoure eldres coueiteden to han
don a-wey þat dignitee for þe pride of þe conseilers.

HONOURS NOT INTRINSICALLY GOOD,

¶ And ryȝt for þe same pride ȝoure eldres byforne þat
tyme hadden don awey out of þe Citee of rome þe 1368
kynges name. þat is to seien. þei nolden haue no
lenger no kyng ¶ But now yif so be þat dignitees
and powers ben ȝeuen to goode men. þe whiche þing
is ful ȝelde. what agreable þinges is þer in þo dignitees. 1372
or powers. but only þe goodenes of folk þat vsen hem.

FOR THEY FALL TO THE LOT OF THE WICKED.

Virtue is not embellished by dignities, but dignities derive honour from virtue. ¶ And þerfore it is þus þat honour ne comeþ nat to
vertue for cause of dignite. but aȝeinward. honour
comeþ to dignite by cause of vertue. But what is this power, so much celebrated and desired? but whiche is 1376
ȝoure derworþe power þat is so clere and so requerable
What are they over whom you exercise authority? ¶ O ȝe erþelyche bestes considere ȝe nat ouer whiche
þing þat it semeþ þat ȝe han power. If thou sawest a mouse assuming command over other mice, wouldst thou not almost burst with laughter? ¶ Now yif þou
[* fol. 13 b.] say[e] a mouse amongus *oþer myse þat chalenged[e] to 1380
hymself ward ryȝt and power ouer alle oþer myse. how
gret scorne woldest þou han of hit. ¶ Glosa. ¶ So
fareþ it by men. þe body haþ power ouer þe body.
What is more feeble than man, to whom the bite of a fly may be the cause of death? For yif þow loke wel vpon þe body of a wyȝt what 1384
þing shalt þou fynde moore frele þan is mannes kynde.
þe whiche ben ful ofte slayn wiþ bytynge of smale
flies. or ellys wiþ þe entryng of crepyng wormes in to
þe priuetees of mennes bodyes. But how can any man obtain dominion over another, unless it be over his body, or, what is inferior to his body,—over his possessions, the gifts of Fortune? ¶ But wher shal 1388
men fynden any man þat may exercen or haunten any
ryȝt vpon an oþer man but oonly vpon hys body. or
ellys vpon þinges þat ben lower þen þe body. whiche
I clepe fortunous possessiouns Can you ever command a freeborn soul? ¶ Mayst þou euer haue 1392
any comaundement ouer a fre corage Can you disturb a soul consistent with itself, and knit together by the bond of reason? ¶ Mayst þou
remuen fro þe estat of hys propre reste. a þouȝt þat is
cleuyng to gider in hym self by stedfast resoun. ¶ As
somtyme a tiraunt wende to confounde a freeman of 1396
corage ¶ And wende to constreyne hym by tourment
to maken hym dyscoueren and acusen folk þat wisten
of a coniuracioun. whiche I clepe a confederacie þat
was cast aȝeins þis tyraunt Have you not read how Anaxarchus bit off his tongue and spat it in the face of Nicocreon? ¶ But þis free man boot 1400
of hys owen tunge. and cast it in þe visage of þilke
woode tyraunte. ¶ So þat þe tourmentȝ þat þis
tyraunt wende to han maked matere of cruelte. þis
wyse man maked[e it] matere of vertues. What is it that one man can do to another that does not admit of retaliation? ¶ But what 1404
þing is it þat a man may don to an oþer man. þat he
ne may receyue þe same þing of oþer folke in hym
self. or þus. ¶ What may a man don to folk. þat folk
ne may don hym þe same. Busiris used to kill his guests, but at last himself was killed by Hercules, his guest. ¶ I haue herd told of 1408
busirides þat was wont to sleen hys gestes þat herburghden
in hys hous. and he was slayn hym self of
ercules þat was hys gest Regulus put his Carthaginian prisoners in chains, but was afterwards obliged to submit to the fetters of his enemies. ¶ Regulus had[de] taken in
bataile many men of affrike. and cast hem in to fetteres. 1412
but sone after he most[e] ȝiue hys handes to
ben bounden with þe cheynes of hem þat he had[de]
somtyme ouercomen. Is he mighty that dares not inflict what he would upon another for fear of a requital? ¶ Wenest þou þan þat he be
myȝty. þat may nat don a þing. þat oþer ne may don 1416
hym. þat he doþ to oþer. If powers and honours were intrinsically good, they would never be attained by the wicked. and ȝit more ouer yif it so
were þat þise dignites or poweres hadden any propre
or naturel goodnesse in hem self neuer nolden þei
comen to shrewes. An union of things opposite is repugnant to nature. ¶ For contrarious þinges ne ben 1420
not wont to ben yfelawshiped togidres. ¶ Nature refuseþ
þat contra[r]ious þinges ben yioigned. But as wicked men do obtain the highest honours, it is clear that honours are not in themselves good, otherwise they would not fall to the share of the unworthy. ¶ And so
as I am in certeyne þat ryȝt wikked folk han dignitees
ofte tymes. þan sheweþ it wel þat dignitees and powers 1424
ne ben not goode of hir owen kynde. syn þat þei suffren
hem self to cleuen or ioynen hem to shrewes.
The worst of men have often the largest share of Fortune’s gifts. ¶ And certys þe same þing may most digneliche Iugen
and seyen of alle þe ȝiftis of fortune þat most plenteuously 1428
comen to shrewes. We judge him to be valiant who has given evidence of his fortitude. ¶ Of þe whiche ȝiftys I
trowe þat it auȝt[e] ben considered þat no man doutiþ
þat he nis strong. in whom he seeþ strengþe. and in
whom þat swiftnesse is ¶ Soþe it is þat he is swyfte. 1432
So music maketh a musician, &c. Also musyk makeþ musiciens. and fysik makeþ phisiciens.
and rethorik rethoriens. The nature of everything consists in doing what is peculiar to itself, and it repels what is contrary to it. ¶ For whi þe nature
of euery þing makiþ his propretee. ne it is nat
entermedled wiþ þe effectis of contrarious þinges. 1436

POWER DOES NOT CONFER GOODNESS.

¶ And as of wil it chaseþ oute þinges þat to it ben
contrarie Riches cannot restrain avarice. Power cannot make a man master of himself if he is the slave of his lusts. ¶ But certys rycchesse may nat restreyne
auarice vnstaunched ¶ Ne power [ne] makeþ nat a
man myȝty ouer hym self. whiche þat vicious lustis 1440
holden destreined wiþ cheins þat ne mowen nat ben
vnbounden. Dignities conferred upon base men do not make them worthy, but rather expose their want of merit. and dignitees þat ben ȝeuen to shrewed[e]
folk nat oonly ne makiþ hem nat digne. but it sheweþ
raþer al openly þat þei ben vnworþi and vndigne. 1444
Why is it so? ’Tis because you give false names to things. You dignify riches, power, and honours, with names they have no title to. ¶ And whi is it þus. ¶ Certis for ȝe han ioye to
clepen þinges wiþ fals[e] names. þat beren hem al in
þe contrarie. þe whiche names ben ful ofte reproued
by þe effect of þe same þinges. [* fol. 14.] so þat *þise ilke rycchesse 1448
ne auȝten nat by ryȝt to ben cleped rycchesse.
ne whiche power ne auȝt[e] not ben cleped power. ne
whiche dignitee ne auȝt[e] nat ben cleped dignitee.
In fine, the same may be said of all the gifts of Fortune, in which nothing is desirable, nothing of natural good in them, since they are not always allotted to good men, nor make them good to whom they are attached. ¶ And at þe laste I may conclude þe same þinge of 1452
al þe ȝiftes of fortune in whiche þer nis no þing to
ben desired. ne þat haþ in hym self naturel bounte.
¶ as it is ful wel sene. for neyþer þei ne ioygnen
hem nat alwey to goode men. ne maken hem alwey 1456
goode to whom þei ben y-ioigned.

NERO’S CRUELTY.

NOUIMUS QUANTOS DEDERAT.

WE han wel We know what ruin Nero did. knowen how many greet[e] harmes and
destrucciouns weren doñ by þe Emperoure Nero.
He burnt Rome, he slew the conscript fathers, murdered his brother, and spilt his mother’s blood. ¶ He letee brenne þe citee of Rome and made slen þe 1460
senatours. and he cruel somtyme slouȝ hys broþer. and
he was maked moyst wiþ þe blood of hys modir. þat is
to seyn he let sleen and slitten þe body of his modir to
seen where he was conceiued. He looked unmoved upon his mother’s corpse, and passed judgment upon her beauty. and he loked[e] on euery 1464
half vpon hir colde dede body. ne no tere ne wette
his face. but he was so hard herted þat he myȝt[e] ben
domesman or Iuge of hire dede beaute. Yet this parricide ruled over all lands, illumined by the sun in his diurnal course, and controlled the frozen regions of the pole. ¶ And ȝitte
neuerþeles gouerned[e] þis Nero by Ceptre al þe peoples 1468
þat phebus þe sonne may seen comyng from his outerest
arysyng til he hidde his bemes vndir þe wawes. ¶ þat
is to seyne. he gouerned[e] alle þe peoples by Ceptre imperial
þat þe sonne goþ aboute from est to west ¶ And 1472
eke þis Nero goueyrende by Ceptre. alle þe peoples þat
ben vndir þe colde sterres þat hyȝten þe seuene triones.
þis is to seyn he gouerned[e] alle þe poeples þat ben vndir
þe parties of þe norþe. He governed, too, the people in the torrid zone. ¶ And eke Nero gouerned[e] 1476
alle þe poeples þat þe violent wynde Nothus scorchiþ
and bakiþ þe brennynge sandes by his drie hete. þat
is to seyne. alle þe poeples in þe souþe. But yet Nero’s power could not tame his ferocious mind. [but yit ne
myhte nat al his heye power torne the woodnesse of 1480
this wykkyd nero / It is a grievous thing when power strengthens the arm of him whose will prompts him to deeds of cruelty. Allas it is greuous fortune it is]. as
ofte as wicked swerde is ioygned to cruel venym. þat is
to sein. venimous cruelte to lordshipe.