Part 10

[Linenotes: 1278 _hire owen_--hir owne 1281 _ne_ (2)--omitted _vndirstonde_--vndyrstondyn 1282 _gret_--MS. grete, C. gret 1284 _oþer erþely_--oothre worldly _þresten_--threste 1285 _by-neþen_--by-nethe _if_--yif 1286 _good_--MS. goode, C. good _þing_--thinge _preciouse_--p{re}syos _þilk þing_--thilke thinge 1287 _þe_ (2)--tho 1288 _summytten_--submitten 1289 _self_--seluen _foulest[e]_--fowleste 1290 _bitidiþ_--tydeth 1291 _out_--owte _desert_--desertes 1292 _al_--alle 1293 _self_--selue 1294 _it is_--is it 1296 [_leuynge_]--from C. _hem_--hym 1297 _þat_--omitted 1298 _comeþ_--comth 1299 _þing_--thinge 1302 _put_--MS. putte, C. put 1303 _whiche_--which 1306 _filþe_--felthe 1307 _þing_--thinge _good_--MS. goode, C. good 1308 _haþ_--MS. haþe 1309 _rycchesse_--Rychesses _þe_--tho 1310 _rycchesse_--Rychesses _shrew_--shrewe 1311 _rycchesse_--rychesses 1312 _golde_--gold 1314 _haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hat _besy_--bysy _swerde_--swerd 1315 _paþe_--paath 1316 _wayfaryng_--wayferynge _syng[e]_--synge 1317 _by-fore_--by-forn _seiþ_--MS. seiþe, C. seyth _poure_--pore _bereþ_--berth 1318 _boldly syng[e]_--boldely synge 1319 _haþ_--MS. haþe 1320 _preciouse_--p{re}cyos _clere_--cler 1321 _rycchesse_--rychesses 1322 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn]

[Headnote: THE GOLDEN AGE.]

FELIX IN MIRU{M} PRIOR ETAS.

[Sidenote: [The fyfthe met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Happy was the first age of men. They were contented with what the faithful earth produced.]

++Blysful was 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.

[Sidenote: With acorns they satisfied their hunger.]

¶ þei weren wont lyȝtly to slaken her hunger at euene wiþ acornes of okes

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: They did not dye the Serian fleece in Tyrian purple.]

ne þei couþe nat medle þe briȝt[e] flies of þe co{n}tre 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.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: 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 [[pg 51]] in to dyuerse co{n}tres.

[Sidenote: The warlike trumpet was hushed and still.]

¶ þo weren þe cruel 1340 clariou{n}s ful whist {and} ful stille.

[Sidenote: Bloodshed had not yet arisen through hateful quarrels.]

ne blode yshed by egre hate ne hadde nat deied ȝit armurers.

[Sidenote: 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

[Sidenote: O that those days would come again!]

¶ I wolde þat oure tymes sholde turne aȝeyne to þe oolde maneres.

[Sidenote: 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 Mou{n}taigne of Ethna þat euer brenneþ. 1348

[Sidenote: 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 p{re}cious stones þat wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp p{re}cious perils. þat is to seyne þat he þat hem first vp dalf. he 1352 dalf vp a p{re}cious peril.

[Sidenote: It has since proved perilous to many a man.]

for-whi. for þe p{re}ciousnesse of swyche haþ many man ben in peril.

[Linenotes: 1324 _erþes_--feeldes 1325 _furþe_--forth _destroyed[e]_--dystroyede 1327 _her_--hyr _at_--MS. as, C. at _euene_--euen 1328 _couþe_--cowde _medle_--medly _ȝift_--yifte _clere_--cleer 1329 _couþe_--cowde _of_--nor 1330 _couþe_--cowde _briȝt[e] flies_--bryhte fleeȝes 1331 _siriens_--Seryens _seyne_--seyn 1332 _couþe_--cowde _dien_--deyen _flies_--fleȝes 1333 _blode_--blood _shelfysshe_--shyllefyssh 1334 _blode_--blood 1335 _holesom_--holsom _rynnyng watres_--rennynge wateres _shadowe_--shadwes _heyȝe_--heye 1337 _pyne_--pyn _no_ (2)--omitted [_ne_]--from C. _karf_--karue 1339 _hadden seyne ȝitte_--hadde seyn yit 1341 _whist_--hust _blode yshed_--blod I-shad 1343 _whiche woodenesse_--whych wodnesse 1344 _seien_--say 1346 _turne aȝeyne_--torne ayein 1347 _folke_--folk 1348 _þe_--omitted _euer_--ay 1351 _hid_--MS. hidde, C. hydd 1352 _seyne_--seyn _he_ (2)--omitted 1354 _swyche_--swych thinge _haþ_--MS. haþe _ben_--be]

[Headnote: OF DIGNITIES AND POWERS.]

QUID AUTE{M} DE DIGNITATIB{US} {ET} C{ETERA}.

[Sidenote: [The sixte p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: 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?]

++But what shal I seyne of dignitees {and} of powers. þe whiche [ye] men þ{a}t neiþer knowen verray dignitee 1356 ne verray power areysen hem as heye as þe heuene.

[Sidenote: 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} distrucc{i}ou{n} as doþ þe fla{m}me of þe Mou{n}taigne 1360 Ethna whan þe fla{m}me wit walwiþ vp ne no deluge ne doþ so cruel harmes.

[Sidenote: 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 {con}sulers þe whiche þat somtyme was bygynnyng 1364 of fredom. ¶ Ȝoure eldres coueiteden to han don a-wey þat dignitee for þe p{r}ide of þe conseilers.

[Linenotes: 1355 _seyne_--seye 1358 _come_--comen 1359 _don_--MS. done, C. don _[as] greet[e]_--as grete 1360 _distruccioun_--destrucciou{n}s _doþ_--MS. doþe, C. doth _flamme_--flaumbe 1361 _flamme_--flawmbe _wit_--omitted 1362 _doþ_--MS. doþe, C. doth 1363 _clepiþ_--clepyn 1364 _whiche_--whych _somtyme_--whilom 1366 _for_--MS. of, C. for]

[[pg 52]] [Headnote: HONOURS NOT INTRINSICALLY GOOD,]

¶ And ryȝt for þe same p{r}ide 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 þ{a}t dignitees {and} powers ben ȝeuen to goode men. þe whiche þing is ful ȝelde. what agreable þi{n}ges is þer in þo dignitees. 1372 or powers. but only þe goodenes of folk þat vsen hem.

[Linenotes: 1368 _don_--MS. done, C. don 1369 _seien_--seyn 1370 _lenger_--lenger{e} _kyng_--kynge 1371 _whiche_--which 1373 _folk_--foolkys]

[Headnote: FOR THEY FALL TO THE LOT OF THE WICKED.]

[Sidenote: Virtue is not embellished by dignities, but dignities derive honour from virtue.]

¶ And þerfore it is þus þat hono{ur} ne comeþ nat to vertue for cause of dignite. but aȝeinward. hono{ur} comeþ to dignite by cause of vertue.

[Sidenote: But what is this power, so much celebrated and desired?]

but whiche is 1376 ȝoure derworþe power þat is so clere {and} so requerable

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: If thou sawest a mouse assuming command over other mice, wouldst thou not almost burst with laughter?]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 13 _b_.]]

¶ Now yif þou say[e] a mouse amo{n}g{us} *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.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: 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 ma{n} but oonly vpon hys body. or ellys vpo{n} þinges þat ben lower þen þe body. whiche I clepe fortunous possessiou{n}s

[Sidenote: Can you ever command a freeborn soul?]

¶ Mayst þou euer haue 1392 any comaundement ouer a fre corage

[Sidenote: Can you disturb a soul consistent with itself, and knit together by the bond of reason?]

¶ Mayst þou remuen fro þe estat of hys p{ro}pre reste. a þouȝt þat is cleuyng to gider in hym self by stedfast resou{n}. ¶ As somtyme a tiraunt wende to co{n}founde a freeman of 1396 corage ¶ {And} wende to co{n}streyne hym by to{ur}ment [[pg 53]] to maken hym dyscoueren {and} acusen folk þat wisten of a coniurac{i}ou{n}. whiche I clepe a confederacie þat was cast aȝeins þis tyraunt

[Sidenote: 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 tyrau{n}te. ¶ So þat þe to{ur}mentȝ þat þis tyrau{n}t wende to han maked mater{e} of cruelte. þis wyse man maked[e it] matere of vertues.

[Sidenote: 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 i{n} hym self. or þus. ¶ What may a man don to folk. þat folk ne may don hym þe same.

[Sidenote: 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 wo{n}t to sleen hys gestes þat herburghden in hys hous. and he was slayn hym self of ercules þat was hys gest

[Sidenote: 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 w{i}t{h} þe cheynes of hem þat he had[de] somtyme ou{er}comen.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: If powers and honours were intrinsically good, they would never be attained by the wicked.]

{and} ȝit more ou{er} yif it so were þat þise dignites or poweres hadden any p{ro}pre or naturel goodnesse in hem self neuer nolden þei comen to shrewes.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: 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 cleue{n} or ioynen hem to shrewes.

[Sidenote: 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 [[pg 54]] comen to shrewes.

[Sidenote: We judge him to be valiant who has given evidence of his fortitude.]

¶ Of þe whiche ȝiftys I 1429 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

[Sidenote: So music maketh a musician, &c.]

Also musyk makeþ musiciens. {and} fysik makeþ phisiciens. {and} rethorik rethoriens.

[Sidenote: 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 p{ro}pretee. ne it is nat ent{er}medled wiþ þe effect{is} of co{n}trarious þinges. 1436

[Linenotes: 1374 _comeþ_--comth 1375, 1376 _vertue_--vertu 1376 _comeþ_--comth _by_--for _whiche_--which 1377 _derworþe_--dereworthe _clere_--cleer 1378 _whiche_--which 1379 _han_--MS. hanne, C. han 1380 _say[e]_--saye _mouse amongus_--mous amonges _myse_--musȝ 1382 _scorne_--scorn 1383 _haþ_--MS. haþe 1385 _mannes_--man 1386 _þe----slayn_--the whiche men wel ofte ben slayn 1388 _mennes bodyes_--mannes body 1391 _lower_--lower{e} _whiche_--the which 1395 _stedfast_--stidefast 1396 _somtyme_--whylom 1399 _whiche_--which 1401 _owen_--owne 1406 _receyue_--resseyuen _oþer_--oothre 1408 _herd told_--MS. herde tolde, C. herd told 1409 _hys_--hise _herburghden_--herberweden 1410 _slayn_--sleyn 1411 _had[de]_--hadde 1413 _most[e]_--moste 1414 _bounden_--bownde _cheynes_--MS. þeues, C. cheynes _had[de]_--hadde 1415 _somtyme_--whylom 1416 _þat----þing_--that hath no power to don a thinge _oþer_--oothre 1417 _hym_--in hym _doþ_--MS. doþe, C. doth _to oþer_--in oothre 1421 _togidres_--to-gider{e} 1423 _certeyne_--certein 1424 _tymes_--tyme 1425 _owen_--owne 1429 _whiche_--which 1430 _auȝt[e]_--owhte 1432 _Soþe_--soth _swyfte_--swyft 1435 _is_--nis 1436 _effectis_--effect]

[Headnote: POWER DOES NOT CONFER GOODNESS.]

¶ And as of wil it chaseþ oute þinges þat to it ben contrarie

[Sidenote: 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 ma{n} myȝty ouer hym self. whiche þat vicious lustis 1440 holden destreined wiþ cheins þat ne mowen nat ben vnbounden.

[Sidenote: 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

[Sidenote: 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 þ{us}. ¶ Certis for ȝe han ioye to clepen þinges wiþ fals[e] names. þat beren hem al in þe co{n}t{ra}rie. þe whiche names ben ful ofte reproued by þe effect of þe same þinges.

[Sidenote: [* 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.

[Sidenote: 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 ioygne{n} hem nat alwey to goode men. ne maken hem alwey 1456 goode to who{m} þei be{n} y-ioigned.

[Linenotes: 1437 _oute_--owt 1441 _ben_--be 1442 _shrewed[e]_--shrewede 1446 _fals[e]_--false _al_--alle 1447 _whiche_--which 1449 _auȝten_--owhten _rycchesse_--rychesses 1450 _whiche_--swich _auȝt[e]_--owhte 1451 _whiche_--swich _auȝt[e]_--owht 1453 _al_--alle 1454 _haþ_--MS. haþe 1455 _sene_--I-seene]

[[pg 55]] [Headnote: NERO’S CRUELTY.]

NOUIMUS QUANTOS DEDERAT.

[Sidenote: [The sixte Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: We know what ruin Nero did.]

++WE han wel knowen how many g{r}eet[e] harmes {and} destrucc{i}ou{n}s weren doñ by þe Emp{er}oure Nero.

[Sidenote: 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 senato{ur}s. 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} slitte{n} þe body of his modir to seen where he was conceiued.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: 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 imp{er}ial þat þe so{n}ne 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 p{ar}ties of þe norþe.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: 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 /

[Sidenote: 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.

[Linenotes: 1458 _greet[e]_--grete 1460 _letee_--let 1461 _somtyme slouȝ_--whilom slow 1463 _let_--lette 1464 _where_--wher 1465 _half_--halue 1466 _myȝt[e]_--myhte 1467 _hire_--hyr 1468 _neuerþeles_--natheles _gouerned[e]_--gou{er}nede _al_--alle 1469 _from_--fram _outerest_--owtereste 1470 _hidde_--hide 1471 _seyne_--seyn 1472 _goþ_--MS. goþe, C. goth 1473 _goueyrende_--gou{er}nyd 1474 _triones_--tyryones 1475 _gouerned[e]_--gou{er}nede 1476 _parties_--p{ar}ty _norþe_--north _gouerned[e]_--gou{er}nede 1477 _wynde_--wynd _scorchiþ_--scorklith 1479 _seyne_--seyn _souþe_--sowth 1479-81 [_but----it is_]--MS. _has_: but ne how greuous fortune is 1482 _swerde_--swerd]

[[pg 56]] [Headnote: THE LOVE OF GLORY.]

TU{M} EGO SCIS INQ{UA}M.

[Sidenote: [The seuende p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: _B._ Thou knowest that I did not covet mortal and transitory things.]

++ÞAnne seide I þus. þou wost wel þiself þat þe 1484 couetise of mortal þinges ne hadden neuer lordshipe of me. but I haue wel desired matere of þinges to done. as who seiþ.

[Sidenote: I only wished to exercise my virtue in public concerns, lest it should grow feeble by inactivity.]

I desired[e] to han matere of gou{er}naunce ouer comunalites. ¶ For vertue stille ne 1488 sholde not elden. þat is to seyn. þat list þat or he wex olde ¶ His uertue þat lay now ful stille. ne sholde nat p{er}isshe vnexcercised i{n} gouernaunce of comune. ¶ For whiche men myȝten speke or write{n} of his 1492 goode gouernement.

[Sidenote: _P._ A love of glory is one of those things that may captivate minds naturally great, but not yet arrived at the perfection of virtue.]

¶ _Philosophie._ ¶ For soþe q{uo}d she. {and} þat is a þing þat may drawen to gouernaunce swiche hertes as ben worþi {and} noble of hir nature. but naþeles it may nat drawen or tollen swiche hertes as 1496 ben y-brouȝt to þe ful[le] p{er}fecciou{n} of vertue. þat is to seyn couetyse of glorie {and} renou{n} to han wel administred þe comune þinges. or doon goode decertes to p{ro}fit of þe comune.

[Sidenote: But consider how small and void of weight is that glory.]

for se now {and} considere how 1500 litel {and} how voide of al prise is þilke glorie.

[Sidenote: Astronomy teaches us that this globe of earth is but a speck compared with the extent of the heavens, and is as nothing if compared with the magnitude of the celestial sphere.]

¶ Certeine þing is as þou hast lerned by demonstrac{i}ou{n} of astronomye þat al þe envyronynge of þe erþe aboute ne halt but þe resou{n} of a prykke at regard of þe gretnesse 1504 of heuene. þat is to seye. þat yif þat þer were maked co{m}parisou{n} of þe erþe to þe gretnesse of heuene. men wolde Iugen in alle þat erþe [ne] helde no space

[Sidenote: Ptolemy shows that only one-fourth of this earth is inhabited by living creatures.]

¶ Of þe whiche litel regiou{n} of þis worlde 1508 þe ferþe partie is enhabitid wiþ lyuyng beestes þat we knowen. as þou hast þi self lerned by tholome þat p{ro}uitħ it.