Part 21

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.]

TUNC EGO FATEOR INQ{UA}M.

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

[Sidenote: _B._ I confess that vicious men are rightly called beasts.]

++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.

[Sidenote: They retain the outward form of man, but the qualities of their souls prove them to be beasts.]

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 3520 þe forme of þe body of mankynde.

[Sidenote: I wish, however, that the wicked were without the power to annoy and hurt good men.]

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.

[Sidenote: _P._ They have no power, as I shall presently show you.]

¶ Certys q{uo}d she ne it nis nat leueful 3524 to hem as I shal wel shewen þe in couenable place.

[Sidenote: But were this power, which men ascribe to them, taken away from the wicked, they would be relieved of the greatest part of their punishment.]

¶ But naþeles yif so were þat þilke þat me{n} wene{n} ben leueful for shrewes were bynomen hem. so þat þei ne [[pg 124]] myȝten nat anoyen or don harme to goode men. ¶ Certys 3528 a gret p{ar}ty of þe peyne to shrewes shulde ben allegged {and} releued.

[Sidenote: The wicked are more unhappy when they have accomplished their evil designs than when they fail to do so.]

¶ 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. 3532 whan þei may don {and} p{er}forme þat þei coueiten [than yif they myhte nat complyssen þ{a}t they coueyten].

[Sidenote: If it is a miserable thing to will evil, it is a greater unhappiness to have the power to execute it, without which power the wicked desires would languish without effect.]

¶ For yif so be þat it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don yuel[;] þan is it more wrecchednesse to mowen don yuel. 3536 wiþ oute whiche moeuyng þe wrecched wille sholde languisshe wiþ oute effecte.

[Sidenote: Since, then, each of these three things (_i. e._ the will, the power, and the accomplishment of evil) hath its misery, therefore a threefold wretchedness afflicts those who both will, can, and do commit sin.]

¶ 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 3540 be. þat þei (shrewes) ben constreyned by þre vnselynesses þat wolen {and} mowen {and} p{er}formen felonyes {and} shrewednesses.

[Sidenote: _B._ I grant it--but still I wish the vicious were without this misfortune.]

¶ I accorde me q{uo}d I. but I desire gretely þat shrewes losten sone þilke vnselynesses. 3544 þat is to seyne þat shrewes were despoyled of moeuyng to don yuel.

[Sidenote: _P._ They shall be despoiled of it sooner than you wish perhaps, or than they themselves imagine.]

¶ so shulle{n} þei q{uo}d she.

[Sidenote: [* fol. 28.]]

sonnere p{er}auenture þen þ{o}u woldest *or sonnere þen þei hem self wenen to lakken mowynge to done yuel.

[Sidenote: In the narrow limits of this life, nothing, however tardy it appears, can seem to an immortal soul to have a very long duration.]

¶ For 3548 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.

[Sidenote: The great hopes, and the subtle machinations of the wicked, are often suddenly frustrated, by which an end is put to their wickedness.]

Of whiche shrewes þe grete hope {and} þe heye co{m}passy{n}g{us} of shrewednesse is often destroyed by a 3552 sodeyne ende or þei ben war. {and} þat þing establiþ to shrewes þe ende of hir shrewednesse.

[Sidenote: If vice renders men wretched, the longer they are vicious the longer must they be miserable.]

¶ For yif þat shrewednesse makiþe wrecches. þan mot he nedes be most wrecched þat lengest is a shrewe.

[Sidenote: And they would be infinitely wretched if death did not put an end to their crimes.]

þe whiche 3556 wicked shrewes wolde ydemen aldirmost vnsely {and} caytifs yif þat hir shrewednes ne were yfinissed. at þe [[pg 125]] leste weye by þe outerest[e] deeþ.

[Sidenote: It is clear, as I have already shown, that eternal misery is infinite.]

for [yif] I haue concluded soþe of þe vnselynesse of shrewednesse. þan sheweþ 3560 it clerely þat þilke shrewednesse is wiþ outen ende þe whiche is certeyne to ben p{er}durable.

[Sidenote: _B._ This consequence appears to be just, but difficult to assent to.]

¶ 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 3564 haue graunted her byforne.

[Sidenote: _P._ You think rightly; but if you cannot assent to my conclusion you ought to show that the premises are false, or that the consequences are unfairly deduced; for if the premises be granted, you cannot reject the inferences from them.]

¶ 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 3568 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.

[Sidenote: What I am about to say is not less wonderful, and it follows necessarily from the same premises.]

for þis þing þat 3572 I shal telle þe nowe ne shal not seme lasse wondirful.