Part 35

{and} knowen 2264 whiche strondes habounden most of tendre fisshes or of sharpe fisshes þat hyȝten echynnys.

but folk suffren hem self to ben so blynde þat hem ne recchiþ nat to knowe where þilk goodes ben yhidd whiche þat þei 2268 coueiten but ploungen hem in erþe {and} seken þere þilke goode þ{a}t so{ur}mou{n}teþ þe heuene þat bereþ þe sterres.

¶ what *p{re}yere may I make þat be digne to þe nice þouȝtis of men.

but I p{re}ye þat þei coueite{n} 2272 rycches {and} hono{ur}s so þat whan þei han geten þo false goodes wiþ greet trauayle þat þerby þei mowe knowen þe verray goodes.

HACTENUS MENDACIS FORMA{M}.

++IT suffisiþ þat I haue shewed hider to þe forme of 2276 false wilfulnesse. so þat yif þou look now clerely þe ordre of myn entenc{i}ou{n} requeriþ from hennes forþe to shewe{n} þe verray wilfulnesse.

¶ For q{uod} .I. (b) [I.] se wel now þat suffisau{n}ce may nat comen by richesse. ne 2280 power by realmes. ne reuere{n}ce by dignitees. ne gentilesse by glorie. ne ioye by delices. and (p) hast þou wel knowen q{uo}d she þe cause whi it is. Certis me semeþ q{uod} .I. þat .I. se hem ryȝt as þouȝ it were þoruȝ a litel [[pg 83]] clifte.

but me were leuer knowen hem more openly of 2285 þe. Certys q{uod} she þe resou{n} is al redy

¶ For þilk þing þat symply is on þing wiþ outen ony diuisiou{n}. þe errour {and} folie of mankynde departeþ 2288 {and} diuidiþ it. {and} mislediþ it {and} t{ra}nsporteþ from verray {and} p{er}fit goode. to goodes þat ben false {and} inp{er}fit.

¶ But seye me þis. wenest þou þat he þat haþ nede of power þat hy{m} ne lakkeþ no þing.

Nay q{uo}d 2292 .I ¶ Certis q{uo}d she þou seist aryȝt. For yif so be þ{a}t þer is a þing þat in any p{ar}tie be fieble of power.

Certis as in þat it most nedes be nedy of foreine helpe. ¶ Riȝt so it is q{uo}d .I. Suffisaunce and power 2296 ben þan of on kynde ¶ So semeþ it q{uod} I.

¶ And demyst þou q{uo}d she þat a þing þat is of þis manere. þat is to seine suffisau{n}t {and} myȝty auȝt to ben dispised. or ellys þ{a}t it be ryȝt digne of reuerences abouen 2300 alle þinges.

¶ Certys q{uo}d I it nys no doute þat it nis ryȝt worþi to ben reuerenced. ¶ Lat vs q{uo}d she þan adden reuerence to suffisaunce {and} to power ¶ So þat we demen þat þise þre þinges ben alle o þing.

¶ Certis 2304 q{uo}d I lat vs adden it. yif we willen graunten þe soþe.

what demest þou þan q{uo}d she is þat a dirke þing {and} nat noble þat is suffisau{n}t reu{er}ent {and} myȝty. or ellys þat is ryȝt clere {and} ryȝt noble of celebrete of renou{n}. 2308

¶ Considere þan q{uo}d she as we han grau{n}tid her byforne. þat he þat ne haþ ne of no þing {and} is most myȝty {and} most digne of hono{ur} yif hym nediþ any clernesse of renou{n} whiche clernesse he myȝt nat 2312 graunten of hym self. ¶ So þat for lakke of þilke clerenesse he myȝt seme febler on any syde or þe more outcaste. Glosa. þis is to seyne nay. [[pg 84]]

¶ For who so þat is suffisau{n}t myȝty {and} reuerent. clernesse of 2316 renou{n} folweþ of þe forseide þinges. he haþ it alredy of hys suffisaunce.

boice. I may nat q{uo}d I denye it. ¶ But I mot graunten as it is. þat þis þing be ryȝt celebrable by clernesse of renou{n} {and} noblesse.

¶ þan 2320 folweþ it q{uo}d she þat we adden clernesse of renou{n} to þe þre forseide þinges. so þat þer ne be amonges hem no difference. {and} þis is a consequente q{uo}d .I.

þis þing þan q{uo}d she þat ne haþ no nede of no foreine 2324 þing. {and} þat may don alle þinges by his strengþes. {and} þat is noble {and} hono{ur}able. nis nat þat a myrie þing {and} a ioyful.

boice. but wenest q{uo}d I þ{a}t any sorow myȝt comen to þis þing þat is swiche. ¶ Certys 2328 I may nat þinke.

P. ¶ þanne moten we graunt q{uod} she þat þis þing be ful of gladnesse yif þe þorseide þinges be soþe. ¶ And also certys mote we graunten. þat suffisaunce power noblesse reuerence {and} gladnesse ben 2332 only dyuerse bynames. but hir substaunce haþ no diu{er}site.

Boice. It mot nedely be so q{uo}d .I.

P. þilke þinge þan q{uo}d she þat is oon {and} simple i{n} his nature.

þe wikkednesse of men departiþ it *diuidiþ it. {and} 2336 whan þei enforcen hem to gete p{ar}tie of a þing þat ne haþ no part. þei ne geten hem neiþer þilk p{ar}tie þat nis none. ne þe þing al hole þat þei ne desire nat.

.b. In whiche manere q{uo}d .I.

p. þilke man q{uo}d she þat 2340 sekeþ rychesse to fleen pouerte. he ne trauayleþ hym nat to for to gete power for he haþ leuer ben dirk {and} vile. {and} eke wiþdraweþ from hym selfe many naturel delitȝ for he nolde lesen þe moneye þat he haþ assembled. 2344