Part 52

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 hym þat haþ 3692 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 suffred þe wrong by þe sorwe of hym þat had don þe wronge.

¶ þan 3696 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 .

þan q{uo}d she by þise causes {and} by oþer causes þat ben enforced by þe same roate þat filþe or synne by 3700 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 3704 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 3708 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 3712 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. [[pg 130]]

and by þis couenaunt eyþer þe entent of þe defendo{ur}s or aduocatȝ sholde fayle {and} cesen in al. or 3716 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 syn þei sholde{n} accuse shrewes. {and} nat excuse hem.

{and} eke þe shrewes hem self. ȝit it were 3720 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 to{ur}mentȝ of peynes. þei ne auȝten nat ryȝt for þe reco{m}pensac{i}ou{n} forto geten 3724 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. 3728

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 3732 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 3736 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 3740 body.

QUID TANTOS IUUAT.

++What deliteþ it ȝow to exciten so grete moewynges of hatredes {and} to hasten {and} bisien fatal disposic{i}ou{n} of ȝoure deeþ wiþ ȝoure p{ro}pre handes. þat is 3744 to seyn by batailes or contek.

for yif ȝe axen þe deeþ it hastisiþ hym of hys owen wille. ne deeþ ne [[pg 131]] tarieþ nat hys swifte hors.

and men þat þe serpentȝ {and} þe lyou{n}s. {and} þe tigre. {and} þe beere {and} þe 3748 boore seken to sleen wiþ her teþe. ȝit þilke same men seken to sleen eueryche of hem oþer wiþ swerde.

loo for her man{er}s ben *diuerse {and} discordaunt ¶ þei moeuen vnryȝtful oostes {and} cruel batailes. {and} wilne 3752 to p{er}isse by enterchaungynge of dartes.

but þe resou{n} of cruelte nis nat ynouȝ ryȝtful.

wilt þou þan ȝelden a couenable gerdou{n} to þe desertes of men ¶ Loue ryȝtfully goode folk[;] {and} haue pite on shrewes. 3756

HINC EGO UIDEO INQ{UA}M. {ET} CET{ERA}.

++Þus see I wel q{uo}d I. eyþer what blisfulnesse or ellys what vnselinesse is estabissed in þe desertys of goode men {and} of shrewes.

¶ but in þis ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of goode. {and} somwhat of 3760 yuel. for no wise man haþ nat leuer ben exiled pore {and} nedy {and} nameles. þan forto dwellen in hys Citee {and} flouren of rychesses. {and} be redoutable by honoure. {and} stronge of power

for in þis wise more clerely {and} 3764 more witnesfully is þe office of wise men ytretid whan þe blisfulnes {and} pouste of gouerno{ur}s is as it were yshad amonges poeples þat ben neyȝboures {and} subgitȝ. syn þat namely prisou{n} lawe {and} þise oþer 3768 to{ur}mentȝ of lawful peynes ben raþer owed to felonous Citeȝeins. for þe whiche felonous Citeȝeins þo peynes ben establissed. þan for goode folk.

¶ þan I m{er}ueile me gretly q{uo}d I. whi [þ{a}t] þe þinges ben so mys 3772 entrechaunged. þat to{ur}mentȝ felounes pressen {and} confounden goode folk. {and} shrewes rauyssen medes of vertue {and} ben i{n} hono{ur}s. {and} in grete estatis. [[pg 132]]

and I desire eke to wite{n} of þe. what semeþ þe to ben þe 3776 resou{n} of þis so wrongful a confusiou{n}

¶ For I wolde wondre wel þe lasse yif I trowed þat alle þise þinges were medeled by fortuouse hap.

¶ But now hepeþ {and} encreseþ myne astonyenge god gouerno{ur} of þinges. 3780 þat so as god ȝeueþ ofte tymes to good men goodes {and} myrþes. {and} to shrewes yuel and aspre þinges. {and} ȝeueþ aȝeynewarde to goode folk hardnesse. {and} to shrewes g{ra}unteþ hem her wille {and} þat þei desiren. 3784

what difference þan may þer be bitwixen þ{a}t þat god doþ. {and} þe hap of fortune. yif men ne knowe nat þe cause whi þat is.