1964 erye—Ere
hundreþ—hundred
1965 while—whyl
1966 lyȝt[e]—lyhte
shal—shol
1967 dede—ded
OF DIGNITIES.
[SET DIGNITATIBUS.][4] [4] Read dignitates.
Bvt dignitees It may be said that dignities confer honour on their possessors. to whom þei ben comen make þei hym [1968]
honorable and reuerent. But have they power to destroy vice or implant virtue in the heart? han þei nat so grete strengþe
þat þei may putte vertues in þe hertis of folk. þat vsen
þe lordshipes of hem. or ellys may þei don awey þe
vices. So far from expelling vicious habits, they only render them more conspicuous. Certys þei [ne] ben nat wont to don awey wikkednesses. [1972]
but þei ben wont raþer to shew[en] wikkednesses.
Hence arises the indignation when we see dignities given to wicked men. and þer of comeþ it þat I haue ryȝt grete desdeyne.
þat dignites ben ȝeuen ofte to wicked men.
Hence Catullus’ resentment against Nonius, whom he calls the botch, or impostume of the State. ¶ For whiche þing catullus clepid a consul of Rome þat [1976]
hyȝt nonius postum. or boch. as who seiþ he clepiþ
hym a congregacioun of uices in his brest as a postum
is ful of corrupcioun. al were þis nonius set in a
chayere of dignitee. The deformities of wicked men would be less apparent if they were in more obscure situations. Sest þou nat þan how gret vylenye [1980]
dignitees don to wikked men. ¶ Certys vnworþines of
wikked men sholde ben þe lasse ysen yif þei nere renomed
of none honours. Would you free yourself from peril by accepting a magistracy along with Decoratus a buffoon and informer? ¶ Certys þou þi self ne
myȝtest nat ben brouȝt wiþ as many perils as þou [1984]
myȝtest suffren þat þou woldest bere þi magistrat wiþ
decorat. þat is to seyn. þat for no peril þat myȝt[e] bifallen
þe by þe offence of þe kyng theodorik þou noldest
nat ben felawe in gouernaunce with decorat. whanne [1988]
þou say[e] þat he had[de] wikkid corage of a likerous
shrewe and of an acusor. Honours do not render undeserving persons worthy of esteem. ¶ Ne I ne may nat for swiche
honours Iugen hem worþi of reuerence þat I deme and
holde vnworþi to han þilke same honours. If you find a man endowed with wisdom you deem him worthy of respect and of the wisdom which he professes. ¶ Now yif [1992]
þou saie a man þat were fulfilled of wisdom. certys þou
ne myȝtest nat demen þat he were vnworþi to þe
honour. or ellys to þe wisdom of whiche he is fulfilled.
B. I could not do otherwise. No quod .I. P. Virtue has her proper worth, which she ever transfers to her votaries. ¶ Certys dignitees quod she appertienen [1996]
properly to vertue. and uertue transporteþ dignite anon
to þilke man to whiche she hir self is conioigned.
DIGNITIES APPERTAIN TO VIRTUE.
Honours conferred by the populace do not make men worthy of them, for they have no intrinsic merit to bestow. ¶ And for as moche as honours of poeple ne may nat
maken folk digne of honour. it is wel seyn clerly þat [2000]
þei ne han no propre beaute of dignite. ¶ And ȝit men
auȝten take more hede in þis. Dignities conferred upon shrews only make their vices the more conspicuous. ¶ For if it so be þat he
is most out cast þat most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne
may nat maken shrewes worþi of no reuerences. þan [2004]
makeþ dignites shrewes more dispised þan preised. þe
whiche shrewes dignit[e] scheweþ to moche folk Nor do dignities themselves escape without injury; for worthless men take their revenge upon them, and defile them by their contagious villanies. ¶ and
for soþe nat vnpunissed. þat is forto sein. þat shrewes
reuengen hem aȝeinward vpon dignites. for þei ȝelden [2008]
aȝein to dignites as gret gerdoun whan þei byspotten
and defoulen dignites wiþ hire vylenie. These shadowy honours have nothing in their nature to procure respect; for if a man, having borne the honours of the consulate, should go among barbarians would this honour gain him their respect? ¶ And for as
moche as þou mow[e] knowe þat þilke verray reuerence
ne may nat comen by þe shadewy transitorie dignitees. [2012]
vndirstonde now þis. yif þat a man hadde vsed and
hadde many manere dignites of consules and were
comen perauenture amonges straunge naciouns. sholde
þilke honour maken hym worshipful and redouted of [2016]
straunge folk If respect were an attribute of honour it would infallibly bring esteem everywhere, just as heat is ever an attribute of fire. ¶ Certys yif þat honour of poeple were
a naturel ȝifte to dignites. it ne myȝte neuer cesen
nowher amonges no maner folke to done hys office.
DIGNITIES DO CONFER ESTEEM.