Wherefore, when they degenerate into wickedness they lose their human nature. ¶ wher fore whan þei ben peruerted and torned in to
malice. certys þan han þei forlorn þe nature of mankynde. [3452]
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
condicioun of mankynde ben put vndir þe merite and [3456]
þe deserte of men. 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 transformed in to vices. þou ne mayst nat
wene þat he be a man. The greedy robber, you will say, is like a wolf. ¶ For ȝif he [be] ardaunt in
auarice. and þat he be a rauynour by violence of [3460]
foreine rychesse. þou shalt seyn þat he is lyke to a
wolf. 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
exercise hys tonge to chidynges. þou shalt lykene hym
to þe hounde. Does he delight in fraud and trickery? then is he like young foxes. and yif he be a preue awaitour yhid and [3464]
reioyseþ hym to rauysshe by wyles. þou shalt seyne
hym lyke to þe fox whelpes. 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 lyoun. 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 herte. 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. 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. 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. 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 condicioun
of god. he is tourned in to a beest.
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