4947 whiche—which
4948 þat yif—yif þat
4949 heyȝt—heihte
þere—ther
4952 þouȝ—MS. þouȝt
4955 no—none
[QUAM UARIIS FIGURIS.]
ÞE bestes Various are the shapes of created beings. Some creep along the ground and trace the dust in furrows as they go; passen by þe erþes by ful dyuerse figures [4956]
for somme of hem han hir bodies strauȝt and
crepen in þe dust and drawen after hem a trais or a
forghe contynued. þat is to sein as addres or snakes.
others with nimble wings float through the air; and oþer bestes by [the] wandryng lyȝtnesse of hir [4960]
wenges beten þe wyndes and ouer-swymmen þe spaces
of þe longe eyer by moist flee[y]nge. some with their feet impress the ground, or tread lightly o’er the meads, or seek the shady grove. and oþer bestes
gladen hem to diggen her traas or her stappes in þe
erþe wiþ hir goynge or wiþ her feet. or to gone eyþe[r] [4964]
by þe grene feldes or [elles] to walken vnder þe wodes.
Though we see an endless variety of forms, yet all are prone; to the earth they bend their looks, increasing the heaviness of their dull sense. and al be it so þat þou seest þat þei alle discorden by
dyuerse formes. algate hire [faces] enclini[n]g heuieþ hire
dulle wittes. Man alone doth raise aloft his noble head; light and erect he spurns the earth. Onlyche þe lynage of man heueþ heyest hys [4968]
heyȝe heued and stondeþ lyȝt wiþ hys vpryȝt body and
byholdeþ þe erþe vndir hym. Thou art admonished by this figure then, unless by sense deceived, that whilst taught by thy lofty mien to look above, thou shouldst elevate thy mind lest it sink below its proper level. [and] but-ȝif þou erþely man
wexest yuel oute of þi witte. þis figure amonesteþ þe þat
axest þe heuene wiþ þi ryȝt[e] visage. and hast areised [4972]
þi forhede to beren vp on heye þi corage so þat þi þouȝt
ne be nat yheuied ne put lowe vndir foot. sen þat þi
body is so heye areised.
4957 somme—som
4959 forghe contynued—forwh Ikonntynued
addres—nadris
4960 [the]—from C.