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coveiteden to han don away that dignitee, for the pryde of the
consulers. And right for the same pryde your eldres, biforn that
tyme, hadden don awey, out of the citee of Rome, the kinges
name; that is to seyn, they nolde han no lenger no king. But
now, yif so be that dignitees and powers be yeven to goode men,
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the whiche thing is ful selde, what agreable thing is ther in tho
dignitees or powers but only the goodnesse of folkes that usen
hem? And therfor it is thus, that honour ne comth nat to vertu