45
honour of poeple were a naturel yift to dignitees, it ne mighte
never cesen nowher amonges no maner folk [to don his office],
right as fyr in every contree ne stinteth nat to eschaufen and to
ben hoot. But for as moche as for to ben holden honourable or
reverent ne cometh nat to folk of hir propre strengthe of nature,
50
but only of the false opinioun of folk, that is to seyn, [that wenen]
that dignitees maken folk digne of honour; anon therfore whan
that they comen ther-as folk ne knowen nat thilke dignitees, hir