ei
v{er}tues
{and} folwen
vices.
vices.
Chaucer - Boethius
_--MS.
go?
e
3280 _my? t[e]_--myhte
3281 _? ere_--ther
_lay_--laye
_for? er_--forthere
_be_--ben
3283 _desire_--desired
3284 _? at_--omitted]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED HAVE NO REAL EXISTENCE. ]
[Sidenote: Wicked men, then, are destitute of those powers which
the good so amply possess. ]
? Of whiche power of good folk men may conclude ? at
wicked men semen to ben bareyne {and} naked of alle
streng? e.
[Sidenote: Wherefore do they leave virtue, and follow vice? Is it
because they are ignorant of good? ]
For whi forleten ?
ei v{er}tues {and} folwen
vices. nis it nat for ? at ? ei ne knowen nat ? e goodes. 3288
[Sidenote: What is more weak and base than the blindness of
ignorance? Or do they know the way they ought to follow, but are
led astray by lust and covetousness? ]
? But what ? ing is more feble {and} more caitif ? an is ? e [[pg 116]]
blyndenesse of ignoraunce. or ellys ? ei knowen ful wel
whiche ? inges ? at ?
3280 _my? t[e]_--myhte
3281 _? ere_--ther
_lay_--laye
_for? er_--forthere
_be_--ben
3283 _desire_--desired
3284 _? at_--omitted]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED HAVE NO REAL EXISTENCE. ]
[Sidenote: Wicked men, then, are destitute of those powers which
the good so amply possess. ]
? Of whiche power of good folk men may conclude ? at
wicked men semen to ben bareyne {and} naked of alle
streng? e.
[Sidenote: Wherefore do they leave virtue, and follow vice? Is it
because they are ignorant of good? ]
For whi forleten ?
ei v{er}tues {and} folwen
vices. nis it nat for ? at ? ei ne knowen nat ? e goodes. 3288
[Sidenote: What is more weak and base than the blindness of
ignorance? Or do they know the way they ought to follow, but are
led astray by lust and covetousness? ]
? But what ? ing is more feble {and} more caitif ? an is ? e [[pg 116]]
blyndenesse of ignoraunce. or ellys ? ei knowen ful wel
whiche ? inges ? at ?
