but for as myche as forto be holden
honorable or
reuerent
ne come?
Chaucer - Boethius
vndirstonde now ?is. yif ?at a man hadde vsed {and} hadde many manere
dignites of consules {and} were come{n} p{er}auenture amonges straunge
nac{i}ou{n}s. sholde ?ilke hono{ur} maken hym worshipful {and} redouted
of straunge folk ? Certys yif ?at honour of poeple were a naturel ?ifte
to dignites. it ne my?te neuer cesen nowher amonges no maner folke to
done hys office. ? Ry?t as fire i{n} euery contre ne stinte? nat to
enchaufen {and} to ben hote.
but for as myche as forto be holden
honorable or
reuerent
ne come?
nat to folk of hir p{ro}pre streng?e of
nat{ur}e. but only of ?e fals[e] opiniou{n} of folk. ?at is to sein. ?at
wenen ?at dignites maken folk digne of hono{ur}. An on ?erfore whan ?at
?ei comen ?er as folk ne knowe{n} nat ?ilke dignites.
