¶ And as I haue 2036 seid a litel here byforne. þat þilke þing þat haþ no p{ro}pre beaute of hym self resceyueþ somtyme pris {and} shinynge {and} somtyme lesiþ it by þe opiniou{n} of vsaunces. [Sidenote: If dignities cannot confer esteem, if they become vile through filthy shrews, if they lose their lustre by the change of times, if they become worthless by the change of popular opinion, what beauty do they possess which should make them desirable, or what dignity can they confer on others?] ¶ Now yif þat dignites þanne ne mowen 2040 nat maken folk digne of reuerence. {and} yif þ{a}t dignites wexen foule of hir wille by þe filþe of shrewes. ¶ and yif þat dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of tymes. and yif þei wexen foule by estimac{i}ou{n} of 2044 poeple. what is it þat þei han in hem self of beaute þat auȝte ben desired. as who seiþ none. þanne ne mowen þei ȝiuen no beaute of dignite to none oþer. [Linenotes: 2020 _enchaufen_--eschaufen 2021 _myche_--mochel 2022 _be_--ben 2023 _fals[e]_--false 2024 _þat_ (2)--omitted 2027 _her_--hyr _vanissen_--vanesshen 2028 _a-mong_--amonges _straung_--strau{n}ge _but_--ne 2029 _þat_--ther _duren þilk[e]_--ne duren nat thylke 2030 _somtyme_--whylom 2031 _grete_--gret 2032 _þe_ (2)--omitted 2033 _somtyme_--whylom _þe_--MS. þe þe 2034 _corne_--corn _what_--omitted 2035 _more nowe_--now more 2036 _cast_--MS. caste, C. cast 2037 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd _here byforne_--her by-forn _haþ_--MS. haþe 2042 _filþe_--felthe 2043 _þat_--omitted 2046 _auȝte_--owhte _none_--non 2047 _þei_--MS. ȝe, C. they _none_--non] QUA{M}UIS SE TIRIO. [Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: Nero, though invested with the purple and adorned with pearls, was hated by all men.] ++Al be it so þat þe proude nero wiþ al his woode luxurie 2048 kembed hym {and} apparailed hym wiþ faire purp{er}s of Tirie {and} wiþ white perles. Algates ȝitte throf he hateful to alle folk ¶ þis is to seyn þat al was he by-hated [[pg 75]] of alle folk. [Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the dishonoured seats of dignity.] ¶ ȝitte þis wicked Nero hadde gret 2052 lordship {and} ȝaf somtyme to þe dredeful senatours þe vnworshipful setes of dignites. ¶ vnworshipful setes he clepiþ here fore þat Nero þat was so wikked ȝaf þo dignites. [Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours given by vicious shrews?] who wolde þanne resonably wenen þat blysfulnesse 2056 were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ȝeuen by vicious shrewes.