[Sidenote: You have been taught that _unity_ is essential to being and is good--and all that have this unity are good; whatsoever, then, fails to be good ceases to exist.] ¶ For þou hast lerned a litel 3440 here byforn þat al þi{n}g þat is {and} haþ beynge is oon. {and} þilke same oon is good. þan is þis consequence þat it semeþ wel. þat al þat is {and} haþ bey{n}ge is good. þis is to seyne. as who seiþ þat beynge {and} vnite {and} 3444 goodnesse is al oon. {and} in þis manere it folweþ þan. þat al þing þat faileþ to ben good. it styntiþ forto be. {and} forto haue any beynge. [Sidenote: So that it appears that evil men must cease to be what they were.] wher fore it is þat shrewes stynten forto ben þat þei weren. [Sidenote: That they were once men, the outward form of the body, which still remains, clearly testifies.] but þilke oþer forme 3448 of mankynde. þat is to seyne þe forme of þe body wiþ oute. shewiþ ȝit þat þise shrewes were somtyme men. [Linenotes: 3422 _wise man_--wysman _þe_--omitted _vndepartable_--MS. vndirp{ar}table, C. vndepartable 3423 _of_ (1)--of the 3428 _answere_--answery _þe_--omitted 3434 [_vtteriste----is the_]--from C. 3438 _gretely_--gretly 3439 _grete_--gret 3441 _al_--alle _haþ_--MS. haþe 3443 _al_--alle _haþ_--MS. haþe 3446 _al_--alle 3447 _haue_--han 3448 _stynten_--MS. styntent 3450 _were somtyme_--weeren whilom] [Headnote: HE WHO CEASES TO BE VIRTUOUS CEASES TO BE A MAN.] [Sidenote: Wherefore, when they degenerate into wickedness they lose their human nature.] ¶ wher fore whan þei ben p{er}uerted {and} torned in to malice. certys þan han þei forlorn þe nature of mankynde. 3452 [Sidenote: But as virtue alone exalts one man above other men, it is evident that vice, which divests a man of his nature, must sink him below humanity.] but so as oonly bounte {and} prowesse may enhawnse euery man ouer oþer men. þan mot it nedes be þat shrewes whiche þat shrewednesse haþ cast out of þe condic{i}ou{n} of mankynde ben put vndir þe merite {and} 3456 þe deserte of men. [Sidenote: You cannot, therefore, esteem him to be a man whom you see thus transformed by his vices.] þan bitidiþ it þat yif þou seest a wyȝt þat be t{ra}nsformed in to vices. þou ne mayst nat wene þat he be a man. [Sidenote: The greedy robber, you will say, is like a _wolf_.] ¶ For ȝif he [be] ardaunt in auarice. {and} þat he be a rauyno{ur} by violence of 3460 foreine rychesse. þou shalt seyn þat he is lyke to a wolf. [Sidenote: He who gives no rest to his abusive tongue, you may liken to a _hound_.]