[Sidenote: Though it leaves the body whole, it pierces the inner man, and inflicts a deadly wound upon the soul.] ¶ For vices ben so cruel þat þei percen {and} þoruȝ passen þe corage wiþ i{n}ne. {and} þouȝ þei ne anoye nat þe body. ȝitte vices wooden to distroien men by wounde of þouȝt. 3516 [Linenotes: 3479 _aryueþ_--aryuede _vlixes_--MS. vluxies, C. vlixes 3481 _Circe_--Circes 3483 _enchauntmentȝ_--enchauntementȝ 3484 _hande_--hand _of_--ou{er} 3485 _had[de]_--hadde _gestes_--MS. goostes, C. gestes 3486 _boor_--boer{e} 3488 _his_ (1)--hise _his teþe_--hise teth 3489 _newliche_--neweliche 3490 _goþ_--MS. goþe 3491 _house_--hows 3492 _bride_--bryd _haþ_--MS. haþe 3493 _mercie_--MS. mercurie, C. mercy 3494 _haþ_--MS. haþe 3495 _oosteresse_--oostesse 3496 _wicked[e]_--wikkede 3497 _were woxen swyne_--weeren wexen swyn 3498 _chaunged_--Ichaunged _brede_--bred _forto_--MS. {and} forto _ete acorns_--eten akkornes 3499 _hoole_--hool 3501 _wepiþ_--MS. kepiþ, C. weepith 3502 _monstruous_--MS. monstronous, C. Monstruos 3504 _Circes_--MS. Cirtes _folk_--folkys 3509 _yhid_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hydd 3515 _wooden_--MS. wolden, C. wooden] [Headnote: THE WICKED ARE TORMENTED BY A THREEFOLD WRETCHEDNESS.] TUNC EGO FATEOR INQ{UA}M. [Sidenote: [The ferthe p{ro}se.]] [Sidenote: _B._ I confess that vicious men are rightly called beasts.] ++Þan seide I þus I confesse {and} am aknowe q{uo}d I. ne I ne se nat þat men may seyn as by ryȝt. [Sidenote: They retain the outward form of man, but the qualities of their souls prove them to be beasts.] þ{a}t shrewes ne ben nat chaunged in to beestes by þe qualite of hir soules. ¶ Al be it so þ{a}t þei kepen ȝitte 3520 þe forme of þe body of mankynde. [Sidenote: I wish, however, that the wicked were without the power to annoy and hurt good men.] but I nolde nat of shrewes of whiche þe þouȝt cruel woodeþ alwey in to destrucc{i}ou{n} of good[e] men. þat it wer{e} leueful to hem to done þat. [Sidenote: _P._ They have no power, as I shall presently show you.] ¶ Certys q{uo}d she ne it nis nat leueful 3524 to hem as I shal wel shewen þe in couenable place. [Sidenote: But were this power, which men ascribe to them, taken away from the wicked, they would be relieved of the greatest part of their punishment.] ¶ But naþeles yif so were þat þilke þat me{n} wene{n} ben leueful for shrewes were bynomen hem. so þat þei ne [[pg 124]] myȝten nat anoyen or don harme to goode men. ¶ Certys 3528 a gret p{ar}ty of þe peyne to shrewes shulde ben allegged {and} releued.