¶ And certys al oþ{er} þi{n}ges ben appaied of hire owen beautes. but ȝe men þat ben semblable to god by ȝour{e} resonable þouȝt desiren to apparaille ȝour{e} excellent 1280 kynde of þe lowest[e] pinges. ne ȝe ne vndirstonde nat how gret a wro{n}g ȝe don to ȝoure creato{ur}. [Sidenote: God intended man to excel all earthly creatures, yet you debase your dignity and prerogative below the lowest beings.] for he wolde þat man kynde were moost worþi {and} noble of any oþer erþely þinges. and ȝe þresten adou{n} ȝoure [[pg 49]] dignitees by-neþen þe lowest[e] þinges. [Sidenote: In placing your happiness in despicable trifles, you acknowledge yourselves of less value than these trifles, and well do you merit to be so esteemed.] ¶ For if þat al 1285 þe good of euery þing be more p{re}ciouse þan is þilk þing whos þat þe good is. syn ȝe demen þat þe foulest[e] þinges ben ȝoure goodes. þanne summytten 1288 ȝe {and} putten ȝoure self vndir þo foulest[e] þinges by ȝoure estimac{i}ou{n}. ¶ And certis þis bitidiþ nat wiþ out ȝour{e} desert. [Sidenote: Man only excels other creatures when he knows himself.] For certys swiche is þe co{n}dic{i}ou{n} of al man kynde þat oonly whan it haþ knowyng of it 1292 self. þan passeþ it i{n} noblesse alle oþer þinges. [Sidenote: When he ceases to do so, he sinks below beasts.] and whan it forletiþ þe knowyng of it self. þan it is brouȝt byneþen alle beestes. [Sidenote: Ignorance is natural to beasts, but in men it is unnatural and criminal.] ¶ For-why alle oþer [leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem 1296 self. but whan þat men leten þe knowyng of hem self. it comeþ hem of vice. [Sidenote: How weak an error is it to believe that anything foreign to your nature can be an ornament to it.] but how brode sheweþ þe erro{ur} {and} þe folie of ȝow men þat wenen þat ony þing may ben apparailled wiþ straunge apparaillementȝ ¶ but 1300 for-soþe þat may nat be don. [Sidenote: If a thing appear beautiful on account of its external embellishments, we admire and praise those embellishments alone.] for yif a wyȝt shyneþ wiþ þi{n}ges þat ben put to hym. as þus. yif þilke þinges shynen wiþ whiche a man is apparailled. ¶ Certis þilke þinges ben commendid {and} p{re}ised wiþ whiche 1304 he is apparailled. [Sidenote: The thing covered still continues in its natural impurity.] ¶ But naþeles þe þing þat is couered {and} wrapped vndir þat dwelleþ in his filþe. [Sidenote: I deny that to be a good which is hurtful to its owner.] and I denye þat þilke þing be good þat anoyeþ hym þat haþ it. [Sidenote: Am I deceived in this? You will say no; for riches have often hurt their possessors.]