[Sidenote: But how can any man obtain dominion over another, unless it be over his body, or, what is inferior to his body,--over his possessions, the gifts of Fortune?] ¶ But wher shal 1388 men fynden any man þat may exercen or haunten any ryȝt vpon an oþer ma{n} but oonly vpon hys body. or ellys vpo{n} þinges þat ben lower þen þe body. whiche I clepe fortunous possessiou{n}s [Sidenote: Can you ever command a freeborn soul?] ¶ Mayst þou euer haue 1392 any comaundement ouer a fre corage [Sidenote: Can you disturb a soul consistent with itself, and knit together by the bond of reason?] ¶ Mayst þou remuen fro þe estat of hys p{ro}pre reste. a þouȝt þat is cleuyng to gider in hym self by stedfast resou{n}. ¶ As somtyme a tiraunt wende to co{n}founde a freeman of 1396 corage ¶ {And} wende to co{n}streyne hym by to{ur}ment [[pg 53]] to maken hym dyscoueren {and} acusen folk þat wisten of a coniurac{i}ou{n}. whiche I clepe a confederacie þat was cast aȝeins þis tyraunt [Sidenote: Have you not read how Anaxarchus bit off his tongue and spat it in the face of Nicocreon?] ¶ But þis free man boot 1400 of hys owen tunge. {and} cast it in þe visage of þilke woode tyrau{n}te. ¶ So þat þe to{ur}mentȝ þat þis tyrau{n}t wende to han maked mater{e} of cruelte. þis wyse man maked[e it] matere of vertues. [Sidenote: What is it that one man can do to another that does not admit of retaliation?] ¶ But what 1404 þing is it þat a man may don to an oþer man. þat he ne may receyue þe same þing of oþer folke i{n} hym self. or þus. ¶ What may a man don to folk. þat folk ne may don hym þe same. [Sidenote: Busiris used to kill his guests, but at last himself was killed by Hercules, his guest.] ¶ I haue herd told of 1408 busirides þat was wo{n}t to sleen hys gestes þat herburghden in hys hous. and he was slayn hym self of ercules þat was hys gest [Sidenote: Regulus put his Carthaginian prisoners in chains, but was afterwards obliged to submit to the fetters of his enemies.] ¶ Regulus had[de] taken in bataile many men of affrike. and cast hem in to fetteres. 1412 but sone after he most[e] ȝiue hys handes to ben bounden w{i}t{h} þe cheynes of hem þat he had[de] somtyme ou{er}comen. [Sidenote: Is he mighty that dares not inflict what he would upon another for fear of a requital?] ¶ Wenest þou þan þat he be myȝty. þat may nat don a þing. þat oþer ne may don 1416 hym. þat he doþ to oþer. [Sidenote: If powers and honours were intrinsically good, they would never be attained by the wicked.]