{ and} [gh]itte men sholden more ry[gh]tfully 3708 han pitee on hem þat don þe greuaunces { and} þe wronges. þe whiche shrewes it were a more couenable þing þat þe accuso{ ur}s or aduocat[gh] not wroþe but pitous { and} debonaire ladden þe shrewes þat han don wro{ n}g to 3712 þe Iugement. ry[gh]t as men leden seke folk to þe leche.
[Linenotes: 3675 _wilt þou seyne_--woltow seyn 3676 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. for-lorn _sy[gh]t_--syhte _had[de]_--hadde 3677 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh _fayled[e]_--faylede 3678 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen 3679 _þing_--thinges _q. d._--MS. q{ uod} 3681 _whiche_--which 3683 _don_--MS. done, C. don _oþer_--oothr{ e} 3688 [_ne_]--from C. 3691 _yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset _wheþer_--omitted 3692 _tourment[e]_--tormenten 3692-3 _haþ_--MS. haþe 3693 _wronge_ (2)--wrong 3695 _had[de]_--hadde 3696 _had[de]_--hadden _wronge_--wrong 3697 _doar_--doere 3698 _haþ_--MS. haþe 3699 [_I_]--from C. [[_word moved to l. 3698_]] 3700 _ben_--ben of _roate_--Roote 3703-4 _but----wronge_--omitted 3704 _doþ_--MS. doþe 3711 _wroþe_--wroth 3712 _þe_--tho _don_--MS. done, C. don 3713 _seke_--syke]
for þat þei sholden seken out þe maladies of synne by to{ ur}ment[gh]. [[pg 130]]
[Sidenote: I would not have the guilty defrauded by their advocates. Their duty is to accuse, and not to excuse offenders.]
and by þis couenaunt eyþer þe entent of þe defendo{ ur}s or aduocat[gh] sholde fayle { and} cesen in al. or 3716 ellys yif þe office of aduocat[gh] wolde bettre p{ ro}fiten to men. it sholde be to{ ur}ned in to þe habit of accusac{ i}ou{ n}. þat is [to] s[e]yn þei sholde{ n} accuse shrewes. { and} nat excuse hem.
[Sidenote: Were it permitted the wicked to get a slight view of virtue's beauty, which they have forsaken, and could they be persuaded of the purifying effects of lawful chastisement, they surely would not consider punishment as an evil, but would willingly give themselves up to justice and refuse the defence of their advocates.]
{ and} eke þe shrewes hem self. [gh]it it were 3720 leueful to hem to seen at any clifte þe vertue þat þei han forleten. { and} sawen þat þei sholde putten adou{ n} þe filþes of hire vices by [the] to{ ur}ment[gh] of peynes. þei ne au[gh]ten nat ry[gh]t for þe reco{ m}pensac{ i}ou{ n} forto geten 3724 hem bounte { and} prowesse whiche þat þei han lost demen ne holden þat þilke peynes weren to{ ur}mentes to hem. { and} eke þei wolden refuse þe attendau{ n}ce of hir aduocat[gh] { and} taken hem self to hire iuges { and} to hir accusours. 3728