[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 [gh]it 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 wy[gh]t 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 [gh]if 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_.]
{ and} yif he be felonous { and} wiþ out reste { and} ex{ er}cise hys tonge to chidynges. þou shalt lykene hym to þe hounde.
[Sidenote: Does he delight in fraud and trickery? then is he like young _foxes_.]
{ and} yif he be a p{ re}ue awaito{ ur} yhid { and} 3464 reioyseþ hym to rauysshe by wyles. þou shalt seyne hym lyke to þe fox whelpes.