Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum tertium.

THEY man, as it is i-seide, be liche [and] [Added from α. and Cx.] acord to þe world, and to [in two, Cx.] þinges þat ben conteyned þerynne; neuerþeles in many poyntes of manis condicioun, of his prerogatif [prerogatiue, α.] and his worþynesse, he is dyuerse and vnliche to the world. For þey mannis body [body] om. α.] we[re] [were, α., Cx.] firste i-made of erþ, neuer|þeles hit was [so] [Added from α. and Cx.] couenabliche and so acordynge to þe soule, þat in mannis body was euenness of complexioun, acordynge of [of] to, Cx.] lemes, riȝtfullnesse of stature, fairnesse of schappe. And so schulde þe body afterward be buxom to þe soule wiþ oute eny rebelnesse, [withouten ony rebellion, Cx.] and brynge forþ children wiþ oute eny synne, and lyue wiþ oute eny defaute of strengþe, and be translated and chaunged in [in to, Cx.] þe blisse of heuene wiþ oute deienge and deeþ. Also he schulde gete and conceyue children wiþ oute schame, and a womman schulde bere children wiþ oute sorwe and woo, and haue mete and drynke wiþ oute sweet [swoot, α.; swete, Cx.] and trauaille, sterynge and meuynge in lymes wiþ oute eny mysfare. And to al þis paradys was i-ȝeue to [to] om. α., Cx.] mankynde forto wonye ynne,

and womman forto be manis [felawe], [Added from α. and Cx.] paradys to wonyng place, þe tree of lyf for mete, and al creatures for solace, at [and atte, Cx.] þe laste God hem [him, α.] self to be manis mede. But allas þat so noble a banyour fil so sone, þat was erliche i-brouȝt and i-putte into [in, α.] worschippe: þey [he, Cx. (twice.)] knewe nouȝt þat þey [he, Cx. (twice.)] schulde be liche to bestes, whan he dede þat was forbode. From þat day forþward þe body þat is corupt by synne greueþ þe soule. Þe flesche coueyteþ aȝenst þe soule, and manis wittes torneþ and assenteþ liȝtliche to euel. A mannes owne meynal wittes beeþ his owne enemyes. So þat al a manis lyf is in temptacioun while he lyueþ here in erþe, and þe dispocisioun of þe soule ruleþ, meyn|teneth, helpeþ, and conforteþ þe body; but aȝenward þe wrecched disposicioun [So α. and Cx.; dispensacioun, MS.] of þe body distourbeþ þe soule. Also man [So α. and Cx.; men, MS.] is euere faillynge [and] aweyward, [and aweyward, α.; and way|ward, Cx.] he may nouȝt stedfastliche abide; he falleþ liȝtliche, but he may nouȝt liȝtliche arise; profit of berþe is sorwe [So Cx.; profit is (is of, α.) berþe sorwe, MS. and α.] and care in [in hym, MS. (not α. or Cx.)] lyuynge; and man moot nedes deie. Plinius, libro 17^o, capi|tulo 13^o. [Reference transposed in MS.] And þey alle oþere þat beeþ i-made haue schilles, [shelles, Cx.]

ryndes, skynnes, wolle, heer, bristles, feþeres, [veþeres, α.] wynges, oþer scales, man is i-bore wiþ oute eny helynge, [helynge or keueryng, Cx.] naked and bare, and anoon at his berþe he gynneth forto wepe; at þe bygynnynge liche to a beste, but his lymes failleþ hym, and may nouȝht helpe hym self. But he is feblere þan eny oþer beest; he can non helpe, he may nouȝt doo of hym self, bot wepe wiþ alle his myȝt. No beest haþ lyf more brutel and vnsiker. Noon haþ siknesse more grevous, noon more likynge to doo oþer wise þan he schulde. Noon is more cruel. Also oþer bestes loueþ everiche oþer of þe same kynde, and woneþ to gidres, and beeþ not cruel but to bestes of oþer kynde þat beeþ contrarye to hem. But man torneþ þat manere doynge vp so down, and is contrarye to hym self and cruel to oþer men; and [and yf, Cx.] he may not reche for to greue oþere, þan he bycomeþ angry and cruel to hym self. [℞.] [Added from Cx.] And ȝit to al þis man haþ tweie [So α. and Cx.; mystweie happes, MS.] myshappes, and þat riȝtfulliche: oon is of hym selue wiþ ynne hym; [hym] om. α., Cx.] so þat he þat þrewe away pees and reste þat [þat] om. Cx.] werreþ with ynne hym in his lyuynge, he haþ neiþer [noþer, α.] pees ne reste, but werre and stryf wiþ ynne. Anoþer myshap man haþ wiþ oute forþ, so þat he þat wolde not be sogette to God þat is aboue hym, now he feleþ his vnderlynges rebel to him. So þat þe

creatures þat were i-ȝeue man to solas of brutelnesse, to susteynynge of confort, to bere vp febilnesse, to seruise and subiectioun, to merour [myrour, Cx.] and schewyge of wondres, now for þe moste deel he [þei, β.; α, γ.; they, Cx., rightly; but see p. 237 note.] fleeþ mannys siȝt, and his felawschippe, and his companye, and hateþ his handelynge, and wil nouȝt of his lordschippe, and dredeþ sore to lyue and dwolle [So α.; dwelle, Cx.; dye, MS.] wiþ hym.