Prolicionycion [sic]

¶ Capitulum tercium

THough man as it is sayde be lyke & acorde to the world in two thynges that be conteyned therin· Netheles in many poyntes of mannes condicion of his prerogaty∣ue and his worthynesse he is dyuerse and vnlyke to the world

¶For though mannes bodye were made firste of erthe / yet it was so couenablie and so acordyng to the soule that in mannes bodye was euenesse of complexion acordynge to lymmes right¦fulnesse

of stature / fayrenesse of shap / & so shuld the body be af¦terward buxome to the soule withouten ony rebellion and bryn¦ge forth childre without ony synne and lyue without ony defau¦te of strengthe and be translated and chaunged in to blysse of heuen withouten deyng and deth. also he shold gete and conceyue childre without shame and a woman shold bere childre withoute sorowe and woo / and haue mete and drynk without swete and trauayl steryng and moeuyng in lymmes withouten ony mys∣fare / and to all this paradyse was yeuen mankynde for to· dwel in / and woman for to be mannes felawe / paradyse to wonyng place / the tre of lyf for mete and al creatures for solace and a••¦te laste god hym self for to be mannes mede / But allas that so noble a banyour fell•• so soone. that was erly brought forth / & put in worship he knewe not that he shold be like to beestes whan he dyd that was forbode Fro that day forth the body that is cor¦rupt by synne greueth the soule ¶ The flesshe coueyteth ayenste the soule and mannes wyttes torne and assente lightly to euyl A mannes oune meynal wyttes / be his owne enemyes / so that al mannes lyf is in temptacion whyle he lyueth here in erthe. & the disposipon of the soule ruleth meynteneth / helpeth and con∣forteth the bodye / But ayeinward the wretched disposicion of the bodye distourbeth the soule· Also man is euer fayllyng and wayward he may not stydfastly abyde / he falleth lightly but he ma•• not lyghtly aryse / Profyt of byrth is sorow and care in lyuyng and man must nedes deye Plenius libro septimo deci∣mo capitulo tercio decimo· ¶ And thaugh oll other that be made haue shelles ryndes skynnes. wolle heer / bristels feders wynges owther skals / Man is born withoute ony helyng or keueryng nakede and bare / anone at his birth. he gynneth for to wepe atte begynnyng lyke a beest but his lymmes fayllen hym and maye not helpe hym self· but he is febler than ony other beeste / he can noon helpe / he may nought doo of hym self but wepe with al his myght No beest hath lyf more brutyl and vnseker / None hath se¦kenesse more greuous no••n more lykyng to do otherwyse than he shuld. none is more cruel ¶ Also other beestes lone eueryche other of the same kynde and dwell to gyder and be not cruel / but to beestes of other kynde that be contrary to hem / ¶ But man torneth that maner doyng vp so downe / and is contrary to hym self and cruel to other men / and yf he may not reche for to greue other / thenne he becometh angry and cruel to hym self ¶R

And yet to al thees man hath twey myshappes and that right¦fully. one is of him self within / so that he that threwe away peas and reste warred within hym / in his lyuyng he hath neyther peas ne rest but warre & strif within Another myshap man hath withoute forth. So that he that wold nought be subget to god that is aboue hym now he feeleth his vnderlinges rebell to hym· so that the creatures that were yeuē man to solace of brutelnes to susteynyng of comfort to bere vp feblenesse to seruyce and subiec¦tion to myron•• and shewyng of wonders / Nowe for the mooste dele they flee mannes sighte and his felawship fro his compa∣ny and hateth his handlyng & wil nought of his lordship. and dredeth for to lyue and dwelle with hym