obedient.[1] On of his disciples saide vnto hym: "Ther is non
other people but of Ipocrisy, therfor to a mannes soule it is goode
to beware."[2] Socrates saith: "Ther is sum man whiche prevy and
apert shevith hymsilf to be obedient vnto god, as that he be had holy
among men and therfor of theym the more to be worshipped. Ther
is another more subtile whiche levith and forsakith this Ipocresy,
as that he may (f. 119) deserve to the more. Forsoth whan he
fastith or any almesse doeth, and of hym be asked if he hath do, he
aunswerith: 'God knowith or nat,' as in more reverence he be nat
had; and it is saide non Ipocresy the whiche wil nat shewe his
goode deede vnto men.[3] Also I bileve and I trowe that ther bien
but fewe whiche bien percyuers[4] in this maner of Ipocresy. See yee
therfor that this ne deprive yow nat the Rewarde of yowre labour,
that it fal ne hap nat, al thynges that ye don with cleen intencioun ye
seeke nat therof to have any glorie." Another Philosophre saith:
"If thow bihold stidefastly into god, althynges shuln be prosperous
to the wherever thow goest."
Balaam whiche in Arabik tung is cald Lucan saide to his sone: "Sone, ne is nat the ampt, otherwise cald pismer, wiser than thou, whiche gadrith in somer wherof he livith in wynter? Sone, ne is nat the Cok more waccheful than thow, whiche in the morow wakith and thow sleepist? Sone, ne is nat the Cok strenger than thow, whiche iustifieth x wifes and thow maist nat chastise oon? Sone, ne is nat the dog or the hound more nobil than thow, whiche of his benefactours is remembred and myndefull and thow of thy benefactours art foryeetful? Sone, ne be it seen to the a litel to have oon enemy, or to moche to have a thowsand friendis. Forsoth I say to the forwhi."
I. The Half Friend.
Whan Arabs shude die [he] cald his sone vnto hym and saide:
"Sey thow while I live how many friendes thow hast purchaced."
The sone aunswerd and saide: "I arbitre and trust that I have purchaced
mo than a hundred[5] friendis." Than the fader saide: "The
- ↑ Lat. I, 2, l. 25. Dicunt ei: Enuclea nobis quod dicis. Qui ait: Dimittite ypocrisim! Est enim ypocrisis, et cet.
- ↑ Lat. Estne aliud genus ypocrisis, unde homini cavendum sit?
- ↑ The Latin for this confusing sentence runs (I, 3, l. 2): Cum enim ieinnat vel elemosinam facit et ab eo quaeritur si fecerit, respondet: Deus sciti vel: non, ut in maiori reverentia habeatur et dicatur quia ypocrita non est qui hominibus factum suum nolit propalari.
- ↑ This reading is doubtful; Lat. Credo etiam paucos esse qui aliquo huius ypocrisis genere non participent.
- ↑ Ms. C.
