'Therfore,' quod I, 'these kinges and lordes that han suffisaunce at the ful of men and other thinges, mowen wel ben holden mighty; their comaundementes ben don; it is nevermore 55 denyed.'
'Foole,' quod she, 'or he wot him-selfe mighty, or wot it not; for he is nought mighty that is blynde of his might and wot it not.'
'Than if he wot it, he must nedes ben a-drad to lesen it. He that wot of his might is in doute that he mote nedes lese; and so ledeth him drede to ben unmighty. And if he recche not to lese, litel is that worth that of the lesing reson reccheth nothing; and if it were mighty in power or in strength, the lesing shulde ben 65 withset; and whan it cometh to the lesing, he may it not withsitte. _Ergo_, thilke might is leude and naughty. Such mightes arn y-lyke to postes and pillers that upright stonden, and greet might han to bere many charges; and if they croke on any syde, litel thing maketh hem overthrowe.' 70
'This is a good ensample,' quod I, 'to pillers and postes that I have seen overthrowed my-selfe; and hadden they ben underput with any helpes, they had not so lightly falle.'
'Than holdest thou him mighty that hath many men armed and many servauntes; and ever he is adrad of hem in his herte; 75 and, for he gasteth hem, somtyme he mot the more fere have. Comenly, he that other agasteth, other in him ayenward werchen the same; and thus warnisshed mot he be, and of warnisshe the hour drede. Litel is that might and right leude, who-so taketh hede.' 80
'Than semeth it,' quod I, 'that suche famulers aboute kinges and grete lordes shulde greet might have. Although a sypher in augrim have no might in significacion of it-selve, yet he yeveth power in significacion to other; and these clepe I the helpes to a poste to kepe him from falling.' 85
'Certes,' quod she, 'thilke skilles ben leude. Why? But-if the shorers be wel grounded, the helpes shulden slyden and suffre the charge to falle; her might litel avayleth.'
'And so me thinketh,' quod I, 'that a poste alone, stonding upright upon a basse, may lenger in greet burthen endure than 90 croken pilers for al their helpes, and her ground be not siker.'
'That is sothe,' quod she; 'for as, [if] the blynde in bering of the lame ginne stomble, bothe shulde falle, right so suche pillers, so envyroned with helpes, in falling of the grounde fayleth +altogider. How ofte than suche famulers, in their moste pryde 95 of prosperitè, ben sodainly overthrowen! Thou hast knowe many in a moment so ferre overthrowe, that cover might they never. Whan the hevinesse of suche fayling cometh by case of fortune, they mowe it not eschue; and might and power, if ther were any, shulde of strength such thinges voyde and weyve; and 100 so it is not. Lo, than! whiche thing is this power, that, tho men han it, they ben agast; and in no tyme of ful having be they siker! And if they wold weyve drede, as they mow not, litel is in worthines. Fye therfore on so naughty thing, any knot to cause! Lo! in adversitè, thilk ben his foes that glosed and 105 semed frendes in welth; thus arn his familiers his foes and his enemyes; and nothing is werse, ne more mighty for to anoy than is a familier enemy; and these thinges may they not weyve; so trewly their might is not worth a cresse. And over al thinge, he that may not withdrawe the brydel of his flesshly lustes and his 110 wrecched complayntes (now think on thy-selfe) trewly he is not mighty; I can seen no way that lyth to the knotte. Thilke people than, that setten their hertes upon suche mightes and powers, often ben begyled. Pardè, he is not mighty that may do any thing, that another may doon him the selve, and that men 115 have as greet power over him as he over other. A justice that demeth men ayenward hath ben often demed. Buserus slew his gestes, and he was slayn of Hercules his geste. Hugest betraysshed many men, and of Collo was he betrayed. He that with swerde smyteth, with swerde shal be smitten.' 120