¶ Þis is to seyne for þei semeden philosophres: þei weren p{ ur}sued to þe deeþ 204 and slayn. ¶ So yif þou hast not knowen þe exilynge of anaxogore. ne þe empoysenyng of socrates. ne þe to{ ur}ment[gh] of [gh]eno for þei [weren] straungers. ¶ [Gh]it my[gh]test þou haue knowe{ n} þe senectiens { and} þe Canyos 208 { and} þe sorancis of wyche folk þe renou{ n} is neyþer ouer oolde ne vnsolempne. ¶ Þe whiche men no þing ellys ne brou[gh]t[e] hem to þe deeþ but oonly for þei weren enfourmed of my maneres. { and} semede{ n} moste vnlyke 212 to þe studies of wicked folk. ¶ And forþi þou au[gh]test not to wondre þou[gh] þ{ a}t I in þe bitter see of þis lijf be fordryuen wiþ tempestes blowyng aboute. [[pg 12]]
[Sidenote: It is the aim of Philosophy to displease the wicked, who are more to be despised than dreaded, for they have no leader.]
in þe whiche te{ m}peste þis is my most p{ ur}pos þat is to seyn to displese 216 to wikked[e] men. ¶ Of whiche schrews al be þe oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis gouerned wiþ no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by flityng errour folyly { and} ly[gh]tly.
[Sidenote: If Philosophy is attacked by the wicked, she retires within her fortress, leaving the enemy busy among the useless baggage, and laughing to scorn such hunters of trifles.]
¶ And if þei somtyme 220 maky{ n}g an ost a[gh]eynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure leder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse i{ n} to hys toure. { and} þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels vnp{ ro}fitable forto taken. but we þat ben hey[gh] abouen syker 224 fro al tumulte { and} wode noise. ben stored { and} enclosed in syche a palays. whider as þat chateryng or anoying folye ne may not attayne. ¶ We scorne swiche rauiners { and} honters of foulest[e] þinges. 228
[Linenotes: 163 _none oþer_--non oother _sorowe_--sorwe 165 _knowe_--knowen 166 _myne_--myn _festned[e]_--fastnede 170 _fro_--from 170, 171 _art þou_--artow 172 _mad_--MS. made, C. maked _fals[e]_--false 174 _parte_--parten 176 _nar[e]_--nere _sittyng_--sittinge 178 _þan_--thanne 179 _þing_--thing _q.d. non_--omitted 180 _trowest þou_--trowestow _alþerfirst_--alderfirst 181 _wicked[e]_--wikkede 182 _strife_--strif 183 _a[gh]eins_--ayenis _foolhardines_--foolhardinesse _foly_--folie 184 _eke_--ek 185 _deserued[e]_--desseruede 186 _wyche_--the which _seyne_--seyn 188 _welfulnesse_--welefulnesse 189 _oþer_--oothre 190 _go_--gon _eueryche_--euerich 191 _seyne_--seyn _to_--omitted _eueryche_--euerich 194 _tornen_--_read_ coruen, C. koruen 195 _wouen_--MS. wonne{ n}, C. wouen 196 _arased_--arraced 197 _gon_--MS. gone, C. gon 198 _dele_--del 199 _myche_--moche _semed[e]_--semede { and}--or 200 _myne_--myn _wenyng_--MS. wevyng, C. weninge 202 _þoru[gh]_--thorw _wikked[e]_--wikkede _vnkunnyng[e]_--vnkunnynge 203 _seyne_--seyn þ{ a}t 204 _semeden_--semede _pursued_--MS. pursuede, C. pursued 205 _slayn_--MS. slayne, C. slayn 207 [_weren_]--weeren 208 _my[gh]test þou haue_--myhtestow han 209 _sorancis_--sorans _wyche_--which _is_--nis 210 _oolde_--MS. colde, C. old 211 _brou[gh]t[e]_--browhte 212 _enfourmed_--MS. vnfourmed, C. enformyd _my_--myne _vnlyke_--vnlyk 213 _wicked folk_--wikkede foolk{ e} _au[gh]test_--owhtest 214 _wondre_--wondren _bitter_--bittre 216 _displese_--displesen 217 _wikked[e]_--wikkede _schrews_--shrewes 218 _oost_--glossed _acies_ in C. _grete_--gret 219, 222 _leder_--leder{ e} 220 _flityng_--fleetynge _ly[gh]tly_--lythly _if_--yif 221 _a[gh]eynest_--ayenis 222 _to----rycchesse_, to gydere hise rychesses _toure_--towr 224 _hey[gh]_--heye 225 _al_--alle _ben_--omitted _stored_--warnestored 226 _syche_--swich _þat_--omitted 227 _scorne_--schorne 228 _rauiners----þinges_--rauyneres & henteres of fowleste thinges]