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213

INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS

[Prosa ja]

1.

And when my maistresse philosophie,
Kepyng alwey hire sobirnesse of chere,
This song had songen wonder lustelye,
So þat full sad alwey hire wordes were,
I gan to speke and seide in þis manere;
Noght all forgetyn myn oppressioun,
I made hire make an interrupcioun.

2.

“O soueraigne gidoresse of verrey light,
Youre resons ben so myghti and so fyne
Anon to þis, and open to my sight
As in þaire speculacioun devyne,
Whiche as ye seide, for anger and for pyne
Forgetyn was and fall out of my þoght;
Bot ȝit beforne vnknowen were þei noght.

3.

Bot þis is most my cause of heuynesse:
So good a gouernour as hauen we,
How þere may ben so myche wickednesse
And suffred so vnponysched to be.
How wonderfull is þis, now deme ye;
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And þis wel more encreseþ my doloures,
Þat wickednesse regneþ in his floures.

4.

And now noght onely vertu wanteþ mede,
Bot felons han defouled it and schent,
And in þe stede of synne and cursidhede,
Now vertu bereth peyne and ponyschement.
Bot in þe rewme of god omnipotent
Þat seeth all þis and onely good he will,
I may compleyne and wonder well be skill.”

5.

Than seide sche þus: ‘A wonder þing it were,
Abhominable and verrey monstruouse
If as þou feynest and supposest here,
In a so well disposed lordes house,
If vesselles þat ben riche and preciouse
Schulde so despysed and defouled be,
And foule vessel be made in preciouste.

6.

Wot sikerly,’ sche seyde, ‘it is noght so,
For if þo þinges stondeth fermelye
That we before þis haue consented to,
Now by the helpe of souereyne god on hye,
Of whom we speketh here ententyflye,
Thow schalt here-after fully knowe and seen
Þat goode folkes all-wey myghty been,

7.

And wicked folkes vnmyghti þere ageyne,
Ne mede may fro vertu noght disseuere;
215

And þat þere is no vice wiþouten peyne,
And goode folk of welþe failen nevire,
And wicked folk ben infortunat evire,
And myche þing þat to þin hertes ese
Avaylen schal and thi compleynt apese.

8.

Now here beforne I haue þe schewed expresse,
As þou hast herde and seen it plenerly,
Wiche is þe forme of verray blisfulnesse
And where þou schalt it fynde verraly.
Lo all this ouerpassen now will I,
Wiche þat we moste ouer-passe nede,
And to my purpose faste I schal me spede.

9.

Unto þi home I schall þe schewe a way,
And pennes schal I pycche into þi mynde
Þat it arisen into heighte may,
Al heuynesse laft and put behynde.
And cariage my-self I schal þe fynde.
My path I wil þe lede be þe hand
All hole and sound in-to þyn owne land.’

Metrum jm

Sunt etenim penne.

1.

‘Full swifte been my fetheres in þaire flight,
Þat stieng into hyhe heuene ariseth,
216

And when þey be into a mynde i-pight
Þe erthe þen it hateþ and despiseth
And setteþ all at noght as he deviseth.
The speere of eyre he passeth all aboue,
Behynde hys bak he seeth þe cloudes houe.

2.

That mynde also þe spere of fuyre transcendeþ
Þat is so hoot be mouyng of the heuene,
And to þe sterred places he ascendeþ,
Thurgh-out þe speres of planetes seuene,
And with þe sonne his wey he ioyneth euene,
So att þe laste he meteth wiþ þe olde
Saturnus whos effectes ben so colde.

3.

Lo is this sotill mynde made a knyght
Of god þat is the souereyn sterre clere,
And so the cercle of the sterres bright
Þe whiche ye may beholde on nyghtes here,
With his recours he passeth all infere,
And in theire speres [he] byholde[þ] wele
Þe maner of þeire mouyng euerydele,

4.

And wel he wot þat goddes ben þei noght.
The hyest heuen he leueth hym behynde
Til þat he haue araysed vp his poght
A-none to hym þat auctour is of kynde.
This worthy light he putteþ in hys mynde,
Þat of þis rounde world is lord and kyng,
Þat kepeth and gouerneth alle þing.
217

5.

The swyfte cours of sterres meveth he,
Juge of thinges bright and souereyn,
Hym-self stedfast evire in oo degre.
If þi wey may reduce the ageyn
Vnto þis place, þou schalt þi-self seyn,
“Lo here it is þat I so longe haue soght
My cuntre, and til now I knewe it noght;

6.

Fro hennes I come and in þis place right
I þynke to abyden and to dwelle.”
And if þe lust to casten doun þi sight
Into þis foule derke erthely selle,
Behalden myght þou þere tyrantes felle
Wiche þat of wrecches ben i-dred full wyde,
Out of þis lond exiled for theire pryde.’

Prosa ija

[Tum ego.]

1.

Tho seide I þus, “O maistres[se] swete
Ful grete þinges ye behoten me,
Ne I ne doute it noght þat ȝe be-hete
Ye may performe, what-so-euer it be.
Now þat ye han of youre benignite
Begonne þus and to þis poynt i-broght,
Holde on youre processe and ne tarie noght.”

2.

‘Lo first,’ sche seide, ‘þou schalt conceyue and take
Þat goode folkes alwey myghti ben,
218

And wicked folk vnmyghti and forsake;
Þat on þow myght lo be þat other seen.
For sith þei be contrarious hem bytween,
Bothe good and euell, þou myght conceyue it wele,
If goode haue myght, þe evell haþ nevir a dele.

3.

And if so be it þat þe febilnesse
Lo of þe wicked man to þe appere,
Thow myght noght douten of the myghtinesse
Than of þe goode folk in no manere.
Bot þat my sentence be byleued here,
Be bothe waies þinke I to procede,
And to my purpose first I schall me spede.

4.

The full effecte of mannes werkes alle
Stondeth onely in þinges two,
Lo will and myght; and if it so befalle
Þat eyther want, þere may no-þing be do.
What schal he do þe wight þat will is fro?
It is a feble werk þat schal be wroght
Of hym þat wiþ his will ne doth it noght.

5.

And what of hym of whom is myght away?
As to þe werk þe will may not avayle.
Right so as þou myght beholden euery day
Men wolden myche þing of whiche þei faile;
Who so wanteþ of effecte of his trauayle,
219

And may not haue ne wynne þat he wolde,
Þat man vnmyghti most þow nedes holde.’

6.

“And þis,” quod I, “is to me clere i-now;
Full trewe it is þere may no man denye.”
‘Bot of þat other,’ quod sche, ‘doutest þow,
Þat what he will he doth it spedily,
Is he noght myghti?’ “Yis, in sothe,” quod I.
‘Than euery man is myghti þere he may,
And þere he may not, weyk it is no nay.’

7.

“This graunt I wel,” quod I. Sche seide þan,
‘Haue we noght here beforne concluded this,
Þat of þe hole entencioun of man,
Excited so to dyuers besynes,
The naturel entent is blisfulnes?’
“And þis,” quod I, “record I in my wit;
Be demonstracioun ye preued it.”

8.

‘Myght þou,’ sche seide, ‘also remembre þe,
Of blisfulneese and good when þat we speke,
How he þat wilneþ to felicite,
This verray good so he desireþ eke,
And so þat euery wight þis good doth seke?’
220

“Of þis,” quod I, “I remembre wel noght,
It is full faste empressed in my þoght.”

9.

‘Than euery man,’ quod sche, ‘boþe good and ille,
This is þaire purpos, all indifferent
This good to wynne.’ Quod I, “Unto ȝoure skille
I moste accorde, it is so consequent.”
‘Bot he þat wilneþ after his entent
This verrey good, is he not good?’ quod sche.
I seide, “Yis, þat moste he nedes be.”

10.

‘The good han geten þan þat þei desire?’
I seide, “So it semeth certanly.”
‘And ȝif þe wicked myght, as þey require,
This same good acheuen verraily,
They myght not þen be wicked?’ “No,” quod I.
‘Sith either þan doth þeire besynesse
To haue þis good, þan sueth it expresse,

11.

Sith þise acheuen þat þei ben aboute,
The bad of þeire ententes ben deceyued:
The goode are myghti þan, it is no doute,
Lo and þe bad, þeire myght es theym bereued.‘
“This is,” quod I, “full playn and fully preued
To hym þat haþ consideracioun
To kynde of thinges and to good resoun.”
221

12.

‘But yit,’ quod sche, ‘this case now I suppose:
Þat þere be two men wiche þat kyndely
Of certayn þing to done haue oo purpose,
And þer-to þey entenden besily.
Þat one perfourmeþ well and perfightly,
Þat oþer may not done it as he wolde
Be kyndely menes þat he vsen scholde,

13.

Bot lafte þe verray processe naturele;
This same werk he þinkeþ to assay,
But as he schulde he may not done it wele,
Bot so he counterfeteth as he may.
Now whiche is here moste myghti, wilt þou say?’
“Thogh I coniecte it,” seide I, “well i-now,
More plenerly yit wolde I lere of yow.”

14.

‘Sith þat it is of kynde a man to meue,
Will noght his nature þat he scholde go?’
I seide, “Yis, in sothe, as I byleue.”
‘Than muste he,’ quod sche, ‘kyndely for to do,
Meue hym vpon his feet?’ “Hym muste [s]o.”
‘This on his feet may walken as hym oght,
This oþer nay, for-why he haþ hem noght,

15.

And on his hondes crepe he will þerfore.
Who is of thise þe strengere, wilt þou seyne?’
222

“Hold on,” quod I, “youre processe forthirmore.
No wight may doute of this I am certeyn,
Bot þat þis man whiche haþ his lymes tweyn
Þe strenger is þan he þat wanteth bothe,
He moste confessen þat will sey þe sothe.”

16.

‘Bot then þis verrey souereyn good,’ quod sche,
‘To whiche þey hauen bothe affectioun,
The goode and badde, and boþe þey stonden free
To wynne it be þaire trewe eleccioun,
Þe goode it wynneth be perfeccioun
Of vertu whiche is mene kyndely
Þat souereyn goode schulde be wonne by.

17.

The badde it seken in a wrongfull wise,
And for þat skill þey wynne it noght a-dele
Be sondre lustes of þaire couetise
Whiche ben no verrey menes naturele
Wherby þis good þei schulde acheuen wele.
Whethir is it þus, or elles demest þow?’
“To nayen þis, wot I not why ne how.

18.

Of þat we han concluded vs bytwene,
It is full clere and open to my sight
Þat goode folk schulde alwey myghti bene,
And badde men despoyled all of myght.”
‘Now þou before [m]e,’ quod sche, ‘renn est right
223

So þat of the I take a iugement
As doth a leche be his pacient.

19.

When þat nature is reysed and redressed
So þat it may wiþstonde the maladie,
He hopeth þan the langour is repressed
And þat he may be cured esily;
Of the same iugement haue I.
To vnderstonden now I see þe prest,
I schall þe forthire leden ar I rest.

20.

Beholde and see þe grete febilte
Of tho þat vice han in affeccioun,
Þat þay may noght atteyne in no degree
Wherto þat naturell entencioun
Well neighe compelleth theire inclinacioun.
What woldest þou trowen if it so befell
Þat þis nature þat helpeþ hem so well,

21.

Whiche may vnneþis be wiþstonded oght,
What if it schulde forsake hem euerydele?
Lo then in soth þey myghte do right noght,
Neither evill ne good, now vndirstonde me wele.
Considre now and in þy wittes feele,
Þe cursed men þat lusten all in synne,
How myche vnmyght þei bringe hemself[en] inne.

22.

It is no litell þing þat þey requiren,
Ne iape of noght of whi[ch]e þey faile so;
Þe souereigne height of þinges þei desiren,
And ȝit atteyne may þey noght þerto;
And þat effecte þe wrecches faileth fro,
224

For whiche þey laboren boþe day and nyght;
Þe gretter good forlorn, þe lesse myght.

23.

In whiche þing it may be seen on-oon
How myghti ben the gode, it is no nay.
For right as he þat on his feet may goon,
Trauaillen w[i]ll in-to so fer he may
Till þat he fynde þat forþer is no way,
Þat man a myghti walkere wilt þou deme;
And in þe same wise so wolde it seme

24.

That he whiche may so hyhe a þing achieue,
Aboue whiche may noght desired be,
Me þinke I may be verray resoun preue
Þat vtterly a myghti man is he.
Þat other syde þan esy is to see,
For there ageyn lo will it sewen thus:
Þat myghtless ben þe bad[de] vicious.

25.

And wherfore is it þat þei sewen vice,
All vertu so forlet[yng] vtterly,
Bot for þei ben vnkonnynge and vnwise,
And good þei konne not chesen verrely.
No thing is lesse of myght, as suppose I,
Þan is þe blynde vice of ignoraunce
Þat many foles bringeþ in myschaunce.
225

26.

And if so be þei vnderstonde and knowe
That louen vertu schulde a creature,
Bot so þaire lustes han hem overþrowe,
Than is [it] so þat theire vntemperure
Is cause why þat þey may not endure.
So freell thei ben, theire lustes for lo lete
Thei ben full loth, þei semen hem so swete.

27.

And what if be þeire wyttyng and theire will
Thei louen vice and vertu fallen fro?
Then will it seme be þe same skill,
Noght only þat þei ben vnmyghti tho,
Bot þat þei failen for to been also.
For tho þat haue for-lete þe comyn ende,
Thei failen for to be by verrey kynde.

28.

To many men a wonder will it seme,
Sith þat so many wicked folkes be,
Theym for to be noght, þat I wolde þeym deme;
And neuerþeles ȝit is it so perde,
Þat men þat badde ben, þis graunte I the,
Þat þei ben bad[de] I will it noght denye,
And [yit] þei ben noght, pure and simplelye.

29.

As if þou sawh a mannes dede careyn,
Now woldest þou iugen þat a man it is;
Bot þat it is a dede man wilt þou seyn,
And noght a man sympliciter i-wys.
And in þe same wise I graunte this,
226

Þat vicious men ben full of wickednesse,
Bot absolutly ben þei noght expresse.

30.

The þing þat kepeth þe ordire of þis ende
Is verrely, and if it þat forlete,
To ben also whiche is hys verray kynde,
As sewyngly hym moste also forfete.
So cursed vice theire nature doth defete.
But now þou seist me þat þe wicked may
Doon wickedly; þerof I sey not nay.

31.

Bot þis power dependeth noght of myght,
Bot of vnþrifty wrecched febulnesse;
For wickedly may done a cursed wight,
Whiche if he wolde abyden in goodnesse,
Than schulde he noght mow do þat wickednesse,
Forwhy þis wrecchid possibilite
May noght at all, as þou myght knowe and see.

32.

And as we han a litell whiles go
Assembled here þat wickednesse is noght,
If wicked men may wickedliche do,
Than is it noght þat of hem may be wroght.
And þat [þou] vndirstonde [hit] in þi þoght,
Whiche is þe strengþe of power and of myght,
Lo þus we haue diffyned now here right:

33.

There is no þing so myghti ne so strong
As is þis souereyn good.’ “Right so,” quod I.
227

‘But soueraigne good may do no maner wrong?’
“I may it noght de[nyen] sikerly.”
‘Bot who is it þat weneþ folily
Þat ony man may alle þinges doon?’
“Bot he be wood,” quod I, “so weneth noon.”

34.

‘Yit mowe þey worchen harm and wickednesse.’
Quod I, “God wolde þei myghte noght a deele.”
‘But sith þat he whi[ch]e only myghti is
To worche good, all þing he may do wele,
In hym all myghtynesse is naturele;
Bot þo þat hauen myght to worchen ille,
They may not worchen all þat is þaire wille,

35.

Than is [it] pleyn and clere i-now to seen
Thise wicked men þat wickedliche may,
Full lesse of power and of myght þei been.
Do þis þerto þat I schal after say:
Sith myght is suche a þing þe wiche alway
Oweth for to be coueit[ed] and desired,
And euery þing þat is to be required,

36.

To good it moste be referred nede
As to þe soueraigne hed and principall,
Bot power for to worchen wrecchidhede
To good referred may not be at all,
It is noght þan þat be desired schall.
Bot power schall desired be by right,
Than power of þe wicked is no myght.
228

37.

Lo of all this it wole appere wele
Þat myghti ben þe goode folk allone,
And wicked folk ben myghti neuer a dele,
But wicked and myghtles ben þei euerychone.
The sentence þan may be conceyued sone
Where Plato writeth in þis same wise:
Doon þat hem liketh onely may the wise.

38.

For wicked men don werkes þat hem lyst
Bot thaire desire may þei noght fulfille;
What þey desireth þat þeym likeþ best,
Forwhi þey doo it be it never so ille.
To þaire desire ne may [þei] neuere tille,
Þe whiche þei seek in lustes and delice,
For blisfulnesse may not be had be vice.’

Metrum ijm

Quos vides sedere celsos.

1.

‘Thise grete kynges full of cruelte,
So schynynge in þaire purpure really,
Sittyng on hyhe in heightes of þaire see,
With wylde wordes thretyng cruelly,
With blastyng wo[o]d[n]esse of þaire hertes hy,
With myche wrecchid wepen be þaire side,
Who so wolde fro þise princes full of pride

2.

Dispoyle hem of þaire wrecched veyn array,
Beholde and see [well] what þey be wiþ-ynne;
229

Though þise ben lordes wonder stout and gay,
In streyte cheynes ben þei bounde of synne
Whiche þat þey may noght fro þeym-seluen twynne.
This one lo ledde hys lyf in leccherie
Þat all þe world hym spekeþ vilanye;

3.

So is he troubled be þis passioun,
With wreþþe hys mynde is beten and opressed:
Or heuynesse haþ drawen hym adoun,
Or slipper hope hym elles haþ distressed.
Lo suche an hede I trowe is euell i-blessed
Þat is encombred with so myche vice;
His myght is to be set of litel price.’

Prosa iija

1.

‘Ne sest þow noght þe foule vicious,
What filthe hem haþ defiled and vnhight,
And eek þe goode folk and vertuous,
How worþely þey schyne faire and bright?
Of þis it may aperen to þi sight
Þat wicked folk ne failen neuere of peyne,
Ne goode folk þeire mede there ageyne.

2.

That same þing þat meueþ any wight
As for to done or worken any dede,
230

Þat same þing, I may it say be right,
Lo of þe same work it is þe mede.
This schall I preue if þou wilt take[n] hede:
For rennyng lyeth a garlond for þe game,
And he þat renneþ best schal haue þe same.

3.

Bot souereyn good is verrey blisfulnesse,
And þat is verray ground and cause why
Þat any manere þing purposed is.
As for to speke of purpose kyndely,
Then is þis good purposed comounly
For mannes work, a mede for his trauaile:
For goode men þis mede may not faile.

4.

Who so lakkeþ good, as semeþ in my þoght,
Be called good of right ne may noght he.
Þe goode then of mede ne faileþ noght
Sith þat þeire mede is verraily bounte.
Thogh wicked folk ben wood in cruelte
And vsen all þe malice þat þei mown,
Þe wyse man ne leseþ noght his crown;

5.

For-why þere is no foreyn wickednesse
Of men þat ben so perilouse and proude,
Þat may bereue þe kyndely worþinesse
Þat longeþ to þe good, it is no doute.
Bot if þey hadde it wonne[n] of withoute
An other þan myght it take away,
Or he þat gaf þat good, it is no nay.
231

6.

Bot sith þe goodnesse of a worthi wyght
Of goode maneres moste be caused nede,
When he forleteþ hem, þan is it right
Þat [he] scholde be despoyled of his mede.
Bot forthire in þis matire to procede:
Sith alle medes þat desired bene,
It is for þei ben goode or as þey wene,

7.

Of hym þat hath þis good [who] will it seyn
Þat he his mede lakkeþ vtterly?
No wight þat resoun haþ, I am certeyn.
Bot what [þing] is this mede verrely?
Þe beste þing and fayrest sikerly
Þat may be had or herte can devise,
This is þat is disposed for þe wise.

8.

A corilare hye and precious
Þat I the ȝaf whilere remembre the,
Whiche all and som þou schalt assemblen þus:
Lo sith þat god is this felicite
Whiche makeþ folkes blisful for to be,
Lo alle tho þat goode werkes vsen
And wrecchid vice will vtterly refusen,

9.

And þo þat blisfull been, ȝe vndirstoode
As in [a] manere goddes þat þei were.
232

Than is þis gifte þe mede of alle goode,
Þat no day may consume in [no] manere,
Ne anentes it may þer no powere,
Ne d[y]m[m]en it another mannes vice,
Þogh wicked folk purpose it of malice.

10.

Sith it is so, it is wiþouten drede
Þe wicked may not be wiþouten peyne,
For sith þat euel and good, lo peyne and mede
Contrarious ben, þan is it clere and pleyne,
Sith good is sure of mede, and full certeyne
Þe bad is sure of peynes and of wo;
If one be sothe þat oþer moste also.

11.

Than is þe goodness of þe goode wight
Þe reward and þe mede of his goodnes;
And to þe wicked be þe same right,
Theire peyne is eek þaire propre wickednes.
What-euer it be, þan sueth it expresse,
Þat with suche peynes is disesed oght,
Wiþ euell he is enfecte, it faileþ noght.

12.

For ȝif þe wicked wolde þeim-seluen seen,
Might þei supposen, as it semeþ the,
233

Þat þei wiþoute bitter peynes been,
Whan lo þe vttermeste extremyte
Of alle wickednesse and cruelte,
Noght only haþ affected grevously
Bot eke hem hath e[n]fected hugely?

13.

Bot now be-hald þat oþer part vpon,
If any peynes han þe good agreued.
Hast þou not lered all þat evire is oon
Is good also, as I haue the discreued?
Lo consequently þan it may be preued,
As semeþ well, þat euery þing þat is,
It most also be cleped good i-wys.

14.

I may concluden þan þat alle tho
Þat faylen fro þis good rehersed here,
They faylen þan for to been also;
Þe wicked þan ne be noght þat þey were,
For þogh þou see þat mannes body þere,
Ful sothe it is, a man he was beforne;
Be wickednesse his kynde he haþ forlorne.

15.

Bot sith þat only vertu and goodnesse
Abouen manhode may a man arayse,
In certeyn þan, who so vseþ wickednesse
Benethen manhode doun he doth hym payse.
And þogh so be þat many oon hym prayse,
Whom þou seest transformed into vice
Thow haldest noght a man if þou be wise.
234

16.

Whos lustes brennen all in coueitise
And reuen men theire good be violence,
I-lyk a wolf þou myght hem wel devise.
He þat is so fiers and spareþ none offence,
Ne what he seith, þat haþ no conscience
To make stryues and discencioun,
He is an hound as be comparisoun.

17.

And he þat will awayten pryuely
Foreyne goodes how he may be-reuen,
A fox þou myght hym clepe skilfully;
And whom þat cursed ire doth ameuen,
A lyoun as in þat þou myght hym preuen;
He þat is ferd and fleeþ wiþ-outen need,
An hart þou myght hym calle, it is no drede;

18.

And he þat vseþ sleuthe and ydelnesse
And will noght done no werkes profitable,
Thow myght hym calle a verrey asse expresse;
And he þat is inconstant and vnstable,
To foules myght þou holde hym comparable;
And he þat ledeth his lyf in lecherye,
A swyn þou myght hym calle skilfullye.

19.

It semeth þan þat he wiche haþ forlete
Þe lyf of vertu and [of] honeste,
235

To ben a man in þat he [ha]th forfete,
And skilfully forlorn þat dignite;
And þere he myghte a god in manere be,
Or like to god in lyuynge atte laste,
Now is he chaunged to a rude beste.’

Metrum iijm

Vela naricij du[ci]s.

1.

‘The south west wynd þat bloweth boystously,
The sayles of þe duk Naricius
In-to þat ile he blewh full sodenly
Þat was to hem full hard and perilus,
Where þat þe goddes faire and vicius
Þat highte Circes dwelled, as clerkes seyn,
Whiche was þe sonnes doghter as þey feyn.

2.

This same Circes to hire gestes newe
Sche gaf suche drinkes of enchauntement
So were þei chaunged bothe hyde and hewe,
As outward vnto mannes iugement,
Lyke vnto bestes kyndely different.
Lo this in visage was a bore i-lyk;
And þ[i]s lo to a lyoun [m]armoryk

3.

With teeþ and clowes waxen out of-long;
And this y-lyk vnto a wolf in sothe,
And when he wolde be-wepen all his wrong
He gan to yelle as other wolfes doth;
And this full mekely into house goth
236

Full like a tygre of þe lond of Ynde,
No-þing wiþ mekenesse of þat bestes kynde.

4.

And when þis noble Naryce Vlixes
Thus was be-set wiþ meschief and dolour,
Mercurie ȝit hym taghte neuerþeles
How he schulde saue hym-seluen with a flour,
And so hym saued fro þis parelouse schour.
So rewed he þis duk in his distresse,
He halp hym fro þis perilouse hostesse.

5.

And þogh þat he were holpen of þis hap,
Hys meyne of þat drynk had take tast,
Þat some were like to sowes as in schap;
Wiþ swyn of acornes made þei þaire past;
And all þo were transformed so in hast
Þat mannes schap and voyce was hem byraft,
Bot mannes mynde was in hem bylaft.

6.

They weyled of þaire transformacioun.
Bot how þis hond of Circes was ful light
And we[i]k for all here transmutacioun!
And eke here herbes of full litel myght,
Þat chaungen myght þe membres of a wyght!
Bot þat þe hertes myght [sc]he chaunge noght,
Theire manly myght was hid wiþ-ynne þaire þoght.
237

7.

Bot lo þis venym of vnworthi vice
Is myche wors incomparab[e]ly;
They drawen men be lustes and delice
All hole into þeym-selfe vtterly.
So scharp it is, it perseth inwardly;
Thogh no defaute be in þe body founde,
Wiþ-inne þe saule it makeþ a perilous wounde.’

Prosa [iiija]

Tum ego fateor.

1.

Then seide I thus. “Þis will I wel confesse,
Þat thise folk þat lyuen viciously
And hem deliten all in wrecchidnesse,
Þogh mannes schap þei hauen noght-forþy,
It may be seide well and rightwisly
As in þaire inward gostly qualite,
To verray bestes þat þey chaunged be.

2.

Bot þise þat ben so cruell of þeire will,
All goode men to harme þey reioysen,
I wolde þey myghte þaire malice not fullfill,
Ne so be suffred vertu to destroyen.”
‘In sothe,’ quod sche, ‘þey may hem noght anoyen;
Þat schal I preue by resoun consequent
In place here after[ward] conuenient.

3.

The licens whiche þei han as semeth þee,
If god þeym schulde be[r]euen or restreyne,
238

Than he releued hem by liberte,
Relesyng þaym a parcell of þaire payne.
And þerfore this oo þing dar I seyne
Þat no man may vnneþes well beleuen,
The whiche I schall be open skilles preuen:

4.

When þat þe wicked han þaire wille i-wroght,
Then ben þey more wrecches sikerly
Than þey had ben if þat þey myght it noght.
For sith þat he whiche wilneth schrewdely
In þat a wrecche is halden skilfully,
A more wrecche is he þat may fulfille
In full effecte þe malice of his wille;

5.

For wrecchid will þat is wiþouten myght
As in effecte ne may noþing expresse.
And sithen þat [in] euery wrecchid wight
Is verrailye his owne wrecchidnesse,
For whom þou seest sett all in cursednesse,
Þat will, and may, and doth it as hym lyst,
With threfold infortune he is betwyst.’

6.

“To þis,” quod I, “I may consenten sone.
Bot þis desire so gretly moueth me:
This infortune wickedly to done
I wolde þey lakked possibilite.”
‘They schall it lakken hastily,’ quod sche,
239

‘Perauntre sonner þan þou woldest it seene,
And eke well sonnere þan hemseluen wene.

7.

For in this brutel lyf þer is right noght
Þat in so schorte termes is constreyned,
Þat of a soule inmortale schulde be þoght
As longe to ben abyden or susteyned.
Þe grete hope of myght in hem bot feyned,
And all þeire gyves of þeire felonye
Schal be destroyed vnwar and sodanlye,

8.

And þus schal myschief ende þeire wrecchidnesse.
Sith þey ben wrecches for þeire cruelte,
Þe lenger þat þey laste in wickednesse
Þe more wrecches moste hem nedes be;
And more wrecched ȝit as semeth me,
Be twenty þowsand fold at my devise,
If deth ne scholde noght enden þeire malice.

9.

And [ȝif] so be we haue concluded wele
As of þe infortune of wickednesse,
If þat þeire malice were perpetuele,
Than endeles moste be þaire [wrecchid]nesse.’
I seyde þan, “A wonder þing is this,
And wonder hard it is to graunten it.
Be verray force it muste be graunted yit,
240

10.

For to þat I beforne haue graunted now
I know it well it is conuenient.”
‘Full right,’ sche seide, ‘and sothely demest þow.
Full hard it is to graunten verament,
Bot if þou kannest noght verrely consent
As for to graunten þis conclucioun,
Let see ȝit make thy replecacioun.

11.

If þou haue graunted any þing amys
Þat may be founden fallace and vntrewe,
Or any oþer þing purposed is
Whiche þat of verrey resoun will not sewe,
Wherby þou myght þis consequent eschewe;
And yf þou kannest noght schewen skilfully,
This consequent ne may þou noghte denye.

12.

For [þat I] schal enducen forthirmore,
As wonderfull it is wiþouten drede,
Bot of þat we han graunted here before,
As necessary moste it sewe nede.’
I asked, “What?” Quod sche, ‘Now take good hede:
More welefull are þe wicked in þeire peyne
Than if þey scholde none at all susteyne.

13.

Bot þis is noght my conseyt principally,
Þat comynly men han in þeire devise:
241

Þat wicked folk so peyned rightfully,
Þere-by þey ben corrected of þeire vice
And drede of peyne appeseth theire malice,
And þat exsaumple vnto oþer mo
Withdrawen hem of þat þei wolde do,

14.

Bot in anoþer manere wise I mene.
Þe bad[de] folk with-oute punicioun
Full more vnwilfull sekerly þei ben,
Than if þei suffred none affliccioun,
Noght hauyng reward to correccioun,
Ne to exsample, ne to drede of peyne
Þat myche myschief ofte doþ refreyne.’

15.

Quod I, “What manere wise may þis be
Dyuerse fro þis þat ye haue told before?”
‘Lo haue we not confessed here,’ quod sche,
‘Þat goode men ben welefull evirmore
And wrecchid folk ben wrecches and forlore?’
“Right so,” quod I. Quod sche, ‘Now sey me þis.
What if þat vnto suche a wrecchidnesse

16.

If any part of good were added to,
Ne were not he more welefull, wilt þou say,
Than he whiche stondeþ all in myschief so,
Fro whom all manere good is raft away?’
Quod I, “It semeth so, it is no nay.”
242

‘And what,’ quod sche, ‘if to þis wrecchid man
Fro whom all manere goodnes lakkeþ þan,

17.

Another harme were ioyned and i-knet
Aboue þe meschief whiche h[ym] haþ oppressed;
Woldest þou not deme hym more vnwelfull yit
Than [i]f his meschief somwhat were relessed,
And so be perteynynge of good repressed?’
Quod I, “How schulde it oþerwise be?”
‘Than han þe wicked certanly,’ quod sche,

18.

Somwhat of good, when þat þey ben in peyne,
Annexed þan vnto þis wrecchidnesse
When þey ben pun[ys]ched so; þat is to seyne,
The same peyne þat for þeire wickednesse
They suffre, whiche because of rightwisnesse
Wherby þat peyne is ȝif, it is no nay,
Þat selue peyne a good be cleped may.

19.

And when þat þey be spared of turment
Than haue þey of þis euell somwhat more:
Þat is þe fauere of vnponyschement,
Of rightwis peynes þat þey be forbore;
Þe whiche as þou hast graunted here bifore,
Sith peyne is dewe reward of felonye,
Vnpunyschement is euell sikerlye.’
243

20.

“I may noght þis denyen þogh I wolde.”
‘Þe wicked þan, vnponysched so wiþ wrong,
Lo more vnsely be þey many-folde
Then when be right-wis dom þei vnderfong
Vengeaunce for theire synne and sorwes strong.
Sith rightwisnesse turmenteþ trespasours,
Than is it wrong to sparen surfetours.’

21.

“Denyen þis,” quod I, “þere may no wight.”
‘May any man,’ quod sche, ‘denye this:
Þat all is good þat evire is don of right,
And all þat euer is wrong is wickednesse?’
“And þus,” quod I, “is consequent i-wys
To þat we haue concluded lo whilere.
Bot now, I prey you, of oo þing sey me here.

22.

When þat þe corps resolued is be deth,
Schal þan þe soule soffren any peyne
When þat the soule out of þe body geth?”
‘Full huge,’ quod sche, ‘beleue it in certeyne,
For s[om] full bitter peynes schall susteyne,
And some schall be purged all wiþ grace.
To treten here of þis haue we no place.

23.

Bot I haue vnto þis þat is in me,
Full do my devire þat þou schuldest knowen
244

Þe myght of schrewes whiche, as semeth þe,
In theym is full vnworþily bestowen.
It is no power verrely to trowen.
And þere as þou compleynest in þy þowght
Þat wicked folkes ben ponysched noght,

24.

There myght þou seen þe wicked for þeire synne
To fayle neuer of peynes sikerlye;
Bot þat þey may þeire wicked purpose wynne
With licence for to worchen wickedlye,
Thow preidest to ben ended hastyflye;
And I have made þe clerly for to knowe
Þat it ne lasteth but a litel þrowe,

25.

And þat þe lenger þat endureth tho,
Þe more wrecches ben þey, I the tolde,
And if þey schulde evire endure so,
Than were [þ]e[i] worse be a þowsand folde;
And more wrecches eke þou myght hem holde
When þey with wronge of peynes ben relessid,
Than when þey been with rightwys peynes oppressed.

26.

And over þis ȝit schal I forthire seyne,
Lo of þis sentence seweþ consequent:
Than are þe badde in most despitous peyne
When þat þey seme þey haue no punyschment.’
I seide þan, “When I wiþ hole entent
Behold youre resouns how ye don hem preue,
Noþing is sother seid as I bileue.
245

27.

Bot to þe iugement of mannes wit
Þat is not meved be suche evidence,
Who is þat man þat will beleuen it,
Or deme it worthy any audience?
They trowen no þing bot experience.”
‘As þou hast seid,’ quod sche, ‘right so it is.
For yhen þat ben vsed to derknes,

28.

The lyght of trowthe mowe þei noght beholde.
As foules þat ben woned to fleen on nyght,
For to be seen on day þey ben noght bolde,
For-why þe day is blyndyng to þeire sight,
Bot nyghtes derknes makeþ þaire eighen bryght,
So men enfecte wiþ lustes and likynges
Han no reward to þe ordinate þinges.

29.

For þei supposen þat [suche] sufferaunce,
Or vnponyschement of cursedhede,
Schulde euery man to wilfulnesse avaunce.
Bot in þe lawe eternall myght þou rede:
If þou do wel þou hast no manere nede
To aske a iuge for þi recompense,
For þou hast set þi-self in excellence.

30.

And if þou haue þi-seluen wilfully
Enclyned into synne and wrecchidnesse,
246

Seke þow no vengour of þi felonye
With-oute þi-self, þe nedeth noght i-wis,
For þow hast broght þi-self in [wicked]nes,
And made þe like vnto a rude beste,
Puttyng þi-self to peynes alther-meste;

31.

Right so as þou woldest cast þi sight aboute,
Now doun to grounde and to heuen light,
All other causes cesseth of wiþ-oute
Because of thyn vnstabilnesse of sight;
Now woldest þow seme wiþ þe sterres bright,
And now eft in þis muddy ground to be.
But commun peple þis ne cun noght se.’

32.

I asked þan what þis schulde be to mene.
‘Schulde we,’ quod sche, ‘assenten vnto þise
Whiche we haue schewed þe like to bestes bene?
If oon of hem whiche þat þe lust devise
Had all forlorn his sight in any wise
All vtterly, and also firthermore
Had all forget þat evire he sawh before,

33.

And weneth hym wanteþ noþing vtterlye
Of mannes naturell perfeccioun;
Now we þat þis beholden verrelye,
Schulde we accorde to theire entencioun,
And noght byleue oure ouene inspeccioun?
247

Schal we not trowe þat suche men ben blynde,
And well þe blyndere for þeire mased mynde?

34.

And thinges þat as likly may be preued
Be resouns of als myghti fundament,
Of suche folkes may not be bileued:
Þat suche wicked men and violent,
When þey disese a symple innocent,
Wel more vnsely ben þei in the dede
Than þo þat suffre all þat wrongfulhede.’

35.

“The resons,” seide I, “wolde I here fayne.”
‘Lo euery wicked schrewed man,’ quod sche,
‘Wolt þow denye hym worþi care and peyne?’
“Nay, Nay!” quod I, “þat haue ȝe noght of me.”
‘Than more vnsely must þey nedes be,
Tho þat þeire lyues leden cursedly.’
“Right as ȝe seyn, right so it is,” quod I.

36.

‘And tho,’ quod sche, ‘þat worthi ben torment,
Wolt þou not deme hem wrecches in þat cas?’
I seide, “Yis, it is conuenient.”
Quod sche, ‘If þou scholdest iuggen in þis place
And myghtest do vengaunce or elles grace,
Whom woldest þou demen worthi for to hong,
Wher hym þat doth or hym [þat] suffreþ wrong?’
248

37.

“To hym,” quod I, “that haþ suche wronges done
I wolde adiugen suffisaunce of peyne;
Þe pacient so schulde I vengen so[ne]
Þat he scholde haue no mater to compleyne.”
‘More wrecched is þe worchere, wilt þou seyne,’
Quod sche, ‘þan he þat suffreþ suche distresse?’
“In sothe,” quod I, “so sueth it expresse.”

38.

‘Of thise causes and of othere mo
Þat of þe selfe roote sewynglye
Enforced ben, it wolde appere lo,
Þat verray filthe of synne kyndely,
Right of þe selfe synne properlie,
Þo men þey maken wrecches for to be
Þat vseþ vice and dishoneste.

39.

And wrong also is noght þe wrecchidnesse
Of hym þat suffre[þ] harmes and greuaunce;
In verray sothe þe wrecchidnesse is his
Þat wrongwisly han done hym a noysaunce.
Bot pletours done in this contrariaunce,
Þat so þe iugges vnto mercy meven
Anentes þeym whom wronges doth agreuen;

40.

For sikerly þe pitee longeþ more
To hym þat hath vnthriftily i-wroght.
249

And as þe seke a leche is layde before,
So schulde he be bifore þe iuges broght
Of pytous delatoures and wreth noght,
Þat with þe peyne as wiþ a sotill gynne
Kouthe kytte away þe maladye of synne.

41.

And þus þe besynesse of advocates
Schulde be forleten and men schulde it refusen;
Or if þey wolde appreuen men algates,
All oþere-wise þei scholde þeire office vsen,
And þo þat so mysdone alwey accusen;
And if þise wrecches also firthermore
Myght seen þe vertu þat þey haue forlore,

42.

Sith þat bounte be peynes may be hade,
And filthe of vice ben vtterly for-done,
To suffre peynes schulde þey ben full glade,
Ne peynes sothlye schulde þey holde hem [none].
His aduocate schulde he forsake sone,
And to þe juge schulde hym-self betake
Þat myght hym hoole and all his vices make.

43.

Than is it so, þat is, anentes þe wise
Es left no place of hate, it is þe sothe.
Who will þe goode haten or despice?
None but a foole þat wot not what he doth.
And þogh þe badde be to yow full loth,
250

To haten hym ȝit haue ȝe no resoun,
But rather haue of hym compassioun.

44.

For as siknesse þe body doth distresse,
Right so is vice a manere maladye
þe whiche a mannes soule doth oppresse.
And as we schulle not demen skilfullye
Hym worthy hate þat seek is bodelye,
Bot rewe rathire on his peynes sore,
Then gostly langour schulde vs greuen more.

45.

Hit longeþ noght to haten ne pursewe
Þe soules þat oppressid ben wiþ vice,
Bot rather on theire bitter peynes rewe.
And who þat couthe, noght meved wiþ malice,
Þat man amenden with right good avice,
Thogh þat he put hym to full bitter peyne,
Of cruelte þer may no wight compleyne.’

Metrum iiijm

Quid tantos iuuat

1.

‘What helpeþ it to meven or excite,
Wiþ propre hond, youre happes besily?
For if ye seken deth it nedeth lyte,
For he schal come hymseluen wilfully.
He tarieth noght, he spedeþ hym hastely.
Lo serpent, leoun, tigre, bore and bere,
Thei seken yow to racen and to tere;
251

2.

And ye wiþ swerd eche oþer doon assaile
For cause þat youre maners ben dyuerse;
Vnrightwisly so moven ye bataile
Wiþ enterchaungyng dartes for to perce.
Youre cruelte all resoun doth reuerse.
Wilt þou þat euery man his meryt hadde?
Lo loue þe goode and rewe vpon þe badde.’

[Prosa Va]

1.

“In this,” quod I, “perceyue I euerydele
The meschief and also þe wilfulnesse
As for þe mede of hem þat worchen wele
And eke of hem also þat done amys.
Bot noght-forþi al-day I see well þis:
Þat of fortune of whiche þe puple hedeþ,
Boþe good and euell full ofte-tyme procedeth.

2.

Nethire þere is no wyse man as I gesse
Þat rathire wolde be pore and namelesse
And in exile, þan flouren in richesse,
In pouer and in honour to encresse,
And in þis citee for to dwelle in pesse.
This is þe beste way, as I deuyse,
To profiten bi þe office of þe wise:

3.

So may þaire blisfulnesse, it is no doute,
As be þe vertu of thaire gouernaunce,
252

Be well transfounded in-to folk aboute
Þat ben committed to þaire ordenaunce.
But þan þis myn herte doth greuaunce:
Sith it is so þat lawefull punyschement,
Dyuerse i[uys]es, peynes and torment

4.

For [wicked] folke were ferst ordeyned,
As vnto þeym belongeþ skilfully,
Whi is it þan þat goode men ben peyned
And in þeire stede oppressed grevously,
And mede þat to vertu propirly
Of verrey right is pertinent and due,
Thise medes han þe wicked and vntrue?

5.

What is þe skyll of þis confusioun
Þat so vnrightwys semeth for to be,
Of yow wolde I haue enformacioun.
For lesse mervell schulde it be to me
If alle þinges stood in þis degree,
Also commixt wiþ fortune and wiþ chaunce,
And had at all none oþer gouernaunce.

6.

Bot god þat is [þe] gouernour of all
Lo makeþ me astonyed in þis:
Sith ioye and welthes often doth befalle
To goode folk, and often-tyme, ywysse,
Þe wicked ben in care and heuynesse,
And often-tyme þe badde þere ageyne
Ben in þeire lustes and þe good in þeyne,
253

7.

Bot if þer be som skill or evidence,
Why god rewardeth folk in þis manere,
As þinketh me þere is no difference,
Bot hap and fortune rewleþ all infeere.”
‘Of þis,’ quod sche, ‘merveile y noght as here,
Sith þow knowest noght þe skill of ordynaunce,
Þogh þow merveile vpon þe gouernaunce,

8.

And hold it foly and confusioun.
Bot þogh to þe the causes ben vnknawe
As of so hyhe a disposicioun,
Wha[n] so hym lust to setten hye or lawe,
Sith he is good, as þow moste nedes trawe,
Þat alle gouerneþ, take it for a soth,
Þat all is rightwys what-so-euere he doth.’

Metrum vm

Si quis Ar[c]turi Sidera.

1.

‘He þat ne knoweth not þe causes why,
Ne for what skill it is in full certeyne,
Þat ilke starre Arcturus goth so nyhe
Mevynge aboute þe poole souereyne;
And why boetes resteth noght his weyne,
And he his flambes plongeþ doun so late;
And why so sone he riseth eft algate;

2.

It is no dowte he schal be stonyed sone
As of þe lawe of hyhe heuene bright.
254

Why þat þe hornes of the fulle mone
So [be] effected with þe derke nyght,
Be-com[en] pale, and þe sterres light
Whiche þat sche hid wiþ hire bemes clere,
Discoveryng hem sche makeþ to vs appere.

3.

And open errour maketh folkes blynde,
Þat beten bras þe mone to rescowen.
Men wonder noght vpon þe storme wynde
Þat maketh þe see so fersly for to flowen,
Þat doth þe brinkes bete and overþrowen;
Ne þat þe colde frosyn clottes grete
So ben resolued be þe sonnes hete.

4.

The cause of þis is esy to be feld;
This othire hid, forthy ye wondren so;
For all þat falleþ sodenly and seld
Thus wondreþ þise meueable folkes so.
And if þis clowdy errour passeþ hem fro
So þat þey may þe verray causes see,
They schall not seme merveillous to be.’

Prosa vja

Ita est.

1.

“Right so,” quod I, “this will I not reuerse.
Bot lo þis gift is youres sikerlye:
255

Thise priue causes whiche þat ȝe reherse,
And resouns hid in cloudes mystilye,
To maken clere this o thing couet I.
It is a thing þat troubleþ most my mynde
Þat þus wiþ merveill marred I me fynde.”

2.

Sche gan to smyle a litel and seid þan,
‘Of me þou askest now a questioun
Lo of þe hyest þing þat any man
May asken at myne estimacioun,
Or may conseyue be clere entencioun,
To whiche vnneþis may þere oght suffise
Of any word þat I can the devise;

3.

Sith þe matir whiche we ben aboute
Þat for to knowen þow desirest so,
Þat when we ben delyuered of a doute,
Wiþouten nombre soone arisen mo,
Þat ben well nyhe as hard to voyden fro
As hedes þat on Ydra gan encrese,
Þe serpent þat was slayn of Hercules.

4.

Ne in þis matere is none oþer ende
Ne wey thise grete doutes to repressen,
But pray to god [þat] he vs grace sende;
For other-wise þou myght hem noght expressen
Where-by þou myght þyn owne self redressen.
256

For lo in þis men vsen to enquere
Thus feele, as I schall þe rehersen here:

5.

First of þe hye wonder simplicite
Of the full hye dyvyne purveaunce,
Of fatum þat men calleþ destyne,
Of hap of fortune and of sodeyn chaunce,
Of knawynge eke of goddes ordynaunce
Þat clepid is predestinacioun,
And eke of fredom of eleccioun.

6.

How brigous is þis mater wiþ to dele
Full well þou wotest þi-self, it is no nay.
Both sith it apperteneth to þyn hele
To knowen it, I schal do what I may.
Though þat þe tyme be schort I schall assay;
Sith I haue seide þe somwhat here bifore,
I schall myself enforcen forthirmore.

7.

And þogh so be þat musik þe delite,
And metir is full lusty to þy ere,
As for a tyme þat lust must þou respite
Þe while þat I in ordre knyt in-fere
My resouns whiche I schall þe schewen here.’
“Right as þou lust,” quod I; and sche began
Right as it were an-other processe þan.
257

8.

‘Lo euery kyndly generacioun
Of alle þinges, be þei more or lesse,
And euery naturel progressioun
Þat in his beynge haþ chaungeablenesse,
And what-so-euer it be þat moved isse,
Theire ordire, fourme and causes forth he broghte
Lo fro þe stable, hye, devyne þoght.

9.

This souereigne þough[t] þat all doþ so devise,
Set in the toure of hyhe simplicite,
Haþ ordeyned many dyuerse maner wise
To þinges þat ben done, lo wilt þou see;
And if þis same wise referred be
Vnto þe pure devyne intelligence,
Than is it purveaunce or prescience;

10.

But when þis same wise referred is
To þinges þat ben moved and gouerned,
As olde men han cleped it or this,
Than is it destene as I haue lerned.
Full sone is þis dyuersitee descerned
Of hym þat seeth þe myghtes of hem boþe,
And esely he schall well se the sothe.

11.

For purveaunce lo is þat resoun hyhe
Of god over all oure prince souereyne,
Be whiche all he disposeth myghtilye.
Bot destene, þe verrey soth to seyne,
258

Lo is þat disposicioun certeyne
Whiche þat þese þinges is annexed to
Þat of thaire kyndes ben meuable so,

12.

Be whiche þe hye devyne prescience
All þinges in þeire ordinaunce enlaceth.
This purveaunce haþ this excellence:
That alle þing at ones he enbraceth.
Fro his presence þere is noþing þat paseth;
Thogh þey be infinit and endeles
Yit all he comprehendeth neuerþeles.

13.

Bot destyne in certeyne tyme and space
Singulerly devideth euery-dele,
Disposyng it in mouynge, tyme and place;
And when þis disposynge temporele
Rewarded is, and so referred wele
As oned into goddes gouernaunce,
Than is it sothely cleped purveaunce.

14.

Bot for to haue consideracioun
How þei digest in dyuerse tymes be,
Þe ordre of þis disposicioun
Than is it cleped fatum destyne;
As, þough þei haue suche dyuersite,
Yit noght-forþi þere may no þing be sother
Þat oon of hem dependeth on þat other.
259

15.

For fro simplicite of purveaunce
This ordire fatal certeyn doth procede;
Þere is þe forme of all þat ordinaunce.
Right as a crafty man þat wil hym spede
A werk to maken, ferst he takeþ hede
And all þe schap disposeth in his mende,
And sith [þ]effecte he bringeþ to þe ende;

16.

As he haþ first devised euery dele,
And in his þoght presentid simpillye,
He bringeþ forth be ordir temporele;
Right so god all purveith singulerlye,
And to be done disposith stabillye,
And when it fully is disposed so
Be destyne he makeþ it to be do.

17.

And whethir þis excersise destinale
Be any spiritis of the heuene on hyhe
That to þis purveaunce entendeth all,
Or if þe soule doth it verrelye,
Or elles nature doth it kyndelye,
Other þe mevyng of þe sterres bright,
Or elles aungels of þe heuene light,

18.

Other elles be fendes besynes,
Be sum of thise, othere be all in-fere,
This ordre destynall parformed is;
Yit lo þis is full open and full clere
260

And nedes it moste be so in all manere,
That the stable and þe simple ordinaunce
Of þing to don is called purveaunce;

19.

Bot lo þe processe of successioun
In whiche þe[y] ben performed sewynglye
So by þe simple disposicioun
Forseyn of god beforne eternallye,
Lo destyne is called sikerlye.
So all þat euer is vnder destyne
It moste eke vnder purveaunce be,

20.

As is þis selue destine also.
And to þis same purveance bothe,
Som þinges ben subiecte þat ben i-do,
And after þis I schal declare to the,
Whiche þat wiþstondeth destyne forsothe;
And som to gode aprocheþ so by loue,
Þat ordire destinall þei passe aboue.

21.

As dyuers cumpaces on a poynt ypight
Vpon þe centre turnynge all aboute,
Þe innermeste compace to þi sight
The whiche anext þe centre is wiþoute,
A centre wil it seme it is no doute,
For þou schalt see it moue noght a dele
Aboute whiche so moueth all þe whele;
261

22.

Bot lo þis vttermest circumference
Þat to þi sight is largest in cumpace
And ferþest fro þis poynt in difference,
So moste he mouyn in a larger space;
(As for to knowe it be experience)
And whiche þat neigheth to þat myddel place
(Of þe centre in his trewe compace)
Compressed next to þat simplicite,
He meueth not a dele as semeth the.

23.

Be likly resoun he þat ferrest flitteþ
Out fro þe souereyn thoght of god on hyhe,
To destyne þe fa[st]er he hym knytteþ;
And he þat can and will approche nyhe
This souereigne centre god ententifly,
Þe more he stondeþ in fredom and in ese,
Þat destyne schall litell hym disese.

24.

Right as discours ne may noþing be mete
Vnto þe intellecte of mannes mynde,
Ne þing þat is to þing þat is begete,
Ne a litell stound to tyme wiþouten ende,
They ben not lyk in worthinesse of kynde
Bot as þe poynt [to] þe circumference,
Bytwene theym ys an huge difference,
262

25.

Right so þis fatal mutabilite
Þat all-wey is so full of variaunce
Referred [is] to the hye simplicite
Of þe stable souereyn purveaunce
Whiche þat þe heuenes haþ in gouernaunce.
He moueþ sterres, tempereth elementes
[Transformyng theym be enterchaungementes],

26.

And all þat nature doth on erthe brede,
Whiche þat be deth schal turne doun eftsone,
Renuynge hem be fruytes and be sede.
He seeth also þe werkes þat ȝe done,
And fortunes he gouerneþ euerychone,
Constreynyng wiþ an insolible bonde
Of causes whiche þat mowe not be wiþstonde.

27.

And sith þese causes passen fro so hye
A ground [a]s purveaunce vnuariable,
Then may I seye full well and sothfastlye
Þat nedes moste it be vntransmutable.
Þat gouernance moste be profitable
When þis simplesse of devyne þoght
Ordeyneth causes whiche þat faileþ noght,

28.

Thus in a certeyn ordre, soth to seyne,
Þat stedfast is and may not fayle neuere;
And bot þis ordre gouerne and refreyne
Thise worldly þinges whiche þat chaungen evire,
263

Full sone þei schall dissoluen and disseuere,
fflittynge right as a thing of no valour,
And wauerynge so with-outen gouernour.

29.

And þogh so be þat we may not be-holde
Þe causes of this disposicioun,
Ne see þe skilful ordire as we scholde,
For-why we ben in perturbacioun
It semeth vs errour and confusioun,
Yit is it dressid if we vndirstode,
And wel disposed euerydele to goode.

30.

Because of euel is no þing verraly
Performed of þe worste man þat is,
For as I haue declared plenerly,
They seken good but þey ben led amys
Be errour of th[eir]e owne wrecchidnes,
For-why þat ordre whiche þat doþ procede
Fro souereign good ne may hem not myslede.

31.

But vnto þis perauenture wilt þou say,
“What confusioun may þere worse be,
Sith go[o]d [and] bad in-different alday
Now haue þei welthe and now aduersitee,
Now þat þai loue now þat þai wolden flee?”
But wilt þou trowe þat men be now so wise
Þat euery þing moste be as þei devise,

32.

As whom theym lust to iuggen good or badde,
Of verrey force it muste be nedes so?
264

In mannes dome discord full ofte is hadde,
For of this o man men will demen loo
Þat he is worthy myche peyne and woo,
And þis wil deme hym worthi þank and mede,
Bot yit þe ton moste be deceyued nede.

33.

Bot late vs granten here þat any wight
Þat good and badde may verraily discerne,
Now trowest þou þat þei ben of suche a myght
For to enserche þe innermoste herne
Of mannes soule and all his þoghtes lerne?
And clerly iuggen there of euery doute
As þey ben woned of bodies here wiþoute,

34.

As for to iuggen theire attemperure
Or dyuersitee of theire complexioun?
As gretly wondreth euery creature
Þat knoweth noght be clere inspeccioun
Þe kyndes ne þe disposicioun
Why þis accordeth well wiþ þinges swete,
This oþre must [haue] soure and þat forlete.

35.

And seke folkes se we cured ofte,
Sum one wiþ scharpe þinges sikerlye,
And þise be thing þat esy is and softe;
But þis þe leche knoweþ verrelye
Þat seeth þe maner of þe maladye,
Theire temperour and manere of þeire hele;
Of þis discord he wondreþ noght a dele.
265

36.

And what may be þe helþe of thi corage
Bot honeste and vertu most of price?
What sikenesse may þi soule do domage
But vnþrift lo and cursednesse of vice?
But now what creature may be so wise
To sauen helthe and voyden hevynesse?
Noght one but god in certan as I gesse.

37.

He is þe verray l[eche] of mannes mynde,
Þat fro þe awaytyng of his purueaunce
He seeþ what is accordant to þe kynde
Of eueryche þat he haþ in gouernaunce,
And for þeym so he makeþ [ordyn]aunce
To eueryche as belongeþ to his helthe,
Wheþer þat ye deme it wrong or elles welthe.

38.

Than is þis noble wonder to youre þoght
And merveill of þis ordre destinall,
When god all kunnyng haþ þat werk i-wroght,
It stonyeth hem þat knoweþ noght at all.
For soþely mannes knowyng is full small
And mannes resoun litell may diffyne
Of þinges in þe souereyn þoght devyne.

39.

Perauenture þou wilt demen of a wight
Þat he is iust and trewe in his entent,
266

Yit in þe purveaunce of goddes sight
Þere falleþ all on oþer iugement,
And fro þi þoghtes is full different.
Lo as lucanus my famyliere
Thus in hys bookes wroot of þis matere:

40.

The cause co[nuyc]t as Cato justified,
That was þe querell of Pompeius,
The goddes han his iugement denyed.
Thei demed iust þe cause of Julius
Wherfore þey made hym victorious.
So thing es done vnwarly to þi sight,
Yet is it done be ordenaunce of right,

41.

Bot yit as to thyn opinable wyt
It semeth ouerthwart confusioun.
Bot perauenture I suppose yit
Here is a man of suche condicioun
Þat in þe dome is no distinccioun,
Bot god and man accordeth all in one
In iugement þat errour is þer none;

42.

Bot vpon hap so faynt his corage is
Þat if there falle hym othere þan he wolde,
It schulde hym causen for to do amys
And so forlete his gode þewes olde
267

Be whiche fortune myght he no lengur holde.
Wherfore þe wise dispensacioun,
Rewardynge to his disposicioun,

43.

And seynge þat by suche aduersitee
He schulde be myche apayred and i-schent,
Wherfore he spareþ hym of his pite,
And yemeth so as is conuenient
Þat he may kepe hym trewe and innocent.
And this lo stant in vertu perfightlye
And as a seynt is ioyned god full nyhe.

44.

Of this the hyhe devyne purveaunce
Wolde deme it as for synne and felonye
To putte vpon hi[m] harmes as grevaunce.
He will hym noght ben harmed bodily
Ne be disesed with no malady.
Thus seide one þat of wisdom was fulfilled,
Þat vertu hath a seyntes body billed.

45.

And often when estate of worthynesse
In gouernance is ȝouen to þe wise,
Þat is [for] to reuoken and represse
Þe vice þat wolde encresen and aryse.
And som [he] re[wl]eth in an other wise,
And as hym liketh enterchaungeþ boþe
Right as is best for þeym, it is þe sothe;

46.

And some he suffreþ softly to be greued
Lest they awylden in theire welthis longe;
268

And som with scharpe schoures to be meued,
Þat vertu of þaire corage euer amonge,
Be vse of pacience be preued stronge,
And be confermed be þat excercise;
And sum be-cause of verray cowardise,

47.

Full nedelesse of myche þing þei drede
Whiche þat þey may parformen soth to seyne;
And this lo is full hardy in his dede
Presumyng more þan he may susteyne;
To þis it spedeth [to] hym þere ageyne
To knowe hym-selfe be experience;
And this lo for a name of excellence,

48.

Ful man[ful]ly with deth he haþ it boght;
And so he hath susteyned peynes sore
As for exsaumple evire to be þoght,
Þat men may seen be þinges done before
Þat vertu haþ inuict ben euermore,
And is noght harmed be aduersite
But if defaute in men hem-seluen be.

49.

How rightwisly disposed all aboute,
And lo how well þese þinges ben i-do!
Who-so lokeþ these he may not be in doute,
And for þeire profite whom þey falleþ to!
269

For to þe wicked þat betideth so
Þat now þey han disese and now þeire lyst,
To þise same causes mow be wyst.

50.

Bot when þey ben in peynes and distresse
Þere is no wight þat wondreþ noght a dele,
For-why þey will supposen as I gesse
Þat all þise peynes were deserued wele.
And þise peynes þat þise wrecches fele
Maketh oþre wrecches peynes for to fere
And of þeire foule lustes to forbere,

51.

And also for þaire awne amendement.
But þinges fallyng lustily to th[eire] chere,
It ȝeueþ men a myghti argument
What þei schulde demen of thise welthis here
Sith þey to wrecches ben famuliere.
And certanly I suppose as in this
Þat god dispensith wiþ theire frowardnes.

52.

For some men ben there lo perauenture
Þat ben so importune in þeire malice,
And eke so ouerþward of þaire nature,
Þat nede hem maketh fallen into vice.
But þan þis prescience þat is so wise
Agayn þe parell of this maladie
Be worldly plente makeþ remedie.

53.

Lo this beholdeþ on his conscience
Defouled so wiþ synne and cursidhede,
270

And eke how grete a disconvenience
Þan is betwene his fortune and his dede;
Perauenture he falleþ so in drede
Lest þat þe oys of þing þat doþ hym ese,
He may forfete and for his synnes lese;

54.

He chaungeþ þan his þewes euerychone,
Hym fereth so his fortune for to lete,
And all his vices he forsakeþ sone.
And þis haþ lo thise worldly welthes grete
To whiche in soþe his merite is vnmete,
And sodanly þe wrecche is overthrowen
And sette at noght as his desertes owen.

55.

Som eke han powere and auctorite
When þat hem lust to pun[is]che and distreyne,
So þat it may vnto þe gode be
An exercise of vertu sothe to seyne,
And to þe wicked man a cause of peyne.
For right as good and badde discordeþ evire,
Right so þe badde hemself acordeþ neuere.

56.

And why not? Sith it falleþ euery day
Þat þey discorden in hem-seluen so,
Theire conscience repreueth hem alday;
And often-tyme it falleþ þat þei do
Sum dede, þat when þe tyme is over-go,
Hem-self þei demen in theire owne þoght
Þat bettre had þat dede ben vnwroght.
271

57.

This purveance if ye it vndirstood
It worcheþ here a wonder to youre hert,
Þe bad[de] men be bad he makeþ good
And fro þeire vices wonderly conuert.
For when þe fooles fele hem-seluen smert
When other wrecches han hem harmed sore,
It falleþ þat þei haten hem þerfore;

58.

And while þey wilneth vnto suche men
To ben vnlyk þat vsen suche vnright,
To fruyt of vertu þei resorten then.
For only þis is þing of goddes myght,
Right as it liketh hym it is but light,
Þat badde thing is good, as he deviseþ,
When goode effectes of þe bad ariseþ.

59.

For-why oon ordre alle þing embraceth,
And what þat flitteþ fro þis ordynaunce,
In-to an other ordire þen it passeth;
For in þe reavme of certeyn purveaunce
Þat myghti god haþ in his gouernaunce,
Þere may noþing be doon vncertanly
Ne bot it haue a skilfull cause why.

60.

For vnto man it ne longeþ noght
To knowen all his wonderfull engyne,
And of þe werkes whiche þat ben y-wroght
So be þe hyhe purveaunce devyne;
272

Ne theym wiþ wordes fully to diffyne,
No creature hath þat abilite.
Bot only this sufficeth it to see:

61.

That god þe firste foundere of nature,
All thing to good disposeþ he or dresseth
So ferforth þat in euery creature
Þe liknesse of hym-selfe he enpressith,
And for to kepen this lo he represseth
All wicked þinges fro his gouernaunce,
Avoyding it be fatale ordynaunce.

62.

For-why if þow wilt taken in þy mynde
Of purveaunce þat alle thing disposeth,
Þere is noþing þat þou schalt badde fynde
Though so be þat þi wittes so supposeth.
For euery þing wiþ-yn itself encloseth
Som manere cause of good, it is no drede,
Where-of sum othere goodes schall procede.

63.

But now whilere I saw the waxen faynt
As for þe weihtes of þis questioun;
This longe processe haþ þe sore ataynt.
Sum swete þing of delectacioun
Thow asked for a recreacioun;
Haue tast of þis and strenger schalt þou be
Than hyere to ascende[n] after me.’
273

Metrum vjm

Si vis celsi [iura] thonantes.

1.

‘Lo yf þou wilt beholde ententifly
Wiþ all þe clere myghtes of thy mynde
The lawes of the souereyn god on hye,
Vp into heuene þou must þi wittes sende.
Þere euery þing doth kepe his cours of keende;
Þe sterres wiþ a rightwys aliaunce,
They kepen there þeire olde gouernaunce.

2.

Ne lo the brighte sonne, it is no doute,
Þe colde mone letteþ noght adele;
Ne Vrsa whiche þat meueþ rounde aboute
Þe poole Artyk [right] as it were a whele,
His olde cours he kepiþ wonder wele;
Thogh oþre sterres meve into þe west
To abyden þere aboue he likeþ best.

3.

And Esperus þe euen sterre clere
Lo scheweþ hym-self before þe derke nyght;
And lo þe lusty sterre lucifere,
He bryngeth eft aȝeyn þe dayes light.
This perdurable cours þey kepen right.
Thus all discord be enterchanged loue
Exiled is out fro þe heuene aboue.
274

4.

This same accord of loue be stoundes mete
Attempereth eke þe fightynge elementes,
Þat droghte may accorde wiþ þe [w]ete;
Þat hete and colde may haue conuenience;
And þogh þey kepe þeire kyndely resistence,
Þe lighte fuyre algates vp ascendeth
And eke þe erthe þat heuy is discendith.

5.

And so be causes of þe selfe resoun
Þe swete flowres spryngen lustely
In þe full lusty firste somer sesoun;
And so the hote somer sewengly
Þe corn to ripen makeþ hastely;
And so autumpnus bringeþ forþ his blede
Full lusty fruytes folkes for to fede.

6.

This same attemperaunce, it is no nay,
Þe wynter so bedeweþ wiþ þe reyne.
All lyuyng þyng it norischeþ soþe to say,
And eft wiþ deth retorneþ doun ageyne.
Þere while syt þe maker souereyne,
Well and ground, boþe lord and kyng is he,
Lawe and wise iuge [of] equite.

7.

The reynes of þe worlde he hath in honde
[T]o maken it to moven and to goo;
Arestynge eft he makeþ it to stonde.
For þing þat flitteþ ever to and fro,
275

Bot-if þat he enstablischeþ it so,
Compellynge it to mouen into rounde,
It moste nedes fayle fro his grounde,

8.

And fro þe ordire whiche þey now obseruen.
This loue commyn to euery creature
Coueiteth for to kepen and conseruen
Þe ende of good þat ground is of nature;
For oþer wyse ne myght þere noght endeure,
Bot loue retorne hem in-to vnite
Of god on hyhe þat causeth þeym to be.’

Prosa vija

[Iam] ne [igitur] vides.

1.

‘Now seest þou noght,’ quod sche, ‘what s[e]weth here
Vpon all þat we han rehersed now?’
I asked, “What?” Quod sche, ‘It is full clere
Þat all fortune is good.’ I asked, “How?”
‘Full soone,’ quod sche, ‘þat schal I schewen yow.
Thow vndirstondest well þat þis is soth,
Þat euery fortune lusty is or loth.

2.

Yit ben þei gyffen for an excercise
Of vertu to þe good, or elles þus
As for a guerdonynge vnto þe wise;
Or þei ben yeven to þe vicius
To punche men þat ben malicius
Or to correcten theym of theire mysdede;
This is þe verray cause it is no drede.
276

3.

And all þat evire is iust and profitable
Wilt þou noght holde it good?’ I seyde, “Yis,
Forwhy it seweth verray resonable
To þat ye han rehersed here i-wys
Of purveaunce and destyne er this.
Full fermely youre sentence is [i]knyt,
Bot sey me oo þyng if þow likeþ yit.

4.

As we haue put beforne a litell ere,
Acounteth fortune now in þis degre:
Ye seiden þat a rude commynere
kan noght bileue ne will it noght see.”
‘And wharto schall I speke of þat?’ quod sche.
“Parde, þis speche of folk is vsed wide,
Þat euell fortune to sum men doth betide.”

5.

‘And wilt þow,’ quod sche, ‘þat we neighe nere
Vnto þis comune vsed speche þan,
Lest theym seme þat I goo to fer
Abouen all þe comune vse of man?’
“As liketh yow,” quod I. And sche began.
‘Wilt þow not demen good þat doth aproven?’
I seide, “Yis, þat moste I nede allowen.”

6.

‘Now all þat vertu is enforced by,
Or elles þat correcteth any dede,
277

Ne doth it noght availe?’ “Yis,” quod I.
‘Than is it good,’ quod sche, ‘wiþouten drede.’
“In sothe,” quod I, “this must I graunten nede.”
‘But this,’ quod sche, ‘to tho doth aperteyne,
Þat grounded ben in vertu soþe to seyne,

7.

That taken bataile wiþ suche auentures
Wiþstondynge hem wiþ myghty pacience;
Or it belongeþ to þe creatures
Þat haue led þeire lyf [in] insolence,
Þat so to vertu doth þeire diligence
Þere-to enforced be aduersite.’
“And þis,” quod I, “may not denyed be.”

8.

‘Bot when,’ quod sche, ‘fortune of lustynesse
To goode men is ȝouen for þeire nede,
Then is it [b]ad whi[ch]e þat thise folkes gesse?’
I seyde, “Nay. Full right þey will it rede
Þat suche fortune is good wiþouten drede.”
‘And what,’ quod sche, ‘when fortune angwyschous
Bestowen is vpon þe vicious

9.

To peyne hem for þeire synnes rightwisly,
Where will þey deme it good or elles noght?’
“For good will þey noght iuggen it,” quod I,
“Bot wrecchidnesse þe worst þat may be wroght.”
‘Behold,’ quod sche, ‘now [w]here vs haþ i-broght,
As sewynge þis [vu]lgare opynioun,
A wonder merveillouse conclusioun.’
278

10.

I asked, “What?” ‘Hit sueth here,’ quod sche,
‘Of þat we han confessed plenerly:
Lo þat þere may no wicked fortune be
To tho þat hauen vertu perfitly,
Or to tho þat [encresen] oght þer-by,
Or tho þat done in vertu first begynne,
To vertu so conuerted fro theire synne;

11.

And þey þat dwellen in theire wickidnesse,
What fortune þat hem falle, or wele or wo,
It is meschief to þeym and wrecchidnesse.’
“In sothe,” quod I, “it seweth well þerto;
Thogh no man wil it graunte, yit it is so.”
‘For why,’ sche seyde, ‘a wise and perfit man
Ne schulde not so sore grucche þan

12.

When fortune as a foo doth hym assaile,
Right as a [strong] man schulde hym noght disdeyne
When þat he hereþ rumour of bataille,
Bot þere-of schulde he be full glad and feyne.
For suche distresse a mater is certayne
For to conferme this one in sapience,
This oþer in estate of excellence.

13.

For þan hire name vertu vseth right
All only when it stont in þis degree:
When it enforceth hym of propre myght
To be not vencused be aduersite.
279

And yow þat in encrese of vertu be
Belongeþ noght to lede a lusty lyf;
Wiþ euery fortune haue [y]e take stryf

14.

And bataile wonder scharp and kene.
Loke how ye can yow kepen in distresse
To sette ȝow-self in a myghti mene,
So þat hire sorwes no-þing ȝow oppresse,
Ne þat ȝe be noght be hire lustynesse
Corrupt, for all þat [o]ver þis men[e] ariseth,
Or is be-nethe, felicite despiseþ,

15.

And schall no mede as for his labour take.
For in youre owne hondes it is pytt,
Youre propre fortune whiche ye will it make;
For if it semeth scharp vnto youre wit,
Lo excercise of vertu yeveth it,
Or elles yow conuerteþ fro youre synne,
Or ponyssheþ yow þat dwellynge ben þere ynne.’

Metrum vijm

bella bis qui[n]is.

1.

‘Oamenon þe vengour of Heleyne
A bataile held of yerys twyes fyue,
So he destroyed troye and gat ageyne
þe same heleyne þat was hys brother wyfe.
But whan he first gan stire him to þat stryfe,
280

Hym lakked wynd to sayle vpon þe floode,
And sone he boght it wiþ his doghter bloode;

2.

And so he made hym-selfe pyteles,
In sacrifice he slowh hys doghter dere.
And also when þat noble vlixes
Had sailed in the see full many a ȝere,
He wepyd hys meyne wiþ a wofull chere,
For Poliphemus, darying in his den,
So fiersly had devoured all his men.

3.

Bot vlixes ful warly gan aspie
When þat Poliphemus was on-slepe,
And sodanly than put he out his yghe,
And Poliphemus tho began to lepe
For angir and for malice waile and wepe;
Wherof vlixes was full bliþe and glad
In vengaunce of þe harmes þat he had.

4.

And hercules gat hym a worthi name
Be laboures whiche þat harde were and grete.
Lo first þe proud centaurus made he tame;
Þe leoun fiers out of his skyn he gete,
And arpyas wiþ arowes eke he schet;
And golden apples whiche þe dragoun kept
He gat while þat þe cruell dragoun slept.

5.

And Cerberus þe foule hound of helle,
A trebill cheyne he bond hym wiþ ful faste.
281

And dyomed þe tyrant fiers and fell
He made hys hors devoure hym at þe laste.
Vpon þe serpent ydra fuyre he caste,
And so he brent hym in-to asches colde
Þat to no man hys venym noyen scholde.

6.

When achile[u]s made hym self be craft
Lyke to a bole wiþ hercules to fighte,
Then hercules his hornes hym by-raft
And fully hym despoyled of his myghte.
Achile[u]s into [a] ryuer ryghte
For schame he leep and helde hym-seluen þere,
And on þe lond he dorste no more appere.

7.

Eke Anteus þe geaunt of libye
Þat on þe ground his myghtes wolde renewe,
This hercules hym slowh full manfullye;
Vpon his brest and to þe ground hym þrewe.
And Cacus eek þe theef þat was vntrewe
He slowh and euanderus ire he pesid,
And so his herte was [right] wel [y]-esid.

8.

And over þis he slowh þe myghty bore
Wiþ fome of whiche his schuldres marked were;
But þan this laste labour forthirmore
Was when he on his nekke heuene bere,
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And of this labour he deserued þere
Þe heuene for to haue vnto his mede.
Ye myghti men of þis now takeþ hede.

9.

Now hasten yow þe hye way to wende
Right as ye may be þis exsaumple see.
[Y]e nyce men and mased in ȝoure mende,
Why nyll ye fighte aȝeyn aduersite,
Wiþ vertu sith ȝe may so siker be?
Who so in erthe haþ þe victorye,
He schall ben worthy to þe heuene on hye.’
Explicit liber quartus.
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