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CARMINA QUI QUONDAM STUDIO FLORENTE PEREGI. — Metrum 1

Allas! I wepynge, am constreyned to bygynnen vers of sorwful matere, that whilom in florysschyng studie made delitable ditees. For lo, rendynge muses of poetes enditen to me thynges to ben writen, and drery vers of wretchidnesse weten my face with verray teres. At the leeste, no drede ne myghte overcomen tho muses, that thei ne were felawes, and folwyden my wey (that is to seyn, whan I was exiled). They that weren glorie of my youthe, whilom weleful and grene, conforten nowe the sorwful wyerdes of me, olde man. For eelde is comyn unwarly uppon me, hasted by the harmes that Y have, and sorwe hath comandid his age to ben in me. Heeris hore arn schad overtymeliche upon myn heved, and the slakke skyn trembleth of myn emptid body. Thilke deth of men is weleful that ne comyth noght in yeeris that ben swete, but cometh to wrecches often yclepid. Allas, allas! With how deef an ere deth, cruwel, turneth awey fro wrecches and nayteth to closen wepynge eien. Whil Fortune, unfeithful, favourede me with lyghte goodes, the sorwful houre (that is to seyn, the deth) hadde almoost dreynt myn heved. But now, for Fortune cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable chere to meward, myn unpietous lif draweth along unagreable duellynges in me. O ye, my frendes, what or wherto avaunted ye

me to be weleful? For he that hath fallen stood noght in stedefast degre.

HEC DUM MECUM TACITUS. — Prosa 1

In the mene while that I, stille, recordede these thynges with myself and merkid my weply compleynte with office of poyntel, I saw, stondynge aboven the heghte of myn heved, a womman of ful greet reverence by semblaunt, hir eien brennynge and cleer-seynge over the comune myghte of men; with a lifly colour and with swich vigour and strengthe that it ne myghte nat ben emptid, al were it so that sche was ful of so greet age that men ne wolden nat trowen in no manere that sche were of our elde. The stature of hire was of a doutous jugement, for somtyme sche constreyned and schronk hirselven lik to the comune mesure of men, and somtyme it semede that sche touchede the hevene with the heghte of here heved. And whan sche hef hir heved heyere, sche percede the selve hevene so that the sighte of men lokynge was in ydel.

Hir clothes weren makid of right delye thredes and subtil craft of perdurable matere; the whiche clothes sche hadde woven with hir owene handes, as I knew wel aftir by hirselve declarynge and schewynge to me. The beaute [of] the whiche clothes a derknesse of a forleten and despised elde hadde duskid and dirked, as it is wont to dirken besmokede ymages. In the nethereste hem or bordure of thise clothes, men redden ywoven in a Grekissch P (that signifieth the lif actif); and aboven that lettre, in the heieste bordure, a Grekyssh T (that signifieth the lif contemplatif). And bytwixen thise two lettres ther were seyn degrees nobly ywrought in manere of laddres, by whiche degrees men myghten clymben fro the nethereste lettre to the uppereste. Natheles handes of some men hadden korve that cloth by violence and by strengthe, and everich man of hem hadde boren awey swiche peces as he myghte geten. And forsothe this forseide womman bar smale bokis in hir right hand, and in hir left hand sche bar a ceptre.

And whan she saughe thise poetical muses aprochen aboute my bed and enditynge wordes to my wepynges, sche was a litil amoeved, and glowede with cruel eighen. "Who," quat sche, "hath suffred aprochen to this sike man thise comune strompettis of swich a place that men clepen the theatre? The whiche nat oonly ne asswagen noght his sorwes with none remedies, but thei wolden fedyn and noryssen hym with sweete venym. Forsothe thise ben tho that with thornes and prikkynges of talents or affeccions, whiche that ne bien nothyng fructifyenge nor profitable, destroyen the corn plentyvous of fruytes of resoun. For thei holden hertes of men in usage, but thei delyvre noght folk fro maladye. But yif ye muses hadden withdrawen fro me with youre flateries any unkunnynge and unprofitable man, as men ben wont to fynde comonly among the peple, I wolde wene suffre the lasse grevosly; forwhi, in swych an unprofitable man, myne ententes weren nothyng endamaged. But ye withdrawen me this man, that hath ben noryssed in the studies or scoles of Eleaticis and Achademycis in Grece. But goth now rather awey, ye mermaydenes, whiche that ben swete til it be at the laste, and suffreth this man to ben cured and heeled by myne muses (that is to seyn, by noteful sciences)."

And thus this companye of muses, iblamed, casten wrothly the chere dounward to the erthe, and, schewynge by rednesse hir schame, thei passeden sorwfully the thresschefold. And I, of whom the sighte, ploungid in teeres, was dirked so that Y ne myghte noght knowen what that womman was of so imperial auctorite, I wax al abayssched and astoned, and caste my syghte doun to the erthe, and bygan stille for to abide what sche woolde doon aftirward. Tho com sche ner and sette her doun uppon the uttereste corner of my bed; and sche, byholdynge my chere that was cast to the erthe

hevy and grevous of wepynge, compleynede with thise wordis that I schal seyn the perturbacion of my thought.

HEU QUAM PRECIPITI MERSA PROFUNDO. — Metrum 2

"Allas! How the thought of this man, dreynt in overthrowynge depnesse, dulleth and forleteth his propre clernesse, myntynge to gon into foreyne dirknesses as ofte as his anoyos bysynes waxeth withoute mesure, that is dryven with werldly wyndes. This man, that whilom was fre, to whom the hevene was opyn and knowen, and was wont to gon in hevenliche pathes, and saughe the lyghtnesse of the rede sonne, and saughe the sterres of the coolde mone, and whiche sterre in hevene useth wandrynge recourses iflyt by diverse speeris — this man, overcomere, hadde comprehendid al this by nombre (of acontynge in astronomye). And, over this, he was wont to seken the causes whennes the sounynge wyndes moeven and bysien the smothe watir of the see; and what spirit turneth the stable hevene; and why the sterre ariseth out of the rede est, to fallen in the westrene wawes; and what attemprith the lusty houres of the firste somer sesoun, that highteth and apparaileth the erthe with rosene floures; and who maketh that plentyvous autumpne in fulle [yere] fletith with hevy grapes. And eek this man was wont to tellen the diverse causes of nature that weren yhidd. Allas! Now lyth he emptid of lyght of his thoght, and his nekke is pressyd with hevy cheynes, and bereth his chere enclyned adoun for the grete weyghte, and is constreyned to loken on the fool erthe!"

SET MEDICINE INQUIT TEMPUS. — Prosa 2

"But tyme is now," quod sche, "of medicyne more than of compleynte." Forsothe thanne sche, entendynge to meward with al the lookynge of hir eien, seyde: "Art nat thou he," quod sche, "that whilom, norissched with my melk and fostred with myne metes, were escaped and comyn to corage of a parfit man? Certes I yaf the swiche armures that, yif thou thiselve ne haddest first cast hem awey, they schulden han defended the in sekernesse that mai nat ben overcomyn. Knowestow me nat? Why arttow stille? Is it for schame or for astonynge? It were me levere that it were for schame, but it semeth me that astonynge hath oppresside the." And whan sche say me nat oonly stille but withouten office of tunge and al dowmbe, sche leyde hir hand sooftly uppon my breest and seide: "Here nys no peril," quod sche; "he is fallen into a litargye, whiche that is a comune seknesse to hertes that been desceyved. He hath a litil foryeten hymselve, but certes he schal lightly remembren hymself yif so be that he hath knowen me or now; and that he may so doon, I will wipe a litil his eien that ben dirked by the cloude of mortel thynges." Thise woordes seide sche, and with the lappe of hir garnement yplited in a frownce sche dryede myn eien, that weren fulle of the wawes of my wepynges.

TUNC ME DISCUSSA, &c. — Metrum 3

Thus, whan that nyght was discussed and chased awey, dirknesses forleten me, and to myn eien repeyred ayen hir firste strengthe. And ryght by ensaumple as the sonne is hydd whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn, whan sterres ben covered with cloudes) by a swyft wynd that hyghte Chorus, and that the firmament stant dirked with wete plowngy cloudes; and that the sterres nat apeeren upon hevene, so that the nyght semeth sprad upon erthe: yif thanne the wynde that hyghte Boreas, isent out of the kaves of the cuntre of Trace, betith this nyght (that is to seyn, chaseth it awey) and discovereth the closed day, thanne schyneth Phebus ischaken with sodeyn light and smyteth with his beemes in merveylynge eien.

HAUT ALITER TRISTICIE. — Prosa 3

Ryght so, and noon other wise, the cloudes of sorwe dissolved and doon awey, I took hevene, and resceyved mynde to knowe the face of my fisycien; so that [whan that] I sette myne eien on hir and fastned my lookynge, I byholde my noryce, Philosophie, in whoos houses I hadde conversed and hauntyd fro my youthe; and I seide thus: "O thou maystresse of alle vertues, descended from the sovereyne sete, whi arttow comen into this solitarie place of myn exil? Artow comen for thou art maad coupable with me of false blames?"

"O," quod sche, "my nory, schulde I forsake the now, and schulde I nat parten with the by comune travaile the charge that thow hast suffred for envye of my name? Certes it nere nat leveful ne syttynge thyng to Philosophie to leten withouten companye the weye of hym that is innocent. Schulde I thanne redowte my blame and agrysen as though ther were byfallen a newe thyng? For trowestow that Philosophie be now alderferst assailed in periles by folk of wykkide maneris? Have I noght stryven with ful greet strif in old tyme, byfor the age of my Plato, ayens the foolhardynesse of folye? And eek, the same Plato lyvynge, his mayster Socrates desserved victorie of unryghtful deth in my presence. The heritage of the whiche Socrates (the heritage is to seyn the doctryne of the whiche Socrates in his opinyoun of felicite, that I clepe welefulnesse) whan that the peple of Epycuriens and Stoyciens and manye othere enforceden hem to gon ravyssche everyche man for his part (that is to seyn, that everych of hem wolde drawen to the deffense of his opinyoun the wordes of Socrates), they as in partye of hir preye todrowen me, cryinge and debatyng ther-ayens, and korven and torente my clothes that I hadde woven with myn handes; and with tho cloutes that thei hadden arased out of my clothes thei wenten awey wenynge that I hadde gon with hem every del. In whiche Epycuriens and Stoyciens for as myche as ther semede some traces or steppes of myn abyte, the folie of men wenynge tho Epycuryens and Stoyciens my familiers pervertede some thurw the errour of the wikkide or unkunnynge multitude of hem. (This is to seyn, that for they semeden philosophres thei weren pursuyed to the deth and slayn.)

"So yif thou ne hast noght knowen the exilynge of Anaxogore, ne the empoisonynge of Socrates, ne the turmentz of Zeno, for they weren straungiers, yit myghtestow han knowen the Senecciens and the Canyos and the Soranas, of whiche folk the renoun is neyther over-oold ne unsollempne. The whiche men nothyng elles ne broght hem to the deeth but oonly for thei weren enformyd of myne maneris, and semyde moost unlyk to the studies of wykkid folk. And forthi thou oughtest noght to wondren thoughe that I, in the byttere see of this lif, be fordryven with tempestes blowynge aboute, in the whiche this is my moste purpoos, that is to seyn to displesen to wikkide men. Of whiche schrewes al be the oost nevere so greet, it es to despise; for it nys nat governyd with no ledere (of resoun), but it es ravyssched oonly by fleetynge errour folyly and lyghtly; and yif they somtyme, makynge an oost ayens us, assayle us as strengere, our ledere draweth togidre his richesses into his tour, and they ben ententyf aboute sarpleris or sachelis, unprofitable for to taken. But we that ben heghe above, syker fro alle tumolte and wood noyse, warnstoryd and enclosed in swiche a palys whider as that chaterynge or anoyinge folye ne may nat atayne, we scorne swyche ravyneres and henteres of fouleste thynges.

QUISQUIS COMPOSITO. — Metrum 4

"Whoso it be that is cleer of vertue, sad and wel ordynat of lyvynge, that hath put under fote the proude wierdes, and loketh upryght

upon either fortune, he may holden his chere undesconfited. The rage ne the manaces of the see, commoevynge or chasynge upward hete fro the botme, ne schal nat moeve that man. Ne the unstable mowntaigne that highte Visevus, that writhith out thurw his brokene chemeneyes smokynge fieres, ne the wey of thonderleit, that is wont to smyten hye toures, ne schal nat moeve that man. Wharto thanne, o wrecches, drede ye tirauntz that ben wode and felenous withouten ony strengthe? Hope aftir no thyng, ne drede nat; and so schaltow desarmen the ire of thilke unmyghty tiraunt. But whoso that, qwakynge, dredeth or desireth thyng that nys noght stable of his ryght, that man that so dooth hath cast awey his scheeld, and is remoeved from his place, and enlaceth hym in the cheyne with whiche he mai ben drawen.

SENTISNE, INQUIT. — Prosa 4

"Felistow," quod sche, "thise thynges, and entren thei aughte in thy corage? Artow like an asse to the harpe? Why wepistow, why spillestow teeris? Yif thou abidest after helpe of thi leche, the byhoveth discovre thy wownde."

Tho I, that hadde gaderyd strengthe in my corage, answeride and seide: "And nedeth it yit," quod I, "of rehersynge or of ammonicioun? And scheweth it nat ynoghe by hymselve the scharpnesse of Fortune, that waxeth wood ayens me? Ne moeveth it nat the to seen the face or the manere of this place? Is this the librarye which that thou haddest chosen for a ryght certein sege to the in myn hous, there as thow disputedest ofte with me of the sciences of thynges touchynge dyvinyte and mankynde? Was thanne myn habit swiche as it is now? Was my face or my chere swyche as now whan I soghte with the the secretis of nature, whan thow enformedest my maneris and the resoun of al my lif to the ensaumple of the ordre of hevene? Is noght this the gerdouns that I referre to the, to whom I have ben obeisaunt?

"Certes thou confermedest by the mouth of Plato this sentence, that is to seyn that comune thynges or comunalites weren blisful yif they that hadden studied al fully to wysdom governeden thilke thynges; or elles yif it so befille that the governours of comunalites studieden to geten wysdom. Thou seidest eek by the mouth of the same Plato that it was a necessarie cause wise men to taken and desire the governance of comune thynges, for that the governementz of cites, ilefte in the handes of felonous turmentours citezeens, ne schulde noght bryngen in pestilence ande destruccioun to good folk. And therfore I, folwynge thilke auctorite, desired to putten forth in execucion and in acte of comune administracioun thilk thynges that I hadde lernyd of the among my secre restyng-whiles.

"Thow and God, that putte the in the thoughtes of wise folk, ben knowynge with me that nothyng ne brought me to maistrie or dignyte but the comune studie of alle goodnesse. And therof cometh it that bytwixen wikkid folk and me han ben grevous discordes, that ne myghte nat ben relessed by preyeris; for this liberte hath the fredom of conscience, that the wraththe of more myghty folk hath alwey ben despised of me for savacioun of right. How ofte have I resisted and withstonden thilke man that highte Connigaste, that made alwey assawtes ayens the propre fortunes of pore feble folk! How ofte eek have I put of or cast out hym Trygwille, provoste of the kyngis hous, bothe of the wronges that he hadde bygunne to doon, and ek fully performed! How ofte have I covered and defended by the auctorite of me put ayens perils (that is to seyn, put myn auctorite in peril for) the wrecche pore folk, that the covetise of straungiers unpunyschid tormentyde alwey with myseses and grevances out of nombre! Nevere man ne drow me yit fro right to wrong. Whan I say the fortunes and the richesses of the peple of the provinces ben harmed or amenuced outher be pryve ravynes or by comune tributz or cariages, as sory was I as they that suffriden the harm. Glosa. Whan that

Theodoric, the kyng of Gothes, in a dere yeer, hadde his gerneeris ful of corn, and comaundede that no man schulde byen no coorn til his corn were soold, and that at a grevous dere prys, Boece withstood that ordenaunce and overcome it, knowynge al this the kyng hymselve. Coempcioun is to seyn comune achat or beyinge togidre, that were establissed upon the peple by swich a manere imposicioun, as whoso boughte a busschel corn, he most yyve the kyng the fyfte part.) Textus. Whan it was in the sowre hungry tyme, ther was establissed or cryed grevous and unplitable coempcioun, that men sayen wel it schulde gretly tormenten and endamagen al the provynce of Campayne, I took stryf ayens the provost of the pretorie for comune profit; and, the kyng knowynge of it, Y overcom it, so that the coempcioun ne was nat axid ne took effect. Paulyn, a conseiller of Rome, the richesses of the whiche Paulyn the howndes of the paleys (that is to seyn, the officeres) wolden han devoured by hope and covetyse, yit drowe I hym out of the jowes of hem that gapeden. And for as moche as the peyne of the accusacioun ajugid byforn ne schulde noght sodeynli henten ne punyssche wrongfully Albyn, a conseiller of Rome, I putte me ayens the hates and indignacions of the accusour Cyprian. Is it nat thanne inoghe isene that I have purchaced grete discordes ayens myself? But I oughte be the more asseured ayens alle othere folk, that for the love of rightwisnesse I ne reservede nevere nothyng to myselve to hemward of the kyngis halle, by whiche I were the more syker. But thurw tho same accusours accusynge I am condempned.

"Of the nombre of whiche accusours, oon Basilius, that whilom was chased out of the kyngis servyse, is now compelled in accusynge of my name for nede of foreyne moneye. Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me, al be it so that the justise regal hadde whilom demed hem bothe to gon into exil for hir trecheries and frawdes withouten nombre, to whiche juggement they nolden nat obeye, but defendeden hem by the sikernesse of holi houses that is to seyn, fledden into seyntewarie); and whan this was aperceyved to the kyng, he comandide that, but they voydide the cite of Ravenne by certeyn day assigned, that men scholde marken hem on the forheved with an hoot iren and chasen hem out of towne. Now what thyng semyth myghte ben likned to this cruelte? For certes thilke same day was resceyved the accusynge of myn name by thilke same accusours. What may ben seyd herto? Hath my studie and my kunnynge disserved thus? Or elles the forseyde dampnacioun of me — made that hem ryghtfulle accusours or no? Was noght Fortune aschamed of this? Certes, al hadde noght Fortune ben aschamed that innocence was accused, yit oughte sche han hadde schame of the fylthe of myn accusours.

"But axestow in somme of what gylt I am accused? Men seyn that I wolde saven the companye of the senatours. And desirestow to heren in what manere? I am accused that I schulde han disturbed the accusour to beren lettres, by whiche he scholde han maked the senatours gylty ayens the kynges real majeste. O Maystresse, what demestow of this? Schal I forsake this blame, that Y ne be no schame to the? Certes I have wolde it (that is to seyn, the savacioun of the senat), ne I schal nevere letten to wilne it. And that I confesse and am aknowe; but the entente of the accusour to ben distorbed schal cese. For schal I clepe it thanne a felonye or a synne that I have desired the savacioun of the ordre of the senat? And certes yit hadde thilke same senat don by me thurw hir decretz and hir jugementz as thoughe it were a synne and a felonye (that is to seyn, to wilne the savacioun of hem). But folye, that lyeth alwey to hymselve, may noght chaunge the merite of thynges, ne I trowe nat by the jugement of Socrates that it were leveful to me to hide the sothe ne assente to lesynges.

"But certes, how so evere it be of this, I putte it to gessen or prisen to the jugement of the and of wys folk. Of whiche thyng al the ordenaunce and the sothe, for as moche as folk that been to comen aftir our dayes schullen knowen it, I have

put it in scripture and in remembraunce. For touchynge the lettres falsly maked, by whiche lettres I am accused to han hoped the fredom of Rome, what aperteneth me to speken therof? Of whiche lettres the fraude hadde ben schewed apertely, yif I hadde had liberte for to han used and ben at the confessioun of myn accusours, the whiche thyng in alle nedes hath greet strengthe. For what other fredom mai men hopen? Certes I wolde that som other fredom myghte ben hoped; I wolde thanne han answeryd by the wordys of a man that hyghte Canyus. For whan he was accused by Gaius Cesar, Germaynes sone, that he was knowynge and consentynge of a conjuracioun ymaked ayens hym, this Canyus answeride thus: 'Yif I hadde wyst it, thou haddest noght wyst it.'

"In whiche thyng sorwe hath noght so dullid my wyt that I pleyne oonly that schrewed folk apparailen felonyes ayens vertu; but I wondre gretly how that thei may performe thynges that thei han hoped for to doon. Forwhy to wylne schrewydnesse — that cometh peraventure of our defaute; but it is lyk a monstre and a merveyle how that, in the presente sight of God, may ben acheved and performed swiche thynges as every felonous man hath conceyved in his thoght ayens innocentz. For whiche thynge oon of thy familiers noght unskilfully axed thus: 'Yif God is, whennes comen wikkide thyngis? And yif God ne is, whennes comen gode thynges?' But al hadde it ben leveful that felonous folk, that now desiren the blood and the deeth of alle gode men and ek of al the senat, han wilned to gon destroyen me, whom they han seyn alwey bataylen and defenden gode men and eek al the senat, yit hadde I nought disservyd of the faderes (that is to seyn, of the senatours) that they schulden wilne my destruccioun.

"Thow remembrest wel, as I gesse, that whan I wolde doon or seyn any thyng, thow thiselve alwey present reuledest me. [And wel thow remembrest] at the cite of Verone, whan that the kyng, gredy of comune slaughtre, caste hym to transporten upon al the ordre of the senat the gilt of his real majeste, of the whiche gilt that Albyn was accused, with how gret sykernesse of peril to me defended I al the senat! Thow woost wel that I sey sooth, ne I n'avawntede me nevere in preysynge of myselve. For alwey whan any wyght resceyveth precious renoun in avauntynge hymselve of his werkes, he amenuseth the secre of his conscience. But now thow mayst wel seen to what eende I am comen for myn innocence; I resceyve peyne of fals felonye for guerdoun of verrai vertue. And what opene confessioun of felonye hadde evere juges so accordaunt in cruelte (that is to seyn, as myn accusynge hath) that either errour of mannys wit, or elles condicion of fortune, that is uncerteyn to alle mortel folk, ne submyttede some of hem (that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede som juge to have pite or compassioun)? For althoughe I hadde ben accused that I wolde brenne holi houses and straungle preestis with wykkid sweerd, or that I hadde greythed deth to alle gode men, algates the sentence scholde han punysshed me present, confessed or convict. But now I am remuwed fro the cite of Rome almest fyve hundred thowsand paas, I am withoute deffense dampnyd to proscripcion and to the deth for the studie and bountes that I have doon to the senat. But, O, wel ben thei wurthy of meryte (as who seith, nay), ther myghte nevere yit noon of hem ben convicte of swiche a blame as myn is! Of whiche trespas myne accusours sayen ful wel the dignete; the whiche dignyte, for thei wolden derken it with medlynge of some felonye, they bare me on hande and lieden that I hadde pollut and defouled my conscience with sacrilegie for covetise of dignyte. And certes thou thiselve, that art plaunted in me, chacedest out of the sege of my corage alle covetise of mortel thynges, ne sacrilege ne hadde no leve to han a place in me byforn thyne eien. For thow droppiddest every day in myn eris and in my thought thilke comaundement of Pictagoras, that is to seyn, men schal serven to God and noght to goddes. Ne it was noght convenient ne no nede to taken help of the fouleste spiritz — I,

that thow hast ordeyned and set in swiche excellence, that thou makedest me lyk to God. And over this, the right clene secre chaumbre of myn hous (that is to seyn, my wif), and the companye of myne honeste freendes, and my wyves fadir, as wel holi as worthy to ben reverenced thurw his owene dedes, defenden me fro alle suspecioun of swiche blame. But O malice! For they that accusen me taken of the, Philosophie, feith of so greet blame, for they trowen that I have had affinyte to malefice or enchauntement, bycause that I am replenysshid and fulfild with thy techynges, and enformed of thi maneris. And thus it suffiseth nat oonly that thi reverence ne avayle me nat, but yif that thow of thy free wil rather be blemessched with myne offencioun.

"But certes, to the harmes that I have, ther bytideth yit this encrees of harm, that the gessynge and the jugement of moche folk ne loken nothyng to the desertes of thynges, but oonly to the aventure of fortune; and jugen that oonly swiche thynges ben purveied of God, whiche that temporel welefulnesse commendeth. (Glose. As thus: that yif a wyght have prosperite, he is a good man and worthy to han that prosperite; and whoso hath adversite, he is a wikkid man, and God hath forsake hym, and he is worthy to han that adversite. This is the opinyoun of some folk.) Textus. And therof cometh that good gessynge, first of alle thynge, forsaketh wrecches. Certes it greveth me to thynke ryght now the diverse sentences that the peple seith of me. And thus moche I seie, that the laste charge of contrarious fortune is this: that whan eny blame is leid upon a caytif, men wenen that he hath desservyd that he suffireth. And I, that am put awey fro gode men, and despoyled of dignytes, and defouled of myn name by gessynge, have suffride torment for my gode dedes. Certes me semyth that I se the felonous covynes of wykkid men habounden in joye and in gladnesse; and I se that every lorel schapeth hym to fynde out newe fraudes for to accuse good folk; and I se that goode men [lien] overthrowen for drede of my peril, and every luxurious turmentour dar doon alle felonye unpunysschyd, and ben excited therto by yiftes; and innocentz ne ben noght oonly despoiled of sikernesse, but of defense; and therfore me lyst to crie to God in this manere:

O STELLIFERI CONDITOR ORBIS. — Metrum 5

"O thow makere of the wheel that bereth the sterres, whiche that art festnyd to thi perdurable chayer, and turnest the hevene with a ravysschynge sweighe, and constreynest the sterres to suffren thi lawe; so that the moone somtyme, schynynge with hir fulle hornes metynge with alle the beemes of the sonne hir brothir, hideth the sterres that ben lasse; and somtyme, whan the moone pale with hir derke hornes aprocheth the sonne, leeseth hir lyghtes; and that the eve sterre, Hesperus, whiche that in the first tyme of the nyght bryngeth forth hir colde arysynges, cometh eft ayen hir used cours, and is pale by the morwe at rysynge of the sonne, and is thanne clepid Lucyfer! Thow restreynest the day by schortere duellynge in the tyme of coold wynter that maketh the leeves falle. Thow devydest the swyfte tydes of the nyght, whan the hote somer is comen. Thy myghte attempreth the variauntz sesouns of the yer, so that Zephirus, the debonere wynd, bryngeth ayen in the first somer sesoun the leeves that the wynd that hyghte Boreas hath reft awey in autumpne (that is to seie, in the laste ende of somer); and the seedes that the sterre that highte Arcturus saugh ben waxen heye cornes whan the sterre Syrius eschaufeth hem. Ther nys no thyng unbounde from his olde lawe, ne forleteth the werk of his propre estat.

"O thou governour, governynge alle thynges by certein ende, whi refusestow oonly to governe the werkes of men by duwe manere? Why suffrestow that slydynge Fortune turneth so grete enterchaungynges of thynges? So that anoyous peyne, that scholde duweliche punysche felons, punysscheth innocentz; and folk of wikkide maneres sitten in heie chayeres; and anoyinge folk treden, and that

unrightfully, on the nekkes of holi men; and vertu, cleer and schynynge naturely, is hidde in derke derknesses; and the rightful man bereth the blame and the peyne of the feloun; ne the forswerynge ne the fraude covered and kembd with a false colour, ne anoieth nat to schrewes? The whiche schrewes, whan hem list to usen hir strengthe, they rejoyssen hem to putten undir hem the sovereyne kynges, whiche that peple withouten nombre dreden. O thou, what so evere thou be that knyttest alle boondes of thynges, loke on thise wrecchide erthes. We men, that ben noght a foul partie, but a fair partie of so greet a werk, we ben turmented in this see of fortune. Thow governour, withdraughe and restreyne the ravysschynge flodes, and fastne and ferme thise erthes stable with thilke boond by whiche thou governest the hevene that is so large."

HEC UBI CONTINUATO DOLORE DELATRAUI. — Prosa 5

Whan I hadde with a contynuel sorwe sobbyd or borken out thise thynges, sche, with hir cheere pesible and nothyng amoeved with my compleyntes, seide thus: "Whan I saugh the," quod sche, "sorwful and wepynge, I wiste anoon that thow were a wrecche and exiled; but I wyste nevere how fer thyn exil was yif thy tale ne hadde schewid it me. But certes, al be thow fer fro thy cuntre, thou n'art nat put out of it, but thow hast fayled of thi weye and gon amys. And yif thou hast levere for to wene that thow be put out of thy cuntre, thanne hastow put out thyselve rather than ony other wyght hath. For no wyght but thyselve ne myghte nevere han doon that to the. For yif thow remembre of what cuntre thow art born, it nys nat governed by emperoures, ne by governement of multitude, as weren the cuntrees of hem of Atthenes; but o lord and o kyng, and that is God, that is lord of thi cuntre, whiche that rejoisseth hym of the duellynge of his citezeens, and nat for to putten hem in exil; of the whiche lord it is a sovereyn fredom to ben governed by the brydel of hym and obeye to his justice. Hastow foryeten thilke ryghte oolde lawe of thi citee, in the whiche cite it es ordeyned and establysschid that what wyght that hath levere founden therin his sete or his hous than elleswhere, he may nat ben exiled by no ryght fro that place? For whoso that is contened inwith the palys and the clos of thilke cite, ther nys no drede that he mai deserve to ben exiled; but who that leteth the wil for to enhabyten there, he forleteth also to deserve to ben citezen of thilke cite. So that I seie that the face of this place ne moeveth me noght so mochel as thyn owene face, ne I ne axe nat rather the walles of thy librarye, apparayled and wrought with yvory and with glas, than after the sete of thi thought, in whiche I put noght whilom bookes, but I putte that that maketh bokes wurthy of prys or precyous, that is to seyn the sentence of my bookes.

"And certeynly of thy dessertes bystowed in comune good thow hast seyd soth, but after the multitude of thy gode dedes thou hast seyd fewe. And of the honestete or of the falsnesse of thynges that ben opposed ayens the, thow hast remembred thynges that ben knowen to alle folk. And of the felonyes and fraudes of thyn accusours, it semeth the have touched it for sothe ryghtfully and schortly, al myghten tho same thynges betere and more plentevously ben couth in the mouth of the peple that knoweth al this. Thow hast eek blamed gretly and compleyned of the wrongdede of the senat, and thow hast sorwyd for my blame, and thow hast wepen for the damage of thi renoun that is apayred; and thi laste sorwe eschaufede ayens Fortune, and compleyndest that guerdouns ne ben nat eveneliche yolden to the dessertes of folk; And in the lattre eende of thy wode muse, thow preydest that thilke pees that governeth the hevene schulde governe the erthe.

"But for that many [turbacions] of affeccions han assailed the, and sorwe and ire and wepynge todrawen the diversely, as thou art now feble of thought, myghtyere remedies ne schullen noght yit touchen the. For wyche we wol usen somdel lyghtere medicynes,

so that thilke passiouns that ben waxen hard in swellynge by perturbacions flowynge into thy thought, mowen waxen esy and softe to resceyven the strengthe of a more myghty and more egre medicyne, by an esyere touchynge.

CUM PHEBI RADIIS GRAVE CANCRI SIDUS INESTUAT. — Metrum 6

"Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre eschaufeth by the bemes of Phebus (that is to seyn, whan that Phebus the sonne is in the sygne of the Cancre), whoso yeveth thanne largely his seedes to the feeldes that refusen to resceyven hem, lat hym gon, begiled of trust that he hadde to his corn, to accornes of okes. Yif thow wolt gadere vyolettes, ne go thow nat to the purpre wode whan the feeld, chirkynge, agryseth of cold by the felnesse of the wynd that hyghte Aquilon. Yif thou desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seek thou nat with a glotonos hand to streyne and presse the stalkes of the vyne in the first somer sesoun; for Bachus, the god of wyn, hath rather yyven his yiftes to autumpne (the lattere ende of somer). God tokneth and assigneth the tymes, ablynge hem to hir propre offices, ne he ne suffreth nat the stowndes whiche that hymself hath devyded and constreyned to ben imedled togidre. And forthy he that forleteth certein ordenaunce of doynge by overthrowynge wey, he hath no glad issue or ende of his werkes.

PRIMUM IGITUR PATERISNE ME PAUCULIS ROGACIONIBUS. — Prosa 6

"First wiltow suffre me to touche and assaye th'estaat of thi thought by a fewe demaundes, so that I may understande what be the manere of thi curacioun?"

"Axe me," quod I, "at thi wille what thou wolt, and I schal answere." Tho seyde sche thus: "Whethir wenestow," quod sche, "that this world be governed by foolyssche happes and fortunows, or elles wenestow that ther be inne it ony governement of resoun?"

"Certes," quod I, "I ne trowe nat in no manere that so certeyn thynges schulden be moeved by fortunows [folie]; but I woot wel that God, makere and maister, is governour of his werk, ne nevere nas yit day that myghte putte me out of the sothnesse of that sentence."

"So it is," quod sche, "for the same thyng songe thow a litil herebyforn, and bywayledest and byweptest, that oonly men weren put out of the cure of God; for of alle othere thynges thou ne doutedest the nat that they nere governed by resoun. But owgh! I wondre gretly, certes, whi that thou art sik, syn that thow art put in so holsome a sentence. But lat us seken deppere; I conjecte that ther lakketh Y not what. But sey me this: syn that thow ne doutest noght that this world be governed by God, with whiche governayles takestow heede that it is governed?"

"Unnethes," quod I, "knowe I the sentence of thy questioun, so that I ne may nat yit answeren to thy demandes."

"I nas nat desseyved," quod sche, "that ther ne faileth somwhat, by whiche the maladye of perturbacion is crept into thi thought, so as [by] the strengthe of the palys chynynge [and] open. But sey me this: remembrestow what is the ende of thynges, and whider that the entencion of alle kende tendeth?"

"I have herd tolde it somtyme," quod I, but drerynesse hath dulled my memorie."

"Certes," quod sche, "thou wost wel whennes that alle thynges bien comen and proceded?"

"I woot wel," quod I, and answerede that God is bygynnynge of al.

"And how may this be," quod sche, "that, syn thow knowest the bygynnynge of thynges, that thow ne knowest nat what is the eende of thynges? But swiche ben the customes of perturbaciouns, and this power they han, that they mai moeve a man from his place (that is to seyn, fro the stabelnesse and perfeccion of his knowynge); but certes, thei mai nat al arrace hym, ne aliene hym in al. But I wolde that thou woldest answere to this: Remembrestow that thow art a man?"

Boece. "Whi schulde I nat remembren that?" quod I.

Philosophie. "Maystow noght telle me thanne," quod sche,"what thyng is a man?"

"Axestow me nat," quod I, "whethir that I [woot wel that I] be a resonable mortel beste? I woot wel, and I confesse wel that I am it."

"Wystestow nevere yit that thow were ony othir thyng?" quod sche.

"No," quod I.

"Now woot I," quod sche, "other cause of thi maladye, and that ryght gree thow hast left for to knowen thyselve what thou art. Thurw whiche I have pleynly fownde the cause of thi maladye, or elles the entree of recoverynge of thyn hele. For-why, for thow art confunded with foryetynge of thiself, forthi sorwestow that thow art exiled [and despoyled] of thy propre goodes; and for thow ne woost what is the eende of thynges, forthy demestow that felonus and wikkide men ben myghty and weleful; and for thow hast foryeten by whiche governementz the werld is governed, forthy weenestow that thise mutacions of fortunes fleten withouten governour. Thise ben grete causes, noght oonly to maladye, but certes gret causes to deth. But I thanke the auctour and the makere of hele, that nature hath nat al forleten the. I have gret noryssynges of thyn hele, and that is, the sothe sentence of governance of the werld, that thou bylevest that the governynge of it nis nat subgit ne underput to the folye of thise happes aventurous, but to the resoun of God. And therfore doute the nothing, for of this litel spark thine heet of liif schal shine.

"But for as moche as it is nat tyme yet of fastere remedies, and the nature of thoughtes desceyved is this, that, as ofte as they casten awey sothe opynyouns, they clothen hem in false opynyouns, of the whiche false opynyouns the derknesse of perturbacion waxeth up, that confowndeth the verray insyghte — [that] derknesse schal I assaie somwhat to maken thynne and wayk by lyghte and meneliche remedies; so that, aftir that the derknesse of desceyvynge desyrynges is doon away, thow mowe knowe the schynynge of verraye light.

NUBIBUS ATRIS CONDITA. — Metrum 7

"The sterres, covred with blake cloudes, ne mowen yeten adoun no lyght. Yif the truble wynd that hyghte Auster, turnynge and walwynge the see, medleth the heete (that is to seyn, the boylynge up fro the botme), the wawes, that whilom weren clere as glas and lyk to the fayre bryghte dayes, withstande anon the syghtes of men by the filthe and ordure that is resolved. And the fleetynge streem, that royleth doun diversely fro heye montaygnes, is areestid and resisted ofte tyme by the encountrynge of a stoon that is departed and fallen fro some roche. And forthy, yif thou wolt loken and demen soth with cleer lyght, and hoolden the weye with a ryght path, weyve thow joie, dryf fro the drede, fleme thow hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche (that is to seyn, lat non of thise foure passiouns overcomen the or blenden the). For cloudy and derk is thilke thoght, and bownde with bridelis, where as thise thynges reignen."