Incipit Liber Secundus
POSTEA PAULISPER
CONTICUIT. — Prosa 1
Aftir this sche stynte a lytel;
and after that sche hadde ygadrede
by atempre stillenesse myn attencioun, she seyde thus (as who so
myghte
seyn thus: after thise thynges sche stynte a litil, and whan sche
aperceyved by atempre stillenesse that I was ententyf to herkne
hire
sche bygan to speke in this wyse): "If I," quod sche,
"have
undirstonden and knowen outrely the causes and the habyt of thy
maladye, thow languyssest and art desfeted for desir and talent of
thi
rather fortune. Sche (that ilke Fortune) oonly, that is chaunged,
as
thow feynest, to the-ward, hath perverted the cleernesse and the
estat
of thi corage. I undirstonde the felefolde colours and desceytes
of
thilke merveylous monstre Fortune and how
sche useth ful flaterynge famylarite with hem that sche enforceth
to
bygyle, so longe, til that sche confounde with unsuffrable sorwe
hem
that sche hath left in despeer unpurveied. And yif thou remembrest
wel
the kende, the maneris, and the desserte of thilke Fortune, thou
shalt
wel knowe that, as in hir, thow nevere ne haddest ne hast ylost any
fair thyng. But, as I trowe, I schal nat greetly travailen to don
the
remembren on thise thynges. For thow were wont to hurtlen and
despysen
hir with manly woordes whan sche was blaundyssching and present,
and
pursuydest hir with sentences that weren drawen out of myn entre
(that is to seyn, of myn
enformacioun). But no sodeyn
mutacioun ne bytideth noght withouten a manere chaungynge of
corages;
and so is it byfallen that thou art a litil departed fro the pees
of
thi thought.
"But now is tyme that thou drynke and ataste some
softe and delitable thynges, so that whanne thei ben entred withynne
the, it mowe maken wey to strengere drynkes of medycines. Com now
forth, therfore, the suasyoun of swetnesse rethorien, whiche that goth
oonly the righte wey while sche forsaketh nat myn estatutz. And with
Rethorice com forth Musice, a damoysele of our hous, that syngeth now
lightere moedes or prolacions, now hevyere. What eyleth the, man? What
is it that hath cast the into moornynge and into wepynge? I trow that
thou hast seyn some newe thyng and unkouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be
chaunged ayens the; but thow wenest wrong (yif thou that
wene): alway tho ben hir maneres. Sche hath rather kept, as to
the-ward, hir propre stablenesse in the chaungynge of hirself. Ryght
swiche was sche whan sche flateryd the and desseyved the with unleful
lykynges of false welefulnesse. Thou hast now knowen and ateynt the
doutous or double visage of thilke blynde goddesse Fortune. Sche,
that yit covereth and wympleth hir to other folk, hath schewyd hir every
del to the. Yif thou approvest here (and thynkest that sche
is good), use hir maneris and pleyne the nat; and yif thou
agrisest hir false trecherie, despise and cast awey hir that
pleyeth so harmfully. For sche, that is now cause of so mochel sorwe to the,
sholde hen cause to the of pees and of joye. Sche hath forsaken the,
forsothe, the whiche that nevere man mai hen siker that sche ne schal
forsaken hym. (Glose. But natheles some bookes han the
texte thus: forsothe sche hath forsaken the, ne ther nys no man siker
that sche ne hath nat forsake.) Holdestow thanne thilke
welefulnesse precious to the, that schal passen? And is present Fortune
dereworth to the, whiche that nys nat feithful for to duelle, and whan
sche goth awey that sche bryngeth a wyght in sorwe? For syn she may nat
ben withholden at a mannys wille, [and] sche maketh hym a wrecche whan
sche departeth fro hym, what other thyng is flyttynge Fortune but a
maner schewynge of wrecchidnesse that is to comen? Ne it suffiseth nat
oonly to loken on thyng that is present byforn the eien of a man; but
wisdom loketh and mesureth the ende of thynges. And the same chaungynge
from oon into another (that is to seyn, fro adversite
into prosperite) maketh that the manaces of Fortune ne ben nat
for to dreden, ne the flaterynges of hir to ben desired. Thus, at the
laste, it byhoveth the to suffren wyth evene wil in pacience al that is
doon inwith the floor of Fortune (that is to seyn, in this world), syn
thou hast oonys put thy nekke undir the yok of hir. For yif thow wilt
writen a lawe of wendynge and of duellynge to Fortune, whiche that thow
hast chosen frely to ben thi lady, artow nat wrongful in that, and
makest Fortune wroth and aspre by thyn inpacience? And yit thow mayst
nat chaungen hir. Yif thou committest and betakest thi seyles to the
wynd, thow schalt ben shoven, nat thider that thow woldest, but whider
that the wynd schouveth the. Yif thow castest thi seedes in the
feeldes, thou sholdest han in mynde that the yeres ben amonges,
outherwhile plentevous and outherwhile bareyne. Thow hast bytaken
thiself to the governaunce of Fortune and forthi it byhoveth the to ben
obeisaunt to the maneris of thi lady. Enforcestow the to aresten or
withholden the swyftnesse
and the sweighe of hir turnynge
wheel? O thow fool of alle mortel foolis! Yif Fortune bygan to duelle
stable, she cessede thanne to ben Fortune.
HEC CUM SUPERBA, &c. — Metrum 1
"Whan Fortune with a proud ryght hand hath turned hir
chaungynge stowndes, sche fareth lyke the maneres of the boylynge
Eurippe. (Glosa. Eurippe is an arm of the
see that
ebbeth and floweth, and somtyme the streem is on o side, and
somtyme on the tothir.) Textus. She, cruel Fortune, casteth
adoun kynges that whilom weren ydradd; and sche, desceyvable,
enhaunceth up the humble chere of hym that is discounfited. Ne
sche neither heereth ne rekketh of wrecchide wepynges; and she
is so hard that sche leygheth and scorneth the wepynges of hem,
the whiche sche hath maked wepe with hir free wille. Thus sche
pleyeth, and thus sche prooeveth hir strengthes, and scheweth a
greet wonder to alle hir servauntz yif that a wyght is seyn
weleful and overthrowe in an houre.
VELLEM AUTEM PAUCA. — Prosa 2
"Certes I wolde pleten with the a fewe thynges, usynge the
woordes of Fortune. Tak hede now thyselve, yif that sche asketh
ryght: 'O thow man, wherfore makestow me gyltyf by thyne
every dayes pleynynges? What wrong have I don the? What godes
have I byreft the that weren thyne? Stryf or pleet with me byforn
what juge that thow wolt of the possessioun of rychesses or of
dignytees; and yif thou maist schewen me that ever any mortel man
hath resceyved ony of tho thynges to ben hise in propre, thanne
wil I graunte freely that thilke thynges weren thyne whiche that
thow axest.
"Whan that nature brought the foorth out of thi modir
wombe, I resceyved the nakid and nedy of alle thynges, and I
norissched the with my richesses, and was redy and ententyf
thurwe my favour to sustene the — and that maketh the now
inpacient ayens me; and I envyrounde the with al the habundaunce
and schynynge of alle goodes that ben in my ryght. Now it liketh
me to withdrawe myn
hand. Thow hast had grace as he that hath used of foreyne goodes;
thow hast no ryght to pleyne the, as though thou haddest outrely
forlorn alle thy thynges. Why pleynestow thanne? I have doon the
no wrong. Richesses, honours, and swiche othere thinges ben of
my right. My servauntz knowen me for hir lady; they comen with
me, and departen whan I wende. I dar wel affermen hardely that,
yif tho thynges of whiche thow pleynest that thou hast forlorn
[hem] hadden ben thyne, thow ne haddest nat lorn hem. Schal I
thanne, oonly, be defended to usen my ryght?
"Certes it is leveful to the hevene to maken clere
dayes,
and after that to coveren tho same dayes with dirke nyghtes. The
yeer hath eek leve to apparaylen the visage of the erthe, now
with floures, and now with fruyt, and to confownden hem somtyme
with
reynes and with coldes. The see hath eek his ryght to ben somtyme
calm and blaundysschyng with smothe watir, and somtyme to ben
horrible with wawes and with tempestes. But the covetise of men,
that mai nat he stawnched — schal it bynde me to ben
stedfast, syn
that stidfastnesse is uncouth to my maneris? Swiche is my
strengthe, and this pley I pleye continuely. I torne the
whirlynge wheel with the turnynge sercle; I am glad to chaungen
the loweste to the heyeste, and the heyeste to the loweste. Worth
up yif thow wolt, so it be by this lawe, that thow ne holde nat
that I do the wroong, though thow descende adown whan the resoun
of my pley axeth it. Wystestow nat how Cresus, kyng of Lydyens,
of whiche kyng Cirus was ful sore agast a lytil byforn — that
this
rewliche Cresus was caught of Cirus and lad to the fyer to ben
brend; but that a rayn descendede down fro hevene that rescowyde
hym? And is it out of thy mynde how that Paulus, consul of Rome,
whan he had taken the kyng of Percyens, weep pitously for the
captivyte of the selve kyng? What other thynge bywaylen the
cryinges of tragedyes but oonly the dedes of Fortune, that with
an unwar strook overturneth the realmes of greet nobleye?
(Glose. Tragedye is to seyn a dite of a
prosperite for a
tyme, that endeth in wrecchidnesse.) Lernedest
nat thow in Greek whan thow were yong, that in the entre or in
the seler of Juppiter ther ben cowched two tonnes, the toon is
ful of good, and the tother is ful of harm? What ryght hastow to
pleyne, yif thou hast taken more plentevously of the gode side
(that is to seyn, of my richesses and
prosperites)? And what ek yif Y ne be nat al departed fro
the? What eek yif my mutabilite yeveth the ryghtful cause of hope
to han yit bettere thynges? Natheles dismaye the nat in thi
thought; and thow that art put in the comune realme of alle,
desire nat to lyven by thyn oonly propre ryght.
SI QUANTAS RAPIDIS. — Metrum 2
"Though Plente that is goddesse of rychesses hielde adoun
with ful horn, and withdraweth nat hir hand, as many richesses
as the
see torneth upward sandes whan it is moeved with ravysshynge
blastes, or elles as manye rychesses as ther schynen bryghte
sterres in hevene on the sterry nyghtes; yit, for al that,
mankende nolde nat cese to wepe wrecchide pleyntes. And al be it
so that God resceyveth gladly hir preiers, and yyveth hem, as
fool-large, moche gold, and apparayleth coveytous folk with noble
or cleer honours; yit semeth hem haven igeten nothyng, but alwey
hir cruel ravyne, devourynge al that they han geten, scheweth
othere gapynges (that is to seyn, gapyn and desiren yit after mo
rychesses). What brydles myghte withholden to any certeyn ende
the disordene covetise of men, whan evere the rather that it
fletith in large yiftes, the more ay brenneth in hem the thurst
of havynge? Certes he that qwakynge and dredful weneth hymselven
nedy, he ne lyveth nevermo ryche.
HIIS IGITUR SI PRO SE, &c. — Prosa
3
"Therfore, yif that Fortune spake with the for hirself in
this manere, forsothe thow ne haddest noght what thou myghtest
answere. And yif thow hast any thyng wherwith thow mayst
rightfully defenden thi compleynte, it behoveth the to schewen
it, and I wol yyve the space to tellen it."
"Serteynly," quod I thanne, "thise ben faire
thynges and enoynted with hony swetnesse of Rethorik and Musike;
and oonly whil thei ben herd thei ben delycious, but to wrecches
is a deppere felyng of harm (this is to
seyn, that
wrecches felen the harmes that thei suffren more grevously than
the remedies or the delites of thise wordes mowen gladen or
conforten hem). So that, whanne thise thynges stynten for
to soune in eris, the sorwe that es inset greveth the
thought."
"Right so is it," quod sche. "For thise ne ben
yit
none remedies of thy maladye, but they ben a maner norisschynges
of thi sorwe, yit rebel ayen thi curacioun. For whan that tyme
is, I schal moeve and ajuste swiche thynges that percen hemselve
depe. But natheles that thow schalt noght wilne to leten thiself
a wrecche, hastow foryeten the nowmbre and the maner of thi
welefulnesse? I holde me stille how that the sovereyn men of the
cite token the in cure and in kepynge, whan thow were orphelyn
of fadir and of modir, and were chose in affynite of prynces of
the cite; and thow bygonne rather to ben leef and deere than for
to been a neyghebour, the whiche thyng is the moste precyous
kende of any propinquyte or alliaunce that mai ben. Who is it
that ne seide tho that thow neere right weleful, with so gret a
nobleye of thi fadres-in-lawe, and with the chastete of thy wyf,
and with the oportunyte and noblesse of thyne masculyn children
(that is to seyn, thy sones)? And
over
al this me list to passen of comune thynges, how thow haddest in
thy youthe dignytees that weren wernd to oolde men; but it
deliteth me to comen now to the synguler uphepynge of thi
welefulnesse. Yif any fruyt of mortel thynges mai han any weyghte
or pris of welefulnesse, myghtestow evere forgeten, for any
charge of harm that myghte byfalle the, remembraunce of thilke
day that thow seye thi two sones maked conseileris and iladde
togidre fro thyn hous under so greet assemble of senatours and
under the blithnesse of peple, and whan thow saye hem set in the
court in hir chayeres of dignytes? Thow, rethorien or
pronouncere of kynges preysynges, desservedest glorie of
wit and of eloquence whan thow, syttynge bytwixen thi two sones
conseylers, in the place that highte Circo, fulfildest the
abydynge of the multitude of peple that was sprad abouten the
with so large preysynge and laude as men syngen in victories. Tho
yave thow woordes to Fortune, as I trowe, (that is
to seyn, tho feffedestow Fortune with glosynge wordes and
desceyvedest hir) whan sche accoyede the and norysside the
as hir owne delices. Thow bare awey of Fortune a yifte (that is
to seye, swich guerdoun) that sche nevere yaf to prive man.
Wiltow therfore leye a reknynge with Fortune? Sche hath now
twynkled first upon the with a wikkid eye. If thow considere the
nowmbre and the maner of thy blisses and of thy sorwes, thow
mayst noght forsaken that thow nart yit blisful. For yif thou
therfore wenest thiself nat weleful, for thynges that tho semeden
joyeful ben passed, ther nys nat why thow sholdest wene thiself
a wrecche; for thynges that semen now sory passen also. Artow now
comen first, a sodeyn gest, into the schadowe or tabernacle of
this lif? Or trowestow that any stedfastnesse be in mannes
thynges, whan ofte a swyft hour dissolveth the same man (that is
to seyn, whan the soule departeth fro the body)? For although
that zelde is ther any feith that fortunous thynges wollen
dwellen, yet natheles the laste day of a mannes lif is a maner
deth to Fortune, and also to thilke that hath dwelt. And therfore
what wenestow dar rekke, yif thow forleete hir in deyinge, or
elles that sche, Fortune, forleete the in fleynge awey?
CUM PRIMO POLO. — Metrum 3
"Whan Phebus, the sonne, bygynneth to spreden his
clernesse with rosene chariettes, thanne the sterre, ydymmed,
paleth hir white cheeres by the flambes of the sonne that
overcometh the sterre lyght. (This to
seyn, whan the
sonne is rysen, the day-sterre waxeth pale, and leeseth hir lyght
for the grete bryghtnesse of the sonne.) Whan the wode
waxeth
rody of rosene floures in the fyrst somer sesoun thurw the breeth
of the wynd Zephirus that waxeth warm, yif the cloudy wynd Auster
blowe felliche, than goth awey the fairnesse of thornes. Ofte the
see is cleer and calm without moevynge flodes, and ofte the
horrible wynd Aquylon moeveth boylynge tempestes, and
overwhelveth the see. Yif the forme of this world is so zeeld
stable, and yif it torneth by so manye entrechaungynges, wiltow
thanne trusten in the tumblenge fortunes of men? Wiltow trowen
on flyttynge goodes? It is certeyn and establissched by lawe
perdurable, that nothyng that is engendred nys stedfast ne
stable."
TUM EGO VERA INQUAM. — Prosa 4
Thanne seide I thus: "O norysshe of alle vertues, thou
seist ful sooth; ne I mai noght forsake the ryght swyfte cours
of my prosperite (that is to seyn, that prosperite ne be comen
to me wonder swyftli and sone); but this is a thyng that greetly
smerteth me whan it remembreth me. For in alle adversites of
fortune the moost unzeely kynde of contrarious fortune is to han
ben weleful."
"But that thow," quod sche, "abyest thus the
torment of thi false opynioun, that maistow nat ryghtfully blamen
ne aretten to
thynges. (As who seith, for thow hast yit
manye
habundances of thynges.) Textus. For al be it so that the
ydel name of aventuros welefulnesse moeveth the now, it is
leveful that thow rekne with me of how many grete thynges thow
hast yit plente. And therfore yif that thilke thyng that thow
haddest for moost precyous in al thy rychesse of fortune be kept
to the yit by the grace of God unwemmed and undefouled, maistow
thanne pleyne ryghtfully upon the mescheef of Fortune, syn thow
hast yit thi beste thynges? Certes yit lyveth in good poynt
thilke precyous
honour of mankynde, Symacus, thi wyves fader,
whiche
that is a man maked al of sapience and of vertu, the whiche man
thow woldest byen redyly with the pris of thyn owene lif. He
bywayleth the wronges that men don to the, and nat for hymself;
for he lyveth in sikernesse of anye sentences put ayens hym. And
yit lyveth thi wyf, that is atempre of wyt and passynge othere
wommen in clennesse of chastete; and, for I wol closen schortly
hir bountes, sche is lyk to hir fadir. I telle the wel
that sche lyveth, loth of this lyf, and kepeth to the oonly hir
goost, and is al maat and overcomen by wepynge and sorwe for
desir of the; in the whiche thyng oonly I moot graunten that thi
welefulnesse is amenused. What schal I seyn eek of thi two sones
conseylours, of whiche, as of children of hir age, ther shyneth
the liknesse of the wit of hir fadir or of hir eldefader! And syn
the sovereyne cure of al mortel folk is to saven hir owene lyves,
O how weleful artow, if thow knowe thy goodes! For yit ben ther
thynges dwelled to the-ward that no man douteth that they ne be
more derworthe to the than thyn owene lif. And forthy drye thi
teeris, for yit nys nat every fortune al hateful to the-ward, ne
overgreet tempest hath nat yit fallen upon the, whan that thyne
ancres clyven faste, that neither wolen suffren the counfort of
this tyme present ne the hope of tyme comyng to passen ne to
faylen."
"And I preie," quod I, "that faste mote thei
halden; for, whiles that thei halden, how so evere that thynges
been, I shal wel fleetyn forth and escapyn: but thou mayst wel
seen how grete apparailes and array that me lakketh, that ben
passed awey fro me."
"I have somwhat avaunced and forthred the," quod
sche,
"yif that thow anoye nat, or forthynke nat of al thy fortune.
(As who seith, I have somwhat conforted
the, so that
thou tempeste the nat thus with al thy fortune, syn thow hast yit
thy beste thynges.) But I mai nat suffren thi delices, that
pleynest the so wepynge and angwysschous for that ther lakketh
somwhat to thy welefulnesse. For what man is so sad or of so
parfite welefulnesse, that he ne stryveth and pleyneth on some
halfe
ayen the qualite of his estat? Forwhy ful anguysschous thing is
the condicioun of mannes goodes; for eyther it cometh nat
altogidre to a wyght, or elles it ne last nat perpetuel. For som
man hath gret rychesse, but he is aschamed of his ungentil
lynage; and som man is renomyd of noblesse of kynrede, but he is
enclosed in so greet angwyssche of nede of thynges that hym were
levere that he were unknowe; and som man haboundeth bothe in
rychesse and noblesse, but yit he bewayleth his chaste lyf, for
he ne hath no wyf; and som man is wel and zelily ymaried, but he
hath no children, and norissheth his rychesses to the eyres of
straunge folk; and som man is gladed with children, but he wepeth
ful sory for the trespas of his sone or of his doughter. And for
this ther ne accordeth no wyght lyghtly to the condicioun of his
fortune; for alwey to every man ther is in somwhat that,
unassayed, he ne woot nat, or elles he dredeth that he hath
assaied. And adde this also, that every weleful man hath a ful
delicaat feelynge; so that, but yif alle thynges byfalle at his
owene wil, for he is inpacient or is nat used to have noon
adversite, anoon he is throwen adoun for every litil thyng. And
ful litel thynges ben tho that withdrawen the somme or the
perfeccioun of blisfulnesse fro hem that been most fortunat. How
manye men trowestow wolde demen hemself to ben almoste in hevene,
yif thei myghten atayne to the leste partye of the remenaunt of
thi fortune? This same place that thow clepest exil is contre to
hem that enhabiten here, and forthi nothyng [is] wrecchide but
whan thou wenest it. (As who seith, thow
thiself ne
no wyght elles nis a wrecche but whanne he weneth hymself a
wrecche by reputacion of his corage.) And ayenward, alle
fortune is blisful to a man by the aggreablete or by the egalyte
of hym that
suffreth it. What man is that that is so weleful that nolde
chaunge his estat whan he hath lost pacience? The swetnesse of
mannes welefulnesse is spraynd with many bitternesses; the whiche
welefulnesse although it seme
swete and joieful to
hym that useth it, yit mai it nat ben withholden that it ne goth
awey whan it wole. Thanne is it wele seene how wrecchid is the
blisfulnesse of mortel thynges, that neyther it dureth perpetuel
with hem that every fortune resceyven agreablely or egaly, ne it
deliteth nat in al to hem that ben angwyssous.
O ye mortel folk, what seeke ye thanne blisfulnesse out of
yourself whiche that is put in yowrself? Errour and folie
confoundeth yow. I schal schewe the schortly the poynt of
soverayn blisfulnesse. Is there anythyng more precyous to the
than thiself? Thow wolt answere, 'nay.' Thanne,
yif it so be that thow art myghty over thyself (that
is to seyn, by tranquillite of thi soule), than hastow thyng
in thi powere that thow noldest nevere leesn, ne Fortune may nat
bynymen it the. And that thow mayst knowe that blisfulnesse ne
mai nat standen in thynges that ben fortunous and temporel, now
undirstond and gadere it togidre thus: yif blisfulnesse be the
soverayn good of nature that lyveth by resoun, ne thilke thyng
nys nat soverayn good that may ben taken awey in any wise (for
more worthy thyng and more dygne is thilke thyng that mai nat ben
take awey); than scheweth it wel that the unstablenesse of
fortune may nat atayne to resceyven verray blisfulnesse. And yit
more over, what man that this towmblynge welefulnesse ledeth,
eyther he woot that it is chaungeable, or elles he woot it nat.
And yif he woot it nat, what blisful fortune may ther ben in the
blyndnesse of ignoraunce? And yif he woot that it is chaungeable,
he mot alwey ben adrad that he ne lese that thyng that he ne
douteth nat but that he may leesen it (as
who seith
he mot bien alwey agast lest he lese that he woot wel he may lese
it); for whiche the contynuel drede that he hath ne suffreth
hym nat to ben weleful — or elles yif he lese it he weneth to
ben
despised and forleten. Certes eek that is a ful litel good that
is born with evene herte whan it es lost (that is
to seyn, that men do no more force of the lost than of the
havynge).
And for as moche as thow thiself art he to whom it hath be
[sewed] and proved by ful many demonstracyons, as I woot wele
that the soules of men ne mowen nat deyen in no wyse; and ek syn
it es cleer and certeyn that fortunous welefulnesse endeth by the
deth of the body; it mai nat be douted that, yif that deth may
take awey blisfulnesse, that al the kynde of mortel thyng ne
descendeth into wrecchidnesse by the ende of the deth. And syn
we knowe wel that many a man hath sought the fruyt of
blysfulnesse, nat oonly with suffrynge of deeth, but eek with
suffrynge of peynes and tormentz, how myghte thanne this present
lif make men blisful, syn that whanne thilke selve lif es ended
it ne maketh folk no wrechches?
QUISQUIS VOLET PERHENNEM CAUTUS, &c. —
Metrum 4
"What maner man stable and war, that wol fownden hym a
perdurable seete, and ne wol noght ben cast doun with the lowde
blastes of the wynd Eurus, and wole despise the see manasynge
with flodes; lat hym eschuwen to bilde on the cop of the
mountaigne, or in the moyste sandes; for the felle wynd Auster
tormenteth the cop of the mountaigne with alle hise strengthes,
and the lause sandes refusen to beren the hevy weyghte. And
forthi, yif thow wolt fleen the perilous aventure
(that is to seyn, of the werld)
have mynde certeynly
to fycchen thin hous of a myrie sete in a low stoon. For although
the wynd troublynge the see thondre with overthrowynges, thou,
that art put in quiete and weleful by strengthe of thi palys,
schalt leden a cler age, scornynge the woodnesses and the ires of
the eyr.
SET CUM RACIONUM IAM IN TE, &c. — Prosa
5
"But for as mochel as the norisschynges of my resouns
descenden now into the, I trowe it were tyme to usen a litel
strengere medicynes. Now undirstand heere; al were it so that the
yiftes of Fortune ne were noght brutel ne transitorie, what is
ther in hem that mai he thyn in any tyme, or elles that it nys
fowl, yif that
it be considered and lookyd parfitely?
Richesses ben they preciouse by the nature of hemself, or elles
by the nature of the? What is most worth of rychesses? Is it nat
gold or myght of moneye assembled? Certes thilke gold and thilke
moneye schyneth and yeveth bettre renoun to hem that dispenden
it than to thilke folk that mokeren it; for avaryce maketh alwey
mokereres to ben hated, and largesse maketh folk cleer of renoun.
For, syn that swiche thyng as is transferred fro o man to an
othir ne may nat duellen with no man, certes thanne is thilke
moneye precyous whan it is translated into other folk and
stynteth to ben had by usage of large yyvynge of hym that hath
yeven it. And also yif al the moneye that is overal in the world
were gadryd toward o man, it scholde make alle othere men to be
nedy as of that. And certes a voys al hool (that is to seyn,
withouten amenusynge) fulfilleth togydre the herynge of moche
folk. But certes your rychesses ne mowen noght passen unto moche
folk withouten amenusynge; and whan they ben apassed, nedes they
maken hem pore that forgoon tho rychesses. O streyte and nedy
clepe I this richesse, syn that many folk ne mai nat han it al,
ne al mai it nat comen to o man withoute povert of alle othere
folk. And the schynynge of gemmes (that I clepe precyous stones)
draweth it nat the eighen of folk to hem-ward (that
is to seyn, for the beautes)? But certes, yif ther were
beaute or bountee in the schynynge of stones, thilke clernesse
is of the stones hemselve, and nat of men; for whiche I wondre
gretly that men merveylen on swiche thynges. Forwhi what thyng
is it that, yif it wanteth moevynge and joynture of soule and
body, that by right myghte semen a fair creature to hym that hath
a soule of resoun? For al be it so that gemmes drawen to hemself
a litel of the laste beaute of the world thurw the entente of hir
creatour and thurw the distinccioun of hemself, yit, for as
mochel as thei ben put under yowr excellence, thei ne han nat
desserved by no way that ye schulde merveylen on hem. And the
beaute of feeldes, deliteth it nat mochel unto yow?"
Boece. "Why schulde it nat deliten us,
syn that it is a [fayr] porcioun of the ryght fair werk (that is
to seyn, of this worlde)? And right so ben we gladed somtyme of
the face of the see whan it es cleer; and also merveylen we on
the hevene, and on the sterres, and on the sonne, and on the
moone."
Philosophie. "Aperteneth," quod
sche, "any of thilke thynges to the? Why darstow glorifye the
in the shynynge of any swiche thynges? Artow distyngwed and
embelysed by the spryngynge floures of the first somer sesoun,
or swelleth thi plente in fruites of somer? Whi artow ravyssched
with idel joies? Why enbracest thow straunge goodes as they weren
thyne? Fortune ne schal nevere maken that swiche thynges ben
thyne that nature of thynges hath maked foreyne fro the. Soth is
that, withouten doute, the fruites of the erthe owen to be to the
noryssynge of beestis; and yif thow wilt fulfille thyn nede after
that it suffiseth to nature, thanne is it no nede that thow seke
aftir the superfluyte of fortune. For [with] fewe thynges and
with ful litel thynges nature halt hir apayed; and yif thow wolt
achoken the fulfillynge of nature with superfluytees, certes
thilke thynges that thow wolt thresten or powren into nature
schulle ben unjoyeful to the, or elles anoyous. Wenestow eek that it be
a fair thyng to schyne with diverse clothynge? Of whiche
clothynge yif the beaute he aggreable to loken uppon, I wol
merveylen on the nature of the matiere of thilke clothes, or
elles on the werkman that wroughte hem. But also a long route of
meyne, maketh that a blisful man? The whiche servantz yif thei
ben vicyous of condyciouns, it is a gret charge and a
destruccioun to the hous, and a gret enemy to the lord hymself;
and yif they ben gode men, how schal straunge or foreyne
goodnesse ben put in the nowmbre of thi richesse? So that by alle
thise forseide thynges it es cleerly schewed, that nevere oon of
thilke thynges that thou acountedest for thyne goodes nas nat thi
good.
"In the whiche thynges yif ther be no beaute to ben
desired, why scholdestow ben sory
yif thou leese hem, or whi scholdestow rejoysen the for to holden hem? For yif thei
ben faire of hir owene kynde, what aperteneth that to the? For
al so wel scholde they han ben fayre by hemselve, though thei
were departed fro alle thyne rychesses. Forwhy fair ne precyous
were thei nat for that thei comen among thi rychesses; but for
they semeden fair and precyous, therfore thou haddest levere
rekne hem among thi rychesses. But what desirestow of Fortune
with so greet a noyse and with so greet [affraie]? I trowe thou
seeke to dryve awey nede with habundaunce of thynges, but certes
it turneth to you al in the contrarie. Forwhy certes it nedeth
of ful manye helpynges to kepyn the diversite of precious
ostelementz; and sooth it es that of many thynges han they nede,
that many thynges han; and ayenward of litel nedeth hem that
mesuren hir fille after the nede of kynde, and nat after the
oultrage of covetyse.
"Is it thanne so, that ye men ne han no propre good iset
in yow, for whiche ye mooten seke outward your goodes in foreyne
and subgit thynges? So is thanne the condicion of thynges turned
up-so-doun, that a man, that is a devyne beest be meryte of his
resoun, thynketh that hymself nys neyther fair ne noble but yif
it be thurw possessioun of ostelementz that ne han no soules. And
certes alle othere thynges ben apayed of hir owene beautes, but
ye men that ben semlable to God by yowr resonable thought,
desiren to apparailen your excellent kynde of the loweste
thynges; ne ye undirstanden nat how greet a wrong ye don to
your creatour. For he wolde that mankynde were moost wurthy and
noble of any othere erthly thynges, and ye thresten adoun yowre
dignytes bynethen the loweste thynges. For yif that al the good
of every thyng be more precyous than is thilke thyng whos that
the good es, syn ye demen that the fowleste thynges ben your
goodes, thanne submitten ye and putten yourselven undir the
fouleste thynges by your estimacioun; and certes this betydeth
nat withouten your desert. For certes swiche is the condicioun
of alle mankynde, that oonly whan it hath knowynge of itself,
thanne passeth it in noblesse alle othere thynges; and whan it
forletith the knowynge of itself, thanne is it brought bynethen
alle beestes. Forwhi alle othere lyvynge beestes han of kynde to
knowe nat hemself; but whan that men leeten the knowynge of
hemself it cometh hem of vice. But how broode scheweth the errour
and the folie of yow men, that wenen that anythyng mai ben
apparailed with straunge apparailementz! But forsothe that mai
nat be done. For yif a wyght schyneth with thynges that ben put
to hym (as thus, yif thilke thynges schynen with
whiche a man is aparayled), certes thilke thynges ben
comended and preysed
with whiche he is apparayled; but natheles, the thyng that is
covered and wrapped under that duelleth in his felthe.
"And I denye that thilke thyng be good that anoyeth hym
that hath it. Gabbe I of this? Thow wolt sey
'nay.' Sertes rychesses
han anoyed ful ofte hem that han tho rychesses, syn that every
wikkide schrewe — and for his wikkidnesse the more gredy aftir
othir folkes rychesses, wher so evere it be in ony place, be it
gold or precyous stones — [weneth] hym oonly most worthy that hath
hem. Thow thanne, that so bysy dredest now the swerd and the
spere, yif thou haddest entred in the path of this lif a voyde
weyfarynge man, thanne woldestow syngen byfor the theef. (As
who seith, a pore man that bereth no rychesse on hym by the weie
may boldely synge byforn theves, for he hath nat whereof to be
robbed.) O precyous and ryght cleer is the blisfulnesse of
mortel rychesses, that, whan thow hast geten it, thanne hastow
lorn thi sekernesse!
FELIX NIMIUM PRIOR ETAS. — Metrum 5
"Blisful was the firste age of men. They heelden hem
apayed with the metes that the trewe feeldes broughten forth.
They ne destroyeden ne desseyvede nat hemself with outrage. They
weren wont lyghtly to slaken hir hungir at even with accornes of
ookes. They ne coude nat medle the yift of Bachus to the cleer
hony (that is to seyn, they coude make no
pyement
or clarree), ne they coude nat medle the bryghte fleezes of
the contre of Seryens with the venym of Tyrie (this
to seyn, thei coude nat deyen white fleezes of Syrien
contre with the blood of a maner schellefyssche that men fynden
in Tirie, with whiche blood men deyen purpre). They slepen
holsome slepes uppon the gras, and dronken of the rennynge
watres, and layen undir the schadwes of the heye pyn-trees. Ne
no gest ne straunger ne karf yit the heye see with oores or with
schipes; ne thei ne hadden seyn yit none newe stroondes to leden
marchandise into diverse contrees. Tho weren the cruele claryouns
ful hust and ful stille. Ne blood ischad by egre hate ne hadde
nat deyed yit armures. For wherto or which woodnesse of enemys
wolde first moeven armes whan thei seyen cruele wowndes, ne none
medes be of blood ischad? I wolde that our tymes sholde torne
ayen to the oolde maneris! But the anguysschous love of havynge
brenneth in folk more cruely than the fyer of the mountaigne of
Ethna that ay brenneth. Allas! What was he that first dalf up the
gobbettes or the weyghtes of gold covered undir erthe and the
precyous stones that wolden han he hydd? He dalf up precious
periles. (That is to seyn, that he that
hem firsst
up dalf he dalf up a precious peril; for-why, for the
preciousnesse of swich thyng hath many man ben in
peril.)
QUID AUTEM DE DIGNITATIBUS. — Prosa 6
"But what schal I seye of dignytes and of powers, the
whiche ye men, that neither knowen verray dignyte ne verray
powere,
areysen hem as heyghe as the hevene? The whiche dignytees and
poweres yif thei comen to any wikkid man, thei doon as greet
damages and destrucciouns as doothe the flaumbe of the mountaigne
Ethna whan the flaumbe walweth up, ne no deluge ne doth so cruele
harmes. Certes the remembreth wel, as I trowe, that thilke
dignyte that men clepyn the imperie of consulers, the whiche that
whilom was begynnynge of fredom, yowr eldres coveyteden to han
don awey that dignyte for the pride of the consulers. And ryght
for the same pride yowr eldres byforn that tyme hadden doon awey
out of the cite of Rome the kynges name (that is to
seyn, thei nolden han no lengere no kyng).
"But now, if so be that dignytees and poweris ben yyven
to gode men, the whiche thyng is ful zelde, what aggreable
thynges is ther in tho dignytees or powers but oonly the
goodnesse of folk that usen hem? And therfore it is thus that
honour ne cometh nat to vertu for cause of dygnite, but,
ayenward, honour cometh to dignyte for cause of vertu. But whiche
is thilke your derworthe power that is so cleer and so
requerable? O, ye erthliche bestes, considere ye nat over whiche
thyng that it semeth that ye han power? Now yif thou saye a mows
among othere mysz that chalanged to hymself-ward ryght and power
over alle othere mysz, how gret scorn woldestow han of it!
](Glosa. So fareth it by men [that the
wikkid men
have power over the wikkid men; that is to seye], the body hath
power over the body.) For yif thou looke wel upon the body
of a
wyght, what thyng schaltow fynde more freele than is mankynde;
the whiche men ful ofte ben slayn with bytynge of smale flyes,
or elles with the entrynge of crepynge wormes into the pryvetees
of mannes body? But whet schal men fynden any man that mai
exercen or haunten any ryght upon another man, but oonly on his
body, or elles upon thynges that ben lowere than the body, the
whiche I clepe fortunous possessiouns? Maystow evere have any
comaundement over a free corage? Maystowe remuwen fro the estat
of his propre reste a thought that is clyvynge togidre in hymself
by stedfast resoun? As whilom a tyraunt wende to confownde a fre
man of corage, and wende to constreyne hym by
torment to maken hym discoveren and accusen folk that wisten of
a conjuracioun (which I clepe a
confederacye)
that was cast ayens this tyraunt; but this fre man boot of his
owene tonge, and caste it in the visage of thilk wode tyraunt.
So that the tormentz that this tyraunt wende to han maked matere
of cruelte, this wise man maked it matere of vertu. But what
thing is it that a man may doon to an other man, that he ne may
resceyven the same thyng of
other folk in hymself?
(Or thus: what may a man don to folk,
that folk ne
may don hym the same?) I have herd told of Busyrides, that
was wont to sleen his gestes that herberweden in his hous, and
he was slayn hymself of Ercules that was his gest. Regulus hadde
taken in bataile manye men of Affryke and cast hem into feteres,
but sone after he most yyve hise handes to ben bownde with the
cheynes of hem that he hadde whilom overcomen. Wenestow thanne
that he be myghty that hath no power to doon a thyng that othere
ne mai doon in hym that he doth in othere?
"And yit moreover, yif it so were that thise dygnytes or
poweris hadden any propre or naturel goodnesse in hemself, nevere
nolde they comen to schrewes. For contrarious thynges ne ben nat
wont to ben ifelaschiped togydre. Nature refuseth that
contrarious thynges ben ijoygned. And so, as I am in certeyn that
ryght wykkyd folk han dignytees ofte tyme, thanne scheweth it wel
that dignytees and poweres ne ben nat gode of hir owene kynde,
syn that they suffren hemselve to cleven or joynen hem to
schrewes. And certes the same thyng mai I most digneliche juggen
and seyn of alle the yiftes of Fortune that most plentevously
comen to schrewes. Of the whiche yiftes I trowe that it oughte
ben considered, that no man douteth that he ne is strong in whom
he seeth strengthe; and in whom that swyftnesse is, sooth it is
that he is swyft; also musyke maketh mucisyens, and phisyk maketh
phisicyeens, and rethoryke, rethoriens. Forwhy the nature of
every thyng maketh his proprete, ne it is nat entremedlyd with
the effectz of contrarious thynges, and as of wil it chaseth out
thynges that to it ben contrarie. But certes rychesse mai nat
restreyne avarice unstaunched; ne power ne maketh nat a man
myghty over hymselve, whiche that vicyous lustes holden
destreyned with cheynes that ne mowen nat ben unbownden. And
dignytees that ben yyven to schrewide folk nat oonly ne maketh
hem nat digne, but it scheweth rather al opynly that they been
unworthy and undigne. And whi is it thus? Certes for ye han joie
to clepen thynges with false names, that beren hem al in the
contrarie; the whiche names ben ful [ethe] reproved by the effect
of the same thynges; so that thise ilke rychesses ne oughten nat
by ryghte to ben cleped rychesses, ne swyche power ne aughte nat
ben clepyd power, ne swiche dignyte ne aughte nat ben clepyd
dignyte. And at the laste, I may conclude the same thyng of alle
the yyftes of Fortune, in whiche ther nys nothyng to ben desired,
ne that hath in hymselve naturel bownte, as it es ful wel yseene.
For neither thei ne joygnen hem nat alwey to gode men, ne maken
hem alwey gode to whom they been ijoyned.
NOVIMUS QUANTAS DEDERIT. — Metrum 6
"We han wel knowen how many grete harmes and destrucciouns weren
idoon by the emperour Nero. He leet brennen the cite of Rome, and made
sleen the senatours; and he cruel whilom sloughe his brothir, and he
was maked moyst with the blood of his modir (that is to seyn, he leet
sleen and slitten the body of his modir to seen wher he was conceyved);
and he lookede on every halve uppon hir cold deed body, ne no teer ne
wette his face, but he was so hardherted that he myghte ben domesman or
juge of hir dede beaute. And natheles yit governed this Nero by septre
alle the peples that Phehus, the sonne, may seen, comynge fro his
uttreste arysynge til he hide his bemes undir the wawes. (That is to seyn he governede al the peples by ceptre imperial
that the sonne goth aboute from est to west.) And ek this Nero
governyde by ceptre alle the peples that ben undir the colde sterres
that highten the septemtryones. (This is to seyn he
governede alle the peples that ben under the partye of the north.)
And eek Nero governede alle the peples that the vyolent wynd Nothus
scorklith, and baketh the brennynge sandes by his drye heete (that is to seyn,
al the peples
in the south). But yit ne myghte nat al his heie power torne the woodnesse of this
wikkid Nero? Allas! It is grevous fortune as ofte as wikkid sweerd is
joyned to cruel venym (that is to seyn, venymows cruelte
to lordschipe)."
TUM EGO SCIS INQUAM. — Prosa 7
Thanne seyde I thus: "Thow woost wel thiselve that the
covetise of mortel thynges ne hadde nevere lordschipe of me, but
I have wel desired matere of thynges to done (as who seith, I
desirede to have matiere of governaunce over comunalites), for
vertue stille sholde nat elden (that is to seyn,
that list that or he waxe oold, his vertu, that lay now ful
stille, ne schulde nat perysshe unexercised in governaunce of
comune, for whiche men myghten speken or wryten of his gode
governement)."
>Philosophie. "For sothe," quod sche,
"and that is [o] thyng that mai drawen to governaunce swiche
hertes as ben worthy and noble of hir nature, but natheles it may
nat drawen or tollen
swiche hertes as ben ibrought to the ful perfeccioun of vertue;
that is to seyn, covetise of glorie and renoun to han wel
adminystred the comune thynges, or doon gode desertes to profyt
of the comune. For see now and considere how litel and how voyde
of alle prys is thylk glorye. Certeyn thyng es, as thou hast
leerned by the demonstracioun of astronomye, that al the
envyrounynge of the erthe aboute ne halt but the resoun of a
prykke at regard of the gretnesse of hevene; that is to seyn
that, yif ther were maked comparysoun of the erthe to the
gretnesse of hevene, men wolde juggen in al that the erthe ne
heelde no space. Of the whiche litel regioun of this world, the
ferthe partye is enhabited with lyvynge beestes that we knowen,
as thou hast thyselve leerned by Tholome that proveth it. And yif
thow haddest withdrawen and abated in thy thought fro thilke
ferthe partie as moche space as the see and the mareys contene
and overgoon, and as moche space as the regioun of drowghte
overstreccheth (that is to seyn, sandes and
desertes), wel unnethe sholde ther duellen a ryght streyte
place to the
habitacioun of men. And ye thanne, that ben envyrouned and closed
withynne the leeste prykke of thilke prykke, thynken ye to
manyfesten or publisschen your renoun and doon yowr name for to
he born forth? But yowr glorye that is so narwe and so streyt
ithrungen into so litel bowndes, how mochel conteneth it in
largesse and in greet doynge? And also set this therto: that
manye a nacioun, diverse of tonge and of maneris and ek of resoun
of hir lyvynge, ben enhabited in the cloos of thilke lytel
habitacle; to the whiche nacyons, what for difficulte of weyes,
and what for diversite of langages, and what for defaute of
unusage [of] entrecomunynge of marchandise, nat oonly the names
of synguler men ne may nat strecchen, but eek the fame of citees
ne may nat strecchen. At the laste, certes, in the tyme of Marcus
Tulyus, as hymselve writ in his book, that the renoun of the
comune of Rome ne hadde nat yit passid ne clomben over the
montaigne that highte Caucasus; and yit was thilke tyme Rome wel
waxen, and greetly redouted of the Parthes and eek of the othere
folk enhabitynge aboute. Seestow nat thanne how streyte and how
compressid is thilke glorie that ye travailen aboute to schewe
and to multeplye? May thanne the glorie of a synguler Romeyn
strecchen thider as the fame of the name of Rome may nat clymben
ne passen? And ek seestow nat that the maneris of diverse folk
and ek hir lawes ben discordaunt among hemselve, so that thilke
thyng that som men juggen worthy of preysynge, other folk juggen
that it is worthy of torment? And therof comyth it that, though
a man delyte hym in preysynge of his renoun, he ne mai nat in no
wyse bryngen forthe ne spreden his name to many manere peples.
And therfore every maner man aughte to ben apayed of his glorie
that is publysschid among his owene neyghebours; and thilke noble
renoun schal ben restreyned withynne the boundes of o manere
folk.
"But how many a man, that was ful noble in his
tyme, hath the wrecchid and nedy foryetynge of writeris put out
of mynde and doon awey; al be it so that, certes, thilke
wrytynges profiten litel, the whiche writynges long and dirk
eelde doth awey, bothe hem and ek hir auctours! But yow men
semeth to geten yow a perdurablete, whan ye thynken that in tyme
comynge your fame schal lasten. But natheles yif thow wolt maken
comparysoun to the endles spaces of eternyte, what thyng hastow
by whiche thow mayst rejoisen the of long lastynge of thi name?
For yif ther were makyd comparysoun of the abydynge of a moment
to ten thowsand wynter, for as mochel as bothe tho spaces ben
endyd, [yit] hath the moment som porcioun of it, although it
litel be. But natheles thilke selve nowmbre of yeeris, and eek
as many yeris as therto mai be multiplyed, ne mai nat certes be
comparysoned to the perdurablete that is endlees; for of thinges
that han ende may ben maked comparysoun, but of thynges that ben
withouten ende to thynges that han ende may be makid no
comparysoun. And forthi is it that, although renome, of as longe
tyme as evere the list to thynken, were thought to the regard of
eternyte, that is unstaunchable and infynyt, it ne sholde nat
only semen litel, but pleynliche ryght noght.
"But ye men, certes, ne konne doon no thyng aryght, but
yif it be for the audience of peple and for idel rumours; and ye
forsaken the grete worthynesse of conscience and of vertu, and
ye seeken yowr gerdouns of the smale wordes of straunge folk.
Have now here and undirstand, in the lyghtnesse of swiche pryde
and veyne glorye, how a man scornede festyvaly and myriely swich
vanyte. Whilom ther was a man that hadde [assaillede] with
stryvynge wordes another man, the whiche, nat for usage of verray
vertu but for proud veyn glorie, had taken upon hym falsly the
name of a philosophre. This rather man that I spak of thoughte
he wolde assaie where he, thilke, were a philosophre or no; that
is to seyn, yif that he wolde han suffride lyghtly in pacience
the wronges that weren doon unto hym. This feynede philosophre
took pacience a litel while; and whan he hadde resceyved wordes
of outrage, he, as in stryvynge ayen and rejoysynge of hymself,
seide at the laste ryght thus: 'Undirstondistow nat that
I am a philosophre?' The tother man answerede ayen ful
bytyngely and seyde: 'I hadde wel undirstonden it yif thou
haddest
holde thi tonge stille.'
"But what is it to thise noble worthy men (for, certes,
of swych folk speke I) that seken glorie with vertue? What is
it?" quod sche. "What atteyneth fame to swiche folk, whan
the body is resolved by the deeth at the laste? For if it so be
that men dyen in all (that is to seyen, body and soule), the
whiche thing our reson defendeth us to byleeven, thanne is ther
no glorie in no wyse; for what schulde thilke glorie ben, whan
he, of whom thilke glorie is seyd to be, nys ryght naught in no
wise? And yif the soule, whiche that hath in itself science of
gode werkes, unbownden fro the prysone of the erthe, weendeth
frely to the hevene, despiseth it nat thanne al erthly ocupacioun;
and
[usynge] hevene rejoyseth that it is exempt fro alle erthly
thynges? (As who seith, thanne rekketh the soule of no glorye of
renoun of this world.)
QUICUMQUE SOLAM MENTE. — Metrum 7
"Whoso that with overthrowynge thought oonly seketh glorie
of fame, and weneth that it be sovereyn good, lat hym looke upon
the brode schewynge contrees of the hevene, and upon the streyte sete
of this erthe; and he schal he asschamed of the encres of his
name, that mai nat fulfille the litel compas of the erthe. O,
what coveyten proude folk to lyften up hir nekkes on idel in the
dedly yok of this world? For although that renoun ysprad,
passynge to ferne peples, goth by diverse tonges; and although
that greet houses or kynredes shynen with cleer titles of
honours; yit natheles deth despiseth al heye glorie of fame, and
deth wrappeth togidre the heyghe heved and the lowe, and maketh
egal and evene the heygheste to the loweste. Where wonen now the
bones of trewe Fabricius?
What is now Brutus or
stierne Catoun? The thynne fame yit lastynge of here idel names
is marked with a fewe lettres. But althoughe that we han knowen
the fayre wordes of the fames of hem, it is nat yyven to knowen
hem that ben dede and consumpt. Liggeth thanne stille, al outrely
unknowable, ne fame ne maketh yow nat knowe. And yif ye wene to
lyve the lengere for wynd of yowr mortel name whan o cruel day
schal ravyssche yow, than is
the seconde deth duellynge unto yow." (Glose.
The first deeth he clepeth here departynge of the body and the
soule, and the seconde deth he clepeth as here the styntynge of
the renoun of fame.)
SET NE ME INEXORABILE. — Prosa 8
"But for as mochel as thow schalt nat wenen," quod
sche, "that I bere an untretable batayle ayens Fortune, yit
somtyme it byfalleth that sche desceyvable desserveth to han
ryght good thank of men. And that is whan sche hirself opneth,
and whan sche discovereth hir frownt and scheweth hir maneris.
Peraventure yit undirstandestow nat that I schal seie. It is a
wonder that I desire to telle, and forthi unnethe may I unplyten
my sentence with wordes. For I deme that contrarious Fortune
profiteth more to men than Fortune debonayre. For alwey, whan
Fortune semeth debonayre, thanne sche lieth, falsly byhetynge the
hope of welefulnesse; but forsothe contraryous Fortune is alwey
sothfast, whan sche scheweth hirself unstable thurw hir
chaungynge. The
amyable Fortune desceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth.
The amyable Fortune byndeth with the beaute of false goodes the
hertes of folk that usen hem: the contrarye Fortune unbyndeth hem
by the knowynge of freel welefulnesse. The amyable Fortune
maystow seen alwey wyndy and flowynge, and evere mysknowynge of
hirself; the contrarie Fortune is atempre and restreyned and wys
thurw exercise of hir adversite. At the laste, amyable Fortune
with hir flaterynges draweth myswandrynge men fro the sovereyne
good; the contrarious Fortune ledeth ofte folk ayen to sothfast
goodes, and haleth hem ayen as with an hook. Wenestow thanne that
thow augghtest to leeten this a litel thyng, that this aspre and
horrible Fortune hath discovered to the the thoughtes of thi
trewe freendes? Forwhy this ilke Fortune hath departed and
uncovered to the bothe the certein visages and eek the doutous
visages of thi felawes. Whan she departed awey fro the, she took
awey hir freendes and lefte the thyne freendes. Now whanne thow
were ryche and weleful, as the semede, with how mochel woldestow
han bought the fulle knowynge of thys (that is to seyn, the
knowynge of thyne verray freendes)? Now pleyne the nat thanne of
rychesse ylorn, syn thow hast fownden the moste precyous kynde
of rychesses, that is to seyn, thi verray freendes.
QUOD MUNDUS STABILI FIDE. — Metrum 8
"That the world with stable feyth varieth accordable
chaungynges; that the contrarious qualites of elementz holden
among hemself allyaunce perdurable; that Phebus, the sonne, with
his goldene chariet bryngeth forth the rosene day; that the moone
hath comaundement over the nyghtes, whiche nyghtes Esperus, the
eve-sterre, hath brought; that the see, gredy to flowen,
constreyneth with a certein eende his floodes, so that it is nat
leveful to strecche his brode termes or bowndes uppon the erthes
(that is to seyn, to coveren al the erthe) — al this accordaunce
[and] ordenaunce of thynges is bounde with love, that governeth
erthe and see, and hath also comandement to the hevene. And yif
this love slakede the bridelis, alle thynges that now loven hem
togidres wolden make batayle contynuely, and stryven to fordo the
fassoun of this world, the which they now leden in accordable
feith by fayre moevynges. This love halt togidres peples joyned
with an holy boond, and knytteth sacrement of mariages of chaste
loves; and love enditeth lawes to trewe felawes. O weleful were
mankynde, yif thilke
love that governeth hevene governede yowr
corages."
Explicit Liber Secundus
