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| Fragment II (Group B1). |
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| Rage. |
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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
"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
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
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
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,
"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
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
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
"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
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
"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,
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?
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
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