Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae :: :: University of Virginia Library

Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae

Translated by John Walton ... Edited with introduction, notes and glossary by Mark Science

Walton, John

[section]

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INCIPIT PROLOGUS EIUSDEM SUPER LIBRUM BOECIJ

INCIPIT LIBER BOECIJ DE CONSOLACIONE PHILOSOPHIE

[INCIPIT LIBER PRIMUS]

INNICIJ PATRICIJ TORQUACI BOECIJ EX CONSULIS DE CONSOLACIONE INCIPIT LIBER SECUNDUS

INCIPIT LIBER TERCIUS

PREFACIO TRANSLATORIS IN LIBRUM QUARTUM ET QUINTUM

INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS

[INCIPIT LIBER QUINTUS]

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INNICIJ PATRICIJ TORQUACI BOECIJ EX CONSULIS DE CONSOLACIONE INCIPIT LIBER SECUNDUS

[Prosa ja]

1.

Than after this astound sche helde hire stille
And when sche wiþ a-tempre[d] stil[le]nesse
Had seen þat myn entencioun and my will
Was set to listen all with sobernesse,
Thus sche began if it be as I gesse:
Quod sche ‘þat I the cause and grounde knawe,
Lo all þe habit of thyn heuynesse
I can the tellen fully as I trawe.

2.

In thy desire þou sorwest and compleynest
Vpon fortune þat with þe was a while,
Wiche now þat hath peruerted, as þou feynest,
Þe state of þy corage in þis exile.
I vndirstonde hire wrenches and hire wile
Of þilke fortune wonderly disgised,
Wiche vnto þaym whom þat hire lust begile,
Noght first in þe bot evir sche haþ them vsed.

3.

Sche wil be plesant and famyliere,
Full blaundischyng in chere and debonaire,
Til þat hire like for to chaunge hire chere
And atte laste for-lete hem in despeyre
And out of hope þat [n]euer sche wil repayre;
If þat þou knewe hire kynde and hire desert,
Þat þou be hire ne haddest nothing faire
Ne noþing lost, þow scholdest knowe apert.

4.

But as I trowe wiþouten gret trauaile
I schal reuoken þis to thy science;
For þou were wont to hurtlen and assaile
With manful wordes drawen out of my sentence,
Whan þat sche blaundischyng in thy presence
Sche plesid the; but certayn soth is þis,
Þer fa[l]leþ neuer suche sodeyn chaungementes
[But] þat youre corage somwhat chaunged is.

5.

So is it now befallen, it is no nay,
Þat þou art put out of tranquillite.
But tyme is þe to tasten and assay
Som softe þing þat swete and lusty be,

Þat whan it haþ his deuer done in the,
I hope it schal þe menden and dispose,
Þat strenger[e] drinkes mowe haue þaire entre
Þat schal þe helpen vp as I suppose.

6.

Com forth now swetnes rethorien
Wiþ sotilte of suasioun
Wiche only þenne thi weies canst demene
When thow ne leuest oure institucioun.
Musik also wiþ swetnesse of thi sown,
Þat art a damysele of oure awne house,
Attempre wel thi tunes vp and doun
Þat to þis man may be deliciouse.

7.

What is the, man, where-of mayst þou compleyne?
What is þe cause of all þy heuynesse?
Som newe or vnkouth þinges hastow seyne?
Fortune agayn þe only turned is?
Now trowest þow so, than errest þow iwisse,
For all-[wey] suche hire maners haue be.
Bot sche haþ in the keped hir stabilnesse,
Þat stondeþ alway in mutabilite.

8.

Right suche sche was wiþ all hire blaundischinges
When sche suche feyned chere gan to make,

To make þe lusten in thise worldly þinges
Þat passen right as done þese cloudes blake.
Attaynt þat blynde goddes hast þou take
With double face of doutfull auenture,
For sche it is þat haþ þe now forsake
Of whos[e] frendschip may no man be sure.

9.

If þou appreue in thyn opinioun
Þat sche is good and all to þy plesaunce,
Lo take in worth þan hire condicioun,
And vse hire most tho[u] wiþ hire variance.
Compleyn þe noght, make no contrariance,
And if þou grise[st] of hire treccherie,
Than cast hire of, despice here wiþ meschaunce
Þat [to] play is wont so harmfullye.

10.

The cause þat now hath the wiþ sorwe schent
Lo schulde be cause of pees and lustynesse.
Sche haþ þe left, þe wiche, or sche be went,
There is no man þat may haue sekirnesse.
And holdest þow þis as for a wilfulnesse
Of preciouste þat þus away schal slyde?

And now so dere to þe þe presence is
Of þis fortune vnfeithfully to abide!

11.

And when sche goth, to mourne sche ȝow makeþ,
Sith holden at ȝoure will sche wol noght be.
Sche l[e]ueþ hem wrecches wiche þat sche forsakeþ;
Sche nys noght elles þenne, as semeþ me,
Þat so vncertaynly will fro ȝow flee,
Bot signe of meschief þat schal after falle.
Than is it noght, all ȝoure felicite,
Noght but a fantom þat ȝe seken alle.

12.

For it sufficeþ noght, I þe ensure,
Only to seen on þing þat is present;
Prudence the ende [of] þinges doþ mesure;
For-why þis dyuers enterchaungement
Fro wele to woo þat fortune hath þe sent
Schulde techen the hire malice noght to drede,
Ne to hire blaundisshe take right none entent;
hire faire byheste take no manere hede.

13.

For at þe laste þe behoueþ nede,
Sith þou hast ones in hir ȝok i-drawe,
Susteyne[n] all þat fortune will þe bede
With esy herte and stond þy lady awe.

And if thow to þy lady write a lawe
To come or goon after þy gouernaunce,
Thi labour all availeþ not an hawe,
Thow wrongest hire wiþ þyn vnsuff[e]raunce.

14.

Now suffre þan and take it noght so straunge
Lest þou hire fiersnesse in hire wraþþe fynde,
And scharp thi sorte wiche þou ne might not chaunge
Þow myght noght hir compellen out of kynde,
For if þou haue thi sayle vp in þe wynde,
This wotest þow wel, it helpeþ noght to stryue;
What-euer þou haue purposed in þy mynde,
Thow must there as þe weder wil þe dryue.

15.

If þou thy corne wilt in þe feldes sowe
It may not wexen as þy wittes feyne;
For in þy wit þou might wel þinke and knowe
Som ȝere [i]s plentevous and som bareyne,
And for to growe þou might it nought constreyne.
And if it faile þere-to what myght þou done?

How euer it be, to whom schalt þou complayne?
Let nature þan hire-self þer-with allone.

16.

Thow hast þe put vnder þe gouernaunce
Of fortune lo, sche muste þy lady bee.
Vnto hire maners owest þou obeyssaunce,
And if þou purpose to enforce thee
To stynte hir whele of mutabilite
Of alle fooles ȝit art þou the meste;
For when fortune stondeþ in stabilite,
Þe name of fortune may no lenger leste.

Metrum jm

Cum hec superba.

1.

When sche, þis fortune, wiþ hire hondes proute
Hire stoundes haþ i-chaunged to and fro,
As Euripys þat renneþ yn and oute,
So wondirly hire wheel begynnyth go.
Full ryall kynges cast sche doun in woo,
Wiche þat somtyme many a man gan drede.
And tho þat leyn discomfyt and vndo,
Lo this[e] vnworthy liften vp þaire hede.

2.

Sche þ[u]s of wrecchis haþ right no pite
Thogh þat þei waile and wepen day and nyght.

Sche skorneþ eke, so wondir hard is sche,
Þe wailynge þat hire-seluen haþ hem dight.
Lo þus sche pleyeth, þus preueþ sche hir myght,
To hire seruantes schewynge many a wonder;
For he þat in his welthe was now right,
Wiþ-yn a while he is [i]casten vnder.

Prosa ija

Vellem autem tecum.

1.

Me lust a litell pleten now wiþ the
Wiþ likly wordes as fortune may.
Axeþ sche right? Now loke þi-self and see.
Me semeþ wel suche wordes myght sche say:
“What is þe man compleynyng euery day?
What haue I gilt? What wrong haue I the done?
What good of thyne haue I beraft away
þat was thyn owne? I schal answere þe sone.

2.

Assigne thow and I schal sone appere
Byfore a iuge þat can þis case redresse,
And if þou canst thi purpose preuen clere,
Of hye estate, richesse and worþynesse,
To any man þat lyueth in dedlynesse,
Þat [t]hise þinges schulde apreued be,

And certanly I schal þe graunte expresse
Þat þyn it was what now þou askest me.

3.

When þat nature into þis worlde þe broght
Out fro þy moder wher þat þou began,
I took þe nedy, naked, and wiþ noght,
And I þe norished wiþ my goodes þan,
And all wiþ fauour norished þe to man.
Wherfore inpacient I fynde þe now.
Haue I the wronged? Say me if þou can,
In wiche poyntes, wherewiþ, and as how.

4.

With alle goodes þat longeþ to my right
I had the fully fret wiþ habundaunce.
Why schuld it noght be fully in my myght,
As fro þe same wiche I my-self avaunce,
My hand wiþdrawen after my plesaunce?
The oys þou haddest þat was of my grace,
It was noght thyne; take it in no greuaunce;
Thow hast no right to pleyne[n] in þis case.

5.

Whi waylest þou? I do þe no duresse
Ne violence as euery man may [tr]owen.

Well likeþ me suche honour and richesse,
Wher þat me lust my right is to bestowen.
þe meyne nedes muste hire lady knowen.
With me þei come and wiþ me must hem wende.
This dar I seie, if þey had ben thyn owne,
Thow myghtest neuer haue lost hem in þis kende.

6.

Where I be sche þat onely am forhight
To execute þe custome of my lawe?
Sith heuen may þe dayes maken bright,
At derk[e] nyght he may his light wiþdrawe;
[The] yeere also þe erþe may be-strawe
Wiþ floures and þeym eft wiþ wynter schende;
The see may now be pleyn wiþouten wawe,
And now wiþ styffe stormes turne and wende.

7.

But þilke vnholsom mannes couetise
Now wolde me vnto stabilnesse bynde
Aȝeyn myn owne manere and my wise.
But þis my might is, þis play is my kynde:
My swyft[e] wheel þus vp and down I wynde,
Þe hye wiþ lowe to entirchaungen ofte.

That now beforne is, eft must be behynde;
Þat now is low, me lust to set on lofte.

8.

Now worth vpon my wheel if þat þe lyst,
But vpon couenant, as I schal þe say,
Thou must descend aȝeyn, þerto þou trist,
Whan þat þe resoun axeþ of my play.
Ne knew þow noght my maners or þis day?
How Cresus þat was clepid kyng of Lyde
Þat Cyrus often feryd wiþ a fray,
Yit Cyrus took hym in his most[e] pride,

9.

And in þe fuyre he caste hym for to brenne?
Lo how þe effecte was turned to reuerse!
A litel reyne defended hym fro þenne.
What fell hym after bookes done reherse.
And when þat Paule had take þe kyng of Perse,
This Poule vpon hym wepid for pure pitee;
Wiche crieth alle tragedenus verse
But pleyneth al on myne instabilite.

10.

They wepen þat so sodenly I smyte
And welthfull rewmes ofte I ouerþrowe.

Thow lerned þis when þou were ȝong and lyte;
Thow hast noght forgeten, as I trowe,
Þat Jubiter two tonnes had bestowe,
Wiþ-yn the threschfold of his celar laied.
Þe tone was good wyn euery man to knowe,
Þat other noght; now hast þow boþe assaied.

11.

And what ȝy[f] more plente þou hast i-take
Ȝit of þi better part of lustynesse?
What if I ȝit noght þe haue all forsake?
What if so be þat myn vnstabilnesse
May gif the hope of better after þis?
For-why dismay the noþing in þi þoght,
No[r] here wiþ-yn þe rewme þat commyn is,
Thy propre lawe to vse coueite þow noght.

Metrum ijm.

Si quantas rapid[i]s.

1.

Thowgh plente, wiche þat cleped is goddesse
Of worldly goodes, cast on ȝow attones
As many habundaunces of richesse
Lo as þe see haþ smale grauel stones,
Oþer as sterres when full many on es
Ful clerly schynyng in a lusty euen,

Yit lo þis mankynde of þaire rewful mones
Ne þeyre compleyntes couthe þei not bileuen.

2.

And þogh þat god of hys benignyte
Theyre prayer heer, and gladly wolde hem plese,
And of his gode graunte hem gret plente,
Richesse & honour fully to þayre ese,
Theyre couetise ȝit may þer noþing pese;
Theire cruell raveyn gapeþ after more,
And euer þei be compleynyng of disese,
Settynge at noght al þat þei had before.

3.

What maner brydell myght a man devise
This wrecchid lust to rulen and restreyne
To þise vnþrifty mennes couetise,
Þat evire þe more þey haue þe more þei pleyne?
The þrist of hauynge brenneþ hem wiþ peyne.
For he þat nedeles so ferfull is,
And wayleþ so forsoþe, I dar it seyne,
He nys noght riche þogh all þe worlde were his.”

Prosa iija

hijs igitur.

1.

If fortune myghte for hire-selfe sayne
Right in þis wise as I haue seid to the,
Thow hast noght what o word to speke agayne;
And if þou hast, now seie it vnto me.

Defende þi quarel if þou canst lat see;
Thow schalt ben herd til þat þou haue rehersed,
And if þou kannest noght, let þi pleyntes be.
Vnlawful quarell oweth to ben amersed.’

2.

“Certeyn,” quod I, “full faire is þis to here
Of rethoryk all full of hony swete,
Whiche onely while þey sowneþ in myn ere
They lusteþ well, but sone it is forgete.
For my disese so light is noght to lete,
For also smertly as ȝoure song is cesed,
Þe grucchyng of my greuance is so grete
Þat all my mynde with mornyng is oppressed.”

3.

‘Right so it is,’ sche seide, ‘bot not-for-þat,
Þis is no remedie for thi sekenesse,
But as aȝeyn þi sorwes obstynat
Ageyn þyn helþe it is a maner lesse.
But when I see þat better sesoun esse,
Of suche as schal [þe] persen to the rote
I schal the serue, and all þat is amysse
I schal amende and fully be þi bote.

4.

Bot lest þat þou þi-self a wrecche holde,
Now wolde I wite wher þou remembre noght
Þe maner of þi welthes many-folde.’
“I holde my pees,” quod I, “seith on ȝoure þoght.”

‘When þou,’ sche seide, ‘were so lawe i-broght
As orphelyn in manere desolate,
Fortune for the so goodly haþ i-wroght;
Þow were in cure of men of hyhe estate,

5.

And drawen sith [in]to affinite
Of princes and of men of gouernance;
Ful lef to lordes ar þou mightest be
Oght worþi thy-self of worldly sufficeance,
And sette in hye degree of aliaunce.
Who seid[e] noght þen þat þou were blessid?
Thy fader-in-lawe whom vertu doþ auaunce,
Thy wyf also so goodly and honest,

6.

Thi sones boþe sittynge þe biside,
Youre worschep went in euery mannys mouthe.
And for to lete thise comyn þing[es] slide,
What dignitees þou haddest in þi ȝouthe
Þat to full olde men ben werned nouthe!
But I delyte to tellen more expresse
Of soleyn þinges straunger and vnkowþe,
How þou were wrapped all in wilfulnesse.

7.

Yf any þing þat mortal is in kynde
Wiþ any fruyt of blesse be founden here,

Þere may no meschief put out of þy mynde
Þat day in wiche þy sonnes boþe in-fere
Reseyued had þe state of conseilere;
And wiþ a semble fro thy house i-lad
Of senatoures and lordes þat þer were,
Wiþ huge prees of peple bli[þ]e and glad;

8.

And þen in court when þat þou sawest hem sitte
In setes longyng to þeire dignite,
Þere wonne thow ioye of eloquence and wyt,
As pronouncere of þe kynges nobilite,
Of all þat folk be-holdyng vpon þe,
As wiþ þy praisinge and victorious,
So well thow feddest all þat companye
Wiþ giftes of þi wordes glorious.

9.

Fortune thow feffed þan wiþ wordes gay,
While sche þe norisched in hire owne delice,
And suche guerdoun fro hire þow bare away
The wiche in sothe was of so hyhe a prys,
Þat neuere before þat day at my devys
Sche graunted noght vnto no comynere.
Wilt þou accounte wiþ fortune? art þou wys?
Of arrerage þou schalt not passen clere.

10.

For now at arst sche haþ on þe byholde,
And printe vpon þe wiþ a bitter eye.
But now concidre clerly if þou wolde,
The maner of þy welthis by and bye,
Of alle þi ioyes lyuynge lustely;
In þat other side þyn heuynesse
Acounted all; ȝit myght þow not denye
Þat þou ne hast ȝit part of wilfulnesse.

11.

And if þou holde þy-self infortunat
Now for als moche as þise þat welþes semen
Ben passed þus, none cause hast þou for þat,
Þat þow in meschef schuldest thy-self demen.
For þise sorwes þat þyn herte vnquemen,
And haldest hem as for a grevous peyne,
Ne doute þe noght bot fro þe schal þei flemen;
Thou art þen set in wilfulnesse ageyn.

12.

And wilt þou trowe þat þou þe ferste be
Þat into þis lif come as a sodeyn gest,
Or wilt þou þat ony stabilite
In mannys lyf [be] wher-vpon to trist?

This knawest þow wel, it is no þing vnwist,
Þat in an houre a man is at an ende.
Lo all youre lyf wiþ deþ so is betwist,
Now here ȝe be and here awaye ye wende.

13.

And if so be, as it betideþ selde,
Þat in fortune is any feiþfulnesse
Abidynge wiþ a man into his elde,
Þe laste day ȝit of ȝoure lyf iwisse
A manere deth ȝit vnto fortune isse.
What force is þenne when sche þe forsakeþ,
Fleynge fro þe of hire vnthriftynesse,
Or þow fro hir when deþ awey the takeþ.

Metrum iijm

Cum polo phebus.

1.

When þat Phebus begynneþ for to sprede
Hire bright[e] bemes out in euery syde
As bi the morne, þe sterres right for drede
They wexen pale begynnynge hem to hyde;
Forestes eek þat large ben and wyde
Ful freschely in þe firste somer sesoun,
Ȝe Zephirus, right as it were for pryde,
With floures hath depeynted yow to plesen;

2.

And whence þat Auster putteþ out his hornes,
And bitter blastes gynneþ for to blowe,
Abateth þenne þe beaute of þe thornes.
Thus alle youre lustes passen in a þrowe.
Þe see also as euery man may knowe,
Now may be calm wiþoute mocioun,
And sodanly or eny man wil trowe,
Wiþ tempest is it turned vp so doun.

3.

And sith þe forme of al þise erþely þinges,
So seldom is it þat it stondeþ stable
Bot chaungeþ be so many varienges,
And mannys fortune is so transmutable,
Than wilt þou triste to goodes deceyuable?
This is a lawe wiþoute chaungementes:
Þere may noþing be kyndly perdurable
Þat is engendred of thise elementes.’

Prosa iiija

Tum ego ver[a] inquam.

1.

Than seide I thus, “O worschipful noryce
All vertu for to feden and susteyne,
In all my wit, bot if I were vnwyse,
I can not wite but soþe is þat ȝe seyne.

And of my fortune sothe it is certeyne,
Þat wonder smartly haþ sche me anhaunced,
But here vpon it is þat I compleyne,
Whi sche vndoth wiche þat sche haþ avaunced.

2.

For of myshappes to rehersen all,
It is þe worste for to haue ben wele
And in-to mescheef after to ben fall;
For þat most scheend a verry herte o[f] stele.”
‘Thow þow,’ quod sche, ‘so in þi wittes fele,
Be fals conceit of thyn opynyoun,
The trouthe ne haþ agilt þe neuer a dele;
To witen it ȝit hast þou no resoun.

3.

And [i]f þis ydel name of wilfulnesse
þat so vncertayne is ȝit moueth þe,
Wiþ me now come and thyne acountes gesse
Of þinges wiche as ȝit þow hast plente,
Wiche þat þou haddest euer in most deynte.
When all in richesse fortune had þe fret,
How myght þou pleyne on þi felicite
Sith þat þow hast þi beste godes ȝit?

4.

Yit hole and sound þe fadir of þi wyf,
He lyueþ lo [in] honour and reuerence

Of all mankynde, þe wiche þow wiþ þi lyf
Woldest gladly be stondyng in his defence.
Symachus made alle of sapience,
All full of vertu and of honeste,
Though he be sure of any violence
As to him-self, yit waileþ he for the.

5.

Thy witty wif so full of sobirnesse,
So chaast, so honest, [and] so debonaire,
In schort, to closen all here worþinesse,
Lyk to hire fader as his kyndely haire,
Full loth hire lyf sche lyueþ in dispaire;
Onely to the sche kepeþ hire careful gost.
This oo thyng is þat may þi welþe apaire,
Þat graunt I well, and [a]menuse it most.

6.

And of þi sones wiche be counseil[ere]s,
What schal I seye but schortely þat þey be
In manere printes and as exsaumpleres
Bothe of theire eldere fadir and of the.
And euery mortal þing as þou may see,
Vpon þis haþ [h]is principall besynesse:
This lyf to kepe fro all infirmyte,
And vnto man þe derrest þing it esse.

7.

And this[e] to þe ben derrer þan þi lyf,
I dar it well affermen certanlye,

Lo Symachus, thy sones and thy wyf.
Thow hast hem ȝit, now lete þy terys drye,
For ȝit fortune ys noght þyne en[e]mye
I[n] also ferforth as thy-seluen feynest,
No[r] ȝit is noght on the so feruen[t]lye
Þe tempest fallen, as thi-sel[uen] feynest,

8.

For-why gode haldyng ha[n] thyne ankyr[s] hent.
They ben ful stronge and cleuen wonder faste,
Þe wiche the comfort of þis tyme present,
Ne hope of bettir suffreþ to ben past.’
“O god,” quod I, “now graunt it þat þey laste
For while þey holden, how-so-euer it stonde,
Or how-so-evire þise wrechfull wynd[es] wraste
Yit in som manere schal we flete on londe.

9.

But how grete beaute of myn apparaile
Is fro me went, þi-selfe seeþ it beste.”
‘I haue,’ quod sche, ‘if þat it may auayle,
Avaunced somewhat þat þou were in reste,
But if so is þat þou þi-self tempeste,
Dysplesed wiþ þe sort of all thy lyf,
How schulde þan þy meschyf be redrest
If þou wilt all-wey set thy-selue in strif?

10.

But I ne may noght suffre þi delice
Compleynyng wiþ so greuous heuynesse,
All-wey coniectynge so in thy devise
Þat sumwhat wanteth of þy welefulnesse.
For who is þat þat lyueþ in dedlynesse,
Þat in his welthes stant so ordynate,
That he ne stryueþ alwey more or lesse
Thus with þe qualite of hys estate?

11.

Full anguysshous þei ben, as for þe nones,
Þe kynde of worldly wele, I say forwhy,
For eiþer þey [ne] comen noght attones,
Or þey ne stondeþ neuer stabilly.
For this haþ riche[sse] lo habundantly,
Hym schameþ þat hys lynage is so lowe;
And this lo is renounned nobilly,
Yit had he leuer for pouert ben vnknowe.

12.

An-other haþ boþe renoun and richesse,
He haþ no wyf, for-why he is displesed.
This haþ a wyf þat to hym lusty es[se];
Defaute of ysshue makeþ hym disesed;
He ne woot who wiþ his goodes schal be sesed.
And þis haþ ysshue to hys lust perchaunce,

Yit happeth of þeire vice he is vnesed
And [w]eyleþ of þeire wicked gouernaunce.

13.

Wherfore in sothe þere is no wight þat can
Wiþ propre fortune holde hym-seluen payed;
For-why som þyng is feled of euery man,
Þat no wight woot but he þat haþ assayed,
And he þat knoweþ it is þerof affrayed.
Set þis þerto þat euery welefull wyght
Ful tendre is to suffren, and myspayed
If all þing falle not to his wille aright.

14.

And he þat worldly is most fortunate
And set most hily in prosperite,
Full litel þing his blisse may abate
þat is not vsed in aduersitee.
How many trowest þou in þis worlde þer be
If þei the leste of þi blisses hade,
Þat I can telle, of þy felicite,
As þough þey were in heuene wolde be glade?

15.

This place of excile as þou hast it named,
Good cuntre is to þeym þat in hit been,
And neuere [þe] worse, [þogh] it of þe be blamed,
Þat art no wreche but þou þi-self it wene,

Thogh fantasye haue broght þe þus in tene.
And euery fortune þere ageyn is good,
Who so can in pacience hym-self deme[ne],
And suffre softly wiþ an esy mood.

16.

Now say me this. What weleful man is þat
Þat stant in blisse right as he can devise,
Þat somtyme nolde changen his estat
When pacience is put out of seruise?
What attyr wiþ ȝoure welthes many-wise
Is mengid if ȝe kouþe it haue in mynde!
Though þey be swete to þilke þat þei eise,
They may noght be wiþholden when þey wende.

17.

Than may ȝe seen be open evidence
Þe meschief of þise mortal þinges þus;
Thei stonde noght þogh þou haue pacience,
Ne lusteth not in all þe languisshous.
O foly vnwit so erroneous
Of mortal folk sekyng hemself wiþoute!
Youre welfulnesse, and hit so plentevous,
Is sette wiþ-ynne youre-self wiþouten doute.

18.

I schall þe schewe of thi felicite
A souereyn poynt; en[t]ende what I schal say.
Is ony þing so derworth vnto the
As is þi-self? Þou wilt answere me, nay.
If þou be hoole thyn owne, conclude I may,
Thow hast þat þing þat þou ne woldest forlete,
The wiche fortune ne may not take away
Til þow thi-self hit wilfully forfete.

19.

And þat þou knowe þat þinges temporele
May noght be suche wherin þou schuldest fynde
Thy blissfulnesse, now vndirstonde me wele
And take my wordes holy into þy mynde;
Sith blisfulnesse is souereigne goode of kynde
Whos lyf is resoun and intelligence,
And souereigne good is þing þat haþ none ende,
Ne may be rafte þe with no violence,

20.

Then vpon þis Y may conclude and seyne,
That þis fortunous mutabilite
To blisfulnesse may no-þing atteyne,
Ne is noght had be suche vnstabilite.
And whom so þat þis false felicite
Thus [c]arieth forth, he wot or wot it nate,

How fals sche is and alway haþ i-be,
For þis deuisioun is in-mediate.

21.

If he ne woot it noght he is deceyued;
What blisse may be þanne in þis ignoraunce?
And if so be þat he haþ aparceyued
þe maner of hire kyndely variaunce,
Ne dredeþ [he] then wiþ ful gret greuaunce
To lose þat þing þat lightly may be gone?
So þat þis drede wiþ his continuance
Wiþdraweþ his blisse wiche he triste vpon.

22.

Or if it be so þat he lose his blisse,
He weneth to stonde in repreue and in skorn.
And douteles full litel good it isse
Whos losse wiþ esy herte may be born.
And þow art he to whom þat here beforn
It haþ be schewed be demonstracioun
Þat mannys soule may not be forlorn
As þing þat torneþ to corrupcioun.

23.

And clere it is þat all þis worldly wele
As fro yow [men] wiþ deþ away schal wende,
Þan may it noght be douted neuere a-dele,
Bot soþe it is be resoun and be kynde,
Ȝif worldly blisse schulde be ȝoure fynal ende
And verray forme of alle youre welfulnesse,

Than euery creature of mortale kynde
With deth must tornen in-to wrecchidnesse.

24.

Bot we haue wist of many one here before
To seche þe fruyt of blisse in þeire entent,
Þat haue it boght full bitterly and sore
By deth, be doloure, be peynes and tourment.
How myght it be þen þat þis lyf present
Wiþ any lustes myght þe welfull make,
Sith it is so þat when þis lyf is went
They beeþ no wrecchis wiche it haþ forsake?

Metrum iiijm

Si quis volet perhennem.

1.

Who so þat lust to bulde him-self a sete
þat schulde be mighty sure and perdurable,
Þat bitter Eures bruse it noght ne bete,
Ne fierse floodes make it not meuable,
Þe hyhe hilles ben not profitable,
And mo[i]ste sondes most hym nede eschue,
For on no mountayne may no werk be stable,
Neþer in þe sond þe foundement be trewe.

2.

For-why þe south wynd bloweþ sore alofte
Þat on no mounteyn may noþing be sure,

And sondes þat so louse ben and softe,
And heuy burthen may þey noght endure.
To fleen þerfore þat perilous auenture,
A siker sete to set þy-self vpon,
Take þis in mynde and sette þerto þi cure
To bulde a low hous on a siker ston.

3.

That is to seyn þat þou set all þi mynde
Vpon þat blisse þat euere schal abyde,
And if so falle þat þe wode wynde
Turne vp and doun þe see in euery side,
In verray reste þou most þi-seluen hyde,
And in thi bastell ful of blisfulnesse,
In lusty age þan schall þe wel betide,
And set at noght þis worldly wrecchidnesse.

Prosa Va

Sed [cum] racionum.

1.

Bot for als moche as I haue done þe lisse
Be my resoun descending into the,
To vsen now I trowe þat tyme it is
Som medecyne þa[t] more myghty be.
Now vnderstond, all were it so perde
Þat goodes whiche þat fortune haþ bestowen
Schulde stonden euer in perdurab[ilite],
How myght þou euer acounte hem for þyn owen?

2.

And þilke same þat ye acounten best,
If þat þey were considered as þei oght,
Ful foule þei schulde seme and dishonest,
And ben acounted as a þing of noght.
Now of richesse, how semeþ in þi þoght
Why been þey goode, wheþir of þ[aire] propre kynde,
[Or] ffor þey ben into þi warde broght,
And schul be good til þat þei fro þe wende?

3.

What is þat gold wiche þat ȝe clepe richesse,
Or money gedered in ȝoure tresorie?
But þise scheweþ more þeire worþynesse
In puttynge out þan kepynge preuely;
For auarous men ben hate comounlye,
And euery wyght wil haue þeym in disdeyn.
And þo þat wil dispenden largelye,
Þei schal haue loue and worschip þer ageyn.

4.

And sith þis good þat þou dispendest þus,
When it is spent abideþ nought wiþ þe,
Than is þy money only precious
When þou it hast i-put away fro the.

Than in dispendynge lieth þe preciouste
Of ȝoure tresour and not in hepes grete;
It stant ȝow neuere at no commodite,
Ne avayleþ noght til þat it be forlete.

5.

And what if all þe gold þat all men han,
As it is now in distribucioun,
Lo were assembled in an hepe and than
O man it hadde in his possessioun?
This gold þan be this supposicioun,
Alle othere men most nedy make and bare,
And oo man riche, this is no questioun,
Beleuynge after all þe worlde in care.

6.

A voys all hoole and no-þing diminude
Attones may wiþoute apeyrement
Fulfille þe yeres of a multitude.
Youre richesse is not so sufficient;
For til þey be departed and i-schent,
To many men ne mowe þei not be taken,
And þilke men fro wiche þey ben i-went,
They lyuen pore when þey han hem forsaken.

7.

O streyt and pore þat richesse may [I] calle
Wiche alle men ne mowe not haue attones,

Ne none haue al, but if þe toþere alle
For pouert and for nede make þaire mones!
And eke I merveile þat thise precious stones,
Þat ȝe beholden þaym so lustelye,
And feynen beaute in þing þer þat none is,
And þere it is ȝe konne it noght aspie.

8.

And what þing is it? brightnesse of colour
Why þat þis perry semeþ yow so faire?
This wite ȝe well þe brightnes is not youre,
Ne noght of yow, but only it is þaire,
As be a light reboundyng in þe ayre.
And moche I merveile why ȝe wonder so
On þing þat may amenden noght ne payre
Youre kyndly goodes be noght þat þei may do.

9.

What þing is þat þat lakkeþ lyf and lyth,
Þat may be likned to a creature
That beriþ lyf and resoun haþ þere-with,
That schulde be demed faire as be nature?
And þogh þei drawe a beaute in figure
Of hym þat made it, ȝit in ȝoure presence
Thei may not worthi been in no mesure
To be merveilled in ȝoure excellence.

10.

And wheþire þise feldes lusty faire and grene
So full of floures lusteth oght youre sight?’
“Why schulde þey noght?” seide I, “syth þat þey ben
A faire part of his werkes full of myght.
For so somtymes when þe see is bright
We wonder moche, and when þat heuen is clere,
Vpon þe moone and sterres in the nyght,
And on þe sonne þat schyneþ on vs here.”

11.

‘Bot aperteyneþ,’ quod sche, ‘oght to þe?
Might þou þat beaute in þy-self[e] fynde?
Darst þow reioyen þat þey in the be
As þing subiectid in þy propre kynde?
Art þou depeynted, semeþ in þy mynde,
Wiþ floures of þe firste somer sesoun,
Or þat þou as a tree wiþ rote and rynde
May norisshe fruytes; trowest þou þis be resoun?

12.

And wherfore be ye ravisched so in veyn,
As þogh þise goodes schulde be þyn owne
Þe wiche fro the ben vtterly forreyn,
And wonder fer as euery man may knowen?
For-why fortune, þou myght it fully trowen,
Ne may not make hem thyn[e] for to bene,

Wiche þat nature haþ oþer-wise be-stowen
And vtterly made fro the aliene.

13.

For-why þat fruyt þat doth on erthe encresen
Deserueth vnto bestes sustenance,
And litel thyng youre nede may acesen
So þat nature may haue hire su[ffisaunce].
Why schuldest þou þen desiren habundaunce
And aske of fortune superfluite,
Sith þat nature may hauen hire plesaunce
With litel þing in price and quantite?

14.

And ȝif þou wilt hire suffisaunce oppresse
Wiþ superfluite surfetously,
Other it wil brynge the in heuynesse,
Or elles þe annoyen grevously.
But of þis o thyng certayne merval I:
Þat þou woldest seme faire and gloriouse,
As for to been i-clothed ryally
In dyuers schap and colour preciouse.

15.

For if in clothes any beaute be
Wherby þe sight is faire and agreable,

þat perteyneþ noþing vnto þe,
Bot þat matir lo holde I merveilable;
Or þat þe wit of hym is commendable
Þat made þis þing, þis may be cause of wonder,
But þat þou schuldest þerfore ben honourable
As in ȝoure kynde, ȝe ben full fer asonder.

16.

Or for to walken wiþ an huge route,
And so of mayne to be copiouse,
May make þe blissful? Nay, wiþoute doute!
For I suppose þat þei ben viciouse,
Thei ben a grevous charge vnto þy house
And mowe be cause of thy destruccioun.
And what if þei be goode and vertuouse
And verry honest of condicioun?

17.

Whi schulde þeire vertu and þeire honeste
Be acounted as a part of þi richesse?
Or wherfore schuldest þou commended be,
Or haue a þank of foreyn worthynesse?
Lo in all thyse rehersed are expresse
Þe wiche as þow acounted in þy þoght
As for þi goodes; cleerly as I gesse
I haue þe schewed þat þyn[e] be þei noght.

18.

In wiche þinges, as I haue set beforn,
If þou no lusty beaute canst i-fynde,
Whi sorwest þow þat þow hem hast forlorn?
Or of þe hauynge ioyest in þy mynde?
If þei be faire as of hire owne kynde
What may þat apperteyne[n] vnto þe?
For hadde þei ben fro þe wiþoute[n] ende
Lo also fayre and lusty had þey be.

19.

For doute it noght þai be not preciouse
For þou hem hast and kepest bisely,
But for þei semed the deliciouse,
Thow þeym acounted thy tresour forþy.
What craue ȝe þen wiþ so gret a cry,
Þat ȝe on fortune callen þus al day?
Wiþ habundaunce in soþe as suppose I
Ye seken for to dryuen nede away.

20.

But ȝit þe sothe reuerseþ ȝoure entent;
For mykell help ȝow nedeþ to mayntene,
And for to kepe ȝoure precious hostilment,
Lest so bifalle þat ȝe it lese ageyn.

Lo myche þerfore ȝoure laboure is in veyn
That ȝe moste lyue in heuynesse and drede.
And þis is sothe also þat I schal seyn:
Who so mychel haþ, of mychel þing haþ nede.

21.

And litel þing hym nedeþ certanly
Þat can his presence mesure in þis wise,
Right euere as nature nedeþ kyndely
And nowht vnto þe lust of coueitise.
Ne can [y]e noght ȝoure-seluen bet avise
To see what good is set yow-self wiþ-ynne,
Bot nedes will ȝe seken and devise
In straunge þyng youre godes for to wynne?

22.

And þus of þyng þat schulde be worþiest
The ordre is peruerted vp so doun.
Þe wiche is clepid a devyn[e] beest
Be kyndly myght and meryt of resoun,
Ne can nought knowen his condicioun,
Ne see þe merite of his excellence,
But be þe will and veyn possessioun
Of suche ded vnsauled hostilmentys.

23.

Al other bestes holde hem-sel[uen] payed
Of beaute þat wiþ-yn hem-seluen es;
But nyce men, as I beforn haue seid,
Youre god haþ set in suche a worþinesse
Þat in ȝoure soules ye ben his liknesse,
And ben in kynde so noble a creature,
Ye seken here be felthe and wrecchidnesse
To enbelesch youre excellent nature!

24.

Ye vndirstonden noght, y[e] can noght see
What wronge ye done vnto youre creat[our].
Sith he mankynde hath set in this degre
All erþely þing to passen in valour,
Ye do youre dignite gret dishonour
To þrest it vnder most vnworþy þinges,
Right as it were a lord, a gouernour,
Wolde make hym suget to his vnderlinges.

25.

For if ȝe schulde haue þis entencioun,
Þat all þing wiche is had of any wight
Schulde more be had in reputacioun
Than he þat hath or aweþ it be right,
Ye do ȝow-seluen schame and gret vnhite,
So foule þing[es] sith ȝe demen ȝoures,

Submittynge yow, as in ȝoure awne sight,
To þing wherof ȝe ben þe possessoures.

26.

At youre desert this falleþ verayment;
The kynde of man lo stant in þis degre,
Þat only þanne he is most excellent
When þat he knoweþ his owne dignite.
And þer ageyn eft-sones when þat he
Ne can noght knowe his owne worþinesse,
He is be-nethen bestialite
And vndercast to alle wrecchydnesse.

27.

A rude beest his nature vseþ þus
To mowe not knowe hym-self[e] kyndely.
In man it is ful foule and viciouse
His nature for to leten folily.
And þus ȝoure errour scheweþ openly
Þat ȝe supposen þat suche accident,
Youre kynde þat is so worthi and so hye,
Schuld maken faire be foreyn ornament.

28.

It may not be þat resoun haþ defended,
For if suche accidentes ben faire and gay,
This[e] accidentes awen to be comended.
But lo þat keuered þing, [it] is no nay,

100

So in his filþe abydeþ stille all-way;
And I denye and vtterly dispreue
Þat ony þing is good þat harmen may,
Or ought þe hauere noyen or agreue.

29.

Now is þis soth in certayn as I gesse;
Thow wilt it seyn, I gabbe noght of þis.
For oft it falleþ þat tresour and richesse
Makiþ hire lordes for to fare amys,
Sith euery wrecchid fool þat cursed is,
Suche gold and tresour whos [þat] euere it be,
He wolde coueite and wille þat it were his,
And þerfore put his lyf in iuparte;

30.

And onely theym he holdyth worþiest
Þat of suche gold and tresoure haue i-now.
For-þy behoueþ hym wiþoute rest
To haue þat good, ne rekkeþ he not how.
But þow þat lyuest in suche a drede now
As þogh þou schuldest wiþ swerde or spere be stonge,
Haddest þou be pouere, it hadde be for þi prow,
Before þe þeef þou mightest haue gone and songe.

31.

Ow wonder cleer is þis felicite
Of mortal þing and worþi to be soght,

101

Þat reueþ a man of his tranquillite,
And makeþ him be destourbled in his þoght!
I not how dere þat blisse may be boght,
A man to wynne suche a wilfulnesse.
Thow art in pees while þat þou hast it noght;
When þou it hast þou lessest þi sikernesse.

Metrum Vm

felix nimium prior etas.

1.

Full wonder blissful was þat raþer age
When mortal men couthe holde h[em]-self[en] payed,
To fede þeym-selfe withoute suche outrage,
Wiþ mete þat trewe feldes haue arrayed;
Wiþ acorne[s] þaire hunger was alayed,
And so þai couthe sese þaire talent;
Thei hadde ȝit no queynt[e] craft assaied
As clarry for to make ne pyment.

2.

To dëen purpure couthe þei noght be-þynke
The white flees with ve[n]y[m] t[y]ryen;
Þe rennyng ryuer ȝaf hem lusty drynke,
And holsom sleep þei took vpon þe grene;

102

Þe pynes þat so full of braunches been,
Þat was þaire hous to kepen vnder schade;
The se to kerue no schippes were þere seen,
Þer was no man þat marchaundise made.

3.

Thay liked noght to sailen vp and doun,
But kepe hem-self[en] where þei weren bred;
Tho was ful huscht þe cruel clarioun;
For egre hate þer was no blood i-sched,
Ne þer-wiþ was non armour ȝit be-bled;
For in þat tyme who durste haue be so wood
Suche bitter woundes þat he nolde haue dred,
Wiþouten reward for to lese his blood.

4.

I wolde oure tyme myght turne certanly
And þise maners alwey wiþ vs dwelle.
But loue of hauyng brenneþ feruently,
More fersere þan þe verray fuyre of helle.
Allas! who was þat man þat wolde hym melle
[Wiþ] gold and gemmes þat were keuered þus?
Þat first bygan to myne, I can not telle,
Bot þat he fond a parel precious.

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Prosa vja

Quid autem de dignitatubus.

1.

Bot forþermore what schal I telle or seyn
Of hye power or elles of dignite,
Þe wiche ȝe magnifieþ so in veyn
As þogh þei schulde as [hyhe as] heuenes be
Right as a þing of hyhe felicite?
And folily ye failen all amys,
Ne cunne noght wiþ-ynne youre wittes se
Where verray power and dignite is.

2.

And if it so be þat a wrecchid wight,
As often haþ it fallen here before,
In hye estat or dignite be dight,
How fiers a floode may harme ȝow so sore!
Þe fuyre of Ethna may not harmen more,
Þat blasteþ out and brenneþ euery side.
Lo suche a wrecche had better be vnbore
Than suche estates schulde to hym betide.

3.

And certes þou remembrest, as I gesse,
Of þe conseilour[e]s dignite,
þat was þe hiest estate of worthynesse
In the begynnyng of ȝoure liberte.
They were so full of pryde and cruelte
Wherfore ȝoure eldres wolde it haue remeued,

104

And for þe same cause fro ȝoure citee
Þe name of kyng was voyded and repreued.

4.

And if so be þat good[e] men be raysed
To hye estate, as seldom is þe chaunce,
Who is þerfore of resoun to be praysed?
Noght þat estate, bot youre good gouernaunce.
So þan in vertu lieth þe suffisaunce
Wherby þat honour comeþ to dignite,
And dignite noght be contrariaunce
Ne makeþ vertu worshipful to be.

5.

This pouer wiche þat is [so] sore asoght,
So derworth and so clere in ȝoure entent,
What þing is it? Why [be]holde ȝe noght
To þe wiche þinges ȝe been president,
As where-vpon ȝoure power is extent?
What if þou saw a wrecchid movs allone
To claymen power or gouernement
Of oþer myse? Þow woldest scorne sone.

6.

And if þou woldest be-holden in thy mynde
What is þe mortal body of a wight,
A freeler þyng þow schal nowhere i-fynde
Þat lesse haþ of power or of myght.

105

How sone he may be frayed and afright,
Or deed be bitynge of a litell flye,
Or be som worm þat crepen may in right
Withynne a mannes body preuely!

7.

And who is he þat may do strengþe of force,
Or vsen myght or power, sey me þis,
But only on þe coruptible cors
Ryght of þe same kynde þat is his,
Other o[n] thing þat more vnworthy is
As on fortune? Or whos myght may atteyne,
Be hye estate, power or worþinesse,
A fre corage to aresten or constreyne?

8.

Stedfastly þat set hym-self in reste,
And knet hym-self in resoun euerydele,
Might þow his pece byreue out of his breste,
Vnto þi will his purpos to compelle?
Of suche a man, as somtyme it byfelle,
A tyraunt wolde haue arted hym be paynes
A certeyn counseil to bewrey and telle
Þe wiche þat was conspired hym agaynes.

9.

Bot þen þis man boote of his tonges ende
And in his face he spet [it] so þat he,

106

This torment wiche þis same tyrant wende
To haue ben matir of his cruelte,
Þe wise man to schewe his liberte
Of fre corage þat may not be constreyned,
He made it cause of vertu for to be,
And set at noght how sore þat he were peyned.

10.

And what is þat of angir and of grame
Wherwiþ a man anoþer may oppresse,
Þat he ne may sustene of hym þe same
If afterward his auenture encrese?
As we haue lerned þat Busyrides
His gestes had ful often tymes slayne,
And afterward hym-self of Hercules
Þat was his gest was done to deth ageyn.

11.

And Regulus ful many oon in bataile
Of men of Affryk, as þou hast i-rad,
Had taken while he had[de] gouernaile
And kast hem into bondes sore and sad.
And after þis in maner was [he] glad
For fere of peyne to put[te] forth his hondes
To tho þat firste of hym were sore adrad;
Than was he fetered in þe same bondes.

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12.

And woldest þou setten be þat mannys myght
Þat may noght let þat same [þing be wroght
Vnto hymseluen of þat same wyght]
Þe wiche he haþ into disese broght?
And if so were as semeth in my þoght,
If hye estate myght kyndely conteyne
Any propre good, I ne doute it noght,
To wicked folk ne schulde it noght atteyne.

13.

Contrarious þinges þat maner ha[u]e not vsed
As for to be conioyned and i-met,
For euere ȝit nature it haþ refused.
And syn þat often wicked men ben set
In hye estate, as it wil noght be let,
Þan seweþ þis, þat no good kyndely
Hath þat estate þat suffreþ to be knet
To suche as leden þaire lyues wickedly.

14.

And lo the same I may wel deme of all
Fortunes goodes, be þey more or lesse,
Þat most habundantly ben woned to fall
To wicked pepull ful of cursidnesse.
For of all þis Y may suppose and gesse
Þat who so haþ strengþe, a mighti man is he,

108

And in whom may be founde gret swiftnesse,
Þat man is swift so moste it nedes be.

15.

Thus musyk makeþ a musicien,
And fisyk a fysycien to be;
Thus retoryk make[þ] a rethorien.
The kynde of euery þing, we may wel see,
Enducen moste his kyndely propirte,
Ne suffre noght to be conioyned to
None effectes of contrariouste,
But all aduerse þinges putten h[y]m fro.

16.

Bot lo youre worldly richesse haþ not þat
For to restreyne youre cursed auarice;
Nethire þe power of none hyhe estat
May make hym strong þat bounden is in vice,
Þat ledeþ hys lyf in lustes and delice;
Ne dignite in wicked folk be-stowen
Noght makeþ hem þe worþiere of price,
Bot rather makeþ thaire vnþrift to be knowen.

17.

And why is þis forsoþe? for ȝe deliten
And so reioyen in youre fantasye
Vntrewe names of þinges for to witen,
All oþere þan becomeþ hem kyndely;

109

Forwhy þe effectes preuen openly
Þat dignite, þat power, þat richesse,
Þaire names bere[n] all vnpropirly;
As I haue schewed, it seweþ euen expresse.

18.

And lo þis same I may concluden wel
Of all [fortunes] þing, as semeth me,
In wiche þere is no bounte naturel
Ne cause why þey schulde desired be.
For selde it is, as euery man may se,
Thei ioynen hem to goode and vertuous,
Ne þei ne hauen noght þat propirte
To maken good[e] men of vicious.

Metrum vjm

Nouimus quantas dedit ruinas.

1.

Ye knowen wel how gret destruccioun
This Nero did, þat Rome on fuyre set
And slough þe senatoures of þe toun.
His owne brother to þe deth he bet,
And wiþ his moder blood he was be-wet
The wiche he made die in his presence;
So hard of herte þat neuer a tere he let,
Bot of hire deth hym-self he gaf sentence.

2.

And neuerþelesse yit he gouerned all
Þe wide worlde þat Phebus goþ aboute,

110

And sceptir bare as prince imperiall;
And euery worldly wyght moste hym aloute
As to þaire lord, þis is wiþouten doute,
ffro est to west, north, sowth and euery side.
All vertu yit his soule was wiþoute,
And was fulfilled of malice and of pryde.

3.

And yit this power ne this mageste
Of þilke Nero had[de] noght þat myght
As for to turne the cursed cruelte
Þe wiche þat was wiþinne his herte i-pight.
Allas! Þat sort is greuous to my sight,
Als often as þe swerd of wickednesse
Bitaken is to suche a wrecchid wight
In whom so moche cursed venym isse.

Prosa vija

Tum ego scis inquam.

1.

Than seide I thus, “my maistresse dere,
Ye witen wel þere regned neuer in me
No couetise o[f] mortale þinges here,
But þis alwey was myn entent perde:
Þat þe vertu [þe] wiche I hadde of the
Schulde not ben hid ne elded in þis wise,
Bot þus be gouernance of comynalte
Hit myght be schewed and put in excersise.”

111

2.

‘This [is] a thyng,’ sche seide, ‘I the ensure,
Þat may well meue to lust of gouernaunce
Sich hertes þat ben noble of þeire nature;
Bot þo þat verray vertu doth avaunce
Desiren noght hem-seluen to enhaunce
[Be] worldly fame ne worschip of re[n]oun.
To put þeire merite so in remembrauce,
Hit noght belongeþ to perfeccioun.

3.

How litel worth hit is, full p[lener]lye
This myght þou see if þou wilt taken hede.
As þou has preued be astronomye
Þat all þis erthe in compace and in brede
no more in quantite of mykel-hede
It haþ, if þat the mesure schulde be soght
Be-twene [hym]self and heuen in lykly-hede,
Bot as þe lest[e] poynt þat may be þoght,

4.

Ne in regard conteneth noght a space;
And as þou hast conceyued as I trowe
Be Tholome, this litel erthely place,
Þe fourthe part, als fer as men may knowe,
Wiþ lyfly bestes only is be-stowe;
And if þou scholdest abaten out of this

112

Als mykel as þe see haþ over-flowe,
Mareys and sond desert and wildernesse,

5.

Vnneþes any place may be founde,
Where-ynne þat men mowe dwellen and abyde,
But lo þis litell, wrecchid, narrow grounde.
And wherof þan serueþ all þat pryde
Of ȝoure ronoun to be delated wyde,
Þat in þe poyntyng of a prikkes ende
Envyround is all close on euery side?
Youre fame perde ne may no firthire wende.

6.

What is youre fame in worthynesse or grace
Þat is so closyd in a narow cage,
Sith þat wiþ-ynne youre litel dwellyng place
Ben many folkes dyuerse of langage,
Of resoun, wit, of lyuynge and corage?
For dyuersite in maner of spekyng,
And what for difficulte of passage,
And for defaute of entrecomunyng,

7.

Noght only mennes names singulerly
The wiche þat ben renomed glorius,

113

But citees been vnknowen vtterly
Wiche þat now ben [ful] worschipful to vs.
For in þe tyme of Marchus Tullius,
Þe rénoun of þe comynalte of Rome,
As seith þe same, þe mounte Caucasus
Ne was not passed ne ynto Ynde i-come.

8.

And ȝit was it to Parthus þan in doute,
And many a land it hadde in huge drede.
Ne seest þou noght loo what ȝe ben aboute,
Ȝoure noble name to strecchen and to sprede
Þat is compassed in so litell brede?
Supposest þou þat o Romeynes name
Myght forth be born be worthynesse of dede
There Rome spredde noght hire noble fame?

9.

Ne seest þou noght how fele folkes ben
Ful dyuerse in hire lawe and gouernaunce,
Of maners eke, as euery man may seen,
Medled wiþ so gret contrariaunce?
So þat o dede wiche þat here perchaunce
Amonges yow is worþi þonk and mede,
An oþer peple haþ þis variaunce:
Men schulde be punysched for þe same dede.

10.

And here-of is þat þogh a man delite
His name to be dilated and extent,

114

It may so be it schal be knowen lyte
Wiþ many folkes as to [h]is entent.
So euery man moste holde him-self content
For to dilate his name and his renoun
Amonges hem þat dwellen nyhe present
Wiþ-ynne þe boundes of oo nacioun.

11.

And þus ȝoure noble inmortalite
Of fame, of renoun, and of worthinesse
Wiþ-ynne þe litel space of oo cuntre
Ful streit compressed and restreyned esse.
And many a noble man haþ been or þis
Þat in his tyme full worthi was and grete;
Defaute of writyng and of besynesse
Haþ out of mynde h[y]m vtterly forgete.

12.

I ne woot of scripture what it schal profite
Sith euery mortale thing schal over-passe,
And theym, right as þe auctours þat hem write
Grete age schal destroyen and deface.
But lo yow semeþ þat ȝe mowe purchace
As be youre fame an[e] inmortalite
Cont[ynu]ed after þat ȝe hennes passe,
And so to haue a perdurabilite.

115

13.

But if þou woldest weie or counterpayse
The tyme of all þi fame and þi renoun,
Thogh þat þou woldest abouen heuen it rayse,
Yit schuldest þou fynde no proporcioun
Aȝenst the eternall perduracioun
Þat euer haþ be and neuer schal [haue] ende.
Why hast þou then suche dilectacioun
To renoun þatschal passen out of mynde?

14.

For take a litel moment or a stounde,
And if þou counterpayse it in þi wit
Wiþ thritty þousand yeres, it will be founde
And in certayne proporcioun be pyt;
Though it be litel, somwhat is it ȝit,
For-why þey ben diffyned boþe two,
But þing þat is wiþ-ynne a noumbre knyt,
Vnto eternal þing it may noght so.

15.

For thogh þou woldest thy noumbre multeplie
Als fer as wit haþ possibilite,
Yit it ne may not comparabilly
Be lykkened to þe hole eternite.
For þinges þat wiþ-ynne noumbre be,
Betwene hem may comparisoun be soght,
But to þe endeles perdurabilite
All finit þing ne may be likned noght.

116

16.

Wherfore I say if þat ȝe wolde devise
Thi fame to be dilated and i-sprad
Als fer as any myndes mowe suffice,
Or any book be writen or be rad,
Yit may þere no comparisoun be made
Vnto þe tyme þat stant eternally.
Noght onely small þe tyme schal be had,
Bot demed right as no þing vtterly.

17.

Bot lo [ȝ]e men konne do no worþi dede,
Bot if it be for folkes audience
Þat vayne rumour for to delate and sprede.
So fareth þat the worthi excellence
Of verray vertu and of conscience
For folkes tales ye forleten clene,
For veyne rumours, litell of credence,
Of foreyn folkes, all noght worþ a bene.

18.

Now take good hede and þou schalt here and see
Lo of þis litel tale I schal þe telle,
How þat þis lewed and proude vanite
Of a full witty man was skorned welle.
A nyce man þer was as it befell
Þat falsly toke a philosophres name,
Noght for þe loue of vertu neuere-a-dell,
Bot only to reioysen of the fame.

117

19.

This wise man beþoght þis foole to preue,
If þat he kouþe kepe sufferaunce.
He seide hym wordes wiche þat schulde hym greue
But alway ȝit he keped his contenaunce.
This wise man to see þe vtteraunce,
If þat þis were of vertu verrely,
Som þing he dede or seide him of greuaunce
The wiche he wiste he myght hym preue by.

20.

Of pacience tho gan he sone obreide,
And what he was in sothe he gan it schewe.
“Might þou noght vndirstonden ȝit,” he seide,
“Þat I am lo a philosopher trewe?”
The wise man whan he [þe] sothe knewe,
Ful bityngly anon he ȝaf hym þis.
‘Haddest þou,’ he seide, ‘þy tunge holde in mewe,
I myght haue vndirstonde wel i wys.’

21.

Bot now of noble worþi men to mene
Whiche þat be vertu geten hem renoun,
What schal þaire fame availe, wolde I sene,
When þat þe body to corrupcioun

118

Be deth schal be resolued vp and doun?
And if also þe soule deie and faile,
Whiche to beleuen may be no resoun,
What schulde þanne þis worþi fame availe

22.

To þeym of whom so is beblowen here,
If þat þe soule tornen into noght?
But suche a soule þat knoweþ hym-self[e] clere,
Fro erþely bondes when it schal be broght,
The hyhe heuene it perseth as a þoght,
And so reioyseth of þat souereigne blesse
Whiche he be vertu haþ ful sore i-soght
Despisynge all þis wordly wrecchidnesse.

Metrum vijm

Quicumque solam.

1.

Who þat supposen will vnwittily
In renoun souereyne ioyes for to be,
Lat hym look vp into þe heuene on hy
And so behold vpon þat large cuntre,
And after lat hym to þe erthe see;
So narow it is þat soore it schal hym schame
Þat in so litell space of quantite
He may it noght fulfille wiþ his fame.

119

2.

Allas! what aylen fierce men and proute
To leften vp þaire nekkes so in vayn?
This mortal yok which þat ȝe bere aboute
Schal payse it doun vnto þe grounde agayn.
Thogh þat ȝoure re[n]oun passe many a playn,
And so be spred about be many a tung,
Þat of youre lynage hyhe and souereyn
In grete honour the fame of yow be sprung,

3.

Yit deth de[sp]yseth all youre hyhe renoun;
Neiþer greet ne litell wil he none knowe,
Bot boþe inlyk he layth hire hedes doun
And euene he makeþ þe hyhe wiþ þe lowe.
Lo where ben now þe bones, as we trowe,
Of Brutus and Fabricious þe trewe?
Of sterne Katoun þe fame is over-blowe,
And ma[r]ked now in lettres bot a fewe.

4.

And yit þe men we knoweþ not at all
Thogh þat we knowe þeire faire names so;
For þey be deth, as euery oþer schal,
Out of þe sight be passed and agoo.
Forwhy þis lyf when þat ȝe passe fro,
For to be knowen then ȝe ben vnable,

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Youre worþi fame may no more do
But flyen aboute veyne and variable.

5.

And ȝif ȝe wene to drawe ȝoure lyf on-long
As be a litell wynd of worldly [n]ame,
As fooles þan ȝe done yow-seluen wrong.
For when O cruell deth ȝow schal atame,
Al youre renoun schal turnen into grame
Wiche þat ȝe han purchased so wiþ pride;
For after þat be styntyng of youre fame
Ye muste then another deth abide.

Prosa viija

Sed ne me inexorabile.

1.

Bot for als mykel as þou schalt not wene
Þat I haue take a bataile vntretable
A[geyn] fortune, þow myght þi-selue sene
Þat þogh sche be full fals and deceyuable,
Lo ȝit som-tymes is sche comendable
When þat sche scheweþ hire disposicioun,
Hire false front so flittyng and vnstable
Discoveryng it witþ hire condicioun.

2.

Thow vnderstondest noght perauenture,
Now what þe purpose of [my] menyng isse.

121

Lo a full wonder þyng, I the ensure,
I purpose for to tellen the expresse,
So þat vnnethe I can my wordes dresse
In open sentence for to make it clere.
For lo fortune avayleth more, I gesse,
With frowardnesse þan wiþ hire lusty chere.

3.

For whan sche scheweþ hire-selfe debonaire,
Sche feyneth þan and falsly lyeth sche
Des[ce]yvynge ȝow wiþ hire bihestes faire,
With fals colour of ȝoure felicite;
But when sche smyteth wiþ aduersite,
Than is sche trewe i-nowh at my devise.
For in þe firste sche desceyueþ the,
And [in] þis other techiþ the to be wise.

4.

This plesaunt fortune mennys hertes byndeth
Wiþ false goodes wiche þei haue on honde;
Bot froward fortune losyth and vnbyndeth,
And techeþ hem to knowe and vndirstande
Þat weelfulnesse is freel and variande.
Þe firste seest þou fletyng as þe wynde,
And of it-self vnware and vnkunnande,
And haþ hire-self forleten out of mynde;

122

5.

Thow seest þat oþer sikerly restreyned
As fully lerned be experience,
Right as aduersite hire haþ constreyned
By excercyse enformed in prudence.
The firste I seie, to schorten my sentence,
Fro verry goodes draweth men on-side;
Þat oþere draweþ men by violence,
Wiþ verry goodes makyng hem abyde.

6.

Woldest þow acounten þis among þe leeste
Þat so this aspir fortune hath þe taght,
To knowe þi frendes trewe of þeire beheeste
Whos hertes in þi welthe knew þou noght?
Sche haþ discouered clerly to þi þoght
And made the certayne of þi frendes chere,
And out of doute [sc]he haþ þi herte broght
Of þinges whiche þat stonden in a were.

7.

Now is sche gon and wiþ hire haþ sche hent
Hire frendes all and lafte to the thyne awen.
When þat hire plesaunce was to þe present,
Ful dere thow woldest haue boght þis as we trowen.
Now let of thus to pleynen and to howen
Thi richesse þat þou haddest forleten þus.
Thi feithful frendes hast þou found and knowen,
Þat of all richesse is most precious.

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Metrum viijm

Quod mundus stabile fide.

1.

That þus þise worldly enter[ch]aungementes
Acorden alway in þaire variaunce;
And also þat þise fletyng elementes
Halden þe bondes of þeire aliaunce,
Thogh þat betwene hem be contrariance;
And þat þe Phebus with his chare of golde
The rosye day haþ in his gouernaunce,
Þat is so cleer & lusty to beholde;

2.

And be þe mone þe nightes ben gouerned
As Esperus haþ broght þeym in cumpace;
Also þe wode see þus is be-werned
His propre boundes not for to overpace,
Þat he beflowe noght þis erthely place;
All þis accordaunce doþ þe bond of loue,
Þat see and lond doth clippen and enbrace
And may comaunden in þe heuene aboue.

3.

And ȝif [t]his loue hys reynes schulde aslake,
Whateuer þinges þat now loueþ beste
Continuelly a werre schulde þey make,
That now accordantly beth sette in reste;
And in þaym-self alle þinges schulde be preste
This world for to distroyen and vndone,

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Þat now wiþ bondes holy and honeste
Haþ dyuerse folkes bounden into one.

4.

This loue it is þat holy bondes knytteth
Of mariages full of honeste;
And loue it is þat trewe lawes setteþ
Þat felawes haue in theire comynalte.
Bot ow mankynde, full blisfull myght ȝe be,
If þise ȝoure hertes had in gouernaunce
Þat heuen haþ set in suche tranquillite,
That þere-ynne may be no contrariaunce!’

Explicit liber secundus.