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]

[PREFACIO TRANSLATORIS]

INCIPIT PROLOGUS EIUSDEM SUPER LIBRUM BOECIJ

INCIPIT LIBER BOECIJ DE CONSOLACIONE PHILOSOPHIE

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[PREFACIO TRANSLATORIS]

1.

Insuffishaunce of cunnyng and of wit
Defaut of langage and of eloquence
Þis work from me schuld haue withholdyn ȝit
Bot þat ȝoure heste haþ done me violence,
Þat nedes most I do my diligence
In thyng þat passeth myn abilite
Besekyng to ȝoure noble excellence
Þat be ȝoure help it may amended be.

2.

This subtile matere of boecius
Heere in þis book of consolacioun
So hye it is, so hard and curious
Ful fair abouen myn estimacioun,
Þat it be noght be my translacioun
Defouled ne corrupt to god I praye.
So help me wiþ hys inspiracioun
Þat is of wisdom boþe lok and keye,

3.

As fro þe text þat I ne vary noght
But kepe þe sentence in hys trewe entent,
And wordes eke als neigh as may be broght
Where lawe of metir is noght resistent;

This mater wiche þat is so excellent
And passeth boþe my cunnyng and my myght
So saue it lord in þy gouernement
Þat kannest reformen alle þing to right.

4.

I haue herd speke and sumwhat haue i-seyne
Of diuerse men þat wondir subtillye,
In metir sum and sum in prose pleyne,
This book translated haue suffyshauntlye
Into Englisshe tonge, word for word, wel neye;
Bot I most use þe wittes þat I haue;
Þogh I may noght do so, yit noght-for-thye,
With help of god þe sentence schal I saue.

5.

To Chaucer þat is floure of rethoryk
In Englisshe tong and excellent poete,
This wot I wel, no þing may I do like,
Þogh so þat I of makyng entirmete;
And Gower þat so craftily doþ trete
As in hys book[es] of moralite;
Þogh I to þeym in makyng am vnmete,
Ȝit must I schewe it forth þat is in me.

6.

Noght liketh me to labour ne to muse
Upon þese olde poysees derk,
For Cristes feith suche þing[es] schulde refuse;
Witnes upon Ierom þe holy clerk.

Hit schulde not ben a Cristen mannes werk
Tho false goddes names to renewe,
For he þat hath resayued Cristes merk,
If he do so to Crist he is vntrewe.

7.

Of þo þat Crist in heuene blisse schal
Suche manere werkys scholde ben set on side;
For certaynly it nedeþ noght at all
To whette now þe dartes of cupide,
Ne for to bidde þat venus be oure gyde
So þat we may oure foule lustes wynne,
Onaunter lest þe same on us betide
As dede þe same venus for hire synne.

8.

And certayn I haue tasted wonder lyte
As of the welles of calliope
No wonder þough I sympilly endite,
Yit will I not vnto Tessiphone
Ne to Allecto ne to Megare
Besechyn after craft of eloquence,
But pray þat god of hys benignite
My spirit enspire wiþ hys influence;

9.

So þat in schenschip and confusioun
Of all þis foule worldly wrecchydnesse,
He helpe me in þis occupacioun.
In honour of þat sofferayn blisfulnesse

And eke in reuerence of youre worthinesse
This simple werk as for an obseruance
I schal begynne after my simpelnesse
In wil to do ȝour seruice and plesance.

Explicit prefacio Translatoris.

INCIPIT PROLOGUS EIUSDEM SUPER LIBRUM BOECIJ

1.

The while þat Rome was reignyng in hir floures
And [of] þe worlde held all þe monarchie,
Sche was gouerned þenne be emperoures
And was renouned wondir nobelye
Till pride had set þaire hertes vpon hye.
Þenne gan thei for to vsen cruelte
And regne by rigour and by tyrannye
In sore oppressioun of þe comynalte.

2.

For right as pouert causeth sobirnesse,
& febilnesse enforceth continence,
Right so prosperite and sekirnesse
Þe moder is of vice and necligence.
And pouer also causeþ insolence,
And often honour chaungeþ goode þewes;
Þere is none more parelouse pestilence
Þan hyhe estates gyffen vnto schrewes.

3.

Of wiche was Nero oon þe principall
Þat suche manere of tyrannye began;
Þough he bare dyademe imperiall
Yit was hym-self a verry cursed man,
So cruelly he gan to regne þan.
He slowh hys moder and hys maister bothe,
And myche he dide þat tellen I ne can
Who so haþ it red, he knoweþ wel þe sothe.

4.

The cheef of holy chirche he slowh also
Seynt Paule and Peter boþe vpon a day
And after þeym full many other mo;
And of hym-self it is, I dar wel say,
Þat Paule writeth þus, it is no nay,
And seith, now [is] þe forme of wickednesse
And figure right of antecristes lay
In whom schal ben all manere cursednesse.

5.

For þey þat trewly teche Cristes lore
To maken men forletten of þeire vice,
Antecrist will pursue þeym þerfore
And all þis prechyng setten at no pryse.
So was he gifen to lustes and delice,
In what desire þat come to hys þoght
He wolde it done wiþouten more avise
For noþing þere-of spare wolde he noght.

6.

And he þat wolde ageyn hys vices speke,
Conseilynge hym hys lustes to refreyne,
Wiþ-outen more anon he wolde be wreke;
He wolde hym put in torment and in peyne.
And he þat wolde hys lustes ouȝt wiþ-seyne
He was but deed if þat he wolde appere:
For suche acause Boecius was sleyn
Of whom þis processe after techeþ here.

7.

The yere of Crist fyve hondred and fiftene
Whan Anastasius was Emperour,
Boecius, þis same of whom I mene,
In Rome he was a noble senatour.
But þo, in manere of a conquerour
Theodoricus regned in Ytalie
And Rome he helde as heed and gouernour;
He hadde it wonne by conquest and bataile.

8.

For Anastasius was noght ilyke
Ne noght so strong of meyne atte leste;
He was consentant þat Theodorik
Schulde regne in Rome and holde hit at hys heste
And he wolde holde hym-seluen in þe este.
He seyde it was accordant to his hele,

And for his ese in sothe he chese it meste,
For romeyns ben ful perelous wiþ to dele.

9.

This kyng of Rome þan Theodorik
Was full of malice and of cursidnesse,
And eek for cause he was an heretyk
þe Christen peple gan he sore oppresse.
Boecius with his besynesse
Wiþstode hym evire, sparynge none offence,
And hym presente ful often tyme expresse
Reuersed [h]is vnlawefull iuggementis.

10.

He spared noght þe helþe of hys estate,
But euer he spak aȝeyn his tyrannye.
Wherfore þe kyng hym hadde sore in hate
And hym exciled in-to Lumbardye
To prisone in þe citee of Pavie
Where ynne as for a recreacioun
B[erwyng] hym-self in philosophie
He wrot þis book of consolacioun

11.

In prose and metre enterchaungyngly
Wiþ wordes set in colour wonder wele
Of rethoryk endited craftily;
And schewyng þat þis welþ is temporele

And noght to be desired n[euer] a dele;
Ne worldly meschief noþyng for to drede,
Enforsyng vs be resoun naturele
To vertu fully for to taken hede.

12.

When Anastasius had made hys fyne,
As tyme of age into his deth hym drewe,
Þan after hym was Emperour Justyne,
A noble knyght a feithful and a trewe;
For Cristes lawes wonder wel he knewe
And keped hem as a verry Cristen man,
And heretikes faste he gan pursewe
Þat Arrian[e]s were clepid than.

13.

His lettres in-to Rome þan he sent
For to destroyen al þat heresye,
And fully gaf h[e]m in comandement
Þat þey schulde putte hem out of companye.
Theodoricus took þis wonder hyhe
For he hym-self was only on of þo.
Thys message he repeled vtterlye
And made a uow it schulde not stonde so,

14.

And swore but if þe Arrian[e]s moste
Haue fully pees & graunted hem ageyn,
He nold not leuen oon in all þe coste
Of Cristen feith þat he ne scholde be slayn.

And þus he bad þe messanger[e]s sayn
Þat if he wolde wiþ Arrian[e]s stryve,
Seie to þe Emperour in wordes playn,
Of Cristen wil I leue non on-lyue.

15.

To Constantinopill he sent anone
Of senatoures wiche þat hym-selue leste,
And so among[es] other pope Jone
And bad þaim laboren for þaire avne beste.
And rufulliche þey maden þaire requeste
Þat Justyne schulde þis maundement relees;
For þe Cristen myght noght be in reste
But if he graunted Arrian[e]s pees.

16.

The empour his malice understood;
Beny[gne]ly he graunted haþ hire bone,
And wel he þoghte þat it was as good
Þat mater for to cessen til eft sone;
And better mighte it afterward be done
Be good avise of wyser ordinaunce.
Þe arrian[e]s so he lette alone
To vsen forth þaire olde gouernaunce.

17.

These messager[e]s to þe kynges pay
Retourned noght so hastely ageyne

As he desired at assigned day.
Wherfore in hert he had[de] gret disdeyne,
And Boece þat lay in prisoun and in peyne
Exiled in þe citee of Pavye
In myleyne þan he made hym to [be] sleyne;
In Pavie been his boones sikerlye.

18.

And whan thise messager[e]s at þe last
Retourned were, in hert he gan to brenne,
And pope Joone in prisoun þan he cast
All fer in-to þe citee of Ravenne,
And made hym closid in a narow denne
Where he ne myghte torne hym-self ne wende,
And sothe to seyn he went[e] neuer þenne
Bot of his lyf right þere he made an ende.

19.

Also þe worthy noble Symachus
Þat was a man full grounded al in grace
Þat as in vertu was heroycus,—
Þere lefte not suche an oþer as he wace—
Wiþ-outen cause, surfet or trespace
At Rauenne eke he slow hym cruellye.
And afterward in þat same place
Þe nexte yere he deide sodeynlye.

20.

And as seynt Gregor doth hym-selfe write,
As his diologe makiþ mercioun,
Þere was þat tyme an holy heremyte;
As he was in his contemplacioun
He sawe Theodoryk in visioun
Bytwene Symachus and pope John,
Right as a þeef to his dampnacioun
How he was led, and after þat anon,

21.

In þe yle of vlcane was he casten þenne
Þat full is of a fury flaumbe of hell,
Þer-inne alwey in peynes for to brenne,
And wiþ þe foule fendys for to dwell.
For tyrantes þat so fiers been and fell
Suche reward is arraied for þaire mede.
I saye ȝow but as olde bokes telle,
Now to my purpos tyme is þat I spede.

22.

And euery lord or lady what ȝe be
Or clerk þat likeþ for to rede þis,
Besekyng lawly wiþ humylite
Supporte where I haue [seyde] amys;

Correcte[þ] only þere þat nedful is,
If word or sentence be noght as it scholde.
My-self I am vnsuffishaunt I-wys
For if I couthe have bettre done I wolde.

Explicit Prologus.

INCIPIT LIBER BOECIJ DE CONSOLACIONE PHILOSOPHIE

[INCIPIT LIBER PRIMUS]

Metrum Primum

Carmina qui quondam studio florente peregi fflebiles heu mestos cogor inire modos.

1.

Allas I wrecche þat whilom was in welthe
And lusty songes vsed for to write
Now am I set in sorowes and vnselthe.
Wiþ mournyng now my merþe I most respite;
Lo re[n]dyng muses techiþ me to endite,
Of wo wiþ wepyng weteþ þay my face.
Thus hath disese distroyed al my delyte
And broght my blisse and my bone cheefe all bace.

2.

And þogh þat I wiþ myschef now be mete
Þat false fortune lourith þus on me,
No drede fro me ne myghte þe muses lete
Me for to sewe in myn aduersite.
My ioyes þei were all in my iolyte
Of youthe þat was so gladsom and so grene;
Now þei solacen my drery destine
And in myn age my confort now þei bene.

3.

Vnwarly age comyth on me hastely
Hyeng on me for harme þat I haue had
And sorow his eld haþ hoten to be ney.
Hoore herys on my hede to rathe ben sprad;
All toome of blood my body waxeþ bad,
Myn ampty skyn begynnyth to tremble and quake,
I knowe no cause wherof I scholde be glad
But socurlese þus am I al forsake.

4.

A deth of men a blissful þing it were
If he wolde spare þeym in þaire lustynesse,
And come to þem þat been of heuy chere
Whan þei hym call to slaken þaire distresse.
But owt! allas! how dull & deef he [esse]
Wrieng awey fro wrechys when þei clepe,
And werneth þenne wiþ wonder cruelnesse
Þe eyen for to close þat waile and wepe.

5.

Bot while fortune, vnfeithfull and vntrewe,
Of lusty lyf was to me fauorabill,
Ful sodanly myn hede down he drewe
Þe careful houre of deth vnmerciabill.
But now þat sche so chaungyng and vnstable
Hath turned vnto me here cloudy face,

Thys wrecchid lyf þat is vnconfortable
Wyll draw a-long and tarieth now allas.

6.

Wher-to [y]e frendes made ye ȝour awaunt
So often tymes of my felicite?
This worldy welthe is nouth perseueraunt
Ne neuere abidynge in stabilite.
For he þat falliþ out of hys degre
Ȝe knowen wel þat stable was he noght,
Ne he stood neuere in ful prosperite
Þat in-to meschief is so lowe ibroght.

[Prosa ja.]

1.

In mornyng þus I made my compleynt
And for to write my fyngres gan I folde;
For drerynesse I wax al febill and feynt,
Þat of my lyf almost no thyng I tolde.
But vpward atte laste I gan beholde;
In sothe I seye so faire a creature
I coude hire noght discryuen þogh I wolde
So semely was here schap & hire feture.

2.

Sche was so wonder reuerent of hire chere;
Hire colour eek so liuely and so bright;

Hire eyen bren[ne]d semyng as for-clere,
Passyng full fer abouen mannys sight;
As, þogh sche were ful fresche & clene of myght
As sche had ben full yongly of corage,
Ȝit semed sche to euery worldly wight
Þat sche was ouerpassid mannys aage.

3.

Hire stature was of doutfull Jugement:
Sumtyme þus of comune mannys meet,
And somtyme was hire stature so extent
Þat wiþ hire heed sche semed heuenes beet;
And other while so hyhe hire heed sche geet
Sche persed heuene and myght no more be seyne,
So þat we muste þe sight of hire forlete
And alle oure lokyng after was in veyne.

4.

Hire clothes wroghte were of þredes smale
Be subtile craft of matir perdurable,
And wiþ hire hondes by hire awne tale
Sche had hem wroght, I trowe it be no fable.
Þe beaute of hem was full comendable;
Bot dusk þei were, forleten as for elde,
As ymages þat in smoke had stonden stable,
Þat ben noght wasche ne wyped not but selde.

5.

And in þe hemme byneþen made sche had
So as I couthe it knowe, a grekisshe P;
And in þe bordure al abouen I rad
And þere also sche had[de] made a T,
And so bitwene þe lettres myght I see
like a laddire, what þat euere it mende,
Wheron men myght al-wey fro gre to gre,
Fro þere bynethen vpward evire ascende.

6.

Neuerþeles sum men be violence
Had kyt this cloth and pecis born away,
Suche as þey myghte withouten reuerence
And dide þere-wiþ as was vnto þare pay.
This creature of whom I gan ȝow say
In hire right hond[e] smale bookes were.
A septir also of ful riche aray
In certeyn in hire other hond sche bere.

7.

And when þis womman sawh þise muses þere
Vnto my beddes side approchen neye
Endytyng wordes to my wepyng chere,
Sche gan to loke vpon hem feruentlye;
“Who haþ,” sche seide, “let in þis companye
Þus with hire song þis seek[e] man to plese,
Þat no-þing helpeþ him of his maladie
But rather doth hym greuance & disese?”

8.

“Lo þese it ben,” sche seide, “þat folkes feden
Wiþ swete venym of corrupcioun
And tendre hertes maken for to bleden;
Wiþ thornes of þaire f[o]ul[e] affeccioun
Þey sleen þe worþy fruytes of resoun
And only bryngen siknesse in vsage;
This is þe kynde of theire condicioun
And noght at all þe seknesse to aswage.”

9.

‘Yif ȝe,’ sche seide, ‘wiþ youre daliaunce
Had from me drawe sum foole vnprofitable
Ful lesse it wolde haue done me displesaunce.
I myght haue sustened þat as sufferable,
For-why in suche a foole þat is vnable,
May not be harmed of my besynesse.
Bot this þat euer in studie hath stonden stable
Schulde noght be founden wiþ ȝoure folynesse.

10.

But go, ye filthes, out of my presence
Youre swetnesse wolde hym bryngen at an ende.
I schal hym saue wiþ salue of my science
Þat schal be more confort vnto hys kynde.’
And þus þis companye away gan wende
And bitterly abasched of þaire blame,
Schewyng in sothe þe Abyt of þaire mynde
Hangynge doun to grounde þaire heed for schame.

11.

I than þat neigh for teres sawh right nowȝt,
Merveiled mych what myght þat womman be.
I wondred also gretly in my þoght,
Þat so imperial of a[u]ctorite,
Sche made þat meigne smertly for to fle.
I was abasched and heng myn hede to grounde.
What sche wolde done or aftir seie to me,
þat I abood & held me still, astounde.

12.

Vnto my bed þan gan sche me neghe nere
And on þe corner doun here-self sche sette,
And sadly gan by-holde vpon my chere
Þat so was wiþ teres al be-wette;
And right þus sche began wiþoute lette
Compleynyng on my perturbacioun;
For cause of mescheef wherwith I was mette,
Of me sche made þis lamentacioun:

Metrum ijm

heu quam precipiti.

1.

‘Allas!’ sche seyde, ‘how þat þis mannys mynde
Is casten doun now in-to depe derknesse,
For-let þe clerenesse of his propur kynde,
Myntyng for to goo to strange derknesse,

Als ofte-tyme as noyous besynesse
Wiþouten mesure begynneþ to en[c]resse,
When worldly wynd wiþ meschief and distresse
Haþ hym byraft al out of merthe and pesse.

2.

This is þe man þat whilom was so free
To whom be craft was gifen for to kunne,
Vp in-to heuenes to be-holde and see,
And to mesure þe mevyng of þe sonne;
By wyt also þat konnyng had he wonne
How þat þe mone chaungeþ for to preue;
And what recorse þe sterres haueþ i ronne
And in þaire speres how diuersly þei meue,

3.

As victour haþ he subtely conquered,
And all þis craft þat noumber comprehendiþ;
Fro whennes eke þese wyndys ben arerid
The smothe see þat turneþ so and wendiþ;
And why þe sterre þat is in þe est ascendeth
Eft in þe west a-downe aȝeyn to lowte;
And what spirit so besily entendith
Þe rounde world to wenden all aboute;

4.

And what attempreþ so þe lusty oures
Of þilke faire firste somer sesoun,

Arayeng it wiþ rede rose floures
Þe wiche in wynter skarse ben [and] [g]esoun;
Alle þise lo kouþe he schewe be verray resoun,
In fulle yeres who is þat vs fedeth
Wiþ grete grapes þat þe peple plesoun
And oþer fruytes þat vs all[e] nedeth.

5.

Wont he was also to seke & knawe
Þe priue causes for to telle of kynde.
Allas witles now lith þis man full lawe
Vnder full heuy bondes þat hym bynde,
And now can he none oþer comfort fynde,
But heuely his chere he haþ dounfolde;
So is he all desmayed in hys mynde
Þat nedes wrecched erth he must be-holde.’

[Prosa ija]

Set medicine.

1.

‘But now of medecyne,’ quod sche, ‘haue we nede,
For in compleyntes lyth no remedie;
Vnto þat purpos let oure werkes spede.’
Sche sette hire eyen on me ententyfly:
‘Art þow noght he,’ sche seide, ‘wiche þat I
Haue fed wiþ melk while þow were ȝonge of aage,

And siþþe wiþ strenger metes tenderly
Til ȝow were woxe a man of strong corage?

2.

And sith I yaf þe armour good and stronge
Wiche, bot þou þi-self had cast fro the,
Thow schuldest haue be disesed wiþ no wronge
But haue ben sure fro all aduersitee.
Why art þou stille,’ sche seide, ‘knowest þou noght me?
Is it for schame, [o]r þou art astonyed sore?
The ne schamest noght, trow I, because of me;
Thow art astonyed þerof drede I more.’

3.

“And whan sche sawe me sitten doumbe and stille
Sche sette hire hond ful softe vpon my breste:
‘As here,’ sche seide, ‘no perill is of ille;
This man is wiþ a litargie arest,
A comyn syknesse þat men haþ oppressid
Wiche out of mynde hauen hem-self forlete;
Full esely þis evil schal be redressed.
A litel what he haþ hym-self forȝete,

4.

He schal remembre wel and esily
Yif Y may ferst me make hym for to knowe.

I schal his eighen wipen tenderly
Of clowdes derk þat haueþ hem ouergrowe,
And þan he schal amenden as I trowe.’
A plyt sche lapped on hire garnement;
Myn eighen þat wiþ wepyng were beflowe
Sche dried till all þe derknesse were iwent.

Metrum iijm

Tunc me di[s]cuss[a].

1.

And when þis cloude was clensid fro myn eye
I was anon restored to my sight;
Right as when cloudes clippynge in þe skye
The sonne is let to lem adoun hys light,
And reyne cloudes maken a maner nyght,
But when a north wynd chaseth hem away
Þe sonne begynneth to schewe his bemes bright
And as it were bringeþ aȝen þe day.

[Prosa iija]

haud aliter tristicie.

1.

Ryght euen so and in non other wise
This drerynesse out of myn herte gan reche.
I loked vp and [gan] me bet avise
If I myght knowe þe visage of my leche.

Þan k[n]ewe I wel be visage and by speche
Myn owne gentil norys philosophie
Þat me was wont to wissen and to teche
And fro my ȝouthe had me in companye.

2.

“Owh,” quod I, “my worschipful maistresse
Of alle vertues and of honeste,
What doo ȝe here now in þis wildernesse
Come þus adoun out of þat souereyn see
Into þis exile? Wheþir be-cause of me
As gilty made also of my trespace?
Hit ne besemeþ nouth youre souereynte
For to be seen in þis vnworþy place.”

3.

‘Owh, nory,’ quod sche, ‘schulde I the forsake
Sith þou for me art falsly put in blame,
And noght þe charge also vpon me take
Þe wiche þow berest for envye of my name?
To philosophie it were repreue and schame
To leue an innocent in suche vpbraid;
And now at arst redoute me of þat game
Þat is not newe to me ne vnassaied.

4.

Trowest þou þat I be now at erst assayled
Of wicked folk wiþ peril and damage?
How haue I be tormented and trauayled
With fool-hardynesse and foule outrage
Beforne Plato in tyme of elder age?
And while þat Plato lyued presently
Lo Socrates was slayn and had to wage
In my presence a crowne of victory.

5.

The epicurus and þe stoycienus
his heritage of his opinioun
Þai cauȝten to them as for verrey menus
To wilfulnes, eueriche a porcioun,
And mo of wiche I make no mencioun,
Þeym self enforced wiþ þaire subtilite
And drew his wordes to þaire entencioun
Of þeire opinatiue felicite.

6.

This same folk in partie of þaire pray
This cloth þei caght þat I my-self had weven,
And þogh þat I wiþstood and seide nay
To rende and kyt it wolde þei not bileuen.

And wiþ þo cloutes þat þei had me by-reuen
Thei went þaire way and wend all had ben wele.
As foles right þai dode h[e]m-self deceyuen
And wend I had go wiþ hem euery-dele;

7.

And so for cause þat þei þise pecys beere
Lo sum supposed, as fooles utterlye,
Þat þise had ben wiþ me famuliere
And in myn houshold ben abiddynglye,
And so þorw errours of þis companye
Many a foole is [foule] out of þe weye.
By hem þ[ey] ben peruerted parelouslye
And wene þat all be wisdom þat þei seie.

8.

Hast þou not herd of Anaxagoras
Þat was exiled lo be-cause of me;
Of Socrates þat eke empoysoned was;
How Ȝeno was torment with cruelte?
And þogh þat þis bestrange þing to þe,
Yit Canio and Senek, as I trowe,
And Soran also in þy mynde be,
For þis is late þyng and wel i-knowe.

9.

Noght elles thise broght in-to distresse
Bot for þey were enformed in my lore,
Bot al vnlike, as in þaire besynesse,
To wicked folk þat hated hem þerfore.
It is noþyng þat is to wonder sore,
Though we be steryd wiþ stormes of dysese,
Sith þat oure purpose haþ ben euirmore
To wicked folkes willes to displese.

10.

And þowȝ þaire oost be huge in habundance
Yit nought-forthy, it is to be repreued
For-why þey be with-oute gouernance,
And noght bot flood of errour haþ hem meved.
And if þat þay be errour thus contreued
Arayse an ost wiþ strengþe and vs assetteth,
Oure gouern[ou]r be them may noght be greued,
His tresour all in-to his toure he settith.

11.

Thise fooles traueil þan ententyfly
On veyn[e] þinges þat may þeym not availe;
And we þat sitten in þis toure on hye,
All sure i-nogh fro hem þat vs assayle,

In suche a paleys strong of apparaile
Where þat þese fooles may not vp attayne;
We skornen hem and all hire wast trauayle;
Þaire besynesse is euerydel in vayne.

[Metrum iiijm]

Quis composito.

1.

For he þat stondeth clere and ordinate
And proud[e] happes suffreþ vnderslide,
In alle fortunes he stondeth streyt algate,
In wele and wo kan euenliche abide.
Þe wood[e] see þat floweþ to euery side
Hym drediþ noþing of his cruelte,
Bot what desese þat be to hym betyde
Hym greuyth noght but stondeþ in oo degre.

2.

That foule fuyre þat out of helle rekyth
In þe mounteyne þat clepid is V[e]sene,
Ne thondere leight þat hi[he] toures brekeþ
He ne drediþ noght, what is it þat ȝe mene.
Why drede ȝe þan, wrecches þat ȝe bene,
Fiers tyrantes þat ben wiþ-oute might?

Putteth false hope out of youre hertes clene
And fleischly drede putteþ fro youre sight.

3.

For if þou noþing of a man desire,
Ne what he may þe doo þow hast no drede,
Thow schalt dis[a]r[m]e þe wrecchid mannys ire
And in no wise he may þe noght mysbede.
Who so hopeth oght or dredeþ ouer-nede
He casteth awey hys scheld and his constable,
And knytteth a cheyne wiþ wiche he may hym lede
Where þat [h]ym lust, to hym vnprofitable.

[Prosa iiija]

1.

‘Felist þow noght wher my word be soft or sharpe,’
Quod sche, ‘wiþ-ynne thyne herte ententyfly,
Or art þow lyk an asse to þe harpe
Þat is noght meued wiþ no melody?
If þou coueitest help or remedy
Þat must[en] hele þe woundes þat þe greuen,
Be than aknowen to me openly
And hyd it noght and I the wil releuen.’

2.

I drow to me þe myght of my corage.
“Yee been,” quod I, “þat broght me in estate;

Nedeth it now to telle yow my damage
Þat hath me had in ȝoure presence algate?
Ye woot in what degree I stood but late;
Ne meueth nou[ght] ȝow þe maner of þis place?
Is þis þe librarie where ȝe wiþ me sate
When ȝe were all my ioye and my solace,

3.

Devine thinges disputynge þere wiþ me,
And oþere science[s] þat ful lusty were,
When þat with ȝow I stood in þis degree?
Was þan þis þe [h]abit of my cheere
When I of ȝow was woned to seek and lere
Þe pryue poyntes longyng to nature?
How þat þe sterres meved fer or nere
Discryvyng it be noumbres in figure;

4.

Formyng in me þe maner of my lyf
Lykly vnto þe heuenly gouernaunce,
Techyng me to be contemplatyf;
I yelde yow thank wiþ lowly obysaunce.
This was a sentence of ȝoure ordinaunce
Wiche Plato wrot if I it vndirstonde:

A blissful þing were comyn gouern[aunce]
If only wyse men schulde it haue in honde,

5.

O[r] if þat thise þat vsen gouernement
In wisdom wolde dispende þaire besynesse.
And Plato also to þe same entent
hath taght vs þus, þyne owne lore it es:
To wise men a nedful cause is this
For to desire estate of souereynte,
Lest wykked folk þat wolde gouerne amys
Resceyue estate and harme a comynalte.

6.

For if þat wise men and vertuouse
Schulde þis estate and souereynte forsake,
þan oþere wicked men and viciouse
Wolde be ful fayne þe same estate to take,
And suche as þey ben suffreynes wil þei make,
And wise persones schulde be set at noght.
Thus schulde wrong and wickednesse awake,
And trewthe and vertu be to grounde i-broght.

7.

But sewyng þere-for youre auctorite
I had desire to this entencioun,

Þat I had lered of ȝoure benignyte,
To put it forth in execucioun.
Witnesse vpon ȝoure owne discrecioun
And god þat ȝou haþ set in mannys mynde,
I coueite[d] neuere admynistracioun
Bot comune profite was boþe cause and ende.

8.

Þe hate þat I haue had and heuynesse
Of wicked folk is open evidence;
In mayntenance of trewþe and rightwisnesse
Be verray fredom of my conscience,
Of mighti men I spared none offence.
When Conigast þe peple wolde oppresse,
I met hym euer with mighti recistence
And often let hym of his wickednesse.

9.

And Trangwyle prouost of þe kynges hous,
How often I cast hym doun of his malice;
And many a pore man and anguyschous
Þat were a-sette be cursed couetise
Of men þat full of venym were and vice,
I halp hem ofte out of aduersitee;
For to defende hem oute of suche folies
Lo myn estat I putte in iupartie.

10.

Ther was neuer man þat me fro right wiþdrowe
To wronge, be fauour, be frendschepe, and be wage.

But when I sawe þe contres now and nowe
Be put in þraldom and in foule seruage,
What be tribut and what be cariage,
And what by raveyn & extorsioun,
As sore me greued þe harm of þat damage
As theym þat suffred tribulacioun.

11.

And when þe prouince þat highte Campanye
Was sore oppressed in a dere ȝere,
Þat no man muste selle corne and bye
Til þat þe kyng had solde vp his garnere
At suche a prys so greuous and so dere
Þat pore men were harmed and anoyed,
Þan I wiþ-stood þe kynges officere;
Wityng þe kyng, þat statut I destroyed.

12.

And Paulyn eke a counseillour of Rome
Wich pales hondes had oppressed so
Þat þay his go[o]des falsly hym bynome,
I rescued hym wher þat þey wolde or no.
Albyn þat was conseillour also
Þat was aiuged to a greuous peyne,
Myself allone to sauen hym þer-fro,
Of Cypriane I suffred gret disdeyne.

13.

That had accused hym; how semeþ yow?
In paleys haue I hate and enmyte
For loue of right; and were not þis ynow
For to be favored of þe comynalte?
Sith I no frendschip haue as toward me,
In kynges halle I haue no loue reserued,
Me semeth þan I schulde þe surere be
Withouten-forth where I haue loue deserued.

14.

But now be whom was I accused þus?
For sothe of noon þat was of honest fame.
But on þer was þat hight Basileus
Þe wiche be-fore had be found in blame
And out of office was he put wiþ schame;
And sith he fel at meschief and at nede
He was accept accuser of my name,
Stired þerto be giftes and be mede.

15.

Yit other two þat han me þus defiled
Were Gaudencius and Opilioun
Wiche þat þe kynges juges had exiled
For certayn surfet þat þei hadden don;
But in-to seintuarie þan ben þei gon
Þeym to defende ageyn þe kynges lawe.

And knowyng þis þe kyng comaunded sone
Þat out of seintuarie þei schulde be drawe.

16.

Bot-if they voided þe citee of Raven
Be tyme assigned at [a] certen day,
In þaire front an yren schulde þei bren,
And be compelled for to gon þaire way.
Vnto þis fals attaynt what schal I say,
Or to þe kynges cursed cruelte?
Vpon þat same day, it is no nay,
Thei were admitted to accusen me.

17.

Wheþer myn art and occupacioun
Haue þus deserued falsly to be blamed,
Oþer elles so þat my dampnacioun
Haþ righted hem þat traytores were proclamed?
And was noght fortune here-of half aschamed
Þat þowȝ sche reward noght myn innocence,
Vnworþines of hem þat me defamed
Schulde none apele haue made in myn absence?

18.

Bot perauenture ȝe wolde wite þe ground
In-to this exile why I am remeved?
I wolde þe senat had be hool and sound
And in nowise hyndred ne repreued;

Þis is þe cause þat I am þus agreued.
But ye wolde wite þe maner euerydele:
Be-cause of lettres wiche I had be-reued
Fro hem þat wolde þe senatores apele.

19.

Maystresse what will ȝe demen now?
Schal I þis blame forsake or kall ageyn
Lest þat it schulde be schamefull vnto ȝow?
Nay, sikerliche, I schal it neuer wiþ-seyn;
I haue it wilned, and euer schal certeyn,
Þat senatoures stood in reste & pees.
But þe accusere here after to restreyn,
Or let hym oght of þat entent, I sees.

20.

Wheþir for to willen þeire prosperite
Schuld been arett as synne and felonye?
And certanly hem-self in þaire de[c]re
Han put on me þat poynt of treccherie.
But foole vnwit þat to h[y]m-self doth lye
Ne may noght chaunge þe merit of my dede;
Though þat þe fooles wolde hem-self distroye
My good[e] will is worth[i] þank and mede.

21.

But vnto m[e], b[y] dome of Socrates,
How so-þat-euer it stonde in þaire entent,
I trowe it be noght leeful, neuerþeles,
To hyde a trewth or to a fals assent.
And noght-for-that, of þis howeuer it stent,
It spedeth noght my-seluen to excuse;
I put it holy in þe iuggement
Now of ȝoure selfe and of other wise.

22.

The processe of þis mater euerydele
I haue it write and put in remembrance,
Þat men here after mowe conceyue and fele
How wrongfully I suffred þis greuance.
But þi[l]ke lettres of þaire ordinance
Þat in my name were traytourly contreuyd,
If I hadde had þat liberte perchaunce,
Theire fals[e] fraudes schulde haue ben i-preued.

23.

Or had I at excaminacioun
My-self ben present whan I was accused,
[Right] be þaire owne apert confessioun
I trowe þei schulde me fully haue excused.
This liberte were goodly to ben vsed.
But now what liberte schal I abide?

Myn answere sothly scholde not be refused
If euere I schulde þat liberte betide.

24.

As Kanyus vnto þe kyng answerd
Þat was accused of conspiracie:
“Had I,” [he] sayed, “þerof oght knowe or herd
Thow schuldest [haue] noþyng knowe sikerly;”
And sothe to seyn þe same wise wolde I
A litel bet my lettres haue bestowen,
And also procured hem so preuely
Þat þerof noþyng schuld þe kyng haue knowen.

25.

Yit haþ noght mournynge dulled so my mynde
That þis is all þe cause þat I compleyne,
Þat wicked folk ben alway so vnhynde
Ageyn vertu suche malice for to leyne;
But þis it is wherof I haue disdeyne:
Noght for þei purpos wickedly in wille,
Bot þat þai may þaire malice so maynteyne
Þaire wicked cursed purpos to fulfille.

26.

As for to willen malice and vnright,
Þat may ben of her awne vnþriftynesse;

But þat þai haue þat power or þat myght
To execute þat so purposed is
As innocence and vertu to distresse,
Only of þat I merueil in my mynde;
In his presence þat seeþ all þing expresse
This semeth me a monstre out of kynde.

27.

Wherfore þer was wiþ yow familiere
One þat compleyned thus and skilfully:
‘Sith god is present heere and euerywhere,
Fro whennes comeþ all euyl, this meruaile I?
And if þat god ne were noght verraily,
Fro whennes scholde all goode þinges be?
But he þat all þing knoweþ perfitly
May demen þis and noon I trowe but he.

28.

All were it lefull to þise surfetoures
Þat alle goode men noyen and disesen
Purposyng [for] to [sle] þe senatoures,
No wonder were þogh þat þei wol[de] [me] sesen;
For euer my purpos was hem to displesen
And letten hem fro þeire entencioun;
To senatoures ȝit gaf I non enchesoun
For to conspire my dampnacioun.

29.

And maistresse ȝe rem[em]bre wele
Þat what-so-euer I þowht to done or say,
Boþe word and werk ȝe rewled euerydele,
And be yow I gouerned me all-way;
And eke þe senatoures, it is no nay,
For þaire defence þay knowen euerychone
In what perile I put me at oo day
Ayeyn þe kyng my-seluen at Verone.

30.

Ye know al this þat I ne seie but soth
Though I my-self had kept it in silence,
For sikerly all-way haue I be lothe
To be commended of myn excellence.
For he þat will be fayne of reuerence
And so resayueth réward of renoun,
Þe þriue secre of his conscience
Apereþ myche be þat condicioun.

31.

But heere ȝe may ȝoure-seluen taken hede,
For innocence what worschip now haue I?
For vertu I rescayue to my mede
Þe peynes pertinent to felonye.
Who had euer for any treccherye
his iugges so concorded in cruelte

For gilt þat w[as] confessed openlie
Þat some of hem ne were moued wiþ pite?

32.

All had it ben so þat I had desired
Þe prestes deth or holy chirche i-brent,
Or cruell deth to good[e] men conspired,
Or what malice so þat I had euer i-ment,
Ȝit schulde I haue be demed me present,
Of my surfet or conuicte or confessed,
And after þis haue had my iugement;
And rightwisly þis might haue be redressed.

33.

Ow worthi men of worschip and of mede!
For noon of hem come neuir at þat degre
To be conuict of suche a manere dede
As to wiþ-stonde a kynges cruelte
As I haue done for þaire commodite.
Þerfore þey weren of my gilt aschamed
For-why in filyng of my dignite,
Of sorcerye þey haue me now defamed.

34.

They seye for couetise of hyhe estate
Þat I had vsed craft of sorcerie.

But ȝe þat were my gouernour algate
Full well ȝe wetyn falsly þat þei lye;
For fro my herte ȝe hadden vtterlye
Avoyded clene all worldly coueytise,
And in ȝour presence myght not skilfullye
Suche sacrilege been vsed in no wise.

35.

For euery day ȝe putten in my þoght
Thise sothfast wordes of Pictagoras;
Þat many goddes seruen schulde we noght
But oon allone þat makeþ corne and gras.
It neded noght, ne none accorde it was,
But wonderfully vnsemely in youre sight
Þe help of foule gostes to purchace,
Sith ȝe had made me lik to god allmight.

36.

Also my wyf þat is ful innocent
And oþere frendes of my cumpanye,
My wifes fader also reuerent
Fro suche defautes mowe defenden me.
But owh malice and cursed cruelte!
This blame þay put on ȝow be evidence,
Be-cause I am gouerned all be þe,
Þat I haue vsed suche enchaunt[e]mence.

37.

And vnto hem hit semeth not i-nogh
Þat ȝoure reuerence me noþing profiteth,
Bot eke my gilt þei putten vpon ȝow
And myn offence fully ȝow þei witeþ.
And other þing my sorowes ȝit exciteth;
Þat men see noght þe merite of oure dede,
But seyn alwey when þat fortune vs smyteth,
Of oure surfet it was deserued nede.

38.

And seyn þat welthis and prosperite
Comyth vnto vs for oure rightwisnesse,
And also when þere comyth aduersitee,
It comyþ only of oure peruersi[dnesse].
With fortune goth oure fame of worthinesse;
A noble þing, so light it is to lese,
And certaynly þe firste þing it esse
Þat fleeþ away fro wrecches in mysese.

39.

What rumours thise folk will of me fynde,
How dyuerse sentence and how varient,
It lothes me to thenkyn in my mynde,
For euery man on me seith his entent;

And this it is þat most myn herte schent:
Þere is no fortune greueþ me so sore
As when þat meschief is to wrecches sent,
Men seyn it was deserued þer before.

40.

Fro all my good I am awey i-put
Also despoyled of my dignyte,
And to my herte it greueþ more yut
My name is fouled in þe comynalte,
And for þe be[ne]fetes of my bounte
Lo now I suffre torment and distresse;
And in myn herte me semeth þat I see
How felonus folk been in þeire lustynesse;

41.

And euery lorell redy now and bown
Som newe coniected fraudes to devise;
And good[e] folk þaire hedes hongeþ down
Lest þey be seruyd in þe same wyse;
And euery surfeture now dar accuse,
Be-cause of fauour and vnpunschement,
Good[e] men to defoulen and despise,
And proudly to performe þeir entent,

42.

Therto excited be giftes and be mede;
And rightwisnesse may haue no reuerence,
So innocentes lyuen now in drede;
Noght only þat, but lakkeþ þaire defense.
Agayn malice is made no resistence
Bot sothfastnesse is had in all desdeyne.
Þat god will suffre this in his presence,
A cause I haue to axe and me compleyne.

Metrum [v]m

o Stelli-feri Conditor orbis.

1.

Now makere of þe sterred heuen on hyhe
Þat perdurable sittest in thy trone,
Thou turnest heuene wiþ a wonder swye
Constreynynge sterres in thi lawe allone,
So þat in tyme of fulnesse of þe mone,
Beschyned wiþ þe sonne bemes bright,
Þe smale sterres hyd þeym-seluen sone;
In hire presence to schyne þei haue no myght.

2.

And when sche to þe sonne neigheþ nere
Right sone sche most hire bright[e] hornes hide;
And Esperus þat semeth bright and clere
And schewiþ hym in þe colde euentide,

Anoþer, [þ]ere he is þe sunes gide
Arisyng vp ful pale by þe morne,
And in þat course he nedis moste abide
For so þou hast commaunded hym beforne.

3.

In wynter when þe leues goon away,
Thow schortest þan þe faire daies light;
In hoot[e] somer lengþest þou þe day
And makest schort þe derknesse of þe nyght.
And þou attemperest tymes be þy myght,
Þat bare branches waxen faire and grene
Wiche þat were despoyled and vnhight
Be styffe stormes of þe wynter kene.

4.

The seedes þat in wynter ben i-sowen
Thow makest hem to waxen feyre and hye
And when þey ben to cornes full i-growen
Thow makest hem to ripen and to drye.
Thyne olde lawe þere may noþing [vn]plie
Ne be no way þaire kyndly course forlete.
Oo god, þat all þing rewlest certanlie,
Now onely mannes werk thow hast forȝete.

5.

Why schall fortune turnen vp-so-doun
Thing wiche þat is in thy gouernement,
Thise wicked folk to set in hy renoun,
And dryuen doun þe good [and] innocent
Wiþ paynes þat by rightwys iugement
Been dewe to caytifs for þaire cursednesse?
Lo feithfull folk ben schamed now and schent
And wicked folk ben set in worthinesse.

6.

Thus fals[e] folk þe faiþfull haue oppressed,
And vertu þat so worþy is of name
Now lyth in derknesse til hit be redressed.
Þe rightwis berith þe wicked mannes blame;
Forsworn[e] men þat [ben] wiþouten schame
Lo fals[e] fraudes, coloured as hem list,
They vsen now as for a comune game
Disceyuyng hem þat most vpon hem trist.

7.

And after þeym þei drawen to consent
Gret kynges þat many a man must drede,
And maken hem performe þaire entent,
And þaym a-combreth wiþ þaire cursed-hede,

And as þaym lust right so þei wil þaym lede.
But now be-holde þis wrecchid erthely place,
Thy-self þat knyttes[t] all in lengþe and brede,
Sum tyme sende vs socour of þy grace.

8.

For of þy werk we ben a porcioun,
Noght foule bot faire after þe forme of þe,
We men þat fortune dryueþ vp and doun
Among þe wawes of þis worldly see.
Represse þis flood, lord, what-so-euer þou be,
Þat knyttest all in certeyn ordenaunce.
Þou rewlest heuenes in tranquillite,
Now sette vs sumwhat in þat gouernaunce.

Prosa [v]a

hec vbi continuato.

1.

When I wiþ mornyng þus had made my mone
Sche was noþing of my compleynt ameved;
With plesant chere sche stood as stille as stone.
‘Sothely,’ sche seide, ‘while ere this I conseyued
Þat þow were exul and þy good be-reued.
Right be þy wepyng chere I wiste it wele,
But ȝit þus fer hadde I not perceyued
Bot þow þy-self had tolde me euerydele.

2.

Bot neuerþellater vndirstonde wel þis,
Þou art not exul out of þy citee,
But þou þy-self hast take þy way amys,
Astrayed out in a straunge cuntre.
And ȝif þou trowe þat þow exciled be,
Þan hast þou putte þy-self out sikerly,
For þat power no wyht haþ ouer the
But þou þy-self wilt done it wilfully.

3.

For if þou k[n]ewe or couthe haue in þy mynde
Of what cuntre or what citee þou were
Of wiche þow took þe beynge of þy kynde,
The lawes of þat lond þow schuldest lere,
For al þe worlde ne may it noght conquere.
Noght lyk Athenes þat many lordes had,
O lord, o lawe, þere is none oþer yere,
Þat of his multitude is blithe and glad.

4.

He is full fayn þat folk will to hym drawe,
Ne wilfully he will no wight for-lete.
For to obeie vnder his lusty lawe
Is liberte þe grettest þat may be gete.

Ne knowest þou noght or elles þow hast forȝete
Þe lawe þat alwey þere is had and vsed:
Who so þat lust þereynne to beld his sete,
Þe lord ne wil not þat he be refused.

5.

And in þat place who so will abiden stille
He ne may deserue none aduersite,
Bot also sone as he forlettiþ þat will
He may no lenger in þat paleys be;
For he forfeteþ þanne his liberte
And fleeþ his cuntre of his owne assent,
When þat he scheweþ sensualite
For-letynge resoun in his iugement.

6.

Thow asked wher þe maner of þis place
Wiþ the to mourne if it me meued oght.
Me meueþ [more] þe maner of þi face
For why þis place meveþ me right noght.
Þe library wiþ glas and yuer wroght
Ne alle þi bokes sette I at no pris;
I seke wel more þe habyt of þy þoght
Where I had made a sete of my devise.

7.

For in þy herte I hade no bokes schit
But þing þat makeþ bookes precious,

Subtile sentence of cunnynge and of wit,
Wiche vnto þe was more delicious.
Of thi merite þow hast remembred vs
Wiche þat þou hast in comen good be-stowe;
Ful soth it is and noght suspessious,
Som hast þou seid and ȝit wel more I knowe.

8.

Thow hast also remembred forþermore
The maner of þyn accusacioun
And eke þe gilt þat þou art greued fore;
Ful honest in þy estimacioun,
None harme deserued ne dampnacioun
But raþer réward for þy besynesse,
And now for þy remuneracioun
Thow hast noþing but harme and heuynesse.

9.

And schortly hast rehersed euery-dele
The false fraudes of þyne accusoures
Wiche þat þe comune peple knoweþ wele;
Þe wrongful dome eke of þe senatoures
Þat raþer schulde haue ben þy sustenoures;
Thow sorwest also gretly for my blame
Þe wiche I bere for þe of surfetoures;
Thow wepest eek þe foulyng of þy fame;

10.

And at þe laste to fortune ganstow chide
Þat mede wiþ meryt is noght euene i-weie;
Why surfetours ben suffred in hire pride
And good folk greued, þus herde I þe seie;
And in þy song to god þus gan þou preie,
Þat þilke pees þat is in heuene on hye,
This wrecchid world schulde kepe vnder hys keye
Þat now gouerned is vncertanlye.

11.

I vndirstonde al thyn entencioun,
But eft sone in þat other side I see
Þat moche noyse of thyne affeccioun
Hath sore distracted and distourbed þee
And put thy mynde out of tranquillite,
As sorwe, mournynge, heuynesse and ire;
And while þat þou art ȝit in þis degree
Thow myght no myghti medicyne endure.

12.

Wherfore we schal attempten and assay,
Now wiþ a litel lightere remedye,
Þat swollen sorwe for to put away
Þat in þy herte is woxen hard and drye,

Wiþ softe salue achaufe it and diffye.
A medecyne þanne þat more myghti [i]s
Amenden schal þat malice esilye,
Þat sorwfull swellyng lightly schal [relisse].

[Metrum vjm]

Cum febi radiis.

1.

For who so wolde in hote somer sesoun,
Whenne þat þe sonne in cancer is i-set,
Sowen his corne, he wroght all out of resoun
And of his trist no doute he schulde be let;
Be þat he haþ wiþ wynter dayes met,
He schall of other purueance haue nede,
And but he kan gouerne hym-self þe bet,
With acorneȝ his hunger must hym fede.

2.

When þat þe northwynd bloweþ kene and cold
In wynter tyme a verray foole he were
In wylde woode þat gader floures wold,
Or rype grapes in þe tyme of vere.
It falleþ not þat sesoun of þe ȝere
Þe floures fresche ne rype fruyt to fynde,
For god hath set al þing in erthe here
To kepe hem-self in certayn course of kynde.

3.

He ne suffreþ noght þe stoundes for to melle
Wiche he hath set in certayn gouernance,
But in theire office euery þyng to dwelle;
They mowe noght fleen wiþ no variance.
What þing þat falleþ f[ro] certayn ordenance
And kepeþ hym noght wiþ-ynne þe course of kynde,
He ne cheueþ noght bot fa[l]leþ in meschance;
He ne may noght failen of a febil ende.

Prosa vja

primum igitur pateris.

1.

‘Bot firste,’ sche seide, ‘wolde þou suffre me
Now with a fewe demaundes for to fele
Þe verrey grounde of thyn infirmite,
And all þe ground to gropen euery dele
Þat I may wite how þou myg ht haue þyn hele?
“Seith on,” I seide, “what þat euer ȝow lest.
Þat ȝe enserche my sore I will it wele,
And I schal answere as me þinkeþ best.”

2.

‘Say me,’ sche sayde, ‘how is þis world demened,
As whether be fortunes variaunce,
Or elles thow trowest þat it is sustened
Be any resoun of certayn ordinaunce?’

“God haþ,” quod I, “all þing in gouernance;
This doute I noght but trewly I beleue:
Come neuer þat day þat fall[e] me þat chaunce
Out of myne herte þat sentence for to meue.”

3.

‘Right as þou seide,’ quod sche, ‘right so it is,
And in þy song whilare right so þou ment,
Bot neuer-þe-latter thi compleynt was þis,
Þat god on man sette no gouernement
Ne to youre werkes took he none entent:
That thyng it was [þat] þou gan wepe and waille,
All oþre þing þou woldest wel consent
That god haþ putte at certayne gouernaile.

4.

Owh! I merveile wonder hugely,
Sith þow in suche a sentence art i-set,
Þat þou art seke of any malady.
Som thing þere is wherby þi hele is let
Wherfor we schal þe grounde enserchen bet:
Sith god aboue all erþely þinges yemeþ,
Thus seidest þou whilere, but seie me yit,
Be whiche gouernementes as ye semeth?’

5.

“Youre sentence,” quod I, “haue I noght conseyued;
I can not answere to youre questioun.”
‘In sothe,’ sche seide, ‘now am I noght desceyued;
The causes of thi perturbacioun
I knowe þe[m] wele by estimacioun.
Bot seie me yit, hast þou þis in þi mynde,
To what purpos or what entencioun
Draweþ fynally þe verray course of kynde?’

6.

“I haue,” quod I, “herde tolde it here be-for[n]e,
Bot drerynesse haþ marred all my þoght.”
‘Yit hast þou noght,’ quod sche, ‘þi wit forlorne
Þat þou ne wost who haþ þise þynges wroght?’
“God hath,” quod I, “all þinges forth [i-]broght.”
‘I wondre þan,’ sche seide, ‘how schold þis be?
Of þe begynnyng sith þow doutest noght,
The ende may noght been vnwyst perde.

7.

This is the kynde of suche distourbelaunce,
Þat þay may moue a man out of his place,
But neuerþeles suche maner of greuaunce
Ne may hym noght all vtterly arace,
Þat is to seien, all put him out of grace.
Maist þow remembre how þat þou art a man?’

“For soth,” quod I, “it were a wonder case
If I schuld noght my-self in mynde han.”

8.

‘Yit canst þou,’ quod sche, ‘telle me forthermore
Þe kyndly propirte of man what it is?’
I sey[d]e, “yea; as I haue herde byfore,
A resounable best wiþ dedlynesse.
Þat I am suche I knowe wel and confesse.”
‘Noght elles,’ quod sche, ‘knowest þou of þi kynde.’
“For sothe,” quod I, “I can not elles gesse,
Ne noght but þis haue I now in my mynde.”

9.

‘Another cause now knowe I wel,’ quod sche,
‘Of þi disese and þat a wonder grete,
Whiche is þe grounde of þyne infirmite;
For what þou art, þi-self þou hast for-yete,
Wherfor þe reson fully haue we gete
Of þi disese, and forthermore a mene
How þat it may the vtterly forlete,
And þou to helþe be restored clene.

10.

For cause þou art confounded in þi wit
With þis forgetyng of þi self, for-thi
Þat fro thi good in exile art þou pyt,
Thus waylest s[oo] and wenest folily;

And furthermore also as suppose I,
For þou nost what þe ende of þynges is,
Þat wicked men and full of felonye,
[T]how wenest þat þei haue myght and wilfulnesse.

11.

Thou hast forgete be whiche gouernement
This world is led; þat makest þou thi colour,
Þat [þ]is fortunes enterchaungement
Be fletyng þ[u]s wiþ-oute gouernour.
These ben lo causes of right grete vigour
Noght only to sekenesse and desese,
But vnto deth, bot-if þou haue socour
Þat may the of þis[e] biter boundes ese.

12.

Yit nature haþ noght all forsake þe,
Thanked be þe auctor of thyn hele;
We haue yit a confort þat I see
That schall þi sikenesse slaken euerydele.
This sothfast sentence haue we saued wele:
Þat god haþe all þis world in gouernaunce,
Thus trowest þou, as I suppose and fele,
And noght suget to happes variaunce.

13.

Ne drede þe not for of þis litel shyn
A lyfly hete schal spring[en] of thi brest.

Bot for as moche as myghti medicyn
To gif the yit þe tyme is noght þe best,
And for as moche as myndes þus oppressed
Haue þis of naturel condicioun,
Whan þei fro thaym han trewe conseytes cast,
They wynde hem-self in false opinioun

14.

Wherof derknesse [and] perturbacioun
Thus wexeth vp, and fully þei distroye
The sight of trewe consideracioun;
Wherfore I schal assaien suttellie
To voyden wiþ som esy remedie
This derke cloude, if it may voided be,
Of fals affeccioun and esely
The verray light so schalt þou knowe and see

Metrum vijm

nubibus a[t]ris condita.

1.

The sterres couered wiþ þe clowdes blake
Ne mowe not cleerly cast adoun þaire light,
And when the wood[e] sotheren wynd doþ wake,
He waloweth vp þe see wiþ huge might.
The wawes þan þat were clere and bright
Lyk as þe glas or as the someres day,

With filthe þat is resolued and vnhight
Out fro þeym-self þei let oure sight away.

2.

The ryuer rennyng out of þe hyhe mountaynes
Is often tyme wiþstonden hugely
As be som roche encountrynge þere agaynes
Þe wiche is fallen fro som clyf on hyhe.
If þou þerfore wil see entertyfly,
Be clere beholdynge trowþe for to deme,
Lo take þis path and holde it certanly,
Gladnesse and drede out of [thy] herte þou fleme.

3.

Ne ioye þou noght of worldly wilfulnesse,
Ne drede þe noþing of þis worldly dynne,
Ne hope þou noght þat transetorie es,
Ne sorwe þou noght but only for thi synne,
For euery þoght þat þis regneþ ynne
Ful trouble and derk it is and may noght see.
He is so wrast away he may not wynne,
And brideled sore what þat euer he be.

Explicit Boecij de consolacione philosophie liber primus.

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.

103

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.

107

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,

120

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.

123

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,

124

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.

125

INCIPIT LIBER TERCIUS

Prosa ja

1.

And whan sche had[de] endid þus hire song,
It was so swete and lusty for to here,
Þat euene into my herte rote it throng
So þat I was astooned of my chere.
And after þan I seide in þis manere:
“Oo soueraigne solace of hertes þus distressed,
Youre sentence and ȝoure songes boþe infere
Ful hugely my langour haþ repressed.

2.

In so ferforth þat now, as semeth me,
I haue i-nogh of st[r]eng[th]e and suffisaunce
As peregal to alle aduersitee.
Þat fortune may me smyten wiþ greuaunce,
Full redy am I with lawly obeysaunce.
Youre cures whiche ȝe callen scharpe and kene,
I drede hem noght, but ȝit at youre plesaunce
I schal receyue hem, what-þat-euer þei bene.”

3.

‘This feled I wel,’ quod sche, ‘what tyme þat þow
My wordes hard[est] so ententyfly;
Þe habyt of þy mynde behalde I how
Was sadly set þerto þe wiche þat I

126

Enformed had[de] pleyn and perfightly.
But þat I schal þe schewe forthermore
As in þe tastynge byteþ egerly,
But ȝit resayue it, and I am þerfore

4.

Thow schalt it fynde ful deliciouse,
And replenysched full of lustynesse.
Bot for þou seist þat þou art couetouse
This mater for to here more expresse,
If þat þou wist[e] what my purpose esse,
And wheder þat I thynke þe to lede,
For gret desire þou schuldest, as I gesse,
In all thyn herte glowen as a glede.’

5.

“Ow!” seide I then, “wheder may þat be?”
‘Now listen,’ quod sche, ‘and I schal þe lere
Vnto þat verrey hyhe felicite
Of wiche þi soule dremeth as it were.
But while þi soule wiþ erþely þing[es] here
Es set in such ymaginacioun,
Thi gostely syght ne may not stonden clere
Vnto þat blisful contemplacioun.’

6.

“I pray ȝow,” quod I, “seith me what it es.”
‘And for þi loue,’ sche seide, ‘I schal full feyn.
But firste þe cause of fals[e] welfulnes
I schal þe schewe and make it to þe pleyne;

127

And when þat þou thise false goodes hast seyne
Ful perfytly, þan schalt þow know and see,
Be turnyng on þat oþer side ageyne,
The verray myrour of felicite.’

Metrum jm

Qui Serere ingen[u]um.

1.

For who þat casteþ for to sawe his cornes,
Firste moste he nedes clensen euerydele
His feldes fro þe busshes and þe þornes.
Þan schal his labour ben effectuele,
And so his cornes growen wonder wele,
To h[euy] eres ripen atte laste.
And hony is þe swetter for to fele
To hym þat haþ som bitter þing in taaste.

2.

The sterres also schynen more bright
When rayne blastes passed ben þaire waye:
When Lucifer hath dr[yu]en away þe nyght,
[Than] after þat þe clerrer is þe day.
Of þe also þe same schal I say;
When erthely lust is put out of þi þoght,
The verray light of trowþe, it is no nay,
May be ful sone in-to thy mynde i-broght.

128

Prosa ija

Tum defixo.

1.

And þan awhile sche caste hire sight to grounde,
And as it were sche drewe hire wittes nere;
And after þat wiþ-ynne a litell stounde
Sche gan to speke and seide on þis manere:
“The cure of all þise mortall [folkes] here,
Be many-fold of dyuerse excercise,
As dyuers wittes may þaire hertes steere,
Procediþ forþ in many dyuerse wise.

2.

But all þis cure and all þis besynesse
Vnto ane ende enforceþ to atteyne,
Þat is, to come vnto þe wilfulnesse
Þe wiche is g[o]od; and sothely for to seyne,
He þat may it acheuen in certeyne,
None oþer good coueiteþ he to wynne,
Forwhy hym-self þat good is souereyne,
All oþer good con[teyneth] him wiþynne.

3.

And in þis good if þat þer lakkeþ oght
Þe wiche wiþoute it mighte desired be,
It semeth wel þat souereyn was it noght,
Ne parfyt good as euery man may see.
Than sueth it þat þis felicite,
As for to make a diffinicioun:

129

It is the estat in perfyt assemble
Of all[e] good[es] gedered into one.

4.

So þis estat in many diuerse wise,
All mortall folk enforcen hem to wynne,
Forwhy þere is a kyndely couetise
Of verray good a mannys wit wiþynne.
But wrecched errour drawyng vnto synne,
To fals[e] good awayward doth hem lede.
For some supposen þat verray good begynne
Of worldly thyng to be wiþouten nede,

5.

And þise alway trauaile to be riche.
And some supposen þat verray good be þat
To ben onered oþer men vnliche,
And þai enforcen to þat same algat.
And some supposen þat in hyhe estat
Schuld souereyn good be founden verrailye,
And þise enforcen for to be þere-at,
For to be lordes or to lordes nyhe.

6.

And some supposen eke, it is no fayle,
Þat souereyn good is re[n]oun as I gesse;
And þey be art of pees or of bataille
Purchesen hem a name of worthynesse.
And many ben þat myrþe and gladsumnesse
This souereyn good supposen þat it be,

130

And þise enforcen hem to lustynesse
To lede þaire lyues all in iolite.

7.

And som wil enterchaungen as it were
Boþe cause and ende, for some wolde riche be
For to acheuen hi[gh] estates here
Or lyuen in voluptuosite.
And some coueiten after dignite
Because of richesse or of hye renoun.
Thus diuerse folk[es], eche in his degre,
Dyuerse maken theire entencioun:

8.

As nobl[en]esse and fauor, as it semeth,
It makeþ men renoune[d] worthily;
And wyf and children, as som other demeth,
Schulde make men to lyuen merily.
But for to ben well frended certanly
A wonder holy þing in kynde it esse,
Pertenyng noght to fortune vtterly,
Bot vnto vertu holy as I gesse.

9.

The cause of [all] þe remenant, as we trowen,
Is myght or fleschly dilectacioun.
Bot goodes of þe body as we knowen
To þise forseide haue relacioun;
For strengthe and largesse of proporcioun
Ben like to cause worþinesse or myght;

131

Beaute and swiftnesse causeþ eek renoun,
And helthe delyt, þis woot wel euery wight.

10.

And in all thise noght elles is required
Bot o þing whiche is verrey blisfulnesse;
For what þing þat is principally desired,
Thou wilt it deme þat souereyn good it is;
But sith we haue diffyned here or this
Þat souereyn good is þis felicite,
Than þat estate he demeþ for his blis
Whiche principally and most desireþ he.

11.

Now hast þou set before thyn eyȝen here
The forme of wilfulnesse of man wel nyhe:
Richesse, honour, fame, lust and powere
W[hiche] Epicurus wel beheld and syhe;
And he devised in his fantasye
Þat lust schulde be þe souereygne good of kynde.
All other þing, hym semed certanly,
Bereueth reste and myrþe of mannys mynde.

12.

But I retorne to besynesse of man
W[hiche] all þaire labour setten here vpon,
Wiþ suche blynde wittes as þei can,
O souereigne good þei seken euerychone.
Bot as a dronken man þat goth allone,
He can noght fynde a redy way ne path

132

Homward to his owne hous to gone,
So blynde beeth þe wittes þat he haþ.

13.

Tho þat enforcen for to nede noght,
[Now] trowest þou þat þei erre as semeth þe?
In soth þere is noþing þat may be þoght
Þat so performen may felicite,
As may þe estate of alle good plente:
Of foreyn þing to nede noght at all,
But in itself to haue sussisante
Of alle good, to speke in generall.

14.

And firthermore what seist þow? Erren þay
Þat suche a þing acounten honorable
The wiche is souereigne good? Forsothe nay.
For suche a þing may noght be repreuable,
Þat to all mortall folk is desirable,
Wherto is sette all þeire entencioun.
And also power it is comendable;
It is full good, it is no questioun.

15.

How schulde might fro suche a þing be revyd,
The whiche of alle þing is worthieste?
And noble renoun schulde it be repreued,
Þat is a þing so worthy and honeste,
Sith þing þat is most excellent and beste
Most nede be worschipfull and reuerent?
For euery wight to wynne it is full preste,
Þerto trauaillynge with theire hole entent.

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16.

Bot for to speke of angir or distresse,
Of sorwe, mournyng, anguische or of payne;
Suche þinges mow noght been in blisfulnesse,
Þerfore of suche it nedeth noght to sayne.
For in full litell þinges men be fayne
To haue and vse þat may þem do solace,
And only þis to hauen in certayne,
All worldly folk enforsen to purchace.

17.

And for þis cause desire þei habundaunce
As lordschipe, fame, deli[c]e and dignite,
Therby to wynne and haue suffisaunce
Of honour, renoun, myght, and glad to be.
Than is it good, as euery man may see,
Þat men so faste seche in suche a wise,
And so trauailleþ eche in his degree
To wynne[n] [it] as þei can best devise.

18.

In whiche desire apereþ openly
How gret, how mighti is þe strengþe of kynde,
Sith al[so] be it þat full dyuersly
Descordeth lo þe sentence of thei[re] [my]nde,
[Yit] alle thise consenten at one ende
As for to loue a þing þat semeþ beste,
For here-to nature doþ þaire hertes tende;
Till þis be had þey may not be in reste.

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Metrum ijm

Quantas rerum flectat habenas.

1.

Hit lust to schewen be subtile song,
And be þe sown of delectable strenges,
How nature þat full myghty is and strong
Attempreþ the gouernement of thynges;
This wide worlde wiþ all his varyenges
So by here lawes kepeth and susteyneth,
And be bondes þat hauen no lowsynges
Full sikerly sche byndeþ and constreyneth.

2.

For though þe leoun[s] of þat strange lond
Þat hight Pene þe faire chaynes were,
And taken me[t]e be gifte of mannys hond,
And of theire sturdy maistres hauen feere
Of whom þei ofte stiffe strokes bere,
And softely þei suffre to be bete,
Yit be þei ones laused of þat gere,
Theire olde corage will þei noght forȝete.

3.

For ȝif þe hote blood of any best
Theire foule mouthes haue maked rede,
Theire hyhe corage þat longe haþ ben areest,
It will repayren vnto cruell-hede.

135

He casteþ þan his chaynes ouer hede
And roreth, faste remembrynge as it were,
His maister ferst of whom he was adrede.
With blody teeth þan wil he al to-tere.

4.

The bryd þat syngeþ on þe braunche on hye,
If he be closed in [a] cage of tree,
And lusty folk hym seruen besily
With metes þat full swete and lusty be,
If he may ones skyþ out and be fre,
Hys lusty mete he casteth vnderfote,
And to þe wode ful faste sekiþ he
And croweþ wiþ a wonder lusty note.

5.

A yerde wiche þat growen is in lengþe,
With mannys hond i-bowed to þe grounde,
If þat þe hond remitteþ of his strengþe,
Þe cropp full sone will vp aȝeyn rebounde.
And when þe sonne is, passed dayes stounde,
So vndergone þe wawes of the west,
Full sone he hath a priue path i-founde,
And in þe morne ariseþ in þe este,

6.

And so the day begynneþ aȝeyn to sprynge.
Thus euery thyng reioyeth in his kynde,

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Theire olde recourse ayeinward for to brynge,
And besily to turnen and to wende.
Be thyse we schull conceyuen in oure mynde
Þat alle þinges moste þeire ordre sewe,
And þe begynnyng ioynen to þe ende
To knetten of hem-self a cercle trewe.

Prosa iija

Vos quoque terrena animalia homines.

1.

Bot O ȝe erþely bestes, as me semeth,
With a full thyn ymaginacioun,
Of ȝoure begynnyng as it were ȝe dremeth,
I-led be naturel entencioun,
And haue a maner blynd inspeccioun
As of þe verrey ende of blisfulnesse;
But errour of youre false affeccioun
With-draweth ȝow to verrey wrecchidnesse.

2.

Beholde and see now if it may be so,
Wheþer men atteyne may in suche a [wyse]
Vnto þat ende þat nature stireþ hem to
Of blisfulnesse, so as theym-self devise.
If so is þat þeire nyse couetise
Of mon[y], honour, or suche other þing,
May make hem fully to þeym-self suffise
Þat no good lakke as vnto þaire likyng,

137

3.

And then be þis wyle I graunt and seyn
Þat suche men mowe lyuen lustely.
But þan eft on þat oþer side ageyn,
If þay may noght performen verely
All þat þei haue behight hem vtterly,
Bot many goodes lakken þat þey mysse,
Wil it noght þenne apperen plenerly
As a full fals colour of blisfulnesse?

4.

Bot first of the I aske þis demaund,
As þou þat were not ȝit full longe agone
In worldly [w]elþe[s] fully habundaund:
Where þou amonge þ[y] welthes euerychone,
As in thy corage neuer feltest none
Distresse or anguysch no tyme in þy mynde?’
“Certayn,” quod I, “þat can I thenk vpon.
In þat estat couþe I me neuere fynde

5.

Þat I nas all-wey somwhat in distresse.”
‘And was not,’ quod sche, ‘þis þe cause why,
Þat somwhat lakked the, as dedest þou gesse,
Whiche þou wolde fayn haue had it presently;
And som þing eek þou haddest hardely
Whiche þat ful fayne þou woldest haue forgone?’

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“Right as ȝe sayn, right so it is,” quod I.
‘Thow wilned,’ quod sche, ‘presence of þat one

6.

And so þe absence of þat oþer þan?’
Quod I, “Y graunt I cannot go þerfro.”
‘Now þan,’ quod sche, ‘nedeþ euery man
Þe same þing þat he desireþ to.’
“Full soþe it is,” quod I, “hym nedeth so.”
‘Now then,’ quod sche, ‘he þat nedeth oght
He ne is noght suffisaunt?’ I seyde, “No,
As to hym-seluen he sufficeþ noght.”

7.

‘When þou,’ sche seide, ‘were full in þi richesse
Thow suffred þan þis same vnsuffisaunce.’
“How elles?” seide I, “so it is expresse.”
‘Then it is so,’ quod sche, ‘þat habundaunce
Of worldly good may neuer man avaunce
As to hym-selue þat he schal suffise,
And nede noght of foreyn purveaunce
Whiche þat þei han behighted to acomplice.

8.

And þis is to consideren, as I trowe,
Þat tresour haþ no kyndely resistence
For to defende þe lordes þat þeym owe,
But þat þay may be raft be violence.’

139

[I] seide þat verray soth is þat sentence.
‘And what,’ quod sche, ‘þough þat þou seidest nay,
Sith euer ȝit men done hire diligence,
Þe strengest for to gete it if he may.

9.

For wher-of elles ben querelles meued,
As men alday in courtes hem compleyne,
But for here good is falsly hem byreued
Be fors of fraud, and askeþ it ageyne?’
“In soth,” quod I, “it is right as ȝe seyne.”
‘Lo þan,’ quod sche, ‘nedeþ euery man
Of socour and of foreyn help certeyne
As for to kepe þe tresour þat þey han.’

10.

“Who is þat may denye this?” quod I.
‘And þen,’ quod sche, ‘schulde hym nede non
Of suche defence ne warde certanly,
Ne had he þat tresour þat he may forgon.’
“Þere is,” quod I, “no doute þere vppon.”
Sche seide þanne, ‘Lo all ȝoure affiaunce
Is torned ȝow into reuerse anon,
For it bereueþ ȝow of suffisaunce,

11.

Wherby ȝe wende in ese for to be,
And bringeþ ȝow in anguysche and distresse,
Of foreyn help to haue necessite.
Ȝit wolde I know þat maner-wise expresse

140

How nede may voyded ben be richesse;
Wheþer riche men ne hungre[n] neuer a-dele;
Or wheþer þei mowe not thristen, wilt þou gesse;
Wether þei ne mowe no cold in wynter fele.

12.

Bot vnto þis þou wilt answere me sone
Þat riche men haue wher-with euery day
Theire cold, þeire thrist, þeire hunger to fordone,
As vnto þis in all I say noght nay.
In sothe þis will I graunte hem þat þei may
Be richesse be conforted at hire nede;
But vtterly to putte nede away,
Þat power haue þei noght wiþoute drede.

13.

For sithe þis nede, þat alway gapeþ so
To be fulfilled and after more it gredith,
I[s] suche a þing þat neuere may be do,—
Of kynde ne speke I noght þat litel nedeþ
But auarice þat noþing fully fedeth,—
Ne may not be fulfilled wiþ habundaunce,
Bot into more necessite ȝow ledeþ,
Why trowe ȝe þereby to haue suffisaunce?

Metrum iijm

Quamvis fluente.

1.

All were it þat þe riche couetous
Had all of gold full rennyng [a] ryuere,

141

And also fele of stones precious
As in his nekke he might hym-seluen bere,
And oxen fele his londes for to ere,
His besynesse, ȝit til þat he schal deye,
He wil not leue, ne when he lyeth on bere
All his richesse ne schal him not conveie.

Prosa iiija

Sed dignitates.

1.

Wheþer dignitees to þilke þat hem wynne
May make þeym fully worschipful to be,
Oþer enpresse vertu þeym wiþ-ynne,
And make vice out of þaire hertes flee?
Nowt so, [forsoth]; þou myght þi-seluen see
It is not wont to voyde wickednesse,
But vice þat was all close in priuite,
It makeþ fully to be knowe expresse.

2.

Whereof it is I haue right grete disdeyn
Þat suche wicked men and surfetous
Schulde any tyme in dignite be seyn.
Þerfore it was þat oon Ca[t]ullius,
When he saw one þat highte Nonius
Set in a sete of worschip in þe toun,
He clepid hym a posteme venemous
All full of attre and corrupcioun.

142

3.

Ne seest þow noght what schame and velanye
To suche schrewed wicked folk it is
For to be sette in suche honour on hye?
For were noght þat, ȝit þaire vnworþynesse
Of oþere folk schulde knowen be þe lesse.
And what periles woldest þou stonden at,
Or þou woldest bere an office, schal I gesse,
Wiþ þilke cursed wrecche Decorat?

4.

Ne I ne may not demen in my wit
Þat suche wrecchis schulde be honorable,
And worth þat honour, þogh þei hauen it,
Þat been þertoo vnworthy and vnable.
But if þow saw a wise man and an able
Endowed al of wit and sapience,
Woldest þou foriuggen hym as repreuable,
And as vnworþi to þat excellence?’

5.

‘I seyde, “nay.” ‘Now certes þan,’ quod sche,
‘Thise dignitees belongeþ properly
Only to vertu and to honeste;
And vertu schal transporte hem verrely
To wiche sche is [con]ioyned sewyngly.
And for as mekyl as þat reuerence
Receyued of þe peple commynly
Acordeth not alwey wiþ conscience,

143

6.

Ne to, þat honour whiche þat þey receyuen
May make hem noþing worþi for to be,
Than may we clerly knawen and conceyuen
Þat honour hath in propre no beaute
As euen worþi to þat dignite.
And most to þis ȝe aught to taken hede:
The mo folk þat despisen hem perde,
Þe more abiect þei be wiþ-outen drede.

7.

So þan as dignite may not suffice
To maken schrewes worþi to reuerence,
Bot raþer makeþ þat men will hem despise,
Thowh þat þei done hem honour in presence
Yit þei despisen hem in conscience,
Theire dignitees so make hem to be knowe,
And clerly schewe to folkes þeire offence,
Of whom þei be despised as þei owe.

8.

And þis is not vnpunisched sikerly,
For þei revenge þeym of þeire dignite
The whiche þei haue defouled wrecchedly
With cursed vice of þaire dishoneste.
Bot þat þou might þy-seluen knowe and see
Þat verray honour falleþ in no wise
[Be] suche estates þat transitorie be,
Now vndirstond what I the scha devise.

144

9.

I suppose þat a man of hye renoun,
Þat ofte haþ had estat of conseilere,
Schulde come among [a] straunge nacioun
Þat noght aknoweþ what estate he bere.
Trowest þou þat þei hym wolde honouren þere
For his estate? Þou wilt answere me, ‘nay.’
But if honour in suche estates were
In kynde a propre thyng, þan wolde I say

10.

Þeire kyndely office schulde þei not forlete
Thogh þat þei wente into þe worldes ende;
As fuyre ne may not cesen of his hete
While þat [it] fuyre is, where-þat-euer it wende.
But honour is no propir thyng of kynde
To dignite bot fals opinioun,
As nyce men deviseþ in þeire mynde.
Wherfore among a straunge nacioun

11.

That noght ne knoweþ of þat dignite
He ys honoured as another man.’
“In strange lond,” þou seist, “þis may wel be.”
‘Boot look þat lond where his estat began,
Wher þat it schulde all-wey his honour han,
Stondeþ it alwey in his honour þere?
Bot of þe provostry what seist þou þan,
Þat whilom was estate of hye powere?

145

12.

Now is it noþing but an ydell name,
And lo þe charge of senatoures rent.
Now at þis day it stondeþ in þe same
Thogh þat somtyme it was full reuerent.
A man somtyme was holden excellent
Þat had þe charge of vitaile in þe toun;
All vp-so-doun þus is the world i-went,
Now it is of no reputacioun.

13.

As we haue seid a litel [here] beforne,
A thing þat hath no beaute propirly,
Now haþ it honour and now it haþ it lorne,
After the vse of mennes fantasie.
Sith dignite ne may not kyndely
Inducen verrey cause of reuerence,
Full ofte it is defouled sikerly
B[e] þeym þat vsen it with insolence.

14.

And if þei now be fayre and now not so
As tymes han hire transmutacioun,
And if þeir beaute þus hem passeþ fro
After þe folkes estimacioun,
What is þere, aftire youre opinioun,
Of beaute in theym worþi to be soght?
Sith þat þei ben of suche condicioun,
How schulde þei gifen þat þei hauen noght?

146

Metrum iiijm

Quamius Se [Tyri]o.

1.

Thogh proude Nero wiþ his lecherie
All clothed was in purpure tyriene,
And with full riche perry ryally,
Of lyf he was acorsed and vnclene
Þat he was lothely euery wight to sene,
Ȝit gaf he setes to þe senatoures.
How schuldest þou trowe hem blisfull for to bene,
Tho þat of wrechis taken suche honoures?’

Prosa [Va]

An vero regna.

1.

‘What trowest þou yit as for to be a kyng
Or wiþ a kyng to be famylier,
Supposest þou þis were a noble þyng?
May he þe maken strong and myghty here?’
“What elles,” quod I, “scholde I trowe it were?”
‘Ye,’ quod sche, ‘when þat þeire felicite
Schal alwey stonden in his welthes clere,
And haue alway perdurabilite.

2.

Bot eldar age of tyme þat is went
Exsaumple haþ of gret vnstabilnesse;
And also [of] þis tyme now present,
We seen it proued euery day expresse

147

Þat kynges fallen fro þaire welfulnesse
And vnto verray meschief ben þei broght.
O clere and noble þing þat renoun esse,
To save it-seluen yt sufficeþ noght!

3.

For if þat regne or suche regalite,
And gouernance of londes longe and wyde
May make a man to haue felicite,
What if hym lakkeþ oght in any side,
Than moste his welthe somwhat slake and slyde
And meschief entre for vnsuffisaunce.
And þogh it so be, as it may betide,
Þat kynges hauen in þaire gouernaunce

4.

Myche folk at þaire comaundement,
Yit schal we fynde many a nacioun
Þat been to kynges noght obedient;
Thei holde þeym at no reputacioun.
Then heere-of suyth þis conclusioun:
Where faileþ my[gh]t þat causeþ blisfulnesse,
Þere is no mene in þis diuisioun,
Vnmyght is þere þat causeþ wrecchidnesse.

5.

There is none erþely [k]yng, þis dar I seie,
That is so myghty in his gouernance,
Bot mo þere bene þat wil hym not obeie
Than beþ constreyned at his ordynance.
In þis his power lakkeþ suffisaunce,
And if þat boþe his power and his vnmyght

148

Were fully counterpaysed in a balaunce,
His non-power wolde paysen all doun right.

6.

Sith wrecchidnesse comeþ of non-powere,
As may not be [wiþ] said by no resoun,
And sith þer is no kyng þat lyueþ here
Bot his vnmyght haþ in proporcioun,
As for to make a iust comparisoun,
Well myche more þan his power is,
Þan wil þer sewen þis conclusioun,
Lo þat his more part is wrecchidnes.

7.

A kyng [þer] was þat had experience
Of gret perile and often was in drede.
He made a man be sette in his presence,
And made a swerd to hange abouen his hede
Be a full small vnmyghti sotel threde,
Þat euery man myght vndirstonde and see:
Lo breke þis threed, þan is þis man but dede.
So stant alwey a kyng in ieuparte.

8.

What is þis powere þat may noght remewe
Þe bitter bityng of this besynesse,
Ne þat [þe] prikkes may he not eschewe
Of all þis drede and all þis heuynesse?

149

Thise kynges lo wolde ben in sikernesse
But sikerly þei can noght come þerto,
And euermore þey seke it as þei gesse,
And euer þe fer[þer] þey ben allwey þerfro.

9.

Bot þey reioyen myghti to beholde.
And wilt þou trowe hym myghti for to be
Þat may not worche þat he faynest wolde?
Or for to walken with a companye
Of myghti men þat lusty ben to see,
And at his biddyng all a rewme arerith,
And ȝit hym-selue stonde in this degree:
He dredeþ most þe same þat he fereþ?

10.

And for he wolde myghti seme and strong
He moste putte hym-seluen in daungere
Lo of his meyne wiche he is among,
And of his lyf he stondeþ in a were.
Or wiþ a kyng to be famyliere,
To what it schal availe kan I not sayn,
Sith often it is schewed among vs here
Þat kynges of here meyne haue be slayn.

11.

And often-tymes schewed it is expresse
Of some þat vnto kynges haue ben nyhe,
Þat þise kynges of theire cruelnesse
Haue putte hem vnto meschyf sodenlye,

150

Somtyme of malice stered of envie
Be wicked folk þat worse be than fendes.
And kynges often stonde sliperlye,
And if þey fallen falleþ eke þaire frendes.

12.

For Nero lo þat cursed emperour
Made Seneca his owne deth devise,
Þat was his maister and his gouernour.
And Antonius in the same wise,
Papynian þat hadde hym done seruice,
A myghty man þat longe tyme had ben,
He made his knyghtes full of cowardise
Þat wiþ þeire swerdes all þei schulde hym sleen.

13.

And boþe two ȝit wolde þei haue ben glad
To haue forlete þeire power vtterlye;
And Seneca loo all þe good he had
He wolde haue gefen hit Nero wilfullye,
Hym-self exiled euer perpetually,
For-sakyng all his occupacioun,
And so haue lyued solitarily,
Ledyng hys lyf in contemplacioun.

14.

But he þat mynteþ dounward for to go,
His awne weight wil drawe hym doun in haste;
And þerfore noþer of hem boþe two
Ne myght his purpose hauen at þe laste.

151

This power þan, þat euery man so faste
Desireþ þus, why is it wolde I see,
Sith he þat hath it is þere-of agaste,
Who so will forlete it may noght siker be,

15.

And when þou woldest it vtterly forsake,
Lo at þi will þou myght it not forgone?
And frendes wiche þat fortune doth þe make
And vertu noght, what profit may þei done?
When lusty fortune forth is fro þe gone,
Than alle hire frendes with hire gooth in-fere.
A more parelous meschief is þere none
Than is þi foo with þe famuliere.

Metrum vm

Qui se uolet esse potentem.

1.

Who so þat wilneth myghti for to bene
And of his foes to haue þe victorye,
His corage first þat is so fiers and keene
Hym moste repressen well and myghtilye,
So þat þe foule luste of leccherye
May haue non manere maysterie in hys mynde.
For þogh þou be so hauteyn and so hye
Þat men þe dreden in þe londe of Ynde,

2.

And eke þe yle þat ferrest is of all
Out in þe west þat Tyle cleped is,

152

Be to þe sugget as þi bonde þrall,
Yit if thi foule derke besynesse
Wiþ sore compleyntes of þi wrecchidnesse
Thus in þeire bondes haþ þe holden fast
Þat þow ne myghte hem voyden ne represse,
I seie it is no power þat þou hast.

Prosa vja

Gloria vero quam fallax.

1.

Bot hey renoun, how full of vanytee,
How fals it is and often deceyuable!
As a traiadien in his ditee
Noght causeles þus cryeth in a fable:
“Ow renoun,” he seith, “fals and variable
To many a thowsand of thyn omageres,
In noþing art þou good ne comendable
Bot as a wynd þat swelleþ in þeire eres!”

2.

For many one be fals opinioun
Of nyce folk haue had an huge name,
But certanly a foule confusioun
It is so falsly for to haue a fame,
For nedes-cost þei moste hem-seluen schame
When þat þey ben commended wrongfully.
And þogh þey haue deserued yit þe same,
What schal a wys man wynne hym-self þerby

153

3.

Þat me[t]eþ noght [þ]e mesure of his mede
Be veyn rumour of folkes audience,
Bot putteth all þe meryt of his dede
In verrey vertu of his conscience?
And if þou holde it for an excellence
Thy noble renoun for to ben extended,
Than will it sewen evene of consequence
Þat þou were foule but-if þou were commended.

4.

Bot as I seid a litel here beforne,
Þ[er] nedys mot be many a nacioun
To wiche a mannis name may not be borne,
Þe wiche as in thyn estimacioun
A man of worschip ys and hye renoun.
Lo þan as for þe moste quantite
Of all þis litell worldly regioun
Lo vnrenomed moste hym nedes be.

5.

I hald it noght full myche expedient
Of comyn poepull to be comendable
Þat han no resoun in theire iugement,
For it is flittynge and noght perdurable,

154

For why I holde it be noght remembrable.
But for to speke now of gentilnesse,
A man þat haþ his wittes resonable
Lo may beholde how veyn a þing it esse

6.

For if it be referred to renoun
All foreyn þing þan is it vtterly,
For noblesse is a comendacioun
Þat comyth be meryt [of] þyn auncetrye.
And if þat praysing is the cause why
Þat gentil folkes ben renomed so,
Then þo that þus ben praysed worþily,
They moste ben only gentil and no mo.

7.

Wherfore I seye, but thi desert it make
Þat þou be gentil be þyne honeste,
No foreyn gentillesse, I vndirtake,
A gentil man ne may noght maken þe.
If any good in gentilnesse be,
It is þat nature gentil men enclyneþ
As fro þe vertues and þe honeste
Of þaire auncetres þat þei noght forleyneth.

Metrum vjm

Omne hominum genus.

1.

For all mankynde bothe greet and small
A lyke begynnyng han euerychone,
And one eke is þe fader of hem all,
Which alle thyng gouernynge is allone;

155

Abouen hym lo fadir is þere none.
He yeueth þe sonne bemes to be clere,
And brighte hornes gifeþ he þe mone;
Vnto ȝow men he gifeþ erþe here,

2.

And as hym lust all þinges he disposeth.
Vnto þe heuene he ȝeveth sterres bright,
And soules here wiþ membres he encloseþ
Þat doun ben sent out of þat souereyn light.
Wherfore I seye þat euery mortal wight
Is first engendred of a noble kynde;
Boþe riche and pore, lo seruant, kyng and knyght
Oon heritage schal hauen at þaire ende.

3.

Wherfore of þem so faste avaunten ȝe
And so reioyes of ȝoure auncetrie,
Sith youre begynnyng, if ȝe couthen se,
Youre alther makere wiche is god an hye,
Fro hym lo ye proceden principallye,
Whos gentilnesse þer may no wight forlyne
But if he norische vices wickedlye,
And fro his kyndly birthe þat he declyne.

Prosa vija

Quid autem de corporibus voluptatibus.

1.

What schal I seyn of bodily delice
Whos lustes ben full wonder anguyschouse?
The plente of hem is of litell price,
All full of repentaunce and venemouse;

156

And suche wrecchis þat ben surfetouse
Into what siknesse and disese it ledeþ!
Of alle harmes þ[ei] ben fructuouse,
As myche meschief in þi body bredeth!

2.

Who so wil remembren of his wrecchidnesse,
Of fleschly lust he schal hym-seluen see
Þat sor[o]wfull alway þe issue is
Of all þaire foul voluptuosite.
If lust schulde make ȝow blisful for to be,
No skille kan I not see ne cause why
Þat bestes schulde noght been as good as ye,
Þe wiche entenden euer besily

3.

Theire flesche wiþ lustes for to fede all-wey.
This may not be þe besynesse of man,
But þis delyt is honest dar I say,
A wyf and children lawfully to han.
It haþ be seyn, vnkyndely noght-for-þan,
Where þat þey oghte ben þe comfortoures,
I not how many sith þe world began
Þat han þaire children founde tormentoures.

4.

How bityng and how scharp a þing it is
With wyf and children ofte for to melle!
Thi-self þat hast þe sothe assayed or this,
It nedeth noght as now the for to telle.

157

But þis sentence appreue I wonder welle
Of Euripes, for þus lo writeþ he:
“Þe man þat hath [of] issue noght a dele
Be infortune a blisful man is he.”

Metrum vijm

Habet hec voluptas.

1.

Lo [euery] lust haþ þis wiþouten drede,
Hit prekkeþ tho þat vsehit comunly.
Right as a bee wil first his hony schede
But after þat he stingeþ bitterly;
He flyeth his way, it akeþ feruently.
So done þese lustes where þat þey smyteth;
They plesen first þe hertes lustily,
But after þat full bitterly thei byteth.

Prosa viija

Nulli igitur dubium.

1.

Than may it noght be douted of no wight
Bot þise ben wayes ledyng all amys,
And mowe noght bringen as þey haue behight
Vnto þe lyf of verray blisfulnes.
Bot in how myche care and wrecchidnes
Thise wrong-wise wayes doth ȝow men implyen,
In sothe I schall þe tellen as it is,
And schortly for to schewe I schal me hyen.

2.

If thow wilt gader gold and riche be,
ffro þeym þat han it þow moste it take away.

158

If þou wilt haue estate of dignite,
Þerfore to þeym þat gyveþ it most þou pray.
And þou þat woldest preferred ben alway
Before all othere or even wiþ þe beste,
Wiþ lowly askyng most þou nede obeye,
And [so] thyn owne person dishoneste.

3.

Bot powere woldest þou haue and gouernaunce,
In gret parell thow schalt be vndercaste
Of thy suggettes whiche þat [mowe] perchaunce
The mortheren or destroyen atte laste.
Or after glorie þow desirest faste?
Thow schalt be set in many a scharp distresse,
And for a wynde þat sone away schal waste,
Thow schalt forleten all þi sykernesse.

4.

If þou wilt haue þi lust and thy likynge,
Who is þat will not þan despice the
As for þe seruant of so freel a þyng
As is þi flesche, so full of vanyte?
Who so will preferren bodely bounte
Abouen his inwit and his awne resoun,
He is a fole in sothe, as semeth me,
And litell worth is his possessioun.

5.

Myght þou in gretnesse passe an olyphaunt,
Or elles a bole sourmonten in thy myght?
Or whether þou mightest make thyn avaunt
The tygrre for to passen in þi flight?

159

But into heuen casteþ vp youre sight
And see how faire, how swift, how long it is,
For somwhat merveile þer vpon þou myght,
Bot not vpon þis worldly wrecchidnesse.

6.

And not in suche poyntes singulerly
Þe heuene is to be had in grete mervaile,
Bot it is for to wondren principally
As in þe resoun of þe gouernaile.
What may youre [schap or beaute] ȝow availe
Þat may so sone passen in an houre?
So smart it is, so lightly wil it fayle,
And fallen dounright as a somer floure.

7.

And as doth Aristotiles rehersen,
If þat youre eyȝen hadde suche a myght,
As hath þe lynx þat alle þing may persen
Thurgh alle obiectes for to seen aright,
And þat þay myght beholden wiþ þaire sight
Wiþynne þe wombe of Al[c]ib[i]ades
Whiche þat wiþouten was so faire a wight,
Full foule he schulde hire seme neuerþeles.

8.

That þou be fayre ne makeþ not þy nature,
Bot þe febilnesse and þe infirmytee
Of mennes yen wiche mowe noght endure
What þat þou art wiþ-ynne forþ for to see,

160

But preiseth as ȝow likeþ ȝoure beaute,
And wondreþ on youre goodes bodely.
Yit knowe þis þat a fevire of dayes thre
Thi body may dissoluen vtterly.

9.

And of al this I may concluden wel,
Thise goodes after theire promissioun
Sith þat þey mowe performen neuere-a-del,
They ben no goodes of perfeccioun
Of alle good in congregacioun,
Ne trewe mennes ben þey noght to take,
Of blisfulhede to gifen possessioun
In sothe, ne no wight blisful may þey make.

Metrum viijm

heu quam miseros.

1.

Allas what foly wrecchid ignoraunce
Mysledeþ fooles into vanite,
Out of þe path of verrey suffisaunce
Of alle good and alle felicite!
Who gedereþ gold vpon þe grene tree?
Or who will pullen perles of þe vynes?
On hulles hye for fisches of þe see
Men casten noght þaire nettes ne þaire lynes.

2.

Or who þat lusteth to hunten for þe roo,
He ne sekeþ not þe forthes tyrïene.
And over this [ȝe witen] wel also
Where þat þe crykes and þe caues bene

161

Vnder þe floode wiche ȝe may not sene;
And where ȝe schall þe white perle aspien;
And where also þe schelle fisches bene,
Þe blood of whom dooþ purpure colour dyen.

3.

Ye knowen well also þe strondes alle
Of tendre fische or scharp, it is no fayle,
Of halue a foote þat men eschinus calle,
Þat letten so þe schippes for to saile.
Bot youre vnwit a cause is for to wayle,
Ye suffren so yow-seluen to be blynde,
And þilke good þat schuld yow most avayle
Ye seken so and kun it neuer fynde.

4.

Ye fooles plungen doun ȝoure hertes even
Into þis muddy grounde, and sothe to saye,
Þe souereyn good þat hier is þan heuen
Ye seken þere. What schal I for ȝow praye
Richesse and honour wiche ȝe seke all-waye,
Till þat þis false good you haue oppressed,
And þan it caste out of youre mynde awaye,
To verrey goode þat ȝe may be redressed?

Prosa ixa

Hactenus Mendacis.

1.

As vnto þis I suppose it suffise
To haue schewed þe forme of fals felicite,

162

Whiche ȝif þou w[i]l[t] behalde and well avise,
I trowe þou myght þe verray sothe see.
Fro hennes forþ now most my processe be
To schewe þe forme of verray blisfulnesse.’
“In soth,” quod I, “full clere it is to me
Þat ȝe haue schewed of worldly wrecchidnesse.

2.

I see þat richesse yefeth no suffisaunce,
Ne hyhe estate ne worldly reuerence,
And þogh þat worldly fame a man avaunce,
Of gentilesse it ȝeueþ none evidence.
Ne riall powere wiþ his excellence
Ne may not gyue ne causen verrey myght.
Ne fleschely lust with all oure diligence
Verray gladnesse causeth not be right.”

3.

‘Hast þou,’ quod sche, ‘aspyed þe cause why
þat all thise þinges stonde in þis manere?’
“Yes þat I [haue] aspyed wel,” quod I,
“Lo be a litel creves, as it were,
Bot more apertly of ȝow wolde I lere
If þat ȝe wolde it openly declare.”
Sche seide, ‘Ȝis, þat wil I wiþ good chere;
I wil not for a litel labour spare.

4.

That þing þat is so symple in his kynde,
Þat may not be devided propirly,
Þe folisch errour lo of mannys mynde
Thus han devided in þaire fantasy,

163

And þing þat schulde ben oo good perfitly
Transportyng so to fals and inperfyt.
In þis þat þey devided it wrongfully,
It noyeth hem and dooþ hem no profyt.

5.

What wilt þou seyn of hym þat wanteþ myght?
Wolt þou suppose þat he noght nedy is?’
I seyde, “Nay.” Quod sche, ‘Þou demest right.
Who so haþ in any part vnmyghtynesse,
Of foreyn help hym nedeþ þan in þis.’
“Right so,” quod I. ‘Than sueth it,’ quod sche,
‘Þat power lo, and suffisaunce, i-wys,
Most o thyng and þe same in kynde be.’

6.

“Right so,” quod I, “hit semeþ in my mynde.”
‘This þing,’ quod sche, ‘þat we han þus devised,
Þat suffischant and myghti is of kynde,
Wilt þou suppose it schulde be despised?
Or elles þou art oþer-wise avised,
And demest it full worthi reuerence?’
“Youre resoun,” seide I, “is so wel assised,
I doute it no-þing in my conscience.”

7.

‘Let vs,’ sche seyde, ‘assemblen thise anone,
Lo pouer, reuerence and suffisaunce,
So þat þise alle verraily be one.’
“Do we,” quod I, “as is to your plesaunce,

164

For in þis other may be no distaunce
If þat we scholde of trowþe ben aknowe.”
‘Right so,’ quod sche, ‘þere is no variaunce.
Than of this þing what wilt þou deme and trowe?

8.

This þing þat myghty is and reuerent,
And suffiseant, all oo þing and þe same,
What seist þou, myght it be conuenient
Þat þis þing schulde dishonest be of fame,
Or elles ben a noble þing of name
And hyhe in clernesse and celebrite?
For if it in this on þing schulde be lame
Hit were noght suffisaunt, how semeþ þe?

9.

Considere well [now] if it may be so,
Þat suche a þing þat no-þing nedy is,
Þat myghti ys, and worschipfull also
Right as beforn is graunted here expresse;
Now mighte it faile in fame of worþinesse
Þe whiche it may not of it-self purchase,
So þat it schulde defouled be in this,
And in h[it]-self more [a]biect ben and base?’

10.

“In sothe,” quod I, “Y may it noght wiþ-seyn,
But þat it haþ renoun and excellence.”
‘Than is it,’ quod sche, ‘consequent and pleyn
Þat noble[ne]sse haþ no difference
ffro suffisaunce, pouer and reuerence
Wiche þat we han assembled into one.’

165

“I grante wel,” quod I, “youre consequence.
Diuersite betwene hem is þere none.”

11.

‘This [þ]yng,’ quod sche, ‘þat nedeþ noght a deel
Of foreyn help, and may it well suffice
Of propre myght, and is renowned wel
And fully worschipful in euery wise,
Now schulde noght þis be gladsome for to vse?’
Quod I, “fro when it schulde haue heuynesse
I can noght þenke ne in myn herte devise.”
‘Than it is,’ quod sche, ‘full of gladsumnesse.

12.

If þise þinges stonden sad and trewe
Þat we haue seide, we may it noght denye,
Bot lo be verry resoun wil it sewe
Þat þou[gh] þise names sound[e] dyuerslye
As suffisaunce, renoun and honour hye,
Power and gladnesse, as we haue rehersed,
In substaunce ben þey oo thing verrelye
Þe wiche in no wise may not be dyuersed.’

13.

Quod I, “it muste be nedes as ye sayne.”
‘That þing,’ quod sche, ‘þat is so noble þan,
So simple in his nature and so playne,
Whiche þat þe rude wrecchidnesse of man
Enforceþ hym a party for to han,
Lo, of þis þing þat partisoun denyeþ;

166

And while þat þey no partye fynde can,
This noble þing þei sch[en]den and distroyeth;

14.

And of þat þing þey gete no porcioun,
For none it haþ; for þat þing, wite it wele,
All hole þey han not in possessioun,
In sothe, for þey desire it neuer a dele.’
“How may þis be,” quod I, “this wolde I fele?”
‘Som men,’ quod sche, ‘trauaille for richesse
And þerto putte thaire þoght contynuele,
To dryue away pouert and nedynesse.

15.

But hye estate he laboure[þ] not to gete;
Full levire he haþ be [vile] in lawe estate,
And many a kyndely lust will he forlete
As for to saue þe tresour þat he gat.
What suffisaunce may be had in þat
Þat lackeþ myght and ofte tyme is greued,
Þat in persone despised is algate,
And is in fame defouled and repreued?

16.

And he þat doth þe entent of his labour
To hyhe estate, his richesse will he waste;
He wil dispysen lust, and his honour
Þat lakkeþ power from hym wil he caste;
To hyhe renoun he haþ no manere haste.
But now suche one, þ[ou] myght þi-self beholde,
Of his purpose he faileþ at þe laste,
And soth to seyn, he hath not þat he wolde.

167

17.

And ofte it falleþ þat he is oppressed
With nede of þinges of necessite,
And ofte he schal wiþ angwische be distressed
And noyed with full gret aduersite;
And at þe laste, when it will not be
To voyden alle þese greuances sore,
Lo of his principal purpose faileþ he
As more vnmyghti þan he was before.

18.

And þus I may the same resoun bringe
To lust, to fame, honour and reuerence.
Sith so þat eueriche is þe same þing
Þat other is wiþoute difference,
He þat doth labour oþer diligence
Som part to haue of thise and alle noght,
He lesiþ boþe his labour and expense
And failleþ all þe purpose of his þoght.’

19.

“What schal I sey,” quod I, “if any wight
Desire for to haue hem alle infere?”
‘I say,’ quod sche, ‘þat he desireþ right
Þe sum of blisfulnesse in þat manere.
But wi[l]t þou [w]ene þat he may fynde [it] here
In þinges wiche be demonstracioun

168

I haue þe schewed þat fals ben of þaire chere,
And mowe not parforme þeire promyssioun?’

20.

I seyde than, “forsothe I trowe it noght.”
‘It will,’ quod sche, ‘full clerly schewen þan
Þat blisfulnesse schulde not ben soght
In none of thise þat we rehersed han,
Wiche þat men trowen graunten may and can,
Eche as vnto þaire awne propirte,
Som oo þing þat deliteþ euery man
Bot yit noght all þat may desired be.’

21.

“This muste I nede graunte þan,” quod I,
“Þere is no þing þat sother may be told.”
‘Thow hast,’ quod sche, ‘þe forme and cause why
Of fals felicite many afold;
But turne þy goostly sight now and behold,
And sette þy wit now to þat other side;
Of þat I haue þe hight I dar be bold
Thow schalt it seen if þat þou wilt abide.’

22.

“Al þis,” quod I, “is playne i-now and clere
To any man all blynd þogh þat he ware,
As ye han schewed to me a litel ere,
Enforcyng yow þe causes to declare
Of false felicite, and wiche þei are.
Þe forme also of verray blisfulnesse,

169

But-if deceit my wittes mysbeware,
It is to me ful open and expresse:

23.

That ilke þing [þat] makeþ any wight
Wel famous and to lyuen gladsomlye,
Full suffisaunt in honour and in myght.
And þat ȝe wite and knowen verrelye
That I haue ȝow conseyued plenerlye,
Sith alle þi[se] most o thing nedes be,
What one of thise may graunten perfightlye,
I sey þat it is full felicite.”

24.

‘Ow nory,’ quod sche, ‘a blisful man art þou.
God holde the longe in this opinioun
So þat to þise þou woldest adden now.’
“And what,” quod I, “is youre addicioun?”
‘May blisfulnesse in full possessioun,’
Quod sche, ‘be had in mortal þinges here
Þat falsly faileþ, fletyng vp and doun?’
“That trowe I noght,” quod I, “in no manere,

25.

For as youre-self haue schewed me here before,
He þat may ones haue þis blisfulnesse
Þere is noght þanne to be desired more.”
‘Lo!’ quod sche, ‘þan sueth here expresse
Þat worldly suffisance and worthynesse,
And alle þise othere noþing elles bene,

170

But as it were, ymages or liknesse
Of verrey good, or as þe folkes wene,

26.

A maner good inperfit bringeþ þey
To mortal folk þat marreþ so þaire mynde.
But verrey perfit good, þat dar I sey,
Þey bringen noght, it is not [of] þaire kynde.’
“To þis,” quod I, “my resoun doth me bynde.”
‘Now,’ quod sche tho, ‘sith þou hast vndirstonde
Wiche ben þe wayes trusty for to wende,
And wiche ben fals þat beren wrong on honde,

27.

Now setteth ȝow to knowe[n] and to lere,
This blisfulnesse where þat we schal it seche.’
“This is,” quod I, “þat I abood while-ere.”
‘My plato,’ quod sche, ‘haþ þis manere speche,
Right as his book Thimeus doth ȝow teche,
Þat in þe l[e]st[e] work þat schal be wroght,
If þat ye will to youre desires reche,
Þe help of god most nedes be besoght.

28.

What wilt þou deme then is best to done,
This souereyne good þat we may see and fynde?
“In sothe,” quod I, “to bidden in oure bone
To hym þat souereigne fader is of kynde.
For certanly who so leueþ þat behynde
Noþing may be begonne perfitly.”

171

‘Full right,’ quod sche, ‘þou demest in þy mynde.’
And þus lo gan sche synge suyngly.

Metrum ixm

O qui perpetua.

1.

‘O fader þat gouernest wondirly
This hole worldly vniuersite
Be perdurable resoun myghtily,
And sowest heuene and erthe as liketh þe;
And tymes of þe hole eternite
Thow hotest for to moven and to passe;
Thi-self abidynge evire in stabilite,
All þing þow movest boþe more and lasse.

2.

Ne the þat art oure prince souereyn
So pleyn in power and perfeccioun,
No foreyn cause myght arten ne constreyne
Of matire flowynge in confusioun
This werk to bringe into produccioun,
But lo þe forme of souereyn good in the,
Þat evire hath ben in full possessioun,
In whom envye ne malyce may not be.

3.

Aftir þe hye and souereigne exsaumplere
Alle þinges þou producest wonderly,
Thow althire fairest lord in heuene clere.
Þe faire worlde þat was eternally
Conceyued in thy mynde formally,
Thow schippest forth in forme of lyklyhede,

172

And so, performed well and perfightly,
In perfit parties makest hym procede.

4.

Thow byndest forþermore thise elementes
In certane noumber and proporcioun,
Þat hete and colde may haue conuenience,
Moysture and droght haue non discencioun,
And lest the fuyre þat of condicioun
So cleen and clere is schulde fleen his wey,
And so þe heuy weightes plonge doun
Þe erthe. Þow knyttest eke, it is no nay,

5.

Th[e] mene spirit to þe full obeissant
Of treble kynde þat all þing meveþ soo,
Resoluynge it in membres consonant;
And theym devidest in-to speres two;
Þe sterred firmament is one of tho,
That other is of þe planetes seuene;
Theire kyndely cours he makeþ hem to go.
In-to hym-self þan he retorneth euene,

6.

Enserchyng þan þe depe intelligence,
Þe hye exsaumpler of þe eternyte,
And be a cours of lyk conuenience
He torneth heuen aboute as likeþ the.
And soules þat in creatures be
Thow sendest hem in erthe to lyuen here,

173

Be lyke causes, eche in his degre,
Lyk for to perteyne vnto heuene clere.

7.

In heuen and erthe þow sowest hem as þe lyst,
And wiþ þy lawe benigne I am certayne,
With fuyre flaumble of loue withynne þeir brest
Thou makest hem to þe retorne agayne.
This mannys mynde, þat perced is wiþ payne,
Thow fairest fadire, graunte hym of thi grace
Þat souereyn see to serchen and atteyne,
[W]here perfite goodenesse haþ his propre place.

8.

The welle of wisdom for to seke and fynde
Thow graunt hym lord be lemyng of þi light,
Clerly in þe þat he may sette hys mynde
To fecchen [þere] þe vigour of his sight.
Breek þou doun þe pays of heuy wight
Of erþely bondes þat him sore annoyeth,
And hym beschyne þow wiþ þi bemes bright
Þat alle clowdes skatureþ and distroyeth.

9.

Thow art cleernesse, þere may none be so faire;
Thow art pesible rest of mannys mynde;
To hertes þat ben meke and debonaire,
The to beholde it is þaire perfit ende;
Thow principal begynner of þaire kynde,
Þow berist all, þow ledest hem full even;

174

Þow art the wey in wiche þat man schal wende,
And þou þi-self art all þe blisse of heuen.

Prosa xa.

Quoniam igitur.

1.

Now for as myche as þou hast seyn in þis
Wiche is inperfite good and to eschewe,
The forme also of good þat perfit is
Wiche þat is to seken and to sewe,
Fro hennes-forth oure processe [to pursewe],
It is to schewen, as it semeth me,
Þe verrey good þat perfit is and trewe,
What þing it is, and where it myghte be.

2.

Bot first of all it nedeþ to enquere
If suche a þing may be in any kynde
As we before di[ff]ined haue whilere,
Lest so be þat in veyn oure wittes wende,
And lest we be deceyued at þe ende
As by [a] false ymaginacioun
Of þing þat noght is fourmed in oure mynde,
And so to lese oure occupacioun,

3.

Bot þat we saue oure purpos hole and sound.
Þat þerfyt good is, no wight may wiþseyn,
Þe wiche is in a manere welle and ground
Of alle good þat is; þou be certeyn
Þere may no wight replyen þere ageyn.
If any þing haue inperfeccioun,

175

Þat is because it is noght full ne pleyn
Wiþ perfit þing as in comparisoun.

4.

Forwhy in euery generall of kynde
Where any þing inperfyt is, say I,
A perfit [þing] also þere myght þow fynde;
For if þere were no perfit vtterly,
Sith lak of perfit is þe cause why
Þat any þing inperfit may be preued,
Than is þere none inperfit sikerly
Fro which þe perfight þinges ben remeued.

5.

fforwhy of þinges skars and diminute
Nature ne took noght hire produccioun,
Bot of a hoole, complet and absolute
Fro all defaut and diminucioun;
And so fro þennes made progressioun
Vnto þise lowere þinges þat we seen,
Þat lasse hauen of perfeccioun,
And as it were, all voyde and empty been.

6.

And if so be, as I haue schewyd or this,
Þere is an inperfite felicite
Of freel and febil good, for sothe it is,
An other good and perfit must þer be.’
“Full sothe it is,” quod I, “as semeth me
Concluded also fully and f[e]rmely.”

176

‘But now,’ sche seide, ‘thou must beholde and see
Where þat þis good is founden fynally.

7.

The comyn conceyt lo of mannys mynde
Be resoun is vnto þis poynt i-broght,
Þat god which prince and auctor is of kynde,
Hym-self is good; in þis þey faillen noght,
Syth þat þer may no bettre þing be þoght
Þan god hym-self, this wot well euery wight.
Þat god is good and worthi to be soght,
This douten none þat resoun seen of-right.

8.

Yit resoun will enducen forthermore
Be verry force þat in god perfightly
Is verrey good; in no wight may be more.
He were noght elles cleped rightwisly
Þe prince of þinges, vnderstonde for-why,
For elles one were worþiere þan he,
Þat perfyt good possessed principally,
Þat rathire moste and also elder be.

9.

For euery þyng þat fully is perfyte,
Than any þing inperfyt rathire is.
Now lest oure processe passe in infinite,
We ben compelled for to graunte this:
That souereigne god of perfyt good i-wys
Lo is fullfilled. Þan sueth here vpon,
Sith perfyt good is verry blisfulnes,
In god is perfyt blisfulnesse alloon.’

177

10.

“Full well,” quod I, “this I conceyue and feele.
Þere may no wight replyen there ageyn.”
‘I pray the,’ quod sche, ‘vndirstonde me wele
How fermely is preued þat we seyn,
Lo þat of perfyt good and souereyn
God is fulfilled, be my conclusioun.’
“In sothe,” quod I, “þis wolde I heren feyn
How þat ȝe make þe demonstracioun.”

11.

‘That self,’ quod sche, ‘þat is þe prince of all
And full of souereigne good, how semeth the,
Þat fro with-oute þis good is to hym fall
Or is in hym be kynd[ly] propirte?
And þinkest þat two þinges most þay be,
Lo, God þe hauere, and his blisfulnesse,
And in þeire substaunce haue dyuersite?
This wilt þou not supposen as I gesse.

12.

And if he haue resayued of withoute
This blisfulhede, þan seweth sikerly,
Þe yeuere of þat þing, it is no dowte,
Precelleth þe receyuere [verry]ly.
Bot þis we moste confessen vtterly,
Aboue all þinges god is excellent.
And if þis good in god be kyndely
In substaunce, and in resoun different,

178

13.

The prince of þinges wiche þat we reherse,
Let se devise or f[e]yne it who so may,
Who hath conioyned thise two dyuerse.
He may no fer[re] be; no manere of way.
But atte laste þis dar I sothly say:
A ping þat diuerse fro an-other is,
It may not ben the same, it is no nay,
Fro wiche it is dyuersed so i-wys.

14.

Wherfore þat þing þat ha[þ] dyuersite
Fro souereyn good in resoun of nature,
Þe same souereyn good it may not be.
And god forbede þat any creature
As in his wit schulde passen so mesure
Of god oure souereyn for to demen so,
That kepeþ all and haþ vs in his cure;
So perfit and so good þere ben no mo.

15.

Lo þis, I trowe, conceyueth euery man,
Þat þe nature of noþing vtterly
May better be þan he þat it began.
Than may I thus concluden fynally
Þat he whiche is begynner verrely
Of alle þing þat is, I say þat he,
In substance and in kynde propurly,
This souereigne good he moste nedes be.’

179

16.

“This is,” quod I, “concluded well and clere.”
‘And souereyn good,’ quod sche, ‘is blisfulnesse.’
“Right so,” quod I, “this graunte[d] I whilere.”
‘Lo,’ quod sche, ‘þan it sueth here expresse
Þat god hym-self is souereyne blisfulnesse.
Lo where it is þat þou so long hast soght!’
“This moste I,” quod I, “graunten and confesse;
Youre resouns han me to þat þoynt ibroght.”

17.

‘That þis,’ quod sche, ‘be preued fermely,
Beholde and see what I schal forther seyn.
Two þinges þat ben diuerse propirly
Ne mowe not be two goodes souereyn.
For if þer be discord bytwene hem tweyn,
They mow not be þe seluen and þe same
Eueryche þat other is, þow be certeyn,
Though þat þei boþe be called oon be name.

18.

If þey be souereyn goodes bothe two,
Devise it in his conseit who so may,
If þat þis oo goode be þat other fro,
Inperfyt ben þei boþe, it is no nay,
Sith noþer ben wiþoute[n] other may.
Bot þing þat lakkeþ in perfeccioun,
Þat it be souereyn good þou wilt not say;
It wolde includen contradiccioun.

180

19.

Than mowe þei noght be two thise ne dyuerse,
This souereigne good as sueth here expresse;
Bot blisfulnesse and god þat we reherse,
This souereigne good in alle wise it esse;
Þat same þing þat þan is blisfulnesse,
Þat same þing is souereigne deyte.’
“No þing,” quod I, “may trewere as I gesse
Ne worthiere of god concluded be.”

20.

‘Than right,’ quod sche, ‘as geometrenous alle,
When þei han schewed th[eire] propo[sici]ouns,
Thei bringen in porysmes þat þai calle,
Þat ben conceytes or conclusiouns
And as in manere declaraciouns
Of forseid þing, right so schal I the fede;
As sewyng on my demonstraciouns,
This correlary I gif þe to thy mede:

21.

Sith þat be getyng of þis blisfulnes
Men blisfull may be made, and, wilt þou see,
Sith blisfulnesse þat souereigne godhede is,
And eke þe getyng of þe deite
May blisful make, as I haue schewed to þe,
As right as wisdome makeþ men be wyse,
And rightwisnesse rightwise for to be,
I may conclude and suengly devise

181

22.

Þat be [þe] wynnyng of dyuynite
Men may be maked goddes sikerly;
Lo þan is euery blisful man perde
A god, this sueth also formally.
Though þat ther be oo god kyndely,
In sothe yit be participacioun
Right well þere mowe be fele noght-for-thi
As in þe staat of hye perfeccioun.’

23.

“This is,” quod I, “full faire and preciouse
Wheþire it porysme or corilare is.”
‘Hit is,’ quod sche, ‘more faire and gloriouse
Þat resoun will annecten vnto þis.’
I asked “What?” Quod sche, ‘Sith blisfulnesse
So myche þing doth in it-self conteyne
As honour, power, lust, fame and hye richesse,
Wheþir all þei bene as membres, wilt þou seyne,

24.

Whiche as of parties diuerse in manere
This blisfulnesse compowneþ in this wise
Into a perfyt body as it were;
Other þou trowest þat som þing of thise
This blisfulnesse doth fully acomplise
Into a perfyt thing substancial,
To whom thise oþere, if þou so devise,
Referred ben as to þeire principall?’

182

25.

“I wolde haue þis,” quod I, “declared fayn.”
‘Haue we not seid,’ quod sche, ‘þat blisfulnesse
Is good, Boecius?’ “Ȝis,” seyde I, “souereyn.”
‘Adde we,’ quod sche, ‘þe remenant vnto þis
Þat souereyn good bifore rehersed is.
Lo souereign myght, and souereign suffisaunce,
Lust, honour, fame, o thing þey ben i-wys
Wiþ blisfulnesse wiþouten variaunce.

26.

This is þat I wolde asken here of the.
This suffisaunce, honour, delice, renoun,
Wheþer þei ben membres of felicite
As dyuerse parties doth o þing compoun;
Or þou hast þis consideracioun,
Þat alle þise wiche we rehersed han,
To soueraigne good schulde haue relacioun
As to þaire hede, þis say me if þou can.’

27.

“In sothe,” quod I, “now vndirstonde I wele
What ȝe purposen to enserchen here,
Bot I desire of yow to heere and feele
This questioun þat ȝe wolde maken clere.”

183

‘I schal,’ quod sche, and seide in þis manere:
‘If all þise þinges whiche þat we reherse,
Of blisfulnesse in manere membres were,
Than muste thise membres nedes be dyuerse;

28.

For lo of parties þis þe nature is,
That þey dyuerse o body certanly
Schal maken; bot I haue þe schewed or þis
Þat alle thise ben o thing.’ “Ye,” quod I.
‘Thei ben,’ quod sche, ‘no membres sikerly
Sith þey ben one, or elles will it sewe
Þat blisfulnesse were maked wonderly
Of o membre; þat nature will eschue.’

29.

“This is,” quod I, “[full] soth I doute it noght,
But now full fayne þe remenant wolde I see.”
‘Than all thise þinges,’ quod sche, ‘most forþ be broght
And to this good as cheef referred be.
And for this good, full soth it is perde,
All men desiren after suffisaunce;
To han powere or stonde in hy degree,
For it is good, þei maken purueaunce.

30.

The same I may devisen seuyngly
Of reuerence, renoun and lustynesse;
They deme it good, þat is þe cause why
Þat þey requere it wiþ þeir besynesse.
Than is þis good þe verray cause expresse
and som of alle þat owen to be required,

184

For þing þat no good haþ in lik[ly]nesse,
Ne none in sothe, ne may not be desired.

31.

And þ[er] agayn lo in contrarie wise,
A thing þat is noght good in no manere,
Yit if it seme good, as þei devise,
Right as þey verrey right[e] goodes were
Men wilneth hem. Than wil it s[e]wen here
Þat bounte is þe grounde and cause of all
Why þinges aughten to be lief and dere,
Þat any man of right desiren schall.

32.

And over þis it semeþ forthermore
Þat euery þing whiche is þe cause why
Þat ony other is desired fore,
The cause is eke desired principally.
Right as because of hele fynally
A man desireþ for to ride and play,
His heele he doth desiren sikerly
Als well as for to ride, it is no nay.

33.

Sith all þis thing þat þus desired is,
Þe cause of all, is principally bounte,
This bounte is desired þan i-wys
Als myche as is þat þing in his degre.
Bot we han grauted þat felicite
Is cause þat þise þinges euerychone
Desired be. Þan sueth it perde
Þat blisfulnesse desired is allone.

185

34.

Of this it semeth and it suyth loo,
Þat þan [þ]is good a[nd] verry blisfulnesse
In substaunce ben þey oo þing and no moo
And verraily þe same þing expresse.’
“I can not seen,” quod I, “in sothfastnesse
How any wight [y]ow myght in wordes blame.”
‘Bot god,’ quod sche, ‘and verrey blisfulnesse
As we han schewed, ben oo thing and þe same.’

35.

“Ryght as ye sayn,” quod I, “it is ful clere.”
‘Than may I,’ quod sche, ‘well and sikerly
Þe sentence and þe som of this matere
Lo þus concluden full and fynally:
Lo þat þe substance of oure god on hy
Is set and founded in none oþer place
Bot in þe same good eternally.
To fynde it þere god sende the of [his] grace!

Metrum xm

huc omnes pariter.

1.

Now cometh alle ye þat ben i-broght
In bondes full of busy bitternesse,
Of erthely lust abidyng in youre þoght!
Here is þe reste of alle ȝoure besynesse,
Here is þe port of pees and restfulnesse
To þeym þat stonde in stormes and disese,

186

[Refut ouert to wrecches in distresse],
And all comfort of myschief and mysese.

2.

For all þat euere Tagus doth [ȝow]bede
Of faire golden grauell stones bright;
Or þat Erynus wiþ his strondes rede
May ȝeuen ȝow to plese wiþ ȝoure sight;
Or þat Ryuere wiche þat Ind[u]s hight
Þat is full nyhe þe hote regioun,
Whiche þat þe grene stones wiþ his myght,
Wiþ white perles turneþ vp-so-doun;

3.

They schynen wondir clere vnto youre eye
Bot yowre insight in sothe þey maken blynde,
And wiþ þeire derke clowdes perelously
In vanyte youre hertes done þey bynde,
For how-þat-euer þei plesen to ȝoure mynde
As praysed worthy many a þowsand pounde,
Yit ben þey full vnworthy in þeire kynde
As norysched in þe caves of the grounde.

4.

Bot lo þe sche[n]yng of þat souereyn light,
Be whiche þe hyhe heuene gou[ern]ed is,
Chaseth awey þat foule derke nyght
Þat hath ȝoure soules drawen all amys.

187

This souereyn light, if þou may see i-wys,
Beholde it well and kepe it if þou kunne,
And þou schalt seen þat in regard of þis,
Þere be no brighte bemes in þe sonne.’

Prosa xja

assencior inquam.

1.

“To þis,” quod I, “I moste nede assente;
Youre wordes han me knet so fermely
By resoun of youre subtile argumente.”
‘What ȝif þou knewe,’ quod sche, ‘verrely
This good? What woldest þou þen set þerby,
If þou myght cleerly knowen what it were?’
“I wolde it prayse at infynyt,” quod I,
“If I myght knowen god in þat manere.”

2.

‘I schal,’ quod sche, ‘as verry resonable
The schewen þat apertly ar we goo,
So þat þo þinges stonde ferme and stable
Whiche we byfore þis haue consentid to.’
Quod I, “thei moste, we mowe not goo þerfroo.”
‘Haue I not schewed þe priuely,’ quod sche,
‘Þat alle þise þinges þat [b]e desired so
Of feele folk ben full of vanyte,

3.

And syth they ben dyuerse, it is no nay,
They ben no verrey goodes perfitly;

188

For when þat one fro oþer is away,
No full ne verrey goodes vtterly
To no wight may þey bringen certanly,
Bot when þey ben assembled into one
In wirchinge and in forme verrely,
Than is it good and elles it is none.

4.

So þat þis powere and þis suffisaunce,
This gladsomnesse, honour and nobilite
Be right þe same and oo thing in substaunce,
And if þey lakken verray vnyte
Þere is noght why þey schulde desired be
Ne loued, if ȝe loken well aboute.’
“Whilere,” quod I, “this haue ȝe schewed perde,
Full trewe it is and may noght be in doute.”

5.

‘Sith so is þan þat goode be þei noght
When dyuersite is founde þeym bytwene,
And when þat þey to vnite be broght,
Than ben þei goode as euery man may sene,
What is þat makeþ hem goode for to bene
Ought but ingetyng of this vnyte?’
“Right so,” quod I, “it is right as ȝe mene.”
‘Bot euery þyng þat good is,’ þan quod sche,

6.

‘Why is it good wilt þou noght graunte this,
Þat for it haþ participacioun

189

Lo of this forseid good?’ I seide, “Ȝys.”
‘Than most þou,’ quod sche, ‘be þe same resoun
Lo graunten also þis conclusioun:
Þat good and one bethe o þing verrely;
For þinges likly of condicioun,
Noght diuerse in effectes kyndely,

7.

In substance ben þey oo thing and no moo.’
“Fro þis,” quod I, “I may not gone onside.”
‘And knowest þou noght þat euery þing also
Þat is,’ quod sche, ‘so longe schall abyde
While it is one, and if it so betide
Þat ony þing forletteþ to be one,
Es it noght þen dissolved and destroyed?’
“And how?” quod I. ‘I schal þe telle anone.’

8.

‘Thow seist þi-self þat in a beest,’ quod sche,
‘While soule and body ben togidere knyt
And so abydeþ in hys vnyte,
This wost þou well, a best men callen it.
But when þis forseid onhede is ykyt
As be þeire bothes separacioun,
It is no beest this, wotest þou in þi wit,
Bot careyn torned to corrupcioun.

9.

And eke also the body of a wyght,
While þat þe membres stond[en] kyndely
One in þat forme þat nature hath hym dight,
He is a man, þis knowest þou verrely;

190

But if þey be departed sikerly
So þat þis vnite be done awey,
Þat same þing it is not vtterly,
Ne verray mannes body sothe to seie.

10.

And in the same wise it stant i-wis
Of euery þing to þinken in þi þoght.
Þe while it ston[deþ] on, þe while it is,
And when it faileþ on, þan is it noght,
For it is to corrupcioun i-broght.’
“In sothe,” quod I, “none other can I fynde;
Of [euery] creature þat may be soght
This moste be soth, be verray cours of kynde.”

11.

‘Bot wilt þow trowe þat any þing,’ quod sche,
‘Hath þis of naturel entencioun
As to forleten vtterly to be,
And lust to turne to corrupcioun?’
Quod I, “to haue consideracioun
To bestes wiche þat hauen of nature
Boþe will and nyll be free elleccioun,
I will not trowe it of no creature,

12.

That bot-if þei be constreyned of wiþoute
Theire kyndly beyng will þey noght forgone
Ne wilfully be dede, it is no dowte.
Þerfore it is þat [b]estes euerychone
Lo all þaire labour setten þere vppon
Theym-selfe for to saue and kepe in hele,

191

And wilfully to deth ne will þere none;
I not who is with deth þat lust to dele.

13.

Bot nevirþelesse yit am I in [a] doute
Of trees, of plantes, herbes and of gras,
And stone þat vtterly is lyf wiþoute.”
‘Ther is not why to douten in þis cas
Sith þou myght see,’ quod sche, ‘before þi face,
And every day þow hast experience
That trees and herbes wexen in þat place
As to þeire kynde is most conuenience,

14.

So þat als myche as þeire nature suffiseth
Thei soffren noght to skorchen ne to drye;
For some of hem in faire feldes riseth,
And some wexen in þe hille[s] hyhe,
And some done in mareys multiplie,
And some to þe harde roches clengeth,
And some þere ben þat in þe sondes drye
Þat baren ben ful plentevously spryngeth.

15.

And if a wyght þat noght þaire kyndes knoweþ
Wolde elles-where hem plant, þei [dye] als fast,
For nature ȝeueth to eueryche þat hym oweþ,
And laboreth þat, as longe as þai may last,

192

They mow not be destroyed ne doun cast.
And now what seist þou of þeire cheuysaunce?
As þogh þaire mouthes were in erthe i-threst,
So be þe rote þei drawen sustenaunce.

16.

And so the kyndly moysture after þis
Into þe stok and rynde it sendeth wyde,
And yit þis humour þat most tendre is
Wiþynne forth all-wey it doth abyde,
Ageyn þe wedres hard it-self to hyde.
Wiþouten hath it sadnesse of þe tree;
Wiþouten þat þe barke in euery side,
Þat may defence aȝeyn þe wedres be.

17.

Here myght þou wel beholde and taken hede
How þat nature entendeth besily
Eueryche a thyng to norische be his seede
Þat yere by yere doth waxe and multeplye,
Noght only for a tyme sikerly,
But þei ben sotil gynnes as it were
Wherby to stonden perdurabyly
Be generacioun in þat manere.

18.

And þinges þat vnsouled ben also,
Ne doth noght eueryche besily entende

193

To þat his nature apperteneth to?
Why elles doth a flamme of fuyre ascende,
Or why doth heuy erthe so descende,
Bot for þat eueryche haþ conuenience
To certayn place to wiche, as to þaire ende,
They meven so þey haue no recistence?

19.

For euery þing entendeþ sikerly,
Als fer forth as it may haue suffisaunce,
Lo þinges to conseruen besily
With whiche it haþ in kynde his acordaunce.
Right euen as þinges of contrariaunce,
All þat þey may, corrumpen and destroye,
Right so han þai þeire kyndely gouernaunce
To avoyden all þat harmeþ or anoye.

20.

And stones þat so harde and stronge ben,
How þei wiþstonde theire particioun,
And clyngen faste as euery man may seen
To saue þe partes fro corrupcioun!
And þinges þat so flowen vp and doun,
Bothe eire and water, parteþ esely
Be violence, fro wiche devisioun
To onehede þei retornen kyndely.

21.

But fuyre all suche devisioun refuseth.
Of wilfull movyng of þe soule I let
To speke as now in þat he resoun vseþ,
Bot of þe naturell entent I trete:

194

Þat whan [ȝ]e do[n] resayuen so youre mete
Ȝe swel[wen] it and þere-of ha[n] no þoght,
And in ȝoure slepe when all þing is forgete
Ye drawen breth and yit ye witen noght.

22.

Noght onely of þe soules wilfulnesse
Thise bestes louen to lyuen and endure,
Bot principally dependeth it expresse
Of verray hye principalles of nature;
For ofte it falleþ þat a creature
His owne deth will take wilfully
Where nedful causes ben perauenture,
Whiche þing nature dredeth kyndely.

23.

Ye seen also þat in contrarie wise
Þe will of man wiþstondeþ and refreyneþ
Þe lust of verray kyndely couetise,
Be whiche all oneliche nature haþ ordeigned
Þat dedly kynde to kepe and be susteyned,
Þe whiche is fleschly generacioun.
So þat þis loue not only is conteyned
Principally in youre beestly mocioun,

24.

Bot also of entencioun naturele.
Forwhy þe souereyn goddes purveaunce
Haþ ȝeuen þis as cause effectuele
To þinges þat ben of his ordinaunce,

195

And be a verray kyndely gouernaunce
Thei schol desiren all-wey for to be
As longe as nature haþ þat suffisaunce
To kepe þe parties in theire vnite.

25.

There is noght why þou schuldest doute in þis,
Þat alle þing ne coueiteþ kyndely
To kepe it-self in ferme and stabilnesse,
And be corrupt þei [l]oþen vtterly.’
“Lo now I moste confessen this,” quod I,
“For þinges whiche I douted of bifore,
Now I beholde it wele and certanly.”
‘And þing þat so desireþ euermore

26.

To stonde allwey in ferme and stabilnesse
Þat selue þing desireþ for to be.
And if þis one be voyded, soth i[t] esse,
Than is it noght, þou myght þi-self it see.’
“Ful soth,” quod I. ‘Than alle þing,’ quod sche,
‘Desireth one?’ Quod I, “Þat grant I well.”
‘Bot one and good, as þou hast granted me,
Ben right þe same and diuerse neuere a dele.’

27.

“Right so,” quod I. ‘Than alle þing requireth
This one,’ quod sche, ‘þat þus may be descryued:
Good is þat þing þat eny þing desireþ.’
“Noþing,” quod I, “may sother be contryued.
All þing to noght most elles be deryued,
As flowyng evire wiþouten gouernour,

196

Ful destitut and of þeire hede depriued;
Then were oure ende bot meschief and dolour.”

28.

‘And if þere may be founde þere agayn
O thing to wiche alle othere ben extended,
Of alle good þis moste be souereyn,
As he þat all haþ in hym comprehended.’
“This conceit,” quod I, “may noght be amended.
‘My nory dere, now am I glad i-wys
The poynt now of þi þoght þou hast extendid
In myddes right of verray sothfastnesse;

29.

And lo in þis is schewed the plenerly
The þing whiche þat whilere þou toldest me
Thow knew it noght.’ “And what is þat?” quod I.
‘What is þe ende of þinges,’ seide sche.
‘This same þing lo moste it nedes be,
Þat euery þing of kynde desiren schall;
And sith þat þis is good, it semeþ me
Þat souereyn goode moste be þe ende of all.’

Metrum xjm

Quisquis profunda.

1.

‘Who so will enserchen sothfastnesse aright
So þat he be deceyued nevir-a-deele,
The pure clerenesse of his ynnere sight
With-ynne hym-self he moste reuolue it wele,

197

And all his þoghtes trendlen as a whele,
Leuyng þis erthely occupacioun,
And teche his soule to vndirstonde and fele
Be doom of good deliberacioun

2.

That all þat evir he sekeþ here wiþoute,
So trauaillynge thise trowþes for to knowe,
How hyd it was, all close, it is no doute
Right as tresour wiþynne hym-self bestowe.
Þo þinges þan þat þere were over-blowe
With clowde of errour and of ignoraunce,
It schall to þe be clere[r], as I trowe,
Þan is þe sonne and more to þi plesaunce.

3.

For-why þe corps þat haþ the soule oppressed
As with the wi[ȝ]t[e] of his corrupcioun,
Ne hath noght all dispoyled ne distressed
Þe light of vndirstondyng and resoun.
Þere cleueth ȝit a noble porcioun
Wiþ-yn þi soule as an abilite:
The seed of trouthe in full possessioun,
Wiche þat wiþ techyng most enforced be.

4.

How myght ye elles iuggen formally
Or answere to demaundes þat ye heere,
Bot if youre wit conceyued verrely
A lyuely norisshinge of it as it were?

198

And yit þat Plato seide in wordes clere,
If it be soth as doþ his bokes trete,
None other þing ye done when þat ȝe lere
Bot as record a þing þat was forȝete.’

Prosa xija

Tum ego Platoni.

1.

“To Plato,” seide I, “must I nede assent,
For twyes now ȝe han remembred me
Of þing þat first was fro my mynde went
As be my bodily contagiouste;
And sen I stode eft-sone in this degree
Of heuynesse I had it eke forlorne.”
‘If þou,’ sche seide, ‘wilt byholde and see
To þing þat þou hast graunted here beforne,

2.

Thow schalt recorde also to þi science
Þat þing þat whilere þow seid þow knewe it noght.’
“And what?” quod I. ‘Be whiche gouernementes
This worlde,’ quod sche, ‘is in þis revle i-broght.’
“I am,” quod I, “remembred in my þoght
Of myn vnkunnynge, þat I was be-knowe,
And þogh I haue as now conceyued oght,
More plenerly yit wolde I lerne of yow.”

199

3.

‘Whilere,’ quod sche, ‘þou douted noght at all,
Lo þat þis worlde be god gouerned is.’
“Nor now,” quod I, “ne nevire here-after schall,
As in þat matter ben in dowte i-wys;
And what resoun enduceþ me to this,
In schort I schall yow schewe as semeth me;
Now loke youre-self yf I conceyue amys.
This worlde,” [quod] I, “þat stant in þis degree

4.

Of partyes dyuerse and contrariouse,
As euery wight may vnderstonde and fele,
In suche a forme myght neuere accorde þus,
Bot if þat one conioyned euerydele
Þat so diuerse ben, this wote I wele;
Ne so conioyned myght þey noght endure,
But if oo kepere were perpetuele.
Þe same dyuersitee of þaire nature

5.

So discordant schulde euere apeyre and schende
And all disioyne, as semeth in my þoght,
Bot-if þere were a gouernour of kynde
To kepe all þis þat is togidere broght.
Ne suche a certeyn ordire myghte noght
Of nature so procede in ordinaunce
To moven so, bot he þat all haþ wroght
Schulde haue it holly in his gouernaunce.

200

6.

Theire mouynge is so faire and ordynate
In tymes, stedes, [sp]ace and qualite,
And suche effectes causeþ eke algate,
Þat wonderfull is euery wight to see.
Þan is þere one þat þis dyuersite,
Hymseluen stable, so disposeth alle;
And who so doth all þis I say þat he
Is god; þat vsed name I wil hym calle.”

7.

‘Sith þou,’ quod sche, ‘might þis bihalde and feele,
I trowe I schal wiþ litell besynesse
Ful hole and sound þe maken see full wele
Thy kynde cuntre full of blisfulnesse.
Bot þat we han purposed here er this
Let vs beholde. Haue we noght longe ago
Thus seide þat suffisaunce is blisfulnesse,
And eke þat god is blisfulnesse also?’

8.

“Right so,” quod I. ‘And yit hym nedeþ noght,’
Quod sche, ‘unto þis worldes gouernaunce,
For if he of wiþouten neded oght
He had[de] þan no plener suffisaunce.’
“Fro þis,” quod I, “þere is no variaunce.”
‘Hymself allone all þing disposith þan?’
“I may,” quod I, “now make no voydaunce.”
‘And god is good, as we deduced han?’

201

9.

“And þis I me remembre well,” quod I.
‘Be gode þan he gouerneþ all,’ quod sche,
‘For sith as þou hast graunted sewyngly
He þat is good disposeþ all perde,
Hymself allone moste he nedes be
Right as it were a rulere or a sterne,
Hymselfe stable euer in oo degree,
Þat all þis worlde incorrupt doth gouerne.’

10.

“Full well,” quod I, “acorde I vnto þis.
And lo whilere as be suspeccioun
I trowe ye wolde þe same haue seide i-wys,
And preued þis in youre conclusioun.”
‘I trowe it well, for þyn inspeccioun
Is more ententyf þan it was afore
As to behold a trouth and good resoun.
Bot þat I schal þe schewen forthermore,

11.

As cleer it is and open to þi sight.’
“And what?” quod I. “Þat knowen fayne I wolde.”
‘Sith god,’ quod sche, ‘if we bileuen right,
So with þis sterne of bounte, as I tolde,
Gouerneth all and rewleþ as it scholde,
Thise þinges all be naturel entent
Ben wilfully subiecte and vndirfolde,
Obeyinge vnto his gouernement.’

202

12.

“This is,” quod I, “full trewe and necessary,
For elles were no blisfull gouernaunce
If þat it were a yok to þing contrary
Þat noght obeied to his ordynaunce.”
‘Than is þere noght þat doth þaire obseruaunce
To kepe itself in ordire of nature,
Þat may enforcen wiþ contrariaunce
Ageyn þeire god?’ Quod I, “No creature.”

13.

‘What if so þat ageyn þis gouernaile
They myght enforcen hem of frowardnesse?
Might þay ageyn þeire god in þat availe,
Whiche þat be right of verrey blesfulnesse,
As we beforne han seid, all-mighti isse?’
“In sothe þey myght avayle not,” quod I.
Quod sche, ‘Þan is þere noþing, as I gesse,
Þat may or will wiþstonden kyndely

14.

This souerayn good, what wilt þi-self suppose?’
I seyde, “No!” ‘This souerayn good,’ quod sche,
‘All þinges then full softly doth dispose,
And myghtily all þing gouerneþ he.’
Quod I, “Noght onely it deliteþ me
As in þe somme of youre conclusioun,
Bot eke þe wordes whiche þat vsen yee,
Wel more þei do me dilectacioun,

15.

In so ferforth þat in myself I schame,
And of my foly foule I am confused

203

So hye a thing to reprehende or blame,
And þat I haue so masedliche i-mused
Þat man of god was vtterly refused,
And þat he hadde hym noght in gouernaunce.”
‘Suche fables,’ quod sche, ‘han poetes vsed;
As þou hast herd þat whilom were geauntes

16.

Whiche wolde haue made þaire way vp into heuen
And hyhe hilles gan to bilden faste;
Bot god sent doun a þonder or a leuene
And all theire werk vpon þeym overcaste,
And so þei were wiþstonden at þe laste
Lo be þe myght of souereigne god benygne,
Whi[ch]e for theym all disposed so in hast
As þeire desert was worþy and condigne.

17.

Bot wilt þou now þat we togidres dryue
Thise resouns all and into one hem brynge,
And perauenture of þat strook as blyue
Þere may of trouþe a litel sparke sprynge?’
“Now sey,” quod I, “as is to youre likyng.”
‘We seyn,’ quod sche, ‘þat god almighti is.’
“Sith he of all,” quod I, “is lord and kyng,
Þere is no wight þat is in doute of this.”

18.

‘And he,’ sche seide, ‘þat is so full of myght,
Is any maner þing þat he ne may?’

204

“Noþing,” quod I. Quod sche, ‘Now sey me right.
May god do eny euyl?’ I seide, “Nay.”
‘Lo þen is evil noþing I dar wel say,
Sith he þat is almighti may it noght.’
Quod I, “Wheþer do ȝe skorne or elles play,
And haue [me] to þis laberynt ibroght?

19.

Youre resouns weyuen [y]e so wondirly,
In maner like þe hous of Dydalus,
Full hard for to resoluen and vnplye.
Youre resouns ben so hyhe and curious
Þat to my wit it is full merveillous.
Where ȝe gon out ye entren eft anone,
And euene þere as ye haue entred þus,
Þe same wey ye passen out eftsone.

20.

A wonder compas haue ȝe knet and folde
Of þe hye devyne symplicite,
For þus whiler when ȝe began, ye tolde
Of blisfulnesse and of felicite;
Þat souereigne good was it ye seiden me,
And þat also in souereyn good it is:
Þat god was souereyn good þo seide ye,
Also þat he is perfit blisfulnesse.

21.

And for a gift ye took me þis þerto:
Þat n[o] wight myght haue verrey blisfulnesse
Bot yf [h]e were in manere god also
Be lyknesse in possessing of þat blisse.

205

And forthermore also ȝe seiden this:
Lo þat þe forme of verrey perfight goode,
It is þe substance of þis welfulnesse
And eke of god, lo þis I vndirstode.

22.

Ye seide also, as vnto my conceyt,
Þat good and on all [o] thing schulde be,
Whiche euery kynde of þinges most coueit;
Þat god eke with þe sterne of his bounte
Gouerneth all þe vniuersite,
And all moste to his gouernaunce alowte;
Þat euel ys noþing also preued ye,
Noght sekyng here to resouns of wiþoute,

23.

But wel ye han vnplyed þis and preued
Be skilles þat ben knowen openly,
And eueryche makeþ other be bileued,
Thei knytten so in compace sotelly.”
Sche seide þan, ‘I pley not sikerly,
But þat we han whilere of god besoght,
Now haue I schewed the here þat is so hye
And grettest þat in herte may be þoght.

24.

For of substance devyne þe forme is þis:
Þat he may noght augmenten ne decresse
Be no foreyne þyng, þe sothe it is,
And all yit he conceyueth neuerþelesse.

206

Bot right [as] seide Perymenides:
Þe rounde wheele of þinges all aboute
He meveþ, ȝit hym-selfen is in pees,
And meveþ noght at all, it is no dowte.

25.

If I haue þe schewed skilles goode and mete
Noght fro withouten forth, but verrely
Wiþynne þe þinges where of þat we trete,
To wonder now þou hast no cause why.
For þou hast herd and red, as suppose I,
This sothfast sentence, Plato seide it lo,
Þat wordes moste be cosyns kyndely
To þinges whiche þei ben referred to.

Metrum xijm

ffelix qui potuit.

1.

‘Full blisfull is þat man þat may beholde
Þe brighte welle of verrey blisfulnesse,
And wel is hym þat may hymself vnfolde
Fro bondes of þis worldly wrecchidnesse.
The poet Orpheus wiþ heuynesse
Hys wyfes deth haþ [w]eyled wepyngly,
And wiþ his songes full of drerynesse
Made wodes for to renne wonderly.

2.

He made stremes stonden and abyde;
The hynde fered not of houndes fell,

207

Sche lete þe lyoun lyen by here syde;
The hare also ne dred[de] noght a-dell
To see þe hound, hit liked hym so wel
To here þe songes þat so lusty were;
And boldely they dorste togidres dwell
Þat nevire a beste had of othere feere.

3.

And when þe loue gan brennen in his brest
Of Erudice moste hote and feruently,
His songes þat had so many a wylde best
So meke made to lyuen comynly,
They myghte hym not comforten vtterly.
Of hyhe goddes gan he to compleyn,
And seide þei deden wiþ hym cruelly
That þei [ne] sent hym noght his wyf ageyn.

4.

He wente þan to houses infernall
And faste his strenges þere dressed he,
And sowned out þe swete songes all
Þat he had tasted of the welles thre,
Whi[ch]e þat his modres [w]ere, Calliope
Þat is goddesse and chief of eloquence,

208

To wordes þat most piteous might be,
As sorwe had toght hym be experience,

5.

And loue also þat doubleth heuynesse.
To helle began he his compleynt to make,
Askyng mercy þere with lawenesse
At þilke lordes of the schades blake.
And Cerberus þat woned was to wake,
Wiþ hedes thre and helle yates kepe,
So hadden hym þese newe songes take,
The swetnesse made hym for to falle on-slepe.

6.

The fur[ie]s þat ben vengoures of synne
And surfetoures smyten so wiþ feere,
For heuynesse þat þis man was ynne,
They gan to mourne and weped many a tere;
Ne þo þe swyfte wheel had no powere
To torne abowte þe heed of Y[xi]oun;
Ne tantalus, for thryst all-þogh he were
Forpyned longe, wattere wolde he none;

7.

The gryp þat ete þe mawe of Tycius
And tired on it longe tyme before,
This song to hym was so delicius
He left it of and tired it no more.

209

And when þat Orpheus had mourned sore,
Than seide þe juge of helle peynes strong,
“Pyte me haþ [con]uy[c]t, I will restore
This man his wyf þus wonnen wiþ his song.

8.

Bot with a lawe þis gift wil I restreyne,
Þat vnto he thise bondes haue forsake,
If he beholde vpon his wyf ageyne,
Hys wyf fro hym eftsone will we take.”
Bot who to louers may a lawe make,
For loue is rather to hym-self a lawe!
When he was neygh out of þe bondes blake,
He turned hym and Erudice he sawe.

9.

Allas he lost and left his wyf behynde.
This fable lo to ȝow perteyneth right;
For ye þat wolde liften vp youre mynde
Into þe hyhe blisfull souereyn light,
If ye eftsones turne doun youre sight
Into þis foule wrecched erthely dell,
Lo all þat evire youre labour haþ yow dight
Ye loose it when ye loken into hell.

Explicit liber tercius Boecij de consolacione philosophie.

210

PREFACIO TRANSLATORIS IN LIBRUM QUARTUM ET QUINTUM

1.

O hyhe and riche tresour of science
And wisdom which in god eternally
Conceyued is, so þat his iugementes
Ne mowe not be enserched certanly,
Neither þe wey be knowen vtterly
Be whiche this wonder worldes gouernaunce
He kepith in suche a certeyn ordenaunce!

2.

Who wist his wit when he þis world began?
Or who was he þat was his conseillour?
When noþing was, who was þat gaf hym þan,
To whom he is in daunger as dettour?
Of hym is all, for he is creatour,
Be hym it is þat all þing is susteyned,
In hym is all þing kyndely conteyned.

3.

Lo of so hye a mater for to trete
As after þis myn auctour doth pursue,
This wote I well, my wittes ben vnmete
The sentence for to saue in metre trewe.
And noght-for-thi I may it noght eschewe,

211

Ye ben þe cause why I mote don thus
And schewe myseluen here presumptuous

4.

Of hap of fortune and of destine,
Þat marred haþ full many a mannes mynde
Supposyng þat oure kyndely liberte
Thus to and fro must allwey turne and wende,
So þat oure werkes to a certeyn ende
Constreyned ben wher þat we will or noght,
So þat none oþer-wise þey may be wroght.

5.

To speken of devyne purveaunce
Þat all þing knoweth or it be bygonne,
No worldly wight may haue þat suffisaunce
With all þe wit and clergie þat þei konne,
No more þan perce þe myddes of þe sonne
As wiþ þe litell vigour of þaire sight;
Well myche more it passeth mannes myght.

6.

And þat we stonden in oure arbetrie,
As fully set in verray liberte,
So þat we mowe chesen wilfully
Bothe good and euel, bothe wel and wo to be;
And yit þat god is his eternyte
So knoweth all þat evire schal betide;
Who can thise two compownen and devide?

212

7.

It is noght elles bot þat oure desire
Wolde kyndely þat conseyt comprehende;
Right as we seen a litell flaumb of fuyre
How scharp it makeþ it-seluen to ascende,
And noght-forþi it failleþ of his ende,
And is full fer fro theder þat it scholde,
So may we þinke or telle what we wolde.

8.

Bot fuyre right of mouynge of nature,
Beholde how scharp it makeþ it and light,
And also ferforth as it may endure,
How it enforceth for to stye vp-right.
Bot we wolde haue noght elles but a sight,
And knowe the height of goddes priuete,
And will oure-self all-wey in erthe be.

9.

To þe þat art þe welle of sapience,
All-myghti lord, þis labour I comyt;
Thogh I be fer fro craft of eloquence,
Enforce þou my connyng and my wit
This matter for to treten so þat it
Be to þi honour and to þi plesaunce;
So take it lord in-to þi gouernaunce.

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INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS

[Prosa ja]

1.

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

2.

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

3.

Bot þis is most my cause of heuynesse:
So good a gouernour as hauen we,
How þere may ben so myche wickednesse
And suffred so vnponysched to be.
How wonderfull is þis, now deme ye;

214

And þis wel more encreseþ my doloures,
Þat wickednesse regneþ in his floures.

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

7.

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

215

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

8.

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

9.

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

Metrum jm

Sunt etenim penne.

1.

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

216

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

2.

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

3.

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

4.

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

217

5.

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

6.

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

Prosa ija

[Tum ego.]

1.

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

2.

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

218

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

3.

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

4.

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

5.

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

219

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

6.

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

7.

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

8.

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

220

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

9.

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

10.

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

11.

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

221

12.

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

13.

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

14.

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

15.

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

222

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

16.

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

17.

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

18.

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

223

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

19.

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

20.

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

21.

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

22.

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

224

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

23.

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

24.

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

25.

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

225

26.

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

27.

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

28.

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

29.

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

226

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

30.

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

31.

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

32.

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

33.

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

227

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

34.

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

35.

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

36.

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

228

37.

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

38.

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

Metrum ijm

Quos vides sedere celsos.

1.

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

2.

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

229

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

3.

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

Prosa iija

1.

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

2.

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

230

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

3.

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

4.

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

5.

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

231

6.

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

7.

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

8.

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

9.

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

232

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

10.

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

11.

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

12.

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

233

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

13.

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

14.

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

15.

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

234

16.

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

17.

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

18.

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

19.

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

235

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

Metrum iijm

Vela naricij du[ci]s.

1.

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

2.

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

3.

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

236

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

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

237

7.

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

Prosa [iiija]

Tum ego fateor.

1.

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

2.

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

3.

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

238

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

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

239

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

7.

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

8.

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

9.

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

240

10.

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

11.

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

12.

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

13.

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

241

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

14.

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

15.

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

16.

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

242

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

17.

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

18.

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

19.

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

243

20.

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

21.

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

22.

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

23.

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

244

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

24.

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

25.

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

26.

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

245

27.

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

28.

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

29.

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

30.

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

246

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

31.

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

32.

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

33.

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

247

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

34.

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

35.

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

36.

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

248

37.

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

38.

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

39.

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

40.

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

249

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

41.

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

42.

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

43.

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

250

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

44.

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

45.

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

Metrum iiijm

Quid tantos iuuat

1.

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

251

2.

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

[Prosa Va]

1.

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

2.

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

3.

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

252

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

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

253

7.

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

8.

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

Metrum vm

Si quis Ar[c]turi Sidera.

1.

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

2.

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

254

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

3.

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

4.

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

Prosa vja

Ita est.

1.

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

255

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

2.

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

3.

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

4.

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

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

5.

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

6.

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

7.

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

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8.

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

9.

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

10.

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

11.

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

258

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

12.

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

13.

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

14.

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

259

15.

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

16.

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

17.

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

18.

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

260

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

19.

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

20.

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

21.

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

261

22.

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

23.

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

24.

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

262

25.

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

26.

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

27.

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

28.

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

263

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

29.

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

30.

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

31.

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

32.

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

264

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

33.

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

34.

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

35.

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

265

36.

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

37.

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

38.

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

39.

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

266

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

40.

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

41.

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

42.

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

267

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

43.

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

44.

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

45.

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

46.

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

268

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

47.

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

48.

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

49.

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

269

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

50.

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

51.

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

52.

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

53.

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

270

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

54.

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

55.

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

56.

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

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57.

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

58.

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

59.

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

60.

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

272

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

61.

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

62.

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

63.

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

273

Metrum vjm

Si vis celsi [iura] thonantes.

1.

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

2.

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

3.

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

274

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

7.

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

275

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

8.

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

Prosa vija

[Iam] ne [igitur] vides.

1.

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

2.

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

276

3.

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

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

277

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

7.

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

8.

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

9.

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

278

10.

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

11.

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

12.

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

13.

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

279

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

14.

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

15.

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

Metrum vijm

bella bis qui[n]is.

1.

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

280

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

2.

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

3.

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

4.

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

5.

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

281

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

6.

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

7.

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

8.

And over þis he slowh þe myghty bore
Wiþ fome of whiche his schuldres marked were;
But þan this laste labour forthirmore
Was when he on his nekke heuene bere,

282

And of this labour he deserued þere
Þe heuene for to haue vnto his mede.
Ye myghti men of þis now takeþ hede.

9.

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

Explicit liber quartus.

283

[INCIPIT LIBER QUINTUS]

[Prosa ja]

1.

When sche had seid sche gan hire-selue hye
To oþer þinges tretyd for to be.
“Youre noble exortacioun,” quod I,
“Full digne it is of hye auctorite,
But yit whilere as I remembre me,
Ye speken of devyne prescience;
How hard it is I haue experience,

2.

And all belapped wiþ demaundes feele,
Encomberous to euery mannes wyt;
Full brigous is þat matere wiþ to dele.
But now I pray ȝow þat ȝe seie me yit,
If hap be oght, what manere þing is it.”
‘I spede me,’ quod sche, ‘for to pay my det
Of thinges whiche whiler I the behet,

3.

And for to sette the in a redy way
So þat þou myght retorne into þi lande.
This mater þat þou asked, soth to say,
Thogh it be good to knowe and vndirstande,
Lo yit þis purpose þat we han on hande
Sumwhat [it] is inpertinent þerto;
And furthermore it is to drede also

284

4.

Lest of þi labour þat þou feynt and fayle,
And for thy iourney þat is ouergone,
And lest þou suffice noght to þi trauaile
To þat þou hast here afterward to done.’
“Ne drede ȝe noght,” quod I; “let me allone,
For this schal ben right as a tyme of reste
To here of þing þat me deliteþ meste;

5.

And namely sith youre processe all aboute
Be disputacioun so formally
Concluded is, it may not be in doute
Of þat ye will inducen sewyngly.”
‘Right as þou wilt,’ quod sche, ‘right so wil I.’
And sche gan to declaren in þis wise:
‘What-euere he be,’ quod sche, ‘þat will devise

6.

That hap is suche a þing þat schulde be-fall
Wiþouten cause or skill of gouernance,
Than say I þus þat hap is noght at all
But as an ydell name of [no] vailaunce.
Sith god haþ sett all þing in ordinaunce,
How schulde þere þan any place be
To worchen þinges of vncerteynte?

7.

For trewe i-nogh this sentence haþ ben holde,
Lo þat þere may noþing be done of noght;
This ne wiþ-seiden neuer one of þise olde.
Of oo begynner all þing most be wroght,

285

Yit þis was not þe conseit of þeire þoght.
Thogh all þing haue a makere principall,
They meued of subiecte materiall.

8.

For þat þey put as for a foundement,
And þat haþ euery resoun of nature.
Than wil it sewen well and consequent,
This may conceyuen euery creature,
If any þing were done be auenture
Wiþouten causes wherof to procede,
Than most it come of noght it is no drede.

9.

Bot sith þis may not been in no manere,
Than hap may not be cleped sikerly
Suche as we han diffyned now whilere.’
“What! is þere þanne no manere þing,” quod I,
“Þat chaunce or hap is cleped skilfully?
Or suche a þing þer is to folk vnknowe
Wherto þis name be-longeþ as ye trowe?”

10.

‘Þis lo myne Aristotiles,’ quod sche,
‘Wiþynne his book of fysyk naturele,
In schort he scheweþ what þing it scholde be;
Full nyhe þe skill declareþ it full wele.’
“And how?” quod I. ‘Lo þis is euerydele,’
Quod sche, ‘þat writeþ Aristotiles;
Of þis mater I trowe it be no les:

286

11.

Als often as ther is a werk iwroght
As for a certeyn purpos of entent,
And þan of othere causes vnbiþoght
Betideth oþer wayes þan was be-ment,
Lo hap this may be cleped verrayment.
And if it luste a man to delue his lond
And hid þerynne a somme of gold he fond,

12.

Of suche a þing men demen sikerly
Lo þat a sodeyn auenture it is.
Yit come it not of noþing noght-for-thy,
Bot propre causes were beforn i-wys
Þe concurse of þe whiche causeth þis;
Bot for it fell vnware and vnbeþoght,
It semeth folk þat hap it haþ i-wroght.

13.

For bot the tyllear doluen had his ground,
And eke þe hider putte it in þat stede,
Thow may wel sene þe gold had noght be founde.
As in þat manere wise, it is no drede,
Þe causes ben of auenturous dede
When þat þey mete and ben assembled so
Wiþoute certeyn purpose to be do.

14.

For he þat dalf ne he þat hyd it there
Purposed noght, þow myght suppose it wele,
Þat gold to haue be found in þat manere;
Neuer oon of hem ne þoght it noght a dele.

287

But right as I haue seid it so be-fell
Þat in þat same place þat þey it hid
Þat oþer dalf and fond as it betyd.

15.

Now than in schort to make an ende of all,
To set a finall diffinicioun:
Lo hap is suche a þing þat doth be-fall,
Noþing purposed of entencioun,
Where diuerse causes maken vnioun
In thinges þat for somwhat were i-wroght,
Bot in-to þat þat is be-fallen noght.

16.

But this vneschuale ordynaunce
Whiche þat þe welle heed procedeth fro
Of the devyne hyhe purveaunce,
Wiþouten whiche þer may noþing be do,
Þat makeþ þe causes to concurren so,
Þat alle þing disposeth kyndely
In propre place and tymes certanly.’

Metrum jm

‘Rupis Achaemeniae.’

1.

‘Tygris and eke eufrates spryngen boþe
Out of a craggy roche in armanye,
Out of a welle hede, to seie þe sothe,
Where men be woned to fighten wonderlye.

288

In flight þei harmen hem þat sewen nye,
Theire scharpe dartes ficching in þaire breste,
So when þei fle[en] þeire foos þey noyen meste.

2.

Thise riueres bothe ben desioyned soone
And renne in two dyuerse stremes grete,
And after þat þey fallen into one
Wher þat þey in an other place mete.
Þe schippes þan and stokkes þat þere flete
In ayther of these ryueres doun along,
It happeþ þat þey meten ever among.

3.

This water þus enplyeth and be-lappeth
Thus mengyng many chaunces fortunelle;
Bot of that schel[u]yng erthe it so be-[h]appeþ
Whiche þat [þ]is water s[e]wet[h], wite it welle,
That flittynge ordire rewleþ euerydelle.
Right so is hap vnrewled as ye demeth,
Bot noght-forthi a certeyn lawe it yemeth.’

Prosa ija

‘Animaduerto inquam.’

1.

“To þis,” quod I, “full well accorde I can,
And þat ye seyn I may it well beleuen.

289

But in þe ordire of þise causes than
Whiche þat so sewyngly to-gideres cleuen,
This wolde I seen yf ye couthe schewe or preuen,
If in youre chois is any liberte,
Oþer elles þat þis cheyne of destyne

2.

Constreyneth all þe movyng of oure wyt?”
Quod sche, ‘Forsothe þan were it all amys,
Þat will I schewe and clerly preuen it,
For-why no kynde þat resonable is
Wiþoute liberte may ben i-wys.
For all þat kyndly resoun vsen may,
May demen and discerne, it is no nay.

3.

And be hym-selue he knoweþ kyndely
What þing is to desire and what to flee.
And what þing þat he demeþ verrely
And worthi ys desired for to be,
Þat þing lo sekeþ and desireþ he;
And what he iuggeþ worth to be forsake,
Þat will he leuen and þat other take.

4.

Than euery þing þat resoun hath certeyne,
Of will and nyll haþ liberte þerto,
But all ylyk in sothe will I not seyn;
For-why devyne substaunces stonden so:
Þe iuggement is wonder clere of tho,
Theire will is in-corrupt, þeire [myght] is prest
And spedy to all þat hem likeþ best.

290

5.

Bot most in fredom is þe soule of man
When he is set in contemplacioun,
And fully fecchen of his þoghtes can
In hye devyne speculacioun,
And lesse if þat his occupacioun
Of worldly þing distrakkeþ out his mynde,
And lesse when fleschely bondes doth hym bynde.

6.

He gynneth then to wexen derk and dull
Of þat vnþrifty cloude of ignorance;
Of foule affecciouns þan is he full,
Encombred wiþ the vice of in[con]stance
Þat turbeleth hym wiþ angwisshe and grevance,
To þe whiche when he consenteth in his wit
In seruage þan hym-seluen haþ he knyt;

7.

In manere of his propir liberte
A caytif is be-come of conscience.
But neuerþelatter he þat all may se
As be his hye eternall prescience,
All þing gouerneþ by his excellence
And hereth and seeth well euer[y] þoght and dede,
And so he will disposen for þeire mede.’

Metrum ijm

Puro clar[um] lumine.

1.

‘The noble poete honymouth Omere
Lo of þe sonne singeþ in þis wise,

291

And seith for all his brighte bemes clere,
Þe see and lond ne may he noght suffice
To persen thurgh; so may we noght [deuise]
Of hym þat haþ þis wyde worlde i-wroght.
Þe heuy erthe wiþstondeth hym right noght,

2.

For fer and hye all þing he seth anone;
He is not let be clowdes of þe nyght,
For all þat is, or was, or schall be done,
At ones is it all beforne his sight.
Sith he allone wiþ his bemes bright
So alle þinges may be-holde and see,
We may wel say a verray sonne is he.’

[Prosa iiia]

[Tum ego en inquam].

1.

[I] seide then, “A gretter doute now
Confoundeth me þan dide beforn i-wys.”
‘Of what,’ quod sche, ‘art þow in doute now?
Now right in sothe coniecte I what it is.’
“Full hugely,” quod I, “repugneth þis,
Þat god may knowen all þing or it be,
And þat oure will may stonde in liberte.

2.

Sith god beforne seeth all þat schall be do,
And his sight lo may be deceyued noght,
Of verrey force þan nede it moste be so
Þat presciens haþ seen as to be wroght;

292

[And furthermore all erþely þing vnsoght]
Of euery wight he knoweth plenerlye;
Than is no fredom in oure arbitrye,

3.

For-why þere may be neiþer þoght ne dede
Þat purveaunce beforn ne seeth it all.
He faileþ noght þer-of, it is no drede,
Bot all þat ever he wot betiden schall;
All þat he seeth beforn it must be-fall,
And if it may be-fallen oþer-wise,
It was noght seen before as I devise.

4.

Than schall þis be no verrey prescience,
Bot as an vncerteyn opynyoun.
But sikerly þis were a foule offence
Of god to felen þat conclusioun.
And some men wenen þat þis questioun
May ben assoiled thus as þey beleue,
But þaire resones ne kan I noght appreue.

5.

Lo þus þey seyn: a thing þat schal betide
Betydeth noght for god provideth so,
Bot god þat þing to comyng doth provide
And seeth bifore all þing that schal be do;
And þus ayeinward schulde þe cause [go]:
Þat god forseeþ this þing þat schal be wroght,
But yit of nede it schal betide noght.

293

6.

Thei seien also þat þing þat schall be-falle,
In goddes sight provided it is nede.
Lo þis answere assoileth noght at all
This brigous questioun, it is no drede.
Onely to þis entent it doth procede:
Lo of two diuerse þinges to enquere
Whiche of hem two þe cause of oþere were;

7.

Where þat þe prescience of god allone
So causeth þing to fallen nedelye,
Or elles thing þat nedes schall be done
Lo causeth prescience of god on hye.
This is no verray answere sikerlye
To þat þat I entende for to schewe,
But no[t]-forþi my purpose stondeth trewe.

8.

How-euer it stondeth of þis ordynaunce
Which þat of þise cause of othre be:
A þing þat is forseyn be purveaunce
Of nede it muste betide as semeth me,
Þogh it be so þat þis necessite
Ne be noght caused of this prescience,
As in effecte þer is no difference.

9.

As if I sitte and þow supposest it,
Then nedes soth is þyn opinioun,
But þow my sittynge is not caused yit
As nedfull of thyn estymacioun.

294

And right so if þou torne it vp and doun,
If þou supposest soth of þat I do,
Eke of necessite it muste be so.

10.

Necessite þan must ther ben in bothe;
Vnto þat poynt lo here we ben i-broght,
In me of syttyng and in the of sothe.
Yit wost þou well þerfore ne syt I noght
For þou right so supposest in þi þoght,
But rather þus: because þat I sat
Lo thyn opynioun was soth in þat.

11.

Than is þis trewþe caused of þe dede,
And eke in bothe þere is necessite.
Lo in þe same wise we may procede
Of purveaunce in sothe as semeth me;
For-cause þise þinges schall here-after be,
For-thy be purveaunce he seeth it all,
And ȝit þerfore ne doth it noght be-fall;

12.

And nevirþelatter all þat schall betide,
Of god it is provided nedely;
And eft aȝeyn all þat he doth provide
Of nede it doth by-falle sikerly.
And all þe fredom of oure arbitry
Lo þis suffiseth to distroyen clene.
He scheweþ well how masedly we mene

295

13.

That auenture of þinges temporele
Schulde cause[n] his eternall prescience.
But þis were right a nyce þing to fele;
Wiþ resoun haþ [it] no conuenience,
For it wolde sewen of theire evidence
Þat þinges passed many ȝeres seyn
Schulde cause god þat is oure souereyn.

14.

As if I kn[o]w a thing þat present is,
While I it knowe, nedes is it so;
Right so a þing þat schal be after þis,
If I it knowe, of nede it moste be do.
It seweth wel, we may not go þerfro,
And so my purpose may not ben reme[w]ed
Þat þing prescit ne may not be eschewed.

15.

For if I deme thus of a certeyn thing
And is not so, it is no questioun,
Noght only is þat conseit no konnynge,
Bot errour of a fals opynyoun,
And wonder fer is þat suspicioun
And dyuerse fro þe trewþe as I suppose.
But who can sa[u]e it wiþ a better glose?

16.

For if þer schall a certayn þing be wroght
And schal not fallen of necessite
But is vncertayn to betide or noght,
It is not knowe to been as semeth me.

296

For knowyng so wiþ falshede may not be
In no manere conioyned ne disceyued,
Bot ben it moste þat knowyng haþ conseyued.

17.

And other-wise ne may it not be done,
For lo þat is þe verray cause why
Þat in a knowyng errour is þere none.
Sith trouthe then stondeth nedefully,
And knowyng comprehendeþ verrely,
What þan availeþ þat we ben abowte?
How knoweþ god a þing þat is in doute?

18.

For if þat god a certayn þing devise
For to be done þat no wight may eschue,
And yit it may betiden oþer-wise,
A perelouse errour here-of will þere sewe,
Þat goddes iuggement schulde be vntrewe;
And so of god oure hyhe souereigne
Full felonous is this to þinke o[r] seyne.

19.

And if he knoweþ þinges for to ben
So þat þey may betid in-different,
As be or noght be, þan can I not seen
But þis is an vncerteyn iugement.
Þe prescience of god omnipotent,
What þing is it I can it not defende
Þat may noþing in certayn comprehende.

297

20.

Then schulde þere be no manere difference,
As semeth in myne estimacioun,
Betwene þe hyhe devyne prescience
And Tyresyes diuinacioun
Of whom Ovide makeþ mencioun:
‘What-euere I say,’ sche seide, ‘it schal befalle,
Or elles schal it noght betide at all.’

21.

What better schall þis purueaunce be
Than is þe opinioun of a mannes wit,
Þat demeþ thinges in vncertaynte
And so vncertanly betideth it?
Ovir alle þing we muste beleuen yit
Þat god is verrey well and siker grounde
In whom noþing in-certane may be founde.

22.

Than euery þing in certayn schal be-tide
Þat is be-fore seyn in his purueaunce.
Than is no liberte in mannes side,
Ne in oure chesyng is no cheuysshaunce.
Devyne þoght may haue no variaunce;
Wiþouten errour he [be-]holdeþ all
And bi[n]deþ vs to þing þat most be-fall.

23.

And haue [we] ones fully geten this,
He may conceyven who þat takeþ hede,
A mannes lyf in what meschief it is,
And stondeth euere in heuynesse and drede.
Why schulde þere any man resceyuen mede,
Or any surfetour be put in peyne?
All þis will seme but a þing in veyne,

298

24.

Sith be no wilfull mevyng of þeire gost
Of liberte þey noght deserued han;
And þinges þat now ben commended most,
As verrey wrong they most be demed þan:
For vertu to rewarden any man
Or ponysche any wicked skilfully,
Þere neither han deserued wilfully,

25.

Bot necessite theym hath constreyned
To þinges þat of certayne most be done.
Than vice ne vertu ben [b]ut þinges feyned,
Ne in oure werkes merit is þere none
Bot as an vndiscrete confusioun.
Þere is noþing þat worse may be þoght,
Sith alle þing in ordire forþ is broght

26.

Of purveaunce, ne vnto mannes wyt
Noþing is lefull, and oure vices wode
Lo vnto god they be referred yit
Þat verray auctour is of alle goode.
And furthermore, if þat þis errour stode,
What schulde we prayen any þing or trest
When we may noþing geten þat vs lest?

27.

If all þat evire we kun desire or saye
Oo certeyne ordire vnreuersed knytteth,
Than wherto schulde we hopen ought or praye
Sith purveaunce faileþ noght ne flitteþ,

299

Þat euery þing so at a certayne pytteth?
This onely marchandise is voyded þan
Þat vsed is bitwene god and man:

28.

Preyere and hope schulde ben vnprofitable.
Bot wiþ þe pryce of iust humilite
We gete of god a mede inestimable,
For onely þat hath euere þe manere be
Þat euery man may haue abilite
With god to speke and neighe hym to þat light
Þat persed may not be wiþ mannes sight.

29.

Be verrey resoun of oure prayere meke
To hym we be conioyned verrely
Before ar þanne we gete þat we beseke,
And if we schull assenten vtterly
Þat þing to come must falle nedely,
This hope and trist of whiche we speke beforn,
Is þing of noght and all oure labour lorn.

30.

How schulde we þan vnto þat prince aboue
Approchen or be knytte be any mene,
If þat we may deserue of hym no loue?
And all oure labour is not worth a bene,
But all mankynde stant disioyned clene
As f[ro] theire heed departed alwey wrong,
Right as whilere ye seiden in youre song.”

300

Metrum iijm

‘Quenam discors.’

1.

What manere cause of wonder discordaunce
So hath disioyned thus in þis manere
Oure liberte and goddes purveaunce
Þat neither may to other neighen nere?
What god this bataile hath devised here
Betwene two trouthes, here-of haue I wonder,
Þat soth i-now ben while þei ben asonder,—

2.

Bot lo þey may noght be togidre set?
And ȝit discord in trouthes is þere none,
For certanly they ben togidres knett.
Bot mannes gost [ȝi]t so is overgone,
Enclosed thus wiþ-ynne flesch and bone
Þat so oppressed han hire fire light,
Þat sche ne may not liften vp here sight

3.

Thise sotel knottes to beholde and see;
And fleschely bondes doth it so oppresse.
Bot why so feruently desireþ sche
Þe notes for to fynde of sothfastnesse?
And þat sche sekeþ so wiþ besynesse,
Wot sche not þat hire-seluen knaweþ it?
Bot who desireþ knowen þing to wit?

4.

Who may desire a thing and knowe it noght?
If he ne knoweth what sekeþ he so blynde?

301

Or who may seke þat is noght in his þoght?
Or if he seek it, how schall he it fynde?
Or how schall he bethinke it in his mynde
How may he knowen when he fyndeth þis,
And wot noght of what manere forme it is?

5.

When þat þe soule is soole and separate
Beholdyng on þat souereigne þoght onely,
Than may [sch]e seen þat now ne may [sc]he nate,
All thing in some and also singulerly.
Bot now sche is enclosed b[o]dely,
Som partie of þis sight sche haþ forlete,
Bot vtterlye, sche haþ it noght forȝete,

6.

For-why þe sum sche holdeþ, as I trowe,
Bot noght so euery þing in specialte.
He þan þat thise trouthes wolde knowe,
Lo all ne knoweth he noght, þou may well see,
Ne all þe trewthe forgeten haþ noght he,
Bot lo þe knowynge of þe generall
Makeþ him to laboure for þe speciall.

7.

This sume than whiche sche holdeþ here
So in here þoght remembrynge ofte ageyn,
Sche sekeþ in þat souereyn merour clere
Where euery sothe may singulerly be seyn,
Enforsyng here wiþ labour and wiþ peyn,
Forgeten þing, if þat sche may it fynde,
To put it to þe tresour of hire mynde.

302

Prosa iiija

‘Tum illa vetus inquit.’

1.

Sche seide þan, ‘Þis is an old compleynt
And a full comyn vsed questioun;
To marchus tullius it semed queynt
As [b]e his book of devinacioun.
He had þere-wiþ grete occupacioun,
And of thi-self full ofte it haþ be soght,
And none of yow as ȝit ne fonde it noght,

2.

Ne sufficiantly ne haue noght declared it.
And sikerly the cause may þis be:
Lo þat þe discours of [a] mannes wit
May not atteigne to so hye degree
To iuggen of þat hyhe simplicite
The whiche is in devyne purveaunce;
He is noght soþely of þat suffisaunce.

3.

And if þis myght be þoght or comprehended,
Thow schuldest þan be never a dele in doute.
Bot at the laste I hope I schal amende it
If þat Y may my matire brynge aboute
This errour of thy herte to voyden oute.
Bot ferst I will avoiden and dispreuen
Conceites whiche þe to þis errour meven.

4.

Bot firste I aske the þe cause why
Thow holdest þis resoun not effectuele
Of hem þat schewen þat oure arbitry
All-gates in his fredom stondeth wele,

303

Sith prescience constreyneth noght a dele
Be ned[e] thinges whiche þat schull be done,
Bot is contingent for to be or none.

5.

Lo makest þou any oþer argument
Of þing to fallen of necessite,
Bot only for þat god omnipotent
So knoweth it þat it schall here-after be,
It may not ben vndone as semeth the?
And yit þis prescience causeth noght
Þe same þing of nede to be wroght;

6.

That graunted þou whiler if þou haue mynde.
Why is it þan þat voluntarye dede
So is constreyned to a certeyn ende
Þat þing to come must be-falle nede?
Bot þat I may the to þe treuthe lede
To see what seweþ here be consequence,
I put this case: there were no prescience.

7.

Will then þyn argument availen oght
Þe whiche in prescience þow groundest so,
Þat þinges whiche of fre will schull be wroght
Þat any nede compelleþ hem þer-to?
Thou wolde not trowe þis?’ I seide, “No.”
‘Now set we,’ quod sche, ‘prescience ageyn
So þat of nede it doth noþing constreyn;

8.

Than stondeth absolute þe same will
Hole in his liberte, þis wotest þou well.
But I suppose þou makest me this skill:

304

Thow prescience necesseth neuere-a-dell
Thing for to come in stoundes temporell,
Þow seist it is a verray signe trewe
Of þing þat must as necessarie sewe.

9.

Right so þou myght concluden as be this
Thogh þat þere were no prescience at all,
Þat þing which [is] to come here after this,
So must it necessaryly be-fall.
For onely euery signe schewen schall
A þing þat is or after schall be sene,
Bot ȝit þat signe makeþ it noght to bene.

10.

And if þat prescience a signe were
Of euery þing þat falleþ nedes-cost,
Lo first it nedeth vs to schewen here
Þat no þing falleþ bot it nedes most.
And if it is not so þan well þou wost
Þat signe may þere none be verreily
Wiþoute a þing betokened þerby.

11.

Bot to conferme fully all aboute
And sadly to susteyne[n] oure entent,
We may not seke signes of wiþoute
To fecche vs in a foreyn argument,
Bot of þe causes full conuenient
And necessarie byhoueþ vs procede,
If þat we schulden in oure purpos spede.

305

12.

Bot þus þou wilt replien here ageyn:
“How may þat þing noght falle,” seist þou me,
“Whiche þat provided is and so forseyn,
Be purveaunce here after for to be?”
Ascaunce þat I couthe none other see,
Bot þing þat prescience doth provide
We trowed þat it were [not] to betide.

13.

Bot rather þis entende I for to preue:
Þat þogh a certayne þing befalle so,
Of propre kynde, yit as we bileue,
So was it noght necessid to be do.
This lightly myght þou vnderstonden lo:
Full many a þing is subiecte to þi sight
Þe while it be beforne vs present [right];

14.

As when a chare is rewled redely
And how it torneþ we beholden well,
And so of othire craftes sewyngly.
Doth any þing þise crafty men compell,
Or any of [t]his[e] werkes canst þou tell,
If þat þey be constreyned to be wroght?’
I seide, “Nay, þey be compelled noght.

15.

In ydell were þe craft of any man
If euery þing were arted for to meven.”
‘Sith þinges while þey ben,’ sche seide þan,

306

‘Ben noght coart to be, þou wilt beleuen,
Lo be þat same resoun myght þou preuen,
Before [þei ben], tho same þinges be
Noght for to comen of necessite.

16.

Full many a þing schall ben, it is no drede,
And is to come, it seweth well be þis,
Þat vtterly is absolute of nede.
I trowe þat no wight thus wil seyn i-wys
Þat any þyng þat now presente is
Was noght to come vnto þe tyme it fell.
Thogh þey beforne of god were knowen well,

17.

In sothe yit ben þei frely to be-falle;
For right as verrey knowynge and science
A present þing compelleth noght at all,
Right so it stondeth eke of prescience
As þou may see be lyk conuenience,
Thogh god þis þing to comen doth provide
Yit is it noght compellid to betide.

18.

Bot lo of þis þow seist me doutest thow:
Sith þinges whiche þat schull here after bene
Ben noght to come as necessarie now,
How is þat þing forseyn þou kannest not sene.
It semeth the þat þis dissowneþ clene;
To forseyn þing it moste nedes sewe
Necessite, þou canst it noght eschue,

307

19.

And if necessite schulde be forfended,
Lo forseyn is there no-þing vtterly,
Ne noght be knowing may be comprehended
Bot þing þat moste betide verrely.
And if þere oght betide vncertanly
And is forseyn of certayne as it were,
Þow seest no verray knowynge is þer there,

20.

Bot as a derk and opinable þing.
And for to trowen oþerwise or gesse,
In verrey sothe þis clepest þou no konnyng
But a supposynge of vnstabilnesse.
And lo þe cause of all þis errour is
Þat ye conseyuen thinges, as we trowen,
Of nature of þe same þinges knowen,

21.

Bot in contrary [wyse] it stondeþ right.
For euery þing þat knowen is be witt,
It is not knowen be þe propre myght,
Bot be his myght þat comprehendid it.
As be exsaumple myght þou felen yit:
For of a þing þat round is verrely,
Lo sight and felyng knoweþ dyuersly.

22.

The sight beholdeth þe forme from a-fer
At ones comprehendynge euery dele,
Bot he þat feliþ is conioyned ner

308

Vnto þat compace for to knowe it wele;
For all aboute þe sides moste he fele,
And all þat roundenes so he knoweþ than.
Lo dyuersly knowen is a man;

23.

The comune wittes iuggen of wiþ-oute,
Imaginacioun an other wise,
And resoun othir wise, it is no doute;
Intelligence passeth alle thise,
Eueryche of hem so as þey may suffise.
Þere comyn wittes knowen noght at all
Bot formes of subiect materiall;

24.

Ymagynynge all onely comprehendith
Þe forme of man as inmaterially;
Resoun þan abouen þis transcendith,
Of mannes kynde he iuggeþ singulerly
With vniuersall sight full sotelly;
Bot all thise passeth yit intelligence,
As be a sight of þaire excellence

25.

He passeth all aboue thise kyndes here,
Þe cumpace of þe vniuersite,
And he behaldeth in þat exsaumplere
Þe myrrour of the hyhe eternite,
Þe fourme of man in his simplicite.
Bot most it is to taken hede in þis,
Þat þilke myght alwey þat hyere is,

309

26.

Lo all þe lawere comprehendeth wele,
But þey ne mowe ascende noght ageyn
To knowe and comprehende noght-a-dele
Of tho þat ben aboue sothe to seyn.
For comyn wit ne may not vp atteyn;
Þe þinges whiche ben inmateriall
He may conseyue neuere adell at all.

27.

Ne forthermore ymaginacioun
Þe vniuersale [k]yn[d]es may not seen;
Ne resoun may not haue inspeccioun
Of formes whiche þat pure and simple ben;
Intelligence comprehendeth clene,
And as it were beholdeþ fro an hye;
Thise formes he conceyueþ plenerlye.

28.

Conseyuyng þan þis forme principall,
He iuggeth after all þat is in man,
As he hath in þe exsaumple ydeall
Conseyued þat non other may ne can.
Þe vniuerse of resoun knoweþ he than,
And also formes of ymagynynge
[And] eke materiall sensible þynge.

29.

And resoun yit in this he vseþ noght,
Imaginacioun, ne comune witt,
But wiþ a sotill smytyng of þe þoght

310

Full formally so he behaldeth it.
And more plenerly to speken yit,
The souereyne hyhe devyne intelligence
Over alle þinges haþ perspicience.

30.

When resoun doth behalden oght or see
As in his comune kynde vnyuersele,
Ymagynyng noþing ne vseth he,
Nethire þe comune wittes neuere-a-dele,
And noght-forthi he comprehendeþ wele
All þinges þat ymaginable is,
And all þat comyn wit may knowe i-wys.

31.

Thus resoun [h]is conseyt vnuariable
Of vniuersele lo diffineth he:
Man is a beest, two-footed, resonable.
Lo þis knawynge, as euery man may see,
Vniuersall it moste nedes be;
And þis also, as euery man may wit,
Ymaginable and sensible is it yit.

32.

Bot resoun þis beholdeth kyndely
Noþing as by ymaginacioun,
Ne be þe comune wittes sikerly,
Bot only hath consideracioun
Be discours and deliberacioun.
Bot þis ymagynynge doth be-gynne
Be comyn wittes all hys werkes thynne,

311

33.

The formes for to schappen or devise;
And yit þise comune wittes all wiþoute,
Sensible þinges in a wonder wise
He seeth, and hem compasseth all aboute,
Sensibilly noþing, it is no dowte,
Bot be ymaginacioun of mynde.
Of knowynge lo here may þou see þe kynde:

34.

That noght þe myght of þing þat knowen is,
Bot propre myght þe knawere vseth nede.
And skilfully, for euery dome i-wys,
O[f] euery juge it is þe propre dede;
So then of þis if þou wilt taken hede,
Þe werk of man is no foreyne myght,
Bot propre myghtes vseþ euery wight.

Metrum iiijm

Qu[on]dam porticus attulit.

1.

Whilom were in þe porches of Athenus
Full olde clerkes derke in þeire corages,
Whiche in þaire tyme were cleped stoicienus
Þat in þe porches hadden made þeire stages,
Disputynge þat þe formes and ymages
Of bodily substaunce[s], as þey gessid,
So were in-to a mannes mynde enpressid,

312

2.

As men ben wont to writen or portreyen
Figures in a pagyne faire and clene
In whiche before þere were [no] notes seien.
Bot þis amased þing is for to mene;
For if þe soule of man, so as þey [w]ene,
Of verrey propre myght implyeth noght,
But suffreþ to be prynted in his þoght,

3.

Subiected to þe notes as it were
Þat bodies doth to þeym enpressen so,
And veyne ymages representid þere
Right as a myrrour woned is to do,
Bot all þis knowyng, whennes cometh it fro,
Be whiche noght onely þinges corporall
Bot also formes in-materiall

4.

He seeth and so beholdeþ singulerlye
And in hire hyhe consaytes speculatiue?
And knowen þinges þan[ne] sewynglye
So he devideþ be a negatyue
And afterwardes be affirmatyue;
Thise same thinges þat devided be
Assembleþ and aȝeyn compowneþ he,

5.

And so þis way he enterchaungeþ ofte.
For now to principall proposiciouns
Lo his entent he lifteþ vpon lofte,

313

And falleþ after to conclusiouns,
Referrynge þan his awne entenciouns,
And seeth what þinges will of other sewe
Reprevynge so þe false be þe trewe.

6.

Than is he rather cause efficient,
And more of myght þan þing þat lieþ oppressed
In maner like a mater pacient
Þat notes haþ so in hym-self enpressed.
Bot þat [þou] haue þis matere more expressed:
Þere goth before a manere sufferaunce
Wiþynne þe lyvy bodily substaunce,

7.

Whiche þat þe myghtes of þe soule exciteþ
And maketh the to vndirstonde and lere.
As when þat light into þyn eyȝen smyteþ
And makeþ the for to beholden þere,
Or when a voyce haþ sowned in thyn ere
And so commoveth the to herken oght,
Than so ben stired þe myghtes of þi þoght.

8.

And þinges whiche þat were kyndelye
Wiþynne þi-seluen hid, it is no doute,
He þan implyeth in his fantasie
Vnto þise othere notes of withoute,
And þus remembreþ in hit-self aboute;
Þe foreyn ymages þan addeth he
To formes whiche þat hidde wiþyn be.

314

Prosa Va

Quod si in corporibus.

1.

Thow þat obiecte qualitees than
Comme[ue] and steren youre foreyn instrumentes,
Þe whiche I calle þe comune wit of man
Þat of wiþouten yeueþ iugementes;
And gooth before þe goostly sentementes
A maner sufferaunce corporall
For to excite þe gostly myght wiþall,

2.

And steren so þe worchynge of þe mynde
To formes whiche arested were wiþ-ynne
So þat þe corage may them feele and fynde;
And þow þe wittes all his werk begynne
Þe knowynge of þise bodies for to wynne,
And bryngeþ hym to a manere remembraunce,
Þe soule is subiect to no sufferaunce,

3.

Bot iuggeþ of his verray propre myght
Thise passions þat in þe body been.
How myche more suche a gostly wight
Þat fully is all absolut and clene,
In whom may none affeccioun be sene
Of noþing to be feled bodely,
His propre myght schall vsen kyndely!

4.

And foreyn myghtes schall [h]e vsen noght
For to discerne obiectes of wiþ-oute,
Bot be þe worching of his owne þoght

315

He wynneþ his conseytes al aboute.
And by þe same skill, it is no dowte,
Full many-fold of knowyng myght þou fynde
In substaunce[s] full dyuerse in þeire kynde.

5.

The felyng may be cleped one of tho
Whiche bestes haue þat ben so inmevable,
Þat wit þey haue all onely and no mo,
As schelle fische and suche þat stonden stable
In clyues þat to theym is conuenable,
And so suche othere conchous of þe see
Whiche in diuerse places norisshed be.

6.

Bot knowyng of ymaginacioun
Meuable bestes han and don it sewe,
Whiche þat in manere han affeccioun
Sum maner þing to coueit or eschewe.
Bot resoun to discerne fals and trewe
Onely to man it haþ conuenience,
As onely doth to god intelligence.

7.

Than is it so as euere man may see,
Þat þis knowyng most worthy is and hyhe
Whiche of his owne kynde[ly] propirte,
Noght onely þat belongeþ kyndely
Vnto his owne knowynge propirly
He knoweth well, but furthermore yit
Þe subiect knoweþ he of euery wyt.

316

8.

But what if comyn wittes stood aȝeyn
And perauenture lo [thus] wolde answere,
And wolde vnto discours of resoun seyn
Lo þat þis vniuersele noþing were
Whiche resoun semeth he beholdeth there?
For all þat euer ymaginabill is,
Or comyn wittes may conseyue i-wys,

9.

It is noght vniuersele in no wise.
Now [or] þe iugement of resoun þan
Lo myght be soth if he myght þus devise
Þat noþing may sensible be to man;
Or for he woot well þat þise wittes han
Obiectes many dyuerse whiche þeye knowe,
His owne conseites fallace muste he trowe

10.

When þat he seeth and comprehendeþ wele
The þing þat sensible is and singulere,
Byhaldyng it right as vniuersele.
To þis [yf] resoun wolde answeren here
Þat sche hire-self beholdeþ well and clere
Be resoun of vniuersalite
All þat þise othere may conseyue and see;

11.

For wittes ne ymaginacioun
Ne mowe not comprehenden sikerlye
Thise vniuersele þinges of resoun,

317

For þey may not exceden propirlye,
As be þeire owne knowynge kyndelye,
Þe schappes and figoures corporall,
Abouen þat m[ay] thei noþing at all,

12.

In knowyng þan of þinges atte laste
It is to leuen to þe iuggement
Þe whiche most perfit is and stedefaste;
And we þat [haue þis] resoun excellent,
And comune wyt to iuggen þing present,
And eke ymaginacioun also,
Schull we noght resoun here assenten to?

13.

[But mannes resoun is [i-]lyk in this]
As anentes deuyne intelligence,
Right as ymagynyng of wittes is
To resoun of [a] mannes conscience,
Whiche weneth þat devyne prescience
Ne may noþing behalden, as he troweþ,
Þat is to come but as hym-seluen knoweþ.

14.

For lo þis argument þow makest me:
If þinges þat here-after schul be done
Noght ful certeyn ne necessarie be,
For-knowynge may noght fallen þere vpon,
For prescience, seist þou, is þere non;
And if so is þat prescience be,
Þere falleþ noght bot of necessite.

318

15.

Bot if we myghte pertyneres bene
Of iugement of deuyne þoght,
Right as we may be verrey resoun sene
[That [oure] imagenyng sufficeth noght],
Ne comyn wittes to conseyuen oght
Þe iugement of resoun for to deme,
Full iust it schulde mannes resoun seme

16.

To be subiect and vndercast all-way
Vnto devyne þoght, I am certeyne.
Aryse þerfore fully if we may
To þat intelligence souereyne,
And if we may into þat height atteyne,
Lo þere schal resoun feele and knowe wele
Þat in it-self ne may it neuere a dele.

17.

Lo þat is þis, as in what wyse and how
Þe þinges þat ben tyd vncertanly,
Þis prescience seeþ it well y-now
De[f]i[n]ed in his þoght eternally;
Noght as be gessyng opynabilly,
But be souereigne science and simplesse
Whom termes mowe not closen ne compresse.

319

[Metrum Vm]

Quam variis terras.

1.

The bestes in þeire kyndes different
Full dyuersly on erthe doth þey glyden;
Some on þeire body strecchyng and extent,
Crepynge vpon þeire brestes done þei sliden,
And in þe dust a forow þey deviden;
And some be verray lightnesse of þeire kynde
Wiþ fethered wynges planeth in þe wynde,

2.

And longe spaces on þe eire on hyhe
So in þeir flight þey swymmeth as it were;
And so[me] ben glad to kepe hem-seluen nyhe
Þe grounde on lawe, and sette þeire steppes here
In grene feldes þer is all þeire chere;
And some to walke in wodes and forestes.
And þogh so be þat þese wilde bestes

3.

Ben dyuerse bothe in schap and in figure,
All þeire faces ben enclyned yit
Vnto þe erthe, schew[y]n[g] þeire nature
And eke þe kyndly dulnes of þeire wit.
Lo only kynde of man re[u]er[s]eth it;
For mannes hede ariseth vpon heyght
And euen vpright his body stondeth streight,

4.

And vnder hym þe erthe beholdeth he.
Wheþer do test þou or art þou in a sweuene,
Thou erþely man, [þ]y figure techeþ þe,

320

Þat lifteþ vp þy visage into heuene
And so þi frount into þe e[ir]e f[u]l euene,
On erþely þing þou schuldest not set þi loue,
Bot set it onely in þe heuene aboue.

5.

There schuldest þou be, þere is þy kyndely place.
Thow hast of erthe noght but þy bestly kynde,
And yit þou wilt lo bringe þi-seluen bace
And so wiþ bestes set þi-self behynde.
Let not þe noble nature of þy mynde
Be plonged doun and to þe gronde i-pight,
Sith þat þi body stondeþ euen vpright.

Prosa vja

Quam igitur.

1.

Yit euery þing, as I haue schewed now right,
Þat wist or knowen is be any way,
It is noght knowen of þe propre myght
Lo of þat selue þing, it is no nay,
Bot of þe kyndly myghtes, soth to say,
Of þo þat doth it knowe or comprehende.
Now lat vs þen beholden and entende,

2.

So as oure symple kynde may suffice,
What þing is þat estat of excellence
Of devyne substance, and in þat wise
Than somwhat may we knowe of his science.
This is þe vsed generall sentence
Of alle þat be resoun do[n] discerne,
Þat seyn þat god hym-selfe[n] is eterne.

321

3.

Bot now what þyng is þis eternite
It nedeth first to knowen sikerly,
And after þat we may be-holde and see
Þe science and þe nature plenerly,
So as we may suffisen simpilly,
Of god þat is oure prince souereigne.
Eternite is this, as clerkes seyne:

4.

It is a perfite hole possessioun
At ones of a lyf interminable.
This is declared be comparisoun
Of þing þat is be tymes variable;
For all þat lyueth in tyme it is vnstable;
Present it is, þe tyme ago is past,
To tyme comynge hyeþ it full fast.

5.

There may noþing be sett in tyme of space,
As clerkes han diffyned here biforn,
Þat all at ones may his lyf embrace;
For-why as yit he faileþ of to-morn,
And yisterday is passed and forlorn.
And in þe same day þat present is,
Lo of youre lyf ye haue no more i-wys

6.

Bot þis moment transitorie lo.
Þat þing þat hath his disposicioun
His tyme for to overpassen so,
Thogh þat it were of suche condicioun
Be Aristotiles tradicioun,
And seide þat þis worlde noght began
Ne neuere here-after schall an ende han,

322

7.

Thogh þat it myghte, as Aristotile semed,
To infinit it-seluen so extende,
Eterne it may not rightwisly be demed.
Thogh it were infinit wiþ-outen ende,
At ones all he may not comprehende,
Ne clippen all thyse spaces temporele,
For tyme to come yit hath it noght a dele.

8.

Bot he þat of þe lyf interminable
The fulnesse comprehendeþ verrely,
Possessynge it at ones perdurable,
Fro whom no þing ne lakkeþ [certein]ly,
For tyme to come he haþ it presently,
Ne tyme passed fro hym is þere none,
Bot is, and was, and schall be, all is one,

9.

Eterne he may be called well be right,
Vn tohym-selue present and pereles;
And all-wey present is beforn his sight
Þe [m]oble space of tymes endeles.
Bot þei rehersyng Plato, saue þeire pes,
His conseit thei reporten all amys,
And of his me[n]yng failen foule i-wys.

10.

Lo Plato seith þis world haþ evire be,
And to an ende nevire it schall be broght.
They seie þerfore it haþ eternite,

323

And euen i-lyk wiþ god þat haþ it wroght.
Bot yit allone, incertayn is it noght
A lyf interminable for to lede,
As Plato wende hym-self it is no drede;

11.

It is anoþer to enclosen all
At ones so þis lyf interminable;
For all þat is, or was, or evire schall,
At hym it is present and permanable.
He flitteþ noght but all-wey stondeþ in stable.
Lo of devyne þoght þe estat is þis,
No creature may ben i-lyk i-wys.

12.

And noght-forþy ȝe schull not demen here
Þat god is elder as in tyme of spas
Than creatures made of his powere;
Bot þus lo schall ye iuggen in this cas:
Þat god hym-self alwey is and was
Before or any formed creature
In propre simple[ne]sse of his nature.

13.

And all þe entent of þinges temporele
Þat alway meveþ so contynuelly,
They caste to counterfete euerydele
Þe perdurable lyf of god on hy
Þat chaungeþ noght but stondeth presently.
Bot when it may not evene hym-self þerto,
Theire verray stabilnesse þei fallen fro,

324

14.

Movynge then out of simplicite,
Decressynge out of present þen anone
To infinite and endeles quantite
Of tyme to come and tyme þat is gone;
But when he may not brynge it into one
As all hys lyf attones for to haue,
I[t] wilneth þus it-seluen for to saue.

15.

And þere it may not ben aboute ibroght
So all hys lyf at ones for to gete,
Þat in als meche as it [en]deth noght,
This lyf it doth not vtterly forlete,
It semeth þat it wolde counterfete
Þe souereigne lyf of god omnipotent,
In so meche as he somwhat haþ present.

16.

And so it byndeþ hym to a lytell stounde
To haue a maner perdurabilnesse
In whiche no tyme of space may be founde.
But for it haþ a maner liklynesse
Of þe eternall lyf þat present esse,
It semeth how þat euere it fleet or flitte,
Þat in present alwey abydeþ it.

17.

And for it may noght after his delite
Abiden bot for suche a litell space,
Hit takeþ away of tymes infinite;
And for it may not all his lyf enbrace

325

At ones a[s] his principall purpos was,
Passyng forth, þe lyf he kepeth so,
For cause he may ne can none oþer do.

18.

And if we schull be names hem disc[er]ne,
To sewen plato if he seide wele,
He seith þat god him-selfe[n] is eterne,
Lo and þe worlde schulde be perpetuele.
Of þis myght þou conseyue þen and feele,
Sith euer[y] iugement þat schal be trewe,
It moste þe nature of hym-selfe sewe

19.

To comprehenden þinges of wiþoute;
And þe estate of souereigne god on hye
Is stondyng euere in one, it is no doute,
All-gates in hym-selfe presentlye;
His knowyng þen surmounteþ sikerlye
All thing þat mevynge haþ in difference,
Abidyng in his simplesse of presence,

20.

And so encloseth spaces infinit
Of tyme þat was and schall here-after be;
But to þe spaces haþ he no respit
Bot to his owne hole eternite,
Be knowynge of [his] hye simplicite,
And all þing in þe presence of his sight
He seeth as it were do now right.

326

21.

And if þou haue þat presence in þi þoght
In whiche he knoweth alle þinges so,
His prescience þou schalt referre noght
As to a þyng þat after schal be do,
Bot present sciens schalt þou clepe it lo,
Of present tyme þat neuere fayle may,
Ne out of presence passen neuer away.

22.

For-why it is noght cleped providence,
Bot rather is it cleped purveaunce
Þat alle þinges knoweþ in presence,
In whiche knowenge þere is no variaunce
F[ro] oure knowynge it haþ full gret distaunce;
For ye beholden lowe þinges here,
Bot fro on hy behaldeþ he all in-fere.

23.

Sith euery iugement moste sewen þan
Þe nature of þe knowere kyndelye,
Where is it þat þou wilt iuggen þan
Þat all most fallen necessarily
Þat seyn is in devyne sight on hyhe,
Sith men þe present thinges þat þei seen,
They maken noght of nede for to been

24.

Lo may thy sight of þinges here present
Make h[e]m to fallen of necessite?’
I seyde, “Nay.” Quod sche, ‘Right so it stant

327

Of goddes purveaunce as semeth me,
All-þogh þere no comparisoun may be,
For-why þe presence of [a] mannes þoght
To goddes presence may be likned noght.

25.

For right as ye beholden wiþ youre sight
Þat in [this] tyme present is i-done,
Right so he seeth in his eternall light,
So þat noþing to comyng is þere none
As in his sight ne noþing ouergone.
For-why his prescience, it scheweþ wele,
Nature of þinges changeþ not a dele,

26.

For suche he seeþ tho þinges presently
Right as þei schull here afterward befall;
Ne iugement of þinges sikerly
His knowyng ne confoundeþ not at all.
For all þing þat be-tid here-after schall,
Wheþer nedefull or contingent be þe ende,
At ones [all] he seeth it in his mende.

27.

Right as þou seest a man gon on þe grounde,
And eke þe sonne also in heuene aryse,
And boþe þou beholdest in a stounde,
Yit canst þou wel discernen and deuyse
Lo þat þis man þat waweth in this wise,
He does noght elles but a wilfull dede,
Bot yit in sothe þe sonne ariseth nede.

328

28.

Nether þe sight of god þat is so clere
Þat all þing doth benethe hym-seluen see,
Of þise worldly þinges þat ben here
Destourbleþ nevir a dele þe qualite,
Whiche in þe sight of his eternite
Ben present now, but to þe sight of man
Theire tyme thei schull here afterwardes han.

29.

And herfore cometh þis conclusioun
Þat what he woot þat schall here-after sewe,
It is a fallace nether opinioun,
But verrey science suffisaunt and trewe,
Be whiche he knoweth þat it is not dewe
As of necessite to fallen so.
Bot þan þou seist, “A þing þat schall be do,

30.

And is provided in devyne þoght,
I[t] may not vnbetide, it is no drede;
A þing þat so may be [e]schewed noght,
Than of necessite it falleþ nede.”
And so þou wilt me bynde to þe dede
As be þis word it is necessite,
And lo as trouthe I will it graunte þe.

31.

Bot þis vnnethe may felen any wight,
Ne well consceyuen in þis erþely lyf,
Bot if he had a conseit and a sight

329

Of god and fully were contemplatyf.
Bot vnto þi[s] I answere the be-lyf:
When þat þing þat so for to comen is,
Vnto diuine science referred is,

32.

Lo necessary is it sikerly;
Bot in þe manere of the propre kynde,
When þat þow it behaldest verely,
Necessity ne doth it noþing bynde.
For two necessites schalt þou fynde,
Of whiche þat [oon] is simple, wite it wele,
And lo þat othre is condicionele.

33.

That euery man is mortale of nature,
This is necessite of simpl[en]esse,
But when þow knowest a man perauenture
Þat walkeþ of his owne wilfulnesse,
Þat mannes walkyng necessarie esse,
Wiþ þis condicioun iputte þerto:
Þe whiles þat [it] is well knowen so.

34.

For þing þat knowen is to mannes þoght,
As for þe tyme it may non oþer be.
Bot þis condicioun sufficeþ noght
Wiþ hym to drawen this simplicite;
For well þou wotest þat þis necessite
Cometh not of kyndely disposicioun,
Bot of þat accident condicioun.

330

35.

Necessite ne doth hym not compelle
To walken, he þat walkeþ wilfully;
Bot while he goth, þis will I grante welle,
Lo þat he walkeþ necessarily.
And in þe same wise sikerly
What purveaunce a[s] present doth provide,
[Lo of necessite it doth betide],

36.

And yit þat þing as of his propre kynde
Ne doth noght of necessite befall.
Bot all þat god beholdeþ in his mynde
Þat so of liberte betide schall,
So he beholdeþ it as present all.
And so referred to devyne sight,
As necessarie þei ben acounted [right];

37.

Bot þis is only be condicioun
Lo of þe knowyng of devyne witt.
Bot when þese þinges han relacioun
Vnto þeire owne propre kynde ȝit,
All absolutely then betideþ it,
Noþing compelle[d] of necessite,
Ne hit forleteth noght his liberte

38.

So þan it schall befalle douteles
All þing þat god to co[m]yng doth provide;
And myche þing schall falle neuerþeles,

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Þat only schall of liberte betyde,
So þat þey stonden fre for euery syde,
And þogh þey be to come yit may we chese,
So propre nature doth þey noght forlese.

39.

Theire kynde is þis, beforehande ar they were,
Of liberte þey myght haue ben vndo.
“Bot what force is it,” wilt þou seye me here,
“Wheþer þey come of necessite or no,
Sith of devyne science it is so,
In alle wise it doth befalle this
Right euen as þing þat necessarie is?

40.

Lo þus as I [a] litel here beforne
Purposed be exsaumple plenerly,
Lo of þe sonne þat riseth be þe morne,
And of a man þat walkeþ wilfully,
Till þat þei be in doynge presently,
They may well be vndo it is no drede.
Bot yit þat one was to betiden nede,

41.

Bot sikerly þat other nedeth noght.
So all þat he beholdeþ as present,
Right so wiþouten doute it schall be wrogh
Bot þat þe sonne riseþ verrayment,
Lo of necessite it hath dissent,
Bot yit þat man to wawen or to goon,
His awne chois it falleþ all vpon.

332

42.

Now then in this we haue seid but right
Þat whenne þese þinges so referred be
Vnto þe knowynge of devyne sight,
Lo þenne þei fallen of necessite;
Bot þen referred to þeire qualite,
Full absolute in liberte þei stonde,
As out of alle necessarie bonde.

43.

As all þat scheweþ to þe comyn wit,
If þat þey be referred to resoun,
Lo vniuersele þan in sothe is it;
And if þou sette in thyn entencioun
Þe propirte of thy condicioun,
So þ[en] þou felest it as singulere.
“Bot if [it] be,” þou seist, “in my powere

44.

My purpos for to changen as me list,
Lo then schal I voyde purveaunce
Be whiche my purpos knowen is and wist?”
Bot I schal answere to þin allegeaunce:
‘Thy purpos may þou chaunge at þi plesaunce,
Bot þis myght for to done or do it noght,
And all þe dyuerse chaungyng of þi þoght,

45.

The verray present trouthe of presciens
Hit euerydele beholdeþ presentlye;
Ne thow myght noght avoyden his presens

333

No more þan þou myght voyde verrelye
Þe right beholdynge of a present yghe,
Thowȝ þat þou woldest þi-selue torne or wende
As liketh to þe frewill of thy mynde.’

46.

Bot here þou makest this obieccioun:
“If goddes science may be changed so
Right as myne owne disposicioun,
And when I now this and now þat m[ay] do,
Than may I enterchaungen to and fro
His hye science be stoundes of my wille?”
‘Nay, nay, forsothe, þat myght þou not be skille,

47.

For-why þe knowynge of devyne sight
It goth bifore þat þing þat schall be-falle,
And right before his propre presence right,
Lo of his knowyng he retorneth all
Þat euer was or ben here-after schall.
Ne as þow wenest he alterneþ noght
His presence be stoundes of þi þoght,

48.

As now þis þing and now þat þing to knowe,
Bot he, beholdyng euery wyt, compaseth
The chaunginge of þi þoghtes all arowe.
With o syght all at ones he enlaceth;
He goth also before and all embraceth.

334

Ne he hys myght [þat] al[l] so comprehendeth,
And eke his sight þat to so fer extendeth

49.

All þinges to beholden presently,
He hath hem noght resayued so as we
Of þing þat is to comen sewyngly,
Bot of hys propre hye simplicite.
Wherby it may full well assoyled be
The resoun whiche þou hast aȝeyn [m]e broght:
Vnsemely, seist þou, is it in thi þoght

50.

That þing to come of oure vnstabilnesse
Þe cause schulde be of his science.
Bot of his konnynge lo the myght is þis:
He closeth all with knowynge of presence;
Of dyuerse tyme haþ he no difference,
And all þing into certayn haþ he broght;
To þinges passed oweth he right noght.

51.

Sith it is so Y may concluden now,
Lo þat in euery mortal creature
The liberte abideþ hole y-now,
And stondeþ fully in theire propre cure.
And lawes whiche þat medes done mesure
To tho whiche þat ben good and vertuous,
And also peynes to þe vicious,

335

52.

Wiþ none vnright þey may not ben arettid
Sith euere man his owne will is at,
As be necessite no thing i-lettid,
Bot þat he may deserue loue and hate.
And god hymselfe sitte aboue algate,
And euery þing he knoweþ ar it be
As present in his hye eternite,

53.

In vs beholdynge euery þoght and dede
Þat is or schall be done in ful certeyne;
And to þe gode man he disposeth mede,
And to þe wicked punyschement and peyne.
To triste in god it is no þing in veyne,
And prayers if þey rightwisly be led,
Byleue it well, þey may not ben vnsped.

54.

Wiþstonde þou vice and ȝif þe to vertue;
To rightwys hope þou lifte vp þi corage;
And for þy nedes if þou wilt pursue,
Lo humble prayer send on thi message
Vp to þi god; hit fayleth not his wage.
Ne doute þe noght þou schalt be sped full sone,
For he refuseth neuere a lowely bone.

55.

And loke þat þou þi conseil noght forgete;
Dissimule noght bot do þi besynesse.
Þe nede is thyne also the charge is grete

336

That þou be founde in vertu and prowesse,
Sith all þi werkes ben open and expresse
Vnto þe presence of þe iuge on hye
Þat all þing doth beholde plenerlye.’

Explicit liber Boecij de consolacione philosophie de latino in anglicum translatus

Anno domini millensimo ccccmo. Xo. per capellanum Johannem—