Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae Translated by John Walton ... Edited with introduction, notes and glossary by Mark Science |
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| 1. | [INCIPIT LIBER PRIMUS] |
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 | Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae |  |
[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 weltheAnd 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 meteÞat 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.
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3.
Vnwarly age comyth on me hastelyHyeng 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 wereIf 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,
15
Wyll draw a-long and tarieth now allas.
6.
Wher-to [y]e frendes made ye ȝour awauntSo 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 compleyntAnd 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;
16
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 smaleBe 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.
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5.
And in þe hemme byneþen made sche hadSo 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 violenceHad 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 þereVnto 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?”
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8.
“Lo þese it ben,” sche seide, “þat folkes fedenWiþ 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 daliaunceHad 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 presenceYoure 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.
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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 nereAnd 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 myndeIs casten doun now in-to depe derknesse,
For-let þe clerenesse of his propur kynde,
Myntyng for to goo to strange derknesse,
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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 freeTo 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 ouresOf þilke faire firste somer sesoun,
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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 & knaweÞe 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,
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Til ȝow were woxe a man of strong corage?
2.
And sith I yaf þe armour good and strongeWiche, 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 stilleSche 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 esilyYif Y may ferst me make hym for to knowe.
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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 eyeI 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 wiseThis drerynesse out of myn herte gan reche.
I loked vp and [gan] me bet avise
If I myght knowe þe visage of my leche.
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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 maistresseOf 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 forsakeSith 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.
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4.
Trowest þou þat I be now at erst assayledOf 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 stoycienushis 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 prayThis 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.
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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 beereLo 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 AnaxagorasÞat 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.
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9.
Noght elles thise broght in-to distresseBot 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 habundanceYit 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 ententyflyOn 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,
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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 ordinateAnd 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 rekythIn 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?
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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;
30
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 lyfLykly 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:
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If only wyse men schulde it haue in honde,
5.
O[r] if þat thise þat vsen gouernementIn 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 vertuouseSchulde 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 auctoriteI had desire to this entencioun,
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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 heuynesseOf 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 wiþdroweTo wronge, be fauour, be frendschepe, and be wage.
33
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 CampanyeWas 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 RomeWich 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.
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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 defiledWere 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.
35
Þat out of seintuarie þei schulde be drawe.
16.
Bot-if they voided þe citee of RavenBe 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 occupaciounHaue 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 groundIn-to this exile why I am remeved?
I wolde þe senat had be hool and sound
And in nowise hyndred ne repreued;
36
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 prosperiteSchuld 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.
37
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 euerydeleI 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 excaminaciounMy-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?
38
If euere I schulde þat liberte betide.
24.
As Kanyus vnto þe kyng answerdÞat 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 myndeThat 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;
39
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 familiereOne 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 surfetouresÞat 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.
40
29.
And maistresse ȝe rem[em]bre weleÞat 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 sothThough 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
41
Þat some of hem ne were moued wiþ pite?
32.
All had it ben so þat I had desiredÞe 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 estateÞat I had vsed craft of sorcerie.
42
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 þoghtThise 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 innocentAnd 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.
43
37.
And vnto hem hit semeth not i-noghÞat 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 prosperiteComyth 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;
44
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-putAlso 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 bownSom 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,
45
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 hyheÞat 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 nereRight sone sche most hire bright[e] hornes hide;
And Esperus þat semeth bright and clere
And schewiþ hym in þe colde euentide,
46
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-sowenThow 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.
47
5.
Why schall fortune turnen vp-so-dounThing 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 consentGret kynges þat many a man must drede,
And maken hem performe þaire entent,
And þaym a-combreth wiþ þaire cursed-hede,
48
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 moneSche 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.
49
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 myndeOf 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.
50
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 stilleHe 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 placeWiþ 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 schitBut þing þat makeþ bookes precious,
51
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 forþermoreThe 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-deleThe 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;
52
10.
And at þe laste to fortune ganstow chideÞat 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,
53
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 coldIn 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.
54
3.
He ne suffreþ noght þe stoundes for to melleWiche 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 meNow 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?’
55
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?’
56
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?’
57
If I schuld noght my-self in mynde han.”
8.
‘Yit canst þou,’ quod sche, ‘telle me forthermoreÞe 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 witWith þis forgetyng of þi self, for-thi
Þat fro thi good in exile art þou pyt,
Thus waylest s[oo] and wenest folily;
58
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 gouernementThis 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 shynA lyfly hete schal spring[en] of thi brest.
59
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] perturbaciounThus 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 blakeNe 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,
60
Out fro þeym-self þei let oure sight away.
2.
The ryuer rennyng out of þe hyhe mountaynesIs 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.
| Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae | |