Furnivall. Chaucer's 'Boece' Englisht From "Anicii Manlii Severini Boethii Philosophiæ Consolationis Libri Quinque." 1886.
Furnivall. Chaucer's 'Boece' Englisht From "Anicii Manlii Severini Boethii Philosophiæ Consolationis Libri Quinque." 1886.
Furnivall. Chaucer's 'Boece' Englisht From "Anicii Manlii Severini Boethii Philosophiæ Consolationis Libri Quinque." 1886.
BOETHIUS'S
EDITED FROM
BY
LONDON :
BY
RICHARD MORRIS,
EDITOR OP CHAUCER'S POETICAL WORKS, SPENSER'S WORKS, DAN MICHEL'S AYENBITE
OP nrwYT, ETC.; MEMBER OP COUNCIL OP THE PHILOLOGICAL AND
EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETIES.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY,
BY N. TRUBNER & CO., 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL.
MDCCCLXVIII.
SEP261959
INTRODUCTION.
the presence of her whose silver rays had been his guide as well
under the stars of Fortune as the mirk of Fate. With Milton in his
For, indeed, the echoes of Boethius, Boethius, rang out loud from
every corner of European Literature. An Alfred awoke them in
England, a Chaucer, a Caxton would not let them die j an Elizabeth
revived them among the glorious music of her reign. 1 To us, though
'
far off, they come with a sweet sound. The angelic Thomas *
'
tongue, will not refuse to say that his full-circling meed of glory was
other than deserved. Nor can we marvel that at the end of our
great poet's life,he was glad that he had swelled the chorus of
Boethius' praise ;
and * of the translacioun of Boece de Consolacioun,'
thanked '
oure Lord Ihesu Crist and his moder, and alle the seintes
in heuen.'
The impression made by Boethius on Chaucer was evidently
very deep. Not only did he translate him directly, as in the present
work, but he read his beloved original over and over again, as
witness the following list, incomplete of course, of passages from
Chaucer's poems translated more or less literally from the De Con-
solatione :
I. LOVE.
lawe and a strengere to hym self fan any lawe J?at men may ^euen.
(Chaucer's Prose Translation, p. 108.)
" Misimi a
legger quello non conosciuto da
1
Dante, in his Convito, says,
molti libro di Boezio, nel quale captivo e discacciato consolato s' avea."
Printed at Ghent, 1485.
By Reynier de Seinct Trudon, printed at Bruges, 1477.
An old version of the llth cent., printed by Graff, and a modern one
printed at Nuremberg, 1473.
By Jean de Meiing, printed at Paris, 1494.
By Varchi, printed at Florence, 1551 ; Parma, 1798.
INTRODUCTION. ill
/
alle thinges louen hem to-gederes / wolden maken a batayle
j?at
now
contynuely and stryuen to fordoon the fasoun of this worlde / the which
they now leden in acordable feith by fayre moeuynges // this looue halt
to-gideres poeples / ioygned with an hooly bond / and knytteth sacre-
ment of mar-yages of chaste looues // And loue enditeth lawes to trewe
felawes // weleful weere mankynde / yif thilke loue fat gouerneth
heuene gouerned yowre corages /. (Chaucer's Boethius, bk. ii. met. 8.)
Quod mundus stabili fide
Concordes variat vices,
Quod pugnantia semina
Fcedus perpetuum tenent,
Quod Phoebus roseum diem
Curru provehit aureo,
Ut quas duxerit Hesperus
1
The Harl. MS. reads not nat, to the confusion of the metre.
2
= ne wot nat =
knows not.
PR
INTRODUCTION.
Jjinges Jjat
ben to don. (Chaucer's Boethius, bk. iv. pr. 6, p. 134.)
For al
Jjing Jjat
is cleped inperfit . is proued inperfit by Jje
amenusynge of perfeccioun . or of Jjing Jjat
is perfit and her-of comejj
.
it . in euery Jjing general . yif Jjat . Jjat men seen any jjing Jjat is
Jjat
inperfit . certys in jjilke general per mot ben somme J)ing Jjat
is perfit.
For yif so be Jjat perfeccioun is don awey men may nat Jjinke nor seye .
doune iii-to outerest Jjinges and in-to Jjingus empty and wijj-oute fruyt .
VI INTRODUCTION.
but as I haue shewed a litel her byforne J>at yif jjer be a blisfulnesse
.
Jjat
be frele and vein and inperfit J?er may no man doute J?at J?er nys
. .
som blisfulnesse Jjat is sad stedfast and perfit.' (bk. iii. pr. 10, p. 89.)
Omne enim quod imperfectum esse dicitur, id deminutione perfect!
imperfectum esse perhibetur. Quo fit ut si in quolibet genere imper-
fectum quid esse videatur, in eo perfectum quoque aliquod esse necesse
sit. Etenim perfectione sublata, unde illud, quod imperfectum perhibe-
tur, extiterit, ne fingi quidem potest. Neque enim db diminutis incon-
summatisque natura rerum cepit exordium, sed db integris absolutisque
procedens in hcec extrema atque effmta dildbitur. Quod si, uti paulo ante
monstravimus, est quasdam boni fragilis imperfecta felicitas, esse aliquam
eoHdam perfectamque non potest dubitari. (Boeth., lib. iii. pr. 10.)
VI. GENTILITY.
For if
J?e
name of gentilesse be referred to renoun and clernesse of
linage. Jjaii
is gentil name but a foreine Jring.
(Chaucer's Boethius, p. 78.)
136
(2)
For som men seyn if God seth al byforne,
Ne God may not deseyved ben parde !
(3)
For other thoughte, nor other dede also,
Myghte nevere ben, but swich as purveyaunce,
Which may nat ben deceyved nevere moo,
Hath feled byforne, withouten ignoraunce ;
138
(4)
But it were rather an opinyon
Uncertein, and no stedfast forseynge ;
139
140
(6)
And in this manere this riecessite
Retourneth in his part coritrarye agayn ;
141
(8) As,
whether that the prescience of God is
142
143
144
145
(12) But thow maist seyne, the man sit nat therfore,
That thyn opinioun of his sittynge sothe is ;
146
147
148
(3) Neque enim vel factum aliud ullum vel quaalibet existere poterit
voluntas, nisi quam nescia falli providentia divina praesenserit. Nam
si res aliorsum, quam pro visas sunt detorqueri valent, non jam erit
futuri firma praescientia ;
neque enirn necesse est contingere quaa providentur, sed necesse est
quaa futura sunt provideri.
(7) Quasi vero quaa cujusque rei causa sit,
(8) Praescientiane futurorum necessitatis an futurorum necessitas
providentia3, laboretur.
(9) At nos illud demonstrare nitamur, quoquo
modo sese habeat
ordo causarum, necessarium esse eventum praascitarum rerum, etiam si
praescientia futuris rebus eveniendi necessitatem non videatur inferre.
(10) Etenim si quispiam sedeat, opinionem qua) eum sedere conjectat
verara esse necesse est : at e converse rursus,
X INTRODUCTION.
in altero veritatis.
(12) Sed
non idcirco quisque sedet, quoniam vera est opinio sed :
ha3c potius vera est, quoniam quempiam sedere praecessit. Ita cum
causa veritatis ex altera parte procedat, inest tamen communis in
utraque necessitas.
(13) Similia
de providentia futurisque rebus ratiocinari patet.
(14) Nam
etiam si idcirco, quoniam futura sunt, providentur non :
vero ideo, quoniam providentur, eveniunt: nihilo minus tameu a Deo vel
ventura provided, vel provisa evenire necesse est :
Syciphus in Helle,
Whos stomak fowles tyren everemo,
That hyghten volturis.
1
Of. Dante, Inferno, V. 121.
Nessun maggior dolore
Che ricordarsi del
tempo felice
Nella iniseria ;
e cid sa '1 tuo Dottore.
INTRODUCTION. xi
(Troylus and Cryseyde, bk. iii. st. Ill, 112, vol. iv. p. 258.)
hert[e]
whan it is loost. (Chaucer's Boethius, pp. 43, 44.)
(1) Quern caduca ista felicitas vehit, vel scit earn, vel nescit esse
mutabilem. Si nescit, qusenam beata sors esse potest ignorantiso
in csecitate?
(2) Si scit, metuat necesse est, ne amittat, quod amitti posse non
dubitat quare continuus timor non sinit esse felicem.
;
An vel si
amiserit, negligendum putat? Sic quoque perexile bonum est, quod
sequo animo feratur amissum. (Boethius, lib. ii. prose 4.)
XIII. FORTUNE.
Fortune
That semeth trewest when she wol bigyle,
She lau^ej?
and scorne]? J?e wepyng of hem Jje
whiche she haj) maked wepe wij>
hir free wille .... Yif J)at
a
wy^t is seyn weleful and ouerfrowe in an houre. (Ib. p. 33.)
In book v., stanza 260, vol. v. p. 75, Chaucer describes how the
soul of Hector, after his death, ascended 'up to the holughnesse of the
p. 81.)
I have seen the following elsewhere :
(1) Value not beauty, for it may be destroyed by a three days' fever.
(2) There is no greater plague than the enmity of thy familiar friend.
Et dolor cetatem jussit inesse mam. And sorou haj> comaunded his
Inexhaustus. Swiche . . .
Jjat
it ne myjt[e] not be emptid (p. 5).
Fr. inconsumptible.
Prcecipiti profundo.
In ouer-jjrowyng depnesse (p. 7).
la pensee de lomme
[L]As que
Est troublee et plongie comme
En abisme precipitee
Sa propre lumiere gastee.
11).
Fr. desquelz la memoire nest pas trop ancienne ou now recitee.
Inter secreta otia. Among my secre restyng whiles (p. 14). Fr.
entre mes secrettes et oyseuses estudes.
Palatini canes. j?e houndys of Jje palays (p. 15). Fr. les chiens du
palais.
I
Xiv INTRODUCTION.
champ.
Conjecto. I coniecte (p. 154). Fr. ie coniecture.
original, and are only quoted, here to show that Chaucer did not
make his translation from the French.
Chaucer is not always felicitous in his translations : thus he
translates davus atque gubernaculum by keye and a stiere (p. 103),
and compendium (gain, acquisition) by abreggynge (abridging, curtail-
the first time, and most of them have become naturalized, and arc
gouernaile (gubernaculum), p. 27 ;
arbitre (arbitrium), p. 154. As
Chaucer takes the trouble to explain inestimable (insestimabilis), p.
endi\ in wrecliednesse (p. 35). One would think that the following
(
definition of Tragedian would be rather superfluous after this, a
'
maker of dites \at hytfen (are called) tregedies (p. 77).
1
See pages 39, 50, 61, 94, 111, 133, 149, 153, 159.
XVi INTRODUCTION.
script that exists in our public libraries. After it was all copied out
and ready for press, Mr Bradshaw was kind enough to procure me,
for the purpose of collation, the loan of the Canib. University MS. li.
fully throughout before the work was so far advanced, I should cer-
tainly have selected it in preference to the text now given to the
reader. Though not so ancient as the British Museum MS., it is
far more correct in its grammatical inflexions, and is no doubt a copy
of an older and very accurate text.
The Additional MS. is written by a scribe who was unacquainted
with the force of the final -e. Thus he adds it to the preterites of
strong verbs, which do not require it ;
he omits it in the preterites
of weak verbs where it is wanted, and attaches it to passive participles
(3) of the infinitive mood ; (4) of the preterite of weak verbs ; (5) of
present participles ;
*
(6) of the 2nd pers. pret. indie, of strong verbs ;
APPENDIX TO INTRODUCTION.
THE last of the ancients, and one who forms a link between the class-
ical period of literature and that of the middle ages, in which he was a
favourite author, is Boethius, a man of fine genius, and interesting both
from his character and his death. It is well known that after filling the
treatise by the
indifference of three distinct though consubstantial persons.
For the benefit of his Latin readers, his genius submitted to teach the
first elements of the arts and sciences of Greece. The geometry of
Euclid, the music of Pythagoras, the arithmetic of Nicomachus, the
mechanics of Archimedes, the astronomy of Ptolemy, the theology of
Plato, and the logic of Aristotle, with the commentary of Porphyry, were
translated and illustrated by the indefatigable pen of the Roman senator.
And he alone was esteemed capable of describing the wonders of art, a
sun-dial, a water-clock, or a sphere which represented the motions of the
planets. From
these abstruse speculations, Boethius stooped, or, to speak
more he rose to the social duties of public and private life the in-
truly, :
digent were relieved by his liberality and his eloquence, which flattery
;
adorned with the titles of consul and patrician, and his talents were use-
fully employed in the important station of master of the offices. Not-
withstanding the equal claims of the East and West, his two sons were
created, in their tender youth, the consuls of the same year. On the
memorable day of their inauguration, they proceeded in solemn pomp
from their palace to the forum amidst the applause of the senate and
people and their joyful father, the true Consul of Rome, after pronounc-
;
memory of his country. His authority had restrained the pride and op-
pression of the royal officers, and his eloquence had delivered Paulianus
from the dogs of the palace. He had always pitied, and often relieved,
the distress of the provincials, whose fortunes were exhausted by public
and private rapine and Boethius alone had courage to oppose the ty-
;
and we may learn from the example of Cato, that a character of pure
and inflexible virtue is the most apt to be misled by prejudice, to be
heated by enthusiasm, and to confound private enmities with public
justice. The disciple of Plato might exaggerate the infirmities of nature,
and the imperfections of society and the mildest form of a Gothic king-
;
my-
self are all guilty of the same crime. If we are innocent, Albinus is
equally entitled to the protection of the laws." These laws might not
have punished the simple and barren wish of an unattainable blessing ;
but they would have shown less indulgence to the rash confession of
Boethius, that, had he known of a conspiracy, the tyrant never should.
The advocate of Albinus was soon involved in the danger and perhaps
the guilt of his client their signature (which they denied as a forgery)
;
was affixed to the original address, inviting the emperor to deliver Italy
from the Goths ;
and three witnesses of honourable rank, perhaps of in-
famous reputation, attested the treasonable designs of the Roman patri-
cian. Yet his innocence must be presumed, since he was deprived by
Theodoric of the means of justification, and rigorously confined in the
tower of Pavia, while the senate, at the distance of five hundred miles, pro-
nounced a sentence of confiscation and death against the most illustrious
of its members. At the command of the Barbarians, the occult science
of a philosopher was stigmatized with the names of sacrilege and magic.
A devout and dutiful attachment to the senate was condemned as criminal
by the trembling voices of the senators themselves and their ingratitude
;
deserved the wish or prediction of Boethius, that, after him, none should
be found guilty of the same offence.
While Boethius, oppressed with fetters, expected each moment the
sentence or the stroke of death, he composed in the tower ol Pavia the
XX APPENDIX TO INTRODUCTION.
joyed them without guilt he might resign them without a sigh, and
;
calmly disdain the impotent malice of his enemies, who had left him
happiness, since they had. left him virtue. From the earth, Boethius
ascended to heaven in search of the SUPREME GOOD explored the meta-
;
covered in the milder torture of beating him with clubs till he expired.
But his genius survived to diffuse a ray of knowledge over the darkest ages
of the Latin world the writings of the philosopher were translated by
;
the most glorious of the English kings, and the third emperor of the name
of Otho removed to a more honourable tomb the bones of a Catholic
saint, who, from his Arian persecutors, had acquired the honours of mar-
tyrdom and the fame of miracles. In the last hours of Boethius, he
derived some comfort from the safety of his two sons, of his wife, and of
his father-in-law, the venerable Symmachus. But the grief of Symma-
chus was indiscreet, and perhaps disrespectful he had presumed to la-
;
INDEX
(Giving the first line of each Metre, the first words of each Prose,
and the corresponding page of the translation).
?>
3 _ Vela Neritii ducis 122
tj
4 Quid tantos juvat excitare motus 130
5 Hie ego, Video, inquam, qua3 sit vel felicitas ... 131
tt
6 Si vis celsi jura tonantis ... ... ... 143
7 Jamne igitur vides, quid ha3C omnia qua3 diximus,
tt
5 Quod si in corporibus sentiendis, quamvis ... 168
[J1NCIPIT
TABULA LIBRI BOICII DE CON-
LAj SOLAC/CWE PHILOSOPHIE.
LIBER PRIMUS.
1 Carmina qui quondam studio florewte peregi.
6 Haut !
aliter tristicie.
' MS. hanc.
7 Quisquis composite.
8 Sentis ne inquit.
9 stelliferi conditor orbis.
10 Hie ubi continuato dolore.
11 Cum phebi radijs.
12 Prinium igitwr pateris rogac^owibws.
13 Nubibz^s atris condita.
LIBER SECUKDUS.
1 Postea paulisper 2 conticuit. 2 MS. mper.
LIBER TERCIUS.
1 Iam tantum ilia.
9 An uero regna.
10 Qui se ualet esse potentem.
11 Gloria uero quam fallax.
N
21 Assencior inq?/am cuncta.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
22 Quisqwe profunda.
23 Tune ego platoni inqwam.
24 Felix qui poterit.
LIBEE QUARTUS.
1 Hec cum philosophia.
2 Sunt etenira penne.
3 Tune ego pape inq?/-am.
4 Quos uides sedere celsos.
5 Uides ne igitur quanto.
6 U[e]la naricij ducis.
7 Tune ego fateor inquam.
8 Quid tantos iuuat.
9 Huic ego uideo inquam.
l
10 Si quis arcturi sydera. Ms.aritun.
jf
At pe leest no drede ne my3t[e] ouer-come po muses.
7 pat pei ne were/a felawes and folweden my wey. pat is
to seyne when I was exiled, pei pat weren glorie of
antithesis
but in his 1f But now for fortune clowdy hap chaunged hir dis-
adversity life is .. .. ,.. ,
TN pe mene while pat I stille recorded [e] pise pinges [The firste
-*
wip my self, and markede my wepli compleynte wip 29
office of poyntel. I saw stondyng aboue pe hey3t of my philosophy
hir eyen brennyng and clere seing ouer pe comune like a beautiful
.. woman,
my3t of men. wip a lijfly colowr and wip swiche vigoure 33
and strenkep pat it ne my3t[e] not be emptid. ^[ Al
were it so pat sche was ful of so greet age. pat men ne and of great age.
wolde not trowe in no manere pat sche were of oure 36
elde. pe stature of hir was of a doutous iugement. for Her height could
not be determined,
knew wel aftir by hir selfe. declaryng and schewyng and indissoluble,
On the lower hem )>erest[e] hem or bordure of fese clones -men redden
of her garment
was the letter n in swiche a gregkysche .P. fat
and on the ywouen signifief f e lijf
upper e. actif. And abouen fat lettre in f e
hey3est[e] bordure
53 a grekysche T. fat signifief fe lijf contemplatif.
Between the
letters were
fl"
And by-twene fese two letties fere weren seien de-
steps like a
ladder. grees nobly wrou^t in manere of laddres. By wyche
56 degrees men my3t[en] clymbe fro e
f nef emast[e] lettiQ
to fe ouermast[e]. ^[ Nafeles hondes of sum men
hadde korue fat clof e by vyolence and by strenkef .
torn, and pieces
had been carried
violently off. fl
And eueryche man of hem hadde born away syche
60 peces as he my^te geetfe]. ^f And forsof e f is forsaide
In her right hand woman her bookes in hir ry3t honde. and in hir lefte
she bore her
books, and in her honde sche ber a And when sche sau^ fese
left a sceptre. ceptre. ^f
as they only remedies, but fei wolde fecle and norysche hem wif
increase his
^f For-why
in syche an vnprofitable man myne ententes
erf e. and bygan stille forto abide what sche wolde dotf presence of the
august dame.
afterwarde. ^[ J)o come sche nere and sette hir doun
vpon f e vterrest[e] corner of my bedde. and sche by- 95
JJ ^"er
clearness -
ofte as hys anoious bisines wexif wif-outerc mesure.
Man in his bat is dryuen to and fro wib worldly wyndes. ^T bis
freedom knew
gch
region of man jj
at suratyme was fre to whom J?e
heuene was open
105 and knowen and was wont to gone in heuenelyche
pajjes. and sau$ rede sunne. and sau$
Jje ly^tnesse of J>e
}>e
sterres of
J>e and colde moone.
wyche sterre in
the motions of heuene vseb wandryng risorses yflit by dyuerse speres.
the planets, and
was wont H bis man ouer comere hadde
to comprehendid al bis by J
investigate the
causes of storms,
noumbre. of accountyng in astronomye. *J[ And ouer
J)is
he was wont to seche J?e causes whennes fe soun-
112 yng wyMes moeuen and bisien Jje smojje water of Jje
SosMofnatSe
^ G $Q dyuerses causes of nature pat weren yhid.
121 ^f Alias now liejj
he emptid of ly^t of hys J>ou3t. and
But now, alas,
hyS nekke is pressid wij) heuy cheynes and berej) his
p e
to fhe ground! chere cnclined adoune for )>e greetfe] wey^t. and is
[The ijde prose.] T) vt tyme is now quod, sche of medicine more ]?en of
More need of ** IT Forsobe ben sche entendyng to
compleynte.
medicine than of
complaint. me warde wij) al pe lokyng of hir eyen saide. ^[ Art
128 not ]?ou he quod sche J>at sumtyme
I-norschid wi]) my
Philosophy
addresses
mylke and fostrefd] wib my meetes were ascaped and
Boethius.
comen to corage of a perfit man. *fi Certys I 3af ]?e
103 worldly wordely 114 ryse\> oute aryseth owt 124 loke foule lookeu on
104 sumtyme whilom falle fallen the fool
105 gone goon 115 westren westrene 125, 126 >e than
106 pa\>es paathes 116 fyrste fyrst 127 al alle
saw 3 sawn 119 ekeek saide seyde
ly ^tnesse lythnesse 120 dyuerses diuerse 128 sumtyme whilom
sunne sonne yhid-MS. yhidde I-norschid MS. I-nor-
saw? MS. sue, C. sawgh 121 lieb-~\ith schide, C. noryssed
107 wyche which emptid^-emted 129 fostre[_d~] fostered
108 risorses recourses 123 adoune adown my myne
111 seche seken greet\e\ weytf grete 130 Certys Certes
sounyng sownyngc weyhte
BOOK l.T
PHILOSOPHY ENLIGHTENS BOETHIUS.
MET. 3. J
It were me leuer pat it were for schame. but it semep silence proceeds
from shame
me hap oppressed pe. ^f And whan stupidity.
rather than from
pat astonyrage
sche say me not oonly stille. but wip-outen office of 137
tonge and al doumbe. sche leide hir honde softely vpon She finds him,
however, in a
lethargy, the
my brest and seide. *[[
Here nis no quod sche.
peril distemper of a
disordered mind.
^f He is fallen in to a litargie. whiche pat is a comune
sekenes to hertes pat ben desceiued. ^f
He
hap a litel 141
for^eten hym self, but certis he schal ly^tly remerabren To make his re-
covery an easy
hym self. ^[ 3i
so be pat he hap knowerc me or now. matter, she wipes
his eyes, which
and pat he may so done I wil wipe a litel hys eyen. were darkened
the clouds of
by
mortal things,
pat ben derked by pe cloude of mortel pinges ^[ }?ise
wordes seide sche. and wip pe lappe of hir garment 146
yplitid in a frounce sche dried[e] myn eyen pat were and dries up bis
tears.
ful of pe wawes of my wepynges.
TUNG ME DISCUSSA.
T%us when pat ny^t was discussed and chased awey. [The &* Metwr.]
JIx , ,
derknesses iorleiten me. and to myn eyen repeyre
Her touch
the darkness of
dispels
his soul,
FKOSES.
[The 3d* prose.] "Dy^ so ari(^ none oper wyse pe cloudes of sorowe
The clouds of J||j
. ,
Borrow being dis-
-,
aissolued
-,
176 it
nar[e] not leueful ne sittyng to philosophic to leten
and
slie is
tellshim that
willing to
wib-outen
' compaignie be wey of hym bat is iwnocent.
his misfor "
tunes
Scholde I pan redoute my blame and agrisen as
IT
158 sent isent 172 mad MS. made, C. mak- 181 wicked[e] wikkede
160 \>an thanne fals[e false [ed 182 strife strif
161 sodeyne sodeyn 174 parte parten 183 aieins ayenis
163 none oper non oother 176 nar[_e] nere foolJiardines foolhardi-
sorowe sorwe sittyng sittingc nesse
165 knowe knowen 178 pan thanne foly folie
166 mynemyn 179 \>ing thing 184 eke ek
festned[e\ fastnede q.d. wow omitted 185 deserued[e] desseruede
170 fro from 180 trowest \>ou trowestow 186 wyche the which
170, 171 art pott artow al \>erfirst alderlirst seyne scyn
rtooK i. 1
I'KOSE 3.J THE TRIALS OF PHILOSOPHY AND PHILOSOPHERS. 11
and slayn. f So yif bou hast not knowen be exilynge Choired under
of anaxogore. ne be empoysenyng of socrates. ne be 206
towrmento of seno for bei fweren] straungers. ^T 3it difficulties on
account of being
188 welfulnesse wcleful- 199 semed[e] semede 208 myrfest \>ou haue
189 o\>er oothre [nesse and or myhtestow han
190 go gon 200 myne myn 209 sorancis sorans
eueryche euerich wenyng MS. wevyng, C. wyche which
191 seyne seyn weninge is nis
to omitted 202 \>orui, thorw 210 oolde MS. colde, C. old
eueryche euerich wikked\e\ wikkede 211 brou^t\e\ browhte
194 tornen read coruen, C. vnkunnyng[_e~] vnkunn- 212 enfourmed MS. vn-
koruen 203 seyne seyn \>ai [ynge fourmed, C. enforuiyd
195 wouen MS. wonnow, 0. 204 semeden semede my myne
woueu pursued MS. pursuede, vnlyke vnlyk
196 arased arraoed C. pursued 213 wicked folk wikkodo
197 gon MS. gone, C. gon 205 slayn MS. slayne, C. an^test owhtest [foolke
198 dele del slayu 214 ivondre wondrcn
207 [wiv] weercn bitter bittrc
1
12 THE AIM OF PHILOSOPHY. MET. 1.
[BOOK
225 fro al tumulte and wode noise, ben stored and enclosed
leaving the enemy in syche a palays. wliider as pat chateryng or anoying
busy among the
useless baggage,
and laughing to folye ne may not attayne. ^f We scorne swiche
scorn such hunt-
ers of trifles.
rauiners and honters of foulest[e] pinges.
QUISQtTIS COMPOSITO.
[The ferthe TTTho so it be pat is clere of vertue sad and wel ordinat
Meter.]
He who hath of lyuyng. pat hap put vnderfote pe pro wed [e]
triumphed over
fate, and remained wierdes and lokip vpry^t vpon eyper fortune, he may
insensible to the
216 displese displesen 225 al alle 231 may chiere -may his
217 wikkedle] wikkede ben omitted cheere holde
schrews shrewes stored warnestored 232 manace manesses
218 oost glossed odes in C. 226 syche swich. 233 \>e be see
grete gret ]?at omitted 235 /i|/3Z hihte
219, 222 leder ledere ] 227 scorne schorne veseuus MS. veseuus
220 flityng fleetyuge 228 rauiners fringes iairche\> writith
tef-ktuj rauyneres & henteres of 236 broken^ brokene
/ yif fowleste thinges smokyng s m oky n ge
221 aieynest ayenis 229 clere cleer 237 smyte smyten
222 to rycchesse, to gy- 230 lyuyng leuynge 238 Wherto pen wharto
dere hise rychesses ha\> MS. liab<^ thanne
toure towr vnderfole v 1 dir- foot
1 239 fel-owncs ony felo-
23-4 hey$ heye pr.jwed\e] prowde nus withowtc any
BOETHIUS SPEAKS OF HIS TROUBLES. 13
so schalt bou desarmen be ire of bilke vnmysty tyraunt. for anytime dis-
arms thb tyrant.
^[ But who so fat quakyng dredef or desire]) f ing fat HO whose heart
nis not stable of his ry^t. fat man fat so dof haf cast jf^
8
^h .
own fetters -
awey hys schelde and is hys place, and
remoeued fro
drawen.
SENTIS NE INQUIT.
.1. of
rehersyng or of amonic/ouw. and sche we]? it not 253
ynom
J J hym
by J self be scharpnes of fortune bat wexeb Y
is not she moved,
he asks, with the
woode a3eynes me. ^f NQ moeue}) it nat fe to seen J?e
face or Jje manere of fis place (.i. prisouw.). ^[ Is ])is
241 schalt \>ou desarmen 248 art \>ou artow 261 it and paw both omitted
shaltow deseruien 249 wep
wepest po V7epistow 261, 262 sieiche swich
243 rfop-MS. dope, C. doth spillest ]pou spillestow 262 sou-$t[_e~] sowhte
_
Conigastus,
hym
and put a stop to
the doings of wronges fat he hadde bygonfne] to done and eke fully
Triguilla.
performed, ^f
How ofte haue I couered and defended
296 by f e auctorite of me put a^eins perils, fat is to seine put
He put his au- auctorite in peril for f e wreched pore folke. fat
myne
270 forth
271 in grete wisdomes to 280 bo thilke
geten wysdom 282 vut\te] putte
272 e&e-ek 283 brou}t[e} ne browhte
275 comune omitted 284 be omitted
y-left MS. yleftc, C. yleft al goodenes alle good-
270 Citi^enis citeseues nesse
brynge inne bryngen in cnw.e\> comth
278 per/ore therfor 287, 288 7ib MS. habe
\>ilk thilke 289 saluacioun sauacioun
desiryng desired 290 \>ilk thilke
279 put[tel fur\>e putten
BOOK 1. 1 BOETIIIUS DEFENDS HIS OWN CONDUCT. 15
PHOSE 4.J
man drow me ^itte fro ry^t to wrong. When I say f e I never deviated,
he says, from the
fortunes and f e rychesse of f e people of f e prouinces path of justice.
ben harmed eyfer by priue rauynes or by comune 302
tributis or cariages. as sory was I as fei fat sufFred[e] I felt for those
that were wrong-
298 vnpunysched vnpunys- 304 harme harm 312 most[e] ^eue mosteyeue
sed 305 yre yer 315 inplitable ^vnplitable
299 myseses myseyses 305 tiys hise
300 drow MS. drowe, C. 305, 306, 307 corne corn 319 ouercom MS. ouer-
weth drowh 306 sclwldte] bie sholde come, C. ouer com
%itte yit byen 320 counseiller consoler
wrong wronge 308 But I withstod Booco rychesse rychesses
301 rycliesse richesses withstood (MS. with- 321 whyche which
\>e (2) omitted stode) 322 wolde wolden
302 Jiarmed ey\>er harmyd com MS. come, C. com 323 drow MS. drowe, C.
or amenused owther 311 swiche swich drowh
303 tributis tribute 312 bouit[_e~} bowhte 321 myche moche
suffred[e} suffreden busshel bossel 326 punischen punisso
1.6 THE ACCUSERS OP BOETHIUS.
for Jje
loue of ry^twisnesse .1. ne reserued[e] neuer no
biuih'for the
8'
na^ fo^^ie ben asshamyd] fat i?inocence was accused.
3 ithe
accusers . ^it aujtfe]
sche haue had schame of fe filfe of myn ac-
cusours. ^[
But axest fou in somme of what gilt .1. 357
am accused, men seyne bat I wolde sauen be com- Boethius says he is accused ol try-
he?rz (.s senates), f" But folye bat lieth alwey to hym
J (Foiiy cannot
change the merit
self not chaunge J)e merit of Jnnges.
may ^f
of things. NQ .1.
trowe not by J>e iugement of socrates fat it were leue- 376
ful to me to hide be sobe. ne assentfel
L J
to lesynges.
J 5 According to
Socrates' judg-
Jj"
But certys how so euer it be of fis I put[te] it to gessen
2
FBOOK 1.
18 BOETHIUS COMPLAINS TO PHILOSOPHY. LPKOSE 4.
noethius says I hadde had libertee forto han vsed and ben at fo
that he could
have defeated his cowfessioim of accusowrs. whiche f ing in
accusers had he myn ^[ ]?e
been allowed the
use of their con- alle
nedys haf grete strenkef 1f . For what of er fredo?tt
fessions.
may men hopen. Certys I wolde fat some of er fredom
391 my^tfe] be hoped. IT I wolde fan haue answered by
f e wordes of a man fat hy3t[e] Canius. for whan he was
But there is now accused by Gayus Cesar Germeins son fat he (caniws)
110 remains of
liberty to be was knowyng and consentyng of a coniurace'ouw maked
hoped for.
387 had MS. hade, C. had 397 whiclie which 405 ha}> MS. habe
388 myn myne sorwe sorvv 406 innocent innocent3
389 /tab-MS. haRC.hath ha]> MS. habe whiche which
grete gret witte wit 408 wikkedle'} wykkede
wliat omitted 398 schrewed\e~\ shrcwede 410 bloode blod
390 some som 399 folies felonies 411 eke ck
391 mii\t[e\ be myhte hon vertues vertu 412gone gon and
\>an haue Ihanne han 400 hadlde'] han seyn soyen
392 A^O]-hyhte 401 done don 413 eke ek
301 maked,ymaked come}> comth 414 seyne seyn
395 ans werecKe] answcrede 402 lyke to a lyk a 415 scholde sh olden
? luiddc lot suit syhte
OF HIS FALSE ACCUSERS. 19
fl"
11
bou remcmbrest wele
'
as I gesse bat whan I wolde Boethius defends
the integ-ity of
don *seyn any bing. bou bi self alwey present re- liis r;foi.6b.]
or
lifo.
.
8
had[de] euer iugis so accordaunt in cruelte. bat is to
jJS^t crime
seyne as myne accusyng hab. If Jjat ober errour of 432
manswitte or ellyscorcdicioun of fortune bat is vncerteyne
to al mortal folk ne submytted[e] su?7zme of hem. bat is
Jjei
worbi of mercye (as who seib nay.) ber my^tfe] neuer
[mot
LPKOSE 4.
446 ben be
swiche swich
44,7 myn (both)mynQ
swiche whiche
seyen sayen
448 wolde wolden
449 some som
beren baren
on honde an hand
4T>0 polute polut
451 sacrelege C. has sor-
ccrie as a gloss to sacri-
lege
453 al alle
BOETHIUS DEPLORES THE POPULAR CENSURE.. 21
laid vpon a caytif. men wenen bat he hab deserued 1bat Boethms laments
the loss of his
he suffref .
If And I fat am put awey from goode men JjJJJjjItSJ
1"1
fou maker of fe whele fat beref fe sterres. whiche [The fifthe metr.]
andVanetst
mone somtyme schynyng wif hir ful homes metyng
Thou raisest colde arysynges comef eft aaeynes hir vsed cours. and
Hesperus to usher .
in the shades of is pale by be morwe at be rysynge of *be sonne. and is
night, and again
520 somer sesoim fe leues fat f>e wynde fat hy^t[e] boreas
awey in autu?/zpne. fat is to seyne in fe laste
haj> reft
eende of somer. and f e sedes fat f e sterre fat hy^t arc-
523 turws saw ben waxen hey[e] comes whan fe sterre
AU nature is sirius eschaufef hym. ^[ })ere nis no fing
vnbounde
bound by thy
eternal law. from
hys olde lawe no forletef hym of hys propre estat.
526 ^[ f ou gouernowr gouernyng alle finges by certeyne
why, then, leavest ende. why refusest bou oonly to gouerne be werkes of
thou man's ac-
troifed ?
c n" men ^ ^ewe manere -
1T
Whi suffrest f ou fat slid-
^F And vertue clere and schynyng naturely is hid in The wicked are
prosperous, while
dirke dirkenesses. J>e ry^tful
man berij) J>e blame
and
and ]>e peyne of J>e felowne. ^[ Ne J>e forsweryng ne 536
J?e
fraude couered and kembd wij> a fals colowr ne
wist[e] neuer how fer Jjine exile was $if )?i tale ne :
hadde sche wed it to me. but certys al be J>ou fer fro J>i 555
* nat but
contre. j>ou nart put out of it.
j?ou hast [- f i. 7 &.]
561 fat to fe. ^[ For }if fou remembre of what contre fou
she reminds him art born, it nis not gouerned by emperoures. ne bv *
that he is a citi-
zen of a country
not governed by a gouernement of multitude, as weren be centres of hem
of athenes. f But o lorde and o kyng and
fat is god
buffr^Sa"ot'
lorde of f i contree. whiche fat
reioisef hym of
is
/&7ff!\e. fat
566 )>e dwellyng of hys Cite^enis. and not forto putte hem
in exile. Of f e whiche lorde it is a souerayne fredom
to be gouerned by f e bridel of hym and obeie to his
iustice. Hast fou for^eten f ilke ry^t olde lawe of f i
^[
662 born MS. borne, C. 576 wille wyl 582 somtyme whilom
born erihabit[e} enhabyte 585 decertes desertes
566 hys hise 578 seid MS. seide, C. seydc
putte put amoeue\> moueth 586 so\>e soth
668 be ben 579 myclie mochel 587 seed MS. seide, C. seyd
571 7tab-MS. hajie owen owne 588 opposed aposyd
572 home hows ne (2) omitted 589 knowe knowyu
574 [and clos] from C. 582 putte (both} put
AND PROPOSES TO ADMINISTER REMEDIES. 26
hadde to hys corn, to acorns or okes. yif *bou wilt Think not to in-
gather violets in
gadre yiolett3. ne go f ou not to fe purper wode whan
f e felde chirkynge agrisef of colde by f e felnesse of
fe wynde fat hy3t aquilon ^[ Yif fou desirest or 619
592 be couth MS.be couthe, 606 wil{e\ wol 614 rqfuse refuseu
C. ben cowth ly$ter lyhtere 615 after hem C. adds [
596 wepen wopen \>illt\e\ thilke corn]
597 laste last 607 harde hard lete hymgon (MS. goiie}
eschaufed eschaufede 608 folowyng Flowyng lathym gon
598 not omitted woxe wexen 616 or of
599 wide yolden 610 esier esyere wilt ffadrewolt gadcry
602 many manye 612 beme beemes 618 felde feeld
601 mmtiier niyhtyere jyne seyn fel n csse felnesses
605 whiche which Gil hys liisc 619 hytf hyhte
1.
26 PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS BOETH1US. PHOSE
[BOOK 6.
If you wish for wolt vsen grapes ne seke f ou nat wif a glotowis hande
wine in autumn
the tendrils of
let
to streine and presse f e stalkes of f e vine in J)e first
the vine be free
in the spring.
somer sesouw. for bachus fe god of wyne haf raf er
623 ^euen his autumpne f e latter ende of sonier.
3iftes to
[* fol. 8.] ^f God tokenif and assignef *fe tymes. ablyng hem
To every work
God assigns a to her propre offices. ^[ Ne he ne suffref not stoundes
proper time,
nor suffers any- whiche fat hym self haf deuided and corcstreined to
thing to pass its
bounds.
Success does not be medeled to gidre ^[ And forfi he fat forletef
await him who
departs from the certeyne ordinaunce of doynge by ouerfrowyng wey.
appointed order
of things. he ne haj) no glade issue or ende of hys werkes.
P. Is the world answers. ^[ J?o saide sche f us. whef er wenest fou c^od
governed by
Chance ? sche worlde be gouerned by foolisshe happes
J?at pis
636 and fortunes, or elles wenest )>ou fat fer be in it any
B. By no means.
The Creator gouernemewt of resouw. Certes quod .1. ne trowe not
pre-
sides over his in no manere fat so certeyne f inges scholde be moeued
own works.
620 hande bond 629 Jia\> MS. hape 638 scholde sholden
622 ha\> MS. hape 630 wolt \>ou woltow 639 wot MS. wote, C. woot
625 her propreheere pro- stat estat 641 myd{_e~\ putte myhtc put
pres 633 atte at 644 put MS. putte
not nat the wilt wolt 645 doutest dowtedest
626 ha\> MS. hape 635 worlde world 646 how owh
627 be medeleilbim I-mcdlcd foolisshe f6ol y ssh 617 seek si\>en syke syn
628 certeyne ccrteyri 636 fortunes fortunows 648 put MS. putte, C. put
"ROSE 6.]
DISCOVERS THE CAUSE OF HIS DISTEMPER. 27
sey me bis. siben bat bou ne doutest nat bat bis worlde Ten me how the
world is
be gouerned by god ^f wif swycche gouernailes takest governed.
f e bygynnyng of al.
is ^[ And how may f is be
,..,, V- i
betfnningofall
things.
quod sche fat sif en fou knowest f e bygynnyng of P. HOW, then, art
thou ignorant of
?
bre fat quod .1. Philosophie. Maiste fou not telle J;
If ^yoVLk me
me fan 71 A
quod sche what
i/
is a man.
MT A j. whether I am a
Axest not rational and
f ing ^f
me auod I. whebir
f bat be a resonable best mortel. I i know and con-
fess I am.
fou neuer 3it fat fou were ony ofer fing quod she. San this ?
649 depper deppere 660 herd foW MS. herde 669 seyne from seyn fro
not what not nere what tolde 672 Remembrest \>ou Ee-
650 sfyen syn herd told ^-herd yt toold menbresthow
worlde world 661 ha\> MS. ha>e 674 Maiste \>ou Maystliow
651 takest \>ou takestow 663 preceded procedeth 675 ]>an J>aTine
658 seye say ansewered[e] answeredo \>ing thinge
remembrest \>ou re- 661 \>e omitted Axest Axestow
menbres thow al alle 677 Wistest \>ou wystcst-
ou 5 ^omitted 665 si]>en syn liow
659 Z allo 668 fro owt of 678 \>ing thinge
DOETIIIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES. FBOOK i.
LPKOSE e.
and because it is
fals[e] opinions, [of whiche false opyniouws] pederknesse
natural to em-
brace false
of perturbac^ourc wexep vp. pat comfoundep pe verray
e e'
fromwh ence insy^t. and pat dcrkenes schal .1. say somwhat to
that darkens the maken pi/me and wayk by ly^t and meenelyche re-
understanding,
i shall endeavour
therAfm-p
therefore tn
a
to Hia.
he e
dis-
medies. so FT
bat after bat be derknes of desseyuynge
J J
vTP o^rs so that desyrynges is don awey. pou mow[e] knowe pe schyn-
of verray ly^t.
or blynde ]>e.
for cloudy and dirke is
Jjilk fou^t and
, i 'it t it i *r<Tk/ things control,
bounde with bridles, where as bise binges regnen. 726 the soui is bound
by strong fetters.
fter she stynte a litel. and after )?at she hadde [The
A Jjis
Prodigy^f/.
11 ^ *dw and deceites of filke merueillous monstre for-
pou approuest hir and penkest pat she is good, vse 776
hir maners and pleyne be nat. IT And if bou agrisest ifthoudost
abhor her pern ly
hir fals[e] trecherie. dispise and cast aweye hir pat
s dan erous
pleyep so harmefully. for she pat is now cause of so
-
pus. For sope she hap forsaken pe ne per nis no man 784
syker pat she ne hap not forsaken. ^[ Holdest pou is that happiness
and is present fortune derworpi to pe. whiche pat nis is the attendance
of Fortune so dear
not feipful forto dwelle. and whan she gop aweye pat
she bryngep a wy^t in sorwe *fi For syn she may nat
be wipholdera at a mans wille. she makep hym a wrecche
she departep fro hym. ^J What oper ping is 791
763 prolaciouns probasy-
32 PHILOSOPHY EXPOSTULATES WITH BOETHIUS. PBOSE
PBOS 1.
commands
7 her an ^ ^orM ^ byhouep pe to ben obeisaunt to pe manere
would you stop of *bi lady, and enforcest bou be to aresten or wib-
the rolling of her
wheel? stonden pe swyftnesse and pe sweyes of hir towmyng
T J>
OU foo1 of alle mortel fooles if fortune
to dwelle stable, she cesed[e] pan to ben fortune.
^i
yif pou maist shewe me pat euer any mortal man hap
840
recevued
J any bese r
J oi r binges
& to ben his in pvopre. ban that ever any
.
819 proude prowd 827 wrecclied[e] wrecchede 838 stryf MS. stryue.C. stryf
Jiifinde hand harde hard plete pleten
Jia\> MS. ha^e 828 lau^e\> lyssheth by fore by forn
820 lyke lik wepyng wepynges 839 wilt wolt
830 streng\>e strengthes rycchesse rychesses
822 streme strem 833 plete pleten 840 shewe shewyn
8-23 oneo 834 tak MS. take, C. tak euer euere
824 adoune adpwn 835 makest ]>ou makes thow ha\> MS. haj>e
somtyme whilom 836 wronges wrcmge 841 \>ese tho
825 ydred (MS. ydredde) 837 don MS. done, C. don his hise
humble vmble [ydrad byreft MS. byrefte, C. 842 graunt\e\ graiwte
827 recche\> rekkej) byreft [alle] from C.
3
n>roK 2.
34 rROSPEBTTY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FELICITY. LPIIOSE 2.
a mind to with-
draw my boun'y, lykef me to wif drawe myne hande. f ou hast had grace
be thankful and
complain not.
ashe fat haf vsed of foreyne goodes. f ou hast no ry^t to
give us sunny make clere dayes. and after fat to keuere f e same dayes
days and obscure
the same with eke
dark nights ? wif derke ny^tes. ^[ ])Q erf e haf leue to apparaile
Is not the earth
covered with fe visage of fe erfe now w^'t7i floures and now wif
frost as well as
with flowers ? fruyt. and to eonfounde hem somtyme wif raynes and
865 wif 1F })e see haf eke hys ry^t to be som-
coldes.
The sea some-
times appears tyme calme and blaundyshing wif smofe water, and
calm, and at
other times
terrifies us with
somtyme to be horrible wif wawes and wif tempestes.
its tempestuous
waves.
If But f e couetyse of men fat may not be staunched
bynde me
Shall I be bound to be stedfast. syn fat stedfastnesse
to constancy by
shal it
the covetousness
of men ? vnkouf to my maneres. ^[ Swyche is my strengf e.
is
exalting what
f e lowest to f e heyeste. and f e heyest to f e loweste.
845 al \>ing alle thinges 853 donr-MS. done, C. don 867 (2nd) wi\> omitted
norysshed \_e] nory ssede 854 Ricches Rychesses 869 stedfast stidefast
846 rychesse rychesses 858 forlorn MS. forlorne, stedfastnesse stidefast-
848, 849 a? alle C. forlorn
848 habundaunce abouwd- 859 lorn MS. lorne, C. lorn 870 vnkou\> MS. vnkoupe,
aimee 860 vse vsen C. vnkowth
850 wip hande with- 861 keuere \>e coeueryn tho SicycheSwych
drawen myn hand 862 derke dirk 871 pley[e} pleye
had MS. hadde, C. had erpe yer 872 whele wheel
851 ha\> MS. hape ha\> MS. hape glade glad
852 vtterly outrely 864 eonfounde ccmfownden chaunge chaungyw
lorn MS. lorne, C. for 865 ha\> MS. ha>6
lorn 866 calme kalra
BE SUBJECT TO FORTUNE'S CHANGES. 35
worbe vp
1 yif
J bou
r wilt, so it be by bis lawe. bat Ibou
f
was low, and
r
bringing dow
ne holde not pat I do pe wronge $011-$ pou descende
doiw whanne resoura of
my pleye axep Wost pou it.
of fortune, 1
a tyme bat endib in wrechednesse. Lernedest nat bou Did you not ieam
whilst a youth,
in grek whan bou were songe bat in be entre or in r
be that at the gates
of Jove's palace
ben couched two tunnes. bat on stan two vessels,
seler of luppiter ber '
one lull of bless-
hast bou to pleyne. yif bou hast taken more plenteuously what if you have
drunk too deep of
the first vessel ?
of pe goode syde pat is to seyne of my rycchesse and
prosperites. and what eke. yif I be nat departed fro pe.
894
What eke. yif my mutabilitee siuep pe rystful cause of My mutability
gives thee hope
hope to han }it JNapeles desmaie pe
better pmges. ^1 of happier days,
nat in pi pou3t. and pou pat art put in comune realme Desire not to be
r .
^. i-, i
, , exempted from
of alle ne desiir e nat to lyue by bine oonly propre ryst.
: the vicissitudes of
humanity.
SI Q!7^NTAS RAPIDIS.
plain*
fo1 ' 10 '
]
wope wrecched[e] pleyntes. H And al be it so *fat
906 god receyuef gladly her prayers and hem as ful
3011 ef
teT noble or clere honours. $it semef hem haue I-gete no-
vu&fflair
f ing. but alwey her cruel ravyne deuourynge al fat f ei
910 han geten she wif ofer gapinges. fat is to seye gapen
what rein can
restrain unbound-
and desiren sit after moo rycchesse. H What brideles
ed avarice v
my^ten wifholde to any certeyne ende fe desordene
He who thinks
himself poor,
coueitise of men II Whan euere be raber bat it fletib in
ricllfdothtraiy
^ ar
oe 3^ s :
f e more av krennef in hem fe frest of
mder
ptSy hauyng. Hhe fat quakyng and dredeful wenef
Certis
916 hym seluen nedy. he ne lyuef n euere mo ryche.
[The thrydde erfore yif fat fortune spake wif f e for hir self in
~fa
if Fortune spake -*
fis For sof e f ou ne haddest [nat] what
manere.
thus to you, you
could not defend fcou
'
mutest answere. and if bou hast any biwcr Avher-
your complaint.
w if. fou mayist ry3tfully tellen fi compleynt. H
r
It
whiie'tficy strike
an ^' mus ike. and only while f ei ben herd f ei ben de-
They^annot
Hciouse. H But to wrecches is a deppere felyng of
e
hnp?essk)ns that harme. f is is to seyn fat wrecches felen f e harmes fat
misery has made , .
-IT,
in the heart.
f ei suilrcn more greuously fan f e remedies or f e delites
928 of fise wordes mowc gladen or comforten hem. so fat
youVdisea^
nabeles
f
bat
f fou shalt not wilne to leten bi self a
* But you are not
wrecche. IF Hast fou for^eten fe noumbre and fe
'
unkind!
look ^ rs ^ vP on lP
Q ^t a wykked eye. IF Yif fou considere
f U
Sr the nmnber J
76 nou??ibre and f e manere of fi blysses. and of fi
f U bl e S g8 '
F foi i o 6.] sorwes. *fou maist nat forsake fat fou nart $it blysful.
you must confess _..- , , ,. , f , ,, .
that you are still For if f ou f erfore wenest f i self nat weleful for f inges
happy.
976 fat fo semeden ioyful ben passed. IT ]?er nis nat whi
These evils that f ou sholdest wene f self a wrecche.
i for f inges fat now
you suffer are but . ,
JS^^tto
most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune is to han man 8 mfelicit y-
'
ben weleful. IF But fat \ ou qwod she abaist fus ]?e p. Recollect that
towrment of Jji fals[e] opiniouw fat maist f ou not ry^t-
much affluence.
piain. tune, syn pou hast 3it pi bestfe] pinges. IT Certys 3it
sire
g
do?h sMne?
^r ^^ an ^ ^ nir eldefadir. and sipen pe souereyn
d
5 chtefcareof cure ^ a^e inor ^ e -'- fHie ig to sauen hir owe? lyues.
1020 many[_e\ \>inges manye 1030 byweyle\> bewaylcth 1041 lyknesse lykenesse
grete thinges dow MS. done, C. don witte wyt
1022 alle al 1031 liue\> leueth 1042" and (1) or
1023 \>e by the yit by 1033 witte wyt eldefadir cldyr fa'Jyr
1024 myschief meschef women wymmen si\>en syn
1025 bestle'] beste 1034 shortly shortely 1043 folke folk
1026 lyue\> leucth 1035 lyke lik 10JH art \>ou }>OUT, arthow
goode -rood welle wol yif
1027 wltii-hc which 1030 hir lifet\A* lyf
1028 aJ alle 1037 maat maud
2
l>iiosE 4.] THE CONDITION OF HUMAN BLISS. 41
1F Eut sittc ben ber binges dwellywg to be wardes bat no most happy in
the possession of
man doutef bat bei ne ben more derworf o to be ben ch
alfmeif \-aiui
fine owen lijf. IT And forfi drie J)i teres for $itte nys
ancres cliue fast[e] bat neiber wole suffre be comfort of bis 1050
fat finges ben, I shal wel fleten furfe and eschapen. 1054
IF But bou mayst wel seen how greetfe! apparailes and But do you not
see how low I am
aray bat me lakkeb bat ben passed awey fro me. IF I fall e ?
P. I should think
haue sum what auau^ced and forfered fe quod she. if
^5* Je$^f j
e
" e s
fat fou anoie nat or forfenke nat of al fi fortune. As
who seib. ^F I haue somwhat comforted be so bat bou it grieves me to
hear you com-
vantages, but is
lijf. for he hab no wijf. IF and som man is wel and
unmarried.
This man is maried but he hab no children, and norissheb his
in a wife,
selily
happy
ricchesse to be heires of straunge folk. IF And som
man gladded wib children, but he wepib ful sory for
is
mortified by their
evil ways. be trespas of his son or of his doi^tir. IF and for bis
Thus we see that
no man can agree ber accordeb no wy^t ly^tly to be condicioura of his for-
easily with the
fortune""
8
tune, for alwey to euery man bere is in mest somwhat
1082 bat vnassaieb he ne wot not or ellys he dredib bat he
The senses of the hab assaied. IF And adde bis also bat euery weleful
happy are refined
a e
and\tey areim.
man hab a wel delicat felyng.
IF So bat but yif alle
trifl e s!
ben bo bat wibdrawen be sorame or be perfecc^ourc of
1089 blisfulnesse fro hem bat ben most fortunat. IF How
How many would
think themselves
many men trowest bou wolde demen hem self to ben
in heaven if they
CONTRAQ UE.
1075, 1076 ha}) MS. hape 1083, 1084 ha\> MS. hape 1095 w7io ho
1076 marled ymaryed 1084 weZ ful 1096 wo a
feis hise 1085 fallen byfalle 1098 a^einewarde al ayein-
1077 ricchesse Rychesses w^Ze wyl ward alle
lieires eyres 1086 none noil 1099 it hyt
folk foolkys an-oone Anon 1101 ivJian what
10SO \>er\>cr ne pro we thro wen ha\> MS. hape
1081 mest omittod 1087 adoune adouw ?or MS. lorne, C. lost
1082 miassaie\> vnassaicd 1090 wolde \voldcu 1102 yspranid Bpraynyd
wot MS. wotc, C. wot 1095 i hyt bitternesses bctcri H -s s< s
4.]
THE SOURCE OF TRUE HAPPINESS. 43
al. to hem
ben anguissous. 1F
bat ye mortel folkes 1109
what seke *2e ban blisfulnesse oute of 2oure self, whiche [* foi. h &.]
mortals, do ye
bat is put in ^oure self. Errowr and folie cowfourcdeb
of bi soule. ban hast bou bing in bi power bat bou "^deprive t.hee
worbi bing and more digne is bilke bing bat may nat be
taken awey. IF pan shewib it wele bat be vnstable-
nesse of fortune may nat attayne to receyue verray
bat bing. bat he ne douteb nat but bat he may leesen JeaSd SnSg
'
not only death, wel fat many a man haf soi^t f e fruit of blisfulnesse
but pains and
torments. nat only wif sunryng of deef. but eke wif suffryng of
How then can
this present life
peynes and towrmentes. how my^t[e] fan fis present
make men truly
happy, since
when it is ended lijf make men blisful.syn fat whanne filke selffe]
they do not be-
come miserable ? lijf is endid. it ne makef folk no wrecches.
[The fertb.e
maner man stable and war fat wil founden hym
metttr.]
He who would
have a stable and
What
a perdurable sete and ne wil not be cast doune
lasting seat must
not build upon wif f e loude blastes of f e wynde Eurus. and wil dispise
lofty hills ;
nor
upon the sands,
if he would escape
f e see manassynge wif floodes IF Lat hym eschewe to
the violence of bilde on f e cop of f e mourctaywgne. or in f e moyste
winds and waves.
1160 sandes. IF For f e fel[le] wynde auster towrmentef f e cop
vsage of large
also yif al be moneye bat is ouer-al in be world were
1165 \>i thin 1176 Richesse Rychessis 1188 ha\> MS. hn>e
lowe stoone lowh stoon 1178 ri/cchcsse rychesses 1189 world worlde
1167 welful welefnl 1179, 1180 golde 'gold
1109 ^vodenesses wood- 1180 iefterbetere
4G GLORY NOT IN RICHES;
1195 ussyng ^[ And whan fei ben apassed. nedys fei maken
o the poverty of hem pore bat forgon be rycchesses. ^T streite and
riches, that can-
6
many aTElme
n
ne(ty c ^ e P e ^-
M se rycchesses. syn fat many folke [ne]
pressed by one may nat han it al. ne al may it nat comen to on man
without impover- . .,, ,, _. . , ,
ishing others !
wif -oute pouerte of al of er folke. IF And fe shynynge
1200 of gemmes fat I clepe preciouse stones, drawef it nat
^it for
as myche ben put vndir 3oure
as fei excellence.
be'utiftu^artofa
^ e li^ en vs - sJ n ^^ ^s a r
y3^ ^a y r po r ciou?2 of fe
beautiful whole.
werk. fat is to seyn of fis worlde. H And
fa i r
Tfence, we admire so ben we gladed somtyme of fbe face of 'b6 see whan
the face of the
sea, the heavens, ^ j s clere And also merueylen we on f e heuene and
.
1222 darst \>ou glorifie 1238 shullen shollen 1249 goodenes goodnesse
darsthow gloryfyen 1239 fair fayre 1250 shewed I-shewyd
1225 in in the 1240 whiche which none 0011
1229 Syclie Soth 1242 werkeman werkman 1251 \>in thine
12:50 on to 1246 house hows goode good
12:31, 1235, 1237 wilt wolt lorde lord
48 RICHES BRING ANXIETIES. [PK.OSE\
8
why
w^ sholdest bou be sory yif bou leese hem. or win
sholdest bou reioysen be to holden hem. IF For if bei
J hem self.
is that to thee ? be.
'
for as wel sholde bei han ben faire by
'
They would be
> OU3 > ei wereft departid from alle bin rycchesse. IF Eor-
They are not to why ne precious ne weren J>ei nat. for bat
faire bei
precious because comen amonges bi rycchesse. but for bei semeden fair
they are counted
an d P rec i us -
J>erfore bou haddest leuer rekene hem.
amonges bi rycchesse. but what desirest bou of fortune
didst desire to .,
possess them. wibT so greet B, noyse and wib so greet a fare
What, then, is it
trowe J>
ou se^ e to dryue awey nede wib habundaunce
tl e
Fsit t drive
f Binges. IF But certys it turneb to 3ow al in be
their
men ne ^ian no p^opre goode. I-set in pw. For
abundance by the r *
-i i i
whicne 36 moten seken outwardes 2oure goodes in
-\
necessities of
nature, and not .
worpi
-i-7-iip
ana noble 01
self,
fan passef it in noblesse alle ofer f inges. and be Jo esteemed
whan it
forletif J>e knowyng of it self, fan it is
brouat byneben
J r alle beestes. 1T For- why alle ober himself.
When he ceases
rieuyngel
L J J
beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem t, d 80
below
<> >
beasts.
self, but whan fat men leten fe knowyng of hem self. 1297
n
itcomef hem of vice, but how brode shewef f e errow-r nSurS S beasts,
but in men it is
and be folie of aow men bat wenen bat ony bmg may unnatural and
criminal.
ben apparailled wif straunge apparaillement} IT but w
Jo? s^t to Sieve
for-sof e fat may nat be don. for yif a wy 3 t shynef wif
,. i.t.\, L i. i, -f> . -i -t i nature can be an
fmges fat ben put to nym. as fus. yif filke fmges ornament to
If a thing appear
it.
1284 o\>er er\>ely oothre 1289 foiilest[_el fowleste 1303 whiche which
wordly 1290 Utidi^ tydeth 1306 fil\>e felthe
\>resten threste 1291 out owte 1307 }>ing thinpe
12S5 b\j-ne\>en by-nethe desert desertes good MS. goode, C. good
1292 al alle 1308 fcat>-MS. haj>e
1286 good MS. goode, C. 1293 self selue 1309 rycchesse Bvchesses
good 1294 it is is it \>e tho
\>incj thinge 1296 ileuynge] from C. 1310 rycchesse Rycliesses
presyos hem hym shrew shrewe
ilk \>ing thilke thinge 1297 bat omitted 1311 rycchesse
i
rychesses
Jreciouse
7 \>e (2) tlio
j
1298 come]) comth. 1312
1288 summytten submitten 1299 b*n?-4hinge
12S9 self seluen I
1302 put MS. putte, C. put
4
2.
50 THE GOLDEN AGE. [BOOK
MiiX. 6.
em|ty purse*
1F preciouse and ryjt clere is pe blysfiilnesse of
O the transcend- , , i , -, i
ant felicity of mortal rycchessc. pat whan pou hast geten it. pan hast
sooner have you i, ou i orn
* j>i sykelYlnesse.
' J L J
obtained them,
than you cease to
be secure.
FELIX IN MIRUM PRIOR ETAS.
earth
self wip outerage. IT pei weren wont lyjtly to slaken
her hunger at euene wip acornes of okes IT pei ne
They knew not coube nat medle pe aift of bacus to pe clere hony.
Hypocras nor
Hydromei.
jj
at is to seyn. pei coupe make no piment of clarre.
They did not dye ne bei coube nat medle be bri^tfel flies of be centre
the Sedan fleece
in Tyrian purple.
of s iri e ns wip pe venym of tirie. pis is to seyne. pei
1332 coupe nat dien white flies of sirien contre wip pe
blode of a manar shelfysshe. pat men fynden in tyrie.
dSnkSthe
d
^ty whiche blode men deien purper. ^ pei slepen
n eam '
and recfined holesom slepes vpon pe gras. and dronken of pe ryn-
under the shadow . - . ,, * . i
of the taii pine,
nyng watres. and laien vndir be snadowe ot fbe neyie
No man vet
1314 ftab MS. habe, C. hat 1322 lorn MS. lorne, C. lorn 1331 seyne seyn
besy bysy 1321 er\>es fecldes J332 cou\>e cowde
swerde swerd 1325 fur\>e forth dien deyen
1315 pabe paath destroy<ed{e\ dystroycde flies fle?es
1316 waufaryngvr&yfcrynge 1327 tier hyr 1333 blode blood
syng\_e] synpre at MS. as, C. at shelfysshe shy llefy ssh
1317 by-fore by-forn cuene euen 1334 blode blood
sei\> MS. seibe, C. seyth 1328 COM be cowde 1335 holesom holsom
pnure pore rynnyng watres renn-
medle^medly
bere\> berth lift yifte yn^e wateres
1318 boldly syng[e~] boldely clere cleer sliadowe shadwes
mice 1329 cow be cowde hey$e heye
1319 ha}) MS. habe of nor 1337 pyne pyn
1320 preciouse precyos 1330 cou\>e cowde no (2) omitted
clere cler bri^t[_e'] Jlics V)ryhte fleejcs [we] from C.
1321 rycchessc rychesses 1331 sirians Seryens karf karue
OF DIGNITIES AND POWERS. 51
fijr of fe Mourctaigne of
Ethna fat euer brennef.
IT Alias what was he fat first dalf vp fe gobets or
any wicked man f ei don [as] greet[e] damages and when they
fail
to
because of the IF And ry^t for f e same pride ^oure eldres byforne fat
pride of the
Consuls; as their
ancestors before tyme hadden don awey out of fe Citee of rome fe
for the same
consideration kynges name, fat is to seien. fei nolden haue no
had suppressed
the of King. lenger no kyng IF But now yif so be
title
fat dignitees
1371 and powers ben ^euen to goode men. f e whiche f ing
Virtue is not
embellished by is ful 3elde. what agreable f mges is
f er in f o dignitees.
dignities, but
dignities derive or powers, but only f e goodenes of folk fat vsen hem.
honour from
virtue.
Hut what is this
^F And it is
ferforef us fat honowr ne comef nat to
power, so much
celebrated and vertue for cause of dignite. but a^einward. honour
desired ?
What
over
are they
whom you
comef to dignite by cause of vertue. but whiche is
exercise au-
3oure derworf e power fat is so clere and so requerable
thority ?
1378 IT
$Q erf elyche bestes considere 36 nat ouer whiche
If thou sawest a f ing fat it semef fat 36 han power. 1F Now yif f ou
mouse assuming
[ fol. 13 ft.] say[e] a mouse amongus *of myse fat chalengedfe] to
er
command over
other mice,
wouldst thou not
hymself ward ry^t and power ouer alle of er myse. how
almost burst with han of So
laughter ?
gret scorne woldest f ou hit. IF Glosa. 1F
1368 don MS. done, C. don 1377 demvor\>e dereworthe 1385 mannes man
1369 seien seyn clere cleer 1386 \>e slayn the
1370 lenger lengere 1378 whiche which whiche men wel offce
kyng kynge 1379 han MS. hanne, C. ben slayn
1371 whiche which han 1388 mennes bo dyes mannes
1373 /ota-foolkys 1380 say[e\ saye body
1374 cojwep conith mouse amongus mons 1391 lower lowere
1375, 1376 vertue vertu iimonges ivhiche the which
1376 cowiep cointh myse urns? 131)5 stedfast stidefast
by for 1382 scorne scorn 1396 somtyme wh.vlom
whiche which 1383 ftb-MS. habe
FOB TIIEY FALL T0 THE LOT OF TIIE WICKED. 53
]
burghden in
ercules bat was hys gest IF Regulus hadfdel taken in Reguius put ins
Carthaginian
bataile many men of affrike. and cast hem in to fet-
Sser s n
b u t was
3
teres. but sone after he most[e] 31110 hys handes to obug^to submit
8 Ol
ben bounden w/t/i f e cheynes of hem fat he had[de] KnemS
somtyme
J ouercomen. IT Wenest bou ban bat he be is he mighty that
dares not inflict
myjty. fat may nat don a fing. fat ofer ne may don JJ^i r
The worst of men and seyen of alle be aiftis of fortune bat most plcn-
have often the
ar
teuously comen to shrewes.
8
11 Of
rSne 's g fft s! f e whiche jiftys I
***
XVariant who trowe fat it au}t[e] ben considered fat no man doutif
deuce of his bat he nis strong, in whom he seeb strengbe. and in
fortitude.
1432 whom fat swiftnesse is 11" Sofe it is fat he is swyfte.
so music maketh Also musyk makeb musiciens. and fysik makeb phi-
a musician, &c.
The nature of siciens. and rethorik rethoriens. 1F For whi fe na-
everything con-
sists in doing
what is
ture of etiery f ing maki]) his propretee. ne it is nat
peculiar
to itself, and it
repels what is entermedled wif fe effect-^ of cowtrarious finges,
contrary to it.
11 And as of wil it chase)) oute f inges fat to it ben
Riches cannot contrarie H But certys rycchesse nat restreyne
may
restrain avarice.
Power cannot
make a man
auarice vnstaunched 1T Ne power [ne] make]) nat a
master of him-
self if he is the my^ty ouer hym self, whiche fat vicious lustis
slave of his lusts.
no }(j en destreined wif cheins fat ne mowen nat ben
Dignities con- vnbounden. and dignitees bat ben seuen to shrewed Tel
ferred upon
at oonly ne makif hem nat digne. but it
shewef
ShCTcxpSse raj> er a * openly fat fei ben vnworfi and vndigne.
their want of *r
Andj whi
* i
is
*.L mr n i.- *
Certis lor 20
i
han loye to
merit. IF it bus, IF
Why is it so >
Tis because yon
clepen f inges wif fals[e] names, fat beren hem al in
give false names
to things. You
dignify riches, fe cowtrarie. f e whiche names ben ful ofte reproued
power, and
[* fol. 14.] by f e f e same f inges. so fat *f ise ilke rycch-
effect of
honours, with , ..
names they have esse ne au^ten nat by ry^t to ben cleped rycchesse.
no title to.
malcTthem"' ool
^ em na^ a ^ weJ * goode men. ne maken hem alwey
ai3Sd.
theyare
goode to whom fei berc y-ioigned.
perial fat f e soTme gof aboute from est to west IT And 1472
eke fis Nero goueyrende by Ceptre. alle f e peoples fat
fis is to seyn
he gouernedfe] alle f e poeples fat ben vndir 1475
th?'
tornd zolie -
alle f e poeples fat f e violent wynde Nothus scorchif
[Theseuende
T EGO SCIS
B. Thou knowest l^Anne seide I bus. bou wost wel biself bat be
that I did not I/
covet mortal and -I couetise of mortal *binges ne hadden neuer lord-
transitory things.
I only wished to shipe of me. but I haue wel desired matere of binges
exercise my
to done * as who 8e ' * degirede to h an matere of
1507 heuene. men wolde lugen in alle bat erbe [ne] helde
ptoiemy shows no space H Of be whiche litel regiourc of rbis worlde
that only one- . .
fourth of this be
" ferbe partie is enhabitid wib
* lyuyng
J J beestes bat (
earth is inhabited
ing rea " we knowen. as bou hast bi self lerned by tholome bat
fures!
Deduct from this prouith it. 1F yif bou haddest wib drawen and abated
the space occupied
by^
seas, marshes, i n bi bou^te fro bilke ferbe partie as myche space as be
men. and 20 ban bat ben environed and closed wib And do you, who
' * '
are confined to
me
last[e] Certis in fe tyme of Marcus tulyus as hym JJSS?^h
"
self write]) in his book fat fe renou?^ of pe comune of Caucasus!
Rome ne hadde nat 3itte passed ne clou?7zben ouer fe
moufttaigne Jjat hy^t Caucasus, and 3itte was J)ilk
passen. IF And eke sest bou nat bat be maners of customs and
institutions differ
diue?*se folk and eke hir lawes ben discordau/zt amonge jjjjijjjjj
111
hem self, so Ipai bilke bing bat so??raien iugen worbi of what is praise-
worthy in one is
It is not the
interest of any
preysyng of his renoim. he ne may nat \n no wise
man who desires
renown to have bryngen furf e ne spredew his name to many manere
his name spread
through many peoples. IT And f erfore euery maner man au^te to ben
countries.
He ought, there- paied of hys glorie fat is puplissedamong hys owen
fore, to be satis-
fied with the
ney^bores. IT And filke noble renourc shal be re-
glory he lias
acquired at home.
But of how many streyned wif -iftne f e boundes of o maner folk but how
personages,
illustrious in many a man fat was ful noble in his tyme. haf f e
their times, have
the memorials
been lost thiongh
nedy and wrecched for^etynge of writers put oute of
fie carelessness
and neglect of mynde and don awey. IT Al be it so fat certys filke
writers.
But writings do writyiiges profiten litel.
f e whiche writywges longe and
hot preserve the
names of men for derke elde dof aweye bof e hem and eke her autowrs. but
ever.
1557 $e men semen to geten ^ow a perdurablete whan 30
But perhaps you
suppose that you f enke fat in tyme comyng 3oure fame shal lasten. H But
shall secure im-
eles yif f ou wilt maken coraparisou?i to f e endeles
mortality if your
names are trans- naf
mitted to future
ages. space of eternite what f ing hast f ou by whiche pou
If you consider
the infinite space maist reioysen f e of long lastyng of fi name. H For
of eternity you
will have no rea- if
f er were maked coraparysoura of fe abidyng of a
son to rejoice in
this supposition.
If a moment be
moment to ten f ousand wynter. for as myche as bof e
compared with ben endid. For moment some
10,000 years, f o spaces IT }it haf fe
there is a pro-
portion between porciouw of hit al f ou} it a litel be. 1F But naf eles
them, though a
very small one. filke self noumbre of ^eres.
and eke as many 3eres as
But this number
of years, multi- ne may nat certys be com-
plied by whatever f er to may be multiplied,
sum you please,
vanishes when parisou/zd to f perdurablete fat is een[de]les. IT For of
e
compared with
the infinite extent
f inges fat han ende may be mad comparison [but of
of eternity.
don no f ing ary^t. but ^if it be for f e audience of poeple. But yet you do
pride and veyne glorie. how a man scorned[e] festiualy H^iiiy vanity
, . i .1 was once thus
was a man
.-i
and myrily swiche vanite. somtyme bere bat ingeniously and
pleasantly rallied.
A certain
had[de] assaied wif striuyng wordes an of er marc. II
fe man,
world].
SOLAM MENTE.
Sinfwho^
seeks fame, think-
ing it to be the
6 '1
W ?<
ho so f at wi J> ouerj?rowyng foi^t only
ot lame, andj wemb
"L
'
bat
i. -j
it
i_
be souereyne
sekejj glorie
good
i
sovereign good,
broadTn?verte
^ Lvie hym loke vpon jje
brode shewyng contreys of
56
I
neuew an^ v P 07i )> e streite sete of Jns erjje. and
-
hig'ifand^w
6611
to ^re f e k eve heuedes and J)e
lowe and make)? egal
where is the good and euene be heyestfe] to be lowest [e]. IT where
Fabricius now ?
1608 nou^t \>an nat thanne 1619 vpon vp 1623 clere cler
1010 from fro Ifi20 and dedely hi the dedly 1624 al alle
16101612 rag world'] 1621 y-spradde ysprad 1626 heyest[e] heyostc
from C. [pa;!] from C. lowestle] loweste
1615 Lete Lat feme -MS. serue, C. feme 1628 stiern MS. sciern, C.
loke look en (jo\> MS. gope, C. goth stierne
JfilO sete Cyte 1622 and (2) or 1632 consumpt cowsunji>to
1U17 be ben 1623 shyne shynen 1634 linger lon^ere
2
VH08E 8.] ADVERSE FORTUNE IS BENEFICIAL. Gl
Vt for-as-mochel as thow shalt nat wenen quod she [The viij prose.]
B fat I bere vntretable batayle ayenis fortune // yit
JJjgjLS**,^
'
But do not
^
is
)r
amyable fortune desseyueth folk / the contrarye fortune That deceives us,
this instructs us ;
traryos fortune ledith ofte folk ayein to sothfast goodes / real happiness
,
consists.
and haleth hem ayein as with an hooke / weenesthow
thanne fat thow owhtest to leten this a lytel thing / fat
this aspre and horible fortune hath discoueryd to the / the
thowhtes of thy trewe frendes // For-why this ilke for- 16G8
1672 awey hyr frendes and lafte the thyne frendes // now
At what price whan thow were ryche and weleful as the semede / with
would you not
liave bought this
knowledge in
how mochel woldesthow han bowht the fulle know-
your prosperity ?
ynge of this // J?at is to seyn the knowynge of thy
Complain not, verray freendes // now pleyne the nat thanne of Eychesse
then, of loss of
wealth, since
tliou hast found
.I.-lorn syn thow hast fowndyn the moste presyos kynde
infinitely greater of Rychesses
riches in your J>at is to seyn thy verray frendes.
ti-ue friends.
e
[The viij Metw.l fTlHat J)
world with stable feith / varieth acordable
This world, by
an invariable J-
order, suffers
chaungynges // fat the contrary os qualite of element}
change. holden amonge hem self aliaurcce perdurable / fat phebws
Elements, that by
nature disagree,
are restrained by the sonne with his goldene chariet / bryrfgeth forth the
concord.
rosene day / fat the nione hath commau^dement ouer tlie
1684 nyhtes// whiche nyhteshespemstheeue sterrehatbrowt//
e
The sea is thus
fat f se gredy to flowen constreyneth with a certeyn ende
kept within its
proper bounds. hise floodes / so fat it is nat l[e]ueful to strechche hise
1687 brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // fat is to seyn
EXPLICIT LIBER 2 US .
seye*// so fat a litel here after .1. seyde thus // thow At last T said)
Slgto
l
quod she // of whyche thynge herte dremeth // but '
fl r
-
,,
, , B. Whither is
tor as moche as thy syhte is ocupied and distorbed / by that, i pray ?
J P. To that true
Imagynasyon of herthely thynges / thow mayst nat yit
sen thilke selue welefulnesse
// do quod .1. and shewe S/ a aint fore ~
e
then Phoebus
mounts his gay
first f e fals[e] goodes. bygyniie to wif drawe f i nek[ke]
chariot.
So you, beholding fro fe $ok of erfely affecc/ourcs. and afterwarde fe
the false felicity,
and withdrawing verrey goodes shollew entre in to fi corage. 1750
your neck from
the yoke of
earthly affections,
will soon see the
TUNG DEFIXO PAULULIIflf.
sovereign good.
[The 2<e prose.]
hir eyen and wif-
Philosophy, with
a serious air, and
fastned[e] she a lytel f e sy^t of
appearing to re- drow hir ry^t as it were in to J>e streite sete of hir
collect herself,
and to rouse up
allher faculties,
. and bygan to speke ry^t ]>us.
Alle J>e
cures
thus began.
All the cares and quod she of mortal folk whiche fat trauaylen hem in
desires of men
seek one end
happiness.
many manere studies gon certys by diuerse weies.
[* fol. 15&.] 1F But nafeles fei enforced hem *to comen oonly to on
teinip in hym self al manere goodes. to pe whiche goode good, and com-
prehends all
others. It lacks
yif pere failed[e] any ping, it my}t[e] nat ben souereyne nothing, other-
wise it could not
goode. For Jjan were pere som goode out of pis ilke soue-
^[ be the supreme
good. Happiness
reyne goode pat my^t[e] ben desired. Now is it clere and is, therefore, that
perfect state, in
a perfit estat by pe con- which other
certeyne pa?z pat blisfulnesse is all
goods meet and
centre. It is the
gregaczou?i of alle goodes. 1F pe whiche blisfulnesse as
object which all
men strive after.
I haue seid alle mortal folke enforcen hem to geten by A desire of the
true good is a
dyuerse weyes. For-whi pe couetise of verray goode
IF natural instinct,
but error misleads
is naturely y-plaunted in pe hertys of men. IF But pe them to pursue
false joys.
reygne goode is to lyue wip outen nede of any ping. ing nothing, la-
bour for an abund-
ance of riches
and tmueilQft hem to ben habundaunt of rycchesse. others, supposing
;
Some there are of bise forseidc goodes as bei bat desimz rycchesse to
who use these
causes and ends han power and deuces. Or ellis bei desiren power forto
interchangeably
nan moneye or for cause of renouw. IF In fise Binges
lg
pcwerjo?who and in swyche of er f inges is to?/rned al f e entenc?'ouw
desire power in 7 r ^n i e r A
order to get of desirynges and [oij werkes ot mew. IF As bus.
money or renown.
in they do they
aii
have a particular
^ Noblesse and f&iwurpoeple whiche bat 2iueb as it
oi
body fail under 2iuen delit. IF In alle bise \>\ngus it semeb oonly bat
the same pre-
blisfulnesse is desired. For-whi filke fing fat euery
1F
honours^power,
]1
y ni f u^t[e] by-refte awey ioie and myrfe from fe
ight, which last
Epicurus
h ert e> ^f But I retowrne a^eyne to f e studies of meen.
1786 rycchesse rychesses yeuen 1811 seyne rycchesse seyn
1787 delices delytes 1806, 1807 souereyne goode Rychesses
1789 1814 sowereyne goode soue-
oper oothre souereyn good
al alle 1807 whiche whych reyn good
1790 [o/]-from C. 1809 \>e omitted [fom myche moche
1794 shollen sholden \>an byforne thanne by- o\>er oothre
1795 pe tho 1810 \_Uiy eyeri] from C. ;
1815 po3/[e] thowhte
1796 oper oothre MS. has 3011011 a?eyne from train
1801 swiftenesse sweftnesse almost almost
1803 liuen MS. siuep, C. welfulnesse welefulnesse
3
PROSE 2.]
ALL SEEK THE CHIEF GOOD. 67
tor it nys nat to wene bat bilke bmg bat is most for which aft men
worbi of alle binges be feble and wib out strengbe and is not power to be
reckoned amongst
a go< ?
clerriesse of renou/i au^te bat to ben dispised. IT Certys wny notFor?
n
ber may no man forsake bat al bing bat is ryat excellent gnificant good
which invests a
and noble, bat it ne semeb to be ry^t clere and re- man with author-
ity and command.
nomed. f For certis it nedib nat to seie. bat blisful-
nesse be anguissous ne dreri ne subgit to greua?aces ne
to sorwes,syn bat in ryjt litel bmgws folk seken to we
say that happi-
haue and to vsen bat may deliten hem. IT Certys bise ness is not an
unjoyous and
ben be bilges bat men wolen and desyren to geten.
and for bis cause desiren bei rycches. dignites. regnes.
glorie and delices 11 For berby wenen bei to han sum- Hence iu^that
mankind seek
sauftce nonowr power, renou^ and gladnesse. IF banne riches, &c., be-
cause by them
is it goode. bat men seken bus by so many dyuerse [J
now S^ is
J>
c strengpe of nature. IT For how so pat
However"ariou8 m ^n han dyuerse sentences and discordyng algates men
men's opinions
are respecting
accordyn allc in lyuynge pe ende of goode. 1850
agree in pursuing
it as the end of
keeper bounden. and hir maistre first to-teren wip blody tope
falls a victim to
his fury.
assaiep pe woode wrappes of hem. 1F pis is to sein pei
if the caged bird freten hir maister. IF And be laneland brid pat syngib
though daintily
on J
56 ney e braunches. pis is to sein in pe wode and
after is inclosed in a streit cage. IF al pou3 [pat] pe
1870 pleiyng besines of men }euep hem honied[e] drinkes
and large metes, wip swete studie. IT 3it napeles yif
pilke brid skippynge oute of hir streite cage seep pe
she win spurn aOTeable shadewes of be wodes. she defoulep wib hir
her food, and
^ete k"" meties yshad and sekep mournyng oonly pe
wode and twitrip desirynge pe wode wip hir swete
80urce of
a3ein to hir nature ne noon ordinaunce nis bytaken to Jj^
1
n h"
bmges but bat. bat hab ioignynge be endynge to be Sa Se wor!f
and hab makid be cours
. i -I . /> j
ol it sell stable
IP.TT entire stability is
bygynnynge.
J&J found, for ail
things, having
bat it chaungeb nat from hys propre kynde. 1887 ^jJtlJcJjJIe*?^.
turn from whence
VOSQUE TERRENA ANIMALIA. they came.
[The 3de prose.]
* /^Ertis also
36 men bat ben erbeliche bestes dremen
^ alwey [yowre bygynnynge] al bou3 it be wib a
a
5, fej
, . , , . ception of your
.
by
Ve an
8 om e woni or 3^ ^ * n $ Q haboundauiice of alle filk[e] rycchesses
p'^f^maniack' rycchesse
haddest filke lak of suffisaunce. *j[
what
y he
be suprfmeSr e llis quod .1. ^[ fanne may nat rycchesse maken fat a
jKo. man nis nedy. ne bat he be suffisaunt to hym self, and
P. Did you not
inyourabund- jjat was it bat bei byhy^ten
/ J? as it semeb. 1] and eke
ance want for
over right.
From whence
alwey maugre hem. H Kyat so it is quod L fan q^od
il dl S ^ e ^f a man ne(^ e ^ se ke^ hym foreyne helpe by
iuf aS>nSit
mTn s^ek'to're- whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may say nay
bat the lacked som-what 1927 ha\> MS. ha|>e 1934 ha\> MS. habe
1915 fcttrf MS. hadde, C. had owen owne be ben
1917 graunt\_e] graute 1930 strengerfolke by-nymen 1936 ha\> MS. habe
1919 fcab MS. habe strerigere folk by-uo helpe help
a wu^t awht myn 1937 say sey
1IJ21 alle al 1931 fram fro
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES. 71
the very
J>ou wilt answere fat ryche men han y-nouj wher wif
bei may staunchen her, hunger, and slaken her frest aS J!5jp For
riches add to a
and don awey colde. II In bis wise may nede be con- man's
Tell
necessities.
me how do
forted by ne may nat al
rycchesses. but certys nede
any fing }it dwellef fanne a nede fat my3t[e] ben ful-
filled. IT I holde me stille and telle nat how fat litel
1938 nedi\> no kelpe nedede 1946 \>ei the 1957 rychesse Ryehesses
non help colde coold 1960 riuer a Ryuer
1939 my$t[e} myhte in on 1961 alle al
1940 doutles dowteles 1947 wilt answere wolt golde gold
1941 rycchesse Rychesses Answeren litte yit
1943 helpe-help y-nou} y-now s taunchestfmnchyn
whiche whych 1948 \>rest thurst 1962, 1963 Jxw3 thow
1944 rycches Rychesse 1.949 colde coold 1964 erye Ere
dryuen dryue 1950 nat omitted liundre\> hundred
1945 Imngre hungyr 1951 outerly vtrely 1965 while whyl
\>rest thurst 1953 myrtle] ben uiyhtc be
BOOK 3.
72 OF DIGNITIES. PllOSE 4.
habits, they only kednesses. but bei ben wont raber to shew en wikked-
I
sjnius
nonius postum. or boch. as who seip he clepip
1
(
a congregac^ourc of uices in his brest as a postum
t^tch, Sr im.
me
Etate. is ful of corrupczouft. al were pis nonius set in a
1980 chayere of dignitee. Sest pou nat pan how gret vylenye
The deformities dignitees don to wikked men. Certys vnworpines of
*j[
of wicked men .
SnformefP
" decorat is to sevn f at for n -
^
P eril J> at my3 t [ e] bi-
'
No quod .1.
^[ Certys dignitees quod she appertienen
B. i could not do
her
properly to vertue. and uertue transporteb dignite anon
to bilke man to whiche she hir self is conioigned.
IT And for as moche as honowrs of poeple ne may nat Honours confer-
red by the popu-
maken folk digne of honowr. wel seyn lace do not make
it is J J *bat men
clerly
worthy of
bei ne han no propre beaute of dignite. f And jit men
straunge folk "If Certys yif bat honour of poeple were if respect were an
chaufen and *to ben hote. but for as myche as forto [* foi. 17 6.]
opinions of men,
ami vanish when
hir pwpre strengfe of natwe. but only of fe fals[e]
t e of folk, fat is to sein. fat wenen fat dignites
h Jewho S^nof opinioim
maken folk digne of honowr. An on f erfore whan fat
knowew nat f ilke dignites.
f ei comen f er as folk ne
2027 her honowrs vanissen awey and fat on oon. but fat is
DO they always a-mong straung folk, maist fou sein. but amo/zgws
endure in those
places that gave
birth to them ?
hem fat f ei weren born duren f ilk[e] dignites alwey.
The pruBtorate Tf Certys f e dignite of f e prouostrie of Rome was som-
was once a great
bllow a grete power, now is it no fing but an ydel
iti8oni tyme
name, and f e rente of f e senatorie a gret charge, and
what is
than the
more somtyme hadde f e office to taken he[de] to
yif a whi^t
vile
office of the
f e vitailes of f e poeple as of corne and what of er f inges
of provisions? he was holden amonges grete. but what fing is more
That which hath nowe out cast f anne f ilke prouostrie IT And as I haue
no innate beauty
seid a litel here byforne. fat filke fing fat haf no
value according
as popular propre beaute of hym self resceyuef somtyme pris and
opinion varies
concerning it. shinynge and somtyme lesif it by fe opinions of
If dignities can-
not confer esteem,
vsaunces. ^f Now yif fat dignites fanne ne mowen
if they become
vile through
nat maken folk digne of reuerence. and yif fat dignites
filthy shrews, if
they lose their
wexen foule of hir wille by f e filf
e of shrewes. 1F and
change of times, yif fat dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of
worthless by the
tymes. and yif fei wexen foule by estimaczouw of
change of popular
what
opinion,
beauty do they poeple. what is it
fat fei han in hem self of beaute
possess which
should make fat au^te ben desired, as who seif none, fanne ne
them desirable,
or what dignity
can they confer
mowen fei ^iuen no beaute of dignite to none of er. 2047
on others ?
QUA.MUIS SE TIRIO.
[The 4the Metr.]
Nero, though in- A 1 be it so fat f e proude nero wif al his woode luxurie
vested with the
purple and ** kernbed
adorned with hym and apparailed hym wif faire purpers
pearls,was hated
by all men. of Tirie and wif white perles. Algates ^itte throf he
brings felicity,
KE
in wrechednesse. but yif al be it so pat realmes of man- then misery wm
follow if it be de-
power faillep whiche pat makip folk blisful. ry^t on pat misery ai^nl
iiiTfHcnd and
a teie
c\ es whauh~en f e prikkes of drede. and certys }it wolden fei lyuen
is this tiling called
L* foi. is.] *iu sykernesse. but fei may nat. and 3it fei glorifien
cannot do away hem in her power ^[ Holdest f ou fan fat f ilk[e] man
a d
t he m to^ttsT" P OWer
6
J>
at J>
OU 3 men han ^ J>
at J>
ei D6n a g ast ' ^ and
a e iat
thenis p ower, whan fou woldest han it
f ou nart nat siker. IF And
which terrifies its
possessors, and yif jjou woldest iorleten it bou mayst nat eschewen it.
which cannot be
R a
ieaIm-e?
u^
Noad- ^^ wne fir swiche men ben frendes at nede as ben
3
by friend-
conseiled by fortune and nat by vertue. Certys swiche
2081 besines bysynesse hadde ben longe
2083 }it yif 2094 real Eyal 2100 courte court
glorijien gl ory fye 2095 \ofte\- from C. wolde wolden
'
what greater
1
, plague can there
QUI SE UALET ESSE POTENTEM. LiReaduoZei] feethan the
enmity of thy
glorie how deceiuable and how foule is it ofte. for HOW deceptive
and deformed a
Bvtwhiche 1
seide. IF glorie erlorie quod he. bou nart no bing 'UWMM '4 ,
oMf-v ppor&v,
ellys to f ousandes of folkes. but a gret sweller of eres. KSS^fSZ^
formany[e] han had ful gret renouw by f e falsfe] op- serving have been
pinioiw of poeple. and what fing may ben f ou^t fouler fcopiUa/and"
fen swiche preisynge for filk[e] folk fat bew preised whafcan be"'
falsly. bei moten nedes han shame of hir preisynges. than renoun
founded on the
and yif fat folk han gete?i hem fank or preysyng by
her desertes. what fing haf filk pris echid or en- SS
cresed to f e conscience of wise folk fat mesurew hire biu
If a wise man
good, not by be rumour of be poeple. but by be sobe- gets wen-merited
praise it does not
fastnesse of conscience, and yif it seme a fair fing a
man to han encresid and sprad his name, fan folwef
fat syn bcr mot nedes ben many folk to wliiche folk be
1
s- renouft of a man ne may nat comen. it byfalleb bat he
trious names
must be unknown bat *bou wenest be glorious
*
and renomed. semib in be
to the greatest
part of the world. ne xte parties of be erbe to ben wib out glorie. and wib
6 f
tile eoi"
r
is
f
ou ^ renoim ^ an(i certis amowges bise binges I ne trowe
-
6
Is^t Vseidom nat bat be pris and grace of be poeple nis neiber worbi
judicious and -
remembndi ne comeb -i r>
r*foi. i8&.] *to ben of wise mgement. ne is
never permanent.
HOW empty and ferm perdurably. IF But now
name of gentilesse. of bis
transitory are .
titles of nobility! what man is it bat ne may wel seen how veyne ana ,
noble who are ban moten bei nedes be gentil bat ben preysed. i or
iii?fth
* wn^ cne ^ n 8 ^ folweb. bat yif bou ne haue no gentilesse
of ^ self -
J>
at is to sein P ris J>^ come > of f 1 deserte
e f m
?Ee mtrii of foreine gentilesse ne makeb be nat gentil. IF But certis
if there be any yif ber be any goode in gentilesse. I trowe it be in al
good in nobleness
oon ty J" s-
^ ^ semeb as bat a maner necessitee be im-
posed to gentil men. for bat bei ne sholden nat outraien
n
erate or forliuen fro be uertues of hire noble kynrede. 2163
from the virtues
of their ancestors.
2139 foule \>inge fowl thing 2148 ferm ferme 2160 goode good
2140 neand 2149 veyne veyn (2) omitted
byforne byforn 2150 */ yif 2161 maner manere
2141 partiespartye 2154 o/ comth of the
eowaej) 2166 hys hyse
erpe Brthes 2157 whicte which 2167Mr hyse
ow^ owte 2158 pris preys
2145 out owhte }? corath
SENSUAL PLEASURES FULL OF ANXIETY. 79
rKOSE\]
wib membres 'be soules bat comen fro hys heye sete. and aadorned
w ith
the
.sky stars.
ni
noysen 36 or bosten of 3oure eldris
lookre] soure bygyrcnywg.
JbJ J and god 2oure auctowr ana
, ..
1T For yif bou Aii'men
.
, from
'
ous source.
Why then do they
spring
this illustri-
2169 fro hys from hyse 2179 sekenesse sykenesse 2189 [and] from C.
2170 seed sede grete sorwes gret soruwes 2190 [an] from C.
2171 bosten MS. voscen, C. 2180 fruit frut
ha)> MS. ha^c
bosten 2182 had MS. hadde, C. seid MS. seide, C. seyd
2172 ZoofcM loke had 2191 myche mochel
2173 is nis 2183 wil wole 2192 many manye
2176 delices dclites 2184. hys hyse 2196 Euridippus
I
Bury-
body bodye [
2185 sorowful sonvful d.vppys; reodEurjpid.es
2177 antjuisse Angwyssh snry sorye 2197 /tab MS.
2178 grete gret I 2186 make makyu
80 NO HAPPINESS IN EXTERNAL THINGS. PROSE8
[MET/??'
and
t yt
it
ldit '
uicki
a ^e non es i ^ie nee j> awey and styngeb be hertes of hem
bat ben ysmyte wijj bytynge oner longe holdynge. 2202
s
i)o youprefer a euery whi^t shal dispisen be and forleten be as bou bat
voluptuous life? , , .
,. f .
7 , r, , , i -i , -\
Think then that art bral to bing bat is ryat foule ana brutel. bat is to
all men will de-
spise
a thrall to his
him who is
se i n seruauwt to bi body, f Now is it ban wel vseen
above their own IT For mayst bou sourmounten bise olilunt^ in gretnesse
percen f orn^ f e f inges fat wif stonden it. who so lokid ^Swardi o
thy>aa ~
eyen fat loken. IF But preise fe goodes of fi body as Srs!
moche as euer be list, so bat bou knowfel algates bat peJfection's^s
much as you will,
what so it be. bat is to seyn of be goodes of bi body *
yet a three days'
fever will de-
8trov them -
whiche fat f ou wondrest vpon may ben destroied or
dessolued by f e hete of a feuere of f re dayes. 1F Of
fro
r
m the vine n ^ en nat ^uiG gynnes in hey3e mouwtaignes to kachen
fisshe of whiche 30 may maken ryche festes. and yif
upon th lofty
lykef to hunte to roos. 30 ne gon nat to be foordes
The hunter goes
not to the Tyr- of be water bat hyst tyrene. and oner bis men knowen
rhene waters to
e * J36 CI ^es an ^ f e cauernes of f e see yhidd in f e
f
peari?a ndfor the
floodes. and knowen eke whiche water is most plentiuows
fish that yields the , .. , , ,
purple dye. oiand knowen whiche water habundef
white perles.
mortals never knowe where bilkfel goodes ben yhidd whiche bat bei
know, but plunge
into the earth
below to look for
coueiten but ploungen hem in erbe and seken bere
C h
SiTn" hi the
its
fi^ Q goode fat sowrmoimtef heuene fat beref f e fe
hea e
gterres. ^T what *preyere may I make fat be digne to
[* foi. 19 &.]
What doom do the
silly race deserve?
.. ./
be nice bou^tis of men. but I preye bat bei couelte7^
*
I^T -j.
y 1
* IF For qnod I. (b) [I.]
shewew f e Arerray wilfulnesse. .
p1wseed to gil?
ct
of the?Jue. sewel now fat suffisauwce may nat comen by richesse. ne
B. I now see that
there is no suffi-
ciencyinriches.no
power
* by realmes. ne reuereftce by digmtees. ne gentil- JO
power in royalty,
no esteem, in
esse^y oorl or i e n e ioye by delices. and
/
.
/ / (p)
vir/
hast bou wcl
.1. sc hem
quod .1. bat 173 1 as J>ou3 it were J)oru3 a litcl
clifte. but me were leuer knoweu hem more openly of
~. ,
, , t i mr -rt cause of all this,
be.
T Lertys quod she be resouw is al redy I Jbor but i should like
a more distinct
bilk bing bat symply is on bing wib outen ony
diuisiouw. be errour and folie of mankynde departeb
and diuidib it. and misledib it and transporteb from
7 , i P
/-,. ates and divides,
-, , -,
verray ana penit goode. to goodes bat ben false and and reverses the
-i
true order of
inpemt. 11 But seye me bis. wenest bou bat he bat hab things, noes that
bat ber is a
.
bmg
.
bat in
.
i-irii
any partie be neble
o
of power,
That which wants
power needs ex-
ternal aid. B. That
Certis as in bat it mostFe] nedes be nedy of foreine is true Suffi -
! *
L J
ciency and power
what demest bou ban quod she is bat a dirke birig and J^lltiSSmS
ifc
nat noble bat is suffisaurct reue?-ent and my^ty. or ellys
r
bat is ry3t clere a?^ ry3t noble of celebrete of renou/z. mg reputation'?
_. He who is most.
1 Considere ban quod she as we nan grauwtid her by- powerful and
graunten of hym
J self. If So bat for lakke of bilke He that is sum-'
ciently mighty
clerenesse he my3t[e] seme febler on any syde or be
2287 \>ilk thylke 2298 demyst \>ou d(3inesthow 2308 of celebrete by cele-
on o 2299 seine seyn bryte
2290 goode good hte 2310 /tab MS. habe
2291 seyesey 2300 reuerences Reuerence 2312 wMcJie whycii
ha\> MS. habe 2302 nis ryit\* ryht my^t\_e\ myhte
2294 Jieble feblere 2304 alle a"l i
231 1" clerenesse clernesse
2295 most[e] mot 2305 willen wolen mii\t{e\ myhte
2296 helpe help 2306 dirke dyrk febler the febelere
2297 on o 230S clere cler
84 THE UNITY OF TRUE FELICITY.
SK^fti ^ Eut
mot graunten as it is. fat fis fing be ry3t
J
2320 celebrable by clernesse of renou?a and noblesse. IF ban
the three above-
bute
io a
!And ifan
fl we f & quod she fat we addon clernesse of renoiw to
nSdoffioextemli f e f re forseide f inges. so fat f er ne be amonges hem
aid, can have all he
wants, and is iiius- no
..,
difference. and
7 .
ditionver
hi 8
a ree- ^ n^ f an ^^ sne f a* ne ^ af no nede of HO foreine
bl a t?
B icannot con- " ^ aw<^ f a ^ may don alle jjinges by
5 1 his strong J>es.
ceive how such a
one can have grief
J
and
,-II-FI 11-
and honourable, nis
bat is noble nat bat a myrie
or trouble. P. It
must then be a
state of happiness; *
,j n cr an d a ioyful.
J lotce. but wenest auod I bt any
d e
affi rm tffiuffi. sorow my3t[e] comen to fis Jjing fat is swiche. IT Certys
ndbluity^dTffer I may nat binke. P. IF banne moten we grauntfel quod
only in name, but
2330 she fat f is f ing be ful of gladnesse yif f e forseide finges
nop!irtSheyini ss f inge fan qwod she fat is oon and simple in his nature.
the entire thing
[*foi. 20.] be
-111
wikkednesse
f
of
i
men departib^-. *T T, -L
it *dmidib it. and
.
which they so r
much desire. whan f ei enforcen hem to gete partie of a f ing fat ne
2338 haf no part, fei ne geten hem neif er f ilk[e] partie fat
B. HOW is that? nis none, ne be bing al hole bat bei ne desire nat. .b.
P. He that seeks
avod vcy is
- wn i ne manere qiiod .1. p. filke man quod, she fat
n
ab,>ut powen he sekef rychessG to fleen pouerte. he ne trauaylef hym
and obscurity, and nat to for to gete power for he hab leuer ben dirk and
denies himself
and eke wif drawcf from hym selfe many naturel
.
n
delit} for he nolde lesen fe moneye fat
he haf as-
2315 seyne seyn 2331 also certys certes also 2341 rychesse Rychossos
2317 hab MS. habe 2333 /tab MS. habe fleen MS. sleen, C. Hen
2321
2325
^p MS. ha>e 2331
2335
ncdely nedly 2312 leiiei
2313 vile vyl
leuer
his hyse \>inge thing
2326 myrie rnery 2337 cjcte geten selfe self
2327 wenest vvhennes 233S \a\> MS. habe 2311 dclity delices
2328 sorow my$t[_e} sorwe |'/7/,-i^] thilke lexen Icse
invlid 23:5! none non //*) MS. habe
2 ;2i> linli' -hoo]
2331 2310 whicke whych
?$!!%.] OF FALSE FELICITY. 85
sein. al oon fing. who so fat euer sekef to geten fat 3S"rJ
oon of fise and nat fat ofer. he ne getef nat fat he ^H
desiref. Botce. IF what seist
f ou fan yif fat a man 2
coueitcf to geten alle fise finges to gider. P. Certys
SiJjfy^ut can
she .1. wolde seie fat he wolde geten hym soue-
. quisitions above
reyne blisfulnes. but bat snal ne nat lynde in bo binges mentioned, which
do not perform
fat haue shewed fat ne mo we nat $euen fat f ei by-
.1.
Jjjjj^
heten. boice. Certys no qwod .1. IF fan quod she ne f; ThenlKroi-
, t i i p ness is not to be i
sholden men nat by no weye seken blysiulnesse in sought in these
things which are
swiche binges as men wenen bat bei ne mowe falsely supposed
capable of satisfy-
flitte
f e eyen of f i f ou$t. for fere shalt f ou seen an oon perceive
bilk verray blysfulnesse bat I haue byhyat bee. I. jsT/uTveVy clear,
and 1 had a com-
Certys qiiod .1. it is cler and opyn. f 0113 fat it were to
m
JjjJJ^JJ^! \\-
J'SfSi^rt CM*
mv nurry ^uod she ^y J^ 8 oppiniouft quod, she I
|
m n
whlt isthat? se yW > at f 011 ^
Wisful yif pou putte pis per to
pat I
snal seine - is wnat
pat qwod .1 1T Trowest pou pat
ihis world can
be
,
-,
in
, ,1 11, .
TT
confer this happi-
per any ping pis erpely mortal toumblyng pingea
^ at may t)i
y nSei1 ^ estat - Certys quod. I trowe it nat.
and J*
011 hast snewecl
pat ouer pilke goode per me wel
te f
perfe?tSn
is no ping more to ben desired. P. pise pinges pan
'
P. These imper- , .
, .
J
.
feet things above
mentioned only
qwoi she. pat is to seyne erpely sumsaunce and power.
of "hi supreme
and swiclie f in ges eyper pei semen likenesse of verray
g ode seme > f at f ei 3 euen to mor tal folk a
- or elly s {i
iness.
happness. goode pat is verray and pernt. pat may pei nat 3euen.
'
know.
^ ce ! accorde me wel quod. .1.
-
pan qwod she for as
moche as pou hast knowen whiche is pilke verray blis-
must now leam* fulnesse. and eke whiche bilke binges ben bat lien
where to look for
wib outen hvm nis ber no bmg founden ary?t. bou seist Maker of heaven
and earth, by
a-ry^t quod she. and bygan on-one to syngen ry3t bus.
isgoverned, and
by whose supreme
O QUI PERPETUA.
flows from the
aundist be tymes for to gon from tyme bat age naa|_dej reign win to float-
2437 owen C. omits 2448 \fhow] from C. 2460 souereyne goode soue-
2438 tournfy MS. tcwrni)>e 2449 bry^tnes bryhtnesse reyn good
2439 euenl>/k euene lyke 2451 pa\> MS. paj^e paath
;
be founden ben fownde
2440 lwt[e] lyhte 2452 [\>af] that 2461 veyne veyn
2412 benigne bygyrmynge 2453 whiche which [prood 2iH3 IpisistoseyneC. oinits
2414 yif yiue 2454 -55-56-58-59 goode 21(51 denoyed VL&. deuoyd-
\>i streite the strcyte 24 ")i tvhiclie whych <(!, C. denoyed
'
2145 \1iyni\- from C. 24.57 set MS. sette, C. set goode u'ood
2400 seine scyii I 210f> of MS. of of
3
GOD THE SUPREME GOOD. 89
PKOSE k]
her of comef it. fat in euery f ing general, yif fat. fat say that a thing
,;^
mot ben sowme fing fat is perfit. f For yif so
f er - . , Nature takes not
be bat perfemoun is don awey. men mav nat finke her origin from
things diminish-
nor seye fro whennes filke fing is fat is cleped inperfit.
biizgu* fat ben al hool. and absolut. and descendef so things, if there
be an imperfect
douno in to outerest f inges and in to fingw* empty and
wif oute fruyt. but as I haue shewed a iitel her byforne.
bat yif ber be a blisfulnesse bat be frele and vein and thfcfeiidty
sides. That God is
b. concludid
Mnessefatissadstedfastawdperfit. f is is
^|
qwod I fermely and sofefastly. But cowsidere %$ P.
,,.,., IT-., . conceived better
also quod. she in wham fis blisiulnesse enhabitef. fe 2482
may nat ben prince of alle f inges. for certis som fing
,/. r>., i 111-1 and who must
possessyng in hym self perfit goode sholde ben more have existed
before Him. And
fan god. and sholde seme fat filke fing were first
[it] J
and elder fan god. For we han shewed apertly fat
If
alle f inges fat ben pe/-fit. ben first or f inges fat ben in-
, r .
-, may no
not run on
perfit. ^T And for bi for as moche as that my resou?^ with infinity,
we must confess
or my proces ne go nat awey wif oute an ende. we Q
ft
feetand consum-
at g
if ou think that
souerey ne goode. [In whych manure quod I.J wenest
Ssgood from
n
ed
r
)>
ou OU3* ^^ she f at fis prince of alle binges haue
mast"eiieve tff ytake bilke souereyne good any where ban of hym self.
the giver of this . .
2508 1T
wnicne souereyne goode men proueb bat he is ful
f
hym
,
sell, and
_ i *n i i>
bat like blisiulnesse bat
<> i j"inymis in
eluded that there
is nothing more were diuers in substaunce. ^F For yif bou wene bat
excellent than
& ^ aue receyue(i filke good oute of hym self, bou
substance, we
cannot conceive,
the
fi
an ^ 3
J
^ T^ ^S^^J lp^ g 0(i ^s r y^ worbi abouen alle
fmges. [
And yif so be bat bis good be in hym by
differing one from nature, but bat it is diuers from [hym] by wenyng
e88eiitfair
hi
diffen'
resouw> syn we s P e ^ e f g 0(i prince of alle binges feyne
notbe the^aine
11 "
w^ so fey ne may. who was he bat [hath] cowioigned
bise diuers binges to-gidre. and eke at be last[e] se
consequently/ wel bat o bing bat is diuers from any bing. bat bilke
what in its nature
2522 bing nis nat bat same bing. fro whiche it is vndir-
m
chiefgood cannot stondew to ben diuers. ban folweb it. bat bilke Iping bat
be the supreme
mSTn
can
felonous corsednesse to binken bat of hym. bat no bing
worth. nis more worbe. For alwey of alle binges, be natwre
posed. and I see wel bat it folweb by strengbe of rbe sums follow from
your premises.
premisses, ^f Loke nowe quod she yif bis be proued
neither of them
ben wont to
LI .,. 1 . Supreme Divinity
brynge?>, in binges bat bei
clepen ponsmes are one and the
, , ., T . -, , . same. Following
or declarac^ou7^s ot lorseide binges, ryn
J so wil I 2eue ->
then the examples
of geometricians
be here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune. For wlii. who deduce their
consequences
for as moche as by be getynge of blisfulnesse men ben
maked blysful. and blisfulnesse is diuinite. ^[ ban is somethmg^ke a
corollary as fol-
it manifest and open bat by be gety/zg of diuinite men io\vs:-Becauseby
the attainment of
ben makid blisful. ry$t as by be getynge of iustice . . .
and ^J 1>
Q 8 e ^J nS of sapience pei ben maked wise.
so nedes by pe semblable resowz whaw pei ban getyn
of Divinity men .. .
. . .
are made happy, diuniite pei ben maked todays, ban is euery blisiul
But as by the par-
man d< ^ -^ ut cer^ s % nature, per nys but oon god.
but ty J>
e paHicipac-i'ouws of diuinite fere ne lettep ne
I 1 ty
theymu8t n ece8- disturbep no ping bat per ne ben many goddes. 1f bis
sarily, and by . .
vine essence there ban is be bing bat by resouw snolde ben added to bise
may be manygods.
f rse ide finges. what Jring quod .1. So quod sbe as
^f
a y
w! it
seme)? pat blisfulnesse contenip many pinges. it were
not to consider f .
., , . .
r, .
-,
,, . . _ . ,
whether these lorto witen wlicbir bat alle bise binges maken or
several things
11 con iignen as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite
Si the tody of
2574 of parties or [of] membris. Or ellys yif any of alle
whether there ia bilke bmgws be swvche bat it acomplisc by hym self be
not some one of
P c
substaunce of blisfulnesse. so pat alle pise oper pinges
twngs Say
e
sunce S
essence" ^en referred and bro^t to blisfulnesse. pat is to seyne
of it, and to which
aii the rest have a
I-OPT
as to be cniei oi hem.
mr T
wolde qwod 1 bat bou
1
i -i IT,
relation ?
B. illustrate
this matter by
makedest me clerly
J to vndirstonde what bou seist. and
me pe forseide pinges. ^f
^ f 011 recor dest
31 Haue I nat
powerTk'eTise
seide pinges. t For pilke same blisfulnesse pat is
h r a im "
ing re putati on! denied to ben souereyne sumsaunce. pilke self is
and perfect
pleasure, what souereyne power, souereyne reuerence. souereyne cler-
considered
8
^ ^ P an of alle pise pinges. pat is to seyne. suffisance power
or are and bise ober binges, ben bei ban as membris of blisful-
they to be referred
to the sovereign nesse. or ben bei
" referred and brou^t to souereyne good.
good as their
?
as alle pinges pat ben broa^t to pe cliief of hem.
principal
^f And swiche is
f e natwre of parties or of membris.
pat dyuerse mewbris compounen a body, ^f Certis
T>1
it nab
..
, ,
wel ben shewed her byforne. bat
-i/. well shown that
q uod 1 alle Tbise ail these things
are the same and
f inges ben alle on f ing. fan ben f ei none membris qwod thereforfthel- are
she. for elly's it sholde seme fat blisfulnesse were theV'weVVham.i-
* al of one membre alone, but bat is a
conioigned bircg ness might be
made up of one
fat may nat ben doon. fis fing quod .1. nys nat member which
doutous. but I abide to herkene fe remenaunt of fe
question?*. fis is open and clere qitod she. fat alle ofer
7 . , __ T1 P. All the thinirs
binges ben referred ana brou^t to goode. IF Jbor per- above-mentioned
must be tried by
fore is suffisaunce requered. For it is denied to ben 2607
e "
good, and power requered. for men trowen also 2SiJe.
forfi is
_ Sufficiency,povvcr, . .
bat it be goode. and bis same fbmg mowe we 'binken and &c., are an desir-
* ed, because they
coueiten of reuerence and of noblesse and of delit. fan
is souereyne good fe soume and f e cause of alle fat thh
amtJ|--IT
e I be
T IP i i "ii i "i i t i
desired, forwhi bilke bmcj bat wib-holdeb no
-i
For that which
contains no good,
either in reality or
good in it self ne semblaunce of goode it ne may nat appearance, can
never be desired.
wel in no manere be desired ne requered. and fe con-
trarie. For f 0113 fat f inges by hir nature ne ben nat
goode algates yif men wene bat r
r bei bew goode nt ben real goods.
Hence, Good is
LMKT. 10.
Not the gold of bred and deceyued wif worldly affecc^ourcs comef now
Tagus or of Her-
mus, nor the
of India,
to fis souereyne good fat is god. fat is refut to hem fat
gems
can clear the
mental sight from wolen come to hyni. Textus. ^f Alle f e finges fat f e
vain delusions,
but rather ryuere Tagus 3iuef ^ow wif his golden[e] grauels. or
darken it.
Such sources of hermws. 3iuef wif his
ellys alle f e f ynges fat f e ryuere
our delight are
found in the rede brynke. or fat yndus 3iuef fat is nexte f e hote
earth's gloomy
caverns,
but the bright pariiQ of fe worlde. fat medelef fe grene stones
light that rules
the heavens (smaragde) wif fe white (margarits). ne sholde nat
dispels the dark-
ness of the soul. cleren f e lokynge of 3oure f o^t. but hiden raf er 3oure
He who has seen
this light will
blynde corages wif i/me hire dirkenesse IF Alle fat
confess that the
beams of the sun
are weak and dim. likef 3ow here and excitif and moeuef joure f ou3tes.
2R24 moeuynrj moeuynge 2634 so\>e soth 2645 come comyn
262fi [nafl rirom C. 2635 mowe mowen 2646 (jolden[_e\ grauels
2623 o}>er oothre 2636 set MS. sette, C. set goldene srraunylcs
2630 clerely clerly 2638 wicked[e] wyckyde 2647 bynr/es MS.'rynges, C.
good and blisfulnesse of 2639, 2640 here hpr thinges
good and of blysfulnesse 2640 hauene MS. heuene, hermits MS. herinws, C.
2631 none oon C. hauene herynus
232 myit[_eri} xnyhten 2641 al oone allonfi 2648 nexie noxt
2634 oon oo 2643 worldly worldely 2G49 worlde world
?2oSE
8
ii.]
MEN D0 NOT SEEK TRUE ELICIT Y 95
bo erbe hab noryshed it in hys lowe caues. but 'be B. i assent, and
am convinced by
good or no? [[
ban mayst bou graunt[en] it quod she by sembleable
/.'. It Is SO.
thS themselves by alle binges he sholde seen bat wib outen doute euery
lose their
existence. binge
'
is in his substaunce as longe as it is oon. and
B. I believe we
SwSeverycase
wnan ^ forletib to ben oon it dieb and perissib. boice.
ttiing wiuchTcts whan I considre quod I many binges I see noon ober.
naturally that for- -,.
goes this desire of IF
T
Is ber
,
any
1-1
bing banne quod
f
i i t
she bat in as moche as
^
existence and . ..
death it lyueb naturely. bat forletib be appetit or talent of
^for
2751 fren harm / and thus certes may stow wel sen / how gret is
pa^tin?p{antT the diligence of nature / For alle thinges renouelen and
by a multiplicity
of seeds, which
pupllisen hem with seed . I. -multiplyed / ne ther ms no man
8
t ever* edyficefor to duren / nat only for a tyme / but ryht asforto
duren perdurablely by generacyouw // and the thinges ek
most suitable to .
the'
rJ ht faste and narde / and deffenden hem in withstond-
paYtTdefo;
tSnS^uchaaSr enge fat they ne departe nat lyhtly a twyne // and the
siiy Sarated aiid
thinges fat ben softe and fletynge as is water and Eyr
soon reunited.
2771 they departyn lyhtly // and yeuen place to hem fat
utterf/refusesany brekyn or deuyden hem // but natheles they retornerc
such division. I
am not now treat- sone avein in to the same thinges fro whennes they ben
ing of thevolun-
arraced //but fyr [fleeth] and refuseth alle deuysyourc/
ne I. ne trete nat heere now of weleful moeuynges of the
stinct. We swal- .. .
,
_ .-. ,
low our meat with- sowle bat knowynge // but ol the naturel entenciou?z
is
out thinking of it,
and we draw our O f thinees // As thus rvht as we swolwe the mete bat we
breath in sleep ' /
not derived from o wre breth in slepyngo fat we wite it nat whil we slepy t //
an intellectual ,t i n i i *
will,but from For certes in the beestys the loue ol hyr lyuynges ne ol
natural principles
2781 hyr beeinges ne comth nat of the wilnynges of the sowle //
implanted
ni^ e
will, induced by
^^^
tyaynnyiLgis of nature // For certes thorw
,
_
powerful reasons,
constreynynge causes /
wil desireth and embraceth iul
ten "
this charite and this Loue J?at euery thing hath to hym
ne comth nat of the moeuynge of the sowle
self
pumyance
/ but of
ni
01god
created things an
instinct, for the
purpose of self-
hat yeuen to thinges j)at ben creat of hym / this bat is
oon // .1. assente quod .1. // and I haue shewyd quod she p\ unitVthen is
a
that thilke same oon is thilke that is irood // B // ye for- a. IS?*
P. Thus all
sothe quod I. // Alle thinges thanne quod
1 she requyren things desire good
and it is one
good //
And thilke good thanne [bow] maist descryuen 2813
ryht thus // Good is thilke thing bat euery wyht de- that au creatures
j\n
turn the inner
J
oi his inward syhte //
And lat hym gadere ayem en-
eoui itself.
clynynge in to a compas the longe moeuynges of hys
The knowledge thowhtes '/ And lat hym techen his corage that he hath
that he seeks
enc l se(l an d hyd / in his tresors / al fat he compaseth or
sekithfrowMowte// And thanne thilke thing that the
2841 blake cloude of errour whilom hadde y-couered / shal
The light of Truth lyhtcn more clerly thawne phebw.s hym self ne shy neth //
G1 Sa // Wn S W le Sekei1 the de P[ e] g^OUnde / of SOth
i n n i g thowht / and wol nat be deceyuyd by false pro-
]
posiciouws / that goon amys fro the trouthe // lat hym wel
examine / and rolle vfith inne hym self the nature and
2847 the propretes of the thing // and lat hym yit eft sones
examine and rollen his thowhtes by good deliberaciouw
or that he deme // and lat hym tcchen his sowle that it 2849
hat hy naturel pryncyplis kyndeliche y-hyd with in
it self alle the trowthe the whiche he ymagynith to ben [Chaucer's gloss ]
for elles demen ye of yowre owne wyl the ryhtes whan 2861
ye ben axed // but yif so were fat the noryssynges of were not truth
resoim ne lyuede .I.-plowngyd in the depthe of yowre
herte // this [is] to seyn how sholden men demen f e
sooth of any thing fat weere axed / yif ther neere a
Eoote of sothfastnesse fat weere yplowngyd and hyd in 2866
the naturefl] pryncyplis / the whiche sothfastnesse
2863 deptlieH.. depe 2867 nature[l~\ II. imtztrello I 2879 ZooA-[c] looke
28(34 [*] from II. 2875, 2877 lost[e\ loste |
2880 Jirstcfyrst
sholden H. slmldc 2878 burden burdciie
)K 3.
rnooi
102 THE WORLD GOVERNED BY GOD. [PROSE 12.
[PROS
J>
ou ne shalfr remembren pilke ping Jjat
meMs SntbSe trowe pat I haue lytel more to done, pat pou my3ty of
2883 whiche which 2892, 2894 worlde world 2902 fur\>e forth
gouerment gouernement 2893 answere answeren ordinee moeuynge ordene
worlde wordyl 2894 many manye moeuynges
2885 wist[_e\ wiste 2895 my^ten myhte 2904 \>ere ther
2887 pleynely pleynly 2896 \>ere ther stedfast stidefast
2888 here byforne her by- many\e\ manye 2905 ordeyned\je} ordeynedo
forn 2897 \diuerse\-from C. disposed ^e~\ disponede
2889 worlde is world nis hire hir 2907 whiche which
2890 }Ute doute yit ne 2898 most[e'] moste ben be
dowte 2900 \>ere ther ylad MS.yladdc, C. I-ladd
nil nel contened\_e] contenedc 2908 worde word
2892 wot MS. wotc, C. wot IM\> MS. habe folke foolk
3
PROSE 'l2.] GDD IS ALL-SUFFICIENT. 103
fmges
For if lie should,
-i
language ; so that
wickedly f e f ingus fat touchen goddes gouernaunce we
au 3 tew ^ en asshamed of oure self. As I fat seide god
obSons^he
govem"
mint! refusef oonly fe werkes of men. and ne entremetif nat
e
p. You iiave read of hem. p. fou hast wel herd quod she be fables of be
the Poets' fables,
2966 poetes. how fe geauntes assailden fe heuene wif fe
stored hSn- goddes. but for sof e f e debonaire force of god
disposedFe]
how they were re-
pulsed and hem so as it was worbi. bat is to seyne distroiedfel be
punished accord-
delerts^lutmay geauntes - as ^
was WOrfi. ^ But wilt fOU fat W6
6 e
ou r reasTn^ to- ioygnen togedre filke same rescues, for perauenture of
gether, for by so ., . , , /, .
doing some clear swiche coJlluncc^ou?^ may sterten vp some faire sperkele
spark of truth may
ahine forth ? o f sof e IF Do quod I as f e list, wenest fou quod she
2943 realme Reaume C. aiiaylen 2960, 2963 autfen owliten
seme semen hym hem 2961 seyne seyn
2945 \>ere ther \>ere ther 2965 of hem of it
2947 gonea^eyne goonayein 2952 wol vvole herd MS. herde, C. herd
.
,
.
but he quod she bat is al my^ty bere nis no bing bat he if he is ai-
as a couenable ante,
,,.... bat is to seyne bat no wyu nis
.
perfection of
happiness; and,
hence, thou didst
blisful. but yif he be good al so ber wib and seidest infer that nobody
could be happy
eke bat be forme of goode is be substaunce of god. and nk
of blisfulnesse. and seidest bat bilke same oone is bilke
The Thracian hadde ry^t greet sorowe for f e deef of hys wijf. aftir fat
poet, consumed
with grief for he hadde maked by hys wepely songes f e wodes meue-
the loss of his wife,
sought relief from able to rennen. and hadde y maked f e ryueres to stonden
music. His
mournful songs
drew the woods stille. and maked fe hertys and hyndes to ioignen
along; the rolling
rivers ceased to dredles hir sides to cruel lyourcs to herkene his songe.
flow the savage
;
beasts became and had[de] maked fat fe hare was nat agast of fe
heedless of their
prey the timid
;
hounde whiche fat was plesed by hys songe. so fat
hare was not
aghast at lie t
hound. But the whane f e mostfe] ardaunt loue of hys wijf brende f e
300i \>e \>inge the the thing 3013 seyne seyn 3022 bonde boncles
3005 lifte yift 3014 ittte vit 3023 [orpheus] from C.
some tyme prayden o\>er ootnre somtyme whi om
1
entrailes of his brest. ne fe songes fat hadde oner songs that did all
things tarae.could
not allay tlieir
comeii alle finges ne my^ten nat assuage hir lorde master's ardent
love. He bewailed
orpheus. IF He pleyned[e] hym of f e godes fat werew the cruelty of the
gods above, and
cruel to hym. he wente hym to f e houses of helle and descended to
Pluto's realm.
But we will lay his ditco. but we wil putter a lawe in bis. and eouen-
this injunction
at til ne ^ e Out f
u 8 he
cast 'a fcelle yif lie loke byhynden hym |Jat] hys wijf shal
backward look.* . ,
_. . . , . ,
But, who shall comew aaeine to vs IT but what is he bat may seue a
give a lover any
law ? Love is a lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe and a strengere to
greater law than
sovereign Good, ^ow alle who so euer desirep or sekib to lede his Jjou^te
.
conie?i bat he fycche hys eyen in to J>e put[te] of helle.
imparted Good. J>at
is to seyne who so settej) his bou^tes in er]>ely
binges, al bat euer he ha]? drawen of J?e
noble good
hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere and so shew- true light have
!
fo[r]}eten hem for [the] sorwe of J)e wronge fat haf ben Through the op-
pression of grief
I had forgotten
don to me. }it naf eles f ei ne were nat alouterly vn- these truths, but
was not wholly
knowen to me. but f is same is namly a gret cause of ignorant of them.
The principal
my sorwe. fat so as f e gouernoure of finges is goode. cause of my
trouble is this
yif fat yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif that, whilst the
absolute Ruler of
all things is good-
fat yuelys passen wif outen punyssheinge. f e whiche ness itself, evil
exists and is al-
f inge oonly how worfi it is to ben wondred vpon. foil lowed to pass un-
punished. This,
considerest it weel fi self certeynly. but 3itte to f is to say the least, is
astonishing.
f ing fere an of er f ing y-ioigned more to ben ywon- 3097
is
dred vpon. ^[ For felonie is emperisse and flowref ful of Moreover, while
vice flourishes
virtue is not only
rycchesse. and vertues nis nat al oonly wif outen medes. unrewarded, but
trampled under
but it is cast vndir and fortroden vndir f e feet of fe- foot by base and
profligate men,
lonous folk, and it
abief fe towrmewtes in sted of and suffers the
puniShment due
wicked felourcs Of
whiche f ing f er nis no wy$t to impiety.Here
^f al[le] is cause for
wonderment,
fat [may] merueyllen ynou} ne compleyne fat swiche since such things
are possible under
f inges ben don in f e regne of god fat alle f inges woot. the government of
an omniscient and
and alle finges may and ne wool
nat but only goode
who wills nothing
omnipotent God,
but what is the
f inges. ^[ fan seide she fus. certys quod she fat were best.
a grete meruayle and an enbaissynge wif outen ende. 3107
P. It were in-
and wel more horrible fan alle monstres yif it were as deed, not only
marvellous, but
also horribly
f on wenest. fat is to sein. fat in fe ry^t ordeyne house monstrous, if, in
the well-regulated
of so mochel a fader and an ordenour of meyne. fat f e family of so groat
a master, the
vesseles fat ben foule and vyle sholde ben honoured worthless vessels
should be
and heried. and fe precious uesseles sholde ben de- honoured ami the
precious ones be
despised : but it
fouled and vyle. but it nis nat so. For yif f e finges isnot so. For if
30S5 seid MS. seide, C. seid 3095 binge thing 3103 [may] from C.
[me] from C. 3097 \>ere ther 3104 don MS. done, C. doon
3086 fi the ben y wondred be won- 3105 wool wole
3087 mowe mowen di-yd goode good
3088 som tyme whilom 3098 flowrelp MS. folwet>, 3107 grete gret
3089 [they from C. C. flowrith enbaissynge enbasshhure
wronge wrong 3099 ryccJiesseRy chesses 3108 alle al
Tia\> MS. habe vertues vertu 3109 ordeyne house ordenee
3090 don MS. done, C. don wi]> outen with owte hows
were weeren 3101 in sted in stide 3111,3113 vyle vyl
3091 nattily namely 3102 wicked wikkede 3112 hericd he h'eryed
3092 goode good sholde sholdeu
3094 wfy outen with owte \>ing thinges 3113 he tho
110 rBOOK 4.
VIRTUE NEVER GOES UNREWARDED. L.VIET, i.
the conclusions
fat I haue concluded, a litel here byforne ben kept hoole
we have come to,
be sound and
irrefi arable, we and vnraced. f ou shalt wel knowe by f e auctorite of
must confess that
under God's rule god. of f e whos regne I speke fat certys f e good[e]
the good are al-
ways powerful folk ben alwey my^ty. and shrewes ben alwey yuel and
and mighty, and
the wicked weak
and contemptible;
feble. ne f e vices ben neuere mo wif outen peyne i ne
that vice never
passes unpunish- f e vertues ne nat ben wif outen mede. and fat blisful-
ed, nor virtue goes
\in rewarded; that nesses comen
alwey to goode and infortnne come])
folke.
happiness attends
good men, and
misfortune falls alwey to wicked folke. IF And
f ou shalt wel knowe
to the lot of the
wicked. These many[e] J>inges of f is kynde fat sholle cessen f i pleyntes.
and many other
truths of like and stedfast f e wif stedfast saddenesse. IF And for f ou
nature shall be
proved to thee, hast seyn f e forme of f e verray blisfulnesse by me fat
and shall put an
end to thy com- And f ou hast knowen
plaints, and [haue] somtyme I-shewed it f e.
strengthen thee
with firmness and in whom blysfulnesse f inges I treted fat I
is set. alle
Having
solidity.
shown you a pic- trowe ben nessessarie to put[te] furf e IF I shal shewe
ture of true felici-
and wherein
f e. f e weye fat shal brynge f e a^eyne vnto f i house
ty, it
resides,! shall now
trace out the way
which will lead and I shal ficche fef eres in f i f ou^t by whiche it may
you to your home.
I will give your
arysen in hey^te. so fat al tribulaciourc don awey. f ou
soul wings to soar
aloft, so that
tribulation being
all
by my gidyng & paf e and by
by my my sledes shalt
removed,you may, mowen retourne hool and sounde in to centre. 3132
under my guiding, ])i
by my road, and
with my vehicle,
return whole and
sound into your SUJVT ETENIM PENNE. ET CETERA.
own country.
(The fyrste
metwr.] Haue for sof e swifte fef eres fat surmouwten f e hey3t
I have nimble
wings that enable I of f e heuene whan f e swifte f ou^t ha]) closed it self.
the mind to rise
from earth to
heaven, to leave
in fo feferes it
dispise]) fe hat[e]ful erfes. and sur-
the clouds behind,
to pass the region mour^te]) J)e hey^enesse of ])e greet[e] eyir. and it
seif fe
of perpetual flame,
and to reach the cloudes by-hynde hir bak and passe]) ])e hey^t of ])3
etarry mansion,
journeying either regioura of _fe
fire
fat eschaunf by fe swifte moeuyng of
by Phoebus'
3139 fe firmament, til
fat she a-reisif hir in til
fe houses fat
3114 here byforne her by- 3124 seyn MS. seyne, C. 3132 sounde sownd
forn seyn 3133 heyrf of J
kept MS. kepte, C. kept 3125 \haue~]from C. heyhte of heuene
3116 good[e\ goode somtyme whilom 3134 ha\> MS. habe
3117 alwey (2) feble al- 3126 set MS. sette, C. I-set 3136 hey^enesse eyir
wey owt cast and feble 3127 puttfelfurbe putten Rovmdnesse of the grete
3118, 3119 wi\> outen with forth ayr
owte 3128 weyewey sei\> seth
3119 vertues vertuus brynge bryngen 3137 Mr his
3122 many{_e\ matiye \>i house thin hows 3138 fire Fyr
sholle cessen shollen 3129 ficche fycchen eschauji]) MS. eschaufibe
cesen 3130 arysen areysen 3139 she he
8123 stedfast stedfast don MS. done, C. ydou hir hym
strengthyn the with 3131 pa\>e paath
stidfast shalt mowen shal inowe
HOOK 4.n
VICE IS ALWAYS PUNISHED. Ill
MET. l.J
circuler moeuyng of [the] sonne. and yif fi weye ledef If you at length
shall arrive at
f e a3eyne so fat f ou
be brou3t f ider. fan wilt f ou seye this abode, you
will say this is
fere nis
Jjing ]?at may
no
be don. for yif Jmt wil lakkejj
if either be want- here nys no wyat bat vndirtakeb to done bat he wol not
ing, nothing can
be effected. A man d on an(i and
yif power r *be wille nis but in ydel
fayleb
.
can do nothing * * *. . ,
*
faiieththewiiiis wyat bat wolde getew bat he may nat geten. bou mayst
of no effect.
Hence, if you see nat douten bat power ne fayleb hyw to haue^ bat he
a person desirous
3191 wolde. IF bis is open and clere quod I. ne it may nat
of getting what -i i -i T -i r> ,
he cannot procure, ben denycd in no manere. and yif bou se a wyst quod
you are sure he
lacks power to
obtain it.
she. bat hab
*
don bat he wolde don 'bou nilt nat douten
anotner'downat f a^ ^ e ne naf nad power to done it. no quod. I. and in
do/canySdoubt fat. fat euery wy3t may. in fat fat men may holden
3166 _ nesse 3189 mayst MS. mayste,
3171 ~good{e\ goode 3178 goodegood C. mayst
strangle] stronge 3180 oon oo 3191 clere cler
3172 desert dishert wil (2) wole 3192 dem/ed denoycd
3173 eueryche euerich 3185-6 \>ere ther 3193-4 ha\> MS. hnpe
3175 goode good 3185 don MS. done, C. don 3193 don (both) MS. done,
3176 stedfast stidefast 3186 done don C. doon
3177 freelnesse frulennsse 3187 wille wil 3194 had MS. hadde, C. had
stedfastnesse stidefast- 3188 come]? coraht done doon
4
ruos E 2.]
TIIE IMPOTENCY OF THE WICKED. 113
ben feble. I confesse it wel quod I. Remembrif fe quod liable todo, and
weak in relation
she bat 1. haue gadred and shewed by forseide resourcs to what he is un-
able to perform.
folk fan quod she goode and eke badde enforcen hem
wif oute difference of entenc?'ou^ to come/a to goode. And'Tus certain
that when men
is a uerray consequence quod I. and certeyne is quod obtain good they
fat
she fat by f e gety?ig of goode ben men ymaked goode. 3212
... i T mr , ^ - . JS. It 18 most
fis iscerteyne quod. 1 fan geten goode men fat f ei
1. certain.
desiren. so semeb it auod I. but wickedfe] folk quod then, pet what
they desire P
she yif fei geten fe goode fat fei desires fei [ne] J {5^^^^.
mo wen nat ben wicked, so is it quod .1. IT fan so as they om^no
fat oon and fat of er [quod she] desiren good, and f e B. it is so.
goode folk geten good and nat be wicked folk ban both parties
IF *
pursue the good,
iiis it no doute fat f e goode folk ne ben my^ty and f e
wicked folk ben feble. ^ who so fat euer quod I
_ . , ., powerful, and tliat
douteb of bis. he ne may nat eonsidre be nature of the wicked are
weak and feeble ?
pwrpos by kynde. and fat one of hem pwrsuef and per- ofthima, orare
incapable of com-
formeb bilke same binge by nature! office, and bat ober prehenmng the
force of any
ne may nat done filk naturel but folwef by
office,
wey byforne hem. and is so grete fat vnnef it may be natural promnt-
is
.
-,
he fat coueitef
desired, but un-
.!_
it accomplished,
the less is the
and may nat acomplisse. *|f And forfi philosophic seif power
of him that
e.
strengf
because they are
vices, nis it nat for fat fei ne knowen nat fe goodes. ignorant of good?
astray by inst and ana couetise ouerbroweb hem mysturned. and certis
covctousness ?
e
8
weak min!i men
so ^J distemperaunce
( ) to feble men. bat ne mowe/i nat
e e d
by inIe m P eS e, wrastle a3eins be vices f Ne knowen bei nat ban wel
01
resist Vicious bat bei forcletcn be good wilfully. ewc# turnen hem vil-
they wiiiingW de- fully to vices. ^[ And in bis wise bei ne forleten nat
they^aveJnf
Se 3rn ^ f 6 care yne f a man ^& were a ^ Q ^ man -
theyabsoiuteiy holdeb ordre and kepib nature, bilk bing is and hab
exists that pre-
beynge. but bat bing bat faileb of bat. bat is to seyne
00" ^e f at ^O1'l et i]3 naturel ordre he for-letib bilk beyng
'
S&Xf "bo*
tiles" esSiais it is set in hys nature, but bou wolt sein bat shrewes
J>at
ceases to be. But, mr r^ i T r T_
mowen. ^[ Certys bat ne denye 1 nat. H but certys
i j
3291 ftuyten to folwen 3305 sey[e] symplely seye 3313 seyne seyn
owhten folwe uympeli 3314 \>ilk tliilke
3293 do\> MS.doJ>e, C. doth 3306 [we] from C. 3315 set MS. sette, C. sot
3294 wrastle wrastlcn 31307 seyn seyon 3316 denye denoye
3295 vttfully wilsfully 3309 qraunt[e] graunte 3318 don MS. done, C. don
3297 outerly owtrely 3311-12 bilk tliilke 3319 myiten (1) myhte
3301 seyne seyen 3312 fcaf>-MS. ha^e dwelle dvvellin
3304-5 denye denoye 3313 \>at (1) what
POWER, AN ATTRIBUTE OF THE CHIEF GOOD. 117
in be doynge of goode folke. fl" And bilke power not do, if they re-
taincd the power
sheweb ful euydently
J J bat *bei ne mowen ryjt
*
naiut. of doing good.
This power, then,
forn bat yuel is naust. and so as shrewes mowen oonly tiftne'uia clear"
, , _. , . . , , ,
that while the
but shrewednesse. bis conclusions is al clere. bat wicked
*
can only
do evil they can
shrewes ne mowen ban power, and
ry^t nat to for as d n
^ in T
u nde J
? iafc
god quod I pat pei ne my^terc don none. pat quod she
e
so as he bat is mysty to done oonly but good [el binges p. smce hehat
can do good, uau
may don alle Jnnges. and J?ei J>at ben my^ty to done 3336
yuelfe] jjinges ne mowen nat alle J>inges. fan is pis open
... .,,. i 11
and mamiest bat bei bat mowew don yuel ben 01
todo
do
evil
aii things,
cannot
at
are powefSwi J>
e g oode folk ben ccrteynly my^ty. and be shrewes ben
e V d re
fee bi e And
Plato's opinion is
douteles vnmy^ty IF And it is clere and open bat Hike
_ _
,
.
hereby verified sentence of plato is uciray and sobe. bat seyb bat oonly
wiseme?* ma y [doon] bat bei desiren. and shrewes
mowen haunten bat hem lykeb. but bat bei desiren bat
lusu, but their is to seyne to comen to souereyne good bei ne han no
great aim and de- , .
i e. HAPPI-
sire,
power to acomplissen bat. ^[ For shrewes don bat hem
NESS, they can
The ^ st wnan ^J ]> Binges in whiche bei deliten bei wencn
to atteyne to bilke good bat bei desiren.but bei ne geteh
good (for which ne atteynen nat ber to. IF for vices ne comen nat to
they wish), but _ _. .
,
they can never bllSIulneSSe. 3360
possess it, for im-
piety and vice can
ed
wTh%p?n e r Q UOS UIDES SEVERE CELSOS.
[The ijd Meter.] TTrun o so bat be cotiertures oi her veyn apparailes
whosoever might \\
VV
'
strip of their r ,
purple coveringa, niystre] strepen of bise proude kynges bat bou
proud kings, who,
by seest sitten on hey^e in her chayeres glyterynge in
surrounded
3364 shynynge purpre envyroned wib sorweful arm?^res
thrones, and manasyng wib cruel moube. blowyng by
J woodnesse of
whose storn looks
wear fierce threat- herte. IF He sholde so ban bat ilke lordes beren wib
enmgs, and boil-
corag es ftd streyte cheynes for leccherye tor-
- mentib hem on bat oon syde wib gredy venyms and
by troublable Ire bat araiseb in hem be floodes of troublynges
lust, passion,
grief, and delusive
tourmentib vpon bat ober side hir bou^t. or sorwe halt
3371 hem wery or ycau3t. or slidyng and disseyuyng hope
Since, then, so , .
, , ,
tourmentib hem. And berfore syn bou seest on heed.
,
many tyrants
bear sway over
oon tyraunt bere so many[e] tyrauntis.
P aw ne (^O
J
7
f^5 tyraunt nat bat he desirib. syn he
is cast doune wib so many[e] wicked lordes. bat is to
actions are not . r -.
obedient to his seyn wib so many[ej vices, bat han so wicked lordsmpea
and
f ilke f ing for whiche any f ing doon. seme]) as
it certain end,
is by
ry^t fat f ilke f ing be f e mede of fat. as f us. f yif a 5^1?^?
man rennef in f e stadie or in fe forlonge for fe corone. whk!T2i things
ban lieb be mede in be corone for whiche he renneb. fore happiness JT
... the reward which
1F And I haue shewed *bat blisfulnesse is filke same an the human
race seek as the
of
good for whiche fat alle f ingus ben don. fan is f ilke
r
JJJjJjJ Th?s
same good purposed to f e werkes of mankynde ry^t as S
r e
a comune mede. whiche mede ne may ben disseuered virtue can neTe r
want its reward.
fro good no wy3t as by ry^t fro f ennes forf e Evil
folk, for
men^may
fat hym lakkif goodnesse ne shal ben cleped good. 3392
For whiche bing folk of goodfel maneres her medes ne
crown of the wise
forsaken hem neuer mo. For al be it so fat sherewes shall not fail nor
fade. The wicked-
3379 whiche which 3393 goodie] goode 3399 \>ei Jiadldey-he hadde
3380 good goode 3395 woodr-woode 3400 [_\>af] from C.
3381 ne (2) omitted e] goode 3401 had\de\ hadde
3383 whiche which les leese 3402 self MS. selk
3385 forlonge forlong ne omitted 3403 my}t[e] bynym[d]
3386-88-90 whiche \vh ich 3398 good[e~]] goo
goode myhte be-nyme
3391 for\>e forth 399 rw0M0J> ;p rei
reioyse 3404, owen ovvne
3393 whiclie which Item hym 3406 laste last
4'
120 THE REWARD OF THE GOOD. .
Rnnfiz
PROSE 3.
e medes. IT Remembre
f e of
noble corolarie fat I 30? f e a lytel here byforne.
Since the supreme 7 , i , , . 11 * >
good is happiness, and gooie it to gidre in bis manere. so as god hym sell
itfollows that all .
men are is blisfulnesse. ban is it clere and certevn. bat alle good
good in as much
happy
e a e g a5 folk ben makid blisful for
butif th ey a re fei ben good[e]. and filke
p t mu t
&ome a7it w e'r e folk fat ben blisful it accordif and is couenable to ben
ward (ie. divin- goddefsl.
L J
ban
*
is be mede of goode folk swiche. bat no
ity)oftherighte-
en P e yren ne no wickednesse shal en- &
dirken ne power of no wy^t ne shal nat ainemisen it
it.
x J e of goode
contrarie party men. how grete peync felaw- pollutes them.
Hut contemplate
it
semef wel. fat al fat is and haf beyrage is good, f is 3443
is to seyne. as who sei]> fat beynge and vnite and
. . soever, then, fails
goodnesse is al oon. and in bis manere it iolwef fan.
r r
to be good ceases
to exist. So that
ben good, it styntif forto be. ^
fat al f ing fat failef to
and forto haue any beynge. wher fore it is fat shrewes tJ
stynten forto ben bat bei weren. but filke ofer forme
, . form of the body,
of mankynde. fat is to seyne f e forme of f e body wif
1
which stiu re-
mains, clearly
oute. shewif $it somtyme men. Sefwhe
fat f ise shrewes were
IT wher fore whan f ben ei
peruerted and torned in to
malice, certys fan han fei forlorn fe nature of man- 3452
lose their human
kynde. but so as oonly bounte and prowesse may en- nature. But as
virtue alone ex-
hawnse euery man ouer ofer men. fan mot it nedes be men
that
^HS
cast out of f e
fat shrewes whiche fat shrewednesse haf v^'wiS
condicz'ouft of mankynde ben put vndir f e merite and hls'^ureTmust
sink him below
be deserte of men. ban bitidib it bat yif fou seest a humanity. YOU
cannot, therefore,
wolf, and yif he be felonous and wif out reste and SJtSh^aSSJe
exercise hys tonge to chidynges. fou shalt lykene hym {SSTto aJoSS
to f e hounde. and yif he be a preue awaitow yhid and SSulandfrfck-
T , , 11, er .y ? tnen i fi ne
reioyseb
J i hym
J to rauysshe by wyles. fou shalt seyne like young foxes.
js he intemperate
3139 greto gret 3450 were somtyme weeren 3459 [fie] from C.
3441 al alle whilom 3464 yhid MS. yhidde, C.
ha\> MS. ha)?e 3452 forlorn MS. forlome, I-hidd
3143 al nlle C. forlorn 3465 seyne seyn
/mb MS. ha>c 3453 as omitted 3468 dredeful dredful
3ti a? alle enhawnse enhawscn 3169 ben to ben
3147 haue han 3455 whiche which dred MS. dredde, C.
oti8 stynten MS. styutout Mb-MS, habe dredd
122 HE WHO CEASES TO BE VIRTUOUS
divinity, he is n -, -,
. , n . ,
C* foi. 27 &]
*V[E]LA NARICII DUCIS.
Ulysses was 17 vrus ])& wynde aryue]) j>e sayles of vlixes due of J>e
^ ^ hande my3ty
into divers shapes
ment 3- an ^ a^ter of |?e
herbes
llon;
hadfde] chauwged hir gestes in to dyuerse maneres. fat
3486 oon of hem couered his face wi]> forme of a boor. j)at
is
bat is makid by vices, ne be herbes of circes ne ben nat Circe's herbs may
change the body,
my^ty. for al be it so fat fei may chauwgen f e lymes
of fe body. IT algates }it fei may nat chausge fe
hertes. for wif inne is yhid fe strengfe and f e vigour 3509
vices
hem more my^tily fan
ben so cruel fat fei percen and
fe venyin of gn^ 8
poi80 " OU8
f oru$ passen f e corage wif iraie. and f ou^ fei ne anoye Though
be forme of fbe
* body of mankynde. but I nolde nat of i wish, however,
.
that the wicked
shrewes of whiche be bouit cruel woodeb alwey in to were without the
power to annoy
destrum'ous of good[e] men. fat it were leueful to hem m1edn hurt good
to done bat. 1T Certys quod she ne it nis nat leueful P. They have no
power, as I shall
to hem as I shal wel shewen fe in coueiiable place, presently show
^[
But naf eles yif so were fat f ilke fat mes wenes ben 3526
3497 were woxen swyne 3501 wepi}> MS. kepib, C. 3515 wooden MS. wolden,
weeren wexen swyu weepith C. wooden
3498 chaunged Ichaunged 3502 monstruous MS. mon- 3517 aknowe aknowe it
brede bred stronous, C. Monstruos 3518 seyn sayn
forto MS. and forto 3504 Circes MS. Cirtes 3523 goodie'] goode
cte acorns eten akkornes folk folkys [I- 3524 done don
3499 hoole hool 3509 y/iirf-MS. yhiddc, C. 3526 ben-bv
rnooK 4.
124 THE WICKED ARE TORMENTED U'KOSE 4.
But were
tliis power, which
leucful for shrewes were bynomcn hem. so fat fei ne
men
my^ten nat anoyen or don harme
ascribe to
them, taken away
to goode men. ^f Certys
from the wicked,
they would be re-
a gret party of f e peyne to shrewes shulde ben allegged
lieved of the
greatest part of and releued. IF For al be it so fat Jus ne seme nat
their punishment.
The wicked are credible fing 3
mot it
perauentz^re to sorame folk it
more unhappy
when they have nedes be fat shrewes ben more wrecches and vnsely.
accomplished
their evil designs
than when they whan f ei may don and
performe fat f ei coueiten [than
fail to do so. If
it is a miserable
yif they myhte nat complyssen fat they coueyten]. ^f For
thing to will evil,
it is a greater un-
yif so be fat it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don yuel i
happiness to have
the power to exe*
cute it, without fan is it more wrecchednesse to mowen don yuel.
which power the
wicked desires wif oute whiche moeuyng fe wrecched wille sholde
would languish
without effect.
languisshe wif oute effecte. 1F fan syn fat eueryche of
Since, then, each
seyne wil
of these three
things (i. e. the
f ise f inges haf hys wrecchednesse. fat is to
P.
[* foL 28.]
They shall be
perauenture fen fou woldest *or sonnere fen fei hem
despoiled of
sooner than you
it
self wenen to lakken mowynge to done yuel. ^ For
wish perhaps, or
than they them- fere nis no f ing so late in so short bourades of f is lijf
selves imagine.
In the narrow
limits of this life,
fat is longe to abide, namelyche to a corage inmortel.
nothing, however Of whiche shrewes f e grete hope and f e heye cora-
tardy it appears,
can seem to an
immortal soul to passyrcgws of shrewednesse is often destroyed by a
have a very long
duration. The sodeyne ende or fei ben war. and fat f ing establif to
great hopes, and
the subtle machi- shrewes fe ende of hir shrewednesse. ^F For yif fat
nations of the
wicked, are often shrewednesse makife wrecches. fan mot he nedes be
suddenly frustrat-
ed, by which an most wrecched fat lengest is a shrewe. fe whiche
end is put to
their wickedness.
If vice renders wicked shrewes wolde ydemen aldirmost vnsely and
is
f [conclusion] harde and wonderful to is
graunte. IT But
1
nat whi he sholde blame be argument, for bis bing bat the m? w ha t i
am about to say
I shal telle be nowe ne shal not seme lasse wondirful. is not less wonder-
ful, and it follows
justice
deserued. ban yif no peyne of Justice ne chastied L eJ ed them to go
unpunished. I do
hem. ne f is ne seye I nat now for fat any man my3t[e]
JJ3J!J^.
fenk[e] fat fe maneres of shrewes ben coriged and ^SSmSSeor.
i , i i
f T i A. i r. T- i- rects y i ce > N'ut
chastised by vemaunce. and bat beiben brou^t to be the fear of chas-
tisement leads
J*
ry^t wey
J by
J *f
e drede of f e tourment. ne for Tfat r
f ei them to take the
right path, and
ha*
ensample to fleyen from vices. IT But
^euen to of er folk J ^"
I vndirstonde ^itte [in] an of er manere fat shrewes vf
ment. It is just
to punish evil- open fircg and clere fat it is
ry^t fat shrewes ben
doers, and unjust
that they should punissed. and it is wickednesse and wrong fat fei
escape punish-
[*fol. 286.] escapin vnpunissed. IF who my^tfe] denye *f at quod I.
ment.
B. Nobody denies but quod she marc denye. fat al fat is ry^t nis
that. may any
P. Everything,
too, which is just good, and also f e contrarie. fat alle fat is wrong nis
wicked, certys quod I bise binges ben clere ynoi^. and is good; and, on
any towrment after be debe of be body. ^[ Certis qwod ^y^ and great
she 30 and bat ry3t grete. of whiche soules quod she I
, ,.-11 rigorous and
trowe bat sorame ben towrmentid by asprenesse of eternal, others
have a corrective
peyne. and sorame soules I trowe be excercised by J
a and purifying
force, and are of
my3t[e] sone ben endid. and bat bou woldest fayne toiwMfarever"
lerne. bat it ne sholde nat longe endure, and bat 3639
whom it sholde seme bat [he] ne sholde nat only leuew and wooid hardly
command assent,
bise binges, but eke gladly herkene hem. Certys quod
or even a hearing.
fto2
e
accuston?!,!
es f
she S0
wont
** is but
to (lerkenesse of
men ma J nat - for H Kan hire QJQIL SO
Sror caunot h x erfely finges. ]>at fei may nat
e
t of perspicu- liftcn hem vp to be lyst of clere sobefastnes. 1T But
truth, like
i ben
ty ke to briddes of whiche f 3 ny 3 t Iy3tnef hyre
SSof SS?hS; nat f e ordre of binges but hire lustes cwd talent j. bei
they think there is
happiness in the wene bat obir be leue or be mowynge to done wicked-
liberty of doing
nesse or ellys ^ e escaP iwg wi oute peyne be weleful.
)>
nTnSdol a
nd "^ loigned ])i
self to
jje
most excellent Jnng. and yif
to fe r
ieifrd UP on y ou > ou naue enclined J)i J>e
wicked Binges, ne
studies to
- seek no foreyn wrekere out of bi self, for bou bi self
enoe
joymentofthe
best of things (i.e. hast 'brest be in to wicked binges, ryjt as bou mvztest
virtue).
e). If you *' J >
loken b^ djTtteise tynies |)e foule er]?e and heuene.
J?e
yourself into a
more t 3^ sholde it semen
- to J>e
as by only resoiw
mui-
^ lokynge. J?at J>ou were in J?e sterres. and now in J>e
What then? Shall
we take them as
.
erbe.
, .
,
but be poeple ne lokeb nat on bise
IT, ..-bingesr. what
our models who
resemble beasts? ban shal we ban approchen vs to hem bat I haue
If a man who had
^^ W H
'
cordef quod. ban [ne] dowtest bou nat qwod she bat
I.
\vrecches. It accordeb wel quod I. yif bou were ban p'. Then those*'
that deserve
quod she Jyset a luge or a knower of Tbinges, wheber
u r punishment are
miserable.
trowest bou fat men sholde towrmentfe] hym fat haf j*- {/JjJJJjJj, a
3
don fe wronge. or hym fat haf suffred fe wronge. I ^y??iSK?
ne doute nat quod I. fat I nolde don suffissaunt satis- upon the wrong-
doer, or upon the
faccioUTt to hym fat had[de] suffred fe wrong by fe injured?
11,
f e propre nature of it
makef men wrecches.
shewef wel fat fe wrong fat mew don nis nat fe nature,
,
and
reasons of like
it seems
it
then, and other
quod she bise oi&tours or aduocat: don al be contrarie done to any man
is the misery of
of he??^ fat han suffred and resceyued f e f inges fat ben fhfnJ
7 7 ,, TIT ly they try to ob-
greuous and aspre. and mte men sholden more ryat-
i
men and'iU8
-
as
ne ^^ no P^ ace a monges wise men. ^[ For no wy^t
U to h
the w?cked vice wolde haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a
thesoui"and fole. ^[ and forto haten shrewes it nis no resourc.
needs our com-
3734 Jborry^tso as languissmg is maladie of body, ry^t
S a
our Se, for ?he so ben vices and syraie maladies of corage. IT and so as
distempers of the
soul are more we ne deme nat bat bei bat ben seek of hire body ben
deplorable than
wor )>i to ^ en ^ted. but rajjer worbi of pite. wel more
worbi nat to ben hated, but forto ben had in pite ben
bei of whiche be bou^tes ben constreined by felonous
3740 wickednesse. bat is more cruel bara any languissinge of
body.
ITheferthe Q UID TANTOS IUUAT.
Met-/,/-.]
what frenzy lYThat deliteb it 2ow to exciten so grete moewynges of
causes man to VV
a h a
Ik at\s,by war or' hatredes and to hasten and bisien [the] fatal dis-
fdath
posic^ouw of ^oure deej) wij> ^oure propre handes. bat
- is
dciib it hastisib
Y hym
J of hys
J owcn wille. nc decb no lays not to come.
Why do they who
nat hys swifte hors. and [the] men J)at J?e
ser-
ooore seken to sleen wib her tebe. at bilke same men other with the
'
-.in
seken to sleen eueryche ot hem ober wib swerde. loo lor
_ sword. Lo their
manners and
!
opinions do not
her maners ben * diuerse and discordaunt IT bei [* foi. 29 &.]
accord, wherefore
moeucn vnry^tful oostes and cruel batailes. and wilno ^^
to perisse by enterchaungynge of dartes. but f e resourc
of cruelte nis nat J
ynou*' ryatful.
J* wilt bou ban selden a no just reason for
shedding blood.
couenable gerdouri to be desertes of men IT Lone ryit-
' 17
Wouidst thou
ward each as
rc-
lie
more illustrious,
more witncsfully is be onice of wise men ytretid whan when wise men
are governors and
ceivc the reward vertuc and ben in honowrs. and in grete cstatis. and I
of virtue? I
Desire eke to witzn of be. what ben be
heir therlalon of seme}) be to
a is "
resouT* of bis so wrongful a confusions IT For I wolde
chif SS wondre wel be lasse yif I trowedfel bat alle bise binges
were the cause of
aii tins confusion, were medeled "by fortuouse hap. IT But now hepeb
But I am oer-
encrese f rnyne astonyenge god gouernow of binges.
iYthere!?hei^mi-
shrewes [he] grauntef hem her wille and bat bei de-
less we know the .
i_ i TIT ^ *.
siren, what difference ban may for be bitwixen bat bat
-i
cause, between
God's proceedings
and the opera- god dob. and be hap of fortune, yif men ne knowe nat
ons of Chance?
^
i
^J 36 ! 68 f r as nioche as
god be good[e] gouernour at-
tempreb and gouerneb be world, ne doute be nat bat
things are done ,, . , ni-r\o
rightly and as alle binges ne ben doon aryu. 6rJ6
they ought to be
done.
strookes. J>at
is to a maner poeple bat
seyne fat
J>er
is te
, ., , , cymbals. Yet
hyn
.
r T
e coribandes bat wenen bat whan be moone is
.
wondres. 3822
^; ^ fc ;
mi Hh l^r.
:-;.: -
-
>--:-.-
13G PROVIDENCE CONTROLS FATE. rnooK 4.
LPIIOSE G.
c she9 m
w',at he has ^undi). or ellys by al nature seruynge to god. or ellys
ing in a wider about a poynt. filke cercle fat is inrest or moost wib-
circumference,
the further it is
from the centre ynne ioinef to f e symplesse of f e myddel and is as it
teiiimnoe, so shippef
f hym selfe to bilke mydel poynt it is constreyned
much the more is
holdef
* hym ncr to rfilke Centre of binges, bat is to And if we
suppose .that
seyne god. IF and if
f e f inge cleuef to f e stedfastnesse SSiKntoBJR?"
f
of fe fou^t of god. and be wif oute moeuyng certys f he supreme it
, , , . . , mind, it then be-
. .
cornparisouft as [it]
is of skilynge to vndirstondyng and
of f ing fat is engendred to f ing fat is. and of tyme to
... 7 /
i s* . understanding, as
eternite. and 01 be cercle to be Centre, ryst so
be that which is pro-
* ducedtothat
^ is
C t8 d
filke ordinaunce. IF Naf ele's fe propre manere of ciine s itTo the"ir
But the order sekcn goode. but wicked errour mystozmiif hem. IF Ne
proceeding from
the centre of
supreme good- f e ordre comynge poynt of souereyne goode ne
fro f e
ness does not
mislead any. But decline]? nat fro hys bygynnynge. but f ou mayst sein
you may say,
what greater con- what vnreste may ben a wors co?ifusiou?i fan fat goode
fusion can there
be than that both men han somme tyme aduersite. and somtyme pro-
prosperous and
adverse things
should at times sperite. 1F and shrewes also han now f inges fat f ei
happen to good
men, and that evil desiren.and now f mges fat f ei haten IT whef er men
men should at
one time enjoy
lyuen now in swiche hoolnesse of f ou}t. as who seif .
their desires
and at another
be tormented by
ben men now so wise, fat swiche folk as f ei demen to
hateful things.
Are men wise ben goode folk or shrewes fat it mot nedes ben fat folk
enough to dis-
cover, whether ben swiche as f ei wenen. but in f>is manere f e domes
those whom they
believe to be
virtuous or
of men discorden. fat f ilke men fat somme folk demen
wicked, are so in
reality ? Opinions worf of mede. of er folk
i demen hem worf i of towrment.
differ as to this
matter. Some but lat vs grauntfe] I pose fat som man may wel demen
who are deemed
worthy of reward or knowen fe goode folk and f e badde. May he fan
by one person, are
deemed unworthy
by another. But,
knowen and seen f ilke inrest attempe?-aunce of corages.
suppose it were
possible for one as it haf ben wont to be said of bodyes. as who saif
to distinguish
3975 may a man speken and determine of attemperaunce in
with certainty
between the good corages. as men were wont to demen or speken of com-
and the bad ?
Then he must
have as accurate plexiouws and attemperaunces of bodies (q' non). ne
a knowledge of
the mind as one
it
[ne] is nat an vnlyke miracle to hem fat ne knowew
has of the body.
It is miraculous it nat. IF As who seif. but is lyke a merueil or a
to him who knows
it not, why sweet miracle to hem fat ne knowew it nat. whi fat swete
tilings are agree-
some
f inges [ben] couenable to some bodies fat ben hool and
able to
bodies, and bitter
toothers; why to some bodies bittre f inges ben couenable. and also
some sick persons
are relieved by
lenitivesand whi fat some seke folk ben holpen with ly^t medicines
others by sharper
d
dryucre awcy of yuul but god goucrnowr and lecclier of o? evn )ta (V,',!!'^
bing [bat] vnknowyng folk ben astoned but forto con- feVthlSSwm-
c|lt
streine as who seib ^[ But forto cowiprehende and telle S"h" DivSie
. . , , , , . , knowledge which
a lewe binges ot be deuyne depnesse be whiche bat mans human reason
may comprehend.
resoim may vnderstonde. ^f bilk man bat bou wenest
to ben ry^t luste and ry^t kepyng of eqwite. be contrarie
of bat seme)) to be deuyne pwrueaunce bat al woot. when you
mr A
Andi lucan
i f -T L TI ... apparent irregu- ,
II my famiher telleb bat be victories cause larities unex- pected and un-
3991 1ia\> MS. habe 3990 whiche which 4010 vnstedfast vnstydefast
3993 wot MS. wote, C. wot 3997 [M] from C. 4011 [ba^j from C.
3991 [bafl from C. 3999 mans maimes wolde wol
3995 don MS. done, C. don 4000 biiktbilke 4015 manere man
miracle MS. mirachc, C. 4004 liked[_e] (both} lykede my^t[ie] myhte
myxacta 4005 is don MS. is to dou 4010 wil wol
ordre MS. ordre of 4006 [world} from C. 4018 neye negh
39!6 rt/fr-al ryyt[e] rvlite
do\>- MS. dobo I 4007 wicked(.c] w.ykkcde
140 HOW PROVIDENCE rnooK 4.
[PROBE e.
him even from wil nat suffre fat swiche a man be moeucd wif any
Ixxlily disease.
Providence often
gives tlie direc- mancro maladie. IF But so as scide a philosophre [the
tion of public
affairs to good moore excellent by me], fe aduersites comen nat (he
men, in order to
curb and restrain seide in grec ) fere fat uertues han edified
f e bodie
f
the malice of the
wicked. To some
is given a mix-
of fe holy man. and ofte tynie it bitidef fat fe
ture of good
and evil, accord-
sowme of f inges fat ben to don is taken to good folk
ing to what is
most suitable to to gouerne. for fat
f e malice habundaunt of shrewes
the dispositions
of their minds. sholde ben abatid. and god }euef and dep?'tif to of er
Upon some are
laid moderate
afflictions, lest
folk prosp[er]ites and aduersites ymedeled to hepe aftir
they wax proud by
too long a course f e qualite of hire coragesand remordif som folk by
of prosperity.
Others suffer aduersites. for fei ne sholden nat wexen proude by
great adversities
that their virtues
may be exercised, longe welefulnesse. and- ofer folk he suifref to ben
and strengthened
by the practice of trauayled wif harde f inges. f For fat fei sholden con-
patience. Some
fear to be afflicted forme f e vertues of corage by f e vsage and exercitacioun
with what they
are able to endure. of paciewce. and ofer folke dreden more fen fei au^ten
Others despise
4036 f e wiche fei my3t[en] wel beren. and f like folk god
what they are
unable to bear;
ledif in to experience of hem self by aspre and sorwe-
and God punishes
them with calam-
ities,to make
ful f inges. IT And many ofer folk han bou^t honor-
them sensible of
their presump-
able renoune of fis worlde by fe pris of glorious deef .
shrewes be tozmnent som tyme agasteb ober to done what they deserve.
Their punish-
folics. and som tyme it
amendef hem fat suffren f e
tottrnicntis. H And fe prosperite fat is
3euen to
f ing I trowe fat god dispensif. for perauenture f e nature the !?! ofTh?
most worthless.
ot som man is so ouerf rowyng to yuel and so vncouen- Another reason
for dispensing
10
able fat fe nedy pouerte of hys house-hold my^tfe] ^wKdTs
raf er egren hym to done felonies, and to f e maladie wo^prompt
naturally violent
of hym god puttib remedie to amen hym rychesse. and and rapacious
minds to commit
som ofer man byholdif hys conscience defouled wif JJSSies* Their
synnes and makif comparisons of his fortune and of
hym self <[[
and dredif perauenture fat hys blisfulnesse
to do wrong for
of whiche f e vsage is loyful to hym fat f e lesynge of
fear, lest their
goodfe] folke and shrewes. ne shrewes ne mo wen nat good and bad, so
neither can the
accorded amoftges hem self and whi nat. for shrewes y ici us a g re e
And
A ,
together.
discorded of hem self by her vices f e whiche vices al to Their
06
arises fsi-na" [
faire] miracle so frtt slircwcs hail maked oftyme
""out by Pnn-id- slirewes to ben good[e] men. for whan fat som slirewes
* seen
'[* foi. 82.]
fat f ei suffren wrongfully felonies of of er slirewes
made wicked men e { wexen escliaufed in to hat[e] of hem fat anoien
^
havingsuffS hem. and retournen to f e fruit of uertue. when fei
injuries from the , . , , -
former, have stuuien to ben vnlyke to hem bat bei nan hated.
become virtu-
4088 IT is
f e deuyne my^t to f e whiche my^t
Certys f is only
S theTmTght
not resemble
yueles ben fan good, whan it vsef f o yueles couenably
those whom they ana draweb out be enect 01 any eood. as who seib bat
so detested.
vuel is g 0(1 nly y J>
e m y3t f s^- for )* my$t of
exiiausted^uid
ordre of necessite destinable. For whiche it
folwej? fat
bou art charged wib bo wcyjtc of be Questioufnl and Take, then, tins
draught, witli
wery wijj lengjjc of my resouw. and ]?at J>ou abidest
sora
swetnesse of songe. tak ]>MI Jns drau;t and whan Jjou
"
art wel refresshed and refet Jjou shalt ben more stedfast
])e
see of [the] occian. al fou^ he see ojjer sterres y- 4128
, , Lucifer ushers iu
plounged in to be see. IT And nesperus be sterre the mom. so
mutual love
bodib and tellib alwey be late ny^tes. And lucifer be moves an
F and from the
things,
m e *J J n f^m
16
she. for J>at f e comune worde of men mysusif quod. I.
fan^mgeofthe
fis manere speche of fortune, and sein ofte tymes [fat] should seemto
depart too much
be fortune oi som wyst is wicked, wilt bou ban quod from the popular
mode of expres-
she fat I proche a litel to f e wordes of f e poeple so it onA?g ou
j leage
good ? B. Yes.
whi nat quod I. but bis is
f be fortune \quod
* L^- she]J of This e
^ .
fortune of the vir-
hem fat ei]?er ben put in vertue and batailen a3eins
omt
-, .....,, _
be poeples bat it is wicked, nay forsobe quod I. but
reward on the
good to be bene-
ficial, and they
J?ei
demen as it
so]?e is J?at it is ry^t good. IF And what J^iamitiesT
seist J)ou of fat
ofer fortune quod. she. fat al 0113 it ^f! f e as
ed
fat may ben f ou3t. war now and loke wel quod she
T... f -. . ,, ble consequence.
lest fat we in iolwyng e opymourc oi poeple naue con-
f
4174 here byforne her by- 4178 ywened weened 4188 [quod she] from C.
forn 4179 worde word 4191 weye wey
4175 tfayfatBby&ettat 4180 \_\>af] from 0. 4193 deuini\> demyth
4176 noumbre nowmbren 4181 wicked wykkede 4194 ou^t awht
H ilk[_e] thilke 4182 proche aproche 4195 so\>e soth
41771 here byforne her by- 4185 al alle 4198 ou\t awht
forn 4186 \>ilk thilke 4199 be is
10
146 THE FORTUNE OF THE VIRTUOUS IS GOOD. [PKOSE*?
waJwithSrSne,
nat fa PP^- ^ fat is sofa quod I. IF Al be it so
11 * *
enaffih? one to
^
fa bataile. ne also it ne semeb nat to fa wyse man to
JSr^lSuhe beren it greuously as oft[e] as he is lad in to fa strif of
difficulties of the * , , ,,
, ..
other aid him to lortune. tor Dope to bat on man and eke to bat ober
confirm and im-
4217 bilke difficulte is be matere to bat oon man of encrese
prove his wisdom. i? r- 7
Thus virtue, in its oi ms glorious
i
renouw. and to bat oberman to conferme
literal accepta-
a power
tion, is hys sapience, fat is to seine fa asprenesse of hys estat.
IF For berfore is it called uertue. for bat it sustenib and
fierce coStiuh
de li ces and fort o welken in bodyly lust. IF bou sowest
you with pros- fortune, for bat be sorweful fortune ne coftfourcde be nat.
perity, lest it cor-
rupt you. seize ne fat be myrye fortune ne corrumpe be nat. IF Occupy
strengthf Tn fa m ^ne by stedfast strengbes. for al fat euer is vndir
thisTinei^ Tom- be
* mene. or ellvs al bat ouer-passeb be mene despiseb
temptible and a
thankless felicity, welefulnesses. IF As who seib. it is vicious and ne hab
The choice of for-
n r
n7s For
ow"n himds but
no me(^ e ^ trauaile. IF it is set in ^oure hand,
evfn averse for- as wno SQ ty it Heb in ^oure power what fortune ^ow is
exercises ThV leuest. bat is to seyne good or yuel. IF For alle fortune
wepyng and blynde. IT Hercules celebrable for hys renowned for his
is
many labours, so
successfully over-
hard[e] trauaile he dawntede J?e proude Centauris half come. He over-
threw the proud
hors half man. and he rafte be despoylynge fro Jje Centaurs ;
|
Ml. I
-
IK- left. An terns shame hidde hym in hys ryuer. IF And [he] hercules
de.-id tipon the
*ca.st[o] adou/i Anthcus pe geaunt
f* fol. :!:;/*.) in pe strondes of
1/yhian shore ;
he a]>j>ea*ed
libye. and kacus apaised[e] pe wrappes of euander. pis
Kvimder's wrath
420 noynf- i
il !/!/ M
rrotn c
//'() MS luij.c
li-ll
Mil
T :-.;..- :,;
S .._._. .
;.,";"..'".'. ,,"_
-' r -- : l
'
-- -
..... i
148 THE LABOURS OF HERCULES. [MET* 7*'
andSdthe
5'
"&* ^^ was
golde[ne] f6 more **$ for be
"
hfboundcS?
5
- He
drou3 Cerberus fe hound of helle by
metal
a
tKfoid ch ain hys treble cheyne. he ouer-comer as it is seid haf
;
of proud Diomede
as food for the
put an vnmeke lorde fodre to hys cruel hors IF bis is
tyrant's horses; to sein. fat hercules slou} diomedes and made his hors
h C ***' ^ etvn ^Y1^' an(^ ^ie hercules slou$ Idra f e serpent and
ent H dra
ed ^ renc^[ e] $ Q venym. and achelaus f e node defouled[e] in
Aci5iou s to hide
he left Antaeus shame hidde hym in hys ryuer. IF And [he] hercules
C* foi. 33 6.] *cast[el adouw Antheus fbe geaunt in be strondes of
Lybian shore ;
he appeased lib ye. and kacus apaisedfe] be wrabbes of euander. bis
Evander's wrath
by killing cacus ; se j n
js ^
jj fe Monstre kacus and
a ^ hercules slou^
8
apaisedfe] wif fat deef fe wraffe of euander. IF And
Fr manthean
boar; boor scomes sholdres of
fe bristled[e] marked[e] wif fe
and bore the hercules. f e whiche sholdres f e heye cercle of heuene
weight of Atlas
sholde freste. and f e laste of his labours was fat he
shoulders
These labours sustenedfe] be heuene vpo?^ his nekke vnbowed. and he
L J r
justly raised him
herank fa
deseruedfe] eftsones fe heuene to ben fe pris of his
t
od
GO then, ye noble laste trauavle IF Gob now ban ae stronge men bere as
souls, and follow
f 6 ne y e We 7 e
* a 8 ^ J76 grete nice
ensample ledcf 3ou. IF
reat exam 'Je
by be
J ' same binge, but 1 axe yii bat bou wenest bat nap* or Providence is
involved with
be any bing in any weys. and if bou wenest bat hap be many others
and this I believe.
j,e.
and bygara to speken ry$t bus IT Certys quod she
y an 7 ^73* in bis manere. bat
if wc J if dlffinisse hap is to seyn.
e e
San eventp ro J>at hap is bytidynge y-brou^t forbe by foelyshe
duced by an un- 7
.. ..
h
affirmthat chance outerly fat hap nis ne dwellib but a voys. IT As who
*" f
empty sound! selb. but an ydel worde wib outen any signincac^ ouw of
What room is
there for foiiy and
bmg
r summittid to bat vois. for what place mystfe]
/7 L J ben
disorder where all
r
Btramed by order
r
^ or c^ we lly n g e to folie and to disordinauftce. syn bat
ordina?cJof God ? g& lQ
&ty an ^ streynib alle binges by ordre. 1T For bis
For it is a great . , -
n .
chance, as we ot alle resouw. and 211 bat ony binge is woxen or comen
have defined it.
B. is there no- o f no causes, ban shal it seme bat bilke binge is comen
thing, then, that
Sice o or woxen of nou3t. but yif bis ne may nat ben don.
inghid ban is it nat possible bat bere hab ben any swiche bing
the vulgar) to
which these
words may be
as I haue diffinissid a litel here byforne. IT How shal
PP ?
p Arist otle de-
"e
^ e cleped eyber happe or ellis auenture of fortune, or is
[*foi.84.] ber omt al *be it so bat it is hidd fro be poeple to
probability.
B F
'
^
P. So often as a
whiche bise wordes ben couenable. Myn
J aristotul quod
she - in \>
Q book of his P hisik diffinisseb bis bing by
y C
thing and an- short rescue and ney^e to be sobe. IF In whiche manere
other thing than
what he intended
quod
* I. 11" As ofte quod. she as men don any bing for
to do is produced
thaMngpro-
C e
cSon? As if a fin g Ip&t men
ententen to doon by tide b by som[e] causes
man trench the .,. , ni r-i- IIP,
ground for tillage it is ycleped happe. II Ky3t as a man dalt be erbe by
4317 seyn seyng 4327 [the] from C. 4339 hidd 'SSS. hidde, C.
4318 /orpe-forth 4330 ffynnerbygyrmere hidd
4322 worde word 4331 \fhe\- from C. 4340 whicJie which
4323 my?<[e] myhte 4332 5 z/ MS. 5 it, C. yif 4342 ney^e nehg
432i left Ipfte \>inge thins? whiche which
4:325 sireyni\> constreyiiyth 4335 fat ben pat hap be 4343 don MS. done, C. don
432<5 so\>e soth ha\> MS. h;ipe 4314 \>inge thing
no \>in<ie nothing swiche swych i'< !"> ,svj?;i[6'] some
hape 4333 happe hap 4310 happe hap
ROOK 5.T
DEFINITION OF CHANCE. 151
MET. 1. J
tunous bytydyng. but for sobe it nis nat for nau^t for FoT ifth un
. , /> 1 i
had not ploughed
it nab hys p?*opre causes oi whiche causes be cours vn- thefleid.andlfthe
hider of the gold
and flowyng
J '
to-gidre to hem selfe. and nat by
J be en-
r the wder of the
gold nor the hus-
tenciouw of be doer. 1l For neiber be hider of be gold, Sandman intend-
ed or understood
ne be deluer of be felde ne vndirstanden nat bat be
ed
golde sholde han be founde. but as I seide. it bytidde ?$ ofcoK-two
i i -I'-ii -\
rence these
and ran to-gidre bat he dalf bere as bat ober
1 hadde hidd causes that the
one did dig where
be golde. Now may I bus dimmssen hap/>e. 11 Hap/;e the
ad
causes rennen
7 -uii'i
and assemblen to-gidre.
AOfiO
4obo
which flows from
the fountain of
Providence and
disposes all things
EUPIS ACHEMENIE.
S I
Sd flow P arten nire watres. and yif pei coinen to-gidre and ben
ciivide
semep as [pat] it
fletip wip slaked or vngouerned[e]
curbed and re- bridles. It suffrib bridles bat is to sevn
J to ben eouerned
strained by
Divine Provid- and passep by pilke lawe. pat is to sein by be deuyne
rdinaunce. 4386
tTh'e. 2d e. pro S e.]
B. Is there any
is
ry^t as pou seist. but I axe yif per be any liberte
freedom of the or fre wil in bis ordre of causes bat cliuew bus to-tcidre
will possessed by
^ em S6 ^' ^ OT e ^^ S ^ W0 ^ e Wlten yif pat pC
bdng ^A raUonal
Sent to^ujgeof destinal cheine co?istreinip pe moeueuynge of pe corages
ihing^'oflimsdf of mew. yis quod she per is liberte of fre wille. ne per
he knows what he
is toavoid or to ne was neuer no nature of resou^ bat it ne nadde liberte
desire. He seeks
h JU g e
desiJabie al d he
^ ^re w ^e ^ ^ or
en ery ping pat may naturely vsen
-
StiMiai being euery bing. ^T pan knowep it by it self pinges 'pat be?^
possesses, then,
the liberty of to fleen. and binges bat ben to desiren. and bilk 'bmg '
11 .'
ping pat he trouep ben to fleen.
i i-
stances, as spirits, Tl wher-tore in alle pinges pat resourc is. in liem also is
&c. judgment is
f nillynge. f But I ne ordeyne
nat - as who sei ^' J ne g raunt e nat pat pis libertee be
4374 to-gidre to-?yderes 4383 [J>afl from C. 4392 yif MS. yif, C. yis
4376 whiche which vngouerned[e] vngouem- 4392-94 wille wil
4377 flodefioA ede 4395 whiche which
4378 assemble asserablyn ,1385 pe thilke 4397 \>illt thilke
4JM) enclinjjng dcclynyuge 4389 or of 4399
4381 lowcnca lowuesso 4390 hern hyta
PROVIDENCE SEES ALL THINGS. 153
by
tongued Homer'
8i " 8
r|
?
1
f " ie S
1
s
Y"t
pure ly^t. nabeles ^it
ne may
nat by f e inferme ly$t it
cloudes. IT bilke god seeb in o strook of bomt alle present, past, and
future.
4405 hab MS. habe 4423 seid MS. seide, C. seyd 4430 worlde world
4411 fcwtfe] laste 4425 m<m\e Mowth on heye an he?di
4412 fro from 4428 percen MS. pertew, 4431 nat omitted
4M5 cloude clowdcs C. percen 4434 schwllen come shollen
4413 whlclie which inwarde inward covuyu
154 GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE [PROSE%*
k W"
f r
Sge% eem sTo ^ F r certys I coniecte now by whiche
finges f ou art
8
with mail's free- troubled. It semeb quod I to repugnen and to con-
will. For if God
foresees all things, trarien gretly
fatgod knowef byforn alle finges. and
Sww'cSo- > at J>
an y fredom of liberte. for yif so be fat god
er is
vidence hath fore- i i u M.I i i /> -i
seen must needs lokef alle f mges bvlom. ne god ne may nat ben
happen. If God
from eternity desseiuid in no manere. ban mot it nedes ben bat alle
doth foreknow
Su w 8 i
fat is to comen but rafer fe contrarie.
0t
be wcuJom the is bis fat for fat fe fing is to comen fat ferfore
Divine Provid-
ence. ne may it nat ben hyd fro fe purueaunce of god.
4435 al oon alone 4451 ha}) MS. hape 4459 knot knotte
4437 harde hard 4453 stedfast stydcfast 4461 come comyn
4445 ha\> MS. haj>e 4454-55 \>inge thing ha]> MS. hape
4416 wliiche which 4455 on of 446-1 hyd MS. hydde, C.
4450 wille wil 4456 \>ilk thilke hiddo
whiche which \>ai 4r458 whiche which
AND MAN'S FREE WILL. 155
ben to comen. f er-fore ben f ei pwrueid. nat certys for JJHJJ ^ereHa a
nn ity
fei ben pwrueid. f er-fore ne bytide fei nat. $it nafeles ^bZ Tifus
, , .. , .. .. .. may we reason
byhoueb by it necessite fat eif er f e f inges to comen concerning Pro-
vidence :md
ben ypwrueied of god. or ellys fat f e f inges fat ben future events.
4466 \naf\- from C. 4486 sobe sooth 4490 comune MS. comme,
W67-8 [but yporueyid] 4487 sobe soth C.comune
from C. 4488 so \>e sooth 4493 come comyn
4471 \>ingcs thins 4489 so\>e come\> sooth 4494 to omitted
1477 ha\> MS. 1m be comth 4494-95 purueid MS. \mr-
4-1SO-82 su]>e both r>] from C. ucide, C. ptuaieyid
156 FREEDOM OF [?KOSE%.
- wene )>
at > ilke finges fat bitiden som tyme ben causes
al things the cause , --n ... ,
of eternal presci- oi f like souereyne pwucaunce bat is iTi god. II And
ence, which we
go Ji
imagining her-toJ adde ^itte fis fmg fat ry^t as whan fat I woot
S
necessary for my K
therefore^a thing
nesse as wno SB ty ^ yi^ I w t a fing. it ne may nat
-
J
3
h n
thTth e event of be fals fat I ne woot it. ^F Ry3t so filk fing fat
it is neither . , n r , .
-,
necessary nor
how can
is conceyuecl by
J science TIG may nat ben noon I
certain, .
foresee o f Gr weyes fan [as] concerned. For fat f e cause
^o^ it is is
19
pure knowSge wni J>
at science wa?ztif lesynge. as who seif . whi fat
a n
it faisSod! so witynge ne receyuef nat lesynge of fat it woot.
of IF For
what is compre-
hended by true it byhoueb by necessite bat euery bmge be ry:t as science
knowledge can-
comprehendif it to be. what shal 1 fan sein. IF In
86
mpre -
6
that troT whiche manere knowef god byforn fe finges to comen.
44Q8 [.si] from C. 4509 o a 4519 \hyforri\- from C.
4499 fredome freedom self selue fe'
4522 fals false
,4500 wille wil 4510 binge thing 4523 \nat~\-from C.
4501 [certes] from C. 4511 bilk[_e] thilke ben MS. by, C. ben
4504 purueib MS. nwrueibe 4513 binge thing 4524 ban [as] it is MS. ban
from C.
[<A<3] 4511 last[e] laste it is be
4506 bitiden bytydden 4515 nys is 4527 [be] from C.
som tyme whiloui 4518 it hit 452'JwhicliG which
i'HosE
S
3.]
TIIE HUMAN WILL. 157
<!F
yif fei no be nat certeyne. IF For yif fat he deme
u
fat fei ben to comen vneschewably. and so may be fat ci"oiy be i
... .-, i . .
T 11 jt -i
true knowledge
it is possible bat bei ne shulle?i *nat comen. god is [* ibi. :;5 &.]
perceives it to be.
desseiued. but nat only to trowen fat god is desseiued. what follows,
how men
grete. damages fer folwen of finges of mankynde.
lows that
Rewards and
fat
*
is nowe denied. for alber
f
moste iustc and moste
punishments
]>
at is to se y n f at shiewes Iben punyssed. or
b ) n dered
molt unj u st ellys fat good[e] folk ben ygerdoned. f e whiche folk
when, it is
allowed, that syn
J bat 'be propre wille
'
ne sent hem nat to bat oon rie
mankind are not
to is to ne > er to ne to
harme. but constreinef hem certeyne necessite of f inges
their actions are _.. , -in
impelled by a to comen. H banne ne shollew ber neuer ben ne neuer
fatal necessity.
J
58 11
-
of alle good, as who seib ban folweb it, bat god au^tfel
author ofall good .
which is a most han be blame of oure vices, syn he corcstreimb by
impious opinion.
u s e ss
8
necess i te to don
vices, fan nis fer no resourc to han
tohope for a n} -
men do either, sholde any wy^t hopen to god. or whi sholde he preien
when all they can
to god. syn fat f e ordenaunce of destine whiche fat ne
HoS and prayer ma7 nat ^ en enclined. knyttef and streinif alle finges
being thus in- ,. j -T. iiit -11
H fan sholde
effectual, aii in- fat men may desirew. fere be don awey
tercourse is cut
off between God Hike oonly alliaunce bytwixen god and men. bat is to
and man.
4588 seien tohopen and to preien. but by f e preis of ry^t-
humbTc7uppSa- fulnesse and of veray mekenesse we deserue f e gerdoura
tion we earn
divine grace, a
most inestimable
Of be deuyne
J grace whiche bat is inestimable, bat is to
S0 g166 j
5 ne
cmd f is is oonly f e manere. fat is to seyen hope and
selves to the in- . . , .. ,
accessible light,
prayeres. lor whiche it
semef fat [men] mowen speken
4563 novae MS.newe,C.no\v 4574 yled&-MS. yledde, C. nesse
al\>ermoste iuste alder yled 4589 deserue desseruyn
moost lust 4575 comep comth 4590 deuyne MS. deny lies,
moste most 4577 done doon C. dyuyne
4578 mak{_er]e makere 4590-93 whiche which
45fi6wille wil 4579 auit[_e] owhte 4591 grete gret
[we] from C. 4584 whiche vvhi(;b 4593 [men] from C.
4571 wi\)oute wtt/t-owti-n 4588 preis prys speken speke
4573 bo 3 < thoght rysffulnesse Rihtwesse-
K 5
CONTROL OF PROVIDENCE. 159
MET 3 ']
aiince of god and fre wille. bat bei ben synguler and
Sj^SSiSS e
diuided. ne bat bei ne wolen nat ben medeled ne united appear
dark and per-
coupled to-gidre. but ber nis no discorde to [tho] verray piexed
?
grete desir to knowen bilke notincac^ouws bat ben yhidd None seek to
... , , ., i -n i_- know what is
vndir be couertowrs of sobe. woot it
ou^t bilke binges known.
4595 \>ilk ^thilke 4608 ha\> MS. haj>e 4617 knowen knowe
4596 emprenten impetrent grete gret 4619-21 grete {zret
4597 \nat~} from C. so \>efast soothfast note[s~] notes
[hope] from C. 4610 wille wil 4619 so\>e soth
4R01 wliiclie wliich 4612 discorde discord 4621 yhidd MS. yhidde, C,
4602 byforne by- torn Ithoj from C. Ihyd
4605 ha\> MS. ha>e 4613 cleuen clyuen 4622 so\>e sooth
4006 seyne seyn 4615 dirkled] dcrkyd \>inges thing
4607 whiche which 4616 while whil
160 THE UNKNOWN CANNOT BE DESIRED.
S? 16 s blindly ^ For no man ne trauaileb forto witen binges bat lie woot.
4625 and berfore be texte seib bus. IF [Glosa] Si enim arwrca
Who wishes for .
i -i -i
as W se w - so
u
things." nedis som what he knoweb of it. or ellys he ne coube
4633 nat desire it. or who may folwen binges bat ne ben nat
ywist
*
1F and boii2 fbatl he seke bo binges where shal
fleshly members,
it hath some re- he fyndew
J hem. what wy^t bat is al vnknowynge and
memhrance of its
r
ignoraunt may knowe
e St
be forme bat is yfounde. 1F But
tain 8 t hetu"ms of
8
SsTfheir'par^ whan-bo soule byholdeb and seeb be heye bou^t. bat is
ticulars. He who
seeks truth notis to seyn prod, ban knoweb it to-gidre be so?rane and be
in either circum-
4625 \_Glosa] from C. 4635 what MS. >at, C. what selfe self
4630 \>inge thing vnknowynffevnkunnynge 4644 ??cm}nr nother
whiche which 4639 eueryche euerych habite
4631 woot not 4640 while whil 4645 alle (both)al
nat nawht J>e MS. be }>e hab MS. ha be -
may nat moeue?i to. bat is to sem applien or loygnen to not conceive the
of the simplicity
be simphcite of be deuyne prescience. I be whiche divine prescience,
for if it were pos-
Jjinken and comprehenden pe pmges as god seep hem. trv to explain and
jjan ne
sholde J?er dwellen outerly no doute. J>e whiche 4665
resoim and cause of difficulte I shal assaie at J>e laste JK! why yoSo
P
to she wen and, to speden. IT whan I haue *firste "[* fpi. 36b.']
reasoning of such
[yspendyd / and] ansewered to }>o resouws by whiche J>ou
art ymoeued. 1[ For I axe whi j>ou wenest fat
>ilk[e]
rescues of hem fat assoilen f is questions ne ben nat
- . cause of future .
For argument
sake let us sup-
hast confessed it and byknowenalitel herbyforne. IF what
pose there is no
prescience, would,
cause [or what] is it. as who seif fere may no cause be.
then, the events
which proceed
from free-will
by whiche fat f e endes (exitus) uoluntarie of fringes
alone be under be constreyned to certeyne bitydyng. IF For
the power of my^ten
necessity ?
B. No. by grace of possessions, so fat f ou mowe f e better vn-
P. Let us, then,
admit Prescience, dirstonde f is fat folwef . IFI pose (inpossibile) fat
but that it im-
poses no necessity f er ne be no prescience, fan axe I qwod she in as
on what is to
happen; the
freedom of the
moche as appertenif to fat. sholde fan finges fat
will would still
remain entire comen of frewille ben constreined to bytiden by
and absolute.
But although necessite. Boicius. nay qwod
fan a^einward quod. I.
Prescience, you
she. I suppose fat fere be prescience, but
may say, is not
the necessary fat ne puttef
cause of future no necessite to finges. fan trowe I fat f ilk self fredom
events, yet it is a
sign that they
shall necessarily of wille shal dwelles al hool and absolut and vn-
happen, and hence
itfollows that, bounden. but f ou wolt sein fat al be it so fat prescience
although there
4695 nis nat cause of fe necessite of bitidynge to finges to
were no pre-
science, future
comen. If Algates ^itte it is a signe fat f e finges ben
events would still
be an inevitable
For
to bytiden by necessite. by f is manere fan al f ou^ fe
necessity.
prescience ne hadde neuer yben. ^it algate
the sign of a or at f e
thing is not
really the thing
itself, but only lest[e] wey. it is certeyne fing fat fe esdys and fe
points out what
the individual is. bitydynges of finges to comes sholde ben necessarie.
Wherefore, it
must be first IT For euery sygne shewef and signifief oonly what f e
proved that every-
thing happens by
fing is IF but it ne makif nat f e fing fat it signifief.
necessity before
we can conclude
that prescience is
IF For whiche it
byhouef firste to shewen
fat no fing
a sign of that
necessity. For if ne bitidif [fat it ne bytydith] by necessite. so fat it
there be no ne-
cessity, prescience
cannot be the
may apere fat fe prescience is signe of f is necessito
sign of that IF or ellys yif fere nere no necessite. certys f ilke pre-
which has no
existence. The
assertion that science ne my3t[e] nat ben signe of f inge fat nis nat.
nothing happens
but by necessity, 1F But certys it is nowe certeyne fat f e preue of f is
must be proved
by arguments sustenif by stedfast resous ne shal nat ben ladd ne
drawn from
causes connected
proued by signes ne by argumentys ytaken fro wif oute.
with this ne-
but by causes couenable and necessarie ^F But f ou
cessity, and not
from signs or
foreign causes. mayst sein how may it be fat f e finges ne bitiden nat
jit
ne haue fei no necessite of hire kynde to bitiden.
and fis maist f ou Iy 3 tly aperceyuew by fis fat
I shal
,
.. things were
seyn. but we seen many binges whan bei ben don by- moved by com-
pulsionthe
forn oure eyen ry3 t as men seen fe karter worken in fe
JJJjJJibJjJJn and
necessite fat men don hem. eke fo same finges first or 4731
fei be don. fei ben to comen wif
out necessite. for whi u^pTe^n?-^
ber ben somme binges to bytide of whiche fe endys Sings which are
now done, so
and f e bitidynges of hem ben absolut *and quit of alle
necessite. for certys I ne trowe nat fat any man wolde seyn
fis. fat f
o finges fat men don now fat fei ne weren ^J
i mr i i MI come. But you
to bitiden. first or bei were ydon Tl and bilk same may doubt
whether there
no necessite to finges
,
m
.
., . necessitated: for
here there seems
necessary,
they cannot be
foreseen, because bytidynges nccessaryes yif fer-of may ben any pre-
true knowledge
can comprehend science 1T For certys fei seme to discorde.
fou for
nothing but what
is absolutely wenest J>at ben yseyn byforn fat necessite
yif fat f inges
certain. And if
things uncertain
in their events folwef hem. and yif (et putas) necessite failef hem f ei ne
are foreseen as
certain, this my^ten nat ben wist byforn. and fat no f inge ne may
knowledge is
nothing more ben comprehendid by science but certeyne. and yif f o
than a false
f inges fat ne han no certeyne bytidynges ben ypurueied
opinion. For it
is very remote
from true know-
as certeyn. it sholde ben dirkenesse of oppiniouw nat
ledge to judge of
things otherwise
than they really sof efastnesse of science [and fou weenyst fat it be diuerse
are. The cause
of this error is fro the hoolnesse of science / fat any man sholde deme
that men imagine
that their know- a thing to ben oother weys thanne it is it and f e
ledge is wholly self],
nature of the
cause of f is errour is.
fat of alle f e f inges fat euery
things known,
whereas it is wy^t haf yknowe. f ei wenen fat f o f inges ben y-knowe
quite the reverse.
Things are not
known from their
al oonly by f e strengf e and by f e nature of f e f inges
fat ben yknowe. and
inherent proper- or
ties, but by the
ywyst it is al
f e contrarie. for
faculties of the
observer.
alle fat euere is yknowe. it is
raf er Cv/mprehendid and
4761 yknowerc nat after his strengef and hys nature, but after
The roundness of
a body affects f e faculte fat is to seyn f e power and [the] nature of
the sight in one
way, and the hem fat knowen. and for fat fis shal mo we shewen by
touch in another.
The eye,
from a short ensample fe same roundenes of a body .0. ofer
afar, darts its
rays upon the
object, and by be- weyes f e sy^t of pe eye knowef it. and ofer weyes f e
-holding it com-
prehends its form. touchi?zg. f e lokynge by castynge of his bemes waitef
But the object is
not distinguished and seef fro afer alle f e body to-gider wif oute mouynge
by the touch un-
less the hand
comes in contact
of it self, but f e touchinge cliuif and conioignef to f e
with it and feels
round.
it all
rounde body (orbi) and mouef abouten f e environynge.
Man himself is
surveyed in and comprehendif by parties f e roundenesse. H and
divers ways by
the senses, by the
imagination, by
fe man hym wyt byholdif hym. and
self ofer weies
reason, and by
the intelligence oferweyes ymaginaciouw and ofer weyes resourc. and
(of the Deity).
The senses take ofer weyes intelligence. IF For f e wit cowprehe?2dif
note of his
material figure fro outen furf e f e figure of f e
wif body of f e man. fat
the imagination
considers the form is establissed in
f e matere subiect. But f e ymaginac^ou^
alone, exclusive of
the matter. the wiih owte the matere
[f-omprehendith only figure /
is
hey3er for it of
sowmountep pe envirounynge j)e J
neuer be knowen to non ot bat ober. bat is to seyn to ing conceived the
form, discerns all
ginacioim al be it so.
}>at
it
take]? of wit fe bygynywgwa
to seen and to formen be figures, algates al bous bat wit
her own rational
ne ware no ^ P^sent. }it
it
envirounif and coraprehendif
also
ng fiures from but by resoiw ymaginatif. ^ sest bou nat ban bat alle
the senses, yet in
the absence and
without the use
>je
r binges in
* knowynge vsen more of hir faculte or of hir
power, fan })ei
don of [the] faculte or of
power of ]>inges
ben yknowen. ne fat nis no wronge. for so as euery
fat
ative power. DO iugement is be dede or be doynge of hym bat demeb. It
not you see that
4824 byhouef fat euery wy^t performe f e werke and hys en-
men attain to the .
P P , , ,
[The .4the Metwr.j 1%E porche fat is to sein a gate of f e toune of athenis
-T
f er a s philosophres hadde hir congregac?'ouw to dis-
unreasonable
power
actou^ of sensible finges wererc iwprentid in to soules
an
obscure"va the fro bodies wif oute forfe. IF As who seif fat filke
who "aught tSS" stoicicns wenden fat f e soule hadde ben naked of it
images of things
obvious to the SQ \ asa mirour or a clene parchemyn. so fat alle
mi?dnbyextcriwii fyg ur es mosten [fyrst] comen fro finges fro wif oute in to
SKouilslt^flrst soules. and ben inprentid in to soules. Textus. Ry^t
like a mirror or a
clean parchment, as we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen
free from figures
and letters.
le^fres emprentid in f e smof enesse or in f e plainesse of
4810 [is] from C. 4822 no wronge nat wrong 4828 broui,t\_e] browlite
4813 witte wit 4824 werke werk 4830 [awd] from C.
4821 dow^-MS. done, C. doon 4825 forein foreyne 4S37 inprentid aprcntyd
[#?] from C. 482? hadde hadden 4838 some tyme somtymc
4822 yknowcn Iknowe dispoytertf desputeu swift swyfte
K OUTWARD THINGS IS GAINED. 167
MKT 4?J
[ne] note in it. Glosa. But now arguib boece ajeins bat
oppiniouw and seib bus. but yif be briuyng soule ne
vnplitib no bing. bat is to sein ne dob no bing by hys
comprehends all
trewe binges. ^
Certys bis strengbe is cause more
efficient and mochel more my3ty to seen and to knowe
[*fol.S8.] *QUESTIO.
Although there "Dut what fyif] bat in bodies to ben feelid bat is
are in objects f\
-^ to sein in *
be takynge of
certain qualities
which strike ex- J i knowelechmge of Dodylv
J J
ternftings*"
Hiene while J)e formes fat resten wij) in forfe. and yif
these tMngs/but fat in sensible bodies as I haue seid oure corage nis nat
by its own power ,
eth of these ytauat or enp?'entid by passiouw to knowe bise binges.
impres-
4885 but demif and knowef of hys owen strengfe f e passiouw
or suffraiwce subiect to be body. Moche more ban boo
pure spiritual "
talent^ 01
'
an?ecci'ouws of bodies, as god or hys aungels ne folwen
of ttSrundei
nat in discernynge finges obiect from wif oute forfe.
ySSouftheSciof
impressions from
external objects?
. _. _ ,
but bei accomplissen and speden be dede of hir Y
bou^t
ii/i
>
For this reason,
^^ s resouw - ^ f 9 11
-
)'
ere comen many manere know-
Yn g es ^ dyuerse and differy/zg substaunces. for f e wit
e s'
FO" sense (of of be body be whiche witte is naked and despoyled of
sensation) desti-
t her 1
a^ e^ &I ^nowynges. Jrilke witte comef to bestes fat ne
kn owied e?8
mowen nat moeuen hem self here ne fere, as oystres
and muscles and ofer swiche shelle fysshe of f e see.
8
JJiveirto such hat cliue?i and ben norissed to
r
roches. but be ymagina-
brutes capable of
motion, and hav- i
c ioun remuable bestes *fat semen to han talent
comeb* to
ing in some degree
p to neen or to desiren any f inge. but resouw is al only to
sirin g OTrefusing.
er>
S?he attribute f e lynage of mankynde ry^t as intelligence is oonly f e
of man alone, as
'
'
--11
intelligence is deuvne nature, of whiche it folweb Tbat *bilke knowyny
that of God.
4902 is more worf e fan [th]is[e] ofer. syn it knowef by hys
4373 (.yif} from C. 4883 seid MS. seide, C.seyd 4893-94 witte wit
4878 [or the] from C. 4887 quit quite 4895 mowen mowe
suffraunce MS. suffi- 4888 hys hise here ne \>ere her and thor
auce, C. suffraunce 4889 discernynge MS. dis- 4901 whiche which
4879-80 [ffoth suffraunce] cryuyng, C. discernynge 4902 [<*]iM o\>er thisc
from C. from fro oothre
PKOSE\] THE TOWERS OF SENSE AND IMAGINATION. 169
sance of the
wel fat many f inges ben subiect to wit and to ymagin-
acioun. fan is f e consepcioun of resourc veyn and fals
whiche bat lookeb and coraprehendib. bat bat is thfs that^he?
idea of what la
sensible and synguler as uniuersele. and 211 bat resouw general she
comprehends
wolde answeren a^ein to fise two fat is to sein to wit
^ er
e
s
an d ima.
and to ymaginacfc'ourc. and sein fat sofely she hir self. g'SUnS and
bat is to seyn bat resourc lokef and comprehendif by Sot XSn toey
the knowledge of
resouw of vniuersalite. bobe bat bat is sensible and Jbat what is general,
since their know-
fat ymaginable. and fat f ilke two fat is to seyn wit 4921
is
ledge is confined to
and yma2inaciou?i
J
ne mo weft nat strecchen ne en- material figures ;
and therefore in
haunsen hem self to knowynge of vniuersalite for *fat aiireai knpw-
ledge or things we
although its dura- demde of f e worlde. and al f ou$ fat J>e lif of it be
tion may extend
[* fol. 39.] strecchid wif infinite of tyme. }it al*gates nis it no
to an infinity of
time, yet it can-
swiclie fing fat men
not rightly be my^ten trowen by ry^t fat it is
called eternal :
for it doth not eterne. for al 0113 fat it comprehende and embrace f c
comprehend at
once the whole
extent of its in-
space of life infinite,
^it algates ne [emjbraccf it nat f e
finite duration,
space of f e lif alto-gidre. for it ne ha]) nat f e futwres
having no know-
ledge of things
future which are fat ne ben nat 3it.
ne it ne ha]> no lenger f e preterit}
not yet arrived.
For what is fat ben ydon or ypassed. but f ilke f ing fan fat haf
eternal must be
always present to and comprehendif to-gidre alle f e plente of f e lif in-
itself and master
of itself, and have
always with it
terminable. to whom fere ne failif nat of f e future.
the infinite suc-
cession of time. and to whom for nis nat of f e preterit escapid nor
Therefore some
philosophers, who
had heard that ypassed. f ilk[e] same is ywitnessed or yproued by ry^t
5011 to ben eterne. and it
byhouef by necessite fat f ilke
Plato believed
that this world
had neither be-
f inge be alwey present to hym self and competent, as
ginning nor end, who seif alwey present tohym self and so my}ty fat al
falsely concluded,
that the created
universe was by ry^t at hys plesaunce. and fat he haue al present
coeternal with its
Creator. Hut it f e infinit of fe moeuable tyme. wherfore som men
isone thing to be
conducted trowerc wrongefully fat whan f ei heren fat it
semidfe]
through a life of
infinite duration,
to plato fat f is worlde ne had[de] neuer bygynnynge
which was Plato's
opinion of the neuere shal haue faylynge. f ei wenen
world, and an-
of tyme. ne fat it
other thing to
comprehend at in f is manere fat f is worlde ben maked coeterne wif
once the whole
extent of this his makere. as who seif. f ei wenen fat f is worlde and
duration as pre-
sent which, it is
god ben maked to-gidre eterne. and it is a wrongful
manifest, can only
belong to the
Divine mind. wenynge. for of er f ing is it to ben yladd by lif in-
Nor ought it to
seem to us that terminable as plato graunted[e] to fe worlde. and ofer
God is prior to
and more ancient
f ing is it to embracen to-gidre alle f e presence to f e lif
than his creatures
by the space of interminable, f e whicho f ing it is clere and manifest
taching itself to
self to som manere presence of bis litel and swifte 5041
ee
moment, be wbiche presence of bis lytele and swifte ing moment,
which, because it
moment, lor bat it bereb a manere ymage or lykenesse resembles the
durable present
of be ay dwellynge presence of god. it graunteb to
swiche manere binges as it bitidib to bat it semeb hem
bat bise binges ban ben and ben and for fbatl be pre- as Tt cannot stop
or abide it pur-
sence of swiche litel moment ne may nat dwelle ber-for sues its course
infinite
through
5032 lyke lyk 50tfi ben (1) ybeu 5052 name[s] names
5034 from C.
[the'] -i'rot [\>af] from C. r.053 .wpeZ?/
sothly
5039 soindetl] somrlel 5017 swiche swvch 5054 worlde world.
5040 fulji lie- -fullfyllon 5048 [if] from C. 5055 owen owne
5041 litel fr-m C., MS. lykly 5051 w?/3/[e] myhte 5056 solely sothly
5042 whiche- -\\}\\ch 5052 willen putte wollen 5057 al-wey al-weys
lytele from C., MS. lykly putten
174 DEFINITION OF PRESCIENCE.
of past and future science of hym bat ouer-passeb alle temporel moe[ue]-
cta??iisi
I
htau
men ^>
bys presence and em-
dwellij) in be symplicite of
kraceb awd considereb alle be infinit spaces of tymes
ence fs, then, a preterit^ and futures and lokeb in bis symple knowynge
e ^ no es f preterit
ry^t as bei weren ydoon presently
^ flf
OU Wolt J"" 1 J>
J
5011 sna^ deme [it] more ry^tfully bat it is science
nn
e of presence or of instaunce bat neuer ne fayleb. for
for God looks
down upon ail wmche
,.,...
it nis
,
nat ycleped prouidence but
, ., , . ..
it
,
snolde raber
, ,
i
byholdynge any necessite to bilke
-prefent Certys ban yif men my^te maken any digne comparisons
time. His Divine . . -
prescience there- O r collacou?z of be presence diuine. and of be presence
h ure somme
of thfngs -but ^ mankynde. ry^t so as 30 seen binges in bis
oon and 'bat ober to-gidre. ait nabeles ae demcn and when God knows
J
that any thing is to
m
k 8 the
discerne fat fat oon is uolurctarie and fat of er is neces-
8am^ im7t htt
sario. Ry$t so fan [the] deuyne lokynge byholdynge
1F
JJeJUSfyof being
, ,., , . but this is not
alle bmges vndir hym ne troubleb '
nat be quaiite ol conjecture, but
certain knowledge
ded po
f inges fat ben certeynely present to hym ward, but as (^"h ," u in .
1
whiche it folwib bis nis non oppmioim. but raber a that which cannot
bat r
' do other-wise than
stedfast knowyng ystrengefed by sofenes. fat whan JSE^J
, , ... . . , , and meso bind to
bat god knowef any binge to be he ne vnwoot nat bat admit a necessity,
I must
confess
bilke binge wanteb necessite to be. bis is to seyn 1bat that things are
under such a re-
whan fat god knowef any f inge to bitide. he woot wel
jjat
it ne ha]) no necessite to bitide. and yif f mi seist JSen?
, ,
. . .
we be acquainted
here bat bilke binge bat god seeb to bytide it ne may with the Divine
counsels. For I
nat vnbytide. as who sei)>
it mot bitide. IT and
J^^JJJt tS jjilke
pus. J?at
it
byhouejj by necessite fat alle men be mortal 5SS>iStf tl)e
68 "
or dedely. an oper necessite is condicionel as fus. yif sity^fw tlfe
bou wost bat a man walkib. it byhoueb by necessite bat thing itself does
-
not here cmisti-
he walke. filke finge fan fat any wy^t haf yknowe to
be. it ne may ben non ofer weyes fan he knowef it to
necessity. Since
God beholds all owen nature, but certys be futw?*es bat bytyden by fre-
future events pro-
ceeding from free- dom of arbitre god seeb hem alle to-gidre
present3. bise
will as actually
present these
events in relation binges ban [yif] bei ben referred to be deuyne sy3t.
to Divine sight
are necessary
ban ben bei maked necessarie to be condic?ou?i of be
es thy deuyne knowynge. but certys yif bilke binges ben con-
are absolutely
free. AII things
which God
sidredby hem self bei ben absolut of necessite. and ne
foresees shall
forleten nat ne cesen nat of be liberte of hire owe?*
surely come
nature, ban certys wijj outen doute alle be fingtti
shollen be doon whiche bat god woot by-forn bat be
though they hap-
5139 ben to comen. but so?ftme of hem comen and bitiden of
wib
f
outen doute bei simile ben. but sowme of hem de- troth when r said
that some things
scendif of jje
nature of finges as f e sonne arysynge. Dj'vl'.'T knowledge
and so?ttme descend!)) of f e power of J)e doers as f e man
_ , . - T /.,, in themselves
walkynge. 1T ban seide yil rbat r
I. no wronge bat
bise they are not under
thebondofneces- .
when
appieref or shewef to f e wittes yif J>ou
alle f inges fat ticuiar con-
y7
prescience ry3t as fou ne mayst nat fleen f e sy3t of f e JJSSl SS
present eye. al bom bat bou tourne bi self by Y bi fre divine IBS
knowledge be
,
wille in to dyuerse acczouw^ 51 But bou mayst seyn
J changed accord-
ing to the muta-
hoAv shal it fan be. shal nat f e dyuyne science
^^ d
,nd the
12
5.
178 GOD'S KNOWLEDGE FIXED AND UNCHANGED. PltOSE
[HOOK 6.
5217 by-fore by-torn ends with the following Finite librq sit laus et
6218 \To whom Amen} rubric: gloria Christo
from C. MS. reads et
: Explicit expliceat ludere Corpore scribentis sit
'
cetera after jnuges.' C. scriptor eat gratia, cunctipotentis
180 JETAS PRTMA.
APPENDIX,
asayle
LE PLEINTIF
LENUOY DE FORTUNE
GLOSSARIAL INDEX.