| Prosa 1 | Aftir this sche stynte a lytel; and after that |
| sche hadde ygadrede by atempre stillenesse myn |
| attencioun, she seyde thus (as who so myghte |
| seyn thus: after thise thynges sche stynte a |
| 5 | litil, and whan sche aperceyved by atempre |
| stillenesse that I was ententyf to herkne hire, |
| sche bygan to speke in this wyse): "If I," quod |
| sche, "have undirstonden and knowen outrely |
| the causes and the habyt of thy maladye, |
| 10 | thow languyssest and art desfeted for desir |
| and talent of thi rather fortune. Sche (that |
| ilke Fortune) oonly, that is chaunged, as |
| thow feynest, to the-ward, hath perverted the |
| cleernesse and the estat of thi corage. I |
| 15 | undirstonde the felefolde colours and desceytes |
| of thilke merveylous monstre Fortune and how |
| sche useth ful flaterynge famylarite with hem |
| that sche enforceth to bygyle, so longe, til that |
| sche confounde with unsuffrable sorwe |
| 20 | hem that sche hath left in despeer unpurveied. |
| And yif thou remembrest wel the |
| kende, the maneris, and the desserte of thilke |
| Fortune, thou shalt wel knowe that, as in hir, |
| thow nevere ne haddest ne hast ylost any fair |
| 25 | thyng. But, as I trowe, I schal nat greetly |
| travailen to don the remembren on thise |
| thynges. For thow were wont to hurtlen and |
| despysen hir with manly woordes whan sche |
| was blaundyssching and present, and |
| 30 | pursuydest hir with sentences that weren |
| drawen out of myn entre (that is to seyn, |
| of myn enformacioun). But no sodeyn mutacioun |
| ne bytideth noght withouten a manere |
| chaungynge of corages; and so is it byfallen |
| 35 | that thou art a litil departed fro the pees of thi |
| thought. |
| "But now is tyme that thou drynke and ataste |
| some softe and delitable thynges, so that whanne |
| thei ben entred withynne the, it mowe |
| 40 | maken wey to strengere drynkes of medycines. |
| Com now forth, therfore, the |
| suasyoun of swetnesse rethorien, whiche that |
| goth oonly the righte wey while sche forsaketh |
| nat myn estatutz. And with Rethorice com forth |
| 45 | Musice, a damoysele of our hous, that syngeth |
| now lightere moedes or prolacions, now |
| hevyere. What eyleth the, man? What is it that |
| hath cast the into moornynge and into wepynge? |
| I trow that thou hast seyn some newe thyng |
| 50 | and unkouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be |
| chaunged ayens the; but thow wenest |
| wrong (yif thou that wene): alway tho ben hir |
| maneres. Sche hath rather kept, as to the-ward, |
| hir propre stablenesse in the chaungynge of |
| 55 | hirself. Ryght swiche was sche whan sche |
| flateryd the and desseyved the with unleful |
| lykynges of false welefulnesse. Thou hast now |
| knowen and ateynt the doutous or double visage |
| of thilke blynde goddesse Fortune. Sche, |
| 60 | that yit covereth and wympleth hir to other |
| folk, hath schewyd hir every del to the. Yif |
| thou approvest here (and thynkest that sche is |
| good), use hir maneris and pleyne the nat; and |
| yif thou agrisest hir false trecherie, despise and |
| 65 | cast awey hir that pleyeth so harmfully. For sche, |
| that is now cause of so mochel sorwe to the, |
| sholde ben cause to the of pees and of joye. Sche |
| hath forsaken the, forsothe, the whiche that |
| nevere man mai ben siker that sche ne schal |
| 70 | forsaken hym. (Glose. But natheles some |
| bookes han the texte thus: forsothe sche |
| hath forsaken the, ne ther nys no man siker |
| that sche ne hath nat forsake.) Holdestow |
| thanne thilke welefulnesse precious to the, that |
| 75 | schal passen? And is present Fortune dereworth |
| to the, whiche that nys nat feithful for to duelle, |
| and whan sche goth awey that sche bryngeth a |
| wyght in sorwe? For syn she may nat ben |
| withholden at a mannys wille, [and] sche |
| 80 | maketh hym a wrecche whan sche departeth |
| fro hym, what other thyng is |
| flyttynge Fortune but a maner schewynge of |
| wrecchidnesse that is to comen? Ne it suffiseth |
| nat oonly to loken on thyng that is present |
| 85 | byforn the eien of a man; but wisdom loketh and |
| mesureth the ende of thynges. And the same |
| chaungynge from oon into another (that is to |
| seyn, fro adversite into prosperite) maketh that |
| the manaces of Fortune ne ben nat for to |
| 90 | dreden, ne the flaterynges of hir to ben |
| desired. Thus, at the laste, it byhoveth the |
| to suffren wyth evene wil in pacience al that is |
| doon inwith the floor of Fortune (that is to seyn, |
| in this world), syn thou hast oonys put thy nekke |
| 95 | undir the yok of hir. For yif thow wilt writen a |
| lawe of wendynge and of duellynge to Fortune, |
| whiche that thow hast chosen frely to ben thi |
| lady, artow nat wrongful in that, and makest |
| Fortune wroth and aspre by thyn |
| 100 | inpacience? And yit thow mayst nat |
| chaungen hir. Yif thou committest and |
| betakest thi seyles to the wynd, thow schalt ben |
| shoven, nat thider that thow woldest, but whider |
| that the wynd schouveth the. Yif thow castest thi |
| 105 | seedes in the feeldes, thou sholdest han in |
| mynde that the yeres ben amonges, outherwhile |
| plentevous and outherwhile bareyne. Thow hast |
| bytaken thiself to the governaunce of Fortune |
| and forthi it byhoveth the to ben obeisaunt |
| 110 | to the maneris of thi lady. Enforcestow the |
| to aresten or withholden the swyftnesse |
| and the sweighe of hir turnynge wheel? O thow |
| fool of alle mortel foolis! Yif Fortune bygan to |
| duelle stable, she cessede thanne to ben Fortune. |
| |
| Metrum 1 | "Whan Fortune with a proud ryght hand hath |
| turned hir chaungynge stowndes, sche fareth |
| lyke the maneres of the boylynge Eurippe. |
| (Glosa. Eurippe is an arm of the see that ebbeth |
| 5 | and floweth, and somtyme the streem is on |
| o side, and somtyme on the tothir.) Textus. |
| She, cruel Fortune, casteth adoun kynges that |
| whilom weren ydradd; and sche, desceyvable, |
| enhaunceth up the humble chere of hym |
| 10 | that is discounfited. Ne sche neither heereth |
| ne rekketh of wrecchide wepynges; and |
| she is so hard that sche leygheth and scorneth |
| the wepynges of hem, the whiche sche hath |
| maked wepe with hir free wille. Thus sche |
| 15 | pleyeth, and thus sche prooeveth hir strengthes, |
| and scheweth a greet wonder to alle hir servauntz |
| yif that a wyght is seyn weleful and |
| overthrowe in an houre. |
| |
| Prosa 2 | "Certes I wolde pleten with the a fewe |
| thynges, usynge the woordes of Fortune. Tak |
| hede now thyselve, yif that sche asketh ryght: |
| `O thow man, wherfore makestow me gyltyf by |
| 5 | thyne every dayes pleynynges? What wrong |
| have I don the? What godes have I byreft the |
| that weren thyne? Stryf or pleet with me byforn |
| what juge that thow wolt of the possessioun |
| of rychesses or of dignytees; and yif |
| 10 | thou maist schewen me that ever any mortel |
| man hath resceyved ony of tho thynges |
| to ben hise in propre, thanne wil I graunte freely |
| that thilke thynges weren thyne whiche that |
| thow axest. |
| 15 | "Whan that nature brought the foorth out of |
| thi modir wombe, I resceyved the nakid and |
| nedy of alle thynges, and I norissched the with |
| my richesses, and was redy and ententyf thurwe |
| my favour to sustene the -- and that maketh |
| 20 | the now inpacient ayens me; and I |
| envyrounde the with al the habundaunce |
| and schynynge of alle goodes that ben in my |
| ryght. Now it liketh me to withdrawe myn |
| hand. Thow hast had grace as he that hath |
| 25 | used of foreyne goodes; thow hast no ryght to |
| pleyne the, as though thou haddest outrely |
| forlorn alle thy thynges. Why pleynestow |
| thanne? I have doon the no wrong. Richesses, |
| honours, and swiche othere thinges ben of |
| 30 | my right. My servauntz knowen me for |
| hir lady; they comen with me, and departen |
| whan I wende. I dar wel affermen hardely |
| that, yif tho thynges of whiche thow pleynest |
| that thou hast forlorn [hem] hadden ben |
| 35 | thyne, thow ne haddest nat lorn hem. Schal |
| I thanne, oonly, be defended to usen my ryght? |
| "Certes it is leveful to the hevene to maken |
| clere dayes, and after that to coveren tho same |
| dayes with dirke nyghtes. The yeer hath |
| 40 | eek leve to apparaylen the visage of the |
| erthe, now with floures, and now with |
| fruyt, and to confownden hem somtyme with |
| reynes and with coldes. The see hath eek his |
| ryght to ben somtyme calm and blaundysschyng |
| 45 | with smothe watir, and somtyme to ben |
| horrible with wawes and with tempestes. But |
| the covetise of men, that mai nat be stawnched |
| -- schal it bynde me to ben stedfast, syn that |
| stidfastnesse is uncouth to my maneris? |
| 50 | Swiche is my strengthe, and this pley |
| I pleye continuely. I torne the whirlynge |
| wheel with the turnynge sercle; I am glad to |
| chaungen the loweste to the heyeste, and the |
| heyeste to the loweste. Worth up yif thow |
| 55 | wolt, so it be by this lawe, that thow ne holde |
| nat that I do the wroong, though thow descende |
| adown whan the resoun of my pley axeth it. |
| Wystestow nat how Cresus, kyng of Lydyens, |
| of whiche kyng Cirus was ful sore agast a |
| 60 | lytil byforn -- that this rewliche Cresus |
| was caught of Cirus and lad to the fyer to |
| ben brend; but that a rayn descendede down |
| fro hevene that rescowyde hym? And is it out |
| of thy mynde how that Paulus, consul of Rome, |
| 65 | whan he had taken the kyng of Percyens, weep |
| pitously for the captivyte of the selve kyng? |
| What other thynge bywaylen the cryinges of |
| tragedyes but oonly the dedes of Fortune, that |
| with an unwar strook overturneth the |
| 70 | realmes of greet nobleye? (Glose. Tragedye |
| is to seyn a dite of a prosperite for a |
| tyme, that endeth in wrecchidnesse.) Lernedest |
| nat thow in Greek whan thow were yong, that |
| in the entre or in the seler of Juppiter ther ben |
| 75 | cowched two tonnes, the toon is ful of good, |
| and the tother is ful of harm? What ryght |
| hastow to pleyne, yif thou hast taken more |
| plentevously of the gode side (that is to seyn, |
| of my richesses and prosperites)? And |
| 80 | what ek yif Y ne be nat al departed fro |
| the? What eek yif my mutabilite yeveth |
| the ryghtful cause of hope to han yit bettere |
| thynges? Natheles dismaye the nat in thi |
| thought; and thow that art put in the comune |
| 85 | realme of alle, desire nat to lyven by thyn oonly |
| propre ryght. |
| |
| Metrum 2 | "Though Plente that is goddesse of rychesses |
| hielde adoun with ful horn, and withdraweth |
| nat hir hand, as many richesses as the |
| see torneth upward sandes whan it is moeved |
| 5 | with ravysshynge blastes, or elles as manye |
| rychesses as ther schynen bryghte sterres in |
| hevene on the sterry nyghtes; yit, for al that, |
| mankende nolde nat cese to wepe wrecchide |
| pleyntes. And al be it so that God resceyveth |
| 10 | gladly hir preiers, and yyveth hem, as |
| fool-large, moche gold, and apparayleth |
| coveytous folk with noble or cleer honours; |
| yit semeth hem haven igeten nothyng, but |
| alwey hir cruel ravyne, devourynge al that |
| 15 | they han geten, scheweth othere gapynges (that |
| is to seyn, gapyn and desiren yit after mo rychesses). |
| What brydles myghte withholden to |
| any certeyn ende the disordene covetise of |
| men, whan evere the rather that it fletith |
| 20 | in large yiftes, the more ay brenneth in |
| hem the thurst of havynge? Certes he that |
| qwakynge and dredful weneth hymselven |
| nedy, he ne lyveth nevermo ryche. |
| |
| Prosa 3 | "Therfore, yif that Fortune spake with the |
| for hirself in this manere, forsothe thow ne |
| haddest noght what thou myghtest answere. |
| And yif thow hast any thyng wherwith thow |
| 5 | mayst rightfully defenden thi compleynte, it |
| behoveth the to schewen it, and I wol yyve |
| the space to tellen it." |
| "Serteynly," quod I thanne, "thise ben faire |
| thynges and enoynted with hony swetnesse |
| 10 | of Rethorik and Musike; and oonly |
| whil thei ben herd thei ben delycious, but |
| to wrecches is a deppere felyng of harm |
| (this is to seyn, that wrecches felen the harmes |
| that thei suffren more grevously than the remedies |
| 15 | or the delites of thise wordes mowen gladen |
| or conforten hem). So that, whanne thise |
| thynges stynten for to soune in eris, the sorwe |
| that es inset greveth the thought." |
| "Right so is it," quod sche. "For thise ne |
| 20 | ben yit none remedies of thy maladye, but |
| they ben a maner norisschynges of thi |
| sorwe, yit rebel ayen thi curacioun. For whan |
| that tyme is, I schal moeve and ajuste swiche |
| thynges that percen hemselve depe. But natheles |
| 25 | that thow schalt noght wilne to leten thiself |
| a wrecche, hastow foryeten the nowmbre |
| and the maner of thi welefulnesse? I holde |
| me stille how that the sovereyn men of the |
| cite token the in cure and in kepynge, |
| 30 | whan thow were orphelyn of fadir and of |
| modir, and were chose in affynite of |
| prynces of the cite; and thow bygonne rather |
| to ben leef and deere than for to been a |
| neyghebour, the whiche thyng is the moste |
| 35 | precyous kende of any propinquyte or alliaunce |
| that mai ben. Who is it that ne seide tho that |
| thow neere right weleful, with so gret a nobleye |
| of thi fadres-in-lawe, and with the chastete |
| of thy wyf, and with the oportunyte |
| 40 | and noblesse of thyne masculyn children |
| (that is to seyn, thy sones)? And over al this |
| me list to passen of comune thynges, how |
| thow haddest in thy youthe dignytees that |
| weren wernd to oolde men; but it deliteth |
| 45 | me to comen now to the synguler uphepynge |
| of thi welefulnesse. Yif any fruyt of mortel |
| thynges mai han any weyghte or pris of welefulnesse, |
| myghtestow evere forgeten, for any |
| charge of harm that myghte byfalle the, remembraunce |
| 50 | of thilke day that thow seye |
| thi two sones maked conseileris and iladde |
| togidre fro thyn hous under so greet assemble |
| of senatours and under the blithnesse of peple, |
| and whan thow saye hem set in the court in |
| 55 | hir chayeres of dignytes? Thow, rethorien or |
| pronouncere of kynges preysynges, desservedest |
| glorie of wit and of eloquence whan thow, syttynge |
| bytwixen thi two sones conseylers, in the |
| place that highte Circo, fulfildest the abydynge |
| 60 | of the multitude of peple that was |
| sprad abouten the with so large preysynge |
| and laude as men syngen in victories. Tho |
| yave thow woordes to Fortune, as I trowe, (that |
| is to seyn, tho feffedestow Fortune with glosynge |
| 65 | wordes and desceyvedest hir) whan sche |
| accoyede the and norysside the as hir owne |
| delices. Thow bare awey of Fortune a yifte |
| (that is to seye, swich guerdoun) that sche |
| nevere yaf to prive man. Wiltow therfore |
| 70 | leye a reknynge with Fortune? Sche hath |
| now twynkled first upon the with a wikkid |
| eye. If thow considere the nowmbre and the |
| maner of thy blisses and of thy sorwes, thow |
| mayst noght forsaken that thow nart yit blisful. |
| 75 | For yif thou therfore wenest thiself nat |
| weleful, for thynges that tho semeden joyeful |
| ben passed, ther nys nat why thow sholdest |
| wene thiself a wrecche; for thynges that semen |
| now sory passen also. Artow now comen |
| 80 | first, a sodeyn gest, into the schadowe or |
| tabernacle of this lif? Or trowestow that |
| any stedfastnesse be in mannes thynges, whan |
| ofte a swyft hour dissolveth the same man (that |
| is to seyn, whan the soule departeth fro the |
| 85 | body)? For although that zelde is ther any |
| feith that fortunous thynges wollen dwellen, |
| yet natheles the laste day of a mannes lif is |
| a maner deth to Fortune, and also to thilke |
| that hath dwelt. And therfore what wenestow |
| 90 | dar rekke, yif thow forleete hir in |
| deyinge, or elles that sche, Fortune, forleete awey? |
| |
| Metrum 3 | "Whan Phebus, the sonne, bygynneth to |
| spreden his clernesse with rosene chariettes, |
| thanne the sterre, ydymmed, paleth hir white |
| cheeres by the flambes of the sonne that overcometh |
| 5 | the sterre lyght. (This to seyn, whan |
| the sonne is rysen, the day-sterre waxeth pale, |
| and leeseth hir lyght for the grete bryghtnesse |
| of the sonne.) Whan the wode waxeth rody |
| of rosene floures in the fyrst somer sesoun |
| 10 | thurw the breeth of the wynd Zephirus that |
| waxeth warm, yif the cloudy wynd Auster |
| blowe felliche, than goth awey the fairnesse |
| of thornes. Ofte the see is cleer and calm |
| without moevynge flodes, and ofte the horrible |
| 15 | wynd Aquylon moeveth boylynge tempestes, |
| and overwhelveth the see. Yif the forme |
| of this world is so zeeld stable, and yif it torneth |
| by so manye entrechaungynges, wiltow |
| thanne trusten in the tumblenge fortunes of |
| 20 | men? Wiltow trowen on flyttynge goodes? |
| It is certeyn and establissched by lawe perdurable, |
| that nothyng that is engendred nys |
| stedfast ne stable." |
| |
| Prosa 4 | Thanne seide I thus: "O norysshe of alle vertues, |
| thou seist ful sooth; ne I mai noght forsake |
| the ryght swyfte cours of my prosperite |
| (that is to seyn, that prosperite ne be comen |
| 5 | to me wonder swyftli and sone); but this is a |
| thyng that greetly smerteth me whan it remembreth |
| me. For in alle adversites of fortune |
| the moost unzeely kynde of contrarious |
| fortune is to han ben weleful." |
| 10 | "But that thow," quod sche, "abyest thus |
| the torment of thi false opynioun, that |
| maistow nat ryghtfully blamen ne aretten to |
| thynges. (As who seith, for thow hast yit |
| manye habundances of thynges.) Textus. For |
| 15 | al be it so that the ydel name of aventuros |
| welefulnesse moeveth the now, it is leveful that |
| thow rekne with me of how many grete thynges |
| thow hast yit plente. And therfore yif that |
| thilke thyng that thow haddest for moost |
| 20 | precyous in al thy rychesse of fortune be |
| kept to the yit by the grace of God unwemmed |
| and undefouled, maistow thanne |
| pleyne ryghtfully upon the mescheef of Fortune, |
| syn thow hast yit thi beste thynges? |
| 25 | Certes yit lyveth in good poynt thilke precyous |
| honour of mankynde, Symacus, thi wyves fader, |
| whiche that is a man maked al of sapience and |
| of vertu, the whiche man thow woldest byen |
| redyly with the pris of thyn owene lif. He |
| 30 | bywayleth the wronges that men don to |
| the, and nat for hymself; for he lyveth in |
| sikernesse of anye sentences put ayens hym. |
| And yit lyveth thi wyf, that is atempre of wyt |
| and passynge othere wommen in clennesse of |
| 35 | chastete; and, for I wol closen schortly hir |
| bountes, sche is lyk to hir fadir. I telle the wel |
| that sche lyveth, loth of this lyf, and kepeth |
| to the oonly hir goost, and is al maat and overcomen |
| by wepynge and sorwe for desir of |
| 40 | the; in the whiche thyng oonly I moot |
| graunten that thi welefulnesse is amenused. |
| What schal I seyn eek of thi two sones conseylours, |
| of whiche, as of children of hir age, |
| ther shyneth the liknesse of the wit of hir fadir |
| 45 | or of hir eldefader! And syn the sovereyne |
| cure of al mortel folk is to saven hir owene |
| lyves, O how weleful artow, if thow knowe |
| thy goodes! For yit ben ther thynges dwelled |
| to the-ward that no man douteth that they |
| 50 | ne be more derworthe to the than thyn |
| owene lif. And forthy drye thi teeris, for |
| yit nys nat every fortune al hateful to theward, |
| ne overgreet tempest hath nat yit fallen |
| upon the, whan that thyne ancres clyven faste, |
| 55 | that neither wolen suffren the counfort of this |
| tyme present ne the hope of tyme comyng to |
| passen ne to faylen." |
| "And I preie," quod I, "that faste mote thei |
| halden; for, whiles that thei halden, how so |
| 60 | evere that thynges been, I shal wel fleetyn |
| forth and escapyn: but thou mayst wel seen |
| how grete apparailes and array that me lakketh, |
| that ben passed awey fro me." |
| "I have somwhat avaunced and forthred |
| 65 | the," quod sche, "yif that thow anoye nat, or |
| forthynke nat of al thy fortune. (As who seith, |
| I have somwhat conforted the, so that thou |
| tempeste the nat thus with al thy fortune, syn |
| thow hast yit thy beste thynges.) But I mai |
| 70 | nat suffren thi delices, that pleynest the so |
| wepynge and angwysschous for that ther |
| lakketh somwhat to thy welefulnesse. For what |
| man is so sad or of so parfite welefulnesse, that |
| he ne stryveth and pleyneth on some halfe |
| 75 | ayen the qualite of his estat? Forwhy ful anguysschous |
| thing is the condicioun of mannes |
| goodes; for eyther it cometh nat altogidre to |
| a wyght, or elles it ne last nat perpetuel. For |
| som man hath gret rychesse, but he is |
| 80 | aschamed of his ungentil lynage; and som |
| man is renomyd of noblesse of kynrede, but |
| he is enclosed in so greet angwyssche of nede |
| of thynges that hym were levere that he were |
| unknowe; and som man haboundeth bothe in |
| 85 | rychesse and noblesse, but yit he bewayleth his |
| chaste lyf, for he ne hath no wyf; and som man |
| is wel and zelily ymaried, but he hath no children, |
| and norissheth his rychesses to the eyres |
| of straunge folk; and som man is gladed |
| 90 | with children, but he wepeth ful sory for |
| the trespas of his sone or of his doughter. |
| And for this ther ne accordeth no wyght lyghtly |
| to the condicioun of his fortune; for alwey to |
| every man ther is in somwhat that, unassayed, |
| 95 | he ne woot nat, or elles he dredeth that he hath |
| assaied. And adde this also, that every weleful |
| man hath a ful delicaat feelynge; so that, but |
| yif alle thynges byfalle at his owene wil, for |
| he is inpacient or is nat used to have noon |
| 100 | adversite, anoon he is throwen adoun for |
| every litil thyng. And ful litel thynges ben |
| tho that withdrawen the somme or the perfeccioun |
| of blisfulnesse fro hem that been most |
| fortunat. How manye men trowestow wolde |
| 105 | demen hemself to ben almoste in hevene, yif |
| thei myghten atayne to the leste partye of the |
| remenaunt of thi fortune? This same place |
| that thow clepest exil is contre to hem that |
| enhabiten here, and forthi nothyng [is. |
| 110 | wrecchide but whan thou wenest it. (As |
| who seith, thow thiself ne no wyght elles |
| nis a wrecche but whanne he weneth hymself |
| a wrechche by reputacion of his corage.) And |
| ayenward, alle fortune is blisful to a man by |
| 115 | the aggreablete or by the egalyte of hym that |
| suffreth it. What man is that that is so weleful |
| that nolde chaunge his estat whan he hath lost |
| pacience? The swetnesse of mannes welefulnesse |
| is spraynd with many bitternesses; |
| 120 | the whiche welefulnesse although it seme |
| swete and joieful to hym that useth it, yit |
| mai it nat ben withholden that it ne goth awey |
| whan it wole. Thanne is it wele seene how |
| wrecchid is the blisfulnesse of mortel thynges, |
| 125 | that neyther it dureth perpetuel with hem that |
| every fortune resceyven agreablely or egaly, ne |
| it deliteth nat in al to hem that ben angwyssous. |
| "O ye mortel folk, what seeke ye thanne blisfulnesse |
| out of yourself whiche that is put |
| 130 | in yowrself? Errour and folie confoundeth |
| yow. I schal schewe the schortly the |
| poynt of soverayn blisfulnesse. Is there anythyng |
| more precyous to the than thiself? Thow |
| wolt answere, `nay.' Thanne, yif it so be that |
| 135 | thow art myghty over thyself (that is to seyn, |
| by tranquillite of thi soule), than hastow thyng |
| in thi powere that thow noldest nevere leesen, |
| ne Fortune may nat bynymen it the. And that |
| thow mayst knowe that blisfulnesse ne mai |
| 140 | nat standen in thynges that ben fortunous |
| and temporel, now undirstond and gadere |
| it togidre thus: yif blisfulnesse be the soverayn |
| good of nature that lyveth by resoun, |
| ne thilke thyng nys nat soverayn good that |
| 145 | may ben taken awey in any wise (for more |
| worthy thyng and more dygne is thilke thyng |
| that mai nat ben take awey); than scheweth |
| it wel that the unstablenesse of fortune may |
| nat atayne to resceyven verray blisfulnesse. |
| 150 | And yit more over, what man that this |
| towmblynge welefulnesse ledeth, eyther |
| he woot that it is chaungeable, or elles he woot |
| it nat. And yif he woot it nat, what blisful |
| fortune may ther ben in the blyndnesse of ignoraunce? |
| 155 | And yif he woot that it is chaungeable, |
| he mot alwey ben adrad that he ne lese |
| that thyng that he ne douteth nat but that he |
| may leesen it (as who seith he mot bien alwey |
| agast lest he lese that he woot wel he may |
| 160 | lese it); for whiche the contynuel drede that |
| he hath ne suffreth hym nat to ben weleful -- |
| or elles yif he lese it he weneth to ben |
| despised and forleten. Certes eek that is a |
| ful litel good that is born with evene herte |
| 165 | whan it es lost (that is to seyn, that men do no |
| more force of the lost than of the havynge). |
| And for as moche as thow thiself art he to |
| whom it hath be [sewed] and proved by ful |
| many demonstracyons, as I woot wele that |
| 170 | the soules of men ne mowen nat deyen in |
| no wyse; and ek syn it es cleer and certeyn |
| that fortunous welefulnesse endeth by the deth |
| of the body; it mai nat be douted that, yif that |
| deth may take awey blisfulnesse, that al the |
| 175 | kynde of mortel thyng ne descendeth into |
| wrecchidnesse by the ende of the deth. And |
| syn we knowe wel that many a man hath |
| sought the fruyt of blysfulnesse, nat oonly with |
| suffrynge of deeth, but eek with suffrynge |
| 180 | of peynes and tormentz, how myghte |
| thanne this present lif make men blisful, |
| syn that whanne thilke selve lif es ended it |
| ne maketh folk no wrechches? |
| |
| Metrum 5 | "What maner man stable and war, that wol |
| fownden hym a perdurable seete, and ne wol |
| noght ben cast doun with the lowde blastes of |
| the wynd Eurus, and wole despise the see |
| 5 | manasynge with flodes; lat hym eschuwen to |
| bilde on the cop of the mountaigne, or in the |
| moyste sandes; for the felle wynd Auster tormenteth |
| the cop of the mountaigne with alle |
| hise strengthes, and the lause sandes refusen |
| 10 | to beren the hevy weyghte. And |
| forthi, yif thow wolt fleen the perilous |
| aventure (that is to seyn, of the werld) have |
| mynde certeynly to fycchen thin hous of a |
| myrie sete in a low stoon. For although the |
| 15 | wynd troublynge the see thondre with overthrowynges, |
| thou, that art put in quiete and |
| weleful by strengthe of thi palys, schalt leden |
| a cler age, scornynge the woodnesses and the |
| ires of the eyr. |
| |
| Prosa 5 | "But for as mochel as the norisschynges of |
| my resouns descenden now into the, I trowe it |
| were tyme to usen a litel strengere medicynes. |
| Now undirstand heere; al were it so that the |
| 5 | yiftes of Fortune ne were noght brutel ne transitorie, |
| what is ther in hem that mai be thyn |
| in any tyme, or elles that it nys fowl, yif that |
| it be considered and lookyd parfitely? Richesses |
| ben they preciouse by the nature of hemself, |
| 10 | or elles by the nature of the? What is |
| most worth of rychesses? Is it nat gold or |
| myght of moneye assembled? Certes thilke |
| gold and thilke moneye schyneth and yeveth |
| bettre renoun to hem that dispenden it than |
| 15 | to thilke folk that mokeren it; for avaryce maketh |
| alwey mokereres to ben hated, and largesse |
| maketh folk cleer of renoun. For, syn that |
| swiche thyng as is transferred fro o man to an |
| othir ne may nat duellen with no man, |
| 20 | certes thanne is thilke moneye precyous |
| whan it is translated into other folk and |
| stynteth to ben had by usage of large yyvynge |
| of hym that hath yeven it. And also yif al the |
| moneye that is overal in the world were gadryd |
| 25 | toward o man, it scholde make alle othere men |
| to be nedy as of that. And certes a voys al hool |
| (that is to seyn, withouten amenusynge) fulfilleth |
| togydre the herynge of moche folk. But |
| certes your rychesses ne mowen noght |
| 30 | passen unto moche folk withouten amenusynge; |
| and whan they ben apassed, nedes |
| they maken hem pore that forgoon tho rychesses. |
| O streyte and nedy clepe I this richesse, |
| syn that many folk ne mai nat han it al, ne al |
| 35 | mai it nat comen to o man withoute povert |
| of alle othere folk. And the schynynge of |
| gemmes (that I clepe precyous stones) draweth |
| it nat the eighen of folk to hem-ward (that |
| is to seyn, for the beautes)? But certes, yif |
| 40 | ther were beaute or bountee in the schynynge |
| of stones, thilke clernesse is of the |
| stones hemselve, and nat of men; for whiche I |
| wondre gretly that men merveylen on swiche |
| thynges. Forwhi what thyng is it that, yif it |
| 45 | wanteth moevynge and joynture of soule and |
| body, that by right myghte semen a fair creature |
| to hym that hath a soule of resoun? For |
| al be it so that gemmes drawen to hemself a |
| litel of the laste beaute of the world thurw |
| 50 | the entente of hir creatour and thurw the |
| distinccioun of hemself, yit, for as mochel |
| as thei ben put under yowr excellence, thei ne |
| han nat desserved by no way that ye schulde |
| merveylen on hem. And the beaute of feeldes, |
| 55 | deliteth it nat mochel unto yow?" |
| Boece. "Why schulde it nat deliten us, syn |
| that it is a [fayr] porcioun of the ryght fair |
| werk (that is to seyn, of this worlde)? And |
| right so ben we gladed somtyme of the |
| 60 | face of the see whan it es cleer; and also |
| merveylen we on the hevene, and on the |
| sterres, and on the sonne, and on the moone." |
| Philosophie. "Aperteneth," quod sche, "any |
| of thilke thynges to the? Why darstow glorifye |
| 65 | the in the shynynge of any swiche thynges? |
| Artow distyngwed and embelysed by the |
| spryngynge floures of the first somer sesoun, |
| or swelleth thi plente in fruites of somer? Whi |
| artow ravyssched with idel joies? Why enbracest |
| 70 | thow straunge goodes as they weren |
| thyne? Fortune ne schal nevere maken that |
| swiche thynges ben thyne that nature of thynges |
| hath maked foreyne fro the. Soth is that, withouten |
| doute, the fruites of the erthe owen to |
| 75 | be to the noryssynge of beestis; and yif thow |
| wilt fulfille thyn nede after that it suffiseth to |
| nature, thanne is it no nede that thow seke |
| aftir the superfluyte of fortune. For [with] |
| fewe thynges and with ful litel thynges nature |
| 80 | halt hir apayed; and yif thow wolt |
| achoken the fulfillynge of nature with superfluytees, |
| certes thilke thynges that thow |
| wolt thresten or powren into nature schulle |
| ben unjoyeful to the, or elles anoyous. Wenestow |
| 85 | eek that it be a fair thyng to schyne with |
| diverse clothynge? Of whiche clothynge yif the |
| beaute be aggreable to loken uppon, I wol |
| merveylen on the nature of the matiere of |
| thilke clothes, or elles on the werkman that |
| 90 | wroughte hem. But also a long route of |
| meyne, maketh that a blisful man? The |
| whiche servantz yif thei ben vicyous of condyciouns, |
| it is a gret charge and a destruccioun |
| to the hous, and a gret enemy to the lord hymself; |
| 95 | and yif they ben gode men, how schal |
| straunge or foreyne goodnesse ben put in the |
| nowmbre of thi richesse? So that by alle thise |
| forseide thynges it es cleerly schewed, that nevere |
| oon of thilke thynges that thou acountedest |
| 100 | for thyne goodes nas nat thi good. |
| "In the whiche thynges yif ther be no |
| beaute to ben desired, why scholdestow ben sory |
| yif thou leese hem, or whi scholdestow rejoysen |
| the for to holden hem? For yif thei ben faire |
| 105 | of hir owene kynde, what aperteneth that to |
| the? For al so wel scholde they han ben fayre |
| by hemselve, though thei were departed fro |
| alle thyne rychesses. Forwhy fair ne precyous |
| were thei nat for that thei comen among |
| 110 | thi rychesses; but for they semeden fair |
| and precyous, therfore thou haddest levere |
| rekne hem among thi rychesses. But what |
| desirestow of Fortune with so greet a noyse |
| and with so greet [affraie]? I trowe thou seeke |
| 115 | to dryve awey nede with habundaunce of |
| thynges, but certes it turneth to you al in the |
| contrarie. Forwhy certes it nedeth of ful manye |
| helpynges to kepyn the diversite of precious |
| ostelementz; and sooth it es that of many |
| 120 | thynges han they nede, that many thynges |
| han; and ayenward of litel nedeth hem |
| that mesuren hir fille after the nede of kynde, |
| and nat after the oultrage of covetyse. |
| "Is it thanne so, that ye men ne han no propre |
| 125 | good iset in yow, for whiche ye mooten seke |
| outward your goodes in foreyne and subgit |
| thynges? So is thanne the condicion of thynges |
| turned up-so-doun, that a man, that is a devyne |
| beest be meryte of his resoun, thynketh |
| 130 | that hymself nys neyther fair ne noble but |
| yif it be thurw possessioun of ostelementz |
| that ne han no soules. And certes alle othere |
| thynges ben apayed of hir owene beautes, but ye |
| men that ben semlable to God by yowr |
| 135 | resonable thought, desiren to apparailen your |
| excellent kynde of the loweste thynges; ne ye |
| undirstanden nat how greet a wrong ye don to |
| your creatour. For he wolde that mankynde |
| were moost wurthy and noble of any |
| 140 | othere erthly thynges, and ye thresten |
| adoun yowre dignytes bynethen the loweste |
| thynges. For yif that al the good of every |
| thyng be more precyous than is thilke thyng |
| whos that the good es, syn ye demen that the |
| 145 | fowleste thynges ben your goodes, thanne |
| submitten ye and putten yourselven undir the |
| fouleste thynges by your estimacioun; and certes |
| this betydeth nat withouten your desert. For |
| certes swiche is the condicioun of alle mankynde, |
| 150 | that oonly whan it hath knowynge |
| of itself, thanne passeth it in noblesse alle |
| othere thynges; and whan it forletith the |
| knowynge of itself, thanne is it brought |
| bynethen alle beestes. Forwhi alle othere lyvynge |
| 155 | beestes han of kynde to knowe nat hemself; |
| but whan that men leeten the knowynge |
| of hemself, it cometh hem of vice. But |
| how broode scheweth the errour and the folie of |
| yow men, that wenen that anythyng mai |
| 160 | ben apparailed with straunge apparailementz! |
| But forsothe that mai nat be done. |
| For yif a wyght schyneth with thynges that |
| ben put to hym (as thus, yif thilke thynges |
| schynen with whiche a man is aparayled), |
| 165 | certes thilke thynges ben comended and preysed |
| with whiche he is apparayled; but natheles, the |
| thyng that is covered and wrapped under that |
| duelleth in his felthe. |
| "And I denye that thilke thyng be good |
| 170 | that anoyeth hym that hath it. Gabbe I of |
| this? Thow wolt sey `nay.' Sertes rychesses |
| han anoyed ful ofte hem that han tho rychesses, |
| syn that every wikkide schrewe -- and for his |
| wikkidnesse the more gredy aftir othir folkes |
| 175 | rychesses, wher so evere it be in ony place, be |
| it gold or precyous stones -- [weneth. hym |
| oonly most worthy that hath hem. Thow thanne, |
| that so bysy dredest now the swerd and the |
| spere, yif thou haddest entred in the path |
| 180 | of this lif a voyde weyfarynge man, thanne |
| woldestow syngen byfor the theef. (As |
| who seith, a pore man that bereth no rychesse |
| on hym by the weie may boldely synge byforn |
| theves, for he hath nat whereof to be robbed.) |
| 185 | O precyous and ryght cleer is the blisfulnesse of |
| mortel rychesses, that, whan thow hast geten it, |
| thanne hastow lorn thi sekernesse! |
| |
| Metrum 5 | "Blisful was the firste age of men. They |
| heelden hem apayed with the metes that the |
| trewe feeldes broughten forth. They ne destroyeden |
| ne desseyvede nat hemself with outrage. |
| 5 | They weren wont lyghtly to slaken hir |
| hungir at even with accornes of ookes. They |
| ne coude nat medle the yift of Bachus to the |
| cleer hony (that is to seyn, they coude make |
| no pyement or clarree), ne they coude nat |
| 10 | medle the bryghte fleezes of the contre of |
| Seryens with the venym of Tyrie (this |
| to seyn, thei coude nat deyen white fleezes |
| of Syrien contre with the blood of a maner |
| schellefyssche that men fynden in Tirie, with |
| 15 | whiche blood men deyen purpre). They |
| slepen holsome slepes uppon the gras, and |
| dronken of the rennynge watres, and layen |
| undir the schadwes of the heye pyn-trees. Ne |
| no gest ne straunger ne karf yit the heye |
| 20 | see with oores or with schipes; ne thei ne |
| hadden seyn yit none newe stroondes to |
| leden marchandise into diverse contrees. Tho |
| weren the cruele claryouns ful hust and ful |
| stille. Ne blood ischad by egre hate ne hadde |
| 25 | nat deyed yit armures. For wherto or which |
| woodnesse of enemys wolde first moeven |
| armes whan thei seyen cruele wowndes, ne |
| none medes be of blood ischad? I wolde that |
| our tymes sholde torne ayen to the oolde |
| 30 | maneris! But the anguysschous love of |
| havynge brenneth in folk more cruely than |
| the fyer of the mountaigne of Ethna that ay |
| brenneth. Allas! What was he that first dalf |
| up the gobbettes or the weyghtes of gold covered |
| 35 | undir erthe and the precyous stones that |
| wolden han be hydd? He dalf up precious |
| periles. (That is to seyn, that he that hem |
| firsst up dalf, he dalf up a precious peril; |
| for-why, for the preciousnesse of swich |
| 40 | thyng hath many man ben in peril.) |
| |
| Prosa 6 | "But what schal I seye of dignytes and of |
| powers, the whiche ye men, that neither |
| knowen verray dignyte ne verray powere, |
| areysen hem as heyghe as the hevene? The |
| 5 | whiche dignytees and poweres yif thei comen |
| to any wikkid man, thei doon as greet damages |
| and destrucciouns as dooth. the flaumbe |
| of the mountaigne Ethna whan the flaumbe |
| walweth up, ne no deluge ne doth so cruele |
| 10 | harmes. Certes the remembreth wel, as I |
| trowe, that thilke dignyte that men clepyn |
| the imperie of consulers, the whiche that |
| whilom was begynnynge of fredom, yowr eldres |
| coveyteden to han don awey that dignyte for |
| 15 | the pride of the consulers. And ryght for the |
| same pride yowr eldres byforn that tyme hadden |
| doon awey out of the cite of Rome the |
| kynges name (that is to seyn, thei nolden han |
| no lengere no kyng). |
| 20 | "But now, if so be that dignytees and poweris |
| ben yyven to gode men, the whiche |
| thyng is ful zelde, what aggreable thynges is |
| ther in tho dignytees or powers but oonly the |
| goodnesse of folk that usen hem? And therfore |
| 25 | it is thus that honour ne cometh nat to |
| vertu for cause of dygnite, but, ayenward, honour |
| cometh to dignyte for cause of vertu. But |
| whiche is thilke your derworthe power that is |
| so cleer and so requerable? O, ye erthliche |
| 30 | bestes, considere ye nat over whiche thyng |
| that it semeth that ye han power? Now yif |
| thou saye a mows among othere mysz that chalanged |
| to hymself-ward ryght and power over |
| alle othere mysz, how gret scorn woldestow han |
| 35 | of it! (Glosa. So fareth it by men [that the |
| wikkid men have power over the wikkid men; |
| that is to seye], the body hath power over the |
| body.) For yif thou looke wel upon the body of |
| a wyght, what thyng schaltow fynde more |
| 40 | freele than is mankynde; the whiche men |
| ful ofte ben slayn with bytynge of smale |
| flyes, or elles with the entrynge of crepynge |
| wormes into the pryvetees of mannes body? |
| But wher schal men fynden any man that mai |
| 45 | exercen or haunten any ryght upon another |
| man, but oonly on his body, or elles upon |
| thynges that ben lowere than the body, the |
| whiche I clepe fortunous possessiouns? Maystow |
| evere have any comaundement over a free |
| 50 | corage? Maystowe remuwen fro the estat |
| of his propre reste a thought that is |
| clyvynge togidre in hymself by stedfast resoun? |
| As whilom a tyraunt wende to confownde a fre |
| man of corage, and wende to constreyne hym by |
| 55 | torment to maken hym discoveren and accusen |
| folk that wisten of a conjuracioun (which I clepe |
| a confederacye) that was cast ayens this tyraunt; |
| but this fre man boot of his owene tonge, and |
| caste it in the visage of thilk wode tyraunt. |
| 60 | So that the tormentz that this tyraunt |
| wende to han maked matere of cruelte, this |
| wise man maked it matere of vertu. But what |
| thing is it that a man may doon to an other man, |
| that he ne may resceyven the same thyng of |
| 65 | other folk in hymself? (Or thus: what may a |
| man don to folk, that folk ne may don hym |
| the same?) I have herd told of Busyrides, that |
| was wont to sleen his gestes that herberweden |
| in his hous, and he was slayn hymself of |
| 70 | Ercules that was his gest. Regulus hadde |
| taken in bataile manye men of Affryke |
| and cast hem into feteres, but sone after he |
| most yyve hise handes to ben bownde with |
| the cheynes of hem that he hadde whilom |
| 75 | overcomen. Wenestow thanne that he be |
| myghty that hath no power to doon a thyng that |
| othere ne mai doon in hym that he doth in |
| othere? |
| "And yit moreover, yif it so were that |
| 80 | thise dygnytes or poweris hadden any |
| propre or naturel goodnesse in hemself, |
| nevere nolde they comen to schrewes. For |
| contrarious thynges ne ben nat wont to ben |
| ifelaschiped togydre. Nature refuseth that contrarious |
| 85 | thynges ben ijoygned. And so, as I am |
| in certeyn that ryght wykkyd folk han |
| dignytees ofte tyme, thanne scheweth it wel that |
| dignytees and poweres ne ben nat gode of |
| hir owene kynde, syn that they suffren |
| 90 | hemselve to cleven or joynen hem to |
| schrewes. And certes the same thyng mai I |
| most digneliche juggen and seyn of alle the |
| yiftes of Fortune that most plentevously comen |
| to schrewes. Of the whiche yiftes I trowe that it |
| 95 | oughte ben considered, that no man douteth that |
| he ne is strong in whom he seeth strengthe; and |
| in whom that swyftnesse is, sooth it is that he |
| is swyft; also musyke maketh mucisyens, and |
| phisyk maketh phisicyeens, and rethoryke, |
| 100 | rethoriens. Forwhy the nature of every |
| thyng maketh his proprete, ne it is nat |
| entremedlyd with the effectz of contrarious |
| thynges, and as of wil it chaseth out thynges that |
| to it ben contrarie. But certes rychesse mai nat |
| 105 | restreyne avarice unstaunched; ne power ne |
| maketh nat a man myghty over hymselve, |
| whiche that vicyous lustes holden destreyned |
| with cheynes that ne mowen nat ben |
| unbownden. And dignytees that ben yyven |
| 110 | to schrewide folk nat oonly ne maketh hem |
| nat digne, but it scheweth rather al opynly |
| that they been unworthy and undigne. And whi |
| is it thus? Certes for ye han joie to clepen |
| thynges with false names, that beren hem al in |
| 115 | the contrarie; the whiche names ben ful [ethe] |
| reproved by the effect of the same thynges; so |
| that thise ilke rychesses ne oughten nat by ryghte |
| to ben cleped rychesses, ne swyche power ne |
| aughte nat ben clepyd power, ne swiche |
| 120 | dignyte ne aughte nat ben clepyd dignyte. |
| And at the laste, I may conclude the same |
| thyng of alle the yyftes of Fortune, in whiche |
| ther nys nothyng to ben desired, ne that hath in |
| hymselve naturel bownte, as it es ful wel yseene. |
| 125 | For neither thei ne joygnen hem nat alwey to |
| gode men, ne maken hem alwey gode to whom |
| they been ijoyned. |
| |
| Metrum 6 | "We han wel knowen how many grete harmes |
| and destrucciouns weren idoon by the emperour |
| Nero. He leet brennen the cite of Rome, |
| and made sleen the senatours; and he cruel |
| 5 | whilom sloughe his brothir, and he was maked |
| moyst with the blood of his modir (that is to |
| seyn, he leet sleen and slitten the body of his |
| modir to seen wher he was conceyved); and he |
| lookede on every halve uppon hir cold |
| 10 | deed body, ne no teer ne wette his face, |
| but he was so hardherted that he myghte |
| ben domesman or juge of hir dede beaute. And |
| natheles yit governed this Nero by septre alle |
| the peples that Phebus, the sonne, may seen, |
| 15 | comynge fro his uttreste arysynge til he hide |
| his bemes undir the wawes. (That is to seyn |
| he governede al the peples by ceptre imperial |
| that the sonne goth aboute from est to west.) |
| And ek this Nero governyde by ceptre alle |
| 20 | the peples that ben undir the colde sterres |
| that highten the septemtryones. (This is |
| to seyn he governede alle the peples that ben |
| under the partye of the north.) And eek Nero |
| governede alle the peples that the vyolent |
| 25 | wynd Nothus scorklith, and baketh the brennynge |
| sandes by his drye heete (that is to seyn, |
| al the peples in the south). But yit ne myghte |
| nat al his heie power torne the woodnesse of |
| this wikkid Nero? Allas! It is grevous fortune |
| 30 | as ofte as wikkid sweerd is joyned to |
| cruel venym (that is to seyn, venymows |
| cruelte to lordschipe)." |
| |
| Prosa 7 | Thanne seyde I thus: "Thow woost wel thiselve |
| that the covetise of mortel thynges ne |
| hadde nevere lordschipe of me, but I have wel |
| desired matere of thynges to done (as who |
| 5 | seith, I desirede to have matiere of governaunce |
| over comunalites), for vertue stille sholde nat |
| elden (that is to seyn, that list that or he |
| waxe oold, his vertu, that lay now ful stille, ne |
| schulde nat perysshe unexercised in |
| 10 | governaunce of comune, for whiche men |
| myghten speken or wryten of his gode |
| governement)." |
| Philosophie. "For sothe," quod sche, "and |
| that is [o] thyng that mai drawen to governaunce |
| 15 | swiche hertes as ben worthy and noble of hir |
| nature, but natheles it may nat drawen or tollen |
| swiche hertes as ben ibrought to the ful perfeccioun |
| of vertue; that is to seyn, covetise of |
| glorie and renoun to han wel adminystred |
| 20 | the comune thynges, or doon gode desertes |
| to profyt of the comune. For see now |
| and considere how litel and how voyde of alle |
| prys is thylk glorye. Certeyn thyng es, as thou |
| hast leerned by the demonstracioun of astronomye, |
| 25 | that al the envyrounynge of the erthe |
| aboute ne halt but the resoun of a prykke at |
| regard of the gretnesse of hevene; that is to |
| seyn that, yif ther were maked comparysoun of |
| the erthe to the gretnesse of hevene, men |
| 30 | wolde juggen in al that the erthe ne heelde |
| no space. Of the whiche litel regioun of |
| this world, the ferthe partye is enhabited with |
| lyvynge beestes that we knowen, as thou hast |
| thyselve leerned by Tholome that proveth it. |
| 35 | And yif thow haddest withdrawen and abated |
| in thy thought fro thilke ferthe partie as moche |
| space as the see and the mareys contene and |
| overgoon, and as moche space as the regioun |
| of drowghte overstreccheth (that is to |
| 40 | seyn, sandes and desertes), wel unnethe |
| sholde ther duellen a ryght streyte place to the |
| habitacioun of men. And ye thanne, that ben |
| envyrouned and closed withynne the leeste |
| prykke of thilke prykke, thynken ye to manyfesten |
| 45 | or publisschen your renoun and doon |
| yowr name for to be born forth? But yowr |
| glorye that is so narwe and so streyt ithrungen |
| into so litel bowndes, how mochel conteneth it |
| in largesse and in greet doynge? And also |
| 50 | set this therto: that manye a nacioun, diverse |
| of tonge and of maneris and ek of resoun |
| of hir lyvynge, ben enhabited in the cloos |
| of thilke lytel habitacle; to the whiche nacyons, |
| what for difficulte of weyes, and what for diversite |
| 55 | of langages, and what for defaute of |
| unusage [of] entrecomunynge of marchandise, |
| nat oonly the names of synguler men ne may |
| nat strecchen, but eek the fame of citees ne |
| may nat strecchen. At the laste, certes, in |
| 60 | the tyme of Marcus Tulyus, as hymselve |
| writ in his book, that the renoun of the |
| comune of Rome ne hadde nat yit passid ne |
| clomben over the montaigne that highte Caucasus; |
| and yit was thilke tyme Rome wel waxen, |
| 65 | and greetly redouted of the Parthes and eek of |
| the othere folk enhabitynge aboute. Seestow |
| nat thanne how streyte and how compressid is |
| thilke glorie that ye travailen aboute to schewe |
| and to multeplye? May thanne the glorie |
| 70 | of a synguler Romeyn strecchen thider |
| as the fame of the name of Rome may nat |
| clymben ne passen? And ek seestow nat that the |
| maneris of diverse folk and ek hir lawes ben |
| discordaunt among hemselve, so that thilke |
| 75 | thyng that som men juggen worthy of preysynge, |
| other folk juggen that it is worthy of torment? |
| And therof comyth it that, though a |
| man delyte hym in preysynge of his renoun, he |
| ne mai nat in no wyse bryngen forthe ne |
| 80 | spreden his name to many manere peples. |
| And therfore every maner man aughte to |
| ben apayed of his glorie that is publysschid among |
| his owene neyghebours; and thilke noble renoun |
| schal ben restreyned withynne the boundes of |
| 85 | o manere folk. |
| "But how many a man, that was ful noble in |
| his tyme, hath the wrecchid and nedy foryetynge |
| of writeris put out of mynde and doon awey; al |
| be it so that, certes, thilke wrytynges |
| 90 | profiten litel, the whiche writynges long |
| and dirk eelde doth awey, bothe hem and |
| ek hir auctours! But yow men semeth to geten |
| yow a perdurablete, whan ye thynken that in |
| tyme comynge your fame schal lasten. But |
| 95 | natheles yif thow wolt maken comparysoun to |
| the endles spaces of eternyte, what thyng hastow |
| by whiche thow mayst rejoisen the of long |
| lastynge of thi name? For yif ther were makyd |
| comparysoun of the abydynge of a moment |
| 100 | to ten thowsand wynter, for as mochel as |
| bothe tho spaces ben endyd, [yit] hath the |
| moment som porcioun of it, although it litel be. |
| But natheles thilke selve nowmbre of yeeris, and |
| eek as many yeris as therto mai be multiplyed, ne |
| 105 | mai nat certes be comparysoned to the |
| perdurablete that is endlees; for of thinges that |
| han ende may ben maked comparysoun, but of |
| thynges that ben withouten ende to thynges that |
| han ende may be makid no comparysoun. |
| 110 | And forthi is it that, although renome, of as |
| longe tyme as evere the list to thynken, |
| were thought to the regard of eternyte, that is |
| unstaunchable and infynyt, it ne sholde nat only |
| semen litel, but pleynliche ryght noght. |
| 115 | "But ye men, certes, ne konne doon no thyng |
| aryght, but yif it be for the audience of peple and |
| for idel rumours; and ye forsaken the grete |
| worthynesse of conscience and of vertu, and ye |
| seeken yowr gerdouns of the smale wordes |
| 120 | of straunge folk. Have now here and |
| undirstand, in the lyghtnesse of swiche |
| pryde and veyne glorye, how a man scornede |
| festyvaly and myriely swich vanyte. Whilom ther |
| was a man that hadde [assaillede] with stryvynge |
| 125 | wordes another man, the whiche, nat for usage |
| of verray vertu but for proud veyn glorie, had |
| taken upon hym falsly the name of a philosophre. |
| This rather man that I spak of thoughte |
| he wolde assaie where he, thilke, were a |
| 130 | philosophre or no; that is to seyn, yif that |
| he wolde han suffride lyghtly in pacience |
| the wronges that weren doon unto hym. This |
| feynede philosophre took pacience a litel while; |
| and whan he hadde resceyved wordes of |
| 135 | outrage, he, as in stryvynge ayen and rejoysynge |
| of hymself, seide at the laste ryght thus: `undirstondistow |
| nat that I am a philosophre?' The |
| tother man answerede ayen ful bytyngely and |
| seyde: `I hadde wel undirstonden it yif thou |
| 140 | haddest holde thi tonge stille.' |
| "But what is it to thise noble worthy men |
| (for, certes, of swych folk speke I) that seken |
| glorie with vertue? What is it?" quod sche. |
| "What atteyneth fame to swiche folk, whan the |
| 145 | body is resolved by the deeth at the laste? For if |
| it so be that men dyen in all (that is to seyen, |
| body and soule), the whiche thing our reson |
| defendeth us to byleeven, thanne is ther no |
| glorie in no wyse; for what schulde thilke |
| 150 | glorie ben, whan he, of whom thilke glorie |
| is seyd to be, nys ryght naught in no wise? |
| And yif the soule, whiche that hath in itself |
| science of gode werkes, unbownden fro the |
| prysone of the erthe, weendeth frely to the |
| 155 | hevene, despiseth it nat thanne al erthly |
| ocupacioun; and [usynge] hevene rejoyseth that |
| it is exempt fro alle erthly thynges? (As who |
| seith, thanne rekketh the soule of no glorye of |
| renoun of this world.) |
| |
| Metrum 7 | "Whoso that with overthrowynge thought |
| oonly seketh glorie of fame, and weneth that |
| it be sovereyn good, lat hym looke upon the |
| brode schewynge contrees of the hevene, and |
| 5 | upon the streyte sete of this erthe; and he schal |
| be asschamed of the encres of his name, that |
| mai nat fulfille the litel compas of the erthe. |
| O, what coveyten proude folk to lyften up hir |
| nekkes on idel in the dedly yok of this |
| 10 | world? For although that renoun ysprad, |
| passynge to ferne peples, goth by diverse |
| tonges; and although that greet houses or |
| kynredes shynen with cleer titles of honours; |
| yit natheles deth despiseth al heye glorie of |
| 15 | fame, and deth wrappeth togidre the heyghe |
| heved and the lowe, and maketh egal and |
| evene the heygheste to the loweste. Where |
| wonen now the bones of trewe Fabricius? |
| What is now Brutus or stierne Catoun? The |
| 20 | thynne fame yit lastynge of here idel names |
| is marked with a fewe lettres. But althoughe |
| that we han knowen the fayre wordes |
| of the fames of hem, it is nat yyven to knowen |
| hem that ben dede and consumpt. Liggeth |
| 25 | thanne stille, al outrely unknowable, ne fame |
| ne maketh yow nat knowe. And yif ye wene to |
| lyve the lengere for wynd of yowr mortel name |
| whan o cruel day schal ravyssche yow, than is |
| the seconde deth duellynge unto yow." |
| 30 | (Glose. The first deeth he clepeth here departynge |
| of the body and the soule, and |
| the seconde deth he clepeth as here the styntynge |
| of the renoun of fame.) |
| |
| Prosa 8 | "But for as mochel as thow schalt nat |
| wenen," quod sche, "that I bere an untretable |
| batayle ayens Fortune, yit somtyme it byfalleth |
| that sche desceyvable desserveth to han ryght |
| 5 | good thank of men. And that is whan sche hirself |
| opneth, and whan sche discovereth hir |
| frownt and scheweth hir maneris. Peraventure |
| yit undirstandestow nat that I schal seie. It is |
| a wonder that I desire to telle, and forthi |
| 10 | unnethe may I unplyten my sentence with |
| wordes. For I deme that contrarious Fortune |
| profiteth more to men than Fortune debonayre. |
| For alwey, whan Fortune semeth debonayre, |
| thanne sche lieth, falsly byhetynge the |
| 15 | hope of welefulnesse; but forsothe contraryous |
| Fortune is alwey sothfast, whan sche scheweth |
| hirself unstable thurw hir chaungynge. The |
| amyable Fortune desceyveth folk; the contrarie |
| Fortune techeth. The amyable Fortune |
| 20 | byndeth with the beaute of false goodes |
| the hertes of folk that usen hem: the contrarye |
| Fortune unbyndeth hem by the knowynge |
| of freel welefulnesse. The amyable Fortune |
| maystow seen alwey wyndy and flowynge, |
| 25 | and evere mysknowynge of hirself; the contrarie |
| Fortune is atempre and restreyned and |
| wys thurw exercise of hir adversite. At the |
| laste, amyable Fortune with hir flaterynges |
| draweth myswandrynge men fro the sovereyne |
| 30 | good; the contrarious Fortune ledeth |
| ofte folk ayen to sothfast goodes, and |
| haleth hem ayen as with an hook. Wenestow |
| thanne that thow augghtest to leeten this a litel |
| thyng, that this aspre and horrible Fortune |
| 35 | hath discovered to the the thoughtes of thi |
| trewe freendes? Forwhy this ilke Fortune hath |
| departed and uncovered to the bothe the certein |
| visages and eek the doutous visages of thi |
| felawes. Whan she departed awey fro the, |
| 40 | she took awey hir freendes and lefte the |
| thyne freendes. Now whanne thow were |
| ryche and weleful, as the semede, with how |
| mochel woldestow han bought the fulle knowynge |
| of thys (that is to seyn, the knowynge of |
| 45 | thyne verray freendes)? Now pleyne the nat |
| thanne of rychesse ylorn, syn thow hast |
| fownden the moste precyous kynde of rychesses, |
| that is to seyn, thi verray freendes. |
| |
| Metrum 8 | "That the world with stable feyth varieth |
| accordable chaungynges; that the contrarious |
| qualites of elementz holden among hemself |
| allyaunce perdurable; that Phebus, the sonne, |
| 5 | with his goldene chariet bryngeth forth the |
| rosene day; that the moone hath comaundement |
| over the nyghtes, whiche nyghtes Esperus, |
| the eve-sterre, hath brought; that the |
| see, gredy to flowen, constreyneth with a |
| 10 | certein eende his floodes, so that it is nat |
| leveful to strecche his brode termes or |
| bowndes uppon the erthes (that is to seyn, to |
| coveren al the erthe) -- al this accordaunce |
| [and] ordenaunce of thynges is bounde with |
| 15 | love, that governeth erthe and see, and hath also |
| comandement to the hevene. And yif this love |
| slakede the bridelis, alle thynges that now loven |
| hem togidres wolden make batayle contynuely, |
| and stryven to fordo the fassoun of this |
| 20 | world, the which they now leden in |
| accordable feith by fayre moevynges. This |
| love halt togidres peples joyned with an holy |
| boond, and knytteth sacrement of mariages of |
| chaste loves; and love enditeth lawes to trewe |
| 25 | felawes. O weleful were mankynde, yif thilke |
| love that governeth hevene governede yowr |
| corages." |