| Prosa 1 | Whanne Philosophie hadde songen softly |
| and delitably the forseide thinges, kepynge the |
| dignyte of hir cheere and the weyghte of hir |
| wordes, I, thanne, that ne hadde nat al outrely |
| 5 | foryeten the wepynge and the moornynge that |
| was set in myn herte, forbrak the entencioun of |
| hir that entendede yit to seyn some othere |
| thinges. "O," quod I, "thou that art gyderesse |
| of verray light, the thinges that thou hast |
| 10 | seid me hidirto ben to me so cleer and so |
| schewynge by the devyne lookynge of hem, |
| and by thy resouns, that they ne mowen nat |
| ben overcomen. And thilke thinges that thou |
| toldest me, al be it so that I hadde whilom foryeten |
| 15 | hem for the sorwe of the wrong that hath |
| ben don to me, yet nathales thei ne weren not |
| al outrely unknowen to me. But this same is |
| namely a ryght gret cause of my sorwe: that so |
| as the governour of thinges is good, yif |
| 20 | that eveles mowen ben by any weyes, |
| or elles yif that evelis passen withouten |
| punysschynge. The whiche thing oonly, how |
| worthy it es to ben wondrid uppon, thou considerest |
| it wel thiselve certeynly. But yit to this |
| 25 | thing ther is yit another thing ijoyned more to |
| ben wondrid uppon: for felonye is emperisse, |
| and floureth ful of richesses, and vertu nis nat al |
| oonly withouten meedes, but it is cast undir |
| and fortroden undir the feet of felenous |
| 30 | folk, and it abyeth the tormentz in stede of |
| wikkide felouns. Of alle whiche thinges |
| ther nys no wyght that may merveillen ynowghe |
| ne compleyne that swiche thinges ben don in |
| the reigne of God, that alle things woot and |
| 35 | alle thinges may and ne wole nat but only |
| gode thinges." |
| Thanne seide sche thus: "Certes," quod sche, |
| "that were a greet merveille and an abaysschinge |
| withouten ende, and wel more horrible than |
| 40 | alle monstres, yif it were as thou wenest; |
| that is to seyn, that in the ryght ordene |
| hous of so mochel a fadir and an ordeynour of |
| meyne, that the vesselis that ben foule and vyl |
| schulden ben honoured and heryed, and the |
| 45 | precious vesselis schulden ben defouled and |
| vyl. But it nys nat so. For yif the thinges that |
| I have concluded a litel herebyforn ben kept |
| hoole and unaraced, thou schalt wel knowe by |
| the auctorite of God, of the whos reigne I |
| 50 | speke, that certes the gode folk ben alwey |
| myghty and schrewes ben alwey outcast |
| and feble; ne the vices ben neveremo withouten |
| peyne, ne the vertus ne ben nat withouten |
| mede; and that blisfulnesses comen alwey |
| 55 | to good folk, and infortune comith alwey to |
| wykkide folk. And thou schalt wel knowe |
| manye thinges of this kynde, that schullen |
| cesen thi pleyntis and strengthen the with stedfaste |
| sadnesse. And for thou hast seyn the |
| 60 | forme of the verray blisfulnesse by me that |
| have whilom yschewid it the, and thow |
| hast knowen in whom blisfulnesse is yset, alle |
| thingis ytreted that I trowe ben necessarie to |
| putten forth, I schal schewe the the weye that |
| 65 | schal bryngen the ayen unto thyn hous; and I |
| schal fycchen fetheris in thi thought, by whiche |
| it mai arisen in heighte; so that, alle tribulacioun |
| idon awey, thow, by my gyding and by |
| my path and by my sledys, shalt mowen |
| 70 | retourne hool and sownd into thi contree. |
| |
| Metrum 1 | "I have, forthi, swifte fetheris that surmounten |
| the heighte of the hevene. Whanne |
| the swift thoght hath clothid itself in tho |
| fetheris, it despiseth the hateful erthes, and surmounteth |
| 5 | the rowndenesse of the gret ayr; and |
| it seth the clowdes byhynde his bak, and passeth |
| the heighte of the regioun of the fir, that |
| eschaufeth by the swifte moevynge of the firmament, |
| til that he areyseth hym into the |
| 10 | houses that beren the sterres, and joyneth |
| his weies with the sonne, Phebus, and |
| felawschipeth the weie of the olde colde Saturnus; |
| and he, imaked a knyght of the clere |
| sterre (that is to seyn, whan the thought is |
| 15 | makid Godis knyght by the sekynge of |
| trouthe to comen to the verray knowleche of |
| God) -- and thilke soule renneth by the cercle |
| of the sterres in alle the places there as the |
| schynynge nyght is ypainted (that is to |
| 20 | sey, the nyght that is cloudeles; for on |
| nyghtes that ben cloudeles it semeth as |
| the hevene were peynted with diverse ymages |
| of sterres). And whan [that] he hath gon there |
| inoghe, he schal forleten the laste point of the |
| 25 | hevene, and he schal pressen and wenden on |
| the bak of the swifte firmament, and he schal |
| be makid parfit of the worschipful lyght [or] |
| dredefulle clerenesse of God. There halt the |
| lord of kynges the septre of his myght and |
| 30 | atemprith the governementz of the world, |
| and the schynynge juge of thinges, stable in |
| hymself, governeth the swifte cart or wayn (that |
| is to seyn, the circuler moevynge of the sonne). |
| And yif thi wey ledeth the ayein so that thou be |
| 35 | brought thider, thanne wiltow seye now that |
| that is the contre that thou requerist, of whiche |
| thow ne haddest no mynde -- `but now it |
| remembreth me wel, here was I born, her wol |
| I fastne my degree, here wol I duelle.' But |
| 40 | yif the liketh thanne to looken on the |
| derknesse of the erthe that thou hast |
| forleten, thanne shaltow seen that these felonus |
| tirantz, that the wrecchide peple dredeth now, |
| schullen ben exiled fro thilke faire contre." |
| |
| Prosa 2 | Thanne seide I thus: "Owh! I wondre me |
| that thow byhetist me so grete thinges. Ne I |
| ne doute nat that thou ne maist wel parforme |
| that thow behetist; but I preie the oonly this, |
| 5 | that thow ne tarie nat to telle me thilke thinges |
| that thou hast moevid." |
| "First," quod sche, "thow most nedes knowen |
| that good folk ben alwey strong and myghti, |
| and the schrewes ben feble and desert and |
| 10 | naked of alle strengthes. And of thise |
| thinges, certes, everiche of hem is declared |
| and schewed by other. For so as good and |
| yvel ben two contraries, yif so be that good be |
| stedfast, thanne scheweth the feblesse of yvel |
| 15 | al opynly; and yif thow knowe clerly the freelnesse |
| 70 | -ch 16 of yvel, the stedfastnesse of good is |
| knowen. But for as moche as the fey of my |
| sentence schal ben the more ferme and haboundant, |
| I wil gon by the to weye and by the |
| 20 | tothir, and I wil conferme the thinges that |
| ben purposed, now on this side and now on |
| that side. |
| "Two thinges ther ben in whiche the effect of |
| alle the dedes of mankynde standeth (that is to |
| 25 | seyn, wil and power); and yif that oon of thise |
| two faileth, ther nys nothing that may be doon. |
| For yif that wille lakketh, ther nys no wyght that |
| undirtaketh to done that he wol nat doon; and |
| yif power faileth, the wil nys but in idel and |
| 30 | stant for naught. And therof cometh it that |
| yif thou see a wyght that wolde geten that |
| he mai not geten, thow maist nat douten that |
| power ne faileth hym to have that he wolde." |
| "This is open and cler," quod I, "ne it ne mai |
| 70 | -ch 35 nat be denyed in no manere." |
| "And yif thou se a wyght," quod sche, "that |
| hath doon that he wolde doon, thow nilt nat |
| douten that he ne hath had power to doon it?" |
| "No," quod I. |
| 40 | "And in that that every wyght may, in |
| that men may holden hym myghti. (As |
| who seith, in so moche as a man is myghty to |
| doon a thing, in so mochel men halt hym |
| myghti.) And in that that he ne mai, in that men |
| 45 | demen hym to ben feble." |
| "I confesse it wel," quod I. |
| "Remembreth the," quod sche, "that I have |
| 70 | -ch 48 gaderid and ischewid by forseide resouns that al |
| the entencioun of the wil of mankynde, |
| 50 | whiche that is lad by diverse studies, |
| hasteth to comen to blisfulnesse." |
| 70 | -ch 52 "It remembreth me wel," quod I, "that it hath |
| ben schewed." |
| "And recordeth the nat thanne," quod sche, |
| 55 | "that blisfulnesse is thilke same good that men |
| requiren, so that whanne that blisfulnesse is |
| required of alle, that good also is required and |
| desired of alle?" |
| 70 | -ch 59 "It ne recordeth me noght," quod I, "for |
| 60 | I have it gretly alwey ficched in my memorie." |
| "Alle folk thanne," quod sche, "goode and |
| eek badde, enforcen hem withoute difference of |
| entencioun to comen to good." |
| 65 | "This is a verray consequence," quod I. |
| "And certein is," quod sche, "that by the |
| 70 | -ch 67 getynge of good ben men ymakid gode." |
| "This is certein," quod I. |
| "Thanne geten gode men that thei desiren?" |
| "So semeth it," quod I. |
| "But wikkide folk," quod sche, "yif thei geten |
| the good that thei desiren, thei ne mowe nat |
| ben wikkid." |
| 75 | "So is it," quod I. |
| "Than so as the ton and the tothir," quod |
| sche, "desiren good, and the gode folk geten |
| good and not the wikkide folk, than is it no |
| doute that the gode folk ne ben myghty |
| 80 | and wikkid folk ben feble." |
| "Whoso that evere," quod I, "douteth |
| of this, he ne mai nat considere the nature of |
| thinges ne the consequence of resouns." |
| "And over this," quod sche, "if that ther ben |
| 85 | two thinges that han o same purpos by kynde, |
| and that oon of hem pursuweth and performeth |
| thilke same thing by naturel office, and the |
| tother mai nat doon thilke naturel office, but |
| folweth, by other manere than is covenable |
| 90 | to nature, hym that acomplisseth his purpos |
| 70 | -ch 91 kyndely, and yit he ne acomplisseth |
| nat his owene purpos -- whethir of thise two |
| demestow for more myghti?" |
| "Yif that I conjecte," quod I, "that thou wilt |
| 95 | seie, algates yit I desire to herkne it more |
| pleynly of the." |
| "Thou nilt nat thanne denye," quod sche, |
| "that the moevement of goynge nys in men by |
| kynde?" |
| 100 | "No, forsothe," quod I. |
| "Ne thou ne doutest nat," quod sche, |
| "that thilke naturel office of goinge ne be the |
| office of feet?" |
| "I ne doute it nat," quod I. |
| 105 | "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that a wight be |
| myghti to moeve, and goth uppon hise feet, and |
| another, to whom thilke naturel office of feet |
| lakketh, enforceth hym to gone crepinge uppon |
| 70 | -ch 109 his handes, whiche of thise two oughte to |
| 110 | ben holden the more myghty by right?" |
| "Knyt forth the remenaunt," quod I, |
| "for no wight ne douteth that he that mai gon |
| 70 | -ch 113 by naturel office of feet ne be more myghti than |
| he that ne may nat." |
| 115 | "But the soverein good," quod sche, "that is |
| eveneliche purposed to the good folk and to |
| badde, the gode folk seken it by naturel office of |
| vertus, and the schrewes enforcen hem to getin |
| it by diverse coveytise of erthly thinges, |
| 70 | -ch 120 whiche that nys noon naturel office to gete |
| thilke same soverein good. Trowestow that |
| it be any other wise?" |
| "Nai," quod I, "for the consequence is opene |
| and schewynge of thinges that I have graunted, |
| 70 | -ch 125 that nedes good folk moten be myghty, and |
| schrewes feble and unmyghti." |
| "Thou rennist aryght byforn me," quod sche, |
| "and this is the jugement (that is to sein, I juge |
| 70 | -ch 129 of the), ryght as thise leches ben wont to |
| 130 | hopin of sike folk, whan thei aperceyven |
| that nature is redressed and withstondeth |
| to the maladye. But for I se the now al redy to |
| the undirstondynge, I schal schewe the more |
| thikke and contynuel resouns. For loke now, |
| 135 | how greetly scheweth the feblesse and infirmite |
| of wikkid folk, that ne mowen nat comen to that |
| hir naturel entencioun ledeth hem; and yit |
| almest thilke naturel entencioun constreyneth |
| hem. And what were to demen thanne of |
| 140 | schrewes, yif thilk naturel help hadde |
| forleten hem, the whiche naturel help of |
| 70 | -ch 142 entencioun goth alwey byforn hem and is so gret |
| that unnethe it mai ben overcome? Considere |
| thanne how gret defaute of power and how gret |
| 145 | feblesse ther is in wikkide felonous folke. (As |
| who seith, the grettere thing that is coveyted |
| and the desir nat acomplissed, of the lasse |
| myght is he that coveyteth it and mai nat |
| acomplisse; and forthi Philosophie seith |
| 150 | thus be sovereyn good.) Ne schrewes ne |
| requeren not lighte meedes ne veyne |
| games, whiche thei ne mai nat folwen ne holden; |
| but thei failen of thilke somme and of the |
| heighte of thinges (that is to seyn, soverein |
| 155 | good). Ne these wrecches ne comen nat to the |
| effect of sovereyn good, the whiche thei enforcen |
| hem oonly to geten by nyghtes and by |
| 70 | -ch 158 dayes. In the getyng of whiche good the |
| strengthe of good folk is ful wel yseene. |
| 160 | For ryght so as thou myghtest demen hym |
| myghty of goinge that goth on his feet til |
| 70 | -ch 162 he myghte comen to thilke place fro the whiche |
| place ther ne laye no weie forthere to be gon, |
| ryght so mostow nedes demen hym for ryght |
| 165 | myghty, that geteth and atteyneth to the ende of |
| alle thinges that ben to desire, byyonde the |
| whiche ende ther nys no thing to desire. Of the |
| whiche power of good folk men mai conclude |
| 70 | -ch 169 that the wikkide men semen to be bareyne |
| 170 | and naked of alle strengthe. |
| "For whi forleten thei vertus and folwen |
| vices? Nys it nat for that thei ne knowen nat the |
| godes? But what thing is more feble and more |
| caytif than is the blyndnesse of ignorance? Or |
| 175 | elles thei knowen ful wel whiche thinges that |
| thei oughten folwe, but lecherie and covetise |
| overthroweth hem mystorned. And certes so |
| doth distempraunce to feble men, that ne |
| mowen nat wrastlen ayen the vices. Ne |
| 180 | knowen thei nat thanne wel that thei |
| forleten the good wilfully, and turnen hem |
| wilfully to vices? |
| "And in this wise thei ne forleten nat oonly to |
| ben myghti, but thei forleten al outrely in any |
| 185 | wise for to been. For thei that forleten the |
| comune fyn of alle thinges that ben, thei forleten |
| also therwithal for to been. And peraventure |
| 70 | -ch 188 it scholde seme to som folk that this were |
| a merveile to seien, that schrewes, whiche |
| 190 | that contenen the more partie of men, ne |
| ben nat ne han no beynge; but natheles it |
| 70 | -ch 192 is so, and thus stant this thing. For thei that Bo4 p2 ben |
| schrewes I denye nat that they ben schrewes, but |
| I denye and seie simply and pleynly that thei ne |
| 195 | ben nat, ne han no beynge. For right as thou |
| myghtest seyn of the careyne of a man, that it |
| were a deed man, but thou ne myghtest nat |
| symply callen it a man; so graunte I wel forsothe |
| 70 | -ch 199 that vicyous folk ben wikkid, but I ne may |
| 200 | nat graunten absolutly and symply that thei |
| ben. For thilke thing that withholdeth |
| ordre and kepeth nature, thilke thing es, and |
| hath beinge; but what thing that faileth of |
| that (that is to seyn, he that forleteth naturel |
| 205 | ordre), he forleteth thilke beinge that is set in his |
| 70 | -ch 206 nature. |
| "But thow wolt seyn that schrewes mowen. |
| Certes, that ne denye I nat; but certes hir |
| power ne desscendeth nat of strengthe, |
| 210 | but of feblesse. For thei mowen don |
| wikkydnesses, the whiche thei ne myghten |
| nat don yif thei myghten duellen in the forme |
| and in the doynge of good folk. And thilke |
| power scheweth ful evidently that they ne |
| 70 | -ch 215 mowen ryght nat. For so as I have gadrid |
| and proevid a litil herebyforn that evel is |
| nawght, and so as schrewes mowen oonly but |
| schrewednesses, this conclusion is al cler, that |
| schrewes ne mowen ryght nat, ne han no |
| 220 | power. |
| "And for as moche as thou undirstonde |
| which is the strengthe of this power of schrewes, |
| I have diffinysched a litil herbyforn that no thing |
| is so myghti as sovereyn good." |
| 225 | "That is soth," quod I. |
| "And thilke same sovereyn good may don |
| noon yvel?" |
| "Certes, no," quod I. |
| "Is ther any wyght thanne," quod sche, |
| 230 | "that weneth that men mowen don alle |
| thinges?" |
| "No man," quod I, "but yif he be out of his |
| wyt." |
| "But certes schrewes mowen don evel?" quod |
| 235 | sche. |
| "Ye. Wolde God," quod I, "that thei ne |
| myghten don noon!" |
| "Thanne," quod sche, "so as he that is myghty |
| to doon oonly but goode thinges mai doon |
| 240 | alle thinges, and thei that ben myghti to |
| doon yvele thinges ne mowen nat alle |
| thinges, thanne is it open thing and manyfest |
| that thei that mowen doon yvele ben of lasse |
| power. |
| 245 | "And yit to proeve this conclusioun ther |
| helpeth me this, that I have schewed herebyforn, |
| that alle power is to be noumbred among |
| thinges that men oughten requere; and I have |
| schewed that alle thinges that oughten ben |
| 250 | desired ben referred to good, ryght as to a |
| maner heighte of hir nature. But for to |
| mowen don yvel and felonye ne mai nat ben |
| referrid to good; thanne nys nat yvel of the |
| nombre of thinges that oughten ben desired. |
| 255 | But alle power aughte ben desired and requerid; |
| thanne is it open and cler that the power ne the |
| mowynge of schrewes nis no power. |
| "And of alle thise thinges it scheweth wel that |
| the gode folk ben certeinli myghty, and the |
| 260 | schrewes doutelees ben unmyghty. And |
| it is cler and opene that thilke sentence |
| of Plato is verray and soth, that seith that |
| oonly wise men may doon that thei desiren, |
| and schrewes mowen haunten that hem liketh, |
| 265 | but that thei desiren (that is to seyn, to come |
| to sovereyn good), thei ne han no power to |
| acomplissen that. For schrewes don that hem lyst |
| whan, by tho thinges in whiche thei deliten, thei |
| wenen to ateynen to thilke good that thei |
| 270 | desiren; but thei ne geten ne ateyne nat |
| therto, for vices ne comen nat to blisfulnesse. |
| |
| Metrum 2 | "Whoso that the coverturis of hir veyn apparailes |
| myghte strepen of thise proude kynges, |
| that thow seest sitten an hye in here chayeres, |
| gliterynge in schynynge purpre, envyrowned |
| 5 | with sorwful armures, manasyng with cruel |
| mowth, blowynge by woodnesse of herte, he |
| schulde seen thanne that thilke lordis berin |
| withynne hir corages ful streyte cheynes. For |
| lecherye tormenteth hem on that o side |
| 10 | with gredy venymes; and trowblable ire, |
| that areyseth in hem the floodes of trowblynges, |
| tormenteth upon that othir side hir |
| thought; or sorwe halt hem wery and icawght, |
| or slidynge and desceyvynge hope turmenteth |
| 15 | hem. And therfore, syn thow seest on heved |
| (that is to seyn, o tiraunt) beren so manye |
| tyranyes, than ne doth thilke tyraunt nat that he |
| desireth, syn he is cast doun with so manye |
| wikkide lordes (that is to seyn, with so |
| 20 | manye vices that han so wikkidly lordschipes |
| over hym). |
| |
| Prosa 3 | "Seestow nat thanne in how greet filthe thise |
| schrewes been iwrapped, and with which clernesse |
| thise gode folk schynen? In this scheweth |
| it wel that to good folk ne lakketh neveremo |
| 5 | hir meedes, ne schrewes ne lakken neveremo |
| turmentes. For of alle thinges that ben idoon, |
| thilke thing for which any thing is doon, it |
| semeth as by ryght that thilke thing be the |
| mede of that; as thus, yif a man renneth in |
| 10 | the stadye or in the forlonge for the |
| corone, thanne lith the mede in the coroune |
| for whiche he renneth. And I have schewed |
| that blisfulnesse is thilke same good for whiche |
| that alle thinges ben doon; thanne is thilke |
| 15 | same good purposed to the werkes of mankynde |
| right as a comune mede, which mede ne |
| may nat ben disseveryd fro good folk. For no |
| wight as by ryght, fro thennesforth that hym |
| lakketh goodnesse, ne schal ben cleped |
| 20 | good. For whiche thing folk of gode maneres, |
| hir medes ne forsaken hem neveremo. |
| For al be it so that schrewes waxen as wode |
| as hem lyst ayein good folk, yit natheles the |
| coroune of wise men ne schal nat fallen ne |
| 25 | faden; for foreyne schrewednesse ne bynemeth |
| nat fro the corages of good folk hir propre |
| honour. But yif that any wyght rejoysede hym |
| of goodnesse that he hadde taken fro withoute |
| (as who seith, yif any man hadde his goodnesse |
| 30 | of any other man than of hymself), |
| certes he that yaf hym thilke goodnesse, or |
| elles som other wyght, myghte benymen it |
| hym. But for as moche as to every wyght his |
| owene propre bounte yeveth hym his mede, |
| 35 | thanne at erste schal he failen of mede whan |
| he forletith to ben good. And at the laste, so |
| as alle medes ben requerid for men wenen that |
| thei ben gode, who is he that nolde deme that |
| he that is ryght myghti of good were partlees |
| 40 | of the mede? And of what mede schal |
| he ben gerdoned? Certes of ryght fair |
| mede and ryght greet aboven alle medes. Remembre |
| the of thilke noble corrolarie that I |
| yaf the a litel herebyforn, and gadre it togidre |
| 45 | in this manere: so as good [hytself] is blisfulnesse, |
| thanne is it cler and certein that alle |
| gode folk ben imaked blisful for thei ben gode; |
| and thilke folk that ben blisful it accordeth and |
| is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the |
| 50 | mede of good folk swych that no day ne |
| schal empeiren it, ne no wikkidnesse schal |
| derkne it, ne power of no wyght ne schal nat |
| amenusen it; that is to seyn, to ben maked |
| goddes. And syn it is thus (that gode men ne |
| 55 | failen neveremo of hir mede), certes no wise man |
| ne may doute of the undepartable peyne of |
| schrewes (that is to seyn, that the peyne of |
| schrewes ne departeth nat from hemself neveremo). |
| For so as good and yvel, and peyne and |
| 60 | medes, ben contrarie, it moot nedes ben |
| that, ryght as we seen betyden in guerdoun |
| of gode, that also moot the peyne of yvel answere |
| by the contrarie partie to schrewes. Now |
| thanne, so as bounte and pruesse ben the mede |
| 65 | to good folk, also is schrewidnesse itself torment |
| to schrewes. Thanne whoso that evere is |
| entecchid or defouled with peyne, he ne douteth |
| nat that he nys entecchid and defouled |
| with yvel. Yif schrewes thanne wol preysen |
| 70 | hemself, may it semen to hem that thei ben |
| withouten parti of torment, syn thei ben |
| swiche that the uttreste wikkidnesse (that is to |
| seyn, wikkide thewes, which that is the uttereste |
| and the worst kynde of schrewednesse) |
| 75 | ne defouleth ne enteccheth nat hem oonly, but |
| enfecteth and envenymeth hem greetly? And |
| also loke on schrewes, that ben the contrarie |
| partie of gode men, how gret peyne felawschipith |
| and folweth hem! For thou hast |
| 80 | lerned a litil herebyforn that alle thing that |
| is and hath beynge is oon, and thilke same |
| oon is good: than is this the consequence, that |
| it semeth wel that al that is and hath beynge |
| is good. (This is to seyn, as who seith that |
| 85 | beinge and unite and goodnesse is al oon.) |
| And in this manere it folweth thanne that alle |
| thing that fayleth to ben good, it stynteth for |
| to be and for to han any beynge. Wherfore it |
| es that schrewes stynten for to ben that |
| 90 | thei weeren. But thilke othir forme [of] [the] |
| [body] of mankynde (that is to seyn, the |
| [forme] withowte) scheweth yit that thise |
| schrewes weren whilom men. Wherfore, whan |
| thei ben perverted and turned into malice, |
| 95 | certes, thanne have thei forlorn the nature of |
| mankynde. But so as oonly bownte and prowesse |
| may enhawnsen every man over othere |
| men, than moot it nedes be that schrewes, |
| whiche that schrewednesse hath cast out of |
| 100 | the condicion of mankynde, ben put undir |
| the merit and the dissert of men. Than |
| betidith it that, yif thou seest a wyght that be |
| transformed into vices, thow ne mayst nat wene |
| that he be a man. For if he be ardaunt in avaryce, |
| 105 | and that he be a ravynour by violence of foreyne |
| richesse, thou schalt seyn that he is lik to the |
| wolf; and if he be felonows and withoute reste, |
| and exercise his tonge to chidynges, thow schalt |
| likne hym to the hownd; and if he be a |
| 110 | pryve awaytour yhid, and rejoiseth hym to |
| ravyssche be wiles, thow schalt seyn hym |
| lik to the fox whelpes; and yif he be distempre, |
| and quakith for ire, men schal wene that he |
| bereth the corage of a lyoun; and yif he be |
| 115 | dredful and fleynge, and dredith thinges that ne |
| aughte nat to ben dredd, men schal holden hym |
| lik to the hert; and yf he be slow, and astonyd, |
| and lache, he lyveth as an asse; yif he be lyght |
| and unstedfast of corage and chaungith ay |
| 120 | his studies, he is likned to briddes; and if he |
| be ploungid in fowle and unclene luxuris, |
| he is withholden in the foule delices of the fowle |
| sowe. Than folweth it that he that forleteth |
| bounte and prowesse, he forletith to ben a man; |
| 125 | syn he ne may nat passe into the condicion of |
| God, he is torned into a beeste. |
| |
| Metrum 3 | "Eurus, the wynd, aryved the sayles of Ulixes, |
| duc of the cuntre of Narice, and his wandrynge |
| shippes by the see, into the ile theras |
| Cerces, the faire goddesse, dowhter of the |
| 5 | sonne, duelleth, that medleth to hir newe |
| gestes drynkes that ben touchid and makid |
| with enchauntementz. And aftir that hir hand, |
| myghti over the erbes, hadde chaunged hir |
| gestes into diverse maneres, that oon of |
| 10 | hem is coverid his face with forme of a |
| boor; the tother is chaungid into a lyoun |
| of the contre of Marmoryke, and his nayles and |
| his teth waxen; that oother of hem is newliche |
| chaunged into a wolf, and howleth whan he |
| 15 | wolde wepe; that other goth debonayrely in |
| the hows as a tigre of Inde. But al be it so |
| that the godhede of Mercurie, that is cleped |
| the bridde of Arcadye, hath had merci of the |
| duc Ulixes, bysegid with diverse yveles, |
| 20 | and hath unbownden hym fro the pestilence |
| of his oostesse, algates the rowerys |
| and the maryneres hadden by this idrawen into |
| hir mouthes and dronken the wikkide drynkes. |
| Thei that weren woxen swyn hadden by this |
| 25 | ichaunged hir mete of breed for to eten akkornes |
| of ookes. Noon of hir lymes ne duelleth |
| with hem hool, but thei han lost the voys |
| and the body; oonly hir thought duelleth with |
| hem stable, that wepeth and bywayleth the |
| 30 | monstruous chaungynge that thei suffren. |
| O overlyght hand! (As who seith. O |
| feble and light is the hand of Circes the enchaunteresse, |
| that chaungith the bodyes of |
| folk into beestes, to regard and to comparysoun |
| 35 | of mutacioun that is makid by vices!) |
| Ne the herbes of Circes ne ben nat myghty. |
| For al be it so that thei mai chaungen the |
| lymes of the body, algates yit thei may nat |
| chaungen the hertes. For withinne is ihidd |
| 40 | the strengthe and the vygour of men, in the |
| secre tour of hir hertes, (that is to seyn, the |
| strengthe of resoun); but thilke venyms of vices |
| todrawen a man to hem more myghtely than |
| the venym of Circes. For vices ben so cruel |
| 45 | that they percen and thurw-passen the corage |
| withinne; and, thoughe thei ne anoye nat the |
| body, yit vices woden to destroyen men by |
| wounde of thought." |
| |
| Prosa 4 | Thanne seide I thus: "I confesse and am |
| aknowe it," quod I, "ne I ne se nat that men |
| may seyn as by ryght that schrewes ne ben |
| chaunged into beestes by the qualite of hir |
| 5 | soules, al be it so that thei kepin yit the forme |
| of the body of mankynde. But I nolde nat of |
| schrewes, of whiche the thought crwel woodeth |
| alwey into destruccion of gode men, that |
| it were leveful to hem to don that." |
| 10 | "Certes," quod sche, "ne it is nat leveful |
| to hem, as I schal wel schewen the in covenable |
| place. But natheles, yif so were that |
| thilke that men wenen ben leveful to schrewes |
| were bynomyn hem, so that they ne myghte |
| 15 | nat anoyen or doon harm to gode men, certes |
| a gret partie of the peyne to schrewes scholde |
| ben alegged and releved. For al be it so that |
| this ne seme nat credible thing peraventure to |
| some folk, yit moot it nedes be that |
| 20 | schrewes ben more wrecches and unsely |
| whan thei mai doon and parforme that |
| thei coveyten, than yif thei ne myghte nat |
| acomplissen that thei coveiten. For yif so |
| be that it be wrecchidnesse to wilne to doon |
| 25 | yvel, thanne is it more wrecchidnesse to mowe |
| don yvel, withoute whiche mowynge the wrecchid |
| wil scholde langwisse withouten effect. |
| Thanne syn that everiche of thise thinges hath his |
| wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, wil to don |
| 30 | ivel and mowynge to don yvel), it moot |
| nedes be that schrewes ben constreyned by |
| thre unselynesses, that wolen, and mowen, and |
| parformen felonyes and schrewednesses." |
| "I acorde me," quod I; "but I desire gretly |
| 35 | that schrewes losten sone thilke unselynesses, |
| that is to seyn, that schrewes weren despoyled |
| of mowynge to don yvel." |
| "So schollen thei," quod sche, "sonnere peraventure |
| than thou woldest, or sonnere |
| 40 | than they hemselve wene. For ther nis |
| nothing so late, in so schorte bowndes of |
| this lif, that is long to abyde, nameliche to a corage |
| immortel. Of whiche schrewes the grete |
| hope and the heye compassynges of schrewednesses |
| 45 | is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or |
| thei ben war; and that thing establisseth to |
| schrewes the ende of hir schrewednesse. For |
| yf that schrewednesse makith wrecches, than |
| mot he nedes ben moost wrecchide that |
| 50 | lengest is a schrewe. The whiche wikkide |
| schrewes wolde I demen althermost unsely |
| and kaytifs, yif that hir schrewednesse ne were |
| fynissched at the leste weye by the owtreste |
| deth; for yif I have concluded soth of the unselynesse |
| 55 | of schrewednesse, thanne schewith it |
| clerly that thilke wrecchidnesse is withouten |
| ende the whiche is certein to ben perdurable." |
| "Certes," quod I, "this conclusioun is hard and |
| wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel |
| 60 | that it accordeth moche to the thinges that |
| I have grauntid herebiforn." |
| "Thou hast," quod sche, "the ryght estimacion |
| of this. But whosoevere wene that it be |
| an hard thing to accorde hym to a conclusioun, |
| 65 | it is ryght that he schewe that some |
| of the premysses ben false, or elles he mot |
| schewe that the collacioun of proposicions |
| nis nat spedful to a necessarie conclusioun; |
| and yif it ne be nat so, but that the premisses |
| 70 | ben ygraunted, ther nys nat why he |
| scholde blame the argument. For this thing |
| that I schal telle the now ne schal nat seme |
| lesse wondirful, but of the thingis that ben |
| taken also it is necessarie." (As who seith, it |
| 75 | folweth of that which that is purposed byforn.) |
| "What is that?" quod I. |
| "Certes," quod sche, "that is that thise wikkid |
| schrewes ben more blisful, or elles |
| 80 | lasse wrecches, that abyen the tormentz |
| that thei han desservid, than if no peyne of |
| justise ne chastisede hem. Ne this ne seie I |
| nat now for that any man myghte thinke that |
| the maneris of schrewes ben coriged and chastised |
| 85 | by vengeaunce and that thei ben brought |
| to the ryghte weye by the drede of the torment, |
| ne for that they yeven to other folk ensaumple |
| to fleen fro vices; but I undirstonde yit in another |
| manere that schrewes ben more unsely |
| 90 | whan thei ne ben nat punyssched, al |
| be it so that ther ne be hadde no resoun or |
| lawe of correccioun, ne noon ensample of |
| lokynge." |
| "And what manere schal that be," quod I, |
| 95 | "other than hath ben told herbyforn?" |
| "Have we nat thanne graunted," quod sche, |
| "that good folk ben blisful and schrewes ben |
| wrecches?" |
| "Yis," quod I. |
| 100 | "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that any good |
| were added to the wrecchidnesse of any |
| wyght, nis he nat more blisful than he that |
| ne hath no medlynge of good in his solitarie |
| wrecchidnesse?" |
| 105 | "So semeth it," quod I. |
| "And what seistow thanne," quod sche, "of |
| thilke wrecche that lakketh alle goodes so that |
| no good nys medlyd in his wrecchidnesse, |
| and yit over al his wikkidnesse, for which |
| 110 | he is a wrecche, that ther be yit another |
| yvel anexed and knyt to hym -- schal nat |
| men demen hym more unsely thanne thilke |
| wrecche of whiche the unselynesse is relevid by |
| the participacioun of som good?" |
| 115 | "Why sholde he nat?" quod I. |
| "Thanne certes," quod sche, "han schrewes, |
| whan thei ben punyschid, somwhat of good |
| anexid to hir wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, the |
| same peyne that thei suffren, which that is |
| 120 | good by the resoun of justice); and whanne |
| thilke same schrewes ascapen withouten |
| torment, than han they somwhat more of yvel |
| yit over the wikkidnesse that thei han don, that |
| is to seyn, defaute of peyne, whiche defaute of |
| 125 | peyne thou hast grauntid is yvel for the disserte |
| of felonye?" |
| "I ne may nat denye it," quod I. |
| "Moche more thanne," quod sche, "ben |
| schrewes unsely whan thei ben wrongfully |
| 130 | delivred fro peyne, thanne whan thei |
| ben punyschid by ryghtful vengeaunce. |
| But this is opene thing and cleer, that it is ryght |
| that schrewes ben punyschid, and it is wikkidnesse |
| and wrong that thei escapen unpunyschid." |
| "Who myghte denye that?" quod I. |
| "But," quod sche, "may any man denye that |
| al that is ryght nis good, and also the contrarie, |
| that al that is wrong is wikke?" |
| 140 | "Certes," quod I, "thise thinges ben |
| clere ynowe, and [folwen that] that we han |
| concluded a lytel herebyforn. But I preye the |
| that thow telle me, yif thow accordest to leten |
| no torment to the soules aftir that the body is |
| 145 | ended by the deeth?" (This to seyn, "Undirstondestow |
| aught that soules han any |
| torment aftir the deeth of the body?") |
| "Certes," quod sche, "ye, and that ryght |
| greet. Of whiche soules," quod sche, "I |
| 150 | trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse |
| of peyne, and some soules I trowe |
| ben excercised by a purgynge mekenesse; but |
| my conseil nys nat to determyne of thise peynes. |
| "But I have travailed and told yit hiderto for |
| 155 | thou scholdest knowe that the mowynge of |
| schrewes, whiche mowynge the semeth to ben |
| unworthy, nis no mowynge; and ek of schrewes, |
| of whiche thou pleynedest that they ne were nat |
| punysschid, that thow woldest seen that |
| 160 | thei ne were neveremo withouten the |
| tormentz of hir wikkidnesse; and of the |
| licence of mowynge to don yvel that thou |
| preyedest that it myghte sone ben ended, and |
| that thou woldest fayn lernen that it ne sholde |
| 165 | nat longe endure, and that schrewes ben more |
| unsely yif thei were of lengere durynge, and |
| most unsely yif thei weren perdurable. And aftir |
| this I have schewyd the that more unsely ben |
| schrewes whan thei escapen withouten hir |
| 170 | ryghtful peyne thanne whan thei ben |
| punyschid by ryghtful venjaunce; and of |
| this sentence folweth it that thanne ben schrewes |
| constreyned at the laste with most grevous |
| torment, whan men wene that thei ne ben nat |
| 175 | punyssched." |
| "Whan I considere thi resouns," quod I, "I ne |
| trowe nat that men seyn any thing more |
| verrayly. And yif I turne ayein to the studies of |
| men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that |
| 180 | he ne scholde nat oonly leven thise thinges, |
| but ek gladly herkne hem?" |
| "Certes," quod sche, "so it es -- but men may |
| nat. For they have hir eien so wont to the |
| derknesse of erthly thinges that they ne may nat |
| 185 | lyften hem up to the light of cler sothfastnesse, |
| but thei ben lyk to briddes of whiche the nyght |
| lightneth hir lokynge and the day blendith hem. |
| For whan men loke nat the ordre of thinges, but |
| hir lustes and talentz, they wene that either |
| 190 | the leve or the mowynge to don wikkidnesse, |
| or elles the scapynge withouten |
| peyne be weleful. |
| "But considere the jugement of the perdurable |
| lawe. For yif thou conferme thi corage to the |
| 195 | beste thinges, thow ne hast noon nede of no juge |
| to yeven the prys or mede; for thow hast joyned |
| thiself to the most excellent thing. And yif thow |
| have enclyned thi studies to the wikkide thinges, |
| ne seek no foreyne wrekere out of thiself; |
| 200 | for thow thiself hast thrist thiself into wikke |
| thinges, ryght as thow myghtest loken by |
| diverse tymes the fowle erthe and the hevene, |
| and that alle othere thinges stynten fro withoute, |
| so that thow nere neyther in [hevene] ne in |
| 205 | erthe, ne saye no thyng more; thanne scholde it |
| semen to the as by oonly resoun of lokynge that |
| thow were now in the sterres, and now in the |
| erthe. But the peple ne loketh nat on these |
| thinges. What thanne? Schal we thanne |
| 210 | approchen us to hem that I have schewed |
| that thei ben lyke to beestes? And what |
| wyltow seyn of this: yif that a man hadde al |
| forlorn his syghte, and hadde foryeten that he |
| evere sawhe, and wende that no thing ne faylede |
| 215 | hym of perfeccioun of mankynde; now we that |
| myghten sen the same thinges -- wolde we nat |
| wene that he were blynd? Ne also ne accordeth |
| nat the peple to that I schal seyn, the whiche |
| thing is sustenyd by as stronge foundementz |
| 220 | of resouns, that is to seyn, that |
| more unsely ben they that doon wrong to |
| othere folk, than they that the wrong suffren." |
| "I wolde here thilke same resouns," quod I. |
| "Denyestow," quod sche, "that alle schrewes |
| 225 | ne ben worthy to han torment?" |
| "Nay," quod I. |
| "But," quod sche, "I am certein by many |
| resouns that schrewes ben unsely." |
| "It accordeth," quod I. |
| 230 | "Thanne ne dowtestow nat," quod sche, |
| "that thilke folk that ben worthy of |
| torment, that they ne ben wrecches?" |
| "It accordeth wel," quod I. |
| "Yif thou were thanne iset a juge or a |
| 235 | knowere of thinges, whethir trowestow that men |
| scholden tormenten, hym that hath don the |
| wrong or elles hym that hath suffred the |
| wrong?" |
| "I ne doute nat," quod I, "that I nolde |
| 240 | doon suffisaunt satisfaccioun to hym that |
| hadde suffrid the wrong, by the sorwe of |
| hym that hadde doon the wrong." |
| "Thanne semeth it," quod sche, "that the |
| doere of wrong is more wrecche than he that |
| 245 | hath suffride wrong?" |
| "That folweth wel," quod I. |
| "Than," quod sche, "by thise causes and by |
| othere causes that ben enforced by the same |
| roote, that filthe [of] synne be the propre |
| 250 | nature of it maketh men wrecches, [it] |
| scheweth wel that the wrong that men |
| doon nis nat the wrecchidnesse of hym that |
| resceyveth the wrong, but the wrecchidnesse of |
| hym that dooth the wrong. But certes," quod |
| 255 | sche, "thise oratours or advocattes don al the |
| contrarie; for thei enforcen hem to commoeve |
| the juges to han pite of hem that han suffrid |
| and resceyved the thinges that ben grevous |
| and aspre, and yit men scholden more |
| 260 | ryghtfully han pite of hem that doon the |
| grevances and the wronges: the whiche |
| schrewes it were a more covenable thing that the |
| accusours or advocattes, nat wrooth but pytous |
| and debonayre, ledden tho schrewes that han |
| 265 | don wrong to the jugement ryght as men leden |
| syke folk to the leche, for that thei sholden seken |
| out the maladyes of synne by torment. And |
| by this covenant, eyther the entent of the |
| deffendours or advocatz sholde fayle and |
| 270 | cesen in al, or elles, yif the office of |
| advocatz wolde betre profiten to men, it |
| sholde be torned into the habyte of accusacioun. |
| (That is to seyn, thei scholden accuse |
| schrewes, and nat excusen hem.) And eek the |
| 275 | schrewes hemself, yif it were leveful to hem to |
| seen at any clifte the vertu that thei han forleten, |
| and sawen that they scholden putten adoun the |
| filthes of hir vices by the tormentz of peynes, |
| they ne aughten nat, ryght for the |
| 280 | recompensacioun for to geten hem bounte |
| and prowesse whiche that thei han lost, |
| demen ne holden that thilke peynes weren |
| tormentz to hem; and eek thei wolden refuse the |
| attendaunce of hir advocattz, and taken hemself |
| 285 | to hir juges and to hir accusours. For whiche it |
| betydeth that, as to the wise folk, ther nis no |
| place yleten to hate (that is to seyn, that hate |
| ne hath no place among wise men); for no |
| wyght nil haten gode men, but yif he were |
| 290 | overmochel a fool, and for to haten |
| schrewes it nis no resoun. For ryght so as |
| langwissynge is maladye of body, ryght so ben |
| vices and synne maladye of corage; and so as we |
| ne deme nat that they that ben sike of hir body |
| 295 | ben worthy to ben hated, but rather worthy of |
| pite; wel more worthy nat to ben hated, but |
| for to ben had in pite, ben thei of whiche |
| the thoughtes ben constreyned by felonous |
| wikkidnesse, that is more crwel than any |
| 300 | langwissynge of body. |
| |
| Metrum 4 | "What deliteth yow to exciten so grete moevynges |
| of hatredes, and to hasten and bysien |
| the fatal disposicioun of your deth with your |
| propre handes (that is to seyn, by batayles or |
| 5 | contek)? For yif ye axen the deth, it hasteth |
| hym of his owene wil, ne deth ne taryeth nat |
| his swifte hors. And the men that the serpent, |
| and the lyoun, and the tigre, and the |
| bere, and the boor, seken to sleen with hir |
| 10 | teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen |
| everiche of hem oothir with swerd. Lo, for |
| hir maneres ben diverse and discordaunt, thei |
| moeven unryghtful oostes and cruel batayles, |
| and wilnen to perise by entrechaungynge of |
| 15 | dartes! But the resoun of cruelte nis nat inowhe |
| ryghtful. Wiltow thanne yelden a covenable |
| gerdoun to the dissertes of men? Love ryghtfully |
| good folk, and have pite on schrewes." |
| |
| Prosa 5 | "Thus se I wel," quod I, "eyther what blisfulnesse |
| or elles what unselynesse is establisshid |
| in the dissertes of gode men and of |
| schrewes. But in this ilke fortune of peple I |
| 5 | se somwhat of good and somwhat of yvel. For |
| no wise man hath nat levere ben exiled, pore |
| and nedy and nameles, thanne for to duellen |
| in his cyte, and flouren of rychesses, and be |
| redowtable by honour and strong of power. |
| 10 | For in this wise more clerly and more witnesfully |
| is the office of wise men ytreted, |
| whanne the blisfulnesse and the pouste of |
| gouvernours is, as it ware, ischadde among peples |
| that ben neyghbors and subgitz; syn that |
| 15 | namely prisown, lawe, and thise othere tormentz |
| of laweful peynes ben rather owed to |
| felonus citezeins, for the whiche felonus citezeens |
| tho peynes ben establisschid than for |
| good folk. |
| 20 | "Thanne I merveile me gretly," quod I, |
| "why that the thinges ben so mysentrechaunged |
| that tormentz of felonyes pressen and |
| confounden good folk, and schrewes ravysschen |
| medes of vertu and ben in honours |
| 25 | and in grete estatz; and I desire eek for to |
| witen of the what semeth the to be the resoun |
| of this so wrongful a confusioun; for I wolde |
| wondre wel the lasse, yif I trowede that alle |
| thise thinges weren medled by fortunows |
| 30 | hap. But now hepith and encreseth myn |
| astonyenge God, governour of thinges, |
| that, so as God yyveth ofte tymes to gode men |
| godes and myrthes, and to schrewes yvelis and |
| aspre thinges, and yeveth ayeinward to good |
| 35 | folk hardnesses, and to schrewes he graunteth |
| hem hir wil and that they desiren -- what difference |
| thanne may ther be bytwixen that that |
| God doth and the hap of fortune, yif men ne |
| knowe nat the cause why that it is?" |
| 40 | "Ne it nis no merveile," quod sche, |
| "thowh that men wenen that ther be somwhat |
| foolisshe and confus, whan the resoun of |
| the ordre is unknowe. But although that thou |
| ne knowe nat the cause of so gret a disposicioun, |
| 45 | natheles for as moche as God, the gode |
| governour, atempreth and governeth the world, |
| ne doute the nat that alle thinges ne ben don |
| aryght. |
| |
| Metrum 5 | "Whoso that ne knowe nat the sterres of |
| Arctour, ytorned neyghe to the sovereyne centre |
| or poynt (that is to seyn, ytorned neyghe to |
| the sovereyne pool of the firmament), and wot |
| 5 | nat why the sterre Boetes passeth or gadreth |
| his waynes and drencheth his late flaumbes in |
| the see; and whi that Boetes, the sterre, unfooldeth |
| hise overswifte arysynges, thanne schal |
| he wondryn of the lawe of the heie eyr. |
| 10 | And eek yif that he ne knowe nat why that |
| the hornes of the fulle mone waxen pale |
| and infect by bowndes of the derk nyght, and |
| how the mone derk and confus discovereth the |
| sterres that sche hadde covered by hir clere |
| 15 | vysage. The comune errour moeveth folk, and |
| [the Coribantes maken hir tabours sounen and |
| maken] weery hir basyns of bras by thikke |
| strokes. (That is to seyn, that ther is a maner |
| peple that hyghte Coribantes, that wenen |
| 20 | that whan the mone is in the eclips that |
| it be enchaunted, and therfore for to |
| rescowe the mone thei betyn hir basyns with |
| thikke strokes.) Ne no man ne wondreth |
| whanne the blastes of the wynd Chorus beten |
| 25 | the strondes of the see by quakynge floodes; ne |
| no man ne wondrith whan the weighte of the |
| snowh, ihardid by the cold, is resolvyd by the |
| brennynge hete of Phebus, the sonne; for her |
| seen men redily the causes. But [ther] the |
| 30 | causes yhidd (that is to seyn, in hevene) |
| trowblen the brestes of men. The |
| moevable peple is astoned of alle thinges that |
| comen seelde and sodeynly in our age; but yif |
| the trubly errour of our ignoraunce departed fro |
| 35 | us, so that we wisten the causes why that swiche |
| thinges bytyden, certes thei scholde cesen to |
| seme wondres." |
| |
| Prosa 6 | "Thus is it," quod I. "But so as thou hast |
| yeven or byhyght me to unwrappen the hidde |
| causes of thinges, and to discovere me the |
| resouns covered with derknes, I preie the that |
| 5 | thou devyse and juge me of this matere, and |
| that thou do me to undirstonden it. For this |
| miracle or this wonder trowbleth me ryght |
| gretly." |
| And thanne sche, a litelwhat smylinge, |
| 10 | seide: "Thou clepist me," quod sche, "to |
| telle thing that is gretteste of alle thingis |
| that mowen ben axed, and to the whiche questioun |
| unethes is ther aught inowh to laven |
| it. (As who seith, unnethes is ther suffisauntly |
| 15 | any thing to answeren parfitly to thy questioun.) |
| For the matere of it is swich, that |
| whan o doute is determined and kut awey, ther |
| waxen othere doutes withoute nombre, ryght |
| as the hevedes wexen of Idre, the serpent |
| 20 | that Hercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no |
| manere ne noon ende, but if that a wyght |
| constreynede tho doutes by a ryght lifly and |
| quyk fir of thought (that is to seyn, by vigour |
| and strengthe of wit). For in this matere |
| 25 | men weren wont to maken questiouns of the |
| symplicite of the purveaunce of God, and of |
| the ordre of destyne, and of sodeyn hap, and |
| of the knowynge and predestinacioun devyne, |
| and of the liberte of fre wil; the whiche |
| 30 | thinges thou thiself aperceyvest wel of |
| what weighte thei ben. But for as moche |
| as the knowynge of thise thinges is a maner |
| porcioun of the medycyne to the, al be it so |
| that I have litil tyme to doon it, yit natheles |
| 35 | Y wol enforcen me to schewe somwhat of it. |
| But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk |
| deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a |
| litel of thilke delit, whil that I weve to the resouns |
| yknyt by ordre." |
| 40 | "As it liketh to the," quod I, "so do." |
| Tho spak sche ryght as by another bygynnynge, |
| and seide thus: "The engendrynge |
| of alle thinges," quod sche, "and alle the progressiouns |
| of muable nature, and al that moeveth |
| 45 | in any manere, taketh hise causes, his ordre, |
| and his formes, of the stablenesse of the devyne |
| thought. And thilke devyne thought that |
| is iset and put in the tour (that is to seyn, in |
| the heighte) of the simplicite of God, stablissith |
| 50 | many maner gises to thinges that ben |
| to done; the whiche manere whan that |
| men looken it in thilke pure clennesse of the |
| devyne intelligence, it is ycleped purveaunce; |
| but whanne thilke manere is referred by men |
| 55 | to thinges that it moeveth and disponyth, than |
| of olde men it was clepyd destyne. The whiche |
| thinges yif that any wyght loketh wel in his |
| thought the strengthe of that oon and of that |
| oothir, he schal lyghtly mowen seen that |
| 60 | thise two thinges ben dyvers. For purveaunce |
| is thilke devyne resoun that is establissed |
| in the sovereyn prince of thinges, the |
| whiche purveaunce disponith alle thinges; but, |
| certes, destyne is the disposicioun and ordenance |
| 65 | clyvynge to moevable thinges, by the |
| whiche disposicion the purveaunce knytteth |
| alle thingis in hir ordres; for purveaunce enbraceth |
| alle thinges to-hepe, althoghe that thei |
| ben diverse and although thei ben infinit. |
| 70 | But destyne, certes, departeth and ordeyneth |
| alle thinges singulerly and devyded in |
| moevynges in places, in formes, in tymes, as |
| thus: lat the unfoldynge of temporel ordenaunce, |
| assembled and oonyd in the lokynge |
| 75 | of the devyne thought, be cleped purveaunce, |
| and thilke same assemblynge and oonynge, devyded |
| and unfolden by tymes, lat that ben |
| called destyne. |
| "And al be it so that thise thinges ben |
| 80 | diverse, yit natheles hangeth that oon of |
| that oother; forwhi the ordre destynal |
| procedith of the simplicite of purveaunce. For |
| ryght as a werkman that aperceyveth in his |
| thought the forme of the thing that he wol make, |
| 85 | and moeveth the effect of the werk, and ledith |
| that he hadde lookid byforn in his thought |
| symplely and presently by temporel ordenaunce; |
| certes, ryght so God disponith in his |
| purveaunce singulerly and stablely the |
| 90 | thinges that ben to doone; but he |
| amynistreth in many maneris and in diverse |
| tymes by destyne thilke same thinges that he |
| hath disponyd. Thanne, whethir that destyne be |
| exercised outhir by some devyne spiritz, |
| 95 | servantz to the devyne purveaunce, or elles by |
| some soule, or elles by alle nature servynge to |
| God, or elles by the celestial moevynges of |
| sterres, or ellis by vertu of aungelis, or elles by |
| divers subtilite of develis, or elles by any of |
| 100 | hem, or elles by hem alle the destinal |
| ordenaunce is ywoven and acomplissid, |
| certes, it es opene thing that the purveaunce is |
| an unmoevable and symple forme of thinges |
| to doone, and the moevable bond and the |
| 105 | temporel ordenaunce of thinges whiche that the |
| devyne symplicite of purveaunce hath ordeyned |
| to doone, that is destyne. |
| "For whiche it is that alle thinges that ben |
| put undir destyne ben certes subgitz to |
| 110 | purveaunce, to whiche purveaunce destyne |
| itself is subgit and under. But some thinges |
| ben put undir purveaunce, that sourmounten |
| the ordenance of destyne; and tho ben thilke |
| that stablely ben ifycchid neyghe to the first |
| 115 | godhede. They surmounten the ordre of |
| destynal moevablete. For ryght as of cerklis that |
| tornen aboute a same centre or aboute a poynt, |
| thilke cerkle that is innerest or most withinne |
| joyneth to the symplesse of the myddle, |
| 120 | and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to the |
| tothere cerklis that tornen abouten hym; |
| and thilke that is utterest, compased by a largere |
| envyrownynge, is unfolden by largere spaces in |
| so moche as it is ferthest fro the myddel |
| 125 | symplicite of the poynt; and yif ther be any thing |
| that knytteth and felawschipeth hymself to thilke |
| myddel poynt, it is constreyned into simplicite |
| (that is to seyn, into unmoevablete), and it |
| ceseth to ben schad and to fleten diversely; |
| 130 | ryght so, by semblable reson, thilke thing |
| that departeth ferrest fro the firste thought |
| of God, it is unfolden and summittid to grettere |
| bondes of destyne; and in so moche is the thing |
| more fre and laus fro destyne, as it axeth and |
| 135 | hooldeth hym neer to thilke centre of thinges |
| (that is to seyn, to God); and yif the thing |
| clyveth to the stedfastnesse of the thought of |
| God and be withoute moevynge, certes it |
| surmounteth the necessite of destyne. |
| 140 | Thanne ryght swich comparysoun as is of |
| skillynge to undirstondyng, and of thing |
| that ys engendrid to thing that is, and of tyme to |
| eternite, and of the cercle to the centre; ryght so |
| is the ordre of moevable destyne to the stable |
| 145 | symplicite of purveaunce. |
| "Thilke ordenaunce moveth the hevene and |
| the sterres, and atemprith the elementz togidre |
| amonges hemself, and transformeth hem by |
| entrechaungeable mutacioun. And thilke |
| 150 | same ordre neweth ayein alle thinges |
| growynge and fallynge adoun, by semblable |
| progressions of sedes and of sexes (that |
| is to seyn, male and femele). And this ilke |
| ordre constreyneth the fortunes and the dedes of |
| 155 | men by a bond of causes nat able to ben |
| unbownde; the whiche destynal causes, whan |
| thei passen out fro the bygynnynges of the |
| unmoevable purveaunce, it moot nedes be that |
| thei ne be nat mutable. And thus ben the |
| 160 | thinges ful wel igoverned yif that the |
| symplicite duellynge in the devyne thoght |
| scheweth forth the ordre of causes unable to ben |
| ibowed. And this ordre constreyneth by his |
| propre stablete the moevable thingis, or elles |
| 165 | thei scholden fleten folyly. |
| "For whiche it es that alle thingis semen to |
| ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne |
| mowen nat considere thilke ordenaunce. |
| Natheles the propre maner of every thing, |
| 170 | dressynge hem to gode, disponith hem alle, |
| for ther nys no thing doon for cause of yvel, |
| ne thilk thing that is doon by wikkid folk nys nat |
| doon for yvel, the whiche schrewes, as I have |
| schewed ful plentyvously, seken good, but |
| 175 | wikkid errour mystorneth hem; ne the ordre |
| comynge fro the poynt of sovereyn good ne |
| declyneth nat fro his bygynnynge. |
| "But thou mayst seyn, `What unreste may ben |
| a worse confusioun than that gode men |
| 180 | han somtyme adversite and somtyme |
| prosperite, and schrewes also han now |
| thingis that they desiren and now thinges that |
| thei haten?' Whethir men lyven now in swich |
| holnesse of thought (as who seith, ben men now |
| 185 | so wyse) that swiche folk as thei demen to ben |
| gode folk or schrewes, that it moste nedes ben |
| that folk ben swiche as thei wenen? But in this |
| manere the domes of men discorden, that thilke |
| men that som folk demen worthy of mede, |
| 190 | other folk demen hem worthy of torment. |
| But lat us graunten, I pose, that som man |
| may wel demen or knowen the good folk and |
| the badde; may he thanne knowen and seen |
| thilke innereste atempraunce of corages as it |
| 195 | hath ben wont to ben seyd of bodyes? (As who |
| seith, may a man speken and determinen of |
| atempraunce in corages, as men were wont to |
| demen or speken of complexions and atempraunces |
| of bodies?) Ne it ne is nat an |
| 200 | unlike miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat |
| (as who seith, but it is lik a mervayle or |
| miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat) whi |
| that swete thinges ben covenable to some bodies |
| that ben hole, and to some bodies byttere |
| 205 | thinges ben covenable; and also why that some |
| syk folk ben holpen with lyghte medicynes, and |
| some folk ben holpen with sharpe medicynes. |
| But natheles the leche, that knoweth the manere |
| and the atempraunce of hele and of |
| 210 | maladye, ne merveyleth of it nothyng. But |
| what othir thing semeth hele of corages but |
| bounte and prowesse? And what othir thing |
| semeth maladye of corages but vices? Who is |
| elles kepere of good or dryvere awey of yvel but |
| 215 | God, governour and lechere of thoughtes? The |
| whiche God, whan he hath byholden from the |
| hye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is |
| covenable to every wight, and lenyth hem that |
| he woot that is covenable to hem. Lo, herof |
| 220 | comyth and herof is don this noble miracle |
| of the ordre destynal, whan God, that al |
| knoweth, dooth swiche thing, of whiche thing |
| unknowynge folk ben astonyd. |
| "But for to constreyne (as who seith, but for |
| 225 | to comprehende and to telle) a fewe thingis of |
| the devyne depnesse the whiche that mannys |
| resoun may undirstonde, thilke man that thow |
| wenest to ben ryght just and ryght kepynge of |
| equite, the contrarie of that semeth to the |
| 230 | devyne purveaunce, that al woot. And |
| Lucan, my famylier, telleth that the |
| victorious cause likide to the goddes, and the |
| cause overcomen likide to Catoun. Thanne |
| whatsoevere thou mayst seen that is doon in this |
| 235 | world unhopid or unwened, certes it es the |
| ryghte ordre of thinges, but as to thi wikkid |
| opynioun it is a confusioun. But I suppose that |
| som man be so wel ithewed that the devyne |
| jugement and the jugement of mankynde |
| 240 | accorden hem togidre of hym; but he is so |
| unstidfast of corage that, yif any adversite |
| come to hym, he wol forleten peraventure to |
| continue innocence by the whiche he ne may |
| nat withholden fortune. Thanne the wise |
| 245 | dispensacion of God sparith hym, the whiche |
| man adversite myghte enpeyren; for that God |
| wol nat suffren hym to travaile to whom that |
| travaile nis nat covenable. Anothir man is parfit |
| in alle vertus, and is an holi man and neigh |
| 250 | to God, so that the purveaunce of God |
| wolde deme that it were a felonie that he |
| were touched with any adversites; so that he wol |
| nat suffre that swich a man be moeved with any |
| bodily maladye. But so as seyde a philosophre, |
| 255 | the more excellent by me -- he seyde in Grec |
| that `vertues han edified the body of the holi |
| man.' |
| "And ofte tyme it betydeth that the somme of |
| thingis that ben to done is taken to governe |
| 260 | to good folk, for that the malice |
| haboundaunt of schrewes scholde ben |
| abated. And God yeveth and departeth to other |
| folk prosperites and adversites imedled to-hepe |
| aftir the qualite of hir corages, and remordith |
| 265 | some folk by adversite, for thei ne scholden nat |
| waxen proude by long welefulnesse; and other |
| folk he suffreth to ben travailed with harde |
| thinges for that thei scholden confermen the |
| vertues of corage by the usage and the |
| 270 | exercitacioun of pacience. And other folk |
| dreden more than thei oughten the whiche |
| thei myghte wel beren, and thilke folk God |
| ledeth into experience of hemself by aspre and |
| sorweful thingis. And many other folk han |
| 275 | bought honourable renoun of this world by the |
| prys of glorious deth; and som men, that ne |
| mowen nat ben overcomen by torment, han |
| yeven ensample to other folk that vertu mai nat |
| ben overcomyn by adversites. And of alle |
| 280 | thise thinges ther nis no doute that thei ne |
| ben doon ryghtfully and ordeynly, to the |
| profit of hem to whom we seen thise thingis |
| betyde. |
| "For certes, that adversite cometh somtyme to |
| 285 | schrewes and somtyme that that they desiren, it |
| comith of thise forseyde causes. And of sorweful |
| thinges that betyden to schrewes, certes, no man |
| ne wondreth. for alle men wenen that thei han |
| wel desservid it, and that thei ben of wykkid |
| 290 | meryt. Of whiche schrewes the torment |
| somtyme agasteth othere to don felonyes, |
| and somtyme it amendeth hem that suffren the |
| tormentz; and the prosperite that is yeven to |
| schrewes scheweth a gret argument to good |
| 295 | folk what thing thei scholde demen of thilke |
| welefulnesse, the whiche prosperite men seen |
| ofte serven to schrewes. In the whiche thing I |
| trowe that God dispenseth. For peraventure the |
| nature of som man is so overthrowynge to |
| 300 | yvel, and so uncovenable, that the nedy |
| poverte of his houshold myghte rather |
| egren hym to don felonyes; and to the maladye |
| of hym God putteth remedye to yeven hym |
| rychesses. And som othir man byholdeth his |
| 305 | conscience defouled with synnes, and makith |
| comparysoun of his fortune and of hymself, and |
| dredith peraventure that his blisfulnesse, of |
| whiche the usage is joyeful to hym, that the |
| lesynge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat |
| 310 | sorwful to hym; and therfore he wol |
| chaunge his maneris, and, for he dredith to |
| lesen his fortune, he forletith his wikkidnesse. |
| To other folke is welefulnesse iyeven unworthely, |
| the whiche overthroweth hem into |
| 315 | destruccioun, that thei han disservid; and to som |
| othir folk is yeven power to punysshen, for |
| that it schal be cause of contynuacioun and |
| exercisynge to good folk, and cause of torment |
| to schrewes. For so as ther nis noon |
| 320 | alliaunce bytwixe good folk and schrewes, |
| ne schrewes ne mowen nat acorden among |
| hemself. And whi nat? For schrewes discorden |
| of hemself by hir vices, the whiche vices al |
| toreenden her consciences, and doon ofte time |
| 325 | thinges the whiche thingis, whan thei han doon |
| hem, they demen that tho thinges ne scholden |
| nat han ben doon. |
| "For whiche thing thilke sovereyne purveaunce |
| hath makid ofte tyme fair |
| 330 | myracle, so that schrewes han makid |
| schrewes to ben gode men. For whan that |
| some schrewes seen that they suffren wrongfully |
| felonyes of othere schrewes, they wexen |
| eschaufed into hate of hem that anoyed hem, |
| 335 | and retornen to the fruyt of vertu, whan thei |
| studien to ben unlyke to hem that thei han hated. |
| Certis oonly this is the devyne myght to the |
| whiche myghte yvelis ben thanne gode whan it |
| useth the yvelis covenably and draweth out |
| 340 | the effect of any good. (As who seith that |
| yvel is good only to the myghte of God, for |
| the myght of God ordeyneth thilke yvel to |
| good.) |
| "For oon ordre enbraseth alle thinges, so that |
| 345 | what wyght that departeth fro the resoun of |
| thilke ordre whiche that is assigned to hym, |
| algatis yit he slideth into an othir ordre; so that |
| no thing nis leveful to folye in the reaume of the |
| devyne purveaunce (as who seith, no |
| 350 | thing nis withouten ordenaunce in the |
| reame of the devyne purveaunce), syn that |
| the ryght strong God governeth alle thinges in |
| this world. For it nis nat leveful to man to |
| comprehenden by wit, ne unfolden by word, |
| 355 | alle the subtil ordenaunces and disposiciounis of |
| the devyne entente. For oonly it owghte suffise |
| to han lokid that God hymself, makere of alle |
| natures, ordeineth and dresseth alle thingis to |
| gode; whil that he hasteth to withholden |
| 360 | the thingis that he hath makid into his |
| semblaunce (that is to seyn, for to withholden |
| thingis into gode, for he hymself is |
| good), he chasith out alle yvel fro the boundes |
| of his comynalite by the ordre of necessite |
| 365 | destinable. For whiche it folweth that, yif thou |
| loke the purveaunce ordeynynge the thinges |
| that men wenen ben outraious or haboundaunt |
| in erthis, thou ne schalt nat seen in no place no |
| thing of yvel. |
| 370 | "But I se now that thou art charged with |
| the weyghte of the questioun, and wery |
| with the lengthe of my resoun, and that thou |
| abydest som swetnesse of songe. Tak thanne this |
| drawght, and, whanne thou art wel reffressched |
| 375 | and refect, thou schalt be more stedfast to stye |
| into heyere questions or thinges. |
| |
| Metrum 6 | "Yif thou, wys, wilt demen in thi pure thought |
| the ryghtes or the lawes of the heye thondrere |
| (that is to seyn, of God), loke thou and byhoold |
| the heightes of the sovereyn hevene. |
| 5 | Ther kepin the sterres, be ryghtful alliaunce of |
| thinges, hir oolde pees. The sonne, imoevid by |
| his rody fyr, ne distorbeth nat the colde cercle |
| of the mone. Ne the sterre yclepid the Bere, |
| that enclyneth his ravysschynge coursis |
| 10 | abowte the sovereyn heighte of the world |
| -- ne the same sterre Ursa nis nevere mo |
| wasschen in the depe westrene see, ne coveyteth |
| nat to deeyen his flaumbes in the see |
| of the Occian, although it see othere sterres |
| 15 | iplowngid in the see. And Hesperus the sterre |
| bodith and telleth alwey the late nyghtes, and |
| Lucyfer the sterre bryngeth ayein the clere |
| day. |
| "And thus maketh Love entrechaungeable |
| 20 | the perdurable courses; and thus is discordable |
| bataile yput out of the contre of |
| the sterres. This accordaunce atempryth by evenelyke |
| maneres the elementz, that the moiste |
| thingis, stryvynge with the drye thingis, yeven |
| 25 | place by stoundes; and that the colde thingis |
| joynen hem by feyth to the hote thingis; and |
| that the lyghte fyr ariseth into heighte, and |
| the hevy erthes avalen by her weyghtes. By |
| thise same causes the floury yer yeldeth |
| 30 | swote smelles in the first somer sesoun |
| warmynge; and the hote somer dryeth the |
| cornes; and autumpne comith ayein hevy of |
| apples; and the fletyng reyn bydeweth the |
| wynter. This atempraunce norysscheth and |
| 35 | bryngeth forth alle thinges that brethith lif |
| in this world; and thilke same attempraunce, |
| ravysschynge, hideth and bynymeth, and |
| drencheth undir the laste deth, alle thinges |
| iborn. |
| 40 | "Among thise thinges sitteth the heye |
| makere, kyng and lord, welle and bygynnynge, |
| lawe and wys juge to don equite, and |
| governeth and enclyneth the brydles of thinges. |
| And tho thinges that he stireth to gon by |
| 45 | moevynge, he withdraweth and aresteth, and |
| affermeth the moevable or wandrynge thinges. |
| For yif that he ne clepide nat ayein the ryght |
| goynge of thinges, and yif that he ne constreynede |
| hem nat eftsones into roundnesses |
| 50 | enclyned, the thinges that ben now |
| contynued by stable ordenaunce, thei scholden |
| departen from hir welle (that is to seyn, |
| from hir bygynnynge), and failen (that is to |
| seyn, tornen into noght). This is the comune |
| 55 | love to alle thingis, and alle thinges axen to ben |
| holden by the fyn of good. For elles ne |
| myghten they nat lasten yif thei ne comen nat |
| eftsones ayein, by love retorned, to the cause |
| that hath yeven hem beinge (that is to |
| 60 | seyn, to God). |
| |
| Prosa 7 | "Sestow nat thanne what thing folweth alle |
| the thingis that I have seyd?" |
| "What thing?" quod I. |
| "Certes," quod sche, "al outrely that alle fortune |
| 5 | is good." |
| "And how may that be?" quod I. |
| "Now undirstand," quod sche. "So as al fortune, |
| whethir so it be joyeful fortune or aspre |
| fortune, is yeven eyther by cause of gerdonynge |
| 10 | or elles of exercisynge of good |
| folk or elles by cause to punysschen or elles |
| chastisen schrewes; thanne is alle fortune good, |
| the whiche fortune is certeyn that it be either |
| ryghtful or elles profitable." |
| 15 | "Forsothe this is a ful verray resoun," quod |
| I; "and yif I considere the purveaunce and the |
| destyne that thou taughtest me a litel herebyforn |
| this sentence is sustenyd by stedfast |
| resouns. But yif it like unto the, lat us |
| 20 | nombren [hyt] amonges thilke thingis, of |
| whiche thow seydest a litel herebyforn that |
| thei ne were nat able to ben wened to the |
| peple." |
| "Why so?" quod sche. |
| 25 | "For that the comune word of men," quod I, |
| "mysuseth this manere speche of fortune, and |
| seyn ofte tymes that the fortune of som wyght |
| is wikkid." |
| "Woltow thanne," quod sche, "that I approche |
| 30 | a litil to the wordis of the peple, |
| so that it seme nat to hem that I be overmoche |
| departed as fro the usage of mankynde?" |
| "As thou wilt," quod I. |
| "Demestow nat," quod sche, "that alle thing |
| 35 | that profiteth is good?" |
| "Yis," quod I. |
| "And certes thilke thing that exerciseth or |
| corrigith profitith?" |
| "I confesse it wel," quod I. |
| 40 | "Thanne is it good," quod sche. |
| "Why nat?" quod I. |
| "But this is the fortune," quod sche, "of hem |
| that eyther ben put in vertu and batayllen |
| ayein aspre thingis, or elles of hem that eschuen |
| 45 | and declynen fro vices and taken the |
| weye of vertu." |
| "This ne mai I nat denye," quod I. |
| "But what seistow of the merye fortune that |
| is yeven to good folk in gerdoun -- demeth |
| 50 | aught the peple that it is wikkid?" |
| "Nay forsothe," quod I; "but thei |
| demen, as it soth is, that it is ryght good." |
| "And what seistow of that othir fortune," |
| quod sche, "that, although it be aspre and |
| 55 | restreyneth the schrewes by ryghtful torment, |
| weneth aught the peple that it be good?" |
| "Nay," quod I, "but the peple demeth that |
| it is moost wrecchid of alle thingis that mai |
| ben thought." |
| 60 | "War now and loke wel," quod sche, |
| "lest that we, in folwynge the opynioun of |
| the peple, have confessid and concluded thing |
| that is unable to be wened to the peple." |
| "What is that?" quod I. |
| 65 | "Certis," quod sche, "it folweth or comith of |
| thingis that ben grauntid that alle fortune, what |
| so evere it be, of hem that ben eyther in possessioun |
| of vertu, or in the encres of vertu, or |
| elles in the purchasynge of vertu, that thilke |
| 70 | fortune is good; and that alle fortune is |
| ryght wikkid to hem that duellen in |
| schrewidnesse." (As who seith. "And thus |
| weneth nat the peple.") |
| "That is soth," quod I, "al be it so that no |
| 75 | man dar confessen it ne byknowen it." |
| "Whi so?" quod sche; "for ryght as the |
| stronge man ne semeth nat to abaissen or disdaignen |
| as ofte tyme as he herith the noyse |
| of the bataile, ne also it ne semeth nat to |
| 80 | the wise man to beren it grevously as ofte |
| as he is lad into the stryf of fortune. For, |
| bothe to the to man and eek to the tothir thilke |
| difficulte is the matere, to the to man of encres |
| of his glorious renoun, and to the tothir man |
| 85 | to confermen his sapience (that is to seyn, to the |
| asprenesse of his estat). For therfore it is |
| called `vertu,' for that it sustenith and enforceth |
| by hise strengthes that it nis nat overcomen by |
| adversites. Ne certes thou, that art put in |
| 90 | the encres or in the heyghte of vertu, ne |
| hast nat comen to fleten with delices, and |
| for to welken in bodily lust; thou sowest or |
| plawntest a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins |
| every fortune, for that the sorwful fortune ne |
| 95 | confownde the nat, ne that the myrie fortune |
| ne corrumpe the nat. Ocupye the mene by stidefast |
| strengthes; for al that evere is undir the |
| mene, or elles al that overpasseth the mene, |
| despyseth welefulnesse (as who seith, it |
| 100 | is vycious), and ne hath no mede of his |
| travaile. For it is set in your hand (as who |
| seith, it lyth in your power) what fortune yow |
| is levest (that is to seyn, good or yvel). For |
| alle fortune that semeth scharp or aspre, yif it |
| 105 | ne exercise nat the good folk ne chastiseth the |
| wikkide folk, it punysseth. |
| |
| Metrum 7 | "The wrekere Attrides (that is to seyn, Agamenon), |
| that wrought and contynued the batailes |
| by ten yer, recovered and purgide in |
| wrekynge, by the destruccioun of Troye, the |
| 5 | loste chaumbris of mariage of his brothir. |
| (That is to seyn, that he, Agamenon, wan ayein |
| Eleyne that was Menelaus wif his brothir.) |
| In the mene while that thilke Agamenon desirede |
| to yeven sayles to the Grykkyssche |
| 10 | naveye, and boughte ayein the wyndes by |
| blood, he unclothide hym of pite of fadir; |
| and the sory preest yeveth in sacrifyenge the |
| wrecchide kuttynge of throte of the doughter. |
| (That is to seyn that Agamenon leet kutten the |
| 15 | throte of his doughter by the preest, to maken |
| alliaunce with his goddes and for to han wynd |
| with whiche he myghte wenden to Troye.) |
| "Ytakus (that is to seyn, Ulixes) bywepte his |
| felawes ilorne, the whiche felawes the |
| 20 | fyerse Poliphemus, ligginge in his grete cave, |
| had fretyn and dreynt in his empty wombe. |
| But natheles Poliphemus, wood for his blynde |
| visage, yald to Ulixes joye by his sorwful |
| teres. (This to seyn, that Ulixes smoot out the |
| 25 | eye of Poliphemus, that stood in his forheed, |
| for whiche Ulixes hadde joye whan he say Poliphemus |
| wepynge and blynd). |
| "Hercules is celebrable for his harde travailes. |
| He dawntide the proude Centauris (half |
| 30 | hors, half man), and he byrafte the dispoilynge |
| fro the cruel lyoun (that is to seyn, he |
| slouhe the lyoun and rafte hym his skyn); he |
| smot the briddes that hyghten Arpiis with certein |
| arwes; he ravysschide applis fro the wakynge |
| 35 | dragoun, and his hand was the more hevy |
| for the goldene metal; he drowh Cerberus, the |
| hound of helle, by his treble cheyne; he, overcomer, |
| as it is seyd, hath put an unmeke lord |
| foddre to his crwel hors (this to seyn, that |
| 40 | Hercules slowh Diomedes, and made his |
| hors to freten hym); and he, Hercules, |
| slowh Idra the serpent, and brende the venym; |
| and Acheleous the flod, defowled in his forheed, |
| dreynte his schamefast visage in his |
| 45 | strondes (that is to seyn, that Achaleous coude |
| transfiguren hymself into diverse liknesse, and, |
| as he faughte with Hercules, at the laste he |
| torned hym into a bole, and Hercules brak of |
| oon of his hornes, and he for schame hidde |
| 50 | hym in his ryver); and he, Hercules, caste |
| adoun Antheus the geaunt in the [sondes] |
| of Libye; and Kacus apaysede the wratthes of |
| Evander (this to seyn, that Hercules slouh the |
| monstre Kacus, and apaysed with that deth the |
| 55 | wratthe of Evander); and the bristilede boor |
| markide with scomes the scholdres of Hercules, |
| the whiche scholdres the heye cercle of |
| hevene sholde thriste; and the laste of his labours |
| was that he susteynede the hevene |
| 60 | uppon his nekke unbowed; and he disservide |
| eftsones the hevene to ben the pris |
| of his laste travaile. |
| "Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther as |
| the heye wey of the greet ensaumple ledith |
| 65 | yow. O nyce men! why nake ye your bakkes? |
| (As who seith, "O ye slowe and delicat men! |
| whi flee ye adversites, and ne fyghte nat ayeins |
| hem by vertu, to wynnen the mede of the hevene?") |
| For the erthe overcomen yeveth the |
| 70 | sterres." (This to seyn, that whan that |
| erthly lust is overcomyn, a man is makid |
| worthy to the hevene.) |