# Chaucer's Works (ed. Skeat) Vol. II/Boethius Book IV

BOOK IV.
Prose I.
Hec cum Philosophia, dignitate uultus.
Whan Philosophye hadde songen softely and delitably the forseide thinges, kepinge the dignitee of hir chere and the weighte of hir wordes, I thanne, that ne hadde nat al-outerly foryeten the wepinge and the mourninge that was set in myn herte, forbrak the entencioun of hir that entendede yit to seyn 5 some othre thinges. 'O,' quod I, 'thou that art gyderesse of verrey light; the thinges that thou hast seid me hider-to ben so clere to me and so shewinge by the devyne lookinge of hem, and by thy resouns, that they ne mowen ben overcomen. And thilke thinges that thou toldest me, al-be-it so that I hadde 10 whylom foryeten hem, for the sorwe of the wrong that hath ben don to me, yit natheles they ne weren nat al-outrely unknowen to me. But this same is, namely, a right greet cause of my sorwe, so as the governour of thinges is good, yif that yveles mowen ben by any weyes; or elles yif that yveles passen with-oute punisshinge. 15 The whiche thing only, how worthy it is to ben wondred up-on, thou considerest it wel thy-self certeinly. But yit to this thing ther is yit another thing y-ioigned, more to ben wondred up-on. For felonye is emperesse, and floureth ful of richesses; and vertu nis nat al-only with-oute medes, but it is cast under and 20 fortroden under the feet of felonous folk; and it abyeth the torments in stede of wikkede felounes. Of alle whiche thinges ther nis no wight that may merveylen y-nough, ne compleine, that swiche thinges ben doon in the regne of god, that alle thinges woot and alle thinges may, and ne wole nat but only gode 25 thinges.'
Thanne seyde she thus: 'Certes,' quod she, 'that were a greet merveyle, and an enbasshinge with-outen ende, and wel more horrible than alle monstres, yif it were as thou wenest; that is to seyn, that in the right ordenee hous of so mochel a fader and an 30 ordenour of meynee, that the vesseles that ben foule and vyle sholden ben honoured and heried, and the precious vesseles sholden ben defouled and vyle; but it nis nat so. For yif tho thinges that I have concluded a litel her-biforn ben kept hole and unraced, thou shalt wel knowe by the autoritee of god, of the 35 whos regne I speke, that certes the gode folk ben alwey mighty, and shrewes ben alwey out-cast and feble; ne the vyces ne ben never-mo with-oute peyne, ne the vertues ne ben nat with-oute mede; and that blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folk, and infortune comth alwey to wikked folk. And thou shalt wel 40 knowe many thinges of this kinde, that shollen cesen thy pleintes, and strengthen thee with stedefast sadnesse. And for thou hast seyn the forme of the verray blisfulnesse by me, that have whylom shewed it thee, and thou hast knowen in whom blisfulnesse is y-set, alle thinges y-treted that I trowe ben necessarie to 45 putten forth, I shal shewe thee the wey that shal bringen thee ayein un-to thyn hous. And I shal ficchen fetheres in thy thought, by whiche it may arysen in heighte, so that, alle tribulacioun y-don awey, thou, by my gydinge and by my path and by my sledes, shalt mowe retorne hool and sound in-to thy contree. 50
Pr. I. 6. A. om. some. // A. Se (for O); Lat. o. // C. om. that. 7. A. om. me. 9. A. Ed. thy; C. the. 14. C. so as; Ed. so that as; A. that so as. 19. C. imperisse; A. emperisse; Ed. emperesse. // A. rycchesse. 20. A. vertues (badly). 22. Ed. stede; C. stide; A. sted. 25. C. good; A. goode. 28. A. enbaissynge; Ed. abasshyng. 29. C. horible. // C. al; A. alle. 31. A. Ed. vyle; C. vyl (twice). 32. C. he heryed (mistake for heryed). 33. C. tho; A. Ed. the. 35. Ed. vnaraced. 37. A. yuel (for out-cast). 42. C. strengthyn; A. stedfast (!). // C. stidfast; A. stedfast. 45. C. I tretyd; A. I treted; Ed. treated; Lat. decursis omnibus. 48. C. areysen. 50. C. sledys; A. Ed. sledes. // C. shal (for shalt).
Metre I.
Sunt etenim pennae uolucres mihi.
I have, forsothe, swifte fetheres that surmounten the heighte of hevene. Whan the swifte thought hath clothed it-self in tho fetheres, it despyseth the hateful erthes, and surmounteth the roundnesse of the grete ayr; and it seeth the cloudes behinde his bak; and passeth the heighte of the region of the fyr, that 5 eschaufeth by the swifte moevinge of the firmament, til that he areyseth him in-to the houses that beren the sterres, and ioyneth his weyes with the sonne Phebus, and felawshipeth the wey of the olde colde Saturnus; and he y-maked a knight of the clere sterre; that is to seyn, that the thought is maked goddes knight by 10 the sekinge of trouthe to comen to the verray knowleche of god. And thilke thoght renneth by the cercle of the sterres, in alle places ther-as the shyninge night is peinted; that is to seyn, the night that is cloudeles; for on nightes that ben cloudeles it semeth as the hevene were peinted with dyverse images of sterres. And 15 whanne he hath y-doon ther y-nough, he shal forleten the laste hevene, and he shal pressen and wenden on the bak of the swifte firmament, and he shal ben maked parfit of the worshipful light of god. Ther halt the lord of kinges the ceptre of his might, and atempreth the governements of the world, and the 20 shyninge Iuge of thinges, stable in him-self, governeth the swifte cart or wayn, that is to seyn, the circuler moevinge of the sonne. And yif thy wey ledeth thee ayein so that thou be brought thider, thanne wolt thou seye now that that is the contree that thou requerest, of which thou ne haddest no minde: "but now it 25 remembreth me wel, heer was I born, heer wol I fastne my degree, heer wole I dwelle." But yif thee lyketh thanne to loken on the derknesse of the erthe that thou hast forleten, thanne shalt thou seen that thise felonous tyraunts, that the wrecchede peple dredeth, now shollen ben exyled fro thilke fayre contree.' 30
Me. I. 1. C. swife (for swifte). 4. A. heyȝenesse (for roundnesse); Lat. globum. // A. hir (for his). 6. A. til that she areisith hir in-til ... hir weyes. 9. C. saturnis; A. saturnus. // A. she (for he). 10. A. soule (for thought); twice. 12. C. alle; A. alle the; Ed. al the. 13. Ed. ypaynted; A. depeynted. 16. A. And whan the soule hath gon ynouȝ she shal forleten the last poynt of the heuene, and she. 17. A. Ed. wenden; C. wyndyn. 18. A. she (for he). 18, 19. C. Ed. worshipful lyht; A. dredefulle clerenesse. // A. haldeth. 20. A. this; for the (2). 22. A. om. or wayn. 25. C. requerest; Ed. requirest; A. requeredest. 27. A. lyke (for lyketh). 28. C. dyrknesses; A. derkenesse; Lat. noctem.
Prose II.
Tum ego, Papae, inquam.
Than seyde I thus: 'owh! I wondre me that thou bihetest me so grete thinges; ne I ne doute nat that thou ne mayst wel performe that thou bihetest. But I preye thee only this, that thou ne tarye nat to telle me thilke thinges that thou hast moeved.' 5
'First,' quod she, 'thou most nedes knowen, that goode folk ben alwey stronge and mighty, and the shrewes ben feble and desert and naked of alle strengthes. And of thise thinges, certes, everich of hem is declared and shewed by other. For so as good and yvel ben two contraries, yif so be that good be stedefast, 10 than sheweth the feblesse of yvel al openly; and yif thou knowe cleerly the frelenesse of yvel, the stedefastnesse of good is knowen. But for as moche as the fey of my sentence shal be the more ferme and haboundaunt, I will gon by that oo wey and by that other; and I wole conferme the thinges that ben purposed, 15 now on this syde and now on that syde. Two thinges ther ben in whiche the effect of alle the dedes of mankinde standeth, that is to seyn, wil and power; and yif that oon of thise two fayleth, ther nis nothing that may be don. For yif that wil lakketh, ther nis no wight that undertaketh to don that he wol nat don; and 20 yif power fayleth, the wil nis but in ydel and stant for naught. And ther-of cometh it, that yif thou see a wight that wolde geten that he may nat geten, thou mayst nat douten that power ne fayleth him to haven that he wolde.'
'This is open and cleer,' quod I; 'ne it may nat ben deneyed 25 in no manere.'
'And yif thou see a wight,' quod she, 'that hath doon that he wolde doon, thou nilt nat douten that he ne hath had power to don it?'
'No,' quod I. 30
'And in that that every wight may, in that men may holden him mighty; as who seyth, in so moche as man is mighty to don a thing, in so mochel men halt him mighty; and in that that he ne may, in that men demen him to be feble.'
'I confesse it wel,' quod I. 35
'Remembreth thee,' quod she, 'that I have gadered and shewed by forseyde resouns that al the entencioun of the wil of mankinde, which that is lad by dyverse studies, hasteth to comen to blisfulnesse?'
'It remembreth me wel,' quod I, 'that it hath ben shewed.' 40
'And recordeth thee nat thanne,' quod she, 'that blisfulnesse is thilke same good that men requeren; so that, whan that blisfulnesse is requered of alle, that good also is requered and desired of alle?'
'It ne recordeth me nat,' quod I; 'for I have it gretly alwey 45 ficched in my memorie.'
'Alle folk thanne,' quod she, 'goode and eek badde, enforcen hem with-oute difference of entencioun to comen to good?'
'This is a verray consequence,' quod I.
'And certein is,' quod she, 'that by the getinge of good ben 50 men y-maked goode?'
'This is certein,' quod I.
'Thanne geten goode men that they desiren?'
'So semeth it,' quod I.
'But wikkede folk,' quod she, 'yif they geten the good that 55 they desiren, they ne mowe nat be wikkede?'
'So is it,' quod I.
'Thanne, so as that oon and that other,' quod she, 'desiren good; and the goode folk geten good, and nat the wikke folk; thanne nis it no doute that the goode folk ne ben mighty and 60 the wikkede folk ben feble?'
'Who-so that ever,' quod I, 'douteth of this, he ne may nat considere the nature of thinges ne the consequence of resouns.'
And over this quod she, 'yif that ther be two thinges that han oo same purpose by kinde, and that oon of hem pursueth 65 and parformeth thilke same thing by naturel office, and that other ne may nat doon thilke naturel office, but folweth, by other manere thanne is convenable to nature, him that acomplissheth his purpos kindely, and yit he ne acomplissheth nat his owne purpos: whether of thise two demestow for more mighty?' 70
'Yif that I coniecte,' quod I, 'that thou wolt seye, algates yit I desire to herkne it more pleynly of thee.'
'Thou wilt nat thanne deneye,' quod she, 'that the moevement of goinge nis in men by kinde?'
'No, forsothe,' quod I. 75
'Ne thou ne doutest nat,' quod she, 'that thilke naturel office of goinge ne be the office of feet?'
'I ne doute it nat,' quod I.
'Thanne,' quod she, 'yif that a wight be mighty to moeve and goth upon his feet, and another, to whom thilke naturel office of 80 feet lakketh, enforceth him to gon crepinge up-on his handes: whiche of thise two oughte to ben holden the more mighty by right?'
'Knit forth the remenaunt,' quod I; 'for no wight ne douteth that he that may gon by naturel office of feet ne be more mighty 85 than he that ne may nat.'
'But the soverein good,' quod she, 'that is eveneliche purposed to the gode folk and to badde, the gode folk seken it by naturel office of vertues, and the shrewes enforcen hem to geten it by dyverse coveityse of erthely thinges, which that nis no naturel office 90 to geten thilke same soverein good. Trowestow that it be any other wyse?'
'Nay,' quod I; 'for the consequence is open and shewinge of thinges that I have graunted; that nedes gode folk moten ben mighty, and shrewes feeble and unmighty.' 95
'Thou rennest a-right biforn me,' quod she, 'and this is the Iugement; that is to seyn, I iuge of thee right as thise leches ben wont to hopen of syke folk, whan they aperceyven that nature is redressed and withstondeth to the maladye. But, for I see thee now al redy to the understondinge, I shal shewe thee more thikke 100 and continuel resouns. For loke now how greetly sheweth the feblesse and infirmitee of wikkede folk, that ne mowen nat comen to that hir naturel entencioun ledeth hem, and yit almost thilke naturel entencioun constreineth hem. And what were to demen thanne of shrewes, yif thilke naturel help hadde forleten hem, the 105 which naturel help of intencioun goth awey biforn hem, and is so greet that unnethe it may ben overcome? Consider thanne how greet defaute of power and how greet feblesse ther is in wikkede felonous folk; as who seyth, the gretter thing that is coveited and the desire nat acomplisshed, of the lasse might is he that coveiteth it 110 and may nat acomplisshe. And forthy Philosophie seyth thus by soverein good: Ne shrewes ne requeren nat lighte medes ne veyne games, whiche they ne may folwen ne holden; but they failen of thilke somme and of the heighte of thinges, that is to seyn, soverein good; ne thise wrecches ne comen nat to the effect of soverein 115 good, the which they enforcen hem only to geten, by nightes and by dayes; in the getinge of which good the strengthe of good folk is ful wel y-sene. For right so as thou mightest demen him mighty of goinge, that gooth on his feet til he mighte come to thilke place, fro the whiche place ther ne laye no wey forther to ben 120 gon; right so most thou nedes demen him for right mighty, that geteth and ateyneth to the ende of alle thinges that ben to desire, biyonde the whiche ende ther nis nothing to desire. Of the which power of good folk men may conclude, that the wikked men semen to be bareine and naked of alle strengthe. For-why 125 forleten they vertues and folwen vyces? Nis it nat for that they ne knowen nat the goodes? But what thing is more feble and more caitif thanne is the blindnesse of ignoraunce? Or elles they knowen ful wel whiche thinges that they oughten folwe, but lecherye and coveityse overthroweth hem mistorned; and certes, 130 so doth distemperaunce to feble men, that ne mowen nat wrastlen ayeins the vyces. Ne knowen they nat thanne wel that they forleten the good wilfully, and tornen hem wilfully to vyces? And in this wyse they ne forleten nat only to ben mighty, but they forleten al-outrely in any wyse for to ben. For they that forleten 135 the comune fyn of alle thinges that ben, they forleten also therwith-al for to ben.
And per-aventure it sholde semen to som folk that this were a merveile to seyen: that shrewes, whiche that contienen the more partye of men, ne ben nat ne han no beinge; but natheles, it is so, 140 and thus stant this thing. For they that ben shrewes, I deneye nat that they ben shrewes; but I deneye, and seye simplely and pleinly, that they ne ben nat, ne han no beinge. For right as thou mightest seyen of the carayne of a man, that it were a deed man, but thou ne mightest nat simplely callen it a man; so graunte 145 I wel forsothe, that vicious folk ben wikked, but I ne may nat graunten absolutly and simplely that they ben. For thilke thing that with-holdeth ordre and kepeth nature, thilke thing is and hath beinge; but what thing that faileth of that, that is to seyn, that he forleteth naturel ordre, he forleteth thilke thing that is set 150 in his nature. But thou wolt seyn, that shrewes mowen. Certes, that ne deneye I nat; but certes, hir power ne descendeth nat of strengthe, but of feblesse. For they mowen don wikkednesses; the whiche they ne mighte nat don, yif they mighten dwellen in the forme and in the doinge of good folk. And thilke power 155 sheweth ful evidently that they ne mowen right naught. For so as I have gadered and proeved a litel her-biforn, that yvel is naught; and so as shrewes mowen only but shrewednesses, this conclusioun is al cleer, that shrewes ne mowen right naught, ne han no power. 160
And for as moche as thou understonde which is the strengthe of this power of shrewes, I have definisshed a litel her-biforn, that nothing is so mighty as soverein good.'
'That is sooth,' quod I.
'And thilke same soverein good may don non yvel?' 165
'Certes, no,' quod I.
'Is ther any wight thanne,' quod she, 'that weneth that men mowen doon alle thinges?'
'No man,' quod I, 'but-yif he be out of his witte.'
'But, certes, shrewes mowen don yvel,' quod she. 170
'Ye, wolde god,' quod I, 'that they mighten don non!'
'Thanne,' quod she, 'so as he that is mighty to doon only but goode thinges may don alle thinges; and they that ben mighty to don yvele thinges ne mowen nat alle thinges: thanne is it open thing and manifest, that they that mowen don yvel ben of lasse 175 power. And yit, to proeve this conclusioun, ther helpeth me this, that I have y-shewed her-biforn, that alle power is to be noumbred among thinges that men oughten requere. And I have shewed that alle thinges, that oughten ben desired, ben referred to good, right as to a maner heighte of hir nature. But for to mowen don 180 yvel and felonye ne may nat ben referred to good. Thanne nis nat yvel of the noumbir of thinges that oughte ben desired. But alle power oughte ben desired and requered. Than is it open and cleer that the power ne the mowinge of shrewes nis no power; and of alle thise thinges it sheweth wel, that the goode folke ben certeinly 185 mighty, and the shrewes douteles ben unmighty. And it is cleer and open that thilke opinioun of Plato is verray and sooth, that seith, that only wyse men may doon that they desiren; and shrewes mowen haunten that hem lyketh, but that they desiren, that is to seyn, to comen to sovereign good, they ne han no power 190 to acomplisshen that. For shrewes don that hem list, whan, by tho thinges in which they delyten, they wenen to ateine to thilke good that they desiren; but they ne geten ne ateinen nat ther-to, for vyces ne comen nat to blisfulnesse.
Pr. II. 1. C. owh; Ed. O; A. om.; Lat. Papae. 8. C. dishert; A. desert; Ed. deserte; Lat. desertos. // All strengthes; Lat. uiribus. 10. C. stidefast; A. stedfast. 12. C. stidefastnesse; A. stedfastnesse. 13. C. A. fey; Ed. faythe. 19. C. lakkit; A. lakketh. 25. C. denoyed. 28. C. om. he bef. ne. 33. C. halt; A. halden; Ed. holde. // A. Ed. that that; C. that. 42. A. whan that; C. Ed. om. that. 45. C. It ne ... nat; A. It recordeth me wel; Lat. Minimè ... recordor. 48. C. defference; A. Ed. difference. 63. A. resoun; Lat. rationum. 67. C. by (for but; by mistake). 68. Ed. accomplyssheth; A. acomplisith; C. a-complesseth (twice). 70. A. demest thou. 73. C. denoye (for deneye); A. Ed. denye. // A. moeuementz; Lat. motum. 88. C. good folk (1st time); goode folk (2nd time). 91. A. trowest thou. 92. A. wyse; C. whise. 99. C. maledie; A. maladie. 104. C. om. hem after constreineth. 109. A. the gretter thinges that ben. 110. C. acomplised; A. accomplissed; Ed. accomplysshed. 112. C. veyn; A. veyne. 120. A. lay. 122. C. desired (for desire, by mistake). 135. A. wise; C. whise. 141. C. denoye (for deneye); A. denye (thrice). 142. C. sympeli (1st time). 149. C. Ed. what; A. that. 151. C. shrewen (by mistake). 152. A. descendeth; C. dessendit (sic). 158. A. shrewednesse; Lat. mala. 160. A. to han (for ne han no). 162. C. diffinissed; A. diffinised; Ed. defynisshed; Lat. definiuimus. 169. A. but yif; Ed. but if; C. but. 186. A. om. ben. 188. A. om. doon. 192. C. the; A. Ed. tho. 194. C. om. to.
Metre II.
Quos uides sedere celsos.
Who-so that the covertoures of hir veyne aparailes mighte strepen of thise proude kinges, that thou seest sitten on heigh in hir chaires gliteringe in shyninge purpre, envirouned with sorwful armures, manasinge with cruel mouth, blowinge by woodnesse of herte, he shulde seen thanne that thilke lordes beren with-inne hir 5 corages ful streite cheines. For lecherye tormenteth hem in that oon syde with gredy venims; and troublable ire, that araiseth in him the flodes of troublinges, tormenteth up-on that other syde hir thought; or sorwe halt hem wery and y-caught; or slydinge and deceivinge hope tormenteth hem. And therfore, sen thou 10 seest oon heed, that is to seyn, oon tyraunt, beren so manye tyrannyes, thanne ne doth thilke tyraunt nat that he desireth, sin he is cast doun with so manye wikkede lordes; that is to seyn, with so manye vyces, that han so wikkedly lordshipes over him.
Me. II. 1. Ed. vayne; C. A. veyn. 2. A. Ed. in; C. on. 3. Ed. chayres; C. (miswritten) charyes; A. chayeres. 4. A. manasyng; C. manassinge. 8. A. troublynges; C. trwblynges. 9. C. hym (for hem). 12. C. Ed. tyrannyes; A. tyrauntis. 14. A. wicked (for wikkedly).
Prose III.
Videsne igitur quanto in coeno.
Seestow nat thanne in how grete filthe thise shrewes ben y-wrapped, and with which cleernesse thise good folk shynen? In this sheweth it wel, that to goode folk ne lakketh never-mo hir medes, ne shrewes lakken never-mo torments. For of alle thinges that ben y-doon, thilke thing, for which any-thing is don, it semeth 5 as by right that thilke thing be the mede of that; as thus: yif a man renneth in the stadie, or in the forlong, for the corone, thanne lyth the mede in the corone for which he renneth. And I have shewed that blisfulnesse is thilke same good for which that alle thinges ben doon. Thanne is thilke same good purposed 10 to the workes of mankinde right as a comune mede; which mede ne may ben dissevered fro good folk. For no wight as by right, fro thennes-forth that him lakketh goodnesse, ne shal ben cleped good. For which thing, folk of goode maneres, hir medes ne forsaken hem never-mo. For al-be-it so that shrewes wexen 15 as wode as hem list ayeins goode folk, yit never-the-lesse the corone of wyse men shal nat fallen ne faden. For foreine shrewednesse ne binimeth nat fro the corages of goode folk hir propre honour. But yif that any wight reioyse him of goodnesse that he hadde take fro with-oute (as who seith, yif that any wight hadde 20 his goodnesse of any other man than of him-self), certes, he that yaf him thilke goodnesse, or elles som other wight, mighte binime it him. But for as moche as to every wight his owne propre bountee yeveth him his mede, thanne at erst shal he failen of mede whan he forleteth to ben good. And at the laste, so as alle medes ben 25 requered for men wenen that they ben goode, who is he that wolde deme, that he that is right mighty of good were part-les of mede? And of what mede shal he be guerdoned? Certes, of right faire mede and right grete aboven alle medes. Remembre thee of thilke noble corolarie that I yaf thee a litel her-biforn; 30 and gader it to-gider in this manere:—so as good him-self is blisfulnesse, thanne is it cleer and certein, that alle good folk ben maked blisful for they ben goode; and thilke folk that ben blisful, it acordeth and is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the mede of goode folk swich that no day shal enpeiren it, ne no wikkednesse 35 ne shal derken it, ne power of no wight ne shal nat amenusen it, that is to seyn, to ben maked goddes.
And sin it is thus, that goode men ne failen never-mo of hir mede, certes, no wys man ne may doute of undepartable peyne of the shrewes; that is to seyn, that the peyne of shrewes ne departeth nat 40 from hem-self never-mo. For so as goode and yvel, and peyne and medes ben contrarye, it mot nedes ben, that right as we seen bityden in guerdoun of goode, that also mot the peyne of yvel answery, by the contrarye party, to shrewes. Now thanne, so as bountee and prowesse ben the mede to goode folk, al-so is 45 shrewednesse it-self torment to shrewes. Thanne, who-so that ever is entecched and defouled with peyne, he ne douteth nat, that he is entecched and defouled with yvel. Yif shrewes thanne wolen preysen hem-self, may it semen to hem that they ben with-outen party of torment, sin they ben swiche that the uttereste 50 wikkednesse (that is to seyn, wikkede thewes, which that is the uttereste and the worste kinde of shrewednesse) ne defouleth ne enteccheth nat hem only, but infecteth and envenimeth hem gretly? And also look on shrewes, that ben the contrarie party of goode men, how greet peyne felawshipeth and folweth hem! 55 For thou hast lerned a litel her-biforn, that al thing that is and hath beinge is oon, and thilke same oon is good; thanne is this the consequence, that it semeth wel, that al that is and hath beinge is good; this is to seyn, as who seyth, that beinge and unitee and goodnesse is al oon. And in this manere it folweth thanne, that al 60 thing that faileth to ben good, it stinteth for to be and for to han any beinge; wherfore it is, that shrewes stinten for to ben that they weren. But thilke other forme of mankinde, that is to seyn, the forme of the body with-oute, sheweth yit that thise shrewes weren whylom men; wher-for, whan they ben perverted and 65 torned in-to malice, certes, than han they forlorn the nature of mankinde. But so as only bountee and prowesse may enhaunsen every man over other men; thanne mot it nedes be that shrewes, which that shrewednesse hath cast out of the condicioun of mankinde, ben put under the merite and the desert of men. Thanne 70 bitydeth it, that yif thou seest a wight that be transformed into vyces, thou ne mayst nat wene that he be a man.
For yif he be ardaunt in avaryce, and that he be a ravinour by violence of foreine richesse, thou shalt seyn that he is lyke to the wolf. And yif he be felonous and with-oute reste, and exercyse 75 his tonge to chydinges, thou shalt lykne him to the hound. And yif he be a prevey awaitour y-hid, and reioyseth him to ravisshe by wyles, thou shalt seyn him lyke to the fox-whelpes. And yif he be distempre and quaketh for ire, men shal wene that he bereth the corage of a lyoun. And yif he be dredful and fleinge, and 80 dredeth thinges that ne oughten nat to ben dred, men shal holden him lyk to the hert. And yif he be slow and astoned and lache, he liveth as an asse. And yif he be light and unstedefast of corage, and chaungeth ay his studies, he is lykned to briddes. And if he be plounged in foule and unclene luxuries, he is with-holden in the 85 foule delyces of the foule sowe. Thanne folweth it, that he that forleteth bountee and prowesse, he forleteth to ben a man; sin he may nat passen in-to the condicioun of god, he is torned in-to a beest.
Pr. III. 1. A. Seest thou. 16. A. les; C. leese (error for lesse). 17. C. faaden. 25. A. laste; C. last. 27. A. wolde; C. Ed. nolde; Lat. quis ... iudicet. 27, 28. A. Ed. of mede; C. of the mede. // C. A. gerdoned; Ed. reguerdoned. 30. C. yat (miswritten for yaf). 31. C. good him-self; A. Ed. god him-self; Lat. ipsum bonum. // C. his (error for is); after him-self. 36. A. endirken (for derken). 38. A. medes. 43. C. gerdown; A. gerdoun; Ed. guerdone. 44. A. Ed. answere. // A. Ed. by the; C. om. the. 45. A. medes; Lat. praemium. 47. C. entechched. // Both MSS. om. peyne ... defouled with; but Ed. has: payne, he ne douteth not, that he is entetched and defouled with; Lat. quisquis afficitur poena, malo se affectum esse non dubitat. 50. A. om. uttereste ... which that is the. 52. C. vtteriste (1st time); owttereste (2nd time). 55. C. folueth. 56. C. alle; A. al. 58. C. alle; A. al (twice). 67. A. Ed. so as; C. om. as. // C. enhawsen (for enhawnsen). 73. A. rauynour; Ed. rauenour; C. rauaynour. 75. A. Ed. a wolf. // C. excersise. 77. A. rauysshe; C. rauysse. 78. A. Ed. wyles; C. whiles; Lat. fraudibus. 81. C. dredd. 82. A. Ed. slowe; C. slowh. 83. C. vnstidefast.
Metre III.
Vela Neritii dulcis.
Eurus the wind aryvede the sailes of Ulixes, duk of the contree of Narice, and his wandringe shippes by the see, in-to the ile ther-as Circes, the faire goddesse, doughter of the sonne, dwelleth; that medleth to hir newe gestes drinkes that ben touched and maked with enchauntements. And after that hir 5 hand, mighty over the herbes, hadde chaunged hir gestes in-to dyverse maneres; that oon of hem, is covered his face with forme of a boor; that other is chaunged in-to a lyoun of the contree of Marmorike, and his nayles and his teeth wexen; that other of hem is neweliche chaunged in-to a wolf, and howleth whan he 10 wolde wepe; that other goth debonairely in the hous as a tygre of Inde.
But al-be-it so that the godhed of Mercurie, that is cleped the brid of Arcadie, hath had mercy of the duke Ulixes, biseged with dyverse yveles, and hath unbounden him fro the pestilence of 15 his ostesse, algates the roweres and the marineres hadden by this y-drawen in-to hir mouthes and dronken the wikkede drinkes. They that weren woxen swyn hadden by this y-chaunged hir mete of breed, for to eten akornes of okes. Non of hir limes ne dwelleth with hem hole, but they han lost the voice and the 20 body; only hir thought dwelleth with hem stable, that wepeth and biweileth the monstruous chaunginge that they suffren. O overlight hand (as who seyth, O! feble and light is the hand of Circes the enchaunteresse, that chaungeth the bodyes of folkes in-to bestes, to regard and to comparisoun of mutacioun that is maked by 25 vyces); ne the herbes of Circes ne ben nat mighty. For al-be-it so that they may chaungen the limes of the body, algates yit they may nat chaunge the hertes; for with-inne is y-hid the strengthe and vigor of men, in the secree tour of hir hertes; that is to seyn, the strengthe of resoun. But thilke venims of vyces to-drawen 30 a man to hem more mightily than the venim of Circes; for vyces ben so cruel that they percen and thorugh-passen the corage with-inne; and, thogh they ne anoye nat the body, yit vyces wooden to destroye men by wounde of thought.'
Me. III. 1. C. A. Ed. wynde. 2. C. A. Ed. Narice; Lat. Neritii. 3. C. Ed. Circes; A. Circe. 8. C. boer; A. boor. 9. C. A. Ed. Marmorike; Lat. Marmaricus leo. 14. A. Arcadie; C. Ed. Archadie; Lat. Arcadis alitis. 15. A. Ed. vnbounden; C. vnbounded. // A. pestilence; C. pestelence. 16. A. oosteresse (!). 18. A. Ed. woxen; C. wexen. 19. C. akkornes; A. acorns. // C. lemes; A. lymes; Ed. lymmes. 20. A. Ed. hoole; C. hool.
Prose IV.
Tum ego, Fateor, inquam.
Than seyde I thus: 'I confesse and am a-knowe it,' quod I; 'ne I ne see nat that men may sayn, as by right, that shrewes ne ben chaunged in-to bestes by the qualitee of hir soules, al-be-it so that they kepen yit the forme of the body of mankinde. But I nolde nat of shrewes, of which the thought cruel woodeth al-wey 5 in-to destruccioun of goode men, that it were leveful to hem to don that.'
'Certes,' quod she, 'ne is nis nat leveful to hem, as I shal wel shewe thee in covenable place; but natheles, yif so were that thilke that men wenen be leveful to shrewes were binomen hem, so that 10 they ne mighte nat anoyen or doon harm to goode men, certes, a greet partye of the peyne to shrewes sholde ben allegged and releved. For al-be-it so that this ne seme nat credible thing, per-aventure, to some folk, yit moot it nedes be, that shrewes ben more wrecches and unsely whan they may doon and performe 15 that they coveiten, than yif they mighte nat complisshen that they coveiten. For yif so be that it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don yvel, than is more wrecchednesse to mowen don yvel; with-oute whiche mowinge the wrecched wil sholde languisshe with-oute effect. Than, sin that everiche of thise thinges hath his 20 wrecchednesse, that is to seyn, wil to don yvel and mowinge to don yvel, it moot nedes be that they ben constreyned by three unselinesses, that wolen and mowen and performen felonyes and shrewednesses.'
'I acorde me,' quod I; 'but I desire gretly that shrewes 25 losten sone thilke unselinesse, that is to seyn, that shrewes weren despoyled of mowinge to don yvel.'
'So shullen they,' quod she, 'soner, per-aventure, than thou woldest; or soner than they hem-self wene to lakken mowinge to don yvel. For ther nis no-thing so late in so shorte boundes of 30 this lyf, that is long to abyde, nameliche, to a corage inmortel; of whiche shrewes the grete hope, and the hye compassinges of shrewednesses, is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or they ben war; and that thing estableth to shrewes the ende of hir shrewednesse. For yif that shrewednesse maketh wrecches, than 35 mot he nedes ben most wrecched that lengest is a shrewe; the whiche wikked shrewes wolde I demen aldermost unsely and caitifs, yif that hir shrewednesse ne were finisshed, at the leste wey, by the outtereste deeth. For yif I have concluded sooth of the unselinesse of shrewednesse, than sheweth it cleerly that thilke 40 wrecchednesse is with-outen ende, the whiche is certein to ben perdurable.'
'Certes,' quod I, 'this conclusioun is hard and wonderful to graunte; but I knowe wel that it acordeth moche to the thinges that I have graunted her-biforn.' 45
'Thou hast,' quod she, 'the right estimacioun of this; but who-so-ever wene that it be a hard thing to acorde him to a conclusioun, it is right that he shewe that some of the premisses ben false; or elles he moot shewe that the collacioun of proposiciouns nis nat speedful to a necessarie conclusioun. And yif it 50 be nat so, but that the premisses ben y-graunted, ther is not why he sholde blame the argument.
For this thing that I shal telle thee now ne shal nat seme lasse wonderful; but of the thinges that ben taken also it is necessarie;' as who seyth, it folweth of that which that is purposed biforn. 55
'What is that?' quod I.
'Certes,' quod she, 'that is, that thise wikked shrewes ben more blisful, or elles lasse wrecches, that abyen the torments that they han deserved, than yif no peyne of Iustice ne chastysede hem. Ne this ne seye I nat now, for that any man mighte 60 thenke, that the maners of shrewes ben coriged and chastysed by veniaunce, and that they ben brought to the right wey by the drede of the torment, ne for that they yeven to other folk ensaumple to fleen fro vyces; but I understande yit in another manere, that shrewes ben more unsely whan they ne ben nat 65 punisshed, al-be-it so that ther ne be had no resoun or lawe of correccioun, ne non ensaumple of lokinge.'
'And what manere shal that ben,' quod I, 'other than hath be told her-biforn?'
'Have we nat thanne graunted,' quod she, 'that goode folk 70 ben blisful, and shrewes ben wrecches?'
'Yis,' quod I.
'Thanne,' quod she, 'yif that any good were added to the wrecchednesse of any wight, nis he nat more weleful than he that ne hath no medlinge of good in his solitarie wrecchednesse?' 75
'So semeth it,' quod I.
'And what seystow thanne,' quod she, 'of thilke wrecche that lakketh alle goodes, so that no good nis medled in his wrecchednesse, and yit, over al his wikkednesse for which he is a wrecche, that ther be yit another yvel anexed and knit to him, shal nat men 80 demen him more unsely than thilke wrecche of whiche the unselinesse is releved by the participacioun of som good?'
'Why sholde he nat?' quod I.
'Thanne, certes,' quod she, 'han shrewes, whan they ben punisshed, som-what of good anexed to hir wrecchednesse, that is 85 to seyn, the same peyne that they suffren, which that is good by the resoun of Iustice; and whan thilke same shrewes ascapen with-oute torment, than han they som-what more of yvel yit over the wikkednesse that they han don, that is to seyn, defaute of peyne; which defaute of peyne, thou hast graunted, is yvel for 90 the deserte of felonye.' 'I ne may nat denye it,' quod I. 'Moche more thanne,' quod she, 'ben shrewes unsely, whan they ben wrongfully delivered fro peyne, than whan they ben punisshed by rightful veniaunce. But this is open thing and cleer, that it is right that shrewes ben punisshed, and it is wikkednesse and 95 wrong that they escapen unpunisshed.'
'Who mighte deneye that?' quod I.
'But,' quod she, 'may any man denye that al that is right nis good; and also the contrarie, that al that is wrong is wikke?'
'Certes,' quod I, 'these thinges ben clere y-nough; and that 100 we han concluded a litel her-biforn. But I praye thee that thou telle me, yif thou acordest to leten no torment to sowles, after that the body is ended by the deeth;' this is to seyn, understandestow aught that sowles han any torment after the deeth of the body?
'Certes,' quod she, 'ye; and that right greet; of which sowles,' 105 quod she, 'I trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse of peyne; and some sowles, I trowe, ben exercised by a purginge mekenesse. But my conseil nis nat to determinye of thise peynes. But I have travailed and told yit hiderto, for thou sholdest knowe that the mowinge of shrewes, which mowinge thee semeth to ben 110 unworthy, nis no mowinge: and eek of shrewes, of which thou pleinedest that they ne were nat punisshed, that thou woldest seen that they ne weren never-mo with-outen the torments of hir wikkednesse: and of the licence of the mowinge to don yvel, that thou preydest that it mighte sone ben ended, and that thou 115 woldest fayn lernen that it ne sholde nat longe dure: and that shrewes ben more unsely yif they were of lenger duringe, and most unsely yif they weren perdurable. And after this, I have shewed thee that more unsely ben shrewes, whan they escapen with-oute hir rightful peyne, than whan they ben punisshed by 120 rightful veniaunce. And of this sentence folweth it, that thanne ben shrewes constreined at the laste with most grevous torment, whan men wene that they ne be nat punisshed.'
'Whan I consider thy resouns,' quod I, 'I ne trowe nat that men seyn any-thing more verayly. And yif I torne ayein to the 125 studies of men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that he ne sholde nat only leven thise thinges, but eek gladly herkne hem?'
'Certes,' quod she, 'so it is; but men may nat. For they han hir eyen so wont to the derknesse of erthely thinges, that they ne 130 may nat liften hem up to the light of cleer sothfastnesse; but they ben lyke to briddes, of which the night lightneth hir lokinge, and the day blindeth hem. For whan men loken nat the ordre of thinges, but hir lustes and talents, they wene that either the leve or the mowinge to don wikkednesse, or elles the scapinge with-oute 135 peyne, be weleful. But consider the Iugement of the perdurable lawe. For yif thou conferme thy corage to the beste thinges, thou ne hast no nede of no Iuge to yeven thee prys or mede; for thou hast ioyned thy-self to the most excellent thing. And yif thou have enclyned thy studies to the wikked thinges, ne 140 seek no foreyne wreker out of thy-self; for thou thy-self hast thrist thy-self in-to wikke thinges: right as thou mightest loken by dyverse tymes the foule erthe and the hevene, and that alle other thinges stinten fro with-oute, so that thou nere neither in hevene ne in erthe, ne saye no-thing more; than it sholde semen to 145 thee, as by only resoun of lokinge, that thou were now in the sterres and now in the erthe. But the poeple ne loketh nat on thise thinges. What thanne? Shal we thanne aprochen us to hem that I have shewed that they ben lyk to bestes? And what woltow seyn of this: yif that a man hadde al forlorn his sighte 150 and hadde foryeten that he ever saugh, and wende that no-thing ne faylede him of perfeccioun of mankinde, now we that mighten seen the same thinges, wolde we nat wene that he were blinde? Ne also ne acordeth nat the poeple to that I shal seyn, the which thing is sustened by a stronge foundement of resouns, that is to 155 seyn, that more unsely ben they that don wrong to othre folk than they that the wrong suffren.'
'I wolde heren thilke same resouns,' quod I.
'Denyestow,' quod she, 'that alle shrewes ne ben worthy to han torment?' 160
'Nay,' quod I.
'But,' quod she, 'I am certein, by many resouns, that shrewes ben unsely.'
'It acordeth,' quod I.
'Thanne ne doutestow nat,' quod she, 'that thilke folk that ben 165 worthy of torment, that they ne ben wrecches?'
'It acordeth wel,' quod I.
'Yif thou were thanne,' quod she, 'y-set a Iuge or a knower of thinges, whether, trowestow, that men sholden tormenten him that hath don the wrong, or elles him that hath suffred the 170 wrong?'
'I ne doute nat,' quod I, 'that I nolde don suffisaunt satisfaccioun to him that hadde suffred the wrong by the sorwe of him that hadde don the wrong.'
'Thanne semeth it,' quod she, 'that the doere of wrong is 175 more wrecche than he that suffred wrong?'
'That folweth wel,' quod I.
'Than,' quod she, 'by these causes and by othre causes that ben enforced by the same rote, filthe or sinne, by the propre nature of it, maketh men wrecches; and it sheweth wel, that the 180 wrong that men don nis nat the wrecchednesse of him that receyveth the wrong, but the wrecchednesse of him that doth the wrong. But certes,' quod she, 'thise oratours or advocats don al the contrarye; for they enforcen hem to commoeve the Iuges to han pitee of hem that han suffred and receyved the thinges that 185 ben grevous and aspre, and yit men sholden more rightfully han pitee of hem that don the grevaunces and the wronges; the whiche shrewes, it were a more covenable thing, that the accusours or advocats, nat wroth but pitous and debonair, ledden tho shrewes that han don wrong to the Iugement, right as men 190 leden syke folk to the leche, for that they sholde seken out the maladyes of sinne by torment. And by this covenaunt, either the entente of deffendours or advocats sholde faylen and cesen in al, or elles, yif the office of advocats wolde bettre profiten to men, it sholde ben torned in-to the habite of accusacioun; that is to 195 seyn, they sholden accuse shrewes, and nat excuse hem. And eek the shrewes hem-self, yif hit were leveful to hem to seen at any clifte the vertu that they han forleten, and sawen that they sholden putten adoun the filthes of hir vyces, by the torments of peynes, they ne oughte nat, right for the recompensacioun for to 200 geten hem bountee and prowesse which that they han lost, demen ne holden that thilke peynes weren torments to hem; and eek they wolden refuse the attendaunce of hir advocats, and taken hem-self to hir Iuges and to hir accusors. For which it bitydeth that, as to the wyse folk, ther nis no place y-leten to 205 hate; that is to seyn, that ne hate hath no place amonges wyse men. For no wight nil haten goode men, but-yif he were over-mochel a fool; and for to haten shrewes, it nis no resoun. For right so as languissinge is maladye of body, right so ben vyces and sinne maladye of corage. And so as we ne deme nat, that they that ben 210 syke of hir body ben worthy to ben hated, but rather worthy of pitee: wel more worthy, nat to ben hated, but for to ben had in pitee, ben they of whiche the thoughtes ben constreined by felonous wikkednesse, that is more cruel than any languissinge of 215 body.
Pr. IV. 1. A. om. it. 3. C. ne ben; A. ne ben nat; Ed. ben. 10. C. to; A. for. 16. A. om. than yif ... coveiten. 19. C. languesse. 22. A. thre; C. the; Lat. triplici. 26. Ed. vnselynesse; C. A. vnselynysses; Lat. hoc infortunio. 29. A. to lakken ... yvel; C. Ed. omit. 30. A. Ed. so short; C. the shorte; Lat. tam breuibus. 38. A. yfinissed. 49. A. colasioun; Ed. collacyon; C. collacions; Lat. collationem. 58. A. byen (for abyen). 59. A. chastied. 61. A. thenk; C. thinke. // C. A. Ed. coriged. 64. A. yitte; Ed. yet; C. yif. 66. Ed. punysshed; C. A. punyssed. 67. C. correcsioun. 78. C. lakked; A. lakketh. 80. A. knyt; C. knytte. 96. A. escapin. 99. A. nis wicked. 101. A. a litel; C. alyter. 103. A. dedid (for ended). 108. A. this peyne; Lat. de his. 109. C. yit; Ed. yet; A. it. 110. C. mowynge, i. myght. 113. A. seen; C. seyn; uideres. 116. C. dure; A. endure. 120. A. om. hir. 124. A. resouns; C. resoun; rationes. 135. A. escaping; C. schapynge (for scapynge). 138. C. of no; A. to no. 142. A. threst the. 143. C. puts the foule erthe before by dyverse tymes. 145. A. om. nere neither ... erthe; Ed. were in neyther (om. in hevene ... erthe). 147. A. Ed. on; C. in. 149. A. to the bestes. 150. A. wilt thou. 153. A. thing; eadem. 155. C. om. is. 159. A. Deniest thou. 165. A. dowtest thou. 168. C. Ed. om. quod she. 169. C. om. whether. // A. trowest thou. 172. C. om. suffisaunt. 176. C. that (for than). // A. that hath suffred the wrong. 179. C. wrongly ins. of bef. enforced. // A. ins. that bef. filthe. 182, 3. C. om. but the ... wrong. 198. A. Ed. sawen; C. sawh. 199. C. felthes. 209. A. languissing; C. langwissynges. // C. maledye; A. maladie.
Metre IV.
Quid tantos iuuat excitare motus.
What delyteth you to excyten so grete moevinges of hateredes, and to hasten and bisien the fatal disposicioun of your deeth with your propre handes? that is to seyn, by batailes or by contek. For yif ye axen the deeth, it hasteth him of his owne wil; ne deeth ne tarieth nat his swifte hors. And the men that the serpent and 5 the lyoun and the tygre and the bere and the boor seken to sleen with hir teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen everich of hem other with swerd. Lo! for hir maneres ben dyverse and descordaunt, they moeven unrightful ostes and cruel batailes, and wilnen to perisshe by entrechaunginge of dartes. But the resoun of 10 crueltee nis nat y-nough rightful.
Wiltow thanne yelden a covenable guerdoun to the desertes of men? Love rightfully goode folk, and have pitee on shrewes.'
Me. IV. 1. A. deliteth it yow. // A. moewynges; C. moeuynge; motus. 5. hors is plural; Lat. equos. // A. serpentz. 6. A. lyouns. 8. A. discordaunt. 10. Ed. perysshe; A. perisse; C. perise. A. Ed. -chaungynge; C. -chaungynges. 12. C. A. gerdoun; Ed. guerdon.
Prose V.
Hic ego uideo inquam.
'Thus see I wel,' quod I, 'either what blisfulnesse or elles what unselinesse is establisshed in the desertes of goode men and of shrewes. But in this ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of good and somwhat of yvel. For no wyse man hath lever ben exyled, poore and nedy, and nameles, than for to dwellen in his 5 citee and flouren of richesses, and be redoutable by honour, and strong of power. For in this wyse more cleerly and more witnesfully is the office of wyse men y-treted, whan the blisfulnesse and the poustee of governours is, as it were, y-shad amonges poeples that be neighebours and subgits; sin that, namely, prisoun, lawe, 10 and thise othre torments of laweful peynes ben rather owed to felonous citezeins, for the whiche felonous citezeins tho peynes ben establisshed, than for good folk. Thanne I mervaile me greetly,' quod I, 'why that the thinges ben so mis entrechaunged, that torments of felonyes pressen and confounden goode folk, and 15 shrewes ravisshen medes of vertu, and ben in honours and in gret estats. And I desyre eek for to witen of thee, what semeth thee to ben the resoun of this so wrongful a conclusioun? For I wolde wondre wel the lasse, yif I trowede that al thise thinges weren medled by fortunous happe; but now hepeth and encreseth 20 myn astonyinge god, governour of thinges, that, so as god yeveth ofte tymes to gode men godes and mirthes, and to shrewes yveles and aspre thinges: and yeveth ayeinward to gode folk hardnesses, and to shrewes he graunteth hem hir wil and that they desyren: what difference thanne may ther be bitwixen that that 25 god doth, and the happe of fortune, yif men ne knowe nat the cause why that it is?'
'Ne it nis no mervaile,' quod she, 'though that men wenen that ther be somewhat folissh and confuse, whan the resoun of the ordre is unknowe. But al-though that thou ne knowe nat the 30 cause of so greet a disposicioun, natheles, for as moche as god, the gode governour, atempreth and governeth the world, ne doute thee nat that alle thinges ben doon a-right.
Pr. V. 4. C. hath leuere; A. hath nat leuer; Ed. had not leuer. 8. A. Ed. witnes-; C. witnesse-. 10. A. neyȝbours; C. nesshebors. 17. A. witen; C. weten. 21. C. A. astonyenge. 25. C. defference. 28. C. Ne it nis; A. it nis. 33. C. ben; A. ne ben.
Metre V.
Si quis Arcturi sidera nescit.
Who-so that ne knowe nat the sterres of Arcture, y-torned neigh to the soverein contree or point, that is to seyn, y-torned neigh to the soverein pool of the firmament, and wot nat why the sterre Bootes passeth or gadereth his weynes, and drencheth his late flambes in the see, and why that Bootes the sterre unfoldeth his 5 over-swifte arysinges, thanne shal he wondren of the lawe of the heye eyr.
And eek, yif that he ne knowe nat why that the hornes of the fulle mone wexen pale and infect by the boundes of the derke night; and how the mone, derk and confuse, discovereth the sterres that 10 she hadde y-covered by hir clere visage. The comune errour moeveth folk, and maketh wery hir basins of bras by thikke strokes; that is to seyn, that ther is a maner of poeple that highte Coribantes, that wenen that, whan the mone is in the eclipse, that it be enchaunted; and therfore, for to rescowe the mone, they beten hir 15 basins with thikke strokes.
Ne no man ne wondreth whan the blastes of the wind Chorus beten the strondes of the see by quakinge flodes; ne no man ne wondreth whan the weighte of the snowe, y-harded by the colde, is resolved by the brenninge hete of Phebus the sonne; for heer 20 seen men redely the causes.
But the causes y-hid, that is to seyn, in hevene, troublen the brestes of men; the moevable poeple is astoned of alle thinges that comen selde and sodeinly in our age. But yif the troubly errour of our ignoraunce departede fro us, so that we wisten the 25 causes why that swiche thinges bi-tyden, certes, they sholden cese to seme wondres.'
Me. V. 1. Ed. Arcture; C. Arctour; A. aritour. 4. Ed. Bootes; C. A. boetes (twice). 9. A. Ed. by the; C. by. 11. A. Ed. had; C. hadde. 12. C. basynnes (1st time); basyns (2nd). 14. Ed. Coribantes; C. A. coribandes. 17. A. Ed. blastes; C. blases. 18. A. Ed. man ne; C. manne. 19. A. Ed. the snowe; C. sonwh (sic; om. the).
Prose VI.
Ita est, inquam.
'Thus is it,' quod I. 'But so as thou hast yeven or bi-hight me to unwrappen the hid causes of thinges, and to discovere me the resouns covered with derknesses, I prey thee that thou devyse and iuge me of this matere, and that thou do me to understonden it; for this miracle or this wonder troubleth me right gretly.' 5
And thanne she, a litel what smylinge, seyde: 'thou clepest me,' quod she, 'to telle thing that is grettest of alle thinges that mowen ben axed, and to the whiche questioun unnethes is ther aught y-nough to laven it; as who seyth, unnethes is ther suffisauntly anything to answere parfitly to thy questioun. For the 10 matere of it is swich, that whan o doute is determined and cut awey, ther wexen other doutes with-oute number; right as the hevedes wexen of Ydre, the serpent that Ercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no manere ne non ende, but-yif that a wight constreinede tho doutes by a right lyfly and quik fyr of thought; that is to 15 seyn, by vigour and strengthe of wit. For in this manere men weren wont to maken questions of the simplicitee of the purviaunce of god, and of the order of destinee, and of sodein happe, and of the knowinge and predestinacioun divyne, and of the libertee of free wille; the whiche thinges thou thy-self 20 aperceyvest wel, of what weight they ben. But for as mochel as the knowinge of thise thinges is a maner porcioun of the medicine of thee, al-be-it so that I have litel tyme to don it, yit natheles I wol enforcen me to shewe somwhat of it. But al-thogh the norisshinges of ditee of musike delyteth thee, thou 25 most suffren and forberen a litel of thilke delyte, whyle that I weve to thee resouns y-knit by ordre.'
'As it lyketh to thee,' quod I, 'so do.' Tho spak she right as by another biginninge, and seyde thus. 'The engendringe of alle thinges,' quod she, 'and alle the progressiouns of muable 30 nature, and al that moeveth in any manere, taketh his causes, his ordre, and his formes, of the stablenesse of the divyne thoght; and thilke divyne thought, that is y-set and put in the tour, that is to seyn, in the heighte, of the simplicitee of god, stablissheth many maner gyses to thinges that ben to done; the whiche 35 maner, whan that men loken it in thilke pure clennesse of the divyne intelligence, it is y-cleped purviaunce; but whan thilke maner is referred by men to thinges that it moveth and disponeth, thanne of olde men it was cleped destinee. The whiche thinges, yif that any wight loketh wel in his thought the strengthe of that 40 oon and of that other, he shal lightly mowen seen, that thise two thinges ben dyverse. For purviaunce is thilke divyne reson that is establisshed in the soverein prince of thinges; the whiche purviaunce disponeth alle thinges. But destinee is the disposicioun and ordinaunce clyvinge to moevable thinges, by the whiche 45 disposicioun the purviaunce knitteth alle thinges in hir ordres; for purviaunce embraceth alle thinges to-hepe, al-thogh that they ben dyverse, and al-thogh they ben infinite; but destinee departeth and ordeineth alle thinges singulerly, and divyded in moevinges, in places, in formes, in tymes, as thus: lat the 50 unfoldinge of temporel ordinaunce, assembled and ooned in the lokinge of the divyne thought, be cleped purviaunce; and thilke same assemblinge and ooninge, divyded and unfolden by tymes, lat that ben called destinee. And al-be-it so that thise thinges ben dyverse, yit natheles hangeth that oon on that other; for-why 55 the order destinal procedeth of the simplicitee of purviaunce. For right as a werkman, that aperceyveth in his thoght the forme of the thing that he wol make, and moeveth the effect of the werk, and ledeth that he hadde loked biforn in his thoght simply and presently, by temporel ordinaunce: certes, right so god 60 disponeth in his purviaunce, singulerly and stably, the thinges that ben to done, but he aministreth in many maneres and in dyverse tymes, by destinee, thilke same thinges that he hath disponed.
Thanne, whether that destinee be exercysed outher by some 65 divyne spirits, servaunts to the divyne purviaunce, or elles by som sowle, or elles by alle nature servinge to god, or elles by the celestial moevinges of sterres, or elles by the vertu of angeles, or elles by the dyverse subtilitee of develes, or elles by any of hem, or elles by hem alle, the destinal ordinaunce is y-woven and 70 acomplisshed. Certes, it is open thing, that the purviaunce is an unmoevable and simple forme of thinges to done; and the moveable bond and the temporel ordinaunce of thinges, whiche that the divyne simplicitee of purviaunce hath ordeyned to done, that is destinee. For which it is, that alle thinges that ben put 75 under destinee ben, certes, subgits to purviaunce, to whiche purviaunce destinee itself is subgit and under. But some thinges ben put under purviaunce, that surmounten the ordinaunce of destinee; and tho ben thilke that stably ben y-ficched negh to the firste godhed: they surmounten the ordre of destinal moevabletee. 80 For right as of cercles that tornen a-boute a same centre or a-boute a poynt, thilke cercle that is innerest or most with-inne ioyneth to the simplesse of the middel, and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to that other cercles that tornen a-bouten him; and thilke that is outterest, compassed by larger envyronninge, is unfolden by 85 larger spaces, in so moche as it is forthest fro the middel simplicitee of the poynt; and yif ther be any-thing that knitteth and felawshippeth him-self to thilke middel poynt, it is constreined in-to simplicitee, that is to seyn, in-to unmoevabletee, and it ceseth to be shad and to fleten dyversely: right so, by semblable resoun, 90 thilke thing that departeth forthest fro the first thoght of god, it is unfolden and summitted to gretter bondes of destinee: and in so moche is the thing more free and laus fro destinee, as it axeth and holdeth him ner to thilke centre of thinges, that is to seyn, god. And yif the thing clyveth to the stedefastnesse of the thoght of god, 95 and be with-oute moevinge, certes, it sormounteth the necessitee of destinee. Thanne right swich comparisoun as it is of skilinge to understondinge, and of thing that is engendred to thing that is, and of tyme to eternitee, and of the cercle to the centre, right so is the ordre of moevable destinee to the stable simplicitee of purviaunce. 100
Thilke ordinaunce moeveth the hevene and the sterres, and atempreth the elements to-gider amonges hem-self, and transformeth hem by entrechaungeable mutacioun; and thilke same ordre neweth ayein alle thinges growinge and fallinge a-doun, by semblable progressiouns of sedes and of sexes, that is to seyn, 105 male and femele. And this ilke ordre constreineth the fortunes and the dedes of men by a bond of causes, nat able to ben unbounde; the whiche destinal causes, whan they passen out fro the biginninges of the unmoevable purviaunce, it mot nedes be that they ne be nat mutable. And thus ben the thinges ful wel y-governed, 110 yif that the simplicitee dwellinge in the divyne thoght sheweth forth the ordre of causes, unable to ben y-bowed; and this ordre constreineth by his propre stabletee the moevable thinges, or elles they sholden fleten folily. For which it is, that alle thinges semen to ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne mowen nat considere 115 thilke ordinaunce; natheles, the propre maner of every thinge, dressinge hem to goode, disponeth hem alle.
For ther nis no-thing don for cause of yvel; ne thilke thing that is don by wikkede folk nis nat don for yvel. The whiche shrewes, as I have shewed ful plentivously, seken good, but 120 wikked errour mistorneth hem, ne the ordre cominge fro the poynt of soverein good ne declyneth nat fro his biginninge. But thou mayst seyn, what unreste may ben a worse confusioun than that gode men han somtyme adversitee and somtyme prosperitee, and shrewes also now han thinges that they desiren, and now 125 thinges that they haten? Whether men liven now in swich hoolnesse of thoght, (as who seyth, ben men now so wyse), that swiche folk as they demen to ben gode folk or shrewes, that it moste nedes ben that folk ben swiche as they wenen? But in this manere the domes of men discorden, that thilke men that 130 some folk demen worthy of mede, other folk demen hem worthy of torment. But lat us graunte, I pose that som man may wel demen or knowen the gode folk and the badde; may he thanne knowen and seen thilke innereste atempraunce of corages, as it hath ben wont to be seyd of bodies; as who seyth, may a man speken and 135 determinen of atempraunces in corages, as men were wont to demen or speken of complexiouns and atempraunces of bodies? Ne it ne is nat an unlyk miracle, to hem that ne knowen it nat, (as who seith, but it is lyke a merveil or a miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat), why that swete thinges ben covenable to some bodies that ben hole, and to 140 some bodies bittere thinges ben covenable; and also, why that some syke folk ben holpen with lighte medicynes, and some folk ben holpen with sharpe medicynes. But natheles, the leche that knoweth the manere and the atempraunce of hele and of maladye, ne merveileth of it no-thing. But what other thing semeth hele 145 of corages but bountee and prowesse? And what other thing semeth maladye of corages but vyces? Who is elles kepere of good or dryver awey of yvel, but god, governour and lecher of thoughtes? The whiche god, whan he hath biholden from the heye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is covenable to 150 every wight, and leneth hem that he wot that is covenable to hem. Lo, her-of comth and her-of is don this noble miracle of the ordre destinal, whan god, that al knoweth, doth swiche thing, of which thing that unknowinge folk ben astoned. But for to constreine, as who seyth, but for to comprehende and telle a fewe thinges of the 155 divyne deepnesse, the whiche that mannes resoun may understonde, thilke man that thou wenest to ben right Iuste and right kepinge of equitee, the contrarie of that semeth to the divyne purveaunce, that al wot. And Lucan, my familer, telleth that "the victorious cause lykede to the goddes, and the cause over-comen 160 lykede to Catoun." Thanne, what-so-ever thou mayst seen that is don in this werld unhoped or unwened, certes, it is the right ordre of thinges; but, as to thy wikkede opinioun, it is a confusioun. But I suppose that som man be so wel y-thewed, that the divyne Iugement and the Iugement of mankinde acorden 165 hem to-gider of him; but he is so unstedefast of corage, that, yif any adversitee come to him, he wol forleten, par-aventure, to continue innocence, by the whiche he ne may nat with-holden fortune. Thanne the wyse dispensacioun of god spareth him, the whiche man adversitee mighte enpeyren; for that god wol nat 170 suffren him to travaile, to whom that travaile nis nat covenable. Another man is parfit in alle vertues, and is an holy man, and negh to god, so that the purviaunce of god wolde demen, that it were a felonye that he were touched with any adversitees; so that he wol nat suffre that swich a man be moeved with any 175 bodily maladye. But so as seyde a philosophre, the more excellent by me: he seyde in Grek, that "vertues han edified the body of the holy man." And ofte tyme it bitydeth, that the somme of thinges that ben to done is taken to governe to gode folk, for that the malice haboundaunt of shrewes sholde ben abated. And god 180 yeveth and departeth to othre folk prosperitees and adversitees y-medled to-hepe, after the qualitee of hir corages, and remordeth som folk by adversitee, for they ne sholde nat wexen proude by longe welefulnesse. And other folk he suffreth to ben travailed with harde thinges, for that they sholden confermen the vertues 185 of corage by the usage and exercitacioun of pacience. And other folk dreden more than they oughten [that] whiche they mighten wel beren; and somme dispyse that they mowe nat beren; and thilke folk god ledeth in-to experience of himself by aspre and sorwful thinges. And many othre folk han bought 190 honourable renoun of this world by the prys of glorious deeth. And som men, that ne mowen nat ben overcomen by torments, have yeven ensaumple to othre folk, that vertu may nat ben overcomen by adversitees; and of alle thinges ther nis no doute, that they ne ben don rightfully and ordenely, to the profit of hem to 195 whom we seen thise thinges bityde. For certes, that adversitee comth somtyme to shrewes, and somtyme that that they desiren, it comth of thise forseide causes. And of sorwful thinges that bityden to shrewes, certes, no man ne wondreth; for alle men wenen that they han wel deserved it, and that they ben of 200 wikkede merite; of whiche shrewes the torment somtyme agasteth othre to don felonyes, and somtyme it amendeth hem that suffren the torments. And the prosperitee that is yeven to shrewes sheweth a greet argument to gode folk, what thing they sholde demen of thilke welefulnesse, the whiche prosperitee men seen 205 ofte serven to shrewes. In the which thing I trowe that god dispenseth; for, per-aventure, the nature of som man is so overthrowinge to yvel, and so uncovenable, that the nedy povertee of his houshold mighte rather egren him to don felonyes. And to the maladye of him god putteth remedie, to yeven him richesses. 210 And som other man biholdeth his conscience defouled with sinnes, and maketh comparisoun of his fortune and of him-self; and dredeth, per-aventure, that his blisfulnesse, of which the usage is Ioyeful to him, that the lesinge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorwful to him; and therfor he wol chaunge his maneres, and, for 215 he dredeth to lese his fortune, he forleteth his wikkednesse. To othre folk is welefulnesse y-yeven unworthily, the whiche overthroweth hem in-to distruccioun that they han deserved. And to som othre folk is yeven power to punisshen, for that it shal be cause of continuacioun and exercysinge to gode folk and cause of 220 torment to shrewes. For so as ther nis non alyaunce by-twixe gode folk and shrewes, ne shrewes ne mowen nat acorden amonges hem-self. And why nat? For shrewes discorden of hem-self by hir vyces, the whiche vyces al to-renden hir consciences; and don ofte tyme thinges, the whiche thinges, whan they han don hem, 225 they demen that tho thinges ne sholden nat han ben don. For which thing thilke soverein purveaunce hath maked ofte tyme fair miracle; so that shrewes han maked shrewes to ben gode men. For whan that som shrewes seen that they suffren wrongfully felonyes of othre shrewes, they wexen eschaufed in-to hate of hem 230 that anoyeden hem, and retornen to the frut of vertu, whan they studien to ben unlyk to hem that they han hated. Certes, only this is the divyne might, to the whiche might yveles ben thanne gode, whan it useth tho yveles covenably, and draweth out the effect of any gode; as who seyth, that yvel is good only to the might 235 of god, for the might of god ordeyneth thilke yvel to good.
For oon ordre embraseth alle thinges, so that what wight that departeth fro the resoun of thilke ordre which that is assigned to him, algates yit he slydeth in-to another ordre, so that no-thing nis leveful to folye in the reame of the divyne purviaunce; as who 240 seyth, nothing nis with-outen ordinaunce in the reame of the divyne purviaunce; sin that the right stronge god governeth alle thinges in this world. For it nis nat leveful to man to comprehenden by wit, ne unfolden by word, alle the subtil ordinaunces and disposiciouns of the divyne entente. For only it oughte suffise to 245 han loked, that god him-self, maker of alle natures, ordeineth and dresseth alle thinges to gode; whyl that he hasteth to with-holden the thinges that he hath maked in-to his semblaunce, that is to seyn, for to with-holden thinges in-to good, for he him-self is good, he chaseth out al yvel fro the boundes of his comunalitee by the 250 ordre of necessitee destinable. For which it folweth, that yif thou loke the purviaunce ordeininge the thinges that men wenen ben outrageous or haboundant in erthes, thou ne shalt nat seen in no place no-thing of yvel. But I see now that thou art charged with the weighte of the questioun, and wery with the lengthe of my 255 resoun; and that thou abydest som sweetnesse of songe. Tak thanne this draught; and whan thou art wel refresshed and refect, thou shal be more stedefast to stye in-to heyere questiouns.
Pr. VI. 4. A. Ed. do; C. don. 5. C. meracle. 6. A. om. what. 13. A. Ed. Hercules. C. slowh; A. Ed. slough. 21. C. wyht. 22, 3. A. to the medicine to the. 25. C. norysynges. 27. C. A. weue; glossed contexo. 28. A. Tho; C. So. 30. A. progressiouns; C. progressioun; progressus. 48. C. Ed. infynyte; A. with-outen fyn. 49. C. dyuydyd; A. Ed. diuideth; distributa. 50. After tymes A. ins. departith (om. as). // C. lat; Ed. Let; A. so that. 52. Ed. be cleaped; C. A. is (see 54). 55. A. Ed. on; C. of. 57. C. om. a. 59. C. symplely. 60. C. Ed. ordinaunce; A. thouȝt. 61. C. stablely. 64. C. desponed. 65. C. weyther. C. destyn (miswritten). 67. C. A. sowle; glossed anima mundi. 68. C. om. the bef. vertu. 71. C. acomplyssed; A. accomplissed. 79. C. stablely. A. yficched; C. y-fechched; Ed. fyxed. 80. Ed. mouablyte; A. moeuablite. 81. A. Ed. om. of. 85. A. Ed. larger; C. a large. 86. C. Ed. fertherest; A. forthest. 91. C. A. fyrthest (see 86). 93. A. lovs; Ed. loce. 96. C. necissite. 103. C. mutasioun. 105. A. Ed. progressiouns; C. progressioun; Lat. progressus. 106. A. female. 107. A. unbounden; glossed indissolubili. 137. After bodies, A. has 'quasi non.' 139. C. om. 2nd a. 142, 3. A. om. and some ... medicynes. 148. A. leecher. 159. A. familier. 160. Ed. victoriouse; C. A. victories; uictricem. 164. C. sopose. 166. C. om. so. 176. bodily] A. manere. // A. om. the more ... by me; me quoque excellentior. A. has: the aduersites comen nat, he seide in grec, there that vertues. 186. C. corages (animi). // C. excercitacion. 187. All the (for that.) 188, 9. Ed. and some ... not beare; C. A. om. 191. C. of the; A. Ed. of. 195. A. ordeinly. 202. C. Ed. felonies; A. folies. 210. A. puttith; C. pittyth. // A. rychesse. 213. A. his; C. is. 219. C. A. punyssen; Ed. punysshen. 220. C. excercisynge. 222. A. Ed. accorden; C. acordy. 228. After maked A. ins. oftyme (not in Lat.). 232. C. om. studien. 235. A. by (for to). 238. C. assyngned. 240. A. realme (twice). 243. A. to no man. 247. C. wyl; A. while. 253. Ed. outragyous; C. outraious; A. om. 255. C. the lengthe; A. Ed. om. the. 257. A. refet. 258. C. stydefast.
Metre VI.
Si uis celsi iura tonantis.
If thou, wys, wilt demen in thy pure thought the rightes or the lawes of the heye thonderer, that is to seyn, of god, loke thou and bihold the heightes of the soverein hevene. There kepen the sterres, by rightful alliaunce of thinges, hir olde pees. The sonne, y-moeved by his rody fyr, ne distorbeth nat the colde cercle of 5 the mone. Ne the sterre y-cleped "the Bere," that enclyneth his ravisshinge courses abouten the soverein heighte of the worlde, ne the same sterre Ursa nis never-mo wasshen in the depe westrene see, ne coveiteth nat to deyen his flaumbes in the see of the occian, al-thogh he see othre sterres y-plounged in the see. And Hesperus 10 the sterre bodeth and telleth alwey the late nightes; and Lucifer the sterre bringeth ayein the clere day.
And thus maketh Love entrechaungeable the perdurable courses; and thus is discordable bataile y-put out of the contree of the sterres. This acordaunce atempreth by evenelyk maneres the 15 elements, that the moiste thinges, stryvinge with the drye thinges, yeven place by stoundes; and the colde thinges ioynen hem by feyth to the hote thinges; and that the lighte fyr aryseth in-to heighte; and the hevy erthes avalen by hir weightes. By thise same causes the floury yeer yildeth swote smelles in the firste 20 somer-sesoun warminge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes; and autumpne comth ayein, hevy of apples; and the fletinge reyn bideweth the winter. This atempraunce norissheth and bringeth forth al thing that [bretheth] lyf in this world; and thilke same atempraunce, ravisshinge, hydeth and binimeth, and drencheth 25 under the laste deeth, alle thinges y-born.
Amonges thise thinges sitteth the heye maker, king and lord, welle and biginninge, lawe and wys Iuge, to don equitee; and governeth and enclyneth the brydles of thinges. And tho thinges that he stereth to gon by moevinge, he withdraweth and aresteth; 30 and affermeth the moevable or wandringe thinges. For yif that he ne clepede ayein the right goinge of thinges, and yif that he ne constreinede hem nat eft-sones in-to roundnesses enclynede, the thinges that ben now continued by stable ordinaunce, they sholden departen from hir welle, that is to seyn, from hir biginninge, and 35 faylen, that is to seyn, torne in-to nought.
This is the comune Love to alle thinges; and alle thinges axen to ben holden by the fyn of good. For elles ne mighten they nat lasten, yif they ne come nat eft-sones ayein, by Love retorned, to the cause that hath yeven hem beinge, that is to seyn, to god. 40
Me. VI. 1. A. om. wys; Lat. sollers. 3. C. the souereyn; A. om. the. 5. C. clerke (!); for cercle. 7. C. cours (meatus); see 13. 9. A. dyȝen; C. deeyn, glossed tingere; Ed. deyen. 10. A. in-to (for in). 16. A. striuen nat with the drye thinges, but yiuen. 24. A. al; C. alle. // A. bredith; C. Ed. bereth; read bretheth (spirat). 31. C. om. the. 35. A. bygynnynge; C. bygynge.
Prose VII.
Iamne igitur uides.
Seestow nat thanne what thing folweth alle the thinges that I have seyd?' Boece. 'What thing?' quod I.
'Certes,' quod she, 'al-outrely, that alle fortune is good.'
'And how may that be?' quod I.
'Now understand,' quod she, 'so as alle fortune, whether so it 5 be Ioyeful fortune or aspre fortune, is yeven either by cause of guerdoning or elles of exercysinge of good folk, or elles by cause to punisshen or elles chastysen shrewes; thanne is alle fortune good, the whiche fortune is certein that it be either rightful or elles profitable.' 10
'Forsothe, this is a ful verray resoun,' quod I; 'and yif I consider the purviaunce and the destinee that thou taughtest me a litel her-biforn, this sentence is sustened by stedefast resouns. But yif it lyke unto thee, lat us noumbren hem amonges thilke thinges, of whiche thou seydest a litel her-biforn, that they ne were 15 nat able to ben wened to the poeple.' 'Why so?' quod she.
'For that the comune word of men,' quod I, 'misuseth this maner speche of fortune, and seyn ofte tymes that the fortune of som wight is wikkede.'
'Wiltow thanne,' quod she, 'that I aproche a litel to the wordes 20 of the poeple, so that it seme nat to hem that I be overmoche departed as fro the usage of mankinde?'
'As thou wolt,' quod I.
'Demestow nat,' quod she, 'that al thing that profiteth is good?'
'Yis,' quod I. 25
'And certes, thilke thing that exercyseth or corigeth, profiteth?'
'I confesse it wel,' quod I.
'Thanne is it good?' quod she.
'Why nat?' quod I.
'But this is the fortune,' quod she, 'of hem that either ben put 30 in vertu and batailen ayeins aspre thinges, or elles of hem that eschuen and declynen fro vyces and taken the wey of vertu.'
'This ne may I nat denye,' quod I.
'But what seystow of the mery fortune that is yeven to good folk in guerdoun? Demeth aught the poeple that it is wikked?' 35
'Nay, forsothe,' quod I; 'but they demen, as it sooth is, that it is right good.'
'And what seystow of that other fortune,' quod she, 'that, al-thogh that it be aspre, and restreineth the shrewes by rightful torment, weneth aught the poeple that it be good?' 40
'Nay,' quod I, 'but the poeple demeth that it is most wrecched of alle thinges that may ben thought.'
'War now, and loke wel,' quod she, 'lest that we, in folwinge the opinioun of the poeple, have confessed and concluded thing that is unable to be wened to the poeple. 45
'What is that?' quod I.
'Certes,' quod she, 'it folweth or comth of thinges that ben graunted, that alle fortune, what-so-ever it be, of hem that ben either in possessioun of vertu, or in the encres of vertu, or elles in the purchasinge of vertu, that thilke fortune is good; and that alle 50 fortune is right wikkede to hem that dwellen in shrewednesse;' as who seyth, and thus weneth nat the poeple.
'That is sooth,' quod I, 'al-be-it so that no man dar confesse it ne biknowen it.'
'Why so?' quod she; 'for right as the stronge man ne semeth 55 nat to abaissen or disdaignen as ofte tyme as he hereth the noise of the bataile, ne also it ne semeth nat, to the wyse man, to beren it grevously, as ofte as he is lad in-to the stryf of fortune. For bothe to that oon man and eek to that other thilke difficultee is the matere; to that oon man, of encres of his glorious renoun, 60 and to that other man, to confirme his sapience, that is to seyn, to the asprenesse of his estat. For therfore is it called "vertu," for that it susteneth and enforseth, by hise strengthes, that it nis nat overcomen by adversitees. Ne certes, thou that art put in the encres or in the heighte of vertu, ne hast nat comen to fleten with 65 delices, and for to welken in bodily luste; thou sowest or plauntest a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins every fortune: for that the sorwful fortune ne confounde thee nat, ne that the merye fortune ne corumpe thee nat, occupye the mene by stedefast strengthes. For al that ever is under the mene, or elles al that overpasseth the 70 mene, despyseth welefulnesse (as who seyth, it is vicious), and ne hath no mede of his travaile. For it is set in your hand (as who seyth, it lyth in your power) what fortune yow is levest, that is to seyn, good or yvel. For alle fortune that semeth sharp or aspre, yif it ne exercyse nat the gode folk ne chastyseth the wikked folk, it 75 punissheth.
Pr. VII. 1. A. Sest thou; C. Sestow. 5, 6. A. om. alle ... aspre. 7. Ed. guerdonyng; C. A. gerdonynge. // C. excersisinge. 16. A. ywened. 20. A. proche. 24. A. Demest thou; Ed. Wenest thou. A. al; C. alle. 26. C. excersiseth. C. corigit; A. corigith; Ed. corrygeth. 34. A. seist thou. 35. Ed. guerdon; C. A. gerdoun. C. Ed. demeth; A. deuinith; decernit. A. poeples; uulgus. 38. A. seist thou. 41. C. Ed. is; A. be. 49. A. om. or in ... vertu. 55. C. the stronge; A. no strong. 56. Ed. abasshen; A. abassen. 66. A. welken; Ed. walken; C. wellen; emarcescere. 69. A. Ed. corrumpe. C. Ocupye; A. Occupy. C. stydefast. 75. C. excersyse. 76. C. punysseth; A. punisseth.
Metre VII.
Bella bis quinis operatus annis.
The wreker Attrides, that is to seyn, Agamenon, that wroughte and continuede the batailes by ten yeer, recovered and purgede in wrekinge, by the destruccioun of Troye, the loste chaumbres of mariage of his brother; this is to seyn, that he, Agamenon, wan ayein Eleyne, that was Menelaus wyf his brother. In the mene 5 whyle that thilke Agamenon desirede to yeven sayles to the Grekissh navye, and boughte ayein the windes by blood, he unclothede him of pitee of fader; and the sory preest yiveth in sacrifyinge the wrecched cuttinge of throte of the doughter; that is to seyn, that Agamenon let cutten the throte of his doughter by the 10 preest, to maken allyaunce with his goddes, and for to han winde with whiche he mighte wenden to Troye.
Itacus, that is to seyn, Ulixes, biwepte his felawes y-lorn, the whiche felawes the ferse Poliphemus, ligginge in his grete cave, hadde freten and dreynt in his empty wombe. But natheles 15 Poliphemus, wood for his blinde visage, yald to Ulixes Ioye by his sorwful teres; this is to seyn, that Ulixes smoot out the eye of Poliphemus that stood in his forehed, for which Ulixes hadde Ioye, whan he say Poliphemus wepinge and blinde.
Hercules is celebrable for his harde travailes; he dauntede the 20 proude Centaures, half hors, half man; and he birafte the dispoylinge fro the cruel lyoun, that is to seyn, he slowh the lyoun and rafte him his skin. He smoot the briddes that highten Arpyes with certein arwes. He ravisshede apples fro the wakinge dragoun, and his hand was the more hevy for the goldene metal. 25 He drow Cerberus, the hound of helle, by his treble cheyne. He, overcomer, as it is seyd, hath put an unmeke lord foddre to his cruel hors; this is to seyn, that Hercules slowh Diomedes, and made his hors to freten him. And he, Hercules, slowh Ydra the serpent, and brende the venim. And Achelous the flood, defouled in his 30 forhed, dreynte his shamefast visage in his strondes; this is to seyn, that Achelous coude transfigure him-self in-to dyverse lyknesses; and, as he faught with Hercules, at the laste he tornede him in-to a bole; and Hercules brak of oon of his hornes, and he, for shame, hidde him in his river. And he, Hercules, caste adoun Antheus 35 the gyaunt in the strondes of Libie; and Cacus apaysede the wratthes of Evander; this is to seyn, that Hercules slowh the monstre Cacus, and apaysede with that deeth the wratthe of Evander. And the bristlede boor markede with scomes the shuldres of Hercules, the whiche shuldres the heye cercle of 40 hevene sholde thriste. And the laste of his labours was, that he sustened the hevene up-on his nekke unbowed; and he deservede eft-sones the hevene, to ben the prys of his laste travaile.
Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther-as the heye wey of the grete ensaumple ledeth yow. O nyce men, why nake ye youre 45 bakkes? As who seyth: O ye slowe and delicat men, why flee ye adversitees, and ne fighten nat ayeins hem by vertu, to winnen the mede of the hevene? For the erthe, overcomen, yeveth the sterres'; this is to seyn, that, whan that erthely lust is overcomen, a man is maked worthy to the hevene. 50
Me. VII. 4. A. Ed. om. he. 8. A. pite as fader. 16. A. yeld. 22. A. slouȝ. 23. Ed. Arpyes; C. A. arpiis; glossed—in the palude of lyrne. 26. C. drowh; A. drouȝ. 28. C. slowgh; A. slouȝ (thrice). 28, 31, 37, 49. C. this (for this is). 29. A. etyn (for freten). 30. C. achelows (1st time); achelous (2nd); A. achelaus (twice). 34. C. he, glossed achelous; A. achelaus (om. he). 39. Ed. vomes (for scomes). 40. A. Ed. cercle; C. clerke (!). 48. A. mede of the. // A. Ed. the sterres; C. om. the.