e ne
vndirstonde
nat how gret a wro{n}g ?
Chaucer - Boethius
why enbracest ?
ou straunge
goodes as ? ei weren ? ine. Fortune shal neuer maken ? at swiche ? inges ben
? ine ? at nature of ? inges maked foreyne fro ? e. ? Syche is ? at
wi? -oute{n} doute ? e fruytes of ? e er? e owen to ben on ? e norssinge of
bestes. ? And if ? ou wilt fulfille ? i nede after ? at it suffise? to
nature ? an is it no nede ? at ? ou seke after ? e sup{er}fluite of fortune.
? For wi? ful fewe ? inges {and} w{i}t{h} ful lytel ? ing nature halt hire
appaied. {and} yif ? ou wilt achoken ? e fulfillyng of nat{ur}e wi?
sup{er}fluites ? Certys ? ilke ? inges ? {a}t ? ou wilt ? resten or pouren in
to nature shullen ben vnioyeful to ? e or ellis anoies. ? Wenest ? ou eke
? at it be a fair ? inge to shine wi? dyuerse clo? ing. of whiche clo? ing
yif ? e beaute be agreable to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on ? e nature of
? e matere of ? ilke clo? es. or ellys on ? e werkeman ? at wrou? t[e] hem.
but al so a longe route of meyne. maki? ? at a blisful man. ? e whiche
seruauntes yif ? ei ben vicio? s of condic{i}ou{n}s it is a greet charge
{and} a destrucc{i}ou{n} to ? e house. {and} a g{r}eet enmye to ? e lorde
hym self ? {And} yif ? ei ben goode men how shal straung[e] or foreyne
goodenes ben put in ? e nou{m}bre of ? i rycchesse. so ? {a}t by alle ? ise
forseide ? inges. it is clerly shewed ? at neuer none of ? ilke ? inges ? at
? ou accou{m}ptedest for ? in goodes nas nat ? i goode. ? In ? e whiche
? inges yif ? er be no beaute to ben desired. whi sholdest ? ou be sory yif
? ou leese hem. or whi sholdest ? ou reioysen ? e to holden hem. ? For if
? ei ben fair of hire owen kynde. what app{er}tene? ? at to ? e. for as wel
sholde ? ei han ben faire by hem self. ? ou? ? ei were{n} dep{ar}tid from
alle ? in rycchesse. ? For-why faire ne p{re}cio? s ne weren ? ei nat. for
? at ? ei comen amonges ? i rycchesse. but for ? ei semeden fair {and}
p{re}cious. ? erfore ? ou haddest leuer rekene hem amonges ? i rycchesse.
but what desirest ? ou of fortune wi? so greet a noyse {and} wi? so greet
a fare ? I trowe ? ou seke to dryue awey nede wi? habundaunce of ? inges.
? But certys it turne? to ? ow al in ? e contrarie. for whi certys it
nedi? of ful many[e] helpynges to kepen ? e dyuersite of preciouse
ostelment? . and so? e it is ? at of many[e] ? inges han ? ei nede ? at
many[e] ? inges han. {and} a? eyneward of litel nedi? hem ? at mesuren hir
fille after ? e nede of kynde {and} nat after ? e outrage of couetyse ? Is
it ? an so ? at ye men ne han no p{ro}pre goode. I-set in ? ow. For whiche
? e moten seken outwardes ? oure goodes in foreine {and} subgit ? inges.
? So is ? an ? e condic{i}ou{n} of ? inges turned vpso dou{n}. ? at a man
? at is a devyne beest by merit of hys resou{n}. ? inke? ? at hy{m} self
nys ney? er fair ne noble. but if it be ? oru? possessiou{n} of
ostelmentes. ? at ne han no soules. ? And certys al o? {er} ? i{n}ges ben
appaied of hire owen beautes. but ? e men ? at ben semblable to god by
? our{e} resonable ? ou? t desiren to apparaille ? our{e} excellent kynde of
? e lowest[e] pinges. ne ?
e ne vndirstonde nat how gret a wro{n}g ? e don
to ? oure creato{ur}. for he wolde ? at man kynde were moost wor? i {and}
noble of any o? er er? ely ? inges. and ? e ? resten adou{n} ? oure dignitees
by-ne? en ? e lowest[e] ? inges. ? For if ? at al ? e good of euery ? ing be
more p{re}ciouse ? an is ? ilk ? ing whos ? at ? e good is. syn ? e demen ? at
? e foulest[e] ? inges ben ? oure goodes. ? anne summytten ? e {and} putten
? oure self vndir ? o foulest[e] ? inges by ? oure estimac{i}ou{n}. ? And
certis ? is bitidi? nat wi? out ? our{e} desert. For certys swiche is ? e
co{n}dic{i}ou{n} of al man kynde ? at oonly whan it ha? knowyng of it
self. ? an passe? it i{n} noblesse alle o? er ? inges. and whan it forleti?
? e knowyng of it self. ? an it is brou? t byne? en alle beestes. ? For-why
alle o? er [leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem self. but whan
? at men leten ? e knowyng of hem self. it come? hem of vice. but how
brode shewe? ? e erro{ur} {and} ? e folie of ? ow men ? at wenen ? at ony
? ing may ben apparailled wi? straunge apparaillement? ? but for-so? e ? at
may nat be don. for yif a wy? t shyne? wi? ? i{n}ges ? at ben put to hym.
as ? us. yif ? ilke ? inges shynen wi? whiche a man is apparailled.
? Certis ? ilke ? inges ben commendid {and} p{re}ised wi? whiche he is
apparailled. ? But na? eles ? e ? ing ? at is couered {and} wrapped vndir
? at dwelle? in his fil? e. and I denye ? at ? ilke ? ing be good ? at anoye?
hym ? at ha? it. ? Gabbe I of ? is. ? ou wolt seye nay. ? Certys rycchesse
han anoyed ful ofte hem ? at han ? e rycchesse. ? Syn ? at euery wicked
shrew {and} for hys wickednesse ? e more gredy aftir o? er folkes
rycchesse wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or p{re}cious
stones. {and} weni? hym only most wor? i ? at ha? hem ? ? ou ? an ? at so
besy dredest now ? e swerde {and} ? e spere. yif ? ou haddest entred in ? e
pa? e of ? is lijf a voide wayfaryng man. ? an woldest ? ou syng[e] by-fore
? e ? eef. ? As who sei? a poure man ? at bere? no rycchesse on hym by ? e
weye. may boldly syng[e] byforne ? eues. for he ha? nat wher-of to ben
robbed. ? O preciouse {and} ry? t clere is ? e blysfulnesse of mortal
rycchesse. ? at wha{n} ? ou hast geten it. ? an hast ? ou lorn ? i
syke[r]nesse.
FELIX IN MIRU{M} PRIOR ETAS.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe met{ur}. ]]
++Blysful was ? e first age of men. ? ei helden hem apaied wi? ? e metes
? at ? e trewe er? es brou? ten fur? e. ? ? ei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e]
not hem self wi? outerage. ? ? ei weren wont ly? tly to slaken her hunger
at euene wi? acornes of okes ? ? ei ne cou? e nat medle ? e ? ift of bacus
to ? e clere hony.
goodes as ? ei weren ? ine. Fortune shal neuer maken ? at swiche ? inges ben
? ine ? at nature of ? inges maked foreyne fro ? e. ? Syche is ? at
wi? -oute{n} doute ? e fruytes of ? e er? e owen to ben on ? e norssinge of
bestes. ? And if ? ou wilt fulfille ? i nede after ? at it suffise? to
nature ? an is it no nede ? at ? ou seke after ? e sup{er}fluite of fortune.
? For wi? ful fewe ? inges {and} w{i}t{h} ful lytel ? ing nature halt hire
appaied. {and} yif ? ou wilt achoken ? e fulfillyng of nat{ur}e wi?
sup{er}fluites ? Certys ? ilke ? inges ? {a}t ? ou wilt ? resten or pouren in
to nature shullen ben vnioyeful to ? e or ellis anoies. ? Wenest ? ou eke
? at it be a fair ? inge to shine wi? dyuerse clo? ing. of whiche clo? ing
yif ? e beaute be agreable to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on ? e nature of
? e matere of ? ilke clo? es. or ellys on ? e werkeman ? at wrou? t[e] hem.
but al so a longe route of meyne. maki? ? at a blisful man. ? e whiche
seruauntes yif ? ei ben vicio? s of condic{i}ou{n}s it is a greet charge
{and} a destrucc{i}ou{n} to ? e house. {and} a g{r}eet enmye to ? e lorde
hym self ? {And} yif ? ei ben goode men how shal straung[e] or foreyne
goodenes ben put in ? e nou{m}bre of ? i rycchesse. so ? {a}t by alle ? ise
forseide ? inges. it is clerly shewed ? at neuer none of ? ilke ? inges ? at
? ou accou{m}ptedest for ? in goodes nas nat ? i goode. ? In ? e whiche
? inges yif ? er be no beaute to ben desired. whi sholdest ? ou be sory yif
? ou leese hem. or whi sholdest ? ou reioysen ? e to holden hem. ? For if
? ei ben fair of hire owen kynde. what app{er}tene? ? at to ? e. for as wel
sholde ? ei han ben faire by hem self. ? ou? ? ei were{n} dep{ar}tid from
alle ? in rycchesse. ? For-why faire ne p{re}cio? s ne weren ? ei nat. for
? at ? ei comen amonges ? i rycchesse. but for ? ei semeden fair {and}
p{re}cious. ? erfore ? ou haddest leuer rekene hem amonges ? i rycchesse.
but what desirest ? ou of fortune wi? so greet a noyse {and} wi? so greet
a fare ? I trowe ? ou seke to dryue awey nede wi? habundaunce of ? inges.
? But certys it turne? to ? ow al in ? e contrarie. for whi certys it
nedi? of ful many[e] helpynges to kepen ? e dyuersite of preciouse
ostelment? . and so? e it is ? at of many[e] ? inges han ? ei nede ? at
many[e] ? inges han. {and} a? eyneward of litel nedi? hem ? at mesuren hir
fille after ? e nede of kynde {and} nat after ? e outrage of couetyse ? Is
it ? an so ? at ye men ne han no p{ro}pre goode. I-set in ? ow. For whiche
? e moten seken outwardes ? oure goodes in foreine {and} subgit ? inges.
? So is ? an ? e condic{i}ou{n} of ? inges turned vpso dou{n}. ? at a man
? at is a devyne beest by merit of hys resou{n}. ? inke? ? at hy{m} self
nys ney? er fair ne noble. but if it be ? oru? possessiou{n} of
ostelmentes. ? at ne han no soules. ? And certys al o? {er} ? i{n}ges ben
appaied of hire owen beautes. but ? e men ? at ben semblable to god by
? our{e} resonable ? ou? t desiren to apparaille ? our{e} excellent kynde of
? e lowest[e] pinges. ne ?
e ne vndirstonde nat how gret a wro{n}g ? e don
to ? oure creato{ur}. for he wolde ? at man kynde were moost wor? i {and}
noble of any o? er er? ely ? inges. and ? e ? resten adou{n} ? oure dignitees
by-ne? en ? e lowest[e] ? inges. ? For if ? at al ? e good of euery ? ing be
more p{re}ciouse ? an is ? ilk ? ing whos ? at ? e good is. syn ? e demen ? at
? e foulest[e] ? inges ben ? oure goodes. ? anne summytten ? e {and} putten
? oure self vndir ? o foulest[e] ? inges by ? oure estimac{i}ou{n}. ? And
certis ? is bitidi? nat wi? out ? our{e} desert. For certys swiche is ? e
co{n}dic{i}ou{n} of al man kynde ? at oonly whan it ha? knowyng of it
self. ? an passe? it i{n} noblesse alle o? er ? inges. and whan it forleti?
? e knowyng of it self. ? an it is brou? t byne? en alle beestes. ? For-why
alle o? er [leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem self. but whan
? at men leten ? e knowyng of hem self. it come? hem of vice. but how
brode shewe? ? e erro{ur} {and} ? e folie of ? ow men ? at wenen ? at ony
? ing may ben apparailled wi? straunge apparaillement? ? but for-so? e ? at
may nat be don. for yif a wy? t shyne? wi? ? i{n}ges ? at ben put to hym.
as ? us. yif ? ilke ? inges shynen wi? whiche a man is apparailled.
? Certis ? ilke ? inges ben commendid {and} p{re}ised wi? whiche he is
apparailled. ? But na? eles ? e ? ing ? at is couered {and} wrapped vndir
? at dwelle? in his fil? e. and I denye ? at ? ilke ? ing be good ? at anoye?
hym ? at ha? it. ? Gabbe I of ? is. ? ou wolt seye nay. ? Certys rycchesse
han anoyed ful ofte hem ? at han ? e rycchesse. ? Syn ? at euery wicked
shrew {and} for hys wickednesse ? e more gredy aftir o? er folkes
rycchesse wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or p{re}cious
stones. {and} weni? hym only most wor? i ? at ha? hem ? ? ou ? an ? at so
besy dredest now ? e swerde {and} ? e spere. yif ? ou haddest entred in ? e
pa? e of ? is lijf a voide wayfaryng man. ? an woldest ? ou syng[e] by-fore
? e ? eef. ? As who sei? a poure man ? at bere? no rycchesse on hym by ? e
weye. may boldly syng[e] byforne ? eues. for he ha? nat wher-of to ben
robbed. ? O preciouse {and} ry? t clere is ? e blysfulnesse of mortal
rycchesse. ? at wha{n} ? ou hast geten it. ? an hast ? ou lorn ? i
syke[r]nesse.
FELIX IN MIRU{M} PRIOR ETAS.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe met{ur}. ]]
++Blysful was ? e first age of men. ? ei helden hem apaied wi? ? e metes
? at ? e trewe er? es brou? ten fur? e. ? ? ei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e]
not hem self wi? outerage. ? ? ei weren wont ly? tly to slaken her hunger
at euene wi? acornes of okes ? ? ei ne cou? e nat medle ? e ? ift of bacus
to ? e clere hony.
