better
renou{n}
to hem ?
Chaucer - Boethius
at may be taken awey in any wyse.
for more wor? i ? ing {and} more digne is ? ilke ? ing ? {a}t may nat be
taken awey. ? ? an shewi? it wele ? at ? e vnstablenesse of fortune may nat
attayne to receyue verray blisfulnes. ? And ? it more ouer. ? What man
? at ? is toumblyng welefulnesse leedi? . ei? er he woot ? at [it] is
chaungeable. or ellis he woot it nat. ? And yif he woot it not. what
blisful fortune may ? er be in ? e blyndenesse of ignorau{n}ce. and yif he
woot ? at it is chaungeable. he mot alwey ben adrad ? {a}t he ne lese ? at
? ing. ? at he ne doute? nat but ? at he may leesen it. ? As whoo sei? he
mot ben alwey agast lest he leese ? at he wot wel he may leese. ? For
whiche ? e continuel drede ? at he ha? ne suffri? hym nat to ben weleful.
? Or ellys yif he leese it he wene to be dispised {and} forleten hit.
? Certis eke ? at is a ful lytel goode ? at is born wi? euene hert[e] whan
it is loost. ? ? at is to seyne ? at men don no more force. of ? e lost ? an
of ? e hauynge. ? And for as myche as ? ou ? i self art he to who{m} it ha?
ben shewid {and} p{ro}ued by ful many[e] demonstrac{i}ou{n}s. as I woot
wel ? at ? e soules of men ne mowen nat dien in no wise. and eke syn it is
clere. {and} certeyne ? at fortunous welefulnesse endi? by ? e dee? of ? e
body. ? It may nat ben douted ? at yif ? at dee? may take awey
blysfulnesse ? at al ? e kynde of mortal ? i{n}g{us} ne descendi? in to
wrecchednesse by ? e ende of ? e dee? . ? And syn we knowen wel ? at many a
man ha? sou? t ? e fruit of blisfulnesse nat only wi? suffryng of dee? .
but eke wi? suffryng of peynes {and} to{ur}mentes. how my? t[e] ? an ? is
p{re}sent lijf make men blisful. syn ? at whanne ? ilke self[e] lijf is
endid. it ne make? folk no wrecches.
QUISQUIS UOLET P{ER}HENNEM CAUTUS.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe met{ur}. ]]
++What maner man stable {and} war ? at wil founden hym a p{er}durable
sete {and} ne wil not be cast doune wi? ? e loude blastes of ? e wynde
Eurus. {and} wil dispise ? e see manassynge wi? floodes ? Lat hym eschewe
to bilde on ? e cop of ? e mou{n}tay{n}gne. or in ? e moyste sandes. ? For
? e fel[le] wynde auster to{ur}mente? ? e cop of ? e mou{n}tayngne wi? alle
his streng? es. ? and ? e lowe see sandes refuse to beren ? e heuy wey? te.
{and} for? i yif ? ou wolt flee ? e p{er}ilous auenture ? at is to seine of
? e worlde ? Haue mynde certeynly to ficchyn ? i house of a myrie site in
a lowe stoone. ? For al ? ou? ? e wynde troublyng ? e see ? ondre wi?
ouere? rowynges ? ? ou ? at art put i{n} quiete {and} welful by streng? e of
? i palys shalt leden a cleer age. scornyng ? e wodenesses and ? e Ires of
? e eir.
SET CUM RACIONU{M} IAM IN TE.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se. ]]
++But for as moche as ? e noryssinges of my resou{n}s descenden now in to
? e. I trowe it were tyme to vsen a litel strenger medicynes. ? Now
vndirstonde here al were it so ? at ? e ? iftis of fortune nar[e] nat
brutel ne t{ra}nsitorie. what is ? er in hem ? at may be ? ine in any tyme.
or ellis ? at it nys foule if ? at it be considered {and} lokid
p{er}fitely. ? Richesse ben ? ei p{re}ciouse by ? e nature of hem self. or
ellys by ? e nature of ? e. What is most wor? i of rycchesse. is it nat
golde or my? t of moneye assembled. ? Certis ? ilke golde {and} ? ilke
moneye shine? {and} ? eue?
better renou{n} to hem ? at dispenden it. ? en
to ? ilke folke ? at mokeren it. For auarice make? alwey mokeres to be
hated. {and} largesse make? folke clere of renou{n} ? For syn ? at swiche
? i{n}g as is t{ra}nsfered from o man to an o? er ne may nat dwellen wi?
no man. Certis ? an is ? ilke moneye p{re}cious. whan it is translated in
to o? er folk. {and} stynte? to ben had by vsage of large ? euy{n}g of hym
? at ha? ? euen it. {and} also yif al ? e moneye ? at is ouer-al in ? e world
were gadered towar[d] o man. it sholde maken al o? er men to ben nedy as
of ? at. ? And certys a voys al hool ? at is to seyn wi? -oute amenusynge
fulfille? to gyder ? e heryng of myche folke. but Certys ? oure rycchesse
ne mowen nat passen vnto myche folk wi? -oute amenussyng ? And whan ? ei
ben apassed. nedys ? ei maken hem pore ? at forgon ? e rycchesses. ? O
streite {and} nedy clepe I ? ise rycchesses. syn ? at many folke [ne] may
nat han it al. ne al may it nat comen to on man wi? -oute pouerte of al
o? er folke. ? And ? e shynynge of ge{m}mes ? at I clepe p{re}ciouse
stones. drawe? it nat ? e eyen of folk in to hem warde. ? at is to seyne
for ? e beaute. ? For certys yif ? er were beaute or bounte in shynyng of
stones. ? ilke clerenesse is of ? e stones hem self. {and} nat of men.
? For whiche I wondre gretly ? at men merueilen on swiche ? inges. ? For
whi what ? ing is it ? at yif it wa{n}te? moeuyng {and} ioynture of soule
{and} body ? at by ry? t my? t[e] semen a faire creature to hym ? at ha? a
soule of resou{n}. ? For al be it so ? at ge{m}mes drawen to hem self a
litel of ? e laste beaute of ? e worlde. ? oru? ? e entent of hir creato{ur}
{and} ? oru? ? e distincc{i}ou{n} of hem self. ? it for as myche as ? ei ben
put vndir ? oure excellence. ? ei han not desserued by no weye ? at ? e
shullen merueylen on hem. ? And ? e beaute of feeldes delite? it nat
mychel vnto ? ow. _Boyce. _ ? Whi sholde it nat deliten vs. syn ? at it is
a ry? t fayr porciou{n} of ? e ry? t fair werk. ? at is to seyn of ? is
worlde. ? And ry? t so ben we gladed somtyme of ? e face of ? e see whan it
is clere. And also merueylen we on ? e heuene {and} on ? e sterres. {and}
on ? e sonne. {and} on ? e mone. _Philosophie. _ ? App{er}teine? q{uo}d she
any of ? ilke ? inges to ? e. whi darst ? ou glorifie ? e in ? e shynynge of
any swiche ? inges. Art ? ou distingwed {and} embelised by ? e spryngyng
floures of ? e first somer sesou{n}. or swelli? ? i plente in fruytes of
somer. whi art ? ou rauyshed wi? ydel ioies. 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 ?
for more wor? i ? ing {and} more digne is ? ilke ? ing ? {a}t may nat be
taken awey. ? ? an shewi? it wele ? at ? e vnstablenesse of fortune may nat
attayne to receyue verray blisfulnes. ? And ? it more ouer. ? What man
? at ? is toumblyng welefulnesse leedi? . ei? er he woot ? at [it] is
chaungeable. or ellis he woot it nat. ? And yif he woot it not. what
blisful fortune may ? er be in ? e blyndenesse of ignorau{n}ce. and yif he
woot ? at it is chaungeable. he mot alwey ben adrad ? {a}t he ne lese ? at
? ing. ? at he ne doute? nat but ? at he may leesen it. ? As whoo sei? he
mot ben alwey agast lest he leese ? at he wot wel he may leese. ? For
whiche ? e continuel drede ? at he ha? ne suffri? hym nat to ben weleful.
? Or ellys yif he leese it he wene to be dispised {and} forleten hit.
? Certis eke ? at is a ful lytel goode ? at is born wi? euene hert[e] whan
it is loost. ? ? at is to seyne ? at men don no more force. of ? e lost ? an
of ? e hauynge. ? And for as myche as ? ou ? i self art he to who{m} it ha?
ben shewid {and} p{ro}ued by ful many[e] demonstrac{i}ou{n}s. as I woot
wel ? at ? e soules of men ne mowen nat dien in no wise. and eke syn it is
clere. {and} certeyne ? at fortunous welefulnesse endi? by ? e dee? of ? e
body. ? It may nat ben douted ? at yif ? at dee? may take awey
blysfulnesse ? at al ? e kynde of mortal ? i{n}g{us} ne descendi? in to
wrecchednesse by ? e ende of ? e dee? . ? And syn we knowen wel ? at many a
man ha? sou? t ? e fruit of blisfulnesse nat only wi? suffryng of dee? .
but eke wi? suffryng of peynes {and} to{ur}mentes. how my? t[e] ? an ? is
p{re}sent lijf make men blisful. syn ? at whanne ? ilke self[e] lijf is
endid. it ne make? folk no wrecches.
QUISQUIS UOLET P{ER}HENNEM CAUTUS.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe met{ur}. ]]
++What maner man stable {and} war ? at wil founden hym a p{er}durable
sete {and} ne wil not be cast doune wi? ? e loude blastes of ? e wynde
Eurus. {and} wil dispise ? e see manassynge wi? floodes ? Lat hym eschewe
to bilde on ? e cop of ? e mou{n}tay{n}gne. or in ? e moyste sandes. ? For
? e fel[le] wynde auster to{ur}mente? ? e cop of ? e mou{n}tayngne wi? alle
his streng? es. ? and ? e lowe see sandes refuse to beren ? e heuy wey? te.
{and} for? i yif ? ou wolt flee ? e p{er}ilous auenture ? at is to seine of
? e worlde ? Haue mynde certeynly to ficchyn ? i house of a myrie site in
a lowe stoone. ? For al ? ou? ? e wynde troublyng ? e see ? ondre wi?
ouere? rowynges ? ? ou ? at art put i{n} quiete {and} welful by streng? e of
? i palys shalt leden a cleer age. scornyng ? e wodenesses and ? e Ires of
? e eir.
SET CUM RACIONU{M} IAM IN TE.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se. ]]
++But for as moche as ? e noryssinges of my resou{n}s descenden now in to
? e. I trowe it were tyme to vsen a litel strenger medicynes. ? Now
vndirstonde here al were it so ? at ? e ? iftis of fortune nar[e] nat
brutel ne t{ra}nsitorie. what is ? er in hem ? at may be ? ine in any tyme.
or ellis ? at it nys foule if ? at it be considered {and} lokid
p{er}fitely. ? Richesse ben ? ei p{re}ciouse by ? e nature of hem self. or
ellys by ? e nature of ? e. What is most wor? i of rycchesse. is it nat
golde or my? t of moneye assembled. ? Certis ? ilke golde {and} ? ilke
moneye shine? {and} ? eue?
better renou{n} to hem ? at dispenden it. ? en
to ? ilke folke ? at mokeren it. For auarice make? alwey mokeres to be
hated. {and} largesse make? folke clere of renou{n} ? For syn ? at swiche
? i{n}g as is t{ra}nsfered from o man to an o? er ne may nat dwellen wi?
no man. Certis ? an is ? ilke moneye p{re}cious. whan it is translated in
to o? er folk. {and} stynte? to ben had by vsage of large ? euy{n}g of hym
? at ha? ? euen it. {and} also yif al ? e moneye ? at is ouer-al in ? e world
were gadered towar[d] o man. it sholde maken al o? er men to ben nedy as
of ? at. ? And certys a voys al hool ? at is to seyn wi? -oute amenusynge
fulfille? to gyder ? e heryng of myche folke. but Certys ? oure rycchesse
ne mowen nat passen vnto myche folk wi? -oute amenussyng ? And whan ? ei
ben apassed. nedys ? ei maken hem pore ? at forgon ? e rycchesses. ? O
streite {and} nedy clepe I ? ise rycchesses. syn ? at many folke [ne] may
nat han it al. ne al may it nat comen to on man wi? -oute pouerte of al
o? er folke. ? And ? e shynynge of ge{m}mes ? at I clepe p{re}ciouse
stones. drawe? it nat ? e eyen of folk in to hem warde. ? at is to seyne
for ? e beaute. ? For certys yif ? er were beaute or bounte in shynyng of
stones. ? ilke clerenesse is of ? e stones hem self. {and} nat of men.
? For whiche I wondre gretly ? at men merueilen on swiche ? inges. ? For
whi what ? ing is it ? at yif it wa{n}te? moeuyng {and} ioynture of soule
{and} body ? at by ry? t my? t[e] semen a faire creature to hym ? at ha? a
soule of resou{n}. ? For al be it so ? at ge{m}mes drawen to hem self a
litel of ? e laste beaute of ? e worlde. ? oru? ? e entent of hir creato{ur}
{and} ? oru? ? e distincc{i}ou{n} of hem self. ? it for as myche as ? ei ben
put vndir ? oure excellence. ? ei han not desserued by no weye ? at ? e
shullen merueylen on hem. ? And ? e beaute of feeldes delite? it nat
mychel vnto ? ow. _Boyce. _ ? Whi sholde it nat deliten vs. syn ? at it is
a ry? t fayr porciou{n} of ? e ry? t fair werk. ? at is to seyn of ? is
worlde. ? And ry? t so ben we gladed somtyme of ? e face of ? e see whan it
is clere. And also merueylen we on ? e heuene {and} on ? e sterres. {and}
on ? e sonne. {and} on ? e mone. _Philosophie. _ ? App{er}teine? q{uo}d she
any of ? ilke ? inges to ? e. whi darst ? ou glorifie ? e in ? e shynynge of
any swiche ? inges. Art ? ou distingwed {and} embelised by ? e spryngyng
floures of ? e first somer sesou{n}. or swelli? ? i plente in fruytes of
somer. whi art ? ou rauyshed wi? ydel ioies. 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 ?
