e office of
aduocat?
Chaucer - Boethius
?
at is to seyn ?
at more vnsely ben ?
ei
? at don wrong to o? er folk. ? en ? ei ? at ? e wrong [[pg 129]]
suffren.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I would willingly hear your reasons. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 29. ]]
? I wolde heren ? ilke *same resou{n}s q{uo}d I 3684
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do you deny that every wicked man deserves
punishment? ]
? Deniest ? ou q{uo}d she ? at alle shrewes ne ben wor? i
to han to{ur}ment.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No, I do not. ]
nay q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I am satisfied that impious men are in many ways
miserable. ]
but q{uo}d she I am certeyne
by many resou{n}s ? at shrewes ben vnsely.
[Sidenote: _B. _ They are so. ]
it accorde?
q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then those that deserve punishment are miserable. ]
? an [ne] dowtest ? ou nat q{uo}d she ? at 3688
? ilke folk ? at ben wor? i of to{ur}ment ? at ? ei ne ben
wrecches.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I admit it. ]
It accorde? wel q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ If you were a judge, upon whom would you inflict
punishment? upon the wrong-doer, or upon the injured? ]
yif ? ou were ? an
q{uo}d she yset a Iuge or a knower of ? inges. whe? er
trowest ? ou ? {a}t men sholde to{ur}ment[e] hym ? at ha? 3692
don ? e wronge. or hym ? at ha? suffred ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should not hesitate to punish the offender as a
satisfaction to the sufferer. ]
I ne doute nat q{uo}d I. ? at I nolde don suffissaunt satisfacc{i}ou{n}
to hym ? at had[de] suffred ? e wrong by ? e
sorwe of hym ? at had[de] don ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then you would deem the injuring person more
unhappy than he who had been wronged? ]
? ? an 3696
seme? it q{uo}d she ? at ? e doar of wrong is more wrecche
? an he ? at ha? suffred ? e wrong.
[Sidenote: _B. _ That follows naturally. ]
? at folwe? wel q{uo}d [I].
[Sidenote: _P. _ From this then, and other reasons of like nature,
it seems that vice makes men miserable, and an injury done to any
man is the misery of the doer, and not of the sufferer. ]
? an q{uo}d she by ? ise causes {and} by o? er causes
? at ben enforced by ? e same roate ? at fil? e or synne by 3700
? e p{ro}pre nature of it make? men wretches. {and} it
shewe? wel ? at ? e wrong ? at me{n} don nis nat ? e
wrecchenesse of hym ? at receyue? ? e wrong. but ? e
wrecchednesse of hym ? at do? ? e wronge
[Sidenote: But our advocates think differently--they try to obtain
pity for those that have suffered cruelty and oppression;]
? but certys 3704
q{uo}d she ? ise orato{ur}s or aduocat? don al ? e contrarie
for ? ei enforcen hem to co{m}moeue ? e iuges to han pite
of he{m} ? at han suffred {and} resceyued ? e ? inges ? at ben
greuous {and} aspre.
[Sidenote: but the juster pity is really due to the oppressors,
who ought, therefore, to be led to judgment as the sick are to the
physician, not by angry but by merciful and kind accusers, so
that, by the physic of chastisement, they may be cured of their
vices. ]
{and} ? itte men sholden more ry? tfully 3708
han pitee on hem ? at don ? e greuaunces {and} ? e
wronges. ? e whiche shrewes it were a more couenable
? ing ? at ? e accuso{ur}s or aduocat? not wro? e but pitous
{and} debonaire ladden ? e shrewes ? at han don wro{n}g to 3712
? e Iugement. ry? t as men leden seke folk to ? e leche.
[Linenotes:
3675 _wilt ? ou seyne_--woltow seyn
3676 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. for-lorn
_sy? t_--syhte
_had[de]_--hadde
3677 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh
_fayled[e]_--faylede
3678 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen
3679 _? ing_--thinges
_q. d. _--MS. q{uod}
3681 _whiche_--which
3683 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_o? er_--oothr{e}
3688 [_ne_]--from C.
3691 _yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset
_whe? er_--omitted
3692 _tourment[e]_--tormenten
3692-3 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3693 _wronge_ (2)--wrong
3695 _had[de]_--hadde
3696 _had[de]_--hadden
_wronge_--wrong
3697 _doar_--doere
3698 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3699 [_I_]--from C. [[_word moved to l. 3698_]]
3700 _ben_--ben of
_roate_--Roote
3703-4 _but----wronge_--omitted
3704 _do? _--MS. do? e
3711 _wro? e_--wroth
3712 _? e_--tho
_don_--MS. done, C. don
3713 _seke_--syke]
[Headnote:
THE DUTY OF ADVOCATES. ]
for ? at ? ei sholden seken out ? e maladies of synne by
to{ur}ment? . [[pg 130]]
[Sidenote: I would not have the guilty defrauded by their
advocates. Their duty is to accuse, and not to excuse offenders. ]
and by ? is couenaunt ey? er ? e entent of ? e
defendo{ur}s or aduocat? sholde fayle {and} cesen in al. or 3716
ellys yif ?
e office of aduocat? wolde bettre p{ro}fiten to
men. it sholde be to{ur}ned in to ? e habit of accusac{i}ou{n}.
? at is [to] s[e]yn ? ei sholde{n} accuse shrewes. {and} nat
excuse hem.
[Sidenote: Were it permitted the wicked to get a slight view of
virtue's beauty, which they have forsaken, and could they be
persuaded of the purifying effects of lawful chastisement, they
surely would not consider punishment as an evil, but would
willingly give themselves up to justice and refuse the defence of
their advocates. ]
{and} eke ? e shrewes hem self. ? it it were 3720
leueful to hem to seen at any clifte ? e vertue ? at ? ei
han forleten. {and} sawen ? at ? ei sholde putten adou{n}
? e fil? es of hire vices by [the] to{ur}ment? of peynes. ? ei
ne au? ten nat ry? t for ? e reco{m}pensac{i}ou{n} forto geten 3724
hem bounte {and} prowesse whiche ? at ? ei han lost demen
ne holden ? at ? ilke peynes weren to{ur}mentes to hem.
{and} eke ? ei wolden refuse ? e attendau{n}ce of hir aduocat?
{and} taken hem self to hire iuges {and} to hir accusours. 3728
[Sidenote: The wise hate nobody, only a fool hates good men; and
it is as irrational to hate the wicked. ]
for whiche it bytide? [? {a}t] as to ? e wise folk
? er nis no place ylete to hate. ? at is to seyn. ? at hate
ne ha? no place amonges wise men. ? For no wy? t
wolde haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a 3732
fole. ? and forto haten shrewes it nis no resou{n}.
[Sidenote: Vice is a sickness of the soul, and needs our
compassion, and not our hate, for the distempers of the soul are
more deplorable than those of the body, and have more claims upon
our compassion. ]
? For ry? t so as languissing is maladie of body. ry? t
so ben vices {and} sy{n}ne maladies of corage. ? and so as
we ne deme nat ? at ? ei ? at ben seek of hire body ben 3736
wor? i to ben hated. but ra? er wor? i of pite. wel more
wor? i nat to ben hated. but forto ben had in pite ben
? ei of whiche ? e ? ou? tes ben constreined by felonous
wickednesse. ? at is more cruel ? a{n} any languissinge of 3740
body.
[Linenotes:
3715 _tourment? _--torment
_? e_ (2)--omitted
3719 _[to] s[e]yn_--to seyn
3722 _sawen_--sawh
_sholde_--sholden
3723 [_the_]--from C.
3724 _au? ten_--owhte
3725-29 _whiche_--which
3729 _bytide? _--MS. bynde? , C. bytidith
[_? at_]--from C.
3730 _ylete_--I-leten
3731 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3732 _wolde_--nyl
_moche_--mochel
3733 _fole_--fool
3736 _seek_--syke]
[Headnote:
THE FOLLY OF WAR. ]
QUID TANTOS IUUAT.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: What frenzy causes man to hasten on his fate, that is,
by war or by strife. ]
++What delite? it ? ow to exciten so grete moewynges of
hatredes {and} to hasten {and} bisien [the] fatal disposic{i}ou{n}
of ? oure dee? wi? ? oure p{ro}pre handes. ? at is 3744
to seyn by batailes or [by] contek.
[Sidenote: If death is desired he delays not to come. ]
for yif ? e axen ? e
dee? it hastisi? hym of hys owen wille. ne dee? ne [[pg 131]]
tarie? nat hys swifte hors.
[Sidenote: Why do they who are exposed to the assaults of beasts
of prey and venomous reptiles seek to slay each other with the
sword. ]
and [the] men ? at ? e serpent?
{and} ? e lyou{n}s. {and} ? e tigre. {and} ? e beere {and} ? e 3748
boore seken to sleen wi? her te? e. ? it ? ilke same men
seken to sleen eueryche of hem o? er wi? swerde.
[Sidenote: Lo! their manners and opinions do not accord, wherefore
they engage in unjust wars, and fiercely urge on each other's
destiny. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 29 _b_. ]]
loo for
her man{er}s ben *diuerse {and} discordaunt ? ? ei
moeuen vnry? tful oostes {and} cruel batailes. {and} wilne 3752
to p{er}isse by enterchaungynge of dartes.
[Sidenote: But this is no just reason for shedding blood. ]
but ? e resou{n}
of cruelte nis nat ynou? ry? tful.
[Sidenote: Wouldst thou reward each as he deserves? Then love the
good as they deserve, and have pity upon the wicked. ]
wilt ? ou ? an ? elden a
couenable gerdou{n} to ? e desertes of men ? Loue ry? tfully
goode folk[;] {and} haue pite on shrewes. 3756
[Linenotes:
3743 [_the_]--from C.
3745 [_by_]--from C.
3746 _hastisi? _--hasteth
_owen wille_--owne wyl
3747 [_the_]--from C.
3749 _boore_--boor
_te? e_--teth
3750 _swerde_--swerd
3751 _her_--hir
3752 _wilne_--wylnen
3753 _enterchaungynge_--entrechaungynges]
[Headnote:
THE OPERATIONS OF CHANCE. ]
HINC EGO UIDEO INQ{UA}M. {ET} CET{ERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see plainly the nature of that felicity which
attends the virtues of the good, and of the misery that follows
the vices of the wicked. ]
++? us see I wel q{uo}d I. ey? er what blisfulnesse or ellys
what vnselinesse is estab[l]issed in ? e desertys of
goode men {and} of shrewes.
[Sidenote: But in Fortune I see a mixture of good and evil. The
wise man prefers riches, &c. , to poverty, &c. ]
? but in ? is ilke fortune
of poeple I see somwhat of goode. {and} somwhat of 3760
yuel. for no wise man ha? nat leuer ben exiled pore
{and} nedy {and} nameles. ? an forto dwellen in hys Citee
{and} flouren of rychesses. {and} be redoutable by honoure.
{and} stronge of power
[Sidenote: And wisdom appears more illustrious, when wise men are
governors and impart their felicity to their subjects; and when
imprisonment, torture, &c. , are inflicted only upon bad citizens. ]
for in ? is wise more clerely {and} 3764
more witnesfully is ? e office of wise men ytretid whan
? e blisfulnes {and} [the] pouste of gouerno{ur}s is as it
were yshad amonges poeples ? at ben ney? boures {and}
subgit? . syn ? at namely prisou{n} lawe {and} ? ise o? er 3768
to{ur}ment? of lawful peynes ben ra? er owed to felonous
Cite? eins. for ? e whiche felonous Cite? eins ? o peynes
ben establissed.
? at don wrong to o? er folk. ? en ? ei ? at ? e wrong [[pg 129]]
suffren.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I would willingly hear your reasons. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 29. ]]
? I wolde heren ? ilke *same resou{n}s q{uo}d I 3684
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do you deny that every wicked man deserves
punishment? ]
? Deniest ? ou q{uo}d she ? at alle shrewes ne ben wor? i
to han to{ur}ment.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No, I do not. ]
nay q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I am satisfied that impious men are in many ways
miserable. ]
but q{uo}d she I am certeyne
by many resou{n}s ? at shrewes ben vnsely.
[Sidenote: _B. _ They are so. ]
it accorde?
q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then those that deserve punishment are miserable. ]
? an [ne] dowtest ? ou nat q{uo}d she ? at 3688
? ilke folk ? at ben wor? i of to{ur}ment ? at ? ei ne ben
wrecches.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I admit it. ]
It accorde? wel q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ If you were a judge, upon whom would you inflict
punishment? upon the wrong-doer, or upon the injured? ]
yif ? ou were ? an
q{uo}d she yset a Iuge or a knower of ? inges. whe? er
trowest ? ou ? {a}t men sholde to{ur}ment[e] hym ? at ha? 3692
don ? e wronge. or hym ? at ha? suffred ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should not hesitate to punish the offender as a
satisfaction to the sufferer. ]
I ne doute nat q{uo}d I. ? at I nolde don suffissaunt satisfacc{i}ou{n}
to hym ? at had[de] suffred ? e wrong by ? e
sorwe of hym ? at had[de] don ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then you would deem the injuring person more
unhappy than he who had been wronged? ]
? ? an 3696
seme? it q{uo}d she ? at ? e doar of wrong is more wrecche
? an he ? at ha? suffred ? e wrong.
[Sidenote: _B. _ That follows naturally. ]
? at folwe? wel q{uo}d [I].
[Sidenote: _P. _ From this then, and other reasons of like nature,
it seems that vice makes men miserable, and an injury done to any
man is the misery of the doer, and not of the sufferer. ]
? an q{uo}d she by ? ise causes {and} by o? er causes
? at ben enforced by ? e same roate ? at fil? e or synne by 3700
? e p{ro}pre nature of it make? men wretches. {and} it
shewe? wel ? at ? e wrong ? at me{n} don nis nat ? e
wrecchenesse of hym ? at receyue? ? e wrong. but ? e
wrecchednesse of hym ? at do? ? e wronge
[Sidenote: But our advocates think differently--they try to obtain
pity for those that have suffered cruelty and oppression;]
? but certys 3704
q{uo}d she ? ise orato{ur}s or aduocat? don al ? e contrarie
for ? ei enforcen hem to co{m}moeue ? e iuges to han pite
of he{m} ? at han suffred {and} resceyued ? e ? inges ? at ben
greuous {and} aspre.
[Sidenote: but the juster pity is really due to the oppressors,
who ought, therefore, to be led to judgment as the sick are to the
physician, not by angry but by merciful and kind accusers, so
that, by the physic of chastisement, they may be cured of their
vices. ]
{and} ? itte men sholden more ry? tfully 3708
han pitee on hem ? at don ? e greuaunces {and} ? e
wronges. ? e whiche shrewes it were a more couenable
? ing ? at ? e accuso{ur}s or aduocat? not wro? e but pitous
{and} debonaire ladden ? e shrewes ? at han don wro{n}g to 3712
? e Iugement. ry? t as men leden seke folk to ? e leche.
[Linenotes:
3675 _wilt ? ou seyne_--woltow seyn
3676 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. for-lorn
_sy? t_--syhte
_had[de]_--hadde
3677 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh
_fayled[e]_--faylede
3678 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen
3679 _? ing_--thinges
_q. d. _--MS. q{uod}
3681 _whiche_--which
3683 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_o? er_--oothr{e}
3688 [_ne_]--from C.
3691 _yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset
_whe? er_--omitted
3692 _tourment[e]_--tormenten
3692-3 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3693 _wronge_ (2)--wrong
3695 _had[de]_--hadde
3696 _had[de]_--hadden
_wronge_--wrong
3697 _doar_--doere
3698 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3699 [_I_]--from C. [[_word moved to l. 3698_]]
3700 _ben_--ben of
_roate_--Roote
3703-4 _but----wronge_--omitted
3704 _do? _--MS. do? e
3711 _wro? e_--wroth
3712 _? e_--tho
_don_--MS. done, C. don
3713 _seke_--syke]
[Headnote:
THE DUTY OF ADVOCATES. ]
for ? at ? ei sholden seken out ? e maladies of synne by
to{ur}ment? . [[pg 130]]
[Sidenote: I would not have the guilty defrauded by their
advocates. Their duty is to accuse, and not to excuse offenders. ]
and by ? is couenaunt ey? er ? e entent of ? e
defendo{ur}s or aduocat? sholde fayle {and} cesen in al. or 3716
ellys yif ?
e office of aduocat? wolde bettre p{ro}fiten to
men. it sholde be to{ur}ned in to ? e habit of accusac{i}ou{n}.
? at is [to] s[e]yn ? ei sholde{n} accuse shrewes. {and} nat
excuse hem.
[Sidenote: Were it permitted the wicked to get a slight view of
virtue's beauty, which they have forsaken, and could they be
persuaded of the purifying effects of lawful chastisement, they
surely would not consider punishment as an evil, but would
willingly give themselves up to justice and refuse the defence of
their advocates. ]
{and} eke ? e shrewes hem self. ? it it were 3720
leueful to hem to seen at any clifte ? e vertue ? at ? ei
han forleten. {and} sawen ? at ? ei sholde putten adou{n}
? e fil? es of hire vices by [the] to{ur}ment? of peynes. ? ei
ne au? ten nat ry? t for ? e reco{m}pensac{i}ou{n} forto geten 3724
hem bounte {and} prowesse whiche ? at ? ei han lost demen
ne holden ? at ? ilke peynes weren to{ur}mentes to hem.
{and} eke ? ei wolden refuse ? e attendau{n}ce of hir aduocat?
{and} taken hem self to hire iuges {and} to hir accusours. 3728
[Sidenote: The wise hate nobody, only a fool hates good men; and
it is as irrational to hate the wicked. ]
for whiche it bytide? [? {a}t] as to ? e wise folk
? er nis no place ylete to hate. ? at is to seyn. ? at hate
ne ha? no place amonges wise men. ? For no wy? t
wolde haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a 3732
fole. ? and forto haten shrewes it nis no resou{n}.
[Sidenote: Vice is a sickness of the soul, and needs our
compassion, and not our hate, for the distempers of the soul are
more deplorable than those of the body, and have more claims upon
our compassion. ]
? For ry? t so as languissing is maladie of body. ry? t
so ben vices {and} sy{n}ne maladies of corage. ? and so as
we ne deme nat ? at ? ei ? at ben seek of hire body ben 3736
wor? i to ben hated. but ra? er wor? i of pite. wel more
wor? i nat to ben hated. but forto ben had in pite ben
? ei of whiche ? e ? ou? tes ben constreined by felonous
wickednesse. ? at is more cruel ? a{n} any languissinge of 3740
body.
[Linenotes:
3715 _tourment? _--torment
_? e_ (2)--omitted
3719 _[to] s[e]yn_--to seyn
3722 _sawen_--sawh
_sholde_--sholden
3723 [_the_]--from C.
3724 _au? ten_--owhte
3725-29 _whiche_--which
3729 _bytide? _--MS. bynde? , C. bytidith
[_? at_]--from C.
3730 _ylete_--I-leten
3731 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3732 _wolde_--nyl
_moche_--mochel
3733 _fole_--fool
3736 _seek_--syke]
[Headnote:
THE FOLLY OF WAR. ]
QUID TANTOS IUUAT.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: What frenzy causes man to hasten on his fate, that is,
by war or by strife. ]
++What delite? it ? ow to exciten so grete moewynges of
hatredes {and} to hasten {and} bisien [the] fatal disposic{i}ou{n}
of ? oure dee? wi? ? oure p{ro}pre handes. ? at is 3744
to seyn by batailes or [by] contek.
[Sidenote: If death is desired he delays not to come. ]
for yif ? e axen ? e
dee? it hastisi? hym of hys owen wille. ne dee? ne [[pg 131]]
tarie? nat hys swifte hors.
[Sidenote: Why do they who are exposed to the assaults of beasts
of prey and venomous reptiles seek to slay each other with the
sword. ]
and [the] men ? at ? e serpent?
{and} ? e lyou{n}s. {and} ? e tigre. {and} ? e beere {and} ? e 3748
boore seken to sleen wi? her te? e. ? it ? ilke same men
seken to sleen eueryche of hem o? er wi? swerde.
[Sidenote: Lo! their manners and opinions do not accord, wherefore
they engage in unjust wars, and fiercely urge on each other's
destiny. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 29 _b_. ]]
loo for
her man{er}s ben *diuerse {and} discordaunt ? ? ei
moeuen vnry? tful oostes {and} cruel batailes. {and} wilne 3752
to p{er}isse by enterchaungynge of dartes.
[Sidenote: But this is no just reason for shedding blood. ]
but ? e resou{n}
of cruelte nis nat ynou? ry? tful.
[Sidenote: Wouldst thou reward each as he deserves? Then love the
good as they deserve, and have pity upon the wicked. ]
wilt ? ou ? an ? elden a
couenable gerdou{n} to ? e desertes of men ? Loue ry? tfully
goode folk[;] {and} haue pite on shrewes. 3756
[Linenotes:
3743 [_the_]--from C.
3745 [_by_]--from C.
3746 _hastisi? _--hasteth
_owen wille_--owne wyl
3747 [_the_]--from C.
3749 _boore_--boor
_te? e_--teth
3750 _swerde_--swerd
3751 _her_--hir
3752 _wilne_--wylnen
3753 _enterchaungynge_--entrechaungynges]
[Headnote:
THE OPERATIONS OF CHANCE. ]
HINC EGO UIDEO INQ{UA}M. {ET} CET{ERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see plainly the nature of that felicity which
attends the virtues of the good, and of the misery that follows
the vices of the wicked. ]
++? us see I wel q{uo}d I. ey? er what blisfulnesse or ellys
what vnselinesse is estab[l]issed in ? e desertys of
goode men {and} of shrewes.
[Sidenote: But in Fortune I see a mixture of good and evil. The
wise man prefers riches, &c. , to poverty, &c. ]
? but in ? is ilke fortune
of poeple I see somwhat of goode. {and} somwhat of 3760
yuel. for no wise man ha? nat leuer ben exiled pore
{and} nedy {and} nameles. ? an forto dwellen in hys Citee
{and} flouren of rychesses. {and} be redoutable by honoure.
{and} stronge of power
[Sidenote: And wisdom appears more illustrious, when wise men are
governors and impart their felicity to their subjects; and when
imprisonment, torture, &c. , are inflicted only upon bad citizens. ]
for in ? is wise more clerely {and} 3764
more witnesfully is ? e office of wise men ytretid whan
? e blisfulnes {and} [the] pouste of gouerno{ur}s is as it
were yshad amonges poeples ? at ben ney? boures {and}
subgit? . syn ? at namely prisou{n} lawe {and} ? ise o? er 3768
to{ur}ment? of lawful peynes ben ra? er owed to felonous
Cite? eins. for ? e whiche felonous Cite? eins ? o peynes
ben establissed.
