]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ?
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ?
Chaucer - Boethius
at is forto sein.
?
at shrewes
reuengen hem a? einward vpon dignites. for ? ei ? elden 2008
a? ein to dignites as gret gerdou{n} whan ? ei byspotten
{and} defoulen dignites wi? hire vylenie.
[Sidenote: These shadowy honours have nothing in their nature to
procure respect; for if a man, having borne the honours of the
consulate, should go among barbarians would this honour gain him
their respect? ]
? And for as
moche as ? ou mow[e] knowe ? at ? ilke verray reuerence
ne may nat comen by ? e shadewy t{ra}nsitorie dignitees. 2012
vndirstonde now ? is. yif ? at a man hadde vsed {and}
hadde many manere dignites of consules {and} were
come{n} p{er}auenture amonges straunge nac{i}ou{n}s. sholde
? ilke hono{ur} maken hym worshipful {and} redouted of 2016
straunge folk
[Sidenote: If respect were an attribute of honour it would
infallibly bring esteem everywhere, just as heat is ever an
attribute of fire. ]
? Certys yif ? at honour of poeple were
a naturel ? ifte to dignites. it ne my? te neuer cesen
nowher amonges no maner folke to done hys office.
[Linenotes:
2000 _clerly_--MS. clerkly, C. clerly
2002 _au? ten----hede_--owhten taken mor heed
2002-3 _For----dignite_--For yif so be ? {a}t a wykkyd whyght be
so mochel the fowler{e} {and} the moore owt cast ? {a}t he
is despised of most folk so as dignete
2004-2007 _maken----so? e_--maken shrewes digne of Reu{er}ence
the whych shrewes dignete sheweth to moche foolk thanne
makith dignete shrewes rather so moche mor{e} despised than
preysed {and} forsothe
2008 _? elden_--yilden
2009 _byspotten_--by-spetten
2010 _hire_--hyr
2011 _moche_--mochel
_mow[e]_--mowe
2012 _? e shadewy_--thyse shadwye
2013 _vndirstonde_--vndyrstond
_? is_--thus
2014 _hadde_--had
2018 _? ifte_--yift
2019 _folke_--foolk
_done_--don]
[Headnote:
DIGNITIES DO CONFER ESTEEM. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 17 _b_. ]]
? Ry? t as fire i{n} euery contre ne stinte? nat to 2020
enchaufen {and} *to ben hote.
[Sidenote: Honours arise from the false opinions of men, and
vanish when they come among those who do not esteem them, that is,
among foreign nations. ]
but for as myche as forto
be holden honorable or reuerent ne come? nat to folk of
hir p{ro}pre streng? e of nat{ur}e. but only of ? e fals[e] [[pg 74]]
opiniou{n} of folk. ? at is to sein. ? at wenen ? at dignites 2024
maken folk digne of hono{ur}. An on ? erfore whan ? at
? ei comen ? er as folk ne knowe{n} nat ? ilke dignites.
her hono{ur}s vanissen awey {and} ? at on oon. but ? at is
a-mong straung folk. maist ? ou sein.
[Sidenote: Do they always endure in those places that gave birth
to them? ]
but amo{n}g{us} 2028
hem ? at ? ei weren born duren ? ilk[e] dignites alwey.
[Sidenote: The Praetorate was once a great honour, but now it is
only an empty name and a heavy expense. ]
? Certys ? e dignite of ? e p{ro}uostrie of Rome was somtyme
a grete power. now is it no ? ing but an ydel
name. {and} ? e rente of ? e senatorie a g{r}et charge. 2032
[Sidenote: What is more vile than the office of the
superintendency of provisions? ]
{and} yif a whi? t somtyme hadde ? e office to taken he[de] to
? e vitailes of ? e poeple as of corne {and} what o? er ? inges
he was holden amonges grete. but what ? ing is more
nowe out cast ? anne ? ilke p{ro}uostrie
[Sidenote: That which hath no innate beauty must lose its
splendour or value according as popular opinion varies concerning
it. ]
? And as I haue 2036
seid a litel here byforne. ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at ha? no
p{ro}pre beaute of hym self resceyue? somtyme pris {and}
shinynge {and} somtyme lesi? it by ? e opiniou{n} of
vsaunces.
[Sidenote: If dignities cannot confer esteem, if they become vile
through filthy shrews, if they lose their lustre by the change of
times, if they become worthless by the change of popular opinion,
what beauty do they possess which should make them desirable, or
what dignity can they confer on others? ]
? Now yif ? at dignites ? anne ne mowen 2040
nat maken folk digne of reuerence. {and} yif ? {a}t dignites
wexen foule of hir wille by ? e fil? e of shrewes. ? and
yif ? at dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of
tymes. and yif ? ei wexen foule by estimac{i}ou{n} of 2044
poeple. what is it ? at ? ei han in hem self of beaute
? at au? te ben desired. as who sei? none. ? anne ne
mowen ? ei ? iuen no beaute of dignite to none o? er.
[Linenotes:
2020 _enchaufen_--eschaufen
2021 _myche_--mochel
2022 _be_--ben
2023 _fals[e]_--false
2024 _? at_ (2)--omitted
2027 _her_--hyr
_vanissen_--vanesshen
2028 _a-mong_--amonges
_straung_--strau{n}ge
_but_--ne
2029 _? at_--ther
_duren ? ilk[e]_--ne duren nat thylke
2030 _somtyme_--whylom
2031 _grete_--gret
2032 _? e_ (2)--omitted
2033 _somtyme_--whylom
_? e_--MS. ? e ? e
2034 _corne_--corn
_what_--omitted
2035 _more nowe_--now more
2036 _cast_--MS. caste, C. cast
2037 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
_here byforne_--her by-forn
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
2042 _fil? e_--felthe
2043 _? at_--omitted
2046 _au? te_--owhte
_none_--non
2047 _? ei_--MS. ? e, C. they
_none_--non]
QUA{M}UIS SE TIRIO.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Nero, though invested with the purple and adorned with
pearls, was hated by all men. ]
++Al be it so ? at ? e proude nero wi? al his woode luxurie 2048
kembed hym {and} apparailed hym wi? faire purp{er}s
of Tirie {and} wi? white perles. Algates ? itte throf he
hateful to alle folk ? ? is is to seyn ? at
al was he by-hated [[pg 75]]
of alle folk.
[Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the
dishonoured seats of dignity. ]
? ? itte ? is wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ? af somtyme to ? e dredeful senatours ? e
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ? vnworshipful setes
he clepi? here fore ? at Nero ? at was so wikked ? af ? o
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews? ]
who wolde ? anne resonably wenen ? at blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ? euen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _? itte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_? af somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}enc?
2055 _fore_--for
_? af_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY. ]
AN UERO REGNA.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do kingdoms and a familiarity with princes make a
man mighty?
]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ? ei maken a
ma{n} to ben my? ty.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should they not if they are durable? ]
how ellys. ? whanne hir 2060
blysfulnesse dure? p{er}petuely
[Sidenote: _P. _ Past ages, as well as the present, furnish us with
many examples of princes who have met with dismal reverses of
fortune. ]
but certys ? e olde age of
tyme passe? . {and} eke of p{re}sent tyme now is ful of
ensau{m}ples how ? {a}t kynges ? at han chaunged in to
wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: O then how noble and glorious a thing is power that is
too weak to preserve itself! ]
? O a noble ? ing 2064
{and} a cler ? ing is power ? at is nat founden my? ty to
kepe it self.
[Sidenote: If dominion brings felicity, then misery will follow if
it be defective. ]
? And yif ? at power of realmes be auctour
{and} maker of blisfulnesse. yif ? ilke power lakke? on
any side. amenusi? it nat ? ilke blisfulnesse {and} brynge? 2068
in wrechednesse.
[Sidenote: But human rule has its limits, therefore wherever power
ceases there impotence enters, bringing misery along with it. ]
but yif al be it so ? at realmes of mankynde
stretchen b{r}oode. ? it mot ? er nede ben myche
folk ouer whiche ? at euery kyng ne ha? no lordshipe
no comaundement ? and certys vpon ? ilke syde ? at 2072
power faille? whiche ? at maki? folk blisful. ry? t on ? at
same side nou{n}power entri? vndirne? ? at make? hem
wreches.
[Sidenote: Kings, therefore, have a larger portion of misery than
of felicity. ]
? In ? is manere ? anne moten kynges han
more porciou{n} of wrechednesse ? an of welefulnesse. 2076
[Linenotes:
2060 _my? ty_--MS. vnmy? ty, C. myhty
2062 _passe? _--passed
_of_ (2)--omitted
2063 _kynges ? at han_--kynges ben
2066 _kepe_--kepen
2067 _maker_--maker{e}
2069 _yif_--yit
_realmes_--the Reaumes
2070 _stretchen_--strechchen
_myche_--moche
2071 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
2073 _whiche_--whych
2074 _vndirne? _--vndyr-nethe]
[Headnote:
POWER DOES NOT DRIVE AWAY CARE. ]
[Sidenote: Dionysius of Sicily, conscious of this condition,
exhibited the fears and cares of royalty by the terror of a naked
sword hanging over the head of his friend and flatterer Damocles. ]
? A tyraunt ? at was kyng of sisile ? at had[de] assaied
? e p{er}il of his estat shewid[e] by similitude ? e dredes
of realmes by gastnesse of a swerde ? at heng ouer ? e
heued of his familier.
[Sidenote: What then is this thing called Power, which cannot do
away with care or fear? ]
what ? ing is ? an ? is power ? at 2080
may nat don awey ? e bytynges of besines ne eschewe [[pg 76]]
? e prikkes of drede.
[Sidenote: Men would live in security but cannot, and yet they
glory in their power. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 18. ]]
and certys ? it wolden ? ei lyuen
*in sykernesse. but ? ei may nat. and ? it ? ei glorifien
hem in her power
[Sidenote: Is he powerful who cannot do what he wishes? ]
? Holdest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilk[e] man 2084
be my? ty ? at ? {o}u seest ? at he wolde don ? at he may
nat don.
[Sidenote: Is he a mighty man who goes surrounded with an armed
guard, to terrify those whom he himself fears, and whose power
depends solely upon his numerous retinue? ]
? And holdest ? ou ? an hym a my? ty man
? at ha? environed hise sydes wi? men of armes or
seruauntes {and} drede? more [hem] ? at he make? agast. 2088
? en ? ei dreden hym. {and} ? at is put in ? e handes of hise
seruaunt? . for he sholde seme my? ty but of familiers
[or] seruaunt? of ky{n}ges.
[Sidenote: Why need I enlarge upon the favourites of princes
having thus displayed the imbecility of kings! ]
? what sholde I telle ? e
any ? ing. syn ? at I my self haue shewed ? e ? at realmes 2092
hem self ben ful of gret feblenesse.
[Sidenote: Their prosperity is affected by the caprice of their
fortunate masters as well as by the adversity to which they are
incident. ]
? e whiche familiers
certis ? e real power of kynges in hool estat {and} in estat
abated ful [ofte] ? rowe? adou{n}.
[Sidenote: Nero only allowed his master Seneca to choose the
manner of his death. ]
? Nero co{n}streined[e]
his familier {and} his maistre seneca to chesen on what 2096
dee? he wolde deien.
[Sidenote: Antonius (Caracalla) commanded Papinian to be slain by
the swords of his soldiers. ]
? Antonius comau{n}did[e] ? at
kny? tis slowen wi? her swerdis Papinian his familier
whiche Papinian had[de] ben long tyme ful my? ty
a-monges hem of ? e courte.
[Sidenote: Yet both would have given up all they possessed. ]
and ? it certis ? ei wolde bo? e 2100
han renou{n}ced her power.
[Sidenote: Seneca begged for poverty and exile. But relentless
fortune precipitated them to destruction, and did not permit them
to choose their fate. ]
of whiche [two] senek enforced[e]
hym to ? iue{n} to Nero his rychesses. {and} also
to han gon in to solitarie exil. ? But whan ? e grete
wey? t. ? at is to sein of lordes power or of fortune 2104
drawe? hem ? at sholden falle. ney? er of hem ne
my? t[e] do ? at he wolde.
[Sidenote: What then is Power, which terrifies its possessors, and
which cannot be got rid of at pleasure? ]
what ? ing is ? anne ? ilke
power ? at ? ou? men han it ? at ? ei ben agast. ? {and}
whan ? ou woldest han it ? ou nart nat siker. ? And 2108
yif ? ou woldest forleten it ? ou mayst nat eschewen it.
[Sidenote: No advantage is to be gained by friendship based on
prosperity instead of virtue.
reuengen hem a? einward vpon dignites. for ? ei ? elden 2008
a? ein to dignites as gret gerdou{n} whan ? ei byspotten
{and} defoulen dignites wi? hire vylenie.
[Sidenote: These shadowy honours have nothing in their nature to
procure respect; for if a man, having borne the honours of the
consulate, should go among barbarians would this honour gain him
their respect? ]
? And for as
moche as ? ou mow[e] knowe ? at ? ilke verray reuerence
ne may nat comen by ? e shadewy t{ra}nsitorie dignitees. 2012
vndirstonde now ? is. yif ? at a man hadde vsed {and}
hadde many manere dignites of consules {and} were
come{n} p{er}auenture amonges straunge nac{i}ou{n}s. sholde
? ilke hono{ur} maken hym worshipful {and} redouted of 2016
straunge folk
[Sidenote: If respect were an attribute of honour it would
infallibly bring esteem everywhere, just as heat is ever an
attribute of fire. ]
? Certys yif ? at honour of poeple were
a naturel ? ifte to dignites. it ne my? te neuer cesen
nowher amonges no maner folke to done hys office.
[Linenotes:
2000 _clerly_--MS. clerkly, C. clerly
2002 _au? ten----hede_--owhten taken mor heed
2002-3 _For----dignite_--For yif so be ? {a}t a wykkyd whyght be
so mochel the fowler{e} {and} the moore owt cast ? {a}t he
is despised of most folk so as dignete
2004-2007 _maken----so? e_--maken shrewes digne of Reu{er}ence
the whych shrewes dignete sheweth to moche foolk thanne
makith dignete shrewes rather so moche mor{e} despised than
preysed {and} forsothe
2008 _? elden_--yilden
2009 _byspotten_--by-spetten
2010 _hire_--hyr
2011 _moche_--mochel
_mow[e]_--mowe
2012 _? e shadewy_--thyse shadwye
2013 _vndirstonde_--vndyrstond
_? is_--thus
2014 _hadde_--had
2018 _? ifte_--yift
2019 _folke_--foolk
_done_--don]
[Headnote:
DIGNITIES DO CONFER ESTEEM. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 17 _b_. ]]
? Ry? t as fire i{n} euery contre ne stinte? nat to 2020
enchaufen {and} *to ben hote.
[Sidenote: Honours arise from the false opinions of men, and
vanish when they come among those who do not esteem them, that is,
among foreign nations. ]
but for as myche as forto
be holden honorable or reuerent ne come? nat to folk of
hir p{ro}pre streng? e of nat{ur}e. but only of ? e fals[e] [[pg 74]]
opiniou{n} of folk. ? at is to sein. ? at wenen ? at dignites 2024
maken folk digne of hono{ur}. An on ? erfore whan ? at
? ei comen ? er as folk ne knowe{n} nat ? ilke dignites.
her hono{ur}s vanissen awey {and} ? at on oon. but ? at is
a-mong straung folk. maist ? ou sein.
[Sidenote: Do they always endure in those places that gave birth
to them? ]
but amo{n}g{us} 2028
hem ? at ? ei weren born duren ? ilk[e] dignites alwey.
[Sidenote: The Praetorate was once a great honour, but now it is
only an empty name and a heavy expense. ]
? Certys ? e dignite of ? e p{ro}uostrie of Rome was somtyme
a grete power. now is it no ? ing but an ydel
name. {and} ? e rente of ? e senatorie a g{r}et charge. 2032
[Sidenote: What is more vile than the office of the
superintendency of provisions? ]
{and} yif a whi? t somtyme hadde ? e office to taken he[de] to
? e vitailes of ? e poeple as of corne {and} what o? er ? inges
he was holden amonges grete. but what ? ing is more
nowe out cast ? anne ? ilke p{ro}uostrie
[Sidenote: That which hath no innate beauty must lose its
splendour or value according as popular opinion varies concerning
it. ]
? And as I haue 2036
seid a litel here byforne. ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at ha? no
p{ro}pre beaute of hym self resceyue? somtyme pris {and}
shinynge {and} somtyme lesi? it by ? e opiniou{n} of
vsaunces.
[Sidenote: If dignities cannot confer esteem, if they become vile
through filthy shrews, if they lose their lustre by the change of
times, if they become worthless by the change of popular opinion,
what beauty do they possess which should make them desirable, or
what dignity can they confer on others? ]
? Now yif ? at dignites ? anne ne mowen 2040
nat maken folk digne of reuerence. {and} yif ? {a}t dignites
wexen foule of hir wille by ? e fil? e of shrewes. ? and
yif ? at dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of
tymes. and yif ? ei wexen foule by estimac{i}ou{n} of 2044
poeple. what is it ? at ? ei han in hem self of beaute
? at au? te ben desired. as who sei? none. ? anne ne
mowen ? ei ? iuen no beaute of dignite to none o? er.
[Linenotes:
2020 _enchaufen_--eschaufen
2021 _myche_--mochel
2022 _be_--ben
2023 _fals[e]_--false
2024 _? at_ (2)--omitted
2027 _her_--hyr
_vanissen_--vanesshen
2028 _a-mong_--amonges
_straung_--strau{n}ge
_but_--ne
2029 _? at_--ther
_duren ? ilk[e]_--ne duren nat thylke
2030 _somtyme_--whylom
2031 _grete_--gret
2032 _? e_ (2)--omitted
2033 _somtyme_--whylom
_? e_--MS. ? e ? e
2034 _corne_--corn
_what_--omitted
2035 _more nowe_--now more
2036 _cast_--MS. caste, C. cast
2037 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
_here byforne_--her by-forn
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
2042 _fil? e_--felthe
2043 _? at_--omitted
2046 _au? te_--owhte
_none_--non
2047 _? ei_--MS. ? e, C. they
_none_--non]
QUA{M}UIS SE TIRIO.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Nero, though invested with the purple and adorned with
pearls, was hated by all men. ]
++Al be it so ? at ? e proude nero wi? al his woode luxurie 2048
kembed hym {and} apparailed hym wi? faire purp{er}s
of Tirie {and} wi? white perles. Algates ? itte throf he
hateful to alle folk ? ? is is to seyn ? at
al was he by-hated [[pg 75]]
of alle folk.
[Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the
dishonoured seats of dignity. ]
? ? itte ? is wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ? af somtyme to ? e dredeful senatours ? e
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ? vnworshipful setes
he clepi? here fore ? at Nero ? at was so wikked ? af ? o
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews? ]
who wolde ? anne resonably wenen ? at blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ? euen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _? itte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_? af somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}enc?
2055 _fore_--for
_? af_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY. ]
AN UERO REGNA.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do kingdoms and a familiarity with princes make a
man mighty?
]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ? ei maken a
ma{n} to ben my? ty.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should they not if they are durable? ]
how ellys. ? whanne hir 2060
blysfulnesse dure? p{er}petuely
[Sidenote: _P. _ Past ages, as well as the present, furnish us with
many examples of princes who have met with dismal reverses of
fortune. ]
but certys ? e olde age of
tyme passe? . {and} eke of p{re}sent tyme now is ful of
ensau{m}ples how ? {a}t kynges ? at han chaunged in to
wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: O then how noble and glorious a thing is power that is
too weak to preserve itself! ]
? O a noble ? ing 2064
{and} a cler ? ing is power ? at is nat founden my? ty to
kepe it self.
[Sidenote: If dominion brings felicity, then misery will follow if
it be defective. ]
? And yif ? at power of realmes be auctour
{and} maker of blisfulnesse. yif ? ilke power lakke? on
any side. amenusi? it nat ? ilke blisfulnesse {and} brynge? 2068
in wrechednesse.
[Sidenote: But human rule has its limits, therefore wherever power
ceases there impotence enters, bringing misery along with it. ]
but yif al be it so ? at realmes of mankynde
stretchen b{r}oode. ? it mot ? er nede ben myche
folk ouer whiche ? at euery kyng ne ha? no lordshipe
no comaundement ? and certys vpon ? ilke syde ? at 2072
power faille? whiche ? at maki? folk blisful. ry? t on ? at
same side nou{n}power entri? vndirne? ? at make? hem
wreches.
[Sidenote: Kings, therefore, have a larger portion of misery than
of felicity. ]
? In ? is manere ? anne moten kynges han
more porciou{n} of wrechednesse ? an of welefulnesse. 2076
[Linenotes:
2060 _my? ty_--MS. vnmy? ty, C. myhty
2062 _passe? _--passed
_of_ (2)--omitted
2063 _kynges ? at han_--kynges ben
2066 _kepe_--kepen
2067 _maker_--maker{e}
2069 _yif_--yit
_realmes_--the Reaumes
2070 _stretchen_--strechchen
_myche_--moche
2071 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
2073 _whiche_--whych
2074 _vndirne? _--vndyr-nethe]
[Headnote:
POWER DOES NOT DRIVE AWAY CARE. ]
[Sidenote: Dionysius of Sicily, conscious of this condition,
exhibited the fears and cares of royalty by the terror of a naked
sword hanging over the head of his friend and flatterer Damocles. ]
? A tyraunt ? at was kyng of sisile ? at had[de] assaied
? e p{er}il of his estat shewid[e] by similitude ? e dredes
of realmes by gastnesse of a swerde ? at heng ouer ? e
heued of his familier.
[Sidenote: What then is this thing called Power, which cannot do
away with care or fear? ]
what ? ing is ? an ? is power ? at 2080
may nat don awey ? e bytynges of besines ne eschewe [[pg 76]]
? e prikkes of drede.
[Sidenote: Men would live in security but cannot, and yet they
glory in their power. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 18. ]]
and certys ? it wolden ? ei lyuen
*in sykernesse. but ? ei may nat. and ? it ? ei glorifien
hem in her power
[Sidenote: Is he powerful who cannot do what he wishes? ]
? Holdest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilk[e] man 2084
be my? ty ? at ? {o}u seest ? at he wolde don ? at he may
nat don.
[Sidenote: Is he a mighty man who goes surrounded with an armed
guard, to terrify those whom he himself fears, and whose power
depends solely upon his numerous retinue? ]
? And holdest ? ou ? an hym a my? ty man
? at ha? environed hise sydes wi? men of armes or
seruauntes {and} drede? more [hem] ? at he make? agast. 2088
? en ? ei dreden hym. {and} ? at is put in ? e handes of hise
seruaunt? . for he sholde seme my? ty but of familiers
[or] seruaunt? of ky{n}ges.
[Sidenote: Why need I enlarge upon the favourites of princes
having thus displayed the imbecility of kings! ]
? what sholde I telle ? e
any ? ing. syn ? at I my self haue shewed ? e ? at realmes 2092
hem self ben ful of gret feblenesse.
[Sidenote: Their prosperity is affected by the caprice of their
fortunate masters as well as by the adversity to which they are
incident. ]
? e whiche familiers
certis ? e real power of kynges in hool estat {and} in estat
abated ful [ofte] ? rowe? adou{n}.
[Sidenote: Nero only allowed his master Seneca to choose the
manner of his death. ]
? Nero co{n}streined[e]
his familier {and} his maistre seneca to chesen on what 2096
dee? he wolde deien.
[Sidenote: Antonius (Caracalla) commanded Papinian to be slain by
the swords of his soldiers. ]
? Antonius comau{n}did[e] ? at
kny? tis slowen wi? her swerdis Papinian his familier
whiche Papinian had[de] ben long tyme ful my? ty
a-monges hem of ? e courte.
[Sidenote: Yet both would have given up all they possessed. ]
and ? it certis ? ei wolde bo? e 2100
han renou{n}ced her power.
[Sidenote: Seneca begged for poverty and exile. But relentless
fortune precipitated them to destruction, and did not permit them
to choose their fate. ]
of whiche [two] senek enforced[e]
hym to ? iue{n} to Nero his rychesses. {and} also
to han gon in to solitarie exil. ? But whan ? e grete
wey? t. ? at is to sein of lordes power or of fortune 2104
drawe? hem ? at sholden falle. ney? er of hem ne
my? t[e] do ? at he wolde.
[Sidenote: What then is Power, which terrifies its possessors, and
which cannot be got rid of at pleasure? ]
what ? ing is ? anne ? ilke
power ? at ? ou? men han it ? at ? ei ben agast. ? {and}
whan ? ou woldest han it ? ou nart nat siker. ? And 2108
yif ? ou woldest forleten it ? ou mayst nat eschewen it.
[Sidenote: No advantage is to be gained by friendship based on
prosperity instead of virtue.
