[Sidenote: What doom do the silly race
deserve?
Chaucer - Boethius
ou ben strenger ?
an ?
e 2224
bole.
[Sidenote: Art thou swifter than the tiger? ]
Mayst ? ou ben swifter ? an ? e tigre.
[Sidenote: Behold the immense extent of the heavens and cease to
admire vile or lesser things. ]
biholde ? e
spaces {and} ? e stablenesse {and} ? e swyfte cours of ? e [[pg 81]]
heuene. {and} stynte somtyme to wondren on foule
? inges.
[Sidenote: Admire what is still more admirable, the consummate
wisdom that governs them. ]
? e whiche heuene certys nis nat ra? er for ? ise 2228
? inges to ben wondred vpon. ? an for ? e resou{n} by
whiche it is gouerned.
[Sidenote: How fleeting is beauty! ]
but ? e shynynge of ? i forme ? at
is to seien ? e beaute of ? i body. how swiftly passyng is
it {and} how transitorie.
[Sidenote: It fades sooner than the vernal flowers. ]
? Certis it is more flittynge 2232
? an ? e mutabilite of floures of ? e som{er} sesou{n}.
[Sidenote: For, as Aristotle says, if a man were lynx-eyed and
could look into the entrails of Alcibiades (so fair outwardly) he
would find all foul and loathsome. ]
For so
as aristotil telle? ? at yif ? at men hadden eyen of a
beest ? at hi? t lynx. so ? at ? e lokyng of folk my? t[e]
percen ? oru? ? e ? inges ? {a}t wi? stonden it. who so lokid 2236
? an in ? e entrailes of ? e body of alcibiades ? at was
ful fayr in ? e sup{er}fice wi? oute. it shulde seme ry? t
foule.
[Sidenote: Thy nature does not make thee seem beautiful, but the
imperfect view of thy admirers. ]
{and} for ? i yif ? ou semest faire. ? i nature ne
maki? nat ? at. but ? e desceiuau{n}ce of ? e fieblesse of ? e 2240
eyen ? at loken.
[Sidenote: Prize bodily perfections as much as you will, yet a
three days' fever will destroy them. ]
? But p{re}ise ? e goodes of ? i body as
moche as euer ? e list. so ? at ? ou know[e] algates ? at
what so it be. ? at is to seyn of ? e goodes of ? i body
whiche ? at ? {o}u wondrest vpon may ben destroied or 2244
dessolued by ? e hete of a feuere of ? re dayes. ? Of
alle whiche forseide ? inges I may reduce{n} ? is shortly in
a so{m}me.
[Sidenote: Worldly goods do not give what they promise, do not
comprise every good, are not the paths to felicity, nor can of
themselves make any one happy. ]
? ? at ? ise worldly goodes whiche ? at ne
mowen nat ? iuen ? at ? ei byheten. ne ben nat p{er}fit by 2248
? e congregac{i}ou{n} of alle goodes. ? at ? ei ne ben nat
weyes ne pa? es ? at bryngen men to blysfulnesse ne
maken men to ben blysful.
[Linenotes:
2203 _nis_--is
2204 _mysledyng_--mysledynges
2205 _folke_--folk
2208 _enforcest_--MS. enforced, C. enforcest
2209 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_wilt_--wolt
2211 _? iuen_--yeuen
2212 _gon_--MS. gone, C. gon
_by-fore_--byforn
_shalt_--shal
2213 _by_--thorw
2214 _by_--be
_be_--ben
2216 _destrat_--MS. destralle, C. destrat
_forgone_--forgoon
2217 _wilt_--wolt
2218 _whi? t_--wyht
2219 _foule_--fowl
[_to_]--from C.
2220 _yseen_--seen
2221 _brutel_--brotel
2222 _owen_--owne
2224 _wey? t_--weyhty
_strenger_--strenger{e}
2225 _swifter_--swyfter{e}
_biholde_--by-hold
2227 _stynte_--stynt
2228 _whiche_--whych
2230 _whiche_--wych
2231 _seien_--seyn
2234 _as_--omitted
2235 _hi? t_--hyhte
_my? t[e]_--myhte
2237 _alcibiades_--MS. alcidiades
2238 _fayr_--fayr{e}
_? e_--omitted
_shulde_--sholde
2239 _foule_--fowl
_faire_--fayr
_ne_--omitted
2240 _desceiuaunce of ? e fieblesse_--deceyuable or the feblesse
2242 _moche_--mochel
_know[e]_--knowe
2243 _? e_--omitted
_? i body whiche_--the body whych
2247 _a_--omitted]
[Headnote:
MEN PURSUE FALSE JOYS. ]
HEU Q{UE} MISEROS TRAMITE.
[Sidenote: [The 8^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Alas! how through folly and ignorance do men stray from
the path of true happiness! ]
++Allas whiche folie {and} whiche ignorau{n}ce mysledi? 2252
wandryng wrecches fro ? e pa? e of verrey good.
[Sidenote: Ye do not seek gold upon trees nor diamonds from the
vine. ]
? Certis ? e ne seken no golde in grene trees. ne ? e ne
gadren [nat] p{re}cious stones in ? e vines. [[pg 82]]
[Sidenote: Ye lay not your nets to catch fish upon the lofty
hills. ]
ne ? e ne
hiden nat ? oure gynnes in hey? e mou{n}taignes to kachen 2256
fisshe of whiche ? e may maken ryche festes.
[Sidenote: The hunter goes not to the Tyrrhene waters to hunt the
roe. ]
and yif
? ow lyke? to hunte to roos. ? e ne gon nat to ? e foordes
of ? e water ? at hy? t tyrene.
[Sidenote: Men know where to look for white pearls, and for the
fish that yields the purple dye. ]
{and} ouer ? is men knowen
wel ? e crikes {and} ? e cau{er}nes of ? e see yhidd in ? e 2260
floodes. {and} knowen eke whiche water is most plentiuo{us}
of white perles. {and} knowen whiche water habunde?
most of rede purpre. ? at is to seyen of a maner shelfisshe
w{i}t{h} whiche men dien purpre.
[Sidenote: They know where the most delicate of the finny race
abound and where the fierce sea-urchin is to be found. ]
{and} knowen 2264
whiche strondes habounden most of tendre fisshes or
of sharpe fisshes ? at hy? ten echynnys.
[Sidenote: But where the Sovereign Good abides blinded mortals
never know, but plunge into the earth below to look for that which
has its dwelling in the heavens. ]
but folk suffren
hem self to ben so blynde ? at hem ne recchi? nat to
knowe where ? ilk[e] goodes ben yhidd whiche ? at ? ei 2268
coueiten but ploungen hem in er? e {and} seken ? ere
? ilke goode ? {a}t so{ur}mou{n}te? ? e heuene ? at bere? ? e
sterres.
[Sidenote: What doom do the silly race deserve? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 19 _b_. ]]
? what *p{re}yere may I make ? at be digne to
? e nice ? ou? tis of men.
[Sidenote: May they pursue such false joys, and having obtained
them, too late find out the value of the true. ]
but I p{re}ye ? at ? ei coueite{n} 2272
rycches {and} hono{ur}s so ? at whan ? ei han geten ? o
false goodes wi? greet trauayle ? at ? erby ? ei mowe
knowen ? e verray goodes.
[Linenotes:
2252 _whiche_ (_both_)--whych
2253 _pa? e_--paath
_good_--goode
2254 _golde_--gold]
[Headnote:
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF WORLDLY BLISS. ]
HACTENUS MENDACIS FORMA{M}.
[Sidenote: [The 9^ne p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ I have been describing the form of counterfeit
happiness, and if you have considered it attentively I shall
proceed to give you a perfect view of the true. ]
++IT suffisi? ? at I haue shewed hider to ? e forme of 2276
false wilfulnesse. so ? at yif ? ou look[e] now clerely
? e ordre of myn entenc{i}ou{n} requeri? from hennes for? e
to shewe{n} ? e verray wilfulnesse.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I now see that there is no sufficiency in riches,
no power in royalty, no esteem in dignities, nor nobility in
renown, nor joy in carnal pleasures. ]
? For q{uod} . I. (b) [I. ]
se wel now ? at suffisau{n}ce may nat comen by richesse. ne 2280
power by realmes. ne reuere{n}ce by dignitees. ne gentilesse
by glorie. ne ioye by delices. and (p) hast ? ou wel
knowen q{uo}d she ? e cause whi it is. Certis me seme?
q{uod} . I. ? at . I. se hem ry? t as ? ou?
it were ? oru? a litel [[pg 83]]
clifte.
[Sidenote: I have a glimpse of the cause of all this, but I should
like a more distinct view. ]
but me were leuer knowen hem more openly of 2285
? e. Certys q{uod} she ? e resou{n} is al redy
[Sidenote: _P. _ The cause is obvious--for that which is by nature
one and indivisible human ignorance separates and divides, and
reverses the true order of things. ]
? For
? ilk ? ing ? at symply is on ? ing wi? outen ony
diuisiou{n}. ? e errour {and} folie of mankynde departe? 2288
{and} diuidi? it. {and} misledi? it {and} t{ra}nsporte? from
verray {and} p{er}fit goode. to goodes ? at ben false {and}
inp{er}fit.
[Sidenote: Does that state which needs nothing stand in need of
power? ]
? But seye me ? is. wenest ? ou ? at he ? at ha?
nede of power ? at hy{m} ne lakke? no ? ing.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should say no. _P. _ Right! That which wants
power needs external aid. ]
Nay q{uo}d 2292
. I ? Certis q{uo}d she ? ou seist ary? t. For yif so be
? {a}t ? er is a ? ing ? at in any p{ar}tie be fieble of power.
[Sidenote: _B. _ That is true! _P. _ Sufficiency and power therefore
are of one nature. _B. _ It seems so indeed. ]
Certis as in ? at it most[e] nedes be nedy of foreine
helpe. ? Ri? t so it is q{uo}d . I. Suffisaunce and power 2296
ben ? an of on kynde ? So seme? it q{uod} I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Are power and sufficiency to be despised? Are they
not rather worthy of universal respect? ]
? And
demyst ? ou q{uo}d she ? at a ? ing ? at is of ? is manere.
? at is to seine suffisau{n}t {and} my? ty au? t[e] to ben dispised.
or ellys ? {a}t it be ry? t digne of reuerences abouen 2300
alle ? inges.
[Sidenote: _B. _ They are doubtless highly estimable. _P. _ Add
respect to sufficiency and power, and consider all three as one
and the same thing. ]
? Certys q{uo}d I it nys no doute ? at it
nis ry? t wor? i to ben reuerenced. ? Lat vs q{uo}d she ? an
adden reuerence to suffisaunce {and} to power ? So ? at
we demen ? at ? ise ? re ? inges ben alle o ? ing.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see no objection to that view. ]
? Certis 2304
q{uo}d I lat vs adden it. yif we willen graunten ? e so? e.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But can that be obscure and ignoble which
possesses three such attributes? is it not noble and worthy of a
shining reputation? ]
what demest ? ou ? an q{uo}d she is ? at a dirke ? ing {and}
nat noble ? at is suffisau{n}t reu{er}ent {and} my? ty. or ellys
? at is ry? t clere {and} ry? t noble of celebrete of renou{n}. 2308
[Linenotes:
2256 _hey? e_--the hyye
_kachen_--kachche
2257 _fisshe_--fyssh
2258 _hunte_--honte
_roos_--Rooes
2259 _hy? t_--hyhte
2260 _crikes_--brykes
_yhidd_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hyd
2261, 2262 _whiche_--whych
2263 _shelfisshe_--shelle fysh
2264, 2265 _whiche_--whych
2264 _dien_--deyen
2265 _of_--w{i}t{h}
2266 _echynnys_--MS. ethynnys, C. Echynnys
2268 _yhidd_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hydd
2270 _goode_--good
2271 _make_--maken
2273 _rycches_--Rychesse
2277 _wilfulnesse_--welefulnesse
_look[e]_--loke
_clerely_--clerly
2279 _wilfulnesse_--welefulnesse
_For_--For-sothe
[_I. _]--from C.
2280 _richesse_--Rychesses
2281 _realmes_--Reames
2287 _? ilk_--thylke
_on_--o
2290 _goode_--good
2291 _seye_--sey
_ha? _--MS.
bole.
[Sidenote: Art thou swifter than the tiger? ]
Mayst ? ou ben swifter ? an ? e tigre.
[Sidenote: Behold the immense extent of the heavens and cease to
admire vile or lesser things. ]
biholde ? e
spaces {and} ? e stablenesse {and} ? e swyfte cours of ? e [[pg 81]]
heuene. {and} stynte somtyme to wondren on foule
? inges.
[Sidenote: Admire what is still more admirable, the consummate
wisdom that governs them. ]
? e whiche heuene certys nis nat ra? er for ? ise 2228
? inges to ben wondred vpon. ? an for ? e resou{n} by
whiche it is gouerned.
[Sidenote: How fleeting is beauty! ]
but ? e shynynge of ? i forme ? at
is to seien ? e beaute of ? i body. how swiftly passyng is
it {and} how transitorie.
[Sidenote: It fades sooner than the vernal flowers. ]
? Certis it is more flittynge 2232
? an ? e mutabilite of floures of ? e som{er} sesou{n}.
[Sidenote: For, as Aristotle says, if a man were lynx-eyed and
could look into the entrails of Alcibiades (so fair outwardly) he
would find all foul and loathsome. ]
For so
as aristotil telle? ? at yif ? at men hadden eyen of a
beest ? at hi? t lynx. so ? at ? e lokyng of folk my? t[e]
percen ? oru? ? e ? inges ? {a}t wi? stonden it. who so lokid 2236
? an in ? e entrailes of ? e body of alcibiades ? at was
ful fayr in ? e sup{er}fice wi? oute. it shulde seme ry? t
foule.
[Sidenote: Thy nature does not make thee seem beautiful, but the
imperfect view of thy admirers. ]
{and} for ? i yif ? ou semest faire. ? i nature ne
maki? nat ? at. but ? e desceiuau{n}ce of ? e fieblesse of ? e 2240
eyen ? at loken.
[Sidenote: Prize bodily perfections as much as you will, yet a
three days' fever will destroy them. ]
? But p{re}ise ? e goodes of ? i body as
moche as euer ? e list. so ? at ? ou know[e] algates ? at
what so it be. ? at is to seyn of ? e goodes of ? i body
whiche ? at ? {o}u wondrest vpon may ben destroied or 2244
dessolued by ? e hete of a feuere of ? re dayes. ? Of
alle whiche forseide ? inges I may reduce{n} ? is shortly in
a so{m}me.
[Sidenote: Worldly goods do not give what they promise, do not
comprise every good, are not the paths to felicity, nor can of
themselves make any one happy. ]
? ? at ? ise worldly goodes whiche ? at ne
mowen nat ? iuen ? at ? ei byheten. ne ben nat p{er}fit by 2248
? e congregac{i}ou{n} of alle goodes. ? at ? ei ne ben nat
weyes ne pa? es ? at bryngen men to blysfulnesse ne
maken men to ben blysful.
[Linenotes:
2203 _nis_--is
2204 _mysledyng_--mysledynges
2205 _folke_--folk
2208 _enforcest_--MS. enforced, C. enforcest
2209 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_wilt_--wolt
2211 _? iuen_--yeuen
2212 _gon_--MS. gone, C. gon
_by-fore_--byforn
_shalt_--shal
2213 _by_--thorw
2214 _by_--be
_be_--ben
2216 _destrat_--MS. destralle, C. destrat
_forgone_--forgoon
2217 _wilt_--wolt
2218 _whi? t_--wyht
2219 _foule_--fowl
[_to_]--from C.
2220 _yseen_--seen
2221 _brutel_--brotel
2222 _owen_--owne
2224 _wey? t_--weyhty
_strenger_--strenger{e}
2225 _swifter_--swyfter{e}
_biholde_--by-hold
2227 _stynte_--stynt
2228 _whiche_--whych
2230 _whiche_--wych
2231 _seien_--seyn
2234 _as_--omitted
2235 _hi? t_--hyhte
_my? t[e]_--myhte
2237 _alcibiades_--MS. alcidiades
2238 _fayr_--fayr{e}
_? e_--omitted
_shulde_--sholde
2239 _foule_--fowl
_faire_--fayr
_ne_--omitted
2240 _desceiuaunce of ? e fieblesse_--deceyuable or the feblesse
2242 _moche_--mochel
_know[e]_--knowe
2243 _? e_--omitted
_? i body whiche_--the body whych
2247 _a_--omitted]
[Headnote:
MEN PURSUE FALSE JOYS. ]
HEU Q{UE} MISEROS TRAMITE.
[Sidenote: [The 8^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Alas! how through folly and ignorance do men stray from
the path of true happiness! ]
++Allas whiche folie {and} whiche ignorau{n}ce mysledi? 2252
wandryng wrecches fro ? e pa? e of verrey good.
[Sidenote: Ye do not seek gold upon trees nor diamonds from the
vine. ]
? Certis ? e ne seken no golde in grene trees. ne ? e ne
gadren [nat] p{re}cious stones in ? e vines. [[pg 82]]
[Sidenote: Ye lay not your nets to catch fish upon the lofty
hills. ]
ne ? e ne
hiden nat ? oure gynnes in hey? e mou{n}taignes to kachen 2256
fisshe of whiche ? e may maken ryche festes.
[Sidenote: The hunter goes not to the Tyrrhene waters to hunt the
roe. ]
and yif
? ow lyke? to hunte to roos. ? e ne gon nat to ? e foordes
of ? e water ? at hy? t tyrene.
[Sidenote: Men know where to look for white pearls, and for the
fish that yields the purple dye. ]
{and} ouer ? is men knowen
wel ? e crikes {and} ? e cau{er}nes of ? e see yhidd in ? e 2260
floodes. {and} knowen eke whiche water is most plentiuo{us}
of white perles. {and} knowen whiche water habunde?
most of rede purpre. ? at is to seyen of a maner shelfisshe
w{i}t{h} whiche men dien purpre.
[Sidenote: They know where the most delicate of the finny race
abound and where the fierce sea-urchin is to be found. ]
{and} knowen 2264
whiche strondes habounden most of tendre fisshes or
of sharpe fisshes ? at hy? ten echynnys.
[Sidenote: But where the Sovereign Good abides blinded mortals
never know, but plunge into the earth below to look for that which
has its dwelling in the heavens. ]
but folk suffren
hem self to ben so blynde ? at hem ne recchi? nat to
knowe where ? ilk[e] goodes ben yhidd whiche ? at ? ei 2268
coueiten but ploungen hem in er? e {and} seken ? ere
? ilke goode ? {a}t so{ur}mou{n}te? ? e heuene ? at bere? ? e
sterres.
[Sidenote: What doom do the silly race deserve? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 19 _b_. ]]
? what *p{re}yere may I make ? at be digne to
? e nice ? ou? tis of men.
[Sidenote: May they pursue such false joys, and having obtained
them, too late find out the value of the true. ]
but I p{re}ye ? at ? ei coueite{n} 2272
rycches {and} hono{ur}s so ? at whan ? ei han geten ? o
false goodes wi? greet trauayle ? at ? erby ? ei mowe
knowen ? e verray goodes.
[Linenotes:
2252 _whiche_ (_both_)--whych
2253 _pa? e_--paath
_good_--goode
2254 _golde_--gold]
[Headnote:
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF WORLDLY BLISS. ]
HACTENUS MENDACIS FORMA{M}.
[Sidenote: [The 9^ne p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ I have been describing the form of counterfeit
happiness, and if you have considered it attentively I shall
proceed to give you a perfect view of the true. ]
++IT suffisi? ? at I haue shewed hider to ? e forme of 2276
false wilfulnesse. so ? at yif ? ou look[e] now clerely
? e ordre of myn entenc{i}ou{n} requeri? from hennes for? e
to shewe{n} ? e verray wilfulnesse.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I now see that there is no sufficiency in riches,
no power in royalty, no esteem in dignities, nor nobility in
renown, nor joy in carnal pleasures. ]
? For q{uod} . I. (b) [I. ]
se wel now ? at suffisau{n}ce may nat comen by richesse. ne 2280
power by realmes. ne reuere{n}ce by dignitees. ne gentilesse
by glorie. ne ioye by delices. and (p) hast ? ou wel
knowen q{uo}d she ? e cause whi it is. Certis me seme?
q{uod} . I. ? at . I. se hem ry? t as ? ou?
it were ? oru? a litel [[pg 83]]
clifte.
[Sidenote: I have a glimpse of the cause of all this, but I should
like a more distinct view. ]
but me were leuer knowen hem more openly of 2285
? e. Certys q{uod} she ? e resou{n} is al redy
[Sidenote: _P. _ The cause is obvious--for that which is by nature
one and indivisible human ignorance separates and divides, and
reverses the true order of things. ]
? For
? ilk ? ing ? at symply is on ? ing wi? outen ony
diuisiou{n}. ? e errour {and} folie of mankynde departe? 2288
{and} diuidi? it. {and} misledi? it {and} t{ra}nsporte? from
verray {and} p{er}fit goode. to goodes ? at ben false {and}
inp{er}fit.
[Sidenote: Does that state which needs nothing stand in need of
power? ]
? But seye me ? is. wenest ? ou ? at he ? at ha?
nede of power ? at hy{m} ne lakke? no ? ing.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should say no. _P. _ Right! That which wants
power needs external aid. ]
Nay q{uo}d 2292
. I ? Certis q{uo}d she ? ou seist ary? t. For yif so be
? {a}t ? er is a ? ing ? at in any p{ar}tie be fieble of power.
[Sidenote: _B. _ That is true! _P. _ Sufficiency and power therefore
are of one nature. _B. _ It seems so indeed. ]
Certis as in ? at it most[e] nedes be nedy of foreine
helpe. ? Ri? t so it is q{uo}d . I. Suffisaunce and power 2296
ben ? an of on kynde ? So seme? it q{uod} I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Are power and sufficiency to be despised? Are they
not rather worthy of universal respect? ]
? And
demyst ? ou q{uo}d she ? at a ? ing ? at is of ? is manere.
? at is to seine suffisau{n}t {and} my? ty au? t[e] to ben dispised.
or ellys ? {a}t it be ry? t digne of reuerences abouen 2300
alle ? inges.
[Sidenote: _B. _ They are doubtless highly estimable. _P. _ Add
respect to sufficiency and power, and consider all three as one
and the same thing. ]
? Certys q{uo}d I it nys no doute ? at it
nis ry? t wor? i to ben reuerenced. ? Lat vs q{uo}d she ? an
adden reuerence to suffisaunce {and} to power ? So ? at
we demen ? at ? ise ? re ? inges ben alle o ? ing.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see no objection to that view. ]
? Certis 2304
q{uo}d I lat vs adden it. yif we willen graunten ? e so? e.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But can that be obscure and ignoble which
possesses three such attributes? is it not noble and worthy of a
shining reputation? ]
what demest ? ou ? an q{uo}d she is ? at a dirke ? ing {and}
nat noble ? at is suffisau{n}t reu{er}ent {and} my? ty. or ellys
? at is ry? t clere {and} ry? t noble of celebrete of renou{n}. 2308
[Linenotes:
2256 _hey? e_--the hyye
_kachen_--kachche
2257 _fisshe_--fyssh
2258 _hunte_--honte
_roos_--Rooes
2259 _hy? t_--hyhte
2260 _crikes_--brykes
_yhidd_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hyd
2261, 2262 _whiche_--whych
2263 _shelfisshe_--shelle fysh
2264, 2265 _whiche_--whych
2264 _dien_--deyen
2265 _of_--w{i}t{h}
2266 _echynnys_--MS. ethynnys, C. Echynnys
2268 _yhidd_--MS. yhidde, C. I-hydd
2270 _goode_--good
2271 _make_--maken
2273 _rycches_--Rychesse
2277 _wilfulnesse_--welefulnesse
_look[e]_--loke
_clerely_--clerly
2279 _wilfulnesse_--welefulnesse
_For_--For-sothe
[_I. _]--from C.
2280 _richesse_--Rychesses
2281 _realmes_--Reames
2287 _? ilk_--thylke
_on_--o
2290 _goode_--good
2291 _seye_--sey
_ha? _--MS.
