at a ryche
couetous
man hadde riuer fletynge alle of
golde ?
golde ?
Chaucer - Boethius
{a}t fals beaute of
blisfulnesse is knowe {and} a-teint in ? ilke ? inges. ? First {and}
forward ? ou ? i self ? at haddest haboundaunces of rycchesses nat long
agon. ? I axe ? if ? at in ? e haboundaunce of alle ? ilk[e] rycchesses ? ou
were neuer anguissous or sory in ? i corage of any wrong or greuau{n}ce
? at by-tidde ? e on any syde. ? Certys q{uo}d I it remembre? me nat ? at
euere I was so free of my ? ou? t. ? at I ne was al-wey in anguysh{e} of
somwhat. ? {a}t was ? at ? ou lakkedest ? at ? ou noldest han lakked. or
ellys ? ou haddest ? at ? ou noldest han had. ry? t so is it q{uod} I ? an.
desiredest ? ou ? e p{re}sence of ? at oon {and} ? e absence of ? at o? er.
I graunt[e] wel q{uod} . I. for so? e q{uod} she ? an nedi? ? er somwhat ? at
euery man desire? . ? e ? er nedi? q{uod} I. ? Certis q{uod} she {and} he
? at ha? lakke or nede of a wy? t nis nat in euery way suffisaunt to hym
self. no q{uod} . I. {and} ? ou q{uo}d she in alle ? e plente of ? i
rycchesse haddest ? ilke lak of suffisaunce. ? what ellis q{uod} . I.
? ? anne may nat rycchesse maken ? at a man nis nedy. ne ? at he be
suffisaunt to hym self. {and} ? at was it ? {a}t ? ei byhy? ten as it seme? .
? and eke certys I trowe ? at ? is be gretly to consydere ? at moneye ne
ha? nat in hys owen kynde ? at it ne may ben by-nomen of hem ? at han it
maugre hem. ? I by-knowe it wel q{uod} I ? whi sholdest ? ou nat
by-knowen it q{uod} she. whan euery day ? e strenger folke by-nymen it
fram ? e febler maugre hem. ? Fro whennes comen ellys alle ? ise foreine
compleintes or quereles of plety{n}g{us}. ? But for ? at men axen a? eine
her moneye ? at ha? be by-nomen hem by force or by gyle. {and} alwey
maugre hem. ? Ry? t so it is q{uod} I. ? an q{uo}d she ha? a man nede to
seke{n} hym foreyne helpe by whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may
say nay q{uod} . I. ? Certis q{uod} she {and} hym nedi? no helpe yif he
ne hadde no moneye ? at he my? t[e] leese. ? ? at is doutles q{uod} . I.
? anne is ? is ? i{n}g turned in to ? e contrarie q{uod} she ? For rycchesse
? at men wenen sholde make suffisau{n}ce. ? ei maken a man ra? er han nede
of foreine helpe. ? whiche is ? e manere or ? e gise q{uod} she ? at
rycches may dryuen awey nede. ? Riche folk may ? ei nei? er han hungre ne
? rest. ? ise ryche men may ? ei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter.
? But ? ou wilt answere ? at ryche men han y-nou? wher wi? ? ei may
staunchen her hunger. {and} slaken her ? rest {and} don awey colde. ? In
? is wise may nede be co{n}forted by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may
nat al out{er}ly be don awey. for ? ou? ? is nede ? at is alwey gapyng
{and} gredy be fulfilled wi? rycchesses. {and} axe any ? ing ? it dwelle?
? anne a nede ? at my? t[e] ben fulfilled. ? I holde me stille {and} telle
nat how ? at litel ? ing suffise? to nature. but certys to auarice ynou?
ne suffise? no ? inge. ? For syn ? at rychesse ne may nat al don awey
nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may it ? anne be ? at ? e wenen ? at
rychesses mowen ? eue{n} ? ow suffisau{n}ce.
QUAMUIS FLUENTER DIUES.
[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}. ]]
++Al were it so ?
at a ryche couetous man hadde riuer fletynge alle of
golde ? itte sholde it neuer staunche hys couetise. ? And ? ou? he hadde
his nekke I-charged wi? p{re}ciouse stones of ? e rede see. {and} ? ou? he
do erye his feldes plentiuo{us} wi? an hundre? oxen neuere ne shal his
bytyng bysynesse forleten hym while he lyue? . ne ? e ly? t[e] rychesses ne
shal nat beren hym compaignie whanne he is dede.
SET DIGNITATIB{US}.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the p{ro}se. ]]
++Bvt dignitees to whom ? ei ben comen make ? ei hym honorable {and}
reuerent. han ? ei nat so grete streng? e ? at ? ei may putte vertues in ? e
hertis of folk. ? at vsen ? e lordshipes of hem. or ellys may ? ei don awey
? e vices. Certys ? ei [ne] ben nat wont to don awey wikkednesses. but ? ei
ben wont ra? er to shew[en] wikkednesses. {and} ? er of come? it ? at I
haue ry? t grete desdeyne. ? at dignites ben ? euen ofte to wicked men.
? For whiche ? ing catullus clepid a consul of Rome ? at hy? t noni{us}
postum. or boch. as who sei? he clepi? hy{m} a congregac{i}ou{n} of
uices in his brest as a postum is ful of corrupc{i}ou{n}. al were ? is
noni{us} set in a chayere of dignitee. Sest ? ou nat ? an how gret vylenye
dignitees don to wikked men. ? Certys vnwor? ines of wikked men shold{e}
ben ? e lasse ysen yif ? ei nere renomed of none hono{ur}s. ? Certys ? ou
? i self ne my? test nat ben brou? t wi? as many p{er}ils as ? ou my? test
suffren ? at ? {o}u woldest bere ? i magistrat wi? decorat. ? at is to seyn.
? at for no p{er}il ? at my? t[e] bifalle{n} ? e by ? e offence of ? e kyng
theodorik ? ou noldest nat ben felawe in gouernaunce w{i}t{h} decorat.
whanne ? ou say[e] ? at he had[de] wikkid corage of a likerous shrewe
{and} of an acusor. ? Ne I ne may nat for swiche honours Iuge{n} hem
wor? i of reuerence ? at I deme {and} holde vnwor? i to han ? ilke same
hono{ur}s. ? Now yif ? ou saie a man ? at were fulfilled of wisdom. certys
? oune my? test nat demen ? {a}t he were vnwor? i to ? e hono{ur}. or ellys
to ? e wisdom of whiche he is fulfilled. No q{uod} . I. ? Certys dignitees
q{uod} she app{er}tienen p{ro}perly to vertue. {and} uertue transporte?
dignite anon to ? ilke man to whiche she hir self is conioigned. ? And
for as moche as hono{ur}s of poeple ne may nat maken folk digne of
hono{ur}. it is wel seyn clerly ? at ? ei ne han no p{ro}pre beaute of
dignite. ? And ? it men au? ten take more hede in ? is. ? For if it so be
? at he is most out cast ? at most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne may nat
maken shrewes wor? i of no reuerences. ? an make? dignites shrewes more
dispised ? an p{re}ised. ? e whiche shrewes dignit[e] schewe? to moche
folk ? {and} for so? e nat vnpunissed. ? at is forto sein. ? at shrewes
reuengen hem a? einward vpon dignites. for ? ei ? elden a? ein to dignites
as gret gerdou{n} whan ? ei byspotten {and} defoulen dignites wi? hire
vylenie. ? And for as moche as ? ou mow[e] knowe ? at ? ilke verray
reuerence ne may nat comen by ? e shadewy t{ra}nsitorie dignitees.
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 straunge folk ? 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. ? Ry? t as fire i{n} euery contre ne stinte? nat to
enchaufen {and} to ben hote. 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] opiniou{n} of folk. ? at is to sein. ? at
wenen ? at dignites 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. but amo{n}g{us} hem ? at ? ei weren born duren ? ilk[e] dignites
alwey. ?
blisfulnesse is knowe {and} a-teint in ? ilke ? inges. ? First {and}
forward ? ou ? i self ? at haddest haboundaunces of rycchesses nat long
agon. ? I axe ? if ? at in ? e haboundaunce of alle ? ilk[e] rycchesses ? ou
were neuer anguissous or sory in ? i corage of any wrong or greuau{n}ce
? at by-tidde ? e on any syde. ? Certys q{uo}d I it remembre? me nat ? at
euere I was so free of my ? ou? t. ? at I ne was al-wey in anguysh{e} of
somwhat. ? {a}t was ? at ? ou lakkedest ? at ? ou noldest han lakked. or
ellys ? ou haddest ? at ? ou noldest han had. ry? t so is it q{uod} I ? an.
desiredest ? ou ? e p{re}sence of ? at oon {and} ? e absence of ? at o? er.
I graunt[e] wel q{uod} . I. for so? e q{uod} she ? an nedi? ? er somwhat ? at
euery man desire? . ? e ? er nedi? q{uod} I. ? Certis q{uod} she {and} he
? at ha? lakke or nede of a wy? t nis nat in euery way suffisaunt to hym
self. no q{uod} . I. {and} ? ou q{uo}d she in alle ? e plente of ? i
rycchesse haddest ? ilke lak of suffisaunce. ? what ellis q{uod} . I.
? ? anne may nat rycchesse maken ? at a man nis nedy. ne ? at he be
suffisaunt to hym self. {and} ? at was it ? {a}t ? ei byhy? ten as it seme? .
? and eke certys I trowe ? at ? is be gretly to consydere ? at moneye ne
ha? nat in hys owen kynde ? at it ne may ben by-nomen of hem ? at han it
maugre hem. ? I by-knowe it wel q{uod} I ? whi sholdest ? ou nat
by-knowen it q{uod} she. whan euery day ? e strenger folke by-nymen it
fram ? e febler maugre hem. ? Fro whennes comen ellys alle ? ise foreine
compleintes or quereles of plety{n}g{us}. ? But for ? at men axen a? eine
her moneye ? at ha? be by-nomen hem by force or by gyle. {and} alwey
maugre hem. ? Ry? t so it is q{uod} I. ? an q{uo}d she ha? a man nede to
seke{n} hym foreyne helpe by whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may
say nay q{uod} . I. ? Certis q{uod} she {and} hym nedi? no helpe yif he
ne hadde no moneye ? at he my? t[e] leese. ? ? at is doutles q{uod} . I.
? anne is ? is ? i{n}g turned in to ? e contrarie q{uod} she ? For rycchesse
? at men wenen sholde make suffisau{n}ce. ? ei maken a man ra? er han nede
of foreine helpe. ? whiche is ? e manere or ? e gise q{uod} she ? at
rycches may dryuen awey nede. ? Riche folk may ? ei nei? er han hungre ne
? rest. ? ise ryche men may ? ei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter.
? But ? ou wilt answere ? at ryche men han y-nou? wher wi? ? ei may
staunchen her hunger. {and} slaken her ? rest {and} don awey colde. ? In
? is wise may nede be co{n}forted by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may
nat al out{er}ly be don awey. for ? ou? ? is nede ? at is alwey gapyng
{and} gredy be fulfilled wi? rycchesses. {and} axe any ? ing ? it dwelle?
? anne a nede ? at my? t[e] ben fulfilled. ? I holde me stille {and} telle
nat how ? at litel ? ing suffise? to nature. but certys to auarice ynou?
ne suffise? no ? inge. ? For syn ? at rychesse ne may nat al don awey
nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may it ? anne be ? at ? e wenen ? at
rychesses mowen ? eue{n} ? ow suffisau{n}ce.
QUAMUIS FLUENTER DIUES.
[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}. ]]
++Al were it so ?
at a ryche couetous man hadde riuer fletynge alle of
golde ? itte sholde it neuer staunche hys couetise. ? And ? ou? he hadde
his nekke I-charged wi? p{re}ciouse stones of ? e rede see. {and} ? ou? he
do erye his feldes plentiuo{us} wi? an hundre? oxen neuere ne shal his
bytyng bysynesse forleten hym while he lyue? . ne ? e ly? t[e] rychesses ne
shal nat beren hym compaignie whanne he is dede.
SET DIGNITATIB{US}.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the p{ro}se. ]]
++Bvt dignitees to whom ? ei ben comen make ? ei hym honorable {and}
reuerent. han ? ei nat so grete streng? e ? at ? ei may putte vertues in ? e
hertis of folk. ? at vsen ? e lordshipes of hem. or ellys may ? ei don awey
? e vices. Certys ? ei [ne] ben nat wont to don awey wikkednesses. but ? ei
ben wont ra? er to shew[en] wikkednesses. {and} ? er of come? it ? at I
haue ry? t grete desdeyne. ? at dignites ben ? euen ofte to wicked men.
? For whiche ? ing catullus clepid a consul of Rome ? at hy? t noni{us}
postum. or boch. as who sei? he clepi? hy{m} a congregac{i}ou{n} of
uices in his brest as a postum is ful of corrupc{i}ou{n}. al were ? is
noni{us} set in a chayere of dignitee. Sest ? ou nat ? an how gret vylenye
dignitees don to wikked men. ? Certys vnwor? ines of wikked men shold{e}
ben ? e lasse ysen yif ? ei nere renomed of none hono{ur}s. ? Certys ? ou
? i self ne my? test nat ben brou? t wi? as many p{er}ils as ? ou my? test
suffren ? at ? {o}u woldest bere ? i magistrat wi? decorat. ? at is to seyn.
? at for no p{er}il ? at my? t[e] bifalle{n} ? e by ? e offence of ? e kyng
theodorik ? ou noldest nat ben felawe in gouernaunce w{i}t{h} decorat.
whanne ? ou say[e] ? at he had[de] wikkid corage of a likerous shrewe
{and} of an acusor. ? Ne I ne may nat for swiche honours Iuge{n} hem
wor? i of reuerence ? at I deme {and} holde vnwor? i to han ? ilke same
hono{ur}s. ? Now yif ? ou saie a man ? at were fulfilled of wisdom. certys
? oune my? test nat demen ? {a}t he were vnwor? i to ? e hono{ur}. or ellys
to ? e wisdom of whiche he is fulfilled. No q{uod} . I. ? Certys dignitees
q{uod} she app{er}tienen p{ro}perly to vertue. {and} uertue transporte?
dignite anon to ? ilke man to whiche she hir self is conioigned. ? And
for as moche as hono{ur}s of poeple ne may nat maken folk digne of
hono{ur}. it is wel seyn clerly ? at ? ei ne han no p{ro}pre beaute of
dignite. ? And ? it men au? ten take more hede in ? is. ? For if it so be
? at he is most out cast ? at most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne may nat
maken shrewes wor? i of no reuerences. ? an make? dignites shrewes more
dispised ? an p{re}ised. ? e whiche shrewes dignit[e] schewe? to moche
folk ? {and} for so? e nat vnpunissed. ? at is forto sein. ? at shrewes
reuengen hem a? einward vpon dignites. for ? ei ? elden a? ein to dignites
as gret gerdou{n} whan ? ei byspotten {and} defoulen dignites wi? hire
vylenie. ? And for as moche as ? ou mow[e] knowe ? at ? ilke verray
reuerence ne may nat comen by ? e shadewy t{ra}nsitorie dignitees.
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 straunge folk ? 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. ? Ry? t as fire i{n} euery contre ne stinte? nat to
enchaufen {and} to ben hote. 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] opiniou{n} of folk. ? at is to sein. ? at
wenen ? at dignites 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. but amo{n}g{us} hem ? at ? ei weren born duren ? ilk[e] dignites
alwey. ?
