[Sidenote: Can there be any stability in human affairs, when the
life of man is exposed to dissolution every hour?
life of man is exposed to dissolution every hour?
Chaucer - Boethius
But
na? eles ? {a}t ? ou shalt not wilne to leten ? i self a
wrecche. ? Hast ? ou for? eten ? e nou{m}bre {and} ? e 936
manere of ? i welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: I shall not speak of your happiness in being provided
for (in your orphanage) by the chief men of the city; nor of your
noble alliance with Festus and Symmachus;]
I holde me stille how ? at
? e souerayn men of ? e Citee toke{n} ? e in cure {and}
kepynge whan ? ou were orphelyn of fadir {and} modir.
{and} were chosen i{n} affinite of p{r}inces of ? e Citee. 940
? And ? ou bygu{n}ne ra? er to ben leef {and} deere ? an
forto ben a ney? bo{ur}. ? e whiche ? ing is ? e most p{re}ciouse
kynde of any p{ro}pinquitee or aliau{n}ce ? at may
ben. ? Who is it ? at ne seide ? ou nere ry? t weleful 944
wi? so grete a nobley of ? i fadres in lawe.
[Sidenote: nor of your virtuous wife, and manly sons. ]
? {And} wi?
? e chastite of ? i wijf. {and} wi? ? e oportunite {and}
noblesse of ? i masculyn children. ? at is to seyne ? i
sones {and} ou{er} al ? is me lyst to passe of comune ? inges. 948
? How ? ou haddest in ? i ? ou? t dignitees ? at weren
warned to olde men. but it delite? me to comen now to
? e singuler vphepyng of ? i welefulnesse. ? Yif any
fruyt of mortal ? inges may han any wey? te or price of 952
welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: Can you ever forget the memorable day that saw your two
sons invested with the dignity of Consuls? ]
? My? test ? ou euere for? eten for any
charge of harme ? at my? t[e] byfallen. ? e remembrau{n}ce
of ? ilke day ? at ? ou sey[e] ? i two sones maked conseillers.
{and} ylad to gidre from ? in house vndir so gret 956
assemble of senatours. {and} vndir ? e bly? enesse of poeple.
{and} whan ? ou say[e] hem sette in ? e court in her
chaieres of dignites. ? ? ou rethorien or p{ro}nou{n}cere [[pg 38]]
of kynges p{re}ysinges. deseruedest glorie of wit {and} of 960
eloquence.
[Sidenote: When in the circus you satisfied the expectant
multitude with a triumphal largess? ]
whan ? ou sittyng bytwix ? i two sones conseillers
in ? e place ? at hy? t Circo. {and} fulfildest ? e
abydyng of multitude of poeple ? at was sprad about ? e
wi? large p{ra}ysynge {and} laude as me{n} syngen in victories. 964
[Sidenote: By your expressions you flattered Fortune, and obtained
from her a gift which never before fell to any private person. ]
? o ? aue ? ou wordes of fortune as I trowe. ? at
is to seyne. ? o feffedest ? ou fortune wi? glosynge
wordes {and} desseiuedest hir. whan she accoied[e] ? e
{and} norsshed[e] ? e as hir owen delices. ? ? ou hast 968
had of fortune a ? ifte ? at is to seyn swiche gerdou{n}
? at she neu[er]e ? af to p{re}ue man
[Sidenote: Will you therefore call Fortune to account? ]
? Wilt ? ou ? erfore
leye a rekenyng wi? fortune.
[Sidenote: She now begins, I own, to look unkindly on you; but if
you consider the number of your blessings, you must confess that
you are still happy. ]
she ha? now twynkeled
first vpon ? e wi? a wykked eye. ? Yif ? ou considere 972
? e nou{m}bre {and} ? e manere of ? i blysses. {and} of ? i
sorwes.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 10 _b_. ]]
*? ou maist nat forsake ? at ? ou nart ? it blysful.
[Linenotes:
918 [_nat_]--from C.
919 _if_--yif
920 _mayist_--mayst
_tellen_--defendyn
921 _? eue_--yeuyn
922 _? an_--thanne
_ben_--bet (= beth)
923 _swetnesse_--swetenesse
924 _while_--whil
_herd_--MS. herde
926 _harme_--harm
928 _mowe_--mowen
929 _soun[e]_-sowne
930 _inset_--MS. insette, C. inset
932 _sorwe_--sorwes
933 _a? eyne_--ayein
934 _moue swiche_--moeue swych
938 _souerayn_--sou{er}ane
943 _ney? bour_--neysshebo{ur}
944 _nere_--were
945 _nobley_--nobleye
_fadres_--fadyr-is
947 _seyne_--seyn
948 _lyst_--lyste
_passe of_--passen the
949 _? ou? t_--yowthe
950 _warned_--werned
952 _fruyt_--frute
_price_--p{r}is
953 _My? test ? ow_--myhtes-thow
954 _harme_--harm
_my? t[e] byfallen_--myhte befalle
955 _sey[e]_--saye
956 _from_--fro
_gret_--MS. grete, C. gret
958 _say[e]_--saye
_sette_--set
_her_--heer{e}
961 _bytwix_--bytwyen
962 _hy? t_--hihte
963 _of_ (1)--of the
_about_--abowten
964 _wi? _--w{i}t{h} so
965 _? aue_--MS. ? an, C. yaue
_of_--to
966 _seyne_--seyn
967 _accoied[e]_--acoyede
968 _norsshed[e]_--noryssede
_owen_--owne
_? ou----of_--thow bar away of
969 _had_--MS. hadde
_swiche_--swich
970 _preue_--pryue
971 _leye_--lye
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
972 _wykked_--wyckede
973 _blysses_--blysse
974 _forsake_--forsakyn
_nart_--art
_blysful_--blysseful]
[Headnote:
ADVERSITY IS BUT TRANSIENT. ]
[Sidenote: These evils that you suffer are but transitory. ]
For if ? ou ? erfore wenest ? i self nat weleful for ? inges
? at ? o semeden ioyful ben passed. ? ? er nis nat whi 976
? ou sholdest wene ? i self a wrecche. for ? inges ? at now
semen soory passen also. ? Art ? ou now comen firste
a sodeyne gest in to ? e shadowe or tabernacle of ? is
lijf.
[Sidenote: Can there be any stability in human affairs, when the
life of man is exposed to dissolution every hour? ]
or trowest ? ou ? {a}t any stedfastnesse be in mannis 980
? inges. ? Whan ofte a swifte houre dissolue? ? e same
man. ? at is to seyne whan ? e soule dep{ar}ti? fro ? e
body. For al ? ou? ? at yelde is ? er any fei? ? at fortunous
? inges willen dwelle.
[Sidenote: The last day of life puts an end to Prosperity. ]
? it na? eles ? e last[e] day 984
of a ma{n}nis lijf is a man{er}e dee? to fortune. {and} also
to ? ilke ? at ha? dwelt.
[Sidenote: What matters it then, whether you by death leave it, or
it (Fortune) by flight doth leave you? ]
{and} ? erfore what wenist ? ou
? ar recche yif ? ou forlete hir i{n} dey{n}ge or ellys ? {a}t she
fortune forlete ? e i{n} fleenge awey. 988
[Linenotes:
978 _soory_--sorye
_firste_--fyrst
979 _sodeyne_--sodeyn
_shadowe_--shadwe
980 _stedfastnesse_--stedefastnesse
981 _swifte_--swyft
_dissolue? _--dyssoluede
983 _al ? ou? ? at_--al ? {a}t thowgh
_fortunous_--fortune
984 _willen dwelle_--wolen dwellyn
_last[e]_--laste
986 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_wenist ? ou_--weenestow
987 _? ar recche_--dar recke
988 _awey_--away]
[[pg 39]]
[Headnote:
MANY BLESSINGS STILL REMAIN. ]
CUM PRIMO POLO.
[Sidenote: [The . iij. Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: The stars pale before the light of the rising sun. ]
++Whan phebus ? e sonne bygynne? to spreden his clerenesse
w{i}t{h} rosene chariettes. ? an ? e sterre ydimmyd
pale? hir white cheres. by ? e flamus of ? e so{n}ne ? at
ouer come? ? e sterre ly? t. ? ? is is to seyn whan ? e 992
sonne is risen ? e day sterre wexi? pale {and} lesi? hir
ly? t for ? e grete bry? tnesse of ? e sonne.
[Sidenote: Westerly winds deck the wood with roses, but easterly
winds cause their beauty to fade. ]
? Whan ? e
wode wexe? redy of rosene floures in ? e first somer
sesou{n} ? oru? ? e bre? e of ? e wynde Zephirus ? at wexe? 996
warme. ? Yif ? e cloudy wynde auster blowe felliche.
? an go? awey ? e fayrnesse of ? ornes.
[Sidenote: Now the sea is calm, and again it is tempestuous. ]
Ofte ? e see is
clere {and} calme wi? oute moeuy{n}g floodes. And ofte
? e horrible wynde aq{u}ilon moeue? boylyng tempestes 1000
{and} ouer whelwe? ? e see.
[Sidenote: If all things thus vary, will you trust in transitory
riches? ]
? Yif ? e forme of ? is worlde
is so [? eelde] stable. {and} yif it to{ur}ni? by so many
entrechau{n}gynges. wilt ? ou ? a{n} truste{n} in ? e trublynge
fortunes of me{n}. wilt ? ou trowen i{n} flittyng goodes. 1004
[Sidenote: All here below is unstedfast and unstable. ]
It is certeyne {and} establissed by lawe p{er}durable ? at no
? i{n}g ? {a}t is engendred nys stedfast no stable.
[Linenotes:
989 _his_--hyr
990 _? an_--thanne
991 _flamus_--flambes
995 _redy_--rody
_rosene_--rosyn
997 _warme_--warm
998 _go? _--MS. go? e, C. goth
_fayrnesse_--fayrenesse
999 _clere_--cleer
_calme_--kalm
1000 _wynde_--wynd
1001 _whelwe? _--welueeth
1002 [_? eelde_]--from C.
1003, 1004 _wilt ? ou_--wolthow
1003 _? an_--thanne
_trublynge_--towmbly{n}ge
1004 _in flittyng_--on flettynge
1005 _It is_--is it
1006 _no_--ne
_stable_--estable]
[Headnote:
MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR. ]
TUNC EGO UERA INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe prose. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I cannot deny my sudden and early prosperity. ]
++? Anne seide I ? us. O norice of alle uertues ? ou
seist ful so? e. ? Ne I may nat forsake ? e ry? t[e] 1008
swifte cours of my p{ro}speritee. ? at is to seine. ? at
p{ro}speritee ne be comen to me wondir swiftly {and}
soone. but ? is is a ? ing ? at gretly smerti? me whan it
remembre? me.
[Sidenote: It is the remembrance of former happiness that adds
most to man's infelicity. ]
? For in alle aduersitees of fortune ? e 1012
most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune is to han
ben weleful.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Recollect that you have yet much affluence. ]
? But ? at ? ou q{uo}d she abaist ? us ? e
to{ur}ment of ? i fals[e] opiniou{n} ? at maist ? ou not ry? tfully
blamen ne aretten to ? inges. as who sei? for ? ou [[pg 40]]
hast ? itte many habundaunces of ? inges. ? _Textus. _ 1017
For al be it so ? at ? e ydel name of auenterouse welefulnesse
moeue? ? e now. it is leueful ? at ? ou rekene
w{i}t{h} me of how many[e] ? inges ? ou hast ? it plentee. 1020
[Sidenote: What you esteemed most precious in your happy days, you
still retain, and ought therefore not to complain.
na? eles ? {a}t ? ou shalt not wilne to leten ? i self a
wrecche. ? Hast ? ou for? eten ? e nou{m}bre {and} ? e 936
manere of ? i welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: I shall not speak of your happiness in being provided
for (in your orphanage) by the chief men of the city; nor of your
noble alliance with Festus and Symmachus;]
I holde me stille how ? at
? e souerayn men of ? e Citee toke{n} ? e in cure {and}
kepynge whan ? ou were orphelyn of fadir {and} modir.
{and} were chosen i{n} affinite of p{r}inces of ? e Citee. 940
? And ? ou bygu{n}ne ra? er to ben leef {and} deere ? an
forto ben a ney? bo{ur}. ? e whiche ? ing is ? e most p{re}ciouse
kynde of any p{ro}pinquitee or aliau{n}ce ? at may
ben. ? Who is it ? at ne seide ? ou nere ry? t weleful 944
wi? so grete a nobley of ? i fadres in lawe.
[Sidenote: nor of your virtuous wife, and manly sons. ]
? {And} wi?
? e chastite of ? i wijf. {and} wi? ? e oportunite {and}
noblesse of ? i masculyn children. ? at is to seyne ? i
sones {and} ou{er} al ? is me lyst to passe of comune ? inges. 948
? How ? ou haddest in ? i ? ou? t dignitees ? at weren
warned to olde men. but it delite? me to comen now to
? e singuler vphepyng of ? i welefulnesse. ? Yif any
fruyt of mortal ? inges may han any wey? te or price of 952
welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: Can you ever forget the memorable day that saw your two
sons invested with the dignity of Consuls? ]
? My? test ? ou euere for? eten for any
charge of harme ? at my? t[e] byfallen. ? e remembrau{n}ce
of ? ilke day ? at ? ou sey[e] ? i two sones maked conseillers.
{and} ylad to gidre from ? in house vndir so gret 956
assemble of senatours. {and} vndir ? e bly? enesse of poeple.
{and} whan ? ou say[e] hem sette in ? e court in her
chaieres of dignites. ? ? ou rethorien or p{ro}nou{n}cere [[pg 38]]
of kynges p{re}ysinges. deseruedest glorie of wit {and} of 960
eloquence.
[Sidenote: When in the circus you satisfied the expectant
multitude with a triumphal largess? ]
whan ? ou sittyng bytwix ? i two sones conseillers
in ? e place ? at hy? t Circo. {and} fulfildest ? e
abydyng of multitude of poeple ? at was sprad about ? e
wi? large p{ra}ysynge {and} laude as me{n} syngen in victories. 964
[Sidenote: By your expressions you flattered Fortune, and obtained
from her a gift which never before fell to any private person. ]
? o ? aue ? ou wordes of fortune as I trowe. ? at
is to seyne. ? o feffedest ? ou fortune wi? glosynge
wordes {and} desseiuedest hir. whan she accoied[e] ? e
{and} norsshed[e] ? e as hir owen delices. ? ? ou hast 968
had of fortune a ? ifte ? at is to seyn swiche gerdou{n}
? at she neu[er]e ? af to p{re}ue man
[Sidenote: Will you therefore call Fortune to account? ]
? Wilt ? ou ? erfore
leye a rekenyng wi? fortune.
[Sidenote: She now begins, I own, to look unkindly on you; but if
you consider the number of your blessings, you must confess that
you are still happy. ]
she ha? now twynkeled
first vpon ? e wi? a wykked eye. ? Yif ? ou considere 972
? e nou{m}bre {and} ? e manere of ? i blysses. {and} of ? i
sorwes.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 10 _b_. ]]
*? ou maist nat forsake ? at ? ou nart ? it blysful.
[Linenotes:
918 [_nat_]--from C.
919 _if_--yif
920 _mayist_--mayst
_tellen_--defendyn
921 _? eue_--yeuyn
922 _? an_--thanne
_ben_--bet (= beth)
923 _swetnesse_--swetenesse
924 _while_--whil
_herd_--MS. herde
926 _harme_--harm
928 _mowe_--mowen
929 _soun[e]_-sowne
930 _inset_--MS. insette, C. inset
932 _sorwe_--sorwes
933 _a? eyne_--ayein
934 _moue swiche_--moeue swych
938 _souerayn_--sou{er}ane
943 _ney? bour_--neysshebo{ur}
944 _nere_--were
945 _nobley_--nobleye
_fadres_--fadyr-is
947 _seyne_--seyn
948 _lyst_--lyste
_passe of_--passen the
949 _? ou? t_--yowthe
950 _warned_--werned
952 _fruyt_--frute
_price_--p{r}is
953 _My? test ? ow_--myhtes-thow
954 _harme_--harm
_my? t[e] byfallen_--myhte befalle
955 _sey[e]_--saye
956 _from_--fro
_gret_--MS. grete, C. gret
958 _say[e]_--saye
_sette_--set
_her_--heer{e}
961 _bytwix_--bytwyen
962 _hy? t_--hihte
963 _of_ (1)--of the
_about_--abowten
964 _wi? _--w{i}t{h} so
965 _? aue_--MS. ? an, C. yaue
_of_--to
966 _seyne_--seyn
967 _accoied[e]_--acoyede
968 _norsshed[e]_--noryssede
_owen_--owne
_? ou----of_--thow bar away of
969 _had_--MS. hadde
_swiche_--swich
970 _preue_--pryue
971 _leye_--lye
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
972 _wykked_--wyckede
973 _blysses_--blysse
974 _forsake_--forsakyn
_nart_--art
_blysful_--blysseful]
[Headnote:
ADVERSITY IS BUT TRANSIENT. ]
[Sidenote: These evils that you suffer are but transitory. ]
For if ? ou ? erfore wenest ? i self nat weleful for ? inges
? at ? o semeden ioyful ben passed. ? ? er nis nat whi 976
? ou sholdest wene ? i self a wrecche. for ? inges ? at now
semen soory passen also. ? Art ? ou now comen firste
a sodeyne gest in to ? e shadowe or tabernacle of ? is
lijf.
[Sidenote: Can there be any stability in human affairs, when the
life of man is exposed to dissolution every hour? ]
or trowest ? ou ? {a}t any stedfastnesse be in mannis 980
? inges. ? Whan ofte a swifte houre dissolue? ? e same
man. ? at is to seyne whan ? e soule dep{ar}ti? fro ? e
body. For al ? ou? ? at yelde is ? er any fei? ? at fortunous
? inges willen dwelle.
[Sidenote: The last day of life puts an end to Prosperity. ]
? it na? eles ? e last[e] day 984
of a ma{n}nis lijf is a man{er}e dee? to fortune. {and} also
to ? ilke ? at ha? dwelt.
[Sidenote: What matters it then, whether you by death leave it, or
it (Fortune) by flight doth leave you? ]
{and} ? erfore what wenist ? ou
? ar recche yif ? ou forlete hir i{n} dey{n}ge or ellys ? {a}t she
fortune forlete ? e i{n} fleenge awey. 988
[Linenotes:
978 _soory_--sorye
_firste_--fyrst
979 _sodeyne_--sodeyn
_shadowe_--shadwe
980 _stedfastnesse_--stedefastnesse
981 _swifte_--swyft
_dissolue? _--dyssoluede
983 _al ? ou? ? at_--al ? {a}t thowgh
_fortunous_--fortune
984 _willen dwelle_--wolen dwellyn
_last[e]_--laste
986 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_wenist ? ou_--weenestow
987 _? ar recche_--dar recke
988 _awey_--away]
[[pg 39]]
[Headnote:
MANY BLESSINGS STILL REMAIN. ]
CUM PRIMO POLO.
[Sidenote: [The . iij. Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: The stars pale before the light of the rising sun. ]
++Whan phebus ? e sonne bygynne? to spreden his clerenesse
w{i}t{h} rosene chariettes. ? an ? e sterre ydimmyd
pale? hir white cheres. by ? e flamus of ? e so{n}ne ? at
ouer come? ? e sterre ly? t. ? ? is is to seyn whan ? e 992
sonne is risen ? e day sterre wexi? pale {and} lesi? hir
ly? t for ? e grete bry? tnesse of ? e sonne.
[Sidenote: Westerly winds deck the wood with roses, but easterly
winds cause their beauty to fade. ]
? Whan ? e
wode wexe? redy of rosene floures in ? e first somer
sesou{n} ? oru? ? e bre? e of ? e wynde Zephirus ? at wexe? 996
warme. ? Yif ? e cloudy wynde auster blowe felliche.
? an go? awey ? e fayrnesse of ? ornes.
[Sidenote: Now the sea is calm, and again it is tempestuous. ]
Ofte ? e see is
clere {and} calme wi? oute moeuy{n}g floodes. And ofte
? e horrible wynde aq{u}ilon moeue? boylyng tempestes 1000
{and} ouer whelwe? ? e see.
[Sidenote: If all things thus vary, will you trust in transitory
riches? ]
? Yif ? e forme of ? is worlde
is so [? eelde] stable. {and} yif it to{ur}ni? by so many
entrechau{n}gynges. wilt ? ou ? a{n} truste{n} in ? e trublynge
fortunes of me{n}. wilt ? ou trowen i{n} flittyng goodes. 1004
[Sidenote: All here below is unstedfast and unstable. ]
It is certeyne {and} establissed by lawe p{er}durable ? at no
? i{n}g ? {a}t is engendred nys stedfast no stable.
[Linenotes:
989 _his_--hyr
990 _? an_--thanne
991 _flamus_--flambes
995 _redy_--rody
_rosene_--rosyn
997 _warme_--warm
998 _go? _--MS. go? e, C. goth
_fayrnesse_--fayrenesse
999 _clere_--cleer
_calme_--kalm
1000 _wynde_--wynd
1001 _whelwe? _--welueeth
1002 [_? eelde_]--from C.
1003, 1004 _wilt ? ou_--wolthow
1003 _? an_--thanne
_trublynge_--towmbly{n}ge
1004 _in flittyng_--on flettynge
1005 _It is_--is it
1006 _no_--ne
_stable_--estable]
[Headnote:
MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR. ]
TUNC EGO UERA INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe prose. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I cannot deny my sudden and early prosperity. ]
++? Anne seide I ? us. O norice of alle uertues ? ou
seist ful so? e. ? Ne I may nat forsake ? e ry? t[e] 1008
swifte cours of my p{ro}speritee. ? at is to seine. ? at
p{ro}speritee ne be comen to me wondir swiftly {and}
soone. but ? is is a ? ing ? at gretly smerti? me whan it
remembre? me.
[Sidenote: It is the remembrance of former happiness that adds
most to man's infelicity. ]
? For in alle aduersitees of fortune ? e 1012
most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune is to han
ben weleful.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Recollect that you have yet much affluence. ]
? But ? at ? ou q{uo}d she abaist ? us ? e
to{ur}ment of ? i fals[e] opiniou{n} ? at maist ? ou not ry? tfully
blamen ne aretten to ? inges. as who sei? for ? ou [[pg 40]]
hast ? itte many habundaunces of ? inges. ? _Textus. _ 1017
For al be it so ? at ? e ydel name of auenterouse welefulnesse
moeue? ? e now. it is leueful ? at ? ou rekene
w{i}t{h} me of how many[e] ? inges ? ou hast ? it plentee. 1020
[Sidenote: What you esteemed most precious in your happy days, you
still retain, and ought therefore not to complain.
