hem as ful
large muche golde {and} app{ar}aile?
large muche golde {and} app{ar}aile?
Chaucer - Boethius
]
? But ? e couetyse of men ? at may not be staunched 868
shal it bynde me to be stedfast. syn ? at stedfastnesse
is vnkou? to my maneres. ? Swyche is my streng? e.
[Sidenote: I turn my rolling wheel and amuse myself with exalting
what was low, and bringing down what was high. ]
{and} ? is pley. I pley[e] co{n}tinuely. I tourne ? e whirly{n}g
whele wi? ? e tournyng cercle ? I am glade to chaunge 872
? e lowest to ? e heyeste. {and} ? e heyest to ? e loweste.
[Linenotes:
833 _plete_--pleten
834 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak
835 _makest ? ou_--makes thow
836 _wronges_--wro{n}ge
837 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_byreft_--MS. byrefte, C. byreft
838 _stryf_--MS. stryue, C. stryf
_plete_--pleten
_by fore_--by forn
839 _wilt_--wolt
_rycchesse_--rychesses
840 _shewe_--shewyn
_euer_--eu{er}e
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
841 _? ese_--tho
_his_--hise
842 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
[_alle_]--from C.
845 _al ? ing_--alle thinges
_norysshed[e]_--noryssede
846 _rychesse_--rychesses
848, 849 _al_--alle
848 _habundaunce_--abou{n}dau{n}ce
850 _wi? ----hande_--withdrawen myn hand
_had_--MS. hadde, C. had
851 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
852 _vtterly_--outrely
_lorn_--MS. lorne, C. for lorn.
853 _don_--MS. done, C. don
854 _Ricches_--Rychesses
858 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. forlorn
859 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn
860 _vse_--vsen
861 _keuere ? e_--coeu{er}yn tho
862 _derke_--dirk
_er? e_--yer
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
864 _confounde_--co{n}fownden
865 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
866 _calme_--kalm
867 (2nd) _wi? _--omitted
869 _stedfast_--stidefast
_stedfastnesse_--stidefastnesse
870 _vnkou? _--MS. vnkou? e, C. vnkowth
_Swyche_--Swych
871 _pley[e]_--pleye
872 _whele_--wheel
_glade_--glad
_chaunge_--chaungy{n}]
[[pg 35]]
[Headnote:
BE SUBJECT TO FORTUNE'S CHANGES. ]
[Sidenote: Ascend if you will, but come down when my sport
requires it. ]
wor? e vp yif ? ou wilt. so it be by ? is lawe. ? at ? ou
ne holde not ? at I do ? e wronge ? ou? ? ou descende
dou{n} whanne resou{n} of my pleye axe? it.
[Sidenote: Know you not the history of Croesus and of Paulus
AEmilius? ]
Wost ? ou 876
not how Cresus kyng of lyndens of whiche kyng Cir{us}
was ful sore agast a litel byforne ? at ? is rewlyche
Cresus was cau? t of Cirus {and} lad to ? e fijr to be
brent. but ? at a reyne desce{n}ded[e] dou{n} from heuene 880
? at rescowed[e] hym ? And is it out of ? i mynde how
? at Paulus consul of Rome whan he hadde take ? e
kyng of p{er}ciens weep pitou[s]ly for ? e captiuitee of ? e
self[e] kyng.
[Sidenote: What else does the weeping muse of Tragedy deplore but
the overthrow of kingdoms by the indiscriminate strokes of
Fortune? ]
What o? er ? inges bywaylen ? e criinges of 884
Tragedies. but only ? e dedes of fortune. ? at wi? an
vnwar stroke ouert{ur}ne? ? e realmes of grete nobley
? _Glose. _ Tragedie is to seyne a dite of a p{ro}sp{er}ite for
a tyme ? at endi? in wrechednesse.
[Sidenote: Did you not learn whilst a youth, that at the gates of
Jove's palace stand two vessels, one full of blessings, the other
of woes? ]
Lernedest nat ? ou 888
in grek whan ? ou were ? onge ? at in ? e entre or in ? e
seler of Iuppiter ? er ben couched two tunnes. ? at on
is ful of good ? at o? er is ful of harme.
[Sidenote: What if you have drunk too deep of the first vessel? ]
? What ry? t
hast ? ou to pleyne. yif ? ou hast taken more plenteuously 892
of ? e goode syde ? at is to seyne of my rycchesse {and}
p{ro}sp{er}ites. {and} what eke. yif I be nat departed fro ? e.
[Sidenote: My mutability gives thee hope of happier days. ]
What eke. yif my mutabilitee ? iue? ? e ry? tful cause of
hope to han ? it better ? i{n}ges.
[Sidenote: Desire not to be exempted from the vicissitudes of
humanity. ]
? Na? eles desmaie ? e 896
nat in ? i ? ou? t. and ? {o}u ? at art put in comune realme
of alle: ne desijr[e] nat to lyue by ? ine oonly p{ro}pre ry? t.
[Linenotes:
874 _wor? e_--worth
_wilt_--wolt
876 _doun_--adou{n}
_whanne_--wan
_pleye_--pley
_Wost ? ou_--wistesthow
877 _kyng_ (1)--the kyng
_lyndens_--lydyens
878 _byforne_--byforn
880 _reyne descended[e]_--rayn dessendede
_from_--fro
881 _rescowed[e]_--rescowede
882 _take_--takyn
885 _an_--a
886 _? e_--omitted
887 _seyne_--seyn
890 _tunnes_--tonnes
891 _harme_--harm
892 _hast ? ou_--hasthow
893 _seyne_--seyn
_rycchesse_--rychesses
894 _I be nat_--I ne be nat al
896 _better_--beter{e}
898 _lyue_--lyuen
_? ine_--thin]
[Headnote:
THE COVETOUS ARE EVER DISCONTENTED. ]
SI Q{UA}NTAS RAPIDIS.
[Sidenote: [the secu{n}de met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Though Plenty, from her teeming horn, poured down as
many riches on the world as there are sands on the sea-shore, or
stars in heaven, mankind would not cease to complain. ]
++? Ou? plentee ? at is goddesse of rycches hielde adou{n}
wi? ful horn. {and} wi? drawe? nat hir hand. ? As 900
many recches as ? e see turne? vpwardes sandes whan it
is moeued wi? rauysshing blastes. or ellys as many [[pg 36]]
rycches as ? er shynen bry? t[e] sterres on heuene on ? e
sterry ny? t. ? it for al ? at mankynde nolde not cesce to 904
wope wrecched[e] pleyntes.
[Sidenote: Though Heaven may grant every desire, they will still
cry for more. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 10. ]]
? And al be it so *? at
god receyue? gladly her p{ra}yers {and} ? eue?
hem as ful
large muche golde {and} app{ar}aile? coueytous folk wi?
noble or clere hono{ur}s. ? it seme? hem haue I-gete no? ing. 908
but alwey her cruel ravyne deuourynge al ? at ? ei
han geten shewi? o? er gapinges. ? at is to seye gapen
{and} desiren ? it after moo rycchesse.
[Sidenote: What rein can restrain unbounded avarice? ]
? What brideles
my? ten wi? holde to any certeyne ende ? e desordene 912
coueitise of men ? Whan euere ? e ra? er ? {a}t it fleti? in
large ? iftis: ? e more ay brenne? in hem ? e ? rest of
hauyng.
[Sidenote: He who thinks himself poor, though he be rich, doth
truly labour under poverty. ]
? Certis he ? at quakyng {and} dredeful wene?
hym seluen nedy. he ne lyue? neu{er}e mo ryche. 916
[Linenotes:
899 _rycches_--rychesses
901 _recches_--rychesses
_vpwardes_--vpward
902 _rauysshing_--rauyssynge
903 _rycches_--rychesses
_bry? t[e]_--bryhte
_on_ (1)--in
904 _ny? t_--nyhtes
905 _wope wrecched[e]_--wepe wrecchede
906 _her_--hir
_ful_--fool
907 _muche_--meche
_folk_--men
908 _haue_--hauen
_I-gete_--I-getyn
909 _her_--hir
910 _seye_--seyn
911 _rycchesse_--rychesses
912 _wi? holde_--wytholden
_certeyne_--certeyn
914 _? rest_--thurst
915 _dredeful_--dredful
916 _lyue? _--leueth]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS IS NOT UNHAPPY. ]
HIIS IGITUR SI PRO SE.
[Sidenote: [The thrydde p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: If Fortune spake thus to you, you could not defend your
complaint. ]
++? erfore yif ? at fortune spake wi? ? e for hir self in
? is manere. For so? e ? ou ne haddest [nat] what
? ou my? test answere. and if ? ou hast any ? i{n}g wherwi? .
? ou mayist ry? tfully tellen ? i co{m}pleynt. ? It 920
byhoue? ? e to shewen it. {and} . I. wol ? eue ? e space to
tellen it.
[Sidenote: _B. _ What you have said is very specious, but such
discourses are only sweet while they strike our ears. ]
? Certeynely q{uod} I ? an ? ise ben faire
? inges {and} enoyntid wi? hony swetnesse of rethorike
{and} musike. {and} only while ? ei ben herd ? ei ben 924
deliciouse.
[Sidenote: They cannot efface the deep impressions that misery has
made in the heart. ]
? But to wrecches is a deppere felyng of
harme. ? is is to seyn ? at wrecches felen ? e harmes ? at
? ei suffren more greuously ? an ? e remedies or ? e delites
of ? ise wordes mowe gladen or comforten hem. so ? at 928
whan ? ise ? inges stynten forto sou{n}[e] in eres. ? e sorwe [[pg 37]]
? at is inset greue? ? e ? ou? t.
[Sidenote: _P. _ So it is indeed; for my arguments are not designed
as remedies, but as lenitives only. ]
Ry? t so is it q{uod} she.
? For ? ise ne ben ? it none remedies of ? i maladie. but
? ei ben a manere norissinges of ? i sorwe ? it rebel 932
a? eyne ? i curac{i}ou{n}.
[Sidenote: When time serves, I will administer those things that
shall reach the seat of your disease. ]
? For whan ? at tyme is. I shal
moue swiche ? inges ? at p{er}cen hem self depe.
[Sidenote: But you are not among the number of the wretched. ]
? 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?
? But ? e couetyse of men ? at may not be staunched 868
shal it bynde me to be stedfast. syn ? at stedfastnesse
is vnkou? to my maneres. ? Swyche is my streng? e.
[Sidenote: I turn my rolling wheel and amuse myself with exalting
what was low, and bringing down what was high. ]
{and} ? is pley. I pley[e] co{n}tinuely. I tourne ? e whirly{n}g
whele wi? ? e tournyng cercle ? I am glade to chaunge 872
? e lowest to ? e heyeste. {and} ? e heyest to ? e loweste.
[Linenotes:
833 _plete_--pleten
834 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak
835 _makest ? ou_--makes thow
836 _wronges_--wro{n}ge
837 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_byreft_--MS. byrefte, C. byreft
838 _stryf_--MS. stryue, C. stryf
_plete_--pleten
_by fore_--by forn
839 _wilt_--wolt
_rycchesse_--rychesses
840 _shewe_--shewyn
_euer_--eu{er}e
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
841 _? ese_--tho
_his_--hise
842 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
[_alle_]--from C.
845 _al ? ing_--alle thinges
_norysshed[e]_--noryssede
846 _rychesse_--rychesses
848, 849 _al_--alle
848 _habundaunce_--abou{n}dau{n}ce
850 _wi? ----hande_--withdrawen myn hand
_had_--MS. hadde, C. had
851 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
852 _vtterly_--outrely
_lorn_--MS. lorne, C. for lorn.
853 _don_--MS. done, C. don
854 _Ricches_--Rychesses
858 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. forlorn
859 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn
860 _vse_--vsen
861 _keuere ? e_--coeu{er}yn tho
862 _derke_--dirk
_er? e_--yer
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
864 _confounde_--co{n}fownden
865 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
866 _calme_--kalm
867 (2nd) _wi? _--omitted
869 _stedfast_--stidefast
_stedfastnesse_--stidefastnesse
870 _vnkou? _--MS. vnkou? e, C. vnkowth
_Swyche_--Swych
871 _pley[e]_--pleye
872 _whele_--wheel
_glade_--glad
_chaunge_--chaungy{n}]
[[pg 35]]
[Headnote:
BE SUBJECT TO FORTUNE'S CHANGES. ]
[Sidenote: Ascend if you will, but come down when my sport
requires it. ]
wor? e vp yif ? ou wilt. so it be by ? is lawe. ? at ? ou
ne holde not ? at I do ? e wronge ? ou? ? ou descende
dou{n} whanne resou{n} of my pleye axe? it.
[Sidenote: Know you not the history of Croesus and of Paulus
AEmilius? ]
Wost ? ou 876
not how Cresus kyng of lyndens of whiche kyng Cir{us}
was ful sore agast a litel byforne ? at ? is rewlyche
Cresus was cau? t of Cirus {and} lad to ? e fijr to be
brent. but ? at a reyne desce{n}ded[e] dou{n} from heuene 880
? at rescowed[e] hym ? And is it out of ? i mynde how
? at Paulus consul of Rome whan he hadde take ? e
kyng of p{er}ciens weep pitou[s]ly for ? e captiuitee of ? e
self[e] kyng.
[Sidenote: What else does the weeping muse of Tragedy deplore but
the overthrow of kingdoms by the indiscriminate strokes of
Fortune? ]
What o? er ? inges bywaylen ? e criinges of 884
Tragedies. but only ? e dedes of fortune. ? at wi? an
vnwar stroke ouert{ur}ne? ? e realmes of grete nobley
? _Glose. _ Tragedie is to seyne a dite of a p{ro}sp{er}ite for
a tyme ? at endi? in wrechednesse.
[Sidenote: Did you not learn whilst a youth, that at the gates of
Jove's palace stand two vessels, one full of blessings, the other
of woes? ]
Lernedest nat ? ou 888
in grek whan ? ou were ? onge ? at in ? e entre or in ? e
seler of Iuppiter ? er ben couched two tunnes. ? at on
is ful of good ? at o? er is ful of harme.
[Sidenote: What if you have drunk too deep of the first vessel? ]
? What ry? t
hast ? ou to pleyne. yif ? ou hast taken more plenteuously 892
of ? e goode syde ? at is to seyne of my rycchesse {and}
p{ro}sp{er}ites. {and} what eke. yif I be nat departed fro ? e.
[Sidenote: My mutability gives thee hope of happier days. ]
What eke. yif my mutabilitee ? iue? ? e ry? tful cause of
hope to han ? it better ? i{n}ges.
[Sidenote: Desire not to be exempted from the vicissitudes of
humanity. ]
? Na? eles desmaie ? e 896
nat in ? i ? ou? t. and ? {o}u ? at art put in comune realme
of alle: ne desijr[e] nat to lyue by ? ine oonly p{ro}pre ry? t.
[Linenotes:
874 _wor? e_--worth
_wilt_--wolt
876 _doun_--adou{n}
_whanne_--wan
_pleye_--pley
_Wost ? ou_--wistesthow
877 _kyng_ (1)--the kyng
_lyndens_--lydyens
878 _byforne_--byforn
880 _reyne descended[e]_--rayn dessendede
_from_--fro
881 _rescowed[e]_--rescowede
882 _take_--takyn
885 _an_--a
886 _? e_--omitted
887 _seyne_--seyn
890 _tunnes_--tonnes
891 _harme_--harm
892 _hast ? ou_--hasthow
893 _seyne_--seyn
_rycchesse_--rychesses
894 _I be nat_--I ne be nat al
896 _better_--beter{e}
898 _lyue_--lyuen
_? ine_--thin]
[Headnote:
THE COVETOUS ARE EVER DISCONTENTED. ]
SI Q{UA}NTAS RAPIDIS.
[Sidenote: [the secu{n}de met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Though Plenty, from her teeming horn, poured down as
many riches on the world as there are sands on the sea-shore, or
stars in heaven, mankind would not cease to complain. ]
++? Ou? plentee ? at is goddesse of rycches hielde adou{n}
wi? ful horn. {and} wi? drawe? nat hir hand. ? As 900
many recches as ? e see turne? vpwardes sandes whan it
is moeued wi? rauysshing blastes. or ellys as many [[pg 36]]
rycches as ? er shynen bry? t[e] sterres on heuene on ? e
sterry ny? t. ? it for al ? at mankynde nolde not cesce to 904
wope wrecched[e] pleyntes.
[Sidenote: Though Heaven may grant every desire, they will still
cry for more. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 10. ]]
? And al be it so *? at
god receyue? gladly her p{ra}yers {and} ? eue?
hem as ful
large muche golde {and} app{ar}aile? coueytous folk wi?
noble or clere hono{ur}s. ? it seme? hem haue I-gete no? ing. 908
but alwey her cruel ravyne deuourynge al ? at ? ei
han geten shewi? o? er gapinges. ? at is to seye gapen
{and} desiren ? it after moo rycchesse.
[Sidenote: What rein can restrain unbounded avarice? ]
? What brideles
my? ten wi? holde to any certeyne ende ? e desordene 912
coueitise of men ? Whan euere ? e ra? er ? {a}t it fleti? in
large ? iftis: ? e more ay brenne? in hem ? e ? rest of
hauyng.
[Sidenote: He who thinks himself poor, though he be rich, doth
truly labour under poverty. ]
? Certis he ? at quakyng {and} dredeful wene?
hym seluen nedy. he ne lyue? neu{er}e mo ryche. 916
[Linenotes:
899 _rycches_--rychesses
901 _recches_--rychesses
_vpwardes_--vpward
902 _rauysshing_--rauyssynge
903 _rycches_--rychesses
_bry? t[e]_--bryhte
_on_ (1)--in
904 _ny? t_--nyhtes
905 _wope wrecched[e]_--wepe wrecchede
906 _her_--hir
_ful_--fool
907 _muche_--meche
_folk_--men
908 _haue_--hauen
_I-gete_--I-getyn
909 _her_--hir
910 _seye_--seyn
911 _rycchesse_--rychesses
912 _wi? holde_--wytholden
_certeyne_--certeyn
914 _? rest_--thurst
915 _dredeful_--dredful
916 _lyue? _--leueth]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS IS NOT UNHAPPY. ]
HIIS IGITUR SI PRO SE.
[Sidenote: [The thrydde p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: If Fortune spake thus to you, you could not defend your
complaint. ]
++? erfore yif ? at fortune spake wi? ? e for hir self in
? is manere. For so? e ? ou ne haddest [nat] what
? ou my? test answere. and if ? ou hast any ? i{n}g wherwi? .
? ou mayist ry? tfully tellen ? i co{m}pleynt. ? It 920
byhoue? ? e to shewen it. {and} . I. wol ? eue ? e space to
tellen it.
[Sidenote: _B. _ What you have said is very specious, but such
discourses are only sweet while they strike our ears. ]
? Certeynely q{uod} I ? an ? ise ben faire
? inges {and} enoyntid wi? hony swetnesse of rethorike
{and} musike. {and} only while ? ei ben herd ? ei ben 924
deliciouse.
[Sidenote: They cannot efface the deep impressions that misery has
made in the heart. ]
? But to wrecches is a deppere felyng of
harme. ? is is to seyn ? at wrecches felen ? e harmes ? at
? ei suffren more greuously ? an ? e remedies or ? e delites
of ? ise wordes mowe gladen or comforten hem. so ? at 928
whan ? ise ? inges stynten forto sou{n}[e] in eres. ? e sorwe [[pg 37]]
? at is inset greue? ? e ? ou? t.
[Sidenote: _P. _ So it is indeed; for my arguments are not designed
as remedies, but as lenitives only. ]
Ry? t so is it q{uod} she.
? For ? ise ne ben ? it none remedies of ? i maladie. but
? ei ben a manere norissinges of ? i sorwe ? it rebel 932
a? eyne ? i curac{i}ou{n}.
[Sidenote: When time serves, I will administer those things that
shall reach the seat of your disease. ]
? For whan ? at tyme is. I shal
moue swiche ? inges ? at p{er}cen hem self depe.
[Sidenote: But you are not among the number of the wretched. ]
? 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?
