or whi
sholdest ?
sholdest ?
Chaucer - Boethius
?
e distincc{i}ou{n} of hem self.
? it for as myche as ? ei ben put vndir ? oure excellence. 1212
? ei han not desserued by no weye ? at ? e shullen
merueylen on hem.
[Sidenote: Doth the beauty of the field delight thee? ]
? And ? e beaute of feeldes delite?
it nat mychel vnto ? ow.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should it not? for it is a beautiful part of a
beautiful whole. ]
_Boyce. _ ? Whi sholde it nat
deliten vs. syn ? at it is a ry? t fayr porciou{n} of ? e ry? t 1216
fair werk. ? at is to seyn of ? is worlde.
[Sidenote: Hence, we admire the face of the sea, the heavens, as
well as the sun, moon, and stars. ]
? And ry? t
so ben we gladed somtyme of ? e face of ? e see whan
it is clere. And also merueylen we on ? e heuene {and}
on ? e sterres. {and} on ? e sonne. {and} on ? e mone. [[pg 47]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do these things concern thee? darest thou glory in
them? ]
_Philosophie. _ ? App{er}teine? q{uo}d she any of ? ilke 1221
? inges to ? e. whi darst ? ou glorifie ? e in ? e shynynge
of any swiche ? inges.
[Sidenote: Do the flowers adorn you with their variety? ]
Art ? ou distingwed {and} embelised
by ? e spryngyng floures of ? e first somer 1224
sesou{n}. or swelli? ? i plente in fruytes of somer. whi
art ? ou rauyshed wi? ydel ioies.
[Sidenote: Why embracest thou things wherein thou hast no
property? ]
why enbracest ? ou
straunge goodes as ? ei weren ? ine.
[Sidenote: Fortune can never make that thine which the nature of
things forbids to be so. ]
Fortune shal neuer
maken ? at swiche ? inges ben ? ine ? at nature of ? inges 1228
maked foreyne fro ? e.
[Sidenote: The fruits of the earth are designed for the support of
beasts. ]
? Syche is ? at wi? -oute{n}
doute ? e fruytes of ? e er? e owen to ben on ? e
norssinge of bestes.
[Sidenote: If you seek only the necessities of nature, the
affluence of Fortune will be useless. ]
? And if ? ou wilt fulfille ? i
nede after ? at it suffise? to nature ? an is it no nede 1232
? at ? ou seke after ? e sup{er}fluite of fortune.
[Sidenote: Nature is content with a little, and superfluity will
be both disagreeable and hurtful. ]
? For
wi? ful fewe ? inges {and} w{i}t{h} ful lytel ? ing nature
halt hire appaied. {and} yif ? ou wilt achoken ? e fulfillyng
of nat{ur}e wi? sup{er}fluites ? Certys ? ilke 1236
? inges ? {a}t ? ou wilt ? resten or pouren in to nature
shullen ben vnioyeful to ? e or ellis anoies.
[Sidenote: Does it add to a man's worth to shine in variety of
costly clothing? ]
? Wenest
? ou eke ? at it be a fair ? inge to shine wi? dyuerse
clo? ing.
[Sidenote: The things really to be admired are the beauty of the
stuff or the workmanship of it. ]
of whiche clo? ing yif ? e beaute be agreable 1240
to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on ? e nature of ? e
matere of ? ilke clo? es. or ellys on ? e werkeman ? at
wrou? t[e] hem.
[Sidenote: Doth a great retinue make thee happy? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 12 _b_. ]]
but al so a longe route of meyne. maki?
? at a blisful *man.
[Sidenote: If thy servants be vicious, they are a great burden to
the house, and pernicious enemies to the master of it. ]
? e whiche seruauntes yif ? ei ben 1244
vicio? s of condic{i}ou{n}s it is a greet charge {and} a
destrucc{i}ou{n} to ? e house. {and} a g{r}eet enmye to ? e lorde
hym self
[Sidenote: If they be good, why should the probity of others be
put to thy account? ]
? {And} yif ? ei ben goode men how shal
straung[e] or foreyne goodenes ben put in ? e nou{m}bre 1248
of ? i rycchesse.
[Sidenote: Upon the whole, then, none of those enjoyments which
thou didst consider as thy own did ever properly belong to thee. ]
so ? {a}t by alle ? ise forseide ? inges. it is
clerly shewed ? at neuer none of ? ilke ? inges ? at ? ou
accou{m}ptedest for ? in goodes nas nat ? i goode.
[Sidenote: If they be not desirable, why shouldst thou grieve for
the loss of them? ]
? In
? e whiche ? inges yif ? er be no beaute to ben desired. 1252
[Linenotes:
1172 _strenger_--strenger{e}
_vndirstonde_--vndyrstond
1173 _nar[e]_--ne weere
1174 _be ? ine_--ben thyn
1175 _foule_--fowl
1176 _Richesse_--Rychessis
1178 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1179, 1180 _golde_--gold
1180 _better_--betere
1181 _? en_--thanne
1182 _mokeres_--mokereres
1183 _folke clere_--folk cler
1184 _swiche_--swich
_from_--fram
1187 _stynte? _--stenteth
1188 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1189 _world_--worlde
1190 _al_--alle
1191 _al hool_--omitted
1193 _myche folke_--moche folk{e}
_rycchesse_--rychesses
1194 _myche_--moche
1196 _forgon_--MS. forgone
1197 _? ise_--this
_rycchesses_--rychesse
[_ne_]--from C.
1198 _on_--o
1199 _wi? -oute_--with-owten
_al_--alle
_folke_--folk{e}
1200 _preciouse_--p{re}syous
1201 _in_--omitted
_warde_--ward
_seyne_--seyn
1202 _beaute_ (1)--beautes
_For_--but
1203 _in_--in the
1204 _whiche_--which
1207 _ioynture_--Ioyngture
1208 _faire_--fayr
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
1210 _laste_--last
_worlde_--world
1212 _myche_--mochel
1213 _desserued_--MS. desseyued, C. desseruyd
_weye_--wey
_shullen_--sholden
1215 _mychel_--mochel
1217 _fair werk_--fayr{e} werke
_worlde_--world
1219 _clere_--cler
1222 _darst ? ou glorifie_--darsthow gloryfyen
1225 _in_--in the
1229 _Syche_--Soth
1230 _on_--to
1231, 1235, 1237 _wilt_--wolt
1238 _shullen_--shollen
1239 _fair_--fayre
1240 _whiche_--which
1242 _werkeman_--werkman
1246 _house_--hows
_lorde_--lord
1248 _goodenes_--goodnesse
1250 _shewed_--I-shewyd
_none_--oon
1251 _? in_--thine
_goode_--good]
[[pg 48]]
[Headnote:
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES. ]
whi sholdest ? ou be sory yif ? ou leese hem.
or whi
sholdest ? ou reioysen ? e to holden hem.
[Sidenote: If they are fair by nature, what is that to thee? ]
? For if ? ei
ben fair of hire owen kynde. what app{er}tene? ? at to ? e.
[Sidenote: They would be equally agreeable whether thine or not. ]
for as wel sholde ? ei han ben faire by hem self. 1256
? ou? ? ei were{n} dep{ar}tid from alle ? in rycchesse.
[Sidenote: They are not to be reckoned precious because they are
counted amongst thy goods, but because they seemed so before thou
didst desire to possess them. ]
? For-why
faire ne p{re}cio? s ne weren ? ei nat. for ? at ? ei
comen amonges ? i rycchesse. but for ? ei semeden fair
{and} p{re}cious. ? erfore ? ou haddest leuer rekene hem 1260
amonges ? i rycchesse.
[Sidenote: What, then, is it we so clamorously demand of Fortune? ]
but what desirest ? ou of fortune
wi? so greet a noyse {and} wi? so greet a fare
[Sidenote: Is it to drive away indigence by abundance? ]
? I
trowe ? ou seke to dryue awey nede wi? habundaunce
of ? inges.
[Sidenote: But the very reverse of this happens, for there is need
of many helps to keep a variety of valuable goods. ]
? But certys it turne? to ? ow al in ? e 1264
contrarie. for whi certys it nedi? of ful many[e] helpynges
to kepen ? e dyuersite of preciouse ostelment? .
[Sidenote: They want most things who have the most. ]
and so? e it is ? at of many[e] ? inges han ? ei nede ? at
many[e] ? inges han.
[Sidenote: They want the fewest who measure their abundance by the
necessities of nature, and not by the superfluity of their
desires. ]
{and} a? eyneward of litel nedi? 1268
hem ? at mesuren hir fille after ? e nede of kynde {and}
nat after ? e outrage of couetyse
[Sidenote: Is there no good planted within ourselves, that we are
obliged to go abroad to seek it? ]
? Is it ? an so ? at ye
men ne han no p{ro}pre goode. I-set in ? ow. For
whiche ? e moten seken outwardes ? oure goodes in 1272
foreine {and} subgit ? inges.
[Sidenote: Are things so changed and inverted, that god-like man
should think that he has no other worth but what he derives from
the possession of inanimate objects? ]
? So is ? an ? e condic{i}ou{n}
of ? inges turned vpso dou{n}. ? at a man ? at is a devyne
beest by merit of hys resou{n}. ? inke? ? at hy{m}
self nys ney? er fair ne noble. but if it be ? oru? 1276
possessiou{n} of ostelmentes. ? at ne han no soules.
[Linenotes:
1255 _fair_--fayr{e}
_hire owen_--hyr owne
1256 _sholde_--sholden
_self_--selue
1257 _? in rycchesse_--thyne rychesses
1259 _amonges_--among{e}
1259, 1261 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1259 _fair_--fayr{e}
1260 _leuer rekene_--leu{er}e rekne
1262 _greet_ (2)--grete
1265, 1267 _many[e]_--manye
1267 _so? e_--soth
1272 _outwardes_--owtward
1276 _fair_--fayr{e}
_if_--yif]
[Headnote:
IGNORANCE CRIMINAL IN MAN. ]
[Sidenote: Inferior things are satisfied with their own
endowments, while man (the image of God) seeks to adorn his nature
with things infinitely below him, not understanding how much he
dishonours his Maker. ]
? And certys al o? {er} ? i{n}ges ben appaied of hire owen
beautes. but ? e men ? at ben semblable to god by ? our{e}
resonable ? ou? t desiren to apparaille ? our{e} excellent 1280
kynde of ? e lowest[e] pinges. ne ? e ne vndirstonde nat
how gret a wro{n}g ? e don to ? oure creato{ur}.
[Sidenote: God intended man to excel all earthly creatures, yet
you debase your dignity and prerogative below the lowest beings. ]
for he
wolde ? at man kynde were moost wor? i {and} noble of
any o? er er? ely ? inges. and ? e ? resten adou{n} ? oure [[pg 49]]
dignitees by-ne? en ? e lowest[e] ? inges.
[Sidenote: In placing your happiness in despicable trifles, you
acknowledge yourselves of less value than these trifles, and well
do you merit to be so esteemed. ]
? For if ? at al 1285
? e good of euery ? ing be more p{re}ciouse ? an is ? ilk
? ing whos ? at ? e good is. syn ? e demen ? at ? e
foulest[e] ? inges ben ? oure goodes. ? anne summytten 1288
? e {and} putten ? oure self vndir ? o foulest[e] ? inges by
? oure estimac{i}ou{n}. ? And certis ? is bitidi? nat wi?
out ? our{e} desert.
[Sidenote: Man only excels other creatures when he knows himself. ]
For certys swiche is ? e co{n}dic{i}ou{n}
of al man kynde ? at oonly whan it ha? knowyng of it 1292
self. ? an passe? it i{n} noblesse alle o? er ? inges.
[Sidenote: When he ceases to do so, he sinks below beasts. ]
and whan it forleti? ? e knowyng of it self. ? an it is
brou? t byne? en alle beestes.
[Sidenote: Ignorance is natural to beasts, but in men it is
unnatural and criminal. ]
? For-why alle o? er
[leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem 1296
self. but whan ? at men leten ? e knowyng of hem self.
it come? hem of vice.
[Sidenote: How weak an error is it to believe that anything
foreign to your nature can be an ornament to it. ]
but how brode shewe? ? e erro{ur}
{and} ? e folie of ? ow men ? at wenen ? at ony ? ing may
ben apparailled wi? straunge apparaillement? ? but 1300
for-so?
? it for as myche as ? ei ben put vndir ? oure excellence. 1212
? ei han not desserued by no weye ? at ? e shullen
merueylen on hem.
[Sidenote: Doth the beauty of the field delight thee? ]
? And ? e beaute of feeldes delite?
it nat mychel vnto ? ow.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should it not? for it is a beautiful part of a
beautiful whole. ]
_Boyce. _ ? Whi sholde it nat
deliten vs. syn ? at it is a ry? t fayr porciou{n} of ? e ry? t 1216
fair werk. ? at is to seyn of ? is worlde.
[Sidenote: Hence, we admire the face of the sea, the heavens, as
well as the sun, moon, and stars. ]
? And ry? t
so ben we gladed somtyme of ? e face of ? e see whan
it is clere. And also merueylen we on ? e heuene {and}
on ? e sterres. {and} on ? e sonne. {and} on ? e mone. [[pg 47]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do these things concern thee? darest thou glory in
them? ]
_Philosophie. _ ? App{er}teine? q{uo}d she any of ? ilke 1221
? inges to ? e. whi darst ? ou glorifie ? e in ? e shynynge
of any swiche ? inges.
[Sidenote: Do the flowers adorn you with their variety? ]
Art ? ou distingwed {and} embelised
by ? e spryngyng floures of ? e first somer 1224
sesou{n}. or swelli? ? i plente in fruytes of somer. whi
art ? ou rauyshed wi? ydel ioies.
[Sidenote: Why embracest thou things wherein thou hast no
property? ]
why enbracest ? ou
straunge goodes as ? ei weren ? ine.
[Sidenote: Fortune can never make that thine which the nature of
things forbids to be so. ]
Fortune shal neuer
maken ? at swiche ? inges ben ? ine ? at nature of ? inges 1228
maked foreyne fro ? e.
[Sidenote: The fruits of the earth are designed for the support of
beasts. ]
? Syche is ? at wi? -oute{n}
doute ? e fruytes of ? e er? e owen to ben on ? e
norssinge of bestes.
[Sidenote: If you seek only the necessities of nature, the
affluence of Fortune will be useless. ]
? And if ? ou wilt fulfille ? i
nede after ? at it suffise? to nature ? an is it no nede 1232
? at ? ou seke after ? e sup{er}fluite of fortune.
[Sidenote: Nature is content with a little, and superfluity will
be both disagreeable and hurtful. ]
? For
wi? ful fewe ? inges {and} w{i}t{h} ful lytel ? ing nature
halt hire appaied. {and} yif ? ou wilt achoken ? e fulfillyng
of nat{ur}e wi? sup{er}fluites ? Certys ? ilke 1236
? inges ? {a}t ? ou wilt ? resten or pouren in to nature
shullen ben vnioyeful to ? e or ellis anoies.
[Sidenote: Does it add to a man's worth to shine in variety of
costly clothing? ]
? Wenest
? ou eke ? at it be a fair ? inge to shine wi? dyuerse
clo? ing.
[Sidenote: The things really to be admired are the beauty of the
stuff or the workmanship of it. ]
of whiche clo? ing yif ? e beaute be agreable 1240
to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on ? e nature of ? e
matere of ? ilke clo? es. or ellys on ? e werkeman ? at
wrou? t[e] hem.
[Sidenote: Doth a great retinue make thee happy? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 12 _b_. ]]
but al so a longe route of meyne. maki?
? at a blisful *man.
[Sidenote: If thy servants be vicious, they are a great burden to
the house, and pernicious enemies to the master of it. ]
? e whiche seruauntes yif ? ei ben 1244
vicio? s of condic{i}ou{n}s it is a greet charge {and} a
destrucc{i}ou{n} to ? e house. {and} a g{r}eet enmye to ? e lorde
hym self
[Sidenote: If they be good, why should the probity of others be
put to thy account? ]
? {And} yif ? ei ben goode men how shal
straung[e] or foreyne goodenes ben put in ? e nou{m}bre 1248
of ? i rycchesse.
[Sidenote: Upon the whole, then, none of those enjoyments which
thou didst consider as thy own did ever properly belong to thee. ]
so ? {a}t by alle ? ise forseide ? inges. it is
clerly shewed ? at neuer none of ? ilke ? inges ? at ? ou
accou{m}ptedest for ? in goodes nas nat ? i goode.
[Sidenote: If they be not desirable, why shouldst thou grieve for
the loss of them? ]
? In
? e whiche ? inges yif ? er be no beaute to ben desired. 1252
[Linenotes:
1172 _strenger_--strenger{e}
_vndirstonde_--vndyrstond
1173 _nar[e]_--ne weere
1174 _be ? ine_--ben thyn
1175 _foule_--fowl
1176 _Richesse_--Rychessis
1178 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1179, 1180 _golde_--gold
1180 _better_--betere
1181 _? en_--thanne
1182 _mokeres_--mokereres
1183 _folke clere_--folk cler
1184 _swiche_--swich
_from_--fram
1187 _stynte? _--stenteth
1188 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1189 _world_--worlde
1190 _al_--alle
1191 _al hool_--omitted
1193 _myche folke_--moche folk{e}
_rycchesse_--rychesses
1194 _myche_--moche
1196 _forgon_--MS. forgone
1197 _? ise_--this
_rycchesses_--rychesse
[_ne_]--from C.
1198 _on_--o
1199 _wi? -oute_--with-owten
_al_--alle
_folke_--folk{e}
1200 _preciouse_--p{re}syous
1201 _in_--omitted
_warde_--ward
_seyne_--seyn
1202 _beaute_ (1)--beautes
_For_--but
1203 _in_--in the
1204 _whiche_--which
1207 _ioynture_--Ioyngture
1208 _faire_--fayr
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
1210 _laste_--last
_worlde_--world
1212 _myche_--mochel
1213 _desserued_--MS. desseyued, C. desseruyd
_weye_--wey
_shullen_--sholden
1215 _mychel_--mochel
1217 _fair werk_--fayr{e} werke
_worlde_--world
1219 _clere_--cler
1222 _darst ? ou glorifie_--darsthow gloryfyen
1225 _in_--in the
1229 _Syche_--Soth
1230 _on_--to
1231, 1235, 1237 _wilt_--wolt
1238 _shullen_--shollen
1239 _fair_--fayre
1240 _whiche_--which
1242 _werkeman_--werkman
1246 _house_--hows
_lorde_--lord
1248 _goodenes_--goodnesse
1250 _shewed_--I-shewyd
_none_--oon
1251 _? in_--thine
_goode_--good]
[[pg 48]]
[Headnote:
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES. ]
whi sholdest ? ou be sory yif ? ou leese hem.
or whi
sholdest ? ou reioysen ? e to holden hem.
[Sidenote: If they are fair by nature, what is that to thee? ]
? For if ? ei
ben fair of hire owen kynde. what app{er}tene? ? at to ? e.
[Sidenote: They would be equally agreeable whether thine or not. ]
for as wel sholde ? ei han ben faire by hem self. 1256
? ou? ? ei were{n} dep{ar}tid from alle ? in rycchesse.
[Sidenote: They are not to be reckoned precious because they are
counted amongst thy goods, but because they seemed so before thou
didst desire to possess them. ]
? For-why
faire ne p{re}cio? s ne weren ? ei nat. for ? at ? ei
comen amonges ? i rycchesse. but for ? ei semeden fair
{and} p{re}cious. ? erfore ? ou haddest leuer rekene hem 1260
amonges ? i rycchesse.
[Sidenote: What, then, is it we so clamorously demand of Fortune? ]
but what desirest ? ou of fortune
wi? so greet a noyse {and} wi? so greet a fare
[Sidenote: Is it to drive away indigence by abundance? ]
? I
trowe ? ou seke to dryue awey nede wi? habundaunce
of ? inges.
[Sidenote: But the very reverse of this happens, for there is need
of many helps to keep a variety of valuable goods. ]
? But certys it turne? to ? ow al in ? e 1264
contrarie. for whi certys it nedi? of ful many[e] helpynges
to kepen ? e dyuersite of preciouse ostelment? .
[Sidenote: They want most things who have the most. ]
and so? e it is ? at of many[e] ? inges han ? ei nede ? at
many[e] ? inges han.
[Sidenote: They want the fewest who measure their abundance by the
necessities of nature, and not by the superfluity of their
desires. ]
{and} a? eyneward of litel nedi? 1268
hem ? at mesuren hir fille after ? e nede of kynde {and}
nat after ? e outrage of couetyse
[Sidenote: Is there no good planted within ourselves, that we are
obliged to go abroad to seek it? ]
? Is it ? an so ? at ye
men ne han no p{ro}pre goode. I-set in ? ow. For
whiche ? e moten seken outwardes ? oure goodes in 1272
foreine {and} subgit ? inges.
[Sidenote: Are things so changed and inverted, that god-like man
should think that he has no other worth but what he derives from
the possession of inanimate objects? ]
? So is ? an ? e condic{i}ou{n}
of ? inges turned vpso dou{n}. ? at a man ? at is a devyne
beest by merit of hys resou{n}. ? inke? ? at hy{m}
self nys ney? er fair ne noble. but if it be ? oru? 1276
possessiou{n} of ostelmentes. ? at ne han no soules.
[Linenotes:
1255 _fair_--fayr{e}
_hire owen_--hyr owne
1256 _sholde_--sholden
_self_--selue
1257 _? in rycchesse_--thyne rychesses
1259 _amonges_--among{e}
1259, 1261 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1259 _fair_--fayr{e}
1260 _leuer rekene_--leu{er}e rekne
1262 _greet_ (2)--grete
1265, 1267 _many[e]_--manye
1267 _so? e_--soth
1272 _outwardes_--owtward
1276 _fair_--fayr{e}
_if_--yif]
[Headnote:
IGNORANCE CRIMINAL IN MAN. ]
[Sidenote: Inferior things are satisfied with their own
endowments, while man (the image of God) seeks to adorn his nature
with things infinitely below him, not understanding how much he
dishonours his Maker. ]
? And certys al o? {er} ? i{n}ges ben appaied of hire owen
beautes. but ? e men ? at ben semblable to god by ? our{e}
resonable ? ou? t desiren to apparaille ? our{e} excellent 1280
kynde of ? e lowest[e] pinges. ne ? e ne vndirstonde nat
how gret a wro{n}g ? e don to ? oure creato{ur}.
[Sidenote: God intended man to excel all earthly creatures, yet
you debase your dignity and prerogative below the lowest beings. ]
for he
wolde ? at man kynde were moost wor? i {and} noble of
any o? er er? ely ? inges. and ? e ? resten adou{n} ? oure [[pg 49]]
dignitees by-ne? en ? e lowest[e] ? inges.
[Sidenote: In placing your happiness in despicable trifles, you
acknowledge yourselves of less value than these trifles, and well
do you merit to be so esteemed. ]
? For if ? at al 1285
? e good of euery ? ing be more p{re}ciouse ? an is ? ilk
? ing whos ? at ? e good is. syn ? e demen ? at ? e
foulest[e] ? inges ben ? oure goodes. ? anne summytten 1288
? e {and} putten ? oure self vndir ? o foulest[e] ? inges by
? oure estimac{i}ou{n}. ? And certis ? is bitidi? nat wi?
out ? our{e} desert.
[Sidenote: Man only excels other creatures when he knows himself. ]
For certys swiche is ? e co{n}dic{i}ou{n}
of al man kynde ? at oonly whan it ha? knowyng of it 1292
self. ? an passe? it i{n} noblesse alle o? er ? inges.
[Sidenote: When he ceases to do so, he sinks below beasts. ]
and whan it forleti? ? e knowyng of it self. ? an it is
brou? t byne? en alle beestes.
[Sidenote: Ignorance is natural to beasts, but in men it is
unnatural and criminal. ]
? For-why alle o? er
[leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem 1296
self. but whan ? at men leten ? e knowyng of hem self.
it come? hem of vice.
[Sidenote: How weak an error is it to believe that anything
foreign to your nature can be an ornament to it. ]
but how brode shewe? ? e erro{ur}
{and} ? e folie of ? ow men ? at wenen ? at ony ? ing may
ben apparailled wi? straunge apparaillement? ? but 1300
for-so?
