e
liou{n}s
of 1856
?
?
Chaucer - Boethius
at delit is ?
e
souereyne goode. for as myche as alle o? er ? inges as
hym ? ou? t[e] by-refte awey ioie {and} myr? e fro{m} ? e
herte.
[Sidenote: I now return to the inclinations and pursuits of
mankind. ]
? But I reto{ur}ne a? eyne to ? e studies of meen. 1816
of whiche men ? e corage alwey rehersi? {and} seeke? ? e [[pg 67]]
souereyne goode of alle be it so ? {a}t it be wi? a derke
memorie [but he not by whiche paath].
[Sidenote: Their minds are bent upon the chief good, and are ever
seeking it with a darkened understanding, like a drunken man, who
cannot find his way home. ]
? Ry? t as a
dronke ma{n} not nat by whiche pa? e he may reto{ur}ne 1820
home to hys house.
[Sidenote: Do they go astray who strive to keep themselves from
want? ]
? Seme? it ? anne ? at folk folyen
{and} erren ? at enforcen he{m} to haue nede of no ? ing
[Linenotes:
1794 _shollen_--sholden
1795 _? e_--tho
1796 _o? er_--oothre
1801 _swiftenesse_--sweftnesse
1803 _? iuen_--MS. ? iue? , C. yeuen
1806, 1807 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
1807 _whiche_--whych
1809 _? e_--omitted
_? an byforne_--thanne byforn
1810 [_thy eyen_]--from C. ; MS. _has_ ? euen a? eyne
_almost_--almest
_welfulnesse_--welefulnesse
1811 _seyne rycchesse_--seyn Rychesses
1814 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
_myche_--moche
_o? er_--oothre
1815 _? ou? t[e]_--thowhte
_from_--fram
1816 _a? eyne_--ayein
1818 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
_of_--omitted
_alle_--al
_derke_--dirkyd
1819 [_but----paath_]--from C.
1820 _dronke_--dronken
_pa? e_--paath
1821 _home_--hym]
[Headnote:
ALL SEEK THE CHIEF GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: By no means. No state is happier than that in which a
man is above want, and independent of others. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 16. ]]
? Certys ? er nys non o? er ? ing ? at may so weel p{er}fo{ur}ny
blisfulnesse as an estat plenteuo{us} *of alle 1824
goodes ? at ne ha? nede of none o? er ? ing. but ? at it is
suffisant of hy{m} self. vnto hym self.
[Sidenote: Are they guilty of folly that seek esteem and
reverence? ]
and foleyen
swyche folk ? anne. ? at wenen ? at ? ilk ? ing ? {a}t is
ry? t goode. ? at it be eke ry? t wor? i of honour {and} of 1828
reuerence.
[Sidenote: No; for that is not contemptible for which all men
strive. ]
? Certis nay. for ? at ? ing nys ney? er foule
ne wor? i to ben dispised ? at al ? e entenc{i}ou{n} of mortel
folke trauaille forto geten it.
[Sidenote: Is not power to be reckoned amongst desirable goods? ]
? And power au? t[e]
nat ? at eke to be rekened amonges goodes
[Sidenote: Why not? For that is not an insignificant good which
invests a man with authority and command. ]
what ellis. 1832
for it nys nat to wene ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at is most
wor? i of alle ? inges be feble {and} wi? out streng? e {and}
clernesse of renou{n} au? te ? at to ben dispised.
[Sidenote: Fame also is to be regarded, for everything excellent
is also shining and renowned. ]
? Certys
? er may no man forsake ? at al ? ing ? at is ry? t excellent 1836
{and} noble. ? at it ne seme? to be ry? t clere {and} renomed.
[Sidenote: We hardly need say that happiness is not an unjoyous
and melancholy state, for in the pursuit of the smallest matters
men seek only pleasure. ]
? For certis it nedi? nat to seie. ? at blisfulnesse
be anguissous ne dreri ne subgit to greua{n}ces ne
to sorwes. syn ? at in ry? t litel ? i{n}g{us} folk seken to 1840
haue {and} to vsen ? at may deliten hem.
[Sidenote: Hence it is that mankind seek riches, &c. , because by
them they hope to get independence, honour, &c. ]
? Certys ? ise
ben ? e ? i{n}ges ? at men wolen {and} desyren to geten.
and for ? is cause desiren ? ei rycches. dignites. regnes.
glorie {and} delices ? For ? erby wenen ? ei to han suffisau{n}ce 1844
hono{ur} power. renou{n} {and} gladnesse.
[Sidenote: However varied their desires, _happiness_ is their sole
pursuit. ]
? ? anne
is it goode. ? {a}t men seken ? us by so many dyu{er}se
studies. In whiche desijr it may ly? tly be shew{e}d.
how grete is ? e streng? e of nature. [[pg 68]]
[Sidenote: However various men's opinions are respecting
happiness, all agree in pursuing it as the end of their actions
and desires. ]
? For how so ? at 1848
men han dyuerse sentences {and} discordyng algates men
accordyn alle in lyuynge ? e ende of goode.
[Linenotes:
1823 _perfourny_--p{er}forme
1825 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_none_--non
1827 _? ilk_--thilke
1828 _goode_--good
1829 _foule_--fowl
1830 _al_--welneyh alle
1831 _trauaille_--trauaylen
_au? t[e]_--owhte
1832 _be_--ben
1834 _out_--owte
1835 _au? te_--owhte
1836 _al_--alle
1837 _be_--ben
_clere_--cleer
1843 _rycches_--Rychesses
1846 _goode_--good
1847 _be_--ben
1848 _grete_--gret
1849 _algates_--Allegates
1850 _goode_--good]
[Headnote:
OF NATURE'S LAWS. ]
Q{UA}NTAS RER{UM} FLECTAT.
[Sidenote: [The 2^de Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: I will now sing of Nature's laws, by which the universe
is governed. ]
++IT like? me to shew[e] by subtil songe wi? slakke {and}
delitable sou{n} of strenges how ? at nature my? ty encline? 1852
{and} flitte? gouernement? of ? inges ? {and} by
whiche lawes she p{ur}ueiable kepi? ? e grete worlde. {and}
how she bindynge restreine? alle ? ing{us} by a bonde ? at
may nat be vnbounden.
[Sidenote: [j]]
[Sidenote: The Punic lion submits to man, and dreads the keeper's
lash; yet, if he once taste blood, his savage instincts revive,
and his keeper falls a victim to his fury. ]
? Al be it so ? at ?
e liou{n}s of 1856
? e contree of pene beren ? e fair[e] cheines. {and} taken
metes of ? e handes of folk ? at ? euen it hem. {and}
dreden her sturdy maystres of whiche ? ei ben wont to
suffren [betinges]. yif ? at hir horrible mou? es ben bi-bled. 1860
? at is to sein of bestes devoured. ? Hir corage
of tyme passe? ? at ha? ben ydel {and} rested. repaire?
a? ein ? at ? ei roren greuously. {and} reme{m}bren on hir
nature. {and} slaken hir nekkes from hir cheins vnbounden. 1864
and hir maistre first to-teren wi? blody to? e
assaie? ? e woode wra? ? es of hem. ? ? is is to sein ? ei
freten hir maister.
[Sidenote: [ij]]
[Sidenote: If the caged bird though daintily fed, gets a sight of
the pleasant grove where she was wont to sing, she will spurn her
food, and pine for the beloved woods. ]
? And ? e Iangland brid ? at syngi?
on ? e heye braunches. ? is is to sein in ? e wode {and} 1868
after is inclosed in a streit cage. ? al ? ou? [? {a}t] ? e
pleiyng besines of men ? eue? hem honied[e] drinkes
{and} large metes. wi? swete studie. ? ? it na? eles yif
? ilke brid skippynge oute of hir streite cage see? ? e 1872
agreable shadewes of ? e wodes. she defoule? wi? hir
fete hir metes yshad {and} seke? mournyng oonly ? e
wode {and} twitri? desirynge ? e wode wi? hir swete
voys.
[Sidenote: [iij]]
[Sidenote: The sapling, bent down by a mighty hand, will resume
its natural position as soon as the restraining force is removed. ]
? ? e ? erde of a tree ? at is haled adou{n} by my? ty 1876
streng? e bowi? redely ? e croppe adou{n}. but yif ? at ? e [[pg 69]]
hande of hym ? at it bente lat it gon a? ein. ? An oon
? e crop loke? vp ry? t to heuene.
[Sidenote: [iiij]]
[Sidenote: Though the sun sets in the western main at eve, yet by
a secret path he takes his wonted journey toward the east. ]
? ? e sonne phebus
? at faille? at euene in ? e westrene wawes retorni? a? ein 1880
eftsones his cart by a priue pa? e ? ere as it is wont
aryse.
[Sidenote: All things pursue their proper course, obedient to the
source of order. ]
? Alle ? inges seken a? ein in to hir p{ro}pre
cours. and alle ? inges reioisen hem of hir retournynge
a? ein to hir nature ne noon ordinaunce nis bytaken to 1884
? i{n}ges but ? at.
[Sidenote: Hence, throughout the world entire stability is found,
for all things, having fulfilled their appointed course, return
from whence they came. ]
? at ha? ioignynge ? e endynge to ? e
bygynnynge. {and} ha? makid ? e cours of it self stable
? at it chaunge? nat fro{m} hys p{ro}pre kynde.
[Linenotes:
1851 _shew[e]_--shewe
1854 _whiche_--MS. swiche, C. whyche
_worlde_--world
1856 _be_--ben
_vnbounden_--vnbownde
1857 _fair[e]_--fayr{e}
1860 [_betinges_]--from C.
1862 _passe? _--passed
1864 _from_--fram
_vnbounden_--vnbownde
1865 _to-teren_--to-torn
_to? e_--toth
1867 _Iangland_--Iangelynge
1869 _streit_--streyht
1870 _pleiyng_--MS. pleinyng, C. pleyynge
_besines_--bysynesse
_honied[e]_--honyede
1872 _oute_--owt
1873 _agreable_--agreables
1874 _fete_--feet
1875 _twitri? _--twiterith
1877 _croppe_--crop
1878 _hande_--hand
_bente_--bent
1880 _faille? _--falleth
1881 _cart_--carte
_a_--omitted
_pa? e_--paath
1883 _of_--MS. of of
1885 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_ioignynge_--Ioyned
1886 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
THE SEARCH AFTER FELICITY. ]
VOSQ{UE} TERRENA ANIMALIA.
[Sidenote: [The 3^de p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: O earthly animals, you have an indistinct perception of
your beginning, and you have ever the true end of felicity in
view, but your natural instincts are perverted by many errors. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 16 _b_. ]]
*++CErtis also ? e men ? at ben er? elich{e} bestes dreme{n} 1888
alwey [yowre bygynnynge] al ? ou? it be wi? a
? inne ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} by a maner ? ou? t al be it
nat clerly ne p{er}fitly ? e looken from a fer til ? ilk 1891
verray fyn of blisfulnesse. and ? erfore ? e naturel entenc{i}ou{n}
lede? ? ow to ? ilk verray good ? But
many manere errours misto{ur}ni? ? ow ? er fro.
[Sidenote: Can men obtain the end they have in view by the means
they usually employ in the pursuit of happiness? ]
? Considere
now yif ? at be ? ilke ? inges by whiche a man
weni? to gete hym blysfulnesse. yif ? at he may comen 1896
to ? ilke ende ? at he wene? to come by nature
[Sidenote: If riches and honours and the like make men happy, so
that they shall want for nothing, then happiness may be procured
by these acquisitions. ]
? For
yif ? at moneye or hono{ur}s or ? ise o? er forseide ? inges
bryngen to men swiche a ? ing ? at no goode ne faille
hem. ne seme? faille. ? Certys ? an wil I graunt[e] 1900
? at ? ei ben maked blisful. by ? ilke ? inges ?
souereyne goode. for as myche as alle o? er ? inges as
hym ? ou? t[e] by-refte awey ioie {and} myr? e fro{m} ? e
herte.
[Sidenote: I now return to the inclinations and pursuits of
mankind. ]
? But I reto{ur}ne a? eyne to ? e studies of meen. 1816
of whiche men ? e corage alwey rehersi? {and} seeke? ? e [[pg 67]]
souereyne goode of alle be it so ? {a}t it be wi? a derke
memorie [but he not by whiche paath].
[Sidenote: Their minds are bent upon the chief good, and are ever
seeking it with a darkened understanding, like a drunken man, who
cannot find his way home. ]
? Ry? t as a
dronke ma{n} not nat by whiche pa? e he may reto{ur}ne 1820
home to hys house.
[Sidenote: Do they go astray who strive to keep themselves from
want? ]
? Seme? it ? anne ? at folk folyen
{and} erren ? at enforcen he{m} to haue nede of no ? ing
[Linenotes:
1794 _shollen_--sholden
1795 _? e_--tho
1796 _o? er_--oothre
1801 _swiftenesse_--sweftnesse
1803 _? iuen_--MS. ? iue? , C. yeuen
1806, 1807 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
1807 _whiche_--whych
1809 _? e_--omitted
_? an byforne_--thanne byforn
1810 [_thy eyen_]--from C. ; MS. _has_ ? euen a? eyne
_almost_--almest
_welfulnesse_--welefulnesse
1811 _seyne rycchesse_--seyn Rychesses
1814 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
_myche_--moche
_o? er_--oothre
1815 _? ou? t[e]_--thowhte
_from_--fram
1816 _a? eyne_--ayein
1818 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
_of_--omitted
_alle_--al
_derke_--dirkyd
1819 [_but----paath_]--from C.
1820 _dronke_--dronken
_pa? e_--paath
1821 _home_--hym]
[Headnote:
ALL SEEK THE CHIEF GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: By no means. No state is happier than that in which a
man is above want, and independent of others. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 16. ]]
? Certys ? er nys non o? er ? ing ? at may so weel p{er}fo{ur}ny
blisfulnesse as an estat plenteuo{us} *of alle 1824
goodes ? at ne ha? nede of none o? er ? ing. but ? at it is
suffisant of hy{m} self. vnto hym self.
[Sidenote: Are they guilty of folly that seek esteem and
reverence? ]
and foleyen
swyche folk ? anne. ? at wenen ? at ? ilk ? ing ? {a}t is
ry? t goode. ? at it be eke ry? t wor? i of honour {and} of 1828
reuerence.
[Sidenote: No; for that is not contemptible for which all men
strive. ]
? Certis nay. for ? at ? ing nys ney? er foule
ne wor? i to ben dispised ? at al ? e entenc{i}ou{n} of mortel
folke trauaille forto geten it.
[Sidenote: Is not power to be reckoned amongst desirable goods? ]
? And power au? t[e]
nat ? at eke to be rekened amonges goodes
[Sidenote: Why not? For that is not an insignificant good which
invests a man with authority and command. ]
what ellis. 1832
for it nys nat to wene ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at is most
wor? i of alle ? inges be feble {and} wi? out streng? e {and}
clernesse of renou{n} au? te ? at to ben dispised.
[Sidenote: Fame also is to be regarded, for everything excellent
is also shining and renowned. ]
? Certys
? er may no man forsake ? at al ? ing ? at is ry? t excellent 1836
{and} noble. ? at it ne seme? to be ry? t clere {and} renomed.
[Sidenote: We hardly need say that happiness is not an unjoyous
and melancholy state, for in the pursuit of the smallest matters
men seek only pleasure. ]
? For certis it nedi? nat to seie. ? at blisfulnesse
be anguissous ne dreri ne subgit to greua{n}ces ne
to sorwes. syn ? at in ry? t litel ? i{n}g{us} folk seken to 1840
haue {and} to vsen ? at may deliten hem.
[Sidenote: Hence it is that mankind seek riches, &c. , because by
them they hope to get independence, honour, &c. ]
? Certys ? ise
ben ? e ? i{n}ges ? at men wolen {and} desyren to geten.
and for ? is cause desiren ? ei rycches. dignites. regnes.
glorie {and} delices ? For ? erby wenen ? ei to han suffisau{n}ce 1844
hono{ur} power. renou{n} {and} gladnesse.
[Sidenote: However varied their desires, _happiness_ is their sole
pursuit. ]
? ? anne
is it goode. ? {a}t men seken ? us by so many dyu{er}se
studies. In whiche desijr it may ly? tly be shew{e}d.
how grete is ? e streng? e of nature. [[pg 68]]
[Sidenote: However various men's opinions are respecting
happiness, all agree in pursuing it as the end of their actions
and desires. ]
? For how so ? at 1848
men han dyuerse sentences {and} discordyng algates men
accordyn alle in lyuynge ? e ende of goode.
[Linenotes:
1823 _perfourny_--p{er}forme
1825 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_none_--non
1827 _? ilk_--thilke
1828 _goode_--good
1829 _foule_--fowl
1830 _al_--welneyh alle
1831 _trauaille_--trauaylen
_au? t[e]_--owhte
1832 _be_--ben
1834 _out_--owte
1835 _au? te_--owhte
1836 _al_--alle
1837 _be_--ben
_clere_--cleer
1843 _rycches_--Rychesses
1846 _goode_--good
1847 _be_--ben
1848 _grete_--gret
1849 _algates_--Allegates
1850 _goode_--good]
[Headnote:
OF NATURE'S LAWS. ]
Q{UA}NTAS RER{UM} FLECTAT.
[Sidenote: [The 2^de Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: I will now sing of Nature's laws, by which the universe
is governed. ]
++IT like? me to shew[e] by subtil songe wi? slakke {and}
delitable sou{n} of strenges how ? at nature my? ty encline? 1852
{and} flitte? gouernement? of ? inges ? {and} by
whiche lawes she p{ur}ueiable kepi? ? e grete worlde. {and}
how she bindynge restreine? alle ? ing{us} by a bonde ? at
may nat be vnbounden.
[Sidenote: [j]]
[Sidenote: The Punic lion submits to man, and dreads the keeper's
lash; yet, if he once taste blood, his savage instincts revive,
and his keeper falls a victim to his fury. ]
? Al be it so ? at ?
e liou{n}s of 1856
? e contree of pene beren ? e fair[e] cheines. {and} taken
metes of ? e handes of folk ? at ? euen it hem. {and}
dreden her sturdy maystres of whiche ? ei ben wont to
suffren [betinges]. yif ? at hir horrible mou? es ben bi-bled. 1860
? at is to sein of bestes devoured. ? Hir corage
of tyme passe? ? at ha? ben ydel {and} rested. repaire?
a? ein ? at ? ei roren greuously. {and} reme{m}bren on hir
nature. {and} slaken hir nekkes from hir cheins vnbounden. 1864
and hir maistre first to-teren wi? blody to? e
assaie? ? e woode wra? ? es of hem. ? ? is is to sein ? ei
freten hir maister.
[Sidenote: [ij]]
[Sidenote: If the caged bird though daintily fed, gets a sight of
the pleasant grove where she was wont to sing, she will spurn her
food, and pine for the beloved woods. ]
? And ? e Iangland brid ? at syngi?
on ? e heye braunches. ? is is to sein in ? e wode {and} 1868
after is inclosed in a streit cage. ? al ? ou? [? {a}t] ? e
pleiyng besines of men ? eue? hem honied[e] drinkes
{and} large metes. wi? swete studie. ? ? it na? eles yif
? ilke brid skippynge oute of hir streite cage see? ? e 1872
agreable shadewes of ? e wodes. she defoule? wi? hir
fete hir metes yshad {and} seke? mournyng oonly ? e
wode {and} twitri? desirynge ? e wode wi? hir swete
voys.
[Sidenote: [iij]]
[Sidenote: The sapling, bent down by a mighty hand, will resume
its natural position as soon as the restraining force is removed. ]
? ? e ? erde of a tree ? at is haled adou{n} by my? ty 1876
streng? e bowi? redely ? e croppe adou{n}. but yif ? at ? e [[pg 69]]
hande of hym ? at it bente lat it gon a? ein. ? An oon
? e crop loke? vp ry? t to heuene.
[Sidenote: [iiij]]
[Sidenote: Though the sun sets in the western main at eve, yet by
a secret path he takes his wonted journey toward the east. ]
? ? e sonne phebus
? at faille? at euene in ? e westrene wawes retorni? a? ein 1880
eftsones his cart by a priue pa? e ? ere as it is wont
aryse.
[Sidenote: All things pursue their proper course, obedient to the
source of order. ]
? Alle ? inges seken a? ein in to hir p{ro}pre
cours. and alle ? inges reioisen hem of hir retournynge
a? ein to hir nature ne noon ordinaunce nis bytaken to 1884
? i{n}ges but ? at.
[Sidenote: Hence, throughout the world entire stability is found,
for all things, having fulfilled their appointed course, return
from whence they came. ]
? at ha? ioignynge ? e endynge to ? e
bygynnynge. {and} ha? makid ? e cours of it self stable
? at it chaunge? nat fro{m} hys p{ro}pre kynde.
[Linenotes:
1851 _shew[e]_--shewe
1854 _whiche_--MS. swiche, C. whyche
_worlde_--world
1856 _be_--ben
_vnbounden_--vnbownde
1857 _fair[e]_--fayr{e}
1860 [_betinges_]--from C.
1862 _passe? _--passed
1864 _from_--fram
_vnbounden_--vnbownde
1865 _to-teren_--to-torn
_to? e_--toth
1867 _Iangland_--Iangelynge
1869 _streit_--streyht
1870 _pleiyng_--MS. pleinyng, C. pleyynge
_besines_--bysynesse
_honied[e]_--honyede
1872 _oute_--owt
1873 _agreable_--agreables
1874 _fete_--feet
1875 _twitri? _--twiterith
1877 _croppe_--crop
1878 _hande_--hand
_bente_--bent
1880 _faille? _--falleth
1881 _cart_--carte
_a_--omitted
_pa? e_--paath
1883 _of_--MS. of of
1885 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_ioignynge_--Ioyned
1886 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
THE SEARCH AFTER FELICITY. ]
VOSQ{UE} TERRENA ANIMALIA.
[Sidenote: [The 3^de p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: O earthly animals, you have an indistinct perception of
your beginning, and you have ever the true end of felicity in
view, but your natural instincts are perverted by many errors. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 16 _b_. ]]
*++CErtis also ? e men ? at ben er? elich{e} bestes dreme{n} 1888
alwey [yowre bygynnynge] al ? ou? it be wi? a
? inne ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} by a maner ? ou? t al be it
nat clerly ne p{er}fitly ? e looken from a fer til ? ilk 1891
verray fyn of blisfulnesse. and ? erfore ? e naturel entenc{i}ou{n}
lede? ? ow to ? ilk verray good ? But
many manere errours misto{ur}ni? ? ow ? er fro.
[Sidenote: Can men obtain the end they have in view by the means
they usually employ in the pursuit of happiness? ]
? Considere
now yif ? at be ? ilke ? inges by whiche a man
weni? to gete hym blysfulnesse. yif ? at he may comen 1896
to ? ilke ende ? at he wene? to come by nature
[Sidenote: If riches and honours and the like make men happy, so
that they shall want for nothing, then happiness may be procured
by these acquisitions. ]
? For
yif ? at moneye or hono{ur}s or ? ise o? er forseide ? inges
bryngen to men swiche a ? ing ? at no goode ne faille
hem. ne seme? faille. ? Certys ? an wil I graunt[e] 1900
? at ? ei ben maked blisful. by ? ilke ? inges ?
