Whan ofte a swifte houre
dissolue?
Chaucer - Boethius
so
? at whan ? ise ? inges stynten forto sou{n}[e] in eres. ? e sorwe ? at is
inset greue? ? e ? ou? t. 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 a? eyne ? i curac{i}ou{n}. ? For whan ? at tyme is. I shal
moue swiche ? inges ? at p{er}cen hem self depe. ? 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 manere of ? i welefulnesse. 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. ? And ? ou bygu{n}ne ra? er to ben leef {and} deere
? an0 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 wi? so grete a nobley of ? i fadres in lawe.
? {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. ? 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 welefulnesse. ? 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 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 of kynges
p{re}ysinges. deseruedest glorie of wit {and} of eloquence. 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. ? 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 had of fortune a
? ifte ? at is to seyn swiche gerdou{n} ? at she neu[er]e ? af to p{re}ue
man ? Wilt ? ou ? erfore leye a rekenyng wi? fortune. she ha? now
twynkeled first vpon ? e wi? a wykked eye. ? Yif ? ou considere ? e
nou{m}bre {and} ? e manere of ? i blysses. {and} of ? i sorwes. ? ou maist
nat forsake ? at ? ou nart ? it blysful. For if ? ou ? erfore wenest ? i self
nat weleful for ? inges ? at ? o semeden ioyful ben passed. ? ? er nis nat
whi ? 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. or trowest ? ou ? {a}t any stedfastnesse be in
mannis ? 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. ? it na? eles ? e last[e]
day of a ma{n}nis lijf is a man{er}e dee? to fortune. {and} also to
? ilke ? at ha? dwelt. {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.
CUM PRIMO POLO.
[Sidenote: [The . iij. Met{ur}. ]]
++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 sonne is risen ? e day sterre wexi? pale {and} lesi? hir ly? t for
? e grete bry? tnesse of ? e sonne. ? Whan ? e wode wexe? redy of rosene
floures in ? e first somer sesou{n} ? oru? ? e bre? e of ? e wynde Zephirus
? at wexe? warme. ? Yif ? e cloudy wynde auster blowe felliche. ? an go?
awey ? e fayrnesse of ? ornes. Ofte ? e see is clere {and} calme wi? oute
moeuy{n}g floodes. And ofte ? e horrible wynde aq{u}ilon moeue? boylyng
tempestes {and} ouer whelwe? ? e see. ? 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. It is certeyne {and} establissed by lawe
p{er}durable ? at no ? i{n}g ? {a}t is engendred nys stedfast no stable.
TUNC EGO UERA INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe prose. ]]
++? Anne seide I ? us. O norice of alle uertues ? ou seist ful so? e. ? Ne I
may nat forsake ? e ry? t[e] 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. ? For in
alle aduersitees of fortune ? e most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune
is to han ben weleful. ? 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 hast ? itte many habundaunces of ? inges.
? _Textus. _ 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. ? And ? erfore yif ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at ? ou
haddest for most p{re}cious in alle ? i rycchesse of fortune be kept to
? e by ? e grace of god vnwemmed {and} vndefouled. Mayst ? ou ? a{n} pleyne
ry? tfully vpon ? e myschief of fortune. syn ? ou hast ? it ? i best[e]
? inges. ? Certys ? it lyue? in goode poynt ? ilke p{re}cious hono{ur} of
mankynde. ? Symacus ? i wyues fadir whiche ? at is a man maked al of
sapience {and} of vertue. ? e whiche man ? ou woldest b[i]en redely wi? ? e
pris of ? in owen lijf. he byweyle? ? e wronges ? at men don to ? ee.
? at whan ? ise ? inges stynten forto sou{n}[e] in eres. ? e sorwe ? at is
inset greue? ? e ? ou? t. 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 a? eyne ? i curac{i}ou{n}. ? For whan ? at tyme is. I shal
moue swiche ? inges ? at p{er}cen hem self depe. ? 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 manere of ? i welefulnesse. 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. ? And ? ou bygu{n}ne ra? er to ben leef {and} deere
? an0 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 wi? so grete a nobley of ? i fadres in lawe.
? {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. ? 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 welefulnesse. ? 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 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 of kynges
p{re}ysinges. deseruedest glorie of wit {and} of eloquence. 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. ? 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 had of fortune a
? ifte ? at is to seyn swiche gerdou{n} ? at she neu[er]e ? af to p{re}ue
man ? Wilt ? ou ? erfore leye a rekenyng wi? fortune. she ha? now
twynkeled first vpon ? e wi? a wykked eye. ? Yif ? ou considere ? e
nou{m}bre {and} ? e manere of ? i blysses. {and} of ? i sorwes. ? ou maist
nat forsake ? at ? ou nart ? it blysful. For if ? ou ? erfore wenest ? i self
nat weleful for ? inges ? at ? o semeden ioyful ben passed. ? ? er nis nat
whi ? 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. or trowest ? ou ? {a}t any stedfastnesse be in
mannis ? 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. ? it na? eles ? e last[e]
day of a ma{n}nis lijf is a man{er}e dee? to fortune. {and} also to
? ilke ? at ha? dwelt. {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.
CUM PRIMO POLO.
[Sidenote: [The . iij. Met{ur}. ]]
++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 sonne is risen ? e day sterre wexi? pale {and} lesi? hir ly? t for
? e grete bry? tnesse of ? e sonne. ? Whan ? e wode wexe? redy of rosene
floures in ? e first somer sesou{n} ? oru? ? e bre? e of ? e wynde Zephirus
? at wexe? warme. ? Yif ? e cloudy wynde auster blowe felliche. ? an go?
awey ? e fayrnesse of ? ornes. Ofte ? e see is clere {and} calme wi? oute
moeuy{n}g floodes. And ofte ? e horrible wynde aq{u}ilon moeue? boylyng
tempestes {and} ouer whelwe? ? e see. ? 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. It is certeyne {and} establissed by lawe
p{er}durable ? at no ? i{n}g ? {a}t is engendred nys stedfast no stable.
TUNC EGO UERA INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe prose. ]]
++? Anne seide I ? us. O norice of alle uertues ? ou seist ful so? e. ? Ne I
may nat forsake ? e ry? t[e] 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. ? For in
alle aduersitees of fortune ? e most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune
is to han ben weleful. ? 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 hast ? itte many habundaunces of ? inges.
? _Textus. _ 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. ? And ? erfore yif ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at ? ou
haddest for most p{re}cious in alle ? i rycchesse of fortune be kept to
? e by ? e grace of god vnwemmed {and} vndefouled. Mayst ? ou ? a{n} pleyne
ry? tfully vpon ? e myschief of fortune. syn ? ou hast ? it ? i best[e]
? inges. ? Certys ? it lyue? in goode poynt ? ilke p{re}cious hono{ur} of
mankynde. ? Symacus ? i wyues fadir whiche ? at is a man maked al of
sapience {and} of vertue. ? e whiche man ? ou woldest b[i]en redely wi? ? e
pris of ? in owen lijf. he byweyle? ? e wronges ? at men don to ? ee.