at
wrecches
felen ?
Chaucer - Boethius
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? 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.
? 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? 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.
