upon the wrong-doer, or upon the
injured?
Chaucer - Boethius
_--MS.
ha?
e
_ben_--be
_told_--MS. tolde, C. told
3591 _good[e]_--goode
3592 [_thanne----she_]--from C.
3594 _blisful_--weleful
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3594-97 _goode_--good
3598 _alle_--al
_whiche_--which
3600 _knyt_--knytte
3601 _re[le]ued_--releued
3602 _goode_--good
3605 _seyne_--seyn
3606 _whiche_--which
3607 _outen_--owte
3609 _don_--MS. done
_seye_--seyn
3610 _whiche_--which
3611 _desert_--deserte
3614 _be? _--MS. be? e, C. ben
3615 _clere_--cler
3617 _my? t[e]_--myhte
3618 _is ry? t nis_--MS. nis ry? t is
3619 _alle_--al
_nis wicked_--is wykke
3621 _here_--her
3623 _dedid_--endyd
_de? e_--deth
3624 [_is_]--from C.
_ou? t_--awht
3625 _de? e_--deth
3626 _grete_--gret
3628 _be_--ben
3629 _determyne_--determenye
3630 _peyne_--peynes
_told_--MS. tolde
3632 [_. i. myght_]--from C.
3632-34 _whiche_--which
3633 _eke_--ek
3635 _seen_--seyn
3637 _done_--don
3638 _my? t[e]_--myhte
_fayne lerne_--fayn lernen
3639 _endure_--dur{e}
3645 _atte_--at the
_laste_--MS. ? ast, C. laste
3647 _resouns_--resoun
3649-50 [_he_]--from C.
3651 _eke_--ek
3653 _derkenesse_--derknesse
3654 _clere so? efastnes_--cleer sothfastnesse
3655 _whiche_--which
3658 _o? ir_--eyther
_done_--don
3659 _escaping_--schapynge]
[Headnote:
VIRTUE ITS OWN REWARD. ]
[Sidenote: Do you attend to the eternal law written in your own
heart. Conform your mind to what is good, and you will stand in no
need of a judge to confer a reward upon you--for you have it
already in the enjoyment of the best of things (_i. e. _ virtue). ]
but co{n}sider{e} ? e iugement of ? e p{er}durable lawe. for if 3660
? ou conferme ? i corage to ? e beste ? inges. ? ou ne hast
no nede to no iuge to ? iue{n} ? e p{r}is or meede. for ? ou
hast ioigned ? i self to ? e most excellent ? ing.
[Sidenote: If you indulge in vice, you need no other
chastisement--you have degraded yourself into a lower order of
beings. ]
and yif
? ou haue enclined ? i studies to ? e wicked ? inges. ne 3664
seek no foreyn wrekere out of ? i self. for ? ou ? i self
hast ? rest ? e in to wicked ? inges. ry? t as ? ou my? test
loken by dyuerse tymes ? e foule er? e {and} ? e heuene.
{and} ? at alle o? er ? inges stynten fro wi? oute. so ? at 3668
? ou [ner{e} neyther in heuene ne in erthe] ne say[e] no
? ing more. ? an sholde it semen to ? e as by only resou{n}
of lokynge. ? at ? ou were in ? e sterres. {and} now in ? e
er? e.
[Sidenote: The multitude doth not consider this. ]
but ? e poeple ne loke? nat on ? ise ? inges.
[Sidenote: What then? Shall we take them as our models who
resemble beasts? ]
what 3672
? an shal we ? an app{ro}chen vs to hem ? at I haue
shewed ? at ? ei ben lyke to ? e bestes. (q. d. no{n})
[Linenotes:
3662 _to_ (1)--of
3665 _foreyn_--foreyne
3666 _? rest_--thryst
_wicked_--wikke
3669 [_nere----erthe_]--from C.
_heuene_--C. heuenene
_say[e]_--C. saye
3672 _on_--in
3674 _lyke_--lyk
_q. d. _--MS. q{uo}d]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED NEED PITY. ]
[Sidenote: If a man who had lost his sight, having even forgotten
his blindness, should declare that his faculties were all perfect,
shall we weakly believe that those who retain their sight are
blind? ]
? And what wilt ? ou seyne of ? is ? yif ? at a man
hadde al forlorn hys sy? t. {and} had[de] for? eten ? at he 3676
euer saw {and} wende ? {a}t no ? ing ne fayled[e] hym of
p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} of ma{n}kynde. now we ? at my? ten sen ? e
same ? ing wolde we nat wene ? at he were bly{n}de (q. d.
sic).
[Sidenote: The vulgar will not assent to what I am going to say,
though supported by conclusive arguments--to wit, that persons are
more unhappy that do wrong than those who suffer wrong. ]
ne also ne accorde? nat ? e poeple to ? at I shal 3680
seyne. ? e whiche ? ing is susteyned by a stronge foundement
of resou{n}s. ? at is to seyn ? at more vnsely ben ? ei
? at don wrong to o? er folk. ? en ? ei ? at ? e wrong [[pg 129]]
suffren.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I would willingly hear your reasons. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 29. ]]
? I wolde heren ? ilke *same resou{n}s q{uo}d I 3684
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do you deny that every wicked man deserves
punishment? ]
? Deniest ? ou q{uo}d she ? at alle shrewes ne ben wor? i
to han to{ur}ment.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No, I do not. ]
nay q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I am satisfied that impious men are in many ways
miserable. ]
but q{uo}d she I am certeyne
by many resou{n}s ? at shrewes ben vnsely.
[Sidenote: _B. _ They are so. ]
it accorde?
q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then those that deserve punishment are miserable. ]
? an [ne] dowtest ? ou nat q{uo}d she ? at 3688
? ilke folk ? at ben wor? i of to{ur}ment ? at ? ei ne ben
wrecches.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I admit it. ]
It accorde? wel q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ If you were a judge, upon whom would you inflict
punishment?
upon the wrong-doer, or upon the injured? ]
yif ? ou were ? an
q{uo}d she yset a Iuge or a knower of ? inges. whe? er
trowest ? ou ? {a}t men sholde to{ur}ment[e] hym ? at ha? 3692
don ? e wronge. or hym ? at ha? suffred ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should not hesitate to punish the offender as a
satisfaction to the sufferer. ]
I ne doute nat q{uo}d I. ? at I nolde don suffissaunt satisfacc{i}ou{n}
to hym ? at had[de] suffred ? e wrong by ? e
sorwe of hym ? at had[de] don ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then you would deem the injuring person more
unhappy than he who had been wronged? ]
? ? an 3696
seme? it q{uo}d she ? at ? e doar of wrong is more wrecche
? an he ? at ha? suffred ? e wrong.
[Sidenote: _B. _ That follows naturally. ]
? at folwe? wel q{uo}d [I].
[Sidenote: _P. _ From this then, and other reasons of like nature,
it seems that vice makes men miserable, and an injury done to any
man is the misery of the doer, and not of the sufferer. ]
? an q{uo}d she by ? ise causes {and} by o? er causes
? at ben enforced by ? e same roate ? at fil? e or synne by 3700
? e p{ro}pre nature of it make? men wretches. {and} it
shewe? wel ? at ? e wrong ? at me{n} don nis nat ? e
wrecchenesse of hym ? at receyue? ? e wrong. but ? e
wrecchednesse of hym ? at do? ? e wronge
[Sidenote: But our advocates think differently--they try to obtain
pity for those that have suffered cruelty and oppression;]
? but certys 3704
q{uo}d she ? ise orato{ur}s or aduocat? don al ? e contrarie
for ? ei enforcen hem to co{m}moeue ? e iuges to han pite
of he{m} ? at han suffred {and} resceyued ? e ? inges ? at ben
greuous {and} aspre.
[Sidenote: but the juster pity is really due to the oppressors,
who ought, therefore, to be led to judgment as the sick are to the
physician, not by angry but by merciful and kind accusers, so
that, by the physic of chastisement, they may be cured of their
vices. ]
{and} ? itte men sholden more ry? tfully 3708
han pitee on hem ? at don ? e greuaunces {and} ? e
wronges. ? e whiche shrewes it were a more couenable
? ing ? at ? e accuso{ur}s or aduocat? not wro? e but pitous
{and} debonaire ladden ? e shrewes ? at han don wro{n}g to 3712
? e Iugement. ry? t as men leden seke folk to ? e leche.
[Linenotes:
3675 _wilt ? ou seyne_--woltow seyn
3676 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. for-lorn
_sy? t_--syhte
_had[de]_--hadde
3677 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh
_fayled[e]_--faylede
3678 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen
3679 _? ing_--thinges
_q. d. _--MS. q{uod}
3681 _whiche_--which
3683 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_o? er_--oothr{e}
3688 [_ne_]--from C.
3691 _yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset
_whe? er_--omitted
3692 _tourment[e]_--tormenten
3692-3 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3693 _wronge_ (2)--wrong
3695 _had[de]_--hadde
3696 _had[de]_--hadden
_wronge_--wrong
3697 _doar_--doere
3698 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3699 [_I_]--from C. [[_word moved to l. 3698_]]
3700 _ben_--ben of
_roate_--Roote
3703-4 _but----wronge_--omitted
3704 _do? _--MS. do? e
3711 _wro? e_--wroth
3712 _? e_--tho
_don_--MS. done, C. don
3713 _seke_--syke]
[Headnote:
THE DUTY OF ADVOCATES. ]
for ? at ? ei sholden seken out ? e maladies of synne by
to{ur}ment? . [[pg 130]]
[Sidenote: I would not have the guilty defrauded by their
advocates. Their duty is to accuse, and not to excuse offenders. ]
and by ? is couenaunt ey? er ? e entent of ? e
defendo{ur}s or aduocat? sholde fayle {and} cesen in al. or 3716
ellys yif ? e office of aduocat? wolde bettre p{ro}fiten to
men. it sholde be to{ur}ned in to ? e habit of accusac{i}ou{n}.
? at is [to] s[e]yn ? ei sholde{n} accuse shrewes. {and} nat
excuse hem.
[Sidenote: Were it permitted the wicked to get a slight view of
virtue's beauty, which they have forsaken, and could they be
persuaded of the purifying effects of lawful chastisement, they
surely would not consider punishment as an evil, but would
willingly give themselves up to justice and refuse the defence of
their advocates. ]
{and} eke ? e shrewes hem self. ? it it were 3720
leueful to hem to seen at any clifte ? e vertue ? at ? ei
han forleten. {and} sawen ? at ? ei sholde putten adou{n}
? e fil? es of hire vices by [the] to{ur}ment? of peynes. ? ei
ne au? ten nat ry? t for ? e reco{m}pensac{i}ou{n} forto geten 3724
hem bounte {and} prowesse whiche ? at ? ei han lost demen
ne holden ? at ? ilke peynes weren to{ur}mentes to hem.
{and} eke ? ei wolden refuse ? e attendau{n}ce of hir aduocat?
{and} taken hem self to hire iuges {and} to hir accusours. 3728
[Sidenote: The wise hate nobody, only a fool hates good men; and
it is as irrational to hate the wicked. ]
for whiche it bytide? [? {a}t] as to ? e wise folk
? er nis no place ylete to hate. ? at is to seyn. ? at hate
ne ha? no place amonges wise men. ? For no wy? t
wolde haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a 3732
fole. ? and forto haten shrewes it nis no resou{n}.
[Sidenote: Vice is a sickness of the soul, and needs our
compassion, and not our hate, for the distempers of the soul are
more deplorable than those of the body, and have more claims upon
our compassion.
_ben_--be
_told_--MS. tolde, C. told
3591 _good[e]_--goode
3592 [_thanne----she_]--from C.
3594 _blisful_--weleful
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3594-97 _goode_--good
3598 _alle_--al
_whiche_--which
3600 _knyt_--knytte
3601 _re[le]ued_--releued
3602 _goode_--good
3605 _seyne_--seyn
3606 _whiche_--which
3607 _outen_--owte
3609 _don_--MS. done
_seye_--seyn
3610 _whiche_--which
3611 _desert_--deserte
3614 _be? _--MS. be? e, C. ben
3615 _clere_--cler
3617 _my? t[e]_--myhte
3618 _is ry? t nis_--MS. nis ry? t is
3619 _alle_--al
_nis wicked_--is wykke
3621 _here_--her
3623 _dedid_--endyd
_de? e_--deth
3624 [_is_]--from C.
_ou? t_--awht
3625 _de? e_--deth
3626 _grete_--gret
3628 _be_--ben
3629 _determyne_--determenye
3630 _peyne_--peynes
_told_--MS. tolde
3632 [_. i. myght_]--from C.
3632-34 _whiche_--which
3633 _eke_--ek
3635 _seen_--seyn
3637 _done_--don
3638 _my? t[e]_--myhte
_fayne lerne_--fayn lernen
3639 _endure_--dur{e}
3645 _atte_--at the
_laste_--MS. ? ast, C. laste
3647 _resouns_--resoun
3649-50 [_he_]--from C.
3651 _eke_--ek
3653 _derkenesse_--derknesse
3654 _clere so? efastnes_--cleer sothfastnesse
3655 _whiche_--which
3658 _o? ir_--eyther
_done_--don
3659 _escaping_--schapynge]
[Headnote:
VIRTUE ITS OWN REWARD. ]
[Sidenote: Do you attend to the eternal law written in your own
heart. Conform your mind to what is good, and you will stand in no
need of a judge to confer a reward upon you--for you have it
already in the enjoyment of the best of things (_i. e. _ virtue). ]
but co{n}sider{e} ? e iugement of ? e p{er}durable lawe. for if 3660
? ou conferme ? i corage to ? e beste ? inges. ? ou ne hast
no nede to no iuge to ? iue{n} ? e p{r}is or meede. for ? ou
hast ioigned ? i self to ? e most excellent ? ing.
[Sidenote: If you indulge in vice, you need no other
chastisement--you have degraded yourself into a lower order of
beings. ]
and yif
? ou haue enclined ? i studies to ? e wicked ? inges. ne 3664
seek no foreyn wrekere out of ? i self. for ? ou ? i self
hast ? rest ? e in to wicked ? inges. ry? t as ? ou my? test
loken by dyuerse tymes ? e foule er? e {and} ? e heuene.
{and} ? at alle o? er ? inges stynten fro wi? oute. so ? at 3668
? ou [ner{e} neyther in heuene ne in erthe] ne say[e] no
? ing more. ? an sholde it semen to ? e as by only resou{n}
of lokynge. ? at ? ou were in ? e sterres. {and} now in ? e
er? e.
[Sidenote: The multitude doth not consider this. ]
but ? e poeple ne loke? nat on ? ise ? inges.
[Sidenote: What then? Shall we take them as our models who
resemble beasts? ]
what 3672
? an shal we ? an app{ro}chen vs to hem ? at I haue
shewed ? at ? ei ben lyke to ? e bestes. (q. d. no{n})
[Linenotes:
3662 _to_ (1)--of
3665 _foreyn_--foreyne
3666 _? rest_--thryst
_wicked_--wikke
3669 [_nere----erthe_]--from C.
_heuene_--C. heuenene
_say[e]_--C. saye
3672 _on_--in
3674 _lyke_--lyk
_q. d. _--MS. q{uo}d]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED NEED PITY. ]
[Sidenote: If a man who had lost his sight, having even forgotten
his blindness, should declare that his faculties were all perfect,
shall we weakly believe that those who retain their sight are
blind? ]
? And what wilt ? ou seyne of ? is ? yif ? at a man
hadde al forlorn hys sy? t. {and} had[de] for? eten ? at he 3676
euer saw {and} wende ? {a}t no ? ing ne fayled[e] hym of
p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} of ma{n}kynde. now we ? at my? ten sen ? e
same ? ing wolde we nat wene ? at he were bly{n}de (q. d.
sic).
[Sidenote: The vulgar will not assent to what I am going to say,
though supported by conclusive arguments--to wit, that persons are
more unhappy that do wrong than those who suffer wrong. ]
ne also ne accorde? nat ? e poeple to ? at I shal 3680
seyne. ? e whiche ? ing is susteyned by a stronge foundement
of resou{n}s. ? at is to seyn ? at more vnsely ben ? ei
? at don wrong to o? er folk. ? en ? ei ? at ? e wrong [[pg 129]]
suffren.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I would willingly hear your reasons. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 29. ]]
? I wolde heren ? ilke *same resou{n}s q{uo}d I 3684
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do you deny that every wicked man deserves
punishment? ]
? Deniest ? ou q{uo}d she ? at alle shrewes ne ben wor? i
to han to{ur}ment.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No, I do not. ]
nay q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I am satisfied that impious men are in many ways
miserable. ]
but q{uo}d she I am certeyne
by many resou{n}s ? at shrewes ben vnsely.
[Sidenote: _B. _ They are so. ]
it accorde?
q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then those that deserve punishment are miserable. ]
? an [ne] dowtest ? ou nat q{uo}d she ? at 3688
? ilke folk ? at ben wor? i of to{ur}ment ? at ? ei ne ben
wrecches.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I admit it. ]
It accorde? wel q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ If you were a judge, upon whom would you inflict
punishment?
upon the wrong-doer, or upon the injured? ]
yif ? ou were ? an
q{uo}d she yset a Iuge or a knower of ? inges. whe? er
trowest ? ou ? {a}t men sholde to{ur}ment[e] hym ? at ha? 3692
don ? e wronge. or hym ? at ha? suffred ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should not hesitate to punish the offender as a
satisfaction to the sufferer. ]
I ne doute nat q{uo}d I. ? at I nolde don suffissaunt satisfacc{i}ou{n}
to hym ? at had[de] suffred ? e wrong by ? e
sorwe of hym ? at had[de] don ? e wronge.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then you would deem the injuring person more
unhappy than he who had been wronged? ]
? ? an 3696
seme? it q{uo}d she ? at ? e doar of wrong is more wrecche
? an he ? at ha? suffred ? e wrong.
[Sidenote: _B. _ That follows naturally. ]
? at folwe? wel q{uo}d [I].
[Sidenote: _P. _ From this then, and other reasons of like nature,
it seems that vice makes men miserable, and an injury done to any
man is the misery of the doer, and not of the sufferer. ]
? an q{uo}d she by ? ise causes {and} by o? er causes
? at ben enforced by ? e same roate ? at fil? e or synne by 3700
? e p{ro}pre nature of it make? men wretches. {and} it
shewe? wel ? at ? e wrong ? at me{n} don nis nat ? e
wrecchenesse of hym ? at receyue? ? e wrong. but ? e
wrecchednesse of hym ? at do? ? e wronge
[Sidenote: But our advocates think differently--they try to obtain
pity for those that have suffered cruelty and oppression;]
? but certys 3704
q{uo}d she ? ise orato{ur}s or aduocat? don al ? e contrarie
for ? ei enforcen hem to co{m}moeue ? e iuges to han pite
of he{m} ? at han suffred {and} resceyued ? e ? inges ? at ben
greuous {and} aspre.
[Sidenote: but the juster pity is really due to the oppressors,
who ought, therefore, to be led to judgment as the sick are to the
physician, not by angry but by merciful and kind accusers, so
that, by the physic of chastisement, they may be cured of their
vices. ]
{and} ? itte men sholden more ry? tfully 3708
han pitee on hem ? at don ? e greuaunces {and} ? e
wronges. ? e whiche shrewes it were a more couenable
? ing ? at ? e accuso{ur}s or aduocat? not wro? e but pitous
{and} debonaire ladden ? e shrewes ? at han don wro{n}g to 3712
? e Iugement. ry? t as men leden seke folk to ? e leche.
[Linenotes:
3675 _wilt ? ou seyne_--woltow seyn
3676 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. for-lorn
_sy? t_--syhte
_had[de]_--hadde
3677 _saw_--MS. sawe, C. sawh
_fayled[e]_--faylede
3678 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen
3679 _? ing_--thinges
_q. d. _--MS. q{uod}
3681 _whiche_--which
3683 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_o? er_--oothr{e}
3688 [_ne_]--from C.
3691 _yset_--MS. ysette, C. yset
_whe? er_--omitted
3692 _tourment[e]_--tormenten
3692-3 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3693 _wronge_ (2)--wrong
3695 _had[de]_--hadde
3696 _had[de]_--hadden
_wronge_--wrong
3697 _doar_--doere
3698 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3699 [_I_]--from C. [[_word moved to l. 3698_]]
3700 _ben_--ben of
_roate_--Roote
3703-4 _but----wronge_--omitted
3704 _do? _--MS. do? e
3711 _wro? e_--wroth
3712 _? e_--tho
_don_--MS. done, C. don
3713 _seke_--syke]
[Headnote:
THE DUTY OF ADVOCATES. ]
for ? at ? ei sholden seken out ? e maladies of synne by
to{ur}ment? . [[pg 130]]
[Sidenote: I would not have the guilty defrauded by their
advocates. Their duty is to accuse, and not to excuse offenders. ]
and by ? is couenaunt ey? er ? e entent of ? e
defendo{ur}s or aduocat? sholde fayle {and} cesen in al. or 3716
ellys yif ? e office of aduocat? wolde bettre p{ro}fiten to
men. it sholde be to{ur}ned in to ? e habit of accusac{i}ou{n}.
? at is [to] s[e]yn ? ei sholde{n} accuse shrewes. {and} nat
excuse hem.
[Sidenote: Were it permitted the wicked to get a slight view of
virtue's beauty, which they have forsaken, and could they be
persuaded of the purifying effects of lawful chastisement, they
surely would not consider punishment as an evil, but would
willingly give themselves up to justice and refuse the defence of
their advocates. ]
{and} eke ? e shrewes hem self. ? it it were 3720
leueful to hem to seen at any clifte ? e vertue ? at ? ei
han forleten. {and} sawen ? at ? ei sholde putten adou{n}
? e fil? es of hire vices by [the] to{ur}ment? of peynes. ? ei
ne au? ten nat ry? t for ? e reco{m}pensac{i}ou{n} forto geten 3724
hem bounte {and} prowesse whiche ? at ? ei han lost demen
ne holden ? at ? ilke peynes weren to{ur}mentes to hem.
{and} eke ? ei wolden refuse ? e attendau{n}ce of hir aduocat?
{and} taken hem self to hire iuges {and} to hir accusours. 3728
[Sidenote: The wise hate nobody, only a fool hates good men; and
it is as irrational to hate the wicked. ]
for whiche it bytide? [? {a}t] as to ? e wise folk
? er nis no place ylete to hate. ? at is to seyn. ? at hate
ne ha? no place amonges wise men. ? For no wy? t
wolde haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a 3732
fole. ? and forto haten shrewes it nis no resou{n}.
[Sidenote: Vice is a sickness of the soul, and needs our
compassion, and not our hate, for the distempers of the soul are
more deplorable than those of the body, and have more claims upon
our compassion.
