e
priuetees
of mennes bodyes.
Chaucer - Boethius
?
at is to seyn.
?
ei cou?
e make no piment of clarre.
ne
? ei cou? e nat medle ? e bri? t[e] flies of ? e co{n}tre of siriens wi? ? e
venym of tirie. ? is is to seyne. ? ei cou? e nat dien white flies of
sirien contre wi? ? e blode of a manar shelfysshe. ? at men fynden in
tyrie. wi? whiche blode men deien purper. ? ? ei slepen holesom slepes
vpon ? e gras. and dronken of ? e rynnyng watres. {and} laien vndir ? e
shadowe of ? e hey? e pyne trees. ? Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf
? it ? e heye see wi? oores or wi? shippes. ne ? ei ne hadden seyne ? itte
none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse in to dyuerse co{n}tres. ? ? o
weren ? e cruel clariou{n}s ful whist {and} ful stille. ne blode yshed by
egre hate ne hadde nat deied ? it armurers. for wherto or whiche
woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen armes. whan ? ei seien cruel
woundes ne none medes ben of blood yshad ? I wolde ? at oure tymes sholde
turne a? eyne to ? e oolde maneres. ? But ? e anguissous loue of hauyng
brenne? in folke moore cruely ? an ? e fijr of ? e Mou{n}taigne of Ethna
? at euer brenne? . ? Allas what was he ? at first dalf vp ? e gobets or ? e
wey? tys of gold couered vndir er? e. {and} ? e p{re}cious stones ? at
wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp p{re}cious perils. ? at is to seyne ? at he
? at hem first vp dalf. he dalf vp a p{re}cious peril. for-whi. for ? e
p{re}ciousnesse of swyche ha? many man ben in peril.
QUID AUTE{M} DE DIGNITATIB{US} {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The sixte p{ro}se. ]]
++But what shal I seyne of dignitees {and} of powers. ? e whiche [ye] men
? {a}t nei? er knowen verray dignitee ne verray power areysen hem as heye
as ? e heuene. ? e whiche dignitees {and} powers yif ? ei come to any
wicked man ? ei don [as] greet[e] damages {and} distrucc{i}ou{n} as do?
? e fla{m}me of ? e Mou{n}taigne Ethna whan ? e fla{m}me wit walwi? vp ne
no deluge ne do? so cruel harmes. ? Certys ye remembri? wel as I trowe
? at ? ilke dignitee ? at men clepi? ? e emperie of {con}sulers ? e whiche
? at somtyme was bygynnyng of fredom. ? ? oure eldres coueiteden to han
don a-wey ? at dignitee for ? e p{r}ide of ? e conseilers. ? And ry? t for
? e same p{r}ide ? oure eldres byforne ? at tyme hadden don awey out of ? e
Citee of rome ? e kynges name. ? at is to seien. ? ei nolden haue no lenger
no kyng ? But now yif so be ? {a}t dignitees {and} powers ben ? euen to
goode men. ? e whiche ? ing is ful ? elde. what agreable ? i{n}ges is ? er in
? o dignitees. or powers. but only ? e goodenes of folk ? at vsen hem.
? And ? erfore it is ? us ? at hono{ur} ne come? nat to vertue for cause of
dignite. but a? einward. hono{ur} come? to dignite by cause of vertue.
but whiche is ? oure derwor? e power ? at is so clere {and} so requerable
? O ? e er? elyche bestes considere ? e nat ouer whiche ? ing ? at it seme?
? at ? e han power. ? Now yif ? ou say[e] a mouse amo{n}g{us} o? er myse ? at
chalenged[e] to hymself ward ry? t {and} power ouer alle o? er myse. how
gret scorne woldest ? ou han of hit. ? _Glosa. _ ? So fare? it by men. ? e
body ha? power ouer ? e body. For yif ? ow loke wel vpon ? e body of a wy? t
what ? ing shalt ? ou fynde moore frele ? an is mannes kynde. ? e whiche ben
ful ofte slayn wi? bytynge of smale flies. or ellys wi? ? e entryng of
crepyng wormes in to ?
e priuetees of mennes bodyes. ? But wher shal men
fynden any man ? at may exercen or haunten any ry? t vpon an o? er ma{n}
but oonly vpon hys body. or ellys vpo{n} ? inges ? at ben lower ? en ? e
body. whiche I clepe fortunous possessiou{n}s ? Mayst ? ou euer haue any
comaundement ouer a fre corage ? Mayst ? ou remuen fro ? e estat of hys
p{ro}pre reste. a ? ou? t ? at is cleuyng to gider in hym self by stedfast
resou{n}. ? As somtyme a tiraunt wende to co{n}founde a freeman of
corage ? {And} wende to co{n}streyne hym by to{ur}ment to maken hym
dyscoueren {and} acusen folk ? at wisten of a coniurac{i}ou{n}. whiche I
clepe a confederacie ? at was cast a? eins ? is tyraunt ? But ? is free man
boot of hys owen tunge. {and} cast it in ? e visage of ? ilke woode
tyrau{n}te. ? So ? at ? e to{ur}ment? ? at ? is tyrau{n}t wende to han maked
mater{e} of cruelte. ? is wyse man maked[e it] matere of vertues. ? But
what ? ing is it ? at a man may don to an o? er man. ? at he ne may receyue
? e same ? ing of o? er folke i{n} hym self. or ? us. ? What may a man don
to folk. ? at folk ne may don hym ? e same. ? I haue herd told of
busirides ? at was wo{n}t to sleen hys gestes ? at herburghden in hys
hous. and he was slayn hym self of ercules ? at was hys gest ? Regulus
had[de] taken in bataile many men of affrike. and cast hem in to
fetteres. but sone after he most[e] ? iue hys handes to ben bounden
w{i}t{h} ? e cheynes of hem ? at he had[de] somtyme ou{er}comen. ? Wenest
? ou ? an ? at he be my? ty. ? at may nat don a ? ing. ? at o? er ne may don
hym. ? at he do? to o? er. {and} ? it more ou{er} yif it so were ? at ? ise
dignites or poweres hadden any p{ro}pre or naturel goodnesse in hem self
neuer nolden ? ei comen to shrewes. ? For contrarious ? inges ne ben not
wont to ben yfelawshiped togidres. ? Nature refuse? ? at contra[r]ious
? inges ben yioigned. ? And so as I am in certeyne ? at ry? t wikked folk
han dignitees ofte tymes. ? an shewe? it wel ? at dignitees {and} powers
ne ben not goode of hir owen kynde. syn ? at ? ei suffren hem self to
cleue{n} or ioynen hem to shrewes. ? And certys ? e same ? ing may most
digneliche Iugen {and} seyen of alle ? e ? iftis of fortune ? at most
plenteuously comen to shrewes. ? Of ? e whiche ? iftys I trowe ? at it
au? t[e] ben considered ? at no man douti? ? at he nis strong. in whom he
see? streng? e. {and} in whom ? at swiftnesse is ? So? e it is ? at he is
swyfte. Also musyk make? musiciens. {and} fysik make? phisiciens. {and}
rethorik rethoriens. ? For whi ? e nature of euery ? ing maki? his
p{ro}pretee. ne it is nat ent{er}medled wi? ? e effect{is} of
co{n}trarious ? inges. ? And as of wil it chase? oute ? inges ? at to it
ben contrarie ? But certys rycchesse may nat restreyne auarice
vnstaunched ? Ne power [ne] make? nat a ma{n} my? ty ouer hym self.
whiche ? at vicious lustis holden destreined wi? cheins ? at ne mowen nat
ben vnbounden. {and} dignitees ? at ben ? euen to shrewed[e] folk nat
oonly ne maki? hem nat digne. but it shewe? ra? er al openly ? at ? ei ben
vnwor? i {and} vndigne. ? And whi is it ? {us}. ? Certis for ? e han ioye
to clepen ? inges wi? fals[e] names. ? at beren hem al in ? e
co{n}t{ra}rie. ? e whiche names ben ful ofte reproued by ? e effect of ? e
same ? inges. so ? at ? ise ilke rycchesse ne au? ten nat by ry? t to ben
cleped rycchesse. ne whiche power ne au? t[e] not ben cleped power. ne
whiche dignitee ne au? t[e] nat ben cleped dignitee. ? And at ? e laste I
may conclude ?
? ei cou? e nat medle ? e bri? t[e] flies of ? e co{n}tre of siriens wi? ? e
venym of tirie. ? is is to seyne. ? ei cou? e nat dien white flies of
sirien contre wi? ? e blode of a manar shelfysshe. ? at men fynden in
tyrie. wi? whiche blode men deien purper. ? ? ei slepen holesom slepes
vpon ? e gras. and dronken of ? e rynnyng watres. {and} laien vndir ? e
shadowe of ? e hey? e pyne trees. ? Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf
? it ? e heye see wi? oores or wi? shippes. ne ? ei ne hadden seyne ? itte
none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse in to dyuerse co{n}tres. ? ? o
weren ? e cruel clariou{n}s ful whist {and} ful stille. ne blode yshed by
egre hate ne hadde nat deied ? it armurers. for wherto or whiche
woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen armes. whan ? ei seien cruel
woundes ne none medes ben of blood yshad ? I wolde ? at oure tymes sholde
turne a? eyne to ? e oolde maneres. ? But ? e anguissous loue of hauyng
brenne? in folke moore cruely ? an ? e fijr of ? e Mou{n}taigne of Ethna
? at euer brenne? . ? Allas what was he ? at first dalf vp ? e gobets or ? e
wey? tys of gold couered vndir er? e. {and} ? e p{re}cious stones ? at
wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp p{re}cious perils. ? at is to seyne ? at he
? at hem first vp dalf. he dalf vp a p{re}cious peril. for-whi. for ? e
p{re}ciousnesse of swyche ha? many man ben in peril.
QUID AUTE{M} DE DIGNITATIB{US} {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The sixte p{ro}se. ]]
++But what shal I seyne of dignitees {and} of powers. ? e whiche [ye] men
? {a}t nei? er knowen verray dignitee ne verray power areysen hem as heye
as ? e heuene. ? e whiche dignitees {and} powers yif ? ei come to any
wicked man ? ei don [as] greet[e] damages {and} distrucc{i}ou{n} as do?
? e fla{m}me of ? e Mou{n}taigne Ethna whan ? e fla{m}me wit walwi? vp ne
no deluge ne do? so cruel harmes. ? Certys ye remembri? wel as I trowe
? at ? ilke dignitee ? at men clepi? ? e emperie of {con}sulers ? e whiche
? at somtyme was bygynnyng of fredom. ? ? oure eldres coueiteden to han
don a-wey ? at dignitee for ? e p{r}ide of ? e conseilers. ? And ry? t for
? e same p{r}ide ? oure eldres byforne ? at tyme hadden don awey out of ? e
Citee of rome ? e kynges name. ? at is to seien. ? ei nolden haue no lenger
no kyng ? But now yif so be ? {a}t dignitees {and} powers ben ? euen to
goode men. ? e whiche ? ing is ful ? elde. what agreable ? i{n}ges is ? er in
? o dignitees. or powers. but only ? e goodenes of folk ? at vsen hem.
? And ? erfore it is ? us ? at hono{ur} ne come? nat to vertue for cause of
dignite. but a? einward. hono{ur} come? to dignite by cause of vertue.
but whiche is ? oure derwor? e power ? at is so clere {and} so requerable
? O ? e er? elyche bestes considere ? e nat ouer whiche ? ing ? at it seme?
? at ? e han power. ? Now yif ? ou say[e] a mouse amo{n}g{us} o? er myse ? at
chalenged[e] to hymself ward ry? t {and} power ouer alle o? er myse. how
gret scorne woldest ? ou han of hit. ? _Glosa. _ ? So fare? it by men. ? e
body ha? power ouer ? e body. For yif ? ow loke wel vpon ? e body of a wy? t
what ? ing shalt ? ou fynde moore frele ? an is mannes kynde. ? e whiche ben
ful ofte slayn wi? bytynge of smale flies. or ellys wi? ? e entryng of
crepyng wormes in to ?
e priuetees of mennes bodyes. ? But wher shal men
fynden any man ? at may exercen or haunten any ry? t vpon an o? er ma{n}
but oonly vpon hys body. or ellys vpo{n} ? inges ? at ben lower ? en ? e
body. whiche I clepe fortunous possessiou{n}s ? Mayst ? ou euer haue any
comaundement ouer a fre corage ? Mayst ? ou remuen fro ? e estat of hys
p{ro}pre reste. a ? ou? t ? at is cleuyng to gider in hym self by stedfast
resou{n}. ? As somtyme a tiraunt wende to co{n}founde a freeman of
corage ? {And} wende to co{n}streyne hym by to{ur}ment to maken hym
dyscoueren {and} acusen folk ? at wisten of a coniurac{i}ou{n}. whiche I
clepe a confederacie ? at was cast a? eins ? is tyraunt ? But ? is free man
boot of hys owen tunge. {and} cast it in ? e visage of ? ilke woode
tyrau{n}te. ? So ? at ? e to{ur}ment? ? at ? is tyrau{n}t wende to han maked
mater{e} of cruelte. ? is wyse man maked[e it] matere of vertues. ? But
what ? ing is it ? at a man may don to an o? er man. ? at he ne may receyue
? e same ? ing of o? er folke i{n} hym self. or ? us. ? What may a man don
to folk. ? at folk ne may don hym ? e same. ? I haue herd told of
busirides ? at was wo{n}t to sleen hys gestes ? at herburghden in hys
hous. and he was slayn hym self of ercules ? at was hys gest ? Regulus
had[de] taken in bataile many men of affrike. and cast hem in to
fetteres. but sone after he most[e] ? iue hys handes to ben bounden
w{i}t{h} ? e cheynes of hem ? at he had[de] somtyme ou{er}comen. ? Wenest
? ou ? an ? at he be my? ty. ? at may nat don a ? ing. ? at o? er ne may don
hym. ? at he do? to o? er. {and} ? it more ou{er} yif it so were ? at ? ise
dignites or poweres hadden any p{ro}pre or naturel goodnesse in hem self
neuer nolden ? ei comen to shrewes. ? For contrarious ? inges ne ben not
wont to ben yfelawshiped togidres. ? Nature refuse? ? at contra[r]ious
? inges ben yioigned. ? And so as I am in certeyne ? at ry? t wikked folk
han dignitees ofte tymes. ? an shewe? it wel ? at dignitees {and} powers
ne ben not goode of hir owen kynde. syn ? at ? ei suffren hem self to
cleue{n} or ioynen hem to shrewes. ? And certys ? e same ? ing may most
digneliche Iugen {and} seyen of alle ? e ? iftis of fortune ? at most
plenteuously comen to shrewes. ? Of ? e whiche ? iftys I trowe ? at it
au? t[e] ben considered ? at no man douti? ? at he nis strong. in whom he
see? streng? e. {and} in whom ? at swiftnesse is ? So? e it is ? at he is
swyfte. Also musyk make? musiciens. {and} fysik make? phisiciens. {and}
rethorik rethoriens. ? For whi ? e nature of euery ? ing maki? his
p{ro}pretee. ne it is nat ent{er}medled wi? ? e effect{is} of
co{n}trarious ? inges. ? And as of wil it chase? oute ? inges ? at to it
ben contrarie ? But certys rycchesse may nat restreyne auarice
vnstaunched ? Ne power [ne] make? nat a ma{n} my? ty ouer hym self.
whiche ? at vicious lustis holden destreined wi? cheins ? at ne mowen nat
ben vnbounden. {and} dignitees ? at ben ? euen to shrewed[e] folk nat
oonly ne maki? hem nat digne. but it shewe? ra? er al openly ? at ? ei ben
vnwor? i {and} vndigne. ? And whi is it ? {us}. ? Certis for ? e han ioye
to clepen ? inges wi? fals[e] names. ? at beren hem al in ? e
co{n}t{ra}rie. ? e whiche names ben ful ofte reproued by ? e effect of ? e
same ? inges. so ? at ? ise ilke rycchesse ne au? ten nat by ry? t to ben
cleped rycchesse. ne whiche power ne au? t[e] not ben cleped power. ne
whiche dignitee ne au? t[e] nat ben cleped dignitee. ? And at ? e laste I
may conclude ?
