is feined[e] philosophre took
pacience
a
litel while.
litel while.
Chaucer - Boethius
i of torment.
1544
[Linenotes:
1515 _seye_--seyn
1516 _streite_--streyt
1517 _? an_--thanne
1518 _inne_--in
_leest[e]_--leste
_? ilk_--thilke
_? enke ? e_--thinken ye
1520 _born for? e_--MS. borne, C. born, forth
_narwe_--narwh
1521 _streyt_--streyte
_myche_--mochel
1522 _contein? e_--coueyteth
1525 _habitacle_--MS. habitache, C. habytacule
1529 [_nat_]--from C.
1531 _last[e]_--laste
1532 _write? _--writ
1533 _hadde_--hadden
_? itte_--omitted
1534 _hy? t_--hyhte
_? ilk_--thikke
1535 _wexen_--waxen
1536 _Sest ? ou_--sestow
1538 _shew_--shewe
1539 _singlere_--singler]
[Headnote:
FAME IS NOT ETERNAL. ]
[Sidenote: It is not the interest of any man who desires renown to
have his name spread through many countries. ]
? and ? er of come? ? at ? ou? a man delite hy{m} in
p{re}ysyng of his renou{n}. he ne may nat i{n} no wise [[pg 58]]
bryngen fur? e ne sprede{n} his name to many manere
peoples.
[Sidenote: He ought, therefore, to be satisfied with the glory he
has acquired at home. ]
? And ? erfore euery man{er} man au? te to ben 1548
paied of hys glorie ? at is puplissed among hys owen
ney? bores.
[Sidenote: But of how many personages, illustrious in their times,
have the memorials been lost through the carelessness and neglect
of writers. ]
? And ? ilke noble renou{n} shal be
restreyned wi? -i{n}ne ? e boundes of o maner folk but how
many a man ? at was ful noble in his tyme. ha? ? e 1552
nedy {and} wrecched for? etynge of writers put oute of
mynde {and} don awey.
[Sidenote: But writings do not preserve the names of men for
ever. ]
? Al be it so ? at certys ? ilke
writynges p{ro}fiten litel. ? e whiche writy{n}ges longe {and}
derke elde do? aweye bo? e he{m} {and} eke her auto{ur}s. 1556
[Sidenote: But perhaps you suppose that you shall secure
immortality if your names are transmitted to future ages. ]
but ? e men semen to geten ? ow a p{er}durablete whan ? e
? enke ? at in tyme comyng ? oure fame shal lasten.
[Sidenote: If you consider the infinite space of eternity you will
have no reason to rejoice in this supposition. ]
? But
na? eles yif ? ou wilt maken co{m}parisou{n} to ? e endeles
space of eternite what ? ing hast ? ou by whiche ? ou 1560
maist reioysen ? e of lo{n}g lastyng of ? i name.
[Sidenote: If a _moment_ be compared with 10,000 years, there is a
proportion between them, though a very small one. ]
? For
if ? er were maked co{m}parysou{n} of ? e abidyng of a
mome{n}t to ten ? ousand wynter. for as myche as bo? e
? o spaces ben endid. ? For ? it ha? ? e moment some 1564
porciou{n} of hit al ? ou? it a litel be.
[Sidenote: But this number of years, multiplied by whatever sum
you please, vanishes when compared with the infinite extent of
eternity. ]
? But na? eles
? ilke self nou{m}bre of ? eres. and eke as many ? eres as
? er to may be multiplied. ne may nat certys be comparisou{n}d
to ? e p{er}durablete ? at is een[de]les.
[Sidenote: There may be comparison between finite things, but none
between the infinite and finite. ]
? For of 1568
? inges ? at han ende may be mad co{m}parisou{n} [but of
thinges that ben w{i}t{h}-owtyn ende to thinges ? {a}t han ende
may be maked no {com}parysou{n}].
[Sidenote: Hence it is, that Fame (however lasting), compared with
eternity, will seem absolutely nothing. ]
? And for ? i is it al
? ou? renou{n} of as longe tyme as euer ? e lyst to ? inken 1572
were ? ou? t by ? e regard of et{er}nite. ? at is vnstauncheable
{and} infinit. it ne sholde nat oonly semen litel. but
pleinliche ry? t nou? t.
[Sidenote: But yet you do good from no other view than to have the
empty applause of the people, foregoing the pleasures of a good
conscience in order to have the insignificant praises of other
people. ]
? But ? e men certys ne konne
don no ? ing ary? t. but ? if it be for ? e audience of poeple. [[pg 59]]
{and} for ydel rumo{ur}s. {and} ? e forsaken ? e grete wor? inesse 1577
of conscience {and} of vertue. {and} ? e seke{n} ? oure
gerdou{n}s of ? e smale wordes of st{ra}nge folke.
[Linenotes:
1545 _come? _--comth it
1547 _fur? e_--forth
_manere_--maner
1548 _? erfore_--ther-for
_au? te_--owhte
1549 _paied_--apayed
_hys owen_--hise owne
1550 _ney? bores_--nesshebours
_be_--ben
1552 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1553 _put_ (MS. _putte_) _oute_--put owt
1556 _derke_--derk
_do? aweye_--MS. do? e, C. doth a-wey
_her autours_--hir actorros
1557 _? e_--yow
_semen_--semeth
1558 _comyng_--to comynge
1559 _wilt_--wolt
1560 _whiche_--which
1563 _myche_--mochel
1564 _? o_--the
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
_some_--som
1566 _self_--selue
1567 _be_ (2)--ben
1568 _een[de]les_--endeles
1569 _mad_--MS. made, C. maked
[_but----comparysoun_]--from C.
1573 _by_--to]
[Headnote:
VANITY REPROVED. ]
[Sidenote: This silly vanity was once thus ingeniously and
pleasantly rallied. ]
? Haue now here {and} vndirstonde i{n} ? e ly? tnesse of whiche 1580
p{r}ide {and} veyne glorie. how a man scorned[e] festiualy
{and} myrily swiche vanite.
[Sidenote: A certain man, who had assumed the name of a
philosopher through a love of vain-glory, was told by a man of
humour that he could prove he was a philosopher by bearing
patiently the injuries offered him. ]
somtyme ? ere was a man ? at
had[de] assaied wi? striuyng wordes an o? er ma{n}. ? ? e
whiche nat for vsage of verrey vertue. but for proude 1584
veyne glorie had[de] take{n} vpon hym falsly ? e name
of a philosopher. ? ? is ra? er man ? at I speke of
? ou? t[e] he wolde assay[e] where he ? ilke were a
philosopher or no.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 15. ]]
? at is to seyne yif he wolde han suffred 1588
ly? tly in pacience ? e wro{n}ges *? at weren don vnto hym.
[Sidenote: After counterfeiting patience for a while, the sophist
said to the other, 'You must surely confess that I am a
philosopher. ']
? ?
is feined[e] philosophre took pacience a
litel while. {and} whan he hadde receiued wordes of
outerage he as in stryuynge a? eine {and} reioysynge of 1592
hym self seide at ? e last[e] ry? t ? us. ? vndirstondest
? ou nat ? at I am a philosophere.
[Sidenote: 'I might have believed it,' said the other, 'had you
held your tongue. ']
? at o? er man answered[e]
a? ein ful bityngly {and} seide. ? I had[de]
wel vndirstonden [yt]. yif ? ou haddest holde{n} ? i tonge 1596
stille.
[Sidenote: What advantage is it to great and worthy men to be
extolled after death? ]
? But what is it to ? ise noble wor? i men.
For certys of swyche folk speke . I. ? at seken glorie wi?
vertue. what is it q{uo}d she. what atteini? fame to
swiche folk whan ? e body is resolued by ? e dee? . atte 1600
? e last[e].
[Sidenote: If body and soul die, then there can be no glory; nor
can there be when he (to whom it is ascribed) does not exist. ]
? For yif so be ? at men dien in al. ? at is
to seyne body {and} soule. ? e whiche ? ing oure resou{n}
defendi? vs to byleuen ? anne is ? ere no glorie in no
wyse. For what sholde ? ilke glorie ben. for he of 1604
who{m} ? is glorie is seid to be nis ry? t nou? t in no wise.
[Sidenote: But if the soul is immortal when it leaves the body, it
takes no thought of the joys of this world. ]
and ? if ? e soule whiche ? at ha? in it self science of
goode werkes vnbounden fro ? e p{r}isou{n} of ? e er? e [[pg 60]]
wende? frely to ? e heuene. dispise? it nou? t ? an alle 1608
er? ely occupac{i}ou{n}s. {and} beynge i{n} heuene reioise? ? at
it is exempt from alle er? ely ? inges [as wo seith /
thanne rekketh the sowle of no glorye of renou{n} of this
world]. 1612
[Linenotes:
1580 _whiche_--swych
1581 _scorned[e]_--scornede
1582 _swiche_--swych
_somtyme_--whilom
1583 _had[de]_--hadde
1584 _whiche_--which
_proude_--prowd
1586 _speke_--spak
1587 _? ou? t[e]_--thowhte
_assay[e]_--assaye
1588 _seyne_--seyn
1590 _feined[e]_--feynede
1592 _a? eine_--ayein
1593 _last[e]_--laste
_vndirstondest ? ou_--vndyrstondow
1594 _answered[e]_--answerde
1595 _had[de]_--hadde
1596 [_yt_]--from C.
1601 _last[e]_--laste
1602 _seyne_--seyn
1604 _for_ (2)--whan
1605 _? is_--thilke
_seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
_nou? t_--nawht
1606 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1608 _nou? t ? an_--nat thanne
1610 _from_--fro
1610-1612 [_as----world_]--from C. ]
[Headnote:
DEATH PUTS AN END TO RENOWN. ]
QUICUMQ{UE} SOLAM MENTE.
[Sidenote: [The 7th Metre. ]]
[Sidenote: Let him who seeks fame, thinking it to be the sovereign
good, look upon the broad universe and this circumscribed earth;
and he will then despise a glorious name limited to such a
confined space. ]
++Who so ? at wi? ouer? rowyng ? ou? t only seke? glorie
of fame. {and} weni? ? at it be souereyne good
? Lete hym loke vpon ? e brode shewyng contreys of
? e heue{n}. {and} vpo{n} ? e streite sete of ? is er? e. {and} 1616
he shal be ashamed of ? e encres of his name. ? at may
nat fulfille ? e litel compas of ? e er? e. ? O what
coueiten proude folke to liften vpon hire nekkes in
ydel {and} dedely ? ok of ? is worlde.
[Sidenote: Will splendid titles and renown prolong a man's life? ]
? For al ? ou? 1620
[? {a}t] renoune y-spradde passynge to ferne poeples go?
by dyuerse tonges. and al ? ou? grete houses {and} kynredes
shyne wi? clere titles of hono{ur}s.
[Sidenote: In the grave there is no distinction between high and
low. ]
? it na? eles
dee? dispise? al heye glorie of fame. {and} dee? wrappe? 1624
to gidre ? e heye heuedes {and} ? e lowe {and} make? egal
{and} euene ? e heyest[e] to ? e lowest[e].
[Sidenote: Where is the good Fabricius now? ]
? where
wone{n} now ? e bones of trewe fabricius.
[Sidenote: Where the noble Brutus, or stern Cato? ]
what is
now brutus or stiern Caton ? e ? inne fame ? it lastynge 1628
of hir ydel names is markid wi? a fewe lettres.
[Sidenote: Their empty names still live, but of their persons we
know nothing. ]
but al ? ou? we han knowe{n} ? e faire wordes of ? e fames of
hem. it is nat ? euen to knowe he{m} ? at ben dede {and}
consumpt.
[Sidenote: Fame cannot make you known. ]
Liggi? ? anne stille al vtterly vnknowable 1632
ne fame ne make? ? ow nat knowe. and yif ? e wene
to lyuen ? e leng{er} for wynde of ? oure mortal name.
whan o cruel day shal rauyshe ? ow. ? an is ? e secunde
dee? dwellyng in ? ow.
[Sidenote: It will be effaced by conquering Time, so that death
will be doubly victorious. ]
_Glosa. _ ? e first dee? he clepi? 1636
here ? e dep{ar}tynge of ? e body {and} ? e soule. ? and [[pg 61]]
? e secunde dee? he clepe? as here. ? e styntynge of
?
[Linenotes:
1515 _seye_--seyn
1516 _streite_--streyt
1517 _? an_--thanne
1518 _inne_--in
_leest[e]_--leste
_? ilk_--thilke
_? enke ? e_--thinken ye
1520 _born for? e_--MS. borne, C. born, forth
_narwe_--narwh
1521 _streyt_--streyte
_myche_--mochel
1522 _contein? e_--coueyteth
1525 _habitacle_--MS. habitache, C. habytacule
1529 [_nat_]--from C.
1531 _last[e]_--laste
1532 _write? _--writ
1533 _hadde_--hadden
_? itte_--omitted
1534 _hy? t_--hyhte
_? ilk_--thikke
1535 _wexen_--waxen
1536 _Sest ? ou_--sestow
1538 _shew_--shewe
1539 _singlere_--singler]
[Headnote:
FAME IS NOT ETERNAL. ]
[Sidenote: It is not the interest of any man who desires renown to
have his name spread through many countries. ]
? and ? er of come? ? at ? ou? a man delite hy{m} in
p{re}ysyng of his renou{n}. he ne may nat i{n} no wise [[pg 58]]
bryngen fur? e ne sprede{n} his name to many manere
peoples.
[Sidenote: He ought, therefore, to be satisfied with the glory he
has acquired at home. ]
? And ? erfore euery man{er} man au? te to ben 1548
paied of hys glorie ? at is puplissed among hys owen
ney? bores.
[Sidenote: But of how many personages, illustrious in their times,
have the memorials been lost through the carelessness and neglect
of writers. ]
? And ? ilke noble renou{n} shal be
restreyned wi? -i{n}ne ? e boundes of o maner folk but how
many a man ? at was ful noble in his tyme. ha? ? e 1552
nedy {and} wrecched for? etynge of writers put oute of
mynde {and} don awey.
[Sidenote: But writings do not preserve the names of men for
ever. ]
? Al be it so ? at certys ? ilke
writynges p{ro}fiten litel. ? e whiche writy{n}ges longe {and}
derke elde do? aweye bo? e he{m} {and} eke her auto{ur}s. 1556
[Sidenote: But perhaps you suppose that you shall secure
immortality if your names are transmitted to future ages. ]
but ? e men semen to geten ? ow a p{er}durablete whan ? e
? enke ? at in tyme comyng ? oure fame shal lasten.
[Sidenote: If you consider the infinite space of eternity you will
have no reason to rejoice in this supposition. ]
? But
na? eles yif ? ou wilt maken co{m}parisou{n} to ? e endeles
space of eternite what ? ing hast ? ou by whiche ? ou 1560
maist reioysen ? e of lo{n}g lastyng of ? i name.
[Sidenote: If a _moment_ be compared with 10,000 years, there is a
proportion between them, though a very small one. ]
? For
if ? er were maked co{m}parysou{n} of ? e abidyng of a
mome{n}t to ten ? ousand wynter. for as myche as bo? e
? o spaces ben endid. ? For ? it ha? ? e moment some 1564
porciou{n} of hit al ? ou? it a litel be.
[Sidenote: But this number of years, multiplied by whatever sum
you please, vanishes when compared with the infinite extent of
eternity. ]
? But na? eles
? ilke self nou{m}bre of ? eres. and eke as many ? eres as
? er to may be multiplied. ne may nat certys be comparisou{n}d
to ? e p{er}durablete ? at is een[de]les.
[Sidenote: There may be comparison between finite things, but none
between the infinite and finite. ]
? For of 1568
? inges ? at han ende may be mad co{m}parisou{n} [but of
thinges that ben w{i}t{h}-owtyn ende to thinges ? {a}t han ende
may be maked no {com}parysou{n}].
[Sidenote: Hence it is, that Fame (however lasting), compared with
eternity, will seem absolutely nothing. ]
? And for ? i is it al
? ou? renou{n} of as longe tyme as euer ? e lyst to ? inken 1572
were ? ou? t by ? e regard of et{er}nite. ? at is vnstauncheable
{and} infinit. it ne sholde nat oonly semen litel. but
pleinliche ry? t nou? t.
[Sidenote: But yet you do good from no other view than to have the
empty applause of the people, foregoing the pleasures of a good
conscience in order to have the insignificant praises of other
people. ]
? But ? e men certys ne konne
don no ? ing ary? t. but ? if it be for ? e audience of poeple. [[pg 59]]
{and} for ydel rumo{ur}s. {and} ? e forsaken ? e grete wor? inesse 1577
of conscience {and} of vertue. {and} ? e seke{n} ? oure
gerdou{n}s of ? e smale wordes of st{ra}nge folke.
[Linenotes:
1545 _come? _--comth it
1547 _fur? e_--forth
_manere_--maner
1548 _? erfore_--ther-for
_au? te_--owhte
1549 _paied_--apayed
_hys owen_--hise owne
1550 _ney? bores_--nesshebours
_be_--ben
1552 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1553 _put_ (MS. _putte_) _oute_--put owt
1556 _derke_--derk
_do? aweye_--MS. do? e, C. doth a-wey
_her autours_--hir actorros
1557 _? e_--yow
_semen_--semeth
1558 _comyng_--to comynge
1559 _wilt_--wolt
1560 _whiche_--which
1563 _myche_--mochel
1564 _? o_--the
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
_some_--som
1566 _self_--selue
1567 _be_ (2)--ben
1568 _een[de]les_--endeles
1569 _mad_--MS. made, C. maked
[_but----comparysoun_]--from C.
1573 _by_--to]
[Headnote:
VANITY REPROVED. ]
[Sidenote: This silly vanity was once thus ingeniously and
pleasantly rallied. ]
? Haue now here {and} vndirstonde i{n} ? e ly? tnesse of whiche 1580
p{r}ide {and} veyne glorie. how a man scorned[e] festiualy
{and} myrily swiche vanite.
[Sidenote: A certain man, who had assumed the name of a
philosopher through a love of vain-glory, was told by a man of
humour that he could prove he was a philosopher by bearing
patiently the injuries offered him. ]
somtyme ? ere was a man ? at
had[de] assaied wi? striuyng wordes an o? er ma{n}. ? ? e
whiche nat for vsage of verrey vertue. but for proude 1584
veyne glorie had[de] take{n} vpon hym falsly ? e name
of a philosopher. ? ? is ra? er man ? at I speke of
? ou? t[e] he wolde assay[e] where he ? ilke were a
philosopher or no.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 15. ]]
? at is to seyne yif he wolde han suffred 1588
ly? tly in pacience ? e wro{n}ges *? at weren don vnto hym.
[Sidenote: After counterfeiting patience for a while, the sophist
said to the other, 'You must surely confess that I am a
philosopher. ']
? ?
is feined[e] philosophre took pacience a
litel while. {and} whan he hadde receiued wordes of
outerage he as in stryuynge a? eine {and} reioysynge of 1592
hym self seide at ? e last[e] ry? t ? us. ? vndirstondest
? ou nat ? at I am a philosophere.
[Sidenote: 'I might have believed it,' said the other, 'had you
held your tongue. ']
? at o? er man answered[e]
a? ein ful bityngly {and} seide. ? I had[de]
wel vndirstonden [yt]. yif ? ou haddest holde{n} ? i tonge 1596
stille.
[Sidenote: What advantage is it to great and worthy men to be
extolled after death? ]
? But what is it to ? ise noble wor? i men.
For certys of swyche folk speke . I. ? at seken glorie wi?
vertue. what is it q{uo}d she. what atteini? fame to
swiche folk whan ? e body is resolued by ? e dee? . atte 1600
? e last[e].
[Sidenote: If body and soul die, then there can be no glory; nor
can there be when he (to whom it is ascribed) does not exist. ]
? For yif so be ? at men dien in al. ? at is
to seyne body {and} soule. ? e whiche ? ing oure resou{n}
defendi? vs to byleuen ? anne is ? ere no glorie in no
wyse. For what sholde ? ilke glorie ben. for he of 1604
who{m} ? is glorie is seid to be nis ry? t nou? t in no wise.
[Sidenote: But if the soul is immortal when it leaves the body, it
takes no thought of the joys of this world. ]
and ? if ? e soule whiche ? at ha? in it self science of
goode werkes vnbounden fro ? e p{r}isou{n} of ? e er? e [[pg 60]]
wende? frely to ? e heuene. dispise? it nou? t ? an alle 1608
er? ely occupac{i}ou{n}s. {and} beynge i{n} heuene reioise? ? at
it is exempt from alle er? ely ? inges [as wo seith /
thanne rekketh the sowle of no glorye of renou{n} of this
world]. 1612
[Linenotes:
1580 _whiche_--swych
1581 _scorned[e]_--scornede
1582 _swiche_--swych
_somtyme_--whilom
1583 _had[de]_--hadde
1584 _whiche_--which
_proude_--prowd
1586 _speke_--spak
1587 _? ou? t[e]_--thowhte
_assay[e]_--assaye
1588 _seyne_--seyn
1590 _feined[e]_--feynede
1592 _a? eine_--ayein
1593 _last[e]_--laste
_vndirstondest ? ou_--vndyrstondow
1594 _answered[e]_--answerde
1595 _had[de]_--hadde
1596 [_yt_]--from C.
1601 _last[e]_--laste
1602 _seyne_--seyn
1604 _for_ (2)--whan
1605 _? is_--thilke
_seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
_nou? t_--nawht
1606 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
1608 _nou? t ? an_--nat thanne
1610 _from_--fro
1610-1612 [_as----world_]--from C. ]
[Headnote:
DEATH PUTS AN END TO RENOWN. ]
QUICUMQ{UE} SOLAM MENTE.
[Sidenote: [The 7th Metre. ]]
[Sidenote: Let him who seeks fame, thinking it to be the sovereign
good, look upon the broad universe and this circumscribed earth;
and he will then despise a glorious name limited to such a
confined space. ]
++Who so ? at wi? ouer? rowyng ? ou? t only seke? glorie
of fame. {and} weni? ? at it be souereyne good
? Lete hym loke vpon ? e brode shewyng contreys of
? e heue{n}. {and} vpo{n} ? e streite sete of ? is er? e. {and} 1616
he shal be ashamed of ? e encres of his name. ? at may
nat fulfille ? e litel compas of ? e er? e. ? O what
coueiten proude folke to liften vpon hire nekkes in
ydel {and} dedely ? ok of ? is worlde.
[Sidenote: Will splendid titles and renown prolong a man's life? ]
? For al ? ou? 1620
[? {a}t] renoune y-spradde passynge to ferne poeples go?
by dyuerse tonges. and al ? ou? grete houses {and} kynredes
shyne wi? clere titles of hono{ur}s.
[Sidenote: In the grave there is no distinction between high and
low. ]
? it na? eles
dee? dispise? al heye glorie of fame. {and} dee? wrappe? 1624
to gidre ? e heye heuedes {and} ? e lowe {and} make? egal
{and} euene ? e heyest[e] to ? e lowest[e].
[Sidenote: Where is the good Fabricius now? ]
? where
wone{n} now ? e bones of trewe fabricius.
[Sidenote: Where the noble Brutus, or stern Cato? ]
what is
now brutus or stiern Caton ? e ? inne fame ? it lastynge 1628
of hir ydel names is markid wi? a fewe lettres.
[Sidenote: Their empty names still live, but of their persons we
know nothing. ]
but al ? ou? we han knowe{n} ? e faire wordes of ? e fames of
hem. it is nat ? euen to knowe he{m} ? at ben dede {and}
consumpt.
[Sidenote: Fame cannot make you known. ]
Liggi? ? anne stille al vtterly vnknowable 1632
ne fame ne make? ? ow nat knowe. and yif ? e wene
to lyuen ? e leng{er} for wynde of ? oure mortal name.
whan o cruel day shal rauyshe ? ow. ? an is ? e secunde
dee? dwellyng in ? ow.
[Sidenote: It will be effaced by conquering Time, so that death
will be doubly victorious. ]
_Glosa. _ ? e first dee? he clepi? 1636
here ? e dep{ar}tynge of ? e body {and} ? e soule. ? and [[pg 61]]
? e secunde dee? he clepe? as here. ? e styntynge of
?
