e
opiniou{n}
of so{m}me folke.
Chaucer - Boethius
e
senat. ? e gilt of his real maieste of ? e whiche gilt ? at albyn was
accused. wi? how grete sykernesse of p{er}il to me defended[e] I al ? e
senat. ? ? ou wost wel ? at I seide so? e. ne I auaunted[e] me neuer in
preysyng of my self. ? For alwey when any wy? t resceiue? p{re}ciouse
renou{n} in auauntyng hym self of hys werkes: he amenusi? ? e secre of
hys conscience. ? But now ? ou mayst wel seen to what ende I am comen for
myne i{n}nocence. I receiue peyne of fals felonie in gerdou{n} of verray
vertue. ? And what open co{n}fessiou{n} of felonie had[de] euer iugis so
accordaunt i{n} cruelte. ? at is to seyne as myne accusyng ha? . ? ? at
o? er errour of mans witte or ellys co{n}diciou{n} of fortune ? at is
vncerteyne to al mortal folk ne submytted[e] su{m}me of he{m}. ? at is to
seyne ? at it ne cheyned[e] su{m}me iuge to han pitee or compassiou{n}.
? For al ? ou? I had[de] ben accused ? at I wolde brenne holy houses.
{and} strangle p{re}stys wi? wicked swerde. ? or ? at . I. had[de] gray? ed
dee? to alle goode men algatis ? e sentence scholde han punysched me
p{re}sent confessed or co{n}uict. ? But now I am remewed fro ? e Citee of
rome almost fyue-hundre? ? ousand pas. I am wi? outen defence dampned to
p{ro}sc{ri}pciou{n} {and} to ? e dee? . for ? e studie {and} bountees ? at I
haue done to ? e senat. ? But o wel ben ? ei wor? i of mercye (as who sei?
nay. ) ? er my? t[e] neuer ? it non of hem ben conuicte. Of swiche a blame
as myn is of swiche t{r}espas myn accuso{ur}s seyen ful wel ? e dignitee.
? e wiche dignite for ? ei wolde derken it wi? medelyng of some felonye.
? ei beren me on honde {and} lieden. ? at I hadde polute {and} defouled my
conscience wi? sacrelege. for couetise of dignite. ? And certys ? ou ? i
self ? at art plaunted in me chacedest oute ? e sege of my corage al
couetise of mortal ? inges. ne sacrilege ne had[de] no leue to han a
place in me byforne ? ine eyen. ? For ? ou drouppedest euery day in myn
eer{e}s {and} in my ? ou? t ? ilk comaundement of pictogoras. ? at is to
seyne men schal seruen to god. {and} not to goddes. ? Ne it was no
couenaunt ne no nede to taken helpe of ? e foulest spirites. ? I ? at ? ou
hast ordeyned or set in syche excellence ? {a}t [? ou] makedest me lyke to
god. and ouer ? is ? e ry? t clene secre chaumbre of myn house. ? at is to
seye my wijf {and} ? e co{m}paignie of myn honeste frendis. {and} my
wyues fadir as wel holy as wor? i to ben reuerenced ? oru? hys owen dedis.
defenden me of al suspecciou{n} of syche blame. ? But o malice. ? For
? ei ? at accusen me taken of ? e philosophie fei? e of so grete blame.
? For ? ei trowen ? at . I. haue had affinite to malyfice or
enchau{n}tement? by cause ? at I am replenissed {and} fulfilled wi? ? i
techynges. {and} enformed of ? i maners. ? And ? us it suffice? not only
? at ? i reuerence ne auayle me not. but ? if ? at ? ou of ? i fre wille ra? er
be blemissed wi? myne offensiou{n}. ? But certys to ? e harmes ? at I haue
? ere bytyde? ? it ? is encrece of harme. ? at ? e gessinge {and} ? e iugement
of myche folk ne loken no ? ing to ? e[de]sertys of ? inges but only to ? e
aue{n}t{ur}e of fortune. ? And iugen ? at only swiche ? inges ben
p{ur}ueied of god. whiche ? at temporel welefulnesse co{m}mendi? .
_Glosa. _ ? As ? us ? at yif a wy? t haue prosperite. he is a good man {and}
wor? i to haue ? at p{ro}sperite. and who so ha? aduersite he is a wikked
man. {and} god ha? forsake hym. {and} he is wor? i to haue ? at aduersite.
? ? is is ?
e opiniou{n} of so{m}me folke. {and} ? er of come? ? at good
gessyng. ? Fyrste of al ? i{n}g forsake? wrecches certys it greue? me to
? ink[e] ry? t now ? e dyuerse sentences ? at ? e poeple sei? of me. ? And
? us moche I seye ? at ? e laste charge of contrarious fortune is ? is. ? at
whan ? at ony blame is laid vpon a caytif. men wenen ? at he ha? deserued
? at he suffre? . ? And I ? at am put awey fro{m} goode men {and} despoiled
from dignitees {and} defoulid of my name by gessyng haue suffred torment
for my goode dedis. ? Certys me seme? ? at I se ? e felonus couines of
wikked men abounden in ioie {and} in gladnes. ? And I se ? at euery lorel
shapi? hy{m} to fynde oute newe fraudes forto accusen goode folke. and I
se ? at goode men ben ou{er}? rowen for drede of my p{er}il. ? and euery
luxurious to{ur}mentour dar don alle felonie vnpunissed {and} ben
excited ? erto by ? iftes. and i{n}nocent? ne ben not oonly despoiled of
sykernesse but of defence {and} ? erfore me list to crien to god in ? is
manere.
O STELLIFERI CONDITOR ORBIS.
[Sidenote: [The fifthe met{ur}. ]]
++O ? ou maker of ? e whele ? at bere? ? e sterres. whiche ? at art fastned
to ? i p{er}durable chayere. {and} turnest ? e heuene wi? a rauyssyng
sweigh{e} {and} {con}streinest ? e sterres to suffren ? i lawe. ? So ? {a}t
? e mone somtyme schynyng wi? hir ful hornes metyng wi? alle ? e bemes of
? e sonne. ? Hir bro? er hide? ? e sterres ? at ben lasse. {and} somtyme
whan ? e mone pale wi? hir derke hornes approche? ? e sonne. leesith hir
ly? tes. ? And ? at ? e euesterre esperus whiche ? at in ? e first[e] tyme of
? e ny? t brynge? fur? e hir colde arysynges come? eft a? eynes hir vsed
cours. {and} is pale by ? e morwe at ? e rysynge of ? e sonne. and is ? an
cleped lucifer. ? ? ou restreinest ? e day by schorter dwellyng in ? e tyme
of colde wynter ? at make? ? e leues to falle. ? ? ou diuidest ? e swifte
tides of ? e ny? t when ? e hote somer is comen. ? ? i my? t attempre[? ] ? o
variau{n}t? sesons of ? e ? ere. so ? at ? epherus ? e deboneire wynde
bringe? a? ein in ? e first[e] somer sesou{n} ? e leues ? at ? e wynde ? at
hy? t[e] boreas ha? reft awey in autu{m}pne. ? at is to seyne in ? e laste
eende of somer. and ? e sedes ? at ? e sterre ? at hy? t arctur{us} saw ben
waxen hey[e] cornes whan ? e sterre sirius eschaufe? hym. ? ? ere nis no
? ing vnbounde from hys olde lawe ne forlete? hym of hys p{ro}pre estat.
? O ? ou gouerno{ur} gouernyng alle ? inges by certeyne ende. why refusest
? ou oonly to gouerne ? e werkes of men by dewe manere. ? Whi suffrest
? {o}u ? at slidyng fortune turne? to grete vtter chaungynges of ? inges.
so ? at anoious peyne ? at scholde duelly punissh{e} felouns punissit?
innocent? . ? And folk of wikked[e] man{er}es sitten in hei? e chaiers.
{and} anoienge folk treden {and} ? at vnry? tfully in ? e nekkes of holy
men. ? And vertue clere {and} schynyng naturely is hid in dirke
dirkenesses. {and} ? e ry? tful man beri? ? e blame {and} ? e peyne of ? e
felowne. ? Ne ? e forsweryng ne ? e fraude couered {and} kembd wi? a fals
colo{ur} ne a-noye? not to schrewes.
senat. ? e gilt of his real maieste of ? e whiche gilt ? at albyn was
accused. wi? how grete sykernesse of p{er}il to me defended[e] I al ? e
senat. ? ? ou wost wel ? at I seide so? e. ne I auaunted[e] me neuer in
preysyng of my self. ? For alwey when any wy? t resceiue? p{re}ciouse
renou{n} in auauntyng hym self of hys werkes: he amenusi? ? e secre of
hys conscience. ? But now ? ou mayst wel seen to what ende I am comen for
myne i{n}nocence. I receiue peyne of fals felonie in gerdou{n} of verray
vertue. ? And what open co{n}fessiou{n} of felonie had[de] euer iugis so
accordaunt i{n} cruelte. ? at is to seyne as myne accusyng ha? . ? ? at
o? er errour of mans witte or ellys co{n}diciou{n} of fortune ? at is
vncerteyne to al mortal folk ne submytted[e] su{m}me of he{m}. ? at is to
seyne ? at it ne cheyned[e] su{m}me iuge to han pitee or compassiou{n}.
? For al ? ou? I had[de] ben accused ? at I wolde brenne holy houses.
{and} strangle p{re}stys wi? wicked swerde. ? or ? at . I. had[de] gray? ed
dee? to alle goode men algatis ? e sentence scholde han punysched me
p{re}sent confessed or co{n}uict. ? But now I am remewed fro ? e Citee of
rome almost fyue-hundre? ? ousand pas. I am wi? outen defence dampned to
p{ro}sc{ri}pciou{n} {and} to ? e dee? . for ? e studie {and} bountees ? at I
haue done to ? e senat. ? But o wel ben ? ei wor? i of mercye (as who sei?
nay. ) ? er my? t[e] neuer ? it non of hem ben conuicte. Of swiche a blame
as myn is of swiche t{r}espas myn accuso{ur}s seyen ful wel ? e dignitee.
? e wiche dignite for ? ei wolde derken it wi? medelyng of some felonye.
? ei beren me on honde {and} lieden. ? at I hadde polute {and} defouled my
conscience wi? sacrelege. for couetise of dignite. ? And certys ? ou ? i
self ? at art plaunted in me chacedest oute ? e sege of my corage al
couetise of mortal ? inges. ne sacrilege ne had[de] no leue to han a
place in me byforne ? ine eyen. ? For ? ou drouppedest euery day in myn
eer{e}s {and} in my ? ou? t ? ilk comaundement of pictogoras. ? at is to
seyne men schal seruen to god. {and} not to goddes. ? Ne it was no
couenaunt ne no nede to taken helpe of ? e foulest spirites. ? I ? at ? ou
hast ordeyned or set in syche excellence ? {a}t [? ou] makedest me lyke to
god. and ouer ? is ? e ry? t clene secre chaumbre of myn house. ? at is to
seye my wijf {and} ? e co{m}paignie of myn honeste frendis. {and} my
wyues fadir as wel holy as wor? i to ben reuerenced ? oru? hys owen dedis.
defenden me of al suspecciou{n} of syche blame. ? But o malice. ? For
? ei ? at accusen me taken of ? e philosophie fei? e of so grete blame.
? For ? ei trowen ? at . I. haue had affinite to malyfice or
enchau{n}tement? by cause ? at I am replenissed {and} fulfilled wi? ? i
techynges. {and} enformed of ? i maners. ? And ? us it suffice? not only
? at ? i reuerence ne auayle me not. but ? if ? at ? ou of ? i fre wille ra? er
be blemissed wi? myne offensiou{n}. ? But certys to ? e harmes ? at I haue
? ere bytyde? ? it ? is encrece of harme. ? at ? e gessinge {and} ? e iugement
of myche folk ne loken no ? ing to ? e[de]sertys of ? inges but only to ? e
aue{n}t{ur}e of fortune. ? And iugen ? at only swiche ? inges ben
p{ur}ueied of god. whiche ? at temporel welefulnesse co{m}mendi? .
_Glosa. _ ? As ? us ? at yif a wy? t haue prosperite. he is a good man {and}
wor? i to haue ? at p{ro}sperite. and who so ha? aduersite he is a wikked
man. {and} god ha? forsake hym. {and} he is wor? i to haue ? at aduersite.
? ? is is ?
e opiniou{n} of so{m}me folke. {and} ? er of come? ? at good
gessyng. ? Fyrste of al ? i{n}g forsake? wrecches certys it greue? me to
? ink[e] ry? t now ? e dyuerse sentences ? at ? e poeple sei? of me. ? And
? us moche I seye ? at ? e laste charge of contrarious fortune is ? is. ? at
whan ? at ony blame is laid vpon a caytif. men wenen ? at he ha? deserued
? at he suffre? . ? And I ? at am put awey fro{m} goode men {and} despoiled
from dignitees {and} defoulid of my name by gessyng haue suffred torment
for my goode dedis. ? Certys me seme? ? at I se ? e felonus couines of
wikked men abounden in ioie {and} in gladnes. ? And I se ? at euery lorel
shapi? hy{m} to fynde oute newe fraudes forto accusen goode folke. and I
se ? at goode men ben ou{er}? rowen for drede of my p{er}il. ? and euery
luxurious to{ur}mentour dar don alle felonie vnpunissed {and} ben
excited ? erto by ? iftes. and i{n}nocent? ne ben not oonly despoiled of
sykernesse but of defence {and} ? erfore me list to crien to god in ? is
manere.
O STELLIFERI CONDITOR ORBIS.
[Sidenote: [The fifthe met{ur}. ]]
++O ? ou maker of ? e whele ? at bere? ? e sterres. whiche ? at art fastned
to ? i p{er}durable chayere. {and} turnest ? e heuene wi? a rauyssyng
sweigh{e} {and} {con}streinest ? e sterres to suffren ? i lawe. ? So ? {a}t
? e mone somtyme schynyng wi? hir ful hornes metyng wi? alle ? e bemes of
? e sonne. ? Hir bro? er hide? ? e sterres ? at ben lasse. {and} somtyme
whan ? e mone pale wi? hir derke hornes approche? ? e sonne. leesith hir
ly? tes. ? And ? at ? e euesterre esperus whiche ? at in ? e first[e] tyme of
? e ny? t brynge? fur? e hir colde arysynges come? eft a? eynes hir vsed
cours. {and} is pale by ? e morwe at ? e rysynge of ? e sonne. and is ? an
cleped lucifer. ? ? ou restreinest ? e day by schorter dwellyng in ? e tyme
of colde wynter ? at make? ? e leues to falle. ? ? ou diuidest ? e swifte
tides of ? e ny? t when ? e hote somer is comen. ? ? i my? t attempre[? ] ? o
variau{n}t? sesons of ? e ? ere. so ? at ? epherus ? e deboneire wynde
bringe? a? ein in ? e first[e] somer sesou{n} ? e leues ? at ? e wynde ? at
hy? t[e] boreas ha? reft awey in autu{m}pne. ? at is to seyne in ? e laste
eende of somer. and ? e sedes ? at ? e sterre ? at hy? t arctur{us} saw ben
waxen hey[e] cornes whan ? e sterre sirius eschaufe? hym. ? ? ere nis no
? ing vnbounde from hys olde lawe ne forlete? hym of hys p{ro}pre estat.
? O ? ou gouerno{ur} gouernyng alle ? inges by certeyne ende. why refusest
? ou oonly to gouerne ? e werkes of men by dewe manere. ? Whi suffrest
? {o}u ? at slidyng fortune turne? to grete vtter chaungynges of ? inges.
so ? at anoious peyne ? at scholde duelly punissh{e} felouns punissit?
innocent? . ? And folk of wikked[e] man{er}es sitten in hei? e chaiers.
{and} anoienge folk treden {and} ? at vnry? tfully in ? e nekkes of holy
men. ? And vertue clere {and} schynyng naturely is hid in dirke
dirkenesses. {and} ? e ry? tful man beri? ? e blame {and} ? e peyne of ? e
felowne. ? Ne ? e forsweryng ne ? e fraude couered {and} kembd wi? a fals
colo{ur} ne a-noye? not to schrewes.
