]]
[Sidenote: Philosophy expostulates with Boethius in the name of
Fortune.
[Sidenote: Philosophy expostulates with Boethius in the name of
Fortune.
Chaucer - Boethius
e_--MS.
Come; C.
Com now forth
760 _go? _--MS. go? e
761 _com_--MS. come, C. com
762 _house_--hows
_ly? ter_--lyhter{e}
763 _prolaciouns_--p{ro}basyons
_heuyer_--heuyer{e}
_ayle? _--eyleth
765 _trow[e]_--trowe
_sen_--MS. sene, C. seyn
_some_--som
_? ing_--thinge
_uncou? e_--vnkowth
766 _a? eins_--ayein
767 _wenest_--weenes
[_? at_]--C. that
768 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
[_kept_]--from C.
769 _stablenes in ? e_--stabylnesse standeth in the
770 _swyche_--swich
771 _vnleueful_--vnlefful
775 _ha? _--MS. had, C. hat
776 _good_--MS. goode, C. god
777 _agrisest_--MS. agrised, C. agrysyst
778 _fals[e]_--false
780 _myche_--mochel
781 [_of_]--from C.
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
783 _text_--texte
784 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
785 _forsaken_--forsake
_Holdest ? ou_--holdestow
786 _? an_--thanne
_preciouse_--p{re}syes
787 _derwor? i_--dereworthe
_whiche_--which
788 _fei? ful_--feythfulle
_go? _--MS. go? e
_aweye_--awey
790 _mans_--mannys
791 _when_--wan
_? ing_--thinge
793 _suffri? _--suffiseth
794 _of ? ing_--on thynge
_byforne_--MS. byforne byforne
_man_--a man
795 _mesure? _--amesureth
796 _from one_--fram oon
_seyne_--seyn
797 _fro_--from
_to_--into
799 _atte ? e last_--at the laste]
[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHY EXPOSTULATES WITH BOETHIUS. ]
[Sidenote: If you submit to her yoke you must patiently endure her
inflictions. ]
? Sy? en ? ou hast oones put ? i nekke vnder ? e ? okke
of hir. for if ? ou wilt write a lawe of wendyng {and} of
dwellyng to fortune whiche ? at ? ou hast chosen frely 804
to be ? i lady
[Sidenote: Impatience will only embitter your loss. ]
? Art ? ou nat wrongful in ? at {and}
makest fortune wro? e {and} asp{er}e by ? in inpacience.
{and} ? it ? ou mayst not chaungen hir.
[Sidenote: You cannot choose your port if you leave your vessel to
the mercy of the winds. ]
? Yif ? ou co{m}mittest
[{and}] bitakest ? i sayles to ? e wynde. ? ou shalt 808
be shouen not ? ider ? at ? ou woldest(:) but whider ? at
? e wy{n}de shoue? ? e ? Yif ? ou castest ? i seedes in ? e
feldes ? ou sholdest haue in mynde ? at ? e ? eres ben
o? er while plenteuous {and} o? {er} while bareyne.
[Sidenote: You have given yourself up to Fortune; it becomes you
therefore to obey her commands. ]
? ? ou 812
hast bytaken ? iself to ? e gouernaunce of fortune.
{and} for? i it byhoue? ? e to ben obeisaunt to ? e manere
of ? i lady.
[Sidenote: Would you stop the rolling of her wheel? ]
and enforcest ? ou ? e to aresten or wi? stonden
? e swyftnesse {and} ? e sweyes of hir to{ur}nyng 816
whele.
[Sidenote: Fool! if Fortune once became stable she would cease to
exist. ]
? O ? ou fool of alle mortel fooles if fortune
bygan to dwelle stable. she cesed[e] ? an to ben fortune.
[Linenotes:
801 _seyne_--seyn
_worlde_--world
802 _Sy? en_--Syn
_? okke_--yok{e}
803 _if_--yif
_write_--wryten
804 _whiche_--which
805 _lady_--ladye
_Art ? ou_--Artow
806 _wro? e_--wroth
_? in_--thine
807 _chaungen_--chaunge
808 [_and_]--from C.
809 _? ider_--thedyr
_whider_--whedyr
811 _haue_--han
814 _manere_--maneres
815 {and}--omitted
_wi? stonden_--withholden
816 _sweyes_--swey?
818 _cesed[e]_--cesede]
[[pg 33]]
[Headnote:
THE INCONSTANCY OF FORTUNE. ]
HEC CUM SUPERBA.
[Sidenote: [The fyrst met{ur}. ]
[Sidenote: Fortune is as inconstant as the ebb and flow of
Euripus. ]
++Whan fortune wi? a proude ry? t hande ha? turnid
hir chau{n}gyng stoundes she fare? lyke ? e maners 820
of ? e boillyng eurippe. _Glose. _ Eurippe is an arme of
? e see ? {a}t ebbith {and} flowi? . {and} somtyme ? e streme
is on one syde {and} somtyme on ? at o? er. _Texte_
[Sidenote: She hurls kings from their thrones, and exalts the
captive. ]
? She
cruel fortune kaste? adoune kynges ? at somtyme weren 824
ydred. {and} she deceiuable enhau{n}seth vp ? e humble
chere of hym ? at is discomfited.
[Sidenote: She turns a deaf ear to the tears and cries of the
wretched. ]
{and} she ney? er here?
ne recche? of wrecched[e] wepynges. {and} she is so harde
? at she lau? e? {and} scorne? ? e wepyng of hem ? e whiche 828
she ha? maked wepe wi? hir free wille.
[Sidenote: Thus she sports and boasts her power and presents a
marvel to her servants if, in the space of an hour, a man is
hurled from happiness into adversity. ]
? ? us she
pleye? {and} ? {us} she p{re}ue? hir streng? e {and} shewe? a
grete wondre to alle hir seruau{n}t? . ? Yif ? at a wy? t
is seyn weleful {and} ou{er}? rowe in an houre. 832
[Linenotes:
819 _proude_--prowd
_hande_--hand
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
820 _lyke_--lik
821 _arme_--arm
822 _streme_--strem
823 _one_--o
821 _adoune_--adown
_somtyme_--whilom
825 _ydred_ (MS. _ydredde_)--ydrad
_humble_--vmble
827 _recche? _--rekke?
_wrecched[e]_--wrecchede
_harde_--hard
828 _lau? e? _--lyssheth
_wepyng_--wepynges
830 _streng? e_--strengthes]
[Headnote:
PROSPERITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FELICITY. ]
VELLEM AUTE{M} PAUCA.
[Sidenote: [The secunde p{ro}se.
]]
[Sidenote: Philosophy expostulates with Boethius in the name of
Fortune. ]
++CErtis I wolde plete wi? ? ee a fewe ? inges vsynge
? e wordes of fortune tak heede now ? i self. yif ? {a}t
she axe? ry? t.
[Sidenote: Why do you accuse me (Fortune) as guilty? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 9 _b_. ]]
*? O ? ou man wher fore makest ? ou
me gilty by ? ine euerydayes pleynynges. what wronges 836
haue I don ? e.
[Sidenote: What goods or advantages have I deprived you of? ]
what goodes haue I byreft ? e ? at weren
? ine. stryf or plete wi? me by fore what iuge ? at ? ou
wilt of ? e possessiou{n} of rycchesse or of dignites
[Sidenote: Can you prove that ever any man had a fixed property in
his riches? ]
? And
yif ? ou maist shewe me ? at euer any mortal man ha? 840
receyued any of ? ese ? inges to ben his in p{ro}pre. ? an
wol I graunt[e] frely ? at [alle] ? ilke ? inges were{n} ? ine
whiche ? at ? ou axest.
[Sidenote: You came naked into the world, and I cherished you and
encompassed you with affluence. ]
? Whan ? at nature brou? t[e] ? e
for? e out of ? i moder wombe. I receyued[e] ? e naked 844
{and} nedy of al ? ing. {and} I norysshed[e] ? e wi? my [[pg 34]]
rychesse. {and} was redy {and} ententif ? o{ru}? my fauo{ur} to
sustene ? e. ? And ? at make? ? e now i{n}pacient a? eins
me. {and} I envirounde ? e wi? al ? e habundaunce {and} 848
shinyng of al goodes ? at ben in my ry? t.
[Sidenote: Now that I have a mind to withdraw my bounty, be
thankful and complain not. ]
? Now it
lyke? me to wi? drawe myne hande. ? ou hast had grace
as he ? at ha? vsed of foreyne goodes. ? ou hast no ry? t to
pleyne ? e. as ? ou? ? ou haddest vtterly lorn alle ? i 852
? inges. whi pleynest ? ou ? an. I haue don ? e no wrong.
[Sidenote: Riches and honours are subject to me. ]
Ricches hono{ur}es {and} swyche o? er ? inges ben of my
ry? t.
[Sidenote: They are my servants, and come and go with me. ]
? My seruauntes knowen me for hir lady. ? ei
comen wi? me {and} dep{ar}ten whan I wende. I dar wel 856
affermen hardyly. ? at yif ? o ? inges of whiche ? ou
pleynest ? at ? ou hast forlorn hadde ben ? ine. ? ou ne
haddest not lorn he{m}.
[Sidenote: Shall I alone be forbidden to use my own right? ]
? shal I ? an only be defended
to vse my ry? t.
[Sidenote: Doth not heaven give us sunny days and obscure the same
with dark nights? ]
? Certis it is leueful to ? e heuene to 860
make clere dayes. {and} after ? at to keuere ? e same dayes
wi? derke ny? tes.
[Sidenote: Is not the earth covered with frost as well as with
flowers? ]
? ? e er? e ha? eke leue to apparaile
? e visage of ? e er? e now w{i}t{h} floures {and} now wi?
fruyt. {and} to confounde he{m} so{m}tyme wi? raynes {and} 864
wi? coldes.
[Sidenote: The sea sometimes appears calm, and at other times
terrifies us with its tempestuous waves. ]
? ? e see ha? eke hys ry? t to be somtyme
calme {and} blaundyshing wi? smo? e water. {and}
somtyme to be horrible wi? wawes {and} wi? tempestes.
[Sidenote: Shall I be bound to constancy by the covetousness of
men? ]
? But ? e couetyse of men ? at may not be staunched 868
shal it bynde me to be stedfast. syn ? at stedfastnesse
is vnkou? to my maneres. ? Swyche is my streng? e.
[Sidenote: I turn my rolling wheel and amuse myself with exalting
what was low, and bringing down what was high. ]
{and} ? is pley. I pley[e] co{n}tinuely. I tourne ? e whirly{n}g
whele wi? ? e tournyng cercle ? I am glade to chaunge 872
? e lowest to ? e heyeste. {and} ? e heyest to ? e loweste.
[Linenotes:
833 _plete_--pleten
834 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak
835 _makest ? ou_--makes thow
836 _wronges_--wro{n}ge
837 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_byreft_--MS. byrefte, C. byreft
838 _stryf_--MS. stryue, C. stryf
_plete_--pleten
_by fore_--by forn
839 _wilt_--wolt
_rycchesse_--rychesses
840 _shewe_--shewyn
_euer_--eu{er}e
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
841 _? ese_--tho
_his_--hise
842 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
[_alle_]--from C.
845 _al ? ing_--alle thinges
_norysshed[e]_--noryssede
846 _rychesse_--rychesses
848, 849 _al_--alle
848 _habundaunce_--abou{n}dau{n}ce
850 _wi?
760 _go? _--MS. go? e
761 _com_--MS. come, C. com
762 _house_--hows
_ly? ter_--lyhter{e}
763 _prolaciouns_--p{ro}basyons
_heuyer_--heuyer{e}
_ayle? _--eyleth
765 _trow[e]_--trowe
_sen_--MS. sene, C. seyn
_some_--som
_? ing_--thinge
_uncou? e_--vnkowth
766 _a? eins_--ayein
767 _wenest_--weenes
[_? at_]--C. that
768 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
[_kept_]--from C.
769 _stablenes in ? e_--stabylnesse standeth in the
770 _swyche_--swich
771 _vnleueful_--vnlefful
775 _ha? _--MS. had, C. hat
776 _good_--MS. goode, C. god
777 _agrisest_--MS. agrised, C. agrysyst
778 _fals[e]_--false
780 _myche_--mochel
781 [_of_]--from C.
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
783 _text_--texte
784 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
785 _forsaken_--forsake
_Holdest ? ou_--holdestow
786 _? an_--thanne
_preciouse_--p{re}syes
787 _derwor? i_--dereworthe
_whiche_--which
788 _fei? ful_--feythfulle
_go? _--MS. go? e
_aweye_--awey
790 _mans_--mannys
791 _when_--wan
_? ing_--thinge
793 _suffri? _--suffiseth
794 _of ? ing_--on thynge
_byforne_--MS. byforne byforne
_man_--a man
795 _mesure? _--amesureth
796 _from one_--fram oon
_seyne_--seyn
797 _fro_--from
_to_--into
799 _atte ? e last_--at the laste]
[Headnote:
PHILOSOPHY EXPOSTULATES WITH BOETHIUS. ]
[Sidenote: If you submit to her yoke you must patiently endure her
inflictions. ]
? Sy? en ? ou hast oones put ? i nekke vnder ? e ? okke
of hir. for if ? ou wilt write a lawe of wendyng {and} of
dwellyng to fortune whiche ? at ? ou hast chosen frely 804
to be ? i lady
[Sidenote: Impatience will only embitter your loss. ]
? Art ? ou nat wrongful in ? at {and}
makest fortune wro? e {and} asp{er}e by ? in inpacience.
{and} ? it ? ou mayst not chaungen hir.
[Sidenote: You cannot choose your port if you leave your vessel to
the mercy of the winds. ]
? Yif ? ou co{m}mittest
[{and}] bitakest ? i sayles to ? e wynde. ? ou shalt 808
be shouen not ? ider ? at ? ou woldest(:) but whider ? at
? e wy{n}de shoue? ? e ? Yif ? ou castest ? i seedes in ? e
feldes ? ou sholdest haue in mynde ? at ? e ? eres ben
o? er while plenteuous {and} o? {er} while bareyne.
[Sidenote: You have given yourself up to Fortune; it becomes you
therefore to obey her commands. ]
? ? ou 812
hast bytaken ? iself to ? e gouernaunce of fortune.
{and} for? i it byhoue? ? e to ben obeisaunt to ? e manere
of ? i lady.
[Sidenote: Would you stop the rolling of her wheel? ]
and enforcest ? ou ? e to aresten or wi? stonden
? e swyftnesse {and} ? e sweyes of hir to{ur}nyng 816
whele.
[Sidenote: Fool! if Fortune once became stable she would cease to
exist. ]
? O ? ou fool of alle mortel fooles if fortune
bygan to dwelle stable. she cesed[e] ? an to ben fortune.
[Linenotes:
801 _seyne_--seyn
_worlde_--world
802 _Sy? en_--Syn
_? okke_--yok{e}
803 _if_--yif
_write_--wryten
804 _whiche_--which
805 _lady_--ladye
_Art ? ou_--Artow
806 _wro? e_--wroth
_? in_--thine
807 _chaungen_--chaunge
808 [_and_]--from C.
809 _? ider_--thedyr
_whider_--whedyr
811 _haue_--han
814 _manere_--maneres
815 {and}--omitted
_wi? stonden_--withholden
816 _sweyes_--swey?
818 _cesed[e]_--cesede]
[[pg 33]]
[Headnote:
THE INCONSTANCY OF FORTUNE. ]
HEC CUM SUPERBA.
[Sidenote: [The fyrst met{ur}. ]
[Sidenote: Fortune is as inconstant as the ebb and flow of
Euripus. ]
++Whan fortune wi? a proude ry? t hande ha? turnid
hir chau{n}gyng stoundes she fare? lyke ? e maners 820
of ? e boillyng eurippe. _Glose. _ Eurippe is an arme of
? e see ? {a}t ebbith {and} flowi? . {and} somtyme ? e streme
is on one syde {and} somtyme on ? at o? er. _Texte_
[Sidenote: She hurls kings from their thrones, and exalts the
captive. ]
? She
cruel fortune kaste? adoune kynges ? at somtyme weren 824
ydred. {and} she deceiuable enhau{n}seth vp ? e humble
chere of hym ? at is discomfited.
[Sidenote: She turns a deaf ear to the tears and cries of the
wretched. ]
{and} she ney? er here?
ne recche? of wrecched[e] wepynges. {and} she is so harde
? at she lau? e? {and} scorne? ? e wepyng of hem ? e whiche 828
she ha? maked wepe wi? hir free wille.
[Sidenote: Thus she sports and boasts her power and presents a
marvel to her servants if, in the space of an hour, a man is
hurled from happiness into adversity. ]
? ? us she
pleye? {and} ? {us} she p{re}ue? hir streng? e {and} shewe? a
grete wondre to alle hir seruau{n}t? . ? Yif ? at a wy? t
is seyn weleful {and} ou{er}? rowe in an houre. 832
[Linenotes:
819 _proude_--prowd
_hande_--hand
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
820 _lyke_--lik
821 _arme_--arm
822 _streme_--strem
823 _one_--o
821 _adoune_--adown
_somtyme_--whilom
825 _ydred_ (MS. _ydredde_)--ydrad
_humble_--vmble
827 _recche? _--rekke?
_wrecched[e]_--wrecchede
_harde_--hard
828 _lau? e? _--lyssheth
_wepyng_--wepynges
830 _streng? e_--strengthes]
[Headnote:
PROSPERITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FELICITY. ]
VELLEM AUTE{M} PAUCA.
[Sidenote: [The secunde p{ro}se.
]]
[Sidenote: Philosophy expostulates with Boethius in the name of
Fortune. ]
++CErtis I wolde plete wi? ? ee a fewe ? inges vsynge
? e wordes of fortune tak heede now ? i self. yif ? {a}t
she axe? ry? t.
[Sidenote: Why do you accuse me (Fortune) as guilty? ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 9 _b_. ]]
*? O ? ou man wher fore makest ? ou
me gilty by ? ine euerydayes pleynynges. what wronges 836
haue I don ? e.
[Sidenote: What goods or advantages have I deprived you of? ]
what goodes haue I byreft ? e ? at weren
? ine. stryf or plete wi? me by fore what iuge ? at ? ou
wilt of ? e possessiou{n} of rycchesse or of dignites
[Sidenote: Can you prove that ever any man had a fixed property in
his riches? ]
? And
yif ? ou maist shewe me ? at euer any mortal man ha? 840
receyued any of ? ese ? inges to ben his in p{ro}pre. ? an
wol I graunt[e] frely ? at [alle] ? ilke ? inges were{n} ? ine
whiche ? at ? ou axest.
[Sidenote: You came naked into the world, and I cherished you and
encompassed you with affluence. ]
? Whan ? at nature brou? t[e] ? e
for? e out of ? i moder wombe. I receyued[e] ? e naked 844
{and} nedy of al ? ing. {and} I norysshed[e] ? e wi? my [[pg 34]]
rychesse. {and} was redy {and} ententif ? o{ru}? my fauo{ur} to
sustene ? e. ? And ? at make? ? e now i{n}pacient a? eins
me. {and} I envirounde ? e wi? al ? e habundaunce {and} 848
shinyng of al goodes ? at ben in my ry? t.
[Sidenote: Now that I have a mind to withdraw my bounty, be
thankful and complain not. ]
? Now it
lyke? me to wi? drawe myne hande. ? ou hast had grace
as he ? at ha? vsed of foreyne goodes. ? ou hast no ry? t to
pleyne ? e. as ? ou? ? ou haddest vtterly lorn alle ? i 852
? inges. whi pleynest ? ou ? an. I haue don ? e no wrong.
[Sidenote: Riches and honours are subject to me. ]
Ricches hono{ur}es {and} swyche o? er ? inges ben of my
ry? t.
[Sidenote: They are my servants, and come and go with me. ]
? My seruauntes knowen me for hir lady. ? ei
comen wi? me {and} dep{ar}ten whan I wende. I dar wel 856
affermen hardyly. ? at yif ? o ? inges of whiche ? ou
pleynest ? at ? ou hast forlorn hadde ben ? ine. ? ou ne
haddest not lorn he{m}.
[Sidenote: Shall I alone be forbidden to use my own right? ]
? shal I ? an only be defended
to vse my ry? t.
[Sidenote: Doth not heaven give us sunny days and obscure the same
with dark nights? ]
? Certis it is leueful to ? e heuene to 860
make clere dayes. {and} after ? at to keuere ? e same dayes
wi? derke ny? tes.
[Sidenote: Is not the earth covered with frost as well as with
flowers? ]
? ? e er? e ha? eke leue to apparaile
? e visage of ? e er? e now w{i}t{h} floures {and} now wi?
fruyt. {and} to confounde he{m} so{m}tyme wi? raynes {and} 864
wi? coldes.
[Sidenote: The sea sometimes appears calm, and at other times
terrifies us with its tempestuous waves. ]
? ? e see ha? eke hys ry? t to be somtyme
calme {and} blaundyshing wi? smo? e water. {and}
somtyme to be horrible wi? wawes {and} wi? tempestes.
[Sidenote: Shall I be bound to constancy by the covetousness of
men? ]
? But ? e couetyse of men ? at may not be staunched 868
shal it bynde me to be stedfast. syn ? at stedfastnesse
is vnkou? to my maneres. ? Swyche is my streng? e.
[Sidenote: I turn my rolling wheel and amuse myself with exalting
what was low, and bringing down what was high. ]
{and} ? is pley. I pley[e] co{n}tinuely. I tourne ? e whirly{n}g
whele wi? ? e tournyng cercle ? I am glade to chaunge 872
? e lowest to ? e heyeste. {and} ? e heyest to ? e loweste.
[Linenotes:
833 _plete_--pleten
834 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak
835 _makest ? ou_--makes thow
836 _wronges_--wro{n}ge
837 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_byreft_--MS. byrefte, C. byreft
838 _stryf_--MS. stryue, C. stryf
_plete_--pleten
_by fore_--by forn
839 _wilt_--wolt
_rycchesse_--rychesses
840 _shewe_--shewyn
_euer_--eu{er}e
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
841 _? ese_--tho
_his_--hise
842 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
[_alle_]--from C.
845 _al ? ing_--alle thinges
_norysshed[e]_--noryssede
846 _rychesse_--rychesses
848, 849 _al_--alle
848 _habundaunce_--abou{n}dau{n}ce
850 _wi?
