wol leden the //
whydyr{e}
is ?
Chaucer - Boethius
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 wende? frely to ? e heuene.
dispise? it nou? t ? an alle 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].
QUICUMQ{UE} SOLAM MENTE.
[Sidenote: [The 7th Metre. ]]
++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}
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. ? For al ? ou?
[? {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. ? it na? eles dee? dispise? al heye glorie of fame. {and}
dee? wrappe? to gidre ? e heye heuedes {and} ? e lowe {and} make? egal
{and} euene ? e heyest[e] to ? e lowest[e]. ? where wone{n} now ? e bones
of trewe fabricius. what is now brutus or stiern Caton ? e ? inne fame ? it
lastynge of hir ydel names is markid wi? a fewe lettres. 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. Liggi? ? anne stille al vtterly
vnknowable 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. _Glosa. _ ? e first dee? he
clepi? here ? e dep{ar}tynge of ? e body {and} ? e soule. ? and ? e secunde
dee? he clepe? as here. ? e styntynge of ? e renoune of fame.
[SET NE ME INEXORABILE CONTRA.
[Sidenote: [The viij p{ro}se. ]]
++BVt for-as-mochel as thow shalt nat wenen q{uod} she ? {a}t I bere
vntretable batayle ayenis fortune // yit som-tyme it by-falleth ? {a}t
she desseyuable desserueth to han ryht good thank of men // {And} ? {a}t
is whan she hir{e} self opneth / {and} whan she descou{er}eth hir frownt
/ {and} sheweth hir maneres p{ar}-auentur{e} yit vndirstondesthow nat
? {a}t . I. shal seye // it is a wondyr ? {a}t . I. desyr{e} to telle /
{and} forthi vnnethe may I. vnpleyten my sentense w{i}t{h} wordes for I.
deme ? {a}t contraryos fortune p{ro}fiteth mor{e} to men than fortune
debonayr{e} // For al-wey whan fortune semeth debonayr{e} than she lyeth
falsly in by-hetynge the hope of welefulnesse // but forsothe
{con}traryos fortune is alwey sothfast / whan she sheweth hir self
vnstable thorw hyr chau{n}gynge // the amyable fortune desseyueth folk /
the contrarye fortune techeth // the amyable fortune byndeth w{i}t{h}
the beaute of false goodys the hertes of folk ? {a}t vsen he{m} / the
contrarye fortune vnbyndeth he{m} by ? ^e knowynge of freele welefulnesse
// the amyable fortune maysthow sen alwey wyndynge {and} flowynge /
{and} eu{er}e mysknowynge of hir self // the contrarye fortune is
a-tempre {and} restreynyd {and} wys thorw excersyse of hir aduersyte //
at the laste amyable fortune w{i}t{h} hir flaterynges draweth mys
wandrynge men fro the souereyne good // the contraryos fortune ledith
ofte folk ayein to sothfast goodes / {and} haleth hem ayein as w{i}t{h}
an hooke / weenesthow thanne ? {a}t thow owhtest to leten this a lytel
thing / ? {a}t this aspre {and} horible fortune hath discoueryd to the /
the thowhtes of thy trewe frendes // For-why this ilke fortune hath
departyd {and} vncou{er}yd to the bothe the certeyn vysages {and} ek the
dowtos visages of thy felawes // wha{n} she dep{ar}tyd awey fro the /
she took awey hyr frendes {and} lafte the thyne frendes // now whan thow
wer{e} ryche {and} weleful as the semede / w{i}t{h} how mochel
woldesthow han bowht the fulle knowynge of this // ? {a}t is to seyn the
knowynge of thy verray freendes // now pleyne the nat thanne of Rychesse
. I. -lorn syn thow hast fowndyn the moste p{re}syos kynde of Rychesses
? {a}t is to seyn thy verray frendes.
QUOD MU{N}DUS STABILI FIDE.
[Sidenote: [The viij Met{ur}. ]]
++THat ? ^e world w{i}t{h} stable feith / varieth acordable chaungynges
// ? {a}t the contraryos qualite of element? holden among{e} hem self
aliau{n}ce p{er}durable / ? {a}t pheb{us} the sonne w{i}t{h} his goldene
chariet / bryngeth forth the rosene day / ? {a}t the mone hath
{com}mau{n}dement ou{er} the nyhtes // whiche nyhtes hesp{er}us the eue
sterre hat browt // ? {a}t ? ^e se gredy to flowen constreyneth w{i}t{h} a
certeyn ende hise floodes / so ? {a}t it is nat l[e]ueful to strechche
hise brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // ? {a}t is to seyn to
cou{er}e alle the erthe // Al this a-cordau{n}ce of thinges is bownden
w{i}t{h} looue / ? {a}t gou{er}neth erthe {and} see / {and} hath also
{com}mau{n}dement? to the heuenes / {and} yif this looue slakede the
brydelis / alle thinges ? {a}t now louen hem to gederes / wolden maken a
batayle contynuely {and} stryuen to fordoon the fasou{n} of this worlde
/ the which they now leden in acordable feith by fayre moeuynges // this
looue halt to gideres poeples Ioygned w{i}t{h} an hooly bond / {and}
knytteth sacrement of maryages of chaste looues // And loue enditeth
lawes to trewe felawes // O weleful weer{e} mankynde / yif thilke loue
? {a}t gouerneth heuene gouerned[e] yowr{e} corages /
EXPLICIT LIB{ER} 2_^us_.
INCIPIT LIB{ER} 3. _^us_
IAM CANTU{M} ILLA FINIERAT.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste p{ro}se. ]]
++By this she hadde endid hir{e} song{e} / whan the swetnesse of hir{e}
ditee hadde thorw p{er}ced me ? {a}t was desirous of herkninge / {and}
. I. astoned hadde yit streyhte myn Eres / ? {a}t is to seyn to herkne the
bet / what she wolde seye // so ? {a}t a litel her{e} aft{er} . I. seyde
thus // O thow ? {a}t art sou{er}eyn comfort of Angwissos corages // So
thow hast remou{n}ted {and} norysshed me w{i}t{h} the weyhte of thy
sentenses {and} w{i}t{h} delit of thy syngynge // so ? {a}t . I. trowe nat
now ? {a}t . I. be vnparygal to the strokes of fortune / as who seyth. I.
dar wel now suffren al the assautes of fortune {and} wel deffende me fro
hyr // {and} tho remedies whyche ? {a}t thow seydest hir{e} byforn weren
ryht sharpe Nat oonly p{a}t . I. am nat agrysen of hem now // but . I.
desiros of herynge axe gretely to heeren tho remedyes // than seyde she
thus // ? {a}t feelede . I. ful wel q{uod} she // whan ? {a}t thow ententyf
{and} stylle rauysshedest my wordes // {and} . I. abood til ? {a}t thow
haddest swych habyte of thy thowght as thow hast now // or elles tyl
? {a}t . I. my self had[de] maked to the the same habyt / which ? {a}t is a
moore verray thing{e} // And certes the remenau{n}t of thinges ? {a}t ben
yit to seye / ben swyche // ? {a}t fyrst whan men tasten hem they ben
bytynge / but whan they ben resseyuyd w{i}t{h}-inne a whyht than ben
they swete // but for thow seyst ? {a}t thow art so desirous to herkne
hem // wit[h] how gret brennynge woldesthow glowen / yif thow wystest
whyder . I.
wol leden the // whydyr{e} is ? {a}t q{uod} . I. // to thilke
verray welefulnesse q{uod} she // of whyche thynge herte dremeth // but
for as moche as thy syhte is ocupied {and} distorbed / by Imagynasyon of
herthely thynges / thow mayst nat yit sen thilke selue welefulnesse //
do q{uod} . I. {and} shewe me / what is thilke verray welefulnesse / . I.
preye the w{i}t{h}-howte tarynge // ? {a}t wole . I. gladly don q{uod} she
/ for the cause of the // but . I. wol fyrst marken the by wordes / {and}
I wol enforcen me to enformen the // thilke false cause of blysfulnesse
? {a}t thow more knowest / so ? {a}t whan thow hast fully by-holden thilke
false goodes {and} torned thyne eyen to ? {a}t oother syde / thow mowe
knowe the clernesse of verray blysfulnesse //]
QUI SERERE I{N}GENIUM.
[Sidenote: [The fyrst met{ur}. ]]
? Who so wil sowe a felde plentiuous. lat hym first delyuer it of ? ornes
{and} kerue asondre wi? his hooke ? e bushes {and} ? e ferne so ? at ? e
corne may come{n} heuy of eres {and} of greins. hony is ? e more swete
yif mou? es han firste tastid sauoures ? {a}t ben wikke. ? ? e sterres
shynen more agreably whan ? e wynde Nothus leti? his ploungy blastes.
{and} aftir ? at lucifer ? e day sterre ha? chased awey ? e derke ny? t. ? e
day ? e feir{e}r ledi? ? e rosene horse of ? e sonne. ? Ry? t so ? ou
byholdyng first ? e fals[e] goodes. bygynne to wi? drawe ? i nek[ke] fro ? e
? ok of er? ely affecc{i}ou{n}s. {and} afterwarde ? e verrey goodes
sholle{n} entre i{n} to ? i corage.
TUNC DEFIXO PAULULU{M}.
[Sidenote: [The 2^de p{ro}se. ]]
++? O fastned[e] she a lytel ? e sy? t of hir eyen {and} wi? drow hir ry? t
as it were in to ? e streite sete of hir ? ou? t. {and} bygan to speke ry? t
? {us}. Alle ? e cures q{uo}d she of mortal folk whiche ? at trauaylen hem
i{n} many manere studies gon certys by diu{er}se weies. ? But na? eles
? ei enforced hem to comen oonly to on ende of blisfulnesse [And
blysfulnesse] is swiche a goode ? at who so ha? geten it he ne may ouer
? at no ? ing more desiire. and ? is ? ing for so? e is ? e souereyne good ? at
conteini? in hym self al man{er}e goodes. to ? e whiche goode yif ? ere
failed[e] any ? ing. it my? t[e] nat ben souereyne goode. ? For ? an were
? ere som goode out of ? is ilke souereyne goode ? {a}t my? t[e] ben
desired. Now is it clere {and} certeyne ? a{n} ? at blisfulnesse is a
p{er}fit estat by ? e congregac{i}ou{n} of alle goodes. ? ? e whiche
blisfulnesse as I haue seid alle mortal folke enforcen hem to geten by
dyuerse weyes. ? For-whi ? e couetise of verray goode is naturely
y-plaunted in ? e hertys of men. ? But ? e myswandryng erro{ur} mysledi?
hem in to fals[e] goodes. ? of ? e whiche men some of hem wenen ? at
souereygne goode is to lyue wi? outen nede of any ? ing. {and}
t{ra}ueile{n} hem to ben habundaunt of rycchesse. and some o? er men
deme{n}. ? at sou{er}ein goode be forto be ry? t digne of reu{er}ences.
{and} enforce{n} hem to ben reu{er}enced among hir ney? bo{ur}s. by ? e
hono{ur}s ? at ? ei han ygeten ? {and} some folk ? er ben ? at halden ? at
ry? t hey? e power to be souereyn goode. {and} enforcen he{m} forto regnen
or ellys to ioigne{n} he{m} to hem ? at regnen. ? And it seme? to some
o? er folk ? at noblesse of renou{n} be ? e sou{er}ein goode. {and} hasten
hem to geten glorious name by ? e artes of werre or of pees. and many
folke mesuren {and} gessen ? {a}t sou{er}ein goode be ioye {and}
gladnesse {and} wenen ? at it be ry? t blisful [thyng{e}] to ploungen hem
i{n} uoluptuous delit. ? And ? er ben folk ? at enterchaungen ? e causes
{and} ? e endes of ? ise forseide goodes as ? ei ? at desire{n} rycchesse to
han power {and} delices. Or ellis ? ei desiren power forto han moneye or
for cause of renou{n}. ? In ? ise ? inges {and} i{n} swyche o? er ? inges is
to{ur}ned al ? e entenc{i}ou{n} of desirynges {and} [of] werkes of me{n}.
? As ? us. ? Noblesse {and} fauo{ur} of poeple whiche ? at ? iue? as it
seme? a manere clernesse of renou{n}. ? and wijf {and} children ? at men
desiren for cause of delit {and} mirinesse. ? But forso? e frendes ne
shollen nat ben rekkened among ? e goodes of fortune but of vertue. for
it is a ful holy man{er}e ? ing. alle ? ise o? er ? inges forso? e ben taken
for cause of power. or ellis for cause of delit.
vnbounden fro ? e p{r}isou{n} of ? e er? e wende? frely to ? e heuene.
dispise? it nou? t ? an alle 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].
QUICUMQ{UE} SOLAM MENTE.
[Sidenote: [The 7th Metre. ]]
++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}
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. ? For al ? ou?
[? {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. ? it na? eles dee? dispise? al heye glorie of fame. {and}
dee? wrappe? to gidre ? e heye heuedes {and} ? e lowe {and} make? egal
{and} euene ? e heyest[e] to ? e lowest[e]. ? where wone{n} now ? e bones
of trewe fabricius. what is now brutus or stiern Caton ? e ? inne fame ? it
lastynge of hir ydel names is markid wi? a fewe lettres. 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. Liggi? ? anne stille al vtterly
vnknowable 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. _Glosa. _ ? e first dee? he
clepi? here ? e dep{ar}tynge of ? e body {and} ? e soule. ? and ? e secunde
dee? he clepe? as here. ? e styntynge of ? e renoune of fame.
[SET NE ME INEXORABILE CONTRA.
[Sidenote: [The viij p{ro}se. ]]
++BVt for-as-mochel as thow shalt nat wenen q{uod} she ? {a}t I bere
vntretable batayle ayenis fortune // yit som-tyme it by-falleth ? {a}t
she desseyuable desserueth to han ryht good thank of men // {And} ? {a}t
is whan she hir{e} self opneth / {and} whan she descou{er}eth hir frownt
/ {and} sheweth hir maneres p{ar}-auentur{e} yit vndirstondesthow nat
? {a}t . I. shal seye // it is a wondyr ? {a}t . I. desyr{e} to telle /
{and} forthi vnnethe may I. vnpleyten my sentense w{i}t{h} wordes for I.
deme ? {a}t contraryos fortune p{ro}fiteth mor{e} to men than fortune
debonayr{e} // For al-wey whan fortune semeth debonayr{e} than she lyeth
falsly in by-hetynge the hope of welefulnesse // but forsothe
{con}traryos fortune is alwey sothfast / whan she sheweth hir self
vnstable thorw hyr chau{n}gynge // the amyable fortune desseyueth folk /
the contrarye fortune techeth // the amyable fortune byndeth w{i}t{h}
the beaute of false goodys the hertes of folk ? {a}t vsen he{m} / the
contrarye fortune vnbyndeth he{m} by ? ^e knowynge of freele welefulnesse
// the amyable fortune maysthow sen alwey wyndynge {and} flowynge /
{and} eu{er}e mysknowynge of hir self // the contrarye fortune is
a-tempre {and} restreynyd {and} wys thorw excersyse of hir aduersyte //
at the laste amyable fortune w{i}t{h} hir flaterynges draweth mys
wandrynge men fro the souereyne good // the contraryos fortune ledith
ofte folk ayein to sothfast goodes / {and} haleth hem ayein as w{i}t{h}
an hooke / weenesthow thanne ? {a}t thow owhtest to leten this a lytel
thing / ? {a}t this aspre {and} horible fortune hath discoueryd to the /
the thowhtes of thy trewe frendes // For-why this ilke fortune hath
departyd {and} vncou{er}yd to the bothe the certeyn vysages {and} ek the
dowtos visages of thy felawes // wha{n} she dep{ar}tyd awey fro the /
she took awey hyr frendes {and} lafte the thyne frendes // now whan thow
wer{e} ryche {and} weleful as the semede / w{i}t{h} how mochel
woldesthow han bowht the fulle knowynge of this // ? {a}t is to seyn the
knowynge of thy verray freendes // now pleyne the nat thanne of Rychesse
. I. -lorn syn thow hast fowndyn the moste p{re}syos kynde of Rychesses
? {a}t is to seyn thy verray frendes.
QUOD MU{N}DUS STABILI FIDE.
[Sidenote: [The viij Met{ur}. ]]
++THat ? ^e world w{i}t{h} stable feith / varieth acordable chaungynges
// ? {a}t the contraryos qualite of element? holden among{e} hem self
aliau{n}ce p{er}durable / ? {a}t pheb{us} the sonne w{i}t{h} his goldene
chariet / bryngeth forth the rosene day / ? {a}t the mone hath
{com}mau{n}dement ou{er} the nyhtes // whiche nyhtes hesp{er}us the eue
sterre hat browt // ? {a}t ? ^e se gredy to flowen constreyneth w{i}t{h} a
certeyn ende hise floodes / so ? {a}t it is nat l[e]ueful to strechche
hise brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // ? {a}t is to seyn to
cou{er}e alle the erthe // Al this a-cordau{n}ce of thinges is bownden
w{i}t{h} looue / ? {a}t gou{er}neth erthe {and} see / {and} hath also
{com}mau{n}dement? to the heuenes / {and} yif this looue slakede the
brydelis / alle thinges ? {a}t now louen hem to gederes / wolden maken a
batayle contynuely {and} stryuen to fordoon the fasou{n} of this worlde
/ the which they now leden in acordable feith by fayre moeuynges // this
looue halt to gideres poeples Ioygned w{i}t{h} an hooly bond / {and}
knytteth sacrement of maryages of chaste looues // And loue enditeth
lawes to trewe felawes // O weleful weer{e} mankynde / yif thilke loue
? {a}t gouerneth heuene gouerned[e] yowr{e} corages /
EXPLICIT LIB{ER} 2_^us_.
INCIPIT LIB{ER} 3. _^us_
IAM CANTU{M} ILLA FINIERAT.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste p{ro}se. ]]
++By this she hadde endid hir{e} song{e} / whan the swetnesse of hir{e}
ditee hadde thorw p{er}ced me ? {a}t was desirous of herkninge / {and}
. I. astoned hadde yit streyhte myn Eres / ? {a}t is to seyn to herkne the
bet / what she wolde seye // so ? {a}t a litel her{e} aft{er} . I. seyde
thus // O thow ? {a}t art sou{er}eyn comfort of Angwissos corages // So
thow hast remou{n}ted {and} norysshed me w{i}t{h} the weyhte of thy
sentenses {and} w{i}t{h} delit of thy syngynge // so ? {a}t . I. trowe nat
now ? {a}t . I. be vnparygal to the strokes of fortune / as who seyth. I.
dar wel now suffren al the assautes of fortune {and} wel deffende me fro
hyr // {and} tho remedies whyche ? {a}t thow seydest hir{e} byforn weren
ryht sharpe Nat oonly p{a}t . I. am nat agrysen of hem now // but . I.
desiros of herynge axe gretely to heeren tho remedyes // than seyde she
thus // ? {a}t feelede . I. ful wel q{uod} she // whan ? {a}t thow ententyf
{and} stylle rauysshedest my wordes // {and} . I. abood til ? {a}t thow
haddest swych habyte of thy thowght as thow hast now // or elles tyl
? {a}t . I. my self had[de] maked to the the same habyt / which ? {a}t is a
moore verray thing{e} // And certes the remenau{n}t of thinges ? {a}t ben
yit to seye / ben swyche // ? {a}t fyrst whan men tasten hem they ben
bytynge / but whan they ben resseyuyd w{i}t{h}-inne a whyht than ben
they swete // but for thow seyst ? {a}t thow art so desirous to herkne
hem // wit[h] how gret brennynge woldesthow glowen / yif thow wystest
whyder . I.
wol leden the // whydyr{e} is ? {a}t q{uod} . I. // to thilke
verray welefulnesse q{uod} she // of whyche thynge herte dremeth // but
for as moche as thy syhte is ocupied {and} distorbed / by Imagynasyon of
herthely thynges / thow mayst nat yit sen thilke selue welefulnesse //
do q{uod} . I. {and} shewe me / what is thilke verray welefulnesse / . I.
preye the w{i}t{h}-howte tarynge // ? {a}t wole . I. gladly don q{uod} she
/ for the cause of the // but . I. wol fyrst marken the by wordes / {and}
I wol enforcen me to enformen the // thilke false cause of blysfulnesse
? {a}t thow more knowest / so ? {a}t whan thow hast fully by-holden thilke
false goodes {and} torned thyne eyen to ? {a}t oother syde / thow mowe
knowe the clernesse of verray blysfulnesse //]
QUI SERERE I{N}GENIUM.
[Sidenote: [The fyrst met{ur}. ]]
? Who so wil sowe a felde plentiuous. lat hym first delyuer it of ? ornes
{and} kerue asondre wi? his hooke ? e bushes {and} ? e ferne so ? at ? e
corne may come{n} heuy of eres {and} of greins. hony is ? e more swete
yif mou? es han firste tastid sauoures ? {a}t ben wikke. ? ? e sterres
shynen more agreably whan ? e wynde Nothus leti? his ploungy blastes.
{and} aftir ? at lucifer ? e day sterre ha? chased awey ? e derke ny? t. ? e
day ? e feir{e}r ledi? ? e rosene horse of ? e sonne. ? Ry? t so ? ou
byholdyng first ? e fals[e] goodes. bygynne to wi? drawe ? i nek[ke] fro ? e
? ok of er? ely affecc{i}ou{n}s. {and} afterwarde ? e verrey goodes
sholle{n} entre i{n} to ? i corage.
TUNC DEFIXO PAULULU{M}.
[Sidenote: [The 2^de p{ro}se. ]]
++? O fastned[e] she a lytel ? e sy? t of hir eyen {and} wi? drow hir ry? t
as it were in to ? e streite sete of hir ? ou? t. {and} bygan to speke ry? t
? {us}. Alle ? e cures q{uo}d she of mortal folk whiche ? at trauaylen hem
i{n} many manere studies gon certys by diu{er}se weies. ? But na? eles
? ei enforced hem to comen oonly to on ende of blisfulnesse [And
blysfulnesse] is swiche a goode ? at who so ha? geten it he ne may ouer
? at no ? ing more desiire. and ? is ? ing for so? e is ? e souereyne good ? at
conteini? in hym self al man{er}e goodes. to ? e whiche goode yif ? ere
failed[e] any ? ing. it my? t[e] nat ben souereyne goode. ? For ? an were
? ere som goode out of ? is ilke souereyne goode ? {a}t my? t[e] ben
desired. Now is it clere {and} certeyne ? a{n} ? at blisfulnesse is a
p{er}fit estat by ? e congregac{i}ou{n} of alle goodes. ? ? e whiche
blisfulnesse as I haue seid alle mortal folke enforcen hem to geten by
dyuerse weyes. ? For-whi ? e couetise of verray goode is naturely
y-plaunted in ? e hertys of men. ? But ? e myswandryng erro{ur} mysledi?
hem in to fals[e] goodes. ? of ? e whiche men some of hem wenen ? at
souereygne goode is to lyue wi? outen nede of any ? ing. {and}
t{ra}ueile{n} hem to ben habundaunt of rycchesse. and some o? er men
deme{n}. ? at sou{er}ein goode be forto be ry? t digne of reu{er}ences.
{and} enforce{n} hem to ben reu{er}enced among hir ney? bo{ur}s. by ? e
hono{ur}s ? at ? ei han ygeten ? {and} some folk ? er ben ? at halden ? at
ry? t hey? e power to be souereyn goode. {and} enforcen he{m} forto regnen
or ellys to ioigne{n} he{m} to hem ? at regnen. ? And it seme? to some
o? er folk ? at noblesse of renou{n} be ? e sou{er}ein goode. {and} hasten
hem to geten glorious name by ? e artes of werre or of pees. and many
folke mesuren {and} gessen ? {a}t sou{er}ein goode be ioye {and}
gladnesse {and} wenen ? at it be ry? t blisful [thyng{e}] to ploungen hem
i{n} uoluptuous delit. ? And ? er ben folk ? at enterchaungen ? e causes
{and} ? e endes of ? ise forseide goodes as ? ei ? at desire{n} rycchesse to
han power {and} delices. Or ellis ? ei desiren power forto han moneye or
for cause of renou{n}. ? In ? ise ? inges {and} i{n} swyche o? er ? inges is
to{ur}ned al ? e entenc{i}ou{n} of desirynges {and} [of] werkes of me{n}.
? As ? us. ? Noblesse {and} fauo{ur} of poeple whiche ? at ? iue? as it
seme? a manere clernesse of renou{n}. ? and wijf {and} children ? at men
desiren for cause of delit {and} mirinesse. ? But forso? e frendes ne
shollen nat ben rekkened among ? e goodes of fortune but of vertue. for
it is a ful holy man{er}e ? ing. alle ? ise o? er ? inges forso? e ben taken
for cause of power. or ellis for cause of delit.
