cast awey hys schelde {and} is
remoeued
fro hys place.
Chaucer - Boethius
erfirst assailed i{n} p{er}ils by folk of wicked[e]
maneres. ? Haue I not stryuen wi? ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore
? e age of my plato a? eins ? e foolhardines of foly {and} eke ? e same
plato lyuyng. hys maistre socrates deserued[e] victorie of vnry? tful
dee? in my presence. ? ? e heritage of wyche socrates. ? e h{er}itage is
to seyne ? e doctrine of ? e whiche soc{ra}tes in hys oppiniou{n} of
felicite ? at I clepe welfulnesse ? Whan ? at ? e people of epicuriens
{and} stoyciens {and} many o? er enforceden hem to go rauische eueryche
man for his part ? at is to seyne. ? at to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to
? e defence of his oppiniou{n} ? e wordes of socrates. ? ? ei as in
p{ar}tie of hir preye todrowe{n} me criynge {and} debatyng ? er a? eins.
{and} tornen {and} torente{n} my clo? es ? at I hadde woue{n} wi? myn
handes. {and} wi? ? e cloutes ? at ? ei hadden arased oute of my clo? es.
? ei wenten awey wenyng ? at I hadde gon wi? he{m} euery dele. In whiche
epicuryens {and} stoyciens. for as myche as ? er semed[e] so{m}me traces
{and} steppes of myne habit. ? e folye of men wenyng ? o epicuryens {and}
stoyciens my familers p{er}uertede (. s. p{er}sequend{o}) so{m}me ? oru?
? e errour of ? e wikked[e] or vnkunnyng[e] multitude of hem. ? ? is is to
seyne for ? ei semeden philosophres: ? ei weren p{ur}sued to ? e dee? and
slayn. ? So yif ? ou hast not knowen ? e exilynge of anaxogore. ne ? e
empoysenyng of socrates. ne ? e to{ur}ment? of ? eno for ? ei [weren]
straungers. ? ? it my? test ? ou haue knowe{n} ? e senectiens {and} ? e
Canyos {and} ? e sorancis of wyche folk ? e renou{n} is ney? er ouer oolde
ne vnsolempne. ? ? e whiche men no ? ing ellys ne brou? t[e] hem to ? e dee?
but oonly for ? ei weren enfourmed of my maneres. {and} semede{n} moste
vnlyke to ? e studies of wicked folk. ? And for? i ? ou au? test not to
wondre ? ou? ? {a}t I in ? e bitter see of ? is lijf be fordryuen wi?
tempestes blowyng aboute. in ? e whiche te{m}peste ? is is my most
p{ur}pos ? at is to seyn to displese to wikked[e] men. ? Of whiche
schrews al be ? e oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis
gouerned wi? no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by flityng
errour folyly {and} ly? tly. ? And if ? ei somtyme maky{n}g an ost
a? eynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure leder drawe? to gedir hys
rycchesse i{n} to hys toure. {and} ? ei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or
sachels vnp{ro}fitable forto taken. but we ? at ben hey? abouen syker fro
al tumulte {and} wode noise. ben stored {and} enclosed in syche a
palays. whider as ? at chateryng or anoying folye ne may not attayne.
? We scorne swiche rauiners {and} honters of foulest[e] ? inges.
QUISQ{UI}S COMPOSITO.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}. ]]
++Who so it be ? at is clere of vertue sad {and} wel ordinat of lyuyng.
? at ha? put vnderfote ? e prowed[e] wierdes {and} loki? vpry? t vpon ey? er
fortune. he may holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. ? ? e rage ne ? e manace
of ? e co{m}moeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro ? e botme. ne schal not
moeue ? at man. ne ? e vnstable mountaigne ? at hy? t veseuus. ? at wirche?
oute ? oru? hys broken[e] chemineys smokyng fires. ? Ne ? e wey of ? onder
ly? t ? at is wont to smyte hey? e toures ne schal not mouene ? at man.
? Wherto ? en wrecches drede ? e tyrauntes ? at ben wode {and} felownes
wi? -outen ony strenke? . ? Hope after no ? ing ne drede nat. {and} so
schalt ? ou desarmen ? e ire of ? ilke vnmy? ty tyraunt. ? But who so ? at
quakyng drede? or desire? ? ing ? at nis not stable of his ry? t. ? at man
? at so do? ha?
cast awey hys schelde {and} is remoeued fro hys place.
{and} enlace? hym i{n} ? e cheyne wi? whiche he may be drawen.
SENTIS NE INQUIT.
[Sidenote: [The verthe p{ro}se. ]]
++FElest ? ou q{uod} sche ? ise ? inges {and} entren ? ei ou? t in ? i corage.
? Art ? ou like an asse to ? e harpe. Whi wepest ? ou whi spillest ? ou
teres. ? Yif ? ou abidest after helpe of ? i leche. ? e byhoue? discouere
? i wounde. ? ? o . I. ? at hadde gadered strenke? in my corage answered[e]
{and} seide. {and} nede? it ? itte q{uod} . I. of rehersyng or of
amonic{i}ou{n}. {and} schewe? it not ynou? by hym self ? e scharpnes of
fortune ? at wexe? woode a? eynes me. ? Ne moeue? it nat ? e to seen ? e
face or ? e man{er}e of ? is place (. i. p{r}isou{n}. ). ? Is ? is ? e
librarie wyche ? at ? ou haddest chosen for a ry? t certeyne sege to ? e
i{n} myne house. ? ? ere as ? ou desputest of[te] wi? me of ? e sciences of
? inges touching diuinitee {and} touchyng mankynde. ? Was ? an myn habit
swiche as it is now. was ? an my face or my chere swiche as now.
[Interlinear: quasi d{ice}ret non. ]
? Whan I sou? t[e] wi? ? e secretys of nature. whan ? ou enfo{ur}medest my
maners {and} ? e resou{n} of al my lijf. to ? e ensaumple of ? e ordre of
heuene.
[Interlinear: ironice]
? Is nat ? is ? e gerdou{n} ? at I refere to ? e to whom I haue be
obeisaunt. ? Certis ? ou enfo{ur}medist by ? e mou? e of plato ? is
sentence. ? at is to seyne ? at co{m}mune ? inges or comunabletes weren
blysful yif ? ei ? at haden studied al fully to wisdom gouerneden ? ilke
? inges. or ellys yif it so by-felle ? at ? e gouernours of co{m}munalites
studieden in grete wisdomes. ? ? ou saidest eke by ? e mou? e of ? e same
plato ? at it was a necessarie cause wyse men to taken {and} desire ? e
gou{er}nau{n}ce of comune ? i{n}ges. for ? at ? e gou{er}nementes of comune
citees y-left in ? e hondes of felonous to{ur}mento{ur}s Citi? enis ne
scholde not brynge inne pestile{n}ce {and} destrucc{i}ou{n} to goode
folk. ? And ? erfore I folowynge ? ilk auctoritee (. s. platonis). desiryng
to put[te] fur? e in execusiou{n} {and} in acte of comune
admi{ni}st{ra}c{i}ou{n} ? o ? inges ? at . I. hadde lerned of ? e among my
secre restyng whiles. ? ? ou {and} god ? {a}t put[te] ? ee in ? e ? ou? tis of
wise folk ben knowen wi? me ? at no ? ing brou? t[e] me to maistrie or
dignite: but ? e comune studie of al goodenes. ? And ? er-of come? it ? at
by-twixen wikked folk {and} me han ben greuouse discordes. ? at ne my? ten
not be relesed by p{ra}yeres. ? For ? is libertee ha? fredom of
conscience ? at ? e wra? ? e of more my? ty folk ha? alwey ben despised of me
for saluac{i}ou{n} of ry? t. ? How ofte haue . I. resisted {and} wi? stonde
? ilk man ? at hy? t[e] conigaste ? at made alwey assautes a? eins ? e
p{ro}pre fortunes of poure feble folke. ? How ofte haue . I. ? itte put
of. or cast out hy{m} trigwille p{ro}uost of ? e kynges hous bo? e of ? e
wronges ? at he hadde bygon[ne] to done {and} eke fully p{er}formed.
? How ofte haue I couered {and} defended by ? e auctorite of me put
a? eins p{er}ils. ? at is to seine put myne auctorite in peril for ? e
wreched pore folke.
maneres. ? Haue I not stryuen wi? ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore
? e age of my plato a? eins ? e foolhardines of foly {and} eke ? e same
plato lyuyng. hys maistre socrates deserued[e] victorie of vnry? tful
dee? in my presence. ? ? e heritage of wyche socrates. ? e h{er}itage is
to seyne ? e doctrine of ? e whiche soc{ra}tes in hys oppiniou{n} of
felicite ? at I clepe welfulnesse ? Whan ? at ? e people of epicuriens
{and} stoyciens {and} many o? er enforceden hem to go rauische eueryche
man for his part ? at is to seyne. ? at to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to
? e defence of his oppiniou{n} ? e wordes of socrates. ? ? ei as in
p{ar}tie of hir preye todrowe{n} me criynge {and} debatyng ? er a? eins.
{and} tornen {and} torente{n} my clo? es ? at I hadde woue{n} wi? myn
handes. {and} wi? ? e cloutes ? at ? ei hadden arased oute of my clo? es.
? ei wenten awey wenyng ? at I hadde gon wi? he{m} euery dele. In whiche
epicuryens {and} stoyciens. for as myche as ? er semed[e] so{m}me traces
{and} steppes of myne habit. ? e folye of men wenyng ? o epicuryens {and}
stoyciens my familers p{er}uertede (. s. p{er}sequend{o}) so{m}me ? oru?
? e errour of ? e wikked[e] or vnkunnyng[e] multitude of hem. ? ? is is to
seyne for ? ei semeden philosophres: ? ei weren p{ur}sued to ? e dee? and
slayn. ? So yif ? ou hast not knowen ? e exilynge of anaxogore. ne ? e
empoysenyng of socrates. ne ? e to{ur}ment? of ? eno for ? ei [weren]
straungers. ? ? it my? test ? ou haue knowe{n} ? e senectiens {and} ? e
Canyos {and} ? e sorancis of wyche folk ? e renou{n} is ney? er ouer oolde
ne vnsolempne. ? ? e whiche men no ? ing ellys ne brou? t[e] hem to ? e dee?
but oonly for ? ei weren enfourmed of my maneres. {and} semede{n} moste
vnlyke to ? e studies of wicked folk. ? And for? i ? ou au? test not to
wondre ? ou? ? {a}t I in ? e bitter see of ? is lijf be fordryuen wi?
tempestes blowyng aboute. in ? e whiche te{m}peste ? is is my most
p{ur}pos ? at is to seyn to displese to wikked[e] men. ? Of whiche
schrews al be ? e oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis
gouerned wi? no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by flityng
errour folyly {and} ly? tly. ? And if ? ei somtyme maky{n}g an ost
a? eynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure leder drawe? to gedir hys
rycchesse i{n} to hys toure. {and} ? ei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or
sachels vnp{ro}fitable forto taken. but we ? at ben hey? abouen syker fro
al tumulte {and} wode noise. ben stored {and} enclosed in syche a
palays. whider as ? at chateryng or anoying folye ne may not attayne.
? We scorne swiche rauiners {and} honters of foulest[e] ? inges.
QUISQ{UI}S COMPOSITO.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}. ]]
++Who so it be ? at is clere of vertue sad {and} wel ordinat of lyuyng.
? at ha? put vnderfote ? e prowed[e] wierdes {and} loki? vpry? t vpon ey? er
fortune. he may holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. ? ? e rage ne ? e manace
of ? e co{m}moeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro ? e botme. ne schal not
moeue ? at man. ne ? e vnstable mountaigne ? at hy? t veseuus. ? at wirche?
oute ? oru? hys broken[e] chemineys smokyng fires. ? Ne ? e wey of ? onder
ly? t ? at is wont to smyte hey? e toures ne schal not mouene ? at man.
? Wherto ? en wrecches drede ? e tyrauntes ? at ben wode {and} felownes
wi? -outen ony strenke? . ? Hope after no ? ing ne drede nat. {and} so
schalt ? ou desarmen ? e ire of ? ilke vnmy? ty tyraunt. ? But who so ? at
quakyng drede? or desire? ? ing ? at nis not stable of his ry? t. ? at man
? at so do? ha?
cast awey hys schelde {and} is remoeued fro hys place.
{and} enlace? hym i{n} ? e cheyne wi? whiche he may be drawen.
SENTIS NE INQUIT.
[Sidenote: [The verthe p{ro}se. ]]
++FElest ? ou q{uod} sche ? ise ? inges {and} entren ? ei ou? t in ? i corage.
? Art ? ou like an asse to ? e harpe. Whi wepest ? ou whi spillest ? ou
teres. ? Yif ? ou abidest after helpe of ? i leche. ? e byhoue? discouere
? i wounde. ? ? o . I. ? at hadde gadered strenke? in my corage answered[e]
{and} seide. {and} nede? it ? itte q{uod} . I. of rehersyng or of
amonic{i}ou{n}. {and} schewe? it not ynou? by hym self ? e scharpnes of
fortune ? at wexe? woode a? eynes me. ? Ne moeue? it nat ? e to seen ? e
face or ? e man{er}e of ? is place (. i. p{r}isou{n}. ). ? Is ? is ? e
librarie wyche ? at ? ou haddest chosen for a ry? t certeyne sege to ? e
i{n} myne house. ? ? ere as ? ou desputest of[te] wi? me of ? e sciences of
? inges touching diuinitee {and} touchyng mankynde. ? Was ? an myn habit
swiche as it is now. was ? an my face or my chere swiche as now.
[Interlinear: quasi d{ice}ret non. ]
? Whan I sou? t[e] wi? ? e secretys of nature. whan ? ou enfo{ur}medest my
maners {and} ? e resou{n} of al my lijf. to ? e ensaumple of ? e ordre of
heuene.
[Interlinear: ironice]
? Is nat ? is ? e gerdou{n} ? at I refere to ? e to whom I haue be
obeisaunt. ? Certis ? ou enfo{ur}medist by ? e mou? e of plato ? is
sentence. ? at is to seyne ? at co{m}mune ? inges or comunabletes weren
blysful yif ? ei ? at haden studied al fully to wisdom gouerneden ? ilke
? inges. or ellys yif it so by-felle ? at ? e gouernours of co{m}munalites
studieden in grete wisdomes. ? ? ou saidest eke by ? e mou? e of ? e same
plato ? at it was a necessarie cause wyse men to taken {and} desire ? e
gou{er}nau{n}ce of comune ? i{n}ges. for ? at ? e gou{er}nementes of comune
citees y-left in ? e hondes of felonous to{ur}mento{ur}s Citi? enis ne
scholde not brynge inne pestile{n}ce {and} destrucc{i}ou{n} to goode
folk. ? And ? erfore I folowynge ? ilk auctoritee (. s. platonis). desiryng
to put[te] fur? e in execusiou{n} {and} in acte of comune
admi{ni}st{ra}c{i}ou{n} ? o ? inges ? at . I. hadde lerned of ? e among my
secre restyng whiles. ? ? ou {and} god ? {a}t put[te] ? ee in ? e ? ou? tis of
wise folk ben knowen wi? me ? at no ? ing brou? t[e] me to maistrie or
dignite: but ? e comune studie of al goodenes. ? And ? er-of come? it ? at
by-twixen wikked folk {and} me han ben greuouse discordes. ? at ne my? ten
not be relesed by p{ra}yeres. ? For ? is libertee ha? fredom of
conscience ? at ? e wra? ? e of more my? ty folk ha? alwey ben despised of me
for saluac{i}ou{n} of ry? t. ? How ofte haue . I. resisted {and} wi? stonde
? ilk man ? at hy? t[e] conigaste ? at made alwey assautes a? eins ? e
p{ro}pre fortunes of poure feble folke. ? How ofte haue . I. ? itte put
of. or cast out hy{m} trigwille p{ro}uost of ? e kynges hous bo? e of ? e
wronges ? at he hadde bygon[ne] to done {and} eke fully p{er}formed.
? How ofte haue I couered {and} defended by ? e auctorite of me put
a? eins p{er}ils. ? at is to seine put myne auctorite in peril for ? e
wreched pore folke.
