[Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts.
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts.
Chaucer - Boethius
at I be ouer moche dep{ar}tid as fro ?
e
vsage of man kynde.
[Sidenote: _B. _ As you please. ]
as ? ou wolt q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Is everything profitable that is good? ]
? Demest 4184
? ou nat q{uo}d she ? at al ? ing ? at p{ro}fiti? is good.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Yes, certainly. ]
? is q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ That which exercises or corrects is profitable? ]
certis ? ilk ? ing ? at ex{er}cisi? or corigi? profiti? .
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is. ]
I confesse it wel q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Therefore it is good? ]
? an is it good q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Yes. ]
whi nat q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ This is the fortune of the virtuous who combat
with adversity, or of those who, relinquishing vice, pursue the
path of virtue? ]
but ? is is ? e fortune [q{uod} she] of 4188
hem ? at ei? er ben put in vertue {and} batailen a? eins
aspre ? inges. or ellys of hem ? at eschewen {and} declinen
fro vices {and} taken ? e weye of vertue.
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is. ]
? ? is ne may
nat I denye q{uo}d I
[Sidenote: _P. _ The vulgar regard that prosperity which is
bestowed as a reward on the good to be beneficial, and they
believe those calamities by which the wicked are punished as the
most miserable things that can be imagined. ]
? But what seist ? ou of ? e myrye 4192
fortune ? at is ? euen to good folk in gerdou{n} deuini?
ou? t ? e poeples ? at it is wicked. nay forso? e q{uo}d I. but
? ei demen as it so? e is ? at it is ry? t good. ? And what
seist ? ou of ? at o? er fortune q{uo}d she. ? at al ? ou? it 4196
be aspre {and} restreini? ? e shrewes by ry? tful tourment.
weni? ou? t ? e poeple ? {a}t it be good. nay q{uo}d I. ? But
? e poeple demi? ? at it be most wrecched of alle ? inges
? at may ben ? ou? t.
[Sidenote: But in following the popular opinion, let us beware of
being involved in some new and incredible consequence. ]
war now {and} loke wel q{uo}d she 4200
lest ? at we in folwyng ? e opyniou{n} of poeple haue confessed
{and} co{n}cluded ? ing ? at is vnable to be wened to [[pg 146]]
? e poeple.
[Sidenote: _B. _ What is that? ]
what is ? at q{uo}d I
[Sidenote: _P. _ We have decided that the fortune of the virtuous
or of those growing up in virtue must needs be good--but that the
fortune of the wicked must be most wretched. ]
? Certys q{uo}d she it
folwe? or come? of ? inges ? {a}t ben graunted ? at alle 4204
fortune what so euer it be. of hem ? at ey? er ben i{n}
possessiou{n} of vertue. [or in the encres of vertu] or ellys
in ? e purchasynge of vertue. ? at ? ilke fortune is good.
? And ? at alle fortune is ry? t wicked to hem ? at 4208
dwellen in shrewednesse. as who sei? . {and} ? us wene?
nat ? e poeple.
[Linenotes:
4180 [_? at_]--from C.
4181 _wicked_--wykkede
4182 _proche_--aproche
4185 _al_--alle
4186 _? ilk_--thilke
4188 [_quod she_]--from C.
4191 _weye_--wey
4193 _deuini? _--demyth
4194 _ou? t_--awht
4195 _so? e_--soth
4198 _ou? t_--awht
4199 _be_--is
4204 _come? _--comth
4206 [_or----vertu_] from C.
4208 _wicked_--wykkede]
[Headnote:
THE FORTUNE OF THE VIRTUOUS IS GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: _B. _ That's true, though none dare acknowledge it. ]
? ? at is so? e q{uo}d I. ? Al be it so
? at noma{n} dar confesse{n} it ne byknowen it.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Why so? The wise man ought not to be cast down,
when he has to wage war with Fortune, no more than the valiant man
ought to be dismayed on hearing the noise of the battle. ]
? whi so
q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 33. ]]
For ry? t as no strong man ne seme? nat to 4212
abassen or disdaigne{n} as *ofte tyme as he here? ? e noise
of ? e bataile. ne also it ne seme? nat to ? e wyse man to
beren it greuously as oft[e] as he is lad in to ? e strif of
fortune.
[Sidenote: The dangers of war enable the one to acquire more
glory, and the difficulties of the other aid him to confirm and
improve his wisdom. ]
for bo? e to ? at on man {and} eke to ? at o? {er} 4216
? ilke difficulte is ? e matere to ? at oon man of encrese
of his glorious renou{n}. {and} to ? at o? er man to conferme
hys sapience. ? at is to seine ? e asprenesse of hys estat.
[Sidenote: Thus virtue, in its literal acceptation, is a power
that, relying on its own strength, overcomes all obstacles. ]
? For ? erfore is it called uertue. for ? at it susteni? {and} 4220
enforce? by hys streng? es ? at it nis nat ouer-come{n} by
aduersites.
[Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts. ]
? Ne certys ? ou ? at art put in ? e encrese
or in ? e hey? t of uertue ne hast nat comen to fleten wi?
delices {and} forto welken in bodyly lust.
[Sidenote: You must engage in a fierce conflict with every
fortune--with adversity, lest it dismay you--with prosperity, lest
it corrupt you. ]
? ? ou sowest 4224
or plauntest a ful egre bataile in ? i corage a? eins euery
fortune. for ? at ? e sorweful fortune ne co{n}fou{n}de ? e nat.
ne ? at ? e myrye fortune ne corrumpe ? e nat.
[Sidenote: Seize the _golden mean_ with all your strength. All
below or above this line is a contemptible and a thankless
felicity. ]
? Occupy
? e mene by stedfast streng? es. for al ? at euer is vndir 4228
? e mene. or ellys al ? at ou{er}-passe? ? e mene despise?
welefulnesses. ? As who sei? . it is vicious {and} ne ha?
no mede of hys trauaile.
[Sidenote: The choice of fortune lies in your own hands, but
remember that even adverse fortune, unless it exercises the
virtues of the good or chastises the wicked, is a punishment. ]
? For it is set in ? our{e} hand.
as who sei? it lie? in ? our{e} power what fortune ? ow is 4232
leuest. ? at is to seyne good or yuel. ? For alle fortune
? at seme? sharpe or aspre yif it ne ex{er}cise nat ? e good [[pg 147]]
folk. ne chastisi? ? e wicked folk. it punisse? .
[Linenotes:
4210 _so? e_--soth
4211 _confessen_--co{n}fesse
4212 _no strong_--the stronge
4213 _abassen_--abayssen
4215 _oft[e]_--ofte
4219 _seine_--seyn
4223 _hey? t_--heyhte
4224 _welken_--wellen
4226 _confounde_--MS. co{n}fou{n}ded, C. confownde
4227 _Occupy_--Ocupye
4228 _stedfast_--stydefast
4230 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4231 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
4232 _lie? _--lith
4233 _seyne_--seyn
4234 _sharpe_--sharp]
[Headnote:
WE CHOOSE OUR OWN FORTUNE. ]
BELLA BIS QUENIS. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The seuende Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Atrides carried on a ten years' war to punish the
licentious Paris. ]
++? E wrekere attrides ? ? at is to seyne agamenon ? at 4236
wrou? t[e] {and} continued[e] ? e batailes by ten ? ere
recouered[e] {and} p{ur}ged[e] in wrekyng by ? e destrucc{i}ou{n}
of troie ? e loste chambres of mariage of hys bro? er
? is is to seyn ? at [he] agamenon wan a? ein Eleine ? at 4240
was Menelaus wif his bro? er.
[Sidenote: With blood he purchased propitious gales for the
Grecian fleet, by casting off all fatherly pity, and sacrificing
his daughter Iphigenia to the vengeance of Diana. ]
In ? e mene while ? at
? ilke agamenon desired[e] to ? euen sailes to ? e grekyssh{e}
nauye {and} bou? t[e] a? ein ? e wyndes by blode. he
vnclo? ed[e] hym of pite as fad{er}. {and} ? e sory p{re}st 4244
? iue? in sacrifiynge ? e wreched kuyttyng of ? rote of ? e
dou? ter. ? ? at is to sein ? at agamenon lete kuytte{n} ? e
? rote of hys dou? ter by ? e prest. to maken alliaunce wi?
hys goddes. {and} for to haue wynde wi? whiche he 4248
my? t[e] wende to troie.
[Sidenote: Ulysses bewailed his lost mates, devoured by
Polyphemus, but, having deprived the Cyclop of his sight, he
rejoiced to hear the monster's roar. ]
? Itakus ? at is to sein vlixies
bywept[e] hys felawes ylorn ? e whiche felawes ? e
fiers[e] pholifem{us} ligginge in his grete Caue had[de]
freten {and} dreint in hys empty wombe. but na? eles 4252
polifem{us} wood for his blinde visage ? eld to vlixies ioye
by hys sorowful teres. ? is is to seyn ? at vlixes smot
oute ? e eye of poliphem{us} ? at stod in hys forhede.
[Linenotes:
4236 _seyne_--seyn
4237 _wrou? t[e]_--wrowhte
_continued[e]_--continuede
_? ere_--? er
4238 _purged[e]_--purgede
4240 [_he_]--from C.
_wan_--MS. wanne, C. wan
4242 _desired[e]_--desirede
4243 _bou? t[e]_--bowhte
_blode_--blod
4244 _vnclo? ed[e]_--vnclothede
_as_--of
4245 _kuyttyng_--MS. knyttyng, C. kuttynge
4246 _lete_--let
_kuytten_--MS. knytte{n}, C. kuttyn
4248 _haue_--han
4249 _my? t[e] wende_--myhte wenden
4250 _bywept[e]_--by-wepte
_ylorn_--MS. ylorne, C. y-lorn
4251 _fiers[e]_--feerse
_had[de]_--hadde
4253 _? eld_--yald
4254 _sorowful_--sorwful
_smot_--MS. smote, C. smot
4255 _oute_--owt
_stod_--MS. stode, C. stood
_forhede_--forehed]
[Headnote:
THE LABOURS OF HERCULES. ]
for whiche vlixes hadde ioie whan he saw poliphem{us} 4256
wepyng {and} blynde.
[Sidenote: Hercules is renowned for his many labours, so
successfully overcome. ]
? Hercules is celebrable for hys
hard[e] trauaile
[Sidenote: He overthrew the proud Centaurs;]
he dawntede ? e proude Centauris half
hors half man.
[Sidenote: he slew the Nemean lion and wore his skin as a trophy
of his victory;]
{and} he rafte ? e despoylynge fro ? e
cruel lyou{n} ? at is to seyne he slou? ? e lyou{n} {and} [[pg 148]]
rafte hy{m} hys skyn.
[Sidenote: he smote the Harpies with his arrows;]
he smot ? e brids ? at hy? te{n} 4261
arpijs [in ? e palude of lyrne] wi? certeyne arwes.
[Sidenote: he caried off the golden apples of the Hesperides, and
killed the watchful dragon;]
he rauyssed[e] applis fro ? e wakyng dragou{n}. {and}
hys hand was ? e more heuy for ? e golde[ne] 4264
metal.
[Sidenote: he bound Cerberus with a threefold chain;]
He drou? Cerberus ? e hound of helle by
hys treble cheyne.
[Sidenote: he gave the body of proud Diomede as food for the
tyrant's horses;]
he ouer-comer as it is seid ha?
put an vnmeke lorde fodre to hys cruel hors ? ? is is
to sein. ? at hercules slou? diomedes {and} made his hors 4268
to etyn hym.
[Sidenote: he slew the serpent Hydra;]
and he hercules slou? Idra ? e serpent {and}
brend[e] ? e venym.
[Sidenote: he caused Achelous to hide his blushing head within his
banks;]
and achelaus ? e flode defouled[e] in
his forhede dreint[e] his shamefast visage in his
strondes. ?
vsage of man kynde.
[Sidenote: _B. _ As you please. ]
as ? ou wolt q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Is everything profitable that is good? ]
? Demest 4184
? ou nat q{uo}d she ? at al ? ing ? at p{ro}fiti? is good.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Yes, certainly. ]
? is q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ That which exercises or corrects is profitable? ]
certis ? ilk ? ing ? at ex{er}cisi? or corigi? profiti? .
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is. ]
I confesse it wel q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Therefore it is good? ]
? an is it good q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Yes. ]
whi nat q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ This is the fortune of the virtuous who combat
with adversity, or of those who, relinquishing vice, pursue the
path of virtue? ]
but ? is is ? e fortune [q{uod} she] of 4188
hem ? at ei? er ben put in vertue {and} batailen a? eins
aspre ? inges. or ellys of hem ? at eschewen {and} declinen
fro vices {and} taken ? e weye of vertue.
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is. ]
? ? is ne may
nat I denye q{uo}d I
[Sidenote: _P. _ The vulgar regard that prosperity which is
bestowed as a reward on the good to be beneficial, and they
believe those calamities by which the wicked are punished as the
most miserable things that can be imagined. ]
? But what seist ? ou of ? e myrye 4192
fortune ? at is ? euen to good folk in gerdou{n} deuini?
ou? t ? e poeples ? at it is wicked. nay forso? e q{uo}d I. but
? ei demen as it so? e is ? at it is ry? t good. ? And what
seist ? ou of ? at o? er fortune q{uo}d she. ? at al ? ou? it 4196
be aspre {and} restreini? ? e shrewes by ry? tful tourment.
weni? ou? t ? e poeple ? {a}t it be good. nay q{uo}d I. ? But
? e poeple demi? ? at it be most wrecched of alle ? inges
? at may ben ? ou? t.
[Sidenote: But in following the popular opinion, let us beware of
being involved in some new and incredible consequence. ]
war now {and} loke wel q{uo}d she 4200
lest ? at we in folwyng ? e opyniou{n} of poeple haue confessed
{and} co{n}cluded ? ing ? at is vnable to be wened to [[pg 146]]
? e poeple.
[Sidenote: _B. _ What is that? ]
what is ? at q{uo}d I
[Sidenote: _P. _ We have decided that the fortune of the virtuous
or of those growing up in virtue must needs be good--but that the
fortune of the wicked must be most wretched. ]
? Certys q{uo}d she it
folwe? or come? of ? inges ? {a}t ben graunted ? at alle 4204
fortune what so euer it be. of hem ? at ey? er ben i{n}
possessiou{n} of vertue. [or in the encres of vertu] or ellys
in ? e purchasynge of vertue. ? at ? ilke fortune is good.
? And ? at alle fortune is ry? t wicked to hem ? at 4208
dwellen in shrewednesse. as who sei? . {and} ? us wene?
nat ? e poeple.
[Linenotes:
4180 [_? at_]--from C.
4181 _wicked_--wykkede
4182 _proche_--aproche
4185 _al_--alle
4186 _? ilk_--thilke
4188 [_quod she_]--from C.
4191 _weye_--wey
4193 _deuini? _--demyth
4194 _ou? t_--awht
4195 _so? e_--soth
4198 _ou? t_--awht
4199 _be_--is
4204 _come? _--comth
4206 [_or----vertu_] from C.
4208 _wicked_--wykkede]
[Headnote:
THE FORTUNE OF THE VIRTUOUS IS GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: _B. _ That's true, though none dare acknowledge it. ]
? ? at is so? e q{uo}d I. ? Al be it so
? at noma{n} dar confesse{n} it ne byknowen it.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Why so? The wise man ought not to be cast down,
when he has to wage war with Fortune, no more than the valiant man
ought to be dismayed on hearing the noise of the battle. ]
? whi so
q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 33. ]]
For ry? t as no strong man ne seme? nat to 4212
abassen or disdaigne{n} as *ofte tyme as he here? ? e noise
of ? e bataile. ne also it ne seme? nat to ? e wyse man to
beren it greuously as oft[e] as he is lad in to ? e strif of
fortune.
[Sidenote: The dangers of war enable the one to acquire more
glory, and the difficulties of the other aid him to confirm and
improve his wisdom. ]
for bo? e to ? at on man {and} eke to ? at o? {er} 4216
? ilke difficulte is ? e matere to ? at oon man of encrese
of his glorious renou{n}. {and} to ? at o? er man to conferme
hys sapience. ? at is to seine ? e asprenesse of hys estat.
[Sidenote: Thus virtue, in its literal acceptation, is a power
that, relying on its own strength, overcomes all obstacles. ]
? For ? erfore is it called uertue. for ? at it susteni? {and} 4220
enforce? by hys streng? es ? at it nis nat ouer-come{n} by
aduersites.
[Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts. ]
? Ne certys ? ou ? at art put in ? e encrese
or in ? e hey? t of uertue ne hast nat comen to fleten wi?
delices {and} forto welken in bodyly lust.
[Sidenote: You must engage in a fierce conflict with every
fortune--with adversity, lest it dismay you--with prosperity, lest
it corrupt you. ]
? ? ou sowest 4224
or plauntest a ful egre bataile in ? i corage a? eins euery
fortune. for ? at ? e sorweful fortune ne co{n}fou{n}de ? e nat.
ne ? at ? e myrye fortune ne corrumpe ? e nat.
[Sidenote: Seize the _golden mean_ with all your strength. All
below or above this line is a contemptible and a thankless
felicity. ]
? Occupy
? e mene by stedfast streng? es. for al ? at euer is vndir 4228
? e mene. or ellys al ? at ou{er}-passe? ? e mene despise?
welefulnesses. ? As who sei? . it is vicious {and} ne ha?
no mede of hys trauaile.
[Sidenote: The choice of fortune lies in your own hands, but
remember that even adverse fortune, unless it exercises the
virtues of the good or chastises the wicked, is a punishment. ]
? For it is set in ? our{e} hand.
as who sei? it lie? in ? our{e} power what fortune ? ow is 4232
leuest. ? at is to seyne good or yuel. ? For alle fortune
? at seme? sharpe or aspre yif it ne ex{er}cise nat ? e good [[pg 147]]
folk. ne chastisi? ? e wicked folk. it punisse? .
[Linenotes:
4210 _so? e_--soth
4211 _confessen_--co{n}fesse
4212 _no strong_--the stronge
4213 _abassen_--abayssen
4215 _oft[e]_--ofte
4219 _seine_--seyn
4223 _hey? t_--heyhte
4224 _welken_--wellen
4226 _confounde_--MS. co{n}fou{n}ded, C. confownde
4227 _Occupy_--Ocupye
4228 _stedfast_--stydefast
4230 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4231 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
4232 _lie? _--lith
4233 _seyne_--seyn
4234 _sharpe_--sharp]
[Headnote:
WE CHOOSE OUR OWN FORTUNE. ]
BELLA BIS QUENIS. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The seuende Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Atrides carried on a ten years' war to punish the
licentious Paris. ]
++? E wrekere attrides ? ? at is to seyne agamenon ? at 4236
wrou? t[e] {and} continued[e] ? e batailes by ten ? ere
recouered[e] {and} p{ur}ged[e] in wrekyng by ? e destrucc{i}ou{n}
of troie ? e loste chambres of mariage of hys bro? er
? is is to seyn ? at [he] agamenon wan a? ein Eleine ? at 4240
was Menelaus wif his bro? er.
[Sidenote: With blood he purchased propitious gales for the
Grecian fleet, by casting off all fatherly pity, and sacrificing
his daughter Iphigenia to the vengeance of Diana. ]
In ? e mene while ? at
? ilke agamenon desired[e] to ? euen sailes to ? e grekyssh{e}
nauye {and} bou? t[e] a? ein ? e wyndes by blode. he
vnclo? ed[e] hym of pite as fad{er}. {and} ? e sory p{re}st 4244
? iue? in sacrifiynge ? e wreched kuyttyng of ? rote of ? e
dou? ter. ? ? at is to sein ? at agamenon lete kuytte{n} ? e
? rote of hys dou? ter by ? e prest. to maken alliaunce wi?
hys goddes. {and} for to haue wynde wi? whiche he 4248
my? t[e] wende to troie.
[Sidenote: Ulysses bewailed his lost mates, devoured by
Polyphemus, but, having deprived the Cyclop of his sight, he
rejoiced to hear the monster's roar. ]
? Itakus ? at is to sein vlixies
bywept[e] hys felawes ylorn ? e whiche felawes ? e
fiers[e] pholifem{us} ligginge in his grete Caue had[de]
freten {and} dreint in hys empty wombe. but na? eles 4252
polifem{us} wood for his blinde visage ? eld to vlixies ioye
by hys sorowful teres. ? is is to seyn ? at vlixes smot
oute ? e eye of poliphem{us} ? at stod in hys forhede.
[Linenotes:
4236 _seyne_--seyn
4237 _wrou? t[e]_--wrowhte
_continued[e]_--continuede
_? ere_--? er
4238 _purged[e]_--purgede
4240 [_he_]--from C.
_wan_--MS. wanne, C. wan
4242 _desired[e]_--desirede
4243 _bou? t[e]_--bowhte
_blode_--blod
4244 _vnclo? ed[e]_--vnclothede
_as_--of
4245 _kuyttyng_--MS. knyttyng, C. kuttynge
4246 _lete_--let
_kuytten_--MS. knytte{n}, C. kuttyn
4248 _haue_--han
4249 _my? t[e] wende_--myhte wenden
4250 _bywept[e]_--by-wepte
_ylorn_--MS. ylorne, C. y-lorn
4251 _fiers[e]_--feerse
_had[de]_--hadde
4253 _? eld_--yald
4254 _sorowful_--sorwful
_smot_--MS. smote, C. smot
4255 _oute_--owt
_stod_--MS. stode, C. stood
_forhede_--forehed]
[Headnote:
THE LABOURS OF HERCULES. ]
for whiche vlixes hadde ioie whan he saw poliphem{us} 4256
wepyng {and} blynde.
[Sidenote: Hercules is renowned for his many labours, so
successfully overcome. ]
? Hercules is celebrable for hys
hard[e] trauaile
[Sidenote: He overthrew the proud Centaurs;]
he dawntede ? e proude Centauris half
hors half man.
[Sidenote: he slew the Nemean lion and wore his skin as a trophy
of his victory;]
{and} he rafte ? e despoylynge fro ? e
cruel lyou{n} ? at is to seyne he slou? ? e lyou{n} {and} [[pg 148]]
rafte hy{m} hys skyn.
[Sidenote: he smote the Harpies with his arrows;]
he smot ? e brids ? at hy? te{n} 4261
arpijs [in ? e palude of lyrne] wi? certeyne arwes.
[Sidenote: he caried off the golden apples of the Hesperides, and
killed the watchful dragon;]
he rauyssed[e] applis fro ? e wakyng dragou{n}. {and}
hys hand was ? e more heuy for ? e golde[ne] 4264
metal.
[Sidenote: he bound Cerberus with a threefold chain;]
He drou? Cerberus ? e hound of helle by
hys treble cheyne.
[Sidenote: he gave the body of proud Diomede as food for the
tyrant's horses;]
he ouer-comer as it is seid ha?
put an vnmeke lorde fodre to hys cruel hors ? ? is is
to sein. ? at hercules slou? diomedes {and} made his hors 4268
to etyn hym.
[Sidenote: he slew the serpent Hydra;]
and he hercules slou? Idra ? e serpent {and}
brend[e] ? e venym.
[Sidenote: he caused Achelous to hide his blushing head within his
banks;]
and achelaus ? e flode defouled[e] in
his forhede dreint[e] his shamefast visage in his
strondes. ?
