Chapter XIII: Book II: Prose I (1)

_Postea paulisper conticuit._

After this she stinte a litel; and, after that she hadde gadered
by atempre stillenesse myn attencioun, she seide thus: (_As who
mighte seyn thus: After thise thinges she stinte a litel; and whan
she aperceived by atempre stillenesse that I was ententif to herkene
hir, she bigan to speke in this wyse_): 'Yif I,' quod she, 'have 5
understonden and knowen outrely the causes and the habit of
thy maladye, thou languissest and art defeted for desyr and
talent of thy rather fortune. She, that ilke Fortune only, that
is chaunged, as thou feynest, to thee-ward, hath perverted the
cleernesse and the estat of thy corage. I understonde the 10
fele-folde colours and deceites of thilke merveilous monstre
Fortune, and how she useth ful flateringe familaritee with hem
that she enforceth to bigyle; so longe, til that she confounde
with unsufferable sorwe hem that she hath left in despeyr unpurveyed.
And yif thou remembrest wel the kinde, the maneres, 15
and the desert of thilke Fortune, thou shalt wel knowe that,
as in hir, thou never ne haddest ne hast y-lost any fair thing.
But, as I trowe, I shal nat gretly travailen to do thee remembren
on thise thinges. For thou were wont to hurtelen and despysen
hir, with manly wordes, whan she was blaundissinge and present, 20
and pursewedest hir with sentences that were drawen out of myn
entree, _that is to seyn, out of myn informacioun_. But no sodein
mutacioun ne bitydeth nat with-oute a manere chaunginge of
corages; and so is it befallen that thou art a litel departed
fro the pees of thy thought. 25

But now is tyme that thou drinke and ataste some softe and
delitable thinges; so that, whan they ben entred with-in thee,
it mowe maken wey to strengere drinkes of medicynes. Com
now forth therfore the suasioun of swetenesse rethorien, whiche
that goth only the right wey, whyl she forsaketh nat myne estatuts. 30
And with Rhetorice com forth Musice, a damisel of our hous,
that singeth now lighter moedes _or prolaciouns_, now hevyer.
What eyleth thee, man? What is it that hath cast thee in-to
morninge and in-to wepinge? I trowe that thou hast seyn
som newe thing and uncouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be 35
chaunged ayein thee; but thou wenest wrong, yif thou that
wene. Alwey tho ben hir maneres; she hath rather kept, as
to thee-ward, hir propre stablenesse in the chaunginge of hir-self.
Right swich was she whan she flatered thee, and deceived 40
thee with unleveful lykinges of fals welefulnesse. Thou
hast now knowen and ataynt the doutous or double visage of
thilke blinde goddesse Fortune. She, that yit covereth hir and
wimpleth hir to other folk, hath shewed hir every-del to thee.
Yif thou aprovest hir and thenkest that she is good, use hir
maneres and pleyne thee nat. And yif thou agrysest hir false 45
trecherye, despyse and cast awey hir that pleyeth so harmfully;
for she, that is now cause of so muche sorwe to thee, sholde
ben cause to thee of pees and of Ioye. She hath forsaken
thee, forsothe; the whiche that never man may ben siker that
she ne shal forsake him. 50

GLOSE. _But natheles, some bokes han the text thus_: For sothe,
she hath forsaken thee, ne ther nis no man siker that she ne
hath nat forsaken.

Holdestow than thilke welefulnesse precious to thee that shal
passen? And is present Fortune dereworthe to thee, which that 55
nis nat feithful for to dwelle; and, whan she goth awey, that
she bringeth a wight in sorwe? For sin she may nat ben withholden
at a mannes wille, she maketh him a wrecche whan she
departeth fro him. What other thing is flittinge Fortune but a
maner shewinge of wrecchednesse that is to comen? Ne it ne 60
suffyseth nat only to loken on thinge that is present biforn the
eyen of a man. But wisdom loketh and amesureth the ende
of thinges; and the same chaunginge from oon in-to an-other,
_that is to seyn, from adversitee in-to prosperitee_, maketh that the
manaces of Fortune ne ben nat for to dreden, ne the flateringes 65
of hir to ben desired. Thus, at the laste, it bihoveth thee to
suffren with evene wille in pacience al that is don in-with the
floor of Fortune, _that is to seyn, in this world_, sin thou hast
ones put thy nekke under the yok of hir. For yif thou wolt
wryten a lawe of wendinge and of dwellinge to Fortune, whiche 70
that thou hast chosen frely to ben thy lady, artow nat wrongful
in that, and makest Fortune wroth and aspere by thyn inpatience,
and yit thou mayst nat chaunge hir?

Yif thou committest and bitakest thy sailes to the winde, thou
shall be shoven, not thider that thou woldest, but whider that the 75
wind shoveth thee. Yif thou castest thy sedes in-to the feldes,
thou sholdest han in minde that the yeres ben, amonges, other-whyle
plentevous and other-whyle bareyne. Thou hast bitaken
thy-self to the governaunce of Fortune, and for-thy it bihoveth
thee to ben obeisaunt to the maneres of thy lady. Enforcest 80
thou thee to aresten or withholden the swiftnesse and the sweigh
of hir turninge whele? O thou fool of alle mortal fooles, if
Fortune bigan to dwelle stable, she cesede thanne to ben
Fortune!

PR. I. 1. C. lytul; A. litel; (_and so below_). // A. she; C. I (_wrongly_). 2. C. atencioun. 4. C. aperseyuyd; A. aperceiued. 5. C. here; A. hire. // C. whise. 6. A. vtterly. 7. C. maledye. // A. talent and desijr. 9. C. changed; A. chaunged. 10. A. astat. 11. C. feelefold; A. felefolde. // A. colo_ur_. // C. meruayles; A. merueillous. 14. C. onsufferabele; A. vnsuffreable. // C. dyspeyr; A. despeir. 15. C. remenbrest. 16. A. _om._ that. 17. C. thinge. 18. C. remenbr_e_; A. remembren. 19. C. on; A. of. // C. hurtelyn; A. hurtlen. 20. C. wan. // C. _om._ was. 21. C. purswedest; A. pursewedest. 24. A. departed a litel. 26. C. ataast; A. atast. 29. C. suacyou_n_; A. suasiou_n_. 30. C. estatutes; A. estatutz. 31. A. damoisel. 32. C. A. moedes (Lat. _modos_). // C. probasyons; A. prolaciouns. 36. C. weenes. 38. C. stabylnesse; A. stablenes. // C. _ins._ standeth _bef._ in. // C. chau_n_nynge. 40. C. desseyued; A. desseiued. // C. vnlefful; A. vnleueful. 42. C. coueryht. 43. C. hat (_for_ hath). 44. C. thinkest; A. thenkest. // C. god; A. goode. 48. A. to the cause. 53. C. forsake; A. forsaken. 54. C. holdestow; A. holdest thou. // C. p_re_syes; A. p_re_ciouse. 56. C. feythfulle; A. feithful. 57. C. whitholden. 62. A. _om._ a. // A. mesureth. 63. C. fram. 64. C. in-to; A. to. 65. C. manesses; A. manaces. 67. C. wit. 68. C. syn; A. sythen. 69. C. welt; A. wilt; Ed. wolt. 71. C. artow; A. art thou. 75. C. thedyr; A. thider. // C. whedyr. 76. C. A. wynde. // C. in-to; A. in. // C. feeldes. 77. A. _om._ amonges. 78. C. barayne. 81. C. swey[gh]; A. sweyes (Lat. _impetum_). 82. C. wheel; A. whele.

METRE I.

_Hec cum superba uerterit uices dextra._

Whan Fortune with a proud right hand hath torned hir
chaunginge stoundes, she fareth lyk the maneres of the boilinge
Eurype. GLOSA. _Eurype is an arm of the see that ebbeth and
floweth; and som-tyme the streem is on o syde, and som-tyme on
the other._ TEXT. She, cruel Fortune, casteth adoun kinges 5
that whylom weren y-drad; and she, deceivable, enhaunseth up
the humble chere of him that is discomfited. Ne she neither
hereth ne rekketh of wrecchede wepinges; and she is so hard
that she laugheth and scorneth the wepinges of hem, the whiche
she hath maked wepe with hir free wille. Thus she pleyeth, 10
and thus she proeueth hir strengthes; and sheweth a greet wonder
to alle hir servauntes, yif that a wight is seyn weleful, and over-throwe
in an houre.

ME. I. 3. C. A. Eurippe (_twice_); Ed. Eurype. 5. C. the; A. that. 6. C. whilom; A. somtyme. // C. enhanseth; A. enhau_n_seth. 7. C. vmble; A. humble. // C. descounfited; A. discomfited. // C. Ne; A. and. 9. C. lyssheth; A. lau[gh]eth; Ed. laugheth (Lat. _ridet_.) 11. A. p_re_ueth. // A. strengthe (Lat. _uires_). // C. A. grete. 12. C. whiht; A. wy[gh]t.

PROSE II.

_Vellem autem pauca tecum._

Certes, I wolde pleten with thee a fewe thinges, usinge the
wordes of Fortune; tak hede now thy-self, yif that she axeth
right. "O thou man, wher-fore makest thou me gilty by thyne
every-dayes pleyninges? What wrong have I don thee? What
goodes have I bireft thee that weren thyne? Stryf or plete 5
with me, bifore what Iuge that thou wolt, of the possessioun
of richesses or of dignitees. And yif thou mayst shewen me
that ever any mortal man hath received any of tho thinges to
ben hise in propre, than wol I graunte frely that alle thilke
thinges weren thyne whiche that thou axest. Whan that nature 10
broughte thee forth out of thy moder wombe, I receyved thee
naked and nedy of alle thinges, and I norisshede thee with my
richesses, and was redy and ententif through my favour to
susteyne thee; and that maketh thee now inpacient ayeins me;
and I envirounde thee with alle the aboundance and shyninge 15
of alle goodes that ben in my right. Now it lyketh me to
with-drawen my hand; thou hast had grace as he that hath
used of foreine goodes: thou hast no right to pleyne thee, as
though thou haddest outrely for-lorn alle thy thinges. Why
pleynest thou thanne? I have done thee no wrong. Richesses, 20
honours, and swiche other thinges ben of my right. My servauntes
knowen me for hir lady; they comen with me, and departen
whan I wende. I dar wel affermen hardily, that yif tho thinges,
of which thou pleynest that thou hast forlorn, hadde ben thyne,
thou ne haddest not lorn hem. Shal I thanne only ben defended 25
to usen my right?

Certes, it is leveful to the hevene to make clere dayes, and,
after that, to coveren tho same dayes with derke nightes. The
yeer hath eek leve to apparailen the visage of the erthe, now
with floures and now with fruit, and to confounden hem som-tyme 30
with reynes and with coldes. The see hath eek his right
to ben som-tyme calme and blaundishing with smothe water,
and som-tyme to ben horrible with wawes and with tempestes.
But the covetise of men, that may nat ben stanched, shal it
binde me to ben stedefast, sin that stedefastnesse is uncouth 35
to my maneres? Swich is my strengthe, and this pley I pleye
continuely. I torne the whirlinge wheel with the torning cercle;
I am glad to chaungen the lowest to the heyest, and the heyest
to the lowest. Worth up, if thou wolt, so it be by this lawe,
that thou ne holde nat that I do thee wronge thogh thou 40
descende adoun, whan the resoun of my pley axeth it.

Wistest thou nat how Cresus, the king of Lydiens, of whiche
king Cyrus was ful sore agast a litel biforn, that this rewliche
Cresus was caught of Cyrus and lad to the fyr to ben brent,
but that a rayn descendede doun fro hevene that rescowede 45
him? And is it out of thy minde how that Paulus, consul of
Rome, whan he hadde taken the king of Perciens, weep pitously
for the captivitee of the self kinge? What other thing biwailen
the cryinges of tragedies but only the dedes of Fortune, that
with an unwar stroke overtorneth realmes of grete nobley? 50
GLOSE. _Tragedie is to seyn, a ditee of a prosperitee for a tyme,
that endeth in wrecchednesse._

Lernedest nat thou _in Greke_, whan thou were yonge, that
in the entree, _or in the celere_, of Iupiter, ther ben couched two
tonnes; that on is ful of good, that other is ful of harm? What 55
right hast thou to pleyne, yif thou hast taken more plentevously
of the goode syde, _that is to seyn, of my richesses and prosperites_;
and what eek if I ne be nat al departed fro thee? What eek
yif my mutabilitee yiveth thee rightful cause of hope to han yit
beter thinges? Natheles dismaye thee nat in thy thought; and 60
thou that art put in the comune realme of alle, ne desyre nat to
liven by thyn only propre right.

PR. II. 3. C. makes; A. makest. 4. A. wronges (Lat. _iniuriam_). 5. C. pleten; A. plete (Lat. _contende_). 8. C. reseyued. // C. tho; A. these. 9. C. thykke; A. thilke. 11. C. browht; A. brou[gh]t. // C. resseyued. 12. A. al thing. // C. noryssede; A. norysshed. 13. C. fauor; A. fauo_ur_. 19. A. vtterly lorn. 20. C. pleynes. 25. C. I shal; A. Shal I. // C. deffendyd. 28. C. coeueryn; A. keuere (_better_ coveren). // C. dirk; A. derke. 29. C. apayrelyn; A. apparaile. 30. C. frut; A. fruyt. 32. C. kalm; A. calme. // C. blawndyssynge; A. blaundyshing. 33. C. _om. 2nd_ with. 35. C. stidefast; A. stedfast. _So_ stide(sted-)fastnesse. 41. C. dessende. // A. dou_n_. // A. _om._ the. 42. C. wistesthow; A. Wost thou (Lat. _Nesciebas_). // A. _om._ the. 44. C. kawth; A. cau[gh]t. 45. C. dessendede; A. descended. 48. C. kapteuite; A. captiuitee. // C. thinge; A. thinges. 49. C. cryenges; A. criinges. 50. A. the realmes; C. _om._ the. // C. noblye; A. nobley. 54. A. seler. // C. cowched; A. couched (Lat. _iacere_). 56. C. hasthow. 57. A. rycchesse. 58. A. _om._ be _and_ al. 59. C. yeueth; A. [gh]iueth. 60. A. desmaye. 61. A. _om._ the.

METRE II.

_Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus._

Though Plentee, _that is goddesse of richesses_, hielde adoun
with ful horn, and withdraweth nat hir hand, as many richesses
as the see torneth upward sandes whan it is moeved with
ravisshinge blastes, or elles as many richesses as ther shynen
brighte sterres on hevene on the sterry nightes; yit, for al 5
that, mankinde nolde not cese to wepe wrecchede pleyntes.
And al be it so that god receyveth gladly hir preyers, and
yiveth them (as fool-large) moche gold, and aparaileth coveitous
men with noble or clere honours: yit semeth hem haven y-geten
no-thing, but alwey hir cruel ravyne, devouringe al that they 10
han geten, sheweth other gapinges; _that is to seyn, gapen and
desyren yit after mo richesses_. What brydles mighten withholden,
to any certein ende, the desordenee covetise of men, whan,
ever the rather that it fleteth in large yiftes, the more ay brenneth
in hem the thurst of havinge? Certes he that, quakinge and 15
dredful, weneth him-selven nedy, he ne liveth never-more riche."

ME. II. 1. A. rycche. // _Both_ hielde; Ed. hylde. 2. A. recches(!). 4. C. rauyssynge. // A. rycches. 5. A. ny[gh]t (Lat. _noctibus_). 6. C. plentes; A. pleyntes. 7. C. resseyueth. // C. preyres; A. p_ra_yers. 8. C. A. yeueth. // A. ful (_for_ fool). 9. A. folk (_for_ men). 10. C. thinge; A. thing. // C. crewel. 12. A. rycchesse. 15. A. threst. 16. C. leueth; A. lyueth. // A. -mo.

PROSE III.

_Hiis igitur si pro se tecum Fortuna loqueretur._

Therfor, yif that Fortune spake with thee for hir-self in this
manere, for-sothe thou ne haddest nat what thou mightest answere.
And, if thou hast any-thing wherwith, thou mayest rightfully defenden
thy compleint, it behoveth thee to shewen it; and I wol
yeven thee space to tellen it.' 5

'Certeynly,' quod I thanne, 'thise beth faire thinges, and
enointed with hony swetenesse of rethorike and musike; and
only whyl they ben herd they ben delicious. But to wrecches is
a depper felinge of harm; _this is to seyn, that wrecches felen the
harmes that they suffren more grevously than the remedies or the 10
delites of thise wordes mowen gladen or comforten hem_; so that,
whan thise thinges stinten for to soune in eres, the sorwe that is
inset greveth the thought.'

'Right so is it,' quod she. 'For thise ne ben yit none remedies
of thy maladye; but they ben a maner norisshinges of thy sorwe, 15
yit rebel ayein thy curacioun. For whan that tyme is, I shal
moeve swiche thinges that percen hem-self depe. But natheles,
that thou shalt not wilne to leten thy-self a wrecche, hast thou
foryeten the noumber and the manere of thy welefulnesse? I
holde me stille, how that the soverayne men of the citee token 20
thee in cure and kepinge, whan thou were orphelin of fader and
moder, and were chosen in affinitee of princes of the citee; and
thou bigunne rather to be leef and dere than forto ben a neighbour;
the whiche thing is the most precious kinde of any propinquitee
or alyaunce that may ben. Who is it that ne seide tho 25
that thou were right weleful, with so grete a nobleye of thy
fadres-in-lawe,
and with the chastitee of thy wyf, and with the oportunitee
and noblesse of thy masculin children, _that is to seyn, thy sones_?
And over al this--me list to passen the comune thinges--how
thou haddest in thy youthe dignitees that weren werned to olde 30
men. But it delyteth me to comen now to the singuler uphepinge
of thy welefulnesse. Yif any fruit of mortal thinges may han any
weighte or prys of welefulnesse, mightest thou ever foryeten, for
any charge of harm that mighte bifalle, the remembraunce of
thilke day that thou saye thy two sones maked conseileres, and 35
y-lad to-gedere fro thyn house under so greet assemblee of
senatoures and under the blythenesse of poeple; and whan thou
saye hem set in the court in here chayeres of dignitees? Thou,
rethorien or pronouncere of kinges preysinges, deservedest glorie
of wit and of eloquence, whan thou, sittinge bitwene thy two sones, 40
conseileres, in the place that highte Circo, fulfuldest the abydinge
of the multitude of poeple that was sprad abouten thee, with so large
preysinge and laude, as men singen in victories. Tho yave thou
wordes to Fortune, as I trowe, _that is to seyn, tho feffedest thou
Fortune with glosinge wordes and deceivedest hir_, whan she acoyede 45
thee and norisshede thee as hir owne delyces. Thou bere away of
Fortune a yifte, _that is to seyn, swiche guerdoun_, that she never yaf
to privee man. Wilt thou therfor leye a rekeninge with Fortune?
She hath now twinkled first upon thee with a wikkede eye. Yif
thou considere the noumbre and the manere of thy blisses and 50
of thy sorwes, thou mayst nat forsaken that thou art yit blisful.
For if thou therfor wenest thy-self nat weleful, for thinges that
tho semeden ioyful ben passed, ther nis nat why thou sholdest wene
thy-self a wrecche; for thinges that semen now sorye passen also.

Art thou now comen first, a sodein gest, in-to the shadwe or 55
tabernacle of this lyf; or trowest thou that any stedefastnesse be
in mannes thinges, whan ofte a swift houre dissolveth the same
man; _that is to seyn, whan the soule departeth fro the body_? For,
al-though that selde is ther any feith that fortunous thinges wolen
dwellen, yit natheles the laste day of a mannes lyf is a manere 60
deeth to Fortune, and also to thilke that hath dwelt. And therfor,
what, wenestow, thar [thee] recche, yif thou forlete hir in deyinge,
or elles that she, _Fortune_, forlete thee in fleeinge awey?

PR. III. 2. A. _om._ nat. 4. A. tellen (_for_ defenden). 6. C. bet (_for_ beth); A. ben. 8. C. delysyos; A. deliciouse. 15. C. maledye. // C. noryssynges; A. norissinges. // C. sorwes; A. sorwe (Lat. _doloris_). 17. C. swych; A. swiche. 20. C. souerane; A. souerayn. 23. C. begunne; A. bygunne. 24. C. neysshebo_ur_; A. ney[gh]bo_ur_. // C. presyous. 26. A. _om._ tho that. // A. nere (_for_ were). // C. fadyris. 27. C. castete; A. chastite. 29. C. lyste; A. lyst. // C. the; A. of. 30. A. thought (_for_ youthe); Ed. youthe. 32. C. wel-; A. wele-. // C. frute; A. fruyt. 36. C. A semble; A. Ed. assemble. 37. C. peeple; A. poeple. 39. C. des-; A. de-. 40. C. bitwyen; A. bytwix; Ed. bytwene. 41. C. hihte; A. hy[gh]t. // C. A. Ed. _all insert_ and _before_ fulfuldest; _I omit it, because it obscures the sense_. 42. A. _om._ the _and_ so. 44. C. to; A. of. 45. _So_ Ed.; C. A. desseiuedest. 46. C. noryssede; A. norsshed; Ed. norisshed. // A. hast had (_for_ bere away). // C. bar. 47. C. A. gerdoun; Ed. guerdon. 48. C. lye; A. leye; Ed. laye (Lat. _ponere_). 49. C. _om._ a. 50. C. blysse (_wrongly_); A. Ed. blisses. 51. C. art; A. Ed. nart. // C. blysse-; A. blys-. 53. C. the; A. tho (Lat. _tunc_). 57. C. dyssoluede; A. Ed. dissolueth. 59. C. al that thowgh; A. Ed. although that. // Ed. selde; C. [gh]elde (= zelde); A. yelde (= [gh]elde); Lat. _rara_. // C. fortune; A. Ed. fortunous. 62: C. weenestow; A. wenest thou. // C. dar; A. thar. // _I supply_ thee. // C. recke; A. recche.

METRE III.

_Cum polo Phebus roseis quadrigis._

Whan Phebus, the sonne, biginneth to spreden his cleernesse
with rosene chariettes, thanne the sterre, y-dimmed, paleth hir
whyte cheres, by the flambes of the sonne that overcometh the
sterre-light. _This is to seyn, whan the sonne is risen, the dey-sterre
wexeth pale, and leseth hir light for the grete brightnesse of the 5
sonne._

Whan the wode wexeth rody of rosene floures, in the first somer
sesoun, thorugh the brethe of the winde Zephirus that wexeth
warm, yif the cloudy wind Auster blowe felliche, than goth awey
the fairenesse of thornes. 10

Ofte the see is cleer and calm withoute moevinge flodes; and
ofte the horrible wind Aquilon moeveth boilinge tempestes and
over-whelveth the see.

Yif the forme of this worlde is so selde stable, and yif it turneth
by so many entrechaunginges, wolt thou thanne trusten in the 15
tomblinge fortunes of men? Wolt thou trowen on flittinge goodes?
It is certein and establisshed by lawe perdurable, that no-thing that
is engendred nis stedefast ne stable.'

ME. III. 1. C. hyr; A. Ed. his. 2. C. palyt. 3. A. flamus. 7. C. rosyn; A. rosene. 9. C. A. wynde. 10. C. thornesse. 11. C. floedes. 13. Ed. -whelueth; C. -welueeth; A. -whelweth. 14. Ed. selde; C. [gh]eelde (= zeelde); A. _om._ (Lat. _rara_). 15. C. wolthow; A. Ed. wilt thou. 16. C. towmblynge; Ed. tomblyng; A. trublynge (Lat. _caducis_). // C. wolthow; A. Ed. wilt thou. // C. Ed. on; A. in. // C. flettynge; A. flittyng. 17. C. is it; A. It is. // C. A. establyssed; Ed. establysshed. // C. thinge; A. thing. 18. C. estable; A. stable.

PROSE IV.

_Tunc ego, uera, inquam, commemoras._

Thanne seide I thus: 'O norice of alle vertues, thou seist ful
sooth; ne I ne may nat forsake the right swifte cours of my
prosperitee; _that is to seyn, that prosperitee ne be comen to me
wonder swiftly and sone_. But this is a thing that greetly smerteth
me whan it remembreth me. For in alle adversitee of fortune, 5
the most unsely kinde of contrarious fortune is to han ben
weleful.'

'But that thou,' quod she, 'abyest thus the torment of thy
false opinioun, that mayst thou nat rightfully blamen ne aretten
to thinges: _as who seith, for thou hast yit many habundaunces of 10
thinges_.

TEXT. For al be it so that the ydel name of aventurous
welefulnesse moeveth thee now, it is leveful that thou rekne with
me of how manye grete thinges thou hast yit plentee. And
therfor, yif that thilke thing that thou haddest for most precious 15
in al thy richesse of fortune be kept to thee yit, by the grace of
god, unwemmed and undefouled, mayst thou thanne pleyne
rightfully upon the meschef of Fortune, sin thou hast yit thy
beste thinges? Certes, yit liveth in good point thilke precious
honour of mankinde, Symacus, thy wyves fader, which that is 20
a man maked alle of sapience and of vertu; the whiche man
thou woldest byen redely with the prys of thyn owne lyf. He
biwayleth the wronges that men don to thee, and nat for him-self;
for he liveth in sikernesse of any sentences put ayeins him. And
yit liveth thy wyf, that is atempre of wit, and passinge other 25
wimmen in clennesse of chastetee; and for I wol closen shortely
hir bountees, she is lyk to hir fader. I telle thee wel, that she
liveth looth of this lyf, and kepeth to thee only hir goost; and is
al maat and overcomen by wepinge and sorwe for desyr of thee,
in the whiche thing only I moot graunten that thy welefulnesse is 30
amenused. What shal I seyn eek of thy two sones, conseilours,
of whiche, as of children of hir age, ther shyneth the lyknesse of
the wit of hir fader or of hir elder fader? And sin the sovereyn
cure of alle mortel folk is to saven hir owen lyves, O how weleful
art thou, yif thou knowe thy goodes! For yit ben ther 35
thinges dwelled to thee-ward, that no man douteth that they ne
ben more dereworthe to thee than thyn owen lyf. And for-thy
drye thy teres, for yit nis nat everich fortune al hateful to thee-ward,
ne over greet tempest hath nat yit fallen upon thee, whan
that thyn ancres cleven faste, that neither wolen suffren the 40
counfort of this tyme present ne the hope of tyme cominge to
passen ne to faylen.'

'And I preye,' quod I, 'that faste moten they halden; for
whyles that they halden, how-so-ever that thinges ben, I shal wel
fleten forth and escapen; but thou mayst wel seen how grete 45
aparayles and aray that me lakketh, that ben passed away fro
me.'

'I have som-what avaunsed and forthered thee,' quod she, 'yif
that thou anoye nat or forthinke nat of al thy fortune: _as who
seith, I have som-what comforted thee, so that thou tempest thee nat 50
thus with al thy fortune, sin thou hast yit thy beste thinges_. But
I may nat suffren thy delices, that pleynest so wepinge and
anguissous, for that ther lakketh som-what to thy welefulnesse.
For what man is so sad or of so parfit welefulnesse, that he ne
stryveth and pleyneth on som halve ayen the qualitee of his 55
estat? For-why ful anguissous thing is the condicioun of mannes
goodes; for either it cometh nat al-togider to a wight, or elles it
last nat perpetuel. For sum man hath grete richesses, but he is
ashamed of his ungentel linage; and som is renowned of noblesse
of kinrede, but he is enclosed in so grete anguisshe of nede 60
of thinges, that him were lever that he were unknowe. And
som man haboundeth both in richesse and noblesse, but yit he
bewaileth his chaste lyf, for he ne hath no wyf. And som man is
wel and selily y-maried, but he hath no children, and norissheth
his richesses to the eyres of strange folkes. And som man is 65
gladed with children, but he wepeth ful sory for the trespas of
his sone or of his doughter. And for this ther ne acordeth no
wight lightly to the condicioun of his fortune; for alwey to every
man ther is in som-what that, unassayed, he ne wot nat; or elles
he dredeth that he hath assayed. And adde this also, that every 70
weleful man hath a ful delicat felinge; so that, but-yif alle thinges
bifalle at his owne wil, for he is impacient, or is nat used to han
non adversitee, anon he is throwen adoun for every litel thing.
And ful litel thinges ben tho that withdrawen the somme or the
perfeccioun of blisfulnesse fro hem that ben most fortunat. How 75
many men, trowest thou, wolden demen hem-self to ben almost in
hevene, yif they mighten atayne to the leest party of the remnaunt
of thy fortune? This same place that thou clepest exil, is
contree to hem that enhabiten heer, and forthy nothing [is]
wrecched but whan thou wenest it: _as who seith, thou thy-self, ne 80
no wight elles, nis a wrecche, but whan he weneth him-self a wrecche
by reputacioun of his corage_. And ayeinward, alle fortune is blisful
to a man by the agreabletee or by the egalitee of him that
suffreth it.

What man is that, that is so weleful, that nolde changen his 85
estat whan he hath lost pacience? The swetnesse of mannes
welefulnesse is sprayned with many biternesses; the whiche welefulnesse,
al-though it seme swete and ioyful to hem that useth it,
yit may it nat ben with-holden that it ne goth away whan it wole.
Thanne is it wel sene, how wrecched is the blisfulnesse of mortal 90
thinges, that neither it dureth perpetuel with hem that every
fortune receiven agreablely or egaly, ne it delyteth nat in al to
hem that ben anguissous. O ye mortal folk, what seke ye thanne
blisfulnesse out of your-self, whiche that is put in your-self?
Errour and folye confoundeth yow. 95

I shal shewe thee shortely the poynt of sovereyne blisfulnesse.
Is ther any-thing more precious to thee than thy-self? Thou
wolt answere, "nay." Thanne, yif it so be that thou art mighty
over thy-self, _that is to seyn, by tranquillitee of thy sowle_, than
hast
thou thing in thy power that thou noldest never lesen, ne Fortune 100
ne may nat beneme it thee. And that thou mayst knowe that
blisfulnesse ne may nat standen in thinges that ben fortunous
and temporel, now understonde and gader it to-gidere thus:
Yif blisfulnesse be the sovereyn good of nature that liveth by
resoun, ne thilke thing nis nat sovereyn good that may be taken 105
awey in any wyse, (for more worthy thing and more digne is
thilke thing that may nat ben taken awey); than sheweth it wel,
that the unstablenesse of fortune may nat atayne to receiven
verray blisfulnesse. And yit more-over: what man that this
toumbling welefulnesse ledeth, either he woot that it is chaungeable, 110
or elles he woot it nat. And yif he woot it nat, what blisful
fortune may ther be in the blindnesse of ignorance? And yif he
woot that it is chaungeable, he moot alwey ben adrad that he ne
lese that thing that he ne doubteth nat but that he may lesen it;
_as who seith, he mot ben alwey agast, lest he lese that he wot wel
he 115
may lese it_. For which, the continuel dreed that he hath ne
suffreth him nat to ben weleful. Or yif he lese it, he weneth to
be dispysed and forleten. Certes eek, that is a ful litel good that
is born with evene herte whan it is lost; _that is to seyn, that men
do no more fors of the lost than of the havinge_. And for as moche 120
as thou thy-self art he, to whom it hath ben shewed and proved
by ful manye demonstraciouns, as I wot wel, that the sowles of
men ne mowe nat deyen in no wyse; and eek sin it is cleer and
certein, that fortunous welefulnesse endeth by the deeth of the
body; it may nat ben douted that, yif that deeth may take awey 125
blisfulnesse, that alle the kinde of mortal thinges ne descendeth
in-to wrecchednesse by the ende of the deeth. And sin we knowen
wel, that many a man hath sought the fruit of blisfulnesse nat
only with suffringe of deeth, but eek with suffringe of peynes and
tormentes; how mighte than this present lyf maken men blisful, 130
sin that, whan thilke selve lyf is ended, it ne maketh folk no
wrecches?

PR. IV. 1. C. vertuus; A. vertues. 4. C. _om._ a. 6. C. vn[gh]ely (= vnzely); A. Ed. vnsely. 8. A. abaist (!). // C. tormentz; A. to_ur_ment (Lat. _supplicium_). 10. C. -daunce; A. Ed. -daunces. 13. C. leefful; A. leueful. 15. C. thinge; A. thing. 19. C. leueth; A. lyueth. 21. C. _om. 2nd_ of. 24. C. leueth; A. liueth. 29. C. maad; A. maat; Ed. mate. 30. C. thinge; A. thing. 31. C. amenyssed; A. Ed. amenused. 32. C. lyke-; A. lyk-. 33. A. Ed. eldefadir. 35. A. But (_for_ For). 36. _So_ C. Ed.; A. dwelly_n_g. // A. -wardes. 40. A. cliue. 42. A. fallen. 43. A. holden. 44. C. A. halden. 45. C. mayste. 49. A. forthenke. 52. C. delites (?); A. Ed. delices (Lat. _delicias_). 55. C. Ed. and; A. or. 57. A. _om._ nat. 58. A. lasteth. // A. p_er_petuely. // A. rycchesse. 59. A. renomed. 60. anguisshe of] A. angre for. 63. Ed. chaste; C. caste; A. chast. 64. C. zelyly; A. Ed. selily. // C. hat. // C. noriseth; A. norissheth. 66. C. A. sory; Ed. sore. 69. A. is in mest som-what. 71. A. wel (_for_ ful). 72. Ed. is; C. A. _om._ 77. A. remenaunt. 79. _I supply_ is; Lat. nihil _est_ miserum. 80. C. ho; A. who. 81. A. no (_for_ a). 83. C. egreablete; A. agreablete. 86. C. what (!); A. whan. // C. lost; A. lorn. 87. C. sprayngd (!); A. y-spranid; Ed. spraynte. // C. beter-; A. bitter-. // C. weche. 89. C. wan. // C. woole; A. wol. 92. C. resseyuen; A. receyuen. 100, 106. C. thinge; A. thing. 101. A. bynyme. 102. A. _om._ ne. 107. C. take; A. taken. 108. C. resseyuen; A. receyue. 110. A. _om._ it. 115. C. list; A. lest. 116. A. _om._ it. 118. A. forleten hit. 120. C. A. lost; Ed. losse. // C. meche (_for_ moche). 126. C. dessendeth; A. descendith. 128. C. frut; A. fruit.

METRE IV.

_Quisquis uolet perennem Cautus ponere sedem._

What maner man, stable and war, that wole founden him
a perdurable sete, and ne wole nat ben cast down with the loude
blastes of the wind Eurus; and wole despyse the see, manasinge
with flodes; lat him eschewen to bilde on the cop of the mountaigne
or in the moiste sandes. For the felle wind Auster 5
tormenteth the cop of the mountaigne with all his strengthes;
and the lause sandes refusen to beren the hevy wighte.

And forthy, if thou wolt fleen the perilous aventure, _that is to
seyn, of the worlde_; have minde certeinly to ficchen thyn hous of
a merye site in a lowe stoon. For al-though the wind, troubling 10
the see, thondre with over-throwinges, thou that art put in quiete,
and weleful by strengthe of thy palis, shalt leden a cleer age,
scorninge the woodnesses and the ires of the eyr.

ME. IV. 1. C. waar. 7. Ed. lose; A. lowe see(!); (Lat. _solutae_). // A. wey[gh]te. 10. C. lowh; A. Ed. lowe. 12. C. A. palys (Lat. _ualli_).

PROSE V.

_Set cum rationum iam in te._

But for as moche as the norisshinges of my resouns descenden
now in-to thee, I trowe it were tyme to usen a litel strenger
medicynes. Now understond heer, al were it so that the yiftes of
Fortune ne were nat brutel ne transitorie, what is ther in hem
that may be thyn in any tyme, or elles that it nis foul, yif that it 5
be considered and loked perfitly? Richesses, ben they precious
by the nature of hem-self, or elles by the nature of thee? What is
most worth of richesses? Is it nat gold or might of moneye
assembled? Certes, thilke gold and thilke moneye shyneth and
yeveth betere renoun to hem that despenden it thanne to thilke 10
folk that mokeren it; for avarice maketh alwey mokereres to ben
hated, and largesse maketh folk cleer of renoun. For sin that
swich thing as is transferred fram o man to another ne may nat
dwellen with no man; certes, thanne is thilke moneye precious
whan it is translated into other folk and stenteth to ben had, by 15
usage of large yevinge _of him that hath yeven it_. And also: yif
that al the moneye that is over-al in the worlde were gadered
toward o man, it sholde maken alle other men to ben nedy as of that.
And certes a voys al hool, _that is to seyn, with-oute amenusinge_,
fulfilleth to-gidere the hering of moche folk; but certes, youre 20
richesses ne mowen nat passen in-to moche folke with-oute
amenusinge. And whan they ben apassed, nedes they maken
hem pore that for-gon the richesses.

O! streite and nedy clepe I this richesse, sin that many folk
ne may nat han it al, ne al may it nat comen to o man with-outen 25
povertee of alle other folk! And the shyninge of gemmes, _that
I clepe precious stones_, draweth it nat the eyen of folk to hem-ward,
_that is to seyn, for the beautee_? But certes, yif ther were
beautee or bountee in the shyninge of stones, thilke cleernesse is
of the stones hem-self, and nat of men; for whiche I wondre 30
gretly that men mervailen on swiche thinges. For-why, what
thing is it, that yif it wanteth moeving and Ioynture of sowle and
body, that by right mighte semen a fair creature to him that hath
a sowle of resoun? For al be it so that gemmes drawen to hem-self
a litel of the laste beautee of the world, through the entente of 35
hir creatour and through the distinccioun of hem-self; yit, for as
mochel as they ben put under youre excellence, they ne han nat
deserved by no wey that ye sholden mervailen on hem. And
the beautee of feldes, delyteth it nat mochel un-to yow?'

_Boece._ 'Why sholde it nat delyten us, sin that it is a right fair 40
porcioun of the right faire werke, _that is to seyn, of this world_?
And right so ben we gladed som-tyme of the face of the see
whan it is cleer; and also mervailen we on the hevene and on the
sterres, and on the sonne and on the mone.'

_Philosophye._ 'Aperteneth,' quod she, 'any of thilke thinges to 45
thee? Why darst thou glorifyen thee in the shyninge of any
swiche thinges? Art thou distingwed and embelised by the
springinge floures of the first somer sesoun, or swelleth thy
plentee in the fruites of somer? Why art thou ravisshed with
ydel Ioyes? Why embracest thou straunge goodes as they weren 50
thyne? Fortune ne shal never maken that swiche thinges ben
thyne, that nature of thinges hath maked foreine fro thee. Sooth
is that, with-outen doute, the frutes of the erthe owen to ben to
the norissinge of bestes. And yif thou wolt fulfille thy nede after
that it suffyseth to nature, than is it no nede that thou seke after 55
the superfluitee of fortune. For with ful fewe things and with ful
litel thinges nature halt hir apayed; and yif thou wolt achoken
the fulfillinge of nature with superfluitees, certes, thilke thinges
that thou wolt thresten or pouren in-to nature shullen ben unioyful
to thee, or elles anoyous. Wenest thou eek that it be a fair 60
thing to shyne with dyverse clothinge? Of whiche clothinge yif
the beautee be agreeable to loken up-on, I wol mervailen on the
nature of the matere of thilke clothes, or elles on the werkman
that wroughte hem. But also a long route of meynee, maketh
that a blisful man? The whiche servants, yif they ben vicious of 65
condiciouns, it is a great charge and a distruccioun to the hous,
and a greet enemy to the lord him-self. And yif they ben goode
men, how shal straunge or foreine goodnesse ben put in the
noumbre of thy richesse? So that, by all these forseide thinges,
it is clearly y-shewed, that never oon of thilke thinges that thou 70
acountedest for thyne goodes nas nat thy good. In the whiche
thinges, yif ther be no beautee to ben desyred, why sholdest thou
ben sory yif thou lese hem, or why sholdest thou reioysen thee
to holden hem? For yif they ben faire of hir owne kinde, what
aperteneth that to thee? For al so wel sholden they han ben 75
faire by hem-selve, though they weren departed fram alle thyne
richesses. Forwhy faire ne precious ne weren they nat, for that
they comen among thy richesses; but, for they semeden faire and
precious, ther-for thou haddest lever rekne hem amonges thy
richesses. 80

But what desirest thou of Fortune with so grete a noise, and
with so grete a fare? I trowe thou seke to dryve awey nede with
habundaunce of thinges; but certes, it torneth to you al in the
contrarie. Forwhy certes, it nedeth of ful manye helpinges to
kepen the diversitee of precious ostelments. And sooth it is, 85
that of manye thinges han they nede that manye thinges han; and
ayeinward, of litel nedeth hem that mesuren hir fille after the nede
of kinde, and nat after the outrage of coveityse. Is it thanne so,
that ye men ne han no proper good y-set in you, for which
ye moten seken outward youre goodes in foreine and subgit 90
thinges? So is thanne the condicioun of thinges torned up-so-down,
that a man, that is a devyne beest by merite of his resoun,
thinketh that him-self nis neither faire ne noble, but-yif it be
thorugh possessioun of ostelments that ne han no sowles. And
certes, al other thinges ben apayed of hir owne beautee; but ye 95
men, that ben semblable to god by your resonable thought,
desiren to aparailen your excellent kinde of the lowest thinges;
ne ye understonden nat how greet a wrong ye don to your
creatour. For he wolde that mankinde were most worthy and
noble of any othre erthely thinges; and ye threste adoun your 100
dignitees benethe the lowest thinges. For yif that al the good of
every thinge be more precious than is thilke thing whos that
the good is: sin ye demen that the fouleste thinges ben youre
goodes, thanne submitten ye and putten your-selven under tho
fouleste thinges by your estimacioun; and certes, this tydeth nat 105
with-oute youre desertes. For certes, swiche is the condicioun of
alle mankinde, that only whan it hath knowinge of it-selve, than
passeth it in noblesse alle other thinges; and whan it forleteth the
knowinge of it-self, than is it brought binethen alle beestes. For-why
al other livinge beestes han of kinde to knowe nat hem-self; 110
but whan that men leten the knowinge of hemself, it cometh hem
of vice. But how brode sheweth the errour and the folye of yow
men, that wenen that any thing may ben aparailed with straunge
aparailements! But for sothe that may nat ben doon. For yif
a wight shyneth with thinges that ben put to him, _as thus, if 115
thilke thinges shynen with which a man is aparailed_, certes, thilke
thinges ben comended and preysed with which he is aparailed;
but natheles, the thing that is covered and wrapped under that
dwelleth in his filthe.

And I denye that thilke thing be good that anoyeth him that 120
hath it. Gabbe I of this?. Thou wolt seye "nay." Certes,
richesses han anoyed ful ofte hem that han tho richesses; sin that
every wikked shrewe, (and for his wikkednesse the more gredy
after other folkes richesses, wher-so ever it be in any place, be it
gold or precious stones), weneth him only most worthy that hath 125
hem. Thou thanne, that so bisy dredest now the swerd and now
the spere, yif thou haddest entred in the path of this lyf a voide
wayferinge man, than woldest thou singe beforn the theef; _as
who seith, a pore man, that berth no richesse on him by the weye,
may boldely singe biforn theves, for he hath nat wherof to ben 130
robbed_. O precious and right cleer is the blisfulnesse of mortal
richesses, that, whan thou hast geten it, than hast thou lorn thy
sikernesse!

PR. V. 1. C. A. noryssinges; Ed. norisshynges. // C. dess-; A. desc-. 6. A. Richesse. 8. A. worthi. // A. rycchesse. // C. _om._ it. 15. C. stenteth; A. stynteth. 19. A. al hool; Ed. al hole; C. _om._; (Lat. _tota_). 21. A. rycchesse. 24. A. thise rycchesses. 25. A. _om. 1st_ ne. 27. A. in-to. 28. C. beautes; A. Ed. beaute. // C. But; A. For. 29. A. _om._ the. 31. C. gretely; A. gretly. 32. C. Ioyngture; A. ioynture. 33. C. myht; A. my[gh]t. 35. C. last; A. laste. 36. C. _om._ and. 38. C. A. desserued. // A. shullen. 41. C. ryhte; A ry[gh]t. 46. C. darsthow; A. darst thou. 47. C. Arthow; A. Art thou. 49. A. _om._ the. // C. fructes; A. fruytes. // C. arthow. // C. rauyssed; A. rauyshed. 52. A. _om._ hath. // A. Syche (!). 53. A. on (_for 2nd_ to). 59. C. shollen; A. shullen. 60. C. anoyos; A. anoies; Ed. anoyous. 64. C. wrowht; A. wrou[gh]t. 70. oon] A. none. 71. A. accou_m_ptedest. 75. A. as (_for_ al-so). 77, 78, 80. A. rycchesse. 90. A. outwardes. 98. A. ne ye ne, &c. 100. A. Ed. erthely; C. wordly. 103. C. tho; A. the. // C. A. foulest. 104. A. summytten. // C. the; A. tho. 106. A. desert. 110. A. _om._ livinge. // C. hym-; A. hem-. 111. C. _om._ that. 119. _So_ A.; C. felthe. 122. A. rycchesse (_thrice_). // C. tho; A. the. 125. C. A. Ed. and weneth; _but_ and _must be omitted_ (_see_ Latin _text_). // C. hat. 126. A. _om. 2nd_ now. 128. A. wayfaryng. 132. A. rycchesse.

METRE V.

_Felix nimium prior etas._

Blisful was the first age of men! They helden hem apayed
with the metes that the trewe feldes broughten forth. They
ne distroyede nor deceivede nat hem-self with outrage. They
weren wont lightly to slaken hir hunger at even with acornes
of okes. They ne coude nat medly the yifte of Bachus to the 5
cleer hony; _that is to seyn, they coude make no piment nor clarree_;
ne they coude nat medle the brighte fleeses of the contree of
Seriens with the venim of Tyrie; _this is to seyn, they coude nat
deyen whyte fleeses of Serien contree with the blode of a maner
shelfisshe that men finden in Tyrie, with whiche blood men deyen 10
purpur_. They slepen hoolsom slepes up-on the gras, and
dronken of the renninge wateres; and layen under the shadwes
of the heye pyn-trees. Ne no gest ne straungere ne carf yit
the heye see with ores or with shippes; ne they ne hadde seyn
yit none newe strondes, to leden marchaundyse in-to dyverse 15
contrees. Tho weren the cruel clariouns ful hust and ful stille,
ne blood y-shad by egre hate ne hadde nat deyed yit armures.
For wher-to or which woodnesse of enemys wolde first moeven
armes, whan they seyen cruel woundes, ne none medes be of
blood y-shad? 20

I wolde that oure tymes sholde torne ayein to the olde
maneres! But the anguissous love of havinge brenneth in folk
more cruely than the fyr of the mountaigne Ethna, _that ay brenneth_.
Allas! what was he that first dalf up the gobetes or the weightes
of gold covered under erthe, and the precious stones that wolden 25
han ben hid? He dalf up precious perils. _That is to seyn, that
he that hem first up dalf, he dalf up a precious peril; for-why for
the preciousnesse of swiche thinge, hath many man ben in peril._

ME. V. 2. Ed. feldes; C. feeldes; A. erthes. 3. C. desseyuyd; A. desceyued. 4. C. accornes; A. acornes. 6. C. nor; Ed. or; A. of. 7. C. fleezes; A. flies; Ed. fleces. 8. A. siriens (Lat. _Serum_). 9. C. flezes; A. flies; Ed. fleces. // C. syryen; A. sirien; Ed. Syrien. 10. C. shylle-; A. Ed. shel-. 13. A. _om. 3rd_ ne. // C. karue; A. karf; Ed. carfe. 16. C. crwel (_and so again below_). // C. Ed. hust; A. whist. 17. A. y-shed. // A. armurers (!). 18. C. wer to. 19. C. say; A. seien. 22. C. angwissos; A. anguissous. 23. C. _om. 2nd_ the. // A. Ed. of Ethna; C. _om._ of. // A. euer (_for_ ay). 27. C. _om. 2nd_ he. 28. A. _om._ thinge. // A. ben; C. be.

PROSE VI.

_Quid autem de dignitatibus._

But what shal I seye of dignitees and of powers, the whiche
ye men, that neither knowen verray dignitee ne verray power,
areysen hem as heye as the hevene? The whiche dignitees and
powers, yif they comen to any wikked man, they don as grete
damages and destrucciouns as doth the flaumbe of the mountaigne 5
Ethna, whan the flaumbe walweth up; ne no deluge ne doth so
cruel harmes. Certes, thee remembreth wel, as I trowe, that
thilke dignitee that men clepen the imperie of consulers, the
whiche that whylom was biginninge of fredom, youre eldres
coveiteden to han don away that dignitee, for the pryde of the 10
consulers. And right for the same pryde your eldres, biforn that
tyme, hadden don awey, out of the citee of Rome, the kinges
name; _that is to seyn, they nolde han no lenger no king_. But
now, yif so be that dignitees and powers be yeven to goode men,
the whiche thing is ful selde, what agreable thing is ther in tho 15
dignitees or powers but only the goodnesse of folkes that usen
hem? And therfor it is thus, that honour ne comth nat to vertu
for cause of dignitee, but ayeinward honour comth to dignitee for
cause of vertu. But whiche is thilke youre dereworthe power,
that is so cleer and so requerable? O ye ertheliche bestes, 20
considere ye nat over which thinge that it semeth that ye han
power? Now yif thou saye a mous amonges other mys, that
chalaunged to him-self-ward right and power over alle other mys,
how greet scorn woldest thou han of it! GLOSA. _So fareth it by
men; the body hath power over the body._ For yif thou loke wel 25
up-on the body of a wight, what thing shall thou finde more
freele than is mankinde; the whiche men wel ofte ben slayn with
bytinge of smale flyes, or elles with the entringe of crepinge
wormes in-to the privetees of mannes body? But wher shal man
finden any man that may exercen or haunten any right up-on 30
another man, but only up-on his body, or elles up-on thinges
that ben lowere than the body, the whiche I clepe fortunous
possessiouns? Mayst thou ever have any comaundement over
a free corage? Mayst thou remuen fro the estat of his propre
reste a thought that is clyvinge to-gidere in him-self by stedefast 35
resoun? As whylom a tyraunt wende to confounde a free man
of corage, and wende to constreyne him by torment, to maken
him discoveren and acusen folk that wisten of a coniuracioun,
_which I clepe a confederacie_, that was cast ayeins this tyraunt;
but this free man boot of his owne tonge and caste it in the 40
visage of thilke wode tyraunt; so that the torments that this
tyraunt wende to han maked matere of crueltee, this wyse man
maked it matere of vertu.