Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...

APPENDIX IV

CATO'S MORALS. (From the Fairfax MS. 14, leaf 122.

The quire or quires containing ch. lxxvj, all chapters lxxvij—lxxxx (ch. 90, the beginning of the Cato), have been cut out. The Table of Contents of this Fairfax Cursor treats the Great and Little Catos as part of that poem. See p. 7 above.)

THERE are at least four early versions of the Disticha de Moribus in our tongue.

I. An Anglo-Saxon version in Cotton MS. Julius A. II.; another copy in Trinity College Library, Cambridge; also a late copy in Cotton Vespasian D. XIV.

II. A translation in English verse accompanies a late copy of the monk Everard's French version in the Vernon MS. (Bodleian Library, just before 1400 A.D.), and Additional MS. 22283 (British Museum). Earlier and better copies of Everard may be seen in Arundel MS. 292, and Lambeth MS. 371. He has been printed by Le Roux de Lincy in Le Livre des Proverbes Français.

III. Another verse translation by Benedict Burgh of the latter part of the fifteenth century. This is repeatedly but wrongly assigned by catalogue writers to John Lydgate. Copies of this version are very common.

IV. The fragmentary version now before us, late 14th century, or early 15th. This is the only copy known to me. To judge from the six-line stanza and the arrangement of the rimes, it seems to be an imitation of Everard's French Cato, mentioned above. A comparison of the text with the Latin original (ed. F. Hauthal, Berlin, 1870) shows it to represent the follow|ing distichs in this order:—

III. 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21.

IV. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 20, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 (39 torn), 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49.

Part of the epilogue seems to be taken from Everard's prologue.

All these English versions I copied some years ago, with the intention of editing them for the Early English Text Society; but, at Dr. Dahlmann's wish, I gave them up to him, and we were to do a joint edition of the English and foreign version of the Distichs for the Society. As, however, this edition has been, and must still be delayed, and Mr. Furnivall—mainly for Chaucer purposes—wishes the present version to appear at once, advantage has been taken of its looking, in the Fairfax MS., like part of the Cursor, to add the poem here, though it will be repeated in the Society's full edition of the Cato. [Cambridge, Jan. 8, 1878.]

E. BROCK.

[Fairfax MS. 14:? before 1400.]
[Capitulum]: lxxx: [really lxxxx, ch. 90: see p. 7.]

¶ if þou be made wittenesse. [folio 122a:1] for to say þat soþ is saue þine honour Line 3 als mikil as þou mai fra blame lame þi frendis shame. and saue fra dishonour. Line 6 ¶ for-soþ flipers and alle fals flaters I rede sone þou fle. Line 9 for þen salle na gode man. þat ani gode lare can. þar-fore blame þe. Line 12 ¶ For to say þe soþnis. wiþ-outin ani faintis. þat is gode fame. Line 15 fainteli for to speke. and þe soþ for to steke. is falsid and blame. Line 18 ¶ oþer mennis worde or werke. be þou lewed oþer clerk. do þou noȝt blame. Line 21 þat oþer þe noȝt dispise riȝt in þe same wise. þi saumple be þi shame. Line 24 ¶ A-mange alle þi bisines. loke þou make sum blis. and laike a-monge trauails. Line 27 þat þou mai in corage. wiþ-out grete damage. suffre þat þe ailis. Line 30 ¶ if richesse come þe rife. in ending of þi life. be noȝt starke to freindis. Line 33 spende þou fulle hertli. in time and rit largeli. þi gift wiþ þe weindis. Line 36 ¶ þat comis þe be heritage. kepe hit in alle þine age. . . . . . [blank in MS.] Line 39 and kepe hit wiþ encrese. þat þou be nane of þese. þat men famis in fable Line 42 ¶ þi seruauntz counsail. and hit mai oȝt a-vail. loke þou ne dispise. Line 45 ne na mannis witte if help be in hitte. of fole leris wise. Line 48 ¶ if þou be noȝt als wele. [folio 122a:2] in welþ and in catele as þou has bene are. Line 51 loke þou con paide be. wiþ þat at time giuis þe. and squa þe time ansquare. Line 54

Line 54 ¶ fle to take wife. to lede wiþ þi life. bot ho be honest. Line 57 take hir for na doweri. ne halde hir for na druri. if ho be vnchest Line 60 ¶ bi ensaumple of mani men. lerne þat þer didis ken. quat werk þou folow salle. Line 63 quider-euer we flene. oþer mannis life salle bene. maister to ken vs alle. Line 66 ¶ loke þou be þole mode. and suffre wele wiþ gode. þat þou deseruid has. Line 69 and if þou be coupable a-Iugge þi-selfe dampnable. and amende þi trespas. Line 72 ¶ a-monge gestis atte borde. be mesurable of worde. and loke quat þou sais. Line 75 atte þou be haldin na Iangelere ne driuin to bismere. if þou wille be curtais. Line 78 ¶ if þou seist þi wife wraþe þat ho wepe & squere baþe hir wordis doute þou noȝt. Line 81 for quen ho mast dos wepe lol [mistake for next word, lok?] [This line blank in the MS.] Line 84 ¶ Loke þou spende mesureli. þe gode þat þou liuis bi. or ellis wille hit faile. Line 87 qua-sim dos his awen waste. of oþer men in hast. beggis þaire vitail. securam. Line 90

Qua-sim-euer þou be. þat wille þi-self safe se. and lede sicure life. Line 93 loke in alle þine age þou kepe þi corage. fra ille tecchis rife. Line 96 ¶ if þou in alle þine age [folio 122b:1] be bliþe in þi corage. dispise richesse rife Line 99 for þai þat talis miche riches maste in nede and bisines. beggis in þis life. Line 102 ¶ if þou be fole and bricoun. and kepis noȝt in resoun. þat gode þat þou destries. Line 105 say þou noȝt in mynde. þat þi grace is blinde. bot wite þi folies. Line 108 ¶ noȝt for þe fairnes. bot for þi nedines. loue þou þe peny. Line 111 for þer is na parfite man. þat alder-mast gode can. þat ellis louis eny. Line 114 ¶ For to hele þi bodi gif þi gode largeli. if þou be seke and riche. Line 117 þe riche seke [[or sike]] has mikil oȝt. & him-self has he noȝt. to liue is he noȝt liche. Line 120 ¶ Sin þou has þi maister sufferred in mister. to bete þe for lare. Line 123 suffre þou þi faler heste. in wraþ if he make cheste. þi mensk is þe mare. Line 126

Line 126 ¶ Sin þou art doutande. of alle bestis liuande. nedderres for venim. Line 129 mare mai þou be agast. of anli man vn-wrast. and warre þe for him. Line 132 ¶ if þat þou be bodi stronge. [[a hole in MS.]] . . . . . of richesse ronge. . . . . . e þou be wise. . . . . Line 135 þen saltow be miȝtful. and haldin ful menskful. and of mikil prise. Line 138 ¶ if þou in ani nede falle. þi next frende to þe calle. to help þe atte ende. Line 141 can þer na man teyche. to finde better leche. þen a trewe frende Line 144 ¶ if þou wille chose a freinde. [folio 122b:2] or a felaw trew & hende. to trist a-pon atte nede. Line 147 of his gode life. noȝt of his riches rife. .I. rede þou take hede. Line 150 ¶ þat þou has gitin to þe vse hit in honeste. & be noȝt calde niþing Line 153 quat helpis riches and þou liue in nedines. and has mikil þing. Line 156 ¶ if þou wille kepe þi fame fra velani and blame. quen þou liuand ert Line 159 for-sake þou þe werlde blis. in þe quilk wrange liking is fle wiþ þi hert Line 162 ¶ if þou be wise in þi þoȝt loke atte þou skorne noȝt doted man in elde. Line 165 for wisest and mast of maine. ginin childis witte a-gaine. quen þai ar vn-welde. Line 168 ¶ loke þou lere sum craft quen þi hap turnis baft and logh þou lise. Line 171 for craft leuis wiþ þe. and ay mai þou amended be. to make þe to rise. Line 174 ¶ haunte þou studying. if þou haue kunning. and knawing in craft. Line 177 study quettis þi witte. and loke atte þou vse hit. atte hit be noȝt laft. Line 180 ¶ Take þou neuer grete care. in quat time ne quare. to deþ þou be broȝt. Line 183 if þou wilt be wise. for þis life to dispise. deþ doutis noȝt. Line 186 ¶ lerne þou of þe wise. and teyche þou þe vnwise. þat þou has lered. Line 189 wiþ lernyng & teyching. growes graiþ kunnyng. & mani man vp-rered. Line 192 ¶ þat þi-self louid has. [folio 123a:1] in ani maner compas. ani kin þing. Line 195 loke for na liȝt hede. at þat þing in ani stide. of þe haue blaming. Line 198

Line 198 ¶ quen þou art in gode ese. þen þink on mis-ese. and lagher þou ga. Line 201 quen þou art atte disese. hope ofter better ese. and conforte þe squa. Line 204 ¶ quen þine age ȝonge is. do þi gode bisines. wisdome to leres Line 207 þe man þat is harde witte gode clergis mai gitte. wiþ-in lite ȝeres. Line 210 ¶ be scarske of þi louing. til hit come to prouing. of þi gode frende. Line 213 for if þou loue him al-way. he wille be on a day. peraunter vn-hende. Line 216 ¶ waite wiþ gode dwelling. a quile stille herkening quat ilk man sais. Line 219 worde laynis maners & mannis awen gode geris. mannis worde wreis. Line 222 ¶ Squete sone shame þe noȝt þing atte þou can noȝt. be willi to here. Line 225 for kunning is louing. shame is to vn-kunning. þat noȝt wille lere. Line 228 ¶ wiþ drinking and leccheri. ioynid is wiþ foli. lustis and strife. Line 231 quat-sim nedis to þi hert take þat to þi quert. be-quar of ouer-rife. Line 234 ¶ heuy herted men. and stille studious men. vmbe-þing þe to fle. Line 237 þer þe flode is deppist þe water standis stillist. ensaumple þou se. Line 240 ¶ quen þou has of þi þing. [folio 123a:2] þorou hap vnliking. in chaunce or in cas. Line 243 be-halde þou on oþer men. þat has harder ten. for lasse trespas. Line 246 ¶ alle if þou þink þat þou mai. mikil do ȝet assay. or þou ferre fonde. Line 249 wiþ rape reiche þou þe brim is better þen in see to squim. for hit is nere londe. Line 252 ¶ A-gaine man riȝtwise. striue þou in na wise ne wrangeli him greue. Line 255 for goddis godenes wrekis wele þe riȝtwis. done againe his leue. Line 258 ¶ if þi gode be lorne sorou noȝt þar-forne to double þi harme [[Orig. scaþe]] . Line 261 and hope ay of gode hap. to come wiþ a gode clap. wiþ-out ani warne. Line 264 ¶ loke þou be chaste. if þi gode be waste. þorou harme atte is. Line 267 bot ȝet hit is sening [[or seuing)]] . a frende suffre losing. for alle is noȝt is. Line 270

Line 270 ¶ þi-self hete þou noȝt of lange life in þoȝt. at þou þi-self noȝt tray. Line 273 for quere þou art sicureli. þe shadow of þi bodi. deþ folowes ay. Line 276 ¶ wiþ ensence of sauour. plese þou þi creatour. & lete þi calf be. Line 279 hit is noȝt t [[a piece torn off this leaf.]] . . . . . þi best. . . . . hit. . . . . Line 282 ¶ ȝif. . . . . & t. . . . . and. . . . . Line 285 he þat. . . . . he mai. . . . . qua-sim. . . . . Line 288 ¶ if þou synne in foli. [folio 123b:1] loke þi-self þou chasti. and þat scharpli. Line 291 for sare is medicine to amende. to þe sare wiþ-out ende. sorou þou for-þi. Line 294 ¶ ofter lange biding. for nane alde wraþþing. hate noȝt þi frende. Line 297 if he chaunge his manere. þink how he was dere. first quen he was hende. Line 300 ¶ þe mare þou art of prise. and gracious to office. serue þou mare tentli. Line 303 þat þou ne be calde vn-wise. in skorne tint offise. or office perdi. Line 306 ¶ Fle to be susspecious atte þou be noȝt doutous. and ay in misese Line 309 for qua has dout(?)ng (?)oȝt & suspicioun in þoȝt þai haue lefte ese. Line 312 ¶ if þou haue carlis boȝt to serue þe in þi þoȝt. to þine vsage. Line 315 calle ham noȝt [ca]rle þen. þink ou þai ar men like þine Image Line 318 ¶ & þou se first chaunce. . . . . . me wiþ-out distaunce first þou hit take. Line 321 e þou þink noȝt eft-sone t hit mai noȝt be done. . . . . . did hit for-sake. Line 324 [¶] . . . . . þou na ioy þen. . . . . . wikkid men. . . . . . se[?] [[9 lines, 1½ stanzas, torn off.]] Line 327 ¶ loke þou be tentife. [folio 123b:2] if þou haue lered alle þi life in studi and in scole. Line 339 for ay mai þou lere aȝt and if þou can noȝt be taȝt þen artow a fole. Line 342 ¶ þou wondris in þi witte. þat I. wrate þis writte. in twa versis nakid [[3 blank lines.]] Line 345

[Epilogue.]

¶ Curtaise catoun. þus endis his resoun. of mannis manere. Line 351

Line 351 as he taȝt his sone. alle þat in werlde dos wone. witte mai þai lere. Line 354 ¶ Catoun was a paynym and na-þing knew him in þe cristin fay. Line 357 in his worde ne writte fande we him neuer ȝitte. againis our lay. Line 360 ¶ In alle he accordis. and na-þing discordis tille goddis hali writte Line 363 efter goddis awen rede. he mai his life lede. þat wille folowe hit Line 366 ¶ þe hali gaste be resoun semid in catoun queþer sa he was. Line 369 for na gode kunning is in man coming. wiþ-out goddis grace. Line 372 ¶ gode grante vs grace. to folow catouns trace. in his teyching. Line 375 in gode maneris. to be his feris. In his wonyng Amen Line 378

¶ Stokynbrig scripsit istum librum. Willelmo Keruour de Lancastre.

[2 blank leaves at end, partly scribbled on: on the 1st leaf is this:—

¶ [?] Penseȝ de dieu sanz Autre q^dt Meleton pur vne k . . . . . ¶ Sanz fyne.

Amen dico vobys

On the 2nd leaf:—

Nota de loquacitate [[These 2 lines in a modern hand, the rest 15-century.]]

Qui bene wlt fare [[fare inserted by a modern hand.]] bene debet preme|ditare Ille loquens plura non tendit ad omnia [iura?] Non locus est pacis vbi regnat lingua loquacis Ille loqui nessit cuius non a lingua quiesset.

In multiloquio non deest Peccatum. [[These 2 lines in a modern hand, the rest 15-century.]] Prouerb. Salomonis.]