Die Burghsche Cato-paraphrase / [ed. Max Förster].

XC. [fol. 97v] [ III, praef. 1-2]

Behold, what wiht that listith for to reede [ 630] In this my ditee, somwhat shall *he fynde, [631 ye C δ M] Wherwith his soule he may fostre and feede With thewes good and it from vices vnbynde. [ 633] Come neer, my child, therfore and haue in mynde Suche doctryne to beer a-wey and leer, *As to thy liff shall be full leef and deer. [ 636] [636 as] and τ δ, as thou Hf]

XCI. [ III. 1]

The soule resemblith a new pleyn table, In which as yit apperith no picture, The filisophre seithe withouten fable. [ 639]

So is the soule but a dedly figure, Til the tyme she be recleymed with the lure Off doctryne and so gete hir a good habite [ 642] To bene expert in connyng and *parfite. [643 profite C mit Abkürzungsschleife für ro]

XCII. [ III, praef. 3-4]

Inprente my techyng in thy soule stedfaste; And ful profitable thou shalt it fynde. [ 645] Forsake it nat ne from thyne hert it caste; For iff that thou exclude oute of thy mynde This lessoun, thow art full bareyn and blynde [ 648] Fro vertu. And therof a-wite nat me, [649 a wyȝt Hb, atwyte H R, attwyte F, a wayt Hc, wyte A Cp x (wytt E) ν ζ, awyte σ He] Sith *the deffaute, my sone, is than in the. [650 thi CHb]

XCIII. [fol. 98r] [ III. 2]

Iff thou lyve iustly keepyng the vpriht, [ 651] Neuer declynyng for meed ne *for fauour, [652 for f. τ R Fb Y Cp γ] Than stondist thou in a ful holsum pliht, *Thouh men maligne with *woordes of *rygoure [ 654] [654 thou C ‖ woorde τ R ‖ rygourye C] Yff thou live thus thi good liff is thi tour. We may nat lette the peple to gawre *and crye. [656 or C Hb ‖ gaule R, gawle Fb, gnare M, gare Cp, grare? Ha] But do we weel; if thei sey mys, thei lye. [ 657]

XCIV. [ III. 3]

Iff thou be clepid the sothe to testyfye, Ay sauyng thy worship and honeste, Thi freendis trespace be *nat a-bout to wrie, [ 660] [660 nat f. τ δ Fb Db M λ] Wher as no shame may growe therof to the. This requirith ay freendlynesse parde. In wele and woo the trewe *benyvolence [ 663] [663 bevyolence C, by vyolence Hb] Bi-twix folke is frensship in existence.

XCV. [ III. 4]

Make besy wacche, and keep thi soule algate, Behold a-boute, aspie the couert treyne, [ 666] Whan that fals fauell knockethe atte gate, He menythe guyle, *thow outeward fair he feyn. [668 thow C Hb] He can enoynte softly thyn erys tweyn [ 669] *With oile of plesaunce in ful grete foysoun; [670 which C] But vndir that keepe the from his poisoun.

XCVI. [fol. 98v] [ III. 5]

Slouth, slogardy and dul idylnesse, [ 672] Lacches, that causeth to be necligent, Eschew, my child, with all thi bisynesse; For ydill soule makith the body shent. [ 675] Ther is on erthe no gretter argument For to conclude the body vnapte Than that the soule in idilnesse be wrapte. [ 678]

XCVII. [ III. 6]

Who that lacketh reste, may nat longe endure; Therfor a-mong take thyne ese and disporte.

Delite the neuer in besynesse and cure, [ 681] But that whilom thou maist also resorte To play, recreacioun and conforte. Thou shalt the bettir labour at *the longe, [ 684] [684 the f. τ R] Whan thou haste merthe thi bisynesse a-monge.

XCVIII. [ III. 7]

It is full hard to plese iche a wiht. Dispreise nomanys deedis nor hem lakke, [ 687] Ne *woordes nother. For even so riht [688 woord χ R] As thou deprauyst hym, byhynde thy bakke Riht so wol men make the a *mokke and a knakke. [ 690] [690 mowe C Hb E G D Fc, moppe Cp He Hd] The contrarye thouh [*] men had it sworne, [691 thouh that C R] The skorner shal be guerdoned ay with scorne.

XCIX. [fol. 100r] [Fol. 99 ist bei der Paginierung übersprungen.] [ III. 8]

Whan thi laste sort, that som men clepyn fate, [ 693] Is good and plesaunte aftir thyn entente,— Thus meen I, loo, whan thou arte fortunate,— Receyue the good, that God hathe the sent. [ 696] Suffre it nat rechelessely to be spente. For than of wastour thou shalt haue *the name, [698 the f. C] For grete ryot will causen feble fame. [ 699]

C. [ III. 9]

Into grete age what tyme that thou art krepte And thou hast richesse and grete habundaunce, Be liberall of good, that thou haste kepte. [ 702] Thynk thou hast inowh and suffisaunce. Latt nat thi good of the haue *gouernaunce; [704 goueraunce C] But *gouern it and parte it with thy freende. [ 705] [705 goueren C] Whan thou goste hens, it may nat with the weende.

CI. [ III. 10]

Grace is youen to men in sondry wise: Sum haue wisdom, and som haue elloquence. [ 708] Thes pore folk somtyme thei ben full wise. A seruaunt may be of grete sapience, Thauh he be had in litel reuerence. [ 711] Reward *his wit, if it be worth the while. [712 is C] Vertue is hid vndir an habite vile.

CII. [fol. 100v] [ III. 11]

This woorldis welthe, ebbynge and flowyng ay [ 714] At no certeyn, as is wantoun Aprile, Thouh thou haue *lost, thou shalt nat the dismay. [716 lust C, losse R Fb Ha A x ν ζ] *Be content with that thou hast for the while. [ 717] [717 Been C] Sume man ther is, that hathe nouthir cros *ne pile [718 nor τ M, ner A, nethyr H] Now in this world, and yit good auentur Is hym ful nyh. No man can know his vre. [ 720]

CIII. [ III. 12]

Wedde nat a wiffe for hir inheritaunce; For she wol caste it *ful oft in thy berde. [722 wel C, f. Hb β]

And *if she be noysaunt, ful of greuaunce, [ 723] [723 if f. C Hb D] Constreyne hir nat to biden in thi yerde. Off chastyment it is a curside yerde To keepen oon, that wol the ay atwyte. [ 726] He is att ese, that of such on is quyte.

CIV. [ III. 13]

Off othir men thow shalt thy myrour make. Conforme the to that moste men appreve. [ 729] What thou shalt do and *what thou shalt forsake, [730 what f. C Hf] A bettir fette maist thou nat *contreve [731 contryve C Hb M Hc D, constryue Fc] Than to othir *mennys deede releeve. [ 732] [732 mannys C Fc, mens A Ad] In al, that perteynethe to thy techyng, Make othir men a rewle for thy lyvyng.

CV. [fol. 101r] [ III. 14]

Attempte no thyng, that sourmountith thy myht [ 735] Ne that to ffynyssh thow *mayste nat *accheve; [736 muste C ‖ acchewe C, exchewe Hc, atteyne σ] For than thou stondist foule in thyne owne liht. Ouer his power what man leste to meeve, [ 738] With shame his werke moste nedis take leve. It is foly a man such thynges to begynne, Which to perfourme his wittis be *to thynne. [ 741]

CVI. [ III. 15]

Law presumeth, that what *man kepith stille [742 man f. C, a man R ν] The cryme of oon, that hath don grete offence, And discurith it nat, he is *als ille, [ 744] [744 als R, also Ad, all C A Y Fc, than χ, as übr.] As is the cryminous for his silence. Wherfore, my sone, bryng it in audience, That thou perceyuest nat weel don is, [ 747] Leste for silence men deeme of the a-mys.

CVII. [ III. 16]

Whan that the lawe is streit and rigerous, Entrete the iuge to *shewen the fauour, [ 750] [750 shew C] Enclynyng hym for to be gracious. *An egal iuge may the *parcaase socour, [752 And τ R A Hf Hc, For an ω ‖ parcause C, par∣chas Y, case v (cause χ)] And yit the lawe shal be his gouernoure, [ 753] Which he suethe somtyme to modyfie, In the caas he may a poynt espye.

CVIII. [fol. 101v] [ III. 17]

What peyn [*] thou suffrest for thi deserte, [ 756] [756 that thou C He Fc Ad] Receyue it weel with gre in paciens. And thouh thi trespace be *preuye and couerte, [758 pruuye C, pryue ν, preue M, pryvary Hb] Yitt, whan thou feelist in thyn aduertence, [ 759] That thou arte blemsshed in thi conscience, Withynne thy silfe than make arbitrement, Deemyng thy-silfe in thyn owne jugement. [ 762]

CIX. [ III. 18]

Mispende no tyme for slouthe or for lacchesse, But whilom reed in bookis olde and wise. Reed and reporte with grete attentyfnesse. [ 765] Be reedyng to connyng men may arrise. Than reed, my sone, and connyng accomplise. Thes poetes writen thynges of grete meruayle [ 768] And of smalle credence oftyn, thys is no faile.

CX. [ III. 19]

A-mong freendis sittyng at the feest Be curteis and demure of thy language. [ 771] Who spekith moste, may nat offende leste. Off flessh and boon nature hathe made a cage The tonge to keepe, that she be nat outrage. [ 774] *Than if thou wolt ben losed of *norture, [775 Thauh C ‖ nature C Hb σ Cp χ, nurture R λ D Ad] Refreyne thyn tonge with al thy besy cure.

CXI. [fol. 102r] [ III. 20]

Some wommen weepyne of pur femynyte, [ 777] Whan othir wise thei kan nat her entente *Accheve; but yit beware of nyce pite [779 acchew C M Ha Hc Fc, eschewe Db, askuse Hf] Thi manly resoun, that it be nat blent. [ 780] For suche wepyng thyne hert auhte nat relente. Some wommen of kynde be euer-moor weepyng And vndir that kan thei bothe prikke and stynge. [ 783]

CXII. [ III. 21]

That thou haste goten, to thin owne worship vse. What auailethe richesse withoute honoure? To spare good and worship to refuse [ 786] The nygard chynche with peyne and with labour Is besy. But I reede the nat devour Withouten resoun thy good excessiffly; [ 789] For than muste thou begge of othir *hastily. [790 hastly C R, hastyly F H Hb Ha Hc (-ili), hastely κ Da Cp A D, hastyfly G He]

CXIII. [ III. 22]

Enprente, my childe, ay sadly in thy mynde, That thou be nat of *deth to *sore adradde, [ 792] [792 ded C ‖ tofore C] That shal the from wrecchidnesse vnbynde, Wher-in thi liff longe thou hast ladde, Til of thy *corps thy soule hathe ben ful sadde. [ 795] [795 corpus C, cors γ] For riht as dethe is eend of ferfulnesse, So is she eende of al thy wrecchydnesse.

CXIV. [fol. 102v] [ III. 23]

*Thi wifis woord suffre and take in gree, [ 798] [798 this C] Whan it availeth; for betide it may Ful ofte, that *of riht grete prudence is she [800 riht of C] And muste ben a-lowed, this is no nay. [ 801] Suffre hir than and hir conceit assay. For it is hard, whan thou can nat be stille, Ne hir to suffre thou kanst haue no wille. [ 804]

CXV. [ III. 24]

Goodis, that be youen the of nature, Comethe eek of thy progenytours. Therfore, my child, with al thi force and cure [ 807] Love hem weel and cherissh at all hours. Thei fostred the and kept in youthe shours. Thi moodir, my child, in especiall, [ 810] Iff thou do wele, neuer offende at all.

CXVI. Lenvoye.

Resorte, resorte and hidirward releve. My maister, now her is *an holsom ayr. [ 813] [813 vnholsom C] For your availe vnto this place retreve, Wher-as of moralite floures fayre And swete ful plesauntly, lo, dothe repeir. [ 816] Gadrith therof and makithe yow a gay And restethe yow heer riht in this *herbeire. [818 herbere C M ν ζ (erbayre Ad)] Behold and see, what thyng is to your pay. [ 819]

CXVII. [fol. 103r]

Whane ye haue gadrid floures *to your liste, [820 to f. C, vnto F, at Hb] Tastethe hem; for thei ben preseruatiffe. Holdithe hem fast and berethe in your *fiste. [ 822] [822 feste C, feystys D] For the pestilence ayers infectyffe I conseil yow, and *iuparte my liff, [824 enparte C, iuparte F, in part R, jupard H, jubarte M, jubard σ, joberd A, jeopard Hb Cp D Fc, gewparde Fc, gibarde ν, iebarde Ht, ieparde Cx] That ye shall leede your liff in sikirnesse [ 825] Thoruh vertue of this conseruatiffe And eeke atteyne to muche worthynesse.

CXVIII.

Thus meve I you vndir proteccioun [ 828] Off your good grace, what tyme ye reede Or haue in this mateer inspeccioun, As it biddith, that ye wol don in deede. [ 831] And than I dar afferme [*] withouten dreede, [832 afferme it τ] Ye shall *accheve and be ful vertuous. [833 acchewe C, eschewe σ, eschue ν] Heer shal ye fynde, that you may guyde and leede [ 834] Streiht to good fame and bryng yow til hir hous.

Explicit tertia pars.