Boecius de consolacione philosophie

Heu {quam} miseros tramite deuios. Abducit ignorancia Non aurum in viridi. queritis arbore. Nec vi••e gem∣mas carpitis. No•• altis laqueos montibus abditis Ut pisce ditetis dapes etc

ALlas whiche ••o••••e and whiche ign••ran̄ce misledeth wandringe wretches fro the path of verey good / cer∣tes ye seken no gold in grene trees / Ne ye ne gaderen not preciouse stones in vynes / Ne ye ne hyden not your gyn̄es in hye montaignes to cacchen fysshe. of the whiche ye maye maken ryche feestes / And yf yow lyke to hunte to roes

ye ne goo not to the fordes of the water that hight Tyrene And ouer this men knowe wel the krikes & the cauernes of the see yhid in the flodes. & knowen eke whiche water is moost plenteous of white perles. & knowen whiche water haboūdeth most of rede purpure / that is to seyn̄ of a maner shelfissh with whiche men dyen purpure. & knowen which strondes haboūden most of tendre fisshes or of sharpe fisshes that hight echynnes. But folk suffren hem self to bene so blynd that hem ne recchen not to knowe where thilke goo∣des bene y hyd whiche that they coueyten. but plungen hem in erthe & seken there thilk good that surmounteth the he∣uen̄ that bereth the sterres / what prayer may I maken that be digne to the nyce thoughtes of men̄. But I praye that they coueyten richesse & honours / so that what they haue go∣ten tho false goodes with grete trauaille that ther by they mowen knowen the verey goodes