Boecius de consolacione philosophie

An vero regna regum{que} familiaritas. efficere poten∣tem valent. Quidin. Quando eorum felicitas perpe∣tuo durat. Atqui plena est exemplorū vetustas etc

BVt regnes & familiaritees of kinges may they make aman̄ to ben mighty. b. how els. whan her blisfulnes dureth perpetuelly / but certes the olde age of tyme pass••d & eke of psent tyme now is ful of ensamples / how that kin∣ges ben chaūged into wretchednes out of her welfulnes / O a noble thing & a clere thing is power that ys not ••oūde mighty to kepe it self / & if that power of royames be auctour & maker of blisfulnes. if thilk power lacketh on any side Amenusith it not thilk blisfulnes and bringeth in wret∣chednesse. But yet al bee hit so that the royaumes of mā∣kinde stretchen brode / yet mote there nede been moche folke ouer whiche that euery kinge ne hath noo lordship ne com∣mandement / And certes vpon thilke side that power fail∣leth whiche that maketh folke blisfull. right on that sa∣me side. none power entreth vndernethe that maketh hem wretches / In this manere thenne mote Kynges han mo∣re porcion of wretchednesse thanne of welefulnesse. A

tyran̄t that was kyng of sesille that had assayed the pa∣ril of his astate shewed by simylitude the dredes of royau∣mes by gastnes of a swerde that henge ouer the heede of his famylier / what thing is then̄e this power that may not don̄ away the bytinges of besines. ne eschewe the prickis of drede And certes yet wolden they liuen in sikernesse. but they may not / And yet they glorifien hem in her power / holdest thou then̄e that thilk man̄ be mighty that thou seest that he wold done that he may not done. And holdestow hym a myghty man̄ that hath enuironned his sides with men̄ of armes or with sergeantes. And drede more hem that he makith agast than they drede him / And that is put in the ••andes of his seruaūtes for he sholde seme myghty / But of famyliers or seruan̄tes of kynges. why shold I telle the ony. syn that I my self haue shewed the that royames hem s••lfe b••ne full of f••blenes / The whiche famyliers c••rtes the royall power of kinges in hole estate and in estate abated throweth a doune / Nero constreyned Seneke hys famy∣lier and his maister to chesen ••n what d••th ••e wold dyen Autonyns com̄aunded that knighte•• slowen wyth her swerdes papynian his famylier / whiche papynyan̄ hadde ben long tyme mighty amonges hem of the court. And yet certes they wolden bothe haue renounced theire power. Of whiche two Seneke enforced hem to yeuen to Nero al his richesses. and also to haue goon̄ in to solitary exyle. But whan the grete wighte. That is to seye of lordes power or of fortune draweth hem that shall falle / neyther of h••m myghte done that he wold. That thynge ys then̄e thilk power that though men hane hyt / yet th••y bene agaste

And whan thou woldest haue it thou nart not siker. and if thou woldest forleten it thou maist not eschewen it / but whether suche men be frendes at nede as ben coūceilled by fortune / and not by vertue / Certes suche folke as weleful fortune maketh frendes / contrarious fortune maketh hem ennemyes. & what pestilence is more mighty for to anoye a wight than a famylier enemye