Boecius de consolacione philosophie

Iam ne igitur vides quid hec omnia que diximus consequantur. Quid nam inquit. Omnem inquit etc

••Estow not than what thing foloweth al the thingis that I haue sayde. B / what thing qd I / P. Certes qd she al vtterly that al fortune is good / B / And how may that be qd I / P / now vnderstande qd she / so as alle fortune whether so it be ioyful fortune or aspre fortune / ys eyther yeuen by cause of guerdonyng / or els of excercising of good folk or bicause to punissh or ellis to chastisen the shrewes. then̄e fortune is good. the whiche fortune is cer∣tayne that hit bee eyther rightfull or ellis proufitable / B.

Forsoth this is a ful very reson qd I / & if I considere the puruean̄ce & the destine that thou taughtest me a litil here biforn̄ / this sentence is sustened by stidfast resons. but if it ••••ke to the late vs nōbre hem amōg thilk thinges of which thou seidest a litil here bifore that they ne were not able to be wened to the peple. p / whi so qd she. b / for the comune worde of men qd I vsith amysse the maner speche of fortune. & seye of tyme that fortune of som wight is wicked. p / wil••ow then̄e qd she that I approche alitil to the wordes of the peple so that it seme not to hem that I be oumoch de{per}ted as fro the vsage of mākinde / b. as thou wilt qd I / P. wenestow not qd she that al thing that {pro}fiteth is goode. b / yis qd I p. certes al thing that excercith or cor••igith. it {pro}fiteth. B I confesse wel qd I. p. then is it goode qd she / b / whi not qd I / p / but this is the fortune qd she of h••m that eyther be put in vertu / & bat••ilen ayenst aspre thingis. or els of hem that enclinen & declinen fro vices & taken the wey of vertue b. this ne may I not denye qd I / p but what s••istow of the mery fortune that is yeuen to goode peple in guerdon / demeth ought the peple that it be wicked. b. nay fors••th qd I but they deme as it is sothe •• that it is right good. p. what seist th••u of the other fortune qd she / that al thaugh that it bee aspre & restreyneth the shrewes by righ••ful tormēt / weneth ought the peple that it be good / b. nay qd I / but the peple demeth that it is most wretched of alle thinges that may bee thoughte. Phīa. Ware nowe and loke well quod she leste we in folowing the oppinion of the people. haue confes∣sed and concluded thyng whiche that ys vnable to ben wened to the people / Boecius. What ys that quod I

P. Certes qd she it foloweth or cometh of thingis that ben graūted that al fortune what so euer it be. of hem that ey∣ther be in possession of vertu / or els in the purchasing of ver∣tue. that thilk fortune is good. & that al fottune is right wicked to hem that dwelle in shrewdnes. As who seith / & thus weneth not the peple. B. that is soth qd I. albe it so that noman dar confesse it ne knowe / P. why so qd she / for right as a strong man̄ ne semeth. not to abasshen / or disdai∣nen as oftyme as he hereth the noise of the bataile. Ne also it semeth not to the wiseman to beren it greuously as ofte as he is led into strif of fortune / for both to that one man & eke to thilk other / thilk difficulte is the mater to that one man of encrease of his glorio{us} renom̄e. & to that other man to conserue his sapiēce. that is to seye to the asprenes of his estate. for therfore is it called vertu / for that it susteneth & enforceth by his s••rengthes / so that it nys not oucomen by aduersitees. ne certes thou that art put in encrease or in the height of vertu / ne hast not comen to fleten / with delices. & forto walken in bodily lust. thou sowest or plantest a full egre bataile in thy corage ayenst euery fortune. for that the sorouful fortune confonde the not. ne that the mery fortune ne corrūpe the not / occupye the meane by stedfast strengthes For al that euer is vnder the meane / or al that ouerpassith the meane dispiseth welfulnes / As who seith. it is vicio{us} And ne hath no mede of his trauaile / for it is sett in your hande. As who seith it lieth in your power. what fortune you is leueste. that is to seye good or euil / for all fortune that semeth sharp or aspre. if it ne excercise not the good folk ne chastiseth the wicked folk it punysseth