Boecius de consolacione philosophie

Uides ne igitur quanto inceno probra voluantur. q probitas luce resplendeat. in quo perspicuum est nū{quam} bonis premia. num{quam} sua sceleribus deesse supplicia. Uerū ••tenim que geruntur. illud propter que vnaq{que} res geritur euisdē rei premium esse etc

SEstow not than in how greet fil••h these shrewes ben ywrapped. And with whiche clerenesse these good folk shynen / In this sheweth it well that to good folke ne lakketh neuer moo her medes / ne shrewes lakken neuer moo tourmentes / For of alle thinges that be done. thilke thyng for whyche ony thing is done. It semeth as by righte that thilke thing bee the mede of ••hat / As thus / yf a man ren̄eth in the stady or in the for••••ng for the crowne / then̄e lieth the mede in the crowne fo•• whiche he renneth. & I haue shewed that bl••sfulnes is thilke same good for whiche that al thinges ben done. then̄e is thilk same good purposed to the werkes of mankinde. right a a commune mede•• whiche mede ne may not be disseuered from good folk

For no wighte as by right from thensforth that him l••c∣keth goodnesse ne shal be cleped good. For whiche thing folk of goode maners her medes ne forsaken hem neuer mo For al ••e it so that shrewes waxen as woode as hem lust ayenst good folke. yet neuertheles the crowne of wisemen̄ ne shall not fallen ne faden̄ for foreyne shrewdnesse. ne bynym̄en not fro the corage of goode peple her propre honour But if ony wight reioysed him of goodnesse. that he had taken fro without. As who seith if a man̄ had his good∣nesse of ony other man̄ than̄ of him self. certes he that yaf him thilke goodnesse. or els som̄e other wight mighte by∣neme it him / But for as moche as to euery wighte hys propre bounte yeueth him his mede / thenne at erste shalle he faillen of mede. whan he forleteth to bee good / And ••••te laste so as all mede•• ben required. for men wenen that ••hey be good / who is he that nolde deme. that he that ys ryghte mighty of good were parteles of mede. And of what mede shall he be reguerdon••d. Certes of right fayr mede. & right grete abouen alle medes. Remembre the of thilk no∣ble corallarie that I yafe the a litell here byforne / and ga∣dere it to g••dre in this manere. So as God him self ys blisfulnesse. then̄e is it clere & certayn that all goode people ben maked blisfull / for they ben good. And thilke peple that ben blisfull. it accordeth and is couenable to be god∣des. then̄e is the mede of peple suche / that no day ne shal en∣peyren it ne no wickednesse shal dyrken hit / ne power of no wight ne shal not amenuse hit / That is to seyne that ben̄ maked goddes / & sith it is thus that goode men̄ ne fai∣len neuer moo of her mede / certe•• noman̄ ne may doubte of

the vndepartable peyne of shrewes. that is to seyne that the peyne of shrewes departeth not from hem selfe neuer moo For so as good & euil and payne and medes be contra∣rie. hit mote nedes be / that right as we see betiden in guer∣done of good that also mote the payne of the euil answere by the contrarye partyes to shrewes / Nowe than so as boū∣te and prowesse bene mede to good folke / also is shrewd∣nesse it selfe tourmente to shrewes / Then̄e who so euer ys entetched and defouled with payne / he ne doubteth not. that he is entetched and defouled with euyl / If shrewes than wollen preysen hem selfe / maye hit semen to hem that they ben withouten partye of tourment sith they ben suche / that the vtterest wickednes / that is to s••ye wicked ••hewe•• whiche is the vtterest & worst kinde of shrewdnesse ne de∣••ouleth ne entetcheth not hem onely / but enfecteth & enue∣nymeth greetly. And also loke on shrewes / that ben the contrary partye of good men / howe grete payne felowship∣peth & fouleth hem. For th•••• hoste lerned a litell here by forn̄ that alle thing that is and h••th beyng. is one / and thilk same one is good / than is this the conseq••ence / that h••t semeth well that alle thing that is and bath beeyng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good / That is to seyne / as who seith. that beeyng and vnyte and goodnesse is all one. An•• in this maner it foloweth than that alle thing that failleth to bee good / it seynteth for to be and for to b••n ••ny maner beyng. where fore ••it is th••t shrewes stynten̄ for to be that they weren. But thilke other fourme of mankynde. That is to seyne the fourme of the body withoute sheweth that these shrewes w••ren whilome men̄ •• where fore whan they bene peruerted

and tourned into malice / Certes thenne they han forlorn̄ the nature of mankinde / but so a•• onely bounte and pro∣wesse maye enhaunsen euery man. ouer men / thenne mote it nedes bee that shrewes whiche that shrewdnesse hath caste oute / of the condicion of mankynde / ben put vnder the me∣rite and deserte of men / thenne betideth it that if thou seest a wighte whiche that is transfourmed into vices. thou maiste not wen•• that he bee a man. For if he bee ardaūte in Auarice and that he bee a rauenour by violence of fo∣reyne richesse. thou shalt seyne that he is like a wolfe / and if he bee felonnous and withouten reste / and excercise his tonge to chidynges / thou shalt liken him to the hoūde / and if he bee a preuy awaitour hid / and rei••yssith him to ra∣uisshe by wyle•• / thou shalt seyne him like to the fox wh••l∣pis / And if he bee distempred and quaketh for I•••• / Men shalle wenen that he bereth the couraige of a Lyon. And if he bee dredefull and fleying and dredeth thin∣ges whiche that ne oughten not to bee dredd / men shalle hold him like to the Herte. And if he bee slowe and astonyed and latche. men shalle hold hym like to an asse And if he be lighte and vnste••faste of couraige and chaungeth ay his studies / men shalle hold him like to the briddes. And if he bee plounged in foule. and vnclene luxuries / he is withholden in the foule delices of the fowle sowe. Thenne fosowith hit. that he that forleteth bounte / and prowesse. he forleteth to bee a man̄ / sith he ne maye not passen in the condicion of God / he is tourned in to a beeste