The boke of comfort called in laten Boetius de Consolatione philosophie. Translated in to englesse tonge

Incipit Liber secundus. (Book 2)

Prosa prima. Capitulum secuudum.

Post hec paulisper

THen after thys a stounde she held her styl And when she by a temporet stylnesse Saw wel y^t myn attention & my wyl was set to heren her with sobernesse Thus she began yf yt be as I gese Quod she / y^t I the ground & cause knowe Of al the habyte of thy heuynesse I can the tellen fully as I trowe ¶In thy desyre thou soroest & complaynest Vpon fortune that with the was a vhyle wich that hath peruerted as thou feynest Thastate of thy corage in thys exyle I vnderstande her wrenches & her wyle Of the ylke fortune wonderly dysgesed The wiche to them that so her lust begyle Not first in the / but euer she hath them vsed ¶She wyl be plesant & famylyer Ful blandesshynge / ful softe & deboner Tyl that her leke for to chaunge her chere And atlast forlete them in despere Al out of hope that euer she wyl repayre yf that thou knew her kende & her deserte That thou by her ne haddest no thynge fayre Ne nought y loste thou shuldest know aperte

¶But as I trow withouten grete trauayle we shal reuoken thys to thy science For thou were wont to dyspute & assayle with manly wordes drawen of my science when that she blandeshynge in thy presence So plesed the / but certen sothe ys thys Ther falleth neuer suche soden chaungementes That your corage somwhat ne chaunged ys ¶So ys yt now befalle hyt ys no nay That thou art put out of tranquillyte But tyme yt ys to tasten & assay Som softe thynges that swete & lustey be That when yt hath hys deueyr don in the I hope yt shal the amende & dyspose That stronger drynkes may haue ther entre That shal the helen vp as I suppose ¶Com forth now swetnesse retoryen with sotelty of thy suasyon Wiche only then thy wayes canst demene When thou ne leuest our institution Mysyke also with swetnesse of thy soun That art a damsel of our awne hous Attempre wel thy tunes vp & doune That to thys man may be delycyous ¶what ys y^t man / wherof canst y^u complayn what ys the cause of al thy heuynesse Som new or vncouth thynges hast thou seyn Fortune a geyn the only turned ys Now trouest thou so / than errest thou y wys For alway suche her maners hathe be But she hath kepte in the her stabelnesse That kendly standeth in mutabilyte

¶Right suche she was with al her blandyshynge when she such flaterynge plesance gan the make To lere the lusten in thes wordly thynges That passeth right as dothe the cloudes blake Take hede / that blynd goddas hast thou take with doble face of doutful auenture For she yt ys that hath the now forsake Of whos frendshep ther may no man be sure ¶yf thou approue in thyn opynyon Her goodnesse when she ys to thy plesance Take thou a worth than her condicyon And vse yt must thou with her varyance Complayn y^e nought make no contraryance And yf the greseth of her trechery Than cast her of / despyse her with mischaunce That to pley ys wont so harmfully ¶The cause y^t hath the now with sorow schent Shuld moue the now with Ioy & lustinesse She hath the lefte / y^e wich er she be went Ther ys no wight that may haue sekernesse And holdest thou thys as for a welthynesse Of preciosty / that thus a way shal slyde And now so dere to the y^e presence ys Of thys fortune vnfaythful to a byde ¶And when she goeth / to morne she yow maketh Sith halden at your wyl she may not be She leueth wrecches the y^t she forsaketh She ys nofte elles than / as semeth me That so vncertenly wyl fro yow fle But signe of mischef that shal after fal Loo than / ys thys al your felycyte Nought but a fayre that ye foloeth al

¶For yt suffyseth not I the ensure Only to seyn one thynge that ys present The ende of thynges prudens doth mesure For vhy thys dyuers interchaungement For wele to woo that fortune hath the sent Hyt shuld the teche her manace noft to drede Ne to her blandyce take rygh none entent To her behestes take no maner hyde ¶For at last the behoueth nede Sith thou hast ones in her yoke y drawe To suffer al that fortune wyl the bede with esey hert & stand thy lady awe And yf thou to thy lady wryte a lawe To go or come at thyn ordynance Thy labour loo / auayleth not an hawe Thou wrongest her with thyn vnsufferance ¶Now suffer then & take yt not to strange Lest thou her feerser in her wrethe fynde And sherpe y^e swerdes wiche y^u mayst not change Thou mayst her not compellen out of kende For yf thou haue thy sayle vp in the wynde Thou mayst not chuse where y^u shalt a ryue For what so be the purpose of thy mynde Thou must ther / as the weder wyl the dryue ¶yf thou thy corn wolt in the feldes sowe Hyt may not wexen as thy wyttes fayn For in thy thought y^u must conceue & knowe Som yeres ben plenteous & som bareyn Ne for to grow thou mayst yt not constrayn And yf yt fayle / ther to what mayst thou done How euer yt be / to whom shalt thou complayn Lete nature al her self therwith alone

¶Thou hast the put vnder the gouernance Of fortune / loo she muste thy lady be Vn to her maners owest thou obecyance And yf thou purpose to enforcen the To stent her vhele of mutabilyte Of al foules yet art thou the meste For when fortune standeth in stabilyte The name of fortune may no lenger leste

Metrum primū. Capitulū ij.

Hec cū superba

Philosophia loquitur.

¶When y^t thus fortune with her handes proute Hath thus her stoundes changed to & fro As Erinus* 1.1 that renneth in and oute So wonderly her vhele begenneth to go Ful ryal kynges casteth she douue in woo The wich som tyme many a man gan drede And som that lyeth dyscomfet & vndo Loo thes vntrusty / lyfteth vp your hed ¶She thus of wrecches hathe no pyte Thogh that they weyle & wepe day & nyght She scorneth eke so wonder hard ys she The waylyng that herself hath them dyght Loo thus she playeth thus proueth she her might To her seruantes shewynge many a wonder For he that hye in welthes was nowe right withyn an houre he lyeth casten vnder

Prosa ij. Capitulū iij.

Vellem autem tecum.

Philosophia loquitur.

ME lnst to plede a lytel now with the with suche wordes as fortune may Loo sayth she / right now loke thyself & se Me semeth wel suche wordes might she say what ys y^e man / complaynynge euery day what haue I gylt / what wronge haue I y^e wroght what good of thyn haue I berafta way That was thyn awne or with thy selfen broght ¶Assigne thou & I shal sone appere Be fore a Iuge that can thys case redresse And yf thou canst thy purpose prouen clere Of hye astate / ryches / or worthynesse To any man that leueth in dedlynesse That thes thynges shuld appropryat be And certenly I shal the graunt expresse That thyn yt was that y^u now askest me When y^t nature in to thys world the brought Out fro thy moder where that y^u began I toke the nedy / naked / & with nought And I the noryshed with my goodes than And al with fauor noreshed the to man wherfore impacient I fynde the now Haue I the wronged / tel me yf thou can As in vhat poyntes / wher with / & as how ¶with al goodes longynge to my right I had the fully fret wyth habundance why shuld yt not be fully in my might As fro the same / wiche that I avaunce Myn hand withdrauen after my plesance The Ioyes thou haddest y^t was of my grace Hyt was not thyne / take yt for no greuance with wronge thou the complaynest in thys case

¶Why playnest y^u I do the no duresse Ne violence as euery man may trowen wel leketh me suche honour & ryches Ryght as me leketh fully to be stawen The mayne nede must ther lady knowen with me they come & with me must they wende Thys dare I say yf they had ben thyn awne Thou mightest neuer haue lost them in thys kende ¶wher I be she y^t only am forhyght To execute the custome of my lawe The heuen may the dayes make bryght And eke at nyght she may her lyght withdrawe The yere also the erthe may bestrawe withe floures & them efte with wynter shynde The see may now be calme withouten wawe And now with styffe stormes torne & wende ¶But the sayd vnfulsome mannes couetyse Me wold now to stabelnesse bynde A genst myn awne maner & my wyse But thys my might ys / thys play ys my kynde My swyfte vhyle thus vp & doune I wynde The hye & low to enterchaungen ofte That now be forn ys / efte mot be behynde That now ys law / me lust to set a lofte ¶Now worth vpon my vhele yf y^t the lust But on thys couenant y^t I shal the say Thou must descēd a geyn ther to thou trust when that the reson asketh of my play Ne knew thou not my maners er thys day How Cresus that was called kynge of Lyde That Cyrus ofte a fered with grete a fray yet Cyrus toke hym in hys most pryde

¶And in the fyre he cast hym for to brenne Loo how y^e effecte was torned to reuerse A lytel rayne defended hym fro then what befel hym after bokes doth reherse And when that Paule had take y^e kynge of Perse Thys Paule gan on hym wepe for pure pyte what cryeth al tragedyens verse But playneth al on myn vnstabylyte ¶Tragedyes hen dytes made of certen persons / vyche begynnethe in vvelthe and prosperyte / and endeth in myscheffe & aduersyte They wepeth y^t sodenlyche I smyte And welful realmes ofte I ouerthrowe Thou lerned thys when y^u were yonge & lyte Thou hast not yet forgeten as I trowe That Iupiter ij. tonnes had bestowe Withyn the thresfold of hes celer layed That one was good wyne euery man to knowe That other nofte / now hast thou both assayed ¶And vhat yf y^u more plenty hast y take Lo of the better part of lustynesse what yf I yet haue the not al forsake what yf so be that myne vnstabelnesse May geue the hope of better after thys For vhy dysmay the no thynge in thy thought Ne withyn y^e realme that comen ys Thy proper law to vse / couete y^e nought

Metrum ij. Capitulū iiij.

Si quantas rapidus.

Phia loquitur.

Though plenty wiche y^t cleped ys goodes Of wordly good / wold cast vn yow at ones As many habundances of rychesse Loo as the see hath smale grauel stones

Other as sterres when ful many one ys Ful clerly shynynge in a lusty euen yet thys mankend of ther ruthful mones Ne ther complayntes can they not leuen ¶And thogh y^t god of hys benygnyte Ther prayer here & gladly wold them plese And of hes goodes graunt them gret plente Of ryches & honour fully to ther ese Ther couetys yet / may ther no thynge pese Ther cruel rauen gapeth after more And alway ben complaynynge of desese And set at nofte al that they had before ¶what maner brydel might a man deuyse Thys wrecched lust to rulen & restrayn To thys vnthryfty mennes couetyse That euer y^e more they haue the more they pleyn The thurst of hauynge brenneth them with peyn For he that nedeles so fereful ys And weyleth so / forsoth I dare wel sayn He ys not ryche thogh al the world were hys

Prosa iij. Capitulū v.

Hijs igitur verbis.

Phia loquitur.

¶yf that fortune might for her selfen sayn Ryght in thes wyse as I haue sayd to the Thou hast not what one word to speke a geyn And yf thou haue now say yt vn to me Defend thy quarel (yf thou canst) let see Thou shalt be herd tyl that y^u haue rehersed And yf thou canst not let thy playntes be Vnlaful quarel ought to ben amerced Boecius) Certen {quod} I ful fayre ys thys to hyre Of retoryke al ful / & hony swete

wiche only whyle they souneth in myn ere They lusteth wel / but sone yt ys forgete For my desese so light ys not to lete For al so smartly as your songe ys cessed The gruggynge of my greuance ys so grete That al my mynde with mornynge ys oppressed Phia) Right so yt ys she saed / but yet for that Thys ys no remedy for thy sekenesse But a geyn thy sorwes obstynat A geyn thyn helthe yt ys a manar lesse But when I see that better seson ys Of suche as shal the percen to the rote I shal the serue / & al that ys a mysse Hyt shal redresse & hoelly be thy bote ¶But lest y^t thou thy self a wrecche holde Now wold I wete where y^u remembre not The maner of thy welthes many a folde Boecius) I hold my pees {quod} I saeth on your thoght Phia) when y^u she saed were so low y broght As orphelyn in maner desolate Fortune for the so goodly had y wroght Thou were in cure of men of hye astate ¶And drawen sithe in to affynyte Of prynces & of men of gouernance Ful lefe to lordes / er thou mightest be Ought worth thy self in wordly suffysance And set in hye degre of allyance Ho saed not then that y^u were fully bleste Thy fader in law whom vertu doth avaunce Thy wyf also so goodly & honest ¶Thy sonnes bothe syttynge by thy syde your worshyppe went on euery mannes mouth

And for to lete thes comen thynges slyde what dygnytes thou haddest in thy youthe That to ful olde men ben werned in sothe But I delyte to tellen more expresse Of soleyn thynges stranger & vncouth How thou were wrapped al in welthynesse ¶yf any thynge that mortal ys in kende with eny frute of blysse be founden here Ther may no myschef put out of thy mynde That day y^t whan thy sonnes both in fere Hadden take thastate of consuyler And with a semble fro thy hons y lad Of senatours & lordes that there were withe hugy presse of people blyth & glad ¶And than in court vhen that y^u sawe them sytte In setes belongynge to ther dygnyte Ther wonne y^u Ioy of eloquence & wyt As pronouncer of kynges nobylyte Of al that folke behaldynge vpon the And with thy preysynge as victoryous So wel thou feddest al that comynalte with geftes of thy wordes gloryous ¶Thou feoffedest fortune then with wordes gay whyle she the norshed in her awne delyce And suche guerdon fro her thou bare a way The wiche in sothe was so hye a pryce That neuer before that day at my deuyce She graunted not vn to no comyner wylt thou a counte with fortune / art thou wyse Of a rereage thou shalt not passen clere ¶For now at arst she hathe on the beholde And prynched on the with a bytter ye

But now consyderynge clerely yf y^u wolde The maner of thy welthes by & by Of al thy Ioys leuynge lustely And in that other syde thy heuynesse A counted al / yet mayst thou not denye That thou ne hast yet a part of welthynesse ¶And yf thou hold thy self infortunate Now for asmoche as thes y^t welthes semen Ben passed thus / no cause hast y^u for that That thou in mischef shuld thy selfen demen For thes sorowes y^t trobeleth thus thyn hert And haldest them as for a greuous peyne Ne doute the nought but fro the wyl they stert Then art thou set in welthynesse a geyn ¶And wylt thou trow that y^u the first be That to thys lyf came as a soden gyst Or wylt thou trow y^t any stabylyte In mannes lyf be where vpon to trust Thys knouest thou wel yt ys nothynge vnwyst That in an houre a man ys at an ende Loo al your lyf with deth so ys bet wyst Now here ye ben / & here a way ye wende ¶And yf so be as yt betydeth selde That in fortune ys any faythfulnesse Abydynge with man tyl he the gost vp elde The last day yet of your lyf y wys A maner deth eke vn to fortune ys what fors ys than wher she the forsaketh Fleynge fro the of her vntrustynesse Or thou fro her / when deth a way the taketh

Metrum iij. Capitulū vj.

Cum polo phebus.

Philosophia loquitur

VHen that phebus begynneth for to sprede Her bryght bemes out on euery syde As by the mornynge / the sterres for drede They wexeth pale begynnynge them to hyde Forestes eke that large ben and wyde Ful fresly in the first somer ceson The zephirus ryght as yt were for pryde with floures hath depaynted / yow to plesen ¶And when that auster putteth out hys hornes And bytter blastes gynneth for to blow A bateth than the beutey of the thornes Thus al your lustes passeth in a throw The see also as enery man may know Now may be calme withouten mouone And sodenly er any man wyl trow wyth tempest ys yt torned vp so doune ¶And syth the forme of al thys wordly thynges So selden ys yt that yt standeth stable But chaungeth by so many varyenges And mannes fortune ys so transmutable Than wolt thou trust to goodes deceyuable Thys ys a law withouten chaungementes Ther may no thynge be kendly perdurable That ys engendred of these elementes

Prosa iiij. Capitulū vij.

Tum ego / vera inquam

Boecius loquitur.

¶Than sayd I thus / O worshypful noryshe Alle vertu to feden and susteyne In al my wyt / but yf I were vnwyse I can not wete but sothe ys that ye sayn And of my fortune sothe yt ys certen That wonder smartly hath she me enhaunced

But here vpon yt ys that I complayn That she vndoth wiche y^t she had avaunced ¶For of myshappes to rehersen al Hyt ys the worst / for to ben wel And in to myschef aster to ben fal For thys must shend a very hert of stele Phia) Though y^u {quod} she thus in thy wyttes fele By false conceyte of thyn opynyon The truthe ne agreueth the neuer a dele To wyte yt her / yet hast thou no reson ¶And yf thys Idel name of welthynesse That so vncerten ys / yet moueth the with me now come & thyn a countes gesse Of thynghes wiche as yet) thou hast plenty The wiche y^u haddest euer in most deynte when al in rychesse fortune had the fret How migh thou playn of thy felycyte Sith that thou hast thy best goodes yet ¶yet hoole & sounde the fader of thy wyf He leueth loo / honor & reuerence Of al man kende / wich y^u with thy lyf woldest gladly obey standynge in hys defence Symmachus made of al sapience Al ful of vertu & of honeste Thogh he be suer of any violence As to hym self / yet weyleth he for the Thy wytty wyf so ful of sobernesse So chaste / so honest / & so debonaer In short to conclude al her worthynesse Leke to her fader as hys kendly heyer Ful loth her lyf she ledeth in despaer Only to the she kepeth her careful gost

Thys one thynge ys that may thy welth apayre Thys graunt I wel & do mone yt most ¶And of thy sonnes wiche ben consulers what shal I sayn / but shortly y^t they be In maner prynte & as exemplares Both of ther elder fader & of the And euery mortal thynge as y^u mayst se Vpon thys hath hys princypal besynes Thys lyue to kepe fro al infirmyte And vn to man the derest thynge yt ys ¶And these to the ben derer than thy lyfe I dare yt wel affermen certenly Lo Symmachus / thy sonnes / & thy wyfe Thou hast them yet now lete thy teres dry For yet fortune ys not thyn enemy In al / so ferforthe as thyself faynest Ne yet ys not on the so feruently The tempest fallen as thou the complaynest ¶For vhy good holdyng hath thyn anker hent They ben ful strong & cleueth wonder fast The wiche / thy comfort of thys tyme present Ne hope of better / suffereth not to ben past Boecius) Ow god {quod} I y^u graunt yt y^t they last For vhyle they haldeth how y^t euer yt stand Or how y^t euer thes wicked wyndes wrast Yet in som maner shal we flete a lande ¶But how grete bewty of myne apparel Is fro me gon / yowselfen seyth yt best Phia) I haue {quod} she yf yt may ought a vayle Promoted somwhat y^t thou were in rest But yf so be thou thy selfen tempest Dysplesed with the sort of al thy lyf

How shuld than thy myschef be redrest yf thou wolt alway set thyself in stryf But I ne may not suffer thy delyce Complaynynge with so greuous heuynesse Alway coniectynge so in thy deuyse That somwhat wanteth of thy welthynesse For hoys that y^t leueth in dedlynesse That in hys welthes standeth so ordynat That he ne stryueth alway more or lasse with the qualyte of hys astate ¶Ful anguesous they ben as for y^e nones The kende of wordly welth I sey / for vhy For other they cometh not al at ones Or they ne standeth neuer stabelly For thes hath ryches loo habundantly Hym shameth that hys lynage ys so lowe And thes loo ys renouned nobelly Yet had he leuer for pouerte ben vnknowe ¶Another hath both renoune & ryches He hath no wyf wherfore he ys dysplesed Thes hath a wyf that to hym lusty ys Defaute of yssue maketh hym be desesed He note ho with hys goodes shal be sesed And thes hath yssue to hys lust perchaunce yet haply of ther vyce he ys vnesed And weyleth of ther wicked gouernance ¶wherfore in sothe ther ys no wight y^t can with proper fortune hold hemself a paed For why som thynge ys feled of euery man That none knoweth but he that hath assaed And he that knoueth he ys therof a frayed Set thys therto y^e euery welful wight

Ful tender ys to suffer & mysapayed Yf al thynge fal not to hys wyl a ryght ¶And he that wordly ys most fortunate And set most hyely in prosperyte Ful lytel thynge hys blysse may abate That ys not vsed in aduersyte How many trouest y^u in thys world ther be yf that they had y^e lest blysse of. vij. That I can tel of thy felicyte They wold supposen that they were in heuen ¶Thys place of exyle as y^u hast yt named Good contre ys to them that in yt ben And neuer the wors thogh yt of y^e be blamed Thou art no wrecche but thou thyself yt wene Thogh fantasy haue brought y^e thus in tene And euery fortune ther a geyn ys good Ho so can in pacience hymself demene And suffer softly with an esy mode ¶Now tel me thus what wilful man ys that That stondeth in blysse as he can deuyse That somtyme nold changen hys astate whan pacience ys put out of seruyse what trobel with your welthes many a wyse Is menged / yf ye coude yt haue in mynde Thogh they be swete to suche as them vse They wyl not be with hold when they wende ¶Than may ye seyn by open euydence The myschef of these mortal thynges thus They standeth not thogh thou haue pacience Ne lusteth not in al thy anguysous O foly / vnwyt / so erroneus Of mortal folke sekynge themselfe withoute

your welthynesse & hyt so plentuous Is set withyn yourself withouten doute ¶I shal the shewe of thy felycyte A soueren poynte / entend what I shal say Is any thynge so dere worth vn to the As ys thyself thou wolt aunswere me nay yf thou be hole thyn awne conclude I may Thou haste that thou ne woldest forlete The wiche fortune may not bereuen a way Tyl thou thyself yt wylfully forfete ¶And that thou know y^t thynges temporel May not be suche wherin thou shuldest fynde Thy blysfulnesse / now vnderstand me wel And take thes wordes hoelly to thy mynde Sith blysfulnesse ys souerayn good of kynde Hose lyf ys reson & intellygence And souerayn good ys thynge y^t hath no ende Ne may beraft the by no vyolence ¶Than vpon thys I may conclude & seyn That thes fortunes mutabilyte To blesfulnesse may no thynge atteyne Ne ys not had by suche vnstabylyte And wham so that thys false felicyte Thus carieth forth / he wote or wote yt not How false she ys & alway hath y be Thys diuision ys immedyat ¶yf he ne wote hyt not he ys deceyued what blysse may be than in thys ignorance And yf so be he hath wel a perceyued The maner of her kyndly varyance He dredeth than with ful grete greuance To lese that thynge y^t lyghtly may be gon

So that thys drede with longe continuance withdraweth hys blysse wiche y^t he trust vpon ¶Other yf yt be so that he lese hys blysse He weneth to stande in repreffe & in scorn And no dout ful lytel good yt ys whos loste with esey hert may be born And thou art he to vhom that here be forn Hyt hathe be shewed by demonstration That mannes soule ne may not be forlorn As thynge that turneth to corruption ¶And clere yt ys that al thys wordly wele As fro yow men with deth a way shal wende•• Than may yt not be douted neuer a dele But sothe yt ys by reson & by kende yf wordly blysse shuld be your fynal ende And very forme of al your welthynesse Than euery creature of mortal kende with deth muste tornen in to wrecchednesse ¶But we haue wyst of many one here be fore To seke the frute of blysse in ther entent That haueth yt bought ful bytterly & sore By deth / by dolour / by paynes & torment How myght yt be then that thys lyffe present with any lustes / might yow welful make Syth yt ys so that vhen thys lyffe ys went They be no wrecches wiche hyt hath forsake

Metrum iiij. Capitulū viij.

Quisquis volet

Phia loquitur.

HO so that lust to byld hemself a sete That shuld be mighty / sure / & {per}durable That bytter Eurus brese yt nought ne bete Ne fers floddes make yt not meueable

The hye hylles be not profytable And moystey sandes must he nedes exchew For on the mounteyn may no thynge be stable Nether in sande no thynge be trwe ¶For vhy / the south wynd bloweth sore a lofte That on the monteyn may no thynge be sure And sandes that so lose ben & softe An heuy borden may they not endnre To fle therfore thys perylous aduenture A syker sete to set thy self a pone Take thys in mynde & do therto thy cure To byld a law howse on a syker stone ¶That ys to sayn y^t thou shalt set al thy mynde Vpon that blysse that euer shal a byde And thogh so fal that the woode wynde Torne vp & downe the see on euery syde In very rest / thou mayst thy selfen hyde As in thy castel ful of blesfulnesse In lusty age then shal the wel be tyde And set at nought thys wordly wrecchednesse

Prosa v. Capitulū ix

Sed quoniā rationum.

Phia loquitur.

BVt for asmoche as I haue don thys By my reson descendynge in to the To vsen now (I trow that tyme ys) Some medycyne that more mighty be Now vnderstande / al were yt so parde That goodes wiche y^t fortune hath bestowen Shuld standen euer in perdurabelte How might thou euer accōpte them for thy awne ¶And thes same that ye acompte them best yf that they were consydred as they ought

Ful foule they sholden seme & dyshoneste And ben a compted for a thynge of nought Now of ryches how semeth in thy thought why ben they good / vhether of ther proper kynde Or for they ben in to your ward y brought And shuld ben good tyl y^t they fro yow wende ¶What ys yt. / gold wiche that ye cal ryches Or money gadred in your tresory But these sheweth more ther worthynesse In puttynge out / then kepynge pryuely For auarous men ben hated comenly And euery wight wyl haue them in dysdeyn And tho that wyl dyspenden largly They shal haue loue & worshyp ther a geyn ¶And thys good that y^u dyspendest thus when yt ys spent a bydeth not with the Than ys thy money only precyous when thou yt hast pnt a way fro the Than in dyspendynge lyeth the precyouste Of your tresour & not in hepes grete Hyt stent yow neuer at no comodyte Ne auayleth no thynge tyl yt be forlete ¶And what yf al the gold that al men han As hyt ys now in dystribution were assembled in an hepe / and than One man hyt had in hys possession Thys gold then by thys supposition Al other men muste nedy make & bare And one man ryche thys ys no question Beleuynge after al the world in care ¶A voyce vniuersal (I may conclude) At ones may without apeyrement

Fulfylle the yeres of a multytude your ryches ys not so suffycyant For tyl they be departed & y spent To many men ne may they not be taken And thes men fro whom they ben y went They leue thē poure whē they haue thē forsaken ¶O streyte & poure that ryches may I cal wyche al men ne may not haue at ones Ne one haue al / but yf that other al For pouerte & for nede make ther mones And eke I meruel that thes precyous stonys That ye be haldeth them so lustely And fayneth bewty in thynges where none ys And ther hyt ys ye can hyt not a spy ¶And what thynge ys hyt? brightnesse of colour why that thys perry semeth yow so fayre Thys wete ye wel the bryghtnesse ys not your Ne nought of yow / but only hyt ys ther As by a lyght reboundynge in the ayer And moche I meruel vhy ye wonder so On thynges that may be a mende ne payre Your kendly good by noght that they may do ¶what thynge ys that y^t lacketh lyffe & lyght what may be lekened to a creature That bereth lyffe / & reson hath ther wyth That shuld be demed fayre as by nature And thogh they drawe a bewty in fygure Of hym that made hyt / yet in your presence They may not worthy ben in no mesure To be merueled of your excellence ¶And where thes feldes that ben fayre & grene So ful of floures delyteth ought your syght

Boeci{us}) why shuld they not sayd I sith y^t they ben A fayre part of y^e worke of god al myght For so som tymes when the see ys bryght we wonder moche / & when the heuen ys clere Vpon the mone & sterres in the nyght And on the sonne that shyneth a monge ous here Phia) ¶But apperteyneh {quod} she ought to the Mayst thou that bewty in thy selfen fynde Darst thou reioycen that they in the be As thynge subiected in thy propre kynde Art thou depaynted semeth in thy mynde with floures of the fyrst somer seson Or art thou as a tre wyth rote & rynde Mayst thou noryshe frutes? trouest y^u thys by reson ¶And vherfore art thou rauesshed so in veyn As thogh thes goodes shuld be thyn awne The wyche fro the ben vtterly foreyn And wonder fer as euery man may knowen For vhy fortune (thou mayst hyt fully trowen Ne may not make them thyn for to ben The wych nature hathe elles vhere bestowen And vtterly made fro the alyen ¶For vhy the frute y^t doth on erthe encrecen Deserueth vn to bestes sustynance And lytel thynge your nede may a cessen So that nature haue her suffysance why shuldest y^u then desyre abundance And aske of fortune superfluyte Syth that nature may haue her plesance wyth lytel thynge in pryse & quantyte ¶And yf thou wolt her suffysance oppresse wyth superfluyte surfetously

Other hyt wyl the brynge in heuynesse Other elles the a noyen greuously But of thys one thynge certen meruyl I That thou woldest semen fayre & gloryous As for to ben clothed ryally In dyuers shappe & colour precyous ¶For yf in clothes any bewty be wher by the syght ys fayre & aggreable That apperteyneth no thynge vn to the But that mater hald I meruylable Other the wyt of hym ys commendable That made thys thynge thys may be cause of wond But that y^u shuldest therfore be honorable As in your kend / ye ben ful fer a sounder ¶Or for to walken wyth a hugy route And of mayne to be copyous May make the blysful / nay wythouten doute For I suppose that they ben vycyous They ben a greuous charge vn to thy house And may be cause of thy destruction And what yf they be good & vertuous And very honest of condytion ¶why shuld ther vertue other honeste Be accompted as parte of thy ryches Or wherfore shuldest thou commended be Or haue a thanke of foreyn worthynesse Loo in al thes rehersed here expresse The wyche as thou acomptest in thy thoght As for thy goodes clerely as I gesse I haue the shewed that thyn be they nought ¶In wych thynges as I haue sayd beforn yf thou no lusty bewty canst fynde

why soroest thou y^t thou them hast forloren Or of the hauynge enIoyest in thy mynde yf they be fayre as of ther awne kynde what may that apperteyn vn to the For had they ben fro the wythouten ende Also fayre & lusty had they be ¶For no doute they be not precyous For thou them hast & kepest besely But for they semed the delycyous Thou them accompest in thy tresory what craue ye then wyth so gret a cry That ye on fortune calleth thus alwey wyth abundance in sothe / as suppose I ye seketh for to dryven nede a way ¶But yet the contrary to your entent doth fal For yow nedeth helpe (not lytel) to maynteyn And for to kepe your precyous thynges al Lest so be fal that ye hyt lese a geyn So moche the more your labour ys in vayn That ye must lyue in heuynesse & drede And thys ys soth also that I shal sayn Ho so myche hath / of moche thynge hath nede ¶And lytel thynge hym nedeth certenly That can hys plenty mesure on thys wyse Ryght euen as nature nedeth kendly And not vn to the lust of couetyce Ne can yow not your selfen better aduyse To se what good ys set your self wythyn But nedes wyl ye seken & deuyse In strange thynges your goodes for to wynne ¶And thus of thynges that shuld be worthyest The ordre ys peruerted vp so downe

The wyche ys called a dyuyne best By kendly myght & meret of reson Ne can not knowen hys awne condytion Nor se the meret of hys excellence But by the desyre of vayn possessyon Trusteth wordly ryches to be hys defence ¶Al other bestes haldeth them self a payed Of bewty that wythyn them self ys But ye men the wyche as I haue sayd your god hath set yow in suche a worthynesse That in your soules ye bereth hys lekenesse And be in kende so nobel a creature ye seketh here by fylthe & wrecchednesse To enblemesshe your excellent nature ye vnderstande not ne wyl not se what wronge ye do vn to your creatour Syth he man kynd hath set in thys degre Al erthly thynges to excede in vaylour ye do your dygnyte grete dyshonour To thrast hyt vnder most vnworthy thynges Ryght as hyt were a lord & gouernour wold make hym subiecte to hys vnderlynges ¶For yf ye shuld haue thys entention That al thynge wyche ys had of euery wyght Shuld more be set of reputation Than he that hath or aweth hyt by ryght ye do your self shame & grete vnhyght So foule thynges / syth ye deme them youres Submyttynge yow as in your awne syght To thynges wher of ye ben the possessours ¶At your desert thys falleth verament The kynde of man loo standeth in thys degre

That only than he ys most excellent when that he knoweth hys awne dygnyte And ther a geyn eftsones when that he Ne can not knowe hys awne worthynesse He ys be nethen bestyalyte And vndercast to al wrecchednesse ¶A rude best hys nature vseth thus To may not knowe hemselfen kyndly In man hyt ys ful foule & vycyous Hys nature to forleten folely And thus your errour sheweth openly Ther ye supposeth that such accydentes your kende that ys so worthy & so hy Shold make fayre by foreyn ornamentes ¶Hyt may not be that reson hath forfended For yf suche accydentes be fayre & gay Thes accydentes ought to be commended But that couered thynge hyt ys no nay In hys fylthe a bydeth styl al way And I denye & vtterly dyspreue That any thynge ys good / that harmen may Or ought the hauer noyen or a greue ¶Now ys thys soth in certen as I gesse Thou wolt hyt say / I gabbe not of thys For ofte hyt falleth that tresour & ryches Maketh her lordes for to fare a mysse Syth euery wrecched foule that cursed ys Suche gold & tresour vhos that euer hyt be He wyl coueyte & wyl that hyt were hys And therfore put hys lyffe in Ieparde ¶And only them he holdeth worthyest That of suche gold & tresour haueth y now

For vhy he besyeth hym wyth outen rest To haue that good ne recketh he not how But thou that leuest in suche a drede now As though y^u shuldest wyth swerd or spere be stonge Haddest y^u ben poure hyt had ben for thy prow Be fore the theffe thou mayst haue gon & songe ¶Oh / wonder clere ys thys felycyte Of mortal thynge & worthy to be softe That reueth a man of hys tranquyllyte And maketh hym destrobled in hys thoght I note how dere that blysse may be boght A man to wynne suche a welfulnesse Thou art in pees the vhyle thou hast hyt noght when thou hyt hast thou lesest thy sykernesse

Metrū. v. Capitulū x.

Felix nimiū prior etas.

Phia loquitur.

¶Ful wonder blysful was that rather age what tyme y^t men couth halde them self a payd To fede them self wyth out suche outrage Wyth mete that trew feldes had a rayd Wyth akernes ther hunger was a layd And so they couth cessen ther talent They had as yet no quenty craft assayd As clarrey for to make / ne pyment ¶To dye purper couthe they not bethynke The whyte flees wyth venem tyryen The rennynge ryuer gaue them lusty drynke And holsom slepe they toke vpon the grene The Pynus that so ful of branches ben That was ther hous to kepe them vnder shade The see to kerue no shyppes were ther seyn Ther was no man that marchaundyse made

¶Them leked not to saylen vp & downe But kept them self ther they were bred Tho was ful husche the cruel claryoune wyth eyger hate ther was no blod y shed Ne ther wyth was none armour yet be bled For in that tyme ho durst haue ben so wood Suche bytter wondes y^t he wold not dred wythouten mede for to lese hys blood ¶I wold our tyme myght tornen certenly And thes maners alway wyth ous dwel But loue of hauynge brenneth feruently More ferser than the very fyre of hel Allas ho was that man y^t wold hym mel Thys gold & gemmes y^t were couered thus That fyrst began to myne I can not tel But that he found a perel precyous

Prosa. vj. Capitulū .xj.

Quid autē de dignitati{bus}

Phia loquitur.

¶But furdermore what shal I tel or sayn Of hye power or elles of dygnyte The wyche ye magnyfyeth so in vayn As thogh they shold as hye as heuens be Rygh as a thynge of hye felycyte And folely ye fayleth al a mysse Ne can ye not wythyn your wyttes se where that very dygnyte & power ys ¶And yf hyt so be that a wrecched wyght As often hath hyt fallen hyre before In hye astate or dygnyte be dyght How fers a flod may harmen yow so sore The fyre of Ethna may not harmen more That blasteth out & brenneth euery syde

Suche a wreche had better ben vn bore Than suche astates shuld to hym betyde ¶And certes thou remembreste as I gesse Of the consulers dygnyte That was the hyeste astate of worthynesse In the begynnynge of your lyberte They were so ful of pryde & cruelte wherfore your elders wold hyt haue remeued And for the same cause fro your cyte The name of kynge was voyded & repryued ¶And yf so be that good men be reysed To hye astate as selden ys that chaunce Ho ys therfore of reson to be preysed Not that astate / but ther good gouernance So than in vertu lyeth the suffysance wher by that honour cometh to dygnyte And dygnyte not by contraryance Maketh not vertu worshypful to be ¶Thys power wich y^t ys so sore y softe So dere worthe & so clere in your entente what thynge ys hyt / & vhy behald ye nofte To wiche thynges ye ben presydent And vher vpon your power ys extent what yf thou sawe a wrecched mouse a lone To cleymen power or gouernment Of other myse / thou woldest laught sone ¶And yf thou woldest behalden in thy mynde what ys the mortal body of a wight A freyler thynge ne shalt thou none fynde That lesse hath of power or of might How sone yt may beflayed or a fryght Or ded by bytynge of a lytel flye

Or by some worme that crepen may in ryght withyn a mannes body preuely ¶And ho ys he y^t may do strength or fors Or vsen might or power / say me thys But only on a corruptyble cors Right of the same kende / that ys hys Other on thynge / that more vnworthy ys As on fortune / or vhose might may attayne By hye astate / power ••or worthynesse A fre corage to arteyn or constrayn ¶Stedfast that hath hemself in rest And knetteh hymself in reson euery dele Mayst thou hys pece beryue out of hys brest vn to thy wyl hys purpose to compelle Of suche a man (zeno) as some tyme yt be felle A tyrant wold haue arted hym by peynes A certen counsel to be wrey and telle The wiche y^t was conspyred hym a geynes But then thys man bote of hys tonges ende And in hys face hyt spete / so that he Thys torment wiche thys same tyrant wende To haue ben mater of hys cruelte Thys wyse mau to shew hys lyberte Of fre corage that may not be constrayned He made yt cause of vertu for to be And set at nought how sore y^t he were peyned ¶And what ys that of auger or of grame wherwith a man a nother may oppresse That he ne may susteyne of hym the same yf afterwarde suche aduenture encresse As we haue lerned that Busirides Hys awne gestes often had slayn

Aud afterward hemself of Hercules That was hys geste: was don to deth a geyn ¶And Regulus ful many one in batel Of men of affryke / as thou hast yt rad Had taken vhen he had gouernayle And cast them in to bondes sore & sad And afterward in maner was he glad For fere of payn to put forth hys handes To tho that first of hym were sore a drad Than was he fetred in the same bondes ¶And woldest y^u setten by a mannes might That may not lette the same thynge be wrought vn to hym selfen of the same wight The wiche he hathe in to desese y brought And yf so were as semeth in thy thought yf hye astate might kendly conteyn Any proper good / I ne doute yt nought To wicked folke ne shuld yt nener atteyn ¶Contrarious thynges y^t maner hath not vsed As for to ben coniuned & y met For euer yet nature hyt hath refused And syth y^t often wycked men ben set In hye astate as yt wyl not be let Than seweth thys that no good kendly Hath that astate y^t suffereth to be knet To suche that ledeth ther lyues wyckedly ¶And loo the same I may wel deme of al Fortunes goodes be they more or lesse That most abundantly be wont to falle To wycked people ful of cursednesse For of al thes I may suppose & gesse That ho so hathe strength a myghty man he ys

And in wham may be founden grete swyftnesse That man ys swyft / so most yt nedes be ¶Thus musyke maketh a musytion And phisyke a physition to be Thus rethoryke maketh a retoryen The kende of euery thynge (we may wel se Most nedes induce hys kendly properte Ne suffereth not to be cōiuned to None effectes of contraryouste But al aduerse thynges putteth hym fro But loo your wordly ryches hath not that For to restrayne your cursed auaryce Neyther the power of none hye astate May make hym stronge that ys bound in vyce That ledeth hys lyffe in lustes & delyce Ne dygnyte in shreued folke bestaued Maketh not them the worthyer of pryce But rather maketh them vnthryfty to be knowed ¶And vhy ys thys? in soth for ye delyten And reioycen in your fantasy False names on thynges to conterfeten Al other / than becometh them kendly For vhy / the effectes preueth openly That dygnyte / that power / that rychesse Ther names bereth al vn properly As I haue shewed / yt sueth euen expresse ¶And too thys same I may concluden wel Of al fortunes thynges (as semeth me) In wich ther ys no bounte naturel Ne cause vhy they shuld desyred be For selde yt ys as euery man may se They Ioyneth them to good & vertuous 〈15 pages missing〉〈15 pages missing〉

Notes

• * 1.1

  Erinus ys a ryuer that somtyme renneth one vvay / somtyme a nother so that she vseth no redy cours / ne certen in to nether partey. So fareth fortune byche indifferently and vncertenly geueth both mischeffe and prosperite.