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

Liber Quartus. (Book 4)

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〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉 But tho that haueth myght to worken ylle They may not worken al that ys ther wyl ¶Then ys hyt playn & clere y noo to seyn Thes wycked men that wyckedlych may Ful lesse of power & of myght they ben Set thys ther to that I shal after say Syth myght ys suche a thyng the wyche alway Ought to be coueted & desyred And euery thyng that ys to be requyred ¶To good hyt must be referred nede As to the souereyn hed & pryncypal But power for to worken wrecchedhed To good may not referred ben at al Hyt ys noght then / that be desyred shal But power shal desyred be by ryght Than power of the wycked ys no myght ¶Loo of al thys hyt wyl apperen wel That myghty ben the good folke a lone And wycked folke be myghty neuer a dele But weke & myghtles ben they euerychone The sentence than may be perceued sone where that Plato wryteth in thys wyse Do that them leketh only may the wyse ¶For wycked men do workes that them lust But ther desyre they may not yet fulfylle what them delyteth that them semeth best For why they do hyt be hyt neuer so yl To ther desyre yet may they not a tylle The wyche they seke in lustes & delytes For blysfulnesse may not be had by vyce

Metrum ij. Capitulū iiij.

Quos vides sedere celsos.

Phia loquitur.

THes grete kynges ful of cruelte Shynyng in ther purpur ryally Syttyng in the heythes of ther see wythe wylde wordes thretyng cruelly wyth blastyng woodnesse of ther hertes hye wythe moche wrecched wepyng by ther syde Ho so wold fro thes prynces ful of pryde ¶Spoyle them of ther wrecched vayn a ray Behald & se wel what they be wythyn Thogh they be lordes wonder stout & gay In streyt cheynes ben they bound of synne Fro wyche they may not them selfen wynne Thes loo ledeth hys lyffe in lechery That al the world hym speketh velony ¶So ys he trobled by thys passyon wythe wreth hys mynde ys beten & oppressed Or heuynesse draeth hym a downe Or slyper hope hym elles hathe destressed Loo suche an hed I trou ys euel y blessed That ys encombred wyth so moche vyce Hys myght ys to be set at lytel pryce

Prosa iij. Capitulum v.

Vides ne igitur.

Phia loquitur.

ANd seyst thou not the foule vycyous what fylth thē hath defyled & vnhyght And the good folke & vertuous How worthely they shyne fayr & bryght Of thys hyt may apperen to thy syght That the wycked folke fayleth neuer of peyn Ne the good folke ther mede there a geyn ¶That same thynge that meueth any wyght For to don or worken any dede

That same thyng I may hyt seyn by ryght Loo of that worke hyt ys the very mede Thys shal I preue yf thou wolt taken hyde For rennyng lyeth a garland for the game And he that renneth best shal haue the same ¶But souereyn good ys very blysfulnesse And ys the very ground & cause why That any maner worke purposed ys As for to speke of purpose kendly Than ys thys good purposed comenly For mannes worke a mede for hys traueyle Fro good men thys mede may not fayle ¶Ho so lacketh good as semeth in my thoght Be called good of ryght yet may not he The good then of mede fayleth noght Syth ther mede ys verely bounte Thogh wycked folke be wood in cruelte And vseth al the malyce that they mowen yet the wyse man leseth not hys crowen ¶For why ther ys no foreyn wyckednesse Of men that ben so perylous & proute That may beryue the kendly worthynesse That longeth to the good / hyt ys no doute But yf they had hyt wonnen of wythoute A nother then myght hyt take a way Or he that gaue that good / hyt ys no nay ¶But syth the goodnesse of a worthy wyght Of good maners must be caused nede when he forleteth them / then ys hyt ryght That he shold be despoyled of hys mede But fynally in thys mater to procede Syth al medes that desyred ben

Hyt ys for they ben good / or as they wene ¶Of hym that hath thys good ho wyl hyt seyn That he thys mede lacketh vtterly None that reson hathe I am certeyn But what thynge ys thys mede verely The best thyng & fayrest sekerly That may be had or hert may deuyse Thys ys hyt that ys desposed for the wyse ¶A Corrolary hye & precyous That I the gaue whyler remembre the wyche al in summe thou shalt assemble thus Loo syth that god ys thys felycyte wyche that maketh blysful for to be Al tho that good workes vsen And wrecched vyce wyl vtterly refusen ¶And tho that blysful ben thou vnderstond In a maner goddes that they were Than ys thys gyft the mede of al good That no day may consume in no maner Ne dymynuce hyt may no power Ne dymmen hyt no other mannes vyce Thogh wycked folke hyt wold of ther malyce ¶Syth hyt ys so hyt ys wythouten drede The wycked may not be wythouten peyn For syth that euel & good / loo peyn & mede Contraryous ben / then ys hyt clere & pleyn Syth good ys sure of mede in ful certeyn The bad ys sure of peynes & of woe yf one be sothe the other must also ¶Then ys the goodnesse of the good wyght The reward & the mede of hys goodnesse And to the wycked by the same ryght

Ther peyn ys eke ther propre wyckednesse what euer he be / than sueth hyt expresse That wyth suche peynes ys he desesed ofte wyth euel he ys infecte hyt fayleth noght ¶For yf the wycked wold them selfen seyn Myght they trowen as hyt semeth the That they wythouten bytter peynes ben whom loo the vttermest extremyte Of al wyckednesse & cruelte Not only hath infected greuously But eke hym hath infected hugely ¶But now behald that other part vpon yf any peynes haue the good a greued Hast y^u not lerned / that al that euer ys one Is good also / as I haue hyt descryued Loo consequently than hyt may be preued As semeth wel that euery thynge that ys Hyt must also be good hyt ys no mysse ¶I may concluden than that al tho That fayleth fro thys good rehersed here He fayleth then for to ben also The wycked then they be not that they were For thoh thou se that mannes body there Ful sothe hyt ys a man he was beforn By wyckednesse hys kende he hathe forlorn ¶But syth that only vertu & goodnesse A bouen manhode may a man a reyse Nedes than ho so vseth wyckednesse Benethen manhode doune hyt doth hym peyse And tho so be that many one them preyse whom that y^u seyst transformed in to vyce Thou holdest hym not a man yf thou be wyse

¶whos lustes brenneth al in couetyce And ryueth men ther good by vyolence I leke a wolf thou myght hym wel deuyse He that ys fers & spareth none offence And what he sayth he hath no consciens To make stryffes & dyssention He ys an hounde as by comparyson ¶And he that wyl a wayten preuely Foreyn goodes how he may beryuen A foxe thou myght hym callen skylefully And whom that cursed Ire doth a meuen A lyon as in that thou myght hym preuen He that ys fered & fleeth wythouten nede An hert thou myght hym calle hyt ys no drede ¶And he that vseth slouth & I delnesse And wyl not do no workes profytable Thou myght hym calle a very asse expresse And he that ys inconstant & vnstable To fowles myght thou hald hym comparable And he that ledeth hys lyffe in lechory Aswyne thou myght hym callen skylefully ¶Hyt semeth than that he y^t hathe forlete The lyffe of vertu & of honeste To ben a man in that he hathe forfete And skylefully forlorn that dygnyte And ther he myght a god in maner be Or leke to god in leuyng at lest Now ys he chaunged to a rude best

Metrū iij. Capitulum vj:

Vela Naricii ducis.

Phia loquitur.

¶The southwest wynd y^t bloweth boustesly The sayles of the Duke Naricius 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

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But of that we haue graunted here before As necessary must hyt suen nede Boe{us}) I asked what phia) {quod} she now take good hede More welful ben y^e wycked in ther peyn Than yf they sholden none at al susteyn ¶But thys ys not my conceyt pryncypally That comenly men haue in ther deuyse That wycked folke so peyned ryghtuously Ther by they ben corrected of ther vyce And drede of peyn a peseth ther malyce And that exsample vn to other mo whythdraeth them fro that they wolden do ¶But in a nother maner wyse I mene That bad folke wythoute punytion More vnwelful sykerly they ben Than yf they suffered none affliction Not hauyng regard to correction Ne to exsample / ne to drede of peyn That moche myschef often dothe refrayn ¶Boectus) {quod} I what maner wyse may thys be Other than ye tolden here before Phia) Loo haue not we confessed here {quod} she That good men ben welful euermore And wycked folke ben wrecches & forlore Boe{us}) ryght so {quod} I phia) {quod} she now say me thyg What yf that vn to suche a wrecchednesse ¶Yf any part of good were added to were not he then more welful wylt thou say Than he that standeth al in myschef so Fro whom al maner good ys raft a way Boecius) {quod} I Hyt semeth so hyt ys no nay Phia) And what {quod} she yf to thys wrecched man

Fro whom al maner goodes lacketh than ¶Another harme were Ioyned & y knet Aboue the myscheffe wyche hathe hym oppressed woldest y^u not deme hym more vnwelful yet Than of hys myschef somwhat were relesed And so by perceyuyng of good repressed Boecius) {quod} I How sholde hyt other wyse be Phia) Than haue the wycked certenly {quod} she ¶Somwhat of good when y^t they ben in peyn Annexed then vn to hys wrecchednesse when they ben punysshed so / that ys to seyn The same peyn that for ther wyckednesse They suffre / wyche be cause of ryghtuosnesse wher by that peyn ys geue hyt ys no nay That self peyn ys good I dare wel say ¶And when that they ben spared of torment Of thys yuel then haue they somwhat more That ys the fauour of vnpunysment Of ryghtuous peynes that they ben forbore The wyche as thou hast graunted here before Syth peyn ys dwe rewarde of felony Vnpunysment ys euel sykerly Boecius) I may not thys denyen thogh I wolde Phia) The wicked thē vnpunyshed so with wrōg So more vnsely ben they many a folde Then when by ryghtuous dome they vnderfong Vengeance for ther synne & soroes strong Syth ryghtuousnesse tormenteth trespasours Than ys hyt wrong to sparen surfetours ¶Boe{us}) Denyen thys {quod} I ther may no wyght Phia) May any man {quod} she denyen thys That al ys good that euer ys don by ryght

And al that euer ys wrong ys wyckednesse Boecins) And thys {quod} I ys consequent y wysse To that ye houe concluded loo whyle ere But now I pray yow one thyng say me hyre ¶When that the body resolued ys by deth Shal the soule suffern any peyn Phia) when y^t the soule out of the body geth Ful hugy {quod} she / take hyt in certeyn For somme ful bytter peynes shal susteyn And somme shal be purged al wyth grace To treten here of thys / we haue no place ¶But I haue vn to thys that ys in me Ful don my deuer that thou shuldest knowen The myght of shrewes / wyche as semeth the In them ys ful vnworthely bestowen Hyt ys no power verely to trowen And there as thou complaynest in thy thoght That wycked folkes ben y punysshed noght ¶Ther myght y^u seyn the wycked for ther synne To faylen neuer of peynes sykerly But that they may ther wycked purpose wynne wythe lycence for to worken wyckedly Thou dyst pray to ben ended hastely And I haue made the clerely for to know That hyt ne lesteth but a lytel throw ¶And that the lenger that endureth tho The more wrecches ben they I the tolde And yf they shulden euer endure so Than were they wrecches more a thousand folde And more wrecches eke y^u myght them holde when they wyth wrong of peynes ben relesed Thē whē they be wyth ryghtuous peyn oppressed

¶And ouer thys yet shal I furder sayn Loo of thys sentence sueth consequent Than ar the bad in most despytous payn Whan that they seme they haue no punysment Boe{us}) I seyd than / when I wyth hole entent Behald your resons how ye doth them preue No thyng ys sother sayd as I beleue ¶But to the Iugement of mannes wyt That ys not meued by suche euydence Ho ys that man that wyl beleuen hyt Or deme hyt worthy any audyence They troweth no thyng but experyence Phia) As thou hast seyd {quod} she ryght so hyt ys For yees that ben vsed to derknesse ¶The lyght of treuthe may they not behold As foules that ben wont to fle by nyght For to be seyn a day they be not bolde For why the day ys blyndyng to ther syght But nyghtes derknesse maketh ther yees bryght So men infect wyth lustes & lekynges Haue no regard to the ordynance of thynges ¶For they supposeth that suche sufferance Or vnpunyshment of cursedhede Shold a man to welfulnesse avaunce But in the law eternal mayst thou rede yf thou do wel thou hast no maner nede To aske a Iuge for thy recompence For thou hast set thy self in excellence ¶And yf thou haue thy selfen wyllyngly Enclyned vn to synne & wrecchednesse To seke no vengeour of thy felony wythout thyself hyt nedeth not y wysse

For thou hast set thy self in wyckednesse And made the leke vn to a rude best And put the in peynes that euer shal lest Ryght as thou woldest cast thy syght a boute Now to grounde & now to heuen lyght Al other causes cessyng of wythoute Be cause of thyne vnstablenesse of syght Now woldest thou seme wyth the sterres bryght And now ryght in thys moddy ground to be But comen people thys can they not se ¶Boe{us}) I asked than what thys shold mene Phia) Shulde we {quod} she consenten vn to thes wyche we haue shewed that leke to bestes ben yf one of them wyche y^t the lust deuyse Loo had forlorn hys syght in any wyse Al vtterly / & also furdermore Had al forgete that euer he saw be fore ¶And weneth hym want no thynge vtterly Of mannes natural perfection Now we that thys behaldeth verely Shulde we acorde to ther entention And not beleue our awne inspection Shuld we not troue that suche men ben blynde And wel the blynder for ther mased mynde ¶And thynges that as lekely may be preued By resons of as myghty foundement Of suche folke they may not be beleued That suche wycked men & vyolent when they desese a symple Innocent lWel more vnsely ben they in the dede Than tho that suffereth al ther wrangfulhede Boe{us}) Tho resons sayd I wold I heren fayn

Phia) Euery wycked shrewde man {quod} she wylt thou denye hym worthe care & peyn Boecius) Nay {quod} I that haue ye not of me Phia) Then more vnsely must they nedes be Suche that ledeth ther lyffes cursedly Boecius) Ryght as ye sayn ryght so hyt ys {quod} I ¶Phia) And tho {quod} she y^t worthy ben torment wylt thou not deme them wrecches in that case Boecius) yes {quod} I hyt ys ful conuenyent Phia) {quod} she yf thou sholdest. Iugen in thys place And myghtest do vengeance or elles grace whom woldest y^u demen worthy to be honge whether hym y^t dothe or hym that suffereth wrōge ¶Boe{us}) To hym {quod} I y^t had the wronges don I wold a Iugen suffysance of peyn The pacyent so shold be a venged sone That he shold haue no mater to complayn Phia) More wrecched ys y^e worcher wylt y^u sayn {quod} she than he that soffereth euery dele Boe{us}) In sothe {quod} I ryght so hyt sueth wel ¶Phia) Of thes causes & of other mo That of the self rote suyngly Enforced ben / hyt wyl apperen loo That the fylthe of synnes kendly Ryght of the self synnes proprely Tho men they maketh wrecches for to be That vseth vyces & dyshoneste ¶The wrong also ys not the wrecchednesse Of hym that suffereth harmes & greuance But in sothe the wrecchednesse ys hys That wrongusly hathe don hym a noyance But pledours don in thys contraryance

That so the Iuges vnto mercy meuen A genst them y^t wronges doth agreuen ¶For sykerly y^e pyte longeth more To hem that hath vnthryftyfully wrought And as the seke a leche ys led before So shold he be before y^e Iuge y broght Of pyteous accusours and wroth noght That wyth y^e peyn as wyth a sotel gynne Cowde cutte a wey the malady of synne ¶And thus the besynes of aduocates Schuld be forleten & men schuld hyt refusen Or yf they wold approuen men algates Al other wyse they schuld there offyce vsen And tho y^t so mysdone alwey accusen And yf these wrecches also furthermore Mygth sene the vertu y^t they haue forlore ¶Sith that boūte wyth peynes may be had And fylthe of vyce ben vtterly fordone To suffre peynes schuld he be ful glad Ne peynes sothly schuld he hold them none Hys aduocates forsaken shuld he sone And to the Iuge he shuld hem selfe be take That myght hem hole of al hys synnes make ¶Than ys hit so y^t as a genst the wyse Is left no place of hate hyt ys ful soth Hoo wyl the good haten or despyte But a fole y^t wote not what he doth And thogh y^e badde be to the ful loth To haten hem yet haue ye no reson But rather haue of them compassion ¶for as sekenesse y^e body doth greuance Rygth so ys vyce a maner malady

The wyche the soule oppresseth wyth noyance And as we sholde not demen skylefully Hym worthy hate that seke ys bodely But rwen rather on hys peynes sore Then goostly languor shold ous meuen more ¶Hyt ys not conuenyent to haten ne persue The soules that oppressed ben wyth vyce But rather on ther bytter peynes rwe And ho that coude (not meued wyth malyce) That man a menden wyth ful good aduyse Thogh that he put hym to ful bytter peyn Of cruelte ther may no wyght complayn

Metrū iiij. Capitulū viij.

Quid tantos iuuat.

Phia loquitur.

WHat helpeth hyt to meuen or excyte wyth {pro}per handes your happes besely For yf ye seke deth hyt nedeth lyte For he wyl come hymselfen wyllyngly He taryeth not he spedeth hym hastely Loo serpent / Leon / Tygre / Bore / & Bere They seketh yow to a racen & to tere ¶And ye wyth swerde eche other doth assayle For cause that your maners ben dyuers Vnryghtuously so meueth ye batayl wyth enterchaungyng dartes for to perse your cruelte / your reson doth reuerse wolt thou that euery man hys meret had Loo loue the good / & rwe vpon the bad

Prosa v. Capitulū ix.

Hinc video inquam.

Boecius loquitur.

¶In thys {quod} I I perceyue euery dele Bothe the myschef & the welfulnesse

As for the mede of them that worcheth wel And eke of them also that done a mysse But neuertheles alday I se wel thys That of fortune to wyche the people hedeth Bothe good & euel ful often tyme procedeth ¶Ne ther ys no wyse man as I gesse That rather wolde be poure & nameles And in exyle / than flouresh in ryches In power & in honour to encresse And in hys cyte for to dwelle in pece Thys ys the best way as I deuyse To profyt by the offyce of the wyse ¶So may ther blyssfulnesse / hyt ys no doute As by the vertu of ther gouernance Be wel transfunded in to folke a boute That ben commytted to ther ordynance But than / thys myn hert doth greuance Syth hyt ys so that lauful prysonment Dyuers Ingynnes / peynes & torment ¶For wycked folke were fyrst ordeyned And vn to them hyt longeth skylefully why ys hyt then that good men beth peyned And in ther stede oppressed greuously And mede that to vertu properly Of very ryght ys pertynent & dwe Thes medes haue the wycked & vntrwe ¶What ys the skyle of thys confusyon That so vnryghtuous semeth for to be Of yow I wolde haue Information For lesse merueyl sholde hyt be to me yf al thynges stode in thys degre Medled al wyth fortune & wyth chaunce

And had at al none other gouernance ¶But god y^t ys the gouerner of al Lo maketh me a stoned as in this Sith Ioy & welthes often doth befal To good folke. & often tyme y wysse The wycked be in care and heuynesse And often tyme the badde ther ageyn Ben in there lustes & the good in peyn ¶But yf ther be some skyle or euydence why god rewardeth folke in thys manere. As thynketh me ther ys no dyfference But hap and fortune rewleth al y fere Phia) Of thys {quod} sche I wōdre nought as here Sith thou ne coudest y^e skyle of ordynance Thogh thou meruele vpon the gouernance ¶And hald hyt foly & confusyon But thogh to the y^e causes beth vnknow As of so hye a dysposytion wham so hym lust to setten hye or low Syth he ys good as thou must nedes trow That al gouerneth / take thys for a sothe That al ys ryghtuous what y^t euer he dothe

Metrū v. Capitulum x.

Si quis arcturi sidera

Phia loquitur.

HE that knoweth not the causes why Ne how hyt ys / in sothe he can not sayn That the sterre arcturus goeth so nye Meuynge a bowte the pole souereyn And why Boetes resteth not hys weyn And he hys flammes plongeth down so late And why so sone he ryseth este algate ¶Hyt ys no dowte he shal be stoned sone

As of the law of hye heuen bryght why that the hornes of the ful mone So infected wyth the derke nyght Becometh pale / & the sterres lyght wyche that she hydde wyth her bemes clere Dyscouerynge them / she maketh to ous appere ¶And open errour maketh foules blynd That beteth bras the mone to reskewen Men wondreth noght vpon the stormy wynd That maketh the see so fersly for to flowen That doth the brenkes bete & ouerthrowen Ne that the cold forsen clottes grete So ben resolued by the sonnes hete ¶The cause of thys ys esy to be feled Thes other ar hyd / therefore ye wonder so For al that falleth sodenly & seld Thus wondreth thes meueable folkes loo And yf thys clowdy errour passe them fro So that they myght the very causes se They shold not semen wonderful to be

Prosa vj. Capitulum xi.

Ita est inquam.

Boecius loquitur.

RIght so {quod} I thys wyl I not reuerse But loo thys gyfte ys youres sykerly Thes pryme causes wyche that ye reherse And resons hyd in clowdes mystycally To maken clere / thys one thyng coueyt I Hyt ys a thyng that trobleth most my mynde And wyth merueyl marred / I me fynde Phia) She gan to smyle a lytel & sayd than Thou askest now of me a questyon Loo of the hyest thyng that any man

May asken at myn estymation Or may perceyue by clere entention To wyche vnnethes may ther ought suffyce Of any word that I can the deuyse ¶Suche ys the mater that we ben a boute The wyche to knowen thou desyrest so That when we ben delyuered of a doute wythouten nombre sone ryseth mo That ben wel nye as hard to a voyden fro As heddes that one dragon encresse The serpent that was slayn of Hercules ¶Ne in thys mater ys none other ende Ne how thes grete doutes to redressen But that a lyfly fyre of mannes mynde Must myghtly restrayn them & repressen For otherwyse thou shalt them not expressen For loo in thys men vseth to enquere Thus fel as I shal the rehercen here ¶Fyrst of the wonderful symplycyte Of the hye dyuyne purueyance Of fatum that men calleth desteney Of fortune that ys called soden chaunce Of knowyng & of goddes ordynance That ys called predestination And eke of fredom of election ¶How hugyous ys thys mater wyth to dele Thou knowest hyt wel thy self hyt ys no nay But syth hyt ys a parcel of thyn hele To knowen thys / I shal do what I may Thou that the tyme be short I shal a say Syth I haue sayd the somwhat here before I shal my self enforcen furdermore

¶And thogh so be that musyke the delyte And metre ys ful lusty to thyn ere As for a tyme that lust must thou respyte The whyle that I in ordre knette in fere My resons wyche I shal the shewen here Boeci{us}) Ryght as ye lust {quod} I / & she began As hyt were al a nother processe than ¶Phia) Loo euery kendly generation Of al thynges be they more or lesse And euery natural progress you That in hys beyng hathe chaungeablenesse And what that euer hyt be that meued ys Ther ordre / forme & causes forthe ben broght Fro the stable hye dyuyne thoght ¶Thys souereyn thoght that al doth so deuyse Set in the toure of hye symplycyte Hathe ordeyned many dyuers maner wyse To thynges that ben don / loo wylt thou se And yf thys maner of desposytion referred be Vn to the pure dyuyne intellygence Than ys hyt purueyance or prescience ¶But when thys same maner referred ys To thynges that ben meued & gouerned As olde men haue called hyt er thys Than ys hyt desteny as I haue lerned Ful sone ys thys dyuersyte dyscerned Of hym that seeth the myghtes of them bothe And esely he shal wel se the sothe ¶For purueyance loo ys that reson hye Of good our aller prynce souereyn By wyche / al he desposeth myghtely But desteny the very sothe to sayn

Loo ys that dysposytion certeyn wyche thes thynges ben annexed to That of ther kendes ben meueable so ¶By wyche the hye dyuyne prescience Al thynges in ther ordynance enlaceth Thys purueyance loo hath thys excellence That al thyng at ones he enbraceth Fro hys presence ys no thynge that passeth Thogh they be Infynyte & endles Yet al he comprehendeth neuertheles ¶But desteny in certen tyme & space Syngulerly dyuydeth euery dele Desposyng hyt in meuyng tyme & place And when that thys desposyng temporel Is comprehended & referred wel Vn to the onehed of goddes gouernance Than ys hyt sothly called purueyance ¶But for to haue consyderation How they dyuyded in dyuers tymes be That self ordre of thys desposytion Than ys hyt hothly called desteny And thogh they haue suche dyuersyte yet neuertheles ther may no thyng be sother Then y^t one of them dependeth of y^e other ¶For of y^e symplycyte of purveyance Thys ordre fatal certen doth procede Ther ys the forme of al that ordynance Ryght as a crafty man that wyl hym spede A worke to maken / fyrst he taketh hede And al the shappe desposeth in hys mynde And syth the effect he bryngeth to the ende ¶As he hath fyrst deuysed euery dele

And in hys thoght enprented symplely He bryngeth forthe by ordre temporel Ryght so god al purueyeth syngulerly And to be don desposeth stablely And when hyt fully ys desposed so By desteny he maketh hyt to be do ¶And whether thys exercyse destynal By any spyrytes of the heuen on hye That to thys purueyance entendeth al Or yf the soule doth hyt verely Or elles nature doth hyt kendly Or the meuyng of the sterres bryght Or elles angeles of the heuen lyght ¶Other elles by the fendes besynesse By som of thes other by al in fere Thys ordre destynal performed ys yet loo thys ys ful open & ful clere And nedes hyt must be so in al manere That the stable & symple ordynance Of thyng to don ys called purueyance ¶But loo / the processe of successyon In wyche they ben performed suyngly By the symple dysposytion Fore seyn of god be forn eternally Loo desteny men calle hyt sykerly So al that euer ys vnder desteny So must hyt vnder purueyance be ¶As ys the self desteny also And to that self purueyance bothe Som thynges ben subiect that ben y do As after thys I shal declaren to the That a geyn stondeth desteny for sothe

And some to god approcheth so by loue That ordre destynal they passe a boue ¶As dyuers compace on one poynt y pyght Vpon the centre tornyng al a boute The Innermest compace to thy syght The wyche nexte to the centre ys wythoute A centre wyl hyt seme / hyt ys no doute And semeth as hyt meueth neuer a dele A boute wyche so meueth al the whyle ¶But thys vttermest circumference That to thy syght ys largest in compace And ferrest fro thys poynt in dyfference So must he meuen in a larger space And he that negheth to that myddel place Compressed next to that symplycyte He cesseth for to meuen as semeth the ¶By lekely reson he that ferrest fleteth Fro the souereyn thoght of god on hye To desteny the faster he hym knetteth And he that can & wyl approchen nye Thys souereyn centre-god ententyfly The more he stondeth in fredom & in ese That desteny shal lytel hym desese ¶Ryght as dyscours of reson may not be mete Vn to the Intellect of mannes mynde Ne thyng that ys / to thyng that ys not yete Ne a lytel stound to tyme wythouten ende May not be leke in worthynesse of kende But as the poynt to the circumference Betwene them ys an hugey dyfference ¶Ryght so thys fatayl mutabylyte That alway ys so ful of varyance

Referred to the hye symplycyte Of the stable & souereyn purueyance wyche that heuens hathe in gouernance He meueth sterres / he tempereth elementes Transformyng them by enterchaungementes ¶And al y^t nature doth on erthe brede And so bydeth / shal fallen downe efte sone Renewyng them by frutes & by sede He seeth also the workes that ye done And fortunes he gouerneth euerych one Constreynynge wyth an Insoluble bonde Of causes wyche that may not be wythstonde ¶And syth thes causes passen fro so hye A grounde / as purueyance vnuaryable Than may I say ful wel & sothfastly That nedes must hyt ben vntransmutable That gouernance / & most profytable when thys symplycyte of dyuyne thoght Ordeyneth causes wyche that fayleth noght ¶Thus in a certeyn ordre sothe to sayn That stedfast ys & hyt may faylen neuer And but thys ordre gouerne & refrayn Thys wordly thynges wyche that chaungeth euer Ful sone they shal dyssoluen & desseuer Fletynge / ryght as thynge of no valour And whaueryng so wythouten gouernour ¶And thogh so be that we may not beholde The causes of thys desposytion Ne se the skyleful ordre as we sholde Ther fore be we in perturbation Hyt semeth ous errour & confusion Yet ys hyt dressed yf we vnderstode

And wel desposed euery dele to good ¶For cause of euel ys no thyng verely Performed of the worst man that ys For as I haue declared plenerly They seketh good / but they ben led a mysse By errour of ther owne wrecchednesse For why that ordre wyche that doth procede Fro souereyn good / hyt may no wyght myslede ¶But vn to thys perauenture wylt thou say What confusion may ther wors be Syth good & badde indyfferent alday Now haue they welthe & now aduersyte Now that they loue / now y^t they wolden fle But wylt thou trow that men be now so wyse That euery thyng must be as they deuyse ¶As whom them lust to Iugen good or badde Of very force hyt must be nedes so In mannes dome dyscorde ful ofte ys hadde For of thes one man / thes wyl demen loo That he ys worthy moche peyn & woo And thes wyl deme hym worthy thanke & mede And yet the one must be deceyued nede ¶But lete ous graunten here that any wyght The good & badde may verely dyscerne Now trowest thou y^t they ben of suche a myght For to enserche the Innermest thoght Of mannes gost & al that he hath wroght And clerely Iugen therof euery dowte As men ar wont of bodyes here wythoute ¶As for to Iuge ther attemperure Of dyuersyte of ther complexion As gretly wondreth euery creature

That knoweth not by clere inspection Ther kendes ne ther dysposytions why thes accordeth wel wyth thynges swete Thes other most haue sowre & swete forlete ¶And seke folkes ben y cured ofte Somme wyth sharpe thynges sykerly And somme by thynge that esy ys & softe But thys the leche knoweth verely That knoweth the maner of the malady Ther temperure & maner of ther hele Of thys dyscorde he wondreth neuer a dele ¶And what may be the helthe of thy corage But honeste & vertu most of pryce what sekenesse may thy soule do damage But vnhoneste & cursednesse of vyce But now what creature may be so wyse To sauen helthe & a voyden heuynesse No wyght but god in certen as I gesse ¶He ys the very leche of mannes mynde That fro the waytyng of hys purueyance He seeth what ys acordant to the kende Of euerych that he hathe in gouernance And for them so he maketh ordynance To euerych as belongeth to hys helthe whether that ye deme hyt woo or welthe ¶Than ys thys noble wondre to your thoght And merueyl of thys ordre destynal when god al cōnynge / hathe that work y wroght Hyt stoneth them that knoweth noght at al For mannes connyng certen ys but smal And mannes reson lytel may dyffyne Of thynges in the souereyn thoght dyuyne

¶Perauenture thou wylt demen of a wyght That he ys Iust & trwe in hys entent yet in the purueyance of goddes syght Ther falleth al a nother Iugement And a dome that ys fer dyfferent Loo as Lucanus my famylyer In hys bokes wrote of thys mater ¶The cause conuyct as Cato gan deuyse He demed best / that was Pompeius But loo the goddes Iuged other wyse They demed Iust the cause of Iulius Wherfore they maden hym vyc••oryous So thynges don outwardly to thy syght Yet ys hyt don by ordynance of ryght ¶But yet as to thyn opynable wyt Hyt semeth ouerthorte confusyon But perauenture I suppose yet Here ys som man of suche condytion That in the dome ys no dystynction But god & man accordeth al in one In Iugement that errour ys ther none ¶But vpon happe so feynt hys corage ys That yf ther falle hym other than he wolde Hyt sholde hym causen for to don a mysse And to forlete hys good custumes olde By wyche / fortune myght he not wyth holde wher fore the wyse dyspensation Regardynge to hys dysposytion ¶And seyng that by suche aduersyte He sholde be moche apeyred & y shent For why he spareth hym of hys pyte And geueth hym so as ys conuenyent

That he may kepe hym tru & Innocent And thes loo stont in vertu perfetly And as a saynt ys Ioyned god ful nye ¶Of thes the hye dyuyne purueyance Wold deme hyt as for synne & felony To put vpon hym harmes or greuance He wyl hym noght be harmed bodely Ne be desesed by no malady Thus sayd one that of wysedom was fulfylled That vertu hathe a sayntes body bylded ¶And often when astate of worthynesse And gouernance ys geuen to the wyse That ys for to rebuken & represse The vyce that wold encressen & a ryse And som he ruleth in a nother wyse And as hym leketh enterchaungeth bothe Ryght as best ys for them hyt ys the sothe ¶And som he suffreth softly to be greued Lest they outrage in ther welthes long And som wyth sharpe showres to be meued That vertu of ther corage euer a mong By vse of pacyence be preued strong And be confermed by that exercyse And som because of very cowardyce ¶Ful nedeles of moche thyng they drede wyche they may wel performe y^e sothe to sayn And thes loo ys ful hardy in hys dede Presumyng more then he may susteyne To thes expedyent hyt ys ther a geyn To know them selfen by experyence And thes loo for a name of excellence ¶Ful manly wyth deth he hath hyt boght

And so he hath susteyned peynes sore As for exsample euer to be thoght That men may seyn by thynges don be fore That vertu hathe Inuict ben euermore And ys not harmed by aduersyte But yf defaute of men them selfen be ¶How ryghtuously desposed al a bowte And loo how wel thes thynges ben y do Ho so loketh thys / he may not ben in dowte And for ther profet wham they falleth to For to the wycked that betydeth so That now they haue desese & now ther lust To thes same causes may be wyste ¶But when they ben in peynes & dystresse Ther ys no wyght that wondreth neuer a dele For why they al wyl suppose & gesse That 〈◊〉〈◊〉 peynes were deserued wel And thes peynes that thes wrecches fele Maketh other wrecches peynes for to fere And often foule vyces to forbere ¶And also for ther awne amendement But thynges fallyng lusty to ther chyre Hyt geueth men a myghty argument what they shold demen of thes welthes here Syth they to wrecches be famylyer And certenly I suppose as in thys That god despenseth wyth ther frowardnesse ¶For som men ben ther loo perauenture That ben so importune in ther malyce And eke so ouerthrowyng of nature That nede them maketh fallen in to vyce But than thys prescyence that ys so wyse

A genst the perel of thys malady By wordly plentey maketh remedy ¶Loo thes behaldeth on hys consciens Defouled so wyth synne & cursedhede And seyth how grete a dysconuenyence Than ys betwene hys fortune & hys dede Perauenture he falleth so in drede Lest that the vse of thyng that doth hym ese He may forfete & by hys synnes lese ¶He chaungeth than hys customes euerychone Hym fereth so hys fortune to forlete And al hys vyces he forsaketh sone And thes hath loo thes wordly welthes grete To wyche in sothe hys meret ys vnmete And sodenly the wrecche ys ouerthrowen And set at noght as hys desertes awen ¶And som haue pouer & auctoryte Loo whom them lust to punysshen & dystrayn So that hyt may vn to the good be An exercyse of vertu the sothe to sayn And to the wycked man a cause of peyn For ryght as good & bad dyscordeth euer Ryght so bad them selfe accordeth neuer And why not / syth hyt falteth euery day That they dyscorden in them selfen so Ther conscience repreueth them alway And often tyme hyt falleth that they do Som dede / y^t when the tyme ys ouer go Them self they demeth in ther awne thought That better had that dede ben vnwroght ¶Thys purueyaunce yf ye hyt vnderstode Hyt worcheth here a wonder to your hert

By bad men the bad he maketh good And fro ther vyces wonderly conuert For when the foules fele them felfen smert when other wrecches hathe them harmed sore Hyt falleth that they hateth them ther fore ¶And whyle they coueyt vn to s••che men To be vnleke / that vseth suche vnryght To frute of vertu they resorteth than For only thys ys thyng of goddes myght Ryght as hyt leketh hym / hyt ys but lyght That bad thyng ys good as he deuyseth when good effectes of the bad a ryseth ¶For why in ordre al thyng embraceth And what that fleteth fro thys ordynance In to another ordre than hyt passeth For in the realme of certen purueyaunce That myghty god hath in hys gouernaunce Ther may no thyng be done vncertenly Ne but hyt haue a skyleful cause why ¶For vn to man in sothe hyt langeth not To know al hys wonderful engyne As of the workes wyche that ben y wroght So by the hye purueyaunce dyuyne Ne them wyth wordes fully dyffyne No creature hathe that habylyte But only thys suffyseth / hyt to se ¶That god the fyrst founder of nature Al thyng to good desposeth he & dresseth So fer forthe that in euery creature The lekenesse of hym self he empresseth And for to kepen thys / loo he represseth Al wycked thynges fro hys gouernaunce

A voydyng hyt by fatal ordynaunce ¶For why yf thou marke wel in thy mynde The purueyaunce that al thyng desposeth Ther ys no thyng that y^u shalt bad fynd Thogh so be y^t thy wyttes so supposeth For euery thyng wythyn hyt self encloseth Som maner cause of good hyt ys no drede wher of som other goodes shal procede ¶But yet whyler I saw the wexen faynt As for the wyghtes of my questyon Thys long processe hathe the sore atteynt Som swete thyng of delectation Thou askest for a recreation Haue tast of thys & strenger shalt thou be Than / & hegher to ascende after me

Metrū vj. Capitulum xj.

Si vis celsi iura tonātis.

Phia loquitur.

TOo yf thou wylt behold ententyfly wyth al the clere myghtes of thy mend The lawes of our souereyn god on hey Vp in to heuen thou must thy wyttes send There euery thyng doth kepe hys cours of kende The sterres wyth a ryghtuous allyaunce They kepeth there ther olde gouernauuce ¶And loo the bryght sonne hyt ys no doute The cold mone letteth neuer a dele And Vrsa wyche that meueth rounde a boute The pole artyke ryght as hyt were a whele Her olde cours she kepeth wonder wele Thogh other sterres meue in to the west To a byden ther a boue she leketh best ¶And Hesperus the eue sterre clere

Loo sheweth hym self before the derke nyght And the lustey sterre Lucifer He bryngeth by este a geyn the day lyght Thys perdurable cours they kepeth ryght Thus al dyscord by enterchaunged loue Loo ys exyled from the heuen a boue ¶Thys same accorde of loue by stoundes mete Attempereth eke the fyghtyng elementes That drouth may accorde wyth the wete That hete & colde may haue conuenyence And though they kepe ther kendly resistence The lyght fyre yet algates vp asceudeth And the heuy erthe contrary way descendeth ¶And by causes of the self reson Swete floures spryngeth lustely In the fayre fyrst somer season And so the hote somer suyngly Maketh the corn to rypen hastely And so autumpnus bryngeth forth hys blede Lusty frutes folkes for to fede ¶Thys same attemperaunce hyt ys no nay The wynter so be dweth wyth the rayn Al leuyng thyng hyt norysseth soth to say And efte wyth deth retorneth downe a geyn The whyles sytteth the maker souereyn welle & grounde both lorde & kyng ys he Law / & wyse Iuge of equyte ¶The reynes of the world he hath in hand So makyng hyt to meuen & to go A restyng efte he maketh hyt to stande For thyng that fletteh euer to & fro But yf that he enstabelysshe hyt so

Compellyng hyt to meuen in to rounde Hyt must nedes faylen fro hys grounde ¶And fro the ordre wyche they now obserue Thys loue comen to euery creature Coueyteth them to kepen & conserue The ende of good that ground ys of nature For in other wyse may they not endure But loue retorne them in to vnyte Of god on hye that caused them to be

Prosa vij. Capitulū xiij.

Iam ne igitur vides.

Phia loquitur.

ANd seyst thou not {quod} she what sueth here Vpon al that we haue rehersed now Boe{us}) I asked what phia) {quod} she yt ys ful That al fortune ys good boe{us}) y asked how (clere Phia) Ful sone {quod} she that shal I shew the now Thou vnderstandest wel that thys ys sothe That euery fortune Iustey ys or lothe ¶Yet ben they geuen for an exercyse Of vertu to the good or elles thus As for a guerdonyng vn to the wyse Or they ben geuen to the vycyous To punyshe them that ben malycyous Or to correct them of ther mysdede Thys ys the very cause hyt ys no drede ¶And al that euer ys Just & profytable wylt thou not hold hyt good Boe{us}) I sayd yes For why hyt sueth ryght as resonable To that ye haue rehersed here y wys Of purueyance & desteny er thys Ful fermely your sentence ys y knytte But saeth me one thyng yf yow leketh yet

¶As ye haue put be fore a lytel er Acounteth fortune now in thys degre ye sayden that a rude comyner Can not beleue / ne wyl hyt not se Phia) And wherto shal I speke of that {quod} she Boe{us} {quod} I thys speche of men ys vsed wyde That euel fortune to som men doth betyde ¶Phia) And wylt y^u {quod} she y^t we negh nere Vn to the comen vsed speche than Lest them seme that I go to ferre A bouen al the comen vse of man Boe{us}) As leketh yow {quod} I Phia) & she began Demest y^u not good that causeth good to encresse Boe{us}) yes {quod} I for sothe I may Iuge no lesse ¶Phia) Now al that vertu ys enforced by Other that correcteth any dede Doth hyt not profyten) Boecius) yes {quod} I Phia) Than ys hyt good {quod} she wythouten drede Boecius) In sothe {quod} I thys must I graūten nede Phia) But thys {quod} she to them dothe aperteyn That grounded ben in vertu y^e sothe to seyn ¶That taketh bateyl wyth suche auentures whythstandyng them wyth myghty pacience Or hyt perteyneth to tho creatures That haue ledde ther lyffe in insolence And so to vertu doth ther dylygence Ther to enforsed wyth aduersyte Boecius) & thys {quod} I may not denyed be Phia) But when {quod} she fortune of lustynesse To good men ys geuen for ther mede Is hyt then bad? wyl thes folkes gesse Boe{us}) I sayd nay ful ryght they wyl hyt rede

That thys fortune ys good wythouten drede Phia) And what {quod} she when fortune anguysous Is bestowed vpon the vycyous ¶To peyn them for ther synnes ryghtuously whether wyl they deme hyt good or noght Boe{us}) Good wyl they not Iugen hyt {quod} I But wrecchednesse y^e worst that may be thoght Phia) Behald {quod} she now where we ben y broght As suynge thys vulgare opynyon In to a meruelous conclusyon Boe{us}) I asked what Phia) hyt sueth here {quod} she Of that we haue confessed plenerly Lo that ther may no wycked fortune be To suche that haveth vertu perfetly Or to tho that encresseth ought ther by Or tho that doth in vertu fyrst begynne To vertu so conuerted fro ther synne ¶And they that dwelleth in ther wyckednesse what fortune that them falle of wel or woo Hyt ys myschef to them & wrecchednesse Boe{us}) In sothe {quod} I hyt sueth wel ther to Thogh no man wyl hyt graunt yet ys hyt so Phia) For why she sayd a wyse & perfet man Sholde not so sore grogen than ¶When fortune as a foo doth hem assayle Ryght as a strong man sholde hym not dysdeyn When that he hyreth rumour of batayl But therof shold he be ful glad & fayn For suche destresse a mater ys certeyn For to conferme thes one in sapience Thes other in astate of excellence ¶For then her name vertu vseth ryght

Al only when hyt stont in thys degre when hyt enforceth of hys propre myght To be not ouerthroen by aduersyte And to yow that in encrece of vertu be Hyt belongeth not to lede a lusty lyffe wyth euery fortune haue ye taken stryffe ¶And a bateyl wonder sharpe & kene Loke how ye can yow kepe in thys dystresse To set your selfen in a myghty mene So that her sorowes no thyng yow oppresse Ne that ye be not by her lustynesse Corrupt / for al that a boue thys mene a ryseth Or ys benethe / felycyte despyseth ¶And shal no mede as for hys labour take For in your awne handes put ys hyt your propre fortune / wyche ye wyl make For yf hyt seme sharpe vn to your wyt Loo exercyse of vertu geueth hyt Or elles yow conuerteth fro your synne Or punysseth yow that wyl a byde theryn

AGamenon the vengeour of heleyue A bateyl held of ʒerus twyes fyue So he destroyed troy & wanne a geyn The same helyue y^t was hys brod wyffe But when he fyrst gan styre hym to that stryffe Hym lacked wynde to sayle on the flod And sone he boght hyt wyth hys doghter blod ¶And so he made hym selfen pyteles In sacryfyce he sloo hys doghter dere Also when that noble Vlixes In the see had sayled many yere He wepte hys mayne wyth a ruthful chere

For Poliphemus daryng in hys denne So fersly had deuoured al hys men ¶But Vlixes ful warely gan espye whan that thys Poliphemus was a slepe And sodenly than put he oute hys ye And Poliphemus tho be gan to lepe And for malyce & anguyshe weyle & wepe wher of Vlixes was ful blythe & gladde In vengeance of the harmes that he hadde ¶And Hercules gate hym a noble name By labours wyche that hard were & grete Fyrst the proude Centaurus made he tame The Lyon fers out of hys skynne he gete And Arpyas eke wyth aroes he shete And golden apples wych the dragon kepte He gate them whyle the cruel dragon slepte ¶And Cerberus the foule hounde of helle wyth a thre folde cheyn he bounde ful last And dyomede the tyrant fers & fel He made hys horse deuoure hym at last Vpon the serpent Idra fyre he cast And so he brent hym in to asches colde That no man hys venem noyen shold ¶When Achilaus made hym self by craft I leke to a bole wyth Hercules to fyght Than Hercules hys hornes hym be raft And fully hym despoyled of hys myght Achilaus in to a ryuer ryght For shame he lepte & hyd hym selfen there And on the lande he darst no more apere ¶Antheus the geaunt of Libie That on the grounde hys myghtes wolde renwe

Thus Hercules hym sloo ful manfully Vpon hys brest & to the grounde hym thrwe And Cakus the thefe that was vntrwe He sloo / & Euanderus Ire he pesed That of Cakus often was desesed ¶And ouer thys he sloo the myghty bore wyth hoos foom hys shulders marked were But than hys last labour furdermore was when he on hys necke heuens bere And of thys labour he deserued there That heuen for to haue to hys mede ye myghty men to thys ye taketh hede ¶Now hasteth yow the hye way to wende Ryght as ye may by thys exsample se ye nyce men & mased in your mynde why wyl ye not fyght a genste aduersyte wyth vertu / syth ye may so syker be Ho so in erthe hathe the victory He shal be worthy to the heuen on hye

Explicit Liber Quartus.

¶In thys chapytre Philosophia confermeth her exhortation / by exsā¦ple of iii. myghty men / of synguler dedes that they had done. Aga¦menon. Vlixes. & Hercules. And for cause often tymes men eschevv¦eth grete actes for lacke of corage / vvyche corage ys blemesshed or op∣pressed: by iii. thynges in specyal. Ther fore he reherseth of thes vver¦ryours, certen dedes / in vvyche they shevved the myght of ther corage not hurt ne blemesshed by none of thes causes. One thyng ys that often letteth & vvythdraeth the force of mānes corage / fro myghty and manly dedes / that ys tendrenesse of herte and affection that he hathe other to vvordly thynges vvyche he delyteth vpon / Other to vvyffe & chyldren / kynred / or frenshyppe / vvyche he kepeth not to dysplese in vvythdrayng hys presence / nether in any other thyng / that myght be cause of mornyng or heuynesse. But a geynst thys carnalyte / he putteth the exsample of Agamenon. That vvhen he vvas saylynge to∣vvardes the sege•• of Troye / vvhen he came to the Ile of Aulydes /

hym lacked vvynde. Then vvas hyt shevved hym by vvycches & dyuynours / that yf he vvolde haue vvynde: he must slee hys doghter Ephigenie / & brenne her in sacryfyce to the plesance of Dyane. And not vvythstandyng that he loued hys doghter passyng al thynge / yet in hope of vyctory / he put a vvay the tendrenesse of faderly affection / and made hys hert pyteles to hys dere doghter / & so sloo her in sacryfyce.

And so had he vvynde to hys vvyl / & suyngly the vyctory as he desyred ¶The second thynge that letteth a mannes corage ys: vvhen he hath seyn many peryshe for a certeyn purpose: vvych hym self desyreth / and fevve or none atteyn hyt vvyth prosperyte. A geyn thys a basshe¦ment / he putteth the second exsample of Vlixes. vvyche vvhen he had x. yeres erred saylyng in the see after the destruction of Troye & suffred many mysse aduentures / & specyally in transformation & lesynge of hys feloshyppe: by the cursed enchaunteresse Circes. Here he tellethe hovv the grete gyant Poliphemus vvyth one yee in hys frount / had deuored & destroyed hys people / And not vvythstandynge the myscheffe that al hys people had suffered / yet Vlixes a basshed hym noght / but vvayted vvhen thys gyant vvas a slepe / & sodenly put oute hys yee: And theu vvas he syker of hym / that he myght harme hym no more. & so he ven¦ged the morder of hys meyne▪ ¶The moralyte of thys fable / ys thys. Poliphemus ys as moche to say / as lesynge of fame: And he that recketh not of hys fame / may vvel be called one yeed. For he re∣gardeth not that ys to come: ne that ys passed. but only to hys present lustes. But Vlixes the vvyse man / hathe regard bothe to that ys gon: & to that that ys to come / & quencheth in hym self thys one ys of thes present lustes. And thogh so be that al the vvorlde for the more part / by rauesshynge of thys one ye / peresseth / foloynge thes momen∣taney lustes: and vnnethes any man ys that can or vvyl refrayn thē: yet Vlixes the vvyse mā: vvyl stoppe thys ye / & not excuse hym by the comen excuse of vvrecches saynge: Ho ys he that may vvythstand hys desyres / syth so many myghty men & vvyse haue ben dyscomfete of ther lustes. But he vvyl myghtly represse thes passyons by good gouernāce▪ And so venge hym self vpon hys gostely enemy.

¶The thyrde thynge that a basseth the corage: ys covvardyce: vvhē a mā haldeth hym self vnable to the labour that he puryoseth / and hys myght vnsuffycyant & vnmete to resyste that: that vvythstandethe hys vvyl & enteut. Agenste thys covvardyce: philosophia Inducethe the xii. labours of the myghty man Hercules / vvyche semeth to euery mannes hyrynge ferre to excede the myght of any man▪ yet not vvyth¦standyng / Hercules a basshed neuer hys corage: but myghtely {per}formed hys entent & purpos. vvherefore as philosophia concludeth he vvas revvarded vvyth a souereyn geft / and made a bryght shynyng sterre in the heuen a boue. ¶By thes myghty manues labours / ys geuen to ous an exsample / that ther may no thynge a basshe the corage of a vvyse man: vvher by he sholde leue the labour of vertuous leuynge / ne bodely exercyse in vertu shal not seme hym ouerhard to hys myght / but that he may performe hys entente & lust. so shal hys desyre be enforced

vvyth desyre & ful hope to heuenly Ioy.

¶The fyrst labour: the proude Centaurus made he tame: Of thes Centaurus ys sayd be forn / That Ixion gate them of a cloude / vvhen he vvolde haue oypressed Iuno. But vvhat vvyse that Hercules tamed them / hyt ys expressed by the commentor thus. vvhen that thes Cen¦taurus in a certen tyme vvere come to gedres in the mount of Pheloe to a pley that vvas called Palestra / vvyche vve calle vvrastelyng / Her¦cules so sore asset them in vvrastelyng / that they bledde. ¶Also another tyme Hercules comyng oute of spayne vvas logged in the den of Tyro Centaurus that vvas one of the ••heffe masters. And as thys Tyro handeled an aroe / vvyth vvyche Hercules hadde slayn a serpent the venemous aroe fel vpon hys fote / and made hym a vvonde / that vvas vncurable. The thyrde tyme hyt fel that Hercules vvyth hys loue Deiamra tornyng tovvard hys contre / come to the ryuer of He∣uenū / And vvhen he taryed for caryage of hys vvyffe: Neffus Centau¦rus bade hym svvymme ouer before: & he vvold bryng her after. And vvhen that Hercules vvas come to lande / he loked after hys vvyffe / & he savv Centaurus a boute for to oppressen her / And a none vvyth a venemous aroe he shet hym thoro the hert & s••vve hym. And thus he tamed the proude Centaurus. ¶To the litceral truthe of thys tale. Ixion that vvas called the fader of the Centaurus / vvas the fyrst that ordeyned horsemen for to ryde in grece / and gadred of them a hundred & vvasted sore the contrey. And vvhen the rude people dyd see them so smartly pry••k••ng in and oute / they vvend hyt had ben bestes / half hors and half mē. And at last thes myghty Hercules faught vvith them & destroyed them. ¶By thes Centaurus geten of the cloude may be vnderstande suche men as ben exalted in to hye astates / not by meret of ther vertues / but by fauour of lordshyppe / & by ther vayn ple¦saunce. They ben half bestes & half men / bestly in ther leuyng / raue¦ners & extorcyoners: & leke men in pleasaunce to ther lordes Hercules the vertuous shal spare none offence of ther hye astates / ne drede of ther tyrāny / but boldly repreue them of ther vyces / & make them to loke as men sholde. ¶The second of Hercules vvas that he strepte the Lyon out of hys skyn. The truthe of thys labour vvas thys: Ther vvas a passyng hugy Lyon in the forest of Nemeas: vvyche sore a frayed the people of the contrey. vvyche Lion hercules slvve / & strept the skyn: & bare vvyth hym in sygne of vrctory. By thys Lyon ys vnderstande / proude & fers tyrantes: that delyteth al in rauen and py¦lyng of the people / hauyng no pytey vpon the poure. Thes men a vertuous man sholde spoyle of ther poure / & suffer none suche to bere astate of off••ce.

¶The thyrde labour vvas that he sher the herpyas vvyth aroes.

¶Syneus put oute the yees of hys sonnes / because they had accused ther stepmoder of adultery. vvherfore by Jugement of goddes he vvas blynded hym self / and had certen foules aboute hym vvyth may∣den heddes / that defoyled hys table & bare a vvay hys mete. Thes foules Hercules slvve and droue oute of contrey

¶By thes Herpyas may vvel be vnderstande rennets or ryders ouer the contre / couered vnder lordshyp / as menstrelles & Ioculers and such other / that cometh in to householdes of vvorthy men / & eteth and de∣uoreth ther vytelles / And but they haue also geftes / they vbyl defoule the table / despysyng the persons / And vvhen they ben passed / speke vylenously by al the household. Suche people a vertuous man sholde not cherysshe for fere of vvordes / but rebuke them of thys foule maners / and so destroy that foule vyce and vnhonest vsage.

¶The fourth labour vvas: that he gate the golden apples fro the dra¦gon. As Lucanus feyneth Athlaus had vii. doghters / vvyche had a gardenful of golden apples / vvych garden vvas taken to kepe to a dragon / that alvvay vvas vvakyng. But Hercules by crafte made thys dragon to slepe / and so bare a vvay the apples: and broght them to Euristeus the kyng. By thes vii. doghters of Athlaus / ben vnderstande the vii. artes liberal. Thes damseles haue a garden / that ys the lybrary disperse a monges clerkes. Appel trees ben bokes / the apples ben sotel sentence of vvysedom / vvych the vvakynge dragon / that ys the sensualyte of man hathe to kepe. vvych ys euer vvakyng to lustes and delytes / and so letteth the soule fro connyng. But Her∣cules the vertuous man oppresseth hys sensualyte by good gouernaunce so that hyt letteth hym noght fro study / And so by hys good besynesse he geteth the frute of al the vii. science.

¶The v. labour vvas vvhen he bound Cerberus the foule hound of helle. Of thes Cerberus the fable ys thys. Pirritous vvold vvedde the quene of helle. And he called Hercules & Theseus / & other myghty men to helpe hym. And vvhē they came to helle / lest Cerberus the por¦ter sholde lette them of ther purpose / Hercules bounde hym vvythe a cheyn of adamant: The quene of helle may vvel be called vvordly vvorshyp / vvych Pirritous desyreth. But he taketh vvyse men to hys counsel. And Cerberns vvyth iii. heddes Hercules byndeth / That ys Pryde / Auaryce / and Lechory. Thes iii. hed synnes letteth a man to be vvorshypful / vvhere for the vertuous man byndeth & restreyneth them vvyth a treble cheyn of vertues. And vvhen that thes vyces be so repressed by vertues / a man may not fayle to be vvorshypful.

¶The vi. labour vvas that he made diomede to be eten of hys avvne hors. The fable ys thys. Diomede kyng of Trace / fedde hys hors vvyth mannes flesshe: vvher fore he vsed to slee hys gestes for hys hors. But at last came Hercules and slvve hym / ▪ And made hys horse to ete hym. And fynally sloo the same hors. Thys Diomede beto∣keneth a vvastour that pylleth and despoyleth the people / for to mayn∣teyn hys grete a ray / vvych passeth the suffysaunce of hys astate. But a vertuous man shal besey hym self for to destroy suche maner leuers / & compelle them for to leue by ther avvne good: But vvhen they may not contynue that a ray vvythoute rauen and robbery / ther hors and ther a ray bryngeth them to noght. so that of nede they must leue hyt and leue as they may. ¶The vii. labour vvas / that he brent the serpent Idra. In the ryuer of Lerne vvas a serpent vvyth

many heddes / And euer yf one vvere cut of / ther vvaxe ••ii. ther fore. And vvhen that Hercules had shotte hym & no thyng a vayled / at last he made a boute thys serpēt a hugey hepe of vood: & after set hyt a fyre & so brent thys serpent. Thys fable ys toched be fore & in part declared ¶The viii. labour ys of Achilaus. the fable ys thys. Hercules and Achilaus vvressheled to gether for the mayden Dianer / & vvhen that Achilaus feld hym self at the vvorse / he torned hym self sodenly in to a serpēt / & slypte out of hys handes. And Hercules eftsones caught hym & vvas in poynt to vvery hym. And then Achilaus torned hym self in to a bole. So Hercules a none toke hym & threvv hym to the ground & breke hys horne. & he for shame lepte in to the vvater & hyd hym.

The truthe of thys fable ys thys Achilaus ys a ryuer be tvvene grece & Calcedoyne. In thys Calcedoyne regned a kyng named Genus / hose doghter Hercules rauesshed. And comyng to thys ryuer vvhē he might not passe hyt he stopped an arme of hyt & dryed hyt / & so he passed vvith hys loue. By thys kynges doghter may be vnderstand vertu / vvyche Hercules the myghty man coueyteth for to haue. Achilaus betokeneth the sensualyte / vvych in youth hyley vvythstandeth a man that vvold be vertuous. But fyrst the sensualyte as a serpent assayleth hym by ma¦ny syde vvayes / And vvhen thys myghty man hath ouercome al tho ser¦pentes deceytes / he torneth in to a bole vvyth ii. hornes / Lechory / & Glotony. But thys one horne of Lechory / the vertuous man breketh & vtterly destroyeth. & then ys the sensualyte ouercome / For the other horne of glotony vvyl lyghtly of a vertuous man be put vnder by good gouernaunce. So thys bole lepeth in to the ryuer. the sensualyte ys re∣pressed & keleth hym self by penance / and so vvynneth the myghty man vertue to hys loue.

¶The ix. labour ys of Antheas the grete geaunt / vvych vvas geten of the erthe / And euer as he toched the erthe / he renued hys strengthe vvyth vvych geaunt Hercules vvrasteled / But alvvay vvhen he semed dyscomfeted / fallyng to ground he became as fresshe as he vvas before Than Hercules perceuyug thys toke hym in hys armes / & leyd hym on hys brest / and so streyned hym to deth by strengthe: & so caste hym to the grounde / & thus destroyed he the geaunt. By thes Antheus may be vnderstand vvordly couetyce / vvych encresseth & renueth hys strēgth by tochyng of the groūd. For couetyce vvyl not be quenched by plenty of vvordly good / but rather ys ther by renued & enforced. Hercules thē the vertuous man / streyneth thys couetyce vvythyn hys brest / & vvyth draeth hyt vtterly fro vvordly good / & so he quencheth the lust that he had ther on / & putteth hyt holely in vertu & in vvysedom.

¶The x. labour ys of Cakus the theffe of Libia vvych Hercules dys∣comfeted & slvve. The fable ys thys. Ther vvas in the mounte Aucentyne a monstre / that spete fyre at hys mouthe / robbyng & despoy¦lyng the people of the contrey. And he vvas the sonne of Vulcane / by vvhom Euander kyng of the land vvas gretly a noyed. And Hercules comyng by that contre / bryngyng vvyth hym out of spayn grete plenty of bestes / thys Cakus stale iiii. bolles & as many keyn: & droe them in

to hys den by the tayles bacvvard / that the stappes sholde not be seyn Invvard. And Hercules by estimation espyed vvhere they vvere / and so droe Cakus out of hys denne / and sloo hym. and so he esed the kyng destroyng hys enemy. ¶The moralyte ys thus. By thys Cakus may be vnderstand pryde. He speteth fyre at hys mouthe / hye vvordes of malyce and manace: He ys Vulcanus sonne. For that vyce ys appro¦pryat to the deuel that fyrst hyt founde. He vvasteth and deuoreth and steleth al that he may / and so harmeth the contre▪ For a proude man vvasteth moche in hys a ray & other expenses / that al that ben a boute hym ben noyed ther by. Euander the reson that ys kyng of the soule may not ouercome hym / for he vvyl not vvorche by hym / He dareth in hys den: syttyng in mannes hert / he steleth iiii. bolles of Hercules he oppresseth the iiii. cardynal vertues / & as many keyn / al other ver∣tues that ben vnder them. For a proude man ys myghtles / vntempe∣rate / vnvvare & vnryghtuous. Thys theffe Hercules that ys consciens espyeth: and draeth out thys theffe pryde out of the hert / and sleyth & destroyth hym / and so hath he hys bestes a geyn / that be vertues. And reson that vvas ouer come / novv regneth in the soule as kyng in ••pece and reste.

¶The xi. labour ys of the bore that Hercules s••vve. In archadia vvas a myghty bore that vvasted the regyon sore. vvych Hercules hun¦ted and at last thys bore torned vn to Hercules & smote hym in the shul¦der / and marked hyt vvyth the foom of hys mouthe. By thes bore may be vnderstand the vyce of the flesshe / vvyche vvasteth foule a mā hys substance: Thes vyces Hercules the myghty chaceth and hunteth / in vvyl to destroy them: But thys bore torneth and assayleth Hercu∣les: For hyt chaunceth ofte / that a ful myghty man in vertues: that pursueth & hateth al vyces / ys assayled & repted vvyth the synne of the flesshe / & perauenture ys marked fallyng theryn. But one vycyous dede beryueth not the habyte of vertu: but ma••••••h a man more vvare: and dylygent for to kepe hym self / and so at laste he ouercometh hys flesshe and sleyth thys bore of luste and lekyng.

¶The xii. labour vvas thys: after the fable of Duyde. Athlas the myghty geaunt / in the geauntes batayl / fyghtyng a genst the goddes aboue / bare heuen vpon hys shulder: And vvhen that he savve Hercu¦les come to hym / after hys other labours / he vvas vvery of fyghtyng & also of thys burden / prayd hym to helpe hym to bere heuen / And he toke and bare hyt myghtely. vvherby he deserued to be made a fayr sterre in heuen. The truthe vvas thys. Athlas vvas a cheffe astro∣nomer / vvherefore he vvas sayd that he bare heuen / the connynge of heuenly thynges. But vvhen Athlas dyed / vvych deth ys a rest and a refresshyng to the vertuous / Hercules toke heuen vpon hys shulder. The moralyte may be thus. The batayl of geauntes ys the enforsynge of goostly myghtes a genst the goddes a boue / that ys a genst natural inclination to vyces / vvyche ys caused by constella¦tions / But a genst thes inclinations / he may fyght best / that hathe connyng of astronomy. For to serche the myghtes of the planetes for

certen tymes / and knovveth also hovv thes vycious inclinations be∣caused. But at last he must leue the labour of astronomy compelled by age / vvhen al hys passyons ben cessed: and then Hercules taketh heuen vpon hys shulder: and geueth hym holly to heuenly contemplation.

And so he deserueth by thys labour specyally to be made a cytesen of he¦uen. ¶Loo thus must euery myghty man that vvyl de seruen heuen. Fyrst lothe and abhorre the monstres of synne: bothe in hym self: and also in other: and at last leuyng al outvvard occupation / geue hym holly to serue god: in prayer and contemplation: and so many he be syker of al that he desyreth.

¶To vvhom so euer the moralyte of thes fables be plefaūt or vnlusty vvere ye vvel that they lacketh al in som thynges lytteral truthe. But a fable lackyng lytteral truthe vnexponed: ys noght elles but a lesyng. And as holy scripture saeth / al that euer doth or speketh lesyng / shal be parteners of the pytte of helle. Vvher fore after my symple connynge / I haue moralysed thē in my maner: leuyng the correction to other that ben clerkes and more connyng in that science. For syth hyt aperteneth not to holy vvryt: euery man vvythout offence: may say that hym se∣meth most lekely to truthe.

Explicit Liber quartus.