[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se.]]
[Sidenote: It is now time to use stronger medicines, since lighter
remedies have taken effect.]
++But for as moche as þe noryssinges of my resou{n}s
descenden now in to þe. I trowe it were tyme to
vsen a litel strenger medicynes.
[Sidenote: What is there in the gifts of Fortune that is not vile
and despicable?]
¶ Now vndirstonde 1172
here al were it so þat þe ȝiftis of fortune nar[e] nat
brutel ne t{ra}nsitorie.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 12.]]
what is þer in hem þat may be
þine *in any tyme. or ellis þat it nys foule if þat it be
considered {and} lokid p{er}fitely.
[Sidenote: Are riches precious in themselves, or in men’s
estimation?]
¶ Richesse ben þei 1176
p{re}ciouse by þe nature of hem self. or ellys by þe
nature of þe.
[Sidenote: What is most precious in them, quantity or quality?]
What is most worþi of rycchesse. is it
nat golde or myȝt of moneye assembled.
[Sidenote: Bounty is more glorious than niggardliness.]
¶ Certis
þilke golde {and} þilke moneye shineþ {and} ȝeueþ better 1180
renou{n} to hem þat dispenden it. þen to þilke folke þat
mokeren it.
[Sidenote: Avarice is always hateful, while liberality is
praise-worthy.]
For auarice makeþ alwey mokeres to be
hated. {and} largesse makeþ folke clere of renou{n}
¶ For syn þat swiche þi{n}g as is t{ra}nsfered from o 1184
man to an oþer ne may nat dwellen wiþ no man.
[Sidenote: Money cannot be more precious than when it is dispensed
liberally to others.]
Certis þan is þilke moneye p{re}cious. whan it is translated
in to oþer folk. {and} stynteþ to ben had by
vsage of large ȝeuy{n}g of hym þat haþ ȝeuen it. 1188
[Sidenote: If one man’s coffers contained all the money in the
world, every one else would be in want of it.]
{and} also yif al þe moneye þat is ouer-al in þe world were
gadered towar[d] o man. it sholde maken al oþer men [[pg 46]]
to ben nedy as of þat. ¶ And certys a voys al hool
þat is to seyn wiþ-oute amenusynge fulfilleþ to gyder 1192
þe heryng of myche folke.
[Sidenote: Riches cannot be dispensed without diminution.]
but Certys ȝoure rycchesse
ne mowen nat passen vnto myche folk wiþ-oute amenussyng
¶ And whan þei ben apassed. nedys þei maken
hem pore þat forgon þe rycchesses.
[Sidenote: O the poverty of riches, that cannot be enjoyed by many
at the same time, nor can be possessed by one without
impoverishing others!]
¶ O streite {and} 1196
nedy clepe I þise rycchesses. syn þat many folke [ne]
may nat han it al. ne al may it nat comen to on man
wiþ-oute pouerte of al oþer folke. ¶ And þe shynynge
of ge{m}mes þat I clepe p{re}ciouse stones. draweþ it nat 1200
þe eyen of folk in to hem warde. þat is to seyne for þe
beaute.
[Sidenote: The beauty of precious stones consists only in their
brightness, wherefore I marvel that men admire that which is
motionless, lifeless, and irrational.]
¶ For certys yif þer were beaute or bounte
in shynyng of stones. þilke clerenesse is of þe stones
hem self. {and} nat of men. ¶ For whiche I wondre 1204
gretly þat men merueilen on swiche þinges. ¶ For
whi what þing is it þat yif it wa{n}teþ moeuyng {and}
ioynture of soule {and} body þat by ryȝt myȝt[e] semen
a faire creature to hym þat haþ a soule of resou{n}. 1208
[Sidenote: Precious stones are indeed the workmanship of the
Creator, but their beauty is infinitely below the excellency of
man’s nature.]
¶ For al be it so þat ge{m}mes drawen to hem self a
litel of þe laste beaute of þe worlde. þoruȝ þe entent
of hir creato{ur} {and} þoruȝ þe distincc{i}ou{n} of hem self.
ȝit for as myche as þei ben put vndir ȝoure excellence. 1212
þei han not desserued by no weye þat ȝe shullen
merueylen on hem.
[Sidenote: Doth the beauty of the field delight thee?]
¶ And þe beaute of feeldes deliteþ
it nat mychel vnto ȝow.
[Sidenote: _B._ Why should it not? for it is a beautiful part of a
beautiful whole.]
_Boyce._ ¶ Whi sholde it nat
deliten vs. syn þat it is a ryȝt fayr porciou{n} of þe ryȝt 1216
fair werk. þat is to seyn of þis worlde.
[Sidenote: Hence, we admire the face of the sea, the heavens, as
well as the sun, moon, and stars.]
¶ And ryȝt
so ben we gladed somtyme of þe face of þe see whan
it is clere. And also merueylen we on þe heuene {and}
on þe sterres. {and} on þe sonne. {and} on þe mone. [[pg 47]]
[Sidenote: _P._ Do these things concern thee? darest thou glory in
them?]
_Philosophie._ ¶ App{er}teineþ q{uo}d she any of þilke 1221
þinges to þe. whi darst þou glorifie þe in þe shynynge
of any swiche þinges.
[Sidenote: Do the flowers adorn you with their variety?]
Art þou distingwed {and} embelised
by þe spryngyng floures of þe first somer 1224
sesou{n}. or swelliþ þi plente in fruytes of somer. whi
art þou rauyshed wiþ ydel ioies.
[Sidenote: Why embracest thou things wherein thou hast no
property?]
why enbracest þou
straunge goodes as þei weren þine.
[Sidenote: Fortune can never make that thine which the nature of
things forbids to be so.]
Fortune shal neuer
maken þat swiche þinges ben þine þat nature of þinges 1228
maked foreyne fro þe.
[Sidenote: The fruits of the earth are designed for the support of
beasts.]
¶ Syche is þat wiþ-oute{n}
doute þe fruytes of þe erþe owen to ben on þe
norssinge of bestes.
[Sidenote: If you seek only the necessities of nature, the
affluence of Fortune will be useless.]
¶ And if þou wilt fulfille þi
nede after þat it suffiseþ to nature þan is it no nede 1232
þat þou seke after þe sup{er}fluite of fortune.
[Sidenote: Nature is content with a little, and superfluity will
be both disagreeable and hurtful.]
¶ For
wiþ ful fewe þinges {and} w{i}t{h} ful lytel þing nature
halt hire appaied. {and} yif þou wilt achoken þe fulfillyng
of nat{ur}e wiþ sup{er}fluites ¶ Certys þilke 1236
þinges þ{a}t þou wilt þresten or pouren in to nature
shullen ben vnioyeful to þe or ellis anoies.
[Sidenote: Does it add to a man’s worth to shine in variety of
costly clothing?]
¶ Wenest
þou eke þat it be a fair þinge to shine wiþ dyuerse
cloþing.
[Sidenote: The things really to be admired are the beauty of the
stuff or the workmanship of it.]
of whiche cloþing yif þe beaute be agreable 1240
to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on þe nature of þe
matere of þilke cloþes. or ellys on þe werkeman þat
wrouȝt[e] hem.
[Sidenote: Doth a great retinue make thee happy?]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 12 _b_.]]
but al so a longe route of meyne. makiþ
þat a blisful *man.
[Sidenote: If thy servants be vicious, they are a great burden to
the house, and pernicious enemies to the master of it.]
þe whiche seruauntes yif þei ben 1244
vicioũs of condic{i}ou{n}s it is a greet charge {and} a
destrucc{i}ou{n} to þe house. {and} a g{r}eet enmye to þe lorde
hym self
[Sidenote: If they be good, why should the probity of others be
put to thy account?]
¶ {And} yif þei ben goode men how shal
straung[e] or foreyne goodenes ben put in þe nou{m}bre 1248
of þi rycchesse.
[Sidenote: Upon the whole, then, none of those enjoyments which
thou didst consider as thy own did ever properly belong to thee.]
so þ{a}t by alle þise forseide þinges. it is
clerly shewed þat neuer none of þilke þinges þat þou
accou{m}ptedest for þin goodes nas nat þi goode.
[Sidenote: If they be not desirable, why shouldst thou grieve for
the loss of them?]
¶ In
þe whiche þinges yif þer be no beaute to ben desired. 1252
[Linenotes:
1172 _strenger_--strenger{e}
_vndirstonde_--vndyrstond
1173 _nar[e]_--ne weere
1174 _be þine_--ben thyn
1175 _foule_--fowl
1176 _Richesse_--Rychessis
1178 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1179, 1180 _golde_--gold
1180 _better_--betere
1181 _þen_--thanne
1182 _mokeres_--mokereres
1183 _folke clere_--folk cler
1184 _swiche_--swich
_from_--fram
1187 _stynteþ_--stenteth
1188 _haþ_--MS. haþe
1189 _world_--worlde
1190 _al_--alle
1191 _al hool_--omitted
1193 _myche folke_--moche folk{e}
_rycchesse_--rychesses
1194 _myche_--moche
1196 _forgon_--MS. forgone
1197 _þise_--this
_rycchesses_--rychesse
[_ne_]--from C.
1198 _on_--o
1199 _wiþ-oute_--with-owten
_al_--alle
_folke_--folk{e}
1200 _preciouse_--p{re}syous
1201 _in_--omitted
_warde_--ward
_seyne_--seyn
1202 _beaute_ (1)--beautes
_For_--but
1203 _in_--in the
1204 _whiche_--which
1207 _ioynture_--Ioyngture
1208 _faire_--fayr
_haþ_--MS. haþe
1210 _laste_--last
_worlde_--world
1212 _myche_--mochel
1213 _desserued_--MS. desseyued, C. desseruyd
_weye_--wey
_shullen_--sholden
1215 _mychel_--mochel
1217 _fair werk_--fayr{e} werke
_worlde_--world
1219 _clere_--cler
1222 _darst þou glorifie_--darsthow gloryfyen
1225 _in_--in the
1229 _Syche_--Soth
1230 _on_--to
1231, 1235, 1237 _wilt_--wolt
1238 _shullen_--shollen
1239 _fair_--fayre
1240 _whiche_--which
1242 _werkeman_--werkman
1246 _house_--hows
_lorde_--lord
1248 _goodenes_--goodnesse
1250 _shewed_--I-shewyd
_none_--oon
1251 _þin_--thine
_goode_--good]
[[pg 48]]
[Headnote:
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES.]
whi sholdest þou be sory yif þou leese hem. or whi
sholdest þou reioysen þe to holden hem.
[Sidenote: If they are fair by nature, what is that to thee?]
¶ For if þei
ben fair of hire owen kynde. what app{er}teneþ þat to þe.
[Sidenote: They would be equally agreeable whether thine or not.]
for as wel sholde þei han ben faire by hem self. 1256
þouȝ þei were{n} dep{ar}tid from alle þin rycchesse.
[Sidenote: They are not to be reckoned precious because they are
counted amongst thy goods, but because they seemed so before thou
didst desire to possess them.]
¶ For-why
faire ne p{re}cioũs ne weren þei nat. for þat þei
comen amonges þi rycchesse. but for þei semeden fair
{and} p{re}cious. þerfore þou haddest leuer rekene hem 1260
amonges þi rycchesse.
[Sidenote: What, then, is it we so clamorously demand of Fortune?]
but what desirest þou of fortune
wiþ so greet a noyse {and} wiþ so greet a fare
[Sidenote: Is it to drive away indigence by abundance?]
¶ I
trowe þou seke to dryue awey nede wiþ habundaunce
of þinges.
[Sidenote: But the very reverse of this happens, for there is need
of many helps to keep a variety of valuable goods.]
¶ But certys it turneþ to ȝow al in þe 1264
contrarie. for whi certys it nediþ of ful many[e] helpynges
to kepen þe dyuersite of preciouse ostelmentȝ.
[Sidenote: They want most things who have the most.]
and soþe it is þat of many[e] þinges han þei nede þat
many[e] þinges han.
[Sidenote: They want the fewest who measure their abundance by the
necessities of nature, and not by the superfluity of their
desires.]
{and} aȝeyneward of litel nediþ 1268
hem þat mesuren hir fille after þe nede of kynde {and}
nat after þe outrage of couetyse
[Sidenote: Is there no good planted within ourselves, that we are
obliged to go abroad to seek it?]
¶ Is it þan so þat ye
men ne han no p{ro}pre goode. I-set in ȝow. For
whiche ȝe moten seken outwardes ȝoure goodes in 1272
foreine {and} subgit þinges.
[Sidenote: Are things so changed and inverted, that god-like man
should think that he has no other worth but what he derives from
the possession of inanimate objects?]
¶ So is þan þe condic{i}ou{n}
of þinges turned vpso dou{n}. þat a man þat is a devyne
beest by merit of hys resou{n}. þinkeþ þat hy{m}
self nys neyþer fair ne noble. but if it be þoruȝ 1276
possessiou{n} of ostelmentes. þat ne han no soules.
[Linenotes:
1255 _fair_--fayr{e}
_hire owen_--hyr owne
1256 _sholde_--sholden
_self_--selue
1257 _þin rycchesse_--thyne rychesses
1259 _amonges_--among{e}
1259, 1261 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
1259 _fair_--fayr{e}
1260 _leuer rekene_--leu{er}e rekne
1262 _greet_ (2)--grete
1265, 1267 _many[e]_--manye
1267 _soþe_--soth
1272 _outwardes_--owtward
1276 _fair_--fayr{e}
_if_--yif]
[Headnote:
IGNORANCE CRIMINAL IN MAN.]
[Sidenote: Inferior things are satisfied with their own
endowments, while man (the image of God) seeks to adorn his nature
with things infinitely below him, not understanding how much he
dishonours his Maker.]
¶ And certys al oþ{er} þi{n}ges ben appaied of hire owen
beautes. but ȝe men þat ben semblable to god by ȝour{e}
resonable þouȝt desiren to apparaille ȝour{e} excellent 1280
kynde of þe lowest[e] pinges. ne ȝe ne vndirstonde nat
how gret a wro{n}g ȝe don to ȝoure creato{ur}.
[Sidenote: God intended man to excel all earthly creatures, yet
you debase your dignity and prerogative below the lowest beings.]
for he
wolde þat man kynde were moost worþi {and} noble of
any oþer erþely þinges. and ȝe þresten adou{n} ȝoure [[pg 49]]
dignitees by-neþen þe lowest[e] þinges.
[Sidenote: In placing your happiness in despicable trifles, you
acknowledge yourselves of less value than these trifles, and well
do you merit to be so esteemed.]
¶ For if þat al 1285
þe good of euery þing be more p{re}ciouse þan is þilk
þing whos þat þe good is. syn ȝe demen þat þe
foulest[e] þinges ben ȝoure goodes. þanne summytten 1288
ȝe {and} putten ȝoure self vndir þo foulest[e] þinges by
ȝoure estimac{i}ou{n}. ¶ And certis þis bitidiþ nat wiþ
out ȝour{e} desert.
[Sidenote: Man only excels other creatures when he knows himself.]
For certys swiche is þe co{n}dic{i}ou{n}
of al man kynde þat oonly whan it haþ knowyng of it 1292
self. þan passeþ it i{n} noblesse alle oþer þinges.
[Sidenote: When he ceases to do so, he sinks below beasts.]
and whan it forletiþ þe knowyng of it self. þan it is
brouȝt byneþen alle beestes.
[Sidenote: Ignorance is natural to beasts, but in men it is
unnatural and criminal.]
¶ For-why alle oþer
[leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem 1296
self. but whan þat men leten þe knowyng of hem self.
it comeþ hem of vice.
[Sidenote: How weak an error is it to believe that anything
foreign to your nature can be an ornament to it.]
but how brode sheweþ þe erro{ur}
{and} þe folie of ȝow men þat wenen þat ony þing may
ben apparailled wiþ straunge apparaillementȝ ¶ but 1300
for-soþe þat may nat be don.
[Sidenote: If a thing appear beautiful on account of its external
embellishments, we admire and praise those embellishments alone.]
for yif a wyȝt shyneþ wiþ
þi{n}ges þat ben put to hym. as þus. yif þilke þinges
shynen wiþ whiche a man is apparailled. ¶ Certis
þilke þinges ben commendid {and} p{re}ised wiþ whiche 1304
he is apparailled.
[Sidenote: The thing covered still continues in its natural
impurity.]
¶ But naþeles þe þing þat is
couered {and} wrapped vndir þat dwelleþ in his filþe.
[Sidenote: I deny that to be a good which is hurtful to its
owner.]
and I denye þat þilke þing be good þat anoyeþ hym
þat haþ it.
[Sidenote: Am I deceived in this? You will say no; for riches have
often hurt their possessors.]
¶ Gabbe I of þis. þou wolt seye nay. 1308
¶ Certys rycchesse han anoyed ful ofte hem þat han þe
rycchesse.
[Sidenote: Every wicked man desires another’s wealth, and esteems
him alone happy who is in possession of riches.]
¶ Syn þat euery wicked shrew {and} for
hys wickednesse þe more gredy aftir oþer folkes rycchesse
wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or 1312
p{re}cious stones. [[pg 50]]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 13.]]
{and} weniþ hym *only most worþi þat
haþ hem
[Sidenote: You, therefore, who now so much dread the instruments
of assassination, if you had been born a poor wayfaring man,
might, with an empty purse, have sung in the face of robbers.]
¶ þou þan þat so besy dredest now þe swerde
{and} þe spere. yif þou haddest entred in þe paþe of þis
lijf a voide wayfaryng man. þan woldest þou syng[e] 1316
by-fore þe þeef. ¶ As who seiþ a poure man þat bereþ
no rycchesse on hym by þe weye. may boldly syng[e]
byforne þeues. for he haþ nat wher-of to ben robbed.
[Sidenote: O the transcendant felicity of riches! No sooner have
you obtained them, than you cease to be secure.]
¶ O preciouse {and} ryȝt clere is þe blysfulnesse of 1320
mortal rycchesse. þat wha{n} þou hast geten it. þan hast
þou lorn þi syke[r]nesse.
[Linenotes:
1278 _hire owen_--hir owne
1281 _ne_ (2)--omitted
_vndirstonde_--vndyrstondyn
1282 _gret_--MS. grete, C. gret
1284 _oþer erþely_--oothre worldly
_þresten_--threste
1285 _by-neþen_--by-nethe
_if_--yif
1286 _good_--MS. goode, C. good
_þing_--thinge
_preciouse_--p{re}syos
_þilk þing_--thilke thinge
1287 _þe_ (2)--tho
1288 _summytten_--submitten
1289 _self_--seluen
_foulest[e]_--fowleste
1290 _bitidiþ_--tydeth
1291 _out_--owte
_desert_--desertes
1292 _al_--alle
1293 _self_--selue
1294 _it is_--is it
1296 [_leuynge_]--from C.
_hem_--hym
1297 _þat_--omitted
1298 _comeþ_--comth
1299 _þing_--thinge
1302 _put_--MS. putte, C. put
1303 _whiche_--which
1306 _filþe_--felthe
1307 _þing_--thinge
_good_--MS. goode, C. good
1308 _haþ_--MS. haþe
1309 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_þe_--tho
1310 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_shrew_--shrewe
1311 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1312 _golde_--gold
1314 _haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hat
_besy_--bysy
_swerde_--swerd
1315 _paþe_--paath
1316 _wayfaryng_--wayferynge
_syng[e]_--synge
1317 _by-fore_--by-forn
_seiþ_--MS. seiþe, C. seyth
_poure_--pore
_bereþ_--berth
1318 _boldly syng[e]_--boldely synge
1319 _haþ_--MS. haþe
1320 _preciouse_--p{re}cyos
_clere_--cler
1321 _rycchesse_--rychesses
1322 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn]
[Headnote:
THE GOLDEN AGE.]