[Sidenote: _P._ Therefore it is good?]
þan is it good q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: _B._ Yes.]
whi nat q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P._ This is the fortune of the virtuous who combat
with adversity, or of those who, relinquishing vice, pursue the
path of virtue?]
but þis is þe fortune [q{uod} she] of 4188
hem þat eiþer ben put in vertue {and} batailen aȝeins
aspre þinges. or ellys of hem þat eschewen {and} declinen
fro vices {and} taken þe weye of vertue.
[Sidenote: _B._ It is.]
¶ þis ne may
nat I denye q{uo}d I
[Sidenote: _P._ The vulgar regard that prosperity which is
bestowed as a reward on the good to be beneficial, and they
believe those calamities by which the wicked are punished as the
most miserable things that can be imagined.]
¶ But what seist þou of þe myrye 4192
fortune þat is ȝeuen to good folk in gerdou{n} deuiniþ
ouȝt þe poeples þat it is wicked. nay forsoþe q{uo}d I. but
þei demen as it soþe is þat it is ryȝt good. ¶ And what
seist þou of þat oþer fortune q{uo}d she. þat al þouȝ it 4196
be aspre {and} restreiniþ þe shrewes by ryȝtful tourment.
weniþ ouȝt þe poeple þ{a}t it be good. nay q{uo}d I. ¶ But
þe poeple demiþ þat it be most wrecched of alle þinges
þat may ben þouȝt.
[Sidenote: But in following the popular opinion, let us beware of
being involved in some new and incredible consequence.]
war now {and} loke wel q{uo}d she 4200
lest þat we in folwyng þe opyniou{n} of poeple haue confessed
{and} co{n}cluded þing þat is vnable to be wened to [[pg 146]]
þe poeple.
[Sidenote: _B._ What is that?]
what is þat q{uo}d I
[Sidenote: _P._ We have decided that the fortune of the virtuous
or of those growing up in virtue must needs be good--but that the
fortune of the wicked must be most wretched.]
¶ Certys q{uo}d she it
folweþ or comeþ of þinges þ{a}t ben graunted þat alle 4204
fortune what so euer it be. of hem þat eyþer ben i{n}
possessiou{n} of vertue. [or in the encres of vertu] or ellys
in þe purchasynge of vertue. þat þilke fortune is good.
¶ And þat alle fortune is ryȝt wicked to hem þat 4208
dwellen in shrewednesse. as who seiþ. {and} þus weneþ
nat þe poeple.
[Linenotes:
4180 [_þat_]--from C.
4181 _wicked_--wykkede
4182 _proche_--aproche
4185 _al_--alle
4186 _þilk_--thilke
4188 [_quod she_]--from C.
4191 _weye_--wey
4193 _deuiniþ_--demyth
4194 _ouȝt_--awht
4195 _soþe_--soth
4198 _ouȝt_--awht
4199 _be_--is
4204 _comeþ_--comth
4206 [_or----vertu_] from C.
4208 _wicked_--wykkede]
[Headnote:
THE FORTUNE OF THE VIRTUOUS IS GOOD.]
[Sidenote: _B._ That’s true, though none dare acknowledge it.]
¶ þat is soþe q{uo}d I. ¶ Al be it so
þat noma{n} dar confesse{n} it ne byknowen it.
[Sidenote: _P._ Why so? The wise man ought not to be cast down,
when he has to wage war with Fortune, no more than the valiant man
ought to be dismayed on hearing the noise of the battle.]
¶ whi so
q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 33.]]
For ryȝt as no strong man ne semeþ nat to 4212
abassen or disdaigne{n} as *ofte tyme as he hereþ þe noise
of þe bataile. ne also it ne semeþ nat to þe wyse man to
beren it greuously as oft[e] as he is lad in to þe strif of
fortune.
[Sidenote: The dangers of war enable the one to acquire more
glory, and the difficulties of the other aid him to confirm and
improve his wisdom.]
for boþe to þat on man {and} eke to þat oþ{er} 4216
þilke difficulte is þe matere to þat oon man of encrese
of his glorious renou{n}. {and} to þat oþer man to conferme
hys sapience. þat is to seine þe asprenesse of hys estat.
[Sidenote: Thus virtue, in its literal acceptation, is a power
that, relying on its own strength, overcomes all obstacles.]
¶ For þerfore is it called uertue. for þat it susteniþ {and} 4220
enforceþ by hys strengþes þat it nis nat ouer-come{n} by
aduersites.
[Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts.]
¶ Ne certys þou þat art put in þe encrese
or in þe heyȝt of uertue ne hast nat comen to fleten wiþ
delices {and} forto welken in bodyly lust.
[Sidenote: You must engage in a fierce conflict with every
fortune--with adversity, lest it dismay you--with prosperity, lest
it corrupt you.]
¶ þou sowest 4224
or plauntest a ful egre bataile in þi corage aȝeins euery
fortune. for þat þe sorweful fortune ne co{n}fou{n}de þe nat.
ne þat þe myrye fortune ne corrumpe þe nat.
[Sidenote: Seize the _golden mean_ with all your strength. All
below or above this line is a contemptible and a thankless
felicity.]
¶ Occupy
þe mene by stedfast strengþes. for al þat euer is vndir 4228
þe mene. or ellys al þat ou{er}-passeþ þe mene despiseþ
welefulnesses. ¶ As who seiþ. it is vicious {and} ne haþ
no mede of hys trauaile.
[Sidenote: The choice of fortune lies in your own hands, but
remember that even adverse fortune, unless it exercises the
virtues of the good or chastises the wicked, is a punishment.]
¶ For it is set in ȝour{e} hand.
as who seiþ it lieþ in ȝour{e} power what fortune ȝow is 4232
leuest. þat is to seyne good or yuel. ¶ For alle fortune
þat semeþ sharpe or aspre yif it ne ex{er}cise nat þe good [[pg 147]]
folk. ne chastisiþ þe wicked folk. it punisseþ.
[Linenotes:
4210 _soþe_--soth
4211 _confessen_--co{n}fesse
4212 _no strong_--the stronge
4213 _abassen_--abayssen
4215 _oft[e]_--ofte
4219 _seine_--seyn
4223 _heyȝt_--heyhte
4224 _welken_--wellen
4226 _confounde_--MS. co{n}fou{n}ded, C. confownde
4227 _Occupy_--Ocupye
4228 _stedfast_--stydefast
4230 _haþ_--MS. haþe
4231 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
4232 _lieþ_--lith
4233 _seyne_--seyn
4234 _sharpe_--sharp]
[Headnote:
WE CHOOSE OUR OWN FORTUNE.]