[Sidenote: [The verthe p{ro}se.]]
++FElest þou q{uod} sche þise þinges {and} entren þei ouȝt in þi corage.
¶ Art þou like an asse to þe harpe. Whi wepest þou whi spillest þou
teres. ¶ Yif þou abidest after helpe of þi leche. þe byhoueþ discouere
þi wounde. ¶ Þo .I. þat hadde gadered strenkeþ in my corage answered[e]
{and} seide. {and} nedeþ it ȝitte q{uod} .I. of rehersyng or of
amonic{i}ou{n}. {and} scheweþ it not ynouȝ by hym self þe scharpnes of
fortune þat wexeþ woode aȝeynes me. ¶ Ne moeueþ it nat þe to seen þe
face or þe man{er}e of þis place (.i. p{r}isou{n}.). ¶ Is þis þe
librarie wyche þat þou haddest chosen for a ryȝt certeyne sege to þe
i{n} myne house. ¶ Þere as þou desputest of[te] wiþ me of þe sciences of
þinges touching diuinitee {and} touchyng mankynde. ¶ Was þan myn habit
swiche as it is now. was þan my face or my chere swiche as now.
[Interlinear: quasi d{ice}ret non.]
¶ Whan I souȝt[e] wiþ þe secretys of nature. whan þou enfo{ur}medest my
maners {and} þe resou{n} of al my lijf. to þe ensaumple of þe ordre of
heuene.
[Interlinear: ironice]
¶ Is nat þis þe gerdou{n} þat I refere to þe to whom I haue be
obeisaunt. ¶ Certis þou enfo{ur}medist by þe mouþe of plato þis
sentence. þat is to seyne þat co{m}mune þinges or comunabletes weren
blysful yif þei þat haden studied al fully to wisdom gouerneden þilke
þinges. or ellys yif it so by-felle þat þe gouernours of co{m}munalites
studieden in grete wisdomes. ¶ Þou saidest eke by þe mouþe of þe same
plato þat it was a necessarie cause wyse men to taken {and} desire þe
gou{er}nau{n}ce of comune þi{n}ges. for þat þe gou{er}nementes of comune
citees y-left in þe hondes of felonous to{ur}mento{ur}s Citiȝenis ne
scholde not brynge inne pestile{n}ce {and} destrucc{i}ou{n} to goode
folk. ¶ And þerfore I folowynge þilk auctoritee (.s. platonis). desiryng
to put[te] furþe in execusiou{n} {and} in acte of comune
admi{ni}st{ra}c{i}ou{n} þo þinges þat .I. hadde lerned of þe among my
secre restyng whiles. ¶ Þou {and} god þ{a}t put[te] þee in þe þouȝtis of
wise folk ben knowen wiþ me þat no þing brouȝt[e] me to maistrie or
dignite: but þe comune studie of al goodenes. ¶ And þer-of comeþ it þat
by-twixen wikked folk {and} me han ben greuouse discordes. þat ne myȝten
not be relesed by p{ra}yeres. ¶ For þis libertee haþ fredom of
conscience þat þe wraþþe of more myȝty folk haþ alwey ben despised of me
for saluac{i}ou{n} of ryȝt. ¶ How ofte haue .I. resisted {and} wiþstonde
þilk man þat hyȝt[e] conigaste þat made alwey assautes aȝeins þe
p{ro}pre fortunes of poure feble folke. ¶ How ofte haue .I. ȝitte put
of. or cast out hy{m} trigwille p{ro}uost of þe kynges hous boþe of þe
wronges þat he hadde bygon[ne] to done {and} eke fully p{er}formed.
¶ How ofte haue I couered {and} defended by þe auctorite of me put
aȝeins p{er}ils. þat is to seine put myne auctorite in peril for þe
wreched pore folke. þat þe couetise of straungeres vnpunysched
to{ur}mentid alwey wiþ myseses {and} greuaunces oute of noumbre. ¶ Neuer
man drow me ȝitte fro ryȝt to wro{n}g. When I say þe fortunes {and} þe
rychesse of þe people of þe p{ro}uinces ben harmed eyþer by p{r}iue
rauynes or by comune tributis or cariages. as sory was I as þei þat
suffred[e] þe harme. _Glosa._ ¶ Whan þat theodoric þe kyng of gothes in
a dere ȝere hadde hys gerners ful of corne {and} comaundede þat no ma{n}
ne schold[e] bie no corne til his corne were solde {and} þat at a dere
greuous pris. ¶ But I w{i}t{h}stod þat ordinaunce {and} ouer-com it
knowy{n}g al þis þe kyng hym self. ¶ Coempciou{n} þat is to seyn comune
achat or bying to-gidere þat were establissed vpon poeple by swiche a
manere imposiciou{n} as who so bouȝt[e] a busshel corn he most[e] ȝeue
þe ky{n}g þe fifte p{ar}t. _Textus._ ¶ Whan it was in þe soure hungry
tyme þere was establissed or cried greuous {and} inplitable coempciou{n}
þat men seyn wel it schulde greetly to{ur}me{n}tyn {and} endamagen al þe
p{ro}uince of co{m}paigne I took strif aȝeins þe p{ro}uost of þe
pretorie for comune p{ro}fit. ¶ And þe kyng knowyng of it I ouercom it
so þat þe coempciou{n} ne was not axed ne took effect. ¶ Paulyn a
counseiller of Rome þe rychesse of þe whyche paulyn þe houndys of þe
palays. þat is to seyn þe officeres wolde han deuoured by hope {and}
couetise ¶ Ȝit drow I hym out of þe Iowes .s. faucib{us} of hem þat
gapede{n}. ¶ And for as myche as þe peyne of þe accusac{i}ou{n} aiuged
byforn ne scholde not sodeynly henten ne punischen wrongfuly Albyn a
counseiller of Rome. I put[te] me aȝenis þe hates {and}
indignac{i}ou{n}s of þe accuso{ur} Ciprian. ¶ Is it not þan ynought
yseyn þat I haue p{ur}chased greet[e] discordes aȝeins my self. but I
aughte be more asseured aȝenis alle oþer folk þat for þe loue of
ryȝtwisnesse .I. ne reserued[e] neuer no þing to my self to hem ward of
þe kynges halle .s. officers. by þe whiche I were þe more syker. ¶ But
þoruȝ þe same accuso{ur}s accusyng I am co{n}dempned. ¶ Of þe noumbre of
whiche accuso{ur}s one basilius þat somtyme was chased out of þe kynges
seruice. is now co{m}pelled i{n} accusyng of my name for nede of foreine
moneye. ¶ Also opilion {and} Gaudenci{us} han accused me. al be it so
þat þe Iustice regal hadde su{m}tyme demed hem boþe to go in to exil.
for her treccheries {and} fraudes wiþ-outen noumbre. ¶ To whiche
iugement þei wolde not obeye. but defended[e] hem by sykernesse of holy
houses. þat is to seyne fledden in to seyntuaries. {and} whan þis was
ap{er}ceiued to þe kyng. he comaunded[e] but þat þei voided[e] þe citee
of Rauenne by certeyne day assigned þat men scholde merken hem on þe
forheued wiþ an hoke of iren {and} chasen hem out of toune. ¶ Now what
þing semeþ þe myȝt[e] be lykned to þis cruelte. For certys þilk same day
was receyued þe accusyng of my name by þilk[e] same accuso{ur}s. ¶ What
may be seid herto. haþ my studie {and} my konnyng deserued þus. or ellys
þe forseide dampnaciou{n} of me. made þat hem ryȝtful accuso{ur}s or no
(q.d. no{n}). ¶ Was not fortune asshamed of þis. [Certes alle hadde nat
fortune ben asshamyd] þat i{n}nocence was accused. ȝit auȝt[e] sche haue
had schame of þe filþe of myn accuso{ur}s. ¶ But axest þou in so{m}me of
what gilt .I. am accused. men seyne þat I wolde sauen þe co{m}paignie of
þe senato{ur}s. ¶ And desirest þou to here in what manere .I. am accused
þat I scholde han distourbed þe accuso{ur} to beren l{ett}res. by whiche
he scholde han maked þe senatours gilty aȝeins þe kynges Real maieste.
¶ O meistresse what demest þou of þis. schal .I. forsake þis blame þat I
ne be no schame to þe (q. d. no{n}). ¶ Certis .I. haue wold it. þat is
to seyne þe sauuaciou{n} of þe senat. ne I schal neuer leten to wilne
it. {and} þat I confesse {and} am a-knowe. but þe entent of þe accusour
to be destourbed schal cese. ¶ For schal I clepe it a felonie þan or a
synne þat I haue desired þe sauuaciou{n} of þe ordre of þe senat. and
certys ȝit hadde þilk same senat don by me þoruȝ her decretȝ {and} hire
iugementys as þouȝ it were a synne or a felonie þat is to seyne to wilne
þe sauuaciou{n} of he{m} (.s senat{us}). ¶ But folye þat lieth alwey to
hym self may not chaunge þe merit of þinges. ¶ Ne .I. trowe not by þe
iugement of socrates þ{a}t it were leueful to me to hide þe soþe. ne
assent[e] to lesynges. ¶ But certys how so euer it be of þis I put[te]
it to gessen or p{re}ise{n} to þe iugeme{n}t of þe {and} of wise folk.
¶ Of whiche þing al þe ordinaunce {and} þe soþe for as moche as folk þat
ben to comen aftir our{e} dayes scholle{n} knowen it. ¶ I haue put it in
scripture {and} remembraunce. for touching þe l{ett}res falsly maked. by
whiche l{ett}res I am accused to han hooped þe fredom of Rome. What
app{er}teneþ me to speken þer-of. Of whiche l{ett}res þe fraude hadde
ben schewed ap{er}tly if I hadde had libertee forto han vsed {and} ben
at þe co{n}fessiou{n} of myn accuso{ur}s. ¶ Þe whiche þing in alle nedys
haþ grete strenkeþ. ¶ For what oþ{er} fredo{m} may men hopen. Certys I
wolde þat some oþ{er} fredom myȝt[e] be hoped. ¶ I wolde þan haue
answered by þe wordes of a man þat hyȝt[e] Canius. for whan he was
accused by Gayus Cesar Germeins son þat he (cani{us}) was knowyng {and}
consentyng of a coniurac{i}ou{n} maked aȝeins hym (.s. Gai{us}). ¶ Þis
Canius answered[e] þus. ¶ Yif I had[de] wist it þou haddest not wist it.
In whiche þing sorwe haþ not so dulled my witte þ{a}t I pleyne oonly þat
schrewed[e] folk apparailen folies aȝeins vertues. ¶ But I wondre gretly
how þat þei may p{er}forme þinges þat þei had[de] hoped forto done. For
why. to wylne schrewednesse þat comeþ p{ar}auenture of oure defaute.
¶ But it is lyke to a monstre {and} a meruaille. ¶ How þat in þe
p{re}se{n}t syȝt of god may ben acheued {and} p{er}formed swiche þinges.
as euery felonous man haþ conceyued in hys þouȝt aȝeins i{n}nocent.
¶ For whiche þing oon of þi familers not vnskilfully axed þus. ¶ Ȝif god
is. whennes comen wikked[e] þinges. {and} yif god ne is whennes comen
goode þinges. but al hadde it ben leueful þat felonous folk þat now
desiren þe bloode {and} þe deeþ of alle goode men. {and} eke of al þe
senat han wilned to gone destroien me. whom þei han seyn alwey
bataile{n} {and} defenden goode men {and} eke al þe senat. Ȝit hadde I
not desserued of þe fadres. þat is to seyne of þe senatours þat þei
scholde wilne my destrucc{i}ou{n}. ¶ Þou remembrest wele as I gesse þat
whan I wolde don or seyn any þing. þou þi self alwey p{re}sent
reweledest me. ¶ At þe citee of verone wha{n} þat þe kyng gredy of
comune slauȝter. caste hym to t{ra}nsporten vpon al þe ordre of þe
senat. þe gilt of his real maieste of þe whiche gilt þat albyn was
accused. wiþ how grete sykernesse of p{er}il to me defended[e] I al þe
senat. ¶ Þou wost wel þat I seide soþe. ne I auaunted[e] me neuer in
preysyng of my self. ¶ For alwey when any wyȝt resceiueþ p{re}ciouse
renou{n} in auauntyng hym self of hys werkes: he amenusiþ þe secre of
hys conscience. ¶ But now þou mayst wel seen to what ende I am comen for
myne i{n}nocence. I receiue peyne of fals felonie in gerdou{n} of verray
vertue. ¶ And what open co{n}fessiou{n} of felonie had[de] euer iugis so
accordaunt i{n} cruelte. þat is to seyne as myne accusyng haþ. ¶ Þat
oþer errour of mans witte or ellys co{n}diciou{n} of fortune þat is
vncerteyne to al mortal folk ne submytted[e] su{m}me of he{m}. þat is to
seyne þat it ne cheyned[e] su{m}me iuge to han pitee or compassiou{n}.
¶ For al þouȝ I had[de] ben accused þat I wolde brenne holy houses.
{and} strangle p{re}stys wiþ wicked swerde. ¶ or þat .I. had[de] grayþed
deeþ to alle goode men algatis þe sentence scholde han punysched me
p{re}sent confessed or co{n}uict. ¶ But now I am remewed fro þe Citee of
rome almost fyue-hundreþ þousand pas. I am wiþ outen defence dampned to
p{ro}sc{ri}pciou{n} {and} to þe deeþ. for þe studie {and} bountees þat I
haue done to þe senat. ¶ But o wel ben þei worþi of mercye (as who seiþ
nay.) þer myȝt[e] neuer ȝit non of hem ben conuicte. Of swiche a blame
as myn is of swiche t{r}espas myn accuso{ur}s seyen ful wel þe dignitee.
þe wiche dignite for þei wolde derken it wiþ medelyng of some felonye.
þei beren me on honde {and} lieden. þat I hadde polute {and} defouled my
conscience wiþ sacrelege. for couetise of dignite. ¶ And certys þou þi
self þat art plaunted in me chacedest oute þe sege of my corage al
couetise of mortal þinges. ne sacrilege ne had[de] no leue to han a
place in me byforne þine eyen. ¶ For þou drouppedest euery day in myn
eer{e}s {and} in my þouȝt þilk comaundement of pictogoras. þat is to
seyne men schal seruen to god. {and} not to goddes. ¶ Ne it was no
couenaunt ne no nede to taken helpe of þe foulest spirites. ¶ I þat þou
hast ordeyned or set in syche excellence þ{a}t [þou] makedest me lyke to
god. and ouer þis þe ryȝt clene secre chaumbre of myn house. þat is to
seye my wijf {and} þe co{m}paignie of myn honeste frendis. {and} my
wyues fadir as wel holy as worþi to ben reuerenced þoruȝ hys owen dedis.
defenden me of al suspecciou{n} of syche blame. ¶ But o malice. ¶ For
þei þat accusen me taken of þe philosophie feiþe of so grete blame.
¶ For þei trowen þat .I. haue had affinite to malyfice or
enchau{n}tementȝ by cause þat I am replenissed {and} fulfilled wiþ þi
techynges. {and} enformed of þi maners. ¶ And þus it sufficeþ not only
þat þi reuerence ne auayle me not. but ȝif þat þou of þi fre wille raþer
be blemissed wiþ myne offensiou{n}. ¶ But certys to þe harmes þat I haue
þere bytydeþ ȝit þis encrece of harme. þat þe gessinge {and} þe iugement
of myche folk ne loken no þing to þe[de]sertys of þinges but only to þe
aue{n}t{ur}e of fortune. ¶ And iugen þat only swiche þinges ben
p{ur}ueied of god. whiche þat temporel welefulnesse co{m}mendiþ.
_Glosa._ ¶ As þus þat yif a wyȝt haue prosperite. he is a good man {and}
worþi to haue þat p{ro}sperite. and who so haþ aduersite he is a wikked
man. {and} god haþ forsake hym. {and} he is worþi to haue þat aduersite.
¶ Þis is þe opiniou{n} of so{m}me folke. {and} þer of comeþ þat good
gessyng. ¶ Fyrste of al þi{n}g forsakeþ wrecches certys it greueþ me to
þink[e] ryȝt now þe dyuerse sentences þat þe poeple seiþ of me. ¶ And
þus moche I seye þat þe laste charge of contrarious fortune is þis. þat
whan þat ony blame is laid vpon a caytif. men wenen þat he haþ deserued
þat he suffreþ. ¶ And I þat am put awey fro{m} goode men {and} despoiled
from dignitees {and} defoulid of my name by gessyng haue suffred torment
for my goode dedis. ¶ Certys me semeþ þat I se þe felonus couines of
wikked men abounden in ioie {and} in gladnes. ¶ And I se þat euery lorel
shapiþ hy{m} to fynde oute newe fraudes forto accusen goode folke. and I
se þat goode men ben ou{er}þrowen for drede of my p{er}il. ¶ and euery
luxurious to{ur}mentour dar don alle felonie vnpunissed {and} ben
excited þerto by ȝiftes. and i{n}nocentȝ ne ben not oonly despoiled of
sykernesse but of defence {and} þerfore me list to crien to god in þis
manere.