Part 68

LE RESPOU{N}CE DU PLEINTIF COU{N}TR{E} FORTUNE.

¶ Thy loor{e} y dempne / it is adu{er}syte My frend maysthow nat reuen blynde goddesse Þ{a}t .I. thy frendes knowe .I. thanke to the Tak hem agayn / lat hem go lye on p{re}sse 52 The negardye in kepynge hyr rychesse P{re}nostik is thow wolt hir+ towr+ asayle Wikke appetyt comth ay before sykenesse [[pg 184]] In general this rewle may nat fayle 56

LE RESPOU{N}CE DE FORTUNE COU{N}TR{E} LE PLEINTIF

¶ Thow pynchest at my mutabylyte For .I. the lente a drope of my rychesse And now me lykyth to w{i}t{h}-drawe me Whi sholdysthow my realte ap{re}sse 60 The see may ebbe {and} flowen moor{e} or lesse The welkne hath myht to shyne reyne or hayle Ryht so mot .I. kythen my brutelnesse In general this rewle may nat fayle 64

LE PLEINTIF

¶ Lo excussyou{n} of the maieste Þ{a}t al purueyeth of his ryhtwysnesse That same thinge fortune clepyn ye Ye blynde beestys ful of lewednesse 68 The heuene hath p{ro}prete of sykyrnesse This world hath eu{er} resteles trauayle Thy laste day is ende of myn intersse In general this rewele may nat fayle 72

LENUOY DE FORTUNE

¶ Prynses .I. prey yow of yowr{e} gentilesses Lat nat this man on me thus crye {and} pleyne And .I. shal quyte yow yowr{e} bysynesse At my requeste as thre of yow or tweyne 76 Þ{a}t but yow lest releue hym of hys peyne Preyeth hys best frend of his noblesse That to som beter{e} estat he may attayne

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CHAUCER’S TEXT ONLY

The following section contains the text alone of Chaucer’s translation of De Consolatione Philosophiae, without the editor’s annotations. It is followed by the Glossarial Index.

LIBER PRIMUS.

INCIPIT LIBER BOICII DE CO{N}SOLAC{I}O{N}E PHILOSOPHIE.

Car{m}i{n}a qui q{u}onda{m} studio flore{n}te p{er}egi.

++Allas I wepyng am constreined to bygynne vers of sorouful matere. ¶ Þat whilom in florysching studie made delitable ditees. For loo rendyng muses of poetes enditen to me þinges to be writen. and drery v{er}s of wrecchednes weten my face wiþ v{er}ray teers. ¶ At þe leest no drede ne myȝt ouer-come þo muses. þat þei ne were{n} felawes {and} folweden my wey. þat is to seyne when I was exiled. þei þat weren glorie of my youȝth whilom weleful {and} grene co{n}forten now þe sorouful werdes of me olde man. for elde is comen vnwarly vpon me hasted by þe harmes þat I haue. {and} sorou haþ comau{n}ded his age to be in me. ¶ Heeres hore ben schad ouertymelyche vpon myne heued. and þe slak skyn trembleþ vpon myn emty body. þilk deeþ of men is welful þat ne comeþ not in ȝeres þat ben swete (.i. mirie.) but comeþ to wrecches often yclepid.

¶ Allas allas wiþ how deef an eere deeþ cruel to{ur}neþ awey fro wrecches {and} naieþ to closen wepyng eyen. ¶ While fortune vnfeiþful fauored me wiþ lyȝte goodes (.s. temp{or}els.) þe sorouful houre þat is to seyne þe deeþ had almost dreynt myne heued. ¶ But now for fortune clowdy haþ chaunged hir disceyuable chere to me warde. myn vnpitouse lijf draweþ a long vnagreable dwellynges in me. ¶ O ȝe my frendes what or wherto auaunted ȝe me to be weleful: for he þat haþ fallen stood not i{n} stedfast degree.

HIC DUM MECUM TACITUS.

++IN þe mene while þat I stille recorded þise þinges wiþ my self. {and} markede my wepli compleynte wiþ office of poyntel. I saw stondyng aboue þe heyȝt of my heued a woman of ful greet reuerence by semblaunt hir eyen brennyng {and} clere seing ouer þe comune myȝt of men. wiþ a lijfly colo{ur} {and} wiþ swiche vigoure {and} strenkeþ þat it ne myȝt not be emptid. ¶ Al were it so þat sche was ful of so greet age. þat men ne wolde not trowe i{n} no manere þat sche were of oure elde. þe stature of hir was of a doutous iugement. for su{m}tyme sche constreyned {and} schronk hir selue{n} lyche to þe comune mesure of men. {and} su{m}tyme it semed þat sche touched þe heuene wiþ þe heyȝte of hir heued. and when sche hef hir heued heyer sche p{er}ced þe selue heuene. so þat þe syȝt of men lokyng was i{n} ydel. ¶ Hir cloþes weren maked of ryȝt delye þredes {and} subtil crafte of p{er}durable matere. þe wyche cloþes sche hadde wouen wiþ hir owen hondes: as I knew wel aftir by hir selfe. declaryng {and} schewyng to me þe beaute. þe wiche cloþes a derkenes of a forleten and dispised elde had duskid {and} dirkid as it is wo{n}t to dirken by-smoked ymages. ¶ In þe neþerest hem or bordure of þese cloþes me{n} redden ywouen in swiche a gregkysche .P. þat signifieþ þe lijf actif. And abouen þ{a}t l{ett}re in þe heyȝest bordure a grekysche T. þat signifieþ þe lijf contemplatif. ¶ And by-twene þese two l{ett}res þere weren seien degrees nobly wrouȝt in manere of laddres. By wyche degrees men myȝt clymbe fro þe neþemast l{ett}re to þe ouermast. ¶ Naþeles hondes of su{m} men hadde korue þ{a}t cloþe by vyolence {and} by strenkeþ. ¶ And eueryche man of hem hadde born away syche peces as he myȝte geet. ¶ And forsoþe þis forsaide woman ber bookes in hir ryȝt honde. {and} in hir lefte honde sche ber a ceptre. ¶ And when sche sauȝ þese poetical muses ap{ro}chen aboute my bedde. {and} endytyng wordes to my wepynges. sche was a lytel ameued and glowed wiþ cruel eyen. ¶ Who q{uo}d sche haþ suffred ap{ro}chen to þis seek man þise comune strumpetis of siche a place þat men clepen þe theatr{e}. ¶ Þe wyche only ne asswagen not his sorowes. wiþ no remedies. but þei wolde fede {and} norysche hem wiþ swete venym. ¶ Forsoþe þise ben þo þat wiþ þornes {and} prykkynges of talentȝ or affecciou{n}s wiche þat ben no þing frutefiyng nor p{ro}fitable destroyen þe cornes plenteuouse of frutes of reson. ¶ For þei holden þe hertes of men i{n} usage. but þei ne delyuere not folk fro maladye. but if ȝe muses hadde wiþdrawen fro me wiþ ȝoure flateries. any vnkonnyng {and} vnp{ro}fitable man as men ben wont to fynde comunely amonges þe peple. I wolde wene suffre þe lasse greuously. ¶ For-why in syche an vnp{ro}fitable man myne ententes weren no þing endamaged. ¶ But ȝe wiþdrawen me þis man þat haþ ben norysched in studies or scoles of Eleaticis {and} of achademicis in grece. ¶ But goþ now raþer awey ȝe meremaydenes wyche ben swete til it be at þe laste. {and} suffreþ þis man to be cured {and} heled by myne muses. þat is to say by notful sciences. ¶ And þus þis compaygnie of muses I-blamed casten wroþely þe chere adou{n}ward to þe erþe {and} schewyng by redenesse hir schame þei passeden sorowfuly þe þreschefolde. ¶ And I of whom þe syȝt plonged i{n} teres was derked so þat I ne myȝt not knowe what þat woman was of so i{m}perial auctorite. ¶ I wex al a-besid {and} astoned. {and} caste my syȝt adoune in to þe erþe. {and} bygan stille forto abide what sche wolde don afterwarde. ¶ Þo come sche nere {and} sette hir doun vpon þe vterrest corner of my bedde. {and} sche byholdyng my chere þat was cast to þe erþe heuy {and} greuous of wepyng. co{m}pleinede wiþ þise wordes þ{a}t I schal sey þe p{er}t{ur}bac{i}ou{n} of my þouȝt.

HEU Q{UAM} PRECIPITI MERSA PROFUNDO.

++Allas how þe þouȝt of man dreint in ouer þrowyng depnesse dulleþ {and} forletiþ hys p{ro}pre clerenesse. myntynge to gone in to foreyne derknesses as ofte as hys anoious bisines wexiþ wiþ-oute{n} mesure. þ{a}t is dryuen to {and} fro wiþ worldly wyndes. ¶ Þis man þat su{m}tyme was fre to who{m} þe heuene was open {and} knowen {and} was wont to gone in heuenelyche paþes. {and} sauȝ þe lyȝtnesse of þe rede sunne. {and} sauȝ þe sterres of þe colde moone. {and} wyche sterre i{n} heuene vseþ wandryng risorses yflit by dyuerse speres. ¶ Þis man ouer comere hadde co{m}p{re}hendid al þis by noumbre. of accountyng in astronomye. ¶ And ouer þis he was wont to seche þe causes whennes þe sounyng wy{n}des moeuen {and} bisien þe smoþe water of þe see. {and} what spirit turneþ þe stable heuene. {and} whi þe sterre ryseþ oute of þe reede eest. to falle in þe westren wawes. and what attempriþ þe lusty houres of þe fyrste somer sesou{n} þat hiȝteþ {and} apparaileþ þe erþe wiþ rosene floures. ¶ And who makeþ þat plenteuouse autu{m}pne in fulle ȝeres fletiþ wiþ heuy grapes. ¶ And eke þis ma{n} was wont to telle þe dyuerses causes of nature þat weren yhid. ¶ Allas now lieþ he emptid of lyȝt of hys þouȝt. {and} hys nekke is p{re}ssid wiþ heuy cheynes {and} bereþ his chere enclined adoune for þe greet weyȝt. and is constreyned to loke on foule erþe.

SET MEDICINE INQUIT TEMPUS.

++Bvt tyme is now q{uo}d sche of medicine more þen of compleynte. ¶ Forsoþe þen sche entendyng to me warde wiþ al þe lokyng of hir eyen saide. ¶ Art not þou he q{uo}d sche þat su{m}tyme I-norschid wiþ my mylke {and} fostre wiþ my meetes were ascaped {and} comen to corage of a p{er}fit man. ¶ Certys I ȝaf þe syche armures þat ȝif þou þi self ne haddest first caste hem away. þei schulden haue defendid þe in sykernesse þat may not be ouer-comen. ¶ Knowest þou me not. Why art þou stille. is it for schame or for astonynge. It were me leuer þat it were for schame. but it semeþ me þat astony{n}ge haþ opp{re}ssed þe. ¶ And whan sche say me not oonly stille. but wiþ-outen office of tonge {and} al doumbe. sche leide hir honde softely vpon my brest {and} seide. ¶ Here nis no p{er}il q{uod} sche. ¶ He is fallen in to a litargie. whiche þat is a comune sekenes to hertes þat ben desceiued. ¶ He haþ a litel forȝeten hym self. but certis he schal lyȝtly reme{m}bren hym self. ¶ Ȝif so be þat he haþ knowe{n} me or now. {and} þat he may so done I wil wipe a litel hys eyen. þat ben derked by þe cloude of mortel þinges ¶ Þise wordes seide sche. and wiþ þe lappe of hir garment yplitid in a frounce sche dried myn eyen þat were ful of þe wawes of my wepynges.

TUNC ME DISCUSSA.

++Þus when þat nyȝt was discussed {and} chased awey. derknesses forleften me. {and} to myn eyen repeyre aȝeyne her firste strenkeþ. and ryȝt by ensample as þe sonne is hid when þe sterres ben clustred. þat is to sey whe{n} sterres ben couered wiþ cloudes by a swifte wynde þat hyȝt chorus. {and} þat þe firmame{n}t stont derked by wete ploungy cloudes. and þat þe sterres not apperen vpo{n} heuene. ¶ So þat þe nyȝt semeþ sprad vpo{n} erþe. ¶ Yif þan þe wynde þat hyȝt borias sent out of þe kaues of þe contre of Trace betiþ þis nyȝt. þat is to seyn chasiþ it away {and} descouereþ þe closed day. ¶ Þan schineþ pheb{us} yshaken wiþ sodeyne lyȝt {and} smyteþ wiþ hys bemes i{n} m{er}uely{n}g eyen.

HAUT ALITER TRISTICIE.

++Ryȝt so {and} none oþer wyse þe cloudes of sorowe dissolued {and} don awey. ¶ I took heuene. {and} receyuede mynde to knowe þe face of my fyciscien. ¶ So þat I sette myne eyen on hir {and} festned my lokyng. I byholde my norice philosophie. in whos houses I hadde conuersed {and} haunted fro my ȝouþe. {and} I seide þus. ¶ O þou maistresse of alle uertues descendid fro þe souereyne sete. Whi art þou comen in to þis solitarie place of myn exil. ¶ Art þou comen for þ{o}u art mad coupable wiþ me of fals blames. ¶ O q{uod} sche my norry scholde I forsake þe now. and scholde I not parte wiþ þe by comune trauaille þe charge þat þou hast suffred for envie of my name. ¶ Certis it nar not leueful ne sittyng to philosophie to leten wiþ-outen compaignie þe wey of hym þat is i{n}nocent. ¶ Scholde I þan redoute my blame {and} agrisen as þouȝ þer were byfallen a newe þing. q. d. non. ¶ For trowest þou þat philosophi be now alþerfirst assailed i{n} p{er}ils by folk of wicked maneres. ¶ Haue I not stryuen wiþ ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore þe age of my plato aȝeins þe foolhardines of foly {and} eke þe same plato lyuyng. hys maistre socrates deserued victorie of vnryȝtful deeþ in my presence. ¶ Þe heritage of wyche socrates. þe h{er}itage is to seyne þe doctrine of þe whiche soc{ra}tes in hys oppiniou{n} of felicite þat I clepe welfulnesse ¶ Whan þat þe people of epicuriens {and} stoyciens {and} many oþer enforceden hem to go rauische eueryche man for his part þat is to seyne. þat to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to þe defence of his oppiniou{n} þe wordes of socrates. ¶ Þei as in p{ar}tie of hir preye todrowe{n} me criynge {and} debatyng þer aȝeins. {and} tornen {and} torente{n} my cloþes þat I hadde woue{n} wiþ myn handes. {and} wiþ þe cloutes þat þei hadden arased oute of my cloþes. þei wenten awey wenyng þat I hadde gon wiþ he{m} euery dele. In whiche epicuryens {and} stoyciens. for as myche as þer semed so{m}me traces {and} steppes of myne habit. þe folye of men wenyng þo epicuryens {and} stoyciens my familers p{er}uertede (.s. p{er}sequend{o}) so{m}me þoruȝ þe errour of þe wikked or vnkunnyng multitude of hem. ¶ Þis is to seyne for þei semeden philosophres: þei weren p{ur}sued to þe deeþ and slayn. ¶ So yif þou hast not knowen þe exilynge of anaxogore. ne þe empoysenyng of socrates. ne þe to{ur}mentȝ of ȝeno for þei [weren] straungers. ¶ Ȝit myȝtest þou haue knowe{n} þe senectiens {and} þe Canyos {and} þe sorancis of wyche folk þe renou{n} is neyþer ouer oolde ne vnsolempne. ¶ Þe whiche men no þing ellys ne brouȝt hem to þe deeþ but oonly for þei weren enfourmed of my maneres. {and} semede{n} moste vnlyke to þe studies of wicked folk. ¶ And forþi þou auȝtest not to wondre þouȝ þ{a}t I in þe bitter see of þis lijf be fordryuen wiþ tempestes blowyng aboute. in þe whiche te{m}peste þis is my most p{ur}pos þat is to seyn to displese to wikked men. ¶ Of whiche schrews al be þe oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis gouerned wiþ no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by flityng errour folyly {and} lyȝtly. ¶ And if þei somtyme maky{n}g an ost aȝeynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure leder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse i{n} to hys toure. {and} þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels vnp{ro}fitable forto taken. but we þat ben heyȝ abouen syker fro al tumulte {and} wode noise. ben stored {and} enclosed in syche a palays. whider as þat chateryng or anoying folye ne may not attayne. ¶ We scorne swiche rauiners {and} honters of foulest þinges.

QUISQ{UI}S COMPOSITO.

++Who so it be þat is clere of vertue sad {and} wel ordinat of lyuyng. þat haþ put vnderfote þe prowed wierdes {and} lokiþ vpryȝt vpon eyþer fortune. he may holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. ¶ Þe rage ne þe manace of þe co{m}moeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro þe botme. ne schal not moeue þat man. ne þe vnstable mountaigne þat hyȝt veseuus. þat wircheþ oute þoruȝ hys broken chemineys smokyng fires. ¶ Ne þe wey of þonder lyȝt þat is wont to smyte heyȝe toures ne schal not mouene þat man. ¶ Wherto þen wrecches drede ȝe tyrauntes þat ben wode {and} felownes wiþ-outen ony strenkeþ. ¶ Hope after no þing ne drede nat. {and} so schalt þou desarmen þe ire of þilke vnmyȝty tyraunt. ¶ But who so þat quakyng dredeþ or desireþ þing þat nis not stable of his ryȝt. þat man þat so doþ haþ cast awey hys schelde {and} is remoeued fro hys place. {and} enlaceþ hym i{n} þe cheyne wiþ whiche he may be drawen.