e 2100
han renou{n}ced her power.
han renou{n}ced her power.
Chaucer - Boethius
Algates ?
itte throf he
hateful to alle folk ? ? is is to seyn ? at
al was he by-hated [[pg 75]]
of alle folk.
[Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the
dishonoured seats of dignity. ]
? ? itte ? is wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ? af somtyme to ? e dredeful senatours ? e
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ? vnworshipful setes
he clepi? here fore ? at Nero ? at was so wikked ? af ? o
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews? ]
who wolde ? anne resonably wenen ? at blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ? euen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _? itte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_? af somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}enc?
2055 _fore_--for
_? af_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY. ]
AN UERO REGNA.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do kingdoms and a familiarity with princes make a
man mighty? ]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ? ei maken a
ma{n} to ben my? ty.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should they not if they are durable? ]
how ellys. ? whanne hir 2060
blysfulnesse dure? p{er}petuely
[Sidenote: _P. _ Past ages, as well as the present, furnish us with
many examples of princes who have met with dismal reverses of
fortune. ]
but certys ? e olde age of
tyme passe? . {and} eke of p{re}sent tyme now is ful of
ensau{m}ples how ? {a}t kynges ? at han chaunged in to
wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: O then how noble and glorious a thing is power that is
too weak to preserve itself! ]
? O a noble ? ing 2064
{and} a cler ? ing is power ? at is nat founden my? ty to
kepe it self.
[Sidenote: If dominion brings felicity, then misery will follow if
it be defective. ]
? And yif ? at power of realmes be auctour
{and} maker of blisfulnesse. yif ? ilke power lakke? on
any side. amenusi? it nat ? ilke blisfulnesse {and} brynge? 2068
in wrechednesse.
[Sidenote: But human rule has its limits, therefore wherever power
ceases there impotence enters, bringing misery along with it. ]
but yif al be it so ? at realmes of mankynde
stretchen b{r}oode. ? it mot ? er nede ben myche
folk ouer whiche ? at euery kyng ne ha? no lordshipe
no comaundement ? and certys vpon ? ilke syde ? at 2072
power faille? whiche ? at maki? folk blisful. ry? t on ? at
same side nou{n}power entri? vndirne? ? at make? hem
wreches.
[Sidenote: Kings, therefore, have a larger portion of misery than
of felicity. ]
? In ? is manere ? anne moten kynges han
more porciou{n} of wrechednesse ? an of welefulnesse. 2076
[Linenotes:
2060 _my? ty_--MS. vnmy? ty, C. myhty
2062 _passe? _--passed
_of_ (2)--omitted
2063 _kynges ? at han_--kynges ben
2066 _kepe_--kepen
2067 _maker_--maker{e}
2069 _yif_--yit
_realmes_--the Reaumes
2070 _stretchen_--strechchen
_myche_--moche
2071 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
2073 _whiche_--whych
2074 _vndirne? _--vndyr-nethe]
[Headnote:
POWER DOES NOT DRIVE AWAY CARE. ]
[Sidenote: Dionysius of Sicily, conscious of this condition,
exhibited the fears and cares of royalty by the terror of a naked
sword hanging over the head of his friend and flatterer Damocles. ]
? A tyraunt ? at was kyng of sisile ? at had[de] assaied
? e p{er}il of his estat shewid[e] by similitude ? e dredes
of realmes by gastnesse of a swerde ? at heng ouer ? e
heued of his familier.
[Sidenote: What then is this thing called Power, which cannot do
away with care or fear? ]
what ? ing is ? an ? is power ? at 2080
may nat don awey ? e bytynges of besines ne eschewe [[pg 76]]
? e prikkes of drede.
[Sidenote: Men would live in security but cannot, and yet they
glory in their power. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 18. ]]
and certys ? it wolden ? ei lyuen
*in sykernesse. but ? ei may nat. and ? it ? ei glorifien
hem in her power
[Sidenote: Is he powerful who cannot do what he wishes? ]
? Holdest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilk[e] man 2084
be my? ty ? at ? {o}u seest ? at he wolde don ? at he may
nat don.
[Sidenote: Is he a mighty man who goes surrounded with an armed
guard, to terrify those whom he himself fears, and whose power
depends solely upon his numerous retinue? ]
? And holdest ? ou ? an hym a my? ty man
? at ha? environed hise sydes wi? men of armes or
seruauntes {and} drede? more [hem] ? at he make? agast. 2088
? en ? ei dreden hym. {and} ? at is put in ? e handes of hise
seruaunt? . for he sholde seme my? ty but of familiers
[or] seruaunt? of ky{n}ges.
[Sidenote: Why need I enlarge upon the favourites of princes
having thus displayed the imbecility of kings! ]
? what sholde I telle ? e
any ? ing. syn ? at I my self haue shewed ? e ? at realmes 2092
hem self ben ful of gret feblenesse.
[Sidenote: Their prosperity is affected by the caprice of their
fortunate masters as well as by the adversity to which they are
incident. ]
? e whiche familiers
certis ? e real power of kynges in hool estat {and} in estat
abated ful [ofte] ? rowe? adou{n}.
[Sidenote: Nero only allowed his master Seneca to choose the
manner of his death. ]
? Nero co{n}streined[e]
his familier {and} his maistre seneca to chesen on what 2096
dee? he wolde deien.
[Sidenote: Antonius (Caracalla) commanded Papinian to be slain by
the swords of his soldiers. ]
? Antonius comau{n}did[e] ? at
kny? tis slowen wi? her swerdis Papinian his familier
whiche Papinian had[de] ben long tyme ful my? ty
a-monges hem of ? e courte.
[Sidenote: Yet both would have given up all they possessed. ]
and ? it certis ? ei wolde bo?
e 2100
han renou{n}ced her power.
[Sidenote: Seneca begged for poverty and exile. But relentless
fortune precipitated them to destruction, and did not permit them
to choose their fate. ]
of whiche [two] senek enforced[e]
hym to ? iue{n} to Nero his rychesses. {and} also
to han gon in to solitarie exil. ? But whan ? e grete
wey? t. ? at is to sein of lordes power or of fortune 2104
drawe? hem ? at sholden falle. ney? er of hem ne
my? t[e] do ? at he wolde.
[Sidenote: What then is Power, which terrifies its possessors, and
which cannot be got rid of at pleasure? ]
what ? ing is ? anne ? ilke
power ? at ? ou? men han it ? at ? ei ben agast. ? {and}
whan ? ou woldest han it ? ou nart nat siker. ? And 2108
yif ? ou woldest forleten it ? ou mayst nat eschewen it.
[Sidenote: No advantage is to be gained by friendship based on
prosperity instead of virtue. ]
? But whe? ir swiche men ben frendes at nede as ben
conseiled by fortune {and} nat by vertue.
[Sidenote: Adversity will turn this sort of friendship into
enmity. And what greater plague can there be than the enmity of
thy familiar friend? ]
Certys swiche
folk as weleful fortune make? frendes. contrarious fortune [[pg 77]]
make? hem enmyse. ? And what pestilence is 2113
more my? ty forto anoye a wi? t ? an a familier enemy.
[Linenotes:
2077 _had[de]_--hadde
2078 _shewid[e]_--shewede
2079 _realmes_--Reaumes
_swerde_--swerd
_heng_--MS. henge, C. heng
2081 _besines_--bysynesse
2083 _? it_--yif
_glorifien_--gloryfye
2084 _? ilk[e]_--thylke
2087 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_environed_--enuyrownede
2088 [_hem_]--from C.
2089 _? en_--than
2091 [_or_]--from C.
2092 _realmes_--Reames
2093 _feblenesse_--feblesse
2094 _real_--Ryal
2095 [_ofte_]--from C.
_constreined[e]_--co{n}streynede
2096 _his_ (1)--hyr
_seneca_--Senek
2097 _comaundid[e]_--comau{n}dede
2098 _her_--hyr
2099 _whiche_--which
_had[de] ben long_--? {a}t hadde ben longe
2100 _courte_--court
_wolde_--wolden
2101 [_two_]--from C.
_enforced[e]_--enforcede
2102 _? iuen_--yeuen
_his_--hyse
2104 _wey? t_--weyhte
2105 _sholden_--sholen
2106 _my? t[e]_--myhte]
[Headnote:
GLORY IS DECEPTIVE. ]
QUI SE UALET[5] ESSE POTENTEM.
[Footnote 5: Read _uolet_]
[Sidenote: [The 5^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: He who would obtain sovereign power must obtain
conquest over himself, and not yield to his passions. ]
++Who so wolde ben my? ty he mot dau{n}ten hys cruel
corage. ne put[te] nat his nekke ouercomen vndir 2116
? e foule reines of lecherie.
[Sidenote: Though your dominion extended from India to Thule, yet
if thou art tormented by care thou hast no real power. ]
for al be it so ? at ? i lordship[e]
strecche so fer ? at ? e contre Inde quaki? at ? i
comaundement. or at ? i lawes. {and} ? at ? e leest isle in
? e see ? at hy? t tile be ? ral to ? e ? ? it yif ? ou mayst 2120
nat pute{n} awey ? i foule derk[e] desijres {and} dryue{n}
oute fro ? e wreched co{m}pleyntes. Certis it nis no
power ? at ? ou hast.
[Linenotes:
2115 _wolde ben_--wole be
2116 _put[te]_--putte
2117 _lordship[e]_--lordshype
2119 _comaundement_--comau{n}dement?
_leest isle_--last Ile
2120 _hy? t_--hyhte
2121 _puten_--putten
_derk[e]_--dyrke
2122 _oute_--owt]
[Headnote:
GENTILITY IS FOREIGN TO RENOWN. ]
GLORIA UERO QUA{M} FALLAX.
[Sidenote: [The 6^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: How deceptive and deformed a thing is glory! Well did
the Tragedian exclaim--? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , for the undeserving have been
crowned with glory and renown by popular and erring opinion. ]
++Bvt glorie how deceiuable {and} how foule is it ofte. for 2124
whiche ? ing nat vnskilfully a tregedien ? at is to
sein a maker of dites ? at hy? ten tregedies cried[e] {and}
seide. ? O glorie glorie q{uod} he. ? ou nart no ? ing
ellys to ? ousandes of folkes. but a gret sweller of eres. 2128
for many[e] han had ful gret renou{n} by ? e fals[e] oppiniou{n}
of poeple.
[Sidenote: What can be more infamous than renoun founded on the
prejudices of the vulgar? ]
and what ? ing may ben ? ou? t fouler
? en swiche p{re}isynge
[Sidenote: Those that are undeservedly praised ought to blush for
shame. ]
for ? ilk[e] folk ? at be{n} p{re}ised
falsly. ? ei moten nedes han shame of hir p{re}isynges. 2132
[Sidenote: If a wise man gets well-merited praise it does not add
to his felicity. ]
{and} yif ? at folk han gete{n} hem ? ank or p{re}ysyng by
her desertes. what ? ing ha? ? ilk pris echid or encresed
to ? e conscience of wise folk ? {a}t mesure{n} hire
good. not by ? e rumo{ur} of ? e poeple.
hateful to alle folk ? ? is is to seyn ? at
al was he by-hated [[pg 75]]
of alle folk.
[Sidenote: Yet he had lordship, and gave to the senators the
dishonoured seats of dignity. ]
? ? itte ? is wicked Nero hadde gret 2052
lordship {and} ? af somtyme to ? e dredeful senatours ? e
vnworshipful setes of dignites. ? vnworshipful setes
he clepi? here fore ? at Nero ? at was so wikked ? af ? o
dignites.
[Sidenote: Who then can think that felicity resides in honours
given by vicious shrews? ]
who wolde ? anne resonably wenen ? at blysfulnesse 2056
were in swiche hono{ur}s as ben ? euen by vicious
shrewes.
[Linenotes:
2048 _al_ (2)--alle
2049 _kembed_--kembde
_apparailed_--MS. apparailen, C. a-paraylede
2050 _? itte_--yit
2053 _lordship_--lorshippe
_? af somtyme_--yaf whylom
_dredeful_--reu{er}enc?
2055 _fore_--for
_? af_--yaf]
[Headnote:
KINGDOMS DO NOT MAKE A MAN MIGHTY. ]
AN UERO REGNA.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do kingdoms and a familiarity with princes make a
man mighty? ]
++Bvt regnes {and} familarites of kynges may ? ei maken a
ma{n} to ben my? ty.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Why should they not if they are durable? ]
how ellys. ? whanne hir 2060
blysfulnesse dure? p{er}petuely
[Sidenote: _P. _ Past ages, as well as the present, furnish us with
many examples of princes who have met with dismal reverses of
fortune. ]
but certys ? e olde age of
tyme passe? . {and} eke of p{re}sent tyme now is ful of
ensau{m}ples how ? {a}t kynges ? at han chaunged in to
wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse.
[Sidenote: O then how noble and glorious a thing is power that is
too weak to preserve itself! ]
? O a noble ? ing 2064
{and} a cler ? ing is power ? at is nat founden my? ty to
kepe it self.
[Sidenote: If dominion brings felicity, then misery will follow if
it be defective. ]
? And yif ? at power of realmes be auctour
{and} maker of blisfulnesse. yif ? ilke power lakke? on
any side. amenusi? it nat ? ilke blisfulnesse {and} brynge? 2068
in wrechednesse.
[Sidenote: But human rule has its limits, therefore wherever power
ceases there impotence enters, bringing misery along with it. ]
but yif al be it so ? at realmes of mankynde
stretchen b{r}oode. ? it mot ? er nede ben myche
folk ouer whiche ? at euery kyng ne ha? no lordshipe
no comaundement ? and certys vpon ? ilke syde ? at 2072
power faille? whiche ? at maki? folk blisful. ry? t on ? at
same side nou{n}power entri? vndirne? ? at make? hem
wreches.
[Sidenote: Kings, therefore, have a larger portion of misery than
of felicity. ]
? In ? is manere ? anne moten kynges han
more porciou{n} of wrechednesse ? an of welefulnesse. 2076
[Linenotes:
2060 _my? ty_--MS. vnmy? ty, C. myhty
2062 _passe? _--passed
_of_ (2)--omitted
2063 _kynges ? at han_--kynges ben
2066 _kepe_--kepen
2067 _maker_--maker{e}
2069 _yif_--yit
_realmes_--the Reaumes
2070 _stretchen_--strechchen
_myche_--moche
2071 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
2073 _whiche_--whych
2074 _vndirne? _--vndyr-nethe]
[Headnote:
POWER DOES NOT DRIVE AWAY CARE. ]
[Sidenote: Dionysius of Sicily, conscious of this condition,
exhibited the fears and cares of royalty by the terror of a naked
sword hanging over the head of his friend and flatterer Damocles. ]
? A tyraunt ? at was kyng of sisile ? at had[de] assaied
? e p{er}il of his estat shewid[e] by similitude ? e dredes
of realmes by gastnesse of a swerde ? at heng ouer ? e
heued of his familier.
[Sidenote: What then is this thing called Power, which cannot do
away with care or fear? ]
what ? ing is ? an ? is power ? at 2080
may nat don awey ? e bytynges of besines ne eschewe [[pg 76]]
? e prikkes of drede.
[Sidenote: Men would live in security but cannot, and yet they
glory in their power. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 18. ]]
and certys ? it wolden ? ei lyuen
*in sykernesse. but ? ei may nat. and ? it ? ei glorifien
hem in her power
[Sidenote: Is he powerful who cannot do what he wishes? ]
? Holdest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilk[e] man 2084
be my? ty ? at ? {o}u seest ? at he wolde don ? at he may
nat don.
[Sidenote: Is he a mighty man who goes surrounded with an armed
guard, to terrify those whom he himself fears, and whose power
depends solely upon his numerous retinue? ]
? And holdest ? ou ? an hym a my? ty man
? at ha? environed hise sydes wi? men of armes or
seruauntes {and} drede? more [hem] ? at he make? agast. 2088
? en ? ei dreden hym. {and} ? at is put in ? e handes of hise
seruaunt? . for he sholde seme my? ty but of familiers
[or] seruaunt? of ky{n}ges.
[Sidenote: Why need I enlarge upon the favourites of princes
having thus displayed the imbecility of kings! ]
? what sholde I telle ? e
any ? ing. syn ? at I my self haue shewed ? e ? at realmes 2092
hem self ben ful of gret feblenesse.
[Sidenote: Their prosperity is affected by the caprice of their
fortunate masters as well as by the adversity to which they are
incident. ]
? e whiche familiers
certis ? e real power of kynges in hool estat {and} in estat
abated ful [ofte] ? rowe? adou{n}.
[Sidenote: Nero only allowed his master Seneca to choose the
manner of his death. ]
? Nero co{n}streined[e]
his familier {and} his maistre seneca to chesen on what 2096
dee? he wolde deien.
[Sidenote: Antonius (Caracalla) commanded Papinian to be slain by
the swords of his soldiers. ]
? Antonius comau{n}did[e] ? at
kny? tis slowen wi? her swerdis Papinian his familier
whiche Papinian had[de] ben long tyme ful my? ty
a-monges hem of ? e courte.
[Sidenote: Yet both would have given up all they possessed. ]
and ? it certis ? ei wolde bo?
e 2100
han renou{n}ced her power.
[Sidenote: Seneca begged for poverty and exile. But relentless
fortune precipitated them to destruction, and did not permit them
to choose their fate. ]
of whiche [two] senek enforced[e]
hym to ? iue{n} to Nero his rychesses. {and} also
to han gon in to solitarie exil. ? But whan ? e grete
wey? t. ? at is to sein of lordes power or of fortune 2104
drawe? hem ? at sholden falle. ney? er of hem ne
my? t[e] do ? at he wolde.
[Sidenote: What then is Power, which terrifies its possessors, and
which cannot be got rid of at pleasure? ]
what ? ing is ? anne ? ilke
power ? at ? ou? men han it ? at ? ei ben agast. ? {and}
whan ? ou woldest han it ? ou nart nat siker. ? And 2108
yif ? ou woldest forleten it ? ou mayst nat eschewen it.
[Sidenote: No advantage is to be gained by friendship based on
prosperity instead of virtue. ]
? But whe? ir swiche men ben frendes at nede as ben
conseiled by fortune {and} nat by vertue.
[Sidenote: Adversity will turn this sort of friendship into
enmity. And what greater plague can there be than the enmity of
thy familiar friend? ]
Certys swiche
folk as weleful fortune make? frendes. contrarious fortune [[pg 77]]
make? hem enmyse. ? And what pestilence is 2113
more my? ty forto anoye a wi? t ? an a familier enemy.
[Linenotes:
2077 _had[de]_--hadde
2078 _shewid[e]_--shewede
2079 _realmes_--Reaumes
_swerde_--swerd
_heng_--MS. henge, C. heng
2081 _besines_--bysynesse
2083 _? it_--yif
_glorifien_--gloryfye
2084 _? ilk[e]_--thylke
2087 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_environed_--enuyrownede
2088 [_hem_]--from C.
2089 _? en_--than
2091 [_or_]--from C.
2092 _realmes_--Reames
2093 _feblenesse_--feblesse
2094 _real_--Ryal
2095 [_ofte_]--from C.
_constreined[e]_--co{n}streynede
2096 _his_ (1)--hyr
_seneca_--Senek
2097 _comaundid[e]_--comau{n}dede
2098 _her_--hyr
2099 _whiche_--which
_had[de] ben long_--? {a}t hadde ben longe
2100 _courte_--court
_wolde_--wolden
2101 [_two_]--from C.
_enforced[e]_--enforcede
2102 _? iuen_--yeuen
_his_--hyse
2104 _wey? t_--weyhte
2105 _sholden_--sholen
2106 _my? t[e]_--myhte]
[Headnote:
GLORY IS DECEPTIVE. ]
QUI SE UALET[5] ESSE POTENTEM.
[Footnote 5: Read _uolet_]
[Sidenote: [The 5^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: He who would obtain sovereign power must obtain
conquest over himself, and not yield to his passions. ]
++Who so wolde ben my? ty he mot dau{n}ten hys cruel
corage. ne put[te] nat his nekke ouercomen vndir 2116
? e foule reines of lecherie.
[Sidenote: Though your dominion extended from India to Thule, yet
if thou art tormented by care thou hast no real power. ]
for al be it so ? at ? i lordship[e]
strecche so fer ? at ? e contre Inde quaki? at ? i
comaundement. or at ? i lawes. {and} ? at ? e leest isle in
? e see ? at hy? t tile be ? ral to ? e ? ? it yif ? ou mayst 2120
nat pute{n} awey ? i foule derk[e] desijres {and} dryue{n}
oute fro ? e wreched co{m}pleyntes. Certis it nis no
power ? at ? ou hast.
[Linenotes:
2115 _wolde ben_--wole be
2116 _put[te]_--putte
2117 _lordship[e]_--lordshype
2119 _comaundement_--comau{n}dement?
_leest isle_--last Ile
2120 _hy? t_--hyhte
2121 _puten_--putten
_derk[e]_--dyrke
2122 _oute_--owt]
[Headnote:
GENTILITY IS FOREIGN TO RENOWN. ]
GLORIA UERO QUA{M} FALLAX.
[Sidenote: [The 6^the p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: How deceptive and deformed a thing is glory! Well did
the Tragedian exclaim--? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , for the undeserving have been
crowned with glory and renown by popular and erring opinion. ]
++Bvt glorie how deceiuable {and} how foule is it ofte. for 2124
whiche ? ing nat vnskilfully a tregedien ? at is to
sein a maker of dites ? at hy? ten tregedies cried[e] {and}
seide. ? O glorie glorie q{uod} he. ? ou nart no ? ing
ellys to ? ousandes of folkes. but a gret sweller of eres. 2128
for many[e] han had ful gret renou{n} by ? e fals[e] oppiniou{n}
of poeple.
[Sidenote: What can be more infamous than renoun founded on the
prejudices of the vulgar? ]
and what ? ing may ben ? ou? t fouler
? en swiche p{re}isynge
[Sidenote: Those that are undeservedly praised ought to blush for
shame. ]
for ? ilk[e] folk ? at be{n} p{re}ised
falsly. ? ei moten nedes han shame of hir p{re}isynges. 2132
[Sidenote: If a wise man gets well-merited praise it does not add
to his felicity. ]
{and} yif ? at folk han gete{n} hem ? ank or p{re}ysyng by
her desertes. what ? ing ha? ? ilk pris echid or encresed
to ? e conscience of wise folk ? {a}t mesure{n} hire
good. not by ? e rumo{ur} of ? e poeple.
