e
resou{n}
of ?
Chaucer - Boethius
er folk p{ro}sp[er]ites {and}
aduersites ymedeled to hepe aftir ? e qualite of hire corages {and}
remordi? som folk by adu{er}sites. for ? ei ne sholden nat wexen proude
by longe welefulnesse. {and} o? er folk he suffre? to ben trauayled wi?
harde ? inges. ? For ? at ? ei sholden conferme ? e vertues of corage by ? e
vsage {and} ex{er}citac{i}ou{n} of pacie{n}ce. and o? er folke dreden
more ? en ? ei au? ten ? e wiche ? ei my? t[en] wel beren. {and} ? ilke folk
god ledi? in to exp{er}ience of hem self by aspre {and} sorweful ? inges.
? And many o? er folk han bou? t honorable renoune of ? is worlde by ? e
pris of glorious dee? . and som men ? at ne mowen nat ben ouer-comen by
tourment han ? euen ensample to o? er folk ? at vertue ne may nat be
ouer-comen by aduersites. ? and of alle ? ise ? inges ? er nis no doute
? {a}t ? ei ne ben don ry? tfully {and} ordeinly to ? e p{ro}fit of hem to
whom we seen ? ise ? inges bitide. ? For certys ? at aduersite come? some
tyme to shrewes. {and} some tyme ? at ? ei desiren it come? of ? ise
forseide causes {and} of sorweful ? inges ? at bytyden to shrewes. Certys
no man ne wondre? . For alle me{n} wenen ? at ? ei han wel deserued it.
{and} ? ei ben of wicked m{er}ite of whiche shrewes ? e to{ur}ment som
tyme agaste? o? er to done folies. {and} som tyme it amende? hem ? at
suffren ? e to{ur}mentis. ? And ? e p{ro}sp{er}ite ? at is ? euen to shrewes
shewe? a grete argument to good[e] folk what ? ing ? ei sholde demen of
? ilk wilfulnesse ? e whiche p{ro}sperite men seen ofte serue to shrewes.
in ? e whiche ? ing I trowe ? at god dispensi? . for p{er}auenture ? e nature
of som man is so ouer? rowyng to yuel {and} so vncouenable ? at ? e nedy
pouerte of hys house-hold my? t[e] ra? er egren hym to done felonies. and
to ? e maladie of hym god putti? remedie to ? iuen hym rychesse. {and} som
o? er man byholdi? hys conscience defouled wi? synnes {and} maki?
co{m}parisou{n} of his fortune {and} of hym self ? and dredi?
p{er}auenture ? at hys blisfulnesse of whiche ? e vsage is ioyful to hym
? at ? e lesynge of ? ilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorweful to hym. {and}
? erfore he wol chaunge hys maneres. and for he dredi? to lese hys
fortune. he forleti? hys wickednesse. to o? er folk is welefulnesse
y? eue{n} vnwor? ily ? e whiche ouer? rowe? hem in to destrucc{i}ou{n} ? at
? ei han deserued. and to som o? er folk is ? euen power to punisse{n}. for
? at it shal be cause of continuac{i}ou{n} {and} ex{er}cisinge to good[e]
folk. {and} cause of to{ur}ment to shrewes. ? For so as ? er nis none
alyaunce bytwixe good[e] folke {and} shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat
accorde{n} amo{n}ges hem self {and} whi nat. for shrewes discorde{n} of
hem self by her vices ? e whiche vices al to renden her consciences.
{and} don oft[e] tyme ? inges ? e whiche ? inges whan ? ei han don hem. ? ei
demen ? at ? o ? inges ne sholde nat han ben don. for whiche ? inge ? ilke
souereyne p{ur}ueaunce ha? maked oft[e] tyme [fair{e}] miracle so ? {a}t
shrewes han maked oftyme shrewes to ben good[e] men. for whan ? at som
shrewes seen ? at ? ei suffren wrongfully felonies of o? er shrewes ? ei
wexen eschaufed in to hat[e] of hem ? at anoien hem. {and} retournen to
? e fruit of uertue. when ? ei studien to ben vnlyke to he{m} ? at ? ei han
hated. ? Certys ? is only is ? e deuyne my? t to ? e whiche my? t yueles ben
? an good. whan it vse? ? o yueles couenably {and} drawe? out ? e effect of
any good. as who sei? ? at yuel is good oonly by ? e my? t of god. for ? e
my? t of god ordeyne? ? ilk yuel to good. For oon ordre enbrasi? alle
? inges. so ? at what wy? t [? {a}t] dep{ar}ti? fro ?
e resou{n} of ? e ordre
whiche ? at is assigned to hym. algates ? it he slide? in to an o? {er}
ordre. so ? at no? ing nis leueful to folye in ? e realme of ? e deuyne
p{ur}ueaunce. as who sei? no ? ing nis wi? outen ordinaunce in ? e realme
of ? e deuyne purueaunce. ? Syn ? at ? e ry? t strong[e] god gouerni? alle
? inges in ? is worlde for it nis nat leueful to no man to
co{m}p{re}henden by witte ne vnfolden by worde alle ? e subtil
ordinaunces {and} disposic{i}ou{n}s of ? e deuyne entent. for oonly it
au? t[e] suffice to han loked ? at god hym self makere of alle natures
ordeyni? and dressi? alle ? inges to good. while ? at he hasti? to
wi? halden ? e ? inges ? at he ha? maked in to hys semblaunce. ? at is to
seyn forto wi? holden ? inges in to good. for he hym self is good he
chase? oute al yuel of ? e boundes of hys co{m}munalite by ? e ordre of
necessite destinable. For whiche it folwe? ? at yif ? ou loke ? e
p{ur}ueaunce ordeynynge ? e ? inges ? at men wenen ben haboundaunt in
er? es. ? ou ne shalt not seen in no place no ? ing of yuel. ? but I se now
? at ? ou art charged wi? ? e wey? te of ? e questiou[n] {and} wery wi?
leng? e of my resou{n}. {and} ? at ? ou abidest som swetnesse of songe. tak
? a{n} ? is drau? t {and} whan ? ou art wel refresshed {and} refet ? ou shalt
ben more stedfast to stye in to heyere questiou{n}s.
SI UIS CELSI IURA.
[Sidenote: [The syxte Met{ur}. ]]
++Yif ? ou wolt demen in ? i pur{e} ? ou? t ? e ry? tes or ? e lawes of ? e heye
? und[ere]re. ? at is to seyne of god. loke ? ou {and} bihold ? e hey? tes of
souereyne heuene. ? ? ere kepen ? e sterres by ry? tful alliaunce of ? inges
hir olde pees. ? e sonne ymoeued by hys rody fire. ne destourbi? nat ? e
colde cercle of ? e moone. ? Ne ? e sterre yclepid ? e bere. ? {a}t enclini?
hys rauyssynge courses abouten ? e souereyne hey? t of ? e worlde. ne ? e
same sterre vrsa nis neuer mo wasshen in ? e depe westerne see. ne
coueiti? nat to dy? en hys flaumbes in ? e see of [the] occian. al ? ou? he
see o? er sterres yplounged in to ? e see. ? And hesperus ? e sterre bodi?
{and} telli? alwey ? e late ny? tes. And lucifer ? e sterre brynge? a? eyne
? e clere day. ? And ? us maki? loue enterchaungeable ? e p{er}durable
courses. {and} ? us is discordable bataile yput oute of ? e contre of ? e
sterres. ? is accordaunce atte{m}pre? by euene-lyke manere[s] ? e
elementes. ? at ? e moyste ? inges striuen nat wi? ? e drye ? inges. but
? iuen place by stoundes. and ? at ? e colde ? inges ioynen hem by fei? to
? e hote ? inges. {and} ? at ? e ly? t[e] fyre arist in to hey? te. {and} ? e
heuy er? es aualen by her wey? tes. ? by ? ise same cause ? e floury yere
? elde? swote smellys in ? e fyrste somer sesou{n} warmynge. {and} ? e hote
somer drye? ? e cornes. {and} autumpne come? a? eyne heuy of apples. and
? e fletyng reyne bydewe? ? e wynter.
aduersites ymedeled to hepe aftir ? e qualite of hire corages {and}
remordi? som folk by adu{er}sites. for ? ei ne sholden nat wexen proude
by longe welefulnesse. {and} o? er folk he suffre? to ben trauayled wi?
harde ? inges. ? For ? at ? ei sholden conferme ? e vertues of corage by ? e
vsage {and} ex{er}citac{i}ou{n} of pacie{n}ce. and o? er folke dreden
more ? en ? ei au? ten ? e wiche ? ei my? t[en] wel beren. {and} ? ilke folk
god ledi? in to exp{er}ience of hem self by aspre {and} sorweful ? inges.
? And many o? er folk han bou? t honorable renoune of ? is worlde by ? e
pris of glorious dee? . and som men ? at ne mowen nat ben ouer-comen by
tourment han ? euen ensample to o? er folk ? at vertue ne may nat be
ouer-comen by aduersites. ? and of alle ? ise ? inges ? er nis no doute
? {a}t ? ei ne ben don ry? tfully {and} ordeinly to ? e p{ro}fit of hem to
whom we seen ? ise ? inges bitide. ? For certys ? at aduersite come? some
tyme to shrewes. {and} some tyme ? at ? ei desiren it come? of ? ise
forseide causes {and} of sorweful ? inges ? at bytyden to shrewes. Certys
no man ne wondre? . For alle me{n} wenen ? at ? ei han wel deserued it.
{and} ? ei ben of wicked m{er}ite of whiche shrewes ? e to{ur}ment som
tyme agaste? o? er to done folies. {and} som tyme it amende? hem ? at
suffren ? e to{ur}mentis. ? And ? e p{ro}sp{er}ite ? at is ? euen to shrewes
shewe? a grete argument to good[e] folk what ? ing ? ei sholde demen of
? ilk wilfulnesse ? e whiche p{ro}sperite men seen ofte serue to shrewes.
in ? e whiche ? ing I trowe ? at god dispensi? . for p{er}auenture ? e nature
of som man is so ouer? rowyng to yuel {and} so vncouenable ? at ? e nedy
pouerte of hys house-hold my? t[e] ra? er egren hym to done felonies. and
to ? e maladie of hym god putti? remedie to ? iuen hym rychesse. {and} som
o? er man byholdi? hys conscience defouled wi? synnes {and} maki?
co{m}parisou{n} of his fortune {and} of hym self ? and dredi?
p{er}auenture ? at hys blisfulnesse of whiche ? e vsage is ioyful to hym
? at ? e lesynge of ? ilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorweful to hym. {and}
? erfore he wol chaunge hys maneres. and for he dredi? to lese hys
fortune. he forleti? hys wickednesse. to o? er folk is welefulnesse
y? eue{n} vnwor? ily ? e whiche ouer? rowe? hem in to destrucc{i}ou{n} ? at
? ei han deserued. and to som o? er folk is ? euen power to punisse{n}. for
? at it shal be cause of continuac{i}ou{n} {and} ex{er}cisinge to good[e]
folk. {and} cause of to{ur}ment to shrewes. ? For so as ? er nis none
alyaunce bytwixe good[e] folke {and} shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat
accorde{n} amo{n}ges hem self {and} whi nat. for shrewes discorde{n} of
hem self by her vices ? e whiche vices al to renden her consciences.
{and} don oft[e] tyme ? inges ? e whiche ? inges whan ? ei han don hem. ? ei
demen ? at ? o ? inges ne sholde nat han ben don. for whiche ? inge ? ilke
souereyne p{ur}ueaunce ha? maked oft[e] tyme [fair{e}] miracle so ? {a}t
shrewes han maked oftyme shrewes to ben good[e] men. for whan ? at som
shrewes seen ? at ? ei suffren wrongfully felonies of o? er shrewes ? ei
wexen eschaufed in to hat[e] of hem ? at anoien hem. {and} retournen to
? e fruit of uertue. when ? ei studien to ben vnlyke to he{m} ? at ? ei han
hated. ? Certys ? is only is ? e deuyne my? t to ? e whiche my? t yueles ben
? an good. whan it vse? ? o yueles couenably {and} drawe? out ? e effect of
any good. as who sei? ? at yuel is good oonly by ? e my? t of god. for ? e
my? t of god ordeyne? ? ilk yuel to good. For oon ordre enbrasi? alle
? inges. so ? at what wy? t [? {a}t] dep{ar}ti? fro ?
e resou{n} of ? e ordre
whiche ? at is assigned to hym. algates ? it he slide? in to an o? {er}
ordre. so ? at no? ing nis leueful to folye in ? e realme of ? e deuyne
p{ur}ueaunce. as who sei? no ? ing nis wi? outen ordinaunce in ? e realme
of ? e deuyne purueaunce. ? Syn ? at ? e ry? t strong[e] god gouerni? alle
? inges in ? is worlde for it nis nat leueful to no man to
co{m}p{re}henden by witte ne vnfolden by worde alle ? e subtil
ordinaunces {and} disposic{i}ou{n}s of ? e deuyne entent. for oonly it
au? t[e] suffice to han loked ? at god hym self makere of alle natures
ordeyni? and dressi? alle ? inges to good. while ? at he hasti? to
wi? halden ? e ? inges ? at he ha? maked in to hys semblaunce. ? at is to
seyn forto wi? holden ? inges in to good. for he hym self is good he
chase? oute al yuel of ? e boundes of hys co{m}munalite by ? e ordre of
necessite destinable. For whiche it folwe? ? at yif ? ou loke ? e
p{ur}ueaunce ordeynynge ? e ? inges ? at men wenen ben haboundaunt in
er? es. ? ou ne shalt not seen in no place no ? ing of yuel. ? but I se now
? at ? ou art charged wi? ? e wey? te of ? e questiou[n] {and} wery wi?
leng? e of my resou{n}. {and} ? at ? ou abidest som swetnesse of songe. tak
? a{n} ? is drau? t {and} whan ? ou art wel refresshed {and} refet ? ou shalt
ben more stedfast to stye in to heyere questiou{n}s.
SI UIS CELSI IURA.
[Sidenote: [The syxte Met{ur}. ]]
++Yif ? ou wolt demen in ? i pur{e} ? ou? t ? e ry? tes or ? e lawes of ? e heye
? und[ere]re. ? at is to seyne of god. loke ? ou {and} bihold ? e hey? tes of
souereyne heuene. ? ? ere kepen ? e sterres by ry? tful alliaunce of ? inges
hir olde pees. ? e sonne ymoeued by hys rody fire. ne destourbi? nat ? e
colde cercle of ? e moone. ? Ne ? e sterre yclepid ? e bere. ? {a}t enclini?
hys rauyssynge courses abouten ? e souereyne hey? t of ? e worlde. ne ? e
same sterre vrsa nis neuer mo wasshen in ? e depe westerne see. ne
coueiti? nat to dy? en hys flaumbes in ? e see of [the] occian. al ? ou? he
see o? er sterres yplounged in to ? e see. ? And hesperus ? e sterre bodi?
{and} telli? alwey ? e late ny? tes. And lucifer ? e sterre brynge? a? eyne
? e clere day. ? And ? us maki? loue enterchaungeable ? e p{er}durable
courses. {and} ? us is discordable bataile yput oute of ? e contre of ? e
sterres. ? is accordaunce atte{m}pre? by euene-lyke manere[s] ? e
elementes. ? at ? e moyste ? inges striuen nat wi? ? e drye ? inges. but
? iuen place by stoundes. and ? at ? e colde ? inges ioynen hem by fei? to
? e hote ? inges. {and} ? at ? e ly? t[e] fyre arist in to hey? te. {and} ? e
heuy er? es aualen by her wey? tes. ? by ? ise same cause ? e floury yere
? elde? swote smellys in ? e fyrste somer sesou{n} warmynge. {and} ? e hote
somer drye? ? e cornes. {and} autumpne come? a? eyne heuy of apples. and
? e fletyng reyne bydewe? ? e wynter.
