e good[e] gouernour
attempre?
Chaucer - Boethius
for whiche it bytide?
[? {a}t] as to ? e wise folk ? er nis no place ylete to hate. ? at is to
seyn. ? at hate ne ha? no place amonges wise men. ? For no wy? t wolde
haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a fole. ? and forto haten
shrewes it nis no resou{n}. ? For ry? t so as languissing is maladie of
body. ry? t so ben vices {and} sy{n}ne maladies of corage. ? and so as we
ne deme nat ? at ? ei ? at ben seek of hire body ben wor? i to ben hated.
but ra? er wor? i of pite. wel more wor? i nat to ben hated. but forto ben
had in pite ben ? ei of whiche ? e ? ou? tes ben constreined by felonous
wickednesse. ? at is more cruel ? a{n} any languissinge of body.
QUID TANTOS IUUAT.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}. ]]
++What delite? it ? ow to exciten so grete moewynges of hatredes {and} to
hasten {and} bisien [the] fatal disposic{i}ou{n} of ? oure dee? wi? ? oure
p{ro}pre handes. ? at is to seyn by batailes or [by] contek. for yif ? e
axen ? e dee? it hastisi? hym of hys owen wille. ne dee? ne tarie? nat
hys swifte hors. and [the] men ? at ? e serpent? {and} ? e lyou{n}s. {and}
? e tigre. {and} ? e beere {and} ? e boore seken to sleen wi? her te? e. ? it
? ilke same men seken to sleen eueryche of hem o? er wi? swerde. loo for
her man{er}s ben diuerse {and} discordaunt ? ? ei moeuen vnry? tful oostes
{and} cruel batailes. {and} wilne to p{er}isse by enterchaungynge of
dartes. but ? e resou{n} of cruelte nis nat ynou? ry? tful. wilt ? ou ? an
? elden a couenable gerdou{n} to ? e desertes of men ? Loue ry? tfully
goode folk[;] {and} haue pite on shrewes.
HINC EGO UIDEO INQ{UA}M. {ET} CET{ERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se. ]]
++? us see I wel q{uo}d I. ey? er what blisfulnesse or ellys what
vnselinesse is estab[l]issed in ? e desertys of goode men {and} of
shrewes. ? but in ? is ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of goode.
{and} somwhat of yuel. for no wise man ha? nat leuer ben exiled pore
{and} nedy {and} nameles. ? an forto dwellen in hys Citee {and} flouren
of rychesses. {and} be redoutable by honoure. {and} stronge of power for
in ? is wise more clerely {and} more witnesfully is ? e office of wise men
ytretid whan ? e blisfulnes {and} [the] pouste of gouerno{ur}s is as it
were yshad amonges poeples ? at ben ney? boures {and} subgit? . syn ? at
namely prisou{n} lawe {and} ? ise o? er to{ur}ment? of lawful peynes ben
ra? er owed to felonous Cite? eins. for ? e whiche felonous Cite? eins ? o
peynes ben establissed. ? an for goode folk. ? ? an I m{er}ueile me gretly
q{uo}d I. whi [? {a}t] ? e ? inges ben so mys entrechaunged. ? at
to{ur}ment? felounes pressen {and} confounden goode folk. {and} shrewes
rauyssen medes of vertue {and} ben i{n} hono{ur}s. {and} in grete
estatis. and I desire eke to wite{n} of ? e. what seme? ? e to ben ? e
resou{n} of ? is so wrongful a confusiou{n} ? For I wolde wondre wel ? e
lasse yif I trowed[e] ? at alle ? ise ? inges were medeled by fortuouse
hap. ? But now hepe? {and} encrese? myne astonyenge god gouerno{ur} of
? inges. ? at so as god ? eue? ofte tymes to good[e] men goodes {and}
myr? es. {and} to shrewes yuel and aspre ? inges. {and} ? eue? a? eynewarde
to goode folk hardnesse. {and} to shrewes [he] g{ra}unte? hem her wille
{and} ? at ? ei desiren. what difference ? an may ? er be bitwixen ? {a}t ? at
god do? . {and} ? e hap of fortune. yif men ne knowe nat ? e cause whi ? at
[it] is. it nis no merueile q{uo}d she ? ou? ? at men wenen ? at ? er be
somwhat folysche and confus whan ? e resou{n} of ? e order is vnknowe.
? But alle ? ou? ? ou ne know nat ? e cause of so gret a disposic{i}ou{n}.
na? eles for as moche as god ?
e good[e] gouernour attempre? {and}
gouerne? ? e world. ne doute ? e nat ? at alle ? inges ne ben doon ary? t.
SI QUIS ARCTURI SYDERA.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe Met{ur}. ]]
++Who so ? at ne knowe nat ? e sterres of arctour yto{ur}ned neye to ? e
souereyne contre or point. ? at is to seyne yto{ur}ned neye to ? e
souereyne pool of ? e firmament {and} woot nat whi ? e sterre boetes
passe? or gaderi? his wey[n]es. {and} drenche? his late flaumbes in ? e
see. {and} whi ? at boetes ? e sterre vnfoldi? his ouer swifte arisynges.
? an shal he wo{n}dre{n} of ? e lawe of ? e heye eyre. {and} eke if ? at he
ne knowe nat why ? at ? e hornes of ? e ful[le] moene waxen pale {and}
infect by ? e bou{n}des of ? e derke ny? t ? and how ? e moene dirk {and}
confuse discouere? ? e sterres. ? at she had[de] ycouered by hir clere
visage. ? e co{m}mune errour moeue? folk {and} maki? wery hir bacines of
bras by ? ikke strookes. ? at is to seyne ? at ? er is a maner poeple ? at
hy? t[e] coribandes ? at wenen ? at whan ? e moone is in ? e eclips ? at it be
enchau{n}tid. and ? erfore forto rescowe ? e moone ? ei betyn hire basines
wi? ? ikke strokes. ? Ne no man ne wondre? whan ? e blastes of ? e wynde
chorus betyn ? e strondes of ? e see by quakynge floodes. ne no man ne
wondre? whan ? e wey? te of ? e snowe yhardid by ? e colde. is resolued by
? e brennynge hete of phebus ? e sonne. ? For here seen men redyly ? e
causes. but ? e causes yhid ? at is to seye in heuene trouble ? e brestes
of men. ? ? e moeueable poeple is a-stoned of alle ? inges ? at comen selde
{and} sodeynely in oure age. but yif ? e troubly errour of oure
ignora{n}ce departid[e] from vs. so ? at we wisten ? e causes whi ? at
swiche ? inges bitiden. certys ? ei sholde{n} cesse to seme wondres.
ITA EST INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The syxte p{ro}se. ]]
{? }vs is it q{uo}d I. but so as ? ou hast ? euen or byhy? t me to
vnwrappe{n} ? e hidde causes of ? inges ? and to discoueren me ? e
resou{n}s couered w{i}t{h} dirknesses I p{re}ye ? e ? at ? ou diuise {and}
Iuge me of ? is matere. {and} ? at ? ou do me to vndrestonde{n} it. ? For
? is miracle or ? is wondre trouble? me ry? t gretely. {and} ? an she a
litel [what] smylyng seide. ? ? ou clepest me q{uo}d she to telle ? ing.
? at is grettest of alle ? inges ? at mowen ben axed. ? And to ? e whiche
questiou{n} vnne? [e]s is ? ere au? t ynow to lauen it. as who sei? .
vnne? es is ? er suffisauntly any ? ing to answere p{er}fitly to ? i
questiou{n}. ? For ? e matere of it is swiche ? at whan oon doute is
determined {and} kut awey ? er wexe{n} o? er doutes wi? -outen nou{m}bre.
ry? t as ? e heuedes waxen of ydre ? e serpent ? at hercules slou? . ? Ne
? ere ne were no man{er}e ne noon ende. but yif ? at a wy? t
co{n}streined[e] ? o doutes. by a ry? t lyuely {and} a quik fire of ? ou? t.
? at is to seyn by vigo{ur} {and} streng? e of witte. ? For in ? is matere
me{n} weren wont to maken questiou{n}s of ? e simplicite of ? e
p{ur}ueaunce of god {and} of ? e ordre of destine. {and} of sodeyne hap.
{and} of ? e knowyng {and} p{re}destinac{i}ou{n} deuine {and} of ? e
lyberte of fre wille. ? e whiche ? ing ? ou ? i self ap{er}ceiust wel of
what wey? t ? ei ben. but for as mochel as ? e knowynge of ? ise ?
[? {a}t] as to ? e wise folk ? er nis no place ylete to hate. ? at is to
seyn. ? at hate ne ha? no place amonges wise men. ? For no wy? t wolde
haten gode men. but yif he were ouer moche a fole. ? and forto haten
shrewes it nis no resou{n}. ? For ry? t so as languissing is maladie of
body. ry? t so ben vices {and} sy{n}ne maladies of corage. ? and so as we
ne deme nat ? at ? ei ? at ben seek of hire body ben wor? i to ben hated.
but ra? er wor? i of pite. wel more wor? i nat to ben hated. but forto ben
had in pite ben ? ei of whiche ? e ? ou? tes ben constreined by felonous
wickednesse. ? at is more cruel ? a{n} any languissinge of body.
QUID TANTOS IUUAT.
[Sidenote: [The ferthe Met{ur}. ]]
++What delite? it ? ow to exciten so grete moewynges of hatredes {and} to
hasten {and} bisien [the] fatal disposic{i}ou{n} of ? oure dee? wi? ? oure
p{ro}pre handes. ? at is to seyn by batailes or [by] contek. for yif ? e
axen ? e dee? it hastisi? hym of hys owen wille. ne dee? ne tarie? nat
hys swifte hors. and [the] men ? at ? e serpent? {and} ? e lyou{n}s. {and}
? e tigre. {and} ? e beere {and} ? e boore seken to sleen wi? her te? e. ? it
? ilke same men seken to sleen eueryche of hem o? er wi? swerde. loo for
her man{er}s ben diuerse {and} discordaunt ? ? ei moeuen vnry? tful oostes
{and} cruel batailes. {and} wilne to p{er}isse by enterchaungynge of
dartes. but ? e resou{n} of cruelte nis nat ynou? ry? tful. wilt ? ou ? an
? elden a couenable gerdou{n} to ? e desertes of men ? Loue ry? tfully
goode folk[;] {and} haue pite on shrewes.
HINC EGO UIDEO INQ{UA}M. {ET} CET{ERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se. ]]
++? us see I wel q{uo}d I. ey? er what blisfulnesse or ellys what
vnselinesse is estab[l]issed in ? e desertys of goode men {and} of
shrewes. ? but in ? is ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of goode.
{and} somwhat of yuel. for no wise man ha? nat leuer ben exiled pore
{and} nedy {and} nameles. ? an forto dwellen in hys Citee {and} flouren
of rychesses. {and} be redoutable by honoure. {and} stronge of power for
in ? is wise more clerely {and} more witnesfully is ? e office of wise men
ytretid whan ? e blisfulnes {and} [the] pouste of gouerno{ur}s is as it
were yshad amonges poeples ? at ben ney? boures {and} subgit? . syn ? at
namely prisou{n} lawe {and} ? ise o? er to{ur}ment? of lawful peynes ben
ra? er owed to felonous Cite? eins. for ? e whiche felonous Cite? eins ? o
peynes ben establissed. ? an for goode folk. ? ? an I m{er}ueile me gretly
q{uo}d I. whi [? {a}t] ? e ? inges ben so mys entrechaunged. ? at
to{ur}ment? felounes pressen {and} confounden goode folk. {and} shrewes
rauyssen medes of vertue {and} ben i{n} hono{ur}s. {and} in grete
estatis. and I desire eke to wite{n} of ? e. what seme? ? e to ben ? e
resou{n} of ? is so wrongful a confusiou{n} ? For I wolde wondre wel ? e
lasse yif I trowed[e] ? at alle ? ise ? inges were medeled by fortuouse
hap. ? But now hepe? {and} encrese? myne astonyenge god gouerno{ur} of
? inges. ? at so as god ? eue? ofte tymes to good[e] men goodes {and}
myr? es. {and} to shrewes yuel and aspre ? inges. {and} ? eue? a? eynewarde
to goode folk hardnesse. {and} to shrewes [he] g{ra}unte? hem her wille
{and} ? at ? ei desiren. what difference ? an may ? er be bitwixen ? {a}t ? at
god do? . {and} ? e hap of fortune. yif men ne knowe nat ? e cause whi ? at
[it] is. it nis no merueile q{uo}d she ? ou? ? at men wenen ? at ? er be
somwhat folysche and confus whan ? e resou{n} of ? e order is vnknowe.
? But alle ? ou? ? ou ne know nat ? e cause of so gret a disposic{i}ou{n}.
na? eles for as moche as god ?
e good[e] gouernour attempre? {and}
gouerne? ? e world. ne doute ? e nat ? at alle ? inges ne ben doon ary? t.
SI QUIS ARCTURI SYDERA.
[Sidenote: [The fyfthe Met{ur}. ]]
++Who so ? at ne knowe nat ? e sterres of arctour yto{ur}ned neye to ? e
souereyne contre or point. ? at is to seyne yto{ur}ned neye to ? e
souereyne pool of ? e firmament {and} woot nat whi ? e sterre boetes
passe? or gaderi? his wey[n]es. {and} drenche? his late flaumbes in ? e
see. {and} whi ? at boetes ? e sterre vnfoldi? his ouer swifte arisynges.
? an shal he wo{n}dre{n} of ? e lawe of ? e heye eyre. {and} eke if ? at he
ne knowe nat why ? at ? e hornes of ? e ful[le] moene waxen pale {and}
infect by ? e bou{n}des of ? e derke ny? t ? and how ? e moene dirk {and}
confuse discouere? ? e sterres. ? at she had[de] ycouered by hir clere
visage. ? e co{m}mune errour moeue? folk {and} maki? wery hir bacines of
bras by ? ikke strookes. ? at is to seyne ? at ? er is a maner poeple ? at
hy? t[e] coribandes ? at wenen ? at whan ? e moone is in ? e eclips ? at it be
enchau{n}tid. and ? erfore forto rescowe ? e moone ? ei betyn hire basines
wi? ? ikke strokes. ? Ne no man ne wondre? whan ? e blastes of ? e wynde
chorus betyn ? e strondes of ? e see by quakynge floodes. ne no man ne
wondre? whan ? e wey? te of ? e snowe yhardid by ? e colde. is resolued by
? e brennynge hete of phebus ? e sonne. ? For here seen men redyly ? e
causes. but ? e causes yhid ? at is to seye in heuene trouble ? e brestes
of men. ? ? e moeueable poeple is a-stoned of alle ? inges ? at comen selde
{and} sodeynely in oure age. but yif ? e troubly errour of oure
ignora{n}ce departid[e] from vs. so ? at we wisten ? e causes whi ? at
swiche ? inges bitiden. certys ? ei sholde{n} cesse to seme wondres.
ITA EST INQ{UA}M.
[Sidenote: [The syxte p{ro}se. ]]
{? }vs is it q{uo}d I. but so as ? ou hast ? euen or byhy? t me to
vnwrappe{n} ? e hidde causes of ? inges ? and to discoueren me ? e
resou{n}s couered w{i}t{h} dirknesses I p{re}ye ? e ? at ? ou diuise {and}
Iuge me of ? is matere. {and} ? at ? ou do me to vndrestonde{n} it. ? For
? is miracle or ? is wondre trouble? me ry? t gretely. {and} ? an she a
litel [what] smylyng seide. ? ? ou clepest me q{uo}d she to telle ? ing.
? at is grettest of alle ? inges ? at mowen ben axed. ? And to ? e whiche
questiou{n} vnne? [e]s is ? ere au? t ynow to lauen it. as who sei? .
vnne? es is ? er suffisauntly any ? ing to answere p{er}fitly to ? i
questiou{n}. ? For ? e matere of it is swiche ? at whan oon doute is
determined {and} kut awey ? er wexe{n} o? er doutes wi? -outen nou{m}bre.
ry? t as ? e heuedes waxen of ydre ? e serpent ? at hercules slou? . ? Ne
? ere ne were no man{er}e ne noon ende. but yif ? at a wy? t
co{n}streined[e] ? o doutes. by a ry? t lyuely {and} a quik fire of ? ou? t.
? at is to seyn by vigo{ur} {and} streng? e of witte. ? For in ? is matere
me{n} weren wont to maken questiou{n}s of ? e simplicite of ? e
p{ur}ueaunce of god {and} of ? e ordre of destine. {and} of sodeyne hap.
{and} of ? e knowyng {and} p{re}destinac{i}ou{n} deuine {and} of ? e
lyberte of fre wille. ? e whiche ? ing ? ou ? i self ap{er}ceiust wel of
what wey? t ? ei ben. but for as mochel as ? e knowynge of ? ise ?
