Part 40

++ÞAnne seide I þus. [owh] I wondre me þat þou by-hetest me so grete þinges. ne I ne doute nat þat þ{o}u ne mayst wel p{er}forme þat þou by-hetest. but I preie þe oonly þis. þat þou ne tarie nat to telle me þilke þinges þat þou hast meoued. first q{uo}d she þou most nedes knowen. þ{a}t good[e] folk ben al wey strong[e] {and} myȝty. and þe shrewes ben feble {and} desert {and} naked of alle strengþes. and of þise þinges certys eueryche of hem is declared {and} shewed by oþ{er}. ¶ For so as good {and} yuel ben two cont{ra}ries. yif so be þat goode be stedfast. þa{n} sheweþ þe fieblesse of yuel al openly. and yif þou knowe clerely þe freelnesse of yuel. þe stedfastnesse of goode is knowen. but for as moche as þe fey of my sentence shal be þe more ferme {and} habou{n}daunt. I wil goon by þat oon wey {and} by þat oþer {and} I wil conferme þe þinges þat ben p{ur}posed now on þis side {and} now on þ{a}t syde. ¶ Two þinges þer ben in whiche þe effect of alle þe dedes of man kynde standiþ. þat is to seyn. wil {and} power. and yif þat oon of þise two fayleþ þere nis no þing þat may be don. for yif þat wil lakkeþ þere nys no wyȝt þat vndirtakeþ to done þat he wol not don. and yif power fayleþ þe wille nis but i{n} ydel {and} stant for nauȝt. and þer of comeþ it þat yif þou se a wyȝt þat wolde gete{n} þat he may nat geten. þou mayst nat douten þat power ne fayleþ hy{m} to haue{n} þat he wolde. ¶ þis is open {and} clere q{uo}d I. ne it may nat ben denyed in no manere. and yif þou se a wyȝt q{uo}d she. þat haþ don þat he wolde don þ{o}u nilt nat douten þat he ne haþ had power to done it. no q{uo}d. I. and in þat. þat euery wyȝt may. in þat þat men may holden hym myȝty. as who seiþ i{n} as moche as a man is myȝty to done a þing. in so moche men halden hy{m} myȝty. and in þat þat he ne may. in þat men demen hym to ben feble. I confesse it wel q{uo}d I. Remembriþ þe q{uo}d she þat I. haue gadred {and} shewed by forseide resou{n}s þat al þe entenc{i}ou{n} of þe wil of ma{n}kynde whiche þat is lad by diuerse studies hastiþ to comen to blisfulnesse. ¶ It reme{m}breþ me wel q{uo}d I þat it hath ben shewed. {and} recordeþ þe nat þan q{uo}d she. þat blisfulnesse is þilke same goode þat men requeren. so þat whan þat blisfulnesse is requered of alle. þat goode [also] is requered {and} desired of al. It recordeþ me wel q{uo}d I. for haue it gretly alwey ficche[d] in my memorie. alle folk þan q{uo}d she goode {and} eke badde enforcen he{m} wiþ oute difference of entenc{i}ou{n} to come{n} to goode. þat is a uerray consequence q{uo}d I. and certeyne is q{uo}d she þat by þe gety{n}g of goode ben men ymaked goode. þis is certeyne q{uo}d. I. ¶ þan geten goode men þat þei desiren. so semeþ it q{uo}d I. but wicked[e] folk q{uo}d she yif þei geten þe goode þat þei desire{n} þei [ne] mowen nat ben wicked. so is it q{uo}d .I. ¶ þan so as þat oon {and} þat oþer [q{uod} she] desiren good. {and} þe goode folk geten good {and} nat þe wicked folk ¶ þan nis it no doute þat þe goode folk ne ben myȝty {and} þe wicked folk ben feble. ¶ who so þat euer q{uo}d I douteþ of þis. he ne may nat considre þe nature of þi{n}ges. ne þe consequence of resou{n}. and ouer þis q{uo}d she. ¶ yif þat þer ben two þinges þat han o same p{ur}pos by kynde. {and} þat one of he{m} p{ur}sueþ {and} p{er}formeþ þilke same þinge by naturel office. {and} þat oþer ne may nat done þilk naturel office. but folweþ by oþer manere þan is couenable to nat{ur}e ¶ Hym þat acomplisiþ hys p{ur}pos kyndely. {and} ȝit he ne acomplisiþ nat hys owen purpos. wheþer of þise two demest þou for more myȝty. ¶ yif þat I coniecte q{uo}d .I. þat þou wilt seye algates. ȝit I desire to herkene it more pleynely of þe. þou nilt nat þan denye q{uo}d she þat þe moeueme{n}tȝ of goynge nis in men by kynde. no for soþe q{uo}d I. ne þou ne doutest nat q{uo}d she þ{a}t þilke naturel office of goynge ne be þe office of feet. I ne doute it nat q{uo}d .I. þan q{uo}d she yif þat a wyȝt be myȝty to moeue {and} goþ vpon hys feet. and anoþer to whom þilke naturel office of feet lakkeþ. enforceþ hym to gone crepynge vpo{n} hys handes. ¶ whiche of þise two auȝte to ben holden more myȝty by ryȝt. knyt furþe þe remenaunt q{uo}d I. ¶ For no wyȝt ne douteþ þat he þat may gone by nat{ur}el office of feet. ne be more myȝty þan he þat ne may nat ¶ but þe souereyne good q{uo}d she þat is euenlyche p{ur}posed to þe good folk {and} to badde. þe good folke seken it by naturel office of uertues. {and} þe shrewes enforcen hem to geten it by dyuerse couetise of erþely þinges. whiche þat nis no naturel office to geten þilke same souereyne goode. trowest þou þat it be any oþer wyse. nay q{uo}d .I. for þe co{n}seque{n}ce is open {and} shewynge of þinges þat I haue graunted. ¶ þat nedes goode folk moten ben myȝty. {and} shrewes feble {and} vnmyȝty. ¶ þou rennest aryȝt byfore me q{uo}d she. {and} þis is þe iugement þat is to seyn. ¶ I iuge of þe ryȝt as þise leches ben wont forto hopen of seke folk whan þei ap{er}ceyuen þat nature is redressed {and} wiþstondeþ to þe maladie. ¶ But for I see þe now al redy to þe vndirstandynge I shal shewe þe more þilke {and} continuel resou{n}s. ¶ For loke now how gretly shewiþ þe feblesse {and} infirmite of wicked folke. þat ne mowen nat come to þat hire naturel entenc{i}ou{n} ledeþ hem. {and} ȝitte almost þilk naturel entenc{i}ou{n} constreineþ hem. ¶ and what wer{e} to deme þan of shrewes. yif þilke naturel helpe hadde for-leten hem. ¶ þe whiche naturel helpe of entenc{i}ou{n} goþ alwey byforne hem. {and} is so grete þat vnneþ it may be ou{er}comen. ¶ Considre þan how gret defaute of power {and} how gret feblesse þere is in grete felonous folk as who seiþ þe gretter þi{n}ges þat ben coueited {and} þe desire nat accomplissed of þe lasse myȝt is he þat coueiteþ it {and} may nat acomplisse. ¶ And forþi philosophie seiþ þus by souereyne good. ¶ Sherewes ne requere nat lyȝt[e] medes ne veyne gaines whiche þei ne may nat folwen ne holden. but þei fayle{n} of þilke some of þe heyȝte of þinges þat is to seyne souereyne good. ne þise wrecches ne comen nat to þe effect of souereyne good. þe whiche þei enforcen hem oonly to gete{n} by nyȝtes {and} by dayes. ¶ In þe getyn[g] of whiche goode þe strengþe of good folk. is ful wel ysen. For ryȝt so as þ{o}u myȝtest demen hym myȝty of goynge þat goþ on hys feet til he myȝt[e] come to þilke place fro þe whiche place þere ne lay no wey forþer to be gon. Ryȝt so most þou nedes demen hym for ryȝt myȝty þat getiþ {and} atteiniþ to þe ende of alle þinges þat ben to desire. by-ȝonde þe whiche ende þat þer nis no þing to desire. ¶ Of whiche power of good folk men may conclude þat wicked men semen to ben bareyne {and} naked of alle strengþe. For whi forleten þei v{er}tues {and} folwen vices. nis it nat for þat þei ne knowen nat þe goodes. ¶ But what þing is more feble {and} more caitif þan is þe blyndenesse of ignoraunce. or ellys þei knowen ful wel whiche þinges þat þei auȝten to folwen ¶ but lecherye {and} couetise ouerþroweþ hem mysturned. ¶ and certis so doþ distemp{er}aunce to feble men. þat ne mowe{n} nat wrastle aȝeins þe vices ¶ Ne knowen þei nat þan wel þat þei foreleten þe good wilfully. {and} turnen hem vilfully to vices. ¶ And in þis wise þei ne forleten nat oonly to ben myȝty. but þei forleten al outerly in any wise forto ben ¶ For þei þat forleten þe comune fyn of alle þinges þat ben. þei for-leten also þerwiþ al forto ben. and p{er}auenture it sholde semen to som folk þat þis were a merueile to seyne þat shrewes whiche þat contienen þe more p{ar}tie of me{n} ne ben nat. ne han no beynge. ¶ but naþeles it is so. {and} þus stant þis þing for þei þat ben shrewes I denye nat þat þei ben shrewes. but I denye {and} sey[e] symplely and pleynly þat þei [ne] ben nat. ne han no beynge. for ryȝt as þou myȝtest seyn of þe careyne of a man þat it were a ded man. ¶ but þou ne myȝtest nat symplely callen it a man. ¶ So graunt[e] I wel for soþe þat vicious folk ben wicked. but I ne may nat graunten absolutely {and} symplely þat þei ben. ¶ For þilk þing þat wiþ holdeþ ordre {and} kepiþ nature. þilk þing is {and} haþ beynge. but þat þing þat faileþ of þat. þat is to seyne he þ{a}t forletiþ naturel ordre he for-letiþ þilk beyng þat is set in hys nature. but þou wolt sein þat shrewes mowen. ¶ Certys þat ne denye I nat. ¶ but certys hir power ne descendeþ nat of strengþe but of feblesse. for þei mowen don wickednesses. þe whiche þei ne myȝten nat don yif þei myȝte{n} dwelle in þe forme {and} in þe doynge of goode folke. ¶ And þilke power sheweþ ful euydently þat þei ne mowen ryȝt nauȝt. ¶ For so as I haue gadered {and} p{ro}ued a lytel her byforn þat yuel is nauȝt. {and} so as shrewes mowen oonly but shrewednesse. þis conclusiou{n} is al clere. þat shrewes ne mowen ryȝt nat to han power. and for as moche as þou vndirstonde whiche is þe strengþe þat is power of shrewes. I haue diffinised a lytel here byforn þat no þing nis so myȝty as souereyne good ¶ þat is soþe q{uo}d .I. [{and} thilke same souereyn good may don non yuel // Certes no q{uod} I] ¶ Is þer any wyȝt þan q{uo}d she þat weniþ þat men mowen don alle þinges. No man q{uo}d .I. but yif he be out of hys witte. ¶ but certys sherewes mowen doñ yuel q{uo}d she. ¶ ȝe wolde god q{uo}d I þat þei ne myȝte{n} don none. þat q{uo}d she so as he þat is myȝty to done oonly but good[e] þinges may don alle þinges. and þei þat ben myȝty to done yuel[e] þinges ne mowen nat alle þinges. þan is þis open þing {and} manifest þat þei þ{a}t mowe{n} don yuel ben of lasse power. and ȝitte to p{ro}ue þis conclusiou{n} þere helpeþ me þis þat I haue shewed here byforne. þat al power is to be nou{m}bred amonge þinges þat men auȝten requere. {and} haue shewed þat alle þi{n}ges þat auȝten ben desired ben referred to good ryȝt as to a manere heyȝte of hyr nature. ¶ But for to mowen don yuel {and} felonye ne may nat ben referred to good. þan nis nat yuel of þe nou{m}bre of þinges þat auȝte{n}. be desired. but al power auȝt[e] ben desired {and} requered. ¶ þan is it open {and} cler þat þe power ne þe moeuyng of shrewes nis no powere. {and} of alle þise þinges it sheweþ wel þat þe goode folk ben certeynly myȝty. {and} þe shrewes ben douteles vnmyȝty ¶ And it is clere {and} open þat þilke sentence of plato is uerray {and} soþe. þ{a}t seyþ þat oonly wiseme{n} may [doon] þat þei desiren. {and} shrewes mowen haunten þat hem lykeþ. but þat þei desiren þat is to seyne to comen to souereyne good þei ne han no power to acomplissen þat. ¶ For shrewes don þat hem list whan by þo þinges in whiche þei deliten þei wenen to atteyne to þilke good þat þei desiren. but þei ne geten ne atteynen nat þer to. ¶ for vices ne comen nat to blisfulnesse.

QUOS UIDES SEDERE CELSOS.

[Sidenote: [The ij^de Met{ur}.]]

++Who so þat þe couertures of her veyn apparailes myȝt[e] strepen of þise proude kynges þat þou seest sitten on heyȝe in her chayeres glyterynge in shynynge purpre envyroned wiþ sorweful arm{ur}es manasyng wiþ cruel mouþe. blowyng by woodnesse of herte. ¶ He sholde se þan þat ilke lordes beren wiþ i{n}ne hir corages ful streyte cheynes for leccherye tormentiþ he{m} on þat oon syde wiþ gredy venyms {and} troublable Ire þat araiseþ in hem þe floodes of troublynges tourmentiþ vpon þat oþer side hir þouȝt. or sorwe halt he{m} wery or ycauȝt. or slidyng {and} disseyuyng hope tourmentiþ hem. And þerfore syn þou seest on heed. þat is to seyne oon tyraunt bere so many[e] tyrauntis. þa{n} ne doþ þilk tyraunt nat þat he desiriþ. syn he is cast doune wiþ so many[e] wicked lordes. þat is to seyn wiþ so many[e] vices. þat han so wicked lordshipes ouer hym.

VIDES NE IGITUR QUANTO.

[Sidenote: [The iij.^de p{ro}se.]]

++SEest þou nat þan in how gret filþe þise shrewes ben ywrapped. {and} wiþ whiche cleernesse þise good folk shynen. In þis sheweþ it wel þat to good folk ne lakkeþ neuer mo hir medes. ne shrewes ne lakken neuer mo to{ur}mentis. for of alle þinges þat ben ydon þilke þing for whiche any þing is doon. it semeþ as by ryȝt þat þilke þing be þe mede of þat. as þus. ¶ yif a man renneþ in þe stadie or in þe forlonge for þe corone. þan lieþ þe mede in þe corone for whiche he renneþ. ¶ And I haue shewed þat blisfulnesse is þilke same good for whiche þat alle þi{n}g{us} ben don. þan is þilke same good p{ur}posed to þe werkes of mankynde ryȝt as a comune mede. whiche mede ne may ben disseuered fro good folk. for no wyȝt as by ryȝt fro þennes forþe þ{a}t hym lakkiþ goodnesse ne shal ben cleped good. For whiche þing folk of good[e] maneres her medes ne forsaken hem neuer mo. For al be it so þat sherewes waxen as wood as hem list aȝeynes good[e] folk. ȝitte neuer þe les þe corone of wise men ne shal nat fallen ne faden. ¶ For foreine shrewednesse ne bynymeþ nat fro þe corages of good[e] folk hire p{ro}pre honoure. but yif þat any wyȝt reioiseþ hem of goodnesse þat þei had[de] taken fro wiþoute. as who seiþ yif [þ{a}t] any wyȝt had[de] hys goodnesse of any oþer man þan of hym self. certys he þat ȝaf hym þilke goodnesse or ellys som oþer wyȝt myȝt[e] bynym[e] it hym. but for as moche as to euery wyȝt hys owen p{ro}pre bounte ȝeueþ hy{m} hys mede. þan at arst shal he faylen of mede whan he forletiþ to ben good. {and} at þe laste so as alle medes be{n} requered for men wenen þat þei ben good[e]. who is he þat wolde deme þat he þat is ryȝt myȝty of goode were p{ar}tles of mede. {and} of what mede shal he be gerdoned. certys of ryȝt faire mede {and} ryȝt greet abouen alle medes. ¶ Remembre þe of þilk noble corolarie þat I ȝaf þe a lytel here byforne. {and} gadre it to gidre in þis manere. so as god hym self is blisfulnesse. þan is it clere {and} certeyn. þat alle good folk ben makid blisful for þei ben good[e]. and þilke folk þat ben blisful it accordiþ {and} is couenable to ben godde[s]. þan is þe mede of goode folk swiche. þat no day [ne] shal enpeyren it. ne no wickednesse shal endirken it. ne power of no wyȝt ne shal nat amenusen it þat is to seyn to ben maked goddes. ¶ and syn it is þus þat goode men ne faylen neuer mo of hir{e} medes. ¶ certys no wise man ne may doute of þe vndep{ar}table peyne of shrewes. ¶ þat is to seyn þat þe peyne of shrewes ne dep{ar}tiþ nat from hem self neuer mo. ¶ For so as goode {and} yuel {and} peyne {and} medes ben contrarie it mot nedes ben þ{a}t ryȝt as we seen by-tiden in gerdou{n} of goode. þat also mot þe peyne of yuel answer{e} by þe contrarie partye to shrewes. now þan so as bounte {and} prowesse ben þe medes to goode folk. also is shrewednesse it self torment to shrewes ¶ þan who so þat euer is entecched {and} defouled wiþ yuel. yif shrewes wolen þan p{re}isen hem self may it semen to hem þat þei ben wiþ oute{n} p{ar}tye of tourment. syn þei ben swiche þat þe [vtteriste wikkednesse / þ{a}t is to seyn wikkede thewes / which þ{a}t is the] out{er}este {and} þe w[or]ste kynde of shrewednesse ne defouliþ nat ne entecehiþ nat hem oonly but infectiþ {and} enuenemyþ he{m} gretely ¶ And al so loke on shrewes þat ben þe contrarie p{ar}tye of goode men. how grete peyne felawshipeþ {and} folweþ hem. ¶ For þou hast lerned a litel here byforn þat al þi{n}g þat is {and} haþ beynge is oon. {and} þilke same oon is good. þan is þis consequence þat it semeþ wel. þat al þat is {and} haþ bey{n}ge is good. þis is to seyne. as who seiþ þat beynge {and} vnite {and} goodnesse is al oon. {and} in þis manere it folweþ þan. þat al þing þat faileþ to ben good. it styntiþ forto be. {and} forto haue any beynge. wher fore it is þat shrewes stynten forto ben þat þei weren. but þilke oþer forme of mankynde. þat is to seyne þe forme of þe body wiþ oute. shewiþ ȝit þat þise shrewes were somtyme men. ¶ wher fore whan þei ben p{er}uerted {and} torned in to malice. certys þan han þei forlorn þe nature of mankynde. but so as oonly bounte {and} prowesse may enhawnse euery man ouer oþer men. þan mot it nedes be þat shrewes whiche þat shrewednesse haþ cast out of þe condic{i}ou{n} of mankynde ben put vndir þe merite {and} þe deserte of men. þan bitidiþ it þat yif þou seest a wyȝt þat be t{ra}nsformed in to vices. þou ne mayst nat wene þat he be a man. ¶ For ȝif he [be] ardaunt in auarice. {and} þat he be a rauyno{ur} by violence of foreine rychesse. þou shalt seyn þat he is lyke to a wolf. {and} yif he be felonous {and} wiþ out reste {and} ex{er}cise hys tonge to chidynges. þou shalt lykene hym to þe hounde. {and} yif he be a p{re}ue awaito{ur} yhid {and} reioyseþ hym to rauysshe by wyles. þou shalt seyne hym lyke to þe fox whelpes. ¶ And yif he be distempre {and} quakiþ for ire men shal wene þat he bereþ þe corage of a lyou{n}. {and} yif he be dredeful {and} fleynge and dredeþ þinges þat ne auȝten nat ben dred. men shal holde hym lyke to þe h{er}te. {and} yif he be slowe {and} astoned {and} lache. he lyueþ as an asse. {and} yif he be lyȝt {and} vnstedfast of corage {and} chaungeþ ay his studies. he is lickened to briddes. ¶ {and} yif he be plounged in foule {and} vnclene luxuries. he is wiþholden in þe foule delices of þe foule soowe. ¶ þan folweþ it þat he þat forletiþ bountee {and} prowesse. he forletiþ to ben a man. syn he ne may nat passe in to þe condic{i}ou{n} of god. he is tourned in to a beest.

V[E]LA NARICII DUCIS.

[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}.]]

++Evrus þe wynde aryueþ þe sayles of vlixes duc of þe contre of narice. {and} hys wandryng shippes by þe see in to þe isle þere as Circe þe fayre goddesse douȝter of þe sonne dwelleþ þat medlyþ to hir newe gestes drynkes þat ben touched {and} maked wiþ enchau{n}tmentȝ. {and} after þat hir hande myȝty of þe herbes had[de] chau{n}ged hir gestes i{n} to dyuerse maneres. þat oon of hem is couered his face wiþ forme of a boor. þat oþer is chau{n}ged in to a lyou{n} of þe contre of marmorike. {and} his nayles {and} his teþe wexen. ¶ þat oþer of hem is newliche chaunged in to a wolf. {and} howeliþ whan he wolde wepe. þat oþer goþ debonairly in þe house as a tigre of Inde. but al be it so þat þe godhed of mercurie þat is cleped þe bride of arcadie haþ had mercie of þe duc vlixes byseged wiþ diu{er}se yueles {and} haþ vnbounden hym fro þe pestilence of hys oosteresse algates þe rowers {and} þe maryners hadden by þis ydrawen in to hir mouþes {and} dronken þe wicked[e] drynkes þei þat were woxen swyne hadden by þis chau{n}ged hire mete of brede forto ete acorns of ookes. non of hir lymes ne dwelliþ wiþ he{m} hoole. but þei han lost þe voys {and} þe body. Oonly hir{e} þouȝt dwelleþ wiþ hem stable þ{a}t wepiþ {and} bywailiþ þe monstruous chaungynge þat þei suffren. ¶ O ouer lyȝt hand. as who seiþ. ¶ O feble {and} lyȝt is þe hand of Circes þe enchaunteresse þat chaungeþ þe bodies of folk in to bestes to regarde {and} to co{m}parisou{n} of mutac{i}ou{n} þat is makid by vices. ne þe herbes of circes ne ben nat myȝty. for al be it so þat þei may chau{n}gen þe lymes of þe body. ¶ algates ȝit þei may nat chau{n}ge þe hertes. for wiþ inne is yhid þe strengþe {and} þe vigour of me{n} in þe secre toure of hire hertys. þat is to seyn þe strengþe of resou{n}. but þilke uenyms of vices to-drawen a man to hem more myȝtily þan þe venym of circes. ¶ For vices ben so cruel þat þei percen {and} þoruȝ passen þe corage wiþ i{n}ne. {and} þouȝ þei ne anoye nat þe body. ȝitte vices wooden to distroien men by wounde of þouȝt.

TUNC EGO FATEOR INQ{UA}M.

[Sidenote: [The ferthe p{ro}se.]]