Part 7

¶ As who so myȝt[e] seye þus. After þise þinges she stynt[e] a lytel. {and} whanne she ap{er}ceiued[e] by atempre stillenesse þat I was ententif to herkene hire. she bygan to speke in þis wyse. ¶ Yif 732 I q{uod} she haue vnderstonde{n} {and} knowe vtterly þe [[pg 30]] causes {and} þe habit of þi maladie. þou languissed {and} art deffeted for talent {and} desijr of þi raþer fortune.

[Sidenote: It hath perverted thy faculties.]

¶ She þat ilke fortune only þat is chaunged as þou 736 feinest to þe ward. haþ p{er}uerted þe clerenesse {and} þe astat of þi corage.

[Sidenote: I am well acquainted with all the wiles of that Prodigy (_i. e._ Fortune).]

¶ I vnderstonde þe felefolde colo{ur} {and} deceites of þilke merueillous monstre fortune. and how she vseþ ful flatryng familarite wiþ hem 740 þat she enforceþ to bygyle. so longe til þat she co{n}founde wiþ vnsuffreable sorwe hem þat she haþ left in despeir vnpurueyed.

[Sidenote: Though she has left thee, thou hast not lost anything of beauty or of worth.]

¶ and if þou remembrest wel þe kynde þe maners {and} þe desert of þilke fortune. þow 744 shalt wel knowe as in hir þou neuer ne haddest ne hast ylost any fair þing. But as I trowe I shal not gretly trauaile to don þe remembren of þise þinges.

[Sidenote: Thou wert once proof against her allurements.]

¶ For þou were wont to hurtlen [{and} despysen] hir 748 wiþ manly wordes whan she was blaundissinge {and} presente {and} p{ur}sewedest hir wiþ sentences þat were drawe{n} oute of myne entre. þat is to seyne out of myn i{n}formac{i}ou{n}

[Sidenote: But sudden change works a great alteration in the minds of men, hence it is that thou art departed from thy usual peace of mind.]

¶ But no sudeyne mutac{i}ou{n} ne 752 bytideþ nat wiþ oute{n} a maner chau{n}gyng of curages. and so is it byfallen þat þou art dep{ar}ted a litel fro þe pees of þi þouȝt.

[Sidenote: But with some gentle emollients I shall prepare thee for stronger medicines.]

but now is tyme þat þou drynke {and} atast[e] some softe {and} delitable þinges. so þat whan 756 þei ben entred wiþ i{n}ne þe. it mow make weye to strenger drynkes of medycynes.

[Sidenote: Approach then, Rhetoric, with thy persuasive charms, and therewith let Music also draw near.]

¶ Com nowe furþe þerfore þe suasiou{n} of swetnesse Rethoryen. whiche þat goþ oonly þe ryȝt wey whil she forsakeþ not myne 760 estatutȝ. ¶ And wiþ Rethorice com forþe musice a damoisel of oure house þat syngeþ now lyȝter moedes or p{ro}lac{i}ou{n}s now heuyer. [[pg 31]]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 9.]]

*what ayleþ þe man. what is it þat haþ cast þe in to murnyng {and} in to wepyng. 764 I trow[e] þat þou hast sen some newe þing {and} uncouþe.

[Sidenote: Thou thinkest that Fortune is changed towards thee.]

¶ Þou wenest þat fortune be chaunged aȝeins þe

[Sidenote: But thou art deceived.]

¶ But þou wenest wrong. yif þou [þat] wene.

[Sidenote: In this misadventure of thine she hath preserved her constancy in changing.]

Alwey þo ben hire maners. she haþ raþer [kept] as to 768 þe ward hire p{ro}pre stablenes in þe chaungyng of hyre self. ¶ Ryȝt swyche was she whan she flatered[e] þe. {and} desseiued[e] þe wiþ vnleueful lykynges of false welefulnesse.

[Sidenote: You have seen the double face of this blind divinity.]

þou hast now knowen {and} ataynt 772 þe doutous or double visage of þilke blynde goddesse fortune. ¶ She þat ȝit couereþ hir {and} wympleþ hir to oþer folk. haþ shewed hir euerydel to þe. ¶ Ȝif þou app{ro}uest hir {and} þenkest þat she is good. vse 776 hir maners {and} pleyne þe nat.

[Sidenote: If thou dost abhor her perfidy cast her off, for her sports are dangerous.]

¶ And if þou agrisest hir fals[e] trecherie. dispise {and} cast aweye hir þat pleyeþ so harmefully. for she þat is now cause of so myche sorwe to þe. sholde be to þe cause of pees {and} 780 [of] ioie. ¶ she haþ forsaken þe forsoþe. þe whiche þat neuer man may be syker þat she ne shal forsake hym. _Glose._ ¶ But naþeles some bookes han þe text þus. For soþe she haþ forsaken þe ne þer nis no man 784 syker þat she ne haþ not forsaken.

[Sidenote: Is that happiness which is so transient?]

¶ Holdest þou þan þilke welefulnesse p{re}ciouse to þe þat shal passen.

[Sidenote: Is the attendance of Fortune so dear to thee, whose stay is so uncertain, and whose removal causes such grief?]

{and} is p{re}sent fortune derworþi to þe. whiche þat nis not feiþful forto dwelle. {and} whan she goþ aweye þat 788 she bryngeþ a wyȝt in sorwe ¶ For syn she may nat be wiþholde{n} at a mans wille. she makeþ hym a wrecche whe{n} she dep{ar}teþ fro hym.

[Sidenote: What is she (Fortune) but the presage of future calamity?]

¶ What oþer þing is flitti{n}g fortune but a manere shewyng of wrycchednesse [[pg 32]] þat is to comen. ne it ne suffriþ nat oo[n]ly to loken 793 of þing þat is p{re}sent byforne þe eyen of man. but wisdom lokeþ {and} mesureþ þe ende of þinges.

[Sidenote: Her mutability should make men neither fear her threats nor desire her favours.]

{and} þe same chau{n}gyng from one to an oþer. þat is to seyne 796 fro aduersite to p{ro}sperite makeþ þat þe manaces of fortune ne ben not forto dreden. ne þe flatrynges of hir to ben desired. ¶ Þus atte þe last it byhoueþ þe to suffren wiþ euene wille in pacience al þat is don 800 inwiþ þe floor of fortune. þat is to seyne in þis worlde.

[Linenotes: 727 _she_ (2)--I 729 _myȝt[e] seye_--myht{e} seyn 730 _stynt[e]_--stynte 732 _hire_--here 733 _knowe vtterly_--knowen owtrely 734 _languissed_--languyssest 737 _haþ_--MS. haþe 738 _astat_--estat _felefolde_--feelefold 739 _colour_--colours _deceites_ (MS. decrites)--deceytes _merueillous_--meruayles 742 _haþ_--MS. haþe 743 _if_--yif 746 _any_ (MS. my)--any _þing_--thinge 747 _trauaile_--travaylen _don_--do _remembren of_--remenbre on 748 [_and despysen_]--from C. 749 _was_--omitted 750 _were_--weren 751 _myne_--myn _seyne_--sayn 752 _sudeyne_--sodeyn 753 _outen_--owte 757 _inne_--in _mow----weye_--mowe maken way 758 _strenger_--strengere _Com nowe furþe_--MS. Come; C. Com now forth 760 _goþ_--MS. goþe 761 _com_--MS. come, C. com 762 _house_--hows _lyȝter_--lyhter{e} 763 _prolaciouns_--p{ro}basyons _heuyer_--heuyer{e} _ayleþ_--eyleth 765 _trow[e]_--trowe _sen_--MS. sene, C. seyn _some_--som _þing_--thinge _uncouþe_--vnkowth 766 _aȝeins_--ayein 767 _wenest_--weenes [_þat_]--C. that 768 _haþ_--MS. haþe [_kept_]--from C. 769 _stablenes in þe_--stabylnesse standeth in the 770 _swyche_--swich 771 _vnleueful_--vnlefful 775 _haþ_--MS. had, C. hat 776 _good_--MS. goode, C. god 777 _agrisest_--MS. agrised, C. agrysyst 778 _fals[e]_--false 780 _myche_--mochel 781 [_of_]--from C. _haþ_--MS. haþe 783 _text_--texte 784 _haþ_--MS. haþe 785 _forsaken_--forsake _Holdest þou_--holdestow 786 _þan_--thanne _preciouse_--p{re}syes 787 _derworþi_--dereworthe _whiche_--which 788 _feiþful_--feythfulle _goþ_--MS. goþe _aweye_--awey 790 _mans_--mannys 791 _when_--wan _þing_--thinge 793 _suffriþ_--suffiseth 794 _of þing_--on thynge _byforne_--MS. byforne byforne _man_--a man 795 _mesureþ_--amesureth 796 _from one_--fram oon _seyne_--seyn 797 _fro_--from _to_--into 799 _atte þe last_--at the laste]

[Headnote: PHILOSOPHY EXPOSTULATES WITH BOETHIUS.]

[Sidenote: If you submit to her yoke you must patiently endure her inflictions.]

¶ Syþen þou hast oones put þi nekke vnder þe ȝokke of hir. for if þou wilt write a lawe of wendyng {and} of dwellyng to fortune whiche þat þou hast chosen frely 804 to be þi lady

[Sidenote: Impatience will only embitter your loss.]

¶ Art þou nat wrongful in þat {and} makest fortune wroþe {and} asp{er}e by þin inpacience. {and} ȝit þou mayst not chaungen hir.

[Sidenote: You cannot choose your port if you leave your vessel to the mercy of the winds.]

¶ Yif þou co{m}mittest [{and}] bitakest þi sayles to þe wynde. þou shalt 808 be shouen not þider þat þou woldest(:) but whider þat þe wy{n}de shoueþ þe ¶ Yif þou castest þi seedes in þe feldes þou sholdest haue in mynde þat þe ȝeres ben oþer while plenteuous {and} oþ{er} while bareyne.

[Sidenote: You have given yourself up to Fortune; it becomes you therefore to obey her commands.]

¶ Þou 812 hast bytaken þiself to þe gouernaunce of fortune. {and} forþi it byhoueþ þe to ben obeisaunt to þe manere of þi lady.

[Sidenote: Would you stop the rolling of her wheel?]

and enforcest þou þe to aresten or wiþstonden þe swyftnesse {and} þe sweyes of hir to{ur}nyng 816 whele.

[Sidenote: Fool! if Fortune once became stable she would cease to exist.]

¶ O þou fool of alle mortel fooles if fortune bygan to dwelle stable. she cesed[e] þan to ben fortune.

[Linenotes: 801 _seyne_--seyn _worlde_--world 802 _Syþen_--Syn _ȝokke_--yok{e} 803 _if_--yif _write_--wryten 804 _whiche_--which 805 _lady_--ladye _Art þou_--Artow 806 _wroþe_--wroth _þin_--thine 807 _chaungen_--chaunge 808 [_and_]--from C. 809 _þider_--thedyr _whider_--whedyr 811 _haue_--han 814 _manere_--maneres 815 {and}--omitted _wiþstonden_--withholden 816 _sweyes_--sweyȝ 818 _cesed[e]_--cesede]

[[pg 33]] [Headnote: THE INCONSTANCY OF FORTUNE.]

HEC CUM SUPERBA.

[Sidenote: [The fyrst met{ur}.]

[Sidenote: Fortune is as inconstant as the ebb and flow of Euripus.]

++Whan fortune wiþ a proude ryȝt hande haþ turnid hir chau{n}gyng stoundes she fareþ lyke þe maners 820 of þe boillyng eurippe. _Glose._ Eurippe is an arme of þe see þ{a}t ebbith {and} flowiþ. {and} somtyme þe streme is on one syde {and} somtyme on þat oþer. _Texte_

[Sidenote: She hurls kings from their thrones, and exalts the captive.]

¶ She cruel fortune kasteþ adoune kynges þat somtyme weren 824 ydred. {and} she deceiuable enhau{n}seth vp þe humble chere of hym þat is discomfited.

[Sidenote: She turns a deaf ear to the tears and cries of the wretched.]

{and} she neyþer hereþ ne reccheþ of wrecched[e] wepynges. {and} she is so harde þat she lauȝeþ {and} scorneþ þe wepyng of hem þe whiche 828 she haþ maked wepe wiþ hir free wille.

[Sidenote: Thus she sports and boasts her power and presents a marvel to her servants if, in the space of an hour, a man is hurled from happiness into adversity.]

¶ Þus she pleyeþ {and} þ{us} she p{re}ueþ hir strengþe {and} sheweþ a grete wondre to alle hir seruau{n}tȝ. ¶ Yif þat a wyȝt is seyn weleful {and} ou{er}þrowe in an houre. 832

[Linenotes: 819 _proude_--prowd _hande_--hand _haþ_--MS. haþe 820 _lyke_--lik 821 _arme_--arm 822 _streme_--strem 823 _one_--o 821 _adoune_--adown _somtyme_--whilom 825 _ydred_ (MS. _ydredde_)--ydrad _humble_--vmble 827 _reccheþ_--rekkeþ _wrecched[e]_--wrecchede _harde_--hard 828 _lauȝeþ_--lyssheth _wepyng_--wepynges 830 _strengþe_--strengthes]

[Headnote: PROSPERITY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FELICITY.]

VELLEM AUTE{M} PAUCA.

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

[Sidenote: Philosophy expostulates with Boethius in the name of Fortune.]

++CErtis I wolde plete wiþ þee a fewe þinges vsynge þe wordes of fortune tak heede now þi self. yif þ{a}t she axeþ ryȝt.

[Sidenote: Why do you accuse me (Fortune) as guilty?]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 9 _b_.]]

*¶ O þou man wher fore makest þou me gilty by þine euerydayes pleynynges. what wronges 836 haue I don þe.

[Sidenote: What goods or advantages have I deprived you of?]

what goodes haue I byreft þe þat weren þine. stryf or plete wiþ me by fore what iuge þat þou wilt of þe possessiou{n} of rycchesse or of dignites

[Sidenote: Can you prove that ever any man had a fixed property in his riches?]

¶ And yif þou maist shewe me þat euer any mortal man haþ 840 receyued any of þese þinges to ben his in p{ro}pre. þan wol I graunt[e] frely þat [alle] þilke þinges were{n} þine whiche þat þou axest.

[Sidenote: You came naked into the world, and I cherished you and encompassed you with affluence.]

¶ Whan þat nature brouȝt[e] þe forþe out of þi moder wombe. I receyued[e] þe naked 844 {and} nedy of al þing. {and} I norysshed[e] þe wiþ my [[pg 34]] rychesse. {and} was redy {and} ententif þo{ru}ȝ my fauo{ur} to sustene þe. ¶ And þat makeþ þe now i{n}pacient aȝeins me. {and} I envirounde þe wiþ al þe habundaunce {and} 848 shinyng of al goodes þat ben in my ryȝt.

[Sidenote: Now that I have a mind to withdraw my bounty, be thankful and complain not.]

¶ Now it lykeþ me to wiþ drawe myne hande. þou hast had grace as he þat haþ vsed of foreyne goodes. þou hast no ryȝt to pleyne þe. as þouȝ þou haddest vtterly lorn alle þi 852 þinges. whi pleynest þou þan. I haue don þe no wrong.

[Sidenote: Riches and honours are subject to me.]

Ricches hono{ur}es {and} swyche oþer þinges ben of my ryȝt.

[Sidenote: They are my servants, and come and go with me.]

¶ My seruauntes knowen me for hir lady. þei comen wiþ me {and} dep{ar}ten whan I wende. I dar wel 856 affermen hardyly. þat yif þo þinges of whiche þou pleynest þat þou hast forlorn hadde ben þine. þou ne haddest not lorn he{m}.

[Sidenote: Shall I alone be forbidden to use my own right?]

¶ shal I þan only be defended to vse my ryȝt.

[Sidenote: Doth not heaven give us sunny days and obscure the same with dark nights?]

¶ Certis it is leueful to þe heuene to 860 make clere dayes. {and} after þat to keuere þe same dayes wiþ derke nyȝtes.

[Sidenote: Is not the earth covered with frost as well as with flowers?]

¶ Þe erþe haþ eke leue to apparaile þe visage of þe erþe now w{i}t{h} floures {and} now wiþ fruyt. {and} to confounde he{m} so{m}tyme wiþ raynes {and} 864 wiþ coldes.

[Sidenote: The sea sometimes appears calm, and at other times terrifies us with its tempestuous waves.]

¶ Þe see haþ eke hys ryȝt to be somtyme calme {and} blaundyshing wiþ smoþe water. {and} somtyme to be horrible wiþ wawes {and} wiþ tempestes.

[Sidenote: Shall I be bound to constancy by the covetousness of men?]

¶ But þe couetyse of men þat may not be staunched 868 shal it bynde me to be stedfast. syn þat stedfastnesse is vnkouþ to my maneres. ¶ Swyche is my strengþe.

[Sidenote: I turn my rolling wheel and amuse myself with exalting what was low, and bringing down what was high.]

{and} þis pley. I pley[e] co{n}tinuely. I tourne þe whirly{n}g whele wiþ þe tournyng cercle ¶ I am glade to chaunge 872 þe lowest to þe heyeste. {and} þe heyest to þe loweste.

[Linenotes: 833 _plete_--pleten 834 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak 835 _makest þou_--makes thow 836 _wronges_--wro{n}ge 837 _don_--MS. done, C. don _byreft_--MS. byrefte, C. byreft 838 _stryf_--MS. stryue, C. stryf _plete_--pleten _by fore_--by forn 839 _wilt_--wolt _rycchesse_--rychesses 840 _shewe_--shewyn _euer_--eu{er}e _haþ_--MS. haþe 841 _þese_--tho _his_--hise 842 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te [_alle_]--from C. 845 _al þing_--alle thinges _norysshed[e]_--noryssede 846 _rychesse_--rychesses 848, 849 _al_--alle 848 _habundaunce_--abou{n}dau{n}ce 850 _wiþ----hande_--withdrawen myn hand _had_--MS. hadde, C. had 851 _haþ_--MS. haþe 852 _vtterly_--outrely _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. for lorn. 853 _don_--MS. done, C. don 854 _Ricches_--Rychesses 858 _forlorn_--MS. forlorne, C. forlorn 859 _lorn_--MS. lorne, C. lorn 860 _vse_--vsen 861 _keuere þe_--coeu{er}yn tho 862 _derke_--dirk _erþe_--yer _haþ_--MS. haþe 864 _confounde_--co{n}fownden 865 _haþ_--MS. haþe 866 _calme_--kalm 867 (2nd) _wiþ_--omitted 869 _stedfast_--stidefast _stedfastnesse_--stidefastnesse 870 _vnkouþ_--MS. vnkouþe, C. vnkowth _Swyche_--Swych 871 _pley[e]_--pleye 872 _whele_--wheel _glade_--glad _chaunge_--chaungy{n}]

[[pg 35]] [Headnote: BE SUBJECT TO FORTUNE’S CHANGES.]

[Sidenote: Ascend if you will, but come down when my sport requires it.]

worþe vp yif þou wilt. so it be by þis lawe. þat þou ne holde not þat I do þe wronge þouȝ þou descende dou{n} whanne resou{n} of my pleye axeþ it.

[Sidenote: Know you not the history of Crœsus and of Paulus Æmilius?]

Wost þou 876 not how Cresus kyng of lyndens of whiche kyng Cir{us} was ful sore agast a litel byforne þat þis rewlyche Cresus was cauȝt of Cirus {and} lad to þe fijr to be brent. but þat a reyne desce{n}ded[e] dou{n} from heuene 880 þat rescowed[e] hym ¶ And is it out of þi mynde how þat Paulus consul of Rome whan he hadde take þe kyng of p{er}ciens weep pitou[s]ly for þe captiuitee of þe self[e] kyng.

[Sidenote: What else does the weeping muse of Tragedy deplore but the overthrow of kingdoms by the indiscriminate strokes of Fortune?]

What oþer þinges bywaylen þe criinges of 884 Tragedies. but only þe dedes of fortune. þat wiþ an vnwar stroke ouert{ur}neþ þe realmes of grete nobley ¶ _Glose._ Tragedie is to seyne a dite of a p{ro}sp{er}ite for a tyme þat endiþ in wrechednesse.

[Sidenote: Did you not learn whilst a youth, that at the gates of Jove’s palace stand two vessels, one full of blessings, the other of woes?]

Lernedest nat þou 888 in grek whan þou were ȝonge þat in þe entre or in þe seler of Iuppiter þer ben couched two tunnes. þat on is ful of good þat oþer is ful of harme.

[Sidenote: What if you have drunk too deep of the first vessel?]

¶ What ryȝt hast þou to pleyne. yif þou hast taken more plenteuously 892 of þe goode syde þat is to seyne of my rycchesse {and} p{ro}sp{er}ites. {and} what eke. yif I be nat departed fro þe.

[Sidenote: My mutability gives thee hope of happier days.]

What eke. yif my mutabilitee ȝiueþ þe ryȝtful cause of hope to han ȝit better þi{n}ges.

[Sidenote: Desire not to be exempted from the vicissitudes of humanity.]

¶ Naþeles desmaie þe 896 nat in þi þouȝt. and þ{o}u þat art put in comune realme of alle: ne desijr[e] nat to lyue by þine oonly p{ro}pre ryȝt.

[Linenotes: 874 _worþe_--worth _wilt_--wolt 876 _doun_--adou{n} _whanne_--wan _pleye_--pley _Wost þou_--wistesthow 877 _kyng_ (1)--the kyng _lyndens_--lydyens 878 _byforne_--byforn 880 _reyne descended[e]_--rayn dessendede _from_--fro 881 _rescowed[e]_--rescowede 882 _take_--takyn 885 _an_--a 886 _þe_--omitted 887 _seyne_--seyn 890 _tunnes_--tonnes 891 _harme_--harm 892 _hast þou_--hasthow 893 _seyne_--seyn _rycchesse_--rychesses 894 _I be nat_--I ne be nat al 896 _better_--beter{e} 898 _lyue_--lyuen _þine_--thin]

[Headnote: THE COVETOUS ARE EVER DISCONTENTED.]

SI Q{UA}NTAS RAPIDIS.

[Sidenote: [the secu{n}de met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Though Plenty, from her teeming horn, poured down as many riches on the world as there are sands on the sea-shore, or stars in heaven, mankind would not cease to complain.]

++ÞOuȝ plentee þat is goddesse of rycches hielde adou{n} wiþ ful horn. {and} wiþdraweþ nat hir hand. ¶ As 900 many recches as þe see turneþ vpwardes sandes whan it is moeued wiþ rauysshing blastes. or ellys as many [[pg 36]] rycches as þer shynen bryȝt[e] sterres on heuene on þe sterry nyȝt. Ȝit for al þat mankynde nolde not cesce to 904 wope wrecched[e] pleyntes.

[Sidenote: Though Heaven may grant every desire, they will still cry for more.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 10.]]

¶ And al be it so *þat god receyueþ gladly her p{ra}yers {and} ȝeueþ hem as ful large muche golde {and} app{ar}aileþ coueytous folk wiþ noble or clere hono{ur}s. ȝit semeþ hem haue I-gete noþing. 908 but alwey her cruel ravyne deuourynge al þat þei han geten shewiþ oþer gapinges. þat is to seye gapen {and} desiren ȝit after moo rycchesse.

[Sidenote: What rein can restrain unbounded avarice?]

¶ What brideles myȝten wiþholde to any certeyne ende þe desordene 912 coueitise of men ¶ Whan euere þe raþer þ{a}t it fletiþ in large ȝiftis: þe more ay brenneþ in hem þe þrest of hauyng.

[Sidenote: He who thinks himself poor, though he be rich, doth truly labour under poverty.]

¶ Certis he þat quakyng {and} dredeful weneþ hym seluen nedy. he ne lyueþ neu{er}e mo ryche. 916

[Linenotes: 899 _rycches_--rychesses 901 _recches_--rychesses _vpwardes_--vpward 902 _rauysshing_--rauyssynge 903 _rycches_--rychesses _bryȝt[e]_--bryhte _on_ (1)--in 904 _nyȝt_--nyhtes 905 _wope wrecched[e]_--wepe wrecchede 906 _her_--hir _ful_--fool 907 _muche_--meche _folk_--men 908 _haue_--hauen _I-gete_--I-getyn 909 _her_--hir 910 _seye_--seyn 911 _rycchesse_--rychesses 912 _wiþholde_--wytholden _certeyne_--certeyn 914 _þrest_--thurst 915 _dredeful_--dredful 916 _lyueþ_--leueth]

[Headnote: BOETHIUS IS NOT UNHAPPY.]

HIIS IGITUR SI PRO SE.

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

[Sidenote: If Fortune spake thus to you, you could not defend your complaint.]

++Þerfore yif þat fortune spake wiþ þe for hir self in þis manere. For soþe þou ne haddest [nat] what þou myȝtest answere. and if þou hast any þi{n}g wherwiþ. þou mayist ryȝtfully tellen þi co{m}pleynt. ¶ It 920 byhoueþ þe to shewen it. {and} .I. wol ȝeue þe space to tellen it.

[Sidenote: _B._ What you have said is very specious, but such discourses are only sweet while they strike our ears.]

¶ Certeynely q{uod} I þan þise ben faire þinges {and} enoyntid wiþ hony swetnesse of rethorike {and} musike. {and} only while þei ben herd þei ben 924 deliciouse.

[Sidenote: They cannot efface the deep impressions that misery has made in the heart.]

¶ But to wrecches is a deppere felyng of harme. þis is to seyn þat wrecches felen þe harmes þat þei suffren more greuously þan þe remedies or þe delites of þise wordes mowe gladen or comforten hem. so þat 928 whan þise þinges stynten forto sou{n}[e] in eres. þe sorwe [[pg 37]] þat is inset greueþ þe þouȝt.

[Sidenote: _P._ So it is indeed; for my arguments are not designed as remedies, but as lenitives only.]