*CErtis also [* fol. 16 b.] O earthly animals, you have an indistinct perception of your beginning, and you have ever the true end of felicity in view, but your natural instincts are perverted by many errors.ȝe men þat ben erþeliche bestes dremen [1888]
alwey [yowre bygynnynge] al þouȝ it be wiþ a
þinne ymaginacioun. and by a maner þouȝt al be it
nat clerly ne perfitly ȝe looken from a fer til þilk
verray fyn of blisfulnesse. and þerfore þe naturel entencioun [1892]
ledeþ ȝow to þilk verray good ¶ But
many manere errours mistourniþ ȝow þer fro. Can men obtain the end they have in view by the means they usually employ in the pursuit of happiness? ¶ Considere
now yif þat be þilke þinges by whiche a man
weniþ to gete hym blysfulnesse. yif þat he may comen [1896]
to þilke ende þat he weneþ to come by nature If riches and honours and the like make men happy, so that they shall want for nothing, then happiness may be procured by these acquisitions. ¶ For
yif þat moneye or honours or þise oþer forseide þinges
bryngen to men swiche a þing þat no goode ne faille
hem. ne semeþ faille. ¶ Certys þan wil I graunt[e] [1900]
þat þei ben maked blisful. by þilke þinges þat þei han
geten. But if these things cannot make good what they promise, if there still be something to be desired, then they are delusions, and the felicity after all is a counterfeit. ¶ but yif so be þat þilke þinges ne mowe nat
perfourmen þat þei by-heten and þat þer be defaute of
many goodes. ¶ Sheweþ it nat þan clerely þat fals [1904]
beaute of blisfulnesse is knowe and a-teint in þilke
þinges. ¶ First and forward þou þi self þat haddest
haboundaunces of rycchesses nat long agon. In your prosperity were you never annoyed by some wrong or grievance? ¶ I axe
ȝif þat in þe haboundaunce of alle þilk[e] rycchesses [1908]
þou were neuer anguissous or sory in þi corage of any
wrong or greuaunce þat by-tidde þe on any syde.
NONE ARE FREE FROM CARE.
B. I must confess that I cannot remember ever being wholly free from some trouble or other. ¶ Certys quod I it remembreþ me nat þat euere I was
so free of my þouȝt. þat I ne was al-wey in anguyshe of [1912]
somwhat. P. That was because something was absent which you did desire, or something present which you would fain be quit of. þat was þat þou lakkedest þat þou noldest
han lakked. or ellys þou haddest þat þou noldest
han had. B. That’s quite true. ryȝt so is it quod I þan. P. Then you did desire the presence of the one and the absence of the other? desiredest þou
þe presence of þat oon and þe absence of þat oþer. [1916]
B. I confess I did. I graunt[e] wel quod .I. P. Every man is in need of what he desires. for soþe quod she þan nediþ þer
somwhat þat euery man desireþ. B. Certainly he is. ȝe þer nediþ quod I. P. If a man lack anything can he be supremely happy?
¶ Certis quod she and he þat haþ lakke or nede of a
wyȝt nis nat in euery way suffisaunt to hym self. B. No. no quod .I. [1920]
P. Did you not in your abundance want for somewhat? and þou quod she in alle þe plente of þi
rycchesse haddest þilke lak of suffisaunce. B. What then if I did? ¶ what
ellis quod .I. P. It follows that riches cannot put a man beyond all want, although this was what they seemed to promise. ¶ þanne may nat rycchesse maken þat a
man nis nedy. ne þat he be suffisaunt to hym self. and [1924]
þat was it þat þei byhyȝten as it semeþ. Money may part company with its owner, however unwilling he may be to lose it. ¶ and eke
certys I trowe þat þis be gretly to consydere þat moneye
ne haþ nat in hys owen kynde þat it ne may ben by-nomen
of hem þat han it maugre hem. B. I confess that’s true. ¶ I by-knowe [1928]
it wel quod I P. It ought to be confessed when every day we see might prevailing over right. ¶ whi sholdest þou nat by-knowen it
quod she. whan euery day þe strenger folke by-nymen
it fram þe febler maugre hem. From whence springs so much litigation, but from this, that men seek to recover their own of which they have been unjustly deprived? ¶ Fro whennes comen
ellys alle þise foreine compleintes or quereles of [1932]
pletyngus. ¶ But for þat men axen aȝeine her moneye
þat haþ be by-nomen hem by force or by gyle. and
alwey maugre hem. B. Nothing is more true. ¶ Ryȝt so it is quod I. P. Then a man needs the assistance of others in order to keep his riches. þan quod
she haþ a man nede to seken hym foreyne helpe by [1936]
whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may say nay quod .I.
RICHES BRING ANXIETIES.
If he had no money to lose he would not stand in need of this help? ¶ Certis quod she and hym nediþ no helpe
yif he ne hadde no moneye þat he myȝt[e] leese. B. That is beyond all doubt. ¶ þat
is doutles quod .I. P. Then the very reverse of what was expected (from riches) takes place? For riches add to a man’s necessities. þanne is þis þing turned in to þe contrarie [1940]
quod she ¶ For rycchesse þat men wenen sholde
make suffisaunce. þei maken a man raþer han nede of
foreine helpe. Tell me how do riches drive away necessity? Are not rich men liable to hunger, thirst, and cold? ¶ whiche is þe manere or þe gise quod
she þat rycches may dryuen awey nede. ¶ Riche folk [1944]
may þei neiþer han hungre ne þrest. þise ryche men
may þei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter. You will say that the rich have wherewithal to satisfy these wants. ¶ But
þou wilt answere þat ryche men han y-nouȝ wher wiþ
þei may staunchen her hunger. and slaken her þrest [1948]
and don awey colde. By riches indigence may be alleviated, but they cannot satisfy every want. ¶ In þis wise may nede be conforted
by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may nat al
outerly be don awey. Even if gaping and greedy necessity be filled with riches, yet some cravings will remain. for þouȝ þis nede þat is alwey
gapyng and gredy be fulfilled wiþ rycchesses. and axe [1952]
any þing ȝit dwelleþ þanne a nede þat myȝt[e] ben fulfilled.
A little suffices for nature, but avarice never has enough. ¶ I holde me stille and telle nat how þat litel
þing suffiseþ to nature. but certys to auarice ynouȝ ne
suffiseþ no þinge. If riches, then, add to our wants, why should you think that they can supply all your necessities? [* fol. 17.] *¶ For syn þat rychesse ne may nat [1956]
al don awey nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may
it þanne be þat ȝe wenen þat rychesses mowen ȝeuen
ȝow suffisaunce.
1889 [yowre bygynnynge]—from C.
al—MS. as, C. Al
1891 from—fram
til þilk—to thylke
1892 þe—omitted
1893 þilk—thylke
1895 be—by