2254 golde—gold
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF WORLDLY BLISS.
[HACTENUS MENDACIS FORMAM.]
IT suffisiþ P. I have been describing the form of counterfeit happiness, and if you have considered it attentively I shall proceed to give you a perfect view of the true. þat I haue shewed hider to þe forme of [2276]
false wilfulnesse. so þat yif þou look[e] now clerely
þe ordre of myn entencioun requeriþ from hennes forþe
to shewen þe verray wilfulnesse. B. I now see that there is no sufficiency in riches, no power in royalty, no esteem in dignities, nor nobility in renown, nor joy in carnal pleasures. ¶ For quod .I. (b) [I.]
se wel now þat suffisaunce may nat comen by richesse. ne [2280]
power by realmes. ne reuerence by dignitees. ne gentilesse
by glorie. ne ioye by delices. and (p) hast þou wel
knowen quod she þe cause whi it is. Certis me semeþ
quod .I. þat .I. se hem ryȝt as þouȝ it were þoruȝ a litel [2284]
clifte. I have a glimpse of the cause of all this, but I should like a more distinct view. but me were leuer knowen hem more openly of
þe. Certys quod she þe resoun is al redy P. The cause is obvious—for that which is by nature one and indivisible human ignorance separates and divides, and reverses the true order of things. ¶ For
þilk þing þat symply is on þing wiþ outen ony
diuisioun. þe errour and folie of mankynde departeþ [2288]
and diuidiþ it. and mislediþ it and transporteþ from
verray and perfit goode. to goodes þat ben false and
inperfit. Does that state which needs nothing stand in need of power? ¶ But seye me þis. wenest þou þat he þat haþ
nede of power þat hym ne lakkeþ no þing. B. I should say no. P. Right! That which wants power needs external aid. Nay quod [2292]
.I ¶ Certis quod she þou seist aryȝt. For yif so be
þat þer is a þing þat in any partie be fieble of power.
B. That is true! P. Sufficiency and power therefore are of one nature. B. It seems so indeed. Certis as in þat it most[e] nedes be nedy of foreine
helpe. ¶ Riȝt so it is quod .I. Suffisaunce and power [2296]
ben þan of on kynde ¶ So semeþ it quod I. P. Are power and sufficiency to be despised? Are they not rather worthy of universal respect? ¶ And
demyst þou quod she þat a þing þat is of þis manere.
þat is to seine suffisaunt and myȝty auȝt[e] to ben dispised.
or ellys þat it be ryȝt digne of reuerences abouen [2300]
alle þinges. B. They are doubtless highly estimable. P. Add respect to sufficiency and power, and consider all three as one and the same thing. ¶ Certys quod I it nys no doute þat it
nis ryȝt worþi to ben reuerenced. ¶ Lat vs quod she þan
adden reuerence to suffisaunce and to power ¶ So þat
we demen þat þise þre þinges ben alle o þing. B. I see no objection to that view. ¶ Certis [2304]
quod I lat vs adden it. yif we willen graunten þe soþe.
P. But can that be obscure and ignoble which possesses three such attributes? is it not noble and worthy of a shining reputation? what demest þou þan quod she is þat a dirke þing and
nat noble þat is suffisaunt reuerent and myȝty. or ellys
þat is ryȝt clere and ryȝt noble of celebrete of renoun. [2308]
THE UNITY OF TRUE FELICITY.
He who is most powerful and worthy of renown—if he lack fame which he cannot give to himself, must (by this defect) seem in some measure more weak and abject. ¶ Considere þan quod she as we han grauntid her byforne.
þat he þat ne haþ ne[de] of no þing and is most
myȝty and most digne of honour yif hym nediþ any
clernesse of renoun whiche clernesse he myȝt[e] nat [2312]
graunten of hym self. ¶ So þat for lakke of þilke
clerenesse he myȝt[e] seme febler on any syde or þe
more outcaste. Glosa. þis is to seyne nay. He that is sufficiently mighty and esteemed will have necessarily an illustrious name. ¶ For who
so þat is suffisaunt myȝty and reuerent. clernesse of [2316]
renoun folweþ of þe forseide þinges. he haþ it alredy of
hys suffisaunce. B. I cannot deny it, for reputation seems inseparable from the advantages you have just mentioned. boice. I may nat quod I denye it.
¶ But I mot graunten as it is. þat þis þing be ryȝt
celebrable by clernesse of renoun and noblesse. P. Therefore Renown differs in no wise from the three above-mentioned attributes. ¶ þan [2320]
folweþ it quod she þat we adden clernesse of renoun to
þe þre forseide þinges. so þat þer ne be amonges hem
no difference. and þis is a consequente quod .I. And if any one then stands in need of no external aid, can have all he wants, and is illustrious and respected—is not his condition very agreeable and pleasant? þis
þing þan quod she þat ne haþ no nede of no foreine [2324]
þing. and þat may don alle þinges by his strengþes.
and þat is noble and honourable. nis nat þat a myrie
þing and a ioyful. B. I cannot conceive how such a one can have grief or trouble. boice. but wenest quod I þat any
sorow myȝt[e] comen to þis þing þat is swiche. ¶ Certys [2328]
I may nat þinke. P. It must then be a state of happiness; and we may also affirm that sufficiency, power, nobility, differ only in name, but not in substance. P. ¶ þanne moten we graunt[e] quod
she þat þis þing be ful of gladnesse yif þe þorseide þinges
be soþe. ¶ And also certys mote we graunten. þat
suffisaunce power noblesse reuerence and gladnesse ben [2332]
only dyuerse bynames. but hir substaunce haþ no
diuersite. B. It is a necessary consequence. Boice. It mot nedely be so quod .I. P. The depravity of mankind then divides that which is essentially indivisible; and, seeking for a part of that which has no parts, they miss the entire thing which they so much desire. P. þilke
þinge þan quod she þat is oon and simple in his nature.
[* fol. 20.] þe wikkednesse of men departiþ it *diuidiþ it. and [2336]
whan þei enforcen hem to gete partie of a þing þat ne
haþ no part. þei ne geten hem neiþer þilk[e] partie þat
nis none. ne þe þing al hole þat þei ne desire nat. B. How is that? .b.
In whiche manere quod .I. P. He that seeks riches in order to avoid poverty, is not solicitous about power; he prefers meanness and obscurity, and denies himself many natural pleasures that he may not lessen his heaps of pelf. p. þilke man quod she þat [2340]
sekeþ rychesse to fleen pouerte. he ne trauayleþ hym
nat to for to gete power for he haþ leuer ben dirk and
vile. and eke wiþdraweþ from hym selfe many naturel
delitȝ for he nolde lesen þe moneye þat he haþ assembled. [2344]
He who lacks power, is pricked with trouble, and rendered an outcast and obscure by his sordid ways, does not possess sufficiency. but certis in þis manere he ne getiþ hym nat
suffisaunce þat power forletiþ. and þat moleste prekeþ.
and þat filþe makeþ outcaste. and þat derknesse hideþ.
He who only aims at power squanders his riches, and despises delights and honours unaccompanied by power. and certis he þat desireþ only power he wastiþ and [2348]
scatriþ rychesse and dispiseþ delices and eke honour
þat is wiþ out power. ne he ne preiseþ glorie no þing.
OF FALSE FELICITY.
Such a one must be subject to many anxieties. ¶ Certys þus seest þou wel þat many þingus failen to
hym. for he haþ somtyme faute of many necessites. [2352]
and many anguysses biten hym And when he cannot get rid of these evils he ceases to have what he most desired—power. ¶ and whan he may
nat don þo defautes awey. he forleteþ to ben myȝty.
and þat is þe þing þat he most desireþ. In the same way honour, glory, and pleasure, are all inseparable; he that seeks one without the other will fail to obtain his desires. and ryȝt þus
may I make semblable resouns of honours and of glorie [2356]
and of delices. ¶ For so as euery of þise forseide
þinges is þe same þat þise oþer þinges ben. þat is to
sein. al oon þing. who so þat euer sekeþ to geten þat
oon of þise and nat þat oþer. he ne geteþ nat þat he [2360]
desireþ. B. What then if a man should desire to gain them all at once? Boice. ¶ what seist þou þan yif þat a man
coueiteþ to geten alle þise þinges to gider. P. He would then indeed desire perfect felicity—but can he ever expect to find it in the acquisitions above mentioned, which do not perform what they promise? P. Certys
quod she .I. wolde seie þat he wolde geten hym souereyne
blisfulnes. but þat shal he nat fynde in þo þinges [2364]
þat .I. haue shewed þat ne mowe nat ȝeuen þat þei by-heten.
B. No, surely! boice. Certys no quod .I. P. Then happiness is not to be sought in these things which are falsely supposed capable of satisfying our desires? ¶ þan quod she ne
sholden men nat by no weye seken blysfulnesse in
swiche þinges as men wenen þat þei ne mowe [2368]
ȝeuen but o þing senglely of alle þat men seken.
B. I confess it, and nothing can be more truly affirmed than this. I graunt[e] wel quod .I. ne no soþer þing ne may nat
ben said. Turn your mind’s eye upon the reverse of all this false felicity and you will perceive the true happiness. P. ¶ Now hast þou þan quod she þe forme
and þe causes of false welefulnesse. ¶ Now turne and [2372]
flitte þe eyen of þi þouȝt. for þere shalt þou seen an oon
þilk verray blysfulnesse þat I haue byhyȝt þee. B. It is very clear, and I had a complete view of it when you explained to me the causes of its counterfeit. b.
Certys quod .I. it is cler and opyn. þouȝ þat it were to
a blynde man. and þat shewedest þou me [ful wel] a [2376]
lytel her byforne. whan þou enforcedest þe to shewe me
þe causes of þe false blysfulnesse True felicity consists in a state of sufficiency, of power, and honour—as well as of a shining reputation and every desirable pleasure: and I must confess that true felicity is that which is bestowed by these advantages, as they are in reality all one and the same. ¶ For but yif I be by-giled.
þan is þilke þe verray perfit blisfulnesse þat perfitly
makiþ a man suffisaunt. myȝty. honourable noble. [2380]
and ful of gladnesse. and for þou shalt wel knowe þat I
haue wel vndirstonden þise þinges wiþ inne myne herte.
I knowe wel þilke blisfulnesse þat may verrayly ȝeuen
on of þe forseide þinges syn þei ben al oon .I. knowe [2384]
douteles þat þilke þing is þe fulle of blysfulnesse.
P. O my nursling, how happy are you in this conviction, provided you add but one limitation. P. O my nurry quod she by þis oppinioun quod she I
sey[e] þat þou art blisful yif þou putte þis þer to þat I
shal seine. B. What is that? what is þat quod .I. P. Thinkest thou that any thing in this world can confer this happiness? (the sovereign good). ¶ Trowest þou þat [2388]
þer be any þing in þis erþely mortal toumblyng þinges
þat may bryngen þis estat. B. I think not; for nothing can be desirable beyond such a state of perfection. Certys quod I trowe it nat.
and þou hast shewed me wel þat ouer þilke goode þer
is no þing more to ben desired. P. These imperfect things above mentioned only confer the shadow of the supreme good, or at most only an imperfect felicity, but they cannot bestow true and perfect happiness. P. þise þinges þan [2392]
quod she. þat is to seyne erþely suffisaunce and power.
and swiche þinges eyþer þei semen likenesse of verray
goode. or ellys it semeþ þat þei ȝeuen to mortal folk a
maner of goodes þat ne ben nat perfit. ¶ But þilke [2396]
goode þat is verray and perfit. þat may þei nat ȝeuen.
B. I quite agree with you. boice. I. accorde me wel quod .I. P. Then, knowing the difference between true and false felicity you must now learn where to look for this supreme felicity. þan quod she for as
moche as þou hast knowen whiche is þilke verray blisfulnesse.
and eke whiche þilke þinges ben þat lien [2400]
falsly blisfulnesse. þat is to seyne. þat by desceit
semen verray goodes. ¶ Now byhoueþ þe to knowen
[* fol. 20 b.] *whennes and where þou mowe seek[e] þilke verray
blisfulnesse. ¶ Certys quod I þat desijr I gretly and [2404]
haue abiden longe tyme to herkene it. P. But, as Plato says that even in the least things the Divine assistance ought to be implored, what ought we do, to render us worthy of so important a discovery as the true source and seat of the sovereign good? ¶ But for as
moche quod she as it likeþ to my disciple plato in his
book of in thimeo. þat in ryȝt lytel þinges men sholde
bysechen þe helpe of god. ¶ what iugest þou þat be [2408]
[now] to done so þat we may deserue to fynde þe sete of
þilke souereyne goode. B. Let us invoke the Father of all things. B. ¶ Certys quod .I. I. deme
þat we shulle clepen to þe fadir of alle goodes. ¶ For
wiþ outen hym nis þer no þing founden aryȝt. You are right, said Philosophy, and thus she sang:— þou seist [2412]
a-ryȝt quod she. and bygan on-one to syngen ryȝt þus.
2256 heyȝe—the hyye
kachen—kachche