[The fyrst prose.] POSTEA [PAU]LISPER CONTICUIT.
After þis she stynte a litel. and after þat she hadde gadred by atempre stillenesse myn attencioun she seide þus. ¶ As who so myȝt[e] seye þus. After þise þinges she stynt[e] a lytel. and whanne she aperceiued[e] by atempre stillenesse þat I was ententif to herkene hire. she bygan to speke in þis wyse. ¶ Yif I quod she haue vnderstonden and knowe vtterly þe causes and þe habit of þi maladie. þou languissed and art deffeted for talent and desijr of þi raþer fortune. ¶ She þat ilke fortune only þat is chaunged as þou feinest to þe ward. haþ peruerted þe clerenesse and þe astat of þi corage. ¶ I vnderstonde þe felefolde colour and deceites of þilke merueillous monstre fortune. and how she vseþ ful flatryng familarite wiþ hem þat she enforceþ to bygyle. so longe til þat she confounde wiþ vnsuffreable sorwe hem þat she haþ left in despeir vnpurueyed. ¶ and if þou remembrest wel þe kynde þe maners and þe desert of þilke fortune. þow 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. ¶ For þou were wont to hurtlen [and despysen] hir wiþ manly wordes whan she was blaundissinge and presente and pursewedest hir wiþ sentences þat were drawen oute of myne entre. þat is to seyne out of myn informacioun ¶ But no sudeyne mutacioun ne bytideþ nat wiþ outen a maner chaungyng of curages. and so is it byfallen þat þou art departed a litel fro þe pees of þi þouȝt. but now is tyme þat þou drynke and atast[e] some softe and delitable þinges. so þat whan þei ben entred wiþ inne þe. it mow make weye to strenger drynkes of medycynes. ¶ Com nowe furþe þerfore þe suasioun of swetnesse Rethoryen. whiche þat goþ oonly þe ryȝt wey whil she forsakeþ not myne estatutȝ. ¶ And wiþ Rethorice com forþe musice a damoisel of oure house þat syngeþ now lyȝter moedes or prolaciouns now heuyer. what ayleþ þe man. what is it þat haþ cast þe in to murnyng and in to wepyng. I trow[e] þat þou hast sen some newe þing and uncouþe. ¶ Þou wenest þat fortune be chaunged aȝeins þe ¶ But þou wenest wrong. yif þou [þat] wene. Alwey þo ben hire maners. she haþ raþer [kept] as to þe ward hire propre 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. þou hast now knowen and ataynt 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 approuest hir and þenkest þat she is good. vse hir maners and pleyne þe nat. ¶ 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 [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 syker þat she ne haþ not forsaken. ¶ Holdest þou þan þilke welefulnesse preciouse to þe þat shal passen. and is present fortune derworþi to þe. whiche þat nis not feiþful forto dwelle. and whan she goþ aweye þat she bryngeþ a wyȝt in sorwe ¶ For syn she may nat be wiþholden at a mans wille. she makeþ hym a wrecche when she departeþ fro hym. ¶ What oþer þing is flitting fortune but a manere shewyng of wrycchednesse þat is to comen. ne it ne suffriþ nat oo[n]ly to loken of þing þat is present byforne þe eyen of man. but wisdom lokeþ and mesureþ þe ende of þinges. and þe same chaungyng from one to an oþer. þat is to seyne fro aduersite to prosperite 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 inwiþ þe floor of fortune. þat is to seyne in þis worlde. ¶ 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 to be þi lady ¶ Art þou nat wrongful in þat and makest fortune wroþe and aspere by þin inpacience. and ȝit þou mayst not chaungen hir. ¶ Yif þou committest [and] bitakest þi sayles to þe wynde. þou shalt be shouen not þider þat þou woldest(:) but whider þat þe wynde shoueþ þe ¶ Yif þou castest þi seedes in þe feldes þou sholdest haue in mynde þat þe ȝeres ben oþer while plenteuous and oþer while bareyne. ¶ Þou hast bytaken þiself to þe gouernaunce of fortune. and forþi it byhoueþ þe to ben obeisaunt to þe manere of þi lady. and enforcest þou þe to aresten or wiþstonden þe swyftnesse and þe sweyes of hir tournyng whele. ¶ O þou fool of alle mortel fooles if fortune bygan to dwelle stable. she cesed[e] þan to ben fortune.
[The fyrst metur. HEC CUM SUPERBA.
Whan fortune wiþ a proude ryȝt hande haþ turnid hir chaungyng stoundes she fareþ lyke þe maners of þe boillyng eurippe. Glose. Eurippe is an arme of þe see þat ebbith and flowiþ. and somtyme þe streme is on one syde and somtyme on þat oþer. Texte ¶ She cruel fortune kasteþ adoune kynges þat somtyme weren ydred. and she deceiuable enhaunseth vp þe humble chere of hym þat is discomfited. 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 she haþ maked wepe wiþ hir free wille. ¶ Þus she pleyeþ and þus she preueþ hir strengþe and sheweþ a grete wondre to alle hir seruauntȝ. ¶ Yif þat a wyȝt is seyn weleful and ouerþrowe in an houre.
[The secunde prose.] VELLEM AUTEM PAUCA.
CErtis I wolde plete wiþ þee a fewe þinges vsynge þe wordes of fortune tak heede now þi self. yif þat she axeþ ryȝt. ¶ O þou man wher fore makest þou me gilty by þine euerydayes pleynynges. what wronges haue I don þe. what goodes haue I byreft þe þat weren þine. stryf or plete wiþ me by fore what iuge þat þou wilt of þe possessioun of rycchesse or of dignites ¶ And yif þou maist shewe me þat euer any mortal man haþ receyued any of þese þinges to ben his in propre. þan wol I graunt[e] frely þat [alle] þilke þinges weren þine whiche þat þou axest. ¶ Whan þat nature brouȝt[e] þe forþe out of þi moder wombe. I receyued[e] þe naked and nedy of al þing. and I norysshed[e] þe wiþ my rychesse. and was redy and ententif þoruȝ my fauour to sustene þe. ¶ And þat makeþ þe now inpacient aȝeins me. and I envirounde þe wiþ al þe habundaunce and shinyng of al goodes þat ben in my ryȝt. ¶ 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 þinges. whi pleynest þou þan. I haue don þe no wrong. Ricches honoures and swyche oþer þinges ben of my ryȝt. ¶ My seruauntes knowen me for hir lady. þei comen wiþ me and departen whan I wende. I dar wel affermen hardyly. þat yif þo þinges of whiche þou pleynest þat þou hast forlorn hadde ben þine. þou ne haddest not lorn hem. ¶ shal I þan only be defended to vse my ryȝt. ¶ Certis it is leueful to þe heuene to make clere dayes. and after þat to keuere þe same dayes wiþ derke nyȝtes. ¶ Þe erþe haþ eke leue to apparaile þe visage of þe erþe now with floures and now wiþ fruyt. and to confounde hem somtyme wiþ raynes and wiþ coldes. ¶ 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. ¶ But þe couetyse of men þat may not be staunched shal it bynde me to be stedfast. syn þat stedfastnesse is vnkouþ to my maneres. ¶ Swyche is my strengþe. and þis pley. I pley[e] continuely. I tourne þe whirlyng whele wiþ þe tournyng cercle ¶ I am glade to chaunge þe lowest to þe heyeste. and þe heyest to þe loweste. worþe vþ yif þou wilt. so it be by þis lawe. þat þou ne holde not þat I do þe wronge þouȝ þou descende doun whanne resoun of my pleye axeþ it. Wost þou not how Cresus kyng of lyndens of whiche kyng Cirus 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 descended[e] doun from heuene þat rescowed[e] hym ¶ And is it out of þi mynde how þat Paulus consul of Rome whan he hadde take þe kyng of perciens weep pitouly for þe captiuitee of þe self[e] kyng. What oþer þinges bywaylen þe criinges of Tragedies. but only þe dedes of fortune. þat wiþ an vnwar stroke ouerturneþ þe realmes of grete nobley ¶ Glose. Tragedie is to seyne a dite of a prosperite for a tyme þat endiþ in wrechednesse. Lernedest nat þou 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. ¶ What ryȝt hast þou to pleyne. yif þou hast taken more plenteuously of þe goode syde þat is to seyne of my rycchesse and prosperites. and what eke. yif I be nat departed fro þe. What eke. yif my mutabilitee ȝiueþ þe ryȝtful cause of hope to han ȝit better þinges. ¶ Naþeles desmaie þe nat in þi þouȝt. and þou þat art put in comune realme of alle: ne desijr[e] nat to lyue by þine oonly propre ryȝt.
[the secunde metur.] SI QUANTAS RAPIDIS.
ÞOuȝ plentee þat is goddesse of rycches hielde adoun wiþ ful horn. and wiþdraweþ nat hir hand. ¶ As many recches as þe see turneþ vpwardes sandes whan it is moeued wiþ rauysshing blastes. or ellys as many rycches as þer shynen bryȝt[e] sterres on heuene on þe sterry nyȝt. Ȝit for al þat mankynde nolde not cesce to wope wrecched[e] pleyntes. ¶ And al be it so þat god receyueþ gladly her prayers and ȝeueþ hem as ful large muche golde and apparaileþ coueytous folk wiþ noble or clere honours. ȝit semeþ hem haue I-gete noþing. 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. ¶ What brideles myȝten wiþholde to any certeyne ende þe desordene coueitise of men ¶ Whan euere þe raþer þat it fletiþ in large ȝiftis: þe more ay brenneþ in hem þe þrest of hauyng. ¶ Certis he þat quakyng and dredeful weneþ hym seluen nedy. he ne lyueþ neuere mo ryche.
[The thrydde prose.] HIIS IGITUR SI PRO SE.
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 þing wherwiþ. þou mayist ryȝtfully tellen þi compleynt. ¶ It byhoueþ þe to shewen it. and .I. wol ȝeue þe space to tellen it. ¶ Certeynely quod I þan þise ben faire þinges and enoyntid wiþ hony swetnesse of rethorike and musike. and only while þei ben herd þei ben deliciouse. ¶ 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 whan þise þinges stynten forto soun[e] in eres. þe sorwe þat is inset greueþ þe þouȝt. Ryȝt so is it quod she. ¶ For þise ne ben ȝit none remedies of þi maladie. but þei ben a manere norissinges of þi sorwe ȝit rebel aȝeyne þi curacioun. ¶ For whan þat tyme is. I shal moue swiche þinges þat percen hem self depe. ¶ But naþeles þat þou shalt not wilne to leten þi self a wrecche. ¶ Hast þou forȝeten þe noumbre and þe manere of þi welefulnesse. I holde me stille how þat þe souerayn men of þe Citee token þe in cure and kepynge whan þou were orphelyn of fadir and modir. and were chosen in affinite of princes of þe Citee. ¶ And þou bygunne raþer to ben leef and deere þan0 forto ben a neyȝbour. þe whiche þing is þe most preciouse kynde of any propinquitee or aliaunce þat may ben. ¶ Who is it þat ne seide þou nere ryȝt weleful wiþ so grete a nobley of þi fadres in lawe. ¶ And wiþ þe chastite of þi wijf. and wiþ þe oportunite and noblesse of þi masculyn children. þat is to seyne þi sones and ouer al þis me lyst to passe of comune þinges. ¶ How þou haddest in þi þouȝt dignitees þat weren warned to olde men. but it deliteþ me to comen now to þe singuler vphepyng of þi welefulnesse. ¶ Yif any fruyt of mortal þinges may han any weyȝte or price of welefulnesse. ¶ Myȝtest þou euere forȝeten for any charge of harme þat myȝt[e] byfallen. þe remembraunce of þilke day þat þou sey[e] þi two sones maked conseillers. and ylad to gidre from þin house vndir so gret assemble of senatours. and vndir þe blyþenesse of poeple. and whan þou say[e] hem sette in þe court in her chaieres of dignites. ¶ Þou rethorien or pronouncere of kynges preysinges. deseruedest glorie of wit and of eloquence. whan þou sittyng bytwix þi two sones conseillers in þe place þat hyȝt Circo. and fulfildest þe abydyng of multitude of poeple þat was sprad about þe wiþ large praysynge and laude as men syngen in victories. þo ȝaue þou wordes of fortune as I trowe. þat is to seyne. þo feffedest þou fortune wiþ glosynge wordes and desseiuedest hir. whan she accoied[e] þe and norsshed[e] þe as hir owen delices. ¶ Þou hast had of fortune a ȝifte þat is to seyn swiche gerdoun þat she neu[er]e ȝaf to preue man ¶ Wilt þou þerfore leye a rekenyng wiþ fortune. she haþ now twynkeled first vpon þe wiþ a wykked eye. ¶ Yif þou considere þe noumbre and þe manere of þi blysses. and of þi sorwes. þou maist nat forsake þat þou nart ȝit blysful. For if þou þerfore wenest þi self nat weleful for þinges þat þo semeden ioyful ben passed. ¶ Þer nis nat whi þou sholdest wene þi self a wrecche. for þinges þat now semen soory passen also. ¶ Art þou now comen firste a sodeyne gest in to þe shadowe or tabernacle of þis lijf. or trowest þou þat any stedfastnesse be in mannis þinges. ¶ Whan ofte a swifte houre dissolueþ þe same man. þat is to seyne whan þe soule departiþ fro þe body. For al þouȝ þat yelde is þer any feiþ þat fortunous þinges willen dwelle. ȝit naþeles þe last[e] day of a mannis lijf is a manere deeþ to fortune. and also to þilke þat haþ dwelt. and þerfore what wenist þou þar recche yif þou forlete hir in deynge or ellys þat she fortune forlete þe in fleenge awey.