[The .iij. Metur.] CUM PRIMO POLO.
Whan phebus þe sonne bygynneþ to spreden his clerenesse with rosene chariettes. þan þe sterre ydimmyd paleþ hir white cheres. by þe flamus of þe sonne þat ouer comeþ þe sterre lyȝt. ¶ Þis is to seyn whan þe sonne is risen þe day sterre wexiþ pale and lesiþ hir lyȝt for þe grete bryȝtnesse of þe sonne. ¶ Whan þe wode wexeþ redy of rosene floures in þe first somer sesoun þoruȝ þe breþe of þe wynde Zephirus þat wexeþ warme. ¶ Yif þe cloudy wynde auster blowe felliche. þan goþ awey þe fayrnesse of þornes. Ofte þe see is clere and calme wiþoute moeuyng floodes. And ofte þe horrible wynde aquilon moeueþ boylyng tempestes and ouer whelweþ þe see. ¶ Yif þe forme of þis worlde is so [ȝeelde] stable. and yif it tourniþ by so many entrechaungynges. wilt þou þan trusten in þe trublynge fortunes of men. wilt þou trowen in flittyng goodes. It is certeyne and establissed by lawe perdurable þat no þing þat is engendred nys stedfast no stable.
[The ferthe prose.] TUNC EGO UERA INQUAM.
ÞAnne seide I þus. O norice of alle uertues þou seist ful soþe. ¶ Ne I may nat forsake þe ryȝt[e] swifte cours of my prosperitee. þat is to seine. þat prosperitee ne be comen to me wondir swiftly and soone. but þis is a þing þat gretly smertiþ me whan it remembreþ me. ¶ For in alle aduersitees of fortune þe most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune is to han ben weleful. ¶ But þat þou quod she abaist þus þe tourment of þi fals[e] opinioun þat maist þou not ryȝtfully blamen ne aretten to þinges. as who seiþ for þou hast ȝitte many habundaunces of þinges. ¶ Textus. For al be it so þat þe ydel name of auenterouse welefulnesse moeueþ þe now. it is leueful þat þou rekene with me of how many[e] þinges þou hast ȝit plentee. ¶ And þerfore yif þat þilke þing þat þou haddest for most precious in alle þi rycchesse of fortune be kept to þe by þe grace of god vnwemmed and vndefouled. Mayst þou þan pleyne ryȝtfully vpon þe myschief of fortune. syn þou hast ȝit þi best[e] þinges. ¶ Certys ȝit lyueþ in goode poynt þilke precious honour of mankynde.¶ Symacus þi wyues fadir whiche þat is a man maked al of sapience and of vertue. þe whiche man þou woldest ben redely wiþ þe pris of þin owen lijf. he byweyleþ þe wronges þat men don to þee. and not for hym self. for he liueþ in sykernesse of any sentence put aȝeins him. ¶ And ȝit lyueþ þi wif þat is attempre of witte and passyng oþer women in clennes of chastitee. and for I wol closen shortly her bountes she is lyke to hir fadir. I telle þe welle þat she lyueþ looþ of hir life. and kepiþ to þee oonly hir goost. and is al maat and ouer-comen by wepyng and sorwe for desire of þe ¶ In þe whiche þing only I mot graunten þat þi welefulnesse is amenused. ¶ What shal I seyn eke of þi two sones conseillours of whiche as of children of hir age þer shineþ þe lyknesse of þe witte of hir fadir and of hir eldefadir. and siþen þe souereyn cure of alle mortel folke is to sauen hir owen lyues. ¶ O how weleful art þou þouȝ þou knowe þi goodes. ¶ But ȝitte ben þer þinges dwellyng to þe wardes þat no man douteþ þat þei ne ben more derworþe to þe þen þine owen lijf. ¶ And forþi drie þi teres for ȝitte nys nat eueriche fortune al hateful to þe warde. ne ouer greet tempest haþ nat ȝit fallen vpon þe. whan þat þin ancres cliue fast[e] þat neiþer wole suffre þe comfort of þis tyme present. ne þe hope of tyme comynge to passen ne to fallen. ¶ And I preie quod I þat fast[e] mot[en] þei holden. ¶ For whiles þat þei halden. how so euere þat þinges ben. I shal wel fleten furþe and eschapen. ¶ But þou mayst wel seen how greet[e] apparailes and aray þat me lakkeþ þat ben passed awey fro me. ¶ I haue sumwhat auaunced and forþered þe quod she. if þat þou anoie nat or forþenke nat of al þi fortune. As who seiþ. ¶ I haue somwhat comforted þe so þat þou tempest nat þe þus wiþ al þi fortune. syn þou hast ȝit þi best[e] þinges. ¶ But I may nat suffre þin delices. þat pleinst so wepyng. and anguissous for þat oþer lakkeþ somwhat to þi welefulnesse. ¶ For what man is so sad or of so perfit welefulnesse. þat he ne stryueþ or pleyneþ on some half aȝeine þe qualitee of his estat. ¶ For whi ful anguissous þing is þe condicioun of mans goodes. ¶ For eyþer it comeþ al to gidre to a wyȝt. or ellys it lasteþ not perpetuely. ¶ For som man haþ grete rycchesse. but he is asshamed of hys vngentil lynage. and som man is renomed of noblesse of kynrede. but he is enclosed in so grete angre for nede of þinges. þat hym were leuer þat he were vnknowe. and som man habundeþ boþe in rychesse and noblesse. but ȝit he bywaileþ hys chast[e] lijf. for he haþ no wijf. ¶ and som man is wel and selily maried but he haþ no children. and norissheþ his ricchesse to þe heires of straunge folk. ¶ And som man is gladded wiþ children. but he wepiþ ful sory for þe trespas of his son or of his douȝtir. ¶ and for þis þer accordeþ no wyȝt lyȝtly to þe condicioun of his fortune. for alwey to euery man þere is in mest somwhat þat vnassaieþ he ne wot not or ellys he drediþ þat he haþ assaied. ¶ And adde þis also þat euery weleful man haþ a wel delicat felyng. ¶ So þat but yif alle þinges fallen at hys owen wille for he inpacient or is nat vsed to han none aduersitee. an-oone he is þrowe adoũne for euery lytel þing. ¶ And ful lytel þinges ben þo þat wiþdrawen þe somme or þe perfeccioun of blisfulnesse fro hem þat ben most fortunat. ¶ How many men trowest þou wolde demen hem self to ben almost in heuene yif þei myȝten atteyne to þe leest[e] partie of þe remenaunt of þi fortune. ¶ Þis same place þat þou clepist exil is contre to hem þat enhabiten here. and forþi. Noþing wrecched. but whan þou wenest it ¶ As who seiþ. þouȝ þi self ne no wyȝt ellys nys no wrecche but whan he weneþ hym self a wrecche by reputacioun of his corage.
CONTRAQUE.
And aȝeinewarde al fortune is blisful to a man by þe agreablete or by þe egalite of hym þat suffreþ it. ¶ What man is þat. þat is so weleful þat nolde chaungen his estat whan he haþ lorn pacience. þe swetnesse of mannes welefulnesse is yspranid wiþ many[e] bitternesses. þe whiche welefulnesse al þouȝ it seme swete and ioyeful to hym þat vseþ it. ȝit may it not be wiþ-holden þat it ne goþ away whan it wol. ¶ Þan is it wel sen how wrecched is þe blisfulnesse of mortel þinges. þat neiþer it dwelliþ perpetuel wiþ hem þat euery fortune receyuen agreablely or egaly. ¶ Ne it ne deliteþ not in al. to hem þat ben anguissous. ¶ O ye mortel folkes what seke ȝe þan blisfulnesse oute of ȝoure self. whiche þat is put in ȝoure self. Errour and folie confoundeþ ȝow ¶ I shal shewe þe shortly. þe poynt of souereyne blisfulnesse. Is þer any þing to þe more preciouse þan þi self ¶ Þou wilt answere nay. ¶ Þan if it so be þat þou art myȝty ouer þi self þat is to seyn by tranquillitee of þi soule. þan hast þou þing in þi power þat þou noldest neuer lesen. ne fortune may nat by-nyme it þe. and þat þou mayst knowe þat blisfulnesse [ne] may nat standen in þinges þat ben fortunous and temperel. ¶ Now vndirstonde and gadir it to gidir þus yif blisfulnesse be þe souereyne goode of nature þat liueþ by resoun ¶ Ne þilke þing nis nat souereyne goode þat may be taken awey in any wyse. for more worþi þing and more digne is þilke þing þat may nat be taken awey. ¶ Þan shewiþ it wele þat þe vnstablenesse of fortune may nat attayne to receyue verray blisfulnes. ¶ And ȝit more ouer. ¶ What man þat þis toumblyng welefulnesse leediþ. eiþer he woot þat [it] is chaungeable. or ellis he woot it nat. ¶ And yif he woot it not. what blisful fortune may þer be in þe blyndenesse of ignoraunce. and yif he woot þat it is chaungeable. he mot alwey ben adrad þat he ne lese þat þing. þat he ne douteþ nat but þat he may leesen it. ¶ As whoo seiþ he mot ben alwey agast lest he leese þat he wot wel he may leese. ¶ For whiche þe continuel drede þat he haþ ne suffriþ hym nat to ben weleful. ¶ Or ellys yif he leese it he wene to be dispised and forleten hit. ¶ Certis eke þat is a ful lytel goode þat is born wiþ euene hert[e] whan it is loost. ¶ Þat is to seyne þat men don no more force. of þe lost þan of þe hauynge. ¶ And for as myche as þou þi self art he to whom it haþ ben shewid and proued by ful many[e] demonstraciouns. as I woot wel þat þe soules of men ne mowen nat dien in no wise. and eke syn it is clere. and certeyne þat fortunous welefulnesse endiþ by þe deeþ of þe body. ¶ It may nat ben douted þat yif þat deeþ may take awey blysfulnesse þat al þe kynde of mortal þingus ne descendiþ in to wrecchednesse by þe ende of þe deeþ. ¶ And syn we knowen wel þat many a man haþ souȝt þe fruit of blisfulnesse nat only wiþ suffryng of deeþ. but eke wiþ suffryng of peynes and tourmentes. how myȝt[e] þan þis present lijf make men blisful. syn þat whanne þilke self[e] lijf is endid. it ne makeþ folk no wrecches.
[The ferthe metur.] QUISQUIS UOLET PERHENNEM CAUTUS.
What maner man stable and war þat wil founden hym a perdurable sete and ne wil not be cast doune wiþ þe loude blastes of þe wynde Eurus. and wil dispise þe see manassynge wiþ floodes ¶ Lat hym eschewe to bilde on þe cop of þe mountayngne. or in þe moyste sandes. ¶ For þe fel[le] wynde auster tourmenteþ þe cop of þe mountayngne wiþ alle his strengþes. ¶ and þe lowe see sandes refuse to beren þe heuy weyȝte. and forþi yif þou wolt flee þe perilous auenture þat is to seine of þe worlde ¶ Haue mynde certeynly to ficchyn þi house of a myrie site in a lowe stoone. ¶ For al þouȝ þe wynde troublyng þe see þondre wiþ ouereþrowynges ¶ Þou þat art put in quiete and welful by strengþe of þi palys shalt leden a cleer age. scornyng þe wodenesses and þe Ires of þe eir.
[The fyfthe prose.] SET CUM RACIONUM IAM IN TE.
But for as moche as þe noryssinges of my resouns descenden now in to þe. I trowe it were tyme to vsen a litel strenger medicynes. ¶ Now vndirstonde here al were it so þat þe ȝiftis of fortune nar[e] nat brutel ne transitorie. what is þer in hem þat may be þine in any tyme. or ellis þat it nys foule if þat it be considered and lokid perfitely. ¶ Richesse ben þei preciouse by þe nature of hem self. or ellys by þe nature of þe. What is most worþi of rycchesse. is it nat golde or myȝt of moneye assembled. ¶ Certis þilke golde and þilke moneye shineþ and ȝeueþ better renoun to hem þat dispenden it. þen to þilke folke þat mokeren it. For auarice makeþ alwey mokeres to be hated. and largesse makeþ folke clere of renoun ¶ For syn þat swiche þing as is transfered from o man to an oþer ne may nat dwellen wiþ no man. Certis þan is þilke moneye precious. whan it is translated in to oþer folk. and stynteþ to ben had by vsage of large ȝeuyng of hym þat haþ ȝeuen it. and also yif al þe moneye þat is ouer-al in þe world were gadered towar[d] o man. it sholde maken al oþer men to ben nedy as of þat. ¶ And certys a voys al hool þat is to seyn wiþ-oute amenusynge fulfilleþ to gyder þe heryng of myche folke. but Certys ȝoure rycchesse ne mowen nat passen vnto myche folk wiþ-oute amenussyng ¶ And whan þei ben apassed. nedys þei maken hem pore þat forgon þe rycchesses. ¶ O streite and nedy clepe I þise rycchesses. syn þat many folke [ne] may nat han it al. ne al may it nat comen to on man wiþ-oute pouerte of al oþer folke. ¶ And þe shynynge of gemmes þat I clepe preciouse stones. draweþ it nat þe eyen of folk in to hem warde. þat is to seyne for þe beaute. ¶ For certys yif þer were beaute or bounte in shynyng of stones. þilke clerenesse is of þe stones hem self. and nat of men. ¶ For whiche I wondre gretly þat men merueilen on swiche þinges. ¶ For whi what þing is it þat yif it wanteþ moeuyng and ioynture of soule and body þat by ryȝt myȝt[e] semen a faire creature to hym þat haþ a soule of resoun. ¶ For al be it so þat gemmes drawen to hem self a litel of þe laste beaute of þe worlde. þoruȝ þe entent of hir creatour and þoruȝ þe distinccioun of hem self. ȝit for as myche as þei ben put vndir ȝoure excellence. þei han not desserued by no weye þat ȝe shullen merueylen on hem. ¶ And þe beaute of feeldes deliteþ it nat mychel vnto ȝow. Boyce. ¶ Whi sholde it nat deliten vs. syn þat it is a ryȝt fayr porcioun of þe ryȝt fair werk. þat is to seyn of þis worlde. ¶ And ryȝt so ben we gladed somtyme of þe face of þe see whan it is clere. And also merueylen we on þe heuene and on þe sterres. and on þe sonne. and on þe mone. Philosophie. ¶ Apperteineþ quod she any of þilke þinges to þe. whi darst þou glorifie þe in þe shynynge of any swiche þinges. Art þou distingwed and embelised by þe spryngyng floures of þe first somer sesoun. or swelliþ þi plente in fruytes of somer. whi art þou rauyshed wiþ ydel ioies. why enbracest þou straunge goodes as þei weren þine. Fortune shal neuer maken þat swiche þinges ben þine þat nature of þinges maked foreyne fro þe. ¶ Syche is þat wiþ-outen doute þe fruytes of þe erþe owen to ben on þe norssinge of bestes. ¶ And if þou wilt fulfille þi nede after þat it suffiseþ to nature þan is it no nede þat þou seke after þe superfluite of fortune. ¶ For wiþ ful fewe þinges and with ful lytel þing nature halt hire appaied. and yif þou wilt achoken þe fulfillyng of nature wiþ superfluites ¶ Certys þilke þinges þat þou wilt þresten or pouren in to nature shullen ben vnioyeful to þe or ellis anoies. ¶ Wenest þou eke þat it be a fair þinge to shine wiþ dyuerse cloþing. of whiche cloþing yif þe beaute be agreable to loken vpon. I wol merueylen on þe nature of þe matere of þilke cloþes. or ellys on þe werkeman þat wrouȝt[e] hem. but al so a longe route of meyne. makiþ þat a blisful man. þe whiche seruauntes yif þei ben vicioũs of condiciouns it is a greet charge and a destruccioun to þe house. and a greet enmye to þe lorde hym self ¶ And yif þei ben goode men how shal straung[e] or foreyne goodenes ben put in þe noumbre of þi rycchesse. so þat by alle þise forseide þinges. it is clerly shewed þat neuer none of þilke þinges þat þou accoumptedest for þin goodes nas nat þi goode. ¶ In þe whiche þinges yif þer be no beaute to ben desired. whi sholdest þou be sory yif þou leese hem. or whi sholdest þou reioysen þe to holden hem. ¶ For if þei ben fair of hire owen kynde. what apperteneþ þat to þe. for as wel sholde þei han ben faire by hem self. þouȝ þei weren departid from alle þin rycchesse. ¶ For-why faire ne precioũs ne weren þei nat. for þat þei comen amonges þi rycchesse. but for þei semeden fair and precious. þerfore þou haddest leuer rekene hem amonges þi rycchesse. but what desirest þou of fortune wiþ so greet a noyse and wiþ so greet a fare ¶ I trowe þou seke to dryue awey nede wiþ habundaunce of þinges. ¶ But certys it turneþ to ȝow al in þe contrarie. for whi certys it nediþ of ful many[e] helpynges to kepen þe dyuersite of preciouse ostelmentȝ. and soþe it is þat of many[e] þinges han þei nede þat many[e] þinges han. and aȝeyneward of litel nediþ hem þat mesuren hir fille after þe nede of kynde and nat after þe outrage of couetyse ¶ Is it þan so þat ye men ne han no propre goode. I-set in ȝow. For whiche ȝe moten seken outwardes ȝoure goodes in foreine and subgit þinges. ¶ So is þan þe condicioun of þinges turned vpso doun. þat a man þat is a devyne beest by merit of hys resoun. þinkeþ þat hym self nys neyþer fair ne noble. but if it be þoruȝ possessioun of ostelmentes. þat ne han no soules. ¶ And certys al oþer þinges ben appaied of hire owen beautes. but ȝe men þat ben semblable to god by ȝoure resonable þouȝt desiren to apparaille ȝoure excellent kynde of þe lowest[e] pinges. ne ȝe ne vndirstonde nat how gret a wrong ȝe don to ȝoure creatour. for he wolde þat man kynde were moost worþi and noble of any oþer erþely þinges. and ȝe þresten adoun ȝoure dignitees by-neþen þe lowest[e] þinges. ¶ For if þat al þe good of euery þing be more preciouse þan is þilk þing whos þat þe good is. syn ȝe demen þat þe foulest[e] þinges ben ȝoure goodes. þanne summytten ȝe and putten ȝoure self vndir þo foulest[e] þinges by ȝoure estimacioun. ¶ And certis þis bitidiþ nat wiþ out ȝoure desert. For certys swiche is þe condicioun of al man kynde þat oonly whan it haþ knowyng of it self. þan passeþ it in noblesse alle oþer þinges. and whan it forletiþ þe knowyng of it self. þan it is brouȝt byneþen alle beestes. ¶ For-why alle oþer [leuynge] beestes han of kynde to knowe not hem self. but whan þat men leten þe knowyng of hem self. it comeþ hem of vice. but how brode sheweþ þe errour and þe folie of ȝow men þat wenen þat ony þing may ben apparailled wiþ straunge apparaillementȝ ¶ but for-soþe þat may nat be don. for yif a wyȝt shyneþ wiþ þinges þat ben put to hym. as þus. yif þilke þinges shynen wiþ whiche a man is apparailled. ¶ Certis þilke þinges ben commendid and preised wiþ whiche he is apparailled. ¶ But naþeles þe þing þat is couered and wrapped vndir þat dwelleþ in his filþe. and I denye þat þilke þing be good þat anoyeþ hym þat haþ it. ¶ Gabbe I of þis. þou wolt seye nay. ¶ Certys rycchesse han anoyed ful ofte hem þat han þe rycchesse. ¶ Syn þat euery wicked shrew and for hys wickednesse þe more gredy aftir oþer folkes rycchesse wher so euer it be in any place. be it golde or precious stones. and weniþ hym only most worþi þat haþ hem ¶ þou þan þat so besy dredest now þe swerde and þe spere. yif þou haddest entred in þe paþe of þis lijf a voide wayfaryng man. þan woldest þou syng[e] by-fore þe þeef. ¶ As who seiþ a poure man þat bereþ no rycchesse on hym by þe weye. may boldly syng[e] byforne þeues. for he haþ nat wher-of to ben robbed. ¶ O preciouse and ryȝt clere is þe blysfulnesse of mortal rycchesse. þat whan þou hast geten it. þan hast þou lorn þi syke[r]nesse.