[The fyfthe metur.] FELIX IN MIRUM PRIOR ETAS.
Blysful was þe first age of men. þei helden hem apaied wiþ þe metes þat þe trewe erþes brouȝten furþe. ¶ þei ne destroyed[e] ne desceyued[e] not hem self wiþ outerage. ¶ þei weren wont lyȝtly to slaken her hunger at euene wiþ acornes of okes ¶ þei ne couþe nat medle þe ȝift of bacus to þe clere hony. þat is to seyn. þei couþe make no piment of clarre. ne þei couþe nat medle þe briȝt[e] flies of þe contre of siriens wiþ þe venym of tirie. þis is to seyne. þei couþe nat dien white flies of sirien contre wiþ þe blode of a manar shelfysshe. þat men fynden in tyrie. wiþ whiche blode men deien purper. ¶ þei slepen holesom slepes vpon þe gras. and dronken of þe rynnyng watres. and laien vndir þe shadowe of þe heyȝe pyne trees. ¶ Ne no gest ne no straunger [ne] karf ȝit þe heye see wiþ oores or wiþ shippes. ne þei ne hadden seyne ȝitte none newe strondes to leden merchaundyse in to dyuerse contres. ¶ þo weren þe cruel clariouns ful whist and ful stille. ne blode yshed by egre hate ne hadde nat deied ȝit armurers. for wherto or whiche woodenesse of enmys wolde first moeuen armes. whan þei seien cruel woundes ne none medes ben of blood yshad ¶ I wolde þat oure tymes sholde turne aȝeyne to þe oolde maneres. ¶ But þe anguissous loue of hauyng brenneþ in folke moore cruely þan þe fijr of þe Mountaigne of Ethna þat euer brenneþ. ¶ Allas what was he þat first dalf vp þe gobets or þe weyȝtys of gold couered vndir erþe. and þe precious stones þat wolden han ben hid. he dalf vp precious perils. þat is to seyne þat he þat hem first vp dalf. he dalf vp a precious peril. for-whi. for þe preciousnesse of swyche haþ many man ben in peril.
[The sixte prose.] QUID AUTEM DE DIGNITATIBUS ET CETERA.
But what shal I seyne of dignitees and of powers. þe whiche [ye] men þat neiþer knowen verray dignitee ne verray power areysen hem as heye as þe heuene. þe whiche dignitees and powers yif þei come to any wicked man þei don [as] greet[e] damages and distruccioun as doþ þe flamme of þe Mountaigne Ethna whan þe flamme wit walwiþ vp ne no deluge ne doþ so cruel harmes. ¶ Certys ye remembriþ wel as I trowe þat þilke dignitee þat men clepiþ þe emperie of consulers þe whiche þat somtyme was bygynnyng of fredom. ¶ Ȝoure eldres coueiteden to han don a-wey þat dignitee for þe pride of þe conseilers. ¶ And ryȝt for þe same pride ȝoure eldres byforne þat tyme hadden don awey out of þe Citee of rome þe kynges name. þat is to seien. þei nolden haue no lenger no kyng ¶ But now yif so be þat dignitees and powers ben ȝeuen to goode men. þe whiche þing is ful ȝelde. what agreable þinges is þer in þo dignitees. or powers. but only þe goodenes of folk þat vsen hem. ¶ And þerfore it is þus þat honour ne comeþ nat to vertue for cause of dignite. but aȝeinward. honour comeþ to dignite by cause of vertue. but whiche is ȝoure derworþe power þat is so clere and so requerable ¶ O ȝe erþelyche bestes considere ȝe nat ouer whiche þing þat it semeþ þat ȝe han power. ¶ Now yif þou say[e] a mouse amongus oþer myse þat chalenged[e] to hymself ward ryȝt and power ouer alle oþer myse. how gret scorne woldest þou han of hit. ¶ Glosa. ¶ So fareþ it by men. þe body haþ power ouer þe body. For yif þow loke wel vpon þe body of a wyȝt what þing shalt þou fynde moore frele þan is mannes kynde. þe whiche ben ful ofte slayn wiþ bytynge of smale flies. or ellys wiþ þe entryng of crepyng wormes in to þe priuetees of mennes bodyes. ¶ But wher shal men fynden any man þat may exercen or haunten any ryȝt vpon an oþer man but oonly vpon hys body. or ellys vpon þinges þat ben lower þen þe body. whiche I clepe fortunous possessiouns ¶ Mayst þou euer haue any comaundement ouer a fre corage ¶ Mayst þou remuen fro þe estat of hys propre reste. a þouȝt þat is cleuyng to gider in hym self by stedfast resoun. ¶ As somtyme a tiraunt wende to confounde a freeman of corage ¶ And wende to constreyne hym by tourment to maken hym dyscoueren and acusen folk þat wisten of a coniuracioun. whiche I clepe a confederacie þat was cast aȝeins þis tyraunt ¶ But þis free man boot of hys owen tunge. and cast it in þe visage of þilke woode tyraunte. ¶ So þat þe tourmentȝ þat þis tyraunt wende to han maked matere of cruelte. þis wyse man maked[e it] matere of vertues. ¶ But what þing is it þat a man may don to an oþer man. þat he ne may receyue þe same þing of oþer folke in hym self. or þus. ¶ What may a man don to folk. þat folk ne may don hym þe same. ¶ I haue herd told of busirides þat was wont to sleen hys gestes þat herburghden in hys hous. and he was slayn hym self of ercules þat was hys gest ¶ Regulus had[de] taken in bataile many men of affrike. and cast hem in to fetteres. but sone after he most[e] ȝiue hys handes to ben bounden with þe cheynes of hem þat he had[de] somtyme ouercomen. ¶ Wenest þou þan þat he be myȝty. þat may nat don a þing. þat oþer ne may don hym. þat he doþ to oþer. and ȝit more ouer yif it so were þat þise dignites or poweres hadden any propre or naturel goodnesse in hem self neuer nolden þei comen to shrewes. ¶ For contrarious þinges ne ben not wont to ben yfelawshiped togidres. ¶ Nature refuseþ þat contra[r]ious þinges ben yioigned. ¶ And so as I am in certeyne þat ryȝt wikked folk han dignitees ofte tymes. þan sheweþ it wel þat dignitees and powers ne ben not goode of hir owen kynde. syn þat þei suffren hem self to cleuen or ioynen hem to shrewes. ¶ And certys þe same þing may most digneliche Iugen and seyen of alle þe ȝiftis of fortune þat most plenteuously comen to shrewes. ¶ Of þe whiche ȝiftys I trowe þat it auȝt[e] ben considered þat no man doutiþ þat he nis strong. in whom he seeþ strengþe. and in whom þat swiftnesse is ¶ Soþe it is þat he is swyfte. Also musyk makeþ musiciens. and fysik makeþ phisiciens. and rethorik rethoriens. ¶ For whi þe nature of euery þing makiþ his propretee. ne it is nat entermedled wiþ þe effectis of contrarious þinges. ¶ And as of wil it chaseþ oute þinges þat to it ben contrarie ¶ But certys rycchesse may nat restreyne auarice vnstaunched ¶ Ne power [ne] makeþ nat a man myȝty ouer hym self. whiche þat vicious lustis holden destreined wiþ cheins þat ne mowen nat ben vnbounden. and dignitees þat ben ȝeuen to shrewed[e] folk nat oonly ne makiþ hem nat digne. but it sheweþ raþer al openly þat þei ben vnworþi and vndigne. ¶ And whi is it þus. ¶ Certis for ȝe han ioye to clepen þinges wiþ fals[e] names. þat beren hem al in þe contrarie. þe whiche names ben ful ofte reproued by þe effect of þe same þinges. so þat þise ilke rycchesse ne auȝten nat by ryȝt to ben cleped rycchesse. ne whiche power ne auȝt[e] not ben cleped power. ne whiche dignitee ne auȝt[e] nat ben cleped dignitee. ¶ And at þe laste I may conclude þe same þinge of al þe ȝiftes of fortune in whiche þer nis no þing to ben desired. ne þat haþ in hym self naturel bounte. ¶ as it is ful wel sene. for neyþer þei ne ioygnen hem nat alwey to goode men. ne maken hem alwey goode to whom þei ben y-ioigned.
[The sixte Metur.] NOUIMUS QUANTOS DEDERAT.
WE han wel knowen how many greet[e] harmes and destrucciouns weren doñ by þe Emperoure Nero. ¶ He letee brenne þe citee of Rome and made slen þe senatours. and he cruel somtyme slouȝ hys broþer. and he was maked moyst wiþ þe blood of hys modir. þat is to seyn he let sleen and slitten þe body of his modir to seen where he was conceiued. and he loked[e] on euery half vpon hir colde dede body. ne no tere ne wette his face. but he was so hard herted þat he myȝt[e] ben domesman or Iuge of hire dede beaute. ¶ And ȝitte neuerþeles gouerned[e] þis Nero by Ceptre al þe peoples þat phebus þe sonne may seen comyng from his outerest arysyng til he hidde his bemes vndir þe wawes. ¶ þat is to seyne. he gouerned[e] alle þe peoples by Ceptre imperial þat þe sonne goþ aboute from est to west ¶ And eke þis Nero goueyrende by Ceptre. alle þe peoples þat ben vndir þe colde sterres þat hyȝten þe seuene triones. þis is to seyn he gouerned[e] alle þe poeples þat ben vndir þe parties of þe norþe. ¶ And eke Nero gouerned[e] alle þe poeples þat þe violent wynde Nothus scorchiþ and bakiþ þe brennynge sandes by his drie hete. þat is to seyne. alle þe poeples in þe souþe. [but yit ne myhte nat al his heye power torne the woodnesse of this wykkyd nero / Allas it is greuous fortune it is]. as ofte as wicked swerde is ioygned to cruel venym. þat is to sein. venimous cruelte to lordshipe.
[The seuende prose.] TUM EGO SCIS INQUAM.
ÞAnne seide I þus. þou wost wel þiself þat þe couetise of mortal þinges ne hadden neuer lordshipe of me. but I haue wel desired matere of þinges to done. as who seiþ. I desired[e] to han matere of gouernaunce ouer comunalites. ¶ For vertue stille ne sholde not elden. þat is to seyn. þat list þat or he wex olde ¶ His uertue þat lay now ful stille. ne sholde nat perisshe vnexcercised in gouernaunce of comune. ¶ For whiche men myȝten speke or writen of his goode gouernement. ¶ Philosophie. ¶ For soþe quod she. and þat is a þing þat may drawen to gouernaunce swiche hertes as ben worþi and noble of hir nature. but naþeles it may nat drawen or tollen swiche hertes as ben y-brouȝt to þe ful[le] perfeccioun of vertue. þat is to seyn couetyse of glorie and renoun to han wel administred þe comune þinges. or doon goode decertes to profit of þe comune. for se now and considere how litel and how voide of al prise is þilke glorie. ¶ Certeine þing is as þou hast lerned by demonstracioun of astronomye þat al þe envyronynge of þe erþe aboute ne halt but þe resoun of a prykke at regard of þe gretnesse of heuene. þat is to seye. þat yif þat þer were maked comparisoun of þe erþe to þe gretnesse of heuene. men wolde Iugen in alle þat erþe [ne] helde no space ¶ Of þe whiche litel regioun of þis worlde þe ferþe partie is enhabitid wiþ lyuyng beestes þat we knowen. as þou hast þi self lerned by tholome þat prouitħ it. ¶ yif þou haddest wiþ drawen and abated in þi þouȝte fro þilke ferþe partie as myche space as þe see and [the] mareys contenen and ouergon and as myche space as þe regioun of droughte ouerstreccheþ. þat is to seye sandes and desertes wel vnneþ sholde þer dwellen a ryȝt streite place to þe habitacioun of men. and ȝe þan þat ben environed and closed wiþ inne þe leest[e] prikke of þilk prikke þenke ȝe to manifesten ȝoure renoun and don ȝoure name to ben born forþe. but ȝoure glorie þat is so narwe and so streyt yþrongen in to so litel boundes. how myche conteinþe it in largesse and in greet doynge. And also sette þis þer to þat many a nacioun dyuerse of tonge and of maneres. and eke of resoun of hir lyuyng ben enhabitid in þe cloos of þilke litel habitacle. ¶ To þe whiche naciouns what for difficulte of weyes. and what for diuersite of langages. and what for defaute of vnusage entercomunynge of marchaundise. nat only þe names of singler men ne may [nat] strecchen. but eke þe fame of Citees ne may nat strecchen. ¶ At þe last[e] Certis in þe tyme of Marcus tulyus as hym self writeþ in his book þat þe renoun of þe comune of Rome ne hadde nat ȝitte passed ne cloumben ouer þe mountaigne þat hyȝt Caucasus. and ȝitte was þilk tyme rome wel wexen and gretly redouted of þe parthes. and eke of oþer folk enhabityng aboute. ¶ Sest þou nat þan how streit and how compressed is þilke glorie þat ȝe trauailen aboute to shew and to multiplie. May þan þe glorie of a singlere Romeyne strecchen þider as þe fame of þe name of Rome may nat clymben ne passen. ¶ And eke sest þou nat þat þe maners of diuerse folk and eke hir lawes ben discordaunt amonge hem self. so þat þilke þing þat sommen iugen worþi of preysynge. oþer folk iugen þat it is worþi of torment. ¶ and þer of comeþ þat þouȝ a man delite hym in preysyng of his renoun. he ne may nat in no wise bryngen furþe ne spreden his name to many manere peoples. ¶ And þerfore euery maner man auȝte to ben paied of hys glorie þat is puplissed among hys owen neyȝbores. ¶ And þilke noble renoun shal be restreyned wiþ-inne þe boundes of o maner folk but how many a man þat was ful noble in his tyme. haþ þe nedy and wrecched forȝetynge of writers put oute of mynde and don awey. ¶ Al be it so þat certys þilke writynges profiten litel. þe whiche writynges longe and derke elde doþ aweye boþe hem and eke her autours. but ȝe men semen to geten ȝow a perdurablete whan ȝe þenke þat in tyme comyng ȝoure fame shal lasten. ¶ But naþeles yif þou wilt maken comparisoun to þe endeles space of eternite what þing hast þou by whiche þou maist reioysen þe of long lastyng of þi name. ¶ For if þer were maked comparysoun of þe abidyng of a moment to ten þousand wynter. for as myche as boþe þo spaces ben endid. ¶ For ȝit haþ þe moment some porcioun of hit al þouȝ it a litel be. ¶ But naþeles þilke self noumbre of ȝeres. and eke as many ȝeres as þer to may be multiplied. ne may nat certys be comparisound to þe perdurablete þat is een[de]les. ¶ For of þinges þat han ende may be mad comparisoun [but of thinges that ben with-owtyn ende to thinges þat han ende may be maked no comparysoun]. ¶ And for þi is it al þouȝ renoun of as longe tyme as euer þe lyst to þinken were þouȝt by þe regard of eternite. þat is vnstauncheable and infinit. it ne sholde nat oonly semen litel. but pleinliche ryȝt nouȝt. ¶ But ȝe men certys ne konne don no þing aryȝt. but ȝif it be for þe audience of poeple. and for ydel rumours. and ȝe forsaken þe grete worþinesse of conscience and of vertue. and ȝe seken ȝoure gerdouns of þe smale wordes of strange folke. ¶ Haue now here and vndirstonde in þe lyȝtnesse of whiche pride and veyne glorie. how a man scorned[e] festiualy and myrily swiche vanite. somtyme þere was a man þat had[de] assaied wiþ striuyng wordes an oþer man. ¶ þe whiche nat for vsage of verrey vertue. but for proude veyne glorie had[de] taken vpon hym falsly þe name of a philosopher. ¶ þis raþer man þat I speke of þouȝt[e] he wolde assay[e] where he þilke were a philosopher or no. þat is to seyne yif he wolde han suffred lyȝtly in pacience þe wronges þat weren don vnto hym. ¶ þis feined[e] philosophre took pacience a litel while. and whan he hadde receiued wordes of outerage he as in stryuynge aȝeine and reioysynge of hym self seide at þe last[e] ryȝt þus. ¶ vndirstondest þou nat þat I am a philosophere. þat oþer man answered[e] aȝein ful bityngly and seide. ¶ I had[de] wel vndirstonden [yt]. yif þou haddest holden þi tonge stille. ¶ But what is it to þise noble worþi men. For certys of swyche folk speke .I. þat seken glorie wiþ vertue. what is it quod she. what atteiniþ fame to swiche folk whan þe body is resolued by þe deeþ. atte þe last[e]. ¶ For yif so be þat men dien in al. þat is to seyne body and soule. þe whiche þing oure resoun defendiþ vs to byleuen þanne is þere no glorie in no wyse. For what sholde þilke glorie ben. for he of whom þis glorie is seid to be nis ryȝt nouȝt in no wise. and ȝif þe soule whiche þat haþ in it self science of goode werkes vnbounden fro þe prisoun of þe erþe wendeþ frely to þe heuene. dispiseþ it nouȝt þan alle erþely occupaciouns. and beynge in heuene reioiseþ þat it is exempt from alle erþely þinges [as wo seith / thanne rekketh the sowle of no glorye of renoun of this world].
[The 7th Metre.] QUICUMQUE SOLAM MENTE.
Who so þat wiþ ouerþrowyng þouȝt only sekeþ glorie of fame. and weniþ þat it be souereyne good ¶ Lete hym loke vpon þe brode shewyng contreys of þe heuen. and vpon þe streite sete of þis erþe. and he shal be ashamed of þe encres of his name. þat may nat fulfille þe litel compas of þe erþe. ¶ O what coueiten proude folke to liften vpon hire nekkes in ydel and dedely ȝok of þis worlde. ¶ For al þouȝ [þat] renoune y-spradde passynge to ferne poeples goþ by dyuerse tonges. and al þouȝ grete houses and kynredes shyne wiþ clere titles of honours. ȝit naþeles deeþ dispiseþ al heye glorie of fame. and deeþ wrappeþ to gidre þe heye heuedes and þe lowe and makeþ egal and euene þe heyest[e] to þe lowest[e]. ¶ where wonen now þe bones of trewe fabricius. what is now brutus or stiern Caton þe þinne fame ȝit lastynge of hir ydel names is markid wiþ a fewe lettres. but al þouȝ we han knowen þe faire wordes of þe fames of hem. it is nat ȝeuen to knowe hem þat ben dede and consumpt. Liggiþ þanne stille al vtterly vnknowable ne fame ne makeþ ȝow nat knowe. and yif ȝe wene to lyuen þe lenger for wynde of ȝoure mortal name. whan o cruel day shal rauyshe ȝow. þan is þe secunde deeþ dwellyng in ȝow. Glosa. þe first deeþ he clepiþ here þe departynge of þe body and þe soule. ¶ and þe secunde deeþ he clepeþ as here. þe styntynge of þe renoune of fame.