Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Consolatione Philosophie 3 Prose 7 to Geoffrey Chaucer

What shal I seye of Nicerates wyf,

But in this cas herkneth what I shal seye.

But what shal I seye of dignitees and of powers, the whiche

wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche [continues next]

delices I not what Ioye may ben had of hir moevinge. But this [continues next]

he shal wel understonde that the issues of delices ben sorwful [continues next]

and sorye. And yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful, [continues next]

[continues previous] wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche

[continues previous] delices I not what Ioye may ben had of hir moevinge. But this

[continues previous] he shal wel understonde that the issues of delices ben sorwful

With tribulacioun and greet penaunce,

How sholde I thanne, that live in swich plesaunce

than sheweth it wel, how greet destruccioun and how grete

ne be nat wont to don awey wikkednesse, but they ben wont [continues next]

rather to shewen wikkednesse. And ther-of comth it that I have [continues next]

he shal wel understonde that the issues of delices ben sorwful

and sorye. And yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful,

whan they han shewed hir proposiciouns, ben wont [continues next]

Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of

folk that usen hem; the contrarie Fortune unbindeth hem by the

to speke right thus: 'Alle the cures,' quod she, 'of mortal folk,

whiche that travaylen hem in many maner studies, goon certes by

they may putte vertues in the hertes of folk that usen the lordshipes

[continues previous] of hem? Or elles may they don a-wey the vyces? Certes, they

[continues previous] ne be nat wont to don awey wikkednesse, but they ben wont

[continues previous] rather to shewen wikkednesse. And ther-of comth it that I have

But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the [continues next]

desiringes ben ful of anguissh, and the fulfillinges of hem ben ful [continues next]

[continues previous] whan they han shewed hir proposiciouns, ben wont

[continues previous] to bringen in thinges that they clepen porismes, or declaraciouns

And for to make yow hem perceyven,

That usen folk thus to disceyven,

... decree, a womman that is a wyf, as longe as she is a wyf, she hath noon auctoritee to swere ne bere witnesse with-oute leve of hir housbonde, that is hir lord; algate, he sholde be so by resoun. She sholde eek serven him in alle honestee, and been attempree of hir array. I wot wel that they sholde setten hir entente to plesen hir housbondes, but nat by hir queyntise of array. Seint Ierome seith, that wyves that been apparailled in silk and in precious purpre ne mowe nat clothen hem in Iesu Crist. What seith seint Iohn eek in this ... [continues next]

certein thinges sholde be moeved by fortunous fortune; but I [continues next]

[continues previous] But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the

[continues previous] desiringes ben ful of anguissh, and the fulfillinges of hem ben ful

wene that it were to doute; as who seith, but I wot wel that god [continues next]

governeth this world; and I shal shortly answeren thee by what [continues next]

But natheles, this wot I wel also, [continues next]

But wel I wot, with that he can endyte, [continues next]

Any reward, and doon me this honour, [continues next]

But this I wot wel in my thought, [continues next]

How the ordre of causes stant; but wel wot I, [continues next]

[continues previous] ... that is a wyf, as longe as she is a wyf, she hath noon auctoritee to swere ne bere witnesse with-oute leve of hir housbonde, that is hir lord; algate, he sholde be so by resoun. She sholde eek serven him in alle honestee, and been attempree of hir array. I wot wel that they sholde setten hir entente to plesen hir housbondes, but nat by hir queyntise of array. Seint Ierome seith, that wyves that been apparailled in silk and in precious purpre ne mowe nat clothen hem in Iesu Crist. What seith seint Iohn eek in this matere? Seint Gregorie eek seith, ...

[continues previous] certein thinges sholde be moeved by fortunous fortune; but I

[continues previous] wot wel that god, maker and mayster, is governour of his werk.

[continues previous] wene that it were to doute; as who seith, but I wot wel that god

[continues previous] But natheles, this wot I wel also,

[continues previous] That ther nis noon that dwelleth in this contree,

[continues previous] But wel I wot, with that he can endyte,

[continues previous] I wot wel that my might ne my labour

[continues previous] I noot wher I sey wel or nought;

[continues previous] But this I wot wel in my thought,

[continues previous] That it were bet of hir aloon,

[continues previous] How the ordre of causes stant; but wel wot I,

[continues previous] That it bihoveth that the bifallinge

Ther is no foul that fleeth under the hevene

That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene,

But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the [continues next]

desiringes ben ful of anguissh, and the fulfillinges of hem ben ful [continues next]

right as a maner fruit of wikkednesse, ben thilke delices [continues next]

as whether that of thilke thinges that ne han non issues and [continues next]

bitydinges necessaries, yif ther-of may ben any prescience; for [continues next]

tormentes; how mighte than this present lyf maken men blisful,

sin that, whan thilke selve lyf is ended, it ne maketh folk no

opinioun of usaunces. Now yif that dignitees thanne ne mowen

nat maken folk digne of reverence, and yif that dignitees wexen

[continues previous] But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the

[continues previous] right as a maner fruit of wikkednesse, ben thilke delices

[continues previous] as whether that of thilke thinges that ne han non issues and

[continues previous] bitydinges necessaries, yif ther-of may ben any prescience; for

... man, that loveth his tresor biforn god, an ydolastre, thurgh this cursed sinne of Avarice. Of Coveitise comen thise harde lordshipes, thurgh whiche men been distreyned by tailages, custumes, and cariages, more than hir duetee or resoun is. And eek they taken of hir bonde-men amerciments, whiche mighten more resonably ben cleped extorcions than amerciments. Of whiche amerciments and raunsoninge of bondemen, somme lordes stywardes seyn, that it is rightful; for-as-muche as a cherl hath no temporel thing that it ne is his lordes, as they seyn. But certes, thise lordshipes doon wrong, that bireven hir bonde-folk thinges that they nevere yave ... [continues next]

From this senith, as it semeth, ther come a maner crokede strykes lyke to the clawes of a loppe, or elles like to the werk of a womanes calle, in kerving overthwart the Almikanteras. And thise same strykes or divisiouns ben cleped Azimuthz. And they devyden the orisonte of thyn Astrolabie in four and twenty devisiouns. And thise Azimutz serven to knowe the costes of the firmament, and to othre conclusiouns, as for to knowe the cenith of the sonne and of every sterre. And for more declaracioun, lo here thy figure.

To knowe the quantite of houres in-equales by day. Understond wel, that thise houres in-equales ben cleped houres of planetes, and understond wel that som-tyme ben they lengere by day than by night, and som-tyme the contrarie. But understond wel, that evermo, generaly, the hour in-equal of the day with the houre in-equal of the night contenen 30 degrees of the bordure, whiche bordure is ever-mo answering ... [continues next]

[continues previous] ... biforn god, an ydolastre, thurgh this cursed sinne of Avarice. Of Coveitise comen thise harde lordshipes, thurgh whiche men been distreyned by tailages, custumes, and cariages, more than hir duetee or resoun is. And eek they taken of hir bonde-men amerciments, whiche mighten more resonably ben cleped extorcions than amerciments. Of whiche amerciments and raunsoninge of bondemen, somme lordes stywardes seyn, that it is rightful; for-as-muche as a cherl hath no temporel thing that it ne is his lordes, as they seyn. But certes, thise lordshipes doon wrong, that bireven hir bonde-folk thinges that they nevere yave hem: Augustinus de Civitate, libro ...

[continues previous] To knowe the quantite of houres in-equales by day. Understond wel, that thise houres in-equales ben cleped houres of planetes, and understond wel that som-tyme ben they lengere by day than by night, and som-tyme the contrarie. But understond wel, that evermo, generaly, the hour in-equal of the day with the houre in-equal of the night contenen 30 degrees of the bordure, whiche bordure is ever-mo answering to the ...

mighte it availen at the laste ayeins him, that we han graunted to [continues next]

That kinde wolde doon hir to biginne [continues next]

And han wel founden by experience,

That dremes ben significaciouns,

[continues previous] mighte it availen at the laste ayeins him, that we han graunted to

[continues previous] ben almighty by the right of blisfulnesse?'

[continues previous] That kinde wolde doon hir to biginne

[continues previous] To han a maner routhe up-on my wo,

At every cours the ordre of hir servyse. [continues next]

[continues previous] And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse

Of other harm it nedeth nat to speke.

It nedeth nat to yow reherce it more.

semeth to ben right cleer and renomed. For certes, it nedeth nat

to seye, that blisfulnesse be [nat] anguissous ne drery, ne subgit to

... kepe yow in swich manere, that for any presumpcioun of your strengthe, that ye ne dispyse nat ne acounte nat the might of your adversarie so litel, that ye lete the keping of your persone for your presumpcioun; for every wys man dredeth his enemy. And Salomon seith: "weleful is he that of alle hath drede; for certes, he that thurgh the hardinesse of his herte and thurgh the hardinesse of him-self hath to greet presumpcioun, him shal yvel bityde." Thanne shul ye evermore countrewayte embusshements and alle espiaille. For Senek seith: that "the wyse man that dredeth harmes escheweth harmes; ne he ne falleth ... [continues next]

wrecchednesse of any wight, nis he nat more weleful than he that [continues next]

ne hath no medlinge of good in his solitarie wrecchednesse?' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... shul ye kepe yow in swich manere, that for any presumpcioun of your strengthe, that ye ne dispyse nat ne acounte nat the might of your adversarie so litel, that ye lete the keping of your persone for your presumpcioun; for every wys man dredeth his enemy. And Salomon seith: "weleful is he that of alle hath drede; for certes, he that thurgh the hardinesse of his herte and thurgh the hardinesse of him-self hath to greet presumpcioun, him shal yvel bityde." Thanne shul ye evermore countrewayte embusshements and alle espiaille. For Senek seith: that "the wyse man that dredeth harmes escheweth ...

[continues previous] wrecchednesse of any wight, nis he nat more weleful than he that