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IN the meane while that I stil recorded these thynges with my self, and marked my wepelie complainte, with office of poinctell: I sought stondyng abouen the hight of mine hed a woman of full greate reuerence, by semblaunt. Her iyen bren

menne, with a liuely colour, and with soche vigour and strength that it ne might not been nempned, all were it so, that she were full of so greate age, that menne woulden not trowen in no manere, that she were of our elde.

ALAS, I wepyng am constrained to begin verse nying, and clere, seyng ouer the common might of of sorowefull matter, that whilom in florishyng studie made delitable ditees. For lo, rendyng muses of poetes, enditen to me thinges to be writen, and drerie teares. At laste no drede ne might ouercome tho muses, that thei ne werren fellowes, and folowden my waie, that is to saie: whan I was The stature of her, was of doutous judgemente, exiled, thei that weren of my youthe, whilom weel- for sometyme she constrained and shronke her full and grene, comforten now sorow full wierdes, seluen, like to the common measure of menne: of me old man: for elde is comen vnwarely vpon and sometyme it semed, that she touched the me, hasted by the harmes that I haue, and sorowe Heauen, with the hight of her hedde. And, whan hath cominaunded his age to bee in me. Heeres she houe her hedde higher, she perced the self hore aren shad ouertime liche vpon my head: and Heauen, so that the sight of menne lookyng was in the slacke skinne trembleth of mine empted bodie. idell: her clothes wer maked of right delie thredes, Thilke death of men is welefull, that ne commetb and subtel craft of perdurable mattier. The whiche not in yeres that be swet, but cometh to wretches clothes, she had wouen with her owne handes, as often icleped: alas, alas, with how defe an eare I knewe well after, by her self declaryng, and death cruell turneth awaie fro wretches, and naieth shewyng to me the beautie: the whiche clothes a for to close wepyng iyen. While fortune vnfaith-darkenesse of a forleten and dispised elde, had full, fauoured me with light goodes, that sorow- dusked and darked, as it is wonte to darke by full houre, that is to saie, the death, had almoste smoked images, drente myne hedde: but now for fortune cloudie, hath chaunged her deceiuable chere to mewarde, myne vnpitous life draweth along vngreable dweliynges. O ye my frendes, what, or wherto auaunted ye me to been welfull? For he that hath fallen, stode in no stedfast degree,

In the netherest hemme or border of these clothes, menne redde iwouen therein a Grekishe A. that signifieth the life actiue, and aboue that letter, in the hiest bordure, a Grekishe C. that signifieth the life contemplatife. And betwene these twoo letters, there were seen degrees nobly wrought, in

was wont to seken the causes, whens the sowning windes mouen, and besien the smothe water of the sea. And what spirite tourneth the stable Heauen. And why the sterre riseth out of the red east, to fallen in the westeren waues. And what attempreth the lustie houres of the first sommer season, and highteth and apparaileth the yearth with rosie floures. And who maketh the plumtuous autumpne, in full yeres fleeten with beauie grapes. And eke this manne was wonte, to tell the diuers causes of nature that were hidde. Alas, how lightlie is empted the light of his thought, and his necke is pressed with heauie chaines, and beareth his chere enclined adowne for the greate eight, and is constrained to looken on the fole yeah.

Sed magis medicine (inquit) tempus est quam querele. Boe. Tum vero totis in me intenta luminibus. Philo. Tu ne ille es (ait) qui nostro quondam lacte nutritus, nostris educatus alimentis, in virilis animi robur evaseras? &c.

maner of ladders, by whiche degrees, menne might climben from the netherest letter, to the vpperest: nathelesse handes of some men, hadden kerue that clothe, by violence or by strength, and eueriche manne of hem, had borne awaie soche peces, as he might getten. And forsothe this foresaied woman, bare smale bookes in her right hande, and in her left hand, she bare a scepter. And whan she sawe these poeticall muses, approchyng aboute my bed, and endityng wordes to my wepynges, she was a litle amoued, and glowed with cruell iyen. Who (quod she) hath suffered approchen to this sicke manne, these common strompettes, of which is the place, that menne call theatre, the whiche onely ne asswagen not his sorowes with remedies, but thei would feden and norishe hym with swete venime? Forsothe, that been tho that with thornes, and prickynges of talentes of affeccions, whiche that been nothyngs fructous nor profitable, distroien the corne, plentuous of fruictes of reason. For thei holden hertes of men in vsage, but thei ne deliuer no folke fro maladie. But if the muses had withdrawen fro me with your flatteries, any an vnconnyng and vnprofitable manne, as been wont to finde commenly emong the people, I would BUT tyme is now of medicine (quod she) more then well suffre the lasse greuously. For why, in soche complainte. Forsothe than she entendynge to me an vnprofitable man, myne ententes were nothyng warde, with all the lookyng of her iyen saied. Art endamaged. But ye withdrowen fro me this man, not thou he (quod she) that whilome I nourished that he hath been nourished in my studies or scoles with my milke, and fostred with my meates, were of Cleaticis, and of Achademicis in Grece. But escaped and commen to the courage of a parfaite gocth now rather awaie ye mermaidens, whiche manne: Certes, I yaue thee soche armours, that if that been swete, till it be at the last, and suffreth thou thyself, ne haddest firste caste hem a waie, this man to be cured and healed by my muses, thei shoulden haue defended thee in sikernesse, that is to say, by my notefull sciences. And thus that maie not bee ouercomen. Knowest thou not this companie of muses iblamed, casten wrothly me? why art thou still is it for shame, or for the chere, dounward to the yearth, and shewing astoniyng? It were me leuer it were for shame, but by rednesse hir shame, thei passeden sorowfully it semeth me that astoniyng bath oppressed thee. the thresholde. And I of whom the sight plounged And when she sawe me not onely stil, but rather in teares was darked, so that I ne might not know, without office of tongue, and all dombe, she laied what that woman was, of so imperiall aucthoritie, her hande softelie vpon my breast, and saied: I woxe all abashed and stonied, and cast my sight Here is no perill (quod she) he is fallen into a lidoune to the yerth, and began still for to abide trage, whiche that is a common sickenesse, to what she would doen afterward. Then came shehertes that been deceiued. He hath a little fornere, and set her doune vpon the vttermost corner of my bed, and she beholdyng my chere, that was cast to the yearth, heauie and greuous of wepyng, complained with these woords (that I shall saine) the perturbacion of my thought.

Heu quam precipiti mersa profundo Mens hebet, et propria luce relicta, Tendit in externas ire tenebras, Terrenis, quoties flutibus aucta Crescit in immensum noxia cura. Hic quondam cælo liber aperto.

ALAS, howe the thought of this man, dreinte in ouerthrowyng depenesse, dulleth and forleteth his proper clerenesse, mintyng to gone into forain darkenesse, as ofte as his anoious besines wexeth without measure, that is driuen with worldlie mindes. This man that whilome was free, to whom the Heauen was open and knowen, and was wont to gone in heauenly pathes, and sawe the lightnesse of the redde Sunne, and behelde the sterres of the colde Moone, and whiche sterre in Heauen, vseth wanderyng recourses iflitte by diuers spheres. This manne ouercomer had comprehended all this thyng, by nomber of accompting in astronomie. And ouer this, he

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yeten hymself. But certes he shall light lie remembren hymself, if so bee that he hath knowen me er nowe. And that he maie doen so, I will wipe his iyen a little, that be darked by the cloude of mortall thynges. These woordes saied she, and with the lappe of her garnemente, iplited in a frounce she dried myne iyen, that weren full of the wawes of my wepynges.

Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebræ, Luminibusque prior reduit vigor. Ut cum præcipiti glomerantur sidera Choro, Nimbosisque polus stetit imbribus. Sol latet, ac non dum cœlo venientibus astris, &c.

THUS whan that nighte was discussed awaie, darkenesse forlete me, and to my iyen repaired again her first strength. And right as by ensample, as the Sunne is hidde when the sterres been couerde with cloudes, by a swifte winde that hight Chorus, and the firmamente stante dercked by weate plungie cloudes. And that the sterres not apperen vpon the heauen, so that the night semed sprad vpon the yearth. If then the wind that hight Boreas, isent out of the caue, of the countrey of Trace, beateth this night, that is to saine, chas

eth it awaie, and discouereth the closed daie. Than shineth Phebus, ishaken with sodaine light, and smiteth with his beames in marueilyng iyen.

Haud aliter tristitiæ nebulis dissolutis, hausi cœlum, et ad cognoscendam medicantis faciem, mentem recepi. Itaque ubi in eam deduxi oculos, intuitumque defixi, respicio nutricem meam, in cujus ab adolescentia, &c.

RICHT SO and none otherwise, the cloudes of sorowe dissolued. and dooen awaie, I tooke heauen, and receiued mynde to knowen the face of my phisicien: so that I sette myne iyen vpon her, and fas

men. Of whiche shrewes, all be the hooste neuer so greate, it is to dispise, for it is not gouerned with no leader of reason, but it is rauished onely by fletyng errour, folilie and lightlie. And if thei sometyme, make an hooste ayenst vs, assaile vs as strenger: our leader draweth together, his richesses into his toure, and thei been ententife, about sarpleris or sachelles, vnprofitable for to taken. But we than been high abouen, siker from all tumulte and woode noise, warenestored and enclosed in soche a Paleis, whither as the clateryng or anoiyng folie, mais not attaine, we scorne soche raueners, and henters of foulest thynges.

tened my lookyng. I beheld my nourice Philoso-Quisquis composito serenus ævo, Fatum sub pedibus

egit superbum: Fortunamque tuens utramque rectus, Invictum potuit tenere vultum, &c.

WHO SO it bee that cleare of vertue, sadde, and well ordinate of liuyng, that hath putte vnder foote the proude wierdes, and looketh vpright vppon either Fortune, he maie holden his chere vndiscomfited.

dooeth, hath caste awaie his shilde, and is remoued fro his place, and enlaseth hym in the chaine, with

the whiche he maie be drawen.

phie, in whose house I had conuersed fro my youthe, and I saied thus. O thou maistresse of all vertues, discended from the souerain seate, why art thou commen into this solitarie place of myne exile: art thou comen, for thou art made coulpable with me of false blames. O (quod she) my nourice, should I forsake thee now, and should I The rages ne the manaces of the sea, commounot parten with thee by commen trauaile, the yng and chasyng vnware, heat from the bottome, charge that thou haste suffered for enuie of my name? Certes, it were not lefull ne sittyng to Phi- mountaigne that hight Uesenus, that writheth out ne shall not moue that manne, ne the vnstable losophie, to leten without companie, the waie of through his broken chimeneis, smokyng fires, ne bym that is innocente: should I then redout my the waie of thonder leite, that is wonte to smiten blame, and agrise as though there wer befallen a newe thing? for trowest thou that Philosophie, bee high toures, ne shall not moue that man. Wherenow alderfirst assailed in perilles, by folke of wicked wood, and felonnous with any strength? hope after to than wretches drede ye tirauntes, that been maner? haue I not striuen with full grate strief, nothyng, ne drede thou not: and so shalte thou in olde tyme, before the age of my Plato, ayenst disarmen the ire of thilke vnmightie tiraunte. the foolehardinesse of foly: and eke the same Plato liuyng, his maister Socrates, deserued vic-that is not stable of his right, that manne that so But who that quakyng dredeth, or desireth thyng torie of vnrightfull death in my presence. The heritage of the whiche Socrates, the heritage, is to saine the doctrine, of the which Socrates, in his opinion of felicite, that I cleape welefulnesse : whan that the people of Epicuriens and Stoicines, and many other, enforced theim to go rauish, euery man for his parte, that is to saine: that euerich of hem would drawen, to the defence of his opinion, the wordes of Socrates. Thei as in partie of their praie, to droune me, criyng and debatyng there ayenste, and coruen and renten my clothes, that I had wouen with myne owne handes. And FELEST thou (quod she) these thyngs: and entren with tho clothes that thei had araced out of my thei aught in thy courage art thou like an asse clothes, thei wenten awaie, wenyng that I had gone to the harp? why wepest thou? why spilleste with hem euery dele. In whiche Epicuriens and thou teares: if thou abidest after helpe of the Stoiciens, for as moche as there semed some traces leche, thee behoueth discouer thy wounde? Tho I and steppes of my habite. The folie of wenyng had gathered strength in my courage, and antho Epicuriens and Stoiciens, my familiers, per-swered and saied. And nedeth it (quod I) of reuerted some, through the errour of the wicked multitude of hem: this is to sain, for thei semed philosophers, thei weren pursued to the death and slaine. So if thou hast not knowen the exilyng of Anaxagoras, ne the enpoisoning of Socrates, ne the tourmentes of Zeno, for thei weren straungers, yet mightest thou haue knowen the Senecas, the Canios, and the Soranos: of whiche folke, the renome is neither ouer olde ne vnsolempne. The whiche menne nothyng els ne brought to the death, but onely for thei were enformed of my maners, and semeden mooste valike to the studies of wicked folke. And for thy thou oughtest not to wondren, though that I in the bitter sea, be driuen with tempestes blowing about. In the whiche this is my moste purpose, that is to sain, to displeasen wicked

Sentis ne (inquit) hæc? atque animo illabuntur tuo? expers ne es lyra? quid fles? quid lachrimis manas? si operam medicantis expectas, oportet ut vulnus detegas tuum. &c.

hearsyng, or of amonicion, and sheweth it nct inough by hymself, the sharpenes that wexeth woode against me. Ne moueth it not thee to se the face, or the maner of this place? Is this the librarie that thou haddest chosen for a right certain liege, to thee in mine hous there as thou disputest oft with me, of the science of thynges, touchyng diuinite, and touchynge mankynde? was than myne habite soche as it is now, was my face or chere, soch as it is now, whan I sought with the secretes of nature, whan thou enformedest my maners, and the reason of all my life, to the ensample of thorder of Heauen? Is not this the guerdone that I referre to thee, to whom I haue be obeisaunt? Certes, thou enformedest by the mouthe of Plato this sentence, that is to saine: that comen

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tho same accusours accusyng, I am condempned. Of the nomber of whiche accusours, cne Basilius that whilome was chased out of the kynges seruice, is now compelled in accusyng of my name, for nede of foraine money.

thinges or comunalties weren blisfull, if thei that ought bee more assured ayenst other folke, that had studied all fully to wisedome, gouerneden for the loue of right wisnesse I neuer reserued nothilke thynges: or els if it so befell, that the go-thyng to myself, to hemwarde of the kynges halle, ueroours of communalties, studien to gette wise-by whiche I were the more siker. But through dome. Thou saidest eke by the mouthe of the saied Plato, that it was a necessarie cause, wise menne to taken and desiren the gonernaunce of comen thynges, for that the gouernaunce of citees, ileft in the handes of felonous tourmentors, citezeins ne shoulden not bringen in pestilence and Also, Opilion and Gaudencius, haue accused me: distruccion to good folke. And therefore I fol- all be it, so that the justice regall had whilome lowyng thilke aucthours, desired to put forthe indemed theim bothe, to gone into exile, for hir execucion and in acte, of comen administracion thilke thinges, that I had learned of thee, emong my secrete resting whiles, thou and God, that put in the thoughtes of wise folke, been knowen with me, that nothyng ne brought me to mastrie or dignitie, but the common studie of all goodnesse. And therfore cometh it, that betwene wicked folk and me, haue been greuous discordes, that ne mighten not bee released by praiers: for this libertie hath the fredome of conscience, that the wrathe of more mightie folke, hath alwaie been dispised of me, for sauacion of right. How oft hane I resisted and withstande, that man that hight Canigast, that made alwaie thassaut, ayenst the prosper fortunes of poor feoble folke? How eft eke haue I put of or cast out hym Triguill, prouoste of the kynges hous, bothe of the wronges that he had begonne to doen, and eke fully performed? How often haue I couered and defended by the aucthoritie of me, put ayenst perilles, that is to saine: put myne aucthoritie in perill, for the Wretched poore folke, that the conetise of straungers vnpunished, turmeuteden alwaie with miseases, and greuaunces out of nomber? Neuer manne yet drowe me fro right to wrong. Whan I sawe the fortunes and the richesses of the people of the prouinces, been harmed and amenused, either by priuie rauines, or by comen tributes or cariages, as sory was I as thei that suffreden the harme. Glose. Whan Theoderike king of Gothes in a dedde yere had his garners full of corne, and commaunded that no man should buye no corne, till his corne wer sold, and at a greuous dere prise: Beoce withstoode that ordinaunce, and ouercame it, knowyng all this the king Theodorike hymself. Coempcion is to saie, comen achate or buiyng together, that were established vpon the people, by soche a maner imposicion, as who so bought a bushell of corne, he must yeuen the kyng the fineth parte. Textns. Whan it was in the sore hongrie tyme, there was established greuous and vnprofitable coempcion, that men seen well, it shuld greatlie tourmenten and endomagen all the prouince of Campaine. I tooke strife ayenst the prouost of the pretorie, for the common profite. And the knowyng of it, I ouercame it, so that the coempcion was not asked, ne toake effecte.

Pauline a counsailour of Roome, the richesses of the whiche Pauline, the hondes of the paleis, that is to saie, the officers woulden haue deuoured by hope and couetise: yet drowe I out of the iowes, of hem that gapeden. And for as moche as the paine of the accusacion a judged beforne, ne should not sodainly henten, ne punishen wrongfully Albine a counsailour of Roome, I putte me ayenst the hates, and indignacions of the accusour Ciprian. Is it not then inough, sens that I haue purchased great discordes ayenst myself? but I

But

tretcheries and fraudes without nomber. To whiche
judgement thei nolden not obeye, but defended
hem by the sikernesse of holie houses, that is to
saine, fledden into seinte warie: and than whan
this was apperceiued by the kynge, he com-
maunded, but if thei auoided the citee of Ra-
uenne, by certayne daye assigned, that menne
should marken hem on the forehedde, with an
hotte yron, and chasen hem out of the toune.
Now what thyng semeth might be likened to this
crueltie, for certes, this same daie was receiued,
the accusing of my name, by thilke same accu-
soures? What maie bee saied hereto? Hath my
studie and my connynge deserued thus, or els the
foresaied dampnacion of me, made theim rightfull
accusours or no? Was not fortune ashamed of
this? Certes, all had not fortune ben ashamed,
that innocence was accused, yet ought she haue
had shame of the filthe of myne accusours.
aske thou in some, of what gilte I am accused.
Men saine that I would sauen the companie of the
senatours. And desirest thou to heren, in what
maner I am accused, that I should haue distourbed
the accusour to bearen letters, by whiche he should
hane made the senatours giltie, ayenst the kynges
roiall maiestie. O maistresse, what demest thou
of this? Shall I forsake this blame, that I ne bez
no shame to thee? Certes, I haue would it (that is
to saie) the sanacion of the senate, ne I shall neuer
let to wine it, and that I confesse and am a
knowe, but the entente of the accusour to been dis-
tourbed, shall cease. Shall I clepe that a felonie
or a synne, that I haue desired the sauacion of the
order of the senate. And certes, had thilke same
senate, doen through hir decretes and hir judge-
mentes, as though it wer a sinne and a felonie, that
is to wilne the sauacion of them. But folie that
lieth alwaie to hymself, maie not chaunge the me-
rite of thynges, ne I trowe not by the judgemente
of Socrates, that it were lefull to me, to hide the
sothe, ne assente to leasynges: but certes, how so
euer it bee of this, I putte it to gessen or prisen, of
the indgement of thee, and of wise folke, of whiche
thynge all the ordinaunce and the sothe (for as
moche as folke that been to comen after onr daies,
shal knowen it) I haue putte it in scripture, and
in remembraunce. For touchyng the letters false-
ly made, by whiche letters I am accused, to haue
hoped the freedome of Roome, what apertaineth
me to speaken thereof. Of whiche letters, the
fraude had been shewed apertlie, if I had had li-
bertie for to haue vsed and been at confession of
mine accusoars, the whiche thyng in all nedes
hath great strength, for what other fredom maie
menne hopen? Certes, I would that some other
freedome might be hoped, I would than haue aun-
swered, by the woordes of a man, that hight Ca-
mus: for whan he was accused of Canius, Cesar

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