THE CRUEL CHANGES OF FORTUNE

O STELLIFERI CONDITOR ORBIS.

O  þou maker Author of the starry sky, Thou, seated on high, turnest the spheres, and imposest laws upon the stars and planets. of þe whele þat bereþ þe sterres. whiche
þat art fastned to þi perdurable chayere. and
turnest þe heuene wiþ a rauyssyng sweighe and constreinest 504
þe sterres to suffren þi lawe. ¶ So þat þe
mone somtyme schynyng wiþ hir ful hornes metyng
wiþ alle þe bemes of þe sonne. The sun obscures the lesser lights, and quenches even the moon’s light. ¶ Hir broþer hideþ þe
sterres þat ben lasse. and somtyme whan þe mone 508
pale wiþ hir derke hornes approcheþ þe sonne. leesith
hir lyȝtes. Thou raisest Hesperus to usher in the shades of night, and again causest him to be the harbinger of day, whence his name Lucifer. ¶ And þat þe euesterre esperus whiche
þat in þe first[e] tyme of þe nyȝt bryngeþ furþe hir
colde arysynges comeþ eft aȝeynes hir vsed cours. and 512
is pale by þe morwe at þe rysynge of þe sonne. and is
þan cleped lucifer. ¶ Þou restreinest þe day by schorter
dwellyng in þe tyme of colde wynter þat makeþ þe
leues to falle. ¶ Þou diuidest þe swifte tides of þe 516
nyȝt when þe hote somer is comen. Thou controllest the changing seasons of the year. ¶ Þi myȝt attempre[þ]
þo variauntȝ sesons of þe ȝere. so þat
ȝepherus þe deboneire wynde bringeþ aȝein in þe first[e]
somer sesoun þe leues þat þe wynde þat hyȝt[e] boreas 520
haþ reft awey in autumpne. þat is to seyne in þe laste
eende of somer. and þe sedes þat þe sterre þat hyȝt arcturus
saw ben waxen hey[e] cornes whan þe sterre
sirius eschaufeþ hym. All nature is bound by thy eternal law. ¶ Þere nis no þing vnbounde 524
from hys olde lawe ne forleteþ hym of hys propre estat.

CONTRASTED WITH THE ORDER OF NATURE.

Why, then, leavest thou man’s actions uncontrolled? ¶ O þou gouernour gouernyng alle þinges by certeyne
ende. why refusest þou oonly to gouerne þe werkes of
men by dewe manere. Why should fickle fortune be allowed to work such mighty changes in the world? ¶ Whi suffrest þou þat slidyng 528
fortune turneþ to grete vtter chaungynges of þinges.
so þat anoious peyne þat scholde duelly punisshe felouns
punissitȝ innocentȝ. The wicked are prosperous, while the righteous are in adversity. ¶ And folk of wikked[e]
maneres sitten in heiȝe chaiers. and anoienge folk 532
treden and þat vnryȝtfully in þe nekkes of holy men.
¶ And vertue clere and schynyng naturely is hid in
dirke dirkenesses. and þe ryȝtful man beriþ þe blame
and þe peyne of þe felowne. ¶ Ne þe forsweryng ne 536
þe fraude couered and kembd wiþ a fals colour ne
a-noyeþ not to schrewes. ¶ Þe whiche schrewes whan
hem lyst to vsen her strengþe þei reioisen hem to
putten vndir hem þe souerayne kynges. whiche þat 540
poeple wiþ[outen] noumbre dreden. O thou that bindest the disagreeing elements, look upon this wretched earth, and, as thou dost govern the spacious heavens, so let the earth be firmly bound. ¶ O þou what so
euer þou be þat knyttes[t] alle bondes of þinges loke
on þise wrecched[e] erþes. we men þat ben nat a
foule party but a faire party of so grete a werke we 544
ben turmentid in þe see of fortune. ¶ Þou gouernour
wiþdraw and restreyne þe rauyssinge flodes and fastne
and forme þise erþes stable wiþ þilke [bonde] wiþ
whiche þou gouernest þe heuene þat is so large. 548

PHILOSOPHY CONSOLES BOETHIUS,

HIC UBI CONTINUATO DOLORE.

Whan I hadde Philosophy consoles Boethius. wiþ a continuel sorwe sobbed or
broken out þise þinges sche wiþ hir chere peisible
and no þing amoeued. wiþ my compleyntes seide þus.
whan I say þe quod sche sorweful and wepyng I wist[e] 552
on-one þat þou were a wrecche and exiled. but I
wist[e] neuer how fer þine exile was: ȝif þi tale ne
hadde schewed it to me. but certys al be þou fer fro þi
[* fol. 7 b.] contre. þou nart *nat put out of it. but þou hast 556
fayled of þi weye and gon amys. She speaks to him of his country. ¶ and yif þou hast
leuer forto wene þan þou be put out of þi contre. þan
hast þou put oute þi self raþer þen ony oþer wyȝt haþ.

AND PROPOSES TO ADMINISTER REMEDIES.

¶ For no wyȝt but þi self ne myȝt[e] neuer haue don 560
þat to þe. She reminds him that he is a citizen of a country not governed by a giddy multitude, but εἷς κοίρανός ἐστιν, εἷς βασιλεύς. ¶ For ȝif þou remembre of what contre þou
art born. it nis not gouerned by emperoures. ne by
gouernement of multitude. as weren þe contres of hem
of athenes. ¶ But o lorde and o kyng and þat is god 564
þat is lorde of þi contree. whiche þat reioiseþ hym of
þe dwellyng of hys Citeȝenis. and not forto putte hem
in exile. Of þe whiche lorde it is a souerayne fredom
to be gouerned by þe bridel of hym and obeie to his 568
iustice. The Commonwealth of Boethius. ¶ Hast þou forȝeten þilke ryȝt olde lawe of þi
Citee. in þe whiche Citee it is ordeyned and establissed
þat what wyȝt þat haþ leuer founden þer inne hys sete
or hys house. þen ellys where: he may not be exiled 572
by no ryȝt fro þat place. ¶ For who so þat is contened
in-wiþ þe paleis [and the clos] of þilke Citee. þer nis
no drede þat he may deserue to ben exiled. ¶ But
who þat letteþ þe wille forto enhabit[e] þere. he forleteþ 576
also to deserue to ben Citeȝein of þilke Citee.
Philosophy says she is moved more by the looks of Boethius than by his gloomy prison. ¶ So þat I seye þat þe face of þis place ne amoeueþ me
nat so myche as þine owen face. Ne .I. ne axe not
raþer þe walles of þi librarie apparailled and wrouȝt 580
wiþ yvory and wiþ glas þan after þe sete of þi þouȝt.
Books are to be valued on account of the thoughts they contain. In whiche I putte nat somtyme bookes. but .I. putte
þat þat makeþ bookes worþi of pris or precious þat is
to sein þe sentence of my books. ¶ And certeinly of 584
þi decertes by-stowed in commune good. þou hast seid
soþe but after þe multitude of þi goode dedys. þou hast
seid fewe. and of þe vnhonestee or falsnesse of þinges
þat ben opposed aȝeins þe. þou hast remembred þinges 588
þat ben knowe to alle folk. Boethius has rightfully and briefly recounted the frauds of his accusers. and of þe felonies and
fraudes of þine accusours. it semeþ þe haue I-touched
it forsoþe ryȝtfully and schortly. ¶ Al myȝten þo
same þinges bettere and more plentiuousely be couth 592
in þe mouþe of þe poeple þat knoweþ al þis. ¶ Þou
hast eke blamed gretly and compleyned of þe wrongful
dede of þe senat. ¶ And þou hast sorwed for my
blame. Thou hast, said Philosophy, bewailed the loss of thy good name, thou hast complained against Fortune, and against the unequal distribution of rewards and punishments. and þou hast wepen for þe damage of þi renoune 596
þat is appaired. and þi laste sorwe eschaufed
aȝeins fortune and compleinest þat gerdouns ne ben not
euenliche ȝolde to þe desertes of folk. and in þe lattre
ende of þi woode muse þou priedest þat þilke pees þat 600
gouerneþ þe heuene scholde gouerne þe erþe ¶ But
for þat many tribulaciouns of affecciouns han assailed
þe. and sorwe and Ire and wepyng todrawen þee
dyuersely Strong medicines are not proper for thee now, distracted by grief, anger, and sadness. ¶ As þou art now feble of þouȝt. myȝtyer 604
remedies ne schullen not ȝit touchen þe for whiche
we wil[e] vsen somedel lyȝter medicines. Light medicines must prepare thee for sharper remedies. So þat þilk[e]
passiouns þat ben woxen harde in swellyng by perturbacioun
folowyng in to þi þouȝt mowen woxe esy 608
and softe to receyuen þe strenkeþ of a more myȝty and
more egre medicine by an esier touchyng.

PHILOSOPHY QUESTIONS BOETHIUS.

CUM PHEBI RADIIS GRAUE CANCRI SIDUS ENESTUAT.

Whan þat þe He who sows his seed when the sun is in the Sign of Cancer, must look for no produce. heuy sterre of þe cancre eschaufeþ by
þe beme of phebus. þat is to seyne whan þat phebus 612
þe sonne is in þe signe of þe Cancre. Who so ȝeueþ
þan largely hys sedes to þe feldes þat refuse to receiuen
hem. lete hym gon bygyled of trust þat he
hadde to hys corn. to acorns or okes. Think not to ingather violets in the wintry and stormy season. yif þou wilt 616
gadre violettȝ. ne go þou not to þe purper wode whan
þe felde chirkynge agriseþ of colde by þe felnesse of
þe wynde þat hyȝt aquilon If you wish for wine in autumn let the tendrils of the vine be free in the spring. ¶ Yif þou desirest or
wolt vsen grapes ne seke þou nat wiþ a glotonus hande 620
to streine and presse þe stalkes of þe vine in þe first
somer sesoun. for bachus þe god of wyne haþ raþer
ȝeuen his ȝiftes to autumpne þe latter ende of somer.
[* fol. 8.] To every work God assigns a proper time, nor suffers anything to pass its bounds. ¶ God tokeniþ and assigneþ *þe tymes. ablyng hem 624
to her propre offices. ¶ Ne he ne suffreþ not stoundes
whiche þat hym self haþ deuided and constreined to
be medeled to gidre Success does not await him who departs from the appointed order of things. ¶ And forþi he þat forleteþ
certeyne ordinaunce of doynge by ouerþrowyng wey. 628
he ne haþ no glade issue or ende of hys werkes.

DISCOVERS THE CAUSE OF HIS DISTEMPER.

PRIMUM IGITUR PATERIS ROGACIONIBUS.

FIrst wolt Philosophy proposes to question Boethius. þou suffre me to touche and assaie þe stat
of þi þouȝt by a fewe demaundes. so þat I may
vnderstonde what be þe manere of þi curacioun. ¶ Axe 632
me quod .I. atte þi wille what þou wilt. and I schal
answere. P. Is the world governed by Chance? ¶ Þo saide sche þus. wheþer wenest þou quod
sche þat þis worlde be gouerned by foolisshe happes
and fortunes. or elles wenest þou þat þer be in it any 636
gouernement of resoun. B. By no means. The Creator presides over his own works. Certes quod .I. ne trowe not
in no manere þat so certeyne þinges scholde be moeued
by fortunouse fortune. but I wot wel þat god maker
and mayster is gouernour of þis werk. I shall never swerve from this opinion. Ne neuer nas 640
ȝit day þat myȝt[e] putte me oute of þe soþenesse of
þat sentence. P. Yes! Thou didst say as much when thou didst declare man alone to be destitute of divine care. ¶ So is it quod sche. for þe same þing
songe þou a lytel here byforne and byweyledest and
byweptest. þat only men weren put oute of þe cure of 644
god. ¶ For of alle oþer þinges þou ne doutest nat
þat þei nere gouerned by reson. Still thou seemest to labour under some defect even in this conviction. but how (.i. pape.).
I wondre gretly certes whi þat þou art seek. siþen þou
art put in to so holesom a sentence. but lat vs seken 648
depper. I coniecte þat þere lakkeþ I not what. Tell me how the world is governed. but
sey me þis. siþen þat þou ne doutest nat þat þis worlde
be gouerned by god ¶ wiþ swycche gouernailes takest
þou hede þat it is gouerned. B. I do not thoroughly comprehend your question. ¶ vnneþ quod .I. knowe 652
.I. þe sentence of þi questioun. so þat I ne may nat
ȝit answeren to þi demaundes. P. I was not deceived, then, when I said there was some defect in thy sentiment. ¶ I nas nat deceiued
quod sche þat þere ne faileþ sumwhat. by whiche þe
maladie of perturbacioun is crept in to þi þouȝt. so 656
as þe strengþe of þe paleys schynyng is open. Tell me what is the chief end of all things; and whither all things tend. ¶ But
seye me þis remembrest þou ouȝt what is þe ende of
þi þinges. whider þat þe entencioun of al kynde tendeþ.
¶ I haue herd told it somtyme quod .I. but drerynesse 660
haþ dulled my memorie. ¶ Certys quod sche
þou wost wel whennes þat alle þinges ben comen and
proceded. B. God is the beginning of all things. I wot wel quod .I. and ansewered[e] þat
god is þe bygynnyng of al. P. How, then, art thou ignorant of their end? ¶ And how may þis be 664
quod sche þat siþen þou knowest þe bygynnyng of
þinges. þat þou ne knowest not what is þe endyng of
þinges. But it is the nature of these perturbations (which thou endurest) to unsettle men’s minds. but swiche ben þe customes of perturbaciouns.
and þis power þei han. þat þei may moeue a man fro 668
hys place. þat is to seyne from þe stablenes and perfeccioun
of hys knowyng. but certys þei may not al
arace hym ne alyene hym in al. ¶ But I wolde þat
þou woldest answere to þis. Dost thou remember that thou art a man? ¶ Remembrest þou þat 672
þou art a man B. Certainly I do. ¶ Boice. ¶ Whi scholde I nat remembre
þat quod .I. P. What is man? Philosophie. ¶ Maiste þou not telle
me þan quod sche what þing is a man. B. If you ask me whether I am a rational and mortal creature, I know and confess I am. ¶ Axest not
me quod I. wheþir þat be a resonable best mortel. I 676
wot wel and I confesse wel þat I am it. P. But dost thou not know that thou art more than this? ¶ Wistest
þou neuer ȝit þat þou were ony oþer þing quod she.

BOETHIUS NEEDS LIGHT REMEDIES.

B. No. No quod .I. P. Now I know the principal cause of thy distemper. now wot I quod she oþer cause of þi
maladie and þat ryȝt grete ¶ Þou hast left forto 680
knowe þi self what þou art. þoruȝ whiche I haue pleynelyche
knowen þe cause of þi maladie. or ellis þe
entre of recoueryng of þin hele. Thou hast lost the knowledge of thyself, thou knowest not the end of things, and hast forgotten how the world is governed. ¶ Forwhy for þou
art confounded wiþ forȝetyng of þi self. forþi sorwest 684
þou þat þou art exiled of þi propre goodes. ¶ And
for þou ne wost what is þe ende of þinges. for[þi] demest
[þou] þat felonous and wikked men ben myȝty and weleful
for þou hast forȝeten by whiche gouernementȝ þe worlde 688
is gouerned. ¶ Forþi wenest þou þat þise mutaciouns
of fortune fleten wiþ outen gouernour. These are not only great occasions of disease, but also causes of death itself. þise ben grete
causes not oonly to maladie. but certes grete causes to
deeþ I thank God that Reason hath not wholly deserted thee. ¶ But I þanke þe auctour and þe makere of 692
heele þat nature haþ not al forleten þe. I have some hope of thy recovery since thou believest that the world is under Divine Providence, for this small spark shall produce vital heat. and I haue
g[r]ete norissinges of þi hele. and þat is þe soþe sentence
of gouernaunce of þe worlde. þat þou byleuest
þat þe gouernynge of it nis nat subgit ne vnderput 696
[* fol. 8 b.] to þe folie *of þise happes auenterouses. but to þe
resoun of god ¶ And þer fore doute þe noþing.
For of þis litel spark þine heet of lijf schal shine. But as this is not the time for stronger remedies, and because it is natural to embrace false opinions so soon as we have laid aside the true, from whence arises a mist that darkens the understanding, I shall endeavour therefore to dissipate these vapours so that you may perceive the true light. ¶ But
for as muche as it is not tyme ȝitte of fastere remedies 700
¶ And þe nature of þouȝtes disseiued is þis þat as ofte
as þei casten aweye soþe opyniouns: þei cloþen hem in
fals[e] opiniouns. [of whiche false opyniouns] þe derknesse
of perturbacioun wexeþ vp. þat comfoundeþ þe verray 704
insyȝt. and þat derkenes schal .I. say somwhat to
maken þinne and wayk by lyȝt and meenelyche remedies.
so þat after þat þe derknes of desseyuynge
desyrynges is don awey. þou mow[e] knowe þe schynyng 708
of verray lyȝt.

HE IS NOT TO TAKE HIS LOSSES TO HEART.

NUBIBUS ATRIS CONDITA.

ÞE sterres Black clouds obscure the light of the stars. couered wiþ blak[e] cloudes ne mowen
geten a doun no lyȝt. If the south wind renders the sea tempestuous, the waves, fouled with mud, will lose their glassy clearness. Ȝif þe trouble wynde þat
hyȝt auster stormynge and walwyng þe see medleþ þe 712
heete þat is to seyne þe boylyng vp from þe botme
¶ Þe wawes þat somtyme weren clere as glas and
lyke to þe fair[e] bryȝt[e] dayes wiþstant anon þe
syȝtes of men. by þe filþe and ordure þat is resolued. 716
and þe fletyng streme þat royleþ doun dyuersely fro
heyȝe mountaignes is arestid and resisted ofte tyme
by þe encountrynge of a stoon þat is departid and
fallen from some roche. If thou wouldst see truth by the clearest light, pursue the path of right. ¶ And forþi yif þou wilt 720
loken and demen soþe wiþ clere lyȝt. and holde þe
weye wiþ a ryȝt paþe. Away with joy, fear, hope, and sorrow. ¶ Weyue þou ioie. drif fro þe
drede. fleme þou hope. ne lat no sorwe aproche. Let none of these passions cloud thy mind. þat is
to sein lat noon of þise four passiouns ouer come þe. 724
or blynde þe. Where these things control, the soul is bound by strong fetters. for cloudy and dirke is þilk þouȝt and
bounde with bridles. where as þise þinges regnen.

EXPLICIT LIBER PRIMUS.

PHILOSOPHY EXHIBITS TO BOETHIUS THE WILES OF FORTUNE.

INCIPIT LIBER SECUNDUS.

POSTEA [PAU]LISPER CONTICUIT.

After þis she Philosophy exhorts Boethius not to torment himself on account of his losses. stynte a litel. and after þat she hadde
gadred by atempre stillenesse myn attencioun she 728
seide þus. Thou art, she says, affected by the loss of thy former fortune. ¶ 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 732
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.
It hath perverted thy faculties. ¶ She þat ilke fortune only þat is chaunged as þou 736
feinest to þe ward. haþ peruerted þe clerenesse and þe
astat of þi corage. I am well acquainted with all the wiles of that Prodigy (i. e. Fortune). ¶ I vnderstonde þe felefolde
colour and deceites of þilke merueillous monstre fortune.
and how she vseþ ful flatryng familarite wiþ hem 740
þat she enforceþ to bygyle. so longe til þat she confounde
wiþ vnsuffreable sorwe hem þat she haþ left
in despeir vnpurueyed. Though she has left thee, thou hast not lost anything of beauty or of worth. ¶ and if þou remembrest wel
þe kynde þe maners and þe desert of þilke fortune. þow 744
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.
Thou wert once proof against her allurements. ¶ For þou were wont to hurtlen [and despysen] hir 748
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 sudden change works a great alteration in the minds of men, hence it is that thou art departed from thy usual peace of mind. ¶ But no sudeyne mutacioun ne 752
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 with some gentle emollients I shall prepare thee for stronger medicines. but now is tyme þat þou drynke
and atast[e] some softe and delitable þinges. so þat whan 756
þei ben entred wiþ inne þe. it mow make weye to
strenger drynkes of medycynes. Approach then, Rhetoric, with thy persuasive charms, and therewith let Music also draw near. ¶ Com nowe furþe
þerfore þe suasioun of swetnesse Rethoryen. whiche
þat goþ oonly þe ryȝt wey whil she forsakeþ not myne 760
estatutȝ. ¶ And wiþ Rethorice com forþe musice a
damoisel of oure house þat syngeþ now lyȝter moedes
or prolaciouns now heuyer. [* fol. 9.] *what ayleþ þe man. what
is it þat haþ cast þe in to murnyng and in to wepyng. 764
I trow[e] þat þou hast sen some newe þing and uncouþe.
Thou thinkest that Fortune is changed towards thee. ¶ Þou wenest þat fortune be chaunged aȝeins
þe But thou art deceived. ¶ But þou wenest wrong. yif þou [þat] wene.
In this misadventure of thine she hath preserved her constancy in changing. Alwey þo ben hire maners. she haþ raþer [kept] as to 768
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. You have seen the double face of this blind divinity. þou hast now knowen and ataynt 772
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 776
hir maners and pleyne þe nat. If thou dost abhor her perfidy cast her off, for her sports are dangerous. ¶ 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 780
[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 784
syker þat she ne haþ not forsaken. Is that happiness which is so transient? ¶ Holdest þou
þan þilke welefulnesse preciouse to þe þat shal passen.
Is the attendance of Fortune so dear to thee, whose stay is so uncertain, and whose removal causes such grief? and is present fortune derworþi to þe. whiche þat nis
not feiþful forto dwelle. and whan she goþ aweye þat 788
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 is she (Fortune) but the presage of future calamity? ¶ What oþer þing is
flitting fortune but a manere shewyng of wrycchednesse 792
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. Her mutability should make men neither fear her threats nor desire her favours. and þe
same chaungyng from one to an oþer. þat is to seyne 796
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 800
inwiþ þe floor of fortune. þat is to seyne in þis worlde.

PHILOSOPHY EXPOSTULATES WITH BOETHIUS.

If you submit to her yoke you must patiently endure her inflictions. ¶ 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 804
to be þi lady Impatience will only embitter your loss. ¶ Art þou nat wrongful in þat and
makest fortune wroþe and aspere by þin inpacience.
and ȝit þou mayst not chaungen hir. You cannot choose your port if you leave your vessel to the mercy of the winds. ¶ Yif þou committest
[and] bitakest þi sayles to þe wynde. þou shalt 808
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. You have given yourself up to Fortune; it becomes you therefore to obey her commands. ¶ Þou 812
hast bytaken þiself to þe gouernaunce of fortune.
and forþi it byhoueþ þe to ben obeisaunt to þe manere
of þi lady. Would you stop the rolling of her wheel? and enforcest þou þe to aresten or wiþstonden
þe swyftnesse and þe sweyes of hir tournyng 816
whele. Fool! if Fortune once became stable she would cease to exist. ¶ O þou fool of alle mortel fooles if fortune
bygan to dwelle stable. she cesed[e] þan to ben fortune.