FORTUNE. MS. ARCH. SELD. B. 10.

37

FORTUNE.

[MS. Arch. Seld. B. 10, at end of Harding's Chronicle, and p. 2 of The Prouerbes of Lydgate,' Bodl. Libr.]

T

Paupertas conqueritur super fortunam.

(1)

His wredchid wo[r]lde is transmutacioun.

As welłe / and wo/ now pore / & now / honour. Withouten ordre / or wyse dyscrecyon.

Gouernede ys by fortunes erroure.

But' neuertheles / the lacke of her fauoure.

Ne may not do me / synge thoughe þat I dye.

T'ay toutz perdu mon temps et mon labour.

For fynally fortune I defye.

(2)

1

Yet me lefte the syght of my reason.

9

To knowe frende fro fo in my myrroure.

So moche hath yet' thy turnynge vp and downe.

I-taught me to knowe in an houre.

12

But' treuly no fors of thy reddoure.

To hym that' on hym-selfe hathe maystry.

My suffysaunce shall be my socoure.

16

For fynally fortune I defye.

(3)

O socrates thou stedfast' champyon.
She myght' neuer be thy tormentoure.
Thou neuer dreddest her oppressyon.

17

Ne in her chere founde thou no fauoure.

20

Thou knewe well / the deceyte of her coloure.

And that her moste worship is to lye.

I know her eke / a fals dyssymuloure.

For fynally fortune I dyffye.

24

38

FORTUNE.

MS. ARCH. SELD. B. 10.

(4) Puer.

Fortuna ad paupertatem. No man is wretchede but hym selfe it wene. And he that hathe hym-self hathe suffysaunce. Why sayst thou than I am to the so kene.

25

That hast thy-self oute of my gouernaunce.
Say thus gramercy of thyne haboundaunce.

28

That thou hast lent / or this thou shalt not stryue.

What wotest thou yet hou I will the auaunce.

32

And eke thou haste / thy best frende alyue.

(5)

I haue the taught / dyuysyoun betwene.
Frende of effecte / and frende of countenaunce.
The nedeth not / the gall of non hen.
That cureth eyen / duk for penaunce.

Nowe seyst thou clere / that were in yngnoraunce.
Yet' holde thyn anker / and yet thou mayst aryue.
There bounte bereth / the keye of my substaunce.
And eke thou hast thy best' frende alyue.

(6)

How many haue I refusede to sustene

Syth I the fosterede / haue in my pleasaunce.
Wylte thou than make / A statute on thy quene.
That' I shall be ay at thyne ordynaunce.
Thow borne arte in my reygne of varyaunce.
Aboute the whele with other must' thou dryue.
My lore is better than thy wycked gouernaunce.
And eke thou hast thy best frende alyue.
(7) Paupertas ad fortunam.

336

3833

40

41

[p. 3]

44

48

Thy lore I dampne. it' is aduersyte.

49

My frende/mayst thou not' rene blynde goddes
And that I frendes knewe / I thanke it the.
Take them agayne / let them go lye on presse.
The negardes / kepynge theyre ryches.
Pronostyke is her toure thou wylt' assayle.
Wyckede appetyte / cometh a before sykenesse.
In generall this rule may not fayle.

52

56

39

FORTUNE. MS. ARCH. SELD. B. 10.

(8) Fortuna ad paupertatem.

Thow pynchest' at my mutabilite.
For I the lente a droppe of my rychesse.

And nowe me lykethe to withdrawe me.
Why sholdest thou my royallte oppresse.

The se may ebbe / and flowe more and lesse.

The skye hathe myght / to shyne rayne and hayll.

Right so may I stowe my britylnesse.

In generall this rule may not fayll.

So execucion of the mageste.

(9) Paupertas ad fortunam.

That all puruayeth of his ryghtwysnes.
That same thynge fortune clepe ye.
Ye blynde bestes / full of rudenesse.
The heuen hathe properte of sykernesse.
This worlde hathe euer/restles trauayll.

Thy last day is ende of myne intresse.
In generall I this rule may not fayle.

Fines.

57

60

64

65

68

72

[Follows:-Ecce bonum consilium galfridi chaucers contra fortunam. Printed above, p. 29.]

6.

Purse.

PHILLIPPS MS. 9053.