Peter Alphonse

“ But while they pursue in this manner the transitory joys of the world and are with gaping mouths trying to secure them, suddenly the approaching day, the final one of life, overtakes them and deprives them willy-nilly of all desired pleasures. ”

“ Another: "His wealth will last long who spends it sparingly." Another: "The source of peace is not to desire what belongs to another, and the fruit of it is to have rest." Another: "Whoever wishes to abandon life, let him see that he retain nothing that belongs to it, since only so much is worth while, unless he will extinguish the fire with dross." ”

“ Let us therefore as suppliants pray constantly for the great mercy of the omnipotent God, in order that we may by means of our good works deserve to be placed after the day of final judgment on the right hand of his Son, to enjoy eternal rest in the heavenly home together with the faithful in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom are honor and glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit throughout the infinite ages. ”

“ Such nobility does not exist today, for all the nobility that I know about proceeds from gold and silver. As the poet says: 'Riches exalt people who are without nobility and poverty degrades an ancient house that was once in high esteem because of its nobility.' A certain poet made these verses about the evils of the world which are destroying its nobles. 'Tell them,' he said, 'who despise us because of the misfortunes which befall us, that this world shows its opposition to no one but the noble. ”

“ Another philosopher again: "Give thy friend as much good advice as thou canst, even though he will not believe thee; for it is just that thou give him good advice, although the silly man may not follow it." ”

“ Another: "Do not look upon one richer than thyself lest thou sin against him, but upon one who is poorer than thyself and then thank God." Another: "Do not deny God because of poverty, and do not be proud because of riches," Another: "He who desires much is always consumed with hunger for more." ”

“ Again the disciple said to his master: "Since worldly things are so transitory, why should we make just as great preparations as if they were lasting?" The master: "Because the end of life is uncertain." ”

“ A certain philosopher said to his son: "Follow a scorpion, a lion, and a dragon, but do not follow a wicked woman." Another philosopher said: "Pray God that he keep thee from the snares of vile women, and be thyself on guard lest thou be deceived. ”

“ Thou hast given me wisdom without wealth; tell me then, what can wisdom do without wealth? Take thou a part of my wisdom and give me some of thy wealth. Do not make me suffer such want that its hardships will bring disgrace upon me'. ”

“ If you only wish to have as much in this world as will suffice for nature, it is not fitting that you acquire much; and if you wish to satisfy an avaricious mind, then, though you acquired everything on the face of the earth, the lust for gain will still burn within you. ”

“ It is reported of two disciples that in going out of a certain city they came to a place where the voice of a woman was heard very distinctly, and the words of the song were well written and the music of the song was so arranged that it sounded beautifully and delightfully. One of them, stopped on account of the beauty of the song, but his companion said to him: 'Let's turn aside'. And they did it; for one is so far deceived by the song of a bird that he may be led to death. ”

“ A certain philosopher said to his son: "Son, refrain from passing through the house of wicked people, for passing results in stopping, and stopping leads to sitting and sitting ends in a deed. It is related, by way of illustration, that two priests went forth from the city one evening for a walk, and they came to a house where some drinkers had met together. ”

“ If any unknown person joins thee on thy way and will learn about thy journey, tell him thou wishest to go further than thou plannedst for; and if he carries a lance go thou to the right; if a sword, go to the left. ”

“ A man once inquired of a certain Arab: 'What is the worst misfortune that can happen to thee in this world?' The Arab: 'When necessity compels me to ask my enemy to give me what I wish'." Another: "Do not associate with a lecher for his society is a dis- grace to thee." Another: "Do not exult in the praise of a lecher, for his praise is blame and his blame praise for thee." ”

“ But then the earth spoiled the brightness of my face, and all the mortal beauty of my form now lies here. Thou canst not even see that I was a man, if I perchance be exposed to view by the removal of the earth. ”

“ And if one is so weak that he can not eat, the others refuse to eat until he is taken away. And since these peasants desired to assume the nature and manner of an animal, they should have followed the nature of the gentlest animal ”

“ The philosopher said: "Honor thyself as the lesser person and give him of thy substance, just as thou wishest that the greater honor thee and give thee of his substance." Another: "It is indeed base for a rich man to be avaricious, but it is beautiful for man of moderate means to be liberal." ”

“ Sone, whan any aduersite fallith to the, nyl thow be to sorowful neither therof be in to moche desolacioun, for this is nat the kynde nor the maner to denye god. But thow oughtest to praise god, as wele of adversite as of prosperite. Forsoth many evils fallen to men whiche that comen as to eschewe and flee the more and the gretter evils; and many [evil] thynges, fallen whiche enden in goode. ”

“ Forsoth the womman heryng the wordis of the man saide: 'Friend, if the wordis bien triewe that thow hast saide, I shal do the help.' And he: 'In what maner, goode womman and and goddis seruaunt?' Quod she than and saide: 'Bryng me a man of thi lond and cuntrey to whom thow maist trust in word and deede.' Than said he: 'I shal bryng [hym] .' And sofurth to the felaw of hym that was disceived comaunded x cofres preciously to be peynted with dyvers colours withoutfurth, wele locked and bounden with irn and silver, and filled ful of smale stones, and bryng hem [3] vnto the house of his host. ”

“ The serpent chauffed aboute the faverer bigan to gnawe and bite and somoche the bond hard he constreyned. Than the man saide: 'What doestow? Whi yieldistow evil for goode?' The serpent saide: 'I do my nature and kynde.' Quod he; 'And I have don wele to the, and that evil doestow only to me?' So they strivyng wern cald to the jugement of the fox. To whom whan he was com [and] was shewed al the matier bi order, than the fox saide: 'This cause can I nat deme bi heryng, but as it was at the first bitwixt yow I may see it at eye.' Than was the serpent bounde ageyn as she was afore. ”

“ Than saide thold wif vnto hir doughter: 'Stretche this lynnen vpon thi husbondes bedde, forwhi myn handis and thyn han made (f. 123b) it and woven it.' To whom the husbond saide: 'And thow, lady or dame, canstow array suche lynnen?' 'O sone, moche have I made and arraied in this maner.' In this maner is the husbond disceived of his wif." [4]
To this the disciple: "What I have heard is wonderful; but I wish thou wouldest give me more advice, for the more I consider the nature of those women the more I am concerned about my own protection." ”

“ As a certain philosopher was passing along the highway he found another philosopher jesting with a lecher and said to him: "Birds of feather flock together." But that one replied: "I did not associate myself with him." To this the wayfarer: "Then why dost thou approve of him?" And he: "I do not, but in great need even an honest man must resort to a privy." Another philosopher: "Son, it is difficult to climb high houses but easy to descend from them." Another philosopher saide to his sone: "Bettir is the enymite of a wiseman than the friendship of a foole." ”

“ And dost thou not see that the stars in the heavens are without number, and yet none of them but the sun and moon are subject to eclipses'?" And the father: "This happens on account of the indolence of the world, since men decide that riches are the sole reason for boasting." ”

“ Forsoth the fader saide, "For suche oon the Philosophre saith: 'he is a veray triewe friend that helpith the whan al the world failith'." Then saide the sone to the fader: "Hastow seen any man whiche hath wonne or purchaced hym suche an holl friend?" [The fader answerd] : "I have nat seen that, but I have herd [it] ." Than the sone: "Tel me of hym if happely I myght purchace me suche a friend." ”

“ To this the son: "What thou sayest about main roads is true. [6] For on a certain day when my companions and I wished to arrive in the city by sunset and were still a long way from it, we saw a footpath which it seemed would shorten the journey. But we met an old man and inquired of him about the course of that path. The old man said: "The footpath leads more direct to the city than the highway and yet you will arrive there more quickly by the highway.' When we heard this we considered him a fool, and letting him proceed along the highway, we turned into the bypath. ”

“ To whom the philosopher in the straytnes tooke his seete [7] and saide: 'Knowe thow hym to the to grete abusioun to have lordship of mortal thynges and the matier of thynges bryngyng the to opteyne whiche nat with thi vertu or strength, nor stilliche thow doest it of eveene consent, but of glorious covetise as the chiernes of the thyng is thow hast don to be lawded and praised whiche that is exiled and voide of al the weight. ”

“ The disciple asked his Maister: "Whether the philosopher forbedith a goode deede of his creator and maker or of his creature?" [9] To this the Maister: "I sey to the that he whiche denyeth a goode deede he denyeth god; and he whiche obeieth nat vnto his kyng and Ruler is disobedient vnto god." The disciple saide: "Shewe the reason how that may be." The Maister saide: "No goode deede procedit from creature to creature but it procede of god ”

“ The thrid is, ne sorowe thow nat of thynges lost.' This saide, the litel brid ascendid vpon the tree and with a sweete voice bigan to synge: 'Blessid be god that hath shit and closed the sight of thyn eyen and taken awey thi wisdam, forwhi if thow haddest sought in the plites of myn entrailes thow shuldest have founde a jacinct the weight of an vnce.' He heryng this bigan to wepe and to sorowe and to smyte his brest with his fist for he yave feith to the litel brid. ”

“ Whiche the litel fox whan he touched the mowth of the diche lept out and left the wolf in the diche. And for thyng to come [he] lost that was present: the wolf lost both oxen and cheese."
One sentence of the Latin connecting link is here [5] omitted the sense of which is: The Arab reproved his son saying: "Take counsel of that one who has experience in the thing thou askest about, for thou canst thus gain experience more easily than if thow makest the experiment thyself. ”

“ Than the sone: "Nothyng worse fallith or happenyth to a man than long to serve [the king] and no goode to geete nor purchace." [The] Fader: "Many of thynges now happenyth and cometh, and therfor the philosophre comaundith that noman overmoche tary with his kyng nor in his seruice." And another: "Who servith to the kyng without fortune so as I shal sey he leesith this world?" [3] And the sone: "O fader, whi foryetest thow to tel how a man ought to ete tofore a kyng?" [The fader] : "I am nat foryetful to tel, forwhi no difference is to ete before a kyng and elliswhere." ”

“ Thold wif whan she sawe hym havyng his money, risyng saide: 'Go we both, I and my felawe, rennyng bifore agenst our cofres to haast hem; and thow forsoth abide til we come ageyn, and kepe wele that now we han brought.' He forsoth with a glad soule kept that he had take and abode the comyng of theym that myghten com after. And so with goode wit and engyne of thold wif the money was yolden." [8]
The disciple: "This was a remarkable and useful trick and I do not think any philosopher could think out a more subtle means by which man could recover his money more easily." ”

“ Another philosopher said about untried friends: "Provide thyself once with enemies and a thousand times with friends, for thy friend may perhaps become an enemy sometime, and it will thus be easier to bear thy loss." Another philosopher also: "Avoid seeking counsel of any one until he has proved faithful to thee." ”

“ Also an heremyte and philosopher in this maner correctid his soule and saide: 'Soule, wite thow and knowe thow while power is in the and in thyn hand, that thow werke and do bifore that thow moevist from thi place to the house in whiche right and justice dwellith and abidith, and to the yaate of the place wher thow shalt trede in a Rolle whatsumeuer thyn hand hath don and wrought in this world. ”

“ Than he therof as coarted to the praiers of his wif saide: 'See that thow ne discovre oure counsail to any man; I was a thief.' Than saide she: 'It seemyth wonder to me how somoche money thow myghtest purchace and gete with theft and never I herd clayme ne chalange therof. [2] Than saide he: 'Suche a Maister of myn taught me a charme that I shuld sey [3] whan I shuld ascende to the Roof of the house. And comyng to the wyndow I toke the beame of the Moone with myn hand and vii tymes saide my charme, that is to say, Saule. ”

“ So considre thow thi glorie that is past and thi power as may be now as nought nor to be drad; but neither of thynges to come, of whos hap or comyng is doutable and vncerteyn. Thus it owith of this present lif forwhi it is but litil and momentaneous and whiche in the twynklyng of an eye is brought to nought.' [9] He perceivyng the wordis of the philosopher, the kyng saide to his meyne: 'Forsoth he is the seruaunt of god! See yee that yee do hym noon hurt nor non vnhonest thing." [10]
↑ No. ”

“ Forsoth it is bettir that after thi deth thyn enemyes have thi purchace than that thow live needily in this lif.' Another saith: 'The world is transitorie; of that therfor with honeste provide to the althynges necessary, forwhi the cours of lif is but short.' Another saith: 'The world is as a transitorye brigge, therfor bihold it nat. The world is a stable brigge whos entre is the wombe of the Moder and deth shalbe thissue of the same'." [7]
A versifiour saith: 'Deth is a yaate openyng and shewyng al erthely thynges bi the wey ”

“ Another: "The gifts of this world are of different kinds; for some are given riches, some wisdom. A certain man speaking to his son said: "Which wouldest thou prefer to have given thee, money or wisdom?" ”

“ But now my kyng, have mercy on me and that the bedil promysed I shal yield to the pore man.' Than the kyng the money yieldid to the Riche and the Richeman to the poore; and so with the wit and engyne (f. 128b) of the philosopher the poore man was delivered." [5]
The link runs as follows in the Latin, beginning I, 25, l. 23:
The disciple: "This appears to be the spirit of philosophy, and in the light of this exemplum Solomon's judgment concerning the two women is not so remarkable."
The philosopher says: "Do not go on a journey with any man unless you have known him previously. ”

“ The kyng therfor willyng to knowe what of tho foule thynges to hym reherced wern aught feyned, to the philosopher than he went and inquiryng what the philosopher saide of hym. So as bifore vnto his meyne, so hym assured to be seruaunt of his seruauntis. The sentence of whiche wordis the kyng benyngly and with a dili- gent trust asked hym to tel and shewe. To whom the philosopher bihielde the face and chiere of his dignite lightly saide: 'Suche wil is seruaunt vnto me and to me servith and I nat to hym. ”

“ Forwhi the philosopher saide to his sone: "Say thow hym a lier whiche to overcom evil saith evil; forwhi as fier hurtith nat fier, so evil vnto evil ne fallith nat. Therfor as water quenchith fier, so goode thynges distroieth every evil." ”

“ The Wise Merchant and the Improvident King
"Forsoth it is saide that suche a kyng of the Scites [2] bi the comune assent of his nobles to suche on of his seruauntis whom thei cald Anne [3] to be prudent and wise in seculier and worldly thynges; al the bridels and Rulis of his Realme to hym he commytted, whiche al the Revenues and Rentis of the Realme he Received and plesauntly and pesibly entreatid, the house and the household meyne and Ministres seruauntis and their dispenses ordeyned. A Riche Marchaunt his brother in a Citee fer of indwellid. ”

“ The disciple saide to the Maister: "Write thow to me the diffinicioun of the largesse, the Auarous, and the Prodogus; that is to say, the large or free man, the Covetous man, and the wastour." [10] [The fader] : "Whiche yevith to whom it is to yeve and withholdith and reteyneth to whom it is to withold, is [11] large; and [whiche] forbedith to whom it is forboden and to whom it is nat forboden [is] covetous. [12] And who that yevith to whom it is nat to yeve is a wastour." [13]
"Do not engage in a business that is failing, and do not delay to become associated with a growing business." ”

“ The philosophre than, to the kyng: 'Take the money and yeve therof vnto the poore man an hundred talentis; and that remayneth kepe til he come that asked it, forwhi this money is nat his ; and this richeman went to the bedil and made hym to aske the bagge with ii serpentis.' Forsoth it pleased to the kyng this jugement and to al tho standyng aboute hym. Forsoth the Richeman whiche had lost the bagge heryng this saide: 'Sir, and my lord the kyng, in veray trowth I say to the the money was myn. ”