Fortune
This
wrecched
worldes
transmutacioun,
As
wele
or
wo,
now
povre
and
now
honour,
Withouten
ordre
or
wys
discrecioun
Governed
is
by
Fortunes
errour.
But
natheles,
the
lak
of
hir
favour
Ne
may
nat
don
me
singen
though
I
dye,
Jay
tout
perdu
mon
temps
et
mon
labour;
For
fynally,
Fortune,
I
thee
defye.
Yit
is
me
left
the
light
of
my
resoun
To
knowen
frend
fro
fo
in
thy
mirour.
So
muchel
hath
yit
thy
whirling
up
and
doun
Ytaught
me
for
to
knowen
in
an
hour.
But
trewely,
no
force
of
thy
reddour
To
him
that
over
himself
hath
the
maystrye.
My
suffisaunce
shal
be
my
socour,
For
fynally
Fortune,
I
thee
defye.
O
Socrates,
thou
stidfast
champioun,
She
never
mighte
be
thy
tormentour;
Thou
never
dreddest
hir
oppressioun,
Ne
in
hir
chere
founde
thou
no
savour.
Thou
knewe
wel
the
deceit
of
hir
colour,
And
that
hir
moste
worshipe
is
to
lye.
I
knowe
hir
eek
a
fals
dissimulour,
For
fynally,
Fortune,
I
thee
defye!
La
respounse
de
Fortune
au
Pleintif
No
man
is
wrecched
but
himself
it
wene,
And
he
that
hath
himself
hath
suffisaunce.
Why
seystow
thanne
I
am
to
thee
so
kene,
That
hast
thyself
out
of
my
governaunce?
Sey
thus:
"Graunt
mercy
of
thyn
haboundaunce
That
thou
hast
lent
or
this.'
Why
wolt
thou
stryve?
What
wostow
yit
how
I
thee
wol
avaunce?
And
eek
thou
hast
thy
beste
frend
alyve.
I
have
thee
taught
divisioun
bitwene
Frend
of
effect
and
frend
of
countenaunce;
Thee
nedeth
nat
the
galle
of
noon
hyene,
That
cureth
eyen
derked
for
penaunce;
Now
seestow
cleer
that
were
in
ignoraunce.
Yit
halt
thyn
ancre
and
yit
thou
mayst
arryve
Ther
bountee
berth
the
keye
of
my
substaunce,
And
eek
thou
hast
thy
beste
frend
alyve.
How
many
have
I
refused
to
sustene
Sin
I
thee
fostred
have
in
thy
plesaunce.
Woltow
than
make
a
statut
on
thy
quene
That
I
shal
been
ay
at
thyn
ordinaunce?
Thou
born
art
in
my
regne
of
variaunce,
Aboute
the
wheel
with
other
most
thou
dryve.
My
lore
is
bet
than
wikke
is
thy
grevaunce,
And
eek
thou
hast
thy
beste
frend
alyve.
La
respounse
du
Pleintif
countre
Fortune
Thy
lore
I
dampne;
it
is
adversitee.
My
frend
maystow
nat
reven,
blind
goddesse;
That
I
thy
frendes
knowe,
I
thanke
it
thee.
Tak
hem
agayn,
lat
hem
go
lye
on
presse.
The
negardye
in
keping
hir
richesse
Prenostik
is
thou
wolt
hir
tour
assayle;
Wikke
appetyt
comth
ay
before
syknesse.
In
general,
this
reule
may
nat
fayle.
La
respounse
de
Fortune
countre
le
Pleintif
Thou
pinchest
at
my
mutabilitee
For
I
thee
lente
a
drope
of
my
richesse,
And
now
me
lyketh
to
withdrawe
me.[Riv.,
p.
653]
Why
sholdestow
my
realtee
oppresse?
The
see
may
ebbe
and
flowen
more
or
lesse;
The
welkne
hath
might
to
shyne,
reyne,
or
hayle;
Right
so
mot
I
kythen
my
brotelnesse.
In
general,
this
reule
may
nat
fayle.
Lo,
th'execucion
of
the
majestee
That
al
purveyeth
of
his
rightwysnesse,
That
same
thing
"Fortune'"
clepen
ye,
Ye
blinde
bestes
ful
of
lewdednesse.
The
hevene
hath
propretee
of
sikernesse.
This
world
hath
ever
resteles
travayle;
Thy
laste
day
is
ende
of
myn
intresse.
In
general,
this
reule
may
nat
fayle.
Lenvoy
de
Fortune
Princes,
I
prey
you
of
your
gentilesse
Lat
nat
this
man
on
me
thus
crye
and
pleyne,
And
I
shal
quyte
you
your
bisinesse
At
my
requeste,
as
three
of
you
or
tweyne,
And
but
you
list
releve
him
of
his
peyne,
Preyeth
his
beste
frend
of
his
noblesse
That
to
som
beter
estat
he
may
atteyne.
