Chaucer's Works (ed. Skeat) Vol. II/Boethius Book I

by Walter William Skeat

BOETHIUS DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIE.

BOOK I.

Metre I.

Carmina qui quondam studio florente peregi.

Allas! I, weping, am constreined to biginnen vers of sorowful
matere, that whylom in florisching studie made delitable ditees.
For lo! rendinge Muses of poetes endyten to me thinges to be
writen; and drery vers of wrecchednesse weten my face with
verray teres. At the leeste, no drede ne mighte overcomen tho 5
Muses, that they ne weren felawes, and folweden my wey, that is
to seyn, whan I was exyled; they that weren glorie of my youthe,
whylom weleful and grene, comforten now the sorowful werdes of
me, olde man. For elde is comen unwarly upon me, hasted by
the harmes that I have, and sorow hath comaunded his age to be 10
in me. Heres hore ben shad overtymeliche upon myn heved,
and the slake skin trembleth upon myn empted body. Thilke
deeth of men is weleful that ne cometh not in yeres that ben
swete, but cometh to wrecches, often y-cleped.

Allas! allas! with how deef an ere deeth, cruel, torneth awey 15
fro wrecches, and naiteth to closen wepinge eyen! Whyl Fortune,
unfeithful, favorede me with lighte goodes, the sorowful houre,
that is to seyn, the deeth, hadde almost dreynt myn heved. But
now, for Fortune cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable chere to
me-ward, myn unpitous lyf draweth a-long unagreable dwellinges 20
in me. O ye, my frendes, what or wherto avauntede ye me to
ben weleful? for he that hath fallen stood nat in stedefast
degree.

C. = MS. Ii. 3. 21, Cambridge; A. = MS. Addit. 10340 (Brit. Mus.). The text follows C. mainly. Ed. = Printed edition (1532), quoted occasionally.

1, 2. Imperfect in C. 6. C. foleweden; A. folweden. 8. C. sorful; A. sorouful. // C. wierdes, glossed fata; A. werdes. 11. C. arn; A. ben. 12. C. of; A. upon. // C. emptyd; A. emty. 16. C. nayteth; A. Ed. naieth. 17. A. glosses lighte by sc. temporels. // C. sorwful; A. sorouful. 19. C. deceyuable; A. disceyuable. 20. C. vnpietous; A. vnpitouse. 22. C. stidefast; A. stedfast.

Prose I.

Hec dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem.

Whyle that I stille recordede thise thinges with my-self, and
markede my weeply compleynte with office of pointel, I saw,
stondinge aboven the heighte of myn heved, a woman of ful greet
reverence by semblaunt, hir eyen brenninge and cleer-seinge over
the comune might of men; with a lyfly colour, and with swich 5
vigour and strengthe that it ne mighte nat ben empted; al were it
so that she was ful of so greet age, that men ne wolde nat trowen,
in no manere, that she were of oure elde. The stature of hir was
of a doutous Iugement; for som-tyme she constreinede and shronk
hir-selven lyk to the comune mesure of men, and sum-tyme it 10
semede that she touchede the hevene with the heighte of hir
heved; and whan she heef hir heved hyer, she percede the
selve hevene, so that the sighte of men looking was in ydel. Hir
clothes weren maked of right delye thredes and subtil crafte, of
perdurable matere; the whiche clothes she hadde woven with hir 15
owene hondes, as I knew wel after by hir-self, declaringe and
shewinge to me the beautee; the whiche clothes a derknesse of a
forleten and dispysed elde hadde dusked and derked, as it is wont
to derken bi-smokede images.

In the nethereste hem or bordure of thise clothes men redden, 20
y-woven in, a Grekissh P, that signifyeth the lyf Actif; and aboven
that lettre, in the heyeste bordure, a Grekissh T, that signifyeth
the lyf Contemplatif. And bi-twixen these two lettres ther weren
seyn degrees, nobly y-wroght in manere of laddres; by whiche
degrees men mighten climben fro the nethereste lettre to the 25
uppereste. Natheles, handes of some men hadde corven that cloth
by violence and by strengthe; and everiche man of hem hadde
born awey swiche peces as he mighte geten. And forsothe, this
forseide woman bar smale bokes in hir right hand, and in hir left
hand she bar a ceptre. 30

And whan she say thise poetical Muses aprochen aboute my
bed, and endytinge wordes to my wepinges, she was a litel
amoved, and glowede with cruel eyen. 'Who,' quod she, 'hath
suffred aprochen to this syke man thise comune strompetes of
swich a place that men clepen the theatre? The whiche nat 35
only ne asswagen nat hise sorwes with none remedies, but they
wolden feden and norisshen hem with swete venim. Forsothe,
thise ben tho that with thornes and prikkinges of talents or
affecciouns, whiche that ne ben no-thing fructefyinge nor
profitable, destroyen the corn plentevous of fruites of resoun; 40
for they holden the hertes of men in usage, but they ne delivere
nat folk fro maladye. But if ye Muses hadden withdrawen fro
me, with your flateryes, any uncunninge and unprofitable man, as
men ben wont to finde comunly amonges the poeple, I wolde
wene suffre the lasse grevously; for-why, in swiche an unprofitable 45
man, myn ententes ne weren no-thing endamaged. But ye withdrawen
me this man, that hath be norisshed in the studies or
scoles of Eleaticis and of Achademicis in Grece. But goth now
rather awey, ye mermaidenes, whiche that ben swete til it be at
the laste, and suffreth this man to be cured and heled by myne 50
Muses,' that is to seyn, by noteful sciences.

And thus this companye of Muses y-blamed casten wrothly the
chere dounward to the erthe; and, shewinge by reednesse hir
shame, they passeden sorowfully the threshfold.

And I, of whom the sighte, plounged in teres, was derked so 55
that I ne mighte not knowen what that womman was, of so
imperial auctoritee, I wex al abaisshed and astoned, and caste my
sighte doun to the erthe, and bigan stille for to abyde what she
wolde don afterward. Tho com she ner, and sette hir doun up-on
the uttereste corner of my bed; and she, biholdinge my chere, 60
that was cast to the erthe, hevy and grevous of wepinge, compleinede,
with thise wordes that I shal seyen, the perturbacioun
of my thought.

Pr. I. 1. C. While that; A. In the mene while that. 2. C. sawh; A. sawe. 3. C. heyhte; A. heyȝt. // C. gret; A. greet. 5. C. myht; A. myȝt. 6. C. vygor; A. vigoure. // C. myhte; A. myȝt. // C. emted; A. emptid. 7. C. gret; A. greet (and so often). 9. C. dowtows; A. doutous (and so ow for ou often). 10. C. lyk; A. lyche. 11. C. heyhte; A. heyȝte (and so elsewhere). 12. C. hef; A. heued; Ed. houe. 14. C. riht (and so h for gh often). 16. C. knewh; A. knewe. 17. C. dirknesse; A. derkenes. 19. Both dyrken. // C. the smokede; A. bysmoked. 21. A. in swiche; C. om. swiche. C. glosses P by practik. // C. syngnifieth; A. signifieth. 22. C. glosses T by theorik. // C. singnifieth; A. signifieth. 23. C. by-twixen; A. by-twene. 24. C. nobely; A. nobly. 25. C. clymbyn (and so -yn for -en constantly). // C. Ed. nethereste; A. nethemast. 26. C. Ed. vppereste; A. ouermast 31. C. say; A. sauȝ. 33. C. amoued; A. ameued. // C. cruwel; A. cruel. 34. C. sike; A. seek. // C. the; A. thise (Lat. has). 37. C. noryssyn; A. norysche. // C. hym; A. hem. 39. C. fructefiynge; A. frutefiyng. 40. C. corn; A. cornes (Lat. segetem). 41. C. om. the. // C. om. ne. 42. C. maledye; A. maladye. 44. C. poeple; A. peple. 45. C. greuosly; A. greuously (and so often os for ous in C.). 48. C. schooles; A. scoles. 53. C. downward; A. adounward. // C. om. and. // C. rednesse; A. redenesse. 54. C. sorwfully. // C. thresshfold; A. threschefolde. 55. C. dyrked; A. derked. 57. C. wax; A. wex. // C. cast; A. caste. 58. C. down to; A. adoune in-to. 59. C. ner; A. nere. 61. C. compleyde; A. compleinede. 63. C. thowht; A. thouȝt.

Metre II.

Heu quam precipiti mersa profundo.

'Allas! how the thought of man, dreint in over-throwinge
deepnesse, dulleth, and forleteth his propre cleernesse, mintinge
to goon in-to foreine derknesses, as ofte as his anoyous bisinesse
wexeth with-oute mesure, that is driven to and fro with worldly
windes! This man, that whylom was free, to whom the hevene 5
was open and knowen, and was wont to goon in heveneliche
pathes, and saugh the lightnesse of the rede sonne, and saugh the
sterres of the colde mone, and whiche sterre in hevene useth
wandering recourses, y-flit by dyverse speres—this man, overcomer,
hadde comprehended al this by noumbre of acountinge in 10
astronomye. And over this, he was wont to seken the causes
whennes the souning windes moeven and bisien the smothe water
of the see; and what spirit torneth the stable hevene; and why
the sterre aryseth out of the rede eest, to fallen in the westrene
wawes; and what atempreth the lusty houres of the firste somer 15
sesoun, that highteth and apparaileth the erthe with rosene flowres;
and who maketh that plentevouse autompne, in fulle yeres, fleteth
with hevy grapes. And eek this man was wont to telle the
dyverse causes of nature that weren y-hidde. Allas! now lyeth
he empted of light of his thought; and his nekke is pressed with 20
hevy cheynes; and bereth his chere enclyned adoun for the grete
weighte, and is constreined to looken on the fool erthe!

Me. II. 3. C. dyrk-; A. derk-. 4. C. wordely; A. worldly (Lat. terrenis). 5. C. Ed. whilom; A. sumtyme. 7. C. lythnesse; A. lyȝtnesse. 10. C. comprendyd; A. Ed. comprehendid. 11. C. seken; A. seche. 14. C. est; A. eest. 15. C. fyrst; A. fyrste. 17. A. that; C. the. // C. autompne; A. autumpne. 19. C. I-hydde; A. yhidde. // C. lith; A. lieth. 20. A. emptid; C. emted. 22. C. the fool; Ed. the fole; A. foule (Lat. stolidam).

Prose II.

Set medicine, inquit, tempus est.

But tyme is now,' quod she, 'of medicine more than of
compleinte.' Forsothe than she, entendinge to me-ward with alle
the lookinge of hir eyen, seide:—'Art nat thou he,' quod she,
'that whylom y-norisshed with my milk, and fostered with myne
metes, were escaped and comen to corage of a parfit man? 5
Certes, I yaf thee swiche armures that, yif thou thy-self ne
haddest first cast hem a-wey, they shulden han defended thee
in sikernesse that may nat ben over-comen. Knowest thou me
nat? Why art thou stille? Is it for shame or for astoninge?
It were me lever that it were for shame; but it semeth me that 10
astoninge hath oppressed thee.' And whan she say me nat only
stille, but with-outen office of tunge and al doumb, she leide hir
hand softely upon my brest, and seide: 'Here nis no peril,' quod
she; 'he is fallen into a litargie, whiche that is a comune sykenes
to hertes that ben deceived. He hath a litel foryeten him-self, 15
but certes he shal lightly remembren him-self, yif so be that he
hath knowen me or now; and that he may so don, I wil wypen a
litel his eyen, that ben derked by the cloude of mortal thinges.'
Thise wordes seide she, and with the lappe of hir garment, y-plyted
in a frounce, she dryede myn eyen, that weren fulle of the wawes 20
of my wepinges.

Pr. II. 4. C. Ed. whilom; A. sumtyme. // C. noryssed; A. I-norschide. 5. C. escaped; A. ascaped. 8. C. Knowestow; A. Knowest thou. 9. C. artow; A. art thou. // C. it is; A. Ed. is it. // C. asthonynge (but astonynge below). 14. C. litarge; A. litargie. // C. sykenesse; A. sekenes. 15. C. desseyued; A. desceiued. 16. C. remenbren; A. remembren.

Metre III.

Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebre.

Thus, whan that night was discussed and chased a-wey,
derknesses forleften me, and to myn eyen repeirede ayein hir
firste strengthe. And, right by ensaumple as the sonne is hid
whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn, whan sterres ben
covered with cloudes) by a swifte winde that highte Chorus, and 5
that the firmament stant derked by wete ploungy cloudes, and
that the sterres nat apperen up-on hevene, so that the night
semeth sprad up-on erthe: yif thanne the wind that highte Borias,
y-sent out of the caves of the contree of Trace, beteth this night
(that is to seyn, chaseth it a-wey), and descovereth the closed day: 10
than shyneth Phebus y-shaken with sodein light, and smyteth
with his bemes in mervelinge eyen.

Me. III. 1. C. descussed; A. discussed. 2. C. dirk-; A. derk-. // C. om. ayein. 3. C. fyrst; A. firste. 5. C. heyhte; A. hyȝt. 6. C. dirked; A. derked. 8. C. hyhte; A. hyȝt.

Prose III.

Haud aliter tristicie nebulis dissolutis.

Right so, and non other wyse, the cloudes of sorwe dissolved
and don a-wey, I took hevene, and receivede minde to knowen the
face of my fysicien; so that I sette myn eyen on hir, and fastnede
my lookinge. I beholde my norice Philosophie, in whos houses
I hadde conversed and haunted fro my youthe; and I seide thus. 5
'O thou maistresse of alle vertues, descended from the soverein
sete, why artow comen in-to this solitarie place of myn exil?
Artow comen for thou art maked coupable with me of false
blames?'

'O,' quod she, 'my norry, sholde I forsaken thee now, and 10
sholde I nat parten with thee, by comune travaile, the charge
that thou hast suffred for envie of my name? Certes, it nere
not leveful ne sittinge thing to Philosophie, to leten with-outen
companye the wey of him that is innocent. Sholde I thanne
redoute my blame, and agrysen as though ther were bifallen a 15
newe thing? quasi diceret, non. For trowestow that Philosophie
be now alderfirst assailed in perils by folk of wikkede maneres?
Have I nat striven with ful greet stryf, in olde tyme, bifore the
age of my Plato, ayeines the foolhardinesse of folye? And eek,
the same Plato livinge, his maister Socrates deservede victorie of 20
unrightful deeth in my presence. The heritage of which Socrates—the
heritage is to seyn the doctrine of the whiche Socrates in his
opinioun of Felicitee, that I clepe welefulnesse—whan that the
poeple of Epicuriens and Stoiciens and many othre enforceden
hem to go ravisshe everich man for his part—that is to seyn, 25
that everich of hem wolde drawen to the defence of his opinioun the
wordes of Socrates—they, as in partie of hir preye, to-drowen me,
cryinge and debatinge ther-ayeins, and corven and to-renten my
clothes that I hadde woven with myn handes; and with tho
cloutes that they hadden araced out of my clothes they wenten 30
awey, weninge that I hadde gon with hem everydel.

In whiche Epicuriens and Stoiciens, for as moche as ther semede
some traces or steppes of myn habite, the folye of men, weninge
tho Epicuriens and Stoiciens my famuleres, perverted (sc. persequendo)
some through the errour of the wikkede or uncunninge 35
multitude of hem. This is to seyn that, for they semede philosophres,
they weren pursued to the deeth and slayn. So yif thou hast nat
knowen the exilinge of Anaxogore, ne the enpoysoninge of
Socrates, ne the tourments of Zeno, for they weren straungeres:
yit mightestow han knowen the Senecciens and the Canios and 40
the Sorans, of whiche folk the renoun is neither over-olde ne
unsolempne The whiche men, no-thing elles ne broughte hem to
the deeth but only for they weren enfourmed of myne maneres,
and semeden most unlyke to the studies of wikkede folk. And
forthy thou oughtest nat to wondren though that I, in the bittre 45
see of this lyf, be fordriven with tempestes blowinge aboute, in
the whiche tempestes this is my most purpos, that is to seyn, to
displesen to wikkede men. Of whiche shrewes, al be the ost
never so greet, it is to dispyse; for it nis governed with no leder
of resoun, but it is ravisshed only by fletinge errour folyly and 50
lightly. And if they som-tyme, makinge an ost ayeins us, assaile
us as strenger, our leder draweth to-gidere hise richesses in-to his
tour, and they ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels unprofitable
for to taken. But we that ben heye aboven, siker fro alle
tumulte and wode noise, warnestored and enclosed in swich a 55
palis, whider as that chateringe or anoyinge folye ne may nat
atayne, we scorne swiche ravineres and henteres of fouleste
thinges.

Pr. III. 3. C. fesissien; A. fyciscien; Ed. phisycien. // C. fastnede; A. festned. 4. Lat. respicio. 6. C. vertuus; A. vertues. 7. C. artow; A. art thou. 13. A. om. thing. 14. C. compaygnie; A. compaignie. 16. C. trowestow; A. trowest thou. 20. C. desseruede; A. deserued. 21. C. eritage; A. heritage. 25. C. rauysse; A. rauische. 26. C. deffence; A. defence. 30. C. arraced; A. arased. 31. C. om. I. 33. C. or; A. and. 34. A. familers. 36. A. om. that. 38. C. om. 1st of. 40. C. myhtestow; A. myȝtest thou. // C. Senecciens; A. Senectiens; Ed. Senecas. 43. C. enformyd; A. vnfourmed. 44. C. vnlyk; A. vnlyke. 48. C. oost, glossed i. acies. 50. C. rauyssed; A. rauysched. // C. folyly, i. sine consilio. 52. A. hys rycchesse. 53. C. sarpuleris; A. sarpulers. 55. C. tumolte; A. tumulte. // A. stored. 56. C. palis; A. palays (Lat. uallo). // C. om. that. // C. anoyenge; A. anoying. 57 C. atayne; A. attayne. // C. schorne; A. scorne.

Metre IV.

Quisquis composito serenus euo.

Who-so it be that is cleer of vertu, sad, and wel ordinat of
livinge, that hath put under foot the proude werdes and looketh
upright up-on either fortune, he may holde his chere undiscomfited.
The rage ne the manaces of the see, commoevinge or
chasinge upward hete fro the botme, ne shal not moeve that 5
man; ne the unstable mountaigne that highte Vesevus, that
wrytheth out through his brokene chiminees smokinge fyres. Ne
the wey of thonder-light, that is wont to smyten heye toures, ne
shal nat moeve that man. Wher-to thanne, o wrecches, drede ye
tirauntes that ben wode and felonous with-oute any strengthe? 10
Hope after no-thing, ne drede nat; and so shaltow desarmen
the ire of thilke unmighty tiraunt. But who-so that, quakinge,
dredeth or desireth thing that nis nat stable of his right, that
man that so doth hath cast awey his sheld and is remoeved fro
his place, and enlaceth him in the cheyne with the which he may 15
ben drawen.

Me. IV. 2. C. leuynge; A. lyuyng. // Both wierdes; C. has the gloss fata. 3. C. may his cheere holde vndescounfited; A. may holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. 4. C. manesses; A. manace (Lat. minae). 5. hete (Lat. aestum). 6. C. hihte; A. hyȝt. 7. Ed. writheth; C. writith; A. wircheth (Lat. torquet). // A. chemineys. 9. C. Whar-; A. Wher-. 10. C. felonos; A. felownes. 11. C. deseruien; A. desarmen; Ed. disarmen. 14. C. remwed; A. remoeued. 15. A. om. the before which.

Prose IV.

Sentisne, inquit, hec.

'Felestow,' quod she, 'thise thinges, and entren they aught in
thy corage? Artow lyke an asse to the harpe? Why wepestow,
why spillestow teres? Yif thou abydest after help of thy leche,
thee bihoveth discovere thy wounde.'

Tho I, that hadde gadered strengthe in my corage, answerede 5
and seide: 'And nedeth it yit,' quod I, 'of rehersinge or of
amonicioun; and sheweth it nat y-nough by him-self the sharpnesse
of Fortune, that wexeth wood ayeins me? Ne moeveth it
nat thee to seen the face or the manere of this place (i. prisoun)?
Is this the librarie whiche that thou haddest chosen for a right 10
certein sete to thee in myn hous, ther-as thou desputedest ofte
with me of the sciences of thinges touchinge divinitee and touchinge
mankinde? Was thanne myn habite swich as it is now?
Was than my face or my chere swiche as now (quasi diceret, non),
whan I soughte with thee secrets of nature, whan thou enformedest 15
my maneres and the resoun of alle my lyf to the ensaumple of
the ordre of hevene? Is nat this the guerdoun that I referre to
thee, to whom I have be obeisaunt? Certes, thou confermedest,
by the mouth of Plato, this sentence, that is to seyn, that comune
thinges or comunalitees weren blisful, yif they that hadden studied 20
al fully to wisdom governeden thilke thinges, or elles yif it so
bifille that the governoures of comunalitees studieden to geten
wisdom.

Thou seidest eek, by the mouth of the same Plato, that it was
a necessarie cause, wyse men to taken and desire the governaunce 25
of comune thinges, for that the governements of citees, y-left
in the handes of felonous tormentours citizenes, ne sholde nat
bringe in pestilence and destruccioun to gode folk. And therfor
I, folwinge thilke auctoritee (sc. Platonis), desired to putten forth
in execucioun and in acte of comune administracioun thilke 30
thinges that I hadde lerned of thee among my secree resting-whyles.
Thou, and god that putte thee in the thoughtes of wyse
folk, ben knowinge with me, that no-thing ne broughte me to
maistrie or dignitee, but the comune studie of alle goodnesse.
And ther-of comth it that bi-twixen wikked folk and me han ben 35
grevous discordes, that ne mighten ben relesed by preyeres; for
this libertee hath the freedom of conscience, that the wratthe of
more mighty folk hath alwey ben despysed of me for savacioun of
right.

How ofte have I resisted and withstonde thilke man that highte 40
Conigaste, that made alwey assautes ayeins the prospre fortunes of
pore feble folk? How ofte eek have I put of or cast out him,
Trigwille, provost of the kinges hous, bothe of the wronges that he
hadde bigunne to don, and eek fully performed? How ofte have
I covered and defended by the auctoritee of me, put ayeins perils— 45
that is to seyn, put myn auctoritee in peril for—the wrecched
pore folk, that the covetyse of straungeres unpunished tourmenteden
alwey with miseyses and grevaunces out of noumbre? Never man
ne drow me yit fro right to wronge. Whan I say the fortunes and
the richesses of the poeple of the provinces ben harmed or 50
amenused, outher by privee ravynes or by comune tributes or
cariages, as sory was I as they that suffreden the harm.

Glossa. Whan that Theodoric, the king of Gothes, in a dere
yere, hadde hise gerneres ful of corn, and comaundede that no man
ne sholde byen no corn til his corn were sold, and that at a grevous 55
dere prys, Boece withstood that ordinaunce, and over-com it, knowinge
al this the king him-self.

Textus. Whan it was in the soure hungry tyme, ther was
establisshed or cryed grevous and inplitable coempcioun, that men
sayen wel it sholde greetly turmenten and endamagen al the 60
province of Campaigne, I took stryf ayeins the provost of the pretorie
for comune profit. And, the king knowinge of it, I overcom
it, so that the coempcioun ne was not axed ne took effect.

[Glossa.] Coempcioun, that is to seyn, comune achat or bying
to-gidere, that were establisshed up-on the poeple by swiche a manere 65
imposicioun, as who-so boughte a busshel corn, he moste yeve the king
the fifte part.

[Textus.] Paulin, a counseiller of Rome, the richesses of the
whiche Paulin the houndes of the palays, that is to seyn, the officeres,
wolden han devoured by hope and covetise, yit drow I him out of 70
the Iowes (sc. faucibus) of hem that gapeden. And for as moche
as the peyne of the accusacioun aiuged biforn ne sholde nat
sodeinly henten ne punisshen wrongfully Albin, a counseiller of
Rome, I putte me ayeins the hates and indignaciouns of the
accusor Ciprian. Is it nat thanne y-nough y-seyn, that I have 75
purchased grete discordes ayeins my-self? But I oughte be the
more assured ayeins alle othre folk (s. Romayns), that for the love
of rightwisnesse I ne reserved never no-thing to my-self to hem-ward
of the kinges halle, sc. officers, by the whiche I were the more
siker. But thorugh tho same accusers accusinge, I am condempned. 80
Of the noumbir of the whiche accusers oon Basilius,
that whylom was chased out of the kinges service, is now compelled
in accusinge of my name, for nede of foreine moneye.
Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me, al be it so that the
Iustice regal hadde whylom demed hem bothe to go in-to exil for 85
hir trecheryes and fraudes withoute noumbir. To whiche Iugement
they nolden nat obeye, but defendeden hem by the sikernesse
of holy houses, that is to seyn, fledden into seintuaries; and
whan this was aperceived to the king, he comaundede, that but
they voidede the citee of Ravenne by certein day assigned, that 90
men sholde merken hem on the forheved with an hoot yren and
chasen hem out of the toune. Now what thing, semeth thee,
mighte ben lykned to this crueltee? For certes, thilke same day
was received the accusinge of my name by thilke same accusers.
What may ben seid her-to? (quasi diceret, nichil). Hath my 95
studie and my cunninge deserved thus; or elles the forseide dampnacioun
of me, made that hem rightful accusers or no? (quasi
diceret, non). Was not Fortune ashamed of this? Certes, al
hadde nat Fortune ben ashamed that innocence was accused, yit
oughte she han had shame of the filthe of myne accusours. 100

But, axestow in somme, of what gilt I am accused, men seyn
that I wolde save the companye of the senatours. And desirest
thou to heren in what manere? I am accused that I sholde han
destourbed the accuser to beren lettres, by whiche he sholde han
maked the senatoures gilty ayeins the kinges real maiestee. O 105
maistresse, what demestow of this? Shal I forsake this blame,
that I ne be no shame to thee? (quasi diceret, non). Certes, I have
wold it, that is to seyn, the savacioun of the senat, ne I shal never
leten to wilne it, and that I confesse and am aknowe; but the
entente of the accuser to be destourbed shal cese. For shal I 110
clepe it thanne a felonie or a sinne that I have desired the
savacioun of the ordre of the senat? (quasi diceret, dubito quid).
And certes yit hadde thilke same senat don by me, thorugh hir
decrets and hir Iugements, as though it were a sinne or a felonie;
that is to seyn, to wilne the savacioun of hem (sc. senatus). But 115
folye, that lyeth alwey to him-self, may not chaunge the merite
of thinges. Ne I trowe nat, by the Iugement of Socrates, that
it were leveful to me to hyde the sothe, ne assente to lesinges.
But certes, how so ever it be of this, I putte it to gessen or
preisen to the Iugement of thee and of wyse folk. Of whiche 120
thing al the ordinaunce and the sothe, for as moche as folk that
ben to comen after our dayes shullen knowen it, I have put it
in scripture and in remembraunce. For touching the lettres falsly
maked, by whiche lettres I am accused to han hoped the fredom
of Rome, what aperteneth me to speke ther-of? Of whiche 125
lettres the fraude hadde ben shewed apertly, yif I hadde had
libertee for to han used and ben at the confessioun of myne
accusours, the whiche thing in alle nedes hath greet strengthe.
For what other fredom may men hopen? Certes, I wolde that
som other fredom mighte ben hoped. I wolde thanne han 130
answered by the wordes of a man that highte Canius; for whan
he was accused by Gaius Cesar, Germeynes sone, that he
(Canius) was knowinge and consentinge of a coniuracioun
y-maked ayeins him (sc. Gaius), this Canius answerede thus:
"Yif I hadde wist it, thou haddest nat wist it." In which thing 135
sorwe hath nat so dulled my wit, that I pleyne only that shrewede
folk aparailen felonies ayeins vertu; but I wondre greetly how
that they may performe thinges that they hadde hoped for to
don. For-why, to wilne shrewednesse, that comth peraventure
of oure defaute; but it is lyk a monstre and a mervaille, how 140
that, in the present sighte of god, may ben acheved and performed
swiche thinges as every felonous man hath conceived in his
thought ayeins innocents. For which thing oon of thy famileres
nat unskilfully axed thus: "Yif god is, whennes comen wikkede
thinges? And yif god ne is, whennes comen gode thinges?" 145
But al hadde it ben leveful that felonous folk, that now desiren
the blood and the deeth of alle gode men and eek of alle the
senat, han wilned to gon destroyen me, whom they han seyen
alwey batailen and defenden gode men and eek al the senat,
yit had I nat desserved of the faderes, that is to seyn, of the 150
senatoures, that they sholden wilne my destruccioun.

Thou remembrest wel, as I gesse, that whan I wolde doon or
seyen any thing, thou thyself, alwey present, rewledest me. At
the city of Verone, whan that the king, gredy of comune slaughter,
caste him to transporten up al the ordre of the senat the gilt of 155
his real maiestee, of the whiche gilt that Albin was accused, with
how gret sikernesse of peril to me defendede I al the senat!
Thou wost wel that I seye sooth, ne I ne avauntede me never
in preysinge of my-self. For alwey, whan any wight receiveth
precious renoun in avauntinge him-self of his werkes, he amenuseth 160
the secree of his conscience. But now thou mayst wel seen to
what ende I am comen for myne innocence; I receive peyne
of fals felonye for guerdon of verray vertu. And what open
confessioun of felonye hadde ever Iuges so acordaunt in crueltee,
that is to seyn, as myn accusinge hath, that either errour of mannes 165
wit or elles condicioun of Fortune, that is uncertein to alle mortal
folk, ne submittede some of hem, that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede
som Iuge to han pitee or compassioun? For al-thogh I hadde ben
accused that I wolde brenne holy houses, and strangle preestes
with wikkede swerde, or that I hadde greythed deeth to al gode 170
men, algates the sentence sholde han punisshed me, present,
confessed, or convict. But now I am remewed fro the citee of
Rome almost fyve hundred thousand pas, I am with-oute defence
dampned to proscripcioun and to the deeth, for the studie and
bountees that I have doon to the senat. But O, wel ben they 175
worthy of merite (as who seith, nay), ther mighte never yit non
of hem be convict of swiche a blame as myne is! Of whiche
trespas, myne accusours sayen ful wel the dignitee; the whiche
dignitee, for they wolden derken it with medeling of som felonye,
they baren me on hand, and lyeden, that I hadde polut and 180
defouled my conscience with sacrilege, for coveitise of dignitee.
And certes, thou thy-self, that are plaunted in me, chacedest
out of the sege of my corage al coveitise of mortal thinges; ne
sacrilege hadde no leve to han a place in me biforn thyne eyen.
For thou droppedest every day in myne eres and in my thought 185
thilke comaundement of Pictagoras, that is to seyn, men shal
serve to godde, and not to goddes. Ne it was nat convenient,
ne no nede, to taken help of the foulest spirites; I, that thou
hast ordeined and set in swiche excellence that thou makedest
me lyk to god. And over this, the right clene secree chaumbre 190
of myne hous, that is to seyn, my wyf, and the companye of
myn honest freendes, and my wyves fader, as wel holy as worthy
to ben reverenced thorugh his owne dedes, defenden me from
alle suspecioun of swich blame. But O malice! For they that
accusen me taken of thee, Philosophie, feith of so gret blame! 195
For they trowen that I have had affinitee to malefice or enchauntement,
by-cause that I am replenisshed and fulfilled with thy
techinges, and enformed of thy maneres. And thus it suffiseth
not only, that thy reverence ne availe me not, but-yif that thou,
of thy free wille, rather be blemished with myn offencioun. But 200
certes, to the harmes that I have, ther bitydeth yit this
encrees of harm, that the gessinge and the Iugement of moche
folk ne looken no-thing to the desertes of thinges, but only
to the aventure of fortune; and iugen that only swiche thinges
ben purveyed of god, whiche that temporel welefulnesse commendeth. 205

Glose. As thus: that, yif a wight have prosperitee, he is a
good man and worthy to han that prosperitee; and who-so hath
adversitee, he is a wikked man, and god hath forsake him, and
he is worthy to han that adversitee. This is the opinioun of some 210
folk.

And ther-of comth that good gessinge, first of alle thing, forsaketh
wrecches: certes, it greveth me to thinke right now the
dyverse sentences that the poeple seith of me. And thus moche
I seye, that the laste charge of contrarious fortune is this: that, 215
whan that any blame is leyd upon a caitif, men wenen that he
hath deserved that he suffreth. And I, that am put awey fro
gode men, and despoiled of dignitees, and defouled of my name
by gessinge, have suffred torment for my gode dedes. Certes,
me semeth that I see the felonous covines of wikked men 220
habounden in Ioye and in gladnesse. And I see that every
lorel shapeth him to finde out newe fraudes for to accuse gode
folk. And I see that gode men beth overthrowen for drede
of my peril; and every luxurious tourmentour dar doon alle
felonye unpunisshed and ben excited therto by yiftes; and 225
innocents ne ben not only despoiled of sikernesse but of defence;
and therfore me list to cryen to god in this wyse:—

Pr. IV. 1. C. Felistow; A. Felest thou. 2. A. Art thou. // C. wepistow; A. wepest thou. 3. A. spillest thou. 9. C. sen; A. seen. 11. A. sege (for sete). 12. So A.; C. deuynyte. // C. om. 2nd touchinge. 13. C. om. it is. 14. C. om. quasi ... non. 17. After this, C. has nonne; A. has ironice. // C. gerdouns; A. gerdoun (Lat. praemia). 18. C. conformedest (Lat. sanxisti); see note. 19. C. Mowht; A. mouthe. 20. A. comunabletes. 22. A. studieden in grete wisdomes. 25. C. whise; A. wyse. 26. A. of comune citees (Lat. urbium). 27. C. citesenes; A. citizenis. 29. A. folowynge. // C. autorite; A. auctoritee. 30. C. excussioun(!); A. execusioun. 32. C. whise; A. wise. 33. A. knowen; C. has the gloss concij (= conscii). 34. C. dignete; A. dignite. // C. om. the. 36. So A.; C. descordes. // Above preyeres, C. has i. est inexorabiles. 37. A. om. 2nd the. 38. C. sauacioun; A. saluacioun. 40. C. recisted. // C. hyhte; A. hyȝt. 41. C. Ed. prospere; A. propre. 42. A. poure. // C. fookk; A. folke. 45. C. deffended; A. defended. // C. autorite; A. auctorite. 47. C. vnpunyssed; A. -nysched. 49. C. ne drowh; A. drowe. 50. A. rychesse. // C. om. 2nd the. 51. A. eyther (for outher). // C. pryuey; A. priue. // C. Raueynes; A. rauynes. 54. C. yer; A. yere. 55. C. A. solde. 58. C. sowre; A. soure (Lat. acerbae famis tempore). 59. A. establissed; C. estabelissed. // C. vnplitable; A. inplitable (Lat. inexplicabilis). 61. Ed. Campayne; C. A. Compaygne. 64. The gloss (Coempcioun ... part) is misplaced in both MSS., so as to precede Whan it was (58). 65. C. estabelissed. // A. om. the. 66. C. imposiscioun. // C. bossel; A. busshel. 68. So A.; C. consoler (!). // A. rychesse. 69. C. palysse; A. palays. 70. C. drowh; A. drowe. 71. sc. faucibus from A. 73. C. punisse; A. punischen. // C. conseyler. 75. A. yseyne. 77. A. asseured. 78. After no-thing, C. adds i. affinite. 79. C. om. 2nd the. 81. A. om. 2nd the. 82, 85. C. whilom; A. somtyme. 84. C. caudencius (wrongly). 88. C. sentuarye; A. seyntuaries. 89. C. om. was. 90. C. assingned; A. assigned. 91. C. me (= men); A. men. // C. marke; A. merken. 92. A. om. the. // C. om. thee. 93. C. crwelte. 94. C. resseyued. 98. C. asshamyd; A. asshamed. 99. C. whas. 101. A. axest thou. 102. C. desires. 104. C. destorbed; A. distourbed. 106. C. maysteresse; A. meistresse. A. demest thou. 109. C. om. that. 109. C. I am; A. Ed. om. I. 110. C. destorbed. 111. A. a felonie than. 114. C. and (for or). 119. C. A. put. 120. C. whise. 122. C. shellen; A. schollen (better shullen). 123. A. om. 2nd in. C. thowchinge. 125. C. om. Of whiche lettres. 129. C. om. what. // C. hoepen. 133. C. om. Canius. 136. C. sorw. 137. C. felonies; A. folies (Lat. scelerata). // A. vertues (wrongly). 138. C. han; A. had (better hadde). 139. C. om. to. 148. C. gon and; A. Ed. om. and. 151. C. willene; A. wilne. 153. C. rwledest. 154. C. om. 1st the. 155. C. transpor(!). C. vp; A. vp on. 157. C. deffendede. 158. A. om. 2nd ne. 159. C. resseyueth; A. resceiueth. 162. C. resseyue; A. receiue. 163. A. in (for for). // Both gerdoun; Ed. gwerdone. 164. C. crwelte. 171. C. punyssed; A. punysched. 172. A. conuict; C. conuict. // So A.; C. remwed. 173. C. paas. 176. C. merite; A. mercye; (gloss in C. ironice; O meritos). 179. C. dirken. 180. C. an; A. on. 181. C. sacrilege; glossed sorcerie. 183. C. alle; A. al. 185. C. om. 2nd in. 187. in margin of C.; Homo debet seruire deo et non diis. // C. om. was. // A. no couenaunt (Lat. Nec conueniebat). 188. A. spirites; C. spirite (Lat. spirituum). 189. C. and; A. or. 190. C. chaumbyr; A. chaumbre. 191. C. compaygnye; A. compaignie. 193. C. deffenden. // C. from; A. of. 195. C. the philosophre; A. the philosophie (Lat. te). 196. A. enchauntementz. 198. C. thechinges. 207. A. Glosa. 208. C. who; A. who so. 217. C. desserued. 218. C. of (1); A. from. 223. C. beth; A. ben. 225. C. vnpunnysshed; A. vnpunissed. 227. C. wise; A. manere; Ed. maner.

Metre V.

O stelliferi conditor orbis.

O thou maker of the whele that bereth the sterres, which that
art y-fastned to thy perdurable chayer, and tornest the hevene
with a ravisshing sweigh, and constreinest the sterres to suffren
thy lawe; so that the mone som-tyme shyning with hir ful hornes,
meting with alle the bemes of the sonne hir brother, hydeth the 5
sterres that ben lesse; and somtyme, whan the mone, pale with
hir derke hornes, approcheth the sonne, leseth hir lightes; and
that the eve-sterre Hesperus, whiche that in the firste tyme of
the night bringeth forth hir colde arysinges, cometh eft ayein
hir used cours, and is pale by the morwe at the rysing of the 10
sonne, and is thanne cleped Lucifer. Thou restreinest the day
by shorter dwelling, in the tyme of colde winter that maketh
the leves to falle. Thou dividest the swifte tydes of the night,
whan the hote somer is comen. Thy might atempreth the
variaunts sesons of the yere; so that Zephirus the deboneir 15
wind bringeth ayein, in the first somer sesoun, the leves that
the wind that highte Boreas hath reft awey in autumpne, that
is to seyn, in the laste ende of somer; and the sedes that the
sterre that highte Arcturus saw, ben waxen heye cornes whan the
sterre Sirius eschaufeth hem. Ther nis no-thing unbounde from 20
his olde lawe, ne forleteth the werke of his propre estat.

O thou governour, governinge alle thinges by certein ende, why
refusestow only to governe the werkes of men by dewe manere?
Why suffrest thou that slydinge fortune torneth so grete entrechaunginges
of thinges, so that anoyous peyne, that sholde dewely 25
punisshe felouns, punissheth innocents? And folk of wikkede
maneres sitten in heye chayres, and anoyinge folk treden, and
that unrightfully, on the nekkes of holy men? And vertu cler-shyninge
naturelly is hid in derke derkenesses, and the rightful
man bereth the blame and the peyne of the feloun. Ne forsweringe 30
ne the fraude, covered and kembd with a fals colour,
ne anoyeth nat to shrewes; the whiche shrewes, whan hem list
to usen hir strengthe, they reioysen hem to putten under hem
the sovereyne kinges, whiche that poeple with-outen noumbre
dreden. 35

O thou, what so ever thou be that knittest alle bondes of
thinges, loke on thise wrecchede erthes; we men that ben nat
a foule party, but a fayr party of so grete a werk, we ben
tormented in this see of fortune. Thou governour, withdraw
and restreyne the ravisshinge flodes, and fastne and ferme thise 40
erthes stable with thilke bonde, with whiche thou governest the
hevene that is so large.'

Me. V. 1. C. whel; A. whele. 3. C. Rauessyng; A. rauyssyng. // C. sweyh; A. sweigh; Ed. sweygh. 4. C. wyt (for with). 6. A. lasse. // C. wan (for whan). 9. C. est; A. eft (Lat. iterum). // A. aȝeynes. 10. C. om. the after at. 13. C. falle; A. to falle. // C. swift; A. swifte. 14. C. wan (for whan). 15. C. sesoun (wrongly); A. sesons. 17. C. hihte; A. hyȝt. // C. borias. 19. C. hihte; A. hyȝt. // C. sawgh; A. saw. // C. hyye; A. hey. // C. wan. 20. C. eschaufed; A. eschaufeth; (Lat. urat). // C. fram. 21. C. the werke; A. hym. 23. C. refowsestow; A. refusest thou. // C. dwwe; A. dewe. 24. C. suffres. // C. so; A. to. // A. vtter; (for entre-). 25. C. dwwelly; A. duelly. 26. C. punysshe; A. punissitȝ. 27. C. heere; A. heiȝe (Lat. celsos). // C. chayres; A. chaiers. 28. C. oon (read on); A. in. 29. A. clere and shynyng (Lat. clara). 30. A. Ne the forsweryng. 32. C. weche (for whiche). // C. wan (for whan). 34. C. weche. // C. nowmbyr; A. noumbre. 38. C. om. a bef. werk. 39. C. this; A. the. // C. withdrawh. 40. C. restryne; A. restreyne. // C. thei (for the). // C. rauesynge; A. rauyssinge. 41. C. by whiche; A. with whiche (better?)

Prose V.

Hic ubi continuato dolore delatraui.

Whan I hadde, with a continuel sorwe, sobbed or borken out
thise thinges, she with hir chere pesible, and no-thing amoeved
with my compleintes, seide thus: 'Whan I say thee,' quod she,
'sorweful and wepinge, I wiste anon that thou were a wrecche
and exiled; but I wiste never how fer thyne exile was, yif thy 5
tale ne hadde shewed it to me. But certes, al be thou fer fro thy
contree, thou nart nat put out of it; but thou hast failed of thy
weye and gon amis. And yif thou hast lever for to wene that
thou be put out of thy contree, than hast thou put out thy-self
rather than any other wight hath. For no wight but thy-self ne 10
mighte never han don that to thee. For yif thou remembre of
what contree thou art born, it nis nat governed by emperours, ne
by governement of multitude, as weren the contrees of hem of
Athenes; but oo lord and oo king, and that is god, that is lord of
thy contree, whiche that reioyseth him of the dwelling of hise 15
citezenes, and nat for to putte hem in exil; of the whiche lorde
it is a soverayne fredom to be governed by the brydel of him and
obeye to his Iustice. Hastow foryeten thilke right olde lawe of thy
citee, in the whiche citee it is ordeined and establisshed, that for
what wight that hath lever founden ther-in his sete or his hous than 20
elles-wher, he may nat be exiled by no right from that place? For
who-so that is contened in-with the palis and the clos of thilke citee,
ther nis no drede that he may deserve to ben exiled. But who-so
that leteth the wil for to enhabite there, he forleteth also to deserve
to ben citezein of thilke citee. So that I sey, that the face of this 25
place ne moveth me nat so mochel as thyne owne face. Ne I
axe nat rather the walles of thy librarie, aparayled and wrought
with yvory and with glas, than after the sete of thy thought. In
whiche I putte nat whylom bokes, but I putte that that maketh
bokes worthy of prys or precious, that is to seyn, the sentence of 30
my bokes. And certeinly of thy desertes, bistowed in comune
good, thou hast seid sooth, but after the multitude of thy gode
dedes, thou hast seid fewe; and of the honestee or of the falsnesse
of thinges that ben aposed ayeins thee, thou hast remembred
thinges that ben knowen to alle folk. And of the felonyes and 35
fraudes of thyne accusours, it semeth thee have y-touched it forsothe
rightfully and shortly, al mighten tho same thinges betere
and more plentivousely ben couth in the mouthe of the poeple
that knoweth al this.

Thou hast eek blamed gretly and compleined of the wrongful 40
dede of the senat. And thou hast sorwed for my blame, and thou
hast wopen for the damage of thy renoun that is apayred; and thy
laste sorwe eschaufede ayeins fortune, and compleinest that guerdouns
ne ben nat evenliche yolden to the desertes of folk. And
in the latere ende of thy wode Muse, thou preyedest that thilke 45
pees that governeth the hevene sholde governe the erthe. But
for that manye tribulaciouns of affecciouns han assailed thee, and
sorwe and ire and wepinge to-drawen thee dyversely; as thou art
now feble of thought, mightier remedies ne shullen nat yit touchen
thee, for whiche we wol usen somdel lighter medicines: so that 50
thilke passiouns that ben woxen harde in swellinge, by perturbaciouns
flowing in-to thy thought, mowen wexen esy and softe,
to receiven the strengthe of a more mighty and more egre
medicine, by an esier touchinge.

Pr. V. 1. C. om. a. // C. borken (= barked); A. broken (Lat. delatraui). 2. A. peisible. 4. C. soruful; A. sorweful. // C. wrechche; A. wrecche. 6. C. nadde; A. ne hadde. // A. to me; C. om. to. 8. C. wey; A. weye. 11. C. remenbre; A. remembre. 13. C. om. hem of. 16. C. cytesenis; A. citezenis. C. put; A. putte. 17. C. brydul; A. bridel. 18. C. hasthow; A. hast thou. 19. C. weche. 20. C. whyht; A. wyȝt. 21. C. wer; A. where. 22. C. contyned; A. contened. // C. palys; A. paleis (Lat. uallo). 23. C. desserue. 25. C. cytesein; A. Citezein. // C. face, glossed i. manere (Lat. facies). 26. C. moueth; A. amoeueth. 27. A. Ne I ne axe. // C. wrowht; A. wrouȝt. 29. C. put; A. putte (twice). // C. whilom; A. somtyme. 30. C. presyous. 32. C. seyde; A. seid. 33. A. vnhonestee (wrongly). 34. A. Ed. opposed. // C. remenbryd. 36. C. Acusours. // C. I-twoched (for I-towched); A. I-touched. 38: C. mowhth; A. mouthe. 42. A. wepen. 43. C. A. gerdouns; Ed. guerdons. 44. C. om. nat. 45. C. latere; A. lattre. // C. glosses wode by s. seuientis. 52. A. perturbacioun folowyng (wrongly).

Metre VI.

Cum Phebi radiis graue
Cancri sidus inestuat.

Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre eschaufeth by the
bemes of Phebus, that is to seyn, whan that Phebus the sonne is
in the signe of the Cancre, who-so yeveth thanne largely hise sedes
to the feldes that refusen to receiven hem, lat him gon, bigyled of
trust that he hadde to his corn, to acorns of okes. Yif thou wolt 5
gadre violettes, ne go thou not to the purpur wode whan the feld,
chirkinge, agryseth of colde by the felnesse of the winde that highte
Aquilon. Yif thou desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seke thou nat,
with a glotonous hond, to streyne and presse the stalkes of the
vine in the ferst somer sesoun; for Bachus, the god of wyne, hath 10
rather yeven hise yiftes to autumpne, the later ende of somer.

God tokneth and assigneth the tymes, ablinge hem to hir
propres offices; ne he ne suffreth nat the stoundes whiche that
him-self hath devyded and constreyned to ben y-medled to-gidere.
And forthy he that forleteth certein ordinaunce of doinge by over-throwinge 15
wey, he ne hath no glade issue or ende of his werkes.

Me. VI. 1. C. cankyr; A. Ed. cancre. 2. C. beemes; A. beme (Lat. radiis). 3. C. cankyr; A. Ed. Cancre. 4. C. feeldes. // C. Reseyue; A. receiuen. // C. glosses hem by s. corn. 5. C. Accornes of Okes; A. acorns or okes. // C. wolt; A. wilt. 6. C. gadery; A. gadre. // C. feeld; A. felde. 7. C. felnesses; A. felnesse. // C. hyhte; A. hyȝt. 9. C. stryne; A. streyne. 11. C. later; A. latter. 13. C. propres; A. propre. 16. C. issw; A. issue.

Prose VI.

Primum igitur paterisne me pauculis rogacionibus.

First woltow suffre me to touche and assaye the estat of thy
thought by a fewe demaundes, so that I may understonde what
be the manere of thy curacioun?'

'Axe me,' quod I, 'at thy wille, what thou wolt, and I shal
answere.' 5

Tho seide she thus: 'Whether wenestow,' quod she, 'that
this world be governed by foolish happes and fortunous, or
elles that ther be in it any governement of resoun?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'I ne trowe nat in no manere, that so
certein thinges sholde be moeved by fortunous fortune; but I 10
wot wel that god, maker and mayster, is governour of his werk.
Ne never nas yit day that mighte putte me out of the sothnesse
of that sentence.'

'So is it,' quod she; 'for the same thing songe thou a litel
her-biforn, and biweyledest and biweptest, that only men weren 15
put out of the cure of god. For of alle other thinges thou
ne doutedest nat that they nere governed by resoun. But owh!
(i. pape!) I wondre gretly, certes, why that thou art syk, sin
that thou art put in so holsom a sentence. But lat us seken
depper; I coniecte that ther lakketh I not nere what. But 20
sey me this: sin that thou ne doutest nat that this world be
governed by god, with whiche governailes takestow hede that
it is governed?'

'Unnethe,' quod I, 'knowe I the sentence of thy questioun;
so that I ne may nat yit answeren to thy demaundes.' 25

'I nas nat deceived,' quod she, 'that ther ne faileth somwhat,
by whiche the maladye of thy perturbacioun is crept into
thy thought, so as the strengthe of the palis chyning is open.
But sey me this: remembrest thou what is the ende of thinges,
and whider that the entencioun of alle kinde tendeth?' 30

'I have herd it told som-tyme,' quod I; 'but drerinesse hath
dulled my memorie.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'thou wost wel whennes that alle thinges
ben comen and procedeth?'

'I wot wel,' quod I, and answerede, that 'god is beginning 35
of al.'

'And how may this be,' quod she, 'that, sin thou knowest
the beginning of thinges, that thou ne knowest nat what is the
ende of thinges? But swiche ben the customes of perturbaciouns,
and this power they han, that they may moeve a 40
man out of his place, that is to seyn, fro the stablenes and perfeccioun
of his knowinge; but, certes, they may nat al arace
him, ne aliene him in al. But I wolde that thou woldest
answere to this: remembrestow that thou art a man?'

'Why sholde I nat remembre that?' quod I. 45

'Maystow nat telle me thanne,' quod she, 'what thing is a man?'

'Axestow me nat,' quod I, 'whether that I be a resonable
mortal beest? I woot wel, and I confesse wel that I am it.'

'Wistestow never yit that thou were any other thing?' quod
she. 50

'No,' quod I.

'Now woot I,' quod she, 'other cause of thy maladye, and
that right grete. Thou hast left for to knowen thy-self, what
thou art; thorugh whiche I have pleynly founden the cause of
thy maladye, or elles the entree of recoveringe of thyn hele. 55
For-why, for thou art confounded with foryeting of thy-self, for-thy
sorwestow that thou art exiled of thy propre goodes. And
for thou ne wost what is the ende of thinges, for-thy demestow
that felonous and wikked men ben mighty and weleful. And
for thou hast foryeten by whiche governements the world is 60
governed, for-thy wenestow that thise mutaciouns of fortune
fleten with-oute governour. Thise ben grete causes not only
to maladye, but, certes, grete causes to deeth. But I thanke
the auctor and the maker of hele, that nature hath not al
forleten thee. I have grete norisshinges of thyn hele, and that 65
is, the sothe sentence of governaunce of the worlde; that thou
bilevest that the governinge of it nis nat subiect ne underput
to the folie of thise happes aventurous, but to the resoun of
god. And ther-for doute thee no-thing; for of this litel spark
thyn hete of lyf shal shyne. 70

But for as moche as it is nat tyme yit of faster remedies, and
the nature of thoughtes deceived is this, that as ofte as they
casten awey sothe opiniouns, they clothen hem in false opiniouns,
of which false opiniouns the derkenesse of perturbacioun wexeth
up, that confoundeth the verray insighte: and that derkenesse 75
shal I assaye som-what to maken thinne and wayk by lighte
and meneliche remedies; so that, after that the derkenesse of
deceivinge desiringes is don awey, thou mowe knowe the shyninge
of verray light.

Pr. VI. 1. C. woltow; A. wolt thou. // C. estat; A. stat. 6. C. wheyther. // C. weenesthow; A. wenest thou. 8. A. ins. wenest thou after elles. 9. A. om. 2nd I. 11. C. his; A. this (Lat. suo). 12. C. put; A. putte. 14. C. lytul; A. lytel. 17. C. dowtedest, A. doutest. // C. owh; A. how; Ed. ough. 18. C. syk; A. seek. 19. C. sin that; A. sithen. // A. in-to (for in). 20. A. om. nere. 21. C. syn; A. sithen. 22. A. takest thou. 23. C. om. it. 25. C. om. nat. // A. demaunde (Lat. inquisita). 26. C. desseyued. 27. C. of thi; A. om. thi. 28. C. palys chynyng; A. paleys schynyng (Lat. hiante ualli robore). 29. C. remenbres. // A. adds thi bef. thinges; and om. and. 30. C. entensyn. 34. A. proceded. 35. A. is the. 37. C. syn; A. sithen. 39. A. endyng. 42. C. arrace; A. arace. 44. C. Remenbresthow; A. remembrest thou. 45. C. remenbre. 46. C. Maysthow; A. Maiste thou. // C. thinge. 47. C. Axestow me nat; A. Axest not me. // C. wheither. // A. om. I after that. 48. A. best mortel. 49. C. Wystesthow; A. Wistest thou. 54. C. fwonde; A. knowen. 56. C. confwndyd. 57. C. sorwistow; A. sorwest thou. 58. C. domesthow; A. demest. 59. A. om. And. 60. C. ast foryeeten. // C. gouernement; A. gouernementz (Lat. gubernaculis). 61. A. wenest thou. 63. C. thi deth; A. (rightly) om. thi. 64. C. alle; A. al. 65. A. ins. and before I have. 67. A. subgit. // C. -putte; A. -put. 68. C. Auentros; A. auenturouses; Ed. auenturous. // C. om. to. 69. C. lytul; A. litel. 70. A. heet. 71. C. meche (= moche). 72. C. desseyued; A. disseiued. 74. C. dirkenesse; A. derknesse. // C. perturba (!). // C. wexit. 78. C. A. desseyuynge.

Metre VII.

Nubibus atris.

The sterres, covered with blake cloudes, ne mowen yeten
a-doun no light. Yif the trouble wind that hight Auster, turning
and walwinge the see, medleth the hete, that is to seyn,
the boyling up from the botme; the wawes, that whylom weren
clere as glas and lyke to the faire clere dayes, withstande anon 5
the sightes of men by the filthe and ordure that is resolved.
And the fletinge streem, that royleth doun dyversly fro heye
mountaignes, is arested and resisted ofte tyme by the encountringe
of a stoon that is departed and fallen from som roche.

And for-thy, yif thou wolt loken and demen sooth with cleer 10
light, and holden the wey with a right path, weyve thou Ioye,
dryf fro thee drede, fleme thou hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche;
that is to seyn, lat non of thise four passiouns over-comen thee
or blende thee. For cloudy and derke is thilke thought, and
bounde with brydles, where-as thise thinges regnen.' 15

Me. VII. 1. C. Ed. yeten; A. geten. 2. C. A. wynde. 4. C. Ed. whilom; A. somtyme. 5. C. lyk; A. lyke. // C. cleere dayes and brihte; A. bryȝt dayes. // C. withstand; A. withstant. 7. C. hy; A. heyȝe. 9. C. fram. 14. C. A. dirke. 15. C. were (for where). // C. reygnen; A. regnen.

Explicit Liber Primus.