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

by Walter William Skeat

BOOK III.

Prose I.

Iam cantum illa finierat.

By this she hadde ended hir song, whan the sweetnesse of hir
ditee hadde thorugh-perced me that was desirous of herkninge,
and I astoned hadde yit streighte myn eres, that is to seyn, to
herkne the bet what she wolde seye; so that a litel here-after I
seyde thus: 'O thou that art sovereyn comfort of anguissous 5
corages, so thou hast remounted and norisshed me with the
weighte of thy sentences and with delyt of thy singinge; so that
I trowe nat now that I be unparigal to the strokes of Fortune:
as who seyth, I dar wel now suffren al the assautes of Fortune, and
wel defende me fro hir. And tho remedies whiche that thou 10
seydest her-biforn weren right sharpe, nat only that. I am nat
a-grisen of hem now, but I, desirous of heringe, axe gretely to
heren the remedies.'

Than seyde she thus: 'That felede I ful wel,' quod she, 'whan
that thou, ententif and stille, ravisshedest my wordes; and I 15
abood til that thou haddest swich habite of thy thought as thou
hast now; or elles til that I my-self hadde maked to thee the
same habit, which that is a more verray thing. And certes, the
remenaunt of thinges that ben yit to seye ben swiche, that first
whan men tasten hem they ben bytinge, but whan they ben 20
receyved withinne a wight, than ben they swete. But for thou
seyst that thou art so desirous to herkne hem, with how gret
brenninge woldest thou glowen, yif thou wistest whider I wol
leden thee!'

'Whider is that?' quod I. 25

'To thilke verray welefulnesse,' quod she, 'of whiche thyn herte
dremeth; but for as moche as thy sighte is ocupied and distorbed
by imaginacioun of erthely thinges, thou mayst nat yit seen thilke
selve welefulnesse.'

'Do,' quod I, 'and shewe me what is thilke verray welefulnesse, 30
I preye thee, with-oute taryinge.'

'That wole I gladly don,' quod she, 'for the cause of thee;
but I wol first marken thee by wordes and I wol enforcen me to
enformen thee thilke false cause of blisfulnesse that thou more
knowest; so that, whan thou hast fully bi-holden thilke false 35
goodes, and torned thyn eyen to that other syde, thou mowe knowe
the cleernesse of verray blisfulnesse.

Pr. I. 3. C. streyhte; Ed. streyght. 5. C angwissos. 7. C. weyhte; Ed. weight. // C. sentenses; Ed. sentences. 8. C. vnparygal; Ed. vnperegall. 10. C. deffende; Ed. defende. 11. C. hir-; Ed. here-. 12. C. desiros; Ed. desyrous. 17. C. Ed. had. 21. C. resseyued. 22. C. wit; Ed. with. 23. C. woldesthow; Ed. woldest thou. 26. C. thynge (!); Ed. thyn; Lat. tuus. 28. C. herthely; Ed. erthly. 31. C. tarynge; Ed. taryeng; Lat. cunctatione. 33. C. the (for thee); Ed. om.

Metre I.

Qui serere ingenuum uolet agrum.

Who-so wole sowe a feeld plentivous, lat him first delivere it fro
thornes, and kerve asunder with his hook the busshes and the
fern, so that the corn may comen hevy of eres and of greynes.
Hony is the more swete, yif mouthes han first tasted savoures that
ben wikkid. The sterres shynen more agreably whan the wind 5
Nothus leteth his ploungy blastes; and after that Lucifer the
day-sterre hath chased awey the derke night, the day the fairere
ledeth the rosene hors of the sonne. And right so thou, bi-holdinge
first the false goodes, bigin to with-drawen thy nekke
fro the yok of erthely affecciouns; and after-ward the verray goodes 10
shollen entren in-to thy corage.'

Me. I. 1. A. of (for fro). 2. A. bushes; Ed. busshes; C. bosses. 3. C. heres; A. eres. 5. A. wikke. // C. agreablely. 7. C. dirke; A. derke. 8. A. om. And. 10. C. verre; A. verrey.

Prose II.

Tunc defixo paullulum uisu.

Tho fastnede she a litel the sighte of hir eyen, and with-drow
hir right as it were in-to the streite sete of hir thought; and bigan
to speke right thus: 'Alle the cures,' quod she, 'of mortal folk,
whiche that travaylen hem in many maner studies, goon certes by
diverse weyes, but natheles they enforcen hem alle to comen only 5
to oon ende of blisfulnesse. And blisfulnesse is swiche a good,
that who-so that hath geten it, he ne may, over that, no-thing
more desyre. And this thing is forsothe the sovereyn good that
conteyneth in him-self alle maner goodes; to the whiche good yif
ther failede any thing, it mighte nat ben cleped sovereyn good: 10
for thanne were ther som good, out of this ilke sovereyn good, that
mighte ben desired. Now is it cleer and certein thanne, that
blisfulnesse is a parfit estat by the congregacioun of alle goodes;
the whiche blisfulnesse, as I have seyd, alle mortal folk enforcen
hem to geten by diverse weyes. For-why the coveitise of verray 15
good is naturelly y-plaunted in the hertes of men; but the miswandringe
errour mis-ledeth hem in-to false goodes. Of the
whiche men, som of hem wenen that sovereyn good be to liven
with-oute nede of any thing, and travaylen hem to be haboundaunt
of richesses. And som other men demen that sovereyn good be, 20
for to ben right digne of reverence; and enforcen hem to ben
reverenced among hir neighbours by the honours that they han
y-geten. And some folk ther ben that holden, that right heigh
power be sovereyn good, and enforcen hem for to regnen, or elles
to ioignen hem to hem that regnen. And it semeth to some other 25
folk, that noblesse of renoun be the sovereyn good; and hasten
hem to geten glorious name by the arts of werre and of pees.
And many folk mesuren and gessen that sovereyn good be Ioye
and gladnesse, and wenen that it be right blisful thing to ploungen
hem in voluptuous delyt. And ther ben folk that entrechaungen 30
the causes and the endes of thise forseyde goodes, as they that
desiren richesses to han power and delytes; or elles they desiren
power for to han moneye, or for cause of renoun. In thise thinges,
and in swiche othre thinges, is torned alle the entencioun of
desiringes and of werkes of men; as thus: noblesse and favour 35
of people, whiche that yeveth to men, as it semeth hem, a maner
cleernesse of renoun; and wyf and children, that men desiren for
cause of delyt and of merinesse. But forsothe, frendes ne sholden
nat be rekned a-mong the godes of fortune, but of vertu; for it is
a ful holy maner thing. Alle thise othre thinges, forsothe, ben 40
taken for cause of power or elles for cause of delyt.

Certes, now am I redy to referren the goodes of the body to
thise forseide thinges aboven; for it semeth that strengthe and
gretnesse of body yeven power and worthinesse, and that beautee
and swiftnesse yeven noblesses and glorie of renoun; and hele of 45
body semeth yeven delyt. In alle thise thinges it semeth only
that blisfulnesse is desired. For-why thilke thing that every man
desireth most over alle thinges, he demeth that it be the sovereyn
good; but I have defyned that blisfulnesse is the sovereyn good;
for which every wight demeth, that thilke estat that he desireth 50
over alle thinges, that it be blisfulnesse.

Now hast thou thanne biforn thyn eyen almest al the purposed
forme of the welefulnesse of man-kinde, that is to seyn, richesses,
honours, power, and glorie, and delyts. The whiche delyt only
considerede Epicurus, and iuged and establisshed that delyt is 55
the sovereyn good; for as moche as alle othre thinges, as him
thoughte, bi-refte awey Ioye and mirthe fram the herte. But I
retorne ayein to the studies of men, of whiche men the corage
alwey reherseth and seketh the sovereyn good, al be it so that
it be with a derked memorie; but he not by whiche path, right 60
as a dronken man not nat by whiche path he may retorne him to
his hous. Semeth it thanne that folk folyen and erren that
enforcen hem to have nede of nothing? Certes, ther nis non other
thing that may so wel performe blisfulnesse, as an estat plentivous
of alle goodes, that ne hath nede of non other thing, but that is 65
suffisaunt of himself unto him-self. And folyen swiche folk thanne,
that wenen that thilke thing that is right good, that it be eek right
worthy of honour and of reverence? Certes, nay. For that thing
nis neither foul ne worthy to ben despised, that wel neigh al the
entencioun of mortal folk travaylen for to geten it. And power, 70
oughte nat that eek to ben rekened amonges goodes? What
elles? For it is nat to wene that thilke thing, that is most worthy
of alle thinges, be feble and with-oute strengthe. And cleernesse
of renoun, oughte that to ben despised? Certes, ther may no
man forsake, that al thing that is right excellent and noble, that it ne 75
semeth to ben right cleer and renomed. For certes, it nedeth nat
to seye, that blisfulnesse be [nat] anguissous ne drery, ne subgit to
grevaunces ne to sorwes, sin that in right litel thinges folk seken
to have and to usen that may delyten hem. Certes, thise ben
the thinges that men wolen and desiren to geten. And for this 80
cause desiren they richesses, dignitees, regnes, glorie, and delices.
For therby wenen they to han suffisaunce, honour, power, renoun,
and gladnesse. Than is it good, that men seken thus by so many
diverse studies. In whiche desyr it may lightly ben shewed how
gret is the strengthe of nature; for how so that men han diverse 85
sentences and discordinge, algates men acorden alle in lovinge the
ende of good.

Pr. II. 2. C. cyte; A. sete; Lat. sedem. 5. C. enforsen; A. enforced; Ed. enforcen. 6. A. om. And blisfulnesse. 10. A. om. cleped. 14. C. enforsen; A. enforcen. 18. A. is (for be). 20. C. ben; A. be. 22. C. nesshebors; A. neyghbours. 23. A. halden. // C. heyh; A. heyȝe; Ed. hye. 24: A. to b (for be). 28. C. by (for be); A. Ed. be. 29. A. om. thing. 32. A. rycchesse. 35. A. om. 1st of. // C. fauor; A. fauour. 36. A. om. to men and hem. 38. A. shollen. 39. A. Ed. the; C. tho. 45. C. sweft-; A. swifte-. 49. C. deffyned; A. Ed. diffined. 52. A. om. thy eyen; C. thy (for thyn); Ed. thyn. // A. almost. 55. A. om. and bef. iuged. // C. A. establyssed; Ed. establysshed. 59. A. ins. of after good (wrongly). 60. C. dirkyd; A. derke; Ed. dyrked. // A. om. but he ... path. // C. paath (twice). 62. C. foleyen; A. folyen. 65. C. A. ins. it bef. is; Ed. om. 66. C. A. foleyen; Ed. folyen. 69. C. wel neyh; Ed. wel nygh; A. om. // C. alle; A. Ed. al. 77. I supply nat. // C. angwyssos. // C. subgyd; A. subgit. 81. A. rycches. 86. C. allegates; A. algates. // A. lyuynge (!).

Metre II.

Quantas rerum flectat habenas.

It lyketh me to shewe, by subtil song, with slakke and delitable
soun of strenges, how that Nature, mighty, enclineth and flitteth
the governements of thinges, and by whiche lawes she, purveyable,
kepeth the grete world; and how she, bindinge, restreyneth alle
thinges by a bonde that may nat ben unbounde. Al be it so that 5
the lyouns of the contre of Pene beren the faire chaynes, and
taken metes of the handes of folk that yeven it hem, and dreden
hir sturdy maystres of whiche they ben wont to suffren betinges:
yif that hir horrible mouthes ben be-bled, that is to seyn, of bestes
devoured, hir corage of time passed, that hath ben ydel and rested, 10
repeyreth ayein; and they roren grevously and remembren on hir
nature, and slaken hir nekkes fram hir chaynes unbounde; and
hir mayster, first to-torn with blody tooth, assayeth the wode
wrathes of hem; this is to seyn, they freten hir mayster. And the
iangelinge brid that singeth on the heye braunches, that is to seyn, 15
in the wode, and after is enclosed in a streyt cage: al-though that
the pleyinge bisinesse of men yeveth hem honiede drinkes and
large metes with swete studie, yit natheles, yif thilke brid, skippinge
out of hir streyte cage, seeth the agreables shadewes of the
wodes, she defouleth with hir feet hir metes y-shad, and seketh 20
mourninge only the wode; and twitereth, desiringe the wode, with
hir swete vois. The yerde of a tree, that is haled a-doun by
mighty strengthe, boweth redily the crop a-doun: but yif that the
hand of him that it bente lat it gon ayein, anon the crop loketh
up-right to hevene. The sonne Phebus, that falleth at even in 25
the westrene wawes, retorneth ayein eftsones his carte, by privee
path, ther-as it is wont aryse. Alle thinges seken ayein to hir
propre cours, and alle thinges reioysen hem of hir retorninge ayein
to hir nature. Ne non ordinaunce nis bitaken to thinges, but that
that hath ioyned the endinge to the beginninge, and hath maked 30
the cours of it-self stable, that it chaungeth nat from his propre
kinde.

Me. II. 3. A. om. the. 8. A. om. betinges. 9. C. horyble. 11. A. that (for 1st and). 13. A. to-teren. 15. A. Iangland. // A. this (for 2nd that). 16. A. inclosed. // C. streyht; A. streit. 17. C. pleynynge; A. pleiyng; Lat. ludens. 19. A. Ed. agreable. 24. C. bent; A. bente. 27. A. in-to (for to). 30. C. hat; A. hath.

Prose III.

Vos quoque, o terrena animalia.

Certes also ye men, that ben ertheliche beestes, dremen alwey
youre beginninge, al-though it be with a thinne imaginacioun;
and by a maner thoughte, al be it nat cleerly ne parfitly, ye loken
fram a-fer to thilke verray fyn of blisfulnesse; and ther-fore naturel
entencioun ledeth you to thilke verray good, but many maner 5
errours mis-torneth you ther-fro. Consider now yif that by thilke
thinges, by whiche a man weneth to geten him blisfulnesse, yif
that he may comen to thilke ende that he weneth to come by
nature. For yif that moneye or honours, or thise other forseyde
thinges bringen to men swich a thing that no good ne fayle hem 10
ne semeth fayle, certes than wole I graunte that they ben maked
blisful by thilke thinges that they han geten. But yif so be that
thilke thinges ne mowen nat performen that they bi-heten, and
that ther be defaute of manye goodes, sheweth it nat thanne
cleerly that fals beautee of blisfulnesse is knowen and ateint in 15
thilke thinges? First and forward thou thy-self, that haddest
habundaunces of richesses nat long agon, I axe yif that, in the
habundaunce of alle thilke richesses, thou were never anguissous
or sory in thy corage of any wrong or grevaunce that bi-tidde thee
on any syde?' 20

'Certes,' quod I, 'it ne remembreth me nat that evere I was
so free of my thought that I ne was alwey in anguissh of
som-what.'

'And was nat that,' quod she, 'for that thee lakked som-what
that thou noldest nat han lakked, or elles thou haddest that thou 25
noldest nat han had?'

'Right so is it,' quod I.

'Thanne desiredest thou the presence of that oon and the
absence of that other?'

'I graunte wel,' quod I. 30

'Forsothe,' quod she, 'than nedeth ther som-what that every
man desireth?'

'Ye, ther nedeth,' quod I.

'Certes,' quod she, 'and he that hath lakke or nede of aught
nis nat in every wey suffisaunt to himself?' 35

'No,' quod I.

'And thou,' quod she, 'in al the plentee of thy richesses haddest
thilke lakke of suffisaunse?'

'What elles?' quod I.

'Thanne may nat richesses maken that a man nis nedy, ne that 40
he be suffisaunt to him-self; and that was it that they bi-highten,
as it semeth. And eek certes I trowe, that this be gretly to
considere, that moneye ne hath nat in his owne kinde that it
ne may ben bi-nomen of hem that han it, maugre hem?'

'I bi-knowe it wel,' quod I. 45

'Why sholdest thou nat bi-knowen it,' quod she, 'whan every
day the strenger folk bi-nemen it fro the febler, maugre hem?
For whennes comen elles alle thise foreyne compleyntes or
quereles of pletinges, but for that men axen ayein here moneye
that hath ben bi-nomen hem by force or by gyle, and alwey 50
maugre hem?'

'Right so is it,' quod I.

'Than,' quod she, 'hath a man nede to seken him foreyne
helpe by whiche he may defende his moneye?'

'Who may sey nay?' quod I. 55

'Certes,' quod she; 'and him nedede non help, yif he ne hadde
no moneye that he mighte lese?'

'That is douteles,' quod I.

'Than is this thinge torned in-to the contrarye,' quod she.
'For richesses, that men wenen sholde make suffisaunce, they 60
maken a man rather han nede of foreyne help! Which is
the manere or the gyse,' quod she, 'that richesse may dryve awey
nede? Riche folk, may they neither han hunger ne thurst?
Thise riche men, may they fele no cold on hir limes on winter?
But thou wolt answeren, that riche men han y-now wher-with they 65
may staunchen hir hunger, slaken hir thurst, and don a-wey cold.
In this wyse may nede be counforted by richesses; but certes,
nede ne may nat all outrely ben don a-wey. For though this nede,
that is alwey gapinge and gredy, be fulfild with richesses, and axe
any thing, yit dwelleth thanne a nede that mighte be fulfild. I 70
holde me stille, and telle nat how that litel thing suffiseth to
nature; but certes to avarice y-nough ne suffiseth no-thing. For
sin that richesses ne may nat al don awey nede, but richesses
maken nede, what may it thanne be, that ye wenen that richesses
mowen yeven you suffisaunce? 75

Pr. III. 2. A. om. youre biginninge. 15. C. ataynt; A. a-teint. 24. A. that (for And). // A. om. nat that ... for. // A. thou lakkedest; Ed. the lacked. 34. A. a wyȝt (for aught). 35. C. suffysaunte; A. suffisaunt. 37, 40. A. rycchesse. 46. C. sholdesthow. 47. A. bynymen. // C. febelere; A. febler. 50. C. om. hem. 54. C. deffende. 56. A. nedith. 60. A. rycchesse. 63. A. threst. 64. C. the; A. thei. 65. A. y-nouȝ. 66. A. threst. 68. C. om. nat. // C. vtrely; A. outerly. 69, 70. C. fulfyd; A. fulfilled (twice). 72. C. aueryce; A. auarice. 73. C. rychesse (1st time only); A. rychesse (twice). // C. alwey; A. awey.

Metre III.

Quamvis fluente diues auri gurgite.

Al were it so that a riche coveytous man hadde a river fletinge
al of gold, yit sholde it never staunchen his coveitise; and though
he hadde his nekke y-charged with precious stones of the rede
see, and though he do ere his feldes plentivous with an hundred
oxen, never ne shal his bytinge bisinesse for-leten him whyl he 5
liveth, ne the lighte richesses ne sholle nat beren him companye
whan he is ded.

Me. III. 1. A. om. 2nd a. 2. A. couetise. 4. A. erye. // C. feeldes. 6. C. leuith; A. lyueth. // C. shol; A. shal. // C. A. compaignie.

Prose IV.

Set dignitates.

But dignitees, to whom they ben comen, maken they him
honorable and reverent? Han they nat so gret strengthe, that
they may putte vertues in the hertes of folk that usen the lordshipes
of hem? Or elles may they don a-wey the vyces? Certes, they
ne be nat wont to don awey wikkednesse, but they ben wont 5
rather to shewen wikkednesse. And ther-of comth it that I have
right grete desdeyn, that dignitees ben yeven ofte to wikked
men; for which thing Catullus cleped a consul of Rome, that
highte Nonius, "postum" or "boch"; as who seyth, he cleped him
a congregacioun of vyces in his brest, as a postum is ful of corupcioun, 10
al were this Nonius set in a chayre of dignitee. Seest thou nat
thanne how gret vilenye dignitees don to wikked men? Certes,
unworthinesse of wikked men sholde be the lasse y-sene, yif they
nere renomed of none honours. Certes, thou thyself ne mightest
nat ben brought with as manye perils as thou mightest suffren 15
that thou woldest beren the magistrat with Decorat; that is to
seyn, that for no peril that mighte befallen thee by offence of the king
Theodorike, thou noldest nat be felawe in governaunce with Decorat;
whan thou saye that he hadde wikked corage of a likerous shrewe
and of an accuser. Ne I ne may nat, for swiche honours, iugen 20
hem worthy of reverence, that I deme and holde unworthy to han
thilke same honours. Now yif thou saye a man that were fulfild
of wisdom, certes, thou ne mightest nat deme that he were unworthy
to the honour, or elles to the wisdom of which he is
fulfild?'—'No,' quod I.—'Certes, dignitees,' quod she, 'apertienen 25
proprely to vertu; and vertu transporteth dignitee anon to
thilke man to which she hir-self is conioigned. And for as moche
as honours of poeple ne may nat maken folk digne of honour, it
is wel seyn cleerly that they ne han no propre beautee of dignitee.
And yit men oughten taken more heed in this. For yif it so be 30
that a wikked wight be so mochel the foulere and the more out-cast,
that he is despysed of most folk, so as dignitee ne may nat
maken shrewes digne of reverence, the which shrewes dignitee
sheweth to moche folk, thanne maketh dignitee shrewes rather so
moche more despysed than preysed; and forsothe nat unpunisshed: 35
that is for to seyn, that shrewes revengen hem ayeinward
up-on dignitees; for they yilden ayein to dignitees as gret guerdoun,
whan they bi-spotten and defoulen dignitees with hir
vilenye. And for as mochel as thou mowe knowe that thilke
verray reverence ne may nat comen by thise shadewy transitorie 40
dignitees, undirstond now thus: yif that a man hadde used and
had many maner dignitees of consules, and were comen peraventure
amonge straunge naciouns, sholde thilke honour maken
him worshipful and redouted of straunge folk? Certes, yif that
honour of poeple were a naturel yift to dignitees, it ne mighte 45
never cesen nowher amonges no maner folk to don his office,
right as fyr in every contree ne stinteth nat to eschaufen and to
ben hoot. But for as moche as for to ben holden honourable or
reverent ne cometh nat to folk of hir propre strengthe of nature,
but only of the false opinioun of folk, that is to seyn, that wenen 50
that dignitees maken folk digne of honour; anon therfore whan
that they comen ther-as folk ne knowen nat thilke dignitees, hir
honours vanisshen awey, and that anon. But that is amonges
straunge folk, mayst thou seyn; but amonges hem ther they
weren born, ne duren nat thilke dignitees alwey? Certes, the 55
dignitee of the provostrie of Rome was whylom a gret power;
now is it nothing but an ydel name, and the rente of the senatorie
a gret charge. And yif a wight whylom hadde the office to taken
hede to the vitailes of the poeple, as of corn and other thinges, he
was holden amonges grete; but what thing is now more out-cast 60
thanne thilke provostrie? And, as I have seyd a litel her-biforn,
that thilke thing that hath no propre beautee of him-self receiveth
som-tyme prys and shyninge, and som-tyme leseth it by the
opinioun of usaunces. Now yif that dignitees thanne ne mowen
nat maken folk digne of reverence, and yif that dignitees wexen 65
foule of hir wille by the filthe of shrewes, and yif that dignitees
lesen hir shyninge by chaunginge of tymes, and yif they wexen
foule by estimacioun of poeple: what is it that they han in hem-self
of beautee that oughte ben desired? as who seyth, non;
thanne ne mowen they yeven no beautee of dignitee to non other. 70

Pr. IV. 2. C. honorable, glossed ironice. 3. C. lordshippys; A. lordshipes. 5. A. om. ne. // A. wikkednesses (twice); Lat. nequitiam. 6. C. om. to bef. shewen. 7. C. desdaign; A. desdeyne. 9. C. nomyus; A. nonius. // Ed. postome. 11. C. nomyus. // C. om. a. // C. Sesthow. 12. C. fylonye; A. vylenye; Ed. vylonies; Lat. dedecus. 16. C. Ed. the; A. thi. // A. magistrat; C. magestrat. 17. A. by the offence; C. by offense; Ed. by offence. 19. Ed. saw. // C. lykoros; A. likerous. 22. Ed. sawe. 25. A. Ed. quod she; C. om. 29. C. they, glossed, s. honurs. 30. A. more; C. mor. // C. om. it. 30-5. A. For if it so be that he that is most out-cast that most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne may nat maken shrewes worthi of no reuerences. than maketh dignites shrewes more dispised than preised. the whiche shrewes dignit (sic) scheweth to moche folk. and forsothe not vnpunissed; Ed. for if a wight be in so muche the more outcast, that he is dispysed of moste folke, so as dignyte ne may not maken shrewes worthy of no reuerence, than maketh dignite shrewes rather dispysed than praysed, the whiche shrewes dignite sheweth to moche folk. And forsothe not vnpunisshed. 38. C. A. gerdoun; Ed. guerdons. // C. by-spetten; A. byspotten; Lat. commaculant. 40. C. thyse shadwye; A. the shadewy. 41. A. this (for thus). 47. A. enchaufen. 50. C. om. that bef. wenen. 53. C. vanesshen; A. vanissen. 54. C. maysthow. // A. but; C. Ed. ne. 56, 58. C. whylom; A. som-tyme (twice). 57. C. om. the bef. senatorie. 59. A. and what other; Ed. and of other. 62. C. resseyueth; A. resceyueth. 66. C. felthe; A. filthe. // C. om. that after yif (3rd time only). 70. C. dignete.

Metre IV.

Quamvis se, Tyrio superbus ostro.

Al be it so that the proude Nero, with alle his wode luxurie,
kembde him and aparailede him with faire purpres of Tirie,
and with whyte perles, algates yit throf he hateful to alle folk:
this is to seyn, that al was he behated of alle folk. Yit this
wikked Nero hadde gret lordship, and yaf whylom to the 5
reverents senatours the unworshipful setes of dignitees. Unworshipful
setes he clepeth here, for that Nero, that was so wikked, yaf
tho dignitees. Who-so wolde thanne resonably wenen, that blisfulnesse
were in swiche honours as ben yeven by vicious shrewes? 10

Me. IV. 2. A. kembed; apparailed. 5. C. lorshippe; A. lordship. // C. Ed. whylom; A. som-tyme. 6. C. reuerentz; Ed. reuerent; A. dredeful; Lat. uerendis. 8. A. tho; C. Ed. the. // A. om. so. 10. C. vysios; A. vicious.

Prose V.

An vero regna regumque familiaritas.

But regnes and familiaritees of kinges, may they maken a
man to ben mighty? How elles, whan hir blisfulnesse dureth
perpetuely? But certes, the olde age of tyme passed, and eek
of present tyme now, is ful of ensaumples how that kinges ben
chaunged in-to wrecchednesse out of hir welefulnesse. O! a 5
noble thing and a cleer thing is power, that is nat founden
mighty to kepen it-self! And yif that power of reaumes be
auctour and maker of blisfulnesse, yif thilke power lakketh on
any syde, amenuseth it nat thilke blisfulnesse and bringeth in
wrecchednesse? But yit, al be it so that the reaumes of mankinde 10
strecchen brode, yit mot ther nede ben moche folk, over
whiche that every king ne hath no lordshipe ne comaundement.
And certes, up-on thilke syde that power faileth, which that
maketh folk blisful, right on that same syde noun-power entreth
under-nethe, that maketh hem wrecches; in this manere thanne 15
moten kinges han more porcioun of wrecchednesse than of
welefulnesse. A tyraunt, that was king of Sisile, that hadde
assayed the peril of his estat, shewede by similitude the dredes
of reaumes by gastnesse of a swerd that heng over the heved
of his familier. What thing is thanne this power, that may nat 20
don awey the bytinges of bisinesse, ne eschewe the prikkes of
drede? And certes, yit wolden they liven in sikernesse, but
they may nat; and yit they glorifye hem in hir power. Holdest
thou thanne that thilke man be mighty, that thou seest that
he wolde don that he may nat don? And holdest thou thanne 25
him a mighty man, that hath envirownede his sydes with men
of armes or seriaunts, and dredeth more hem that he maketh
agast than they dreden him, and that is put in the handes of
his servaunts for he sholde seme mighty? But of familieres
or servaunts of kinges what sholde I telle thee anything, sin 30
that I myself have shewed thee that reaumes hem-self ben
ful of gret feblesse? The whiche familieres, certes, the ryal
power of kinges, in hool estat and in estat abated, ful ofte
throweth adown. Nero constreynede Senek, his familier and
his mayster, to chesen on what deeth he wolde deyen. Antonius 35
comaundede that knightes slowen with hir swerdes Papinian
his familier, which Papinian hadde ben longe tyme ful mighty
amonges hem of the court. And yit, certes, they wolden bothe
han renounced hir power; of whiche two Senek enforcede him
to yeven to Nero his richesses, and also to han gon in-to 40
solitarie exil. But whan the grete weighte, that is to seyn, of
lordes power or of fortune, draweth hem that shullen falle,
neither of hem ne mighte do that he wolde. What thing is
thanne thilke power, that though men han it, yit they ben agast;
and whanne thou woldest han it, thou nart nat siker; and 45
yif thou woldest forleten it, thou mayst nat eschuen it? But
whether swiche men ben frendes at nede, as ben conseyled by
fortune and nat by vertu? Certes, swiche folk as weleful
fortune maketh freendes, contrarious fortune maketh hem
enemys. And what pestilence is more mighty for to anoye a 50
wight than a familier enemy?

Pr. V. 3. C. perpetualy; A. perpetuely. 7. A. realmes. 8. C. auctor; A. auctour. 10. A. realmes (om. the). 11. C. node (for nede). 12. C. lorshipe. 14. C. A. nounpower. 19. A. realmes. 20. C. famyler. 23. A. yit; C. yif. 24. C. seyst; A. seest; Lat. uideas. 27. A. seruauntes. // A. om. hem. 31. A. realmes. 32. A. feblenesse. // A. real; Ed. royal. 34. C. hyr famyler (sic); A. his familier. 37. C. famyler; A. familier. // C. that hadde; A. om. that. 41. C. solutarie; A. solitarie. 42. C. sholen; Ed. shullen; A. sholden; Lat. ruituros. 44. C. yit; Ed. yet; A. that. 47. C. wheyther.

Metre V.

Qui se uolet esse potentem.

Who-so wol be mighty, he mot daunten his cruel corage,
ne putte nat his nekke, overcomen, under the foule reynes of
lecherye. For al-be-it so that thy lordshipe strecche so fer,
that the contree of Inde quaketh at thy comaundements or at
thy lawes, and that the last ile in the see, that hight Tyle, 5
be thral to thee, yit, yif thou mayst nat putten awey thy foule
derke desyrs, and dryven out fro thee wrecched complaintes,
certes, it nis no power that thou hast. 8

Me. V. 1. C. wole; Ed. wol; A. wolde. 4. C. thath (!). // A. contre Inde. // A. comaundement. 5. A. leest (for last); Lat. ultima.

Prose VI.

Gloria uero quam fallax saepe.

But glorie, how deceivable and how foul is it ofte! For
which thing nat unskilfully a tragedien, that is to seyn, a maker
of ditees that highten tragedies, cryde and seide: "O glorie,
glorie," quod he, "thou art nothing elles to thousandes of folkes
but a greet sweller of eres!" For manye han had ful greet 5
renoun by the false opinioun of the poeple, and what thing
may ben thought fouler than swiche preysinge? For thilke folk
that ben preysed falsly, they moten nedes han shame of hir
preysinges. And yif that folk han geten hem thonk or preysinge
by hir desertes, what thing hath thilke prys eched or 10
encresed to the conscience of wyse folk, that mesuren hir good,
nat by the rumour of the poeple, but by the soothfastnesse of
conscience? And yif it seme a fair thing, a man to han
encresed and spred his name, than folweth it that it is demed
to ben a foul thing, yif it ne be y-sprad and encresed. But, 15
as I seyde a litel her-biforn that, sin ther mot nedes ben many
folk, to whiche folk the renoun of a man ne may nat comen,
it befalleth that he, that thou wenest be glorious and renomed,
semeth in the nexte partie of the erthes to ben with-oute glorie
and with-oute renoun. 20

And certes, amonges thise thinges I ne trowe nat that the
prys and grace of the poeple nis neither worthy to ben
remembred, ne cometh of wyse Iugement, ne is ferme perdurably.
But now, of this name of gentilesse, what man is it
that ne may wel seen how veyn and how flittinge a thing it 25
is? For yif the name of gentilesse be referred to renoun and
cleernesse of linage, thanne is gentil name but a foreine thing,
that is to seyn, to hem that glorifyen hem of hir linage. For it
semeth that gentilesse be a maner preysinge that comth of the
deserte of ancestres. And yif preysinge maketh gentilesse, 30
thanne moten they nedes be gentil that ben preysed. For
which thing it folweth, that yif thou ne have no gentilesse of
thy-self, that is to seyn, preyse that comth of thy deserte, foreine
gentilesse ne maketh thee nat gentil. But certes, yif ther be
any good in gentilesse, I trowe it be al-only this, that it semeth 35
as that a maner necessitee be imposed to gentil men, for that
they ne sholden nat outrayen or forliven fro the virtues of hir
noble kinrede.

Pr. VI. 4. A. Ed. he; C. she (!). 6. A. om. the bef. poeple. 9. C. of (for or). 15. A. ne encresed. 19. A. parties of the erthe; Lat. parte terrarum. 23. C. remenbred. 24, 26, 29. C. gentellesse; A. gentilesse. 26. C. refferred. 30. A. decert; Ed. desertes. 32. A. folweth; C. folueth. 36. C. inposed.

Metre VI.

Omne hominum genus in terris.

Al the linage of men that ben in erthe ben of semblable
birthe. On allone is fader of thinges. On allone ministreth
alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes; he yaf to the
mone hir hornes. He yaf the men to the erthe; he yaf the
sterres to the hevene. He encloseth with membres the soules 5
that comen fro his hye sete. Thanne comen alle mortal folk
of noble sede; why noisen ye or bosten of youre eldres? For
yif thou loke your biginninge, and god your auctor and your
maker, thanne nis ther no forlived wight, but-yif he norisshe
his corage un-to vyces, and forlete his propre burthe. 10

Me. VI. 4. A. Ed. hir hornes; C. hyse hornes. 5. C. menbrys. 8. Ed. ye loke; Lat. spectes. // A. thy (for 1st your); Lat. uestra.

Prose VII.

Quid autem de corporis uoluptatibus.

But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the
desiringes ben ful of anguissh, and the fulfillinges of hem ben ful
of penaunce? How greet syknesse and how grete sorwes unsufferable,
right as a maner fruit of wikkednesse, ben thilke delices
wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche 5
delices I not what Ioye may ben had of hir moevinge. But this
wot I wel, that who-so-ever wole remembren him of hise luxures,
he shal wel understonde that the issues of delices ben sorwful
and sorye. And yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful,
than by the same cause moten thise bestes ben cleped blisful; 10
of whiche bestes al the entencioun hasteth to fulfille hir bodily
Iolitee. And the gladnesse of wyf and children were an honest
thing, but it hath ben seyd that it is over muchel ayeins kinde,
that children han ben founden tormentours to hir fadres, I not
how manye: of whiche children how bytinge is every condicioun, 15
it nedeth nat to tellen it thee, that hast or this tyme assayed
it, and art yit now anguissous. In this approve I the sentence
of my disciple Euripidis, that seyde, that "he that hath no
children is weleful by infortune."

Pr. VII. 12. A. om. an. 15. A. Ed. euery; C. euere. 18. Ed. Euripidis; C. Eurydyppys; A. Euridippus; Lat. Euripidis (gen.).

Metre VII.

Habet omnis hoc uoluptas.

Every delyt hath this, that it anguissheth hem with prikkes
that usen it. It resembleth to thise flyinge flyes that we clepen
been, that, after that he hath shad hise agreable honies, he fleeth
awey, and stingeth the hertes, of hem that ben y-smite, with
bytinge overlonge holdinge. 5

Me. VII. 1. C. A. anguisseth. 3. C. om. 2nd that. // A. the bee (for he).

Prose VIII.

Nihil igitur dubium est.

Now is it no doute thanne that thise weyes ne ben a maner
misledinges to blisfulnesse, ne that they ne mowe nat leden
folk thider as they biheten to leden hem. But with how grete
harmes thise forseyde weyes ben enlaced, I shal shewe thee
shortly. For-why yif thou enforcest thee to asemble moneye, 5
thou most bireven him his moneye that hath it. And yif
thou wolt shynen with dignitees, thou most bisechen and
supplien hem that yeven tho dignitees. And yif thou coveitest
by honour to gon biforn other folk, thou shalt defoule thy-self
thorugh humblesse of axinge. Yif thou desirest power, thou 10
shalt by awaytes of thy subgits anoyously ben cast under manye
periles. Axest thou glorie? Thou shalt ben so destrat by aspre
thinges that thou shalt forgoon sikernesse. And yif thou wolt
leden thy lyf in delices, every wight shal despisen thee and
forleten thee, as thou that art thral to thing that is right foul 15
and brotel; that is to seyn, servaunt to thy body. Now is it
thanne wel seen, how litel and how brotel possessioun they
coveiten, that putten the goodes of the body aboven hir owne
resoun. For mayst thou sormounten thise olifaunts in gretnesse
or weight of body? Or mayst thou ben stronger than the bole? 20
Mayst thou ben swifter than the tygre? Bihold the spaces and
the stablenesse and the swifte cours of the hevene, and stint
som-tyme to wondren on foule thinges; the which hevene, certes,
nis nat rather for thise thinges to ben wondred up-on, than for
the resoun by which it is governed. But the shyning of thy 25
forme, that is to seyn, the beautee of thy body, how swiftly passinge
is it, and how transitorie; certes, it is more flittinge than the
mutabilitee of flowers of the somer-sesoun. For so Aristotle
telleth, that yif that men hadden eyen of a beest that highte
lynx, so that the lokinge of folk mighte percen thorugh the 30
thinges that with-stonden it, who-so loked thanne in the entrailes
of the body of Alcibiades, that was ful fayr in the superfice
with-oute, it shold seme right foul. And forthy, yif thou semest
fayr, thy nature maketh nat that, but the desceivaunce of the
feblesse of the eyen that loken. But preyse the goodes of the 35
body as mochel as ever thee list; so that thou knowe algates
that, what-so it be, that is to seyn, of the goodes of thy body,
which that thou wondrest up-on, may ben destroyed or dissolved
by the hete of a fevere of three dayes. Of alle whiche forseyde
thinges I may reducen this shortly in a somme, that thise worldly 40
goodes, whiche that ne mowen nat yeven that they biheten, ne
ben nat parfit by the congregacioun of alle goodes; that they
ne ben nat weyes ne pathes that bringen men to blisfulnesse,
ne maken men to ben blisful.

Pr. VIII. 9. C. shal. 10. A. by (for thorugh). 11. C. be (for by). // A. vndir many; C. Ed. vndyr by many; Lat. periculis subiacebis. 12. C. A. destrat; Ed. distracte. 16. C. brwtel (for brotel; 1st time). 19. A. mayst thou; C. maysthow. 20. C. weyhty (!). 32. C. in superfyce (om. the). 34. A. desceiuaunce of the; Ed. disceyuaunce of; C. deceyuable or (!). 37. A. the goodes of thi; Ed. the goodes of the; C. godes of the. 40. A. Ed. a somme; C. om. a. // C. wordly. 42. C. ne ne ben. // A. Ed. by the; C. om. the. 43. C. man (for men; 1st time).

Metre VIII.

Eheu! quae miseros tramite deuios.

Allas! which folye and which ignoraunce misledeth wandringe
wrecches fro the path of verray goode!

Certes, ye ne seken no gold in grene trees, ne ye ne gaderen
nat precious stones in the vynes, ne ye ne hyden nat your
ginnes in the hye mountaignes to cacchen fish of whiche ye 5
may maken riche festes. And yif yow lyketh to hunte to roes,
ye ne gon nat to the fordes of the water that highte Tyrene.
And over this, men knowen wel the crykes and the cavernes
of the see y-hid in the flodes, and knowen eek which water
is most plentivous of whyte perles, and knowen which water 10
haboundeth most of rede purpre, that is to seyn, of a maner
shelle-fish with which men dyen purpre; and knowen which
strondes habounden most with tendre fisshes, or of sharpe fisshes
that highten echines. But folk suffren hem-self to ben so blinde,
that hem ne reccheth nat to knowe where thilke goodes ben 15
y-hid whiche that they coveiten, but ploungen hem in erthe
and seken there thilke good that sormounteth the hevene that
bereth the sterres. What preyere may I maken that be digne
to the nyce thoughtes of men? But I preye that they coveiten
richesse and honours, so that, whan they han geten tho false 20
goodes with greet travaile, that ther-by they mowe knowen the
verray goodes.

Me. VIII. 4. A. om. nat. 5. C. hyye mountaygnes; A. heyȝe mountaignes. // C. kachche; A. kachen; Ed. catchen (= cacchen). 6. C. honte; A. Ed. hunte. // C. rooes; Ed. roes; A. roos. 8. A. crikes; Ed. crekes; C. brykes; Lat. recessus. 9. A. Ed. in the; C. om. the. 14. Ed. Echines; C. A. echynnys. 15. C. rechcheth; A. recchith. // C. weere (for where).

Prose IX.

Hactenus mendacis formam.

It suffyseth that I have shewed hider-to the forme of false
welefulnesse, so that, yif thou loke now cleerly, the order of
myn entencioun requireth from hennes-forth to shewen thee the
verray welefulnesse.'

'For sothe,' quod I, 'I see wel now that suffisaunce may nat 5
comen by richesses, ne power by reames, ne reverence by
dignitees, ne gentilesse by glorie, ne Ioye by delices.'

'And hast thou wel knowen the causes,' quod she, 'why it is?'

'Certes, me semeth,' quod I, 'that I see hem right as though
it were thorugh a litel clifte; but me were levere knowen hem 10
more openly of thee.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'the resoun is al redy. For thilke thing
that simply is o thing, with-outen any devisioun, the errour
and folye of mankinde departeth and devydeth it, and misledeth
it and transporteth from verray and parfit good to goodes that 15
ben false and unparfit. But sey me this. Wenest thou that
he, that hath nede of power, that him ne lakketh no-thing?'

'Nay,' quod I.

'Certes,' quod she, 'thou seyst a-right. For yif so be that
ther is a thing, that in any partye be febler of power, certes, 20
as in that, it mot nedes ben nedy of foreine help.'

'Right so is it,' quod I.

'Suffisaunce and power ben thanne of o kinde?'

'So semeth it,' quod I.

'And demest thou,' quod she, 'that a thing that is of this 25
manere, that is to seyn, suffisaunt and mighty, oughte ben
despysed, or elles that it be right digne of reverence aboven
alle thinges?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'it nis no doute, that it is right worthy to
ben reverenced.' 30

'Lat us,' quod she, 'adden thanne reverence to suffisaunce
and to power, so that we demen that thise three thinges ben
al o thing.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'lat us adden it, yif we wolen graunten the
sothe.' 35

'What demest thou thanne?' quod she; 'is that a derk thing
and nat noble, that is suffisaunt, reverent, and mighty, or elles that
it is right noble and right cleer by celebritee of renoun? Consider
thanne,' quod she, 'as we han graunted her-biforn, that he that
ne hath nede of no-thing, and is most mighty and most digne 40
of honour, yif him nedeth any cleernesse of renoun, which
cleernesse he mighte nat graunten of him-self, so that, for lakke
of thilke cleernesse, he mighte seme the febeler on any syde
or the more out-cast?' Glose. This is to seyn, nay; for who-so
that is suffisaunt, mighty, and reverent, cleernesse of renoun folweth 45
of the forseyde thinges; he hath it al redy of his suffisaunce.

Boece. 'I may nat,' quod I, 'denye it; but I mot graunte
as it is, that this thing be right celebrable by cleernesse of renoun
and noblesse.'

'Thanne folweth it,' quod she, 'that we adden cleernesse of 50
renoun to the three forseyde thinges, so that ther ne be amonges
hem no difference?'

'This is a consequence,' quod I.

'This thing thanne,' quod she, 'that ne hath nede of no
foreine thing, and that may don alle thinges by hise strengthes, 55
and that is noble and honourable, nis nat that a mery thing
and a Ioyful?'

'But whennes,' quod I, 'that any sorwe mighte comen to this
thing that is swiche, certes, I may nat thinke.'

'Thanne moten we graunte,' quod she, 'that this thing be 60
ful of gladnesse, yif the forseyde thinges ben sothe; and certes,
also mote we graunten that suffisaunce, power, noblesse, reverence,
and gladnesse ben only dyverse by names, but hir substaunce
hath no diversitee.'

'It mot needly been so,' quod I. 65

'Thilke thing thanne,' quod she, 'that is oon and simple
in his nature, the wikkednesse of men departeth it and devydeth
it; and whan they enforcen hem to geten partye of a thing
that ne hath no part, they ne geten hem neither thilke partye that
nis non, ne the thing al hool that they ne desire nat.' 70

'In which manere?' quod I.

'Thilke man,' quod she, 'that secheth richesses to fleen
povertee, he ne travaileth him nat for to gete power; for he
hath levere ben derk and vyl; and eek withdraweth from
him-self many naturel delyts, for he nolde lese the moneye that 75
he hath assembled. But certes, in this manere he ne geteth
him nat suffisaunce that power forleteth, and that molestie
prikketh, and that filthe maketh out-cast, and that derkenesse
hydeth. And certes, he that desireth only power, he wasteth
and scatereth richesse, and despyseth delyts, and eek honour 80
that is with-oute power, ne he ne preyseth glorie no-thing.
Certes, thus seest thou wel, that manye thinges faylen to him;
for he hath som-tyme defaute of many necessitees, and many
anguisshes byten him; and whan he ne may nat don tho defautes
a-wey, he forleteth to ben mighty, and that is the thing that 85
he most desireth. And right thus may I maken semblable
resouns of honours, and of glorie, and of delyts. For so as
every of thise forseyde thinges is the same that thise other
thinges ben, that is to seyn, al oon thing, who-so that ever
seketh to geten that oon of thise, and nat that other, he ne 90
geteth nat that he desireth.'

Boece. 'What seyst thou thanne, yif that a man coveiteth
to geten alle thise thinges to-gider?'

Philosophie. 'Certes,' quod she, 'I wolde seye, that he wolde
geten him sovereyn blisfulnesse; but that shal he nat finde in 95
tho thinges that I have shewed, that ne mowen nat yeven that
they beheten.'

'Certes, no,' quod I.

'Thanne,' quod she, 'ne sholden men nat by no wey seken
blisfulnesse in swiche thinges as men wene that they ne mowen 100
yeven but o thing senglely of alle that men seken.'

'I graunte wel,' quod I; 'ne no sother thing ne may ben
sayd.'

'Now hast thou thanne,' quod she, 'the forme and the causes
of false welefulnesse. Now torne and flitte the eyen of thy 105
thought; for ther shalt thou sen anon thilke verray blisfulnesse
that I have bihight thee.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'it is cleer and open, thogh it were to
a blinde man; and that shewedest thou me ful wel a litel her-biforn,
whan thou enforcedest thee to shewe me the causes 110
of the false blisfulnesse. For but-yif I be bigyled, thanne
is thilke the verray blisfulnesse parfit, that parfitly maketh a
man suffisaunt, mighty, honourable, noble, and ful of gladnesse.
And, for thou shalt wel knowe that I have wel understonden
thise thinges with-in my herte, I knowe wel that thilke blisfulnesse, 115
that may verrayly yeven oon of the forseyde thinges, sin
they ben al oon, I knowe, douteles, that thilke thing is the
fulle blisfulnesse.'

Philosophie. 'O my norie,' quod she, 'by this opinioun I
seye that thou art blisful, yif thou putte this ther-to that I 120
shal seyn.'

'What is that?' quod I.

'Trowest thou that ther be any thing in thise erthely mortal
toumbling thinges that may bringen this estat?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'I trowe it naught; and thou hast shewed 125
me wel that over thilke good ther nis no-thing more to ben
desired.'

'Thise thinges thanne,' quod she, 'that is to sey, erthely
suffisaunce and power and swiche thinges, either they semen
lykenesses of verray good, or elles it semeth that they yeve to 130
mortal folk a maner of goodes that ne ben nat parfit; but thilke
good that is verray and parfit, that may they nat yeven.'

'I acorde me wel,' quod I.

'Thanne,' quod she, 'for as mochel as thou hast knowen
which is thilke verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke thinges 135
ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse, that is to seyn, that by deceite
semen verray goodes, now behoveth thee to knowe whennes and
where thou mowe seke thilke verray blisfulnesse.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'that desire I greetly, and have abiden longe
tyme to herknen it.' 140

'But for as moche,' quod she, 'as it lyketh to my disciple
Plato, in his book of "in Timeo," that in right litel thinges men
sholden bisechen the help of god, what iugest thou that be now
to done, so that we may deserve to finde the sete of thilke
verray good?' 145

'Certes,' quod I, 'I deme that we shollen clepen the fader
of alle goodes; for with-outen him nis ther no-thing founden
a-right.'

'Thou seyst a-right,' quod she; and bigan anon to singen
right thus:— 150

Pr. IX. 5. A. om. sothe and 2nd I. 6. A. richesse. // A. Ed. realmes. 8. A. hast thou; C.hasthow. // A. cause; Lat. caussas. 16. A. inparfit. // C. Wenesthow. 20. A. fieble; C. Ed. febler; Lat. imbecillioris ualentiae. 21. C. mot; Ed. mote; A. most. 25. C. demesthow. 29. A. nis (twice). 36. C. demesthow. // Ed. derke; C. dyrk; A. dirke. 38. A. of (for by). 53. A. And this (for This). // C. consequens; Ed. consequence; A. consequente or consequence. 54. C. hat (for hath). // A. no nede. 58. Ed. whence; A. wenest (!); Lat. unde. 72. A. rychesse. 74. Ed. derke; C. dyrk; A. dirk. 75. C. delices (or delites); A. delitz; Ed. delytes. 77. Ed. molestie; C. A. moleste; Lat. molestia. 78. A. derknesse; C. dyrkenesse. 80. C. schatereth. // C. delytz; A. delices (or delites). 83. C. Ed. defaute; A. faute. 84. Ed. anguysshes; A. anguysses; C. angwyssos. 86. A. semblable; C. semlable. 90. C. oothre. 92. C. seysthow. 101. C. A. senglely. 104. C. hasthow. 106. C. shalthow. 109. A. om. ful wel. 115. C. Ed. that thilke; A. om. that. 118. A. the fulle of (wrongly). 119. C. norye; A. nurry. 130. A. likenesse; Lat. imagines. 141. A. disciple; C. dissipule. 142. C. in tymeo; A. in thimeo; Lat. uti in Timaeo Platoni. 143. C. byshechen. // A. om. now.

Metre IX.

O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas.

'O thou fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest
this world by perdurable resoun, that comaundest the tymes to
gon from sin that age hadde beginninge; thou that dwellest
thy-self ay stedefast and stable, and yevest alle othre thinges
to ben moeved; ne foreine causes necesseden thee never to 5
compoune werk of floteringe matere, but only the forme of
soverein good y-set with-in thee with-oute envye, that moevede
thee freely. Thou that art alder-fayrest, beringe the faire world
in thy thought, formedest this world to the lyknesse semblable
of that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest al thing of 10
thy soverein ensaumpler, and comaundest that this world,
parfitliche y-maked, have freely and absolut his parfit parties.
Thou bindest the elements by noumbres proporcionables, that
the colde thinges mowen acorden with the hote thinges, and
the drye thinges with the moiste thinges; that the fyr, that 15
is purest, ne flee nat over hye, ne that the hevinesse ne drawe
nat adoun over-lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres.
Thou knittest to-gider the mene sowle of treble kinde, moevinge
alle thinges, and devydest it by membres acordinge; and whan
it is thus devyded, it hath asembled a moevinge in-to two 20
roundes; it goth to torne ayein to him-self, and envirouneth a
ful deep thought, and torneth the hevene by semblable image.
Thou by evene-lyke causes enhansest the sowles and the lasse
lyves, and, ablinge hem heye by lighte cartes, thou sowest hem
in-to hevene and in-to erthe; and whan they ben converted to 25
thee by thy benigne lawe, thou makest hem retorne ayein to
thee by ayein-ledinge fyr.

O fader, yive thou to the thought to styen up in-to thy streite
sete, and graunte him to enviroune the welle of good; and, the
lighte y-founde, graunte him to fichen the clere sightes of his 30
corage in thee. And scater thou and to-breke thou the weightes
and the cloudes of erthely hevinesse, and shyne thou by thy
brightnesse. For thou art cleernesse; thou art peysible reste
to debonaire folk; thou thy-self art biginninge, berer, leder, path,
and terme; to loke on thee, that is our ende. 35

Me. IX. 3. A. for to gon. // C. from sin that; A. from tyme that; Ed. syth that. 7. A. om. thee after with-in. 10. A. alle thinges. 11. A. comaundedist. 12. C. om. and absolut. 13. A. Ed. proporcionables; C. porcionables. 16. A. fleye (for flee). // A. Ed. drawe; C. drawen. 18. C. glosses sowle by anima mundi. 19. C. menbres. 20. C. in to two; A. in two; Ed. in to. 22. C. tornet; A. tournith. 24. C. Ed. sowest; A. sewest. 26. A. Ed. benigne; C. bygynnynge (!). 28. A. thi thouȝt (wrongly); C. has the gloss: s. boecii. // A. thi streite; Ed. thy strayte; C. the streite. 29. A. om. him. // C. enuerowne; A. enuiroune. 31. A. om. 2nd thou. 33. A. om. reste. 34. C. paath. 35. A. om. that.

Prose X.

Quoniam igitur quae sit imperfecti.

For as moche thanne as thou hast seyn, which is the forme
of good that nis nat parfit, and which is the forme of good that
is parfit, now trowe I that it were good to shewe in what this
perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set. And in this thing, I trowe
that we sholden first enquere for to witen, yif that any swiche 5
maner good as thilke good that thou has diffinisshed a litel
heer-biforn, that is to seyn, soverein good, may ben founde in the
nature of thinges; for that veyn imaginacioun of thought ne
deceyve us nat, and putte us out of the sothfastnesse of thilke
thing that is summitted unto us. But it may nat ben deneyed 10
that thilke good ne is, and that it nis right as welle of alle
goodes. For al thing that is cleped inparfit is proeved inparfit
by the amenusinge of perfeccioun or of thing that is parfit.
And ther-of comth it, that in every thing general, yif that men
sen any-thing that is inparfit, certes, in thilke general ther mot 15
ben som-thing that is parfit; for yif so be that perfeccioun is
don awey, men may nat thinke ne seye fro whennes thilke
thing is that is cleped inparfit. For the nature of thinges ne
took nat hir beginninge of thinges amenused and inparfit, but
it procedeth of thinges that ben al hoole and absolut, and 20
descendeth so doun in-to outterest thinges, and in-to thinges
empty and with-outen frut. But, as I have y-shewed a litel
her-biforn, that yif ther be a blisfulnesse that be freele and
veyn and inparfit, ther may no man doute that ther nis som
blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and parfit.' 25

Boece. 'This is concluded,' quod I, 'fermely and sothfastly.'

Philosophie. 'But considere also,' quod she, 'in wham this
blisfulnesse enhabiteth. The comune acordaunce and conceite
of the corages of men proeveth and graunteth, that god, prince
of alle thinges, is good. For, so as nothing ne may ben thought 30
bettre than god, it may nat ben douted thanne that he, that
nothing nis bettre, that he nis good. Certes, resoun sheweth
that god is so good, that it proveth by verray force that parfit
good is in him. For yif god ne is swich, he ne may nat ben
prince of alle thinges; for certes som-thing possessing in it-self 35
parfit good, sholde ben more worthy than god, and it sholde
semen that thilke thing were first, and elder than god. For
we han shewed apertly that alle thinges that ben parfit ben
first or thinges that ben unparfit; and for-thy, for as moche as
that my resoun or my proces ne go nat a-wey with-oute an 40
ende, we owen to graunten that the soverein god is right ful
of soverein parfit good. And we han establisshed that the
soverein good is verray blisfulnesse: thanne mot it nedes be,
that verray blisfulnesse is set in soverein god.'

'This take I wel,' quod I, 'ne this ne may nat ben withseid 45
in no manere.'

'But I preye,' quod she, 'see now how thou mayst proeven,
holily and with-oute corupcioun, this that I have seyd, that the
soverein god is right ful of soverein good.'

'In which manere?' quod I. 50

'Wenest thou aught,' quod she, 'that this prince of alle
thinges have y-take thilke soverein good any-wher out of him-self,
of which soverein good men proveth that he is ful, right
as thou mightest thinken that god, that hath blisfulnesse in
him-self, and thilke blisfulnesse that is in him, weren dyvers in 55
substaunce? For yif thou wene that god have received thilke
good out of him-self, thou mayst wene that he that yaf thilke
good to god be more worthy than is god. But I am bi-knowen
and confesse, and that right dignely, that god is right worthy
aboven alle thinges; and, yif so be that this good be in him 60
by nature, but that it is dyvers fro him by weninge resoun,
sin we speke of god prince of alle thinges: feigne who-so
feigne may, who was he that hath conioigned thise dyverse
thinges to-gider? And eek, at the laste, see wel that a thing
that is dyvers from any thing, that thilke thing nis nat that 65
same thing fro which it is understonden to ben dyvers. Thanne
folweth it, that thilke thing that by his nature is dyvers fro
soverein good, that that thing nis nat soverein good; but certes,
that were a felonous corsednesse to thinken that of him that
nothing nis more worth. For alwey, of alle thinges, the nature 70
of hem ne may nat ben bettre than his biginning; for which
I may concluden, by right verray resoun, that thilke that is
biginning of alle thinges, thilke same thing is soverein good
in his substaunce.'

Boece. 'Thou hast seyd rightfully,' quod I. 75

Philosophie. 'But we han graunted,' quod she, 'that the
soverein good is blisfulnesse.'

'And that is sooth,' quod I.

'Thanne,' quod she, 'moten we nedes graunten and confessen
that thilke same soverein good be god.' 80

'Certes,' quod I, 'I ne may nat denye ne withstonde the
resouns purposed; and I see wel that it folweth by strengthe
of the premisses.'

'Loke now,' quod she, 'yif this be proved yit more fermely
thus: that ther ne mowen nat ben two soverein goodes that 85
ben dyverse amonge hem-self. For certes, the goodes that
ben dyverse amonges hem-self, that oon nis nat that that other
is; thanne ne [may] neither of hem ben parfit, so as either of
hem lakketh to other. But that that nis nat parfit, men may
seen apertly that it nis nat soverein. The thinges, thanne, that 90
ben sovereinly goode, ne mowen by no wey ben dyverse. But
I have wel concluded that blisfulnesse and god ben the soverein
good; for whiche it mot nedes ben, that soverein blisfulnesse
is soverein divinitee.'

'Nothing,' quod I, 'nis more soothfast than this, ne more 95
ferme by resoun; ne a more worthy thing than god may nat
ben concluded.'

'Up-on thise thinges thanne,' quod she, 'right as thise geometriens,
whan they han shewed hir proposiciouns, ben wont
to bringen in thinges that they clepen porismes, or declaraciouns 100
of forseide thinges, right so wole I yeve thee heer as a corollarie,
or a mede of coroune. For-why, for as moche as by the getinge
of blisfulnesse men ben maked blisful, and blisfulnesse is
divinitee: thanne is it manifest and open, that by the getinge
of divinitee men ben maked blisful. Right as by the getinge 105
of Iustice [they ben maked iust], and by the getinge of sapience
they ben maked wyse: right so, nedes, by the semblable resoun,
whan they han geten divinitee, they ben maked goddes. Thanne
is every blisful man god; but certes, by nature, ther nis but
o god; but, by the participacioun of divinitee, ther ne let ne 110
desturbeth nothing that ther ne ben manye goddes.'

'This is,' quod I, 'a fair thing and a precious, clepe it as
thou wolt; be it porisme or corollarie,' or mede of coroune or
declaringes.

'Certes,' quod she, 'nothing nis fayrer than is the thing that 115
by resoun sholde ben added to thise forseide thinges.'

'What thing?' quod I.

'So,' quod she, 'as it semeth that blisfulnesse conteneth many
thinges, it were for to witen whether that alle thise thinges maken
or conioignen as a maner body of blisfulnesse, by dyversitee of 120
parties or of membres; or elles, yif that any of alle thilke thinges
be swich that it acomplisshe by him-self the substaunce of
blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othre thinges ben referred and
brought to blisfulnesse,' that is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem.

'I wolde,' quod I, 'that thou makedest me cleerly to understonde 125
what thou seyst, and that thou recordedest me the forseyde
thinges.'

'Have I nat iuged,' quod she, 'that blisfulnesse is good?'

'Yis, forsothe,' quod I; 'and that soverein good.'

'Adde thanne,' quod she, 'thilke good, that is maked blisfulnesse, 130
to alle the forseide thinges; for thilke same blisfulnesse
that is demed to ben soverein suffisaunce, thilke selve is soverein
power, soverein reverence, soverein cleernesse or noblesse, and
soverein delyt. Conclusio. What seyst thou thanne of alle thise
thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power, and this othre thinges; 135
ben they thanne as membres of blisfulnesse, or ben they referred
and brought to soverein good, right as alle thinges that ben brought
to the chief of hem?'

'I understonde wel;' quod I, 'what thou purposest to seke;
but I desire for to herkne that thou shewe it me.' 140

'Tak now thus the discrecioun of this questioun,' quod she.
'Yif alle thise thinges,' quod she, 'weren membres to felicitee,
than weren they dyverse that oon from that other; and swich is
the nature of parties or of membres, that dyverse membres compounen
a body.' 145

'Certes,' quod I, 'it hath wel ben shewed heer-biforn, that alle
thise thinges ben alle o thing.'

'Thanne ben they none membres,' quod she; 'for elles it
sholde seme that blisfulnesse were conioigned al of on membre
allone; but that is a thing that may nat be don.' 150

'This thing,' quod I, 'nis nat doutous; but I abyde to herknen
the remnaunt of thy questioun.'

'This is open and cleer,' quod she, 'that alle othre thinges ben
referred and brought to good. For therefore is suffisaunce requered,
for it is demed to ben good; and forthy is power requered, 155
for men trowen also that it be good; and this same thing mowen
we thinken and coniecten of reverence, and of noblesse, and of
delyt. Thanne is soverein good the somme and the cause of al
that aughte ben desired; for-why thilke thing that with-holdeth
no good in it-self, ne semblaunce of good, it ne may nat wel in 160
no manere be desired ne requered. And the contrarie: for
thogh that thinges by hir nature ne ben nat goode, algates, yif
men wene that ben goode, yit ben they desired as though that
they weren verrayliche goode. And therfor is it that men oughten
to wene by right, that bountee be the soverein fyn, and the cause 165
of alle the thinges that ben to requeren. But certes, thilke that
is cause for which men requeren any thing, it semeth that thilke
same thing be most desired. As thus: yif that a wight wolde
ryden for cause of hele, he ne desireth nat so mochel the moevinge
to ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne, sin that 170
alle thinges ben requered for the grace of good, they ne ben nat
desired of alle folk more thanne the same good. But we han
graunted that blisfulnesse is that thing, for whiche that alle thise
othre thinges ben desired; thanne is it thus: that, certes, only
blisfulnesse is requered and desired. By whiche thing it sheweth 175
cleerly, that of good and of blisfulnesse is al oon and the same
substaunce.'

'I see nat,' quod I, 'wherfore that men mighten discorden in
this.'

'And we han shewed that god and verray blisfulnesse is al oo 180
thing.'

'That is sooth,' quod I.

'Thanne mowen we conclude sikerly, that the substaunce of
god is set in thilke same good, and in non other place. 184

Pr. X. 6. A. diffinissed; C. dyffynnyssed; Ed. diffynished. 10. After us, A. ins. this is to seyne (needlessly). // C. A. denoyed (error for deneyed); Ed. denyed. 12. A. al; C. alle. 14. C. ther-of; A. Ed. her-of. // C. comht (for comth). 20. C. absolut, i. laws. 21. C. dessendeth. 28. C. conseite; A. conceite. 31. A. om. he that. 32. A. is bettre. 35. C. Ed. it-self; A. hym self. 36. A. om. it. 39. A. inperfit. 40. C. as that; A. om. that. // A. Ed. proces; C. processes. 41. owen] A. ouȝt. 44. A. om. that ... is. 50. A. om. In which ... I. 51. C. Wenesthow awht. 56. A. receyued; C. resseyud. 58. A. goode (for worthy). 61. A. it is; C. is is (sic). // fro him] A. om. him. 63. A. om. hath. 70. A. Ed. nis; C. is. 73. A. om. soverein. 84. A. om. yit. 86, 87. A. om. For certes ... hem-self. // C. othre. 88. A. om. ne. // C. A. Ed. mowen; read may. 90. A. Ed. nis; C. is. 106. I supply they ben maked iust; Lat. iusti. 110. C. by thy (wrongly); A. Ed. by the. 119. A. witen; C. whyten. // C. wheyther that; A. om. that. // A. thise; C. this. 120. A. Ed. by; C. be. 121. C. or of; A. om. of. 122. Ed. accomplysshe; C. acomplyse; A. acomplise. 126. A. recordest. 134. C. om. thise. 141. Ed. discrecion; A. discressioun; C. descressioun. 143. C. swhych. 157. C. coniecten; A. coneiten; Lat. coniectare. 159. C. awht; A. auȝt. 161. A. requered; C. required. 171. A. requered; C. required. 176. C. of good; A. om. of; Lat. boni.

Metre X.

Huc omnes pariter uenite capti.

O cometh alle to-gider now, ye that ben y-caught and y-bounde
with wikkede cheynes, by the deceivable delyt of erthely thinges
enhabitinge in your thought! Heer shal ben the reste of your
labours, heer is the havene stable in peysible quiete; this allone
is the open refut to wrecches. Glosa. This is to seyn, that ye 5
that ben combred and deceived with worldely affecciouns, cometh now
to this soverein good, that is god, that is refut to hem that wolen
comen to him. Textus. Alle the thinges that the river Tagus
yeveth yow with his goldene gravailes, or elles alle the thinges
that the river Hermus yeveth with his rede brinke, or that Indus 10
yeveth, that is next the hote party of the world, that medleth the
grene stones with the whyte, ne sholde nat cleeren the lookinge
of your thought, but hyden rather your blinde corages with-in hir
derknesse. Al that lyketh yow heer, and excyteth and moeveth
your thoughtes, the erthe hath norisshed it in hise lowe caves. 15
But the shyninge, by whiche the hevene is governed and whennes
he hath his strengthe, that eschueth the derke overthrowinge of
the sowle; and who-so may knowen thilke light of blisfulnesse,
he shal wel seyn, that the whyte bemes of the sonne ne ben nat
cleer.' 20

Me. X. 3. A. Ed. Here; C. He. 6. A. deceyued; C. desseyued. 10. A. Ed. Hermus; C. Herynus (!). 12. C. grene stones, i. smaragdes; with the whyte, i. margaretes. 14. Ed. derkenesse; C. dyrknesse. 16. A. by the whiche. 17. C. eschueth; A. chaseth; Lat. uitat. // A. derke; C. dyrke.

Prose XI.

Assentior, inquam.

Boece. 'I assente me,' quod I; 'for alle thise thinges ben
strongly bounden with right ferme resouns.'

Philosophie. 'How mochel wilt thou preysen it,' quod she,
'yif that thou knowe what thilke good is?'

'I wol preyse it,' quod I, 'by prys with-outen ende, yif it shal 5
bityde me to knowe also to-gider god that is good.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'that shal I do thee by verray resoun, yif
that tho thinges that I have concluded a litel her-biforn dwellen
only in hir first graunting.'

'They dwellen graunted to thee,' quod I; this is to seyn, as 10
who seith: I graunte thy forseide conclusiouns.

'Have I nat shewed thee,' quod she, 'that the thinges that ben
requered of many folkes ne ben nat verray goodes ne parfite, for
they ben dyverse that oon fro that othre; and so as ech of hem
is lakkinge to other, they ne han no power to bringen a good that 15
is ful and absolut? But thanne at erst ben they verray good,
whanne they ben gadered to-gider alle in-to o forme and in-to oon
wirkinge, so that thilke thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be
power, and reverence, and noblesse, and mirthe; and forsothe,
but-yif alle thise thinges ben alle oon same thing, they ne han nat 20
wherby that they mowen ben put in the noumber of thinges that
oughten ben requered or desired.'

'It is shewed,' quod I; 'ne her-of may ther no man douten.'

'The thinges thanne,' quod she, 'that ne ben no goodes
whanne they ben dyverse, and whan they beginnen to ben alle 25
oon thing thanne ben they goodes, ne comth it hem nat thanne
by the getinge of unitee, that they ben maked goodes?'

'So it semeth,' quod I.

'But al thing that is good,' quod she, 'grauntest thou that it be
good by the participacioun of good, or no?' 30

'I graunte it,' quod I.

'Thanne most thou graunten,' quod she, 'by semblable resoun,
that oon and good be oo same thing. For of thinges, of whiche
that the effect nis nat naturelly diverse, nedes the substance mot
be oo same thing.' 35

'I ne may nat denye that,' quod I.

'Hast thou nat knowen wel,' quod she, 'that al thing that is
hath so longe his dwellinge and his substaunce as longe as it is
oon; but whan it forleteth to ben oon, it mot nedes dyen and
corumpe to-gider?' 40

'In which manere?' quod I.

'Right as in bestes,' quod she, 'whan the sowle and the body
ben conioigned in oon and dwellen to-gider, it is cleped a beest.
And whan hir unitee is destroyed by the disseveraunce of that oon
from that other, than sheweth it wel that it is a ded thing, and 45
that it nis no lenger no beest. And the body of a wight, whyl
it dwelleth in oo forme by coniunccioun of membres, it is
wel seyn that it is a figure of man-kinde. And yif the parties
of the body ben so devyded and dissevered, that oon fro that
other, that they destroyen unitee, the body forleteth to ben that 50
it was biforn. And, who-so wolde renne in the same manere by
alle thinges, he sholde seen that, with-oute doute, every thing is
in his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whan it forleteth to
ben oon, it dyeth and perissheth.'

'Whan I considere,' quod I, 'manye thinges, I see non other.' 55

'Is ther any-thing thanne,' quod she, 'that, in as moche as it
liveth naturelly, that forleteth the talent or appetyt of his beinge,
and desireth to come to deeth and to corupcioun?'

'Yif I considere,' quod I, 'the beestes that han any maner
nature of wilninge and of nillinge, I ne finde no beest, but-yif 60
it be constreined fro with-oute forth, that forleteth or
despyseth the entencioun to liven and to duren, or that wole,
his thankes, hasten him to dyen. For every beest travaileth him
to deffende and kepe the savacioun of his lyf, and eschueth deeth
and destruccioun. 65

But certes, I doute me of herbes and of trees, that is to
seyn, that I am in a doute of swiche thinges as herbes or trees, that
ne han no felinge sowles, ne no naturel wirkinges servinge to
appetytes as bestes han, whether they han appetyt to dwellen
and to duren.' 70

'Certes,' quod she, 'ne ther-of thar thee nat doute. Now
loke up-on thise herbes and thise trees; they wexen first in
swiche places as ben covenable to hem, in whiche places they
ne mowen nat sone dyen ne dryen, as longe as hir nature may
deffenden hem. For som of hem waxen in feeldes, and som 75
in mountaignes, and othre waxen in mareys, and othre cleven
on roches, and somme waxen plentivous in sondes; and yif
that any wight enforce him to beren hem in-to othre places,
they wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing that that
is convenient to him, and travaileth that they ne dye nat, as 80
longe as they han power to dwellen and to liven. What woltow
seyn of this, that they drawen alle hir norisshinges by hir rotes,
right as they hadden hir mouthes y-plounged with-in the erthes,
and sheden by hir maryes hir wode and hir bark? And what
woltow seyn of this, that thilke thing that is right softe, as the 85
marye is, that is alwey hid in the sete, al with-inne, and that
is defended fro with-oute by the stedefastnesse of wode; and
that the uttereste bark is put ayeins the destemperaunce of
the hevene, as a defendour mighty to suffren harm? And thus,
certes, maystow wel seen how greet is the diligence of nature; 90
for alle thinges renovelen and puplisshen hem with seed y-multiplyed;
ne ther nis no man that ne wot wel that they ne
ben right as a foundement and edifice, for to duren nat only
for a tyme, but right as for to duren perdurably by generacioun.
And the thinges eek that men wenen ne haven none sowles, 95
ne desire they nat ech of hem by semblable resoun to kepen
that is hirs, that is to seyn, that is acordinge to hir nature in
conservacioun of hir beinge and enduringe? For wher-for elles
bereth lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weighte presseth
the erthe a-doun, but for as moche as thilke places and thilke 100
moevinges ben covenable to everich of hem? And forsothe
every thing kepeth thilke that is acordinge and propre to him,
right as thinges that ben contraries and enemys corompen hem.
And yit the harde thinges, as stones, clyven and holden hir
parties to-gider right faste and harde, and deffenden hem in 105
withstondinge that they ne departe nat lightly a-twinne. And
the thinges that ben softe and fletinge, as is water and eyr,
they departen lightly, and yeven place to hem that breken or
devyden hem; but natheles, they retornen sone ayein in-to
the same thinges fro whennes they ben arraced. But fyr fleeth 110
and refuseth al devisioun. Ne I ne trete nat heer now of
wilful moevinges of the sowle that is knowinge, but of the
naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: right as we swolwe the
mete that we receiven and ne thinke nat on it, and as we
drawen our breeth in slepinge that we wite it nat whyle we 115
slepen. For certes, in the beestes, the love of hir livinges ne
of hir beinges ne comth nat of the wilninges of the sowle, but
of the biginninges of nature. For certes, thorugh constreininge
causes, wil desireth and embraceth ful ofte tyme the deeth
that nature dredeth; that is to seyn as thus: that a man may 120
ben constreyned so, by som cause, that his wil desireth and
taketh the deeth which that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore.
And somtyme we seeth the contrarye, as thus: that the wil
of a wight destorbeth and constreyneth that that nature desireth
and requereth al-wey, that is to seyn, the werk of generacioun, 125
by the whiche generacioun only dwelleth and is sustened the
long durabletee of mortal thinges.

And thus this charitee and this love, that every thing hath
to him-self, ne comth nat of the moevinge of the sowle, but
of the entencioun of nature. For the purviaunce of god hath 130
yeven to thinges that ben creat of him this, that is a ful
gret cause to liven and to duren; for which they desiren
naturelly hir lyf as longe as ever they mowen. For which
thou mayst nat drede, by no manere, that alle the thinges
that ben anywhere, that they ne requeren naturelly the ferme 135
stablenesse of perdurable dwellinge, and eek the eschuinge of
destruccioun.'

Boece. 'Now confesse I wel,' quod I, 'that I see now wel
certeinly, with-oute doutes, the thinges that whylom semeden
uncertain to me.' 140

'But,' quod she, 'thilke thing that desireth to be and to
dwellen perdurably, he desireth to ben oon; for yif that that
oon were destroyed, certes, beinge ne shulde ther non dwellen
to no wight.'

'That is sooth,' quod I. 145

'Thanne,' quod she, 'desiren alle thinges oon?'

'I assente,' quod I.

'And I have shewed,' quod she, 'that thilke same oon is
thilke that is good?'

'Ye, for sothe,' quod I. 150

'Alle thinges thanne,' quod she, 'requiren good; and thilke
good thanne mayst thou descryven right thus: good is thilke
thing that every wight desireth.'

'Ther ne may be thought,' quod I, 'no more verray thing.
For either alle thinges ben referred and brought to nought, 155
and floteren with-oute governour, despoiled of oon as of hir
propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any thing to which that
alle thinges tenden and hyen, that thing moste ben the soverein
good of alle goodes.'

Thanne seyde she thus: 'O my nory,' quod she, 'I have 160
gret gladnesse of thee; for thou hast ficched in thyn herte
the middel soothfastnesse, that is to seyn, the prikke; but this
thing hath ben descovered to thee, in that thou seydest that
thou wistest nat a litel her-biforn.'

'What was that?' quod I. 165

'That thou ne wistest nat,' quod she, 'which was the ende
of thinges; and certes, that is the thing that every wight
desireth; and for as mochel as we han gadered and comprehended
that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle, thanne
moten we nedes confessen, that good is the fyn of alle thinges. 170

Pr. XI. 3. C. wylthow. 5. C. preys; A. Ed. price. 6. A. Ed. bytyde; C. betydde. 7. C. om. that. // A. Ed. resoun; C. resouns; Lat. ratione. 17. C. in on; A. in to oon; Ed. in to one. 23. C. om. ther. 29. C. grauntisthow. 32. Ed. muste thou; C. mosthow; A. mayst thou. // Ed. semblable; A. sembleable; C. semlable. 37. C. Hasthow. 43. A. conioigned; C. conioigne. 44. A. disseueraunce; C. desseueraunce; after which C. A. om. of, which Ed. retains. 51. A. Ed. who so; C. who. 54. Ed. perissheth; C. periseth; A. perissith. 60. C. wylnynge; A. Ed. willynge. 62. A. om. the entencioun. 64. C. om. and bef. eschueth. 68. A. soule. 69. A. Ed. appetite; C. apetid. 76. Ed. mareys; A. mareis; C. marys. // A. has here lost a leaf, from and othre to past end of Met. xi. 84. C. maryes, i. medulle. 86. Ed. seete; C. feete (!); Lat. sede. 87. Ed. is; C. is is (sic). // C. stidefastnesse. 88. C. om. the bef. destemperaunce; Ed. has it. 91. C. pupllisen; Ed. publysshen. 94. Ed. perdurably; C. perdurablely. 103. Ed. corrumpen. 106. Ed. om. nat lightly ... departen. // C. a twyne. 110. Ed. araced. // Ed. fleeth and; C. and (om. fleeth); Lat. refugit. 112. Ed. wylful; C. weleful; Lat. uoluntariis. 114. Ed. receyuen; C. resseyuen. 116. Ed. slepen; C. slepyt. 127. Ed. durabylite. 142. Ed. perdurablye; C. perdurablely. 152. Ed. thou; C. om. // Ed. discryuen. 161. C. fichched; Ed. fyxed. 163. Ed. discouered. 165. Ed. is that (for was that).

Metre XI.

Quisquis profunda mente uestigat uerum.

Who-so that seketh sooth by a deep thoght, and coveiteth
nat to ben deceived by no mis-weyes, lat him rollen and trenden
with-inne him-self the light of his inward sighte; and lat him
gadere ayein, enclyninge in-to a compas, the longe moevinges
of his thoughtes; and lat him techen his corage that he hath 5
enclosed and hid in his tresors, al that he compasseth or seketh
fro with-oute. And thanne thilke thinge, that the blake cloude
of errour whylom hadde y-covered, shal lighten more cleerly
thanne Phebus him-self ne shyneth.

Glosa. Who-so wole seken the deep grounde of sooth in his 10
thought, and wol nat be deceived by false proposiciouns that goon
amis fro the trouthe, lat him wel examine and rolle with-inne him-self
the nature and the propretees of the thing; and lat him yit
eftsones examine and rollen his thoughtes by good deliberacioun, or
that he deme; and lat him techen his sowle that it hath, by natural 15
principles kindeliche y-hid with-in it-self, alle the trouthe the whiche
he imagineth to ben in thinges with-oute. And thanne alle the
derknesse of his misknowinge shal seme more evidently to sighte of
his understondinge thanne the sonne ne semeth to sighte
with-oute-forth. 20

For certes the body, bringinge the weighte of foryetinge, ne
hath nat chased out of your thoughte al the cleernesse of your
knowinge; for certeinly the seed of sooth haldeth and clyveth
with-in your corage, and it is awaked and excyted by the winde
and by the blastes of doctrine. For wherfor elles demen ye of 25
your owne wil the rightes, whan ye ben axed, but-yif so were that
the norisshinge of resoun ne livede y-plounged in the depthe of
your herte? this is to seyn, how sholden men demen the sooth of
any thing that were axed, yif ther nere a rote of soothfastnesse that
were y-plounged and hid in naturel principles, the whiche soothfastnesse 30
lived with-in the deepnesse of the thought. And yif so be
that the Muse and the doctrine of Plato singeth sooth, al that
every wight lerneth, he ne doth no-thing elles thanne but
recordeth, as men recorden thinges that ben foryeten.'

Me. XI. 2. Ed. om. nat. // Ed. treaten (for trenden). 18. Ed. derknesse; C. dyrknesse. // Ed. seme; C. seen (but note semeth below). 24. Ed. wyndes. 26. Ed. asked. 27. Ed. norisshyng; C. noryssynges; Lat. fomes. 29. Ed. asked. 30. Ed. naturel; C. the nature (sic).

Prose XII.

Tum ego, Platoni, inquam.

Thanne seide I thus: 'I acorde me gretly to Plato, for thou
remembrest and recordest me thise thinges yit the secounde
tyme; that is to seyn, first whan I loste my memorie by the
contagious coniunccioun of the body with the sowle; and
eftsones afterward, whan I loste it, confounded by the charge and 5
by the burdene of my sorwe.'

And thanne seide she thus: 'yif thou loke,' quod she, 'first
the thinges that thou hast graunted, it ne shal nat ben right fer
that thou ne shalt remembren thilke thing that thou seydest that
thou nistest nat.' 10

'What thing?' quod I.

'By whiche governement,' quod she, 'that this world is
governed.'

'Me remembreth it wel,' quod I; 'and I confesse wel that I
ne wiste it naught. But al-be-it so that I see now from a-fer 15
what thou purposest, algates, I desire yit to herkene it of thee
more pleynly.'

'Thou ne wendest nat,' quod she, 'a litel her-biforn, that men
sholden doute that this world nis governed by god.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'ne yit ne doute I it naught, ne I nel never 20
wene that it were to doute; as who seith, but I wot wel that god
governeth this world; and I shal shortly answeren thee by what
resouns I am brought to this. This world,' quod I, 'of so manye
dyverse and contrarious parties, ne mighte never han ben
assembled in o forme, but-yif ther nere oon that conioignede so 25
manye dyverse thinges; and the same dyversitee of hir natures,
that so discorden that oon fro that other, moste departen and
unioignen the thinges that ben conioigned, yif ther ne were oon
that contenede that he hath conioined and y-bounde. Ne the
certein ordre of nature ne sholde nat bringe forth so ordenee 30
moevinges, by places, by tymes, by doinges, by spaces, by
qualitees, yif ther ne were oon that were ay stedefast dwellinge,
that ordeynede and disponede thise dyversitees of moevinges.
And thilke thing, what-so-ever it be, by which that alle thinges
ben y-maked and y-lad, I clepe him "god"; that is a word that 35
is used to alle folk.'

Thanne seyde she: 'sin thou felest thus thise thinges,' quod
she, 'I trowe that I have litel more to done that thou, mighty of
welefulnesse, hool and sounde, ne see eftsones thy contree.
But lat us loken the thinges that we han purposed her-biforn. 40
Have I nat noumbred and seyd,' quod she, 'that suffisaunce is in
blisfulnesse, and we han acorded that god is thilke same blisfulnesse?'

'Yis, forsothe,' quod I.

'And that, to governe this world,' quod she, 'ne shal he never 45
han nede of non help fro with-oute? For elles, yif he hadde
nede of any help, he ne sholde nat have no ful suffisaunce?'

'Yis, thus it mot nedes be,' quod I.

'Thanne ordeineth he by him-self al-one alle thinges?' quod she.

'That may nat be deneyed,' quod I. 50

'And I have shewed that god is the same good?'

'It remembreth me wel,' quod I.

'Thanne ordeineth he alle thinges by thilke good,' quod she;
'sin he, which that we han acorded to be good, governeth alle
thinges by him-self; and he is as a keye and a stere by which 55
that the edifice of this world is y-kept stable and with-oute
coroumpinge.'

'I acorde me greetly,' quod I; 'and I aperceivede a litel her-biforn
that thou woldest seye thus; al-be-it so that it were by
a thinne suspecioun.' 60

'I trowe it wel,' quod she; 'for, as I trowe, thou ledest now
more ententifly thyne eyen to loken the verray goodes. But
natheles the thing that I shal telle thee yit ne sheweth nat lasse to
loken.'

'What is that?' quod I. 65

'So as men trowen,' quod she, 'and that rightfully, that god
governeth alle thinges by the keye of his goodnesse, and alle thise
same thinges, as I have taught thee, hasten hem by naturel
entencioun to comen to good: ther may no man douten that they
ne be governed voluntariely, and that they ne converten hem of 70
hir owne wil to the wil of hir ordenour, as they that ben acordinge
and enclyninge to hir governour and hir king.'

'It mot nedes be so,' quod I; 'for the reaume ne sholde nat
semen blisful yif ther were a yok of misdrawinges in dyverse
parties; ne the savinge of obedient thinges ne sholde nat be.' 75

'Thanne is ther nothing,' quod she, 'that kepeth his nature,
that enforceth him to goon ayein god?'

'No,' quod I.

'And yif that any-thing enforcede him to with-stonde god,
mighte it availen at the laste ayeins him, that we han graunted to 80
ben almighty by the right of blisfulnesse?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'al-outrely it ne mighte nat availen him.'

'Thanne is ther no-thing,' quod she, 'that either wole or may
with-stonden to this soverein good?'

'I trowe nat,' quod I. 85

'Thanne is thilke the soverein good,' quod she, 'that alle
thinges governeth strongly, and ordeyneth hem softely.'

Thanne seyde I thus: 'I delyte me,' quod I, 'nat only in the
endes or in the somme of the resouns that thou hast concluded
and proeved, but thilke wordes that thou usest delyten me moche 90
more; so, at the laste, fooles that sumtyme renden grete thinges
oughten ben ashamed of hem-self;' that is to seyn, that we fooles
that reprehenden wikkedly the thinges that touchen goddes governaunce,
we oughten ben ashamed of our-self: as I, that seyde that
god refuseth only the werkes of men, and ne entremeteth nat of 95
hem.

'Thou hast wel herd,' quod she, 'the fables of the poetes,
how the giaunts assaileden the hevene with the goddes; but forsothe,
the debonair force of god deposede hem, as it was worthy;
that is to seyn, destroyede the giaunts, as it was worthy. But wilt 100
thou that we ioignen to-gider thilke same resouns? For per-aventure,
of swich coniuncioun may sterten up som fair sparkle
of sooth.'

'Do,' quod I, 'as thee liste.'

'Wenest thou,' quod she, 'that god ne be almighty? No man 105
is in doute of it.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'no wight ne douteth it, yif he be in his
minde.'

'But he,' quod she, 'that is almighty, ther nis nothing that he
ne may?' 110

'That is sooth,' quod I.

'May god don yvel?' quod she.

'Nay, forsothe,' quod I.

'Thanne is yvel nothing,' quod she, 'sin that he ne may nat
don yvel that may don alle thinges.' 115

'Scornest thou me?' quod I; 'or elles pleyest thou or deceivest
thou me, that hast so woven me with thy resouns the hous of
Dedalus, so entrelaced that it is unable to be unlaced; thou that
other-whyle entrest ther thou issest, and other-whyle issest ther
thou entrest, ne foldest thou nat to-gider, by replicacioun of 120
wordes, a maner wonderful cercle or environinge of the simplicitee
devyne? For certes, a litel her-biforn, whan thou bigunne at
blisfulnesse, thou seydest that it is soverein good; and seydest
that it is set in soverein god; and seydest that god him-self
is soverein good; and that god is the fulle blisfulnesse; for which 125
thou yave me as a covenable yift, that is to seyn, that no wight
nis blisful but-yif he be god also ther-with. And seidest eek,
that the forme of good is the substaunce of god and of blisfulnesse;
and seidest, that thilke same oon is thilke same good, that is
requered and desired of alle the kinde of thinges. And thou 130
proevedest, in disputinge, that god governeth all the thinges of
the world by the governements of bountee, and seydest, that alle
thinges wolen obeyen to him; and seydest, that the nature of yvel
nis no-thing. And thise thinges ne shewedest thou nat with none
resouns y-taken fro with-oute, but by proeves in cercles and hoomlich 135
knowen; the whiche proeves drawen to hem-self hir feith and
hir acord, everich of hem of other.'

Thanne seyde she thus: 'I ne scorne thee nat, ne pleye, ne
deceive thee; but I have shewed thee the thing that is grettest
over alle thinges by the yift of god, that we whylom preyeden. 140
For this is the forme of the devyne substaunce, that is swich that
it ne slydeth nat in-to outterest foreine thinges, ne ne receiveth
no straunge thinges in him; but right as Parmenides seyde in
Greek of thilke devyne substaunce; he seyde thus: that "thilke
devyne substaunce torneth the world and the moevable cercle of 145
thinges, whyl thilke devyne substaunce kepeth it-self with-oute
moevinge;" that is to seyn, that it ne moeveth never-mo, and yit it
moeveth alle othre thinges. But natheles, yif I have stired resouns
that ne ben nat taken fro with-oute the compas of thing of which
we treten, but resouns that ben bistowed with-in that compas, 150
ther nis nat why that thou sholdest merveilen; sin thou hast
lerned by the sentence of Plato, that "nedes the wordes moten
be cosines to the thinges of which they speken."

Pr. XII. 2. A. begins again with the seconde tyme. 4. A. coniunccioun; C. coniuncsioun. 12. C. wordyl (for world). 19. C. world nis; Ed. A. worlde is. 26. A. om. dyverse. 27. A. discordeden. 30. C. ordene; A. ordinee. 31. A. Ed. spaces; C. splaces (!). 32. C. stidefast; A. stedfast. 35. Ed. ymaked; C. A. maked. 40. A. han; C. ha (for hā). 47. A. om. no. 50. C. denoyed (for deneyed); A. Ed. denied. 55. A. Ed. om. as; Lat. ueluti. // C. A. stiere (better stere). 57. A. corumpynge. 63. A. natheles; C. natles. 82. C. hem; A. Ed. hym. 84. A. this; C. Ed. his. 93. C. reprehendnen. 96. A. hem; C. Ed. it. 99. C. desposede; A. Ed. disposed; read deposed; Lat. deposuit. 100. A. wilt; Ed. wylte; C. wil. 105. C. Ed. be; A. is. // A. Ed. No man; C. non. 107. A. Ed. if he; C. yif it. 110. A. may do. 116. C. scornesthow ... pleyesthow ... desseyuesthow. 118. Ed. Dedalus; C. dydalus; A. didalus. 119. C. A. issest; Ed. issuest. 120. C. fooldesthow. 125. C. fulle the; A. the ful; Lat. plenam beatitudinem. 127. Ed. god (Deus); C. A. good. 132. A. bountee; C. bowonte. 139. C. A. desseyue. 142. C. resseiueth. 143. C. aparmanides; Ed. Permenides; A. parmaynws; Lat. Parmenides. 148. C. Ed. styred; A. stered.

Metre XII.

Felix, qui potuit boni.

Blisful is that man that may seen the clere welle of good; blisful
is he that may unbinden him fro the bondes of the hevy erthe.
The poete of Trace, Orpheus, that whylom hadde right greet sorwe
for the deeth of his wyf, after that he hadde maked, by his weeply
songes, the wodes, moevable, to rennen; and hadde maked the 5
riveres to stonden stille; and hadde maked the hertes and the
hindes to ioignen, dredeles, hir sydes to cruel lyouns, for to herknen
his songe; and hadde maked that the hare was nat agast of the
hounde, which that was plesed by his songe: so, whan the moste
ardaunt love of his wif brende the entrailes of his brest, ne the 10
songes that hadden overcomen alle thinges ne mighten nat
asswagen hir lord Orpheus, he pleynede him of the hevene goddes
that weren cruel to him; he wente him to the houses of helle.
And there he temprede hise blaundisshinge songes by resowninge
strenges, and spak and song in wepinge al that ever he hadde 15
received and laved out of the noble welles of his moder Calliope
the goddesse; and he song with as mochel as he mighte of wepinge,
and with as moche as love, that doublede his sorwe, mighte
yeve him and techen him; and he commoevede the helle, and
requerede and bisoughte by swete preyere the lordes of sowles 20
in helle, of relesinge; that is to seyn, to yilden him his wyf.

Cerberus, the porter of helle, with his three hevedes, was caught
and al abayst for the newe song; and the three goddesses, Furies,
and vengeresses of felonyes, that tormenten and agasten the sowles
by anoy, woxen sorwful and sory, and wepen teres for pitee. 25
Tho ne was nat the heved of Ixion y-tormented by the overthrowinge
wheel; and Tantalus, that was destroyed by the woodnesse
of longe thurst, despyseth the flodes to drinke; the fowl that
highte voltor, that eteth the stomak or the giser of Tityus, is so
fulfild of his song that it nil eten ne tyren no more. At the laste 30
the lord and Iuge of sowles was moeved to misericordes and
cryde, "we ben overcomen," quod he; "yive we to Orpheus his
wyf to bere him companye; he hath wel y-bought hir by his song
and his ditee; but we wol putte a lawe in this, and covenaunt in
the yifte: that is to seyn, that, til he be out of helle, yif he loke 35
behinde him, that his wyf shal comen ayein unto us."

But what is he that may yive a lawe to loveres? Love is
a gretter lawe and a strenger to him-self than any lawe that men
may yeven. Allas! whan Orpheus and his wyf weren almest at the
termes of the night, that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle, 40
Orpheus lokede abakward on Eurydice his wyf, and loste hir, and
was deed.

This fable aperteineth to yow alle, who-so-ever desireth or
seketh to lede his thought in-to the soverein day, that is to seyn,
to cleernesse of soverein good. For who-so that ever be so overcomen 45
that he ficche his eyen into the putte of helle, that is to
seyn, who-so sette his thoughtes in erthely thinges, al that ever he
hath drawen of the noble good celestial, he leseth it whan he
loketh the helles,' that is to seyn, in-to lowe thinges of the erthe.

Me. XII. 2. A. bonde; Lat. uincula. // A. Ed. om. 2nd the. 4. C. wepply; A. Ed. wepely. 7. A. cruel; C. cruwel. 10. A. Ed. ardaunt; C. ardent. 12. C. goodes; A. godes (om. hevene); Lat. superos. 14. C. blaundyssynge; A. blaundissyng. 15. C. soonge; A. song (twice). 16. C. resseyued; A. resceyued. // C. calyope; A. calliope. 17. A. as mychel as he myȝt; C. om. he. 19. C. thechen; after techen him, A. adds in his seke herte (not in Lat.) 23. Ed. Furyes; C. A. furijs. 27. C. tatalus (for tātalus). 28. A. thrust. 29. Ed. Tityus; C. A. ticius; Lat. Tityi. 33. A. his faire song; Lat. carmine. 38. A. gretter; C. gret; Lat. maior. 41. C. A. Erudice; Ed. Euridice; Lat. Eurydicen. 43. C. apartienyth; A. apperteineth. 45. C. god; A. goode. 46. C. fychche. 47. C. om. his after sette. 49. A. to (for in-to). // C. om. the bef. erthe.

Explicit Liber tercius.