Boece (Text - Entire Work)

 Or, The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius

Incipit Liber Boecii de Consolacione Philosophie

Metrum 1

Allas! I wepynge, am constreyned to bygynnen

vers of sorwful matere, that whilom in florysschyng

studie made delitable ditees. For

lo, rendynge muses of poetes enditen to me

5 thynges to ben writen, and drery vers of wretchidnesse

weten my face with verray teres. At

the leeste, no drede ne myghte overcomen

tho muses, that thei ne were felawes, and folwyden

my wey (that is to seyn, whan

10 I was exiled). They that weren glorie of

my youthe, whilom weleful and grene,

conforten nowe the sorwful wyerdes of me, olde

man. For eelde is comyn unwarly uppon me,

hasted by the harmes that Y have, and sorwe

15 hath comandid his age to ben in me. Heeris hore

arn schad overtymeliche upon myn heved, and

the slakke skyn trembleth of myn emptid body.

Thilke deth of men is weleful that ne comyth

noght in yeeris that ben swete, but

20 cometh to wrecches often yclepid. Allas,

allas! With how deef an ere deth, cruwel,

turneth awey fro wrecches and nayteth to

closen wepynge eien. Whil Fortune, unfeithful,

favourede me with lyghte goodes, the sorwful

25 houre (that is to seyn, the deth) hadde almoost

dreynt myn heved. But now, for Fortune

cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable

chere to meward, myn unpietous lif draweth

along unagreable duellynges in me. O ye,

30 my frendes, what or wherto avaunted ye

me to be weleful? For he that hath fallen stood

noght in stedefast degre.

Prosa 1

In the mene while that I, stille, recordede

these thynges with myself and merkid my weply

compleynte with office of poyntel, I saw,

stondynge aboven the heghte of myn heved, a

5 womman of ful greet reverence by semblaunt,

hir eien brennynge and cleer-seynge over the

comune myghte of men; with a lifly colour

and with swich vigour and strengthe that it ne

myghte nat ben emptid, al were it so

10 that sche was ful of so greet age that men

ne wolden nat trowen in no manere that

sche were of our elde. The stature of hire was

of a doutous jugement, for somtyme sche constreyned

and schronk hirselven lik to the comune

15 mesure of men, and somtyme it semede

that sche touchede the hevene with the heghte

of here heved. And whan sche hef hir heved

heyere, sche percede the selve hevene so that

the sighte of men lokynge was in ydel.

20 Hir clothes weren makid of right delye

thredes and subtil craft of perdurable matere;

the whiche clothes sche hadde woven with

hir owene handes, as I knew wel aftir by hirselve

declarynge and schewynge to me. The

25 beaute [of] the whiche clothes a derknesse of a

forleten and despised elde hadde duskid and

dirked, as it is wont to dirken besmokede

ymages. In the nethereste hem or bordure of

thise clothes, men redden ywoven in a

30 Grekissch P (that signifieth the lif actif);

and aboven that lettre, in the heieste

bordure, a Grekyssh T (that signifieth the lif

contemplatif). And bytwixen thise two lettres

ther were seyn degrees nobly ywrought in

35 manere of laddres, by whiche degrees men

myghten clymben fro the nethereste lettre to the

uppereste. Natheles handes of some men hadden

korve that cloth by violence and by

strengthe, and everich man of hem hadde

40 boren awey swiche peces as he myghte

geten. And forsothe this forseide womman bar

smale bokis in hir right hand, and in hir left hand

sche bar a ceptre.

And whan she saughe thise poetical muses

45 aprochen aboute my bed and enditynge wordes

to my wepynges, sche was a litil amoeved, and

glowede with cruel eighen. "Who," quat sche,

"hath suffred aprochen to this sike man thise

comune strompettis of swich a place that

50 men clepen the theatre? The whiche nat

oonly ne asswagen noght his sorwes with

none remedies, but thei wolden fedyn and

noryssen hym with sweete venym. Forsothe

thise ben tho that with thornes and prikkynges

55 of talentz or affeccions, whiche that ne bien

nothyng fructifyenge nor profitable, destroyen

the corn plentyvous of fruytes of resoun. For

thei holden hertes of men in usage, but thei

delyvre noght folk fro maladye. But yif ye

60 muses hadden withdrawen fro me with

youre flateries any unkunnynge and unprofitable

man, as men ben wont to fynde

comonly among the peple, I wolde wene suffre

the lasse grevosly; forwhi, in swych an unprofitable

65 man, myne ententes weren nothyng

endamaged. But ye withdrawen me this man,

that hath ben noryssed in the studies or scoles of

Eliaticis and Achademycis in Grece. But goth

now rather awey, ye mermaydenes, whiche

70 that ben swete til it be at the laste, and

suffreth this man to ben cured and heeled

by myne muses (that is to seyn, by noteful

sciences)."

And thus this companye of muses, iblamed,

75 casten wrothly the chere dounward to the erthe,

and, schewynge by rednesse hir schame, thei

passeden sorwfully the thresschefold. And I, of

whom the sighte, ploungid in teeres, was dirked

so that Y ne myghte noght knowen what

80 that womman was of so imperial auctorite,

I wax al abayssched and astoned, and caste

my syghte doun to the erthe, and bygan stille for

to abide what sche woolde doon aftirward. Tho

com sche ner and sette her doun uppon the

85 uttereste corner of my bed; and sche, byholdynge

my chere that was cast to the erthe

hevy and grevous of wepynge, compleynede

with thise wordis that I schal seyn the perturbacion thought.

Metrum 2

"Allas! How the thought of this man, dreynt

in overthrowynge depnesse, dulleth and forleteth

his propre clernesse, myntynge to gon into

foreyne dirknesses as ofte as his anoyos

5 bysynes waxeth withoute mesure, that is

dryven with werldly wyndes. This man, that

whilom was fre, to whom the hevene was

opyn and knowen, and was wont to gon in

hevenliche pathes, and saughe the lyghtnesse

10 of the rede sonne, and saughe the

sterres of the coolde mone, and whiche

sterre in hevene useth wandrynge recourses

iflyt by diverse speeris -- this man, overcomere,

hadde comprehendid al this by nombre (of

15 acontynge in astronomye). And, over this, he

was wont to seken the causes whennes the sounynge

wyndes moeven and bysien the smothe

watir of the see; and what spirit turneth the

stable hevene; and why the sterre ariseth

20 out of the rede est, to fallen in the westrene

wawes; and what attemprith the lusty

houres of the firste somer sesoun, that highteth

and apparaileth the erthe with rosene

floures; and who maketh that plentyvous

25 autumpne in fulle [yere] fletith with hevy

grapes. And eek this man was wont to tellen

the diverse causes of nature that weren yhidd.

Allas! Now lyth he emptid of lyght of his

thoght, and his nekke is pressyd with hevy

30 cheynes, and bereth his chere enclyned

adoun for the grete weyghte, and is constreyned

to loken on the fool erthe!"

Prosa 2

"But tyme is now," quod sche, "of medicyne

more than of compleynte." Forsothe thanne

sche, entendynge to meward with al the lookynge

of hir eien, seyde: "Art nat thou he,"

5 quod sche, "that whilom, norissched with my

melk and fostred with myne metes, were escaped

and comyn to corage of a parfit man?

Certes I yaf the swiche armures that, yif thou

thiselve ne haddest first cast hem awey,

10 they schulden han defended the in sekernesse

that mai nat ben overcomyn. Knowestow

me nat? Why arttow stille? Is it for

schame or for astonynge? It were me levere

that it were for schame, but it semeth me that

15 astonynge hath oppresside the." And whan sche

say me nat oonly stille but withouten office

of tunge and al dowmbe, sche leyde hir hand

sooftly uppon my breest and seide: "Here nys

no peril," quod sche; "he is fallen into a

20 litargye, whiche that is a comune seknesse

to hertes that been desceyved. He hath a

litil foryeten hymselve, but certes he schal

lightly remembren hymself yif so be that he

hath knowen me or now; and that he may so

25 doon, I will wipe a litil his eien that ben

dirked by the cloude of mortel thynges." Thise

woordes seide sche, and with the lappe of hir

garnement yplited in a frownce sche dryede

myn eien, that weren fulle of the wawes of wepynges.

Metrum 3

Thus, whan that nyght was discussed and

chased awey, dirknesses forleten me, and to

myn eien repeyred ayen hir firste strengthe.

And ryght by ensaumple as the sonne is hydd

5 whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn,

whan sterres ben covered with cloudes) by

a swyft wynd that hyghte Chorus, and that

the firmament stant dirked with wete plowngy

cloudes; and that the sterres nat apeeren

10 upon hevene, so that the nyght semeth

sprad upon erthe: yif thanne the wynde that

hyghte Boreas, isent out of the kaves of the

cuntre of Trace, betith this nyght (that is to

seyn, chaseth it awey) and discovereth the

15 closed day, thanne schyneth Phebus ischaken

with sodeyn light and smyteth with his beemes

in merveylynge eien.

Prosa 3

Ryght so, and noon other wise, the cloudes

of sorwe dissolved and doon awey, I took hevene,

and resceyved mynde to knowe the face

of my fisycien; so that [whan] [that] I sette myne

5 eien on hir and fastned my lookynge, I byholde

my noryce, Philosophie, in whoos houses I

hadde conversed and hauntyd fro my youthe;

and I seide thus: "O thou maystresse of alle

vertues, descended from the sovereyne

10 sete, whi arttow comen into this solitarie

place of myn exil? Artow comen for thou

art maad coupable with me of false blames?"

"O," quod sche, "my nory, schulde I forsake

the now, and schulde I nat parten with the by

15 comune travaile the charge that thow hast

suffred for envye of my name? Certes it nere nat

leveful ne syttynge thyng to Philosophie to leten

withouten companye the weye of hym that is

innocent. Schulde I thanne redowte my

20 blame and agrysen as though ther were

byfallen a newe thyng? For trowestow that

Philosophie be now alderferst assailed in periles

by folk of wykkide maneris? Have I noght

stryven with ful greet strif in old tyme, byfor the

25 age of my Plato, ayens the foolhardynesse

of folye? And eek, the same Plato lyvynge, his

mayster Socrates desserved victorie of unryghtful

deth in my presence. The heritage of

the whiche Socrates (the heritage is to

30 seyn the doctryne of the whiche Socrates

in his opinyoun of felicite, that I clepe

welefulnesse) whan that the peple of Epycuriens

and Stoyciens and manye othere enforceden

hem to gon ravyssche everyche man for his part

35 (that is to seyn, that everych of hem wolde

drawen to the deffense of his opinyoun the

wordes of Socrates), they as in partye of hir

preye todrowen me, cryinge and debatyng

ther-ayens, and korven and torente my

40 clothes that I hadde woven with myn

handes; and with tho cloutes that thei

hadden arased out of my clothes thei wenten

awey wenynge that I hadde gon with hem every

del. In whiche Epycuriens and Stoyciens for as

45 myche as ther semede some traces or steppes of

myn abyte, the folie of men wenynge tho

Epycuryens and Stoyciens my familiers pervertede

some thurw the errour of the wikkide

or unkunnynge multitude of hem.

50 (This is to seyn, that for they semeden

philosophres thei weren pursuyed to the

deth and slayn.)

"So yif thou ne hast noght knowen the

exilynge of Anaxogore, ne the empoisonynge of

55 Socrates, ne the turmentz of Zeno, for they

weren straungiers, yit myghtestow han knowen

the Senecciens and the Canyos and the Soranas,

of whiche folk the renoun is neyther over-oold

ne unsollempne. The whiche men nothyng

60 elles ne broght hem to the deeth but oonly

for thei weren enformyd of myne maneris,

and semyde moost unlyk to the studies of

wykkid folk. And forthi thou oughtest noght to

wondren thoughe that I, in the byttere see of this

65 lif, be fordryven with tempestes blowynge

aboute, in the whiche this is my moste purpoos,

that is to seyn to displesen to wikkide men. Of

whiche schrewes al be the oost nevere so greet,

it es to despise; for it nys nat governyd with

70 no ledere (of resoun), but it es ravyssched

oonly by fleetynge errour folyly and

lyghtly; and yif they somtyme, makynge an oost

ayens us, assayle us as strengere, our ledere

draweth togidre his richesses into his tour, and

75 they ben ententyf aboute sarpleris or sachelis,

unprofitable for to taken. But we that ben heghe

above, syker fro alle tumolte and wood noyse,

warnstoryd and enclosed in swiche a palys

whider as that chaterynge or anoyinge

80 folye ne may nat atayne, we scorne swyche

ravyneres and henteres of fouleste thynges.

Metrum 4

"Whoso it be that is cleer of vertue, sad and

wel ordynat of lyvynge, that hath put under

fote the proude wierdes, and loketh upryght

upon either fortune, he may holden his chere

5 undesconfited. The rage ne the manaces of the

see, commoevynge or chasynge upward hete

fro the botme, ne schal nat moeve that man.

Ne the unstable mowntaigne that highte Visevus,

that writhith out thurw his brokene

10 chemeneyes smokynge fieres, ne the wey of

thonderleit, that is wont to smyten hye

toures, ne schal nat moeve that man. Wharto

thanne, o wrecches, drede ye tirauntz that ben

wode and felenous withouten ony strengthe?

15 Hope aftir no thyng, ne drede nat; and so

schaltow desarmen the ire of thilke unmyghty

tiraunt. But whoso that, qwakynge, dredeth

or desireth thyng that nys noght stable of his

ryght, that man that so dooth hath cast

20 awey his scheeld, and is remoeved from

his place, and enlaceth hym in the cheyne

with whiche he mai ben drawen.

Prosa 4

"Felistow," quod sche, "thise thynges, and

entren thei aughte in thy corage? Artow like

an asse to the harpe? Why wepistow, why

spillestow teeris? Yif thou abidest after helpe

5 of thi leche, the byhoveth discovre thy

wownde."

Tho I, that hadde gaderyd strengthe in my

corage, answeride and seide: "And nedeth it

yit," quod I, "of rehersynge or of ammonicioun?

10 And scheweth it nat ynoghe by

hymselve the scharpnesse of Fortune, that

waxeth wood ayens me? Ne moeveth it nat

the to seen the face or the manere of this place?

Is this the librarye which that thou haddest

15 chosen for a ryght certein sege to the in myn

hous, there as thow disputedest ofte with me

of the sciences of thynges touchynge dyvinyte

and mankynde? Was thanne myn habit

swiche as it is now? Was my face or my

20 chere swyche as now whan I soghte with

the the secretis of nature, whan thow enformedest

my maneris and the resoun of al my

lif to the ensaumple of the ordre of hevene? Is

noght this the gerdouns that I referre to the, to

25 whom I have ben obeisaunt?

"Certes thou confermedest by the mouth of

Plato this sentence, that is to seyn that comune

thynges or comunalites weren blisful yif they

that hadden studied al fully to wysdom

30 governeden thilke thynges; or elles yif it so

befille that the governours of comunalites

studieden to geten wysdom. Thou seidest eek by

the mouth of the same Plato that it was a

necessarie cause wise men to taken and desire

35 the governance of comune thynges, for that the

governementz of cites, ilefte in the handes of

felonous turmentours citezeens, ne schulde

noght bryngen in pestilence ande destruccioun

to good folk. And therfore I, folwynge

40 thilke auctorite, desired to putten forth in

execucion and in acte of comune administracioun

thilk thynges that I hadde lernyd

of the among my secre restyng-whiles.

"Thow and God, that putte the in the

45 thoughtes of wise folk, ben knowynge with me

that nothyng ne brought me to maistrie or

dignyte but the comune studie of alle goodnesse.

And therof cometh it that bytwixen

wikkid folk and me han ben grevous

50 discordes, that ne myghte nat ben relessed

by preyeris; for this liberte hath the fredom

of conscience, that the wraththe of more myghty

folk hath alwey ben despised of me for savacioun

of right. How ofte have I resisted and withstonden

55 thilke man that highte Connigaste, that

made alwey assawtes ayens the propre fortunes

of pore feble folk! How ofte eek have I put of

or cast out hym Trygwille, provoste of the

kyngis hous, bothe of the wronges that he

60 hadde bygunne to doon, and ek fully

performed! How ofte have I covered and

defended by the auctorite of me put ayens perils

(that is to seyn, put myn auctorite in peril for)

the wrecche pore folk, that the covetise of

65 straungiers unpunyschid tormentyde alwey with

myseses and grevances out of nombre! Nevere

man ne drow me yit fro right to wrong. Whan

I say the fortunes and the richesses of the peple

of the provinces ben harmed or amenuced

70 outher be pryve ravynes or by comune

tributz or cariages, as sory was I as they

that suffriden the harm. (Glosa. Whan that

Theodoric, the kyng of Gothes, in a dere yeer,

hadde his gerneeris ful of corn, and comaundede

75 that no man schulde byen no coorn til

his corn were soold, and that at a grevous dere

prys, Boece withstood that ordenaunce and

overcome it, knowynge al this the kyng hymselve.

Coempcioun is to seyn comune

80 achat or beyinge togidre, that were establissed

upon the peple by swich a

manere imposicioun, as whoso boughte a

busschel corn, he most yyve the kyng the fyfte

part.) Textus. Whan it was in the sowre hungry

85 tyme, ther was establissed or cryed grevous and

unplitable coempcioun, that men sayen wel it

schulde gretly tormenten and endamagen al the

provynce of Campayne, I took stryf ayens the

provost of the pretorie for comune profit;

90 and, the kyng knowynge of it, Y overcom

it, so that the coempcioun ne was nat axid

ne took effect. Paulyn, a conseiller of Rome, the

richesses of the whiche Paulyn the howndes of

the paleys (that is to seyn, the officeres) wolden

95 han devoured by hope and covetyse, yit drowe

I hym out of the jowes of hem that gapeden. And

for as moche as the peyne of the accusacioun

ajugid byforn ne schulde noght sodeynli henten

ne punyssche wrongfully Albyn, a

100 conseiller of Rome, I putte me ayens the

hates and indignacions of the accusour

Cyprian. Is it nat thanne inoghe isene that I have

purchaced grete discordes ayens myself? But I

oughte be the more asseured ayens alle othere

105 folk, that for the love of rightwisnesse I ne

reservede nevere nothyng to myselve to hemward

of the kyngis halle, by whiche I were the

more syker. But thurw tho same accusours accusynge

I am condempned.

110 "Of the nombre of whiche accusours,

oon Basilius, that whilom was chased out of

the kyngis servyse, is now compelled in accusynge

of my name for nede of foreyne moneye.

Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me,

115 al be it so that the justise regal hadde whilom

demed hem bothe to gon into exil for hir trecheries

and frawdes withouten nombre, to whiche

juggement they nolden nat obeye, but defendeden

hem by the sikernesse of holi

120 houses (that is to seyn, fledden into

seyntewarie); and whan this was aperceyved

to the kyng, he comandide that, but they

voydide the cite of Ravenne by certeyn day

assigned, that men scholde marken hem on the

125 forheved with an hoot iren and chasen hem out

of towne. Now what thyng semyth myghte ben

likned to this cruelte? For certes thilke same day

was resceyved the accusynge of myn name by

thilke same accusours. What may ben seyd

130 herto? Hath my studie and my kunnynge

disserved thus? Or elles the forseyde

dampnacioun of me -- made that hem ryghtfulle

accusours or no? Was noght Fortune

aschamed of this? Certes, al hadde noght

135 Fortune ben aschamed that innocence was

accused, yit oughte sche han hadde schame of

the fylthe of myn accusours.

"But axestow in somme of what gylt I am

accused? Men seyn that I wolde saven

140 the companye of the senatours. And

desirestow to heren in what manere? I am

accused that I schulde han disturbed the

accusour to beren lettres, by whiche he scholde

han maked the senatours gylty ayens the kynges

145 real majeste. O Maystresse, what demestow of

this? Schal I forsake this blame, that Y ne be no

schame to the? Certes I have wolde it (that is to

seyn, the savacioun of the senat), ne I schal

nevere letten to wilne it. And that I

150 confesse and am aknowe; but the entente of

the accusour to ben distorbed schal cese.

For schal I clepe it thanne a felonye or a synne

that I have desired the savacioun of the ordre of

the senat? And certes yit hadde thilke same senat

155 don by me thurw hir decretz and hir jugementz

as thoughe it were a synne and a felonye (that

is to seyn, to wilne the savacioun of hem). But

folye, that lyeth alwey to hymselve, may noght

chaunge the merite of thynges, ne I trowe

160 nat by the jugement of Socrates that it were

leveful to me to hide the sothe ne assente

to lesynges.

"But certes, how so evere it be of this, I putte

it to gessen or prisen to the jugement of the and

165 of wys folk. Of whiche thyng al the ordenaunce

and the sothe, for as moche as folk that been to

comen aftir our dayes schullen knowen it, I have

put it in scripture and in remembraunce. For

touchynge the lettres falsly maked, by

170 whiche lettres I am accused to han hoped

the fredom of Rome, what aperteneth me

to speken therof? Of whiche lettres the fraude

hadde ben schewed apertely, yif I hadde had

liberte for to han used and ben at the confessioun

175 of myn accusours, the whiche thyng in

alle nedes hath greet strengthe. For what other

fredom mai men hopen? Certes I wolde that som

other fredom myghte ben hoped; I wolde

thanne han answeryd by the wordys of a

180 man that hyghte Canyus. For whan he was

accused by Gaius Cesar, Germaynes sone,

that he was knowynge and consentynge of a

conjuracioun ymaked ayens hym, this Canyus

answeride thus: `Yif I hadde wyst it, thou

185 haddest noght wyst it.'

"In whiche thyng sorwe hath noght so dullid

my wyt that I pleyne oonly that schrewed folk

apparailen felonyes ayens vertu; but I wondre

gretly how that thei may performe thynges

190 that thei han hoped for to doon. Forwhy to

wylne schrewydnesse -- that cometh peraventure

of our defaute; but it is lyk a monstre

and a merveyle how that, in the presente

sight of God, may ben acheved and performed

195 swiche thynges as every felonous man

hath conceyved in his thoght ayens innocentz.

For whiche thynge oon of thy familiers

noght unskilfully axed thus: `Yif God

is, whennes comen wikkide thyngis? And

200 yif God ne is, whennes comen gode

thynges?' But al hadde it ben leveful that

felonous folk, that now desiren the blood and

the deeth of alle gode men and ek of al the senat,

han wilned to gon destroyen me, whom they han

205 seyn alwey bataylen and defenden gode men

and eek al the senat, yit hadde I nought

disservyd of the faderes (that is to seyn, of

the senatours) that they schulden wilne my

destruccioun.

210 "Thow remembrest wel, as I gesse, that

whan I wolde doon or seyn any thyng,

thow thiselve alwey present reuledest me. [And]

[wel] [thow] [remembrest] at the cite of Verone,

whan that the kyng, gredy of comune slaughtre,

215 caste hym to transporten upon al the ordre of the

senat the gilt of his real majeste, of the whiche

gilt that Albyn was accused, with how gret

sykernesse of peril to me defended I al the senat!

Thow woost wel that I sey sooth, ne

220 I n' avawntede me nevere in preysynge

of myselve. For alwey whan any wyght

resceyveth precious renoun in avauntynge

hymselve of his werkes, he amenuseth the secre

of his conscience. But now thow mayst wel seen

225 to what eende I am comen for myn innocence;

I resceyve peyne of fals felonye for guerdoun of

verrai vertue. And what opene confessioun of

felonye hadde evere juges so accordaunt in

cruelte (that is to seyn, as myn accusynge

230 hath. that either errour of mannys wit, or

elles condicion of fortune, that is uncerteyn

to alle mortel folk, ne submyttede some of hem

(that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede som juge

to have pite or compassioun)? For althoughe I

235 hadde ben accused that I wolde brenne holi

houses and straungle preestis with wykkid

sweerd, or that I hadde greythed deth to alle

gode men, algates the sentence scholde han

punysshed me present, confessed or convict.

240 But now I am remuwed fro the cite of

Rome almest fyve hundred thowsand paas,

I am withoute deffense dampnyd to proscripcion

and to the deth for the studie and

bountes that I have doon to the senat. But, O,

245 wel ben thei wurthy of meryte (as who seith,

nay), ther myghte nevere yit noon of hem ben

convicte of swiche a blame as myn is. Of whiche

trespas myne accusours sayen ful wel the

dignete; the whiche dignyte, for thei

250 wolden derken it with medlynge of some

felonye, they bare me on hande and lieden

that I hadde pollut and defouled my conscience

with sacrilegie for covetise of dignyte. And

certes thou thiselve, that art plaunted in me,

255 chacedest out of the sege of my corage alle

covetise of mortel thynges, ne sacrilege ne

hadde no leve to han a place in me byforn

thyne eien. For thow droppiddest every day

in myn eris and in my thought thilke

260 comaundement of Pictagoras, that is to

seyn, men schal serven to God and noght

to goddes. Ne it was noght convenient ne no

nede to taken help of the fouleste spiritz -- I,

that thow hast ordeyned and set in swiche

265 excellence, that thou makedest me lyk to God.

And over this, the right clene secre chaumbre of

myn hous (that is to seyn, my wif), and the

companye of myne honeste freendes, and

my wyves fadir, as wel holi as worthy to

270 ben reverenced thurw his owene dedes,

defenden me fro alle suspecioun of swiche

blame. But O malice! For they that accusen me

taken of the, Philosophie, feith of so greet

blame, for they trowen that I have had affinyte

275 to malefice or enchauntement, bycause that I am

replenysshid and fulfild with thy techynges, and

enformed of thi maneris. And thus it suffiseth nat

oonly that thi reverence ne avayle me nat, but yif

that thow of thy free wil rather be

280 blemessched with myne offencioun.

"But certes, to the harmes that I have,

ther bytideth yit this encrees of harm, that the

gessynge and the jugement of moche folk ne

loken nothyng to the desertes of thynges, but

285 oonly to the aventure of fortune; and jugen

that oonly swiche thynges ben purveied of

God, whiche that temporel welefulnesse

commendeth. (Glose. As thus: that yif a

wyght have prosperite, he is a good man

290 and worthy to han that prosperite; and

whoso hath adversite, he is a wikkid

man, and God hath forsake hym, and he is

worthy to han that adversite. This is the

opinyoun of some folk.) Textus. And therof

295 cometh that good gessynge, first of alle thynge,

forsaketh wrecches. Certes it greveth me to

thynke ryght now the diverse sentences that the

peple seith of me. And thus moche I seie, that

the laste charge of contrarious fortune is

300 this: that whan eny blame is leid upon a

caytif, men wenen that he hath desservyd

that he suffreth. And I, that am put awey fro

gode men, and despoyled of dignytes, and

defouled of myn name by gessynge, have

305 suffride torment for my gode dedes. Certes me

semyth that I se the felonous covynes of wykkid

men habounden in joye and in gladnesse; and I

se that every lorel schapeth hym to fynde out

newe fraudes for to accuse good folk; and

310 I se that goode men [lien] overthrowen for

drede of my peril, and every luxurious

turmentour dar doon alle felonye unpunysschyd,

and ben excited therto by yiftes; and

innocentz ne ben noght oonly despoiled of

315 sikernesse, but of defense; and therfore me lyst manere:

Metrum 5

"O thow makere of the wheel that bereth

the sterres, whiche that art festnyd to thi perdurable

chayer, and turnest the hevene with a

ravysschynge sweighe, and constreynest the

5 sterres to suffren thi lawe; so that the moone

somtyme, schynynge with hir fulle hornes metynge

with alle the beemes of the sonne hir

brothir, hideth the sterres that ben lasse; and

somtyme, whan the moone pale with hir

10 derke hornes aprocheth the sonne, leeseth

hir lyghtes; and that the eve sterre, Hesperus,

whiche that in the first tyme of the nyght

bryngeth forth hir colde arysynges, cometh eft

ayen hir used cours, and is pale by the morwe

15 at rysynge of the sonne, and is thanne clepid

Lucyfer! Thow restreynest the day by schortere

duellynge in the tyme of coold wynter that

maketh the leeves falle. Thow devydest the

swyfte tydes of the nyght, whan the hote

20 somer is comen. Thy myghte attempreth

the variauntz sesouns of the yer, so that

Zephirus, the debonere wynd, bryngeth ayen

in the first somer sesoun the leeves that the

wynd that hyghte Boreas hath reft awey in

25 autumpne (that is to seie, in the laste ende of

somer); and the seedes that the sterre that

highte Arcturus saugh ben waxen heye cornes

whan the sterre Syrius eschaufeth hem. Ther

nys no thyng unbounde from his olde lawe,

30 ne forleteth the werk of his propre estat.

"O thou governour, governynge alle

thynges by certein ende, whi refusestow oonly

to governe the werkes of men by duwe manere?

Why suffrestow that slydynge Fortune turneth

35 so grete enterchaungynges of thynges? So

that anoyous peyne, that scholde duweliche

punysche felons, punysscheth innocentz; and

folk of wikkide maneres sitten in heie chayeres;

and anoyinge folk treden, and that unrightfully,

40 on the nekkes of holi men; and

vertu, cleer and schynynge naturely, is

hidde in derke derknesses; and the rightful man

bereth the blame and the peyne of the feloun; ne

the forswerynge ne the fraude covered and

45 kembd with a false colour, ne anoieth nat to

schrewes? The whiche schrewes, whan hem list

to usen hir strengthe, they rejoyssen hem to

putten undir hem the sovereyne kynges, whiche

that peple withouten nombre dreden. O

50 thou, what so evere thou be that knyttest

alle boondes of thynges, loke on thise

wrecchide erthes. We men, that ben noght a foul

partie, but a fair partie of so greet a werk, we

ben turmented in this see of fortune. Thow

55 governour, withdraughe and restreyne the

ravysschynge flodes, and fastne and ferme thise

erthes stable with thilke boond by whiche thou

governest the hevene that is so large."

Prosa 5

Whan I hadde with a contynuel sorwe

sobbyd or borken out thise thynges, sche, with

hir cheere pesible and nothyng amoeved with

my compleyntes, seide thus: "Whan I saugh

5 the," quod sche, "sorwful and wepynge, I

wiste anoon that thow were a wrecche and

exiled; but I wyste nevere how fer thyn exil

was yif thy tale ne hadde schewid it me. But

certes, al be thow fer fro thy cuntre, thou

10 n' art nat put out of it, but thow hast fayled

of thi weye and gon amys. And yif thou

hast levere for to wene that thow be put out

of thy cuntre, thanne hastow put out thyselve

rather than ony other wyght hath. For no

15 wyght but thyselve ne myghte nevere han doon

that to the. For yif thow remembre of what

cuntre thow art born, it nys nat governed by

emperoures, ne by governement of multitude,

as weren the cuntrees of hem of Atthenes;

20 but o lord and o kyng, and that is God, that

is lord of thi cuntre, whiche that rejoisseth

hym of the duellynge of his citezeens, and nat

for to putten hem in exil; of the whiche lord

it is a sovereyn fredom to ben governed by the

25 brydel of hym and obeye to his justice. Hastow

foryeten thilke ryghte oolde lawe of thi citee, in

the whiche cite it es ordeyned and establysschid

that what wyght that hath levere

founden therin his sete or his hous than

30 elleswhere, he may nat ben exiled by no

ryght fro that place? For whoso that is

contened inwith the palys and the clos of

thilke cite, ther nys no drede that he mai deserve

to ben exiled; but who that leteth the

35 wil for to enhabyten there, he forleteth also

to deserve to ben citezen of thilke cite. So that

I seie that the face of this place ne moeveth

me noght so mochel as thyn owene face, ne

I ne axe nat rather the walles of thy librarye,

40 apparayled and wrought with yvory

and with glas, than after the sete of thi

thought, in whiche I put noght whilom bookes,

but I putte that that maketh bokes wurthy

of prys or precyous, that is to seyn the sentence

45 of my bookes.

"And certeynly of thy dessertes bystowed in

comune good thow hast seyd soth, but after the

multitude of thy gode dedes thou hast seyd

fewe. And of the honestete or of the falsnesse

50 of thynges that ben opposed ayens

the, thow hast remembred thynges that ben

knowen to alle folk. And of the felonyes and

fraudes of thyn accusours, it semeth the have

touched it for sothe ryghtfully and schortly, al

55 myghten tho same thynges betere and more

plentevously ben couth in the mouth of the

peple that knoweth al this. Thow hast eek

blamed gretly and compleyned of the wrongdede

of the senat, and thow hast sorwyd

60 for my blame, and thow hast wepen for

the damage of thi renoun that is apayred;

and thi laste sorwe eschaufede ayens Fortune,

and compleyndest that guerdouns ne ben nat

eveneliche yolden to the dessertes of folk. And

65 in the lattre eende of thy wode muse, thow

preydest that thilke pees that governeth the

hevene schulde governe the erthe.

"But for that many [turbacions] of affeccions

han assailed the, and sorwe and ire and

70 wepynge todrawen the diversely, as thou

art now feble of thought, myghtyere remedies

ne schullen noght yit touchen the. For

wyche we wol usen somdel lyghtere medicynes,

so that thilke passiouns that ben waxen hard in

75 swellynge by perturbacions flowynge into thy

thought, mowen waxen esy and softe to resceyven

the strengthe of a more myghty and

more egre medicyne, by an esyere touchynge.

Metrum 6

"Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre

eschaufeth by the bemes of Phebus (that is to

seyn, whan that Phebus the sonne is in the

sygne of the Cancre), whoso yeveth thanne

5 largely his seedes to the feeldes that refusen

to resceyven hem, lat hym gon, begiled of trust

that he hadde to his corn, to accornes of okes.

Yif thow wolt gadere vyolettes, ne go thow

nat to the purpre wode whan the feeld,

10 chirkynge, agryseth of cold by the felnesse

of the wynd that hyghte Aquilon. Yif thou

desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seek thou nat

with a glotonos hand to streyne and presse the

stalkes of the vyne in the first somer sesoun;

15 for Bachus, the god of wyn, hath rather yyven

his yiftes to autumpne (the lattere ende of

somer). God tokneth and assigneth the tymes,

ablynge hem to hir propre offices, ne he ne suffreth

nat the stowndes whiche that hymself

20 hath devyded and constreyned to ben

imedled togidre. And forthy he that forleteth

certein ordenaunce of doynge by overthrowynge

wey, he hath no glad issue or ende of his

werkes.

Prosa 6

"First wiltow suffre me to touche and assaye

th' estaat of thi thought by a fewe demaundes,

so that I may understande what be the manere

of thi curacioun?"

5 "Axe me," quod I, "at thi wille what thou

wolt, and I schal answere." Tho seyde sche

thus: "Whethir wenestow," quod sche, "that

this world be governed by foolyssche happes

and fortunows, or elles wenestow that ther

10 be inne it ony governement of resoun?"

"Certes," quod I, "I ne trowe nat in no

manere that so certeyn thynges schulden be

moeved by fortunows [folie]; but I woot wel

that God, makere and maister, is governour of

15 his werk, ne nevere nas yit day that myghte

putte me out of the sothnesse of that sentence."

"So it is," quod sche, "for the same thyng

songe thow a litil herebyforn, and bywayledest

and byweptest, that oonly men weren

20 put out of the cure of God; for of alle othere

thynges thou ne doutedest the nat that they

nere governed by resoun. But owgh! I wondre

gretly, certes, whi that thou art sik, syn that

thow art put in so holsome a sentence. But lat

25 us seken deppere; I conjecte that ther lakketh

Y not what. But sey me this: syn that thow

ne doutest noght that this world be governed

by God, with whiche governayles takestow

heede that it is governed?"

30 "Unnethes," quod I, "knowe I the sentence

of thy questioun, so that I ne may

nat yit answeren to thy demandes."

"I nas nat desseyved," quod sche, "that ther

ne faileth somwhat, by whiche the maladye of

35 perturbacion is crept into thi thought, so as

[by] the strengthe of the palys chynynge

[and] open. But sey me this: remembrestow

what is the ende of thynges, and whider that

the entencion of alle kende tendeth?"

40 "I have herd tolde it somtyme," quod I,

"but drerynesse hath dulled my memorie."

"Certes," quod sche, "thou wost wel whennes

that alle thynges bien comen and proceded?"

"I woot wel," quod I, and answerede that

45 God is bygynnynge of al.

"And how may this be," quod sche, "that,

syn thow knowest the bygynnynge of thynges,

that thow ne knowest nat what is the eende

of thynges? But swiche ben the customes

50 of perturbaciouns, and this power they han,

that they mai moeve a man from his place

(that is to seyn, fro the stabelnesse and perfeccion

of his knowynge); but certes, thei mai nat

al arrace hym, ne aliene hym in al. But I wolde

55 that thou woldest answere to this: Remembrestow

that thow art a man?"

Boece. "Whi schulde I nat remembren that?"

quod I.

Philosophie. "Maystow noght telle me

60 thanne," quod sche, "what thyng is a man?"

"Axestow me nat," quod I, "whethir

that I [woot wel that I] be a resonable mortel

beste? I woot wel, and I confesse wel that I am

it."

65 "Wystestow nevere yit that thow were ony

othir thyng?" quod sche.

"No," quod I.

"Now woot I," quod sche, "other cause of thi

maladye, and that ryght greet: thow hast

70 left for to knowen thyselve what thou art.

Thurw whiche I have pleynly fownde the

cause of thi maladye, or elles the entree of

recoverynge of thyn hele. For-why, for thow art

confunded with foryetynge of thiself, forthi

75 sorwestow that thow art exiled [and] [despoyled]

of thy propre goodes; and for thow ne woost

what is the eende of thynges, forthy demestow

that felonus and wikkide men ben myghty and

weleful; and for thow hast foryeten by

80 whiche governementz the werld is governed,

forthy weenestow that thise mutacions

of fortunes fleten withouten governour.

Thise ben grete causes, noght oonly to

maladye, but certes gret causes to deth. But I

85 thanke the auctour and the makere of hele, that

nature hath nat al forleten the. I have gret

noryssynges of thyn hele, and that is, the sothe

sentence of governance of the werld, that thou

bylevest that the governynge of it nis nat

90 subgit ne underput to the folye of thise

happes aventurous, but to the resoun of

God. And therfore doute the nothing, for of this

litel spark thine heet of liif schal shine.

"But for as moche as it is nat tyme yet of

95 fastere remedies, and the nature of thoughtes

desceyved is this, that, as ofte as they casten awey

sothe opynyouns, they clothen hem in false

opynyouns, of the whiche false opynyouns the

derknesse of perturbacion waxeth up, that

100 confowndeth the verray insyghte -- [that]

derknesse schal I assaie somwhat to maken

thynne and wayk by lyghte and meneliche

remedies; so that, aftir that the derknesse of

desceyvynge desyrynges is doon away, thow

105 mowe knowe the schynynge of verraye light.

Metrum 7

"The sterres, covred with blake cloudes, ne

owen yeten adoun no lyght. Yif the truble

wynd that hyghte Auster, turnynge and walwynge

the see, edleth the heete (that is to

5 seyn, the boylynge up fro the bote), the

wawes, that whilo weren clere as glas and

lyk to the fayre bryghte dayes, withstande

anon the syghtes of en by the filthe and

ordure that is resolved. And the fleetynge

10 stree, that royleth doun diversely fro heye

ontaygnes, is areestid and resisted ofte

tye by the encountrynge of a stoon that is

departed and fallen fro soe roche. And forthy,

yif thou wolt loken and deen soth with cleer

15 lyght, and hoolden the weye with a ryght path,

weyve thow joie, dryf fro the drede, flee thow

hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche (that is to seyn,

lat non of thise foure passiouns overcoen the

or blenden the). For cloudy and derk is

20 thilke thoght, and bownde with bridelis,

where as thise thynges reignen."

Explicit Liber Primus

Incipit Liber Secundus

Prosa 1

Aftir this sche stynte a lytel; and after that

sche hadde ygadrede by atempre stillenesse myn

attencioun, she seyde thus (as who so myghte

seyn thus: after thise thynges sche stynte a

5 litil, and whan sche aperceyved by atempre

stillenesse that I was ententyf to herkne hire,

sche bygan to speke in this wyse): "If I," quod

sche, "have undirstonden and knowen outrely

the causes and the habyt of thy maladye,

10 thow languyssest and art desfeted for desir

and talent of thi rather fortune. Sche (that

ilke Fortune) oonly, that is chaunged, as

thow feynest, to the-ward, hath perverted the

cleernesse and the estat of thi corage. I

15 undirstonde the felefolde colours and desceytes

of thilke merveylous monstre Fortune and how

sche useth ful flaterynge famylarite with hem

that sche enforceth to bygyle, so longe, til that

sche confounde with unsuffrable sorwe

20 hem that sche hath left in despeer unpurveied.

And yif thou remembrest wel the

kende, the maneris, and the desserte of thilke

Fortune, thou shalt wel knowe that, as in hir,

thow nevere ne haddest ne hast ylost any fair

25 thyng. But, as I trowe, I schal nat greetly

travailen to don the remembren on thise

thynges. For thow were wont to hurtlen and

despysen hir with manly woordes whan sche

was blaundyssching and present, and

30 pursuydest hir with sentences that weren

drawen out of myn entre (that is to seyn,

of myn enformacioun). But no sodeyn mutacioun

ne bytideth noght withouten a manere

chaungynge of corages; and so is it byfallen

35 that thou art a litil departed fro the pees of thi

thought.

"But now is tyme that thou drynke and ataste

some softe and delitable thynges, so that whanne

thei ben entred withynne the, it mowe

40 maken wey to strengere drynkes of medycines.

Com now forth, therfore, the

suasyoun of swetnesse rethorien, whiche that

goth oonly the righte wey while sche forsaketh

nat myn estatutz. And with Rethorice com forth

45 Musice, a damoysele of our hous, that syngeth

now lightere moedes or prolacions, now

hevyere. What eyleth the, man? What is it that

hath cast the into moornynge and into wepynge?

I trow that thou hast seyn some newe thyng

50 and unkouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be

chaunged ayens the; but thow wenest

wrong (yif thou that wene): alway tho ben hir

maneres. Sche hath rather kept, as to the-ward,

hir propre stablenesse in the chaungynge of

55 hirself. Ryght swiche was sche whan sche

flateryd the and desseyved the with unleful

lykynges of false welefulnesse. Thou hast now

knowen and ateynt the doutous or double visage

of thilke blynde goddesse Fortune. Sche,

60 that yit covereth and wympleth hir to other

folk, hath schewyd hir every del to the. Yif

thou approvest here (and thynkest that sche is

good), use hir maneris and pleyne the nat; and

yif thou agrisest hir false trecherie, despise and

65 cast awey hir that pleyeth so harmfully. For sche,

that is now cause of so mochel sorwe to the,

sholde ben cause to the of pees and of joye. Sche

hath forsaken the, forsothe, the whiche that

nevere man mai ben siker that sche ne schal

70 forsaken hym. (Glose. But natheles some

bookes han the texte thus: forsothe sche

hath forsaken the, ne ther nys no man siker

that sche ne hath nat forsake.) Holdestow

thanne thilke welefulnesse precious to the, that

75 schal passen? And is present Fortune dereworth

to the, whiche that nys nat feithful for to duelle,

and whan sche goth awey that sche bryngeth a

wyght in sorwe? For syn she may nat ben

withholden at a mannys wille, [and] sche

80 maketh hym a wrecche whan sche departeth

fro hym, what other thyng is

flyttynge Fortune but a maner schewynge of

wrecchidnesse that is to comen? Ne it suffiseth

nat oonly to loken on thyng that is present

85 byforn the eien of a man; but wisdom loketh and

mesureth the ende of thynges. And the same

chaungynge from oon into another (that is to

seyn, fro adversite into prosperite) maketh that

the manaces of Fortune ne ben nat for to

90 dreden, ne the flaterynges of hir to ben

desired. Thus, at the laste, it byhoveth the

to suffren wyth evene wil in pacience al that is

doon inwith the floor of Fortune (that is to seyn,

in this world), syn thou hast oonys put thy nekke

95 undir the yok of hir. For yif thow wilt writen a

lawe of wendynge and of duellynge to Fortune,

whiche that thow hast chosen frely to ben thi

lady, artow nat wrongful in that, and makest

Fortune wroth and aspre by thyn

100 inpacience? And yit thow mayst nat

chaungen hir. Yif thou committest and

betakest thi seyles to the wynd, thow schalt ben

shoven, nat thider that thow woldest, but whider

that the wynd schouveth the. Yif thow castest thi

105 seedes in the feeldes, thou sholdest han in

mynde that the yeres ben amonges, outherwhile

plentevous and outherwhile bareyne. Thow hast

bytaken thiself to the governaunce of Fortune

and forthi it byhoveth the to ben obeisaunt

110 to the maneris of thi lady. Enforcestow the

to aresten or withholden the swyftnesse

and the sweighe of hir turnynge wheel? O thow

fool of alle mortel foolis! Yif Fortune bygan to

duelle stable, she cessede thanne to ben Fortune.

Metrum 1

"Whan Fortune with a proud ryght hand hath

turned hir chaungynge stowndes, sche fareth

lyke the maneres of the boylynge Eurippe.

(Glosa. Eurippe is an arm of the see that ebbeth

5 and floweth, and somtyme the streem is on

o side, and somtyme on the tothir.) Textus.

She, cruel Fortune, casteth adoun kynges that

whilom weren ydradd; and sche, desceyvable,

enhaunceth up the humble chere of hym

10 that is discounfited. Ne sche neither heereth

ne rekketh of wrecchide wepynges; and

she is so hard that sche leygheth and scorneth

the wepynges of hem, the whiche sche hath

maked wepe with hir free wille. Thus sche

15 pleyeth, and thus sche prooeveth hir strengthes,

and scheweth a greet wonder to alle hir servauntz

yif that a wyght is seyn weleful and

overthrowe in an houre.

Prosa 2

"Certes I wolde pleten with the a fewe

thynges, usynge the woordes of Fortune. Tak

hede now thyselve, yif that sche asketh ryght:

`O thow man, wherfore makestow me gyltyf by

5 thyne every dayes pleynynges? What wrong

have I don the? What godes have I byreft the

that weren thyne? Stryf or pleet with me byforn

what juge that thow wolt of the possessioun

of rychesses or of dignytees; and yif

10 thou maist schewen me that ever any mortel

man hath resceyved ony of tho thynges

to ben hise in propre, thanne wil I graunte freely

that thilke thynges weren thyne whiche that

thow axest.

15 "Whan that nature brought the foorth out of

thi modir wombe, I resceyved the nakid and

nedy of alle thynges, and I norissched the with

my richesses, and was redy and ententyf thurwe

my favour to sustene the -- and that maketh

20 the now inpacient ayens me; and I

envyrounde the with al the habundaunce

and schynynge of alle goodes that ben in my

ryght. Now it liketh me to withdrawe myn

hand. Thow hast had grace as he that hath

25 used of foreyne goodes; thow hast no ryght to

pleyne the, as though thou haddest outrely

forlorn alle thy thynges. Why pleynestow

thanne? I have doon the no wrong. Richesses,

honours, and swiche othere thinges ben of

30 my right. My servauntz knowen me for

hir lady; they comen with me, and departen

whan I wende. I dar wel affermen hardely

that, yif tho thynges of whiche thow pleynest

that thou hast forlorn [hem] hadden ben

35 thyne, thow ne haddest nat lorn hem. Schal

I thanne, oonly, be defended to usen my ryght?

"Certes it is leveful to the hevene to maken

clere dayes, and after that to coveren tho same

dayes with dirke nyghtes. The yeer hath

40 eek leve to apparaylen the visage of the

erthe, now with floures, and now with

fruyt, and to confownden hem somtyme with

reynes and with coldes. The see hath eek his

ryght to ben somtyme calm and blaundysschyng

45 with smothe watir, and somtyme to ben

horrible with wawes and with tempestes. But

the covetise of men, that mai nat be stawnched

-- schal it bynde me to ben stedfast, syn that

stidfastnesse is uncouth to my maneris?

50 Swiche is my strengthe, and this pley

I pleye continuely. I torne the whirlynge

wheel with the turnynge sercle; I am glad to

chaungen the loweste to the heyeste, and the

heyeste to the loweste. Worth up yif thow

55 wolt, so it be by this lawe, that thow ne holde

nat that I do the wroong, though thow descende

adown whan the resoun of my pley axeth it.

Wystestow nat how Cresus, kyng of Lydyens,

of whiche kyng Cirus was ful sore agast a

60 lytil byforn -- that this rewliche Cresus

was caught of Cirus and lad to the fyer to

ben brend; but that a rayn descendede down

fro hevene that rescowyde hym? And is it out

of thy mynde how that Paulus, consul of Rome,

65 whan he had taken the kyng of Percyens, weep

pitously for the captivyte of the selve kyng?

What other thynge bywaylen the cryinges of

tragedyes but oonly the dedes of Fortune, that

with an unwar strook overturneth the

70 realmes of greet nobleye? (Glose. Tragedye

is to seyn a dite of a prosperite for a

tyme, that endeth in wrecchidnesse.) Lernedest

nat thow in Greek whan thow were yong, that

in the entre or in the seler of Juppiter ther ben

75 cowched two tonnes, the toon is ful of good,

and the tother is ful of harm? What ryght

hastow to pleyne, yif thou hast taken more

plentevously of the gode side (that is to seyn,

of my richesses and prosperites)? And

80 what ek yif Y ne be nat al departed fro

the? What eek yif my mutabilite yeveth

the ryghtful cause of hope to han yit bettere

thynges? Natheles dismaye the nat in thi

thought; and thow that art put in the comune

85 realme of alle, desire nat to lyven by thyn oonly

propre ryght.

Metrum 2

"Though Plente that is goddesse of rychesses

hielde adoun with ful horn, and withdraweth

nat hir hand, as many richesses as the

see torneth upward sandes whan it is moeved

5 with ravysshynge blastes, or elles as manye

rychesses as ther schynen bryghte sterres in

hevene on the sterry nyghtes; yit, for al that,

mankende nolde nat cese to wepe wrecchide

pleyntes. And al be it so that God resceyveth

10 gladly hir preiers, and yyveth hem, as

fool-large, moche gold, and apparayleth

coveytous folk with noble or cleer honours;

yit semeth hem haven igeten nothyng, but

alwey hir cruel ravyne, devourynge al that

15 they han geten, scheweth othere gapynges (that

is to seyn, gapyn and desiren yit after mo rychesses).

What brydles myghte withholden to

any certeyn ende the disordene covetise of

men, whan evere the rather that it fletith

20 in large yiftes, the more ay brenneth in

hem the thurst of havynge? Certes he that

qwakynge and dredful weneth hymselven

nedy, he ne lyveth nevermo ryche.

Petrum 3

"Therfore, yif that Fortune spake with the

for hirself in this manere, forsothe thow ne

haddest noght what thou myghtest answere.

And yif thow hast any thyng wherwith thow

5 mayst rightfully defenden thi compleynte, it

behoveth the to schewen it, and I wol yyve

the space to tellen it."

"Serteynly," quod I thanne, "thise ben faire

thynges and enoynted with hony swetnesse

10 of Rethorik and Musike; and oonly

whil thei ben herd thei ben delycious, but

to wrecches is a deppere felyng of harm

(this is to seyn, that wrecches felen the harmes

that thei suffren more grevously than the remedies

15 or the delites of thise wordes mowen gladen

or conforten hem). So that, whanne thise

thynges stynten for to soune in eris, the sorwe

that es inset greveth the thought."

"Right so is it," quod sche. "For thise ne

20 ben yit none remedies of thy maladye, but

they ben a maner norisschynges of thi

sorwe, yit rebel ayen thi curacioun. For whan

that tyme is, I schal moeve and ajuste swiche

thynges that percen hemselve depe. But natheles

25 that thow schalt noght wilne to leten thiself

a wrecche, hastow foryeten the nowmbre

and the maner of thi welefulnesse? I holde

me stille how that the sovereyn men of the

cite token the in cure and in kepynge,

30 whan thow were orphelyn of fadir and of

modir, and were chose in affynite of

prynces of the cite; and thow bygonne rather

to ben leef and deere than for to been a

neyghebour, the whiche thyng is the moste

35 precyous kende of any propinquyte or alliaunce

that mai ben. Who is it that ne seide tho that

thow neere right weleful, with so gret a nobleye

of thi fadres-in-lawe, and with the chastete

of thy wyf, and with the oportunyte

40 and noblesse of thyne masculyn children

(that is to seyn, thy sones)? And over al this

me list to passen of comune thynges, how

thow haddest in thy youthe dignytees that

weren wernd to oolde men; but it deliteth

45 me to comen now to the synguler uphepynge

of thi welefulnesse. Yif any fruyt of mortel

thynges mai han any weyghte or pris of welefulnesse,

myghtestow evere forgeten, for any

charge of harm that myghte byfalle the, remembraunce

50 of thilke day that thow seye

thi two sones maked conseileris and iladde

togidre fro thyn hous under so greet assemble

of senatours and under the blithnesse of peple,

and whan thow saye hem set in the court in

55 hir chayeres of dignytes? Thow, rethorien or

pronouncere of kynges preysynges, desservedest

glorie of wit and of eloquence whan thow, syttynge

bytwixen thi two sones conseylers, in the

place that highte Circo, fulfildest the abydynge

60 of the multitude of peple that was

sprad abouten the with so large preysynge

and laude as men syngen in victories. Tho

yave thow woordes to Fortune, as I trowe, (that

is to seyn, tho feffedestow Fortune with glosynge

65 wordes and desceyvedest hir) whan sche

accoyede the and norysside the as hir owne

delices. Thow bare awey of Fortune a yifte

(that is to seye, swich guerdoun) that sche

nevere yaf to prive man. Wiltow therfore

70 leye a reknynge with Fortune? Sche hath

now twynkled first upon the with a wikkid

eye. If thow considere the nowmbre and the

maner of thy blisses and of thy sorwes, thow

mayst noght forsaken that thow nart yit blisful.

75 For yif thou therfore wenest thiself nat

weleful, for thynges that tho semeden joyeful

ben passed, ther nys nat why thow sholdest

wene thiself a wrecche; for thynges that semen

now sory passen also. Artow now comen

80 first, a sodeyn gest, into the schadowe or

tabernacle of this lif? Or trowestow that

any stedfastnesse be in mannes thynges, whan

ofte a swyft hour dissolveth the same man (that

is to seyn, whan the soule departeth fro the

85 body)? For although that zelde is ther any

feith that fortunous thynges wollen dwellen,

yet natheles the laste day of a mannes lif is

a maner deth to Fortune, and also to thilke

that hath dwelt. And therfore what wenestow

90 dar rekke, yif thow forleete hir in

deyinge, or elles that sche, Fortune, forleete awey?

Metrum 3

"Whan Phebus, the sonne, bygynneth to

spreden his clernesse with rosene chariettes,

thanne the sterre, ydymmed, paleth hir white

cheeres by the flambes of the sonne that overcometh

5 the sterre lyght. (This to seyn, whan

the sonne is rysen, the day-sterre waxeth pale,

and leeseth hir lyght for the grete bryghtnesse

of the sonne.) Whan the wode waxeth rody

of rosene floures in the fyrst somer sesoun

10 thurw the breeth of the wynd Zephirus that

waxeth warm, yif the cloudy wynd Auster

blowe felliche, than goth awey the fairnesse

of thornes. Ofte the see is cleer and calm

without moevynge flodes, and ofte the horrible

15 wynd Aquylon moeveth boylynge tempestes,

and overwhelveth the see. Yif the forme

of this world is so zeeld stable, and yif it torneth

by so manye entrechaungynges, wiltow

thanne trusten in the tumblenge fortunes of

20 men? Wiltow trowen on flyttynge goodes?

It is certeyn and establissched by lawe perdurable,

that nothyng that is engendred nys

stedfast ne stable."

Prosa 4

Thanne seide I thus: "O norysshe of alle vertues,

thou seist ful sooth; ne I mai noght forsake

the ryght swyfte cours of my prosperite

(that is to seyn, that prosperite ne be comen

5 to me wonder swyftli and sone); but this is a

thyng that greetly smerteth me whan it remembreth

me. For in alle adversites of fortune

the moost unzeely kynde of contrarious

fortune is to han ben weleful."

10 "But that thow," quod sche, "abyest thus

the torment of thi false opynioun, that

maistow nat ryghtfully blamen ne aretten to

thynges. (As who seith, for thow hast yit

manye habundances of thynges.) Textus. For

15 al be it so that the ydel name of aventuros

welefulnesse moeveth the now, it is leveful that

thow rekne with me of how many grete thynges

thow hast yit plente. And therfore yif that

thilke thyng that thow haddest for moost

20 precyous in al thy rychesse of fortune be

kept to the yit by the grace of God unwemmed

and undefouled, maistow thanne

pleyne ryghtfully upon the mescheef of Fortune,

syn thow hast yit thi beste thynges?

25 Certes yit lyveth in good poynt thilke precyous

honour of mankynde, Symacus, thi wyves fader,

whiche that is a man maked al of sapience and

of vertu, the whiche man thow woldest byen

redyly with the pris of thyn owene lif. He

30 bywayleth the wronges that men don to

the, and nat for hymself; for he lyveth in

sikernesse of anye sentences put ayens hym.

And yit lyveth thi wyf, that is atempre of wyt

and passynge othere wommen in clennesse of

35 chastete; and, for I wol closen schortly hir

bountes, sche is lyk to hir fadir. I telle the wel

that sche lyveth, loth of this lyf, and kepeth

to the oonly hir goost, and is al maat and overcomen

by wepynge and sorwe for desir of

40 the; in the whiche thyng oonly I moot

graunten that thi welefulnesse is amenused.

What schal I seyn eek of thi two sones conseylours,

of whiche, as of children of hir age,

ther shyneth the liknesse of the wit of hir fadir

45 or of hir eldefader! And syn the sovereyne

cure of al mortel folk is to saven hir owene

lyves, O how weleful artow, if thow knowe

thy goodes! For yit ben ther thynges dwelled

to the-ward that no man douteth that they

50 ne be more derworthe to the than thyn

owene lif. And forthy drye thi teeris, for

yit nys nat every fortune al hateful to theward,

ne overgreet tempest hath nat yit fallen

upon the, whan that thyne ancres clyven faste,

55 that neither wolen suffren the counfort of this

tyme present ne the hope of tyme comyng to

passen ne to faylen."

"And I preie," quod I, "that faste mote thei

halden; for, whiles that thei halden, how so

60 evere that thynges been, I shal wel fleetyn

forth and escapyn: but thou mayst wel seen

how grete apparailes and array that me lakketh,

that ben passed awey fro me."

"I have somwhat avaunced and forthred

65 the," quod sche, "yif that thow anoye nat, or

forthynke nat of al thy fortune. (As who seith,

I have somwhat conforted the, so that thou

tempeste the nat thus with al thy fortune, syn

thow hast yit thy beste thynges.) But I mai

70 nat suffren thi delices, that pleynest the so

wepynge and angwysschous for that ther

lakketh somwhat to thy welefulnesse. For what

man is so sad or of so parfite welefulnesse, that

he ne stryveth and pleyneth on some halfe

75 ayen the qualite of his estat? Forwhy ful anguysschous

thing is the condicioun of mannes

goodes; for eyther it cometh nat altogidre to

a wyght, or elles it ne last nat perpetuel. For

som man hath gret rychesse, but he is

80 aschamed of his ungentil lynage; and som

man is renomyd of noblesse of kynrede, but

he is enclosed in so greet angwyssche of nede

of thynges that hym were levere that he were

unknowe; and som man haboundeth bothe in

85 rychesse and noblesse, but yit he bewayleth his

chaste lyf, for he ne hath no wyf; and som man

is wel and zelily ymaried, but he hath no children,

and norissheth his rychesses to the eyres

of straunge folk; and som man is gladed

90 with children, but he wepeth ful sory for

the trespas of his sone or of his doughter.

And for this ther ne accordeth no wyght lyghtly

to the condicioun of his fortune; for alwey to

every man ther is in somwhat that, unassayed,

95 he ne woot nat, or elles he dredeth that he hath

assaied. And adde this also, that every weleful

man hath a ful delicaat feelynge; so that, but

yif alle thynges byfalle at his owene wil, for

he is inpacient or is nat used to have noon

100 adversite, anoon he is throwen adoun for

every litil thyng. And ful litel thynges ben

tho that withdrawen the somme or the perfeccioun

of blisfulnesse fro hem that been most

fortunat. How manye men trowestow wolde

105 demen hemself to ben almoste in hevene, yif

thei myghten atayne to the leste partye of the

remenaunt of thi fortune? This same place

that thow clepest exil is contre to hem that

enhabiten here, and forthi nothyng [is.

110 wrecchide but whan thou wenest it. (As

who seith, thow thiself ne no wyght elles

nis a wrecche but whanne he weneth hymself

a wrechche by reputacion of his corage.) And

ayenward, alle fortune is blisful to a man by

115 the aggreablete or by the egalyte of hym that

suffreth it. What man is that that is so weleful

that nolde chaunge his estat whan he hath lost

pacience? The swetnesse of mannes welefulnesse

is spraynd with many bitternesses;

120 the whiche welefulnesse although it seme

swete and joieful to hym that useth it, yit

mai it nat ben withholden that it ne goth awey

whan it wole. Thanne is it wele seene how

wrecchid is the blisfulnesse of mortel thynges,

125 that neyther it dureth perpetuel with hem that

every fortune resceyven agreablely or egaly, ne

it deliteth nat in al to hem that ben angwyssous.

"O ye mortel folk, what seeke ye thanne blisfulnesse

out of yourself whiche that is put

130 in yowrself? Errour and folie confoundeth

yow. I schal schewe the schortly the

poynt of soverayn blisfulnesse. Is there anythyng

more precyous to the than thiself? Thow

wolt answere, `nay.' Thanne, yif it so be that

135 thow art myghty over thyself (that is to seyn,

by tranquillite of thi soule), than hastow thyng

in thi powere that thow noldest nevere leesen,

ne Fortune may nat bynymen it the. And that

thow mayst knowe that blisfulnesse ne mai

140 nat standen in thynges that ben fortunous

and temporel, now undirstond and gadere

it togidre thus: yif blisfulnesse be the soverayn

good of nature that lyveth by resoun,

ne thilke thyng nys nat soverayn good that

145 may ben taken awey in any wise (for more

worthy thyng and more dygne is thilke thyng

that mai nat ben take awey); than scheweth

it wel that the unstablenesse of fortune may

nat atayne to resceyven verray blisfulnesse.

150 And yit more over, what man that this

towmblynge welefulnesse ledeth, eyther

he woot that it is chaungeable, or elles he woot

it nat. And yif he woot it nat, what blisful

fortune may ther ben in the blyndnesse of ignoraunce?

155 And yif he woot that it is chaungeable,

he mot alwey ben adrad that he ne lese

that thyng that he ne douteth nat but that he

may leesen it (as who seith he mot bien alwey

agast lest he lese that he woot wel he may

160 lese it); for whiche the contynuel drede that

he hath ne suffreth hym nat to ben weleful --

or elles yif he lese it he weneth to ben

despised and forleten. Certes eek that is a

ful litel good that is born with evene herte

165 whan it es lost (that is to seyn, that men do no

more force of the lost than of the havynge).

And for as moche as thow thiself art he to

whom it hath be [sewed] and proved by ful

many demonstracyons, as I woot wele that

170 the soules of men ne mowen nat deyen in

no wyse; and ek syn it es cleer and certeyn

that fortunous welefulnesse endeth by the deth

of the body; it mai nat be douted that, yif that

deth may take awey blisfulnesse, that al the

175 kynde of mortel thyng ne descendeth into

wrecchidnesse by the ende of the deth. And

syn we knowe wel that many a man hath

sought the fruyt of blysfulnesse, nat oonly with

suffrynge of deeth, but eek with suffrynge

180 of peynes and tormentz, how myghte

thanne this present lif make men blisful,

syn that whanne thilke selve lif es ended it

ne maketh folk no wrechches? 

Metrum 5

"What maner man stable and war, that wol

fownden hym a perdurable seete, and ne wol

noght ben cast doun with the lowde blastes of

the wynd Eurus, and wole despise the see

5 manasynge with flodes; lat hym eschuwen to

bilde on the cop of the mountaigne, or in the

moyste sandes; for the felle wynd Auster tormenteth

the cop of the mountaigne with alle

hise strengthes, and the lause sandes refusen

10 to beren the hevy weyghte. And

forthi, yif thow wolt fleen the perilous

aventure (that is to seyn, of the werld) have

mynde certeynly to fycchen thin hous of a

myrie sete in a low stoon. For although the

15 wynd troublynge the see thondre with overthrowynges,

thou, that art put in quiete and

weleful by strengthe of thi palys, schalt leden

a cler age, scornynge the woodnesses and the

ires of the eyr.

Prosa 5

"But for as mochel as the norisschynges of

my resouns descenden now into the, I trowe it

were tyme to usen a litel strengere medicynes.

Now undirstand heere; al were it so that the

5 yiftes of Fortune ne were noght brutel ne transitorie,

what is ther in hem that mai be thyn

in any tyme, or elles that it nys fowl, yif that

it be considered and lookyd parfitely? Richesses

ben they preciouse by the nature of hemself,

10 or elles by the nature of the? What is

most worth of rychesses? Is it nat gold or

myght of moneye assembled? Certes thilke

gold and thilke moneye schyneth and yeveth

bettre renoun to hem that dispenden it than

15 to thilke folk that mokeren it; for avaryce maketh

alwey mokereres to ben hated, and largesse

maketh folk cleer of renoun. For, syn that

swiche thyng as is transferred fro o man to an

othir ne may nat duellen with no man,

20 certes thanne is thilke moneye precyous

whan it is translated into other folk and

stynteth to ben had by usage of large yyvynge

of hym that hath yeven it. And also yif al the

moneye that is overal in the world were gadryd

25 toward o man, it scholde make alle othere men

to be nedy as of that. And certes a voys al hool

(that is to seyn, withouten amenusynge) fulfilleth

togydre the herynge of moche folk. But

certes your rychesses ne mowen noght

30 passen unto moche folk withouten amenusynge;

and whan they ben apassed, nedes

they maken hem pore that forgoon tho rychesses.

O streyte and nedy clepe I this richesse,

syn that many folk ne mai nat han it al, ne al

35 mai it nat comen to o man withoute povert

of alle othere folk. And the schynynge of

gemmes (that I clepe precyous stones) draweth

it nat the eighen of folk to hem-ward (that

is to seyn, for the beautes)? But certes, yif

40 ther were beaute or bountee in the schynynge

of stones, thilke clernesse is of the

stones hemselve, and nat of men; for whiche I

wondre gretly that men merveylen on swiche

thynges. Forwhi what thyng is it that, yif it

45 wanteth moevynge and joynture of soule and

body, that by right myghte semen a fair creature

to hym that hath a soule of resoun? For

al be it so that gemmes drawen to hemself a

litel of the laste beaute of the world thurw

50 the entente of hir creatour and thurw the

distinccioun of hemself, yit, for as mochel

as thei ben put under yowr excellence, thei ne

han nat desserved by no way that ye schulde

merveylen on hem. And the beaute of feeldes,

55 deliteth it nat mochel unto yow?"

Boece. "Why schulde it nat deliten us, syn

that it is a [fayr] porcioun of the ryght fair

werk (that is to seyn, of this worlde)? And

right so ben we gladed somtyme of the

60 face of the see whan it es cleer; and also

merveylen we on the hevene, and on the

sterres, and on the sonne, and on the moone."

Philosophie. "Aperteneth," quod sche, "any

of thilke thynges to the? Why darstow glorifye

65 the in the shynynge of any swiche thynges?

Artow distyngwed and embelysed by the

spryngynge floures of the first somer sesoun,

or swelleth thi plente in fruites of somer? Whi

artow ravyssched with idel joies? Why enbracest

70 thow straunge goodes as they weren

thyne? Fortune ne schal nevere maken that

swiche thynges ben thyne that nature of thynges

hath maked foreyne fro the. Soth is that, withouten

doute, the fruites of the erthe owen to

75 be to the noryssynge of beestis; and yif thow

wilt fulfille thyn nede after that it suffiseth to

nature, thanne is it no nede that thow seke

aftir the superfluyte of fortune. For [with]

fewe thynges and with ful litel thynges nature

80 halt hir apayed; and yif thow wolt

achoken the fulfillynge of nature with superfluytees,

certes thilke thynges that thow

wolt thresten or powren into nature schulle

ben unjoyeful to the, or elles anoyous. Wenestow

85 eek that it be a fair thyng to schyne with

diverse clothynge? Of whiche clothynge yif the

beaute be aggreable to loken uppon, I wol

merveylen on the nature of the matiere of

thilke clothes, or elles on the werkman that

90 wroughte hem. But also a long route of

meyne, maketh that a blisful man? The

whiche servantz yif thei ben vicyous of condyciouns,

it is a gret charge and a destruccioun

to the hous, and a gret enemy to the lord hymself;

95 and yif they ben gode men, how schal

straunge or foreyne goodnesse ben put in the

nowmbre of thi richesse? So that by alle thise

forseide thynges it es cleerly schewed, that nevere

oon of thilke thynges that thou acountedest

100 for thyne goodes nas nat thi good.

"In the whiche thynges yif ther be no

beaute to ben desired, why scholdestow ben sory

yif thou leese hem, or whi scholdestow rejoysen

the for to holden hem? For yif thei ben faire

105 of hir owene kynde, what aperteneth that to

the? For al so wel scholde they han ben fayre

by hemselve, though thei were departed fro

alle thyne rychesses. Forwhy fair ne precyous

were thei nat for that thei comen among

110 thi rychesses; but for they semeden fair

and precyous, therfore thou haddest levere

rekne hem among thi rychesses. But what

desirestow of Fortune with so greet a noyse

and with so greet [affraie]? I trowe thou seeke

115 to dryve awey nede with habundaunce of

thynges, but certes it turneth to you al in the

contrarie. Forwhy certes it nedeth of ful manye

helpynges to kepyn the diversite of precious

ostelementz; and sooth it es that of many

120 thynges han they nede, that many thynges

han; and ayenward of litel nedeth hem

that mesuren hir fille after the nede of kynde,

and nat after the oultrage of covetyse.

"Is it thanne so, that ye men ne han no propre

125 good iset in yow, for whiche ye mooten seke

outward your goodes in foreyne and subgit

thynges? So is thanne the condicion of thynges

turned up-so-doun, that a man, that is a devyne

beest be meryte of his resoun, thynketh

130 that hymself nys neyther fair ne noble but

yif it be thurw possessioun of ostelementz

that ne han no soules. And certes alle othere

thynges ben apayed of hir owene beautes, but ye

men that ben semlable to God by yowr

135 resonable thought, desiren to apparailen your

excellent kynde of the loweste thynges; ne ye

undirstanden nat how greet a wrong ye don to

your creatour. For he wolde that mankynde

were moost wurthy and noble of any

140 othere erthly thynges, and ye thresten

adoun yowre dignytes bynethen the loweste

thynges. For yif that al the good of every

thyng be more precyous than is thilke thyng

whos that the good es, syn ye demen that the

145 fowleste thynges ben your goodes, thanne

submitten ye and putten yourselven undir the

fouleste thynges by your estimacioun; and certes

this betydeth nat withouten your desert. For

certes swiche is the condicioun of alle mankynde,

150 that oonly whan it hath knowynge

of itself, thanne passeth it in noblesse alle

othere thynges; and whan it forletith the

knowynge of itself, thanne is it brought

bynethen alle beestes. Forwhi alle othere lyvynge

155 beestes han of kynde to knowe nat hemself;

but whan that men leeten the knowynge

of hemself, it cometh hem of vice. But

how broode scheweth the errour and the folie of

yow men, that wenen that anythyng mai

160 ben apparailed with straunge apparailementz!

But forsothe that mai nat be done.

For yif a wyght schyneth with thynges that

ben put to hym (as thus, yif thilke thynges

schynen with whiche a man is aparayled),

165 certes thilke thynges ben comended and preysed

with whiche he is apparayled; but natheles, the

thyng that is covered and wrapped under that

duelleth in his felthe.

"And I denye that thilke thyng be good

170 that anoyeth hym that hath it. Gabbe I of

this? Thow wolt sey `nay.' Sertes rychesses

han anoyed ful ofte hem that han tho rychesses,

syn that every wikkide schrewe -- and for his

wikkidnesse the more gredy aftir othir folkes

175 rychesses, wher so evere it be in ony place, be

it gold or precyous stones -- [weneth. hym

oonly most worthy that hath hem. Thow thanne,

that so bysy dredest now the swerd and the

spere, yif thou haddest entred in the path

180 of this lif a voyde weyfarynge man, thanne

woldestow syngen byfor the theef. (As

who seith, a pore man that bereth no rychesse

on hym by the weie may boldely synge byforn

theves, for he hath nat whereof to be robbed.)

185 O precyous and ryght cleer is the blisfulnesse of

mortel rychesses, that, whan thow hast geten it,

thanne hastow lorn thi sekernesse!

Metrum 5

"Blisful was the firste age of men. They

heelden hem apayed with the metes that the

trewe feeldes broughten forth. They ne destroyeden

ne desseyvede nat hemself with outrage.

5 They weren wont lyghtly to slaken hir

hungir at even with accornes of ookes. They

ne coude nat medle the yift of Bachus to the

cleer hony (that is to seyn, they coude make

no pyement or clarree), ne they coude nat

10 medle the bryghte fleezes of the contre of

Seryens with the venym of Tyrie (this

to seyn, thei coude nat deyen white fleezes

of Syrien contre with the blood of a maner

schellefyssche that men fynden in Tirie, with

15 whiche blood men deyen purpre). They

slepen holsome slepes uppon the gras, and

dronken of the rennynge watres, and layen

undir the schadwes of the heye pyn-trees. Ne

no gest ne straunger ne karf yit the heye

20 see with oores or with schipes; ne thei ne

hadden seyn yit none newe stroondes to

leden marchandise into diverse contrees. Tho

weren the cruele claryouns ful hust and ful

stille. Ne blood ischad by egre hate ne hadde

25 nat deyed yit armures. For wherto or which

woodnesse of enemys wolde first moeven

armes whan thei seyen cruele wowndes, ne

none medes be of blood ischad? I wolde that

our tymes sholde torne ayen to the oolde

30 maneris! But the anguysschous love of

havynge brenneth in folk more cruely than

the fyer of the mountaigne of Ethna that ay

brenneth. Allas! What was he that first dalf

up the gobbettes or the weyghtes of gold covered

35 undir erthe and the precyous stones that

wolden han be hydd? He dalf up precious

periles. (That is to seyn, that he that hem

firsst up dalf, he dalf up a precious peril;

for-why, for the preciousnesse of swich

40 thyng hath many man ben in peril.)

Prosa 6

"But what schal I seye of dignytes and of

powers, the whiche ye men, that neither

knowen verray dignyte ne verray powere,

areysen hem as heyghe as the hevene? The

5 whiche dignytees and poweres yif thei comen

to any wikkid man, thei doon as greet damages

and destrucciouns as dooth. the flaumbe

of the mountaigne Ethna whan the flaumbe

walweth up, ne no deluge ne doth so cruele

10 harmes. Certes the remembreth wel, as I

trowe, that thilke dignyte that men clepyn

the imperie of consulers, the whiche that

whilom was begynnynge of fredom, yowr eldres

coveyteden to han don awey that dignyte for

15 the pride of the consulers. And ryght for the

same pride yowr eldres byforn that tyme hadden

doon awey out of the cite of Rome the

kynges name (that is to seyn, thei nolden han

no lengere no kyng).

20 "But now, if so be that dignytees and poweris

ben yyven to gode men, the whiche

thyng is ful zelde, what aggreable thynges is

ther in tho dignytees or powers but oonly the

goodnesse of folk that usen hem? And therfore

25 it is thus that honour ne cometh nat to

vertu for cause of dygnite, but, ayenward, honour

cometh to dignyte for cause of vertu. But

whiche is thilke your derworthe power that is

so cleer and so requerable? O, ye erthliche

30 bestes, considere ye nat over whiche thyng

that it semeth that ye han power? Now yif

thou saye a mows among othere mysz that chalanged

to hymself-ward ryght and power over

alle othere mysz, how gret scorn woldestow han

35 of it! (Glosa. So fareth it by men [that the

wikkid men have power over the wikkid men;

that is to seye], the body hath power over the

body.) For yif thou looke wel upon the body of

a wyght, what thyng schaltow fynde more

40 freele than is mankynde; the whiche men

ful ofte ben slayn with bytynge of smale

flyes, or elles with the entrynge of crepynge

wormes into the pryvetees of mannes body?

But wher schal men fynden any man that mai

45 exercen or haunten any ryght upon another

man, but oonly on his body, or elles upon

thynges that ben lowere than the body, the

whiche I clepe fortunous possessiouns? Maystow

evere have any comaundement over a free

50 corage? Maystowe remuwen fro the estat

of his propre reste a thought that is

clyvynge togidre in hymself by stedfast resoun?

As whilom a tyraunt wende to confownde a fre

man of corage, and wende to constreyne hym by

55 torment to maken hym discoveren and accusen

folk that wisten of a conjuracioun (which I clepe

a confederacye) that was cast ayens this tyraunt;

but this fre man boot of his owene tonge, and

caste it in the visage of thilk wode tyraunt.

60 So that the tormentz that this tyraunt

wende to han maked matere of cruelte, this

wise man maked it matere of vertu. But what

thing is it that a man may doon to an other man,

that he ne may resceyven the same thyng of

65 other folk in hymself? (Or thus: what may a

man don to folk, that folk ne may don hym

the same?) I have herd told of Busyrides, that

was wont to sleen his gestes that herberweden

in his hous, and he was slayn hymself of

70 Ercules that was his gest. Regulus hadde

taken in bataile manye men of Affryke

and cast hem into feteres, but sone after he

most yyve hise handes to ben bownde with

the cheynes of hem that he hadde whilom

75 overcomen. Wenestow thanne that he be

myghty that hath no power to doon a thyng that

othere ne mai doon in hym that he doth in

othere?

"And yit moreover, yif it so were that

80 thise dygnytes or poweris hadden any

propre or naturel goodnesse in hemself,

nevere nolde they comen to schrewes. For

contrarious thynges ne ben nat wont to ben

ifelaschiped togydre. Nature refuseth that contrarious

85 thynges ben ijoygned. And so, as I am

in certeyn that ryght wykkyd folk han

dignytees ofte tyme, thanne scheweth it wel that

dignytees and poweres ne ben nat gode of

hir owene kynde, syn that they suffren

90 hemselve to cleven or joynen hem to

schrewes. And certes the same thyng mai I

most digneliche juggen and seyn of alle the

yiftes of Fortune that most plentevously comen

to schrewes. Of the whiche yiftes I trowe that it

95 oughte ben considered, that no man douteth that

he ne is strong in whom he seeth strengthe; and

in whom that swyftnesse is, sooth it is that he

is swyft; also musyke maketh mucisyens, and

phisyk maketh phisicyeens, and rethoryke,

100 rethoriens. Forwhy the nature of every

thyng maketh his proprete, ne it is nat

entremedlyd with the effectz of contrarious

thynges, and as of wil it chaseth out thynges that

to it ben contrarie. But certes rychesse mai nat

105 restreyne avarice unstaunched; ne power ne

maketh nat a man myghty over hymselve,

whiche that vicyous lustes holden destreyned

with cheynes that ne mowen nat ben

unbownden. And dignytees that ben yyven

110 to schrewide folk nat oonly ne maketh hem

nat digne, but it scheweth rather al opynly

that they been unworthy and undigne. And whi

is it thus? Certes for ye han joie to clepen

thynges with false names, that beren hem al in

115 the contrarie; the whiche names ben ful [ethe]

reproved by the effect of the same thynges; so

that thise ilke rychesses ne oughten nat by ryghte

to ben cleped rychesses, ne swyche power ne

aughte nat ben clepyd power, ne swiche

120 dignyte ne aughte nat ben clepyd dignyte.

And at the laste, I may conclude the same

thyng of alle the yyftes of Fortune, in whiche

ther nys nothyng to ben desired, ne that hath in

hymselve naturel bownte, as it es ful wel yseene.

125 For neither thei ne joygnen hem nat alwey to

gode men, ne maken hem alwey gode to whom

they been ijoyned.

Metrum 6

"We han wel knowen how many grete harmes

and destrucciouns weren idoon by the emperour

Nero. He leet brennen the cite of Rome,

and made sleen the senatours; and he cruel

5 whilom sloughe his brothir, and he was maked

moyst with the blood of his modir (that is to

seyn, he leet sleen and slitten the body of his

modir to seen wher he was conceyved); and he

lookede on every halve uppon hir cold

10 deed body, ne no teer ne wette his face,

but he was so hardherted that he myghte

ben domesman or juge of hir dede beaute. And

natheles yit governed this Nero by septre alle

the peples that Phebus, the sonne, may seen,

15 comynge fro his uttreste arysynge til he hide

his bemes undir the wawes. (That is to seyn

he governede al the peples by ceptre imperial

that the sonne goth aboute from est to west.)

And ek this Nero governyde by ceptre alle

20 the peples that ben undir the colde sterres

that highten the septemtryones. (This is

to seyn he governede alle the peples that ben

under the partye of the north.) And eek Nero

governede alle the peples that the vyolent

25 wynd Nothus scorklith, and baketh the brennynge

sandes by his drye heete (that is to seyn,

al the peples in the south). But yit ne myghte

nat al his heie power torne the woodnesse of

this wikkid Nero? Allas! It is grevous fortune

30 as ofte as wikkid sweerd is joyned to

cruel venym (that is to seyn, venymows

cruelte to lordschipe)."

Prosa 7

Thanne seyde I thus: "Thow woost wel thiselve

that the covetise of mortel thynges ne

hadde nevere lordschipe of me, but I have wel

desired matere of thynges to done (as who

5 seith, I desirede to have matiere of governaunce

over comunalites), for vertue stille sholde nat

elden (that is to seyn, that list that or he

waxe oold, his vertu, that lay now ful stille, ne

schulde nat perysshe unexercised in

10 governaunce of comune, for whiche men

myghten speken or wryten of his gode

governement)."

Philosophie. "For sothe," quod sche, "and

that is [o] thyng that mai drawen to governaunce

15 swiche hertes as ben worthy and noble of hir

nature, but natheles it may nat drawen or tollen

swiche hertes as ben ibrought to the ful perfeccioun

of vertue; that is to seyn, covetise of

glorie and renoun to han wel adminystred

20 the comune thynges, or doon gode desertes

to profyt of the comune. For see now

and considere how litel and how voyde of alle

prys is thylk glorye. Certeyn thyng es, as thou

hast leerned by the demonstracioun of astronomye,

25 that al the envyrounynge of the erthe

aboute ne halt but the resoun of a prykke at

regard of the gretnesse of hevene; that is to

seyn that, yif ther were maked comparysoun of

the erthe to the gretnesse of hevene, men

30 wolde juggen in al that the erthe ne heelde

no space. Of the whiche litel regioun of

this world, the ferthe partye is enhabited with

lyvynge beestes that we knowen, as thou hast

thyselve leerned by Tholome that proveth it.

35 And yif thow haddest withdrawen and abated

in thy thought fro thilke ferthe partie as moche

space as the see and the mareys contene and

overgoon, and as moche space as the regioun

of drowghte overstreccheth (that is to

40 seyn, sandes and desertes), wel unnethe

sholde ther duellen a ryght streyte place to the

habitacioun of men. And ye thanne, that ben

envyrouned and closed withynne the leeste

prykke of thilke prykke, thynken ye to manyfesten

45 or publisschen your renoun and doon

yowr name for to be born forth? But yowr

glorye that is so narwe and so streyt ithrungen

into so litel bowndes, how mochel conteneth it

in largesse and in greet doynge? And also

50 set this therto: that manye a nacioun, diverse

of tonge and of maneris and ek of resoun

of hir lyvynge, ben enhabited in the cloos

of thilke lytel habitacle; to the whiche nacyons,

what for difficulte of weyes, and what for diversite

55 of langages, and what for defaute of

unusage [of] entrecomunynge of marchandise,

nat oonly the names of synguler men ne may

nat strecchen, but eek the fame of citees ne

may nat strecchen. At the laste, certes, in

60 the tyme of Marcus Tulyus, as hymselve

writ in his book, that the renoun of the

comune of Rome ne hadde nat yit passid ne

clomben over the montaigne that highte Caucasus;

and yit was thilke tyme Rome wel waxen,

65 and greetly redouted of the Parthes and eek of

the othere folk enhabitynge aboute. Seestow

nat thanne how streyte and how compressid is

thilke glorie that ye travailen aboute to schewe

and to multeplye? May thanne the glorie

70 of a synguler Romeyn strecchen thider

as the fame of the name of Rome may nat

clymben ne passen? And ek seestow nat that the

maneris of diverse folk and ek hir lawes ben

discordaunt among hemselve, so that thilke

75 thyng that som men juggen worthy of preysynge,

other folk juggen that it is worthy of torment?

And therof comyth it that, though a

man delyte hym in preysynge of his renoun, he

ne mai nat in no wyse bryngen forthe ne

80 spreden his name to many manere peples.

And therfore every maner man aughte to

ben apayed of his glorie that is publysschid among

his owene neyghebours; and thilke noble renoun

schal ben restreyned withynne the boundes of

85 o manere folk.

"But how many a man, that was ful noble in

his tyme, hath the wrecchid and nedy foryetynge

of writeris put out of mynde and doon awey; al

be it so that, certes, thilke wrytynges

90 profiten litel, the whiche writynges long

and dirk eelde doth awey, bothe hem and

ek hir auctours! But yow men semeth to geten

yow a perdurablete, whan ye thynken that in

tyme comynge your fame schal lasten. But

95 natheles yif thow wolt maken comparysoun to

the endles spaces of eternyte, what thyng hastow

by whiche thow mayst rejoisen the of long

lastynge of thi name? For yif ther were makyd

comparysoun of the abydynge of a moment

100 to ten thowsand wynter, for as mochel as

bothe tho spaces ben endyd, [yit] hath the

moment som porcioun of it, although it litel be.

But natheles thilke selve nowmbre of yeeris, and

eek as many yeris as therto mai be multiplyed, ne

105 mai nat certes be comparysoned to the

perdurablete that is endlees; for of thinges that

han ende may ben maked comparysoun, but of

thynges that ben withouten ende to thynges that

han ende may be makid no comparysoun.

110 And forthi is it that, although renome, of as

longe tyme as evere the list to thynken,

were thought to the regard of eternyte, that is

unstaunchable and infynyt, it ne sholde nat only

semen litel, but pleynliche ryght noght.

115 "But ye men, certes, ne konne doon no thyng

aryght, but yif it be for the audience of peple and

for idel rumours; and ye forsaken the grete

worthynesse of conscience and of vertu, and ye

seeken yowr gerdouns of the smale wordes

120 of straunge folk. Have now here and

undirstand, in the lyghtnesse of swiche

pryde and veyne glorye, how a man scornede

festyvaly and myriely swich vanyte. Whilom ther

was a man that hadde [assaillede] with stryvynge

125 wordes another man, the whiche, nat for usage

of verray vertu but for proud veyn glorie, had

taken upon hym falsly the name of a philosophre.

This rather man that I spak of thoughte

he wolde assaie where he, thilke, were a

130 philosophre or no; that is to seyn, yif that

he wolde han suffride lyghtly in pacience

the wronges that weren doon unto hym. This

feynede philosophre took pacience a litel while;

and whan he hadde resceyved wordes of

135 outrage, he, as in stryvynge ayen and rejoysynge

of hymself, seide at the laste ryght thus: `undirstondistow

nat that I am a philosophre?' The

tother man answerede ayen ful bytyngely and

seyde: `I hadde wel undirstonden it yif thou

140 haddest holde thi tonge stille.'

"But what is it to thise noble worthy men

(for, certes, of swych folk speke I) that seken

glorie with vertue? What is it?" quod sche.

"What atteyneth fame to swiche folk, whan the

145 body is resolved by the deeth at the laste? For if

it so be that men dyen in all (that is to seyen,

body and soule), the whiche thing our reson

defendeth us to byleeven, thanne is ther no

glorie in no wyse; for what schulde thilke

150 glorie ben, whan he, of whom thilke glorie

is seyd to be, nys ryght naught in no wise?

And yif the soule, whiche that hath in itself

science of gode werkes, unbownden fro the

prysone of the erthe, weendeth frely to the

155 hevene, despiseth it nat thanne al erthly

ocupacioun; and [usynge] hevene rejoyseth that

it is exempt fro alle erthly thynges? (As who

seith, thanne rekketh the soule of no glorye of

renoun of this world.)

Metrum 7

"Whoso that with overthrowynge thought

oonly seketh glorie of fame, and weneth that

it be sovereyn good, lat hym looke upon the

brode schewynge contrees of the hevene, and

5 upon the streyte sete of this erthe; and he schal

be asschamed of the encres of his name, that

mai nat fulfille the litel compas of the erthe.

O, what coveyten proude folk to lyften up hir

nekkes on idel in the dedly yok of this

10 world? For although that renoun ysprad,

passynge to ferne peples, goth by diverse

tonges; and although that greet houses or

kynredes shynen with cleer titles of honours;

yit natheles deth despiseth al heye glorie of

15 fame, and deth wrappeth togidre the heyghe

heved and the lowe, and maketh egal and

evene the heygheste to the loweste. Where

wonen now the bones of trewe Fabricius?

What is now Brutus or stierne Catoun? The

20 thynne fame yit lastynge of here idel names

is marked with a fewe lettres. But althoughe

that we han knowen the fayre wordes

of the fames of hem, it is nat yyven to knowen

hem that ben dede and consumpt. Liggeth

25 thanne stille, al outrely unknowable, ne fame

ne maketh yow nat knowe. And yif ye wene to

lyve the lengere for wynd of yowr mortel name

whan o cruel day schal ravyssche yow, than is

the seconde deth duellynge unto yow."

30 (Glose. The first deeth he clepeth here departynge

of the body and the soule, and

the seconde deth he clepeth as here the styntynge

of the renoun of fame.)

Prosa 8

"But for as mochel as thow schalt nat

wenen," quod sche, "that I bere an untretable

batayle ayens Fortune, yit somtyme it byfalleth

that sche desceyvable desserveth to han ryght

5 good thank of men. And that is whan sche hirself

opneth, and whan sche discovereth hir

frownt and scheweth hir maneris. Peraventure

yit undirstandestow nat that I schal seie. It is

a wonder that I desire to telle, and forthi

10 unnethe may I unplyten my sentence with

wordes. For I deme that contrarious Fortune

profiteth more to men than Fortune debonayre.

For alwey, whan Fortune semeth debonayre,

thanne sche lieth, falsly byhetynge the

15 hope of welefulnesse; but forsothe contraryous

Fortune is alwey sothfast, whan sche scheweth

hirself unstable thurw hir chaungynge. The

amyable Fortune desceyveth folk; the contrarie

Fortune techeth. The amyable Fortune

20 byndeth with the beaute of false goodes

the hertes of folk that usen hem: the contrarye

Fortune unbyndeth hem by the knowynge

of freel welefulnesse. The amyable Fortune

maystow seen alwey wyndy and flowynge,

25 and evere mysknowynge of hirself; the contrarie

Fortune is atempre and restreyned and

wys thurw exercise of hir adversite. At the

laste, amyable Fortune with hir flaterynges

draweth myswandrynge men fro the sovereyne

30 good; the contrarious Fortune ledeth

ofte folk ayen to sothfast goodes, and

haleth hem ayen as with an hook. Wenestow

thanne that thow augghtest to leeten this a litel

thyng, that this aspre and horrible Fortune

35 hath discovered to the the thoughtes of thi

trewe freendes? Forwhy this ilke Fortune hath

departed and uncovered to the bothe the certein

visages and eek the doutous visages of thi

felawes. Whan she departed awey fro the,

40 she took awey hir freendes and lefte the

thyne freendes. Now whanne thow were

ryche and weleful, as the semede, with how

mochel woldestow han bought the fulle knowynge

of thys (that is to seyn, the knowynge of

45 thyne verray freendes)? Now pleyne the nat

thanne of rychesse ylorn, syn thow hast

fownden the moste precyous kynde of rychesses,

that is to seyn, thi verray freendes.

Metrum 8

"That the world with stable feyth varieth

accordable chaungynges; that the contrarious

qualites of elementz holden among hemself

allyaunce perdurable; that Phebus, the sonne,

5 with his goldene chariet bryngeth forth the

rosene day; that the moone hath comaundement

over the nyghtes, whiche nyghtes Esperus,

the eve-sterre, hath brought; that the

see, gredy to flowen, constreyneth with a

10 certein eende his floodes, so that it is nat

leveful to strecche his brode termes or

bowndes uppon the erthes (that is to seyn, to

coveren al the erthe) -- al this accordaunce

[and] ordenaunce of thynges is bounde with

15 love, that governeth erthe and see, and hath also

comandement to the hevene. And yif this love

slakede the bridelis, alle thynges that now loven

hem togidres wolden make batayle contynuely,

and stryven to fordo the fassoun of this

20 world, the which they now leden in

accordable feith by fayre moevynges. This

love halt togidres peples joyned with an holy

boond, and knytteth sacrement of mariages of

chaste loves; and love enditeth lawes to trewe

25 felawes. O weleful were mankynde, yif thilke

love that governeth hevene governede yowr

corages."

Explicit Liber Secundus

Incipit Liber Tertius

Prosa 1

By this sche hadde ended hir song, whan the

swetnesse of here dite hadde thurw-perced me,

that was desyrous of herknynge, and I astoned

hadde yit streyghte myn eres (that is to seyn, to

5 herkne the bet what sche wolde seye). So that

a litel herafter I seide thus: "O thow that art

sovereyne confort of angwyssous corages, so

thow hast remounted and norysshed me with

the weyghte of thi sentences and with delyt

10 of thy syngynge; so that I trowe nat

nowe that I be unparygal to the strokes of

Fortune (as who seith, I dar wel now suffren

alle the assautes of Fortune and wel defende

me fro hir). And tho remedies whiche that

15 thou seydest herbyforn that weren ryght

scharpe, nat oonly that I ne am nat agrisen of

hem now, but I, desiros of herynge, axe gretly

to heren tho remedies."

Thanne seyde sche thus: "That feeled I

20 ful wel," quod sche, "whan that thow ententyf

and stille ravysschedest my wordes,

and I abood til that thou haddest swich habite

of thi thought as thou hast now, or elles til that

I myself hadde maked to the the same habite,

25 whiche that is a more verray thyng. And certes

the remenant of thynges that ben yet to seie

ben swiche that first whan men tasten hem they

ben bytynge; but whan they ben resceyved

withynne a wyght, thanne ben thei swete.

30 But for thou seyst that thow art so desyrous

to herkne hem, with how greet brennynge

woldestow glowen, yif thow wistest whider I

wol leden the!"

"Whider is that?" quod I.

35 "To thilke verraye welefulnesse," quod sche,

"of whiche thyn herte dremeth. but forasmoche

as thi syghte is ocupyed and destourbed by

imagynacioun of erthly thynges, thow mayst

nat yit seen thilke selve welefulnesse."

40 "Do," quod I, "and schewe me what is

thilke verray welefulnesse, I preie the,

withoute taryinge."

"That wol I gladly do," quod sche, "for the

cause of the. But I wol first marken the by

45 woordes, and I wol enforcen me to enforme the,

thilke false cause of blisfulnesse that thou more

knowest; so that whanne thow hast fully byhoolden

thilke false goodes and torned thin

eighen to the tother syde, thow mowe

50 knowe the cleernesse of verray blisfulnesse.

Metrum 1

"Whoso wole sowe a feld plentevous, let hym

first delyvren it of thornes, and kerve asondir

with his hook the bussches and the feern, so

that the corn may comen hevy of erys and of

5 greynes. Hony is the more swete, if mouthes

han first tasted savours that ben wykke. The

sterres schynen more aggreablely whan the

wynd Nothus leteth his plowngy blastes; and

aftir that Lucifer, the day-sterre, hath

10 chased awey the dirke nyght, the day the

fairere ledeth the rosene hors (of the

sonne). And ryght so thow, byhooldyng ferst the

false goodes, bygyn to withdrawe thy nekke

fro the yok (of erthely affeccions); and

15 afterward the verray goodes schullen entren into

thy corage."

Prosa 2

Tho fastnede sche a litel the syghte of hir

eyen, and withdrowghe hir ryght as it were into

the streyte seete of here thought, and bygan to

speke ryght thus: "Alle the cures," quod sche,

5 "of mortel folk, whiche that travailen hem in

many manere studies, gon certes by diverse

weyes; but natheles thei enforcen hem alle to

comyn oonly to oon ende of blisfulnesse. And

blisfulnesse is swiche a good, that whoso

10 that hath geten it, he ne may over that

nothyng more desire. And this thyng forsothe

is the soverayn good that conteneth in

hymself alle maner goodes; to the whiche goode

if ther fayled any thyng, it myghte nat ben

15 sovereyn good, for thanne wer ther som good

out of thilke sovereyn good, that myghte ben

desired. Now is it cleer and certeyne thanne,

that blisfulnesse is a parfyt estat by the congregacioun

of alle goodes; the whiche blisfulnesse,

20 as I have seyd, alle mortel folk enforcen

hem to geten by diverse weyes.

Forwhy the covetise of verray good is naturely

iplauntyd in the hertes of men, but the myswandrynge

errour mysledeth hem into false

25 goodes. Of the whiche men, some of hem

wenen that sovereyn good be to lyven withoute

nede of any thyng, and travaylen hem to ben

habundaunt of rychesses. And some othere

men demen that sovereyn good be for to be

30 ryght digne of reverence, and enforcen

hem to ben reverenced among hir neyghbours

by the honours that thei han igeten. And

some folk ther ben that holden that ryght heye

power be sovereyn good, and enforcen hem for

35 to reignen or elles to joygnen hem to hem that

reignen. And it semeth to some other folk, that

noblesse of renoun be the sovereyn good, and

hasten hem to geten hem gloryouse name by the

artz of werre or of pees. And many folk

40 mesuren and gessen that the sovereyne

good be joye and gladnesse, and wenen

that it be ryght blisful thyng to plowngen hem

in voluptuous delyt. And ther ben folk that

entrechaungen the causes and the endes of

45 thyse forseyde goodes, as they that desiren

rychesses to han power and delitz, or elles they

desiren power for to have moneye or for cause

of renoun. In thise thynges and in swiche other

thynges is torned al the entencioun of desyrynges

50 and werkes of men; as thus:

noblesse and favour of peple, whiche that

yyveth to men, as it semeth hem, a maner

cleernesse of renoun; and wyf and children,

that men desiren for cause of delyt and myrynesse.

55 But forsothe freendes ne schulde nat ben

rekned among the goodes of fortune, but of

vertu, for it is a ful hooly maner thyng; alle

thise othere thinges forsothe ben taken for

cause of power or elles for cause of delyt.

60 Certes now am I redy to referren the

goodes of the body to thise forseide thynges

aboven; for it semeth that strengthe and gretnesse

of body yyven power and worthynesse,

and that beaute and swyftnesse yyven noblesse

65 and glorie of renoun; and heele of body semeth

yyven delyt. In alle thise thynges it semeth

oonly that blisfulnesse is desyred; forwhy thilk

thing that every man desireth moost over alle

thynges he demeth that it be the sovereyn

70 good; but I have diffyned that blisfulnesse

is the sovereyn good; for whiche every

wyght demeth that thilke estat that he desireth

over alle thynges, that it be blisfulnesse.

"Now hastow thanne byforn thyne eien almest

75 al the purposede forme of the welefulnesse

of mankynde: that is to seyn rychesses,

honours, power, glorie, and delitz. The whiche

delit oonly considered Epicurus, and juggid

and establissyde that delyt is the soverayn

80 good, for as moche as alle othere thynges,

as hym thoughte, byrefte awey joye and

myrthe from the herte. But I retorne ayen to

the studies of men, of whiche men the corage

alwey reherceth and seketh the sovereyne good,

85 al be it so that it be with a dyrkyd memorie;

but he not by whiche path, ryght as a dronke

man not nat by whiche path he may retourne

hom to his hous. Semeth it thanne that folk

foleyen and erren, that enforcen hem to

90 have nede of nothyng? Certes ther nys

noon other thyng that mai so wel performe

blisfulnesse, as an estat plentevous of alle godes,

that ne hath nede of noon other thyng, but

that it is suffisant of hymself unto hymself.

95 And foleyen swiche folk, thanne, that wenen

that thilk thyng that is ryght good, that it be

eek ryght worthy of honour and of reverence?

Certes, nay. For that thyng nis neither foul ne

worthy to ben despysed that wel neyghe al

100 the entencioun of mortel folk [travayleth.

for to geten it. And power, aughte nat that

ek to ben rekned amonge goodes? What elles?

For it nys nat to wene that thilke thyng that is

most worthy of alle thynges be feble and

105 withoute strengthe. And cleernesse of renoun,

aughte that to ben despysed? Certes ther may no

man forsake, that alle thyng that is right

excellent and noble, that it ne semeth to ben

ryght cleer and renomed. For certes it

110 nedeth nat to saie that blisfulnesse be

[n'] [angwyssous] ne drery, ne subgit to

grevaunces ne to sorwes; syn that in ryght litele

thynges folk seken to haven and to usen that may

delyten hem. Certes thise ben the thinges that

115 men wolen and desiren to geten, and for this

cause desiren they rychesses, dignytes, reignes,

glorie, and delices; for therby wenen they to

han suffysaunce, honour, power, renoun, and

gladnesse. Thanne is it good that men

120 seken thus, by so manye diverse studies; in

whiche desir it mai lyghtly be schewyd how

greet is the strengthe of nature. For how so that

men han diverse sentences and discordynge,

algates men accorden alle in lovynge the eende

125 of good.

Metrum 2

"It liketh me to schewe by subtil soong, with

slakke and delytable sown of strenges, how

that Nature, myghty, enclyneth and flytteth the

governementz of thynges, and by whiche lawes

5 sche, purveiable, kepith the grete world; and

how sche, byndynge, restreyneth alle thynges

by a boond that may nat be unbownde. Al be

it so that the lyouns of the contre of Pene beren

the fayre chaynes, and taken metes of the

10 handes of folk that yeven it hem, and

dreden hir stourdy [maistre] of whiche thei

ben wont to suffre betynges; yif that hir horrible

mouthes ben bybled (that is to seyn, of

beestes devoured), hir corage of tyme passed,

15 that hath ben idel and rested, repeireth ayen,

and thei roren grevously, and remembren on

hir nature, and slaken hir nekkes from hir

cheynes unbownde; and hir mayster fyrst,

totorn with blody tooth, assaieth the wode

20 wratthes of hem (this to seyn, thei freten

hir maister). And the janglynge brid that

syngeth on the heghe braunches (that is to

seyn, in the wode), and after is enclosed in a

streyte cage, althoughe that the pleyinge bysynes

25 of men yeveth [hym] honyed drynkes and large

metes with swete studye, yit natheles yif thilke

bryd skippynge out of hir streyte cage seith the

agreables schadwes of the wodes, sche defouleth

with hir feet hir metes ischad, and seketh

30 mornynge oonly the wode, and twytereth

desyrynge the wode with hir swete voys.

The yerde of a tree, that is haled adoun by

myghty strengthe, boweth redily the crop

adown; but yif that the hand of hym that it bente

35 leet it goon ageyn, anoon the crop loketh upryght

to hevene. The sonne, Phebus, that falleth

at even in the westrene wawes, retorneth

ayen eftsones his cart, by a pryve path, there

as it is wont t' aryse. Alle thynges seken

40 ayen to hir propre cours, and alle thynges

rejoysen hem of hir retornynge ayen to

hir nature. Ne noon ordenaunce is bytaken to

thynges, but that that hath joyned the endynge

to the bygynnynge, and hath maked the cours

45 of itself stable (that it chaunge nat from his

propre kynde).

Prosa 3

"Certes also ye men, that ben erthliche

beestes, dremen alwey your bygynnynge, althoughe

it be with a thynne ymaginacioun; and

by a maner thought, al be it nat clerly ne parfitely,

5 ye loken from afer to thilke verray fyn of

blisfulnesse. And therfore naturel entencioun

ledeth yow to thilke verray good, but many

maner errours mystorneth yow therfro. Considere

now yif that by thilke thynges by

10 whiche a man weneth to geten hym blisfulnesse,

yif that he mai comen to thilk ende

that he weneth to come by nature. For yif that

moneye, or honours, or thise othere forseyde

thynges, brynge to men swiche a thyng that no

15 good ne fayle hem ne semeth faile, certes

thanne wol I graunte that they ben maked blisful

by thilke thynges that thei han geten. But

yif so be that thilke thynges ne mowen nat performen

that they byheten, and that there

20 be defaute of manye goodis, scheweth it

nat thanne clerly that false beute of blysfulnesse

is knowen and ataynt in thilke thynges?

First and forward thow thiself, that haddest

haboundances of rychesses nat longe agoon, I

25 aske the yif that, in the habowndance of alle

thilke rychesses, thow were nevere angwysous

ne sory in thy corage of any wrong or grevance

that bytydde the on any side?"

"Certes," quod I, "it ne remembreth me

30 nat that evere I was so fre of my thought

that I ne was alwey in angwyse of somwhat."

"And was nat that," quod sche, "for that the

lakkide somwhat that thow noldest nat han

35 lakkid, or elles thou haddest that thow noldest

nat han had?"

"Ryght so is it," quod I.

"Than desiredest thow the presence of the

toon and the absence of the tothir?"

40 "I graunte wel," quod I.

"Forsothe," quod sche, "thanne nedeth

ther somwhat that every man desireth?"

"Yee, ther nedeth," quod I.

"Certes," quod sche, "and he that hath lak or

45 nede of aught nys nat in every wey suffisant to

hymself?"

"No," quod I.

"And thow," quod sche, "in al the plente of

thy richesses haddest thilke lakke of suffisaunce?"

"What elles?" quod I.

"Thanne mai nat richesses maken that a man

nys nedy, ne that he be suffisaunt to hymself;

and yit that was it that thei byhighten, as it

55 semeth. And eek certes I trow that this be

gretly to considere, that moneye ne hath nat in

his owene kynde that it ne mai ben bynomen

of hem that han it, maugre hem."

"I byknowe it wel," quod I.

60 "Whi sholdestow nat byknowen it,"

quod sche, "whan every day the strengere

folk bynymen it fro the feblere maugre hem?

For whennes comen elles alle thise [forense]

compleyntes or quereles of pledynges but

65 for that men axen ayen hir moneye that hath

ben bynomen hem by force or by gyle, and

alwey maugre hem?"

"Right so is it," quod I.

"Than," quod sche, "hath a man nede to

70 seken hym foreyne help by whiche he may

defenden his moneye?"

"Who mai seie nay?" quod I.

"Certes," quod sche, "and hym nedide noon

help yif he ne hadde no moneye that he myghte

75 leese."

"That is douteles," quod I.

"Than is this thyng torned into the contrarie,"

quod sche; "for rychesses, that men

wenen scholde maken suffisaunce, they

80 maken a man rather have nede of foreyne

help. Whiche is the maner or the gyse,"

quod sche, "that rychesse mai dryve awey

nede? Riche folk, mai they neyther han hungir

ne thurst? Thise riche men, may they fele no

85 cold on hir lymes in wynter? But thow wolt

answeren that ryche men han inoghe wherwith

thei mai staunchen hir hungir, and slaken hir

thurst, and don awey cold. In this wise mai

nede be conforted by richesses, but certes

90 nede ne mai nat al outrely be doon awey;

for thoughe this nede that is alwey gapynge

and gredy, be fulfild with richesses, and axe any

thyng, yit duelleth thanne a nede that myghte be

fulfild. I holde me stille and telle nat how that

95 litel thyng suffiseth to nature; but certes to

avarice inowghe ne suffiseth nothyng. For syn

that rychesse ne mai nat al doon awey nede, but

richesses maken nede, what mai it thanne be that

ye wenen that richesses mowen yyven yow

100 suffisaunce?

Metrum 3

"Al weere it so that a riche coveytous man

hadde a ryver or a goter fletynge al of gold, yit

sholde it nevere staunchen his covetise; and

thoughe he hadde his nekke charged with precyous

5 stones of the Rede See, and thoughe he

do ere his feeldes plentevous with an hundred

oxen, nevere ne schal his bytynge bysynesse

forleeten hym whil he lyveth, ne the lyghte

richesses ne schal nat beren hym companye

10 whan he is deed.

Prosa 4

"But dignytees, to whom thei ben comen,

make they hym honourable and reverent? Han

thei nat so gret strengthe that thei mai putten

vertus in the hertes of folk that usen the lordschipes

5 of hem, or elles may they don awey the

vices? Certes thei ben nat wont to don awey

wikkidnesse, but thei ben wont rather to

schewen wykkydnesse. And therof cometh it

that Y have right gret disdayn that dignytes

10 ben yyven ofte to wikkide men. For

which thyng Catullus clepid a consul of

Rome that hyghte Nonyus `postum' or `boch'

(as who seith, he clepid hym a congregacioun

of vices in his brest, as a postum is ful of corrupcioun),

15 al were this Nonyus set in chayere

of dygnite. Sestow nat thanne how grete

vylenye dignytes don to wikkide men? Certes

unworthynesse of wikkide men schulde ben the

lesse isene if thei neere renomed of none

20 honours. Certes thou thiself ne myghtest

nat ben broght, with as many perils as

thow myghtest suffren, that thow woldest beren

the magistrat with Decorat (that is to seyn,

that for no peril that myghte byfallen the by

25 offence of the kyng Theodorik, thou noldest nat

be felawe in governaunce with Decorat), whan

thow seye that he hadde wikkide corage of a

likerous schrewe and of an accusour. Ne I ne

mai nat for swiche honours juggen hem

30 worthy of reverence that I deme and holde

unworthy to han thilke same honours.

Now yif thow seie a man that were fulfild of

wysdom, certes thou ne myghtest nat deme

that he were unworthy to the honour or elles

35 to the wisdom of whiche he is fulfild?"

"No," quod I.

"Certes dignytees," quod sche, "aperteignen

properly to vertu, and vertu transporteth dignyte

anoon to thilke man to whiche sche

40 hirself is conjoigned. And for as moche as

honours of peple ne mai nat maken folk

digne of honour, it is wel seyn cleerly that thei

ne han no propre beaute of dignyte. And yet

men aughten taken more heede in this. For yif

45 a wykkyd wyght be in so mochel the fowlere

and the more outcast that he is despysed of

moost folk, so as dignyte ne mai nat maken

schrewes worthy of no reverence, the whiche

schrewes dignyte scheweth to moche folk;

50 than maketh dignyte schrewes rather so

much more despised than preysed, and

forsothe nat unpunyssched (that is for to seyn

that schrewes revengen hem ayenward uppon

dignytes), for thei yelden ayen to dignytees

55 as greet gerdoun, whan they byspotten and

defoulen dignytes with hir vylenye. And for as

mochel as thou now knowe that thilke verray

reverence ne mai nat comen by thise schadwy

transitorie dignytes, undirstond now thus:

60 yif that a man hadde used and had manye

maner dignytees of consules, and weere

comen peraventure among straunge nacions,

scholde thilke honour maken hym worschipful

and redouted of straunge folk? Certes yif

65 that honour of peple were a natureel yifte to

dignytes, it ne myghte nevere cesen nowhere

amonges no maner folk to don his office; right

as fyer in every contre ne stynteth nat to

eschaufen and to ben hoot. But for as

70 mochel as for to be holden honurable or

reverent ne cometh nat to folk of hir

propre strengthe of nature, but oonly of the false

opynyoun of folk (that is to seyn, that weenen

that dignytees maken folk digne of honour),

75 anoon therfore, whan that thei comen there as

folk ne knowen nat thilke dignytees, hir honours

vanysschen away, and that anoon. But that is

amonges straunge folk, maystow seyn. Ne

amonges hem ther thei weren born, ne

80 duren nat thilke dignytes alwey? Certes the

dignyte of the provostrye of Rome was

whilom a greet power; now nys it no thyng but

an idel name, and the rente of the senatorie a

greet charge; and yif a wyght whilom hadde the

85 office to taken heede to the vitayles of the peple,

as of corn and othere thynges, he was holden

amonges grete; but what thyng is now more

outcast than thilke provostrye? And, as I have

seyd a litel herebyforn, that thilke thyng

90 that hath no propre beute of hymself

resceyveth somtyme prys and schynynge,

and somtyme leeseth it, by the opinyoun of

usaunces. Now yif that dignytes thanne ne

mowen nat make folk digne of reverence, and if

95 that dignytees waxen foule of hir wil by the

filthe of schrewes, and yif dignytees leesen hir

schynynge by chaungynge of tymes, and yif thei

waxen fowle by estimacion of peple, what is it

that they han in hemself of beaute that

100 oughte ben desired? (As who seith noon;

thanne ne mowen they yeven no beute of

dignyte to noone othere.)

Metrum 4

"Al be it so that the proude Nero, with al his

wode luxure, kembde hym and apparayled

hym with faire purpres of Tyrie and with white

peerles, algates yit throf he haatful to alle folk

5 (this is to seyn that, al was he byhated of alle

folk, yit this wikkide Nero hadde gret lordschipe),

and yaf whilom to the reverentz senatours

the unworschipful seetis of dignytees.

(Unworschipful seetes he clepeth here, for that

10 Nero, that was so wikkide, yaf tho dignytees.)

Who wolde thanne resonably

wenen that blisfulnesse were in swiche honours

as ben yyven by vycious schrewes?

Prosa 5

"But regnes, and familiarites of kynges, mai

thei maken a man to ben myghti? How elles,

whan hir blisfulnesse dureth perpetuely? But

certes the olde age of tyme passed, and ek the

5 present tyme now, is ful of ensaumples how

that kynges han chaungyd into wrecchidnesse

out of hir welefulnesse. O, a noble thyng and

a cleer thyng is power, that is nat fownden

myghty to kepe itself! And yif that power

10 of remes be auctour and makere of blisfulnesse,

yif thilke power lakketh on any syde,

amenuseth it nat thilke blisfulnesse and bryngeth

in wrecchidnesse? But yit, al be it so that

the remes of mankynde strecchen broode, yit

15 moot ther nede ben moche folk over whiche

that every kyng ne hath no lordschipe ne

comaundement. And certes uppon thilke syde

that power fayleth, whiche that maketh folk blisful,

ryght on that same syde noun-power

20 entreth undirnethe, that maketh hem

wrecches. In this manere thanne moten

kynges han more porcioun of wrecchidnesse

than of welefulnesse. A tyraunt, that was kyng

of Sysile, that hadde assayed the peril of his

25 estat, schewede by simylitude the dredes of

remes by gastnesse of a swerd that heng over

the heved of his familyer. What thyng is

thanne this power, that mai nat done awey the

bytynges of bysynesse, ne eschewe the

30 prykkes of drede? And certes yit wolde

thei lyven in sykernesse, but thei may nat,

and yit they glorifien hem in hir power. Holdestow

thanne that thilke man be mighty, that

thow seest that he wolde doon that he may nat

35 done? And holdestow thanne hym a myghti

man, that hath envyrowned his sydes with men

of armes or sergeantz, and dredeth more hem

that he maketh agast thanne thei dreden hym,

and that is put in the handes of hise servauntz

40 for he scholde seme myghty? But of

familiers or servantz of kynges, what

scholde I telle the any thyng, syn that I myself

have schewyd the that rewmes hemself ben

ful of greet feblesse? The whiche famylieres,

45 certes, the real power of kynges, in hool estat

and in estaat abated, ful ofte throweth adoun.

Nero constreynede Senek, his familyer and his

mayster, to chesen on what deeth he wolde

deye. Antonyus comaundede that knyghtes

50 slowen with here swerdes Papynian (his

famylier) [whiche] that had ben long

tyme ful myghty amonges hem of the court.

And yet certes thei wolden bothe han renounced

hir power; of whiche two Senek enforcede

55 hym to yeven to Nero his richesses, and

also to han gon into solitarie exil. But whan the

grete weyghte (that is to seyn, of lordes power

or of fortune) draweth hem that schullen falle,

neither of hem ne myghte don that he

60 wolde. What thyng is thanne thilke powere,

that though men han it, yit thei ben agast;

and whanne thow woldest han it, thou nart nat

siker; and yif thou woldest forleeten it, thow

mayst nat eschuen it? But whethir swiche men

65 ben freendes at nede, as ben [consyled] by fortune

and nat be vertu? Certes swiche folk as

weleful fortune maketh frendes, contraryous

fortune maketh hem enemys. And what pestilence

is more myghty for to anoye a wyght

70 than a famylier enemy?

Metrum 5

"Whoso wol ben myghti he moot daunten his

cruel corages, ne putte nat his nekke, overcomen,

undir the foule reynes of leccherie. For

al be it so that thi lordschipe strecche so fer

5 that the contre of Ynde quaketh at thy comaundementz

or at thi lawes, and that the laste

ile in the see that highte Tyle be thral to the,

yit yif thou maist nat putten awey thi foule

dirke desires, and dryven out fro the

10 wrecchide compleyntes, certes it nys no

power that thow hast.

Prosa 6

"But glorie, how deceyvable and how foul is

it ofte! For which thyng nat unskilfully a tragedien

(that is to seyn, a makere of dytees that

highten tragedies) cride and seide: `O glorie,

5 glorie,' quod he, `thow nart nothyng elles to

thousandes of folk but a greet swellere of eres!'

For manye han had ful greet renoun by the

false opinyoun of the peple, and what thyng

mai ben thought foulere than swiche preysynge?

10 For thilke folk that ben preysed

falsly, they mote nedes han schame of hire

preysynges. And yif that folk han geten hem

thonk or preysynge by here dissertes, what

thyng hath thilke pris echid or encresed to the

15 conscience of wise folk, that mesuren hir good,

nat by the rumour of the peple, but by the

sothfastnesse of conscience? And yif it seme a

fair thyng a man to han encreced and sprad his

name, thanne folweth it that it is demed to

20 ben a foul thyng yif it ne be yspradde and

encreced. But, as I seide a litil herebyforn,

that syn ther moot nedes ben many folk to

whiche folk the renoun of [o] man ne mai nat

comen, it byfalleth that he that thow wenest be

25 glorious and renomed semeth in the nexte

partie of the erthes to ben withouten glorie and

withouten renoun. And certes amonges thise

thynges I ne trowe nat that the pris and the

grace of the peple nys neyther worthi to

30 ben remembred, ne cometh of wys jugement,

ne is ferme perdurably.

"But now of this name of gentilesse, what

man is it that ne may wele seen how veyn and

how flyttynge a thyng it es? For yif the name

35 of gentilesse be referred to renoun and cleernesse

of lynage, thanne is gentil name but a

foreyne thyng (that is to seyn, to hem that gloryfien

hem of hir lynage.) For it semeth that

gentilesse be a maner preisynge that cometh

40 of the dessertes of auncestres; and yif

preisynge make gentilesse, thanne mote

they nedes ben gentil that been preysed. For

whiche thing it folweth that yif thou ne have no

gentilesse of thiself (that is to seyn, prys that

45 cometh of thy deserte), foreyne gentilesse ne

maketh the nat gentil. But certes yif ther be

ony good in gentilesse, I trowe it be al only

this, that it semeth as that a maner necessite

be imposed to gentil men for that thei ne

50 schulde nat owtrayen or forlynen fro the

vertus of hir noble kynrede.

Metrum 6

"Alle the lynage of men that ben in erthe ben

of semblable byrthe. On allone is fadir of

thynges; on allone mynystreth alle thynges.

He yaf to the sonne his bemes, he yaf to the

5 moone hir hornes, he yaf the men to the erthe,

he yaf the sterres to the hevene. He encloseth

with membres the soules that comen from his

heye sete. Thanne comen alle mortel folk of

noble seed. Why noysen ye or bosten of

10 your eldres? For yif thow loke youre bygynnyng,

and God your auctour and yowr

makere, thanne nis ther none forlyned wyght or

ongentil, but if he noryssche his corage unto

vices and forlete his propre byrthe.

Prosa 7

"But what schal I seye of delyces of body, of

whiche delices the desirynges ben ful of anguyssch,

and the fulfillynges of hem ben ful of

penance? How grete seknesses and how grete

5 sorwes unsuffrable, ryght as a maner fruyt

of wykkidnesse, ben thilke delices wont to

bryngen to the bodyes of folk that usen hem!

Of whiche delices I not what joie mai ben had

of here moevynge, but this woot I wel, that

10 whosoevere wol remembren hym of hise

luxures, he schal wel undirstonden that the

issues of delices ben sorweful and sorye. And

yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful,

thanne by the same cause moten thise beestis

15 ben clepid blisful, of whiche beestis al the entencioun

hasteth to fulfille here bodily jolyte.

And the gladnesse of wyf and children were an

honest thyng, but it hath ben seyd that it is

overmochel ayens kynde that children han

20 ben fownden tormentours to here fadris, I

not how manye; of whiche children how

bytynge is every condicioun, it nedeth nat to

tellen it the that hast er this tyme assayed it,

and art yit now angwysshous. In this approve

25 I the sentence of my disciple Euripidis, that

seide that he that hath no children is weleful

by infortune.

Metrum 7

"Every delit hath this, that it angwisscheth

hem with prykkes that usen it. It resembleth

to thise flyenge flyes that we clepen ben; that,

aftir that the be hath sched hise agreable honyes,

5 he fleeth awey, and styngeth the hertes of hem

that ben ysmyte, with bytynge overlonge holdynge.

Prosa 8

"Now is it no doute thanne that thise weyes

ne ben a maner mysledynges to blisfulnesse, ne

that they ne mowen nat leden folk thider as

thei byheeten to leden hem. But with how grete

5 harmes thise forseide weyes ben enlaced, I

schal schewe the shortly. Forwhy yif thou enforcest

the to assemble moneye, thow must byreven

hym his moneye that hath it; and yif

thow wolt schynen with dignytees, thow

10 must bysechen and supplyen hem that

yyven tho dignytees; and yif thow coveytest

be honour to gon byfore othere folk, thow

schalt defoule thiself thurw humblesse of axynge.

Yif thou desirest power, thow schalt, be

15 awaytes of thy subgetis, anoyously ben cast undir

by manye periles. Axestow glorye? Thow

schalt so bien distract by aspere thynges that

thow schalt forgon sykernesse. And yif thow

wolt leden thi lif in delyces, every wyght

20 schal despysen the and forleeten the, as

thow that art thral to thyng that is right

foul and brutyl (that is to seyn, servaunt to thi

body). Now is it thanne wel yseyn how litil

and how brotel possessioun thei coveyten that

25 putten the goodes of the body aboven hir

owene resoun. For maystow surmounten thise

olifauntes in gretnesse or weighte of body? Or

maistow ben strengere than the bole? Maystow

ben swyftere than the tigre? Byhoold the

30 spaces and the stablenesse and the swyft

cours of the hevene, and stynt somtyme to

wondren on foule thynges. The whiche hevene

certes nys nat rathere for thise thynges to ben

wondryd upon, than for the resoun by whiche it

35 is governed. But the schynynge of thi forme

(that is to seyn, the beute of thi body), how

swyftly passynge is it, and how transitorie!

"Certes it es more flyttynge than the mutabilite

of floures of the somer sesoun. For so as

40 Aristotle telleth, that if that men hadden

eyghen of a beeste that highte lynx, so that

the lokynge of folk myghte percen thurw the

thynges that withstonden it, whoso lokide

thanne in the entrayles of the body of Alcibiades,

45 that was ful fair in the superfice withoute,

it schulde seme ryght foul. And forthi yif

thow semest fair, thy nature ne maketh nat

that, but the deceyvaunce or the feblesse of the

eighen that loken. But preise the goodes of

50 the body as mochil as evere the lyst, so that

thow knowe algatis that, whatso it be (that

is to seyn, of the godes of the body) whiche that

thou wondrist uppon, mai ben destroied or dissolvid

by the heete of a fevere of thre dayes.

55 Of alle whiche forseide thynges Y mai reducen

this schortly in a somme: that thise worldly

goodes, whiche that ne mowen nat yeven that

they byheeten, ne ben nat parfite by the congregacioun

of alle goodis, that they ne ben

60 nat weyes ne pathes that bryngen men to

blisfulnesse, ne maken men to ben blisful.

Metrum 8

"Allas! Whiche folie and whiche ignorance

mysledeth wandrynge wrecchis fro the path of

verray good! Certes ye ne seke no gold in

grene trees, ne ye gadere nat precyous stones in

5 the vynes, ne ye ne hiden nat yowre gynnes in

heye mountaignes to kacchen fyssche of whiche

ye mai maken riche festes. And if yow liketh

to hunte to roos, ye ne gon nat to the foordes

of the watir that highte Tyrene. And over

10 this, men knowen wel the krikes and the

cavernes of the see yhidde in the flodes,

and knowen ek whiche watir is moost plentevous

of white peerlis, and knowen whiche watir

haboundeth moost of reed purpre (that is to

15 seyn, of a maner schellefyssche with whiche men

deien purpre), and knowen whiche strondes

habounden most of tendre fysches, or of scharpe

fyssches that hyghten echynnys. But folk suffren

hemselve to ben so blynde, that hem

20 ne reccheth nat to knowe where thilke

goodes ben yhud whiche that thei coveyten,

but ploungen hem in erthe, and seken

there thilke good that surmounteth the hevene

that bereth the sterris. What preyere mai I

25 make, that be digne to the nyce thoughtes of

men? But I preie that thei coveyten rychesses

and honours, so that, whanne thei han geten

tho false goodes with greet travaile, that therby

they mowen knowen the verray goodes.

Prosa 9

"It suffiseth that I have schewyd hiderto the

forme of fals welefulnesse, so that yif thou loke

now cleerly, the ordre of myn entencioun requireth

from hennes forth to schewe the verray

5 welefulnesse."

"Forsothe," quod I, "I se wel now that suffisaunce

may nat comen by rychesse, ne power

by remes, ne reverence by dignites, ne gentilesse

by glorie, ne joie be delices."

10 "And hastow wel knowen the causes,"

quod sche, "whi it es?"

"Certes me semeth," quod I, "that Y see hem

ryght as thoughe it were thurw a litil clyfte, but

me were levere knowen hem more opynly of

15 the."

"Certes," quod sche, "the resoun is al redy.

For thilke thyng that symply is o thyng withouten

ony devysioun, the errour and folie of

mankynde departeth and divideth it, and

20 mysledeth it and transporteth from verray

and parfit good to godes that ben false and

inparfit. But seye me this. Wenestow that he

that hath nede of power, that hym ne lakketh

nothyng?"

25 "Nay," quod I.

"Certes," quod sche, "thou seyst aryght; for

if so be that ther is a thyng that in ony partie

be feblere of power, certes, as in that, it moot

nedes be nedy of foreyne help."

30 "Ryght so is it," quod I.

"Suffisaunce and power ben thanne of

o kynde?"

"So semeth it," quod I.

"And demestow," quod sche, "that a thyng

35 that is of this manere (that is to seyn, suffisaunt

and myghty) oughte ben despised, or ellis that

it be right digne of reverence aboven alle

thynges?"

"Certes," quod I, "it nys no doute that it

40 nys right worthy to ben reverenced."

"Lat us," quod sche, "adden thanne reverence

to suffisaunce and to power, so that we

demen that thise thre thynges be al o thyng."

"Certes," quod I, "lat us adden it, yif we

45 wiln graunten the sothe."

"What demestow thanne," quod sche, "is

that a dirk thyng and nat noble that is suffisaunt,

reverent, and myghty; or elles that it is

ryght noble and ryght cleer by celebrete of

50 renoun? Considere thanne," quod sche, "as

we han grauntide hirbyfore that he that ne

hath nede of no thyng and is moost myghty

and moost digne of honour, if hym nedeth ony

cleernesse of renoun, whiche clernesse he myght

55 nat graunten of hymself; so that for lak of

thilke cleernesse he myghte seme the feblere

on any side, or the more outcast." (Glose. This

to seyn, nay; for whoso that is suffisaunt,

myghty, and reverent, clernesse of renoun

60 folweth of the forseyde thynges; he hath it

al redy of his suffysaunce.)

Boece. "I mai nat," quod I, "denye it, but I

moot granten, as it is, that this thyng be ryght

celebrable by clernesse of renoun and noblesse."

65 "Thanne folweth it," quod sche, "that we

adden clernesse of renoun to the thre forseyde

thynges, so that there ne be amonges hem no

difference."

"This a consequence," quod I.

70 "This thyng thanne," quod sche, "that ne

hath nede of no foreyne thyng, and that

may don alle thynges by hise strengthis, and

that is noble and honourable, nys nat that a

myry thyng and a joyful?"

75 Boece. "But whennes," quod I, "that any sorwe

myghte comen to this thyng that is swiche,

certes I mai nat thynke."

Philosophie. "Thanne mote we graunten,"

quod sche, "that this thing be ful of gladnesse,

80 if the forseide thynges ben sothe;

and certes also mote we graunten that suffisaunce,

power, noblesse, reverence, and gladnesse

be oonly diverse by names, but hir substaunce

hath no diversite."

85 Boece. "It moot nedly ben so," quod I.

Philosophie. "Thilke thyng thanne," quod

sche, "that is oon and symple in his nature, the

wikkidnesse of men departeth it and divideth

it; and whanne thei enforcen hem to gete

90 partie of a thyng that ne hath no part, thei

ne geten hem neyther thilke partie that nis

noon, ne the thyng al hool that thei ne desire

nat."

Boece. "In whiche manere?" quod I.

95 Philosophie. "Thilke man," quod sche, "that

seketh richesse to fleen poverte, he ne travaileth

hym nat for to geten power, for he hath

lever ben dirk and vyl; and eek withdraweth

from hymself manye naturel delites, for he

100 nolde leese the moneie that he hath assembled.

But certes in this manere he ne

geteth hym nat suffisance, that power forleteth,

and that moleste prikketh, and that filthe maketh

outcaste, and that dirknesse hideth. And

105 certes he that desireth oonly power, he wasteth

and scatereth rychesse, and despyseth delices

and eek honour that is withoute power, ne he

ne preiseth glorie nothyng. Certes thus seestow

wel that manye thynges failen to hym, for

110 he hath som tyme defaute of manye necessites,

and manye anguysshes byten hym;

and whan he ne mai nat do tho defautes awey,

he forletith to ben myghty, and that is the

thyng that he moost desireth. And ryght thus

115 mai I make semblable resouns of honours, and

of glorie, and of delyces; for so as every of

thise forseide thinges is the same that thise

othere thynges ben (that is to seyn, al oon

thyng), whoso that evere seketh to geten

120 the toon of thise, and nat the tothir, he ne

geteth nat that he desireth."

Boece. "What seystow thanne, yif that a

man coveyte to geten alle thise thynges togidre?"

125 Philosophie. "Certes," quod sche, "I wolde

seye that he wolde geten hym sovereyn blisfulnesse;

but that schal he nat fynde in tho

thynges that I have schewed that ne mowen

nat yeven that thei byheeten?"

130 Boece. "Certes no," quod I.

"Thanne," quod sche, "ne sholde men

nat by no weye seken blisfulnesse in siche

thynges as men wenen that they ne mowen

yeven but o thyng sengly of al that men

135 seken."

Boece. "I graunte wel," quod I, "ne no

sothere thyng ne may be seyd."

Philosophie. "Now hastow thanne," quod

sche, "the forme and the causes of fals

140 welefulnesse. Now torne and flytte the

eighen of thi thought, for ther shaltow

seen anoon thilke verray blisfulnesse that I

have behyght the."

Boece. "Certes," quod I, "it is cler and opene,

145 theyghe it were to a blynd man; and that

schewedestow me ful wel a litel herbyforn,

whan thow enforcedest the to schewe me the

causes of the fals blisfulnesse. For, but if I be

begiled, thanne is thilke the verray parfit

150 blisfulnesse that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt,

myghty, honourable, noble, and

ful of gladnesse. And for thow schalt wel

knowe that I have wel undirstonden thise

thinges withynne myn herte, I knowe wel that

155 thilke blisfulnesse that may verrayly yeven on

of the forseyde thynges, syn thei ben alle oon

-- I knowe dowtelees that thilke thyng is the

ful blysfulnesse."

Philosophie. "O my nory," quod sche,

160 "by this opynyoun I seie that thow art

blisful, yif thow putte this therto that I

schal seyn."

"What is that?" quod I.

"Trowestow that ther be any thyng in this

165 erthly, mortel, toumblynge thynges that may

brynge this estat?"

"Certes," quod I, "Y trowe it nought; and

thow hast schewyd me wel that over thilke good

ther nys no thyng more to ben desired."

170 Philosophie. "Thise thynges thanne,"

quod sche (that is to seyn, erthly

suffysaunce and power and swiche thynges),

"outher thei semen lyknesses of verray good, or

elles it semeth that thei yeve to mortel folk a

175 maner of goodes that ne be nat parfyt. But thilke

good that is verray and parfyt, that mai thei nat

yeven."

Boece. "I accorde me wel," quod I.

Philosophie. "Thanne," quod sche, "for as

180 moche as thou hast knowen whiche is thilke

verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke

thynges ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse (that is

to seyn, that be deceyte semen verray goodes),

now byhoveth the to knowe, whennes and

185 where thow mowe seke thilke verrai blisfulnesse."

"Certes," quod I "that desire I gretly and

have abyden longe tyme to herkne it."

"But for as moche," quod sche, "as it

190 liketh to my disciple Plato, in his book of

In Thymeo, that in ryght litel thynges men

schulde byseche the help of God, what juggestow

that be now to done, so that we may

desserve to fynde the seete of thilk sovereyn

195 good?"

Boece. "Certes," quod I, "Y deme that we

schul clepe to the Fadir of alle [thyng], for

withouten hym nis ther no [begynnyng] founded

aryght."

200 "Thow seyst aryght," quod sche, and

bygan anoon to syngen right thus:

Metrum 9

"O thow Fadir, soowere and creatour of

hevene and of erthes, that governest this world

by perdurable resoun, that comaundest the

tymes to gon from syn that age hadde bygynnynge;

5 thow that duellest thiselve ay stedefast

and stable, and yevest alle othere thynges to

ben meved, ne foreyne causes necesseden the

nevere to compoune werk of floterynge matere,

but oonly the forme of sovereyn good iset

10 within the withoute envye, that moevede

the frely. Thow, that art althir-fayrest,

berynge the faire world in thy thought, formedest

this world to the lyknesse semblable of

that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest

15 alle thyng of thy sovereyn ensaumpler and

comaundest that this world, parfytely ymakid,

have frely and absolut hise parfyte parties.

Thow byndest the elementis by nombres proporcionables,

that the coolde thinges

20 mowen accorde with the hote thinges, and

the drye thinges with the moyste; that the

fuyer, that is purest, ne fle nat over-heye, ne that

the hevynesse ne drawe nat adoun over-lowe the

erthes that ben ploungid in the watris. Thow

25 knyttest togidere the mene soule of treble

kynde moevynge alle thingis, and divydest it

by membrys accordynge; and whan it es thus

divyded [and] hath assembled a moevynge

into two rowndes, it gooth to torne ayen

30 to hymself, and envyrouneth a ful deep

thought and turneth the hevene by semblable

ymage. Thow by evene-lyke causes enhauncest

the soules and the lasse lyves; and,

ablynge hem heye by lyghte waynes or cartes,

35 thow sowest hem into hevene and into erthe.

And whan thei ben convertyd to the by thi

benygne lawe, thow makest hem retourne ayen

to the by ayen-ledynge fyer. O Fadir, yyve

thou to the thought to steyen up into the

40 streyte seete; and graunte hym to enviroune

the welle of good; and, the lyght

ifounde, graunte hym to fycchen the clere

syghtes of his corage in the; and skatere thou

and tobreke the weyghtes and the cloudes of

45 erthly hevynesse; and schyn thou by thi bryghtnesse,

for thou art cleernesse, thow art pesible

reste to debonayre folk; thow thiself art bygynnynge,

berere, ledere, path, and terme; to looke

on the, that is our ende.

Prosa 10

"For as moche thanne as thow hast seyn

whiche is the fourme of good that nys nat parfit,

and whiche is the forme of good that is parfit,

now trowe I that it were good to schewe in

5 what this perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set.

And in this thing I trowe that we schulde first

enquere for to witen, yf that any swich maner

good as thilke good that thow hast dyffinysshed

a litel herebyforn (that is to seyn, sovereyn

10 good) may be founde in the nature of

thinges, for that veyn ymagynacioun of

thought ne desceyve us nat, and put us out of

the sothfastnesse of thilke thing that is summytted

to us. But it may nat be denyed that

15 thilke good ne is, and that it nys ryght as a

welle of alle goodes. For alle thing that is

cleped inparfyt is proevid inparfit be the

amenusynge of perfeccioun or of thing that is

parfit. And herof cometh it that in every

20 thing general, yif that men seen any thing

that is inparfit, certes in thilke general ther

moot ben som thing that is parfit. For yif so be

that perfeccioun is don awey, men may nat

thinke ne say fro whennes thilke thing is that

25 is cleped inparfyt. For the nature of thinges ne

took nat hir begynnynge of thinges amenused

and inparfit, but it procedith of thinges that

ben alle hole and absolut, and descendith so

doun into uttereste thinges and into thinges

30 empty and withouten fruyt. But, as I have

schewid a litel herebyforn that yif ther be

a blisfulnesse that be freel and veyn and inparfyt,

ther may no man doute that ther nys

som blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and

35 parfyt."

Boece. "This is concluded," quod I, "feermely

and soothfastly."

Philosophie. "But considere also," quod sche,

"in whom this blissefulnes enhabiteth. The

40 comune accordaunce and conceyt of the

corages of men proveth and graunteth that

God, prince of alle thinges, is good. For, so as

nothyng mai ben thought betere than God, it

mai nat ben douted thanne that he that no

45 thinge nys betere, that he nys good. Certes resoun

scheweth that God is so good that it

proeveth by verray force that parfyt good is in

hym. For yif God nys swyche, he ne mai nat be

prince of alle thinges; for certes somthing

50 possessyng in itself parfyt good schulde be

more worthy than God, and it scholde

semen that thilke thing were first and eldere than

God. For we han schewyd apertely that alle

thinges that ben parfyt ben first er thynges that

55 ben inparfit; and forthy, for as moche as that

my resoun or my proces ne go nat awey withouten

an ende, we owe to graunte that the

sovereyn God is ryght ful of sovereyn parfit

good. And we han establissched that the

60 sovereyne good is verray blisfulnesse.

Thanne moot it nedis be that verray blisfulnesse

is set in sovereyn God."

Boece. "This take I wel," quod I, "ne this

ne mai nat be withseid in no manere."

65 "But I preye the," quod sche, "see now how

thou mayst proeven holily and withoute corrupcioun

this that I have seid, that the sovereyn

God is ryght ful of sovereyne good."

"In whiche manere?" quod I.

70 "Wenestow aught," quod sche, "that this

prince of alle thynges have itake thilke sovereyne

good anywher out of hymself, of whiche

sovereyne good men proeveth that he is ful;

ryght as thou myghtest thenken that God, that

75 hath blisfulnesse in hymself, and thilke blisfulnesse

that is in hym, were divers in substaunce?

For yif thow wene that God have resseyved

thilke good out of hymself, thow mayst wene

that he that yaf thilke good to God be more

80 worth than is God. But I am beknowe and

confesse, and that ryght dignely, that God

is ryght worthy aboven alle thinges. And yif

so be that this good be in hym by nature, but

that it is dyvers from hym by wenynge resoun,

85 syn we speke of God prynce of alle thynges,

feyne who so feyne mai who was he that

hath conjoyned thise divers thynges togidre.

And eek at the laste se wel that a thing that is

divers from any thing, that thilke thing nys

90 nat that same thing fro whiche it es undirstonden

to be diverse. Thanne folweth it

that thilke thing that be his nature is divers

from sovereyn good, that that thyng nys nat

sovereyn good; but certes it were a felenous

95 cursydnesse to thinken that of hym that no

thing nys more worth. For alwey, of alle

thinges, the nature of hem ne may nat ben betere

thanne hir begynnynge. For whiche I mai concluden

by ryght verray resoun that thilke

100 that is begynnynge of alle thinges, thilke

same thing is sovereyn good in his substaunce."

Boece. "Thow hast seyd ryghtfully," quod I.

Philosophie. "But we han graunted," quod

105 sche, "that the sovereyn good is blisfulnesse."

"That is sooth," quod I.

"Thanne," quod sche, "moten we nedes

granten and confessen that thilke same sovereyn

good be God."

110 "Certes," quod I, "Y ne may nat denye

ne withstonde the resouns purposed; and

I se wel that it folweth by strengthe of the

premisses."

"Loke now," quod sche, "yif this be proevid

115 yet more fermely thus, that there ne mowen not

ben two sovereyn goodis that ben divers among

hemself. For certes the goodis that ben divers

among hemself, the toon is nat that that the

tothir is. thanne ne mowen neither of hem

120 ben parfit, so as eyther of hem lakketh to

othir. But that that nys nat parfit, men

mai seen apertely that it nys not sovereyn. The

thinges thanne that ben sovereynly gode ne

mowe by no weie be divers. But I have wel

125 concluded that blisfulnesse and God ben the

sovereyn good; for whiche it mote nedes be that

sovereyne blisfulnesse is sovereyn devynite."

"No thing," quod I, "nys more sothfaste than

this, ne more ferme by resoun, ne a more

130 worthy thing than God mai not ben concluded."

Philosophie. "Upon thise thynges thanne," quod

sche, "ryght as thise geometriens whan thei han

schewed her proposicions ben wont to bryngen

135 yn thinges that thei clepen porismes or declaracions

of forseide thinges, right so wol I yeve

the here as a corolarie or a meede of coroune.

Forwhy, for as moche as by the getynge of blisfulnesse

men ben makid blisful, and blisfulnesse

140 is dyvinite, than is it manifest and

opene that by the getynge of dyvinite men

ben makid blisful. Right as by the getynge of

justise [men ben maked just], and be the getynge

of sapience thei ben maked wise, ryght so

145 nedes by the semblable resoun, whan they han

geten dyvinite thei ben maked goddes. Thanne

is every blisful man God. But certes by nature

ther nys but o God; but by the participacioun

of dyvinite ther ne let ne distourbeth nothyng

150 that ther ne ben many goddis."

"This ys," quod I, "a fair thing and a

precious, clepe it as thou wilt, be it corolarie, or

porisme, or mede of coroune, or declarynges."

"Certes," quod sche, "nothing nys fairere

155 than is the thing that by resoun schulde ben

addide to thise forseide thinges."

"What thing?" quod I.

"So," quod sche, "as it semeth that blisfulnesse

conteneth many thinges, it weere for

160 to witen whether that alle thise thinges

maken or conjoynen as a maner body of

blisfulnesse by diversite of parties or membres,

or elles yif ony of alle thilke thinges be swich

that it acomplise by hymself the substaunce of

165 blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othere thynges

ben referrid and brought to blisfulnesse (that

is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem)."

"I wolde," quod I, "that thow madest me

clerly to undirstonde what thou seist, and

170 that thou recordidest me the forseide

thinges."

"Have I not jugged," quod sche, "that blisfulnesse

is good?"

"Yys for sothe," quod I, "and that sovereyn

175 good."

"Adde thanne," quod sche, "thilke good that

is maked blisfulnesse to alle the forseide

thinges. For thilke same blisfulnesse [is.

demed to ben sovereyn suffisaunce, thilke

180 selve is sovereyn power, sovereyn reverence,

sovereyn clernesse or noblesse, and

sovereyn delyt. What seistow thanne of alle

thise thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power,

and thise othere thinges, -- ben thei thanne as

185 membris of blisfulnesse, or ben they reffered

and brought to sovereyne good ryght as alle

thinges [ben] brought to the cheef of hem?"

Boece. "I undirstonde wel," quod I, "what

thou purposest to seke, but I desire for

190 to herkne that thow schew it me."

Philosophie. "Tak now thus the discrecioun

of this questioun," quod sche; "yif alle thise

thinges," quod sche, "weren membris to felicite,

thanne weren thei dyverse that on fro that

195 othir. And swich is the nature of parties or of

membres, that diverse membris compounen a

body."

"Certes," quod I, "it hath wel ben schewyd

herebyforn that alle thise thinges ben

200 al o thyng."

"Thanne ben thei none membres," quod

sche, "for elles it schulde seme that blisfulnesse

were conjoyned al of o membre allone;

but that is a thing that mai not ben don."

205 "This thing," quod I, "nys not doutous; but

I abide to herknen the remenaunt of the question."

"This is opene and cler," quod sche, "that

alle othere thinges ben referrid and

210 brought to good. For therfore is suffisaunce

requerid, for it is demyd to ben

good; and forthy is power requirid, for men

trowen also that it be good; and this same thing

mowen we thinken and conjecten of reverence,

215 and of noblesse, and of delyt. Thanne is sovereyn

good the somme and the cause of al that

oughte ben desired; forwhy thilke thing that

withholdeth no good in itselve, ne semblance

of good, it ne mai not wel in no

220 manere be desired ne requerid. And the

contrarie; for thoughe that thinges by here

nature ne ben not gode, algates yif men wene

that thei ben gode, yet ben thei desired as

theigh that thei were verrayliche gode; and

225 therefore is it that men oughte to wene by ryghte

that bounte be the sovereyn fyn and the cause

of alle the thinges that ben to requiren. But

certes thilke that is cause for whiche men

requiren any thing, it semeth that thilke

230 same thing be moost desired. As thus: yf

that a wyght wolde ryden for cause of hele,

he ne desireth not so mochel the moevyng to

ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne,

syn that alle thynges ben required for the grace

235 of good, thei ne ben not desired of alle folk

more than the same good. But we han grauntide

that blisfulnesse is that thing for whiche that

alle thise othere thinges ben desired; thanne

is it thus that certes oonly blysfulnesse is

240 requered and desired. By whiche thing it

scheweth cleerly that of good and of blisfulnesse

is al on and the same substaunce."

"I se nat," quod I, "wherfore that men

myghten discorden in this."

245 "And we han schewed that God and verray

blisfulnesse is al o thing."

"That is sooth," quod I.

"Thanne mowen we concluden sykerly, that

the substaunce of God is set in thilke same

250 good, and in noon other place.

Metrum 10

"Cometh alle to-gidre now, ye that ben

ykaught and ybounde with wikkide cheynes by

the desceyvable delyt of erthly thynges enhabitynge

in yowr thought! Her schal ben the

5 reste of your labours, her is the havene stable

in pesible quiete; this allone is the open refut

to wreches. (Glose. This to seyn, that ye that

ben combryd and disseyvid with worldly

affeccions, cometh now to this sovereyn

10 good, that is God, that is refut to hem

that wolen come to hym.) Textus. Alle the

thinges that the ryver Tagus yyveth yow with

his goldene gravelis, or elles alle the thinges

that the ryver Hermus yeveth with his rede

15 brinke, or that Indus yyveth, that is next the

hote partie of the world, that medleth the grene

stones with the white, ne scholden not cleren

the lookynge of your thought, but hiden rather

your blynde corages withynne here derknesse.

20 Al that liketh yow here, and exciteth

and moeveth your thoughtes, the

erthe hath norysschid it in his lowe caves. But

the schynynge by whiche the hevene is governed

and whennes that it hath his strengthe, that

25 eschueth the derke overthrowynge of the soule;

and whosoevere may knowen thilke light (of

blisfulnesse), he schal wel seyn that the white

beemes of the sonne ne ben nat cleer."

Prosa 11

Boece. "I assente me," quod I, "for alle thise

thinges ben strongly bounden with ryght ferme

resouns."

"How mychel wiltow preysen it," quod sche,

5 "yif that thow knowe what thilke good is?"

"I wol preyse it," quod I, "be pris withouten

ende, yif it schal betyde me to knowe also togidre

God that is good."

"Certes," quod sche, "that schal I [undo]

10 the be verray resoun, yif that tho

thinges that I have concluded a litel herebyforn

duellen only in hir first grauntynge."

Boece. "Thei dwellen graunted to the," quod

I. (This to seyn as who seith, "I graunte thi

15 forseide conclusyouns.")

"Have I nat schewed the," quod sche, "that

the thinges that ben required of many folk ne

ben not verray goodis ne parfite, for thei ben

divers that on fro that othir; and so as iche

20 of hem is lakkynge to othir, thei ne han no

power to bryngen a good that is ful and

absolut; but thanne at erste ben thei verraye

good, whan thei ben gadred togidre [als] into o

forme and into oon werkynge, so that thilke

25 thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be power,

and reverence, and noblesse, and myrthe; and

for sothe, but yif alle thise thinges ben alle o

same thing, thei ne han not wherby that thei

mowen be put in the nombre of thinges

30 that oughten ben required or desired?"

Boece. "It is schewyd," quod I, "ne herof

mai ther no man douten."

Philosophie. "The thinges thanne," quod sche,

"that ne ben none goodis whan thei ben diverse,

35 and whanne thei bygynnen to ben al o thing,

thanne ben thei goodes -- ne cometh it hem nat

thanne be the getynge of unyte that thei ben

maked goodes?"

Boece. "So it semeth," quod I.

40 "But alle thing that is good," quod sche,

"grauntestow that it be good by the participacioun

of good, or no?"

"I graunte it," quod I.

"Thanne mustow graunten," quod sche, "by

45 semblable resoun that oon and good be o same

thing; for of thinges of whiche that the effect nys

nat naturely divers, nedes the substaunce moot

be oo same thing."

"I ne may nat denye it," quod I.

50 "Hastow nat knowen wel," quod sche,

"that alle thing that is hath so longe his

duellynge and his substaunce as longe as it es

oon, but whanne it forletith to be oon, it moot

nedys deien and corrumpen togidres?"

55 "In whiche manere?" quod I.

"Ryght as in beestes," quod sche, "whanne

the soule and the body ben conjoyned in oon

and dwellen togidre, it es cleped a beeste; and

whanne her unyte is destroyed be the

60 disseveraunce the toon fro the tothir,

thanne scheweth it wel that it is a deed

thing, and that it nys no lengere no beeste. And

the body of a wyght, while it duelleth in oo

fourme be conjunccion of membris, it is wel

65 seyn that it is a figure of mankynde; and yif

the parties of the body ben so devyded and

disseverid the ton fro the tother that thei destroyen

unite, the body forletith to ben that it was

beforn. And whoso wolde renne in the

70 same manere be alle thinges, he scholde

seen that withouten doute every thing is in

his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whanne

it forletith to ben oon, it dyeth and peryssheth."

Boece. "Whanne I considere," quod I, "manye

75 thinges, I se noon other."

"Is ther any thing thanne," quod sche, "that,

in as moche as it lyveth naturely, that forletith

the talent or the appetyt of his beynge and

desireth to come to deth and to corrupcioun?"

"Yif I considere," quod I, "the beestes

that han any maner nature of wyllynge and of

nyllynge, I ne fynde no beeste, but if it be

constreyned fro withoute-forth, that forletith or

85 despiseth the entencion to lyven and to duren;

or that wole, his thankes, hasten hym to dyen.

For every beest travaileth hym to defende and

kepe the savacion of his lif, and eschueth deeth

and destruccioun. But certes I doute me of

90 herbes and of trees [and] I am in a doute

of swiche thinges [as] ne han no felyng

soules (ne no naturel werkynges servynge to

appetites as beestes han, whether thei han

appetyt to duellen and to duren).

95 "Certes," quod sche, "ne therof thar the nat

doute. Now looke upon thise herbes and thise

trees. They wexen first in suche places as ben

covenable to hem, in whiche places thei mowen

nat sone deye ne dryen, as longe as hir

100 nature mai defenden hem. For some of

hem waxen in feeldis, and some in mountaynes,

and othere waxen in mareys, and

othre cleven on roches, and some wexen

plentyvous in soondes; and yif any wyght

105 enforce hym to bere hem into other places, thei

wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing

that that is convenient to hym, and travailleth

that they ne deie nat, as longe as thei han power

to duellen and to lyven. What wiltow seyn

110 of this, that thei drawen alle here

norysschynges by here rootes, ryght as thei

hadden here mouthes yplounged withynne the

erthes, and sheden be hir maryes hir wode and

hir bark? And what wyltow seyn of this, that

115 thilke thing that is ryght softe, as the marie is,

that it is alwey hyd in the seete al withinne, and

that it is defended fro withoute by the

stedfastnesse of wode, and that the outreste bark

is put ayens the distemperaunce of the

120 hevene as a deffendour myghty to suffren

harm? And thus certes maistow wel seen

how greet is the diligence of nature; for alle

thinges renovelen and publysschen hem with

seed ymultiplied, ne ther nys no man that ne

125 woot wel that they ne ben ryght as a foundement

and edifice for to duren, noght oonly for a tyme,

but ryght as for to dure perdurably by

generacion.

"And the thinges eek that men wenen ne

130 haven none soules, ne desire thei nat, iche

of hem, by semblable resoun to kepyn that

that is hirs (that is to seyn, that is accordynge

to hir nature in conservacioun of hir beynge

and endurynge)? For wherfore ellis bereth

135 lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weyghte

presseth the erthe adoun, but for as moche as

thilke places and thilke moevynges ben covenable

to everyche of hem? And forsothe every

thing kepeth thilke that is accordynge

140 and propre to hym, ryght as thinges that

ben contrarious and enemys corrumpen

hem. And yet the harde thinges, as stones,

clyven and holden here parties togidere ryght

faste and harde, and defenden hem in

145 withstondynge that thei ne departe nat lyghtly

atwynne. And the thinges that ben softe and

fletynge, as is watir and eyr, thei departen

lyghtly and yeven place to hem that breken or

divyden hem; but natheles they retorne

150 sone ageyn into the same thinges fro

whennes thei ben arraced; but fyer fleeth

and refuseth alle dyvisioun.

"Ne I ne trete not here now of willeful

moevynges of the soule that is knowyng, but of

155 the naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: ryght

as we swolwen the mete that we resseyven and

ne thinke nat on it, and as we drawen our breeth

in slepynge that we witen it nat while we slepyn.

For certes in the beestis the love of hire

160 lyvynges ne of hire beynges ne cometh

not of the wilnynges of the soule, but of

the bygynnynges of nature. For certes, thurw

constreynynge causes, wil desireth and embraceth

ful ofte tyme the deeth that nature

165 dredeth. (That is to seyn as thus: that a man

may be constreyned so, by som cause, that his

wille desireth and taketh the deeth whiche

that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore.) And

somtyme we seen the contrarye, as thus:

170 that the wil of a wyght distourbeth and

constreyneth that that nature desireth and

requirith alwey, that is to seyn the werk of

generacioun, by whiche generacioun only

duelleth and is susteyned the longe durablete of

175 mortel thinges. And thus this charite and this

love, that every thing hath to hymself, ne

cometh not of the moevynge of the soule, but of

the entencioun of nature. For the purveaunce of

God hath yeven to thinges that ben creat of

180 hym this, that is a ful grete cause to lyven

and to duren, for whiche they desiren

naturely here lif as longe as evere thei mowen.

For which thou mayst not drede be no manere

that alle the thinges that ben anywhere, that thei

185 ne requiren naturely the ferme stablenesse of

perdurable duellynge, and eek the eschuynge of

destruccioun."

Boece. "Now confesse I wel," quod I, "that Y

see wel now certeynly withouten doutes

190 the thinges that whilom semeden uncerteyn

to me."

Philosophie. "But," quod sche, "thilke thing

that desireth to be and to duelle perdurably, he

desireth to ben oon. For yif that oon were

195 destroyed, certes, beynge schulde ther noon

duellen to no wyght."

"That is sooth," quod I.

"Thanne," quod sche, "desiren alle thinges

oon."

200 "I assente," quod I.

"And I have schewed," quod sche, "that

thilke same oon is thilke that is good."

Boece. "Ye, forsothe," quod I.

"Alle thinges thanne," quod sche, "requiren

205 good; and thilke good thow mayst descryven

ryght thus: good is thilk thing that every wyght

desireth."

"Ther ne may be thought," quod I, "no more

verraye thing. For eyther alle thinges ben

210 referrid and brought to noght, and floteren

withouten governour, despoyled of oon as

of hire propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any

thing to whiche that alle thinges tenden and

hyen to, that thing muste ben the sovereyn good

215 of alle goodes."

Philosophie. Thanne seide sche thus: "O my

nory," quod sche, "I have greet gladnesse of

the, for thow hast fycched in thyn herte the

[marke] [of] [the] myddel sothfastnesse, (that

220 is to seyn, the prykke). But [in] this thing

hath ben discoveryd to the [that] thow

seydest that thow wistest not a litel herbyforn."

"What was that?" quod I.

"That thou ne wistest noght," quod sche,

225 "whiche was the ende of thinges. And certes that

is the thyng that every wyght desireth. and for

as mochel as we han gadrid and comprehendid

that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle,

thanne mote we nedys confessen that good

230 is the fyn of alle thinges.

Metrum 11

"Whoso that seketh sooth by a deep thought,

and coveyteth not to ben disseyvid by no mysweyes,

lat hym rollen and trenden withynne

hymself the lyght of his ynwarde sighte; and

5 let hym gaderyn ayein, enclynynge into a compas,

the longe moevynges of his thoughtes; and

let hym techyn his corage that he hath enclosid

and hid in his tresors al that he compasseth or

secheth fro withoute. And thanne thilke

10 thing that the blake cloude of errour

whilom hadde ycovered schal lighte more

clerly than Phebus hymself ne schyneth.

(Glosa. Whoso wol seke the depe ground of

soth in his thought, and wil nat ben disseyvid

15 by false proposiciouns that goon amys fro the

trouthe, lat hym wel examine and rolle withynne

hymself the nature and the propretes of

the thing; and let hym yet eftsones examinen

and rollen his thoughtes by good deliberacioun

20 or that he deme, and lat hym techyn

his soule that it hath, by naturel principles

kyndeliche yhud withynne itself, al the trouthe

the whiche he ymagineth to ben in thinges

withoute. And thanne al the derknesse of his

25 mysknowynge shall [schewen] more evydently

to the sighte of his undirstondynge then the

sonne ne semeth to the sighte withoute-forth.)

For certes the body, bryngynge the weighte of

foryetynge, ne hath nat chased out of your

30 thought al the cleernesse of your knowyng;

for certeynli the seed of soth haldeth and

clyveth within yowr corage, and it is awaked

and excited by the wynde and by the blastes

of doctrine. For wherfore elles demen ye of

35 your owene wil the ryghtes, whan ye ben axid,

but if so were that the norysschynges of resoun

ne lyvede yplounged in the depe of your herte?

(This to seyn, how schulde men deme the sothe

of any thing that were axid, yif ther nere a

40 rote of sothfastnesse that were yploungid

and hyd in the naturel principles, the

whiche sothfastnesse lyvede within the depnesse

of the thought?) And if so be that the

Muse and the doctrine of Plato syngeth soth,

45 al that every wyght leerneth, he ne doth no

thing elles thanne but recordeth, as men recorden

thinges that ben foryeten."

Prosa 12

Thanne seide I thus: "I accorde me gretly to

Plato, for thou recordist and remembrist me

thise thinges yet the seconde tyme; that is to

seye, first whan I loste my memorie be the contagious

 5 conjunccioun of the body with the

soule, and eftsones aftirward, whan Y lost it

confounded by the charge and be the burdene

of my sorwe."

And thanne seide sche thus: "Yif thow

 10 loke," quod sche, "first the thynges that

thou hast graunted, it ne schal nat ben

ryght fer that thow ne schalt remembren thilke

thing that thou seidest that thou nystist nat."

"What thing?" quod I.

 15 "By whiche governement," quod sche, "that

this world is governed."

"Me remembreth it wel," quod I; "and I confesse

wel that I ne wyste it nat. But al be it so

that I see now from afer what thou purposist,

 20 algates I desire yit to herknen it of

the more pleynly."

"Thou ne wendest nat," quod sche, "a litel

herebyforn, that men schulde doute that this

world nys governed by God."

 25 "Certes," quod I, "ne yet ne doute I it

naught, ne I nyl nevere wene that it were to

doute" (as who seith, "but I woot wel that God

governeth this world"); "and I schal schortly

answeren the be what resouns I

 30 am brought to this. This world," quod I,

"of so manye diverse and contraryous

parties, ne myghte nevere han ben assembled

in o forme, but yif ther ne were oon that conjoyned

so manye diverse thinges; and the same

 35 diversite of here natures, that so discorden the

ton fro that other, most departen and unjoynen

the thinges that ben conjoynid, yif ther ne were

oon that contenyde that he hath conjoynid and

ybounden. Ne the certein ordre of nature ne

 40 schulde not brynge forth so ordene moevynges

by places, by tymes, by doynges, by

spaces, by qualites, yif ther ne were on, that

were ay stedfaste duellynge, that ordeynide and

disponyde thise diversites of moevynges. And

 45 thilke thing, whatsoevere it be, by whiche that

alle things ben ymaked and ilad, Y clepe hym

`God,' that is a word that is used to alle folk."

Thanne seide sche: "Syn thou feelist thus

thise thinges," quod sche, "I trowe that I

 50 have litel more to done that thou, myghty

of welefulnesse, hool and sound, ne see

eftsones thi contre. But let us loken the thinges

that we han purposed herebyforn. Have I nat

nombrid and seid," quod sche, "that suffisaunce

 55 is in blisfulnesse, and we han accorded that

God is thilke same blisfulnesse?"

"Yis, forsothe," quod I.

"And that to governen this world," quod

sche, "ne schal he nevere han nede of noon

 60 help fro withoute? For elles, yif he hadde

nede of any help, he ne schulde nat have

no ful suffisaunce?"

"Yys, thus it moot nedes be," quod I.

"Thanne ordeyneth he be hymself alone alle

 65 thinges?" quod sche.

"That may noght ben denyed," quod I.

"And I have schewyd that God is the same

good?"

"It remembreth me wel," quod I.

 70 "Thanne ordeigneth he alle thinges by

thilke good," quod sche, "syn he, whiche

that we han accordid to ben good, governeth

alle thinges by hymself; and he is as a keye and

a styere, by whiche that the edifice of this world

 75 is kept stable and withouten corrumpynge."

"I accorde me greetly," quod I. "And I

aperceyvede a litil herebyforn that thow woldest

seyn thus, al be it so that it were by a

thynne suspecioun."

 80 "I trowe it wel," quod sche; "for, as I

trowe, thou ledist now more ententyfliche

thyn eyen to loken the verray goodes. But natheles

the thing that I schal telle the yet ne

scheweth not lesse to loken."

 85 "What is that?" quod I.

"So as men trowen," quod sche, "and that

ryghtfully, that God governeth alle thinges by

the keye of his goodnesse, and alle thise same

thinges, as I have taught the, hasten hem

 90 by naturel entencioun to come to good,

ther may no man douten that thei ne

ben governed voluntariely, and that they ne

converten hem of here owene wil to the wil of

here ordeynour, as thei that ben accordynge

 95 and enclynynge to here governour and here

kyng."

"It moot nedes be so," quod I, "for the reume

ne schulde nat seme blisful yif ther were a yok

of mysdrawynges in diverse parties, ne the

 100 savynge of obedient thynges ne scholde

nat be."

"Thanne is ther nothyng," quod sche, "that

kepith his nature, that enforceth hym to gon

ayen God."

 105 "No," quod I.

"And yif that any thing enforcede hym to

withstonde God, myghte it avayle at the laste

ayens hym that we han graunted to ben almyghty

by the ryght of blisfulnesse?"

 110 "Certes," quod I, "al outrely it ne

myghte nat avaylen hym."

"Thanne is ther nothing," quod she, "that

either mai or wole withstonden to this sovereyn

good."

 115 "I trowe nat," quod I.

"Thanne is thilke the sovereyn good," quod

sche, "that alle thinges governeth strongly

and ordeyneth hem softly?"

Thanne seide I thus: "I delite me,"

 120 quod I, "nat oonly in the eendes or in the

somme of the resouns that thou hast concluded

and proved, but thilke woordes that

thou usest deliten me moche more. So that, at

the laste, foolis that somtyme reenden grete

 125 thinges oughten ben asschamid of hemself

(that is to seyn, that we foolis that reprehenden

wikkidly the thinges that touchen Godis

governaunce, we aughten ben asschamid of

ourself), as I, that seide that God refuseth

 130 oonly the werkis of men and ne entremettith

nat of it."

Philosophie. "Thow hast wel herd," quod

sche, "the fables of the poetis, how the geauntis

assaileden hevene with the goddis, but forsothe

 135 the debonayre force of God disposide hem as it

was worthy (that is to sey, destroyed the

geauntes, as it was worthy). But wiltow that

we joynen togidres thilke same resouns, for

paraventure of swiche conjunccioun may

 140 sterten up som fair sparcle of soth?"

"Do," quod I, "as the list."

"Wenestow," quod sche, "that God ne be

almyghty? No man is in doute of it."

"Certes," quod I, "no wyght ne douteth it,

 145 yif he be in his mynde."

"But he," quod sche, "that is almyghti, ther

nys no thyng that he ne may?"

"That is sooth," quod I.

"May God don evel?" quod sche.

 150 "Nay, forsothe," quod I.

"Thanne is evel nothing," quod sche,

"syn that he ne may not don evel, that mai

doon alle thinges."

"Scornestow me," quod I, "or elles, pleyestow

 155 or disseyvistow me, that hast so woven

me with thi resouns the hous of Didalus,

so entrelaced that it is unable to ben unlaced,

thow that otherwhile entrist ther thow issist,

and other while issist ther thow entrest?

 160 Ne fooldist thou nat togidre by replicacioun

of wordes a manere wondirful sercle

or envirounynge of the simplicite devyne?

For certes a litel herebyforne, whanne thou bygunne

at blisfulnesse, thou seidest that it is

 165 sovereyn good, and seidest that it is set in sovereyn

God; and seidest that God hymself is

sovereyn good, and that God is the ful blisfulnesse;

for whiche thou yave me as a covenable

yifte, that is to seyn, that no wyght nis

 170 blisful, but yif he be God also therwith.

And seidest eke 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 required and desired of al the kynde of

 175 thinges. And thou provedest in disputynge that

God governeth alle the thinges of the world by

the governementis of bounte, and seidest that

alle thinges wolen obeyen to hym, and seidest

that the nature of yvel nys no thing. And

 180 thise thinges ne schewedest thou naught

with noone resouns ytaken fro withouten,

but by proeves in cercles and homliche knowen,

the whiche proeves drawen to hemself heer

feyth and here accord everiche of hem of othir."

 185 Thanne seide sche thus: "I ne scorne the nat,

ne pleie, ne disceyve the; but I have schewed

the the thing that is grettest over alle thinges,

by the yifte of God that we whelome prayeden.

For this is the forme of the devyne substaunce,

 190 that is swiche that it ne slideth nat

into uttreste foreyne thinges, ne ne resceyveth

noone straunge thinges in hym; but

ryght as Parmanydes seide in Grees of thilke

devyne substaunce -- he seide thus: that thilke

 195 devyne substaunce tornith the world and the

moevable sercle of thinges, while thilke devyne

substaunce kepith itself withouten moevynge

(that is to seyn, that it ne moeveth nevere mo,

and yet it moeveth alle othere thinges).

 200 But natheles, yif I have styred resouns

that ne ben nat taken from withouten the compas

of the thing of whiche we treten, but resouns

that ben bystowyd withinne that compas,

ther nys nat why that thou schuldest merveillen,

 205 sith thow hast lernyd by the sentence

of Plato that nedes the wordis moot be cosynes

to the thinges of whiche thei speken.

Metrum 12

"Blisful is that man that may seen the clere

welle of good! Blisful is he that mai unbynden

hym fro the boondes of the hevy erthe! The

poete of Trace, Orpheus, that whilome hadde

5 ryght greet sorwe for the deth of his wyf, aftir

that he hadde makid by his weeply songes the

wodes moevable to renne, and hadde makid

the ryveris to stonden stille, and hadde maked

the hertes and the hyndes to joynen dreedles

10 here sydes to cruel lyouns for to herknen

his song, and hadde maked that the

hare was nat agast of the hound, whiche was

plesed by his song; so, whanne the moste ardaunt

love of his wif brende the entrayles of his

15 breest, ne the songes that hadden overcomen

alle thinges ne mighten nat asswagen hir lord

Orpheus, he pleynid hym of the hevene

goddis that weren cruel to hym.

"He wente hym to the houses of helle,

20 and ther he tempride his blaundysschinge

songes by resounynge strenges, and spak

and song in wepynge al that evere he hadde

resceyved and lavyd out of the noble welles of

his modir Callyope the goddesse. And he sang

25 with as mochel as he myghte of wepynge, and

with as moche as love that doublide his sorwe

myghte yeve hym and teche hym, and he

commoevde the helle, and requyred and bysoughte

by swete preyere the lordes of

30 soules in helle of relessynge, that is to seyn,

to yelden hym his wyf. Cerberus, the porter

of helle, with hise thre hevedes, was caught and

al abasschid of the newe song. And the thre

goddesses, furiis and vengeresses of felonyes,

35 that tormenten and agasten the soules by anoy,

woxen sorweful and sory, and wepyn teeris for

pite. Tho was nat the heved of Yxion ytormented

by the overthrowynge wheel. And Tantalus, that

was destroied by the woodnesse of long

40 thurst, despyseth the floodes to drynken.

The foul that highte voltor, that etith the

stomak or the gyser of Tycius, is so fulfild of

his song that it nil eten ne tiren no more. At the

laste the lord and juge of soules was moevid to

45 misericordes, and cryede: `We ben overcomen,'

quod he; `yyve we to Orpheus his wif to beren

hym compaignye; he hath wel ybought hire by

his faire song and his ditee. But we wolen putten

a lawe in this and covenaunt in the yifte;

50 that is to seyn that, til he be out of helle, yif

he loke byhynde hym, that his wyf schal

comen ageyn unto us.' But what is he that may

yeven a lawe to loverys? Love is a grettere lawe

and a strengere to hymself thanne any lawe that

55 men mai yyven. Allas! Whanne Orpheus and his

wif weren almest at the termes of the nyght

(that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle),

Orpheus lokede abakward on Erudyce his wif,

and lost hire, and was deed.

60 "This fable apertenith to yow alle, whosoevere

desireth or seketh to lede his

thought into the sovereyn day, that is to seyn, to

cleernesse of sovereyn good. For whoso that

evere be so overcomen that he ficche his eien

65 into the put of helle, that is to seyn, whoso sette

his thoughtes in erthly thinges, al that evere he

hath drawen of the noble good celestial he lesith

it, whanne he looketh the helles, that is to seyn,

into lowe thinges of the erthe.

Explicit Liber Tertius

Incipit Liber Quartus

Prosa 1

Whanne Philosophie hadde songen softly

and delitably the forseide thinges, kepynge the

dignyte of hir cheere and the weyghte of hir

wordes, I, thanne, that ne hadde nat al outrely

5 foryeten the wepynge and the moornynge that

was set in myn herte, forbrak the entencioun of

hir that entendede yit to seyn some othere

thinges. "O," quod I, "thou that art gyderesse

of verray light, the thinges that thou hast

10 seid me hidirto ben to me so cleer and so

schewynge by the devyne lookynge of hem,

and by thy resouns, that they ne mowen nat

ben overcomen. And thilke thinges that thou

toldest me, al be it so that I hadde whilom foryeten

15 hem for the sorwe of the wrong that hath

ben don to me, yet nathales thei ne weren not

al outrely unknowen to me. But this same is

namely a ryght gret cause of my sorwe: that so

as the governour of thinges is good, yif

20 that eveles mowen ben by any weyes,

or elles yif that evelis passen withouten

punysschynge. The whiche thing oonly, how

worthy it es to ben wondrid uppon, thou considerest

it wel thiselve certeynly. But yit to this

25 thing ther is yit another thing ijoyned more to

ben wondrid uppon: for felonye is emperisse,

and floureth ful of richesses, and vertu nis nat al

oonly withouten meedes, but it is cast undir

and fortroden undir the feet of felenous

30 folk, and it abyeth the tormentz in stede of

wikkide felouns. Of alle whiche thinges

ther nys no wyght that may merveillen ynowghe

ne compleyne that swiche thinges ben don in

the reigne of God, that alle things woot and

35 alle thinges may and ne wole nat but only

gode thinges."

Thanne seide sche thus: "Certes," quod sche,

"that were a greet merveille and an abaysschinge

withouten ende, and wel more horrible than

40 alle monstres, yif it were as thou wenest;

that is to seyn, that in the ryght ordene

hous of so mochel a fadir and an ordeynour of

meyne, that the vesselis that ben foule and vyl

schulden ben honoured and heryed, and the

45 precious vesselis schulden ben defouled and

vyl. But it nys nat so. For yif the thinges that

I have concluded a litel herebyforn ben kept

hoole and unaraced, thou schalt wel knowe by

the auctorite of God, of the whos reigne I

50 speke, that certes the gode folk ben alwey

myghty and schrewes ben alwey outcast

and feble; ne the vices ben neveremo withouten

peyne, ne the vertus ne ben nat withouten

mede; and that blisfulnesses comen alwey

55 to good folk, and infortune comith alwey to

wykkide folk. And thou schalt wel knowe

manye thinges of this kynde, that schullen

cesen thi pleyntis and strengthen the with stedfaste

sadnesse. And for thou hast seyn the

60 forme of the verray blisfulnesse by me that

have whilom yschewid it the, and thow

hast knowen in whom blisfulnesse is yset, alle

thingis ytreted that I trowe ben necessarie to

putten forth, I schal schewe the the weye that

65 schal bryngen the ayen unto thyn hous; and I

schal fycchen fetheris in thi thought, by whiche

it mai arisen in heighte; so that, alle tribulacioun

idon awey, thow, by my gyding and by

my path and by my sledys, shalt mowen

70 retourne hool and sownd into thi contree.

Metrum 1

"I have, forthi, swifte fetheris that surmounten

the heighte of the hevene. Whanne

the swift thoght hath clothid itself in tho

fetheris, it despiseth the hateful erthes, and surmounteth

5 the rowndenesse of the gret ayr; and

it seth the clowdes byhynde his bak, and passeth

the heighte of the regioun of the fir, that

eschaufeth by the swifte moevynge of the firmament,

til that he areyseth hym into the

10 houses that beren the sterres, and joyneth

his weies with the sonne, Phebus, and

felawschipeth the weie of the olde colde Saturnus;

and he, imaked a knyght of the clere

sterre (that is to seyn, whan the thought is

15 makid Godis knyght by the sekynge of

trouthe to comen to the verray knowleche of

God) -- and thilke soule renneth by the cercle

of the sterres in alle the places there as the

schynynge nyght is ypainted (that is to

20 sey, the nyght that is cloudeles; for on

nyghtes that ben cloudeles it semeth as

the hevene were peynted with diverse ymages

of sterres). And whan [that] he hath gon there

inoghe, he schal forleten the laste point of the

25 hevene, and he schal pressen and wenden on

the bak of the swifte firmament, and he schal

be makid parfit of the worschipful lyght [or]

dredefulle clerenesse of God. There halt the

lord of kynges the septre of his myght and

30 atemprith the governementz of the world,

and the schynynge juge of thinges, stable in

hymself, governeth the swifte cart or wayn (that

is to seyn, the circuler moevynge of the sonne).

And yif thi wey ledeth the ayein so that thou be

35 brought thider, thanne wiltow seye now that

that is the contre that thou requerist, of whiche

thow ne haddest no mynde -- `but now it

remembreth me wel, here was I born, her wol

I fastne my degree, here wol I duelle.' But

40 yif the liketh thanne to looken on the

derknesse of the erthe that thou hast

forleten, thanne shaltow seen that these felonus

tirantz, that the wrecchide peple dredeth now,

schullen ben exiled fro thilke faire contre."

Prosa 2

Thanne seide I thus: "Owh! I wondre me

that thow byhetist me so grete thinges. Ne I

ne doute nat that thou ne maist wel parforme

that thow behetist; but I preie the oonly this,

5 that thow ne tarie nat to telle me thilke thinges

that thou hast moevid."

"First," quod sche, "thow most nedes knowen

that good folk ben alwey strong and myghti,

and the schrewes ben feble and desert and

10 naked of alle strengthes. And of thise

thinges, certes, everiche of hem is declared

and schewed by other. For so as good and

yvel ben two contraries, yif so be that good be

stedfast, thanne scheweth the feblesse of yvel

15 al opynly; and yif thow knowe clerly the freelnesse

of yvel, the stedfastnesse of good is

knowen. But for as moche as the fey of my

sentence schal ben the more ferme and haboundant,

I wil gon by the to weye and by the

20 tothir, and I wil conferme the thinges that

ben purposed, now on this side and now on

that side.

"Two thinges ther ben in whiche the effect of

alle the dedes of mankynde standeth (that is to

25 seyn, wil and power); and yif that oon of thise

two faileth, ther nys nothing that may be doon.

For yif that wille lakketh, ther nys no wyght that

undirtaketh to done that he wol nat doon; and

yif power faileth, the wil nys but in idel and

30 stant for naught. And therof cometh it that

yif thou see a wyght that wolde geten that

he mai not geten, thow maist nat douten that

power ne faileth hym to have that he wolde."

"This is open and cler," quod I, "ne it ne mai

35 nat be denyed in no manere."

"And yif thou se a wyght," quod sche, "that

hath doon that he wolde doon, thow nilt nat

douten that he ne hath had power to doon it?"

"No," quod I.

40 "And in that that every wyght may, in

that men may holden hym myghti. (As

who seith, in so moche as a man is myghty to

doon a thing, in so mochel men halt hym

myghti.) And in that that he ne mai, in that men

45 demen hym to ben feble."

"I confesse it wel," quod I.

"Remembreth the," quod sche, "that I have

gaderid and ischewid by forseide resouns that al

the entencioun of the wil of mankynde,

50 whiche that is lad by diverse studies,

hasteth to comen to blisfulnesse."

"It remembreth me wel," quod I, "that it hath

ben schewed."

"And recordeth the nat thanne," quod sche,

55 "that blisfulnesse is thilke same good that men

requiren, so that whanne that blisfulnesse is

required of alle, that good also is required and

desired of alle?"

"It ne recordeth me noght," quod I, "for

60 I have it gretly alwey ficched in my memorie."

"Alle folk thanne," quod sche, "goode and

eek badde, enforcen hem withoute difference of

entencioun to comen to good."

65 "This is a verray consequence," quod I.

"And certein is," quod sche, "that by the

getynge of good ben men ymakid gode."

"This is certein," quod I.

"Thanne geten gode men that thei desiren?"

"So semeth it," quod I.

"But wikkide folk," quod sche, "yif thei geten

the good that thei desiren, thei ne mowe nat

ben wikkid."

75 "So is it," quod I.

"Than so as the ton and the tothir," quod

sche, "desiren good, and the gode folk geten

good and not the wikkide folk, than is it no

doute that the gode folk ne ben myghty

80 and wikkid folk ben feble."

"Whoso that evere," quod I, "douteth

of this, he ne mai nat considere the nature of

thinges ne the consequence of resouns."

"And over this," quod sche, "if that ther ben

85 two thinges that han o same purpos by kynde,

and that oon of hem pursuweth and performeth

thilke same thing by naturel office, and the

tother mai nat doon thilke naturel office, but

folweth, by other manere than is covenable

90 to nature, hym that acomplisseth his purpos

kyndely, and yit he ne acomplisseth

nat his owene purpos -- whethir of thise two

demestow for more myghti?"

"Yif that I conjecte," quod I, "that thou wilt

95 seie, algates yit I desire to herkne it more

pleynly of the."

"Thou nilt nat thanne denye," quod sche,

"that the moevement of goynge nys in men by

kynde?"

100 "No, forsothe," quod I.

"Ne thou ne doutest nat," quod sche,

"that thilke naturel office of goinge ne be the

office of feet?"

"I ne doute it nat," quod I.

105 "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that a wight be

myghti to moeve, and goth uppon hise feet, and

another, to whom thilke naturel office of feet

lakketh, enforceth hym to gone crepinge uppon

his handes, whiche of thise two oughte to

110 ben holden the more myghty by right?"

"Knyt forth the remenaunt," quod I,

"for no wight ne douteth that he that mai gon

by naturel office of feet ne be more myghti than

he that ne may nat."

115 "But the soverein good," quod sche, "that is

eveneliche purposed to the good folk and to

badde, the gode folk seken it by naturel office of

vertus, and the schrewes enforcen hem to getin

it by diverse coveytise of erthly thinges,

120 whiche that nys noon naturel office to gete

thilke same soverein good. Trowestow that

it be any other wise?"

"Nai," quod I, "for the consequence is opene

and schewynge of thinges that I have graunted,

125 that nedes good folk moten be myghty, and

schrewes feble and unmyghti."

"Thou rennist aryght byforn me," quod sche,

"and this is the jugement (that is to sein, I juge

of the), ryght as thise leches ben wont to

130 hopin of sike folk, whan thei aperceyven

that nature is redressed and withstondeth

to the maladye. But for I se the now al redy to

the undirstondynge, I schal schewe the more

thikke and contynuel resouns. For loke now,

135 how greetly scheweth the feblesse and infirmite

of wikkid folk, that ne mowen nat comen to that

hir naturel entencioun ledeth hem; and yit

almest thilke naturel entencioun constreyneth

hem. And what were to demen thanne of

140 schrewes, yif thilk naturel help hadde

forleten hem, the whiche naturel help of

entencioun goth alwey byforn hem and is so gret

that unnethe it mai ben overcome? Considere

thanne how gret defaute of power and how gret

145 feblesse ther is in wikkide felonous folke. (As

who seith, the grettere thing that is coveyted

and the desir nat acomplissed, of the lasse

myght is he that coveyteth it and mai nat

acomplisse; and forthi Philosophie seith

150 thus be sovereyn good.) Ne schrewes ne

requeren not lighte meedes ne veyne

games, whiche thei ne mai nat folwen ne holden;

but thei failen of thilke somme and of the

heighte of thinges (that is to seyn, soverein

155 good). Ne these wrecches ne comen nat to the

effect of sovereyn good, the whiche thei enforcen

hem oonly to geten by nyghtes and by

dayes. In the getyng of whiche good the

strengthe of good folk is ful wel yseene.

160 For ryght so as thou myghtest demen hym

myghty of goinge that goth on his feet til

he myghte comen to thilke place fro the whiche

place ther ne laye no weie forthere to be gon,

ryght so mostow nedes demen hym for ryght

165 myghty, that geteth and atteyneth to the ende of

alle thinges that ben to desire, byyonde the

whiche ende ther nys no thing to desire. Of the

whiche power of good folk men mai conclude

that the wikkide men semen to be bareyne

170 and naked of alle strengthe.

"For whi forleten thei vertus and folwen

vices? Nys it nat for that thei ne knowen nat the

godes? But what thing is more feble and more

caytif than is the blyndnesse of ignorance? Or

175 elles thei knowen ful wel whiche thinges that

thei oughten folwe, but lecherie and covetise

overthroweth hem mystorned. And certes so

doth distempraunce to feble men, that ne

mowen nat wrastlen ayen the vices. Ne

180 knowen thei nat thanne wel that thei

forleten the good wilfully, and turnen hem

wilfully to vices?

"And in this wise thei ne forleten nat oonly to

ben myghti, but thei forleten al outrely in any

185 wise for to been. For thei that forleten the

comune fyn of alle thinges that ben, thei forleten

also therwithal for to been. And peraventure

it scholde seme to som folk that this were

a merveile to seien, that schrewes, whiche

190 that contenen the more partie of men, ne

ben nat ne han no beynge; but natheles it

is so, and thus stant this thing. For thei that ben

schrewes I denye nat that they ben schrewes, but

I denye and seie simply and pleynly that thei ne

195 ben nat, ne han no beynge. For right as thou

myghtest seyn of the careyne of a man, that it

were a deed man, but thou ne myghtest nat

symply callen it a man; so graunte I wel forsothe

that vicyous folk ben wikkid, but I ne may

200 nat graunten absolutly and symply that thei

ben. For thilke thing that withholdeth

ordre and kepeth nature, thilke thing es, and

hath beinge; but what thing that faileth of

that (that is to seyn, he that forleteth naturel

205 ordre), he forleteth thilke beinge that is set in his

nature.

"But thow wolt seyn that schrewes mowen.

Certes, that ne denye I nat; but certes hir

power ne desscendeth nat of strengthe,

210 but of feblesse. For thei mowen don

wikkydnesses, the whiche thei ne myghten

nat don yif thei myghten duellen in the forme

and in the doynge of good folk. And thilke

power scheweth ful evidently that they ne

215 mowen ryght nat. For so as I have gadrid

and proevid a litil herebyforn that evel is

nawght, and so as schrewes mowen oonly but

schrewednesses, this conclusion is al cler, that

schrewes ne mowen ryght nat, ne han no

220 power.

"And for as moche as thou undirstonde

which is the strengthe of this power of schrewes,

I have diffinysched a litil herbyforn that no thing

is so myghti as sovereyn good."

225 "That is soth," quod I.

"And thilke same sovereyn good may don

noon yvel?"

"Certes, no," quod I.

"Is ther any wyght thanne," quod sche,

230 "that weneth that men mowen don alle

thinges?"

"No man," quod I, "but yif he be out of his

wyt."

"But certes schrewes mowen don evel?" quod

235 sche.

"Ye. Wolde God," quod I, "that thei ne

myghten don noon!"

"Thanne," quod sche, "so as he that is myghty

to doon oonly but goode thinges mai doon

240 alle thinges, and thei that ben myghti to

doon yvele thinges ne mowen nat alle

thinges, thanne is it open thing and manyfest

that thei that mowen doon yvele ben of lasse

power.

245 "And yit to proeve this conclusioun ther

helpeth me this, that I have schewed herebyforn,

that alle power is to be noumbred among

thinges that men oughten requere; and I have

schewed that alle thinges that oughten ben

250 desired ben referred to good, ryght as to a

maner heighte of hir nature. But for to

mowen don yvel and felonye ne mai nat ben

referrid to good; thanne nys nat yvel of the

nombre of thinges that oughten ben desired.

255 But alle power aughte ben desired and requerid;

thanne is it open and cler that the power ne the

mowynge of schrewes nis no power.

"And of alle thise thinges it scheweth wel that

the gode folk ben certeinli myghty, and the

260 schrewes doutelees ben unmyghty. And

it is cler and opene that thilke sentence

of Plato is verray and soth, that seith that

oonly wise men may doon that thei desiren,

and schrewes mowen haunten that hem liketh,

265 but that thei desiren (that is to seyn, to come

to sovereyn good), thei ne han no power to

acomplissen that. For schrewes don that hem lyst

whan, by tho thinges in whiche thei deliten, thei

wenen to ateynen to thilke good that thei

270 desiren; but thei ne geten ne ateyne nat

therto, for vices ne comen nat to blisfulnesse.

Metrum 2

"Whoso that the coverturis of hir veyn apparailes

myghte strepen of thise proude kynges,

that thow seest sitten an hye in here chayeres,

gliterynge in schynynge purpre, envyrowned

5 with sorwful armures, manasyng with cruel

mowth, blowynge by woodnesse of herte, he

schulde seen thanne that thilke lordis berin

withynne hir corages ful streyte cheynes. For

lecherye tormenteth hem on that o side

10 with gredy venymes; and trowblable ire,

that areyseth in hem the floodes of trowblynges,

tormenteth upon that othir side hir

thought; or sorwe halt hem wery and icawght,

or slidynge and desceyvynge hope turmenteth

15 hem. And therfore, syn thow seest on heved

(that is to seyn, o tiraunt) beren so manye

tyranyes, than ne doth thilke tyraunt nat that he

desireth, syn he is cast doun with so manye

wikkide lordes (that is to seyn, with so

20 manye vices that han so wikkidly lordschipes

over hym).

Prosa 3

"Seestow nat thanne in how greet filthe thise

schrewes been iwrapped, and with which clernesse

thise gode folk schynen? In this scheweth

it wel that to good folk ne lakketh neveremo

5 hir meedes, ne schrewes ne lakken neveremo

turmentes. For of alle thinges that ben idoon,

thilke thing for which any thing is doon, it

semeth as by ryght that thilke thing be the

mede of that; as thus, yif a man renneth in

10 the stadye or in the forlonge for the

corone, thanne lith the mede in the coroune

for whiche he renneth. And I have schewed

that blisfulnesse is thilke same good for whiche

that alle thinges ben doon; thanne is thilke

15 same good purposed to the werkes of mankynde

right as a comune mede, which mede ne

may nat ben disseveryd fro good folk. For no

wight as by ryght, fro thennesforth that hym

lakketh goodnesse, ne schal ben cleped

20 good. For whiche thing folk of gode maneres,

hir medes ne forsaken hem neveremo.

For al be it so that schrewes waxen as wode

as hem lyst ayein good folk, yit natheles the

coroune of wise men ne schal nat fallen ne

25 faden; for foreyne schrewednesse ne bynemeth

nat fro the corages of good folk hir propre

honour. But yif that any wyght rejoysede hym

of goodnesse that he hadde taken fro withoute

(as who seith, yif any man hadde his goodnesse

30 of any other man than of hymself),

certes he that yaf hym thilke goodnesse, or

elles som other wyght, myghte benymen it

hym. But for as moche as to every wyght his

owene propre bounte yeveth hym his mede,

35 thanne at erste schal he failen of mede whan

he forletith to ben good. And at the laste, so

as alle medes ben requerid for men wenen that

thei ben gode, who is he that nolde deme that

he that is ryght myghti of good were partlees

40 of the mede? And of what mede schal

he ben gerdoned? Certes of ryght fair

mede and ryght greet aboven alle medes. Remembre

the of thilke noble corrolarie that I

yaf the a litel herebyforn, and gadre it togidre

45 in this manere: so as good [hytself] is blisfulnesse,

thanne is it cler and certein that alle

gode folk ben imaked blisful for thei ben gode;

and thilke folk that ben blisful it accordeth and

is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the

50 mede of good folk swych that no day ne

schal empeiren it, ne no wikkidnesse schal

derkne it, ne power of no wyght ne schal nat

amenusen it; that is to seyn, to ben maked

goddes. And syn it is thus (that gode men ne

55 failen neveremo of hir mede), certes no wise man

ne may doute of the undepartable peyne of

schrewes (that is to seyn, that the peyne of

schrewes ne departeth nat from hemself neveremo).

For so as good and yvel, and peyne and

60 medes, ben contrarie, it moot nedes ben

that, ryght as we seen betyden in guerdoun

of gode, that also moot the peyne of yvel answere

by the contrarie partie to schrewes. Now

thanne, so as bounte and pruesse ben the mede

65 to good folk, also is schrewidnesse itself torment

to schrewes. Thanne whoso that evere is

entecchid or defouled with peyne, he ne douteth

nat that he nys entecchid and defouled

with yvel. Yif schrewes thanne wol preysen

70 hemself, may it semen to hem that thei ben

withouten parti of torment, syn thei ben

swiche that the uttreste wikkidnesse (that is to

seyn, wikkide thewes, which that is the uttereste

and the worst kynde of schrewednesse)

75 ne defouleth ne enteccheth nat hem oonly, but

enfecteth and envenymeth hem greetly? And

also loke on schrewes, that ben the contrarie

partie of gode men, how gret peyne felawschipith

and folweth heFor thou hast

80 lerned a litil herebyforn that alle thing that

is and hath beynge is oon, and thilke same

oon is good: than is this the consequence, that

it semeth wel that al that is and hath beynge

is good. (This is to seyn, as who seith that

85 beinge and unite and goodnesse is al oon.)

And in this manere it folweth thanne that alle

thing that fayleth to ben good, it stynteth for

to be and for to han any beynge. Wherfore it

es that schrewes stynten for to ben that

90 thei weeren. But thilke othir forme [of] [the]

[body] of mankynde (that is to seyn, the

[forme] withowte) scheweth yit that thise

schrewes weren whilom men. Wherfore, whan

thei ben perverted and turned into malice,

95 certes, thanne have thei forlorn the nature of

mankynde. But so as oonly bownte and prowesse

may enhawnsen every man over othere

men, than moot it nedes be that schrewes,

whiche that schrewednesse hath cast out of

100 the condicion of mankynde, ben put undir

the merit and the dissert of men. Than

betidith it that, yif thou seest a wyght that be

transformed into vices, thow ne mayst nat wene

that he be a man. For if he be ardaunt in avaryce,

105 and that he be a ravynour by violence of foreyne

richesse, thou schalt seyn that he is lik to the

wolf; and if he be felonows and withoute reste,

and exercise his tonge to chidynges, thow schalt

likne hym to the hownd; and if he be a

110 pryve awaytour yhid, and rejoiseth hym to

ravyssche be wiles, thow schalt seyn hym

lik to the fox whelpes; and yif he be distempre,

and quakith for ire, men schal wene that he

bereth the corage of a lyoun; and yif he be

115 dredful and fleynge, and dredith thinges that ne

aughte nat to ben dredd, men schal holden hym

lik to the hert; and yf he be slow, and astonyd,

and lache, he lyveth as an asse; yif he be lyght

and unstedfast of corage and chaungith ay

120 his studies, he is likned to briddes; and if he

be ploungid in fowle and unclene luxuris,

he is withholden in the foule delices of the fowle

sowe. Than folweth it that he that forleteth

bounte and prowesse, he forletith to ben a man;

125 syn he ne may nat passe into the condicion of

God, he is torned into a beeste.

Metrum 3

"Eurus, the wynd, aryved the sayles of Ulixes,

duc of the cuntre of Narice, and his wandrynge

shippes by the see, into the ile theras

Cerces, the faire goddesse, dowhter of the

5 sonne, duelleth, that medleth to hir newe

gestes drynkes that ben touchid and makid

with enchauntementz. And aftir that hir hand,

myghti over the erbes, hadde chaunged hir

gestes into diverse maneres, that oon of

10 hem is coverid his face with forme of a

boor; the tother is chaungid into a lyoun

of the contre of Marmoryke, and his nayles and

his teth waxen; that oother of hem is newliche

chaunged into a wolf, and howleth whan he

15 wolde wepe; that other goth debonayrely in

the hows as a tigre of Inde. But al be it so

that the godhede of Mercurie, that is cleped

the bridde of Arcadye, hath had merci of the

duc Ulixes, bysegid with diverse yveles,

20 and hath unbownden hym fro the pestilence

of his oostesse, algates the rowerys

and the maryneres hadden by this idrawen into

hir mouthes and dronken the wikkide drynkes.

Thei that weren woxen swyn hadden by this

25 ichaunged hir mete of breed for to eten akkornes

of ookes. Noon of hir lymes ne duelleth

with hem hool, but thei han lost the voys

and the body; oonly hir thought duelleth with

hem stable, that wepeth and bywayleth the

30 monstruous chaungynge that thei suffren.

O overlyght hand! (As who seith. O

feble and light is the hand of Circes the enchaunteresse,

that chaungith the bodyes of

folk into beestes, to regard and to comparysoun

35 of mutacioun that is makid by vices!)

Ne the herbes of Circes ne ben nat myghty.

For al be it so that thei mai chaungen the

lymes of the body, algates yit thei may nat

chaungen the hertes. For withinne is ihidd

40 the strengthe and the vygour of men, in the

secre tour of hir hertes, (that is to seyn, the

strengthe of resoun); but thilke venyms of vices

todrawen a man to hem more myghtely than

the venym of Circes. For vices ben so cruel

45 that they percen and thurw-passen the corage

withinne; and, thoughe thei ne anoye nat the

body, yit vices woden to destroyen men by

wounde of thought."

Prosa 4

Thanne seide I thus: "I confesse and am

aknowe it," quod I, "ne I ne se nat that men

may seyn as by ryght that schrewes ne ben

chaunged into beestes by the qualite of hir

5 soules, al be it so that thei kepin yit the forme

of the body of mankynde. But I nolde nat of

schrewes, of whiche the thought crwel woodeth

alwey into destruccion of gode men, that

it were leveful to hem to don that."

10 "Certes," quod sche, "ne it is nat leveful

to hem, as I schal wel schewen the in covenable

place. But natheles, yif so were that

thilke that men wenen ben leveful to schrewes

were bynomyn hem, so that they ne myghte

15 nat anoyen or doon harm to gode men, certes

a gret partie of the peyne to schrewes scholde

ben alegged and releved. For al be it so that

this ne seme nat credible thing peraventure to

some folk, yit moot it nedes be that

20 schrewes ben more wrecches and unsely

whan thei mai doon and parforme that

thei coveyten, than yif thei ne myghte nat

acomplissen that thei coveiten. For yif so

be that it be wrecchidnesse to wilne to doon

25 yvel, thanne is it more wrecchidnesse to mowe

don yvel, withoute whiche mowynge the wrecchid

wil scholde langwisse withouten effect.

Thanne syn that everiche of thise thinges hath his

wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, wil to don

30 ivel and mowynge to don yvel), it moot

nedes be that schrewes ben constreyned by

thre unselynesses, that wolen, and mowen, and

parformen felonyes and schrewednesses."

"I acorde me," quod I; "but I desire gretly

35 that schrewes losten sone thilke unselynesses,

that is to seyn, that schrewes weren despoyled

of mowynge to don yvel."

"So schollen thei," quod sche, "sonnere peraventure

than thou woldest, or sonnere

40 than they hemselve wene. For ther nis

nothing so late, in so schorte bowndes of

this lif, that is long to abyde, nameliche to a corage

immortel. Of whiche schrewes the grete

hope and the heye compassynges of schrewednesses

45 is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or

thei ben war; and that thing establisseth to

schrewes the ende of hir schrewednesse. For

yf that schrewednesse makith wrecches, than

mot he nedes ben moost wrecchide that

50 lengest is a schrewe. The whiche wikkide

schrewes wolde I demen althermost unsely

and kaytifs, yif that hir schrewednesse ne were

fynissched at the leste weye by the owtreste

deth; for yif I have concluded soth of the unselynesse

55 of schrewednesse, thanne schewith it

clerly that thilke wrecchidnesse is withouten

ende the whiche is certein to ben perdurable."

"Certes," quod I, "this conclusioun is hard and

wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel

60 that it accordeth moche to the thinges that

I have grauntid herebiforn."

"Thou hast," quod sche, "the ryght estimacion

of this. But whosoevere wene that it be

an hard thing to accorde hym to a conclusioun,

65 it is ryght that he schewe that some

of the premysses ben false, or elles he mot

schewe that the collacioun of proposicions

nis nat spedful to a necessarie conclusioun;

and yif it ne be nat so, but that the premisses

70 ben ygraunted, ther nys nat why he

scholde blame the argument. For this thing

that I schal telle the now ne schal nat seme

lesse wondirful, but of the thingis that ben

taken also it is necessarie." (As who seith, it

75 folweth of that which that is purposed byforn.)

"What is that?" quod I.

"Certes," quod sche, "that is that thise wikkid

schrewes ben more blisful, or elles

80 lasse wrecches, that abyen the tormentz

that thei han desservid, than if no peyne of

justise ne chastisede hem. Ne this ne seie I

nat now for that any man myghte thinke that

the maneris of schrewes ben coriged and chastised

85 by vengeaunce and that thei ben brought

to the ryghte weye by the drede of the torment,

ne for that they yeven to other folk ensaumple

to fleen fro vices; but I undirstonde yit in another

manere that schrewes ben more unsely

90 whan thei ne ben nat punyssched, al

be it so that ther ne be hadde no resoun or

lawe of correccioun, ne noon ensample of

lokynge."

"And what manere schal that be," quod I,

95 "other than hath ben told herbyforn?"

"Have we nat thanne graunted," quod sche,

"that good folk ben blisful and schrewes ben

wrecches?"

"Yis," quod I.

100 "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that any good

were added to the wrecchidnesse of any

wyght, nis he nat more blisful than he that

ne hath no medlynge of good in his solitarie

wrecchidnesse?"

105 "So semeth it," quod I.

"And what seistow thanne," quod sche, "of

thilke wrecche that lakketh alle goodes so that

no good nys medlyd in his wrecchidnesse,

and yit over al his wikkidnesse, for which

110 he is a wrecche, that ther be yit another

yvel anexed and knyt to hym -- schal nat

men demen hym more unsely thanne thilke

wrecche of whiche the unselynesse is relevid by

the participacioun of som good?"

115 "Why sholde he nat?" quod I.

"Thanne certes," quod sche, "han schrewes,

whan thei ben punyschid, somwhat of good

anexid to hir wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, the

same peyne that thei suffren, which that is

120 good by the resoun of justice); and whanne

thilke same schrewes ascapen withouten

torment, than han they somwhat more of yvel

yit over the wikkidnesse that thei han don, that

is to seyn, defaute of peyne, whiche defaute of

125 peyne thou hast grauntid is yvel for the disserte

of felonye?"

"I ne may nat denye it," quod I.

"Moche more thanne," quod sche, "ben

schrewes unsely whan thei ben wrongfully

130 delivred fro peyne, thanne whan thei

ben punyschid by ryghtful vengeaunce.

But this is opene thing and cleer, that it is ryght

that schrewes ben punyschid, and it is wikkidnesse

and wrong that thei escapen unpunyschid."

"Who myghte denye that?" quod I.

"But," quod sche, "may any man denye that

al that is ryght nis good, and also the contrarie,

that al that is wrong is wikke?"

140 "Certes," quod I, "thise thinges ben

clere ynowe, and [folwen that] that we han

concluded a lytel herebyforn. But I preye the

that thow telle me, yif thow accordest to leten

no torment to the soules aftir that the body is

145 ended by the deeth?" (This to seyn, "Undirstondestow

aught that soules han any

torment aftir the deeth of the body?")

"Certes," quod sche, "ye, and that ryght

greet. Of whiche soules," quod sche, "I

150 trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse

of peyne, and some soules I trowe

ben excercised by a purgynge mekenesse; but

my conseil nys nat to determyne of thise peynes.

"But I have travailed and told yit hiderto for

155 thou scholdest knowe that the mowynge of

schrewes, whiche mowynge the semeth to ben

unworthy, nis no mowynge; and ek of schrewes,

of whiche thou pleynedest that they ne were nat

punysschid, that thow woldest seen that

160 thei ne were neveremo withouten the

tormentz of hir wikkidnesse; and of the

licence of mowynge to don yvel that thou

preyedest that it myghte sone ben ended, and

that thou woldest fayn lernen that it ne sholde

165 nat longe endure, and that schrewes ben more

unsely yif thei were of lengere durynge, and

most unsely yif thei weren perdurable. And aftir

this I have schewyd the that more unsely ben

schrewes whan thei escapen withouten hir

170 ryghtful peyne thanne whan thei ben

punyschid by ryghtful venjaunce; and of

this sentence folweth it that thanne ben schrewes

constreyned at the laste with most grevous

torment, whan men wene that thei ne ben nat

175 punyssched."

"Whan I considere thi resouns," quod I, "I ne

trowe nat that men seyn any thing more

verrayly. And yif I turne ayein to the studies of

men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that

180 he ne scholde nat oonly leven thise thinges,

but ek gladly herkne hem?"

"Certes," quod sche, "so it es -- but men may

nat. For they have hir eien so wont to the

derknesse of erthly thinges that they ne may nat

185 lyften hem up to the light of cler sothfastnesse,

but thei ben lyk to briddes of whiche the nyght

lightneth hir lokynge and the day blendith hem.

For whan men loke nat the ordre of thinges, but

hir lustes and talentz, they wene that either

190 the leve or the mowynge to don wikkidnesse,

or elles the scapynge withouten

peyne be weleful.

"But considere the jugement of the perdurable

lawe. For yif thou conferme thi corage to the

195 beste thinges, thow ne hast noon nede of no juge

to yeven the prys or mede; for thow hast joyned

thiself to the most excellent thing. And yif thow

have enclyned thi studies to the wikkide thinges,

ne seek no foreyne wrekere out of thiself;

200 for thow thiself hast thrist thiself into wikke

thinges, ryght as thow myghtest loken by

diverse tymes the fowle erthe and the hevene,

and that alle othere thinges stynten fro withoute,

so that thow nere neyther in [hevene] ne in

205 erthe, ne saye no thyng more; thanne scholde it

semen to the as by oonly resoun of lokynge that

thow were now in the sterres, and now in the

erthe. But the peple ne loketh nat on these

thinges. What thanne? Schal we thanne

210 approchen us to hem that I have schewed

that thei ben lyke to beestes? And what

wyltow seyn of this: yif that a man hadde al

forlorn his syghte, and hadde foryeten that he

evere sawhe, and wende that no thing ne faylede

215 hym of perfeccioun of mankynde; now we that

myghten sen the same thinges -- wolde we nat

wene that he were blynd? Ne also ne accordeth

nat the peple to that I schal seyn, the whiche

thing is sustenyd by as stronge foundementz

220 of resouns, that is to seyn, that

more unsely ben they that doon wrong to

othere folk, than they that the wrong suffren."

"I wolde here thilke same resouns," quod I.

"Denyestow," quod sche, "that alle schrewes

225 ne ben worthy to han torment?"

"Nay," quod I.

"But," quod sche, "I am certein by many

resouns that schrewes ben unsely."

"It accordeth," quod I.

230 "Thanne ne dowtestow nat," quod sche,

"that thilke folk that ben worthy of

torment, that they ne ben wrecches?"

"It accordeth wel," quod I.

"Yif thou were thanne iset a juge or a

235 knowere of thinges, whethir trowestow that men

scholden tormenten, hym that hath don the

wrong or elles hym that hath suffred the

wrong?"

"I ne doute nat," quod I, "that I nolde

240 doon suffisaunt satisfaccioun to hym that

hadde suffrid the wrong, by the sorwe of

hym that hadde doon the wrong."

"Thanne semeth it," quod sche, "that the

doere of wrong is more wrecche than he that

245 hath suffride wrong?"

"That folweth wel," quod I.

"Than," quod sche, "by thise causes and by

othere causes that ben enforced by the same

roote, that filthe [of] synne be the propre

250 nature of it maketh men wrecches, [it]

scheweth wel that the wrong that men

doon nis nat the wrecchidnesse of hym that

resceyveth the wrong, but the wrecchidnesse of

hym that dooth the wrong. But certes," quod

255 sche, "thise oratours or advocattes don al the

contrarie; for thei enforcen hem to commoeve

the juges to han pite of hem that han suffrid

and resceyved the thinges that ben grevous

and aspre, and yit men scholden more

260 ryghtfully han pite of hem that doon the

grevances and the wronges: the whiche

schrewes it were a more covenable thing that the

accusours or advocattes, nat wrooth but pytous

and debonayre, ledden tho schrewes that han

265 don wrong to the jugement ryght as men leden

syke folk to the leche, for that thei sholden seken

out the maladyes of synne by torment. And

by this covenant, eyther the entent of the

deffendours or advocatz sholde fayle and

270 cesen in al, or elles, yif the office of

advocatz wolde betre profiten to men, it

sholde be torned into the habyte of accusacioun.

(That is to seyn, thei scholden accuse

schrewes, and nat excusen hem.) And eek the

275 schrewes hemself, yif it were leveful to hem to

seen at any clifte the vertu that thei han forleten,

and sawen that they scholden putten adoun the

filthes of hir vices by the tormentz of peynes,

they ne aughten nat, ryght for the

280 recompensacioun for to geten hem bounte

and prowesse whiche that thei han lost,

demen ne holden that thilke peynes weren

tormentz to hem; and eek thei wolden refuse the

attendaunce of hir advocattz, and taken hemself

285 to hir juges and to hir accusours. For whiche it

betydeth that, as to the wise folk, ther nis no

place yleten to hate (that is to seyn, that hate

ne hath no place among wise men); for no

wyght nil haten gode men, but yif he were

290 overmochel a fool, and for to haten

schrewes it nis no resoun. For ryght so as

langwissynge is maladye of body, ryght so ben

vices and synne maladye of corage; and so as we

ne deme nat that they that ben sike of hir body

295 ben worthy to ben hated, but rather worthy of

pite; wel more worthy nat to ben hated, but

for to ben had in pite, ben thei of whiche

the thoughtes ben constreyned by felonous

wikkidnesse, that is more crwel than any

300 langwissynge of body.

Metrum 4

"What deliteth yow to exciten so grete moevynges

of hatredes, and to hasten and bysien

the fatal disposicioun of your deth with your

propre handes (that is to seyn, by batayles or

5 contek)? For yif ye axen the deth, it hasteth

hym of his owene wil, ne deth ne taryeth nat

his swifte hors. And the men that the serpent,

and the lyoun, and the tigre, and the

bere, and the boor, seken to sleen with hir

10 teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen

everiche of hem oothir with swerd. Lo, for

hir maneres ben diverse and discordaunt, thei

moeven unryghtful oostes and cruel batayles,

and wilnen to perise by entrechaungynge of

15 dartes! But the resoun of cruelte nis nat inowhe

ryghtful. Wiltow thanne yelden a covenable

gerdoun to the dissertes of men? Love ryghtfully

good folk, and have pite on schrewes."

Prosa 5

"Thus se I wel," quod I, "eyther what blisfulnesse

or elles what unselynesse is establisshid

in the dissertes of gode men and of

schrewes. But in this ilke fortune of peple I

5 se somwhat of good and somwhat of yvel. For

no wise man hath nat levere ben exiled, pore

and nedy and nameles, thanne for to duellen

in his cyte, and flouren of rychesses, and be

redowtable by honour and strong of power.

10 For in this wise more clerly and more witnesfully

is the office of wise men ytreted,

whanne the blisfulnesse and the pouste of

gouvernours is, as it ware, ischadde among peples

that ben neyghbors and subgitz; syn that

15 namely prisown, lawe, and thise othere tormentz

of laweful peynes ben rather owed to

felonus citezeins, for the whiche felonus citezeens

tho peynes ben establisschid than for

good folk.

20 "Thanne I merveile me gretly," quod I,

"why that the thinges ben so mysentrechaunged

that tormentz of felonyes pressen and

confounden good folk, and schrewes ravysschen

medes of vertu and ben in honours

25 and in grete estatz; and I desire eek for to

witen of the what semeth the to be the resoun

of this so wrongful a confusioun; for I wolde

wondre wel the lasse, yif I trowede that alle

thise thinges weren medled by fortunows

30 hap. But now hepith and encreseth myn

astonyenge God, governour of thinges,

that, so as God yyveth ofte tymes to gode men

godes and myrthes, and to schrewes yvelis and

aspre thinges, and yeveth ayeinward to good

35 folk hardnesses, and to schrewes he graunteth

hem hir wil and that they desiren -- what difference

thanne may ther be bytwixen that that

God doth and the hap of fortune, yif men ne

knowe nat the cause why that it is?"

40 "Ne it nis no merveile," quod sche,

"thowh that men wenen that ther be somwhat

foolisshe and confus, whan the resoun of

the ordre is unknowe. But although that thou

ne knowe nat the cause of so gret a disposicioun,

45 natheles for as moche as God, the gode

governour, atempreth and governeth the world,

ne doute the nat that alle thinges ne ben don

aryght.

Metrum 5

"Whoso that ne knowe nat the sterres of

Arctour, ytorned neyghe to the sovereyne centre

or poynt (that is to seyn, ytorned neyghe to

the sovereyne pool of the firmament), and wot

5 nat why the sterre Boetes passeth or gadreth

his waynes and drencheth his late flaumbes in

the see; and whi that Boetes, the sterre, unfooldeth

hise overswifte arysynges, thanne schal

he wondryn of the lawe of the heie eyr.

10 And eek yif that he ne knowe nat why that

the hornes of the fulle mone waxen pale

and infect by bowndes of the derk nyght, and

how the mone derk and confus discovereth the

sterres that sche hadde covered by hir clere

15 vysage. The comune errour moeveth folk, and

[the Coribantes maken hir tabours sounen and

maken] weery hir basyns of bras by thikke

strokes. (That is to seyn, that ther is a maner

peple that hyghte Coribantes, that wenen

20 that whan the mone is in the eclips that

it be enchaunted, and therfore for to

rescowe the mone thei betyn hir basyns with

thikke strokes.) Ne no man ne wondreth

whanne the blastes of the wynd Chorus beten

25 the strondes of the see by quakynge floodes; ne

no man ne wondrith whan the weighte of the

snowh, ihardid by the cold, is resolvyd by the

brennynge hete of Phebus, the sonne; for her

seen men redily the causes. But [ther] the

30 causes yhidd (that is to seyn, in hevene)

trowblen the brestes of men. The

moevable peple is astoned of alle thinges that

comen seelde and sodeynly in our age; but yif

the trubly errour of our ignoraunce departed fro

35 us, so that we wisten the causes why that swiche

thinges bytyden, certes thei scholde cesen to

seme wondres."

Prosa 6

"Thus is it," quod I. "But so as thou hast

yeven or byhyght me to unwrappen the hidde

causes of thinges, and to discovere me the

resouns covered with derknes, I preie the that

5 thou devyse and juge me of this matere, and

that thou do me to undirstonden it. For this

miracle or this wonder trowbleth me ryght

gretly."

And thanne sche, a litelwhat smylinge,

10 seide: "Thou clepist me," quod sche, "to

telle thing that is gretteste of alle thingis

that mowen ben axed, and to the whiche questioun

unethes is ther aught inowh to laven

it. (As who seith, unnethes is ther suffisauntly

15 any thing to answeren parfitly to thy questioun.)

For the matere of it is swich, that

whan o doute is determined and kut awey, ther

waxen othere doutes withoute nombre, ryght

as the hevedes wexen of Idre, the serpent

20 that Hercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no

manere ne noon ende, but if that a wyght

constreynede tho doutes by a ryght lifly and

quyk fir of thought (that is to seyn, by vigour

and strengthe of wit). For in this matere

25 men weren wont to maken questiouns of the

symplicite of the purveaunce of God, and of

the ordre of destyne, and of sodeyn hap, and

of the knowynge and predestinacioun devyne,

and of the liberte of fre wil; the whiche

30 thinges thou thiself aperceyvest wel of

what weighte thei ben. But for as moche

as the knowynge of thise thinges is a maner

porcioun of the medycyne to the, al be it so

that I have litil tyme to doon it, yit natheles

35 Y wol enforcen me to schewe somwhat of it.

But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk

deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a

litel of thilke delit, whil that I weve to the resouns

yknyt by ordre."

40 "As it liketh to the," quod I, "so do."

Tho spak sche ryght as by another bygynnynge,

and seide thus: "The engendrynge

of alle thinges," quod sche, "and alle the progressiouns

of muable nature, and al that moeveth

45 in any manere, taketh hise causes, his ordre,

and his formes, of the stablenesse of the devyne

thought. And thilke devyne thought that

is iset and put in the tour (that is to seyn, in

the heighte) of the simplicite of God, stablissith

50 many maner gises to thinges that ben

to done; the whiche manere whan that

men looken it in thilke pure clennesse of the

devyne intelligence, it is ycleped purveaunce;

but whanne thilke manere is referred by men

55 to thinges that it moeveth and disponyth, than

of olde men it was clepyd destyne. The whiche

thinges yif that any wyght loketh wel in his

thought the strengthe of that oon and of that

oothir, he schal lyghtly mowen seen that

60 thise two thinges ben dyvers. For purveaunce

is thilke devyne resoun that is establissed

in the sovereyn prince of thinges, the

whiche purveaunce disponith alle thinges; but,

certes, destyne is the disposicioun and ordenance

65 clyvynge to moevable thinges, by the

whiche disposicion the purveaunce knytteth

alle thingis in hir ordres; for purveaunce enbraceth

alle thinges to-hepe, althoghe that thei

ben diverse and although thei ben infinit.

70 But destyne, certes, departeth and ordeyneth

alle thinges singulerly and devyded in

moevynges in places, in formes, in tymes, as

thus: lat the unfoldynge of temporel ordenaunce,

assembled and oonyd in the lokynge

75 of the devyne thought, be cleped purveaunce,

and thilke same assemblynge and oonynge, devyded

and unfolden by tymes, lat that ben

called destyne.

"And al be it so that thise thinges ben

80 diverse, yit natheles hangeth that oon of

that oother; forwhi the ordre destynal

procedith of the simplicite of purveaunce. For

ryght as a werkman that aperceyveth in his

thought the forme of the thing that he wol make,

85 and moeveth the effect of the werk, and ledith

that he hadde lookid byforn in his thought

symplely and presently by temporel ordenaunce;

certes, ryght so God disponith in his

purveaunce singulerly and stablely the

90 thinges that ben to doone; but he

amynistreth in many maneris and in diverse

tymes by destyne thilke same thinges that he

hath disponyd. Thanne, whethir that destyne be

exercised outhir by some devyne spiritz,

95 servantz to the devyne purveaunce, or elles by

some soule, or elles by alle nature servynge to

God, or elles by the celestial moevynges of

sterres, or ellis by vertu of aungelis, or elles by

divers subtilite of develis, or elles by any of

100 hem, or elles by hem alle the destinal

ordenaunce is ywoven and acomplissid,

certes, it es opene thing that the purveaunce is

an unmoevable and symple forme of thinges

to doone, and the moevable bond and the

105 temporel ordenaunce of thinges whiche that the

devyne symplicite of purveaunce hath ordeyned

to doone, that is destyne.

"For whiche it is that alle thinges that ben

put undir destyne ben certes subgitz to

110 purveaunce, to whiche purveaunce destyne

itself is subgit and under. But some thinges

ben put undir purveaunce, that sourmounten

the ordenance of destyne; and tho ben thilke

that stablely ben ifycchid neyghe to the first

115 godhede. They surmounten the ordre of

destynal moevablete. For ryght as of cerklis that

tornen aboute a same centre or aboute a poynt,

thilke cerkle that is innerest or most withinne

joyneth to the symplesse of the myddle,

120 and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to the

tothere cerklis that tornen abouten hym;

and thilke that is utterest, compased by a largere

envyrownynge, is unfolden by largere spaces in

so moche as it is ferthest fro the myddel

125 symplicite of the poynt; and yif ther be any thing

that knytteth and felawschipeth hymself to thilke

myddel poynt, it is constreyned into simplicite

(that is to seyn, into unmoevablete), and it

ceseth to ben schad and to fleten diversely;

130 ryght so, by semblable reson, thilke thing

that departeth ferrest fro the firste thought

of God, it is unfolden and summittid to grettere

bondes of destyne; and in so moche is the thing

more fre and laus fro destyne, as it axeth and

135 hooldeth hym neer to thilke centre of thinges

(that is to seyn, to God); and yif the thing

clyveth to the stedfastnesse of the thought of

God and be withoute moevynge, certes it

surmounteth the necessite of destyne.

140 Thanne ryght swich comparysoun as is of

skillynge to undirstondyng, and of thing

that ys engendrid to thing that is, and of tyme to

eternite, and of the cercle to the centre; ryght so

is the ordre of moevable destyne to the stable

145 symplicite of purveaunce.

"Thilke ordenaunce moveth the hevene and

the sterres, and atemprith the elementz togidre

amonges hemself, and transformeth hem by

entrechaungeable mutacioun. And thilke

150 same ordre neweth ayein alle thinges

growynge and fallynge adoun, by semblable

progressions of sedes and of sexes (that

is to seyn, male and femele). And this ilke

ordre constreyneth the fortunes and the dedes of

155 men by a bond of causes nat able to ben

unbownde; the whiche destynal causes, whan

thei passen out fro the bygynnynges of the

unmoevable purveaunce, it moot nedes be that

thei ne be nat mutable. And thus ben the

160 thinges ful wel igoverned yif that the

symplicite duellynge in the devyne thoght

scheweth forth the ordre of causes unable to ben

ibowed. And this ordre constreyneth by his

propre stablete the moevable thingis, or elles

165 thei scholden fleten folyly.

"For whiche it es that alle thingis semen to

ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne

mowen nat considere thilke ordenaunce.

Natheles the propre maner of every thing,

170 dressynge hem to gode, disponith hem alle,

for ther nys no thing doon for cause of yvel,

ne thilk thing that is doon by wikkid folk nys nat

doon for yvel, the whiche schrewes, as I have

schewed ful plentyvously, seken good, but

175 wikkid errour mystorneth hem; ne the ordre

comynge fro the poynt of sovereyn good ne

declyneth nat fro his bygynnynge.

"But thou mayst seyn, `What unreste may ben

a worse confusioun than that gode men

180 han somtyme adversite and somtyme

prosperite, and schrewes also han now

thingis that they desiren and now thinges that

thei haten?' Whethir men lyven now in swich

holnesse of thought (as who seith, ben men now

185 so wyse) that swiche folk as thei demen to ben

gode folk or schrewes, that it moste nedes ben

that folk ben swiche as thei wenen? But in this

manere the domes of men discorden, that thilke

men that som folk demen worthy of mede,

190 other folk demen hem worthy of torment.

But lat us graunten, I pose, that som man

may wel demen or knowen the good folk and

the badde; may he thanne knowen and seen

thilke innereste atempraunce of corages as it

195 hath ben wont to ben seyd of bodyes? (As who

seith, may a man speken and determinen of

atempraunce in corages, as men were wont to

demen or speken of complexions and atempraunces

of bodies?) Ne it ne is nat an

200 unlike miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat

(as who seith, but it is lik a mervayle or

miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat) whi

that swete thinges ben covenable to some bodies

that ben hole, and to some bodies byttere

205 thinges ben covenable; and also why that some

syk folk ben holpen with lyghte medicynes, and

some folk ben holpen with sharpe medicynes.

But natheles the leche, that knoweth the manere

and the atempraunce of hele and of

210 maladye, ne merveyleth of it nothyng. But

what othir thing semeth hele of corages but

bounte and prowesse? And what othir thing

semeth maladye of corages but vices? Who is

elles kepere of good or dryvere awey of yvel but

215 God, governour and lechere of thoughtes? The

whiche God, whan he hath byholden from the

hye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is

covenable to every wight, and lenyth hem that

he woot that is covenable to hem. Lo, herof

220 comyth and herof is don this noble miracle

of the ordre destynal, whan God, that al

knoweth, dooth swiche thing, of whiche thing

unknowynge folk ben astonyd.

"But for to constreyne (as who seith, but for

225 to comprehende and to telle) a fewe thingis of

the devyne depnesse the whiche that mannys

resoun may undirstonde, thilke man that thow

wenest to ben ryght just and ryght kepynge of

equite, the contrarie of that semeth to the

230 devyne purveaunce, that al woot. And

Lucan, my famylier, telleth that the

victorious cause likide to the goddes, and the

cause overcomen likide to Catoun. Thanne

whatsoevere thou mayst seen that is doon in this

235 world unhopid or unwened, certes it es the

ryghte ordre of thinges, but as to thi wikkid

opynioun it is a confusioun. But I suppose that

som man be so wel ithewed that the devyne

jugement and the jugement of mankynde

240 accorden hem togidre of hym; but he is so

unstidfast of corage that, yif any adversite

come to hym, he wol forleten peraventure to

continue innocence by the whiche he ne may

nat withholden fortune. Thanne the wise

245 dispensacion of God sparith hym, the whiche

man adversite myghte enpeyren; for that God

wol nat suffren hym to travaile to whom that

travaile nis nat covenable. Anothir man is parfit

in alle vertus, and is an holi man and neigh

250 to God, so that the purveaunce of God

wolde deme that it were a felonie that he

were touched with any adversites; so that he wol

nat suffre that swich a man be moeved with any

bodily maladye. But so as seyde a philosophre,

255 the more excellent by me -- he seyde in Grec

that `vertues han edified the body of the holi

man.'

"And ofte tyme it betydeth that the somme of

thingis that ben to done is taken to governe

260 to good folk, for that the malice

haboundaunt of schrewes scholde ben

abated. And God yeveth and departeth to other

folk prosperites and adversites imedled to-hepe

aftir the qualite of hir corages, and remordith

265 some folk by adversite, for thei ne scholden nat

waxen proude by long welefulnesse; and other

folk he suffreth to ben travailed with harde

thinges for that thei scholden confermen the

vertues of corage by the usage and the

270 exercitacioun of pacience. And other folk

dreden more than thei oughten the whiche

thei myghte wel beren, and thilke folk God

ledeth into experience of hemself by aspre and

sorweful thingis. And many other folk han

275 bought honourable renoun of this world by the

prys of glorious deth; and som men, that ne

mowen nat ben overcomen by torment, han

yeven ensample to other folk that vertu mai nat

ben overcomyn by adversites. And of alle

280 thise thinges ther nis no doute that thei ne

ben doon ryghtfully and ordeynly, to the

profit of hem to whom we seen thise thingis

betyde.

"For certes, that adversite cometh somtyme to

285 schrewes and somtyme that that they desiren, it

comith of thise forseyde causes. And of sorweful

thinges that betyden to schrewes, certes, no man

ne wondreth. for alle men wenen that thei han

wel desservid it, and that thei ben of wykkid

290 meryt. Of whiche schrewes the torment

somtyme agasteth othere to don felonyes,

and somtyme it amendeth hem that suffren the

tormentz; and the prosperite that is yeven to

schrewes scheweth a gret argument to good

295 folk what thing thei scholde demen of thilke

welefulnesse, the whiche prosperite men seen

ofte serven to schrewes. In the whiche thing I

trowe that God dispenseth. For peraventure the

nature of som man is so overthrowynge to

300 yvel, and so uncovenable, that the nedy

poverte of his houshold myghte rather

egren hym to don felonyes; and to the maladye

of hym God putteth remedye to yeven hym

rychesses. And som othir man byholdeth his

305 conscience defouled with synnes, and makith

comparysoun of his fortune and of hymself, and

dredith peraventure that his blisfulnesse, of

whiche the usage is joyeful to hym, that the

lesynge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat

310 sorwful to hym; and therfore he wol

chaunge his maneris, and, for he dredith to

lesen his fortune, he forletith his wikkidnesse.

To other folke is welefulnesse iyeven unworthely,

the whiche overthroweth hem into

315 destruccioun, that thei han disservid; and to som

othir folk is yeven power to punysshen, for

that it schal be cause of contynuacioun and

exercisynge to good folk, and cause of torment

to schrewes. For so as ther nis noon

320 alliaunce bytwixe good folk and schrewes,

ne schrewes ne mowen nat acorden among

hemself. And whi nat? For schrewes discorden

of hemself by hir vices, the whiche vices al

toreenden her consciences, and doon ofte time

325 thinges the whiche thingis, whan thei han doon

hem, they demen that tho thinges ne scholden

nat han ben doon.

"For whiche thing thilke sovereyne purveaunce

hath makid ofte tyme fair

330 myracle, so that schrewes han makid

schrewes to ben gode men. For whan that

some schrewes seen that they suffren wrongfully

felonyes of othere schrewes, they wexen

eschaufed into hate of hem that anoyed hem,

335 and retornen to the fruyt of vertu, whan thei

studien to ben unlyke to hem that thei han hated.

Certis oonly this is the devyne myght to the

whiche myghte yvelis ben thanne gode whan it

useth the yvelis covenably and draweth out

340 the effect of any good. (As who seith that

yvel is good only to the myghte of God, for

the myght of God ordeyneth thilke yvel to

good.)

"For oon ordre enbraseth alle thinges, so that

345 what wyght that departeth fro the resoun of

thilke ordre whiche that is assigned to hym,

algatis yit he slideth into an othir ordre; so that

no thing nis leveful to folye in the reaume of the

devyne purveaunce (as who seith, no

350 thing nis withouten ordenaunce in the

reame of the devyne purveaunce), syn that

the ryght strong God governeth alle thinges in

this world. For it nis nat leveful to man to

comprehenden by wit, ne unfolden by word,

355 alle the subtil ordenaunces and disposiciounis of

the devyne entente. For oonly it owghte suffise

to han lokid that God hymself, makere of alle

natures, ordeineth and dresseth alle thingis to

gode; whil that he hasteth to withholden

360 the thingis that he hath makid into his

semblaunce (that is to seyn, for to withholden

thingis into gode, for he hymself is

good), he chasith out alle yvel fro the boundes

of his comynalite by the ordre of necessite

365 destinable. For whiche it folweth that, yif thou

loke the purveaunce ordeynynge the thinges

that men wenen ben outraious or haboundaunt

in erthis, thou ne schalt nat seen in no place no

thing of yvel.

370 "But I se now that thou art charged with

the weyghte of the questioun, and wery

with the lengthe of my resoun, and that thou

abydest som swetnesse of songe. Tak thanne this

drawght, and, whanne thou art wel reffressched

375 and refect, thou schalt be more stedfast to stye

into heyere questions or thinges.

Metrum 6

"Yif thou, wys, wilt demen in thi pure thought

the ryghtes or the lawes of the heye thondrere

(that is to seyn, of God), loke thou and byhoold

the heightes of the sovereyn hevene.

5 Ther kepin the sterres, be ryghtful alliaunce of

thinges, hir oolde pees. The sonne, imoevid by

his rody fyr, ne distorbeth nat the colde cercle

of the mone. Ne the sterre yclepid the Bere,

that enclyneth his ravysschynge coursis

10 abowte the sovereyn heighte of the world

-- ne the same sterre Ursa nis nevere mo

wasschen in the depe westrene see, ne coveyteth

nat to deeyen his flaumbes in the see

of the Occian, although it see othere sterres

15 iplowngid in the see. And Hesperus the sterre

bodith and telleth alwey the late nyghtes, and

Lucyfer the sterre bryngeth ayein the clere

day.

"And thus maketh Love entrechaungeable

20 the perdurable courses; and thus is discordable

bataile yput out of the contre of

the sterres. This accordaunce atempryth by evenelyke

maneres the elementz, that the moiste

thingis, stryvynge with the drye thingis, yeven

25 place by stoundes; and that the colde thingis

joynen hem by feyth to the hote thingis; and

that the lyghte fyr ariseth into heighte, and

the hevy erthes avalen by her weyghtes. By

thise same causes the floury yer yeldeth

30 swote smelles in the first somer sesoun

warmynge; and the hote somer dryeth the

cornes; and autumpne comith ayein hevy of

apples; and the fletyng reyn bydeweth the

wynter. This atempraunce norysscheth and

35 bryngeth forth alle thinges that brethith lif

in this world; and thilke same attempraunce,

ravysschynge, hideth and bynymeth, and

drencheth undir the laste deth, alle thinges

iborn.

40 "Among thise thinges sitteth the heye

makere, kyng and lord, welle and bygynnynge,

lawe and wys juge to don equite, and

governeth and enclyneth the brydles of thinges.

And tho thinges that he stireth to gon by

45 moevynge, he withdraweth and aresteth, and

affermeth the moevable or wandrynge thinges.

For yif that he ne clepide nat ayein the ryght

goynge of thinges, and yif that he ne constreynede

hem nat eftsones into roundnesses

50 enclyned, the thinges that ben now

contynued by stable ordenaunce, thei scholden

departen from hir welle (that is to seyn,

from hir bygynnynge), and failen (that is to

seyn, tornen into noght). This is the comune

55 love to alle thingis, and alle thinges axen to ben

holden by the fyn of good. For elles ne

myghten they nat lasten yif thei ne comen nat

eftsones ayein, by love retorned, to the cause

that hath yeven hem beinge (that is to

60 seyn, to God).

Prosa 7

"Sestow nat thanne what thing folweth alle

the thingis that I have seyd?"

"What thing?" quod I.

"Certes," quod sche, "al outrely that alle fortune

5 is good."

"And how may that be?" quod I.

"Now undirstand," quod sche. "So as al fortune,

whethir so it be joyeful fortune or aspre

fortune, is yeven eyther by cause of gerdonynge

10 or elles of exercisynge of good

folk or elles by cause to punysschen or elles

chastisen schrewes; thanne is alle fortune good,

the whiche fortune is certeyn that it be either

ryghtful or elles profitable."

15 "Forsothe this is a ful verray resoun," quod

I; "and yif I considere the purveaunce and the

destyne that thou taughtest me a litel herebyforn

this sentence is sustenyd by stedfast

resouns. But yif it like unto the, lat us

20 nombren [hyt] amonges thilke thingis, of

whiche thow seydest a litel herebyforn that

thei ne were nat able to ben wened to the

peple."

"Why so?" quod sche.

25 "For that the comune word of men," quod I,

"mysuseth this manere speche of fortune, and

seyn ofte tymes that the fortune of som wyght

is wikkid."

"Woltow thanne," quod sche, "that I approche

30 a litil to the wordis of the peple,

so that it seme nat to hem that I be overmoche

departed as fro the usage of mankynde?"

"As thou wilt," quod I.

"Demestow nat," quod sche, "that alle thing

35 that profiteth is good?"

"Yis," quod I.

"And certes thilke thing that exerciseth or

corrigith profitith?"

"I confesse it wel," quod I.

40 "Thanne is it good," quod sche.

"Why nat?" quod I.

"But this is the fortune," quod sche, "of hem

that eyther ben put in vertu and batayllen

ayein aspre thingis, or elles of hem that eschuen

45 and declynen fro vices and taken the

weye of vertu."

"This ne mai I nat denye," quod I.

"But what seistow of the merye fortune that

is yeven to good folk in gerdoun -- demeth

50 aught the peple that it is wikkid?"

"Nay forsothe," quod I; "but thei

demen, as it soth is, that it is ryght good."

"And what seistow of that othir fortune,"

quod sche, "that, although it be aspre and

55 restreyneth the schrewes by ryghtful torment,

weneth aught the peple that it be good?"

"Nay," quod I, "but the peple demeth that

it is moost wrecchid of alle thingis that mai

ben thought."

60 "War now and loke wel," quod sche,

"lest that we, in folwynge the opynioun of

the peple, have confessid and concluded thing

that is unable to be wened to the peple."

"What is that?" quod I.

65 "Certis," quod sche, "it folweth or comith of

thingis that ben grauntid that alle fortune, what

so evere it be, of hem that ben eyther in possessioun

of vertu, or in the encres of vertu, or

elles in the purchasynge of vertu, that thilke

70 fortune is good; and that alle fortune is

ryght wikkid to hem that duellen in

schrewidnesse." (As who seith. "And thus

weneth nat the peple.")

"That is soth," quod I, "al be it so that no

75 man dar confessen it ne byknowen it."

"Whi so?" quod sche; "for ryght as the

stronge man ne semeth nat to abaissen or disdaignen

as ofte tyme as he herith the noyse

of the bataile, ne also it ne semeth nat to

80 the wise man to beren it grevously as ofte

as he is lad into the stryf of fortune. For,

bothe to the to man and eek to the tothir thilke

difficulte is the matere, to the to man of encres

of his glorious renoun, and to the tothir man

85 to confermen his sapience (that is to seyn, to the

asprenesse of his estat). For therfore it is

called `vertu,' for that it sustenith and enforceth

by hise strengthes that it nis nat overcomen by

adversites. Ne certes thou, that art put in

90 the encres or in the heyghte of vertu, ne

hast nat comen to fleten with delices, and

for to welken in bodily lust; thou sowest or

plawntest a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins

every fortune, for that the sorwful fortune ne

95 confownde the nat, ne that the myrie fortune

ne corrumpe the nat. Ocupye the mene by stidefast

strengthes; for al that evere is undir the

mene, or elles al that overpasseth the mene,

despyseth welefulnesse (as who seith, it

100 is vycious), and ne hath no mede of his

travaile. For it is set in your hand (as who

seith, it lyth in your power) what fortune yow

is levest (that is to seyn, good or yvel). For

alle fortune that semeth scharp or aspre, yif it

105 ne exercise nat the good folk ne chastiseth the

wikkide folk, it punysseth.

Metrum 7

"The wrekere Attrides (that is to seyn, Agamenon),

that wrought and contynued the batailes

by ten yer, recovered and purgide in

wrekynge, by the destruccioun of Troye, the

5 loste chaumbris of mariage of his brothir.

(That is to seyn, that he, Agamenon, wan ayein

Eleyne that was Menelaus wif his brothir.)

In the mene while that thilke Agamenon desirede

to yeven sayles to the Grykkyssche

10 naveye, and boughte ayein the wyndes by

blood, he unclothide hym of pite of fadir;

and the sory preest yeveth in sacrifyenge the

wrecchide kuttynge of throte of the doughter.

(That is to seyn that Agamenon leet kutten the

15 throte of his doughter by the preest, to maken

alliaunce with his goddes and for to han wynd

with whiche he myghte wenden to Troye.)

"Ytakus (that is to seyn, Ulixes) bywepte his

felawes ilorne, the whiche felawes the

20 fyerse Poliphemus, ligginge in his grete cave,

had fretyn and dreynt in his empty wombe.

But natheles Poliphemus, wood for his blynde

visage, yald to Ulixes joye by his sorwful

teres. (This to seyn, that Ulixes smoot out the

25 eye of Poliphemus, that stood in his forheed,

for whiche Ulixes hadde joye whan he say Poliphemus

wepynge and blynd).

"Hercules is celebrable for his harde travailes.

He dawntide the proude Centauris (half

30 hors, half man), and he byrafte the dispoilynge

fro the cruel lyoun (that is to seyn, he

slouhe the lyoun and rafte hym his skyn); he

smot the briddes that hyghten Arpiis with certein

arwes; he ravysschide applis fro the wakynge

35 dragoun, and his hand was the more hevy

for the goldene metal; he drowh Cerberus, the

hound of helle, by his treble cheyne; he, overcomer,

as it is seyd, hath put an unmeke lord

foddre to his crwel hors (this to seyn, that

40 Hercules slowh Diomedes, and made his

hors to freten hym); and he, Hercules,

slowh Idra the serpent, and brende the venym;

and Acheleous the flod, defowled in his forheed,

dreynte his schamefast visage in his

45 strondes (that is to seyn, that Achaleous coude

transfiguren hymself into diverse liknesse, and,

as he faughte with Hercules, at the laste he

torned hym into a bole, and Hercules brak of

oon of his hornes, and he for schame hidde

50 hym in his ryver); and he, Hercules, caste

adoun Antheus the geaunt in the [sondes]

of Libye; and Kacus apaysede the wratthes of

Evander (this to seyn, that Hercules slouh the

monstre Kacus, and apaysed with that deth the

55 wratthe of Evander); and the bristilede boor

markide with scomes the scholdres of Hercules,

the whiche scholdres the heye cercle of

hevene sholde thriste; and the laste of his labours

was that he susteynede the hevene

60 uppon his nekke unbowed; and he disservide

eftsones the hevene to ben the pris

of his laste travaile.

"Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther as

the heye wey of the greet ensaumple ledith

65 yow. O nyce men! why nake ye your bakkes?

(As who seith, "O ye slowe and delicat men!

whi flee ye adversites, and ne fyghte nat ayeins

hem by vertu, to wynnen the mede of the hevene?")

For the erthe overcomen yeveth the

70 sterres." (This to seyn, that whan that

erthly lust is overcomyn, a man is makid

worthy to the hevene.)

Explicit Liber Quartus

Incipit Liber Quintus

Prosa 1

Sche hadde seyd, and torned the cours of

hir resoun to some othere thingis to ben treted

and to ben ispedd. Thanne seide I, "Certes

ryghtful is thin amonestynge and ful digne by

5 auctorite. But that thou seydest whilom that

the questioun of the devyne purveaunce is enlaced

with many othere questiouns, I undirstande

wel and prove it by the same thing.

But I axe yif that thou wenest that hap be

10 anything in any weys; and yif thou wenest

that hap be anything, what is it?"

Thanne quod sche, "I haste me to yelden

and assoilen to the the dette of my byheste, and

to schewen and openen the the

15 wey, by whiche wey thou maist comen ayein to thi contre. But

al be it so that the thingis whiche that thou axest

ben ryght profitable to knowe, yit ben thei

divers somwhat fro the path of my purpos; and

it is to douten that thou ne be makid weery

20 by mysweyes, so that thou ne maist nat

suffise to mesuren the ryghte weie."

"Ne doute the therof nothing," quod I; "for

for to knowen thilke thingis togidre, in the

whiche thinges I delite me gretly -- that schal

25 ben to me in stede of reste, syn it nis nat to

douten of the thingis folwynge, whan every syde

of thi disputesoun schal han ben stedfast to me

by undoutous feyth."

"Thanne," seide sche, "that manere wol

30 I don the," and bygan to speken ryght thus:

"Certes," quod sche, "yif any wyght

diffynisse hap in this manere, that is to seyn that

`hap is bytydynge ibrought forth by foolisshe

moevynge and by no knyttynge of causes,' I

35 conferme that hap nis ryght naught in no wise;

and I deme al outrely that hap nis but an idel

voys (as who seith, but an idel word), withouten

any significacioun of thing summitted

to that voys. For what place myght ben

40 left or duellynge to folie and to disordenaunce,

syn that God ledeth and

constreyneth alle thingis by ordre? For this

sentence is verray and soth, that `no thing hath

his beynge of naught,' to the whiche sentence

45 noon of thise oolde folk ne withseide nevere; al

be it so that they ne undirstoden ne meneden it

nat by God, prince and bygynnere of wirkynge,

but thei casten as a maner foundement of subject

material (that is to seyn, of the nature of

50 alle resouns). And yif that any thing is

woxen or comen of no causes, thanne schal

it seme that thilke thing is comen or woxen of

nawght; but yif this ne mai nat ben don, thanne

is it nat possible that hap be any swich thing as

55 I have diffynysschid a litil herebyforn."

"How schal it thanne be?" quod I. "Nys ther

thanne nothing that by right may ben clepid

other hap or elles aventure of fortune; or is ther

awght, al be it so that it is hidd fro the

60 peple, to whiche thing thise wordes ben

covenable?"

"Myn Aristotle," quod sche, "in the book of

his Phisic diffynysseth this thing by schort

resoun, and nyghe to the sothe."

65 "In whiche manere?" quod I.

"As ofte, quod sche, "as men don any thing

for grace of any other thing, and another thing

than thilke thing that men entenden to don

bytideth by some causes, it is clepid hap.

70 Ryght as a man dalf the erthe bycause of

tylyinge of the feld, and founde ther a

gobet of gold bydolven; thanne wenen folk

that it is byfalle by fortunous bytydynge. But

forsothe it nis nat of naught, for it hath his

75 propre causes, of whiche causes the cours unforseyn

and unwar semeth to han makid hap.

For yif the tiliere of the feeld ne dulve nat in the

erthe, and yif the hidere of the gold ne hadde

hyd the gold in thilke place, the gold ne

80 hadde nat ben founde. Thise ben thanne

the causes of the abregginge of fortuit hap,

the whiche abreggynge of fortuit hap cometh of

causes encontrynge and flowynge togidere to

hemself, and nat by the entencioun of the doere.

85 For neither the hidere of the gold ne the delvere

of the feeld ne undirstoden nat that the gold

sholde han ben founde; but, as I seide, it bytidde

and ran togidre that he dalf thare as that oothir

had hid the gold. Now mai I thus diffinysshen

90 hap: hap is an unwar betydinge

of causes assembled in thingis that ben

doon for som oothir thing; but thilke ordre,

procedinge by an uneschuable byndinge togidre,

whiche that descendeth fro the welle of

95 purveaunce that ordeyneth alle thingis in hir

places and in hir tymes, makith that the causes

rennen and assemblen togidre.

Metrum 1

"Tigrys and Eufrates resolven and springen

of o welle in the cragges of the roche of the

contre of Achemenye, ther as the fleinge bataile

ficcheth hir dartes retorned in the breestis

5 of hem that folwen hem. And sone aftir the

same ryverys, Tigris and Eufrates, unjoignen

and departen hir watres. And if thei comen togidre

and ben assemblid and clepid togidre

into o cours, thanne moten thilke thingis

10 fleten togidre whiche that the watir of

the entrechaungynge flood bryngeth. The

schippes and the stokkes araced with the flood

moten assemblen; and the watris imedled

wrappeth or emplieth many fortunel happes

15 or maneris; the whiche wandrynge happes

natheles thilke enclynynge lowenesse of the

erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge

watir governeth. Right so fortune, that semeth

as it fletith with slakid or ungoverned

20 bridles, it suffreth bridelis (that is to seyn,

to ben governed), and passeth by thilke

lawe (that is to seyn, by the devyne ordenaunce)."

Prosa 2

"This undirstonde I wel," quod I, "and I accorde

me that it is ryght as thou seist. But I

axe yif ther be any liberte of fre wille in this

ordre of causes that clyven thus togidre in

5 hemself, or elles I wolde witen yif that the

destinal cheyne constrenith the moevynges of

the corages of men."

"Yis," quod sche, "ther is liberte of fre wil,

ne ther ne was nevere no nature of resoun

10 that it ne hadde liberte of fre wil. For every

thing that may naturely usen resoun,

it hath doom by whiche it discernith and demeth

every thing; thanne knoweth it by itself

thinges that ben to fleen and thinges that ben

15 to desiren. And thilke thing that any wight

demeth to ben desired, that axeth or desireth

he; and fleeth thilke thing that he troweth be

to fleen. Wherfore in alle thingis that resoun

is, in hem also is liberte of willynge and of

20 nillynge. But I ne ordeyne nat (as who

seith, I ne graunte nat) that this liberte be

evenelyk in alle thinges. Forwhy in the sovereynes

devynes substaunces (that is to seyn,

in spiritz) jugement is more cleer, and wil nat

25 icorrumped, and myght redy to speden thinges

that ben desired. But the soules of men moten

nedes be more fre whan thei loken hem in the

speculacioun or lokynge of the devyne thought;

and lasse fre whan thei slyden into the bodyes;

30 and yit lasse fre whan thei ben gadrid

togidre and comprehended in erthli

membres; but the laste servage is whan that

thei ben yeven to vices and han ifalle fro the

possessioun of hir propre resoun. For aftir that

35 thei han cast awey hir eyghen fro the lyght

of the sovereyn sothfastnesse to lowe thingis

and derke, anon thei derken by the cloude of

ignoraunce and ben troubled by felonous talentz;

to the whiche talentz whan thei approchen

40 and assenten, thei helpen and

encrecen the servage whiche thei han

joyned to hemself; and in this manere thei ben

caytifs fro hir propre liberte. The whiche thingis

natheles the lokynge of the devyne purveaunce

45 seth, that alle thingis byholdeth and seeth fro

eterne, and ordeyneth hem everiche in here

merites as thei ben predestinat; and it is seid in

Greke that `alle thinges he seeth and alle thinges

he herith.'

Metrum 2

"Homer with the hony mouth (that is to seyn,

Homer with the swete ditees) singeth that the

sonne is cler by pure light; natheles yit ne

mai it nat, by the infirme light of his bemes,

5 breken or percen the inward entrayles of the

erthe or elles of the see. So ne seth nat God,

makere of the grete werld. To hym, that loketh

alle thinges from an hey, ne withstondeth

no thinges by hevynesse of erthe, ne the

10 nyght ne withstondeth nat to hym by the

blake cloudes. Thilke God seeth in o strok

of thought alle thinges that ben, or weren, or

schollen comen; and thilke God, for he loketh

and seeth alle thingis alone, thou maist seyn

15 that he is the verrai sonne."

Prosa 3

Thanne seide I, "Now am I confowndide by

a more hard doute than I was."

"What doute is that?" quod sche, "for certes I

conjecte now by whiche thingis thou art trubled."

5 "It semeth," quod I, "to repugnen and to

contrarien gretly, that God knoweth byforn alle

thinges and that ther is any fredom of liberte.

For yif so be that God loketh alle thinges

byforn, ne God ne mai nat ben desceyved

10 in no manere, thanne moot it nedes ben that

alle thinges betyden the whiche that the

purveaunce of God hath seyn byforn to comen.

For whiche, yif that God knoweth byforn nat

oonly the werkes of men, but also hir conseilles

15 and hir willes, thanne ne schal ther be no liberte

of arbitrie; ne certes ther ne may be noon

othir dede, ne no wil, but thilke whiche that the

devyne purveaunce, that ne mai nat ben disseyved,

hath felid byforn. For yif that thei

20 myghten writhen awey in othere manere

than thei ben purveyed, thanne ne sholde

ther be no stedefast prescience of thing to

comen, but rather an uncerteyn opynioun; the

whiche thing to trowen of God, I deme it felonye

25 and unleveful.

"Ne I ne proeve nat thilke same resoun (as who

seith, I ne allowe nat, or I ne preyse nat, thilke

same resoun) by whiche that som men wenen

that thei mowe assoilen and unknytten the

30 knotte of this questioun. For certes thei

seyn that thing nis nat to comen for that the

purveaunce of God hath seyn byforn that it is to

comen, but rathir the contrarie; and that is this:

that, for that the thing is to comen, that therfore

35 ne mai it nat ben hidd fro the purveaunce of

God; and in this manere this necessite slideth

ayein into the contrarie partie: ne it ne byhoveth

nat nedes that thinges betiden that ben

ipurveied, but it byhoveth nedes that thinges

40 that ben to comen ben ipurveied -- but as

it were Y travailed (as who seith, that

thilke answere procedith ryght as though men

travaileden or weren besy) to enqueren the

whiche thing is cause of the whiche thing, as

45 whethir the prescience is cause of the necessite

of thinges to comen, or elles that the necessite of

thinges to comen is cause of the purveaunce. But

I ne enforce me nat now to schewen it, that

the bytidynge of thingis iwyst byforn is

50 necessarie, how so or in what manere that

the ordre of causes hath itself; although

that it ne seme naught that the prescience bringe

in necessite of bytydinge to thinges to comen.

"For certes yif that any wyght sitteth, it byhoveth

55 by necessite that the opynioun be soth of

hym that conjecteth that he sitteth. and

ayeinward also is it of the contrarie: yif the

opinioun be soth of any wyght for that he sitteth,

it byhoveth by necessite that he sitte.

60 Thanne is here necessite in the toon and in

the tothir; for in the toon is necessite of

syttynge, and certes in the tothir is necessite of

soth. But therfore ne sitteth nat a wyght for that

the opynioun of the sittynge is soth, but the

65 opinioun is rather soth for that a wyght sitteth

byforn. And thus, althoughe that the cause of the

soth cometh of that other side (as who seith,

that althoughe the cause of soth cometh of the

sittynge, and nat of the trewe opinioun),

70 algatis yit is ther comune necessite in that

oon and in that othir. Thus scheweth it that

Y may make semblable skiles of the purveaunce

of God and of thingis to comen. For althoughe

that for that thingis ben to comen therfore ben

75 thei purveied, and nat certes for thei be purveied

therfore ne bytide thei nat; yit natheles byhoveth

it by necessite that eyther the thinges to comen

ben ipurveied of God, or elles that the thinges

that ben ipurveyed of God betyden. And

80 this thing oonly suffiseth inow to destroien

the fredom of oure arbitre (that is to seyn,

of our fre wil).

"But certes now schewith it wel how fer fro

the sothe and how up-so-doun is this thing that

85 we seyn, that the betydynge of temporel thingis

is cause of the eterne prescience. But for to

wenen that God purveieth the thinges to comen

for thei ben to comen -- what oothir thing is it

but for to wene that thilke thinges that

90 bytidden whilom ben cause of thilke

soverein purveaunce that is in God? And

herto I adde yit this thing: that ryght as whanne

that I woot that a thing is, it byhoveth by

necessite that thilke selve thing be; and eek

95 whan I have knowen that any thing schal

betyden; so byhovith it by necessite that thilke

same thing betide; so folweth it thanne that the

betydynge of the thing iwyste byforn ne may nat

ben eschued. And at the laste, yif that any

100 wyght wene a thing to ben oothir weyes

than it is, it nis nat oonly unscience, but it

is desceyvable opynioun ful divers and fer fro

the sothe of science. Wherfore, yif any thing be

so to comen that the betidynge of it ne be nat

105 certein ne necessarie, who mai witen byforn that

thilke thing is to comen? For ryght as science ne

may nat ben medled with falsnesse (as who

seith, that yif I woot a thing, it ne mai nat

ben fals that I ne woot it), ryght so thilke

110 thing that is conceyved by science ne may

nat ben noon other weies than as it is

conceyved. For that is the cause why that science

wanteth lesynge (as who seith, why that

wytynge ne resceyveth nat lesynge of that it

115 woot); for it byhoveth by necessite that every

thing be ryght as science comprehendeth it

to be.

"What schal I thanne seyn? In whiche manere

knoweth God byforn the thinges to comen,

120 yif thei ne ben nat certein? For yif that he

deme that thei ben to comen uneschewably,

and so may be that it is possible that thei

ne schollen nat comen, God is disseyved. But

not oonly to trowe that God is disseyved, but for

125 to speke it with mouthe, it is a felonous synne.

But yif that God woot that ryght so as thinges

ben to comen, so schollen they comen, so that he

wite egaly (as who seith, indifferently) that

thingis mowen ben doon or elles nat

130 idoon, what is thilke prescience that ne

comprehendeth no certein thing ne stable?

Or elles what difference is ther bytwixe the

prescience and thilke japeworthi devynynge of

Tyresie the divynour, that seide, `Al that I seie,'

135 quod he, `either it schal be or elles it ne schal nat

be?' Or elles how mochel is worth the devyne

prescience more than the opinioun of mankynde,

yif so be that it demeth the thinges

uncertayn, as men doon, of the whiche

140 domes of men the betydinge nis nat

certein? But yif so be that noon uncertein

thing ne mai ben in hym that is right certeyn

welle of alle thingis, than is the betydinge

certein of thilke thingis whiche he hath wist

145 byforn fermely to comen. For whiche it folweth

that the fredom of the conseiles and of the

werkis of mankynde nis noon, syn that the

thought of God, that seeth alle thinges withouten

errour of falsnesse, byndeth and

150 constreyneth hem to o bytidynge by

necessite.

"And yif this thing be oonys igrauntid and

resceyved (that is to seyn, that ther nis no fre

wil), thanne scheweth it wel how gret destruccioun

155 and how gret damages ther folwen of

thingis of mankynde. For in idel ben ther thanne

purposed and byhyght medes to good folk, and

peynes to badde folk, syn that no moevynge of

fre corage and voluntarie ne hath nat

160 disservid hem (that is to seyn, neither

mede ne peyne). And it scholde seme

thanne that thilke thing is alther-worst whiche

that is now demed for alther-moost just

and moost ryghtful, that is to seyn that schrewes ben

165 punysschid or elles that good folk ben

igerdoned, the whiche folk syn that hir propre

wil ne sent hem nat to the toon ne to that othir

(that is to seyn, neither to good ne to harm), but

constreyneth hem certein necessite of

170 thingis to comen. Thanne ne schulle ther

nevere be, ne nevere were, vice ne vertu,

but it scholde rather ben confusion of alle

dissertes medlid withouten discrecioun. And yit

ther folweth anothir inconvenient, of the whiche

175 ther ne mai be thought no more felonous ne

more wikke, and that is this: that, so as the ordre

of thingis is iled and cometh of the purveaunce

of God, ne that nothing is leveful to the

conseiles of mankynde (as who seith that

180 men han no power to don nothing ne wilne

nothing), thanne folweth it that oure vices

ben referrid to the makere of alle good

(as who seith, thanne folweth it that God

oughte han the blame of our vices), syn he

185 constreyneth us by necessite to doon vices.

"Than nis ther no resoun to han hope in God,

ne for to preien to God. For what scholde any

wyght hopen to God, or why scholde he preien

to God, syn that the ordenance of destyne

190 whiche that mai nat ben enclyned knytteth

and streyneth alle thingis that men mai

desiren? Thanne scholde ther be don awey

thilke oonly alliaunce bytwixen God and men

(that is to seyn, to hopen and to preien). But

195 by the pris of ryghtwisnesse and of verray

mekenesse we disserven the gerdon of the

devyne grace whiche that is inestimable (that is

to seyn, that it is so greet that it ne mai nat ben

ful ipreysed). And this is oonly the manere

200 (that is to seyn, hope and preieris) for

whiche it semeth that men mowen spekyn

with God, and by resoun of supplicacion be

conjoyned to thilke cleernesse that nis nat

aprochid no rather or that men byseken it and

205 impetren it. And yif men ne wene nat that hope

ne preieris ne han no strengthis by the necessite

of thingis to comen iresceyved, what thing

is ther thanne by whiche we mowen ben

conjoyned and clyven to thilke sovereyne

210 prince of thingis? For whiche it byhoveth

by necessite that the lynage of mankynde,

as thou songe a litil herebyforn, be departed and

unjoyned from his welle, and failen of his

bygynnynge (that is to seyn, God).

Metrum 3

"What discordable cause hath torent and unjoyned

the byndynge or the alliaunce of thingis

(that is to seyn, the conjunccions of God and

of man)? Whiche god hath establisschid so

5 gret bataile bytwixen these two sothfast or

verreie thinges (that is to seyn, bytwyxen the

purveaunce of God and fre wil) that thei ben

singuler and dyvided, ne that they ne wole

nat ben medled ne couplid togidre? But

10 ther nis no discord to the verray thinges,

but thei clyven alwey certein to hemself;

but the thought of man, confownded and over-throwen

by the derke membres of the body,

ne mai nat be fyr of his derked lookynge (that

15 is to seyn, by the vigour of his insyghte while

the soule is in the body) knowen the thynne

sutile knyttynges of thinges. But wherfore

eschaufeth it so by so gret love to fynden

thilke notes of soth icovered? (That is to

20 seyn, wherfore eschaufeth the thought of

man by so gret desir to knowen thilke notificaciouns

that ben ihid undir the covertures of

soth?) Woot it aught thilke thing that it angwisshous

desireth to knowe? (As who seith,

25 nay; for no man ne travaileth for to witen

thingis that he wot. And therfore the texte

seith thus:) But who travaileth to wite thingis

iknowe? And yif that he ne knoweth hem nat,

what sekith thilke blynde thoght? What is

30 he that desireth any thyng of which he wot

right naught? (As who seith, whoso desireth

any thing, nedes somwhat he knoweth of it,

or elles he ne coude nat desiren it.) Or who may

folwen thinges that ne ben nat iwist? And

35 thoughe that he seke tho thingis, wher schal

he fynde hem? What wyght that is al unkunnynge

and ignoraunt may knowe the forme

that is ifounde? But whanne the soule byholdeth

and seeth the heye thought (that is to

40 seyn, God), thanne knoweth it togidre the

somme and the singularites (that is to seyn,

the principles and everyche by hymself)? But

now, while the soule is hidd in the cloude and

in the derknesse of the membres of the body,

45 it ne hath nat al foryeten itself, but it withholdeth

the somme of thinges and lesith the

singularites. Thanne who so that sekith sothnesse,

he nis in neyther nother habite, for he

not nat al, ne he ne hath nat al foryeten;

50 but yit hym remembreth the somme of

thinges that he withholdeth, and axeth conseile,

and retretith deepliche thinges iseyn byforne

(that is to seyn, the grete somme in his

mynde) so that he mowe adden the parties

55 that he hath foryeten to thilke that he hath

withholden."

Prosa 4

Than seide sche, "This is," quod sche, "the

olde questioun of the purveaunce of God. And

Marcus Tullius, whan he devyded the divynaciouns

(that is to seyn, in his book that he wrot

5 of dyvynaciouns), he moevede gretly this questioun;

and thou thiself hast ysought it mochel

and outrely and longe. But yit ne hath it nat

ben determined ne isped fermely and diligently

of any of yow. And the cause of this dirknesse

10 and of this difficulte is, for that the

moevynge of the resoun of mankynde ne

may nat moeven to (that is to seyn, applien

or joignen to) the simplicite of the devyne prescience;

the whiche symplicite of the devyne

15 prescience, yif that men myghte thinken it

in any manere (that is to seyn, that yif

men myghten thinken and comprehenden the

thinges as God seeth hem), thanne ne scholde

ther duelle outrely no doute. The whiche

20 resoun and cause of difficulte I schal assaye

at the laste to schewe and to speden, whan

I have first ispendid and answerd to the resouns

by whiche thou art ymoeved.

"For I axe whi thou wenest that thilke resoun

25 of hem that assoilen this questioun ne be

nat speedful inow ne sufficient; the whiche solucioun,

or the whiche resoun, for that it demeth

that the prescience nis nat cause of necessite

to thinges to comen, than ne weneth it

30 nat that fredom of wil be distorbed or

ylet be prescience. For ne drawestow nat

argumentz fro elleswhere of the necessite of

thingis to comen (as who seith, any oothir wey

than thus) but that thilke thinges that the

35 prescience woot byforn ne mowen nat unbetyde

(that is to seyn, that thei moten betide)?

But thanne, yif that prescience ne putteth

no necessite to thingis to comen, as thou thiself

hast confessed it and byknowen a litel

40 herebyforn, what cause or what is it (as

who seith, ther may no cause be) by

whiche that the endes voluntarie of thinges

myghten be constreyned to certein bytydynge?

For by grace of posicioun, so that thou mowe the

45 betere undirstonde this that folweth, I pose that

ther ne be no prescience. Thanne axe I," quod

sche, "in as moche as aperteneth to that,

scholden thanne thingis that comen of fre wil

ben constreyned to bytiden by necessite?"

50 Boecius. "Nay," quod I.

"Thanne ayeinward," quod sche, "I

suppose that ther be prescience, but that it ne

putteth no necessite to thingis; thanne trowe I

that thilke selve fredom of wil schal duellen al

55 hool and absolut and unbounden. But thou wolt

seyn that, al be it so that prescience nis nat cause

of the necessite of bytydynge to thingis to

comen, algatis yit it is a signe that the thingis ben

to bytyden by necessite. By this manere

60 thanne, althoughe the prescience ne hadde

nevere iben, yit algate, or at the leste wey,

it is certein thing that the endes and bytydinges

of thingis to comen scholden ben necessarie. For

every signe scheweth and signifieth oonly what

65 the thing is, but it ne makith nat the thing that

it signifieth. For whiche it byhoveth first to

schewen that nothing ne bytideth that it ne

betideth by necessite, so that it mai apiere that

the prescience is signe of this necessite; or

70 elles, yif ther nere no necessite, certes

thilke prescience ne myghte nat ben signe

of thing that nis nat. But certes, it is now certein

that the proeve of this, isusteyned by stedfast

resoun, ne schal nat ben lad ne proeved by

75 signes, ne by argumentz itaken fro withoute, but

by causes covenable and necessarie.

"But thou mayst seyn, `How may it be that the

thingis ne betyden nat that ben ipurveied to

comen? But certes, ryght as we troweden

80 that tho thingis whiche that the purveaunce

woot byforn to comen, ne ben nat to

bytiden!' But that ne scholde we nat demen; but

rathir, althoughe that thei schal betyden, yit ne

have thei no necessite of hir kynde to betyden.

85 And this maystow lyghtly aperceyven by this

that I schal seyn. For we seen many thingis whan

thei ben done byforn oure eyen, ryght as men

seen the cartere worken in the tornynge and in

atemprynge or adressynge of hise cartes or

90 chariottes, and by this manere (as who

seith, maistow undirstonden) of alle othere

werkmen. Is ther thanne any necessite (as who

seith, in our lookynge) that constreynith or

compelleth any of thilke thingis to ben don so?"

95 Boece. "Nay," quod I, "for in idel and in veyn

were al the effect of craft, yif that alle thingis

weren moeved by constreynynge (that is to seyn,

by constreinynge of our eyen or of our sighte)."

Philosophie. "The thingis thanne," quod

100 she, "that, whan men doon hem, ne han no

necessite that men doon hem, eek tho same

thingis, first or thei ben don, thei ben to comen

withoute necessite. Forwhy ther ben some

thingis to betyden, of whiche the eendes and the

105 bytydynges of hem ben absolut and quit of alle

necessite. For certes I ne trowe nat that any man

wolde seyn this: that tho thingis that men don

now, that thei ne weren to bytiden first or thei

weren idoon; and thilke same thinges,

110 althoughe that men hadden iwyst hem

byforn, yit thei han fre bytydynges. For

ryght as science of thingis present ne bryngith in

no necessite to thingis that men doon, right so

the prescience of thinges to comen ne bryngith

115 in no necessite to thinges to bytiden.

"But thou maist seyn that of thilke same it is

idouted, as whethir that of thilke thingis that ne

han noon issues and bytidynges necessaries, yif

therof mai ben any prescience. For certes

120 thei semen to discorden, for thou wenest

that yif that thingis ben iseyn byfore, that

necessite folwith hem; and yif necessite faileth

hem, thei ne myghten nat ben wist byforn; and

that nothing may be comprehended by science

125 but certein. And yif tho thinges that ne han no

certein bytydingis ben ipurveied as certein, it

scholde ben dirknesse of opinioun, nat sothfastnesse

of science. And thou wenest that it be

dyvers fro the holnesse of science that any

130 man scholde deme a thing to ben otherwyse

than it is itself.

"And the cause of this errour is that of alle the

thingis that every wyght hath iknowe,

thei wenen that tho thingis ben iknowe al only by the

135 strengthe and by the nature of the thinges that

ben iwyst or iknowe. And it is al the contrarye;

for al that evere is iknowe, it is rather

comprehendid and knowen, nat aftir his

strengthe and his nature, but aftir the

140 faculte (that is to seyn, the power and the

nature) of hem that knowen. And, for

that this schal mowen schewen by a schort

ensaumple, the same rowndnesse of a body,

otherweys the sighte of the eighe knoweth it,

145 and otherweys the touchynge. The lookynge, by

castynge of his bemys, waiteth and seeth fro afer

al the body togidre, withoute moevynge of

itself; but the touchynge clyveth and conjoyneth

to the rounde body, and moeveth aboute

150 the envyrounynge, and comprehendeth by

parties the roundnesse. And the man

hymself, ootherweys wit byholdeth hym, and

ootherweys ymaginacioun, and otherweyes

resoun, and ootherweies intelligence. For the

155 wit comprehendith withoute-forth the figure of

the body of the man that is establisschid in the

matere subgett; but the ymaginacioun comprehendith

oonly the figure withoute the

matere; resoun surmountith ymaginacioun

160 and comprehendith by an universel lokynge

the comune spece that is in the

singuler peces. But the eighe of intelligence is

heyere, for it surmountith the envyrounynge of

the universite, and loketh over that bi pure

165 subtilte of thought thilke same symple forme of

man that is perdurablely in the devyne thought.

In whiche this oughte gretly to ben considered,

that the heyeste strengthe to comprehenden

thinges enbraseth and contienith the

170 lowere strengthe; but the lower strengthe

ne ariseth nat in no manere to the heyere

strengthe. For wit ne mai no thing comprehende

out of matere ne the ymaginacioun ne loketh nat

the universel speces, ne resoun ne taketh nat the

175 symple forme so as intelligence takith it; but

intelligence, that lookith as aboven, whanne it

hath comprehended the forme, it knowith and

demyth alle the thinges that ben undir that

foorme; but sche knoweth hem in thilke

180 manere in the whiche it comprehendith

thilke same symple forme that ne may

nevere ben knowen to noon of that othere (that

is to seyn, to none of tho thre forseyde strengthis

of the soule). For it knoweth the universite of

185 resoun, and the figure of ymaginacioun, and the

sensible material conceyved by wit; ne it ne

useth nat nor of resoun ne of ymaginacioun ne

of wit withoute-forth; but it byholdeth alle

thingis, so as I schal seie, by o strook of

190 thought formely (withoute discours or

collacioun). Certes resoun, whan it lokith

any thing universel, it ne useth nat of

ymaginacioun, nor of wit; and algatis yit it

comprehendith the thingis ymaginable and

195 sensible. For reson is she that diffynyscheth the

universel of here conceyte ryght thus: man is a

resonable two-foted beest. And how so that this

knowynge is universel, yit nis ther no wyght that

ne wot wel that a man is a thing ymaginable

200 and sensible; and this same considereth wel

resoun; but that nis nat by ymaginacioun

nor by wit, but it lookith it by resonable

concepcioun. Also ymaginacioun, albeit so that

it takith of wit the bygynnynges to seen and to

205 formen the figures, algates althoughe that wit ne

were nat present, yit it envyrowneth and

comprehendith alle thingis sensible, nat by

resoun sensible of demynge, but by resoun

ymaginatyf. Seestow nat thanne that alle

210 the thingis in knowynge usen more of hir

faculte or of hir power than thei don of the

faculte or power of thingis that ben iknowe? Ne

that nis nat wrong; for so as every jugement is

the dede or the doyng of hym that demeth, it

215 byhoveth that every wyght performe the werk

and his entencioun, nat of foreyne power, but of

his propre power.

Metrum 4

"The porche (that is to seyn, a gate of the

toun of Athenis there as philosophris hadden

hir congregacioun to desputen) -- thilke porche

broughte somtyme olde men, ful dirke in hir

5 sentences (that is to seyn, philosophris that

hyghten Stoycienis), that wenden that ymages

and sensibilities (that is to seyn, sensible ymaginaciouns

or ellis ymaginaciouns of sensible

thingis) weren enprientid into soules fro

10 bodyes withoute-forth (as who seith that

thilke Stoycienis wenden that the sowle

had ben nakid of itself, as a mirour or a clene

parchemyn, so that alle figures most first

comen fro thinges fro withoute into soules,

15 and ben emprientid into soules); (Textus)

ryght as we ben wont somtyme by a swift

poyntel to fycchen lettres emprientid in the

smothnesse or in the pleynesse of the table of

wex or in parchemyn that ne hath no figure

20 ne note in it. (Glose. But now argueth

Boece ayens that opynioun and seith

thus:) But yif the thryvynge soule ne unpliteth

nothing (that is to seyn, ne doth nothing) by his

propre moevynges, but suffrith and lith subgit

25 to the figures and to the notes of bodies

withoute-forth, and yeldith ymages ydel and

vein in the manere of a mirour, whennes

thryveth thanne or whennes comith thilke

knowynge in our soule, that discernith and

30 byholdith alle thinges? And whennes is

thilke strengthe that byholdeth the singuler

thinges? Or whennes is the strengthe that

devydeth thinges iknowe; and thilke strengthe

that gadreth togidre the thingis devyded; and

35 the strengthe that chesith his entrechaunged

wey? For somtyme it hevyth up the heved (that

is to seyn, that it hevyth up the entencioun) to

ryght heye thinges, and somtyme it descendith

into ryght lowe thinges; and whan

40 it retorneth into hymself it reproveth and

destroyeth the false thingis by the trewe

thinges. Certes this strengthe is cause more

efficient, and mochel more myghty to seen and

to knowe thinges, than thilke cause that suffrith

45 and resceyveth the notes and the figures

empressid in manere of matere. Algatis the

passion (that is to seyn, the suffraunce or the wit)

in the quyke body goth byforn, excitynge and

moevynge the strengthes of the thought,

50 ryght so as whan that cleernesse smyteth

the eyen and moeveth hem to seen, or

ryght so as voys or soun hurteleth to the eres

and commoeveth hem to herkne; than is the

strengthe of the thought imoevid and excited,

55 and clepith forth to semblable moevyngis the

speces that it halt withynne itself, and addith

tho speces to the notes and to the thinges

withoute-forth, and medleth the ymagis of

thinges withoute-forth to the foormes ihidd

60 withynne hymself.

Prosa 5

"But what yif that in bodyes to ben feled

(that is to seyn, in the takynge of knowlechynge

of bodily thinges), and albeit so that the

qualites of bodies that ben object fro withoute-forth

5 moeven and entalenten the instrumentz

of the wittes, and albeit so that the passioun

of the body (that is to seyn, the wit or the suffraunce)

goth toforn the strengthe of the wirkynge

corage, the whiche passioun or

10 sufraunce clepith forth the dede of the

thought in hymself and moeveth and exciteth

in this menewhile the formes that resten

within-forth, and yif that in sensible bodies,

as I have seid, our corage nis nat ytaught or

15 empriented by passioun to knowe thise thinges,

but demeth and knoweth of his owne strengthe

the passioun or suffrance subject to the body --

moche more than tho thingis that ben absolut

and quit fro alle talentz or affecciouns of

20 bodyes (as God or his aungelis) ne folwen

nat in discernynge thinges object fro withoute-forth,

but thei acomplissen and speden

the dede of hir thought. By this resoun,

thanne, ther comen many maner knowynges to

25 dyverse and differynge substaunces. For the

wit of the body, the whiche wit is naked and

despoiled of alle oothre knowynges -- thilke

wit cometh to beestis that ne mowen nat

moeven hemself her and ther, as oistres

30 and muscles and oothir swich schellefyssche

of the see that clyven and ben norisschid

to roches. But the ymaginacioun cometh

to remuable bestis, that semen to han talent to

fleen or to desiren any thing. But resoun is al

35 oonly to the lynage of mankynde, ryght as

intelligence is oonly the devyne nature. Of

whiche it folweth that thilke knowynge is more

worth than thise oothre, syn it knoweth by his

propre nature nat oonly his subget (as who

40 seith, it ne knoweth nat al oonly that apertenith

properly to his knowinge) but it knoweth

the subjectz of alle othre knowynges.

"But how schal it thanne be, yif that wit and

ymaginacioun stryven ayein resonynge and seyn

45 that, of thilke universel thingis that resoun

weneth to seen, that it nis ryght naught? For wit

and ymaginacioun seyn that that that is sensible

or ymaginable, it ne mai nat ben universel;

thanne is either the jugement of resoun

50 soth, ne that ther nis no thing sensible; or

elles, for that resoun woot wel that many

thinges ben subject to wit and to ymaginacioun,

thanne is the concepcioun of resoun veyn and

fals, whiche that lokith and comprehendith that

55 that is sensible and singuler as universel. And yif

that resoun wolde answere ayein to thise two

(that is to seyn, to wit and to ymaginacioun),

and seyn that sothly sche hirselve (that is to

seyn, resoun) lokith and comprehendith,

60 by resoun of universalite, bothe that that is

sensible and that that is ymaginable;

and that thilke two (that is to seyn, wit and

ymaginacioun) ne mowen nat strecchen ne

enhaunsen hemself to knowynge of universalite,

65 for that the knowynge of hem ne mai exceden ne

surmounten the bodily figures: certes of the

knowynge of thinges, men oughten rather yeven

credence to the more stidfast and to the mor

parfit jugement; in this manere stryvynge,

70 thanne, we that han strengthe of resonynge

and of ymagynynge and of wit (that is to

seyn, by resoun and by imagynacioun and by

wit), we scholde rathir preise the cause of resoun

(as who seith, than the cause of wit and of

75 ymaginacioun).

"Semblable thing is it, that the resoun of

mankynde ne weneth nat that the devyne

intelligence byholdeth or knoweth thingis to

comen, but ryght as the resoun of

80 mankynde knoweth hem. For thou arguist

and seist thus: that if it ne seme nat to men

that some thingis han certeyn and necessarie

bytydynges, thei ne mowen nat ben wist byforn

certeinly to betyden, and thanne nis ther no

85 prescience of thilke thinges; and yif we trowe

that prescience be in thise thingis, thanne is ther

nothing that it ne bytydeth by necessite. But

certes yif we myghten han the jugement of

the devyne thoght, as we ben parsoners of

90 resoun, ryght so as we han demyd that it

byhovith that ymaginacioun and wit ben

bynethe resoun, ryght so wolde we demen that

it were ryghtfull thing that mannys resoun

oughte to summytten itself and to ben bynethe

95 the devyne thought. For whiche yif that we

mowen (as who seith that, if that we mowen,

I conseile that) we enhaunse us into the heighte

of thilke soverein intelligence; for ther schal

resoun wel seen that that it ne mai nat

100 byholden in itself, and certes that is this:

in what manere the prescience of God

seeth alle thinges certeins and diffinyssched,

althoughe thei ne han no certein issues or

bytydyngis; ne this nis noon opinioun, but it is

105 rather the simplicite of the soverein science,

that nis nat enclosed nor ischet withinne none

boundes.

Metrum 5

"The beestes passen by the erthes be ful

diverse figures. For some of hem han hir bodyes

straught, and crepyn in the dust, and drawen

aftir hem a traas or a furwe icontynued (that

5 is to sein, as naddres or snakes); and oothre

beestis by the wandrynge lyghtnesse of hir

wynges beten the wyndes, and overswymmen

the spaces of the longe eir by moyst fleynge;

and oothere beestes gladen hemself to diggen

10 hir traas or hir steppys in the erthe

with hir goinges or with hir feet, and to

gon either by the grene feeldes or elles to

walken undir the wodes. And al be it so that

thou seest that thei alle discorden by diverse

15 foormes, algatis hir faces enclyned hevyeth hir

dulle wittes. Only the lynage of man heveth

heyest his heie heved, and stondith light with

his upryght body, and byholdeth the erthes

undir hym. And, but yif thou, erthly man,

20 waxest yvel out of thi wit, this figure

amonesteth the, that axest the hevene with

thi ryghte visage and hast areised thi forheved,

to beren up an hye thi corage, so that thi thought

ne be nat ihevyed ne put lowe undir fote, syn

25 that thi body is so heyghe areysed.

Prosa 6

"Therfore thanne, as I have schewed a litel

herebyforne that alle thing that is iwist nis nat

knowen by his nature propre, but by the nature

of hem that comprehenden it, lat us loke

5 now, in as mochil as it is leveful to us (as who

seith, lat us loke now as we mowen) whiche that

the estat is of the devyne substaunce; so that

we mowe eek knowen what his science is. The

comune jugement of alle creatures resonables

10 thanne is this: that God is eterne.

Lat us considere thanne what is eternite;

for certes that schal schewen us togidre the

devyne nature and the devyne science. Eternite,

thanne, is parfit possessioun and al togidre

15 of lif interminable; and that scheweth. more

cleerly by the comparysoun or collacioun of

temporel thinges. For alle thing that lyveth in

tyme, it is present and procedith fro preteritz

into futures (that is to seyn, fro tyme passed

20 into tyme comynge), ne ther nis nothing

establisshed in tyme that mai enbrasen togidre

al the space of his lif. For certis yit ne

hath it nat taken the tyme of tomorwe, and it

hath lost that of yusterday, and certes in the

25 lif of this dai ye ne lyve namore but right

as in this moevable and transitorie moment.

Thanne thilke thing that suffreth temporel condicioun,

althoughe that it nevere bygan to

be, ne thoughe it nevere ne cese for to be,

30 as Aristotile deemed of the world, and

althoughe that the lif of it be strecchid with

infinite of tyme; yit algatis nis it no swich thing

that men mighten trowen by ryght that it is

eterne. For althouhe that it comprehende and

35 embrase the space of lif infinit, yit algatis ne

enbraseth it nat the space of the lif al togidre; for

it ne hath nat the futuris (that ne ben nat yit),

ne it ne hath no lengere the preteritz (that

ben idoon or ipassed). But thilke thing,

40 thanne, that hath and comprehendith

togidre al the plente of the lif interminable,

to whom ther ne faileth naught of the future, and

to whom ther nis noght of the preteryt escaped

nor ipassed, thilke same is iwitnessed and

45 iproevid by right to ben eterne; and it byhovith

by necessite that thilke thing be alwey present to

hymself and compotent (as who seith, alwey

present to hymselve and so myghty that al be

right at his plesaunce), and that he have al

50 present the infinit of the moevable tyme.

"Wherfore som men trowen wrongfully

that, whan thei heren that it semede to Plato that

this world ne hadde nevere bygynnynge of

tyme, ne that it nevere schal han failynge, thei

55 wenen in this manere that this world be makid

coeterne with his makere. (As who seith, thei

wene that this world and God ben makid

togidre eterne, and that is a wrongful wenynge.)

For other thing is it to ben ilad

60 by lif interminable, as Plato grauntide to

the world, and oothir is it to enbrace

togidre al the presence of the lif intermynable,

the whiche thing it is cleer and manyfest that it

is propre to the devyne thought. Ne it ne

65 scholde nat semen to us that God is eldere than

thinges that ben imaked by quantite of tyme, but

rathir by the proprete of his simple nature. For

this ilke infinit moevyng of temporel thinges

folweth this presentarie estat of the lif

70 inmoevable; and, so as it ne mai nat

contrefetin it ne feynen it, ne be evene lik

to it, [fro] the immoevablete (that is to sein, that

is in the eternite of God) it faileth and fallith into

moevynge, [and] fro the simplicite of the

75 presence of [God] disencresith into the infinit

quantite of future and of preterit; and so as it ne

mai nat han togidre al the plente of the lif,

algates yit, for as moche as it ne ceseth nevere for

to ben in som manere, it semyth somdel to

80 us that it folwith and resembleth thilke

thing that it ne mai nat atayne to ne

fulfillen, and byndeth itself to som maner

presence of this litle and swift moment, the

whiche presence of this litle and swifte moment,

85 for that it bereth a maner ymage or liknesse of

the ai duellynge presence of God, it grauntith to

swich manere thinges as it betydith to that it

semeth hem that thise thinges han iben and ben.

And for that the presence of swiche litil

90 moment ne mai nat duelle, therfore it

ravysschide and took the infynit wey of

tyme (that is to seyn, by successioun). And by

this manere is it idoon for that it sholde contynue

the lif in goinge, of the whiche lif it ne myght nat

95 enbrace the plente in duellinge. And forthi yif

we wollen putten worthi names to thinges and

folwen Plato, lat us seyen thanne sothly that God

is `eterne,' and that the world is `perpetuel.'

"Thanne, syn that every jugement knoweth

100 and comprehendith by his owne nature

thinges that ben subgect unto hym,

ther is sothly to God alweys an eterne

and presentarie estat; and the science of hym, that

overpasseth alle temporel moevement, duelleth

105 in the simplicite of his presence, and embraceth

and considereth alle the infynit spaces of tymes

preteritz and futures, and lokith in his simple

knowynge alle thinges of preterit ryght as thei

weren idoon presently ryght now. Yif

110 thou wolt thanne thinken and avise the

prescience by whiche it knoweth alle

thinges, thou ne schalt naught demen it as

prescience of thinges to comen, but thou schalt

demen more ryghtfully that it is science of

115 presence or of instaunce that nevere ne faileth.

For whiche it nis nat ycleped `previdence,' but it

sholde rathir ben clepid `purveaunce,' that is

establisshed ful fer fro ryght lowe thinges, and

byholdeth fro afer alle thingis, right as it

120 were fro the heye heighte of thinges.

"Why axestow thanne, or whi desputestow

thanne, that thilke thingis ben doon

by necessite whiche that ben yseyn and knowen

by the devyne sighte, syn that forsothe men ne

125 maken nat thilke thinges necessarie whiche that

thei seen ben idoon in hir sighte? For addith thi

byholdynge any necessite to thilke thinges that

thou byholdest present?"

"Nay," quod I.

130 Philosophie. "Certes, thanne, yif men

myghte maken any digne comparysoun or

collacioun of the presence devyne and of the

presence of mankynde, ryght so as ye seen some

thinges in this temporel present, ryght so seeth

135 God alle thinges by his eterne present.

"Wherfore this devyne prescience ne chaungeth

nat the nature ne the proprete of thinges,

but byholdeth swiche thingis present to hym-ward

as thei shollen betyde to yow-ward

140 in tyme to comen. Ne it ne confowndeth

nat the jugementz of thingis; but by o

sight of his thought he knoweth the thinges

to comen, as wel necessarie as nat necessarie.

Ryght so as whan ye seen togidre a man walke

145 on the erthe and the sonne arisen in the

hevene, albeit so that ye seen and byholden the

ton and the tothir togidre, yit natheles ye demen

and discerne that the toon is voluntarie

and the tothir is necessarie. Ryght so

150 thanne the devyne lookynge, byholdynge

alle thinges undir hym, ne trowbleth nat

the qualite of thinges that ben certeinly present

to hym-ward but, as to the condicioun of tyme,

forsothe thei ben futur. For which it folwith that

155 this nis noon opynioun, but rathir a stidfast

knowynge istrengthid by soothnesse that, whan

that God knoweth any thing to be, he ne unwot

not that thilke thing wantith necessite to be.

(This is to sein that whan that God knoweth

160 any thing to betide, he wot wel that it ne

hath no necessite to betyde.)

"And yif thou seist here that thilke thing that

God seeth to betide, it ne may nat unbytide (as

who seith, it moot bytide), and thilke thing that

165 ne mai nat unbytide, it mot bytiden by necessite,

and that thou streyne me to this name of

necessite, certes I wol wel confessen and

byknowen a thing of ful sad trouthe. But

unnethe schal ther any wight mowe seen it

170 or come therto, but yif that he be

byholdere of the devyne thought. For I wol

answeren the thus: that thilke thing that is futur,

whan it is referred to the devyne knowynge,

than is it necessarie; but certis whan it is

175 undirstonden in his owene kynde, men seen it

outrely fre and absolut fro alle necessite.

"For certes ther ben two maneris of

necessites: that oon necessite is symple, as thus:

that it byhovith by necessite that alle men

180 ben mortal or dedly; anothir necessite is

condicionel, as thus: yif thow wost that a

man walketh, it byhovith by necessite that he

walke. Thilke thing, thanne, that any wight hath

iknowe to be, it ne mai ben noon oothir weys

185 thanne he knowith it to be. But this condicion ne

draweth nat with hir thilke necessite simple; for

certes this necessite condicionel -- the propre

nature of it ne makith it nat, but the adjeccioun

of the condicioun makith it. For no necessite

190 ne constreyneth a man to gon that

goth by his propre wil, al be it so that whan

he goth that it is necessarie that he goth. Ryght

on this same manere thanne, yf that the

purveaunce of God seeth any thyng present,

195 than moot thilke thing ben by necessite,

althoghe that it ne have no necessite of his owne

nature. But certes the futures that bytiden by

fredom of arbitrie, God seth hem alle togidre

presentz. Thise thinges thanne, yif thei ben

200 referrid to the devyne sighte, than ben they

maked necessarie by the condicioun of the

devyne knowynge. But certes yif thilke thingis

ben considered by hemself, thei ben absolut of

necessite, and ne forleten nat ne cesen nat of

205 the liberte of hir owne nature. Thanne certes

withoute doute alle the thinges shollen ben

doon whiche that God woot byforn that thei ben

to comen. But some of hem comen and bytiden

of fre arbitrie or of fre wil, that, al be it so

210 that thei bytiden, yit algates ne lese thei nat

hir propre nature in beinge, by the whiche,

first or that thei weren idon, thei hadden power

noght to han bytyd."

Boece. "What is this to seyn thanne," quod I,

215 "that thinges ne ben nat necessarie by hir propre

nature, so as thei comen in alle maneris in the

liknesse of necessite by the condicioun of the

devyne science?"

Philosophie. "This is the difference,"

220 quod sche, "that tho thinges that I purposide

the a litil herbyforn -- that is to seyn,

the sonne arysynge and the man walkynge --

that ther-whiles that thilke thinges ben idoon,

they ne myghte nat ben undoon; natheles that

225 oon of hem, or it was idoon, it byhovide by

necessite that it was idoon, but nat that oothir.

Ryght so is it here, that the thinges that God

hath present, withoute doute thei shollen ben.

But some of hem descendith of the nature

230 of thinges (as the sonne arysynge); and

some descendith of the power of the doeris

(as the man walkynge). Thanne seide I no wrong

that, yif that thise thinges ben referred to the

devyne knowynge, thanne ben thei necessarie;

235 and yif thei ben considered by hemself, than ben

thei absolut fro the boond of necessite. Right so

as alle thingis that apiereth or scheweth to the

wittes, yif thou referre it to resoun, it is

universel; and yif thou loke it or referre it

240 to itself, than is it singuler.

"But now yif thou seist thus: that, `If it be

in my power to chaunge my purpos, than schal

I voiden the purveaunce of God, whan paraventure

I schal han chaungid the thingis that

245 he knoweth byforn,' thanne schal I answeren

the thus: `Certes thou maist wel chaungen thi

purpos; but for as mochil as the present

sothnesse of the devyne purveaunce byholdeth

that thou maist chaunge thi purpos, and

250 whethir thou wolt chaunge it or no, and

whider-ward that thou torne it, thou ne

maist nat eschuen the devyne prescience, ryght

as thou ne maist nat fleen the sighte of the

present eye, althoghe that thou torne thiself by

255 thi fre wil into diverse acciouns.' But thou maist

sein ayein: `How schal it thanne be -- schal nat

the devyne science ben chaunged by my

disposicioun whan that I wol o thing now and

now anothir? And thilke prescience -- ne

260 semeth it nat to entrechaunge stoundis of

knowynge?'" (As who seith, ne schal it nat

seme to us that the devyne prescience entrechaungith

hise diverse stoundes of knowynge,

so that it knowe somtyme o thing, and somtyme

265 the contrarie?)

"No, forsothe," quod she, "for the devyne

sighte renneth toforn and seeth alle futures, and

clepith hem ayen and retorneth hem to the

presence of his propre knowynge; ne he ne

270 entrechaungith nat, so as thou wenest, the

stoundes of foreknowynge, as now this,

now that; but he ay duellynge cometh byforn,

and enbraseth at o strook alle thi mutaciouns.

And this presence to comprehenden and to seen

275 alle thingis -- God ne hath nat taken it of the

bytidynge of thinges to come, but of his propre

symplicite. And herby is assoiled thilke thing

that thou puttest a litel herebyforn; that is to

seyn, that it is unworthy thing to seyn that

280 our futures yeven cause of the science of

God. For certis this strengthe of the devyne

science, whiche that embraseth alle thinges by

his presentarie knowynge, establissheth manere

to alle thinges, and it ne oweth nawht to lattere

285 thinges.

"And syn that thise thinges ben thus (that is

to seyn, syn that necessite nis nat in thinges by

the devyne prescience), thanne is ther fredom of

arbitrie, that duelleth hool and unwemmed

290 to mortal men; ne the lawes ne purposen

nat wikkidly medes and peynes to the

willynges of men that ben unbownden and quyt

of alle necessite; and God, byholdere and

forwytere of alle thingis, duelleth above, and the

295 present eternite of his sighte renneth alwey with

the diverse qualite of our dedes, dispensynge

and ordeynynge medes to gode men and

tormentz to wikkide men. Ne in ydel ne in veyn

ne ben ther put in God hope and preyeris

300 that ne mowen nat ben unspedful ne

withouten effect whan they been ryghtful.

"Withstond thanne and eschue thou vices;

worschipe and love thou vertues; areise thi

corage to ryghtful hopes; yilde thou humble

305 preieres an heyhe. Gret necessite of prowesse

and vertu is encharged and comaunded to yow,

yif ye nil nat dissimulen; syn that ye worken and

don (that is to seyn, your dedes or your werkes)

byforn the eyen of the juge that seeth and

310 demeth alle thinges."

Explicit liber Boecii.