Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae :: :: University of Virginia Library

Boethius: De Consolatione Philosophiae

Translated by John Walton ... Edited with introduction, notes and glossary by Mark Science

Walton, John

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INCIPIT PROLOGUS EIUSDEM SUPER LIBRUM BOECIJ

INCIPIT LIBER BOECIJ DE CONSOLACIONE PHILOSOPHIE

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125

INCIPIT LIBER TERCIUS

Prosa ja

1.

And whan sche had[de] endid þus hire song,
It was so swete and lusty for to here,
Þat euene into my herte rote it throng
So þat I was astooned of my chere.
And after þan I seide in þis manere:
“Oo soueraigne solace of hertes þus distressed,
Youre sentence and ȝoure songes boþe infere
Ful hugely my langour haþ repressed.

2.

In so ferforth þat now, as semeth me,
I haue i-nogh of st[r]eng[th]e and suffisaunce
As peregal to alle aduersitee.
Þat fortune may me smyten wiþ greuaunce,
Full redy am I with lawly obeysaunce.
Youre cures whiche ȝe callen scharpe and kene,
I drede hem noght, but ȝit at youre plesaunce
I schal receyue hem, what-þat-euer þei bene.”

3.

‘This feled I wel,’ quod sche, ‘what tyme þat þow
My wordes hard[est] so ententyfly;
Þe habyt of þy mynde behalde I how
Was sadly set þerto þe wiche þat I

126

Enformed had[de] pleyn and perfightly.
But þat I schal þe schewe forthermore
As in þe tastynge byteþ egerly,
But ȝit resayue it, and I am þerfore

4.

Thow schalt it fynde ful deliciouse,
And replenysched full of lustynesse.
Bot for þou seist þat þou art couetouse
This mater for to here more expresse,
If þat þou wist[e] what my purpose esse,
And wheder þat I thynke þe to lede,
For gret desire þou schuldest, as I gesse,
In all thyn herte glowen as a glede.’

5.

“Ow!” seide I then, “wheder may þat be?”
‘Now listen,’ quod sche, ‘and I schal þe lere
Vnto þat verrey hyhe felicite
Of wiche þi soule dremeth as it were.
But while þi soule wiþ erþely þing[es] here
Es set in such ymaginacioun,
Thi gostely syght ne may not stonden clere
Vnto þat blisful contemplacioun.’

6.

“I pray ȝow,” quod I, “seith me what it es.”
‘And for þi loue,’ sche seide, ‘I schal full feyn.
But firste þe cause of fals[e] welfulnes
I schal þe schewe and make it to þe pleyne;

127

And when þat þou thise false goodes hast seyne
Ful perfytly, þan schalt þow know and see,
Be turnyng on þat oþer side ageyne,
The verray myrour of felicite.’

Metrum jm

Qui Serere ingen[u]um.

1.

For who þat casteþ for to sawe his cornes,
Firste moste he nedes clensen euerydele
His feldes fro þe busshes and þe þornes.
Þan schal his labour ben effectuele,
And so his cornes growen wonder wele,
To h[euy] eres ripen atte laste.
And hony is þe swetter for to fele
To hym þat haþ som bitter þing in taaste.

2.

The sterres also schynen more bright
When rayne blastes passed ben þaire waye:
When Lucifer hath dr[yu]en away þe nyght,
[Than] after þat þe clerrer is þe day.
Of þe also þe same schal I say;
When erthely lust is put out of þi þoght,
The verray light of trowþe, it is no nay,
May be ful sone in-to thy mynde i-broght.

128

Prosa ija

Tum defixo.

1.

And þan awhile sche caste hire sight to grounde,
And as it were sche drewe hire wittes nere;
And after þat wiþ-ynne a litell stounde
Sche gan to speke and seide on þis manere:
“The cure of all þise mortall [folkes] here,
Be many-fold of dyuerse excercise,
As dyuers wittes may þaire hertes steere,
Procediþ forþ in many dyuerse wise.

2.

But all þis cure and all þis besynesse
Vnto ane ende enforceþ to atteyne,
Þat is, to come vnto þe wilfulnesse
Þe wiche is g[o]od; and sothely for to seyne,
He þat may it acheuen in certeyne,
None oþer good coueiteþ he to wynne,
Forwhy hym-self þat good is souereyne,
All oþer good con[teyneth] him wiþynne.

3.

And in þis good if þat þer lakkeþ oght
Þe wiche wiþoute it mighte desired be,
It semeth wel þat souereyn was it noght,
Ne parfyt good as euery man may see.
Than sueth it þat þis felicite,
As for to make a diffinicioun:

129

It is the estat in perfyt assemble
Of all[e] good[es] gedered into one.

4.

So þis estat in many diuerse wise,
All mortall folk enforcen hem to wynne,
Forwhy þere is a kyndely couetise
Of verray good a mannys wit wiþynne.
But wrecched errour drawyng vnto synne,
To fals[e] good awayward doth hem lede.
For some supposen þat verray good begynne
Of worldly thyng to be wiþouten nede,

5.

And þise alway trauaile to be riche.
And some supposen þat verray good be þat
To ben onered oþer men vnliche,
And þai enforcen to þat same algat.
And some supposen þat in hyhe estat
Schuld souereyn good be founden verrailye,
And þise enforcen for to be þere-at,
For to be lordes or to lordes nyhe.

6.

And some supposen eke, it is no fayle,
Þat souereyn good is re[n]oun as I gesse;
And þey be art of pees or of bataille
Purchesen hem a name of worthynesse.
And many ben þat myrþe and gladsumnesse
This souereyn good supposen þat it be,

130

And þise enforcen hem to lustynesse
To lede þaire lyues all in iolite.

7.

And som wil enterchaungen as it were
Boþe cause and ende, for some wolde riche be
For to acheuen hi[gh] estates here
Or lyuen in voluptuosite.
And some coueiten after dignite
Because of richesse or of hye renoun.
Thus diuerse folk[es], eche in his degre,
Dyuerse maken theire entencioun:

8.

As nobl[en]esse and fauor, as it semeth,
It makeþ men renoune[d] worthily;
And wyf and children, as som other demeth,
Schulde make men to lyuen merily.
But for to ben well frended certanly
A wonder holy þing in kynde it esse,
Pertenyng noght to fortune vtterly,
Bot vnto vertu holy as I gesse.

9.

The cause of [all] þe remenant, as we trowen,
Is myght or fleschly dilectacioun.
Bot goodes of þe body as we knowen
To þise forseide haue relacioun;
For strengthe and largesse of proporcioun
Ben like to cause worþinesse or myght;

131

Beaute and swiftnesse causeþ eek renoun,
And helthe delyt, þis woot wel euery wight.

10.

And in all thise noght elles is required
Bot o þing whiche is verrey blisfulnesse;
For what þing þat is principally desired,
Thou wilt it deme þat souereyn good it is;
But sith we haue diffyned here or this
Þat souereyn good is þis felicite,
Than þat estate he demeþ for his blis
Whiche principally and most desireþ he.

11.

Now hast þou set before thyn eyȝen here
The forme of wilfulnesse of man wel nyhe:
Richesse, honour, fame, lust and powere
W[hiche] Epicurus wel beheld and syhe;
And he devised in his fantasye
Þat lust schulde be þe souereygne good of kynde.
All other þing, hym semed certanly,
Bereueth reste and myrþe of mannys mynde.

12.

But I retorne to besynesse of man
W[hiche] all þaire labour setten here vpon,
Wiþ suche blynde wittes as þei can,
O souereigne good þei seken euerychone.
Bot as a dronken man þat goth allone,
He can noght fynde a redy way ne path

132

Homward to his owne hous to gone,
So blynde beeth þe wittes þat he haþ.

13.

Tho þat enforcen for to nede noght,
[Now] trowest þou þat þei erre as semeth þe?
In soth þere is noþing þat may be þoght
Þat so performen may felicite,
As may þe estate of alle good plente:
Of foreyn þing to nede noght at all,
But in itself to haue sussisante
Of alle good, to speke in generall.

14.

And firthermore what seist þow? Erren þay
Þat suche a þing acounten honorable
The wiche is souereigne good? Forsothe nay.
For suche a þing may noght be repreuable,
Þat to all mortall folk is desirable,
Wherto is sette all þeire entencioun.
And also power it is comendable;
It is full good, it is no questioun.

15.

How schulde might fro suche a þing be revyd,
The whiche of alle þing is worthieste?
And noble renoun schulde it be repreued,
Þat is a þing so worthy and honeste,
Sith þing þat is most excellent and beste
Most nede be worschipfull and reuerent?
For euery wight to wynne it is full preste,
Þerto trauaillynge with theire hole entent.

133

16.

Bot for to speke of angir or distresse,
Of sorwe, mournyng, anguische or of payne;
Suche þinges mow noght been in blisfulnesse,
Þerfore of suche it nedeth noght to sayne.
For in full litell þinges men be fayne
To haue and vse þat may þem do solace,
And only þis to hauen in certayne,
All worldly folk enforsen to purchace.

17.

And for þis cause desire þei habundaunce
As lordschipe, fame, deli[c]e and dignite,
Therby to wynne and haue suffisaunce
Of honour, renoun, myght, and glad to be.
Than is it good, as euery man may see,
Þat men so faste seche in suche a wise,
And so trauailleþ eche in his degree
To wynne[n] [it] as þei can best devise.

18.

In whiche desire apereþ openly
How gret, how mighti is þe strengþe of kynde,
Sith al[so] be it þat full dyuersly
Descordeth lo þe sentence of thei[re] [my]nde,
[Yit] alle thise consenten at one ende
As for to loue a þing þat semeþ beste,
For here-to nature doþ þaire hertes tende;
Till þis be had þey may not be in reste.

134

Metrum ijm

Quantas rerum flectat habenas.

1.

Hit lust to schewen be subtile song,
And be þe sown of delectable strenges,
How nature þat full myghty is and strong
Attempreþ the gouernement of thynges;
This wide worlde wiþ all his varyenges
So by here lawes kepeth and susteyneth,
And be bondes þat hauen no lowsynges
Full sikerly sche byndeþ and constreyneth.

2.

For though þe leoun[s] of þat strange lond
Þat hight Pene þe faire chaynes were,
And taken me[t]e be gifte of mannys hond,
And of theire sturdy maistres hauen feere
Of whom þei ofte stiffe strokes bere,
And softely þei suffre to be bete,
Yit be þei ones laused of þat gere,
Theire olde corage will þei noght forȝete.

3.

For ȝif þe hote blood of any best
Theire foule mouthes haue maked rede,
Theire hyhe corage þat longe haþ ben areest,
It will repayren vnto cruell-hede.

135

He casteþ þan his chaynes ouer hede
And roreth, faste remembrynge as it were,
His maister ferst of whom he was adrede.
With blody teeth þan wil he al to-tere.

4.

The bryd þat syngeþ on þe braunche on hye,
If he be closed in [a] cage of tree,
And lusty folk hym seruen besily
With metes þat full swete and lusty be,
If he may ones skyþ out and be fre,
Hys lusty mete he casteth vnderfote,
And to þe wode ful faste sekiþ he
And croweþ wiþ a wonder lusty note.

5.

A yerde wiche þat growen is in lengþe,
With mannys hond i-bowed to þe grounde,
If þat þe hond remitteþ of his strengþe,
Þe cropp full sone will vp aȝeyn rebounde.
And when þe sonne is, passed dayes stounde,
So vndergone þe wawes of the west,
Full sone he hath a priue path i-founde,
And in þe morne ariseþ in þe este,

6.

And so the day begynneþ aȝeyn to sprynge.
Thus euery thyng reioyeth in his kynde,

136

Theire olde recourse ayeinward for to brynge,
And besily to turnen and to wende.
Be thyse we schull conceyuen in oure mynde
Þat alle þinges moste þeire ordre sewe,
And þe begynnyng ioynen to þe ende
To knetten of hem-self a cercle trewe.

Prosa iija

Vos quoque terrena animalia homines.

1.

Bot O ȝe erþely bestes, as me semeth,
With a full thyn ymaginacioun,
Of ȝoure begynnyng as it were ȝe dremeth,
I-led be naturel entencioun,
And haue a maner blynd inspeccioun
As of þe verrey ende of blisfulnesse;
But errour of youre false affeccioun
With-draweth ȝow to verrey wrecchidnesse.

2.

Beholde and see now if it may be so,
Wheþer men atteyne may in suche a [wyse]
Vnto þat ende þat nature stireþ hem to
Of blisfulnesse, so as theym-self devise.
If so is þat þeire nyse couetise
Of mon[y], honour, or suche other þing,
May make hem fully to þeym-self suffise
Þat no good lakke as vnto þaire likyng,

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3.

And then be þis wyle I graunt and seyn
Þat suche men mowe lyuen lustely.
But þan eft on þat oþer side ageyn,
If þay may noght performen verely
All þat þei haue behight hem vtterly,
Bot many goodes lakken þat þey mysse,
Wil it noght þenne apperen plenerly
As a full fals colour of blisfulnesse?

4.

Bot first of the I aske þis demaund,
As þou þat were not ȝit full longe agone
In worldly [w]elþe[s] fully habundaund:
Where þou amonge þ[y] welthes euerychone,
As in thy corage neuer feltest none
Distresse or anguysch no tyme in þy mynde?’
“Certayn,” quod I, “þat can I thenk vpon.
In þat estat couþe I me neuere fynde

5.

Þat I nas all-wey somwhat in distresse.”
‘And was not,’ quod sche, ‘þis þe cause why,
Þat somwhat lakked the, as dedest þou gesse,
Whiche þou wolde fayn haue had it presently;
And som þing eek þou haddest hardely
Whiche þat ful fayne þou woldest haue forgone?’

138

“Right as ȝe sayn, right so it is,” quod I.
‘Thow wilned,’ quod sche, ‘presence of þat one

6.

And so þe absence of þat oþer þan?’
Quod I, “Y graunt I cannot go þerfro.”
‘Now þan,’ quod sche, ‘nedeþ euery man
Þe same þing þat he desireþ to.’
“Full soþe it is,” quod I, “hym nedeth so.”
‘Now then,’ quod sche, ‘he þat nedeth oght
He ne is noght suffisaunt?’ I seyde, “No,
As to hym-seluen he sufficeþ noght.”

7.

‘When þou,’ sche seide, ‘were full in þi richesse
Thow suffred þan þis same vnsuffisaunce.’
“How elles?” seide I, “so it is expresse.”
‘Then it is so,’ quod sche, ‘þat habundaunce
Of worldly good may neuer man avaunce
As to hym-selue þat he schal suffise,
And nede noght of foreyn purveaunce
Whiche þat þei han behighted to acomplice.

8.

And þis is to consideren, as I trowe,
Þat tresour haþ no kyndely resistence
For to defende þe lordes þat þeym owe,
But þat þay may be raft be violence.’

139

[I] seide þat verray soth is þat sentence.
‘And what,’ quod sche, ‘þough þat þou seidest nay,
Sith euer ȝit men done hire diligence,
Þe strengest for to gete it if he may.

9.

For wher-of elles ben querelles meued,
As men alday in courtes hem compleyne,
But for here good is falsly hem byreued
Be fors of fraud, and askeþ it ageyne?’
“In soth,” quod I, “it is right as ȝe seyne.”
‘Lo þan,’ quod sche, ‘nedeþ euery man
Of socour and of foreyn help certeyne
As for to kepe þe tresour þat þey han.’

10.

“Who is þat may denye this?” quod I.
‘And þen,’ quod sche, ‘schulde hym nede non
Of suche defence ne warde certanly,
Ne had he þat tresour þat he may forgon.’
“Þere is,” quod I, “no doute þere vppon.”
Sche seide þanne, ‘Lo all ȝoure affiaunce
Is torned ȝow into reuerse anon,
For it bereueþ ȝow of suffisaunce,

11.

Wherby ȝe wende in ese for to be,
And bringeþ ȝow in anguysche and distresse,
Of foreyn help to haue necessite.
Ȝit wolde I know þat maner-wise expresse

140

How nede may voyded ben be richesse;
Wheþer riche men ne hungre[n] neuer a-dele;
Or wheþer þei mowe not thristen, wilt þou gesse;
Wether þei ne mowe no cold in wynter fele.

12.

Bot vnto þis þou wilt answere me sone
Þat riche men haue wher-with euery day
Theire cold, þeire thrist, þeire hunger to fordone,
As vnto þis in all I say noght nay.
In sothe þis will I graunte hem þat þei may
Be richesse be conforted at hire nede;
But vtterly to putte nede away,
Þat power haue þei noght wiþoute drede.

13.

For sithe þis nede, þat alway gapeþ so
To be fulfilled and after more it gredith,
I[s] suche a þing þat neuere may be do,—
Of kynde ne speke I noght þat litel nedeþ
But auarice þat noþing fully fedeth,—
Ne may not be fulfilled wiþ habundaunce,
Bot into more necessite ȝow ledeþ,
Why trowe ȝe þereby to haue suffisaunce?

Metrum iijm

Quamvis fluente.

1.

All were it þat þe riche couetous
Had all of gold full rennyng [a] ryuere,

141

And also fele of stones precious
As in his nekke he might hym-seluen bere,
And oxen fele his londes for to ere,
His besynesse, ȝit til þat he schal deye,
He wil not leue, ne when he lyeth on bere
All his richesse ne schal him not conveie.

Prosa iiija

Sed dignitates.

1.

Wheþer dignitees to þilke þat hem wynne
May make þeym fully worschipful to be,
Oþer enpresse vertu þeym wiþ-ynne,
And make vice out of þaire hertes flee?
Nowt so, [forsoth]; þou myght þi-seluen see
It is not wont to voyde wickednesse,
But vice þat was all close in priuite,
It makeþ fully to be knowe expresse.

2.

Whereof it is I haue right grete disdeyn
Þat suche wicked men and surfetous
Schulde any tyme in dignite be seyn.
Þerfore it was þat oon Ca[t]ullius,
When he saw one þat highte Nonius
Set in a sete of worschip in þe toun,
He clepid hym a posteme venemous
All full of attre and corrupcioun.

142

3.

Ne seest þow noght what schame and velanye
To suche schrewed wicked folk it is
For to be sette in suche honour on hye?
For were noght þat, ȝit þaire vnworþynesse
Of oþere folk schulde knowen be þe lesse.
And what periles woldest þou stonden at,
Or þou woldest bere an office, schal I gesse,
Wiþ þilke cursed wrecche Decorat?

4.

Ne I ne may not demen in my wit
Þat suche wrecchis schulde be honorable,
And worth þat honour, þogh þei hauen it,
Þat been þertoo vnworthy and vnable.
But if þow saw a wise man and an able
Endowed al of wit and sapience,
Woldest þou foriuggen hym as repreuable,
And as vnworþi to þat excellence?’

5.

‘I seyde, “nay.” ‘Now certes þan,’ quod sche,
‘Thise dignitees belongeþ properly
Only to vertu and to honeste;
And vertu schal transporte hem verrely
To wiche sche is [con]ioyned sewyngly.
And for as mekyl as þat reuerence
Receyued of þe peple commynly
Acordeth not alwey wiþ conscience,

143

6.

Ne to, þat honour whiche þat þey receyuen
May make hem noþing worþi for to be,
Than may we clerly knawen and conceyuen
Þat honour hath in propre no beaute
As euen worþi to þat dignite.
And most to þis ȝe aught to taken hede:
The mo folk þat despisen hem perde,
Þe more abiect þei be wiþ-outen drede.

7.

So þan as dignite may not suffice
To maken schrewes worþi to reuerence,
Bot raþer makeþ þat men will hem despise,
Thowh þat þei done hem honour in presence
Yit þei despisen hem in conscience,
Theire dignitees so make hem to be knowe,
And clerly schewe to folkes þeire offence,
Of whom þei be despised as þei owe.

8.

And þis is not vnpunisched sikerly,
For þei revenge þeym of þeire dignite
The whiche þei haue defouled wrecchedly
With cursed vice of þaire dishoneste.
Bot þat þou might þy-seluen knowe and see
Þat verray honour falleþ in no wise
[Be] suche estates þat transitorie be,
Now vndirstond what I the scha devise.

144

9.

I suppose þat a man of hye renoun,
Þat ofte haþ had estat of conseilere,
Schulde come among [a] straunge nacioun
Þat noght aknoweþ what estate he bere.
Trowest þou þat þei hym wolde honouren þere
For his estate? Þou wilt answere me, ‘nay.’
But if honour in suche estates were
In kynde a propre thyng, þan wolde I say

10.

Þeire kyndely office schulde þei not forlete
Thogh þat þei wente into þe worldes ende;
As fuyre ne may not cesen of his hete
While þat [it] fuyre is, where-þat-euer it wende.
But honour is no propir thyng of kynde
To dignite bot fals opinioun,
As nyce men deviseþ in þeire mynde.
Wherfore among a straunge nacioun

11.

That noght ne knoweþ of þat dignite
He ys honoured as another man.’
“In strange lond,” þou seist, “þis may wel be.”
‘Boot look þat lond where his estat began,
Wher þat it schulde all-wey his honour han,
Stondeþ it alwey in his honour þere?
Bot of þe provostry what seist þou þan,
Þat whilom was estate of hye powere?

145

12.

Now is it noþing but an ydell name,
And lo þe charge of senatoures rent.
Now at þis day it stondeþ in þe same
Thogh þat somtyme it was full reuerent.
A man somtyme was holden excellent
Þat had þe charge of vitaile in þe toun;
All vp-so-doun þus is the world i-went,
Now it is of no reputacioun.

13.

As we haue seid a litel [here] beforne,
A thing þat hath no beaute propirly,
Now haþ it honour and now it haþ it lorne,
After the vse of mennes fantasie.
Sith dignite ne may not kyndely
Inducen verrey cause of reuerence,
Full ofte it is defouled sikerly
B[e] þeym þat vsen it with insolence.

14.

And if þei now be fayre and now not so
As tymes han hire transmutacioun,
And if þeir beaute þus hem passeþ fro
After þe folkes estimacioun,
What is þere, aftire youre opinioun,
Of beaute in theym worþi to be soght?
Sith þat þei ben of suche condicioun,
How schulde þei gifen þat þei hauen noght?

146

Metrum iiijm

Quamius Se [Tyri]o.

1.

Thogh proude Nero wiþ his lecherie
All clothed was in purpure tyriene,
And with full riche perry ryally,
Of lyf he was acorsed and vnclene
Þat he was lothely euery wight to sene,
Ȝit gaf he setes to þe senatoures.
How schuldest þou trowe hem blisfull for to bene,
Tho þat of wrechis taken suche honoures?’

Prosa [Va]

An vero regna.

1.

‘What trowest þou yit as for to be a kyng
Or wiþ a kyng to be famylier,
Supposest þou þis were a noble þyng?
May he þe maken strong and myghty here?’
“What elles,” quod I, “scholde I trowe it were?”
‘Ye,’ quod sche, ‘when þat þeire felicite
Schal alwey stonden in his welthes clere,
And haue alway perdurabilite.

2.

Bot eldar age of tyme þat is went
Exsaumple haþ of gret vnstabilnesse;
And also [of] þis tyme now present,
We seen it proued euery day expresse

147

Þat kynges fallen fro þaire welfulnesse
And vnto verray meschief ben þei broght.
O clere and noble þing þat renoun esse,
To save it-seluen yt sufficeþ noght!

3.

For if þat regne or suche regalite,
And gouernance of londes longe and wyde
May make a man to haue felicite,
What if hym lakkeþ oght in any side,
Than moste his welthe somwhat slake and slyde
And meschief entre for vnsuffisaunce.
And þogh it so be, as it may betide,
Þat kynges hauen in þaire gouernaunce

4.

Myche folk at þaire comaundement,
Yit schal we fynde many a nacioun
Þat been to kynges noght obedient;
Thei holde þeym at no reputacioun.
Then heere-of suyth þis conclusioun:
Where faileþ my[gh]t þat causeþ blisfulnesse,
Þere is no mene in þis diuisioun,
Vnmyght is þere þat causeþ wrecchidnesse.

5.

There is none erþely [k]yng, þis dar I seie,
That is so myghty in his gouernance,
Bot mo þere bene þat wil hym not obeie
Than beþ constreyned at his ordynance.
In þis his power lakkeþ suffisaunce,
And if þat boþe his power and his vnmyght

148

Were fully counterpaysed in a balaunce,
His non-power wolde paysen all doun right.

6.

Sith wrecchidnesse comeþ of non-powere,
As may not be [wiþ] said by no resoun,
And sith þer is no kyng þat lyueþ here
Bot his vnmyght haþ in proporcioun,
As for to make a iust comparisoun,
Well myche more þan his power is,
Þan wil þer sewen þis conclusioun,
Lo þat his more part is wrecchidnes.

7.

A kyng [þer] was þat had experience
Of gret perile and often was in drede.
He made a man be sette in his presence,
And made a swerd to hange abouen his hede
Be a full small vnmyghti sotel threde,
Þat euery man myght vndirstonde and see:
Lo breke þis threed, þan is þis man but dede.
So stant alwey a kyng in ieuparte.

8.

What is þis powere þat may noght remewe
Þe bitter bityng of this besynesse,
Ne þat [þe] prikkes may he not eschewe
Of all þis drede and all þis heuynesse?

149

Thise kynges lo wolde ben in sikernesse
But sikerly þei can noght come þerto,
And euermore þey seke it as þei gesse,
And euer þe fer[þer] þey ben allwey þerfro.

9.

Bot þey reioyen myghti to beholde.
And wilt þou trowe hym myghti for to be
Þat may not worche þat he faynest wolde?
Or for to walken with a companye
Of myghti men þat lusty ben to see,
And at his biddyng all a rewme arerith,
And ȝit hym-selue stonde in this degree:
He dredeþ most þe same þat he fereþ?

10.

And for he wolde myghti seme and strong
He moste putte hym-seluen in daungere
Lo of his meyne wiche he is among,
And of his lyf he stondeþ in a were.
Or wiþ a kyng to be famyliere,
To what it schal availe kan I not sayn,
Sith often it is schewed among vs here
Þat kynges of here meyne haue be slayn.

11.

And often-tymes schewed it is expresse
Of some þat vnto kynges haue ben nyhe,
Þat þise kynges of theire cruelnesse
Haue putte hem vnto meschyf sodenlye,

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Somtyme of malice stered of envie
Be wicked folk þat worse be than fendes.
And kynges often stonde sliperlye,
And if þey fallen falleþ eke þaire frendes.

12.

For Nero lo þat cursed emperour
Made Seneca his owne deth devise,
Þat was his maister and his gouernour.
And Antonius in the same wise,
Papynian þat hadde hym done seruice,
A myghty man þat longe tyme had ben,
He made his knyghtes full of cowardise
Þat wiþ þeire swerdes all þei schulde hym sleen.

13.

And boþe two ȝit wolde þei haue ben glad
To haue forlete þeire power vtterlye;
And Seneca loo all þe good he had
He wolde haue gefen hit Nero wilfullye,
Hym-self exiled euer perpetually,
For-sakyng all his occupacioun,
And so haue lyued solitarily,
Ledyng hys lyf in contemplacioun.

14.

But he þat mynteþ dounward for to go,
His awne weight wil drawe hym doun in haste;
And þerfore noþer of hem boþe two
Ne myght his purpose hauen at þe laste.

151

This power þan, þat euery man so faste
Desireþ þus, why is it wolde I see,
Sith he þat hath it is þere-of agaste,
Who so will forlete it may noght siker be,

15.

And when þou woldest it vtterly forsake,
Lo at þi will þou myght it not forgone?
And frendes wiche þat fortune doth þe make
And vertu noght, what profit may þei done?
When lusty fortune forth is fro þe gone,
Than alle hire frendes with hire gooth in-fere.
A more parelous meschief is þere none
Than is þi foo with þe famuliere.

Metrum vm

Qui se uolet esse potentem.

1.

Who so þat wilneth myghti for to bene
And of his foes to haue þe victorye,
His corage first þat is so fiers and keene
Hym moste repressen well and myghtilye,
So þat þe foule luste of leccherye
May haue non manere maysterie in hys mynde.
For þogh þou be so hauteyn and so hye
Þat men þe dreden in þe londe of Ynde,

2.

And eke þe yle þat ferrest is of all
Out in þe west þat Tyle cleped is,

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Be to þe sugget as þi bonde þrall,
Yit if thi foule derke besynesse
Wiþ sore compleyntes of þi wrecchidnesse
Thus in þeire bondes haþ þe holden fast
Þat þow ne myghte hem voyden ne represse,
I seie it is no power þat þou hast.

Prosa vja

Gloria vero quam fallax.

1.

Bot hey renoun, how full of vanytee,
How fals it is and often deceyuable!
As a traiadien in his ditee
Noght causeles þus cryeth in a fable:
“Ow renoun,” he seith, “fals and variable
To many a thowsand of thyn omageres,
In noþing art þou good ne comendable
Bot as a wynd þat swelleþ in þeire eres!”

2.

For many one be fals opinioun
Of nyce folk haue had an huge name,
But certanly a foule confusioun
It is so falsly for to haue a fame,
For nedes-cost þei moste hem-seluen schame
When þat þey ben commended wrongfully.
And þogh þey haue deserued yit þe same,
What schal a wys man wynne hym-self þerby

153

3.

Þat me[t]eþ noght [þ]e mesure of his mede
Be veyn rumour of folkes audience,
Bot putteth all þe meryt of his dede
In verrey vertu of his conscience?
And if þou holde it for an excellence
Thy noble renoun for to ben extended,
Than will it sewen evene of consequence
Þat þou were foule but-if þou were commended.

4.

Bot as I seid a litel here beforne,
Þ[er] nedys mot be many a nacioun
To wiche a mannis name may not be borne,
Þe wiche as in thyn estimacioun
A man of worschip ys and hye renoun.
Lo þan as for þe moste quantite
Of all þis litell worldly regioun
Lo vnrenomed moste hym nedes be.

5.

I hald it noght full myche expedient
Of comyn poepull to be comendable
Þat han no resoun in theire iugement,
For it is flittynge and noght perdurable,

154

For why I holde it be noght remembrable.
But for to speke now of gentilnesse,
A man þat haþ his wittes resonable
Lo may beholde how veyn a þing it esse

6.

For if it be referred to renoun
All foreyn þing þan is it vtterly,
For noblesse is a comendacioun
Þat comyth be meryt [of] þyn auncetrye.
And if þat praysing is the cause why
Þat gentil folkes ben renomed so,
Then þo that þus ben praysed worþily,
They moste ben only gentil and no mo.

7.

Wherfore I seye, but thi desert it make
Þat þou be gentil be þyne honeste,
No foreyn gentillesse, I vndirtake,
A gentil man ne may noght maken þe.
If any good in gentilnesse be,
It is þat nature gentil men enclyneþ
As fro þe vertues and þe honeste
Of þaire auncetres þat þei noght forleyneth.

Metrum vjm

Omne hominum genus.

1.

For all mankynde bothe greet and small
A lyke begynnyng han euerychone,
And one eke is þe fader of hem all,
Which alle thyng gouernynge is allone;

155

Abouen hym lo fadir is þere none.
He yeueth þe sonne bemes to be clere,
And brighte hornes gifeþ he þe mone;
Vnto ȝow men he gifeþ erþe here,

2.

And as hym lust all þinges he disposeth.
Vnto þe heuene he ȝeveth sterres bright,
And soules here wiþ membres he encloseþ
Þat doun ben sent out of þat souereyn light.
Wherfore I seye þat euery mortal wight
Is first engendred of a noble kynde;
Boþe riche and pore, lo seruant, kyng and knyght
Oon heritage schal hauen at þaire ende.

3.

Wherfore of þem so faste avaunten ȝe
And so reioyes of ȝoure auncetrie,
Sith youre begynnyng, if ȝe couthen se,
Youre alther makere wiche is god an hye,
Fro hym lo ye proceden principallye,
Whos gentilnesse þer may no wight forlyne
But if he norische vices wickedlye,
And fro his kyndly birthe þat he declyne.

Prosa vija

Quid autem de corporibus voluptatibus.

1.

What schal I seyn of bodily delice
Whos lustes ben full wonder anguyschouse?
The plente of hem is of litell price,
All full of repentaunce and venemouse;

156

And suche wrecchis þat ben surfetouse
Into what siknesse and disese it ledeþ!
Of alle harmes þ[ei] ben fructuouse,
As myche meschief in þi body bredeth!

2.

Who so wil remembren of his wrecchidnesse,
Of fleschly lust he schal hym-seluen see
Þat sor[o]wfull alway þe issue is
Of all þaire foul voluptuosite.
If lust schulde make ȝow blisful for to be,
No skille kan I not see ne cause why
Þat bestes schulde noght been as good as ye,
Þe wiche entenden euer besily

3.

Theire flesche wiþ lustes for to fede all-wey.
This may not be þe besynesse of man,
But þis delyt is honest dar I say,
A wyf and children lawfully to han.
It haþ be seyn, vnkyndely noght-for-þan,
Where þat þey oghte ben þe comfortoures,
I not how many sith þe world began
Þat han þaire children founde tormentoures.

4.

How bityng and how scharp a þing it is
With wyf and children ofte for to melle!
Thi-self þat hast þe sothe assayed or this,
It nedeth noght as now the for to telle.

157

But þis sentence appreue I wonder welle
Of Euripes, for þus lo writeþ he:
“Þe man þat hath [of] issue noght a dele
Be infortune a blisful man is he.”

Metrum vijm

Habet hec voluptas.

1.

Lo [euery] lust haþ þis wiþouten drede,
Hit prekkeþ tho þat vsehit comunly.
Right as a bee wil first his hony schede
But after þat he stingeþ bitterly;
He flyeth his way, it akeþ feruently.
So done þese lustes where þat þey smyteth;
They plesen first þe hertes lustily,
But after þat full bitterly thei byteth.

Prosa viija

Nulli igitur dubium.

1.

Than may it noght be douted of no wight
Bot þise ben wayes ledyng all amys,
And mowe noght bringen as þey haue behight
Vnto þe lyf of verray blisfulnes.
Bot in how myche care and wrecchidnes
Thise wrong-wise wayes doth ȝow men implyen,
In sothe I schall þe tellen as it is,
And schortly for to schewe I schal me hyen.

2.

If thow wilt gader gold and riche be,
ffro þeym þat han it þow moste it take away.

158

If þou wilt haue estate of dignite,
Þerfore to þeym þat gyveþ it most þou pray.
And þou þat woldest preferred ben alway
Before all othere or even wiþ þe beste,
Wiþ lowly askyng most þou nede obeye,
And [so] thyn owne person dishoneste.

3.

Bot powere woldest þou haue and gouernaunce,
In gret parell thow schalt be vndercaste
Of thy suggettes whiche þat [mowe] perchaunce
The mortheren or destroyen atte laste.
Or after glorie þow desirest faste?
Thow schalt be set in many a scharp distresse,
And for a wynde þat sone away schal waste,
Thow schalt forleten all þi sykernesse.

4.

If þou wilt haue þi lust and thy likynge,
Who is þat will not þan despice the
As for þe seruant of so freel a þyng
As is þi flesche, so full of vanyte?
Who so will preferren bodely bounte
Abouen his inwit and his awne resoun,
He is a fole in sothe, as semeth me,
And litell worth is his possessioun.

5.

Myght þou in gretnesse passe an olyphaunt,
Or elles a bole sourmonten in thy myght?
Or whether þou mightest make thyn avaunt
The tygrre for to passen in þi flight?

159

But into heuen casteþ vp youre sight
And see how faire, how swift, how long it is,
For somwhat merveile þer vpon þou myght,
Bot not vpon þis worldly wrecchidnesse.

6.

And not in suche poyntes singulerly
Þe heuene is to be had in grete mervaile,
Bot it is for to wondren principally
As in þe resoun of þe gouernaile.
What may youre [schap or beaute] ȝow availe
Þat may so sone passen in an houre?
So smart it is, so lightly wil it fayle,
And fallen dounright as a somer floure.

7.

And as doth Aristotiles rehersen,
If þat youre eyȝen hadde suche a myght,
As hath þe lynx þat alle þing may persen
Thurgh alle obiectes for to seen aright,
And þat þay myght beholden wiþ þaire sight
Wiþynne þe wombe of Al[c]ib[i]ades
Whiche þat wiþouten was so faire a wight,
Full foule he schulde hire seme neuerþeles.

8.

That þou be fayre ne makeþ not þy nature,
Bot þe febilnesse and þe infirmytee
Of mennes yen wiche mowe noght endure
What þat þou art wiþ-ynne forþ for to see,

160

But preiseth as ȝow likeþ ȝoure beaute,
And wondreþ on youre goodes bodely.
Yit knowe þis þat a fevire of dayes thre
Thi body may dissoluen vtterly.

9.

And of al this I may concluden wel,
Thise goodes after theire promissioun
Sith þat þey mowe performen neuere-a-del,
They ben no goodes of perfeccioun
Of alle good in congregacioun,
Ne trewe mennes ben þey noght to take,
Of blisfulhede to gifen possessioun
In sothe, ne no wight blisful may þey make.

Metrum viijm

heu quam miseros.

1.

Allas what foly wrecchid ignoraunce
Mysledeþ fooles into vanite,
Out of þe path of verrey suffisaunce
Of alle good and alle felicite!
Who gedereþ gold vpon þe grene tree?
Or who will pullen perles of þe vynes?
On hulles hye for fisches of þe see
Men casten noght þaire nettes ne þaire lynes.

2.

Or who þat lusteth to hunten for þe roo,
He ne sekeþ not þe forthes tyrïene.
And over this [ȝe witen] wel also
Where þat þe crykes and þe caues bene

161

Vnder þe floode wiche ȝe may not sene;
And where ȝe schall þe white perle aspien;
And where also þe schelle fisches bene,
Þe blood of whom dooþ purpure colour dyen.

3.

Ye knowen well also þe strondes alle
Of tendre fische or scharp, it is no fayle,
Of halue a foote þat men eschinus calle,
Þat letten so þe schippes for to saile.
Bot youre vnwit a cause is for to wayle,
Ye suffren so yow-seluen to be blynde,
And þilke good þat schuld yow most avayle
Ye seken so and kun it neuer fynde.

4.

Ye fooles plungen doun ȝoure hertes even
Into þis muddy grounde, and sothe to saye,
Þe souereyn good þat hier is þan heuen
Ye seken þere. What schal I for ȝow praye
Richesse and honour wiche ȝe seke all-waye,
Till þat þis false good you haue oppressed,
And þan it caste out of youre mynde awaye,
To verrey goode þat ȝe may be redressed?

Prosa ixa

Hactenus Mendacis.

1.

As vnto þis I suppose it suffise
To haue schewed þe forme of fals felicite,

162

Whiche ȝif þou w[i]l[t] behalde and well avise,
I trowe þou myght þe verray sothe see.
Fro hennes forþ now most my processe be
To schewe þe forme of verray blisfulnesse.’
“In soth,” quod I, “full clere it is to me
Þat ȝe haue schewed of worldly wrecchidnesse.

2.

I see þat richesse yefeth no suffisaunce,
Ne hyhe estate ne worldly reuerence,
And þogh þat worldly fame a man avaunce,
Of gentilesse it ȝeueþ none evidence.
Ne riall powere wiþ his excellence
Ne may not gyue ne causen verrey myght.
Ne fleschely lust with all oure diligence
Verray gladnesse causeth not be right.”

3.

‘Hast þou,’ quod sche, ‘aspyed þe cause why
þat all thise þinges stonde in þis manere?’
“Yes þat I [haue] aspyed wel,” quod I,
“Lo be a litel creves, as it were,
Bot more apertly of ȝow wolde I lere
If þat ȝe wolde it openly declare.”
Sche seide, ‘Ȝis, þat wil I wiþ good chere;
I wil not for a litel labour spare.

4.

That þing þat is so symple in his kynde,
Þat may not be devided propirly,
Þe folisch errour lo of mannys mynde
Thus han devided in þaire fantasy,

163

And þing þat schulde ben oo good perfitly
Transportyng so to fals and inperfyt.
In þis þat þey devided it wrongfully,
It noyeth hem and dooþ hem no profyt.

5.

What wilt þou seyn of hym þat wanteþ myght?
Wolt þou suppose þat he noght nedy is?’
I seyde, “Nay.” Quod sche, ‘Þou demest right.
Who so haþ in any part vnmyghtynesse,
Of foreyn help hym nedeþ þan in þis.’
“Right so,” quod I. ‘Than sueth it,’ quod sche,
‘Þat power lo, and suffisaunce, i-wys,
Most o thyng and þe same in kynde be.’

6.

“Right so,” quod I, “hit semeþ in my mynde.”
‘This þing,’ quod sche, ‘þat we han þus devised,
Þat suffischant and myghti is of kynde,
Wilt þou suppose it schulde be despised?
Or elles þou art oþer-wise avised,
And demest it full worthi reuerence?’
“Youre resoun,” seide I, “is so wel assised,
I doute it no-þing in my conscience.”

7.

‘Let vs,’ sche seyde, ‘assemblen thise anone,
Lo pouer, reuerence and suffisaunce,
So þat þise alle verraily be one.’
“Do we,” quod I, “as is to your plesaunce,

164

For in þis other may be no distaunce
If þat we scholde of trowþe ben aknowe.”
‘Right so,’ quod sche, ‘þere is no variaunce.
Than of this þing what wilt þou deme and trowe?

8.

This þing þat myghty is and reuerent,
And suffiseant, all oo þing and þe same,
What seist þou, myght it be conuenient
Þat þis þing schulde dishonest be of fame,
Or elles ben a noble þing of name
And hyhe in clernesse and celebrite?
For if it in this on þing schulde be lame
Hit were noght suffisaunt, how semeþ þe?

9.

Considere well [now] if it may be so,
Þat suche a þing þat no-þing nedy is,
Þat myghti ys, and worschipfull also
Right as beforn is graunted here expresse;
Now mighte it faile in fame of worþinesse
Þe whiche it may not of it-self purchase,
So þat it schulde defouled be in this,
And in h[it]-self more [a]biect ben and base?’

10.

“In sothe,” quod I, “Y may it noght wiþ-seyn,
But þat it haþ renoun and excellence.”
‘Than is it,’ quod sche, ‘consequent and pleyn
Þat noble[ne]sse haþ no difference
ffro suffisaunce, pouer and reuerence
Wiche þat we han assembled into one.’

165

“I grante wel,” quod I, “youre consequence.
Diuersite betwene hem is þere none.”

11.

‘This [þ]yng,’ quod sche, ‘þat nedeþ noght a deel
Of foreyn help, and may it well suffice
Of propre myght, and is renowned wel
And fully worschipful in euery wise,
Now schulde noght þis be gladsome for to vse?’
Quod I, “fro when it schulde haue heuynesse
I can noght þenke ne in myn herte devise.”
‘Than it is,’ quod sche, ‘full of gladsumnesse.

12.

If þise þinges stonden sad and trewe
Þat we haue seide, we may it noght denye,
Bot lo be verry resoun wil it sewe
Þat þou[gh] þise names sound[e] dyuerslye
As suffisaunce, renoun and honour hye,
Power and gladnesse, as we haue rehersed,
In substaunce ben þey oo thing verrelye
Þe wiche in no wise may not be dyuersed.’

13.

Quod I, “it muste be nedes as ye sayne.”
‘That þing,’ quod sche, ‘þat is so noble þan,
So simple in his nature and so playne,
Whiche þat þe rude wrecchidnesse of man
Enforceþ hym a party for to han,
Lo, of þis þing þat partisoun denyeþ;

166

And while þat þey no partye fynde can,
This noble þing þei sch[en]den and distroyeth;

14.

And of þat þing þey gete no porcioun,
For none it haþ; for þat þing, wite it wele,
All hole þey han not in possessioun,
In sothe, for þey desire it neuer a dele.’
“How may þis be,” quod I, “this wolde I fele?”
‘Som men,’ quod sche, ‘trauaille for richesse
And þerto putte thaire þoght contynuele,
To dryue away pouert and nedynesse.

15.

But hye estate he laboure[þ] not to gete;
Full levire he haþ be [vile] in lawe estate,
And many a kyndely lust will he forlete
As for to saue þe tresour þat he gat.
What suffisaunce may be had in þat
Þat lackeþ myght and ofte tyme is greued,
Þat in persone despised is algate,
And is in fame defouled and repreued?

16.

And he þat doth þe entent of his labour
To hyhe estate, his richesse will he waste;
He wil dispysen lust, and his honour
Þat lakkeþ power from hym wil he caste;
To hyhe renoun he haþ no manere haste.
But now suche one, þ[ou] myght þi-self beholde,
Of his purpose he faileþ at þe laste,
And soth to seyn, he hath not þat he wolde.

167

17.

And ofte it falleþ þat he is oppressed
With nede of þinges of necessite,
And ofte he schal wiþ angwische be distressed
And noyed with full gret aduersite;
And at þe laste, when it will not be
To voyden alle þese greuances sore,
Lo of his principal purpose faileþ he
As more vnmyghti þan he was before.

18.

And þus I may the same resoun bringe
To lust, to fame, honour and reuerence.
Sith so þat eueriche is þe same þing
Þat other is wiþoute difference,
He þat doth labour oþer diligence
Som part to haue of thise and alle noght,
He lesiþ boþe his labour and expense
And failleþ all þe purpose of his þoght.’

19.

“What schal I sey,” quod I, “if any wight
Desire for to haue hem alle infere?”
‘I say,’ quod sche, ‘þat he desireþ right
Þe sum of blisfulnesse in þat manere.
But wi[l]t þou [w]ene þat he may fynde [it] here
In þinges wiche be demonstracioun

168

I haue þe schewed þat fals ben of þaire chere,
And mowe not parforme þeire promyssioun?’

20.

I seyde than, “forsothe I trowe it noght.”
‘It will,’ quod sche, ‘full clerly schewen þan
Þat blisfulnesse schulde not ben soght
In none of thise þat we rehersed han,
Wiche þat men trowen graunten may and can,
Eche as vnto þaire awne propirte,
Som oo þing þat deliteþ euery man
Bot yit noght all þat may desired be.’

21.

“This muste I nede graunte þan,” quod I,
“Þere is no þing þat sother may be told.”
‘Thow hast,’ quod sche, ‘þe forme and cause why
Of fals felicite many afold;
But turne þy goostly sight now and behold,
And sette þy wit now to þat other side;
Of þat I haue þe hight I dar be bold
Thow schalt it seen if þat þou wilt abide.’

22.

“Al þis,” quod I, “is playne i-now and clere
To any man all blynd þogh þat he ware,
As ye han schewed to me a litel ere,
Enforcyng yow þe causes to declare
Of false felicite, and wiche þei are.
Þe forme also of verray blisfulnesse,

169

But-if deceit my wittes mysbeware,
It is to me ful open and expresse:

23.

That ilke þing [þat] makeþ any wight
Wel famous and to lyuen gladsomlye,
Full suffisaunt in honour and in myght.
And þat ȝe wite and knowen verrelye
That I haue ȝow conseyued plenerlye,
Sith alle þi[se] most o thing nedes be,
What one of thise may graunten perfightlye,
I sey þat it is full felicite.”

24.

‘Ow nory,’ quod sche, ‘a blisful man art þou.
God holde the longe in this opinioun
So þat to þise þou woldest adden now.’
“And what,” quod I, “is youre addicioun?”
‘May blisfulnesse in full possessioun,’
Quod sche, ‘be had in mortal þinges here
Þat falsly faileþ, fletyng vp and doun?’
“That trowe I noght,” quod I, “in no manere,

25.

For as youre-self haue schewed me here before,
He þat may ones haue þis blisfulnesse
Þere is noght þanne to be desired more.”
‘Lo!’ quod sche, ‘þan sueth here expresse
Þat worldly suffisance and worthynesse,
And alle þise othere noþing elles bene,

170

But as it were, ymages or liknesse
Of verrey good, or as þe folkes wene,

26.

A maner good inperfit bringeþ þey
To mortal folk þat marreþ so þaire mynde.
But verrey perfit good, þat dar I sey,
Þey bringen noght, it is not [of] þaire kynde.’
“To þis,” quod I, “my resoun doth me bynde.”
‘Now,’ quod sche tho, ‘sith þou hast vndirstonde
Wiche ben þe wayes trusty for to wende,
And wiche ben fals þat beren wrong on honde,

27.

Now setteth ȝow to knowe[n] and to lere,
This blisfulnesse where þat we schal it seche.’
“This is,” quod I, “þat I abood while-ere.”
‘My plato,’ quod sche, ‘haþ þis manere speche,
Right as his book Thimeus doth ȝow teche,
Þat in þe l[e]st[e] work þat schal be wroght,
If þat ye will to youre desires reche,
Þe help of god most nedes be besoght.

28.

What wilt þou deme then is best to done,
This souereyne good þat we may see and fynde?
“In sothe,” quod I, “to bidden in oure bone
To hym þat souereigne fader is of kynde.
For certanly who so leueþ þat behynde
Noþing may be begonne perfitly.”

171

‘Full right,’ quod sche, ‘þou demest in þy mynde.’
And þus lo gan sche synge suyngly.

Metrum ixm

O qui perpetua.

1.

‘O fader þat gouernest wondirly
This hole worldly vniuersite
Be perdurable resoun myghtily,
And sowest heuene and erthe as liketh þe;
And tymes of þe hole eternite
Thow hotest for to moven and to passe;
Thi-self abidynge evire in stabilite,
All þing þow movest boþe more and lasse.

2.

Ne the þat art oure prince souereyn
So pleyn in power and perfeccioun,
No foreyn cause myght arten ne constreyne
Of matire flowynge in confusioun
This werk to bringe into produccioun,
But lo þe forme of souereyn good in the,
Þat evire hath ben in full possessioun,
In whom envye ne malyce may not be.

3.

Aftir þe hye and souereigne exsaumplere
Alle þinges þou producest wonderly,
Thow althire fairest lord in heuene clere.
Þe faire worlde þat was eternally
Conceyued in thy mynde formally,
Thow schippest forth in forme of lyklyhede,

172

And so, performed well and perfightly,
In perfit parties makest hym procede.

4.

Thow byndest forþermore thise elementes
In certane noumber and proporcioun,
Þat hete and colde may haue conuenience,
Moysture and droght haue non discencioun,
And lest the fuyre þat of condicioun
So cleen and clere is schulde fleen his wey,
And so þe heuy weightes plonge doun
Þe erthe. Þow knyttest eke, it is no nay,

5.

Th[e] mene spirit to þe full obeissant
Of treble kynde þat all þing meveþ soo,
Resoluynge it in membres consonant;
And theym devidest in-to speres two;
Þe sterred firmament is one of tho,
That other is of þe planetes seuene;
Theire kyndely cours he makeþ hem to go.
In-to hym-self þan he retorneth euene,

6.

Enserchyng þan þe depe intelligence,
Þe hye exsaumpler of þe eternyte,
And be a cours of lyk conuenience
He torneth heuen aboute as likeþ the.
And soules þat in creatures be
Thow sendest hem in erthe to lyuen here,

173

Be lyke causes, eche in his degre,
Lyk for to perteyne vnto heuene clere.

7.

In heuen and erthe þow sowest hem as þe lyst,
And wiþ þy lawe benigne I am certayne,
With fuyre flaumble of loue withynne þeir brest
Thou makest hem to þe retorne agayne.
This mannys mynde, þat perced is wiþ payne,
Thow fairest fadire, graunte hym of thi grace
Þat souereyn see to serchen and atteyne,
[W]here perfite goodenesse haþ his propre place.

8.

The welle of wisdom for to seke and fynde
Thow graunt hym lord be lemyng of þi light,
Clerly in þe þat he may sette hys mynde
To fecchen [þere] þe vigour of his sight.
Breek þou doun þe pays of heuy wight
Of erþely bondes þat him sore annoyeth,
And hym beschyne þow wiþ þi bemes bright
Þat alle clowdes skatureþ and distroyeth.

9.

Thow art cleernesse, þere may none be so faire;
Thow art pesible rest of mannys mynde;
To hertes þat ben meke and debonaire,
The to beholde it is þaire perfit ende;
Thow principal begynner of þaire kynde,
Þow berist all, þow ledest hem full even;

174

Þow art the wey in wiche þat man schal wende,
And þou þi-self art all þe blisse of heuen.

Prosa xa.

Quoniam igitur.

1.

Now for as myche as þou hast seyn in þis
Wiche is inperfite good and to eschewe,
The forme also of good þat perfit is
Wiche þat is to seken and to sewe,
Fro hennes-forth oure processe [to pursewe],
It is to schewen, as it semeth me,
Þe verrey good þat perfit is and trewe,
What þing it is, and where it myghte be.

2.

Bot first of all it nedeþ to enquere
If suche a þing may be in any kynde
As we before di[ff]ined haue whilere,
Lest so be þat in veyn oure wittes wende,
And lest we be deceyued at þe ende
As by [a] false ymaginacioun
Of þing þat noght is fourmed in oure mynde,
And so to lese oure occupacioun,

3.

Bot þat we saue oure purpos hole and sound.
Þat þerfyt good is, no wight may wiþseyn,
Þe wiche is in a manere welle and ground
Of alle good þat is; þou be certeyn
Þere may no wight replyen þere ageyn.
If any þing haue inperfeccioun,

175

Þat is because it is noght full ne pleyn
Wiþ perfit þing as in comparisoun.

4.

Forwhy in euery generall of kynde
Where any þing inperfyt is, say I,
A perfit [þing] also þere myght þow fynde;
For if þere were no perfit vtterly,
Sith lak of perfit is þe cause why
Þat any þing inperfit may be preued,
Than is þere none inperfit sikerly
Fro which þe perfight þinges ben remeued.

5.

fforwhy of þinges skars and diminute
Nature ne took noght hire produccioun,
Bot of a hoole, complet and absolute
Fro all defaut and diminucioun;
And so fro þennes made progressioun
Vnto þise lowere þinges þat we seen,
Þat lasse hauen of perfeccioun,
And as it were, all voyde and empty been.

6.

And if so be, as I haue schewyd or this,
Þere is an inperfite felicite
Of freel and febil good, for sothe it is,
An other good and perfit must þer be.’
“Full sothe it is,” quod I, “as semeth me
Concluded also fully and f[e]rmely.”

176

‘But now,’ sche seide, ‘thou must beholde and see
Where þat þis good is founden fynally.

7.

The comyn conceyt lo of mannys mynde
Be resoun is vnto þis poynt i-broght,
Þat god which prince and auctor is of kynde,
Hym-self is good; in þis þey faillen noght,
Syth þat þer may no bettre þing be þoght
Þan god hym-self, this wot well euery wight.
Þat god is good and worthi to be soght,
This douten none þat resoun seen of-right.

8.

Yit resoun will enducen forthermore
Be verry force þat in god perfightly
Is verrey good; in no wight may be more.
He were noght elles cleped rightwisly
Þe prince of þinges, vnderstonde for-why,
For elles one were worþiere þan he,
Þat perfyt good possessed principally,
Þat rathire moste and also elder be.

9.

For euery þyng þat fully is perfyte,
Than any þing inperfyt rathire is.
Now lest oure processe passe in infinite,
We ben compelled for to graunte this:
That souereigne god of perfyt good i-wys
Lo is fullfilled. Þan sueth here vpon,
Sith perfyt good is verry blisfulnes,
In god is perfyt blisfulnesse alloon.’

177

10.

“Full well,” quod I, “this I conceyue and feele.
Þere may no wight replyen there ageyn.”
‘I pray the,’ quod sche, ‘vndirstonde me wele
How fermely is preued þat we seyn,
Lo þat of perfyt good and souereyn
God is fulfilled, be my conclusioun.’
“In sothe,” quod I, “þis wolde I heren feyn
How þat ȝe make þe demonstracioun.”

11.

‘That self,’ quod sche, ‘þat is þe prince of all
And full of souereigne good, how semeth the,
Þat fro with-oute þis good is to hym fall
Or is in hym be kynd[ly] propirte?
And þinkest þat two þinges most þay be,
Lo, God þe hauere, and his blisfulnesse,
And in þeire substaunce haue dyuersite?
This wilt þou not supposen as I gesse.

12.

And if he haue resayued of withoute
This blisfulhede, þan seweth sikerly,
Þe yeuere of þat þing, it is no dowte,
Precelleth þe receyuere [verry]ly.
Bot þis we moste confessen vtterly,
Aboue all þinges god is excellent.
And if þis good in god be kyndely
In substaunce, and in resoun different,

178

13.

The prince of þinges wiche þat we reherse,
Let se devise or f[e]yne it who so may,
Who hath conioyned thise two dyuerse.
He may no fer[re] be; no manere of way.
But atte laste þis dar I sothly say:
A ping þat diuerse fro an-other is,
It may not ben the same, it is no nay,
Fro wiche it is dyuersed so i-wys.

14.

Wherfore þat þing þat ha[þ] dyuersite
Fro souereyn good in resoun of nature,
Þe same souereyn good it may not be.
And god forbede þat any creature
As in his wit schulde passen so mesure
Of god oure souereyn for to demen so,
That kepeþ all and haþ vs in his cure;
So perfit and so good þere ben no mo.

15.

Lo þis, I trowe, conceyueth euery man,
Þat þe nature of noþing vtterly
May better be þan he þat it began.
Than may I thus concluden fynally
Þat he whiche is begynner verrely
Of alle þing þat is, I say þat he,
In substance and in kynde propurly,
This souereigne good he moste nedes be.’

179

16.

“This is,” quod I, “concluded well and clere.”
‘And souereyn good,’ quod sche, ‘is blisfulnesse.’
“Right so,” quod I, “this graunte[d] I whilere.”
‘Lo,’ quod sche, ‘þan it sueth here expresse
Þat god hym-self is souereyne blisfulnesse.
Lo where it is þat þou so long hast soght!’
“This moste I,” quod I, “graunten and confesse;
Youre resouns han me to þat þoynt ibroght.”

17.

‘That þis,’ quod sche, ‘be preued fermely,
Beholde and see what I schal forther seyn.
Two þinges þat ben diuerse propirly
Ne mowe not be two goodes souereyn.
For if þer be discord bytwene hem tweyn,
They mow not be þe seluen and þe same
Eueryche þat other is, þow be certeyn,
Though þat þei boþe be called oon be name.

18.

If þey be souereyn goodes bothe two,
Devise it in his conseit who so may,
If þat þis oo goode be þat other fro,
Inperfyt ben þei boþe, it is no nay,
Sith noþer ben wiþoute[n] other may.
Bot þing þat lakkeþ in perfeccioun,
Þat it be souereyn good þou wilt not say;
It wolde includen contradiccioun.

180

19.

Than mowe þei noght be two thise ne dyuerse,
This souereigne good as sueth here expresse;
Bot blisfulnesse and god þat we reherse,
This souereigne good in alle wise it esse;
Þat same þing þat þan is blisfulnesse,
Þat same þing is souereigne deyte.’
“No þing,” quod I, “may trewere as I gesse
Ne worthiere of god concluded be.”

20.

‘Than right,’ quod sche, ‘as geometrenous alle,
When þei han schewed th[eire] propo[sici]ouns,
Thei bringen in porysmes þat þai calle,
Þat ben conceytes or conclusiouns
And as in manere declaraciouns
Of forseid þing, right so schal I the fede;
As sewyng on my demonstraciouns,
This correlary I gif þe to thy mede:

21.

Sith þat be getyng of þis blisfulnes
Men blisfull may be made, and, wilt þou see,
Sith blisfulnesse þat souereigne godhede is,
And eke þe getyng of þe deite
May blisful make, as I haue schewed to þe,
As right as wisdome makeþ men be wyse,
And rightwisnesse rightwise for to be,
I may conclude and suengly devise

181

22.

Þat be [þe] wynnyng of dyuynite
Men may be maked goddes sikerly;
Lo þan is euery blisful man perde
A god, this sueth also formally.
Though þat ther be oo god kyndely,
In sothe yit be participacioun
Right well þere mowe be fele noght-for-thi
As in þe staat of hye perfeccioun.’

23.

“This is,” quod I, “full faire and preciouse
Wheþire it porysme or corilare is.”
‘Hit is,’ quod sche, ‘more faire and gloriouse
Þat resoun will annecten vnto þis.’
I asked “What?” Quod sche, ‘Sith blisfulnesse
So myche þing doth in it-self conteyne
As honour, power, lust, fame and hye richesse,
Wheþir all þei bene as membres, wilt þou seyne,

24.

Whiche as of parties diuerse in manere
This blisfulnesse compowneþ in this wise
Into a perfyt body as it were;
Other þou trowest þat som þing of thise
This blisfulnesse doth fully acomplise
Into a perfyt thing substancial,
To whom thise oþere, if þou so devise,
Referred ben as to þeire principall?’

182

25.

“I wolde haue þis,” quod I, “declared fayn.”
‘Haue we not seid,’ quod sche, ‘þat blisfulnesse
Is good, Boecius?’ “Ȝis,” seyde I, “souereyn.”
‘Adde we,’ quod sche, ‘þe remenant vnto þis
Þat souereyn good bifore rehersed is.
Lo souereign myght, and souereign suffisaunce,
Lust, honour, fame, o thing þey ben i-wys
Wiþ blisfulnesse wiþouten variaunce.

26.

This is þat I wolde asken here of the.
This suffisaunce, honour, delice, renoun,
Wheþer þei ben membres of felicite
As dyuerse parties doth o þing compoun;
Or þou hast þis consideracioun,
Þat alle þise wiche we rehersed han,
To soueraigne good schulde haue relacioun
As to þaire hede, þis say me if þou can.’

27.

“In sothe,” quod I, “now vndirstonde I wele
What ȝe purposen to enserchen here,
Bot I desire of yow to heere and feele
This questioun þat ȝe wolde maken clere.”

183

‘I schal,’ quod sche, and seide in þis manere:
‘If all þise þinges whiche þat we reherse,
Of blisfulnesse in manere membres were,
Than muste thise membres nedes be dyuerse;

28.

For lo of parties þis þe nature is,
That þey dyuerse o body certanly
Schal maken; bot I haue þe schewed or þis
Þat alle thise ben o thing.’ “Ye,” quod I.
‘Thei ben,’ quod sche, ‘no membres sikerly
Sith þey ben one, or elles will it sewe
Þat blisfulnesse were maked wonderly
Of o membre; þat nature will eschue.’

29.

“This is,” quod I, “[full] soth I doute it noght,
But now full fayne þe remenant wolde I see.”
‘Than all thise þinges,’ quod sche, ‘most forþ be broght
And to this good as cheef referred be.
And for this good, full soth it is perde,
All men desiren after suffisaunce;
To han powere or stonde in hy degree,
For it is good, þei maken purueaunce.

30.

The same I may devisen seuyngly
Of reuerence, renoun and lustynesse;
They deme it good, þat is þe cause why
Þat þey requere it wiþ þeir besynesse.
Than is þis good þe verray cause expresse
and som of alle þat owen to be required,

184

For þing þat no good haþ in lik[ly]nesse,
Ne none in sothe, ne may not be desired.

31.

And þ[er] agayn lo in contrarie wise,
A thing þat is noght good in no manere,
Yit if it seme good, as þei devise,
Right as þey verrey right[e] goodes were
Men wilneth hem. Than wil it s[e]wen here
Þat bounte is þe grounde and cause of all
Why þinges aughten to be lief and dere,
Þat any man of right desiren schall.

32.

And over þis it semeþ forthermore
Þat euery þing whiche is þe cause why
Þat ony other is desired fore,
The cause is eke desired principally.
Right as because of hele fynally
A man desireþ for to ride and play,
His heele he doth desiren sikerly
Als well as for to ride, it is no nay.

33.

Sith all þis thing þat þus desired is,
Þe cause of all, is principally bounte,
This bounte is desired þan i-wys
Als myche as is þat þing in his degre.
Bot we han grauted þat felicite
Is cause þat þise þinges euerychone
Desired be. Þan sueth it perde
Þat blisfulnesse desired is allone.

185

34.

Of this it semeth and it suyth loo,
Þat þan [þ]is good a[nd] verry blisfulnesse
In substaunce ben þey oo þing and no moo
And verraily þe same þing expresse.’
“I can not seen,” quod I, “in sothfastnesse
How any wight [y]ow myght in wordes blame.”
‘Bot god,’ quod sche, ‘and verrey blisfulnesse
As we han schewed, ben oo thing and þe same.’

35.

“Ryght as ye sayn,” quod I, “it is ful clere.”
‘Than may I,’ quod sche, ‘well and sikerly
Þe sentence and þe som of this matere
Lo þus concluden full and fynally:
Lo þat þe substance of oure god on hy
Is set and founded in none oþer place
Bot in þe same good eternally.
To fynde it þere god sende the of [his] grace!

Metrum xm

huc omnes pariter.

1.

Now cometh alle ye þat ben i-broght
In bondes full of busy bitternesse,
Of erthely lust abidyng in youre þoght!
Here is þe reste of alle ȝoure besynesse,
Here is þe port of pees and restfulnesse
To þeym þat stonde in stormes and disese,

186

[Refut ouert to wrecches in distresse],
And all comfort of myschief and mysese.

2.

For all þat euere Tagus doth [ȝow]bede
Of faire golden grauell stones bright;
Or þat Erynus wiþ his strondes rede
May ȝeuen ȝow to plese wiþ ȝoure sight;
Or þat Ryuere wiche þat Ind[u]s hight
Þat is full nyhe þe hote regioun,
Whiche þat þe grene stones wiþ his myght,
Wiþ white perles turneþ vp-so-doun;

3.

They schynen wondir clere vnto youre eye
Bot yowre insight in sothe þey maken blynde,
And wiþ þeire derke clowdes perelously
In vanyte youre hertes done þey bynde,
For how-þat-euer þei plesen to ȝoure mynde
As praysed worthy many a þowsand pounde,
Yit ben þey full vnworthy in þeire kynde
As norysched in þe caves of the grounde.

4.

Bot lo þe sche[n]yng of þat souereyn light,
Be whiche þe hyhe heuene gou[ern]ed is,
Chaseth awey þat foule derke nyght
Þat hath ȝoure soules drawen all amys.

187

This souereyn light, if þou may see i-wys,
Beholde it well and kepe it if þou kunne,
And þou schalt seen þat in regard of þis,
Þere be no brighte bemes in þe sonne.’

Prosa xja

assencior inquam.

1.

“To þis,” quod I, “I moste nede assente;
Youre wordes han me knet so fermely
By resoun of youre subtile argumente.”
‘What ȝif þou knewe,’ quod sche, ‘verrely
This good? What woldest þou þen set þerby,
If þou myght cleerly knowen what it were?’
“I wolde it prayse at infynyt,” quod I,
“If I myght knowen god in þat manere.”

2.

‘I schal,’ quod sche, ‘as verry resonable
The schewen þat apertly ar we goo,
So þat þo þinges stonde ferme and stable
Whiche we byfore þis haue consentid to.’
Quod I, “thei moste, we mowe not goo þerfroo.”
‘Haue I not schewed þe priuely,’ quod sche,
‘Þat alle þise þinges þat [b]e desired so
Of feele folk ben full of vanyte,

3.

And syth they ben dyuerse, it is no nay,
They ben no verrey goodes perfitly;

188

For when þat one fro oþer is away,
No full ne verrey goodes vtterly
To no wight may þey bringen certanly,
Bot when þey ben assembled into one
In wirchinge and in forme verrely,
Than is it good and elles it is none.

4.

So þat þis powere and þis suffisaunce,
This gladsomnesse, honour and nobilite
Be right þe same and oo thing in substaunce,
And if þey lakken verray vnyte
Þere is noght why þey schulde desired be
Ne loued, if ȝe loken well aboute.’
“Whilere,” quod I, “this haue ȝe schewed perde,
Full trewe it is and may noght be in doute.”

5.

‘Sith so is þan þat goode be þei noght
When dyuersite is founde þeym bytwene,
And when þat þey to vnite be broght,
Than ben þei goode as euery man may sene,
What is þat makeþ hem goode for to bene
Ought but ingetyng of this vnyte?’
“Right so,” quod I, “it is right as ȝe mene.”
‘Bot euery þyng þat good is,’ þan quod sche,

6.

‘Why is it good wilt þou noght graunte this,
Þat for it haþ participacioun

189

Lo of this forseid good?’ I seide, “Ȝys.”
‘Than most þou,’ quod sche, ‘be þe same resoun
Lo graunten also þis conclusioun:
Þat good and one bethe o þing verrely;
For þinges likly of condicioun,
Noght diuerse in effectes kyndely,

7.

In substance ben þey oo thing and no moo.’
“Fro þis,” quod I, “I may not gone onside.”
‘And knowest þou noght þat euery þing also
Þat is,’ quod sche, ‘so longe schall abyde
While it is one, and if it so betide
Þat ony þing forletteþ to be one,
Es it noght þen dissolved and destroyed?’
“And how?” quod I. ‘I schal þe telle anone.’

8.

‘Thow seist þi-self þat in a beest,’ quod sche,
‘While soule and body ben togidere knyt
And so abydeþ in hys vnyte,
This wost þou well, a best men callen it.
But when þis forseid onhede is ykyt
As be þeire bothes separacioun,
It is no beest this, wotest þou in þi wit,
Bot careyn torned to corrupcioun.

9.

And eke also the body of a wyght,
While þat þe membres stond[en] kyndely
One in þat forme þat nature hath hym dight,
He is a man, þis knowest þou verrely;

190

But if þey be departed sikerly
So þat þis vnite be done awey,
Þat same þing it is not vtterly,
Ne verray mannes body sothe to seie.

10.

And in the same wise it stant i-wis
Of euery þing to þinken in þi þoght.
Þe while it ston[deþ] on, þe while it is,
And when it faileþ on, þan is it noght,
For it is to corrupcioun i-broght.’
“In sothe,” quod I, “none other can I fynde;
Of [euery] creature þat may be soght
This moste be soth, be verray cours of kynde.”

11.

‘Bot wilt þow trowe þat any þing,’ quod sche,
‘Hath þis of naturel entencioun
As to forleten vtterly to be,
And lust to turne to corrupcioun?’
Quod I, “to haue consideracioun
To bestes wiche þat hauen of nature
Boþe will and nyll be free elleccioun,
I will not trowe it of no creature,

12.

That bot-if þei be constreyned of wiþoute
Theire kyndly beyng will þey noght forgone
Ne wilfully be dede, it is no dowte.
Þerfore it is þat [b]estes euerychone
Lo all þaire labour setten þere vppon
Theym-selfe for to saue and kepe in hele,

191

And wilfully to deth ne will þere none;
I not who is with deth þat lust to dele.

13.

Bot nevirþelesse yit am I in [a] doute
Of trees, of plantes, herbes and of gras,
And stone þat vtterly is lyf wiþoute.”
‘Ther is not why to douten in þis cas
Sith þou myght see,’ quod sche, ‘before þi face,
And every day þow hast experience
That trees and herbes wexen in þat place
As to þeire kynde is most conuenience,

14.

So þat als myche as þeire nature suffiseth
Thei soffren noght to skorchen ne to drye;
For some of hem in faire feldes riseth,
And some wexen in þe hille[s] hyhe,
And some done in mareys multiplie,
And some to þe harde roches clengeth,
And some þere ben þat in þe sondes drye
Þat baren ben ful plentevously spryngeth.

15.

And if a wyght þat noght þaire kyndes knoweþ
Wolde elles-where hem plant, þei [dye] als fast,
For nature ȝeueth to eueryche þat hym oweþ,
And laboreth þat, as longe as þai may last,

192

They mow not be destroyed ne doun cast.
And now what seist þou of þeire cheuysaunce?
As þogh þaire mouthes were in erthe i-threst,
So be þe rote þei drawen sustenaunce.

16.

And so the kyndly moysture after þis
Into þe stok and rynde it sendeth wyde,
And yit þis humour þat most tendre is
Wiþynne forth all-wey it doth abyde,
Ageyn þe wedres hard it-self to hyde.
Wiþouten hath it sadnesse of þe tree;
Wiþouten þat þe barke in euery side,
Þat may defence aȝeyn þe wedres be.

17.

Here myght þou wel beholde and taken hede
How þat nature entendeth besily
Eueryche a thyng to norische be his seede
Þat yere by yere doth waxe and multeplye,
Noght only for a tyme sikerly,
But þei ben sotil gynnes as it were
Wherby to stonden perdurabyly
Be generacioun in þat manere.

18.

And þinges þat vnsouled ben also,
Ne doth noght eueryche besily entende

193

To þat his nature apperteneth to?
Why elles doth a flamme of fuyre ascende,
Or why doth heuy erthe so descende,
Bot for þat eueryche haþ conuenience
To certayn place to wiche, as to þaire ende,
They meven so þey haue no recistence?

19.

For euery þing entendeþ sikerly,
Als fer forth as it may haue suffisaunce,
Lo þinges to conseruen besily
With whiche it haþ in kynde his acordaunce.
Right euen as þinges of contrariaunce,
All þat þey may, corrumpen and destroye,
Right so han þai þeire kyndely gouernaunce
To avoyden all þat harmeþ or anoye.

20.

And stones þat so harde and stronge ben,
How þei wiþstonde theire particioun,
And clyngen faste as euery man may seen
To saue þe partes fro corrupcioun!
And þinges þat so flowen vp and doun,
Bothe eire and water, parteþ esely
Be violence, fro wiche devisioun
To onehede þei retornen kyndely.

21.

But fuyre all suche devisioun refuseth.
Of wilfull movyng of þe soule I let
To speke as now in þat he resoun vseþ,
Bot of þe naturell entent I trete:

194

Þat whan [ȝ]e do[n] resayuen so youre mete
Ȝe swel[wen] it and þere-of ha[n] no þoght,
And in ȝoure slepe when all þing is forgete
Ye drawen breth and yit ye witen noght.

22.

Noght onely of þe soules wilfulnesse
Thise bestes louen to lyuen and endure,
Bot principally dependeth it expresse
Of verray hye principalles of nature;
For ofte it falleþ þat a creature
His owne deth will take wilfully
Where nedful causes ben perauenture,
Whiche þing nature dredeth kyndely.

23.

Ye seen also þat in contrarie wise
Þe will of man wiþstondeþ and refreyneþ
Þe lust of verray kyndely couetise,
Be whiche all oneliche nature haþ ordeigned
Þat dedly kynde to kepe and be susteyned,
Þe whiche is fleschly generacioun.
So þat þis loue not only is conteyned
Principally in youre beestly mocioun,

24.

Bot also of entencioun naturele.
Forwhy þe souereyn goddes purveaunce
Haþ ȝeuen þis as cause effectuele
To þinges þat ben of his ordinaunce,

195

And be a verray kyndely gouernaunce
Thei schol desiren all-wey for to be
As longe as nature haþ þat suffisaunce
To kepe þe parties in theire vnite.

25.

There is noght why þou schuldest doute in þis,
Þat alle þing ne coueiteþ kyndely
To kepe it-self in ferme and stabilnesse,
And be corrupt þei [l]oþen vtterly.’
“Lo now I moste confessen this,” quod I,
“For þinges whiche I douted of bifore,
Now I beholde it wele and certanly.”
‘And þing þat so desireþ euermore

26.

To stonde allwey in ferme and stabilnesse
Þat selue þing desireþ for to be.
And if þis one be voyded, soth i[t] esse,
Than is it noght, þou myght þi-self it see.’
“Ful soth,” quod I. ‘Than alle þing,’ quod sche,
‘Desireth one?’ Quod I, “Þat grant I well.”
‘Bot one and good, as þou hast granted me,
Ben right þe same and diuerse neuere a dele.’

27.

“Right so,” quod I. ‘Than alle þing requireth
This one,’ quod sche, ‘þat þus may be descryued:
Good is þat þing þat eny þing desireþ.’
“Noþing,” quod I, “may sother be contryued.
All þing to noght most elles be deryued,
As flowyng evire wiþouten gouernour,

196

Ful destitut and of þeire hede depriued;
Then were oure ende bot meschief and dolour.”

28.

‘And if þere may be founde þere agayn
O thing to wiche alle othere ben extended,
Of alle good þis moste be souereyn,
As he þat all haþ in hym comprehended.’
“This conceit,” quod I, “may noght be amended.
‘My nory dere, now am I glad i-wys
The poynt now of þi þoght þou hast extendid
In myddes right of verray sothfastnesse;

29.

And lo in þis is schewed the plenerly
The þing whiche þat whilere þou toldest me
Thow knew it noght.’ “And what is þat?” quod I.
‘What is þe ende of þinges,’ seide sche.
‘This same þing lo moste it nedes be,
Þat euery þing of kynde desiren schall;
And sith þat þis is good, it semeþ me
Þat souereyn goode moste be þe ende of all.’

Metrum xjm

Quisquis profunda.

1.

‘Who so will enserchen sothfastnesse aright
So þat he be deceyued nevir-a-deele,
The pure clerenesse of his ynnere sight
With-ynne hym-self he moste reuolue it wele,

197

And all his þoghtes trendlen as a whele,
Leuyng þis erthely occupacioun,
And teche his soule to vndirstonde and fele
Be doom of good deliberacioun

2.

That all þat evir he sekeþ here wiþoute,
So trauaillynge thise trowþes for to knowe,
How hyd it was, all close, it is no doute
Right as tresour wiþynne hym-self bestowe.
Þo þinges þan þat þere were over-blowe
With clowde of errour and of ignoraunce,
It schall to þe be clere[r], as I trowe,
Þan is þe sonne and more to þi plesaunce.

3.

For-why þe corps þat haþ the soule oppressed
As with the wi[ȝ]t[e] of his corrupcioun,
Ne hath noght all dispoyled ne distressed
Þe light of vndirstondyng and resoun.
Þere cleueth ȝit a noble porcioun
Wiþ-yn þi soule as an abilite:
The seed of trouthe in full possessioun,
Wiche þat wiþ techyng most enforced be.

4.

How myght ye elles iuggen formally
Or answere to demaundes þat ye heere,
Bot if youre wit conceyued verrely
A lyuely norisshinge of it as it were?

198

And yit þat Plato seide in wordes clere,
If it be soth as doþ his bokes trete,
None other þing ye done when þat ȝe lere
Bot as record a þing þat was forȝete.’

Prosa xija

Tum ego Platoni.

1.

“To Plato,” seide I, “must I nede assent,
For twyes now ȝe han remembred me
Of þing þat first was fro my mynde went
As be my bodily contagiouste;
And sen I stode eft-sone in this degree
Of heuynesse I had it eke forlorne.”
‘If þou,’ sche seide, ‘wilt byholde and see
To þing þat þou hast graunted here beforne,

2.

Thow schalt recorde also to þi science
Þat þing þat whilere þow seid þow knewe it noght.’
“And what?” quod I. ‘Be whiche gouernementes
This worlde,’ quod sche, ‘is in þis revle i-broght.’
“I am,” quod I, “remembred in my þoght
Of myn vnkunnynge, þat I was be-knowe,
And þogh I haue as now conceyued oght,
More plenerly yit wolde I lerne of yow.”

199

3.

‘Whilere,’ quod sche, ‘þou douted noght at all,
Lo þat þis worlde be god gouerned is.’
“Nor now,” quod I, “ne nevire here-after schall,
As in þat matter ben in dowte i-wys;
And what resoun enduceþ me to this,
In schort I schall yow schewe as semeth me;
Now loke youre-self yf I conceyue amys.
This worlde,” [quod] I, “þat stant in þis degree

4.

Of partyes dyuerse and contrariouse,
As euery wight may vnderstonde and fele,
In suche a forme myght neuere accorde þus,
Bot if þat one conioyned euerydele
Þat so diuerse ben, this wote I wele;
Ne so conioyned myght þey noght endure,
But if oo kepere were perpetuele.
Þe same dyuersitee of þaire nature

5.

So discordant schulde euere apeyre and schende
And all disioyne, as semeth in my þoght,
Bot-if þere were a gouernour of kynde
To kepe all þis þat is togidere broght.
Ne suche a certeyn ordire myghte noght
Of nature so procede in ordinaunce
To moven so, bot he þat all haþ wroght
Schulde haue it holly in his gouernaunce.

200

6.

Theire mouynge is so faire and ordynate
In tymes, stedes, [sp]ace and qualite,
And suche effectes causeþ eke algate,
Þat wonderfull is euery wight to see.
Þan is þere one þat þis dyuersite,
Hymseluen stable, so disposeth alle;
And who so doth all þis I say þat he
Is god; þat vsed name I wil hym calle.”

7.

‘Sith þou,’ quod sche, ‘might þis bihalde and feele,
I trowe I schal wiþ litell besynesse
Ful hole and sound þe maken see full wele
Thy kynde cuntre full of blisfulnesse.
Bot þat we han purposed here er this
Let vs beholde. Haue we noght longe ago
Thus seide þat suffisaunce is blisfulnesse,
And eke þat god is blisfulnesse also?’

8.

“Right so,” quod I. ‘And yit hym nedeþ noght,’
Quod sche, ‘unto þis worldes gouernaunce,
For if he of wiþouten neded oght
He had[de] þan no plener suffisaunce.’
“Fro þis,” quod I, “þere is no variaunce.”
‘Hymself allone all þing disposith þan?’
“I may,” quod I, “now make no voydaunce.”
‘And god is good, as we deduced han?’

201

9.

“And þis I me remembre well,” quod I.
‘Be gode þan he gouerneþ all,’ quod sche,
‘For sith as þou hast graunted sewyngly
He þat is good disposeþ all perde,
Hymself allone moste he nedes be
Right as it were a rulere or a sterne,
Hymselfe stable euer in oo degree,
Þat all þis worlde incorrupt doth gouerne.’

10.

“Full well,” quod I, “acorde I vnto þis.
And lo whilere as be suspeccioun
I trowe ye wolde þe same haue seide i-wys,
And preued þis in youre conclusioun.”
‘I trowe it well, for þyn inspeccioun
Is more ententyf þan it was afore
As to behold a trouth and good resoun.
Bot þat I schal þe schewen forthermore,

11.

As cleer it is and open to þi sight.’
“And what?” quod I. “Þat knowen fayne I wolde.”
‘Sith god,’ quod sche, ‘if we bileuen right,
So with þis sterne of bounte, as I tolde,
Gouerneth all and rewleþ as it scholde,
Thise þinges all be naturel entent
Ben wilfully subiecte and vndirfolde,
Obeyinge vnto his gouernement.’

202

12.

“This is,” quod I, “full trewe and necessary,
For elles were no blisfull gouernaunce
If þat it were a yok to þing contrary
Þat noght obeied to his ordynaunce.”
‘Than is þere noght þat doth þaire obseruaunce
To kepe itself in ordire of nature,
Þat may enforcen wiþ contrariaunce
Ageyn þeire god?’ Quod I, “No creature.”

13.

‘What if so þat ageyn þis gouernaile
They myght enforcen hem of frowardnesse?
Might þay ageyn þeire god in þat availe,
Whiche þat be right of verrey blesfulnesse,
As we beforne han seid, all-mighti isse?’
“In sothe þey myght avayle not,” quod I.
Quod sche, ‘Þan is þere noþing, as I gesse,
Þat may or will wiþstonden kyndely

14.

This souerayn good, what wilt þi-self suppose?’
I seyde, “No!” ‘This souerayn good,’ quod sche,
‘All þinges then full softly doth dispose,
And myghtily all þing gouerneþ he.’
Quod I, “Noght onely it deliteþ me
As in þe somme of youre conclusioun,
Bot eke þe wordes whiche þat vsen yee,
Wel more þei do me dilectacioun,

15.

In so ferforth þat in myself I schame,
And of my foly foule I am confused

203

So hye a thing to reprehende or blame,
And þat I haue so masedliche i-mused
Þat man of god was vtterly refused,
And þat he hadde hym noght in gouernaunce.”
‘Suche fables,’ quod sche, ‘han poetes vsed;
As þou hast herd þat whilom were geauntes

16.

Whiche wolde haue made þaire way vp into heuen
And hyhe hilles gan to bilden faste;
Bot god sent doun a þonder or a leuene
And all theire werk vpon þeym overcaste,
And so þei were wiþstonden at þe laste
Lo be þe myght of souereigne god benygne,
Whi[ch]e for theym all disposed so in hast
As þeire desert was worþy and condigne.

17.

Bot wilt þou now þat we togidres dryue
Thise resouns all and into one hem brynge,
And perauenture of þat strook as blyue
Þere may of trouþe a litel sparke sprynge?’
“Now sey,” quod I, “as is to youre likyng.”
‘We seyn,’ quod sche, ‘þat god almighti is.’
“Sith he of all,” quod I, “is lord and kyng,
Þere is no wight þat is in doute of this.”

18.

‘And he,’ sche seide, ‘þat is so full of myght,
Is any maner þing þat he ne may?’

204

“Noþing,” quod I. Quod sche, ‘Now sey me right.
May god do eny euyl?’ I seide, “Nay.”
‘Lo þen is evil noþing I dar wel say,
Sith he þat is almighti may it noght.’
Quod I, “Wheþer do ȝe skorne or elles play,
And haue [me] to þis laberynt ibroght?

19.

Youre resouns weyuen [y]e so wondirly,
In maner like þe hous of Dydalus,
Full hard for to resoluen and vnplye.
Youre resouns ben so hyhe and curious
Þat to my wit it is full merveillous.
Where ȝe gon out ye entren eft anone,
And euene þere as ye haue entred þus,
Þe same wey ye passen out eftsone.

20.

A wonder compas haue ȝe knet and folde
Of þe hye devyne symplicite,
For þus whiler when ȝe began, ye tolde
Of blisfulnesse and of felicite;
Þat souereigne good was it ye seiden me,
And þat also in souereyn good it is:
Þat god was souereyn good þo seide ye,
Also þat he is perfit blisfulnesse.

21.

And for a gift ye took me þis þerto:
Þat n[o] wight myght haue verrey blisfulnesse
Bot yf [h]e were in manere god also
Be lyknesse in possessing of þat blisse.

205

And forthermore also ȝe seiden this:
Lo þat þe forme of verrey perfight goode,
It is þe substance of þis welfulnesse
And eke of god, lo þis I vndirstode.

22.

Ye seide also, as vnto my conceyt,
Þat good and on all [o] thing schulde be,
Whiche euery kynde of þinges most coueit;
Þat god eke with þe sterne of his bounte
Gouerneth all þe vniuersite,
And all moste to his gouernaunce alowte;
Þat euel ys noþing also preued ye,
Noght sekyng here to resouns of wiþoute,

23.

But wel ye han vnplyed þis and preued
Be skilles þat ben knowen openly,
And eueryche makeþ other be bileued,
Thei knytten so in compace sotelly.”
Sche seide þan, ‘I pley not sikerly,
But þat we han whilere of god besoght,
Now haue I schewed the here þat is so hye
And grettest þat in herte may be þoght.

24.

For of substance devyne þe forme is þis:
Þat he may noght augmenten ne decresse
Be no foreyne þyng, þe sothe it is,
And all yit he conceyueth neuerþelesse.

206

Bot right [as] seide Perymenides:
Þe rounde wheele of þinges all aboute
He meveþ, ȝit hym-selfen is in pees,
And meveþ noght at all, it is no dowte.

25.

If I haue þe schewed skilles goode and mete
Noght fro withouten forth, but verrely
Wiþynne þe þinges where of þat we trete,
To wonder now þou hast no cause why.
For þou hast herd and red, as suppose I,
This sothfast sentence, Plato seide it lo,
Þat wordes moste be cosyns kyndely
To þinges whiche þei ben referred to.

Metrum xijm

ffelix qui potuit.

1.

‘Full blisfull is þat man þat may beholde
Þe brighte welle of verrey blisfulnesse,
And wel is hym þat may hymself vnfolde
Fro bondes of þis worldly wrecchidnesse.
The poet Orpheus wiþ heuynesse
Hys wyfes deth haþ [w]eyled wepyngly,
And wiþ his songes full of drerynesse
Made wodes for to renne wonderly.

2.

He made stremes stonden and abyde;
The hynde fered not of houndes fell,

207

Sche lete þe lyoun lyen by here syde;
The hare also ne dred[de] noght a-dell
To see þe hound, hit liked hym so wel
To here þe songes þat so lusty were;
And boldely they dorste togidres dwell
Þat nevire a beste had of othere feere.

3.

And when þe loue gan brennen in his brest
Of Erudice moste hote and feruently,
His songes þat had so many a wylde best
So meke made to lyuen comynly,
They myghte hym not comforten vtterly.
Of hyhe goddes gan he to compleyn,
And seide þei deden wiþ hym cruelly
That þei [ne] sent hym noght his wyf ageyn.

4.

He wente þan to houses infernall
And faste his strenges þere dressed he,
And sowned out þe swete songes all
Þat he had tasted of the welles thre,
Whi[ch]e þat his modres [w]ere, Calliope
Þat is goddesse and chief of eloquence,

208

To wordes þat most piteous might be,
As sorwe had toght hym be experience,

5.

And loue also þat doubleth heuynesse.
To helle began he his compleynt to make,
Askyng mercy þere with lawenesse
At þilke lordes of the schades blake.
And Cerberus þat woned was to wake,
Wiþ hedes thre and helle yates kepe,
So hadden hym þese newe songes take,
The swetnesse made hym for to falle on-slepe.

6.

The fur[ie]s þat ben vengoures of synne
And surfetoures smyten so wiþ feere,
For heuynesse þat þis man was ynne,
They gan to mourne and weped many a tere;
Ne þo þe swyfte wheel had no powere
To torne abowte þe heed of Y[xi]oun;
Ne tantalus, for thryst all-þogh he were
Forpyned longe, wattere wolde he none;

7.

The gryp þat ete þe mawe of Tycius
And tired on it longe tyme before,
This song to hym was so delicius
He left it of and tired it no more.

209

And when þat Orpheus had mourned sore,
Than seide þe juge of helle peynes strong,
“Pyte me haþ [con]uy[c]t, I will restore
This man his wyf þus wonnen wiþ his song.

8.

Bot with a lawe þis gift wil I restreyne,
Þat vnto he thise bondes haue forsake,
If he beholde vpon his wyf ageyne,
Hys wyf fro hym eftsone will we take.”
Bot who to louers may a lawe make,
For loue is rather to hym-self a lawe!
When he was neygh out of þe bondes blake,
He turned hym and Erudice he sawe.

9.

Allas he lost and left his wyf behynde.
This fable lo to ȝow perteyneth right;
For ye þat wolde liften vp youre mynde
Into þe hyhe blisfull souereyn light,
If ye eftsones turne doun youre sight
Into þis foule wrecched erthely dell,
Lo all þat evire youre labour haþ yow dight
Ye loose it when ye loken into hell.

Explicit liber tercius Boecij de consolacione philosophie.