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BOECE
Incipit Liber Boecii de Consolacione Philosophie.
CARMINA QUI QUONDAM STUDIO FLORENTE PEREGI. — 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 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 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 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 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 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, my frendes, what or wherto avaunted ye
HEC DUM MECUM TACITUS. — 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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 of talents 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 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 man, myne ententes weren nothyng endamaged. But ye withdrawen me this man, that hath ben noryssed in the studies or scoles of Eleaticis and Achademycis in Grece. But goth now rather awey, ye mermaydenes, whiche 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, 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 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 uttereste corner of my bed; and sche, byholdynge my chere that was cast to the erthe
HEU QUAM PRECIPITI MERSA PROFUNDO. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 cheynes, and bereth his chere enclyned adoun for the grete weyghte, and is constreyned to loken on the fool erthe!"
SET MEDICINE INQUIT TEMPUS. — 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," 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, 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 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 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 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 my wepynges.
TUNC ME DISCUSSA, &c. — 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 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 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 closed day, thanne schyneth Phebus ischaken with sodeyn light and smyteth with his beemes in merveylynge eien.
HAUT ALITER TRISTICIE. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 (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 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 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. (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 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 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 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 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 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 folye ne may nat atayne, we scorne swyche ravyneres and henteres of fouleste thynges.
QUISQUIS COMPOSITO. — 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
SENTISNE, INQUIT. — 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 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? 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 outher be pryve ravynes or by comune tributz or cariages, as sory was I as they that suffriden the harm. Glosa. Whan that
"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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
"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 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 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 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 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.
"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, 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 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 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 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 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. 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, 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 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, 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 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,
"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 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 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 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 this: that whan eny blame is leid upon a caytif, men wenen that he hath desservyd that he suffireth. And I, that am put awey fro gode men, and despoyled of dignytes, and defouled of myn name by gessynge, have 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 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 sikernesse, but of defense; and therfore me lyst to crie to God in this manere:
O STELLIFERI CONDITOR ORBIS. — 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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
HEC UBI CONTINUATO DOLORE DELATRAUI. — 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 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 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 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; 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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,
CUM PHEBI RADIIS GRAVE CANCRI SIDUS INESTUAT. — 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 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, 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; 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 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.
PRIMUM IGITUR PATERISNE ME PAUCULIS ROGACIONIBUS. — 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?"
"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 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 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 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 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?"
"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 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?"
"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 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 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 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 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."
"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 gree thow hast 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 mowe knowe the schynynge of verraye light.
NUBIBUS ATRIS CONDITA. — Metrum 7
"The sterres, covred with blake cloudes, ne mowen yeten adoun no lyght. Yif the truble wynd that hyghte Auster, turnynge and walwynge the see, medleth the heete (that is to seyn, the boylynge up fro the botme), the wawes, that whilom weren clere as glas and lyk to the fayre bryghte dayes, withstande anon the syghtes of men by the filthe and ordure that is resolved. And the fleetynge streem, that royleth doun diversely fro heye montaygnes, is areestid and resisted ofte tyme by the encountrynge of a stoon that is departed and fallen fro some roche. And forthy, yif thou wolt loken and demen soth with cleer lyght, and hoolden the weye with a ryght path, weyve thow joie, dryf fro the drede, fleme thow hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche (that is to seyn, lat non of thise foure passiouns overcomen the or blenden the). For cloudy and derk is thilke thoght, and bownde with bridelis, where as thise thynges reignen."
Incipit Liber Secundus
POSTEA PAULISPER CONTICUIT. — 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 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, 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 undirstonde the felefolde colours and desceytes of thilke merveylous monstre Fortune and how
"But now is tyme that thou drynke and ataste some softe and delitable thynges, so that whanne thei ben entred withynne the, it mowe 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 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 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 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, 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 cast awey hir that pleyeth so harmfully. For sche, that is now cause of so mochel sorwe to the, sholde hen cause to the of pees and of joye. Sche hath forsaken the, forsothe, the whiche that nevere man mai hen siker that sche ne schal 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 to the maneris of thi lady. Enforcestow the to aresten or withholden the swyftnesse
HEC CUM SUPERBA, &c. — 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 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 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 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.
VELLEM AUTEM PAUCA. — 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 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 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.
"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 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 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 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 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 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 with smothe watir, and somtyme to ben horrible with wawes and with tempestes. But the covetise of men, that mai nat he stawnched — schal it bynde me to ben stedfast, syn that stidfastnesse is uncouth to my maneris? 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 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 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, 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 realmes of greet nobleye? (Glose. Tragedye is to seyn a dite of a prosperite for a
SI QUANTAS RAPIDIS. — 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 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 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 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 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.
HIIS IGITUR SI PRO SE, &c. — Prosa 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 hir chayeres of dignytes? Thow, rethorien or
CUM PRIMO POLO. — 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 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 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 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 men? Wiltow trowen on flyttynge goodes? It is certeyn and establissched by lawe perdurable, that nothyng that is engendred nys stedfast ne stable."
TUM EGO VERA INQUAM. — 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 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."
"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 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 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? Certes yit lyveth in good poynt thilke precyous honour of mankynde, Symacus, thi wyves fader,
"And I preie," quod I, "that faste mote thei halden; for, whiles that thei halden, how so 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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] wrecchide but whan thou wenest it. (As who seith, thow thiself ne no wyght elles nis a wrecche but whanne he weneth hymself a wrecche by reputacion of his corage.) And ayenward, alle fortune is blisful to a man by 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; the whiche welefulnesse although it seme
O ye mortel folk, what seeke ye thanne blisfulnesse out of yourself whiche that is put 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 thow art myghty over thyself (that is to seyn, by tranquillite of thi soule), than hastow thyng in thi powere that thow noldest nevere leesn, ne Fortune may nat bynymen it the. And that thow mayst knowe that blisfulnesse ne mai 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 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. 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? 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 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 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 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 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 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?
QUISQUIS VOLET PERHENNEM CAUTUS, &c. — Metrum 4
"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 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 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 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.
SET CUM RACIONUM IAM IN TE, &c. — 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 yiftes of Fortune ne were noght brutel ne transitorie, what is ther in hem that mai he thyn in any tyme, or elles that it nys fowl, yif that
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 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 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 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 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 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 eek that it be a fair thyng to schyne with diverse clothynge? Of whiche clothynge yif the beaute he aggreable to loken uppon, I wol merveylen on the nature of the matiere of thilke clothes, or elles on the werkman that 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; 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 for thyne goodes nas nat thi good.
"In the whiche thynges yif ther be no beaute to ben desired, why scholdestow ben sory
"Is it thanne so, that ye men ne han no propre 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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), 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 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 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 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.) O precyous and ryght cleer is the blisfulnesse of mortel rychesses, that, whan thow hast geten it, thanne hastow lorn thi sekernesse!
FELIX NIMIUM PRIOR ETAS. — 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. 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 medle the bryghte fleezes of the contre of Seryens with the venym of Tyrie (this
QUID AUTEM DE DIGNITATIBUS. — 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 whiche dignytees and poweres yif thei comen to any wikkid man, thei doon as greet damages and destrucciouns as doothe the flaumbe of the mountaigne Ethna whan the flaumbe walweth up, ne no deluge ne doth so cruele 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 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).
"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 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 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 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 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 whet schal men fynden any man that mai 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 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 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. 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
"And yit moreover, yif it so were that 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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. For neither thei ne joygnen hem nat alwey to gode men, ne maken hem alwey gode to whom they been ijoyned.
NOVIMUS QUANTAS DEDERIT. — 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 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 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 Phehus, the sonne, may seen, 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 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 wynd Nothus scorklith, and baketh the brennynge sandes by his drye heete (that is to seyn,
TUM EGO SCIS INQUAM. — 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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. 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 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 or publisschen your renoun and doon yowr name for to he 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. 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.
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.)
QUICUMQUE SOLAM MENTE. — 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 upon the streyte sete of this erthe; and he schal he 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 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 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?
SET NE ME INEXORABILE. — 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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, 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 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.
QUOD MUNDUS STABILI FIDE. — 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, 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 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 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 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 felawes. O weleful were mankynde, yif thilke
Incipit Liber Tertius
IAM CANTUM ILLA, &c. — 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 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 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 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 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, 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. 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.
"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."
"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 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 knowe the cleernesse of verray blisfulnesse.
QUI SERERE INGENUUM. — 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 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 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 afterward the verray goodes schullen entren into thy corage."
TUM DEFIXO PAULULUM. — 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, "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 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 sovereyn good, for thanne wer ther som good
"Now hastow thanne byforn thyne eien almest 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 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, 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 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. 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 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 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 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
QUANTAS RERUM FLECTAT. — 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 of itself stable (that it chaunge nat from his propre kynde).
VOS QUOQUE TERRENA ANIMALIA. — 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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
"Ryght so is it," quod I.
"Than desiredest thow the presence of the toon and the absence of the tothir?"
"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 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 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.
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 suffisaunce?
QUAMVIS FLUENTE DIVES. — 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 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 whan he is deed.
SET DIGNITATES. — 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 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 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), al were this Nonyus set in chayere of dygnite. Sestow nat thanne how grete
"No," quod I.
"Certes dignytees," quod sche, "aperteignen properly to vertu, and vertu transporteth dignyte anoon to thilke man to whiche sche 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 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; 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 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: 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 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 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), 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 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 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 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 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 oughte ben desired? (As who seith noon; thanne ne mowen they yeven no beute of dignyte to noone othere.)
QUAMVIS SE TIRIO. — 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 (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
AN VERO REGNA. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 than a famylier enemy?
QUI SE VOLET ESSE POTENTEM. — 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 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 wrecchide compleyntes, certes it nys no power that thow hast.
GLORIA VERO QUAM FALLAX. — 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, glorie," quod he, "thow nart nothyng elles to
"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 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 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 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 schulde nat owtrayen or forlynen fro the vertus of hir noble kynrede.
OMNE HOMINUM GENUS IN TERRIS. — 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 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 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.
QUID AUTEM DE CORPORIS. — 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 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 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 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 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 I the sentence of my disciple Euripidis, that seide that he that hath no children is weleful by infortune.
HABET HOC VOLUPTAS. — Metrum 7
"Every delit hath this, that it angwisscheth hem with prykkes that usen it. It resembleth
NICHIL IGITUR DUBIUM. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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. 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 nat weyes ne pathes that bryngen men to blisfulnesse, ne maken men to ben blisful.
HEU QUE MISEROS TRAMITE. — 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 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 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 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 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
HACTENUS MENDACIS FORMAM. — 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 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."
"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 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 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?"
"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."
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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."
"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.
"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?"
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, 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."
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 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 which manere?" quod I.
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 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 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 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 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 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?"
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?"
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 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 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, 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 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 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, "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 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."
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 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 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 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 liketh to my disciple Plato, in his book of In Thymeo, that in ryght litel thynges men
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."
"Thow seyst aryght," quod sche, and bygan anoon to syngen right thus:
O QUI PERPETUA. — 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; 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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.
QUONlAM IGITUR QUE SIT. — 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 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 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 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 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 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
Boece. "This is concluded," quod I, "feermely and soothfastly."
Philosophie. "But considere also," quod sche," in whom this blissefulnes enhabiteth. The 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 hen thought betere than God, it mai nat ben douted thanne that he that no 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 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 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 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 he withseid in no manere."
"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.
"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 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 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, syn we speke of God prynce of alle thynges, feyne who so feyne mai who was be 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 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 cursydnesse to thinken that of hym that no thing nys more worth. For alwey, of alle thinges, the nature of hem ne may nat hen betere thanne hir begynnynge. For whiche I mai concluden by ryght verray resoun that thilke 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 sche, "that the sovereyn good is blisfulnesse."
"That is sooth," quod I.
"Thanne," quod sche, "moten we nedes granten and onfessen that thilke same sovereyn good be God."
"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 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 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 hen sovereynly gode ne mowe by no weie be divers. But I have wel 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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."
"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 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, 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 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 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
I se nat," quod I, "wherfore that men myghten discorden in this."
"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 good, and in noon other place.
NUNC OMNES PARITER VENITE CAPTI. — 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 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 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 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. 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 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."
ASSENCIOR INQUAM CUNCTA. — 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, "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] the be verray resoun, yif that tho thinges that I have concluded a litel herebyforn duellen only in hit first grauntynge."
Boece. "Thei dwellen graunted to the," quod I. (This to seyn as who seith, "I graunte thi 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 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 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 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, 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.
"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 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.
"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?"
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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).
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 and propre to hym, ryght as thinges that ben contrarious and enemys corrumpen hem. And yet the harde thinges, as stones,
"Ne I ne trete not here now of willeful moevynges of the soule that is knowyng, but of 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 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 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: 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 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 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 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 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 weren destroyed, certes, beynge schulde ther noon duellen to no wyght."
"That is sooth," quod I.
"Thanne," quod sche, "desiren alle thinges oon."
"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 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 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 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 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, "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 is the fyn of alle thinges.
QUISQUIS PROFUNDA. — 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 let hym gaderyn ayein, enclynynge into a compas, the longe moevynges of his thoughtes; and let hym techyn his corage that he hath enclosid
TUNC EGO PLATONI INQUAM. — 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 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 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.
"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, 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."
"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 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 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 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 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 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 suiffsaunce 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 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 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.
"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 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."
"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."
"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 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 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 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."
"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?"
"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."
"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," 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 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 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 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 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, yif be he 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.
"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 or disseyvistow me, that hast so woven
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, 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 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). 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, sith thow hast lernyd by the sentence of Plato that nedes the wordis moot be cosynes to the thinges of whiche thei speken.
FELIX QUI POTUIT. — 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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, 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
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 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 be looketh the helles, that is to seyn, into lowe thinges of the erthe."
Incipit Liber Quartus
HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE VULTUS. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
SUNT ETENIM PENNE VOLUCRES MICHI. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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."
TUM EGO PAPE INQUAM UT MAGNA. — 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
"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 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, 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, "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 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."
"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."
"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 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 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 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 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?"
"No,forsothe," quod I.
"Ne thou ne doutest nat," quod sche, "that thilke naturel office of goinge ne he the office of feet?"
"I ne doute it nat," quod I.
"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 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."
"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, 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, 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 hen wont to 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, 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
"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 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 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 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 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 hen 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 hen wikkid, but I ne may 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 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, 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 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 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."
"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, "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 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 alle thinges, and thei that hen 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.
"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 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. 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 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, 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 desiren; but thei ne geten ne ateyne nat therto, for vices ne comen nat to blisfulnesse.
QUOS VIDES SEDERE CELSOS. — 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 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 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 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 manye vices that han so wikkidly lordschipes over hym).
VIDESNE IGITUR QUANTO. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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
VELA NARICII DUCIS. — 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
TUM EGO FATEOR INQUAM. — 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 soules, al he 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."
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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 is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or
"Certes," quod I, "this conclusioun is hard and wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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, "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.
"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?"
"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 he is a wrecche, that ther be yit another yvel anexed and knyt to hym — hym — schal nat men demen hym more unsely thanne thilke wrecche of whiche the unselynesse is relevid by the participacioun of som good?"
"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 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 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 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?"
"Certes," quod I, "thise thinges ben clere ynowe, and [folwen that] that we han concluded a lytel herebyforn. But I preye the
"Certes," quod sche, "ye, and that ryght greet. Of whiche soules," quod sche, "I 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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; 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 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 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 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 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 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.
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 langwissynge of body.
QUID TANTOS IUVAT. — 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 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 teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen eriche 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 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."
HINC EGO VIDEO INQUAM. — 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 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. 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 namely prisown, lawe, and thise othere tormentz of laweful peynes ben rather owed to
"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 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 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 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?"
"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, 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.
SI QUIS ARCTURI SIDERA. — 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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 us, so that we wisten the causes why that swiche thinges bytyden, certes thei scholde cesen to seme wondres."
ITA EST INQUAM. — 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 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, 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 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
"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 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 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 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 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 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. 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 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 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, 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 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, 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 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 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 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 godhede. They surmounten the ordre of destynal moevablete. For ryght as of cerklis that
"Thilke ordenaunce moveth the hevene and the sterres, and atemprith the elementz togidre amonges hemself, and transformeth hem by entrechaungeable mutacioun. And thilke 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 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 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 thei scholden fleten folyly.
"For whiche it es that alle thingis semen to hen confus and trouble to us men, for we ne mowen nat considere thilke ordenaunce. Natheles the propre maner of every thing, 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 maladye, ne merveyleth of it nothyng. But what othir thing semeth hele of corages but
"But for to constreyne (as who seith, but for to comprehende and to telle) a fewe thingis of the devyne depnesse the whiche that mannis resoun may undirstonde, thilke man that thow wenest to ben ryght just and ryght kepynge of equite, the contrarie of that semeth to the 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
"For whiche thing thilke sovereyne purveaunce hath makid ofte tyme fair 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, 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 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 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 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, 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 the thingis that he hath makid into his semblaunce (that is to seyn, for to withholden thingis into gode, for he hymsef is good), he chasith out alle yvel fro the boundes of his comynalite by the ordre of necessite 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.
"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 and refect, thou schalt be more stedfast to stye into heyere questions or thinges.
SI VIS CELSI IURA. — 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. 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 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 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 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 place by stoundes; and that the colde thingis
"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 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 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 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 seyn, to God).
IAMNE IGITUR VIDES. — 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 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 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."
"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 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.
"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 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 that profiteth is good?"
"Yis," quod I.
"And certes thilke thing that exerciseth or corrigith profitith?"
"I confesse it wel," quod I.
"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 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 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 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."
"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.
"Certis," quod sche, "it folweth or comith of thingis that ben grauntid that alle fortune, what so evere it he, of hem that ben eyther in possessioun of vertu, or in the encres of vertu, or elles in the purchasynge of vertu, that thilke 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 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 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 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 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 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 is vicious), 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 ne exercise nat the good folk ne chastiseth the wikkide folk, it punysseth.
BELLA BIS QUINIS. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 hym in his ryver); and he, Hercules, caste adoun Antheus the geaunt in the [sondes] of Libye; and Kacus apaysede the wratthes of
"Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther as the heye wey of the greet ensaumple ledith 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 sterres." (This to seyn, that whan that erthly lust is overcomyn, a man is makid worthy to the hevene.)
Incipit Liber Quintus
DIXERAT ORATIONISQUE CURSUM. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 I have difiynysschid 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 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."
"In whiche manere?" quod I.
"As ofte," quod sche, "as men don any thing for grace of any other thing, and another thing
RUPIS ACHEMENIE. — 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 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 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 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 bridles,it suffreth bridelis (that is to seyn, to ben governed), and passeth by thilke lawe (that is to seyn, by the devyne ordenaunce)."
ANIMADVERTO INQUAM. — 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 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 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 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 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 icorrumped, and myght redy to speden thinges that ben desired. But the soules of men moten nedes he more fre whan thei loken hem in the speculacioun or lokynge of the devyne thought; and lasse fre whan thei slyden into the bodyes; 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 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;
PURO CLARUM LUMINE. — 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, 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 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 that he is the verrai sonne."
TUM EGO EN INQUAM. — 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."
"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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. 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 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),
"But certes now schewith it wel how fer fro the sothe and how up-so-doun is this thing that 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 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 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 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 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 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 woot); for it byhoveth by necessite that every thing he ryght as science comprehendeth it to be.
"What schal I thanne seyn? In whiche manere knoweth God byforn the thinges to comen, 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 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 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,' 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
"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 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 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 (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 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 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).
QUENAM DISCORS. — 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 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 ther nis no discord to the verray thinges, but thei clyven alwey certein to hemself; but the thought of man, confownded and overthrowen by the derke membres of the body, ne mai nat be fyr of his derked lookynge (that 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 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, 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 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 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 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, 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
TUM ILLA VETUS INQUIT HEC EST. — 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 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 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 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 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] 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 nat that fredom of wil be distorbed or ylet he 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 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 bast confessed it and byknowen a litel 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 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?"
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 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 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 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 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 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] 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. And this maystow lyghtly aperceyven by this that I schal seyn. For we seen many thingis whan
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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 manere in the whiche it comprehendith thilke same symple forme that ne may
QUONDAM PORTICUS ATTULIT. — 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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, and clepith forth to semblable moevyngis the
QUOD SI IN CORPORIBUS SENCIENDIS. — 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 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 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 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 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 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 and muscles and oothir swich schelle-fyssche 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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, 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, 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 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 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 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
QUAM VARIIS TERRAS. — 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 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 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 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, waxest yvel out of thi wit, this figure amonesteth the, that axest the hevene with thi ryghte visage and hast areised thi forhheved, to beren up an hye thi corage, so that thi thought ne be nat ihevyed ne put lowe undir fote, syn that thi body is so heyghe areysed.
QUONlAM IGITUR UTI PAULO ANTE. — 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 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 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 of lif interminable; and that schewethe 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 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 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, 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 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, 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 iproevid by right to ben eterne; and it byhovith by necessite that thilke thing he 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 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
"Thanne, syn that every jugement knoweth 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 in the simplicite of his presence, and embraceth and considerith 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 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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 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 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,
"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 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 or come therto, but yif that he be byhold 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 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 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 thanne be knowith it to he. 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 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 be goth. Ryght on this same man thanne, yf that the purveaunce of God seeth any thyng present, 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 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 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 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, "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," 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 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 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; 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 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 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 whethir thou wolt chaunge it or no, and whider-ward that thou torne it, thou ne
"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 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 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 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 man to alle thinges, and it ne oweth nawht to lattere 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 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 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 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 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 demeth alle thinges."
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