University of Virginia Library

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

forme of the verray blisfulnesse by me that have whilom yschewid it the, and thow hast knowen in whom blisfulnesse is yset, alle thingis ytreted that I trowe ben necessarie to putten forth, I schal schewe the the weye that schal bryngen the ayen unto thyn hous; and I schal fycchen fetheris in thi thought, by whiche it mai arisen in heighte; so that, alle tribulacioun idon awey, thow, by my gyding and by my path and by my sledys, shalt mowen retourne hool and sownd into thi contree.

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

schrewes, yif thilk naturel help hadde forleten hem, the whiche naturel help of entencioun goth alwey byforn hem and is so gret that unnethe it mai ben overcome? Considere thanne how gret defaute of power and how gret feblesse ther is in wikkide felonous folke. (As who seith, the grettere thing that is coveyted and the desir nat acomplissed, of the lasse myght is he that coveyteth it and mai nat acomplisse; and forthi Philosophie seith thus be sovereyn good.) Ne schrewes ne requeren not lighte meedes ne veyne games, whiche thei ne mai nat folwen ne holden; but thei failen of thilke somme and of the heighte of thinges (that is to seyn, soverein good). Ne these wrecches ne comen nat to the effect of sovereyn good, the whiche thei enforcen hem oonly to geten by nyghtes and by dayes. In the getyng of whiche good the strengthe of good folk is ful wel yseene. For ryght so as thou myghtest demen hym myghty of goinge that goth on his feet til he myghte comen to thilke place fro the whiche place ther ne laye no weie forthere to be gon, ryght so mostow nedes demen hym for ryght myghty, that geteth and atteyneth to the ende of alle thinges that ben to desire, byyonde the whiche ende ther nys no thing to desire. Of the whiche power of good folk men mai conclude that the wikkide men semen to be bareyne and naked of alle strengthe.

"For whi forleten thei vertus and folwen vices? Nys it nat for that thei ne knowen nat the godes? But what thing is more feble and more caytif than is the blyndnesse of ignorance? Or 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

thei ben gode, who is he that nolde deme that he that is ryght myghti of good were partlees of the mede? And of what mede schal he ben gerdoned? Certes of ryght fair mede and ryght greet aboven alle medes. Remembre the of thilke noble corrolarie that I yaf the a litel herebyforn, and gadre it togidre in this manere: so as good [hytself] is blisfulnesse, thanne is it cler and certein that alle gode folk ben imaked blisful for thei ben gode; and thilke folk that ben blisful it accordeth and is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the mede of good folk swych that no day ne schal empeiren it, ne no wikkidnesse schal derkne it, ne power of no wyght ne schal nat amenusen it; that is to seyn, to ben maked goddes. And syn it is thus (that gode men ne failen neveremo of hir mede), certes no wise man ne may doute of the undepartable peyne of schrewes (that is to seyn, that the peyne of schrewes ne departeth nat from hemself neveremo). For so as good and yvel, and peyne and medes, ben contrarie, it moot nedes ben that, ryght as we seen betyden in guerdoun of gode, that also moot the peyne of yvel answere by the contrarie partie to schrewes. Now thanne, so as bounte and pruesse ben the mede to good folk, also is schrewidnesse itself torment to schrewes. Thanne whoso that evere is entecchid or defouled with peyne, he ne douteth nat that he nys entecchid and defouled with yvel. Yif schrewes thanne wol preysen hemself may it semen to hem that thei ben withouten parti of torment, syn thei ben swiche that the uttreste wikkidnesse (that is to seyn, wikkide thewes, which that is the uttereste and the worst kynde of schrewednesse) ne defouleth ne enteccheth nat hem oonly, but enfecteth and envenymeth hem greetly? And also loke on schrewes, that ben the contrarie partie of gode men, how gret peyne felawschipith and folweth hem! For thou hast lerned a litil herebyforn that alle thing that is and hath beynge is oon, and thilke same oon is good: than is this the consequence, that it semeth wel that al that is and hath beynge is good. (This is to seyn, as who seith that beinge and unite and goodnesse is al oon.) And in this manere it folweth thanne that alle thing that fayleth to ben good, it stynteth for to be and for to han any beynge. Wherfore it es that schrewes stynten for to ben that thei weeren. But thilke othir forme [of the body] of mankynde (that is to seyn, the [forme] withowte) scheweth yit that thise schrewes weren whilom men. Wherfore, whan thei ben perverted and turned into malice, certes, thanne have thei forlorn the nature of mankynde. But so as oonly bownte and prowesse may enhawnsen every man over othere men, than moot it nedes he that schrewes, whiche that schrewednesse hath cast out of the condicion of mankynde, ben put undir the merit and the dissert of men. Than betidith it that, yif thou seest a wyght that be transformed into vices, thow ne mayst nat wene that he be a man. For if he be ardaunt in avaryce, and that he be a ravynour by violence of foreyne richesse, thou schalt seyn that he is lik to the wolf; and if he be felonows and withoute reste, and exercise his tonge to chidynges, thow schalt likne hym to the hownd; and if he be a pryve awaytour yhid, and rejoiseth hym to ravyssche be wiles, thow schalt seyn hym lik to the fox whelpes; and yif he be distempre, and quakith for ire, men schal wene that he bereth the corage of a lyoun; and yif he be dredful and fleynge, and dredith thinges that ne aughte nat to ben dredd, men schal holden hym lik to the hert; and yf he be slow, and astonyd, and lache, he lyveth as an asse; yif he be lyght and unstedfast of corage and chaungith ay his studies, he is likned to briddes; and if he be ploungid in fowle and unclene luxuris, he is withholden in the foule delices of the fowle sowe. Than folweth it that he that forleteth bounte and prowesse, he forletith to ben a man; syn he ne may nat passe into the condicion of God, he is torned into a beeste.

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

Cerces, the faire goddesse, dowhter of the sonne, duelleth, that medleth to hir newe gestes drynkes that ben touchid and makid with enchauntementz. And aftir that hir hand, myghti over the erbes, hadde chaunged hir gestes into diverse maneres, that oon of hem is coverid his face with forme of a boor; the tother is chaungid into a lyoun of the contre of Marmoryke, and his nayles and his teth waxen; that oother of hem is newliche chaunged into a wolf, and howleth whan he wolde wepe; that other goth debonayrely in the hows as a tigre of Inde. But al be it so that the godhede of Mercurie, that is cleped the bridde of Arcadye, hath had merci of the duc Ulixes, bysegid with diverse yveles, and hath unbownden hym fro the pestilence of his oostesse, algates the rowerys and the maryneres hadden by this idrawen into hir mouthes and dronken the wikkide drynkes. Thei that weren woxen swyn hadden by this ichaunged hir mete of breed for to eten akkornes of ookes. Noon of hir lymes ne duelleth with hem hool, but thei han lost the voys and the body; oonly hir thought duelleth with hem stable, that wepeth and bywayleth the monstruous chaungynge that thei suffren. O overlyght hand! (As who seith: O feble and light is the hand of Circes the enchaunteresse, that chaungith the bodyes of folk into beestes, to regard and to comparysoun of mutacioun that is makid by vices!) Ne the herbes of Circes ne ben nat myghty. For al be it so that thei mai chaungen the lymes of the body, algates yit thei may nat chaungen the hertes. For withinne is ihidd the strengthe and the vygour of men, in the secre tour of hir hertes, (that is to seyn, the strengthe of resoun); but thilke venyms of vices todrawen a man to hem more myghtely than the venym of Circes. For vices ben so cruel that they percen and thurw-passen the corage withinne; and, thoughe thei ne anoye nat the body, yit vices woden to destroyen men by wounde of thought."

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

thei ben war; and that thing establisseth to schrewes the ende of hir schrewednesse. For yf that schrewednesse makith wrecches, than mot he nedes ben moost wrecchide that lengest is a schrewe. The whiche wikkide schrewes wolde I demen althermost unsely and kaytifs, yif that hir schrewednesse ne were fynissched at the leste weye by the owtreste deth; for yif I have concluded soth of the unselynesse of schrewednesse, thanne schewith it clerly that thilke wrecchidnesse is withouten ende the whiche is certein to ben perdurable."

"Certes," quod I, "this conclusioun is hard and wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel 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

that thow telle me, yif thow accordest to leten no torment to the soules aftir that the body is ended by the deeth?" (This to seyn, "Undirstondestow aught that soules han any torment aftir the deeth of the body?")

"Certes," quod sche, "ye, and that ryght greet. Of whiche soules," quod sche, "I 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

felonus citezeins, for the whiche felonus citezeens tho peynes ben establisschid than for good folk.

"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

that Hercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no manere ne noon ende, but if that a wyght constreynede tho doutes by a ryght lifly and quyk fir of thought (that is to seyn, by vigour and strengthe of wit). For in this matere men weren wont to maken questiouns of the symplicite of the purveaunce of God, and of the ordre of destyne, and of sodeyn hap, and of the knowynge and predestinacioun devyne, and of the liberte of fre wil; the whiche thinges thou thiself aperceyvest wel of what weighte thei ben. But for as moche as the knowynge of thise thinges is a maner porcioun of the medycyne to the, al be it so that I have litil tyme to doon it, yit natheles Y wol enforcen me to schewe somwhat of it. But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a litel of thilke delit, whil that I weve to the resouns yknyt by ordre."

"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

tornen aboute a same centre or aboute a poynt, thilke cerkle that is innerest or most withinne joyneth to the symplesse of the myddle, and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to the tothere cerklis that tornen abouten hym; and thilke that is utterest, compased by a largere envyrownynge, is unfolden by largere spaces in so moche as it is ferthest fro the myddel symplicite of the poynt; and yif ther be any thing that knytteth and felawschipeth hymself to thilke myddel poynt, it is constreyned into simplicite (that is to seyn, into unmoevablete), and it ceseth to ben schad and to fleten diversely; ryght so, by semblable reson, thilke thing that departeth ferrest fro the firste thought of God, it is unfolden and summittid to grettere bondes of destyne; and in so moche is the thing more fre and laus fro destyne, as it axeth and hooldeth hym neer to thilke centre of thinges (that is to seyn, to God); and yif the thing clyveth to the stedfastnesse of the thought of God and be withoute moevynge, certes it surmounteth the necessite of destyne. Thanne ryght swich comparysoun as is of skillynge to undirstondyng, and of thing that ys engendrid to thing that is, and of tyme to eternite, and of the cercle to the centre; ryght so is the ordre of moevable destyne to the stable symplicite of purveaunce.

"Thilke ordenaunce moveth the hevene and the sterres, and atemprith the elementz togidre amonges hemself, and transformeth hem by entrechaungeable mutacioun. And thilke 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

bounte and prowesse? And what othir thing semeth maladye of corages but vices? Who is elles kepere of good or dryvere awey of yvel but God, governour and lechere of thoughtes? The whiche God, whan he hath byholden from the hye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is covenable to every wight, and lenyth hem that he woot that is covenable to hem. Lo, herof comyth and herof is don this noble miracle of the ordre destynal, whan God, that al knoweth, dooth swiche thing, of whiche thing unknowynge folk ben astonyd.

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

rychesses. And som othir man byboldeth his conscience defouled with synnes, and makith comparysoun of his fortune and of hymself, and dredith peraventure that his blisfulnesse, of whiche the usage is joyeful to hym, that the lesynge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorwful to hym; and therfore he wol chaunge his maneris, and, for he dredith to lesen his fortune, he forletith his wikkidnesse. To other folke is welefulnesse iyeven unworthely, the whiche overthroweth hem into destruccioun, that thei han disservid; and to som othir folk is yeven power to punysshen, for that it schal be cause of contynuacioun and exercisynge to good folk, and cause of torment to schrewes. For so as ther nis noon alliaunce bytwixe good folk and schrewes, ne schrewes ne mowen nat acorden among hemself. And whi nat? For schrewes discorden of hemself by hir vices, the whiche vices al toreenden her consciences, and doon ofte time thinges the whiche thingis, whan thei han doon hem, they demen that tho thinges ne scholden nat han ben doon.

"For whiche thing thilke sovereyne purveaunce hath makid ofte tyme fair 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

joynen hem by feyth to the hote thingis; and that the lyghte fyr ariseth into heighte, and the hevy erthes avalen by her weyghtes. By thise same causes the floury yer yeldeth swote smelles in the first somer sesoun warmynge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes; and autumpne comith ayein hevy of apples; and the fletyng reyn bydeweth the wynter. This atempraunce norysscheth and bryngeth forth alle thinges that brethith lif in this world; and thilke same attempraunce, ravysschynge, hideth and bynymeth, and drencheth undir the laste deth, alle thinges iborn.

"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

Evander (this to seyn, that Hercules slouh the monstre Kacus, and apaysed with that deth the wratthe of Evander); and the bristilede boor markide with scomes the scholdres of Hercules, the whiche scholdres the heye cercle of hevene sholde thriste; and the laste of his labours was that he susteynede the hevene uppon his nekke unbowed; and he disservide eftsones the hevene to ben the pris of his laste travaile.

"Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther as the heye wey of the greet ensaumple ledith 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.)