|b{BOETHIUS_DE_CONSOLATIONE_PHILOSOPHIE.} |b{The_Complete_Works_of_Geoffrey_Chaucer} |b{ed._Walter_W._Skeat,_2nd_ed.,_vol._2} |b{Oxford:_Clarendon_Press,_1900,} |b{pp._1-151.} |b{Note:_The_numbers_of_lines_are_not_bybed,_because_they} |b{are_not_page-specific_and_cause_errors_of} |b{sequentiality_in_Word_Cruncher.} |p1 BOETHIUS DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIE. BOOK I. METRE I. Carmina qui quondam studio florente peregi. ALLAS! I, weping, am constreined to biginnen vers of sorowful matere, that whylom in florisching studie made delitable ditees. For lo! rendinge Muses of poetes endyten to me thinges to be writen, and drery vers of wrecchednesse weten my face with 5 verray teres. At the leeste, no drede ne mighte overcomen tho Muses, that they ne weren felawes, and folweden my wey, that is to seyn, whan I was exyled; they that weren glorie of my youthe, whylom weleful and grene, comforten now the sorowful werdes of me, olde man. For elde is comen unwarly upon me, hasted by 10 the harmes that I have, and sorow hath comaunded his age to be in me. Heres hore ben shad overtymeliche upon myn heved, and the slake skin trembleth upon myn empted body. Thilke deeth of men is weleful that ne cometh not in yeres that ben swete, but cometh to wrecches, often y-cleped. 15 Allas! allas! with how deef an ere deeth, cruel, torneth awey fro wvrecches, and naiteth to closen wepinge eyen! Whyl Fortune, unfeithful, favorede me with lighte goodes, the sorowful houre, that is to seyn, the deeth, hadde almost dreynt myn heved. But |p2 now, for Fortune cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable chere to 20 me-ward, myn unpitous lyf draweth a-long unagreable dwellinges in me. O ye, my frendes, what or wherto avauntede ye me to ben weleful? for he that hath fallen stood nat in stedefast degree. PROSE I. Hec dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem. Whyle that I stille recordede thise thinges with my-self, and markede my weeply compleynte with office of pointel, I saw, stondinge aboven the heighte of myn heved, a woman of ful greet reverence by semblaunt, hir eyen brenninge and cleer-seinge over 5 the comune might of men; with a lyfly colour, and with swich vigour and strengthe that it ne mighte nat ben empted, al were it so that she was ful of so greet age, that men ne wolde nat trowen, in no manere, that she were of oure elde. The stature of hir was of a doutous Iugement, for som-tyme she constreinede and shronk 10 hir-selven lyk to the comune mesure of men, and sum-tyme it semede that she touchede the hevene with the heighte of hir heved, and whan she heef hir heved hyer, she percede the selve hevene, so that the sighte of men looking was in ydel. Hir clothes weren maked of right delye thredes and subtil crafte, of 15 perdurable matere, the whiche clothes she hadde woven with hir owene hondes, as I knew wel after by hir self, declaringe and shewinge to me the beautee, the whiche clothes a derknesse of a forleten and dispysed elde hadde dusked and derked, as it is wont to derken bi-smokede images. 20 In the nethereste hem or bordure of thise clothes men redden, y-woven in, a Grekissh P, that signifyeth the lyf Actif; and aboven |p3 that lettre, in the heyeste bordure, a Grekissh T, that signifyeth the lyf Contemplatif. And bi-twixen these two lettres ther weren seyn degrees, nobly y-wroght in manere of laddres, by whiche 25 degrees men mighten climben fro the nethereste lettre to the uppereste. Natheles, handes of some men hadde corven that cloth by violence and by strengthe; and everiche man of hem hadde born awey swiche peces as he mighte geten. And forsothe, this forseide woman bar smale bokes in hir right hand, and in hir left 30 hand she bar a ceptre. And whan she say thise poetical Muses aprochen aboute my bed, and endytinge wordes to my wepinges, she was a litel amoved, and glowede with cruel eyen. `Who,' qu¢d she, `hath suffred aprochen to this syke man thise comune strompetes of 35 swich a place that men clepen the theatre? The whiche nat only ne asswagen nat hise sorwes with none remedies, but they wolden feden and norisshen hem with swete venim. Forsothe thise ben tho that with thornes and prikkinges of talents or affecciouns, whiche that ne ben no-thing fructefyinge nor 40 profitable, destroyen the corn plentevous of fruites of resoun; for they holden the hertes of men in usage, but they ne delivere nat folk fro maladye. But if ye Muses hadden withdrawen fro me, with your flateryes, any uncunninge and unprofitable man, as men ben wont to finde comunly amonges the poeple, I wolde 45 wene suffre the lasse grevously, for-why, in swiche an unprofitable man, myn ententes ne weren no-thing endamaged. But ye with_drawen me this man, that hath be norisshed in the studies or scoles of Eleaticis and of Achademicis in Grece. But goth now rather awey, ye mermaidenes, whiche that ben swete til it be at 50 the laste, and suffreth this man to be cured and heled by myne Muses,' that is to seyn, by noteful sciences. And thus this companye of Muses y-blamed casten wrothly the |p4 chere dounward to the erthe; and, shewinge by reednesse hir shame, they passeden sorowfully the threshfold. 55 And I, of whom the sighte, plounged in teres, was derked so that I ne mighte not knowen what that womman was, of so imperial auctoritee, I wex al abaisshed and astoned, and caste my sighte doun to the erthe, and bigan stille for to abyde what she wolde don afterward. Tho com she ner, and sette hir doun up-on 60 the uttereste corner of my bed, and she, biholdinge my chere, that was cast to the erthe, hevy and grevous of wepinge, com_pleinede, with thise wordes that I shal seyen, the perturbacioun of my thought. METRE II. Heu quam precipiti mersa profundo. `Allas! how the thought of man, dreint in over-throwinge deepnesse, dulleth, and forleteth his propre cleernesse, mintinge to goon in-to foreine derknesses, as ofte as his anoyous bisinesse wexeth with-oute mesure, that is driven to and fro with worldly 5 windes! This man, that whylom was free, to whom the hevene was open and knowen, and was wont to goon in heveneliche pathes, and saugh the lightnesse of the rede sonne, and saugh the sterres of the colde mone, and whiche sterre in hevene useth wandering recourses, y-flit by dyverse speres-this man, over_comer, 10 hadde comprehended al this by noumbre of acountinge in astronomye. And over this, he was wont to seken the causes whennes the souning windes moeven and bisien the smothe water of the see; and what spirit torneth the stable hevene; and why the sterre aryseth out of the rede eest, to fallen in the westrene 15 wawes; and what atempreth the lusty houres of the firste somer sesoun, that highteth and apparaileth the erthe with rosene flowres; and who maketh that plentevouse autompne, in fulle yeres, fleteth with hevy grapes. And eek this man was wont to telle the |p5 dyverse causes of nature that weren y-hidde. Allas! now lyeth he empted of light of his thought, and his nekke is pressed with 20 hevy cheynes; and bereth his chere enclyned adoun for the grete weighte, and is constreined to looken on the fool erthe! PROSE II. Set medicine, inquit, tempus est. But tyme is now,' quod she, `of medicine more than of compleinte.' Forsothe than she, entendinge to me-ward with alle the lookinge of hir eyen, seide.-`Art nat thou he,' quod she' `that whylom y-norisshed with my milk, and fostered with myne 5 metes, were escaped and comen to corage of a parfit man? Certes, I yaf thee swiche armures that, yif thou thy-self ne haddest first cast hem a-wey, they shulden han defended thee in sikernesse that may nat ben over-comen. Knowest thou me nat? Why art thou stille? Is it for shame or for astoninge? 10 It were me lever that it were for shame, but it semeth me that astoninge hath oppressed thee.' And whan she say me nat only stille, but with-outen office of tunge and al doumb, she leide hir hand softely upon my brest, and seide: `Here nis no peril,' quod she; `he is fallen into a litargie, whiche that is a comune sykenes 15 to hertes that ben deceived. He hath a litel foryeten him-self, but certes he shal lightly remembren him-self, yif so be that he hath knowen me or now; and that he may so don, I wil wypen a litel his eyen, that ben derked by the cloude of mortal thinges.' Thise wordes seide she, and with the lappe of hir garment, y-plyted 20 in a frounce, she dryede myn eyen, that weren fulle of the wawes of my wepinges. METRE III. Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebre. Thus,whan that night was discussed and chased a-wey derknesses forleften me, and to myn eyen repeirede ayein hir |p6 firste strengthe. And, right by ensaumple as the sonne is hid whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn, whan sterres ben 5 covered with cloudes) by a swifte winde that highte Chorus, and that the firmament stant derked by wete ploungy cIoudes, and that the sterres nat apperen up-on hevene, so that the night semeth sprad up-on erthe: yif thanne the wind that highte Borias y-sent out of the caves of the contree of Trace, beteth this night 10 (that is to seyn, chaseth it a-wey), and descovereth the closed day: than shyneth Phebus y-shaken with sodein light, and smyteth with his bemes in mervelinge eyen. PR0SE III. Haud aliter tristicie nebulis dissolutis. Right so, and non other wyse, the cloudes of sorwe dissolved and don a-wey, I took hevene, and receivede minde to knowen the face of my fysicien; so that I sette myn eyen on hir, and fastnede my lookinge. I beholde my norice Philosophie, in whos houses 5 I hadde conversed and haunted fro my youthe; and I seide thus. `O thou maistresse of alle vertues, descended from the soverein sete, why artow comen in-to this solitarie place of myn exil? Artow comen for thou art maked coupable with me of false blames?' 10 `O,' quod she, `my norry, sholde I forsaken thee now, and sholde I nat parten with thee, by comune travaile, the charge that thou hast suffred for envie of my name? Certes, it nere not leveful ne sittinge thing to Philosophie, to leten with-outen companye the wey of him that is innocent. Sholde I thanne 15 redoute my blame, and agrysen as though ther were bifallen a newe thing? quasi diceret, non. For trowestow that Philosophie be now alderfirst assailed in perils by folk of wikkede maneres? Have I nat striven with ful greet stryf, in olde tyme, bifore the age of my Plato, ayeines the foolhardinesse of folye? And eek 20 the same Plato livinge, his maister Socrates deservede victorie of |p7 unrightful deeth in my presence. The heritage of which Socrates -- the heritage is to seyn the doctrine of the whiche Socrates in his opinioun of Felicitee, that I clepe welefulnesse-whan that the poeple of Epicuriens and Stoiciens and many othre enforceden 25 hem to go ravisshe everich man for his part-that is to seyn, that everich of hem wolde drawen to the defence of his opinioun the wordes of Socrates-they, as in partie of hir preye, to-drowen me cryinge and debatinge ther-ayeins, and corven and to-renten my clothes that I hadde woven with myn handes; and with tho 30 cloutes that they hadden araced out of my clothes they wenten awey, weninge that I hadde gon with hem everydel. In whiche Epicuriens and Stoiciens, for as moche as ther semede some traces or steppes of myn habite, the folye of men, weninge tho Epicuriens and Stoiciens my famuleres, perverted (sc. perse_quendo 35 ) some through the errour of the wikkede or uncunninge multitude of hem. This is to seyn that, for they semede philosophres, they weren pursued to the deeth and slayn. So yif thou hast nat knowen the exilinge of Anaxogore, ne the enpoysoninge of Socrates, ne the tourments of Zeno, for they weren straungeres: 40 yit mightestow han knowen the Senecciens and the Canios and the Sorans, of whiche folk the renoun is neither over-olde ne unsolempne. The whiche men, no-thing elles ne broughte hem to the deeth but only for they weren enfourmed of myne maneres and semeden most unlyke to the studies of wikkede folk. And 45 forthy thou oughtest nat to wondren though that I, in the bittre see of this lyf; be fordriven with tempestes blowinge aboute, in the whiche tempestes this is my most purpos, that is to seyn, to displesen to wikkede men. Of whiche shrewes, al be the ost never so greet, it is to dispyse, for it nis governed. with no leder 50 of resoun, but it is ravisshed only by fletinge errour folyly and lightly. And if they som-tyme, makinge an ost ayeins us, assaile us as strenger, our leder draweth to-gidere hise richesses in-to his tour, and they ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels unprofitable |p8 for to taken. But we that ben heye aboven, siker fro alle 55 tumulte and wode noise, warnestored and enclosed in swich a palis, whider as that chateringe or anoyinge folye ne may nat atayne, we scorne swiche ravineres and henteres of fouleste thinges. METRE IV. Quisquis composito serenus euo. Who-so it be that is cleer of vertu, sad, and wel ordinat of livinge, that hath put under foot the proude werdes and looketh upright up-on either fortune, he may holde his chere undiscom_fited. The rage ne the manaces of the see, commoevinge or 5 chasinge upward hete fro the botme, ne shal not moeve that man; he the unstable mountaigne that highte Vesevus, that wrytheth out through his brokene chiminees smokinge fyres. Ne the wey of thonder-light, that is wont to smyten heye toures, ne shal nat moeve that man. Wher-to thanne, o wrecches, drede ye 10 tirauntes that ben wode and felonous with-oute any strengthe? Hope after no-thing, ne drede nat; and so shaltow desarmen the ire of thilke unmighty tiraunt. But who-so that, quakinge dredeth or desireth thing that nis nat stable of his right, that man that so doth hath cast awey his sheld and is remoeved fro 15 his place, and enlaceth him in the cheyne with the which he may ben drawen. PROSE IV. Sentisne, inquit, hec. `Felestow,' quod she, `thise thinges, and entren they aught in thy corage? Artow lyke an asse to the harpe? Why wepestow; |p9 why spillestow teres? Yif thou abydest after help of thy leche thee bihoveth discovere thy wounde.' 5 Tho I, that hadde gadered strengthe in my corage, answerede and seide: `And nedeth it yit,' quod I, `of rehersinge or of amonicioun, and sheweth it nat y-nough by him-self the sharp_nesse of Fortune, that wexeth wood ayeins me? Ne moeveth it nat thee to seen the face or the manere of this place (i. prisoun)? 10 Is this the librarie whiche that thou haddest chosen for a right certein sete to thee in myn hous, ther-as thou desputedest ofte with me of the sciences of thinges touchinge divinitee and touch_inge mankinde? Was thanne myn habite swich as it is now? Was than my face or my chere swiche as now (quasi diceret, non), 15 whan I soughte with thee secrets of nature, whan thou enformedest my maneres and the resoun of alle my lyf to the ensaumple of the ordre of hevene? Is nat this the guerdoun that I referre to thee, to whom I have be obeisaunt? Certes, thou confermedest, by the mouth of Plato, this sentence, that is to seyn, that comune 20 thinges or comunalitees weren blisful, yif they that hadden studied al fully to wisdom governeden thilke thinges,or elIes yif it so bifille that the governoures of comunalitees studieden to geten wisdom. Thou seidest eek, by the mouth of the same Plato, that it was 25 a necessarie cause, wyse men to taken and desire the governaunce of comune thinges, for that the governements of citees, y-left in the handes of felonous tormentours citizenes, ne sholde nat bringe in pestilence and destruccioun to gode folk. And therfor I, folwinge thilke auctoritee (sc. Platonis), desired to putten forth 30 in execucioun and in acte of comune administracioun thilke thinges that I hadde lerned of thee among my secree resting_whyles. Thou, and god that putte thee in the thoughtes of wyse folk, ben knowinge with me, that no-thing he broughte me to |p10 maistrie or dignitee, but the comune studie of alle goodnesse. 35 And ther-of comth it that bi-twixen wikked folk and me han ben grevous discordes, that ne mighten ben relesed by preyeres; for this libertee hath the freedom of conscience, that the wratthe of more mighty folk hath alwey ben despysed of me for savacioun of right. 40 How ofte have I resisted and withstonde thilke man that highte Conigaste, that made alwey assautes ayeins the prospre fortunes of pore feble folk? How ofte eek have I put of or cast out him, Trigwille, provost of the kinges hous, bothe of the wronges that he hadde bigunne to don, and eek fully performed? How ofte have 45 I covered and defended by the auctoritee of me, put ayeins perils -- that is to seyn, put myn auctoritee in peril for-the wrecched pore folk, that the covetyse of straungeres unpunished tourmenteden alwey with miseyses and grevaunces out of noumbre? Never man ne drow me yit fro right to wronge. Whan I say the fortunes and 50 the richesses of the poeple of the provinces ben harmed or amenused, outher by privee ravynes or by comune tributes or cariages, as sory was I as they that suffreden the harm. Glossa. Whan that Theodoric, the king of Gothes, in a dere yere, hadde hise gerneres ful of corn, and comaundede that no man 55 ne sholde byen no corn til his corn were sold, and that at a grevous dere prys, Boece withstood that ordinaunce, and over-com it, know_inge al this the king him-self. Textus. Whan it was in the soure hungry tyme, ther was establisshed or cryed grevous and inplitable coempcioun, that men 60 sayen wel it sholde greetly turmenten and endamagen al the province of Campaigne, I took stryf ayeins the provost of the pre_torie for comune profit. And, the king knowinge of it, I overcom it, so that the coempcioun ne was not axed ne took effect. |p11 [Glossa.] Coempcioun, that is to seyn, comune achat or bying 65 to-gidere, that were establisshed up-on the people by swiche a manere imposicioun, as who-so boughte a busshel corn, he moste yeve the king the fifte part. [Textus.] Paulin, a counseiller of Rome, the richesses of the whiche Paulin the houndes of the palays, that is to seyn, the officeres, 70 wolden han devoured by hope and covetise, yit drow I him out of the Iowes (sc. faucibus) of hem that gapeden. And for as moche as the peyne of the accusacioun aiuged biforn ne sholde nat sodeinly henten ne punisshen wrongfully Albin, a counseiller of Rome, I putte me ayeins the hates and indignaciouns of the 75 accusor Ciprian. Is it nat thanne y-nough y-seyn, that I have purchased grete discordes ayeins my-self? But I oughte be the more assured ayeins alle othre folk (s. Romayns), that for the love of rightwisnesse I ne reserved never no-thing to my-self to hem_ward of the kinges halle, sc. officers, by the whiche I were the more 80 siker. But thorugh tho same accusors accusinge, I am con_dempned. Of the noumbir of the whiche accusors oon Basilius, that whylom was chased out of the kinges service, is now com_pelled in accusinge of my name, for nede of foreine moneye. Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me, al be it so that the 85 Iustice regal hadde whylom demed hem bothe to go in-to exil for hir trecheryes and fraudes withoute noumbir. To whiche Iuge_ment they nolden nat obeye, but defendeden hem by the siker_nesse of holy houses, that is to seyn, fledden into seintuaries; and whan this was aperceived to the king, he comaundede, that but 90 they voidede the citee of Ravenne by certein day assigned, that men sholde merken hem on the forheved with an hoot yren and chasen hem out of the toune. Now what thing, semeth thee, mighte ben lykned to thrs crueltee? For certes, thilke same day |p12 was received the accusinge of my name by thilke same accusors. 95 What may ben seid her-to? (quasi diceret, nichil) Hath my studie and my cunninge deserved thus; or elles the forseide damp_nacioun of me, made that hem rightful accusors or no? (quasi diceret, non). Was not Fortune ashamed of this? Certes, al hadde nat Fortune ben ashamed that innocence was accused, yit 100 oughte she han had shame of the filthe of myne accusours. But, axestow in somme, of what gilt I am accused, men seyn that I wolde save the companye of the senatours. And desirest thou to heren in what manere? I am accused that I sholde han destourbed the accusor to beren lettres, by whiche he sholde han 105 maked the senatoures gilty ayeins the kinges real maiestee. O maistresse, what demestow of this? Shal I forsake this blame, that I ne be no shame to thee? (quasi diceret, non). Certes, I have wold it, that is to seyn, the savacioun of the senat, ne I shal never leten to wilne it, and that I confesse and am aknowe; but the 110 entente of the accusor to be destourbed shal cese. For shal I clepe it thanne a felonie or a sinne that I have desired the savacioun of the ordre of the senat? (quasi diceret, dubito quid). And certes yit hadde thilke same senat don by me, thorugh hir decrets and hir Iugements, as though it were a sinne or a felonie; 115 that is to seyn, to wilne the savacioun of hem (sc. senatus). But folye, that lyeth alwey to him-self, may not chaunge the merite of thinges. Ne I trowe nat, by the Iugement of Socrates, that it were leveful to me to hyde the sothe, ne assente to lesinges. But certes, how so ever it be of this, I putte it to gessen or prei_sen 120 to the Iugement of thee and of wyse folk. Of whiche thing al the ordinaunce and the sothe, for as moche as folk that ben to comen after our dayes shullen knowen it, I have put it in scripture and in remembraunce. For touching the lettres falsly maked, by whiche lettres I am accused to han hoped the fredom 125 of Rome, what aperteneth me to speke ther-of? Of whiche lettres the fraude hadde ben shewed apertly, yif I hadde had libertee for to han used and ben at the confessioun of myne |p13 accusours, the whiche thing in alle nedes hath greet strengthe. For what other fredom may men hopen? Certes, I wolde that 130 som other fredom mighte ben hoped. I wolde thanne han answered by the wordes of a man that highte Canius; for whan he was accused by Gaius Cesar, Germeynes sone, that he (Canius) was knowinge and consentinge of a coniuracioun y-maked ayeins him (SC: Gaius), this Canius answerede thus: 135 "Yif I hadde wist it, thou haddest nat wist it." In which thing sorwe hath nat so dulled my wit, that I pleyne only that shrewede folk aparailen felonies ayeins vertu; but I wondre greetly how that they may performe thinges that they hadde hoped for to don. For-why, to wilne shrewednesse, that comth peraventure 140 of oure defaute, but it is lyk a monstre and a mervaille, how that, in the present sighte of god, may ben acheved and performed swiche thinges as every felonous man hath conceived in his thought ayeins innocents. For which thing oon of thy famileres nat unskilfully axed thus. "Yif god is, whennes comen wikkede 145 thinges? And yif god ne is, whennes comen gode thinges?" But al hadde it ben leveful that felonous folk, that now desiren the blood and tHe deeth of alle gode men and eek of alle the senat, han wilned to gon destroyen me, whom they han seyen alwey batailen and defenden gode men and eek al the senat, 150 yit had I nat desserved of the faderes, that is to seyn, of the senatoures, that they sholden wilne my destruccioun. Thou remembrest wel, as I gesse, that whan I wolde doon or seyen any thing, thou thyself, alwey present, rewledest me. At the city of Verone, whan that the king, gredy of comune slaughter, 155 caste him to transporten up al the ordre of the senat the gilt of his real maiestee, of the whiche gilt that Albin was accused, with how gret sikernesse of peril to me defendede I al the senat! Thou wost wel that I seye sooth, ne I ne avauntede me never in preysinge of my-self. For alwey, whan any wight receiveth 160 precious renoun in avauntinge him-self of his werkes, he amenuseth the secree of his conscience. But now thou mayst wel seen to |p14 what ende I am comen for myne innocence; I receive peyne of fals felonye for guerdon of verray vertu. And what open confessioun of felonye hadde ever Iuges so acordaunt in crueltee, 165 that is to seyn, as myn accusinge hath, that either errour of mannes wit or elles condicioun of Fortune, that is uncertein to alle mortal folk, ne submittede some of hem, that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede som Iuge to han pitee or compassioun? For al-thogh I hadde ben accused that I wolde brenne holy houses, and strangle preestes 170 with wikkede swerde, or that I hadde greythed deeth to al gode men, algates the sentence sholde han punisshed me, present, confessed, or convict. But now I am remewed fro the citee of Rome almost fyve hundred thousand pas, I am with-oute defence dampned to proscripcioun and to the deeth, for the studie and 175 bountees that I have doon to the senat. But O, wel ben they worthy of merite (as who seith, nay), ther mighte never yit non of hem be convict of swiche a blame as myne is! Of whiche trespas, myne accusours sayen ful wel the dignitee; the whiche dignitee, for they wolden derken it with medeling of som felonye, 180 they baren me on hand, and lyeden, that I hadde polut and defouled my conscience with sacrilege, for coveitise of dignitee. And certes, thou thy-self, that are plaunted in me, chacedest out of the sege of my corage al coveitise of mortal thinges; ne sacrilege hadde no leve to han a place in me biforn thyne eyen. 185 For thou droppedest every day in myne eres and in my thought. thilke comaundement of Pictagoras, that is to seyn, men shal serve to godde, and not to goddes. Ne it was nat convenient, ne no nede, to taken help of the foulest spirites; I, that thou hast ordeined and set in swiche excellence that thou makedest 190 me lyk to god. And over this, the right clene secree chaumbre of myne hous, that is to seyn, my wyf; and the companye of myn honest freendes, and my wyves fader, as wel holy as worthy |p15 to ben reverenced thorugh his owne dedes, defenden me from alle suspecioun of swich blame. But O malice! For they that 195 accusen me taken of thee, Philosophie, feith of so gret blame! For they trowen that I have had affinitee to malefice or enchaunte_ment, by-cause that I am replenisshed and fulfilled with thy techinges, and enformed of thy maneres. And thus it suffiseth not only, that thy reverence he availe me not, but-yif that thou 200 of thy free wille, rather be blemished with myn offencioun. But certes, to the harmes that I have, ther bitydeth yit this encrees of harm, that the gessinge and the Iugement of moche folk ne looken no-thing to the desertes of thinges, but only to the aventure of fortune; and iugen that only swiche thinges 205 ben purveyed of god, whiche that temporel welefulnesse com_mendeth. Glose. As thus: that, yif a wight have prosperitee, he is a good man and worthy to han that prosperitee; and who-so hath adversitee, he is a wikked man, and god hath forsake him, and he is worthy to han that adversitee. This is the opinioun of some 210 folk. And ther-of comth that good gessinge, first of alle thing, for_saketh wrecches: certes, it greveth me to thinke right now the dyverse sentences that the poeple seith of me. And thus moche 210 I seye, that the laste charge of contrarious fortune is this: that, whan that any blame is leyd upon a caitif, men wenen that he hath deserved that he suffreth. And I, that am put awey fro gode men, and despoiled of dignitees, and defouled of my name by gessinge, have suffred torment for my gode dedes. Certes, 220 me semeth that I see the felonous covines of wikked men habounden in Ioye and in gladnesse. And I see that every lorel shapeth him to finde out newe fraudes for to accuse gode folk. And I see that gode men beth overthrowen for drede of my peril; and every luxurious tourmentour dar doon alle 225 felonye unpunisshed and ben excited therto by yiftes, and innocents ne ben not only despoiled of sikernesse but of defence; and therfore me list to cryen to god in this wyse: |p16 METRE V. O stelliferi conditor orbis. O thou maker of the whele that bereth the sterres, which that art y-fastned to thy perdurable chayer, and tornest the hevene with a ravisshing sweigh, and constreinest the sterres to suffren thy lawe; so that the mone som-tyme shyning with hir ful hornes, 5 meting with alle the bemes of the sonne hir brother, hydeth the sterres that ben lesse; and somtyme, whan the mone, pale with hir derke hornes, approcheth the sonne, leseth hir lightes, and that the eve-sterre Hesperus, whiche that in the firste tyme of the night bringeth forth hir colde arysinges, cometh eft ayein 10 hir used cours, and is pale by the morwe at the rysing of the sonne, and is thanne cleped Lucifer. Thou restreinest the day by shorter dwelling, in the tyme of colde winter that maketh the leves to falle. Thou dividest the swifte tydes of the night whan the hote somer is comen. Thy might atempreth the 15 variaunts sesons of the yere; so that Zephirus the deboneir wind bringeth ayein, in the first somer sesoun, the leves that the wind that highte Boreas hath reft awey in autumpne, that is to seyn, in the laste ende of somer; and the sedes that the sterre that highte Arcturus saw, ben waxen heye cornes whan the 20 sterre Sirius eschaufeth hem. Ther nis no-thing unbounde from his olde lawe, ne forleteth the werke of his propre estat. O thou governour, governinge alle thinges by certain ende, why refusestow only to governe the werkes of men by dewe manere? Why suffrest thou that slydinge fortune torneth so grete entre_chaunginges 25 of thinges, so that anoyous peyne, that sholde dewely punisshe felouns, punissheth innocents? And folk of wikkede maneres sitten in heye chayres, and anoyinge folk treden, and |p17 that unrightfully, on the nekkes of holy men? And vertu cler_shyninge naturelly is hid in derke derkenesses, and the rightful 30 man bereth the blame and the peyne of the feloun. Ne for_sweringe ne the fraude, covered and kembd with a fals colour, ne anoyeth nat to shrewes; the whiche shrewes, whan hem list to usen hir strengthe, they reioysen hem to putten under hem the sovereyne kinges, whiche that poeple with-outen noumbre 35 dreden. O thou, what so ever thou be that knittest alle bondes of thinges, loke on thise wrecchede erthes; we men that ben nat a foule party, but a fayr party of so grete a werk, we ben tormented in this see of fortune. Thou governour, withdraw 40 and restreyne the ravisshinge flodes, and fastne and ferme thise erthes stable with thilke bonde, with whiche thou governest the hevene that is so large.' PROSE V. Hic ubi continuato dolore delatraui. Whan I hadde, with a continuel sorwe, sobbed or borken out thise thinges, she with hir chere pesible, and no-thing amoeved with my compleintes, seide thus: `Whan I say thee,' quod she, `sorweful and wepinge, I wiste anon that thou were a wrecche 5 and exiled, but I wiste never how fer thyne exile was, yif thy tale ne hadde shewed it to me. But certes, al be thou fer fro thy contree, thou nart nat put out of it; but thou hast failed of thy weye and gon amis. And yif thou hast lever for to wene that thou be put out of thy contree, than hast thou put out thy-self 10 rather than any other wight hath. For no wight but thy-self ne mighte never han don that to thee. For yif thou remembre of what contree thou art born, it nis nat governed by emperours, ne |p18 by governement of multitude, as weren the contrees of hem of Athenes; but oo lord and oo king, and that is god, that is lord of 15 thy contree, whiche that reioyseth him of the dwelling of hise citezenes, and nat for to putte hem in exil; of the whiche lorde it is a soverayne fredom to be governed by the brydel of him and obeye to his Iustice. Hastow foryeten thilke right olde lawe of thy citee, in the whiche citee it is ordeined and establisshed, that for 20 what right that hath lever founden ther-in his sete or his hous than elles-wher, he may nat be exiled by no right from that place? For who-so that is contened in-with the palis and the clos of thilke citee, ther nis no drede that he may deserve to ben exiled. But who-so that leteth the wil for to enhabite there, he forleteth also to deserve 25 to ben citezein of thilke citee. So that I sey, that the face of this. place ne moveth me nat so mochel as thyne owne face. Ne I axe nat rather the walles of thy librarie, aparayled and wrought with yvory and with glas, than after the sete of thy thought. In whiche I putte nat whylom bokes, but I putte that that maketh 30 bokes worthy of prys or precious, that is to seyn, the sentence of my bokes. And certeinly of thy desertes, bistowed in comune good, thou hast seid sooth, but after the multitude of thy gode dedes, thou hast seid fewe; and of the honestee or of the falsnesse of thinges that ben aposed ayeins thee, thou hast remembred 35 thinges that ben knowen to alle folk. And of the felonyes and fraudes of thyne accusours, it semeth thee have y-touched it for_sothe rightfully and shortly, al mighten tho same thinges betere and more plentivousely ben couth in the mouthe of the poeple that knoweth al this. 40 Thou hast eek blamed gretly and compleined of the wrongful dede of the senat. And thou hast sorwed for my blame, and thou hast wopen for the damage of thy renoun that is apayred; and thy |p19 laste sorwe eschaufede ayeins fortune, and compleinest that guer_douns ne ben nat evenliche yolden to the desertes of folk. And 45 in the latere ende of thy wode Muse, thou preyedest that thilke pees that governeth the hevene sholde governe the erthe. But for that manye tribulaciouns of affecciouns han assailed thee, and sorwe and ire and wepinge to-drawen thee dyversely; as thou art now feble of thought, mightier remedies ne shullen nat yit touchen 50 thee, for whiche we wol usen somdel lighter medicines: so that thilke passiouns that ben woxen harde in swellinge, by pertur_baciouns flowing in-to thy thought, mowen wexen esy and softe, to receiven the strengthe of a more mighty and more egre medicine, by an esier touchinge. METRE VI. Cum Phebi radiis graue Cancri sidus inestuat. 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 signe of the Cancre, who-so yeveth thanne largely hise sedes to the feldes that refusen to receiven hem, lat him gon, bigyled of 5 trust that he hadde to his corn, to acorns of okes. Yif thou wolt gadre violettes, ne go thou not to the purpur wode whan the feld, chirkinge, agryseth of colde by the felnesse of the winde that highte Aquilon. Yif thou desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seke thou nat, with a glotonous hond, to streyne and presse the stalkes of the 10 vine in the ferst somer sesoun; for Bachus, the god of wyne, hath rather yeven hise yiftes to autumpne, the later ende of somer. God tokneth and assigneth the tymes, ablinge hem to hir propres offices; ne he ne suffreth nat the stoundes whiche that him-self hath devyded and constreyned to ben y-medled to-gidere. 15 And forthy he that forleteth certein ordinaunce of doinge by over_throwinge wey, he ne hath no glade issue or ende of his werkes. |p20 PROSE VI. Primum igitur paterisne me pauculis rogacionibus. First woltow suffre me to touche and assaye the estat of thy thought by a fewe demaundes, so that I may understonde what be the manere of thy curacioun?' `Axe me,' quod I, `at thy wille, what thou wolt, and I shal 5 answere.' Tho seide she thus:' Whether wenestow,' quod she, `that this world be governed by foolish happes and fortunous, or elles that ther be in it any governement of resoun?' `Certes,' quod I, `I ne trowe nat in no manere, that so 10 certein thinges sholde be moeved by fortunous fortune; but I wot wel that god, maker and mayster, is governour of his werk. Ne never nas yit day that mighte putte me out of the sothnesse of that sentence.' `So is it,' quod she; `for the same thing songe thou a litel 15 her-biforn, and biweyledest and biweptest, that only men weren put out of the cure of god. For of alle other thinges thou ne doutedest nat that they nere governed by resoun. But owh! (i. pape!) I wondre gretly, certes, why that thou art syk, sin that thou art put in so holsom a sentence. But lat us seken 20 depper; I coniecte that ther lakketh I not nere what. But sey me this: sin that thou ne doutest nat that this world be governed by god, with whiche governailes takestow hede that it is governed?' `Unnethe,' quod I, `knowe I the sentence of thy questioun; 25 so that I ne may nat yit answeren to thy demaundes.' `I nas nat deceived,' quod she, `that ther ne faileth som_what, by whiche the maladye of thy perturbacioun is crept in_to thy thought, so as the strengthe of the palis chyning is open. |p21 But sey me this: remembrest thou what is the ende of thinges 30 and whider that the entencioun of alle kinde tendeth?' `I have herd it told som-tyme,' quod I; `but drerinesse hath dulled my memorie.' `Certes,' quod she, `thou wost wel whennes that alle thinges ben comen and procedeth?' 35 `I wot wel,' quod I, and answerede, that `god is beginning of al.' `And how may this be,' quod she, `that, sin thou knowest the beginning of thinges, that thou ne knowest nat what is the ende of thinges? But swiche ben the customes of pertur_baciouns, 40 and this power they han, that they may moeve a man out of his place, that is to seyn, fro the stablenes and per_feccioun of his knowinge; but, certes, they may nat al arace him, ne aliene him in al. But I wolde that thou woldest answere to this: remembrestow that thou art a man?' 45 `Why sholde I nat remembre that?' quod I. `Maystow nat telle me thanne,' quod she, `what thing is a man?' `Axestow me nat,' quod I, `whether that I be a resonable mortal beest? I woot wel, and I confesse wel that I am it.' `Wistestow never yit that thou were any other thing?' quod 50 she. `No,' quod I. `Now woot I,' quod she, `other cause of thy maladye, and that right grete. Thou hast left for to knowen thy-seIf, what thou art; thorugh whiche I have pleynly founden the cause of 55 thy maladye, or elles the entree of recoveringe of thyn hele. For-why, for thou art coinfounded with foryeting of thy-self, for_thy sorwestow that thou art exiled of thy propre goodes. And for thou ne wost what is the ende of thinges, for-thy demestow that felonous and wikked men ben mighty and weleful. And |p22 60 for thou hast foryeten by whiche governements the world is governed, for-thy wenestow that thise mutaciouns of fortune fleten with-oute governour. Thise ben grete causes not only to maladye, but, certes, grete causes to deeth. But I thanke the auctor and the maker of hele, that nature hath not al 65 forleten thee. I have grete norisshinges of thyn hele, and that is, the sothe sentence of governaunce of the worlde; that thou bilevest that the governinge of it nis nat subiect ne underput to the folie of thise happes aventurous, but to the resoun of god. And ther-for doute thee no-thing, for of this litel spark 70 thyn hete of lyf shal shyne. But for as moche as it is nat tyme yit of faster remedies, and the nature of thoughtes deceived is this, that as ofte as they casten awey sothe opiniouns, they clothen hem in false opiniouns, of which false opiniouns the derkenesse of perturbacioun wexeth 75 up, that confoundeth the verray insighte: and that derkenesse shal I assaye som-what to maken thinne and wayk by lighte and meneliche remedies; so that, after that the derkenesse of deceivinge desiringes is don awey, thou mowe knowe the shyn_inge of verray light. METRE VII. Nubibus atris. The sterres, covered with blake cloudes, ne mowen yeten a-doun no light. Yif the trouble wind that hight Auster, turn_ing and walwinge the see, medleth the hete, that is to seyn, the boyling up from the botme; the wawes, that whylom weren 5 clere as glas and lyke to the faire clere dayes, withstande anon the sightes of men by the filthe and ordure that is resolved. And the fletinge streem, that royleth doun dyversly fro heye |p23 mountaignes, is arested and resisted ofte tyme by the encoun_tringe of a stoon that is departed and fallen from som roche. 10 And for-thy, yif thou wolt loken and demen sooth with cleer light; and holden the wey with a right path, weyve thou Ioye dryf fro thee drede, fleme thou hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche; that is to seyn, lat non of thise four passiouns over-comen thee or blende thee. For cloudy and derke is thilke thought, and 15 bounde with brydles, where-as thise thinges regnen.' Explicit Liber Primus. BOOK II. PROSE I. Postea paulisper conticuit. After this she stinte a litel; and, after that she hadde gadered by atempre stillenesse myn attencioun, she seide thus. (As who mighte seyn thus: After thise thinges she stinte a litel; and whan she aperceived by atempre stillenesse that I was ententif to herkene 5 hir, she bigan to speke in this wyse): `Yif I,' quod she, `have understonden and knowen outrely the causes and the habit of thy maladye, thou languissest and art defeted for desyr and talent of thy rather fortune. She, that ilke Fortune only, that is chaunged, as thou feynest, to thee-ward, hath perverted the 10 cleernesse and the estat of thy corage. I understonde the fele-folde colours and deceites of thilke merveilous monstre Fortune, and how she useth ful flateringe familaritee with hem that she enforceth to bigyle; so longe, til that.she confounde with unsufferable sorwe hem that she hath left in despeyr un_purveyed. 15 And yif thou remembrest wel the kinde, the maneres, |p24 and the desert of thilke Fortune, thou shalt wel knowe that, as in hir, thou never ne haddest ne hast y-lost any fair thing. But, as I trowe, I shal nat gretly travailen to do thee remembren on thise thinges. For thou were wont to hurtelen and despysen 20 hir, with manly wordes, whan she was blaundissinge and present, and pursewedest hir with sentences that were drawen out of myn entree, that is to seyn, out of myn informacioun. But no sodein mutacioun ne bitydeth nat with-oute a manere chaunginge of corages; and so is it befallen that thou art a litel departed 25 fro the pees of thy thought. But, now is tyme that thou drinke and ataste some softe and delitable thinges, so that, whan they ben entred with-in thee, it mowe maken wey to strengere drinkes of medicynes. Com now forth therfore the suasioun of swetenesse rethorien, whiche 30 that goth only the right wey, whyl she forsaketh nat myne estatuts. And with Rhetorice com forth Musice, a damisel of our hous, that singeth now lighter moedes or prolaciouns, now hevyer. What eyleth thee, man? What is it that hath cast thee in-to morninge and in-to wepinge? I trowe that thou hast seyn 35 som newe thing and uncouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be chaunged ayein thee; but thou wenest wrong, yif thou that wene. Alwey tho ben hir maneres; she hath rather kept, as to thee-ward, hir propre stablenesse in the chaunginge of hir_self. Right swich was she whan she flatered thee, and de_eived 40 cthee with unleveful lykinges of fals welefulnesse. Thou hast now knowen and ataynt the doutous or double visage of thilke blinde goddesse Fortune. She, that yit covereth hir and wimpleth hir to other folk, hath shewed hir every-del to thee. Yif thou aprovest hir. and thenkest that she is good, use hir 45 maneres and pleyne thee nat. And yif thou agrysest hir false trecherye, despyse and cast awey hir that pleyeth so harmfully; |p25 for she, that is now cause of so muche sorwe to thee, sbolde ben cause to thee of pees and of Ioye. She hath forsaken thee, forsothe,the whiche that never man may ben siker that 50 she ne shal forsake him. Glose. But natheles, some bokes han the text thus: For sothe, she hath forsaken thee, ne ther nis no man siker that she ne hath nat forsaken. Holdestow than thilke welefulnesse precious to thee that shal 55 passen? And is present Fortune dereworthe to thee, which that nis nat feithful for to dwelle; and, whan she goth awey, that she bringeth a wight in sorwe? For sin she may nat ben with_holden at a mannes wille, she maketh him a wrecche whan she departeth fro him. What other thing is flittinge Fortune but a 60 maner shewinge of wrecchednesse that is to comen? Ne it ne suffyseth nat only to loken on thinge that is present biforn the eyen of a man. But wisdom loketh and amesureth the ende of thinges; and the same chaunginge from oon in-to an-other, that is to seyn, from adversitee in-to prosperitee, maketh that the 65 manaces of Fortune ne ben nat for to dreden, ne the flateringes of hir to ben desired. Thus, at the laste, it bihoveth thee to suffren with evene wille in pacience al that is don in-with the floor of Fortune, that is to seyn, in this world, sin thou hast ones put thy nekke under the yok of hir. For yif thou wolt 70 wryten a lawe of wendinge and of dwellinge to Fortune, whiche that thou hast chosen frely to ben thy lady, artow nat wrongful in that, and makest Fortune wroth and aspere by thyn inpatience, and yit thou mayst nat chaunge hir? Yif thou committest and bitakest thy sailes to the winde, thou 75 shalt be shoven, not thider that thou woldest, but whider that the wind shoveth thee. Yif thou castest thy sedes in to the feldes, thou sholdest han in minde that the yeres ben, amonges, other_whyle plentevous and other-whyle bareyne. Thou hast bitaken thy-self to the governaunce of Fortune, and for thy it bihoveth |p26 80 thee to ben obeisaunt to the maneres of thy lady. Enforcest thou thee to aresten or withholden the swiftnesse and the sweigh of hir turninge whele? O thou fool of alle mortal fooles, if Fortune bigan to dwelle stable, she cesede thanne to ben Fortune! METRE I: Hec cum superba uerterit uices dextra. Whan Fortune with a proud right hand hath torned hir chaunginge stoundes, she fareth lyk the maneres of the boilinge Eurype. Glosa. Eurype is an arm of the see that ebbeth and floweth; and som-tyme the streem is on o syde, and som-tyme on 5 the other. Text. She, cruel Fortune, casteth adoun kinges that whylom weren y-drad; and she, deceivable, enhaunseth up the humble chere of him that is discomfited. Ne she neither hereth ne rekketh of wrecchede wepinges; and she is so hard that she laugheth and scorneth the wepinges of hem, the whiche 10 she hath maked wepe with hir free wille. Thus she pleyeth, and thus she proeueth hir strengthes; and sheweth a greet wonder to alle hir servauntes, yif that a wight is seyn weleful, and over_throwe in an houre. PROSE II. Vellem autem pauca tecum. Certes, I wolde pleten with thee a fewe thinges, usinge the wordes of Fortune; tak hede now thy-self, yif that she axeth right. "O thou man, wher-fore makest thou me gilty by thyne every-dayes pleyninges? What wrong have I don thee? What 5 goodes have I bireft thee that weren thyne? Stryf or plete with me, bifore what Iuge that thou wolt, of the possessioun of richesses or of dignitees. And yif thou mayst shewen me |p27 that ever any mortal man hath received any of tho thinges to ben hise in propre, than wol I graunte frely that alle thilke 10 thinges weren thyne whiche that thou axest. Whan that nature broughte thee forth out of thy moder wombe, I receyved thee naked and nedy of alle thinges, and I norisshede thee with my richesses, and was redy and ententif through my favour to susteyne thee; and that maketh thee now inpacient ayeins me; 15 and I envirounde thee with alle the aboundance and shyninge of alle goodes that ben in my right. Now it lyketh me to with-drawen my hand, thou hast had grace as he that hath used of foreine goodes: thou hast no right to pleyne tbee, as though thou haddest outrely for-lorn alie thy thinges. Why 20 pleynest thou thanne? I have done thee no wrong. Richesses, honours, and swiche other thinges ben of my right. My servauntes knowen me for hir lady; they comen with me, and departen whan I wende. I dar wel affermen hardily, that yif tho thinges, of which thou pleynest that thou hast forlorn, hadde ben thyne, 25 thou ne haddest not lorn heni. Shal I thanne only hen defended to usen my right? Certes, it is leveful to the hevene to make clere dayes, and, after that, to coveren tho same dayes with derke nightes. The yeer hath eek leve to apparailen the visage of the erthe, now 30 with floures and now with fruit, and to confounden hem som_tynie with reynes and with coldes. The see hath eek his right to ben som-tyme calme and blaundishing with smothe water, and som-tyme to ben horrible with wawes and with tempestes. But the covetise of men, that may nat ben stanched, shal it 35 binde me to ben stedefast, sin that stedefastnesse is uncouth to my maneres? Swich is my strengthe, and this pley I pleye continuely. I torne the whirlinge wheel with the torning cercle; I am glad to chaungen the lowest to the heyest, and the heyest to the lowest. Worth up, if thou woIt, so it be by this lawe, |p28 40 that thou ne holde nat that I do thee wronge thogh thou descende adoun, whan the resoun of my pley axeth it. Wistest thou nat how Cresus, the king of Lydiens, of whiche king Cyrus was ful sore agast a litel biforn, that this rewliche Cresus was caught of Cyrus and lad to the fyr to ben brent, 45 but that a rayn descendede doun fro hevene that rescowede him? And is it out of thy minde how that Paulus, consul of Rome, whan he hadde taken the king of Perciens, weep pitously for the captivitee of the self kinge? What other thing biwailen the cryinges of tragedies but only the dedes of Fortune, that 50 with an unwar stroke overtorneth realmes of grete nobley? Glose. Tragedie is to seyn, a ditee of prosperitee for a tyme, that endeth in wrecchednesse. Lernedest nat thou in Greek, whan thou were yonge, that in the entree, or in the celere, of Iupiter, ther ben couched two 55 tonnes; that on is ful of good, that other is ful of harm? What right hast thou to pleyne, yif thou hast taken more plentevously of the goode syde, that is to seyn, of my richesses and prosperites; and what eek if I ne be nat al departed fro thee? What eek yif my mutabilitee yiveth thee rightful cause of hope to han yit 60 beter thinges? Natheles dismaye thee nat in thy thought; and thou that art put in the comune realme of alle, ne desyre nat to liven by thyn only propre right. METRE II. Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus. Though Plentee, that is goddesse of richesses, hielde adoun with ful horn, and withdraweth nat hir hand, as many richesses as the see torneth upward sandes whan it is moeved with ravisshinge blastes, or elles as many richesses as ther shyrien 5 brighte sterres on hevene on the sterry nightes; yit, for al |p29 that, mankinde nolde not cese to wepe wrecchede pleyntes. And al be it so that god receyveth gladly hir preyers, and yiveth them (as fool-large) moche gold, and aparaileth coveitous men with noble or clere honours: yit semeth hem haven y-geten 10 no-thing, but alwey hir cruel ravyne, devouringe al that they han geten, sheweth other gapinges; that is to seyn, gapen and desyren yit after mo richesses. What brydles mighten withholden, to any certein ende, the desordenee covetise of men, whan, ever the rather that it fleteth in large yiftes, the more ay brenneth 15 in hem the thurst of havinge? Certes he that, quakinge and dredful, weneth him-selven nedy, he ne liveth never-more riche." PROSE III. Hiis igitur si pro se tecum Fortuna loqueretur. Therfor, yif that Fortune spake with thee for hir-self in this manere, for-sothe thou ne haddest nat what thou mightest answere. And, if thou hast any-thing wherwith, thou mayest rightfully de_fenden thy compleint, it behoveth thee to shewen it, and I wol 5 yeven thee space to tellen it.' `Certeynly,' quod I thanne, `thise beth faire thinges, and enointed with hony swetenesse of rethorike and musike, and only whyl they ben herd they ben delicious. But to wrecches is a depper felinge of harm; this is to seyn, that wrecches felen the 10 harmes that they suffren more grevously than the remedies or the delites of thise wordes mowen gladen or comforten hem; so that, whan thise thinges stinten for to soune in eres, the sorwe that is inset greveth the thought.' `Right so is it,' quod she. `For thise ne ben yit none remedies 15 of thy maladye; but they ben a maner norisshinges of thy sorwe, yit rebel ayein thy curacioun. For whan that tyme is, I shal moeve swiche thinges that percen hem-self depe. But natheles, that thou shalt not wilne to leten thy-self a wrecche, hast thou |p30 foryeten the noumber and the manere of thy welefulnesse? I 20 holde me stille, how that the soverayne men of the citee token thee in cure and kepinge, whan thou were orphelin of fader and moder, and were chosen in affinitee of princes of the citee; and thou bigunne rather to be leef and dere than forto ben a neigh_bour; the whiche thing is the most precious kinde of any propin_quitee 25 or alyaunce that may ben. Who is it that ne seide tho that thou were right weleful, with so grete a nobleye of thy fadres_in -lawe, and with the chastitee of thy wyf, and with the oportunitee and noblesse of thy masculin children, that is to seyn, thy sones? And over al this---me list to passen the comune thinges---how 30 thou haddest in thy youthe dignitees that weren werned to olde men. But it delyteth me to comen now to the singuler uphepinge of thy welefulnesse. Yif any fruit of mortal thinges may han any weighte or prys of welefulnesse, mightest thou ever foryeten, for any charge of harm that mighte bifalle, the remembraunce of 35 thilke day that thou saye thy two sones maked conseileres, and y-lad to-gedere fro thyn house under so greet assemblee of senatoures and under the blythenesse of poeple; and whan thou saye hem set in the court in here chayeres of dignitees? Thou, rethorien or pronouncere of kinges preysinges, deservedest glorie 40 of wit and of eloquence, whan thou, sittinge bitwene thy two sones, conseileres, in the place that highte Circo, fulfuldest the abydinge of the multitude of poeple that was sprad abouten thee, with so large preysinge and laude, as men singen in victories. Tho yave thou wordes to Fortune, as I trowe, that is to seyn, tho feffedest thou 45 Fortune with glosinge wordes and deceivedest hir, whan she acoyede thee and norisshede thee as hir owne delyces. Thou bere away of Fortune a yifte, that is to seyn, swiche guerdoun, that she never yaf to privee man. Wilt thou therfor leye a rekeninge with Fortune? |p31 She hath now twinkled first upon thee with a wikkede eye. Yif 50 thou considere the noumbre and the manere of thy blisses and of thy sorwes, thou mayst nat forsaken that thou art yit blisful. For if thou therfor wenest thy-self nat weleful, for thinges that tho semeden ioyful ben passed, ther nis nat why thou sholdest wene thy-self a wrecche; for thinges that sernen now sorye passen also. 55 Art thou now comen first, a sodein gest, in-to the shadwe or tabernacle of this lyf; or trowest thou that any stedefastnesse be in mannes thinges, whan ofte a swift houre dissolveth the same man; that is to seyn, whan the soule departeth fro the body? For, al-though that selde is ther any feith that fortunous thinges wolen 60 dwellen, yit natheles the laste day of a mannes lyf is a manere deeth to Fortune, and also to thilke that hath dwelt. And therfor, what, wenestow, thar [thee] recche, yif thou forlete hir in deyinge, or elles that she, Fortune, forlete thee in fleeinge awey? METRE III. Cum polo Phebus roseis quadrigis. Whan Phebus, the sonne, biginneth to spreden his cleernesse with rosene chariettes, thanne the sterre, y-dimmed, paleth hir whyte cheres, by the flambes of the sonne that overcometh the steree-light. This is to seyn, whan the sonne is risen, the dey-sterre 5 wexeth pale, and leseth hir light for the grete brieghtnesse of the sonne. Whan the wode wexeth rody of rosene floures, in the first somer sesoun; thorugh the brethe of the winde Zephirus that wexeth warm, yif the cloudy wind Auster blowe felliche, than goth awey 10 the fairenesse of thornes. Ofte the see is cleer and calm withoute moevinge flodes; and ofte the homble wind Aquilon moeveth boilinge tempestes and over whelveth the see. |p32 Yif the forme of this worlde is so selde stable, and yif it turneth 15 by so many entrechaunginges, wolt thou thanne trusten in the tonmblinge fortunes of men? Wolt thou trowen on flittinge goodes? It is certein and establisshed by lawe perdurable, that no-thing that is engendred nis stedefast ne stable.' PROSE IV. Tunc ego, uera, inquam, commemoras. Thanne seide I thus. `O norice of alle vertues, thou seist ful sooth; ne I ne may nat forsake the right swifte cours of my prosperitee; that is to seyn, that prosperitee ne be comen to me wonder swiftly and sone. But this is a thing that greetly smerteth 5 me whan it remembreth me. For in alle adversitee of fortune, the most unsely kinde of contrarious fortune is to han ben weleful.' `But that thou,' quod she, ` byest thus the torment of thy faIse opinioun, that mayst thou nat rightfully blamen ne aretten 10 to thinges: as who seith, for thou hast yit many habundaunces of thinges. Text. For al be it so that the ydel name of aventurous welefulnesse moeveth thee now, it is leveful that thou rekne with me of how manye grete thinges thou hast yit plentee. And 15 therfor, yif that thilke thing that thou haddest for most precious in al thy richesse of fortune be kept to thee yit, by the grace of god, unwemmed and undefouled, mayst thou thanne pleyne rightfully upon the meschef of Fortune, sin thou hast yit thy beste thinges? Certes, yit liveth in good point thilke precious 20 honour of mankinde, Symacus, thy wyves fader, which that is a man maked alle of sapience and of vertu; the whiche man thou woldest byen redely with the prys of thyn owne lyf. He biwayleth the wronges that men don to thee, and nat for him-self; |p33 for he liveth in sikernesse of any sentences put ayeins him. And 25 yit liveth thy wyf, that is atempre of wit, and passinge other wimmen in clennesse of chastetee, and for I wol closen shortely hir bountees, she is lyk to hir fader. I telle thee wel, that she liveth looth of this lyf, and kepeth to thee only hir goost; and is al maat and overcomen by wepinge and sorwe for desyr of thee, 30 in the whiche thing only I moot graunten that thy welefulnesse is amenused. What shal I seyn eek of thy two sones, conseilours, of whiche, as of children of hir age, ther shyneth the lyknesse of the wit of hir fader or of hir elder fader? And sin the sovereyn cure of alle mortel folk is to saven hir owen lyves, O how wele_ful 35 art thou, yif thou knowe thy goodes! For yit ben ther thinges dwelled to thee-ward, that no man douteth that they ne ben more dereworthe to thee than thyn owen lyf. And for-thy drye thy teres, for yit nis nat everich fortune al hateful to thee_ward, ne over greet tempest hath nat yit faIlen upon thee, whan 40 that thyn ancres cleven faste, that neither wolen suffren the counfort of this tyme present ne the hope of tyme cominge to passen ne to faylen.' `And I preye,' quod I, `that faste moten they halden; for whyles that they halden, how-so-ever that thinges ben, I shal wel 45 fleten forth and escapen; but thou mayst wel seen how grete aparayles and aray that me lakketh, that ben passed away fro me.' `I have som-what avaunsed and forthered thee,' quod she, `yif that thou anoye nat or forthinke nat of al thy fortune: as who 50 seith, I have som_what comforted thee, so that thou tempest thee nat thus with al thy fortune, sin thou hast yit thy beste thinges. But I may nat suffren thy delices, that pleynest so wepinge and anguissous, for that ther lakketh som-what to thy welefulnesse. For what man is so sad or of so parfit welefulnesse, that he ne 55 stryveth and pleyneth on som halve ayen the qualitee of his estat? For-why ful anguissous thing is the condicioun of mannes goodes, for either it cometh nat al-togider to a wight, or elles it |p34 last nat perpetuel. For sum man hath grete richesses, but he is ashamed of his ungentel linage; and som is renowned of noblesse 60 of kinrede, but he is enclosed in so grete anguisshe of nede of thinges, that him were lever that he were unknowe. And som man haboundeth both in richesse and noblesse, but yit he bewaileth his chaste lyf, for he ne hath no wyf. And som man is wel and selily y-maried, but he hath no children, and norissheth 65 his richesses to the eyres of strange folkes. And som man is gladed with clildren, but he wepeth ful sory for the trespas of his sone or of his doughter. And for this ther ne acordeth no wight lightly to the condicioun of his fortune; for alwey to every man ther is in som-what that, unassayed, he ne wot nat; or elles 70 he dredeth that he hath assayed. And adde this also, that every weleful man hath a ful delicat felinge; so that, but-yif alle thinges bifalle at his owne wil, for he is impacient, or is nat used to han non adversitee, anon he is throwen adoun for every litel thing. And ful litel thinges ben tho that withdrawen the somme or the 75 perfeccioun of blisfulnesse fro hem that ben most fortunat. How many men, trowest thou, wolden demen hem-self to ben almost in hevene, yif they mighten atayne to the leest party of the rem_naunt of thy fortune? This same place that thou clepest exil, is contree to hem that enhabiten heer, and forthy nothing [is] 80 wrecched but whan thou wenest it: as who seith, thou thy-self, ne no wight elles, nis a wrecche, but whan he weneth him-self a wrecche by reputacioun of his corage. And ayeinward, alle fortune is blis_ful to a man by the agreabletee or by the egalitee of him that suffreth it. 85 What man is that, that is so weleful, that nolde changen his estat whan he hath lost pacience? The swetnesse of mannes welefulnesse is sprayned with many biternesses; the whiche wele_fulnesse, al-though it seme swete and ioyful to hem that useth it, yit may it nat ben with-holden that it ne goth away whan it wole. |p35 90 Thanne is it wel sene, how wrecched is the blisfulnesse of mortal thingges, that neither it dureth perpetuel with hem - that every fortune receiven agreablely or egaly, ne it delyteth nat in al to hem that ben anguissous. O ye mortal folk, what seke ye thanne blisfulnesse out of your-self, whiche that is put in your-self? 95 Errour and folye confoundeth yow. I shal shewe thee shortely the poynt of sovereyne blisfulnesse. Is ther any-thing more precious to thee than thy-self? Thou wolt answere, "nay." Thanne, yif it so be that thou art mighty over thy-self, that is to seyn, by tranquillitee of thy sowle, than hast 100 thou thing in thy power that thou noldest never lesen, ne Fortune ne nay nat beneme it thee. And that thou mayst knowe that blisfulnesse ne may nat standen in thinges that ben fortunous and temporel, now understonde and gader it to-gidere thus: Yif blisfulnesse be the sovereyn good of nature that liveth by 105 resoun, ne thilke thing nis nat sovereyn good that may be taken awey in any wyse, (for more worthy thing and more digne is thilke thing that may nat ben taken awey); than sheweth it wel, that the unstablenesse of fortune may nat atayne to receiven verray blisfulnesse. And yit more-over: what man that this 110 toumbling welefulnesse ledeth, either he woot that it is chaunge_able, or elles he woot it nat. And yif he woot it nat, what blisful fortune may ther be in the blindnesse of ignorance? And yif he woot that it is chaungeable, he moot alwey ben adrad that he ne lese that thing that he ne doubteth nat but that he may lesm it; 115 as who seith, he mot ben alwey agast, lest he lese that he wot wel he may lese it. For which, the continuel dreed that he hath ne suffreth him nat to ben weleful. Or yif he lese it, he weneth to be dispysed and forleten. Certes eek, that is a ful litel good that is born with evene herte whan it is lost; that is to seyn, that men 120 do no more fors of the lost than of the havinge. And for as moche as thou thy-self art he, to whom it hath ben shewed and proved by ful manye demonstraciouns, as I wot wel, that the sowles of men ne mowe nat deyen in no wyse; and eek sin it is cleer and certein, that fortunous welefulnesse endeth by the deeth of the |p36 125 body; it may nat ben douted that, yif that deeth may take awey blisfulnesse, that alle the kinde of mortal thinges ne descendeth in-to wrecchednesse by the ende of the deeth. And sin we kuowen wel, that many a man hath sought the fruit of blisfulnesse nat only with suffringe of deeth, but eek with suffringe of peynes and 130 tormentes; how mighte than this present lyf maken men blisful, sin that, whan thilke selve lyf is ended, it ne maketh folk no wrecches? METRE IV. Quisquis uolet perennem Cautus ponere sedem. What maner man, stable and war, that wole founden him a perdurable sete, and ne wole nat ben cast down with the loude blastes of the wind Eurus; and wole despyse the see, manasinge with flodes; lat him eschewen to bilde on the cop of the moun_taigne 5 or in the moiste sandes. For the felle wind Auster tormenteth the cop of the mountaigne with all his strengthes; and the lause sandes refusen to beren the hevy wighte. And forthy, if thou wolt fleen the perilous aventure, that is to seyn, of the worlde; have minde certeinly to ficchen thyn hous of 10 a merye site in a lowe stoon. For al-though the wind, troubling the see, thondre with over-throwinges, thou that art put in quiete, and weleful by strengthe of thy palis, shalt leden a cleer age, scorninge the woodnesses and the ires of the eyr. PROSE V. Set cum rationum iam in te. But for as moche as the norisshinges of my resouns descenden now in-to thee, I trowe it were tyme to usen a litel strenger medicynes. Now understond heer, al were it so that the yiftes of Fortune ne were nat brutel ne transitorie, what is ther in hem |p37 that may be thyn in any tyme, or elles that it nis foul, yif that it be considered and loked perfitly? Richesses, ben they precious by the nature of hem-self, or elles by the nature of thee? What is most worth of richesses? Is it nat gold or might of moneye 5 assembled? Certes, thilke gold and thilke moneye shyneth and yeveth betere renoun to hem that despenden it thanne to thilke foIk that mokeren it; for avarice maketh alwey mokereres to ben hated, and largesse maketh folk cleer of renoun. For sin that swich thing as is transferred fram o man to another ne may nat 10 dwellen with no man; certes, thanne is thilke moneye precious whan it is translated into other folk and stenteth to ben had, by usage of large yevinge of him that hath yeven it. And also: yif that al the moneye that is over-al in the worlde were gadered toward o man, it sholde maken alle other men to ben nedy as of that. 15 And certes a voys al hool, that is to seyn, with-oute amenusinge, fulfilleth to-gidere the hering of moche folk; but certes, youre richesses ne mowen nat passen in-to moche folke with-oute amenusinge. And whan they ben apassed, nedes they maken hem pore that for-gon the richesses. 20 O! streite and nedy clepe I this richesse, sin that many folk ne may nat han it al, ne al may it nat comen to o man with-outen povertee of alle other folk! And the shyninge of gemmes, that I clepe precious stones, draweth it nat the eyen of folk to hem_ ward, that is to seyn, for the beautee? But certes, yif ther were 25 beautee or bountee in the shyninge of stones, thilke cleernesse is of the stones hem-self, and nat of men; for whiche I wondre gretly that men mervailen on swiche thinges. For-why, what thing is it, that yif it wanteth moeving and Ioynture of sowle and body, that by right mighte semen a fair creature to him that hath 30 a sowle of resoun? For al be it so that gemmes drawen to hem_ self a litel of the laste beautee of the world, through the entente of hir creatour and through the distinccioun of hem-self; yit, for as mochel as they ben put under youre excelIence, they ne han nat |p38 deserved by no wey that ye sholden mervailen on hem. And the beautee of feldes, delyteth it nat mochel un-to yow?' 40 Boece. `Why sholde it nat delyten us, sin that it is a right fair porcioun of the right faire werke, that is to seyn, of this world? And right so ben we gladed som-tyme of the face of the see whan it is cleer; and also mervailen we on the hevene and on the sterres, and on the sonne and on the mone.' 45 Philosophye. `Aperteneth,' quod she, `any of thilke thinges to thee? Why darst thou glorifyen thee in the shyninge of any swiche thinges? Art thou distingwed and embelised by the springinge floures of the first somer sesoun, or swelleth thy plentee in the fruites of somer? Why art thou ravisshed with 50 ydel Ioyes? Why embracest thou straunge goodes as they weren thyne? Fortune ne shal never maken that swiche thinges ben thyne, that nature of thinges hath maked foreine fro thee. Sooth is that, with-outen doute, the frutes of the erthe owen to ben to the norissinge of bestes. And yif thou wolt fulfille thy nede after 55 that it suffyseth to nature, than is it no nede that thou seke after the superfluitee of fortune. For with ful fewe things and with ful liteI thinges nature halt hir apayed; and yif thou wolt achoken the fulfillinge of nature with superfluitees, certes, thilke thinges that thou wolt thresten or pouren in-to nature shullen ben unioy_ ful 60 to thee, or elles anoyous. Wenest thou eek that it be a fair thing to shyne with dyverse clothinge? Of whiche clothinge yif the beautee be agreeable to loken up-on, I wol mervailen on the nature of the matere of thilke clothes, or elles on the werkman that wroughte hem. But also a long route of meynee, maketh 65 that a blisful man? The whiche servants, yif they ben vicious of condiciouns, it is a great charge and a distruccioun to the hous, and a greet enemy to the lord him-self. And yif they ben goode men, how shal straunge or foreine goodnesse ben put in the noumbre of thy richesse? So that, by all these forseide thinges, 70 it is clearly y-shewed, that never oon of thilke thinges that thou acountedest for thyne goodes nas nat thy good. In the whiche |p39 thinges, yif ther be no beautee to ben desyred, why sholdest thou ben sory yif thou lese hem, or why sholdest thou reioysen thee to holden hem? For yif they ben faire of hir owne kinde, what 75 aperteneth that to thee? For al so wel sholden they han ben faire by hem-selve, though they weren departed fram alle thyne richesses. Forwhy faire ne precious ne weren they nat, for that they comen among thy richesses; but, for they semeden faire and precious, ther-for thou haddest lever rekne hem amonges thy 80 richesses. But what desirest thou of Fortune with so grete a noise, and with so grete a fare? I trowe thou seke to dryve awey nede with habundaunce of thinges; but certes, it torneth to you al in the contrarie. Forwhy certes, it nedeth of ful manye helpinges to 85 kepen the diversitee of precious ostelments. And sooth it is, that of manye thinges han they nede that manye thinges han; and ayeinward, of litel nedeth hem that mesuren hir fille after the nede of kinde, and nat after the outrage of coveityse. Is it thanne so, that ye men ne han no proper good y-set in you, for which 90 ye moten seken outward youre goodes in foreine and subgit thinges? So is thanne the condicioun of thinges torned up-so_ down, that a man, that is a devyne beest by merite of his resoun, thinketh that him-self nis neither faire ne noble, but-yif it be thorugh possessioun of ostelments that ne han no sowles. And 95 certes, al other thinges ben apayed of hir owne beautee; but ye men, that ben semblable to god by your resonable thought, desiren to aparailen your excellent kinde of the lowest thinges; ne ye understonden nat how greet a wrong ye don to your creatour. For he wolde that mankinde were most worthy and 100 noble of any othre erthely thinges; and ye threste adoun your dignitees benethe the lowest thinges. For yif that al the good of every thinge be more precious than is thilke thing whos that the good is: sin ye demen that the fouleste thinges ben youre goodes, thanne submitten ye and putten your-selven under tho 105 fouleste thinges by your estiniacioun; and certes, this tydeth nat with-oute youre desertes. For certes, swiche is the condicioun of alle mankinde, that only whan it hath knowinge of it-selve, than |p40 passeth it in noblesse alle other thinges; and whan it forleteth the knowinge of it-self, than is it brought binethen alle beestes. For_why 110 al other livinge beestes han of kinde to knowe nat hem-self; but whan that men leten the knowinge of hemself, it cometh hem of vice. But how brode sheweth the errour and the folye of yow men, that wenen that any thing may ben aparailed with straunge aparailements! But for sothe that may nat ben doon. For yif 115 a wight shyneth with thinges that ben put to him, as thus, if thilke thinges shynen with which a man is aparailed, certes, thilke thinges ben comended and preysed with which he is aparailed; but natheles, the thing that is covered and wrapped under that dwelleth in his filthe. 120 And I denye that thilke thing be good that anoyeth him that hath it. Gabbe I of this? Thou wolt seye "nay." Certes, richesses han anoyed ful ofte hem that han tho richesses; sin that every wikked shrewe, (and for his wikkednesse the more gredy after other folkes richesses, wher-so ever it be in any place, be it 125 gold or precious stones), weneth him only most worthy that hath hem. Thou thanne, that so bisy dredest now the swerd and now the spere, yif thou haddest entred in the path of this lyf a voide wayferinge man, than woldest thou singe beforn the theef; as who seith, a pore man, that berth no richesse on him by the weye, 130 may boldely singe biforn theves, for he hath nat wherof to ben robbed. O precious and right cleer is the blisfulnesse of mortal richesses, that, whan thou hast geten it, than hast thou lorn thy sikernesse! METRE V. Felix nimium prior etas. Blisful was the first age of men! They helden hem apayed with the metes that the trewe feldes broughten forth. They ne distroyede nor deceivede nat hem-self with outrage. They |p41 weren wont lightly to slaken hir hunger at even with acornes 5 of okes. They ne coude nat medly the yifte of Bachus to the cleer hony; that is to seyn, they coude make no piment nor clarree; ne they coude nat medle the brighte fleeses of the contree of Seriens with the venim of Tyrie; this is to seyn, they coude nat deyen whyte fleeses of Serien contree with the blode of a maner 10 shelfisshe that men finden in Tyrie, with whiche blood men deyen purpur. They slepen hoolsom slepes up-on the gras, and dronken of the renninge wateres; and layen under the shadwes of the heye pyn-trees. Ne no gest ne straungere ne carf yit the heye see with ores or with shippes; ne they ne hadde seyn 15 yit none newe strondes, to leden marchaundyse in-to dyverse contrees. Tho weren the cruel clariouns ful hust and ful stille, ne blood y-shad by egre hate ne hadde nat deyed yit armures. For wher-to or which woodnesse of enemys wolde first moeven armes, whan they seyen cruel woundes, ne none medes be of 20 blood y-shad? I wolde that oure tymes sholde torne ayein to the olde maneres! But the anguissous love of havinge brenneth in folk more cruely than the fyr of the mountaigne Ethna, that ay brenneth. Allas! what was he that first dalf up the gobetes or the weightes 25 of gold covered under erthe, and the precious stones that wolden han ben hid? He dalf up precious perils. That is to seyn, that he that hem first up dalf, he dalf up a precious peril; for-why for the preciousnesse of swiche thinge, hath many man ben in peril. PROSE VI. Quid autem de dignitatibus. But what shal I seye of dignitees and of powers, the whiche ye men, that neither knowen verray dignitee ne verray power, areysen hem as heye as the hevene? The whiche dignitees and |p42 powers yif they comen to any wikked man, they don as grete 5 damages and destrucciouns as doth the flaumbe of the mountaigne Ethna, whan the flaumbe walweth up; ne no deluge ne doth so cruel harmes. Certes, thee remembreth wel, as I trowe, that thilke dignitee that men clepen the imperie of consulers, the whiche that whylom was biginninge of fredom, youre eldres 10 coveiteden to han don away that dignitee, for the pryde of the consulers. And right for the same pryde your eldres, biforn that tyme, hadden don awey, out of the citee of Rome, the kinges name; that is to seyn, they nolde han no lenger no king. But now, yif so be that dignitees and powers be yeven to goode men, 15 the whiche thing is ful selde, what agreable thing is ther in tho dignitees or powers but only the goodnesse of folkes that usen hem? And therfor it is thus, that honour ne comth nat to vertu for cause of dignitee, but ayeinward honour comth to dignitee for cause of vertu. But whiche is thilke youre dereworthe power, 20 that is so cleer and so requerable? O ye ertheliche bestes, considere ye nat over which thinge that it semeth that ye han power? Now yif thou saye a mous amonges other mys, that chalaunged to him-self ward right and power over alle other mys, how greet scorn woldest thou han of it! Glosa. So fareth it by 25 men; the body hath power over the body. For yif thou loke wel up-on the body of a wight, what thing shalt thou finde more freele than is mankinde; the whiche men wel ofte ben slayn with bytinge of smale flyes, or elles with the entringe of crepinge wormes in-to the privetees of manmes body? But wher shal man 30 finden any man that may exercen or haunten any right up-on another man, but only up-on his body, or elles up-on thinges that ben lowere than the body, the whiche I clepe fortunous possessiouns? Mayst thou ever have any comaundement over a free corage? Mayst thou remuen fro the estat of his propre 35 reste a thought that is clyvinge to-gidere in him-self by stedefast |p43 resoun? As whylom a tyraunt wende to confounde a free man of corage, and wende to constreyne him by torment, to maken him discoveren and acusen folk that wisten of a coniuracioun, which I clepe a confederacie, that was cast ayeins this tyraunt, 40 but this free man boot of his owne tonge and caste it in the visage of thilke wode tyraunt, so that the torments that this tyraunt wende to han maked matere of crueltee, this wyse man maked it matere of vertu. But what thing is it that a man may don to another man, that 45 he ne may receyven the same thing of othre folk in him-seIf: or thus, what may a man don to folk, that folk may don him the same? I have herd told of Busirides, that was wont to sleen his gestes that herberweden in his hous; and he was sleyn him-self of Ercules that was his gest. Regulus hadde taken in bataile 50 many men of Affrike and cast hem in-to feteres; but sone after he moste yeve his handes to ben bounde with the cheynes of hem that he hadde whylom overcomen. Wenest thou thanne that he be mighty, that hath no power to don a thing, that othre ne may don in him that he doth in othre? And yit more-over, 55 yif it so were that thise dignitees or poweres hadden any propre or natural goodnesse in hem-self, never nolden they comen to shrewes. For contrarious thinges ne ben nat wont to ben y-felawshiped to-gidere. Nature refuseth that contrarious thinges ben y-ioigned. And so, as I am in certein that right wikked folk 60 han dignitees ofte tyme, than sheweth it wel that dignitees and powers ne ben nat goode of hir owne kinde; sin that they suffren hem-self to cleven or ioinen hem to shrewes. And certes, the same thing may I most digneliche iugen and seyn of alle the yiftes of fortune that most plentevously comen to shrewes; of 65 the whiche yiftes, I trowe that it oughte ben considered, that no man douteth that he nis strong in whom he seeth strengthe; and in whom that swiftnesse is, sooth it is that he is swift. Also musike maketh musiciens, and phisike maketh phisiciens, and rethorike rethoriens. For-why the nature of every thing maketh 70 his propretee, ne it is nat entremedled with the effects of the |p44 contrarious thinges; and, as of wil, it chaseth out thinges that ben to it contrarie. But certes, richesse may not restreyne avarice unstaunched; ne power ne maketh nat a man mighty over him-self, whiche that vicious lustes holden destreyned with 75 cheynes that ne mowen nat be unbounden. And dignitees that ben yeven to shrewede folk nat only ne maketh hem nat digne, but it sheweth rather al openly that they ben unworthy and undigne. And why is it thus? Certes, for ye han Ioye to clepen thinges with false names that beren hem alle in the contrarie, 80 the whiche names ben ful ofte reproeved by the effecte of the same thinges; so that thise ilke richesses ne oughten nat by right to ben cleped richesses; ne swich power ne oughte nat ben cleped power; ne swich dignitee ne oughte nat ben cleped dignitee. 85 And at the laste, I may conclude the same thing of alle the yiftes of Fortune, in which ther nis nothing to ben desired, ne that hath in him-self naturel bountee, as it is ful wel y-sene. For neither they ne ioignen hem nat alwey to goode men, ne maken hem alwey goode to whom that they ben y-ioigned. METRE VI. Nouimus quantas dederit ruinas. We han wel knowen how many grete harmes and destrucciouns weren don by the emperor Nero. He leet brenne the citee of Rome, and made sleen the senatoures. And he, cruel, whylom slew his brother; and he was maked moist with the blood of 5 his moder; that is to seyn, he leet sleen and slitten the body of his moder, to sleen wher he was conceived; and he loked on every halve up-on her colde dede body, ne no tere ne wette his face, but he was so hard-herted that he mighte ben domes-man or Iuge of hir dede beautee. And natheles, yit governede this Nero by 10 ceptre alle the poeples that Phebus the sonne may seen, cominge |p45 from his outereste arysinge til he hyde his bemes under the wawes; that is to seyn, he governed alle the peoples by ceptre im_perial that the sonne goth aboute, from est to west. And eek this Nero governed by ceptre alle the poeples that ben under the 15 colde sterres that highten "septem triones"; this is to seyn, he governede alle the peoples that ben under the party of the north. And eek Nero governed alle the poeples that the violent wind Nothus scorkleth, and baketh the brenning sandes by his drye hete; that is to seyn, alle the peoples in the south. But yit ne 20 mighte nat al his hye power torne the woodnesse of this wikked Nero. Allas! it is a grevous fortune, as ofte as wikked swerd is ioigned to cruel venim; that is to seyn, venimous crueltee to lordshippe.' PROSE VII. Tum ego, scis, inquam. Thanne seyde I thus: `Thou wost wel thy-self that the covei_tise of mortal thinges ne hadde never lordshipe of me; but I have wel desired matere of thinges to done, as who seith, I desire to han matere of governaunce over comunalitees, for vertu, 5 stille, ne sholde nat elden;' that is to seyn, that [him] leste that, or he wex olde, his vertu, that lay now ful stille, ne should nat perisshe unexercised in governaunce of comune; for which men mighten speken or wryten of his goode governement. Philosophye. `For sothe, quod she, `and that is a thing that 10 may 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 y-brought to the fulle perfeccioun of vertu, that is to seyn, coveitise of glorie and renoun to han wel adminis_tred the comune thinges or don gode desertes to profit of the 15 comune. For see now and considere, how litel and how voide of alle prys is thilke glorie. Certein thing is, as thou hast lerned by |p46 the demonstracioun of astronomye, that al the environinge of the erthe aboute ne halt nat but the resoun of a prikke at regard of the greetnesse of hevene; that is to seyn, that yif ther were maked 20 comparisoun of the erthe to the greetnesse of hevene, men wolden iugen in al, that the erthe ne helde no space. Of the whiche litel regioun of this worlde, the ferthe partye is enhabited with livinge bestes that we knowen, as thou thyself hast y-lerned by Tholomee that proveth it. And yif thou haddest with-drawen and abated in 25 thy thought fro thilke ferthe partye as moche space as the see and the mareys contenen and over-goon, and as moche space as the regioun of droughte over-streccheth, that is to seyn, sandes and desertes, wel unnethe sholde ther dwellen a right streit place to the habitacioun of men. And ye thanne, that ben environed and 30 closed with-in the leste prikke of thilke prikke, thinken ye to manifesten your renoun and don youre name to ben born forth? But your glorie, that is so narwe and so streite y-throngen in-to so litel boundes, how mochel coveiteth it in largesse and in greet doinge? And also sette this there-to: that many a nacioun, 35 dyverse of tonge and of maneres and eek of resoun of hir livinge, ben enhabited in the clos of thilke litel habitacle; to the whiche naciouns, what for difficultee of weyes and what for dyversitee of langages, and what for defaute of unusage and entrecomuninge of marchaundise, nat only the names of singuler men ne may nat strecchen, but eek 40 the fame of citees ne may nat strecchen. At the laste, certes, in the tyme of Marcus Tullius, as him-self writ in his book, that the renoun of the comune of Rome ne hadde nat yit passed ne cloumben over the mountaigne that highte Caucasus; and yit was, thilke tyme, Rome wel waxen and greetly redouted of 45 the Parthes and eek of other folk enhabitinge aboute. Seestow nat thanne how streit and how compressed is thilke glorie that ye travailen aboute to shewe and to multiplye? May thanne the glorie of a singuler Romaine strecchen thider as the fame of the |p47 name of Rome may nat climben ne passen? And eek, seestow nat 50 that the maneres of dyverse folk and eek hir lawes ben dis_cordaunt among hem-self; so that thilke thing that som men iugen worthy of preysinge, other folk iugen that it is worthy of torment? And ther-of comth it that, though a man delyte him in preysinge of his renoun, he may nat in no wyse bringen forth ne 55 spreden his name to many maner poeples. There-for every man oughte to ben apayed of his glorie that is publisshed among his owne neighbours; and thilke noble renoun shal ben restreyned within the boundes of o manere folke. But how many a man, that was ful noble in his tyme, hath the wrecched and nedy 60 foryetinge of wryteres put out of minde and don awey! Al be it so that, certes, thilke wrytinges profiten litel; the whiche wrytinges long and derk elde doth awey, bothe hem and eek hir autours. But ye men semen to geten yow a perdurabletee, whan ye thenken that, in tyme to-cominge, your fame shal lasten. But 65 natheles, yif thou wolt maken comparisoun to the endeles spaces of eternitee, what thing hast thou by whiche thou mayst reioysen thee of long lastinge of thy name? For yif ther were maked com_parisoun of the abydinge of a moment to ten thousand winter, for as mochel as bothe the spaces ben ended, yit hath the 70 moment som porcioun of it, al-though it litel be. But nathe_les, thilke selve noumbre of yeres, and eek as many yeres as ther-to may be multiplyed, ne may nat, certes, ben comparisoned to the perdurabletee that is endeles; for of thinges that han ende may be maked comparisoun, but of thinges that ben with-outen 75 ende, to thinges that han ende, may be maked no comparisoun. And forthy is it that, al-though renoun, of as long tyme as ever thee list to thinken, were thought to the regard of eternitee, that is unstaunchable and infinit, it ne sholde nat only semen litel, but pleynliche right naught. But ye men, certes, ne conne don 80 nothing a-right, but-yif it be for the audience of poeple and for ydel rumours; and ye forsaken the grete worthinesse of conscience |p48 and of vertu, and ye seken your guerdouns of the smale wordes of straunge folk. Have now heer and understonde, in the lightnesse of swich 85 pryde and veine glorie, how a man scornede festivaly and merily swich vanitee. Whylom ther was a man thas hadde assayed with stryvinge wordes another man, the whiche, nat for usage of verray vertu but for proud veine glorie, had taken up-on him falsly the name of a philosophre. This rather man that I spak 90 of thoughte he wolde assaye, wher he, thilke, were a philosophre or no; that is to seyn, yif that he wolde han suffred lightly in pacience the wronges that weren don un-to him. This feynede philosophre took pacience a litel whyle, and, whan he hadde received wordes of outrage, he, as in stryvinge ayein and reioys_inge, 95 of him-self, seyde at the laste right thus: "understondest thou nat that I am a philosophre?" That other man answerde ayein ful bytingly, and seyde: "I hadde wel understonden it, yif thou haddest holden thy tonge stille." But what is it to thise noble worthy men (for, certes, of swiche folke speke I) that seken 100 glorie with vertu? What is it?' quod she; `what atteyneth fame to swiche folk, whan the body is resolved by the deeth at the laste? For yif it so be that men dyen in al, that is to seyn, body and sowle, the whiche thing our resoun defendeth us to bileven, thanne is ther no glorie in no wyse. For what sholde thilke glorie 105 ben, whan he, of whom thilke glorie is seyd to be, nis right naught in no wyse? And yif the sowle, whiche that hath in it-self science of goode werkes, unbounden fro the prison of the erthe, wendeth frely to the hevene, despyseth it nat thanne alle erthely occu_pacioun; and, being in hevene, reioyseth that it is exempt fro alle 110 erthely thinges? As who seith, thanne rekketh the sowle of no glorie of renoun of this world. METRE VII. Quicunque solam mente praecipiti petit. Who-so that, with overthrowinge thought, only seketh glorie of fame, and weneth that it be sovereyn good: lat him loken up-on |p49 the brode shewinge contrees of hevene, and up-on the streite site of this erthe; and he shal ben ashamed of the encrees of his 5 name, that may nat fulfille the litel compas of the erthe. O! what coveiten proude folk to liften up hir nekkes in ydel in the dedly yok of this worlde? For al-though that renoun y-sprad, passinge to ferne poeples, goth by dyverse tonges; and al-though that grete houses, or kinredes shynen with clere titles of honours; 10 yit, natheles, deeth despyseth alle heye glorie of fame: and deeth wrappeth to-gidere the heye hevedes and the lowe, and maketh egal and evene the heyeste to the loweste. Wher wonen now the bones of trewe Fabricius? What is now Brutus, or stierne Catoun? The thinne fame, yit lastinge, of hir ydel names, is 15 marked with a fewe lettres; but al-though that we han knowen the faire wordes of the fames of hem, it is nat yeven to knowe hem that ben dede and consumpte. Liggeth thanne stille, al outrely unknowable; ne fame ne maketh yow nat knowe. And yif ye wene to liven the longer for winde of your mortal name, 20 whan o cruel day shal ravisshe yow, thanne is the seconde deeth dwellinge un-to yow.' Glose. The first deeth he clepeth heer the departinge of the body and the sowle; and the seconde deeth he clepeth, as heer, the stintinge of the renoun of fame. PROSE VIII. Set ne me inexorabile contra fortunam. `But for as mochel as thou shalt nat wenen', quod she, `that I bere untretable bataile ayeins fortune, yit som-tyme it bifalleth that she, deceyvable, deserveth to han right good thank of men; and that is, whan she hir-self opneth, and whan she descovereth hir 5 frount, and sheweth hir maneres. Peraventure yit understondest thou nat that I shal seye. It is a wonder that I desire to telle, and forthy unnethe may I unpleyten my sentence with wordes; for I deme that contrarious Fortune profiteth more to men than |p50 Fortune debonaire. For alwey, whan Fortune semeth debonaire, 10 than she lyeth falsly in bihetinge the hope of welefulnesse; but forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune deceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth. The amiable Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of 15 folk that usen hem; the contrarie Fortune unbindeth hem by the knowinge of freele welefulnesse. The amiable Fortune mayst thou seen alwey windinge and flowinge, and ever misknowinge of hir-self; the contrarie Fortune is atempre and restreyned, and wys thorugh exercise of hir adversitee. At the laste, amiable Fortune 20 with hir flateringes draweth miswandringe men fro the sovereyne good; the contrarious Fortune ledeth ofte folk ayein to soothfast goodes, and haleth hem ayein as with an hooke. Wenest thou thanne that thou oughtest to leten this a litel thing, that this aspre and horrible Fortune hath discovered to thee the thoughtes of thy 25 trewe freendes? For-why this ilke Fortune hath departed and un_covered to thee bothe the certein visages and eek the doutous visages of thy felawes. Whan she departed awey fro thee, she took awey hir freendes, and lafte thee thyne freendes. Now whan thou were riche and weleful, as thee semede, with how mochel 30 woldest thou han bought the fulle knowinge of this, this is to seyn, the knowinge of thy verray freendes? Now pleyne thee nat thanne of richesse y-lorn, sin thou hast founden the moste precious kinde of richesses, that is to seyn, thy verray freendes. METRE VIII. Quod mundus stabili fide. That the world with stable feith varieth acordable chaunginges; that the contrarious qualitee of elements holden among hem-self aliaunce perdurable; that Phebus the sonne with his goldene chariet bringeth forth the rosene day; that the mone hath com{_}maundement over the nightes, which nightes Hesperus the eve_sterre 5 hath brought; that the see, greedy to flowen, constreyneth with a certein ende hise flodes, so that it is nat leveful to strecche hise brode termes or boundes up-on the erthes, that is to seyn, to |p51 covere al the erthe:-al this acordaunce of thinges is bounden with 10 Love, that governeth erthe and see, and hath also commaunde_ments to the hevenes. And yif this Love slakede the brydeles, alle thinges that now loven hem to-gederes wolden maken a bataile continuely, and stryven to fordoon the fasoun of this worlde, the whiche they now leden in acordable feith by faire moevinges. 15 This Love halt to-gideres poeples ioigned with an holy bond, and knitteth sacrement of mariages of chaste loves, and Love endyteth lawes to trewe felawes. O! weleful were mankinde, yif thilke Love that governeth hevene governed youre corages!' Explicit Liber secundus. BOOK III. PROSE I. Iam cantum illa finierat. By this she hadde ended hir song, whan the sweetnesse of hir ditee hadde thorugh-perced me that was desirous of herkninge, and I astoned hadde yit streighte myn eres, that is to seyn, to herkne the bet what she wolde seye; so that a litel here-after I 5 seyde thus: `O thou that art sovereyn comfort of anguissous corages, so thou hast remounted and norisshed me with the weighte of thy sentences and with delyt of thy singinge; so that I trowe nat now that I be unparigal to the strokes of Fortune: as who seyth, I dar wel now suffren al the assautes of Fortune, and 10 wel defende me fro hir. And tho remedies whiche that thou seydest her-biforn weren right sharpe, nat only that I am nat a-grisen of hem now, but I, desirous of heringe, axe gretely to heren the remedies.' Than seyde she thus: `That felede I ful wel,' quod she, `whan 15 that thou, ententif and stille, ravisshedest my wordes; and I abood til that thou haddest swich habite of thy thought as thou |p52 hast now; or elles til that I my-self hadde maked to thee the same habit, which that is a more verray thing. And certes, the remenaunt of thinges that ben yit to seye ben swiche, that first 20 whan men tasten hem they ben bytinge, but whan they ben receyved withinne a wight, than ben they swete. But for thou seyst that thou art so desirous to herkne hem, with how gret brenninge woldest thou glowen, yif thou wistest whider I wol leden thee!' 25 `Whider is that?' quod I. `To thilke verray welefulnesse,' quod she, `of whiche thyn herte dremeth; but for as moche as thy sighte is ocupied and distorbed by imaginacioun of erthely thinges, thou mayst nat yit seen thilke selve welefulnesse.' 30 `Do,' quod I, `and shewe me what is thilke verray welefulnesse, I preye thee, with-oute taryinge.' `That wole I gladly don,' quod she, `for the cause of thee; but I wol first marken thee by wordes and I wol enforcen me to enformen thee thilke false cause of blisfulnesse that thou more 35 knowest; so that, whan thou hast fully bi-holden thilke false goodes, and torned thyn eyen to that other syde, thou mowe knowe the cleernesse of verray blisfulnesse. METRE I. Qui serere ingenuum uolet agrum. Who-so wole sowe a feeld plentivous, lat him first delivere it fro thornes, and kerve asunder with his hook the busshes and the fern, so that the corn may comen hevy of eres and of greynes. Hony is the more swete, yif mouthes han first tasted savoures that 5 ben wikkid. The sterres shynen more agreably whan the wind Nothus leteth his ploungy blastes; and after that Lucifer the day-sterre hath chased awey the derke night, the day the fairere ledeth the rosene hors of the sonne. And right so thou, bi_ |p53 holdinge first the false goodes, bigin to with-drawen thy nekke fro the yok of erthely affecciouns; and after-ward the verray goodes shollen entren in-to thy corage.' PROSE II. Tunc defixo paullulum uisu. Tho fastnede she a litel the sighte of hir eyen, and with-drow hir right as it were in-to the streite sete of hir thought; and bigan to speke right thus: `Alle the cures,' quod she, `of mortal folk, whiche that travaylen hem in many maner studies, goon certes by 5 diverse weyes, but natheles they enforcen hem alle to comen only to oon ende of blisfulnesse. And blisfulnesse is swiche a good, that who-so that hath geten it, he ne may, over that, no-thing more desyre. And this thing is forsothe the sovereyn good that conteyneth in him-self alle maner goodes; to the whiche good yif 10 ther failede any thing, it mighte nat ben cleped sovereyn good: for thanne were ther som good, out of this ilke sovereyn good, that mighte ben desired. Now is it cleer and certein thanne, that blisfulnesse is a parfit estat by the congregacioun of alle goodes; the whiche blisfulnesse, as I have seyd, alle mortal folk enforcen 15 hem to geten by diverse weyes. For-why the coveitise of verray good is naturelly y-plaunted in the hertes of men; but the mis_wandringe errour mis-ledeth hem in-to false goodes. Of the whiche men, som of hem wenen that sovereyn good be to liven with-oute nede of any thing, and travaylen hem to be haboundaunt 20 of richesses. And som other men demen that sovereyn good be, for to ben right digne of reverence; and enforcen hem to ben reverenced among hir neighbours by the honours that they han y-geten. And some folk ther ben that holden, that right heigh power be sovereyn good, and enforcen hem for to regnen, or elles 25 to ioignen hem to hem that regnen. And it semeth to some other folk, that noblesse of renoun be the sovereyn good; and hasten |p54 hem to geten glorious name by the arts of werre and of pees. And many folk mesuren and gessen that sovereyn good be Ioye 30 and gladnesse, and wenen that it be right blisful thing to ploungen hem in voluptuous delyt. And ther ben folk that entrechaungen the causes and the endes of thise forseyde goodes, as they that desiren richesses to han power and delytes; or elles they desiren power for to han moneye, or for cause of renoun. In thise thinges, 35 and in swiche othre thinges, is torned alle the entencioun of desiringes and of werkes of men; as thus: noblesse and favour of people, whiche that yeveth to men, as it semeth hem, a maner cleernesse of renoun; and wyf and children, that men desiren for cause of delyt and of merinesse. But forsothe, frendes ne sholden 40 nat be rekned a-mong the godes of fortune, but of vertu; for it is a ful holy maner thing. Alle thise othre thinges, forsothe, ben taken for cause of power or elles for cause of delyt. Certes, now am I redy to referren the goodes of the body to thise forseide thinges aboven; for it semeth that strengthe and 45 gretnesse of body yeven power and worthinesse, and that beautee and swiftnesse yeven noblesses and glorie of renoun; and hele of body semeth yeven delyt. In alIe thise thinges it semeth only that blisfulnesse is desired. For-why thilke thing that every man desireth most over alle thinges, he demeth that it be the sovereyn 50 good; but I have defyned that blisfulnesse is the sovereyn good; for which every wight demeth, that thilke estat that he desireth over alle thinges, that it be blisfulnesse. Now hast thou thanne biforn thyn eyen almest al the purposed forme of the welefulnesse of man-kinde, that is to seyn, richesses, 55 honours, power, and glorie, and delyts. The whiche delyt only considerede Epicurus, and iuged and establisshed that delyt is the sovereyn good; for as moche as alle othre thinges, as him thoughte, bi-refte awey Ioye and mirthe fram the herte. But I retorne ayein to the studies of men, of whiche men the corage 60 alwey reherseth and seketh the sovereyn good, al be it so that it be with a derked memorie; but he not by whiche path, right |p55 as a dronken man not nat by whiche path he may retorne him to his hous. Semeth it thanne that folk folyen and erren that enforcen hem to have nede of nothing? Certes, ther nis non other thing that may so wel performe blisfulnesse, as an estat plentivous 65 of alle goodes, that ne hath nede of non other thing, but that is suffisaunt of himself unto him-self. And folyen swiche folk thanne, that wenen that thilke thing that is right good, that it be eek right worthy of honour and of reverence? Certes, nay. For that thing nis neither foul ne worthy to ben despised, that wel neigh al the 70 entencioun of mortal folk travaylen for to geten it. And power, oughte nat that eek to ben rekened amonges goodes? What elles? For it is nat to wene that thilke thing, that is most worthy of alle thinges, be feble and with-oute strengthe. And cleernesse of renoun, oughte that to ben despised? Certes, ther may no 75 man forsake, that al thing that is right excellent and noble, that it ne semeth to ben right cleer and renomed. For certes, it nedeth nat to seye, that blisfulnesse be [nat] anguissous ne drery, ne subgit to grevaunces ne to sorwes, sin that in right litel thinges folk seken to have and to usen that may delyten hem. Certes, thise ben 80 the thinges that men wolen and desiren to geten. And for this cause desiren they richesses, dignitees, regnes, glorie, and delices. For therby wenen they to han suffisaunce, honour, power, renoun, and gladnesse. Than is it good, that men seken thus by so many diverse studies. In whiche desyr it may lightly ben shewed how 85 gret is the strengthe of nature; for how so that men han diverse sentences and discordinge, algates men acorden alle in lovinge the ende of good. METRE II. Quantas rerum flectat habenas. It lyketh me to shewe, by subtil song, with slakke and delitable soun of strenges, how that Nature, mighty, enclineth and flitteth the governements of thinges, and by whiche lawes she, purveyable, kepeth the grete world; and how she, bindinge, restreyneth alle 5 thinges by a bonde that rriay nat ben unbounde. Al be it so that |p56 the lyouns of the contre of Pene beren the faire chaynes, and taken metes of the handes of folk that yeven it hem, and dreden hir sturdy maystres of whiche they ben wont to suffren betinges: yif that hir horrible mouthes ben be-bled, that is to seyn, of bestes 10 devoured, hir corage of time passed, that hath ben ydel and rested, repeyreth ayein; and they roren grevously and remembren on hir nature, and slaken hir nekkes fram hir chaynes unbounde; and hir mayster, first to-torn with blody tooth, assayeth the wode wrathes of hem; that is to seyn, they freten hir mayster. And the 15 iangelinge brid that singeth on the heye braunches, that is to seyn, in the wode, and after is enclosed in a streyt cage: al-though that the pleyinge bisinesse of men yeveth hem honiede drinkes and large metes with swete studie, yit natheles, yif thilke brid, skip_pinge out of hir streyte cage, seeth the agreables shadewes of the 20 wodes, she defouleth with hir feet hir metes y-shad, and seketh mourninge only the wode; and twitereth, desiringe the wode, with hir swete vois. The yerde of a tree, that is haled a-doun by mighty strengthe, boweth redily the crop a-doun: but yif that the hand of him that it bente lat it gon ayein, anon the crop loketh 25 up-right to hevene. The sonne Phebus, that falleth, at even in the westrene wawes, retorneth ayein eftsones his carte, by privee path, ther-as it is wont aryse. Alle thinges seken ayein to hir propre cours, and alle thinges reioysen hem of hir retorninge ayein to hir nature. Ne non ordinaunce nis bitaken to thinges, but that 30 that hath ioyned the endinge to the beginninge, and hath maked the cours of it-self stable, that it chaungeth nat from his propre kinde PROSE III. Vos quoque, o terrena animalia. Certes also ye men, that ben ertheliche beestes, dremen alwey youre beginninge, al-though it be with a thinne imaginacioun; and by a maner thoughte, al be it nat cleerly ne parfitly, ye loken fram a-fer to thilke verray fyn of blisfulnesse; and ther-fore naturel |p57 5 entencioun ledeth you to thilke verray good, but many maner errours mis-torneth you ther-fro. Consider now yif that by thilke thinges, by whiche a man weneth to geten him blisfulnesse, yif that he may comen to thilke ende that he weneth to come by nature. For yif that moneye or honours, or thise other forseyde 10 thinges bringen to men swich a thing that no good ne fayle hem ne semeth fayle, certes than wole I graunte that they ben maked blisful by thilke thinges that they han geten. But yif so be that thilke thinges ne mowen nat performen that they bi-heten, and that ther be defaute of manye goodes, sheweth it nat thanne 15 cleerly that fals beautee of blisfulnesse is knowen and ateint in thilke thinges? First and forward thou thy-self, that haddest habundaunces of richesses nat long agon, I axe yif that, in the habundaunce of alle thilke richesses, thou were never anguissous or sory in thy corage of any wrong or grevaunce that bi-tidde thee 20 on any syde?' `Certes,' quod I, `it ne remembreth me nat that evere I was so free of my thought that I ne was alwey in anguissh of som_what .' `And was nat that,' quoþ she, `for that thee lakked som-what 25 that thou noldest nat han lakked, or elles thou haddest that thou noldest nat han had?' `Right so is it,' quod I. `Thanne desiredest thou the presence of that oon and the absence of that other?' 30 `I graunte wel,' quod I. `Forsothe,' quod she, `than nedeth ther som-what that every man desireth?' `Ye, ther nedeth,' quod I. `Certes,' quod she, `and he that hath lakke or nede of aught 35 nis nat in every wey suffisaunt to himself?' `No,' quod I. `And thou,' quod she, `in al the plentee of thy richesses haddest thilke lakke of suffisaunse?' `What elles?' quod I. 40 `Thanne may nat richesses maken that a man nis nedy, ne that he be suffisaunt to him-self; and that was it that they bi-highten, |p58 as it semeth. And eek certes I trowe, that this be gretly to considere, that moneye ne hath nat in his owne kinde that it ne may ben bi-nomen of hem that han it, maugre hem?' 45 `I bi-knowe it wel,' quod I. `Why sholdest thou nat bi-knowen it,' quod she, `whan every day the strenger folk bi-nemen it fro the febler, maugre hem? For whennes comen elles alle thise foreyne compleyntes or quereles of pletinges, but for that men axen ayein here moneye 50 that hath ben bi-nomen hem by force or by gyle, and alwey maugre hem?' `Right so is it,' quod I. `Than,' quod she, `hath a man nede to seken him foreyne helpe by whiche he may defende his moneye?' 55 `Who may sey nay?' quod I. `Certes,' quod she; `and him nedede non help, yif he ne hadde no moneye that he mighte lese?' `That is douteles,' quod I. `Than is this thinge torned in-to the contrarye,' quod she. 60 `For richesses, that men wenen sholde niake suffisaunce, they maken a man rather han nede of foreyne help! Which is the nnanere or the gyse,' quod she, `that richesse may dryve awey nede? Riche folk, may they neither han hunger ne thurst? Thise riche men, may they fele no cold on hir limes on winter? 65 But thou wolt answeren, that riche men han y-now wher-with they may staunchen hir hunger, slaken hir thurst, and don a-wey cold. In this wyse may nede be counforted by richesses; but certes, nede ne may nat all outrely ben don a-wey. For though this nede, that is alwey gapinge and gredy, be fulfild with richesses, and axe 70 any thing, yit dwelleth thanne a nede that mighte be fulfild. I holde me stille, and telle nat how that litel thing suffiseth to nature; but certes to avarice y-nough ne suffiseth no-thing. For sin that richesses ne may nat al don awey nede, but richesses maken nede, what may it thanne be, that ye wenen that richesses 75 mowen yeven you suffisaunce? |p59 METRE III. Quamvis fluente diues auri gurgite. Al were it so that a riche coveytous man hadde a river fletinge al of gold, yit sholde it never staunchen his coveitise; and though he hadde his nekke y-charged with precious stones of the rede see, and though he do ere his feldes plentivous with an hundred 5 oxen, never ne shal his bytinge bisinesse for-leten him whyl he liveth, ne the lighte richesses ne sholle nat beren him companye whan he is ded. PROSE IV. Set dignitates. But dignitees, to whom they ben comen, maken they him honorable and reverent? Han they nat so gret strengthe, that they may putte vertues in the hertes of folk that usen the lordshipes of hem? Or elles may they don a-wey the vyces? Certes, they 5 ne be nat wont to don awey wikkednesse, but they ben wont rather to shewen wikkednesse. And ther-of comth it that I have right grete desdeyn, that dignitees ben yeven ofte to wikked men; for which thing Catullus cleped a consul of Rome, that highte Nonius, "postum" or "boch"; as who seyth, he clepeth him 10 a congregacioun of vyces in his brest, as a postum is ful of corupcioun, al were this Nonius set in a chayre of dignitee. Seest thou nat thanne how gret vilenye dignitees don to wikked men? Certes, unworthinesse of wikked men sholde be the lasse y-sene, yif they nere renomed of none honours. Certes, thou thyself ne mightest 15 nat ben brought with as manye perils as thou mightest suffren that thou woldest beren the magistrat with Decorat; that is to seyn, that for no peril that mighte befallen thee by offence of the king |p60 Theodorike, thou noldest nat be felawe in governaunce with Decorat; whan thou saye that he hadde wikked corage of a likerous shrewe 20 and of an accusor. Ne I ne may nat, for swiche honours, iugen hem worthy of reverence, that I deme and holde unworthy to han thilke same honours. Now yif thou saye a man that were fulfild of wisdom, certes, thou ne mightest nat deme that he were un_worthy to the honour, or elles to the wisdom of which he is 25 fulfild?' - `No,' quod I.-`Certes, dignitees,' quod she, `aper_tienen proprely to vertu; and vertu transporteth dignitee anon to thilke man to which she hir-self is conioigned. And for as moche as honours of poeple ne may nat maken folk digne of honour, it is wel seyn cleerly that they ne han no propre beautee of dignitee. 30 And yit men oughten taken more heed in this. For yif it so be that a wikked wight be so mochel the foulere and the more out_cast, that he is despysed of most folk, so as dignitee ne may nat maken shrewes digne of reverence, the which shrewes dignitee sheweth to moche folk, thanne maketh dignitee shrewes rather so 35 moche more despysed than preysed; and forsothe nat unpunis_shed : that is for to seyn, that shrewes revengen hem ayeinward up-on dignitees; for they yilden ayein to dignitees as gret guer_doun, whan they bi-spotten and defoulen dignitees with hir vilenye. And for as mochel as thou mowe knowe that thilke 40 verray reverence ne may nat comen by thise shadewy transitorie dignitees, undirstond now thus: yif that a man hadde used and had many maner dignitees of consules, and were comen per_aventure amonge straunge naciouns, sholde thilke honour maken him worshipful and redouted of straunge folk? Certes, yif that 45 honour of poeple were a naturel yift to dignitees, it ne mighte never cesen nowher amonges no maner folk to don his office, |p61 right as fyr in every contree ne stinteth nat to eschaufen and to ben hoot. But for as moche as for to ben holden honourable or 50 reverent ne cometh nat to folk of hir propre strengthe of nature, but only of the false opinioun of folk, that is to seyn, that wenen that dignitees maken folk digne of honour; anon therfore whan that they comen ther-as folk ne knowen nat thilke dignitees, hir honours vanisshen awey, and that anon. But that is amonges 55 straunge folk, mayst thou seyn; but amonges hem ther they weren born, ne duren nat thilke dignitees alwey? Certes, the dignitee of the provostrie of Rome was whylom a gret power; now is it nothing but an ydel name, and the rente of the senatorie 60 a gret charge. And yif a wight whylom hadde the office to taken hede to the vitailes of the poeple, as of corn and other thinges, he was holden amonges grete; but what thing is now more out-cast thanne thilke provostrie? And, as I have seyd a litel her-biforn, that thilke thing that hath no propre beautee of him-self receiveth 65 som-tyme prys and shyninge, and som-tyme leseth it by the opinioun of usaunces. Now yif that dignitees thanne ne mowen nat maken folk digne of reverence, and yif that dignitees wexen foule of hir wille by the filthe of shrewes, and yif that dignitees lesen hir shyninge by chaunginge of tymes, and yif they wexen 70 foule by estimacioun of poeple: what is it that they han in hem_self of beautee that oughte ben desired? as who seyth, non; thanne ne mowen they yeven no beautee of dignitee to non other. METRE IV. Quamvis se, tyrio superbus ostro. Al be it so that the proude Nero, with alle his wode luxurie, kembde him and aparailede him with faire purpres of Tirie, and with whyte perles, algates yit throf he hateful to alIe folk: this is to seyn, that al was he behated of alle folk. Yit this 5 wikked Nero hadde gret lordship, and yaf whylom to the |p62 reverents senatours the unworshipful setes of dignitees. Unwor_shipful setes he clepeth here, for that Nero, that was so wikked, yaf tho dignitees. Who-so wolde thanne resonably wenen, that blisful_nesse were in swiche honours as ben yeven by vicious shrewes? PROSE V. An vero regna regumque familiaritas. But regnes and familiaritees of kinges, may they maken a man to ben mighty? How elles, whan hir blisfulnesse dureth perpetuely? But certes, the olde age of tyme passed, and eek of present tyme now, is ful of ensaumples how that kinges ben 5 chaunged in-to wrecchednesse out of hir welefulnesse. O! a noble thing and a cleer thing is,power, that is nat founden mighty to kepen it-self! And yif that power of reaumes be auctour and maker of blisfulnesse, yif thilke power lakketh on any syde, amenuseth it nat thilke blisfulnesse and bringeth in 10 wrecchednesse? But yit, al be it so that the reaumes of man_kinde strecchen brode, yit mot ther nede ben moche folk, over whiche that every king ne hath no lordshipe ne comaundement. And certes, up-on thilke syde that power faileth, which that maketh folk blisful, right on that same syde noun-power entreth 15 under-nethe, that maketh hem wrecches, in this manere thanne moten kinges han more porcioun of wrecchednesse than of welefulnesse. A tyraunt, that was king of Sisile, that hadde assayed the peril of his estat, shewede by similitude the dredes of reaumes by gastnesse of a swerd that heng over the heved 20 of his familier. What thing is thanne this power, that may nat don awey the bytinges of bisinesse, ne eschewe the prikkes of drede? And certes, yit wolden they liven in sikernesse, but they may nat; and yit they glorifye hem in hir power. Holdest thou thanne that thilke man be mighty, that thou seest that 25 he wolde don that he may nat don? And holdest thou thanne him a mighty man, that hath envirownede his sydes with men |p63 of armes or seriaunts, and dredeth more hem that he maketh agast than they dreden him, and that is put in the handes of his servaunts for he sholde seme mighty? But of familieres 30 or servaunts of kinges what sholde I telle thee anything, sin that I myself have shewed thee that reaumes hem-self ben ful of gret feblesse? The whiche familieres, certes, the ryal power of kinges, in hool estat and in estat abated, ful ofte throweth adown. Nero constreynede Senek, his familier and 35 his mayster, to chesen on what deeth he wolde deyen. Antonius comaundede that knightes slowen with hir swerdes Papinian his familier, which Papinian hadde ben longe tyme ful mighty amonges hem of the court. And yit, certes, they wolden bothe han renounced hir power; of whiche two Senek enforcede him 40 to yeven to Nero his richesses, and also to han gon in-to solitarie exil. But whan the grete weighte, that is to seyn, of lordes power or of fortune, draweth hem that shullen falle, neither of hem ne mighte do that he wolde. What thing is thanne thilke power, that though men han it, yit they ben agast, 45 and whanne thou woldest han it, thou nart nat siker; and yif thou woldest forleten it, thou mayst nat eschuen it? But whether swiche men ben frendes at nede, as ben conseyled by fortune and nat by vertu? Certes, swiche folk as weleful 50 fortune maketh freendes, contrarious fortune maketh hem enemys. And what pestilence is more mighty for to anoye a wight than a famiIier enemy? METRE V. Qui se uolet esse potentem. Who-so wol be mighty, he mot daunten his cruel corage, ne putte nat his nekke, overcomen, under the foule reynes of lecherye. For al-be-it so that thy lordshipe strecche so fer, 5 that the contree of Inde quaketh at thy comaundements or at thy lawes, and that the last ile in the see, that hight Tyle, |p64 be thral to thee, yit, yif thou mayst nat putten awey thy foule derke desyrs, and dryven out fro thee wrecched complaintes, 8 certes, it nis no power that thou hast. PROSE VI. Gloria uero quam fallax saepe. But glorie, how deceivable and how foul is it ofte! For which thing nat unskilfully a tragedien, that is to seyn, a maker of ditees that highten tragedies, cryde and seide: "O glorie, glorie," quod he, "thou art nothing elles to thousandes of folkes 5 but a greet sweller of eres!" For manye han had ful greet renoun by the false opinioun of the poeple, and what thing may ben thought fouler than swiche preysinge? For thilke folk that ben preysed falsly, they moten nedes han shame of hir preysinges. And yif that folk han geten hem thonk or prey_singe 10 by hir desertes, what thing hath thilke prys eched or encresed to the conscience of wyse folk, that mesuren hir good, nat by the rumour of the poeple, but by the soothfastnesse of conscience? And yif it seme a fair thing, a man to han encresed and spred his name, than folweth it that it is demed 15 to ben a foul thing, yif it ne be y-sprad and encresed. But, as I seyde a litel her-biforn that, sin ther mot nedes ben many folk, to whiche folk the renoun of a man ne may nat comen, it befalleth that he, that thou wenest be glorious and renomed, semeth in the nexte partie of the erthes to ben with-oute glorie 20 and with-oute renoun. And certes, amonges thise thinges I ne trowe nat that the prys and grace of the poeple nis neither worthy to ben remembred, ne cometh of wyse Iugement, ne is ferme per_durably. But now, of this name of gentilesse, what man is it 25 that ne may wel seen how veyn and how flittinge a thing it is? For yif the name of gentilesse be referred to renoun and cleernesse of linage, thanne is gentil name but a foreine thing, that is to seyn, to hem that glorifyen hem of hir linage. For it semeth that gentilesse be a maner preysinge that comth of the |p65 30 deserte of ancestres. And yif preysinge maketh gentilesse, thanne moten they nedes be gentil that ben preysed. For which thing it folweth, that yif thou ne have no gentilesse of thy-self, that is to seyn, preyse that comth of thy deserte, foreine gentilesse ne maketh thee nat gentil. But certes, yif ther be 35 any good in gentilesse, I trowe it be al-only this, that it semeth as that a maner necessitee be imposed to gentil men, for that they ne sholden nat outrayen or forliven fro the virtues of hir noble kinrede. METRE VI. Omne hominum genus in terris. Al the linage of men that ben in erthe ben of semblable birthe. On allone is fader of thinges. On allone ministreth alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes, he yaf to the mone hir hornes. He yaf the men to the erthe, he yaf the 5 sterres to the hevene. He encloseth with membres the soules that comen fro his hye sete. Thanne comen alle mortal folk of noble sede; why noisen ye or bosten of youre eldres? For yif thou loke your biginninge, and god your auctor and your maker, thanne nis ther no forlived wight, but-yif he norisshe 10 his corage un-to vyces, and forlete his propre burthe. PROSE VII. Quid autem de corporis uoluptatibus. But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the desiringes ben ful of anguissh, and the fufillinges of hem ben ful of penaunce? How greet syknesse and how grete sorwes unsufer_able, right as a maner fruit of wikkednesse, ben thilke delices 5 wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche delices I not what Ioye may ben had of hir moevinge. But this wot I wel, that who-so-ever wole remembren him of hise luxures, he shal wel understonde that the issues of delices ben sorwful |p66 and sorye. And yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful, 10 than by the same cause moten thise bestes ben cleped blisful; of whiche bestes al the entencioun hasteth to fulfille hir bodily Iolitee. And the gladnesse of wyf and children were an honest thing, but it hath ben seyd that it is over muchel ayeins kinde, that children han ben founden tormentours to hir fadres, I not 15 how manye: of whiche children how bytinge is every condicioun, it nedeth nat to tellen it thee, that hast or this tyme assayed it, and art yit now anguissous. In this approve I the sentence of my disciple Euripidis, that seyde, that "he that hath no children is weleful by infortune." METRRE VII. Habet omnis hoc uoluptas. Every delyt hath this, that it anguissheth hem with prikkes that usen it. It resembleth to thise flyinge flyes that we clepen been, that, after that he hath shad hise agreable honies, he fleeth awey, and stingeth the hertes, of hem that ben y-smite, with 5 bytinge overlonge holdinge. PROSE VIII. Nihil igitur dubium est. Now is it no doute thanne that thise weyes ne ben a maner misledinges to blisfulnesse, ne that they ne mowe nat leden folk thider as they biheten to leden hem. But with how grete harmes thise forseyde weyes ben enlaced, I shal shewe thee 5 shortly. For-why yif thou enforcest thee to asemble moneye, thou most bireven him his moneye that hath it. And yif thou wolt shynen with dignitees, thou most bisechen and supplien hem that yeven tho dignitees. And yif thou coveitest by honour to gon biforn other folk, thou shalt defoule thy-self 10 thorugh humblesse of axinge. Yif thou desirest power, thou shalt by awaytes of thy subgits anoyously ben cast under manye |p67 periles. Axest thou glorie? Thou shalt ben so destrat by aspre thinges that thou shalt forgoon sikernesse. And yif thou wolt leden thy lyf in delices, every wight shal despisen thee and 15 forleten thee, as thou that art thral to thing that is right foul and brotel; that is to seyn, servaunt to thy body. Now is it thanne wel seen, how litel and how brotel possessioun they coveiten, that putten the goodes of the body aboven hir owne resoun. For mayst thou sormounten thise olifaunts in gretnesse 20 or weight of body? Or mayst thou ben stronger than the bole? Mayst thou ben swifter than the tygre? Bihold the spaces and the stablenesse and the swifte cours of the hevene, and stint som-tyme to wondren on foule thinges, the which hevene, certes, nis nat rather for thise thinges to ben wondred up-on, than for 25 the resoun by which it is governed. But the shyning of thy forme, that is to seyn, the beautee of thy body, how swiftly passinge is it, and how transitorie; certes, it is more flittinge than the mutabilitee of flowers of the somer-sesoun. For so Aristotle telleth, that yif that men hadden eyen of a beest that highte 30 lynx, so that the lokinge of folk mighte percen thorugh the thinges that with-stonden it, who-so loked thanne in the entrailes of the body of Alcibiades, that was ful fayr in the superfice with-oute, it shold seme right foul. And forthy, yif thou semest fayr, thy nature maketh nat that, but the desceivaunce of the 35 feblesse of the eyen that loken. But preyse the goodes of the body as mochel as ever thee list; so that thou knowe algates that, what-so it be, that is to seyn, of the goodes of thy body, which that thou wondrest up-on, may ben destroyed or dissolved by the hete of a fevere of three dayes. Of alle whiche forseyde 40 thinges I may reducen this shortly in a somme, that thise worldly goodes, whiche that ne mowen nat yeven that they biheten, ne ben nat parfit by the congregacioun of alle goodes; that they ne ben nat weyes ne pathes that bringen men to blisfulnesse, ne maken men to ben blisful. |p68 METRE VIII. Eheu! quae miseros tramite deuios. Allas! which folye and which ignoraunce misledeth wandringe wrecches fro the path of verray goode! Certes, ye ne seken no gold in grene trees, ne ye ne gaderen nat precious stones in the vynes, ne ye ne hyden nat your 5 ginnes in the hye mountaignes, to cacchen fish of whiche ye may maken riche festes. And yif yow lyketh to hunte to roes, ye ne gon nat to the fordes of the water that highte Tyrene. And over this, men knowen wel the crykes and the cavernes of the see y-hid in the flodes, and knowen eek which water 10 is most plentivous of whyte perles, and knowen which water haboundeth most of rede purpre, that is to seyn, of a maner shelle-fish with which men dyen purpre; and knowen which strondes habounden most with tendre fisshes, or of sharpe fisshes that highten echines. But folk suffren hem-self to ben so blinde, 15 that hem ne reccheth nat to knowe where thilke goodes ben y-hid whiche that they coveiten, but ploungen hem in erthe and seken there thilke good that sormiounteth the hevene that bereth the sterres. What preyere may I maken that be digne to the nyce thoughtes of men? But I preye that they coveiten 20 richesse and honours, so that, whan they han geten tho false goodes with greet travaile, that ther-by they mowe knowen the verray goodes. PROSE IX. Hactenus mendacis formam. It suffyseth that I have shewed hider-to the forme of false welefulnesse, so that, yif thou loke now cleerly, the order of myn entencioun requireth from hennes-forth to shewen thee the verray welefulnesse.' |p69 5 `For sothe,' quod I, `I see wel now that suffisaunce may nat comen by richesses, ne power by reames, ne reverence by dignitees, ne gentilesse by glorie, ne Ioye by delices.' `And hast thou wel knowen the causes,' quod she, `why it is?' `Certes, me semeth,' quod I, `that I see hem right as though 10 it were torugh a litel clifte; but me were levere knowen hem more openly of thee.' `Certes,' quod she, `the resoun is al redy. For thilke thing that simply is o thing, with-outen any devisioun, the errour and folye of mankinde departeth and devydeth it, and misledeth 15 it and transporteth from verray and parfit good to goodes that ben false and unparfit. But sey me this. Wenest thou that he, that hath nede of power, that him ne lakketh no-thing?' `Nay,' quod I. `Certes,' quod she, `thou seyst a-right. For yif so be that 20 ther is a thing, that in any partye be febler of power, certes, as in that, it mot nedes ben nedy of foreine help.' `Right so is it,' quod I. `Suffisaunce and power ben thanne of o kinde?' `So semeth it,' quod I. 25 `And demest thou,' quod she, `that a thing that is of this manere, that is to seyn, suffisaunt and mighty, oughte ben despysed, or elles that it be right digne of reverence aboven alle thinges?' `Certes,' quod I, `it nis no doute, that it is right worthy to 30 ben reverenced.' `Lat us,' quod she, `adden thanne reverence to suffisaunce and to power, so that we demen that thise three thinges ben al o thing.' `Certes,' quod I, `lat us adden it, yif we wolen graunten the 35 sothe.' `What demest thou thanne?' quod she; `is that a derk thing and nat noble, that is suffisaunt, reverent, and mighty, or elles that it is right noble and right cleer by celebritee of renoun? Consider thanne,' quod she, `as we han graunted her-biforn, that he that |p70 40 ne hath nede of no-thing, and is most mighty and most digne of honour yif him nedeth any cleernesse of renoun, which cleernesse he mighte nat graunten of him-self, so that, for lakke of thilke cleernesse, he mighte seme the febeler on any syde or the more out-cast?' Glose. This is to seyn, nay; for who-so 45 that is suffisaunt, mighty, and reverent, cleernesse of renoun folweth of the forseyde thinges; he hath it al redy of his suffisaunde. Boece. `I may nat,' quod I, `denye it; but I mot graunte as it is, that this thing be right celebrable by cleernesse of renoun 50 and noblesse.' `Thanne folweth it,' quod she, `that we adden cleernesse of renoun to the three forseyde thinges, so that ther ne be amonges hem no difference?' `This is a consequence,' quod I. 55 `This thing thanne,' quod she, `that ne hath nede of no foreine thing, and that may don alle thinges by hise strengthes, and that is noble and honourable, nis nat that a mery thing and a Ioyful?' `But whennes,' quod I, `that any sorwe mighte comen to this 60 thing that is swiche, certes, I may nat thinke.' `Thanne moten we graunte,' quod she, `that this thing be ful of gladnesse, yif the forseyde thinges ben sothe, and certes, also mote we graunten that suffisaunce, power, noblesse, reverence, and gladnesse ben only dyverse by riarnes, but hir substaunce 65 hath no diversitee.' `It mot needly been so,' quod I. `Thilke thing thanne, quod she, that is oon and simple in his nature, the wikkednesse of men departeth it and devydeth it; and whan they enforcen hem to geten partye of a thing 70 that ne hath no part, they ne geten hem neither thilke partye that nis non, ne the thing al hool that they ne desire nat.' `In which manere?, quod I. `Thilke man,' quod she, `that secheth richesses to fleen povertee, he ne travaileth him nat for to gete power; for he 75 hath levere ben derk and vyl; and eek withdraweth from him-self many naturel delyts, for he nolde lese the moneye that |p71 he hath assembled. But certes, in this manere he ne geteth him nat suffisaunce that power forleteth, and that molestie prikketh, and that filthe maketh out-cast, and that derkenesse 80 hydeth. And certes, he that desireth only power, he wasteth and scatereth richesse, and despyseth delyts, and eek honour that is with-oute power, ne he ne preyseth glorie no-thing. Certes, thus seest thou wel, that manye, thinges faylen to him; for he hath som-tyme defaute of many necessitees, and many 85 anguisshes byten him; and whan he ne may nat don tho defautes a-wey, he forleteth to ben mighty, and that is the thing that he most desireth. And right thus may I maken semblable resouns of honours, and of glorie, and of delyts. For so as every of thise forseyde thinges is the same that thise other 90 thinges ben, Ithat is to seyn, al oon thing, who-so that ever seketh to geten that oon of thise, and nat that other, he ne geteth nat that he desireth.' Boece. `What seyst thou thanne, yif that a man coveiteth to geten alle thise thinges to-gider?' 95 Philosophie. `Certes,' quod she, `I wolde seye, that he wolde geten him sovereyn blisfulnesse; but that shal he nat finde in tho thinges that I have shewed, that ne mowen nat yeven that they beheten.' `Certes, no,' quod I. 100 `Thanne,' quod she, `ne sholden men nat by no wey seken blisfuInesse in swiche thinges as men wene that they ne mowen yeven but o thing senglely of alle that men seken.' `I graunte wel,' quod I; `ne no sother thing ne may ben sayd.' 105 `Now hast thou thanne,' quod she, `the forme and the causes of false welefulnesse. Now torne and flitte the eyen of thy thought; for ther shaIt thou sen anon thilke verray blisfulnesse that I have bihight thee.' `Certes,' quod I, `it is cleer and open, thogh it were to 110 a blinde man; and that shewedest thou nie ful wel a litel her_biforn, whan thou enforcedest thee to shewe me the causes |p72 of the false blisfulnesse. For but-yif I be bigyled, thanne is thilke the verray blisfulnesse parfit, that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt, mighty, honourable, noble, and ful of gladnesse. And, for thou shalt wel knowe that I have wel understonden 115 thise thinges with-in my herte, I knowe wel that thilke blisful_nesse, that may verrayly yeven oon of the forseyde thinges, sin they ben al oon, I knowe, douteles, that thilke thing is the fulle blisfulnesse.' Philosophie. `O my norie,' quod she, `by this opinioun I 120 seye that thou art blisful, yif thou putte this ther-to that I shal seyn.' `What is that?' quod I. `Trowest thou that ther be any thing in thise erthely mortal toumbling thinges that may bringen this estat?' 125 `Certes,' quod I, `I trowe it naught; and thou hast shewed me wel that over thilke good ther nis no-thing more to ben desired.' `Thise thinges thanne,' quod she, `that is to sey, erthely suffisaunceand power and swiche thinges, either they semen 130 lykenesses of verray good, or elles it semeth that, they yeve to mortal folk a maner of goodes that ne ben nat parfit; but thilke good that is verray and parfit, that may they nat yeven.' `I acorde me wel,' quod I. `Thanne,' quod she, `for as mochel as thou hast knowen 135 which is thilke verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke thinges ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse, that is to seyn, that by deceite semen verray goodes, now behoveth thee to knowe whennes and where thou mowe seke thilke verray blisfulnesse.' `Certes,' quod I, `that desire I greetly, and have abiden longe 140 tyme to herknen it.' `But for as moche,' quod she, `as it lyketh to my disciple Plato, in his book of "in Timeo," that in right litel thinges men sholden bisechen the help of god, what iugest thou that be now to done, so that we may deserve to finde the sete of thilke 145 verray good?' `Certes,' quod I, `I deme that we shollen clepen the fader |p73 of alle goodes; for with-outen him nis ther no-thing founden a-right.' `Thou seyst a-right,' quod she; and bigan anon to singen 150 right thus:_ METRE IX. O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas. `O thou fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest this world by perdurable resoun, that comaundest the tymes to gon from sin that age hadde beginninge; thou that dwellest thy-self ay stedefast and stable, and yevest alle othre thinges 5 to ben moeved; ne foreine causes necesseden thee never to compoune werk of floteringe matere, but only the forme of soverein good y-set wrth-in thee with-oute envye, that moevede thee freely. Thou that art alder-fayrest, beringe the faire world in thy thought, formedest this world to the lyknesse semblable 10 of that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest al thing of thy soverein ensaumpler, and comaundest that this world, parfitliche y-maked, have freely and absolut his parfit parties. Thou bindest the elements by noumbres proporcionables, that the colde thinges mowen acorden with the hote thinges, and 15 the drye thinges with the moiste thinges; that the fyr, that is purest, ne flee nat over hye, ne that the hevinesse ne drawe nat adoun over-lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres. Thou knittest to-gider the mene sowle of treble kinde, moevinge alle thinges, and devydest it by membres acordinge; and whan 20 it is thus devyded, it hath asembled a moevinge in-to two roundes; it goth to torne ayein to him-self, and envirouneth a ful deep thought, and torneth the hevene by semblable image. Thou by evene-lyke causes enhansest the sowles and the lasse lyves, and, ablinge hem heye by lighte cartes, thou sowest hem 25 in-to hevene and in-to erthe; and whan they ben converted to |p74 thee by thy benigne lawe, thou makest hem retorne ayein to thee by ayein-ledinge fyr. O fader, yive thou to the thought to styen up in-to thy streite sete, and graunte him to enviroune the welle of good; and, the 30 lighte y-founde, graunte him to fichen the clere sightes of his corage in thee. And scater thou and to-breke thou the weightes and the cloudes of erthely hevinesse, and shyne thou by thy brightnesse. For thou art cleernesse, thou art peysible reste to debonaire folk; thou thy-self art biginninge, berer, leder, path, 35 and terme; to loke on thee, that is our ende. PROSE X. Quoniam igitur quae sit imperfecti. For as moche thanne as thou hast seyn, which is the forme of good that nis nat parfit, and which is the forme of good that is parfit, now trowe I that it were good to shewe in what this perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set. And in this thing, I trowe 5 that we sholden first enquere for to witen, yif that any swiche maner good as thilke good that thou has diffinisshed a litel heer-biforn, that is to seyn, soverein good, may ben founde in the nature of thinges; for that veyn imaginacioun of thought ne deceyve us nat, and putte us out of the sothfastnesse of thilke 10 thing that is summitted unto us. But it may nat ben deneyed that thilke good ne is, and that it nis right as welle of alle goodes. For al thing that is cleped inparfit is proeved inparfit by the amenusinge of perfeccioun or of thing that is parfit. And ther-of comth it, that in every thing general, yif that men 15 sen any-thing that is inparfit, certes, in thilke general ther mot ben som-thing that is parfit; for yif so be that perfeccioun is don awey, men may nat thinke ne seye fro whennes thilke thing is that is cleped inparfit. For the nature of thinges ne took nat hir beginninge of thinges amenused and inparfit, but |p75 20 it procedeth of thinges that ben al hoole and absolut, and descendeth so doun in-to outterest thinges, and in-to thinges empty and with-outen frut. But, as I have y-shewed a litel her-biforn, that yif ther be a blisfulnesse that be freele and veyn and inparfit, ther may no man doute that ther nis som 25 blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and parfit. Boece. `This is concluded,' quod I, `fermely and sothfastly.' Philosophie. `But considere also,' quod she, `in wham this blisfulnesse enhabiteth. The comune acordaunce and conceite of the corages of men proeveth and graunteth, that god, prince 30 of alle thinges, is good. For, so as nothing ne may ben thought bettre than god, it may nat ben douted thanne that he, that nothing nis bettre, that he nis good. Certes, resoun sheweth that god is so good, that it proveth by verray force that parfit good is in him. For yif god ne is swich, he ne may nat ben 35 prince of alle thinges; for certes som-thing possessing in it-self parfit good, sholde ben more worthy than god, and it sholde semen that thilke thing were first, and elder than god. For we han shewed apertly that alle thinges that ben parfit ben first or thinges that ben unparfit; and for-thy, for as moche as 40 that my resoun or my proces ne go nat a-wey with-oute an ende, we owen to graunten that the soverein god is right ful of soverein parfit good. And we han establisshed that the soverein good is verray blisfulnesse: thanne mot it nedes be, that verray blisfulnesse is set in soverein god.' 45 `This take I wel,' quod I, `ne this ne may nat ben withseid in no manere.' `But I preye,' quod she, `see now how thou mayst proeven, holily and with-oute corupcioun, this that I have seyd, that the 50 soverein god is right ful of soverein good.' `In which manere? ' quod I. `Wenest thou aught,' quod she, `that this prince of alle thinges have y-take thilke soverein good any-wher out of him_self, of which soverein good men proveth that he is ful, right as thou mightest thinken that god, that hath blisfulnesse in |p76 55 him-self, and thilke blisfulnesse that is in him, weren dyvers in substaunce? For yif thou wene that god have received thilke good out of him-self, thou mayst wene that he that yaf thilke good to god be more worthy than is god. But I am bi-knowen and confesse, and that right dignely, that god is right worthy 60 aboven alle thinges; and, yif so be that this good be in him by nature, but that it is dyvers fro him by weninge resoun, sin we speke of god prince of alle thinges: feigne who-so feigne may, who was he that hath conioigned thise dyverse thinges to-gider? And eek, at the laste, see wel that a thing 65 that is dyvers from any thing, that thilke thing nis nat that same thing fro which it is understonden to ben dyvers. Thanne folweth it, that thilke thing that by his nature is dyvers fro soverein good, that that thing nis nat soverein good; but certes, that were a felonous corsednesse to thinken that of him that 70 nothing nis more worth. For alwey, of alle thinges, the nature of hem ne may nat ben bettre than his biginning; for which I may concluden, by right verray resoun, that thilke that is biginning of alle thinges, thilke same thing is soverein good in his substaunce.' 75 Boece. `Thou hast seyd rightfully,' quod I. Philosophie. `But we han graunted,' quod she, `that the soverein good is blisfulnesse.' `And that is sooth,' quod I. 80 `Thanne,' quod she, `moten we nedes graunten and confessen that thilke same soverein good be god.' `Certes,' quod I, `I ne may nat denye ne withstonde the resouns purposed; and I see wel that it folweth by strengthe of the premisses.' 85 `Loke now,' quod she, `yif this be proved yit more fermely thus: that ther ne mowen nat ben two soverein goodes that ben dyverse amonge hem-self. For certes, the goodes that ben dyverse amonges hem-self, that oon nis nat that that other is; thanne ne [may] neither of hem ben parfit, so as either of hem lakketh to other. But that that nis nat parfit, men may |p77 90 seen apertly that it nis nat soverein. The thinges, thanne, that ben sovereinly goode, ne mowen by no wey ben dyverse. But I have wel concluded that blisfulnesse and god ben the soverein good; for whiche it mot nedes ben, that soverein blisfulnesse is soverein divinitee.' 95 `Nothing,' quod I, `nis more soothfast than this, ne more ferme by resoun; ne a more worthy thing than god may nat ben concluded.' `Up-on thise thinges thanne,' quod she, `right as thise geo_metriens, whan they han shewed hir proposiciouns, ben wont 100 to bringen in thinges that they clepen porismes, or declaraciouns of forseide thinges, right so wole I yeve thee heer as a corollarie, or a mede of coroune. For-why, for as moche as by the getinge of blisfulnesse men ben maked blisful, and blisfulnesse is divinitee: thanne is it manifest and open, that by the getinge 105 of divinitee men ben maked blisful. Right as by the getinge of Iustice [they ben maked iust], and by the getinge of sapience they ben maked wyse: right so, nedes, by the semblable resoun, whan they han geten divinitee, they ben maked goddes. Thanne is every blisful man god; but certes, by nature, ther nis but 110 o god; but, by the participacioun of divinitee, ther ne let ne desturbeth nothing that ther ne ben manye goddes.' `This is,' quod I, `a fair thing and a precious, clepe it as thou wolt; be it porisme or corollarie,' or mede of coroune or declaringes. 115 `Certes,' quod she, `nothing nis fayrer than is the thing that by resoun sholde ben added to thise forseide thinges.' `What thing? ' quod I. `So,' quod she, `as it semeth that blisfulnesse conteneth many thinges, it were for to witen whether that alle thise thinges maken 120 or conioignen as a maner body of blisfulnesse, by dyversitee of parties or of membres; or elles, yif that any of alle thilke thinges be swich that it acomplisshe by him-self the substaunce of blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othre thinges ben referred and brought to blisfulnesse,' that is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem. 125 `I wolde,'. quod I, `that thou makedest me cleerly to under_ |p78 stonde what thou seyst, and that thou recordedest me the forseyde thinges.' `Have I nat iuged,' quod she, `that blisfulnesse is good?' `Yis, forsothe,' quod I; `and that soverein good.' 130 `Adde thanne,' quod she, `thilke good, that is maked blisful_nesse, to alle the forseide thinges; for thilke same blisfulnesse that is demed to ben soverein suffisaunce, thilke selve is soverein power, soverein reverence, soverein cleernesse or noblesse, and soverein delyt. Conclusio. What seyst thou thanne of alle thise 135 thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power, and this othre thinges; ben they thanne as membres of blisfulnesse, or ben they referred and brought to soverein good, right as alle thinges that ben brought to the chief of hem?' `I understonde wel; ' quod I, `what thou purposest to seke; 140 but I desire for to herkne that thou shewe it me.' `Tak now thus the discrecioun of this questioun,' quod she. `Yif alle thise thinges,' quod she, `weren membres to felicitee, than weren they dyverse that oon from that other; and swich is the nature of parties or of membres, that dyverse membres com_pounen 145 a body.' `Certes,' quod I, `it hath wel ben shewed heer-biforn, that alle thise thrnges ben alle o thing.' `Thanne ben they none membres,' quod she; `for elles it sholde seme that blisfulnesse were conioigned al of on membre 150 allone; but that is a thing that may nat be don.' `This thing,' quod I, `nis nat doutous; but I abyde to herknen the remnaunt of thy questioun.' `This is open and cleer,' quod she, `that alle othre thinges ben referred and brought to good. For therefore is suffisaunce re_quered, 155 for it is demed to ben good, and forthy is power requered, for men trowen also that it be good; and this same thing mowen we thinken and coniecten of reverence, and of noblesse, and of delyt. Thanne is soverein good the somme and the cause of al that aughte ben desired; for-why thilke thing that with-holdeth 160 no good in it-self, ne semblaunce of good, it ne may nat wel in no manere be desired ne requered. And the contrarie: for thogh that thinges by hir nature ne ben nat goode, algates, yif |p79 men wene that ben goode, yit ben they desired as though that they weren verrayliche goode. And therfor is it that men oughten 165 to wene by right, that bountee be the soverein fyn, and the cause of alle the thinges that ben to requeren. But certes, thilke that is cause for which men requeren any thing, it semeth that thilke same thing be most desired. As thus: yif that a wight wolde ryden for cause of hele, he ne desireth nat so mochel the moev_inge 170 to ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne, sin that alle thinges ben requered for the grace of good, they ne ben nat desired of alle folk more thanne the same good. But we han graunted that blisfulnesse is that thing, for whiche that alle thise othre thinges ben desired; thanne is it thus: that, certes, only 175 blisfulnesse is requered and desired. By whiche thing it sheweth cleerly, that of good and of blisfulnesse is al oon and the same substaunce.' `I see nat,' quod I, `wherfore that men mighten discorden in this.' 180 `And we han shewed that god and verray blisfulnesse is al oo thing.' `That is sooth,' quod I. `Thanne mowen we conclude sikerly, that the substaunce of 184 god is set in thilke same good, and in non other place. METRE X. Huc omnes pariter uenite capti. O cometh alle to-gider now, ye that ben y-caught and y bounde with wikkede cheynes, by the deceivable delyt of erthely thinges enhabitinge in your thought! Heer shal ben the reste of your labours, heer is the havene stable in peysible quiete; this allone 5 is the open refut to wrecches. Glosa. This is to seyn, that ye that ben combred and deceived with worldely affecciouns, cometh now to this soverein good, that is god, that is refut to hem that wolen comen to him. Textus. Alle the thinges that the river Tagus yeveth yow with his goldene gravailes, or elles alle the thinges 10 that the river Hermus yeveth with his rede brinke, or that Indus yeveth, that is next the hote party of the world, that medleth the |p80 grene stones with the whyte, ne sholde nat cleeren the lookinge of your thought, but hyden rather your blinde corages with-in hir derknesse. Al that lyketh yow heer, and excyteth and moeveth 15 your thoughtes, the erthe hath norisshed it in hise lowe caves. But the shyninge, by whiche the hevene is governed and whennes he hath his strengthe, that eschueth the derke overthrowinge of the sowle; and who-so may knowen thilke light of blisfulnesse, he shal wel seyn, that the whyte bemes of the sonne ne ben nat 20 cleer.' PROSE XI. Assentior, inquam. Boece. `I assente me,' quod I; `for alle thise thinges ben strongly bounden with right ferme resouns.' Philosophie. `How mochel wilt thou preysen it,' quod she, `yif that thou knowe what thilke good is?' 5 `I wol preyse it,' quod I, `by prys with-outen ende, yif it shal bityde me to knowe also to-gider god that is good.' `Certes,' quod she, `that shal I do thee by verray resoun, yif that tho thinges that I have concluded a litel her-biforn dwellen only in hir first graunting.' 10 `They dwellen graunted to thee,' quod I; this is to seyn, as who seith: I graunte thy forseide conclusiouns. `Have I nat shewed thee,' quod she, `that the thinges that ben requered of many folkes ne ben nat verray goodes ne parfite, for they ben dyverse that oon fro that othre; and so as ech of hem 15 is lakkinge to other, they ne han no power to bringe a good that is ful and absolut? But thanne at erst ben they verray good, whanne they ben gadered to gider alle in-to o forme and in-to oon wirkinge, so that thilke thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be power, and reverence, and noblesse, and mirthe; and forsothe, 20 but-yif alle thise thinges ben alle oon same thing, they ne han nat wherby that they mowen ben put in the noumber of thinges that oughten ben requered or desired.' |p81 `It is shewed,' quod I; `ne her-of may ther no man douten.' `The thinges thanne,' quod she, `that ne ben no goodes 25 whanne they ben dyverse, and whan they beginnen to ben alle, oon thing thanne ben they goodes, ne comth it hem nat thanne by the getinge of unitee, that they ben maked goodes?' `So it semeth,' quod I. `But al thing that is good,' quod she, `grauntest thou that it be 30 good by the participacioun of good, or no?' `I graunte it,' quod I. `Thanne most thou graunten,' quod she, `by semblable resoun, that oon and good be oo same thing. For of thinges, of whiche that the effect nis nat naturelly diverse, nedes the substance mot 35 be oo same thing.' `I ne may nat denye that,' quod I. `Hast thou nat knowen wel,' quod she, `that al thing that is hath so longe his dwellinge and his substaunce as longe as it is oon, but whan it forleteth to ben oon, it mot nedes dyen and 40 corumpe to-gider?' `In which manere?' quod I. `Right as in bestes,' quod she, `whan the sowle and the body ben conioigned in oon and dwellen to-gider, it is cleped a beest. And whan hir unitee is destroyed by the disseveraunce of that oon 45 from that other, than sheweth it wel that it is a ded thing, and that it nis no lenger no beest. And the body of a wight, whyl it dwelleth in oo forme by coniuncccioun of membres, it is wel seyn that it is a figure of man-kinde. And yif the parties of the body ben so devyded and dissevered, that oon fro that 50 other, that they destroyen unitee, the body forleteth to hen that it was biforn. And, who-so wolde renne in the same manere by alle thinges, he sholde seen that, with-oute doute, every thing is in his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whan it forleteth to ben oon, it dyeth and perissheth.' 55 `Whan I considere,' quod I, `manye thinges, I see non other.' `Is ther any-thing thanne,' quod she, `that, in as moche as it |p82 liveth naturelly, that forleteth the talent or appetyt of his beinge, and desireth to come to deeth and to corupcioun?' `Yif I considere,' quod I, `the beestes that han any maner 60 nature of wilninge and of nillinge, I ne finde no beest, but_yif it be constreined fro with-oute forth, that forleteth or despyseth the entencioun to liven and to duren, or that wole, his thankes, hasten him to dyen. For every beest travaileth him to deffende and kepe the savacioun of his lyf, and eschueth deeth 65 and destruccioun. But certes, I doute me of herbes and of trees, that is to seyn, that I am in a doute of swiche thinges as herbes or trees, that ne han no felinge sowles, ne no naturel wirkinges servinge to appetytes as bestes han, whether they han appetyt to swellen 70 and to duren.' `Certes,' quod she, `ne ther-of thar thee nat doute. Now loke up-on thise herbes and thise trees; they wexen first in swiche places as ben covenable to hem, in whiche places they ne mowen nat sone dyen ne dryen, as longe as hir nature may 75 deffenden hem. For som of hem waxen in feeldes, and som in mountaignes, and othre waxen in mareys, and othre cleven on roches, and somme waxen plentivous in sondes; and yif that any wight enforce him to beren hem in-to othre places, they wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing that that 80 is convenient to him, and travaileth that they ne dye nat, as longe as they han power to dwellen and to liven. What woltow seyn of this, that they drawen alle hir norisshinges by hir rotes, right as they hadden hir mouthes y-plounged with-in the erthes, and sheden by hir maryes hir wode and hir bark? And what 85 woltow seyn of this, that thilke thing that is right softe, as the marye is, that is alwey hid in the sete, al with-inne, and that is defended fro with-oute by the stedefastnesse of wode; and that the uttereste bark is put ayeins the destemperaunce of the hevene, as a defendour mighty to suffren harm? And thus, |p83 90 certes, maystow wel seen how greet is the diligence of nature, for alle thinges renovelen and puplisshen hem with seed y_multiplyed; ne ther nis no man that ne wot wel that they ne ben right as a foundement and edifice, for to duren nat only for a tyme, but right as for to duren perdurably by generacioun. 95 And the thinges eek that men wenen ne haven none sowles, ne desire they nat ech of hem by semblable resoun to kepen that is hirs, that is to seyn, that is acordinge to hir nature in conservacioun of hir beinge and enduringe? For wher-for elles bereth lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weighte presseth 100 the erthe a-doun, but for as moche as thilke places and thilke moevinges ben covenable to everich of hem? And forsothe every thing kepeth thilke that is acordinge and propre to him, right as thinges that ben contraries and enemys corompen hem. And yit the harde thinges, as stones, clyven and holden hir 105 parties to-gider right faste and harde, and deffenden hem in withstondinge that they ne departe nat lightly a-twinne. And the thinges that ben softe and fletinge, as is water and eyr, they departen lightly, and yeven place to hem that breken or devyden hem; but natheles, they retornen sone ayein in-to 110 the same thinges fro whennes they ben arraced. But fyr fleeth and refuseth al devisioun. Ne I ne trete nat heer now of wilful moevinges of the sowle that is knowinge, but of the naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: right as we swolwe the mete that we receiven and ne thinke nat on it, and as we 115 drawen our breeth in slepinge that we wite it nat whyle we slepen. For certes, in the beestes, the love of hir livinges ne of hir beinges ne comth nat of the wilninges of the sowle, but of the biginninges of nature. For certes, thorugh constreininge causes, wil desireth and embraceth ful ofte tyme the deeth 120 that nature dredeth; that is to seyn as thus: that a man may ben constreyned so, by som cause, that his wil desireth and taketh the deeth which that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore. And somtyme we seeth the contrarye, as thus: that the wil |p84 of a wight destorbeth and constreyneth that that nature desireth 125 and requereth al-wey, that is to seyn, the werk of generacioun, by the whiche generacioun only dwelleth and is sustened the long durabletee of mortal thinges. And thus this charitee and this love, that every thing hath to him-self, ne comth nat of the moevinge of the sowle, but 130 of the entencioun of nature. For the purviaunce of god hath yeven to thinges that ben creat of him this, that is a ful gret cause to liven and to duren; for which they desiren naturelly hir lyf as longe as ever they mowen. For which thou mayst nat drede, by no manere, that alle the thinges 135 that ben anywhere, that they ne requeren naturelly the ferme stablenesse of perdurable dwellinge, and eek the eschuinge of destruccioun.' Boece. `Now confesse I wel,' quod I, `that I see now wel certeinly, with-oute doutes, the thinges that whylom semeden 140 uncertain to me.' `But,' quod she, `thilke thing that desireth to be and to dwellen perdurably, he desireth to ben oon; for yif that that oon were destroyed, certes, beinge ne shulde ther non dwellen to no wight.' 145 `That is sooth,' quod I. `Thanne,' quod she' `desiren alle thinges oon?' `I assente,' quod I. `And I have shewed,' quod she, `that thilke same oon is thilke that is good?' 150 `Ye, for sothe,' quod I. `Alle thinges thanne,' quod she, `requiren good; and thilke good thanne mayst thou descryven right thus: good is thilke thing that every wight desireth.' `Ther ne may be thought,' quod I, `no more verray thing. 155 For either alle thinges ben referred and brought to nought, and floteren with-oute governour, despoiled of oon as of hir propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any thing to which that alle thinges tenden and hyen, that thing moste ben the soverein good of alle goodes.' 160 Thanne seyde she thus: `O my nory,' quod she, `I have |p85 gret gladnesse of thee; for thou hast ficched in thyn herte the middel soothfastnesse, that is to seyn, the prikke; but this thing hath ben descovered to thee, in that thou seydest that thou wistest nat a litel her-biforn.' 165 `What was that?' quod I. `That thou ne wistest nat,' quod she, `which was the ende of thinges; and certes, that is the thing that every wight desireth; and for as mochel as we han gadered and compre_hended that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle, thanne 170 moten we nedes confessen, that good is the fyn of alle thinges. METRE XI. Quisquis profunda mente uestigat uerum. Who-so that seketh sooth by a deep thoght, and coveiteth nat to ben deceived by no mis-weyes, lat him rollen and trenden with-inne him-self the light of his inward sighte; and lat him gadere ayein, enclyninge in-to a compas, the longe moevinges 5 of his thoughtes; and lat him techen his corage that he hath enclosed and hid in his tresors, al that he compasseth or seketh fro with-oute. And thanne thilke thinge, that the blake cloude of errour whylom hadde y-covered, shal lighten more cleerly thanne Phebus him-self ne shyneth. 10 Glosa. Who-so wole seken the deep grounde of sooth in his thought, and wol nat be deceived by false proposiciouns that goon amis fro the trouthe, lat him wel examine and rolle with-inne him_self the nature and the propretees of the thing; and lat him yit eftsones examine and rollen his thoughtes by good deliberacioun, or 15 that he deme; and lat him techen his sowle that it hath, by natural principles kindeliche y-hid with-in it-self, alle the trouthe the whiche he imagineth to ben in thinges with-oute. And thanne alle the derknesse of his misknowinge shal seme more evidently to sighte of his understondinge thanne the sonne ne semeth to sighte with-oute_forth 20 . For certes the body, bringinge the weighte of foryetinge, ne |p86 hath nat chased out of your thoughte al the cleernesse of your knowinge; for certeinly the seed of sooth haldeth and clyveth with-in your corage, and it is awaked and excyted by the winde 22 and by the blastes of doctrine. For wherfor elles demen ye of your owne wil the rightes, whan ye ben axed, but-yif so were that the norisshinge of resoun ne livede y-plounged in the depthe of your herte? this is to seyn, how sholeden men demen the sooth of any thing that were axed, yif ther nere a rote of soothfastnesse that 30 were y-plounges and hid in naturel principles, the whiche sooth_astnesse flived with-in the deepnesse of the thought. And yif so be that the Muse and the doctrine of Plato singeth sooth, al that every wight lerneth, he ne doth no-thing elles thanne but recordeth, as men recorden thinges that ben foryeten.' PROSE XII. Tum ego, Platoni, inquam. Thanne seide I thus. `I acorde me gretly to Plato, for thou remembrest and recordest me thise thinges yit the secounde tyme, that is to seyn, first whan I loste my memorie by the contagious coniunccioun of the body with the sowle; and 5 eftsones afterward, whan I loste it, confounded by the charge and by the burdene of my sorwe.' And thanne seide she thus. `yif thou loke,' quod she, `first the thinges that thou hast graunted, it ne shal nat ben right fer that thou ne shalt remembren thilke thing that thou seydest that 10 thou nistest nat.' `What thing?' quod I. `By whiche governement,' quod she, `that this world is governed.' `Me remembreth it wel,' quod I; `and I confesse wel that I 15 ne wiste it naught. But al-be-it so that I see now from a-fer what thou purposest, algates, I desire yit to herkene it of thee more pleynly.' `Thou ne wendest nat,' quod she, `a litel her-biforn, that men sholden doute that this world nis governed by god.' |p87 20 `Certes,' quod I, `ne yit ne doute I it naught, ne I nel never wene that it were to doute; as who seith, but I wot wel that god governeth this world; and I shal shortly answeren thee by what resouns I am brought to this. This world,' quod I, `of so manye dyverse and contrarious parties, ne mighte never han ben 25 assembled in o forme, but-yif ther nere oon that conioignede so manye dyverse thinges; and the same dyversitee of hir natures, that so discorden that oon fro that other, moste departen and unioignen the thinges that ben conioigned, yif ther ne were oon that contenede that he hath conioined and y-bounde. Ne the 30 certein ordre of nature ne sholde nat bringe forth so ordenee moevinges, by places, by tymes, by doinges, by spaces, by qualitees, yif ther ne were oon that were ay stedefast dwellinge, that ordeynede and disponede thise dyversitees of moevinges. And thilke thing, what-so-ever it be, by which that alle thinges 35 ben y-maked and y-lad, I clepe him "god"; that is a word that is used to alle folk.' Thanne seyde she: `sin thou felest thus thise thinges,' quod she, `I trowe that I have litel more to done that thou, mighty of welefulnesse, hool and sounde, ne see eftsones thy contree. 40 But lat us loken the thinges that we han purposed her-biforn. Have I nat noumbred and seyd,' quod she, `that suffisaunce is in blisfulnesse, and we han acorded that god is thilke same blisful_nesse ?' `Yis, forsothe,' quod I. 45 `And that, to governe this world,' quod she, `ne shal he never han nede of non help fro with-oute? For elles, yif he hadde nede of any help, he ne sholde nat have no ful suffisaunce?' `Yis, thus it mot nedes be,' quod I. `Thanne ordeineth he by him-self al-one alle thinges?' quod she. 50 `That may nat be deneyed,' quod I. `And I have shewed that god is the same good?' `It remembreth me wel,' quod I. `Thanne ordeineth he alle thinges by thilke good,' quod she; `sin he, which that we han acorded to be good, governeth alle |p88 55 thinges by him-self; and he is as a keye and a stere by which that the edifice of this world is y-kept stable and with-oute coroumpinge.' `I acorde me greetly,' quod I; `and I aperceivede a litel her_biforn that thou woldest seye thus; al-be-it so that it were by 60 a thinne suspecioun.' `I trowe it wel,' quod she; `for, as I trowe, thou ledest now more ententifly thyne eyen to loken the verray goodes. But natheles the thing that I shal telle thee yit ne sheweth nat lasse to loken.' 65 `What is that?' quod I. `So as men trowen,' quod she, `and that rightfully, that god governeth alle thinges by the keye of his goodnesse, and alle thise same thinges, as I have taught thee, hasten hem by naturel entencioun to comen to good: ther may no man douten that they 70 ne be governed voluntariely, and that they ne converten hem of hir owne wil to the wil of hir ordenour, as they that ben acordinge and enclyninge to hir governour and hir king.' `It mot nedes be so,' quod I; `for the reaume ne sholde nat semen blisful yif ther were a yok of misdrawinges in dyverse 75 parties; ne the savinge of obedient thinges ne sholde nat be.' `Thanne is ther nothing,' quod she, `that kepeth his nature, that enforceth him to goon ayein god?' `No,' quod I. `And yif that any-thing enforcede him to with-stonde god, 80 mighte it availen at the laste ayeins him, that we han graunted to ben almighty by the right of blisfulnesse?' `Certes,' quod I, `al-outrely it ne mighte nat availen him.' `Thanne is ther no-thing,' quod she, `that either. wole or may with-stonden to this soverein good?' 85 `I trowe nat,' quod I, `Thanne is thilke the soverein good,' quod she, `that alle thinges governeth strongly, and ordeyneth hem softely.' Thanne seyde I thus: `I delyte nwe,' quod I, `nat only in the endes or in the somme of the resouns that thou hast concluded 90 and proeved, but thilke wordes that thou usest delyten me moche more; so, at the laste, fooles that sumtyme renden grete thinges |p89 oughten ben ashamed of hem-self;' that is to seyn, that we fooles that reprehenden wikkedly the thinges that touchen goddes govern_aunce, we oughten ben ashamed of our-self: as I, that seyde that 95 god refuseth only the werkes of men, and ne entremeteth nat of hem.' `Thou hast wel herd,' quod she, `the fables of the poetes, how the giaunts assaileden the hevene with the goddes; but for_sothe, the debonair force of god deposede hem, as it was worthy; 100 that is to seyn, destroyede the giaunts, as it was worthy. But wilt thou that we ioignen to-gider thilke same resouns? For per_aventure, of swich coniuncioun may sterten up som fair sparkle of sooth.' `Do,' quod I, `as thee liste.' 105 `Wenest thou,' quod she, `that god ne be almighty? No man is in doute of it.' `Certes,' quod I, `no wight ne douteth it, yif he be in his minde.' `But he,' quod she, `that is almighty, ther nis nothing that he 110 ne may?' `That is sooth,' quod I. `May god don yvel?' quod she. `Nay, forsothe,' quod I. `Thanne is yvel nothing,' quod she, `sin that he ne may nat 115 don yvel that may don alle thinges.' `Scornest thou me?' quod I; `or elles pleyest thou or deceivest thou me, that hast so woven me with thy resouns the hous of Dedalus, so entrelaced that it is unable to be unlaced; thou that other-whyle entrest ther thou issest, and other-whyle issest ther 120 thou entrest, ne foldest thou nat to-gider, by replicacioun or wordes, a maner wonderful cercle or environinge of the simplicitee devyne? For certes, a litel her-biforn, whan thou bigunne at blisfulnesse, thou seydest that it is soverein good; and seydest that it is set in soverein god; and seydest that god him-self 125 is soverein good; and that god is the fulle blisfulnesse; for which |p90 thou yave me as a covenable yift, that is to seyn, that no wight nis blisful but-yif he be god also ther-with. And seidest eek, that the forme of good is the substaunce of god and of blisfulnesse; and seidest, that thilke same oon is thilke same good, that is 130 requered and desired of alle the kinde of thinges. And thou proevedest, in disputinge, that god governeth all the thinges of the world by the governements of bountee, and seydest, that alle thinges wolen obeyen to him; and seydest, that the nature of yvel nis no-thing. And thise thinges ne shewedest thou nat with none 135 resouns y-taken fro with-oute, but by proeves in cercles and hoom_lich knowen; the whiche proeves drawen to hem-self hir feith and hir acord, everich of hem of other.' Thanne seyde she thus: `I ne scorne thee nat, ne pleye, ne deceive thee; but I have shewed thee the thing that is grettest 140 over alle thinges by the yift of god, that we whylom preyeden. For this is the forme of the devyne substaunce, that is swich that it ne slydeth nat in-to outterest foreine thinges, ne ne receiveth no straunge thinges in him; but right as Parmenides seyde in Greek of thilke devyne substaunce; he seyde thus: that "thilke 145 devyne substaunce torneth the world and the moevable cercle of thinges, whyl thilke devyne substaunce kepeth it-self with-oute moevinge." that is to seyn, that it ne moeveth never-mo, and yit it moeveth alle othre thinges. But natheles, yif I have stired resouns that ne ben nat taken fro with-oute the compas of thing of which 150 we treten, but resouns that ben bistowed with-in that compas, ther nis nat why that thou sholdest merveilen; sin thou hast lerned by the sentence of Plato, that "nedes the wordes moten be cosines to the thinges of which they speken." METRE XII. Felix, qui potuit boni. Blisful is that man that may seen the clere welle of good; blis_ful is he that may unbinden him fro the bondes of the hevy erthe. |p91 The poete of Trace, Orpheus, that whylom hadde right greet sorwe for the deeth of his wyf, after that he hadde maked, by his weeply 5 songes, the wodes, moevable, to rennen; and hadde maked the riveres to stonden stille; and hadde maked the hertes and the hindes to ioignen, dredeles, hir sydes to cruel lyouns, for to herk_nen his songe; and hadde maked that the hare was nat agast of the hounde, which that was plesed by his songe: so, whan the moste 10 ardaunt love of his wif brende the entrailes of his brest, ne the songes that hadden overcomen alle thinges ne mighten nat asswagen hir lord Orpheus, he pleynede him of the hevene goddes that weren cruel to him; he wente him to the houses of helle. And there he temprede hise blaundisshinge songes by resowninge 15 strenges, and spak and song in wepinge al that ever he hadde received and laved out of the noble welles of his moder Calliope the goddesse; and he song with as mochel as he mighte of wep_inge, and with as moche as love, that doublede his sorwe, mighte yeve him and techen him; and he commoevede the helle, and 20 requerede and bisoughte by swete preyere the lordes of sowles in helle, of relesinge; that is to seyn, to yilden him his wyf. Cerberus, the porter of helle, with his three hevedes, was caught and al abayst for the newe song; and the three goddesses, Furies, and vengeresses of felonyes, tkat tormenten and agasten the sowles 25 by anoy, woxen sorwful and sory, and wepen teres for pitee. Tho ne was nat the heved of Ixion y-tormented by the overthrow_inge wheel; and Tantalus, that was destroyed by the woodnesse of longe thurst, despyseth the flodes to drinke; the fowl that highte voltor, that eteth the stomak or the giser of Tityus, is so 30 fulfild of his song that it nil eten ne tyren no more. At the laste the lord and Iuge of sowles was moeved to misericordes and cryde, "we ben overcomen," quod he; "yive we to Orpheus his wyf to bere him companye; he hath wel y-bought hir by his song and his ditee; but we wol putte a lawe in this, and covenaunt in |p92 35 the yifte: that is to seyn, that, til he be out of helle, yif he loke behinde him, that his wyf shal comen ayein unto us." But what is he that may yive a lawe to loveres? Love is a gretter lawe and a strenger to him-self than any lawe that men may yeven. Allas! whan Orpheus and his wyf weren almest at the 40 termes of the night, that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle, Orpheus lokede abakward on Eurydice his wyf, and loste hir, and was deed. This fable aperteineth to yow alle, who-so-ever desireth or seketh to lede his thought in-to the soverein day, that is to seyn, 45 to cleernesse of soverein good. For who-so that ever be so over_omen cthat he ficche his eyen into the putte of helle, that is to seyn, who-so sette his thoughtes in erthely thinges, al that ever he hath drawen of the noble good celestial, he leseth it whan he loketh the helles,' that is to seyn, in-to lowe thinges of the erthe. Explicit Liber tercius. BOOK IV. PROSE I. Hec cum Philosophia, dignitate uultus. Whan Philosophye hadde songen softely and delitably the forseide thinges, kepinge the dignitee of hir chere and the weighte of hir wordes, I thanne, that ne hadde nat al-outerly foryeten the wepinge and the mourninge that was set in myn 5 herte, forbrak the entencioun of hir that entendede yit to seyn some othre thinges. `O,' quod I, `thou that art gyderesse of verrey light; the thinges that thou hast seid me hider-to ben so clere to me and so shewinge by the devyne lookinge of hem, and by thy resouns, that they ne mowen ben overcomen. And 19 thilke thinges that thou toldest me, al-be-it so that I hadde whylom foryeten hem, for the sorwe of the wrong that hath ben |p93 don to me, yit natheles they ne weren nat al-outrely unknowen to me. But this same is, namely, a right greet cause of my sorwe, so as the governour of thinges is good, yif that yveles mowen ben 15 by any weyes; or elles yif that yveles passen with-oute punissh_inge. The whiche thing only, how worthy it is to ben wondred up-on, thou considerest it wel thy-self certeinly. But yit to this thing ther is yit another thing y-ioigned, more to ben wondred up-on. For felonye is emperesse, and floureth ful of richesses; 20 and vertu nis nat al-only with-oute medes, but it is cast under and fortroden under the feet of felonous folk; and it abyeth the torments in stede of wikkede felounes. Of alle whiche thinges ther nis no wight that may merveylen y-nough, ne compleine, that swiche thinges ben doon in the regne of god, that alle thinges 25 woot and alle thinges may, and ne wole nat but only gode thinges.' Thanne seyde she thus: `Certes,' quod she, `that were a greet merveyle, and an enbasshinge with-outen ende, and wel more horrible than alle monstres, yif it were as thou wenest; that is to 30 seyn, that in the right ordenee hous of so mochel a fader and an ordenour of meynee, that the vesseles that ben foule and vyle sholden ben honoured and heried, and the precious vesseles sholden ben defouled and vyle; but it nis nat so. For yif tho thinges that I have concluded a litel her-biforn ben kept hole 35 and unraced, thou shalt wel knowe by the autoritee of god, of the whos regne I speke, that certes the gode folk ben alwey mighty, and shrewes ben alwey out-cast and feble; ne the vyces ne ben never-mo with-oute peyne, ne the vertues ne ben nat with-oute mede; and that blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folk, and 40 infortune comth alwey to wikked folk. And thou shalt wel knowe many thinges of this kinde, that shollen cesen thy pleintes, and strengthen thee with stedefast sadnesse. And for thou hast seyn the forme of the verray blisfulnesse by me, that have whylom shewed it thee, and thou hast knowen in whom blisful_ |p94 45 nesse is y-set, alle thinges y-treted that I trowe ben necessarie to putten forth, I shal shewe thee the wey that shal bringen thee ayein un-to thyn hous. And I shal ficchen fetheres in thy thought, by whiche it may arysen in heighte, so that, alle tribulacioun y-don awey, thou, by my gydinge and by my path and by my 50 sledes, shalt mowe retorne hool and sound in-to thy contree. METRE I. Sunt etenim pennae uolucres mihi. I have, forsothe, swifte fetheres that surmounten the heighte of hevene. Whan the swifte thought hath clothed it-self in tho fetheres, it despyseth the hateful erthes, and surmounteth the roundnesse of the grete ayr; and it seeth the cloudes behinde his 5 bak; and passeth the heighte of the region of the fyr, that eschaufeth by the swifte moevinge of the firmament, til that he areyseth him in-to the houses that beren the sterres, and ioyneth his weyes with the sonne Phebus, and felawshipeth the wey of the olde colde Saturnus; and he y-maked a knight of the clere 10 sterre; that is to seyn, that the thought is maked goddes knight by the sekinge of trouthe to comen to the verray knowleche of god. And thilke thoght renneth by the cercle of the sterres, in alle places ther as the shyninge night is peinted, that is to seyn, the night that is cloudeles; for on nightes that ben cloudeles it semeth as 15 the hevene were peinted with dyverse images of sterres. And whanne he hath y-doon ther y-nough, he shal forleten the laste hevene, and he shal pressen and wenden on the bak of the swifte firmament, and he shal ben maked parfit of the worshipful light of god. Ther halt the lord of kinges the ceptre of his 20 might, and atempreth the governements of the world, and the |p95 shyninge Iuge of thinges, stable in him-self, governeth the swifte cart or wayn, that is to seyn, the circuler moevinge of the sonne. And yif thy wey ledeth thee ayein so that thou be brought thider, thanne wol thou seye now that that is the contree that thou 25 requerest, of which thou ne haddest no minde: "but now it remembreth me wel, heer was I born, heer wol I fastne my degree, heer wole I dwelle." But yif thee lyketh thanne to loken on the derknesse of the erthe that thou hast forleten, thanne shalt thou seen that thise felonous tyraunts, that the wrecchede 30 peple dredeth, now shollen ben exyled fro thilke fayre contree.' PROSE II. Tum ego, Papae, inquam. Than seyde I thus. `owh! I wondre me that thou bihetest me so grete thinges; ne I ne doute nat that thou ne mayst wel performe that thou bihetest. But I preye thee only this, that thou ne tarye nat to telle me thilke thinges that thou hast 5 moeved.' `First,' quod she, `thou most nedes knowen, that goode folk ben alwey stronge and mighty, and the shrewes ben feble and desert and naked of alle strengthes. And of thise thinges, certes, everich of hem is declared and shewed by other. For so as 10 good and yvel ben two contraries, yif so be that good be stede_fast, than sheweth the feblesse of yvel al openly; and yif thou knowe cleerly the frelenesse of yvel, the stedefastnesse of good is knowen. But for as moche as the fey of my sentence shal be the more ferme and haboundaunt, I will gon by that oo wey and by 15 that other; and I wole conferme the thinges that ben purposed, now on this syde and now on that syde. Two thinges ther ben in whiche the effect of alle the dedes of mankinde standeth, that is to seyn, wil and power; and yif that oon of thise two fayleth, ther nis nothing that may be don. For yif that wil lakketh, ther |p96 20 nis no wight that undertaketh to don that he wol nat don; and yif power fayleth, the wil nis but in ydel and stant for naught. And ther-of cometh it, that yif thou see a wight that wolde geten that he may nat geten, thou mayst nat douten that power ne fayleth him to haven that he wolde.' 25 `This is open and cleer,' quod I; `ne it may nat ben deneyed in no manere.' `And yif thou see a wight,' quod she, `that hath doon that he wolde doon, thou nilt nat douten that he ne hath had power to don it?' 30 `No,' quod I. `And in that that every wight may, in that men may holden him mighty; as who seyth, in so moche as man is mighty to don a thing, in so mochel men halt him mighty; and in that that he ne may, in that men demen him to be feble.' 35 `I confesse it wel,' quod I. `Remembreth thee,' quod she, `that I have gadered and shewed by forseyde resouns that al the entencioun of the wil of mankinde, which that is lad by dyverse studies, hasteth to comen to blisfulnesse?' 40 `It remembreth me wel,' quod I, `that it hath ben shewed.' `And recordeth thee nat thanne,' quod she, `that blisfulnesse is thilke same good that men requeren; so that, whan that blisfulnesse is requered of alle, that good also is requered and desired of alle?' 45 `It ne recordeth me nat,' quod I; `for I have it gretly alwey ficched in my memorie.' `Alle folk thanne,' quod she, `goode and eek badde, enforcen hem with-oute difference of entencioun to comen to good?' `This is a verray consequence,' quod I. 50 `And certein is,' quod she, `that by the getinge of good ben men y-maked goode?' `This is certein,' quod I. `Thanne geten goode men that they desiren?' `So semeth it,' quod I. |p97 55 `But wikkede folk,' quod she, `yif they geten the good that they desiren, they ne mowe nat be wikkede?' `So is it,' quod I. `Thanne, so as that oon and that other,' quod she, `desiren good; and the goode folk geten good, and nat the wikke folk; 60 thanne nis it no doute that the goode folk ne ben mighty and the wikkede folk ben feble?' `Who-so that ever,' quod I, `douteth of this, he ne may nat considere the nature of thinges ne the consequence of resouns.' And over this quod she, `yif that ther be two thinges that 65 han oo same purpose by kinde, and that oon of hem pursueth and parformeth thilke same thing by naturel office, and that other ne may nat doon thilke naturel office, but folweth, by other manere thanne is convenable to nature, him that acomplissheth his purpos kindely, and yit he ne acomplissheth nat his owne 70 purpos: whether of thise two demestow for more mighty?' `Yif that I coniecte,' quod I, `that thou wolt seye, algates yit I desire to herkne it more pleynly of thee.' `Thou wilt nat thanne deneye,' quod she, `that the moevement of goinge nis in men by kinde?' 75 `No, forsothe,' quod I. `Ne thou ne doutest nat,' quod she, `that thilke naturel office of goinge ne be the office of feet?' `I ne doute it nat,' quod I. `Thanne,' quod she, `yif that a wight be mighty to moeve and 80 goth upon his feet, and another, to whom thilke naturel office of feet lakketh, enforceth him to gon crepinge up-on his handes: whiche of thise two oughte to ben holden the more mighty by right?' `Knit forth the remenaunt,' quod I; `for no wight ne douteth 85 that he that may gon by naturel office of feet ne be more mighty than he that ne may nat.' `But the soverein good,' quod she, `that is eveneliche purposed to the gode folk and to badde, the gode folk seken it by naturel office of vertues, and the shrewes enforcen hem to geten it by |p98 90 dyverse coveityse of erthely thinges, which that nis no naturel office to geten thilke same soverein good. Trowestow that it be any other wyse?' `Nay,' quod I; `for the consequence is open and shewinge of thinges that I have graunted; that nedes gode foIk moten ben 95 mighty, and shrewes feeble and unmighty.' `Thou rennest a-right biforn me,' quod she, `and this is the Iugement; that is to seyn, I iuge of thee right as thise leches ben wont to hopen of syke folk, whan they aperceyven that nature is redressed and withstondeth to the maladye. But, for I see thee 100 now al redy to the understondinge, I shal shewe thee more thikke and continuel resouns. For loke now how greetly sheweth the feblesse and infirmitee of wikkede folk, that ne mowen nat comen to that hir naturel entencioun ledeth hem, and yit almost thilke naturel entencioun constreineth hem. And what were to demen 105 thanne of shrewes, yif thilke naturel help hadde forleten hem, the which naturel help of intencioun goth awey biforn hem, and is so greet that unnethe it may ben overcome? Consider thanne how greet defaute of power and how greet feblesse ther is in wikkede felonous folk; as who seyth, the gretter thing that is coveited and 110 the desire nat acomplisshed, of the lasse might is he that coveiteth it and may nat acomplisshe. And forthy Philosophie seyth thus by soverein good: Ne shrewes ne requeren nat lighte medes ne veyne games, whiche they ne may folwen ne holden; but they failen of thilke somme and of the heighte of thinges, that is to seyn,soverein 115 good; ne thise wrecches ne comen nat to the effect of soverein good, the which they enforcen hem only to geten, by nightes and by dayes; in the getinge of which good the strengthe of good folk is ful wel y-sene. For right so as thou mightest demen him mighty of goinge, that gooth on his feet til he mighte come to thilke 120 place, fro the whiche place ther ne laye no wey forther to ben gon; right so most thou nedes demen him for right mighty, that geteth and ateyneth to the ende of alle thinges that ben to desire, biyonde the whiche ende ther nis nothing to desire. Of the which power of good folk men may conclude, that the wikked |p99 125 men semen to be bareine and naked of alle strengthe. For-why forleten they vertues and folwen vyces? Nis it nat for that they ne knowen nat the goodes? But what thing is more feble and more caitif thanne is the blindnesse of ignoraunce? Or elles they knowen ful wel whiche thinges that they oughten folwe, but 130 lecherye and coveityse overthroweth hem mistorned; and certes, so doth distemperaunce to feble men, that ne mowen nat wrastlen ayeins the vyces. Ne knowen they nat thanne wel that they forleten the good wilfully, and tornen hem wilfully to vyces? And in this wyse they ne forleten nat only to ben mighty, but they 135 forleten al-outrely in any wyse for to ben. For they that forleten the comune fyn of alle thinges that ben, they forleten also ther_with -al for to ben. And per-aventure it shoIde semen to som folk that this were a merveile to seyen: that shrewes, whiche that contienen the more 140 partye of men, ne ben nat ne han no beinge; but natheles, it is so, and thus stant this thing. For they that ben shrewes, I deneye nat that they ben shrewes; but I deneye, and seye simplely and pleinly, that they ne ben nat, ne han no beinge. For right as thou mightest seyen of the carayne of a man, that it were a deed 145 man, but thou ne mightest nat simplely callen it a man; so graunte I wel forsothe, that vicious folk ben wikked, but I ne may nat graunten absolutly and simplely that they ben. For thilke thing that with-holdeth ordre and kepeth nature, thilke thing is and hath beinge; but what thing that faileth of that, that is to seyn 150 that he forleteth naturel ordre, he forleteth thilke thing that is set in his nature. But thou wolt seyn, that shrewes mowen. Certes, that ne deneye I nat; but certes, hir power ne descendeth nat of strengthe, but of feblesse. For they mowen don wikkednesses; the whiche they ne mighte nat don, yif they mighten dwellen in 155 the forme and in the doinge of good folk. And thilke power sheweth ful evidently that they ne mowen right naught. For so as I have gadered and proeved a litel her-biforn, that yvel is naught; and so as shrewes mowen only but shrewednesses, this conclusioun is al cleer, that shrewes ne mowen right naught, ne 160 han no power. |p100 And for as moche as thou understonde which is the strengthe of this power of shrewes, I have definisshed a litel her-biforn, that nothing is so mighty as soverein good.' `That is sooth,' quod I. 165 `And thilke same soverein good may don non yvel?' `Certes, no,' quod I. `Is ther any wight thanne,' quod she, `that weneth that men mowen doon alle thinges?' `No man,' quod I, `but-yif he be out of his witte.' 170 `But, certes, shrewes mowen don yvel,' quod she. `Ye, wolde god,' quod I, `that they mighten don non!' `Thanne,' quod she, `so as he that is mighty to doon only but goode thinges may don alle thinges; and they that ben mighty to don yvele thinges ne mowen nat alle thinges: thanne is it open 175 thing and manifest, that they that mowen don yvel ben of lasse power. And yit, to proeve this conclusioun, ther helpeth me this, that I have y-shewed her-biforn, that alle power is to be noumbred among thinges that men oughten requere. And I have shewed that alle thinges, that oughten ben desired, ben referred to good, 180 right as to a maner heighte of hir nature. But for to mowen don yvel and felonye ne may nat ben referred to good. Thanne nis nat yvel of the noumbir of thinges that oughte ben desired. But alle power oughte ben desired and requered. Than is it open and cleer that the power ne the mowinge of shrewes nis no power; and 185 alle thise thinges it sheweth wel, that the goode folke ben cer_teinly mighty, and the shrewes douteles ben unmighty. And it is cleer and ofen that thilke opinioun of Plato is verray and sooth, that seith, that only wyse men may doon that they desiren; and shrewes mowen haunten that hem lyketh, but that they desiren, 190 that is to seyn, to comen to sovereign good, they ne han no power to acomplisshen that. For shrewes don that hem list, whan, by tho thinges in which they delyten, they wenen to ateine to thilke good that they desiren; but they ne geten ne ateinen nat ther-to, for vyces ne comen nat to blisfulnesse. |p101 METRE II. Quos uides sedere celsos. Who-so that the covertoures of hir veyne aparailes mighte strepen of thise proude kinges, that thou seest sitten on heigh in hir chaires gliteringe in shyninge purpre, envirouned with sorwful armures, manasinge with cruel mouth, blowinge by woodnesse of 5 herte, he shulde seen thanne that thilke lordes beren with-inne hir corages ful streite cheines. For lecherye tormenteth hem in that oon syde with gredy venims; and troublable ire, that araiseth in him the flodes of troublinges, tormenteth up-on that other syde hir thought; or sorwe halt hem wery and y-caught; or slydinge 10 and deceivinge hope tormenteth hem. And therfore, sen thou seest oon heed, that is to seyn, oon tyraunt, beren so manye tyrannyes, thanne ne doth thilke tyraunt nat that he desireth, sin he is cast doun with so manye wikkede lordes; that is to seyn, with so manye vyces, that han so wikkedly lordshipes over him. PROSE III. Videsne igitur quanto in coeno. Seestow nat thanne in how grete filthe thise shrewes ben y-wrapped, and with which cleernesse thise good folk shynen? In this sheweth it wel, that to goode folk ne lakketh never-mo hir medes, ne shrewes lakken never-mo torments. For of alle thinges 5 that ben y-doon, thilke thing, for which any-thing is don, it semeth as by right that thilke thing be the mede of that; as thus: yif a man renneth in the stadie, or in the forlong, for the corone, thanne lyth the mede in the corone for which he renneth. And I have shewed that blisfulnesse is thilke same good for which 10 that alle thinges ben doon. Thanne is thilke same good pur_osed pto the workes of mankinde right as a comune mede; which |p102 mede ne may ben dissevered fro good folk. For no wight as by right, fro thennes-forth that him lakketh goodnesse ne shal ben cleped good. For which thing, folk of goode maneres, hir medes 15 ne forsaken hem never-mo. For al-be-it so that shrewes wexen as wode as hem list ayeins goode folk, yit never-the-lesse the corone of wyse men shal nat fallen ne faden. For foreine shrewed_nesse ne binimeth nat fro the corages of goode folk hir propre honour. But yif that any wight reioyse him of goodnesse that he 20 hadde take fro with-oute (as who seith, yif that any wight hadde his goodnesse of any other man than of him-self), certes, he that yaf him thilke goodnesse, or elles som other wight, mighte binime it him. But for as moche as to every wight his owne propre bountee yeveth him his mede, thanne at erst shal he failen of mede whan 25 he forleteth to ben good. And at the laste, so as alle medes ben requered for men wenen that they ben goode, who is he that wolde deme, that he that is right mighty of good were part-les of mede? And of what mede shal he be guerdoned? Certes, of right faire mede and right grete aboven alle medes. Remembre 30 thee of thilke noble corolarie that I yaf thee a litel her-biforn; and gader it to-gider in this manere:-so as good him-self is blisfulnesse, thanne is it cleer and certein, that alle good folk ben maked blisful for they ben goode, and thilke folk that ben blisful, it acordeth and is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the mede 35 of goode folk swich that no day shal enpeiren it, ne no wikkednesse ne shal derken it, ne power of no wight ne shal nat amenusen it, that is to seyn, to ben maked goodes. And sin it is thus, that goode men ne failen never-mo of hir mede, certes, no wys man ne may doute of undepartable peyne of the 40 shrewes; that is to seyn, that the peyne of shrewes ne departeth nat from hem-self never-mo. For so as goode and yvel, and peyne and medes ben contrarye, it mot nedes ben, that right as we seen bityden in guerdoun of goode, that also mot the peyne of yvel answery, by the contrarye party, to shrewes. Now thanne, so as |p103 45 bountee and prowesse ben the mede to goode folk, al-so is shrewednesse it-self torment to shrewes. Thanne, who-so that ever is entecched and defouled with peyne, he ne douteth nat, that he is entecched and defouled with yvel. Yif shrewes thanne wolen preysen hem-self, may it semen to hem that they ben with_outen 50 party of torment, sin they ben swiche that the uttereste wikkednesse (that is to seyn, wikkede thewes, which that is the uttereste and the worste kinde of shrewednesse) ne defouleth ne enteccheth nat hem only, but infecteth and envenimeth hem gretly? And also look on shrewes, that ben the contrarie party 55 of goode men, how greet peyne felawshipeth and folweth hem! For thou hast lerned a litel her-biforn, that al thing that is and hath beinge is oon, and thilke same oon is good; thanne is this the consequence, that it semeth wel, that al that is and hath beinge is good; this is to seyn, as who seyth, that beinge and unitee and 60 goodnesse is al oon. And in this manere it folweth thanne, that al thing that faileth to ben good, it stinteth for to be and for to han any beinge; wherfore it is, that shrewes stinten for to ben that they weren. But thilke other forme of mankinde, that is to seyn, the forme of the body with-oute, sheweth yit that thise shrewes 65 weren whylom men; wher-for, whan they ben perverted and torned in-to malice, certes, than han they forlorn the nature of mankinde. But so as only bountee and prowesse may enhaunsen every man over other men; thanne mot it nedes be that shrewes, which that shrewednesse hath cast out of the condicioun of man_kinde, 70 ben put under the merite and the desert of men. Thanne bitydeth it, that yif thou seest a wight that be transformed into vyces, thou ne mayst nat wene that he be a man. For yif he be ardaunt in avaryce, and that he be a ravinour by violence of foreine richesse, thou shalt seyn that he is lyke to the 75 wolf. And yif he be felonous and with-oute reste, and exercyse his tonge to chydinges, thou shalt lykne him to the hound. And |p104 yif he be a prevey awaitour y-hid, and reioyseth him to ravisshe by wyles, thou shalt seyn him lyke to the fox-whelpes. And yif he be distempre and quaketh for ire, men shal wene that he bereth 80 the corage of a lyoun. And yif he be dredful and fleinge, and dredeth thinges that ne oughten nat to ben dred, men shal holden him lyk to the hert. And yif he be slow and astoned and lache, he liveth as an asse. And yif he be light and unstedefast of corage, and chaungeth ay his studies, he is lykned to briddes. And if he be 85 plounged in foule and unclene luxuries, he is with-holden in the foule delyces of the foule sowe. Thanne folweth it, that he that for_eteth lbountee and prowesse, he forleteth to ben a man; sin he may nat passen in-to the condicioun of god, he is torned in-to a beest. METRE III. Vela Neritii dulcis. Eurus the wind aryvede the sailes of Ulixes, duk of the contree of Narice, and his wandringe shippes by the see, in-to the ile ther-as Circes, the faire goddesse, doughter of the sonne, dwelleth; that medleth to hir newe gestes drinkes that ben 5 touched and maked with enchauntements. And after that hir hand, mighty over the herbes, hadde chaunged hir gestes in-to dyverse maneres; that oon of hem, is covered his face with forme of a boor; that other is chaunged in-to a lyoun of the contree of Marmorike, and his nayles and his teeth wexen; that other of 10 hem is neweliche chaunged in-to a wolf, and howleth whan he wolde wepe; that other goth debonairely in the hous as a tygre of Inde. But al-be-it so that the godhed of Mercurie, that is cleped the brid of Arcadie, hath had mercy of the duke Ulixes, biseged with 15 dyverse yveles, and hath unbounden him fro the pestilence of his ostesse, algates the roweres and the marineres hadden by this y-drawen in-to hir mouthes and dronken the wikkede drinkes. |p105 They that weren woxen swyn hadden by this y-chaunged hir mete of breed, for to eten akornes of okes. Non of hir limes ne 20 dwelleth with hem hole, but they han lost the voice and the body; only hir thought dwelleth with hem stable, that wepeth and biweileth the monstruous chaunginge that they suffren. O overlight hand (as who seyth, O feble and light is the hand of Circes the enchaunteresse, that chaungeth the bodyes of folkes in-to 25 bestes, to regard and to comparisoun of mutacioun that is maked by vyces); ne the herbes of Circes ne ben nat mighty. For al-be-it so that they may chaungen the linies of the body, algates yit they may nat chaunge the hertes; for with-inne is y-hid the strengthe and vigor of men, in the secree tour of hir hertes; that 30 is to seyn, the strengthe of resoun. But thilke venims of vyces to_drawen a man to hem more mightily than the venim of Circes; for vyces ben so cruel that they percen and thorugh-passen the corage with-inne; and, thogh they ne anoye nat the body, yit vyces wooden to destroye men by wounde of thought.' PROSE IV. Tum ego, Fateor, inquam. Than seyde I thus: `I confesse and am a-knowe it,' quod I; `ne I ne see nat that men may sayn, as by right, that shrewes ne ben chaunged in-to bestes by the qualitee of hir soules, al-be-it so that they kepen yit the forme of the body of mankinde. But I 5 nolde nat of shrewes, of which the thought cruel woodeth al-wey in-to destruccioun of goode men, that it were leveful to hem to don that.' `Certes,' quod she, `ne is nis nat leveful to hem, as I shal wel shewe thee in covenable place; but natheles, yif so were that thilke 10 that men wenen be leveful to shrewes were binomen hem, so that they ne mighte nat anoyen or doon ahrm to goode men, certes, a gre partye of the peyne to shrewes sholde ben allegged and releved. For al-be-it so that this ne seme nat credible thing, per-aventure, to some folk, yit moot it nedes be, that shrewes ben |p106 15 more wrecches and unsely whan they may doon and performe: that they coveiten, than yif they mighte nat complisshen that they coveiten. For yif so be that it be wrecchednesse to wilne to don, yvel, than is more wrecchednesse to mowen don yvel with-oute whiche mowinge the wrecched wil sholde languisshe with-oute 20 effect. Than, sin that everiche of thise thinges hath his wrecchednesse, that is to seyn, wil to don yvel and mowinge to don yvel, it moot nedes be that they ben constreyned by three unselinesses, that wolen and mowen and performen felonyes and shrewednesses.' 25 `I acorde me,' quod I; `but I desire gretly that shrewes losten sone thilke unselinesse, that is to seyn, that shrewes weren despoyled of mowinge to don yvel.' So shullen they,' quod she, `soner, per-aventure, than thou woldest; or soner than they hem-self wene to lakken mowinge to 30 don yvel. For ther nis no-thing so late in so shorte boundes of this lyf, that is long to abyde, nameliche, to a corage inmortel; of whiche shrewes the grete hope, and the hye conipassinges of shrewednesses, is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or they ben war; and that thing estableth to shrewes the ende of hir 35 shrewednesse. For yif that shrewednesse maketh wrecches, than mot he nedes ben most wrecched that lengest is a shrewe; the whiche wikked shrewes wolde I demen aldermost unsely and caitifs, yif that hir shrewednesse ne were finisshed, at the leste wey, by the outtereste deeth. For yif I have concluded sooth of the un_selinesse 40 of shrewednesse, than sheweth it cleerly that thilke wrecchednesse is with-outen ende, the whiche is certein to ben perdurable.' `Certes,' quod I, `this conclusioun is hard and wonderful to graunte; but I knowe wel that it acordeth moche to the thinges 45 that I have graunted her-biforn.' `Thou hast,' quod she, `the right estimacioun of this, but who-so-ever wene that it be a hard thing to acorde him to a conclusioun, it is right that he shewe that some of the premisses ben false; or elles he moot shewe that the collacioun of proposi_ |p107 50 ciouns nis nat speedful to a necessarie conclusioun. And yif it be nat so, but that the premisses ben y-graunted, ther is not why he sholde blame the argument. For this thing that I shal telle thee now ne shal nat seme lasse wonderful; but of the thinges that ben taken also it is necessarie;' 55 as who seyth, it folweth of that which that is purposed biforn. `What is that?' quod I. `Certes,' quod she, `that is, that thise wikked shrewes ben more blisful, or elles lasse wrecches, that abyen the torments that they han deserved, than yif no peyne of Iustice ne chastysede 60 hem. Ne this ne seye I nat now, for that any man mighte thenke, that the maners of shrewes ben coriged and chastysed by veniaunce, and that they ben brought to the right wey by the drede of the torment, ne for that they yeven to other folk ensaumple to fleen fro vyces, but I understande yit in another 65 manere, that shrewes ben more unsely whan they ne ben nat punisshed, al-be-it so that ther ne be had no resoun or lawe of correccioun, ne non ensaumple of lokinge. `And what manere shal that ben,' quod I, `other than hath be told her-biforn?' 70 `Have we nat thanne graunted,' quod she, `that goode folk ben blisful, and shrewes ben wrecches?' `Yis,' quod I. `Thanne,' quod she, `yif that any good were added to the wrecchednesse of any wight, nis he nat more weleful than he that 75 hath no medlinge of good in his solitarie wrecchednesse?' `So semeth it,' quod I. `And what seystow thanne,' quod she, `of thilke wrecche that lakketh alle goodes, so that no good nis medled in his wrecchednesse, and yit, over al his wikkednesse for which he is a wrecche, that 80 ther be yit another yvel anexed and knit to him, shal nat men demen him more unsely than thilke wrecche of whiche the unse_liesse is releved by the participacioun of som good?' `Why sholde he nat?' quod I. `Thanne, certes,' quod she, `han shrewes, whan they ben 85 punisshed, som-what of good anexed to hir wrecchednesse, that is |p108 to seyn, the same peyne that they suffren, which that is good by the resoun of Iustice; and whan thilke same shrewes ascapen with-oute torment, than han they som-what more of yvel yit over the wikkednesse that they han don, that is to seyn, defaute of 90 peyne; which defaute of peyne, thou hast graunted, is yvel for the deserte of felonye.' `I ne may nat denye it,' quod I. `Moche more thanne,' quod she, `ben shrewes unsely, whan they ben wrongfully delivered fro peyne, than whan they ben punisshed by rightful veniaunce. But this is open thing and cleer, that it is 95 right that shrewes ben punisshed, and it is wikkednesse and wrong that they escapen unpunisshed.' `Who mighte deneye that?' quod I. `But,' quod she, `may any man denye that al that is right nis good; and also the contrarie, that al that is wrong is eikke?' 100 `Certes,' quod I, `these thinges ben clere y-nough; and that we han concluded a litel her-biforn. But I praye thee that thou telle me, yif thou acordest to leten no torment to sowles, after that the body is ended by the deeth;' this is to seyn, understandestow aught that sowles han any torment after the deeth of the body? 105 `Certes,' quod she, `ye; and that right greet; of which sowles,' quod she, `I trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse of peyne; and some sowles, I trowe, ben exercised by a purginge mekenesse. But my conseil nis nat to determinye of thise peynes. But I have travailed and told yit hiderto, for thou sholdest knowe 110 that the mowinge of shrewes, which mowinge thee semeth to ben unworthy, nis no mowinge; and eek of shrewes, of which thou pleinedest that they ne were nat punisshed, that thou woldest seen that they ne weren never-mo with-outen the torments of hir wikkednesse: and of the licence of the mowinge to don yvel, 115 that thou preydest that it mighte sone ben ended, and that thou woldest fayn lernen that it ne sholde nat longe dure: and that shrewes ben more unsely yif they were of lenger duringe, and most unsely yif they weren perdurable. And after this, I have shewed thee that more unsely ben shrewes, whan they escapen 120 with-oute hir rightful peyne, than whan they ben punisshed by rightful veniaunce. And of this sentence folweth it, that thanne |p109 ben shrewes constreined at the laste with most grevous torment, whan men wene that they ne be nat punisshed.' `Whan I consider thy resouns,' quod I, `I ne trowe nat that 125 men seyn any-thing more verayly. And yif I torne ayein to the studies of men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that he ne sholde nat only leven thise thinges, but eek gladly herkne hem?' `Certes,' quod she, `so it is, but men may nat. For they han 130 hir eyen so wont to the derknesse of erthely thinges, that they ne may nat liften hem up to the light of cleer sothfastnesse; but they ben lyke to briddes, of which the night lightneth hir lokinge, and the day blindeth hem. For whan men loken nat the ordre of thinges, but hir lustes and talents, they wene that either the leve 135 or the mowinge to don wikkednesse, or elles the scapinge with_oute peyne, be weleful. But consider the Iugement of the perdurable lawe. For yif thou conferme thy corage to the beste thinges, thou ne hast no nede of no Iuge to yeven thee prys or mede; for thou hast ioyned thy-self to the most excellent thing. 140 And yif thou have enclyned thy studies to the wikked thinges, ne seek no foreyne wreker out of thy-self; for thou thy-self hast thrist thy-self in-to wikke thinges: right as thou mightest loken by dyverse tymes the foule erthe and the hevene, and that alle other thinges stinten fro with-oute, so that thou nere neither in hevene 145 ne in erthe, ne saye no-thing more; than it sholde semen to thee, as by only resoun of lokinge, that thou were now in the sterres and now in the erthe. But the poeple ne loketh nat on thise thinges. What thanne? Shal we thanne aprochen us to hem that I have shewed that they ben lyk to bestes? And what 150 woltow seyn of this: yif that a man hadde al forlorn his sighte and hadde foryeten that he ever saugh, and wende that no-thing ne faylede him of perfeccioun of mankinde, now we that mighten seen the same thinges, wolde we nat wene that he were blinde? Ne also ne acordeth nat the poeple to that I shal seyn, the which 155 thing is sustened by a stronge foundement of resouns, that is to |p110 seyn, that more unsely ben they that don wrong to othre folk than they that the wrong suffren.' `I wolde heren thilke same resouns,' quod I. `Denyestow,' quod she, `that alle shrewes ne ben worthy to 160 han torment?' `Nay,' quod I. `But,' quod she, `I am certein, by many resouns, that shrewes ben unsely.' `It acordeth,' quod I. 165 `Thanne ne doutestow nat,' quod she, `that thilke folk that ben worthy of torment, that they ne ben wrecches?' `It acordeth wel,' quod I. `Yif thou were thanne,' quod she, `y-set a Iuge or a knower of thinges, whether, trowestow, that men sholden tormenten him 170 that hath don the wrong, or elles him that hath suffred the wrong?' `I ne doute nat,' guod I, that I nolde don suffisaunt satisfac_cioun to him that hadde suffred the wrong by the sorwe of him that hadde don the wrong.' 175 `Thanne semeth it,' quod she, `that the doere of wrong is more wrecche than he that suffred wrong?' `That folweth wel,' quod I. `Than,' quod she, `by these causes and by othre causes that ben enforced by the same rote, filthe or sinne, by the propre 180 nature of it, maketh men wrecches, and it sheweth wel, that the wrong that men don nis nat the wrecchednesse of him that reyveth the wrong, but the wrecchednesse of him that doth the wrong. But certes,' quod she, `thise oratours or advocats don al the contrarye; for they enforcen hem to commoeve the Iuges to 185 han pitee of hem that han suffred and receyved the thinges that ben grevous and aspre, and yit men sholden more rightfully han pitee of hem that don the grevaunces and the wronges; the whiche shrewes, it were a more covenable thing, that the accusours or advocats, not wroth but pitous and debonair, ledden |p111 190 tho shrewes that han don wrong to the Iugement, right as men leden syke folk to the leche, for that they sholde seken out the maladyes of sinne by torment. And by this covenaunt, either the entente of deffendours or advocats sholde faylen and cesen in al, or elles, yif the office of advocats wolde bettre profiten to men, 195 it sholde ben torned in-to the habite of accusacioun; that is to seyn, they sholden accuse shrewes, and nat excuse hem. And eek the shrewes hem-self, yif hit were leveful to hem to seen at any clifte the vertu that they han forleten, and sawen that they sholden putten adoun the filthes of hir vyces, by the torments of 200 peynes, they ne oughte nat, right for the recompensacioun for to geten hem bountee and prowesse which that they han lost, demen ne holden that thilke peynes weren torments to hem; and eek they wolden refuse the attendaunce of hir advocats, and taken hem-self to hir Iuges and to hir accusors. For which it 205 bitydeth that, as to the wyse folk, ther nis no place y-leten to hate; that is to seyn, that ne hate hath no place amonges wyse men. For no wight nil haten goode men, but-yif he were over-mochel a fool; and for to haten shrewes, it nis no resoun. For right so as languissinge is maladye of body, right so ben vyces and sinne 210 maladye of corage. And so as we ne deme nat, that they that ben syke of hir body ben worthy to ben hated, but rather worthy of pitee wel more worthy, nat to ben hated, but for to ben had in pitee, ben they of whiche the thoughtes ben constreined by felonous wikkednesse, that is more cruel than any languissinge of 215 body. METRE IV. Quid tantos iuuat excitare motus. What delyteth you to excyten so grete moevinges of hateredes, and to hasten and bisien the fatal disposicioun of your deeth with your propre handes? that is to seyn, by batailes or by contek. For yif ye axen the deeth, it hasteth him of his owne wil; ne deeth 5 ne tarieth nat his swifte hors. And the men that the serpent and the lyoun and the tygre and the bere and the boor seken to sleen with hir teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen everich of hem |p112 other with swerd. Lo! for hir maneres ben dyverse and descord_unt a, they moeven unrightful ostes and cruel batailes, and wilnen 10 to perisshe by entrechaunginge of dartes. But the resoun of crueltee nis nat y-nough rightful. Wiltow thanne yelden a covenable guerdoun to the desertes of men? Love rightfully goode folk, and have pitee on shrewes.' PROSE V. Hic ego uideo inquam. `Thus see I wel,' quod I, `either what blisfulnesse or elles what unselinesse is establisshed in the desertes of goode men and of shrewes. But in this ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of good and somwhat of yvel. For no wyse man hath lever ben 5 exyled, poore and nedy, and nameles, than for to dwellen in his citee and flouren of richesses, and be redoutable by honour, and strong of power. For in this wyse more cleerly and more witnes_fully is the office of wyse men y-treted, whan the blisfulnesse and the poustee of governours is, as it were, y-shad amonges poeples 10 that be neighebours and subgits; sin that, namely, prisoun, lawe, and thise othre torments of laweful peynes ben rather owed to felonous citezeins, for the whiche felonous citezeins tho peynes ben establisshed, than for good folk. Thanne I mervaile me gretly,' quod I, `why that the thinges ben so mis entrechaunged, 15 that torments of felonyes pressen and confounden goode folk, and shrewes ravisshen medes of vertu, and ben in honours and in gret estats. And I desyre eek for to witen of thee, what semeth thee to ben the resoun of this so wrongful a conclusioun? For I wolde wondre wel the lasse, yif I trowede that al thise thinges 20 weren medled by fortunous happe; but now hepeth and en_creseth myn astonyinge god, governour of thinges, that, so as god yeveth ofte tymes to gode men godes and mirthes, and to shrewes yveles and aspre thinges: and yeveth ayeinward to gode folk hard_nesses, and to shrewes he graunteth hem hir wil and that they |p113 25 desyren: what difference thanne may ther be bitwixen that that god doth, and the happe of fortune, yif men ne knowe nat the cause why that it is?' `Ne it nis no merv,aile,' quod she, `though that men wenen that ther be somewhat folissh and confuse, whan the resoun of the 30 ordre is unknowe. But al-though that thou ne knowe nat the cause of so greet a disposicioun, natheles, for as moche as god, the gode governour, atempreth and governeth the world, ne doute thee nat that alle thinþes ben doon a-right. METRE V. Si quis Arcturi sidera nescit. Who-so that ne knowe nat the sterres of Arcture, y-torned neigh to the soverein contree or point, that is to seyn, y-torned neigh to the soverein pool of the firmament, and wot nat why the sterre Bootes passeth or gadereth his weynes, and drencheth his late 5 flambes in the see, and why that Bootes the sterre unfoldeth his over-swifte arysinges, thanne shal he wondren of the lawe of the heye eyr. And eek, yif that he ne knowe nat why that the hornes of the fulle mone wexen pale and infect by the boundes of the derke night; 10 and how the mone, derk and confuse, discovereth the sterres that she hadde y-covered by hir clere visage. The comune errour moeveth folk, and maketh wery hir basins of bras by thikke strokes; that is to seyn, that ther is a maner of oeple that highte Coribantes, that wenen that, whan the mone is in the eclipse, that it 15 be enchaunted; and therefore, for to rescowe the mone they beten her basins with thikke strokes. Ne no man ne wondreth whan the blastes of the wind Chorus beten the strondes of the see by quakinge flodes; ne no man ne wondreth whan the weighte of the snowe, y-harded by the colde, 20 is resolved by the brenninge hete of Phebus the sonne; for heer seen men redely the causes. |p114 But the causes y-hid, that is to seyn, in hevene, troublen the brestes of men; the moevable poeple is astoned of alle thinges that comen selde and sodeinly in our age. But yif the troubly 25 errour of our ignoraunce departede fro us, so that we wisten the causes why that swiche thinges bi-tyden, certes, they sholden cese to seme wondres.' PROSE VI. Ita est, inquam. `Thus is it,' quod I. `But so as thou hast yeven or bi-hight me to unwrappen the hid causes of thinges, and to discovere me the resouns covered with derknesses, I prey thee that thou devyse and iuge me of this matere, and that thou do me to understonden 5 it; for this miracle or this wonder troubleth me right gretly.' And thanne she, a litel what smylinge, seyde: `thou clepest me,' quod she, `to telle thing that is grettest of alle thinges that mowen ben axed, and to the whiche questioun unnethes is ther aught y-nough to laven it; as who seyth, unnethes is ther suffi_sauntly 10 anything to answere parfitly to thy questioun. For the matere of it is swich, that whan o doute is determined and cut awey, ther wexen other doutes with-oute number; right as the hevedes wexen of Ydre, the serpent that Ercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no manere ne non ende, but-yif that a wight constreinede 15 tho doutes by a right lyfly and quik fyr of thought; that is to seyn, by vigour and strenghte of wit. For in this manere men weren wont to maken questions of the simplicitee of the pur_viaunce of god, and of the order of destinee, and of sodein happe, and of the knowinge and predestinacioun divyne, and of 20 the libertee of free wille; the whiche thinges thou thy-self aperceyvest wel, of what weight they ben. But for as mochel as the knowinge of thise thinges is a maner porcioun of the medicine of thee, al-be-it so that I have litel tyme to don it, yit natheles I wol enforcen me to shewe somwhat of it. But 25 al-thogh the norisshinges of ditee of musike delyteth thee, thou most suffren and forberen a litel of thilke delyte, whyle that I weve to thee resouns y-knit by ordre.' |p115 `As it lyketh to thee,' quod I, `so do.' Tho spak she right as another biginninge, and seyde thus. `The engendringe of 30 alle thinges,' quod she, `and alle the progressiouns of muable nature, and al that moeveth in any manere, taketh his causes, his ordre, and his formes, of the stablenesse of the divyne thoght; and thilke divyne thought, that is y-set and put in the tour, that is to seyn, in the heighte, of the simplicitee of god, stablissheth 35 many maner gyses to thinges that ben to done; the whiche maner, whan that men loken it in thilke pure clennesse of the divyne intelligence, it is y-cleped purviaunce; but whan thilke maner is referred by men to thinges that it moveth and disponeth, thanne of olde men it was cleped destinee. The whiche thinges, 40 yif that any wight loketh wel in his thought, the strengthe of that oon and of that other, he shal lightly mowen seen, that thise two thinges ben dyverse. For purviaunce is thilke divyne reson that is establisshed in the soverein prince of thinges, the whiche pur_viaunce disponeth alle thinges. But destinee is the disposicioun 45 and ordinaunce clyvinge to moevable thinges, by the whiche disposicioun the purviaunce knitteth alle thinges in hir ordres; purviaunce embraceth alle thinges to-hepe, al-thogh that they ben dyverse, and al-thogh they ben infinite; but destinee de_parteth and ordeineth alle thinges singulerly, and divyded in 50 moevinges, in places, in formes, in tymes, as thus: lat the unfoldinge of temporel ordinaunce, assembled and ooned in the lokinge of the divyne thought, be cleped purviaunce; and thilke same assemblinge and ooninge, divyded and unfolden by tymesþ lat ben called destinee. And al-be-it so that thise thinges 55 ben dyverse, yit natheles hangeth that oon on that other, for-why the order destinal procedeth of the simplicitee of purviaunce. For right as a werkman, that aperceyveth in his thoght the forme of the thing that he wol make, and moeveth the effect of the werk, and ledeth that he hadde loked biforn in his thoght simply 60 and presently, by temporel ordinaunce: certes, right so god disponeth in his purviaunce, singulerly and stably, the thinges that ben to done, but he aministreth in many maneres and in |p116 dyverse tymes, by destinee, thilke same thinges that we hath disponed. 65 Thanne, whether that destinee be exercysed outher by some divyne spirits, servaunts to the divyne purviaunce, or elles by som sowle, or elles by alle nature servinge to god, or elles by the celestial moevinges of sterres, or elles by the vertu of angeles, or elles by the dyverse subtilitee of develes, or elles by any of hem, 70 or elles by hem alle, the destinal ordinaunce is y-woven and acomplisshed. Certes, it is open thing, that the purviaunce is an unmoevable and simple forme of thinges to done; and the moveable bond and the temporel ordinaunce of thinges, whiche that the divyne simplicitee of purviaunce hath ordeyned to done, 75 that is destinee. For which it is, that alle thinges that ben put under destinee ben, certes, subgits to purviaunce, to whiche pur_purviaunce destinee itself is subgit and under. But some thinges ben put under purviaunce, that surmounten the ordinaunce of destinee; and tho ben thilke that stably ben y-ficched negh to the 80 firste godhed; they surmounten the ordre of destinal moevabletee. For right as of cercles that tornen a-boute a same centre or a-boute a poynt, thilke cercle that is innerest or most with-inne ioyneth to the simplesse of the middel, and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to that other cercles that tomen a-bouten him, and thilke that is 85 outterest, compassed by larger envyronninge, is unfolden by larger spaces, in so moche as it is forthest fro the middel sim_plicitee of the poynt, and yif ther be any-thing that knitteth and felawshippeth him-self to thilke middel poynt, it is constreined in-to simplicitee, that is to seyn, in-to unmoevabletee, and it ceseth 90 to be shad and to fleten dyversely: right so, by semblable resoun, thilke thing that departeth forthest fro the first thoght of god, it is unfolden and summitted to gretter bondes of destinee: and in so moche is the thing more free and laus fro destinee, as it axeth and holdeth him ner to thilke centre of thinges, that is to seyn, god. 95 And yif the thing clyveth to the stedefastnesse of the thoght of god, and be with-oute moevinge, certes, it sormounteth the necessitee of |p117 destinee. Thanne right swich comparisoun as it is of skilinge to understondinge, and of thing that is engendred to thing that is, and of tyme to eternitee, and of the cercle to the centre, right so is the 100 ordre of moevable destinee to the stable simplicitee of purviaunce. Thilke ordinaunce moeveth the hevene and the sterres, and atempreth the elements to-gider amonges hem-self, and trans_formeth hem by entrechaungeable mutacioun; and thilke same ordre neweth ayein alle thinges growinge and fallinge a-doun, by 105 semblable progressiouns of sedes and of sexes, that is to seyn, male and femele. And this ilke ordre constreineth the fortunes and the dedes of men by a bond of causes, nat able to ben unbounde; the whiche destinal causes, whan they passen out fro the bigin_ninges of the unmoevable purviaunce, it mot nedes be that they 110 ne be nat mutable. And thus ben the thinges ful wel y-governed, yif that the simplicitee dwellinge in the divyne thoght sheweth forth the ordre of causes, unable to ben y-bowed; and this ordre constreineth by his propre stabletee the moevable thinges, or elles they sholden fleten folily. For which it is, that alle thinges semen 115 to ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne mowen nat con_sidere thilke ordinaunce; natheles, the propre maner of every thinge, dressinge hem to goode, disponeth hem alle. For ther nis no-thing don for cause of yvel; ne thilke thing that is don by wikkede folk nis nat don for yvel. The whiche 120 shrewes, as I have shewed ful plentivously, seken good, but wikked errour mistorneth hem, ne the ordre cominge fro the poynt of soverein good ne declyneth nat fro his biginninge. But thou mayst seyn, what unreste may ben a worse confusioun than that gode men han somtyme adversitee and somtyme prosperitee, 125 and shrewes also now han thinges that they desiren, and now thinges that they haten? Whether men liven now in swich hoolnesse of thoght, (as who seyth, ben men now so wyse), that swiche folk as they demen to ben gode folk or shrewes, that it moste nedes ben that folk ben swiche as they wenen? But in 130 this manere the domes of men discorden, that thilke men that some folk demen worthy of mede, other folk demen hem worthy of torment. But lat us graunte, I pose that som man may wel demen or knowen the gode folk and the badde; may he thanne knowen |p118 and seen thilke innereste atempraunce of corages, as it hath ben 135 wont to be seyd of bodies; as who seyth, may a man speken and determinen of atempraunces in corages, as men were wont to demen or speken of complexiouns and atempraunces of bodies? Ne it ne is nat an unlyk miracle, to hem that ne knowen it nat, (as who seith, but it is lyke a merveil or a miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat), why that 140 swete thinges ben covenable to some bodies that ben hole, and to some bodies bittere thinges ben covenable; and also, why that some syke folk ben holpen with lighte 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, 145 ne merveileth of it no-thing. But what other thing semeth hele of corages but bountee and prowesse? And what other thing semeth maladye of corages but vyces? Who is elles kepere of good or dryver awey of yvel, but god, governour and lecher of thoughtes? The whiche god, whan he hath biholden from the 150 heye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is covenable to every wight, and leneth hem that he wot that is covenable to hem. Lo, her-of comth and her-of is don this noble miracle of the ordre destinal, whan god, that al knoweth, doth swiche thing, of which thing that unknowinge folk ben astoned. But for to constreine, 155 as who seyth, but for to comprehende and telle a fewe thinges of the divyne deepnesse, the whiche that mannes resoun may under_stonde, thilke man that thou wenest to ben right Iuste and right kepinge of equitee, the contrarie of that semeth to the divyne purveaunce, that al wot. And Lucan, my familer, telleth that 160 "the victorious cause lykede to the goddes, and the cause over_comen lykede to Catoun." Thanne, what-so-ever thou mayst seen that is don in this werld unhoped or unwened, certes, it is the right ordre of thinges; but, as to thy wikkede opinioun, it is a confusioun. But I suppose that som man be so wel y-thewed, 165 that the divyne Iugement and the Iugement of mankinde acorden hem to-gider of him; but he is so unstedefast of corage, that, yif any adversitee come to him, he wol forleten, par-aventure, to continue innocence, by the wiche he ne may nat with-holden fortune. Thanne the wyse dispensacioun of god spareth him, the |p119 170 whiche man adversitee mighte enpeyren; for that god wol nat suffren him to travaile, to whom that travaile nis nat covenable. Another man is parfit in alle vertues, and is an holy man, and negh to god, so that the purviaunce of god wolde demen, that it were a felonye that he were touched with any adversitees; so 175 that he wol nat suffre that swich a man be moeved with any bodily maladye. But so as seyde a philosophre, the more excel_lent by me: he seyde in Grek, that "vertues han edified the body of the holy man." And ofte tyme it bitydeth, that the somme of thinges that ben to done is taken to governe to gode folk, for that 180 the malice haboundaunt of shrewes sholde ben abated. And god yeveth and departeth to othre folk prosperitees and adversitees y-medled to-hepe, after the qualitee of hir corages, and remordeth som folk by adversitee, for they ne sholde nat wexen proude by longe welefulnesse. And other folk he suffreth to ben travailed 185 with harde thinges, for that they sholden confermen the vertues of corage by the usage and exercitacioun of pacience. And other folk dreden more than they oughten [that] whiche they mighten wel beren; and somme dispyse that they mowe nat beren; and thilke folk god ledeth in-to experience of himself by 190 aspre and sorwful thinges. And many othre folk han bought honourable renoun of this world by the prys of glorious deeth. And som men, that ne mowen nat ben overcomen by torments, have yeven ensaumple to othre folk, that vertu may nat ben over_comen by adversitees; and of alle thinges ther nis no doute, that 195 they ne ben don rightfully and ordenely, to the profit of hem to whom we seen thise thinges bityde. For certes, that adversitee comth somtyme to shrewes, and somtyme that that they desiren, it comth of thise forseide causes. And of sorwful thinges that bityden to shrewes, certes, no man ne wondreth; for alle men 200 wenen that they han wel deserved it, and that they ben of wikkede merite; of whiche shrewes the torment somtyme agasteth othre to don felonyes, and somtyme it amendeth hem that suffren the torments. And the prosperitee that is yeven to shrewes |p120 sheweth a greet argument to gode folk, what thing they sholde 205 demen of thilke welefulnesse, the whiche prosperitee men seen ofte serven to shrewes. In the which thing I trowe that god dispenseth, for, per-aventure, the nature of som man is so over_throwinge to yvel, and so uncovenable, that the nedy povertee of his houshold mighte rather egren him to don felonyes. And to 210 the maladye of him god putteth remedie, to yeven him richesses. And som other man biholdeth his conscience defouled with sinnes, and maketh comparisoun of his fortune and of him-self; and dredeth, per-aventure, that his blisfulnesse, of which the usage is Ioyeful to him, that the lesinge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat 215 sorwful to him; and therfor he wol chaunge his maneres, and, for he dredeth to lese his fortune, he forleteth his wikkednesse. To othre folk is welefulnesse y-yeven unworthily, the whiche over_troweth hem in-to distruccioun that they han deserved. And to som othre folk is yeven power to punisshen, for that it shal be 220 cause of continuacioun and exercysinge to gode folk and cause of torment to shrewes. For so as ther nis non alyaunce by-twixe gode folk and shrewes, ne shrewes ne mowen nat acorden amonges hem-self. And why nat? For shrewes discorden of hem-self by hir vyces, the whiche vyces al to-renden hir consciences; and don 225 ofte tyme thinges, the whiche thinges, whan they han don hem, they demen that tho thinges ne sholden nat han ben don. For which thing thilke soverein purveaunce hath maked ofte tyme fair miracle; so that shrewes han maked shrewes to ben gode men. For whan that som shrewes seen that they suffren wrongfully 230 felonyes of othre shrewes, they wexen eschaufed in-to hate of hem that anoyeden hem, and retornen to the frut of vertu, whan they studien to ben unlyk to hem that they han hated. Certes, only this is the divyne miglit, to the whiche might yveles ben thanne gode, whan it useth tho yveles covenably, and draweth out the 235 effect of any gode; as who seyth, that yvel is good only to the might of god, for the might of god ordeyneth thilke yvel to good. For oon ordre embraseth alle thinges, so that what wight that departeth fro the resoun of thilke ordre which that is assigned to |p121 him, algates yit he slydeth in-to another ordre, so that no-thing 240 nis leveful to folye in the reame of the divyne purviaunce; as who seyth, nothing nis with-outen ordinaunce in the reame of the divyne purviaunce; sin that the right stronge 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 ordinaunces and dis_posiciouns 245 of the divyne entente. For only it oughte suffise to han loked, that god him-self, maker of alle natures, ordeineth and dresseth alle thinges to gode; whyl that he hasteth to with-holden the thinges that he hath maked in-to his semblaunce, that is to seyn, for to with-holden thinges in-to good, for he him-self is good, 250 he chaseth out al yvel fro the boundes of his comunalitee by the ordre of necessitee destinable. For which it folweth, that yif thou loke the purviaunce ordeininge the thinges that men wenen ben outrageous or haboundant in erthes, thou ne shalt nat seen in no place no-thing of yvel. But I see now that thou art charged with 255 the weighte of the questioun, and wery with the lengthe of my resoun; and that thou abydest som sweetnesse of songe. Tak thanne this draught; and whan thou art wel refresshed and refect, thou shal be more stedefast to stye in-to heyere questiouns. METRE VI. Si uis celsi iura tonantis. If thou, wys, wilt demen in thy pure thought the rightes or the lawes of the heye thonderer, that is to seyn, of god, loke thou and bihold the heightes of the soverein hevene. There kepen the sterres, by rightful alliaunce of thinges, hir olde pees. The sonne, 5 y-moeved by his rody fyr, ne distorbeth nat the colde cercle of the mone. Ne the sterre y-cleped "the Bere," that enclyneth his ravisshinge courses abouten the soverein heighte of the worlde, ne the same sterre Ursa nis never-mo wasshen in the depe westrene see,ne coveiteth nat to deyen his flaumbes in the see of the occian, 10 al-thogh he see othre sterres y-plounged in the see. And Hesperus |p122 the sterre bodeth and telleth alwey the late nightes; and Lucifer the sterre bringeth ayein the clere day. And thus maketh Love entrechaungeable the perdurable courses; and thus is discordable bataile y-put out of the contree of the 15 sterres. This acordaunce atempreth by evenelyk maneres the elements, that the moiste thinges, stryvinge with the drye thinges, yeven place by stoundes; and the colde thinges ioynen hem by feyth to the hote thinges; and that the lighte fyr aryseth in-to heighte; and the hevy erthes avalen by hir weightes. By thise 20 same causes the floury yeer yildeth swote smelles in the firste somer-sesoun warminge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes; and autumpne comth ayein, hevy of apples; and the fletinge reyn bideweth the winter. This atempraunce norissheth and bringeth forth al thing that [bretheth] lyf in this world; and thilke same 25 atempraunce, ravisshinge, hydeth and binimeth, and drencheth under the laste deeth, alle thinges y-born. Amonges thise thinges sitteth the heye maker, king and lord, welle and biginninge, lawe and wys Iuge, to don equitee; and governeth and enclyneth the brydles of thinges. And tho thinges 30 that he stereth to gon by moevinge, he withdraweth and aresteth; and affermeth the moevable or wandringe thinges. For yif that he ne clepede ayein the right goinge of thinges, and yif that he ne constreinede hem nat eft-sones in-to roundnesses enclynede, the thinges that ben now continued by stable ordinaunce, they sholden 35 departen from hir welle, that is to seyn, from hir biginninge and faylen, that is to seyn, torne in-to nought. This is the comune Love to alle thinges; and alle thinges axen to ben holden by the fyn of good. For elles ne mighten they nat lasten, yif they ne come nat eft-sones ayein, by Love retorned, to 40 the cause that hath yeven hem beinge, that is to seyn, to god. PROSE VII. Iamne igitur uides. Seestow nat thanne what thing folweth alle the thinges that I have seyd?' Boece. `What thing?' quod I. |p123 `Certes,' quod she, `al-outrely, that alle fortune is good.' `And how may that be?' quod I. 5 `Now understand,' quod she, `so as alle fortune, whether so it be Ioyeful fortune or aspre fortune, is yeven either by cause of guerdoning or elles of exercysinge of good folk, or elles by cause to punisshen or elles chastysen shrewes; thanne is alle fortune good, the whiche fortune is certein that it be either rightful or 10 elles profitable.' `Forsothe, this is a ful verray resoun,' quod I; `and yif I con_sider the purviaunce and the destinee that thou taughtest me a litel her-biforn, this sentence is sustened by stedefast resouns. But yif it lyke unto thee, lat us noumbren hem amonges thilke 15 thinges, of whiche thou seydest a litel her-biforn, that they ne were nat able to ben wened to the poeple.' `Why so?' quod she. `For that the comune word of men,' quod I, `misuseth this maner speche of fortune, and seyn ofte tymes that the fortune of som wight is wikkede.' 20 `Wiltow thanne,' quod she, `that I aproche a litel to the wordes of the poeple, so that it seme nat to hem that I be overmoche de_parted as fro the usage of mankinde?' `As thou wolt,' quod I. `Demestow nat,' quod she, `that al thing that profiteth is good?' 25 `Yis,' quod I. `And certes, thilke thing that exercyseth or corigeth, profiteth?' `I confesse it wel,' quod I. `Thanne is it good?' quod she. `Why nat?' quod I. 30 `But this is the fortune,' quod she, `of hem that either ben put in vertu and batailen ayeins aspre thinges, or elles of hem that eschuen and declynen fro vyces and taken the wey of vertu.' `This ne may I nat denye,' quod I. `But what seystow of the mery fortune that is yeven to good 35 folk in guerdoun? Demeth aught the poeple that it is wikked?' `Nay, forsothe,' quod I; `but they demen, as it sooth is, that it is right good.' |p124 `And what seystow of that other fortune,' quod she, `that, al-thogh that it be aspre, and restreineth the shrewes by rightful 40 torment, weneth aught the poeple that it be good?' `Nay,' quod I, `but the poeple demeth that it is most wrecched of alle thinges that may ben thought.' `War now, and loke wel,' quod she, `lest that we, in folwinge the opinioun of the poeple, have confessed and concluded thing 45 that is unable to be wened to the poeple.' `What is that?' quod I. `Certes,' quod she, `it folweth or comth of thinges that ben graunted, that alle fortune, what-so-ever it be, of hem that ben either in possessioun of vertu, or in the encres of vertu or elles in 50 the purchasinge of vertu, that thilke fortune is good; and that alle fortune is right wikkede to hem that dwellen in shrewednesse;' as who seyth, and thus weneth nat the poeple. `That is sooth,' quod I, `al-be-it so that no man dar confesse it ne biknowen it.' 55 `Why so?' quod she; `for right as the stronge man ne semeth nat to abaissen or disdaignen as ofte tyme as he hereth the noise of the bataile, ne also it ne semeth nat, to the wyse man, to beren it grevously, as ofte as he is lad in-to the stryf of fortune. For bothe to that oon man and eek to that other thilke difficultee is 60 the matere; to that oon man, of encres of his glorious renoun, and to that other man, to confirme his sapience, that is to seyn, to the asprenesse of his estat. For therfore is it called "vertu," for that it susteneth and enforseth, hy hise strengthes, that it nis nat overcomen by adversitees. Ne certes, thou that art put in the 65 encres or in the heighte of vertu, ne hast nat comen to fleten with delices, and for to welken in bodily luste; thou sowest or plauntest a ful egre bataile in the corage ayeins every fortune: for that the sorwful fortune ne confounde thee nat, ne that the merye fortune ne corumpe thee nat, occupye the mene by stedefast strengthes. 70 For al that ever is under the mene, or elles al that overpasseth the mene, despyseth welefulnesse (as who seyth, it is vicious), and ne hath no mede of his travaile. For it is set in your hand (as who seyth, it lyth in your power) what fortune yow is levest, that is to |p125 seyn, good or yvel. For alle fortune that semeth sharp or aspre, 75 yif it ne exercyse nat the gode folk ne chastyseth the wikked folk, it punissheth. METRE VII. Bella bis quinis operatus annis. The wreker Attrides, that is to seyn, that wroughte and continuede the batailes by ten yeer, recovered and purgede in wrekinge, by the destruccioun of Troye, the loste chaumbres of mariage of his brother; this is to seyn, that he, Agamenon, wan 5 ayein Eleyne, that was Menelaus wyf his brother. In the mene wyle that thilke Agamenon desirede to yeven sayles to the Grekissh navye, and boughte ayein the windes by blood, he un_clothede him of pitee of fader; and the sory preest yiveth in sacrifyinge the wrecched cuttinge of throte of the doughter; that 10 is to seyn, that Agamenon let cutten the throte of his doughter by the breest, to maken allyaunce with his goddes, and for to han winde with whiche he mighte wenden to Troye. Itacus, that is to seyn, Ulixes, biwepte his felawes y-lorn, the whiche felawes the ferse Poliphemus, ligginge in his grete cave, 15 hadde freten and dreynt in his empty wombe. But natheles Poliphemus, wood for his blinde visage, yald to Ulixes Ioye by his sorwful teres; this is to seyn, that Ulixes smoot out the eye of Polophemus that stood in his forehed, for which Ulixes hadde Ioye, whan he say Polophemus wepinge and blinde. 20 Hercules is celebrable for his harde travailes; he dauntede the proude Centaures, half hors, half man; and he birafte the di_spoylinge fro the cruel lyoun, that is to seyn, he slowh the lyoun and rafte him his skin. He smoot the briddes that highten Arpyes with certein arwes. He ravisshede apples fro the wakinge dra_goun, 25 and his hand was the more hevy for the goldene metal. He drow Cerberus, the hound of helle, by his treble cheyne. He, overcomer, as it is seyd, hath put an unmeke lord foddre to his cruel hors; this is to seyn, that Hercules slowh Diomedes, and made his hors to freten him. And he, Hercules, slowh Ydra the serpent, |p126 30 and brende the venim. And Achelous the flood, defouled in his forhed, dreynte his shamefast visage in his strondes; this is to seyn, that Achelous coude transfigure him-self in-to dyverse lyknesses; and, as he faught with Hercules, at the laste he tornede him in-to a bole; and Hercules brak of oon of his hornes, and he, for shame, 35 hidde him in his river. And he, Hercules, caste adoun Antheus the gyaunt in the strondes of Libie; and Cacus apaysede the wratthes of Evander; this is to seyn, that Hercules slowh the monstre Cacus, and apaysede with that deeth the wratthe of Evander. And the bristlede boor markede with scomes the 40 shuldres of Hercules, the whiche shuldres the heye cercle of hevene sholde thriste. And the laste of his labours was, that he sustened the hevene up-on his nekke unbowed; and he deservede eft-sones the hevene, to ben the prys of his laste travaile. Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther-as the heye wey of the 45 grete ensaumple ledeth yow. O nyce men, why nake ye youre bakkes? As who seyth: O ye slowe and delicat men, why flee ye adversitees, and ne fighten nat ayeins hem by vertu, to winnen the mede of the hevene? For the erthe, overcomen, yeveth the sterres'; this is to seyn, that, whan that erthely lust is overcomen, a man is 50 maked worthy to the hevene. BOOK V. PROSE I. Dixerat, orationisque cursum. She hadde seyd, and torned the cours of hir resoun to some othre thinges to ben treted and to ben y-sped. Thanne seyde I, `Certes, rightful is thyn amonestinge and ful digne by auctoritee. But that thou seidest whylom, that the questioun of the divyne 5 purviaunce is enlaced with many other questiouns, I understonde wel and proeve it by the same thing. But I axe yif that thou wenest that hap be any thing in any weys; and, yif thou wenest that hap be anything, what is it?' Thanne quod she, `I haste me to yilden and assoilen to thee |p127 10 the dette of my bihest, and to shewen and opnen the wey, by which wey thou mayst come ayein to thy contree. But al-be-it so that the thinges which that thou axest ben right profitable to knowe, yit ben they diverse somwhat fro the path of my purpos; and it is to douten that thou ne be maked wery by mis-weyes, so 15 that thou ne mayst nat suffyce to mesuren the right wey.' `Ne doute thee ther-of nothing,' quod I. `For, for to knowen thilke thinges to-gedere, in the whiche thinges I delyte me greetly, that shal ben to me in stede of reste; sin it is nat to douten of the thinges folwinge, whan every syde of thy disputacioun shal han 20 be stedefast to me by undoutous feith.' Thanne seyde she, `That manere wol I don thee'; and bigan to speken right thus. `Certes,' quod she, `yif any wight diffi_nisshe hap in this manere, that is to seyn, that "hap is bitydinge y-brought forth by foolish moevinge and by no knettinge of 25 causes," I conferme that hap nis right naught in no wyse; and I deme al-outrely that hap nis, ne dwelleth but a voice, as who seith, but an ydel word, with-outen any significacioun of thing submitted to that vois. For what place mighte ben left, or dwellinge, to folye a nd to disordenaunce, sin that god ledeth and con_streineth 30 alle thinges by ordre? For this sentence is verray and sooth, that "nothing ne hath his beinge of naught"; to the whiche sentence none of thise olde folk ne withseyde never; al-be_it so that they ne understoden ne meneden it naught by god, prince and beginnere of werkinge, but they casten [it] as a manere 35 foundement of subiect material, that is to seyn, of the nature of alle resoun. And yif that any thing is woxen or comen of no causes, than shal it seme that thilke thing is comen or woxen of naught; but yif this ne may nat ben don, thanne is it nat possible, that hap be any swich thing as I have diffinisshed a litel heer-biforn.' 40 `How shal it thanne be?' quod I. `Nis ther thanne no-thing that by right may be cleped either "hap" or elles "aventure of fortune"; or is ther aught, al-be-it so that it is hid fro the peple, to which these wordes ben covenable?' |p128 `Myn Aristotulis,' quod she, `in the book of his Phisik, dif 45 finissheth this thing by short resoun, and neigh to the sothe.' `In which manere?' quod I. `As ofte,' quod she, `as men doon any thing for grace of any other thing, and an-other thing than thilke thing that men entenden to don bitydeth by some causes, it is cleped "hap." 50 Right as a man dalf the erthe by cause of tilyinge of the feeld, and founde ther a gobet of gold bidolven, thanne wenen folk that it is bifalle by fortunous bitydinge. But, for sothe, it nis nat of naught, for it hath his propre causes; of whiche causes the cours unforeseyn and unwar semeth to han maked hap. For yif the 55 tilyere of the feld ne dolve nat in the erthe, and yif the hyder of the gold ne hadde hid the gold in thilke place, the gold ne hadde nat been founde. Thise ben thanne the causes of the abregginge of fortuit hap, the which abregginge of fortuit hap comth of causes encountringe and flowinge to-gidere to hem-self, and nat by the 60 entencioun of the doer. For neither the hyder of the gold ne the delver of the feeld ne understoden nat that the gold sholde han ben founde; but, as I sayde, it bitidde and ran to-gidere that he dalf ther-as that other hadde hid the gold. Now may I thus diffinisshe "hap." Hap is an unwar bitydinge of causes assembled 65 in thinges that ben don for som other thing. But thilke ordre, procedinge by an uneschuable bindinge to-gidere, which that descendeth fro the welle of purviaunce that ordeineth alle thinges in hir places and in hir tymes, maketh that the causes rennen and assemblen to-gidere. METRE I. Rupis Achemenie scopulis, ubi uersa sequentum. Tigris and Eufrates resolven and springen of oo welle, in the cragges of the roche of the contree of Achemenie, ther-as the fleinge bataile ficcheth hir dartes, retorned in the brestes of hem that folwen hem. And sone after tho same riveres, Tigris and |p129 5 Eufrates, unioinen and departen hir wateres. And yif they comen to-gideres, and ben assembled and cleped to-gidere into o cours, thanne moten thilke thinges fleten to-gidere which that the water of the entrechaunginge flood bringeth. The shippes and the stokkes arraced with the flood moten assemblen; and the wateres 10 y-medled wrappeth or implyeth many fortunel happes or maneres; the whiche wandringe happes, natheles, thilke declyninge lownesse of the erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge water governeth. Right so Fortune, that semeth as that it fleteth with slaked or ungovernede brydles, it suffereth brydles, that is to seyn, to be 15 governed, and passeth by thilke lawe, that is to seyn, by thilke divyne ordenaunce.' PROSE II. Animaduerto, inquam. `This understonde I wel,' quod I, `and I acorde wel that it is right as thou seyst. But I axe yif ther be any libertee of free wil in this ordre of causes that clyven thus to-gidere in hem-self; or elles I wolde witen yif that the destinal cheyne constreineth the 5 movinges of the corages of men?' `Yis,' quod she; `ther is libertee of free wil. Ne ther ne was nevere no nature of resoun that it ne hadde libertee of free wil. For every thing that may naturely usen resoun, it hath doom by which it decerneth and demeth every thing; thanne knoweth it, 10 by it-self, 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 ben to fleen. Wherfore in alle thinges that resoun is, in hem also is libertee of willinge and of nillinge. But I ne ordeyne nat, as who 15 seyth, I ne graunte nat, that this libertee be evene-lyk in alle thinges. Forwhy in the sovereines devynes substaunces, that is to seyn, in spirits, Iugememt is more cleer, and-wil nat y-corumped, |p130 and might redy to speden thinges that ben desired. But the soules of men moten nedes be more free whan they loken hem in 20 the speculacioun or lokinge of the devyne thought, and lasse free whan they slyden in-to the bodies; and yit lasse free whan they ben gadered to-gidere and comprehended in erthely membres. But the laste servage is whan that they ben yeven to vyces, and han y-falle from the possessioun of hir propre resoun. For after 25 that they han cast awey hir eyen fro the light of the sovereyn soothfastnesse to lowe thinges and derke, anon they derken by the cloude of ignoraunce and ben troubled by felonous talents; to the whiche talents whan they aprochen and asenten, they hepen and encresen the servage which they han ioyned to hem-self; and 30 in this manere they ben caitifs fro hir propre libertee. The whiche thinges, nathelesse, the lokinge of the devyne purviaunce seeth, that alle thinges biholdeth and seeth fro eterne, and ordeineth hem everich in hir merites as they ben predestinat: and it is seyd in Greek, that "alle thinges he seeth and alle thinges he hereth." METRE II. Puro clarum lumine Phebum. Homer with the hony mouth, that is to seyn, homer with the swete ditees, singeth, that the sonne is cleer by pure light; natheles yit ne may it nat, by the infirme light of his bemes, breken or percen the inwarde entrailes of the erthe, or elles of the see. So 5 ne seeth nat god, maker of the grete world: to him, that loketh alle thinges from an heigh, ne withstondeth nat no thinges by hevinesse of erthe; ne the night ne withstondeth nat to him by the blake cloudes. Thilke god seeth, in oo strok of thought, alle thinges that ben, or weren, or sholle comen; and thilke god, for 10 he loketh and seeth alle thinges alone, thou mayst seyn that he is the verray sonne.' |p131 PROSE III. Tum ego, en, inquam. Thanne seyde I, `now am I confounded by a more hard doute than I was.' `What doute is that?' quod she. `For certes, I coniecte now by whiche thinges thou art troubled.' 5 `It semeth,' quod I, `to repugnen and to contrarien greetly, that god knoweth biforn alle thinges, and that ther is any freedom of libertee. For yif so be that god loketh alle thinges biforn, ne god ne may nat ben desseived in no manere, than mot it nedes been, that alle thinges bityden the whiche that the purviaunce of 10 god hath seyn biforn to comen. For which, yif that god knoweth biforn nat only the werkes of men, but also hir conseiles and hir willes, thanne ne shal ther be no libertee of arbitre; ne, certes, ther ne may be noon other dede, ne no wil, but thilke which that the divyne purviaunce, that may nat ben desseived, 15 hath feled biforn. For yif that they mighten wrythen awey in othre manere than they ben purveyed, than sholde ther be no stedefast prescience of thing to comen, but rather an uncertein opinioun; the whiche thing to trowen of god, I deme it felonye and unleveful. Ne I ne proeve nat thilke same resoun, as who 20 seyth, I ne alowe nat, or I ne preyse nat, thilke same resoun, by which that som men wenen that they mowen assoilen and unknitten the knotte of this questioun. For, certes, they seyn that thing nis nat to comen for that the purviaunce of god hath seyn it biforn that is to comen, but rather the contrarye, and that 25 is this: that, for that the thing is to comen, therfore ne may it nat ben hid fro the purviaunce of god; and in this manere this necessitee slydeth ayein in-to the contrarye partye: ne it ne bihoveth nat, nedes, that thinges bityden that ben purvyed, but it bihoveth, nedes, that thinges that ben to comen ben y-porveyed: 30 but as it were y-travailed, as who seyth, that thilke answere procedeth right as thogh men travaileden, or weren bisy to enqueren, the whiche thing is cause of the whiche thing:-as, whether the |p132 prescience is cause of the necessitee of thinges to comen, or elles that the necessitee of thinges to comen is cause of the purviaunce. 35 But I ne enforce me nat now, to shewen it, that the bitydinge of thinges y-wist biforn is necessarie, how so or in what manere that the ordre of causes hath it-self; al-thogh that it ne seme nat that the prescience bringe in necessitee of bitydinge to thinges to comen. For certes, yif that any wight sitteth, it bihoveth by 40 necessitee that the opinioun be sooth of him that coniecteth that he sitteth; and ayeinward also is it of the contrarye: yif the opinioun be sooth of any wight for that he sitteth, it bihoveth by necessitee that he sitte. Thanne is heer necessitee in that oon and in that other: for in that oon is necessitee of sittinge, and, 45 certes, in that other is necessitee of sooth. But therfore ne sitteth nat a wight, for that the opinioun of the sittinge is sooth; but the opinioun is rather sooth, for that a wight sitteth biforn. And thus, al-thogh that the cause of the sooth cometh of that other syde (as who seyth, that al-thogh the cause of sooth comth 50 of the sitting, and nat of the trewe opinioun), algates yit is ther comune necessitee in that oon and in that other. Thus sheweth it, that I may make semblable skiles of the purviaunce of god and of thinges to comen. For althogh that, for that thinges ben to comen, ther-fore ben they purveyed, nat, certes, for that they 55 ben purveyed, ther-fore ne bityde they nat. Yit natheles, bihoveth it by necessitee, that either the thinges to comen ben y-purveyed of god, or elles that the thinges that ben purveyed of god bityden. And this thing only suffiseth y-nough to destroyen the freedom of oure arbitre, that is to seyn, of oure free wil. But 60 now, certes, sheweth it wel, how fer fro the sothe and how up-so_doun is this thing that we seyn, that the bitydinge of temporel thinges is cause of the eterne prescience. But for to wenen that god purvyeth the thinges to comen for they ben to comen, what other thing is it but for to wene that thilke thinges that bitidden 65 whylom ben causes of thilke soverein purvyaunce that is in god? And her-to I adde yit this thing: that, right as whan that I wot |p133 that a thing is, it bihoveth by necessitee that thilke selve thing be; and eek, whan I have knowe that any thing shal bityden, so byhoveth it by necessitee that thilke thing bityde:-so folweth it 70 thanne, that the bitydinge of the thing y-wist biforn ne may nat ben eschued. And at the laste, yif that any wight wene a thing to ben other weyes thanne it is, it is nat only unscience, but it is deceivable opinioun ful diverse and fer fro the sothe of science. Wherfore, yif any thing be so to comen, that the bitydinge of hit 75 ne be nat certein ne necessarie, who may weten biforn that thilke thing is to comen? For right as science ne may nat ben medled with falsnesse (as who seyth, that yif I wot a thing, it ne may nat be false that I ne wot it), right so thilke thing that is conceived by science ne may nat ben non other weys than as it is conceived. 80 For that is the cause why that science wanteth lesing (as who seyth, why that witinge ne receiveth nat lesinge of that it wot; for it bihoveth, by necessitee, that every thing be right as science comprehendeth it to be. What shal I thanne seyn? In whiche manere knoweth god biforn the thinges to comen, yif they ne be 85 ant certein? For yif that he deme that they ben to comen uneschewably, and so may be that it is possible that they ne shollen nat comen, god is deceived. But nat only to trowen that god is deceived, but for to speke it with mouth, it is a felonous sinne. But yif that god wot that, right so as thinges ben to 90 comen, so shullen they comen-so that he wite egaly, as who seyth, indifferently, that thinges mowen ben doon or elles nat y-doon-what is thilke prescience that ne comprehendeth no certein thing ne stable? Or elles what difference is ther bitwixe the prescience and thilke Iape-worthy divyninge of Tiresie the 95 divynour, that seyde: "Al that I seye," quod he, "either it shal be, or elles it ne shal nat be?" Or elles how mochel is worth the devyne prescience more than the opinioun of mankinde, yif so be that it demeth the thinges uncertein, as men doon; of the whiche domes of men the bitydinge nis nat certein? But yif so be that 100 non uncertein thing ne may ben in him that is right certein welle |p134 of alle thinges, thanne is the bitydinge certein of thilke thinges whiche he hath wist biforn fermely to comen. For which it folweth, that the freedom of the conseiles and of the werkes of mankind nis non, sin that the thoght of god, that seeth alle 105 thinges without errour of falsnesse, bindeth and constreineth hem to a bitydinge by necessitee. And yif this thing be ones y-graunted and received, that is to seyn, that ther nis no free wille, than sheweth it wel, how greet destruccioun and how grete damages ther folwen of thinges of mankinde. For in ydel ben 110 ther thanne purposed and bihight medes to gode folk, and peynes to badde folk, sin that no moevinge of free corage voluntarie ne hath nat deserved hem, that is to seyn, neither mede ne peyne; and it sholde seme thanne, that thilke thing is alderworst, which that is now demed for aldermost iust and most rightful, that is to seyn, 115 that shrewes ben punisshed, or elles that gode folk ben y-gerdoned: the whiche folk, sin that hir propre wil ne sent hem nat to that oon ne to that other, that is to seyn, neither to gode ne to harm, but con_streineth hem certein necessitee of thinges to comen: thanne ne shollen ther nevere ben, ne nevere weren, vyce ne vertu, but it 120 sholde rather ben confusioun of alle desertes medled with-outen discrecioun. And yit ther folweth an-other inconvenient, of the whiche ther ne may ben thoght no more felonous ne more wikke; and that is this: that, so as the ordre of thinges is y-led and comth of the purviaunce of god, ne that no-thing nis leveful to 125 the conseiles of mankinde (as who seyth, that men han no power to doon no-thing, ne wilne no-thing), than folweth it, that oure vyces ben referred to the maker of alle good (as who seyth, than folweth it, that god oughte han the blame of oure vyces, sin he constreineth us by necessitee to doon vyces). Thanne is ther no resoun to hopen in 130 god, ne for to preyen to god; for what sholde any wight hopen to god, or why sholde he preyen to god, sin that the ordenaunce of destinee, which that ne may nat ben inclyned, knitteth and streineth alle thinges that men may desiren? Thanne sholde ther be doon awey thilke only allyaunce bitwixen god and men, that is to seyn, |p135 135 to hopen and to preyen. But by the prys of rightwisnesse and of verray mekenesse we deserven the gerdoun of the divyne grace, which that is inestimable, that is to seyn, that it is so greet, that it ne may nat ben ful y-preysed. And this is only the manere, that is to seyn, hope and preyeres, for which it semeth that men mowen 140 speke with god, and by resoun of supplicacioun be conioined to thilke cleernesse, that nis nat aproched no rather or that men beseken it and impetren it. And yif men wene nat that hope ne preyeres ne han no strengthes, by the necessitee of thinges to comen y-received, what thing is ther thanne by whiche we mowen 145 ben conioined and clyven to thilke soverein prince of thinges? For which it bihoveth, by necessitee, that the linage of mankinde, as thou songe a litel her-biforn, be departed and unioined from his welle, and failen of his biginninge, that is to seyn, god. METRE III. Quenam discors federa rerum. What discordable cause hath to-rent and unioined the bindinge, or the alliaunce, of thinges, that is to seyn, the coniunccioun of god and man? Whiche god hath establisshed so greet bataile bi_wixen tthise two soothfast or verray thinges, that is to seyn, 5 bitwixen the purviaunce of god and free wil, that they ben singuler and devyded, ne that they ne wolen nat be medeled ne coupled to-gidere? But ther nis no discord to the verray thinges, but they clyven, certein, alwey to hem-self. But the thought of man, con_ounded fand overthrowen by the dirke membres of the body, ne 10 may nat, by fyr of his derked looking, that is to seyn, by the vigour of his insighte, whyl the soule is in the body, knowe the thinne subtil knittinges of thinges. But wherfore enchaufeth it so, by so |p136 greet love, to finden thilke notes of sooth y-covered; that is to seyn, wherfore enchaufeth the toght of man by so greet desyr to 15 knowen thilke notificacions that ben y-hid under the covertoures of sooth? Wot it aught. thilke thing that it, anguissous, desireth to knowe? As who seith, nay; for no man travaileth for to witen thinges that he wot. And therfore the texte seith thus: but who travaileth to witen thinges y-knowe? And yif that he ne knoweth 20 hem nat, what seketh thilke blinde thoght? What is he that desireth any thing of which he wot right naught? As who seith, who so desireth any thing, nedes, somwhat he knoweth of it; or elles, he ne coude nat desire it. Or who may folwen thinges that ne ben nat y-wist? And thogh that he seke tho thinges, wher shal he 25 finde hem? What wight, that is al unconninge and ignoraunt, may knowen the forme that is y-founde? But whan the soule biholdeth and seeth the heye thoght, that is to seyn, god, than knoweth it to-gidere the somme and the singularitees, that is to seyn, the principles and everich by him-self. 30 But now, whyl the soule is hid in the cloude and in the derke_nesse of the membres of the body, it ne hath nat al for-yeten it-self, but it with-holdeth the somme of thinges, and leseth the singularitees. Thanne, who-so that seeketh soothnesse, he nis in neither nother habite; for he noot nat al, ne he ne hath nat al 35 foryeten: but yit him remembreth the somme of thinges that he with-holdeth, and axeth conseil, and retreteth deepliche thinges y-seyn biforn, that is to seyn, the grete somme in his minde: so that he mowe adden the parties that he hath for-yeten to thilke that he hath with-holden.' PROSE IV. Tum illa: Vetus, inquit, hec est. Thanne seide she: `this is,' quod she, `the olde question of the purviaunce of god; and Marcus Tullius, whan he devyded the divynaciouns, that is to seyn, in his book that he wroot of divynaciouns, he moevede gretly this questioun; and thou thy-self has y-sought |p137 5 it mochel, and outrely, and longe; but yit ne hath it nat ben determined ne y-sped fermely and diligently of any of yow. And the cause of this derkenesse and of this difficultee is, for that the moevinge of the resoun of mankinde ne may nat moeven to (that is to seyn, applyen or ioinen to) the simplicitee of the devyne 10 prescience; the whiche simplicitee of the devyne prescience, yif that men mighten thinken it in any maner, that is to seyn, that yif men mighten thinken and comprehenden the thinges as god seeth hem, thanne ne sholde ther dwellen outrely no doute: the whiche resoun and cause of difficultee I shal assaye at the laste to shewe 15 and to speden, whan I have first y-spended and answered to tho resouns by which thou art y-moeved. For I axe why thou wenest that thilke resouns of hem that assoilen this questioun ne ben nat speedful y-nough ne sufficient: the whiche solucioun, or the whiche resoun, for that it demeth that the prescience nis nat cause 20 of necessitee to thinges to comen, than ne weneth it nat that freedom of wil be destorbed or y-let by prescience. For ne drawestow nat arguments from elles-where of the necessitee of thinges to-comen (as who seith, any other wey than thus) but that thilke thinges that the prescience wot biforn ne mowen nat un_bityde 25 ? That is to seyn, that they moten bityde. But thanne, yif that prescience ne putteth no necessitee to thinges to comen, as thou thy-self hast confessed it and biknowen a litel her-biforn, what cause or what is it (as who seith, ther may no cause be) by which that the endes voluntarie of thinges mighten be constreined to 30 certein bitydinge? For by grace of positioun, so that thou mowe the betere understonde this that folweth, I pose, per impossibile, that ther be no prescience. Thanne axe I,' quod she, `in as mochel as apertieneth to that, sholden thanne thinges that comen of free wil ben constreined to bityden by necessitee?' 35 Boece. `Nay,' quod I. `Thanne ayeinward,' quod she, `I suppose that ther be pre_science, but that it ne putteth no necessitee to thinges; thanne trowe I, that thilke selve freedom of wil shal dwellen al hool and |p138 absolut and unbounden. But thou wolt seyn that; al-be-it so that 40 prescience nis nat cause of the necessitee of bitydinge to thinges to comen, algates yit it is a signe that the thinges ben to bityden by necessitee. By this manere thanne, al-thogh the prescience ne hadde never y-ben, yit algate or at the leeste weye it is certein thing, that the endes and bitydinges of thinges to comen sholden 45 been necessarie. For every signe sheweth and signifyeth only what the thing is, hut it ne maketh nat the thing that it signifyeth. For which it bihoveth first to shewen, that no-thing ne bitydeth that it ne bitydeth by necessitee, so that it may appere that the prescience is signe of this necessitee; or elles, yif ther nere no necessitee, 50 certes, thilke prescience ne mighte nat be signe of thing that nis nat. But certes, it is now certein that the proeve of this, y-sustened by stidefast resoun, ne shal nat ben lad ne proeved by signes ne by arguments y-taken fro with-oute, but by causes covenable and necessarie. But thou mayst seyn, how may it be 55 that the thinges ne bityden nat that ben y-purveyed to comen? But, certes, right as we trowen that tho thinges which that the purviance wot biforn to comen ne ben nat to bityden; but that ne sholden we nat demen; but rather, al-thogh that they shal bityden, yit ne have they no necessitee of hir kinde to bityden. 60 And this maystow lightly aperceiven by this that I shal seyn. For we seen many thinges whan they ben don biforn oure eyen, right as men seen the cartere worken in the torninge or atempringe or adressinge of hise cartes or charietes. And by this manere (as who seith, maystow understonde) of alle othere workmen. Is ther 65 thanne any necessitee, as who seith, in oure lokinge, that con_streineth or compelleth any of thilke thinges to ben don so?' Boece. `Nay,' quod I; `for in ydel and in veyn were al the effect of craft, yif that alle thinges weren moeved by constreininge;' that is to seyn, by constreininge of oure eyen of of oure sight. 70 Philosophie. `The thinges thanne,' quod she, `that, whan men doon hem, ne han no necessitee that men doon hem, eek tho |p139 same thinges, first or they ben doon, they ben to comen with-oute necessitee. For-why ther ben somme thinges to bityden, of which the endes and the bitydinges of hem ben absolut and quit of alle 75 necessitee. For certes, I ne trowe nat that any man wolde seyn this: that tho thinges that men doon now, that they ne weren to bityden first or they weren y-doon; and thilke same thinges, al-thogh that men had y-wist hem biforn, yit they han free bitydinges. For right as science of thinges present ne bringeth in 80 no necessitee to thinges that men doon, right so the prescience of thinges to comen ne bringeth in no necessitee to thinges to bityden. But thou mayst seyn, that of thilke same it is y-douted, as whether that of thilke thinges that ne han non issues and bitydinges necessaries, yif ther-of may ben any prescience; for 85 certes,they semen to discorden. For thou wenest that, yif that thinges ben y-seyn biforn, that necessitee folweth hem; and yif necessitee faileth hem, they ne mighten nat ben wist biforn, and that no-thing ne may ben comprehended by science but certein; and yif tho thinges that ne han no certein bitydinges ben purveyed 90 as certein, it sholde ben dirknesse of opinioun, nat soothfastnesse of science. And thou wenest that it be diverse fro the hoolnesse of science that any man sholde deme a thing to ben other-weys thanne it is it-self. And the cause of this erroure is, that of alle the thinges that every wight hath y-knowe, they wenen that tho 95 thinges been y-knowe al-oonly by the strengthe and by the nature of the thinges that ben y-wist or y-knowe; and it is al the contrarie. For al that ever is y-knowe, it is rather comprehended and knowen, nat after his strengthe and his nature, but after the facultee, that is to seyn, the power and the nature, of hem that 100 knowen. And, for that this thing shal mowen shewen by a short ensaumple: the same roundnesse of a body, other-weys the sighte of the eye knoweth it, and other-weyes the touchinge. The lokinge, by castinge of his bemes, waiteth and seeth from afer al the body to-gidere, with-oute moevinge of it-self; but the touchinge 105 clyveth and conioineth to the rounde body, and moeveth aboute |p140 the environinge, and comprehendeth by parties the roundnesse. And the man him-self, other-weys wit biholdeth him, and other-weys imaginacioun, and other-weys resoun and other-weys intelligence. For the wit comprehendeth withoute-forth the 110 figure of the body of the man that is establissed in the matere subiect; but the imaginacioun comprehendeth only the figure withoute the matere. Resoun surmounteth imaginacioun, and comprehendeth by universal lokinge the comune spece that is in the singuler peces. But the eye of intelligence is heyere; for 115 it surmounteth the environinge of the universitee, and looketh, over that, by pure subtilitee of thoght, thilke same simple forme of man that is perduably in the divyne thoght. In whiche this oughte greetly to ben considered, that the heyeste strengthe to comprehenden thinges enbraseth and contieneth the lowere 120 strengthe; but the lowere strengthe ne aryseth nat in no manere to heyere strengthe. For wit ne may no-thing comprehende out of matere, ne the imaginacioun ne loketh nat the universels speces, ne resoun taketh nat the simple forme so as intelligence taketh it; but intelligence, that looketh al aboven, whan it hath 125 comprehended the forme, it knoweth and demeth alle the thinges that ben under that forme. But she knoweth hem in thilke manere in the whiche it comprehendeth thilke same simple forme that ne may never ben knowen to none of that other; that is to seyn, to none of tho three forseide thinges of the sowle. For it knoweth 130 the universitee of resoun, and the figure of the imaginacioun, and the sensible material conceived by wit; ne it ne useth nat nor of resoun ne of imaginacioun ne of wit withoute-forth; but it biholdeth alle thinges, so as I shal seye, by a strok of thought formely, withoute discours or collacioun. Certes resoun, whan it 135 looketh any-thing universel, it ne useth nat of imaginacioun, nor of witte, and algates yit it comprehendeth the thinges imaginable and sensible; for resoun is she that diffinisseth the universel of hir conseyte right thus:-man is a resonable two-foted beest. And |p141 how so that this knowinge is universel, yet nis ther no wight that 140 ne woot wel that a man is a thing imaginable and sensible; and this same considereth wel resoun; but that nis nat by imaginacioun nor by wit, but it looketh it by a resonable concepcioun. Also imaginacioun, al-be-it so that it taketh of wit the beginninges to seen and to formen the figures, algates, al-thogh that wit ne were 145 nat present, yit it environeth and comprehendeth alle thinges sensible; nat by resoun sensible of deminge, but by resoun imaginatif. Seestow nat thanne that alle the thinges, in knowinge, usen more of hir facultee or of hir power than they doon of the facultee or power of thinges that ben y-knowe? Ne that nis nat 150 wrong; for so as every Iugement is the dede or doinge of him that demeth, it bihoveth that every wight performe the werk and his entencioun, nat of foreine power, but of his propre power. METRE IV. Quondam porticus attulit. The Porche, that is to seyn, a gate ot the town of Athenes ther-as philosohpres hadden hir congregacioun to desputen, thilke Porche broughte som-tyme olde men, ful derke in hir sentences, that is to seyn, philosophres that highten Stoiciens, that wenden that images 5 and sensibilitees, that is to seyn, sensible imaginaciouns, or elles imaginaciouns of sensible thinges, weren empreinted in-to sowles fro bodies withoute-forth; as who seith, that thilke Stoiciens wenden that the sowle hadde ben naked of it-self, as a mirour or a clene parchemin, so that alle figures mosten first comen fro thinges fro 10 withoute-forth in-to sowles, and ben empreinted in-to sowles: Text: right as we ben wont som-tyme, by a swifte pointel, to ficchen lettres empreinted in the smothenesse or in the pleinnesse of the table of wex or in parchemin that ne hath no figure ne note in it. Glose. But now argueth Boece that opinioun, and seith 15 thus: But yif the thryvinge sowle ne unpIeyteth no-thing,that is to seyn, ne doth no-thing, by his propre moevinges, but suffreth and lyth subgit to tho figures and to tho notes of bodies withoute-forth, |p142 and yildeth images ydel and veyn in the manere of a mirour, whennes thryveth thanne or whennes comth thilke knowinge in 20 our sowle, that discerneth and biholdeth alle thinges? And whennes is thilke strengthe that biholdeth the singuler thinges; or whennes is the strengthe that devydeth thinges y-knowe; and thilke strengthe that gadereth to-gidere the thinges devyded; and the strengthe that cheseth his entrechaunged wey? For som-tyme 25 it heveth up the heved, that is to seyn, that it heveth up the enten_cioun to right heye thinges; and som-tyme it descendeth in-to right lowe thinges. And whan it retorneth in-to him-self, it re_proeveth and destroyeth the false thinges by the trewe thinges. Certes, this strengthe is cause more efficient, and mochel 30 more mighty to seyn and to knowe thinges, than thilke cause that suffreth and receiveth the notes and the figures impressed in maner of matere. Algates the passioun, that is to seyn, the suffraunce or the wit, in the quike body, goth biforn, excitinge and moevinge the strengthes of the thought. Right so as whan that 35 cleernesse smyteth the eyen and moeveth hem to seen, or right so as vois or soun hurteleth to the eres and commoeveth hem to herkne, than is the strengthe of the thought y-moeved and excited, and clepeth forth, to semblable moevinges, the speces that it halt with-inne it-self, and addeth tho speces to the notes 40 and to the thinges withoute-forth, and medleth the images of thinges withoute-forth to tho formes y-hidde with-inne him-self. PROSE V. Quod si in corporibus sentiendis. But what yif that in bodies to ben feled, that is to seyn, in the takinge of knowelechinge of bodily thinges, and al-be-it so that the qualitees of bodies, that ben obiecte fro withoute-forth, moeven and entalenten the instruments of the wittes; and al-be-it so that 5 the passioun of the body, that is to seyn, the wit or the suffraunce, goth to-forn the strengthe of the workinge corage, the which |p143 passioun or suffraunce clepeth forth the dede of the thoght in him_self, and moeveth and exciteth in this mene whyle the formes that resten withinne-forth; and yif that, in sensible bodies, as I have 10 seyd, our corage nis nat y-taught or empreinted by passioun to knowe thise thinges, but demeth and knoweth, of his owne strengthe, the passioun or suffraunce subiect to the body: moche more thanne tho thinges that ben absolut and quite fro alle talents or affecciouns of bodies, as god or his aungeles, ne folwen nat in 15 discerninge thinges obiect fro withoute-forth, but they accom_plisshen and speden the dede of hir thoght. By this resoun thanne ther comen many maner knowinges to dyverse and differinge substaunces. For the wit of the body, the whiche wit is naked and despoiled of alle other knowinges, thilke wit 20 comth to beestes that ne mowen nat moeven hem-self her and ther, as oystres and muscules, and other swiche shelle-fish of the see, that clyven and ben norisshed to roches. But the imagina_cioun comth to remuable beestes, that semen to han talent to fleen or to desiren any thing. But resoun is al-only to the linage 25 of mankinde, right as intelligence is only [to] the devyne nature: of which it folweth, that thilke knowinge is more worth than thise othre, sin it knoweth by his propre nature nat only his subiect, as who seith, it ne knoweth nat al-only that apertieneth properly to his knowinge, but it knoweth the subiects of alle other knowinges. 30 But how shal it thanne be, yif that wit and imaginacioun stryven ayein resoninge, and seyn, that of thilke universel thing that resoun weneth to seen, that it nis right naught? For wit and imaginacioun seyn that that, that is sensible or imaginable, it ne may nat be universel. Thanne is either the Iugement of resoun 35 sooth, ne that ther nis nothing sensible; or elles, for that resoun wot wel that many thinges ben subiect to wit and to imaginacioun, thanne is the concepcioun of resoun veyn and false, which that loketh and comprehendeth that that is sensible and singuler as universel. And yif that resoun wolde answeren ayein to thise 40 two, that is to seyn, to witte and to imaginacioun, and seyn, that, soothly she hir-self, that is to seyn, resoun, loketh and compre_ |p144 hendeth, by resoun of universalitee, bothe that that is sensible and that that is imaginable, and that thilke two, that is to seyn, wit and imaginacioun, ne mowen nat strecchen ne enhansen hem_self 45 to the knowinge of universalitee, for that the knowinge of hem ne may exceden ne surmounte the bodily figures: certes, of the knowinge of thinges, men oughten rather yeven credence to the more stedefast and to the more parfit Iugement. In this maner stryvinge thanne, we that han strengthe of resoninge and 50 of imagininge and of wit, that is to seyn, by resoun and by imagina_cioun and by wit, we sholde rather preyse the cause of resoun; as who seith, than the cause of wit and of imaginacioun. SemblabIe thing is it, that the resoun of mankinde ne weneth nat that the devyne intelligence bi-holdeth or knoweth thinges to 55 comen, but right as the resoun of mankinde knoweth hem. For thou arguest and seyst thus: that yif it ne seme nat to men that some thinges han certein and necessarie bitydinges, they ne mowen nat ben wist biforn certeinly to bityden. And thanne nis ther no prescience of thilke thinges; and yif we trowe that 60 prescience be in thise thinges, thanne is ther no-thing that it ne bitydeth by necessitee. But certes, yif we mighten han the Iuge_ment of the devyne thoght, as we ben parsoneres of resoun, right so as we han demed that it behoveth that imaginacioun and wit be binethe resoun, right so wolde we demen that it were rightful 65 thing, that mannes resoun oughte to submitten it-self and to ben binethe the divyne thoght. For which, yif that we mowen, as who seith, that, yif that we mowen, I counseyle, that we enhanse us in-to the heighte of thilke sovereyn intelIigence; for ther shal resoun wel seen that, that it ne may nat biholden in it-self. And 70 certes that is this, in what maner the prescience of god seeth alle thinges certeins and diffinisshed, al-thogh they ne han no certein issues or bitydinges; ne this is non opinioun, but it is rather the simplicitee of the sovereyn science, that nis nat enclosed nor y-shet within none boundes. |p145 METRE V. Quam uariis terris animalia permeant figuris. The beestes passen by the erthes by ful diverse figures. For som of hem han hir bodies straught and crepen in the dust, and drawen after hem a tras or a foruh y-continued; that is to seyn, as nadres or snakes. And other beestes, by the wandringe lightnesse 5 of hir winges, beten the windes, and over-swimmen the spaces of the longe eyr by moist fleeinge. And other beestes gladen hem_self to diggen hir tras or hir steppes in the erthe with hir goings or with hir feet, and to goon either by the grene feldes, or elles to walken under the wodes. And al-be-it so that thou seest that 10 they alle discorden by diverse formes, algates hir faces, enclined, hevieth hir dulle wittes. Only the linage of man heveth heyeste his heye heved, and stondeth light with his up-right body, and biholdeth the erthes under him. And, but-yif thou, erthely man, wexest yvel out of thy wit, this figure amonesteth thee, that axest 15 the hevene with thy righte visage, and hast areysed thy fore-heved, to beren up a-heigh thy corage; so that thy thoght ne be nat y-hevied ne put lowe under fote, sin that thy body is so heye areysed. PROSE VI. Quoniam igitur, uti paullo ante. Therfor thanne, as I have shewed a litel her-biforn, that al thing that is y-wist nis nat knowen by his nature propre, but by the nature of hem that comprehenden it, lat us loke now, in as mochel as it is leveful to us, as who seith, lat us loke now as we 5 mowen, which that the estat is of the devyne substaunce; so that we mowen eek knowen what his science is. The commune Iuge_ment of alle creatures resonables thanne is this: that god is eterne. Lat us considere thanne what is eternitee, for certes that shal shewen us to-gidere the devyne nature and the devyne science. 10 Eternitee, thanne, is parfit possessioun and al-togidere of lyf |p146 interminable; and that sheweth more cleerly by the comparisoun or the colIacioun of temporel thinges. For al thing that liveth in tyme it is present, and procedeth fro preterits in-to futures, that is to seyn, fro tyme passed in-to tyme cominge; ne ther nis no-thing 15 establisshed in tyme that may enbracen to-gider al the space of his lyf. For certes, yit ne hath it taken the tyme of to-morwe, and it hath lost the tyme of yisterday. And certes, in the lyf of this day, ye ne liven no more but right as in the moevable and transitorie moment. Thanne thilke thing that suffreth temporel 20 condicioun, al-thogh that it never bigan to be, ne thogh it never cese for to be, as Aristotle demed of the world, and al-thogh that the lyf of it be strecched with infinitee of tyme, yit algates nis it no swich thing that men mighten trowen by right that it is eterne. For al-thogh that it comprehende and embrace the space 25 of lyf infinit, yit algates ne embraceth it nat the space of the Iyf al-togider; for it ne hath nat the futures that ne ben nat yit, ne it ne hath no lenger the preterits that ben y-doon or y-passed. But thilke thing thanne, that hath and comprehendeth to-gider al the plentee of the lyf interminable, to whom ther ne faileth naught of 30 the future, and to whom ther nis naught of the preterit escaped nor y-passed, thilke same is y-witnessed and y-proeved by right to be eterne. And it bihoveth by necessitee that thilke thing be al-wey present to him-self, and compotent; as who seith, al-wey present to him-self, and mighty that al be right at his plesaunce; 35 and that he have al present the infinitee of the moevable tyme. Wher-for som men trowen wrongfully that, whan they heren that it semede to Plato that this world ne hadde never beginninge of tyme, ne that it never shal han failinge, they wenen in this maner that this world be maked coeterne with his maker; as who 40 seith, they wene that this world and god ben maked togider eterne, and that is a wrongful wenige. For other thing is it to ben y-lad by lyf interminable, as Plato graunted to the world, and other thing is it to embrace to-gider al the present of the lyf interminable, the whiche thing it is cleer and manifest that it is propre to the 45 devyne thoght. |p147 Ne it ne sholde nat semen to us, that god is elder thanne thinges that ben y-maked hy quantitee of tynie, but rather by the propretee of his simple nature. For this ilke infinit moevinge of temporel thinges folweth this presentarie estat of lyf unmoevable, 50 and so as it ne may nat countrefeten it ne feynen it ne be even_lyke to it for the inmoevabletee, that is to seyn, that is in the eternitee of god, it faileth and falleth in-to moevinge fro the sim_plicitee of the presence of god, and disencreseth in-to the infinit quantitee of future and of preterit: and so as it ne may nat han 55 to-gider al the plentee of the lyf, algates yit, for as moche as it ne ceseth never for to ben in som maner, it semeth som-del to us, that it folweth and resembleth thilke thing that it ne may nat atayne to ne fulfillen, and bindeth it-self to som maner presence of this litel and swifte moment: the which presence of this litel 60 and swifte moment, for that it bereth a maner image or lyknesse of the ay-dwellinge presence of god it graunteth, to swiche maner thinges as it bitydeth to, that it semeth hem as thise thinges han y-ben, and ben. And for that the presence of swich litel moment ne may nat 65 dwelle, ther-for it ravisshed and took the infinit wey of tyme, that is to sey, by successioun; and by this maner is it y-doon, for that it sholde continue the lyf in goinge, of the whiche lyf it ne mighte nat enbrace the plentee in dwellinge. And for-thy, yif we wollen putten worthy names to thinges, and folwen Plato, lat us seye 70 thanne soothly, that god is eterne, and the world is perpetuel. Thanne, sin that every Iugement knoweth and comprehendeth by his owne nature thinges that ben subiect un-to him, ther is soothly to god, al-weys, an eterne and presentarie estat; and the science of him, that over-passeth al temporel moevement, dwelleth in the 75 simplicitee of his presence, and embraceth and considereth alle the infinit spaces of tymes, preterits and futures, and loketh, in his simple knowinge, alle thinges of preterit right as they weren y-doon presently right now. Yif thou wolt thanne thenken and avyse the prescience, by which it knoweth alle thinges, thou ne 80 shal nat demen it as prescience of thinges to comen, but thou shalt demen it more rightfully that it is science of presence or of |p148 instaunce, that never ne faileth. For which it nis nat y-cleped "previdence," but it sholde rather ben cleped "purviaunce", that is establisshed ful fer fro right lowe thinges, and biholdeth from 85 a-fer alle thinges, right as it were fro the heye heighte of thinges. Why axestow thanne, or why desputestow thanne, that thilke thinges ben doon by necessitee whiche that ben y-seyn and knowen by the devyne sighte, sin that, forsothe, men ne maken nat thilke thinges necessarie which that they seen ben y-doon in 90 hir sighte? For addeth thy biholdinge any necessitee to thilke thinges that thou bilholdest presente?' `Nay,' quod I. Philosophie. `Certes, thanne, if men mighte maken any digne comparisoun or collacioun of the presence devyne and of the 95 presence of mankinde, right so as ye seen some thinges in this temporel present, right so seeth god alle thinges by his eterne present. Wher-fore this devyne prescience ne chaungeth nat the nature ne the propretee of thinges, but biholdeth swiche thinges present to him-ward as they shullen bityde to yow-ward in tyme 100 to comen. Ne it confoundeth nat the Iugement of thinges; but by o sighte of his thought, he knoweth the thinges to comen, as wel necessarie as nat necessarie. Right so as whan ye seen to-gider a man walken on the erthe and the sonne arysen in the hevene, al-be-it so that ye seen and biholden that oon and 105 that other to-gider, yit natheles ye demen and discernen that that oon is voluntarie and that other necessarie. Right so thanne the devyne lookinge, biholdinge alle thinges under him, ne troubleth nat the qualitee of thinges that ben certeinly present to him-ward; but, as to the condicioun of tyme, forsothe, they ben future. For 110 which it folweth, that this nis noon opinioun, but rather a stede_fast knowinge, y-strengthed by soothnesse, that, whanne that god knoweth anything to be, he ne unwot nat that thilke thing wanteth necessitee to be; this is to seyn, that, whan that god knoweth any thing to bityde, he wot wel that it ne hath no necessitee to bityde. 115 And yif thou seyst heer, that thilke thing that god seeth to bityde, it ne may nat unbityde (as who seith, it mot bityde), and |p149 thilke thing that ne may nat unbityde it mot bityde by necessitee, and that thou streyne me by this name of necessitee: certes, I wol wel confessen and biknowe a thing of ful sad trouthe, but 120 unnethe shal ther any wight mowe seen it or come ther-to, but-yif that he be biholder of the devyne thoght. For I wol answeren thee thus: that thilke thing that is future, whan it is referred to the devyne knowinge, thanne is it necessarie; but certes, whan it is understonden in his owne kinde, men seen it is outrely free, 125 and absolut fro alle necessitee. For certes, ther ben two maneres of necessitee. That oon necessitee is simple, as thus: that it bihoveth by necessitee, that alle men be mortal or deedly. Another necessitee is conditionel, as thus: yif thou wost that a man walketh, it bihoveth by necessitee 130 that he walke. Thilke thing thanne that any wight hath y-knowe to be, it ne may ben non other weyes thanne he knoweth it to be. But this condicioun ne draweth nat with hir thilke necessitee simple. For certes, this necessitee conditionel, the propre nature of it ne maketh it nat, but the adieccioun of the condicioun 135 maketh it. For no necessitee ne constreyneth a man to gon, that goth by his propre wil; al-be-it so that, whan he goth, that it is necessarie that he goth. Right on this same maner thanne, yif that the purviaunce of god seeth any thing present, than mot thilke thing ben by necessitee, al-thogh that it ne have 140 no necessitee of his owne nature. But certes, the futures that bityden by freedom of arbitre, god seeth hem alle to-gider present. Thise thinges thanne, yif they ben referred to the devyne sighte, thanne ben they maked necessarie by the condicioun of the devyne knowinge. But certes, yif thilke thinges be considered 145 by hem-self, they ben absolut of necessitee, and ne forleten nat ne cesen nat of the libertee of hir owne nature. Thanne, certes, with-oute doute, alle the thinges shollen ben doon which that god wot biforn that they ben to comen. But som of hem comen and bityden of free arbitre or of free wille, that, al-be-it so that 150 they bityden, yit algates ne lese they nat hir propre nature in beinge; by the which first, or that they weren y-doon, they hadden power nat to han bitid.' Boece. `What is this to seyn thanne,' quod I, `that thinges ne |p150 ben nat necessarie by hir propre nature, so as they comen in alle 155 maneres in the lyknesse of necessitee by the condicioun of the devyne science?' Philosophie. `This is the difference,' quod she; `that tho thinges that I purposede thee a litel heer-biforn, that is to seyn, the sonne arysinge and the man walkinge, that, ther-whyles that 160 thilke thinges been y-doon, they ne mighte nat ben undoon, natheles, that oon of hem, or it was y-doon, it bihoved by ne_cessitee that it was y-doon, but nat that other. Right so is it here, that the thinges that god hath present, with-oute doute they shollen been. But som of hem descendeth of the nature of 165 thinges, as the sonne arysinge; and som descendeth of the power of the doeres, as the man walkinge. Thanne seide I no wrong, that yif these thinges ben referred to the devyne knowinge, thanne ben they necessarie; and yif they ben considered by hem-self, thanne ben they absolut fro the bond of necessitee. Right so as 170 alle thinges that apereth or sheweth to the wittes, yif thou referre it to resoun, it is universel, and yif thou referre it or loke it to it-self, than is it singuler. But now, yif thou seyst thus, that yif it be in my power to chaunge my purpos, than shaI I voide the purviaunce of god, whan that, peraventure, I shal han chaunged 175 the thinges that he knoweth biforn, thanne shal I answere thee thus. Certes, thou mayst wel chaunge thy purpos; but, for as mochel as the present soothnesse of the devyne purviaunce bi_holdeth that thou mayst chaunge thy purpos, and wether thou wolt chaunge it or no, and whiderward that thou torne it, thou ne 180 mayst nat eschuen the devyne prescience; right as thou ne mayst nat fleen the sighte of the presente eye, al-though that thou torne thy-self by thy free wil in-to dyverse acciouns. But thou mayst seyn ayein: "How shal it thanne be? Shal nat the devyne science be chaunged by my disposicioun, whan that I wol o thing 185 now, and now another? And thilke prescience, ne semeth it nat to entrechaunge stoundes of knowinge; " ' as who seith, ne shal it nat seme to us, that the devyne prescience entrechaungeth hise dyverse stoundes of knowinge, so that it knowe sum-tyme o thing and sum_tyme the contrarie of that thing? |p151 190 `No, forsothe,' quod I. Philosophie. `For the devyne sighte renneth to-forn and seeth alle futures, and clepeth hem ayein, and retorneth hem to the presence of his propre knowinge; ne he ne entrechaungeth nat, so as thou wenest, the stoundes of forknowinge, as now this, now that; but 195 he ay-dwellinge comth biforn, and embraceth at o strook alle thy mutaciouns. And this presence to comprehenden and to seen alle thinges, god ne hath nat taken it of thinges to come, but of his propre simplicitee. And her-by is assoiled thilke thing that thou puttest a litel her-biforn, that is to seyn, 200 that it is unworthy thing to seyn, that our futures yeven cause of the science of god. For certes, this strengthe of the devyne science, which that embraceth alle thinges by his presentarie knowinge, establissheth maner to alle thinges, and it ne oweth naught to latter thinges, and sin that these thinges ben thus, 205 that is to seyn, sin that necessitee nis nat in thinges by the devyne prescience, than is ther freedom of arbitre, that dwelleth hool and unwemmed to mortal men. Ne the lawes ne purposen nat wikkedly medes and peynes to the willinges of men that ben unbounden and quite of alle necessitee. And god, biholder and 210 for-witer of alle thinges, dwelleth above; and the present eternitee of his sighte renneth alwey with the dyverse qualitee of oure dedes, despensinge and ordeyninge medes to goode men, and torments to wikked men. Ne in ydel ne in veyn ne ben ther nat put in god hope and preyeres, that ne mowen nat ben unspeedful 215 ne with-oute effect, whan they ben rightful. Withstond thanne and eschue thou vyces; worshipe and love thou virtues; areys thy corage to rightful hopes; yilde thou humble preyeres a-heigh. Gret necessitee of prowesse and vertu is encharged and commaunded to yow, yif ye nil nat dissimulen; 220 sin that ye worken and doon, that is to seyn, your dedes or your workes, biforn the eyen of the Iuge that seeth and demeth alle thinges.' To whom be glorye and worshipe by infinit tymes. AMEN.