Bo3 p1 1 By this sche hadde ended hir song, whan the
Bo3 p1 2 swetnesse of here dite hadde thurw-perced me,
Bo3 p1 3 that was desyrous of herknynge, and I astoned
Bo3 p1 4 hadde yit streyghte myn eres (that is to seyn, to
Bo3 p1 5 herkne the bet what sche wolde seye). So that
Bo3 p1 6 a litel herafter I seide thus: "O thow that art
Bo3 p1 7 sovereyne confort of angwyssous corages, so
Bo3 p1 8 thow hast remounted and norysshed me with
Bo3 p1 9 the weyghte of thi sentences and with delyt
Bo3 p1 10 of thy syngynge; so that I trowe nat
Bo3 p1 11 nowe that I be unparygal to the strokes of
Bo3 p1 12 Fortune (as who seith, I dar wel now suffren
Bo3 p1 13 alle the assautes of Fortune and wel defende
Bo3 p1 14 me fro hir). And tho remedies whiche that
Bo3 p1 15 thou seydest herbyforn that weren ryght
Bo3 p1 16 scharpe, nat oonly that I ne am nat agrisen of
Bo3 p1 17 hem now, but I, desiros of herynge, axe gretly
Bo3 p1 18 to heren tho remedies."
Bo3 p1 19 Thanne seyde sche thus: "That feeled I
Bo3 p1 20 ful wel," quod sche, "whan that thow ententyf
Bo3 p1 21 and stille ravysschedest my wordes,
Bo3 p1 22 and I abood til that thou haddest swich habite
Bo3 p1 23 of thi thought as thou hast now, or elles til that
Bo3 p1 24 I myself hadde maked to the the same habite,
Bo3 p1 25 whiche that is a more verray thyng. And certes
Bo3 p1 26 the remenant of thynges that ben yet to seie
Bo3 p1 27 ben swiche that first whan men tasten hem they
Bo3 p1 28 ben bytynge; but whan they ben resceyved
Bo3 p1 29 withynne a wyght, thanne ben thei swete.
Bo3 p1 30 But for thou seyst that thow art so desyrous
Bo3 p1 31 to herkne hem, with how greet brennynge
Bo3 p1 32 woldestow glowen, yif thow wistest whider I
Bo3 p1 33 wol leden the!"
Bo3 p1 34 "Whider is that?" quod I.
Bo3 p1 35 "To thilke verraye welefulnesse," quod sche,
Bo3 p1 36 "of whiche thyn herte dremeth. but forasmoche
Bo3 p1 37 as thi syghte is ocupyed and destourbed by
Bo3 p1 38 imagynacioun of erthly thynges, thow mayst
Bo3 p1 39 nat yit seen thilke selve welefulnesse."
Bo3 p1 40 "Do," quod I, "and schewe me what is
Bo3 p1 41 thilke verray welefulnesse, I preie the,
Bo3 p1 42 withoute taryinge."
Bo3 p1 43 "That wol I gladly do," quod sche, "for the
Bo3 p1 44 cause of the. But I wol first marken the by
Bo3 p1 45 woordes, and I wol enforcen me to enforme the,
Bo3 p1 46 thilke false cause of blisfulnesse that thou more
Bo3 p1 47 knowest; so that whanne thow hast fully byhoolden
Bo3 p1 48 thilke false goodes and torned thin
Bo3 p1 49 eighen to the tother syde, thow mowe
Bo3 p1 50 knowe the cleernesse of verray blisfulnesse.
Bo3 m1 1 "Whoso wole sowe a feld plentevous, let hym
Bo3 m1 2 first delyvren it of thornes, and kerve asondir
Bo3 m1 3 with his hook the bussches and the feern, so
Bo3 m1 4 that the corn may comen hevy of erys and of
Bo3 m1 5 greynes. Hony is the more swete, if mouthes
Bo3 m1 6 han first tasted savours that ben wykke. The
Bo3 m1 7 sterres schynen more aggreablely whan the
Bo3 m1 8 wynd Nothus leteth his plowngy blastes; and
Bo3 m1 9 aftir that Lucifer, the day-sterre, hath
Bo3 m1 10 chased awey the dirke nyght, the day the
Bo3 m1 11 fairere ledeth the rosene hors (of the
Bo3 m1 12 sonne). And ryght so thow, byhooldyng ferst the
Bo3 m1 13 false goodes, bygyn to withdrawe thy nekke
Bo3 m1 14 fro the yok (of erthely affeccions); and
Bo3 m1 15 afterward the verray goodes schullen entren into
Bo3 m1 16 thy corage."
Bo3 p2 1 Tho fastnede sche a litel the syghte of hir
Bo3 p2 2 eyen, and withdrowghe hir ryght as it were into
Bo3 p2 3 the streyte seete of here thought, and bygan to
Bo3 p2 4 speke ryght thus: "Alle the cures," quod sche,
Bo3 p2 5 "of mortel folk, whiche that travailen hem in
Bo3 p2 6 many manere studies, gon certes by diverse
Bo3 p2 7 weyes; but natheles thei enforcen hem alle to
Bo3 p2 8 comyn oonly to oon ende of blisfulnesse. And
Bo3 p2 9 blisfulnesse is swiche a good, that whoso
Bo3 p2 10 that hath geten it, he ne may over that
Bo3 p2 11 nothyng more desire. And this thyng forsothe
Bo3 p2 12 is the soverayn good that conteneth in
Bo3 p2 13 hymself alle maner goodes; to the whiche goode
Bo3 p2 14 if ther fayled any thyng, it myghte nat ben
Bo3 p2 15 sovereyn good, for thanne wer ther som good
Bo3 p2 16 out of thilke sovereyn good, that myghte ben
Bo3 p2 17 desired. Now is it cleer and certeyne thanne,
Bo3 p2 18 that blisfulnesse is a parfyt estat by the congregacioun
Bo3 p2 19 of alle goodes; the whiche blisfulnesse,
Bo3 p2 20 as I have seyd, alle mortel folk enforcen
Bo3 p2 21 hem to geten by diverse weyes.
Bo3 p2 22 Forwhy the covetise of verray good is naturely
Bo3 p2 23 iplauntyd in the hertes of men, but the myswandrynge
Bo3 p2 24 errour mysledeth hem into false
Bo3 p2 25 goodes. Of the whiche men, some of hem
Bo3 p2 26 wenen that sovereyn good be to lyven withoute
Bo3 p2 27 nede of any thyng, and travaylen hem to ben
Bo3 p2 28 habundaunt of rychesses. And some othere
Bo3 p2 29 men demen that sovereyn good be for to be
Bo3 p2 30 ryght digne of reverence, and enforcen
Bo3 p2 31 hem to ben reverenced among hir neyghbours
Bo3 p2 32 by the honours that thei han igeten. And
Bo3 p2 33 some folk ther ben that holden that ryght heye
Bo3 p2 34 power be sovereyn good, and enforcen hem for
Bo3 p2 35 to reignen or elles to joygnen hem to hem that
Bo3 p2 36 reignen. And it semeth to some other folk, that
Bo3 p2 37 noblesse of renoun be the sovereyn good, and
Bo3 p2 38 hasten hem to geten hem gloryouse name by the
Bo3 p2 39 artz of werre or of pees. And many folk
Bo3 p2 40 mesuren and gessen that the sovereyne
Bo3 p2 41 good be joye and gladnesse, and wenen
Bo3 p2 42 that it be ryght blisful thyng to plowngen hem
Bo3 p2 43 in voluptuous delyt. And ther ben folk that
Bo3 p2 44 entrechaungen the causes and the endes of
Bo3 p2 45 thyse forseyde goodes, as they that desiren
Bo3 p2 46 rychesses to han power and delitz, or elles they
Bo3 p2 47 desiren power for to have moneye or for cause
Bo3 p2 48 of renoun. In thise thynges and in swiche other
Bo3 p2 49 thynges is torned al the entencioun of desyrynges
Bo3 p2 50 and werkes of men; as thus:
Bo3 p2 51 noblesse and favour of peple, whiche that
Bo3 p2 52 yyveth to men, as it semeth hem, a maner
Bo3 p2 53 cleernesse of renoun; and wyf and children,
Bo3 p2 54 that men desiren for cause of delyt and myrynesse.
Bo3 p2 55 But forsothe freendes ne schulde nat ben
Bo3 p2 56 rekned among the goodes of fortune, but of
Bo3 p2 57 vertu, for it is a ful hooly maner thyng; alle
Bo3 p2 58 thise othere thinges forsothe ben taken for
Bo3 p2 59 cause of power or elles for cause of delyt.
Bo3 p2 60 Certes now am I redy to referren the
Bo3 p2 61 goodes of the body to thise forseide thynges
Bo3 p2 62 aboven; for it semeth that strengthe and gretnesse
Bo3 p2 63 of body yyven power and worthynesse,
Bo3 p2 64 and that beaute and swyftnesse yyven noblesse
Bo3 p2 65 and glorie of renoun; and heele of body semeth
Bo3 p2 66 yyven delyt. In alle thise thynges it semeth
Bo3 p2 67 oonly that blisfulnesse is desyred; forwhy thilk
Bo3 p2 68 thing that every man desireth moost over alle
Bo3 p2 69 thynges he demeth that it be the sovereyn
Bo3 p2 70 good; but I have diffyned that blisfulnesse
Bo3 p2 71 is the sovereyn good; for whiche every
Bo3 p2 72 wyght demeth that thilke estat that he desireth
Bo3 p2 73 over alle thynges, that it be blisfulnesse.
Bo3 p2 74 "Now hastow thanne byforn thyne eien almest
Bo3 p2 75 al the purposede forme of the welefulnesse
Bo3 p2 76 of mankynde: that is to seyn rychesses,
Bo3 p2 77 honours, power, glorie, and delitz. The whiche
Bo3 p2 78 delit oonly considered Epicurus, and juggid
Bo3 p2 79 and establissyde that delyt is the soverayn
Bo3 p2 80 good, for as moche as alle othere thynges,
Bo3 p2 81 as hym thoughte, byrefte awey joye and
Bo3 p2 82 myrthe from the herte. But I retorne ayen to
Bo3 p2 83 the studies of men, of whiche men the corage
Bo3 p2 84 alwey reherceth and seketh the sovereyne good,
Bo3 p2 85 al be it so that it be with a dyrkyd memorie;
Bo3 p2 86 but he not by whiche path, ryght as a dronke
Bo3 p2 87 man not nat by whiche path he may retourne
Bo3 p2 88 hom to his hous. Semeth it thanne that folk
Bo3 p2 89 foleyen and erren, that enforcen hem to
Bo3 p2 90 have nede of nothyng? Certes ther nys
Bo3 p2 91 noon other thyng that mai so wel performe
Bo3 p2 92 blisfulnesse, as an estat plentevous of alle godes,
Bo3 p2 93 that ne hath nede of noon other thyng, but
Bo3 p2 94 that it is suffisant of hymself unto hymself.
Bo3 p2 95 And foleyen swiche folk, thanne, that wenen
Bo3 p2 96 that thilk thyng that is ryght good, that it be
Bo3 p2 97 eek ryght worthy of honour and of reverence?
Bo3 p2 98 Certes, nay. For that thyng nis neither foul ne
Bo3 p2 99 worthy to ben despysed that wel neyghe al
Bo3 p2 100 the entencioun of mortel folk [travayleth.
Bo3 p2 101 for to geten it. And power, aughte nat that
Bo3 p2 102 ek to ben rekned amonge goodes? What elles?
Bo3 p2 103 For it nys nat to wene that thilke thyng that is
Bo3 p2 104 most worthy of alle thynges be feble and
Bo3 p2 105 withoute strengthe. And cleernesse of renoun,
Bo3 p2 106 aughte that to ben despysed? Certes ther may no
Bo3 p2 107 man forsake, that alle thyng that is right
Bo3 p2 108 excellent and noble, that it ne semeth to ben
Bo3 p2 109 ryght cleer and renomed. For certes it
Bo3 p2 110 nedeth nat to saie that blisfulnesse be
Bo3 p2 111 [n'] [angwyssous] ne drery, ne subgit to
Bo3 p2 112 grevaunces ne to sorwes; syn that in ryght litele
Bo3 p2 113 thynges folk seken to haven and to usen that may
Bo3 p2 114 delyten hem. Certes thise ben the thinges that
Bo3 p2 115 men wolen and desiren to geten, and for this
Bo3 p2 116 cause desiren they rychesses, dignytes, reignes,
Bo3 p2 117 glorie, and delices; for therby wenen they to
Bo3 p2 118 han suffysaunce, honour, power, renoun, and
Bo3 p2 119 gladnesse. Thanne is it good that men
Bo3 p2 120 seken thus, by so manye diverse studies; in
Bo3 p2 121 whiche desir it mai lyghtly be schewyd how
Bo3 p2 122 greet is the strengthe of nature. For how so that
Bo3 p2 123 men han diverse sentences and discordynge,
Bo3 p2 124 algates men accorden alle in lovynge the eende
Bo3 p2 125 of good.
Bo3 m2 1 "It liketh me to schewe by subtil soong, with
Bo3 m2 2 slakke and delytable sown of strenges, how
Bo3 m2 3 that Nature, myghty, enclyneth and flytteth the
Bo3 m2 4 governementz of thynges, and by whiche lawes
Bo3 m2 5 sche, purveiable, kepith the grete world; and
Bo3 m2 6 how sche, byndynge, restreyneth alle thynges
Bo3 m2 7 by a boond that may nat be unbownde. Al be
Bo3 m2 8 it so that the lyouns of the contre of Pene beren
Bo3 m2 9 the fayre chaynes, and taken metes of the
Bo3 m2 10 handes of folk that yeven it hem, and
Bo3 m2 11 dreden hir stourdy [maistre] of whiche thei
Bo3 m2 12 ben wont to suffre betynges; yif that hir horrible
Bo3 m2 13 mouthes ben bybled (that is to seyn, of
Bo3 m2 14 beestes devoured), hir corage of tyme passed,
Bo3 m2 15 that hath ben idel and rested, repeireth ayen,
Bo3 m2 16 and thei roren grevously, and remembren on
Bo3 m2 17 hir nature, and slaken hir nekkes from hir
Bo3 m2 18 cheynes unbownde; and hir mayster fyrst,
Bo3 m2 19 totorn with blody tooth, assaieth the wode
Bo3 m2 20 wratthes of hem (this to seyn, thei freten
Bo3 m2 21 hir maister). And the janglynge brid that
Bo3 m2 22 syngeth on the heghe braunches (that is to
Bo3 m2 23 seyn, in the wode), and after is enclosed in a
Bo3 m2 24 streyte cage, althoughe that the pleyinge bysynes
Bo3 m2 25 of men yeveth [hym] honyed drynkes and large
Bo3 m2 26 metes with swete studye, yit natheles yif thilke
Bo3 m2 27 bryd skippynge out of hir streyte cage seith the
Bo3 m2 28 agreables schadwes of the wodes, sche defouleth
Bo3 m2 29 with hir feet hir metes ischad, and seketh
Bo3 m2 30 mornynge oonly the wode, and twytereth
Bo3 m2 31 desyrynge the wode with hir swete voys.
Bo3 m2 32 The yerde of a tree, that is haled adoun by
Bo3 m2 33 myghty strengthe, boweth redily the crop
Bo3 m2 34 adown; but yif that the hand of hym that it bente
Bo3 m2 35 leet it goon ageyn, anoon the crop loketh upryght
Bo3 m2 36 to hevene. The sonne, Phebus, that falleth
Bo3 m2 37 at even in the westrene wawes, retorneth
Bo3 m2 38 ayen eftsones his cart, by a pryve path, there
Bo3 m2 39 as it is wont t' aryse. Alle thynges seken
Bo3 m2 40 ayen to hir propre cours, and alle thynges
Bo3 m2 41 rejoysen hem of hir retornynge ayen to
Bo3 m2 42 hir nature. Ne noon ordenaunce is bytaken to
Bo3 m2 43 thynges, but that that hath joyned the endynge
Bo3 m2 44 to the bygynnynge, and hath maked the cours
Bo3 m2 45 of itself stable (that it chaunge nat from his
Bo3 m2 46 propre kynde).
Bo3 p3 1 "Certes also ye men, that ben erthliche
Bo3 p3 2 beestes, dremen alwey your bygynnynge, althoughe
Bo3 p3 3 it be with a thynne ymaginacioun; and
Bo3 p3 4 by a maner thought, al be it nat clerly ne parfitely,
Bo3 p3 5 ye loken from afer to thilke verray fyn of
Bo3 p3 6 blisfulnesse. And therfore naturel entencioun
Bo3 p3 7 ledeth yow to thilke verray good, but many
Bo3 p3 8 maner errours mystorneth yow therfro. Considere
Bo3 p3 9 now yif that by thilke thynges by
Bo3 p3 10 whiche a man weneth to geten hym blisfulnesse,
Bo3 p3 11 yif that he mai comen to thilk ende
Bo3 p3 12 that he weneth to come by nature. For yif that
Bo3 p3 13 moneye, or honours, or thise othere forseyde
Bo3 p3 14 thynges, brynge to men swiche a thyng that no
Bo3 p3 15 good ne fayle hem ne semeth faile, certes
Bo3 p3 16 thanne wol I graunte that they ben maked blisful
Bo3 p3 17 by thilke thynges that thei han geten. But
Bo3 p3 18 yif so be that thilke thynges ne mowen nat performen
Bo3 p3 19 that they byheten, and that there
Bo3 p3 20 be defaute of manye goodis, scheweth it
Bo3 p3 21 nat thanne clerly that false beute of blysfulnesse
Bo3 p3 22 is knowen and ataynt in thilke thynges?
Bo3 p3 23 First and forward thow thiself, that haddest
Bo3 p3 24 haboundances of rychesses nat longe agoon, I
Bo3 p3 25 aske the yif that, in the habowndance of alle
Bo3 p3 26 thilke rychesses, thow were nevere angwysous
Bo3 p3 27 ne sory in thy corage of any wrong or grevance
Bo3 p3 28 that bytydde the on any side?"
Bo3 p3 29 "Certes," quod I, "it ne remembreth me
Bo3 p3 30 nat that evere I was so fre of my thought
Bo3 p3 31 that I ne was alwey in angwyse of somwhat."
Bo3 p3 33 "And was nat that," quod sche, "for that the
Bo3 p3 34 lakkide somwhat that thow noldest nat han
Bo3 p3 35 lakkid, or elles thou haddest that thow noldest
Bo3 p3 36 nat han had?"
Bo3 p3 37 "Ryght so is it," quod I.
Bo3 p3 38 "Than desiredest thow the presence of the
Bo3 p3 39 toon and the absence of the tothir?"
Bo3 p3 40 "I graunte wel," quod I.
Bo3 p3 41 "Forsothe," quod sche, "thanne nedeth
Bo3 p3 42 ther somwhat that every man desireth?"
Bo3 p3 43 "Yee, ther nedeth," quod I.
Bo3 p3 44 "Certes," quod sche, "and he that hath lak or
Bo3 p3 45 nede of aught nys nat in every wey suffisant to
Bo3 p3 46 hymself?"
Bo3 p3 47 "No," quod I.
Bo3 p3 48 "And thow," quod sche, "in al the plente of
Bo3 p3 49 thy richesses haddest thilke lakke of suffisaunce?"
Bo3 p3 51 "What elles?" quod I.
Bo3 p3 52 "Thanne mai nat richesses maken that a man
Bo3 p3 53 nys nedy, ne that he be suffisaunt to hymself;
Bo3 p3 54 and yit that was it that thei byhighten, as it
Bo3 p3 55 semeth. And eek certes I trow that this be
Bo3 p3 56 gretly to considere, that moneye ne hath nat in
Bo3 p3 57 his owene kynde that it ne mai ben bynomen
Bo3 p3 58 of hem that han it, maugre hem."
Bo3 p3 59 "I byknowe it wel," quod I.
Bo3 p3 60 "Whi sholdestow nat byknowen it,"
Bo3 p3 61 quod sche, "whan every day the strengere
Bo3 p3 62 folk bynymen it fro the feblere maugre hem?
Bo3 p3 63 For whennes comen elles alle thise [forense]
Bo3 p3 64 compleyntes or quereles of pledynges but
Bo3 p3 65 for that men axen ayen hir moneye that hath
Bo3 p3 66 ben bynomen hem by force or by gyle, and
Bo3 p3 67 alwey maugre hem?"
Bo3 p3 68 "Right so is it," quod I.
Bo3 p3 69 "Than," quod sche, "hath a man nede to
Bo3 p3 70 seken hym foreyne help by whiche he may
Bo3 p3 71 defenden his moneye?"
Bo3 p3 72 "Who mai seie nay?" quod I.
Bo3 p3 73 "Certes," quod sche, "and hym nedide noon
Bo3 p3 74 help yif he ne hadde no moneye that he myghte
Bo3 p3 75 leese."
Bo3 p3 76 "That is douteles," quod I.
Bo3 p3 77 "Than is this thyng torned into the contrarie,"
Bo3 p3 78 quod sche; "for rychesses, that men
Bo3 p3 79 wenen scholde maken suffisaunce, they
Bo3 p3 80 maken a man rather have nede of foreyne
Bo3 p3 81 help. Whiche is the maner or the gyse,"
Bo3 p3 82 quod sche, "that rychesse mai dryve awey
Bo3 p3 83 nede? Riche folk, mai they neyther han hungir
Bo3 p3 84 ne thurst? Thise riche men, may they fele no
Bo3 p3 85 cold on hir lymes in wynter? But thow wolt
Bo3 p3 86 answeren that ryche men han inoghe wherwith
Bo3 p3 87 thei mai staunchen hir hungir, and slaken hir
Bo3 p3 88 thurst, and don awey cold. In this wise mai
Bo3 p3 89 nede be conforted by richesses, but certes
Bo3 p3 90 nede ne mai nat al outrely be doon awey;
Bo3 p3 91 for thoughe this nede that is alwey gapynge
Bo3 p3 92 and gredy, be fulfild with richesses, and axe any
Bo3 p3 93 thyng, yit duelleth thanne a nede that myghte be
Bo3 p3 94 fulfild. I holde me stille and telle nat how that
Bo3 p3 95 litel thyng suffiseth to nature; but certes to
Bo3 p3 96 avarice inowghe ne suffiseth nothyng. For syn
Bo3 p3 97 that rychesse ne mai nat al doon awey nede, but
Bo3 p3 98 richesses maken nede, what mai it thanne be that
Bo3 p3 99 ye wenen that richesses mowen yyven yow
Bo3 p3 100 suffisaunce?
Bo3 m3 1 "Al weere it so that a riche coveytous man
Bo3 m3 2 hadde a ryver or a goter fletynge al of gold, yit
Bo3 m3 3 sholde it nevere staunchen his covetise; and
Bo3 m3 4 thoughe he hadde his nekke charged with precyous
Bo3 m3 5 stones of the Rede See, and thoughe he
Bo3 m3 6 do ere his feeldes plentevous with an hundred
Bo3 m3 7 oxen, nevere ne schal his bytynge bysynesse
Bo3 m3 8 forleeten hym whil he lyveth, ne the lyghte
Bo3 m3 9 richesses ne schal nat beren hym companye
Bo3 m3 10 whan he is deed.
Bo3 p4 1 "But dignytees, to whom thei ben comen,
Bo3 p4 2 make they hym honourable and reverent? Han
Bo3 p4 3 thei nat so gret strengthe that thei mai putten
Bo3 p4 4 vertus in the hertes of folk that usen the lordschipes
Bo3 p4 5 of hem, or elles may they don awey the
Bo3 p4 6 vices? Certes thei ben nat wont to don awey
Bo3 p4 7 wikkidnesse, but thei ben wont rather to
Bo3 p4 8 schewen wykkydnesse. And therof cometh it
Bo3 p4 9 that Y have right gret disdayn that dignytes
Bo3 p4 10 ben yyven ofte to wikkide men. For
Bo3 p4 11 which thyng Catullus clepid a consul of
Bo3 p4 12 Rome that hyghte Nonyus `postum' or `boch'
Bo3 p4 13 (as who seith, he clepid hym a congregacioun
Bo3 p4 14 of vices in his brest, as a postum is ful of corrupcioun),
Bo3 p4 15 al were this Nonyus set in chayere
Bo3 p4 16 of dygnite. Sestow nat thanne how grete
Bo3 p4 17 vylenye dignytes don to wikkide men? Certes
Bo3 p4 18 unworthynesse of wikkide men schulde ben the
Bo3 p4 19 lesse isene if thei neere renomed of none
Bo3 p4 20 honours. Certes thou thiself ne myghtest
Bo3 p4 21 nat ben broght, with as many perils as
Bo3 p4 22 thow myghtest suffren, that thow woldest beren
Bo3 p4 23 the magistrat with Decorat (that is to seyn,
Bo3 p4 24 that for no peril that myghte byfallen the by
Bo3 p4 25 offence of the kyng Theodorik, thou noldest nat
Bo3 p4 26 be felawe in governaunce with Decorat), whan
Bo3 p4 27 thow seye that he hadde wikkide corage of a
Bo3 p4 28 likerous schrewe and of an accusour. Ne I ne
Bo3 p4 29 mai nat for swiche honours juggen hem
Bo3 p4 30 worthy of reverence that I deme and holde
Bo3 p4 31 unworthy to han thilke same honours.
Bo3 p4 32 Now yif thow seie a man that were fulfild of
Bo3 p4 33 wysdom, certes thou ne myghtest nat deme
Bo3 p4 34 that he were unworthy to the honour or elles
Bo3 p4 35 to the wisdom of whiche he is fulfild?"
Bo3 p4 36 "No," quod I.
Bo3 p4 37 "Certes dignytees," quod sche, "aperteignen
Bo3 p4 38 properly to vertu, and vertu transporteth dignyte
Bo3 p4 39 anoon to thilke man to whiche sche
Bo3 p4 40 hirself is conjoigned. And for as moche as
Bo3 p4 41 honours of peple ne mai nat maken folk
Bo3 p4 42 digne of honour, it is wel seyn cleerly that thei
Bo3 p4 43 ne han no propre beaute of dignyte. And yet
Bo3 p4 44 men aughten taken more heede in this. For yif
Bo3 p4 45 a wykkyd wyght be in so mochel the fowlere
Bo3 p4 46 and the more outcast that he is despysed of
Bo3 p4 47 moost folk, so as dignyte ne mai nat maken
Bo3 p4 48 schrewes worthy of no reverence, the whiche
Bo3 p4 49 schrewes dignyte scheweth to moche folk;
Bo3 p4 50 than maketh dignyte schrewes rather so
Bo3 p4 51 much more despised than preysed, and
Bo3 p4 52 forsothe nat unpunyssched (that is for to seyn
Bo3 p4 53 that schrewes revengen hem ayenward uppon
Bo3 p4 54 dignytes), for thei yelden ayen to dignytees
Bo3 p4 55 as greet gerdoun, whan they byspotten and
Bo3 p4 56 defoulen dignytes with hir vylenye. And for as
Bo3 p4 57 mochel as thou now knowe that thilke verray
Bo3 p4 58 reverence ne mai nat comen by thise schadwy
Bo3 p4 59 transitorie dignytes, undirstond now thus:
Bo3 p4 60 yif that a man hadde used and had manye
Bo3 p4 61 maner dignytees of consules, and weere
Bo3 p4 62 comen peraventure among straunge nacions,
Bo3 p4 63 scholde thilke honour maken hym worschipful
Bo3 p4 64 and redouted of straunge folk? Certes yif
Bo3 p4 65 that honour of peple were a natureel yifte to
Bo3 p4 66 dignytes, it ne myghte nevere cesen nowhere
Bo3 p4 67 amonges no maner folk to don his office; right
Bo3 p4 68 as fyer in every contre ne stynteth nat to
Bo3 p4 69 eschaufen and to ben hoot. But for as
Bo3 p4 70 mochel as for to be holden honurable or
Bo3 p4 71 reverent ne cometh nat to folk of hir
Bo3 p4 72 propre strengthe of nature, but oonly of the false
Bo3 p4 73 opynyoun of folk (that is to seyn, that weenen
Bo3 p4 74 that dignytees maken folk digne of honour),
Bo3 p4 75 anoon therfore, whan that thei comen there as
Bo3 p4 76 folk ne knowen nat thilke dignytees, hir honours
Bo3 p4 77 vanysschen away, and that anoon. But that is
Bo3 p4 78 amonges straunge folk, maystow seyn. Ne
Bo3 p4 79 amonges hem ther thei weren born, ne
Bo3 p4 80 duren nat thilke dignytes alwey? Certes the
Bo3 p4 81 dignyte of the provostrye of Rome was
Bo3 p4 82 whilom a greet power; now nys it no thyng but
Bo3 p4 83 an idel name, and the rente of the senatorie a
Bo3 p4 84 greet charge; and yif a wyght whilom hadde the
Bo3 p4 85 office to taken heede to the vitayles of the peple,
Bo3 p4 86 as of corn and othere thynges, he was holden
Bo3 p4 87 amonges grete; but what thyng is now more
Bo3 p4 88 outcast than thilke provostrye? And, as I have
Bo3 p4 89 seyd a litel herebyforn, that thilke thyng
Bo3 p4 90 that hath no propre beute of hymself
Bo3 p4 91 resceyveth somtyme prys and schynynge,
Bo3 p4 92 and somtyme leeseth it, by the opinyoun of
Bo3 p4 93 usaunces. Now yif that dignytes thanne ne
Bo3 p4 94 mowen nat make folk digne of reverence, and if
Bo3 p4 95 that dignytees waxen foule of hir wil by the
Bo3 p4 96 filthe of schrewes, and yif dignytees leesen hir
Bo3 p4 97 schynynge by chaungynge of tymes, and yif thei
Bo3 p4 98 waxen fowle by estimacion of peple, what is it
Bo3 p4 99 that they han in hemself of beaute that
Bo3 p4 100 oughte ben desired? (As who seith noon;
Bo3 p4 101 thanne ne mowen they yeven no beute of
Bo3 p4 102 dignyte to noone othere.)
Bo3 m4 1 "Al be it so that the proude Nero, with al his
Bo3 m4 2 wode luxure, kembde hym and apparayled
Bo3 m4 3 hym with faire purpres of Tyrie and with white
Bo3 m4 4 peerles, algates yit throf he haatful to alle folk
Bo3 m4 5 (this is to seyn that, al was he byhated of alle
Bo3 m4 6 folk, yit this wikkide Nero hadde gret lordschipe),
Bo3 m4 7 and yaf whilom to the reverentz senatours
Bo3 m4 8 the unworschipful seetis of dignytees.
Bo3 m4 9 (Unworschipful seetes he clepeth here, for that
Bo3 m4 10 Nero, that was so wikkide, yaf tho dignytees.)
Bo3 m4 11 Who wolde thanne resonably
Bo3 m4 12 wenen that blisfulnesse were in swiche honours
Bo3 m4 13 as ben yyven by vycious schrewes?
Bo3 p5 1 "But regnes, and familiarites of kynges, mai
Bo3 p5 2 thei maken a man to ben myghti? How elles,
Bo3 p5 3 whan hir blisfulnesse dureth perpetuely? But
Bo3 p5 4 certes the olde age of tyme passed, and ek the
Bo3 p5 5 present tyme now, is ful of ensaumples how
Bo3 p5 6 that kynges han chaungyd into wrecchidnesse
Bo3 p5 7 out of hir welefulnesse. O, a noble thyng and
Bo3 p5 8 a cleer thyng is power, that is nat fownden
Bo3 p5 9 myghty to kepe itself! And yif that power
Bo3 p5 10 of remes be auctour and makere of blisfulnesse,
Bo3 p5 11 yif thilke power lakketh on any syde,
Bo3 p5 12 amenuseth it nat thilke blisfulnesse and bryngeth
Bo3 p5 13 in wrecchidnesse? But yit, al be it so that
Bo3 p5 14 the remes of mankynde strecchen broode, yit
Bo3 p5 15 moot ther nede ben moche folk over whiche
Bo3 p5 16 that every kyng ne hath no lordschipe ne
Bo3 p5 17 comaundement. And certes uppon thilke syde
Bo3 p5 18 that power fayleth, whiche that maketh folk blisful,
Bo3 p5 19 ryght on that same syde noun-power
Bo3 p5 20 entreth undirnethe, that maketh hem
Bo3 p5 21 wrecches. In this manere thanne moten
Bo3 p5 22 kynges han more porcioun of wrecchidnesse
Bo3 p5 23 than of welefulnesse. A tyraunt, that was kyng
Bo3 p5 24 of Sysile, that hadde assayed the peril of his
Bo3 p5 25 estat, schewede by simylitude the dredes of
Bo3 p5 26 remes by gastnesse of a swerd that heng over
Bo3 p5 27 the heved of his familyer. What thyng is
Bo3 p5 28 thanne this power, that mai nat done awey the
Bo3 p5 29 bytynges of bysynesse, ne eschewe the
Bo3 p5 30 prykkes of drede? And certes yit wolde
Bo3 p5 31 thei lyven in sykernesse, but thei may nat,
Bo3 p5 32 and yit they glorifien hem in hir power. Holdestow
Bo3 p5 33 thanne that thilke man be mighty, that
Bo3 p5 34 thow seest that he wolde doon that he may nat
Bo3 p5 35 done? And holdestow thanne hym a myghti
Bo3 p5 36 man, that hath envyrowned his sydes with men
Bo3 p5 37 of armes or sergeantz, and dredeth more hem
Bo3 p5 38 that he maketh agast thanne thei dreden hym,
Bo3 p5 39 and that is put in the handes of hise servauntz
Bo3 p5 40 for he scholde seme myghty? But of
Bo3 p5 41 familiers or servantz of kynges, what
Bo3 p5 42 scholde I telle the any thyng, syn that I myself
Bo3 p5 43 have schewyd the that rewmes hemself ben
Bo3 p5 44 ful of greet feblesse? The whiche famylieres,
Bo3 p5 45 certes, the real power of kynges, in hool estat
Bo3 p5 46 and in estaat abated, ful ofte throweth adoun.
Bo3 p5 47 Nero constreynede Senek, his familyer and his
Bo3 p5 48 mayster, to chesen on what deeth he wolde
Bo3 p5 49 deye. Antonyus comaundede that knyghtes
Bo3 p5 50 slowen with here swerdes Papynian (his
Bo3 p5 51 famylier) [whiche] that had ben long
Bo3 p5 52 tyme ful myghty amonges hem of the court.
Bo3 p5 53 And yet certes thei wolden bothe han renounced
Bo3 p5 54 hir power; of whiche two Senek enforcede
Bo3 p5 55 hym to yeven to Nero his richesses, and
Bo3 p5 56 also to han gon into solitarie exil. But whan the
Bo3 p5 57 grete weyghte (that is to seyn, of lordes power
Bo3 p5 58 or of fortune) draweth hem that schullen falle,
Bo3 p5 59 neither of hem ne myghte don that he
Bo3 p5 60 wolde. What thyng is thanne thilke powere,
Bo3 p5 61 that though men han it, yit thei ben agast;
Bo3 p5 62 and whanne thow woldest han it, thou nart nat
Bo3 p5 63 siker; and yif thou woldest forleeten it, thow
Bo3 p5 64 mayst nat eschuen it? But whethir swiche men
Bo3 p5 65 ben freendes at nede, as ben [consyled] by fortune
Bo3 p5 66 and nat be vertu? Certes swiche folk as
Bo3 p5 67 weleful fortune maketh frendes, contraryous
Bo3 p5 68 fortune maketh hem enemys. And what pestilence
Bo3 p5 69 is more myghty for to anoye a wyght
Bo3 p5 70 than a famylier enemy?
Bo3 m5 1 "Whoso wol ben myghti he moot daunten his
Bo3 m5 2 cruel corages, ne putte nat his nekke, overcomen,
Bo3 m5 3 undir the foule reynes of leccherie. For
Bo3 m5 4 al be it so that thi lordschipe strecche so fer
Bo3 m5 5 that the contre of Ynde quaketh at thy comaundementz
Bo3 m5 6 or at thi lawes, and that the laste
Bo3 m5 7 ile in the see that highte Tyle be thral to the,
Bo3 m5 8 yit yif thou maist nat putten awey thi foule
Bo3 m5 9 dirke desires, and dryven out fro the
Bo3 m5 10 wrecchide compleyntes, certes it nys no
Bo3 m5 11 power that thow hast.
Bo3 p6 1 "But glorie, how deceyvable and how foul is
Bo3 p6 2 it ofte! For which thyng nat unskilfully a tragedien
Bo3 p6 3 (that is to seyn, a makere of dytees that
Bo3 p6 4 highten tragedies) cride and seide: `O glorie,
Bo3 p6 5 glorie,' quod he, `thow nart nothyng elles to
Bo3 p6 6 thousandes of folk but a greet swellere of eres!'
Bo3 p6 7 For manye han had ful greet renoun by the
Bo3 p6 8 false opinyoun of the peple, and what thyng
Bo3 p6 9 mai ben thought foulere than swiche preysynge?
Bo3 p6 10 For thilke folk that ben preysed
Bo3 p6 11 falsly, they mote nedes han schame of hire
Bo3 p6 12 preysynges. And yif that folk han geten hem
Bo3 p6 13 thonk or preysynge by here dissertes, what
Bo3 p6 14 thyng hath thilke pris echid or encresed to the
Bo3 p6 15 conscience of wise folk, that mesuren hir good,
Bo3 p6 16 nat by the rumour of the peple, but by the
Bo3 p6 17 sothfastnesse of conscience? And yif it seme a
Bo3 p6 18 fair thyng a man to han encreced and sprad his
Bo3 p6 19 name, thanne folweth it that it is demed to
Bo3 p6 20 ben a foul thyng yif it ne be yspradde and
Bo3 p6 21 encreced. But, as I seide a litil herebyforn,
Bo3 p6 22 that syn ther moot nedes ben many folk to
Bo3 p6 23 whiche folk the renoun of [o] man ne mai nat
Bo3 p6 24 comen, it byfalleth that he that thow wenest be
Bo3 p6 25 glorious and renomed semeth in the nexte
Bo3 p6 26 partie of the erthes to ben withouten glorie and
Bo3 p6 27 withouten renoun. And certes amonges thise
Bo3 p6 28 thynges I ne trowe nat that the pris and the
Bo3 p6 29 grace of the peple nys neyther worthi to
Bo3 p6 30 ben remembred, ne cometh of wys jugement,
Bo3 p6 31 ne is ferme perdurably.
Bo3 p6 32 "But now of this name of gentilesse, what
Bo3 p6 33 man is it that ne may wele seen how veyn and
Bo3 p6 34 how flyttynge a thyng it es? For yif the name
Bo3 p6 35 of gentilesse be referred to renoun and cleernesse
Bo3 p6 36 of lynage, thanne is gentil name but a
Bo3 p6 37 foreyne thyng (that is to seyn, to hem that gloryfien
Bo3 p6 38 hem of hir lynage.) For it semeth that
Bo3 p6 39 gentilesse be a maner preisynge that cometh
Bo3 p6 40 of the dessertes of auncestres; and yif
Bo3 p6 41 preisynge make gentilesse, thanne mote
Bo3 p6 42 they nedes ben gentil that been preysed. For
Bo3 p6 43 whiche thing it folweth that yif thou ne have no
Bo3 p6 44 gentilesse of thiself (that is to seyn, prys that
Bo3 p6 45 cometh of thy deserte), foreyne gentilesse ne
Bo3 p6 46 maketh the nat gentil. But certes yif ther be
Bo3 p6 47 ony good in gentilesse, I trowe it be al only
Bo3 p6 48 this, that it semeth as that a maner necessite
Bo3 p6 49 be imposed to gentil men for that thei ne
Bo3 p6 50 schulde nat owtrayen or forlynen fro the
Bo3 p6 51 vertus of hir noble kynrede.
Bo3 m6 1 "Alle the lynage of men that ben in erthe ben
Bo3 m6 2 of semblable byrthe. On allone is fadir of
Bo3 m6 3 thynges; on allone mynystreth alle thynges.
Bo3 m6 4 He yaf to the sonne his bemes, he yaf to the
Bo3 m6 5 moone hir hornes, he yaf the men to the erthe,
Bo3 m6 6 he yaf the sterres to the hevene. He encloseth
Bo3 m6 7 with membres the soules that comen from his
Bo3 m6 8 heye sete. Thanne comen alle mortel folk of
Bo3 m6 9 noble seed. Why noysen ye or bosten of
Bo3 m6 10 your eldres? For yif thow loke youre bygynnyng,
Bo3 m6 11 and God your auctour and yowr
Bo3 m6 12 makere, thanne nis ther none forlyned wyght or
Bo3 m6 13 ongentil, but if he noryssche his corage unto
Bo3 m6 14 vices and forlete his propre byrthe.
Bo3 p7 1 "But what schal I seye of delyces of body, of
Bo3 p7 2 whiche delices the desirynges ben ful of anguyssch,
Bo3 p7 3 and the fulfillynges of hem ben ful of
Bo3 p7 4 penance? How grete seknesses and how grete
Bo3 p7 5 sorwes unsuffrable, ryght as a maner fruyt
Bo3 p7 6 of wykkidnesse, ben thilke delices wont to
Bo3 p7 7 bryngen to the bodyes of folk that usen hem!
Bo3 p7 8 Of whiche delices I not what joie mai ben had
Bo3 p7 9 of here moevynge, but this woot I wel, that
Bo3 p7 10 whosoevere wol remembren hym of hise
Bo3 p7 11 luxures, he schal wel undirstonden that the
Bo3 p7 12 issues of delices ben sorweful and sorye. And
Bo3 p7 13 yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful,
Bo3 p7 14 thanne by the same cause moten thise beestis
Bo3 p7 15 ben clepid blisful, of whiche beestis al the entencioun
Bo3 p7 16 hasteth to fulfille here bodily jolyte.
Bo3 p7 17 And the gladnesse of wyf and children were an
Bo3 p7 18 honest thyng, but it hath ben seyd that it is
Bo3 p7 19 overmochel ayens kynde that children han
Bo3 p7 20 ben fownden tormentours to here fadris, I
Bo3 p7 21 not how manye; of whiche children how
Bo3 p7 22 bytynge is every condicioun, it nedeth nat to
Bo3 p7 23 tellen it the that hast er this tyme assayed it,
Bo3 p7 24 and art yit now angwysshous. In this approve
Bo3 p7 25 I the sentence of my disciple Euripidis, that
Bo3 p7 26 seide that he that hath no children is weleful
Bo3 p7 27 by infortune.
Bo3 m7 1 "Every delit hath this, that it angwisscheth
Bo3 m7 2 hem with prykkes that usen it. It resembleth
Bo3 m7 3 to thise flyenge flyes that we clepen ben; that,
Bo3 m7 4 aftir that the be hath sched hise agreable honyes,
Bo3 m7 5 he fleeth awey, and styngeth the hertes of hem
Bo3 m7 6 that ben ysmyte, with bytynge overlonge holdynge.
Bo3 p8 1 "Now is it no doute thanne that thise weyes
Bo3 p8 2 ne ben a maner mysledynges to blisfulnesse, ne
Bo3 p8 3 that they ne mowen nat leden folk thider as
Bo3 p8 4 thei byheeten to leden hem. But with how grete
Bo3 p8 5 harmes thise forseide weyes ben enlaced, I
Bo3 p8 6 schal schewe the shortly. Forwhy yif thou enforcest
Bo3 p8 7 the to assemble moneye, thow must byreven
Bo3 p8 8 hym his moneye that hath it; and yif
Bo3 p8 9 thow wolt schynen with dignytees, thow
Bo3 p8 10 must bysechen and supplyen hem that
Bo3 p8 11 yyven tho dignytees; and yif thow coveytest
Bo3 p8 12 be honour to gon byfore othere folk, thow
Bo3 p8 13 schalt defoule thiself thurw humblesse of axynge.
Bo3 p8 14 Yif thou desirest power, thow schalt, be
Bo3 p8 15 awaytes of thy subgetis, anoyously ben cast undir
Bo3 p8 16 by manye periles. Axestow glorye? Thow
Bo3 p8 17 schalt so bien distract by aspere thynges that
Bo3 p8 18 thow schalt forgon sykernesse. And yif thow
Bo3 p8 19 wolt leden thi lif in delyces, every wyght
Bo3 p8 20 schal despysen the and forleeten the, as
Bo3 p8 21 thow that art thral to thyng that is right
Bo3 p8 22 foul and brutyl (that is to seyn, servaunt to thi
Bo3 p8 23 body). Now is it thanne wel yseyn how litil
Bo3 p8 24 and how brotel possessioun thei coveyten that
Bo3 p8 25 putten the goodes of the body aboven hir
Bo3 p8 26 owene resoun. For maystow surmounten thise
Bo3 p8 27 olifauntes in gretnesse or weighte of body? Or
Bo3 p8 28 maistow ben strengere than the bole? Maystow
Bo3 p8 29 ben swyftere than the tigre? Byhoold the
Bo3 p8 30 spaces and the stablenesse and the swyft
Bo3 p8 31 cours of the hevene, and stynt somtyme to
Bo3 p8 32 wondren on foule thynges. The whiche hevene
Bo3 p8 33 certes nys nat rathere for thise thynges to ben
Bo3 p8 34 wondryd upon, than for the resoun by whiche it
Bo3 p8 35 is governed. But the schynynge of thi forme
Bo3 p8 36 (that is to seyn, the beute of thi body), how
Bo3 p8 37 swyftly passynge is it, and how transitorie!
Bo3 p8 38 "Certes it es more flyttynge than the mutabilite
Bo3 p8 39 of floures of the somer sesoun. For so as
Bo3 p8 40 Aristotle telleth, that if that men hadden
Bo3 p8 41 eyghen of a beeste that highte lynx, so that
Bo3 p8 42 the lokynge of folk myghte percen thurw the
Bo3 p8 43 thynges that withstonden it, whoso lokide
Bo3 p8 44 thanne in the entrayles of the body of Alcibiades,
Bo3 p8 45 that was ful fair in the superfice withoute,
Bo3 p8 46 it schulde seme ryght foul. And forthi yif
Bo3 p8 47 thow semest fair, thy nature ne maketh nat
Bo3 p8 48 that, but the deceyvaunce or the feblesse of the
Bo3 p8 49 eighen that loken. But preise the goodes of
Bo3 p8 50 the body as mochil as evere the lyst, so that
Bo3 p8 51 thow knowe algatis that, whatso it be (that
Bo3 p8 52 is to seyn, of the godes of the body) whiche that
Bo3 p8 53 thou wondrist uppon, mai ben destroied or dissolvid
Bo3 p8 54 by the heete of a fevere of thre dayes.
Bo3 p8 55 Of alle whiche forseide thynges Y mai reducen
Bo3 p8 56 this schortly in a somme: that thise worldly
Bo3 p8 57 goodes, whiche that ne mowen nat yeven that
Bo3 p8 58 they byheeten, ne ben nat parfite by the congregacioun
Bo3 p8 59 of alle goodis, that they ne ben
Bo3 p8 60 nat weyes ne pathes that bryngen men to
Bo3 p8 61 blisfulnesse, ne maken men to ben blisful.
Bo3 m8 1 "Allas! Whiche folie and whiche ignorance
Bo3 m8 2 mysledeth wandrynge wrecchis fro the path of
Bo3 m8 3 verray good! Certes ye ne seke no gold in
Bo3 m8 4 grene trees, ne ye gadere nat precyous stones in
Bo3 m8 5 the vynes, ne ye ne hiden nat yowre gynnes in
Bo3 m8 6 heye mountaignes to kacchen fyssche of whiche
Bo3 m8 7 ye mai maken riche festes. And if yow liketh
Bo3 m8 8 to hunte to roos, ye ne gon nat to the foordes
Bo3 m8 9 of the watir that highte Tyrene. And over
Bo3 m8 10 this, men knowen wel the krikes and the
Bo3 m8 11 cavernes of the see yhidde in the flodes,
Bo3 m8 12 and knowen ek whiche watir is moost plentevous
Bo3 m8 13 of white peerlis, and knowen whiche watir
Bo3 m8 14 haboundeth moost of reed purpre (that is to
Bo3 m8 15 seyn, of a maner schellefyssche with whiche men
Bo3 m8 16 deien purpre), and knowen whiche strondes
Bo3 m8 17 habounden most of tendre fysches, or of scharpe
Bo3 m8 18 fyssches that hyghten echynnys. But folk suffren
Bo3 m8 19 hemselve to ben so blynde, that hem
Bo3 m8 20 ne reccheth nat to knowe where thilke
Bo3 m8 21 goodes ben yhud whiche that thei coveyten,
Bo3 m8 22 but ploungen hem in erthe, and seken
Bo3 m8 23 there thilke good that surmounteth the hevene
Bo3 m8 24 that bereth the sterris. What preyere mai I
Bo3 m8 25 make, that be digne to the nyce thoughtes of
Bo3 m8 26 men? But I preie that thei coveyten rychesses
Bo3 m8 27 and honours, so that, whanne thei han geten
Bo3 m8 28 tho false goodes with greet travaile, that therby
Bo3 m8 29 they mowen knowen the verray goodes.
Bo3 p9 1 "It suffiseth that I have schewyd hiderto the
Bo3 p9 2 forme of fals welefulnesse, so that yif thou loke
Bo3 p9 3 now cleerly, the ordre of myn entencioun requireth
Bo3 p9 4 from hennes forth to schewe the verray
Bo3 p9 5 welefulnesse."
Bo3 p9 6 "Forsothe," quod I, "I se wel now that suffisaunce
Bo3 p9 7 may nat comen by rychesse, ne power
Bo3 p9 8 by remes, ne reverence by dignites, ne gentilesse
Bo3 p9 9 by glorie, ne joie be delices."
Bo3 p9 10 "And hastow wel knowen the causes,"
Bo3 p9 11 quod sche, "whi it es?"
Bo3 p9 12 "Certes me semeth," quod I, "that Y see hem
Bo3 p9 13 ryght as thoughe it were thurw a litil clyfte, but
Bo3 p9 14 me were levere knowen hem more opynly of
Bo3 p9 15 the."
Bo3 p9 16 "Certes," quod sche, "the resoun is al redy.
Bo3 p9 17 For thilke thyng that symply is o thyng withouten
Bo3 p9 18 ony devysioun, the errour and folie of
Bo3 p9 19 mankynde departeth and divideth it, and
Bo3 p9 20 mysledeth it and transporteth from verray
Bo3 p9 21 and parfit good to godes that ben false and
Bo3 p9 22 inparfit. But seye me this. Wenestow that he
Bo3 p9 23 that hath nede of power, that hym ne lakketh
Bo3 p9 24 nothyng?"
Bo3 p9 25 "Nay," quod I.
Bo3 p9 26 "Certes," quod sche, "thou seyst aryght; for
Bo3 p9 27 if so be that ther is a thyng that in ony partie
Bo3 p9 28 be feblere of power, certes, as in that, it moot
Bo3 p9 29 nedes be nedy of foreyne help."
Bo3 p9 30 "Ryght so is it," quod I.
Bo3 p9 31 "Suffisaunce and power ben thanne of
Bo3 p9 32 o kynde?"
Bo3 p9 33 "So semeth it," quod I.
Bo3 p9 34 "And demestow," quod sche, "that a thyng
Bo3 p9 35 that is of this manere (that is to seyn, suffisaunt
Bo3 p9 36 and myghty) oughte ben despised, or ellis that
Bo3 p9 37 it be right digne of reverence aboven alle
Bo3 p9 38 thynges?"
Bo3 p9 39 "Certes," quod I, "it nys no doute that it
Bo3 p9 40 nys right worthy to ben reverenced."
Bo3 p9 41 "Lat us," quod sche, "adden thanne reverence
Bo3 p9 42 to suffisaunce and to power, so that we
Bo3 p9 43 demen that thise thre thynges be al o thyng."
Bo3 p9 44 "Certes," quod I, "lat us adden it, yif we
Bo3 p9 45 wiln graunten the sothe."
Bo3 p9 46 "What demestow thanne," quod sche, "is
Bo3 p9 47 that a dirk thyng and nat noble that is suffisaunt,
Bo3 p9 48 reverent, and myghty; or elles that it is
Bo3 p9 49 ryght noble and ryght cleer by celebrete of
Bo3 p9 50 renoun? Considere thanne," quod sche, "as
Bo3 p9 51 we han grauntide hirbyfore that he that ne
Bo3 p9 52 hath nede of no thyng and is moost myghty
Bo3 p9 53 and moost digne of honour, if hym nedeth ony
Bo3 p9 54 cleernesse of renoun, whiche clernesse he myght
Bo3 p9 55 nat graunten of hymself; so that for lak of
Bo3 p9 56 thilke cleernesse he myghte seme the feblere
Bo3 p9 57 on any side, or the more outcast." (Glose. This
Bo3 p9 58 to seyn, nay; for whoso that is suffisaunt,
Bo3 p9 59 myghty, and reverent, clernesse of renoun
Bo3 p9 60 folweth of the forseyde thynges; he hath it
Bo3 p9 61 al redy of his suffysaunce.)
Bo3 p9 62 Boece. "I mai nat," quod I, "denye it, but I
Bo3 p9 63 moot granten, as it is, that this thyng be ryght
Bo3 p9 64 celebrable by clernesse of renoun and noblesse."
Bo3 p9 65 "Thanne folweth it," quod sche, "that we
Bo3 p9 66 adden clernesse of renoun to the thre forseyde
Bo3 p9 67 thynges, so that there ne be amonges hem no
Bo3 p9 68 difference."
Bo3 p9 69 "This a consequence," quod I.
Bo3 p9 70 "This thyng thanne," quod sche, "that ne
Bo3 p9 71 hath nede of no foreyne thyng, and that
Bo3 p9 72 may don alle thynges by hise strengthis, and
Bo3 p9 73 that is noble and honourable, nys nat that a
Bo3 p9 74 myry thyng and a joyful?"
Bo3 p9 75 Boece. "But whennes," quod I, "that any sorwe
Bo3 p9 76 myghte comen to this thyng that is swiche,
Bo3 p9 77 certes I mai nat thynke."
Bo3 p9 78 Philosophie. "Thanne mote we graunten,"
Bo3 p9 79 quod sche, "that this thing be ful of gladnesse,
Bo3 p9 80 if the forseide thynges ben sothe;
Bo3 p9 81 and certes also mote we graunten that suffisaunce,
Bo3 p9 82 power, noblesse, reverence, and gladnesse
Bo3 p9 83 be oonly diverse by names, but hir substaunce
Bo3 p9 84 hath no diversite."
Bo3 p9 85 Boece. "It moot nedly ben so," quod I.
Bo3 p9 86 Philosophie. "Thilke thyng thanne," quod
Bo3 p9 87 sche, "that is oon and symple in his nature, the
Bo3 p9 88 wikkidnesse of men departeth it and divideth
Bo3 p9 89 it; and whanne thei enforcen hem to gete
Bo3 p9 90 partie of a thyng that ne hath no part, thei
Bo3 p9 91 ne geten hem neyther thilke partie that nis
Bo3 p9 92 noon, ne the thyng al hool that thei ne desire
Bo3 p9 93 nat."
Bo3 p9 94 Boece. "In whiche manere?" quod I.
Bo3 p9 95 Philosophie. "Thilke man," quod sche, "that
Bo3 p9 96 seketh richesse to fleen poverte, he ne travaileth
Bo3 p9 97 hym nat for to geten power, for he hath
Bo3 p9 98 lever ben dirk and vyl; and eek withdraweth
Bo3 p9 99 from hymself manye naturel delites, for he
Bo3 p9 100 nolde leese the moneie that he hath assembled.
Bo3 p9 101 But certes in this manere he ne
Bo3 p9 102 geteth hym nat suffisance, that power forleteth,
Bo3 p9 103 and that moleste prikketh, and that filthe maketh
Bo3 p9 104 outcaste, and that dirknesse hideth. And
Bo3 p9 105 certes he that desireth oonly power, he wasteth
Bo3 p9 106 and scatereth rychesse, and despyseth delices
Bo3 p9 107 and eek honour that is withoute power, ne he
Bo3 p9 108 ne preiseth glorie nothyng. Certes thus seestow
Bo3 p9 109 wel that manye thynges failen to hym, for
Bo3 p9 110 he hath som tyme defaute of manye necessites,
Bo3 p9 111 and manye anguysshes byten hym;
Bo3 p9 112 and whan he ne mai nat do tho defautes awey,
Bo3 p9 113 he forletith to ben myghty, and that is the
Bo3 p9 114 thyng that he moost desireth. And ryght thus
Bo3 p9 115 mai I make semblable resouns of honours, and
Bo3 p9 116 of glorie, and of delyces; for so as every of
Bo3 p9 117 thise forseide thinges is the same that thise
Bo3 p9 118 othere thynges ben (that is to seyn, al oon
Bo3 p9 119 thyng), whoso that evere seketh to geten
Bo3 p9 120 the toon of thise, and nat the tothir, he ne
Bo3 p9 121 geteth nat that he desireth."
Bo3 p9 122 Boece. "What seystow thanne, yif that a
Bo3 p9 123 man coveyte to geten alle thise thynges togidre?"
Bo3 p9 125 Philosophie. "Certes," quod sche, "I wolde
Bo3 p9 126 seye that he wolde geten hym sovereyn blisfulnesse;
Bo3 p9 127 but that schal he nat fynde in tho
Bo3 p9 128 thynges that I have schewed that ne mowen
Bo3 p9 129 nat yeven that thei byheeten?"
Bo3 p9 130 Boece. "Certes no," quod I.
Bo3 p9 131 "Thanne," quod sche, "ne sholde men
Bo3 p9 132 nat by no weye seken blisfulnesse in siche
Bo3 p9 133 thynges as men wenen that they ne mowen
Bo3 p9 134 yeven but o thyng sengly of al that men
Bo3 p9 135 seken."
Bo3 p9 136 Boece. "I graunte wel," quod I, "ne no
Bo3 p9 137 sothere thyng ne may be seyd."
Bo3 p9 138 Philosophie. "Now hastow thanne," quod
Bo3 p9 139 sche, "the forme and the causes of fals
Bo3 p9 140 welefulnesse. Now torne and flytte the
Bo3 p9 141 eighen of thi thought, for ther shaltow
Bo3 p9 142 seen anoon thilke verray blisfulnesse that I
Bo3 p9 143 have behyght the."
Bo3 p9 144 Boece. "Certes," quod I, "it is cler and opene,
Bo3 p9 145 theyghe it were to a blynd man; and that
Bo3 p9 146 schewedestow me ful wel a litel herbyforn,
Bo3 p9 147 whan thow enforcedest the to schewe me the
Bo3 p9 148 causes of the fals blisfulnesse. For, but if I be
Bo3 p9 149 begiled, thanne is thilke the verray parfit
Bo3 p9 150 blisfulnesse that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt,
Bo3 p9 151 myghty, honourable, noble, and
Bo3 p9 152 ful of gladnesse. And for thow schalt wel
Bo3 p9 153 knowe that I have wel undirstonden thise
Bo3 p9 154 thinges withynne myn herte, I knowe wel that
Bo3 p9 155 thilke blisfulnesse that may verrayly yeven on
Bo3 p9 156 of the forseyde thynges, syn thei ben alle oon
Bo3 p9 157 -- I knowe dowtelees that thilke thyng is the
Bo3 p9 158 ful blysfulnesse."
Bo3 p9 159 Philosophie. "O my nory," quod sche,
Bo3 p9 160 "by this opynyoun I seie that thow art
Bo3 p9 161 blisful, yif thow putte this therto that I
Bo3 p9 162 schal seyn."
Bo3 p9 163 "What is that?" quod I.
Bo3 p9 164 "Trowestow that ther be any thyng in this
Bo3 p9 165 erthly, mortel, toumblynge thynges that may
Bo3 p9 166 brynge this estat?"
Bo3 p9 167 "Certes," quod I, "Y trowe it nought; and
Bo3 p9 168 thow hast schewyd me wel that over thilke good
Bo3 p9 169 ther nys no thyng more to ben desired."
Bo3 p9 170 Philosophie. "Thise thynges thanne,"
Bo3 p9 171 quod sche (that is to seyn, erthly
Bo3 p9 172 suffysaunce and power and swiche thynges),
Bo3 p9 173 "outher thei semen lyknesses of verray good, or
Bo3 p9 174 elles it semeth that thei yeve to mortel folk a
Bo3 p9 175 maner of goodes that ne be nat parfyt. But thilke
Bo3 p9 176 good that is verray and parfyt, that mai thei nat
Bo3 p9 177 yeven."
Bo3 p9 178 Boece. "I accorde me wel," quod I.
Bo3 p9 179 Philosophie. "Thanne," quod sche, "for as
Bo3 p9 180 moche as thou hast knowen whiche is thilke
Bo3 p9 181 verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke
Bo3 p9 182 thynges ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse (that is
Bo3 p9 183 to seyn, that be deceyte semen verray goodes),
Bo3 p9 184 now byhoveth the to knowe, whennes and
Bo3 p9 185 where thow mowe seke thilke verrai blisfulnesse."
Bo3 p9 187 "Certes," quod I "that desire I gretly and
Bo3 p9 188 have abyden longe tyme to herkne it."
Bo3 p9 189 "But for as moche," quod sche, "as it
Bo3 p9 190 liketh to my disciple Plato, in his book of
Bo3 p9 191 In Thymeo, that in ryght litel thynges men
Bo3 p9 192 schulde byseche the help of God, what juggestow
Bo3 p9 193 that be now to done, so that we may
Bo3 p9 194 desserve to fynde the seete of thilk sovereyn
Bo3 p9 195 good?"
Bo3 p9 196 Boece. "Certes," quod I, "Y deme that we
Bo3 p9 197 schul clepe to the Fadir of alle [thyng], for
Bo3 p9 198 withouten hym nis ther no [begynnyng] founded
Bo3 p9 199 aryght."
Bo3 p9 200 "Thow seyst aryght," quod sche, and
Bo3 p9 201 bygan anoon to syngen right thus:
Bo3 m9 1 "O thow Fadir, soowere and creatour of
Bo3 m9 2 hevene and of erthes, that governest this world
Bo3 m9 3 by perdurable resoun, that comaundest the
Bo3 m9 4 tymes to gon from syn that age hadde bygynnynge;
Bo3 m9 5 thow that duellest thiselve ay stedefast
Bo3 m9 6 and stable, and yevest alle othere thynges to
Bo3 m9 7 ben meved, ne foreyne causes necesseden the
Bo3 m9 8 nevere to compoune werk of floterynge matere,
Bo3 m9 9 but oonly the forme of sovereyn good iset
Bo3 m9 10 within the withoute envye, that moevede
Bo3 m9 11 the frely. Thow, that art althir-fayrest,
Bo3 m9 12 berynge the faire world in thy thought, formedest
Bo3 m9 13 this world to the lyknesse semblable of
Bo3 m9 14 that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest
Bo3 m9 15 alle thyng of thy sovereyn ensaumpler and
Bo3 m9 16 comaundest that this world, parfytely ymakid,
Bo3 m9 17 have frely and absolut hise parfyte parties.
Bo3 m9 18 Thow byndest the elementis by nombres proporcionables,
Bo3 m9 19 that the coolde thinges
Bo3 m9 20 mowen accorde with the hote thinges, and
Bo3 m9 21 the drye thinges with the moyste; that the
Bo3 m9 22 fuyer, that is purest, ne fle nat over-heye, ne that
Bo3 m9 23 the hevynesse ne drawe nat adoun over-lowe the
Bo3 m9 24 erthes that ben ploungid in the watris. Thow
Bo3 m9 25 knyttest togidere the mene soule of treble
Bo3 m9 26 kynde moevynge alle thingis, and divydest it
Bo3 m9 27 by membrys accordynge; and whan it es thus
Bo3 m9 28 divyded [and] hath assembled a moevynge
Bo3 m9 29 into two rowndes, it gooth to torne ayen
Bo3 m9 30 to hymself, and envyrouneth a ful deep
Bo3 m9 31 thought and turneth the hevene by semblable
Bo3 m9 32 ymage. Thow by evene-lyke causes enhauncest
Bo3 m9 33 the soules and the lasse lyves; and,
Bo3 m9 34 ablynge hem heye by lyghte waynes or cartes,
Bo3 m9 35 thow sowest hem into hevene and into erthe.
Bo3 m9 36 And whan thei ben convertyd to the by thi
Bo3 m9 37 benygne lawe, thow makest hem retourne ayen
Bo3 m9 38 to the by ayen-ledynge fyer. O Fadir, yyve
Bo3 m9 39 thou to the thought to steyen up into the
Bo3 m9 40 streyte seete; and graunte hym to enviroune
Bo3 m9 41 the welle of good; and, the lyght
Bo3 m9 42 ifounde, graunte hym to fycchen the clere
Bo3 m9 43 syghtes of his corage in the; and skatere thou
Bo3 m9 44 and tobreke the weyghtes and the cloudes of
Bo3 m9 45 erthly hevynesse; and schyn thou by thi bryghtnesse,
Bo3 m9 46 for thou art cleernesse, thow art pesible
Bo3 m9 47 reste to debonayre folk; thow thiself art bygynnynge,
Bo3 m9 48 berere, ledere, path, and terme; to looke
Bo3 m9 49 on the, that is our ende.
Bo3 p10 1 "For as moche thanne as thow hast seyn
Bo3 p10 2 whiche is the fourme of good that nys nat parfit,
Bo3 p10 3 and whiche is the forme of good that is parfit,
Bo3 p10 4 now trowe I that it were good to schewe in
Bo3 p10 5 what this perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set.
Bo3 p10 6 And in this thing I trowe that we schulde first
Bo3 p10 7 enquere for to witen, yf that any swich maner
Bo3 p10 8 good as thilke good that thow hast dyffinysshed
Bo3 p10 9 a litel herebyforn (that is to seyn, sovereyn
Bo3 p10 10 good) may be founde in the nature of
Bo3 p10 11 thinges, for that veyn ymagynacioun of
Bo3 p10 12 thought ne desceyve us nat, and put us out of
Bo3 p10 13 the sothfastnesse of thilke thing that is summytted
Bo3 p10 14 to us. But it may nat be denyed that
Bo3 p10 15 thilke good ne is, and that it nys ryght as a
Bo3 p10 16 welle of alle goodes. For alle thing that is
Bo3 p10 17 cleped inparfyt is proevid inparfit be the
Bo3 p10 18 amenusynge of perfeccioun or of thing that is
Bo3 p10 19 parfit. And herof cometh it that in every
Bo3 p10 20 thing general, yif that men seen any thing
Bo3 p10 21 that is inparfit, certes in thilke general ther
Bo3 p10 22 moot ben som thing that is parfit. For yif so be
Bo3 p10 23 that perfeccioun is don awey, men may nat
Bo3 p10 24 thinke ne say fro whennes thilke thing is that
Bo3 p10 25 is cleped inparfyt. For the nature of thinges ne
Bo3 p10 26 took nat hir begynnynge of thinges amenused
Bo3 p10 27 and inparfit, but it procedith of thinges that
Bo3 p10 28 ben alle hole and absolut, and descendith so
Bo3 p10 29 doun into uttereste thinges and into thinges
Bo3 p10 30 empty and withouten fruyt. But, as I have
Bo3 p10 31 schewid a litel herebyforn that yif ther be
Bo3 p10 32 a blisfulnesse that be freel and veyn and inparfyt,
Bo3 p10 33 ther may no man doute that ther nys
Bo3 p10 34 som blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and
Bo3 p10 35 parfyt."
Bo3 p10 36 Boece. "This is concluded," quod I, "feermely
Bo3 p10 37 and soothfastly."
Bo3 p10 38 Philosophie. "But considere also," quod sche,
Bo3 p10 39 "in whom this blissefulnes enhabiteth. The
Bo3 p10 40 comune accordaunce and conceyt of the
Bo3 p10 41 corages of men proveth and graunteth that
Bo3 p10 42 God, prince of alle thinges, is good. For, so as
Bo3 p10 43 nothyng mai ben thought betere than God, it
Bo3 p10 44 mai nat ben douted thanne that he that no
Bo3 p10 45 thinge nys betere, that he nys good. Certes resoun
Bo3 p10 46 scheweth that God is so good that it
Bo3 p10 47 proeveth by verray force that parfyt good is in
Bo3 p10 48 hym. For yif God nys swyche, he ne mai nat be
Bo3 p10 49 prince of alle thinges; for certes somthing
Bo3 p10 50 possessyng in itself parfyt good schulde be
Bo3 p10 51 more worthy than God, and it scholde
Bo3 p10 52 semen that thilke thing were first and eldere than
Bo3 p10 53 God. For we han schewyd apertely that alle
Bo3 p10 54 thinges that ben parfyt ben first er thynges that
Bo3 p10 55 ben inparfit; and forthy, for as moche as that
Bo3 p10 56 my resoun or my proces ne go nat awey withouten
Bo3 p10 57 an ende, we owe to graunte that the
Bo3 p10 58 sovereyn God is ryght ful of sovereyn parfit
Bo3 p10 59 good. And we han establissched that the
Bo3 p10 60 sovereyne good is verray blisfulnesse.
Bo3 p10 61 Thanne moot it nedis be that verray blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 62 is set in sovereyn God."
Bo3 p10 63 Boece. "This take I wel," quod I, "ne this
Bo3 p10 64 ne mai nat be withseid in no manere."
Bo3 p10 65 "But I preye the," quod sche, "see now how
Bo3 p10 66 thou mayst proeven holily and withoute corrupcioun
Bo3 p10 67 this that I have seid, that the sovereyn
Bo3 p10 68 God is ryght ful of sovereyne good."
Bo3 p10 69 "In whiche manere?" quod I.
Bo3 p10 70 "Wenestow aught," quod sche, "that this
Bo3 p10 71 prince of alle thynges have itake thilke sovereyne
Bo3 p10 72 good anywher out of hymself, of whiche
Bo3 p10 73 sovereyne good men proeveth that he is ful;
Bo3 p10 74 ryght as thou myghtest thenken that God, that
Bo3 p10 75 hath blisfulnesse in hymself, and thilke blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 76 that is in hym, were divers in substaunce?
Bo3 p10 77 For yif thow wene that God have resseyved
Bo3 p10 78 thilke good out of hymself, thow mayst wene
Bo3 p10 79 that he that yaf thilke good to God be more
Bo3 p10 80 worth than is God. But I am beknowe and
Bo3 p10 81 confesse, and that ryght dignely, that God
Bo3 p10 82 is ryght worthy aboven alle thinges. And yif
Bo3 p10 83 so be that this good be in hym by nature, but
Bo3 p10 84 that it is dyvers from hym by wenynge resoun,
Bo3 p10 85 syn we speke of God prynce of alle thynges,
Bo3 p10 86 feyne who so feyne mai who was he that
Bo3 p10 87 hath conjoyned thise divers thynges togidre.
Bo3 p10 88 And eek at the laste se wel that a thing that is
Bo3 p10 89 divers from any thing, that thilke thing nys
Bo3 p10 90 nat that same thing fro whiche it es undirstonden
Bo3 p10 91 to be diverse. Thanne folweth it
Bo3 p10 92 that thilke thing that be his nature is divers
Bo3 p10 93 from sovereyn good, that that thyng nys nat
Bo3 p10 94 sovereyn good; but certes it were a felenous
Bo3 p10 95 cursydnesse to thinken that of hym that no
Bo3 p10 96 thing nys more worth. For alwey, of alle
Bo3 p10 97 thinges, the nature of hem ne may nat ben betere
Bo3 p10 98 thanne hir begynnynge. For whiche I mai concluden
Bo3 p10 99 by ryght verray resoun that thilke
Bo3 p10 100 that is begynnynge of alle thinges, thilke
Bo3 p10 101 same thing is sovereyn good in his substaunce."
Bo3 p10 103 Boece. "Thow hast seyd ryghtfully," quod I.
Bo3 p10 104 Philosophie. "But we han graunted," quod
Bo3 p10 105 sche, "that the sovereyn good is blisfulnesse."
Bo3 p10 106 "That is sooth," quod I.
Bo3 p10 107 "Thanne," quod sche, "moten we nedes
Bo3 p10 108 granten and confessen that thilke same sovereyn
Bo3 p10 109 good be God."
Bo3 p10 110 "Certes," quod I, "Y ne may nat denye
Bo3 p10 111 ne withstonde the resouns purposed; and
Bo3 p10 112 I se wel that it folweth by strengthe of the
Bo3 p10 113 premisses."
Bo3 p10 114 "Loke now," quod sche, "yif this be proevid
Bo3 p10 115 yet more fermely thus, that there ne mowen not
Bo3 p10 116 ben two sovereyn goodis that ben divers among
Bo3 p10 117 hemself. For certes the goodis that ben divers
Bo3 p10 118 among hemself, the toon is nat that that the
Bo3 p10 119 tothir is. thanne ne mowen neither of hem
Bo3 p10 120 ben parfit, so as eyther of hem lakketh to
Bo3 p10 121 othir. But that that nys nat parfit, men
Bo3 p10 122 mai seen apertely that it nys not sovereyn. The
Bo3 p10 123 thinges thanne that ben sovereynly gode ne
Bo3 p10 124 mowe by no weie be divers. But I have wel
Bo3 p10 125 concluded that blisfulnesse and God ben the
Bo3 p10 126 sovereyn good; for whiche it mote nedes be that
Bo3 p10 127 sovereyne blisfulnesse is sovereyn devynite."
Bo3 p10 128 "No thing," quod I, "nys more sothfaste than
Bo3 p10 129 this, ne more ferme by resoun, ne a more
Bo3 p10 130 worthy thing than God mai not ben concluded."
Bo3 p10 132 Philosophie. "Upon thise thynges thanne," quod
Bo3 p10 133 sche, "ryght as thise geometriens whan thei han
Bo3 p10 134 schewed her proposicions ben wont to bryngen
Bo3 p10 135 yn thinges that thei clepen porismes or declaracions
Bo3 p10 136 of forseide thinges, right so wol I yeve
Bo3 p10 137 the here as a corolarie or a meede of coroune.
Bo3 p10 138 Forwhy, for as moche as by the getynge of blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 139 men ben makid blisful, and blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 140 is dyvinite, than is it manifest and
Bo3 p10 141 opene that by the getynge of dyvinite men
Bo3 p10 142 ben makid blisful. Right as by the getynge of
Bo3 p10 143 justise [men ben maked just], and be the getynge
Bo3 p10 144 of sapience thei ben maked wise, ryght so
Bo3 p10 145 nedes by the semblable resoun, whan they han
Bo3 p10 146 geten dyvinite thei ben maked goddes. Thanne
Bo3 p10 147 is every blisful man God. But certes by nature
Bo3 p10 148 ther nys but o God; but by the participacioun
Bo3 p10 149 of dyvinite ther ne let ne distourbeth nothyng
Bo3 p10 150 that ther ne ben many goddis."
Bo3 p10 151 "This ys," quod I, "a fair thing and a
Bo3 p10 152 precious, clepe it as thou wilt, be it corolarie, or
Bo3 p10 153 porisme, or mede of coroune, or declarynges."
Bo3 p10 154 "Certes," quod sche, "nothing nys fairere
Bo3 p10 155 than is the thing that by resoun schulde ben
Bo3 p10 156 addide to thise forseide thinges."
Bo3 p10 157 "What thing?" quod I.
Bo3 p10 158 "So," quod sche, "as it semeth that blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 159 conteneth many thinges, it weere for
Bo3 p10 160 to witen whether that alle thise thinges
Bo3 p10 161 maken or conjoynen as a maner body of
Bo3 p10 162 blisfulnesse by diversite of parties or membres,
Bo3 p10 163 or elles yif ony of alle thilke thinges be swich
Bo3 p10 164 that it acomplise by hymself the substaunce of
Bo3 p10 165 blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othere thynges
Bo3 p10 166 ben referrid and brought to blisfulnesse (that
Bo3 p10 167 is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem)."
Bo3 p10 168 "I wolde," quod I, "that thow madest me
Bo3 p10 169 clerly to undirstonde what thou seist, and
Bo3 p10 170 that thou recordidest me the forseide
Bo3 p10 171 thinges."
Bo3 p10 172 "Have I not jugged," quod sche, "that blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 173 is good?"
Bo3 p10 174 "Yys for sothe," quod I, "and that sovereyn
Bo3 p10 175 good."
Bo3 p10 176 "Adde thanne," quod sche, "thilke good that
Bo3 p10 177 is maked blisfulnesse to alle the forseide
Bo3 p10 178 thinges. For thilke same blisfulnesse [is.
Bo3 p10 179 demed to ben sovereyn suffisaunce, thilke
Bo3 p10 180 selve is sovereyn power, sovereyn reverence,
Bo3 p10 181 sovereyn clernesse or noblesse, and
Bo3 p10 182 sovereyn delyt. What seistow thanne of alle
Bo3 p10 183 thise thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power,
Bo3 p10 184 and thise othere thinges, -- ben thei thanne as
Bo3 p10 185 membris of blisfulnesse, or ben they reffered
Bo3 p10 186 and brought to sovereyne good ryght as alle
Bo3 p10 187 thinges [ben] brought to the cheef of hem?"
Bo3 p10 188 Boece. "I undirstonde wel," quod I, "what
Bo3 p10 189 thou purposest to seke, but I desire for
Bo3 p10 190 to herkne that thow schew it me."
Bo3 p10 191 Philosophie. "Tak now thus the discrecioun
Bo3 p10 192 of this questioun," quod sche; "yif alle thise
Bo3 p10 193 thinges," quod sche, "weren membris to felicite,
Bo3 p10 194 thanne weren thei dyverse that on fro that
Bo3 p10 195 othir. And swich is the nature of parties or of
Bo3 p10 196 membres, that diverse membris compounen a
Bo3 p10 197 body."
Bo3 p10 198 "Certes," quod I, "it hath wel ben schewyd
Bo3 p10 199 herebyforn that alle thise thinges ben
Bo3 p10 200 al o thyng."
Bo3 p10 201 "Thanne ben thei none membres," quod
Bo3 p10 202 sche, "for elles it schulde seme that blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 203 were conjoyned al of o membre allone;
Bo3 p10 204 but that is a thing that mai not ben don."
Bo3 p10 205 "This thing," quod I, "nys not doutous; but
Bo3 p10 206 I abide to herknen the remenaunt of the question."
Bo3 p10 208 "This is opene and cler," quod sche, "that
Bo3 p10 209 alle othere thinges ben referrid and
Bo3 p10 210 brought to good. For therfore is suffisaunce
Bo3 p10 211 requerid, for it is demyd to ben
Bo3 p10 212 good; and forthy is power requirid, for men
Bo3 p10 213 trowen also that it be good; and this same thing
Bo3 p10 214 mowen we thinken and conjecten of reverence,
Bo3 p10 215 and of noblesse, and of delyt. Thanne is sovereyn
Bo3 p10 216 good the somme and the cause of al that
Bo3 p10 217 oughte ben desired; forwhy thilke thing that
Bo3 p10 218 withholdeth no good in itselve, ne semblance
Bo3 p10 219 of good, it ne mai not wel in no
Bo3 p10 220 manere be desired ne requerid. And the
Bo3 p10 221 contrarie; for thoughe that thinges by here
Bo3 p10 222 nature ne ben not gode, algates yif men wene
Bo3 p10 223 that thei ben gode, yet ben thei desired as
Bo3 p10 224 theigh that thei were verrayliche gode; and
Bo3 p10 225 therefore is it that men oughte to wene by ryghte
Bo3 p10 226 that bounte be the sovereyn fyn and the cause
Bo3 p10 227 of alle the thinges that ben to requiren. But
Bo3 p10 228 certes thilke that is cause for whiche men
Bo3 p10 229 requiren any thing, it semeth that thilke
Bo3 p10 230 same thing be moost desired. As thus: yf
Bo3 p10 231 that a wyght wolde ryden for cause of hele,
Bo3 p10 232 he ne desireth not so mochel the moevyng to
Bo3 p10 233 ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne,
Bo3 p10 234 syn that alle thynges ben required for the grace
Bo3 p10 235 of good, thei ne ben not desired of alle folk
Bo3 p10 236 more than the same good. But we han grauntide
Bo3 p10 237 that blisfulnesse is that thing for whiche that
Bo3 p10 238 alle thise othere thinges ben desired; thanne
Bo3 p10 239 is it thus that certes oonly blysfulnesse is
Bo3 p10 240 requered and desired. By whiche thing it
Bo3 p10 241 scheweth cleerly that of good and of blisfulnesse
Bo3 p10 242 is al on and the same substaunce."
Bo3 p10 243 "I se nat," quod I, "wherfore that men
Bo3 p10 244 myghten discorden in this."
Bo3 p10 245 "And we han schewed that God and verray
Bo3 p10 246 blisfulnesse is al o thing."
Bo3 p10 247 "That is sooth," quod I.
Bo3 p10 248 "Thanne mowen we concluden sykerly, that
Bo3 p10 249 the substaunce of God is set in thilke same
Bo3 p10 250 good, and in noon other place.
Bo3 m10 1 "Cometh alle to-gidre now, ye that ben
Bo3 m10 2 ykaught and ybounde with wikkide cheynes by
Bo3 m10 3 the desceyvable delyt of erthly thynges enhabitynge
Bo3 m10 4 in yowr thought! Her schal ben the
Bo3 m10 5 reste of your labours, her is the havene stable
Bo3 m10 6 in pesible quiete; this allone is the open refut
Bo3 m10 7 to wreches. (Glose. This to seyn, that ye that
Bo3 m10 8 ben combryd and disseyvid with worldly
Bo3 m10 9 affeccions, cometh now to this sovereyn
Bo3 m10 10 good, that is God, that is refut to hem
Bo3 m10 11 that wolen come to hym.) Textus. Alle the
Bo3 m10 12 thinges that the ryver Tagus yyveth yow with
Bo3 m10 13 his goldene gravelis, or elles alle the thinges
Bo3 m10 14 that the ryver Hermus yeveth with his rede
Bo3 m10 15 brinke, or that Indus yyveth, that is next the
Bo3 m10 16 hote partie of the world, that medleth the grene
Bo3 m10 17 stones with the white, ne scholden not cleren
Bo3 m10 18 the lookynge of your thought, but hiden rather
Bo3 m10 19 your blynde corages withynne here derknesse.
Bo3 m10 20 Al that liketh yow here, and exciteth
Bo3 m10 21 and moeveth your thoughtes, the
Bo3 m10 22 erthe hath norysschid it in his lowe caves. But
Bo3 m10 23 the schynynge by whiche the hevene is governed
Bo3 m10 24 and whennes that it hath his strengthe, that
Bo3 m10 25 eschueth the derke overthrowynge of the soule;
Bo3 m10 26 and whosoevere may knowen thilke light (of
Bo3 m10 27 blisfulnesse), he schal wel seyn that the white
Bo3 m10 28 beemes of the sonne ne ben nat cleer."
Bo3 p11 1 Boece. "I assente me," quod I, "for alle thise
Bo3 p11 2 thinges ben strongly bounden with ryght ferme
Bo3 p11 3 resouns."
Bo3 p11 4 "How mychel wiltow preysen it," quod sche,
Bo3 p11 5 "yif that thow knowe what thilke good is?"
Bo3 p11 6 "I wol preyse it," quod I, "be pris withouten
Bo3 p11 7 ende, yif it schal betyde me to knowe also togidre
Bo3 p11 8 God that is good."
Bo3 p11 9 "Certes," quod sche, "that schal I [undo]
Bo3 p11 10 the be verray resoun, yif that tho
Bo3 p11 11 thinges that I have concluded a litel herebyforn
Bo3 p11 12 duellen only in hir first grauntynge."
Bo3 p11 13 Boece. "Thei dwellen graunted to the," quod
Bo3 p11 14 I. (This to seyn as who seith, "I graunte thi
Bo3 p11 15 forseide conclusyouns.")
Bo3 p11 16 "Have I nat schewed the," quod sche, "that
Bo3 p11 17 the thinges that ben required of many folk ne
Bo3 p11 18 ben not verray goodis ne parfite, for thei ben
Bo3 p11 19 divers that on fro that othir; and so as iche
Bo3 p11 20 of hem is lakkynge to othir, thei ne han no
Bo3 p11 21 power to bryngen a good that is ful and
Bo3 p11 22 absolut; but thanne at erste ben thei verraye
Bo3 p11 23 good, whan thei ben gadred togidre [als] into o
Bo3 p11 24 forme and into oon werkynge, so that thilke
Bo3 p11 25 thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be power,
Bo3 p11 26 and reverence, and noblesse, and myrthe; and
Bo3 p11 27 for sothe, but yif alle thise thinges ben alle o
Bo3 p11 28 same thing, thei ne han not wherby that thei
Bo3 p11 29 mowen be put in the nombre of thinges
Bo3 p11 30 that oughten ben required or desired?"
Bo3 p11 31 Boece. "It is schewyd," quod I, "ne herof
Bo3 p11 32 mai ther no man douten."
Bo3 p11 33 Philosophie. "The thinges thanne," quod sche,
Bo3 p11 34 "that ne ben none goodis whan thei ben diverse,
Bo3 p11 35 and whanne thei bygynnen to ben al o thing,
Bo3 p11 36 thanne ben thei goodes -- ne cometh it hem nat
Bo3 p11 37 thanne be the getynge of unyte that thei ben
Bo3 p11 38 maked goodes?"
Bo3 p11 39 Boece. "So it semeth," quod I.
Bo3 p11 40 "But alle thing that is good," quod sche,
Bo3 p11 41 "grauntestow that it be good by the participacioun
Bo3 p11 42 of good, or no?"
Bo3 p11 43 "I graunte it," quod I.
Bo3 p11 44 "Thanne mustow graunten," quod sche, "by
Bo3 p11 45 semblable resoun that oon and good be o same
Bo3 p11 46 thing; for of thinges of whiche that the effect nys
Bo3 p11 47 nat naturely divers, nedes the substaunce moot
Bo3 p11 48 be oo same thing."
Bo3 p11 49 "I ne may nat denye it," quod I.
Bo3 p11 50 "Hastow nat knowen wel," quod sche,
Bo3 p11 51 "that alle thing that is hath so longe his
Bo3 p11 52 duellynge and his substaunce as longe as it es
Bo3 p11 53 oon, but whanne it forletith to be oon, it moot
Bo3 p11 54 nedys deien and corrumpen togidres?"
Bo3 p11 55 "In whiche manere?" quod I.
Bo3 p11 56 "Ryght as in beestes," quod sche, "whanne
Bo3 p11 57 the soule and the body ben conjoyned in oon
Bo3 p11 58 and dwellen togidre, it es cleped a beeste; and
Bo3 p11 59 whanne her unyte is destroyed be the
Bo3 p11 60 disseveraunce the toon fro the tothir,
Bo3 p11 61 thanne scheweth it wel that it is a deed
Bo3 p11 62 thing, and that it nys no lengere no beeste. And
Bo3 p11 63 the body of a wyght, while it duelleth in oo
Bo3 p11 64 fourme be conjunccion of membris, it is wel
Bo3 p11 65 seyn that it is a figure of mankynde; and yif
Bo3 p11 66 the parties of the body ben so devyded and
Bo3 p11 67 disseverid the ton fro the tother that thei destroyen
Bo3 p11 68 unite, the body forletith to ben that it was
Bo3 p11 69 beforn. And whoso wolde renne in the
Bo3 p11 70 same manere be alle thinges, he scholde
Bo3 p11 71 seen that withouten doute every thing is in
Bo3 p11 72 his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whanne
Bo3 p11 73 it forletith to ben oon, it dyeth and peryssheth."
Bo3 p11 74 Boece. "Whanne I considere," quod I, "manye
Bo3 p11 75 thinges, I se noon other."
Bo3 p11 76 "Is ther any thing thanne," quod sche, "that,
Bo3 p11 77 in as moche as it lyveth naturely, that forletith
Bo3 p11 78 the talent or the appetyt of his beynge and
Bo3 p11 79 desireth to come to deth and to corrupcioun?"
Bo3 p11 81 "Yif I considere," quod I, "the beestes
Bo3 p11 82 that han any maner nature of wyllynge and of
Bo3 p11 83 nyllynge, I ne fynde no beeste, but if it be
Bo3 p11 84 constreyned fro withoute-forth, that forletith or
Bo3 p11 85 despiseth the entencion to lyven and to duren;
Bo3 p11 86 or that wole, his thankes, hasten hym to dyen.
Bo3 p11 87 For every beest travaileth hym to defende and
Bo3 p11 88 kepe the savacion of his lif, and eschueth deeth
Bo3 p11 89 and destruccioun. But certes I doute me of
Bo3 p11 90 herbes and of trees [and] I am in a doute
Bo3 p11 91 of swiche thinges [as] ne han no felyng
Bo3 p11 92 soules (ne no naturel werkynges servynge to
Bo3 p11 93 appetites as beestes han, whether thei han
Bo3 p11 94 appetyt to duellen and to duren).
Bo3 p11 95 "Certes," quod sche, "ne therof thar the nat
Bo3 p11 96 doute. Now looke upon thise herbes and thise
Bo3 p11 97 trees. They wexen first in suche places as ben
Bo3 p11 98 covenable to hem, in whiche places thei mowen
Bo3 p11 99 nat sone deye ne dryen, as longe as hir
Bo3 p11 100 nature mai defenden hem. For some of
Bo3 p11 101 hem waxen in feeldis, and some in mountaynes,
Bo3 p11 102 and othere waxen in mareys, and
Bo3 p11 103 othre cleven on roches, and some wexen
Bo3 p11 104 plentyvous in soondes; and yif any wyght
Bo3 p11 105 enforce hym to bere hem into other places, thei
Bo3 p11 106 wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing
Bo3 p11 107 that that is convenient to hym, and travailleth
Bo3 p11 108 that they ne deie nat, as longe as thei han power
Bo3 p11 109 to duellen and to lyven. What wiltow seyn
Bo3 p11 110 of this, that thei drawen alle here
Bo3 p11 111 norysschynges by here rootes, ryght as thei
Bo3 p11 112 hadden here mouthes yplounged withynne the
Bo3 p11 113 erthes, and sheden be hir maryes hir wode and
Bo3 p11 114 hir bark? And what wyltow seyn of this, that
Bo3 p11 115 thilke thing that is ryght softe, as the marie is,
Bo3 p11 116 that it is alwey hyd in the seete al withinne, and
Bo3 p11 117 that it is defended fro withoute by the
Bo3 p11 118 stedfastnesse of wode, and that the outreste bark
Bo3 p11 119 is put ayens the distemperaunce of the
Bo3 p11 120 hevene as a deffendour myghty to suffren
Bo3 p11 121 harm? And thus certes maistow wel seen
Bo3 p11 122 how greet is the diligence of nature; for alle
Bo3 p11 123 thinges renovelen and publysschen hem with
Bo3 p11 124 seed ymultiplied, ne ther nys no man that ne
Bo3 p11 125 woot wel that they ne ben ryght as a foundement
Bo3 p11 126 and edifice for to duren, noght oonly for a tyme,
Bo3 p11 127 but ryght as for to dure perdurably by
Bo3 p11 128 generacion.
Bo3 p11 129 "And the thinges eek that men wenen ne
Bo3 p11 130 haven none soules, ne desire thei nat, iche
Bo3 p11 131 of hem, by semblable resoun to kepyn that
Bo3 p11 132 that is hirs (that is to seyn, that is accordynge
Bo3 p11 133 to hir nature in conservacioun of hir beynge
Bo3 p11 134 and endurynge)? For wherfore ellis bereth
Bo3 p11 135 lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weyghte
Bo3 p11 136 presseth the erthe adoun, but for as moche as
Bo3 p11 137 thilke places and thilke moevynges ben covenable
Bo3 p11 138 to everyche of hem? And forsothe every
Bo3 p11 139 thing kepeth thilke that is accordynge
Bo3 p11 140 and propre to hym, ryght as thinges that
Bo3 p11 141 ben contrarious and enemys corrumpen
Bo3 p11 142 hem. And yet the harde thinges, as stones,
Bo3 p11 143 clyven and holden here parties togidere ryght
Bo3 p11 144 faste and harde, and defenden hem in
Bo3 p11 145 withstondynge that thei ne departe nat lyghtly
Bo3 p11 146 atwynne. And the thinges that ben softe and
Bo3 p11 147 fletynge, as is watir and eyr, thei departen
Bo3 p11 148 lyghtly and yeven place to hem that breken or
Bo3 p11 149 divyden hem; but natheles they retorne
Bo3 p11 150 sone ageyn into the same thinges fro
Bo3 p11 151 whennes thei ben arraced; but fyer fleeth
Bo3 p11 152 and refuseth alle dyvisioun.
Bo3 p11 153 "Ne I ne trete not here now of willeful
Bo3 p11 154 moevynges of the soule that is knowyng, but of
Bo3 p11 155 the naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: ryght
Bo3 p11 156 as we swolwen the mete that we resseyven and
Bo3 p11 157 ne thinke nat on it, and as we drawen our breeth
Bo3 p11 158 in slepynge that we witen it nat while we slepyn.
Bo3 p11 159 For certes in the beestis the love of hire
Bo3 p11 160 lyvynges ne of hire beynges ne cometh
Bo3 p11 161 not of the wilnynges of the soule, but of
Bo3 p11 162 the bygynnynges of nature. For certes, thurw
Bo3 p11 163 constreynynge causes, wil desireth and embraceth
Bo3 p11 164 ful ofte tyme the deeth that nature
Bo3 p11 165 dredeth. (That is to seyn as thus: that a man
Bo3 p11 166 may be constreyned so, by som cause, that his
Bo3 p11 167 wille desireth and taketh the deeth whiche
Bo3 p11 168 that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore.) And
Bo3 p11 169 somtyme we seen the contrarye, as thus:
Bo3 p11 170 that the wil of a wyght distourbeth and
Bo3 p11 171 constreyneth that that nature desireth and
Bo3 p11 172 requirith alwey, that is to seyn the werk of
Bo3 p11 173 generacioun, by whiche generacioun only
Bo3 p11 174 duelleth and is susteyned the longe durablete of
Bo3 p11 175 mortel thinges. And thus this charite and this
Bo3 p11 176 love, that every thing hath to hymself, ne
Bo3 p11 177 cometh not of the moevynge of the soule, but of
Bo3 p11 178 the entencioun of nature. For the purveaunce of
Bo3 p11 179 God hath yeven to thinges that ben creat of
Bo3 p11 180 hym this, that is a ful grete cause to lyven
Bo3 p11 181 and to duren, for whiche they desiren
Bo3 p11 182 naturely here lif as longe as evere thei mowen.
Bo3 p11 183 For which thou mayst not drede be no manere
Bo3 p11 184 that alle the thinges that ben anywhere, that thei
Bo3 p11 185 ne requiren naturely the ferme stablenesse of
Bo3 p11 186 perdurable duellynge, and eek the eschuynge of
Bo3 p11 187 destruccioun."
Bo3 p11 188 Boece. "Now confesse I wel," quod I, "that Y
Bo3 p11 189 see wel now certeynly withouten doutes
Bo3 p11 190 the thinges that whilom semeden uncerteyn
Bo3 p11 191 to me."
Bo3 p11 192 Philosophie. "But," quod sche, "thilke thing
Bo3 p11 193 that desireth to be and to duelle perdurably, he
Bo3 p11 194 desireth to ben oon. For yif that oon were
Bo3 p11 195 destroyed, certes, beynge schulde ther noon
Bo3 p11 196 duellen to no wyght."
Bo3 p11 197 "That is sooth," quod I.
Bo3 p11 198 "Thanne," quod sche, "desiren alle thinges
Bo3 p11 199 oon."
Bo3 p11 200 "I assente," quod I.
Bo3 p11 201 "And I have schewed," quod sche, "that
Bo3 p11 202 thilke same oon is thilke that is good."
Bo3 p11 203 Boece. "Ye, forsothe," quod I.
Bo3 p11 204 "Alle thinges thanne," quod sche, "requiren
Bo3 p11 205 good; and thilke good thow mayst descryven
Bo3 p11 206 ryght thus: good is thilk thing that every wyght
Bo3 p11 207 desireth."
Bo3 p11 208 "Ther ne may be thought," quod I, "no more
Bo3 p11 209 verraye thing. For eyther alle thinges ben
Bo3 p11 210 referrid and brought to noght, and floteren
Bo3 p11 211 withouten governour, despoyled of oon as
Bo3 p11 212 of hire propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any
Bo3 p11 213 thing to whiche that alle thinges tenden and
Bo3 p11 214 hyen to, that thing muste ben the sovereyn good
Bo3 p11 215 of alle goodes."
Bo3 p11 216 Philosophie. Thanne seide sche thus: "O my
Bo3 p11 217 nory," quod sche, "I have greet gladnesse of
Bo3 p11 218 the, for thow hast fycched in thyn herte the
Bo3 p11 219 [marke] [of] [the] myddel sothfastnesse, (that
Bo3 p11 220 is to seyn, the prykke). But [in] this thing
Bo3 p11 221 hath ben discoveryd to the [that] thow
Bo3 p11 222 seydest that thow wistest not a litel herbyforn."
Bo3 p11 223 "What was that?" quod I.
Bo3 p11 224 "That thou ne wistest noght," quod sche,
Bo3 p11 225 "whiche was the ende of thinges. And certes that
Bo3 p11 226 is the thyng that every wyght desireth. and for
Bo3 p11 227 as mochel as we han gadrid and comprehendid
Bo3 p11 228 that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle,
Bo3 p11 229 thanne mote we nedys confessen that good
Bo3 p11 230 is the fyn of alle thinges.
Bo3 m11 1 "Whoso that seketh sooth by a deep thought,
Bo3 m11 2 and coveyteth not to ben disseyvid by no mysweyes,
Bo3 m11 3 lat hym rollen and trenden withynne
Bo3 m11 4 hymself the lyght of his ynwarde sighte; and
Bo3 m11 5 let hym gaderyn ayein, enclynynge into a compas,
Bo3 m11 6 the longe moevynges of his thoughtes; and
Bo3 m11 7 let hym techyn his corage that he hath enclosid
Bo3 m11 8 and hid in his tresors al that he compasseth or
Bo3 m11 9 secheth fro withoute. And thanne thilke
Bo3 m11 10 thing that the blake cloude of errour
Bo3 m11 11 whilom hadde ycovered schal lighte more
Bo3 m11 12 clerly than Phebus hymself ne schyneth.
Bo3 m11 13 (Glosa. Whoso wol seke the depe ground of
Bo3 m11 14 soth in his thought, and wil nat ben disseyvid
Bo3 m11 15 by false proposiciouns that goon amys fro the
Bo3 m11 16 trouthe, lat hym wel examine and rolle withynne
Bo3 m11 17 hymself the nature and the propretes of
Bo3 m11 18 the thing; and let hym yet eftsones examinen
Bo3 m11 19 and rollen his thoughtes by good deliberacioun
Bo3 m11 20 or that he deme, and lat hym techyn
Bo3 m11 21 his soule that it hath, by naturel principles
Bo3 m11 22 kyndeliche yhud withynne itself, al the trouthe
Bo3 m11 23 the whiche he ymagineth to ben in thinges
Bo3 m11 24 withoute. And thanne al the derknesse of his
Bo3 m11 25 mysknowynge shall [schewen] more evydently
Bo3 m11 26 to the sighte of his undirstondynge then the
Bo3 m11 27 sonne ne semeth to the sighte withoute-forth.)
Bo3 m11 28 For certes the body, bryngynge the weighte of
Bo3 m11 29 foryetynge, ne hath nat chased out of your
Bo3 m11 30 thought al the cleernesse of your knowyng;
Bo3 m11 31 for certeynli the seed of soth haldeth and
Bo3 m11 32 clyveth within yowr corage, and it is awaked
Bo3 m11 33 and excited by the wynde and by the blastes
Bo3 m11 34 of doctrine. For wherfore elles demen ye of
Bo3 m11 35 your owene wil the ryghtes, whan ye ben axid,
Bo3 m11 36 but if so were that the norysschynges of resoun
Bo3 m11 37 ne lyvede yplounged in the depe of your herte?
Bo3 m11 38 (This to seyn, how schulde men deme the sothe
Bo3 m11 39 of any thing that were axid, yif ther nere a
Bo3 m11 40 rote of sothfastnesse that were yploungid
Bo3 m11 41 and hyd in the naturel principles, the
Bo3 m11 42 whiche sothfastnesse lyvede within the depnesse
Bo3 m11 43 of the thought?) And if so be that the
Bo3 m11 44 Muse and the doctrine of Plato syngeth soth,
Bo3 m11 45 al that every wyght leerneth, he ne doth no
Bo3 m11 46 thing elles thanne but recordeth, as men recorden
Bo3 m11 47 thinges that ben foryeten."
Bo3 p12 1 Thanne seide I thus: "I accorde me gretly to
Bo3 p12 2 Plato, for thou recordist and remembrist me
Bo3 p12 3 thise thinges yet the seconde tyme; that is to
Bo3 p12 4 seye, first whan I loste my memorie be the contagious
Bo3 p12 5 conjunccioun of the body with the
Bo3 p12 6 soule, and eftsones aftirward, whan Y lost it
Bo3 p12 7 confounded by the charge and be the burdene
Bo3 p12 8 of my sorwe."
Bo3 p12 9 And thanne seide sche thus: "Yif thow
Bo3 p12 10 loke," quod sche, "first the thynges that
Bo3 p12 11 thou hast graunted, it ne schal nat ben
Bo3 p12 12 ryght fer that thow ne schalt remembren thilke
Bo3 p12 13 thing that thou seidest that thou nystist nat."
Bo3 p12 14 "What thing?" quod I.
Bo3 p12 15 "By whiche governement," quod sche, "that
Bo3 p12 16 this world is governed."
Bo3 p12 17 "Me remembreth it wel," quod I; "and I confesse
Bo3 p12 18 wel that I ne wyste it nat. But al be it so
Bo3 p12 19 that I see now from afer what thou purposist,
Bo3 p12 20 algates I desire yit to herknen it of
Bo3 p12 21 the more pleynly."
Bo3 p12 22 "Thou ne wendest nat," quod sche, "a litel
Bo3 p12 23 herebyforn, that men schulde doute that this
Bo3 p12 24 world nys governed by God."
Bo3 p12 25 "Certes," quod I, "ne yet ne doute I it
Bo3 p12 26 naught, ne I nyl nevere wene that it were to
Bo3 p12 27 doute" (as who seith, "but I woot wel that God
Bo3 p12 28 governeth this world"); "and I schal schortly
Bo3 p12 29 answeren the be what resouns I
Bo3 p12 30 am brought to this. This world," quod I,
Bo3 p12 31 "of so manye diverse and contraryous
Bo3 p12 32 parties, ne myghte nevere han ben assembled
Bo3 p12 33 in o forme, but yif ther ne were oon that conjoyned
Bo3 p12 34 so manye diverse thinges; and the same
Bo3 p12 35 diversite of here natures, that so discorden the
Bo3 p12 36 ton fro that other, most departen and unjoynen
Bo3 p12 37 the thinges that ben conjoynid, yif ther ne were
Bo3 p12 38 oon that contenyde that he hath conjoynid and
Bo3 p12 39 ybounden. Ne the certein ordre of nature ne
Bo3 p12 40 schulde not brynge forth so ordene moevynges
Bo3 p12 41 by places, by tymes, by doynges, by
Bo3 p12 42 spaces, by qualites, yif ther ne were on, that
Bo3 p12 43 were ay stedfaste duellynge, that ordeynide and
Bo3 p12 44 disponyde thise diversites of moevynges. And
Bo3 p12 45 thilke thing, whatsoevere it be, by whiche that
Bo3 p12 46 alle things ben ymaked and ilad, Y clepe hym
Bo3 p12 47 `God,' that is a word that is used to alle folk."
Bo3 p12 48 Thanne seide sche: "Syn thou feelist thus
Bo3 p12 49 thise thinges," quod sche, "I trowe that I
Bo3 p12 50 have litel more to done that thou, myghty
Bo3 p12 51 of welefulnesse, hool and sound, ne see
Bo3 p12 52 eftsones thi contre. But let us loken the thinges
Bo3 p12 53 that we han purposed herebyforn. Have I nat
Bo3 p12 54 nombrid and seid," quod sche, "that suffisaunce
Bo3 p12 55 is in blisfulnesse, and we han accorded that
Bo3 p12 56 God is thilke same blisfulnesse?"
Bo3 p12 57 "Yis, forsothe," quod I.
Bo3 p12 58 "And that to governen this world," quod
Bo3 p12 59 sche, "ne schal he nevere han nede of noon
Bo3 p12 60 help fro withoute? For elles, yif he hadde
Bo3 p12 61 nede of any help, he ne schulde nat have
Bo3 p12 62 no ful suffisaunce?"
Bo3 p12 63 "Yys, thus it moot nedes be," quod I.
Bo3 p12 64 "Thanne ordeyneth he be hymself alone alle
Bo3 p12 65 thinges?" quod sche.
Bo3 p12 66 "That may noght ben denyed," quod I.
Bo3 p12 67 "And I have schewyd that God is the same
Bo3 p12 68 good?"
Bo3 p12 69 "It remembreth me wel," quod I.
Bo3 p12 70 "Thanne ordeigneth he alle thinges by
Bo3 p12 71 thilke good," quod sche, "syn he, whiche
Bo3 p12 72 that we han accordid to ben good, governeth
Bo3 p12 73 alle thinges by hymself; and he is as a keye and
Bo3 p12 74 a styere, by whiche that the edifice of this world
Bo3 p12 75 is kept stable and withouten corrumpynge."
Bo3 p12 76 "I accorde me greetly," quod I. "And I
Bo3 p12 77 aperceyvede a litil herebyforn that thow woldest
Bo3 p12 78 seyn thus, al be it so that it were by a
Bo3 p12 79 thynne suspecioun."
Bo3 p12 80 "I trowe it wel," quod sche; "for, as I
Bo3 p12 81 trowe, thou ledist now more ententyfliche
Bo3 p12 82 thyn eyen to loken the verray goodes. But natheles
Bo3 p12 83 the thing that I schal telle the yet ne
Bo3 p12 84 scheweth not lesse to loken."
Bo3 p12 85 "What is that?" quod I.
Bo3 p12 86 "So as men trowen," quod sche, "and that
Bo3 p12 87 ryghtfully, that God governeth alle thinges by
Bo3 p12 88 the keye of his goodnesse, and alle thise same
Bo3 p12 89 thinges, as I have taught the, hasten hem
Bo3 p12 90 by naturel entencioun to come to good,
Bo3 p12 91 ther may no man douten that thei ne
Bo3 p12 92 ben governed voluntariely, and that they ne
Bo3 p12 93 converten hem of here owene wil to the wil of
Bo3 p12 94 here ordeynour, as thei that ben accordynge
Bo3 p12 95 and enclynynge to here governour and here
Bo3 p12 96 kyng."
Bo3 p12 97 "It moot nedes be so," quod I, "for the reume
Bo3 p12 98 ne schulde nat seme blisful yif ther were a yok
Bo3 p12 99 of mysdrawynges in diverse parties, ne the
Bo3 p12 100 savynge of obedient thynges ne scholde
Bo3 p12 101 nat be."
Bo3 p12 102 "Thanne is ther nothyng," quod sche, "that
Bo3 p12 103 kepith his nature, that enforceth hym to gon
Bo3 p12 104 ayen God."
Bo3 p12 105 "No," quod I.
Bo3 p12 106 "And yif that any thing enforcede hym to
Bo3 p12 107 withstonde God, myghte it avayle at the laste
Bo3 p12 108 ayens hym that we han graunted to ben almyghty
Bo3 p12 109 by the ryght of blisfulnesse?"
Bo3 p12 110 "Certes," quod I, "al outrely it ne
Bo3 p12 111 myghte nat avaylen hym."
Bo3 p12 112 "Thanne is ther nothing," quod she, "that
Bo3 p12 113 either mai or wole withstonden to this sovereyn
Bo3 p12 114 good."
Bo3 p12 115 "I trowe nat," quod I.
Bo3 p12 116 "Thanne is thilke the sovereyn good," quod
Bo3 p12 117 sche, "that alle thinges governeth strongly
Bo3 p12 118 and ordeyneth hem softly?"
Bo3 p12 119 Thanne seide I thus: "I delite me,"
Bo3 p12 120 quod I, "nat oonly in the eendes or in the
Bo3 p12 121 somme of the resouns that thou hast concluded
Bo3 p12 122 and proved, but thilke woordes that
Bo3 p12 123 thou usest deliten me moche more. So that, at
Bo3 p12 124 the laste, foolis that somtyme reenden grete
Bo3 p12 125 thinges oughten ben asschamid of hemself
Bo3 p12 126 (that is to seyn, that we foolis that reprehenden
Bo3 p12 127 wikkidly the thinges that touchen Godis
Bo3 p12 128 governaunce, we aughten ben asschamid of
Bo3 p12 129 ourself), as I, that seide that God refuseth
Bo3 p12 130 oonly the werkis of men and ne entremettith
Bo3 p12 131 nat of it."
Bo3 p12 132 Philosophie. "Thow hast wel herd," quod
Bo3 p12 133 sche, "the fables of the poetis, how the geauntis
Bo3 p12 134 assaileden hevene with the goddis, but forsothe
Bo3 p12 135 the debonayre force of God disposide hem as it
Bo3 p12 136 was worthy (that is to sey, destroyed the
Bo3 p12 137 geauntes, as it was worthy). But wiltow that
Bo3 p12 138 we joynen togidres thilke same resouns, for
Bo3 p12 139 paraventure of swiche conjunccioun may
Bo3 p12 140 sterten up som fair sparcle of soth?"
Bo3 p12 141 "Do," quod I, "as the list."
Bo3 p12 142 "Wenestow," quod sche, "that God ne be
Bo3 p12 143 almyghty? No man is in doute of it."
Bo3 p12 144 "Certes," quod I, "no wyght ne douteth it,
Bo3 p12 145 yif he be in his mynde."
Bo3 p12 146 "But he," quod sche, "that is almyghti, ther
Bo3 p12 147 nys no thyng that he ne may?"
Bo3 p12 148 "That is sooth," quod I.
Bo3 p12 149 "May God don evel?" quod sche.
Bo3 p12 150 "Nay, forsothe," quod I.
Bo3 p12 151 "Thanne is evel nothing," quod sche,
Bo3 p12 152 "syn that he ne may not don evel, that mai
Bo3 p12 153 doon alle thinges."
Bo3 p12 154 "Scornestow me," quod I, "or elles, pleyestow
Bo3 p12 155 or disseyvistow me, that hast so woven
Bo3 p12 156 me with thi resouns the hous of Didalus,
Bo3 p12 157 so entrelaced that it is unable to ben unlaced,
Bo3 p12 158 thow that otherwhile entrist ther thow issist,
Bo3 p12 159 and other while issist ther thow entrest?
Bo3 p12 160 Ne fooldist thou nat togidre by replicacioun
Bo3 p12 161 of wordes a manere wondirful sercle
Bo3 p12 162 or envirounynge of the simplicite devyne?
Bo3 p12 163 For certes a litel herebyforne, whanne thou bygunne
Bo3 p12 164 at blisfulnesse, thou seidest that it is
Bo3 p12 165 sovereyn good, and seidest that it is set in sovereyn
Bo3 p12 166 God; and seidest that God hymself is
Bo3 p12 167 sovereyn good, and that God is the ful blisfulnesse;
Bo3 p12 168 for whiche thou yave me as a covenable
Bo3 p12 169 yifte, that is to seyn, that no wyght nis
Bo3 p12 170 blisful, but yif he be God also therwith.
Bo3 p12 171 And seidest eke that the forme of good is
Bo3 p12 172 the substaunce of God and of blisfulnesse; and
Bo3 p12 173 seidest that thilke same oon is thilke same good
Bo3 p12 174 that is required and desired of al the kynde of
Bo3 p12 175 thinges. And thou provedest in disputynge that
Bo3 p12 176 God governeth alle the thinges of the world by
Bo3 p12 177 the governementis of bounte, and seidest that
Bo3 p12 178 alle thinges wolen obeyen to hym, and seidest
Bo3 p12 179 that the nature of yvel nys no thing. And
Bo3 p12 180 thise thinges ne schewedest thou naught
Bo3 p12 181 with noone resouns ytaken fro withouten,
Bo3 p12 182 but by proeves in cercles and homliche knowen,
Bo3 p12 183 the whiche proeves drawen to hemself heer
Bo3 p12 184 feyth and here accord everiche of hem of othir."
Bo3 p12 185 Thanne seide sche thus: "I ne scorne the nat,
Bo3 p12 186 ne pleie, ne disceyve the; but I have schewed
Bo3 p12 187 the the thing that is grettest over alle thinges,
Bo3 p12 188 by the yifte of God that we whelome prayeden.
Bo3 p12 189 For this is the forme of the devyne substaunce,
Bo3 p12 190 that is swiche that it ne slideth nat
Bo3 p12 191 into uttreste foreyne thinges, ne ne resceyveth
Bo3 p12 192 noone straunge thinges in hym; but
Bo3 p12 193 ryght as Parmanydes seide in Grees of thilke
Bo3 p12 194 devyne substaunce -- he seide thus: that thilke
Bo3 p12 195 devyne substaunce tornith the world and the
Bo3 p12 196 moevable sercle of thinges, while thilke devyne
Bo3 p12 197 substaunce kepith itself withouten moevynge
Bo3 p12 198 (that is to seyn, that it ne moeveth nevere mo,
Bo3 p12 199 and yet it moeveth alle othere thinges).
Bo3 p12 200 But natheles, yif I have styred resouns
Bo3 p12 201 that ne ben nat taken from withouten the compas
Bo3 p12 202 of the thing of whiche we treten, but resouns
Bo3 p12 203 that ben bystowyd withinne that compas,
Bo3 p12 204 ther nys nat why that thou schuldest merveillen,
Bo3 p12 205 sith thow hast lernyd by the sentence
Bo3 p12 206 of Plato that nedes the wordis moot be cosynes
Bo3 p12 207 to the thinges of whiche thei speken.
Bo3 m12 1 "Blisful is that man that may seen the clere
Bo3 m12 2 welle of good! Blisful is he that mai unbynden
Bo3 m12 3 hym fro the boondes of the hevy erthe! The
Bo3 m12 4 poete of Trace, Orpheus, that whilome hadde
Bo3 m12 5 ryght greet sorwe for the deth of his wyf, aftir
Bo3 m12 6 that he hadde makid by his weeply songes the
Bo3 m12 7 wodes moevable to renne, and hadde makid
Bo3 m12 8 the ryveris to stonden stille, and hadde maked
Bo3 m12 9 the hertes and the hyndes to joynen dreedles
Bo3 m12 10 here sydes to cruel lyouns for to herknen
Bo3 m12 11 his song, and hadde maked that the
Bo3 m12 12 hare was nat agast of the hound, whiche was
Bo3 m12 13 plesed by his song; so, whanne the moste ardaunt
Bo3 m12 14 love of his wif brende the entrayles of his
Bo3 m12 15 breest, ne the songes that hadden overcomen
Bo3 m12 16 alle thinges ne mighten nat asswagen hir lord
Bo3 m12 17 Orpheus, he pleynid hym of the hevene
Bo3 m12 18 goddis that weren cruel to hym.
Bo3 m12 19 "He wente hym to the houses of helle,
Bo3 m12 20 and ther he tempride his blaundysschinge
Bo3 m12 21 songes by resounynge strenges, and spak
Bo3 m12 22 and song in wepynge al that evere he hadde
Bo3 m12 23 resceyved and lavyd out of the noble welles of
Bo3 m12 24 his modir Callyope the goddesse. And he sang
Bo3 m12 25 with as mochel as he myghte of wepynge, and
Bo3 m12 26 with as moche as love that doublide his sorwe
Bo3 m12 27 myghte yeve hym and teche hym, and he
Bo3 m12 28 commoevde the helle, and requyred and bysoughte
Bo3 m12 29 by swete preyere the lordes of
Bo3 m12 30 soules in helle of relessynge, that is to seyn,
Bo3 m12 31 to yelden hym his wyf. Cerberus, the porter
Bo3 m12 32 of helle, with hise thre hevedes, was caught and
Bo3 m12 33 al abasschid of the newe song. And the thre
Bo3 m12 34 goddesses, furiis and vengeresses of felonyes,
Bo3 m12 35 that tormenten and agasten the soules by anoy,
Bo3 m12 36 woxen sorweful and sory, and wepyn teeris for
Bo3 m12 37 pite. Tho was nat the heved of Yxion ytormented
Bo3 m12 38 by the overthrowynge wheel. And Tantalus, that
Bo3 m12 39 was destroied by the woodnesse of long
Bo3 m12 40 thurst, despyseth the floodes to drynken.
Bo3 m12 41 The foul that highte voltor, that etith the
Bo3 m12 42 stomak or the gyser of Tycius, is so fulfild of
Bo3 m12 43 his song that it nil eten ne tiren no more. At the
Bo3 m12 44 laste the lord and juge of soules was moevid to
Bo3 m12 45 misericordes, and cryede: `We ben overcomen,'
Bo3 m12 46 quod he; `yyve we to Orpheus his wif to beren
Bo3 m12 47 hym compaignye; he hath wel ybought hire by
Bo3 m12 48 his faire song and his ditee. But we wolen putten
Bo3 m12 49 a lawe in this and covenaunt in the yifte;
Bo3 m12 50 that is to seyn that, til he be out of helle, yif
Bo3 m12 51 he loke byhynde hym, that his wyf schal
Bo3 m12 52 comen ageyn unto us.' But what is he that may
Bo3 m12 53 yeven a lawe to loverys? Love is a grettere lawe
Bo3 m12 54 and a strengere to hymself thanne any lawe that
Bo3 m12 55 men mai yyven. Allas! Whanne Orpheus and his
Bo3 m12 56 wif weren almest at the termes of the nyght
Bo3 m12 57 (that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle),
Bo3 m12 58 Orpheus lokede abakward on Erudyce his wif,
Bo3 m12 59 and lost hire, and was deed.
Bo3 m12 60 "This fable apertenith to yow alle, whosoevere
Bo3 m12 61 desireth or seketh to lede his
Bo3 m12 62 thought into the sovereyn day, that is to seyn, to
Bo3 m12 63 cleernesse of sovereyn good. For whoso that
Bo3 m12 64 evere be so overcomen that he ficche his eien
Bo3 m12 65 into the put of helle, that is to seyn, whoso sette
Bo3 m12 66 his thoughtes in erthly thinges, al that evere he
Bo3 m12 67 hath drawen of the noble good celestial he lesith
Bo3 m12 68 it, whanne he looketh the helles, that is to seyn,
Bo3 m12 69 into lowe thinges of the erthe.