Al be it so that the proude Nero, with alle his wode luxurie, kembde him and aparailede him with faire purpres of Tirie, and with whyte perles, algates yit throf he hateful to alle folk: this is to seyn, that al was he behated of alle folk. Yit this wikked Nero hadde gret lordship, and yaf whylom to the 5 reverents senatours the unworshipful setes of dignitees. Unworshipful setes he clepeth here, for that Nero, that was so wikked, yaf tho dignitees. Who-so wolde thanne resonably wenen, that blisfulnesse were in swiche honours as ben yeven by vicious shrewes? 10
ME. IV. 2. A. kembed; apparailed. 5. C. lorshippe; A. lordship. // C. Ed. whylom; A. som-tyme. 6. C. reuerentz; Ed. reuerent; A. dredeful; Lat. uerendis. 8. A. tho; C. Ed. the. // A. om. so. 10. C. vysios; A. vicious.
PROSE V.
An vero regna regumque familiaritas.
But regnes and familiaritees of kinges, may they maken a man to ben mighty? How elles, whan hir blisfulnesse dureth perpetuely? But certes, the olde age of tyme passed, and eek of present tyme now, is ful of ensaumples how that kinges ben chaunged in-to wrecchednesse out of hir welefulnesse. O! a 5 noble thing and a cleer thing is power, that is nat founden mighty to kepen it-self! And yif that power of reaumes be auctour and maker of blisfulnesse, yif thilke power lakketh on any syde, amenuseth it nat thilke blisfulnesse and bringeth in wrecchednesse? But yit, al be it so that the reaumes of mankinde 10 strecchen brode, yit mot ther nede ben moche folk, over whiche that every king ne hath no lordshipe ne comaundement. And certes, up-on thilke syde that power faileth, which that maketh folk blisful, right on that same syde noun-power entreth under-nethe, that maketh hem wrecches; in this manere thanne 15 moten kinges han more porcioun of wrecchednesse than of welefulnesse. A tyraunt, that was king of Sisile, that hadde assayed the peril of his estat, shewede by similitude the dredes of reaumes by gastnesse of a swerd that heng over the heved of his familier. What thing is thanne this power, that may nat 20 don awey the bytinges of bisinesse, ne eschewe the prikkes of drede? And certes, yit wolden they liven in sikernesse, but they may nat; and yit they glorifye hem in hir power. Holdest thou thanne that thilke man be mighty, that thou seest that he wolde don that he may nat don? And holdest thou thanne 25 him a mighty man, that hath envirownede his sydes with men of armes or seriaunts, and dredeth more hem that he maketh agast than they dreden him, and that is put in the handes of his servaunts for he sholde seme mighty? But of familieres or servaunts of kinges what sholde I telle thee anything, sin 30 that I myself have shewed thee that reaumes hem-self ben ful of gret feblesse? The whiche familieres, certes, the ryal power of kinges, in hool estat and in estat abated, ful ofte throweth adown. Nero constreynede Senek, his familier and his mayster, to chesen on what deeth he wolde deyen. Antonius 35 comaundede that knightes slowen with hir swerdes Papinian his familier, which Papinian hadde ben longe tyme ful mighty amonges hem of the court. And yit, certes, they wolden bothe han renounced hir power; of whiche two Senek enforcede him to yeven to Nero his richesses, and also to han gon in-to 40 solitarie exil. But whan the grete weighte, that is to seyn, of lordes power or of fortune, draweth hem that shullen falle, neither of hem ne mighte do that he wolde. What thing is thanne thilke power, that though men han it, yit they ben agast; and whanne thou woldest han it, thou nart nat siker; and 45 yif thou woldest forleten it, thou mayst nat eschuen it? But whether swiche men ben frendes at nede, as ben conseyled by fortune and nat by vertu? Certes, swiche folk as weleful fortune maketh freendes, contrarious fortune maketh hem enemys. And what pestilence is more mighty for to anoye a 50 wight than a familier enemy?
PR. V. 3. C. perpetualy; A. perpetuely. 7. A. realmes. 8. C. auctor; A. auctour. 10. A. realmes (om. the). 11. C. node (for nede). 12. C. lorshipe. 14. C. A. nounpower. 19. A. realmes. 20. C. famyler. 23. A. yit; C. yif. 24. C. seyst; A. seest; Lat. uideas. 27. A. seruauntes. // A. om. hem. 31. A. realmes. 32. A. feblenesse. // A. real; Ed. royal. 34. C. hyr famyler (sic); A. his familier. 37. C. famyler; A. familier. // C. that hadde; A. om. that. 41. C. solutarie; A. solitarie. 42. C. sholen; Ed. shullen; A. sholden; Lat. ruituros. 44. C. yit; Ed. yet; A. that. 47. C. wheyther.
METRE V.
Qui se uolet esse potentem.
Who-so wol be mighty, he mot daunten his cruel corage, ne putte nat his nekke, overcomen, under the foule reynes of lecherye. For al-be-it so that thy lordshipe strecche so fer, that the contree of Inde quaketh at thy comaundements or at thy lawes, and that the last ile in the see, that hight Tyle, 5 be thral to thee, yit, yif thou mayst nat putten awey thy foule derke desyrs, and dryven out fro thee wrecched complaintes, certes, it nis no power that thou hast. 8
ME. V. 1. C. wole; Ed. wol; A. wolde. 4. C. thath (!). // A. contre Inde. // A. comaundement. 5. A. leest (for last); Lat. ultima.
PROSE VI.
Gloria uero quam fallax saepe.
But glorie, how deceivable and how foul is it ofte! For which thing nat unskilfully a tragedien, that is to seyn, a maker of ditees that highten tragedies, cryde and seide: "O glorie, glorie," quod he, "thou art nothing elles to thousandes of folkes but a greet sweller of eres!" For manye han had ful greet 5 renoun by the false opinioun of the poeple, and what thing may ben thought fouler than swiche preysinge? For thilke folk that ben preysed falsly, they moten nedes han shame of hir preysinges. And yif that folk han geten hem thonk or preysinge by hir desertes, what thing hath thilke prys eched or 10 encresed to the conscience of wyse folk, that mesuren hir good, nat by the rumour of the poeple, but by the soothfastnesse of conscience? And yif it seme a fair thing, a man to han encresed and spred his name, than folweth it that it is demed to ben a foul thing, yif it ne be y-sprad and encresed. But, 15 as I seyde a litel her-biforn that, sin ther mot nedes ben many folk, to whiche folk the renoun of a man ne may nat comen, it befalleth that he, that thou wenest be glorious and renomed, semeth in the nexte partie of the erthes to ben with-oute glorie and with-oute renoun. 20
And certes, amonges thise thinges I ne trowe nat that the prys and grace of the poeple nis neither worthy to ben remembred, ne cometh of wyse Iugement, ne is ferme perdurably. But now, of this name of gentilesse, what man is it that ne may wel seen how veyn and how flittinge a thing it 25 is? For yif the name of gentilesse be referred to renoun and cleernesse of linage, thanne is gentil name but a foreine thing, that is to seyn, to hem that glorifyen hem of hir linage. For it semeth that gentilesse be a maner preysinge that comth of the deserte of ancestres. And yif preysinge maketh gentilesse, 30 thanne moten they nedes be gentil that ben preysed. For which thing it folweth, that yif thou ne have no gentilesse of thy-self, that is to seyn, preyse that comth of thy deserte, foreine gentilesse ne maketh thee nat gentil. But certes, yif ther be any good in gentilesse, I trowe it be al-only this, that it semeth 35 as that a maner necessitee be imposed to gentil men, for that they ne sholden nat outrayen or forliven fro the virtues of hir noble kinrede.
PR. VI. 4. A. Ed. he; C. she (!). 6. A. om. the bef. poeple. 9. C. of (for or). 15. A. ne encresed. 19. A. parties of the erthe; Lat. parte terrarum. 23. C. remenbred. 24, 26, 29. C. gentellesse; A. gentilesse. 26. C. refferred. 30. A. decert; Ed. desertes. 32. A. folweth; C. folueth. 36. C. inposed.
METRE VI.
Omne hominum genus in terris.
Al the linage of men that ben in erthe ben of semblable birthe. On allone is fader of thinges. On allone ministreth alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes; he yaf to the mone hir hornes. He yaf the men to the erthe; he yaf the sterres to the hevene. He encloseth with membres the soules 5 that comen fro his hye sete. Thanne comen alle mortal folk of noble sede; why noisen ye or bosten of youre eldres? For yif thou loke your biginninge, and god your auctor and your maker, thanne nis ther no forlived wight, but-yif he norisshe his corage un-to vyces, and forlete his propre burthe. 10
ME. VI. 4. A. Ed. hir hornes; C. hyse hornes. 5. C. menbrys. 8. Ed. ye loke; Lat. spectes. // A. thy (for 1st your); Lat. uestra.
PROSE VII.
Quid autem de corporis uoluptatibus.
But what shal I seye of delices of body, of whiche delices the desiringes ben ful of anguissh, and the fulfillinges of hem ben ful of penaunce? How greet syknesse and how grete sorwes unsufferable, right as a maner fruit of wikkednesse, ben thilke delices wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche 5 delices I not what Ioye may ben had of hir moevinge. But this wot I wel, that who-so-ever wole remembren him of hise luxures, he shal wel understonde that the issues of delices ben sorwful and sorye. And yif thilke delices mowen maken folk blisful, than by the same cause moten thise bestes ben cleped blisful; 10 of whiche bestes al the entencioun hasteth to fulfille hir bodily Iolitee. And the gladnesse of wyf and children were an honest thing, but it hath ben seyd that it is over muchel ayeins kinde, that children han ben founden tormentours to hir fadres, I not how manye: of whiche children how bytinge is every condicioun, 15 it nedeth nat to tellen it thee, that hast or this tyme assayed it, and art yit now anguissous. In this approve I the sentence of my disciple Euripidis, that seyde, that "he that hath no children is weleful by infortune."
PR. VII. 12. A. om. an. 15. A. Ed. euery; C. euere. 18. Ed. Euripidis; C. Eurydyppys; A. Euridippus; Lat. Euripidis (gen.).
METRE VII.
Habet omnis hoc uoluptas.
Every delyt hath this, that it anguissheth hem with prikkes that usen it. It resembleth to thise flyinge flyes that we clepen been, that, after that he hath shad hise agreable honies, he fleeth awey, and stingeth the hertes, of hem that ben y-smite, with bytinge overlonge holdinge. 5
ME. VII. 1. C. A. anguisseth. 3. C. om. 2nd that. // A. the bee (for he).
PROSE VIII.
Nihil igitur dubium est.
Now is it no doute thanne that thise weyes ne ben a maner misledinges to blisfulnesse, ne that they ne mowe nat leden folk thider as they biheten to leden hem. But with how grete harmes thise forseyde weyes ben enlaced, I shal shewe thee shortly. For-why yif thou enforcest thee to asemble moneye, 5 thou most bireven him his moneye that hath it. And yif thou wolt shynen with dignitees, thou most bisechen and supplien hem that yeven tho dignitees. And yif thou coveitest by honour to gon biforn other folk, thou shalt defoule thy-self thorugh humblesse of axinge. Yif thou desirest power, thou 10 shalt by awaytes of thy subgits anoyously ben cast under manye periles. Axest thou glorie? Thou shalt ben so destrat by aspre thinges that thou shalt forgoon sikernesse. And yif thou wolt leden thy lyf in delices, every wight shal despisen thee and forleten thee, as thou that art thral to thing that is right foul 15 and brotel; that is to seyn, servaunt to thy body. Now is it thanne wel seen, how litel and how brotel possessioun they coveiten, that putten the goodes of the body aboven hir owne resoun. For mayst thou sormounten thise olifaunts in gretnesse or weight of body? Or mayst thou ben stronger than the bole? 20 Mayst thou ben swifter than the tygre? Bihold the spaces and the stablenesse and the swifte cours of the hevene, and stint som-tyme to wondren on foule thinges; the which hevene, certes, nis nat rather for thise thinges to ben wondred up-on, than for the resoun by which it is governed. But the shyning of thy 25 forme, that is to seyn, the beautee of thy body, how swiftly passinge is it, and how transitorie; certes, it is more flittinge than the mutabilitee of flowers of the somer-sesoun. For so Aristotle telleth, that yif that men hadden eyen of a beest that highte lynx, so that the lokinge of folk mighte percen thorugh the 30 thinges that with-stonden it, who-so loked thanne in the entrailes of the body of Alcibiades, that was ful fayr in the superfice with-oute, it shold seme right foul. And forthy, yif thou semest fayr, thy nature maketh nat that, but the desceivaunce of the feblesse of the eyen that loken. But preyse the goodes of the 35 body as mochel as ever thee list; so that thou knowe algates that, what-so it be, that is to seyn, of the goodes of thy body, which that thou wondrest up-on, may ben destroyed or dissolved by the hete of a fevere of three dayes. Of alle whiche forseyde thinges I may reducen this shortly in a somme, that thise worldly 40 goodes, whiche that ne mowen nat yeven that they biheten, ne ben nat parfit by the congregacioun of alle goodes; that they ne ben nat weyes ne pathes that bringen men to blisfulnesse, ne maken men to ben blisful.
PR. VIII. 9. C. shal. 10. A. by (for thorugh). 11. C. be (for by). // A. vndir many; C. Ed. vndyr by many; Lat. periculis subiacebis. 12. C. A. destrat; Ed. distracte. 16. C. brwtel (for brotel; 1st time). 19. A. mayst thou; C. maysthow. 20. C. weyhty (!). 32. C. in superfyce (om. the). 34. A. desceiuaunce of the; Ed. disceyuaunce of; C. deceyuable or (!). 37. A. the goodes of thi; Ed. the goodes of the; C. godes of the. 40. A. Ed. a somme; C. om. a. // C. wordly. 42. C. ne ne ben. // A. Ed. by the; C. om. the. 43. C. man (for men; 1st time).
METRE VIII.
Eheu! quae miseros tramite deuios.
Allas! which folye and which ignoraunce misledeth wandringe wrecches fro the path of verray goode!
Certes, ye ne seken no gold in grene trees, ne ye ne gaderen nat precious stones in the vynes, ne ye ne hyden nat your ginnes in the hye mountaignes to cacchen fish of whiche ye 5 may maken riche festes. And yif yow lyketh to hunte to roes, ye ne gon nat to the fordes of the water that highte Tyrene. And over this, men knowen wel the crykes and the cavernes of the see y-hid in the flodes, and knowen eek which water is most plentivous of whyte perles, and knowen which water 10 haboundeth most of rede purpre, that is to seyn, of a maner shelle-fish with which men dyen purpre; and knowen which strondes habounden most with tendre fisshes, or of sharpe fisshes that highten echines. But folk suffren hem-self to ben so blinde, that hem ne reccheth nat to knowe where thilke goodes ben 15 y-hid whiche that they coveiten, but ploungen hem in erthe and seken there thilke good that sormounteth the hevene that bereth the sterres. What preyere may I maken that be digne to the nyce thoughtes of men? But I preye that they coveiten richesse and honours, so that, whan they han geten tho false 20 goodes with greet travaile, that ther-by they mowe knowen the verray goodes.
ME. VIII. 4. A. om. nat. 5. C. hyye mountaygnes; A. hey[gh]e mountaignes. // C. kachche; A. kachen; Ed. catchen (= cacchen). 6. C. honte; A. Ed. hunte. // C. rooes; Ed. roes; A. roos. 8. A. crikes; Ed. crekes; C. brykes; Lat. recessus. 9. A. Ed. in the; C. om. the. 14. Ed. Echines; C. A. echynnys. 15. C. rechcheth; A. recchith. // C. weere (for where).
PROSE IX.
Hactenus mendacis formam.
It suffyseth that I have shewed hider-to the forme of false welefulnesse, so that, yif thou loke now cleerly, the order of myn entencioun requireth from hennes-forth to shewen thee the verray welefulnesse.'
'For sothe,' quod I, 'I see wel now that suffisaunce may nat 5 comen by richesses, ne power by reames, ne reverence by dignitees, ne gentilesse by glorie, ne Ioye by delices.'
'And hast thou wel knowen the causes,' quod she, 'why it is?'
'Certes, me semeth,' quod I, 'that I see hem right as though it were thorugh a litel clifte; but me were levere knowen hem 10 more openly of thee.'
'Certes,' quod she, 'the resoun is al redy. For thilke thing that simply is o thing, with-outen any devisioun, the errour and folye of mankinde departeth and devydeth it, and misledeth it and transporteth from verray and parfit good to goodes that 15 ben false and unparfit. But sey me this. Wenest thou that he, that hath nede of power, that him ne lakketh no-thing?'
'Nay,' quod I.
'Certes,' quod she, 'thou seyst a-right. For yif so be that ther is a thing, that in any partye be febler of power, certes, 20 as in that, it mot nedes ben nedy of foreine help.'
'Right so is it,' quod I.
'Suffisaunce and power ben thanne of o kinde?'
'So semeth it,' quod I.
'And demest thou,' quod she, 'that a thing that is of this 25 manere, that is to seyn, suffisaunt and mighty, oughte ben despysed, or elles that it be right digne of reverence aboven alle thinges?'
'Certes,' quod I, 'it nis no doute, that it is right worthy to ben reverenced.' 30
'Lat us,' quod she, 'adden thanne reverence to suffisaunce and to power, so that we demen that thise three thinges ben al o thing.'
'Certes,' quod I, 'lat us adden it, yif we wolen graunten the sothe.' 35
'What demest thou thanne?' quod she; 'is that a derk thing and nat noble, that is suffisaunt, reverent, and mighty, or elles that it is right noble and right cleer by celebritee of renoun? Consider thanne,' quod she, 'as we han graunted her-biforn, that he that ne hath nede of no-thing, and is most mighty and most digne 40 of honour, yif him nedeth any cleernesse of renoun, which cleernesse he mighte nat graunten of him-self, so that, for lakke of thilke cleernesse, he mighte seme the febeler on any syde or the more out-cast?' GLOSE. This is to seyn, nay; for who-so that is suffisaunt, mighty, and reverent, cleernesse of renoun folweth 45 of the forseyde thinges; he hath it al redy of his suffisaunce.
Boece. 'I may nat,' quod I, 'denye it; but I mot graunte as it is, that this thing be right celebrable by cleernesse of renoun and noblesse.'
'Thanne folweth it,' quod she, 'that we adden cleernesse of 50 renoun to the three forseyde thinges, so that ther ne be amonges hem no difference?'
'This is a consequence,' quod I.
'This thing thanne,' quod she, 'that ne hath nede of no foreine thing, and that may don alle thinges by hise strengthes, 55 and that is noble and honourable, nis nat that a mery thing and a Ioyful?'
'But whennes,' quod I, 'that any sorwe mighte comen to this thing that is swiche, certes, I may nat thinke.'
'Thanne moten we graunte,' quod she, 'that this thing be 60 ful of gladnesse, yif the forseyde thinges ben sothe; and certes, also mote we graunten that suffisaunce, power, noblesse, reverence, and gladnesse ben only dyverse by names, but hir substaunce hath no diversitee.'
'It mot needly been so,' quod I. 65
'Thilke thing thanne,' quod she, 'that is oon and simple in his nature, the wikkednesse of men departeth it and devydeth it; and whan they enforcen hem to geten partye of a thing that ne hath no part, they ne geten hem neither thilke partye that nis non, ne the thing al hool that they ne desire nat.' 70
'In which manere?' quod I.
'Thilke man,' quod she, 'that secheth richesses to fleen povertee, he ne travaileth him nat for to gete power; for he hath levere ben derk and vyl; and eek withdraweth from him-self many naturel delyts, for he nolde lese the moneye that 75 he hath assembled. But certes, in this manere he ne geteth him nat suffisaunce that power forleteth, and that molestie prikketh, and that filthe maketh out-cast, and that derkenesse hydeth. And certes, he that desireth only power, he wasteth and scatereth richesse, and despyseth delyts, and eek honour 80 that is with-oute power, ne he ne preyseth glorie no-thing. Certes, thus seest thou wel, that manye thinges faylen to him; for he hath som-tyme defaute of many necessitees, and many anguisshes byten him; and whan he ne may nat don tho defautes a-wey, he forleteth to ben mighty, and that is the thing that 85 he most desireth. And right thus may I maken semblable resouns of honours, and of glorie, and of delyts. For so as every of thise forseyde thinges is the same that thise other thinges ben, that is to seyn, al oon thing, who-so that ever seketh to geten that oon of thise, and nat that other, he ne 90 geteth nat that he desireth.'
Boece. 'What seyst thou thanne, yif that a man coveiteth to geten alle thise thinges to-gider?'
Philosophie. 'Certes,' quod she, 'I wolde seye, that he wolde geten him sovereyn blisfulnesse; but that shal he nat finde in 95 tho thinges that I have shewed, that ne mowen nat yeven that they beheten.'
'Certes, no,' quod I.
'Thanne,' quod she, 'ne sholden men nat by no wey seken blisfulnesse in swiche thinges as men wene that they ne mowen 100 yeven but o thing senglely of alle that men seken.'
'I graunte wel,' quod I; 'ne no sother thing ne may ben sayd.'
'Now hast thou thanne,' quod she, 'the forme and the causes of false welefulnesse. Now torne and flitte the eyen of thy 105 thought; for ther shalt thou sen anon thilke verray blisfulnesse that I have bihight thee.'
'Certes,' quod I, 'it is cleer and open, thogh it were to a blinde man; and that shewedest thou me ful wel a litel her-biforn, whan thou enforcedest thee to shewe me the causes 110 of the false blisfulnesse. For but-yif I be bigyled, thanne is thilke the verray blisfulnesse parfit, that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt, mighty, honourable, noble, and ful of gladnesse. And, for thou shalt wel knowe that I have wel understonden thise thinges with-in my herte, I knowe wel that thilke blisfulnesse, 115 that may verrayly yeven oon of the forseyde thinges, sin they ben al oon, I knowe, douteles, that thilke thing is the fulle blisfulnesse.'
Philosophie. 'O my norie,' quod she, 'by this opinioun I seye that thou art blisful, yif thou putte this ther-to that I 120 shal seyn.'
'What is that?' quod I.
'Trowest thou that ther be any thing in thise erthely mortal toumbling thinges that may bringen this estat?'
'Certes,' quod I, 'I trowe it naught; and thou hast shewed 125 me wel that over thilke good ther nis no-thing more to ben desired.'
'Thise thinges thanne,' quod she, 'that is to sey, erthely suffisaunce and power and swiche thinges, either they semen lykenesses of verray good, or elles it semeth that they yeve to 130 mortal folk a maner of goodes that ne ben nat parfit; but thilke good that is verray and parfit, that may they nat yeven.'
'I acorde me wel,' quod I.
'Thanne,' quod she, 'for as mochel as thou hast knowen which is thilke verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke thinges 135 ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse, that is to seyn, that by deceite semen verray goodes, now behoveth thee to knowe whennes and where thou mowe seke thilke verray blisfulnesse.'
'Certes,' quod I, 'that desire I greetly, and have abiden longe tyme to herknen it.' 140
'But for as moche,' quod she, 'as it lyketh to my disciple Plato, in his book of "in Timeo," that in right litel thinges men sholden bisechen the help of god, what iugest thou that be now to done, so that we may deserve to finde the sete of thilke verray good?' 145
'Certes,' quod I, 'I deme that we shollen clepen the fader of alle goodes; for with-outen him nis ther no-thing founden a-right.'
'Thou seyst a-right,' quod she; and bigan anon to singen right thus:-- 150
PR. IX. 5. A. om. sothe and 2nd I. 6. A. richesse. // A. Ed. realmes. 8. A. hast thou; C.hasthow. // A. cause; Lat. caussas. 16. A. inparfit. // C. Wenesthow. 20. A. fieble; C. Ed. febler; Lat. imbecillioris ualentiae. 21. C. mot; Ed. mote; A. most. 25. C. demesthow. 29. A. nis (twice). 36. C. demesthow. // Ed. derke; C. dyrk; A. dirke. 38. A. of (for by). 53. A. And this (for This). // C. consequens; Ed. consequence; A. consequente or consequence. 54. C. hat (for hath). // A. no nede. 58. Ed. whence; A. wenest (!); Lat. unde. 72. A. rychesse. 74. Ed. derke; C. dyrk; A. dirk. 75. C. delices (or delites); A. delitz; Ed. delytes. 77. Ed. molestie; C. A. moleste; Lat. molestia. 78. A. derknesse; C. dyrkenesse. 80. C. schatereth. // C. delytz; A. delices (or delites). 83. C. Ed. defaute; A. faute. 84. Ed. anguysshes; A. anguysses; C. angwyssos. 86. A. semblable; C. semlable. 90. C. oothre. 92. C. seysthow. 101. C. A. senglely. 104. C. hasthow. 106. C. shalthow. 109. A. om. ful wel. 115. C. Ed. that thilke; A. om. that. 118. A. the fulle of (wrongly). 119. C. norye; A. nurry. 130. A. likenesse; Lat. imagines. 141. A. disciple; C. dissipule. 142. C. in tymeo; A. in thimeo; Lat. uti in Timaeo Platoni. 143. C. byshechen. // A. om. now.
METRE IX.
O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas.
'O thou fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest this world by perdurable resoun, that comaundest the tymes to gon from sin that age hadde beginninge; thou that dwellest thy-self ay stedefast and stable, and yevest alle othre thinges to ben moeved; ne foreine causes necesseden thee never to 5 compoune werk of floteringe matere, but only the forme of soverein good y-set with-in thee with-oute envye, that moevede thee freely. Thou that art alder-fayrest, beringe the faire world in thy thought, formedest this world to the lyknesse semblable of that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest al thing of 10 thy soverein ensaumpler, and comaundest that this world, parfitliche y-maked, have freely and absolut his parfit parties. Thou bindest the elements by noumbres proporcionables, that the colde thinges mowen acorden with the hote thinges, and the drye thinges with the moiste thinges; that the fyr, that 15 is purest, ne flee nat over hye, ne that the hevinesse ne drawe nat adoun over-lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres. Thou knittest to-gider the mene sowle of treble kinde, moevinge alle thinges, and devydest it by membres acordinge; and whan it is thus devyded, it hath asembled a moevinge in-to two 20 roundes; it goth to torne ayein to him-self, and envirouneth a ful deep thought, and torneth the hevene by semblable image. Thou by evene-lyke causes enhansest the sowles and the lasse lyves, and, ablinge hem heye by lighte cartes, thou sowest hem in-to hevene and in-to erthe; and whan they ben converted to 25 thee by thy benigne lawe, thou makest hem retorne ayein to thee by ayein-ledinge fyr.
O fader, yive thou to the thought to styen up in-to thy streite sete, and graunte him to enviroune the welle of good; and, the lighte y-founde, graunte him to fichen the clere sightes of his 30 corage in thee. And scater thou and to-breke thou the weightes and the cloudes of erthely hevinesse, and shyne thou by thy brightnesse. For thou art cleernesse; thou art peysible reste to debonaire folk; thou thy-self art biginninge, berer, leder, path, and terme; to loke on thee, that is our ende. 35
ME. IX. 3. A. for to gon. // C. from sin that; A. from tyme that; Ed. syth that. 7. A. om. thee after with-in. 10. A. alle thinges. 11. A. comaundedist. 12. C. om. and absolut. 13. A. Ed. proporcionables; C. porcionables. 16. A. fleye (for flee). // A. Ed. drawe; C. drawen. 18. C. glosses sowle by anima mundi. 19. C. menbres. 20. C. in to two; A. in two; Ed. in to. 22. C. tornet; A. tournith. 24. C. Ed. sowest; A. sewest. 26. A. Ed. benigne; C. bygynnynge (!). 28. A. thi thou[gh]t (wrongly); C. has the gloss: s. boecii. // A. thi streite; Ed. thy strayte; C. the streite. 29. A. om. him. // C. enuerowne; A. enuiroune. 31. A. om. 2nd thou. 33. A. om. reste. 34. C. paath. 35. A. om. that.
PROSE X.
Quoniam igitur quae sit imperfecti.
For as moche thanne as thou hast seyn, which is the forme of good that nis nat parfit, and which is the forme of good that is parfit, now trowe I that it were good to shewe in what this perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set. And in this thing, I trowe that we sholden first enquere for to witen, yif that any swiche 5 maner good as thilke good that thou has diffinisshed a litel heer-biforn, that is to seyn, soverein good, may ben founde in the nature of thinges; for that veyn imaginacioun of thought ne deceyve us nat, and putte us out of the sothfastnesse of thilke thing that is summitted unto us. But it may nat ben deneyed 10 that thilke good ne is, and that it nis right as welle of alle goodes. For al thing that is cleped inparfit is proeved inparfit by the amenusinge of perfeccioun or of thing that is parfit. And ther-of comth it, that in every thing general, yif that men sen any-thing that is inparfit, certes, in thilke general ther mot 15 ben som-thing that is parfit; for yif so be that perfeccioun is don awey, men may nat thinke ne seye fro whennes thilke thing is that is cleped inparfit. For the nature of thinges ne took nat hir beginninge of thinges amenused and inparfit, but it procedeth of thinges that ben al hoole and absolut, and 20 descendeth so doun in-to outterest thinges, and in-to thinges empty and with-outen frut. But, as I have y-shewed a litel her-biforn, that yif ther be a blisfulnesse that be freele and veyn and inparfit, ther may no man doute that ther nis som blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and parfit.' 25
Boece. 'This is concluded,' quod I, 'fermely and sothfastly.'
Philosophie. 'But considere also,' quod she, 'in wham this blisfulnesse enhabiteth. The comune acordaunce and conceite of the corages of men proeveth and graunteth, that god, prince of alle thinges, is good. For, so as nothing ne may ben thought 30 bettre than god, it may nat ben douted thanne that he, that nothing nis bettre, that he nis good. Certes, resoun sheweth that god is so good, that it proveth by verray force that parfit good is in him. For yif god ne is swich, he ne may nat ben prince of alle thinges; for certes som-thing possessing in it-self 35 parfit good, sholde ben more worthy than god, and it sholde semen that thilke thing were first, and elder than god. For we han shewed apertly that alle thinges that ben parfit ben first or thinges that ben unparfit; and for-thy, for as moche as that my resoun or my proces ne go nat a-wey with-oute an 40 ende, we owen to graunten that the soverein god is right ful of soverein parfit good. And we han establisshed that the soverein good is verray blisfulnesse: thanne mot it nedes be, that verray blisfulnesse is set in soverein god.'
'This take I wel,' quod I, 'ne this ne may nat ben withseid 45 in no manere.'
'But I preye,' quod she, 'see now how thou mayst proeven, holily and with-oute corupcioun, this that I have seyd, that the soverein god is right ful of soverein good.'
'In which manere?' quod I. 50
'Wenest thou aught,' quod she, 'that this prince of alle thinges have y-take thilke soverein good any-wher out of him-self, of which soverein good men proveth that he is ful, right as thou mightest thinken that god, that hath blisfulnesse in him-self, and thilke blisfulnesse that is in him, weren dyvers in 55 substaunce? For yif thou wene that god have received thilke good out of him-self, thou mayst wene that he that yaf thilke good to god be more worthy than is god. But I am bi-knowen and confesse, and that right dignely, that god is right worthy aboven alle thinges; and, yif so be that this good be in him 60 by nature, but that it is dyvers fro him by weninge resoun, sin we speke of god prince of alle thinges: feigne who-so feigne may, who was he that hath conioigned thise dyverse thinges to-gider? And eek, at the laste, see wel that a thing that is dyvers from any thing, that thilke thing nis nat that 65 same thing fro which it is understonden to ben dyvers. Thanne folweth it, that thilke thing that by his nature is dyvers fro soverein good, that that thing nis nat soverein good; but certes, that were a felonous corsednesse to thinken that of him that nothing nis more worth. For alwey, of alle thinges, the nature 70 of hem ne may nat ben bettre than his biginning; for which I may concluden, by right verray resoun, that thilke that is biginning of alle thinges, thilke same thing is soverein good in his substaunce.'
Boece. 'Thou hast seyd rightfully,' quod I. 75
Philosophie. 'But we han graunted,' quod she, 'that the soverein good is blisfulnesse.'
'And that is sooth,' quod I.
'Thanne,' quod she, 'moten we nedes graunten and confessen that thilke same soverein good be god.' 80
'Certes,' quod I, 'I ne may nat denye ne withstonde the resouns purposed; and I see wel that it folweth by strengthe of the premisses.'
'Loke now,' quod she, 'yif this be proved yit more fermely thus: that ther ne mowen nat ben two soverein goodes that 85 ben dyverse amonge hem-self. For certes, the goodes that ben dyverse amonges hem-self, that oon nis nat that that other is; thanne ne [may] neither of hem ben parfit, so as either of hem lakketh to other. But that that nis nat parfit, men may seen apertly that it nis nat soverein. The thinges, thanne, that 90 ben sovereinly goode, ne mowen by no wey ben dyverse. But I have wel concluded that blisfulnesse and god ben the soverein good; for whiche it mot nedes ben, that soverein blisfulnesse is soverein divinitee.'
'Nothing,' quod I, 'nis more soothfast than this, ne more 95 ferme by resoun; ne a more worthy thing than god may nat ben concluded.'
'Up-on thise thinges thanne,' quod she, 'right as thise geometriens, whan they han shewed hir proposiciouns, ben wont to bringen in thinges that they clepen porismes, or declaraciouns 100 of forseide thinges, right so wole I yeve thee heer as a corollarie, or a mede of coroune. For-why, for as moche as by the getinge of blisfulnesse men ben maked blisful, and blisfulnesse is divinitee: thanne is it manifest and open, that by the getinge of divinitee men ben maked blisful. Right as by the getinge 105 of Iustice [they ben maked iust], and by the getinge of sapience they ben maked wyse: right so, nedes, by the semblable resoun, whan they han geten divinitee, they ben maked goddes. Thanne is every blisful man god; but certes, by nature, ther nis but o god; but, by the participacioun of divinitee, ther ne let ne 110 desturbeth nothing that ther ne ben manye goddes.'
'This is,' quod I, 'a fair thing and a precious, clepe it as thou wolt; be it porisme or corollarie,' or mede of coroune or declaringes.
'Certes,' quod she, 'nothing nis fayrer than is the thing that 115 by resoun sholde ben added to thise forseide thinges.'
'What thing?' quod I.
'So,' quod she, 'as it semeth that blisfulnesse conteneth many thinges, it were for to witen whether that alle thise thinges maken or conioignen as a maner body of blisfulnesse, by dyversitee of 120 parties or of membres; or elles, yif that any of alle thilke thinges be swich that it acomplisshe by him-self the substaunce of blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othre thinges ben referred and brought to blisfulnesse,' that is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem.
'I wolde,' quod I, 'that thou makedest me cleerly to understonde 125 what thou seyst, and that thou recordedest me the forseyde thinges.'
'Have I nat iuged,' quod she, 'that blisfulnesse is good?'
'Yis, forsothe,' quod I; 'and that soverein good.'
'Adde thanne,' quod she, 'thilke good, that is maked blisfulnesse, 130 to alle the forseide thinges; for thilke same blisfulnesse that is demed to ben soverein suffisaunce, thilke selve is soverein power, soverein reverence, soverein cleernesse or noblesse, and soverein delyt. CONCLUSIO. What seyst thou thanne of alle thise thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power, and this othre thinges; 135 ben they thanne as membres of blisfulnesse, or ben they referred and brought to soverein good, right as alle thinges that ben brought to the chief of hem?'
'I understonde wel;' quod I, 'what thou purposest to seke; but I desire for to herkne that thou shewe it me.' 140
'Tak now thus the discrecioun of this questioun,' quod she. 'Yif alle thise thinges,' quod she, 'weren membres to felicitee, than weren they dyverse that oon from that other; and swich is the nature of parties or of membres, that dyverse membres compounen a body.' 145
'Certes,' quod I, 'it hath wel ben shewed heer-biforn, that alle thise thinges ben alle o thing.'
'Thanne ben they none membres,' quod she; 'for elles it sholde seme that blisfulnesse were conioigned al of on membre allone; but that is a thing that may nat be don.' 150
'This thing,' quod I, 'nis nat doutous; but I abyde to herknen the remnaunt of thy questioun.'
'This is open and cleer,' quod she, 'that alle othre thinges ben referred and brought to good. For therefore is suffisaunce requered, for it is demed to ben good; and forthy is power requered, 155 for men trowen also that it be good; and this same thing mowen we thinken and coniecten of reverence, and of noblesse, and of delyt. Thanne is soverein good the somme and the cause of al that aughte ben desired; for-why thilke thing that with-holdeth no good in it-self, ne semblaunce of good, it ne may nat wel in 160 no manere be desired ne requered. And the contrarie: for thogh that thinges by hir nature ne ben nat goode, algates, yif men wene that ben goode, yit ben they desired as though that they weren verrayliche goode. And therfor is it that men oughten to wene by right, that bountee be the soverein fyn, and the cause 165 of alle the thinges that ben to requeren. But certes, thilke that is cause for which men requeren any thing, it semeth that thilke same thing be most desired. As thus: yif that a wight wolde ryden for cause of hele, he ne desireth nat so mochel the moevinge to ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne, sin that 170 alle thinges ben requered for the grace of good, they ne ben nat desired of alle folk more thanne the same good. But we han graunted that blisfulnesse is that thing, for whiche that alle thise othre thinges ben desired; thanne is it thus: that, certes, only blisfulnesse is requered and desired. By whiche thing it sheweth 175 cleerly, that of good and of blisfulnesse is al oon and the same substaunce.'
'I see nat,' quod I, 'wherfore that men mighten discorden in this.'
'And we han shewed that god and verray blisfulnesse is al oo 180 thing.'
'That is sooth,' quod I.
'Thanne mowen we conclude sikerly, that the substaunce of god is set in thilke same good, and in non other place. 184
PR. X. 6. A. diffinissed; C. dyffynnyssed; Ed. diffynished. 10. After us, A. ins. this is to seyne (needlessly). // C. A. denoyed (error for deneyed); Ed. denyed. 12. A. al; C. alle. 14. C. ther-of; A. Ed. her-of. // C. comht (for comth). 20. C. absolut, i. laws. 21. C. dessendeth. 28. C. conseite; A. conceite. 31. A. om. he that. 32. A. is bettre. 35. C. Ed. it-self; A. hym self. 36. A. om. it. 39. A. inperfit. 40. C. as that; A. om. that. // A. Ed. proces; C. processes. 41. owen] A. ou[gh]t. 44. A. om. that ... is. 50. A. om. In which ... I. 51. C. Wenesthow awht. 56. A. receyued; C. resseyud. 58. A. goode (for worthy). 61. A. it is; C. is is (sic). // fro him] A. om. him. 63. A. om. hath. 70. A. Ed. nis; C. is. 73. A. om. soverein. 84. A. om. yit. 86, 87. A. om. For certes ... hem-self. // C. othre. 88. A. om. ne. // C. A. Ed. mowen; read may. 90. A. Ed. nis; C. is. 106. I supply they ben maked iust; Lat. iusti. 110. C. by thy (wrongly); A. Ed. by the. 119. A. witen; C. whyten. // C. wheyther that; A. om. that. // A. thise; C. this. 120. A. Ed. by; C. be. 121. C. or of; A. om. of. 122. Ed. accomplysshe; C. acomplyse; A. acomplise. 126. A. recordest. 134. C. om. thise. 141. Ed. discrecion; A. discressioun; C. descressioun. 143. C. swhych. 157. C. coniecten; A. coneiten; Lat. coniectare. 159. C. awht; A. au[gh]t. 161. A. requered; C. required. 171. A. requered; C. required. 176. C. of good; A. om. of; Lat. boni.
METRE X.
Huc omnes pariter uenite capti.
O cometh alle to-gider now, ye that ben y-caught and y-bounde with wikkede cheynes, by the deceivable delyt of erthely thinges enhabitinge in your thought! Heer shal ben the reste of your labours, heer is the havene stable in peysible quiete; this allone is the open refut to wrecches. GLOSA. This is to seyn, that ye 5 that ben combred and deceived with worldely affecciouns, cometh now to this soverein good, that is god, that is refut to hem that wolen comen to him. TEXTUS. Alle the thinges that the river Tagus yeveth yow with his goldene gravailes, or elles alle the thinges that the river Hermus yeveth with his rede brinke, or that Indus 10 yeveth, that is next the hote party of the world, that medleth the grene stones with the whyte, ne sholde nat cleeren the lookinge of your thought, but hyden rather your blinde corages with-in hir derknesse. Al that lyketh yow heer, and excyteth and moeveth your thoughtes, the erthe hath norisshed it in hise lowe caves. 15 But the shyninge, by whiche the hevene is governed and whennes he hath his strengthe, that eschueth the derke overthrowinge of the sowle; and who-so may knowen thilke light of blisfulnesse, he shal wel seyn, that the whyte bemes of the sonne ne ben nat cleer.' 20
ME. X. 3. A. Ed. Here; C. He. 6. A. deceyued; C. desseyued. 10. A. Ed. Hermus; C. Herynus (!). 12. C. grene stones, i. smaragdes; with the whyte, i. margaretes. 14. Ed. derkenesse; C. dyrknesse. 16. A. by the whiche. 17. C. eschueth; A. chaseth; Lat. uitat. // A. derke; C. dyrke.
PROSE XI.
Assentior, inquam.
Boece. 'I assente me,' quod I; 'for alle thise thinges ben strongly bounden with right ferme resouns.'
Philosophie. 'How mochel wilt thou preysen it,' quod she,
'yif that thou knowe what thilke good is?'
'I wol preyse it,' quod I, 'by prys with-outen ende, yif it shal 5 bityde me to knowe also to-gider god that is good.'
'Certes,' quod she, 'that shal I do thee by verray resoun, yif that tho thinges that I have concluded a litel her-biforn dwellen only in hir first graunting.'
'They dwellen graunted to thee,' quod I; this is to seyn, as 10 who seith: I graunte thy forseide conclusiouns.
'Have I nat shewed thee,' quod she, 'that the thinges that ben requered of many folkes ne ben nat verray goodes ne parfite, for they ben dyverse that oon fro that othre; and so as ech of hem is lakkinge to other, they ne han no power to bringen a good that 15 is ful and absolut? But thanne at erst ben they verray good, whanne they ben gadered to-gider alle in-to o forme and in-to oon wirkinge, so that thilke thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be power, and reverence, and noblesse, and mirthe; and forsothe, but-yif alle thise thinges ben alle oon same thing, they ne han nat 20 wherby that they mowen ben put in the noumber of thinges that oughten ben requered or desired.'
'It is shewed,' quod I; 'ne her-of may ther no man douten.'
'The thinges thanne,' quod she, 'that ne ben no goodes whanne they ben dyverse, and whan they beginnen to ben alle 25 oon thing thanne ben they goodes, ne comth it hem nat thanne by the getinge of unitee, that they ben maked goodes?'
'So it semeth,' quod I.
'But al thing that is good,' quod she, 'grauntest thou that it be good by the participacioun of good, or no?' 30
'I graunte it,' quod I.
'Thanne most thou graunten,' quod she, 'by semblable resoun, that oon and good be oo same thing. For of thinges, of whiche that the effect nis nat naturelly diverse, nedes the substance mot be oo same thing.' 35
'I ne may nat denye that,' quod I.
'Hast thou nat knowen wel,' quod she, 'that al thing that is hath so longe his dwellinge and his substaunce as longe as it is oon; but whan it forleteth to ben oon, it mot nedes dyen and corumpe to-gider?' 40
'In which manere?' quod I.
'Right as in bestes,' quod she, 'whan the sowle and the body ben conioigned in oon and dwellen to-gider, it is cleped a beest. And whan hir unitee is destroyed by the disseveraunce of that oon from that other, than sheweth it wel that it is a ded thing, and 45 that it nis no lenger no beest. And the body of a wight, whyl it dwelleth in oo forme by coniunccioun of membres, it is wel seyn that it is a figure of man-kinde. And yif the parties of the body ben so devyded and dissevered, that oon fro that other, that they destroyen unitee, the body forleteth to ben that 50 it was biforn. And, who-so wolde renne in the same manere by alle thinges, he sholde seen that, with-oute doute, every thing is in his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whan it forleteth to ben oon, it dyeth and perissheth.'
'Whan I considere,' quod I, 'manye thinges, I see non other.' 55
'Is ther any-thing thanne,' quod she, 'that, in as moche as it liveth naturelly, that forleteth the talent or appetyt of his beinge, and desireth to come to deeth and to corupcioun?'
'Yif I considere,' quod I, 'the beestes that han any maner nature of wilninge and of nillinge, I ne finde no beest, but-yif 60 it be constreined fro with-oute forth, that forleteth or despyseth the entencioun to liven and to duren, or that wole, his thankes, hasten him to dyen. For every beest travaileth him to deffende and kepe the savacioun of his lyf, and eschueth deeth and destruccioun. 65
But certes, I doute me of herbes and of trees, that is to seyn, that I am in a doute of swiche thinges as herbes or trees, that ne han no felinge sowles, ne no naturel wirkinges servinge to appetytes as bestes han, whether they han appetyt to dwellen and to duren.' 70
'Certes,' quod she, 'ne ther-of thar thee nat doute. Now loke up-on thise herbes and thise trees; they wexen first in swiche places as ben covenable to hem, in whiche places they ne mowen nat sone dyen ne dryen, as longe as hir nature may deffenden hem. For som of hem waxen in feeldes, and som 75 in mountaignes, and othre waxen in mareys, and othre cleven on roches, and somme waxen plentivous in sondes; and yif that any wight enforce him to beren hem in-to othre places, they wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing that that is convenient to him, and travaileth that they ne dye nat, as 80 longe as they han power to dwellen and to liven. What woltow seyn of this, that they drawen alle hir norisshinges by hir rotes, right as they hadden hir mouthes y-plounged with-in the erthes, and sheden by hir maryes hir wode and hir bark? And what woltow seyn of this, that thilke thing that is right softe, as the 85 marye is, that is alwey hid in the sete, al with-inne, and that is defended fro with-oute by the stedefastnesse of wode; and that the uttereste bark is put ayeins the destemperaunce of the hevene, as a defendour mighty to suffren harm? And thus, certes, maystow wel seen how greet is the diligence of nature; 90 for alle thinges renovelen and puplisshen hem with seed y-multiplyed; ne ther nis no man that ne wot wel that they ne ben right as a foundement and edifice, for to duren nat only for a tyme, but right as for to duren perdurably by generacioun. And the thinges eek that men wenen ne haven none sowles, 95 ne desire they nat ech of hem by semblable resoun to kepen that is hirs, that is to seyn, that is acordinge to hir nature in conservacioun of hir beinge and enduringe? For wher-for elles bereth lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weighte presseth the erthe a-doun, but for as moche as thilke places and thilke 100 moevinges ben covenable to everich of hem? And forsothe every thing kepeth thilke that is acordinge and propre to him, right as thinges that ben contraries and enemys corompen hem. And yit the harde thinges, as stones, clyven and holden hir parties to-gider right faste and harde, and deffenden hem in 105 withstondinge that they ne departe nat lightly a-twinne. And the thinges that ben softe and fletinge, as is water and eyr, they departen lightly, and yeven place to hem that breken or devyden hem; but natheles, they retornen sone ayein in-to the same thinges fro whennes they ben arraced. But fyr fleeth 110 and refuseth al devisioun. Ne I ne trete nat heer now of wilful moevinges of the sowle that is knowinge, but of the naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: right as we swolwe the mete that we receiven and ne thinke nat on it, and as we drawen our breeth in slepinge that we wite it nat whyle we 115 slepen. For certes, in the beestes, the love of hir livinges ne of hir beinges ne comth nat of the wilninges of the sowle, but of the biginninges of nature. For certes, thorugh constreininge causes, wil desireth and embraceth ful ofte tyme the deeth that nature dredeth; that is to seyn as thus: that a man may 120 ben constreyned so, by som cause, that his wil desireth and taketh the deeth which that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore. And somtyme we seeth the contrarye, as thus: that the wil of a wight destorbeth and constreyneth that that nature desireth and requereth al-wey, that is to seyn, the werk of generacioun, 125 by the whiche generacioun only dwelleth and is sustened the long durabletee of mortal thinges.
And thus this charitee and this love, that every thing hath to him-self, ne comth nat of the moevinge of the sowle, but of the entencioun of nature. For the purviaunce of god hath 130 yeven to thinges that ben creat of him this, that is a ful gret cause to liven and to duren; for which they desiren naturelly hir lyf as longe as ever they mowen. For which thou mayst nat drede, by no manere, that alle the thinges that ben anywhere, that they ne requeren naturelly the ferme 135 stablenesse of perdurable dwellinge, and eek the eschuinge of destruccioun.'
Boece. 'Now confesse I wel,' quod I, 'that I see now wel certeinly, with-oute doutes, the thinges that whylom semeden uncertain to me.' 140
'But,' quod she, 'thilke thing that desireth to be and to dwellen perdurably, he desireth to ben oon; for yif that that oon were destroyed, certes, beinge ne shulde ther non dwellen to no wight.'
'That is sooth,' quod I. 145
'Thanne,' quod she, 'desiren alle thinges oon?'
'I assente,' quod I.
'And I have shewed,' quod she, 'that thilke same oon is thilke that is good?'
'Ye, for sothe,' quod I. 150
'Alle thinges thanne,' quod she, 'requiren good; and thilke good thanne mayst thou descryven right thus: good is thilke thing that every wight desireth.'
'Ther ne may be thought,' quod I, 'no more verray thing. For either alle thinges ben referred and brought to nought, 155 and floteren with-oute governour, despoiled of oon as of hir propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any thing to which that alle thinges tenden and hyen, that thing moste ben the soverein good of alle goodes.'
Thanne seyde she thus: 'O my nory,' quod she, 'I have 160 gret gladnesse of thee; for thou hast ficched in thyn herte the middel soothfastnesse, that is to seyn, the prikke; but this thing hath ben descovered to thee, in that thou seydest that thou wistest nat a litel her-biforn.'
'What was that?' quod I. 165
'That thou ne wistest nat,' quod she, 'which was the ende of thinges; and certes, that is the thing that every wight desireth; and for as mochel as we han gadered and comprehended that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle, thanne moten we nedes confessen, that good is the fyn of alle thinges. 170
PR. XI. 3. C. wylthow. 5. C. preys; A. Ed. price. 6. A. Ed. bytyde; C. betydde. 7. C. om. that. // A. Ed. resoun; C. resouns; Lat. ratione. 17. C. in on; A. in to oon; Ed. in to one. 23. C. om. ther. 29. C. grauntisthow. 32. Ed. muste thou; C. mosthow; A. mayst thou. // Ed. semblable; A. sembleable; C. semlable. 37. C. Hasthow. 43. A. conioigned; C. conioigne. 44. A. disseueraunce; C. desseueraunce; after which C. A. om. of, which Ed. retains. 51. A. Ed. who so; C. who. 54. Ed. perissheth; C. periseth; A. perissith. 60. C. wylnynge; A. Ed. willynge. 62. A. om. the entencioun. 64. C. om. and bef. eschueth. 68. A. soule. 69. A. Ed. appetite; C. apetid. 76. Ed. mareys; A. mareis; C. marys. // A. has here lost a leaf, from and othre to past end of Met. xi. 84. C. maryes, i. medulle. 86. Ed. seete; C. feete (!); Lat. sede. 87. Ed. is; C. is is (sic). // C. stidefastnesse. 88. C. om. the bef. destemperaunce; Ed. has it. 91. C. pupllisen; Ed. publysshen. 94. Ed. perdurably; C. perdurablely. 103. Ed. corrumpen. 106. Ed. om. nat lightly ... departen. // C. a twyne. 110. Ed. araced. // Ed. fleeth and; C. and (om. fleeth); Lat. refugit. 112. Ed. wylful; C. weleful; Lat. uoluntariis. 114. Ed. receyuen; C. resseyuen. 116. Ed. slepen; C. slepyt. 127. Ed. durabylite. 142. Ed. perdurablye; C. perdurablely. 152. Ed. thou; C. om. // Ed. discryuen. 161. C. fichched; Ed. fyxed. 163. Ed. discouered. 165. Ed. is that (for was that).
METRE XI.
Quisquis profunda mente uestigat uerum.
Who-so that seketh sooth by a deep thoght, and coveiteth nat to ben deceived by no mis-weyes, lat him rollen and trenden with-inne him-self the light of his inward sighte; and lat him gadere ayein, enclyninge in-to a compas, the longe moevinges of his thoughtes; and lat him techen his corage that he hath 5 enclosed and hid in his tresors, al that he compasseth or seketh fro with-oute. And thanne thilke thinge, that the blake cloude of errour whylom hadde y-covered, shal lighten more cleerly thanne Phebus him-self ne shyneth.
GLOSA. _Who-so wole seken the deep grounde of sooth in his 10 thought, and wol nat be deceived by false proposiciouns that goon amis fro the trouthe, lat him wel examine and rolle with-inne him-self the nature and the propretees of the thing; and lat him yit eftsones examine and rollen his thoughtes by good deliberacioun, or that he deme; and lat him techen his sowle that it hath, by natural 15 principles kindeliche y-hid with-in it-self, alle the trouthe the whiche he imagineth to ben in thinges with-oute. And thanne alle the derknesse of his misknowinge shal seme more evidently to sighte of his understondinge thanne the sonne ne semeth to sighte with-oute-forth._ 20
For certes the body, bringinge the weighte of foryetinge, ne hath nat chased out of your thoughte al the cleernesse of your knowinge; for certeinly the seed of sooth haldeth and clyveth with-in your corage, and it is awaked and excyted by the winde and by the blastes of doctrine. For wherfor elles demen ye of 25 your owne wil the rightes, whan ye ben axed, but-yif so were that the norisshinge of resoun ne livede y-plounged in the depthe of your herte? this is to seyn, how sholden men demen the sooth of any thing that were axed, yif ther nere a rote of soothfastnesse that were y-plounged and hid in naturel principles, the whiche soothfastnesse 30 lived with-in the deepnesse of the thought. And yif so be that the Muse and the doctrine of Plato singeth sooth, al that every wight lerneth, he ne doth no-thing elles thanne but recordeth, as men recorden thinges that ben foryeten.'
ME. XI. 2. Ed. om. nat. // Ed. treaten (for trenden). 18. Ed. derknesse; C. dyrknesse. // Ed. seme; C. seen (but note semeth below). 24. Ed. wyndes. 26. Ed. asked. 27. Ed. norisshyng; C. noryssynges; Lat. fomes. 29. Ed. asked. 30. Ed. naturel; C. the nature (sic).
PROSE XII.
Tum ego, Platoni, inquam.
Thanne seide I thus: 'I acorde me gretly to Plato, for thou remembrest and recordest me thise thinges yit the secounde tyme; that is to seyn, first whan I loste my memorie by the contagious coniunccioun of the body with the sowle; and eftsones afterward, whan I loste it, confounded by the charge and 5 by the burdene of my sorwe.'
And thanne seide she thus: 'yif thou loke,' quod she, 'first the thinges that thou hast graunted, it ne shal nat ben right fer that thou ne shalt remembren thilke thing that thou seydest that thou nistest nat.' 10
'What thing?' quod I.
'By whiche governement,' quod she, 'that this world is governed.'
'Me remembreth it wel,' quod I; 'and I confesse wel that I ne wiste it naught. But al-be-it so that I see now from a-fer 15 what thou purposest, algates, I desire yit to herkene it of thee more pleynly.'
'Thou ne wendest nat,' quod she, 'a litel her-biforn, that men sholden doute that this world nis governed by god.'
'Certes,' quod I, 'ne yit ne doute I it naught, ne I nel never 20 wene that it were to doute; as who seith, but I wot wel that god governeth this world; and I shal shortly answeren thee by what resouns I am brought to this. This world,' quod I, 'of so manye dyverse and contrarious parties, ne mighte never han ben assembled in o forme, but-yif ther nere oon that conioignede so 25 manye dyverse thinges; and the same dyversitee of hir natures, that so discorden that oon fro that other, moste departen and unioignen the thinges that ben conioigned, yif ther ne were oon that contenede that he hath conioined and y-bounde. Ne the certein ordre of nature ne sholde nat bringe forth so ordenee 30 moevinges, by places, by tymes, by doinges, by spaces, by qualitees, yif ther ne were oon that were ay stedefast dwellinge, that ordeynede and disponede thise dyversitees of moevinges. And thilke thing, what-so-ever it be, by which that alle thinges ben y-maked and y-lad, I clepe him "god"; that is a word that 35 is used to alle folk.'
Thanne seyde she: 'sin thou felest thus thise thinges,' quod she, 'I trowe that I have litel more to done that thou, mighty of welefulnesse, hool and sounde, ne see eftsones thy contree. But lat us loken the thinges that we han purposed her-biforn. 40 Have I nat noumbred and seyd,' quod she, 'that suffisaunce is in blisfulnesse, and we han acorded that god is thilke same blisfulnesse?'
'Yis, forsothe,' quod I.
'And that, to governe this world,' quod she, 'ne shal he never 45 han nede of non help fro with-oute? For elles, yif he hadde nede of any help, he ne sholde nat have no ful suffisaunce?'
'Yis, thus it mot nedes be,' quod I.
'Thanne ordeineth he by him-self al-one alle thinges?' quod she.
'That may nat be deneyed,' quod I. 50
'And I have shewed that god is the same good?'
'It remembreth me wel,' quod I.
'Thanne ordeineth he alle thinges by thilke good,' quod she; 'sin he, which that we han acorded to be good, governeth alle thinges by him-self; and he is as a keye and a stere by which 55 that the edifice of this world is y-kept stable and with-oute coroumpinge.'
'I acorde me greetly,' quod I; 'and I aperceivede a litel her-biforn that thou woldest seye thus; al-be-it so that it were by a thinne suspecioun.' 60
'I trowe it wel,' quod she; 'for, as I trowe, thou ledest now more ententifly thyne eyen to loken the verray goodes. But natheles the thing that I shal telle thee yit ne sheweth nat lasse to loken.'
'What is that?' quod I. 65
'So as men trowen,' quod she, 'and that rightfully, that god governeth alle thinges by the keye of his goodnesse, and alle thise same thinges, as I have taught thee, hasten hem by naturel entencioun to comen to good: ther may no man douten that they ne be governed voluntariely, and that they ne converten hem of 70 hir owne wil to the wil of hir ordenour, as they that ben acordinge and enclyninge to hir governour and hir king.'
'It mot nedes be so,' quod I; 'for the reaume ne sholde nat semen blisful yif ther were a yok of misdrawinges in dyverse parties; ne the savinge of obedient thinges ne sholde nat be.' 75
'Thanne is ther nothing,' quod she, 'that kepeth his nature, that enforceth him to goon ayein god?'
'No,' quod I.
'And yif that any-thing enforcede him to with-stonde god, mighte it availen at the laste ayeins him, that we han graunted to 80 ben almighty by the right of blisfulnesse?'
'Certes,' quod I, 'al-outrely it ne mighte nat availen him.'
'Thanne is ther no-thing,' quod she, 'that either wole or may with-stonden to this soverein good?'
'I trowe nat,' quod I. 85
'Thanne is thilke the soverein good,' quod she, 'that alle thinges governeth strongly, and ordeyneth hem softely.'
Thanne seyde I thus: 'I delyte me,' quod I, 'nat only in the endes or in the somme of the resouns that thou hast concluded and proeved, but thilke wordes that thou usest delyten me moche 90 more; so, at the laste, fooles that sumtyme renden grete thinges oughten ben ashamed of hem-self;' that is to seyn, that we fooles that reprehenden wikkedly the thinges that touchen goddes governaunce, we oughten ben ashamed of our-self: as I, that seyde that god refuseth only the werkes of men, and ne entremeteth nat of 95 hem.
