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Boece - Boethius's The Consolation of Philosophy - Book 1
Incipit Liber Boecii de Consolcione Philosophie.

Metrum 1	Allas! I wepynge, am constreyned to bygynnen
	vers of sorwful matere, that whilom in florysschyng
	studie made delitable ditees. For
	lo, rendynge muses of poetes enditen to me
5	thynges to ben writen, and drery vers of wretchidnesse
	weten my face with verray teres. At
	the leeste, no drede ne myghte overcomen
	tho muses, that thei ne were felawes, and folwyden
	my wey (that is to seyn, whan
10	I was exiled). They that weren glorie of
	my youthe, whilom weleful and grene,
	conforten nowe the sorwful wyerdes of me, olde
	man. For eelde is comyn unwarly uppon me,
	hasted by the harmes that Y have, and sorwe
15	hath comandid his age to ben in me. Heeris hore
	arn schad overtymeliche upon myn heved, and
	the slakke skyn trembleth of myn emptid body.
	Thilke deth of men is weleful that ne comyth
	noght in yeeris that ben swete, but
20	cometh to wrecches often yclepid. Allas,
	allas! With how deef an ere deth, cruwel,
	turneth awey fro wrecches and nayteth to
	closen wepynge eien. Whil Fortune, unfeithful,
	favourede me with lyghte goodes, the sorwful
25	houre (that is to seyn, the deth) hadde almoost
	dreynt myn heved. But now, for Fortune
	cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable
	chere to meward, myn unpietous lif draweth
	along unagreable duellynges in me. O ye,
30	my frendes, what or wherto avaunted ye
	me to be weleful? For he that hath fallen stood
	noght in stedefast degre.
Prosa 1	In the mene while that I, stille, recordede
	these thynges with myself and merkid my weply
	compleynte with office of poyntel, I saw,
	stondynge aboven the heghte of myn heved, a
5	womman of ful greet reverence by semblaunt,
	hir eien brennynge and cleer-seynge over the
	comune myghte of men; with a lifly colour
	and with swich vigour and strengthe that it ne
	myghte nat ben emptid, al were it so
10	that sche was ful of so greet age that men
	ne wolden nat trowen in no manere that
	sche were of our elde. The stature of hire was
	of a doutous jugement, for somtyme sche constreyned
	and schronk hirselven lik to the comune
15	mesure of men, and somtyme it semede
	that sche touchede the hevene with the heghte
	of here heved. And whan sche hef hir heved
	heyere, sche percede the selve hevene so that
	the sighte of men lokynge was in ydel.
20	Hir clothes weren makid of right delye
	thredes and subtil craft of perdurable matere;
	the whiche clothes sche hadde woven with
	hir owene handes, as I knew wel aftir by hirselve
	declarynge and schewynge to me. The
25	beaute [of] the whiche clothes a derknesse of a
	forleten and despised elde hadde duskid and
	dirked, as it is wont to dirken besmokede
	ymages. In the nethereste hem or bordure of
	thise clothes, men redden ywoven in a
30	Grekissch P (that signifieth the lif actif);
	and aboven that lettre, in the heieste
	bordure, a Grekyssh T (that signifieth the lif
	contemplatif). And bytwixen thise two lettres
	ther were seyn degrees nobly ywrought in
35	manere of laddres, by whiche degrees men
	myghten clymben fro the nethereste lettre to the
	uppereste. Natheles handes of some men hadden
	korve that cloth by violence and by
	strengthe, and everich man of hem hadde
40	boren awey swiche peces as he myghte
	geten. And forsothe this forseide womman bar
	smale bokis in hir right hand, and in hir left hand
	sche bar a ceptre.
	And whan she saughe thise poetical muses
45	aprochen aboute my bed and enditynge wordes
	to my wepynges, sche was a litil amoeved, and
	glowede with cruel eighen. "Who," quat sche,
	"hath suffred aprochen to this sike man thise
	comune strompettis of swich a place that
50	men clepen the theatre? The whiche nat
	oonly ne asswagen noght his sorwes with
	none remedies, but thei wolden fedyn and
	noryssen hym with sweete venym. Forsothe
	thise ben tho that with thornes and prikkynges
55	of talentz or affeccions, whiche that ne bien
	nothyng fructifyenge nor profitable, destroyen
	the corn plentyvous of fruytes of resoun. For
	thei holden hertes of men in usage, but thei
	delyvre noght folk fro maladye. But yif ye
60	muses hadden withdrawen fro me with
	youre flateries any unkunnynge and unprofitable
	man, as men ben wont to fynde
	comonly among the peple, I wolde wene suffre
	the lasse grevosly; forwhi, in swych an unprofitable
65	man, myne ententes weren nothyng
	endamaged. But ye withdrawen me this man,
	that hath ben noryssed in the studies or scoles of
	Eliaticis and Achademycis in Grece. But goth
	now rather awey, ye mermaydenes, whiche
70	that ben swete til it be at the laste, and
	suffreth this man to ben cured and heeled
	by myne muses (that is to seyn, by noteful
	sciences)."
	And thus this companye of muses, iblamed,
75	casten wrothly the chere dounward to the erthe,
	and, schewynge by rednesse hir schame, thei
	passeden sorwfully the thresschefold. And I, of
	whom the sighte, ploungid in teeres, was dirked
	so that Y ne myghte noght knowen what
80	that womman was of so imperial auctorite,
	I wax al abayssched and astoned, and caste
	my syghte doun to the erthe, and bygan stille for
	to abide what sche woolde doon aftirward. Tho
	com sche ner and sette her doun uppon the
85	uttereste corner of my bed; and sche, byholdynge
	my chere that was cast to the erthe
	hevy and grevous of wepynge, compleynede
	with thise wordis that I schal seyn the perturbacion thought.
Metrum 2	"Allas! How the thought of this man, dreynt
	in overthrowynge depnesse, dulleth and forleteth
	his propre clernesse, myntynge to gon into
	foreyne dirknesses as ofte as his anoyos
5	bysynes waxeth withoute mesure, that is
	dryven with werldly wyndes. This man, that
	whilom was fre, to whom the hevene was
	opyn and knowen, and was wont to gon in
	hevenliche pathes, and saughe the lyghtnesse
10	of the rede sonne, and saughe the
	sterres of the coolde mone, and whiche
	sterre in hevene useth wandrynge recourses
	iflyt by diverse speeris -- this man, overcomere,
	hadde comprehendid al this by nombre (of
15	acontynge in astronomye). And, over this, he
	was wont to seken the causes whennes the sounynge
	wyndes moeven and bysien the smothe
	watir of the see; and what spirit turneth the
	stable hevene; and why the sterre ariseth
20	out of the rede est, to fallen in the westrene
	wawes; and what attemprith the lusty
	houres of the firste somer sesoun, that highteth
	and apparaileth the erthe with rosene
	floures; and who maketh that plentyvous
25	autumpne in fulle [yere] fletith with hevy
	grapes. And eek this man was wont to tellen
	the diverse causes of nature that weren yhidd.
	Allas! Now lyth he emptid of lyght of his
	thoght, and his nekke is pressyd with hevy
30	cheynes, and bereth his chere enclyned
	adoun for the grete weyghte, and is constreyned
	to loken on the fool erthe!"
Prosa 2	"But tyme is now," quod sche, "of medicyne
	more than of compleynte." Forsothe thanne
	sche, entendynge to meward with al the lookynge
	of hir eien, seyde: "Art nat thou he,"
5	quod sche, "that whilom, norissched with my
	melk and fostred with myne metes, were escaped
	and comyn to corage of a parfit man?
	Certes I yaf the swiche armures that, yif thou
	thiselve ne haddest first cast hem awey,
10	they schulden han defended the in sekernesse
	that mai nat ben overcomyn. Knowestow
	me nat? Why arttow stille? Is it for
	schame or for astonynge? It were me levere
	that it were for schame, but it semeth me that
15	astonynge hath oppresside the." And whan sche
	say me nat oonly stille but withouten office
	of tunge and al dowmbe, sche leyde hir hand
	sooftly uppon my breest and seide: "Here nys
	no peril," quod sche; "he is fallen into a
20	litargye, whiche that is a comune seknesse
	to hertes that been desceyved. He hath a
	litil foryeten hymselve, but certes he schal
	lightly remembren hymself yif so be that he
	hath knowen me or now; and that he may so
25	doon, I will wipe a litil his eien that ben
	dirked by the cloude of mortel thynges." Thise
	woordes seide sche, and with the lappe of hir
	garnement yplited in a frownce sche dryede
	myn eien, that weren fulle of the wawes of wepynges.
Metrum 3	Thus, whan that nyght was discussed and
	chased awey, dirknesses forleten me, and to
	myn eien repeyred ayen hir firste strengthe.
	And ryght by ensaumple as the sonne is hydd
5	whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn,
	whan sterres ben covered with cloudes) by
	a swyft wynd that hyghte Chorus, and that
	the firmament stant dirked with wete plowngy
	cloudes; and that the sterres nat apeeren
10	upon hevene, so that the nyght semeth
	sprad upon erthe: yif thanne the wynde that
	hyghte Boreas, isent out of the kaves of the
	cuntre of Trace, betith this nyght (that is to
	seyn, chaseth it awey) and discovereth the
15	closed day, thanne schyneth Phebus ischaken
	with sodeyn light and smyteth with his beemes
	in merveylynge eien.
Prosa 3	Ryght so, and noon other wise, the cloudes
	of sorwe dissolved and doon awey, I took hevene,
	and resceyved mynde to knowe the face
	of my fisycien; so that [whan] [that] I sette myne
5	eien on hir and fastned my lookynge, I byholde
	my noryce, Philosophie, in whoos houses I
	hadde conversed and hauntyd fro my youthe;
	and I seide thus: "O thou maystresse of alle
	vertues, descended from the sovereyne
10	sete, whi arttow comen into this solitarie
	place of myn exil? Artow comen for thou
	art maad coupable with me of false blames?"
	"O," quod sche, "my nory, schulde I forsake
	the now, and schulde I nat parten with the by
15	comune travaile the charge that thow hast
	suffred for envye of my name? Certes it nere nat
	leveful ne syttynge thyng to Philosophie to leten
	withouten companye the weye of hym that is
	innocent. Schulde I thanne redowte my
20	blame and agrysen as though ther were
	byfallen a newe thyng? For trowestow that
	Philosophie be now alderferst assailed in periles
	by folk of wykkide maneris? Have I noght
	stryven with ful greet strif in old tyme, byfor the
25	age of my Plato, ayens the foolhardynesse
	of folye? And eek, the same Plato lyvynge, his
	mayster Socrates desserved victorie of unryghtful
	deth in my presence. The heritage of
	the whiche Socrates (the heritage is to
30	seyn the doctryne of the whiche Socrates
	in his opinyoun of felicite, that I clepe
	welefulnesse) whan that the peple of Epycuriens
	and Stoyciens and manye othere enforceden
	hem to gon ravyssche everyche man for his part
35	(that is to seyn, that everych of hem wolde
	drawen to the deffense of his opinyoun the
	wordes of Socrates), they as in partye of hir
	preye todrowen me, cryinge and debatyng
	ther-ayens, and korven and torente my
40	clothes that I hadde woven with myn
	handes; and with tho cloutes that thei
	hadden arased out of my clothes thei wenten
	awey wenynge that I hadde gon with hem every
	del. In whiche Epycuriens and Stoyciens for as
45	myche as ther semede some traces or steppes of
	myn abyte, the folie of men wenynge tho
	Epycuryens and Stoyciens my familiers pervertede
	some thurw the errour of the wikkide
	or unkunnynge multitude of hem.
50	(This is to seyn, that for they semeden
	philosophres thei weren pursuyed to the
	deth and slayn.)
	"So yif thou ne hast noght knowen the
	exilynge of Anaxogore, ne the empoisonynge of
55	Socrates, ne the turmentz of Zeno, for they
	weren straungiers, yit myghtestow han knowen
	the Senecciens and the Canyos and the Soranas,
	of whiche folk the renoun is neyther over-oold
	ne unsollempne. The whiche men nothyng
60	elles ne broght hem to the deeth but oonly
	for thei weren enformyd of myne maneris,
	and semyde moost unlyk to the studies of
	wykkid folk. And forthi thou oughtest noght to
	wondren thoughe that I, in the byttere see of this
65	lif, be fordryven with tempestes blowynge
	aboute, in the whiche this is my moste purpoos,
	that is to seyn to displesen to wikkide men. Of
	whiche schrewes al be the oost nevere so greet,
	it es to despise; for it nys nat governyd with
70	no ledere (of resoun), but it es ravyssched
	oonly by fleetynge errour folyly and
	lyghtly; and yif they somtyme, makynge an oost
	ayens us, assayle us as strengere, our ledere
	draweth togidre his richesses into his tour, and
75	they ben ententyf aboute sarpleris or sachelis,
	unprofitable for to taken. But we that ben heghe
	above, syker fro alle tumolte and wood noyse,
	warnstoryd and enclosed in swiche a palys
	whider as that chaterynge or anoyinge
80	folye ne may nat atayne, we scorne swyche
	ravyneres and henteres of fouleste thynges.
Metrum 4	"Whoso it be that is cleer of vertue, sad and
	wel ordynat of lyvynge, that hath put under
	fote the proude wierdes, and loketh upryght
	upon either fortune, he may holden his chere
5	undesconfited. The rage ne the manaces of the
	see, commoevynge or chasynge upward hete
	fro the botme, ne schal nat moeve that man.
	Ne the unstable mowntaigne that highte Visevus,
	that writhith out thurw his brokene
10	chemeneyes smokynge fieres, ne the wey of
	thonderleit, that is wont to smyten hye
	toures, ne schal nat moeve that man. Wharto
	thanne, o wrecches, drede ye tirauntz that ben
	wode and felenous withouten ony strengthe?
15	Hope aftir no thyng, ne drede nat; and so
	schaltow desarmen the ire of thilke unmyghty
	tiraunt. But whoso that, qwakynge, dredeth
	or desireth thyng that nys noght stable of his
	ryght, that man that so dooth hath cast
20	awey his scheeld, and is remoeved from
	his place, and enlaceth hym in the cheyne
	with whiche he mai ben drawen.
Prosa 4	"Felistow," quod sche, "thise thynges, and
	entren thei aughte in thy corage? Artow like
	an asse to the harpe? Why wepistow, why
	spillestow teeris? Yif thou abidest after helpe
5	of thi leche, the byhoveth discovre thy
	wownde."
	Tho I, that hadde gaderyd strengthe in my
	corage, answeride and seide: "And nedeth it
	yit," quod I, "of rehersynge or of ammonicioun?
10	And scheweth it nat ynoghe by
	hymselve the scharpnesse of Fortune, that
	waxeth wood ayens me? Ne moeveth it nat
	the to seen the face or the manere of this place?
	Is this the librarye which that thou haddest
15	chosen for a ryght certein sege to the in myn
	hous, there as thow disputedest ofte with me
	of the sciences of thynges touchynge dyvinyte
	and mankynde? Was thanne myn habit
	swiche as it is now? Was my face or my
20	chere swyche as now whan I soghte with
	the the secretis of nature, whan thow enformedest
	my maneris and the resoun of al my
	lif to the ensaumple of the ordre of hevene? Is
	noght this the gerdouns that I referre to the, to
25	whom I have ben obeisaunt?
	"Certes thou confermedest by the mouth of
	Plato this sentence, that is to seyn that comune
	thynges or comunalites weren blisful yif they
	that hadden studied al fully to wysdom
30	governeden thilke thynges; or elles yif it so
	befille that the governours of comunalites
	studieden to geten wysdom. Thou seidest eek by
	the mouth of the same Plato that it was a
	necessarie cause wise men to taken and desire
35	the governance of comune thynges, for that the
	governementz of cites, ilefte in the handes of
	felonous turmentours citezeens, ne schulde
	noght bryngen in pestilence ande destruccioun
	to good folk. And therfore I, folwynge
40	thilke auctorite, desired to putten forth in
	execucion and in acte of comune administracioun
	thilk thynges that I hadde lernyd
	of the among my secre restyng-whiles.
	"Thow and God, that putte the in the
45	thoughtes of wise folk, ben knowynge with me
	that nothyng ne brought me to maistrie or
	dignyte but the comune studie of alle goodnesse.
	And therof cometh it that bytwixen
	wikkid folk and me han ben grevous
50	discordes, that ne myghte nat ben relessed
	by preyeris; for this liberte hath the fredom
	of conscience, that the wraththe of more myghty
	folk hath alwey ben despised of me for savacioun
	of right. How ofte have I resisted and withstonden
55	thilke man that highte Connigaste, that
	made alwey assawtes ayens the propre fortunes
	of pore feble folk! How ofte eek have I put of
	or cast out hym Trygwille, provoste of the
	kyngis hous, bothe of the wronges that he
60	hadde bygunne to doon, and ek fully
	performed! How ofte have I covered and
	defended by the auctorite of me put ayens perils
	(that is to seyn, put myn auctorite in peril for)
	the wrecche pore folk, that the covetise of
65	straungiers unpunyschid tormentyde alwey with
	myseses and grevances out of nombre! Nevere
	man ne drow me yit fro right to wrong. Whan
	I say the fortunes and the richesses of the peple
	of the provinces ben harmed or amenuced
70	outher be pryve ravynes or by comune
	tributz or cariages, as sory was I as they
	that suffriden the harm. (Glosa. Whan that
	Theodoric, the kyng of Gothes, in a dere yeer,
	hadde his gerneeris ful of corn, and comaundede
75	that no man schulde byen no coorn til
	his corn were soold, and that at a grevous dere
	prys, Boece withstood that ordenaunce and
	overcome it, knowynge al this the kyng hymselve.
	Coempcioun is to seyn comune
80	achat or beyinge togidre, that were establissed
	upon the peple by swich a
	manere imposicioun, as whoso boughte a
	busschel corn, he most yyve the kyng the fyfte
	part.) Textus. Whan it was in the sowre hungry
85	tyme, ther was establissed or cryed grevous and
	unplitable coempcioun, that men sayen wel it
	schulde gretly tormenten and endamagen al the
	provynce of Campayne, I took stryf ayens the
	provost of the pretorie for comune profit;
90	and, the kyng knowynge of it, Y overcom
	it, so that the coempcioun ne was nat axid
	ne took effect. Paulyn, a conseiller of Rome, the
	richesses of the whiche Paulyn the howndes of
	the paleys (that is to seyn, the officeres) wolden
95	han devoured by hope and covetyse, yit drowe
	I hym out of the jowes of hem that gapeden. And
	for as moche as the peyne of the accusacioun
	ajugid byforn ne schulde noght sodeynli henten
	ne punyssche wrongfully Albyn, a
100	conseiller of Rome, I putte me ayens the
	hates and indignacions of the accusour
	Cyprian. Is it nat thanne inoghe isene that I have
	purchaced grete discordes ayens myself? But I
	oughte be the more asseured ayens alle othere
105	folk, that for the love of rightwisnesse I ne
	reservede nevere nothyng to myselve to hemward
	of the kyngis halle, by whiche I were the
	more syker. But thurw tho same accusours accusynge
	I am condempned.
110	"Of the nombre of whiche accusours,
	oon Basilius, that whilom was chased out of
	the kyngis servyse, is now compelled in accusynge
	of my name for nede of foreyne moneye.
	Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me,
115	al be it so that the justise regal hadde whilom
	demed hem bothe to gon into exil for hir trecheries
	and frawdes withouten nombre, to whiche
	juggement they nolden nat obeye, but defendeden
	hem by the sikernesse of holi
120	houses (that is to seyn, fledden into
	seyntewarie); and whan this was aperceyved
	to the kyng, he comandide that, but they
	voydide the cite of Ravenne by certeyn day
	assigned, that men scholde marken hem on the
125	forheved with an hoot iren and chasen hem out
	of towne. Now what thyng semyth myghte ben
	likned to this cruelte? For certes thilke same day
	was resceyved the accusynge of myn name by
	thilke same accusours. What may ben seyd
130	herto? Hath my studie and my kunnynge
	disserved thus? Or elles the forseyde
	dampnacioun of me -- made that hem ryghtfulle
	accusours or no? Was noght Fortune
	aschamed of this? Certes, al hadde noght
135	Fortune ben aschamed that innocence was
	accused, yit oughte sche han hadde schame of
	the fylthe of myn accusours.
	"But axestow in somme of what gylt I am
	accused? Men seyn that I wolde saven
140	the companye of the senatours. And
	desirestow to heren in what manere? I am
	accused that I schulde han disturbed the
	accusour to beren lettres, by whiche he scholde
	han maked the senatours gylty ayens the kynges
145	real majeste. O Maystresse, what demestow of
	this? Schal I forsake this blame, that Y ne be no
	schame to the? Certes I have wolde it (that is to
	seyn, the savacioun of the senat), ne I schal
	nevere letten to wilne it. And that I
150	confesse and am aknowe; but the entente of
	the accusour to ben distorbed schal cese.
	For schal I clepe it thanne a felonye or a synne
	that I have desired the savacioun of the ordre of
	the senat? And certes yit hadde thilke same senat
155	don by me thurw hir decretz and hir jugementz
	as thoughe it were a synne and a felonye (that
	is to seyn, to wilne the savacioun of hem). But
	folye, that lyeth alwey to hymselve, may noght
	chaunge the merite of thynges, ne I trowe
160	nat by the jugement of Socrates that it were
	leveful to me to hide the sothe ne assente
	to lesynges.
	"But certes, how so evere it be of this, I putte
	it to gessen or prisen to the jugement of the and
165	of wys folk. Of whiche thyng al the ordenaunce
	and the sothe, for as moche as folk that been to
	comen aftir our dayes schullen knowen it, I have
	put it in scripture and in remembraunce. For
	touchynge the lettres falsly maked, by
170	whiche lettres I am accused to han hoped
	the fredom of Rome, what aperteneth me
	to speken therof? Of whiche lettres the fraude
	hadde ben schewed apertely, yif I hadde had
	liberte for to han used and ben at the confessioun
175	of myn accusours, the whiche thyng in
	alle nedes hath greet strengthe. For what other
	fredom mai men hopen? Certes I wolde that som
	other fredom myghte ben hoped; I wolde
	thanne han answeryd by the wordys of a
180	man that hyghte Canyus. For whan he was
	accused by Gaius Cesar, Germaynes sone,
	that he was knowynge and consentynge of a
	conjuracioun ymaked ayens hym, this Canyus
	answeride thus: `Yif I hadde wyst it, thou
185	haddest noght wyst it.'
	"In whiche thyng sorwe hath noght so dullid
	my wyt that I pleyne oonly that schrewed folk
	apparailen felonyes ayens vertu; but I wondre
	gretly how that thei may performe thynges
190	that thei han hoped for to doon. Forwhy to
	wylne schrewydnesse -- that cometh peraventure
	of our defaute; but it is lyk a monstre
	and a merveyle how that, in the presente
	sight of God, may ben acheved and performed
195	swiche thynges as every felonous man
	hath conceyved in his thoght ayens innocentz.
	For whiche thynge oon of thy familiers
	noght unskilfully axed thus: `Yif God
	is, whennes comen wikkide thyngis? And
200	yif God ne is, whennes comen gode
	thynges?' But al hadde it ben leveful that
	felonous folk, that now desiren the blood and
	the deeth of alle gode men and ek of al the senat,
	han wilned to gon destroyen me, whom they han
205	seyn alwey bataylen and defenden gode men
	and eek al the senat, yit hadde I nought
	disservyd of the faderes (that is to seyn, of
	the senatours) that they schulden wilne my
	destruccioun.
210	"Thow remembrest wel, as I gesse, that
	whan I wolde doon or seyn any thyng,
	thow thiselve alwey present reuledest me. [And]
	[wel] [thow] [remembrest] at the cite of Verone,
	whan that the kyng, gredy of comune slaughtre,
215	caste hym to transporten upon al the ordre of the
	senat the gilt of his real majeste, of the whiche
	gilt that Albyn was accused, with how gret
	sykernesse of peril to me defended I al the senat!
	Thow woost wel that I sey sooth, ne
220	I n' avawntede me nevere in preysynge
	of myselve. For alwey whan any wyght
	resceyveth precious renoun in avauntynge
	hymselve of his werkes, he amenuseth the secre
	of his conscience. But now thow mayst wel seen
225	to what eende I am comen for myn innocence;
	I resceyve peyne of fals felonye for guerdoun of
	verrai vertue. And what opene confessioun of
	felonye hadde evere juges so accordaunt in
	cruelte (that is to seyn, as myn accusynge
230	hath. that either errour of mannys wit, or
	elles condicion of fortune, that is uncerteyn
	to alle mortel folk, ne submyttede some of hem
	(that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede som juge
	to have pite or compassioun)? For althoughe I
235	hadde ben accused that I wolde brenne holi
	houses and straungle preestis with wykkid
	sweerd, or that I hadde greythed deth to alle
	gode men, algates the sentence scholde han
	punysshed me present, confessed or convict.
240	But now I am remuwed fro the cite of
	Rome almest fyve hundred thowsand paas,
	I am withoute deffense dampnyd to proscripcion
	and to the deth for the studie and
	bountes that I have doon to the senat. But, O,
245	wel ben thei wurthy of meryte (as who seith,
	nay), ther myghte nevere yit noon of hem ben
	convicte of swiche a blame as myn is. Of whiche
	trespas myne accusours sayen ful wel the
	dignete; the whiche dignyte, for thei
250	wolden derken it with medlynge of some
	felonye, they bare me on hande and lieden
	that I hadde pollut and defouled my conscience
	with sacrilegie for covetise of dignyte. And
	certes thou thiselve, that art plaunted in me,
255	chacedest out of the sege of my corage alle
	covetise of mortel thynges, ne sacrilege ne
	hadde no leve to han a place in me byforn
	thyne eien. For thow droppiddest every day
	in myn eris and in my thought thilke
260	comaundement of Pictagoras, that is to
	seyn, men schal serven to God and noght
	to goddes. Ne it was noght convenient ne no
	nede to taken help of the fouleste spiritz -- I,
	that thow hast ordeyned and set in swiche
265	excellence, that thou makedest me lyk to God.
	And over this, the right clene secre chaumbre of
	myn hous (that is to seyn, my wif), and the
	companye of myne honeste freendes, and
	my wyves fadir, as wel holi as worthy to
270	ben reverenced thurw his owene dedes,
	defenden me fro alle suspecioun of swiche
	blame. But O malice! For they that accusen me
	taken of the, Philosophie, feith of so greet
	blame, for they trowen that I have had affinyte
275	to malefice or enchauntement, bycause that I am
	replenysshid and fulfild with thy techynges, and
	enformed of thi maneris. And thus it suffiseth nat
	oonly that thi reverence ne avayle me nat, but yif
	that thow of thy free wil rather be
280	blemessched with myne offencioun.
	"But certes, to the harmes that I have,
	ther bytideth yit this encrees of harm, that the
	gessynge and the jugement of moche folk ne
	loken nothyng to the desertes of thynges, but
285	oonly to the aventure of fortune; and jugen
	that oonly swiche thynges ben purveied of
	God, whiche that temporel welefulnesse
	commendeth. (Glose. As thus: that yif a
	wyght have prosperite, he is a good man
290	and worthy to han that prosperite; and
	whoso hath adversite, he is a wikkid
	man, and God hath forsake hym, and he is
	worthy to han that adversite. This is the
	opinyoun of some folk.) Textus. And therof
295	cometh that good gessynge, first of alle thynge,
	forsaketh wrecches. Certes it greveth me to
	thynke ryght now the diverse sentences that the
	peple seith of me. And thus moche I seie, that
	the laste charge of contrarious fortune is
300	this: that whan eny blame is leid upon a
	caytif, men wenen that he hath desservyd
	that he suffreth. And I, that am put awey fro
	gode men, and despoyled of dignytes, and
	defouled of myn name by gessynge, have
305	suffride torment for my gode dedes. Certes me
	semyth that I se the felonous covynes of wykkid
	men habounden in joye and in gladnesse; and I
	se that every lorel schapeth hym to fynde out
	newe fraudes for to accuse good folk; and
310	I se that goode men [lien] overthrowen for
	drede of my peril, and every luxurious
	turmentour dar doon alle felonye unpunysschyd,
	and ben excited therto by yiftes; and
	innocentz ne ben noght oonly despoiled of
315	sikernesse, but of defense; and therfore me lyst manere:
Metrum 5	"O thow makere of the wheel that bereth
	the sterres, whiche that art festnyd to thi perdurable
	chayer, and turnest the hevene with a
	ravysschynge sweighe, and constreynest the
5	sterres to suffren thi lawe; so that the moone
	somtyme, schynynge with hir fulle hornes metynge
	with alle the beemes of the sonne hir
	brothir, hideth the sterres that ben lasse; and
	somtyme, whan the moone pale with hir
10	derke hornes aprocheth the sonne, leeseth
	hir lyghtes; and that the eve sterre, Hesperus,
	whiche that in the first tyme of the nyght
	bryngeth forth hir colde arysynges, cometh eft
	ayen hir used cours, and is pale by the morwe
15	at rysynge of the sonne, and is thanne clepid
	Lucyfer! Thow restreynest the day by schortere
	duellynge in the tyme of coold wynter that
	maketh the leeves falle. Thow devydest the
	swyfte tydes of the nyght, whan the hote
20	somer is comen. Thy myghte attempreth
	the variauntz sesouns of the yer, so that
	Zephirus, the debonere wynd, bryngeth ayen
	in the first somer sesoun the leeves that the
	wynd that hyghte Boreas hath reft awey in
25	autumpne (that is to seie, in the laste ende of
	somer); and the seedes that the sterre that
	highte Arcturus saugh ben waxen heye cornes
	whan the sterre Syrius eschaufeth hem. Ther
	nys no thyng unbounde from his olde lawe,
30	ne forleteth the werk of his propre estat.
	"O thou governour, governynge alle
	thynges by certein ende, whi refusestow oonly
	to governe the werkes of men by duwe manere?
	Why suffrestow that slydynge Fortune turneth
35	so grete enterchaungynges of thynges? So
	that anoyous peyne, that scholde duweliche
	punysche felons, punysscheth innocentz; and
	folk of wikkide maneres sitten in heie chayeres;
	and anoyinge folk treden, and that unrightfully,
40	on the nekkes of holi men; and
	vertu, cleer and schynynge naturely, is
	hidde in derke derknesses; and the rightful man
	bereth the blame and the peyne of the feloun; ne
	the forswerynge ne the fraude covered and
45	kembd with a false colour, ne anoieth nat to
	schrewes? The whiche schrewes, whan hem list
	to usen hir strengthe, they rejoyssen hem to
	putten undir hem the sovereyne kynges, whiche
	that peple withouten nombre dreden. O
50	thou, what so evere thou be that knyttest
	alle boondes of thynges, loke on thise
	wrecchide erthes. We men, that ben noght a foul
	partie, but a fair partie of so greet a werk, we
	ben turmented in this see of fortune. Thow
55	governour, withdraughe and restreyne the
	ravysschynge flodes, and fastne and ferme thise
	erthes stable with thilke boond by whiche thou
	governest the hevene that is so large."
Prosa 5	Whan I hadde with a contynuel sorwe
	sobbyd or borken out thise thynges, sche, with
	hir cheere pesible and nothyng amoeved with
	my compleyntes, seide thus: "Whan I saugh
5	the," quod sche, "sorwful and wepynge, I
	wiste anoon that thow were a wrecche and
	exiled; but I wyste nevere how fer thyn exil
	was yif thy tale ne hadde schewid it me. But
	certes, al be thow fer fro thy cuntre, thou
10	n' art nat put out of it, but thow hast fayled
	of thi weye and gon amys. And yif thou
	hast levere for to wene that thow be put out
	of thy cuntre, thanne hastow put out thyselve
	rather than ony other wyght hath. For no
15	wyght but thyselve ne myghte nevere han doon
	that to the. For yif thow remembre of what
	cuntre thow art born, it nys nat governed by
	emperoures, ne by governement of multitude,
	as weren the cuntrees of hem of Atthenes;
20	but o lord and o kyng, and that is God, that
	is lord of thi cuntre, whiche that rejoisseth
	hym of the duellynge of his citezeens, and nat
	for to putten hem in exil; of the whiche lord
	it is a sovereyn fredom to ben governed by the
25	brydel of hym and obeye to his justice. Hastow
	foryeten thilke ryghte oolde lawe of thi citee, in
	the whiche cite it es ordeyned and establysschid
	that what wyght that hath levere
	founden therin his sete or his hous than
30	elleswhere, he may nat ben exiled by no
	ryght fro that place? For whoso that is
	contened inwith the palys and the clos of
	thilke cite, ther nys no drede that he mai deserve
	to ben exiled; but who that leteth the
35	wil for to enhabyten there, he forleteth also
	to deserve to ben citezen of thilke cite. So that
	I seie that the face of this place ne moeveth
	me noght so mochel as thyn owene face, ne
	I ne axe nat rather the walles of thy librarye,
40	apparayled and wrought with yvory
	and with glas, than after the sete of thi
	thought, in whiche I put noght whilom bookes,
	but I putte that that maketh bokes wurthy
	of prys or precyous, that is to seyn the sentence
45	of my bookes.
	"And certeynly of thy dessertes bystowed in
	comune good thow hast seyd soth, but after the
	multitude of thy gode dedes thou hast seyd
	fewe. And of the honestete or of the falsnesse
50	of thynges that ben opposed ayens
	the, thow hast remembred thynges that ben
	knowen to alle folk. And of the felonyes and
	fraudes of thyn accusours, it semeth the have
	touched it for sothe ryghtfully and schortly, al
55	myghten tho same thynges betere and more
	plentevously ben couth in the mouth of the
	peple that knoweth al this. Thow hast eek
	blamed gretly and compleyned of the wrongdede
	of the senat, and thow hast sorwyd
60	for my blame, and thow hast wepen for
	the damage of thi renoun that is apayred;
	and thi laste sorwe eschaufede ayens Fortune,
	and compleyndest that guerdouns ne ben nat
	eveneliche yolden to the dessertes of folk. And
65	in the lattre eende of thy wode muse, thow
	preydest that thilke pees that governeth the
	hevene schulde governe the erthe.
	"But for that many [turbacions] of affeccions
	han assailed the, and sorwe and ire and
70	wepynge todrawen the diversely, as thou
	art now feble of thought, myghtyere remedies
	ne schullen noght yit touchen the. For
	wyche we wol usen somdel lyghtere medicynes,
	so that thilke passiouns that ben waxen hard in
75	swellynge by perturbacions flowynge into thy
	thought, mowen waxen esy and softe to resceyven
	the strengthe of a more myghty and
	more egre medicyne, by an esyere touchynge.
Metrum 6	"Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre
	eschaufeth by the bemes of Phebus (that is to
	seyn, whan that Phebus the sonne is in the
	sygne of the Cancre), whoso yeveth thanne
5	largely his seedes to the feeldes that refusen
	to resceyven hem, lat hym gon, begiled of trust
	that he hadde to his corn, to accornes of okes.
	Yif thow wolt gadere vyolettes, ne go thow
	nat to the purpre wode whan the feeld,
10	chirkynge, agryseth of cold by the felnesse
	of the wynd that hyghte Aquilon. Yif thou
	desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seek thou nat
	with a glotonos hand to streyne and presse the
	stalkes of the vyne in the first somer sesoun;
15	for Bachus, the god of wyn, hath rather yyven
	his yiftes to autumpne (the lattere ende of
	somer). God tokneth and assigneth the tymes,
	ablynge hem to hir propre offices, ne he ne suffreth
	nat the stowndes whiche that hymself
20	hath devyded and constreyned to ben
	imedled togidre. And forthy he that forleteth
	certein ordenaunce of doynge by overthrowynge
	wey, he hath no glad issue or ende of his
	werkes.
Prosa 6	"First wiltow suffre me to touche and assaye
	th' estaat of thi thought by a fewe demaundes,
	so that I may understande what be the manere
	of thi curacioun?"
5	"Axe me," quod I, "at thi wille what thou
	wolt, and I schal answere." Tho seyde sche
	thus: "Whethir wenestow," quod sche, "that
	this world be governed by foolyssche happes
	and fortunows, or elles wenestow that ther
10	be inne it ony governement of resoun?"
	"Certes," quod I, "I ne trowe nat in no
	manere that so certeyn thynges schulden be
	moeved by fortunows [folie]; but I woot wel
	that God, makere and maister, is governour of
15	his werk, ne nevere nas yit day that myghte
	putte me out of the sothnesse of that sentence."
	"So it is," quod sche, "for the same thyng
	songe thow a litil herebyforn, and bywayledest
	and byweptest, that oonly men weren
20	put out of the cure of God; for of alle othere
	thynges thou ne doutedest the nat that they
	nere governed by resoun. But owgh! I wondre
	gretly, certes, whi that thou art sik, syn that
	thow art put in so holsome a sentence. But lat
25	us seken deppere; I conjecte that ther lakketh
	Y not what. But sey me this: syn that thow
	ne doutest noght that this world be governed
	by God, with whiche governayles takestow
	heede that it is governed?"
30	"Unnethes," quod I, "knowe I the sentence
	of thy questioun, so that I ne may
	nat yit answeren to thy demandes."
	"I nas nat desseyved," quod sche, "that ther
	ne faileth somwhat, by whiche the maladye of
35	perturbacion is crept into thi thought, so as
	[by] the strengthe of the palys chynynge
	[and] open. But sey me this: remembrestow
	what is the ende of thynges, and whider that
	the entencion of alle kende tendeth?"
40	"I have herd tolde it somtyme," quod I,
	"but drerynesse hath dulled my memorie."
	"Certes," quod sche, "thou wost wel whennes
	that alle thynges bien comen and proceded?"
	"I woot wel," quod I, and answerede that
45	God is bygynnynge of al.
	"And how may this be," quod sche, "that,
	syn thow knowest the bygynnynge of thynges,
	that thow ne knowest nat what is the eende
	of thynges? But swiche ben the customes
50	of perturbaciouns, and this power they han,
	that they mai moeve a man from his place
	(that is to seyn, fro the stabelnesse and perfeccion
	of his knowynge); but certes, thei mai nat
	al arrace hym, ne aliene hym in al. But I wolde
55	that thou woldest answere to this: Remembrestow
	that thow art a man?"
	Boece. "Whi schulde I nat remembren that?"
	quod I.
	Philosophie. "Maystow noght telle me
60	thanne," quod sche, "what thyng is a man?"
	"Axestow me nat," quod I, "whethir
	that I [woot wel that I] be a resonable mortel
	beste? I woot wel, and I confesse wel that I am
	it."
65	"Wystestow nevere yit that thow were ony
	othir thyng?" quod sche.
	"No," quod I.
	"Now woot I," quod sche, "other cause of thi
	maladye, and that ryght greet: thow hast
70	left for to knowen thyselve what thou art.
	Thurw whiche I have pleynly fownde the
	cause of thi maladye, or elles the entree of
	recoverynge of thyn hele. For-why, for thow art
	confunded with foryetynge of thiself, forthi
75	sorwestow that thow art exiled [and] [despoyled]
	of thy propre goodes; and for thow ne woost
	what is the eende of thynges, forthy demestow
	that felonus and wikkide men ben myghty and
	weleful; and for thow hast foryeten by
80	whiche governementz the werld is governed,
	forthy weenestow that thise mutacions
	of fortunes fleten withouten governour.
	Thise ben grete causes, noght oonly to
	maladye, but certes gret causes to deth. But I
85	thanke the auctour and the makere of hele, that
	nature hath nat al forleten the. I have gret
	noryssynges of thyn hele, and that is, the sothe
	sentence of governance of the werld, that thou
	bylevest that the governynge of it nis nat
90	subgit ne underput to the folye of thise
	happes aventurous, but to the resoun of
	God. And therfore doute the nothing, for of this
	litel spark thine heet of liif schal shine.
	"But for as moche as it is nat tyme yet of
95	fastere remedies, and the nature of thoughtes
	desceyved is this, that, as ofte as they casten awey
	sothe opynyouns, they clothen hem in false
	opynyouns, of the whiche false opynyouns the
	derknesse of perturbacion waxeth up, that
100	confowndeth the verray insyghte -- [that]
	derknesse schal I assaie somwhat to maken
	thynne and wayk by lyghte and meneliche
	remedies; so that, aftir that the derknesse of
	desceyvynge desyrynges is doon away, thow
105	mowe knowe the schynynge of verraye light.
Metrum 7	"The sterres, covred with blake cloudes, ne
	owen yeten adoun no lyght. Yif the truble
	wynd that hyghte Auster, turnynge and walwynge
	the see, edleth the heete (that is to
5	seyn, the boylynge up fro the bote), the
	wawes, that whilo weren clere as glas and
	lyk to the fayre bryghte dayes, withstande
	anon the syghtes of en by the filthe and
	ordure that is resolved. And the fleetynge
10	stree, that royleth doun diversely fro heye
	ontaygnes, is areestid and resisted ofte
	tye by the encountrynge of a stoon that is
	departed and fallen fro soe roche. And forthy,
	yif thou wolt loken and deen soth with cleer
15	lyght, and hoolden the weye with a ryght path,
	weyve thow joie, dryf fro the drede, flee thow
	hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche (that is to seyn,
	lat non of thise foure passiouns overcoen the
	or blenden the). For cloudy and derk is
20	thilke thoght, and bownde with bridelis,
	where as thise thynges reignen."

Explicit Liber Primus

Site Updated March 31, 2011