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Boece - Boethius's The Consolation of Philosophy - Book 3
Incipit Liber Tertius

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

Explicit Liber Tercius

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