Bo4 p1 1 Whanne Philosophie hadde songen softly
Bo4 p1 2 and delitably the forseide thinges, kepynge the
Bo4 p1 3 dignyte of hir cheere and the weyghte of hir
Bo4 p1 4 wordes, I, thanne, that ne hadde nat al outrely
Bo4 p1 5 foryeten the wepynge and the moornynge that
Bo4 p1 6 was set in myn herte, forbrak the entencioun of
Bo4 p1 7 hir that entendede yit to seyn some othere
Bo4 p1 8 thinges. "O," quod I, "thou that art gyderesse
Bo4 p1 9 of verray light, the thinges that thou hast
Bo4 p1 10 seid me hidirto ben to me so cleer and so
Bo4 p1 11 schewynge by the devyne lookynge of hem,
Bo4 p1 12 and by thy resouns, that they ne mowen nat
Bo4 p1 13 ben overcomen. And thilke thinges that thou
Bo4 p1 14 toldest me, al be it so that I hadde whilom foryeten
Bo4 p1 15 hem for the sorwe of the wrong that hath
Bo4 p1 16 ben don to me, yet nathales thei ne weren not
Bo4 p1 17 al outrely unknowen to me. But this same is
Bo4 p1 18 namely a ryght gret cause of my sorwe: that so
Bo4 p1 19 as the governour of thinges is good, yif
Bo4 p1 20 that eveles mowen ben by any weyes,
Bo4 p1 21 or elles yif that evelis passen withouten
Bo4 p1 22 punysschynge. The whiche thing oonly, how
Bo4 p1 23 worthy it es to ben wondrid uppon, thou considerest
Bo4 p1 24 it wel thiselve certeynly. But yit to this
Bo4 p1 25 thing ther is yit another thing ijoyned more to
Bo4 p1 26 ben wondrid uppon: for felonye is emperisse,
Bo4 p1 27 and floureth ful of richesses, and vertu nis nat al
Bo4 p1 28 oonly withouten meedes, but it is cast undir
Bo4 p1 29 and fortroden undir the feet of felenous
Bo4 p1 30 folk, and it abyeth the tormentz in stede of
Bo4 p1 31 wikkide felouns. Of alle whiche thinges
Bo4 p1 32 ther nys no wyght that may merveillen ynowghe
Bo4 p1 33 ne compleyne that swiche thinges ben don in
Bo4 p1 34 the reigne of God, that alle things woot and
Bo4 p1 35 alle thinges may and ne wole nat but only
Bo4 p1 36 gode thinges."
Bo4 p1 37 Thanne seide sche thus: "Certes," quod sche,
Bo4 p1 38 "that were a greet merveille and an abaysschinge
Bo4 p1 39 withouten ende, and wel more horrible than
Bo4 p1 40 alle monstres, yif it were as thou wenest;
Bo4 p1 41 that is to seyn, that in the ryght ordene
Bo4 p1 42 hous of so mochel a fadir and an ordeynour of
Bo4 p1 43 meyne, that the vesselis that ben foule and vyl
Bo4 p1 44 schulden ben honoured and heryed, and the
Bo4 p1 45 precious vesselis schulden ben defouled and
Bo4 p1 46 vyl. But it nys nat so. For yif the thinges that
Bo4 p1 47 I have concluded a litel herebyforn ben kept
Bo4 p1 48 hoole and unaraced, thou schalt wel knowe by
Bo4 p1 49 the auctorite of God, of the whos reigne I
Bo4 p1 50 speke, that certes the gode folk ben alwey
Bo4 p1 51 myghty and schrewes ben alwey outcast
Bo4 p1 52 and feble; ne the vices ben neveremo withouten
Bo4 p1 53 peyne, ne the vertus ne ben nat withouten
Bo4 p1 54 mede; and that blisfulnesses comen alwey
Bo4 p1 55 to good folk, and infortune comith alwey to
Bo4 p1 56 wykkide folk. And thou schalt wel knowe
Bo4 p1 57 manye thinges of this kynde, that schullen
Bo4 p1 58 cesen thi pleyntis and strengthen the with stedfaste
Bo4 p1 59 sadnesse. And for thou hast seyn the
Bo4 p1 60 forme of the verray blisfulnesse by me that
Bo4 p1 61 have whilom yschewid it the, and thow
Bo4 p1 62 hast knowen in whom blisfulnesse is yset, alle
Bo4 p1 63 thingis ytreted that I trowe ben necessarie to
Bo4 p1 64 putten forth, I schal schewe the the weye that
Bo4 p1 65 schal bryngen the ayen unto thyn hous; and I
Bo4 p1 66 schal fycchen fetheris in thi thought, by whiche
Bo4 p1 67 it mai arisen in heighte; so that, alle tribulacioun
Bo4 p1 68 idon awey, thow, by my gyding and by
Bo4 p1 69 my path and by my sledys, shalt mowen
Bo4 p1 70 retourne hool and sownd into thi contree.
Bo4 m1 1 "I have, forthi, swifte fetheris that surmounten
Bo4 m1 2 the heighte of the hevene. Whanne
Bo4 m1 3 the swift thoght hath clothid itself in tho
Bo4 m1 4 fetheris, it despiseth the hateful erthes, and surmounteth
Bo4 m1 5 the rowndenesse of the gret ayr; and
Bo4 m1 6 it seth the clowdes byhynde his bak, and passeth
Bo4 m1 7 the heighte of the regioun of the fir, that
Bo4 m1 8 eschaufeth by the swifte moevynge of the firmament,
Bo4 m1 9 til that he areyseth hym into the
Bo4 m1 10 houses that beren the sterres, and joyneth
Bo4 m1 11 his weies with the sonne, Phebus, and
Bo4 m1 12 felawschipeth the weie of the olde colde Saturnus;
Bo4 m1 13 and he, imaked a knyght of the clere
Bo4 m1 14 sterre (that is to seyn, whan the thought is
Bo4 m1 15 makid Godis knyght by the sekynge of
Bo4 m1 16 trouthe to comen to the verray knowleche of
Bo4 m1 17 God) -- and thilke soule renneth by the cercle
Bo4 m1 18 of the sterres in alle the places there as the
Bo4 m1 19 schynynge nyght is ypainted (that is to
Bo4 m1 20 sey, the nyght that is cloudeles; for on
Bo4 m1 21 nyghtes that ben cloudeles it semeth as
Bo4 m1 22 the hevene were peynted with diverse ymages
Bo4 m1 23 of sterres). And whan [that] he hath gon there
Bo4 m1 24 inoghe, he schal forleten the laste point of the
Bo4 m1 25 hevene, and he schal pressen and wenden on
Bo4 m1 26 the bak of the swifte firmament, and he schal
Bo4 m1 27 be makid parfit of the worschipful lyght [or]
Bo4 m1 28 dredefulle clerenesse of God. There halt the
Bo4 m1 29 lord of kynges the septre of his myght and
Bo4 m1 30 atemprith the governementz of the world,
Bo4 m1 31 and the schynynge juge of thinges, stable in
Bo4 m1 32 hymself, governeth the swifte cart or wayn (that
Bo4 m1 33 is to seyn, the circuler moevynge of the sonne).
Bo4 m1 34 And yif thi wey ledeth the ayein so that thou be
Bo4 m1 35 brought thider, thanne wiltow seye now that
Bo4 m1 36 that is the contre that thou requerist, of whiche
Bo4 m1 37 thow ne haddest no mynde -- `but now it
Bo4 m1 38 remembreth me wel, here was I born, her wol
Bo4 m1 39 I fastne my degree, here wol I duelle.' But
Bo4 m1 40 yif the liketh thanne to looken on the
Bo4 m1 41 derknesse of the erthe that thou hast
Bo4 m1 42 forleten, thanne shaltow seen that these felonus
Bo4 m1 43 tirantz, that the wrecchide peple dredeth now,
Bo4 m1 44 schullen ben exiled fro thilke faire contre."
Bo4 p2 1 Thanne seide I thus: "Owh! I wondre me
Bo4 p2 2 that thow byhetist me so grete thinges. Ne I
Bo4 p2 3 ne doute nat that thou ne maist wel parforme
Bo4 p2 4 that thow behetist; but I preie the oonly this,
Bo4 p2 5 that thow ne tarie nat to telle me thilke thinges
Bo4 p2 6 that thou hast moevid."
Bo4 p2 7 "First," quod sche, "thow most nedes knowen
Bo4 p2 8 that good folk ben alwey strong and myghti,
Bo4 p2 9 and the schrewes ben feble and desert and
Bo4 p2 10 naked of alle strengthes. And of thise
Bo4 p2 11 thinges, certes, everiche of hem is declared
Bo4 p2 12 and schewed by other. For so as good and
Bo4 p2 13 yvel ben two contraries, yif so be that good be
Bo4 p2 14 stedfast, thanne scheweth the feblesse of yvel
Bo4 p2 15 al opynly; and yif thow knowe clerly the freelnesse
Bo4 p2 70-ch 16 of yvel, the stedfastnesse of good is
Bo4 p2 17 knowen. But for as moche as the fey of my
Bo4 p2 18 sentence schal ben the more ferme and haboundant,
Bo4 p2 19 I wil gon by the to weye and by the
Bo4 p2 20 tothir, and I wil conferme the thinges that
Bo4 p2 21 ben purposed, now on this side and now on
Bo4 p2 22 that side.
Bo4 p2 23 "Two thinges ther ben in whiche the effect of
Bo4 p2 24 alle the dedes of mankynde standeth (that is to
Bo4 p2 25 seyn, wil and power); and yif that oon of thise
Bo4 p2 26 two faileth, ther nys nothing that may be doon.
Bo4 p2 27 For yif that wille lakketh, ther nys no wyght that
Bo4 p2 28 undirtaketh to done that he wol nat doon; and
Bo4 p2 29 yif power faileth, the wil nys but in idel and
Bo4 p2 30 stant for naught. And therof cometh it that
Bo4 p2 31 yif thou see a wyght that wolde geten that
Bo4 p2 32 he mai not geten, thow maist nat douten that
Bo4 p2 33 power ne faileth hym to have that he wolde."
Bo4 p2 34 "This is open and cler," quod I, "ne it ne mai
Bo4 p2 70-ch 35 nat be denyed in no manere."
Bo4 p2 36 "And yif thou se a wyght," quod sche, "that
Bo4 p2 37 hath doon that he wolde doon, thow nilt nat
Bo4 p2 38 douten that he ne hath had power to doon it?"
Bo4 p2 39 "No," quod I.
Bo4 p2 40 "And in that that every wyght may, in
Bo4 p2 41 that men may holden hym myghti. (As
Bo4 p2 42 who seith, in so moche as a man is myghty to
Bo4 p2 43 doon a thing, in so mochel men halt hym
Bo4 p2 44 myghti.) And in that that he ne mai, in that men
Bo4 p2 45 demen hym to ben feble."
Bo4 p2 46 "I confesse it wel," quod I.
Bo4 p2 47 "Remembreth the," quod sche, "that I have
Bo4 p2 70-ch 48 gaderid and ischewid by forseide resouns that al
Bo4 p2 49 the entencioun of the wil of mankynde,
Bo4 p2 50 whiche that is lad by diverse studies,
Bo4 p2 51 hasteth to comen to blisfulnesse."
Bo4 p2 70-ch 52 "It remembreth me wel," quod I, "that it hath
Bo4 p2 53 ben schewed."
Bo4 p2 54 "And recordeth the nat thanne," quod sche,
Bo4 p2 55 "that blisfulnesse is thilke same good that men
Bo4 p2 56 requiren, so that whanne that blisfulnesse is
Bo4 p2 57 required of alle, that good also is required and
Bo4 p2 58 desired of alle?"
Bo4 p2 70-ch 59 "It ne recordeth me noght," quod I, "for
Bo4 p2 60 I have it gretly alwey ficched in my memorie."
Bo4 p2 62 "Alle folk thanne," quod sche, "goode and
Bo4 p2 63 eek badde, enforcen hem withoute difference of
Bo4 p2 64 entencioun to comen to good."
Bo4 p2 65 "This is a verray consequence," quod I.
Bo4 p2 66 "And certein is," quod sche, "that by the
Bo4 p2 70-ch 67 getynge of good ben men ymakid gode."
Bo4 p2 68 "This is certein," quod I.
Bo4 p2 69 "Thanne geten gode men that thei desiren?"
Bo4 p2 71 "So semeth it," quod I.
Bo4 p2 72 "But wikkide folk," quod sche, "yif thei geten
Bo4 p2 73 the good that thei desiren, thei ne mowe nat
Bo4 p2 74 ben wikkid."
Bo4 p2 75 "So is it," quod I.
Bo4 p2 76 "Than so as the ton and the tothir," quod
Bo4 p2 77 sche, "desiren good, and the gode folk geten
Bo4 p2 78 good and not the wikkide folk, than is it no
Bo4 p2 79 doute that the gode folk ne ben myghty
Bo4 p2 80 and wikkid folk ben feble."
Bo4 p2 81 "Whoso that evere," quod I, "douteth
Bo4 p2 82 of this, he ne mai nat considere the nature of
Bo4 p2 83 thinges ne the consequence of resouns."
Bo4 p2 84 "And over this," quod sche, "if that ther ben
Bo4 p2 85 two thinges that han o same purpos by kynde,
Bo4 p2 86 and that oon of hem pursuweth and performeth
Bo4 p2 87 thilke same thing by naturel office, and the
Bo4 p2 88 tother mai nat doon thilke naturel office, but
Bo4 p2 89 folweth, by other manere than is covenable
Bo4 p2 90 to nature, hym that acomplisseth his purpos
Bo4 p2 70-ch 91 kyndely, and yit he ne acomplisseth
Bo4 p2 92 nat his owene purpos -- whethir of thise two
Bo4 p2 93 demestow for more myghti?"
Bo4 p2 94 "Yif that I conjecte," quod I, "that thou wilt
Bo4 p2 95 seie, algates yit I desire to herkne it more
Bo4 p2 96 pleynly of the."
Bo4 p2 97 "Thou nilt nat thanne denye," quod sche,
Bo4 p2 98 "that the moevement of goynge nys in men by
Bo4 p2 99 kynde?"
Bo4 p2 100 "No, forsothe," quod I.
Bo4 p2 101 "Ne thou ne doutest nat," quod sche,
Bo4 p2 102 "that thilke naturel office of goinge ne be the
Bo4 p2 103 office of feet?"
Bo4 p2 104 "I ne doute it nat," quod I.
Bo4 p2 105 "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that a wight be
Bo4 p2 106 myghti to moeve, and goth uppon hise feet, and
Bo4 p2 107 another, to whom thilke naturel office of feet
Bo4 p2 108 lakketh, enforceth hym to gone crepinge uppon
Bo4 p2 70-ch 109 his handes, whiche of thise two oughte to
Bo4 p2 110 ben holden the more myghty by right?"
Bo4 p2 111 "Knyt forth the remenaunt," quod I,
Bo4 p2 112 "for no wight ne douteth that he that mai gon
Bo4 p2 70-ch 113 by naturel office of feet ne be more myghti than
Bo4 p2 114 he that ne may nat."
Bo4 p2 115 "But the soverein good," quod sche, "that is
Bo4 p2 116 eveneliche purposed to the good folk and to
Bo4 p2 117 badde, the gode folk seken it by naturel office of
Bo4 p2 118 vertus, and the schrewes enforcen hem to getin
Bo4 p2 119 it by diverse coveytise of erthly thinges,
Bo4 p2 70-ch 120 whiche that nys noon naturel office to gete
Bo4 p2 121 thilke same soverein good. Trowestow that
Bo4 p2 122 it be any other wise?"
Bo4 p2 123 "Nai," quod I, "for the consequence is opene
Bo4 p2 124 and schewynge of thinges that I have graunted,
Bo4 p2 70-ch 125 that nedes good folk moten be myghty, and
Bo4 p2 126 schrewes feble and unmyghti."
Bo4 p2 127 "Thou rennist aryght byforn me," quod sche,
Bo4 p2 128 "and this is the jugement (that is to sein, I juge
Bo4 p2 70-ch 129 of the), ryght as thise leches ben wont to
Bo4 p2 130 hopin of sike folk, whan thei aperceyven
Bo4 p2 131 that nature is redressed and withstondeth
Bo4 p2 132 to the maladye. But for I se the now al redy to
Bo4 p2 133 the undirstondynge, I schal schewe the more
Bo4 p2 134 thikke and contynuel resouns. For loke now,
Bo4 p2 135 how greetly scheweth the feblesse and infirmite
Bo4 p2 136 of wikkid folk, that ne mowen nat comen to that
Bo4 p2 137 hir naturel entencioun ledeth hem; and yit
Bo4 p2 138 almest thilke naturel entencioun constreyneth
Bo4 p2 139 hem. And what were to demen thanne of
Bo4 p2 140 schrewes, yif thilk naturel help hadde
Bo4 p2 141 forleten hem, the whiche naturel help of
Bo4 p2 70-ch 142 entencioun goth alwey byforn hem and is so gret
Bo4 p2 143 that unnethe it mai ben overcome? Considere
Bo4 p2 144 thanne how gret defaute of power and how gret
Bo4 p2 145 feblesse ther is in wikkide felonous folke. (As
Bo4 p2 146 who seith, the grettere thing that is coveyted
Bo4 p2 147 and the desir nat acomplissed, of the lasse
Bo4 p2 148 myght is he that coveyteth it and mai nat
Bo4 p2 149 acomplisse; and forthi Philosophie seith
Bo4 p2 150 thus be sovereyn good.) Ne schrewes ne
Bo4 p2 151 requeren not lighte meedes ne veyne
Bo4 p2 152 games, whiche thei ne mai nat folwen ne holden;
Bo4 p2 153 but thei failen of thilke somme and of the
Bo4 p2 154 heighte of thinges (that is to seyn, soverein
Bo4 p2 155 good). Ne these wrecches ne comen nat to the
Bo4 p2 156 effect of sovereyn good, the whiche thei enforcen
Bo4 p2 157 hem oonly to geten by nyghtes and by
Bo4 p2 70-ch 158 dayes. In the getyng of whiche good the
Bo4 p2 159 strengthe of good folk is ful wel yseene.
Bo4 p2 160 For ryght so as thou myghtest demen hym
Bo4 p2 161 myghty of goinge that goth on his feet til
Bo4 p2 70-ch 162 he myghte comen to thilke place fro the whiche
Bo4 p2 163 place ther ne laye no weie forthere to be gon,
Bo4 p2 164 ryght so mostow nedes demen hym for ryght
Bo4 p2 165 myghty, that geteth and atteyneth to the ende of
Bo4 p2 166 alle thinges that ben to desire, byyonde the
Bo4 p2 167 whiche ende ther nys no thing to desire. Of the
Bo4 p2 168 whiche power of good folk men mai conclude
Bo4 p2 70-ch 169 that the wikkide men semen to be bareyne
Bo4 p2 170 and naked of alle strengthe.
Bo4 p2 171 "For whi forleten thei vertus and folwen
Bo4 p2 172 vices? Nys it nat for that thei ne knowen nat the
Bo4 p2 173 godes? But what thing is more feble and more
Bo4 p2 174 caytif than is the blyndnesse of ignorance? Or
Bo4 p2 175 elles thei knowen ful wel whiche thinges that
Bo4 p2 176 thei oughten folwe, but lecherie and covetise
Bo4 p2 177 overthroweth hem mystorned. And certes so
Bo4 p2 178 doth distempraunce to feble men, that ne
Bo4 p2 179 mowen nat wrastlen ayen the vices. Ne
Bo4 p2 180 knowen thei nat thanne wel that thei
Bo4 p2 181 forleten the good wilfully, and turnen hem
Bo4 p2 182 wilfully to vices?
Bo4 p2 183 "And in this wise thei ne forleten nat oonly to
Bo4 p2 184 ben myghti, but thei forleten al outrely in any
Bo4 p2 185 wise for to been. For thei that forleten the
Bo4 p2 186 comune fyn of alle thinges that ben, thei forleten
Bo4 p2 187 also therwithal for to been. And peraventure
Bo4 p2 70-ch 188 it scholde seme to som folk that this were
Bo4 p2 189 a merveile to seien, that schrewes, whiche
Bo4 p2 190 that contenen the more partie of men, ne
Bo4 p2 191 ben nat ne han no beynge; but natheles it
Bo4 p2 70-ch 192 is so, and thus stant this thing. For thei that Bo4 p2 ben
Bo4 p2 193 schrewes I denye nat that they ben schrewes, but
Bo4 p2 194 I denye and seie simply and pleynly that thei ne
Bo4 p2 195 ben nat, ne han no beynge. For right as thou
Bo4 p2 196 myghtest seyn of the careyne of a man, that it
Bo4 p2 197 were a deed man, but thou ne myghtest nat
Bo4 p2 198 symply callen it a man; so graunte I wel forsothe
Bo4 p2 70-ch 199 that vicyous folk ben wikkid, but I ne may
Bo4 p2 200 nat graunten absolutly and symply that thei
Bo4 p2 201 ben. For thilke thing that withholdeth
Bo4 p2 202 ordre and kepeth nature, thilke thing es, and
Bo4 p2 203 hath beinge; but what thing that faileth of
Bo4 p2 204 that (that is to seyn, he that forleteth naturel
Bo4 p2 205 ordre), he forleteth thilke beinge that is set in his
Bo4 p2 70-ch 206 nature.
Bo4 p2 207 "But thow wolt seyn that schrewes mowen.
Bo4 p2 208 Certes, that ne denye I nat; but certes hir
Bo4 p2 209 power ne desscendeth nat of strengthe,
Bo4 p2 210 but of feblesse. For thei mowen don
Bo4 p2 211 wikkydnesses, the whiche thei ne myghten
Bo4 p2 212 nat don yif thei myghten duellen in the forme
Bo4 p2 213 and in the doynge of good folk. And thilke
Bo4 p2 214 power scheweth ful evidently that they ne
Bo4 p2 70-ch 215 mowen ryght nat. For so as I have gadrid
Bo4 p2 216 and proevid a litil herebyforn that evel is
Bo4 p2 217 nawght, and so as schrewes mowen oonly but
Bo4 p2 218 schrewednesses, this conclusion is al cler, that
Bo4 p2 219 schrewes ne mowen ryght nat, ne han no
Bo4 p2 220 power.
Bo4 p2 221 "And for as moche as thou undirstonde
Bo4 p2 222 which is the strengthe of this power of schrewes,
Bo4 p2 223 I have diffinysched a litil herbyforn that no thing
Bo4 p2 224 is so myghti as sovereyn good."
Bo4 p2 225 "That is soth," quod I.
Bo4 p2 226 "And thilke same sovereyn good may don
Bo4 p2 227 noon yvel?"
Bo4 p2 228 "Certes, no," quod I.
Bo4 p2 229 "Is ther any wyght thanne," quod sche,
Bo4 p2 230 "that weneth that men mowen don alle
Bo4 p2 231 thinges?"
Bo4 p2 232 "No man," quod I, "but yif he be out of his
Bo4 p2 233 wyt."
Bo4 p2 234 "But certes schrewes mowen don evel?" quod
Bo4 p2 235 sche.
Bo4 p2 236 "Ye. Wolde God," quod I, "that thei ne
Bo4 p2 237 myghten don noon!"
Bo4 p2 238 "Thanne," quod sche, "so as he that is myghty
Bo4 p2 239 to doon oonly but goode thinges mai doon
Bo4 p2 240 alle thinges, and thei that ben myghti to
Bo4 p2 241 doon yvele thinges ne mowen nat alle
Bo4 p2 242 thinges, thanne is it open thing and manyfest
Bo4 p2 243 that thei that mowen doon yvele ben of lasse
Bo4 p2 244 power.
Bo4 p2 245 "And yit to proeve this conclusioun ther
Bo4 p2 246 helpeth me this, that I have schewed herebyforn,
Bo4 p2 247 that alle power is to be noumbred among
Bo4 p2 248 thinges that men oughten requere; and I have
Bo4 p2 249 schewed that alle thinges that oughten ben
Bo4 p2 250 desired ben referred to good, ryght as to a
Bo4 p2 251 maner heighte of hir nature. But for to
Bo4 p2 252 mowen don yvel and felonye ne mai nat ben
Bo4 p2 253 referrid to good; thanne nys nat yvel of the
Bo4 p2 254 nombre of thinges that oughten ben desired.
Bo4 p2 255 But alle power aughte ben desired and requerid;
Bo4 p2 256 thanne is it open and cler that the power ne the
Bo4 p2 257 mowynge of schrewes nis no power.
Bo4 p2 258 "And of alle thise thinges it scheweth wel that
Bo4 p2 259 the gode folk ben certeinli myghty, and the
Bo4 p2 260 schrewes doutelees ben unmyghty. And
Bo4 p2 261 it is cler and opene that thilke sentence
Bo4 p2 262 of Plato is verray and soth, that seith that
Bo4 p2 263 oonly wise men may doon that thei desiren,
Bo4 p2 264 and schrewes mowen haunten that hem liketh,
Bo4 p2 265 but that thei desiren (that is to seyn, to come
Bo4 p2 266 to sovereyn good), thei ne han no power to
Bo4 p2 267 acomplissen that. For schrewes don that hem lyst
Bo4 p2 268 whan, by tho thinges in whiche thei deliten, thei
Bo4 p2 269 wenen to ateynen to thilke good that thei
Bo4 p2 270 desiren; but thei ne geten ne ateyne nat
Bo4 p2 271 therto, for vices ne comen nat to blisfulnesse.
Bo4 m2 1 "Whoso that the coverturis of hir veyn apparailes
Bo4 m2 2 myghte strepen of thise proude kynges,
Bo4 m2 3 that thow seest sitten an hye in here chayeres,
Bo4 m2 4 gliterynge in schynynge purpre, envyrowned
Bo4 m2 5 with sorwful armures, manasyng with cruel
Bo4 m2 6 mowth, blowynge by woodnesse of herte, he
Bo4 m2 7 schulde seen thanne that thilke lordis berin
Bo4 m2 8 withynne hir corages ful streyte cheynes. For
Bo4 m2 9 lecherye tormenteth hem on that o side
Bo4 m2 10 with gredy venymes; and trowblable ire,
Bo4 m2 11 that areyseth in hem the floodes of trowblynges,
Bo4 m2 12 tormenteth upon that othir side hir
Bo4 m2 13 thought; or sorwe halt hem wery and icawght,
Bo4 m2 14 or slidynge and desceyvynge hope turmenteth
Bo4 m2 15 hem. And therfore, syn thow seest on heved
Bo4 m2 16 (that is to seyn, o tiraunt) beren so manye
Bo4 m2 17 tyranyes, than ne doth thilke tyraunt nat that he
Bo4 m2 18 desireth, syn he is cast doun with so manye
Bo4 m2 19 wikkide lordes (that is to seyn, with so
Bo4 m2 20 manye vices that han so wikkidly lordschipes
Bo4 m2 21 over hym).
Bo4 p3 1 "Seestow nat thanne in how greet filthe thise
Bo4 p3 2 schrewes been iwrapped, and with which clernesse
Bo4 p3 3 thise gode folk schynen? In this scheweth
Bo4 p3 4 it wel that to good folk ne lakketh neveremo
Bo4 p3 5 hir meedes, ne schrewes ne lakken neveremo
Bo4 p3 6 turmentes. For of alle thinges that ben idoon,
Bo4 p3 7 thilke thing for which any thing is doon, it
Bo4 p3 8 semeth as by ryght that thilke thing be the
Bo4 p3 9 mede of that; as thus, yif a man renneth in
Bo4 p3 10 the stadye or in the forlonge for the
Bo4 p3 11 corone, thanne lith the mede in the coroune
Bo4 p3 12 for whiche he renneth. And I have schewed
Bo4 p3 13 that blisfulnesse is thilke same good for whiche
Bo4 p3 14 that alle thinges ben doon; thanne is thilke
Bo4 p3 15 same good purposed to the werkes of mankynde
Bo4 p3 16 right as a comune mede, which mede ne
Bo4 p3 17 may nat ben disseveryd fro good folk. For no
Bo4 p3 18 wight as by ryght, fro thennesforth that hym
Bo4 p3 19 lakketh goodnesse, ne schal ben cleped
Bo4 p3 20 good. For whiche thing folk of gode maneres,
Bo4 p3 21 hir medes ne forsaken hem neveremo.
Bo4 p3 22 For al be it so that schrewes waxen as wode
Bo4 p3 23 as hem lyst ayein good folk, yit natheles the
Bo4 p3 24 coroune of wise men ne schal nat fallen ne
Bo4 p3 25 faden; for foreyne schrewednesse ne bynemeth
Bo4 p3 26 nat fro the corages of good folk hir propre
Bo4 p3 27 honour. But yif that any wyght rejoysede hym
Bo4 p3 28 of goodnesse that he hadde taken fro withoute
Bo4 p3 29 (as who seith, yif any man hadde his goodnesse
Bo4 p3 30 of any other man than of hymself),
Bo4 p3 31 certes he that yaf hym thilke goodnesse, or
Bo4 p3 32 elles som other wyght, myghte benymen it
Bo4 p3 33 hym. But for as moche as to every wyght his
Bo4 p3 34 owene propre bounte yeveth hym his mede,
Bo4 p3 35 thanne at erste schal he failen of mede whan
Bo4 p3 36 he forletith to ben good. And at the laste, so
Bo4 p3 37 as alle medes ben requerid for men wenen that
Bo4 p3 38 thei ben gode, who is he that nolde deme that
Bo4 p3 39 he that is ryght myghti of good were partlees
Bo4 p3 40 of the mede? And of what mede schal
Bo4 p3 41 he ben gerdoned? Certes of ryght fair
Bo4 p3 42 mede and ryght greet aboven alle medes. Remembre
Bo4 p3 43 the of thilke noble corrolarie that I
Bo4 p3 44 yaf the a litel herebyforn, and gadre it togidre
Bo4 p3 45 in this manere: so as good [hytself] is blisfulnesse,
Bo4 p3 46 thanne is it cler and certein that alle
Bo4 p3 47 gode folk ben imaked blisful for thei ben gode;
Bo4 p3 48 and thilke folk that ben blisful it accordeth and
Bo4 p3 49 is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the
Bo4 p3 50 mede of good folk swych that no day ne
Bo4 p3 51 schal empeiren it, ne no wikkidnesse schal
Bo4 p3 52 derkne it, ne power of no wyght ne schal nat
Bo4 p3 53 amenusen it; that is to seyn, to ben maked
Bo4 p3 54 goddes. And syn it is thus (that gode men ne
Bo4 p3 55 failen neveremo of hir mede), certes no wise man
Bo4 p3 56 ne may doute of the undepartable peyne of
Bo4 p3 57 schrewes (that is to seyn, that the peyne of
Bo4 p3 58 schrewes ne departeth nat from hemself neveremo).
Bo4 p3 59 For so as good and yvel, and peyne and
Bo4 p3 60 medes, ben contrarie, it moot nedes ben
Bo4 p3 61 that, ryght as we seen betyden in guerdoun
Bo4 p3 62 of gode, that also moot the peyne of yvel answere
Bo4 p3 63 by the contrarie partie to schrewes. Now
Bo4 p3 64 thanne, so as bounte and pruesse ben the mede
Bo4 p3 65 to good folk, also is schrewidnesse itself torment
Bo4 p3 66 to schrewes. Thanne whoso that evere is
Bo4 p3 67 entecchid or defouled with peyne, he ne douteth
Bo4 p3 68 nat that he nys entecchid and defouled
Bo4 p3 69 with yvel. Yif schrewes thanne wol preysen
Bo4 p3 70 hemself, may it semen to hem that thei ben
Bo4 p3 71 withouten parti of torment, syn thei ben
Bo4 p3 72 swiche that the uttreste wikkidnesse (that is to
Bo4 p3 73 seyn, wikkide thewes, which that is the uttereste
Bo4 p3 74 and the worst kynde of schrewednesse)
Bo4 p3 75 ne defouleth ne enteccheth nat hem oonly, but
Bo4 p3 76 enfecteth and envenymeth hem greetly? And
Bo4 p3 77 also loke on schrewes, that ben the contrarie
Bo4 p3 78 partie of gode men, how gret peyne felawschipith
Bo4 p3 79 and folweth hem! For thou hast
Bo4 p3 80 lerned a litil herebyforn that alle thing that
Bo4 p3 81 is and hath beynge is oon, and thilke same
Bo4 p3 82 oon is good: than is this the consequence, that
Bo4 p3 83 it semeth wel that al that is and hath beynge
Bo4 p3 84 is good. (This is to seyn, as who seith that
Bo4 p3 85 beinge and unite and goodnesse is al oon.)
Bo4 p3 86 And in this manere it folweth thanne that alle
Bo4 p3 87 thing that fayleth to ben good, it stynteth for
Bo4 p3 88 to be and for to han any beynge. Wherfore it
Bo4 p3 89 es that schrewes stynten for to ben that
Bo4 p3 90 thei weeren. But thilke othir forme [of] [the]
Bo4 p3 91 [body] of mankynde (that is to seyn, the
Bo4 p3 92 [forme] withowte) scheweth yit that thise
Bo4 p3 93 schrewes weren whilom men. Wherfore, whan
Bo4 p3 94 thei ben perverted and turned into malice,
Bo4 p3 95 certes, thanne have thei forlorn the nature of
Bo4 p3 96 mankynde. But so as oonly bownte and prowesse
Bo4 p3 97 may enhawnsen every man over othere
Bo4 p3 98 men, than moot it nedes be that schrewes,
Bo4 p3 99 whiche that schrewednesse hath cast out of
Bo4 p3 100 the condicion of mankynde, ben put undir
Bo4 p3 101 the merit and the dissert of men. Than
Bo4 p3 102 betidith it that, yif thou seest a wyght that be
Bo4 p3 103 transformed into vices, thow ne mayst nat wene
Bo4 p3 104 that he be a man. For if he be ardaunt in avaryce,
Bo4 p3 105 and that he be a ravynour by violence of foreyne
Bo4 p3 106 richesse, thou schalt seyn that he is lik to the
Bo4 p3 107 wolf; and if he be felonows and withoute reste,
Bo4 p3 108 and exercise his tonge to chidynges, thow schalt
Bo4 p3 109 likne hym to the hownd; and if he be a
Bo4 p3 110 pryve awaytour yhid, and rejoiseth hym to
Bo4 p3 111 ravyssche be wiles, thow schalt seyn hym
Bo4 p3 112 lik to the fox whelpes; and yif he be distempre,
Bo4 p3 113 and quakith for ire, men schal wene that he
Bo4 p3 114 bereth the corage of a lyoun; and yif he be
Bo4 p3 115 dredful and fleynge, and dredith thinges that ne
Bo4 p3 116 aughte nat to ben dredd, men schal holden hym
Bo4 p3 117 lik to the hert; and yf he be slow, and astonyd,
Bo4 p3 118 and lache, he lyveth as an asse; yif he be lyght
Bo4 p3 119 and unstedfast of corage and chaungith ay
Bo4 p3 120 his studies, he is likned to briddes; and if he
Bo4 p3 121 be ploungid in fowle and unclene luxuris,
Bo4 p3 122 he is withholden in the foule delices of the fowle
Bo4 p3 123 sowe. Than folweth it that he that forleteth
Bo4 p3 124 bounte and prowesse, he forletith to ben a man;
Bo4 p3 125 syn he ne may nat passe into the condicion of
Bo4 p3 126 God, he is torned into a beeste.
Bo4 m3 1 "Eurus, the wynd, aryved the sayles of Ulixes,
Bo4 m3 2 duc of the cuntre of Narice, and his wandrynge
Bo4 m3 3 shippes by the see, into the ile theras
Bo4 m3 4 Cerces, the faire goddesse, dowhter of the
Bo4 m3 5 sonne, duelleth, that medleth to hir newe
Bo4 m3 6 gestes drynkes that ben touchid and makid
Bo4 m3 7 with enchauntementz. And aftir that hir hand,
Bo4 m3 8 myghti over the erbes, hadde chaunged hir
Bo4 m3 9 gestes into diverse maneres, that oon of
Bo4 m3 10 hem is coverid his face with forme of a
Bo4 m3 11 boor; the tother is chaungid into a lyoun
Bo4 m3 12 of the contre of Marmoryke, and his nayles and
Bo4 m3 13 his teth waxen; that oother of hem is newliche
Bo4 m3 14 chaunged into a wolf, and howleth whan he
Bo4 m3 15 wolde wepe; that other goth debonayrely in
Bo4 m3 16 the hows as a tigre of Inde. But al be it so
Bo4 m3 17 that the godhede of Mercurie, that is cleped
Bo4 m3 18 the bridde of Arcadye, hath had merci of the
Bo4 m3 19 duc Ulixes, bysegid with diverse yveles,
Bo4 m3 20 and hath unbownden hym fro the pestilence
Bo4 m3 21 of his oostesse, algates the rowerys
Bo4 m3 22 and the maryneres hadden by this idrawen into
Bo4 m3 23 hir mouthes and dronken the wikkide drynkes.
Bo4 m3 24 Thei that weren woxen swyn hadden by this
Bo4 m3 25 ichaunged hir mete of breed for to eten akkornes
Bo4 m3 26 of ookes. Noon of hir lymes ne duelleth
Bo4 m3 27 with hem hool, but thei han lost the voys
Bo4 m3 28 and the body; oonly hir thought duelleth with
Bo4 m3 29 hem stable, that wepeth and bywayleth the
Bo4 m3 30 monstruous chaungynge that thei suffren.
Bo4 m3 31 O overlyght hand! (As who seith. O
Bo4 m3 32 feble and light is the hand of Circes the enchaunteresse,
Bo4 m3 33 that chaungith the bodyes of
Bo4 m3 34 folk into beestes, to regard and to comparysoun
Bo4 m3 35 of mutacioun that is makid by vices!)
Bo4 m3 36 Ne the herbes of Circes ne ben nat myghty.
Bo4 m3 37 For al be it so that thei mai chaungen the
Bo4 m3 38 lymes of the body, algates yit thei may nat
Bo4 m3 39 chaungen the hertes. For withinne is ihidd
Bo4 m3 40 the strengthe and the vygour of men, in the
Bo4 m3 41 secre tour of hir hertes, (that is to seyn, the
Bo4 m3 42 strengthe of resoun); but thilke venyms of vices
Bo4 m3 43 todrawen a man to hem more myghtely than
Bo4 m3 44 the venym of Circes. For vices ben so cruel
Bo4 m3 45 that they percen and thurw-passen the corage
Bo4 m3 46 withinne; and, thoughe thei ne anoye nat the
Bo4 m3 47 body, yit vices woden to destroyen men by
Bo4 m3 48 wounde of thought."
Bo4 p4 1 Thanne seide I thus: "I confesse and am
Bo4 p4 2 aknowe it," quod I, "ne I ne se nat that men
Bo4 p4 3 may seyn as by ryght that schrewes ne ben
Bo4 p4 4 chaunged into beestes by the qualite of hir
Bo4 p4 5 soules, al be it so that thei kepin yit the forme
Bo4 p4 6 of the body of mankynde. But I nolde nat of
Bo4 p4 7 schrewes, of whiche the thought crwel woodeth
Bo4 p4 8 alwey into destruccion of gode men, that
Bo4 p4 9 it were leveful to hem to don that."
Bo4 p4 10 "Certes," quod sche, "ne it is nat leveful
Bo4 p4 11 to hem, as I schal wel schewen the in covenable
Bo4 p4 12 place. But natheles, yif so were that
Bo4 p4 13 thilke that men wenen ben leveful to schrewes
Bo4 p4 14 were bynomyn hem, so that they ne myghte
Bo4 p4 15 nat anoyen or doon harm to gode men, certes
Bo4 p4 16 a gret partie of the peyne to schrewes scholde
Bo4 p4 17 ben alegged and releved. For al be it so that
Bo4 p4 18 this ne seme nat credible thing peraventure to
Bo4 p4 19 some folk, yit moot it nedes be that
Bo4 p4 20 schrewes ben more wrecches and unsely
Bo4 p4 21 whan thei mai doon and parforme that
Bo4 p4 22 thei coveyten, than yif thei ne myghte nat
Bo4 p4 23 acomplissen that thei coveiten. For yif so
Bo4 p4 24 be that it be wrecchidnesse to wilne to doon
Bo4 p4 25 yvel, thanne is it more wrecchidnesse to mowe
Bo4 p4 26 don yvel, withoute whiche mowynge the wrecchid
Bo4 p4 27 wil scholde langwisse withouten effect.
Bo4 p4 28 Thanne syn that everiche of thise thinges hath his
Bo4 p4 29 wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, wil to don
Bo4 p4 30 ivel and mowynge to don yvel), it moot
Bo4 p4 31 nedes be that schrewes ben constreyned by
Bo4 p4 32 thre unselynesses, that wolen, and mowen, and
Bo4 p4 33 parformen felonyes and schrewednesses."
Bo4 p4 34 "I acorde me," quod I; "but I desire gretly
Bo4 p4 35 that schrewes losten sone thilke unselynesses,
Bo4 p4 36 that is to seyn, that schrewes weren despoyled
Bo4 p4 37 of mowynge to don yvel."
Bo4 p4 38 "So schollen thei," quod sche, "sonnere peraventure
Bo4 p4 39 than thou woldest, or sonnere
Bo4 p4 40 than they hemselve wene. For ther nis
Bo4 p4 41 nothing so late, in so schorte bowndes of
Bo4 p4 42 this lif, that is long to abyde, nameliche to a corage
Bo4 p4 43 immortel. Of whiche schrewes the grete
Bo4 p4 44 hope and the heye compassynges of schrewednesses
Bo4 p4 45 is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or
Bo4 p4 46 thei ben war; and that thing establisseth to
Bo4 p4 47 schrewes the ende of hir schrewednesse. For
Bo4 p4 48 yf that schrewednesse makith wrecches, than
Bo4 p4 49 mot he nedes ben moost wrecchide that
Bo4 p4 50 lengest is a schrewe. The whiche wikkide
Bo4 p4 51 schrewes wolde I demen althermost unsely
Bo4 p4 52 and kaytifs, yif that hir schrewednesse ne were
Bo4 p4 53 fynissched at the leste weye by the owtreste
Bo4 p4 54 deth; for yif I have concluded soth of the unselynesse
Bo4 p4 55 of schrewednesse, thanne schewith it
Bo4 p4 56 clerly that thilke wrecchidnesse is withouten
Bo4 p4 57 ende the whiche is certein to ben perdurable."
Bo4 p4 58 "Certes," quod I, "this conclusioun is hard and
Bo4 p4 59 wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel
Bo4 p4 60 that it accordeth moche to the thinges that
Bo4 p4 61 I have grauntid herebiforn."
Bo4 p4 62 "Thou hast," quod sche, "the ryght estimacion
Bo4 p4 63 of this. But whosoevere wene that it be
Bo4 p4 64 an hard thing to accorde hym to a conclusioun,
Bo4 p4 65 it is ryght that he schewe that some
Bo4 p4 66 of the premysses ben false, or elles he mot
Bo4 p4 67 schewe that the collacioun of proposicions
Bo4 p4 68 nis nat spedful to a necessarie conclusioun;
Bo4 p4 69 and yif it ne be nat so, but that the premisses
Bo4 p4 70 ben ygraunted, ther nys nat why he
Bo4 p4 71 scholde blame the argument. For this thing
Bo4 p4 72 that I schal telle the now ne schal nat seme
Bo4 p4 73 lesse wondirful, but of the thingis that ben
Bo4 p4 74 taken also it is necessarie." (As who seith, it
Bo4 p4 75 folweth of that which that is purposed byforn.)
Bo4 p4 77 "What is that?" quod I.
Bo4 p4 78 "Certes," quod sche, "that is that thise wikkid
Bo4 p4 79 schrewes ben more blisful, or elles
Bo4 p4 80 lasse wrecches, that abyen the tormentz
Bo4 p4 81 that thei han desservid, than if no peyne of
Bo4 p4 82 justise ne chastisede hem. Ne this ne seie I
Bo4 p4 83 nat now for that any man myghte thinke that
Bo4 p4 84 the maneris of schrewes ben coriged and chastised
Bo4 p4 85 by vengeaunce and that thei ben brought
Bo4 p4 86 to the ryghte weye by the drede of the torment,
Bo4 p4 87 ne for that they yeven to other folk ensaumple
Bo4 p4 88 to fleen fro vices; but I undirstonde yit in another
Bo4 p4 89 manere that schrewes ben more unsely
Bo4 p4 90 whan thei ne ben nat punyssched, al
Bo4 p4 91 be it so that ther ne be hadde no resoun or
Bo4 p4 92 lawe of correccioun, ne noon ensample of
Bo4 p4 93 lokynge."
Bo4 p4 94 "And what manere schal that be," quod I,
Bo4 p4 95 "other than hath ben told herbyforn?"
Bo4 p4 96 "Have we nat thanne graunted," quod sche,
Bo4 p4 97 "that good folk ben blisful and schrewes ben
Bo4 p4 98 wrecches?"
Bo4 p4 99 "Yis," quod I.
Bo4 p4 100 "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that any good
Bo4 p4 101 were added to the wrecchidnesse of any
Bo4 p4 102 wyght, nis he nat more blisful than he that
Bo4 p4 103 ne hath no medlynge of good in his solitarie
Bo4 p4 104 wrecchidnesse?"
Bo4 p4 105 "So semeth it," quod I.
Bo4 p4 106 "And what seistow thanne," quod sche, "of
Bo4 p4 107 thilke wrecche that lakketh alle goodes so that
Bo4 p4 108 no good nys medlyd in his wrecchidnesse,
Bo4 p4 109 and yit over al his wikkidnesse, for which
Bo4 p4 110 he is a wrecche, that ther be yit another
Bo4 p4 111 yvel anexed and knyt to hym -- schal nat
Bo4 p4 112 men demen hym more unsely thanne thilke
Bo4 p4 113 wrecche of whiche the unselynesse is relevid by
Bo4 p4 114 the participacioun of som good?"
Bo4 p4 115 "Why sholde he nat?" quod I.
Bo4 p4 116 "Thanne certes," quod sche, "han schrewes,
Bo4 p4 117 whan thei ben punyschid, somwhat of good
Bo4 p4 118 anexid to hir wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, the
Bo4 p4 119 same peyne that thei suffren, which that is
Bo4 p4 120 good by the resoun of justice); and whanne
Bo4 p4 121 thilke same schrewes ascapen withouten
Bo4 p4 122 torment, than han they somwhat more of yvel
Bo4 p4 123 yit over the wikkidnesse that thei han don, that
Bo4 p4 124 is to seyn, defaute of peyne, whiche defaute of
Bo4 p4 125 peyne thou hast grauntid is yvel for the disserte
Bo4 p4 126 of felonye?"
Bo4 p4 127 "I ne may nat denye it," quod I.
Bo4 p4 128 "Moche more thanne," quod sche, "ben
Bo4 p4 129 schrewes unsely whan thei ben wrongfully
Bo4 p4 130 delivred fro peyne, thanne whan thei
Bo4 p4 131 ben punyschid by ryghtful vengeaunce.
Bo4 p4 132 But this is opene thing and cleer, that it is ryght
Bo4 p4 133 that schrewes ben punyschid, and it is wikkidnesse
Bo4 p4 134 and wrong that thei escapen unpunyschid."
Bo4 p4 136 "Who myghte denye that?" quod I.
Bo4 p4 137 "But," quod sche, "may any man denye that
Bo4 p4 138 al that is ryght nis good, and also the contrarie,
Bo4 p4 139 that al that is wrong is wikke?"
Bo4 p4 140 "Certes," quod I, "thise thinges ben
Bo4 p4 141 clere ynowe, and [folwen that] that we han
Bo4 p4 142 concluded a lytel herebyforn. But I preye the
Bo4 p4 143 that thow telle me, yif thow accordest to leten
Bo4 p4 144 no torment to the soules aftir that the body is
Bo4 p4 145 ended by the deeth?" (This to seyn, "Undirstondestow
Bo4 p4 146 aught that soules han any
Bo4 p4 147 torment aftir the deeth of the body?")
Bo4 p4 148 "Certes," quod sche, "ye, and that ryght
Bo4 p4 149 greet. Of whiche soules," quod sche, "I
Bo4 p4 150 trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse
Bo4 p4 151 of peyne, and some soules I trowe
Bo4 p4 152 ben excercised by a purgynge mekenesse; but
Bo4 p4 153 my conseil nys nat to determyne of thise peynes.
Bo4 p4 154 "But I have travailed and told yit hiderto for
Bo4 p4 155 thou scholdest knowe that the mowynge of
Bo4 p4 156 schrewes, whiche mowynge the semeth to ben
Bo4 p4 157 unworthy, nis no mowynge; and ek of schrewes,
Bo4 p4 158 of whiche thou pleynedest that they ne were nat
Bo4 p4 159 punysschid, that thow woldest seen that
Bo4 p4 160 thei ne were neveremo withouten the
Bo4 p4 161 tormentz of hir wikkidnesse; and of the
Bo4 p4 162 licence of mowynge to don yvel that thou
Bo4 p4 163 preyedest that it myghte sone ben ended, and
Bo4 p4 164 that thou woldest fayn lernen that it ne sholde
Bo4 p4 165 nat longe endure, and that schrewes ben more
Bo4 p4 166 unsely yif thei were of lengere durynge, and
Bo4 p4 167 most unsely yif thei weren perdurable. And aftir
Bo4 p4 168 this I have schewyd the that more unsely ben
Bo4 p4 169 schrewes whan thei escapen withouten hir
Bo4 p4 170 ryghtful peyne thanne whan thei ben
Bo4 p4 171 punyschid by ryghtful venjaunce; and of
Bo4 p4 172 this sentence folweth it that thanne ben schrewes
Bo4 p4 173 constreyned at the laste with most grevous
Bo4 p4 174 torment, whan men wene that thei ne ben nat
Bo4 p4 175 punyssched."
Bo4 p4 176 "Whan I considere thi resouns," quod I, "I ne
Bo4 p4 177 trowe nat that men seyn any thing more
Bo4 p4 178 verrayly. And yif I turne ayein to the studies of
Bo4 p4 179 men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that
Bo4 p4 180 he ne scholde nat oonly leven thise thinges,
Bo4 p4 181 but ek gladly herkne hem?"
Bo4 p4 182 "Certes," quod sche, "so it es -- but men may
Bo4 p4 183 nat. For they have hir eien so wont to the
Bo4 p4 184 derknesse of erthly thinges that they ne may nat
Bo4 p4 185 lyften hem up to the light of cler sothfastnesse,
Bo4 p4 186 but thei ben lyk to briddes of whiche the nyght
Bo4 p4 187 lightneth hir lokynge and the day blendith hem.
Bo4 p4 188 For whan men loke nat the ordre of thinges, but
Bo4 p4 189 hir lustes and talentz, they wene that either
Bo4 p4 190 the leve or the mowynge to don wikkidnesse,
Bo4 p4 191 or elles the scapynge withouten
Bo4 p4 192 peyne be weleful.
Bo4 p4 193 "But considere the jugement of the perdurable
Bo4 p4 194 lawe. For yif thou conferme thi corage to the
Bo4 p4 195 beste thinges, thow ne hast noon nede of no juge
Bo4 p4 196 to yeven the prys or mede; for thow hast joyned
Bo4 p4 197 thiself to the most excellent thing. And yif thow
Bo4 p4 198 have enclyned thi studies to the wikkide thinges,
Bo4 p4 199 ne seek no foreyne wrekere out of thiself;
Bo4 p4 200 for thow thiself hast thrist thiself into wikke
Bo4 p4 201 thinges, ryght as thow myghtest loken by
Bo4 p4 202 diverse tymes the fowle erthe and the hevene,
Bo4 p4 203 and that alle othere thinges stynten fro withoute,
Bo4 p4 204 so that thow nere neyther in [hevene] ne in
Bo4 p4 205 erthe, ne saye no thyng more; thanne scholde it
Bo4 p4 206 semen to the as by oonly resoun of lokynge that
Bo4 p4 207 thow were now in the sterres, and now in the
Bo4 p4 208 erthe. But the peple ne loketh nat on these
Bo4 p4 209 thinges. What thanne? Schal we thanne
Bo4 p4 210 approchen us to hem that I have schewed
Bo4 p4 211 that thei ben lyke to beestes? And what
Bo4 p4 212 wyltow seyn of this: yif that a man hadde al
Bo4 p4 213 forlorn his syghte, and hadde foryeten that he
Bo4 p4 214 evere sawhe, and wende that no thing ne faylede
Bo4 p4 215 hym of perfeccioun of mankynde; now we that
Bo4 p4 216 myghten sen the same thinges -- wolde we nat
Bo4 p4 217 wene that he were blynd? Ne also ne accordeth
Bo4 p4 218 nat the peple to that I schal seyn, the whiche
Bo4 p4 219 thing is sustenyd by as stronge foundementz
Bo4 p4 220 of resouns, that is to seyn, that
Bo4 p4 221 more unsely ben they that doon wrong to
Bo4 p4 222 othere folk, than they that the wrong suffren."
Bo4 p4 223 "I wolde here thilke same resouns," quod I.
Bo4 p4 224 "Denyestow," quod sche, "that alle schrewes
Bo4 p4 225 ne ben worthy to han torment?"
Bo4 p4 226 "Nay," quod I.
Bo4 p4 227 "But," quod sche, "I am certein by many
Bo4 p4 228 resouns that schrewes ben unsely."
Bo4 p4 229 "It accordeth," quod I.
Bo4 p4 230 "Thanne ne dowtestow nat," quod sche,
Bo4 p4 231 "that thilke folk that ben worthy of
Bo4 p4 232 torment, that they ne ben wrecches?"
Bo4 p4 233 "It accordeth wel," quod I.
Bo4 p4 234 "Yif thou were thanne iset a juge or a
Bo4 p4 235 knowere of thinges, whethir trowestow that men
Bo4 p4 236 scholden tormenten, hym that hath don the
Bo4 p4 237 wrong or elles hym that hath suffred the
Bo4 p4 238 wrong?"
Bo4 p4 239 "I ne doute nat," quod I, "that I nolde
Bo4 p4 240 doon suffisaunt satisfaccioun to hym that
Bo4 p4 241 hadde suffrid the wrong, by the sorwe of
Bo4 p4 242 hym that hadde doon the wrong."
Bo4 p4 243 "Thanne semeth it," quod sche, "that the
Bo4 p4 244 doere of wrong is more wrecche than he that
Bo4 p4 245 hath suffride wrong?"
Bo4 p4 246 "That folweth wel," quod I.
Bo4 p4 247 "Than," quod sche, "by thise causes and by
Bo4 p4 248 othere causes that ben enforced by the same
Bo4 p4 249 roote, that filthe [of] synne be the propre
Bo4 p4 250 nature of it maketh men wrecches, [it]
Bo4 p4 251 scheweth wel that the wrong that men
Bo4 p4 252 doon nis nat the wrecchidnesse of hym that
Bo4 p4 253 resceyveth the wrong, but the wrecchidnesse of
Bo4 p4 254 hym that dooth the wrong. But certes," quod
Bo4 p4 255 sche, "thise oratours or advocattes don al the
Bo4 p4 256 contrarie; for thei enforcen hem to commoeve
Bo4 p4 257 the juges to han pite of hem that han suffrid
Bo4 p4 258 and resceyved the thinges that ben grevous
Bo4 p4 259 and aspre, and yit men scholden more
Bo4 p4 260 ryghtfully han pite of hem that doon the
Bo4 p4 261 grevances and the wronges: the whiche
Bo4 p4 262 schrewes it were a more covenable thing that the
Bo4 p4 263 accusours or advocattes, nat wrooth but pytous
Bo4 p4 264 and debonayre, ledden tho schrewes that han
Bo4 p4 265 don wrong to the jugement ryght as men leden
Bo4 p4 266 syke folk to the leche, for that thei sholden seken
Bo4 p4 267 out the maladyes of synne by torment. And
Bo4 p4 268 by this covenant, eyther the entent of the
Bo4 p4 269 deffendours or advocatz sholde fayle and
Bo4 p4 270 cesen in al, or elles, yif the office of
Bo4 p4 271 advocatz wolde betre profiten to men, it
Bo4 p4 272 sholde be torned into the habyte of accusacioun.
Bo4 p4 273 (That is to seyn, thei scholden accuse
Bo4 p4 274 schrewes, and nat excusen hem.) And eek the
Bo4 p4 275 schrewes hemself, yif it were leveful to hem to
Bo4 p4 276 seen at any clifte the vertu that thei han forleten,
Bo4 p4 277 and sawen that they scholden putten adoun the
Bo4 p4 278 filthes of hir vices by the tormentz of peynes,
Bo4 p4 279 they ne aughten nat, ryght for the
Bo4 p4 280 recompensacioun for to geten hem bounte
Bo4 p4 281 and prowesse whiche that thei han lost,
Bo4 p4 282 demen ne holden that thilke peynes weren
Bo4 p4 283 tormentz to hem; and eek thei wolden refuse the
Bo4 p4 284 attendaunce of hir advocattz, and taken hemself
Bo4 p4 285 to hir juges and to hir accusours. For whiche it
Bo4 p4 286 betydeth that, as to the wise folk, ther nis no
Bo4 p4 287 place yleten to hate (that is to seyn, that hate
Bo4 p4 288 ne hath no place among wise men); for no
Bo4 p4 289 wyght nil haten gode men, but yif he were
Bo4 p4 290 overmochel a fool, and for to haten
Bo4 p4 291 schrewes it nis no resoun. For ryght so as
Bo4 p4 292 langwissynge is maladye of body, ryght so ben
Bo4 p4 293 vices and synne maladye of corage; and so as we
Bo4 p4 294 ne deme nat that they that ben sike of hir body
Bo4 p4 295 ben worthy to ben hated, but rather worthy of
Bo4 p4 296 pite; wel more worthy nat to ben hated, but
Bo4 p4 297 for to ben had in pite, ben thei of whiche
Bo4 p4 298 the thoughtes ben constreyned by felonous
Bo4 p4 299 wikkidnesse, that is more crwel than any
Bo4 p4 300 langwissynge of body.
Bo4 m4 1 "What deliteth yow to exciten so grete moevynges
Bo4 m4 2 of hatredes, and to hasten and bysien
Bo4 m4 3 the fatal disposicioun of your deth with your
Bo4 m4 4 propre handes (that is to seyn, by batayles or
Bo4 m4 5 contek)? For yif ye axen the deth, it hasteth
Bo4 m4 6 hym of his owene wil, ne deth ne taryeth nat
Bo4 m4 7 his swifte hors. And the men that the serpent,
Bo4 m4 8 and the lyoun, and the tigre, and the
Bo4 m4 9 bere, and the boor, seken to sleen with hir
Bo4 m4 10 teeth, yit thilke same men seken to sleen
Bo4 m4 11 everiche of hem oothir with swerd. Lo, for
Bo4 m4 12 hir maneres ben diverse and discordaunt, thei
Bo4 m4 13 moeven unryghtful oostes and cruel batayles,
Bo4 m4 14 and wilnen to perise by entrechaungynge of
Bo4 m4 15 dartes! But the resoun of cruelte nis nat inowhe
Bo4 m4 16 ryghtful. Wiltow thanne yelden a covenable
Bo4 m4 17 gerdoun to the dissertes of men? Love ryghtfully
Bo4 m4 18 good folk, and have pite on schrewes."
Bo4 p5 1 "Thus se I wel," quod I, "eyther what blisfulnesse
Bo4 p5 2 or elles what unselynesse is establisshid
Bo4 p5 3 in the dissertes of gode men and of
Bo4 p5 4 schrewes. But in this ilke fortune of peple I
Bo4 p5 5 se somwhat of good and somwhat of yvel. For
Bo4 p5 6 no wise man hath nat levere ben exiled, pore
Bo4 p5 7 and nedy and nameles, thanne for to duellen
Bo4 p5 8 in his cyte, and flouren of rychesses, and be
Bo4 p5 9 redowtable by honour and strong of power.
Bo4 p5 10 For in this wise more clerly and more witnesfully
Bo4 p5 11 is the office of wise men ytreted,
Bo4 p5 12 whanne the blisfulnesse and the pouste of
Bo4 p5 13 gouvernours is, as it ware, ischadde among peples
Bo4 p5 14 that ben neyghbors and subgitz; syn that
Bo4 p5 15 namely prisown, lawe, and thise othere tormentz
Bo4 p5 16 of laweful peynes ben rather owed to
Bo4 p5 17 felonus citezeins, for the whiche felonus citezeens
Bo4 p5 18 tho peynes ben establisschid than for
Bo4 p5 19 good folk.
Bo4 p5 20 "Thanne I merveile me gretly," quod I,
Bo4 p5 21 "why that the thinges ben so mysentrechaunged
Bo4 p5 22 that tormentz of felonyes pressen and
Bo4 p5 23 confounden good folk, and schrewes ravysschen
Bo4 p5 24 medes of vertu and ben in honours
Bo4 p5 25 and in grete estatz; and I desire eek for to
Bo4 p5 26 witen of the what semeth the to be the resoun
Bo4 p5 27 of this so wrongful a confusioun; for I wolde
Bo4 p5 28 wondre wel the lasse, yif I trowede that alle
Bo4 p5 29 thise thinges weren medled by fortunows
Bo4 p5 30 hap. But now hepith and encreseth myn
Bo4 p5 31 astonyenge God, governour of thinges,
Bo4 p5 32 that, so as God yyveth ofte tymes to gode men
Bo4 p5 33 godes and myrthes, and to schrewes yvelis and
Bo4 p5 34 aspre thinges, and yeveth ayeinward to good
Bo4 p5 35 folk hardnesses, and to schrewes he graunteth
Bo4 p5 36 hem hir wil and that they desiren -- what difference
Bo4 p5 37 thanne may ther be bytwixen that that
Bo4 p5 38 God doth and the hap of fortune, yif men ne
Bo4 p5 39 knowe nat the cause why that it is?"
Bo4 p5 40 "Ne it nis no merveile," quod sche,
Bo4 p5 41 "thowh that men wenen that ther be somwhat
Bo4 p5 42 foolisshe and confus, whan the resoun of
Bo4 p5 43 the ordre is unknowe. But although that thou
Bo4 p5 44 ne knowe nat the cause of so gret a disposicioun,
Bo4 p5 45 natheles for as moche as God, the gode
Bo4 p5 46 governour, atempreth and governeth the world,
Bo4 p5 47 ne doute the nat that alle thinges ne ben don
Bo4 p5 48 aryght.
Bo4 m5 1 "Whoso that ne knowe nat the sterres of
Bo4 m5 2 Arctour, ytorned neyghe to the sovereyne centre
Bo4 m5 3 or poynt (that is to seyn, ytorned neyghe to
Bo4 m5 4 the sovereyne pool of the firmament), and wot
Bo4 m5 5 nat why the sterre Boetes passeth or gadreth
Bo4 m5 6 his waynes and drencheth his late flaumbes in
Bo4 m5 7 the see; and whi that Boetes, the sterre, unfooldeth
Bo4 m5 8 hise overswifte arysynges, thanne schal
Bo4 m5 9 he wondryn of the lawe of the heie eyr.
Bo4 m5 10 And eek yif that he ne knowe nat why that
Bo4 m5 11 the hornes of the fulle mone waxen pale
Bo4 m5 12 and infect by bowndes of the derk nyght, and
Bo4 m5 13 how the mone derk and confus discovereth the
Bo4 m5 14 sterres that sche hadde covered by hir clere
Bo4 m5 15 vysage. The comune errour moeveth folk, and
Bo4 m5 16 [the Coribantes maken hir tabours sounen and
Bo4 m5 17 maken] weery hir basyns of bras by thikke
Bo4 m5 18 strokes. (That is to seyn, that ther is a maner
Bo4 m5 19 peple that hyghte Coribantes, that wenen
Bo4 m5 20 that whan the mone is in the eclips that
Bo4 m5 21 it be enchaunted, and therfore for to
Bo4 m5 22 rescowe the mone thei betyn hir basyns with
Bo4 m5 23 thikke strokes.) Ne no man ne wondreth
Bo4 m5 24 whanne the blastes of the wynd Chorus beten
Bo4 m5 25 the strondes of the see by quakynge floodes; ne
Bo4 m5 26 no man ne wondrith whan the weighte of the
Bo4 m5 27 snowh, ihardid by the cold, is resolvyd by the
Bo4 m5 28 brennynge hete of Phebus, the sonne; for her
Bo4 m5 29 seen men redily the causes. But [ther] the
Bo4 m5 30 causes yhidd (that is to seyn, in hevene)
Bo4 m5 31 trowblen the brestes of men. The
Bo4 m5 32 moevable peple is astoned of alle thinges that
Bo4 m5 33 comen seelde and sodeynly in our age; but yif
Bo4 m5 34 the trubly errour of our ignoraunce departed fro
Bo4 m5 35 us, so that we wisten the causes why that swiche
Bo4 m5 36 thinges bytyden, certes thei scholde cesen to
Bo4 m5 37 seme wondres."
Bo4 p6 1 "Thus is it," quod I. "But so as thou hast
Bo4 p6 2 yeven or byhyght me to unwrappen the hidde
Bo4 p6 3 causes of thinges, and to discovere me the
Bo4 p6 4 resouns covered with derknes, I preie the that
Bo4 p6 5 thou devyse and juge me of this matere, and
Bo4 p6 6 that thou do me to undirstonden it. For this
Bo4 p6 7 miracle or this wonder trowbleth me ryght
Bo4 p6 8 gretly."
Bo4 p6 9 And thanne sche, a litelwhat smylinge,
Bo4 p6 10 seide: "Thou clepist me," quod sche, "to
Bo4 p6 11 telle thing that is gretteste of alle thingis
Bo4 p6 12 that mowen ben axed, and to the whiche questioun
Bo4 p6 13 unethes is ther aught inowh to laven
Bo4 p6 14 it. (As who seith, unnethes is ther suffisauntly
Bo4 p6 15 any thing to answeren parfitly to thy questioun.)
Bo4 p6 16 For the matere of it is swich, that
Bo4 p6 17 whan o doute is determined and kut awey, ther
Bo4 p6 18 waxen othere doutes withoute nombre, ryght
Bo4 p6 19 as the hevedes wexen of Idre, the serpent
Bo4 p6 20 that Hercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no
Bo4 p6 21 manere ne noon ende, but if that a wyght
Bo4 p6 22 constreynede tho doutes by a ryght lifly and
Bo4 p6 23 quyk fir of thought (that is to seyn, by vigour
Bo4 p6 24 and strengthe of wit). For in this matere
Bo4 p6 25 men weren wont to maken questiouns of the
Bo4 p6 26 symplicite of the purveaunce of God, and of
Bo4 p6 27 the ordre of destyne, and of sodeyn hap, and
Bo4 p6 28 of the knowynge and predestinacioun devyne,
Bo4 p6 29 and of the liberte of fre wil; the whiche
Bo4 p6 30 thinges thou thiself aperceyvest wel of
Bo4 p6 31 what weighte thei ben. But for as moche
Bo4 p6 32 as the knowynge of thise thinges is a maner
Bo4 p6 33 porcioun of the medycyne to the, al be it so
Bo4 p6 34 that I have litil tyme to doon it, yit natheles
Bo4 p6 35 Y wol enforcen me to schewe somwhat of it.
Bo4 p6 36 But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk
Bo4 p6 37 deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a
Bo4 p6 38 litel of thilke delit, whil that I weve to the resouns
Bo4 p6 39 yknyt by ordre."
Bo4 p6 40 "As it liketh to the," quod I, "so do."
Bo4 p6 41 Tho spak sche ryght as by another bygynnynge,
Bo4 p6 42 and seide thus: "The engendrynge
Bo4 p6 43 of alle thinges," quod sche, "and alle the progressiouns
Bo4 p6 44 of muable nature, and al that moeveth
Bo4 p6 45 in any manere, taketh hise causes, his ordre,
Bo4 p6 46 and his formes, of the stablenesse of the devyne
Bo4 p6 47 thought. And thilke devyne thought that
Bo4 p6 48 is iset and put in the tour (that is to seyn, in
Bo4 p6 49 the heighte) of the simplicite of God, stablissith
Bo4 p6 50 many maner gises to thinges that ben
Bo4 p6 51 to done; the whiche manere whan that
Bo4 p6 52 men looken it in thilke pure clennesse of the
Bo4 p6 53 devyne intelligence, it is ycleped purveaunce;
Bo4 p6 54 but whanne thilke manere is referred by men
Bo4 p6 55 to thinges that it moeveth and disponyth, than
Bo4 p6 56 of olde men it was clepyd destyne. The whiche
Bo4 p6 57 thinges yif that any wyght loketh wel in his
Bo4 p6 58 thought the strengthe of that oon and of that
Bo4 p6 59 oothir, he schal lyghtly mowen seen that
Bo4 p6 60 thise two thinges ben dyvers. For purveaunce
Bo4 p6 61 is thilke devyne resoun that is establissed
Bo4 p6 62 in the sovereyn prince of thinges, the
Bo4 p6 63 whiche purveaunce disponith alle thinges; but,
Bo4 p6 64 certes, destyne is the disposicioun and ordenance
Bo4 p6 65 clyvynge to moevable thinges, by the
Bo4 p6 66 whiche disposicion the purveaunce knytteth
Bo4 p6 67 alle thingis in hir ordres; for purveaunce enbraceth
Bo4 p6 68 alle thinges to-hepe, althoghe that thei
Bo4 p6 69 ben diverse and although thei ben infinit.
Bo4 p6 70 But destyne, certes, departeth and ordeyneth
Bo4 p6 71 alle thinges singulerly and devyded in
Bo4 p6 72 moevynges in places, in formes, in tymes, as
Bo4 p6 73 thus: lat the unfoldynge of temporel ordenaunce,
Bo4 p6 74 assembled and oonyd in the lokynge
Bo4 p6 75 of the devyne thought, be cleped purveaunce,
Bo4 p6 76 and thilke same assemblynge and oonynge, devyded
Bo4 p6 77 and unfolden by tymes, lat that ben
Bo4 p6 78 called destyne.
Bo4 p6 79 "And al be it so that thise thinges ben
Bo4 p6 80 diverse, yit natheles hangeth that oon of
Bo4 p6 81 that oother; forwhi the ordre destynal
Bo4 p6 82 procedith of the simplicite of purveaunce. For
Bo4 p6 83 ryght as a werkman that aperceyveth in his
Bo4 p6 84 thought the forme of the thing that he wol make,
Bo4 p6 85 and moeveth the effect of the werk, and ledith
Bo4 p6 86 that he hadde lookid byforn in his thought
Bo4 p6 87 symplely and presently by temporel ordenaunce;
Bo4 p6 88 certes, ryght so God disponith in his
Bo4 p6 89 purveaunce singulerly and stablely the
Bo4 p6 90 thinges that ben to doone; but he
Bo4 p6 91 amynistreth in many maneris and in diverse
Bo4 p6 92 tymes by destyne thilke same thinges that he
Bo4 p6 93 hath disponyd. Thanne, whethir that destyne be
Bo4 p6 94 exercised outhir by some devyne spiritz,
Bo4 p6 95 servantz to the devyne purveaunce, or elles by
Bo4 p6 96 some soule, or elles by alle nature servynge to
Bo4 p6 97 God, or elles by the celestial moevynges of
Bo4 p6 98 sterres, or ellis by vertu of aungelis, or elles by
Bo4 p6 99 divers subtilite of develis, or elles by any of
Bo4 p6 100 hem, or elles by hem alle the destinal
Bo4 p6 101 ordenaunce is ywoven and acomplissid,
Bo4 p6 102 certes, it es opene thing that the purveaunce is
Bo4 p6 103 an unmoevable and symple forme of thinges
Bo4 p6 104 to doone, and the moevable bond and the
Bo4 p6 105 temporel ordenaunce of thinges whiche that the
Bo4 p6 106 devyne symplicite of purveaunce hath ordeyned
Bo4 p6 107 to doone, that is destyne.
Bo4 p6 108 "For whiche it is that alle thinges that ben
Bo4 p6 109 put undir destyne ben certes subgitz to
Bo4 p6 110 purveaunce, to whiche purveaunce destyne
Bo4 p6 111 itself is subgit and under. But some thinges
Bo4 p6 112 ben put undir purveaunce, that sourmounten
Bo4 p6 113 the ordenance of destyne; and tho ben thilke
Bo4 p6 114 that stablely ben ifycchid neyghe to the first
Bo4 p6 115 godhede. They surmounten the ordre of
Bo4 p6 116 destynal moevablete. For ryght as of cerklis that
Bo4 p6 117 tornen aboute a same centre or aboute a poynt,
Bo4 p6 118 thilke cerkle that is innerest or most withinne
Bo4 p6 119 joyneth to the symplesse of the myddle,
Bo4 p6 120 and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to the
Bo4 p6 121 tothere cerklis that tornen abouten hym;
Bo4 p6 122 and thilke that is utterest, compased by a largere
Bo4 p6 123 envyrownynge, is unfolden by largere spaces in
Bo4 p6 124 so moche as it is ferthest fro the myddel
Bo4 p6 125 symplicite of the poynt; and yif ther be any thing
Bo4 p6 126 that knytteth and felawschipeth hymself to thilke
Bo4 p6 127 myddel poynt, it is constreyned into simplicite
Bo4 p6 128 (that is to seyn, into unmoevablete), and it
Bo4 p6 129 ceseth to ben schad and to fleten diversely;
Bo4 p6 130 ryght so, by semblable reson, thilke thing
Bo4 p6 131 that departeth ferrest fro the firste thought
Bo4 p6 132 of God, it is unfolden and summittid to grettere
Bo4 p6 133 bondes of destyne; and in so moche is the thing
Bo4 p6 134 more fre and laus fro destyne, as it axeth and
Bo4 p6 135 hooldeth hym neer to thilke centre of thinges
Bo4 p6 136 (that is to seyn, to God); and yif the thing
Bo4 p6 137 clyveth to the stedfastnesse of the thought of
Bo4 p6 138 God and be withoute moevynge, certes it
Bo4 p6 139 surmounteth the necessite of destyne.
Bo4 p6 140 Thanne ryght swich comparysoun as is of
Bo4 p6 141 skillynge to undirstondyng, and of thing
Bo4 p6 142 that ys engendrid to thing that is, and of tyme to
Bo4 p6 143 eternite, and of the cercle to the centre; ryght so
Bo4 p6 144 is the ordre of moevable destyne to the stable
Bo4 p6 145 symplicite of purveaunce.
Bo4 p6 146 "Thilke ordenaunce moveth the hevene and
Bo4 p6 147 the sterres, and atemprith the elementz togidre
Bo4 p6 148 amonges hemself, and transformeth hem by
Bo4 p6 149 entrechaungeable mutacioun. And thilke
Bo4 p6 150 same ordre neweth ayein alle thinges
Bo4 p6 151 growynge and fallynge adoun, by semblable
Bo4 p6 152 progressions of sedes and of sexes (that
Bo4 p6 153 is to seyn, male and femele). And this ilke
Bo4 p6 154 ordre constreyneth the fortunes and the dedes of
Bo4 p6 155 men by a bond of causes nat able to ben
Bo4 p6 156 unbownde; the whiche destynal causes, whan
Bo4 p6 157 thei passen out fro the bygynnynges of the
Bo4 p6 158 unmoevable purveaunce, it moot nedes be that
Bo4 p6 159 thei ne be nat mutable. And thus ben the
Bo4 p6 160 thinges ful wel igoverned yif that the
Bo4 p6 161 symplicite duellynge in the devyne thoght
Bo4 p6 162 scheweth forth the ordre of causes unable to ben
Bo4 p6 163 ibowed. And this ordre constreyneth by his
Bo4 p6 164 propre stablete the moevable thingis, or elles
Bo4 p6 165 thei scholden fleten folyly.
Bo4 p6 166 "For whiche it es that alle thingis semen to
Bo4 p6 167 ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne
Bo4 p6 168 mowen nat considere thilke ordenaunce.
Bo4 p6 169 Natheles the propre maner of every thing,
Bo4 p6 170 dressynge hem to gode, disponith hem alle,
Bo4 p6 171 for ther nys no thing doon for cause of yvel,
Bo4 p6 172 ne thilk thing that is doon by wikkid folk nys nat
Bo4 p6 173 doon for yvel, the whiche schrewes, as I have
Bo4 p6 174 schewed ful plentyvously, seken good, but
Bo4 p6 175 wikkid errour mystorneth hem; ne the ordre
Bo4 p6 176 comynge fro the poynt of sovereyn good ne
Bo4 p6 177 declyneth nat fro his bygynnynge.
Bo4 p6 178 "But thou mayst seyn, `What unreste may ben
Bo4 p6 179 a worse confusioun than that gode men
Bo4 p6 180 han somtyme adversite and somtyme
Bo4 p6 181 prosperite, and schrewes also han now
Bo4 p6 182 thingis that they desiren and now thinges that
Bo4 p6 183 thei haten?' Whethir men lyven now in swich
Bo4 p6 184 holnesse of thought (as who seith, ben men now
Bo4 p6 185 so wyse) that swiche folk as thei demen to ben
Bo4 p6 186 gode folk or schrewes, that it moste nedes ben
Bo4 p6 187 that folk ben swiche as thei wenen? But in this
Bo4 p6 188 manere the domes of men discorden, that thilke
Bo4 p6 189 men that som folk demen worthy of mede,
Bo4 p6 190 other folk demen hem worthy of torment.
Bo4 p6 191 But lat us graunten, I pose, that som man
Bo4 p6 192 may wel demen or knowen the good folk and
Bo4 p6 193 the badde; may he thanne knowen and seen
Bo4 p6 194 thilke innereste atempraunce of corages as it
Bo4 p6 195 hath ben wont to ben seyd of bodyes? (As who
Bo4 p6 196 seith, may a man speken and determinen of
Bo4 p6 197 atempraunce in corages, as men were wont to
Bo4 p6 198 demen or speken of complexions and atempraunces
Bo4 p6 199 of bodies?) Ne it ne is nat an
Bo4 p6 200 unlike miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat
Bo4 p6 201 (as who seith, but it is lik a mervayle or
Bo4 p6 202 miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat) whi
Bo4 p6 203 that swete thinges ben covenable to some bodies
Bo4 p6 204 that ben hole, and to some bodies byttere
Bo4 p6 205 thinges ben covenable; and also why that some
Bo4 p6 206 syk folk ben holpen with lyghte medicynes, and
Bo4 p6 207 some folk ben holpen with sharpe medicynes.
Bo4 p6 208 But natheles the leche, that knoweth the manere
Bo4 p6 209 and the atempraunce of hele and of
Bo4 p6 210 maladye, ne merveyleth of it nothyng. But
Bo4 p6 211 what othir thing semeth hele of corages but
Bo4 p6 212 bounte and prowesse? And what othir thing
Bo4 p6 213 semeth maladye of corages but vices? Who is
Bo4 p6 214 elles kepere of good or dryvere awey of yvel but
Bo4 p6 215 God, governour and lechere of thoughtes? The
Bo4 p6 216 whiche God, whan he hath byholden from the
Bo4 p6 217 hye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is
Bo4 p6 218 covenable to every wight, and lenyth hem that
Bo4 p6 219 he woot that is covenable to hem. Lo, herof
Bo4 p6 220 comyth and herof is don this noble miracle
Bo4 p6 221 of the ordre destynal, whan God, that al
Bo4 p6 222 knoweth, dooth swiche thing, of whiche thing
Bo4 p6 223 unknowynge folk ben astonyd.
Bo4 p6 224 "But for to constreyne (as who seith, but for
Bo4 p6 225 to comprehende and to telle) a fewe thingis of
Bo4 p6 226 the devyne depnesse the whiche that mannys
Bo4 p6 227 resoun may undirstonde, thilke man that thow
Bo4 p6 228 wenest to ben ryght just and ryght kepynge of
Bo4 p6 229 equite, the contrarie of that semeth to the
Bo4 p6 230 devyne purveaunce, that al woot. And
Bo4 p6 231 Lucan, my famylier, telleth that the
Bo4 p6 232 victorious cause likide to the goddes, and the
Bo4 p6 233 cause overcomen likide to Catoun. Thanne
Bo4 p6 234 whatsoevere thou mayst seen that is doon in this
Bo4 p6 235 world unhopid or unwened, certes it es the
Bo4 p6 236 ryghte ordre of thinges, but as to thi wikkid
Bo4 p6 237 opynioun it is a confusioun. But I suppose that
Bo4 p6 238 som man be so wel ithewed that the devyne
Bo4 p6 239 jugement and the jugement of mankynde
Bo4 p6 240 accorden hem togidre of hym; but he is so
Bo4 p6 241 unstidfast of corage that, yif any adversite
Bo4 p6 242 come to hym, he wol forleten peraventure to
Bo4 p6 243 continue innocence by the whiche he ne may
Bo4 p6 244 nat withholden fortune. Thanne the wise
Bo4 p6 245 dispensacion of God sparith hym, the whiche
Bo4 p6 246 man adversite myghte enpeyren; for that God
Bo4 p6 247 wol nat suffren hym to travaile to whom that
Bo4 p6 248 travaile nis nat covenable. Anothir man is parfit
Bo4 p6 249 in alle vertus, and is an holi man and neigh
Bo4 p6 250 to God, so that the purveaunce of God
Bo4 p6 251 wolde deme that it were a felonie that he
Bo4 p6 252 were touched with any adversites; so that he wol
Bo4 p6 253 nat suffre that swich a man be moeved with any
Bo4 p6 254 bodily maladye. But so as seyde a philosophre,
Bo4 p6 255 the more excellent by me -- he seyde in Grec
Bo4 p6 256 that `vertues han edified the body of the holi
Bo4 p6 257 man.'
Bo4 p6 258 "And ofte tyme it betydeth that the somme of
Bo4 p6 259 thingis that ben to done is taken to governe
Bo4 p6 260 to good folk, for that the malice
Bo4 p6 261 haboundaunt of schrewes scholde ben
Bo4 p6 262 abated. And God yeveth and departeth to other
Bo4 p6 263 folk prosperites and adversites imedled to-hepe
Bo4 p6 264 aftir the qualite of hir corages, and remordith
Bo4 p6 265 some folk by adversite, for thei ne scholden nat
Bo4 p6 266 waxen proude by long welefulnesse; and other
Bo4 p6 267 folk he suffreth to ben travailed with harde
Bo4 p6 268 thinges for that thei scholden confermen the
Bo4 p6 269 vertues of corage by the usage and the
Bo4 p6 270 exercitacioun of pacience. And other folk
Bo4 p6 271 dreden more than thei oughten the whiche
Bo4 p6 272 thei myghte wel beren, and thilke folk God
Bo4 p6 273 ledeth into experience of hemself by aspre and
Bo4 p6 274 sorweful thingis. And many other folk han
Bo4 p6 275 bought honourable renoun of this world by the
Bo4 p6 276 prys of glorious deth; and som men, that ne
Bo4 p6 277 mowen nat ben overcomen by torment, han
Bo4 p6 278 yeven ensample to other folk that vertu mai nat
Bo4 p6 279 ben overcomyn by adversites. And of alle
Bo4 p6 280 thise thinges ther nis no doute that thei ne
Bo4 p6 281 ben doon ryghtfully and ordeynly, to the
Bo4 p6 282 profit of hem to whom we seen thise thingis
Bo4 p6 283 betyde.
Bo4 p6 284 "For certes, that adversite cometh somtyme to
Bo4 p6 285 schrewes and somtyme that that they desiren, it
Bo4 p6 286 comith of thise forseyde causes. And of sorweful
Bo4 p6 287 thinges that betyden to schrewes, certes, no man
Bo4 p6 288 ne wondreth. for alle men wenen that thei han
Bo4 p6 289 wel desservid it, and that thei ben of wykkid
Bo4 p6 290 meryt. Of whiche schrewes the torment
Bo4 p6 291 somtyme agasteth othere to don felonyes,
Bo4 p6 292 and somtyme it amendeth hem that suffren the
Bo4 p6 293 tormentz; and the prosperite that is yeven to
Bo4 p6 294 schrewes scheweth a gret argument to good
Bo4 p6 295 folk what thing thei scholde demen of thilke
Bo4 p6 296 welefulnesse, the whiche prosperite men seen
Bo4 p6 297 ofte serven to schrewes. In the whiche thing I
Bo4 p6 298 trowe that God dispenseth. For peraventure the
Bo4 p6 299 nature of som man is so overthrowynge to
Bo4 p6 300 yvel, and so uncovenable, that the nedy
Bo4 p6 301 poverte of his houshold myghte rather
Bo4 p6 302 egren hym to don felonyes; and to the maladye
Bo4 p6 303 of hym God putteth remedye to yeven hym
Bo4 p6 304 rychesses. And som othir man byholdeth his
Bo4 p6 305 conscience defouled with synnes, and makith
Bo4 p6 306 comparysoun of his fortune and of hymself, and
Bo4 p6 307 dredith peraventure that his blisfulnesse, of
Bo4 p6 308 whiche the usage is joyeful to hym, that the
Bo4 p6 309 lesynge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat
Bo4 p6 310 sorwful to hym; and therfore he wol
Bo4 p6 311 chaunge his maneris, and, for he dredith to
Bo4 p6 312 lesen his fortune, he forletith his wikkidnesse.
Bo4 p6 313 To other folke is welefulnesse iyeven unworthely,
Bo4 p6 314 the whiche overthroweth hem into
Bo4 p6 315 destruccioun, that thei han disservid; and to som
Bo4 p6 316 othir folk is yeven power to punysshen, for
Bo4 p6 317 that it schal be cause of contynuacioun and
Bo4 p6 318 exercisynge to good folk, and cause of torment
Bo4 p6 319 to schrewes. For so as ther nis noon
Bo4 p6 320 alliaunce bytwixe good folk and schrewes,
Bo4 p6 321 ne schrewes ne mowen nat acorden among
Bo4 p6 322 hemself. And whi nat? For schrewes discorden
Bo4 p6 323 of hemself by hir vices, the whiche vices al
Bo4 p6 324 toreenden her consciences, and doon ofte time
Bo4 p6 325 thinges the whiche thingis, whan thei han doon
Bo4 p6 326 hem, they demen that tho thinges ne scholden
Bo4 p6 327 nat han ben doon.
Bo4 p6 328 "For whiche thing thilke sovereyne purveaunce
Bo4 p6 329 hath makid ofte tyme fair
Bo4 p6 330 myracle, so that schrewes han makid
Bo4 p6 331 schrewes to ben gode men. For whan that
Bo4 p6 332 some schrewes seen that they suffren wrongfully
Bo4 p6 333 felonyes of othere schrewes, they wexen
Bo4 p6 334 eschaufed into hate of hem that anoyed hem,
Bo4 p6 335 and retornen to the fruyt of vertu, whan thei
Bo4 p6 336 studien to ben unlyke to hem that thei han hated.
Bo4 p6 337 Certis oonly this is the devyne myght to the
Bo4 p6 338 whiche myghte yvelis ben thanne gode whan it
Bo4 p6 339 useth the yvelis covenably and draweth out
Bo4 p6 340 the effect of any good. (As who seith that
Bo4 p6 341 yvel is good only to the myghte of God, for
Bo4 p6 342 the myght of God ordeyneth thilke yvel to
Bo4 p6 343 good.)
Bo4 p6 344 "For oon ordre enbraseth alle thinges, so that
Bo4 p6 345 what wyght that departeth fro the resoun of
Bo4 p6 346 thilke ordre whiche that is assigned to hym,
Bo4 p6 347 algatis yit he slideth into an othir ordre; so that
Bo4 p6 348 no thing nis leveful to folye in the reaume of the
Bo4 p6 349 devyne purveaunce (as who seith, no
Bo4 p6 350 thing nis withouten ordenaunce in the
Bo4 p6 351 reame of the devyne purveaunce), syn that
Bo4 p6 352 the ryght strong God governeth alle thinges in
Bo4 p6 353 this world. For it nis nat leveful to man to
Bo4 p6 354 comprehenden by wit, ne unfolden by word,
Bo4 p6 355 alle the subtil ordenaunces and disposiciounis of
Bo4 p6 356 the devyne entente. For oonly it owghte suffise
Bo4 p6 357 to han lokid that God hymself, makere of alle
Bo4 p6 358 natures, ordeineth and dresseth alle thingis to
Bo4 p6 359 gode; whil that he hasteth to withholden
Bo4 p6 360 the thingis that he hath makid into his
Bo4 p6 361 semblaunce (that is to seyn, for to withholden
Bo4 p6 362 thingis into gode, for he hymself is
Bo4 p6 363 good), he chasith out alle yvel fro the boundes
Bo4 p6 364 of his comynalite by the ordre of necessite
Bo4 p6 365 destinable. For whiche it folweth that, yif thou
Bo4 p6 366 loke the purveaunce ordeynynge the thinges
Bo4 p6 367 that men wenen ben outraious or haboundaunt
Bo4 p6 368 in erthis, thou ne schalt nat seen in no place no
Bo4 p6 369 thing of yvel.
Bo4 p6 370 "But I se now that thou art charged with
Bo4 p6 371 the weyghte of the questioun, and wery
Bo4 p6 372 with the lengthe of my resoun, and that thou
Bo4 p6 373 abydest som swetnesse of songe. Tak thanne this
Bo4 p6 374 drawght, and, whanne thou art wel reffressched
Bo4 p6 375 and refect, thou schalt be more stedfast to stye
Bo4 p6 376 into heyere questions or thinges.
Bo4 m6 1 "Yif thou, wys, wilt demen in thi pure thought
Bo4 m6 2 the ryghtes or the lawes of the heye thondrere
Bo4 m6 3 (that is to seyn, of God), loke thou and byhoold
Bo4 m6 4 the heightes of the sovereyn hevene.
Bo4 m6 5 Ther kepin the sterres, be ryghtful alliaunce of
Bo4 m6 6 thinges, hir oolde pees. The sonne, imoevid by
Bo4 m6 7 his rody fyr, ne distorbeth nat the colde cercle
Bo4 m6 8 of the mone. Ne the sterre yclepid the Bere,
Bo4 m6 9 that enclyneth his ravysschynge coursis
Bo4 m6 10 abowte the sovereyn heighte of the world
Bo4 m6 11 -- ne the same sterre Ursa nis nevere mo
Bo4 m6 12 wasschen in the depe westrene see, ne coveyteth
Bo4 m6 13 nat to deeyen his flaumbes in the see
Bo4 m6 14 of the Occian, although it see othere sterres
Bo4 m6 15 iplowngid in the see. And Hesperus the sterre
Bo4 m6 16 bodith and telleth alwey the late nyghtes, and
Bo4 m6 17 Lucyfer the sterre bryngeth ayein the clere
Bo4 m6 18 day.
Bo4 m6 19 "And thus maketh Love entrechaungeable
Bo4 m6 20 the perdurable courses; and thus is discordable
Bo4 m6 21 bataile yput out of the contre of
Bo4 m6 22 the sterres. This accordaunce atempryth by evenelyke
Bo4 m6 23 maneres the elementz, that the moiste
Bo4 m6 24 thingis, stryvynge with the drye thingis, yeven
Bo4 m6 25 place by stoundes; and that the colde thingis
Bo4 m6 26 joynen hem by feyth to the hote thingis; and
Bo4 m6 27 that the lyghte fyr ariseth into heighte, and
Bo4 m6 28 the hevy erthes avalen by her weyghtes. By
Bo4 m6 29 thise same causes the floury yer yeldeth
Bo4 m6 30 swote smelles in the first somer sesoun
Bo4 m6 31 warmynge; and the hote somer dryeth the
Bo4 m6 32 cornes; and autumpne comith ayein hevy of
Bo4 m6 33 apples; and the fletyng reyn bydeweth the
Bo4 m6 34 wynter. This atempraunce norysscheth and
Bo4 m6 35 bryngeth forth alle thinges that brethith lif
Bo4 m6 36 in this world; and thilke same attempraunce,
Bo4 m6 37 ravysschynge, hideth and bynymeth, and
Bo4 m6 38 drencheth undir the laste deth, alle thinges
Bo4 m6 39 iborn.
Bo4 m6 40 "Among thise thinges sitteth the heye
Bo4 m6 41 makere, kyng and lord, welle and bygynnynge,
Bo4 m6 42 lawe and wys juge to don equite, and
Bo4 m6 43 governeth and enclyneth the brydles of thinges.
Bo4 m6 44 And tho thinges that he stireth to gon by
Bo4 m6 45 moevynge, he withdraweth and aresteth, and
Bo4 m6 46 affermeth the moevable or wandrynge thinges.
Bo4 m6 47 For yif that he ne clepide nat ayein the ryght
Bo4 m6 48 goynge of thinges, and yif that he ne constreynede
Bo4 m6 49 hem nat eftsones into roundnesses
Bo4 m6 50 enclyned, the thinges that ben now
Bo4 m6 51 contynued by stable ordenaunce, thei scholden
Bo4 m6 52 departen from hir welle (that is to seyn,
Bo4 m6 53 from hir bygynnynge), and failen (that is to
Bo4 m6 54 seyn, tornen into noght). This is the comune
Bo4 m6 55 love to alle thingis, and alle thinges axen to ben
Bo4 m6 56 holden by the fyn of good. For elles ne
Bo4 m6 57 myghten they nat lasten yif thei ne comen nat
Bo4 m6 58 eftsones ayein, by love retorned, to the cause
Bo4 m6 59 that hath yeven hem beinge (that is to
Bo4 m6 60 seyn, to God).
Bo4 p7 1 "Sestow nat thanne what thing folweth alle
Bo4 p7 2 the thingis that I have seyd?"
Bo4 p7 3 "What thing?" quod I.
Bo4 p7 4 "Certes," quod sche, "al outrely that alle fortune
Bo4 p7 5 is good."
Bo4 p7 6 "And how may that be?" quod I.
Bo4 p7 7 "Now undirstand," quod sche. "So as al fortune,
Bo4 p7 8 whethir so it be joyeful fortune or aspre
Bo4 p7 9 fortune, is yeven eyther by cause of gerdonynge
Bo4 p7 10 or elles of exercisynge of good
Bo4 p7 11 folk or elles by cause to punysschen or elles
Bo4 p7 12 chastisen schrewes; thanne is alle fortune good,
Bo4 p7 13 the whiche fortune is certeyn that it be either
Bo4 p7 14 ryghtful or elles profitable."
Bo4 p7 15 "Forsothe this is a ful verray resoun," quod
Bo4 p7 16 I; "and yif I considere the purveaunce and the
Bo4 p7 17 destyne that thou taughtest me a litel herebyforn
Bo4 p7 18 this sentence is sustenyd by stedfast
Bo4 p7 19 resouns. But yif it like unto the, lat us
Bo4 p7 20 nombren [hyt] amonges thilke thingis, of
Bo4 p7 21 whiche thow seydest a litel herebyforn that
Bo4 p7 22 thei ne were nat able to ben wened to the
Bo4 p7 23 peple."
Bo4 p7 24 "Why so?" quod sche.
Bo4 p7 25 "For that the comune word of men," quod I,
Bo4 p7 26 "mysuseth this manere speche of fortune, and
Bo4 p7 27 seyn ofte tymes that the fortune of som wyght
Bo4 p7 28 is wikkid."
Bo4 p7 29 "Woltow thanne," quod sche, "that I approche
Bo4 p7 30 a litil to the wordis of the peple,
Bo4 p7 31 so that it seme nat to hem that I be overmoche
Bo4 p7 32 departed as fro the usage of mankynde?"
Bo4 p7 33 "As thou wilt," quod I.
Bo4 p7 34 "Demestow nat," quod sche, "that alle thing
Bo4 p7 35 that profiteth is good?"
Bo4 p7 36 "Yis," quod I.
Bo4 p7 37 "And certes thilke thing that exerciseth or
Bo4 p7 38 corrigith profitith?"
Bo4 p7 39 "I confesse it wel," quod I.
Bo4 p7 40 "Thanne is it good," quod sche.
Bo4 p7 41 "Why nat?" quod I.
Bo4 p7 42 "But this is the fortune," quod sche, "of hem
Bo4 p7 43 that eyther ben put in vertu and batayllen
Bo4 p7 44 ayein aspre thingis, or elles of hem that eschuen
Bo4 p7 45 and declynen fro vices and taken the
Bo4 p7 46 weye of vertu."
Bo4 p7 47 "This ne mai I nat denye," quod I.
Bo4 p7 48 "But what seistow of the merye fortune that
Bo4 p7 49 is yeven to good folk in gerdoun -- demeth
Bo4 p7 50 aught the peple that it is wikkid?"
Bo4 p7 51 "Nay forsothe," quod I; "but thei
Bo4 p7 52 demen, as it soth is, that it is ryght good."
Bo4 p7 53 "And what seistow of that othir fortune,"
Bo4 p7 54 quod sche, "that, although it be aspre and
Bo4 p7 55 restreyneth the schrewes by ryghtful torment,
Bo4 p7 56 weneth aught the peple that it be good?"
Bo4 p7 57 "Nay," quod I, "but the peple demeth that
Bo4 p7 58 it is moost wrecchid of alle thingis that mai
Bo4 p7 59 ben thought."
Bo4 p7 60 "War now and loke wel," quod sche,
Bo4 p7 61 "lest that we, in folwynge the opynioun of
Bo4 p7 62 the peple, have confessid and concluded thing
Bo4 p7 63 that is unable to be wened to the peple."
Bo4 p7 64 "What is that?" quod I.
Bo4 p7 65 "Certis," quod sche, "it folweth or comith of
Bo4 p7 66 thingis that ben grauntid that alle fortune, what
Bo4 p7 67 so evere it be, of hem that ben eyther in possessioun
Bo4 p7 68 of vertu, or in the encres of vertu, or
Bo4 p7 69 elles in the purchasynge of vertu, that thilke
Bo4 p7 70 fortune is good; and that alle fortune is
Bo4 p7 71 ryght wikkid to hem that duellen in
Bo4 p7 72 schrewidnesse." (As who seith. "And thus
Bo4 p7 73 weneth nat the peple.")
Bo4 p7 74 "That is soth," quod I, "al be it so that no
Bo4 p7 75 man dar confessen it ne byknowen it."
Bo4 p7 76 "Whi so?" quod sche; "for ryght as the
Bo4 p7 77 stronge man ne semeth nat to abaissen or disdaignen
Bo4 p7 78 as ofte tyme as he herith the noyse
Bo4 p7 79 of the bataile, ne also it ne semeth nat to
Bo4 p7 80 the wise man to beren it grevously as ofte
Bo4 p7 81 as he is lad into the stryf of fortune. For,
Bo4 p7 82 bothe to the to man and eek to the tothir thilke
Bo4 p7 83 difficulte is the matere, to the to man of encres
Bo4 p7 84 of his glorious renoun, and to the tothir man
Bo4 p7 85 to confermen his sapience (that is to seyn, to the
Bo4 p7 86 asprenesse of his estat). For therfore it is
Bo4 p7 87 called `vertu,' for that it sustenith and enforceth
Bo4 p7 88 by hise strengthes that it nis nat overcomen by
Bo4 p7 89 adversites. Ne certes thou, that art put in
Bo4 p7 90 the encres or in the heyghte of vertu, ne
Bo4 p7 91 hast nat comen to fleten with delices, and
Bo4 p7 92 for to welken in bodily lust; thou sowest or
Bo4 p7 93 plawntest a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins
Bo4 p7 94 every fortune, for that the sorwful fortune ne
Bo4 p7 95 confownde the nat, ne that the myrie fortune
Bo4 p7 96 ne corrumpe the nat. Ocupye the mene by stidefast
Bo4 p7 97 strengthes; for al that evere is undir the
Bo4 p7 98 mene, or elles al that overpasseth the mene,
Bo4 p7 99 despyseth welefulnesse (as who seith, it
Bo4 p7 100 is vycious), and ne hath no mede of his
Bo4 p7 101 travaile. For it is set in your hand (as who
Bo4 p7 102 seith, it lyth in your power) what fortune yow
Bo4 p7 103 is levest (that is to seyn, good or yvel). For
Bo4 p7 104 alle fortune that semeth scharp or aspre, yif it
Bo4 p7 105 ne exercise nat the good folk ne chastiseth the
Bo4 p7 106 wikkide folk, it punysseth.
Bo4 m7 1 "The wrekere Attrides (that is to seyn, Agamenon),
Bo4 m7 2 that wrought and contynued the batailes
Bo4 m7 3 by ten yer, recovered and purgide in
Bo4 m7 4 wrekynge, by the destruccioun of Troye, the
Bo4 m7 5 loste chaumbris of mariage of his brothir.
Bo4 m7 6 (That is to seyn, that he, Agamenon, wan ayein
Bo4 m7 7 Eleyne that was Menelaus wif his brothir.)
Bo4 m7 8 In the mene while that thilke Agamenon desirede
Bo4 m7 9 to yeven sayles to the Grykkyssche
Bo4 m7 10 naveye, and boughte ayein the wyndes by
Bo4 m7 11 blood, he unclothide hym of pite of fadir;
Bo4 m7 12 and the sory preest yeveth in sacrifyenge the
Bo4 m7 13 wrecchide kuttynge of throte of the doughter.
Bo4 m7 14 (That is to seyn that Agamenon leet kutten the
Bo4 m7 15 throte of his doughter by the preest, to maken
Bo4 m7 16 alliaunce with his goddes and for to han wynd
Bo4 m7 17 with whiche he myghte wenden to Troye.)
Bo4 m7 18 "Ytakus (that is to seyn, Ulixes) bywepte his
Bo4 m7 19 felawes ilorne, the whiche felawes the
Bo4 m7 20 fyerse Poliphemus, ligginge in his grete cave,
Bo4 m7 21 had fretyn and dreynt in his empty wombe.
Bo4 m7 22 But natheles Poliphemus, wood for his blynde
Bo4 m7 23 visage, yald to Ulixes joye by his sorwful
Bo4 m7 24 teres. (This to seyn, that Ulixes smoot out the
Bo4 m7 25 eye of Poliphemus, that stood in his forheed,
Bo4 m7 26 for whiche Ulixes hadde joye whan he say Poliphemus
Bo4 m7 27 wepynge and blynd).
Bo4 m7 28 "Hercules is celebrable for his harde travailes.
Bo4 m7 29 He dawntide the proude Centauris (half
Bo4 m7 30 hors, half man), and he byrafte the dispoilynge
Bo4 m7 31 fro the cruel lyoun (that is to seyn, he
Bo4 m7 32 slouhe the lyoun and rafte hym his skyn); he
Bo4 m7 33 smot the briddes that hyghten Arpiis with certein
Bo4 m7 34 arwes; he ravysschide applis fro the wakynge
Bo4 m7 35 dragoun, and his hand was the more hevy
Bo4 m7 36 for the goldene metal; he drowh Cerberus, the
Bo4 m7 37 hound of helle, by his treble cheyne; he, overcomer,
Bo4 m7 38 as it is seyd, hath put an unmeke lord
Bo4 m7 39 foddre to his crwel hors (this to seyn, that
Bo4 m7 40 Hercules slowh Diomedes, and made his
Bo4 m7 41 hors to freten hym); and he, Hercules,
Bo4 m7 42 slowh Idra the serpent, and brende the venym;
Bo4 m7 43 and Acheleous the flod, defowled in his forheed,
Bo4 m7 44 dreynte his schamefast visage in his
Bo4 m7 45 strondes (that is to seyn, that Achaleous coude
Bo4 m7 46 transfiguren hymself into diverse liknesse, and,
Bo4 m7 47 as he faughte with Hercules, at the laste he
Bo4 m7 48 torned hym into a bole, and Hercules brak of
Bo4 m7 49 oon of his hornes, and he for schame hidde
Bo4 m7 50 hym in his ryver); and he, Hercules, caste
Bo4 m7 51 adoun Antheus the geaunt in the [sondes]
Bo4 m7 52 of Libye; and Kacus apaysede the wratthes of
Bo4 m7 53 Evander (this to seyn, that Hercules slouh the
Bo4 m7 54 monstre Kacus, and apaysed with that deth the
Bo4 m7 55 wratthe of Evander); and the bristilede boor
Bo4 m7 56 markide with scomes the scholdres of Hercules,
Bo4 m7 57 the whiche scholdres the heye cercle of
Bo4 m7 58 hevene sholde thriste; and the laste of his labours
Bo4 m7 59 was that he susteynede the hevene
Bo4 m7 60 uppon his nekke unbowed; and he disservide
Bo4 m7 61 eftsones the hevene to ben the pris
Bo4 m7 62 of his laste travaile.
Bo4 m7 63 "Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther as
Bo4 m7 64 the heye wey of the greet ensaumple ledith
Bo4 m7 65 yow. O nyce men! why nake ye your bakkes?
Bo4 m7 66 (As who seith, "O ye slowe and delicat men!
Bo4 m7 67 whi flee ye adversites, and ne fyghte nat ayeins
Bo4 m7 68 hem by vertu, to wynnen the mede of the hevene?")
Bo4 m7 69 For the erthe overcomen yeveth the
Bo4 m7 70 sterres." (This to seyn, that whan that
Bo4 m7 71 erthly lust is overcomyn, a man is makid
Bo4 m7 72 worthy to the hevene.)