is
questiou{n}
q{uo}d
she.
she.
Chaucer - Boethius
t so wil I ?
eue
? e here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune.
[Sidenote: Because by the attainment of felicity men become happy,
and as felicity is the same as Divinity itself, therefore by the
attainment of Divinity men are made happy. ]
For whi.
for as moche as by ? e getynge of blisfulnesse men ben 2556
maked blysful. {and} blisfulnesse is diuinite. ? ? an is
it manifest {and} open ? at by ? e gety{n}g of diuinite men
ben makid blisful.
[Sidenote: But as by the participation of justice or of wisdom men
become just or wise,]
ry? t as by ? e getynge of iustice . . .
{and} by ? e getyng of sapience ? ei ben maked wise. 2560
[Linenotes:
2529 _whiche_--whych
2531 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
2533 _so? e_--soth
2534 _mote_--moten
2539 [_yit_]--from C.
2541 _is_ (1)--nis
_o? er_--othre
[_ne_]--from C.
2546 _conclude_--concluded
2547 [_the_] from C.
_goode_--good
_be_--ben
2549 _so? efast_--sothfast
_ferme_--MS. forme, C. ferme
2552 _proposiciouns_--MS. p{ro}porsiou{n}s, C. p{ro}posiciou{n}s
2553 _porismes_--MS. poeismes, C. porysmes
2554 _wil_--wole]
[Headnote:
THE HAPPY MAN IS A GOD. ]
[Sidenote: so by partaking of Divinity they must necessarily,
and by parity of reason, become gods. ]
? Ry? t so nedes by ? e semblable resou{n}
wha{n} ? ei han getyn [[pg 92]]
diuinite ? ei ben maked goddys.
[Sidenote: Every happy man then is a god. But by nature there is
only _One_; but by participation of Divine essence there may be
many gods. ]
? an is euery blisful
man god. ? But certis by nature. ? er nys but oon god.
but by ? e p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}s of diuinite ? ere ne lette? ne 2564
disturbe? no ? ing ? at ? er ne ben many goddes. ? ? is
is q{uo}d . I. a faire ? ing {and} a p{re}cious. ? Clepe it as
? {o}u wolt. be it corolarie or porisme or mede of coroune
or declarynges ? Certys q{uo}d she no ? ing nis fairer. 2568
? an is ? e ? ing ? at by resou{n} sholde ben added to ? ise
forseide ? inges. what ? ing q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: But as happiness seems to be an assemblage of many
things, ought we not to consider whether these several things
constitute conjointly the body of happiness, or whether there is
not some one of these particular things that may complete the
substance or essence of it, and to which all the rest have a
relation? ]
? So q{uo}d she as
it seme? ? at blisfulnesse conteni? many ? inges. it were
forto witen whe? ir [? {a}t] alle ? ise ? inges maken or 2572
conioignen as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite
of parties or [of] me{m}bris. Or ellys yif any of alle
? ilke ? i{n}g{us} be swyche ? at it acomplise by hy{m} self ? e
substaunce of blisfulnesse. so ? at alle ? ise o? er ? inges 2576
ben referred and brou? t to blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne
as to ? e chief of hem.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Illustrate this matter by proper examples. ]
? I wolde q{uo}d I ? at ? ou
makedest me clerly to vndirstonde what ? ou seist. {and}
? at ? ou recordest me ? e forseide ? inges.
[Sidenote: _P. _ As you grant that happiness is a good, you may say
the same of all the other goods; for perfect sufficiency is
identical with supreme felicity; so is supreme power, likewise
high rank, a shining reputation, and perfect pleasure. ]
? Haue I nat 2580
iuged q{uo}d she. ? at blisfulnesse is goode. ? is forso? e
q{uo}d . I. {and} ? at souereyne goode. ? Adde ? an q{uo}d
she ? ilke goode ? at is maked blisfulnes to alle ? e forseide
? inges. ? For ? ilke same blisfulnesse ? at is 2584
demed to ben souereyne suffisaunce. ? ilke self is
souereyne power. souereyne reuerence. sou{er}eyne clernesse
or noblesse {and} souereyne delit.
[Sidenote: What say you, then; are all these things, sufficiency,
power, and the rest, to be considered as constituent parts of
felicity? or are they to be referred to the sovereign good as
their source and principal? ]
what seist ? ou
? an of alle ? ise ? inges. ? at is to seyne. suffisance power 2588
{and} ? ise o? er ? inges. ben ? ei ? an as membris of blisfulnesse.
or ben ? ei referred {and} brou? t to souereyne good.
? Ry? t as alle ? inges ? at ben brou? t to ? e chief of hem.
[Linenotes:
2563 _oon_--o
2564 _lette? _--let
2566 _faire_--fayr
2567 _porisme_--MS. pousme, C. porisme
2572 [_? at_]--from C.
2573 _maner_--maner{e}
_by_--be
2574 [_of_]--from C.
2575 _swyche_--swych
2576 _o? er_--oothr{e}
2577 _seyne_--seyn
2578 _chief_--chef
2581 _goode ? is_--good ys
2582 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
2583 _goode_--good
2585 _self_--selue
2588 _? ise_--C. omits
_seyne_--seyn
2589 _o? er_--oothre]
[Headnote:
GOOD, THE RULE AND SQUARE OF THINGS DESIRABLE. ]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see what you are aiming at, and I am desirous to
hear your arguments. ]
b. I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d . I. what ? ou p{ur}posest to [[pg 93]]
seke. but I desijr[e] to herkene ? at ? ou shewe it me. 2593
[Sidenote: _P. _ If all these things were members of felicity, they
would differ one from another, for it is the property of diverse
parts to compose one body. ]
_p. _ Take now ? us ? e discressiou{n} of ?
is questiou{n} q{uo}d
she. yif al ? ise ? inges q{uo}d she weren membris to
felicite. ? an weren ? ei diu{er}se ? at oon fro ? at o? er. 2596
? And swiche is ? e nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris.
? at dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body.
[Sidenote: But it has been well shown that all these things are
the same and do not differ--therefore they are not parts, for if
they were, happiness might be made up of one member--which is
absurd and impossible. ]
? Certis
q{uo}d I it ha? wel ben shewed her byforne. ? at alle ? ise
? inges ben alle on ? ing. ? an ben ? ei none membris q{uo}d 2600
she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 22. ]]
for ellys it sholde seme ? at blisfulnesse were
conioigned *al of one membre alone. but ? at is a ? i{n}g
? at may nat ben doon.
[Sidenote: _B. _ This I doubt not, but I desire to hear the
sequel. ]
? is ? ing q{uo}d . I. nys nat
doutous. but I abide to herkene ? e remenaunt of ? e 2604
questiou{n}.
[Sidenote: _P. _ All the things above-mentioned must be tried by
Good, as the rule and square. ]
? is is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. ? at alle o? er
? inges ben referred {and} brou? t to goode.
[Sidenote: Sufficiency, power, &c. , are all desired, because they
are esteemed a good. ]
? For ? erfore
is suffisaunce requered. For it is demed to ben
good. {and} for? i is power requered. for men trowen also 2608
? at it be goode. and ? is same ? ing mowe we ? inken {and}
coueiten of reuerence {and} of noblesse {and} of delit.
[Sidenote: Good is the cause why all things are desired. ]
? an is souereyne good ? e soume {and} ? e cause of alle ? at
au? t[e] be desired.
[Sidenote: For that which contains no good, either in reality or
appearance, can never be desired. ]
forwhi ? ilke ? ing ? at wi? -holde? no 2612
good in it self ne semblaunce of goode it ne may nat
wel in no manere be desired ne requered.
[Sidenote: On the contrary, things not essentially good are
desired because they appear to be real goods. ]
{and} ? e contrarie.
For ? ou? ? at ? inges by hir nature ne ben nat
goode algates yif men wene ? at ? ei be{n} goode ? it ben 2616
? ei desired as ? ou? [? {a}t] ? ei were verrayly goode.
[Sidenote: Hence, Good is esteemed as the cause and end of all
things that we desire. ]
{and} ? erfore is it ? at men au? te{n} to wene by ry? t ? at bounte
be souereyne fyn {and} ? e cause of alle ? inges ? at ben to
requeren.
[Sidenote: That which is the cause of our desiring any thing is
itself what we chiefly want. ]
? But certis ? ilke ? {a}t is cause for whiche 2620
men requeren any ? ing. ? it seme? ? at ? ilke same
? ing be most desired.
[Sidenote: If a man desire to ride on account of health--it is not
the ride he wants so much as its salutary effects. ]
as ? us yif ? at a wy? t wolde ryde
for cause of hele. he ne desire? nat so mychel ? e
moeuyng to ryden as ? e effect of his heele. [[pg 94]]
[Sidenote: Since all things are sought after for the sake of Good,
they cannot be more desirable than the good itself. ]
Now ? an 2624
syn ? at alle ? inges ben requered for ? e grace of good.
? ei ne ben [nat] desired of alle folk more ? an ? e same
good
[Sidenote: It has been shown that all the aforesaid things are
only pursued for the sake of happiness--hence it is clear that
good and happiness are essentially the same. ]
? But we han graunted ? at blysfulnesse is ? at
? ing for whiche ? at alle ? ise o? er ? inges ben desired. 2628
? an is it ? us ? at certis only blisfulnesse is requered {and}
desired ? By whiche ? ing it shewe? clerely ? at good
{and} blisfulnesse is al oone {and} ? e same substaunce.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see no cause to differ from you. ]
? I se nat q{uo}d I wher fore ? at men my? t[en] discorden 2632
in ? is.
[Sidenote: _P. _ It has been proved that God and happiness are
identical and inseparable. ]
_p. _ {and} we han shewed ? at god {and} verrey blysfulnesse
is al oon ? ing
[Sidenote: _B. _ That is true. ]
? ? at is so? e q{uod} . I.
[Sidenote: Therefore the substance of God is also the same as that
of the Supreme Good. ]
? an mowe we conclude sikerly ? {a}t ? e substaunce of god is
set in ? ilke same good {and} in noon o? er place. 2636
[Linenotes:
2591 _brou? t_--MS wrou? t, C. browht
2593 _desijr[e] to herkene_--desir{e} for to herkne
2594 _Take_--tak
2596 _fro_--from
2597 _swiche_--swhych
2600 _on ? ing_--othing
2602 _one_--on
2603 _ben doon_--be don
2604 _herkene_--herknen
2605 _clere_--cler
_o? er_--oothre
2606 _goode_--good
2609 _goode_--good
_mowe_--mowen
2617 [_? at_]--from C.
_were verrayly_--weeren verraylyche
2618 _? erfore_--therfor
_au? ten_--owhten
2619 _alle_--alle the
2620 _whiche_--whych
2623 _mychel_--mochel
2624 _moeuyng_--moeuynge
2626 [_nat_]--from C.
2628 _o? er_--oothr{e}
2630 _clerely_--clerly
_good and blisfulnesse_--of good {and} of blysfulnesse
2631 _oone_--oon
2632 _my? t[en]_--myhten
2634 _oon_--oo
_so? e_--soth
2635 _mowe_--mowen
2636 _set_--MS. sette, C. set]
[Headnote:
GOD A HAVEN OF REST. ]
NUNC OMNES PARITER {ET}C.
[Sidenote: [The 10^the Met{ur}.
? e here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune.
[Sidenote: Because by the attainment of felicity men become happy,
and as felicity is the same as Divinity itself, therefore by the
attainment of Divinity men are made happy. ]
For whi.
for as moche as by ? e getynge of blisfulnesse men ben 2556
maked blysful. {and} blisfulnesse is diuinite. ? ? an is
it manifest {and} open ? at by ? e gety{n}g of diuinite men
ben makid blisful.
[Sidenote: But as by the participation of justice or of wisdom men
become just or wise,]
ry? t as by ? e getynge of iustice . . .
{and} by ? e getyng of sapience ? ei ben maked wise. 2560
[Linenotes:
2529 _whiche_--whych
2531 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
2533 _so? e_--soth
2534 _mote_--moten
2539 [_yit_]--from C.
2541 _is_ (1)--nis
_o? er_--othre
[_ne_]--from C.
2546 _conclude_--concluded
2547 [_the_] from C.
_goode_--good
_be_--ben
2549 _so? efast_--sothfast
_ferme_--MS. forme, C. ferme
2552 _proposiciouns_--MS. p{ro}porsiou{n}s, C. p{ro}posiciou{n}s
2553 _porismes_--MS. poeismes, C. porysmes
2554 _wil_--wole]
[Headnote:
THE HAPPY MAN IS A GOD. ]
[Sidenote: so by partaking of Divinity they must necessarily,
and by parity of reason, become gods. ]
? Ry? t so nedes by ? e semblable resou{n}
wha{n} ? ei han getyn [[pg 92]]
diuinite ? ei ben maked goddys.
[Sidenote: Every happy man then is a god. But by nature there is
only _One_; but by participation of Divine essence there may be
many gods. ]
? an is euery blisful
man god. ? But certis by nature. ? er nys but oon god.
but by ? e p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}s of diuinite ? ere ne lette? ne 2564
disturbe? no ? ing ? at ? er ne ben many goddes. ? ? is
is q{uo}d . I. a faire ? ing {and} a p{re}cious. ? Clepe it as
? {o}u wolt. be it corolarie or porisme or mede of coroune
or declarynges ? Certys q{uo}d she no ? ing nis fairer. 2568
? an is ? e ? ing ? at by resou{n} sholde ben added to ? ise
forseide ? inges. what ? ing q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: But as happiness seems to be an assemblage of many
things, ought we not to consider whether these several things
constitute conjointly the body of happiness, or whether there is
not some one of these particular things that may complete the
substance or essence of it, and to which all the rest have a
relation? ]
? So q{uo}d she as
it seme? ? at blisfulnesse conteni? many ? inges. it were
forto witen whe? ir [? {a}t] alle ? ise ? inges maken or 2572
conioignen as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite
of parties or [of] me{m}bris. Or ellys yif any of alle
? ilke ? i{n}g{us} be swyche ? at it acomplise by hy{m} self ? e
substaunce of blisfulnesse. so ? at alle ? ise o? er ? inges 2576
ben referred and brou? t to blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne
as to ? e chief of hem.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Illustrate this matter by proper examples. ]
? I wolde q{uo}d I ? at ? ou
makedest me clerly to vndirstonde what ? ou seist. {and}
? at ? ou recordest me ? e forseide ? inges.
[Sidenote: _P. _ As you grant that happiness is a good, you may say
the same of all the other goods; for perfect sufficiency is
identical with supreme felicity; so is supreme power, likewise
high rank, a shining reputation, and perfect pleasure. ]
? Haue I nat 2580
iuged q{uo}d she. ? at blisfulnesse is goode. ? is forso? e
q{uo}d . I. {and} ? at souereyne goode. ? Adde ? an q{uo}d
she ? ilke goode ? at is maked blisfulnes to alle ? e forseide
? inges. ? For ? ilke same blisfulnesse ? at is 2584
demed to ben souereyne suffisaunce. ? ilke self is
souereyne power. souereyne reuerence. sou{er}eyne clernesse
or noblesse {and} souereyne delit.
[Sidenote: What say you, then; are all these things, sufficiency,
power, and the rest, to be considered as constituent parts of
felicity? or are they to be referred to the sovereign good as
their source and principal? ]
what seist ? ou
? an of alle ? ise ? inges. ? at is to seyne. suffisance power 2588
{and} ? ise o? er ? inges. ben ? ei ? an as membris of blisfulnesse.
or ben ? ei referred {and} brou? t to souereyne good.
? Ry? t as alle ? inges ? at ben brou? t to ? e chief of hem.
[Linenotes:
2563 _oon_--o
2564 _lette? _--let
2566 _faire_--fayr
2567 _porisme_--MS. pousme, C. porisme
2572 [_? at_]--from C.
2573 _maner_--maner{e}
_by_--be
2574 [_of_]--from C.
2575 _swyche_--swych
2576 _o? er_--oothr{e}
2577 _seyne_--seyn
2578 _chief_--chef
2581 _goode ? is_--good ys
2582 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn good
2583 _goode_--good
2585 _self_--selue
2588 _? ise_--C. omits
_seyne_--seyn
2589 _o? er_--oothre]
[Headnote:
GOOD, THE RULE AND SQUARE OF THINGS DESIRABLE. ]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see what you are aiming at, and I am desirous to
hear your arguments. ]
b. I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d . I. what ? ou p{ur}posest to [[pg 93]]
seke. but I desijr[e] to herkene ? at ? ou shewe it me. 2593
[Sidenote: _P. _ If all these things were members of felicity, they
would differ one from another, for it is the property of diverse
parts to compose one body. ]
_p. _ Take now ? us ? e discressiou{n} of ?
is questiou{n} q{uo}d
she. yif al ? ise ? inges q{uo}d she weren membris to
felicite. ? an weren ? ei diu{er}se ? at oon fro ? at o? er. 2596
? And swiche is ? e nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris.
? at dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body.
[Sidenote: But it has been well shown that all these things are
the same and do not differ--therefore they are not parts, for if
they were, happiness might be made up of one member--which is
absurd and impossible. ]
? Certis
q{uo}d I it ha? wel ben shewed her byforne. ? at alle ? ise
? inges ben alle on ? ing. ? an ben ? ei none membris q{uo}d 2600
she.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 22. ]]
for ellys it sholde seme ? at blisfulnesse were
conioigned *al of one membre alone. but ? at is a ? i{n}g
? at may nat ben doon.
[Sidenote: _B. _ This I doubt not, but I desire to hear the
sequel. ]
? is ? ing q{uo}d . I. nys nat
doutous. but I abide to herkene ? e remenaunt of ? e 2604
questiou{n}.
[Sidenote: _P. _ All the things above-mentioned must be tried by
Good, as the rule and square. ]
? is is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. ? at alle o? er
? inges ben referred {and} brou? t to goode.
[Sidenote: Sufficiency, power, &c. , are all desired, because they
are esteemed a good. ]
? For ? erfore
is suffisaunce requered. For it is demed to ben
good. {and} for? i is power requered. for men trowen also 2608
? at it be goode. and ? is same ? ing mowe we ? inken {and}
coueiten of reuerence {and} of noblesse {and} of delit.
[Sidenote: Good is the cause why all things are desired. ]
? an is souereyne good ? e soume {and} ? e cause of alle ? at
au? t[e] be desired.
[Sidenote: For that which contains no good, either in reality or
appearance, can never be desired. ]
forwhi ? ilke ? ing ? at wi? -holde? no 2612
good in it self ne semblaunce of goode it ne may nat
wel in no manere be desired ne requered.
[Sidenote: On the contrary, things not essentially good are
desired because they appear to be real goods. ]
{and} ? e contrarie.
For ? ou? ? at ? inges by hir nature ne ben nat
goode algates yif men wene ? at ? ei be{n} goode ? it ben 2616
? ei desired as ? ou? [? {a}t] ? ei were verrayly goode.
[Sidenote: Hence, Good is esteemed as the cause and end of all
things that we desire. ]
{and} ? erfore is it ? at men au? te{n} to wene by ry? t ? at bounte
be souereyne fyn {and} ? e cause of alle ? inges ? at ben to
requeren.
[Sidenote: That which is the cause of our desiring any thing is
itself what we chiefly want. ]
? But certis ? ilke ? {a}t is cause for whiche 2620
men requeren any ? ing. ? it seme? ? at ? ilke same
? ing be most desired.
[Sidenote: If a man desire to ride on account of health--it is not
the ride he wants so much as its salutary effects. ]
as ? us yif ? at a wy? t wolde ryde
for cause of hele. he ne desire? nat so mychel ? e
moeuyng to ryden as ? e effect of his heele. [[pg 94]]
[Sidenote: Since all things are sought after for the sake of Good,
they cannot be more desirable than the good itself. ]
Now ? an 2624
syn ? at alle ? inges ben requered for ? e grace of good.
? ei ne ben [nat] desired of alle folk more ? an ? e same
good
[Sidenote: It has been shown that all the aforesaid things are
only pursued for the sake of happiness--hence it is clear that
good and happiness are essentially the same. ]
? But we han graunted ? at blysfulnesse is ? at
? ing for whiche ? at alle ? ise o? er ? inges ben desired. 2628
? an is it ? us ? at certis only blisfulnesse is requered {and}
desired ? By whiche ? ing it shewe? clerely ? at good
{and} blisfulnesse is al oone {and} ? e same substaunce.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I see no cause to differ from you. ]
? I se nat q{uo}d I wher fore ? at men my? t[en] discorden 2632
in ? is.
[Sidenote: _P. _ It has been proved that God and happiness are
identical and inseparable. ]
_p. _ {and} we han shewed ? at god {and} verrey blysfulnesse
is al oon ? ing
[Sidenote: _B. _ That is true. ]
? ? at is so? e q{uod} . I.
[Sidenote: Therefore the substance of God is also the same as that
of the Supreme Good. ]
? an mowe we conclude sikerly ? {a}t ? e substaunce of god is
set in ? ilke same good {and} in noon o? er place. 2636
[Linenotes:
2591 _brou? t_--MS wrou? t, C. browht
2593 _desijr[e] to herkene_--desir{e} for to herkne
2594 _Take_--tak
2596 _fro_--from
2597 _swiche_--swhych
2600 _on ? ing_--othing
2602 _one_--on
2603 _ben doon_--be don
2604 _herkene_--herknen
2605 _clere_--cler
_o? er_--oothre
2606 _goode_--good
2609 _goode_--good
_mowe_--mowen
2617 [_? at_]--from C.
_were verrayly_--weeren verraylyche
2618 _? erfore_--therfor
_au? ten_--owhten
2619 _alle_--alle the
2620 _whiche_--whych
2623 _mychel_--mochel
2624 _moeuyng_--moeuynge
2626 [_nat_]--from C.
2628 _o? er_--oothr{e}
2630 _clerely_--clerly
_good and blisfulnesse_--of good {and} of blysfulnesse
2631 _oone_--oon
2632 _my? t[en]_--myhten
2634 _oon_--oo
_so? e_--soth
2635 _mowe_--mowen
2636 _set_--MS. sette, C. set]
[Headnote:
GOD A HAVEN OF REST. ]
NUNC OMNES PARITER {ET}C.
[Sidenote: [The 10^the Met{ur}.