it
hadde I not desserued of ?
hadde I not desserued of ?
Chaucer - Boethius
schal .
I.
forsake ?
is blame ?
at I ne be no schame to 364
? e (q. d. no{n}).
[Sidenote: It is true that he tried to save the Senate, for he has
and will have its best interests always at heart. ]
? Certis . I. haue wold it. ? at is to
seyne ? e sauuaciou{n} of ? e senat. ne I schal neuer leten
to wilne it. {and} ? at I confesse {and} am a-knowe. but
? e entent of ? e accusour to be destourbed schal cese. 368
? For schal I clepe it a felonie ? an or a synne ? at I
haue desired ? e sauuaciou{n} of ? e ordre of ? e senat.
and certys ? it hadde ? ilk same senat don by me ? oru?
her decret? {and} hire iugementys as ? ou? it were a synne 372
or a felonie ? at is to seyne to wilne ? e sauuaciou{n} of
he{m} (. s senat{us}).
[Sidenote: (Folly cannot change the merit of things. ]
? But folye ? at lieth alwey to hym
self may not chaunge ? e merit of ? inges.
[Sidenote: According to Socrates' judgment it is not lawful to
hide the truth nor assent to a falsehood. )]
? Ne . I.
trowe not by ? e iugement of socrates ? {a}t it were leueful 376
to me to hide ? e so? e. ne assent[e] to lesynges.
? But certys how so euer it be of ? is I put[te] it to gessen
or p{re}ise{n} to ? e iugeme{n}t of ? e {and} of wise folk. ? Of
whiche ? ing al ? e ordinaunce {and} ? e so? e for as moche 380
as folk ? at ben to comen aftir our{e} dayes scholle{n}
knowen it.
[Sidenote: Boethius determines to transmit an account of his
prosecution to posterity. ]
? I haue put it in scripture {and} remembraunce.
for touching ? e l{ett}res falsly maked. by
whiche l{ett}res I am accused to han hooped ? e fredom of 384
Rome. What app{er}tene? me to speken ? er-of.
[Sidenote: Boethius says that he could have defeated his accusers
had he been allowed the use of their confessions. ]
Of whiche l{ett}res ? e fraude hadde ben schewed ap{er}tly if
I hadde had libertee forto han vsed {and} ben at ? e [[pg 18]]
co{n}fessiou{n} of myn accuso{ur}s. ? ? e whiche ? ing in 388
alle nedys ha? grete strenke? . ? For what o? {er} fredo{m}
may men hopen.
[Sidenote: But there is now no remains of liberty to be hoped
for. ]
Certys I wolde ? at some o? {er} fredom
my? t[e] be hoped. ? I wolde ? an haue answered by
? e wordes of a man ? at hy? t[e] Canius. for whan he was 392
accused by Gayus Cesar Germeins son ? at he (cani{us})
was knowyng {and} consentyng of a coniurac{i}ou{n} maked
a? eins hym (. s. Gai{us}). ? ? is Canius answered[e]
? us. ? Yif I had[de] wist it ? ou haddest not wist it. 396
[Linenotes:
357 _axest ? ou_--axestow
358 _seyne_--seyn
_sauen_--saue
359 _desirest ? ou_--desires thow
_here_--hereen
362 _maked_--MS. maken, C. makyd
363 _demest ? ou_--demestow
365 _wold_--MS. wolde, C. wold
366 _seyne_--seyn
367 _? at_--omitted
_am_--I am
368 _be_--ben
369 _it_--it thanne
_? an_--omitted
371 _? ilk_--thilke
372 _her_--hir
_hire_--hir
_? ou? _--thogh
373 _or_--and
_seyne_--seyn
374 _lieth_--MS. lie? e, C. lieth
377 _assent[e]_--assente
381 _schollen_--shellen
382 {and}--{and} in
385 _speken_--speke
385-86 _of----lettres_--C. omits
386 _if_--yif
387 _had_--MS. hade, C. had
388 _myn_--myne
389 _ha? _--MS. ha? e, C. hath
_grete_--gret
_what_--omitted
390 _some_--som
391 _my? t[e] be_--myhte ben
_? an haue_--thanne han
392 _hy? t[e]_--hyhte
394 _maked_--ymaked
395 _answered[e]_--answerede
396 _had[de]_--hadde]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS COMPLAINS TO PHILOSOPHY. ]
[Sidenote: It is not strange that the wicked should conspire
against virtue. ]
In whiche ? ing sorwe ha? not so dulled my witte
? {a}t I pleyne oonly ? at schrewed[e] folk apparailen
folies a? eins vertues. ? But I wondre gretly how ? at
? ei may p{er}forme ? inges ? at ? ei had[de] hoped forto 400
done.
[Sidenote: The will to do ill proceeds from the defects of human
nature. ]
For why. to wylne schrewednesse ? at come?
p{ar}auenture of oure defaute. ? But it is lyke to a
monstre {and} a meruaille.
[Sidenote: It is a marvel how such evil acts can be done under the
eye of an Omniscient God. ]
? How ? at in ? e p{re}se{n}t
sy? t of god may ben acheued {and} p{er}formed swiche 404
? inges. as euery felonous man ha? conceyued in hys
? ou? t a? eins i{n}nocent. ? For whiche ? ing oon of ? i
familers not vnskilfully axed ? us.
[Sidenote: If there be a God, whence proceeds evil? If there is
none, whence arises good? ]
? ? if god is. whennes
comen wikked[e] ? inges. {and} yif god ne is whennes 408
comen goode ? inges. but al hadde it ben leueful ? at
felonous folk ? at now desiren ? e bloode {and} ? e dee? of
alle goode men. {and} eke of al ? e senat han wilned to
gone destroien me. whom ? ei han seyn alwey bataile{n} 412
{and} defenden goode men {and} eke al ? e senat. ?
it
hadde I not desserued of ? e fadres. ? at is to seyne of
? e senatours ? at ? ei scholde wilne my destrucc{i}ou{n}.
[Sidenote: Boethius defends the integrity of his life. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 6 _b_. ]]
? ? ou remembrest wele as I gesse ? at whan I wolde [[pg 19]]
don or *seyn any ? ing. ? ou ? i self alwey p{re}sent reweledest me. 417
[Sidenote: He defended the Senate at Verona. ]
? At ? e citee of verone wha{n} ? at ? e
kyng gredy of comune slau? ter. caste hym to t{ra}nsporten
vpon al ? e ordre of ? e senat. ? e gilt of his real 420
maieste of ? e whiche gilt ? at albyn was accused. wi?
how grete sykernesse of p{er}il to me defended[e] I al
? e senat.
[Sidenote: He spake only the truth, and did not boast. ]
? ? ou wost wel ? at I seide so? e. ne I
auaunted[e] me neuer in preysyng of my self. 424
[Sidenote: (Boasting lessens the pleasure of a self approving
conscience. )]
? For
alwey when any wy? t resceiue? p{re}ciouse renou{n} in
auauntyng hym self of hys werkes: he amenusi? ? e
secre of hys conscience. ? But now ? ou mayst wel
seen to what ende I am comen for myne i{n}nocence. 428
[Linenotes:
397 _whiche_--which
_sorwe_--sorw
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
_witte_--wit
398 _schrewed[e]_--shrewede
399 _folies_--felonies
_vertues_--vertu
400 _had[de]_--han
401 _done_--don
_come? _--comth
402 _lyke to a_--lyk a
404 _sy? t_--syhte
405 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
406 _innocent_--innocent?
_whiche_--which
408 _wikked[e]_--wykkede
410 _bloode_--blod
411 _eke_--ek
412 _gone_--gon {and}
_seyn_--seyen
413 _eke_--ek
414 _seyne_--seyn
415 _scholde_--sholden
416 _wele_--wel
417 _don_--MS. done, C. doon
_seyn_--seyen
418 _? e_ (1)--omitted
419 _slau? ter_--slawhtre
420 _transporten vpon_--transpor vp
422 _grete_--gret
_defended[e]_--deffendede
423 _seide so? e_--seye soth
424 _auaunted[e]_--auauntede
425 _when_--whan
_preciouse_--presious]
[Headnote:
OF HIS FALSE ACCUSERS. ]
[Sidenote: But as the reward of his innocence he is made to suffer
the punishment due to the blackest crime. ]
I receiue peyne of fals felonie in gerdou{n} of verray
vertue. ? And what open co{n}fessiou{n} of felonie
had[de] euer iugis so accordaunt i{n} cruelte. ? at is to
seyne as myne accusyng ha? . ? ? at o? er errour of 432
mans witte or ellys co{n}diciou{n} of fortune ? at is vncerteyne
to al mortal folk ne submytted[e] su{m}me of he{m}. ? at is
to seyne ? at it ne cheyned[e] su{m}me iuge to han pitee
or compassiou{n}. 436
[Sidenote: Had he been accused of a design to burn temples,
massacre priests, he would have been allowed to confront his
accusers. ]
? For al ? ou? I had[de] ben accused
? at I wolde brenne holy houses. {and} strangle p{re}stys
wi? wicked swerde. ? or ? at . I. had[de] gray? ed dee?
to alle goode men algatis ? e sentence scholde han
punysched me p{re}sent confessed or co{n}uict.
[Sidenote: But now this is denied him, and he is proscribed and
condemned to death. ]
? But 440
now I am remewed fro ? e Citee of rome almost fyue-hundre?
? ousand pas. I am wi? outen defence dampned
to p{ro}sc{ri}pciou{n} {and} to ? e dee? . for ? e studie {and}
bountees ? at I haue done to ? e senat. ? But o wel ben 444
? ei wor? i of mercye (as who sei? nay. ) ? er my? t[e] neuer
? it non of hem ben conuicte. Of swiche a blame as [[pg 20]]
myn is of swiche t{r}espas myn accuso{ur}s seyen ful wel ? e dignitee.
[Linenotes:
429 _in_--for
430 _vertue_--vertu
431 _had[de]_--hadde
432 _seyne_--seyn
_myne_--myn
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
433 _witte_--wit
_vncerteyne_--vncerteyn
434 _al_--alle
_submytted[e]_--submittede
435 _seyne_--seyn
_cheyned[e]_--enclinede
436 _had[de]_--hadde
438 _wicked_--wykkede
_had[de]_--hadde
441 _almost_--almest
442 _? ousand_--MS. ? ousas
_wi? outen_--withowte
444 _done_--doon
445 _my? t[e]_--myhte
446 _ben_--be
_swiche_--swich
447 _myn_ (_both_)--myne
_swiche_--whiche
_seyen_--sayen]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS ACCUSED OF SORCERY. ]
[Sidenote: Boethius says that his enemies accused him of sorcery. ]
? e wiche dignite for ? ei wolde derken it 448
wi? medelyng of some felonye. ? ei beren me on honde
{and} lieden. ? at I hadde polute {and} defouled my conscience
wi? sacrelege. for couetise of dignite. ? And
certys ? ou ? i self ? at art plaunted in me chacedest oute 452
? e sege of my corage al couetise of mortal ? inges. ne
sacrilege ne had[de] no leue to han a place in me byforne
? ine eyen.
[Sidenote: He affirms that he has always followed the golden maxim
of Pythagoras,-- ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . ]
? For ? ou drouppedest euery day in myn
eer{e}s {and} in my ? ou? t ? ilk comaundement of pictogoras. 456
? at is to seyne men schal seruen to god. {and} not to
goddes. ? Ne it was no couenaunt ne no nede to
taken helpe of ? e foulest spirites. ? I ? at ? ou hast
ordeyned or set in syche excellence ? {a}t [? ou] makedest 460
me lyke to god. and ouer ? is ? e ry? t clene secre
chaumbre of myn house.
[Sidenote: His family and friends could clear him from all
suspicion of the crime of sorcery. ]
? at is to seye my wijf {and} ? e
co{m}paignie of myn honeste frendis. {and} my wyues
fadir as wel holy as wor? i to ben reuerenced ? oru? 464
hys owen dedis. defenden me of al suspecciou{n} of syche
blame. ? But o malice. ? For ? ei ? at accusen me
taken of ? e philosophie fei? e of so grete blame.
[Sidenote: Because he has given himself up to Philosophy, his
enemies accuse him of using unlawful arts. ]
?
? e (q. d. no{n}).
[Sidenote: It is true that he tried to save the Senate, for he has
and will have its best interests always at heart. ]
? Certis . I. haue wold it. ? at is to
seyne ? e sauuaciou{n} of ? e senat. ne I schal neuer leten
to wilne it. {and} ? at I confesse {and} am a-knowe. but
? e entent of ? e accusour to be destourbed schal cese. 368
? For schal I clepe it a felonie ? an or a synne ? at I
haue desired ? e sauuaciou{n} of ? e ordre of ? e senat.
and certys ? it hadde ? ilk same senat don by me ? oru?
her decret? {and} hire iugementys as ? ou? it were a synne 372
or a felonie ? at is to seyne to wilne ? e sauuaciou{n} of
he{m} (. s senat{us}).
[Sidenote: (Folly cannot change the merit of things. ]
? But folye ? at lieth alwey to hym
self may not chaunge ? e merit of ? inges.
[Sidenote: According to Socrates' judgment it is not lawful to
hide the truth nor assent to a falsehood. )]
? Ne . I.
trowe not by ? e iugement of socrates ? {a}t it were leueful 376
to me to hide ? e so? e. ne assent[e] to lesynges.
? But certys how so euer it be of ? is I put[te] it to gessen
or p{re}ise{n} to ? e iugeme{n}t of ? e {and} of wise folk. ? Of
whiche ? ing al ? e ordinaunce {and} ? e so? e for as moche 380
as folk ? at ben to comen aftir our{e} dayes scholle{n}
knowen it.
[Sidenote: Boethius determines to transmit an account of his
prosecution to posterity. ]
? I haue put it in scripture {and} remembraunce.
for touching ? e l{ett}res falsly maked. by
whiche l{ett}res I am accused to han hooped ? e fredom of 384
Rome. What app{er}tene? me to speken ? er-of.
[Sidenote: Boethius says that he could have defeated his accusers
had he been allowed the use of their confessions. ]
Of whiche l{ett}res ? e fraude hadde ben schewed ap{er}tly if
I hadde had libertee forto han vsed {and} ben at ? e [[pg 18]]
co{n}fessiou{n} of myn accuso{ur}s. ? ? e whiche ? ing in 388
alle nedys ha? grete strenke? . ? For what o? {er} fredo{m}
may men hopen.
[Sidenote: But there is now no remains of liberty to be hoped
for. ]
Certys I wolde ? at some o? {er} fredom
my? t[e] be hoped. ? I wolde ? an haue answered by
? e wordes of a man ? at hy? t[e] Canius. for whan he was 392
accused by Gayus Cesar Germeins son ? at he (cani{us})
was knowyng {and} consentyng of a coniurac{i}ou{n} maked
a? eins hym (. s. Gai{us}). ? ? is Canius answered[e]
? us. ? Yif I had[de] wist it ? ou haddest not wist it. 396
[Linenotes:
357 _axest ? ou_--axestow
358 _seyne_--seyn
_sauen_--saue
359 _desirest ? ou_--desires thow
_here_--hereen
362 _maked_--MS. maken, C. makyd
363 _demest ? ou_--demestow
365 _wold_--MS. wolde, C. wold
366 _seyne_--seyn
367 _? at_--omitted
_am_--I am
368 _be_--ben
369 _it_--it thanne
_? an_--omitted
371 _? ilk_--thilke
372 _her_--hir
_hire_--hir
_? ou? _--thogh
373 _or_--and
_seyne_--seyn
374 _lieth_--MS. lie? e, C. lieth
377 _assent[e]_--assente
381 _schollen_--shellen
382 {and}--{and} in
385 _speken_--speke
385-86 _of----lettres_--C. omits
386 _if_--yif
387 _had_--MS. hade, C. had
388 _myn_--myne
389 _ha? _--MS. ha? e, C. hath
_grete_--gret
_what_--omitted
390 _some_--som
391 _my? t[e] be_--myhte ben
_? an haue_--thanne han
392 _hy? t[e]_--hyhte
394 _maked_--ymaked
395 _answered[e]_--answerede
396 _had[de]_--hadde]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS COMPLAINS TO PHILOSOPHY. ]
[Sidenote: It is not strange that the wicked should conspire
against virtue. ]
In whiche ? ing sorwe ha? not so dulled my witte
? {a}t I pleyne oonly ? at schrewed[e] folk apparailen
folies a? eins vertues. ? But I wondre gretly how ? at
? ei may p{er}forme ? inges ? at ? ei had[de] hoped forto 400
done.
[Sidenote: The will to do ill proceeds from the defects of human
nature. ]
For why. to wylne schrewednesse ? at come?
p{ar}auenture of oure defaute. ? But it is lyke to a
monstre {and} a meruaille.
[Sidenote: It is a marvel how such evil acts can be done under the
eye of an Omniscient God. ]
? How ? at in ? e p{re}se{n}t
sy? t of god may ben acheued {and} p{er}formed swiche 404
? inges. as euery felonous man ha? conceyued in hys
? ou? t a? eins i{n}nocent. ? For whiche ? ing oon of ? i
familers not vnskilfully axed ? us.
[Sidenote: If there be a God, whence proceeds evil? If there is
none, whence arises good? ]
? ? if god is. whennes
comen wikked[e] ? inges. {and} yif god ne is whennes 408
comen goode ? inges. but al hadde it ben leueful ? at
felonous folk ? at now desiren ? e bloode {and} ? e dee? of
alle goode men. {and} eke of al ? e senat han wilned to
gone destroien me. whom ? ei han seyn alwey bataile{n} 412
{and} defenden goode men {and} eke al ? e senat. ?
it
hadde I not desserued of ? e fadres. ? at is to seyne of
? e senatours ? at ? ei scholde wilne my destrucc{i}ou{n}.
[Sidenote: Boethius defends the integrity of his life. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 6 _b_. ]]
? ? ou remembrest wele as I gesse ? at whan I wolde [[pg 19]]
don or *seyn any ? ing. ? ou ? i self alwey p{re}sent reweledest me. 417
[Sidenote: He defended the Senate at Verona. ]
? At ? e citee of verone wha{n} ? at ? e
kyng gredy of comune slau? ter. caste hym to t{ra}nsporten
vpon al ? e ordre of ? e senat. ? e gilt of his real 420
maieste of ? e whiche gilt ? at albyn was accused. wi?
how grete sykernesse of p{er}il to me defended[e] I al
? e senat.
[Sidenote: He spake only the truth, and did not boast. ]
? ? ou wost wel ? at I seide so? e. ne I
auaunted[e] me neuer in preysyng of my self. 424
[Sidenote: (Boasting lessens the pleasure of a self approving
conscience. )]
? For
alwey when any wy? t resceiue? p{re}ciouse renou{n} in
auauntyng hym self of hys werkes: he amenusi? ? e
secre of hys conscience. ? But now ? ou mayst wel
seen to what ende I am comen for myne i{n}nocence. 428
[Linenotes:
397 _whiche_--which
_sorwe_--sorw
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
_witte_--wit
398 _schrewed[e]_--shrewede
399 _folies_--felonies
_vertues_--vertu
400 _had[de]_--han
401 _done_--don
_come? _--comth
402 _lyke to a_--lyk a
404 _sy? t_--syhte
405 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
406 _innocent_--innocent?
_whiche_--which
408 _wikked[e]_--wykkede
410 _bloode_--blod
411 _eke_--ek
412 _gone_--gon {and}
_seyn_--seyen
413 _eke_--ek
414 _seyne_--seyn
415 _scholde_--sholden
416 _wele_--wel
417 _don_--MS. done, C. doon
_seyn_--seyen
418 _? e_ (1)--omitted
419 _slau? ter_--slawhtre
420 _transporten vpon_--transpor vp
422 _grete_--gret
_defended[e]_--deffendede
423 _seide so? e_--seye soth
424 _auaunted[e]_--auauntede
425 _when_--whan
_preciouse_--presious]
[Headnote:
OF HIS FALSE ACCUSERS. ]
[Sidenote: But as the reward of his innocence he is made to suffer
the punishment due to the blackest crime. ]
I receiue peyne of fals felonie in gerdou{n} of verray
vertue. ? And what open co{n}fessiou{n} of felonie
had[de] euer iugis so accordaunt i{n} cruelte. ? at is to
seyne as myne accusyng ha? . ? ? at o? er errour of 432
mans witte or ellys co{n}diciou{n} of fortune ? at is vncerteyne
to al mortal folk ne submytted[e] su{m}me of he{m}. ? at is
to seyne ? at it ne cheyned[e] su{m}me iuge to han pitee
or compassiou{n}. 436
[Sidenote: Had he been accused of a design to burn temples,
massacre priests, he would have been allowed to confront his
accusers. ]
? For al ? ou? I had[de] ben accused
? at I wolde brenne holy houses. {and} strangle p{re}stys
wi? wicked swerde. ? or ? at . I. had[de] gray? ed dee?
to alle goode men algatis ? e sentence scholde han
punysched me p{re}sent confessed or co{n}uict.
[Sidenote: But now this is denied him, and he is proscribed and
condemned to death. ]
? But 440
now I am remewed fro ? e Citee of rome almost fyue-hundre?
? ousand pas. I am wi? outen defence dampned
to p{ro}sc{ri}pciou{n} {and} to ? e dee? . for ? e studie {and}
bountees ? at I haue done to ? e senat. ? But o wel ben 444
? ei wor? i of mercye (as who sei? nay. ) ? er my? t[e] neuer
? it non of hem ben conuicte. Of swiche a blame as [[pg 20]]
myn is of swiche t{r}espas myn accuso{ur}s seyen ful wel ? e dignitee.
[Linenotes:
429 _in_--for
430 _vertue_--vertu
431 _had[de]_--hadde
432 _seyne_--seyn
_myne_--myn
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
433 _witte_--wit
_vncerteyne_--vncerteyn
434 _al_--alle
_submytted[e]_--submittede
435 _seyne_--seyn
_cheyned[e]_--enclinede
436 _had[de]_--hadde
438 _wicked_--wykkede
_had[de]_--hadde
441 _almost_--almest
442 _? ousand_--MS. ? ousas
_wi? outen_--withowte
444 _done_--doon
445 _my? t[e]_--myhte
446 _ben_--be
_swiche_--swich
447 _myn_ (_both_)--myne
_swiche_--whiche
_seyen_--sayen]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS ACCUSED OF SORCERY. ]
[Sidenote: Boethius says that his enemies accused him of sorcery. ]
? e wiche dignite for ? ei wolde derken it 448
wi? medelyng of some felonye. ? ei beren me on honde
{and} lieden. ? at I hadde polute {and} defouled my conscience
wi? sacrelege. for couetise of dignite. ? And
certys ? ou ? i self ? at art plaunted in me chacedest oute 452
? e sege of my corage al couetise of mortal ? inges. ne
sacrilege ne had[de] no leue to han a place in me byforne
? ine eyen.
[Sidenote: He affirms that he has always followed the golden maxim
of Pythagoras,-- ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . ]
? For ? ou drouppedest euery day in myn
eer{e}s {and} in my ? ou? t ? ilk comaundement of pictogoras. 456
? at is to seyne men schal seruen to god. {and} not to
goddes. ? Ne it was no couenaunt ne no nede to
taken helpe of ? e foulest spirites. ? I ? at ? ou hast
ordeyned or set in syche excellence ? {a}t [? ou] makedest 460
me lyke to god. and ouer ? is ? e ry? t clene secre
chaumbre of myn house.
[Sidenote: His family and friends could clear him from all
suspicion of the crime of sorcery. ]
? at is to seye my wijf {and} ? e
co{m}paignie of myn honeste frendis. {and} my wyues
fadir as wel holy as wor? i to ben reuerenced ? oru? 464
hys owen dedis. defenden me of al suspecciou{n} of syche
blame. ? But o malice. ? For ? ei ? at accusen me
taken of ? e philosophie fei? e of so grete blame.
[Sidenote: Because he has given himself up to Philosophy, his
enemies accuse him of using unlawful arts. ]
?
