e heuene is
gouerned
{and}
whennes ?
whennes ?
Chaucer - Boethius
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}. ]]
[Sidenote: Come hither, all ye that are captives--bound and
fettered with the chains of earthly desires;--come to this source
of goodness, where you shall find rest and security. ]
++O Come? alle to-gidre now ? e ? at ben ycau? t {and}
ybounde wi? wicked[e] cheines by ? e deceiuable
delit of er? ely ? inges inhabytynge in ? oure ? ou? t. here
shal ben ? e reste of ? oure laboures. here is ? e hauene 2640
stable in peisible quiete. ? is al oone is ? e open refut to
wreches.
[Sidenote: [Chaucer's gloss upon the Text. ]
_Glosa. _ ? is is to seyn. ? at ? e ? at ben combred
{and} deceyued wi? worldly affecc{i}ou{n}s come? now
to ? is souereyne good ? at is god. ? at is refut to hem ? at 2644
wolen come to hym.
[Sidenote: Not the gold of Tagus or of Hermus, nor the gems of
India, can clear the mental sight from vain delusions, but rather
darken it. ]
_Textus. _ ? Alle ? e ? inges ? at ? e
ryuere Tagus ? iue? ? ow wi? his golden[e] grauels. or
ellys alle ? e ? ynges ? at ? e ryuere herm{us}. ? iue? wi? his
rede brynke. or ? at yndus ? iue? ? at is nexte ? e hote 2648
p{ar}tie of ? e worlde. ? at medele? ? e grene stones
(smaragd{e}) wi? ? e white (margarits). ne sholde nat
cleren ? e lokynge of ? oure ? o? t. but hiden ra? er ? oure
blynde corages wi? i{n}ne hire dirkenesse
[Sidenote: Such sources of our delight are found in the earth's
gloomy caverns,--but the bright light that rules the heavens
dispels the darkness of the soul. ]
? Alle ? at 2652
like? ? ow here {and} exciti? {and} moeue? ? oure ? ou? tes.
? e er? e ha? noryshed it in hys lowe caues. but ? e [[pg 95]]
shynyng by ? e whiche ?
e heuene is gouerned {and}
whennes ? at it ha? hys streng? e ? at chase? ? e derke 2656
ouer? rowyng of ? e soule.
[Sidenote: He who has seen this light will confess that the beams
of the sun are weak and dim. ]
? And who so euer may
knowen ? ilke ly? t of blisfulnesse. he shal wel seine ? at
? e white bemes of ? e sonne ne ben nat cleer.
[Linenotes:
2638 _wicked[e]_--wyckyde
2639, 2640 _here_--her
2640 _hauene_--MS. heuene, C. hauene
2641 _al oone_--allone
2643 _worldly_--worldely
2645 _come_--comyn
2646 _golden[e] grauels_--goldene grauayles
2647 _? ynges_--MS. rynges, C. thinges
_hermus_--MS. herin{us}, C. herynus
2648 _nexte_--next
2649 _worlde_--world
2654, 2656 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
2654 _hys_--hyse
2656 _chase? ? e derke_--eschueth the dyrke
2657 _euer_--C. omits
2658 _seine_--seyn]
[Headnote:
MEN DO NOT SEEK TRUE FELICITY. ]
ASSENCIOR INQ{UA}M CUNCTA. Boice.
[Sidenote: [The 11 p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I assent, and am convinced by the force of your
arguments. ]
++I assent[e] me q{uo}d . I. For alle ? ise ? inges ben 2660
strongly bounden wi? ry? t ferme resou{n}s.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But how greatly would you value it, did you fully
know what this good is? ]
how mychel wilt ? ou p{re}isen it q{uo}d she. yif ? at ? ou
knowe what ? ilke goode is.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should value it infinitely if at the same time I
might attain to the knowledge of God, who is the sovereign good. ]
I wol p{re}ise it q{uo}d I by
price wi? outen ende. ? yif it shal bytyde me to 2664
knowe also to-gidre god ? at is good.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I shall elucidate this matter by incontrovertible
reasons if thou wilt grant me those things which I have before
laid down as conclusions. ]
? certys q{uo}d she
? {a}t shal I do ? e by verray resou{n}.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 22 _b_. ]]
yif ? at ? o ? inges ? at
I haue conclude[d] a litel her by *forne dwellen oonly
in hir first[e] graunty{n}g.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I grant them all. ]
_Boice. _ ? ei dwellen graunted 2668
to ? e q{uo}d . I. ? is is to seyne as who sei? . I. graunt ? i
forseide conclusiou{n}s.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Have I not shown that the things which the
majority of mankind so eagerly pursue are not true and perfect
goods, for they differ from one another; and because where one of
them is absent the others cannot confer absolute happiness (or
good)? ]
? Haue I nat shewed ? e q{uo}d
she ? at ? e ? inges ? at ben requered of many folke. ne
ben nat verray goodes ne p{er}fit. for ? ei ben diu{er}se ? at 2672
oon fro ? at o? er. {and} so as eche of hem is lakkyng to
o? er. ? ei ne han no power to bryngen a good ? {a}t is ful
{and} absolute.
[Sidenote: Have I not shown, too, that the true and chief good is
made up of an assemblage of all the goods in such a way, that if
sufficiency is an attribute of this good, it must at the same time
possess power, reverence, &c. ]
? But ? an atte arst ben ? ei verray good
whan ? ei ben gadred to-gidre al in to a forme {and} in 2676
to oon wirchy{n}g. so ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at is suffisaunce.
? ilk same be power {and} reuerence. {and} noblesse {and}
mir? e.
[Sidenote: If they be not one and the same, why should they be
classed among desirable things? ]
? And forso? e but alle ? ise ? i{n}ges ben alle o
same ? ing ? ei ne han nat wher by ? at ? ei mowen ben 2680
put in ? e nou{m}bre of ? inges. ? at au? ten ben requered
or desired. _b. _ ? It is shewed q{uo}d . I. ne her of may
? er no man douten.
[Sidenote: While these things differ from one another they are not
goods; but as soon as they become one then they are made
goods. --Do not they owe their being good to their unity? ]
_p. _ ? e ? inges ? an q{uo}d she ? at ne
ben none goodes whan ? ei ben diu{er}se. {and} whan ? ei [[pg 96]]
bygynnen to ben al o ? ing. ? an ben ? ei goodes. ne 2685
comi? it hem nat ? an by ? e getynge of unite ? at ? ei ben
maked goodes.
[Sidenote: _B. _ So it appears. ]
_b. _ so it seme? q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do you confess that everything that is good
becomes such by the participation of the sovereign good or no? ]
but alle ? ing ? at
is good q{uo}d she grauntest ? ou ? at it be good
by p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n} 2688
of good or no.
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is so. ]
? I graunt[e] it q{uo}d . I.
[Linenotes:
2660 _assent[e]_--assente
2662 _mychel_--mochel
2663 _goode_--good
2664 _price_--prys
2669 _is_--omitted
_seyne_--seyn
2671 _folke_--folkes
2673 _o? er_--oothre
_eche_--ech
2675 _absolute_--absolut
_atte arst_--at erste
2676 _al_--alle
_a_--O
2677 _to_--omitted
_wirchyng_--wyrkynge
2678 _? ilk_--thilke
2681 _put_--MS. putte, C. put
_au? ten_--owhten
2684 _none_--no
2685 _al o_--alle oon
2686 _comi? _--comth
2689 _graunt[e]_--graunte]
[Headnote:
UNITY NECESSARY TO EXISTENCE. ]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then you must own that unity and good are the same
(for the substance of those things must be the same, whose effects
do not naturally differ). ]
? ? an mayst ? ou graunt[en] it q{uo}d she by sembleable
resou{n} ? at oon {and} good ben o same ? ing. ? For of
? inges [of] whiche ? at ? e effect nis nat naturely diuerse 2692
nedys ? e substaunce mot ben o same ?
[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}. ]]
[Sidenote: Come hither, all ye that are captives--bound and
fettered with the chains of earthly desires;--come to this source
of goodness, where you shall find rest and security. ]
++O Come? alle to-gidre now ? e ? at ben ycau? t {and}
ybounde wi? wicked[e] cheines by ? e deceiuable
delit of er? ely ? inges inhabytynge in ? oure ? ou? t. here
shal ben ? e reste of ? oure laboures. here is ? e hauene 2640
stable in peisible quiete. ? is al oone is ? e open refut to
wreches.
[Sidenote: [Chaucer's gloss upon the Text. ]
_Glosa. _ ? is is to seyn. ? at ? e ? at ben combred
{and} deceyued wi? worldly affecc{i}ou{n}s come? now
to ? is souereyne good ? at is god. ? at is refut to hem ? at 2644
wolen come to hym.
[Sidenote: Not the gold of Tagus or of Hermus, nor the gems of
India, can clear the mental sight from vain delusions, but rather
darken it. ]
_Textus. _ ? Alle ? e ? inges ? at ? e
ryuere Tagus ? iue? ? ow wi? his golden[e] grauels. or
ellys alle ? e ? ynges ? at ? e ryuere herm{us}. ? iue? wi? his
rede brynke. or ? at yndus ? iue? ? at is nexte ? e hote 2648
p{ar}tie of ? e worlde. ? at medele? ? e grene stones
(smaragd{e}) wi? ? e white (margarits). ne sholde nat
cleren ? e lokynge of ? oure ? o? t. but hiden ra? er ? oure
blynde corages wi? i{n}ne hire dirkenesse
[Sidenote: Such sources of our delight are found in the earth's
gloomy caverns,--but the bright light that rules the heavens
dispels the darkness of the soul. ]
? Alle ? at 2652
like? ? ow here {and} exciti? {and} moeue? ? oure ? ou? tes.
? e er? e ha? noryshed it in hys lowe caues. but ? e [[pg 95]]
shynyng by ? e whiche ?
e heuene is gouerned {and}
whennes ? at it ha? hys streng? e ? at chase? ? e derke 2656
ouer? rowyng of ? e soule.
[Sidenote: He who has seen this light will confess that the beams
of the sun are weak and dim. ]
? And who so euer may
knowen ? ilke ly? t of blisfulnesse. he shal wel seine ? at
? e white bemes of ? e sonne ne ben nat cleer.
[Linenotes:
2638 _wicked[e]_--wyckyde
2639, 2640 _here_--her
2640 _hauene_--MS. heuene, C. hauene
2641 _al oone_--allone
2643 _worldly_--worldely
2645 _come_--comyn
2646 _golden[e] grauels_--goldene grauayles
2647 _? ynges_--MS. rynges, C. thinges
_hermus_--MS. herin{us}, C. herynus
2648 _nexte_--next
2649 _worlde_--world
2654, 2656 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
2654 _hys_--hyse
2656 _chase? ? e derke_--eschueth the dyrke
2657 _euer_--C. omits
2658 _seine_--seyn]
[Headnote:
MEN DO NOT SEEK TRUE FELICITY. ]
ASSENCIOR INQ{UA}M CUNCTA. Boice.
[Sidenote: [The 11 p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: _B. _ I assent, and am convinced by the force of your
arguments. ]
++I assent[e] me q{uo}d . I. For alle ? ise ? inges ben 2660
strongly bounden wi? ry? t ferme resou{n}s.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But how greatly would you value it, did you fully
know what this good is? ]
how mychel wilt ? ou p{re}isen it q{uo}d she. yif ? at ? ou
knowe what ? ilke goode is.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I should value it infinitely if at the same time I
might attain to the knowledge of God, who is the sovereign good. ]
I wol p{re}ise it q{uo}d I by
price wi? outen ende. ? yif it shal bytyde me to 2664
knowe also to-gidre god ? at is good.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I shall elucidate this matter by incontrovertible
reasons if thou wilt grant me those things which I have before
laid down as conclusions. ]
? certys q{uo}d she
? {a}t shal I do ? e by verray resou{n}.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 22 _b_. ]]
yif ? at ? o ? inges ? at
I haue conclude[d] a litel her by *forne dwellen oonly
in hir first[e] graunty{n}g.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I grant them all. ]
_Boice. _ ? ei dwellen graunted 2668
to ? e q{uo}d . I. ? is is to seyne as who sei? . I. graunt ? i
forseide conclusiou{n}s.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Have I not shown that the things which the
majority of mankind so eagerly pursue are not true and perfect
goods, for they differ from one another; and because where one of
them is absent the others cannot confer absolute happiness (or
good)? ]
? Haue I nat shewed ? e q{uo}d
she ? at ? e ? inges ? at ben requered of many folke. ne
ben nat verray goodes ne p{er}fit. for ? ei ben diu{er}se ? at 2672
oon fro ? at o? er. {and} so as eche of hem is lakkyng to
o? er. ? ei ne han no power to bryngen a good ? {a}t is ful
{and} absolute.
[Sidenote: Have I not shown, too, that the true and chief good is
made up of an assemblage of all the goods in such a way, that if
sufficiency is an attribute of this good, it must at the same time
possess power, reverence, &c. ]
? But ? an atte arst ben ? ei verray good
whan ? ei ben gadred to-gidre al in to a forme {and} in 2676
to oon wirchy{n}g. so ? at ? ilke ? ing ? at is suffisaunce.
? ilk same be power {and} reuerence. {and} noblesse {and}
mir? e.
[Sidenote: If they be not one and the same, why should they be
classed among desirable things? ]
? And forso? e but alle ? ise ? i{n}ges ben alle o
same ? ing ? ei ne han nat wher by ? at ? ei mowen ben 2680
put in ? e nou{m}bre of ? inges. ? at au? ten ben requered
or desired. _b. _ ? It is shewed q{uo}d . I. ne her of may
? er no man douten.
[Sidenote: While these things differ from one another they are not
goods; but as soon as they become one then they are made
goods. --Do not they owe their being good to their unity? ]
_p. _ ? e ? inges ? an q{uo}d she ? at ne
ben none goodes whan ? ei ben diu{er}se. {and} whan ? ei [[pg 96]]
bygynnen to ben al o ? ing. ? an ben ? ei goodes. ne 2685
comi? it hem nat ? an by ? e getynge of unite ? at ? ei ben
maked goodes.
[Sidenote: _B. _ So it appears. ]
_b. _ so it seme? q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Do you confess that everything that is good
becomes such by the participation of the sovereign good or no? ]
but alle ? ing ? at
is good q{uo}d she grauntest ? ou ? at it be good
by p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n} 2688
of good or no.
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is so. ]
? I graunt[e] it q{uo}d . I.
[Linenotes:
2660 _assent[e]_--assente
2662 _mychel_--mochel
2663 _goode_--good
2664 _price_--prys
2669 _is_--omitted
_seyne_--seyn
2671 _folke_--folkes
2673 _o? er_--oothre
_eche_--ech
2675 _absolute_--absolut
_atte arst_--at erste
2676 _al_--alle
_a_--O
2677 _to_--omitted
_wirchyng_--wyrkynge
2678 _? ilk_--thilke
2681 _put_--MS. putte, C. put
_au? ten_--owhten
2684 _none_--no
2685 _al o_--alle oon
2686 _comi? _--comth
2689 _graunt[e]_--graunte]
[Headnote:
UNITY NECESSARY TO EXISTENCE. ]
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then you must own that unity and good are the same
(for the substance of those things must be the same, whose effects
do not naturally differ). ]
? ? an mayst ? ou graunt[en] it q{uo}d she by sembleable
resou{n} ? at oon {and} good ben o same ? ing. ? For of
? inges [of] whiche ? at ? e effect nis nat naturely diuerse 2692
nedys ? e substaunce mot ben o same ?
