[Sidenote: But you are exhausted and weary with the
prolixity
of
my reasoning, and look for relief from the harmony of my verse.
my reasoning, and look for relief from the harmony of my verse.
Chaucer - Boethius
and dredi?
p{er}auenture ?
at hys blisfulnesse 4064
of whiche ? e vsage is ioyful to hym ? at ? e lesynge of
? ilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorweful to hym. {and} ? erfore
he wol chaunge hys maneres. and for he dredi?
to lese hys fortune. he forleti? hys wickednesse. 4068
[Sidenote: Upon others unmerited happiness is conferred, which at
last precipitates them into deserved destruction. ]
to o? er folk is welefulnesse y? eue{n} vnwor? ily ? e whiche
ouer? rowe? hem in to destrucc{i}ou{n} ? at ? ei han deserued.
[Sidenote: To some there is given the power of chastisement, in
order both to exercise the virtues of the good and to punish the
wicked. ]
and to som o? er folk is ? euen power to
punisse{n}. for ? at it shal be cause of continuac{i}ou{n} {and} 4072
ex{er}cisinge to good[e] folk. {and} cause of to{ur}ment to
shrewes.
[Sidenote: For as there is no alliance between good and bad, so
neither can the vicious agree together. ]
? For so as ? er nis none alyaunce bytwixe
good[e] folke {and} shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat
accorde{n} amo{n}ges hem self
[Sidenote: And how should they? Their vices make them at war with
themselves, rending and tearing their consciences, and there is
scarce anything they do, but what afterwards they disapprove of. ]
{and} whi nat. for shrewes 4076
discorde{n} of hem self by her vices ? e whiche vices al to
renden her consciences. {and} don oft[e] tyme ? inges ? e
whiche ? inges whan ? ei han don hem. ? ei demen ? at
? o ? inges ne sholde nat han ben don.
[Sidenote: Hence arises a signal miracle brought about by
Providence--that evil men have often made wicked men good. ]
for whiche ? inge 4080
? ilke souereyne p{ur}ueaunce ha? maked oft[e] tyme
[fair{e}] miracle so ? {a}t shrewes han maked oftyme [[pg 142]]
shrewes to ben good[e] men.
[Sidenote: For these latter having suffered injuries from the
former, have become virtuous, in order that they might not
resemble those whom they so detested. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 32. ]]
for whan ? at som shrewes
*seen ? at ? ei suffren wrongfully felonies of o? er shrewes 4084
? ei wexen eschaufed in to hat[e] of hem ? at anoien
hem. {and} retournen to ? e fruit of uertue. when ? ei
studien to ben vnlyke to he{m} ? at ? ei han hated.
[Linenotes:
4046 _come? _--comth
_some_ (_both_)--som
_? at ? ei_--MS. ? ei ? at, C. ? {a}t that they
4047 _come? _--comth
_sorweful_--sorwful
4050 _wicked_--wykkede
_merite_--MS. u{er}ite, C. m{er}yte
4051 _o? er_--oothr{e}
_done_--don
4052 _folies_--felonies
4054 _grete_--gret
_good[e]_--goode
4055 _sholde_--sholden
_? ilk_--thilke
4056 _serue_--seruen
_whiche_--which
4057 _dispensi? _--MS. dispisi? , C. dispensith
4059 _my? t[e]_--myhte
4060 _done_--don
4061 _rychesse_--Rychesses
4065 _whiche_--which
4068 MS. wrongly inserts _welefulnesse_ after _wickednesse_
4069-71 _o? er_--oothr{e}
4073 _good[e]_--goode
4074 _none_--non
4075 _good[e]_--goode
4076 _accorden_--acordy
4078 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_oft[e]_--ofte
4079 _don_--MS. done, C. don
4080 _sholde_--sholden
_whiche ? inge_--which thing
4081 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_oft[e]_--ofte
4082 [_faire_]--from C.
_oftyme_--omitted
4083 _good[e]_--goode
4085 _hat[e]_--hate
_anoien_--anoyeden
4087 _studien_--omitted
_vnlyke_--vnlyk]
[Headnote:
EVIL IS OVERRULED FOR GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: It is only the Divine power that can turn evil to good,
overruling it for his own purposes. ]
? Certys ? is only is ? e deuyne my? t to ? e whiche my? t 4088
yueles ben ? an good. whan it vse? ? o yueles couenably
{and} drawe? out ? e effect of any good. as who sei? ? at
yuel is good oonly by ? e my? t of god. for ? e my? t of
god ordeyne? ? ilk yuel to good. For oon ordre enbrasi? 4092
alle ? inges. so ? at what wy? t [? {a}t] dep{ar}ti? fro
? e resou{n} of ? e ordre whiche ? at is assigned to hym.
algates ? it he slide? in to an o? {er} ordre.
[Sidenote: Nothing occurs by the caprice of chance in the realms
of Divine Providence. ]
so ? at no? ing
nis leueful to folye in ? e realme of ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce. 4096
as who sei? no ? ing nis wi? outen ordinaunce in
? e realme of ? e deuyne purueaunce.
[Sidenote: Since God is the governor of all things, it is not
lawful to man to attempt to comprehend the whole of the Divine
economy, or to explain it in words. ]
? Syn ? at ? e ry? t
strong[e] god gouerni? alle ? inges in ? is worlde for it
nis nat leueful to no man to co{m}p{re}henden by witte ne 4100
vnfolden by worde alle ? e subtil ordinaunces {and} disposic{i}ou{n}s
of ? e deuyne entent.
[Sidenote: Let it suffice to know that God orders all things for
the best. ]
for oonly it au? t[e]
suffice to han loked ? at god hym self makere of alle
natures ordeyni? and dressi? alle ? inges to good.
[Sidenote: And while he retains things created after his own
likeness conformably to his goodness, he banishes evil by the
cause of destiny out of his empire. ]
while 4104
? at he hasti? to wi? halden ? e ? inges ? at he ha? maked
in to hys semblaunce. ? at is to seyn forto wi? holden
? inges in to good. for he hym self is good he chase?
oute al yuel of ? e boundes of hys co{m}munalite by ? e 4108
ordre of necessite destinable.
[Sidenote: So that those evils which you seem to see are only
imaginary. ]
For whiche it folwe? ? at
yif ? ou loke ? e p{ur}ueaunce ordeynynge ? e ? inges ? at
men wenen ben haboundaunt in er? es. ? ou ne shalt not
seen in no place no ? ing of yuel.
[Sidenote: But you are exhausted and weary with the prolixity of
my reasoning, and look for relief from the harmony of my verse. ]
? but I se now ? at 4112
? ou art charged wi? ? e wey? te of ? e questiou[n] {and} [[pg 143]]
wery wi? leng? e of my resou{n}. {and} ? at ? ou abidest som
swetnesse of songe.
[Sidenote: Take, then, this draught, with which when refreshed,
you may more strongly proceed to higher matters. ]
tak ? a{n} ? is drau? t {and} whan ? ou
art wel refresshed {and} refet ? ou shalt ben more stedfast 4116
to stye in to heyere questiou{n}s.
[Linenotes:
4089-90 _good_--goode
4092 _? ilk_--thilke
4093 [_? at_]--from C.
4094 _? e_ (2)--thilke
_whiche_--which
4096 _realme_--Reame
4099 _strong[e]_--stronge
_worlde_--world
4100 _no_--omitted
_witte_--wit
4101 _worde alle_--word al
4102 _au? t[e]_--owhte
4104 _good while_--goode wyl
4105 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4108 _of_ (1)--fro
4109 _whiche_--which
4111 _ben haboundaunt_--ben out{ra}ious / or habowndant
4115 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak
4116 _refet_--refect
_shalt ben_--shal be
_stedfast_--stydefast]
[Headnote:
LOVE TEMPERS ALL THINGS. ]
SI UIS CELSI IURA.
[Sidenote: [The syxte Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: If thou wouldst explore the laws of the high Thunderer,
behold the lofty heavens, where, bound by fixed laws, the stars
keep their ancient peace. ]
++Yif ? ou wolt demen in ? i pur{e} ? ou? t ? e ry? tes or ? e
lawes of ? e heye ? und[ere]re. ? at is to seyne of god.
loke ? ou {and} bihold ? e hey? tes of souereyne heuene. 4120
? ? ere kepen ? e sterres by ry? tful alliaunce of ? inges
hir olde pees.
[Sidenote: There the rosy Sun does not invade the moon's colder
sphere. Nor doth the Bear stray from his appointed bounds, to
quench his light in the western main. ]
? e sonne ymoeued by hys rody fire. ne
destourbi? nat ? e colde cercle of ? e moone. ? Ne ? e
sterre yclepid ? e bere. ? {a}t enclini? hys rauyssynge 4124
courses abouten ? e souereyne hey? t of ? e worlde. ne ? e
same sterre vrsa nis neuer mo wasshen in ? e depe
westerne see. ne coueiti? nat to dy? en hys flaumbes in
? e see of [the] occian. al ? ou? he see o? er sterres yplounged 4128
in to ? e see.
[Sidenote: Vesper always makes its wonted appearance at eve.
Lucifer ushers in the morn. ]
? And hesperus ? e sterre
bodi? {and} telli? alwey ? e late ny? tes. And lucifer ? e
sterre brynge? a? eyne ? e clere day.
[Sidenote: So mutual love moves all things, and from the starry
region banishes all strife. ]
? And ? us maki?
loue enterchaungeable ? e p{er}durable courses. {and} ? us 4132
is discordable bataile yput oute of ? e contre of ? e sterres.
[Sidenote: This concord in equal measures tempers the elements, so
that the moist atoms war no more with the dry, nor heat with cold
contends; but the aspiring flame soars aloft, while down the heavy
earth descends. ]
? is accordaunce atte{m}pre? by euene-lyke manere[s] ? e
elementes. ? at ? e moyste ? inges striuen nat wi? ? e
drye ? inges. but ? iuen place by stoundes. and ? at ? e 4136
colde ? inges ioynen hem by fei? to ? e hote ? inges. {and}
? at ? e ly? t[e] fyre arist in to hey? te. {and} ? e heuy er? es
aualen by her wey? tes.
[Sidenote: By these same causes the flowing year yields sweet
smells in the warm spring-tide; the hot summer ripens the corn. ]
? by ? ise same cause ? e floury
yere ? elde? swote smellys in ? e fyrste somer sesou{n} 4140
warmynge. {and} ? e hote somer drye? ? e cornes.
[Sidenote: Autumn comes crowned with plenty, and winter wets the
earth with showers. ]
{and} autumpne come? a? eyne heuy of apples. and ? e fletyng [[pg 144]]
reyne bydewe? ? e wynter. ? is attemp{er}aunce noryssi?
{and} bryngge? fur? e al ? inge ? at bredi? lyfe in ? is 4144
worlde.
[Sidenote: These changes give life and growth to all that breathe;
and at last by death efface whatever has had birth. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 32 _b_. ]]
? and ? ilk same attemp{er}aunce rauyssyng hide?
{and} bynyme? {and} drenche? vndir ? e last[e] de? e alle
*? inges yborn.
[Sidenote: Meanwhile the world's Creator, the Source of all, the
Lawgiver, the wise Judge, sits above equitably directing all
things. ]
? Amonges ? ise ? inges sitte? ? e heye
makere kyng {and} lorde. welle {and} bygynnynge. lawe 4148
{and} wise Iuge. to don equite {and} gouerni? {and} enclini?
? e bridles of ? inges.
[Sidenote: Those things which have been set in motion by him are
also checked and forced to move in an endless round, lest they go
from their source, and become chaotic. ]
{and} ? o ? inges ? at he stire?
of whiche ? e vsage is ioyful to hym ? at ? e lesynge of
? ilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorweful to hym. {and} ? erfore
he wol chaunge hys maneres. and for he dredi?
to lese hys fortune. he forleti? hys wickednesse. 4068
[Sidenote: Upon others unmerited happiness is conferred, which at
last precipitates them into deserved destruction. ]
to o? er folk is welefulnesse y? eue{n} vnwor? ily ? e whiche
ouer? rowe? hem in to destrucc{i}ou{n} ? at ? ei han deserued.
[Sidenote: To some there is given the power of chastisement, in
order both to exercise the virtues of the good and to punish the
wicked. ]
and to som o? er folk is ? euen power to
punisse{n}. for ? at it shal be cause of continuac{i}ou{n} {and} 4072
ex{er}cisinge to good[e] folk. {and} cause of to{ur}ment to
shrewes.
[Sidenote: For as there is no alliance between good and bad, so
neither can the vicious agree together. ]
? For so as ? er nis none alyaunce bytwixe
good[e] folke {and} shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat
accorde{n} amo{n}ges hem self
[Sidenote: And how should they? Their vices make them at war with
themselves, rending and tearing their consciences, and there is
scarce anything they do, but what afterwards they disapprove of. ]
{and} whi nat. for shrewes 4076
discorde{n} of hem self by her vices ? e whiche vices al to
renden her consciences. {and} don oft[e] tyme ? inges ? e
whiche ? inges whan ? ei han don hem. ? ei demen ? at
? o ? inges ne sholde nat han ben don.
[Sidenote: Hence arises a signal miracle brought about by
Providence--that evil men have often made wicked men good. ]
for whiche ? inge 4080
? ilke souereyne p{ur}ueaunce ha? maked oft[e] tyme
[fair{e}] miracle so ? {a}t shrewes han maked oftyme [[pg 142]]
shrewes to ben good[e] men.
[Sidenote: For these latter having suffered injuries from the
former, have become virtuous, in order that they might not
resemble those whom they so detested. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 32. ]]
for whan ? at som shrewes
*seen ? at ? ei suffren wrongfully felonies of o? er shrewes 4084
? ei wexen eschaufed in to hat[e] of hem ? at anoien
hem. {and} retournen to ? e fruit of uertue. when ? ei
studien to ben vnlyke to he{m} ? at ? ei han hated.
[Linenotes:
4046 _come? _--comth
_some_ (_both_)--som
_? at ? ei_--MS. ? ei ? at, C. ? {a}t that they
4047 _come? _--comth
_sorweful_--sorwful
4050 _wicked_--wykkede
_merite_--MS. u{er}ite, C. m{er}yte
4051 _o? er_--oothr{e}
_done_--don
4052 _folies_--felonies
4054 _grete_--gret
_good[e]_--goode
4055 _sholde_--sholden
_? ilk_--thilke
4056 _serue_--seruen
_whiche_--which
4057 _dispensi? _--MS. dispisi? , C. dispensith
4059 _my? t[e]_--myhte
4060 _done_--don
4061 _rychesse_--Rychesses
4065 _whiche_--which
4068 MS. wrongly inserts _welefulnesse_ after _wickednesse_
4069-71 _o? er_--oothr{e}
4073 _good[e]_--goode
4074 _none_--non
4075 _good[e]_--goode
4076 _accorden_--acordy
4078 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_oft[e]_--ofte
4079 _don_--MS. done, C. don
4080 _sholde_--sholden
_whiche ? inge_--which thing
4081 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_oft[e]_--ofte
4082 [_faire_]--from C.
_oftyme_--omitted
4083 _good[e]_--goode
4085 _hat[e]_--hate
_anoien_--anoyeden
4087 _studien_--omitted
_vnlyke_--vnlyk]
[Headnote:
EVIL IS OVERRULED FOR GOOD. ]
[Sidenote: It is only the Divine power that can turn evil to good,
overruling it for his own purposes. ]
? Certys ? is only is ? e deuyne my? t to ? e whiche my? t 4088
yueles ben ? an good. whan it vse? ? o yueles couenably
{and} drawe? out ? e effect of any good. as who sei? ? at
yuel is good oonly by ? e my? t of god. for ? e my? t of
god ordeyne? ? ilk yuel to good. For oon ordre enbrasi? 4092
alle ? inges. so ? at what wy? t [? {a}t] dep{ar}ti? fro
? e resou{n} of ? e ordre whiche ? at is assigned to hym.
algates ? it he slide? in to an o? {er} ordre.
[Sidenote: Nothing occurs by the caprice of chance in the realms
of Divine Providence. ]
so ? at no? ing
nis leueful to folye in ? e realme of ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce. 4096
as who sei? no ? ing nis wi? outen ordinaunce in
? e realme of ? e deuyne purueaunce.
[Sidenote: Since God is the governor of all things, it is not
lawful to man to attempt to comprehend the whole of the Divine
economy, or to explain it in words. ]
? Syn ? at ? e ry? t
strong[e] god gouerni? alle ? inges in ? is worlde for it
nis nat leueful to no man to co{m}p{re}henden by witte ne 4100
vnfolden by worde alle ? e subtil ordinaunces {and} disposic{i}ou{n}s
of ? e deuyne entent.
[Sidenote: Let it suffice to know that God orders all things for
the best. ]
for oonly it au? t[e]
suffice to han loked ? at god hym self makere of alle
natures ordeyni? and dressi? alle ? inges to good.
[Sidenote: And while he retains things created after his own
likeness conformably to his goodness, he banishes evil by the
cause of destiny out of his empire. ]
while 4104
? at he hasti? to wi? halden ? e ? inges ? at he ha? maked
in to hys semblaunce. ? at is to seyn forto wi? holden
? inges in to good. for he hym self is good he chase?
oute al yuel of ? e boundes of hys co{m}munalite by ? e 4108
ordre of necessite destinable.
[Sidenote: So that those evils which you seem to see are only
imaginary. ]
For whiche it folwe? ? at
yif ? ou loke ? e p{ur}ueaunce ordeynynge ? e ? inges ? at
men wenen ben haboundaunt in er? es. ? ou ne shalt not
seen in no place no ? ing of yuel.
[Sidenote: But you are exhausted and weary with the prolixity of
my reasoning, and look for relief from the harmony of my verse. ]
? but I se now ? at 4112
? ou art charged wi? ? e wey? te of ? e questiou[n] {and} [[pg 143]]
wery wi? leng? e of my resou{n}. {and} ? at ? ou abidest som
swetnesse of songe.
[Sidenote: Take, then, this draught, with which when refreshed,
you may more strongly proceed to higher matters. ]
tak ? a{n} ? is drau? t {and} whan ? ou
art wel refresshed {and} refet ? ou shalt ben more stedfast 4116
to stye in to heyere questiou{n}s.
[Linenotes:
4089-90 _good_--goode
4092 _? ilk_--thilke
4093 [_? at_]--from C.
4094 _? e_ (2)--thilke
_whiche_--which
4096 _realme_--Reame
4099 _strong[e]_--stronge
_worlde_--world
4100 _no_--omitted
_witte_--wit
4101 _worde alle_--word al
4102 _au? t[e]_--owhte
4104 _good while_--goode wyl
4105 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4108 _of_ (1)--fro
4109 _whiche_--which
4111 _ben haboundaunt_--ben out{ra}ious / or habowndant
4115 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak
4116 _refet_--refect
_shalt ben_--shal be
_stedfast_--stydefast]
[Headnote:
LOVE TEMPERS ALL THINGS. ]
SI UIS CELSI IURA.
[Sidenote: [The syxte Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: If thou wouldst explore the laws of the high Thunderer,
behold the lofty heavens, where, bound by fixed laws, the stars
keep their ancient peace. ]
++Yif ? ou wolt demen in ? i pur{e} ? ou? t ? e ry? tes or ? e
lawes of ? e heye ? und[ere]re. ? at is to seyne of god.
loke ? ou {and} bihold ? e hey? tes of souereyne heuene. 4120
? ? ere kepen ? e sterres by ry? tful alliaunce of ? inges
hir olde pees.
[Sidenote: There the rosy Sun does not invade the moon's colder
sphere. Nor doth the Bear stray from his appointed bounds, to
quench his light in the western main. ]
? e sonne ymoeued by hys rody fire. ne
destourbi? nat ? e colde cercle of ? e moone. ? Ne ? e
sterre yclepid ? e bere. ? {a}t enclini? hys rauyssynge 4124
courses abouten ? e souereyne hey? t of ? e worlde. ne ? e
same sterre vrsa nis neuer mo wasshen in ? e depe
westerne see. ne coueiti? nat to dy? en hys flaumbes in
? e see of [the] occian. al ? ou? he see o? er sterres yplounged 4128
in to ? e see.
[Sidenote: Vesper always makes its wonted appearance at eve.
Lucifer ushers in the morn. ]
? And hesperus ? e sterre
bodi? {and} telli? alwey ? e late ny? tes. And lucifer ? e
sterre brynge? a? eyne ? e clere day.
[Sidenote: So mutual love moves all things, and from the starry
region banishes all strife. ]
? And ? us maki?
loue enterchaungeable ? e p{er}durable courses. {and} ? us 4132
is discordable bataile yput oute of ? e contre of ? e sterres.
[Sidenote: This concord in equal measures tempers the elements, so
that the moist atoms war no more with the dry, nor heat with cold
contends; but the aspiring flame soars aloft, while down the heavy
earth descends. ]
? is accordaunce atte{m}pre? by euene-lyke manere[s] ? e
elementes. ? at ? e moyste ? inges striuen nat wi? ? e
drye ? inges. but ? iuen place by stoundes. and ? at ? e 4136
colde ? inges ioynen hem by fei? to ? e hote ? inges. {and}
? at ? e ly? t[e] fyre arist in to hey? te. {and} ? e heuy er? es
aualen by her wey? tes.
[Sidenote: By these same causes the flowing year yields sweet
smells in the warm spring-tide; the hot summer ripens the corn. ]
? by ? ise same cause ? e floury
yere ? elde? swote smellys in ? e fyrste somer sesou{n} 4140
warmynge. {and} ? e hote somer drye? ? e cornes.
[Sidenote: Autumn comes crowned with plenty, and winter wets the
earth with showers. ]
{and} autumpne come? a? eyne heuy of apples. and ? e fletyng [[pg 144]]
reyne bydewe? ? e wynter. ? is attemp{er}aunce noryssi?
{and} bryngge? fur? e al ? inge ? at bredi? lyfe in ? is 4144
worlde.
[Sidenote: These changes give life and growth to all that breathe;
and at last by death efface whatever has had birth. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 32 _b_. ]]
? and ? ilk same attemp{er}aunce rauyssyng hide?
{and} bynyme? {and} drenche? vndir ? e last[e] de? e alle
*? inges yborn.
[Sidenote: Meanwhile the world's Creator, the Source of all, the
Lawgiver, the wise Judge, sits above equitably directing all
things. ]
? Amonges ? ise ? inges sitte? ? e heye
makere kyng {and} lorde. welle {and} bygynnynge. lawe 4148
{and} wise Iuge. to don equite {and} gouerni? {and} enclini?
? e bridles of ? inges.
[Sidenote: Those things which have been set in motion by him are
also checked and forced to move in an endless round, lest they go
from their source, and become chaotic. ]
{and} ? o ? inges ? at he stire?
