[Sidenote: he bound
Cerberus
with a threefold chain;]
He drou?
He drou?
Chaucer - Boethius
{and} to ?
at o?
er man to conferme
hys sapience. ? at is to seine ? e asprenesse of hys estat.
[Sidenote: Thus virtue, in its literal acceptation, is a power
that, relying on its own strength, overcomes all obstacles. ]
? For ? erfore is it called uertue. for ? at it susteni? {and} 4220
enforce? by hys streng? es ? at it nis nat ouer-come{n} by
aduersites.
[Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts. ]
? Ne certys ? ou ? at art put in ? e encrese
or in ? e hey? t of uertue ne hast nat comen to fleten wi?
delices {and} forto welken in bodyly lust.
[Sidenote: You must engage in a fierce conflict with every
fortune--with adversity, lest it dismay you--with prosperity, lest
it corrupt you. ]
? ? ou sowest 4224
or plauntest a ful egre bataile in ? i corage a? eins euery
fortune. for ? at ? e sorweful fortune ne co{n}fou{n}de ? e nat.
ne ? at ? e myrye fortune ne corrumpe ? e nat.
[Sidenote: Seize the _golden mean_ with all your strength. All
below or above this line is a contemptible and a thankless
felicity. ]
? Occupy
? e mene by stedfast streng? es. for al ? at euer is vndir 4228
? e mene. or ellys al ? at ou{er}-passe? ? e mene despise?
welefulnesses. ? As who sei? . it is vicious {and} ne ha?
no mede of hys trauaile.
[Sidenote: The choice of fortune lies in your own hands, but
remember that even adverse fortune, unless it exercises the
virtues of the good or chastises the wicked, is a punishment. ]
? For it is set in ? our{e} hand.
as who sei? it lie? in ? our{e} power what fortune ? ow is 4232
leuest. ? at is to seyne good or yuel. ? For alle fortune
? at seme? sharpe or aspre yif it ne ex{er}cise nat ? e good [[pg 147]]
folk. ne chastisi? ? e wicked folk. it punisse? .
[Linenotes:
4210 _so? e_--soth
4211 _confessen_--co{n}fesse
4212 _no strong_--the stronge
4213 _abassen_--abayssen
4215 _oft[e]_--ofte
4219 _seine_--seyn
4223 _hey? t_--heyhte
4224 _welken_--wellen
4226 _confounde_--MS. co{n}fou{n}ded, C. confownde
4227 _Occupy_--Ocupye
4228 _stedfast_--stydefast
4230 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4231 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
4232 _lie? _--lith
4233 _seyne_--seyn
4234 _sharpe_--sharp]
[Headnote:
WE CHOOSE OUR OWN FORTUNE. ]
BELLA BIS QUENIS. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The seuende Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Atrides carried on a ten years' war to punish the
licentious Paris. ]
++? E wrekere attrides ? ? at is to seyne agamenon ? at 4236
wrou? t[e] {and} continued[e] ? e batailes by ten ? ere
recouered[e] {and} p{ur}ged[e] in wrekyng by ? e destrucc{i}ou{n}
of troie ? e loste chambres of mariage of hys bro? er
? is is to seyn ? at [he] agamenon wan a? ein Eleine ? at 4240
was Menelaus wif his bro? er.
[Sidenote: With blood he purchased propitious gales for the
Grecian fleet, by casting off all fatherly pity, and sacrificing
his daughter Iphigenia to the vengeance of Diana. ]
In ? e mene while ? at
? ilke agamenon desired[e] to ? euen sailes to ? e grekyssh{e}
nauye {and} bou? t[e] a? ein ? e wyndes by blode. he
vnclo? ed[e] hym of pite as fad{er}. {and} ? e sory p{re}st 4244
? iue? in sacrifiynge ? e wreched kuyttyng of ? rote of ? e
dou? ter. ? ? at is to sein ? at agamenon lete kuytte{n} ? e
? rote of hys dou? ter by ? e prest. to maken alliaunce wi?
hys goddes. {and} for to haue wynde wi? whiche he 4248
my? t[e] wende to troie.
[Sidenote: Ulysses bewailed his lost mates, devoured by
Polyphemus, but, having deprived the Cyclop of his sight, he
rejoiced to hear the monster's roar. ]
? Itakus ? at is to sein vlixies
bywept[e] hys felawes ylorn ? e whiche felawes ? e
fiers[e] pholifem{us} ligginge in his grete Caue had[de]
freten {and} dreint in hys empty wombe. but na? eles 4252
polifem{us} wood for his blinde visage ? eld to vlixies ioye
by hys sorowful teres. ? is is to seyn ? at vlixes smot
oute ? e eye of poliphem{us} ? at stod in hys forhede.
[Linenotes:
4236 _seyne_--seyn
4237 _wrou? t[e]_--wrowhte
_continued[e]_--continuede
_? ere_--? er
4238 _purged[e]_--purgede
4240 [_he_]--from C.
_wan_--MS. wanne, C. wan
4242 _desired[e]_--desirede
4243 _bou? t[e]_--bowhte
_blode_--blod
4244 _vnclo? ed[e]_--vnclothede
_as_--of
4245 _kuyttyng_--MS. knyttyng, C. kuttynge
4246 _lete_--let
_kuytten_--MS. knytte{n}, C. kuttyn
4248 _haue_--han
4249 _my? t[e] wende_--myhte wenden
4250 _bywept[e]_--by-wepte
_ylorn_--MS. ylorne, C. y-lorn
4251 _fiers[e]_--feerse
_had[de]_--hadde
4253 _? eld_--yald
4254 _sorowful_--sorwful
_smot_--MS. smote, C. smot
4255 _oute_--owt
_stod_--MS. stode, C. stood
_forhede_--forehed]
[Headnote:
THE LABOURS OF HERCULES. ]
for whiche vlixes hadde ioie whan he saw poliphem{us} 4256
wepyng {and} blynde.
[Sidenote: Hercules is renowned for his many labours, so
successfully overcome. ]
? Hercules is celebrable for hys
hard[e] trauaile
[Sidenote: He overthrew the proud Centaurs;]
he dawntede ? e proude Centauris half
hors half man.
[Sidenote: he slew the Nemean lion and wore his skin as a trophy
of his victory;]
{and} he rafte ? e despoylynge fro ? e
cruel lyou{n} ? at is to seyne he slou? ? e lyou{n} {and} [[pg 148]]
rafte hy{m} hys skyn.
[Sidenote: he smote the Harpies with his arrows;]
he smot ? e brids ? at hy? te{n} 4261
arpijs [in ? e palude of lyrne] wi? certeyne arwes.
[Sidenote: he caried off the golden apples of the Hesperides, and
killed the watchful dragon;]
he rauyssed[e] applis fro ? e wakyng dragou{n}. {and}
hys hand was ? e more heuy for ? e golde[ne] 4264
metal.
[Sidenote: he bound Cerberus with a threefold chain;]
He drou? Cerberus ? e hound of helle by
hys treble cheyne.
[Sidenote: he gave the body of proud Diomede as food for the
tyrant's horses;]
he ouer-comer as it is seid ha?
put an vnmeke lorde fodre to hys cruel hors ? ? is is
to sein. ? at hercules slou? diomedes {and} made his hors 4268
to etyn hym.
[Sidenote: he slew the serpent Hydra;]
and he hercules slou? Idra ? e serpent {and}
brend[e] ? e venym.
[Sidenote: he caused Achelous to hide his blushing head within his
banks;]
and achelaus ? e flode defouled[e] in
his forhede dreint[e] his shamefast visage in his
strondes. ? is is to sein ? at achelaus cou? e transfigure 4272
hym self in to dyuerse lykenesse. {and} as he fau? t wi?
orcules at ? e laste he t{ur}nid[e] hym in to a bole and
hercules brak of oon of hys hornes. {and} achelaus for
shame hidde hym in hys ryuer.
[Sidenote: he left Antaeus dead upon the Lybian shore;]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 33 _b_. ]]
? And [he] hercules 4276
*cast[e] adou{n} Antheus ? e geaunt in ? e strondes of
libye.
[Sidenote: he appeased Evander's wrath by killing Cacus;]
{and} kacus apaised[e] ? e wra? ? es of euander. ? is
is to sein ? at hercules slou? ? e Monstre kacus {and}
apaised[e] wi? ? at dee? ? e wra? ? e of euander.
[Sidenote: he slew the Erymanthean boar;]
? And 4280
? e bristled[e] boor marked[e] wi? scomes ? e sholdres of
hercules. ? e whiche sholdres ? e heye cercle of heuene
sholde ? reste.
[Sidenote: and bore the weight of Atlas upon his shoulders. ]
{and} ? e laste of his labo{ur}s was ? at he
sustened[e] ? e heuene vpo{n} his nekke vnbowed.
[Sidenote: These labours justly raised him to the rank of a god. ]
{and} he 4284
deserued[e] eftsones ? e heuene to ben ? e pris of his
laste trauayle
[Sidenote: Go then, ye noble souls, and follow the path of this
great example. ]
? Go? now ? an ? e stronge men ? ere as
? e heye weye of ? e grete ensample lede? ? ou. ? O nice
men whi nake ? e ? oure bakkes. as who sei? .
[Sidenote: O ye slothful ones, wherefore do ye basely fly! ]
? O ? e 4288
slowe {and} delicat men whi fley ? e aduersites. {and} ne [[pg 149]]
fy? te{n} nat a? eins hem by vertue to wynnen ? e mede of
? e heuene.
[Sidenote: He who conquers earth doth gain the heavens. ]
for ? e er? e ouer-come{n} ? eue? ? e sterres.
? ? is is to seyne ? at whan ? at er? ely lust is ouer-comen. 4292
a man is maked wor? i to ? e heuene.
EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS.
[Linenotes:
4256 _saw_--say
4258 _hard[e] trauaile_--harde trauayles
_dawntede_--MS. dawnded, C. dawntede
4259 _half_--MS. hals
_rafte_--byrafte
_fro_--from
4260 _seyne_--seyn
4261 _smot_--MS. smote, C. smot
4262 [_in----lyrne_]--from C.
4263 _rauyssed[e]_--rauysshede
4266 _seid_--MS. seide, C. sayd
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
4267 _lorde_--lord
4269 _etyn_--freten
4270 _brend[e]_--brende
_flode defouled[e]_--flood defowlede
4271 _forhede dreint[e]_--forhed dreynte
4273 _lykenesse_--lyknesses
4274 _turnid[e]_--tornede
4275 _brak_--MS. brake, C. brak
_hys_--hise
4276 [_he_]--from C.
4278-80 _apaised[e]_--apaysede
4281 _bristled[e]_--brystelede
_marked[e]_--markede
4282 _cercle_--clerke
4283 _? reste_--thriste
4285 _deserued[e]_--deseruede
4286 _Go? _--MS. Go? e
_? ere_--ther
4287 _weye_--way
4288 _nake_--MS. make, C. nake
4289 _slowe_--MS. slou? , C. slowe
_fley_--flee
4292 _seyne_--seyn]
[Headnote:
THE EXISTENCE OF CHANCE. ]
INCIPIT LIBER QUINTUS.
DIXERAT ORACIONISQ{UE} CURSUM.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste prose. ]]
[Sidenote: When Philosophy had thus spoken, and was about to
discuss other matters I interrupted her. ]
++She hadde seid {and} to{ur}ned[e] ? e cours of hir resou{n} to
so{m}me o? {er} ? inges to ben tretid {and} to ben ysped.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Thy exhortation is just and worthy of thy
authority, but thou saidst that the question of the Divine
Superintendence or Providence is involved with many others--and
this I believe. ]
? an seide I. Certys ry? tful is ? in amonestyng {and} ful 4296
digne by auctorite. but ? at ? ou seidest som tyme ? at
? e questiou{n} of ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce is enlaced wi?
many o? er questiou{n}s. I vndir-stonde wel {and} p{ro}ue it
by ? e same ? inge.
[Sidenote: I am desirous, however, of knowing whether there be
such a thing as _Chance_, and what thou thinkest it is. ]
but I axe yif ? at ? ou wenest ? at hap 4300
be any ? ing in any weys. {and} if ? ou wenest ? at hap be
any [thing] what is it.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I hasten to fulfil my promise and to show the road
to your own country. ]
? an q{uo}d she. I haste me to
? elden {and} assoilen ? e to ? e dette of my byheste {and}
to shewen {and} opnen ? e wey by whiche wey ? ou maist 4304
come a? ein to ? i contre.
[Sidenote: But although these things you question me about are
profitable to know, yet they lead us a little out of our way. ]
? but al be it so ? at ? e ? inges
whiche ? at ? ou axest b{e}n ry? t p{ro}fitable to knowe.
? itte ben ? ei diuers somwhat fro ? e pa? e of my purpos.
[Sidenote: And by straying from the path you may be too fatigued
to return to the right road. ]
And it is to douten ? at ? ou ne be maked weery by 4308
mysweys so ? at ? ou ne mayst nat suffise to mesure{n} ? e
ry? t weye.
hys sapience. ? at is to seine ? e asprenesse of hys estat.
[Sidenote: Thus virtue, in its literal acceptation, is a power
that, relying on its own strength, overcomes all obstacles. ]
? For ? erfore is it called uertue. for ? at it susteni? {and} 4220
enforce? by hys streng? es ? at it nis nat ouer-come{n} by
aduersites.
[Sidenote: You, who have made so much progress in virtue, are not
to be carried away by delights and bodily lusts. ]
? Ne certys ? ou ? at art put in ? e encrese
or in ? e hey? t of uertue ne hast nat comen to fleten wi?
delices {and} forto welken in bodyly lust.
[Sidenote: You must engage in a fierce conflict with every
fortune--with adversity, lest it dismay you--with prosperity, lest
it corrupt you. ]
? ? ou sowest 4224
or plauntest a ful egre bataile in ? i corage a? eins euery
fortune. for ? at ? e sorweful fortune ne co{n}fou{n}de ? e nat.
ne ? at ? e myrye fortune ne corrumpe ? e nat.
[Sidenote: Seize the _golden mean_ with all your strength. All
below or above this line is a contemptible and a thankless
felicity. ]
? Occupy
? e mene by stedfast streng? es. for al ? at euer is vndir 4228
? e mene. or ellys al ? at ou{er}-passe? ? e mene despise?
welefulnesses. ? As who sei? . it is vicious {and} ne ha?
no mede of hys trauaile.
[Sidenote: The choice of fortune lies in your own hands, but
remember that even adverse fortune, unless it exercises the
virtues of the good or chastises the wicked, is a punishment. ]
? For it is set in ? our{e} hand.
as who sei? it lie? in ? our{e} power what fortune ? ow is 4232
leuest. ? at is to seyne good or yuel. ? For alle fortune
? at seme? sharpe or aspre yif it ne ex{er}cise nat ? e good [[pg 147]]
folk. ne chastisi? ? e wicked folk. it punisse? .
[Linenotes:
4210 _so? e_--soth
4211 _confessen_--co{n}fesse
4212 _no strong_--the stronge
4213 _abassen_--abayssen
4215 _oft[e]_--ofte
4219 _seine_--seyn
4223 _hey? t_--heyhte
4224 _welken_--wellen
4226 _confounde_--MS. co{n}fou{n}ded, C. confownde
4227 _Occupy_--Ocupye
4228 _stedfast_--stydefast
4230 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4231 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
4232 _lie? _--lith
4233 _seyne_--seyn
4234 _sharpe_--sharp]
[Headnote:
WE CHOOSE OUR OWN FORTUNE. ]
BELLA BIS QUENIS. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The seuende Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Atrides carried on a ten years' war to punish the
licentious Paris. ]
++? E wrekere attrides ? ? at is to seyne agamenon ? at 4236
wrou? t[e] {and} continued[e] ? e batailes by ten ? ere
recouered[e] {and} p{ur}ged[e] in wrekyng by ? e destrucc{i}ou{n}
of troie ? e loste chambres of mariage of hys bro? er
? is is to seyn ? at [he] agamenon wan a? ein Eleine ? at 4240
was Menelaus wif his bro? er.
[Sidenote: With blood he purchased propitious gales for the
Grecian fleet, by casting off all fatherly pity, and sacrificing
his daughter Iphigenia to the vengeance of Diana. ]
In ? e mene while ? at
? ilke agamenon desired[e] to ? euen sailes to ? e grekyssh{e}
nauye {and} bou? t[e] a? ein ? e wyndes by blode. he
vnclo? ed[e] hym of pite as fad{er}. {and} ? e sory p{re}st 4244
? iue? in sacrifiynge ? e wreched kuyttyng of ? rote of ? e
dou? ter. ? ? at is to sein ? at agamenon lete kuytte{n} ? e
? rote of hys dou? ter by ? e prest. to maken alliaunce wi?
hys goddes. {and} for to haue wynde wi? whiche he 4248
my? t[e] wende to troie.
[Sidenote: Ulysses bewailed his lost mates, devoured by
Polyphemus, but, having deprived the Cyclop of his sight, he
rejoiced to hear the monster's roar. ]
? Itakus ? at is to sein vlixies
bywept[e] hys felawes ylorn ? e whiche felawes ? e
fiers[e] pholifem{us} ligginge in his grete Caue had[de]
freten {and} dreint in hys empty wombe. but na? eles 4252
polifem{us} wood for his blinde visage ? eld to vlixies ioye
by hys sorowful teres. ? is is to seyn ? at vlixes smot
oute ? e eye of poliphem{us} ? at stod in hys forhede.
[Linenotes:
4236 _seyne_--seyn
4237 _wrou? t[e]_--wrowhte
_continued[e]_--continuede
_? ere_--? er
4238 _purged[e]_--purgede
4240 [_he_]--from C.
_wan_--MS. wanne, C. wan
4242 _desired[e]_--desirede
4243 _bou? t[e]_--bowhte
_blode_--blod
4244 _vnclo? ed[e]_--vnclothede
_as_--of
4245 _kuyttyng_--MS. knyttyng, C. kuttynge
4246 _lete_--let
_kuytten_--MS. knytte{n}, C. kuttyn
4248 _haue_--han
4249 _my? t[e] wende_--myhte wenden
4250 _bywept[e]_--by-wepte
_ylorn_--MS. ylorne, C. y-lorn
4251 _fiers[e]_--feerse
_had[de]_--hadde
4253 _? eld_--yald
4254 _sorowful_--sorwful
_smot_--MS. smote, C. smot
4255 _oute_--owt
_stod_--MS. stode, C. stood
_forhede_--forehed]
[Headnote:
THE LABOURS OF HERCULES. ]
for whiche vlixes hadde ioie whan he saw poliphem{us} 4256
wepyng {and} blynde.
[Sidenote: Hercules is renowned for his many labours, so
successfully overcome. ]
? Hercules is celebrable for hys
hard[e] trauaile
[Sidenote: He overthrew the proud Centaurs;]
he dawntede ? e proude Centauris half
hors half man.
[Sidenote: he slew the Nemean lion and wore his skin as a trophy
of his victory;]
{and} he rafte ? e despoylynge fro ? e
cruel lyou{n} ? at is to seyne he slou? ? e lyou{n} {and} [[pg 148]]
rafte hy{m} hys skyn.
[Sidenote: he smote the Harpies with his arrows;]
he smot ? e brids ? at hy? te{n} 4261
arpijs [in ? e palude of lyrne] wi? certeyne arwes.
[Sidenote: he caried off the golden apples of the Hesperides, and
killed the watchful dragon;]
he rauyssed[e] applis fro ? e wakyng dragou{n}. {and}
hys hand was ? e more heuy for ? e golde[ne] 4264
metal.
[Sidenote: he bound Cerberus with a threefold chain;]
He drou? Cerberus ? e hound of helle by
hys treble cheyne.
[Sidenote: he gave the body of proud Diomede as food for the
tyrant's horses;]
he ouer-comer as it is seid ha?
put an vnmeke lorde fodre to hys cruel hors ? ? is is
to sein. ? at hercules slou? diomedes {and} made his hors 4268
to etyn hym.
[Sidenote: he slew the serpent Hydra;]
and he hercules slou? Idra ? e serpent {and}
brend[e] ? e venym.
[Sidenote: he caused Achelous to hide his blushing head within his
banks;]
and achelaus ? e flode defouled[e] in
his forhede dreint[e] his shamefast visage in his
strondes. ? is is to sein ? at achelaus cou? e transfigure 4272
hym self in to dyuerse lykenesse. {and} as he fau? t wi?
orcules at ? e laste he t{ur}nid[e] hym in to a bole and
hercules brak of oon of hys hornes. {and} achelaus for
shame hidde hym in hys ryuer.
[Sidenote: he left Antaeus dead upon the Lybian shore;]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 33 _b_. ]]
? And [he] hercules 4276
*cast[e] adou{n} Antheus ? e geaunt in ? e strondes of
libye.
[Sidenote: he appeased Evander's wrath by killing Cacus;]
{and} kacus apaised[e] ? e wra? ? es of euander. ? is
is to sein ? at hercules slou? ? e Monstre kacus {and}
apaised[e] wi? ? at dee? ? e wra? ? e of euander.
[Sidenote: he slew the Erymanthean boar;]
? And 4280
? e bristled[e] boor marked[e] wi? scomes ? e sholdres of
hercules. ? e whiche sholdres ? e heye cercle of heuene
sholde ? reste.
[Sidenote: and bore the weight of Atlas upon his shoulders. ]
{and} ? e laste of his labo{ur}s was ? at he
sustened[e] ? e heuene vpo{n} his nekke vnbowed.
[Sidenote: These labours justly raised him to the rank of a god. ]
{and} he 4284
deserued[e] eftsones ? e heuene to ben ? e pris of his
laste trauayle
[Sidenote: Go then, ye noble souls, and follow the path of this
great example. ]
? Go? now ? an ? e stronge men ? ere as
? e heye weye of ? e grete ensample lede? ? ou. ? O nice
men whi nake ? e ? oure bakkes. as who sei? .
[Sidenote: O ye slothful ones, wherefore do ye basely fly! ]
? O ? e 4288
slowe {and} delicat men whi fley ? e aduersites. {and} ne [[pg 149]]
fy? te{n} nat a? eins hem by vertue to wynnen ? e mede of
? e heuene.
[Sidenote: He who conquers earth doth gain the heavens. ]
for ? e er? e ouer-come{n} ? eue? ? e sterres.
? ? is is to seyne ? at whan ? at er? ely lust is ouer-comen. 4292
a man is maked wor? i to ? e heuene.
EXPLICIT LIBER QUARTUS.
[Linenotes:
4256 _saw_--say
4258 _hard[e] trauaile_--harde trauayles
_dawntede_--MS. dawnded, C. dawntede
4259 _half_--MS. hals
_rafte_--byrafte
_fro_--from
4260 _seyne_--seyn
4261 _smot_--MS. smote, C. smot
4262 [_in----lyrne_]--from C.
4263 _rauyssed[e]_--rauysshede
4266 _seid_--MS. seide, C. sayd
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
4267 _lorde_--lord
4269 _etyn_--freten
4270 _brend[e]_--brende
_flode defouled[e]_--flood defowlede
4271 _forhede dreint[e]_--forhed dreynte
4273 _lykenesse_--lyknesses
4274 _turnid[e]_--tornede
4275 _brak_--MS. brake, C. brak
_hys_--hise
4276 [_he_]--from C.
4278-80 _apaised[e]_--apaysede
4281 _bristled[e]_--brystelede
_marked[e]_--markede
4282 _cercle_--clerke
4283 _? reste_--thriste
4285 _deserued[e]_--deseruede
4286 _Go? _--MS. Go? e
_? ere_--ther
4287 _weye_--way
4288 _nake_--MS. make, C. nake
4289 _slowe_--MS. slou? , C. slowe
_fley_--flee
4292 _seyne_--seyn]
[Headnote:
THE EXISTENCE OF CHANCE. ]
INCIPIT LIBER QUINTUS.
DIXERAT ORACIONISQ{UE} CURSUM.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste prose. ]]
[Sidenote: When Philosophy had thus spoken, and was about to
discuss other matters I interrupted her. ]
++She hadde seid {and} to{ur}ned[e] ? e cours of hir resou{n} to
so{m}me o? {er} ? inges to ben tretid {and} to ben ysped.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Thy exhortation is just and worthy of thy
authority, but thou saidst that the question of the Divine
Superintendence or Providence is involved with many others--and
this I believe. ]
? an seide I. Certys ry? tful is ? in amonestyng {and} ful 4296
digne by auctorite. but ? at ? ou seidest som tyme ? at
? e questiou{n} of ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce is enlaced wi?
many o? er questiou{n}s. I vndir-stonde wel {and} p{ro}ue it
by ? e same ? inge.
[Sidenote: I am desirous, however, of knowing whether there be
such a thing as _Chance_, and what thou thinkest it is. ]
but I axe yif ? at ? ou wenest ? at hap 4300
be any ? ing in any weys. {and} if ? ou wenest ? at hap be
any [thing] what is it.
[Sidenote: _P. _ I hasten to fulfil my promise and to show the road
to your own country. ]
? an q{uo}d she. I haste me to
? elden {and} assoilen ? e to ? e dette of my byheste {and}
to shewen {and} opnen ? e wey by whiche wey ? ou maist 4304
come a? ein to ? i contre.
[Sidenote: But although these things you question me about are
profitable to know, yet they lead us a little out of our way. ]
? but al be it so ? at ? e ? inges
whiche ? at ? ou axest b{e}n ry? t p{ro}fitable to knowe.
? itte ben ? ei diuers somwhat fro ? e pa? e of my purpos.
[Sidenote: And by straying from the path you may be too fatigued
to return to the right road. ]
And it is to douten ? at ? ou ne be maked weery by 4308
mysweys so ? at ? ou ne mayst nat suffise to mesure{n} ? e
ry? t weye.
