_ Thinkest thou that any thing in this world can
confer this happiness?
confer this happiness?
Chaucer - Boethius
ilk[e]_--thilke
2339 _none_--non
_hole_--hool
2340 _whiche_--whych
2341 _rychesse_--Rychesses
_fleen_--MS. sleen, C. flen
2342 _leuer_--leu{er}
2343 _vile_--vyl
_selfe_--self
2344 _delit? _--delices
_lesen_--lese
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
2346 _preke? _--prykketh
2347 _derknesse_--dyrknesse
2349 _scatri? _--schatereth
_delices_--delyc?
2350 _wi? out_--w{i}t{h} owte]
[Headnote:
OF FALSE FELICITY. ]
? Certys ? us seest ? ou wel ? at many ? i{n}g{us} failen to
hym. for he ha? somtyme faute of many necessites. 2352
[Sidenote: Such a one must be subject to many anxieties. ]
{and} many anguysses biten hym
[Sidenote: And when he cannot get rid of these evils he ceases to
have what he most desired--power. ]
? {and} whan he may
nat don ? o defautes awey. he forlete? to ben my? ty.
{and} ? at is ? e ? ing ? at he most desire? .
[Sidenote: In the same way honour, glory, and pleasure, are all
inseparable; he that seeks one without the other will fail to
obtain his desires. ]
{and} ry? t ? us
may I make semblable resou{n}s of hono{ur}s {and} of glorie 2356
{and} of delices. ? For so as euery of ? ise forseide
? inges is ? e same ? at ? ise o? er ? inges ben. ? at is to
sein. al oon ? ing. who so ? at euer seke? to geten ? at
oon of ? ise {and} nat ? at o? er. he ne gete? nat ? at he 2360
desire? .
[Sidenote: _B. _ What then if a man should desire to gain them all
at once? ]
_Boice. _ ? what seist ? ou ? an yif ? at a man
coueite? to geten alle ? ise ? inges to gider.
[Sidenote: _P. _ He would then indeed desire perfect felicity--but
can he ever expect to find it in the acquisitions above mentioned,
which do not perform what they promise? ]
_P. _ Certys
q{uo}d she . I. wolde seie ? at he wolde geten hym souereyne
blisfulnes. but ? at shal he nat fynde in ? o ? inges 2364
? at . I. haue shewed ? at ne mowe nat ? euen ? at ? ei by-heten.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No, surely! ]
_boice. _ Certys no q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then happiness is not to be sought in these things
which are falsely supposed capable of satisfying our desires? ]
? ? an q{uod} she ne
sholden men nat by no weye seken blysfulnesse in
swiche ? inges as men wenen ? at ? ei ne mowe 2368
? euen but o ? ing senglely of alle ? {a}t me{n} seken.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I confess it, and nothing can be more truly
affirmed than this. ]
I graunt[e] wel q{uo}d . I. ne no so? er ? ing ne may nat
ben said.
[Sidenote: Turn your mind's eye upon the reverse of all this
_false felicity_ and you will perceive _the true happiness_. ]
_P. _ ? Now hast ? ou ? an q{uo}d she ? e forme
{and} ? e causes of false welefulnesse. ? Now turne {and} 2372
flitte ? e eyen of ? i ? ou? t. for ? ere shalt ? ou seen an oon
? ilk verray blysfulnesse ? {a}t I haue byhy? t ? ee.
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is very clear, and I had a complete view of it
when you explained to me the causes of its counterfeit. ]
_b. _ Certys q{uo}d . I. it is cler {and} opyn. ? ou? ? at it were to
a blynde man. {and} ? at shewedest ? ou me [ful wel] a 2376
lytel her byforne. whan ? ou enforcedest ? e to shewe me [[pg 86]]
? e causes of ? e false blysfulnesse
[Sidenote: True felicity consists in a state of sufficiency, of
power, and honour--as well as of a shining reputation and every
desirable pleasure: and I must confess that true felicity is that
which is bestowed by these advantages, as they are in reality all
one and the same. ]
? For but yif I be by-giled.
? an is ? ilke ? e verray p{er}fit blisfulnesse ? at p{er}fitly
maki? a man suffisau{n}t. my? ty. hono{ur}able noble. 2380
{and} ful of gladnesse. {and} for ? ou shalt wel knowe ? at I
haue wel vndirstonden ? ise ? inges wi? i{n}ne myne herte.
I knowe wel ? ilke blisfulnesse ? at may verrayly ? euen
on of ? e forseide ? inges syn ? ei ben al oon . I. knowe 2384
douteles ? at ? ilke ? ing is ? e fulle of blysfulnesse.
[Sidenote: _P. _ O my nursling, how happy are you in this
conviction, provided you add but one limitation. ]
_P. _ O my nurry q{uod} she by ? is oppiniou{n} q{uo}d she I
sey[e] ? at ? ou art blisful yif ? ou putte ? is ? er to ? at I
shal seine.
[Sidenote: _B. _ What is that? ]
what is ? at q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P.
_ Thinkest thou that any thing in this world can
confer this happiness? (the sovereign good). ]
? Trowest ? ou ? at 2388
? er be any ? ing in ? is er? ely mortal toumblyng ? inges
? at may bryngen ? is estat.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I think not; for nothing can be desirable beyond
such a state of perfection. ]
Certys q{uo}d I trowe it nat.
{and} ? ou hast shewed me wel ? at ouer ? ilke goode ? er
is no ? ing more to ben desired.
[Sidenote: _P. _ These imperfect things above mentioned only confer
the shadow of the supreme good, or at most only an imperfect
felicity, but they cannot bestow true and perfect happiness. ]
_P. _ ? ise ? inges ? an 2392
q{uo}d she. ? at is to seyne er? ely suffisaunce {and} power.
{and} swiche ? inges ey? er ? ei semen likenesse of verray
goode. or ellys it seme? ? at ? ei ? euen to mortal folk a
maner of goodes ? at ne ben nat perfit. ? But ? ilke 2396
goode ? at is verray {and} p{er}fit. ? at may ? ei nat ? euen.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I quite agree with you. ]
_boice. _ I. accorde me wel q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then, knowing the difference between true and
false felicity you must now learn where to look for this supreme
felicity. ]
? an q{uo}d she for as
moche as ? ou hast knowen whiche is ? ilke verray blisfulnesse.
{and} eke whiche ? ilke ? inges ben ? at lien 2400
falsly blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne. ? at by desceit
seme{n} verray goodes.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 20 _b_. ]]
? Now byhoue? ? e to knowe{n}
*whennes {and} where ? ou mowe seek[e] ? ilke verray
blisfulnesse. ? Certys q{uo}d I ? at desijr I gretly {and} 2404
haue abiden longe tyme to herkene it.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But, as Plato says that even in the least things
the Divine assistance ought to be implored, what ought we do, to
render us worthy of so important a discovery as the true source
and seat of the sovereign good? ]
? But for as
moche q{uo}d she as it like? to my disciple plato in his
book of i{n} thimeo. ? at in ry? t lytel ? inges men sholde
bysechen ? e helpe of god. ? what iugest ? ou ? at be 2408
[now] to done so ? at we may deserue to fynde ? e sete of [[pg 87]]
? ilke souereyne goode.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Let us invoke the Father of all things. ]
_B. _ ? Certys q{uo}d . I. I. deme
? at we shulle clepen to ? e fadir of alle goodes. ? For
wi? outen hym nis ? er no ? ing founden ary? t.
[Sidenote: You are right, said Philosophy, and thus she sang:--]
? ou seist 2412
a-ry? t q{uo}d she. and bygan on-one to syngen ry? t ? us.
[Linenotes:
2351 _many_--manye
2352 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_faute_--defaute
2353 _may_--ne may
2354 _don_--MS. done, C. don
2356 _make_--maken
2357 _forseide_--MS. sorseide
2363 _souereyne_--sou{er}eyn
2365 _mowe_--mowen
2368 _wenen_--wene
_mowe_--mowen
2370 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
_so? er_--sother{e}
2371 _said_--MS. saide, C. sayd
2376 [_ful wel_]--from C.
2377 _byforne_--by-forn
2378 _blysfulnesse_--MS. blyndenesse, C. blysfulnesse
2385 _of_--omitted
2386 _nurry_--norye
2387 _sey[e]_--seye
2388 _seine_--seyn
2389 _? is_--thise
2390 _nat_--nawht
2393 _seyne_--sey
2395 _? euen_--yeue
2397 _goode_--good
2399 _whiche_--which
2401 _seyne_--seyn
2402 _knowen_--knowe
2403 _seek[e]_--seke
2405 _herkene_--herknen
2407 _sholde_--sholden
2408 _bysechen_--by-shechen
_helpe_--help
2409 [_now_]--from C.
2410 _souereyne goode_--verray good
2411 _shulle_--shollen
_to_--omitted
2413 _on-one_--anon]
[Headnote:
IN SEEKING SUPREME FELICITY THE DIVINE AID IS TO BE INVOKED. ]
O QUI PERPETUA.
[Sidenote: [The 9^ne Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: O Father and Maker of heaven and earth, by whose
eternal reason the world is governed, and by whose supreme command
Time flows from the birth of ages, Thou, firm and unchanged
thyself, makest all things else to move! ]
++O ? ou fadir creatour of heuene {and} of er? es ? at
gouernest ? is worlde by p{er}durable resou{n} ? at comaundist
? e tymes for to gon from tyme ? at age had[de] 2416
bygy{n}ny{n}g. ? ou ? at dwellest ? i self ay stedfast {and}
stable {and} ? iuest alle o? er ? inges to ben moeued.
[Sidenote: Thy sovereign will to floating matter gave its various
forms, impelled by no exterior causes, but by the Idea of the Best
in thy great mind conceived void of malice. ]
ne forein causes necesseden ? e neuer to co{m}poune werke
of floterynge mater. but only ? e forme of souereyne 2420
goode y-set wi? i{n}ne [? e] wi? outen envie ? at moeued[e]
? e frely.
[Sidenote: Fairest thyself bearing the world's figure in thy
thought, thou didst create the world after that prototype, and
dost draw all things from the image of the fair Supreme, and dost
command that this world should have perfect parts. ]
? ou ? at art al? erfairest beryng ? e faire worlde
in ? i ? ou? t. formedest ? is worlde to ? e likkenesse
semblable of ? at faire worlde in ? i ? ou? t. ? ou drawest 2424
alle ? inges of ? i souereyne ensampler. {and} comaundedist
? at ? is worlde p{er}fitlyche ymaked haue frely {and}
absolut hyse p{er}fit parties.
[Sidenote: By harmonious measures thou dost bind fast the
elements, so that there is no discordance between things cold and
hot, or between the moist and the dry. ]
? ? ou byndest ? e element?
by noumbres p{ro}porcionables. ? at ? e colde ? inges 2428
mowen accorde wi? ? e hote ? inges. {and} ?
2339 _none_--non
_hole_--hool
2340 _whiche_--whych
2341 _rychesse_--Rychesses
_fleen_--MS. sleen, C. flen
2342 _leuer_--leu{er}
2343 _vile_--vyl
_selfe_--self
2344 _delit? _--delices
_lesen_--lese
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
2346 _preke? _--prykketh
2347 _derknesse_--dyrknesse
2349 _scatri? _--schatereth
_delices_--delyc?
2350 _wi? out_--w{i}t{h} owte]
[Headnote:
OF FALSE FELICITY. ]
? Certys ? us seest ? ou wel ? at many ? i{n}g{us} failen to
hym. for he ha? somtyme faute of many necessites. 2352
[Sidenote: Such a one must be subject to many anxieties. ]
{and} many anguysses biten hym
[Sidenote: And when he cannot get rid of these evils he ceases to
have what he most desired--power. ]
? {and} whan he may
nat don ? o defautes awey. he forlete? to ben my? ty.
{and} ? at is ? e ? ing ? at he most desire? .
[Sidenote: In the same way honour, glory, and pleasure, are all
inseparable; he that seeks one without the other will fail to
obtain his desires. ]
{and} ry? t ? us
may I make semblable resou{n}s of hono{ur}s {and} of glorie 2356
{and} of delices. ? For so as euery of ? ise forseide
? inges is ? e same ? at ? ise o? er ? inges ben. ? at is to
sein. al oon ? ing. who so ? at euer seke? to geten ? at
oon of ? ise {and} nat ? at o? er. he ne gete? nat ? at he 2360
desire? .
[Sidenote: _B. _ What then if a man should desire to gain them all
at once? ]
_Boice. _ ? what seist ? ou ? an yif ? at a man
coueite? to geten alle ? ise ? inges to gider.
[Sidenote: _P. _ He would then indeed desire perfect felicity--but
can he ever expect to find it in the acquisitions above mentioned,
which do not perform what they promise? ]
_P. _ Certys
q{uo}d she . I. wolde seie ? at he wolde geten hym souereyne
blisfulnes. but ? at shal he nat fynde in ? o ? inges 2364
? at . I. haue shewed ? at ne mowe nat ? euen ? at ? ei by-heten.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No, surely! ]
_boice. _ Certys no q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then happiness is not to be sought in these things
which are falsely supposed capable of satisfying our desires? ]
? ? an q{uod} she ne
sholden men nat by no weye seken blysfulnesse in
swiche ? inges as men wenen ? at ? ei ne mowe 2368
? euen but o ? ing senglely of alle ? {a}t me{n} seken.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I confess it, and nothing can be more truly
affirmed than this. ]
I graunt[e] wel q{uo}d . I. ne no so? er ? ing ne may nat
ben said.
[Sidenote: Turn your mind's eye upon the reverse of all this
_false felicity_ and you will perceive _the true happiness_. ]
_P. _ ? Now hast ? ou ? an q{uo}d she ? e forme
{and} ? e causes of false welefulnesse. ? Now turne {and} 2372
flitte ? e eyen of ? i ? ou? t. for ? ere shalt ? ou seen an oon
? ilk verray blysfulnesse ? {a}t I haue byhy? t ? ee.
[Sidenote: _B. _ It is very clear, and I had a complete view of it
when you explained to me the causes of its counterfeit. ]
_b. _ Certys q{uo}d . I. it is cler {and} opyn. ? ou? ? at it were to
a blynde man. {and} ? at shewedest ? ou me [ful wel] a 2376
lytel her byforne. whan ? ou enforcedest ? e to shewe me [[pg 86]]
? e causes of ? e false blysfulnesse
[Sidenote: True felicity consists in a state of sufficiency, of
power, and honour--as well as of a shining reputation and every
desirable pleasure: and I must confess that true felicity is that
which is bestowed by these advantages, as they are in reality all
one and the same. ]
? For but yif I be by-giled.
? an is ? ilke ? e verray p{er}fit blisfulnesse ? at p{er}fitly
maki? a man suffisau{n}t. my? ty. hono{ur}able noble. 2380
{and} ful of gladnesse. {and} for ? ou shalt wel knowe ? at I
haue wel vndirstonden ? ise ? inges wi? i{n}ne myne herte.
I knowe wel ? ilke blisfulnesse ? at may verrayly ? euen
on of ? e forseide ? inges syn ? ei ben al oon . I. knowe 2384
douteles ? at ? ilke ? ing is ? e fulle of blysfulnesse.
[Sidenote: _P. _ O my nursling, how happy are you in this
conviction, provided you add but one limitation. ]
_P. _ O my nurry q{uod} she by ? is oppiniou{n} q{uo}d she I
sey[e] ? at ? ou art blisful yif ? ou putte ? is ? er to ? at I
shal seine.
[Sidenote: _B. _ What is that? ]
what is ? at q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P.
_ Thinkest thou that any thing in this world can
confer this happiness? (the sovereign good). ]
? Trowest ? ou ? at 2388
? er be any ? ing in ? is er? ely mortal toumblyng ? inges
? at may bryngen ? is estat.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I think not; for nothing can be desirable beyond
such a state of perfection. ]
Certys q{uo}d I trowe it nat.
{and} ? ou hast shewed me wel ? at ouer ? ilke goode ? er
is no ? ing more to ben desired.
[Sidenote: _P. _ These imperfect things above mentioned only confer
the shadow of the supreme good, or at most only an imperfect
felicity, but they cannot bestow true and perfect happiness. ]
_P. _ ? ise ? inges ? an 2392
q{uo}d she. ? at is to seyne er? ely suffisaunce {and} power.
{and} swiche ? inges ey? er ? ei semen likenesse of verray
goode. or ellys it seme? ? at ? ei ? euen to mortal folk a
maner of goodes ? at ne ben nat perfit. ? But ? ilke 2396
goode ? at is verray {and} p{er}fit. ? at may ? ei nat ? euen.
[Sidenote: _B. _ I quite agree with you. ]
_boice. _ I. accorde me wel q{uo}d . I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ Then, knowing the difference between true and
false felicity you must now learn where to look for this supreme
felicity. ]
? an q{uo}d she for as
moche as ? ou hast knowen whiche is ? ilke verray blisfulnesse.
{and} eke whiche ? ilke ? inges ben ? at lien 2400
falsly blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne. ? at by desceit
seme{n} verray goodes.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 20 _b_. ]]
? Now byhoue? ? e to knowe{n}
*whennes {and} where ? ou mowe seek[e] ? ilke verray
blisfulnesse. ? Certys q{uo}d I ? at desijr I gretly {and} 2404
haue abiden longe tyme to herkene it.
[Sidenote: _P. _ But, as Plato says that even in the least things
the Divine assistance ought to be implored, what ought we do, to
render us worthy of so important a discovery as the true source
and seat of the sovereign good? ]
? But for as
moche q{uo}d she as it like? to my disciple plato in his
book of i{n} thimeo. ? at in ry? t lytel ? inges men sholde
bysechen ? e helpe of god. ? what iugest ? ou ? at be 2408
[now] to done so ? at we may deserue to fynde ? e sete of [[pg 87]]
? ilke souereyne goode.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Let us invoke the Father of all things. ]
_B. _ ? Certys q{uo}d . I. I. deme
? at we shulle clepen to ? e fadir of alle goodes. ? For
wi? outen hym nis ? er no ? ing founden ary? t.
[Sidenote: You are right, said Philosophy, and thus she sang:--]
? ou seist 2412
a-ry? t q{uo}d she. and bygan on-one to syngen ry? t ? us.
[Linenotes:
2351 _many_--manye
2352 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_faute_--defaute
2353 _may_--ne may
2354 _don_--MS. done, C. don
2356 _make_--maken
2357 _forseide_--MS. sorseide
2363 _souereyne_--sou{er}eyn
2365 _mowe_--mowen
2368 _wenen_--wene
_mowe_--mowen
2370 _graunt[e]_--grau{n}te
_so? er_--sother{e}
2371 _said_--MS. saide, C. sayd
2376 [_ful wel_]--from C.
2377 _byforne_--by-forn
2378 _blysfulnesse_--MS. blyndenesse, C. blysfulnesse
2385 _of_--omitted
2386 _nurry_--norye
2387 _sey[e]_--seye
2388 _seine_--seyn
2389 _? is_--thise
2390 _nat_--nawht
2393 _seyne_--sey
2395 _? euen_--yeue
2397 _goode_--good
2399 _whiche_--which
2401 _seyne_--seyn
2402 _knowen_--knowe
2403 _seek[e]_--seke
2405 _herkene_--herknen
2407 _sholde_--sholden
2408 _bysechen_--by-shechen
_helpe_--help
2409 [_now_]--from C.
2410 _souereyne goode_--verray good
2411 _shulle_--shollen
_to_--omitted
2413 _on-one_--anon]
[Headnote:
IN SEEKING SUPREME FELICITY THE DIVINE AID IS TO BE INVOKED. ]
O QUI PERPETUA.
[Sidenote: [The 9^ne Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: O Father and Maker of heaven and earth, by whose
eternal reason the world is governed, and by whose supreme command
Time flows from the birth of ages, Thou, firm and unchanged
thyself, makest all things else to move! ]
++O ? ou fadir creatour of heuene {and} of er? es ? at
gouernest ? is worlde by p{er}durable resou{n} ? at comaundist
? e tymes for to gon from tyme ? at age had[de] 2416
bygy{n}ny{n}g. ? ou ? at dwellest ? i self ay stedfast {and}
stable {and} ? iuest alle o? er ? inges to ben moeued.
[Sidenote: Thy sovereign will to floating matter gave its various
forms, impelled by no exterior causes, but by the Idea of the Best
in thy great mind conceived void of malice. ]
ne forein causes necesseden ? e neuer to co{m}poune werke
of floterynge mater. but only ? e forme of souereyne 2420
goode y-set wi? i{n}ne [? e] wi? outen envie ? at moeued[e]
? e frely.
[Sidenote: Fairest thyself bearing the world's figure in thy
thought, thou didst create the world after that prototype, and
dost draw all things from the image of the fair Supreme, and dost
command that this world should have perfect parts. ]
? ou ? at art al? erfairest beryng ? e faire worlde
in ? i ? ou? t. formedest ? is worlde to ? e likkenesse
semblable of ? at faire worlde in ? i ? ou? t. ? ou drawest 2424
alle ? inges of ? i souereyne ensampler. {and} comaundedist
? at ? is worlde p{er}fitlyche ymaked haue frely {and}
absolut hyse p{er}fit parties.
[Sidenote: By harmonious measures thou dost bind fast the
elements, so that there is no discordance between things cold and
hot, or between the moist and the dry. ]
? ? ou byndest ? e element?
by noumbres p{ro}porcionables. ? at ? e colde ? inges 2428
mowen accorde wi? ? e hote ? inges. {and} ?
