ou art
peisible
to debonaire folke.
Chaucer - Boethius
?
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
falsly blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne. ? at by desceit seme{n} verray
goodes. ? 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} haue abiden longe tyme to herkene it. ? 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 [now] to done so ? at we may deserue to fynde ? e sete of ? ilke
souereyne goode. _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. ? ou seist a-ry? t q{uo}d she. and bygan on-one to syngen ry? t ? us.
O QUI PERPETUA.
[Sidenote: [The 9^ne Met{ur}. ]]
++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] bygy{n}ny{n}g. ? ou ? at dwellest ? i self ay stedfast
{and} stable {and} ? iuest alle o? er ? inges to ben moeued. ne forein
causes necesseden ? e neuer to co{m}poune werke of floterynge mater. but
only ? e forme of souereyne goode y-set wi? i{n}ne [? e] wi? outen envie
? at moeued[e] ? e frely. ? 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 alle ? inges of ? i souereyne
ensampler. {and} comaundedist ? at ? is worlde p{er}fitlyche ymaked haue
frely {and} absolut hyse p{er}fit parties. ? ? ou byndest ? e element? by
noumbres p{ro}porcionables. ? at ? e colde ? inges mowen accorde wi? ? e
hote ? inges. {and} ? e drye ? i{n}ges wi? ? e moyst ? inges. ? at ? e fire ? at
is purest ne fleye nat ouer heye. ne ? at ? e heuynesse ne drawe nat
adou{n} ouer lowe ? e er? es ? at ben plounged in ? e watres. ? ? ou knyttest
to-gidre ? e mene soule of treble kynde moeuyng alle ? inges. {and}
diuidest it by membres accordynge. ? And whan it is ? us diuided it ha?
assembled a moeuyng in two roundes. ? It go? to to{ur}ne a? ein to hym
owen self. {and} environe? a fulle deep ? ou? t. {and} to{ur}ni? ? e heuene
by semblable ymage. ? ou by eue{n}lyk causes enhau{n}sest ? e soules {and}
? e lasse liues {and} ablynge hem heye by ly? t[e] cartes. ? ou sewest hem
in to heuene {and} in to er? e. {and} whan ? ei ben conuertid to ? e by ? i
benigne lawe. ? ? ou makest hem retorne a? eine to ? e by a? ein ledyng
fijr. ? O fadir yif ? ou to ? i ? ou? t to stien vp in to ? i streite sete.
{and} graunte [hym] to enviroune ? e welle of good. {and} ? e ly? te
yfounde graunte hym to ficchen ? e clere sy? tes of hys corage in ? e.
? And scatre ? ou {and} to-breke [thow] ? e wey? tes {and} ? e cloudes of
er? ely heuynesse. {and} shyne ? ou by ? i bry? tnes. for ? ou art clernesse
?
ou art peisible to debonaire folke. ? ? ou ? i self art bygy{n}ny{n}ge.
berere. ledere. pa? {and} t{er}me to loke on ? e [? at] is oure ende.
_Glose. _
QUONIAM IGITUR QUI SCIT.
[Sidenote: [The 10^the p{ro}se. ]]
++FOr as moche ? an as ? ou hast seyn. whiche is ? e forme of goode ? at nys
nat p{er}fit. {and} whiche is ? e forme of goode ? at is p{er}fit. now
trowe I ? at it were goode to shewe in what ? is p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} of
blisfulnesse is set. {and} in ? is ? ing I trowe ? at we sholden first
enquere forto witen yif ? at any swiche manere goode as ? ilke goode ? at
? ou hast diffinissed a lytel her byforne. ? at is to seine souereyne
goode may be founden in ? e nature of ? inges. For ? at veyne
ymaginac{i}ou{n} of ? ou? t ne desceiue vs nat. {and} putte vs oute of ? e
so? efastnesse of ? ilke ? inge ? at is su{m}myttid to vs. ? is is to seyne.
but it may nat ben denoyed ? at ? ilke goode ne is. ? and ? at it nis ry? t
as a welle of alle goodes. ? For al ? ing ? at is cleped i{n}p{er}fit. is
proued i{n}p{er}fit by ? e amenusynge of p{er}fecc{i}ou{n}. or of ? ing
? at is p{er}fit. {and} her of come? it. ? at in euery ? ing general. yif
? at. ? at men seen any ? ing ? at is i{n}p{er}fit certys in ? ilke general
? er mot ben so{m}me ? ing ? at is p{er}fit. ? For yif so be ? at
p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} is don awey. men may nat ? inke nor seye fro whe{n}nes
? ilke ? ing is ? at is cleped inperfit. ? For ? e nature of ? inges ne token
nat her bygynnyng of ? inges amenused {and} i{n}p{er}fit. but it
p{ro}cedi? of ? i{n}g{us} ? at ben al hool. {and} absolut. {and} descende?
so doune in to outerest ? inges {and} in to ? i{n}g{us} empty {and} wi?
oute fruyt. but as I haue shewed a litel her byforne. ? at yif ? er be a
blisfulnesse ? at be frele {and} vein {and} inp{er}fit. ? er may no man
doute. ? at ? er nys som blisfulnesse ? at is sad stedfast {and} p{er}fit.
b. ? is is concludid q{uo}d I fermely {and} so? efastly. _P. _ But
co{n}sidere also q{uo}d she in wham ? is blisfulnesse enhabite? . ? e
co{m}mune acordaunce {and} conceite of ? e corages of men p{ro}ue? {and}
graunte? ? at god p{r}ince of alle ? i{n}g{us} is good. ? For so as no
? ing ne may ben ? ou? t bettre ? an god. it may nat ben douted ? an ? at [he
? {a}t] no ? ing is bettre. ? at he nys good. ? Certys resou{n} shewe? ? at
god is so goode ? at it p{ro}ue? by verray force ? at p{er}fit goode is in
hym. ? For yif god ne is swiche. he ne may nat ben p{r}ince of alle
? inges. for certis som ? ing possessyng in hy{m} self p{er}fit goode
sholde ben more ? an god. {and} [it] sholde seme ? at ? ilke ? ing were
first {and} elder ? an god. ? For we han shewed ap{er}tly ? at alle ? inges
? at ben p{er}fit. ben first or ? inges ? at ben inperfit. ? And for ? i for
as moche as [that] my resou{n} or my p{ro}ces ne go nat awey wi? oute an
ende. we ou? t[e] to graunten ? at ? e souereyne god is ry? t ful of
souereyne p{er}fit goode. and we han establissed ? at ? e souereyne goode
is verrey blisfulnesse. ? an mot it nedes ben [? {a}t verray blysfulnesse
is] yset i{n} souereyne god. _B. _ ? is take I wel q{uo}d . I. ne ? is ne
may nat be wi? seid in no manere. ? But I p{re}ie ? e q{uo}d she see now
how ? ou mayst preuen holily {and} wi? -oute{n} corrupciou{n} ? is ? at I
haue seid. ? at ?
is ? ilke verray blisfulnesse. {and} eke whiche ? ilke ? inges ben ? at lien
falsly blisfulnesse. ? at is to seyne. ? at by desceit seme{n} verray
goodes. ? 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} haue abiden longe tyme to herkene it. ? 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 [now] to done so ? at we may deserue to fynde ? e sete of ? ilke
souereyne goode. _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. ? ou seist a-ry? t q{uo}d she. and bygan on-one to syngen ry? t ? us.
O QUI PERPETUA.
[Sidenote: [The 9^ne Met{ur}. ]]
++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] bygy{n}ny{n}g. ? ou ? at dwellest ? i self ay stedfast
{and} stable {and} ? iuest alle o? er ? inges to ben moeued. ne forein
causes necesseden ? e neuer to co{m}poune werke of floterynge mater. but
only ? e forme of souereyne goode y-set wi? i{n}ne [? e] wi? outen envie
? at moeued[e] ? e frely. ? 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 alle ? inges of ? i souereyne
ensampler. {and} comaundedist ? at ? is worlde p{er}fitlyche ymaked haue
frely {and} absolut hyse p{er}fit parties. ? ? ou byndest ? e element? by
noumbres p{ro}porcionables. ? at ? e colde ? inges mowen accorde wi? ? e
hote ? inges. {and} ? e drye ? i{n}ges wi? ? e moyst ? inges. ? at ? e fire ? at
is purest ne fleye nat ouer heye. ne ? at ? e heuynesse ne drawe nat
adou{n} ouer lowe ? e er? es ? at ben plounged in ? e watres. ? ? ou knyttest
to-gidre ? e mene soule of treble kynde moeuyng alle ? inges. {and}
diuidest it by membres accordynge. ? And whan it is ? us diuided it ha?
assembled a moeuyng in two roundes. ? It go? to to{ur}ne a? ein to hym
owen self. {and} environe? a fulle deep ? ou? t. {and} to{ur}ni? ? e heuene
by semblable ymage. ? ou by eue{n}lyk causes enhau{n}sest ? e soules {and}
? e lasse liues {and} ablynge hem heye by ly? t[e] cartes. ? ou sewest hem
in to heuene {and} in to er? e. {and} whan ? ei ben conuertid to ? e by ? i
benigne lawe. ? ? ou makest hem retorne a? eine to ? e by a? ein ledyng
fijr. ? O fadir yif ? ou to ? i ? ou? t to stien vp in to ? i streite sete.
{and} graunte [hym] to enviroune ? e welle of good. {and} ? e ly? te
yfounde graunte hym to ficchen ? e clere sy? tes of hys corage in ? e.
? And scatre ? ou {and} to-breke [thow] ? e wey? tes {and} ? e cloudes of
er? ely heuynesse. {and} shyne ? ou by ? i bry? tnes. for ? ou art clernesse
?
ou art peisible to debonaire folke. ? ? ou ? i self art bygy{n}ny{n}ge.
berere. ledere. pa? {and} t{er}me to loke on ? e [? at] is oure ende.
_Glose. _
QUONIAM IGITUR QUI SCIT.
[Sidenote: [The 10^the p{ro}se. ]]
++FOr as moche ? an as ? ou hast seyn. whiche is ? e forme of goode ? at nys
nat p{er}fit. {and} whiche is ? e forme of goode ? at is p{er}fit. now
trowe I ? at it were goode to shewe in what ? is p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} of
blisfulnesse is set. {and} in ? is ? ing I trowe ? at we sholden first
enquere forto witen yif ? at any swiche manere goode as ? ilke goode ? at
? ou hast diffinissed a lytel her byforne. ? at is to seine souereyne
goode may be founden in ? e nature of ? inges. For ? at veyne
ymaginac{i}ou{n} of ? ou? t ne desceiue vs nat. {and} putte vs oute of ? e
so? efastnesse of ? ilke ? inge ? at is su{m}myttid to vs. ? is is to seyne.
but it may nat ben denoyed ? at ? ilke goode ne is. ? and ? at it nis ry? t
as a welle of alle goodes. ? For al ? ing ? at is cleped i{n}p{er}fit. is
proued i{n}p{er}fit by ? e amenusynge of p{er}fecc{i}ou{n}. or of ? ing
? at is p{er}fit. {and} her of come? it. ? at in euery ? ing general. yif
? at. ? at men seen any ? ing ? at is i{n}p{er}fit certys in ? ilke general
? er mot ben so{m}me ? ing ? at is p{er}fit. ? For yif so be ? at
p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} is don awey. men may nat ? inke nor seye fro whe{n}nes
? ilke ? ing is ? at is cleped inperfit. ? For ? e nature of ? inges ne token
nat her bygynnyng of ? inges amenused {and} i{n}p{er}fit. but it
p{ro}cedi? of ? i{n}g{us} ? at ben al hool. {and} absolut. {and} descende?
so doune in to outerest ? inges {and} in to ? i{n}g{us} empty {and} wi?
oute fruyt. but as I haue shewed a litel her byforne. ? at yif ? er be a
blisfulnesse ? at be frele {and} vein {and} inp{er}fit. ? er may no man
doute. ? at ? er nys som blisfulnesse ? at is sad stedfast {and} p{er}fit.
b. ? is is concludid q{uo}d I fermely {and} so? efastly. _P. _ But
co{n}sidere also q{uo}d she in wham ? is blisfulnesse enhabite? . ? e
co{m}mune acordaunce {and} conceite of ? e corages of men p{ro}ue? {and}
graunte? ? at god p{r}ince of alle ? i{n}g{us} is good. ? For so as no
? ing ne may ben ? ou? t bettre ? an god. it may nat ben douted ? an ? at [he
? {a}t] no ? ing is bettre. ? at he nys good. ? Certys resou{n} shewe? ? at
god is so goode ? at it p{ro}ue? by verray force ? at p{er}fit goode is in
hym. ? For yif god ne is swiche. he ne may nat ben p{r}ince of alle
? inges. for certis som ? ing possessyng in hy{m} self p{er}fit goode
sholde ben more ? an god. {and} [it] sholde seme ? at ? ilke ? ing were
first {and} elder ? an god. ? For we han shewed ap{er}tly ? at alle ? inges
? at ben p{er}fit. ben first or ? inges ? at ben inperfit. ? And for ? i for
as moche as [that] my resou{n} or my p{ro}ces ne go nat awey wi? oute an
ende. we ou? t[e] to graunten ? at ? e souereyne god is ry? t ful of
souereyne p{er}fit goode. and we han establissed ? at ? e souereyne goode
is verrey blisfulnesse. ? an mot it nedes ben [? {a}t verray blysfulnesse
is] yset i{n} souereyne god. _B. _ ? is take I wel q{uo}d . I. ne ? is ne
may nat be wi? seid in no manere. ? But I p{re}ie ? e q{uo}d she see now
how ? ou mayst preuen holily {and} wi? -oute{n} corrupciou{n} ? is ? at I
haue seid. ? at ?
