[Sidenote: The
principal
cause of my trouble is this--that, whilst
the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, evil exists
and is allowed to pass unpunished.
the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, evil exists
and is allowed to pass unpunished.
Chaucer - Boethius
at to{ur}mente{n} 3048
{and} agaste{n} ? e soules by anoye wexen sorweful {and} sory
{and} wepen teres for pitee.
[Sidenote: Ixion, tormented by the revolving wheel, found rest;]
? an was nat ? e heued of
Ixion{e} yto{ur}mented by ? e ou{er}? rowi{n}g whele.
[Sidenote: Tantalus, suffering from a long and raging thirst,
despised the stream;]
? And
tantalus ? at was destroied by ? e woodnesse of longe 3052
? rust dispise? ? e flodes to drynke.
[Sidenote: and the greedy vulture did cease to eat and tear the
growing liver of Tityus. ]
? e fowel ? at hy? t
voltor ? at eti? ? e stomak or ? e giser of ticius is so fulfilled
of his songe ? at it nil etyn ne tyren no more.
[Linenotes:
3022 _vnbynde_--vnbyndyn
_bonde_--bondes
3023 [_orpheus_]--from C.
_somtyme_--whilom
3024 _sorowe_--sorwe
3028 _dredles_--dredeles
_to herkene_--forto herknen
3029 _had[de]_--hadde
3030 _? at_ (2)--omitted
3031 _most[e]_--moste
3032 _hadde_--hadden
3033 _assuage_--asswagen
_lorde_--lord
3034 _pleyned[e]_--pleynede
_godes_--heuene goodes
3035 _wente_--MS. wenten, C. wente
3036 _tempred[e] hys_--temprede hise
3037 _of hys_--C. omits
_spak_--MS. spakke, C. spak
_song_--MS. songe, C. soonge
3038 _alle_--al
3039 _oute_--owt
_goddesse_--goddes
3040 _song_--MS. songe, C. soonge
_mychel_--mochel
3041 _myche_--moche
_doubled[e]_--dowblede
3042 _my? t[e]_--myhte
_? euen_--yeue
_teche_--thechen
_in----herte_--omitted
3043 _commoeuede_--MS. comaunded, C. co{m}moeuede
3044 _sou? te_--by-sowhte
3045 _? elden_--yilden
3046 _his_--hise
3047 _cau? t_--MS. cau? te, C. cawht
_new[e] songe_--newe song
3049 _anoye----sorweful_--anoy woxen soruful
3050 _? an_--tho ne
3051 _whele_--wheel
3053 _? rust_--thurst
_hy? t_--hihte
3054 _fulfilled_--fulfyld
3055 _songe_--song]
[Headnote:
FIX NOT THE THOUGHTS ON EARTHLY THINGS. ]
[Sidenote: At length Pluto himself relented, crying out, 'We are
overcome! Let us give him back his wife, he hath well won her by
his song. ]
? Atte ? e laste ? e lorde {and} Iuge of soules was moeued 3056
to misericordes {and} cried[e] we ben ouer comen q{uo}d
he. yif[e] we to orpheus his wijf to bere hym co{m}paignye
he ha? welle I-bou? t hir by his faire songe {and}
his ditee. [[pg 108]]
[Sidenote: But we will lay this injunction upon him. Till he
escape the infernal bounds, he shall not cast a backward look. ']
but we wil putte{n} a lawe in ? is. {and} couenaunt 3060
in ? e ? ifte. ? {a}t is to seyne. ? at til he be out of
helle yif he loke byhynden hym [? {a}t] hys wijf shal
come{n} a? eine to vs
[Sidenote: But, who shall give a lover any law? Love is a greater
law than may be given to any earthly man. ]
? but what is he ? at may ? eue a
lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe {and} a strengere to 3064
hym self ? an any lawe ? {a}t men may ? euen.
[Sidenote: Alas! having left the realms of night, Orpheus cast a
look behind and lost his too-much-loved Euridice. ]
? Allas
whan Orpheus {and} his wijf were al most at ? e termes of
? e ny? t. ? at is to seyne at ? e last[e] boundes of helle.
Orpheus loked[e] abakwarde on Erudice his wijf {and} 3068
lost[e] hir {and} was deed.
[Sidenote: This fable belongs to all you, whose minds would view
the Sovereign Good. ]
? ? is fable app{er}teine? to
? ow alle who so euer desire? or seki? to lede his ? ou? te
in to ? e souereyne day. ? at is to seyne to clerenes[se]
of souereyne goode.
[Sidenote: For he who fixes his thoughts upon earthly things and
low, must lose the noble and heaven-imparted Good. ]
? For who so ? at eu{er}e be so ouer 3072
come{n} ? at he fycche hys eyen in to ? e put[te] of helle.
? at is to seyne who so sette? his ? ou? tes in er? ely
? inges. al ? at euer he ha? drawen of ? e noble good
celestial he lesi? it whan he loke? ? e helles. ? at is to 3076
seyne to lowe ? inges of ? e er? e.
EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.
[Linenotes:
3056 _Atte_--At
_lorde_--lord
3057 _cried[e]_--cryde
3058 _yif[e]_--yiue
3059 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_welle_--wel
_faire_--C. omits
_songe_--song
3060 _wil putten_--wol putte
3062 _byhynden_--by-hynde
[_? at_]--from C.
3063 _to_--vn-to
3064 _gretter_--gret
3066 _were al most_--weren almest
3067 _last[e]_--laste
3068 _loked[e] abakwarde_--lookede abacward
3069 _lost[e]_--loste
3070 _? ou? te_--thowht
3071 _clerenes[se]_--clernesse
3072 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn god
3073 _put[te]_--putte
3074 _sette? _--sette
3075 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 24 _b_. ]]
*INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS.
HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE UULT{US}.
[Sidenote: [The 1^ma p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: When P. with grace and dignity had poured forth her
songs, I, not quite quit of my load of grief, interrupted her as
she was continuing her discourse. ]
++Whanne philosophie hadde songe{n} softly {and} delitably
? e forseide ? inges kepynge ? e dignitee of hir
choere in ? e wey? te of hir wordes. I ? an ? at ne hadde 3080
nat al out{er}ly for? eten ? e wepyng {and} mournyng
? at was set in myne herte for-brek ? e entenc{i}ou{n} of hir
? at entended[e] ? itte to seyne o? {er} ? inges.
[Sidenote: All your discourses, O my conductress to the true
light! have been very clear and unanswerable, both by the divine
testimony which they carry along with them, and by thy
irrefragable arguments. ]
? Se q{uo}d
I. ? ou ? at art gideresse of verray ly? te ? e ? inges ? at ? ou 3084
hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere
{and} so shewyng [[pg 109]]
by ? e deuyne lokyng of hem {and} by ? i resou{n}s ? at
? ei ne mowe nat ben ouercomen.
[Sidenote: Through the oppression of grief I had forgotten these
truths, but was not wholly ignorant of them. ]
? And ? ilke ? i{n}g{us}
? at ? ou toldest me. al be it so ? at I hadde som tyme 3088
fo[r]? eten hem for [the] sorwe of ? e wronge ? at ha? ben
don to me. ? it na? eles ? ei ne were nat alouterly vnknowen
to me.
[Sidenote: The principal cause of my trouble is this--that, whilst
the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, evil exists
and is allowed to pass unpunished. ]
but ? is same is namly a gret cause of
my sorwe. ? at so as ? e gouernoure of ? inges is goode. 3092
yif ? at yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif
? at yuelys passen wi? outen punyssheinge.
[Sidenote: This, to say the least, is astonishing. ]
? e whiche
? inge oonly how wor? i it is to ben wondred vpon. ? ou
considerest it weel ? i self certeynly.
[Sidenote: Moreover, while _vice_ flourishes _virtue_ is not only
unrewarded, but trampled under foot by base and profligate men,
and suffers the punishment due to impiety. ]
but ? itte to ? is 3096
? ing ? ere is an o? er ? ing y-ioigned more to ben ywondred
vpon. ? For felonie is emperisse {and} flowre? ful of
rycchesse. and vertues nis nat al oonly wi? outen medes.
but it is cast vndir {and} fortroden vndir ? e feet of felonous 3100
folk. {and} it abie? ? e to{ur}me{n}tes in sted of
wicked felou{n}s
[Sidenote: Here is cause for wonderment, since such things are
possible under the government of an omniscient and omnipotent God,
who wills nothing but what is the best. ]
? Of al[le] whiche ? ing ? er nis no wy? t
? at [may] merueyllen ynou? ne compleyne ? at swiche
? inges ben don in ? e regne of god ? at alle ? inges woot. 3104
and alle ? inges may {and} ne wool nat but only goode
? inges.
[Sidenote: _P. _ It were indeed, not only marvellous, but also
horribly monstrous, if, in the well-regulated family of so great a
master, the worthless vessels should be honoured and the precious
ones be despised:--but it is not so. ]
? ? an seide she ? us. certys q{uo}d she ? at were
a grete meruayle {and} an enbaissynge wi? outen ende.
{and} wel more horrible ? an alle monstres yif it were as 3108
? {o}u wenest. ? at is to sein. ? at in ? e ry? t ordeyne house
of so mochel a fader {and} an ordenour of meyne. ? at ? e
vesseles ? at ben foule {and} vyle sholde ben hono{ur}ed
{and} heried. and ? e p{re}cious uesseles sholde ben defouled 3112
{and} vyle. but it nis nat so.
[Sidenote: For if the conclusions we have come to, be sound and
irrefragable, we must confess that under God's rule the _good_ are
always powerful and mighty, and the _wicked_ weak and
contemptible;]
For yif ? e ? inges
? at I haue co{n}cluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole [[pg 110]]
{and} vnraced. ? ou shalt wel knowe by ? e auctorite of
god. of ? e whos regne I speke ? at certys ? e good[e] 3116
folk ben alwey my? ty. {and} shrewes ben alwey yuel {and}
feble.
[Sidenote: that vice never passes unpunished, nor virtue goes
unrewarded;]
ne ? e vices ben neu{e}re mo wi? outen peyne[;] ne
? e vertues ne ben nat wi? outen mede.
[Sidenote: that happiness attends good men, and misfortune falls
to the lot of the wicked. ]
and ? at blisfulnesses
comen alwey to goode folke. {and} infortune come? 3120
alwey to wicked folke.
[Sidenote: These and many other truths of like nature shall be
proved to thee, and shall put an end to thy complaints, and
strengthen thee with firmness and solidity. ]
? And ? ou shalt wel knowe
many[e] ? inges of ? is kynde ? {a}t sholle cessen ? i pleyntes.
{and} stedfast ? e wi? stedfast saddenesse.
[Sidenote: Having shown you a picture of true felicity, and
wherein it resides, I shall now trace out the way which will lead
you to your home. ]
? And for ? ou
hast seyn ? e forme of ? e verray blisfulnesse by me ? at 3124
[haue] somtyme I-shewed it ? e. And ? ou hast knowen
i{n} whom blysfulnesse is set. alle ? inges I treted ? {a}t I
trowe ben nessessarie to put[te] fur? e ? I shal shewe
? e. ? e weye ? at shal brynge ? e a? eyne vnto ? i house 3128
[Sidenote: I will give your soul wings to soar aloft, so that all
tribulation being removed, you may, under my guiding, by my road,
and with my vehicle, return whole and sound into your own
country. ]
{and} I shal ficche fe? eres in ? i ? ou? t by whiche it may
arysen in hey? te. so ? at al tribulac{i}ou{n} don awey ? ou
by my gidyng & by my pa? e {and} by my sledes shalt
mowen retourne hool {and} sounde in to ? i contre. 3132
[Linenotes:
3078 _softly_--softely
3080 _choere in_--cheere {and}
3082 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
_myne_--Myn
_for-brek_--MS. for-breke, C. Forbrak
3083 _entended[e]_--entendede
3084 _ly? te_--lyht
3085 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seid
[_me_]--from C.
3086 _? i_--the
3087 _mowe_--mowen
3088 _som tyme_--whilom
3089 [_the_]--from C.
_wronge_--wrong
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3090 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_were_--weeren
3091 _namly_--namely
3092 _goode_--good
3094 _wi? outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3095 _? inge_--thing
3097 _? ere_--ther
_ben ywondred_--be wondryd
3098 _flowre? _--MS. folwe? , C. flowrith
3099 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_vertues_--vertu
_wi? outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3101 _in sted_--in stide
3102 _wicked_--wikkede
_al[le]_--alle
_? ing_--thinges
3103 [_may_]--from C.
3104 _don_--MS. done, C. doon
3105 _wool_--wole
_goode_--good
3107 _grete_--gret
_enbaissynge_--enbasshinge
3108 _alle_--al
3109 _ordeyne house_--ordenee hows
3111, 3113 _vyle_--vyl
3112 _heried_--he heryed
_sholde_--sholden
3113 _? e_--tho
3114 _here byforne_--her byforn
_kept_--MS. kepte, C. kept
3116 _good[e]_--goode
3117 _alwey_ (2)----_feble_--alwey owt cast {and} feble
3118, 3119 _wi? outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3119 _vertues_--vertuus
3122 _many[e]_--manye
_sholle cessen_--shollen cesen
3123 _stedfast----stedfast_--strengthyn the w{i}t{h} stidfast
3124 _seyn_--MS. seyne, C. seyn
3125 [_haue_]--from C.
_somtyme_--whilom
3126 _set_--MS. sette, C. I-set
3127 _put[te] fur? e_--putten forth
3128 _weye_--wey
_brynge_--bryngen
_? i house_--thin hows
3129 _ficche_--fycchen
3130 _arysen_--areysen
_don_--MS. done, C. ydon
3131 _pa? e_--paath
_shalt mowen_--shal mowe
3132 _sounde_--sownd]
[Headnote:
VIRTUE NEVER GOES UNREWARDED. ]
SU{N}T ETENIM PENNE. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: I have nimble wings that enable the mind to rise from
earth to heaven, to leave the clouds behind, to pass the region of
perpetual flame, and to reach the starry mansion, journeying
either by Phoebus' radiant path, or accompanying cold and aged
Saturn, or riding, as a soldier, with Mars. ]
++I Haue for so? e swifte fe? eres ? at surmou{n}ten ? e hey? t
of ? e heuene whan ? e swifte ? ou? t ha?
{and} agaste{n} ? e soules by anoye wexen sorweful {and} sory
{and} wepen teres for pitee.
[Sidenote: Ixion, tormented by the revolving wheel, found rest;]
? an was nat ? e heued of
Ixion{e} yto{ur}mented by ? e ou{er}? rowi{n}g whele.
[Sidenote: Tantalus, suffering from a long and raging thirst,
despised the stream;]
? And
tantalus ? at was destroied by ? e woodnesse of longe 3052
? rust dispise? ? e flodes to drynke.
[Sidenote: and the greedy vulture did cease to eat and tear the
growing liver of Tityus. ]
? e fowel ? at hy? t
voltor ? at eti? ? e stomak or ? e giser of ticius is so fulfilled
of his songe ? at it nil etyn ne tyren no more.
[Linenotes:
3022 _vnbynde_--vnbyndyn
_bonde_--bondes
3023 [_orpheus_]--from C.
_somtyme_--whilom
3024 _sorowe_--sorwe
3028 _dredles_--dredeles
_to herkene_--forto herknen
3029 _had[de]_--hadde
3030 _? at_ (2)--omitted
3031 _most[e]_--moste
3032 _hadde_--hadden
3033 _assuage_--asswagen
_lorde_--lord
3034 _pleyned[e]_--pleynede
_godes_--heuene goodes
3035 _wente_--MS. wenten, C. wente
3036 _tempred[e] hys_--temprede hise
3037 _of hys_--C. omits
_spak_--MS. spakke, C. spak
_song_--MS. songe, C. soonge
3038 _alle_--al
3039 _oute_--owt
_goddesse_--goddes
3040 _song_--MS. songe, C. soonge
_mychel_--mochel
3041 _myche_--moche
_doubled[e]_--dowblede
3042 _my? t[e]_--myhte
_? euen_--yeue
_teche_--thechen
_in----herte_--omitted
3043 _commoeuede_--MS. comaunded, C. co{m}moeuede
3044 _sou? te_--by-sowhte
3045 _? elden_--yilden
3046 _his_--hise
3047 _cau? t_--MS. cau? te, C. cawht
_new[e] songe_--newe song
3049 _anoye----sorweful_--anoy woxen soruful
3050 _? an_--tho ne
3051 _whele_--wheel
3053 _? rust_--thurst
_hy? t_--hihte
3054 _fulfilled_--fulfyld
3055 _songe_--song]
[Headnote:
FIX NOT THE THOUGHTS ON EARTHLY THINGS. ]
[Sidenote: At length Pluto himself relented, crying out, 'We are
overcome! Let us give him back his wife, he hath well won her by
his song. ]
? Atte ? e laste ? e lorde {and} Iuge of soules was moeued 3056
to misericordes {and} cried[e] we ben ouer comen q{uo}d
he. yif[e] we to orpheus his wijf to bere hym co{m}paignye
he ha? welle I-bou? t hir by his faire songe {and}
his ditee. [[pg 108]]
[Sidenote: But we will lay this injunction upon him. Till he
escape the infernal bounds, he shall not cast a backward look. ']
but we wil putte{n} a lawe in ? is. {and} couenaunt 3060
in ? e ? ifte. ? {a}t is to seyne. ? at til he be out of
helle yif he loke byhynden hym [? {a}t] hys wijf shal
come{n} a? eine to vs
[Sidenote: But, who shall give a lover any law? Love is a greater
law than may be given to any earthly man. ]
? but what is he ? at may ? eue a
lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe {and} a strengere to 3064
hym self ? an any lawe ? {a}t men may ? euen.
[Sidenote: Alas! having left the realms of night, Orpheus cast a
look behind and lost his too-much-loved Euridice. ]
? Allas
whan Orpheus {and} his wijf were al most at ? e termes of
? e ny? t. ? at is to seyne at ? e last[e] boundes of helle.
Orpheus loked[e] abakwarde on Erudice his wijf {and} 3068
lost[e] hir {and} was deed.
[Sidenote: This fable belongs to all you, whose minds would view
the Sovereign Good. ]
? ? is fable app{er}teine? to
? ow alle who so euer desire? or seki? to lede his ? ou? te
in to ? e souereyne day. ? at is to seyne to clerenes[se]
of souereyne goode.
[Sidenote: For he who fixes his thoughts upon earthly things and
low, must lose the noble and heaven-imparted Good. ]
? For who so ? at eu{er}e be so ouer 3072
come{n} ? at he fycche hys eyen in to ? e put[te] of helle.
? at is to seyne who so sette? his ? ou? tes in er? ely
? inges. al ? at euer he ha? drawen of ? e noble good
celestial he lesi? it whan he loke? ? e helles. ? at is to 3076
seyne to lowe ? inges of ? e er? e.
EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.
[Linenotes:
3056 _Atte_--At
_lorde_--lord
3057 _cried[e]_--cryde
3058 _yif[e]_--yiue
3059 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_welle_--wel
_faire_--C. omits
_songe_--song
3060 _wil putten_--wol putte
3062 _byhynden_--by-hynde
[_? at_]--from C.
3063 _to_--vn-to
3064 _gretter_--gret
3066 _were al most_--weren almest
3067 _last[e]_--laste
3068 _loked[e] abakwarde_--lookede abacward
3069 _lost[e]_--loste
3070 _? ou? te_--thowht
3071 _clerenes[se]_--clernesse
3072 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn god
3073 _put[te]_--putte
3074 _sette? _--sette
3075 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 24 _b_. ]]
*INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS.
HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE UULT{US}.
[Sidenote: [The 1^ma p{ro}se. ]]
[Sidenote: When P. with grace and dignity had poured forth her
songs, I, not quite quit of my load of grief, interrupted her as
she was continuing her discourse. ]
++Whanne philosophie hadde songe{n} softly {and} delitably
? e forseide ? inges kepynge ? e dignitee of hir
choere in ? e wey? te of hir wordes. I ? an ? at ne hadde 3080
nat al out{er}ly for? eten ? e wepyng {and} mournyng
? at was set in myne herte for-brek ? e entenc{i}ou{n} of hir
? at entended[e] ? itte to seyne o? {er} ? inges.
[Sidenote: All your discourses, O my conductress to the true
light! have been very clear and unanswerable, both by the divine
testimony which they carry along with them, and by thy
irrefragable arguments. ]
? Se q{uo}d
I. ? ou ? at art gideresse of verray ly? te ? e ? inges ? at ? ou 3084
hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere
{and} so shewyng [[pg 109]]
by ? e deuyne lokyng of hem {and} by ? i resou{n}s ? at
? ei ne mowe nat ben ouercomen.
[Sidenote: Through the oppression of grief I had forgotten these
truths, but was not wholly ignorant of them. ]
? And ? ilke ? i{n}g{us}
? at ? ou toldest me. al be it so ? at I hadde som tyme 3088
fo[r]? eten hem for [the] sorwe of ? e wronge ? at ha? ben
don to me. ? it na? eles ? ei ne were nat alouterly vnknowen
to me.
[Sidenote: The principal cause of my trouble is this--that, whilst
the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, evil exists
and is allowed to pass unpunished. ]
but ? is same is namly a gret cause of
my sorwe. ? at so as ? e gouernoure of ? inges is goode. 3092
yif ? at yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif
? at yuelys passen wi? outen punyssheinge.
[Sidenote: This, to say the least, is astonishing. ]
? e whiche
? inge oonly how wor? i it is to ben wondred vpon. ? ou
considerest it weel ? i self certeynly.
[Sidenote: Moreover, while _vice_ flourishes _virtue_ is not only
unrewarded, but trampled under foot by base and profligate men,
and suffers the punishment due to impiety. ]
but ? itte to ? is 3096
? ing ? ere is an o? er ? ing y-ioigned more to ben ywondred
vpon. ? For felonie is emperisse {and} flowre? ful of
rycchesse. and vertues nis nat al oonly wi? outen medes.
but it is cast vndir {and} fortroden vndir ? e feet of felonous 3100
folk. {and} it abie? ? e to{ur}me{n}tes in sted of
wicked felou{n}s
[Sidenote: Here is cause for wonderment, since such things are
possible under the government of an omniscient and omnipotent God,
who wills nothing but what is the best. ]
? Of al[le] whiche ? ing ? er nis no wy? t
? at [may] merueyllen ynou? ne compleyne ? at swiche
? inges ben don in ? e regne of god ? at alle ? inges woot. 3104
and alle ? inges may {and} ne wool nat but only goode
? inges.
[Sidenote: _P. _ It were indeed, not only marvellous, but also
horribly monstrous, if, in the well-regulated family of so great a
master, the worthless vessels should be honoured and the precious
ones be despised:--but it is not so. ]
? ? an seide she ? us. certys q{uo}d she ? at were
a grete meruayle {and} an enbaissynge wi? outen ende.
{and} wel more horrible ? an alle monstres yif it were as 3108
? {o}u wenest. ? at is to sein. ? at in ? e ry? t ordeyne house
of so mochel a fader {and} an ordenour of meyne. ? at ? e
vesseles ? at ben foule {and} vyle sholde ben hono{ur}ed
{and} heried. and ? e p{re}cious uesseles sholde ben defouled 3112
{and} vyle. but it nis nat so.
[Sidenote: For if the conclusions we have come to, be sound and
irrefragable, we must confess that under God's rule the _good_ are
always powerful and mighty, and the _wicked_ weak and
contemptible;]
For yif ? e ? inges
? at I haue co{n}cluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole [[pg 110]]
{and} vnraced. ? ou shalt wel knowe by ? e auctorite of
god. of ? e whos regne I speke ? at certys ? e good[e] 3116
folk ben alwey my? ty. {and} shrewes ben alwey yuel {and}
feble.
[Sidenote: that vice never passes unpunished, nor virtue goes
unrewarded;]
ne ? e vices ben neu{e}re mo wi? outen peyne[;] ne
? e vertues ne ben nat wi? outen mede.
[Sidenote: that happiness attends good men, and misfortune falls
to the lot of the wicked. ]
and ? at blisfulnesses
comen alwey to goode folke. {and} infortune come? 3120
alwey to wicked folke.
[Sidenote: These and many other truths of like nature shall be
proved to thee, and shall put an end to thy complaints, and
strengthen thee with firmness and solidity. ]
? And ? ou shalt wel knowe
many[e] ? inges of ? is kynde ? {a}t sholle cessen ? i pleyntes.
{and} stedfast ? e wi? stedfast saddenesse.
[Sidenote: Having shown you a picture of true felicity, and
wherein it resides, I shall now trace out the way which will lead
you to your home. ]
? And for ? ou
hast seyn ? e forme of ? e verray blisfulnesse by me ? at 3124
[haue] somtyme I-shewed it ? e. And ? ou hast knowen
i{n} whom blysfulnesse is set. alle ? inges I treted ? {a}t I
trowe ben nessessarie to put[te] fur? e ? I shal shewe
? e. ? e weye ? at shal brynge ? e a? eyne vnto ? i house 3128
[Sidenote: I will give your soul wings to soar aloft, so that all
tribulation being removed, you may, under my guiding, by my road,
and with my vehicle, return whole and sound into your own
country. ]
{and} I shal ficche fe? eres in ? i ? ou? t by whiche it may
arysen in hey? te. so ? at al tribulac{i}ou{n} don awey ? ou
by my gidyng & by my pa? e {and} by my sledes shalt
mowen retourne hool {and} sounde in to ? i contre. 3132
[Linenotes:
3078 _softly_--softely
3080 _choere in_--cheere {and}
3082 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
_myne_--Myn
_for-brek_--MS. for-breke, C. Forbrak
3083 _entended[e]_--entendede
3084 _ly? te_--lyht
3085 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seid
[_me_]--from C.
3086 _? i_--the
3087 _mowe_--mowen
3088 _som tyme_--whilom
3089 [_the_]--from C.
_wronge_--wrong
_ha? _--MS. ha? e
3090 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_were_--weeren
3091 _namly_--namely
3092 _goode_--good
3094 _wi? outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3095 _? inge_--thing
3097 _? ere_--ther
_ben ywondred_--be wondryd
3098 _flowre? _--MS. folwe? , C. flowrith
3099 _rycchesse_--Rychesses
_vertues_--vertu
_wi? outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3101 _in sted_--in stide
3102 _wicked_--wikkede
_al[le]_--alle
_? ing_--thinges
3103 [_may_]--from C.
3104 _don_--MS. done, C. doon
3105 _wool_--wole
_goode_--good
3107 _grete_--gret
_enbaissynge_--enbasshinge
3108 _alle_--al
3109 _ordeyne house_--ordenee hows
3111, 3113 _vyle_--vyl
3112 _heried_--he heryed
_sholde_--sholden
3113 _? e_--tho
3114 _here byforne_--her byforn
_kept_--MS. kepte, C. kept
3116 _good[e]_--goode
3117 _alwey_ (2)----_feble_--alwey owt cast {and} feble
3118, 3119 _wi? outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3119 _vertues_--vertuus
3122 _many[e]_--manye
_sholle cessen_--shollen cesen
3123 _stedfast----stedfast_--strengthyn the w{i}t{h} stidfast
3124 _seyn_--MS. seyne, C. seyn
3125 [_haue_]--from C.
_somtyme_--whilom
3126 _set_--MS. sette, C. I-set
3127 _put[te] fur? e_--putten forth
3128 _weye_--wey
_brynge_--bryngen
_? i house_--thin hows
3129 _ficche_--fycchen
3130 _arysen_--areysen
_don_--MS. done, C. ydon
3131 _pa? e_--paath
_shalt mowen_--shal mowe
3132 _sounde_--sownd]
[Headnote:
VIRTUE NEVER GOES UNREWARDED. ]
SU{N}T ETENIM PENNE. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: I have nimble wings that enable the mind to rise from
earth to heaven, to leave the clouds behind, to pass the region of
perpetual flame, and to reach the starry mansion, journeying
either by Phoebus' radiant path, or accompanying cold and aged
Saturn, or riding, as a soldier, with Mars. ]
++I Haue for so? e swifte fe? eres ? at surmou{n}ten ? e hey? t
of ? e heuene whan ? e swifte ? ou? t ha?
