e
circuler
moeuyng of [the] sonne.
Chaucer - Boethius
and alle ?
inges may {and} ne wool nat but only goode
? inges. ? ? 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 ? {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 {and} vyle. but it nis
nat so. For yif ? e ? inges ? at I haue co{n}cluded a litel here byforne
ben kept hoole {and} vnraced. ? ou shalt wel knowe by ? e auctorite of
god. of ? e whos regne I speke ? at certys ? e good[e] folk ben alwey
my? ty. {and} shrewes ben alwey yuel {and} feble. ne ? e vices ben
neu{e}re mo wi? outen peyne[;] ne ? e vertues ne ben nat wi? outen mede.
and ? at blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folke. {and} infortune come?
alwey to wicked folke. ? And ? ou shalt wel knowe many[e] ? inges of ? is
kynde ? {a}t sholle cessen ? i pleyntes. {and} stedfast ? e wi? stedfast
saddenesse. ? And for ? ou hast seyn ? e forme of ? e verray blisfulnesse
by me ? at [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 {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.
SU{N}T ETENIM PENNE. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste met{ur}. ]]
++I Haue for so? e swifte fe? eres ? at surmou{n}ten ? e hey? t of ? e heuene
whan ? e swifte ? ou? t ha? clo? ed it self. in ? o fe? eres it dispise? ? e
hat[e]ful er? es. {and} surmou{n}te? ? e hey? enesse of ? e greet[e] eyir.
{and} it sei? ? e cloudes by-hynde hir bak {and} passe? ? e hey? t of ? e
regiou{n} of ? e fire ? at eschaufi? by ? e swifte moeuyng of ? e firmament.
til ? at she a-reisi? hir in til ? e houses ? {a}t beren ? e sterres. {and}
ioygne? hir weyes wi? ? e sonne phebus. {and} felawshipe? ? e weye of ? e
olde colde saturnus. and she ymaked a kny? t of ? e clere sterre. ? at is
to seyne ? at ? e soule is maked goddys kny? t by ? e sekyng of treu? e to
comen to ? e verray knowlege of god. and ? ilke soule renne[? ] by ? e
cercle of ? e sterres in alle ? e places ? ere as ? e shynyng ny? t is
depeynted. ? at is to seyne ? e ny? t ? at is cloudeles. for on ny? tes ? at
ben cloudeles it seme? as ? e heuene were peynted wi? dyuerse ymages of
sterres. {and} whan ? e soule ha? gon ynou? she shal forleten ? e last[e]
poynt of ? e heuene. {and} she shal p{re}ssen {and} wenden on ? e bak of
? e swifte firmament. and she shal ben maked p{er}fit of ? e dredefulle
clerenesse of god. ? ? ere halde? ? e lorde of kynges ? e ceptre of his
my? t {and} atte{m}p{er}e? ? e gouernementes of ? is worlde. {and} ? e
shynynge iuge of ? inges stable i{n} hy{m} self gouerne? ? e swifte carte.
? at is to seyne ?
e circuler moeuyng of [the] sonne. {and} yif ? i weye
lede? ? e a? eyne so ? at ? ou be brou? t ? ider. ? an wilt ? ou seye now ? at
? at is ? e contre ? at ? ou requeredest of whiche ? ou ne haddest no mynde.
but now it remenbre? me wel here was I born. here wil I fastne my
degree. here wil I dwelle. but yif ? e lyke ? an to loken on ? e derkenesse
of ? e er? e ? at ? ou hast for-leten. ? an shalt ? ou seen ? at ? ise felonous
tyrauntes ? at ? e wrecched[e] poeple drede? now shule ben exiled from
? ilke faire contre.
TUNC EGO PAPE INQ{UA}M. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The 2^e p{ro}se. ]]
++? Anne seide I ? us. [owh] I wondre me ? at ? ou by-hetest me so grete
? inges. ne I ne doute nat ? at ? {o}u ne mayst wel p{er}forme ? at ? ou
by-hetest. but I preie ? e oonly ? is. ? at ? ou ne tarie nat to telle me
? ilke ? inges ? at ? ou hast meoued. first q{uo}d she ? ou most nedes
knowen. ? {a}t good[e] folk ben al wey strong[e] {and} my? ty. and ? e
shrewes ben feble {and} desert {and} naked of alle streng? es. and of
? ise ? inges certys eueryche of hem is declared {and} shewed by o? {er}.
? For so as good {and} yuel ben two cont{ra}ries. yif so be ? at goode be
stedfast. ? a{n} shewe? ? e fieblesse of yuel al openly. and yif ? ou knowe
clerely ? e freelnesse of yuel. ? e stedfastnesse of goode is knowen. but
for as moche as ? e fey of my sentence shal be ? e more ferme {and}
habou{n}daunt. I wil goon by ? at oon wey {and} by ? at o? er {and} I wil
conferme ? e ? inges ? at ben p{ur}posed now on ? is side {and} now on ? {a}t
syde. ? Two ? inges ? er ben in whiche ? e effect of alle ? e dedes of man
kynde standi? . ? at is to seyn. wil {and} power. and yif ? at oon of ? ise
two fayle? ? ere nis no ? ing ? at may be don. for yif ? at wil lakke? ? ere
nys no wy? t ? at vndirtake? to done ? at he wol not don. and yif power
fayle? ? e wille nis but i{n} ydel {and} stant for nau? t. and ? er of
come? it ? at yif ? ou se a wy? t ? at wolde gete{n} ? at he may nat geten.
? ou mayst nat douten ? at power ne fayle? hy{m} to haue{n} ? at he wolde.
? ? is is open {and} clere q{uo}d I. ne it may nat ben denyed in no
manere. and yif ? ou se a wy? t q{uo}d she. ? at ha? don ? at he wolde don
? {o}u nilt nat douten ? at he ne ha? had power to done it. no q{uo}d. I.
and in ? at. ? at euery wy? t may. in ? at ? at men may holden hym my? ty. as
who sei? i{n} as moche as a man is my? ty to done a ? ing. in so moche men
halden hy{m} my? ty. and in ? at ? at he ne may. in ? at men demen hym to
ben feble. I confesse it wel q{uo}d I. Remembri? ? e q{uo}d she ? at I.
haue gadred {and} shewed by forseide resou{n}s ? at al ? e entenc{i}ou{n}
of ? e wil of ma{n}kynde whiche ? at is lad by diuerse studies hasti? to
comen to blisfulnesse. ? It reme{m}bre? me wel q{uo}d I ? at it hath ben
shewed. {and} recorde? ? e nat ? an q{uo}d she. ? at blisfulnesse is ?
? inges. ? ? 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 ? {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 {and} vyle. but it nis
nat so. For yif ? e ? inges ? at I haue co{n}cluded a litel here byforne
ben kept hoole {and} vnraced. ? ou shalt wel knowe by ? e auctorite of
god. of ? e whos regne I speke ? at certys ? e good[e] folk ben alwey
my? ty. {and} shrewes ben alwey yuel {and} feble. ne ? e vices ben
neu{e}re mo wi? outen peyne[;] ne ? e vertues ne ben nat wi? outen mede.
and ? at blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folke. {and} infortune come?
alwey to wicked folke. ? And ? ou shalt wel knowe many[e] ? inges of ? is
kynde ? {a}t sholle cessen ? i pleyntes. {and} stedfast ? e wi? stedfast
saddenesse. ? And for ? ou hast seyn ? e forme of ? e verray blisfulnesse
by me ? at [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 {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.
SU{N}T ETENIM PENNE. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The fyrste met{ur}. ]]
++I Haue for so? e swifte fe? eres ? at surmou{n}ten ? e hey? t of ? e heuene
whan ? e swifte ? ou? t ha? clo? ed it self. in ? o fe? eres it dispise? ? e
hat[e]ful er? es. {and} surmou{n}te? ? e hey? enesse of ? e greet[e] eyir.
{and} it sei? ? e cloudes by-hynde hir bak {and} passe? ? e hey? t of ? e
regiou{n} of ? e fire ? at eschaufi? by ? e swifte moeuyng of ? e firmament.
til ? at she a-reisi? hir in til ? e houses ? {a}t beren ? e sterres. {and}
ioygne? hir weyes wi? ? e sonne phebus. {and} felawshipe? ? e weye of ? e
olde colde saturnus. and she ymaked a kny? t of ? e clere sterre. ? at is
to seyne ? at ? e soule is maked goddys kny? t by ? e sekyng of treu? e to
comen to ? e verray knowlege of god. and ? ilke soule renne[? ] by ? e
cercle of ? e sterres in alle ? e places ? ere as ? e shynyng ny? t is
depeynted. ? at is to seyne ? e ny? t ? at is cloudeles. for on ny? tes ? at
ben cloudeles it seme? as ? e heuene were peynted wi? dyuerse ymages of
sterres. {and} whan ? e soule ha? gon ynou? she shal forleten ? e last[e]
poynt of ? e heuene. {and} she shal p{re}ssen {and} wenden on ? e bak of
? e swifte firmament. and she shal ben maked p{er}fit of ? e dredefulle
clerenesse of god. ? ? ere halde? ? e lorde of kynges ? e ceptre of his
my? t {and} atte{m}p{er}e? ? e gouernementes of ? is worlde. {and} ? e
shynynge iuge of ? inges stable i{n} hy{m} self gouerne? ? e swifte carte.
? at is to seyne ?
e circuler moeuyng of [the] sonne. {and} yif ? i weye
lede? ? e a? eyne so ? at ? ou be brou? t ? ider. ? an wilt ? ou seye now ? at
? at is ? e contre ? at ? ou requeredest of whiche ? ou ne haddest no mynde.
but now it remenbre? me wel here was I born. here wil I fastne my
degree. here wil I dwelle. but yif ? e lyke ? an to loken on ? e derkenesse
of ? e er? e ? at ? ou hast for-leten. ? an shalt ? ou seen ? at ? ise felonous
tyrauntes ? at ? e wrecched[e] poeple drede? now shule ben exiled from
? ilke faire contre.
TUNC EGO PAPE INQ{UA}M. {ET} C{ETERA}.
[Sidenote: [The 2^e p{ro}se. ]]
++? Anne seide I ? us. [owh] I wondre me ? at ? ou by-hetest me so grete
? inges. ne I ne doute nat ? at ? {o}u ne mayst wel p{er}forme ? at ? ou
by-hetest. but I preie ? e oonly ? is. ? at ? ou ne tarie nat to telle me
? ilke ? inges ? at ? ou hast meoued. first q{uo}d she ? ou most nedes
knowen. ? {a}t good[e] folk ben al wey strong[e] {and} my? ty. and ? e
shrewes ben feble {and} desert {and} naked of alle streng? es. and of
? ise ? inges certys eueryche of hem is declared {and} shewed by o? {er}.
? For so as good {and} yuel ben two cont{ra}ries. yif so be ? at goode be
stedfast. ? a{n} shewe? ? e fieblesse of yuel al openly. and yif ? ou knowe
clerely ? e freelnesse of yuel. ? e stedfastnesse of goode is knowen. but
for as moche as ? e fey of my sentence shal be ? e more ferme {and}
habou{n}daunt. I wil goon by ? at oon wey {and} by ? at o? er {and} I wil
conferme ? e ? inges ? at ben p{ur}posed now on ? is side {and} now on ? {a}t
syde. ? Two ? inges ? er ben in whiche ? e effect of alle ? e dedes of man
kynde standi? . ? at is to seyn. wil {and} power. and yif ? at oon of ? ise
two fayle? ? ere nis no ? ing ? at may be don. for yif ? at wil lakke? ? ere
nys no wy? t ? at vndirtake? to done ? at he wol not don. and yif power
fayle? ? e wille nis but i{n} ydel {and} stant for nau? t. and ? er of
come? it ? at yif ? ou se a wy? t ? at wolde gete{n} ? at he may nat geten.
? ou mayst nat douten ? at power ne fayle? hy{m} to haue{n} ? at he wolde.
? ? is is open {and} clere q{uo}d I. ne it may nat ben denyed in no
manere. and yif ? ou se a wy? t q{uo}d she. ? at ha? don ? at he wolde don
? {o}u nilt nat douten ? at he ne ha? had power to done it. no q{uo}d. I.
and in ? at. ? at euery wy? t may. in ? at ? at men may holden hym my? ty. as
who sei? i{n} as moche as a man is my? ty to done a ? ing. in so moche men
halden hy{m} my? ty. and in ? at ? at he ne may. in ? at men demen hym to
ben feble. I confesse it wel q{uo}d I. Remembri? ? e q{uo}d she ? at I.
haue gadred {and} shewed by forseide resou{n}s ? at al ? e entenc{i}ou{n}
of ? e wil of ma{n}kynde whiche ? at is lad by diuerse studies hasti? to
comen to blisfulnesse. ? It reme{m}bre? me wel q{uo}d I ? at it hath ben
shewed. {and} recorde? ? e nat ? an q{uo}d she. ? at blisfulnesse is ?
