BOOK I.

METRE I.

_Carmina qui quondam studio florente peregi._

Allas! I, weping, am constreined to biginnen vers of sorowful

matere, that whylom in florisching studie made delitable ditees.

For lo! rendinge Muses of poetes endyten to me thinges to be

writen; and drery vers of wrecchednesse weten my face with

verray teres. At the leeste, no drede ne mighte overcomen tho 5

Muses, that they ne weren felawes, and folweden my wey, _that is

to seyn, whan I was exyled_; they that weren glorie of my youthe,

whylom weleful and grene, comforten now the sorowful werdes of

me, olde man. For elde is comen unwarly upon me, hasted by

the harmes that I have, and sorow hath comaunded his age to be 10

in me. Heres hore ben shad overtymeliche upon myn heved,

and the slake skin trembleth upon myn empted body. Thilke

deeth of men is weleful that ne cometh not in yeres that ben

swete, but cometh to wrecches, often y-cleped.

Allas! allas! with how deef an ere deeth, cruel, torneth awey 15

fro wrecches, and naiteth to closen wepinge eyen! Whyl Fortune,

unfeithful, favorede me with lighte goodes, the sorowful houre,

_that is to seyn, the deeth_, hadde almost dreynt myn heved. But

now, for Fortune cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable chere to

me-ward, myn unpitous lyf draweth a-long unagreable dwellinges 20

_in me_. O ye, my frendes, what or wherto avauntede ye me to

ben weleful? for he that hath fallen stood nat in stedefast

degree.

C. = MS. Ii. 3. 21, Cambridge; A. = MS. Addit. 10340 (Brit. Mus.). _The

text follows_ C. _mainly_. Ed. = Printed edition (1532), _quoted

occasionally_.

1, 2. _Imperfect in_ C. 6. C. foleweden; A. folweden. 8. C. sorful; A.

sorouful. // C. wierdes, _glossed_ fata; A. werdes. 11. C. arn; A. ben. 12.

C. of; A. upon. // C. emptyd; A. emty. 16. C. nayteth; A. Ed. naieth. 17.

A. _glosses_ lighte _by_ sc. temporels. // C. sorwful; A. sorouful. 19. C.

deceyuable; A. disceyuable. 20. C. vnpietous; A. vnpitouse. 22. C.

stidefast; A. stedfast.

PROSE I.

_Hec dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem._

Whyle that I stille recordede thise thinges with my-self, and

markede my weeply compleynte with office of pointel, I saw,

stondinge aboven the heighte of myn heved, a woman of ful greet

reverence by semblaunt, hir eyen brenninge and cleer-seinge over

the comune might of men; with a lyfly colour, and with swich 5

vigour and strengthe that it ne mighte nat ben empted; al were it

so that she was ful of so greet age, that men ne wolde nat trowen,

in no manere, that she were of oure elde. The stature of hir was

of a doutous Iugement; for som-tyme she constreinede and shronk

hir-selven lyk to the comune mesure of men, and sum-tyme it 10

semede that she touchede the hevene with the heighte of hir

heved; and whan she heef hir heved hyer, she percede the

selve hevene, so that the sighte of men looking was in ydel. Hir

clothes weren maked of right delye thredes and subtil crafte, of

perdurable matere; the whiche clothes she hadde woven with hir 15

owene hondes, as I knew wel after by hir-self, declaringe and

shewinge to me the beautee; the whiche clothes a derknesse of a

forleten and dispysed elde hadde dusked and derked, as it is wont

to derken bi-smokede images.

In the nethereste hem or bordure of thise clothes men redden, 20

y-woven in, a Grekissh P, _that signifyeth the lyf Actif_; and aboven

that lettre, in the heyeste bordure, a Grekissh T, _that signifyeth

the lyf Contemplatif_. And bi-twixen these two lettres ther weren

seyn degrees, nobly y-wroght in manere of laddres; by whiche

degrees men mighten climben fro the nethereste lettre to the 25

uppereste. Natheles, handes of some men hadde corven that cloth

by violence and by strengthe; and everiche man of hem hadde

born awey swiche peces as he mighte geten. And forsothe, this

forseide woman bar smale bokes in hir right hand, and in hir left

hand she bar a ceptre. 30

And whan she say thise poetical Muses aprochen aboute my

bed, and endytinge wordes to my wepinges, she was a litel

amoved, and glowede with cruel eyen. 'Who,' quod she, 'hath

suffred aprochen to this syke man thise comune strompetes of

swich a place that men clepen the theatre? The whiche nat 35

only ne asswagen nat hise sorwes with none remedies, but they

wolden feden and norisshen hem with swete venim. Forsothe,

thise ben tho that with thornes and prikkinges of talents or

affecciouns, whiche that ne ben no-thing fructefyinge nor

profitable, destroyen the corn plentevous of fruites of resoun; 40

for they holden the hertes of men in usage, but they ne delivere

nat folk fro maladye. But if ye Muses hadden withdrawen fro

me, with your flateryes, any uncunninge and unprofitable man, as

men ben wont to finde comunly amonges the poeple, I wolde

wene suffre the lasse grevously; for-why, in swiche an unprofitable 45

man, myn ententes ne weren no-thing endamaged. But ye withdrawen

me this man, that hath be norisshed in the studies or

scoles of Eleaticis and of Achademicis _in Grece_. But goth now

rather awey, ye mermaidenes, whiche that ben swete til it be at

the laste, and suffreth this man to be cured and heled by myne 50

Muses,' _that is to seyn, by noteful sciences_.

And thus this companye of Muses y-blamed casten wrothly the

chere dounward to the erthe; and, shewinge by reednesse hir

shame, they passeden sorowfully the threshfold.

And I, of whom the sighte, plounged in teres, was derked so 55

that I ne mighte not knowen what that womman was, of so

imperial auctoritee, I wex al abaisshed and astoned, and caste my

sighte doun to the erthe, and bigan stille for to abyde what she

wolde don afterward. Tho com she ner, and sette hir doun up-on

the uttereste corner of my bed; and she, biholdinge my chere, 60

that was cast to the erthe, hevy and grevous of wepinge, compleinede,

with thise wordes that I shal seyen, the perturbacioun

of my thought.

PR. I. 1. C. While that; A. In the mene while that. 2. C. sawh; A. sawe. 3.

C. heyhte; A. hey[gh]t. // C. gret; A. greet. 5. C. myht; A. my[gh]t. 6. C.

vygor; A. vigoure. // C. myhte; A. my[gh]t. // C. emted; A. emptid. 7. C.

gret; A. greet (_and so often_). 9. C. dowtows; A. doutous (_and so_ ow

_for_ ou _often_). 10. C. lyk; A. lyche. 11. C. heyhte; A. hey[gh]te (_and

so elsewhere_). 12. C. hef; A. heued; Ed. houe. 14. C. riht (_and so_ h

_for_ gh _often_). 16. C. knewh; A. knewe. 17. C. dirknesse; A. derkenes.

19. _Both_ dyrken. // C. the smokede; A. bysmoked. 21. A. in swiche; C.

_om._ swiche. C. _glosses_ P _by_ practik. // C. syngnifieth; A.

signifieth. 22. C. _glosses_ T _by_ theorik. // C. singnifieth; A.

signifieth. 23. C. by-twixen; A. by-twene. 24. C. nobely; A. nobly. 25. C.

clymbyn (_and so_ -yn _for_ -en _constantly_). // C. Ed. nethereste; A.

nethemast. 26. C. Ed. vppereste; A. ouermast 31. C. say; A. sau[gh]. 33. C.

amoued; A. ameued. // C. cruwel; A. cruel. 34. C. sike; A. seek. // C. the;

A. thise (Lat. _has_). 37. C. noryssyn; A. norysche. // C. hym; A. hem. 39.

C. fructefiynge; A. frutefiyng. 40. C. corn; A. cornes (Lat. _segetem_).

41. C. _om._ the. // C. _om._ ne. 42. C. maledye; A. maladye. 44. C.

poeple; A. peple. 45. C. greuosly; A. greuously (_and so often_ os _for_

ous _in_ C.). 48. C. schooles; A. scoles. 53. C. downward; A. adounward. //

C. _om._ and. // C. rednesse; A. redenesse. 54. C. sorwfully. // C.

thresshfold; A. threschefolde. 55. C. dyrked; A. derked. 57. C. wax; A.

wex. // C. cast; A. caste. 58. C. down to; A. adoune in-to. 59. C. ner; A.

nere. 61. C. compleyde; A. compleinede. 63. C. thowht; A. thou[gh]t.

METRE II.

_Heu quam precipiti mersa profundo._

'Allas! how the thought of man, dreint in over-throwinge

deepnesse, dulleth, and forleteth his propre cleernesse, mintinge

to goon in-to foreine derknesses, as ofte as his anoyous bisinesse

wexeth with-oute mesure, that is driven to and fro with worldly

windes! This man, that whylom was free, to whom the hevene 5

was open and knowen, and was wont to goon in heveneliche

pathes, and saugh the lightnesse of the rede sonne, and saugh the

sterres of the colde mone, and whiche sterre in hevene useth

wandering recourses, y-flit by dyverse speres--this man, overcomer,

hadde comprehended al this by noumbre _of acountinge in 10

astronomye_. And over this, he was wont to seken the causes

whennes the souning windes moeven and bisien the smothe water

of the see; and what spirit torneth the stable hevene; and why

the sterre aryseth out of the rede eest, to fallen in the westrene

wawes; and what atempreth the lusty houres of the firste somer 15

sesoun, that highteth and apparaileth the erthe with rosene flowres;

and who maketh that plentevouse autompne, in fulle yeres, fleteth

with hevy grapes. And eek this man was wont to telle the

dyverse causes of nature that weren y-hidde. Allas! now lyeth

he empted of light of his thought; and his nekke is pressed with 20

hevy cheynes; and bereth his chere enclyned adoun for the grete

weighte, and is constreined to looken on the fool erthe!

ME. II. 3. C. dyrk-; A. derk-. 4. C. wordely; A. worldly (Lat. _terrenis_).

5. C. Ed. whilom; A. sumtyme. 7. C. lythnesse; A. ly[gh]tnesse. 10. C.

comprendyd; A. Ed. comprehendid. 11. C. seken; A. seche. 14. C. est; A.

eest. 15. C. fyrst; A. fyrste. 17. A. that; C. the. // C. autompne; A.

autumpne. 19. C. I-hydde; A. yhidde. // C. lith; A. lieth. 20. A. emptid;

C. emted. 22. C. the fool; Ed. the fole; A. foule (Lat. _stolidam_).

PROSE II.

_Set medicine, inquit, tempus est._

But tyme is now,' quod she, 'of medicine more than of

compleinte.' Forsothe than she, entendinge to me-ward with alle

the lookinge of hir eyen, seide:--'Art nat thou he,' quod she,

'that whylom y-norisshed with my milk, and fostered with myne

metes, were escaped and comen to corage of a parfit man? 5

Certes, I yaf thee swiche armures that, yif thou thy-self ne

haddest first cast hem a-wey, they shulden han defended thee

in sikernesse that may nat ben over-comen. Knowest thou me

nat? Why art thou stille? Is it for shame or for astoninge?

It were me lever that it were for shame; but it semeth me that 10

astoninge hath oppressed thee.' And whan she say me nat only

stille, but with-outen office of tunge and al doumb, she leide hir

hand softely upon my brest, and seide: 'Here nis no peril,' quod

she; 'he is fallen into a litargie, whiche that is a comune sykenes

to hertes that ben deceived. He hath a litel foryeten him-self, 15

but certes he shal lightly remembren him-self, yif so be that he

hath knowen me or now; and that he may so don, I wil wypen a

litel his eyen, that ben derked by the cloude of mortal thinges.'

Thise wordes seide she, and with the lappe of hir garment, y-plyted

in a frounce, she dryede myn eyen, that weren fulle of the wawes 20

of my wepinges.

PR. II. 4. C. Ed. whilom; A. sumtyme. // C. noryssed; A. I-norschide. 5. C.

escaped; A. ascaped. 8. C. Knowestow; A. Knowest thou. 9. C. artow; A. art

thou. // C. it is; A. Ed. is it. // C. asthonynge (_but_ astonynge

_below_). 14. C. litarge; A. litargie. // C. sykenesse; A. sekenes. 15. C.

desseyued; A. desceiued. 16. C. remenbren; A. reme_m_bren.

METRE III.

_Tunc me discussa liquerunt nocte tenebre._

Thus, whan that night was discussed and chased a-wey,

derknesses forleften me, and to myn eyen repeirede ayein hir

firste strengthe. And, right by ensaumple as the sonne is hid

whan the sterres ben clustred (_that is to seyn, whan sterres ben

covered with cloudes_) by a swifte winde that highte Chorus, and 5

that the firmament stant derked by wete ploungy cloudes, and

that the sterres nat apperen up-on hevene, so that the night

semeth sprad up-on erthe: yif thanne the wind that highte Borias,

y-sent out of the caves of the contree of Trace, beteth this night

(_that is to seyn, chaseth it a-wey_), and descovereth the closed day: 10

than shyneth Phebus y-shaken with sodein light, and smyteth

with his bemes in mervelinge eyen.

ME. III. 1. C. descussed; A. discussed. 2. C. dirk-; A. derk-. // C. _om._

ayein. 3. C. fyrst; A. firste. 5. C. heyhte; A. hy[gh]t. 6. C. dirked; A.

derked. 8. C. hyhte; A. hy[gh]t.

PROSE III.

_Haud aliter tristicie nebulis dissolutis._

Right so, and non other wyse, the cloudes of sorwe dissolved

and don a-wey, I took hevene, and receivede minde to knowen the

face of my fysicien; so that I sette myn eyen on hir, and fastnede

my lookinge. I beholde my norice Philosophie, in whos houses

I hadde conversed and haunted fro my youthe; and I seide thus. 5

'O thou maistresse of alle vertues, descended from the soverein

sete, why artow comen in-to this solitarie place of myn exil?

Artow comen for thou art maked coupable with me of false

blames?'

'O,' quod she, 'my norry, sholde I forsaken thee now, and 10

sholde I nat parten with thee, by comune travaile, the charge

that thou hast suffred for envie of my name? Certes, it nere

not leveful ne sittinge thing to Philosophie, to leten with-outen

companye the wey of him that is innocent. Sholde I thanne

redoute my blame, and agrysen as though ther were bifallen a 15

newe thing? _quasi diceret, non_. For trowestow that Philosophie

be now alderfirst assailed in perils by folk of wikkede maneres?

Have I nat striven with ful greet stryf, in olde tyme, bifore the

age of my Plato, ayeines the foolhardinesse of folye? And eek,

the same Plato livinge, his maister Socrates deservede victorie of 20

unrightful deeth in my presence. The heritage of which Socrates--_the

heritage is to seyn the doctrine of the whiche Socrates in his

opinioun of Felicitee, that I clepe welefulnesse_--whan that the

poeple of Epicuriens and Stoiciens and many othre enforceden

hem to go ravisshe everich man for his part--_that is to seyn, 25

that everich of hem wolde drawen to the defence of his opinioun the

wordes of Socrates_--they, as in partie of hir preye, to-drowen me,

cryinge and debatinge ther-ayeins, and corven and to-renten my

clothes that I hadde woven with myn handes; and with tho

cloutes that they hadden araced out of my clothes they wenten 30

awey, weninge that I hadde gon with hem everydel.

In whiche _Epicuriens and Stoiciens_, for as moche as ther semede

some traces or steppes of myn habite, the folye of men, weninge

tho _Epicuriens and Stoiciens_ my famuleres, perverted (_sc.

persequendo_)

some through the errour of the wikkede or uncunninge 35

multitude of hem. _This is to seyn that, for they semede philosophres,

they weren pursued to the deeth and slayn._ So yif thou hast nat

knowen the exilinge of Anaxogore, ne the enpoysoninge of

Socrates, ne the tourments of Zeno, for they weren straungeres:

yit mightestow han knowen the Senecciens and the Canios and 40

the Sorans, of whiche folk the renoun is neither over-olde ne

unsolempne The whiche men, no-thing elles ne broughte hem to

the deeth but only for they weren enfourmed of myne maneres,

and semeden most unlyke to the studies of wikkede folk. And

forthy thou oughtest nat to wondren though that I, in the bittre 45

see of this lyf, be fordriven with tempestes blowinge aboute, in

the whiche tempestes this is my most purpos, _that is to seyn_, to

displesen to wikkede men. Of whiche shrewes, al be the ost

never so greet, it is to dispyse; for it nis governed with no leder

of resoun, but it is ravisshed only by fletinge errour folyly and 50

lightly. And if they som-tyme, makinge an ost ayeins us, assaile

us as strenger, our leder draweth to-gidere hise richesses in-to his

tour, and they ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels unprofitable

for to taken. But we that ben heye aboven, siker fro alle

tumulte and wode noise, warnestored and enclosed in swich a 55

palis, whider as that chateringe or anoyinge folye ne may nat

atayne, we scorne swiche ravineres and henteres of fouleste

thinges.

PR. III. 3. C. fesissien; A. fyciscien; Ed. phisycien. // C. fastnede; A.

festned. 4. Lat. _respicio_. 6. C. vertuus; A. vertues. 7. C. artow; A. art

thou. 13. A. _om._ thing. 14. C. compaygnie; A. compaignie. 16. C.

trowestow; A. trowest thou. 20. C. desseruede; A. deserued. 21. C. eritage;

A. heritage. 25. C. rauysse; A. rauische. 26. C. deffence; A. defence. 30.

C. arraced; A. arased. 31. C. _om._ I. 33. C. or; A. and. 34. A. familers.

36. A. _om._ that. 38. C. _om. 1st_ of. 40. C. myhtestow; A. my[gh]test

thou. // C. Senecciens; A. Senectiens; Ed. Senecas. 43. C. enformyd; A.

vnfourmed. 44. C. vnlyk; A. vnlyke. 48. C. oost, _glossed_ i. acies. 50. C.

rauyssed; A. rauysched. // C. folyly, i. sine consilio. 52. A. hys

rycchesse. 53. C. sarpuleris; A. sarpulers. 55. C. tumolte; A. tumulte. //

A. stored. 56. C. palis; A. palays (Lat. _uallo_). // C. _om._ that. // C.

anoyenge; A. anoying. 57 C. atayne; A. attayne. // C. schorne; A. scorne.

METRE IV.

_Quisquis composito serenus euo._

Who-so it be that is cleer of vertu, sad, and wel ordinat of

livinge, that hath put under foot the proude werdes and looketh

upright up-on either fortune, he may holde his chere undiscomfited.

The rage ne the manaces of the see, commoevinge or

chasinge upward hete fro the botme, ne shal not moeve that 5

man; ne the unstable mountaigne that highte Vesevus, that

wrytheth out through his brokene chiminees smokinge fyres. Ne

the wey of thonder-light, that is wont to smyten heye toures, ne

shal nat moeve that man. Wher-to thanne, o wrecches, drede ye

tirauntes that ben wode and felonous with-oute any strengthe? 10

Hope after no-thing, ne drede nat; and so shaltow desarmen

the ire of thilke unmighty tiraunt. But who-so that, quakinge,

dredeth or desireth thing that nis nat stable of his right, that

man that so doth hath cast awey his sheld and is remoeved fro

his place, and enlaceth him in the cheyne with the which he may 15

ben drawen.

ME. IV. 2. C. leuynge; A. lyuyng. // _Both_ wierdes; C. _has the gloss_

fata. 3. C. may his cheere holde vndescounfited; A. may holde hys chiere

vndiscomfited. 4. C. manesses; A. manace (Lat. _minae_). 5. hete (Lat.

_aestum_). 6. C. hihte; A. hy[gh]t. 7. Ed. writheth; C. writith; A.

wircheth (Lat. _torquet_). // A. chemineys. 9. C. Whar-; A. Wher-. 10. C.

felonos; A. felownes. 11. C. deseruien; A. desarmen; Ed. disarmen. 14. C.

remwed; A. remoeued. 15. A. _om._ the _before_ which.

PROSE IV.

_Sentisne, inquit, hec._

'Felestow,' quod she, 'thise thinges, and entren they aught in

thy corage? Artow lyke an asse to the harpe? Why wepestow,

why spillestow teres? Yif thou abydest after help of thy leche,

thee bihoveth discovere thy wounde.'

Tho I, that hadde gadered strengthe in my corage, answerede 5

and seide: 'And nedeth it yit,' quod I, 'of rehersinge or of

amonicioun; and sheweth it nat y-nough by him-self the sharpnesse

of Fortune, that wexeth wood ayeins me? Ne moeveth it

nat thee to seen the face or the manere of this place (_i. prisoun_)?

Is this the librarie whiche that thou haddest chosen for a right 10

certein sete to thee in myn hous, ther-as thou desputedest ofte

with me of the sciences of thinges touchinge divinitee and touchinge

mankinde? Was thanne myn habite swich as it is now?

Was than my face or my chere swiche as now (_quasi diceret, non_),

whan I soughte with thee secrets of nature, whan thou enformedest 15

my maneres and the resoun of alle my lyf to the ensaumple of

the ordre of hevene? Is nat this the guerdoun that I referre to

thee, to whom I have be obeisaunt? Certes, thou confermedest,

by the mouth of Plato, this sentence, _that is to seyn_, that comune

thinges or comunalitees weren blisful, yif they that hadden studied 20

al fully to wisdom governeden thilke thinges, or elles yif it so

bifille that the governoures of comunalitees studieden to geten

wisdom.

Thou seidest eek, by the mouth of the same Plato, that it was

a necessarie cause, wyse men to taken and desire the governaunce 25

of comune thinges, for that the governements of citees, y-left

in the handes of felonous tormentours citizenes, ne sholde nat

bringe in pestilence and destruccioun to gode folk. And therfor

I, folwinge thilke auctoritee (_sc. Platonis_), desired to putten forth

in execucioun and in acte of comune administracioun thilke 30

thinges that I hadde lerned of thee among my secree resting-whyles.

Thou, and god that putte thee in the thoughtes of wyse

folk, ben knowinge with me, that no-thing ne broughte me to

maistrie or dignitee, but the comune studie of alle goodnesse.

And ther-of comth it that bi-twixen wikked folk and me han ben 35

grevous discordes, that ne mighten ben relesed by preyeres; for

this libertee hath the freedom of conscience, that the wratthe of

more mighty folk hath alwey ben despysed of me for savacioun of

right.

How ofte have I resisted and withstonde thilke man that highte 40

Conigaste, that made alwey assautes ayeins the prospre fortunes of

pore feble folk? How ofte eek have I put of or cast out him,

Trigwille, provost of the kinges hous, bothe of the wronges that he

hadde bigunne to don, and eek fully performed? How ofte have

I covered and defended by the auctoritee of me, put ayeins perils-- 45

_that is to seyn, put myn auctoritee in peril for_--the wrecched

pore folk, that the covetyse of straungeres unpunished tourmenteden

alwey with miseyses and grevaunces out of noumbre? Never man

ne drow me yit fro right to wronge. Whan I say the fortunes and

the richesses of the poeple of the provinces ben harmed or 50

amenused, outher by privee ravynes or by comune tributes or

cariages, as sory was I as they that suffreden the harm.

GLOSSA. _Whan that Theodoric, the king of Gothes, in a dere

yere, hadde hise gerneres ful of corn, and comaundede that no man

ne sholde byen no corn til his corn were sold, and that at a grevous 55

dere prys, Boece withstood that ordinaunce, and over-com it, knowinge

al this the king him-self._

TEXTUS. Whan it was in the soure hungry tyme, ther was

establisshed or cryed grevous and inplitable coempcioun, that men

sayen wel it sholde greetly turmenten and endamagen al the 60

province of Campaigne, I took stryf ayeins the provost of the pretorie

for comune profit. And, the king knowinge of it, I overcom

it, so that the coempcioun ne was not axed ne took effect.

[GLOSSA.] _Coempcioun, that is to seyn, comune achat or bying

to-gidere, that were establisshed up-on the poeple by swiche a manere 65

imposicioun, as who-so boughte a busshel corn, he moste yeve the king

the fifte part._

[TEXTUS.] Paulin, a counseiller of Rome, the richesses of the

whiche Paulin the houndes of the palays, _that is to seyn, the

officeres_,

wolden han devoured by hope and covetise, yit drow I him out of 70

the Iowes (_sc. faucibus_) of hem that gapeden. And for as moche

as the peyne of the accusacioun aiuged biforn ne sholde nat

sodeinly henten ne punisshen wrongfully Albin, a counseiller of

Rome, I putte me ayeins the hates and indignaciouns of the

accusor Ciprian. Is it nat thanne y-nough y-seyn, that I have 75

purchased grete discordes ayeins my-self? But I oughte be the

more assured ayeins alle othre folk (_s. Romayns_), that for the love

of rightwisnesse I ne reserved never no-thing to my-self to hem-ward

of the kinges halle, _sc. officers_, by the whiche I were the more

siker. But thorugh tho same accusers accusinge, I am condempned. 80

Of the noumbir of the whiche accusers oon Basilius,

that whylom was chased out of the kinges service, is now compelled

in accusinge of my name, for nede of foreine moneye.

Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me, al be it so that the

Iustice regal hadde whylom demed hem bothe to go in-to exil for 85

hir trecheryes and fraudes withoute noumbir. To whiche Iugement

they nolden nat obeye, but defendeden hem by the sikernesse

of holy houses, _that is to seyn, fledden into seintuaries_; and

whan this was aperceived to the king, he comaundede, that but

they voidede the citee of Ravenne by certein day assigned, that 90

men sholde merken hem on the forheved with an hoot yren and

chasen hem out of the toune. Now what thing, semeth thee,

mighte ben lykned to this crueltee? For certes, thilke same day

was received the accusinge of my name by thilke same accusers.

What may ben seid her-to? (_quasi diceret, nichil_). Hath my 95

studie and my cunninge deserved thus; or elles the forseide dampnacioun

_of me_, made that hem rightful accusers or no? (_quasi

diceret, non_). Was not Fortune ashamed of this? Certes, al

hadde nat Fortune ben ashamed that innocence was accused, yit

oughte she han had shame of the filthe of myne accusours. 100

But, axestow in somme, of what gilt I am accused, men seyn

that I wolde save the companye of the senatours. And desirest

thou to heren in what manere? I am accused that I sholde han

destourbed the accuser to beren lettres, by whiche he sholde han

maked the senatoures gilty ayeins the kinges real maiestee. O 105

maistresse, what demestow of this? Shal I forsake this blame,

that I ne be no shame to thee? (_quasi diceret, non_). Certes, I have

wold it, _that is to seyn, the savacioun of the senat_, ne I shal never

leten to wilne it, and that I confesse and am aknowe; but the

entente of the accuser to be destourbed shal cese. For shal I 110

clepe it thanne a felonie or a sinne that I have desired the

savacioun of the ordre of the senat? (_quasi diceret, dubito quid_).

And certes yit hadde thilke same senat don by me, thorugh hir

decrets and hir Iugements, as though it were a sinne or a felonie;

_that is to seyn, to wilne the savacioun of hem_ (_sc. senatus_). But 115

folye, that lyeth alwey to him-self, may not chaunge the merite

of thinges. Ne I trowe nat, by the Iugement of Socrates, that

it were leveful to me to hyde the sothe, ne assente to lesinges.

But certes, how so ever it be of this, I putte it to gessen or

preisen to the Iugement of thee and of wyse folk. Of whiche 120

thing al the ordinaunce and the sothe, for as moche as folk that

ben to comen after our dayes shullen knowen it, I have put it

in scripture and in remembraunce. For touching the lettres falsly

maked, by whiche lettres I am accused to han hoped the fredom

of Rome, what aperteneth me to speke ther-of? Of whiche 125

lettres the fraude hadde ben shewed apertly, yif I hadde had

libertee for to han used and ben at the confessioun of myne

accusours, the whiche thing in alle nedes hath greet strengthe.

For what other fredom may men hopen? Certes, I wolde that

som other fredom mighte ben hoped. I wolde thanne han 130

answered by the wordes of a man that highte Canius; for whan

he was accused by Gaius Cesar, Germeynes sone, that he

(_Canius_) was knowinge and consentinge of a coniuracioun

y-maked ayeins him (_sc. Gaius_), this Canius answerede thus:

"Yif I hadde wist it, thou haddest nat wist it." In which thing 135

sorwe hath nat so dulled my wit, that I pleyne only that shrewede

folk aparailen felonies ayeins vertu; but I wondre greetly how

that they may performe thinges that they hadde hoped for to

don. For-why, to wilne shrewednesse, that comth peraventure

of oure defaute; but it is lyk a monstre and a mervaille, how 140

that, in the present sighte of god, may ben acheved and performed

swiche thinges as every felonous man hath conceived in his

thought ayeins innocents. For which thing oon of thy famileres

nat unskilfully axed thus: "Yif god is, whennes comen wikkede

thinges? And yif god ne is, whennes comen gode thinges?" 145

But al hadde it ben leveful that felonous folk, that now desiren

the blood and the deeth of alle gode men and eek of alle the

senat, han wilned to gon destroyen me, whom they han seyen

alwey batailen and defenden gode men and eek al the senat,

yit had I nat desserved of the faderes, _that is to seyn, of the 150

senatoures_, that they sholden wilne my destruccioun.

Thou remembrest wel, as I gesse, that whan I wolde doon or

seyen any thing, thou thyself, alwey present, rewledest me. At

the city of Verone, whan that the king, gredy of comune slaughter,

caste him to transporten up al the ordre of the senat the gilt of 155

his real maiestee, of the whiche gilt that Albin was accused, with

how gret sikernesse of peril to me defendede I al the senat!

Thou wost wel that I seye sooth, ne I ne avauntede me never

in preysinge of my-self. For alwey, whan any wight receiveth

precious renoun in avauntinge him-self of his werkes, he amenuseth 160

the secree of his conscience. But now thou mayst wel seen to

what ende I am comen for myne innocence; I receive peyne

of fals felonye for guerdon of verray vertu. And what open

confessioun of felonye hadde ever Iuges so acordaunt in crueltee,

_that is to seyn, as myn accusinge hath_, that either errour of

mannes 165

wit or elles condicioun of Fortune, that is uncertein to alle mortal

folk, ne submittede some of hem, _that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede

som Iuge to han pitee or compassioun_? For al-thogh I hadde ben

accused that I wolde brenne holy houses, and strangle preestes

with wikkede swerde, or that I hadde greythed deeth to al gode 170

men, algates the sentence sholde han punisshed me, present,

confessed, or convict. But now I am remewed fro the citee _of

Rome_ almost fyve hundred thousand pas, I am with-oute defence

dampned to proscripcioun and to the deeth, for the studie and

bountees that I have doon to the senat. But O, wel ben they 175

worthy of merite (_as who seith, nay_), ther mighte never yit non

of hem be convict of swiche a blame as myne is! Of whiche

trespas, myne accusours sayen ful wel the dignitee; the whiche

dignitee, for they wolden derken it with medeling of som felonye,

they baren me on hand, and lyeden, that I hadde polut and 180

defouled my conscience with sacrilege, for coveitise of dignitee.

And certes, thou thy-self, that are plaunted in me, chacedest

out of the sege of my corage al coveitise of mortal thinges; ne

sacrilege hadde no leve to han a place in me biforn thyne eyen.

For thou droppedest every day in myne eres and in my thought 185

thilke comaundement of Pictagoras, _that is to seyn_, men shal

serve to godde, _and not to goddes_. Ne it was nat convenient,

_ne no nede_, to taken help of the foulest spirites; I, that thou

hast ordeined and set in swiche excellence that thou makedest

me lyk to god. And over this, the right clene secree chaumbre 190

of myne hous, _that is to seyn, my wyf_, and the companye of

myn honest freendes, and my wyves fader, as wel holy as worthy

to ben reverenced thorugh his owne dedes, defenden me from

alle suspecioun of swich blame. But O malice! For they that

accusen me taken of thee, _Philosophie_, feith of so gret blame! 195

For they trowen that I have had affinitee to malefice _or enchauntement_,

by-cause that I am replenisshed and fulfilled with thy

techinges, and enformed of thy maneres. And thus it suffiseth

not only, that thy reverence ne availe me not, but-yif that thou,

of thy free wille, rather be blemished with myn offencioun. But 200

certes, to the harmes that I have, ther bitydeth yit this

encrees of harm, that the gessinge and the Iugement of moche

folk ne looken no-thing to the desertes of thinges, but only

to the aventure of fortune; and iugen that only swiche thinges

ben purveyed of god, whiche that temporel welefulnesse commendeth. 205

GLOSE. _As thus: that, yif a wight have prosperitee, he is a

good man and worthy to han that prosperitee; and who-so hath

adversitee, he is a wikked man, and god hath forsake him, and

he is worthy to han that adversitee. This is the opinioun of some 210

folk._

And ther-of comth that good gessinge, first of alle thing, forsaketh

wrecches: certes, it greveth me to thinke right now the

dyverse sentences that the poeple seith of me. And thus moche

I seye, that the laste charge of contrarious fortune is this: that, 215

whan that any blame is leyd upon a caitif, men wenen that he

hath deserved that he suffreth. And I, that am put awey fro

gode men, and despoiled of dignitees, and defouled of my name

by gessinge, have suffred torment for my gode dedes. Certes,

me semeth that I see the felonous covines of wikked men 220

habounden in Ioye and in gladnesse. And I see that every

lorel shapeth him to finde out newe fraudes for to accuse gode

folk. And I see that gode men beth overthrowen for drede

of my peril; and every luxurious tourmentour dar doon alle

felonye unpunisshed and ben excited therto by yiftes; and 225

innocents ne ben not only despoiled of sikernesse but of defence;

and therfore me list to cryen _to god_ in this wyse:--

PR. IV. 1. C. Felistow; A. Felest thou. 2. A. Art thou. // C. wepistow; A.

wepest thou. 3. A. spillest thou. 9. C. sen; A. seen. 11. A. sege (_for_

sete). 12. _So_ A.; C. deuynyte. // C. _om. 2nd_ touchinge. 13. C. _om._ it

is. 14. C. om. _quasi ... non_. 17. _After_ this, C. _has_ nonne; A. _has_

ironice. // C. gerdou_n_s; A. gerdou_n_ (Lat. _praemia_). 18. C.

conformedest (Lat. _sanxisti_); see note. 19. C. Mowht; A. mouthe. 20. A.

comunabletes. 22. A. studieden in grete wisdomes. 25. C. whise; A. wyse.

26. A. of comune citees (Lat. _urbium_). 27. C. citesenes; A. citizenis.

29. A. folowynge. // C. autorite; A. auctoritee. 30. C. excussioun(!); A.

execusioun. 32. C. whise; A. wise. 33. A. knowen; C. _has the gloss_ concij

(= conscii). 34. C. dignete; A. dignite. // C. _om._ the. 36. _So_ A.; C.

descordes. // _Above_ preyeres, C. _has_ i. est inexorabiles. 37. A. _om.

2nd_ the. 38. C. sauacioun; A. saluacioun. 40. C. recisted. // C. hyhte; A.

hy[gh]t. 41. C. Ed. prosp_er_e; A. p_ro_pre. 42. A. poure. // C. fookk; A.

folke. 45. C. deffended; A. defended. // C. autorite; A. auctorite. 47. C.

vnpunyssed; A. -nysched. 49. C. ne drowh; A. drowe. 50. A. rychesse. // C.

_om. 2nd_ the. 51. A. eyther (_for_ outher). // C. pryuey; A. priue. // C.

Raueynes; A. rauynes. 54. C. yer; A. yere. 55. C. A. solde. 58. C. sowr_e_;

A. soure (Lat. _acerbae famis tempore_). 59. A. establissed; C.

estabelissed. // C. vnplitable; A. inplitable (Lat. _inexplicabilis_). 61.

Ed. Campayne; C. A. Compaygne. 64. _The gloss_ (Coempcioun ... part) _is

misplaced in both_ MSS., _so as to precede_ Whan it was (58). 65. C.

estabelissed. // A. _om._ the. 66. C. imposiscioun. // C. bossel; A.

busshel. 68. _So_ A.; C. consoler (!). // A. rychesse. 69. C. palysse; A.

palays. 70. C. drowh; A. drowe. 71. sc. faucibus _from_ A. 73. C. punisse;

A. punischen. // C. conseyler. 75. A. yseyne. 77. A. asseured. 78. _After_

no-thing, C. _adds_ i. affinite. 79. C. _om. 2nd_ the. 81. A. _om. 2nd_

the. 82, 85. C. whilom; A. somtyme. 84. C. caudencius (_wrongly_). 88. C.

sentuarye; A. seyntuaries. 89. C. _om._ was. 90. C. assingned; A. assigned.

91. C. me (= men); A. men. // C. marke; A. merken. 92. A. _om._ the. // C.

_om._ thee. 93. C. crwelte. 94. C. resseyued. 98. C. asshamyd; A. asshamed.

99. C. whas. 101. A. axest thou. 102. C. desires. 104. C. destorbed; A.

distourbed. 106. C. mayst_er_esse; A. meistresse. A. demest thou. 109. C.

_om._ that. 109. C. I am; A. Ed. _om._ I. 110. C. destorbed. 111. A. a

felonie than. 114. C. and (_for_ or). 119. C. A. put. 120. C. whise. 122.

C. shellen; A. schollen (_better_ shullen). 123. A. _om. 2nd_ in. C.

thowchinge. 125. C. _om._ Of whiche lettres. 129. C. _om._ what. // C.

hoepen. 133. C. _om._ Canius. 136. C. sorw. 137. C. felonies; A. folies

(Lat. _scelerata_). // A. vertues (_wrongly_). 138. C. han; A. had

(_better_ hadde). 139. C. _om._ to. 148. C. gon and; A. Ed. _om._ and. 151.

C. willene; A. wilne. 153. C. rwledest. 154. C. _om. 1st_ the. 155. C.

transpor(!). C. vp; A. vp on. 157. C. deffendede. 158. A. _om. 2nd_ ne.

159. C. resseyueth; A. resceiueth. 162. C. resseyue; A. receiue. 163. A. in

(_for_ for). // _Both_ gerdoun; Ed. gwerdone. 164. C. crwelte. 171. C.

punyssed; A. punysched. 172. A. conuict; C. _con_uict. // _So_ A.; C.

remwed. 173. C. paas. 176. C. m_er_ite; A. mercye; (_gloss in_ C. ironice;

O meritos). 179. C. dirken. 180. C. an; A. on. 181. C. sacrilege; _glossed_

sorcerie. 183. C. alle; A. al. 185. C. _om. 2nd_ in. 187. _in margin of_

C.; Homo debet seruire deo et non diis. // C. _om._ was. // A. no couenaunt

(Lat. _Nec conueniebat_). 188. A. spirites; C. spirite (Lat. _spirituum_).

189. C. and; A. or. 190. C. chaumbyr; A. chaumbre. 191. C. compaygnye; A.

compaignie. 193. C. deffenden. // C. from; A. of. 195. C. the philosophre;

A. the philosophie (Lat. _te_). 196. A. enchau_n_tementz. 198. C.

thechinges. 207. A. _Glosa_. 208. C. who; A. who so. 217. C. desserued.

218. C. of (1); A. from. 223. C. beth; A. ben. 225. C. vnpunnysshed; A.

vnpunissed. 227. C. wise; A. manere; Ed. maner.

METRE V.

_O stelliferi conditor orbis._

O thou maker of the whele that bereth the sterres, which that

art y-fastned to thy perdurable chayer, and tornest the hevene

with a ravisshing sweigh, and constreinest the sterres to suffren

thy lawe; so that the mone som-tyme shyning with hir ful hornes,

meting with alle the bemes of the sonne hir brother, hydeth the 5

sterres that ben lesse; and somtyme, whan the mone, pale with

hir derke hornes, approcheth the sonne, leseth hir lightes; and

that the eve-sterre Hesperus, whiche that in the firste tyme of

the night bringeth forth hir colde arysinges, cometh eft ayein

hir used cours, and is pale _by the morwe_ at the rysing of the 10

sonne, and is thanne cleped Lucifer. Thou restreinest the day

by shorter dwelling, in the tyme of colde winter that maketh

the leves to falle. Thou dividest the swifte tydes of the night,

whan the hote somer is comen. Thy might atempreth the

variaunts sesons of the yere; so that Zephirus the deboneir 15

wind bringeth ayein, _in the first somer sesoun_, the leves that

the wind that highte Boreas hath reft awey _in autumpne, that

is to seyn, in the laste ende of somer_; and the sedes that the

sterre that highte Arcturus saw, ben waxen heye cornes whan the

sterre Sirius eschaufeth hem. Ther nis no-thing unbounde from 20

his olde lawe, ne forleteth the werke of his propre estat.

O thou governour, governinge alle thinges by certein ende, why

refusestow only to governe the werkes of men by dewe manere?

Why suffrest thou that slydinge fortune torneth so grete entrechaunginges

of thinges, so that anoyous peyne, that sholde dewely 25

punisshe felouns, punissheth innocents? And folk of wikkede

maneres sitten in heye chayres, and anoyinge folk treden, and

that unrightfully, on the nekkes of holy men? And vertu cler-shyninge

naturelly is hid in derke derkenesses, and the rightful

man bereth the blame and the peyne of the feloun. Ne forsweringe 30

ne the fraude, covered and kembd with a fals colour,

ne anoyeth nat to shrewes; the whiche shrewes, whan hem list

to usen hir strengthe, they reioysen hem to putten under hem

the sovereyne kinges, whiche that poeple with-outen noumbre

dreden. 35

O thou, what so ever thou be that knittest alle bondes of

thinges, loke on thise wrecchede erthes; we men that ben nat

a foule party, but a fayr party of so grete a werk, we ben

tormented in this see of fortune. Thou governour, withdraw

and restreyne the ravisshinge flodes, and fastne and ferme thise 40

erthes stable with thilke bonde, with whiche thou governest the

hevene that is so large.'

ME. V. 1. C. whel; A. whele. 3. C. Rauessyng; A. rauyssyng. // C. sweyh; A.

sweigh; Ed. sweygh. 4. C. wyt (_for_ with). 6. A. lasse. // C. wan (_for_

whan). 9. C. est; A. eft (Lat. _iterum_). // A. a[gh]eynes. 10. C. _om._

the _after_ at. 13. C. falle; A. to falle. // C. swift; A. swifte. 14. C.

wan (_for_ whan). 15. C. sesoun (_wrongly_); A. sesons. 17. C. hihte; A.

hy[gh]t. // C. borias. 19. C. hihte; A. hy[gh]t. // C. sawgh; A. saw. // C.

hyye; A. hey. // C. wan. 20. C. eschaufed; A. eschaufeth; (Lat. _urat_). //

C. fram. 21. C. the werke; A. hym. 23. C. refowsestow; A. refusest thou. //

C. dwwe; A. dewe. 24. C. suffres. // C. so; A. to. // A. vtter; (_for_

entre-). 25. C. dwwelly; A. duelly. 26. C. punysshe; A. punissit[gh]. 27.

C. heer_e_; A. hei[gh]e (Lat. _celsos_). // C. chayres; A. chaiers. 28. C.

oon (_read_ on); A. in. 29. A. clere and shynyng (Lat. _clara_). 30. A. Ne

the forsweryng. 32. C. weche (_for_ whiche). // C. wan (_for_ whan). 34. C.

weche. // C. nowmbyr; A. noumbre. 38. C. _om._ a _bef._ werk. 39. C. this;

A. the. // C. withdrawh. 40. C. restryne; A. restreyne. // C. thei (_for_

the). // C. rauesynge; A. rauyssinge. 41. C. by whiche; A. with whiche

(_better?_)

PROSE V.

_Hic ubi continuato dolore delatraui._

Whan I hadde, with a continuel sorwe, sobbed or borken out

thise thinges, she with hir chere pesible, and no-thing amoeved

with my compleintes, seide thus: 'Whan I say thee,' quod she,

'sorweful and wepinge, I wiste anon that thou were a wrecche

and exiled; but I wiste never how fer thyne exile was, yif thy 5

tale ne hadde shewed it to me. But certes, al be thou fer fro thy

contree, thou nart nat put out of it; but thou hast failed of thy

weye and gon amis. And yif thou hast lever for to wene that

thou be put out of thy contree, than hast thou put out thy-self

rather than any other wight hath. For no wight but thy-self ne 10

mighte never han don that to thee. For yif thou remembre of

what contree thou art born, it nis nat governed by emperours, ne

by governement of multitude, as weren the contrees of hem of

Athenes; but oo lord and oo king, _and that is god, that is lord of

thy contree_, whiche that reioyseth him of the dwelling of hise 15

citezenes, and nat for to putte hem in exil; of the whiche lorde

it is a soverayne fredom to be governed by the brydel of him and

obeye to his Iustice. Hastow foryeten thilke right olde lawe of thy

citee, in the whiche citee it is ordeined and establisshed, that for

what wight that hath lever founden ther-in his sete or his hous than 20

elles-wher, he may nat be exiled by no right from that place? For

who-so that is contened in-with the palis and the clos of thilke citee,

ther nis no drede that he may deserve to ben exiled. But who-so

that leteth the wil for to enhabite there, he forleteth also to deserve

to ben citezein of thilke citee. So that I sey, that the face of this 25

place ne moveth me nat so mochel as thyne owne face. Ne I

axe nat rather the walles of thy librarie, aparayled and wrought

with yvory and with glas, than after the sete of thy thought. In

whiche I putte nat whylom bokes, but I putte that that maketh

bokes worthy of prys or precious, that is to seyn, the sentence of 30

my bokes. And certeinly of thy desertes, bistowed in comune

good, thou hast seid sooth, but after the multitude of thy gode

dedes, thou hast seid fewe; and of the honestee or of the falsnesse

of thinges that ben aposed ayeins thee, thou hast remembred

thinges that ben knowen to alle folk. And of the felonyes and 35

fraudes of thyne accusours, it semeth thee have y-touched it forsothe

rightfully and shortly, al mighten tho same thinges betere

and more plentivousely ben couth in the mouthe of the poeple

that knoweth al this.

Thou hast eek blamed gretly and compleined of the wrongful 40

dede of the senat. And thou hast sorwed for my blame, and thou

hast wopen for the damage of thy renoun that is apayred; and thy

laste sorwe eschaufede ayeins fortune, and compleinest that guerdouns

ne ben nat evenliche yolden to the desertes of folk. And

in the latere ende of thy wode Muse, thou preyedest that thilke 45

pees that governeth the hevene sholde governe the erthe. But

for that manye tribulaciouns of affecciouns han assailed thee, and

sorwe and ire and wepinge to-drawen thee dyversely; as thou art

now feble of thought, mightier remedies ne shullen nat yit touchen

thee, for whiche we wol usen somdel lighter medicines: so that 50

thilke passiouns that ben woxen harde in swellinge, by perturbaciouns

flowing in-to thy thought, mowen wexen esy and softe,

to receiven the strengthe of a more mighty and more egre

medicine, by an esier touchinge.

PR. V. 1. C. _om._ a. // C. borken (= barked); A. broken (Lat.

_delatraui_). 2. A. peisible. 4. C. soruful; A. sorweful. // C. wrechche;

A. wrecche. 6. C. nadde; A. ne hadde. // A. to me; C. _om._ to. 8. C. wey;

A. weye. 11. C. remenbre; A. remembre. 13. C. _om._ hem of. 16. C.

cytesenis; A. citezenis. C. put; A. putte. 17. C. brydul; A. bridel. 18. C.

hasthow; A. hast thou. 19. C. weche. 20. C. whyht; A. wy[gh]t. 21. C. wer;

A. where. 22. C. contyned; A. contened. // C. palys; A. paleis (Lat.

_uallo_). 23. C. desserue. 25. C. cytesein; A. Citezein. // C. face,

_glossed_ i. manere (Lat. _facies_). 26. C. moueth; A. amoeueth. 27. A. Ne

I ne axe. // C. wrowht; A. wrou[gh]t. 29. C. put; A. putte (_twice_). // C.

whilom; A. somtyme. 30. C. presyous. 32. C. seyde; A. seid. 33. A.

vnhonestee (_wrongly_). 34. A. Ed. opposed. // C. remenbryd. 36. C.

Acusours. // C. I-twoched (_for_ I-towched); A. I-touched. 38: C. mowhth;

A. mouthe. 42. A. wepen. 43. C. A. gerdouns; Ed. guerdons. 44. C. _om._

nat. 45. C. later_e_; A. l_att_re. // C. _glosses_ wode _by_ s. seuientis.

52. A. p_er_turbac_i_ou_n_ folowyng (_wrongly_).

METRE VI.

_Cum Phebi radiis graue

Cancri sidus inestuat._

Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre eschaufeth by the

bemes of Phebus, _that is to seyn, whan that Phebus the sonne is

in the signe of the Cancre_, who-so yeveth thanne largely hise sedes

to the feldes that refusen to receiven hem, lat him gon, bigyled of

trust that he hadde to his corn, to acorns of okes. Yif thou wolt 5

gadre violettes, ne go thou not to the purpur wode whan the feld,

chirkinge, agryseth of colde by the felnesse of the winde that highte

Aquilon. Yif thou desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seke thou nat,

with a glotonous hond, to streyne and presse the stalkes of the

vine in the ferst somer sesoun; for Bachus, the god of wyne, hath 10

rather yeven hise yiftes to autumpne, _the later ende of somer_.

God tokneth and assigneth the tymes, ablinge hem to hir

propres offices; ne he ne suffreth nat the stoundes whiche that

him-self hath devyded and constreyned to ben y-medled to-gidere.

And forthy he that forleteth certein ordinaunce of doinge by

over-throwinge 15

wey, he ne hath no glade issue or ende of his werkes.

ME. VI. 1. C. ca_n_kyr; A. Ed. cancre. 2. C. beemes; A. beme (Lat.

_radiis_). 3. C. cankyr; A. Ed. Cancre. 4. C. feeldes. // C. Reseyue; A.

receiuen. // C. _glosses_ hem _by_ s. corn. 5. C. Accornes of Okes; A.

acorns or okes. // C. wolt; A. wilt. 6. C. gadery; A. gadre. // C. feeld;

A. felde. 7. C. felnesses; A. felnesse. // C. hyhte; A. hy[gh]t. 9. C.

stryne; A. streyne. 11. C. later; A. latter. 13. C. propres; A. propre. 16.

C. issw; A. issue.

PROSE VI.

_Primum igitur paterisne me pauculis rogacionibus._

First woltow suffre me to touche and assaye the estat of thy

thought by a fewe demaundes, so that I may understonde what

be the manere of thy curacioun?'

'Axe me,' quod I, 'at thy wille, what thou wolt, and I shal

answere.' 5

Tho seide she thus: 'Whether wenestow,' quod she, 'that

this world be governed by foolish happes and fortunous, or

elles that ther be in it any governement of resoun?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'I ne trowe nat in no manere, that so

certein thinges sholde be moeved by fortunous fortune; but I 10

wot wel that god, maker and mayster, is governour of his werk.

Ne never nas yit day that mighte putte me out of the sothnesse

of that sentence.'

'So is it,' quod she; 'for the same thing songe thou a litel

her-biforn, and biweyledest and biweptest, that only men weren 15

put out of the cure of god. For of alle other thinges thou

ne doutedest nat that they nere governed by resoun. But owh!

(_i. pape!_) I wondre gretly, certes, why that thou art syk, sin

that thou art put in so holsom a sentence. But lat us seken

depper; I coniecte that ther lakketh I not nere what. But 20

sey me this: sin that thou ne doutest nat that this world be

governed by god, with whiche governailes takestow hede that

it is governed?'

'Unnethe,' quod I, 'knowe I the sentence of thy questioun;

so that I ne may nat yit answeren to thy demaundes.' 25

'I nas nat deceived,' quod she, 'that ther ne faileth somwhat,

by whiche the maladye of thy perturbacioun is crept into

thy thought, so as the strengthe of the palis chyning is open.

But sey me this: remembrest thou what is the ende of thinges,

and whider that the entencioun of alle kinde tendeth?' 30

'I have herd it told som-tyme,' quod I; 'but drerinesse hath

dulled my memorie.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'thou wost wel whennes that alle thinges

ben comen and procedeth?'

'I wot wel,' quod I, and answerede, that 'god is beginning 35

of al.'

'And how may this be,' quod she, 'that, sin thou knowest

the beginning of thinges, that thou ne knowest nat what is the

ende of thinges? But swiche ben the customes of perturbaciouns,

and this power they han, that they may moeve a 40

man out of his place, _that is to seyn, fro the stablenes and perfeccioun

of his knowinge_; but, certes, they may nat al arace

him, ne aliene him in al. But I wolde that thou woldest

answere to this: remembrestow that thou art a man?'

'Why sholde I nat remembre that?' quod I. 45

'Maystow nat telle me thanne,' quod she, 'what thing is a man?'

'Axestow me nat,' quod I, 'whether that I be a resonable

mortal beest? I woot wel, and I confesse wel that I am it.'

'Wistestow never yit that thou were any other thing?' quod

she. 50

'No,' quod I.

'Now woot I,' quod she, 'other cause of thy maladye, and

that right grete. Thou hast left for to knowen thy-self, what

thou art; thorugh whiche I have pleynly founden the cause of

thy maladye, or elles the entree of recoveringe of thyn hele. 55

For-why, for thou art confounded with foryeting of thy-self, for-thy

sorwestow that thou art exiled of thy propre goodes. And

for thou ne wost what is the ende of thinges, for-thy demestow

that felonous and wikked men ben mighty and weleful. And

for thou hast foryeten by whiche governements the world is 60

governed, for-thy wenestow that thise mutaciouns of fortune

fleten with-oute governour. Thise ben grete causes not only

to maladye, but, certes, grete causes to deeth. But I thanke

the auctor and the maker of hele, that nature hath not al

forleten thee. I have grete norisshinges of thyn hele, and that 65

is, the sothe sentence of governaunce of the worlde; that thou

bilevest that the governinge of it nis nat subiect ne underput

to the folie of thise happes aventurous, but to the resoun of

god. And ther-for doute thee no-thing; for of this litel spark

thyn hete of lyf shal shyne. 70

But for as moche as it is nat tyme yit of faster remedies, and

the nature of thoughtes deceived is this, that as ofte as they

casten awey sothe opiniouns, they clothen hem in false opiniouns,

of which false opiniouns the derkenesse of perturbacioun wexeth

up, that confoundeth the verray insighte: and that derkenesse 75

shal I assaye som-what to maken thinne and wayk by lighte

and meneliche remedies; so that, after that the derkenesse of

deceivinge desiringes is don awey, thou mowe knowe the shyninge

of verray light.

PR. VI. 1. C. woltow; A. wolt thou. // C. estat; A. stat. 6. C. wheyther.

// C. weenesthow; A. wenest thou. 8. A. _ins._ wenest thou _after_ elles.

9. A. _om. 2nd_ I. 11. C. his; A. this (Lat. _suo_). 12. C. put; A. putte.

14. C. lytul; A. lytel. 17. C. dowtedest, A. doutest. // C. owh; A. how;

Ed. ough. 18. C. syk; A. seek. 19. C. sin that; A. sithen. // A. in-to

(_for_ in). 20. A. _om._ ner_e_. 21. C. syn; A. sithen. 22. A. takest thou.

23. C. _om._ it. 25. C. _om._ nat. // A. demaunde (Lat. _inquisita_). 26.

C. desseyued. 27. C. of thi; A. _om._ thi. 28. C. palys chynyng; A. paleys

schynyng (Lat. _hiante ualli robore_). 29. C. remenbres. // A. _adds_ thi

_bef._ thinges; _and om._ and. 30. C. entensyn. 34. A. p_ro_ceded. 35. A.

is the. 37. C. syn; A. sithen. 39. A. endyng. 42. C. arrace; A. arace. 44.

C. Remenbresthow; A. remembrest thou. 45. C. remenbre. 46. C. Maysthow; A.

Maiste thou. // C. thinge. 47. C. Axestow me nat; A. Axest not me. // C.

wheither. // A. _om._ I _after_ that. 48. A. best mortel. 49. C.

Wystesthow; A. Wistest thou. 54. C. fwonde; A. knowen. 56. C. confwndyd.

57. C. sorwistow; A. sorwest thou. 58. C. domesthow; A. demest. 59. A.

_om._ And. 60. C. ast foryeeten. // C. gou_er_nement; A. gouernementz (Lat.

_gubernaculis_). 61. A. wenest thou. 63. C. thi deth; A. (_rightly_) _om._

thi. 64. C. alle; A. al. 65. A. _ins._ and _before_ I have. 67. A. subgit.

// C. -putte; A. -put. 68. C. Auentros; A. auenturouses; Ed. auenturous. //

C. _om._ to. 69. C. lytul; A. litel. 70. A. heet. 71. C. meche (= moche).

72. C. desseyued; A. disseiued. 74. C. dirkenesse; A. derknesse. // C.

perturba (!). // C. wexit. 78. C. A. desseyuynge.

METRE VII.

_Nubibus atris._

The sterres, covered with blake cloudes, ne mowen yeten

a-doun no light. Yif the trouble wind that hight Auster, turning

and walwinge the see, medleth the hete, _that is to seyn,

the boyling up from the botme_; the wawes, that whylom weren

clere as glas and lyke to the faire clere dayes, withstande anon 5

the sightes of men by the filthe and ordure that is resolved.

And the fletinge streem, that royleth doun dyversly fro heye

mountaignes, is arested and resisted ofte tyme by the encountringe

of a stoon that is departed and fallen from som roche.

And for-thy, yif thou wolt loken and demen sooth with cleer 10

light, and holden the wey with a right path, weyve thou Ioye,

dryf fro thee drede, fleme thou hope, ne lat no sorwe aproche;

_that is to seyn, lat non of thise four passiouns over-comen thee

or blende thee_. For cloudy and derke is thilke thought, and

bounde with brydles, where-as thise thinges regnen.' 15

ME. VII. 1. C. Ed. yeten; A. geten. 2. C. A. wynde. 4. C. Ed. whilom; A.

somtyme. 5. C. lyk; A. lyke. // C. cleer_e_ dayes and brihte; A. bry[gh]t

dayes. // C. withstand; A. withstant. 7. C. hy; A. hey[gh]e. 9. C. fram.

14. C. A. dirke. 15. C. were (_for_ where). // C. reygnen; A. regnen.

EXPLICIT LIBER PRIMUS.