Chaucer's translation of Boethius's "De consolatione philosphiæ" / edited from British Museum additional MS. 10, 340 collated with Cambridge University Library MS. Ii.3.21 by Richard Morris

SI QUIS ARCTURI [MS. arituri] SYDERA.

Who so þat ne knowe nat þe sterres of arctour ytourned neye to þe souereyne contre or point. þat is to seyne ytourned neye to þe souereyne pool of þe firmament and woot nat whi þe sterre boetes passeþ or gaderiþ his wey[n]es. and drencheþ his late flaumbes in þe see. and whi þat boetes þe sterre vnfoldiþ his ouer swifte arisynges. þan shal he wondren of þe lawe of þe heye eyre. and eke if þat he ne knowe nat why þat þe hornes of þe ful[le] moene waxen pale and infect by þe boundes of þe derke nyȝt ¶ and how þe moene dirk

and confuse discouereþ þe sterres. þat she had[de] ycouered by hir clere visage. þe commune errour moeueþ folk and makiþ wery hir bacines of bras by þikke strookes. þat is to seyne þat þer is a maner poeple þat hyȝt[e] coribandes þat wenen þat whan þe moone is in þe eclips þat it be enchauntid. and þerfore forto rescowe þe moone þei betyn hire basines wiþ þikke strokes. ¶ Ne no man ne wondreþ whan þe blastes of þe wynde chorus betyn þe strondes of þe see by quakynge floodes. ne no man ne wondreþ whan þe weyȝte of þe snowe yhardid by þe colde. is resolued by þe brennynge hete of phebus þe sonne. ¶ For here seen men redyly þe causes. but þe [fol. 30] causes yhid þat is to seye in heuene trouble þe brestes of men. ¶ þe mocueable poeple is a-stoned of alle þinges þat comen selde and sodeynely in oure age. but yif þe troubly errour of oure ignorance departid[e] from vs. so þat we wisten þe causes whi þat swiche þinges bitiden. certys þei sholden cesse to seme wondres.