The boke of comfort called in laten Boetius de Consolatione philosophie. Translated in to englesse tonge

As may thastate of good plente Of foreyn thynge to neden noght at al But in hyt self to haue al suffysance Of al good to speke in general ¶Aud furdermore what sayst thou / erren they That suche a thynge a counten honorable The wyche ys souereyn good / for soth nay For suche a thynge may not be repreueable That to al mortal folke ys desyreable wher to ys set al ther entention And also power / ys hyt commendable Hyt ys ful good hyt ys no questyon ¶How shold myght fro suche a thyng be ryued The wyche of al thynge ys worthyest And noble renoune shold yt be repreued That ys a thynge so worthy & honest Syth thynge that ys most excellent & best Must nede be worchypful & reuerent For euery wyght to wynne hyt ys ful prest And ther to traueleth wyth ther hole entent ¶But for to speke of anger or dystresse Or sorow / murnynge / anguesse / other payn Suche thynges may not be in blysfulnesse Therfore of ••uche hyt nedeth noght to sayn For in ful lytel thynges men be fayn To haue & vse that may them do solace And only thys to hauen in certeyn Al wordly men enforcen to purchace ¶And for thys cause desyreth they abundance As lordshyp / fame / delyce / & dygnyte Ther by to wynne & haue suffysance Of honour / reuoune / myght / & glad to be

Than ys hyt good as euery man may se That men so fast seketh in thys wyse And so traueleth euerych in hys degre To wynne hyt as they can best deuyse ¶In wyche desyre apereth openly How grete & myghty ys the strengh of kende Syth also be yt that ful dyuersly Dyscordeth loo the sentence of ther mynde yet al thes consenteth at one ende As for to loue a thynge that semeth best For here to nature doth ther hertes tende Tyl thys be had they may not be in rest

Metrū ij. Capitulū iiij.

Quātas rerū flectat.

Phia loquitur.

HYt lust to shewen by subtyl songes And by y^e so••ne of delectable strenges How y^t nature that myghty ys & stronge Attempreth the gouernment of thynges Thys grete world wyth al hys varynges So by her lawes kepeth & susteyneth And by bondes that haueth no losynges Ful sykerly she byndeth & restrayneth ¶For though the lyon of that straunge lande That hyght Pene / the fayre cheynes bere And taketh mete by gefte of mannes hande And of ther sturdy masters haueth fere Of vhom they often styffe strokes bere And softely they suffereth to be bete yet be they ones losed of that gere Ther olde corage wyl they not forgete ¶For yf the hote blod of any best Ther foule mowthes haue made red

Ther hye corage that longe hathe ben a rest Hyt wyl repayre in to ther cruelhed He casteth then hys cheynes ouer hed And roreth fast remembrynge as yt were Hys master fyrst of whom he was a dred wyth blody tethe than wol he al to tere ¶The byrde that syngeth on y^e braunche on hye yf he be closed in a cage of tre And lusty men hym serueth besely wyth metes that ful swete & lusty be yf he may ones skyp out & be fre Hys Insty mete he casteth vnder fote And to the wode ful fast seketh he And begynneth to trute wyth a lusty note ¶A yerde that ys growen vp in lenght wyth mannes hande bowed downe to ground yf that the hand remitteh of hys strenght The crop ful sone wyl vp a geyn rebounde And when the sonne ys passed dayes stound As vndergon the wawes of the weste Ful sone he hath a preuy path y found And in the mornynge a ryseth in the este ¶And so a geyn the day begynneth sprynge Thus euery thynge reioyceth in hys kende Ther recours a yenwarde for to brynge And besely to tornen & to wende Loo thys we shuld conceyuen in our mynde That al thynges must ther ordre sew And the begynnynge Ioynen wyth the ende And to them selfen make a cercle trew

Prosa iij. Capitulū v.

Vos quo{que} terrena.

Phia loquitur.

BVt ye erthly bestes / as yt semeth wyth a ful thynne Imagynation your begynnynge as yt were ye dremeth I ledde by natural inclination And haueth in maner blynde inspection As of the ende of very blysfulnesse But errour of your false affection Wythdraeth yow to very wrecchednesse ¶Behalde & se now yf hyt may be so where men atteyn mowen in thys wyse Vn to that ende that nature draeth them to Of blysfulnesse so as them self deuyse yf so be that ther nyce couetyce Of money / honour / or suche other thynge May make them fully to them self suffyce That no good lacke as vn to ther lekynge ¶And than by these wyl I graunt & seyn That a man may leuen blysfully But than efte in that other syde a geyn yf they may not performen verely Al that they haue behyght them vtterly But many goodes lacketh that they mysse wyl hyt not than apperen plenerly As a ful false colour of blysfulnesse ¶But fyrst of the I aske thys demaunde As thou that were not yet ful longe a gone In wordly welthes fully habundante whether thou a monge tho welthes euerychone As in thy corage / neuer feldest thou none Dystresse or greuance no tyme in thy mynde Boecius) Certen {quod} I y^t I can thynke vpon In that astate couth I me neuer fynde

¶That I ne was alway somwhat in dystresse Phia) And was not thys {quod} she the cause vhy That som thynge lacked the as dyst y^u gesse The wyche thou woldest haue had presently And som thynge eke thou haddest sykerly The wyche thou woldest gladly haue forgon Boecius) Right as ye sayn ryght so hyt ys {quod} I Phia) Thou wyllest {quod} she y^e presence of that one ¶And the absence of that other than Boecius) {quod} I I graunt I can not go ther fro Phia) Now than {quod} s;he nedeth euery man The same thynge that he desyreth to Boecius) Ful soth hyt ys {quod} I hym nedeth so Phia) Now than {quod} she he that nedeth ought He ys not suffysant (Boecius) I seyd no As to hym selfen he suffyseth not Phia) when thou she sayd were ful in thy ryches Thou suffered then thys same vnsuffysance Boecius) How elles {quod} I so hyt ys expresse Phia) Than ys hyt so {quod} she that abundance Of wordly good may neuer a man a vaunce As to hym selfen that he may suffyse And nede nought of foreyn purueyance And thys ys that they hyght to a complyse ¶And thys ys to be consydred I trowe That money hath no kendly resystens For to defend the lordes that them owe That they ne may be rafte by vyolence Boecins) I graunt wel {quod} I to your sentence Phia) And what {quod} she thogh y^t thou sedyst nay Syth euery day men doth ther dylygence The strengest for to gete hyt yf he may

¶For vhereof elles be quarelles moued That men al day in courtes them complayn But for ther good ys falsly them bereued By fors or fraude & asketh hyt a geyn Boecius) In sothe {quod} I hyt ys ryght as ye seyn Phia) Loo then {quod} she nedeth euery man Of socour & of foreyn helpe certeyn As for to kepe the money that they han ¶Boecius) Ho ys that may denyen thys {quod} I PHia) And then {quod} she shold hym nede none Of suche defense ne ward certenly Ne had he that money that he may forgon Boecius) Ther ys {quod} I no doute ther vpon Phia) Loo than {quod} she al your affyance Is torned yow vn to reuerse a none For hyt bereueth yow your suffysance ¶wher by ye wene in ese for to be And bryngeth yow in anguysse & dystresse Of foreyn helpe to haue necessyte yet wold I know the maner wyse expresse How nede may ben voyded by ryches wher ryche men ne hungreth neuer a dele Or wher they may not thursten wylt y^u gesse wher they ne may no cold in wynter fele ¶But vn to thys thou wolt aunswere me sone That ryche men haue vherwyth euery day Ther cold / ther thurst / ther hunger to for done As vn to thys in al I sey not nay In sothe thys wyl I graunten that they may By ther good be comforted at ther nede But vtterly to putten nede a way That power haue they not wythowten drede

¶For syth thys nede that alway gapeth so To be fulfylled / & after more hyt gredeth Is suche a thynge that neuer may be do Of kende ne speke I nought y^t Iytel nedeth But auaryce that no thynge fully fedeth Ne may not be fulfylled wyth habundance But in to more necessyte yow ledeth why trow ye ther by to haue suffysance

Metrū iij. Capitulū vj.

Quāuis fluente diues

Phia loquitur.

AL were hyt that the ryche couetous Had al of gold ful rennynge a ryuer And also fele of stones precyous As in hys necke he myght hem selfen bere And o••en on fylde hys landes for to eyre Hys besynesse yet tyl that he shal dey He wyl not leue / ne when he lyeth on bere Al hys ryches ne shal hym not conuey

Prosa iiij. Capitulū. vij.

Sed dignitates.

Phia loquitur.

VHether dygnytes to suche as them wynne May make them fully worshypful to be Other impressen vertu them wythyn And make vyce out of ther hertes fle Not so for soth thou mayst thy selfen se Hyt ys not wont to a voyden wyckednesse But vyce that was al close in preuyte Hyt maketh fully to be knowen expresse ¶wher of hyt ys I haue rygh grete dysdeyn That suche wycked men & surfetours Shold any tyme in dygnyte be seyn Ther fore hyt was that one Catullius

whan he saw one that hyght Nomius Set in a sete of worshyp in the towne He called hym a postem venemous Al ful of atter & corruption ¶Ne seyst thou not what shame & velony To suche shrewde wycked folke hyt ys For to be set in suche honour on hye For were not that / yet ther vnworthynesse Of other folke shuld knowen be the lesse And what perylous woldest thou standen at Er thou woldest bere an offyce / shal I gesse wyth a suche cursed man dedecorate ¶Ne I ne may not demen in my wyt That suche wrecches shuld ben honorable And worth that worshyp thogh they haue hy•• That ben ther to vnworthy & vnable But yf thou saw a wyse man & an able And hoelly al fulfylled wyth sapyence woldest thou deme that man as repreueable And as vnworthy to that excellence Boecius) I sayd no (Phia) now certes thē •• she These dygnytes belongeth properly Only to vertu & to honeste And vertu shal transporte them verely To wyche she ys conioyned sewyngly And for as mychel as suche reuerence Receyued of the people comenly Accordeth not alway wyth conscience ¶Ne to that honour wych that they receyuen Ne may not make them worthy for to be Than may we clerely knowen & conceyuen That honour hathe in propre no bewte

As euen worthy to that dygnyte And most to thys ye awth to taken hede The mo folke that despyseth them perde The more abiecte they ben hyt ys no drede ¶So than as dygnyte may not suffyse To maken srewes worth no reuerence But rather maketh that men them wyl despyse Thogh they honour them in ther presence yet they despyse them in ther conscience Ther dygnytes so maketh them to be knowe And clerly sheweth to folkes ther offense Of whom they ben despysed as they owe ¶And thys ys not vnponysshed sykerly For they reuenge them on ther dygnyte The wyche they haue defouled wrecchedly As wythe ther vyce & ther vnhoneste But that thou myght thy selfen know & se That very honour falleth in no wyse By suche astates that transytory be Now vnderstande what I the shal deuyse ¶I suppose that a man of hye renoune That ofte hathe had the astate of consuler Shold come a monge a straunge nation That they ne knew what astate he bare Trowest y^u they wold hym honouren ther For hys astate thou wolt answere me nay But yf honour in suche astates were In kend a propre thynge / than wold I say ¶Ther kendly offyce shuld they not forlete Thogh that he went vn to the worldes ende As fyre ne may not cessen of hys hete Vhyle that hyt fyre ys where y^t euer hyt wende

But honour ys no propre thynge of kynd To dygnyte / but false opynyon As nyce men deuyseth in ther mynd wher fore a monge a straunge nation ¶That nought ne knoweth of that dygnyte He ys honoured as a nother man In straunge land thou seyst thys may wel be But loke that land vher that astate be gan wher that hyt shuld alway hys honour han Standeth hyt alway in hys honour ther But of the prouostry what sayst thou than That vhylom was astate of hye power ¶Now ys hyt no thynge but an Idel name And loo the charge of senatours rent Now at thys day hyt standeth in the same Thogh that som tyme hyt was ful reuerent A man som tyme was holden excellent That had the charge of vytayl in the towne Thus vp so doune ys the world y went Now ys hyt of no reputation ¶As we haue sayd a lytel here beforn A thynge that hath no bewty properly Now hath hyt honour & now hyt hath forlorn After the vse of mennes fantasy Syth dygnyte ne may not kendly Inducen very cause of reuerence But ofte hyt ys defouled sykerly By them that vseth hyt wyth insolence ¶And yf they now be fayre & now not so As tymes haue ther transmutation And yf ther bewty thus them passeth fro After mannes estymatyon

what ys there / after your opynyon Of bewty in them worthy to be soght Syth that they ben of suche condytion How shold they geue that they ne haueth noght

Metrū iiij. Capitulū viij.

Quāuis se tirio.

Phia loquitur.

THogh proude Nero wyth hys lechery Clothed hym wyth purpur tyryen And wyth ful ryche perry ryally Of lyffe he was vnthryfty & vnclene That he was lothly euery wyght to seyn yet gaue he seytes to the senatours How sholdest thou trow them blysful for to ben Tho that of wrecches taketh suche honours

Prosa v. Capitulū ix.

An vero regna.

Phia loquitur.

BVt what trowest y^u for to ben a kynge Other wyth kynges to ben famylyer woldest y^u hold hyt for a noble thynge That may y^e make strong & mighty here Boecius) what elles {quod} I shold I trow yt were Phia) ye {quod} she whan that ther felycyte Shal alway stonden in hys welthes clere And euer a byde in perdurabylyte ¶But elder age of tyme that ys y went Ensamples hath of gret vnstabelnesse And also of thys tyme now present we se hyt preued euery day expresse That kynges falleth fro ther welfulnesse And vn to very myschef ben y broght Ow / clere & noble thynge that renoune ys To saue hyt seluen that suffyseth not

¶For yf that realmes of suche regalte And gouernance of landes longe & wyde May make a man to haue felycyte what yf hym lacketh ought in any syde Than must hys welth som vhat slake & slyde And myschef entre for vnsnffysance And thogh hyt be so as hyt may betyde That kynges haueth in ther gouernance ¶Moche folke at ther commandement yet shal we fynd many a nation That ben to kynges not obedyent Ne haldeth them at no reputation Than here of ensueth thys conclusyon wher fayleth myght that causeth blysfulnesse Ther ys no mene in thys dyuysyon Vnmyght ys there that causeth wrecchednesse ¶Ther ys none erthly kynge thys dare I sey That ys so myghty in hys gouernance But mo ther ben that wyl hym not obey Than be constreyned at hys ordynance In thes hys power lacketh suffysance And yf that both / hys power & vnmyght Shold ben counterpeysed in balance Hys vnpower wold be the more of wyght ¶Syth wrecchednesse cometh of vnpower As may not be wythsayd by no reson And loo ther ys no kynge that leueth here But hys vnmyght hathe in proportion As for to make a iuste comparyson wel moche more than hys power ys Than wyl ther ensuen thys conclusyon Loo that hys more part ys wrecchednesse

¶A kynge ther was that had experyence Of grete perel & often was in drede He made a man be set in hys presence And made a swerde to hange a boue hys hed Fastened by a lytel sotel thred That euery man myght wnderstand & se Loo breke thys threde than ys thys man but ded So stent a kynge alway in Iuparde ¶what ys thys power y^t noght may remewe The bytter bytynge of thys besynesse Ne the pryckes may he not exchwe Of al thys drede & al thys heuynesse These kynges loo wold leue in sykernesse But certenly they can not come ther to And euer more they seke hyt as they gesse And euer the ferre they ben a way ther fro ¶But they reioycen myghty to be holde And wylt thou trow hym myghty for to be That may not worken that he faynest wolde Or for to walken wyth a company Of myghty men that lusty ben to se And at hys byddynge al a realme a rereth And yet hym selfen stondeth in thys degre He dredeth the same that he fereth ¶And for he wolde myghty seme & stronge He must put hym selfen in daunger As of the mayne wyche he ys amonge And of hys lyffe he standeth in a wher Or wyth a kynge to be famylyer To what hyt shal a vayle I can not sayn Syth often ys hyt shewed a monge ous here That kynges of ther mayne haue be slayn

¶And often tymes ys thys y shewed expresse Of some that wyth kynges haueth be nye That these kynges of ther cruelnesse Haueth them put at myschef sodenly Som tyme styred by malyce & enuy Of wycked folke that worse ben than fendes And kynges often standeth slyperly And yf they fallen falleth eke ther frendes ¶For loo Nero that cursed emperour Made Seneca hys awne deth deuyse That was hys master & hys gouernour And Antoninus in the same wyse Papynyan that had hym don seruyse And a ful myghty man had longe ben He made hys knyghtes ful of cowardyse That wyth ther swerdes al they shuld hym slayn ¶And both ij. yet wold they haue ben glad To haue forlete ther power vtterly And Seneca loo al the good he had He wold haue geuen hyt Nero wyllyngly And ben exyled euer perpetuelly Forsakynge al hys occupation And so haue lyued solytaryly And led hys lyffe in contemplation ¶But he that menteth downward for to go Hys awne wight wyl draw hym doune in hast And therfore nether of them both to Ne myght hys purpose hauen at last Thys power than that euery man so fast Desyreth thus / what ys hyt wold I se Syth he that hath hyt ys ther of a gast Ho so wyl forlete hyt may not syker be

¶And vhen thou woldest hyt wyllyngly forsake Loo at thy wyl thou mayst hyt not forgon And frendes wyche y^t fortune doth the make And vertu not / what profyt may they don when lusty fortune forth ys fro the gon Than al her frendes wyth her goeth in fere A more perylous myschef ys ther none Than ys thy foo wyththe famylyer

Metrū v. Capitulū x.

Qui se volet.

Phia loquitur.

¶Ho so desyreth myghty for to ben And of hys foes to haue the vyctory Fyrst hys corage that ys so fers & kene He must repressen wel & myghtely So that the foule lust of lechery May haue no maner mastery in hys mynde For thogh thou be so hawte & so hye That men the dredeth in the land of Inde ¶And eke the Ile that ferrest ys of al Out in the west that Tyle cleped ys Be to the suget as thy bound thral yet yf thy foule derke besynesse wyth sore complayntes of thy wrecchednesse Thus in ther boundes haldeth the so fast That thou ne myght them voyden ne represse I say hyt ys no power that thou hast

Prosa vj. Capitulū xj.

Gloria vero {quam} fallax.

Phia loquitur.

BVt hye renoune how ful of vanyte How foule hyt ys & often deceyuable As a tragedyen in hys dyte Not causeles thus cryeth in a fable

Ow / renoune seyth he false & varyable To many a thousand of thyn homagers In no thynge elles art thou commendable But as a wynde that swelleth in ther yeres ¶For many one by false opynyon Of nyce folke haue had a hugy name But certenly a foule confusyon Hyt ys / so falsly for to haue a fame For nedes retorne to them moste shame when y^t they ben comended wrongfully And thogh they haue deserued yet that same what shal a wyse man furdred be ther by ¶That meteth not the mesure of hys mede By veyn rumor of folkes audyence But putteth al the meret of hyr dede In very vertu of ther conscience And yf thou hald hyt for an excellence Thy noble renoune for to ben extended Than wyl hyt enswe euen of consequence That thou were foule but yf y^u were cōmended ¶But as I sayd a lytel here beforn That nedes must be many a nation To wyche one mannes name may not be born The wyche as in thyn estymatyon A man of worshype ys & of renoune Loo than as for the most quantyte Of al thys lytel wordly regyon He must nedes vnrenouned be ¶I hald hyt not ful moche expedyent Of comen people to be commendable That haueth no reson in ther Iugemente For hyt ys fletynge & not perdurable 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

〈12 pages missing〉〈12 pages missing〉 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

They dyscord in dryth & moysture / for fyre ys dry & ayer ys mostey thys dyscord letteth them for to medle / that eueryche kepeth hys kendly place ¶Also the ayer & the vvater accordeth in moysture / & they dyscordeth in hete & colde. for ayer ys hote & vvater cold. vvyche dyscorde lettethe thē to medle. vvater & erthe accordeth in cold & dyscordeth in moysture & drythe / for the erthe ys dry & the vvater moystey Fyre & erthe accor¦deth in drouthe so that the erthe may not dysioyne fro hys place / ne the fyre fro hys & they dyscord in cold & hete / vvherefore they may not medle but euerych kepeth hys kendly place. Also the elementes that of qua¦lyteys ben contrary / he byndeth to gether by intermene elementes acor¦dynge in qualyteys vvyth bothe / as fyre & vvater that ben very contra¦ry in qualyteys / ben bounden to gedres vvyth ayer that ys intermene acordyng vvyth fyre in hete & vvyth vvater in moysture. Erthe and ayer ben knet to gedres by vvater that ys entermene accordyng vvyth erthe in cold & vvyth ayer in moysture.

¶For clere vnderstandyng of thys chapytre / hyt ys for to knovv that he that shal helpe a nother / hyt nedeth that he be myghty / vvyse / and vvel vvylled. For yf a thyng be asked of a man the vvyche he may not do ne can not / ne hys vvyl skylefully may not consent / of very ryght he may denye hyt / for no suche thyng ought to be asked. ¶Therfore fyrst he shevveth the suffysance of god in myght / in asmoche as he gouer¦neth al the vvorlde / not by grete labour as creaturs gouerneth / but by perdurable reson. For syth he fyrst set the vvorld in gouernance the na∣tural progression neuer varyed / but haldeth hymself alvvay in the fyrste ordynance. Also in producynge of creaturs he shevveth hys beneuo¦lence & good vvyl to al that ys consonant to reson. In that he shevveth that ys to say In that he maketh the elementes as sede & mater vvherof ben engendred al erthly thynges. And thus doth he not cōpelled of no foreyn cause as men ben compelled / but only of the habundance of hys goodnesse▪ vvyche ys & euer vvas perfe••ly in hymself / the vvyche good¦nesse vvas so entensyfly habundant that hyt must nedes of reson be extē¦ded by cōmunyon: ¶Also he shevveth the suffysance of hys vvyse∣dom & connynge / in as moche as al that euer vvas / ys / or shal be her after / hyt ys open to hym / in hys eternal exsampler or mitrour of hys mynde that al thynges cōprehendeth presently at ones. And syth so vvysely produceth hyt in to hys beynge / not only in general / but al par¦tes in specyal absolutly vvythout defaut or nede of any exterior cause.

And in thys ys shevved the vvysedom of god in asmoch as he ys the for¦mal cause of al thynge as in exsampler. After that he hathe shevved the suffysance of god in myght / goodnesse / & vvysedom / in gouernance of thes thynges in specyal / he cōmendeth the same suffysance in general in creation & gouernance of som other thynges of more deper conceyte of invvard speculation / ī that he shevveth & reherseth the sotel knytting of the iiii. elementes / as ys before sayd ¶Furdermore also in cre¦ation of the mene spiret of treble kend / vvyche som phylosophres as pla¦to & hys folders called anima mundi / the soule of the vvorld For cause

that Plato savve hys master Socrates ēpoysened & put to deth for hys sothe saynge / he vvold not dyscouer hys sotel conceytes ne the preuy••es of nature to the rude people / but put thē vnder maner of parables & pre¦uy vvordes vvyche myght enstore hys vvysedō vn to the tyme that men vvold be better vvylled for to hyre truth. The grekes at that tyme vvor shypped the sonne & called hym Apollo / god of vvysedō / fantasyng that he caused al other thynges tobe. Fro vvyche errour socrates dyssented & sayd that the sonne vvas a formed creature / vvherfore he vvas slayn as ys be fore sayd. And before hym Anaxagoras vvas exyled for the same cause. vvherfore Plato lefte the cyte of Athenes & chose hys habytation in a cyte or place named Acadencia. In vvyche place vvas often tymes erthe quakes. Thys place he chose be cause hys dyscyples shold euer leue in drede of ther lyues / vvyche drede shold refrayn foule passyons of flesly lustes / & so for to a voyde the foule errour of Epicurenes that dyd put the fulfelycyte of man iu fleshly delyte. ¶Plato then spekyng of the gouernance of the vvorld in hys boke named Thimeus / sayth thus.

¶God of the same & euer a hydynge mater. & also of dyuers mater and varyable / medled & made the thyrde kende. Of the vvyche he toke first one parte. syth ii. syth iii. & after iiii. after viii. after ix. & after .xxvii. Of vyche he made the kende of thys spyret or of thys soule. And thē he fulfylled the interualles of thes nombres vvythe mene proporcions / as here after doth appere.

I. dupla ii. ses{que}al••a iii ses{que}••cia.iii. dupla viii ses{que}otaua ix. tripla xxvi••

¶Then thys renge thus draen a longe he dyuyded in ii. partes of the vvyche one shold conteyne euen nombres & proporcions / and the other odde / so that the begynnynge of eyther shold be I. Then eyther of thes nombres he broght in to compace / & put the lasse Circle vvythyn the more. And the cyrcle of the same nature that ys to say of odde pro¦portions he torned fro the ryght hand to the lyfte hand. And the other of dyuers nature that ys to say of euen {pro}portions / he torned fro the lyft hand to the ryght hand / thys may be perceyued by thys fygure foloyng

[illustration] diagram of the celestial sphere

Primū mobile mouetur motu vni¦formi ab oriente in occidentem.

¶Sphere planeta{rum} mouea diffor¦miter ab occidente in orientem.

¶Inter numeros ext{er}ioris sphere est proportio equalis.

¶Inter numeros īterioris sphe∣re est proportio inequalis.

¶Fordermore Philosophia shevveth her petitōn resonable as to iii. thynges asked Fyrst he asked the knovvlege of soue reyn godd. He asked also ī thys knovvlege perseuerance. And laste he asked to be cōforted by hys souereyn lyght. ¶Fyrste she assigneth a reson for thys laste petition / vvher she saythe thou art clernesse / by vvyche al thynges ben beshened & clered. For perseuerance she assygneth the second reson & saythe / thou art peseable reste to the meke.

Than assyneth she the thyrde reson & sayth the to behald hyt

ys the ende to vvyche man vvas made. For thou art begynner of al thou betest & conteynest al / thou ledest ous by natural inclination. thou art the path of the vvay of loue by vvyche vve shal retorne to the. thou art al the blysse or heuen / thou art the terme & ende of al our vvordly la∣bour / vve seketh none other.

¶The vnderstandyng of thys sotel conceyte ys thus. vvhere he sayth thys saule ys medled of the same mater & dyuerse / he vnderstādeth that the saule of the vvorld vvas made of nature chaungeable & of nature vn¦chaungeable. Nature vnchaungeable he calleth the same / And chaunge¦able he calleth dyuerse. The euen nombres for asmoche as they may be dyuyded in to euen / he calleth nature chaungeable: And the odde nom∣bres that may not eueuly be dyuyded / he calleth nature vnchaungeable. ¶Furdermore for to shevve that thys soule ys princyple of doblenesse / that ys to say of vnyformyte that ys in the fyrst meueable vvyche ys the sterred fitmament that clerkes callen Primūr mobile / And also of diffor∣myte / that ys in the planetes. he sayth that god cutte thes nombres in ii. partes. of the vvyche one parte cōteyned odde nombres that longeth to vniformyte. And the other conteyned euen nombres that perteyneth to difformyte / by cause of hys diuisibilyte. And eyther of thes partes he torned in to compas in signe of circuler meuynge But the part of odde nōbres he torned for the rygth hand to the lyfte hand in signe of vnifor∣myte in meuynge. And the other of euen nombres / he torned fro the lift hand to the ryght / in signe of difformyte. The ryght hend of the vvorld ys the este / the lyft hand the vveste / the hed ys the southe / & the fete ys the northe. The meuynge of vniformyte he put to meue fro este to vvest for so meueth the sterred sphere. The meuynge of difformyte / he calleth the speres of the vii. planetes / vvyche ys meued fro vveste to the este.

¶Also hyt ys to considre that bothe thes nombres of odde & euen me∣teth at one / that ys callid vnyte / in signe of the onehed & the simplicite of god. at vvhom begynneth & endeth al creatures. vpon hoos stable¦nesse ys grounded euery meuynge / vpon hoos vniformyte / al difforme & variable thynges ben ryghted & reduced. ¶Novv then to the pro∣cesse & conceyte of Boecius vvhere he sayth thus. Thou god knettest the mene soule that ys the soule of the vvorld of treble kend that meuythe al thynge. He calleth the soule of the vvorld / the spyret that next vnder god entendeth to the meuynge & gouernance of the vvorld / vvyche ys mene be tuene the stabilyte of godhed & meueablenesse of creaturs.

Of treble kynde. For fyrst he ys partener of the kende of angeles vithe ben of vniforme kende / that ys to say of simple nature / pure / & vnme∣dled: vvyche Plato calleth the same & euer a by••ynge mater / that ys to seyn of perdurable kende. The seconde part of hys kende / may be called the allyance to thes erthly thynges. vvyche ben variable & corruptible & diuers in ther beynge. The thyrde part of hys kende / ys medlede of thes bothe / that ys hys allyance to the spheres of sterres & of planetes. vvyche ben in parte meueable & in parte vnmeueable. they be meueable in ther kendly cours / & vnmeueable in cōtinuāce of ther cours & ••e••yng of the place & ordre vvyche they vvere set in at ther fyrst creation. Hovv

he meueth al thynge the letter shevveth furdermore vvhere he saeth. Re¦soluynge hyt in membres consonant / that ys to say / departynge hys la¦bour in to the meuynge of al the viii. spheres of sterres & of planetes.

Hoos meuyng tho they be discordant in ther cours / cōtrarious & dyuers in effectes / yet be they so consonant to gedres / that none letteth but ra¦ther righteth & dresseth euerych other. For the viii. sphere meuyng vvest vvard rauesheth al the nether spheres & maketh them to meue the same vvay / vvhere ther natural meuynge ys estevvarde. Also tho the effectes of the planetes ben dyuers yet ther kendly cours of meuynge ys suche that euerych tempereth other so that ther falle no cōfusion in thys vvor∣dly gouernance ¶Also thys meuynge he dyuydeth in to ii. spheres or ii. cercles as ys a fore sayd. by meuynge of vviche / ben gouerned the clemētes vvyth al ther trāsmutatiōs & al other thynges vnder the mone. And he retorneth vn to hym self / that ys to say to ther vvhere he began for ther ys no perfet meuynge but in compace that alvvay retornethe in to hym self / by vviche circuler meuynge or vvorchynge he atteyneth by similitude of natural perfection to the depe mynde of dyuyne intelligēce vviche ys the laste ende of nature simpliciter. vvithoutē other And after thys circuler meuynge by forme of leke conuenience he tornethe heuen & boute / dressynge the effectes of al thys meuynge after the souereyn exem¦pler of the hye purueance of god. Furdermore Boecius cōmendith the might / the goodnesse / & the vvysedom of god / in makyng & gouer∣nyng of erthly thynges / & specially in the disposyng of mānes soule vhee ••e sayth in the text thus Thou auauncest or reysest soules & lesse lyues of creatures & by euenly or leke causes makest them able to lyfte cartes.

¶Vhen he hathe sotelly treted of the soule of the vvorlde than goethe he to the soule of man & sayth that in maner leke as god hathe made the soule of the vvorlde of iii. naturs / so hathe he made the soule of man.

For fyrst he taketh a mater perdurable that ys to sey a nature immortal of the kende af angeles & Ioyneth hyt to a nature chaūgeable & corrup∣tible / that ys the sensualyte drauen of thys corruptible f••eshe. And of thes it▪ resulteth the thyrde / vviche ys in parte dedly be cause of he bo∣dy & also be cause of hys vnstablenesse / And in parte vndedly / be cause of the perdurable nature of intelligence / vhereof he ys partener Thys soule ys druyded in to ii. compaces of the vviche one ys of {per}durable na∣ture that ys reson / & meueth kendly fro the right hand to the lyfte hand that ys to say▪ he groundeth al hys vvorkes vpon vertu / & so putteth thē in perfet execution▪ But the other circle of sensualyte meueth in con¦trary for he groundeth al hys vvorkes vpon the fleshe / & so procedeth in to vicious lustes. But the reson must rauyshe the sensualyte vvith hym in to the vvay of vertu. or elles must they bothe torne in to mischefe

And so tho reson be stired & distract by errour & rehellyon of sensualyte / yet must he retorne in to hym self / beh••ldynge the excellence of hys na∣ture / not restynge there proudly vvith Lucifer / but enserchynge & sekīge by thoght & deuote prayer the de••e intelligence that ys god. And there behald in the mirrour of eternal vvysedom vvhat he ought to do. repres¦••ynge vvithe the fyre of loue al vicious meuynges. For vhy thou god

haste made the soule able to hye cartes (that ys to say) to be re••ed in heuen. ¶Thou sovvest in heuen and in erthe. Fyrste he ma¦keth the soule & puttethe hyt in to thys earthly body / there for to encrese in meret and vertues. And syth vvhen they ben rype / he takethe hem in to heuen: And hovve? For sothe the vertues that hym self hathe planted in the soule / he hym self no••ysheth them vvythe ••yry be¦mes of loue / And maketh them rypen in to ful ••rute / and so retorne vp to hym fro vvhennes they toke ther beynge.

Prosa x. Capitulū xix.

Quoniam igitur.

Phia loquitur.

FOr as moche as thou hast seyn in thys wyche ys imperfet good & to eschwe The forme of good also that perfet ys The wyche y^t ys to seken & to sue Fro heuens forthe our processe to persue Hyt ys to shewen as hyt semeth me The very good that perfet ys & true what thynge hyt ys & where hyt myght be ¶But fyrst I hold yt nedeful to enquere yf suche thynge may ben in any kende As we be forn dyffyned haue whyle ere Lest so be that in vayn our wyttes wende And lest we be deceyued at the ende As by a false Imagynation Of thynge that nought ys formed in our mynde And so to lese our occupation ¶But y^t we saue our purpose hole & sound That perfet good ys / no wyght may wythsayn The wyche ys in maner the wel & ground Of al good that ys / thou be certeyn Ther may no wyght replyen ther a geyn yf any thynge haue imperfection That ys be cause hyt ys not ful ne pleyn wyth perfet thynge as in comparyson

¶For why in any general of kende where any thynge imparfet ys / say I A perfet thynge also there mayst thou fynde For yf ther were no perfet vtterly Syth lacke of perfet ys the cause why That any thynge imperfet may be preued A perfet thynge ther must be sykerly Fro wyche imperfet thynges be dyscryned ¶For why of thynges scars & dymynute Nature toke not her fyrst production But al hole complete & absolute Fro al defaute & al corruption And so fro thens made progressyon Vn to thes lower thynges that we seyn That lesse hauethe of perfection And as hyt were al voyd & empty ben ¶And yf so be / as I haue shewed er thys Ther ys an imperfet felycyte Of frayel & feble good / ful sothe hyt ys Another good & perfet must ther be Boecius) Ful sothe ys thys {quod} I as semeth me Concluded also ful & fermly Phia) But now she sayd y^u must behald & se wher that thys good ys founden fynally ¶The comen conceyte loo of mannes mynde By reson ys vn to thys poynt y brought That god / that prynce & auctor ys of kende Hym self ys good / in thys they fayleth noght Syth that ther may no better thynge be thoght Than god hym self / thys wote wel euery wyght That god ys good & worthy to be soght Thys doutethe none that reson seyth a ryght

¶yet reson wyl inducen furdermore By very fors that in god perfetly Is very good / in no wyght may be more He were not elles called ryghteusly The prynce of thynges / I shal the tellen why For elles one were worthyer than he That perfet good possessed pryncypally That rather must & also elder be ¶For euery thynge that fully ys perfet Than any thynge imperfet rather ys Now lest our processe passe in infynyt we be compelled for to graunten thys That souereyn god of perfet good y wys Loo ys fulfylled / than suethe here vpon Syth perfet good ys very blysfulnesse In god ys perfet blysfulnesse a lone Boecius) Ful wel {quod} I thys I {per}ceyue & fele Ther may no wyght replyen here a geyn Phia) I pray the {quod} she vnderstand me wele How fermly ys preued that we sayn Loo / that of perfet good & souereyn God ys fulfylled by my conclusyon Boecius) In sothe {quod} I thys wold I heren fayn How ye hyt preue by demonstration Phia) That self {quod} she that ys the prynce of al And ful of souereyn good how semeth the That fro wythouten thys good ys falle Or ys hyt in hem by kendly properte And thynkest that ii. thynges must they be God / the hauer / & hys blysfulnesse And in ther substance haue dyuersyte Thys wolt thou not supposen as I gesse

¶And yf he haue receyued of wythoute Thys blysfulnesse / then suethe sykerly The geuer of that thynge / ys no doute Precelleth the receyuer certenly But thys we must confessen vtterly A bowe al thynges god ys excellent And yf thys good in god be kendly In substance & in reson dyfferent ¶The prynce of thynges wyche y^t we reherse Let se deuyse or fayn hyt ho so may Ho hath conioyned thes ij. dyuerse He may no furder by no maner way But at last thys dare I sothly say A thynge that dyuers fro a nother ys Hyt may not be the same hyt ys no nay Fro wyche hyt ys dyuersed so y wys ¶wherfore that thynge that hathe dyuersyte Fro souereyn good / in reson of nature The same souereyn good hyt may not be And god forbede that any creature As in hys wyt shold passen so mesure Of god oure souereyn for to deme so That kepeth al & hathe ous in hys cure So perfet & so good ther beth no mo ¶Loo thys I trowe perceyueth euery man That the kend of no thynge vtterly May better ben than he that hyt be gan Than may I thus concluden fynally That he that ys begynner verely Of al thynge that ys / I say that he In substance & in kende properly Thys souereyn good he muste nedes be

Boecius) Thys ys {quod} I concluded wel & clere Phia) And souereyn good {quod} she ys blysfulnesse Boecius) Ryght so {quod} I thys graūted I whyle er Phia) Lo than {quod} she hyt suethe here expresse That god hymself ys souereyn blysfulnesse Loo where hyt ys that thou so long hast soght Boecius) Thys must I {quod} I graūten & confesse your resons haue me to that poynt y broght ¶Phia) That thys {quod} she be preued fermly Behald & here what I shal furder sayn ij. thynges that ben dyuers properly They may not be ij. goodes souereyn For yf ther be dyscord be twene them tweyn They may not ben the self & the same Euerych that other ys / thou be certeyn Tho that they bothe be called on by name ¶yf they be souereyn goodes bothe ij. Deuyse yt in hys conceyte ho so may yf that thys one good be that other fro Imperfet ben they bothe hyt ys no nay Syth nether ben wythouten other may But thynge that lacketh of perfection That hyt be souereyn good thou wolt not say Hyt wold includen contradiction ¶Then may they not be ij. thus ne dyuerse Thys souereyn good as sueth here expresse But blysfulnesse & god that we reherse Thys souereyn good in al wyse hyt ys That same thynge that than ys blysfulnesse That same thynge ys souereyn deyte Boecius) No thynge {quod} I may truer be I gesse Ne worthyer of god concluded be

Phia) Than ryght {quod} she as geometres al when they haue shewed ther propositions They bryngeth in Porismus / y^t they calle That ben conceytes or conclusyons And as in maner declarations Of foresayd thynge / ryght so shal I the fede As suynge on my demonstrations Thys correlary I geue the to thy mede ¶Syth that by getynge of thys blysfulnesse Men ben blysful made / & wolt thou se Blysfulnesse the souereyn godhed ys And eke the getynge of that deyte Maketh blysful / as hyt ys shewed to the But ryght as wysedom maketh men be wyse And ryghtuosnesse ryghtuous for to be I may conclude & suyngly deuyse ¶That by wynnynge of dyuynyte Men ben maked goddes sykerly Loo than ys euery blysful man parde A god / thys suethe also formally Thogh that ther be but one god kendly In sothe yet by participation Ryght wel ther may be many / not for thy As in the astate of ful perfectyon ¶Boecius) Thys ys {quod} I ful fayre & precyous whether hyt porysme or corrolary ys Phia) Hyt ys {quod} she more fayre & gloryous That reson wyl annecten vn to thys Boe{us}) I asked what Phia) {quod} she syth blysfulnesse So moche thynge doth in hyt self conteyne As honour / pouer / lust / fame / & rychesse whether al they ben as membres wyl y^u sayn

¶wyche as of partes dyuers in maner Thys blysfulnesse compoundeth in thys wyse In to a perfet body as hyt were Other thou trouest that som one thynge of thes The same blysfulnesse doth a complesse In to one perfet thynge substancyal To whom thes other as I do deuyse Referred ben as to ther pryncypal ¶Boeci{us}) I wold haue thys {quod} I declared fayn Phia) Haue we not seyd {quod} she y^t blysfulnesse Is good (Boe{us}) yes seyd I / hye & souereyn Phia) Adde we {quod} she y^e remanent vn to thys That souereyn good before rehersed ys Loo souereyn myght & souereyn suffysance Lust / fame / honour / one thynge they ben y wys wyth blysfulnesse wythouten varyance ¶Thys ys that I wold asken er of the Thys suffysance / honour / delyte / renoune whether they be membres of felycyte As dyuers partes doth one thynge compoune Or thou hast thys consyderation That al thes wyche that we rehersed han To souereyn good shold haue relation As to ther hed / thys say me yf thou can Boecius) In sothe {quod} I now vnderstand I wele what ye pnrposeth to enserchen here But I desyre to here of yow & fele Thys questyon that ye wold make yt clere Phia) I shal {quod} she sayd in thys maner yf al thes thynges wyche that we reherce Of blysfulnesse in maner membres were Than must thes membres nedes be dyuers

¶For loo of partes thys the nature ys That they dyuers one body certenly Shal make / but hyt ys shewed er thys That al thes ben one thynge Boecius) ye {quod} I Phia) They ben {quod} she no membres sykerly Syth they ben one / or elles wold hyt sue That blysfulnesse were made ful wonderly Of a membre that nature wold exchwe Boe{us}) Thys ys {quod} I ful sothe I doute yt noght But now ful fayn the remanent wold I se Phia) Than al thes thynges {quod} she must be broght And to thys good as chef referred be And for thys good ful sothe hyt ys parde Men desyren after suffysance To haue pouer or stand in hye degre For hyt ys good they maketh purueyance ¶The same I may deuysen suyngly Of reuerence / renoune / & lustynesse They deme hyt good that ys the cause why That they requyre hyt wyth ther besynesse Than ys thys good the very cause y wysse And somme of al y^t ought to be required For thynge that no good hathe in lekelynesse Ne none in sothe / hyt may not be desyred ¶And there a geyn loo in contrary wyse A thynge that ys not good in no maner yet yf hyt semeth good as they deuyse Ryght as they very ryght goodes were Men wylleth them / than wyl hyt suen here That bounte ys the ground & cause of al why thynges ought to be leue & dere That any man of ryght desyren shal

¶And ouer thys hyt semeth furdermore That euery thynge that ys the cause why Loo that a nother ys desyred fore That cause ys eke desyred pryncypally Ryght as be cause of hele fynally A man desyreth for to ryde & play Hys hele he doth desyren sekerly As wel as for to ryde hyt ys no nay ¶Syth al thys thynge y^t thus desyred ys The cause of al ys pryncypal / bounte Thys bounte ys desyred than y wys As moche as that thynge in hys degre But we haue graunted that felycyte ys cause thes thynges euerychone Desyred ben / then sueth hyt parde That blysfulnesse desyred ys a lone ¶Of thys hyt semeth & hyt suethe loo That then thys good & very blysfulnesse In substance ben one thynge & no mo And verely the same thynge expresse Boecius) I can not say {quod} I in sothfastnesse How any wyght your wordes may blame Phia) But god {quod} she & very blysfulnesse As we haue shewed ben one thyng & y^e same Boecius) Ryght as ye sayn {quod} I hyt ys ful clere Phia) Than may I {quod} she wel & sykerly The sentence & the somme of thys mater Loo thus concluden ful & fynally That the substance loo of god on hy Is set & founded in none other place But in the same good eternally To fynd hyt there god send the grace

Metrū x. Capitulū xx.

Huc oēs pariter venite.

Phia loquitur.

HOwe cometh al ye that ben y brought In boundes ful of bytter besynesse Of erthly lust a bydynge in your thought Here ys the rest of al your besynesse Here ys y^e port of pees & restfulnesse To them that standeth in stormes of desese Only refuge to wrecches in dystresse And al comfort of myschef & mysese ¶For al that euer Tagus* 1.1 doth yow bede wyth hys golden grauel stones bryght Other Erinus* 1.2 wythe hys strondes rede May geuen yow for to plese your syght Other the ryuer wyche that Indus* 1.3 hyght That ys ful nye the hote regyon wyche the grene stones wyth hys myght wyth whyte perelles torneth vp so doune ¶They shyneth wonder clere vn to your ye But your insyght in sothe they maketh blynd And wythe ther derke cloudes perylously wyth vanyte your hertes doth they bynd For how that euer they plesith to youre mynd As preysed worthe ful many a thousand pound yet ben they ful vnworthy in ther kend As noreshed in the caues of the ground ¶But the shynynge of that souereyn lyght By wyche the hye heuen gouerned ys

Chaceth a way the foule derke nyght That hathe your soules drawen al a mysse Thys souereyn lyght yf y^u may seyn y wysse Behald hyt wel & kepe hyt yf thou conne And thou shalt se that in regard of thys Ther be no bryght bemes in the sonne

Prosa xj. Eapitulum xxj.

Assencior inquam.

Boecius loquitu

TO thys {quod} I / I must nedes assen•• your wordes haueth me knet so fermly By reson of your subtel argument Phia) what yf y^u knew {quod} she verely Thys good / what woldest y^u than set ther by yf thou myght knowen clerely what hyt were Boeci{us}) I wold hyt prese at infynyte {quod} I Yf I myght knowen god in that maner Phia / I shal {quod} she as very resonable Shewe the that apertly er thou go So that thes thynges stand ferme & stable That we be fore thys haue consented to Boecius) They must {quod} I we may not go ther fro Phia) Haue I not shewed the plenerly {quod} she That al thes thynges that ben desyred so Of felle folke ben ful of vanyte ¶And syth they ben dyuers hyt ys no nay They be no very goodes perfetly For when that one fro other ys a way No ful ne very goodes vtterly To no wyght may they brynge certenly But when they ben assembled in to one In workynge & in forme verely Than ys hyt good & elles ys hyt none

¶So that thys power & thys suffysance Gladsomnesse / honour / & nobelte Be ryght the same & one thynge in substance And yf they lacketh of thys vnyte Ther ys not why they shold desyred be Ne loued / yf ye do loke wel a bowte Boecius) whyle er {quod} I thus haue ye shewed {per}de Ful true hyt ys hyt may not ben in dowte ¶Syth so hyt ys that good be they nought when dyuersyte ys founden them betwene And when that they to onehed ben y brought Than be they good as euery man may seyne what ys that maketh them good for to bene But the getynge of thys vnyte Boecius Ryght so hyt ys {quod} I right as ye mene Phia) But euery thynge y^t good ys then {quod} she ¶why ys hyt good / wylt y^u not graunten thys That for hyt hathe partycypatyon Loo of thys foresayd good (Boeci{us}) I seyd eys Phia) Than must y^u {quod} she by the same reson Graunte also thys conclusyon That good & one ben one thynge verely For thynges lekely of condytyon Not dyuers in effectes kendly ¶In substance ben they one thynge & no mo Boecius) Fro thys {quod} I y may not go a syde Phia) And knowest y^u not that euery thynge also That ys {quod} she / so longe shal a byde whyle hyt ys one / & yf hyt so betyde That thys thynge forleteth to be one Is hyt not then dyssolued & destroyed Boeci{us}) And how {quod} I Phia) I shal the tel anone

¶Thou seyst thy self that in a best {quod} she whyle soule & body ben to geder knet And so abydeth in ther vnyte Thys knowest y^u wel a best men calleth hyt But when thys onehed ys dyuyded As by ther bothes separation That no best hyt ys / hyt ys perceyued But careyn tornynge to corruption ¶And eke also the body of a wyght whyle that the membres standeth kendly On / in that forme y^t nature hath them dyght He ys a man thys knowest thou verely But yf they ben departed sykerly So that thys vnyte be don a way That same thynge hyt ys not vtterly Ne no mannes body y^e sothe to say ¶And in the same wyse hyt stent y wys Of euery thynge to thynken in thy thoght The whyle hyt standeth one / that whyle hyt ys And when hyt fayleth one then ys hyt noght For hyt ys to corruption y broght Boecius) In sothe {quod} I I can not other fynde Of euery creature that may be soght Thys must be sothe by very cours of kende Phia) But wylt y^u trow that any thynge {quod} she Hath thys of natural intention As to forleten vtterly to be And lust to torne in to corruption Boecius) To haue {quod} I consyderation To bestes wyche that haueth of nature Bothe wyl & nel by fre election I wyl not trow hyt of no creature

¶That but they be constrayned of wythoute Ther kendly beynge wyl they not forgon Ne wyllyngly be ded hyt ys no doute Therfore hyt ys that bestes euerychone Loo al ther labour setteth here vpon Them selfen for to saue & kepe in hele And wyllyngly to deth ther wylleth none I note ho ys / wyth deth that lust to dele ¶But neuertheles as yet I am in doute Of trees & eke of herbes & of grasse And stone that vtterly ys lyue wythoute Phia) Ther ys nought why to douten in thys case Syth thou mayst se {quod} she be fore thy face And euery day thou hast experyence That trees & herbes wexyth in that place As to ther kend ys most conuenyence ¶So that asmoche as ther nature suffyseth They suffereth not to schorchen ne to dye For som of them in fayre feldes ryseth And som wexyth in the hylles hye And some doth in marreys multyply And som to the hard roches clyngeth And som ther be that in the sandes dry That bareyn ben ful plenteously spryngeth ¶And yf a wyght y^t noght ther kendes knoweth wold elleswhere them plante they dye as faste For nature geueth to euerych that hym oweth And laboreth y^t as long as they may leste That they be not destroyed ne doune y caste Now & what sayst thou of ther cheuysance As though ther mouthes were in erthe y thraste So by the rote they draw ther sustenance

¶And so the kendly moysture after thys In to the stocke & rynde hyt sendeth wyde And yet thys moysture that most tendre ys wythynforth alway hyt doth a byde A geyn the wedres hard / hyt self to hyde wythouten hath hyt sadnesse of the tre wythouten that the barke on euery syde That may defence a geynst the wedres be ¶Here mayst y^u wel behald & taken hyde Loo how nature entendeth besely Euery thynge to nory hen by hys sede That yere by yere doth cresse & multyply Not only for a tyme sykerly But they ben sotel gynnes as hyt were That hyt may stonden perdurabelly By generation in that manere ¶And thynges that wythoute soules ben also Doth they not euerych besely entende To that hys nature aperteyneth to why elles doth a flamme of fyre ascende Or why doth heuy erthe so descende But for that euerych hathe conuenyence To certen place to wyche as to ther ende They meueth / so they haue no resystence ¶For euery thynge entendeth sykerly As ferforthe as hyt may haue suffysance Tho thynges to conseruen besely wyth wyche hyt hathe in kend hys accordance Ryght euen as thynge that of contraryance Al that they may corrupteth & destroyeth Ryght so haue they ther kendly gouernance For to exchwe al thynge that them noyeth

¶And stones that so hard & strong ben How they wythstandeth ther partytion And clyngeth fast as euery man may seyn To saue the partes fro corruption And thynges that so floeth vp & downe Ayer & water parteth esely By vyolence / fro wyche dyuysyon To onehed they retorneth kendly ¶But fyre al such dyuysyon refuseth Of wylful meuynge of the soule I lete To speke as now / in that he reson vseth But of the natural entent I trete That when ye do receyuen so your mete ye swoloeth & haueth theron no thoght And in your slepe when al thynge ys forgete ye draueth brethe & yet ye knowe hyt noght ¶Not only of the soules wylfulnesse Thes bestes loueth to leue & endure But pryncypally dependeth hyt expresse Of the hye pryncyples of nature For ofte hyt falleth that a creature Hys owne deth wyl taken wyllyngly wher nedeful causes ben perauenture The wyche that nature aborreth kendly ¶ye seeth also that in contrary wyse The wyl of man wythstandeth & refrayneth The lust of very kendly couetyce By wyche al only nature hath ordeyned That dedly kend to kepe & be susteyned The wyche ys flesly generation so that thys loue ys not only conteyned Pryncypally in your bestly motion

¶But also of intention natural For why the souereyn goddes purueance Hathe geuen thys as cause effectual To thynges that ben of hys ordynance That by a very kendly gouernance They shal desyren alway for to be As long as nature hath that sufffysance To kepe she partes in ther vnyte ¶Ther ys noght why thou sholdest dout in thys But that al thyng coueyteth kendly To kepe hyt self in ferme stablenesse And to be corrupt they lothen vtterly Boe{us}) Loo now must I confesse thys {quod} I For thynges that in doute were before Now I behold them wel & certenly Phia) And thyng that so desyreth euermore ¶For to stand in ferme stablenesse That self thyng desyreth for to be And yf thys one be voyded sothe hyt ys Then ys hyt not / thou mayst thy selfen see Boeci{us}) Ful soth {quod} Phia) then al thyng {quod} she Desyreth one Boecius) {quod} I I graunt yt wel Phia) But one & good as thou hast graunted me Loo ben the same & dyuers nere a dele Boe{us}) Ryght so {quod} Phia) thē al thyng requireth Thys one {quod} she y^t thus may be descryued Good ys that thyng that al thyng desyreth Boecius) No thyng {quod} I may sother be contryued Al thyng to noght must elles be deryued As flowyng euer wythouten gouernour As destitute & of ther hed depryued Than were our ende but myschef & dolour

¶And yf ther may be founden ther a geyn One thyng to whom al other ben entended Of al good thys must be souereyn As he that al hath in hym comprehended Phia) Thys conceyte {quod} she may not ben amēded My nory dere now am I glad y wys The poynt now of thy thoght y^u hast extended Ryght in y^e myddes of very sothfastnesse ¶And loo in thys ys shewed the plenerly The thyng wyche whyler thou toldest me Thou knew yt not Boecius) & what ys that {quod} I Phia) what ys the ende of thynges sayd she Thys same thyng loo must hyt nedes be That euery thyng of kend desyren shal And syth that thys ys good hyt semeth me That souereyn good must be the ende of al

Metrū xj. Capitulū xxij.

Quisquis profunda.

Phia loquitur.

NO so wyl enserche sothfastnesse a ryght And wyl not be deceyued neuer a dele The pure clerenesse of hys inward syght wythyn hem self he must reuoluen wele And al hys thoghtes trenden as a whele And leue thys erthly occupation And teche hys soule to vnderstand & fele By dome of good delyberation ¶That al that euer he seketh here wythoute Trauelyng thes truthes for to know Hydde hyt was al close hyt ys no doute Ryght as tresour wythyn hemself bestow Tho thynges than that erst were ouerblow wythe the cloudes of errour & ignorance

Hyt shal to the be clerer as I trow Than ys the sonne & more to thy plesance ¶For why the body that hathe y^t soule oppressed As wythe the wyght of hys corruption Hathe not al despoyled ne dystressed The lyght of vnderstandyng & of reson Ther cleueth yet a noble portion wythyn thy soule ryght as an abylyte The sede of truthe in ful possessyon The wyche by techyng must enforced be ¶How myght ye elles Iugen formally Other aunswere to demaundes that ye hyre But yf your hert conteyned verely A lyfly noryshyng as hyt were And thyng that Plato sayd in thys manere yf hyt be sothe as do hys bokes trete no thyng elles do ye when ye lere But as record a thyng that was forgete

¶No thynge elles do ye vvhen ye lere &••. ¶An harpe vvel & lustly ••uned by true accordes of musyke / al be hyt in that no vvyght toche hyt ne set hand ther to / yet conteyneth that harpe vvythyn hem al songes •• al tuues possyble to be songe or toched vpon the same harpe. Or elles myght not the harper fynde ther on that vvas not ther be fore Ryght so in mannes soule ys conteyned al cōny••ge / that of an erthly creature possyble ys be knovven. But hyt ys slylled & in maner forgete / other more properly for to spekē / forlete / vvyche connynge by labour of reson & exercyse of lernynge ys founde out by lytel & lytel. ryght as a man that lerneth to harpe seketh out hys tunes.

Prosa xii. Capitulū xxiij.

Tū ego platoni.

Boecius loquitur.

TO Plato seyd I / must I nede consent For twyes now ye haue remembred me Of thyng y^t fyrst was fro my mynd y went As by my bodely contagyouste

And syth I stode eftesone in thys degre Of heuynesse / I had hyt eke forlorn Phia) yf thou she sayd wylt behald & see To thynges of the graunted here be forn ¶Thou shalt record also to thy science Thynges wyche y^u sayd whyler y^u knwe hyt noght Boe{us}) & what {quod} I Phia) by wych gouernmētes Thys world {quod} she ys in thys rule y broght Boecius) I am {quod} I remembred in my thoght Of myn vnconnyng that I was beknowe And tho I haue as now perceyued ought More plenerly yet wold I lern of yow ¶Phia) whyle er {quod} she thou dowted noft at al Loo that thys world by god gouerned ys Boecius) Ne now {quod} I ne neuer hereafter shal As in that mater ben in doute y wys And what reson induceth me to thys Breuely I shal yow shew / as semeth me Now loke your self yf I perceyue a mysse Thys world {quod} I stondyng in thys degre ¶Of partes dyuers & contraryous As euery wyght may vnderstand & fele In suche a forme myght neuer accorden thys But yf that one conioyned euery dele That so dyuers ben / thys wote I wel Ne so conioyned myght they not endure But yf one keper were perpetuel The same dyuersyte of ther nature ¶So dyscordant shold apeyr & shende And al dysioyne as semeth in my thoght But yf ther were one gouernour of kende To kepe al thys that ys to gedres broght

Ne suche a certen ordre myght not Of nature / so procede in ordynance To meuen so / but he that al hathe wroght Shold haue hyt holly in hys gouernance ¶Ther meuyng ys so fayre & ordynat In tymes / stedes / space / & qualyte And suche effectes causeth eke algate That wonderful hyt ys / euery wyght to se Than ys ther one that thys dyuersyte Hem selfen stable that so dysposeth al And ho so dothe al thys / I say that he Is god / thys vsed name I wyl hem cal Phia) Syth thou {quod} she mayst thys behald & fele I trow I shal wyth lytel besynesse Ful hole & sound the make to se ful wele Thyn owne contrey ful of blysfulnesse But that we haue purposed her er thys Let ous behald / haue we not long a go Seyd that suffysance ys in blysfulnesse And that god ys blysfulnesse also Boe{us}) Ryght so {quod} I phia) & y^t hym nedeth noght {quod} she vn to thys wordly gouernance For yf he of wythoute neded ought He had not then plenary suffysance Boecius) Fro thys {quod} I ther ys no varyance Phia) Hym self a lone al thyng dysposeth than Boeci{us}) I may {quod} I now make none avoydaunce Phia) And god ys good as we deduced han ¶Boe{us}) And thys also remembre I wel {quod} I Phia) By good then he gouerneth al {quod} she For syth as thou hast graunted / suyngly He that ys good dysposeth al parde

Hym self a lone than must he nedes be Ryght as hyt were a ruler of a sterne Hym selfen stable euer in one degre That al thys world incorrupt doth gouerne Boecius) Ful wel {quod} I acord I vn to thys And loo whyler as by suspection I trowed the same ye wold haue sayd y wys And preued thys in your conclusyon Phia) I trow hyt wel / for thyn inspection Is more ententyf then hyt was before As to behald a truthe & good reson But that I shal the shewen furdermore ¶Hyt ys as clere & open to thy syght Boe{us}) And what {quod} I that knowen fayn I wold Phia) Syth god {quod} she yf we beleuen ryght wyth hys sterne of bounte as I tolde Gouerneth al & rewleth as he sholde Thes thynges al by natural entent Ben wyllyngly subiecte & vnderfolde Obeyng alway vn to hys gouernment ¶Boecius) Thys ys {quod} I ful tru & necessary For elles were no blysful gouernance yf no yoke were to thynges contrary That wyl not obey to hys ordynance Phia) Then ys ther noght y^t doth ther obseruāce To kepe them self in ordre of nature That may enforcen wyth contraryance A geyn ther god Boecius) {quod} I no creature ¶Phia) what yf so y^t a geyn thys gouernayle They myght enforcen them wyth frowardnesse Myght they ought a geyn ther god avayle wych that by ryght of very blysfulnesse

As we be forn haue sayd almyghty ys Boe{us}) In soth they myght noght avayle {quod} I Phia) {quod} she then ys ther no thyng as I gesse That may or wyl wythstanden kendly ¶Thys soueren good what wylt thyself suppose Boe{us}) I sayd no Phia) thys soueren good {quod} she Al thynges than ful swetly doth dyspose And myghtely al thyng gouerneth he Boeci{us}) {quod} I not only I delyte me As in the summe of your conclusion But the wordes wych that ye vse to me wel more they dothe me delectation ¶In so fer forthe that in my self I shame And of my foly foule I am confused So hye a thyng to reprehend or blame And that I haue so masedlych y mused That man of god was vtterly refused And that he had hym not in hys gouernance Phia) Suche fables {quod} she haue poetes vsed As y^u hast herde / that som tyme gyauntes ¶wold haue made ther way vp in to heuen And hye hylles gan they to bylden faste But god sent downe a thunder certeyn And al ther worke vpon them ouer caste And so they were wythstonden at laste By the myght of souereyn god benigne wyche for them al dysposed so in haste As ther dysert was worthy & condigne ¶But wylt thou now that we to gedres dryue Thesresons al & in to one them brynge And perauenture of that stroke as blyue Ther may of truthe a lytel sparkel sprynge

Boecius) Now sayth {quod} I as ys to your lekyng Phia) we say {quod} she that god almyghty ys Boecius) Syth he of al {quod} I ys lord & kynge Ther ys no wyght that ys in doute of thys ¶Phia) And he she sayd y^t ys so ful of myght Is ther any thyng that he ne may Boe{us}) Nay {quod} I Phia) {quod} she now say me ryght May god do any euel Boecius) I sayd nay Phia) Loo than ys euel no thyng I dare wel say Syth he that ys almyghty may hyt not Boecius) {quod} I whether do ye scorne or elles play And haue to thys labour hyt y broght ¶your resons weueth ye so wonderly In maner leke the house of Didalus Ful hard for to resoluen or vnplye your resons ben so hye & curyous that to my wyt they ben ful meruelous Where ye go out ye entreth efte a none And euen there as ye ben entred thus The same way ye passeth out efte sone ¶A wonder compace haue yo knet & fold Of the hye dyuyne ymplycyte For thus whyle er when ye began ye told Of blysfulnesse that ys felycyte That souereyn good was hyt ye sayd to me And that also in souereyn good hyt ys That god was souereyn good then sayd ye Also that he ys perfect blysfulnesse ¶And for a gyfte ye toke me thys ther to That no wyght mygh haue very blysfulnesse But yf he were in maner god also By lekelynesse of possessyng of hys blysse

And furdermore also ye sayd thys That the forme of very perfet good Hyt ys the substance of thys welfulnesse And eke of god / loo thys I vnderstand ¶ye sayd also as vn to my conceyte That good & one al one thynge shold they be That euery kende of thynges must coueyte That god eke wyth the sterne of hys bounte Gouerneth al thys hole vnyuersyte And al muste to hys gouernance a lout That euel ys no thynge / also preued ye Not sekynge hereto resons fro wythout ¶But ye haue thys enplyed & y preued By skyles that ben knowen openly And euerych maketh other to be beleued They knetteth so in compace sotelly Phia) She sayd then I play not sykerly But that we haue whyler of god besoght Now haue I shewed the here that ys so hy And greteste that in hert may be thoght ¶For of substance dyuyne the forme ys thys That he may not augment ne decresse By no foreyn thynge the so the hyt ys And al yet he conteyneth neuer the lesse But ryght as sayd Perymenydes The round whele of thynges al a boute He meueth / yet hym self ys in pece And meueth noght at al hyt ys no doute ¶yf I haue shewed the skyles good & mete Not fro wythouten soght / but verely wythyn the thynges wherof that we trete To wondre now thou hast no cause why

For thou hast herd & red as suppose I Thys sothfaste sentence / Plato sayd hyt loo That wordes must be cosens kendly To thynges wyche they ben referred to

FUl blysful ys that man that may behold The bryght wel of very blysfulnesse And wel ys hym that may hymself vnfold Fro boundes of thys wordly wrecchednesse The poet Orpheus wyth grete heuynesse Hys wyffes dethe had weyled wepyngly And wyth hys songes ful of carefulnesse Made wodes for to renne ful wonderly ¶And made the stremes standen & byde The hynde also fered of no perel But suffered the lyon to lye by her syde Nether the hare dreded nere a dele To se the hound / hyt leked them so wele To here thes songes that so lustey were And boldly they durste to geder dwel That nere a best then had of other fere ¶And when the loue gan kendle in hys brest Of hys wyffe most hote & feruently Hys songe that had so many a wyld best Made so meke to leuen comenly They myght hym not conforten vtterly On hye goddes gan he then complayn And sayd they deled wyth hym cruelly That they dyd send hym not hys wyffe a geyn ¶He went then to howses infernal And fast hys strenges ther dressed he And souned out the swete songes al That he had tasted of the welles thre

Of hys moder dere Caliope That ys goddesse & chef of eloquenc•• Wyth wordes that moste pyteoust myghe be As sorow had geuen hym ful experyence ¶And loue also that dobeleth heuynesse To helle began he hys complaynt to make Askynge mercy ther / wyth lowlynesse At the lordes of thes shadous blake And Cerberus that woned was to wake wyth heddes thre & helle gates kepe So hadden hym thes new songes take That the swetnesse made hym fal on slepe ¶The furyes that ben vengeresse of synne And surfetours smyteth so wyth fere For heuynesse that thys man was in They gan to morne & wepte many a tere And tho the swyft whyle had no pouer To torne a boute the hed of Ixyon Ne Tantalus for thurst al thogh he were I peyned longe / yet water wold he none ¶The grype that ete the maw of Ticius And tyred on hyt long ther be fore Thys songe to hym was so delycyous He cast hyt of & tyred hyt no more And when that Orpheus had morned sore Tho seyd the Iuge of helle / peynes stronge Pyte me hath conuicte / I wyl restore Thys mā hys wyffe / thys won he wyth hys song ¶But wyth a law thys geft I wyl restrayn That vn tyl he thys boundes haue forsake yf he behald vpon hys wyffe a geyn Hys wyffe fro hym eftesones shal be take

But ho to louers may a lawe make For loue ys rather to hemself a lawe when he was nye out of the boundes blake He torned hym & Erudis he sawe ¶Allas he lost & leste hys wyffe behynde Thys fable loo to yow perteyneth ryght For ye that wold lyfte vp your mynde In to the hye blysful souereyn lyght yf ye eftesones torne douue your syght In to thys foule wrecched erthly delle Loo al that euer your labour hath yow dyght ye lose when ye loketh in to helle

¶As Duyde in hys boke of Metamorphoseos maketh mētion / and feynynge in manet a fable saynge that Orpheus vvas a curyous harper dvvellyng in Trace / that vvas somtyme a prouynce in the northe syde of Grece. vvyche Orpheus vvas the sonne of Callyope. He harped so lustely / that not only men vvere dravven by hys melody / but also vvyld bestes for very delyte forgete ther kendly corage of fersnesse. And not only thys / but he made ryuers for to stande & forestes for to meue & ten ¶Thys Orpheus had a vvyffe named Erudis / vvyche a shepeherde named Aristeus vvoed & desyred. But Erudis refusynge hys loue fled thorgh a mede / & tredynge vpon a serpent she vvas enuenemed & ded. & vvent to hel. Orpheus soroynge for hys vvyffe & vvyllynge for to dra her out of helle / purposed for to plese the hye goddes vvyth hys melody that they shold restore hym hys vvyffe / but hyt auayled not. Than vvent he to helle / & as thys processe shevveth in the letter / so moche he plesed the goddes of helle vvyth hys melody / that at last vpon a condi¦tion hys vvyffe vvas graunted hym / so that he loked not vpon her / tyl that he vvere passed the boundes of helle. But vvhen he vvas nye the boundes / so moche he desyred for to see hys hys vvyffe / that he tor¦ned hym & loked vpon her / & a none she vvas gon a geyn to helle vvher she vvas before▪ Thys fable Fulgencius exponeth morally on thys vhyse. ¶By Orpheus ys vnderstand the hyer part of the soule / that ys resonabelte / enformed vvyth vvysedom & eloquence. vvherfore he ys called the sonne of phebus & of Laliope Phebus of the grekes vvas called god of vvysedō. The same ys Apollo. Caliope ys asmoche to say / as goddes sonne. & hyt betokeneth eloquence. so every vvyse mā & eloquent in thys maner of spekynge may be called the sorne of phebus & Caliope. ¶Thys Orpheus bythe svvetnesse of hys harpe / that

〈4 pages missing〉〈4 pages missing〉

Explicit Liber tercius.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ¶Tagus ys a ryuer of Spayn / ful of golden greynes.
• * 1.2

  ¶Erinus ys a ryuer in Asya the lesse / al ful of greynes of gold.
• * 1.3

  Indus ys a ryuer of India / that rennethe in to the red see / ful of per∣ry and moche precyousty▪