The boke of comfort called in laten Boetius de Consolatione philosophie. Translated in to englesse tonge De consolatione philosophiae. English Boethius, d. 524. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A16289 of text S113387 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 3200). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 369 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 110 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A16289 STC 3200 ESTC S113387 99848622 99848622 13731 2248522290

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A16289) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 13731) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 604:02) The boke of comfort called in laten Boetius de Consolatione philosophie. Translated in to englesse tonge De consolatione philosophiae. English Boethius, d. 524. Walton, John, d. 1410. [270] p. By me Dan Thomas Rychard monke of the sayd monaster, to the iu[n]stant desyre if ryght worshypful esquyer Mayster Robert Langdon, [Enprented in the exempt monastery of Tauestok in Denshyre : Anno d[omini] M D xxv. [1525]] A translation, in verse, by John Walton, of: Boethius. De consolatione philosophiae. Imprint from colophon. Signatures: A-R (-R8, blank?). Imperfect; gatherings F, H and L, and M4,5 lacking; supplied in photostat from Bodleian Library copy. Reproduction of the original in the Folger Shakespeare Library. eng Philosophy, Ancient -- Early works to 1800. eebo The boke of comfort called in laten Boetius de Consolatione philosophie. Translated in to englesse tonge. Boethius, 1535 66 59487 220 0 0 0 0 52 2633.52 F The rate of 2633.52 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2005-04 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-06 Sampled and proofread 2005-06 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

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

Prefatio Translatoris . VN suffysance of connyng & of whit Defaute of langage & experience Thys labour viche ye haue vpon me put Muste fully excuse vnto your reuerence yf hyt be not with craft of eloquence Depaynted so as other bokes be yet muste I nedes do my dilygence with al my pouer to plese yo●ur souerente Thys subtel mater of Boetius In hys boke of consolation So hye hyt ys so harde and curyous Ful ferre a bowe my estimation That hyt be not by my translation Defouled ne corrupt to god I pray So helpe me with thy inspiration That art of wysedom both locke and key As fro the texte that I vary nougth But kepe the sentens in hys true entent And wordes eke as nye as may be brougth where lawe of meter wyl therto consente Thys mater wiche that ys so excellente And passeth both my connynge & my migth So haue yt lorde in thy gouernment That cannest reforme al thynge to rygth I haue herd speke & sumwhat haue I seyn Of dyuers men that wonder craftely In metre somme & somme in prose pleyn Haueth thys boke translated dyuersly In to englesse tonge worde for worde wel ny But I muste vse the wittes that I haue Though I may not do so wel / yet truly with the helpe of god the sentens wyl I saue To chaucer that was floure of retoryke In englesse tonge & excellent poete I woteful wel I am no thyng leke Though I hys makyng do conterfete And Gover that so craftely doth trete As in hys bokes of moralyte Thougth I to hym in makynge am vnmete yet wyl I she worteh that ys in me Hyt leketh not me to labour nor muse vpon these olde poyses derke For cristen fayth suche thynges moste refuse As witneseth Ierom the noble clerke Hyt shulde be no cristen mannes worke Tho false goddes names to renew For he that hathe receued cristes merke yf he do so to criste he ys vntrew Fro them that criste in heuen blesse shal Suche maner workes muste be put a syde For certenly hyt nedet not at al To vhette now the dartes of cupyde Ne for to bydde that venus be our gyde So that we may our foule lustes wynne Leste hereafter the same to ous betyde As dyd to the sayd venus for her synne And certen I haue tasted wonder lyte As of the welles of calyope No wonder though I sympelly endyte yet wyl I nofte vn to Tessiphone Ne to her susters that in hel be Besekynge after craft of eloquence But may to god of hys benignite My spirit to enspyre with hys influence Caliope as poetes fayneth ys one of the sonnes doughters & ys one & chef of the ix muses & they cal her goddas of eloquence . She hath . iii. welles Gramatica / Dialetica / & Retorica . of whom ys driued al craft of eloquence Also they feyneth to be in hel iii. fusters called furyas or vengeresses / that punishe men for ther mesdedes . the one ys called Allecco / a nother Megner / & the iii. Tessiphone . These also be called muses of mornyng that tecyth & enformeth men to mahe souroful complayntes : So that fro blame and confusion Of al thys foule wordly wrechednesse He helpe me in thys occupation To the honour of hys blysfulnesse And in reuerence of your worthynesse Madame thys worke at your instance I haue begonne after my symplenesse In wyl to do yow seruyce and plesance
Incipit Prologus . THe whyle that rome was regning in her flores And of the world held al the monarchy She was gouerned then by emperours And was renouned wonder noblely Tyl pryde had set ther hertes vp on hy Then beganne they to vse crudelyte And regned by rygurnesse and tyranny And oppressed sore the comynalte For leke as pouerte causeth sobernesse And feblenes enforceth continence Rygth so prosperite and sykernesse ys the moder of vyce and neglygence And pouer also causeth insoleuce And after honour changeth good maners Ther ys none so perilouse pestilence As ys hye astate geuen to srewes Of the wich was Nero one and principal That such maner tiranny began Though he bare the diademe ymperial . yet was he a very cursed man . So cruelly he gan to regne than Heslew hys master & hys moder both . And moche he dyd that tel I ne can . Ho so hath hyt red he knoueth wel the soth . The chefe of holy church he slewe also . Sent Peter & Paule both vpon one day . And after them ful many other mo . And of the same hyt ys I dare wel say . That Paule writeth thus hyt ys no nay . And sayth now ys the foune of wickednesse . And fygure rygth of anticristes lay . In whom shal be al maner of cursednesse . Misterium iam operatur iniquitatis / vt qui tenet iam teneat donec de medio fiat . Now sayth sent Paule worchet the mistery & forme of anticristes wickednesse . wych anticriste shal be leke to hym / vsynge none other lave but wylfulnesse / ledynge hys lyffe in lustes / fyndynge occasions for to destroy al the good & vertuos / cruel and ful of vnkyndly affections drayng to hym al the that be leke to hym in foule conditions . For they that truly techeth cristes lore . To make men forlete ther vyce . Antecriste wyl punysshe them therfore . And al ther prechynge set at no pryce . So was he geuen to lustes & delyce . That what desire came vnto hys thougth . He wold yt doe without more aduyse . For no thynge then wold he spare hyt nougth . And he that wold ageyn hys vyces speke . And counsel hym hys lustes co refrayn . withouten more anone he wolde bewreke . He wold hym put in torment and in payn . And he that wold hys Instes ofte withsayn . He ne was but ded yf that he wold appere . For such a cause Boecius was slayn . Of whom thys processe after treteth here And rygth these dayes men may se thys same Of some that haue the astate of gouernaunce . Ho so wyl ther vyces or lustes blame . They take hyt in despyte and displesance . They wil hym do some myschefe or mischaunce And tho th sat holde amend e& correcte . vyce / in them hyt hath hyr sustenance . And good folke they holdeth as suspecte The yere of criste . v. hundred & . xv . whan Anastasius was emperour Boetius thys same of whom I mene . In Rome he was a noble cenatour . But in maner as a conquerour . Theodoricus regned in Italy And Rome he helde as kynge and gouernour He had yt wonne by conqueste in batayle For Anastasius was not leke Ne not so stronge of maney at lest He consented that Theodoryke Shold regne in Rome & hold yt at hys heste And he wold hold hym selfe in the este He sayd hyt was acordynge to hys hele And for hys ese in sothe he thougth yt beste For Romayns be ful perylous with to dele Thys kyng of Rome then Theodoryke Was ful of malyce and of cursednesse And eke for cause he was an heretyke The cristen people gan he sore oppresse Boetius with al hys besynes withstode hem alwey sparyng none offence And hym present often tyme expresse Reuersed hys vnlauful iugementes He ne spared noght the higth of hys astate But euer he spake agenste hys tyranny wherfore the kyng hem had sore in hate And hym exyled in to lumbardy To prison in the cyte of papy wher as for a recreation Betwene hymselfe and philosophy He wrot thys boke of consolation In prose & meter interchangingly with wordes set in colour wonder wel Of retoryke endited craftely And schewyng that these welthes temporel Ar not to be desired neuer a dele Ne wordly mischeffe nothyng to be drede Enforseng ous by reson natural So vertu fully for to taken hede Then Anastasins had made hys fyne As tyme of age vnto hys deth hem drew Then aster hem was emperour Iustine A noble knygth a faythful & a trew For cristes laues wonder wel he knew And kept them as a very cristen man And heretikes fast he gan persew That arrianes were called than Hys letters then in to Rome he sent For to destroye al that heresy And fully gaue them in commandement That they shuld put them out of company Theodorīcus toke thys wonder hye For he hymself was holly one o tho Thys message he repelled vtterly And made a vowe yt shulde not be so And swore but yf the arrianes muste Haue ther pese graunted to them a geyn He wold not leue one in al that coste Of cristen fayth but he shuld be slayn And thus he bed the messengers seyn That yf he wold with arrianes stryue Seyth the emperour with wordes playn Of cristen wyl I leue none a lyue To constantinople he sent a none Of senatours wich that hym leste And a mouges other pope Iohn And bede them labour for ther awne best And ruthfully they made ther requeste That Iustyne shuld thys mandement relese For the cristen migth not ben in reste But yf he graunted the arrianes pece The emperour hys malice vnderstode Benyngly he graunted them ther bone And wel he thougth that yt was as good That mater to cesse tyl efte sone And better mygth yt afterwarde be done By good aduyse of wyser ordinance The arrianes so he let alone To vsen forth ther olde gouernaunce Thes messengers to the kynges pay Torned not so hastely ageyn As he desired at a certen day wher fore in herte he had grete dysdeyne And Boyce that lay in pryson & in payn In exyle in the cyte of Papey In Melayn he made hym to be slayn In Papey ben hys bones sykerly And when these messengers at the laste Retorned were / in herte he gan to brenne Pope Iohn in prison then he caste Fer out in the cyte of Rauenne And made hym closed in a narowe denne wher he ne mygth torne hym selfe ne wende And soth to say he wente neuer thenne Tyl of hys lyffe he had made an ende Also the worthy noble Symmacus That was a man grounded al in grace The wyche in vertu was heroicus Ther lefte not suche a nother as he was Vir heroicus ys a man geuen al to contemplation & to vertu / in whom al flesly passyous ben quenched & repressed . withoute cause surfyt or trespace At Rauenne eke he slewe hym cruelly And after wardes in that same place The next yere he dyed sodenly And as sent gregory doth hym self wryte As yet hys bokes maketh mentyon Ther was that tyme a holy heremyte As he was in hys contemplation He dyd se Theodoryke in visyon Betwene Symacus and pope Iohn Ryght as a theffe to hys dampnation How he was led / & after that anone In the Ile of vulcane was he caste then That ful ys of a fyre flam of hel Theryn alwey in peynes sor to brenne And wyth the foule fendes for to dwelle For tyrantes that so fers ben and felle Ben arayd suche rewardes for ther mede I sey yow but as olde bokes do telle Now to my purpose tyme ys that I spede And euery lorde or lady what ye be Or clerke that leketh for to reden thys Besekynge louly wyth humylyte Supporteth wher I haue ofte sayd a mys Correcteth only there that nedful ys yf word or sentence be not as hyt shulde My selfe I am vnsufficyant I I wys For yf I cowde haue better done I wolde Explicit prologus .

Reson and intelligens purely consydered in kynd of ther worching haueth them selfe euery agen other / as practick & theoryk / or as actyf & contemplatyf . And al tho the worchyng of reson leke to practyf in ordre & ꝓcesse in vs that vseth processe go before intelligence as practycke goyth before theorich / & actyf before contemplatyfe / yet in worthines & also in perfection of blestulhed / intelligens sormounteth & ys souerayn to reson . For the same treuthes that reson seketh & fyndeth by discours / thes pure blisful spirites ( wiche ben called iutelligences ) seyth & knoueth perfectly in the mirrour of eternal lygth / that ys goddes sonne vith outen any discurse of reson . And moche more viche ne may not be perceued here of ous in thys pilgremage . But rygth as a good practiser by exercise of labur & experiens of hys craft / may deserue to be made preuy of soteltes of hys crafte & to be made a master / rygth so a soule coniuned to bodly mater / may by hys good labour of discours / deserue to atteyu to be made preuy by intelligence of al the same trouthes on hye in blysse that thes blesful spirites haueth of ther firste creation . By nature of the resonabelte of mannes soule / viche resonabelte ys the forme substantial of the selfe soule / ther shuld not be denyed hem that he wolde desyre . And that may be scheued by thys skyle . The saule vhos forme substaniial ys reson or resonabilte / he may of proper kynde noght desyre but resonable . for yf he other desired / he were vnresonable . And yf he desyre but that ys proper to hem of kynde / yt may not of reson be denyed hym . But how ys hyt that a soule coniuned desyreth ofte other than resonable / Ther be .ii. causes . One ys for some soules for the intemperance & bosteynesse of ther material body fayleth in discours In other that haueth clere discours yet sensualite vych vs the flesly part of the soule replyeth euer a gen thys discours of reson / askyng hys lustes as proper to hys kynder And togth he be neuer ●o ofte ausuered & concluded / yet euer he resorteth to hys first askyng hauyur ●o regarde to al the resons that may be made agenste hym . Right as a man that fayleth discours vhom men calleth a mad man / tough a man make to hym neuer so gret resons / yet ys he not ansuered / he feleth them not / but euer he resorteth to that he firste began . Thys importunat pressenge of sensualite of such vnresonable replications encombreth so the reson that he leueth the true ende that he had traueled for by discours & entendethe to the luste of sensualite desiryng thynges that be vnresonable / wyche desyre yf yt were grounded in sensualite vych ys changeable / yt shulde a none bring the soule in to endles mischef . for ther may no thyng stand kyndly that contrarieth hys avne kynd . Ne a resonable spirite though he be moueable in workyng & in affections yet of propre kynde he may not wyl contradiction / that ys to sey nove thys & now the contrary for then he erred agen reson So then a soule desiryng that thyug that ys vnresonable / & consequently to hys destruction / by the hy gouerne● hyt ys oftentyme denyed hym . vherfore he falleth in to a peynful heuynesse be cause he lacketh that he desireth / or hath that hym lotheth . And were not that the sensualite bereth thys peyn the mischef were endles . vherfore the sensualite that ys changeable & lotheth thys peyn vyllyng to be deliuered therof / somtyme reforteth to reson forsakyng suche vnskyleful desires & suffreth reson to haue hys kyndly operations . And yf thys peynful heuynesse be mored in the soule & reson fully ouercome / then falleth a man in despere . & so somme destroeth themself by wylful deth & so continue in perpetual peyn vythout ende . Thus fel hyt of the first angel that desired vndiseretly to be leken to god & for he migthe not haue hys desyre / he fel in peynful heuinesse . but in heuen may be no peyn / And he mighth not wyl the contraty to that he ones villed / he was so pure & simple of nature . vherfore without remedy he was caste in to mischef in the peyn of hel So yt be fel of thys noble clerk Boyce / because he had that he wold not / that was prison & other tribulation . And also he wanted that he wolde haue / that was hys astate in the cyte of Rome / hys hovse / bokes / & hys other goodes / presens of hys wyffe & chyldern & hys other frendes vherof he was wron gfully spoyled & but out of hys cyte / exiled as a traytour / he fel in to a peynful heuinesse and made hys complaint sayug . Allas I wreche . &c. But for asmoche as thys heuynesse was but the mevyng of sensualite / viche of hys nature ys chaungable . And leste he fel in to ful forgetyng of hymself & in the vttermest myschef . Reson conforteth the flesly kynde / reducyng yt to knovlege of yt selfe / & so to forgete the heuynesse that he was so greuosly peyned with for losynge of hys dignyte / wyffe / chyldern / & goodes afore rehersed .

Incipit liber Boetij de cōsolatōe philosophie .
Metrum primum . Carmina qui quondam . ALas that I wreche vhiles I was in welth And vsed lustey dytes for to wryte Now am I set in sorow & vnhelthe wyth tmornynge my myrth I muste respyte Lamentable muses techeth me to endyte Of woo . with wepynge they weteth my face Thus hath dysese destroyed al my delyte And brougth my blysse & Iolyte ful bace And though that I with myschef nowe be met That false fortune loureth thus on me No drede fro me mygth thes muses let Me to ensue in myne aduersyte My Ioy they were in al my Iolyte Of you the that was so glad om & so grene Now they solaceth my drery destyne And in my age my comforteno we they bene Vnwarely age cometh on me hastely Heyngh on me for harme that I haue had And soro we hys hestes hath hoten to be ny Hore heres on my hed to rathe ben spred Al to me of blod my bodey wexeth bad My empty skyn begynneth to tremel & quake I haue no cause wherof I may be glad Thus mornyng for mysese my mone I make A deth of men a blesful thynge yt were yf he wold spare them in ther lustinesse And come to them that be of heuy chere When they hym cal to lake ther distresse But ooh allas howe dul & deffe he ys wryngynge awey fro wrecches when they clept And worneth thenne with wonder cruelnesse The yes for to close that we le & wepe But vhyle fortune vnfaythful & vntru Of lusty lyffe was to me fauorable Ful sodenly my hed to grounde he dreu The careful houre of deth vnmerciable But nowe that she so chaungynge & vnstable Hath torned vnto me her cloudy face Thys wrecched lyffe that ys vnconfortable Draeth alonge and taryeth nowe allas wherto ye frendes maden your a vaunte So often tymes of my felycite Thys wordly welth ys not perseueraunte Ne neuer abidynge in no stabilyte For he that falleth out of hys degre Ful sothe yt ys that stable was he nougth Ne he stode neuer in ful prosperyte That in to mischef was so low I brought

Fortune was depaynted after fantasy of poetes a lady syttynge in myddes of a vhyle viche her self continuelly torned a boute / she hadde ii . visages / one brygth & another darke . & in both she was blynde

The commentor trinet assgneth iii. causes vhy that philosophy vas descryued apperynge vnto Boyce in lekenesse of a woman The first cause ys for thys name philosophia as wel in laten as in greke ys put in the feminyne gender . The seconde cause ys for rygth as a woman norysseth her chylde wyth her mylke / rygth so philosophy no ressched her discyples withe the subtilyte of her science .

The thyrde cause ys / for a woman ys of kynde more tender and compacient for to comforte a man in mischef . And sithe thys clerke was falle than in to mischef as hymself semed / he iuduced philosophy in lekenesse of a woman to comforte hym in a s●akynge of hys heuynesse

She was also descriued reuerent / for she maketh the persons reuerent in vyche she ys impressed .

The yees of philosophy ben reson and vnderstandynge / vherby philosophy ys kendly perceyued . They brenne by desyre of connyng They shyne clere by possibilite of vnderstandynge .

Her myghtes bene the vertu of her principles that neuer may be empted ne fully comprehended . The chyre of her visage ys perfection of doctryne . the colour ys fulnesse of trueth . for the hoole entente ys for to perceyue and conprehende trueth . She passedde mannes age / for her truthes ben perpetual . not subget to tyme that mesureth man hys age .

Prosa prima . Capitulum secundum Hec dum mecum Boecius loquitur . In murnynge thus I made my complaynt And for to write my fyngers gan I folde For drerinesse I waxe al feble & faynt That of my lyffe almoste no thynge I tolde But vpwarde at the laste I gan beholde In sothe I saw so fayer a creature I couthe her not descriuen though I wolde So femly was her shappe and her feyture She was so wonder reuerent of her chyre Hyr colonr eke so louely & so brygth Hyr yene brenne semenge as for clere Passynge fer a bouen mannes sygth Al thoe she were ful fresshe & clene of mygth As she had ben ful yongly of corage yet semed she to euery wordly wigth That she was ouer passed man hys age Hyr stature was of douteful iugemente Sumtyme thus of comen mennes mete And sumtyme was her stature so extente That with her hed she semed heuens bete And other vhyle so hye her hed she gete She perced heuen & migth no more be seyn So that we moste the sygth of her forlete And al our lokynge after was in veyn Her clothes were wrogthof thredessmale By subtel cratf of mater perdurable And with hyr handes by her awne tale She had them wrogth I trow for no fable The beutey of them was ful commendable But duskey they wereforleten as for elde As ymages that in smoke had stonden stable That be oot weshe ne wyped but selde And in the hem byneth made she had So as I coude yt knowe a grekes P. O. And in the bordure al a bow I rad And ther also she had made a And so bytwene thes letters migth I se Leke to a ladder what that euer yt mende wheron men migth alwey fro gre to gre Fro ther beneth vpwarde euer ascende Neuertheles some men by violence Had cut thys cloth & peces boren a wey Such as they migth withoute reuerence And dyd ther with as was vnto ther pay Thys creature of whome I gan yow sey In her rygth hande smale bokes were A septre also of ful ryche aray For certen in her other hande she bare And when thys ladey sawe thes muses there Vn to my beddes syde approchynge ney Enditynge wordes to my wepynge chere She gan to loke vpon them feruently Ho she sayd let in thys company Thus with ther songe thys seke man to plese That no thynge heleth hym of hys malady But rather doth hym greuance & dysese Lo thes yt ben she sayd that foules feden with the swete venem of corruption And tender hertes maketh for to bleden with thornes of ther foule affection They sleyn the worthy frutes of reson And only bryngeth sekenes in vsage Thys ys the kynd of ther condition And nought at al the sekenesse to assuage yf ye she sayd with your dalyance Had drauen fro me some foule vnprofytable Lesse yt shuld haue done me displesance I might haue boren yt then as sufferable For vhy in such a foule that ys vnable May nought ben harmed of my besynes But thes that euer in studyes hath ben stable Shuld not be founden with your folesnesse But goeth ye fylthes out of my presence your swetnes wold hym brynge at an ende I shal hym saue with the salfe of my science That shal be more comfort vn to hys kende And thus thys company a wey gan wende And bytterly abasshed them of ther blame Shewynge wel the habyte of ther mynde Hangynge doune to grounde ther heddes for shame I then that nye for teres sawe ryght nought Gan wonder moche vhat might thys woman be Meruelynge also gretly in my thought That so emperial of auctoryte She made that maney smartly fro me fle I was abasshed & henge my hed to grounde what she wold after done or sey to me Then I abode & held me styl a stounde But to my bed then gan she nyen nere And on the corner doune herself she sette And sadly gan beholde vpon my chere That so was then with teres al be wette And ryght thus she began wythouten lette Complaynynge on my perturbation Because of myschef wherwyth I was mette Of me she made thys lamentation
Metrum secundum . Capitulum tercium . Heu quam precipiti . Philosophta loquitur Allas she seyd how thys mannes mynde Is casten doune in to ful depe dulnesse Forlete the clerenesse of hys proper kynde And mentynge for to go to straunge derknesse As often tyme as noyos besynesse wythouten mesure gynneth to encrece when wordly wynde wyth myschef & destresse Hym hath byrafte al out of reste & pece Thys ys that man that somtyme was so fre To whom by craft was euen for to conne Vp in to heuens to behold and se And to mesure the meuynge of the sonne By craft also the connynge had he wonne How that the mone changeth for to prymen And what recours the sterres haue ronne In ther speres how dyuersly they meuen As victor hath he sotelly conquered The craft by nomber al he comprehendeth Fro vhens also thes wyndes ben a rered The smothe see that torneth so & wendeth why esperus at euen so ascendeth Este / in the weste a doune a geyn to loute And what spyryte so besely entendeth The rounde worlde to wende al a boute And what a tempereth so the lustey houres Of the fayre fyrste somer seson Araynge hyt wyth red rose floures Of the vyche in wynter ben very feweor none And al thys coude he shewe by very reson In ful yeres ho ys that our fedeth wyth grete grapes that the peple pleson And other frutes that them al nedeth I wonte he was also to seke & to knowe Pryme causes for to telle of kynde Allas witles now lyeth thys man ful lowe Vnder ful heuy bondes that hym bynde And now can he none other comfort fynde But heuely hys face he hath doune folde So ys he al dysmayed in hys mynde That nedes wrecched erthe he mot beholde
Prosa secunda . Capitulum quartum . Seb medicine . Philosophia loquitur . But now of medycyne ꝙ she haue we nede For in complayntes lyeth no remedy Vn to that purpose let oure workes spede She set her yee on me ententyfly Art thow not he she sayd wyche that I Haue fed wyth milke vhyle thou were yong of age And syth wyth strenger metes tenderly Tyl thou were wexen a man of stronge corage And syth I gaue the armour good & stronge Wych but yf thou had caste awey fro the Thou mightest haue be dysesed with no wronge But haue ben suer fro al aduersyte why art thou styl she sayd knouest thou not me Is yt for shame or thou art stoned sore The ne shameth noght I trou by cause of me Thou art a stoned of that me dredeth more And vhen she saw me sytten dome & styl She set her hande ful safte vpon my breste As here she saed no perel ys of yl Thys man ys with a letargy a reste A comen sekenesse that many hath oppreste That out of mynde themself haue forlete Ful esely thys euel shal be redreste A lytel whate he hath hemself forgete He shal remembre wel & esely yf I may fyrst me make hym for to knowe I shal hys yeen wypen tenderly Of cloudes derke that haue them ouer growe And then he shal amende as I trowe A pleyt she lapped of her garnement My yeen then that teres had beflowe She wyped tyl the derkenesse was al spent
Metrum tercium . Capitulum quintum . Tunc me discussa . Boecius loquitur . And vhen thys cloude was clensed fro myn ye I was a none restored to my syght Right as vhen cloudes clippeth in the skye The sonne ys let to leme a doune hys lyght And reyne cloudes maketh in maner nyght But vhen a north wynde chaceth them a way The sonne wil shew then hys bemes bright And as yt were bringeth ageyn the day
Prosa tercia . Capitulum sextum . Haud aliter trsticie . Boecius loquitur But euen so & in / none other wyse Thys drerynesse out of myn hert gan reche I loked vp & gan me better aduyse yf I myght know the vysage of my leche Than knew I wel by vysage & by speche Myn owne gentyl noryshe phylosophy That me was wonte to viset & to teche And fro yought had me in company Do ꝙ I my worshypful masteres Of al vertues and of honeste what do ye in thys wreched wyldernesse Comen thus a doune out of the souereyn see In to thys exyle vhether be cause of me As gylty made also of my trespace Hyt ne besemeth not your souereynte For to be seyn in thys vnworthy place Phia . ) Oh nory ꝙ she shuld I the forsake Sith thou for me art falsly put in blame And not the charge also vpon me take The wyche thou berest for envy of my name To philosophy yt were repreue & shame To leue an Innocent so thus a rayed And now at laste redoute me of that game That ys not new to me ne vn a sayd Trouest thou that I haue ben not erst assayied Of wicked folke wyth perel & damage How haue I ben tormented & traueyled with fulhardinesse & foule outrage Be foren Plato in tyme of elder age And vhyle that Plato leued presently Socrates was slayn & had to wage In my presence a croune of vyctory The Epicures & The Stoicenes The heretage of ther opynyou They caughten to them as for very menes Of welth fulnesse euerych a porcion And mo of wiche I make no mention Haueth enforsed them with sotelte Drauenge hys wordes to ther entention Of ther opynatyue felycyte Thys same folke in partey of ther a pray Caught thys clothe that my self had weuen And thogh that I rebelled & seyd nay To rente thys cloth / ne wold they not beleuen And with tho cloutes that they had me bereuen They went ther wey & though al had ben wel And folysly they dyd themself deceuen And went I had gon with them euery dele And so for cause that they these peces ber● Loo some men troued as foules vtterly That they had ben with me familyer And in my household ben abydyngly And so thorugh errour of thys company Ful many a fole ys foule out of the way And by them ben peruerted perylosly And wene that al be wysedom that they say Haste thou not herd of Anaxagoras That was exyled for be cause of me Of Socrates that eke enpoysoned was How zeno was tormented by cruelte And though that thys be a straunge thynge to the yet Canio & Seneke as I trowe And Sorane also in thy mynde be For thys ys a late thynge & wel y knowe Nought elles thes brought in to destresse But for they were lerned in my lore And al vnleke as in ther besynesse To wicked folke that hated them therfore Hyt ys no thynge that thou shulde wonder fore Though we be styred with stormes of desese Sith that our purpose hath ben euer more These wicked folkes for to dysplese And thogh therof be hugy habundance yet neuertheles yet ys to be repreued Forvhy they ben withouten gouernance And nought but flod of errour hath them meued And yf they by thys errour thys contryued Arese an hoste with strenght & ous assetteth Our gouernour by thys ys nought a greued Hys tresour al in to hys toure he fetteth These foules laboreth than ententyfly On veyn thynges that may them nought avayle And we that sytteth in thys toure on hy Ful suer ynoghe fro them that ous assayle In suche a palace strong of apparyle whereto these foules may not vp attayne we scorneth them of al ther waste traueyle Ther besynesse ys euerydele in veyne
Metrum quartum . Capitulum vij . Quisquis composito . Philosophia loquitur . He that standeth clere & ordynate And proude happes suffereth vnder slyde In al fortunes standynge streght algate In welth & woo can euenlych a byde The woode see that floueth to euery syde Hym dredeh nto thynge of hys cruelte But what desese that may to hym betyde Hym greueth nought but standeth in one degre The foule fyre that out of hel reketh In the monteyn that cleped ys vesene Ne thunder lyghte that hy toures breketh Ne dredeth not me / what ys yt that ye mene Why dredeye then ye wrecches that ye ben Tyrantes fyers that ben withouten migth Put false hope out of oure hertes clene And flesly drede putteth fro your syght For yf thou no thynge of a man desyre Ne what he may the don thou haste no drede Thou shalte deserue the wrecched mannes Ire And in no wyse he may the nought mysbede Ho so hopeth ought or dredeth out of nede He casteth a wey hys shylde & ys vnstable And knetteh a cheyn / hemselfen with to lede wher that them luste to hym vnprofitable

The couetous kyng Mida was made Iuge betvene Apollo & Pan by ther both assignement for to demen vhether the harpe of Apollo were more delicyous / other the shalmuse of Pan. And so vhen he had herde them bothe / he iuged that the shalmuse was swetter than the harpe vherfor Apollo hauyng indignation of hys leude iugement / punysshede hym in that party that was semyng the cause of hys errour / and gaue hym longe asse eres . Motally Mida ys euery wordly man that more appryseth the luste & lekynge of the worlde them he doth any whit or gostely wysedom . vherfore suche men ben dulle & insensible to reson / leke to rude asses .

Prosa iiij . Caplm viij . Sentis ne inquit Felest thou not vhether my word be soft or sharp ꝙ she withyn thy hert ententyfly Or art thou leke an asse to the harpe That ys not meued wyth no melody If thou couetest helpe or remedy Thou muste vnhele the wondes that the greuen Be then a know & shew me openly And hyde yt not for I the shal releuen Boecius ) I droe to me the myght of my corage ye ben ꝙ I that brought me in astate Nedeth yt now to tellen my damage That haueth me had in your presence algate ye knoueth in what degre I was but late Ne meueth yow nought the maner of thys place Is thys the library where ye with me sate when ye were al my Ioy & my solace Dyuyne thynges dysputynge there with the And other sciences that ful lusty were when that I stode with yow in thys degre was than thys myne habyte & my chere when I with yowe was wonte to seke & lere Ful preuy poyntes langynge to nature How that the sterres meued fer or nyre Descryuyng yt in nombers and fygures Formynge in me the maner of my lyue I leke vnto the heuenly gouernance And techynge me to be contemplatyue I yelde yow thanke with louly obecyance Thys was a sentens of your ordynance That Plato wrote yf I wel vnderstande Ful blesful were th astate of gouernance yf only wyse myght yt haue on hande Or yf that they wich haue gouernment wold vpon wysedom spend ther besynes And Plato also to the same entente Techeth ous thus / thyn owne lore hyt ys To wyse men a skyleful cause ys thys For to desyre astate of souereynte Leste wicked folke that wil gouerne a mys Receyue astate & harme a comynalte For yf that wyse men & vertuous Sholde th astate of souerente forsake Then other wicked folke and vycyous wold be ful feyn the sam astate to take And suche as they ben soueraynes wold they make And wyse persons shuld be set at nought Thus shuld vyce & wickednesse a wake And treuth & vertu be to grounde y brought As shewynge therfore your auctoryte I had desyre to thys entention That I had lered of your benygnyte To put yt forthe in execution witnesse vpon your awne dyscretion And god that hathe yow set in mannes mende I coueted neuer administration But comen profet was bothe cause & ende The hate that I haue had & heuynesse Of wicked folke ys open euydence In mayntenance of treuth & ryghtuesnesse By very fredom of my consciens Of wycked folke I spared none offence whan Conigast the porayl wold oppresse I met hym euer wyth myghty resistens And ofte I let hym of hys cruelnesse And Tranguyle prouoste of the kynges house How ofte I caste hym doune of hys malyce And many a pouer man & anguissous That weren asset by cursed couetyce Of men that ful of venem were & vyce I halpe them ofte in ther adnersyte For to defend them out of suche foleys Lo myne astate I put in Iupardy Ther was no man that me fro ryght withdrow To wrong by fauour / frenshyp / or by wage But when I saw the contres now & now Be put in thraldom & in foule seruage what by trybute & what by caryage And what by rauen & extortion As sore me greued the harme of ther damage As them that suffered tribulation And when the prouynce hoten Campaye was sore oppressed in a dere yere So that no man muste selle ne bye Tyl that the kynge had solde vp hys garner At snch a pryce so grenous & so dere That pouer folke were harmed & a noyed Than I withstode the kynges offycer Wetynge the kynge that statute I destroyed And Paulyn eke a consuler of Rome Whom palays houndes had oppressed so That wrongfully hys goodes hym benome I receyued hym vhether they wold or no Albyne that was a conseyler also That was a iuged to a greuous payne Myself alone to sauen hym ther fro Of Cypryane I suffered grete dysdeyne That had accused hym ( how semeth yow In paleys haue I hate & enmyte For loue of ryght & were not thus ynow For to be fauored of the comynalte Sith I no frendshype haue as towarde me In kynges courte I haue no loue reserued Me semeth than I shuld the surer be withouten fayle where I haue loue deserued But now by whom was I accused thus Forsoth of none that honest was of fame But one ther was that hyght Basileus wych that be forehand founden was with blame And out of offyce was he put with shame And syth he fel at myschef & at nede He was accepte accuser of my name Allas therto by geftes & by mede yet other ij . that hauen me thus defyled were Gaudencius and Opilion The wich the kynges Iuges had exyled For certen surfet that they had don In to the sanctuary then gan they gon Them to defend agen the kynges lawe But knowyng thus the kynge commanded sone That out of sanctuary they shuld be drawe But yf they voyded the cyte of Rauenne By tyme assigned at a certen day And in ther frounte an Iren shuld them brenne And be compelled for to go ther way Vn to thes false attaynte what shal I say Or to the kynges cursed cruelte Vpon that same day yt ys no nay They were admytted to accusen me whether that myne arte & occupation Deserued had thus falsly to be blamed Other elles thus that my dampnation Had made them tru that false were proclamed And was not fortune hereof foule a shamed That she rewarded not myn Innocency Vnworthynesse of them that were defamed Shold none appele haue made in her presence But perauenture ye wold wyte the grounde In to thys exyle vhy I am remeued I wolde the senate had ben hole & sounde And in no maner hyndred ne repreued Thys ys the cause that I am sore agreued But ye wold wyte the maner & the wyse By cause of letters viche I had beryued Fro hym that wolde the senatours accuse yowe masteres vhat wil ye demen nowe Shal I thys blame forsake or cal a geyn Leste that yt shulde be shameful vn to yowe Nay sekerly I shal yt neuer with seyn I haue yt willed & euer shal certeyn That the senate were in reste & pece But the accuser hereafter to refrayn Or let hym ofte of hys entent I cese But vether to willen ther prosperite Shulde ben deputed for synne or felony And certenly they self in ther decre Haue put on me that poynt of trechery But vnwyse be they that to themselfe doth lye They may not chaunge the meret of my dede Though that the foules themself wil destroy My good wil ys worthy thanke & mede But vnto me by dome of socrates Howe so euer yt stande in ther entente I trou yt be not laful neuertheles To denye a sothe or to a false assent But neuertheles al thys verament Excuseth not me in no maner wyse I put hyt holly in the iugemente Of yowr selfen and of other wyse The processe of thys mater euery dele I haue hyt wryte & put in rememberance That men hereafter may perceyue & fele How wrongfully I suffer thys greuance But the ylke letters of ther ordynance That in my name so falsly were contriued yf I had hadde that lyberte perchaunce Ther false fraude shulde playnly haue ben preued Or had I at the examination My self ben present vhen I was accused Ryght by ther owne aperte confessyon I trou that they shulde haue me clene excused Thys lyberte were goodly to ben vsed But now what lyberte shal I a byde Of an aunswer I am fully aduysed yf euer I shulde that lyberte abyde As Canio vnto the kynge answered That was accused of conspyracy Had I ꝙ he therof knouen or herde Thou shuldeste haue knouen hyt not sykerly And soth to seyn the same wyse wolde I Myn owne letters better can I bestowe And also procured them so preuely That no thynge therof shulde the kynge knowe yet hath not mornynge dulled so my mynde That thys shuld be the cause that I complayn That wycked folke ben alwey so vnkende A genste vertu suche malyce for to leyn But thys ys yt where I haue dysdeyne Not only for the purpose of ther wyl But that they may ther purpose so menteyn I meruyl moche how they yt may fu●●lle For as to wyllen 〈…〉 That may be of thee 〈…〉 But that they haue that pouer 〈…〉 To execute that so purposed ys As Innocency & vertu to destres Only of that I meruele in my mynde As in hys syght that al thynge seeth expresse Hyt semeth me a monstre out of kynde wherfore ther was with yow famylyer One that complayned thus & skylefully Sythe god ys present here & euery vhere Fro vhens cometh al euel thys meruel I And yf that god ne were not verely Fro vhens shuld al good thynges be But he that causeth thynges perfectly May knowe al and none in sothe but he Al were hyt leful to tho surfetours That al good men noyeth & dysesen Purposynge for to sle the senatours No wonder were though they wold me lesen For euer my purpose was them to dysplesen And let them of ther foule entention To senatours yet gaue I none encheson For to conspyren my dampnation And masteres ye remembreth wel That vhatsoeuer I thought to don or sey Both word & worke ye ruled euery dele And al by yow I gouerned me alwey And eke the senatours yt ys no nay For ther defence they knoueth euery one In vhat perel I put me at one day A gen the the kynge myselfen at verone ye knoueth wel that I ne sey but so the Though I my self had kept yt in silence For certenly alwey I haue ben lothe To be commended of my excellence For he that wil be fayn of reuerence And so receueth rewarde of renoune The preuy secret of hys conscience Apereth moche by that condition But here ye may your self take hede For innocency nowe what worchyp haue I For vertu loo receue I to my mede Peynes that proper be for felony And ho had euer for any trechery Hys Iuges so concord in cruelty For gylte that was confessed openly That some of them ner moued with pety Al had yt be so that I had desired The prestes deth or holy churche y brente Or cruel deth to good men conspired Or vhat malyce so that I had y mente yet shuld I haue ben demed me presente So conuycre of my surfet or confessed And after thys haue had my iugemente Thus iustly might my dome haue ben dressed But then I beyng for that same vhyle with al my labour & my dilygence Fro my iugemente fyue hundred myle Hauyng in court no aduocate ne defence To deth I was a iuged in absence Me beyng in the senatours nedes And they consentyng geuen was the sentence Loo how I am rewarded to my medes O worthy men of worchyppe & of mede For none of them came neuer at that degre To be conuyct of suche a maner dede As to withstand a kynges cruelte As I haue done for ther comodyte And therfore were they of my gylte a shamed For thy in foylyng of the dygnyte with sorcery now they haue me defamed They sayn for couetes of hy astate That I had vsed crafte of sorcery But ye that were my gouernour algate ye knoueth wel how falsly that they ly For fro my hert ye hadden vtterly A voyded clene al wordly couetyce And in your presence might not skylefully Suche sacrilege be vsed in no wyse For euery day ye putten in my thought These sothfast sentence of Pictagoras That many goddes shulde we serue not But one alone that maketh corn & gras Hyt neded not / ne none accord yt was To me / but ful vnsembly in your syght The helpe of foule gostes to purchas Sith ye haue made me leke to god almight Also my wyse that ys ful Innocente And other frendes of my compaygne My wyues fader also reuerente Fro suche defautes may defende me But oh malyce & cursed crudelyte Thys blame they bereth on yow by euydence By cause that my gouernour ye be They sey that I vse suche enchauntementes And thys to them hyt semeth not ynow That reuerence of yow me nought profyteth But eke my gylte they putteth vpon yow And myne offence fully yow they wyteth A nother thynge my sowres yet excyteth That men seyth not the meret of your dede But sayth alwey when that fortune ous smyteth Of our meret yt was deserued nede And saeth that welthes & prosperyte Cometh vnto ous for our rightuesnesse And also when ther cometh aduersyte Hyt falleth only for our wyckednesse with fortune goeth our fame & worthynesse Ow noble thynge so lyght hyt ys to lese And certenly the first thynge yt ys That fleeth a way fro wrecches in mysese what rumors now thys folke wil of me fynde How dyuers sentence & how varyente Hyt lotheth me to thynke yt in my mynde For euery man of me saeth hys entente And thys yt ys that moste my hert shente Ther ys no fortune greueth me so sore As vhen that myschef ys to wrecches sente Men sayth yt was deserued ther before I am a way fro al my good y put Also despoyled of my dygnyte And to my herte yt noyeth more yet My name defoyled in the comynalte And for the benfet of myn awne bounte Lo now I suffer torment & dystresse And in my herte me semeth that I se How felons folke beth on ther lustynesse And euery lorel redy ys & boune Som new coniected fraudes to deuyse And good folke hangeth the hed a doune Lest they be serued in he same wyse And euery surfetour now dare accuse By cause of fauor & vnpunyshmente The good men to defoulen & despyse And proudly to performen ther entente Styred therto by geftes & by mede And rightuesnesse may haue no reuerence So Innocentes leueth now in drede Not only that / but lacketh ther defence A genst malyce ys made no resistence But sothfastnesse ys had in al dysdeyn That god wyl suffer thys in hys presence A cause I haue to cry & me complayn
Metrum iiij . Capitulum vij . O stelliferi conditor or Phia loquitur . O maker of the sterred heuen on hy Eternally that syttest in thy trone Thou torneste heuen with a wonder swy Constreynyng sterres to thy law alone So that now in fulnesse of the mone Beshened with her brothers bemes bryght The smale sterres hedeth them ful sone In her presence to shyne they haue no might And when she to the sonne nyeth nere Ful sone she muste her bryght hornes hyde And hesperus that shyneth bryght & clere And sheweth hym in the colde euen tyde A nother yere he ys the sonnes gyde A rysynge vp ful pale in the morne Loo nedes in that cours he must a byde For so thou hast commanded hym beforne In wynter when that leues goen a way Thou shortest then the fayre dayes lyght In hote somer lengthest thou the day And makest short the derknesse of the nyght And thou attemperest tymes by thy myght That bare branches wexeth fayre & grene whiche that were defouled & vnhyght By styffe stormes of the wynter kene The sedes in wynter that ben sowe Thou makest them to wexen fayre & hye And when that they ben ful to cornes growe Thou makest them to rypen & to drye Thyn olde law ther may no thynge vnplye Ne by no way ther kyndly cours forlete Ow god that gouernest al certenly Now only mannes worke thou hast forgete why shal fortune tornen vp so doune Thys thynge that ys in thy gouernement Thes wycked folke to set in hye renoune And dryuen doune the good & innocent with peynes that by ryghtuous iugement Ben dew to catyffes for ther cursednesse Loo faythful men ben shamed & y shent And wicked folke ben set in worthynesse Thus false folke the faythful haue oppressed And vertu that so worthy ys of name Is put in derkenesse tyl yt be redressed The rightuous bereth the wycked mennes blame Forshoren men that ben withouten shame They colour ther deceytes as them luste And vsen they as for a comen game Deceyuynge them that moste vpon them truste And after them they draeth to consente Kynges grete that many a man muste drede And maketh them to performe ther entente And them encombreth with ther cursedhed And as they luste rygth so they wyl them lede But now beholde thys wrecched erthly place Thou that knettest al in length & brede Now somtyme sende ous socour of thy grace For of thy worke we ben a portion Not foule / but fayre after the forme of the we men that fortune dreueth vp & downe A monge the wawes of thys wordly see Represse thys flod lorde what euer thou be That knetteste al in certen ordynance Thou reuleste heuens in tranquillyte Now set ous somvhat in that gouernance

Hyt belongeth not a wyse man to be moued wyth a fooles worde but rather to enforme & teche & comforte hym / reducyng hym in to the bondes of reson . So was thys clerke by excesse of heuynesse / in maner fallen in to foley / forletynge the bondes of reson / wyche philosophy calleth hys kende contrey . for by resonablete man ys made leke to angeles & a very cytesen of heuen . vherfore leste thys paynful heuynes sholde put hym in despere / philosophy conforted hym & saeth that he ys not exyle by the foresayd vyolence out of hys kende contre / but by errour of hys ovne false deduction . For vhy as longe as a man kepeth the knouynge of hys kendly principles / he may not be compelled to leue the bondes of reson . but erren he may by hys false deduccion / by vyche he weneth that he be necessed & constrayned to that false conclusyon . But standyng the knoulege of these forsaed principles / he may retorne & examen hys deduction by labour or by techenge / & fynde oute hys errour & consequently retorne ageyn to the truth

Multitude of astates in a lande or cyte ys cause of grete confusion / for be cause that euerych of them coueteth to be gretteste / so that after hys wyl may stande al the rule & gouernance . Hyt betydeth ofte that lordes sotellen in destruction of other / that be cause of fauour of the cominalte / by wysedom of gouernance / or by excellence of connynge or of wyt / ben preferred or lekely ben to be preferred in to hye astates so that they may the more frely & seketly werken as they wold as for to wynne the astates that they de●yren / or elles the astates that they hauen the more frely for to holde / o the for to be preferred in excellens more singnlerly than other But in thys realme of resonabelte that specially belongeth to the courte of heuen / ther ys but one lorde & souereyn . the vyche ys god / principle and ruler of reson / werfore in so moche as any man leueth after reson / in howe moche he ys subgect to the rule of goddes lawe . And in howe moche he leueth after reson / & so moche he a bydeth in hys contre & in hys proper cyte . In wiche god alone ys prince & gouernour Then ensueth thus / that yf a man be obesyant & subgect vnto goddes lawe . he may not be exyle not put out of hys contre . Boetius complayned hym of no gostely desese but only of harmes bodely / welyng of hys prison & wantynge of kys bokes To vyche complaynte philosophy answereth & seyth / that hym oughte more to complayn the perturbation of hys spiret that so erred welynge the loste of hys temporal goodes wyche muste nedes at laste vtterly be berafte hym . Also she saeth he erreth foule welynge for hys bokes / for vhy she had put in hys mynde tho same thynges that maketh bokes dere and precious / sotel sentences of reson & of kende

Sienim cuius oriundus sis patrie . The realme & the very contre of resonablete ys the blysse of heuen . And al the vhyle we worke after reson we ben in our contre as holy & heuenlych by maner of werkenge The realme of Athenes firste was gouerned by kynges / vyche regned the terme of lyues . And after that were ordeyned princes / vyche regned comenly .x. ye0res / After thes were made princes annual that regned but one yere / & of them shulde be ix . at ones . and of thes here speketh Boetius Romulus vhen he had founded the cyte of Rome / that he might make the cyte copyous of people / ordeyned thys lawe that ho so wolde bylde in that cyte / he shuld neuer ben exyled after for no maner trespace .

Prosa quarta Hec vbi continuato dolore . Boetius loquitur . when I with mornyng thus had made my mone She was no thynge of my complaynte a meued with plesant chere she helde her styl as stone Sothly she seyd whyle er thus I conceued That thou were exyle & thy good beryued Ryght by thy wepynge chere I knew yt wel But yet how fer ne yet had I not perceyued But thou thy self had tolde me euery dele Neuertheles vnderstande nowe wel thys Thou art not exyle out of thy cyte But thou thyself haste taken thy way a mysse A strayed out in to a strange contre And yf thou wene that thou exyled be Than haste that put thyself out sekerly For that power hathe none ouer the But thou thyself wyl do hyt wyllyngly For yf thou knewe or coude haue in thy mynde As of what lande or what cyte thou were Of wich thou toke thy nature & thy kende The lawes of that lande I coude the lere For al the worlde ne may yt not conquere Not leke Athenes that many lordes had But one lorde one lawe & none other there That of hys multitude ys blythe & glad He ys ful fayn that folke wyl to hym drawe And willyngly he wyl no wight forlete For to obey vnder hys lustey lawe Is lyberte the grettest that may be gete Ne knoueste thou not or elles thou haste forgete The lawe that alwey ther ys had & vsed Ho so that luste theryn to bylde hys sete The lorde he wil not that he be refused And ho so wyl in that place a byden styl He may deserue none aduersyte But also sone as he forleteth that wyl He may no lenger in that pales be For he forfeteh then hys lyberte And fleeth hys contre of hys awne assente whan that he sueth sensualyte Forletynge reson in hys iugemente Thou askest where the maner of thys place Me with the for to morne moueth ought Me moueth more the maner of thy face For thys prison moueth me right nought Thy lybrary with glasse & Iuery wrought Nether thy bokes set I at no pryce But I seke the habyte of thy thought Where I haue made a sete at my deuyse For in thy herte I haue no bokes put But thynges that maketh bokes precious Sotel sentence of connynge & of wit wiche vn to me was more delicyous Of thy meret thou haste remembred ous The wiche thou haste on comen welth bestowe Ful sothe yt ys & not suspecious Som haste thou seyd & yet wel more I knowe Thou haste also rehersed furdermore The maner of thyn accusation And the gylt that thou art greued fore Full honest in thyn estimation None harme deserued ne dampnation But rather rewarde for thy besynesse And now for thy remuneration Thou haste no thynge but harme & heuynesse And shortly haste rehersed euery dele The false fraudes of thyn accusers wiche the comen peple knoueth wele The wrongful dome eke of the senatours That rather shulde haue ben thy defensours Thou soroest also gretly for my blame The wyche I bere for the of surfetours Thou welest eke the lesynge of thy fame But at laste with fortune gan thou chyde That mede with meret was euen wey why surfetours ben suffered in ther pryde And good men a greued thus I herd the sey And in thy songe to god thus gan thou pray That the ylke pece that ys in heuen on hey Thys wrecched world shulde kepe vnder hys key That nowe ys ruled thus vncertenly I vnderstande al thyn entention But yet sone in that other syde I se That moche desyre of thyn affection Hathe now distracted & dystrobled the And put thy mynde out of tranquillyte As sorow / mornynge / heuynesse / & Ire And vhyle that thou art in thys degre Thou mayste no mighty medicyne endure wherfore we shal attempten & assay Now with a lytel lyghter remedy That doleful sorow for to put awey That in thy herte ys wexen hard & dry with esy salfe a chafe hyt and defye A medycyne than that more mighty ys Amenden shal that malyce esely That soroful swellynge lyghtly shal we lese
Metrum quintum . Capitulum . xi . Cum phebi radiis . Philosophia loquitur . Ho so that wyl in hote somer seson when that the sonne in cancer ys y set Sowen hys corne he worcheth out of reson And of hys trust no doute he shal be let By that he hath with wynter dayes met Of other purueyance he shal haue nede And but he can gouerne hymself the bet with akernes hys hunger muste he fede And when the north wynde bloueth kyne & colde In wynter tyme a very foule he were In wilde wode that gether floures wolde Or rype grapes in the tyme of vere Hyt falleth not that ceson of the yere The floures freshe ne rype frute to fynde For god hath set al thynge in erthe here To kepen euer one certen course of kynde He ne suffereth not the stoundes for to melle That he hath set in certen gouernance As in ther offyce euery thynge to dwelle They may not faylen with no variance what thynge that leueth certen ordynance A bydynge not withyn the cours of kende He prospereth not but falleth in mischaunce He may not faylen of a feble ende

Here before hath philosophy enquered the qualyte & condition of the greuance that thys clerke was in . Now here she begynneth to enquere the rote & the original cause / viche stondeth specially in iii. thynges one because he soroed vnskylfully that ys to sey of mesure the loste of hys temporel goodes . The second stode in errour of false opynion trouyng that wycked myghty men to the world were by might of wickednes welful . The thyrde that he troued the enterchaungynge of fortune by vyche often tymes the good ben depressed and the wicked resed / was without rule of goddes purueance . So the very ground of al hys heuynes / was ignorance or elles more verely to sey forgetyng of diuyn gouernance / as touchynge the kende of man / vich errour he was fallen in / by false deduction fro hys firste principles . for he graunted wel that god was maker & gouernour of al. but be cause that he sufferedde wycked folke to execute ther malyce vpon the goode / vyche execution ys very open wronge / to vyche wronge god that ys perfyt ryghtuous by no way may consente ▪ wherfore he supposed that god had forllete the gouernance of man / committynge ther rule to fortunes vnstabilyte Fro knouen principles by very tru deduction / a man ys brought to exclusion of errour by conclusions deduced of thys principle . So of thys principle that god gouerneth al as president to hys proper worke / viche Boyes confessed / hyt ensueth wel that god forleteth not the gouernance of man / but dresseth hys workes rightuously . To vyche conclusion thys clerke feled the contrary . The fallace of thys consequent of thys foule errour then ys founden in iii. thynges . One in false deduction . A nother in defaute of knouenge of the maner of gouernance . And the thirde of knouynge verely the kynde of man . In thys hys deduction fayled that . for cause god wetyngly suffereth wronges / he seyd other god consenteth to wronge ( viche ys inconuenient ) other he forleteth the gouernance / & suffereth in that wyse . but thys foloeth not / for he snffereth wronges knouyngly both by rightuous & by mercy & yet he consenteth not ne farleteh not hys gouernance By ryghtuesnes he may compelle no creature a geyn the principal properte of hys kende . But the properte of mannes wyl ys for to be fre to good or to yuel / than shal not god bereue hym that lyberte . but rightuosly suffereth hym chuse so that for hys goode chose he may deserue mede / & for hys bad chose he deserueth payn . yf god shuld bereue hym thys lyberte then fayled mercy / for them muste he nedes vtterly destroy hym / or put hym in to endles punesmente . for bereuynge the principal properte of a creature / that creature ys vtterly destroed . as bereue hete fro fyre / then ys yt no fyre Right so bereue lyberte fro fre wyl / then ys yt no wyl . But sy●h a spiret may not be destroyed . yf he shulde lese thys lyberte of wyl / 〈◊〉 muste then anone be put in to endles punishment / & thys muste a voyde mercy . Thys may be proued thus . yf god lefte thys euel vnponeshed finally / then might he seme to consente to euel / but that may he not no more ne may he leue yt finally vnponeshed . yf he berafte hym hys liberte / then might he neuer after deserue mede in releuynge of hys puneshment / & then muste he nedes be endles in payn / wherfore of mercy & of rightuesnesse he suffereth wickednesse . But here might be saed that god of hys goodnesse might lette the execution of suche malicious purpose / No doute so he doth for the more partey . For though malyce be executed / yet fayleth yt the ful entent of hys execution .

Prosa sexta . Capitulum xij . Primum igitur pateris . But firste she sayd wilt thou suffer me Now with a few demaundes for to fele The very kende of thy infirmyte And al the grounde to gropen euery dele that I may wete how thou might haue thy hele Boecius ) Now seyth on ꝙ I what ye luste That ye enserche my sore I wil hyt wel And I shal answere as me thynketh best Phia ) Sey meshe sayd hou is thys world demened As vhether by fortune hys variance Or elles thou trouest that hyt ys sustened By reson of som certen ordynance Boetius ) That god knoueth that hath al in gouernance Thys doute I not / but truly I beleue Come neuer that day that me befalle that chaunce Out of my herte that sentence for to meve Phia ) Right as thou sayest ꝙ she so hyt ys And in thy songe vhyle er right so thou mente But neuerthelater thy complaynte was thys That god on man set no gouernemente Ne to ther workes taketh he none entente That thynge yt was that thou gan wepe & we le Al other thynge thou woldest wel consente That god had set hyt at certen gouernele Oh that I wonder now ful hugely Syth thou in suche a sentence art y set That thou art seke af any malady Som thynge ther ys wherby thy hele ys let wherfore the grounde I shal enserchen bet Syth god hymselfe al thynges ruleth Thus sayest thou whyle er / but say me yet By what gouernmentes as the semeth Boecius ) your sentence ꝙ I haue I not conceyued I can not aunswere to your question Phia ) In soth ꝙ she now am I not deceyued The causes of thy perturbation I knowe them wel by estimation But sey me yet yf thou haue thys in thy mynde To what purpose by inclination Draeth fynally the comen cours of kynde Boecius ) I haue ꝙ I herd tel yt here be forn But drerynesse hath marred al my thought Phia ) yet hast thou not ꝙ she thy wyt forloren That thou ne wost ho hath thys world y wroght Boecius ) O god ꝙ I hath al thyng forth y broft Phia ) I wonder then she sayd how may thys be Of the begynnynge syth thou doutest nofte The ende may not ben vnknouen parde Thys ys the kynde of suche desturbelance That they may meue a man out of hys place But neuertheles suche maner of greuance Ne may hym not al vtterly arace Ne put hym fully fro the state of grace Might thou remembre that thou art a man Boecius ) In sothe ꝙ I thys were a wonder case yf I shuld not my self in mynde han Phia ) yet cannest thou ꝙ she tellen furdermore The kyndly ꝓperte of man what yt ys Boecius ( ye ꝙ I as I haue herde be fore A resonable beste with dedlynesse That I am suche I know & wyl confesse Phia ) Nought elles ꝙ , she knouest thou of thy kende Boecius ) In sothe ꝙ I noft elles as I gece Ne noght but thys can I haue in my mynde Phia ) A nother cause now know I wel ꝙ she Of thy desese & that I wonder grete wiche ys the ground of thyn infirmyte For what thou art thou hast thyself forgete wherfore the reson fully haue we gete Of thy desese / & furdermore a mene How that thou shalt yt vtterly forlete And thou to helthe be restored clene For cause thou art confounded in thy wyt with the forgetynge of thy self / for thy That fro thy good in exyle art thou put Thou wenest / & complaynest pyteosly And furdermore also as suppose I For thou ne knouest what the ende of thynges ys Thou trouest that wrecches ful of felony That they haue very might & welthynesse Thou hast forgete by wiche gouernementes Thys worlde ys led thys makest thou thy colour That these fortunes enterchaungementes Ben fletynge thus withouten gouernour Lo thes ben causes of ryght grete vygour Not only to sekenesse & desese But vnto deth yf that thou fayle socour That may the with these bytter paynes lese yet nature hath not al forsaken the worth thankes be the auctor of thy hele we haue yet one comfort that I se That shal thy sorow slaken euery dele Thys sothfast sentence haue we saued wel That god thys world hath in hys gouernance Thus thou beleuest as I conceue and fele And nought subiect to happes variance Ne drede the nought for of thys lytel schyn A lyfly hete shal spryngen in thy brest But for asmoche as mighty medycyn To geue the yet the tyme ys not best And for as moche as myndes thus opprest Haueth thys nature & condition That when they haue trew conceytes lest They clothe themself in false opynyon wherof derknesse & perturbation May wexen vp that fully wyl destroy The syghth of trew consideration wher for I shal a say sotelly To a voyde with some esey remedy Thys derke cloude yf yt may voyded be Of false affection / and esely The very lyȝth then migth thou know & see
Metrum . vij . Capitulum xiij . Nubibus atris condita nullum . The sterres couered with the cloudes blake Ne may not clerely casten doune ther lyȝth And when the wode south wynde doth a wake He waleweth vp the see withe hugy might The wawes then that were clere & bright Leke as the glasse or as the somers day with fylthe that ys resolued ben on hyghth And fro thes wawes letteth our sight alway The ryuer rennynge out of hye montens Is often tyme withstanden hugely As by som stone enconterynge ther a gens The wich ys fallen fro som rocke on hy yf thou therfore wilt seyn ententyfly with trew beholdynge truthes for to deme Loo / take thys pathe & holde yt certenly Gladnesse & drede out of thy hert thou fleyn Ne Ioy thou nought of worldly welthynes Ne drede the nothynge of thys worldly dyne Ne hope thou not that transytory ys Ne sorow thou nought but yf yt be for synne For euery thofte that thes regneth in Troble & derke yt ys & may not se He ys so wrast a way he may nofte wynne And brideled so that he may not be fre
Incipit Liber secundus .
Prosa prima . Capitulum secuudum . Post hec paulisper THen after thys a stounde she held her styl And when she by a temporet stylnesse Saw wel that myn attention & my wyl was set to heren her with sobernesse Thus she began yf yt be as I gese Quod she / that I the ground & cause knowe Of al the habyte of thy heuynesse I can the tellen fully as I trowe In thy desyre thou soroest & complaynest Vpon fortune that with the was a vhyle wich that hath peruerted as thou feynest Thastate of thy corage in thys exyle I vnderstande her wrenches & her wyle Of the ylke fortune wonderly dysgesed The wiche to them that so her lust begyle Not first in the / but euer she hath them vsed She wyl be plesant & famylyer Ful blandesshynge / ful softe & deboner Tyl that her leke for to chaunge her chere And atlast forlete them in despere Al out of hope that euer she wyl repayre yf that thou knew her kende & her deserte That thou by her ne haddest no thynge fayre Ne nought y loste thou shuldest know aperte But as I trow withouten grete trauayle we shal reuoken thys to thy science For thou were wont to dyspute & assayle with manly wordes drawen of my science when that she blandeshynge in thy presence So plesed the / but certen sothe ys thys Ther falleth neuer suche soden chaungementes That your corage somwhat ne chaunged ys So ys yt now befalle hyt ys no nay That thou art put out of tranquillyte But tyme yt ys to tasten & assay Som softe thynges that swete & lustey be That when yt hath hys deueyr don in the I hope yt shal the amende & dyspose That stronger drynkes may haue ther entre That shal the helen vp as I suppose Com forth now swetnesse retoryen with sotelty of thy suasyon Wiche only then thy wayes canst demene When thou ne leuest our institution Mysyke also with swetnesse of thy soun That art a damsel of our awne hous Attempre wel thy tunes vp & doune That to thys man may be delycyous what ys that man / wherof canst thou complayn what ys the cause of al thy heuynesse Som new or vncouth thynges hast thou seyn Fortune a geyn the only turned ys Now trouest thou so / than errest thou y wys For alway suche her maners hathe be But she hath kepte in the her stabelnesse That kendly standeth in mutabilyte Right suche she was with al her blandyshynge when she such flaterynge plesance gan the make To lere the lusten in thes wordly thynges That passeth right as dothe the cloudes blake Take hede / that blynd goddas hast thou take with doble face of doutful auenture For she yt ys that hath the now forsake Of whos frendshep ther may no man be sure yf thou approue in thyn opynyon Her goodnesse when she ys to thy plesance Take thou a worth than her condicyon And vse yt must thou with her varyance Complayn the nought make no contraryance And yf the greseth of her trechery Than cast her of / despyse her with mischaunce That to pley ys wont so harmfully The cause that hath the now with sorow schent Shuld moue the now with Ioy & lustinesse She hath the lefte / the wich er she be went Ther ys no wight that may haue sekernesse And holdest thou thys as for a welthynesse Of preciosty / that thus a way shal slyde And now so dere to the the presence ys Of thys fortune vnfaythful to a byde And when she goeth / to morne she yow maketh Sith halden at your wyl she may not be She leueth wrecches the that she forsaketh She ys nofte elles than / as semeth me That so vncertenly wyl fro yow fle But signe of mischef that shal after fal Loo than / ys thys al your felycyte Nought but a fayre that ye foloeth al For yt suffyseth not I the ensure Only to seyn one thynge that ys present The ende of thynges prudens doth mesure For vhy thys dyuers interchaungement For wele to woo that fortune hath the sent Hyt shuld the teche her manace noft to drede Ne to her blandyce take rygh none entent To her behestes take no maner hyde For at last the behoueth nede Sith thou hast ones in her yoke y drawe To suffer al that fortune wyl the bede with esey hert & stand thy lady awe And yf thou to thy lady wryte a lawe To go or come at thyn ordynance Thy labour loo / auayleth not an hawe Thou wrongest her with thyn vnsufferance Now suffer then & take yt not to strange Lest thou her feerser in her wrethe fynde And sherpe the swerdes wiche thou mayst not change Thou mayst her not compellen out of kende For yf thou haue thy sayle vp in the wynde Thou mayst not chuse where thou shalt arryue For what so be the purpose of thy mynde Thou must ther / as the weder wyl the dryue yf thou thy corn wolt in the feldes sowe Hyt may not wexen as thy wyttes fayn For in thy thought thou must conceue & knowe Som yeres ben plenteous & som bareyn Ne for to grow thou mayst yt not constrayn And yf yt fayle / therto what mayst thou done How euer yt be / to whom shalt thou complayn Lete nature al her self therwith alone Thou hast the put vnder the gouernance Of fortune / loo she muste thy lady be Vn to her maners owest thou obecyance And yf thou purpose to enforcen the To stent her vhele of mutabilyte Of al foules yet art thou the meste For when fortune standeth in stabilyte The name of fortune may no lenger leste
Metrum primum . Capitulum ij . Hec cum superba Philosophia loquitur . When that thus fortune with her handes proute Hath thus her stoundes changed to & fro As Erinus Erinus ys a ryuer that somtyme renneth one way / somtyme a nother so that she vseth no redy cours / ne certen in to nether partey . So fareth fortune byche indifferently and vncertenly geueth both mischeffe and prosperite . that renneth in and oute So wonderly her vhele begenneth to go Ful ryal kynges casteth she douue in woo The wich som tyme many a man gan drede And som that lyeth dyscomfet & vndo Loo thes vntrusty / lyfteth vp your hed She thus of wrecches hathe no pyte Thogh that they weyle & wepe day & nyght She scorneth eke so wonder hard ys she The waylyng that herself hath them dyght Loo thus she playeth thus proueth she her might To her seruantes shewynge many a wonder For he that hye in welthes was nowe right withyn an houre he lyeth casten vnder
Prosa ij . Capitulum iij. Vellem autem tecum . Philosophia loquitur . ME lnst to plede a lytel now with the with suche wordes as fortune may Loo sayth she / right now loke thyself & se Me semeth wel suche wordes might she say what ys the man / complaynynge euery day what haue I gylt / what wronge haue I the wroght what good of thyn haue I berafta way That was thyn awne or with thy selfen broght Assigne thou & I shal sone appere Be fore a Iuge that can thys case redresse And yf thou canst thy purpose prouen clere Of hye astate / ryches / or worthynesse To any man that leueth in dedlynesse That thes thynges shuld appropryat be And certenly I shal the graunt expresse That thyn yt was that thou now askest me When that nature in to thys world the brought Out fro thy moder where that thou began I toke the nedy / naked / & with nought And I the noryshed with my goodes than And al with fauor noreshed the to man wherfore impacient I fynde the now Haue I the wronged / tel me yf thou can As in vhat poyntes / wher with / & as how with al goodes longynge to my right I had the fully fret wyth habundance why shuld yt not be fully in my might As fro the same / wiche that I avaunce Myn hand withdrauen after my plesance The Ioyes thou haddest that was of my grace Hyt was not thyne / take yt for no greuance with wronge thou the complaynest in thys case Why playnest thou I do the no duresse Ne violence as euery man may trowen wel leketh me suche honour & ryches Ryght as me leketh fully to be stawen The mayne nede must ther lady knowen with me they come & with me must they wende Thys dare I say yf they had ben thyn awne Thou mightest neuer haue lost them in thys kende wher I be she that only am forhyght To execute the custome of my lawe The heuen may the dayes make bryght And eke at nyght she may her lyght withdrawe The yere also the erthe may bestrawe withe floures & them efte with wynter shynde The see may now be calme withouten wawe And now with styffe stormes torne & wende But the sayd vnfulsome mannes couetyse Me wold now to stabelnesse bynde A genst myn awne maner & my wyse But thys my might ys / thys play ys my kynde My swyfte vhyle thus vp & doune I wynde The hye & low to enterchaungen ofte That now be forn ys / efte mot be behynde That now ys law / me lust to set a lofte Now worth vpon my vhele yf that the lust But on thys couenant that I shal the say Thou must descend a geyn ther to thou trust when that the reson asketh of my play Ne knew thou not my maners er thys day How Cresus that was called kynge of Lyde That Cyrus ofte a fered with grete a fray yet Cyrus toke hym in hys most pryde And in the fyre he cast hym for to brenne Loo how the effecte was torned to reuerse A lytel rayne defended hym fro then what befel hym after bokes doth reherse And when that Paule had take the kynge of Perse Thys Paule gan on hym wepe for pure pyte what cryeth al tragedyens verse But playneth al on myn vnstabylyte Tragedyes hen dytes made of certen persons / vyche begynnethe in welthe and prosperyte / and endeth in myscheffe & aduersyte They wepeth that sodenlyche I smyte And welful realmes ofte I ouerthrowe Thou lerned thys when thou were yonge & lyte Thou hast not yet forgeten as I trowe That Iupiter ij . tonnes had bestowe Withyn the thresfold of hes celer layed That one was good wyne euery man to knowe That other nofte / now hast thou both assayed And vhat yf thou more plenty hast y take Lo of the better part of lustynesse what yf I yet haue the not al forsake what yf so be that myne vnstabelnesse May geue the hope of better after thys For vhy dysmay the no thynge in thy thought Ne withyn the realme that comen ys Thy proper law to vse / couete the nought
Metrum ij . Capitulum iiij . Si quantas rapidus . Phia loquitur . Though plenty wiche that cleped ys goodes Of wordly good / wold cast vn yow at ones As many habundances of rychesse Loo as the see hath smale grauel stones Other as sterres when ful many one ys Ful clerly shynynge in a lusty euen yet thys mankend of ther ruthful mones Ne ther complayntes can they not leuen And thogh that god of hys benygnyte Ther prayer here & gladly wold them plese And of hes goodes graunt them gret plente Of ryches & honour fully to ther ese Ther couetys yet / may ther no thynge pese Ther cruel rauen gapeth after more And alway ben complaynynge of desese And set at nofte al that they had before what maner brydel might a man deuyse Thys wrecched lust to rulen & restrayn To thys vnthryfty mennes couetyse That euer the more they haue the more they pleyn The thurst of hauynge brenneth them with peyn For he that nedeles so fereful ys And weyleth so / forsoth I dare wel sayn He ys not ryche thogh al the world were hys
Prosa iij. Capitulum v. Hijs igitur verbis . Phia loquitur . yf that fortune might for her selfen sayn Ryght in thes wyse as I haue sayd to the Thou hast not what one word to speke a geyn And yf thou haue now say yt vn to me Defend thy quarel ( yf thou canst ) let see Thou shalt be herd tyl that thou haue rehersed And yf thou canst not let thy playntes be Vnlaful quarel ought to ben amerced Boecius ) Certen ꝙ I ful fayre ys thys to hyre Of retoryke al ful / & hony swete wiche only whyle they souneth in myn ere They lusteth wel / but sone yt ys forgete For my desese so light ys not to lete For al so smartly as your songe ys cessed The gruggynge of my greuance ys so grete That al my mynde with mornynge ys oppressed Phia ) Right so yt ys she saed / but yet for that Thys ys no remedy for thy sekenesse But a geyn thy sorwes obstynat A geyn thyn helthe yt ys a manar lesse But when I see that better seson ys Of suche as shal the percen to the rote I shal the serue / & al that ys a mysse Hyt shal redresse & hoelly be thy bote But lest that thou thy self a wrecche holde Now wold I wete where thou remembre not The maner of thy welthes many a folde Boecius ) I hold my pees ꝙ I saeth on your thoght Phia ) when thou she saed were so low y broght As orphelyn in maner desolate Fortune for the so goodly had y wroght Thou were in cure of men of hye astate And drawen sithe in to affynyte Of prynces & of men of gouernance Ful lefe to lordes / er thou mightest be Ought worth thy self in wordly suffysance And set in hye degre of allyance Ho saed not then that thou were fully bleste Thy fader in law whom vertu doth avaunce Thy wyf also so goodly & honest Thy sonnes bothe syttynge by thy syde your worshyppe went on euery mannes mouth And for to lete thes comen thynges slyde what dygnytes thou haddest in thy youthe That to ful olde men ben werned in sothe But I delyte to tellen more expresse Of soleyn thynges stranger & vncouth How thou were wrapped al in welthynesse yf any thynge that mortal ys in kende with eny frute of blysse be founden here Ther may no myschef put out of thy mynde That day that whan thy sonnes both in fere Hadden take th astate of consuyler And with asemble fro thy hons y lad Of senatours & lordes that there were withe hugy presse of people blyth & glad And than in court vhen that thou sawe them sytte In setes belongynge to ther dygnyte Ther wonne thou Ioy of eloquence & wyt As pronouncer of kynges nobylyte Of al that folke behaldynge vpon the And with thy preysynge as victoryous So wel thou feddest al that comynalte with geftes of thy wordes gloryous Thou feoffedest fortune then with wordes gay whyle she the norshed in her awne delyce And suche guerdon fro her thou bare a way The wiche in sothe was so hye a pryce That neuer before that day at my deuyce She graunted not vnto no comyner wylt thou a counte with fortune / art thou wyse Of a rereage thou shalt not passen clere For now at arst she hathe on the beholde And prynched on the with a bytter ye But now consyderynge clerely yf thou wolde The maner of thy welthes by & by Of al thy Ioys leuynge lustely And in that other syde thy heuynesse A counted al / yet mayst thou not denye That thou ne hast yet a part of welthynesse And yf thou hold thy self infortunate Now for asmoche as thes that welthes semen Ben passed thus / no cause hast thou for that That thou in mischef shuld thy selfen demen For thes sorowes that trobeleth thus thyn hert And haldest them as for a greuous peyne Ne doute the nought but fro the wyl they stert Then art thou set in welthynesse a geyn And wylt thou trow that thou the first be That to thys lyf came as a soden gyst Or wylt thou trow that any stabylyte In mannes lyf be where vpon to trust Thys knouest thou wel yt ys nothynge vnwyst That in an houre a man ys at an ende Loo al your lyf with deth so ys bet wyst Now here ye ben / & here a way ye wende And yf so be as yt betydeth selde That in fortune ys any faythfulnesse Abydynge with man tyl he the gost vp elde The last day yet of your lyf y wys A maner deth eke vnto fortune ys what fo rs ys than wher she the forsaketh Fleynge fro the of her vntrustynesse Or thou fro her / when deth a way the taketh
Metrum iij. Capitulum vj. Cum polo phebus . Philosophia loquitur VHen that phebus begynneth for to sprede Her bryght bemes out on euery syde As by the mornynge / the sterres for drede They wexeth pale begynnynge them to hyde Forestes eke that large ben and wyde Ful fresly in the first somer ceson The zephirus ryght as yt were for pryde with floures hath depaynted / yow to plesen And when that auster putteth out hys hornes And bytter blastes gynneth for to blow A bateth than the beutey of the thornes Thus al your lustes passeth in a throw The see also as euery man may know Now may be calme withouten mouone And sodenly er any man wyl trow wyth tempest ys yt torned vp so doune And syth the forme of al thys wordly thynges So selden ys yt that yt standeth stable But chaungeth by so many varyenges And mannes fortune ys so transmutable Than wolt thou trust to goodes deceyuable Thys ys a law withouten chaungementes Ther may no thynge be kendly perdurable That ys engendred of these elementes
Prosa iiij . Capitulum vij . Tum ego / vera inquam Boecius loquitur . Than sayd I thus / O worshypful noryshe Alle vertu to feden and susteyne In al my wyt / but yf I were vnwyse I can not wete but sothe ys that ye sayn And of my fortune sothe yt ys certen That wonder smartly hath she me enhaunced But here vpon yt ys that I complayn That she vndoth wiche that she had avaunced For of myshappes to rehersen al Hyt ys the worst / for to ben wel And in to myschef aster to ben fal For thys must shend a very hert of stele Phia ) Though thou ꝙ she thus in thy wyttes fele By false conceyte of thyn opynyon The truthe ne agreueth the neuer a dele To wyte yt her / yet hast thou no reson And yf thys Idel name of welthynesse That so vncerten ys / yet moueth the with me now come & thyn a countes gesse Of thynghes wiche as yet ) thou hast plenty The wiche thou haddest euer in most deynte when al in rychesse fortune had the fret How migh thou playn of thy felycyte Sith that thou hast thy best goodes yet yet hoole & sounde the fader of thy wyf He leueth loo / honor & reuerence Of al man kende / wich thou with thy lyf woldest gladly obey standynge in hys defence Symmachus made of al sapience Al ful of vertu & of honeste Thogh he be suer of any violence As to hym self / yet weyleth he for the Thy wytty wyf so ful of sobernesse So chaste / so honest / & so debonaer In short to conclude al her worthynesse Leke to her fader as hys kendly heyer Ful loth her lyf she ledeth in despaer Only to the she kepeth her careful gost Thys one thynge ys that may thy welth apayre Thys graunt I wel & do mone yt most And of thy sonnes wiche ben consulers what shal I sayn / but shortly that they be In maner prynte & as exemplares Both of ther elder fader & of the And euery mortal thynge as thou mayst se Vpon thys hath hys princypal besynes Thys lyue to kepe fro al infirmyte And vn to man the derest thynge yt ys And these to the ben derer than thy lyfe I dare yt wel affermen certenly Lo Symmachus / thy sonnes / & thy wyfe Thou hast them yet now lete thy teres dry For yet fortune ys not thyn enemy In al / so ferforthe as thyself faynest Ne yet ys not on the so feruently The tempest fallen as thou the complaynest For vhy good holdyng hath thyn anker hent They ben ful strong & cleueth wonder fast The wiche / thy comfort of thys tyme present Ne hope of better / suffereth not to ben past Boecius ) Ow god ꝙ I thou graunt yt that they last For vhyle they haldeth how that euer yt stand Or how that euer thes wicked wyndes wrast Yet in som maner shal we flete a lande But how grete bewty of myne apparel Is fro me gon / yowselfen seyth yt best Phia ) I haue ꝙ she yf yt may ought a vayle Promoted somwhat that thou were in rest But yf so be thou thy selfen tempest Dysplesed with the sort of al thy lyf How shuld than thy myschef be redrest yf thou wolt alway set thyself in stryf But I ne may not suffer thy delyce Complaynynge with so greuous heuynesse Alway coniectynge so in thy deuyse That somwhat wanteth of thy welthynesse For hoys that that leueth in dedlynesse That in hys welthes standeth so ordynat That he ne stryueth alway more or lasse with the qualyte of hys astate Ful anguesous they ben as for the nones The kende of wordly welth I sey / for vhy For other they cometh not al at ones Or they ne standeth neuer stabelly For thes hath ryches loo habundantly Hym shameth that hys lynage ys so lowe And thes loo ys renouned nobelly Yet had he leuer for pouerte ben vnknowe Another hath both renoune & ryches He hath no wyf wherfore he ys dysplesed Thes hath a wyf that to hym lusty ys Defaute of yssue maketh hym be desesed He note ho with hys goodes shal be sesed And thes hath yssue to hys lust perchaunce yet haply of ther vyce he ys vnesed And weyleth of ther wicked gouernance wherfore in sothe ther ys no wight that can with proper fortune hold hemself a paed For why som thynge ys feled of euery man That none knoweth but he that hath assaed And he that knoueth he ys therof afrayed Set thys therto the euery welful wight Ful tender ys to suffer & mysapayed Yf al thynge fal not to hys wyl a ryght And he that wordly ys most fortunate And set most hyely in prosperyte Ful lytel thynge hys blysse may abate That ys not vsed in aduersyte How many trouest thou in thys world ther be yf that they had the lest blysse of . vij . That I can tel of thy felicyte They wold supposen that they were in heuen Thys place of exyle as thou hast yt named Good contre ys to them that in yt ben And neuer the wors thogh yt of the be blamed Thou art no wrecche but thou thyself yt wene Thogh fantasy haue brought the thus in tene And euery fortune ther a geyn ys good Ho so can in pacience hymself demene And suffer softly with an esy mode Now tel me thus what wilful man ys that That stondeth in blysse as he can deuyse That somtyme nold changen hys astate whan pacience ys put out of seruyse what trobel with your welthes many a wyse Is menged / yf ye coude yt haue in mynde Thogh they be swete to suche as them vse They wyl not be with hold when they wende Than may ye seyn by open euydence The myschef of these mortal thynges thus They standeth not thogh thou haue pacience Ne lusteth not in al thy anguysous O foly / vnwyt / so erroneus Of mortal folke sekynge themselfe withoute your welthynesse & hyt so plentuous Is set withyn yourself withouten doute I shal the shewe of thy felycyte A soueren poynte / entend what I shal say Is any thynge so dere worth vnto the As ys thyself thou wolt aunswere me nay yf thou be hole thyn awne conclude I may Thou haste that thou ne woldest forlete The wiche fortune may not bereuen a way Tyl thou thyself yt wylfully forfete And that thou know that thynges temporel May not be suche wherin thou shuldest fynde Thy blysfulnesse / now vnderstand me wel And take thes wordes hoelly to thy mynde Sith blysfulnesse ys souerayn good of kynde Hose lyf ys reson & intellygence And souerayn good ys thynge that hath no ende Ne may beraft the by no vyolence Than vpon thys I may conclude & seyn That thes fortunes mutabilyte To blesfulnesse may no thynge atteyne Ne ys not had by suche vnstabylyte And whan so that thys false felicyte Thus carieth forth / he wote or wote yt not How false she ys & alway hath y be Thys diuision ys immedyat yf he ne wote hyt not he ys deceyued what blysse may be than in thys ignorance And yf so be he hath wel a perceyued The maner of her kyndly varyance He dredeth than with ful grete greuance To lese that thynge that lyghtly may be gon So that thys drede with longe continuance withdraweth hys blysse wiche that he trust vpon Other yf yt be so that he lese hys blysse He weneth to stande in repreffe & in scorn And no dout ful lytel good yt ys whos loste with esey hert may be born And thou art he to vhom that here be forn Hyt hathe be shewed by demonstration That mannes soule ne may not be forlorn As thynge that turneth to corruption And clere yt ys that al thys wordly wele As fro yow men with deth a way shal wende● Than may yt not be douted neuer a dele But sothe yt ys by reson & by kende yf wordly blysse shuld be your fynal ende And very forme of al your welthynesse Than euery creature of mortal kende with deth muste tornen in to wrecchednesse But we haue wyst of many one here be fore To seke the frute of blysse in ther entent That haueth yt bought ful bytterly & sore By deth / by dolour / by paynes & torment How myght yt be then that thys lyffe present with any lustes / might yow welful make Syth yt ys so that vhen thys lyffe ys went They be no wrecches wiche hyt hath forsake
Metrum iiij . Capitulum viij . Quisquis volet Phia loquitur . HO so that lust to byld hemself a sete That shuld be mighty / sure / & perdurable That bytter Eurus brese yt nought ne bete Ne fers floddes make yt not meueable The hye hylles be not profytable And moystey sandes must he nedes exchew For on the mounteyn may no thynge be stable Nether in sande no thynge be trwe For vhy / the south wynd bloweth sore a lofte That on the monteyn may no thynge be sure And sandes that so lose ben & softe An heuy borden may they not endnre To fle therfore thys perylous aduenture A syker sete to set thy self a a pone Take thys in mynde & do therto thy cure To byld a law howse on a syker stone That ys to sayn that thou shalt set al thy mynde Vpon that blysse that euer shal a byde And thogh so fal that the woode wynde Torne vp & downe the see on euery syde In very rest / thou mayst thy selfen hyde As in thy castel ful of blesfulnesse In lusty age then shal the wel betyde And set at nought thys wordly wrecchednesse
Prosa v. Capitulum ix Sed quoniam rationum . Phia loquitur . BVt for asmoche as I haue don thys By my reson descendynge in to the To vsen now ( I trow that tyme ys ) Some medycyne that more mighty be Now vnderstande / al were yt so parde That goodes wiche that fortune hath bestowen Shuld standen euer in perdurabelte How might thou euer accompte them for thy awne And thes same that ye acompte them best yf that they were consydred as they ought Ful foule they sholden seme & dyshoneste And ben a compted for a thynge of nought Now of ryches how semeth in thy thought why ben they good / vhether of ther proper kynde Or for they ben in to your ward y brought And shuld ben good tyl that they fro yow wende What ys yt . / gold wiche that ye cal ryches Or money gadred in your tresory But these sheweth more ther worthynesse In puttynge out / then kepynge pryuely For auarous men ben hated comenly And euery wight wyl haue them in dysdeyn And tho that wyl dyspenden largly They shal haue loue & worshyp ther a geyn And thys good that thou dyspendest thus when yt ys spent a bydeth not with the Than ys thy money only precyous when thou yt hast pnt a way fro the Than in dyspendynge lyeth the precyouste Of your tresour & not in hepes grete Hyt stent yow neuer at no comodyte Ne auayleth no thynge tyl yt be forlete And what yf al the gold that al men han As hyt ys now in dystribution were assembled in an hepe / and than One man hyt had in hys possession Thys gold then by thys supposition Al other men muste nedy make & bare And one man ryche thys ys no question Beleuynge after al the world in care A voyce vniuersal ( I may conclude ) At ones may without apeyrement Fulfylle the yeres of a multytude your ryches ys not so suffycyant For tyl they be departed & y spent To many men ne may they not be taken And thes men fro whom they ben y went They leue them poure when they haue them forsaken O streyte & poure that ryches may I cal wyche al men ne may not haue at ones Ne one haue al / but yf that other al For pouerte & for nede make ther mones And eke I meruel that thes precyous stonys That ye be haldeth them so lustely And fayneth bewty in thynges where none ys And ther hyt ys ye can hyt not a spy And what thynge ys hyt ? brightnesse of colour why that thys perry semeth yow so fayre Thys wete ye wel the bryghtnesse ys not your Ne nought of yow / but only hyt ys ther As by a lyght reboundynge in the ayer And moche I meruel vhy ye wonder so On thynges that may be a mende ne payre Your kendly good by noght that they may do what thynge ys that that lacketh lyffe & lyght what may be lekened to a creature That bereth lyffe / & reson hath ther wyth That shuld be demed fayre as by nature And thogh they drawe a bewty in fygure Of hym that made hyt / yet in your presence They may not worthy ben in no mesure To be merueled of your excellence And where thes feldes that ben fayre & grene So ful of floures delyteth ought your syght Boecius ) why shuld they not sayd I sith that they ben A fayre part of the worke of god al myght For so som tymes when the see ys bryght we wonder moche / & when the heuen ys clere Vpon the mone & sterres in the nyght And on the sonne that shyneth a monge ous here Phia ) But apperteyneh ꝙ she ought to the Mayst thou that bewty in thy selfen fynde Darst thou reioycen that they in the be As thynge subiected in thy propre kynde Art thou depaynted semeth in thy mynde with floures of the fyrst somer seson Or art thou as a tre wyth rote & rynde Mayst thou noryshe frutes ? trouest thou thys by reson And vherfore art thou rauesshed so in veyn As thogh thes goodes shuld be thyn awne The wyche fro the ben vtterly foreyn And wonder fer as euery man may knowen For vhy fortune ( thou mayst hyt fully trowen Ne may not make them thyn for to ben The wych nature hathe elles vhere bestowen And vtterly made fro the alyen For vhy the frute that doth on erthe encrecen Deserueth vnto bestes sustynance And lytel thynge your nede may a cessen So that nature haue her suffysance why shuldest thou then desyre abundance And aske of fortune superfluyte Syth that nature may haue her plesance wyth lytel thynge in pryse & quantyte And yf thou wolt her suffysance oppresse wyth superfluyte surfetously Other hyt wyl the brynge in heuynesse Other elles the a noyen greuously But of thys one thynge certen meruyl I That thou woldest semen fayre & gloryous As for to ben clothed ryally In dyuers shappe & colour precyous For yf in clothes any bewty be wher by the syght ys fayre & aggreable That apperteyneth no thynge vnto the But that mater hald I meruylable Other the wyt of hym ys commendable That made thys thynge thys may be cause of wond But that thou shuldest therfore be honorable As in your kend / ye ben ful fer a sounder Or for to walken wyth a hugy route And of mayne to be copyous May make the blysful / nay wythouten doute For I suppose that they ben vycyous They ben a greuous charge vnto thy house And may be cause of thy destruction And what yf they be good & vertuous And very honest of condytion why shuld ther vertue other honeste Be accompted as parte of thy ryches Or wherfore shuldest thou commended be Or haue a thanke of foreyn worthynesse Loo in al thes rehersed here expresse The wyche as thou acomptest in thy thoght As for thy goodes clerely as I gesse I haue the shewed that thyn be they nought In wych thynges as I haue sayd beforn yf thou no lusty bewty canst fynde why soroest thou that thou them hast forloren Or of the hauynge enIoyest in thy mynde yf they be fayre as of ther awne kynde what may that apperteyn vn to the For had they ben fro the wythouten ende Also fayre & lusty had they be For no doute they be not precyous For thou them hast & kepest besely But for they semed the delycyous Thou them accompest in thy tresory what craue ye then wyth so gret a cry That ye on fortune calleth thus alwey wyth abundance in sothe / as suppose I ye seketh for to dryven nede a way But yet the contrary to your entent doth fal For yow nedeth helpe ( not lytel ) to maynteyn And for to kepe your precyous thynges al Lest so be fal that ye hyt lese a geyn So moche the more your labour ys in vayn That ye must lyue in heuynesse & drede And thys ys soth also that I shal sayn Ho so myche hath / of moche thynge hath nede And lytel thynge hym nedeth certenly That can hys plenty mesure on thys wyse Ryght euen as nature nedeth kendly And not vnto the lust of couetyce Ne can yow not your selfen better aduyse To se what good ys set your self wythyn But nedes wyl ye seken & deuyse In strange thynges your goodes for to wynne And thus of thynges that shuld be worthyest The ordre ys peruerted vp so downe The wyche ys called a dyuyne best By kendly myght & meret of reson Ne can not knowen hys awne condytion Nor se the meret of hys excellence But by the desyre of vayn possessyon Trusteth wordly ryches to be hys defence Al other bestes haldeth them self a payed Of bewty that wythyn them self ys But ye men the wyche as I haue sayd your god hath set yow in suche a worthynesse That in your soules ye bereth hys lekenesse And be in kende so nobel a creature ye seketh here by fylthe & wrecchednesse To enblemesshe your excellent nature ye vnderstande not ne wyl not se what wronge ye do vnto your creatour Syth he man kynd hath set in thys degre Al erthly thynges to excede in vaylour ye do your dygnyte grete dyshonour To thrast hyt vnder most vnworthy thynges Ryght as hyt were a lord & gouernour wold make hym subiecte to hys vnderlynges For yf ye shuld haue thys entention That al thynge wyche ys had of euery wyght Shuld more be set of reputation Than he that hath or aweth hyt by ryght ye do your self shame & grete vnhyght So foule thynges / syth ye deme them youres Submyttynge yow as in your awne syght To thynges wher of ye ben the possessours At your desert thys falleth verament The kynde of man loo standeth in thys degre That only than he ys most excellent when that he knoweth hys awne dygnyte And ther a geyn eftsones when that he Ne can not knowe hys awne worthynesse He ys be nethen bestyalyte And vndercast to al wrecchednesse A rude best hys nature vseth thus To may not knowe hemselfen kyndly In man hyt ys ful foule & vycyous Hys nature to forleten folely And thus your errour sheweth openly Ther ye supposeth that such accydentes your kende that ys so worthy & so hy Shold make fayre by foreyn ornamentes Hyt may not be that reson hath forfended For yf suche accydentes be fayre & gay Thes accydentes ought to be commended But that couered thynge hyt ys no nay In hys fylthe a bydeth styl al way And I denye & vtterly dyspreue That any thynge ys good / that harmen may Or ought the hauer noyen or a greue Now ys thys soth in certen as I gesse Thou wolt hyt say / I gabbe not of thys For ofte hyt falleth that tresour & ryches Maketh her lordes for to fare a mysse Syth euery wrecched foule that cursed ys Suche gold & tresour vhos that euer hyt be He wyl coueyte & wyl that hyt were hys And therfore put hys lyffe in Ieparde And only them he holdeth worthyest That of suche gold & tresour haueth ynow For vhy he besyeth hym wyth outen rest To haue that good ne recketh he not how But thou that leuest in suche a drede now As though thou shuldest wyth swerd or spere be stonge Haddest thou ben poure hyt had ben for thy prow Be fore the theffe thou mayst haue gon & songe Oh / wonder clere ys thys felycyte Of mortal thynge & worthy to be softe That reueth a man of hys tranquyllyte And maketh hym destrobled in hys thoght I note how dere that blysse may be boght A man to wynne suche a welfulnesse Thou art in pees the vhyle thou hast hyt noght when thou hyt hast thou lesest thy sykernesse
Metrum . v. Capitulum x. Felix nimium prior etas . Phia loquitur . Ful wonder blysful was that rather age what tyme that men couth halde them self a payd To fede them self wyth out suche outrage Wyth mete that trew feldes had a rayd Wyth akernes ther hunger was a layd And so they couth cessen ther talent They had as yet no quenty craft assayd As clarrey for to make / ne pyment To dye purper couthe they not bethynke The whyte flees wyth venem tyryen The rennynge ryuer gaue them lusty drynke And holsom slepe they toke vpon the grene The Pynus that so ful of branches ben That was ther hous to kepe them vnder shade The see to kerue no shyppes were ther seyn Ther was no man that marchaundyse made Them leked not to saylen vp & downe But kept them self ther they were bred Tho was ful husche the cruel claryoune wyth eyger hate ther was no blod y shed Ne ther with was none armour yet be bled For in that tyme ho durst haue ben so wood Suche bytter wondes that he wold not dred wythouten mede for to lese hys blood I wold our tyme myght tornen certenly And thes maners alway wyth ous dwel But loue of hauynge brenneth feruently More ferser than the very fyre of hel Allas ho was that man that wold hym mel Thys gold & gemmes that were couered thus That fyrst began to myne I can not tel But that he found a perel precyous
Prosa . vj. Capitulum .xj. Quid autem de dignitatibus Phia loquitur . But furdermore what shal I tel or sayn Of hye power or elles of dygnyte The wyche ye magnyfyeth so in vayn As thogh they shold as hye as heuens be Rygh as a thynge of hye felycyte And folely ye fayleth al a mysse Ne can ye not wythyn your wyttes se where that very dygnyte & power ys And yf hyt so be that a wrecched wyght As often hath hyt fallen hyre before In hye astate or dygnyte be dyght How fers a flod may harmen yow so sore The fyre of Ethna may not harmen more That blasteth out & brenneth euery syde Suche a wreche had better ben vnbore Than suche astates shuld to hym betyde And certes thou remembreste as I gesse Of the consulers dygnyte That was the hyeste astate of worthynesse In the begynnynge of your lyberte They were so ful of pryde & cruelte wherfore your elders wold hyt haue remeued And for the same cause fro your cyte The name of kynge was voyded & repryued And yf so be that good men be reysed To hye astate as selden ys that chaunce Ho ys therfore of reson to be preysed Not that astate / but ther good gouernance So than in vertu lyeth the suffysance wher by that honour cometh to dygnyte And dygnyte not by contraryance Maketh not vertu worshypful to be Thys power wich that ys so sore y softe So dere worthe & so clere in your entente what thynge ys hyt / & vhy behald ye nofte To wiche thynges ye ben presydent And vher vpon your power ys extent what yf thou sawe a wrecched mouse alone To cleymen power or gouernment Of other myse / thou woldest laught sone And yf thou woldest behalden in thy mynde what ys the mortal body of a wight A freyler thynge ne shalt thou none fynde That lesse hath of power or of might How sone yt may beflayed or a fryght Or ded by bytynge of a lytel flye Or by some worme that crepen may in ryght withyn a mannes body preuely And ho ys he that may do strength or fo rs Or vsen might or power / say me thys But only on a corruptyble cors Right of the same kende / that ys hys Other on thynge / that more vnworthy ys As on fortune / or vhose might may attayne By hye astate / power ●or worthynesse A fre corage to arteyn or constrayn Stedfast that hath hemself in rest And knetteh hymself in reson euery dele Mayst thou hys pece beryue out of hys brest vn to thy wyl hys purpose to compelle Of suche a man ( zeno ) as some tyme yt be felle A tyrant wold haue arted hym by peynes A certen counsel to be wrey and telle The wiche that was conspyred hym a geynes But then thys man bote of hys tonges ende And in hys face hyt spete / so that he Thys torment wiche thys same tyrant wende To haue ben mater of hys cruelte Thys wyse mau to shew hys lyberte Of fre corage that may not be constrayned He made yt cause of vertu for to be And set at nought how sore that he were peyned And what ys that of auger or of grame wherwith a man a nother may oppresse That he ne may susteyne of hym the same yf afterwarde suche aduenture encresse As we haue lerned that Busirides Hys awne gestes often had slayn And afterward hemself of Hercules That was hys geste : was don to deth a geyn And Regulus ful many one in batel Of men of affryke / as thou hast yt rad Had taken vhen he had gouernayle And cast them in to bondes sore & sad And afterward in maner was he glad For fere of payn to put forth hys handes To tho that first of hym were sore a drad Than was he fetred in the same bondes And woldest thou setten by a mannes might That may not lette the same thynge be wrought vn to hym selfen of the same wight The wiche he hathe in to desese y brought And yf so were as semeth in thy thought yf hye astate might kendly conteyn Any proper good / I ne doute yt nought To wicked folke ne shuld yt nener atteyn Contrarious thynges that maner hath not vsed As for to ben coniuned & y met For euer yet nature hyt hath refused And syth that often wycked men ben set In hye astate as yt wyl not be let Than seweth thys that no good kendly Hath that astate that suffereth to be knet To suche that ledeth ther lyues wyckedly And loo the same I may wel deme of al Fortunes goodes be they more or lesse That most abundantly be wont to falle To wycked people ful of cursednesse For of al thes I may suppose & gesse That ho so hathe strength a myghty man he ys And in whan may be founden grete swyftnesse That man ys swyft / so most yt nedes be Thus musyke maketh a musytion And phisyke a physition to be Thus rethoryke maketh a retoryen The kende of euery thynge ( we may wel se Most nedes induce hys kendly properte Ne suffereth not to be coniuned to None effectes of contraryouste But al aduerse thynges putteth hym fro But loo your wordly ryches hath not that For to restrayne your cursed auaryce Neyther the power of none hye astate May make hym stronge that ys bound in vyce That ledeth hys lyffe in lustes & delyce Ne dygnyte in shreued folke bestaued Maketh not them the worthyer of pryce But rather maketh them vnthryfty to be knowed And vhy ys thys ? in soth for ye delyten And reioycen in your fantasy False names on thynges to conterfeten Al other / than becometh them kendly For vhy / the effectes preueth openly That dygnyte / that power / that rychesse Ther names bereth al vn to As I haue shewed / yt sueth euen expresse And too thys same I may concluden wel Of al fortunes thynges ( as semeth me ) In wich ther ys no bounte naturel Ne cause vhy they shuld desyred be For selde yt ys as euery man may se They Ioyneth them to good & vertuous
As may th astate 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 And 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
Metrum ij . Capitulum iiij . Quantas rerum flectat . Phia loquitur . HYt lust to shewen by subtyl songes And by the so●ne of delectable strenges How that 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 the 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 ayenwarde 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. Capitulum v. Vos quoque 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 vnto 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 ꝙ I that 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 ꝙ she the cause vhy That som thynge lacked the as dyst thou 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 ꝙ I Phia ) Thou wyllest ꝙ she the presence of that one And the absence of that other than Boecius ) ꝙ I I graunt I can not go ther fro Phia ) Now than ꝙ s ; he nedeth euery man The same thynge that he desyreth to Boecius ) Ful soth hyt ys ꝙ I hym nedeth so Phia ) Now than ꝙ 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 ꝙ I so hyt ys expresse Phia ) Than ys hyt so ꝙ 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 ꝙ I to your sentence Phia ) And what ꝙ she thogh that 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 fo rs or fraude & asketh hyt a geyn Boecius ) In sothe ꝙ I hyt ys ryght as ye seyn Phia ) Loo then ꝙ 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 ꝙ I PHia ) And then ꝙ she shold hym nede none Of suche defense ne ward certenly Ne had he that money that he may forgon Boecius ) Ther ys ꝙ I no doute ther vpon Phia ) Loo than ꝙ 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 thou gesse wher they ne may no cold in wynter fele But vnto thys thou wolt aunswere me sone That ryche men haue vherwyth euery day Ther cold / ther thurst / ther hunger to for done As vnto 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 that 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
Metrum iij. Capitulum vj. Quamuis 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 . Capitulum . 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 thou 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 that 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 ywent 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
Metrum iiij . Capitulum viij . Quamuis 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. Capitulum ix . An vero regna . Phia loquitur . BVt what trowest thou for to ben a kynge Other wyth kynges to ben famylyer woldest thou hold hyt for a noble thynge That may the make strong & mighty here Boecius ) what elles ꝙ I shold I trow yt were Phia ) ye ꝙ 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 that 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 agast 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 that 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
Metrum v. Capitulum 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. Capitulum 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 that 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 thou were commended 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

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 water accordeth in moysture / & they dyscordeth in hete & colde . for ayer ys hote & water cold . wyche dyscorde lettethe them to medle . water & erthe accordeth in cold & dyscordeth in moysture & drythe / for the erthe ys dry & the water moystey Fyre & erthe accordeth in drouthe so that the erthe may not dysioyne fro hys place / ne the fyre fro hys & they dyscord in cold & hete / wherefore they may not medle but euerych kepeth hys kendly place . Also the elementes that of qualyteys ben contrary / he byndeth to gether by intermene elementes acordynge in qualyteys wyth bothe / as fyre & water that ben very contrary in qualyteys / ben bounden to gedres wyth ayer that ys intermene acordyng wyth fyre in hete & wyth water in moysture . Erthe and ayer ben knet to gedres by water that ys entermene accordyng wyth erthe in cold & wyth ayer in moysture .

For clere vnderstandyng of thys chapytre / hyt ys for to know that he that shal helpe a nother / hyt nedeth that he be myghty / wyse / and wel wylled . For yf a thyng be asked of a man the wyche he may not do ne can not / ne hys wyl skylefully may not consent / of very ryght he may denye hyt / for no suche thyng ought to be asked . Therfore fyrst he sheweth the suffysance of god in myght / in asmoche as he gouerneth al the worlde / not by grete labour as creaturs gouerneth / but by perdurable reson . For syth he fyrst set the world in gouernance the natural progression neuer varyed / but haldeth hymself alway in the fyrste ordynance . Also in producynge of creaturs he sheweth hys beneuolence & good wyl to al that ys consonant to reson . In that he sheweth that ys to say In that he maketh the elementes as sede & mater wherof ben engendred al erthly thynges . And thus doth he not compelled of no foreyn cause as men ben compelled / but only of the habundance of hys goodnesse ▪ wyche ys & euer was perfe●ly in hymself / the wyche goodnesse was so entensyfly habundant that hyt must nedes of reson be extended by communyon : Also he sheweth the suffysance of hys wysedom & connynge / in as moche as al that euer was / ys / or shal be her after / hyt ys open to hym / in hys eternal exsampler or mitrour of hys mynde that al thynges comprehendeth presently at ones . And syth so wysely produceth hyt in to hys beynge / not only in general / but al partes in specyal absolutly wythout defaut or nede of any exterior cause .

And in thys ys shewed the wysedom of god in asmoch as he ys the formal cause of al thynge as in exsampler . After that he hathe shewed the suffysance of god in myght / goodnesse / & wysedom / in gouernance of thes thynges in specyal / he commendeth the same suffysance in general in creation & gouernance of som other thynges of more deper conceyte of inward speculation / in that he sheweth & reherseth the sotel knytting of the iiii . elementes / as ys before sayd Furdermore also in creation of the mene spiret of treble kend / wyche som phylosophres as plato & hys folders called anima mundi / the soule of the world For cause that Plato sawe hys master Socrates empoysened & put to deth for hys sothe saynge / he wold not dyscouer hys sotel conceytes ne the preuy●es of nature to the rude people / but put them vnder maner of parables & preuy wordes wyche myght enstore hys wysedō vnto the tyme that men wold be better wylled for to hyre truth . The grekes at that tyme wor shypped the sonne & called hym Apollo / god of wysedō / fantasyng that he caused al other thynges to be . Fro wyche errour socrates dyssented & sayd that the sonne was a formed creature / wherfore he was slayn as ys be fore sayd . And before hym Anaxagoras was exyled for the same cause . wherfore Plato lefte the cyte of Athenes & chose hys habytation in a cyte or place named Acadencia . In wyche place was often tymes erthe quakes . Thys place he chose be cause hys dyscyples shold euer leue in drede of ther lyues / wyche 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 in fleshly delyte . Plato then spekyng of the gouernance of the world 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 wyche 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 then he fulfylled the interualles of thes nombres wythe mene proporcions / as here after doth appere .

I. dupla ii . sesqueal●a iii sesque●cia . iii . dupla viii sesqueotaua ix . tripla xxvi●

Then thys renge thus draen a longe he dyuyded in ii . partes of the wyche 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 wythyn the more . And the cyrcle of the same nature that ys to say of odde proportions he torned fro the ryght hand to the lyfte hand . And the other of dyuers nature that ys to say of euen ꝓportions / he torned fro the lyft hand to the ryght hand / thys may be perceyued by thys fygure foloyng

diagram of the celestial sphere

Primum mobile mouetur motu vniformi ab oriente in occidentem .

Sphere planetarum mouea difformiter ab occidente in orientem .

Inter numeros exterioris sphere est proportio equalis .

Inter numeros interioris sphere est proportio inequalis .

Fordermore Philosophia sheweth her petitōn resonable as to iii. thynges asked Fyrst he asked the knowlege of souereyn godd . He asked also in thys knowlege perseuerance . And laste he asked to be conforted by hys souereyn lyght . Fyrste she assigneth a reson for thys laste petition / wher she saythe thou art clernesse / by wyche 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 wyche man was made . For thou art begynner of al thou betest & conteynest al / thou ledest ous by natural inclination . thou art the path of the way of loue by wyche we shal retorne to the. thou art al the blysse or heuen / thou art the terme & ende of al our wordly labour / we seketh none other .

The vnderstandyng of thys sotel conceyte ys thus . where he sayth thys saule ys medled of the same mater & dyuerse / he vnderstandeth that the saule of the world was made of nature chaungeable & of nature vnchaungeable . Nature vnchaungeable he calleth the same / And chaungeable he calleth dyuerse . The euen nombres for asmoche as they may be dyuyded in to euen / he calleth nature chaungeable : And the odde nombres that may not eueuly be dyuyded / he calleth nature vnchaungeable . Furdermore for to shewe that thys soule ys princyple of doblenesse / that ys to say of vnyformyte that ys in the fyrst meueable wyche ys the sterred fitmament that clerkes callen Primūr mobile / And also of difformyte / that ys in the planetes . he sayth that god cutte thes nombres in ii . partes . of the wyche one parte conteyned 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 nombres he torned for the rygth hand to the lyfte hand in signe of vniformyte 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 world ys the este / the lyft hand the weste / the hed ys the southe / & the fete ys the northe . The meuynge of vniformyte he put to meue fro este to west for so meueth the sterred sphere . The meuynge of difformyte / he calleth the speres of the vii . planetes / wyche ys meued fro weste to the este .

Also hyt ys to considre that bothe thes nombres of odde & euen meteth at one / that ys callid vnyte / in signe of the onehed & the simplicite of god . at whom begynneth & endeth al creatures . vpon hoos stablenesse ys grounded euery meuynge / vpon hoos vniformyte / al difforme & variable thynges ben ryghted & reduced . Now then to the processe & conceyte of Boecius where he sayth thus . Thou god knettest the mene soule that ys the soule of the world of treble kend that meuythe al thynge . He calleth the soule of the world / the spyret that next vnder god entendeth to the meuynge & gouernance of the world / wyche 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 / & vnmedled : wyche 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 . wyche 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 . wyche ben in parte meueable & in parte vnmeueable . they be meueable in ther kendly cours / & vnmeueable in continuance of ther cours & ●e●yng of the place & ordre wyche they were set in at ther fyrst creation . How he meueth al thynge the letter sheweth furdermore where he saeth . Resoluynge hyt in membres consonant / that ys to say / departynge hys labour in to the meuynge of al the viii . spheres of sterres & of planetes .

Hoos meuyng tho they be discordant in ther cours / contrarious & dyuers in effectes / yet be they so consonant to gedres / that none letteth but rather righteth & dresseth euerych other . For the viii . sphere meuyng west ward rauesheth al the nether spheres & maketh them to meue the same way / where ther natural meuynge ys estewarde . 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 confusion in thys wordly gouernance Also thys meuynge he dyuydeth in to ii . spheres or ii . cercles as ys afore sayd . by meuynge of wiche / ben gouerned the clementes wyth al ther transmutations & al other thynges vnder the mone . And he retorneth vn to hym self / that ys to say to ther where he began for ther ys no perfet meuynge but in compace that alway retornethe in to hym self / by wiche circuler meuynge or worchynge he atteyneth by similitude of natural perfection to the depe mynde of dyuyne intelligence wiche ys the laste ende of nature simpliciter . withouten 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 exempler of the hye purueance of god . Furdermore Boecius commendith the might / the goodnesse / & the wysedom of god / in makyng & gouernyng of erthly thynges / & specially in the disposyng of mannes 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 worlde than goethe he to the soule of man & sayth that in maner leke as god hathe made the soule of the worlde 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 chaungeable & corruptible / that ys the sensualyte drauen of thys corruptible f●eshe . And of thes it ▪ resulteth the thyrde / wiche ys in parte dedly be cause of he body & 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 wiche one ys of perdurable nature that ys reson / & meueth kendly fro the right hand to the lyfte hand that ys to say ▪ he groundeth al hys workes vpon vertu / & so putteth them in perfet execution ▪ But the other circle of sensualyte meueth in contrary for he groundeth al hys workes vpon the fleshe / & so procedeth in to vicious lustes . But the reson must rauyshe the sensualyte with hym in to the way 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 nature / not restynge there proudly with Lucifer / but enserchynge & sekinge by thoght & deuote prayer the de●e intelligence that ys god . And there behald in the mirrour of eternal wysedom what he ought to do . repres●ynge withe 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 sowest in heuen and in erthe . Fyrste he maketh the soule & puttethe hyt in to thys earthly body / there for to encrese in meret and vertues . And syth when they ben rype / he takethe hem in to heuen : And howe ? For sothe the vertues that hym self hathe planted in the soule / he hym self no●ysheth them wythe ●yry bemes of loue / And maketh them rypen in to ful ●rute / and so retorne vp to hym fro whennes they toke ther beynge .

Prosa x. Capitulum 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 that 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 that 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 ꝙ I as semeth me Concluded also ful & fermly Phia ) But now she sayd thou must behald & se wher that thys good ys founden fynally The comen conceyte loo of mannes mynde By reson ys vnto 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 fo rs 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 alone Boecius ) Ful wel ꝙ I thys I perceyue & fele Ther may no wyght replyen here a geyn Phia ) I pray the ꝙ 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 ꝙ I thys wold I heren fayn How ye hyt preue by demonstration Phia ) That self ꝙ 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 that 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 ywys 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 ꝙ I concluded wel & clere Phia ) And souereyn good ꝙ she ys blysfulnesse Boecius ) Ryght so ꝙ I thys graunted I whyle er Phia ) Lo than ꝙ 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 ꝙ I graunten & confesse your resons haue me to that poynt y broght Phia ) That thys ꝙ 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 betwene 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 ꝙ I may truer be I gesse Ne worthyer of god concluded be Phia ) Than ryght ꝙ she as geometres al when they haue shewed ther propositions They bryngeth in Porismus / that 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 ꝙ I ful fayre & precyous whether hyt porysme or corrolary ys Phia ) Hyt ys ꝙ she more fayre & gloryous That reson wyl annecten vnto thys Boeus ) I asked what Phia ) ꝙ she syth blysfulnesse So moche thynge doth in hyt self conteyne As honour / pouer / lust / fame / & rychesse whether al they ben as membres wyl thou 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 Boecius ) I wold haue thys ꝙ I declared fayn Phia ) Haue we not seyd ꝙ she that blysfulnesse Is good ( Boeus ) yes seyd I / hye & souereyn Phia ) Adde we ꝙ she the remanent vn to thys That souereyn good before rehersed ys Loo souereyn myght & souereyn suffysance Lust / fame / honour / one thynge they ben ywys 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 ꝙ 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 ꝙ 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 ꝙ I Phia ) They ben ꝙ 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 Boeus ) Thys ys ꝙ I ful sothe I doute yt noght But now ful fayn the remanent wold I se Phia ) Than al thes thynges ꝙ 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 that 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 he le 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 that 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 alone 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 ꝙ I in sothfastnesse How any wyght your wordes may blame Phia ) But god ꝙ she & very blysfulnesse As we haue shewed ben one thyng & the same Boecius ) Ryght as ye sayn ꝙ I hyt ys ful clere Phia ) Than may I ꝙ 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
Metrum x. Capitulum xx . Huc omnes 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 the 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 Tagus ys a ryuer of Spayn / ful of golden greynes . doth yow bede wyth hys golden grauel stones bryght Other Erinus Erinus ys a ryuer in Asya the lesse / al ful of greynes of gold . wythe hys strondes rede May geuen yow for to plese your syght Other the ryuer wyche that Indus Indus ys a ryuer of India / that rennethe in to the red see / ful of perry and moche precyousty . 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 vnto 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 thou may seyn ywysse 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 ꝙ I / I must nedes assen● your wordes haueth me knet so fermly By reson of your subtel argument Phia ) what yf thou knew ꝙ she verely Thys good / what woldest thou than set ther by yf thou myght knowen clerely what hyt were Boecius ) I wold hyt prese at infynyte ꝙ I Yf I myght knowen god in that maner Phia / I shal ꝙ 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 ꝙ I we may not go ther fro Phia ) Haue I not shewed the plenerly ꝙ 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 ꝙ I thus haue ye shewed ꝑde 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 ꝙ I right as ye mene Phia ) But euery thynge that good ys then ꝙ she why ys hyt good / wylt thou not graunten thys That for hyt hathe partycypatyon Loo of thys foresayd good ( Boecius ) I seyd eys Phia ) Than must thou ꝙ 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 ꝙ I y may not go a syde Phia ) And knowest thou not that euery thynge also That ys ꝙ 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 Boecius ) And how ꝙ I Phia ) I shal the tel anone Thou seyst thy self that in a best ꝙ she whyle soule & body ben to geder knet And so abydeth in ther vnyte Thys knowest thou 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 that 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 the 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 ꝙ 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 thou trow that any thynge ꝙ she Hath thys of natural intention As to forleten vtterly to be And lust to torne in to corruption Boecius ) To haue ꝙ 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 ꝙ 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 that noght ther kendes knoweth wold elleswhere them plante they dye as faste For nature geueth to euerych that hym oweth And laboreth that 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 thou 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 Boeus ) Loo now must I confesse thys ꝙ 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 Boecius ) Ful soth ꝙ Phia ) then al thyng ꝙ she Desyreth one Boecius ) ꝙ I I graunt yt wel Phia ) But one & good as thou hast graunted me Loo ben the same & dyuers nere a dele Boeus ) Ryght so ꝙ Phia ) them al thyng requireth Thys one ꝙ she that thus may be descryued Good ys that thyng that al thyng desyreth Boecius ) No thyng ꝙ 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 ageyn 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 ꝙ she may not ben amended My nory dere now am I glad y wys The poynt now of thy thoght thou hast extended Ryght in the 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 ꝙ 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
Metrum xj . Capitulum 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 that 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 when ye lere & ● . An harpe wel & lustly ●uned by true accordes of musyke / al be hyt in that no wyght toche hyt ne set hand ther to / yet conteyneth that harpe wythyn 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 was not ther be fore Ryght so in mannes soule ys conteyned al conny●ge / that of an erthly creature possyble ys be knowen . But hyt ys slylled & in maner forgete / other more properly for to speken / forlete / wyche 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 . Capitulum xxiij . Tum ego platoni . Boecius loquitur . TO Plato seyd I / must I nede consent For twyes now ye haue remembred me Of thyng that 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 thou sayd whyler thou knwe hyt noght Boeus ) & what ꝙ I Phia ) by wych gouernmentes Thys world ꝙ she ys in thys rule y broght Boecius ) I am ꝙ 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 ꝙ she thou dowted noft at al Loo that thys world by god gouerned ys Boecius ) Ne now ꝙ I ne neuer hereafter shal As in that mater ben in doute ywys 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 ꝙ 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 ꝙ 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 Boeus ) Ryght so ꝙ I phia ) & that hym nedeth noght ꝙ she vn to thys wordly gouernance For yf he of wythoute neded ought He had not then plenary suffysance Boecius ) Fro thys ꝙ I ther ys no varyance Phia ) Hym self alone al thyng dysposeth than Boecius ) I may ꝙ I now make none avoydaunce Phia ) And god ys good as we deduced han Boeus ) And thys also remembre I wel ꝙ I Phia ) By good then he gouerneth al ꝙ she For syth as thou hast graunted / suyngly He that ys good dysposeth al parde Hym self alone 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 ꝙ I acord I vnto 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 Boeus ) And what ꝙ I that knowen fayn I wold Phia ) Syth god ꝙ 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 vnto hys gouernment Boecius ) Thys ys ꝙ 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 that doth ther obseruance To kepe them self in ordre of nature That may enforcen wyth contraryance A geyn ther god Boecius ) ꝙ I no creature Phia ) what yf so that 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 Boeus ) In soth they myght noght avayle ꝙ I Phia ) ꝙ she then ys ther no thyng as I gesse That may or wyl wythstanden kendly Thys soueren good what wylt thyself suppose Boeus ) I sayd no Phia ) thys soueren good ꝙ she Al thynges than ful swetly doth dyspose And myghtely al thyng gouerneth he Boecius ) ꝙ 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 ꝙ she haue poetes vsed As thou 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 ꝙ I as ys to your lekyng Phia ) we say ꝙ she that god almyghty ys Boecius ) Syth he of al ꝙ I ys lord & kynge Ther ys no wyght that ys in doute of thys Phia ) And he she sayd that ys so ful of myght Is ther any thyng that he ne may Boeus ) Nay ꝙ I Phia ) ꝙ 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 ) ꝙ 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 man hys wyffe / thys won he wyth hys song But wyth a law thys geft I wyl restrayn That vn to 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 mention / and feynynge in manet a fable saynge that Orpheus was a curyous harper dwellyng in Trace / that was somtyme a prouynce in the northe syde of Grece . wyche Orpheus was the sonne of Callyope . He harped so lustely / that not only men were drawen by hys melody / but also wyld 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 wyffe named Erudis / wyche a shepeherde named Aristeus woed & desyred . But Erudis refusynge hys loue fled thorgh a mede / & tredynge vpon a serpent she was enuenemed & ded . & went to hel . Orpheus soroynge for hys wyffe & wyllynge for to dra her out of helle / purposed for to plese the hye goddes wyth hys melody that they shold restore hym hys wyffe / but hyt auayled not . Than went he to helle / & as thys processe sheweth in the letter / so moche he plesed the goddes of helle wyth hys melody / that at last vpon a condition hys wyffe was graunted hym / so that he loked not vpon her / tyl that he were passed the boundes of helle . But when he was nye the boundes / so moche he desyred for to see hys hys wyffe / that he torned hym & loked vpon her / & a none she was gon a geyn to helle wher she was before ▪ Thys fable Fulgencius exponeth morally on thys vhyse . By Orpheus ys vnderstand the hyer part of the soule / that ys resonabelte / enformed wyth wysedom & eloquence . wherfore he ys called the sonne of phebus & of Laliope Phebus of the grekes was called god of wysedō . The same ys Apollo . Caliope ys asmoche to say / as goddes sonne . & hyt betokeneth eloquence . so every wyse man & eloquent in thys maner of spekynge may be called the sorne of phebus & Caliope . Thys Orpheus bythe swetnesse of hys harpe / that

Explicit Liber tercius .
Liber Quartus .
But tho that haueth myght to worken ylle They may not worken al that ys ther wyl Then ys hyt playn & clere ynoo to seyn Thes wycked men that wyckedlych may Ful lesse of power & of myght they ben Set thys ther to that I shal after say Syth myght ys suche a thyng the wyche alway Ought to be coueted & desyred And euery thyng that ys to be requyred To good hyt must be referred nede As to the souereyn hed & pryncypal But power for to worken wrecchedhed To good may not referred ben at al Hyt ys noght then / that be desyred shal But power shal desyred be by ryght Than power of the wycked ys no myght Loo of al thys hyt wyl apperen wel That myghty ben the good folke alone And wycked folke be myghty neuer a dele But weke & myghtles ben they euerychone The sentence than may be perceued sone where that Plato wryteth in thys wyse Do that them leketh only may the wyse For wycked men do workes that them lust But ther desyre they may not yet fulfylle what them delyteth that them semeth best For why they do hyt be hyt neuer so yl To ther desyre yet may they not a tylle The wyche they seke in lustes & delytes For blysfulnesse may not be had by vyce
Metrum ij . Capitulum iiij . Quos vides sedere celsos . Phia loquitur . THes grete kynges ful of cruelte Shynyng in ther purpur ryally Syttyng in the heythes of ther see wythe wylde wordes thretyng cruelly wyth blastyng woodnesse of ther hertes hye wythe moche wrecched wepyng by ther syde Ho so wold fro thes prynces ful of pryde Spoyle them of ther wrecched vayn a ray Behald & se wel what they be wythyn Thogh they be lordes wonder stout & gay In streyt cheynes ben they bound of synne Fro wyche they may not them selfen wynne Thes loo ledeth hys lyffe in lechery That al the world hym speketh velony So ys he trobled by thys passyon wythe wreth hys mynde ys beten & oppressed Or heuynesse draeth hym a downe Or slyper hope hym elles hathe destressed Loo suche an hed I trou ys euel y blessed That ys encombred wyth so moche vyce Hys myght ys to be set at lytel pryce
Prosa iij. Capitulum v. Vides ne igitur . Phia loquitur . ANd seyst thou not the foule vycyous what fylth them hath defyled & vnhyght And the good folke & vertuous How worthely they shyne fayr & bryght Of thys hyt may apperen to thy syght That the wycked folke fayleth neuer of peyn Ne the good folke ther mede there a geyn That same thynge that meueth any wyght For to don or worken any dede That same thyng I may hyt seyn by ryght Loo of that worke hyt ys the very mede Thys shal I preue yf thou wolt taken hyde For rennyng lyeth a garland for the game And he that renneth best shal haue the same But souereyn good ys very blysfulnesse And ys the very ground & cause why That any maner worke purposed ys As for to speke of purpose kendly Than ys thys good purposed comenly For mannes worke a mede for hys traueyle Fro good men thys mede may not fayle Ho so lacketh good as semeth in my thoght Be called good of ryght yet may not he The good then of mede fayleth noght Syth ther mede ys verely bounte Thogh wycked folke be wood in cruelte And vseth al the malyce that they mowen yet the wyse man leseth not hys crowen For why ther ys no foreyn wyckednesse Of men that ben so perylous & proute That may beryue the kendly worthynesse That longeth to the good / hyt ys no doute But yf they had hyt wonnen of wythoute A nother then myght hyt take a way Or he that gaue that good / hyt ys no nay But syth the goodnesse of a worthy wyght Of good maners must be caused nede when he forleteth them / then ys hyt ryght That he shold be despoyled of hys mede But fynally in thys mater to procede Syth al medes that desyred ben Hyt ys for they ben good / or as they wene Of hym that hath thys good ho wyl hyt seyn That he thys mede lacketh vtterly None that reson hathe I am certeyn But what thynge ys thys mede verely The best thyng & fayrest sekerly That may be had or hert may deuyse Thys ys hyt that ys desposed for the wyse A Corrolary hye & precyous That I the gaue whyler remembre the wyche al in summe thou shalt assemble thus Loo syth that god ys thys felycyte wyche that maketh blysful for to be Al tho that good workes vsen And wrecched vyce wyl vtterly refusen And tho that blysful ben thou vnderstond In a maner goddes that they were Than ys thys gyft the mede of al good That no day may consume in no maner Ne dymynuce hyt may no power Ne dymmen hyt no other mannes vyce Thogh wycked folke hyt wold of ther malyce Syth hyt ys so hyt ys wythouten drede The wycked may not be wythouten peyn For syth that euel & good / loo peyn & mede Contraryous ben / then ys hyt clere & pleyn Syth good ys sure of mede in ful certeyn The bad ys sure of peynes & of woe yf one be sothe the other must also Then ys the goodnesse of the good wyght The reward & the mede of hys goodnesse And to the wycked by the same ryght Ther peyn ys eke ther propre wyckednesse what euer he be / than sueth hyt expresse That wyth suche peynes ys he desesed ofte wyth euel he ys infecte hyt fayleth noght For yf the wycked wold them selfen seyn Myght they trowen as hyt semeth the That they wythouten bytter peynes ben whom loo the vttermest extremyte Of al wyckednesse & cruelte Not only hath infected greuously But eke hym hath infected hugely But now behald that other part vpon yf any peynes haue the good a greued Hast thou not lerned / that al that euer ys one Is good also / as I haue hyt descryued Loo consequently than hyt may be preued As semeth wel that euery thynge that ys Hyt must also be good hyt ys no mysse I may concluden than that al tho That fayleth fro thys good rehersed here He fayleth then for to ben also The wycked then they be not that they were For thoh thou se that mannes body there Ful sothe hyt ys a man he was beforn By wyckednesse hys kende he hathe forlorn But syth that only vertu & goodnesse A bouen manhode may a man a reyse Nedes than ho so vseth wyckednesse Benethen manhode doune hyt doth hym peyse And tho so be that many one them preyse whom that thou seyst transformed in to vyce Thou holdest hym not a man yf thou be wyse whos lustes brenneth al in couetyce And ryueth men ther good by vyolence I leke a wolf thou myght hym wel deuyse He that ys fers & spareth none offence And what he sayth he hath no consciens To make stryffes & dyssention He ys an hounde as by comparyson And he that wyl a wayten preuely Foreyn goodes how he may beryuen A foxe thou myght hym callen skylefully And whom that cursed Ire doth a meuen A lyon as in that thou myght hym preuen He that ys fered & fleeth wythouten nede An hert thou myght hym calle hyt ys no drede And he that vseth slouth & I delnesse And wyl not do no workes profytable Thou myght hym calle a very asse expresse And he that ys inconstant & vnstable To fowles myght thou hald hym comparable And he that ledeth hys lyffe in lechory Aswyne thou myght hym callen skylefully Hyt semeth than that he that hathe forlete The lyffe of vertu & of honeste To ben a man in that he hathe forfete And skylefully forlorn that dygnyte And ther he myght a god in maner be Or leke to god in leuyng at lest Now ys he chaunged to a rude best
Metrum iij. Capitulum vj : Vela Naricii ducis . Phia loquitur . The southwest wynd that bloweth boustesly The sayles of the Duke Naricius
But of that we haue graunted here before As necessary must hyt suen nede Boeus ) I asked what phia ) ꝙ she now take good hede More welful ben the wycked in ther peyn Than yf they sholden none at al susteyn But thys ys not my conceyt pryncypally That comenly men haue in ther deuyse That wycked folke so peyned ryghtuously Ther by they ben corrected of ther vyce And drede of peyn a peseth ther malyce And that exsample vn to other mo whythdraeth them fro that they wolden do But in a nother maner wyse I mene That bad folke wythoute punytion More vnwelful sykerly they ben Than yf they suffered none affliction Not hauyng regard to correction Ne to exsample / ne to drede of peyn That moche myschef often dothe refrayn Boectus ) ꝙ I what maner wyse may thys be Other than ye tolden here before Phia ) Loo haue not we confessed here ꝙ she That good men ben welful euermore And wycked folke ben wrecches & forlore Boeus ) ryght so ꝙ I phia ) ꝙ she now say me thyg What yf that vn to suche a wrecchednesse Yf any part of good were added to were not he then more welful wylt thou say Than he that standeth al in myschef so Fro whom al maner good ys raft a way Boecius ) ꝙ I Hyt semeth so hyt ys no nay Phia ) And what ꝙ she yf to thys wrecched man Fro whom al maner goodes lacketh than Another harme were Ioyned & y knet Aboue the myscheffe wyche hathe hym oppressed woldest thou not deme hym more vnwelful yet Than of hys myschef somwhat were relesed And so by perceyuyng of good repressed Boecius ) ꝙ I How sholde hyt other wyse be Phia ) Than haue the wycked certenly ꝙ she Somwhat of good when that they ben in peyn Annexed then vnto hys wrecchednesse when they ben punysshed so / that ys to seyn The same peyn that for ther wyckednesse They suffre / wyche be cause of ryghtuosnesse wher by that peyn ys geue hyt ys no nay That self peyn ys good I dare wel say And when that they ben spared of torment Of thys yuel then haue they somwhat more That ys the fauour of vnpunysment Of ryghtuous peynes that they ben forbore The wyche as thou hast graunted here before Syth peyn ys dwe rewarde of felony Vnpunysment ys euel sykerly Boecius ) I may not thys denyen thogh I wolde Phia ) The wicked them vnpunyshed so with wrong So more vnsely ben they many a folde Then when by ryghtuous dome they vnderfong Vengeance for ther synne & soroes strong Syth ryghtuousnesse tormenteth trespasours Than ys hyt wrong to sparen surfetours Boeus ) Denyen thys ꝙ I ther may no wyght Phia ) May any man ꝙ she denyen thys That al ys good that euer ys don by ryght And al that euer ys wrong ys wyckednesse Boecins ) And thys ꝙ I ys consequent y wysse To that ye houe concluded loo whyle ere But now I pray yow one thyng say me hyre When that the body resolued ys by deth Shal the soule suffern any peyn Phia ) when that the soule out of the body geth Ful hugy ꝙ she / take hyt in certeyn For somme ful bytter peynes shal susteyn And somme shal be purged al wyth grace To treten here of thys / we haue no place But I haue vnto thys that ys in me Ful don my deuer that thou shuldest knowen The myght of shrewes / wyche as semeth the In them ys ful vnworthely bestowen Hyt ys no power verely to trowen And there as thou complaynest in thy thoght That wycked folkes ben y punysshed noght Ther myght thou seyn the wycked for ther synne To faylen neuer of peynes sykerly But that they may ther wycked purpose wynne wythe lycence for to worken wyckedly Thou dyst pray to ben ended hastely And I haue made the clerely for to know That hyt ne lesteth but a lytel throw And that the lenger that endureth tho The more wrecches ben they I the tolde And yf they shulden euer endure so Than were they wrecches more a thousand folde And more wrecches eke thou myght them holde when they wyth wrong of peynes ben relesed Then when they be wyth ryghtuous peyn oppressed And ouer thys yet shal I furder sayn Loo of thys sentence sueth consequent Than ar the bad in most despytous payn Whan that they seme they haue no punysment Boeus ) I seyd than / when I wyth hole entent Behald your resons how ye doth them preue No thyng ys sother sayd as I beleue But to the Iugement of mannes wyt That ys not meued by suche euydence Ho ys that man that wyl beleuen hyt Or deme hyt worthy any audyence They troweth no thyng but experyence Phia ) As thou hast seyd ꝙ she ryght so hyt ys For yees that ben vsed to derknesse The lyght of treuthe may they not behold As foules that ben wont to fle by nyght For to be seyn a day they be not bolde For why the day ys blyndyng to ther syght But nyghtes derknesse maketh ther yees bryght So men infect wyth lustes & lekynges Haue no regard to the ordynance of thynges For they supposeth that suche sufferance Or vnpunyshment of cursedhede Shold a man to welfulnesse avaunce But in the law eternal mayst thou rede yf thou do wel thou hast no maner nede To aske a Iuge for thy recompence For thou hast set thy self in excellence And yf thou haue thy selfen wyllyngly Enclyned vnto synne & wrecchednesse To seke no vengeour of thy felony wythout thyself hyt nedeth not y wysse For thou hast set thy self in wyckednesse And made the leke vnto a rude best And put the in peynes that euer shal lest Ryght as thou woldest cast thy syght a boute Now to grounde & now to heuen lyght Al other causes cessyng of wythoute Be cause of thyne vnstablenesse of syght Now woldest thou seme wyth the sterres bryght And now ryght in thys moddy ground to be But comen people thys can they not se Boeus ) I asked than what thys shold mene Phia ) Shulde we ꝙ she consenten vnto thes wyche we haue shewed that leke to bestes ben yf one of them wyche that the lust deuyse Loo had forlorn hys syght in any wyse Al vtterly / & also furdermore Had al forgete that euer he saw before And weneth hym want no thynge vtterly Of mannes natural perfection Now we that thys behaldeth verely Shulde we acorde to ther entention And not beleue our awne inspection Shuld we not troue that suche men ben blynde And wel the blynder for ther mased mynde And thynges that as lekely may be preued By resons of as myghty foundement Of suche folke they may not be beleued That suche wycked men & vyolent when they desese a symple Innocent lWel more vnsely ben they in the dede Than tho that suffereth al ther wrangfulhede Boeus ) Tho resons sayd I wold I heren fayn Phia ) Euery wycked shrewde man ꝙ she wylt thou denye hym worthe care & peyn Boecius ) Nay ꝙ I that haue ye not of me Phia ) Then more vnsely must they nedes be Suche that ledeth ther lyffes cursedly Boecius ) Ryght as ye sayn ryght so hyt ys ꝙ I Phia ) And tho ꝙ she that worthy ben torment wylt thou not deme them wrecches in that case Boecius ) yes ꝙ I hyt ys ful conuenyent Phia ) ꝙ she yf thou sholdest . Iugen in thys place And myghtest do vengeance or elles grace whom woldest thou demen worthy to be honge whether hym that dothe or hym that suffereth wronge Boeus ) To hym ꝙ I that had the wronges don I wold a Iugen suffysance of peyn The pacyent so shold be a venged sone That he shold haue no mater to complayn Phia ) More wrecched ys the worcher wylt thou sayn ꝙ she than he that soffereth euery dele Boeus ) In sothe ꝙ I ryght so hyt sueth wel Phia ) Of thes causes & of other mo That of the self rote suyngly Enforced ben / hyt wyl apperen loo That the fylthe of synnes kendly Ryght of the self synnes proprely Tho men they maketh wrecches for to be That vseth vyces & dyshoneste The wrong also ys not the wrecchednesse Of hym that suffereth harmes & greuance But in sothe the wrecchednesse ys hys That wrongusly hathe don hym a noyance But pledours don in thys contraryance That so the Iuges vnto mercy meuen A genst them that wronges doth agreuen For sykerly the pyte longeth more To hem that hath vnthryftyfully wrought And as the seke a leche ys led before So shold he be before the Iuge y broght Of pyteous accusours and wroth noght That wyth the peyn as wyth a sotel gynne Cowde cutte a wey the malady of synne And thus the besynes of aduocates Schuld be forleten & men schuld hyt refusen Or yf they wold approuen men algates Al other wyse they schuld there offyce vsen And tho that so mysdone alwey accusen And yf these wrecches also furthermore Mygth sene the vertu that they haue forlore Sith that bounte wyth peynes may be had And fylthe of vyce ben vtterly fordone To suffre peynes schuld he be ful glad Ne peynes sothly schuld he hold them none Hys aduocates forsaken shuld he sone And to the Iuge he shuld hem selfe be take That myght hem hole of al hys synnes make Than ys hit so that as a genst the wyse Is left no place of hate hyt ys ful soth Hoo wyl the good haten or despyte But a fole that wote not what he doth And thogh the badde be to the ful loth To haten hem yet haue ye no reson But rather haue of them compassion for as sekenesse the body doth greuance Rygth so ys vyce a maner malady The wyche the soule oppresseth wyth noyance And as we sholde not demen skylefully Hym worthy hate that seke ys bodely But rwen rather on hys peynes sore Then goostly languor shold ous meuen more Hyt ys not conuenyent to haten ne persue The soules that oppressed ben wyth vyce But rather on ther bytter peynes rwe And ho that coude ( not meued wyth malyce ) That man a menden wyth ful good aduyse Thogh that he put hym to ful bytter peyn Of cruelte ther may no wyght complayn
Metrum iiij . Capitulum viij . Quid tantos iuuat . Phia loquitur . WHat helpeth hyt to meuen or excyte wyth ꝓper handes your happes besely For yf ye seke deth hyt nedeth lyte For he wyl come hymselfen wyllyngly He taryeth not he spedeth hym hastely Loo serpent / Leon / Tygre / Bore / & Bere They seketh yow to a racen & to tere And ye wyth swerde eche other doth assayle For cause that your maners ben dyuers Vnryghtuously so meueth ye batayl wyth enterchaungyng dartes for to perse your cruelte / your reson doth reuerse wolt thou that euery man hys meret had Loo loue the good / & rwe vpon the bad
Prosa v. Capitulum ix . Hinc video inquam . Boecius loquitur . In thys ꝙ I I perceyue euery dele Bothe the myschef & the welfulnesse As for the mede of them that worcheth wel And eke of them also that done a mysse But neuertheles alday I se wel thys That of fortune to wyche the people hedeth Bothe good & euel ful often tyme procedeth Ne ther ys no wyse man as I gesse That rather wolde be poure & nameles And in exyle / than flouresh in ryches In power & in honour to encresse And in hys cyte for to dwelle in pece Thys ys the best way as I deuyse To profyt by the offyce of the wyse So may ther blyssfulnesse / hyt ys no doute As by the vertu of ther gouernance Be wel transfunded in to folke a boute That ben commytted to ther ordynance But than / thys myn hert doth greuance Syth hyt ys so that lauful prysonment Dyuers Ingynnes / peynes & torment For wycked folke were fyrst ordeyned And vn to them hyt longeth skylefully why ys hyt then that good men beth peyned And in ther stede oppressed greuously And mede that to vertu properly Of very ryght ys pertynent & dwe Thes medes haue the wycked & vntrwe What ys the skyle of thys confusyon That so vnryghtuous semeth for to be Of yow I wolde haue Information For lesse merueyl sholde hyt be to me yf al thynges stode in thys degre Medled al wyth fortune & wyth chaunce And had at al none other gouernance But god that ys the gouerner of al Lo maketh me a stoned as in this Sith Ioy & welthes often doth befal To good folke . & often tyme y wysse The wycked be in care and heuynesse And often tyme the badde ther ageyn Ben in there lustes & the good in peyn But yf ther be some skyle or euydence why god rewardeth folke in thys manere . As thynketh me ther ys no dyfference But hap and fortune rewleth al y fere Phia ) Of thys ꝙ sche I wondre nought as here Sith thou ne coudest the skyle of ordynance Thogh thou meruele vpon the gouernance And hald hyt foly & confusyon But thogh to the the causes beth vnknow As of so hye a dysposytion whan so hym lust to setten hye or low Syth he ys good as thou must nedes trow That al gouerneth / take thys for a sothe That al ys ryghtuous what that euer he dothe
Metrum v. Capitulum x. Si quis arcturi sidera Phia loquitur . HE that knoweth not the causes why Ne how hyt ys / in sothe he can not sayn That the sterre arcturus goeth so nye Meuynge a bowte the pole souereyn And why Boetes resteth not hys weyn And he hys flammes plongeth down so late And why so sone he ryseth este algate Hyt ys no dowte he shal be stoned sone As of the law of hye heuen bryght why that the hornes of the ful mone So infected wyth the derke nyght Becometh pale / & the sterres lyght wyche that she hydde wyth her bemes clere Dyscouerynge them / she maketh to ous appere And open errour maketh foules blynd That beteth bras the mone to reskewen Men wondreth noght vpon the stormy wynd That maketh the see so fersly for to flowen That doth the brenkes bete & ouerthrowen Ne that the cold forsen clottes grete So ben resolued by the sonnes hete The cause of thys ys esy to be feled Thes other ar hyd / therefore ye wonder so For al that falleth sodenly & seld Thus wondreth thes meueable folkes loo And yf thys clowdy errour passe them fro So that they myght the very causes se They shold not semen wonderful to be
Prosa vj. Capitulum xi . Ita est inquam . Boecius loquitur . RIght so ꝙ I thys wyl I not reuerse But loo thys gyfte ys youres sykerly Thes pryme causes wyche that ye reherse And resons hyd in clowdes mystycally To maken clere / thys one thyng coueyt I Hyt ys a thyng that trobleth most my mynde And wyth merueyl marred / I me fynde Phia ) She gan to smyle a lytel & sayd than Thou askest now of me a questyon Loo of the hyest thyng that any man May asken at myn estymation Or may perceyue by clere entention To wyche vnnethes may ther ought suffyce Of any word that I can the deuyse Suche ys the mater that we ben a boute The wyche to knowen thou desyrest so That when we ben delyuered of a doute wythouten nombre sone ryseth mo That ben wel nye as hard to a voyden fro As heddes that one dragon encresse The serpent that was slayn of Hercules Ne in thys mater ys none other ende Ne how thes grete doutes to redressen But that a lyfly fyre of mannes mynde Must myghtly restrayn them & repressen For otherwyse thou shalt them not expressen For loo in thys men vseth to enquere Thus fel as I shal the rehercen here Fyrst of the wonderful symplycyte Of the hye dyuyne purueyance Of fatum that men calleth desteney Of fortune that ys called soden chaunce Of knowyng & of goddes ordynance That ys called predestination And eke of fredom of election How hugyous ys thys mater wyth to dele Thou knowest hyt wel thy self hyt ys no nay But syth hyt ys a parcel of thyn hele To knowen thys / I shal do what I may Thou that the tyme be short I shal a say Syth I haue sayd the somwhat here before I shal my self enforcen furdermore And thogh so be that musyke the delyte And metre ys ful lusty to thyn ere As for a tyme that lust must thou respyte The whyle that I in ordre knette in fere My resons wyche I shal the shewen here Boecius ) Ryght as ye lust ꝙ I / & she began As hyt were al a nother processe than Phia ) Loo euery kendly generation Of al thynges be they more or lesse And euery natural progress you That in hys beyng hathe chaungeablenesse And what that euer hyt be that meued ys Ther ordre / forme & causes forthe ben broght Fro the stable hye dyuyne thoght Thys souereyn thoght that al doth so deuyse Set in the toure of hye symplycyte Hathe ordeyned many dyuers maner wyse To thynges that ben don / loo wylt thou se And yf thys maner of desposytion referred be Vn to the pure dyuyne intellygence Than ys hyt purueyance or prescience But when thys same maner referred ys To thynges that ben meued & gouerned As olde men haue called hyt er thys Than ys hyt desteny as I haue lerned Ful sone ys thys dyuersyte dyscerned Of hym that seeth the myghtes of them bothe And esely he shal wel se the sothe For purueyance loo ys that reson hye Of good our aller prynce souereyn By wyche / al he desposeth myghtely But desteny the very sothe to sayn Loo ys that dysposytion certeyn wyche thes thynges ben annexed to That of ther kendes ben meueable so By wyche the hye dyuyne prescience Al thynges in ther ordynance enlaceth Thys purueyance loo hath thys excellence That al thyng at ones he enbraceth Fro hys presence ys no thynge that passeth Thogh they be Infynyte & endles Yet al he comprehendeth neuertheles But desteny in certen tyme & space Syngulerly dyuydeth euery dele Desposyng hyt in meuyng tyme & place And when that thys desposyng temporel Is comprehended & referred wel Vn to the onehed of goddes gouernance Than ys hyt sothly called purueyance But for to haue consyderation How they dyuyded in dyuers tymes be That self ordre of thys desposytion Than ys hyt hothly called desteny And thogh they haue suche dyuersyte yet neuertheles ther may no thyng be sother Then that one of them dependeth of the other For of the symplycyte of purveyance Thys ordre fatal certen doth procede Ther ys the forme of al that ordynance Ryght as a crafty man that wyl hym spede A worke to maken / fyrst he taketh hede And al the shappe desposeth in hys mynde And syth the effect he bryngeth to the ende As he hath fyrst deuysed euery dele And in hys thoght enprented symplely He bryngeth forthe by ordre temporel Ryght so god al purueyeth syngulerly And to be don desposeth stablely And when hyt fully ys desposed so By desteny he maketh hyt to be do And whether thys exercyse destynal By any spyrytes of the heuen on hye That to thys purueyance entendeth al Or yf the soule doth hyt verely Or elles nature doth hyt kendly Or the meuyng of the sterres bryght Or elles angeles of the heuen lyght Other elles by the fendes besynesse By som of thes other by al in fere Thys ordre destynal performed ys yet loo thys ys ful open & ful clere And nedes hyt must be so in al manere That the stable & symple ordynance Of thyng to don ys called purueyance But loo / the processe of successyon In wyche they ben performed suyngly By the symple dysposytion Fore seyn of god be forn eternally Loo desteny men calle hyt sykerly So al that euer ys vnder desteny So must hyt vnder purueyance be As ys the self desteny also And to that self purueyance bothe Som thynges ben subiect that ben ydo As after thys I shal declaren to the That a geyn stondeth desteny for sothe And some to god approcheth so by loue That ordre destynal they passe a boue As dyuers compace on one poynt y pyght Vpon the centre tornyng al a boute The Innermest compace to thy syght The wyche nexte to the centre ys wythoute A centre wyl hyt seme / hyt ys no doute And semeth as hyt meueth neuer a dele A boute wyche so meueth al the whyle But thys vttermest circumference That to thy syght ys largest in compace And ferrest fro thys poynt in dyfference So must he meuen in a larger space And he that negheth to that myddel place Compressed next to that symplycyte He cesseth for to meuen as semeth the By lekely reson he that ferrest fleteth Fro the souereyn thoght of god on hye To desteny the faster he hym knetteth And he that can & wyl approchen nye Thys souereyn centre-god ententyfly The more he stondeth in fredom & in ese That desteny shal lytel hym desese Ryght as dyscours of reson may not be mete Vn to the Intellect of mannes mynde Ne thyng that ys / to thyng that ys not yete Ne a lytel stound to tyme wythouten ende May not be leke in worthynesse of kende But as the poynt to the circumference Betwene them ys an hugey dyfference Ryght so thys fatayl mutabylyte That alway ys so ful of varyance Referred to the hye symplycyte Of the stable & souereyn purueyance wyche that heuens hathe in gouernance He meueth sterres / he tempereth elementes Transformyng them by enterchaungementes And al that nature doth on erthe brede And so bydeth / shal fallen downe efte sone Renewyng them by frutes & by sede He seeth also the workes that ye done And fortunes he gouerneth euerych one Constreynynge wyth an Insoluble bonde Of causes wyche that may not be wythstonde And syth thes causes passen fro so hye A grounde / as purueyance vnuaryable Than may I say ful wel & sothfastly That nedes must hyt ben vntransmutable That gouernance / & most profytable when thys symplycyte of dyuyne thoght Ordeyneth causes wyche that fayleth noght Thus in a certeyn ordre sothe to sayn That stedfast ys & hyt may faylen neuer And but thys ordre gouerne & refrayn Thys wordly thynges wyche that chaungeth euer Ful sone they shal dyssoluen & desseuer Fletynge / ryght as thynge of no valour And whaueryng so wythouten gouernour And thogh so be that we may not beholde The causes of thys desposytion Ne se the skyleful ordre as we sholde Ther fore be we in perturbation Hyt semeth ous errour & confusion Yet ys hyt dressed yf we vnderstode And wel desposed euery dele to good For cause of euel ys no thyng verely Performed of the worst man that ys For as I haue declared plenerly They seketh good / but they ben led a mysse By errour of ther owne wrecchednesse For why that ordre wyche that doth procede Fro souereyn good / hyt may no wyght myslede But vnto thys perauenture wylt thou say What confusion may ther wors be Syth good & badde indyfferent alday Now haue they welthe & now aduersyte Now that they loue / now that they wolden fle But wylt thou trow that men be now so wyse That euery thyng must be as they deuyse As whom them lust to Iugen good or badde Of very force hyt must be nedes so In mannes dome dyscorde ful ofte ys hadde For of thes one man / thes wyl demen loo That he ys worthy moche peyn & woo And thes wyl deme hym worthy thanke & mede And yet the one must be deceyued nede But lete ous graunten here that any wyght The good & badde may verely dyscerne Now trowest thou that they ben of suche a myght For to enserche the Innermest thoght Of mannes gost & al that he hath wroght And clerely Iugen therof euery dowte As men ar wont of bodyes here wythoute As for to Iuge ther attemperure Of dyuersyte of ther complexion As gretly wondreth euery creature That knoweth not by clere inspection Ther kendes ne ther dysposytions why thes accordeth wel wyth thynges swete Thes other most haue sowre & swete forlete And seke folkes ben y cured ofte Somme wyth sharpe thynges sykerly And somme by thynge that esy ys & softe But thys the leche knoweth verely That knoweth the maner of the malady Ther temperure & maner of ther hele Of thys dyscorde he wondreth neuer a dele And what may be the helthe of thy corage But honeste & vertu most of pryce what sekenesse may thy soule do damage But vnhoneste & cursednesse of vyce But now what creature may be so wyse To sauen helthe & a voyden heuynesse No wyght but god in certen as I gesse He ys the very leche of mannes mynde That fro the waytyng of hys purueyance He seeth what ys acordant to the kende Of euerych that he hathe in gouernance And for them so he maketh ordynance To euerych as belongeth to hys helthe whether that ye deme hyt woo or welthe Than ys thys noble wondre to your thoght And merueyl of thys ordre destynal when god al connynge / hathe that work y wroght Hyt stoneth them that knoweth noght at al For mannes connyng certen ys but smal And mannes reson lytel may dyffyne Of thynges in the souereyn thoght dyuyne Perauenture thou wylt demen of a wyght That he ys Iust & trwe in hys entent yet in the purueyance of goddes syght Ther falleth al a nother Iugement And a dome that ys fer dyfferent Loo as Lucanus my famylyer In hys bokes wrote of thys mater The cause conuyct as Cato gan deuyse He demed best / that was Pompeius But loo the goddes Iuged other wyse They demed Iust the cause of Iulius Wherfore they maden hym vyc●oryous So thynges don outwardly to thy syght Yet ys hyt don by ordynance of ryght But yet as to thyn opynable wyt Hyt semeth ouerthorte confusyon But perauenture I suppose yet Here ys som man of suche condytion That in the dome ys no dystynction But god & man accordeth al in one In Iugement that errour ys ther none But vpon happe so feynt hys corage ys That yf ther falle hym other than he wolde Hyt sholde hym causen for to don a mysse And to forlete hys good custumes olde By wyche / fortune myght he not wyth holde wher fore the wyse dyspensation Regardynge to hys dysposytion And seyng that by suche aduersyte He sholde be moche apeyred & y shent For why he spareth hym of hys pyte And geueth hym so as ys conuenyent That he may kepe hym tru & Innocent And thes loo stont in vertu perfetly And as a saynt ys Ioyned god ful nye Of thes the hye dyuyne purueyance Wold deme hyt as for synne & felony To put vpon hym harmes or greuance He wyl hym noght be harmed bodely Ne be desesed by no malady Thus sayd one that of wysedom was fulfylled That vertu hathe a sayntes body bylded And often when astate of worthynesse And gouernance ys geuen to the wyse That ys for to rebuken & represse The vyce that wold encressen & a ryse And som he ruleth in a nother wyse And as hym leketh enterchaungeth bothe Ryght as best ys for them hyt ys the sothe And som he suffreth softly to be greued Lest they outrage in ther welthes long And som wyth sharpe showres to be meued That vertu of ther corage euer a mong By vse of pacyence be preued strong And be confermed by that exercyse And som because of very cowardyce Ful nedeles of moche thyng they drede wyche they may wel performe the sothe to sayn And thes loo ys ful hardy in hys dede Presumyng more then he may susteyne To thes expedyent hyt ys ther a geyn To know them selfen by experyence And thes loo for a name of excellence Ful manly wyth deth he hath hyt boght And so he hath susteyned peynes sore As for exsample euer to be thoght That men may seyn by thynges don be fore That vertu hathe Inuict ben euermore And ys not harmed by aduersyte But yf defaute of men them selfen be How ryghtuously desposed al a bowte And loo how wel thes thynges ben y do Ho so loketh thys / he may not ben in dowte And for ther profet whan they falleth to For to the wycked that betydeth so That now they haue desese & now ther lust To thes same causes may be wyste But when they ben in peynes & dystresse Ther ys no wyght that wondreth neuer a dele For why they al wyl suppose & gesse That 〈◊〉 peynes were deserued wel And thes peynes that thes wrecches fele Maketh other wrecches peynes for to fere And often foule vyces to forbere And also for ther awne amendement But thynges fallyng lusty to ther chyre Hyt geueth men a myghty argument what they shold demen of thes welthes here Syth they to wrecches be famylyer And certenly I suppose as in thys That god despenseth wyth ther frowardnesse For som men ben ther loo perauenture That ben so importune in ther malyce And eke so ouerthrowyng of nature That nede them maketh fallen in to vyce But than thys prescyence that ys so wyse A genst the perel of thys malady By wordly plentey maketh remedy Loo thes behaldeth on hys consciens Defouled so wyth synne & cursedhede And seyth how grete a dysconuenyence Than ys betwene hys fortune & hys dede Perauenture he falleth so in drede Lest that the vse of thyng that doth hym ese He may forfete & by hys synnes lese He chaungeth than hys customes euerychone Hym fereth so hys fortune to forlete And al hys vyces he forsaketh sone And thes hath loo thes wordly welthes grete To wyche in sothe hys meret ys vnmete And sodenly the wrecche ys ouerthrowen And set at noght as hys desertes awen And som haue pouer & auctoryte Loo whom them lust to punysshen & dystrayn So that hyt may vnto the good be An exercyse of vertu the sothe to sayn And to the wycked man a cause of peyn For ryght as good & bad dyscordeth euer Ryght so bad them selfe accordeth neuer And why not / syth hyt falteth euery day That they dyscorden in them selfen so Ther conscience repreueth them alway And often tyme hyt falleth that they do Som dede / that when the tyme ys ouer go Them self they demeth in ther awne thought That better had that dede ben vnwroght Thys purueyaunce yf ye hyt vnderstode Hyt worcheth here a wonder to your hert By bad men the bad he maketh good And fro ther vyces wonderly conuert For when the foules fele them felfen smert when other wrecches hathe them harmed sore Hyt falleth that they hateth them ther fore And whyle they coueyt vnto s●che men To be vnleke / that vseth suche vnryght To frute of vertu they resorteth than For only thys ys thyng of goddes myght Ryght as hyt leketh hym / hyt ys but lyght That bad thyng ys good as he deuyseth when good effectes of the bad a ryseth For why in ordre al thyng embraceth And what that fleteth fro thys ordynance In to another ordre than hyt passeth For in the realme of certen purueyaunce That myghty god hath in hys gouernaunce Ther may no thyng be done vncertenly Ne but hyt haue a skyleful cause why For vnto man in sothe hyt langeth not To know al hys wonderful engyne As of the workes wyche that ben y wroght So by the hye purueyaunce dyuyne Ne them wyth wordes fully dyffyne No creature hathe that habylyte But only thys suffyseth / hyt to se That god the fyrst founder of nature Al thyng to good desposeth he & dresseth So fer forthe that in euery creature The lekenesse of hym self he empresseth And for to kepen thys / loo he represseth Al wycked thynges fro hys gouernaunce A voydyng hyt by fatal ordynaunce For why yf thou marke wel in thy mynde The purueyaunce that al thyng desposeth Ther ys no thyng that thou shalt bad fynd Thogh so be that thy wyttes so supposeth For euery thyng wythyn hyt self encloseth Som maner cause of good hyt ys no drede wher of som other goodes shal procede But yet whyler I saw the wexen faynt As for the wyghtes of my questyon Thys long processe hathe the sore atteynt Som swete thyng of delectation Thou askest for a recreation Haue tast of thys & strenger shalt thou be Than / & hegher to ascende after me
Metrum vj. Capitulum xj . Si vis celsi iura tonantis . Phia loquitur . TOo yf thou wylt behold ententyfly wyth al the clere myghtes of thy mend The lawes of our souereyn god on hey Vp in to heuen thou must thy wyttes send There euery thyng doth kepe hys cours of kende The sterres wyth a ryghtuous allyaunce They kepeth there ther olde gouernauuce And loo the bryght sonne hyt ys no doute The cold mone letteth neuer a dele And Vrsa wyche that meueth rounde a boute The pole artyke ryght as hyt were a whele Her olde cours she kepeth wonder wele Thogh other sterres meue in to the west To a byden ther a boue she leketh best And Hesperus the eue sterre clere Loo sheweth hym self before the derke nyght And the lustey sterre Lucifer He bryngeth by este ageyn the day lyght Thys perdurable cours they kepeth ryght Thus al dyscord by enterchaunged loue Loo ys exyled from the heuen a boue Thys same accorde of loue by stoundes mete Attempereth eke the fyghtyng elementes That drouth may accorde wyth the wete That hete & colde may haue conuenyence And though they kepe ther kendly resistence The lyght fyre yet algates vp asceudeth And the heuy erthe contrary way descendeth And by causes of the self reson Swete floures spryngeth lustely In the fayre fyrst somer season And so the hote somer suyngly Maketh the corn to rypen hastely And so autumpnus bryngeth forth hys blede Lusty frutes folkes for to fede Thys same attemperaunce hyt ys no nay The wynter so be dweth wyth the rayn Al leuyng thyng hyt norysseth soth to say And efte wyth deth retorneth downe a geyn The whyles sytteth the maker souereyn welle & grounde both lorde & kyng ys he Law / & wyse Iuge of equyte The reynes of the world he hath in hand So makyng hyt to meuen & to go A restyng efte he maketh hyt to stande For thyng that fletteh euer to & fro But yf that he enstabelysshe hyt so Compellyng hyt to meuen in to rounde Hyt must nedes faylen fro hys grounde And fro the ordre wyche they now obserue Thys loue comen to euery creature Coueyteth them to kepen & conserue The ende of good that ground ys of nature For in other wyse may they not endure But loue retorne them in to vnyte Of god on hye that caused them to be
Prosa vij . Capitulum xiij . Iam ne igitur vides . Phia loquitur . ANd seyst thou not ꝙ she what sueth here Vpon al that we haue rehersed now Boeus ) I asked what phia ) ꝙ she yt ys ful That al fortune ys good boeus ) y asked how ( clere Phia ) Ful sone ꝙ she that shal I shew the now Thou vnderstandest wel that thys ys sothe That euery fortune Iustey ys or lothe Yet ben they geuen for an exercyse Of vertu to the good or elles thus As for a guerdonyng vnto the wyse Or they ben geuen to the vycyous To punyshe them that ben malycyous Or to correct them of ther mysdede Thys ys the very cause hyt ys no drede And al that euer ys Just & profytable wylt thou not hold hyt good Boeus ) I sayd yes For why hyt sueth ryght as resonable To that ye haue rehersed here y wys Of purueyance & desteny er thys Ful fermely your sentence ys y knytte But saeth me one thyng yf yow leketh yet As ye haue put be fore a lytel er Acounteth fortune now in thys degre ye sayden that a rude comyner Can not beleue / ne wyl hyt not se Phia ) And wherto shal I speke of that ꝙ she Boeus ꝙ I thys speche of men ys vsed wyde That euel fortune to som men doth betyde Phia ) And wylt thou ꝙ she that we negh nere Vn to the comen vsed speche than Lest them seme that I go to ferre A bouen al the comen vse of man Boeus ) As leketh yow ꝙ I Phia ) & she began Demest thou not good that causeth good to encresse Boeus ) yes ꝙ I for sothe I may Iuge no lesse Phia ) Now al that vertu ys enforced by Other that correcteth any dede Doth hyt not profyten ) Boecius ) yes ꝙ I Phia ) Than ys hyt good ꝙ she wythouten drede Boecius ) In sothe ꝙ I thys must I graunten nede Phia ) But thys ꝙ she to them dothe aperteyn That grounded ben in vertu the sothe to seyn That taketh bateyl wyth suche auentures whythstandyng them wyth myghty pacience Or hyt perteyneth to tho creatures That haue ledde ther lyffe in insolence And so to vertu doth ther dylygence Ther to enforsed wyth aduersyte Boecius ) & thys ꝙ I may not denyed be Phia ) But when ꝙ she fortune of lustynesse To good men ys geuen for ther mede Is hyt then bad ? wyl thes folkes gesse Boeus ) I sayd nay ful ryght they wyl hyt rede That thys fortune ys good wythouten drede Phia ) And what ꝙ she when fortune anguysous Is bestowed vpon the vycyous To peyn them for ther synnes ryghtuously whether wyl they deme hyt good or noght Boeus ) Good wyl they not Iugen hyt ꝙ I But wrecchednesse the worst that may be thoght Phia ) Behald ꝙ she now where we ben y broght As suynge thys vulgare opynyon In to a meruelous conclusyon Boeus ) I asked what Phia ) hyt sueth here ꝙ she Of that we haue confessed plenerly Lo that ther may no wycked fortune be To suche that haveth vertu perfetly Or to tho that encresseth ought ther by Or tho that doth in vertu fyrst begynne To vertu so conuerted fro ther synne And they that dwelleth in ther wyckednesse what fortune that them falle of wel or woo Hyt ys myschef to them & wrecchednesse Boeus ) In sothe ꝙ I hyt sueth wel ther to Thogh no man wyl hyt graunt yet ys hyt so Phia ) For why she sayd a wyse & perfet man Sholde not so sore grogen than When fortune as a foo doth hem assayle Ryght as a strong man sholde hym not dysdeyn When that he hyreth rumour of batayl But therof shold he be ful glad & fayn For suche destresse a mater ys certeyn For to conferme thes one in sapience Thes other in astate of excellence For then her name vertu vseth ryght Al only when hyt stont in thys degre when hyt enforceth of hys propre myght To be not ouerthroen by aduersyte And to yow that in encrece of vertu be Hyt belongeth not to lede a lusty lyffe wyth euery fortune haue ye taken stryffe And a bateyl wonder sharpe & kene Loke how ye can yow kepe in thys dystresse To set your selfen in a myghty mene So that her sorowes no thyng yow oppresse Ne that ye be not by her lustynesse Corrupt / for al that a boue thys mene a ryseth Or ys benethe / felycyte despyseth And shal no mede as for hys labour take For in your awne handes put ys hyt your propre fortune / wyche ye wyl make For yf hyt seme sharpe vnto your wyt Loo exercyse of vertu geueth hyt Or elles yow conuerteth fro your synne Or punysseth yow that wyl a byde theryn
AGamenon the vengeour of heleyue A bateyl held of ȝerus twyes fyue So he destroyed troy & wanne a geyn The same helyue that was hys brod wyffe But when he fyrst gan styre hym to that stryffe Hym lacked wynde to sayle on the flod And sone he boght hyt wyth hys doghter blod And so he made hym selfen pyteles In sacryfyce he sloo hys doghter dere Also when that noble Vlixes In the see had sayled many yere He wepte hys mayne wyth a ruthful chere For Poliphemus daryng in hys denne So fersly had deuoured al hys men But Vlixes ful warely gan espye whan that thys Poliphemus was a slepe And sodenly than put he oute hys ye And Poliphemus tho be gan to lepe And for malyce & anguyshe weyle & wepe wher of Vlixes was ful blythe & gladde In vengeance of the harmes that he hadde And Hercules gate hym a noble name By labours wyche that hard were & grete Fyrst the proude Centaurus made he tame The Lyon fers out of hys skynne he gete And Arpyas eke wyth aroes he shete And golden apples wych the dragon kepte He gate them whyle the cruel dragon slepte And Cerberus the foule hounde of helle wyth a thre folde cheyn he bounde ful last And dyomede the tyrant fers & fel He made hys horse deuoure hym at last Vpon the serpent Idra fyre he cast And so he brent hym in to asches colde That no man hys venem noyen shold When Achilaus made hym self by craft I leke to a bole wyth Hercules to fyght Than Hercules hys hornes hym be raft And fully hym despoyled of hys myght Achilaus in to a ryuer ryght For shame he lepte & hyd hym selfen there And on the lande he darst no more apere Antheus the geaunt of Libie That on the grounde hys myghtes wolde renwe Thus Hercules hym sloo ful manfully Vpon hys brest & to the grounde hym thrwe And Cakus the thefe that was vntrwe He sloo / & Euanderus Ire he pesed That of Cakus often was desesed And ouer thys he sloo the myghty bore wyth hoos foom hys shulders marked were But than hys last labour furdermore was when he on hys necke heuens bere And of thys labour he deserued there That heuen for to haue to hys mede ye myghty men to thys ye taketh hede Now hasteth yow the hye way to wende Ryght as ye may by thys exsample se ye nyce men & mased in your mynde why wyl ye not fyght a genste aduersyte wyth vertu / syth ye may so syker be Ho so in erthe hathe the victory He shal be worthy to the heuen on hye
Explicit Liber Quartus .

In thys chapytre Philosophia confermeth her exhortation / by exsample of iii. myghty men / of synguler dedes that they had done . Agamenon . Vlixes . & Hercules . And for cause often tymes men escheweth grete actes for lacke of corage / wyche corage ys blemesshed or oppressed : by iii. thynges in specyal . Ther fore he reherseth of thes werryours , certen dedes / in wyche they shewed the myght of ther corage not hurt ne blemesshed by none of thes causes . One thyng ys that often letteth & wythdraeth the force of mannes corage / fro myghty and manly dedes / that ys tendrenesse of herte and affection that he hathe other to wordly thynges wyche he delyteth vpon / Other to wyffe & chyldren / kynred / or frenshyppe / wyche he kepeth not to dysplese in wythdrayng hys presence / nether in any other thyng / that myght be cause of mornyng or heuynesse . But ageynst thys carnalyte / he putteth the exsample of Agamenon . That when he was saylynge towardes the sege● of Troye / when he came to the Ile of Aulydes / hym lacked wynde . Then was hyt shewed hym by wycches & dyuynours / that yf he wolde haue wynde : he must slee hys doghter Ephigenie / & brenne her in sacryfyce to the plesance of Dyane . And not wythstandyng that he loued hys doghter passyng al thynge / yet in hope of vyctory / he put a way the tendrenesse of faderly affection / and made hys hert pyteles to hys dere doghter / & so sloo her in sacryfyce .

And so had he wynde to hys wyl / & suyngly the vyctory as he desyred The second thynge that letteth a mannes corage ys : when he hath seyn many peryshe for a certeyn purpose : wych hym self desyreth / and fewe or none atteyn hyt wyth prosperyte . A geyn thys a basshement / he putteth the second exsample of Vlixes . wyche when he had x. yeres erred saylyng in the see after the destruction of Troye & suffred many mysse aduentures / & specyally in transformation & lesynge of hys feloshyppe : by the cursed enchaunteresse Circes . Here he tellethe how the grete gyant Poliphemus wyth one yee in hys frount / had deuored & destroyed hys people / And not wythstandynge the myscheffe that al hys people had suffered / yet Vlixes a basshed hym noght / but wayted when thys gyant was a slepe / & sodenly put oute hys yee : And theu was he syker of hym / that he myght harme hym no more . & so he venged the morder of hys meyne ▪ The moralyte of thys fable / ys thys . Poliphemus ys as moche to say / as lesynge of fame : And he that recketh not of hys fame / may wel be called one yeed . For he regardeth not that ys to come : ne that ys passed . but only to hys present lustes . But Vlixes the wyse man / hathe regard bothe to that ys gon : & to that that ys to come / & quencheth in hym self thys one ys of thes present lustes . And thogh so be that al the worlde for the more part / by rauesshynge of thys one ye / peresseth / foloynge thes momentaney lustes : and vnnethes any man ys that can or wyl refrayn them : yet Vlixes the wyse man : wyl stoppe thys ye / & not excuse hym by the comen excuse of wrecches saynge : Ho ys he that may wythstand hys desyres / syth so many myghty men & wyse haue ben dyscomfete of ther lustes . But he wyl myghtly represse thes passyons by good gouernance ▪ And so venge hym self vpon hys gostely enemy .

The thyrde thynge that a basseth the corage : ys cowardyce : when a man haldeth hym self vnable to the labour that he puryoseth / and hys myght vnsuffycyant & vnmete to resyste that : that wythstandethe hys wyl & enteut . Agenste thys cowardyce : philosophia Inducethe the xii . labours of the myghty man Hercules / wyche semeth to euery mannes hyrynge ferre to excede the myght of any man ▪ yet not wythstandyng / Hercules a basshed neuer hys corage : but myghtely performed hys entent & purpos . wherefore as philosophia concludeth he was rewarded wyth a souereyn geft / and made a bryght shynyng sterre in the heuen a boue . By thes myghty manues labours / ys geuen to ous an exsample / that ther may no thynge a basshe the corage of a wyse man : wher by he sholde leue the labour of vertuous leuynge / ne bodely exercyse in vertu shal not seme hym ouerhard to hys myght / but that he may performe hys entente & lust . so shal hys desyre be enforced wyth desyre & ful hope to heuenly Ioy.

The fyrst labour : the proude Centaurus made he tame : Of thes Centaurus ys sayd be forn / That Ixion gate them of a cloude / when he wolde haue oypressed Iuno . But what wyse that Hercules tamed them / hyt ys expressed by the commentor thus . when that thes Centaurus in a certen tyme were come to gedres in the mount of Pheloe to a pley that was called Palestra / wyche we calle wrastelyng / Hercules so sore asset them in wrastelyng / that they bledde . Also another tyme Hercules comyng oute of spayne was logged in the den of Tyro Centaurus that was one of the ●heffe masters . And as thys Tyro handeled an aroe / wyth wyche Hercules hadde slayn a serpent the venemous aroe fel vpon hys fote / and made hym a wonde / that was vncurable . The thyrde tyme hyt fel that Hercules wyth hys loue Deiamra tornyng toward hys contre / come to the ryuer of Heuenū / And when he taryed for caryage of hys wyffe : Neffus Centaurus bade hym swymme ouer before : & he wold bryng her after . And when that Hercules was come to lande / he loked after hys wyffe / & he saw Centaurus a boute for to oppressen her / And a none wyth a venemous aroe he shet hym thoro the hert & s●we hym . And thus he tamed the proude Centaurus . To the litceral truthe of thys tale . Ixion that was called the fader of the Centaurus / was the fyrst that ordeyned horsemen for to ryde in grece / and gadred of them a hundred & wasted sore the contrey . And when the rude people dyd see them so smartly pry●k●ng in and oute / they wend hyt had ben bestes / half hors and half men . And at last thes myghty Hercules faught with them & destroyed them . By thes Centaurus geten of the cloude may be vnderstande suche men as ben exalted in to hye astates / not by meret of ther vertues / but by fauour of lordshyppe / & by ther vayn plesaunce . They ben half bestes & half men / bestly in ther leuyng / raueners & extorcyoners : & leke men in pleasaunce to ther lordes Hercules the vertuous shal spare none offence of ther hye astates / ne drede of ther tyranny / but boldly repreue them of ther vyces / & make them to loke as men sholde . The second of Hercules was that he strepte the Lyon out of hys skyn . The truthe of thys labour was thys : Ther was a passyng hugy Lyon in the forest of Nemeas : wyche sore afrayed the people of the contrey . wyche Lion hercules slwe / & strept the skyn : & bare wyth hym in sygne of vrctory . By thys Lyon ys vnderstande / proude & fers tyrantes : that delyteth al in rauen and pylyng of the people / hauyng no pytey vpon the poure . Thes men a vertuous man sholde spoyle of ther poure / & suffer none suche to bere astate of off●ce .

The thyrde labour was that he sher the herpyas wyth aroes .

Syneus put oute the yees of hys sonnes / because they had accused ther stepmoder of adultery . wherfore by Jugement of goddes he was blynded hym self / and had certen foules aboute hym wyth mayden heddes / that defoyled hys table & bare a way hys mete . Thes foules Hercules slwe and droue oute of contrey

By thes Herpyas may wel be vnderstande rennets or ryders ouer the contre / couered vnder lordshyp / as menstrelles & Ioculers and such other / that cometh in to householdes of worthy men / & eteth and deuoreth ther vytelles / And but they haue also geftes / they vbyl defoule the table / despysyng the persons / And when they ben passed / speke vylenously by al the household . Suche people a vertuous man sholde not cherysshe for fere of wordes / but rebuke them of thys foule maners / and so destroy that foule vyce and vnhonest vsage .

The fourth labour was : that he gate the golden apples fro the dragon . As Lucanus feyneth Athlaus had vii . doghters / wyche had a gardenful of golden apples / wych garden was taken to kepe to a dragon / that alway was wakyng . But Hercules by crafte made thys dragon to slepe / and so bare a way the apples : and broght them to Euristeus the kyng . By thes vii . doghters of Athlaus / ben vnderstande the vii . artes liberal . Thes damseles haue a garden / that ys the lybrary disperse a monges clerkes . Appel trees ben bokes / the apples ben sotel sentence of wysedom / wych the wakynge dragon / that ys the sensualyte of man hathe to kepe . wych ys euer wakyng to lustes and delytes / and so letteth the soule fro connyng . But Hercules the vertuous man oppresseth hys sensualyte by good gouernaunce so that hyt letteth hym noght fro study / And so by hys good besynesse he geteth the frute of al the vii . science .

The v. labour was when he bound Cerberus the foule hound of helle . Of thes Cerberus the fable ys thys . Pirritous wold wedde the quene of helle . And he called Hercules & Theseus / & other myghty men to helpe hym . And when they came to helle / lest Cerberus the porter sholde lette them of ther purpose / Hercules bounde hym wythe a cheyn of adamant : The quene of helle may wel be called wordly worshyp / wych Pirritous desyreth . But he taketh wyse men to hys counsel . And Cerberns wyth iii. heddes Hercules byndeth / That ys Pryde / Auaryce / and Lechory . Thes iii. hed synnes letteth a man to be worshypful / where for the vertuous man byndeth & restreyneth them wyth a treble cheyn of vertues . And when that thes vyces be so repressed by vertues / a man may not fayle to be worshypful .

The vi . labour was that he made diomede to be eten of hys ovne hors . The fable ys thys . Diomede kyng of Trace / fedde hys hors wyth mannes flesshe : wher fore he vsed to slee hys gestes for hys hors . But at last came Hercules and slwe hym / ▪ And made hys horse to ete hym . And fynally sloo the same hors . Thys Diomede betokeneth a wastour that pylleth and despoyleth the people / for to maynteyn hys grete a ray / wych passeth the suffysaunce of hys astate . But a vertuous man shal besey hym self for to destroy suche maner leuers / & compelle them for to leue by ther ovne good : But when they may not contynue that a ray wythoute rauen and robbery / ther hors and ther a ray bryngeth them to noght . so that of nede they must leue hyt and leue as they may . The vii . labour was / that he brent the serpent Idra . In the ryuer of Lerne was a serpent wyth many heddes / And euer yf one were cut of / ther waxe ●ii . therfore . And when that Hercules had shotte hym & no thyng a vayled / at last he made a boute thys serpent a hugey hepe of vood : & after set hyt a fyre & so brent thys serpent . Thys fable ys toched be fore & in part declared The viii . labour ys of Achilaus . the fable ys thys . Hercules and Achilaus wressheled to gether for the mayden Dianer / & when that Achilaus feld hym self at the worse / he torned hym self sodenly in to a serpent / & slypte out of hys handes . And Hercules eftsones caught hym & was in poynt to wery hym . And then Achilaus torned hym self in to a bole . So Hercules a none toke hym & threw hym to the ground & breke hys horne . & he for shame lepte in to the water & hyd hym .

The truthe of thys fable ys thys Achilaus ys a ryuer be twene grece & Calcedoyne . In thys Calcedoyne regned a kyng named Genus / hose doghter Hercules rauesshed . And comyng to thys ryuer when he might not passe hyt he stopped an arme of hyt & dryed hyt / & so he passed with hys loue . By thys kynges doghter may be vnderstand vertu / wyche Hercules the myghty man coueyteth for to haue . Achilaus betokeneth the sensualyte / wych in youth hyley wythstandeth a man that wold be vertuous . But fyrst the sensualyte as a serpent assayleth hym by many syde wayes / And when thys myghty man hath ouercome al tho serpentes deceytes / he torneth in to a bole wyth ii . hornes / Lechory / & Glotony . But thys one horne of Lechory / the vertuous man breketh & vtterly destroyeth . & then ys the sensualyte ouercome / For the other horne of glotony wyl lyghtly of a vertuous man be put vnder by good gouernaunce . So thys bole lepeth in to the ryuer . the sensualyte ys repressed & keleth hym self by penance / and so wynneth the myghty man vertue to hys loue .

The ix . labour ys of Antheas the grete geaunt / wych was geten of the erthe / And euer as he toched the erthe / he renued hys strengthe wyth wych geaunt Hercules wrasteled / But alway when he semed dyscomfeted / fallyng to ground he became as fresshe as he was before Than Hercules perceuyug thys toke hym in hys armes / & leyd hym on hys brest / and so streyned hym to deth by strengthe : & so caste hym to the grounde / & thus destroyed he the geaunt . By thes Antheus may be vnderstand wordly couetyce / wych encresseth & renueth hys strength by tochyng of the ground . For couetyce wyl not be quenched by plenty of wordly good / but rather ys ther by renued & enforced . Hercules then the vertuous man / streyneth thys couetyce wythyn hys brest / & wyth draeth hyt vtterly fro wordly good / & so he quencheth the lust that he had ther on / & putteth hyt holely in vertu & in wysedom .

The x. labour ys of Cakus the theffe of Libia wych Hercules dyscomfeted & slwe . The fable ys thys . Ther was in the mounte Aucentyne a monstre / that spete fyre at hys mouthe / robbyng & despoylyng the people of the contrey . And he was the sonne of Vulcane / by whom Euander kyng of the land was gretly a noyed . And Hercules comyng by that contre / bryngyng wyth hym out of spayn grete plenty of bestes / thys Cakus stale iiii . bolles & as many keyn : & droe them in to hys den by the tayles bacward / that the stappes sholde not be seyn Inward . And Hercules by estimation espyed where they were / and so droe Cakus out of hys denne / and sloo hym . and so he esed the kyng destroyng hys enemy . The moralyte ys thus . By thys Cakus may be vnderstand pryde . He speteth fyre at hys mouthe / hye wordes of malyce and manace : He ys Vulcanus sonne . For that vyce ys appropryat to the deuel that fyrst hyt founde . He wasteth and deuoreth and steleth al that he may / and so harmeth the contre ▪ For a proude man wasteth moche in hys a ray & other expenses / that al that ben a boute hym ben noyed ther by . Euander the reson that ys kyng of the soule may not ouercome hym / for he wyl not worche by hym / He dareth in hys den : syttyng in mannes hert / he steleth iiii . bolles of Hercules he oppresseth the iiii . cardynal vertues / & as many keyn / al other vertues that ben vnder them . For a proude man ys myghtles / vntemperate / vnware & vnryghtuous . Thys theffe Hercules that ys consciens espyeth : and draeth out thys theffe pryde out of the hert / and sleyth & destroyth hym / and so hath he hys bestes a geyn / that be vertues . And reson that was ouer come / now regneth in the soule as kyng in ●pece and reste .

The xi . labour ys of the bore that Hercules s●we . In archadia was a myghty bore that wasted the regyon sore . wych Hercules hunted and at last thys bore torned vn to Hercules & smote hym in the shulder / and marked hyt wyth the foom of hys mouthe . By thes bore may be vnderstand the vyce of the flesshe / wyche wasteth foule a man hys substance : Thes vyces Hercules the myghty chaceth and hunteth / in wyl to destroy them : But thys bore torneth and assayleth Hercules : For hyt chaunceth ofte / that a ful myghty man in vertues : that pursueth & hateth al vyces / ys assayled & repted wyth the synne of the flesshe / & perauenture ys marked fallyng theryn . But one vycyous dede beryueth not the habyte of vertu : but ma●●●h a man more ware : and dylygent for to kepe hym self / and so at laste he ouercometh hys flesshe and sleyth thys bore of luste and lekyng .

The xii . labour was thys : after the fable of Duyde . Athlas the myghty geaunt / in the geauntes batayl / fyghtyng a genst the goddes aboue / bare heuen vpon hys shulder : And when that he sawe Hercules come to hym / after hys other labours / he was wery of fyghtyng & also of thys burden / prayd hym to helpe hym to bere heuen / And he toke and bare hyt myghtely . wherby he deserued to be made a fayr sterre in heuen . The truthe was thys . Athlas was a cheffe astronomer / wherefore he was sayd that he bare heuen / the connynge of heuenly thynges . But when Athlas dyed / wych deth ys a rest and a refresshyng to the vertuous / Hercules toke heuen vpon hys shulder . The moralyte may be thus . The batayl of geauntes ys the enforsynge of goostly myghtes a genst the goddes a boue / that ys a genst natural inclination to vyces / wyche ys caused by constellations / But a genst thes inclinations / he may fyght best / that hathe connyng of astronomy . For to serche the myghtes of the planetes for certen tymes / and knoweth also how thes vycious inclinations becaused . But at last he must leue the labour of astronomy compelled by age / when al hys passyons ben cessed : and then Hercules taketh heuen vpon hys shulder : and geueth hym holly to heuenly contemplation .

And so he deserueth by thys labour specyally to be made a cytesen of heuen . Loo thus must euery myghty man that wylde seruen heuen . Fyrst lothe and abhorre the monstres of synne : bothe in hym self : and also in other : and at last leuyng al outward occupation / geue hym holly to serue god : in prayer and contemplation : and so many he be syker of al that he desyreth .

To whom so euer the moralyte of thes fables be plefaūt or vnlusty were ye wel that they lacketh al in som thynges lytteral truthe . But a fable lackyng lytteral truthe vnexponed : ys noght elles but a lesyng . And as holy scripture saeth / al that euer doth or speketh lesyng / shal be parteners of the pytte of helle . Wher fore after my symple connynge / I haue moralysed them in my maner : leuyng the correction to other that ben clerkes and more connyng in that science . For syth hyt aperteneth not to holy wryt : euery man wythout offence : may say that hym semeth most lekely to truthe .

Explicit Liber quartus .
Sequitur Liber Quintus Boetij de cōsolatone Phie .
WHen she had sayd she gan her selfen hye To other thynges treted for to be your noble exhortation ꝙ I Ful worthy hyt ys of hye auctoryte But yet whyle er as I remembre me ye dyd speke of dyuyne prescience How hard hyt ys I haue experyence And al belapped wyth demaundes fele Encomberous to any mannes wyt Ful daungerous ys that mater wyth to dele But now I pray yow that ye say me yet yf happe be ought / what maner thyng ys hyt Phia ) I spede me ꝙ she for to pay my dette Of thynges that whyle er I the behete And for to set the in a redy way So that thou myght retorne in to thy land Thys mater that thou askest sothe to say Though hyt be good to know & vnderstand Loo yet thys purpose that we haue on hand Somwhat hyt ys impertynent ther to And furdermore hyt ys to drede also Lest of thy wayes that thou faynt & fayle As for thy Iorney that ys ouergone And lest thou suffyse not to thy traueyle To that thou hast hereafter for to done Boeus ) Then drede ye not ꝙ I let me alone For thys shal be ryght as a tyme of rest To hyre of thyng that me delyteth best And namely syth your processe al a boute By dysputation so formally Concluded ys / hyt may not ben in doute Of that ye wyl enducen suyngly Phia ) Ryght as thou wylt ꝙ she ryght so wyl I And she be gan to declare in thys wyse what euer he be ꝙ she that wyl deuyse That happe ys suche a thyng that shold be fal wythouten cause or skyle of gouernaunce Than say I thus / that happe ys nought at al But an Idel name & of no vaylaunce Syth god hath set al thyng in ordynaunce Now shold there any place then be To worken thynges in vncertente For tru●y nogh thys sentence hath be holde Loo that ther may no thyng be don of nought Thys sentence reuoked neuer faders olde Of one begynner al thyng must be wroght yet thys was not the conceyt of ther thoght Tho al thyng haue a maker pryncypal They dyd mene of subiect materyal For that they put as for a fundament And that hath euer reson of nature Than wyl hyt suen clere and consequent Thys may wel perceyue euery creature yf any thyng were don by aduenture wythouten causes wher of to procede Than must hyt come of nought hyt ys no drede But syth thys may not be in no maner Than happe may not be called sykerly Suche as we dyffyned haue whyle er Boecius ) what ys ther than no maner thyng ꝙ I That chaunce or happe ys called skylefully Or suche a thyng ther ys to folkē vnknowe wher to thes name belangeth as ye trowe Phia ) yes myne Aristoteles ꝙ she In hys boke of physyke naturel Breffely he sheweth what thyng hyt shold be Ful nye the truthe dyffyneth he hyt ful wel Boeus ) And how ꝙ I phia ) Lo thys ys euery dele ꝙ she that wryteth Aristoteles Of thys mater / & hyt ys no les As often as ther ys a worke y wroght As for a certen purpos of entent And then of other causes vnbethoght Betydeth other wyse then was be ment Loo happe thys may be called verament As yf hyt lust a man to delffe hys lande And hydde theryn a somme of golde he founde Of suche a thyng men demeth sykerly Loo that a soden aduenture hyt ys yet came hyt not of no thyng pardey But propre causes were be forn ywysse The concours of wych causeth thys But for hyt fel vnware & vnbethought Hyt semeth folke that happe ●ut hath y wroght For but the telyer had dolue hys ground And eke the hyder put hyt in that stede Thou mayst wel seyn the gold had not be found As in that maner wyse hyt ys no drede Thes causes ben of aduenturous dede when that they mete & ben assembled so wythouten certen purpos to be do For he that dalf & he that hyd hyt there Purposed not thou mayst suppose hyt wel That gold to haue ben found in that maner Neuer one of them bethoght hyt neuer a dele But ryght as I haue sayd hyt so befel That in the same place where thes hyt hyd That other dalf & found as hyt betyde Now then in short to make an ende of al And to make a fynal dyffynytion Loo hap ys suche a thyng that doth befalle No thyng purposed of entention Of dyuers causes metyng in to one In thynges that for somwhat were y wroght But vnto that that ys be falle / noght But thys vnescheuable ordynaunce wyche that the wel hed procedeth fro Of the hye dyuyne purueyaunce wythouten wyche ther may no thyng be do That maketh thes causes to concurren so That al thyng desposeth kendly In propre place & tymes certenly
Metrum j. Capitulum ij . Rupis achimenie scopulis . Phia loquitur . TIgris and Eufrates spryngeth bothe Out of a cragge rocke of Ermeny Out of one wel hed to say the sothe wher men ben wont to fyghten wonderly In flyght they harmeth them that sueth nye Ther sharpe dartes in ther brest fyxyng So when they fleyth ther foes moste noyng Thes ryuers bothe ben dysioyned sone And renneth in to dyuers stremes grete And after that they fallen in to one where that they in a nother place mete The shyppes than & stockes that ther flete In ether of thes stremes doune a long Hyt happeth that they mete euer a mong Thys water thus ImpLyeth & 〈◊〉 Thus medelyng many chaunces fortunel But of that shevey erthe hyt so behappeth The wych thys water sueth / wete hyt wel That fletyng ordre ruleth euery dele Ryght so ys happe vnruled as demeth ye But neuertheles hyt hath a law of certente
Prosia ij . Capituln̄ iij. Animaduerto inquam . Boecius loquitur . TO thys ꝙ I ful wel acorde I can And that ye say I may hyt wel beleuen But in the ordre of thes causes than The wych so suyngly to gedres cleueu Thys wold I se / yf ye coude shew or preuen yf in out choys ys any lyberte Other elles that thys cheyn of destyne Constreyneth al the mouyug of our wyt Phia ) ꝙ she in sothe then were hyt al a mysse That wyl I shew & clerely preuen hyt For why / no kend that resonable ys whythouten lyberte may ben ywysse For al that kendly reson vsen may May demen & dyscern hyt ys no nay And by hym self he knoweth kendly what thyng ys to desyre & what to fleen And what thyng that he demeth verely That worthy ys desyred for to be That thyng loo seketh & desyreth he And what he Iugeth worthy to be forsake That wyl he leue / & that other take Then euery thyng that reson hath certen Of wyl & nel hath lyberte ther to But al y leke / in sothe wyl I not sayn For dyuyne substances standeth not so The Iugement ys wonder clere of tho Ther wyl ys incorrupt / ther myght ys prest And spedy to al that them leketh best But moste in fredom ys the soule of man when he ys set in contemplation And fully fyxen al hys thoughtes can In hye dyuyne speculation And lesse yf that hys occupation In wordly thyng dystracteth ought hys mynde And lesse when flesly boundes doth hym bynde But when a man ys geuen vnto vyce Than ys he vtterly bound & thralle When he hath set hys reson at no pryse And wylfully hath lete hyt fro hym falle Hys lyberte ys then lest of alle When that hys syght in wordly wrecchednesse Is cast fro lyght of souereyn sothfastnesse He begenneth then to wexe derke & dulle Of that foule cloude of Ignorance Of foule affections than he shal be ful Encombred wyth the vyce of inconstance That trobeleth hym wyth anguysshe & greuance To wych when he consenteth in hys wyt In seruage then hym selfen hath he knytte In maner of hys propre lyberte A caytyf ys becommen in conscience But neuer the later he that al may se As by hys hye eternal prescience Al thyng gouernyng by hys excellence He hyreth & seyth wel euery thought & dede And so he wyl desposen for ther mede
Metrum ij . Puro clarum lumie . Phia THe noble poet hony mouthe Omere Loo of the sonne syngeth on thys wyse And sayth / for al hys bryght bemes clere The see / ne lande yet may he not suffyse To persen thorugh / so may we not deuyse Of hym that hath thys wyde world y wroght The heuy erthe hym wythstandeth noght Fro fer & hye al thyng he seyth a none He ys not let by cloudes of the nyght For al that ys / was / or shal be done At ones ys hyt al beforn hys syght Syth he alone wyth hys bemes bryght So al thynges may behald & se We may wel sayn a very sonne ys he
Prosa iij. Capitulum v. Tum ego en inquam . Boecius loquitur . I sayd then / a gretter doute now Confoundeth me then dyd be fore ywysse Phia ) Of what ꝙ she art thou in doute now Now ryght in sothe coniect I what hyt ys Boecius ) full hugely ꝙ I repugneth thys That god may knowen al thyng er hyt be And that our wyl may stande at lyberte Syth god be forn seyth al that shal be do And hys syght loo may be deceyued nought Of very fo rs then nede hyt must be so That prescience hath seyn that ys to be wroght And not only worke / but wylle & thoght Of euery wyght he knoweth plenerly Than ys no fredom in our arbytry For why ther may be nother thoght ne dede That pnrueyaunce beforn ne seyth hyt al He fayleth not ther of / hyt ys no drede But al that euer he wote betyden shal Al that he seyth beforn hyt must befalle And yf hyt may be torned other wyse Hyt was not seyn be fore at my deuyse Than shal thys be no very prescience But as an vncerten opynyon But sykerly thys were a foule offence Of god to felen that conclusyon And somme men supposeth that thys questyon May ben assoyled thus / as they beleue But ther resons can I not apprene Loo thus they sayn / a thyng that shal betyde Betydeth not for god prouydeth so But god that thyng to commen doth prouyde And seyth beforn al thyng that shal be do And thus a geynward sholde the causes go That god foreseyth thys thyng that shal be wroght But of nede hyt shal vetyde nought They sayn also that thyng that shal befalle In goddes syght prouyded ys hyt nede Loo thys aunswere assoyleth nought at al Thys doutful questyon hyt ys no drede Only to thys entente hyt doth procede Loo of ij . dyuers thynges to enquere wych of them the cause of other were Whether that the prescience of god a lone Causeth thyng to fallen nedely Other elles thyng that nedes shal be don Loo causeth prescience in god on hye Thys ys no very aunswere sykerly To that that I entend for to shew But neuertheles my purpose standeth true How euer hyt standeth of thys ordynaunce That wych of thes the cause of other be A thyng that ys forseyn by purueyaunce Of nede hyt must betyde as semeth me Thogh hyt be so that thys necessyre Be not y caused of thys presc●ence As in effect ther ys no dyfference As yf I sytte & thou supposest hyt Than nedes sothe ys thyn opynyon But my syttyng ys not caused yet As nedeful by thy estimation And ryght so yf thou torne hyt vp so downe yf thou supposest sothe of that I do Eke of necessyte than ys hyt so Necessyte then must ther ben in bothe Vn to that poynt loo here we ben y broght In me of syttyng & in the of sothe yet wotest thou wel that therfore sytte I noght As for that sothe opynyon in thy thought But rather thus / be cause that I sate Loo thyn opyuyon was sothe in that Than ys thys truthe caused of the dede And so in bothe ther ys necessyte Loo in the same wyse we may procede Of thys purueyaunce as semeth me For cause thes thynges shal here after be Ther fore by purueyaunce he seyth hyt al And yet therfore doth hyt not befalle And neuer the later al that shal betyde Of god hyt ys prouyded nedefully And efte a geyn al that he doth prouyde Of nede hyt doth befallen certenly And al the fredom of our arbytry Loo thys suffyseth to destroyen clene Here apereth wel how masedly we mene That aduenture of thynges temporel Shold causen hys eternal prescience But thys wold ben a foly thyng to fele wyth reson hath hyt no conuenyence For hyt wold suen of ther euydence That thynges past long tyme seyn Shold causen god that ys our souereyn As yf I know a thyng that present ys whyle I hyt know nedes ys hyt so Ryght so a thyng that shal ben after thys yf I hyt know / of nede hyt must be do Hyt sueth wel we may not go ther fro And so my purpose may not be remeued That thyng prescite / may not ben exchued For yf I deme thus of a certen thyng And ys not so / hyt ys no questyon Not only ys that conceyt no connyng But errour of a false opynyon And wonder fer ys that suspection And dyuers fro the trouthe as I suppose But ho can saue hyt wyth a beter glose For yf ther shal a certen thyng be wroght And shal not fallen of necessyte But ys vncerten to betyde or noght Hyt ys not knowen to ben as semeth me For knouyng / wyth falshed may no wyse be In no maner conioyned ne deceyued But hyt must ben that knouyng hath conceyued And other wyse may hyt not be done For loo that ys the very cause why That in a knouyng errour ys ther none Syth trouth then standeth nedefully And knouyng comprehendeth verely what than a vayleth that we ben a boute How knoweth god a thyng that ys in doute For yf that god a certen thyng deuyse For to be don that no wyght may exchwe And yet hyt may betyden other wyse A perylous errour here of wyl ther sue That goddes Iugement shold ben vntrue But loo of god oure hye souereyn Ful felones ys / thus to thynke or sayn And yf he knoweth thynges for to ben So that they may betyde indyfferent As be or not be / then can I not seyn But thys ys an vncerten Iugement The prescience of god omnip●otent what thyng ys hyt I can hyt not defend That may no thyng in certen comprehende Than shold ther be no maner dyfference As semeth in myne estimation Betwene the hye dyuyne prescience And Tyresyes dyuynation Of whom Ouyde maketh mention what euer I say she sayd / hyt shal be falle Other elles shal hyt not betyde at alle what better shal thys purueyance be Than the opynyon of a mannes wyt That demeth thynges in vncertente And so vncertenly betydeth hyt Ouer al thyng we must beleuen yet That god ys very welle & syker ground In whom no thyng vncerten may be found Than euery thyng in certen shal betyde Thyt ys before seyn in hys purueyance Than ys no lyberte in mannes syde Ne in our chesyng ys no cheuysance Dyuyne thought may haue no varyance wythouten errour he behaldeth al And byndeth ous to thyng that must befal And haue we ones fully geten thys He may perceuen ho so taketh hede Mannes lyffe in what myscheffe hyt ys And standeth euer in heuynesse & drede why shold ther any man receyuen mede Or any surfetour be put in peyn Al thys wyl semen but a thyng in veyn Syth that no wylful meuyng of ther gost Of lyberte they nought deserued han And thynges that now ben commended most As very wrong they must be demed than For vertu to rewarden any man Or punyssshen any wycked skylefully Ther neyther hath deserued wyllyngly But necessyte them hath constreyned To thynges that of certen must be done Than vyce & vertu ys but thyng y feyned Ne in our workes meret ys ther none But an vndyscrete confusyon Ther ys no thyng that wors may be thought Syth al thyng in ordre forthe ys brought Of purueyaunce / ne vn to mannes wyt No thyng ys lefful / & our vyces woode Loo vnto god they ben referred yet wyche that very auctor ys of al goode And furdermore yf that thys errour s●ode wherto sholde we prayen ought or trust when we may no thyng wynne that ous lust yf al that euer we can desyre or say One certen ordre vnreuersed knetteth Then wherto sholde we hopen ought or pray Syth purueyaunce fayleth not ne fletteth That euery thyng so at a certen putteth Thys only marchaundyse ys voyded than That vsed ys betwene god & man Prayer & hope shold ben vnprofytable But wyth the pryce of Iust humylyte we geteth of god a mede vnestimable For only that hath euer the maner be That euery man may haue hab●lyte wyth god to speke & neghen to that lyght That perced may not be wyth mannes syght By very reson of thys prayer meke To hym we be conioyned verely Before or then we gete that we beseke And yf we sholde assenten vtterly That thyng to come must fallen nedefully Thys hope & trust of wyche we spoke beforn Is thyng of nought & al our labour loren How sholde we then to that prynce a boue Aprochen or be knette by any mene yf that we may deserue of hym no loue And al our labour ys not worthe a bene But al mankend standeth dysioyned clene As fro ther hed departed al wyth wrong Ryght as whyle er ye sayd in your song
Metrum iij. Capitulum vj. Que nam discors . Boecius loquitur . WHat maner cause of wonder dyscordance So hath disioyned thus in thys maner Our lyberte & goddes purueyaunce That neyther may to other neyghen nere What god thys batayl hath deuysed here Be tweue ij . truthes here of haue I wonder That sothe ynogh ben whyle they ben a sounder But loo they may not ben to gether set And yet dyscord in truthes ys ther none Ful certenly they ben to gedres knette But mannes soule that so ys ouergone Enclosed thus wythyn fless●e & bone That soppressed hath hyr fyry lyght That she yet may not lyften vp her syght Thes sotel knottes to be holde & se The flesly boundes doth hyt so oppresse But why so feruently desyreth she The notes for to fynd of sothfastnesse And that she seketh so wyth besynesse wote she that her selfen knoweth hyt But ho desyreth a knawen thyng to wete Ho may desyre a thyng & knoweth hyt nought yf he ne knoweth what seketh he so blynd Or ho may seke that ys not in hys thought Or yf he seke hyt / how shal he hyt fynde Or how shal he remembre hyt in hys mynde How may he knowen when he fyndeth thys And wote not of what maner forme hyt ys when that the saule ys sole & separat Behaldyng on that souereyn thoght on hye Then may he se / that now he may nat Al thyng in somme & also syngulerly But now she ys enclosed bodely Som part of thys syght she hath forlete But vtterly she hath not al forgete For why the somme she haldeth as I trow But not so euery thyng in specyalte He than that thes trouthe wold know Al knoweth he not / thou mayst wel se Ne al the trouthe forgete hath not he But loo the knowyng of the general Maketh hym to labour for the specyal Thys somme then wych she haldeth here In her thoght remembryng ofte a geyn She seketh in that souereyn myrrour clere whete euery sothe may syngul●rly be seyn Enforsyng hyr wyth labour & wyth peyn Forgeten thyng / yf that she may hyt fynde To put hyt to the tresour of hyr mynde
Prosa iiij . Capitulum vij . Tum illa vetus inquam . Phia loquitur . SHe sayd then / thys ys an olde complaynt And a ful comen vsed questyon To Marcus Tullius hyt samed queynt As by hys boke of dyuynation He had ther wyth grete occupation And of thy self ful long hyt hath be soght And none of yow as yet ne fonud hyt nought Ne suffysantly haue not declared hyt And sykerly the cause may thys be That the dyscours of a mannes wyt May not atteyn to so hye degre To demen of that hye symplycyte wyche ys in dyuyne purueyaunce He ys not sothly of that suffysaunce And yf thys myght be thought or comprehended Thou sholdest then be neuer a dele in doute But at last I hope I shal amend hyt yf that I may my mater bryng a boute Thys errour of thy hert to a voyden oute But fyrst I wyl a voyden & dyspreuen Conceytes / wyche the to thys errour meuen But fyrst I aske the the cause why Thou holdest thys reson not effectuel Of them that shewen that your arbytry Algates in hys fredom standeth wel Syth presciens constreyneth neuer a dele By nede / thynges wyche that shal be done But ys contingeut for to ben or none Loo makest thou any other argument Of thyng to fallen of necessyte But for cause that god omuipotent Knoweth hyt / that hyt shal here after be Hyt may not be vndone as semeth the And yet thys presciens causeth nought The same thyng of nede to be wroght That graunted thou whyle er yf thou haue mende why ys hyt then that voluntary dede So ys constreyned to a certen ende That thyng to comen must be fallen nede But that I may the to the trouthe lede To se what sueth here by consequence I put thys case ther were no prescience Wyl then thyn argument a vaylen ought The wych in prescience thou groundest so That thynges wych of fre wyl shold be wroght That any nede compelleth them ther to Thou wylt not trow that Boecius ) I sayd no Phia ) Now set we ꝙ she prescience a geyn So that of nede hyt do no thyng constreyn Than standeth absolute the same wyl Hole in hys lyberte / thys wotest thou wel But I suppose thou makest me thys skyle Though prescience necesseth neuer a dele Thyng to come in stoundes temporel Thou seyst hyt ys a very sygne true Of thyng that must as necessary sue Ryght so thou myght concluden as by thys Though that ther were no prescience at al That thynges wych to come hyre after ys Necessaryly hyt must be fal For only euery sygne shewen shal A thyug that ys or after shal be seyn But yet that sygne maketh hyt not to ben And yf that prescience a sygne were Of euery thyng that nedes must come Fyrst hyt nedeth ous to shewen hyre That no thyng falleth but nedes hyt must be done And yf hyt be not so than knowest thou sone That sygne may ther none be verely wythoute a thyng betokened be ther by But to confirmen fully al a boute And sadly to susteyn our entent we may not seke sygnes of wythoute Ne fyxe ous in a foreyn argument But of causes ful conuenyent And necessary / behoueth ous to procede yf that we sholde in our purpose spede But thys thou wylt replyen here a geyn How may that thyng not fallen sayst thou me wyche that ys prouyded & foreseyn By purueyaunce here after for to be As chaunce that I couth none other se But thyng that prescience doth prouyde we trowed that hyt were not to betyde But rather thys entended I for to preue That thogh a certen thyng befal so yet of propre kende we do beleue So was hyt not necessed to be do Thys lyghtly mayst thou vnderstanden loo As many a thyng ▪ ys subiect to our syght The whyle hyt ys be forn ous present ryght As when a charre ys ruled redely And how hyt torneth we be holde ful wel And so of other craftes suyngly Doth any thyng thys craftes men compelle Or any of thes workes canst thou telle Or yf they be constreyned to be wroght Boecius ) Nay ꝙ I they be compelled nought Then ydel were the craft of any man yf euery thyng were compelled for to meue Phia ) Syth thynges whyle they ben she sayd them Ben not coacted to be / thou wylt beleue Loo by that same reson now mayst thou preue That before tho same thynges be Not for to comen of necessyte Ful many a thyng shal ben hyt ys no drede And ys to come hyt sueth wel by thys That vtterly ys absolute of nede I trow that no wyght thys wyl sayn y wys That any thyng that now in present ys was not to come vn to the tyme hyt fel Though they beforn of god were knowen wel In sothe yet ben they frely to be falle For rygh as very knowyng & science A present thyng compelleth nought at al Ryght so hyt standeth eke of prescience As thou mayst se by leke conuenyence Though god thys thyng to comen doth prouyde yet ys hyt not compelled to beryde But loo of thys thou sayst me / doutest thou Syth thynges wych that shal here after ben Be not to come as necessary now How ys that thyng fore seyn thou canst not seyn Hyt semeth the that thys dyssoneth clene To foreseyn thyng hyt must nedes sue Necessyte / thou canst hyt not exchwe And yf necessyte sholde be forfended Loo foreseyn ys ther no thyng vtterly Ne nought by knowyng may be comprehended But thyng that must betyden verely And yf ther ought betyde vncertenly And ys fore seyn ful certen as hyt were Thou sayst / no very knowyng ys ther there But as a derke & opynable thyng And for to trowen other wyse or gesse Than very sothe / that callest thou no connyng But a wenyng of vnstablenesse And loo the cause of al thys errour ys That ye trow the cause of knowlege to be In the thyng & not in the knower perde But in contrary wyse hyt standeth ryght For euery thyng that knowen ys by wyt Hyt ys not knowen by hys propre myght But by hys myght that comprehendeth hyt As by exsample mayst thou felen yet For of a thyng that rounde ys verely Loo syght & felyng knoweth hyt dyuersly The syght behaldeth the forme fro a fer At ones comprehendyng euery dele But he that feleth ys conioyned nere Vn to that compace for to know hyt wel Al a boute the sydes must he fele And al that roundnesse so he knoweth than Loo / dyuersly y knowen ys a man The comen wyttes Iugen of wythoute Imagination a nother wyse And reson other wyse hyt ys no doute Intelligence passeth al thes Euery of them so as he may suffyse The comen wyttes knoweth nought at al But formes of subiect materyal Imagenyng al only comprehendeth The forme of man as vnmateryally Reson then a bouen thys transcendeth Of mannes kende he demeth syngulerly wyth vnyuersal syght ful sotelly But al thes passeth yet intellygence As by a syght of heyer excellence He passeth al a boue thes kendes here The compace of the vnyuersyte And he behaldeth in that exsampler The myrrour of the hye eternyte The forme of man in hys symplycyte But most hyt ys to taken hyde in thys That the same myght alway that hygher ys Loo al the lower comprehendeth wel But they may ascenden nought a geyn To knowe & comprehende neuer a dele Of tho that ben a boue sothe to sayn For ther comen wyt may not vp attayn To thynges wych ben Immateryal They may perceyuen neuer a dele at al And furdermore Imagination Vnyuersal kendes may not seyn Ne reson may haue none Inspection Of formes / wych that pure & symple ben Intelligence comprehendeth clene And as hyt were / behaldeth fro on hye Thes formes he perceyueth plenerly Conceyuyng than thys forme pryncipal He demeth after / al that ys in man As he hath in the exsampler Ideal Conceyued / that none other may ne can The vnyuersyte of reson knoweth he than And also formes of Imagenyng And eke materyal sensyble thyng And reson yet in thys he vseth nought Imagination ne comen wyt But wyth a sotel smytyng of the thoght Ful formally so he behaldeth hyt And more plenerly to speken yet The souereyn hye dyuyne Intellygence Ouer al thynges hath prospycience When reson doth behalden ought or se As in hys comen kende vnyuersal Imagenyng / no thyng yet vseth he Nether the comen wyttes neuer a dele And neuer the lesse he comprehendeth wel Al thyng that Imagenable ys And al that comen wyt may know y wysse Thus reson hys conceytes strong & stable Of vniuersal loo deffyneth he Man ys a best ii . foted resonable Loo / thys knowyng as euery man may se Vniuersal must hyt nedes be And thys thyng also to euery mannes wyt Imagenable & sensyble ys hyt yet But reson thys behaldeth kendly No thyng by Imagination Ne by the comen wyttes sykerly But only hath consyderation By dyscours & by conceyt of reson But thys Imagynation begynne doth In the comen wyttes hys workes in sothe Formes for to shappen & deuyse And yet thes comen wyttes al wythoute Sensyble thynges / in a wondre wyse He seyth / & them compaseth al a boute Not sensyblely / hyt ys no doute But by Imagination of mynde Of knowyng loo / here mayst thou se the kynde That not the myght of thyng that knowen ys But propre myght / the knower vseth nede And skylefully for euery dome y wysse Loo of the Iuge / hyt ys the propre dede So than of reson / yf thou take good hyde The worke of man ys no foreyn myght But propre myghtes vseth euery wyght
Metrum iiij . Capitulum ix . Quondam porticus attulit Phia loquitur . SOm tyme in the porches of Athenes were olde clerkes derke in ther corage wyche in ther tyme were called stoicenes That in the porches had maden ther stages Desputyng / that the formes & Images Of bodely substances / as they gessed were in to a mannes soule impressed As men ben vsed to wryten & portrayen Letters in a pagyn fayre & clene In wych beforn were no notes seyn But thys a mased thyng ys for to mene For yf the soule of man / so as they wene Of hys propre myght Implyeth nought But suffereth to ben prented in hys thought Subiected to the notes as hyt were That bodyes doth in them enpressen so And veyn Images representeth there Ryght as a myrrour ys y woned to do But al thys knowyng whens cometh hyt fro By wych not only thynges corporal But also formes Immateryal He seyth & so behaldeth singulerly As in her hye conceytes speculatyffe And knowyng thynges then suyngly So he dyuydeth by a negatyffe And after wardes by an affyrmatyffe Thes same thynges that deuyded be Assembleth & a geyn compouneth he And so thys way he enterchaungeth ofte For now to pryncypal proposytions Loo / hys entent he lyfteth vp a lofte And falleth after to conclusions Referryng then hys owne ententions And seyth what thynges wyl of other sue Repreuyng so the false by the true Than ys he rather cause efficient And more of myght than thyng that lyeth oppressed In maner leke a mater pacyent That notes hath so in hym self Impressed But that thou haue thys mater more expressed Ther goth before a maner sufferance wythyn the lyuely bodely substance wych that the myghtes of the soule excyteth And maketh the to vnderstande & lere As when that lyght in to thyn yeyn smyteth And maketh the for to behalden there Or when a voyce hath souned in thyn ere And so commoueth the to herken ought Then ben styred the myghtes of thy thoght And thynges wyche that were yet kendely wythyn thy selfen hydde / hyt ys no doute Thou then applyest in thy fantasy To thes other notes of wythoute And thus remembryng in thy self a boute Tho foreyn Images then addeth he To formes wyche that hydde wythyn the be
Prosa v. Capitulum ix . Quod si in corporibus . Phia loquitur . THough that obiect qualyteys than Cōmoue & styre oure foreyn Instrumentes wych I calle the comen wyt of man That of wythouteforth geueth Iugementes And goth before the gostly sentementes A maner sufferaunce corporal For to excyte the gostly myght wyth al And styren so the worchyng of the mynde To formes wych arested so were wythyn So that the corage may them fele & fynde And thogh the wyttes al thys worke begynne The knowyng of thes bodyes for to wynne And bryngeth hym to a maner remembrance The soule ys subiect to no sufferaunce But he demeth of hys propre myght Thes passions that in the body ben How moche more suche a gostly wyght That fully ys al absolute & clene In whom may none affection be seyn Of any thyng to be feled bodely Hys propre myght shal vsen kendly And foreyn myghtes shal he vsen nought For to dyscerne obiectes of wythoute But by the worchyng of hys owne thought He wynneth hys conceytes al a boute And by the same skyle hyt ys no doute Ful many folde of knowyng mayst thou fynde In substances / dyuers in ther kende The felyng may be called one of tho wyche haue bestes that ben vnmeueable That wyt they haue al only & no mo As shelle fysshe & suche that cleuen stable In cleffes / as to them ys couenable And so suche other shylle fysshe of the see wyche in dyuers places norysshed be But knowyng of Imagynation Meueable bestes haue & doth hyt sue The wych in maner haueth affection Som maner thyng to coueyt or exchwe But reson to dyscernen false & true Only to man hyt hath conuenyence As only doth to god Intellygence Than ys hyt so as euery man may se That thys knowyng most worthy ys & hye wych of hys owne kendly properte Not only that perteyneth kendely Vn to hys owne knowyng properly He knoweth wel / but furdermore yet The subiecte knoweth he of euery wyt But what yf comen wyttes stode a geyn And in thys wyse perauenture aunswere And wolde vnto dyscours of reson sayn Loo / that thys vniuersal / no thyng were That reson semeth he behaldeth there For al that euer Imagenable ys Or comen wyttes may perceyue y wysse Hyt ys not vniuersal in no wyse Now / or the Iugement of reson than Must be sothe / yf he wyl thus deuyse That no thyng may be sensyble to man Or for he wote wel that thes wyttes han Subiectes many / dyuers / that they know Hys owne conceuyng fallace must he trowe When that he seyth & comprehendeth wel Thyng that sensyble ys & singuler Behaldyng hyt ryght as vniuersal To thys yf reson wold aunsweren here That she her self behaldeth wel & clere By reson of vniuersalyte Al that thes other may perceyue & se For wyttes ne Imagynation May no way comprehenden sykerly Thes vnyuersal thynges of reson For they may not exceden proprely As by ther owne knowyng kendly Shappes & fygures corporal A bouen that may they no thyng at al In knowyng then of thynges at the laste Hyt ys to geue credence to the Iugement That most perfet ys & stedefaste And we that haue thys reson excellent And comen wyt to demen thyng present And Imagination also Sholde we not reson here assenten to But mannes reson ys y leke in thys As towardes dyuyne Intellygence Ryght as Imagenyng or wyttes ys To reson of a mannes conscience That weneth that dyuyne prescience May no maner thyng behalde as he troweth That ys to come / but as hym selfen knoweth For loo / thys argument thou makest me yf thynges that hereafter shal be done Not certeyn ne necessary be For knowyng may not fallen ther vpon For prescience sayst thou ys ther none And yf so ys that prescience be Ther falleth nought but of necessyte But yf we myght parteners ben Loo / of the domes of dyuyne thought Ryght as we may by very reson seyn That Imagenyng suffyseth nought Ne comen wyttes to perceyuen ought The Iugement of reson as we deme Ful Iust hyt sholde mannes reson seme To be subiect & vndercast alway Vn to dyuyne thought / I am certeyn A ryse we ther fore fully yf we may To that Intellygence souereyn And yf we may in to that hyght atteyn Loo there shal reson fele & knowen wel That in hyt self he may do neuer a dele Loo / that ys thys as in what wyse & how The thynges that betydeth thus vncertenly Thys prescience seyth hyt wel ynow Dyffyned in hys thought eternally Not by gessyng opynablely But by souereyn science of symplenesse whom termes may not closen ne compresse
Metrum v. Capitulum x. Quam varijs terras . Phia loquitur . THes bestes in ther kendes dyfferent Ful dyuersly on erthe doth they glyden Somme on ther body strecchyng & extent Creping vpon ther brestes doune they slyden And in the dust a forwe they dyuyden And somme by very lyghtnesse of ther kynde wyth ther wynges planeth in the wynde And long spaces of the ayer on hye So in ther flyght / they swymmeth as hyt were And summe ben glad to kepe them selfen nye Thys grounde a low & sette ther stappes here In grene feldes / ther ys al ther chere And some to walke in wodes & forestes And thogh so be that al thes wylde bestes Ben dyuers in ther shappes & fygure Al ther faces ben enclyned yet Vn to the grounde shewyng ther nature And the kendly dulnesse of ther wyt Loo / only kende of man reuerseth hyt For mannes hed a ryseth vp on hyght And euen vpryght hys body standeth streght And vnder hym the erthe behaldeth he whether dotest thou / or art thou in a sweuen Thou erthly man thy fygure techeth the That lyfteth vp thy vysage in to heuen And thy frount in to the ayer ful euen On erthly thyng thou sholdest not set thy loue But sette hyt holly in the heuen a boue Ther sholdest thou be ther ys thy kendly place Thou hast of the erthe but thy bestly kende And yet loo thou wylt bryng thy selfen bace And so wyth bestes sette thy self behynde Lete not the noble nature of thy mynde Be plounged doune & to the grounde y pyght Syth that thy body standeth euen vpryght
Prosa vj. Capitulum xj . Quoniam igitur vti . Phia loquitur . Syth euery thyng as I haue shewed now ryght That wyst or knowen ys in any way Hyt ys not knowen of the propre myght Of that self thyng hyt ys no nay But of the kendly myght / the sothe to say Of tho that doth hyt knowe or comprehende Now let ous then behalden & entende So as oure symple kende may suffyse what thyng ys that astate of excellence Of dyuyne substance / & in that wyse Than somwhat may we know of hys science Thys ys the vsed general sentence Of al / that by reson doth dyscerne They say that god hym self ys eterne But now what thyng ys thys eternyte Hyt nedeth fyrst to knowen sykerly And after that we may behalde & se The science and the nature plenerly So as we may suffysen symplely Of god that ys oure prynce & souereyn Eternyte ys thys as clerkes sayn Hyt ys a perfet hole possessyon At ones of a lyffe intermynable Thys ys declared by comparyson Of thyng that ys by tymes varyable For al that leueth in tyme hyt ys vnstable Present yet ys / the tyme a gon ys passed To tyme comyng hyeth hyt ful fast Ther may no thyng be set in tyme & space As clerkes haue deuysed here be forn That al at ones may hys lyffe embrace For why as yet / he fayleth of to morn And yesterday ys passed & forlorn And in the same day that present ys Of your lyffe ye haue no more y wysse But thys moment transytory loo That thyng that hath thys dysposytion Hys tymes for to ouer passen so Though that hyt were of suche condytion By Aristoteles tradition That sayd thys worlde neuer beganne Ne neuer here after shal an ende han Though that hyt myght as Aristotel semed To infinyte hyt selfen so extende Eterne hyt may not ryghtuously be demed Though hyt were infynyte wythouten ende At ones al hyt may not comprehende Ne clyppen al thes spaces temporel For of tyme to come yet hath hyt not a dele But he that of the lyffe intermynable The fulnesse comprehendeth verely Possessyng hyt at ones perdurable Fro whom no thyng doth lacken verely For tyme to come he hath hyt presently Ne tyme passed fro hym ys ther none Is / & was / & shal be / al ys one Eterne he may be called wel by ryght To hym self present and pereles And al way present ys be fore hys syght The moble space of tymes endles But they rehersen Plato / neuertheles Hys conceyt they reporteth al a mysse And of hys menyng fayleth foule y wysse Loo Plato sayth thys worlde hath euer ybe

As clerkes haue deffyned / Tyme ys mesure of meuyng of before & after . Thys mesure ys taken most comenly after the meuyng of the E●noctial whos meuyng ys the swyftest that ys possyble . The wych lyne ys deuyded in to CCC.lx . euen partes . Of wyche partes / eueryche ys called a degre . The mesure of a rysyng of xv . degrees / ys called an houre naturel . The mesure of a rysyng of xxiiii . houres / ys a day naturel . The mesure of CCC . lxv . dayes & vi . houres of encresse and certen mynutes / ys called a yere . By wych tymes : the perdurabelte of thys worlde of before & after / ys mesured vsyngly . Syth than that mesure of meuyng ys called tyme / then sueth hyt : that before the worlde meued / ther was no tyme : But god eternally ys / er any thyng meued : or any tyme were / and shal be after that al meuynges cesseth : For hys beyng ys mesured by no meuyng of before & after / for hymself ys vnmeueable / ne hys beyng hath no regard to before & after For al tymes present / passed / and to come : ben to hym verely present Ne hys beyng ys not mesured by successyon of tymes . For he hathe hys beyng vnmesured al at ones . wyche ys called hys eternyte . Ther fore ys god called Inmensus . But the perdurabelte of the worlde ys mesured by meuyng of the heuen / wyche ys called tyme : And lenger than heuen meueth / shal ther be no tyme . Than ys hyt so that the beyng of god ys called erernyte . The beyng of thys world ys named perpetuyte . Then ys thys the conceyte of Plato sayng that the worlde hath euer ben / That ys to mene / as long as any thynge hathe meued . And as long as any thyng meueth : or any tyme ys / so long hyt shal endure in suche beyng as hyt now hathe . And after that al meuyng and al tymes cesseth / the worlde renued shal endure in lyffe interminable . For so sayth our lorde . Ecce noua facio omnia .

Thys interminable lyffe / ys the eternal beyng of our creatour ▪ to whom as to ther ende / al thyng shal be reduced : and at hym as at ther fynal ende : rest & abyde . Therfore sayth plato as ys in the texte alleged / that the worlde hathe euer ben : that ys to say : syth any tyme was . and hyt shal neuer whyle any tyme ys / cessen of hys menynge . So meuyng & tyme shal cessen bothe at ones . And the worlde then shal not ende by destruction or torne in to nought / for god and nature dyd neuer thyng in vayn . Ne god noughteth neuer thyng that he made but the corruption of one thyng / ys the generation of a nother thynge . So that at last euery corruptyble thynge retorneth in rounde in to the Elementes / that hyt was fyrst formed of . And ther fore the autor sayth / that the entent of temporel thynges that so meuethe in rounde / casteth & entendeth by ledyng of nature / to counterfete the perdurable lyffe of god . For kendly euery creature coueyteth : to conforme hym to hys make / at lest in beyng . wher fore of nature euery thynge wythstandeth in that hyt may / hys owne corruption & diuision of hys partes . And when hyt ys corrupt and resolued in to hys fyrst mater / wyche ys the elementes / wych ben cleped the sedes of erthly thynges then ben they apte as they were be fore to be mater and to clothe other dyuers formes . And so ben they perpetuate / by ther chaungeabelte in to an endles compate . For thes thynges yf they fayle in ther indiuidues / yet in ther vniuersalles they a bydeth euer : after tyme that they ones be . And the mater of the singulers / torneth into other thynges / after that nature worcheth . Than ys thys the conceyt of the clerke in the letter . Euery creature as ys before sayd / coueyteth of nature / for to counterfete hys maker . But for canse thes erthly thynges of feblenesse and contraryoustey of ther mater / may not endure / but nedes be resolued / therfore they take that they may of beyng / enduryng by successyon of tymes . where that god endureth ( not by temporal successyon ) but hathe hys beyng separate fro creatures al at ones so that towardes hym nought ys to come / ne nought ouer passed / But al that ys / was / and shal be : ys be fore hym present .

Than hauyng regarde to the eternyte of god / wyche hath hys beyng al at ones vnmesured by successyon of tymes / ther ys no purueyaunce ne foresyght / but he seyth al by present knowlege / & in hym / ys none other syght but connyng . For al knowyng of present and passed / noteth imperfection of creatures that be passyng and corruptyble . And hyt nedeth nought / ne ys conuenyent / to conforme hys eternal insyght to oure temporal estimation / that al thyng demeth by before and after as we haue ouer beynge . But hyt accordeth better / and ys more kendly / that the creature submytte al hys wytte / and conforme al hys knowyng holly to hys maker / wyth oute whom he ys nought / can nought / ne hath nought at al / that ought oweth to be cleped .

Syth hyt ys so then that euery Iugement / must sue the nature of the Iuge / that ys of hym that knoweth / hyt nedeth not them to bynden thynges to falle necessaryly / ne to wete the knowyng of god for to compelle tho thynges to betyde / be cause that he seyth hyt presently as he al behaldeth / no more than for to wyte me the meuyng of the sonne / by cause I se hyt meue / or for to wyte me the deth of a man bycause cause I se hym dye . For the meuyng of the sonne ys caused absolutely of the fyrst ordynaunce of hym that made hyt for to meue .

But that I now se hyt meue / hyt procedeth of my owne fre wylle / presupposed that I haue my yees hole & lyberte to se al present obiectes that falleth to my luste .

And to an ende hyt shal neuer be brought They say therfore hyt hath eternyte As euen y leke wyth god that hath hyt wrought But yet al one in certeyn ys hyt nought A lyffe interminable for to lede As Plato thought hym self hyt ys no drede Hyt ys a nother to enclosen al At ones so thys lyffe intermynable For al that ys / or was / or euer shal At hym hyt ys present & permenable He fleteth nought but alway standeth stable Loo / of dyuyne thought the state ys thys No creature may ben y leke y wisse And yet for that ye shal not demen here That god ys elder as in tyme of space Than creatures made of hys power But thys loo shal ye Iugen in thys case That god hym selfen alway ys & was Before / er any formed creature In propre symplenesse of hys nature And the entent of thynges temporel That alway meueth so contynuelly They cast to counterfeten euery dele The perdurable lyffe of god on hy That chaungeth not but standeth presently But when hyt may not euen hyt self ther to Ther very stablenesse they falleth fro And meueth then oute of symplycyte Decressyng oute of present then a none To Infinyte and endles quantyte Of tyme to come & tyme that ys a gonne But when he may not bryng hyt in to one Al hys lyffe at ones for to haue Hyt wylleth thus hyt selfen for to saue And ther hyt may not ben a boute y brought So al hys lyffe at ones for to gete yet in as moche as hyt endeth nought Thys lyffe hyt doth not vtterly forlete But hyt semeth that hyt volde counterfete The souereyn lyffe of god omnipotent In so moche as he somwhat hath present And so hyt byndeth hym to a lytel stounde To haue a maner perdurablenesse In wyche no tyme of space may be founde But for hyt hath a maner lekelynesse Of the eternal lyffe that present ys Hyt semeth how so euer hyt flee or flete That in present euer a bydeth hyt And for hyt may not after hys delyte A byden / but for suche a lytel space Hyt taketh alway of tymes Infynyte And for hyt may not al hys lyffe enbrace At ones / as hys princypal purpose was Passyng forthe the lyffe he kepeth so For cause he may ne canne none other do And yf we sholde by names hym dyscerne To suen Plato where he sayd wel He sayd that god hym self ys eterne Loo / & the worlde shold be perpetuel Of thys mayst thou conceyuen then ful wel Syth euery Iugement that shal be true Hyt must the nature of hym selfen sue To comprehenden thynges of wythoute And th astate of souereyn god on hye Stondeth euer in one hyt ys no doute Algates in hym selfen presently Hys knowyng then surmounteth sykerly Al thyng / that hath meuyng in dyfference A bydyng in hys symplycyte of presence And so encloseth spaces Infinyte Of tyme that was & shal here after be But to tho spaces hath he no respect But to hys owne hole eternyte By knowyng of hys hye symplycyte Al thyng in presens of hys syght He seyth hyt as hyt were do now ryght yf thou consydre that prescience in thy thoug By wych he knoweth al thynges so Thys prescience shalt thou referren nought As to a thyng that after shal be do But very science shalt thou deme hyt loo Of present tyme that neuer faylen may Ne oute of presens passe neuer a way For why hyt ys not called preuydence But rather ys hyt called purueyaunce That al thynges knoweth in presence In wych knowyng ther ys no varyaunce Fro our knowyng / hyt hath ful grete dystaunce For we behaldeth lo thynges here But fro on hye behaldeth he al in fere Syth euery Iugement must suen than The nature of the knower kendely wherfore ys hyt that thou askest than That al must fallen necessaryly That seyn ys in dyuyne syght on hye Syth men the present thynges that they seyn Maketh nought / of nede for to ben Loo / may thy syght of thynges here present Make them to fallen of necessyte Boeus ) I sayd nay Phia ) ꝙ she ryght so hyt stent Of goddes purueyaunce / as semeth me Al tho ther may no comparyson be For the prescience of a mannes thought To goddes prescience may be lekened nought For ryght as ye behaldeth wyth your syght That in thys tyme present ys y don Rygh so he seyth in hys eternal lyght So / that thyng to comyng ys ther none As in hys syght / ne no thyng ouer gone wher fore hys prescience ( hyt sueth wel ) The nature of thynges chaungeth neuer a dele For syth he seyth tho thynges presently Ryght as they shal here afterwarde befalle The Iugement of thynges sykerly Hys knowyng confundeth no thyng at al For al thyng that betyde here after shal whether nedeful or contingent be the ende At ones al he seyth hyt ys in hys mynde Ryght as thou seyst a man go on the grounde And the sonne also in heuen a ryse And bothe thou behaldest in one stounde yet canst thou wel dyscernen & deuyse Loo that that thys man wych walketh in thys wyse He dothe hym self wyllyngly that dede But yet in sothe the sonne a ryseth nede Ne the syght of god that ys so clere That al thyng doth hym be nethen se Of thes wordly thynges that ben here Destorbeleth neuer a dele the qualyte wyche in the syght of hys eternyte Ben present now / but to the syght of man Ther tyme they shal here afterwardes han And here of cometh thys conclusyon That what he wote that shal here after sue Hyt ys no fallace nother opynyon But very science suffysant & true By wych he knoweth that hyt ys not due As of necessyte to fallen so But than thou sayst a thyng that shal be do And ys prouyded in dyuyne thought Hyt may not vnbetyde / hyt ys no drede And thyng that so may be exchwed nought Than of necessyte / hyt falleth nede And so thou wolt me bynden to the dede As by thys worde / that ys necessyte And loo as truthe / I wyl hyt graunt the But thys vnnethe may felen any wyght Ne wel conceyuen in thys erthly lyffe But yf he had a conceyt & a syght Of god / & fully were contemplatyue But vnto thys I aunswere the belyue when that thyng that so to comen ys To dyuyne science / referred ys Loo / necessary ys hyt sykerly But in the maner of that propre kende whan that thou hyt behaldest verely Necessyte doth hyt in no wyse bynde For ij . necessyteys shalt thou fynde Of wyche that one ys symple / wete hyt wel And that other ys condycyonel That euery man ys mortal of nature Thys ys necessyte of symplenesse But when thou knowest a man perauenture That walketh of hys owne wylfulnesse That mannes walkyng necessary ys wyth thys condytion y put ther to The whyle hyt ys y knowen to be so For thyng that knowen ys in mannes thought As for the tyme hyt may none other be But thys condytion suffyseth nought wyth hym to drawen thys symplycyte For wel thou wotest that thys necessyte Cometh not of kendly dysposytion But of that accydent condytion And necessyte doth hym not compelle To walken / he that walketh wyllyngly But whyle he goth / thys wyl I graunt wel Loo that he walketh uecessaryly And in the same wyse sykerly what purueyaunce as present doth prouyde So of necessyte hyt doth betyde And yet that thyng as of hys propre kende Truly doth not of necessyte befalle But al that god behaldeth in hys mynde That so of lyberte betyden shal He behaldeth hyt as present al And so referred to dyuyne syght As necessary they ben a counted ryght But thys ys only by condytion Of the knowyng of dyuyne wyt But when thes thynges haue relation Vn to ther owne propre kende yet Al absolutly then betydeth hyt No thyng compelled of necessyte Ne hyt forleteth nought hys lyberte So than hyt shal befallen doutles Al that god to comen doth prouyde And moche thyng shal fallen neuertheles That only shal of lyberte betyde So that they standeth fre fro eyther syde And though they be to come yet may we chese So propre nature doth they not forlese Ther kende ys thys / be forehand er they were Of lyberte they myght haue ben vndo But what force ys hyt wylt thou say me hyre where they come of necessyte or no Syth of dyuyne science ys hyt so In al wyse hyt doth befallen thys Ryght euen as thyng that necessary ys Loo thys / as I a lytel here beforn Purposed by exsample plenerly Of the sonne that ryseth by the morn And of a man that walketh wyllyngly Tyl tyme they be in doyng presently They may wel be vndon hyt ys no drede But that one was to betyden nede But sykerly that other neded nought So al that he behaldeth as present Ryght so wythouten doute hyt shal be wrought But that the sonne ryseth verament Loo of necessyte hyt hath dessent But the man to walken or to gon Hys owne choys hyt standeth al vpon Now then in thys we haue sayd but ryght That when thes thynges so referred be Vn to the knowyng of dyuyne syght Loo then they falleth of necessyte But referred to ther qualyte Ful absolute in lyberte they stonde As out of al necessary bonde As al that apereth to the comen wyt yf that they be referred to reson Vniuersal than in sothe ys hyt And yf thou set in thyn entention The properte of ther condytion So then thou felest hyt as synguler But yf hyt be ( thou sayst ) in my power My purpose for to chaungen as me lust Loo than shal I a voyden purueyaunce By wyche the same ys knowen & wyst But I shal aunswere to thyn allegeaunce Thy purpose mayst thou chaunge at thy plesaunce But thys myght for to don or do hyt nought And al that dyuers chaungyng of thy thought The very present truthe of prescience Euery dele behaldeth presently And thou mayst not a voyden hys presence No more than thou mayst a voyde verely The behaldyng of a present yee Thogh that thou woldest thy selfen torne or wende As leketh to the fre wyl of thy mynde But here thou makest thys obiection yf goddes science may be chaunged so At my propre dysposytion As when I thys now / & now that may I do Than may I enterchaungen to & fro Loo hys science by stoundes at my wyl Nay for sothe / that mayst thou not by skyle For why the knowyng of dyuyne syght Goeth before that thyng that shal befalle And before the propre presence ryght Loo of hys knowyng he retorneth al That euer was / or ben here after shal Ne as thou wenest he altereth nought Hys presence by stoundes of thy thought As now thys thyng & now that thyng to know But he abydyng euery wyt compaseth The chaungyng of thy thoughtes al a rowe wyth one syght al at ones he enlaceth He goth also before & al embraceth Hys myght also / that al comprehendeth And eke hys syght that to so fer extendeth Al thynges to behalden presently He hath them not receyued so as we Of thyng that ys to comen suyngly But of hys propre hye symplycyte wherby hyt may ful wel assoyled be That thou whyle er a geynst me hast y put Vnsembly sayst thou ys hyt to thy wyt That thyng to come of oure vnstablenesse Sholde the cause ben of hys science But of hys connyng loo the myght ys thys He closeth al wyth knowyng of presence Of dyuers tyme he hath no dyfference And al thyng in to certeyn hath he brought To thynges passed oweth he ryght nought Syth hyt ys so / I may concluden now That in euery mortal creature The lyberte abydeth hole ynow And standeth fully in ther owne cure And lawes wyche that medes doth mesure To tho men that ben good & vertuous And also peynes to the vycyous Then for vnryght they may not ben arected Syth euery man hys owne wyl ys at As by necessyte no thyng y letted But that he may deseruen loue or hate And god hym selfen sytte a boue algate And euery thyng he knoweth er hyt be As present in hys hye eternyte In ous behaldyng euery thought & dede That ys / or shal be don / in ful certeyn And to the good men he desposeth mede And to the wycked punysshement & peyn To trust in god hyt ys no thyng in veyn And preyours / yf they ryghtuously be ledde Beleue hyt wel / they may not ben vnspedde Wythstande thou vyce / & geue the to vertu To ryghtuous hope / thou lyft vp thy corage And for thy nedes / yf thou wolt persue Humble preyer sende in thy message Vp to thy god / hyt fayleth not hys wage Ne doute the nought / thou shalt be spedde ful sone For he refuseth neuer a lowly boune And loke that thou my counsel not forgete Dyssymule not / but do thy besynesse The nede ys thyn / also the charge ys grete That thau be founde in vertu & prowesse Syth al thy worke ys open & expresse Vn to the presence of the Iuge on hye That al thyng doth behalden plenerly
Explicit Liber Quintus Boecij De consolatione Phie Deo gracias .
Collectis in sequentibus cuiuslibet linee primis litteris / non solum Translatoris sed & transferri procurantis / nomina cum cognominibus / inuestigare poteris .
Nomen transferri procurantis . EVer more exalted be thou lord on hy Lawly wyche of thy benygnyte In flesshe and blodde aperyng wyllyngly So pyteously were peyned on the tre And sufferest / that greuous was to the Be bledde wyth al thy blodde for mannes sake Euer more exalted be thy maieste Thyn hert blodde / oure raunson woldest thou make
Cognomen . Blysful lorde I pray the hertely Er I depart of thys mortalyte Reskewe me fro my perylous enemy Kepyng me fro hys cursed cruelte Eternally to set my thought in the Lust of synnes fully to forsake Endles god wyche art bothe one & iij. yn to thy cure for euer I me betake
Nomen Translatoris . Tyelde yow thankes lady Sapience Of that thys worke ye to an ende y brought Haue ye the worshyppe & the recompence And I no dele / I haue deserued nought None other lust desyre I in my thought Ne nought coueyt I but your Influence Eternally / so that I may be brought Souereyn lady in to your presence
Cognomen Translatoris . wyth al my hert to do yow reuerence And seruyse / suche as of me may be wrought Lawly vnder youre obedyence To plesen yow yf I suffysed ought Wyth al my hert / as euer I haue besoght No thyng coueyt I of youre excellence Eternally but that I may be brought My souereyn lady in to your presence

Here endeth the boke of comfort called in latyn Boecius de consolatione Phie . Enprented in the exempt monastery of Tauestok in Denshyre . By me Dan Thomas Rychard monke of the sayd Monastery / To the instant desyre of the ryght worshypful esquyer Mayster Robert Langdon . Anno d. MDxxv .

Deo Gracias .

Robertus Lanhdon .

blazon of Robert Langdon, Esq.