Chapter IV: Mutability Directed and Limited by an Immutable and Divine

INTELLIGENCE.

That same prynce and moevere eek, quod he,
Hath stabled, in this wrecched world adoun,
Certeyn dayes and duracioun
To alle that er engendrid in this place,
Over the whiche day they may nat pace,
Al mowe they yit wel here dayes abregge;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Than may men wel by this ordre discerne
That thilke moevere stabul is and eterne.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And therfore of his wyse purveaunce
He hath so wel biset his ordenaunce,
That spices of thinges and progressiouns
Schullen endure by successiouns
And nat eterne be, withoute any lye.

(_Knightes Tale_, vol. ii. p. 92, 93.)

Þe engendrynge of alle þinges quod she and alle þe progressiouns
of muuable nature. and alle þat moeueþ in any manere takiþ hys
causes. hys ordre. and hys formes. of þe stablenesse of þe deuyne
þouȝt [and thilke deuyne thowht] þat is yset and put in þe toure.
þat is to seyne in þe heyȝt of þe simplicite of god. stablisiþ
many manere gyses to þinges þat ben to don.

(_Chaucer’s Boethius_, bk. iv. pr. 6, p. 134.)