Chapter XVI: Book III: Prose I (2)

'O thou fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest
this world by perdurable resoun, that comaundest the tymes to
gon from sin that age hadde beginninge; thou that dwellest
thy-self ay stedefast and stable, and yevest alle othre thinges
to ben moeved; ne foreine causes necesseden thee never to 5
compoune werk of floteringe matere, but only the forme of
soverein good y-set with-in thee with-oute envye, _that moevede
thee freely_. Thou that art alder-fayrest, beringe the faire world
in thy thought, formedest this world to the lyknesse semblable
of that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest al thing of 10
thy soverein ensaumpler, and comaundest that this world,
parfitliche y-maked, have freely and absolut his parfit parties.
Thou bindest the elements by noumbres proporcionables, that
the colde thinges mowen acorden with the hote thinges, and
the drye thinges with the moiste thinges; that the fyr, that 15
is purest, ne flee nat over hye, ne that the hevinesse ne drawe
nat adoun over-lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres.
Thou knittest to-gider the mene sowle of treble kinde, moevinge
alle thinges, and devydest it by membres acordinge; and whan
it is thus devyded, it hath asembled a moevinge in-to two 20
roundes; it goth to torne ayein to him-self, and envirouneth a
ful deep thought, and torneth the hevene by semblable image.
Thou by evene-lyke causes enhansest the sowles and the lasse
lyves, and, ablinge hem heye by lighte cartes, thou sowest hem
in-to hevene and in-to erthe; and whan they ben converted to 25
thee by thy benigne lawe, thou makest hem retorne ayein to
thee by ayein-ledinge fyr.

O fader, yive thou to the thought to styen up in-to thy streite
sete, and graunte him to enviroune the welle of good; and, the
lighte y-founde, graunte him to fichen the clere sightes of his 30
corage in thee. And scater thou and to-breke thou the weightes
and the cloudes of erthely hevinesse, and shyne thou by thy
brightnesse. For thou art cleernesse; thou art peysible reste
to debonaire folk; thou thy-self art biginninge, berer, leder, path,
and terme; to loke on thee, that is our ende. 35

ME. IX. 3. A. for to gon. // C. from sin that; A. from tyme that; Ed. syth that. 7. A. _om._ thee _after_ with-in. 10. A. alle thinges. 11. A. comaundedist. 12. C. _om._ and absolut. 13. A. Ed. proporcionables; C. porcionables. 16. A. fleye (_for_ flee). // A. Ed. drawe; C. drawen. 18. C. _glosses_ sowle _by_ anima mundi. 19. C. menbres. 20. C. in to two; A. in two; Ed. in to. 22. C. tornet; A. tournith. 24. C. Ed. sowest; A. sewest. 26. A. Ed. benigne; C. bygynnynge (!). 28. A. thi thou[gh]t (_wrongly_); C. _has the gloss_: s. boecii. // A. thi streite; Ed. thy strayte; C. the streite. 29. A. _om._ him. // C. enuerowne; A. enuiroune. 31. A. _om. 2nd_ thou. 33. A. _om._ reste. 34. C. paath. 35. A. _om._ that.

PROSE X.

_Quoniam igitur quae sit imperfecti._

For as moche thanne as thou hast seyn, which is the forme
of good that nis nat parfit, and which is the forme of good that
is parfit, now trowe I that it were good to shewe in what this
perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set. And in this thing, I trowe
that we sholden first enquere for to witen, yif that any swiche 5
maner good as thilke good that thou has diffinisshed a litel
heer-biforn, _that is to seyn, soverein good_, may ben founde in the
nature of thinges; for that veyn imaginacioun of thought ne
deceyve us nat, and putte us out of the sothfastnesse of thilke
thing that is summitted unto us. But it may nat ben deneyed 10
that thilke good ne is, and that it nis right as welle of alle
goodes. For al thing that is cleped inparfit is proeved inparfit
by the amenusinge of perfeccioun or of thing that is parfit.
And ther-of comth it, that in every thing general, yif that men
sen any-thing that is inparfit, certes, in thilke general ther mot 15
ben som-thing that is parfit; for yif so be that perfeccioun is
don awey, men may nat thinke ne seye fro whennes thilke
thing is that is cleped inparfit. For the nature of thinges ne
took nat hir beginninge of thinges amenused and inparfit, but
it procedeth of thinges that ben al hoole and absolut, and 20
descendeth so doun in-to outterest thinges, and in-to thinges
empty and with-outen frut. But, as I have y-shewed a litel
her-biforn, that yif ther be a blisfulnesse that be freele and
veyn and inparfit, ther may no man doute that ther nis som
blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and parfit.' 25

_Boece._ 'This is concluded,' quod I, 'fermely and sothfastly.'

_Philosophie._ 'But considere also,' quod she, 'in wham this
blisfulnesse enhabiteth. The comune acordaunce and conceite
of the corages of men proeveth and graunteth, that god, prince
of alle thinges, is good. For, so as nothing ne may ben thought 30
bettre than god, it may nat ben douted thanne that he, that
nothing nis bettre, that he nis good. Certes, resoun sheweth
that god is so good, that it proveth by verray force that parfit
good is in him. For yif god ne is swich, he ne may nat ben
prince of alle thinges; for certes som-thing possessing in it-self 35
parfit good, sholde ben more worthy than god, and it sholde
semen that thilke thing were first, and elder than god. For
we han shewed apertly that alle thinges that ben parfit ben
first or thinges that ben unparfit; and for-thy, for as moche as
that my resoun or my proces ne go nat a-wey with-oute an 40
ende, we owen to graunten that the soverein god is right ful
of soverein parfit good. And we han establisshed that the
soverein good is verray blisfulnesse: thanne mot it nedes be,
that verray blisfulnesse is set in soverein god.'

'This take I wel,' quod I, 'ne this ne may nat ben withseid 45
in no manere.'

'But I preye,' quod she, 'see now how thou mayst proeven,
holily and with-oute corupcioun, this that I have seyd, that the
soverein god is right ful of soverein good.'

'In which manere?' quod I. 50

'Wenest thou aught,' quod she, 'that this prince of alle
thinges have y-take thilke soverein good any-wher out of him-self,
of which soverein good men proveth that he is ful, right
as thou mightest thinken that god, that hath blisfulnesse in
him-self, and thilke blisfulnesse that is in him, weren dyvers in 55
substaunce? For yif thou wene that god have received thilke
good out of him-self, thou mayst wene that he that yaf thilke
good to god be more worthy than is god. But I am bi-knowen
and confesse, and that right dignely, that god is right worthy
aboven alle thinges; and, yif so be that this good be in him 60
by nature, but that it is dyvers fro him by weninge resoun,
sin we speke of god prince of alle thinges: feigne who-so
feigne may, who was he that hath conioigned thise dyverse
thinges to-gider? And eek, at the laste, see wel that a thing
that is dyvers from any thing, that thilke thing nis nat that 65
same thing fro which it is understonden to ben dyvers. Thanne
folweth it, that thilke thing that by his nature is dyvers fro
soverein good, that that thing nis nat soverein good; but certes,
that were a felonous corsednesse to thinken that of him that
nothing nis more worth. For alwey, of alle thinges, the nature 70
of hem ne may nat ben bettre than his biginning; for which
I may concluden, by right verray resoun, that thilke that is
biginning of alle thinges, thilke same thing is soverein good
in his substaunce.'

_Boece._ 'Thou hast seyd rightfully,' quod I. 75

_Philosophie._ 'But we han graunted,' quod she, 'that the
soverein good is blisfulnesse.'

'And that is sooth,' quod I.

'Thanne,' quod she, 'moten we nedes graunten and confessen
that thilke same soverein good be god.' 80

'Certes,' quod I, 'I ne may nat denye ne withstonde the
resouns purposed; and I see wel that it folweth by strengthe
of the premisses.'

'Loke now,' quod she, 'yif this be proved yit more fermely
thus: that ther ne mowen nat ben two soverein goodes that 85
ben dyverse amonge hem-self. For certes, the goodes that
ben dyverse amonges hem-self, that oon nis nat that that other
is; thanne ne [may] neither of hem ben parfit, so as either of
hem lakketh to other. But that that nis nat parfit, men may
seen apertly that it nis nat soverein. The thinges, thanne, that 90
ben sovereinly goode, ne mowen by no wey ben dyverse. But
I have wel concluded that blisfulnesse and god ben the soverein
good; for whiche it mot nedes ben, that soverein blisfulnesse
is soverein divinitee.'

'Nothing,' quod I, 'nis more soothfast than this, ne more 95
ferme by resoun; ne a more worthy thing than god may nat
ben concluded.'

'Up-on thise thinges thanne,' quod she, 'right as thise geometriens,
whan they han shewed hir proposiciouns, ben wont
to bringen in thinges that they clepen porismes, _or declaraciouns 100
of forseide thinges_, right so wole I yeve thee heer as a corollarie,
_or a mede of coroune_. For-why, for as moche as by the getinge
of blisfulnesse men ben maked blisful, and blisfulnesse is
divinitee: thanne is it manifest and open, that by the getinge
of divinitee men ben maked blisful. Right as by the getinge 105
of Iustice [they ben maked iust], and by the getinge of sapience
they ben maked wyse: right so, nedes, by the semblable resoun,
whan they han geten divinitee, they ben maked goddes. Thanne
is every blisful man god; but certes, by nature, ther nis but
o god; but, by the participacioun of divinitee, ther ne let ne 110
desturbeth nothing that ther ne ben manye goddes.'

'This is,' quod I, 'a fair thing and a precious, clepe it as
thou wolt; be it porisme or corollarie,' _or mede of coroune or
declaringes_.

'Certes,' quod she, 'nothing nis fayrer than is the thing that 115
by resoun sholde ben added to thise forseide thinges.'

'What thing?' quod I.

'So,' quod she, 'as it semeth that blisfulnesse conteneth many
thinges, it were for to witen whether that alle thise thinges maken
or conioignen as a maner body of blisfulnesse, by dyversitee of 120
parties or of membres; or elles, yif that any of alle thilke thinges
be swich that it acomplisshe by him-self the substaunce of
blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othre thinges ben referred and
brought to blisfulnesse,' _that is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem_.

'I wolde,' quod I, 'that thou makedest me cleerly to understonde 125
what thou seyst, and that thou recordedest me the forseyde
thinges.'

'Have I nat iuged,' quod she, 'that blisfulnesse is good?'

'Yis, forsothe,' quod I; 'and that soverein good.'

'Adde thanne,' quod she, 'thilke good, _that is maked blisfulnesse_, 130
to alle the forseide thinges; for thilke same blisfulnesse
that is demed to ben soverein suffisaunce, thilke selve is soverein
power, soverein reverence, soverein cleernesse _or noblesse_, and
soverein delyt. CONCLUSIO. What seyst thou thanne of alle thise
thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power, and this othre thinges; 135
ben they thanne as membres of blisfulnesse, or ben they referred
and brought to soverein good, right as alle thinges that ben brought
to the chief of hem?'

'I understonde wel;' quod I, 'what thou purposest to seke;
but I desire for to herkne that thou shewe it me.' 140

'Tak now thus the discrecioun of this questioun,' quod she.
'Yif alle thise thinges,' quod she, 'weren membres to felicitee,
than weren they dyverse that oon from that other; and swich is
the nature of parties or of membres, that dyverse membres compounen
a body.' 145

'Certes,' quod I, 'it hath wel ben shewed heer-biforn, that alle
thise thinges ben alle o thing.'

'Thanne ben they none membres,' quod she; 'for elles it
sholde seme that blisfulnesse were conioigned al of on membre
allone; but that is a thing that may nat be don.' 150

'This thing,' quod I, 'nis nat doutous; but I abyde to herknen
the remnaunt of thy questioun.'

'This is open and cleer,' quod she, 'that alle othre thinges ben
referred and brought to good. For therefore is suffisaunce requered,
for it is demed to ben good; and forthy is power requered, 155
for men trowen also that it be good; and this same thing mowen
we thinken and coniecten of reverence, and of noblesse, and of
delyt. Thanne is soverein good the somme and the cause of al
that aughte ben desired; for-why thilke thing that with-holdeth
no good in it-self, ne semblaunce of good, it ne may nat wel in 160
no manere be desired ne requered. And the contrarie: for
thogh that thinges by hir nature ne ben nat goode, algates, yif
men wene that ben goode, yit ben they desired as though that
they weren verrayliche goode. And therfor is it that men oughten
to wene by right, that bountee be the soverein fyn, and the cause 165
of alle the thinges that ben to requeren. But certes, thilke that
is cause for which men requeren any thing, it semeth that thilke
same thing be most desired. As thus: yif that a wight wolde
ryden for cause of hele, he ne desireth nat so mochel the moevinge
to ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne, sin that 170
alle thinges ben requered for the grace of good, they ne ben nat
desired of alle folk more thanne the same good. But we han
graunted that blisfulnesse is that thing, for whiche that alle thise
othre thinges ben desired; thanne is it thus: that, certes, only
blisfulnesse is requered and desired. By whiche thing it sheweth 175
cleerly, that of good and of blisfulnesse is al oon and the same
substaunce.'

'I see nat,' quod I, 'wherfore that men mighten discorden in
this.'

'And we han shewed that god and verray blisfulnesse is al oo 180
thing.'

'That is sooth,' quod I.

'Thanne mowen we conclude sikerly, that the substaunce of
god is set in thilke same good, and in non other place. 184

PR. X. 6. A. diffinissed; C. dyffynnyssed; Ed. diffynished. 10. _After_ us, A. _ins._ this is to seyne (_needlessly_). // C. A. denoyed (_error for_ deneyed); Ed. denyed. 12. A. al; C. alle. 14. C. ther-of; A. Ed. her-of. // C. comht (_for_ comth). 20. C. absolut, i. laws. 21. C. dessendeth. 28. C. conseite; A. conceite. 31. A. _om._ he that. 32. A. is bettre. 35. C. Ed. it-self; A. hym self. 36. A. _om._ it. 39. A. inperfit. 40. C. as that; A. _om._ that. // A. Ed. proces; C. processes. 41. owen] A. ou[gh]t. 44. A. _om._ that ... is. 50. A. _om._ In which ... I. 51. C. Wenesthow awht. 56. A. receyued; C. resseyud. 58. A. goode (_for_ worthy). 61. A. it is; C. is is (_sic_). // fro him] A. _om._ him. 63. A. _om._ hath. 70. A. Ed. nis; C. is. 73. A. _om._ soverein. 84. A. _om._ yit. 86, 87. A. _om._ For certes ... hem-self. // C. othre. 88. A. _om._ ne. // C. A. Ed. mowen; _read_ may. 90. A. Ed. nis; C. is. 106. _I supply_ they ben maked iust; Lat. _iusti_. 110. C. by thy (_wrongly_); A. Ed. by the. 119. A. witen; C. whyten. // C. wheyther that; A. _om._ that. // A. thise; C. this. 120. A. Ed. by; C. be. 121. C. or of; A. _om._ of. 122. Ed. accomplysshe; C. acomplyse; A. acomplise. 126. A. recordest. 134. C. _om._ thise. 141. Ed. discrecion; A. discressioun; C. descressioun. 143. C. swhych. 157. C. coniecten; A. coneiten; Lat. _coniectare_. 159. C. awht; A. au[gh]t. 161. A. requered; C. required. 171. A. requered; C. required. 176. C. of good; A. _om._ of; Lat. _boni_.

METRE X.

_Huc omnes pariter uenite capti._

O cometh alle to-gider now, ye that ben y-caught and y-bounde
with wikkede cheynes, by the deceivable delyt of erthely thinges
enhabitinge in your thought! Heer shal ben the reste of your
labours, heer is the havene stable in peysible quiete; this allone
is the open refut to wrecches. GLOSA. _This is to seyn, that ye 5
that ben combred and deceived with worldely affecciouns, cometh now
to this soverein good, that is god, that is refut to hem that wolen
comen to him._ TEXTUS. Alle the thinges that the river Tagus
yeveth yow with his goldene gravailes, or elles alle the thinges
that the river Hermus yeveth with his rede brinke, or that Indus 10
yeveth, that is next the hote party of the world, that medleth the
grene stones with the whyte, ne sholde nat cleeren the lookinge
of your thought, but hyden rather your blinde corages with-in hir
derknesse. Al that lyketh yow heer, and excyteth and moeveth
your thoughtes, the erthe hath norisshed it in hise lowe caves. 15
But the shyninge, by whiche the hevene is governed and whennes
he hath his strengthe, that eschueth the derke overthrowinge of
the sowle; and who-so may knowen thilke light of blisfulnesse,
he shal wel seyn, that the whyte bemes of the sonne ne ben nat
cleer.' 20

ME. X. 3. A. Ed. Here; C. He. 6. A. deceyued; C. desseyued. 10. A. Ed. Hermus; C. Herynus (!). 12. C. grene stones, _i. smaragdes_; with the whyte, _i. margaretes_. 14. Ed. derkenesse; C. dyrknesse. 16. A. by the whiche. 17. C. eschueth; A. chaseth; Lat. _uitat_. // A. derke; C. dyrke.

PROSE XI.

_Assentior, inquam._

_Boece._ 'I assente me,' quod I; 'for alle thise thinges ben
strongly bounden with right ferme resouns.'

_Philosophie._ 'How mochel wilt thou preysen it,' quod she,
'yif that thou knowe what thilke good is?'

'I wol preyse it,' quod I, 'by prys with-outen ende, yif it shal 5
bityde me to knowe also to-gider god that is good.'

'Certes,' quod she, 'that shal I do thee by verray resoun, yif
that tho thinges that I have concluded a litel her-biforn dwellen
only in hir first graunting.'

'They dwellen graunted to thee,' quod I; _this is to seyn, as 10
who seith: I graunte thy forseide conclusiouns_.

'Have I nat shewed thee,' quod she, 'that the thinges that ben
requered of many folkes ne ben nat verray goodes ne parfite, for
they ben dyverse that oon fro that othre; and so as ech of hem
is lakkinge to other, they ne han no power to bringen a good that 15
is ful and absolut? But thanne at erst ben they verray good,
whanne they ben gadered to-gider alle in-to o forme and in-to oon
wirkinge, so that thilke thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be
power, and reverence, and noblesse, and mirthe; and forsothe,
but-yif alle thise thinges ben alle oon same thing, they ne han nat 20
wherby that they mowen ben put in the noumber of thinges that
oughten ben requered or desired.'

'It is shewed,' quod I; 'ne her-of may ther no man douten.'

'The thinges thanne,' quod she, 'that ne ben no goodes
whanne they ben dyverse, and whan they beginnen to ben alle 25
oon thing thanne ben they goodes, ne comth it hem nat thanne
by the getinge of unitee, that they ben maked goodes?'

'So it semeth,' quod I.

'But al thing that is good,' quod she, 'grauntest thou that it be
good by the participacioun of good, or no?' 30

'I graunte it,' quod I.

'Thanne most thou graunten,' quod she, 'by semblable resoun,
that oon and good be oo same thing. For of thinges, of whiche
that the effect nis nat naturelly diverse, nedes the substance mot
be oo same thing.' 35

'I ne may nat denye that,' quod I.

'Hast thou nat knowen wel,' quod she, 'that al thing that is
hath so longe his dwellinge and his substaunce as longe as it is
oon; but whan it forleteth to ben oon, it mot nedes dyen and
corumpe to-gider?' 40

'In which manere?' quod I.

'Right as in bestes,' quod she, 'whan the sowle and the body
ben conioigned in oon and dwellen to-gider, it is cleped a beest.
And whan hir unitee is destroyed by the disseveraunce of that oon
from that other, than sheweth it wel that it is a ded thing, and 45
that it nis no lenger no beest. And the body of a wight, whyl
it dwelleth in oo forme by coniunccioun of membres, it is
wel seyn that it is a figure of man-kinde. And yif the parties
of the body ben so devyded and dissevered, _that oon fro that
other_, that they destroyen unitee, the body forleteth to ben that 50
it was biforn. And, who-so wolde renne in the same manere by
alle thinges, he sholde seen that, with-oute doute, every thing is
in his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whan it forleteth to
ben oon, it dyeth and perissheth.'

'Whan I considere,' quod I, 'manye thinges, I see non other.' 55

'Is ther any-thing thanne,' quod she, 'that, in as moche as it
liveth naturelly, that forleteth the talent or appetyt of his beinge,
and desireth to come to deeth and to corupcioun?'

'Yif I considere,' quod I, 'the beestes that han any maner
nature of wilninge and of nillinge, I ne finde no beest, but-yif 60
it be constreined fro with-oute forth, that forleteth or
despyseth the entencioun to liven and to duren, or that wole,
his thankes, hasten him to dyen. For every beest travaileth him
to deffende and kepe the savacioun of his lyf, and eschueth deeth
and destruccioun. 65

But certes, I doute me of herbes and of trees, _that is to
seyn, that I am in a doute of swiche thinges as herbes or trees_, that
ne han no felinge sowles, _ne no naturel wirkinges servinge to
appetytes as bestes han, whether they han appetyt to dwellen
and to duren_.' 70

'Certes,' quod she, 'ne ther-of thar thee nat doute. Now
loke up-on thise herbes and thise trees; they wexen first in
swiche places as ben covenable to hem, in whiche places they
ne mowen nat sone dyen ne dryen, as longe as hir nature may
deffenden hem. For som of hem waxen in feeldes, and som 75
in mountaignes, and othre waxen in mareys, and othre cleven
on roches, and somme waxen plentivous in sondes; and yif
that any wight enforce him to beren hem in-to othre places,
they wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing that that
is convenient to him, and travaileth that they ne dye nat, as 80
longe as they han power to dwellen and to liven. What woltow
seyn of this, that they drawen alle hir norisshinges by hir rotes,
right as they hadden hir mouthes y-plounged with-in the erthes,
and sheden by hir maryes hir wode and hir bark? And what
woltow seyn of this, that thilke thing that is right softe, as the 85
marye is, that is alwey hid in the sete, al with-inne, and that
is defended fro with-oute by the stedefastnesse of wode; and
that the uttereste bark is put ayeins the destemperaunce of
the hevene, as a defendour mighty to suffren harm? And thus,
certes, maystow wel seen how greet is the diligence of nature; 90
for alle thinges renovelen and puplisshen hem with seed y-multiplyed;
ne ther nis no man that ne wot wel that they ne
ben right as a foundement and edifice, for to duren nat only
for a tyme, but right as for to duren perdurably by generacioun.
And the thinges eek that men wenen ne haven none sowles, 95
ne desire they nat ech of hem by semblable resoun to kepen
that is hirs, _that is to seyn, that is acordinge to hir nature in
conservacioun of hir beinge and enduringe_? For wher-for elles
bereth lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weighte presseth
the erthe a-doun, but for as moche as thilke places and thilke 100
moevinges ben covenable to everich of hem? And forsothe
every thing kepeth thilke that is acordinge and propre to him,
right as thinges that ben contraries and enemys corompen hem.
And yit the harde thinges, as stones, clyven and holden hir
parties to-gider right faste and harde, and deffenden hem in 105
withstondinge that they ne departe nat lightly a-twinne. And
the thinges that ben softe and fletinge, as is water and eyr,
they departen lightly, and yeven place to hem that breken or
devyden hem; but natheles, they retornen sone ayein in-to
the same thinges fro whennes they ben arraced. But fyr fleeth 110
and refuseth al devisioun. Ne I ne trete nat heer now of
wilful moevinges of the sowle that is knowinge, but of the
naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: right as we swolwe the
mete that we receiven and ne thinke nat on it, and as we
drawen our breeth in slepinge that we wite it nat whyle we 115
slepen. For certes, in the beestes, the love of hir livinges ne
of hir beinges ne comth nat of the wilninges of the sowle, but
of the biginninges of nature. For certes, thorugh constreininge
causes, wil desireth and embraceth ful ofte tyme the deeth
that nature dredeth; _that is to seyn as thus: that a man may 120
ben constreyned so, by som cause, that his wil desireth and
taketh the deeth which that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore_.
And somtyme we seeth the contrarye, as thus: that the wil
of a wight destorbeth and constreyneth that that nature desireth
and requereth al-wey, _that is to seyn_, the werk of generacioun, 125
by the whiche generacioun only dwelleth and is sustened the
long durabletee of mortal thinges.

And thus this charitee and this love, that every thing hath
to him-self, ne comth nat of the moevinge of the sowle, but
of the entencioun of nature. For the purviaunce of god hath 130
yeven to thinges that ben creat of him this, that is a ful
gret cause to liven and to duren; for which they desiren
naturelly hir lyf as longe as ever they mowen. For which
thou mayst nat drede, by no manere, that alle the thinges
that ben anywhere, that they ne requeren naturelly the ferme 135
stablenesse of perdurable dwellinge, and eek the eschuinge of
destruccioun.'

_Boece._ 'Now confesse I wel,' quod I, 'that I see now wel
certeinly, with-oute doutes, the thinges that whylom semeden
uncertain to me.' 140

'But,' quod she, 'thilke thing that desireth to be and to
dwellen perdurably, he desireth to ben oon; for yif that that
oon were destroyed, certes, beinge ne shulde ther non dwellen
to no wight.'

'That is sooth,' quod I. 145

'Thanne,' quod she, 'desiren alle thinges oon?'

'I assente,' quod I.

'And I have shewed,' quod she, 'that thilke same oon is
thilke that is good?'

'Ye, for sothe,' quod I. 150

'Alle thinges thanne,' quod she, 'requiren good; and thilke
good thanne mayst thou descryven right thus: good is thilke
thing that every wight desireth.'

'Ther ne may be thought,' quod I, 'no more verray thing.
For either alle thinges ben referred and brought to nought, 155
and floteren with-oute governour, despoiled of oon as of hir
propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any thing to which that
alle thinges tenden and hyen, that thing moste ben the soverein
good of alle goodes.'

Thanne seyde she thus: 'O my nory,' quod she, 'I have 160
gret gladnesse of thee; for thou hast ficched in thyn herte
the middel soothfastnesse, _that is to seyn_, the prikke; but this
thing hath ben descovered to thee, in that thou seydest that
thou wistest nat a litel her-biforn.'

'What was that?' quod I. 165

'That thou ne wistest nat,' quod she, 'which was the ende
of thinges; and certes, that is the thing that every wight
desireth; and for as mochel as we han gadered and comprehended
that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle, thanne
moten we nedes confessen, that good is the fyn of alle thinges. 170

PR. XI. 3. C. wylthow. 5. C. pr_e_ys; A. Ed. price. 6. A. Ed. bytyde; C. betydde. 7. C. _om._ that. // A. Ed. resoun; C. resouns; Lat. _ratione_. 17. C. in on; A. in to oon; Ed. in to one. 23. C. _om._ ther. 29. C. grauntisthow. 32. Ed. muste thou; C. mosthow; A. mayst thou. // Ed. semblable; A. sembleable; C. semlable. 37. C. Hasthow. 43. A. conioigned; C. conioigne. 44. A. disseueraunce; C. desseueraunce; _after which_ C. A. _om._ of, _which_ Ed. _retains_. 51. A. Ed. who so; C. who. 54. Ed. perissheth; C. periseth; A. perissith. 60. C. wylnynge; A. Ed. willynge. 62. A. _om._ the entencioun. 64. C. _om._ and _bef._ eschueth. 68. A. soule. 69. A. Ed. appetite; C. apetid. 76. Ed. mareys; A. mareis; C. marys. // A. _has here lost a leaf, from_ and othre _to past end of_ Met. xi. 84. C. maryes, _i. medulle_. 86. Ed. seete; C. feete (!); Lat. _sede_. 87. Ed. is; C. is is (_sic_). // C. stidefastnesse. 88. C. _om._ the _bef._ destemperaunce; Ed. _has it_. 91. C. pupllisen; Ed. publysshen. 94. Ed. perdurably; C. perdurablely. 103. Ed. corrumpen. 106. Ed. _om._ nat lightly ... departen. // C. a twyne. 110. Ed. araced. // Ed. fleeth and; C. and (_om._ fleeth); Lat. _refugit_. 112. Ed. wylful; C. weleful; Lat. _uoluntariis_. 114. Ed. receyuen; C. resseyuen. 116. Ed. slepen; C. slepyt. 127. Ed. durabylite. 142. Ed. perdurablye; C. perdurablely. 152. Ed. thou; C. _om._ // Ed. discryuen. 161. C. fichched; Ed. fyxed. 163. Ed. discouered. 165. Ed. is that (_for_ was that).

METRE XI.

_Quisquis profunda mente uestigat uerum._

Who-so that seketh sooth by a deep thoght, and coveiteth
nat to ben deceived by no mis-weyes, lat him rollen and trenden
with-inne him-self the light of his inward sighte; and lat him
gadere ayein, enclyninge in-to a compas, the longe moevinges
_of his thoughtes_; and lat him techen his corage that he hath 5
enclosed and hid in his tresors, al that he compasseth or seketh
fro with-oute. And thanne thilke thinge, that the blake cloude
of errour whylom hadde y-covered, shal lighten more cleerly
thanne Phebus him-self ne shyneth.

GLOSA. _Who-so wole seken the deep grounde of sooth in his 10
thought, and wol nat be deceived by false proposiciouns that goon
amis fro the trouthe, lat him wel examine and rolle with-inne him-self
the nature and the propretees of the thing; and lat him yit
eftsones examine and rollen his thoughtes by good deliberacioun, or
that he deme; and lat him techen his sowle that it hath, by natural 15
principles kindeliche y-hid with-in it-self, alle the trouthe the whiche
he imagineth to ben in thinges with-oute. And thanne alle the
derknesse of his misknowinge shal seme more evidently to sighte of
his understondinge thanne the sonne ne semeth to sighte
with-oute-forth._ 20

For certes the body, bringinge the weighte of foryetinge, ne
hath nat chased out of your thoughte al the cleernesse _of your
knowinge_; for certeinly the seed of sooth haldeth and clyveth
with-in your corage, and it is awaked and excyted by the winde
and by the blastes of doctrine. For wherfor elles demen ye of 25
your owne wil the rightes, whan ye ben axed, but-yif so were that
the norisshinge _of resoun_ ne livede y-plounged in the depthe of
your herte? _this is to seyn, how sholden men demen the sooth of
any thing that were axed, yif ther nere a rote of soothfastnesse that
were y-plounged and hid in naturel principles, the whiche
soothfastnesse 30
lived with-in the deepnesse of the thought_. And yif so be
that the Muse and the doctrine of Plato singeth sooth, al that
every wight lerneth, he ne doth no-thing elles thanne but
recordeth, as men recorden thinges that ben foryeten.'

ME. XI. 2. Ed. _om._ nat. // Ed. treaten (_for_ trenden). 18. Ed. derknesse; C. dyrknesse. // Ed. seme; C. seen (_but note_ semeth _below_). 24. Ed. wyndes. 26. Ed. asked. 27. Ed. norisshyng; C. noryssynges; Lat. _fomes_. 29. Ed. asked. 30. Ed. naturel; C. the nature (_sic_).

PROSE XII.

_Tum ego, Platoni, inquam._

Thanne seide I thus: 'I acorde me gretly to Plato, for thou
remembrest and recordest me thise thinges yit the secounde
tyme; _that is to seyn_, first whan I loste my memorie by the
contagious coniunccioun of the body with the sowle; and
eftsones afterward, whan I loste it, confounded by the charge and 5
by the burdene of my sorwe.'

And thanne seide she thus: 'yif thou loke,' quod she, 'first
the thinges that thou hast graunted, it ne shal nat ben right fer
that thou ne shalt remembren thilke thing that thou seydest that
thou nistest nat.' 10

'What thing?' quod I.

'By whiche governement,' quod she, 'that this world is
governed.'

'Me remembreth it wel,' quod I; 'and I confesse wel that I
ne wiste it naught. But al-be-it so that I see now from a-fer 15
what thou purposest, algates, I desire yit to herkene it of thee
more pleynly.'

'Thou ne wendest nat,' quod she, 'a litel her-biforn, that men
sholden doute that this world nis governed by god.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'ne yit ne doute I it naught, ne I nel never 20
wene that it were to doute; _as who seith, but I wot wel that god
governeth this world_; and I shal shortly answeren thee by what
resouns I am brought to this. This world,' quod I, 'of so manye
dyverse and contrarious parties, ne mighte never han ben
assembled in o forme, but-yif ther nere oon that conioignede so 25
manye dyverse thinges; and the same dyversitee of hir natures,
that so discorden that oon fro that other, moste departen and
unioignen the thinges that ben conioigned, yif ther ne were oon
that contenede that he hath conioined and y-bounde. Ne the
certein ordre of nature ne sholde nat bringe forth so ordenee 30
moevinges, by places, by tymes, by doinges, by spaces, by
qualitees, yif ther ne were oon that were ay stedefast dwellinge,
that ordeynede and disponede thise dyversitees of moevinges.
And thilke thing, what-so-ever it be, by which that alle thinges
ben y-maked and y-lad, I clepe him "god"; that is a word that 35
is used to alle folk.'

Thanne seyde she: 'sin thou felest thus thise thinges,' quod
she, 'I trowe that I have litel more to done that thou, mighty of
welefulnesse, hool and sounde, ne see eftsones thy contree.
But lat us loken the thinges that we han purposed her-biforn. 40
Have I nat noumbred and seyd,' quod she, 'that suffisaunce is in
blisfulnesse, and we han acorded that god is thilke same blisfulnesse?'

'Yis, forsothe,' quod I.

'And that, to governe this world,' quod she, 'ne shal he never 45
han nede of non help fro with-oute? For elles, yif he hadde
nede of any help, he ne sholde nat have no ful suffisaunce?'

'Yis, thus it mot nedes be,' quod I.

'Thanne ordeineth he by him-self al-one alle thinges?' quod she.

'That may nat be deneyed,' quod I. 50

'And I have shewed that god is the same good?'

'It remembreth me wel,' quod I.

'Thanne ordeineth he alle thinges by thilke good,' quod she;
'sin he, which that we han acorded to be good, governeth alle
thinges by him-self; and he is as a keye and a stere by which 55
that the edifice of this world is y-kept stable and with-oute
coroumpinge.'

'I acorde me greetly,' quod I; 'and I aperceivede a litel her-biforn
that thou woldest seye thus; al-be-it so that it were by
a thinne suspecioun.' 60

'I trowe it wel,' quod she; 'for, as I trowe, thou ledest now
more ententifly thyne eyen to loken the verray goodes. But
natheles the thing that I shal telle thee yit ne sheweth nat lasse to
loken.'

'What is that?' quod I. 65

'So as men trowen,' quod she, 'and that rightfully, that god
governeth alle thinges by the keye of his goodnesse, and alle thise
same thinges, as I have taught thee, hasten hem by naturel
entencioun to comen to good: ther may no man douten that they
ne be governed voluntariely, and that they ne converten hem of 70
hir owne wil to the wil of hir ordenour, as they that ben acordinge
and enclyninge to hir governour and hir king.'

'It mot nedes be so,' quod I; 'for the reaume ne sholde nat
semen blisful yif ther were a yok of misdrawinges in dyverse
parties; ne the savinge of obedient thinges ne sholde nat be.' 75

'Thanne is ther nothing,' quod she, 'that kepeth his nature,
that enforceth him to goon ayein god?'

'No,' quod I.

'And yif that any-thing enforcede him to with-stonde god,
mighte it availen at the laste ayeins him, that we han graunted to 80
ben almighty by the right of blisfulnesse?'

'Certes,' quod I, 'al-outrely it ne mighte nat availen him.'

'Thanne is ther no-thing,' quod she, 'that either wole or may
with-stonden to this soverein good?'

'I trowe nat,' quod I. 85

'Thanne is thilke the soverein good,' quod she, 'that alle
thinges governeth strongly, and ordeyneth hem softely.'

Thanne seyde I thus: 'I delyte me,' quod I, 'nat only in the
endes or in the somme of the resouns that thou hast concluded
and proeved, but thilke wordes that thou usest delyten me moche 90
more; so, at the laste, fooles that sumtyme renden grete thinges
oughten ben ashamed of hem-self;' _that is to seyn, that we fooles
that reprehenden wikkedly the thinges that touchen goddes governaunce,
we oughten ben ashamed of our-self: as I, that seyde that
god refuseth only the werkes of men, and ne entremeteth nat of 95
hem_.

'Thou hast wel herd,' quod she, 'the fables of the poetes,
how the giaunts assaileden the hevene _with the goddes_; but forsothe,
the debonair force _of god_ deposede hem, as it was worthy;
_that is to seyn, destroyede the giaunts, as it was worthy_. But wilt 100
thou that we ioignen to-gider thilke same resouns? For per-aventure,
of swich coniuncioun may sterten up som fair sparkle
of sooth.'

'Do,' quod I, 'as thee liste.'

'Wenest thou,' quod she, 'that god ne be almighty? No man 105
is in doute of it.'

'Certes,' quod I, 'no wight ne douteth it, yif he be in his
minde.'

'But he,' quod she, 'that is almighty, ther nis nothing that he
ne may?' 110

'That is sooth,' quod I.

'May god don yvel?' quod she.

'Nay, forsothe,' quod I.

'Thanne is yvel nothing,' quod she, 'sin that he ne may nat
don yvel that may don alle thinges.' 115

'Scornest thou me?' quod I; '_or elles pleyest thou or deceivest
thou me_, that hast so woven me with thy resouns the hous of
Dedalus, so entrelaced that it is unable to be unlaced; thou that
other-whyle entrest ther thou issest, and other-whyle issest ther
thou entrest, ne foldest thou nat to-gider, _by replicacioun of 120
wordes_, a maner wonderful cercle or environinge of the simplicitee
devyne? For certes, a litel her-biforn, whan thou bigunne at
blisfulnesse, thou seydest that it is soverein good; and seydest
that it is set in soverein god; and seydest that god him-self
is soverein good; and that god is the fulle blisfulnesse; for which 125
thou yave me as a covenable yift, _that is to seyn_, that no wight
nis blisful but-yif he be god also ther-with. And seidest eek,
that the forme of good is the substaunce of god and of blisfulnesse;
and seidest, that thilke same oon is thilke same good, that is
requered and desired of alle the kinde of thinges. And thou 130
proevedest, in disputinge, that god governeth all the thinges of
the world by the governements of bountee, _and seydest_, that alle
thinges wolen obeyen to him; and _seydest_, that the nature of yvel
nis no-thing. And thise thinges ne shewedest thou nat with none
resouns y-taken fro with-oute, but by proeves _in cercles and_
hoomlich 135
knowen; the whiche proeves drawen to hem-self hir feith and
hir acord, everich of hem of other.'

Thanne seyde she thus: 'I ne scorne thee nat, _ne pleye, ne
deceive thee_; but I have shewed thee the thing that is grettest
over alle thinges by the yift of god, that we whylom preyeden. 140
For this is the forme of the devyne substaunce, that is swich that
it ne slydeth nat in-to outterest foreine thinges, ne ne receiveth
no straunge thinges in him; but right as Parmenides seyde _in
Greek_ of thilke devyne substaunce; he seyde thus: that "thilke
devyne substaunce torneth the world and the moevable cercle of 145
thinges, whyl thilke devyne substaunce kepeth it-self with-oute
moevinge;" _that is to seyn, that it ne moeveth never-mo, and yit it
moeveth alle othre thinges_. But natheles, yif I have stired resouns
that ne ben nat taken fro with-oute the compas of thing of which
we treten, but resouns that ben bistowed with-in that compas, 150
ther nis nat why that thou sholdest merveilen; sin thou hast
lerned by the sentence of Plato, that "nedes the wordes moten
be cosines to the thinges of which they speken."

PR. XII. 2. A. _begins again with_ the seconde tyme. 4. A. coniunccioun; C. coniuncsioun. 12. C. wordyl (_for_ world). 19. C. world nis; Ed. A. worlde is. 26. A. _om._ dyverse. 27. A. discordeden. 30. C. ordene; A. ordinee. 31. A. Ed. spaces; C. splaces (!). 32. C. stidefast; A. stedfast. 35. Ed. ymaked; C. A. maked. 40. A. han; C. ha (_for_ h[=a]). 47. A. _om._ no. 50. C. denoyed (_for_ deneyed); A. Ed. denied. 55. A. Ed. _om._ as; Lat. _ueluti_. // C. A. stiere (_better_ stere). 57. A. corumpynge. 63. A. natheles; C. natles. 82. C. hem; A. Ed. hym. 84. A. this; C. Ed. his. 93. C. reprehendnen. 96. A. hem; C. Ed. it. 99. C. desposede; A. Ed. disposed; _read_ deposed; Lat. _deposuit_. 100. A. wilt; Ed. wylte; C. wil. 105. C. Ed. be; A. is. // A. Ed. No man; C. non. 107. A. Ed. if he; C. yif it. 110. A. may do. 116. C. scornesthow ... pleyesthow ... desseyuesthow. 118. Ed. Dedalus; C. dydalus; A. didalus. 119. C. A. issest; Ed. issuest. 120. C. fooldesthow. 125. C. fulle the; A. the ful; Lat. _plenam beatitudinem_. 127. Ed. god (_Deus_); C. A. good. 132. A. bountee; C. bowonte. 139. C. A. desseyue. 142. C. resseiueth. 143. C. aparmanides; Ed. Permenides; A. parmaynws; Lat. _Parmenides_. 148. C. Ed. styred; A. stered.

METRE XII.

_Felix, qui potuit boni._

Blisful is that man that may seen the clere welle of good; blisful
is he that may unbinden him fro the bondes of the hevy erthe.
The poete of Trace, _Orpheus_, that whylom hadde right greet sorwe
for the deeth of his wyf, after that he hadde maked, by his weeply
songes, the wodes, moevable, to rennen; and hadde maked the 5
riveres to stonden stille; and hadde maked the hertes and the
hindes to ioignen, dredeles, hir sydes to cruel lyouns, _for to herknen
his songe_; and hadde maked that the hare was nat agast of the
hounde, which that was plesed by his songe: so, whan the moste
ardaunt love of his wif brende the entrailes of his brest, ne the 10
songes that hadden overcomen alle thinges ne mighten nat
asswagen hir lord _Orpheus_, he pleynede him of the hevene goddes
that weren cruel to him; he wente him to the houses of helle.
And there he temprede hise blaundisshinge songes by resowninge
strenges, and spak and song in wepinge al that ever he hadde 15
received and laved out of the noble welles of his moder _Calliope_
the goddesse; and he song with as mochel as he mighte of wepinge,
and with as moche as love, that doublede his sorwe, mighte
yeve him and techen him; and he commoevede the helle, and
requerede and bisoughte by swete preyere the lordes of sowles 20
in helle, of relesinge; _that is to seyn, to yilden him his wyf_.

_Cerberus_, the porter of helle, with his three hevedes, was caught
and al abayst for the newe song; and the three goddesses, _Furies_,
and vengeresses of felonyes, that tormenten and agasten the sowles
by anoy, woxen sorwful and sory, and wepen teres for pitee. 25
Tho ne was nat the heved of Ixion y-tormented by the overthrowinge
wheel; and Tantalus, that was destroyed by the woodnesse
of longe thurst, despyseth the flodes to drinke; the fowl that
highte voltor, that eteth the stomak or the giser of Tityus, is so
fulfild of his song that it nil eten ne tyren no more. At the laste 30
the lord and Iuge of sowles was moeved to misericordes and
cryde, "we ben overcomen," quod he; "yive we to Orpheus his
wyf to bere him companye; he hath wel y-bought hir by his song
and his ditee; but we wol putte a lawe in this, and covenaunt in
the yifte: _that is to seyn_, that, til he be out of helle, yif he
loke 35
behinde him, that his wyf shal comen ayein unto us."

But what is he that may yive a lawe to loveres? Love is
a gretter lawe and a strenger to him-self _than any lawe that men
may yeven_. Allas! whan Orpheus and his wyf weren almest at the
termes of the night, _that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle_, 40
Orpheus lokede abakward on Eurydice his wyf, and loste hir, and
was deed.

This fable aperteineth to yow alle, who-so-ever desireth or
seketh to lede his thought in-to the soverein day, _that is to seyn,
to cleernesse of soverein good_. For who-so that ever be so overcomen 45
that he ficche his eyen into the putte of helle, _that is to
seyn, who-so sette his thoughtes in erthely thinges_, al that ever he
hath drawen of the noble good celestial, he leseth it whan he
loketh the helles,' _that is to seyn, in-to lowe thinges of the erthe_.

ME. XII. 2. A. bonde; Lat. _uincula_. // A. Ed. _om. 2nd_ the. 4. C. wepply; A. Ed. wepely. 7. A. cruel; C. cruwel. 10. A. Ed. ardaunt; C. ardent. 12. C. goodes; A. godes (_om._ hevene); Lat. _superos_. 14. C. blaundyssynge; A. blaundissyng. 15. C. soonge; A. song (_twice_). 16. C. resseyued; A. resceyued. // C. calyope; A. calliope. 17. A. as mychel as he my[gh]t; C. _om._ he. 19. C. thechen; _after_ techen him, A. _adds_ in his seke herte (_not in_ Lat.) 23. Ed. Furyes; C. A. furijs. 27. C. tatalus (_for_ t[=a]talus). 28. A. thrust. 29. Ed. Tityus; C. A. ticius; Lat. _Tityi_. 33. A. his faire song; Lat. _carmine_. 38. A. gretter; C. gret; Lat. _maior_. 41. C. A. Erudice; Ed. Euridice; Lat. _Eurydicen_. 43. C. apartienyth; A. apperteineth. 45. C. god; A. goode. 46. C. fychche. 47. C. _om._ his _after_ sette. 49. A. to (_for_ in-to). // C. _om._ the _bef._ erthe.

EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.