Boecius de consolacione philosophy  


C●imina qui quandam studio florente peregi Flebilis heu mestos cogor inire modos  
ALlas I weeping am constrained to begin vers of sorrowful matter. That whilom in flourishing study made delitable ditties/ For lo rending muses of poets enditen to me things to be written/ And dreary vers of wretchedness weten my face with very teeris/ Atte last no dread ne might onercome though muses that they ne weren fellows and folowden my way/ that is to say. When I was exiled/ They that weren of my youth whilom weleful & gr●●e conforten now sorrowful wierdes of me old man For eld is comen unwarely upon me hasted by the harms that I have. And sorrow hath commanded his age to be in me. hairs door are shed overtymeliche upon my heed. And the slack skin trembleth of mine emptid body. Thilk death of men is weleful that ne cometh not in years that be sweet/ but cometh to wretchis often y cleped. Alas Alas with how deaf an ere death cruel turneth away fro wretches. and nayeth for to close weeping eyen. while fortune unfaithful favoured me with light goods. the sorrowful hour/ that is to say the death had almost dreynt mine ●eed. But now for fortune cloudy hath changed her de●●yuable cheer to meward/ mine unpitouse life draweth a long unagreeable dwellings/ O ye my friends what or whereto avaunted ye me to lean welefull/ For he that hath ●●llen, stood in no steadfast degree   

Hec dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem querimoniaque lacrimabilem stili officio signarem. asstitisse michi supra verticem visa est. mulier revereudi ad modum vultus. oculis ardentibus. et ultra coemm etc  
IN the mean while that I still recorded these things with myself/ & marked my wepely conpleynte with office ●f poyntel. I saw standing above the height of my heed a woman of full great reverence by semblant/ her eyen brenning & clear seeing above the comune might of men with a lifly colour/ & with such vigour & strength that it ne might not be empted. All were it so that she was full of great age. that men ne would not trowen. in no manner that she were of our eld/ The stature of her was of a doubtous judgement/ for sometime she constrained and shrunk herself in the common measure of men/ and sometime it seemed that she touched the heaven with the height of her heed. & when she heef her heed higher she ꝑced the self heaven/ so that the sight of men looking was in idle/ her clotheses were maked of right delye threads & subtle craft of perdurable matter. The which clotheses she had woven with her own hands as I knew well after by herself declaring & showing to me the beauty. the which clotheses a darkness of a ●orleten & despised eld had dusked & darked as it is wont to dark by smoked images/ In the netherest hem o● border of these clotheses men read ywoven therein a greekish/ A that signefieth the life ac●yf/ & above that letter in the highest border a greekish. C. that signefieth the life contemplatif. & between these two letters there were seen degrees nobly wrought in manner of ladders. by which degrees men might climben from the netherest letter to the upperest/ natheless hands of some men hadden carve that cloth by violence or by strength. And everich man of 'em had borne away such pieces as he might getten. And forsooth this foresaid woman bore small books in her ●ighte hand. And in her lift hand she bore a sceptre/ And when she saw this senior poetical muses approaching about my bed/ And inditing words to my weepings/ she was a little amoeved and glowed with cruel eyen. Who quoth she hath suffered approach to this seek man these common strompettis/ of which is the place that men callen Theatre/ the which only ne aswagen not his sorrows with remedi●s. But they would feden and nourish him with sweet venom/ Forsooth that been thoo that with thorns and prykkinges of talentes or affections. which that been no thing fructuous nor profitable. Destroyen the corn plenteous of fruits of reason. For they holden hearts of men in usage. but they ne deliver no folk fro malady But if the muses had withdrawn fro me with your flatteries any an uncoming and unprofitable man as been wont to find commonly among the people. I would well suffer the lass grievously/ For why in such an unprofitable man/ mine intents were no thing endamaged/ But ye withdrawn fro me this man that hath been nourished in my studies or scoles of eliaticis & of Achademcis in great/ But goth now rather away ye mermayden● which that been sweet till it be at the last/ & suffereth this man to be cured and heeled by my muses. that is to say by my notefull sciencis. And thus this company of muses yblamed casten wrothly th● there doowneward to the earth. & showing by redness her shame they passeden sorrowfully the thresshwold/ And I of whom the sight plounged in tears was derkid so. that I ne might not know what that woman was of so imperial authority/ I wax all abashed and stonyed/ and cast my sight down to the earth And began still for tabide what she would done afterward Thenne come she near & set her down upon the utterest corner of my bed/ and she beholding my cheer that was cast to the earth. heavy and grievous of weeping/ complained with these words that I shall sayn the perturbation of my thought   

Heu quam precipiti mersa profundo Mens habet & propria luce relicta Tendit ad extremas ire tenebras Terrenis quo●iens flatibus acta Cres●it in inmensum nor●a cura Hic quandam celo liber aperto etc  
Alas how the thought of this man dreynt in overthrowing deepness dulleth and forletteth his proper clearness/ minting to go into foreign darkness. as often as his anoyous business waxeth without measure. That is driven with worldly winds. this man that whilom was free. to whom the heaven was open & known/ & was wont to gone in heavenly pathed/ & saw the lightness of the red son̄● And beheld the stars of the cold moan. & which star in heaven useth wandering. recourses yflytte by diuce speris Thi● man oucomer had comphended all this thing by number of acompting in astronomy/ And over this he was wont to seken the causes. whence the swooning winds moven and besien the smooth water of the see. And what spirit turneth the stable heaven. And why the star riseth out of the red east to fallen in the western wawes And what attempreth the lusty hours of the first summer season. And hightith & apparailleth the earth with rosy flowers/ And who maketh the plenteous Autumpne in full years fleten with heavy grapes/ and eke this man was wont to tell the diverce causes of nature that were hid Alas how lightly is empted the light of his thought. & his neck is pressid with heavy chains/ And beareth his cheer inclined a down for the great weight/ & is constrained to loken on the foul earth   

Sed magis medicine inquit tempus est quam querele. Tum vero totis in me intenta luminibus. Tu ne es ait qui nostro quondam lact nutritus nostris educatus alimentis animi invirilis robur evaseras. etc  
But time is now of medicine quoth she more than complaint. Forsooth then she intending to meward with all the looking of her eyen said/ Arte not thou he quoth she that whilom I nourished with my milk and fostered with my meats were escaped and comen to the courage of a parfaite man. Certes I yaf the such armours That if thou thyself ne hadst first cast 'em away They sholden have defended the in sikernesses that may not be overcomen. Knowest thou me not. why art thou still is it for shame or for astonying/ it were me liefer it were for shame. But it seemeth me that astonying hath oppressed the. and when she saw me not only still. but rather without office of tongue & all dumb/ She laid her hand softly upon my breast. and said/ here is no peril quoth she. he is fallen into a litarge which that is a common sickness to hearts that been deceived/ he hath a little forgotten himself/ But certes he shall lightly remembren himself if so be that he hath known me or now. And that he may done so/ ● will wipe his eyes a little that be darked by the cloud of mortal things. These words said she/ And with the lap of her garment yplited in a frounce she dried mine eyen that weren full of the wawes of my weepings.   

Tunc 〈◊〉 discussa liquerunt nocte tenebre Lum●nibusque prior redit vigor Ut cum precipiti glomerantur sidera choro Nimbosisque polus st●tit ymbribus Sol latet ac non dum celo vementibus astris etc  
Thus when that night was discussed away/ darkness forlet me. And to mine eyen repaired again h●r first strength. And right as by ensample. as the son is hid when the stars been covered with clouds by a swift wind that height Chorus/ And the firmament stant darked by wete plungy clouds. And that the stars not appieren upon the heaven. so that the night seemeth spradd upon the earth. If then the wind that height boreas ysent out of the cave of the country of Trace/ beateth this night That is to sayen chaseth it away/ And discovereth the closed day/ Thenne shineth phoebus yshaken with sudden light & smiteth with his beams in marveling eyen   

Haut aliter triscicie nebulis dissolutis. ●●usi celum et ad cognoscendum mendicantis faciem mentem recepi Itaque ubi in eam deduxi oculos. intuitumque defixi. Respicio nutricem meam cuius ab adolescencia etc  
right so and none other wise/ the clouds of sorrow dissolved and done away/ I took heaven and received mind to known the face of my phis●cien. So that I set mine eyen upon her and fastened my looking/ I beheld my nurse philosophy in whose house I had conversed fro my youth. and I said thus/ O thou mistress of all virtues descended from the sovereign s●te/ why art thou comen into this solitary place of mine exile/ Arte thou comen for thou art made culpable with me of ●●lse blames. O quoth she my norie should I forsake the now. and should I not parten with the by common travail the charge that thou hast suffered for envy of my name. Certes it were not leeful ne fitting to philosophy to letten without company the way of him that is Innocent. should I thenne redoubt my blame/ & agrise as though there were befallen a new thing/ For trowest thou that Philosophy be now alder first assailed in perils by folk of wicked manner have I not striven with full great strife in old time before the age of my Plato/ against the folehardynesse of folly. And eke the same plato living/ his master Socrates deserved victory of unrightful death in my presence The heritaige of the which Socrates/ the heritaige is to say the doctrine of the which Socrates in his opinion of felicity/ that I cl●pe welefulnes. when that the peuple of Epycuriens and Stoiciens and many other enforced them to go ravish. every man for his part that is to sayn That every of hem would drawn to the defence of his opinion the words of Socrates. They as in party of their pray to drawn me ●●y●●g and debating there against And carven and renten my clotheses that I had wonnen with mine own hands. And with the clotheses that they had araced out of my clotheses they wanton away. weening that I had go ●●th h●m eu●ridele. In which Epicuriens and Stoici●ns for as much as there seemed some traces and steps of my habit/ The folly of weening the ●picuriens and Stoiciens my famyli●●s/perue●ted some th●urgh therrour of the wi●ked multitude of 'em/ This i● to s●yn ●●r they s●m●d philosopher's. they w●ren po●rs●●wed to the ●●●th and slain/ So if thou ●●st not known thexcising of Anaxagoras ne then poisoning of Socrates/ Ne the torments of ●e●o for they weren strangers. yet mightest thou h●ue known/ the sen●ctyens. the Camos/ and the Soranos/ Of which folk the renomee is neither ever old ne vnsolemp●● The which men no thing ellis ne brought to the death But only for they were informed of my manners/ And semeden most unlike to the studies of wicked folk And forty thou oughtest not to wondren though that I in the bitter see be driven with tempests blowing about. In the which this is my most pourpoose. That is to say to displesen wicked men. Of which shrews all be the host never so great. it is to despise. for it is not governed with no leader of reason/ But it is ravished only by fleeting error foolily & lightly. and if they sometime make an host against us/ Assail us as strennger/ Our leader draweth together his richesses into his tower And they been ententif about sarpleris or sachellis unprofitable for to taken. But we that been high above sicker from all tumult & wood noise. warnestored & enclosed in such a palace. whither as that clatering or annoying folly may not attain/ we scorn such raveners and henters of foulest things   

Quisquis composito serenus evo Fatum sub pedibus agit superbum Fortunamque tuens utramque r●ctus Inuictum potuit tenere vultum etc  
WHo so it be that clear of virtue sad & well ordynat of living that hath put underfoot the proud wierdes/ & looketh upright upon either fortune he may holden his cheer undescomfited/ The rages ne the menaces of the see commoeving & chase unware heat from the bottom/ ne shall not move that man. ne the unstable mountain that height Vesenus that writheth out through his broken chymeneyes smoking fires. Ne the weigh of thunder leyte. that is wont to smitten high towers ne shall not move that man/ where to thenne wretches dread ye tyrants that been wood and felonnous with any strength. Hoops after nothing Ne dread thou not. And so shallest thou disarmen the Ire of thilk unmighty tyrannt/ but who that quaking deedeth or desireth thing that is not stable of his right. that man that so doth/ hath cast away his shield/ & is remoeved fro his place. & enlaseth him in the chain. with the which he may be drawn   

Sentis ne inquit hec atque animo illabuntur. quid fles Quid lacrimas manas. si operam medicantis expectas oportet vulnus detegas  
FElistow quod she these things. & entrens they aught in thy courage/ art thou like an ass to the harp. why wepestow why spillistow tears. if thou abidest after help of thy leech. the behoveth discou thy wound. though I had gathered strength in my courage answered & said/ And needeth it quoth I of rehercing or of admonition. And showeth it not enough by himself the sharpness that waxeth wode against me. Ne moveth it not the to see the face or the manner of this place. Is this the library that thou hadst chosen for a right certain siege to the in mine house/ there as thou disputest oft with me. of the science of things/ touching divinity & touching mankind/ was then mine habit such as it is now. was my face or cheer such as is now/ when I sought with the secrets of nature/ when thou enformedest my manners & the reason of all my life to th'ensample of the order of levene. Is not this the guerdon that I refer to the/ to whom I have be obeysan̄te. Certes thou enformedest by the mouth of plato this sentence/ that is to say. that comyn● things or comynaltees weren blissful/ If they that had studied all fully to wisdom governeden thilk things Or else if it so befell that the governors of comynaltees studieden to get wisdom/ thou saidst eke by the mouth of the said plato that it was a necessary cause/ wise men to taken & desiren the governance of common things. for that the governments of cities yleft in the hands of felonous tormentors/ citizens ne sholden not bringen in pestilence & destruction to good folk. And therefore I following thilk auctors desired to put forth in execution & in act of common administration thilk things that I had learned of the among my secret restingwhiles/ thou & god that put in the thoughts of wise folk/ been knowing with me. that nothing ne brought me to mastery or dignity/ but the common study of all goodness. And thereof cometh it that between wicked folk and me have been grievous discords That ne mighten not be released by prayers. for this liberty hath the freedom of conscience/ that the wrath of more mighty folk hath alway been despised of me for salvation of right. How oft have I resisted & withstand that man that height Coniugast/ that made alway thassaults against the prospero fortunes of pour feeble folk. How oft eke have I put of/ or cast out him Trigwille provost of the kings house. both of the wroonges that he had begun to done. And eke fully performed/ How often have I covered and defended by the authority of me put against parills. That is to say/ put mine authority in peril For the wretchid pour folk. that the covetise of strangers unpunished tourmenteden allway with myseases and grievances out of number/ Never man yet drew me fro right to wrong. when I saw the fortunes and the richesses of the peuple of the provinces been harmed & amenused either by privy ravines or by common tributes or carriages. as sorry was I/ as they that suffreden the harm Gloze When that Theodorik King of Goths in a deed year had his garners full of corn/ and commanded that no man should buy no corn/ till his corn were sold And at a grievous dear price/ Boece withstood that ordinance and overcame it/ Knowing all this the king Theodoryk himself/ Coemption is to say common achate or buying to guider. that were established upon the people by such a manner Imposicion/ As who so bought a bushel corn. he must yeven the king the fifth part Textus  
When hit was in the sour hungry time/ there was establissed grievous and unprofitable coempcion that men seen weal. it should greetly tormenten and endamagen alle ●he province of Campaign. I took striff ayeenst the Proudste of the praetory for the common profit. And the knowing of it/ I overcome it/ so that the coempcion was not axed ne took effect pauline a counseyllour of Rome. the riches of the which Paulyne. the hounds of the palace. That is to say/ th'officers wolden have devoured by hope and covetise. Yet drew I out of the Jews of h●m that gapeden. And for as much as the pain of thaccusacion aiugged biforne ne should not suddenly henten ne punysshen wrongfully Albyn a counsellor of Rome. I put me against the hates and Indignations of thaccuser Cipryan/ Is it not thenne enough sin that I have purchased great discords against myself. But I aught be more assured against other folk/ that for the love of rightwiseness I never reserved no thing to myself/ to hemward of the kings hall/ by which I were the more sicker. But through thoo same accusers accusing/ I am condemned. Of the number of which accusers one basiliuz that whilom was chased out of the kings service. Is now compelled in accusing of my name. For need of foreign money/ Also Opilion and Gaudencius han accused me. All be it so that the justice regal had whilom deemed them both to gone in to exile for her trecheryes and frawdes with out number. To which judgement they nolden not obey/ but defended hem by the sickerness of holy houses. That is to say/ fledden in to seyntewarye/ Andrea thenne when this was apperceived by the king/ he commanded but if they voided the Cyte of raven by certain day assigned/ that men should marken h●m on the forehead with an hoot yren/ and chas●n hem out of the town/ Now what thing seemeth/ might be likened to this cruelty. For certes this same day was received the accusing of my name by thilk same accusers/ What may be said hereto. hath my study and my cunning deserved thus. or else the foresaid damnation of me made 'em rightful accusers or no. was not fortune ashamed of this/ Certes all had not fortune ben ashamed that Innocence was accused. yet aught she han had shame of the filth of mine accusers. but axe thou in some of what guilt I am accused/ Men say that I would saven the company of the Senators. And desirest thou to hearen in what manner I am accused that I should han distourbed thaccuser to beren letters/ by which he should have made the senators guilty against the kings royal majesty/ O mistress what deemest thou of this/ shall I forsake this blame. that I ne be no shame to the/ Certes I have would it. that is to say the salvation of the senate I ne shall newly lete to wilne it/ And that I confess and am a know. but th'intent of thaccuser to been distourbed shall cease. Shall I clep● that a felony or a sin that I have desired the salvation of the order of the senate/ And certes had thilk same senate done through her decretes & her jugementis as though it were a sin & a felony. that is to wilne the s●uacion of them. But folly that lieth alway to himself may not change the merit of things/ Ne I trow not by the judgement of socrates that it were leeful to me to hide the s●th ne assent to ●●synges/ but certes how so ●uer it be of this I put it to gessyn or prisen of the judgement of the and of wise folk. of which thing all th●rdenance and the s●th. for as much as folk that been to comen after our days shall known it/ I have put it in scripture and in remembrance/ For touching the letters falsely made/ by which letters I am accused to han h●p●d the freedom of rome/ what appertaineth me to speaken thereof. Of which letters the fraud had been showed apertly if I had had liberty for to have used and been at confession of mine accusers/ The which thing in all needs h●th great strength. For what other fredem may men hopen. certes I would that some other freedom might be hoped. I would thenne have answered by the words of a man that height Camus. for when he was accused of gayus Cesar germeynes son. that he was knowing and consenting of a conjuration y made against him/ This Camus answered thus if I had wist it/ thou hadst not witted it/ In which thing sorrow hath not so dulled my wit that I plain only that shrewd folk apparaillen felonies against virtue. But I wondre greatly how that they may perform things that they have hoped for to done. f●r why ne will ne shrewdness that cometh peradventure of our default But it is like a monster and a marvel how that in the present sight of god may been achieved and performed such things. as every felenous man hath conceived in his thought against Innocentes/ For which thing one of thy familiars not unskilfully axed thus. If god is. whence comen wicked things/ But all had it been leeffull that felonous folk/ that now desiren the blood and the death of all good men. And eke of the senate han wilned to goon destroyen me whom they have say alway bataillen and defenden good men and eke all the senate that had not deserved of the faders/ that is to sayne of the senators that they sholden will my destruction. Thou remember'st weal as I guess. that when I would done or say any thing. thou thyself always present ruledest me. at city of verone when that the king greedy of common slaughter/ caste him to transporten upon all the order of the senate the guilt of his rial majesty. of the which guilt that Albyn was accused. with how great sikerness of peril to me/ defended I all the senate. thou wottest well that I say sooth. Ne I ne avaunted me never in praising of myself For always when any wight receiveth precious renom̄e● In avaunting of himself or his works/ he amenuseth the se●r●e of his conscience/ but now thou mayst well seen to what end I am comen. for mine innocency I receive pain of false felony for guerdon of very virtue. & what open confession of felony had ever judges so a●●rdant in cruelty. that is to say as mine ●●cusing hath. that either error of manes wit/ or else condition of fortune. that is uncertain to all mortal folk ne submitted some of 'em. that is to say that it ne inclined some judge to han pite or compassion/ for all though I had been accused that I would b●en̄e holy houses & strangle priests with wicked sword. or that I had greythed death to all good men/ algates the sentence should have punished me present confessed or convict. but now I am removed from the cite of rome almost. u C. M. paa● I am without defence dampened to proscription & to death/ for the studies & bountees that I have done to the senate/ but/ o well been they worthy of merit/ as who seith/ nay/ there might yet never none of 'em be convict of such a blame as mine is. Of which trespass mine accusers sayne full weal the dignity/ for they would d●rk●n it with meddling of some felony. They barren me on hand & said that I had pollute & defouled my conscience with sacrilege for covetise of dignity/ And certes thou thyself that art planted in me. chacedest out of the siege of my courage all covetise of mortal thinger/ Ne sacrelege ne had no leave to have a place in me before thine eyen/ for thou droppedest every day in myncere● & in my thought thilk commandment of pictagoras. That is to say men shall serven to god & not to gods/ Ne it was not convenient ne none need to taken help of the foulest spirits/ I that thou hast ordained and set in such excellence. that thou madest me like to god. And ou this the right clean secre chambre of mine house/ that is to say my wife. And the company of mine honest friends. & my wives father as well holy as worthy to be/ reverensed for his deeds/ defenden me from all suspection of such blame. But/ o. malice/ For they that accusen me taken of the philosophy faith of so great blame/ for they trowen that I have had affinity to malefice or enchantement/ because that I am replenished & fulfilled with thy teachings & informed of thy manners. & thus it suffereth not only that thy reverence ne avail me naught/ but if thou of thy free-will rather be blemished with mine offension/ But certes to the harms that I have there betideth yet this increase of harm. that the guessing & the judgement of moche folk ne looken nothing to the deserts of things but only to thadventure of fortune. & iuggen that only such things been purveyed of god/ which that temporal wilfulness commandeth Glosa As thus. that if a wight have prosperity he is a good man & worthy to have that prosperity. & who so hath adusite. he is a wicked man/ & god hath forsake him/ & he is worthy to have that adusite. This is th'opinion of some folk/ and thereof cometh that good guessing. first of allthing forsaked wretches/ certes it grieveth me to think right now in diuce sentencis that the people seith of me. & thus much I say that the last charge of contrarioꝰ fortune is this/ that when any blame is laid upon a caitiff. men weenen that he hath deserved that he suffereth. & I that am put away from good men & despoiled of dignities. & defouled of my name by guessing have suffered torments for my good deeds. Certes me seemeth/ that I see the felenous covynes of wicked men habounden in joy and in gladness. And I see that every lorel shapeth him to find new frawdes for to accuse good folk. & I see that good folk be overthrown for dread of my peril/ & every luxurious tormentor dar done all felony unpunished & been excited thereto by yefts/ and Innocentis be not only despoiled of sikernesses but of defence/ And thereto me list to cryen to god in this manere   

O stelli●eri conditor orbis Qui perpetuo nixus solio Rapido celum turbine versas. Legemque pati sidera cogis Ut nunc pleno lucida cornu Totis frīs obuia flammis Condat stellas luna minores Nunc obscuro pallid● cornu Phoebo ꝓprior lumina perdat etc  
THou maker of the wheel that beareth the s●er●es/ which that art fastened to thy perdurable chair. & torn●st the heaven with a ravishing sweyghe/ And constreynest the ster●es to suffer thy law/ So that the moan some time shining with her full horns meeting with all the ●eames of the son her bedder. hideth the ster●es that been less/ And some time when the moan pale. with her dark ●ornes approacheth th● son/ loseth her sights/ And that the even star Hesperu● which that in the first time of the night bringeth first her cold arising cometh eft a●en ●er used cour●. and is pale by the morrow act rising of the son. And is then cleped lucifer. Thou restreynest the day by shorter dwelling in the time of the cold winter that maketh the leaves fall. thou dividest the swift tides of the night when the hot summer is comen. thy might attempreth the variant seasons of the year. So that Zephyrus the debonair wind bringeth again in the first summer season. the leaves that the wind that hight Boreas hath refte away in Autumpne. that is to say the last end of the summer. And the seeds that the star that height Arcitures sew bewaxen high corns. when the star Sirius enchaceth hem/ there is no thing unbounden from this old law ne forletteth the work of his proper estate O thou governor governing all things by certain end. why refusest thou only to govern the works of men by dew manner. why sufferest thou that sliding fortune turneth so great entrechaunges of things/ so that a noyous pain should duly punish felonns'/ punisheth Innecentis/ And folk of wicked maneres sitten in high chairs. And annoying folk treaden and that unrightfully on the nekkis of holy men. And virtue clear and shining. naturally is hid in dark derkenesses/ And the rightful man beareth the pain and the blame of the felonns/ Ne the forswearing ne the fraud covered & kempt with a falls colour/ ne annoyeth not to shrewdness/ The which shrewdness when hem list usen her strength/ they reioyssen 'em to put under 'em the sovereign Kings/ Which that the peuple with out number dreden/ O thou what some ever thou be that knyttest all bonds of things/ look on these wretches erthes/ we men that been not a ●oull party. but a fayrre part of so great a work. we been tormented in this see of fortune. Thou governor withdraw and restrain the ravishing floods. & fasten & farm these earth's stable/ with thilk bond/ with which thou governest heaven that is so large   

Hec ubi continuo delatravi dolore. illa vultu placido nichilque meis questionibus mota. Cum te inquit. mestum lacrimantemque vidissem. ilico miserum exulemque cognosci. Sz quam id longincum esset exilium etc  
When I had with a continuel sorrow sobbed or broken out these things. she with her cheer peaceable/ and nothing a moved with my complaints saide thus/ when I saw the quoth she sorrowful and weeping/ I witted anon that thou were a wretch and exiled/ but I nist never how far thine exile was if thy tal● ne had sh●wd it me. but cer●tes all be thou far from thy country/ thou narte not all put out of it. But thou hast failed of thy weigh and go amiss/ and if thou haste liefer for to ween that thou be put out of thy country. then hast thou put out thyself rather than any other wight hath/ for no wight but thou thyself ne might never have done that to the/ For if thou remember the of what country thou art borne/ it nies not governed by emperors ne by government of multitude As weren the countries of hem of Ath●nes/ but one lord and one king and that is god that is lord of thy country. which that reioysseth him of the dwelling of his C●●●●eyn●. and not for to put 'em in exile. Of the which lord it is a freedom to be governed by the bridle of him & obey to his justice. haste thou forgotten thilk old law of thy cite/ In the which cite it is ordained & established that what wight hath leu found therein his feet or his house than else where. He may not be exiled by no right from that place. For who so that is contened within the palace of thilk cite/ there nies no dread that he may deserve to be exiled. But who that letteth the will tenhabite there. he forletteth also to deserve to be a citezeyn of thilk cite. So that I say that the face of this place ne moveth me not so mykyl as thine owen face. Ne I ne ask not rather the walls of thy library appareled & wrought with ivory and with glass. than after the feet of thy thought/ In which I put not whilom books/ but I put that/ that maketh books worthy of price or precious. that is to say sentence of my books/ And certainly of thy deserts bestowed in common good. thou haste said soothe/ But after the multitude of thy good deeds thou hast said few/ And of the honest/ or of the falseness of things that been opposed against the/ thou hast remembered things that be known to all folk. And of the felonies and frauds of thine accusers/ It seemeth the have touched it forsooth rightfully and shortly/ All mighten though same things better and more plenteously been couth in the mouth of the peuple that knoweth all this. Thou haste eke blamed greatly and complained of the wroongfull deed of the Senate And thou haste sorrowed for my blame/ And thou hast weepen for the damage of thy renomee that is appaired & thy last sorrow enchaced again fortune/ compleynest the guerdons ne be not evenly yolden to the deserts of folk & in thy latter end of thy wode muse. thou praiedest that thilk peace that governeth the heaven should governs the earth. But for that many tribulations of affections have assailed the. & sorrow & Ire & weeping to drawn the diversly. as thou art now feeble of thought/ mightier remedies ne shullen not yet touchen the/ for which we willen somedeal usen lighter medicines. so that thilk passions that be waxed hard in swelling by ꝑturbations flowing into thy thought. mown wax easy & soft to receive the strength of a more mighty and more eager medicine by an easier touching   

Cum phebi radiis grave. Cancri sidus inestuat. Tum qui larga negantibus Sulcis semina credidit. Elusus cereris ●ide Quernas' pergat ad arbores. Numquam purpureum nemus. Lecturus violas petas etc  
When that the heavy star of the cancer. enchaceth by the beams of phoebus/ that is to s●yne when that ph●bus the son is in the s●gne of the cancer. who so giveth thenne largely his seeds to the fields/ that refusen to receive h●m lete him goon beguiled of trust that he had to his corn/ to ake●●rnes of ookes/ If thou wilt gad●e viole●tis/ Ne g●o thou not to the proper wood. when the field chirking agr●seth of cold by the felnes of the wind that h●ght aquilone. If thou desirest or wilt usen grapes/ ne seek th●u not a gloutons hand to strain & press the stalks of the vine in the first summer season/ for bachus the god of wine ●ath rather yeven his yef●es to autumn the latter end of summer. god tokenyth & assigneth the times abl●ng hem to her proper offices. ne he ne suffereth not the stoundes which tha● himself hath divided & constrained to been ymedled together. & for thy he that forletteth certain ordinance of doing by outhrowing way/ he ne hath no glad issue/ or end of his works   

Primum igitur pateris ne me pauculis interrogacionibus statum tue mentis attingere atque temptare. ut qui modus sit tue curacionis intelligam etc  
first wouldest thou suffer me to touch & assay the estate of thy thought by a few demands so that I may understand by. the manner of thy curation/ ask me quoth I at thy will that thou wolt/ & I shall answer/ Tho said she thus. whether wa●e●t thou quoth she that this world be governed foolish by hops & fortunes/ or else weenest thou that there be in it on● government of reason. B/ Certes quoth I/ I ne trow n●t in no manner that so certain things should be moved by fortunous fortune/ but I wot well that god maker & master is governor of his work/ ne was never yet day that might put me out of the soothness of that sentence/ P/ So is it quoth she for the same thing sang thou a little here before & bewailledest & weptest/ that only men were put out of the cure of god. For of all other things. thou ne doubtest not that they near governed by reason/ But. och/ I wondre certes greetly. why that thou art seek. Sin that thou art put in so wholesome a sentence. But lete us seeken depper/ I conject that there lacketh I note what/ But say me this. sin that thou ne doubtest not that this world be governed by God.. with which governail takest thou heed that it is governed uneath quoth I know I the sentence of thy question/ so that I ne may not yet answeren to thy demands. I was not deceived quoth she. that there ne failed somewhat by which the malady of perturbation is crept into thy thought. so as the strength of thy palace shining is open/ but say me this. remember'st thou what is th'end of things. & whither thintention of all kind tendeth/ I have herd told it sometime quoth I but drerines hath dulled my memoire/ Certes quoth she thou wottest well whence all things be comen & proceeded/ I wot well quoth I & answered that god is begyning of al. And how may this be quoth she/ that sin thou knowest the beginning of things/ that thou ne knowest not what is th'end of things. but such been the customs of perturbation & this power they han. that they may move a man fr●m his place. that is to say from the stallones & perfection of his knowing. but certes they may not all arace him/ ne as●ene him in all/ but I would that thou wel●est answer to this Remembrestow that thou art a man. Boece/ why should I not remembren that quoth I philes●hie. Ma●stow not tell me thenne what thing is a man. Arestow not me quoth I whether that I be a reasonable mortal be'st. I wot well and confess that I am it. wistow new yet that th●u were any other thing quoth she. Not quoth I/ Now we'll know I quoth she other cause of thy malady/ & that right greet. thou hast le●t for to known thyself what thou art. through which I have plainly founden the cause of thy malady/ or else th'entry of recovering of thy heel. For why/ For thou art confounded with forgetting of thyself. For thou sorowdest that thou art exiled of thy proper goods. And for thou ne witted what is th'end of things. For thy deemest thou that felonous and wicked men be mighty and welefull. and for thou hast forgotten by which governments the world is governed. For thy weenest thou that these mutations of fortune fleten without governor/ These been the caus●s not only to malady. but certes great causes to death. but I thank the author & the maker of heel. that nature hath not all forleten the/ I have great norisshing of thine heel. & that is the sooth sentence of governance of the world/ that thou believest that the governing of it is not subject ne underput to the folly of these haps aventurous. but to the reason of god. and therefore doubt the nothing/ for of this little spark thine heat of life shall shine/ But for asmuch as it is not time yet of faster remedies/ and the nature is of thoughts thus deceived. That as oft as they cast away soothe opinions/ they clothe hem in false opinions Of the which falls opinions. the derken●s of perturbation waxeth up/ that confoundeth the very insight. and that darkness shall I somewhat assay to maken thin & weak by light & meneliche remedies. so that after that the darkness of deceiving things be done away/ thou may know the shining of very light   

Nubibus atris. Condita nullum. Fundere possunt sidera lumen. Si mare voluens. Turbidus auster. Misceat estum. Uitrea dudum. Parque serenis etc  
THe stars covered with black clouds ne mow yeten adoun no light if the trouble wind that height auster turning and walking the see meddleth the h●te. That is to say the boiling up from the bottom/ the wawes that were whilom clear as glass/ and like to the feyr bright days. withstante anon the sights of men by the filth & ordure that is resolved. And the fleeting stream that reilleth down diversly from high montaignes is arrested and resisted oft time by th'encountering of a stone that is departed & fallen from some roche. And for thy if thou wilt loken & dame sooth with clear light and holden the weigh with a right path/ wave thou joy. drive fro dread. phlegm thou hope/ ne lete no sorrow approach/ that is to say/ lete none of these four passions ●●come thee or blind thee/ For cloudy and dark is thilk thought. & bound with bridles w●ere as these things regnen   
And here endeth the first book ¶ And next followeth the second book   

POst he● paulisper obticuit. atque ubi att●ncionem meam modesta taciturnitate collegit. sic exorsa est. Si penitus egritudnus tue causas habitumque etc  
AFter this she s●ynte a little. and after that she had gathered by reactempre stillness. mine attention. as who so might say thus/ After th●se things she stint a little. And when she apperceived by actempre stillness that I was ententyff to hearen her/ She began to speak in this wise ● If I quoth she have understonden and known utterly the causes and the habit of thy malady● thou languisshest and art defeted for desire and talente of thy rather courage/ She that ilk fortune only that is changed as thou feynest to the ward/ hath perverted the clearness & th'estate of thy courage. I understanding the feel fold colours/ and deceits of thilk marvelous monster fortune. & how she useth full flattering familiarity with 'em that she enforceth to beguile. so long till she confound with unsufferable sorrow. him that she hath left in dispeyr unpurveyed/ & if thou remember'st well the kind the manners & the desert of thilk fortune. thou shalt well know that as in her thou never ne hadst ne haste lost any fair thing/ But as I trow I shall not greetly travaillen to done the rememb●en on these things. For thou were wont to hurtelen and despysen her with many words/ when she was blaundisshing and present. And pur●udest her with sentences that weren drawn out of mine entre/ that is to say of mine information. but no sudden mutation ne betideth not without a manner changing of courages/ & so it is befall that thou art a little departed fro the peace of thy thought/ but now is time that thou drink & a taste some soft & delitable things so that thenne they be entered within the/ It mown make weigh to stronger drinks of medicines. Come now forth therefore the fuasion of sweetness rethorien. which that gooth only the right weigh/ while she forsaketh not mine statutes. And with rhetoric come forth music a damosel of our house/ that singeth now lighter modes or prolations & now heavier/ what aileth the man. what is it that hath cast the into morning & into weeping. I trow that thou hast say some new thing and untouthe. thou weenest that fortune be changed again me. but thou weenest wrong if that thou ween always tho been her manners. She hath rather kept as to the ward her proper stableness in the changing of herself/ right such was she when she flaterd the & deceived the/ with unleefful likings & false welefulnes/ thou hast now known & atteynte the doubtous or double visage of thilk blind goddess fortune/ she that yet covereth & wympleth her to other folk hath showed herself everidele to the/ if thou approvest her & thinkest. that she is good use her manners & plain the not. & if thou agrisest her false trycherye. despise & cast away her that playeth so harmefully/ for she that is now cause of so moch sorrow to the. should be to the cause of peace & of joy. she hath forsaken the for sooth the which that new man may be sicker. that she ne shall forsaken him Gloze But nathel●s s●m books han the text thus/ Forsooth she hath forsaken the. ne their nies no man sicker/ that she ne hath naught forsaken. holdest thou then thilk welefulnes precious to the that shall passen. & is psent fortune derworth to the which that nies not faithful for to devil/ & when she goth away that she bringeth awight in sorrow. for sin she may not be with holden at a man's will/ she maketh him a wretch. when she depteth fro him What other thing is fli●tyng fortune/ but a manner showing of wretelednes that is to come/ Ne it sufficeth not only to looken on thing that is psent b●fore the eyghen of a man. but wisdom looketh & measureth th'end of things. & the same changing from one to another. that is to say from adusite into prosperity/ maketh that the menaces of fortune ne been not for to dreaden/ ne the flattering to be desired Thus atte last it behoveth thee to suffren with even will in patience all that is done within the floor of fortune/ that is to say in this world. sin thou hast once put thy neck under the yok of her. For if thou wilt written a law of wending & of dwelling to fortune which that thou hast chosen freely to been thy lady. Art thou not wrongful in that/ And makest fortune wroth & asper by thine Impatience/ And yet thou mayst not changen her. if thou committest & bytakest thy sailles to the wind. thou shalt be shoven not thither as thou wouldest. but thither that the wind shoveth the. If thou cast of thy seeds in the field/ thou shouldest have in mind. that the years been among other while plenteous/ & otherwhile ●reyn/ Thou hast bitaken thyself to the governance of fortune/ And for thy it behoveth the to be obeissant to the manners of thy lady/ Enforsest thou the to aresten or withholden the swiftness and the sweigh of her turning wheel. O thou fool of all mortal fools if fortune began to dwell stable/ she cessed then to be fortune  

Hec cum superba verterit vices dextra Et estuentis fertur wore euripi Dudum tremendos proterit reges Humilemque victi sublevat fallax vultum ¶ Non illa dura miseros audit aut curat fletus etc  
When fortune with a proud right hand withtorned her changing stounds. she fareth like the manner of the boyliug euripe. Gloze. Euripe is an arm of the see that ebbeth and floweth and some time the stream is on that one side and some time on that other side. Textus She crewel fortune casteth adoun kings that whilom weren dread. And she deceivable enhanceth up the humble cheer of him that is discomfited. Ne she neither heareth ne recketh of wretched weepings And she is so hard that she laugheth and scorneth the weeping of 'em/ the which she hath maked to weep with her fire will/ Thus she playeth and thus she proveth her strengths & showeth a great wonder to all her servants/ if that a wight is seen weleful/ & overthrow in an hour   

Uellem autem tecum pauca fortune ipsius verbis agitare. In igitur an ius postulat ammaduerte. P. Quid tu homo ream me cotidianis agis querelis etc  
Certes I would pleten with the a fell things using the words of fortune, take hed● now thyself if that she ayith right/ O thou man wherefore makestow me gyltyf by thine everydayes pleynynges. what wrong have I done the/ what goods have I ●rafte the that were thyne-strive o● plead with me before what judge that thou wilt of the possession. of richesses. or of dignities. and if thou mayst shown me/ that ever any mortal man hath received any of the things to been his in propre. thenne will I grannte freely that thilk things were thine/ which that thou askest. When that nature brought the forth out of thy mother womb/ I received the naked and needy of all things And I nourished the with all my richesses. & was ready and ●tentif through my favour to abstain the/ And that maketh the now impatient against me. And I environed the with all habondance and shining of all goods that been in my right/ Now it liketh me to withdraw mine hand. thou hast had grace as he that hath used foreyn goods. thou hast no right to plain the. as though thou hadst utterly forlorn all thy things. Why pleynest thou thenne. I have done the no wrong. richesses/ honours. and such other things been of my right. My servants known me for her lady/ They come with me/ & departen when I wend. I dar well affirm hardly that if though things of which thou pleynest that thou hast forlorn had been thine. thou ne hadst not lost hem. Shall I then be defended only to use my right/ Certes it is leeffull to the heaven to make clear days/ And after that to overcome though same days with dark nights/ The year hath eke leave to apparaille the visage of th'earth. now with flowers and now with fruit. & to confound 'em sometime with reins and with cold/ The see hath eke his right to been sometime calm and blaundisshing with smooth water/ & sometime to be horrible with wawes and with tempests But covetise of men that may not be staunched/ shall it bind me to be steadfast. sithen that steadfastness is uncouth to my manners. such is my strength/ And such play I play commonly. I turn the whirling wheel with the turning cerkle. I am glad to changen the lowest to the heyghest/ And the heyghest to the lowest/ worth up if thou wilt/ If it so be by this law that thou ne hold not that I do the wrong. though thou descend a down/ when the reason of my play asketh it/ wistow not how Croesus' king of lydyens of king Cyrus was full sore aghast a little before that this cresus was caught of cyrus & lad to th● fire to be burnt/ but that a rain descended from heaven that rescued him. And is it out of mind how that paulus consul of rome/ when he had taken the king of Perciens weeped pietously for the captivity of the self king. what other thing bewayllen the cryengiss of tragedies/ but only the deeds of fortune/ that with an awkward stroke over turneth the royalmes of great nobleye. Gloze/ Tragedy is to say a ditty of a prosperity for a time that endeth in wretchedness/ lernedist not thou in grece when thou were young that in the ●ntre or in the seler of jupiter there been couched two tons/ that one is full of good. that other is full of harm. what right hast thou to plain/ if thou hast taken more plenteously of the good side/ That is to say of richesses & prosperity. and what eke if I be not all departed fro the. what eke if my mutability y●ueth the rightful cause of hope ●o have yet better things. natheless dismay the not in thy thought. And thou that art put in the common royalme/ of all ne desire not to liven by thine own proper right   

Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus Pontus versat aren●s Aut quot in stelliferis edita noctibus Celo sidera fulgent Tantas fundat opes. nec retralat manum Pleno copia cor●● Humanum nuseras haud ideo genus Cessat flere qu●relas etc  
THough pl●nte goddess of riches. hield a down with a full ●erne/ & withdraw not her hand/ as many riches as the see turneth upward sands. when it is moved with ravishing blasts. or else as many richesses as their shinen bright stars in the heaven on the sterry nights. yet for all that mankind nold not cease to weep wretched pleyntes & all be it so that god receiveth her prayers. & giveth 'em as fool large moche gold/ And apparailleth covetous folk with noble or clear honours/ yet seemeth 'em have gotten no thing/ but always cruel ravin devouring all that they have gotten. showeth other gapinges/ that is to say gapen and desiren yet after more richesses. what byrdels might with holden to any certain end the disordeyne covetise of men/ when ever the rather that it fleeteth in large yefts. the more brenneth in 'em the lust of having. Certes he that quaking and dreadful weeneth himself needy. he ne liveth nevermore himself rich   

His igitur si pro se tecum fortuna loqueretur. Quid profecto contradiceres non haberes. Aut si quid est quo querelam tuam inire tuearis. per feras oportet etc  
Therefore if that fortune spoke with the for herself in this manere. Forsooth thou ne hadst not what thou mightest answer/ & if thou hast any thing/ wherewith thou mayst rightfully defenden thy complaint. It behoveth the to shown/ And I will yeven to the space to tell it Boece. Certainly quoth I thenne these been fayir things and anointed with honey sweetness of rhetoric & music/ and only while they be herd and sown in eeres they been delicious/ But to wretch's it is a depper feeling of harm This is to say. that wretches feelen the harms that they suffer more grievously. than the remedies/ or the delights of these words may gladden or conforten 'em. so that when these things stinten for to sown in eeres/ the sorrow that is insette grieveth the thought/ P. Right so it doth quoth she. For these ne been then no remedies of the malady/ but they been a manner norisshing of thy sorrow that rebel against thy curation. For when time is I shall move and aiuste such things. that perten hem full deep. But nathel●s that thou shalt not will ne to letten thyself a wretch Hast thou forgotten the number and the manner of thy welfulnes/ B/ I hold me still/ P. How that the sovereign men of the Cyte took the in cure and keeping/ when thou were orphaned of father and of mother/ And were chosen in affinity of Princes of the city. And thou began rather to be lief a●d dear than for to be a neighbour. the which thing is the most precious kind of any propynquyte or alliance that may been. who is it that ne said though that thou ne were right welefull with so great nobleye as thy faders in law/ And with the chastity of thy wife And with thoportunity and noblesse of thy masculine children/ That is to say thy sons. And over all this me list to passen of common things. how thou hadst in thy youth dignities that were warned to old men/ but it delighteth me now to comen to the singulere upheping of thy welefulnes. If any fruit of mortal things may han any wight or price of welefulnes. Mightest thou ever for●eten for any charge of harm that might b●falle the remembrance of thilk day/ that thou saw thy two sons maked counselors/ and lad to gedye from thy house under so great a sembbe of senators/ and under the blithness of the people. & when thou saw 'em set in the court in high chairs of dignities/ thou rethorien or pronouncer of kings preysinges deseruedist glory of wit & of eloquence When thou sitting between thy two sons concellours in the place that hight Cyrco & full filledest the biding of the multitude of people that was sprad about the with so large preysing & laud as men sing in victories. though give thou to fortune as I trow. that is to say/ though feoffedest thou fortune with glorious words & deceyvedest her. when she accoyed & nourished the as her own delices. thou bore away of fortune a gift/ that is to say such guerdon that she never gave to privy man/ wilt thou therefore lay a reckoning with fortune. she hath now first twinkled upon the with awicked eye. If thou considere the number & the manner of thy blisses & of thy sorwes. thou mayst not forsaken that nart yet blissful. for if therefore weenest thyself not weleful for though things that semeden joyful been passed/ there nies not why thou shouldest seem thyself a wretch. for things that seem now sorry. passen also/ art thou now comen a sudden guest into the shadow or tabernacle of this life. or trowest thou that any steadfastness be in man's things/ when oft a swift hour dissolveth the same man. that is to say when the soul departed from the body. for all though that seld is there any faith that fortunous things would dwellen. yet natheless the last day of a manes life is a manner death to fortune. & also to thilk that hath dwelled/ & therefore what weenest thou dare rekke. if thou forlet her in dying/ or elliss that she fortune forlet the in fleeing away   

Cum polo phoebus. roseis quadrigis. lucem sperge●e ceperit Pallet albentes. hebetata vultus. Flammis stella prementibus. Cum nemus flatu zephiri tepentis etc  
When phoebus the son beginneth to spread his clearness with rosin chariots. thenne the star dimmed paleth her whit● chieres by the flames of the son that overcometh the star light. that is to say when the son is risen/ the day star waxeth pale & loseth her light for the great lightness of the son/ when the wood waxeth rody of rosin flowers in the first summer season through the breath of the wind zepherus that waxeth warm/ if the cloudy wind auster blow fellich thenne goth away feyrnes of thorns. Oft the see is clear and calm with moving floods/ & oft the horrible wind Aquylon moveth boilling tempests and overwhelmeth the see. If the form of this world is so seld stable/ and if it turneth by so many ●●trecha●●ge●. wilt thou thenne trusten in the tumbling fortunes of men. wilt thou trowen on flitting goods. It is maintain and established by law perdurable. that nothing that is eng●●dred is steadfast ne stable   

Tum ego. vera inquam commemoras O virtutum omnium nutrix. nec inficiari possum prosperitatis me●. velocissimum cursum. Sed hoc est quod etc  
THe●●e said I thus. O norice of all virtues thou sayst full sooth. Ne I may not forsake the right swift course of my prosperity. that is to say that the prosperity ne be comen to me wonder swiftly & soon/ but this is a thing that greatly smerteth me when it remembreth me/ for in all adversities of fortune the most unsilly kind of contrarious fortune is to have been welefull. P. but that thou abiest thus quoth she the torment of thy false opinion/ that mayst thou not rightfully blamen ne aretten to things. as who saith that thou hast yet many habondances of things Textus  
For all be it so that the idle name of aventurous welefulnes moveth the now. it is leeful that thou reckon with me. of how many things thou hast yet plenty. & therefore if that thilk thing that thou hadst for more precious in all thy richesses of fortune be kept to the yet by the grace of god unwemyd & undefouled. maistow thenne plain rightfully upon the mischief of fortune. sithen thou hast yet thy best things/ Certes yet liveth in good point thilk precious honour of mankind simachus thy wives father. which that is a man made of all sapience & virtue. the which man thou wouldest buy with the price of thine owen life/ he bewaileth the wrongs that men done to the/ & not for himself/ For he liveth in sikernesses of any sentence put against him And yet liveth thy wife that is attempre of wit/ and passing other women in cleanness of chastity. And for I would closen shortly her bounties she is like her father/ I telle the that she liveth loath of this life/ And keepeth to the only her ghost/ and is all mate and overcome by weeping and sorrow for desire of the. In the which thing only I moat graunten the/ that thy welefulnes is amenused. What shall I sayen eke of thy two sons counselors/ Of which as of children of her age there shineth the likeness of the wit of her father & of her eld● father/ And sithen the sovereign cure of all mortal folk is to saven her own lives/ if thou know thyself/ thy goods make the more weleful. For yet been there things dwelled to the ward that no man doubteth that they ne been more derworth to the than thine own life/ And forty/ dry th● teres. for yet is not every fortune hateful to the ward Ne over gr●●e tempest ne hath not yet fallen upon the/ when th●ne 〈◊〉 ●leuen fast/ That neither wool suffren the comfort of this time present. ne the hope of time coming to passen ne to faillen. B. And I pray quoth I that fast mote th●y holden. For the while that they holden. how so ever that things been/ I shall well fleten forth and escapen But thou mayst well seen how great apparailes and array 〈…〉 th●t ●e passed away from me. P. I have 〈◊〉 aua●ced & furthered the quoth she/ if that thou annoy not or forthyn●ie not of all thy fortune/ As who seith. I h●ue somewhat comforted the. so that thou tempest not the thu● with all thy fortune/ sithen thou hast yet thy best things ● But I may not suffren thy delices that pleynest so weeping and anguissh●u●/ For that there lacketh some what to thy wel●fulnes/ for what man is he that is so sad or of great p●●fighte welefulnes. that ●e ne seryveth and pleyne●h on some half a●en the qual●te of his estate/ For why full anguisshou● thing is the condition of man's goods/ For either it cometh not all together to a wight or elliss it ne lasteth not perpetual/ For some man hath gre●e richesse. but he is ashamed of his ungentil lineage And some man is renowned of noblesse of kindred/ but he is enclosed in so great anguisshe of need of things/ that him were liefer that he were unknown. And some man aboundeth both in richesse and noblesse/ but yet he bewaileth his chaste life/ For he ne hath no wife. And some man is and selily married. but he hath no children and nourisshith his richesses to strange folk. And some man is gladded with children but he weepeth full sore for the trespass of his son or of his daughter/ And for this there ne accordeth no wight lightly to the condition of his fortune For alway to every man there is in somewhat. that unassayed. he ne wot naught/ or else he dreadeth that he hath assayed. and add this also that every welful man hath a full delicate feeling/ so that but if all things befallen at his own will. he is Inpaci●nte/ or is not used to have none adversity/ anon he is thrown adoune for every little thing/ And full little things b●n th●o that withdrawn the some of the perfection of blissfulness ●ro hem that been most fortunate/ how many men trowest thou would deemen hem self almost in heaven. If they might attain to the lest party of the remenannt of thy fortune. this same place that thou clepest exile/ I● country to hem that enhabiten here. And for thy no thing wretched but when thou weenest it/ As who seith/ thou thyself ne no wight else nies a wretch/ But when he weeneth himself he is a wretch by repntation of his courage. & againward all fortune is blissful to a man by the agreabilite or by the egalite of him that suffereth it/ what man is that that is so welful that nold change his estate/ when he hath lost his patience/ the sweetness of manes welfulnes is spreint with many bitternessis The which welefulnes all though it seem sweet & joyful to him that useth it/ yet may it not been with holden that ne goth away when it william. thenne is well seen how wretched is the blissfulness of mortal things that neither it dureeth perpetuel with 'em that every fortune receiven agreeably & equally. Ne it ne delighteth not in all to 'em that been anguisshous. O ye mortal folk what seek ye then blissfulness out of yourself. which is put in yourself. error & folly confoundeth you/ I shall show the shortly the point of sovereign blissfulness. Is there any thing to the more precious than thy life/ thou wilt answer nay. Thenne if it so be that thou art mighty over thyself/ that is t● sayn. by transquillite of thy soul. thenne h●st thou thing in thy power that thou nillest never lesen/ ne fortune may not byneme it the/ And that thou mayst know that blissfulness ne may not stand in things that been fortunous & temporal/ Now understand & gather it together thus/ if blissfulness be the sovereign good of nature that liveth by reason Ne thilk thing is not sovereign good that may be taken away in any wise/ for more worthy thing is & more dign thilk thing that may not be taken away/ Thenne showeth it weal that the unstableness of fortune may not attain to receive ●●rey blissfulness/ And yet more over what man that this tumbling welefunles leadeth/ either he wot that it is changeable or else he wot it not/ And if he wot it not/ what blissful fortune may there been in the bly●d●nes of Ignorance. And if he wot that it is changeable. he mo●e all way been adread that he ne lose that thing that he ne doubteth not but that he may losen it As who seith/ he moat alway be aghast jest he lose that he wilt well he may lose it. For which the continual dread that he hath ne suffereth him not to be weleful. or else if he lose it. he weeneth to be despised and forleten/ Certes eke that is a full l●til good that is born with even heart when it is lost/ That is to say that men do no more force of the lost than of the having/ And for as much as thou thyself art he to whom it hath be showed and proved by full many demonstrations/ as I wot well that the souls of men ne mown not dyen in no wise/ And eke sin it is clear and certain that fortunouse welefulnes endeth by the death of the body. It may not be doubted that if death may take away blissfulness/ that all the kind of mortal thing ne descendeth into wretchedness by the end of death/ & sithen we know well that many a man hath sought the fruit of blissfulness not only with suffering of death. but eke with suffering of pains and torments. How might thenne this present life make men blissful. sin that thilk self life ended. it ne maketh folk no wretches   

Quisquis volet perhennem. Cautus ponere sedem. Stabilisque nec sonori. Sterni flatibus euri. Et fluctibus minantem. Curate spernere pontum. Montis cacumen alti. Bibulas vitat arenas etc  
WHat manner of folk waar & stable that will founden 'em a perdurable set/ & ne will not be cast down with the loud blastis of the wind Eurus. And will despise the see menacing with floods/ let him eschew to build on the top of the montaigne. or in the moist sands. for if the fell wind auster tormenteth the top of the mountains with all her strengths. & the loose sands refusen to bear the heavy weight/ & for thy if thou wolt fleen the perilous adventure/ that is to say of the world. have mind certainly to set thine house of a merry seat in a low stone For all though the wind troubling the see thunder with overthrowing/ thou that art put in quiet & welefull by strength of thy palace shalt lead a clear age scorning the woodness & the Ires of the air   

Sed quoniam racionun iam in te mearum fomenta descendunt. paulo validioribus utendum puto. Age enim. Si iam caduca a● momentaria fortune etc  
But for asmuch as the nourishings of my resen descenden now into the/ I trow it were time to usen a little stronger medicines/ now understand here/ all were it so that the yefts of fortune ne were not brut●l ne transitory ● what is therein hem that may be thine in any time or else that it ne is foul. if that it be looked & considered perfectly. richesse● been they precious/ by the nature of themself or else by the nature of the. what i● most worth of riches/ is it not gold or might of money assembled. certes that gold & that money shineth & giveth better renommed to 'em that dispenden it. than to thilk folk that mokeren it/ for Avarice maketh always mokerers to been hated. & largesse maketh folk clear of renomee. for sith that ●uche things as been transferred from one man to an other ne may not dwell with noman/ certes thenne is that money pcious when it is translated into other folk. & stinten to be had by usage of large giving of him that hath yeven it/ and also if all the money that is oneral in all the world were gathered toward one man. It should make all other men to be needy as of that/ and certes a wis all hole/ that is to say without a menusing fulfilleth to guider the hearing of moche folk. And when they been a passed. needs they maken 'em pour that foregone though richesses. O strait and needy clepe I these richesses/ sin that many folk ne may not han it all. Ne all ne may it not comen to one man without poverty of all other folk. and the shining of gems that I call precious stones. draweth it not the eyen of folk to hemward. that is to say for the beauty/ But certes if there were beauty or bounty in the shining of stones thilk clearness is of though stones hem self & not of men/ For which I wondre greetly that men meruailen of such things/ for why what thing is it that if it want● moving & jointure of soul & body that by right. might semen a fair creature to him that hath a soul of renomee/ For albe it so that gems drawn to 'em self a little of the lest beauty of the world through th'intent of her creator/ & through the distinction of himself/ yet for asmuch as they been put under your excellence/ they ne han not deserved by no way. that ye should meruaillen on 'em/ & the beauty of fields delighteth it not much unto you/ B/ why should it not deliten us/ sin that it is a right fair portion of the right fair work that is to say of this world/ & right so be we gladded sometime of the face of the see when it is clear And also meruaillen we on the heaven/ & on the stars & on the son & on the moan/ P/ Appertaineth quoth she any of thilk things to the. why dar'st thou glorifien the in any such things/ Arte thou distingued & embellished by the springing flowers of the first summer season/ or swelleth thy plenty in fruits of summer/ why art thou ravished with idle joys/ why enbracest thou strange goods as they were thine. fortune ne shall never maken that such things been that nature of things hath maked foreign fro the. soothe it is that withouten doubt the fruits of the earth owen to be to the nourishing of beasts. And if thou wilt fulfil thy need. after it sufficeth to nature. thenne is it non● need that thou seek after the supfluyte of fortune. for with full few things & with full little things nature halt her plyd/ And if thou wilt achoken the fulfilling with su●p●rfluytees/ certain things that thou wilt thirst or pourens into nature shollen be unjoyefull to the or else anoyous Weenest the● eke that it be a fair thing to shine with diverce clothing/ Of which clothing if th● beauty be agreeable to looken upon. I wol me●●aillen ●n the nature of the mat●er of thilk clotheses. or else on the workmen that ●ro●ght 'em ● but also a long rout of main maketh that a blissful man. the which servants if they be vicious of conditions it is a great charge & destruccion to the house and a great annoy to the lord himself/ & if they be good men how shall strange & foreign goodness be put in the number of thy richesses/ so that by all these foresaid things it is clearly showed that new one of thilk things that thou acomptedest for thy goods na● not thy good/ in which things if there be no beauty to be desired. why shouldest thou be sorry to lose them/ or why shouldest thou rejoicen the to hold 'em For if they been fair of their own kind. what appertaineth that to the. for also well sholden they have been fair by themself though they were departed from all thy richesses/ for why fair ne precious were they not for that they comen among thy richesses. but for they seemed fair & precious. therefore thou hadst liefer reckon hem amongs thy richesses. but what desirest thou of fortune with so great a●ure/ I trow thou seek to drive away need with habondance of things but certes it turneth you all into the contrary. for why certes it needeth of full many helpinges to keepen the diversity of pcious hostilementis. & soothe it is that of many things they have need/ than many things han. & againward of little thing needeth him that measureth his fill. after the need of kind & not after thoutrage of covetise/ It is so thenne that ye men have no proper good set in you/ for such ye moten seek outward in foreign and subge●t things. so is thenne the condition of things turned up so down. That a man that is a divine be'st by merit of his reason/ thinketh that himself nies neither fair ne noble. but if it be through possession of hostilimentis that ne han no souls/ And certes all other things been apaid of her own beaultees But ye men that be semblable to God by your reasonable thought/ desiren to apparaillen your excellent kind of the lowest things. Ne ye understanden not how great a wrong is done to your creature/ For he would that mankind were most worthy and noble of any other earthly thing. And ye thresten down your dignities beneatheth the lowest things. for if that all the good of every thing be more precious than is that ilk thing whose the good is. sin ye deemen that the foulest things been your goods/ Thenne submytten ye & putten yourself under the foulest things by your estimation. And certes this betideth not without your desert. For certes such is the condition of all mankind. That only what it hath knowing of itself/ thenne passeth it in noblesse all other things. And when it forleteth the knowing of itself/ then is it brought beneatheth all beasts/ For why all other living beasts han of kind to know not himself. But whan men leten to know 'em self it cometh 'em of vice But how broad showeth the error and the folly of you men. that weenen that any thing may been appareled with strange apparaillementes/ but forsooth that may not be done. For if a wight shineth with things that be put to him/ As thus/ If thilk things shinen with which a man is appareled/ Certes thilk things be commended and praised. with which he is appareled. But natheless the thing that is covered and wrapped under that dwelleth in his filth/ and I deny that thilk thing be good that annoyeth him that hath it/ Gabbe I of this. thou wilt say nay/ Certes richesses han annoyed full oft hem that han had though richesses. Sin that every wicked shrew is for his wickedness the more greedy after other folks richesses where so ever it be in any place be it gold or precious stones/ And weeneth him only most worthy that hath hem/ Thou thenne that so busy dreadest now the sword and the spear. If thou hadst entered in the path of this life. a void wayfaring man thenne wouldest thou sing before the thief. As who seith a power man that beareth no richesse on him by the way may boldly sing before thevis/ for he hath naught whereof to be rob. O precious & right clear is the blissfulness of mortal richesses. thenne when thou hast gotten it thenne hast thou lost thy sikernesses   

Felix nimium prior etas Contenta fidelibus aruis Nec inerci perdita luxu ¶ Felici que sera solebat Levina solvere gaude Non bachica munera norat Liquido confundere melle ¶ Nec lucida vellera serun &c  
blissful was the first age of men/ they helden hem paid with the meats that the triew fields broughten forth. They ne destroyed ne deceived 'em self with outrage/ They weren wont lightly to slaken her hunger at even with acorns of oaks/ They ne couth not meddle the gift of bachus to the clear honey/ that is to say. they couth make no payment or clarrey. They ne couth not meddle the bright flyees of the country of siriens with the venom of tyrie/ that is to say they couth not dyen white flieses of sirien country with the blood of a manner shellfish that men finden in Tyrie. with which blood men dyen purpur. They slepten wholesome sleeps on the grass & drunken of the running waters. and leyen under shadows of the high pine trees/ ne no geste or stranger ne carf yet the high see with oores or with ships/ Ne they ne had seen yet no new strands to leden merchandise into diverce countries though were the cruel clarions full huyst and full still/ ne blood shed by eager hate ne had not died yet armours. for where to or which wedenes of enemies would first meoven arms when they saw cruel wounds. ne no medes been of blood shed/ I would that our times should turnen again to the old manners/ but thanguishous love of having burneth in folk more cruelly than the fire of the mountain of Ethna that ay burneth. alas what was he that first dalf up the gobbets or the weights of gold covered under the earth/ & the precious stones that wolden han be hid/ he dalf up precious perils/ that is to say that he that hem first up dalf. he dalf up precious peril. for why. for the preciousness of such thing hath many a man been in peril   

Quid autem de dignitatibus potenciaque disseram qs woe vere dignitatis ac pot●statis insc● c●lo ersequatis Que si in īprobiss●num quemque ceciderint. que incendia flammis ethne ●ructantibus cue dilu●●um etc  
B●t what shall I say of dignities & powers/ the which ye men that neither known very dignity ne very power areisen hem as high as the heaven the which dignities & powers. if they comen to any wickid man. they don as great damages & destructions as doth the flame of the mountain ethna. when the flame walloweth up. ne no deluuy● ne doth so cruel harms/ certes ye remember well as I trow that thilk dignity that men clepe the empery of counceilours the which whilom was beginning of freedom/ your elders coveted to have done away that dignity for the pride of the counselors. And right for that same your elders before that time had done away out of the Cyte of rome the kings name. that is to say they nold have no longer no king/ But now if so be that dignities & powers been given to good men. the which thing is full seld what agreeable things is there in though dignities and powers but only the goodness of folk that usen hem/ And therefore is it thus that honour cometh not to vertu bicausi of dignity/ And againward honour cometh to dignity for cause of virtue. But which is thilk your derworth power that is so clear & so requirable/ O ye earthly beestis considere ye not over which thing that it seemeth that ye han power/ Now if thou saw a mouse among other mice that chalanged to him selfward right and power over all other mice How great scorn wouldest thou have of it Glosa So fareth it by men/ the body hath power over the body/ for if thou look well upon the body of a wight what thing shalt thou find more freel. than is mankind/ the which men full often be slain by biting of flies/ or else with entering or creeping worms into the pryvitees of manes body. but where shall men finden any man that may excercen or haunten any right upon an other man but only on his body. or else upon things that been lower than the body. the which I clepe fortunous possessions. Mayst thou have ever any commandment over a free courage/ Mayst thou remeeve fro the state of his proper rest a thought that is cliving together in himself by steadfast reason. As whilom a Tyrant weaned to confound a free man of courayge & he wend to constrain him by torments to maken him discoveren and accusen folk that wisten of a conjuration. which I clepe a confedrecie that was cast against this tyrant/ but this freeman boat of his own tongue and cast it in the visage of thilk wood tyrant. So that the torments that this wood tyrant wend to han made matter of cruelty/ this wise man mad it matter of virtue. But what thing is it that a man may do to an other man/ that he ne may receiven the same thing of other folk in himself. or thus/ what may a man done to folk That folk ne may done to him the same/ I have heard told of Busirides that was wont to sleen his gests. that herburghden in his house/ And he was slain himself by Hercules that was his geste. regusus had taken in battle many men of africa and cast 'em into fetteres But soon after he must yeven his ●andes to be bound with the chains of hem that he had whilom overcomen. weenest thou thenne that he be mighty that hath power to done a thing/ that other ne may done in him that ●e hath in other/ And yet more over if so were that these dignities or powers hadden any proper or nature●l goodness in 'em self/ never nold they comen to shrews/ for contrarious things ne been wont to been yfelaushipped to gedirs Nature refuseth that contrarious things been joined. And so as I am in certain that wicked folk han dignities oft time/ Thenne showeth it well that dignities and powers ne been not good of her own kind/ sin that they suffren hem self to cleven or joinen hem self to shrews/ and certain the same thing may I most dignelich iuggen & say of all the yefts of fortune that most plenteously comen to shrews/ of which yefts I trow it aught be considered that noman doubted that he is strong in whom he seethe strength. & in whom swiftines is. soothe it is that he is swift. Also music maketh musiciens. and physic maketh phisiciens/ and rhetoric rethoriens. for why the nature of every thing maketh his property. ne it is not entremedled with theffect of contrarious things. but certes richesses may not restrain avarice unstaunched/ Ne power ne maketh not aman mighty over himself/ which that vicious lusts holden distrained with chains that ne mown not be unbounden/ & dignities that be yeven to shrewd folk/ not only ne maketh 'em not dign. but showeth rather all openly that they been unworthy & indign/ & it is thus/ for certes ye han joy to clepe things with false names that beren hem in all the country/ the which names been full oft reproved by theffect of the same things. so that these ilk richesses ne oughten not by right to be cleped richesses. ne such power ne aught not to be cleped power. ne such dignity ne aught not to be cleped dignity. & at last I may conclude the same thing of all the yefts of fortune In which their nies nothing to be desired ne that hath in himself natural bounty/ as it is well seen. for neither they joinen 'em/ not always to good men. ne maken 'em all way good to whom they been joined   

novimus quamtas dederit ruinas Urbe flammata patribusque cesis Fratre qui quondam ferus interempto Matris effuso maduit cruore Corpus et visu gelidum perrās Ora non tinxit lacmis. sed esse. Censor extincti potuit decoris  
WE have well known how many great harms and destructions were done by th'emperor Nero. He lete brennen the cite of Rome/ and made slay the senators/ & he cruel whilom slough his brother. And he was made moist with the blood of his mother. That is to say he lete sleen & slitten the womb of his mother to seen where he was conceived. And he looked on every half of her deed cold body. Ne no tear wet his face/ but he was so hard hearted that he might be domes man or judge of her deed beauty/ and natheless yet governed this Nero by sceptre/ alle the people that phoebus may seen coming fro his utterest arising. till he hid his beams under the wawes. That is to say he governed all the peoples by sceptre Imperial that the son gooth about fro E●st to west. And eke this Nero governed by sceptre all the people's that be under the cold stars that heighten the s●ptemtriones/ That is to say he governed all the people's that be under the party of North/ & eke Nero governed all the people's that the violent wind Nothus skorklith and baketh the brenning sands by his dry heat/ that is to say all the peoples in the south/ But yet ne might not all his power turn the woodness of this wicked Nero. Alas it is a grievous fortune. as oft as a wicked sword is joined to cruel venom. that is to say venenous cruelty to lordship   

Tum ego. Scis inquam. ipsa minimum nobis ambicionem mortalium rerum fuisse dominatam. sed mat●riam gerendis rebus optavimus. quo ne virtus tacita consenesceret. Et illa. Atque hic unum est etc  
THenne said I thus thou wottest well thyself that the covetise of mortal things ne hadden never lordship in me/ but I have well desired matter of things to done As who seith I desire to have matter of governances over comynaltees/ For virtue still should not elden/ that is to say. that lest ere that he wax old. his virtue that lay now still ne should not perish unexcerciced in governance of common. For which men might speaken or written of his good government/ P. Forsooth quoth she and that is a thing that may drawn to governance such hearts as been worthy and noble of her nature. But natheless it ●ay not drawn or tell ●uche hearts. as been y brought to the full perfection of virtue/ That is to say covetise of glory and renomee to have well administered the common things or done good deserts to profit of the common. For see now & considere how little and how wide of all price is thilk glory/ certain thing is as thou hast learned by the demonstration of astronomy/ that all the enuyronning of the earth about. ne halt but the reason of a prick/ at the regard of the greatness of heaven/ that is to say/ that if there were maked comparison of the earth to the greatness of heaven. men would juggen in all that ne held ne space. Of the which little region of this world The fourth part of the earth is inhabited with living beasts that we known. As thou haste thyself learned by Ptholome that proveth it. And if thou hadst withdrawn and abated in the thought fro thilk fourth party/ as moche space as the see and the marsh conteynen & overgoen/ As much space as the region of drought overstreccheth that is to say sands and deserts. ●ell uneath should there dwellen a right strait place to the habitation of men. And ye that be environed and closed with the lest prick of thilk prick/ thinken ye manyfesten or publisshen your renomee. and done your name for to been borne forth/ But your glory that is so narrow & so straight throngen into so little bounds/ how mickle containeth it in largesse and in great doing/ And also set thereto that many a nation diverce of tongue and of manners and eke of reason of her living been inhabited in the clo●s of thilk habitacle. the which nations what for difficult ●f ways And what for dyuers●te of language. And what for default of unusage/ and entrecomening of march●ndyse Not only the names of singular men ne may not stretchen/ but eke the fame of ●ytees ma● not stretchen. Atte last certes in the time of Marcus Tul●ius as h●m s●lfe writ in his b●oke that the renomee of the common of rome ne had not yet passed ne clomben over the m●ntaine that hight cancasus ● And yet was room well waxed and redoubted of the parthes and eke of other folk inhabiting about/ Seest thou not thenne how s●reyte and how compressed is thilk glori● that ye travaillen about to shown and to multepl●e. May then the glory of a singulere roman strecchen thither as the fame of the name of Rome/ may not climben ne passen ● And eke seest thou not that the maneres of diverce folk and ●er laws been dis●ordan̄t amongs 'em self. So that thilk thing that some men jug worthy of praising other folk iuggen that that is worthy of torment. And hereof cometh it that though a man delighteth him in preys●ng of his renomee/ he may not in no wise bringen forth ne spreaden his name to many manner peoples/ And there fore every man aught to be apaid of his glory that is published among his own neighbours/ And thilk noble renomee shall be restrained with in the bounds of the manner folk/ But how many a man that was full noble in his time hath the wretches and needy forgetting of writers put out of mind and done away/ albeit so that certes thilk things p●ouffiten little/ The which things and writings long & dark eld do away both hem and eke her auctors/ but ye men semen to getten you a perdurabilite when ye thinken in time coming your fame shall lasten. But nathe less if thou wilt make comparison to the endless spaces of eternity. what thing haste thou. by which thou mayst reioyssen the of l●ng lasting of thy name For if there were made comparison of thabiding of a moment to ten thousand winter/ For as much as both though spaces been ended/ For yet hath the moment some portion of it all though it be little. But natheless thilk self number of years. & eke as many years as thereto may be multeplied. Ne may not certes be comparisoned to the perdurabilite that is endless. For of things which that have end may be maked comparison/ But of things which that been withouten end to things that have end may be maked no compairison/ And for thy is it that all though renomee as of long time as ever the lust to thinken were though to the regard of the Eternyte that is unstancheable and infinite it ne should not only seem little/ but pleynlich right naught But ye semen certes ye can do nothing a right. but if it be for the audience of the peuple and for idle rumours. & ye forsaken the great worthiness of conscience And of virtue. And ye seeken your guerdones of the small words of strange folk/ have now here and understand in the lightness of such pride and vain glory how a man scorned festynaly and merrily ●uche vanity. whilom there was a man that had assayed with striving words an other man/ the which not for usage of verily virtue/ but for proud vain glory had taken upon him falsely the name of philosopher/ this rather man that Ispack of thought he would assay whether he thilk were a philosopher or no/ that is to say/ if that he would have suffered lightly in patience the wrongs that were done to him. this feigned philosopher took patience a little while/ & when he had received words of outrage/ he as in striving again & rejoicing him s●lf said at last thus. understandestow not that I am a philosopher That other man answered again bitingly & said/ I had well understand it if thou hadst holden thy tongue still/ but what is it to this noble worthy man/ for certes of such ●olk speak I that seeken glory with virtue. what is it quoth she what attaineth fame to such folk when the body is resolved by the death act last for if so be that men dyen in all/ that i● to say body & soul. the which thing our reason d●fendeth us to bileven. thenne is there no glory in no wise For what should thilk glory be. when he of whem thilk glory i● said to be nies right naught in no wise. & if the soul which that hath in hi● self science of good works unbounden from the prison of th'earth/ wendeth freely to the heaven despiseth it not thenne all earthly ocupation. and being in heaven rejoiceth that it is exempt from all earthly things/ As who saith then rekkith the soul never of no glory of renomee of this world   

Quicunque solam ment precipiti petit. Summunque credit gloriam. Late patentes etheris cernat plagas. Artumque frarum situm. Breuem replere non valentis ambitum &c  
WHo so that with overthrowing thought only seeketh glory of fame. & weeneth that it be sovereign good Late him looken upon the broad showing countries of the heaven & upon the straight seat of this earth. And he shall be ashamed of then●●●ce of his name. that may not fulfil the little compass of th●rth●. O what coveten proud folk to liften up her necks in idle in the deadly yok of this world For all though that renomee ysprad passing tofore peoples goth by divorce tongues/ And all though great houses of kindreds shinen by clear titles of honours. yet natheless death despiseth all high glory of fame. & death wrappeth togethers the high hedes & the low/ and ma●●●h equal & even the highest with the lowest/ where wonen now the bones of true fabricius. what is now brutus/ or stierne Caton the thin fame yet lasting of her idle names is marked with a few letters/ but all though that we have known the ferr words of the fame of 'em. it is not yeven to know 'em that been deed & consumpte. liggeth thenne still all utterly unknowable. ne fame ne maketh you not know/ & if ye ween to live the longer for wind of your mortal name/ when oh cruel day shall ravish you. thenne is the second dwelling to you close. the first death he clepeth here the departing of the body. & the second death here the stinting of the renome of fame.   

Sed ne me inexorabile contra fortunam gerere bellum put●s. P. Est aliquando cum de hominibus fallax illa in●hil bene mereatur. Tum scilicet cum se aperit etc  
But for as much as thou shalt not wenen quod she that I bear an untretabte battle against fortune. yet sometime it befalleth that she deceivable deserveth to have right good thank of men. & that is when she herself openeth & when she discovereth her front & showeth her manners/ peradventure/ yet understandest thou not that I shall say. It is a wond●e that I desire to tell. & therefore unethe may I unpliten my sentence with wo●des/ for I dame that contrarious f●r●●ne profiteth more to men than fortune debonair/ for all way when fortune seemeth debonair. thenne she lieth falsely by ●●tyng the. ●epe of welfulnes/ but forsoche contrarious fortune is all way sothfaste/ when she showeth herself unstable through her changing. Thamiable fortune deceiveth folk/ The contrary fortune teacheth. Thamiable fortune blindeth with the beauty of her false goods the hearts of folks that usen hem. The contrary fortune unbindeth 'em with by the knowing of freell welefulnes/ Thamiable fortune maistow seen all way windy & flowing and ever mysknowing of herself. The contrary fortune is attempre and restrained & wise through excercise of her adversity. Atte last amiable fortune with her flateringis draweth myswandring men fro the sovereign good The contrarious fortune leadeth oft folk again to soothfast goods and haileth 'em again with an hook/ weenest th●u then that thou oughtest to letten this a little thing. that this asper & horrible fortune hath discovered to the thoughts of thy true friends. For why this ilk fortune hath departed and uncovered to the both the certain visages and the doubtous visages of thy fellows/ when she departed away from the. she took away her friends/ and l●fte the thy friends/ Now when thou were rich and weleful/ as the seemed with how mykil wouldest thou have bought the full knowing of this. That is to say the knowing of thy very friends. Now plain the not then of riches lorn sith thou hast found the most precious kind of richesses/ that is to say thy very friends   

Quod mundus stabili fide. Concords variat vices Quod pugnancia semina Fedus perpetuum tenent Quod phoebus roseun diem. Curru provehit aureo etc  
THat the world with stable faith varieth accordable changings. that the contrarious qualities of elements holden among 'em self alliance perdurable/ that phebus the son with his golden chariet bringeth forth the rosy day. that the moan hath commandment ou the nights/ which nights esperus the even star hath/ that the see greedy to flown cous●reineth with a certain end his floods/ so that it is not leeful to streiche his broad terms or bounds upon th'earth/ All this ordinance of things is bounden with love that governeth earth and see/ And also hath commandment to the heaven And if this love slaked the bridles/ all things that now loven 'em together wolden make battle continually/ and striven to fordone the fashion of this world/ the which they now leaden in accordable faith. by fair movings. This love holdeth together people joined with an holy bond/ and knitteth sacrament of mariaige of chaste loves. And love endeth laws to true fellows. O weleful were mankind if thilk love that governeth the heaven/ governed your couraigis   
Explicit liber secundus Incipit liber tercius   

IAm cantum illa fimerat. cum me audiendi avidum stupentemque adhuc arrectis auribus. carminis mulcedo defixerat. Itaque paulo post. O inquam summum lassorum solamen ammorun. quam tu me etc  
BY this she had ended her song/ when the sweetness of her dite had through per●d me that was desirous of weakening/ And I astonied had yet straight mine ears. that is to say to herkene the bet●e what she should say So that a little here after I said thus/ O thou that art sovereign comfort of courages anguisshous. so thou haste remounted & nourished me with the weight of thy sentences & with delight of singing/ so that I trow not that I be unperegall to the strokes of fortune. As who saith I dare well now suffren all thassaults of fortune and well defend me from her. And though remedies which that thou seydest here before that weren right sharp/ not only that I am not agrisen of 'em now/ but I desirous of hearing ask greetly to hearen the remedies. Thenne said she thus. that feeled I well quoth she when that thou intentive and still. ravishedest my words. And I abode till thou hadst such habit of thy thought as thou hast now/ or else till that I myself had maked it to the same habit/ which that is a more vereye thing. And certes the remanant of things that been yet to say been such/ that first when men taste 'em. they been biting. but when they been received within a wight/ thenne been they sweet. but for thou seyste that thou art so desirous to herkene hem/ with how great brenning wouldest thou glowen. if thou witest whither I would leden the/ whither is that quoth I To thilk very blissfulness quoth she of which thine heart dreameth/ but for asmuch as thy sight is occupied & distourbed of earthly things. thou mayst not yet seen thilk self welfulnes/ do quoth I & show me what thilk very welfulnes is I pray the withouten tarrying. that will I gladly done quoth she for cause of the. but I will first marken by words/ And I will enforcen me to enformen the thilk false cause of blissfulness that thou more knowest/ so that when thou hast beholden thilk false goods. & turned thine eyen so to that other side thou may known the clearness of very blissfulness  

Qui serere ingenium volet agrum. Liberat arua prius fructib. False rubos silicemque resecat etc  
WHo so will sow a field plenteous/ late him first deliveren it of thorns. And carve a sondre with his hook the bushes and the fern. so that the corn comen heavy of ●eres and of grains/ honey is the more sweet if mouths have first tasted savours that be wick. The stars shinen more agreeably/ when the wind Nothus lecteth his plungy blasts. And after that lucifer the day sterce hath chased away the dark night. the day the fairer leadeth the roosen horse of the son. And right so thou beholding first the false goods begin to withdraw thy neck fro thearthly affections. And afterwards the very goods shullen entrens into thy courages   

Tum defixo paululum. visu & velud in augustam sue mentis sedem recepta si● cepit. P. Omnis mortalium cura quos multiplicium studiorum. labour exercet etc  
THe fastened she a little the sight of her eyen. And she withdrew her right as it were into the strait seat of her thought. And began to speak right thus. all the a●res quoth she of mortal folk which that travailen h●m in many manner studies goon certes by diuce weighs. But natheless they enforcen 'em all to comen only to th'end of blissfulness/ And blissfulness is such a good That who so hath gotten it. he ne may over that thing more desire. And this thing forsooth is so sovereign good that it containeth in himself all manner of goods. to the which good if there failed any thing. it might not been sovereign good/ For thenne were there some good our of this sovereign good that might be desired. Now is it clear and certain that blissfulness is a parfayte estate by the congregation of all goods. the which blissfulness as I have said all mortal folk enforcen hem to get by diverce ways. For why the covetise of every good is naturally planted in the hearts of men/ But the myswandring error/ mysledeth 'em into false goods/ Of the which men some of 'em weenen that sovereign good be to lyven without need of any thing. And other men deemen that sovereign good be right dign of reverence/ and enforcen 'em to be reverencid among her neighbours by the honours that they have gotten. And some folk there been that holden that right high power be sovereign good/ and enforcen 'em for to reygnen. or else to joinen 'em to hem that reygnen. & it seemeth to other folk that noblesse of renome be the sovereign good. and hasten 'em to geten 'em glorious name by the arts of war or of peace. and many folk mesurens and gessen that sovereign good be joy & gladness And weenen that it be right blissful thing to plungen in voluptuous delights. And there been some folk that entrechangen the causes and the ends of these foresaid goods And they that desiren richesses to have power and delights or elliss they desire power for to have money/ or for cause of renome. In these things & such other is turned all thentention of desiringes and works of men as thus. Noblesse & favour of peuple which that giveth to all men as it seemeth hem a manner clearness of renomee. & wife & children that men desiren for cause of delight and merines. But forsooth friends ne shollen not be reckoned among the goods of fortune. but of virtue. For it is a full holy manner thing/ All these other things forsooth be taken for cause of power or else for cause of delight. Certes now am I ready to referren the goods of the body to th●se foresaid things above/ For it seemeth that strength & greatness of body yeven power & worthiness. and that beauty & swiftness yeven glory & renomee. and health of body seemeth to yeven delight/ In all these things it seemeth only that blissfulness is desired/ For why thilk thing that every man desireth most over all things. he deemeth that it be sovereign good. But I have defined that blissfulness is sovereign good/ For which every wight deemeth that thilk estate that he desireth over all things. that it be blissfulness. now hast th●u th●n̄e b●●●●n̄ th●● eyen almost all the pourpos●d form of the 〈◊〉 of mankind/ That is to s●●ne richesses. h●n●ur●. po●●●r glory and de●●●es. the which del●te only considered h●●picurius. & iugg●d & established that delight is the s●u●ra●ne good/ For as much as all other things as him th●ught bereft away joy & mirth from the h●rte but I return again to the studies of men of which men the courage. ●lway rehearseth & seeketh the sovereign good All ●e it so that it ●e with a d●●kid mamone. but he note by which path ● right as a dronkenman note naught by which path ●e may return home to his ●●us. seemeth it then that fol● forleyen & erren to ●nforcen 'em to have need of nothing Certes there is none other thing that may so moch ꝑformen blissfulness, ●s an estate plente●us of all goods that ne hath need of none ot●●● thing. but that is suffisannt of himself unto himself. & folien such folk thenne that weenen that thilk thing that is right good/ that it is eke right worthy of honour & of reverence/ Certes nay. for that thing nies neither fowl ne worthy to be despised. that well nigh all thentention of mortal folk travaillen to get it. and power eke aught not to be reckoned amongs goods. what ellis/ For it nies not to ween that thilk thing that is most worthy of all things be feeble & without strongth And clearness of renomee. aught that to been despised. certes there may noman forsake/ that all thing that is right excellent and noble that it ne seemeth be right clear and renowned. For certes it needeth not to say that blissfulness be anguisshous ne dreary ne subject to grievances ne sorwes Sin that in right little things folk seken to have and to usen that may deliten hem/ Certes these been the things that men willen and desiren to getten/ and for this cause desiren they richesses. dignities regnes. glory/ and delights/ For there by weenen they to han suffisance/ honour/ power renomee/ and gladness. then is it good that men seken thus by so many diverce studies/ In which desire it may not lightlich be showed/ how great is the strength of nature For how so men have divorce sentences and discordynges/ Algates men accorden all in leaving th'end of good   

Quantas rerum flectit habenas Natura potens quibus inmensum Legibus orbem pro●●da servet. Stringatque ligans irresoluto Singula nexu. placet arguto Fidelib lentis promere cantu Quamuis peni pulchra leones. Uincula gestent manibusque datas Captent escas metuant crucem Soliti nbera far magistrum etc  
IT liketh me to show by subtle song with slack & delitable sown of strenges/ how that nature mightily inclineth & flit●ith the government of things/ and by such laws she pourueyable keepeth the great world. & how she binding restraineth all things by a bond that may not be unbounden/ all be it so that the lionns of the country of Pene bearen the fair chains & taken meats of the hands of folk that yeven it h●m. and dreaden her sturdy masters of which they be wont ●o suffer betinges/ if that her horrible mouths been bled. that is to say of beasts devoured. her courage of time passed that hath been idle & rested repaireth ag●in. & they roren grievously & remembren on her nature/ and slaken her necks from her chains unbound/ and her master first to torn with bloody teth. assayeth the wood wratth●s of h●m. that is to say they freten her master/ & the Iang●ling bird that singith on the high branches/ that is to say in the wood. & after is enclosed in a sireit cage although the pleing business of men. give 'em honeyed drinks & la●ge meats with sweet study/ yet nat●●les if thilk bird skipping out of her straight cage. seethe the agreble shadows of the woods ● she defouleth with her feet her meet yshadde/ & seeketh on morning only the wood & twyterith desiring the wood with her swet● v●yse/ the yard of a tree that is haled a down by mighty strength boweth readily the crop a down. but if that the hand that is bent lete it goon again/ Anon the crop looketh upright to the heaven. The son Phoebus that falleth at even in the western wawes returneth airy eftsoons his cart by a privy path there as it is wont arise/ alle things s●ken again to her proper course and all things rejoicen on her returning again to her nature/ ne none ordinance is betaken to things/ but that hath joined the end to the beginning. & hath made the course of hit self stable that it change not fro his proper kind   

Uos quoque o terrena animalia. tenui licet imagine. vestrum tamen principum sompniatis. Uerunque illum beatitudi●is finem. licet minime perspicaci etc  
CErtes also ye men that been earthly beasts dremen all way your beginning all though it be with a thynne imagination. And by a manner thought all be it not clearly ne perfightly. ye looken from a far to thilk very fyn of blissfulness. And therefore natural intention leadeth you to thilk very good. But many manner errors mystourneth you therefro. Considere now if that be thilk thinges● by which a man weeneth to get him blissfulness/ if that he may comen to thilk end that he weeneth to come to by nature. for if that money honours or these other foresaid things bringen to men such a thing that no good ne fail them ne seemeth to fail. certes thenne will I grant that they be makid blissful by things that they have gotten/ but if so be that thilk things ne mown not perform that they biheten/ & that there be defante of many goods/ showeth it not then clearly that false beauty of blissfulness is known & attaint in thilk things/ first & forward thou thyself that hadst habondance of riches not long agoon. I ask the that in thabondance of all thilk riches thou were new anguisshous or sorry in thy courage of any wrong or grievance that betidde the in any side. B. Certes quoth I it ne remembrith me not/ that ●uer I was so free of my thought. that I ne was always in anguissh of somewhat. P. and wa● that not quoth she/ for that the lackid somewhat that thou noldest not han lacked/ or else thou hadst that. thou noldest han had. B right so it is quoth I/ P/ thenne desirest thou psence of that one & th'absence of that other. B. I grant well quoth I. P Forsooth quoth she thenne needeth there somewhat that every man desireth/ B/ ye there needeth quoth I. P/ Certes quoth she and he that hath lack or need of aught. nies not in every weigh ●uffisa●̄t to himself. B. Not quoth I/ P. & thou quoth she in all the pl●nte of thy richesses hadst thilk lack of suffisance/ B what else quoth I p/ thenne may not riches maken that a man nies needy ne that he be sufficient to himself. & yet that was it that they behoten as it s●med. & eke certes I trow that this be greatly to considere that money hath not in his own kind that it ne may been bynomen of hem that have it maugre hem ● b. I know it well quoth I ● p. why shouldest thou not beknowned it quoth she when every day the stronger folk bynemen it from the feebler maugre 'em/ fro whence come elliss all these foreign complaints or quarrels or pleadings/ but for that men axen their money that hath b●n binomen hem by strength or by g●le. And alway maugre 'em. b/ right so is it quoth I p. t●en̄e hath a man need quoth she to seken him foreign help ● by which he may defend his money. b/ who may sa●e nay quoth I. p. certes quoth she. and him needed none help if he ne had no money that he might lose/ b. that is doubtless quoth I PEA ● thenne is this thing turned into the contrary quoth she/ For riches that men weenen should maken suffisance. they maken a man rather have need of foreign help/ which is the manner or the guise quoth she that riches may driven a way need/ rich folk may they neither have hunger ne thirst/ These rich men may feel no cold on their limbs in winter/ But thou wilt answer that rich men have enough wherewith they may staunchen her henger & slaken their thirst & done away cold. In this wise may need ben comforted by richesses. but certes need ne may not all utterly be done away. for if this need that alway is gaping & greedy be fulfilled with riches & any other thing yet dwelleth then a need that might be fulfilled/ I hold me still & tell not how that little thing sufficeth to nature. But certes to avarice sufficeth not enough of no thing/ for sin that richesses ne may not all done away need/ & they maken their own need What may it thenne be that ye weenen that richesses mowen yeven you suffisance   

Quamuis fluente dives auri gurgite Non expleturas cogat avarus opes Honoretque bacis colla rubri litoris Ruraque centeno scindat opinia 'bove etc  
ALL were it so that a noble covetous man had a river or a gutter fleeting all of gold/ yet should it never staunch his covetise. & all though he had his neck charged with precious stones of the red see. & though he do ere his fields plenteous with an hundred oxen. new ne shall his biting besives forleetten him while he liveth. ne the light richesses ne shall not beren him company when he is deed   

Sed dignitates honorabilem reverendumque cui ꝓuenerint reddunt. Nam vis ea inest magistratibus. ut utencium mentib virtutes inserant. vicia pellant etc  
But dignities to whom they be comen. maken they him honourable and reverent/ han they not so great strength that they may putten virtue in hearts of folks that usen the lordship of 'em. or else may they done away the vices/ Certes they be not wont to done away wickedness/ but they be wont rather to show wickedness. & thereof cometh it that I have right great disdain that dignities been yeven to wicked m●n̄. For which thing Catullus cleped a consul of rome that height Nomyus/ postome of bo●●he. as who s●ith he cleped him a congregation of vices in his breast. as apostume is full of corruption/ all were Nomyus set in a chair of dignity/ Se●stow not th●nne h●w great vilonyes dignities don● to wicked men certes unworthiness of wicked men should be the l●ss● s●●n if they near renomed of none honours. Certes than thy s●lfe ne mightest not be brought with as many p●rils as thou mightest suffer that thou wouldst bear the magistrate with d●●●rate● that is to say that for peril that might befall the b● offence of the King theodryk. thou noldest not b●● fellow in governance with decorate when thou saw t●●t he had wicked courage of a lichorouse shrew & of an accuser Ne I may not for such honours iuggen hem worthy of reverence that I dame & hold unworthy to have thilk same honours. now if thou saw a man that were fulfilled of wisdom/ certes thou ne mightest not dame that he were unworthy to the honour or else to the wisdom of which he is fulfilled B. no quoth I/ P/ certes quoth she dignities apꝑteynen properly to virtue/ & virtue transporteth dignity anon to thilk man to which she herself is conjoined. & for asmuch as honours of people ne may not make folk dign of honour It is well seen clearly that they ne have no proper beauty of dignity. & yet men oughten take more heed in this. for if a wight be in so much the more outcast that he is despised of most folk/ so as dignity ne may not maken shrews worthy of no reverence/ thenne maketh dignity shrews/ rather despised than praised. the which shrews dignity showeth to much folk/ & forsooth not unpunished/ that is to s●yne that shrews revengen hem ayeinward upon dignitee●/ for they yelden again to dignities as great guerdons/ when they bispotten & defoulen dignities with her villainy. and for asmuch as thou now knowest that thilk very reverence ne may not comen by these shadowy transitory dignities/ understand now thus. that if a man had used & had many manner dignities of consuls and were peradventure comen among strange nations/ should thilk honour maken him worshipful & redoubted of strange folk/ certes if that honour of people were a natural gift to dignities it ne might never cessen nowher among no manner folk to done his office. right as a fire in every country ne stinteth not to enchaufen & maken hot/ But for as much as for to been honourable or reverent ne cometh not to folk of her proper strength of nature but only of the false opinion of folk. That is to say that weenen that dignities maken folk dign of honours/ Anon therefore when they comen there as folk ne known not thilk dignities her honours vanisshen away & that anon/ But that is among strange folk maistow say. ne amongs 'em there they were borne ne dured not thilk dignities alway. Certes the dignity of the provostrye of rome was whilom a great power/ now is it nothing but an idle name. & the rent of the senatory a greet charge/ And if a wight whilom had th'office to taken heed to the victuals of the people. as of corn and of other things he was holden amongs 'em great. But what thing is more now outcast that thilk provostrie. as I have saide a little here before that thilk thing that hath no proper beauty of himself receiveth sometime price and shining/ & sometime loseth it by th'opinion of usauntes. Now if that dignities than ne mow not make folk dign of reverence. & if that dignities wax fowl of her will by the filth of shrews. And if dignities losen her shining by changing of times/ & if they wexen fowl by estimation of people/ what is it that they han in h●m self of beauty that aught to be desired/ As who saith ● none/ thenne ne mown th●y yeven no beauty of dignity to none other   

Quam●is se tirio superbus ostro Comeret & niveis lapillis Inuisus tamen omnib vigebat Luxury nero sementis Sed quondam dab improbus verendis Patrib indecores curules Quis igitur putas beatos Quos miseri tribuunt honores etc  
ALL be it so that the proud Nero with all his wood luxury do comb him and apparaylle him with fair purpures of tire & with white pearls/ algates yet thereof he hateful ●o all folk/ yet thi● wicked Nero had great lordship. & give whilom to the reverent senators the unlordshipfull seetes of dignities. unlordshipfull seetes he clepeth here for that nero that was so wicked give though dignities/ who would thenne reasonably wenen th●t blissfulness were in ●uche honours. as been yeven by vicious sherewes   

An vero regna regumque familiaritas. efficere potentem valent. Quidin. Quando eorum felicitas perpetuo durat. Atqui plena est exemplorum vetustas etc  
But regnes & familiaritees of kings may they make a man to been mighty. b. how else. when her blissfulness dureth perpetually/ but certes the old age of time passed & eke of psent time now is full of ensamples/ how that kings been changed into wretchedness out of her welfulnes/ O a noble thing & a clear thing is power that is not ●ounde mighty to keep itself/ & if that power of royalmes be author & maker of blissfulness. if thilk power lacketh on any side Amenusith it not thilk blissfulness and bringeth in wretchedness. But yet all be it so that the royaumes of mankind stretchen broad/ yet moat there need been moche folk over which that every king ne hath no lordship ne commandment/ And certes upon thilk side that power faileth which that maketh folk blissful. right on that same side. none power entereth underneath that maketh 'em wretches/ In this manner thenne might Kings han more portion of wretchedness than of welefulnesse. A tyrannt that was king of sesille that had assayed the peril of his estate showed by similitude the dreads of royaumes by gastnes of a sword that hinge over the heed of his familiar/ what thing is thenne this power that may not done away the bitings of business. ne eschew the prickis of dread And certes yet wolden they liven in sickerness. but they may not/ And yet they glorifien 'em in her power/ holdest thou thenne that thilk man be mighty that thou seest that he would done that he may not done. And holdestow him a mighty man that hath environed his sides with men of arms or with sergeants. And dread more hem that he maketh aghast than they dread him/ And that is put in the ●andes of his servants for he should seem mighty/ But of familiars or servants of kings. why should I tell the any. sin that I myself have showed the that royalmes hem s●lfe b●ne full of f●blenes/ The which familiars c●rtes the royal power of kings in hole estate and in estate abated throweth a down/ Nero constrained Seneke his familiar and his master to choose ●n what d●th ●e would dyen Autonyns commanded that knighte● slowen with her swords papynian his familiar/ which papynyan had been long time mighty amongs hem of the court. And yet certes they wolden both have renounced their power. Of which two Seneke enforced 'em to yeven to Nero all his richesses. and also to have gone in to solitary exile. But when the great wight. That is to say of lords power or of fortune draweth 'em that shall fall/ neither of h●m might done that he would. That thing is thenne thilk power that though men have it/ yet th●y been aghast And when thou wouldest have it thou nart not sicker. and if thou wouldest forleten it thou mayst not eschewen it/ but whether such men be friends at need as been counciled by fortune/ and not by virtue/ Certes such folk as weleful fortune maketh friends/ contrarious fortune maketh 'em enemies. & what pestilence is more mighty for to annoy a wight than a familiar enemy   

Qui se volet esse potentem Animos domet ille feroces Nec victa libidin● colla Fedis submittat habenis Et enim licet indica long Tellus tua iura cremiscat Et serinat ultima thile Tum atras pellere curas Miserasque fugare querelas Non posse potencia non  
WHo so will be mighty he moat daunten his cruel courages ne put not his neck under the fowl regnes of lechery/ For all be it so that thy lordship streiche so far that the country of ynde quaketh at thy commandements or at thy laws/ And the isle in the see that hight tile be thrall to the/ yet if thou mayst not putten away thy foul desires. and driven out from the wretched complaints. certes it nies no power that thou hast   

Gloria vero quam fallax sepe quam turpis est. unde non iniuria tragicus exclamat. cros. azosa. myplocia etc Plures enim magnum sepe nomen falsis vulgi opinionibus abstulere. Quo quid turpius excogitari potest. Nam qui falso predicantur. suis ipsi necesse est. laudibus erubescant etc  
But gloire how fowl & deceivable is it oft. for which thing not unskilfully a tragidien. that is to say. a maker of ditties that heighten tragedies cried and said. O glory glory quoth he thou nart no thing else to thousands of folks but a greet sweller of ears. for many han had full great renome by the false opinion of the peuple & what thing may be thought fouler than such preysinges And if that folk han gotten 'em thank or praising by her deserts/ what thing hath thilk price eched or increased to the conscience of wise folk that mesurens her good not by rumour of the people. but by the soothfastness of conscience. & if it seem a fair thing a man to han enc●●ced & spread his name/ thenne followeth it that it is deemed to be a foul thing if it ne be sprad & increased. but as I said a little here before/ that sin their might be needs many folk to which 〈◊〉 the renomee of a man ne may not comen. it befalleth 〈…〉 that thou weenest be glorious & renowned seemeth in the next party of the ●rthes to be without glory & renomee/ & certes ●mong these things I trow not that the price & the grace of the people is either worthy to be remembered ne cometh of wise judgement/ ne i● f●rme perdurably. But now of this name of gentleness ● what man is he/ that he ne may well seen how vain and how flicting a thing it is/ for if the name of gentleness be referred to renome & clearness of lineage/ thenne is gentle name but a foreign thing That is to s●yen to 'em that glorifien hem of their lineage For it seemeth that gentleness be a manner praising that cometh of the deserts of auncetries. & if praising maketh gentleness/ then moten they needs be gentle that been praised For which thing it followeth that if thou ne have no gentilesse of thyself that is to say price that cometh of thy desert foreign gentleness ne maketh the not gentle/ But certes if there be any good in gentleness. I trow it be a lonly this. that it seemeth that a manner necessity be Imposed to gentlemen for that they ne should not outragen or forleven fro the virtues of her noble kinrede   

Omne hominum genus in terris simili surgit ab ortu Unus enim rerum pater est. unus cuncta ministrat etc  
All the lineage of men that been in earth been of semblable birth. one alone is father of things/ one alone minystrith all things/ he gave to the son his beams He gave to the moan her horns/ he gave the men to the either He give the st●rres to the heaven/ he enclosith with members the souls that comen from his high seat/ Thenne comen all mortal folk of noble seed. why noysen ye or bosten of your elders/ For if ye look your beginning & god your father Auctor. and your maker th●nne is there none forlyved wight but if he nourish his courage unto vices. And forlet his proper birth   

Quid autem de corporis voluptatibus loquar●quarum appetencia quidem pleva est anxietatis etc  
But what shall I say of delights of the body of which delights the desiringes been full anguisshous/ & the fulfillinges of hem been full of penance. how great sickness and how great sorwes unsufferable right as a manner fruit of wickedness/ but thilk del●tes been they wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem/ Of which delights I note what joy may been had of their moving. but this wot I well that who so ever will remember him of his luxuries/ he shall well understand/ that the issues of delights be sorrowful and sorry. And if thilk delights mown make folk blissful. thenne by the same cause/ beasts been cleped blissful of which beasts all thentencion hasteth to fulfil her bodily jollity. And the gladness of wife & childeren were an honest thing/ But it hath been said that it is overmuch against kind that children have been founden tormentors to her faders. I note how many/ of which children how biting is every condition it needeth not to tell it the that haste ere this time assayed it. and art yet now anguisshous. In this time approve I the sentence of my disciple Euridippis that said that he that hath no children is welefull by fortune   

Habet hoc voluptas omnis Stumulis agit fruent●s Apiumque par volan●●um Ubi grata mella fudit Fugit et nimis t●naci Ferit icta corda morsu  
EVery delight hath this ● that it anguissheth 'em with pricks that usen it/ It resembleth to these fleeing flies that we clepe bees/ that after that he hath shed his agreeable honeys. he fleeth away & stingeth the hearts of 'em that been smitten with by●●ng over long holden   

Nichil igitur dubium est. quin be ad beatitudinem vi● qdam de●a sunt. Nec perducere quemquam eo valeant. &c  
HOw is it no doubt thenne these ways ne been a manner of misleadings to blissfulness/ ne that they ne mowen not leaden folk thither as they biheten to leaden hem. But with how great harms these foresaid ways been enlaced/ I shall show the shortly/ For why if thou enforcest the tassemble money. thou must byreven him his money that hath it. And if thou wilt shinen in dignities thou must bisechen and supplyen 'em that yeven though dignities And if thou covetest by honour to go before other folk Thou shalt defoul thyself through humblesse of asking/ if thou desirest power/ thou shalt by awaits of thy subge●tis anoyously be cast under by many perils. Axestow gloyre thou shalt been so distraite by asper things that thou shalt foregone sikernesses. And if thou wouldest laden thy life in delights. every wight shall dispysen the and forleten the as thou that art thrall to thing that is right foul & brutell/ that is to say servant to thy body/ Now is it thenne well seen how little & how brutell possession. they coveten that putten the goods of the body above her own reason/ for maistow surmounten these olifauntes in greatness or in weight of body/ or maistow be stronger than the bull. Maistow be swifter than the tiger. Behold the spaces and the stableness and the swift course of heaven/ And stint sometime to wondren on foul things. the which heaven certes nies not rather for these things to be wondered upon than for the reason by which it is governed/ But the shining of thy form. That is to say the beauty of thy body/ how swiftly passing is it and how transitory. Certes it is more flitting than the mutability of flowers of the summer season. For so as aristotle telleth that if that men had eyen of a be'st that hight l●nx. so that the looking of folk might percen through the things that withstonden it/ who so looked then in thentrails of the body of Altibiadis that was full fair in the superficie without/ it should seem right foul/ And for thy if thou seemest fair. thy nature ne maketh not that/ but the deceyvance of feebleness of the eyen that looken. But praise the goods of the body as much as ever the list so that thou know algates that what so it be. that is to say of the goods of the body. which that thou wonder'st upon. may been destroyed or else dissolved by the heat of a fever of three days/ Of which foresaid things I may reducen this shortly in a ●umme that these worldly goods which that ne mown yeven that they behighten ne been not perfect by the congregation of all goods. that they ne been not weyer ne pat●es that bringen men to blissfulness ne maken men to be blissful   

Heu quam miseros tramite devios. Abducit ignorancia Non aurum in viridi. queritis arbore. Nec vi●e gemmas carpitis. No● altis laqueos montibus abditis Ut pisce ditetis dapes etc  
Alas which ●o●●e and which ignorance misledeth wandering wretches fro the path of very good/ certes ye seken no gold in green trees/ Ne ye ne gaderen not precious stones in wines/ Ne ye ne hidden not your gynes in high montaignes to cacchen fish. of the which ye may maken rich feasts/ And if you like to hunt to roes ye ne go not to the fords of the water that height Tyrene And over this men know well the krikes & the caverns of the see yhid in the floods. & known eke which water is most plenteous of white pearls. & known which water aboundeth most of red purpur/ that is to say of a manner shelfissh with which men dyen purpur. & known which strands habounden most of tender fishes or of sharp fishes that height echynnes. But folk suffren 'em self to been so blind that hem ne recchen not to know where thilk goods been hid which that they coveten. but plungen hem in earth & seken there thilk good that surmounteth the heaven that beareth the stars/ what prayer may I maken that be dign to the nice thoughts of men. But I pray that they coveten richesse & honours/ so that what they have gotten though false goods with great travail that there by they mown known the very goods   

Hactenus mendacis formam felicitatis ostendisse sufficerit. cue si perspicaciter intuearis. ordo est deinceps que sit vera demonstrare Atque video ing. Nec opibus sufficienciam. nec regnis potenciam etc  
IT sufficeth that I have showed hitherto the form of false welefulnes so that if thou look clearly the order of mine intention requireth from henceforth to show the very welefulnes/ B/ forsooth quoth I I see well now that suffisance may not come by richesses/ ne power by royalmes/ ne reverences by dignites/ ne gentleness by gloire/ ne joy by delights. P. & hast thou well know quoth she the causes why it is so B. Certes me thinketh quoth I that I see 'em right as it were through a little clift/ but me were liefer known 'em more openly of the. P. Certes quoth she the reason is all ready For thilk thing that simply is one thing without any division/ the error & folly of mankind divideth & departeth it & mysledeth it & transporteth from very & perfit good to goods that be falls & unparfyt/ But say me this weenest thou that he that hath need of power that him ne lacketh no thing. B nay quoth I/ P/ Certes quoth she thou seist a right For if so be that there is a thing that in any party be fiebler of power/ Certes as in that it moat needs be needy of foreign help. b/ right so it is quoth I p/ suffisance & power been of one kind/ b. so seemeth quoth I p. and deemest thou quoth she that a thing that is of this manere/ that is to s●ye suffisannt and mighty. aught been despised/ or ●llis that it be right dign of reverence above all things. B/ certes quoth I it is no d●u●te that it is right worthy to be reverenced P/ l●te us ●●den quoth she reverence to suffisance & to power so that we deemen that these three things be all one thing B/ ●erte● quoth I late v● adden it if we will grant the sooth P/ what demes● thou quoth she/ thenne i● that a dark thing and not noble. that is suffisannt reverent/ and mighty o● else that it i● right noble and right cl●re by celeb●et●●f of renomee. Considere then quoth she as we han graunt●● h●re before that he that ne hath no need of no thing and is most mighty & most dign of honour/ if him needeth any clearness of renomee ● which clearness he might not grant of himself ● so for lack of thilk clearness he might semen the fiebler ●n any side or the more outecaste Glese That is to say nay/ For who so that is suffisannt. mighty and reverent/ clearness of renomee followeth of the foresaid things/ he hath it all ready of his suffisance. B. I may not quoth I deny it but I moat graunten as it is that this thing be right celebrable by clearness of renomee and noblesse. P. then followeth quoth she that we adden clearness of renome to the foresaid things so that there be amongst hem no difference. Boece/ This is a consequence quod I/ Philosophia This thing thenne quoth she that ne hath need of no foreyn thing and that may do all thing by his strengthis/ and that is noble and honourable. is it not a merry thing & joyful. B. but whence quoth I that any sorrow might come to this thing that is such/ certes I may not think/ Philosophia Thenne might we grant quoth she that this thing be full of gladness. if the foresaid things be sooth/ And certes also moat we graunten that suffisance. power noblesse. reverence and gladness be only divorce by names but her substance hath no diversity/ B. Hit mote needly be so quoth I/ Philosophia Thilk thing thenne quoth she that is one & s●mple in his nature/ the wickedness of men departeth it & divideth it/ & when they enforcen hem to getten party of a thing that ne hath no part They ne getten 'em neither thilk party that nies none/ ne the thing all hole that they desire not. Boece. In which manner quoth I Philosophia Thilk man quoth she that seeketh richesses to sleen poverty. he ne travailleth him not for to get power/ for he hath liefer be dark & vile. & eke withdraweth from himself many natural delights for he nold lose the money that he hath assembled/ but certes in this manner he ne getteth him no suffisance that power forletteth and that molest pricketh/ And that filth maketh outcast. & that darkness hideth. And certes he that desireth only power wasteth and scatterith richesses & despiseth delice●/ & ●ke honour that is without power. ne he ne praiseth glory nothing. Certes this seest thou well that many things faillen to him. For he hath some time default of many necessities and many anguisshes biten him. And he may not done though defaults away. he forle●teth ●o be mighty and that is the thing that he most desireth. And right thus may I make semblable reasons of honour and of glory & of delices/ for so every of these foresaid things is the same that these other things been/ that is to say all one thing Who so that ●uer seeketh to getten that one of these/ and not that other. he ne getteth not that he desireth. B/ what saistow thenne if that a man covet to geten all these things together P. Certes quoth she I wield say th●t he w●ld getten him sovereign blissfulness. but that shall he not find in th●o things that I have showed that mow not yeven that they be●eten. B. Certes no quoth I P● Thenne quoth she ne shullen men not by no weigh seeken blissfulness in such things as men w●nen that they ne mown given but one thing singlerly of all that men seeken. b● I gra●●e well quoth I ne none sother thing may be said. P. now hastow thenne quoth she the form and the cause of false welfulnes. Now torn and flit again to thy thought ● for there shall thou seen anon thilk very blissfulness that I have behight the/ B/ Certes quoth I h●t is c●ere and open though it were to a blind man. And that shewdist thou me a little here before when thou enforcedest the to show me the causes of the false welefulnes/ For but if I be beguiled thenne is thilk the very blissfulness and perfit that perfectly maketh a man suffisant. mighty honourable/ noble. and full of gladness And for thou shalt well know that I have well understanden these things within my heart/ I know well that thilk blissfulness that men verily yeven one of the foresaid things sin they been all one. I know doubtless that thilk thing is full of blissfulness. P/ O my norye quoth she by this opinion I say that thou art blissful. if thou put this thereto that I shall say/ B/ what is that quoth I P. trowest thou that there be any thing in this earthly mortal tumbling things that may bring this estate/ B. Certes quoth I I trow it not/ and thou hast showed me well that over thilk good their nies no thing more to been desired/ P/ These things thenne quoth she/ that is to say earthly suffisance & power & such things earthly. they semen likeness of very good/ or else it seemeth that they yeven to mortal folk a manner of goodness that ne be not perfit/ but thilk good that is very & perfect. that may they not yeven/ B. I accord me well quoth I/ P/ thenne quoth she for as much as thou hast known which is thilk very blissfulness/ and eke which thilk things been that lain falsely blissfulness. that is to say that by deceit semen very goods. Now behoveth the to know whence & where thou mow seek thilk very blissfulness. B. Certes quoth I that desire I greatly & have abiden a long time to herkene it. P. But for as moche quoth she as it liketh to my disciple Plato in his book of in thymeo that right in little things men should biseche the help of god What juggest thou that be now to done so that we may deserve to find the seat of thilk sovereign good. B. certes quoth I I dame that we should clepe to the father of all goods/ For withouten him nies there nothing founden a right/ P. Thou sayst right quoth she. and began anon to singen right thus   

O qui perpetua mundum racione gubernas Terrarum celique sator. qui tempus ab evo Ire jubes. stabilisque manens. das cuncta moveri Quem non extern pepulerunt fingere cause  
O Thou father sovereign and creator of heaven and of erthes/ that governest this world by perdurable reason/ Thou comandest the times to gone sin that age had beginning. Thou that dwellist thyself stidfaste & stable and yevest all other things to be moved. ne foreign causes necessed the never to compowne work of flotering matter/ but only the form of sovereign good ysette with in the without envy/ that moved the freely that thou art alther feyrest bearing the fair world in thy thought fourmedest this world to the likeness semblable of that fair world in thy thought. Thou deawese all things on thy sovereign examplir and commandest th●t this world perfitly ymaked have freely and absolute his perfit parties Thou bindest the elements by numbers proportionable that the cold things mown accord with the hoot things. And the dry things with the moist. that the fire that is pured ne flee not over high/ ne that the heaviness ne draw not adown over low the erthes that been plunged in waters Thou knyttest to guider the mean soul of triple kind moving all things/ and dividest it by number according And when it is thus divided it hath assembled a moving into two roads/ it goth to torn again to himself And enuyroneth a full deep thought/ and turneth the heaven by semblable image. Thou by even like causes enhauncest the souls and the less lives & abling hem to height by light veins or carts. Thou sowest 'em into heaven and into earth/ and when they be converted to the by thy benign law/ thou makest 'em return again to the by again leading fire. O father give thou to the thought ●o styen up into thy strait seat/ & grant him to everyone the well of good. And the light yfounde grant him to fixen the clear sights of his courage in the. And shatre thou & to break the weights & the clouds of earthly heaviness/ & shine thou by thy brightness/ for thou art clearness. thou art pes●ble r●ste to debonair folk/ thou thyself art beginning. ●erer/ leader path & term to look on the/ that is our end   

Quoniam igitur qu● sit inperfecti. que eciam perfecti f●rmam vidisti. Nunc demonscrandum reor. quo nam hec felicitatis perfectio constituta sit. In quo illud primum arbitror inquirendum etc  
For as much thenne as thou hast seen which is the form of good/ that nies not perfit/ & the form of good which that is perfit. now trow I that it were good to show in what this perfection of blissfulness is set/ & in this thing I trow that we shall first inquire for to weten if that any such manner good as thilk good as thou haste diffinished a little here biforne. That is to say sovereign good may be found in the nature of things/ For that vaynt ymaginacion of thought ne deceive us not and put us out of the soothfastness of thilk thing that is submitted to us. But it may not be denied that thilk ne is/ and that is right as a well of all goods. For all thing that is cleped inparfite is proved inparfite by the amenusing of perfection of thing that is perfect/ And here of cometh it that in every thing general if that men seen any thing that is inparfite. Certes in thilk thing general there moat be some thing that is perfect/ For if so be that perfection is done away/ men may not think ne say from whence thilk thing is that is cleped inparfite/ for the nature ne took not her beginning of things amenused and inparfite/ but it proceedeth of things. that been all ●ooll absolute And descendeth so down in to th● vttr●s● things and in to things empty and with out fruit/ But as I have showed a little here biforne that if that there be a blissfulness that be frele & vain and inpfite th●re may no man doubt that there nies some blissfulness that there is sad steadfast & perfect/ B. This is concluded quoth I firmly & soothfastly. P. But considere also quoth she in whom this blissfulness inhabiteth/ The common accord & conceit of the courage of men proveth & granteth that god pr●●ce of all things is good. For so as nothing may be thought better than god. it may not been doubted then that ●● that no thing nies better than he nies good Certes reason showeth that god is so good that it proved by very force that perfit good is in him/ For if God nies such he ne may not been prince of all thing/ for certes something possessing in itself perfit good should be more worthy than god. And it should semen that thilk thing were first and older than god. For we have showed apꝑtely that all things that been perfect been first. or things that been imperfect. And for thy for as much as that my reason or my process ne go not away without an end/ we owen to grant that the sovereign good is rightful of sovereign perfit good. And we have established that the sovereign good is very blissfulness. thenne might it needs be that very blissfulness is set in sovereign good. B/ This take I well quoth I/ ne this ne may not be withsaid in no manner/ P. But I pray the quoth she See now how thou mayst proven holily/ and withouten corrupcion. this that we have said that the sovereign god is full of right sovereign good. B. In which manner quoth I P. Wenestow aught quoth she that the father of all things have taken thilk sovereign good any where out of himself. of which sovereign good men proveth that he is full. right as thou mightest thinken that god that hath blissfulness in himself/ and thilk blissfulness that is in him were divorce in substance/ For if thou ween that god hath received thilk good out of himself Thou mais● ween that he that give thilk good to God be more worthy than God/ But I am beknow and confess & that right dignely that god is right worthy above all things. & if so be that this good be in him by nature but that is divorce from him by weening reason sin we speaken of god prince of all things. feign who so feign may Who was he that conjoined these things to guider. and eke atte last s●e well that a thing that is divorce fro any thing that thilk thing nies not that same thing for which it is vnderst●nden to been diverce. then followeth it well that thilk thing/ that by his nature is divorce from sovereign good. that thing is not sovereign good But certes it were a felonous cursedness to thinken that of him that no thing nies more worth. For all way of all things the name of hem ne may not been better than her beginner. For which I may concluden by right very reason. that thilk that is beginning of all things/ thilk same thing is sovereign god in his substance B. Th●u hast said rightfully quoth I ● Philosophia/ but we have granted quoth she that the sovereign good is blissfulness. B. That is s●the quoth I ●. then quoth she we moten needs graunten and con●●ssen that thilk same sovereign good be god. B. Certes quoth I● I ne may not deny ne withstand the reasons purposed. And I see w●ll that it followeth by strength of the pr●mysses. P/ lo●e now quoth she if this be proved yet more f●rmely thus. That there ne mown not been two sovereign goods that been divorce among 'em self/ For certes the goods that been divorce among 'em self. that one is not th●t the other is. Thenne ne mown neither of 'em be perfit/ so as either of ●●m lacketh to other/ but that/ that nies not perfit. men may seen ap●rtly that it nies not sovereign/ The things then that be sovereignly good ne mow by no weigh be d●●ce But I have well concluded that blissfulness and God been the sovereign good. for which it mote needs been that sovereign blissfulness is sovereign dignity. B. No thing quoth I i● more soothfast than this/ ne more farm by reason ne a more worthy thing than god may not be concluded. Phina. Upon these things then quoth she right as these geometriciens when they have showed their propositions been wont to bringen in things that they clepe porrismes or declarations of foresaid things/ right so will I give the here as a corallarye or a meed of Crown. For why for as much as by the getting of blissfulness men been maked blissful/ And blissfulness is dignity/ thenne it is manifest and open that by the getting of dignity men been maked blissful right as by the getting of justice. And by the getting of sapience they be maked wise/ right so needs by the semblable reason when they have gotten divinity th●y ●●e m●ad Gods/ Thenne is every blissful man a God. But certes by nature there nies but one God. But by the participation of divinity there ne letteth ne distourbeth no thing that there ne be many Gods/ B. This is quod I a fair thing and a precious. clepe it as thou wilt be it Corallarie or porrisme or meed of Crown or declaring/ Phina/ Certes quoth she no thing nies fairer than is the thing that by reason should be added to these foresaid things/ B. What thing quoth I Phina/ So quoth she as it seemeth that blissfulness containeth many things/ it were for to weten whether that all these things maken or conjoinen as a manner body of blissfulness by the diversity of parties of membres or else if any of all these things be such that it accomplice by himself the substance of blissfulness. so all these other things been referred and brought to blissfulness. that is to say as to the chief of 'em. B. I would quoth I that thou madest me clearly to understand what thou seyste & what thou recordest me the foresaid things/ P/ have I not judged quoth she that blissfulness is good/ B. yes forsooth quoth I and that sovereign good. P/ Add thenne quoth she thilk good that is made blissfulness to all the foresaid things For thilk same blissfulness that is deemed to be sovereign suffisance. thilk self is sovereign power/ sovereign reverence sovereign clearness or noblesse and sovereign delight/ what sayst thou thenne of all these things. that is to say suffisance. power and these other things/ b●ne th●y then as membres of blissfulness/ or been they referred & brought to sovereign good/ right as all things ●hat been b●ought to the chief of ●em. B. I understand well quoth I what thou purposest to seek. but I desire for to 〈◊〉 that thou show it to me. P. Take now thus the dis●rec●on of this question quoth she/ If all these things quoth s●e weren membres to felicity/ thenne weren they dyverce that one from that other/ and such is the nature of parties or of membres/ that divorce membres compowne a body/ Bo●cius/ Certes quoth I Hit hath well be showed here before that all these things been all one thing/ Philosophia/ Thenne been they no membres quoth she. For else it should seem that blissfulness were cojoined all of one member alone. But that is a thing which may not be done Bo●cius. This thyng● quoth I thenne is not doubtous But I abide to herkne the remenannt of thy question. P. This is open & clear quoth she that all other things be referrid and brought to good. For therefore is suffisance required. For it is deemed for to been good/ And for thy is power required. For men trowen also. that it be good/ And this same thing mown we thinken and coniecten/ of reverence. of noblesse/ and of delight. then is sovereign good the some and the cause of all that aught to be desired. For why thilk thing that withholdeth no good in itself/ ne semblance of good/ it ne may not well in no manner be desired ne required/ and the contrary/ For though that things by her nature ne been not good. All ga●es if men wenen that they been good/ yet been they desired as though they weren verilich good. And therefore it is said that men aught to ween by right that bounty be the sovereign fine and the cause of all the things that been to requiren. But certes thilk that is cause for which men requyrens any thing/ it seemeth that thilk same thing be most desired/ As thus. if that a wight would ridden for cause of heel. he ne desireth not so mochel the moving to ridden as the effect of his health. Now then sin that all things been required for the grace of good. they ne be not desired of all folk more than the same good/ But we have granted that blissfulness is that same thing for which that all these other things been desired. then is it thus that certes only blissfulness is required and desired. by which thing it showeth clearly that of good and blissfulness is all one and the same substance. B. I see not quoth I wherefore that men might discorden in this. Philosophia/ And we han showed that god and very blissfulness is all one thing Boece. That is sooth quoth I P. Thenne mow we conclude sickerly/ that the substance of good is set in thilk same god & in none other place   

Nunc omnes pariter venite capti Quos fallax ligat inprobis c●tems Terrenas habitans libido mentes Hoc erit vobis requies laborum Hic portus placida manens qete Hoc pateris unum miseris asilum etc  
COmeth all to guider now ye that been ycaught and bound with wicked chains by the deceivable delight of earthly things inhabiting in your th●ught. h●re shallbe the r●ste of your labour. here is the hanan s●able in quiet possible/ This all one is the ●p●n r●●ute to wretches/ that is to s●●●e that ye that be cumbered & deceived with worldly affections cometh now to this sovereign go●d that is god That is refute to hem that willen comen to him. all the things that the river Tagus giveth you with his golden gravels/ or else all the things that the river Hermus giveth with his read brink. or that Indus giveth that is ne●t the ●oote party of the world that meddleth the green stones with the white/ ne should not clerens the looking of your thought/ but hiden rather your blind courage with in her derk●●●s/ All that liketh you here and exciteth & moveth your thoughts. the earth hath nourished it with in his low caves. But the shining by which the heaven is governed and whence that his strength that escheveth the dark overthrowing of the soul. & who so ever may known thilk light of blissfulness. he will say that the white beams of the son ne be not clear   

Assencior inquam cuncta enim firmissimis nexa racionibus constant. Tum illa. Quanti inquit estimabas si bonum ipsum quid sit agnosceres. Infinito inquam. Si quidem michi pariter domim quoque qui bonum est etc  
BOece/ I assent me quoth I/ for all things been strongly bound with right ferme reasons/ P. How moche wilt thou preysen it quoth she. if that thou know what thilk good is/ B. I will praise it quoth I by price without end if it shall betide me to know also together god that is good P. Certes quoth she that shall I do the by very reason. if that though things that I have concluded a little here biforne dwellen only in her granting/ B/ They dwellen granted to the quoth I that is to say as who seith I grant to thy foresaid conclusions/ P/ I have showed the quoth she that the things that been required of many folk ne been not vereye goods ne perfit for they been divorce that one from that other/ and so as each of hem is lacking to other they ne han no power to bring a good that is full & absolute. But then at erst been they very good/ when they been gathered to guider all into one form and into one working. so that thilk thing that is ●uffisan̄t/ thilk same by power. and reverence & noblesse & mirth/ And forsooth but if all these things be all one same thing. they ne han not whereby that they mow be put in the number of things that aught to be required & desired. b. It is showed quoth I Ne hereof may their noman doubt. p. the things thenne quoth she that ne been none goods when they been diverce. & when they begynen to be all one thing/ thenne been they goods/ ne cometh it not thenne by the getting of unity that they be maked goods/ b/ so seemeth it quoth I/ p/ but all thing that is good quoth she. grant stow that it be good by the ꝑticipation of good or no. b. I grant quoth I p. Thenne mostow grant quoth she by semblable reason that one & good be one same thing. for of things of whichtheffect nis not naturally d●uce/ needs their substance mus● be one same thing B/ I ne may not deny it quoth I p. b●stow not known well quoth she that all thing that is/ hath so long his dwelling & his substance as long as it is one. but when it forletteth to been one it must needs dyen and corrump●n to guider. b. In which manner quoth I p. right as in bes●es quoth she when the soul and the body been conjoined in one and dwellen to guider. it is cleped a 〈◊〉/ And when her unity i● destroyed by the dysseverance that one from that other/ th●nne showeth it well. that it is a deed thing And it is no longer no bees●●/ And the body of a wight while it dwelleth in one form by conjunction of members. it is well sayn. that it is a figure of mankind/ And if the parties of the body be denied and dyss●uerid that one from that other that they destroy the unity. the body forleteth to be that it was before And who so would run in the same manner by all things. he should seen that with out doubt every thing is in his substance/ as long as it is one And when it forleteth to be one it dieth and perisheth B/ when I considere quoth I many things I see none other P/ Is there any thing quoth she that in as much as it liveth naturally that forleteth the talent or the appetite of his being & desireth to come to death & to corruption/ B/ if I considere quoth I the beasts that han any manner nature of willing & of nilling. I ne find no best but if it be constrained frowithoutforth. that forleteth or despiseth the intention to liven & to duren. or that will his thanks hasten him to deyen. for every best travailleth him to defend and keep the salvation of his life and escheweth death & destruction. but certes I doubt me of herbs & of trees that ne han no feeling souls ne no natural workings serving to appetites as beasts han. whether they han appetite to dwellen and to duren. P/ Certes quoth she thereof dar the not doubt Now look upon the herbs and trees for they wexen first in such places as been covenable to hem. In which places they mow not dyen ne dryen as long as her nature may defenden hem. For some of 'em wexen in fields and some wexen in mountains/ And other wax in marsh & other cleaven on rocks/ and some wexen plenteous in sondes And if any wight enforce 'em to bear 'em in to other places. they wexen dry. For Nature giveth to every thing that is convenient to him/ And travaileth that they ne die as long as they han power to dwellen and to liven What wilt thou say of this. that they drawn all her nourishings by her roots/ right as they hadden her mouths yplunged within the erthes and sheden by her mary's her wood and her bark/ And what wilt thou say of this that thilk thing that is right soft as the mary is. that is alway hid in the seat within/ and that it is defended fro without by stedefastnes of wood/ And that the utterest bark is put against the distemperance of the heaven as a defender mighty to suffren harm/ and thus certes maistow well seen/ how great is the diligence of nature/ for all things revoluen and publisshen 'em with seed ymulteplied. ne there nies noman that ne wot well that they ne been right as a fundament and edifice for to duren not only for a time/ but right as for to duren perdurably by generation. And the things eke that men ne wenen ne have no souls/ ne desire they not by semblable reason to keepen that is his/ that is to say that is according to her nature in conservation of her being and enduring For wherefore ell●s berith lightness the flames up. And the weight presseth the earth a down/ but for as much as thilk places and thilk mo●uynges be covenable to every of 'em/ And forsooth every thing keepeth thilk that is according and proper to him right as things that been contrarious and enemies corrumpen h●m. And yet the hard things as stones cleaven and holden their parties to guider right fast and hard and defenden h●m in withstanding that they ne departen lightly and yeven place to h●m that beeken or deu●den 'em. But nath les they retournen ayeme soon in to the same things from whence they be ar●●●d/ But fire fleeth and refuseth all division Ne I ne treat not now here of wilful mo●uynges of the soul that is knowing. but of natural intention of things. As thus/ right as we swolowen the meet that we receiven. and ne think not on it. And as we draw our breath in sleeping that we wite not while we slepen. For certes in the beasts the love of her livings ne of her beeinges ne cometh not of the wilnyngiss of the soul. but of the bigynnynges of nature. for certes through constraining causes. will desireth and embraceth full oft times the death that nature dreadeth. That is to say as thus/ That a man may be constrained so by some cause that his will desireth and taketh the death/ which that nature hateth and dreadeth full sore/ And some time we seen the contrary/ as thus/ that the will of a wight distourbeth and constraineth that. that nature alway desireth and requireth/ That is to say the works of generation. by the which generation only dwelleth and is sustained the long durabilite of mortal thingis/ As thus This charity and this love that every thing hath to himself ne cometh not of the moving of the soul/ but of the intention of nature. For the purveyance of god hath yeven to things that been created of him this. that is a full great cause to liven and to duren for which they desiren naturally her life. as long as ever they mowen/ for which thou mayst not dreaden by no manner that all things that been any where. that they ne requiren naturally the ferme stableness of perdurable dwelling and eke the schewing of destruction/ Boecius/ Now confess I well quoth I that I see well now certainly withouten doubt the things that semeden uncertain to me. P. But quoth she thilk thing that desireth to be and dwell perdurably. he desireth to been one/ For if that one were destroyed/ certis being should there none dwellen to no wight. B/ that is sooth quoth I P. Thenne quoth she desiren all things one/ B. I assent quoth I/ P. And I have sh●wd quoth she that ilk same one is thilk that is good// B/ ye forsooth quoth I. P/ Alle things thenne quoth she requiren good. And thilk maistow discriven thus/ Good is thilk thing that every wight desires/ B/ th●re ne may be thought no more v●reye thing quoth I for either all things be referred & brought to naught and floterens without governor dispoylled of one as of her proper heed or else if there be any thing to which that all things tenden and hy●n to. that thing must be the sovereign good of all good●●. P/ thenne said she thus. O my no●y quoth s●e/ I have great gl●d●es of the For thou h●s●e fired in thy heart the m●ddell s●tl●fas●nes That is to s●yn̄ the prick/ but this t●ing hath be dys●●u●●d to them that thou seydest. that thou wistes● not a li●●l here before. B/ what is that quoth I PEA That thou ne wistes● not quoth she which was the end of things/ And c●rtes that is the thing that 〈…〉 and for as mo●●e as we 〈…〉 thilk thing that is desired of all th●n̄e moat we ned●s conf●ssen̄ that good to th● fine of all things   

Qinsquis profunda ment vestigat verum. ●upitque nullis ille demis fall●. In se revoluat intum lucem visus Long●sque in o●bem cogat inflectens motus. Ammūque●●ce at q●●dq●●d e●●ra moli●ur. Sins recrusun possidere thesa●●●s. Dudum qin acra te●it erroris nubes. Lucebi● ipso perspicacius phebo etc  
WHo so seeketh sooth. by a deep thought. and coveteth to been deceived by no mysweyes/ lete him rollen and tread with in himself. the light of his Inward sight. and lete him gaderen again inclining into a compass the long movings of his thoughts. and lete him teachen his courage. that he hath enclosed and hid in his treasures/ all that he hath compassed or sought fro withoute And thenne thilk thing that the black clouds of error whilom had covered shall light more clearly than phoebus himself ne shineth/ Glosa. who so wol seek the deep grounds of sooth in his thought. & will not be deceived by false ppositions that gone amiss from the troth. lete him well examine & roll within himself the nature & properties of the thing/ And lete him yet eftsoons examine and rollen his thoughts by good deliberation or that he dame. And late him techen his soul. that it hath by natural princyplis kind●lich yhidd with in hit self all the truth the which he imagineth to been in things without/ And thenne all the darkness of his mysknowing shall seen more evidently to the sight of his understanding than the son ne seemeth to the sight without forth. For certes the body bringing the weight of forgetting ne hath not chased out of your thought all the clearness of your knowing. for certainly the seed of sooth holdeth and cleaveth within your courage/ And it is awaked and excited by the winds and by the blasts of doctrine/ for wherefore else deemen ye of your own will the rights when ye be axed But if so were that the norisshing of reason ne lived y●plunged in the deep of your heart. That is to say how should men deemen the ●oth of any thing that were axed. & if there near a rote of soothfastness that were yplunged and hid in natural principles. the which soothfastness lived within the deepness of the thought/ And if so be that the muse & the doctrine of Plato ring sooth. All that every wight learneth/ he ne doth nothing elliss thenne but recordeth as men recorden things that been foryeten   

Tum ego platonj inquam vehementer assencior. Name me horum iam secundo commemoras primum quod memoriam corporea contagione. Dehinc cum meroris mole ꝓrsus amisi. Tum illa. Si priora inquit confess● respicias. ne illud quidem long●●s abierit etc  
THenne said I thus. i. b/ I accord me greatly to Plato. for thou recordest and remember'st me these things yet the second time/ that is to say first when I left m● memory by the contrarious conjunction of the body with the soul. And ●●tesones afterward when I lest it confounded by the charge & by the burden of my sorrow. P. & thenne said she thus/ if thou seek quoth she first the things that thou hast granted it ne shall not been right far thenne that thou ne shalt remembren thilk thing that thou seydest that thou nyseest not. B/ what thing quoth I P. by which government quoth she that thi● world is governed. B Me remembreth it well quoth I/ And I confess well that I ne wis● it not. but all be it so that I see now from a far what thou purposest/ Algates I desire yet to herkne of the more plem●●ch P/ thou ne w●ndest quoth she a little here bifor●̄ that men should doubt that this world is governed by god B. Certes quoth I ne yet ne doubt I it not/ ne I nil never ween that it were doubt. As who seith. But I wot well that god governeth this world/ And I shall shortly answeren the by what reasons. I am brought to this/ this world quoth I of so many divorce and contrarious parties ne might never han been assembled in one form but if there were one. that conjoined so many divorce things. And the same diversity of her natures that so discorden that one from that other. must departen and unjoine the things that been conjoined and ybound/ ne the certain order of nature ne should not bring forth so ordain moevynges/ by places/ by times. by doings by spaces by qualities If there ne were one that were aye steadfast dwelling that ordained and disponed these diversities of mo●uynges. And thilk thing what somever it be/ by which that all things been y maked and led I clepe him god that is a word that is used to all folk. P. Thenne said she. sin thou feelest thus these things quoth she. I trow that I have little more to done/ that thou mighty of welefulnes hook & sound ne see eftsoons thy country/ But lete us looken the things that we have purposed here before/ have I not numbered & said quoth she that suffisance is in blissfulness/ And we have accorded that god is thilk same blissfulness. b/ yes forsooth quoth I/ p/ & that to govern this world quoth she ne shall he never have need of none help fro without For else if he had need of any help. he ne should not have no f●l suffisance. B/ yes thus it moat needs be quoth I/ P. Thenne ordained he by himself alone all things quoth she B. That may not be denied quoth I P. And I have showed that god is the same good/ B/ It remembreth me well quoth I/ P/ Th●nne orde●neth he all thilges by thilk good quoth she/ sin he which we han accorded to be good. governeth all things by himself. And he is a key and a steyre by which the edifice of this world is kept stable and without c●r●umping. B/ I accord me greatly quoth I And I have apperceived a little h●re biforn that thou wouldst say thus/ All were it so that it were by a thin suspicion. P/ I trow well quoth she/ For as I trow/ thou leadest now more enten●●sly thine e●e to loken the vereye goods. But na●h●les the thing that I shall tell th●. yet n● showeth not lass to loke●/ B/ What is that quoth I P/ So as men ●rowe qu●d she and that rightfully that god governeth all things by the ke●e of his goodness. And all th●s● same things that I have twighte the hasten 'em b● naturelle intention to come to good/ there may no man doubt that they ne been governed v●s●●nt●ryly/ And that the● n● conu●r●en hem of her owen good will to her ordeynour/ As that they been according & inclining to h●r governor & to her king/ B. It moat needs be so quoth I for the royalme ne should not seem blissful if there were a yok of misdrawingis in diverce p●●es ne the saving of obedient things ne should not be 〈…〉 th●r nothing quoth she that keepeth his nature that enforceth him to gone anent god/ B. no quoth I P. & if that any thing enforced him to withstand god. might it availen at l●s●●y●n him t●at we have granted to be almighty by the right of blissfulness. B. c●rtes quoth I all utterly it ne might not avail him P. Thenne is there nothing quoth she that either may or will withstonden to his sovereign god/ B/ I trow not quoth I P. thenne quoth she is thilk the sovereign god that all thin●ges governeth strongly & ordeyne●h 'em softly. B thenne said I thus I delight me quoth I not only in th'ends or in the some of the reasons that thou hast concluded & proved/ but thilk words that thou usest deliten me much more. So that atte last fools that sometime r●nden great things oughten be ashamed of 'em self. that is to s●yne that we fools that reprehenden wickedly the things that touchen god's governance/ we oughten been ashamed of ourself As I that said that god refuseth only the werkes of men & ne entermeteth not of it. P/ thou h●st well herd quoth she the fables of the poets. how the Geanntes assaileden heaven with the god●es/ but forsooth the debonair force of god disposed hem as it was worthy/ that is to say destroyed the geannts as it was worthy/ But wilt thou that we rejoinen together thilk same reasons/ for peradventure of such conjunction may sterten up some fair spark of sooth. B. do quoth I as the list. Phina. wenestow quoth she that god ne be almighty. B. noman is in doubt of it certes quoth I PEA No wight ne doubteth it. if he be in his mind quoth she. but he that is almighty their nis nothing that he ne may. B That is sooth quoth I/ P/ may god do evil quoth she. B/ Nay forsooth quoth I. P. Thenne is evil nothing quoth she/ sith that he may done none evil that may done all things. b. scornest thou me quoth I or else pleyestow or deceyvestow me that hast so wonen me with thy reasons. the house of dedalus so interlaced that it is unable to be unlaced that thou otherwhile interest there thou yssuest/ and other while issuest there thou interest Ne foldest thou not together by replication of words a manner wonderful cercle or environing of the simplicity divine/ for certes a little here before when thou began at blissfulness. thou seydest that it is sovereign good. & that God is the blissfulness/ for which thou give me as a covenable gift that is to say that no wight nies blissful but if he be good also therewith. & seydest eke that the form of good is the substance of god & of blissfulness. & saidst that thilk one Is thilk same go●d that is required & desired of all the kind of things. & thou providest in disputing that god governeth all the things of the world/ by the governance of bounty. & se●dest that all things would obeyen to him/ & saidst that the nature of evil is no thing. ● th●se things showdest thou not with no reasons taken fro without but by proves in circles and homelich known. The which proofs drawn to hem self her faith and h●r accord eu●rich ●f hem of other/ P/ Thenne said she thus/ I ne s●orne not. ne pley●/ ne deceive the. But I have showed the t●ing that is greatest over all things by the gift of g●d that we whilom playden. For this is the form of divine substance th●t is such that it ne slideth not into utterest foreign things. ne receiveth not no strange things in him. But right as Permemdes saide in greek of thilk divine substance ● He said thus that thilk divine substance turneth the world and the movable cercle of things/ while thilk divine substance keepeth hit self withouten moevynges/ that is to say that he moveth never moo/ & yet it moveth all other things/ But natheless if I have stirred reasons that be not taken fro without the compass of the thing of the which we treten/ But reasons that been bistowed within compass there nies not why thou sh●ldest meruaillen/ sith thou hast learned by the sentence of Plato That needs the words moat been cousins to the things of which they speaken   

Felix qui potuit bom. Fontem visere lucidum Felix qui potuit gravis. Terre solvere vincula Quondam funera coniugis. Uates treicius gemens Postquam flebilib modis. Siluas currere mobiles Amnes stare coegerat. junxitque intrepidum latus Sevis cerua leonibz. Nec visum timuit lepus &c  
blissful is that man that may s●e the cl●re well of good/ Blissful is he that may unbind him from the heavy bonds of th'earth. The poet of Trace Orphus th●t whilom had right great sorrow for the death of his wife After that he had maked by his wepyngly songs the woods movable to run/ And had maked the rivers to stand still. And had maked the h●rtes and the hinds to joinen dreadless her sides to cruel lyonns for to herkene his song/ And had maked that the hare was not aghast of the hound which pleased by his song. so when the most ardannt love of his wife brent the entrails of his breast/ Ne the songs that hadden overcomen all things ne might not aswagen her lord Orpheus. he plained him of the heaven Gods which that were cruel to him he went him to the houses of the Helle. And he temprid his blandysshing songs by resowning of strenges And spoke and song in weeping all that ever he had received and lavid out of the noble wells of his mother Calliope the goddess. And he sang with as much as h● might of weeping/ and with as much as love that doubled his sorrow might yeven him and teach him. and commoeved the hell. and required and bis●ughte by sweet prayer. ●he lords of souls in hell of relecing. That is to s●ye to yelden him his wife/ Cerberus the porter of hell with his three heeds was caught and all abashed of the new song/ And the three goddesses Furies and vengeresses of felonies that tourmenten and agas●en the fowls by annoy woxen sorrowful and sorry and teer●s wepten for p●te. T●● wa● not th● h●●d of Ixion tormented by the overthrowing wh●l●● And Tan●●●●s that was destroyed by the wooden●s of long thurs●e. despised the floods to drink/ The ●oule that hight vulture that eateth th● stomach or the gysar of Tycius is so fulfill●d of his song. that it nil ●t●n n● tyr●n no more. Act l●ste the Lord and jug of souls was m●ou●d to mys●●●c●rdyes an● ●r●ed we b●ne oue●comen quod ●e/y●ue we to Orpheus his wife to bear him company●/ he hath well yboughte her by his song and his di●●es/ But we will putten a law in this. and covenant in the gift. Th●t is to s●yn̄ that till he be out of hell/ if he look behind him/ that his wife shall comen again unto v●/ but what is he that may give a law to lovers. love is a greater law and a stronger to ●im self than any law that men may yeven/ Alas when Orpheus and his wife were all most at the terms of the night ● That is to say at the last bounds of hell● Orpheus looked backwardly on Erudice his wife and lost her and was dead/ This fable appertaineth to you all. who so ever desireth or seeketh to lead his thought in to the sovereign day. that is to say to clearness of sovereign good For who so ever be so overcomen that he fix his eyen in to the pit of hell. that is to say who so set his thoughts in earthly things all that ever he hath drawn of the noble good celestial he loseth it when he looketh the hells. this is to say into low things of the earth   
¶ Explicit liber tercius Incipit liber quartus   

HEc cum philosophia dignitate vultus ●t oris gravitate seruata. leviter suaviterque ceciniss●t. Tum ego non dum penitus insiti meroris oblitus etc  
When philosophy had songen softly and delitably the foresaid things/ keeping the dignity of her cheer and the weight of her words/ I thenne that ne had all utterly forgotten the weeping and the moving that was set in mine heart. forb●ake thentention of her that intended yet to say some other things/ O quoth I thou that ●rte gyderesse of very light the thinger that thou hast said me hydderto been to me so clear and showing by the divine looking of 'em and by the reason● that they ne mown been overcomen. And thilk things that thou toldest me/ all be it so that I had whilom foryeten 'em for the sorrow of the wrong that hath be done to me/ yet nevertheless they ne weren not all utterly unknown to me/ But this same is namely a right great cause of my sorrow. so that as the governor of things is good. if that evils mown been by any ways. or else if that evils passen without punysshing. the which thing only. hue worthy it is to been wondered upon/ Thou considerest it well thyself certainly. But yet to this thing there is yet another thing y joined more to be wondered upon. For felony is Emperice & flowreth full of richesses/ and virtue nies not only without meeds. But it is cast under and fortroden under the feet of felonous folk/ and it abieth the torments in stead of wicked felonns. Of all which things th●● is no wight may meruaillen enough ne compleynen that such things be done in the reign of god that all things wot and all things may and n● will not only but good things. P. then said she thus/ Certes quoth she that were a great marvel and an abashing with out ●nde/ And well more horrible than all the monsters if it were as thou w●●●st. That is to say that in the right ordain how● of so much a father and an ordeygnour of main that the vessels that been foul and vile should been honoured and buried/ and the precious vessel should been defowl●d and vile/ but it is not so. for if the things that I ●●ue concluded a little here before been kept hole & unaraced thou shalt well know by th'authority of god of the wh●● reign I speak. That certes the good folk be 〈◊〉 mighty and shrews been alway out cast and fieble. Ne the vice● be never moo without pain/ ne the vertue● ne be not without meed/ and that blissfulness cometh alway to good folk/ and infortune cometh all weigh to wicked folk. And thou shalt well known many things of this kind that shulle cessen thy pleyntes. & strengthen the with stidfast sadness. And for thou hast seen the form of very blissfulness by me that have whilom showed it the. and thou hast known in wh●m blissfulness is set All thing I treated. that trow be necessary to put forth I shall shown the the way that shall bringen the ayeyne unto thine house/ And I shall fix fethres in thy thought by which it may arisen in height so that all tribulation ydone away thou by my guiding and by my path. and by my sledes shalt mown return whole and sound in to thy country  

Sunt etenim pen volucres michi Que celsa condescendunt poli Quas sibi cum velox mens induit Terras perosa despicit Aeris inmensi superat globum Nubes primo tergum indet etc  
THan for thy swift fethres that sourmounten the height of the heaven/ when the swift thought hath clothed it in though fethres. It despiseth the hateful erthes and surmounteth the roundness of the great air. and it seethe the clouds behind his back/ and passith the height of the region of the fire that enchau●●th by the swift moving of the firmament. till that he ariseth in to the houses that bearen the stars. and joineth the weigh with the son phoebus and felaushippeth the way of the old cold saturnus/ and he ymaked a knight of the clear star/ that is to say. when the thought is made gods knight by the seeking of cl●re troth to comen to the very knowledge of god. And thilk soul runneth by the cercle of stars in all the places there as the shining night is ypeynted That is to say the night that is cloudeles/ for on nightis that be cloudeles. it seemed that the heaven were painted with divorce images of stars/ And when he hath done there enough. he shall forl●ten the last ●●uen/ and he shall presen and wo●den on the back of the swift firmament & he s●●l be maked perfect. ●f the worshipful light of God Th●re foldeth the lord of things the sceptre of his might and attempr●th the governements of the world/ and the shining jug of things/ stable in himself governeth t●● s●i●te ●a●te or wain that is to say the circular moving of the s●nne/ And if thy weigh leadeth the ayeine so t●at thou ●e brought thither thenne wiltow say that is the countrey● t●●t thou requirest of which thou ne hadst no m●nde ● But now it remembr●th me well. ●ere was I born̄●●●re wol I fasten my degree ●●ere wol I dw●ll●. but if the liketh th●nne to looken on th● derk●nesses of the earth/ that thou ●●st forleten thenne shalt thou seen t●●t th●se felonous ●●●an̄tes that the wretched people d●ede●h now/ shullen be ex●●ed from thilk fair countr●y●   

Tum ego pape inquam. ut magna pronuctis. nec dubito qum possis efficere. tu modo quem ●xitaueris ne more ●is. Primum igitur inquit. bonis semper adesse potencia. malos cunctis viribus esse desertos agnos●as. Licebit. Quorum quidem alterucrum etc  
THenne said I thus. O I wondre me that thou behetest me so greet things. ne I ne doubt not. that thou ne mayst well perform that thou behetest/ But I prey the this that thou ne tarry not. to tell me thilk things that thou haste moved. first quoth she thou must needs know that good folk been alway strong & mighty And the shrews been feeble & desert. and naked of all strengths. And of these things certes every of them is declared & showed by other. for as good and evil been two contraries if so be that good be stidfaste. thenne showeth the feblesse of evil all openly/ And if thou know clearly the freelnes of evil. the stidfastnes of good is known. but for as much as the faith of my sentence shall be the more farm and haboundante/ I wol goon by that oon weigh and by that other. and I will confirm the things that b●ne purposed now on this side and now on that side. Two things there been in which theff●cte of all the deeds of mankind standeth/ That is to sayen will and power/ And if that one of these two faileth/ there nies no thing that may be done. For if that will lacketh there nies no wight that undertaketh to do that he wol not done/ And if power faileth the will nies but in idle. & stant for naught and thereof cometh it. that if thou s●e a wight that would getten that he may not geten/ thou mayst not doubt that power ne faileth him to haven that he would. B. This is open and clear quoth I ne it ne may not been denied in no manner. P. & if thou s●e a wight quoth she that hath done. that he would done. thou nylt not doubt/ that he ne hath had power to done it/ b/ no quoth I/ p. & in that that every wight may in that men holden them mighty to done a thing. in so much as a man is mighty to done a thing. in so much men hold him mighty/ and in that that he ne may. in that m●n deemen him to be feeble/ B/ I confess it well quoth I P. Remember the quoth she that I have gathered and showed by for said reasons. that all the intention of the will of mankind/ which that is lad by divorce studies hasteth to comen to blissfulness/ B/ It remembreth me well quoth I that it hath been showed/ Phina. And recordeth the naught thenne quoth she. that blissfulness is thilk same good that men requiren so that when blissfulness is required of all B. It recordeth me not quoth I for I have it all weigh in my memory fixed/ Phina/ Alle folk thenne quod she good and eke bad enforcen hem without difference of intention to comen to good. B. This is very consequence 〈◊〉 I P●ī●. And certain is quoth she that by getting of good goody men maked good. B. That is certain quoth I Phina/ Thenne get●n good men that the● desiren. B. So it seemeth quoth I/ P. But wicked folk quoth she if they getten the good that they desiren they ne mown not be wicked/ B. So it is quoth I/ P. Thenn● so as that one and that other quoth she desiren the good/ & the good folk geten the good. and naught the wicked folk ● thenne it is no doubt that the good folk ne be mighty & wicked folk be feeble. B. Who so that ever doub●eth of this he ne may not considere the nature of things ne the consequence of reasons. P. And over this quoth she if that their been two things that ●an oo same purpose by kind. And that one of 'em pursueth & ꝑfourmeth that same thing by natural office and that other ne may not done thilk office naturelle but followeth by other manere/ than is covenable to nature him that accomplisheth his purpose kindly/ & yet he ne accomplisheth not his own purpose whether as these two deemest thou for more mighty. B. If that I conject quoth I that thou wouldest say. Algates I desire yet to hearken it more plainly of the. P. Thou nylt not than deny quoth she that the meovement of going nies in men by kind. B. No forsooth quoth I. P. Ne thou doubtest not quoth she that thilk natural office of going ne be the office of feet/ Boecius I ne doubt it not quod I Philosophia. Than quoth she if that a wight be mighty to meove and gooth up on his feet/ & another to wh●m thilk naturele office of feet lacketh. enforceth him to go creeping on his hand which of these two aught to be holden the more mighty by right B. Knytt forth quoth I the remanant/ P/ For no wight ne doubteth. that he that may go by natural office of feet ne be more mighty than he that ne may not/ But the sovereign good quoth she. that is even like purposed to the good and to the bad. the good folk seeken it by natural office of virtues/ And shrews enforcen hem to getten it by divorce covetises of earthly things/ which that nies no natural office to getten thilk sovereign good/ Trowest thou that it be any other wise. Boecius. Nay quoth I for the consequeence is open and showing of things that I have granted/ that needs good folk moten been mighty. And shrews moten been feeble and unmighty Philosophia/ Thou runnest aright before me quoth she/ And this is the judgement. That is to say I jug of right/ as these leches been went to hopen of seek folk when they apperceyven that nature is redressed & withstandeth to the malady. but for I see the now all ready to the withstanding/ I shall show the more thilk and continual reasons/ For look how greatly showeth the feebleness and infirmity of wicked folk that ne mown not comen to h●r natural intention leadeth hem/ And yet all most thilk natural intention constraineth hem/ & what were to demyn thenne of shrews/ if thilk natural help had forleten h●m/ the which natural help of intention goth alway before 'em/ And is so great that uneath it may be overcomen. Considere thenne how great default of power. & how great feblesse there is in wicked felonous folk As who seith the gret●er thing that is coveted & the desire not accomplished. of the lass might is ●e that coveteth it & may not accomplish. & for thy philosophy seith thus by sovereign go●de. ne shrews ne requiren not light m●des ne vein games which they ne may not followen ne holden but they faillen of thilk some of the height of things. that is to say sovereign good/ ne these wretches ne comen not to traffic of sovereign good. the which they enf●●cen 'em only to geten by nights and by days ● in getting of which good● the strength of good folk is ●●l well yseen. for right as thou mightest deemen him mighty of going that goeth on his fe●te till he might comen to thilk place. fro the which place there ne lay no weigh f●rther to be gone/ right so must thou needs demen him for right mighty which that getteth and a●teyneth to the ●nde of all things which that been to desiren by yonder the which end there nies no thing to desire. of the which power of good folk. men may conclude. that we wicked men semen to be barren and naked of all strength. for why forleten they virtues and followen vices. nies it not for that they ne known not the goods/ But what thing is more feeble and more caitiff than is the blindness of Ignorance or else they known well which things they oughten follow/ but lechery and covetise overthroweth 'em mystorned. And certes so doth distemperance to feeble men. that mow not wrastelen ayeyne these vices/ Ne know they not well that they forleten the good wilfully And tournen hem wilfully to vices/ And in this wise they ne forleten not only to be mighty. but they forleten all utterly in any wise for to be. For they that forl●ten the common fine. of all things that been. they forleten also therewith all for to been. And perau●nture it should seemen to some folk that this were a marvel to say. that shrews which that conteynen the more parties of men ne been not ne han no being/ but nath●les it is so. and thus stant this thing for they that be shrews/ I deny not but that they be shrews. but I deny simply and plainly that they ne be not. ne han no being. for right as thou mightest say of the carrion of a man that it were a deed man. so grant I well forsooth that vicious folk been wicked/ but I ne may not absolutely & simply grant that they been. For thilk thing that withholdeth order and keepeth nature/ thilk thing is & hath being/ But what thing faileth that/ that is to say/ he that forleteth naturel ordre/ he forletith thilk being that is set in his nature But thou wolt say the shrews mowen. certes that ne deny y not/ but certes her power ne descendeth not of strength but of feblesse. for they mown done wickedness/ the which they ne might not. if they mighten dwellen in the form and in the doing of good people/ and thilk power showeth evidently that they mown right naught. for so as I have gathered & proved a little here before. that evil is not/ and so as shrews. may only but shrewdness. This conclusion is all clear. that shrews ne mown right naught ne han no power/ And for as much as thou understandest which is the strength of this power of shrews/ I have diffinished a little here before. that nothing is so mighty as sovereign good. B. that is sooth quoth I/ P. Is there any wight thenne quoth she that weeneth that men mown done all things/ B. noman quoth I but he be out of his wi●te/ P. But certes shrews mown done evil quoth she. B. ye would god quoth I that they might done none/ P/ Thenne quoth she so as he th●t is ●●ghty to done only good things may done all things/ And they that been mighty to done evil things. ne mown not all things. thenne is it open thing and manifest that they that mown done evil been of lass power And yet to prove this conclusion/ there helpeth me I have showed here biforne. that all power is to be numbered among things that men oughten to require. and I have showed that all thinger that oughten been desired/ be referred to god right as to a manner height of her nature. But for to mown done evil & felony ne may not been referred ●o God/ thenne is not evil of the number of things that oughten to been desired and required/ thenne is it open & clear that the power ne the moving of shrews nies no power. And of all these things it showeth well that the good folk been certainly mighty/ And the shrews doubtless unmighty/ And it is clear and open that thilk sentence of Plato is vereye and s●th. that saith that only wisemen may done that they desiren. And shrews mown haunten that hem liketh. but that they desiren That is to say to come to sovereign good. they ne han no power to accomplish that/ For shrews done what h●m lust/ when by the things in which they d●l●ten/ they weenen to attain to thilk good that they desiren/ but they ne getten ne attain not thereto/ For vices ne comen not to blissfulness   

Quos vides sedere celsos solii culmine reges. Purpura claros nitente. septos tristib armis. Over coruo comminantes. rabie cordis anhelos. Dechat si quis superbis vam tegmina cultus. Iam videbit intus artas doinnos ferre ca●henas. Hinc enim libido usat. amdis corda vennis Hinc flagellat ira mentem. fluctus turbida tollens. Meror aut captos fatigat. aut spes lubrica torquet. Ergo cum caput tot unum cernas ferre tiramnos. Non facit quod optat imp. dnis pressis iniquis  
WHo so that the covertures of her vain apparaylles might stripen of these proud Kings. that thou seest sitten ann high in their chairs glittering in shining purpur environed with sorrowful armours manas●ing with cruel mouth blowing by woodness of heart/ He should seen that thilk lords bearen within her couraiges full straight chains/ for lechery tormenteth 'em on that on side with greedy venymes and trowblable Ire that araiseth in 'em the flood of troubl●nges tormenteth on that other side her thought. or sorrow halt 'em weary & ycaughte or sliding. & deceiving hope tormenteth 'em. And there fore sith thou seest one heed. that is to say one tyrant bearen so many tyranyes than ne doth thilk tyrant not that he desireth sith he is cast down with so many wicked lords. that is to say so many vices that have so wickedly lordships over him   

Uides ne igitur quanto inceno probra voluantur. cue probitas luce resplendeat. in quo perspicuum est numquam bonis premia. numquam sua sceleribus deesse supplicia. Uerū●tenim que geruntur. illud propter que unaqque res geritur euisdem rei premium esse etc  
SEstow not than in how greet fil●h these shrews been ywrapped. And with which clearness these good folk shinen/ In this showeth it well that to good folk ne lacketh never moo her medes/ ne shrews lakken never moo torments/ For of all things that be done. thilk thing for which any thing is done. It seemeth as by right that thilk thing be the meed of ●hat/ As thus/ if a man runneth in the stady or in the for●●ng for the crown/ thenne lieth the meed in the crown fo● which he runneth. & I have showed that blissfulness is thilk same good for which that all things been done. thenne is thilk same good purposed to the works of mankind. right a a common mede● which meed ne may not be dissevered from good folk For no wight as by right from thenceforth that him l●cketh goodness ne shall be cleped good. For which thing folk of good manners her medes ne forsaken 'em never more For all ●e it so that shrews waxed as wood as hem lust against good folk. yet nevertheless the crown of wisemen ne shall not fallen ne faden for foreign shrewdness. ne bynymen not fro the courage of good people her proper honour But if any wight rejoiced him of goodness. that he had taken fro without. As who seith if a man had his goodness of any other man than of himself. certes he that give him thilk goodness. or else some other wight might byneme it him/ But for as much as to every wight his proper bounty giveth him his meed/ thenne at erst shall he faillen of meed. when he forleteth to be good/ And ●●te last so as all mede● been required. for men weenen that ●hey be good/ who is he that nold dame. that he that is right mighty of good were parteles of meed. And of what meed shall he be reguerdon●d. Certes of right fair meed. & right great above all medes. Remember the of thilk noble corallarie that I yaf the a little here before/ and gadere it to gadre in this manere. So as God himself is blissfulness. thenne is it clear & certain that all good people been maked blissful/ for they been good. And thilk people that been blissful. it accordeth and is covenable to be gods. thenne is the meed of people such/ that no day ne shall enpeyren it ne no wickedness shall dyrken it/ ne power of no wight ne shall not amenuse it/ That is to say that ben maked god's/ & sith it is thus that good men ne failen never moo of her meed/ certes noman ne may doubt of the undepartable pain of shrews. that is to say that the pain of shrews departeth not from hem self never moo For so as good & evil and pain and medes be contrary. it mote needs be/ that right as we see betiden in guerdon of good that also moat the pain of the evil answer by the contrary parties to shrews/ Now than so as bounty and prowess been meed to good folk/ also is shrewdness itself tourmente to shrews/ Thenne who so ever is entetched and defouled with pain/ he ne doubteth not. that he is entetched and defouled with evil/ If shrews than woollen preysen hem self/ may it semen to 'em that they been withouten party of torment sith they been such/ that the utterest wickedness/ that is to s●ye wicked ●hewe● which is the utterest & worst kind of shrewdness ne de●ouleth ne entetcheth not hem only/ but infecteth & envenometh greetly. And also look on shrews/ that been the contrary party of good men/ how great pain felowshippeth & fouleth 'em. For th●● host learned a little here by forn that all thing that is and h●th being. is one/ and thilk same one is good/ than is this the consequence/ that h●t seemeth well that all thing that is and bath being 〈◊〉 good/ That is to say/ as who seith. that being and unity and goodness is all one. An● in this manner it followeth than that all thing that faileth to be good/ it seynteth for to be and for to b●n ●ny manner being. where fore ●it is th●t shrews stynten for to be that they weren. But thilk other form of mankind. That is to say the form of the body without showeth that these shrews w●ren whilom men̄● where fore when they been perverted and turned into malice/ Certes then they han forlorn̄ the nature of mankind/ but so a● only bounty and prowess may enhaunsen every man. over men/ thenne moat it needs be that shrews which that shrewdness hath cast out/ of the condition of mankind/ been put under the merit and desert of men/ thenne betideth it that if thou seest a wight which that is transformed into vices. thou mayst not wen● that he be a man. For if he be ardaunte in Avarice and that he be a ravener by violence of foreign richesse. thou shalt say that he is like a wolf/ and if he be felonnous and withouten rest/ and excercise his tongue to chidings/ thou shalt liken him to the hound/ and if he be a privy awaitour hid/ and rei●yssith him to ravish by wyle●/ thou shalt say him like to the fox wh●lpis/ And if he be distempered and quaketh for I●●/ Men shall weenen that he beareth the courage of a Lyon. And if he be dreadful and flaying and dreadeth things which that ne oughten not to be dredd/ men shall hold him like to the heart. And if he be slow and astonied and latch. men shall hold him like to an ass And if he be light and vnste●faste of courage and changeth aye his studies/ men shall hold him like to the birds. And if he be plounged in foul. and unclean luxuries/ he is withholden in the foul delices of the fowl sow. then forthwith it. that he that forleteth bounty/ and prowess. he forleteth to be a man/ sith he ne may not passen in the condition of God/ he is turned in to a beast   

Uela naricij ducis ¶ Et vagas pelago rates ¶ Eurus appulit insule Pulchra qua residens dea Solis edita seine ¶ Miscet hospitib novis Tacta carmine pocula Quos ut in varios modos ¶ Uertit herbipotens manus  
●Vrus the wind arrived the sails of Vlix●s Duke of the country of narice. & his wandering ships by the see in the fair I'll there as circes the fair goddess daughter of the son dwelleth that meddleth to her new gests drinks that be touched & maked with enchantements. & after that her hand mighty over the herbs. had changed her gests into diverce manners. that one of 'em is covered his face with the form of a bore/ that other is changed into a lion of the country of marmorik & his teth waren. that other o●●em is newly changed into a wo●f & hewleth when he would we●e/ that other gooth debonarrly in to the house as a tiger ● of ind/ but all be it so that the godhead of mercury th●t is cleped the b●●d of a●chadie hath had mercy of vl●●es the due besieged with diue●ce evils & hath unbounden him from pestilence of his os●e●se. Algates the rowels & the mariners ●adden by this drawn into her mouths & drunken the wicked drinks. they that were waxed as swine ● hidden by this channge her meet of bred for to eaten accornes of oaks. None of t●er limbs ne dwelleth with hem ●ooll/ but they han lost the voice and the body. only her thought dwelleth with 'em stable that weepeth and bewailleth the monstrous change that they s●ffren O ●uer light hand as who saith/ O feeble and light is the band of Cyrcesse the enchaunteresse that changeth the bodies of folks into beasts. to regard and comparison of mutation that is maked by vices. ne the herbs of cirtes. ne be not mighty. For all be it so that they may changen the limbs of the bodies. Algates yet they ne may not changen the hearts. For within is hid the strength and the vigour of men in the secre tower of her hearts/ that is to say the strength of reason. but thilk venymes of vices to drawn to hem a man more mightily than the venom of the enchaunteresse Cirtes. for vices been so cruel that they passen and through persen the courage within. and though they annoy not the body. yet vices wooden to destroy men by wound of thought   

Tum ego fatror inquam. nec iniuria dici video viciosos tam et si humani corporis speciem servant. inbeluas tamen animorum qualitate mutari. Sed quorum atrox scelerataque mens bonorum pernicie sevit. idipsum eis licere voluissem. Nec licet inquit uti etc  
THenne said I thus I confess and am aknowe it quoth I ne I ne see not that men may say/ as by right that shrews been changed into beasts. by the quality of her souls/ all be it so that they keepen yet the form of the body of mankind. but I would not of shrews of which the thought cruel & wood woodeth alway to the destruction of good men/ that it were leeful to hem to done that. certes quoth she ne it is not leeful to hem as I shall well show the in covenable place. but natheless if so were that thilk that men ween been leveful to shrews were bynomen hem. so that th●y ne might not anoyen̄ or done harm to good men/ Certes a greet party of the pain/ to shrews should been alleged & relieved/ For all be it so that it ne seem credible thing peradventure to seem folk. that it moat needs be that the shrews been more wretches and silly when they may full done and perform that they coveten/ than if they might not accomplish that they coveten. For if so be that it be wretchedness to wilnen to done evil/ than is it more wretchedness to mown done evil. without which mowing the wretched will should languisshe without effect. Th●n̄e s●th every of th●se things hath his wretchedness that is to say will to done evil. and mowing to d●ne evil. it moat needs be that they shrews be constrained by the vnsel●nesse that willen and mown and performen felonies and shrewdness. B/ I accord me quoth I ●ut I desire greatly that shrews lost seen thilk vn●elynesse. That is to say that shrews were despoiled of mowing to do evil P/ So shullen they quoth she sooner peradventure than thou wouldest. or s●ner than they hem s●lfe we●e. For th●re nies nothing so late in so short bounds of this l●fe that is long to abide. namelich to a courage immortal. of which shrews the great hope and high compassing of shrewdness is o●t destroyed. by a sudden end/ or they be ware And that thing est●b●is●heth to shrews. the end of 〈◊〉 sherewdnesse/ for if that shrewdness maketh wretches. th●n moste he needs be most wretch/ that longest is a shrew/ the which wicked shrews would I demyn aldermost caitiffs and unsilly if her shrewdness ne were finished at lest weigh by the utterest d●th ● for if I have concluded sooth of the unselinesse of shrewdness than showeth it clearly that thilk wretchedness is withouten end/ the which is certain to be perdurable/ B. Certes quoth I this conclusion is hard & wondered to grant. But I know well that it accordeth moche to things that I have granted here bi●orn̄. Phina. Thou haste quoth she right estimation of thy/ But wh● so ever ween that it be an hard thing to accord him to a conclulion. it is right that he show that some of the premisses been falls/ or else he most show that the collation of propositions nies not speedful to a necessary conclusion And if it be not so/ but that the premisses be granted their nies not why he should have the argument/ for this thing that I shall tell now. ne shall not seem lass wonderful but of things that been taken/ also it is necessary/ as who seith/ it followeth of that. which that is purposed bicorne B. What is that quoth I PEA/ Certes quoth she/ that y●/ that these wicked shrews b●e more blissful or else lass wretches. that abyen the torments that they have deserved. than if no pain of justice ne chastised hem. ne thi● ne say I not now for that any man might think that the manner of men that are shrews been corriged & chastiged by vengeance/ and that they been brought to the right weigh by the dread of torment. ne for that they yeven to other folks example to fleen fro vices/ But I understand it yet in another manere. that shrews be more unsilly when they be not punished/ albeit be it so that their ne be had no reason of law of correction ne none example of looking/ B/ And what manner shall that be quoth I other than had be told here before/ P. Have we not granted thenne quoth she. that good folk been blissful/ and shrews be wretches/ B. Yi● quoth I PEA/ thenne quoth she if any good were added to the wretchedness of any wight nies he not more blissful than he that ne hath no medeling of good in his solitary wretchedness. B. so seemeth it quoth I P. & what saistow then quoth she/ of thilk wretch that lacketh all goods/ so that no good is medeled in his wretchedness for which he is a wretch/ that there be yet another evil annexed and knit to him/ shall not men deemen him more unsilly than thilk wretch of which the vnse●inesse is relieved by the participation of some good. B/ why should he not quoth I P. then certes quoth she han shrews when they be punished somewhat of good annexed to her shrewdness Tha● i● to say the same pain that they suffren/ that is good by the reason of justice. and when thilk same shrewed es●ap●n without torment/ thenne han they yet some what more of ●uil yet over the wickedness that they han done. that i● to say default of pain the which thou haste granted 〈◊〉 evil for the deserts of felony. b. I ne may not deny it quoth I Phina. Moche more then quoth she been shrews unsilly ● when they be wrongfully delivered from pain. than when they be punished by rightful vengeance● But this is open thing and clear that it y● right that shrews be punished. and it is wickedness and wrong when they ●sca●en unpunished. Boecius/ Who might deny it quoth I Phina. But quoth she may any man deny that all that is right ne is good. And ●●so the contrary that all that is wrong is wicked. Boeciu●. Ce●tes quod I these things be clear enough And that we han concluded here by forn/ But I pray the tell me if thou accordest to letten no torment to the souls after that the body is ended with the death/ that is to say Vnderstandestow aught that souls han any torment after the death of the body. P. Certes quoth she & that right greet. Of which souls quoth she I trow that some been tormented by asprenesse of pain. And souls I trow be exercised by a purging meekness. but it is not my conseylle to determine of these pains/ But I have traveled and told yet hidderto for thou shouldest known that the mowing of shrews. which mowing the seemeth to been unworthy nies no mowing/ And eke of shrews of which thou plainest. that they ne were not punished that thou wouldest see/ or they ne were never moo without the torments of her wickedness. And of the licence of mowing to done evil. that thou praydest that it might soon be ended. And that thou wouldest feign lernen that it should not long endure/ And that shrews be more unsilly if they were of longer during/ and most unsilly if they were perdurable/ And after this I have showed the that more unsilly been shrews when they escapen without her rightful pain. than when they be punished with rightful vengeance/ And of this sentence followeth it that thenne be shrews constrained at last with grievous torments when men ween that they be not punished. B When I considere this reasons quoth I/ I ne trow not that men say any thing more verily. & if I turn ayeyne to the studies of men who is he to whom I should seem that he ne should not only leaven these things but gladly hearken h●m/ P. Certes quoth she so it is/ but men may not/ for they han there eyen so wont to the darkness of earthly things. that they ne may not liften up to the light of clear steadfastness. but they be like to birds of which the night lighteneth her lokinges. and the day blindeth 'em. for when men looken not the order of things but her lusts or talents They ween that either the leave of mowing to do wickedness or else the escaping withouten pain be welefull. But considere the judgement of the perdurable law. for if thou confirm thy courage to the best things/ thou ne hast no meed of no jug to give the price or meed/ for thou hast joined th● self to the most excellent thing. And if thou have enc●●●●d the studice to the wicked things ne seek no foreign wreker out of thyself/ For thou thy self haste thri●t thy self ● in the wicked things like as thou mightest loken by divorce times the foul earth and the heaven And that all other things stinten fro without/ so that thou ne say no things more. then should it seem to the as by only reason of looking that thou were now in the stars and now in the earth. But the people ne looketh not on these things. what thenne. shall we than approach us to h●m that I have showed that they be l●ke to beasts/ and wilt thou s●ye of this if that a man had a●● forlorn his sight And had all forgotten that he eu●● s●we And weaned that no thing ne failed him. of the perfecci●n of mankind. Now thenne we which that myghten seen the sam●●●ynges would we not s●yne and ween. that he were blind Ne also ne accordeth not the people to that that I shall ●●yne the which thing ye fasteyned by a strong fundament of reason. That is to say that more unsilly been they that done wrong to other folk than they that the wrong suffer. B/ I would here thilk same reason quoth I/ P/ Deniest thou quoth she that all shrews ne been worthy to han torment. B/ Nay quoth I/ P. But quoth she I am certain by many reasons that shrews been unsilly/ B. It accordeth quod I Phina. Thenne ne doubtest thou not quoth she. that thilk folk that been worthy of torment that they ne be wretches/ B/ It accordeth well quoth I/ P/ If thou were thenne set a Ingge or a knower of things whether trowestow that men should tourmenten hem that hath do wrong or else hem that suffered the wrong. B. I doubt not quoth I that I nold do suffisannt satisfaction/ to hem that have suffered wrong by the sorrow of 'em that hath done wrong/ Phina. then seemeth it quod she that the doer of wrong is more wretch than he that suffered the wrong. Boccius'/ That followeth well quoth I/ Phina/ Thenne quod she by these causes and by other causes that be enforced by the same root that filth or sin by the proper nature of it maketh 'em wretches/ And it showeth well that th● wrong that men done nies not the wretchedness of him that the wrong receiveth/ but the wretchidnesse of him that doth the wrong But certes quoth she these orators/ or else these advocates done all the contrary for they enforcen 'em to commoeve the judges that han pity of 'em that han suffered and received the things which that been grievous and asper And yet men should have more rygtfully pity of 'em that done the grievances and the wroonges/ The which shrews it were a more covenable thing that the accusers or the Advocates not wroth but piteous and debonair leaden shrews which that han done wrong to the juggement. like as men leden seek men to the leech. for that they shoulden seeken out the malady of sin by torment/ And by this covenant either th'intent of the Advocates should cessen in all. or else if th'office of the advocates would better preufi●en to men. It should be turned in to the habit of accusation/ That is to say they should accuse shrews and not excuse 'em. And eke the shrews hem self it were levefull to hem to seen at any clift/ the virtue which that they han forleten/ And that they sawen that they should put adown the filths of her vices. by the tou●men●es of pains they ne oughten not right for the recompensation for to get 'em bout and prowess/ which that they han lost. demen and holden that thilk pains weren torments to hem/ And eke they welden refuse the attendence of her advocates and taken h●m to her judges and her accusers. For the which but betideth that as to the wise folk there nies no place letten to h●te/ that is to say. that hate ne hath no place amongs wise-men/ for no wight will haten good men. But if he were over much a fool/ And for to haten shreves. it is no reason/ for right as languishing is malady of body/ right so been vices and sin malady of courage/ And so as we ne deemen naught that they which that been seek of their body. been worthy to been hated but rather worthy of py●e. Well more worthy not to been hated. But for to been had in pity. been they of the which the thought is constrained by felonous wickedness. that is more cruel than any languisshing of body   

Quid tantos juuat excitare motus Et propria fatum sollicitare manu Si mortem petitis. propinquat ipsa Sponte sua volucres nec remoratur equos Quos serpens. lo. tigris ursus. aper etc  
WHat delighteth you to exciten so greet meovynges of hatreds & hasten & busien the fatal disposition of your death with your proper hands. that is to say by battles or contectes. For if ye axen the death/ it hasteth him of his own will/ ne death ne tarrieth not his swift horse. And the men that the serpentis and the lion and the tiger and the bear & the bore seeken to sleen with her t●th yet thilk same men seken to sleen every of 'em other with sword. loo for these manners been diverce and discordant they moven unrightful oostes and cruel battles and wilnen to perish by enterchaunging darts. but the reason of the cruelty is not enough rightful. will tow than yelden a covenable guerdon to the deserts of men. love rightfully good men & have pity of shrews   

Sic ego inquam que sit vel felicitas vel miseria in ipsis proborum atque improborum meritis constituta. said in hac ipsa fortuna popilari etc  
THis I see well quoth I either what blissfulness. or else what unselinesse is established in the deserts of good men and of shrews. but in this ilk fortune of the people I see somewhat of good & somewhat of evil/ for no wiseman had not liefer be exiled poor and needy and nameless than for to dwellen in his Cite and flourens of richesses and be redoutable of honour and strong of power. For in this wise more clearly and witnesfully is th'office of wise men treated than the blissfulness of power & governors is/ as it were shed amongs the peoples that be neighbours and subgittis'. sith that namely prison/ law & these other torments of lawful pains be rather owed to felonous Citezenes. For the which felonous Citezeines the pains be established more than for good people. B. then I marvel greetly quoth I why that the things be so miss entrechaunged that torments of felonies pressen & confounden good people. and shrews ravesshen medes of virtue. & been in honours & great estates. And I desire eke for to weten of the/ what seemeth the to be the reason of this so wrongful a confusion/ For I would wonder well the lass/ if I trowed that all things were meddled with fortunouse hap But now creepeth & encresith mine astonyengis God governor of things that so as God giveth oft times to good men goods & mirths. and to shrews evils & a●pre things. & giveth ayein to good folk ●ordnesse & to shrews he granteth hem her will/ & that they des●ren̄/ what difference may there be between. that that god doth. & hap of fortune. if men know not the cause why it is/ P/ Ne it is no marvel quoth she/ though that men wenen that there be some what foliss● and confuse when the reason of the order is unknown. but all though that thou ne know not the cause of so great a disposition. natheless for as much as god the good governor attempreth and governeth the world. ne doubt ye not that all things ben done a right   

Si quis arturi sidera nescit. Lassantque crebris pulsib a●ra. Propinqua summo cardine labi. Nemo miratur flamina chori. Cur legate tardus plaustra boetes. Litus frementi tundere fluctu. Mergatque seras equore flammas. Nec nimis duram frigore molem. Cur nimis s●eleres explicet ortus. fervent phebi soliner estu. Legem stup●bit etheris alti. Hic e●im causas cernere promptum. Palleant plene cornua lune etc  
WHo so that know not the ster●es of Artery turned to the sovereign centre or point. That is to say turned nigh to the sovereign pole of the firmament/ and wot not why the star Boetes passeth or gathereth his veins and drencheth his late flames in the see. And why that Boetes the star unfoldeth his overswift arisings thenne shall he wondren of the law of the high air. And eke if that he ne know not why that the horns of the full moan waxed pale & infect by the bounds of the dark night/ and how the moan dark & confuse discovereth the stars that she had covered by her clear visage/ The common error moveth folks & maketh weary her basins of brass by thilk strokes/ that is to say that there is a manner people that height Coribandes that weenen that when the moan is in the eclipse that it be enchanted. And therefore for to rescue the Moon/ they beaten her basins with thilk strookes Ne no man ne wondereth when the blasts of the wind chorus beaten the strands of the see by quaking floods/ Ne no man ne wondereth when the weight of the snow harded by the cold is resolved by the brenning heat of phoebus the son/ For here seen men readily the causes. but the causes yhidde that is to say in heveue troublen the breasts of men/ the meovable people is astonied of all things that comen seld & sedenly in your age/ but the troubly error of our ignorance dept fro us so that if they wisten the cause why that such things betiden. certes they shoulden cease to seem wonders   

Ita est inquam. sed cum tui muneris sit latenti rerum causas evoluere velatasque caligine explicare raciones Queso uti hinc decernas. quam hoc me miraculum maxime perturbat. edisseras. Tum illa paulisper etc  
THus it is qu●d I but so as thou haste yeven or byhighte me to unwrap the hid causes of things and to discover me the reasons covered with darkness I pray the that thou devise & jug me of this matter. & that thou do me to understand it/ For this miracle of this wonder troubleth me right greetly. And then she a little what smiling said. Thou clepest me quod she to tell that is greetest of all things. that mown been axed/ And to the which question uneath is there aught enough to laven it/ As who saith. Vnnethe is there any thing to answer perfitly to thy question/ For the matter of h●● is such. that when do doubt is determined and cut away/ there waxed other doubts without number/ right as the heeds of Idre the serpent waxed the which serpent Hercules slough/ ne there ne were no manner ne none end/ but if a wight constrained the doubts by a right lively and quick fire of thought. That is to say by vigour and strength of wit/ For in this matter men weren wont to maken questions of the simplicity of the purveyance of god and of the order of destiny and of sudden hap. and of knowing of predestination divine And of the liberty of frewille/ The which things thou thy self apperceyvedest well of what weight they been. but for as much as the knowings of these things is a manner portion or medicine to the/ all be it so that I have little time to done it/ yet nevertheless I would enforcen me to shown some what of it/ But all though the norisshinges of dite of music delighteth the/ thou must suffren and forberens a little of thilk delight. while that I ween to th● reasons knit by ordre. B/ As it liketh to the quoth I so do Phina/ Tho spacke she right as by another beginning & said right thus. The engendering of all things quoth she and all the progressions of meovable nature/ and all that moveth in any manner. taketh his causes/ his order and his forms of the stableness of divine thought/ And thilk divine thought that is set and put in the tour That is to say. in the height of the simplicity of God Stablissheth many manner guises to the things that been to done. The which manner when that men looken it in the pure cleanness of the divine Intelligence is cleped pourueyannce. But when thilk manner is referred by men to things that it moveth or disponeth than of old men it was cleped destiny. the which things if that any whighte looketh well in his thought/ the strength of that one and of that other he shall lightly mow seen. that these two things been divorce. For purveyance is thilk divine reason/ that is established in the sovereign prince of things/ the which purveyance disponeth all things. But certes destiny is the disposition and the ordinance cle●yng to meovable things/ by the which disposition the purveyance knitteth all things in her ordre. For purveyance embraceth all things to heap all though they be dyverce/ and all though they be Infinite But destiny certain departeth and ordaineth all things singlerly and divideth in me●uyng in places. in forms/ in times as thus. late the unfolding of temporal ordinance assembled and coned in the looking of the divine thought be cleped purveyance. and thilk same assembling & o●nyng divided and unfolden late that be called destiny. And all be it so that these things been divers yet nevertheless hanged that one of that other. for why the ordre destynale proceedeth of the simplicity of purveyance For right as a workman perceiveth in his thought the form of a thing that ●e will make and moveth the effect of the w●rk/ And leadeth that ●e ●●d looked before in his thought simply & presently by corporal ordinance. c●●tes right so god in his purveyance disponeth singlerly & stably the things that be to done/ but he administereth in manners & in divers times by destiny thilk same things that ●e hath disponed thenne whether destiny be exercised either by some divine spirits servants to the divine purveyance/ or else by some soul. or else by all nature serving to god/ or else by the celestial movings of stars/ or else by the virtue of angels. or else by divorce subtlety of devils/ or else by any of 'em. or else by 'em all/ the destinall ordinance is woven and accomplished. Certes it is open thing that the purveyance is an unmeovable & simple form of things to done/ And the meonable bond & the temporal ordinance of things which that th● divine simplicity of purveyance hath ordained to done that is desteyne/ For which it is that all things that been put under desteyne been certes subgi●ttes unto purveyance. to which purveance destiny itself is subgiect & under/ but some things been put under purveyance that surm●ūten the ordinance of destiny. and tho been thilk that stably been fixed nigh to the first godhead they surmounten the order of destynale movablete. For right as circles tornen about a same centre or about a point/ thilk c●rcle that is Innerest or most with in/ he joineth to the simplesse of the middle/ & is as it were a centre or a point to that other circles that turnen about him. & thilk that is utterest compassed by a larger environing is unfold by larger spaces/ in so much as it is fertherest fro the middelest simplicity of the point. & if there be any thing that knitteth & felaushippeth himself to thilk middle point/ it is constrained into simplicity. that is to say into unmovablete. & it ceaseth to been shed & to flit diusly/ right so by semblable reason thilk thing that departeth fortherest fro the first thought of god ● it is unfolden & also submitted to greater bonds of destiny/ and in so moch is the thing more free and louse fro dignity/ as it asketh and holdeth near to thilk Centre of things. That is to say to god. And if the thing cleaveth to the steadfastness of the thought of god and be without moving. certes it ●urmounteth the necessite of destiny/ Thenne ●uche comparison as is skiling to understanding and of thing that was engendered to thing that is of time to eternite. And of the cercle to the centre right so is the order of meovable destiny to to st●ble simplicity of purveyance/ Thilk ordinance moveth the heaven and the stars and attempreth the elements to gadre among 'em self. and transformeth 'em by en●r●●h●ungeable mutation. And thilk same order neweth a●eyne all things growing & falling a down by semblable progressions of seeds and of sexus/ That is to s●●n̄ male and female. And thi● ilk ordre constraineth the f●r●un●● & the deeds of men by a band of causes not able to be unbounden. The which destynale causes when they pas●●n out fro the beginnings of unmeovable pourueya●̄ce 〈◊〉 mo●e needs be that they ne be not mutable. A● thus. be the things well governed if that the simplicity dwelling in the divine thought showeth forth the order ●f cause's unable to be ●owed. And this order constraineth by the proper stable●e the meovable things or else they shoulden fl●●e fo●●ly. For which it 〈◊〉 that things seemen confuse and trowblye to us men. For we ne mown not considere thilk ordinance. Nevertheless the proper man●re of 〈◊〉 ●hing dressing him to god disponeth 'em all ● For there nies no thing done for evil. for thilk thing that is dene by wicked folk nies not done for evil/ the which shrews as I have showed full plenteously seek good But wicked error mystorneth hem/ ne the order coming fro the point of sovereign good ne inclineth not fro his bygyning/ but thou mayst say what unrest may been a worse confusion thenne that good men han sometime adversity and sometime prosperity/ & shrews han now also things that they desiren & now things that they haten/ whether men live now in such hol●nesse of thought. As who seith. be men now so wise/ that such folk as they deemen to ●e good folk or shrews. that it moat needs be that folk be such as they weenen Butt in this manner domes of men discorden/ that thilk men that some folk deemen worthy of meed. other folk dame 'em worthy of torment/ but ●ate us grant I suppose that some man may well dame or know the good people & the bad May he thenne know & see thilk Innerest attemꝑance of courage as it hath be wont to be said of bodies/ as who saith May a man speken of complexions & attemperance of bodies/ ne it ne is not/ as who seith but it is like a marvel or a miracle to hem that ne known it not. why that sweet things be covenable to some bodies that been hole/ & to some people bitter things be covenable. & also why some people been helped with light medicines/ & some people ben helped with bitter medicines/ but natheless though that known the manner & the actemperance of hele & of malady ne marveleth it no thing/ but what other thing seemeth health of courages but bounty/ and what other thing seemeth malady of courage but vices/ Who is else keeper of good and driver away of evil/ but God the governor and leather of thoughts. The which God when he hath beholden from the high tour of his purveyance/ he knoweth what is covenable to any wight/ and leaneth 'em that he wot well that is covenable to hem. lo hereof cometh and hereof is done this miracle of the order destynable/ when god that all knoweth doth such thing of which thing unknowing folk ben astonied. but for to constrain as who seith but for to comprehend and tell a few things of the divine deepness/ the which that man's reason may understand. Thilk man that thou weenest to been right just & right keeping of equity. the contrary of that seemeth to the divine purveyance that all wot/ A●d lucan my familiar tellith that the vyctoriouse cause liked to the gods/ and the causes overcomen liketh to Caton/ Thenne what so ever thou mayst seen that is done in this world unhoped or else unknowen/ certes it is the right order of things But as to thy wicked opinion/ it is a confusion/ but I suppose that some man be so weal thewed that the divine judgement and the judgement of mankind accorden hem together of him/ but he is so unstidfaste of courage. that if any adversity come to him/ he will forleten peradventure to continue innocency/ by the which he ne may not withholden fortune/ thenne the wise dispensacion of god spareth him the which man adversity might enpey●en. for that god will not him to travail/ to whom that travail nies not covenable. Another man is perfit in all virtues and y● an holy man and nigh to god so that the purveyance of god would dame that it were a felony that he were touched with any adversities. so that he will not suffer that such a man be with any bodily malady moved. But so as said the philosopher/ the more excellent is by me said in great that virtues han edified the body of the holy man/ & oft time it betideth that the some of things that been to done is taken to govern to good f●lk. for that the malice habondannt of shrews should been abated/ and God giveth and departeth to other folk prosperities & adversities medeled to heap after the quality of her couraigis/ and remordeth some folk by adversities. for they ne should not waxed proud by long welefulnesse/ and other folk he suffereth to be traveled with hard things for that they should confermen the virtues of courage by the excercitation of usage of patience. And other folk d●eden more than they oughten the which they mighten well bearen/ & some despise that they mow not bear. And thilk folk god leadeth into experience of 'em self by asper & sorrowful things And many other folk have brought honourable renomes of this world by the price of glorious death. And some men that ne mow not been overcomen by torment. han yeven ensample to other folk that virtue may not been overcomen by adversities/ And of all these things there nies no doubt that they ne been done rightfully and ordeynly to the perfit good of 'em to whom we seen these things betide. For certes that adversities cometh sometime to shrews/ and sometime that they desiren it cometh of these foresaid causes & of sorrowful things that betiden to shrews Certes no man ne wondereth/ for all men ween that they han deserved it. and that they been of wicked merit. of which shrews the torment agasteth sometime other to done felonies/ and sometime it amendeth 'em that suffereth the torments/ & the prosperity that is yeven to shrews. showeth a great argument ●o good people/ what thing they should deemen of thilk welfulnes. which prosperity men seen oft serve to shrews/ in which thing I trow that god dispenseth For peradventure the nature of some man is so outhrowing to evil & so uncovenable that the needy poverty of his household might rather aggrieve him to done felonies. & to the malady of him god putteth remedy to yeven him richesse. & some other man beholdeth his conscience defouled with sins and maketh comꝑison of this fortune & of himself/ & dreadeth peradventure that the blissfulness of which the usage is joyful to him. & the losing of thilk blissfulness ne be not sorrowful to him/ & therefore he would change his manners. & for he dreadeth to lose his fortune he forleteth his wickedness. to other folks welfulness is ●euen unworthily/ the which overthroweth 'em into destruccion that they han deserved. & to some other folk is yeven power to punisshen for that it shallbe cause of continuation & e●cercising to good folk & cause of torment to shrewed. for as there n●s none alliance betwixt good folk & shrews. ne shrews ne mow not accorden among hem self/ And why not. for that shrews dis●orden of h●m self by her vices. the which vices all to renden her conscience● and done oft-time things the which things when they han done 'em/ they dame that though things ne should not han be done. for which thing the sovereign purveyance hath maked oft-time miracle. so that shrews han maked shrews to been good men/ for when that some shrews seen that they suffer wrongfully felonies of other shrews/ they waxed eschau●ed in to hate of 'em that annoyed 'em and retournen to the fruit of virtue. than they studien to be unlike to hem that they han hated. Certes only is this the divine might. to the which might. evils been than good when it useth the evils covenably & draweth out the effect of any good/ as who seith that evil is good on̄e●● to the might of god. for the might of god ordaineth th●●● evil to good/ for one order embraceth all things/ so that what wight departeth from the reason of thilk order that is assigned to him. algates yet he slideth into another ordre. so that nothing is leveful to folly in the royalme of divine purveyance. as who seith nothing is without ordinance in the royalme of divine purveyance/ sith that the right strong god governeth all things in this world. for it is not levefull for men to comphende by wit ne unfolden by word all the subtle ordinance & the disposition of the divine intent/ for only it aught to suffice to han looked that god himself maker of all natures ordaineth all things to good while that he hasteth to withhold the things that he hath maked into his semblance that is to say fo●to withholden the things into good. for he himself is good/ he chaseth out all evils fro the bound of his cominaltees by the order of the necessity destynable/ for which it folweth that if thou look the purveyance ordening the things that men weenen be outrageous or habondant in erthes thou shalt not seen in no place no thing of evil. but I see now that thou art charged with the weight of the question & weary with length of my reason & that thou ●bidest some sweetness of song. take thenne this draft. & when thou art well refreshed & refecte. thou shalt be more steadfast to sty into higher questions or things   

Si vis celsi iura tonantis. Pura solers cernere ment Aspice summi culmina celi. Illic justo federe rerum. Ueterem servant sidera pacem etc  
If thou wise wolt deemen in thy pure thought the rights or the laws of the high thunder. that is to say of god. look thou & behold the heights of the sovereign heaven there ●●pe● the stars by rightful a●●ance of things her old pe●s. the son meoved b● his rody fire/ ne distourbeth not the co●●e cer●le of the mone● ne the star cleped the beer that enjoineth his ravishing courses about the soveram height of this world. nies never w●sshen in the deep western se●. ne to ●●●●eth not to die his flames in the see of the occian. All though ●e see other stars plounged in the see. & that the s●●●re ●●spe●●● bodeth & telleth alway the late nights/ & lucifer t●● se●r●● bringeth ayein the clear day. And thus 〈…〉 entr●chaūgeable perdurable courses. & thus is 〈…〉 put out of the country of ster●es. this ac 〈◊〉 actempreth by manesses evenlike the elements/ that th● moyse things striving with the dry things y●ue place b● s●oūdes & that the col●e things joinen 'em by ●●ith to t●● hot things & that the ●ight fire ariseth into the height and the heu● e●thes avalen by her weights. by these same causes the floury year yieldeth sw●te smells in the first summer season warming/ & the hot summer drieth the corns/ And Autumpne cometh a●eme bouye of apples/ And the fleeting ra●ne b●d●weth this winter. This actemperance nourisheth & bringeth forth all thing that beareth life in this world And thilk same actemperannce ravishing. hideth and bynymmeth & drencheth under last death/ all things that been born/ among these things s●cteth the high maker king & lord/ well & beginning law & wise jug to done equity. & governeth & inclineth the brideles of things/ and though things that he steereth to go by moving he withdraweth & arresteth & affirmeth the meovabletees or wanderings. for if that he ne called not ayeyn the right going of things. & if that he ne constrained 'em not eftsoons into rounds inclined. the things that been now continued by stable ordnance they shoulden depart from her well/ That is to say fro her beginning/ & fallen that is to say turnen into naught. This is the common love to all things And all things axen to be holden by the fine of good. for else ne mighten they not lasten/ if they ne come not eftsoons ayeyn by love returned to the cause that hath yeven 'em being. that is to say god   

jam ne igitur vides quid hec omnia que diximus consequantur. Quid nam inquit. Omnem inquit etc  
●Estow not than what thing followeth all the things that I have said. B/ what thing quoth I/ P. Certes quoth she all utterly that all fortune is good/ B/ And how may that be quoth I/ P/ now understand quoth she/ so as all fortune whether so it be joyful fortune or aspre fortune/ is either yeven by cause of guerdoning/ or else of excercising of good folk or because to punish or elliss to chastisen the shrews. thenne fortune is good. the which fortune is certain that it be either rightful or else profitable/ B. Forsooth this is a full very reason quoth I/ & if I considere the purveyance & the destiny that thou taughtest me a little here before/ this sentence is sustened by stidfast reasons. but if it ●●ke to the late us nombre hem among thilk things of which thou seidest a little here before that they ne were not able to be weaned to the people. p/ why so quoth she. b/ for the common word of men quoth I useth amiss the manner speech of fortune. & say of time that fortune of some wight is wicked. p/ willow thenne quoth she that I approach a litil to the words of the people so that it seem not to hem that I be oumoch departed as fro the usage of mankind/ b. as thou wilt quoth I/ P. wenestow not quoth she that all thing that profiteth is good. b/ yis quoth I p. certes all thing that excercith or corrigeth. it profiteth. B I confess well quoth I p. than is it good quoth she/ b/ why not quoth I/ p/ but this is the fortune quoth she of h●m that either be put in virtue/ & bat●ilen against aspre thingis. or else of 'em that enclinen & declinen fro vices & taken the weigh of virtue b. this ne may I not deny quoth I/ p but what s●istow of the merry fortune that is yeven to good people in guerdon/ deemeth aught the people that it be wicked. b. nay fors●th quoth I but they dame as it is sooth ● that it is right good. p. what seist th●u of the other fortune quoth she/ that all though that it be asper & restraineth the shrews by rightful torment/ weeneth aught the people that it be good/ b. nay quoth I/ but the people deemeth that it is most wretched of all things that may be thought. Phina. Ware now and look well quoth she lest we in following the opinion of the people. have confessed and concluded thing which that is unable to been weaned to the people/ Boecius. What is that quod I P. Certes quoth she it followeth or cometh of things that been granted that all fortune what so ever it be. of 'em that either be in possession of virtue/ or else in the purchasing of virtue. that thilk fortune is good. & that all fottune is right wicked to hem that dwell in shrewdness. As who seith/ & thus weeneth not the people. B. that is sooth quoth I. albe it so that noman dar confess it ne know/ P. why so quoth she/ for right as a strong man ne seemeth. not to abasshen/ or disdainen as oft-time as he heareth the noise of the battle. Ne also it seemeth not to the wiseman to bearen it grievously as oft as he is led into strife of fortune/ for both to that one man & eke to thilk other/ thilk difficult is the matter to that one man of increase of his glorious renome. & to that other man to conserve his sapience. that is to say to the asprenes of his estate. for therefore is it called vertu/ for that it susteneth & enforceth by his strengths/ so that it nies not oucomen by adversities. ne certes thou that art put in increase or in the height of virtue/ ne hast not comen to fleten/ with delices. & forto walken in bodily lust. thou sowest or plantest a full eager battle in thy courage against every fortune. for that the sorrowful fortune confonde the not. ne that the merry fortune ne corrumpe the not/ occupy the mean by steadfast strengths For all that ever is under the mean/ or all that overpassith the mean despiseth welfulnes/ As who seith. it is vicious And ne hath no meed of his travail/ for it is set in your hand. As who seith it lieth in your power. what fortune you is leveste. that is to say good or evil/ for all fortune that seemeth sharp or asper. if it ne excercise not the good folk ne chastiseth the wicked folk it punysseth   

Bella bis binis operatus annis. Ultor atrides phrigierumis. Fratris amissos thalamos piavit.Ille dn gay dare vela classi. Optat & ventos redimit eruore &c  
THe wreker atrides that is to say Agamenon that wrought & continued the battles by ten year/ recovered & purged in wreaking by the destruction of Troy. the lost chambers of marriage in his brother/ that is to say that Agamenon won ayein Elene that was menelaus wife his brother. in the mean while that thilk agamenon desired to yeven sails to the greeks navy/ & brought ayein the winds by blood. he unclothed him of pite of father. and the sorry priest giveth in sacrefiing the wretched kicting of the throat of the daughter/ that is to say that agamenon lete kit the throat of his daughter by the priest to maken alliance with hi● god's/ & forto han wind with which he might weenden to troy/ Itacus that is to say ulixes bewept his fellows y●●●n̄. the which f●laws the fires peliphemus ligging in his great cave had freten & dreynt in his empty womb/ But natheless poliphemus wood for his blind visage yield to ulires joy by his sorrowful tears. that is to say that ulixes smote out the eye of p●l●phemus that stood in the forehead for which ulixes had joy when he say poliphemus weeping & blind. Hercu●●s is celebrable for his hard travail. he daunted the proud centaurus half horse half man/ & b●rafte the despoiling fro the cruel lion. that is to say he slough the ho● & birafte h●m his s●yn̄e/ he smote the ●●iddes that height a●pyes with certain arrows. he ravished apples fro the waking dragon. & his hand was the more heavy for the golden metal. he drew cerberus the hound of hell by the triple chains He overcomer as it is said hath put an unmeke lord fodder to his cruel horse. that is to say hercules slough Diomedes & made his horse to freten him/ & he hercules slough Idra the serpent & brent the venom. And achileus the flood defouled in his forehead dreynt his shamefast visage i● his stronndes/ that is to say that achileus coude transfigure himself into diverse likeness/ And as he fought with hercules at last he turned him into a bull. & hercules brake of one of his horns. & he for shame hide him in his river. & over that he hercules caste adoun Antheus the giant in the strands of libie/ And cacus appaysed the wraths of quander/ that is to say that hercules slough the monster cacus & appeased with that death the wrath of evander. & the br●steled boor marked with vomes the shoulders of hercules the which shoulders the high cercle of heaven should thirst. And the last of his labours was that he sustened the heaven upon his neck. unbowed & he deserved eftsoons the h●uen to be the last end of travail/ goth now then ye strong men there as the great ensample leadeth you. oh nice men why make ye your backs/ As who seith. O ye slow & delicate men. why see ye aduer●itees & ne fighten not against hem by virtue to winnen the meed of heaven. For the meed overcomen giveth the stars/ That is to say that when that earthly lust is overcomen. a man is maked worthy to the heaven   
Explicit liber quartus ¶ Incipit liber quintus   

DIxerat oraciovisque cursum ad alia quedam tractanda atque expedienda vertebat. Tum ego. recta quidem inquam exortacio tuaque ꝓrsus auctoritate etc  
SHe had said & turned the ●eurs of her reason to some other things to be treated & to be sped/ B. Thenne said I Certes rightful is thine amonesting. and full dign by authority. but that thou saidst whilom that the question of the divine purveyance is enlased with many other questions. I understand well & prove it by the same thing. but I may ask/ if th●t thou weenest that hap be any thing in any ways. and if thou weenest that hap be any thing/ what is it. P ● Thenne quoth see I haste me to yield & aesculin to the the debt of my behest/ & to show & open the weigh by which wa● thou mayst comen again in thy count 〈…〉 all be it ●●o that th● things that thou askest been 〈…〉/ yet been th●y divers some what 〈…〉 pa●h of my purpose/ And it is to doubten that thou ne mayst not su●●isen to me●uren the right weigh. B. Ne devote the thereof nothing quoth I for forto know thilk things together in the which things I delight me greetly That shallbe to me in seed of res●e. s●th it is not to doubt of the things following when every t●●●g ●f thy disputytion shallbe steadfast to me. by vndo●●t●us ●eith. P. th●n̄e saide she. that manner would I done to the & began to speak right thu●. Certes quoth she if any wight diffinissh hap in th●● manner that is to say. that hap is betiding brought for●h by foolish moving & by no knitting of causes/ I confirm that hap ny● right naught in no wise. and I dame all utterly that hap nis not ne dwelleth but a wis/ as who seith but an idle word without any signification of thing to that wis submitted. for what place might be jest or dwelling to ●olie & discordance. sith that god leadeth & constreyneth all thing by ordre/ for this sentence is sooth/ that nothing hath his being of naught. to which sentence none of these old folk ne withseid new/ all be it so that they ne understand it not by god prince & beginner of werking/ but they casten as a manner fondement of subjects' material. that is to say of the nature of all reason/ & if that any thing is waxed & comen of no causes. then shall it seem that thilk thing is comen or waxed of naught. but if this ne may not be done thenne is it not possible that hap be by any such thing as I have diffinished a litil here before/ b. how shall it then be quoth I/ nis there then nothing that by right may be cleped either hap or else adventure or fortune/ or else is there aught. albe it so that it is hid fro the people to which things these words be covenable/ p. mine aristotiles quoth she in the book of his physic diffinissheth this thing shortly & nigh to the sooth/ b/ in what manner quoth I p. as men done quoth she any thing ●or grace of any other thing/ then no nother thing than thilk thing that men entenden to done bitideth by some causes it is cleped hap right as a man dalf the erthes because of tilling of the field/ & found there a gobett of gold bidoluen. thenne ween folk that it is befall by fortunus betiding. but forsooth it is not of naught. for it hath his proper causes/ of which causes the course unforseyn & unware seemeth to han maked hap. for if the tiler of the field ne delfe not in the earth. and if the hider of the gold. ne had hid the gold in thilk place the gold ne had not been founden/ these been thenne the causes of the abbreging of fortuyt hap/ the which abreging of fortuyt hap. cometh of causes of encountering or flowing together to hem self. & not by the intention of the doer. for neither the hider of the gold. ne the delver of the field ne understanden not that the gold should han be found/ but as I said it betidde & ran together that he dalfe there as that other had hid the gold. Now may I thus diffinisshen hap/ Hap is an unware betiding of causes assembled in things that been done for some other thing/ but thilk order proceeding by an uneschuable betiding together which that descendeth from the well of purveyance that ordaineth all things in her places & in her times maketh that the causes rennen & assemb●en together  

●upis a●hemen●e scopulis ubi rersa seqentum Pectoribus 〈◊〉 spicula pugna fugax. Tigris & eufratis &c  
TYgris & eufrates resoluen and spri●gen of oon well in the c●aggis of the r●che of the countre● of A●hemenye th●re as the flyeing batailles f●yen her darts returning in the breasts of hem that followen hem/ And soon after the same rivers. tigris. & eufra●●s unjoinen & departen her waters. and if they com●n to gedirs/ and be assembled and called in to oo tours. then meeten thilk things fleten together/ which that the water of the entrechauging flood bringeth the ships/ & the strokes arased with that the flood meeten assemble & the waters medeled wrappeth or implieth many fortuneles haps or maneres the which wandering haps nathele● thilk declining lowness of the earth & of the flowing order of the sliding water governeth. right so fortune that seemeth as it fleeteth with slaked or ungouned bridles/ it suffereth bridles/ that is to say to be governed/ & passith by thilk law/ that is to say by the divine ordinance   

Animaduerto inquam idque uti tu dicis ita esse. consencio Sed in hac herentium sibi serie causare estue. ulla vestri arbitrii libertas. An ipsos quoque humanorum motus  
THis understand I well quoth I & I accord me that it is right as thou seist/ but I ask if there be any liberty of free-will in this order of causes that cleaven thus together in 'em self/ or else I would weten. that if the destynal chain constraineth the moving of the courages of men. p. yis quoth she there is liberty of free-will/ ne there ne was neun no nature of reason/ that it ne had liberty of free-will/ for every thing that may naturally use reason/ it hath doom by which it disc●rneth & deemeth every thing. thenne knoweth it by itself things that ben to fleen & things that been to desiren/ and thilk thing that any wight deemeth to be desired that asketh he or desireth. & fleeth thilk that he troweth be to fleen. wherefore in all things that reason is. in him is also liberty of willing & of nilling. but I ne ordain not/ as who seith I ne grant not that this liberty be evenlike in all things. For why in the divines sovereigns substances/ That is to say in spirits judgement is more clear & w●l not corrumpe & mighty ready to speed things that been desired/ but the souls of men moten needs been more free. when they looken 'em in speculation/ or looking of the divine thought. & lass ●ree when they sliden into the bodies/ & yet 'las fire when they be gedered together & comprehended in earthly membres But the last servage is when that they been yeven to vicis and han yfalle fro the possession of her proper reason. for after that they han cast away her eyen from the light of the sovereign soothfastness to low things & dark/ anon they derken by the cloud of ignorance & been troubled by felonous talents. to which talents when they assenten & approachen & increasen the servage which they han joined to hem self And in this manner they been caitiffs fro her proper liberty The which things natheless the looking of the divine purveyance seethe that all things beholdeth & seethe from eterne & or●eyneth 'em eu●rich in her merits as they been pdestynate & it is said in greek th●t all things he seethe/ all things governing he heareth   

Puro clarum lumine phebun Mellifluj canit oris homerus Qui tamen intima viscera terre Non valet etc  
HOmer with the honey mouth that is to say homer with the sweet di●●es singeth that the son is clear by pure light. natheless y●● ne may it by the infirm light of his beams breaken or ꝑs●n the inward entrails of the earth or else of the see/ so ne seethe not god maker of the greet world to him that looketh all things from an high ne withstandeth nothings by heaviness of earth ne the night ne withstandeth not to him by the black clouds/ thilk god seethe in oo stroke of thought all things that been or were or shall come And thilk god for he looketh & seethe all things alone thou mayst say that he is the very son   

Tum ego en inque difficiliore rursus ambiguitate confundor. Que nam inquit ista est etc  
Thenne said I thus/ now am I confounded by a more hard doubt than I was. P. what doubt is that quoth she/ for certes I conject now by such things thou art troubled. b/ it seemeth quoth I to repugnen & to contrary greetly that god knoweth before all things/ and that there is any freedom or liberty/ for if so be that god looketh all things by forn ne god ne may not been deceived in no manner/ thenne moat it needs be that all things the which that the purveyance of god hath seen before to come/ for which if that god knoweth toforn not only the works of men. but also her counseiles & her wills/ thenne ne shall there be no liberty of arbitre. ne certes there may be none other deed ne no will/ but thilk divine purveyance that ne may be deceived hath ●eled before/ for if that they might writhe away in other manner than they be purveyed. thenne ne should there not be no steadfast pscience of thing to come. but rather an uncertain opinion. which thing to trowen of god/ I dame it felony & unleveful/ ne I ne prove not thilk same reason. as who seith I ne allow not or I ne praise not thilk reason/ by which some men ween that they mow assoilen ●o unknytte the knot of this question. for certes they say that thing is not to come for that the purveyance of god hath seen toforn/ that it is to comen/ but rather the contrary. and that is this. that for that the thing is to comen/ that therefore ne may it not been hid from the pourueyannce of God. And in this manere this necessity slideth ayeyne into the contrary party Ne it behoveth not needs that things betiden that been purveyed. but it behoveth needs that things that been to comen bene purveyed/ but as it were traveled. As who saith/ thilk answer proceedeth right as though men travailleden or were busy to enqueren the which thing is cause of which thing. As whether the prescience is cause of the necessity of things to comen/ or else that the necessity of things to comen is cause of the purveyance/ But I enforce me not now to show that the betidinges of things y wist before is necessary/ how so or in what manner that the order of causes hath hit self/ all though that it ne seem not that the prescience bring in necessity of betiding to things to comen/ For certes if any wight sit it behoveth by necessity that the opinion be sooth of him that coniecteth that he sitteth. And againward also it is of the contrary/ For if the opinion be sooth of any wight before that he sittith. it behoveth by necessite that he sit/ thenne is here necessity in that one. and in that other. For in that one is necessity of si●tyng. And certes in that other is necessity of sooth. But therefore ne sitteth not a wight/ for that the opinion of sitting is sooth/ but the opinion is rather sooth/ for a wight sitteth before. And thus tha●gh that the cause of the sooth cometh of that other side/ As w●●o saith. all traugh the cause of the ●othe cometh of the s●tting and not of the true opinion. Algates yet there is a common necessity in that one and in that other. Thus sueth it that I may make semblable skills of the purveyance of god & of things to comen/ For all though that for the things be to comen. therefore been they purveyed/ And not certes for they been purveyed. therefore ne betid they not. natheless behoveth it by necessite/ that either the things to comen be purveyed of god/ or else that the things that been purveyed of god betiden/ & this thing only sufficeth enough to destroy the freedom of our arbitre. that is to say of our fire will/ But certes now showeth it well how far fro the sooth. and how upso-down is this thing/ that we say that the betiding of temporal things is cause of eterne prescience/ but for to weenen that god purveyeth. the things to comen for they been to comen/ what other thing is it but for to ween that thilk things that betiden whilom been cause of thilk sovereign purveyance that is god. And hereto add I yet this thing. that right as when that I wot/ what a thing is/ it behoveth by necessity that thilk same thing betide/ So followeth it thenne. that the betiding of the thing ywist before. ne may not been eschewed. And at last if any wight ween a thing to be other wise than it is. It is not only unscience/ but it is full deceivable opinion/ full divers and full far from the sooth of science/ wherefore if any thing be so to comen/ that the betiding of it ne be not certain ne necessary. who may weten before that thilk thing is to comen. For right as science ne may not be meddled with falseness. As who seith that if I wot a thing/ it ne may not be falls/ that I ne wot it/ right so thilk thing that is conceived by science. ne may not been none other ways than as it is conceived. For that is the cause why that science wanteth losing. as who seith/ why that witting receiveth not losing of that it wot/ For it behoveth by necessity that every thing by right as science comprehendeth it ●o been/ what shall I thenne say. in which manner knoweth god before all the things to comen. if they be not certain/ for if that he dame that they be to come uneschuable/ & so may be that it is possible. that they ne shullen not comen god is deceived/ but only to trow that god is deceived. for to speak it with mouth. it is a felonous sin But if that god wot that right so as things been to comen so shall th●y come/ so that he wot egaly. as who seith indifferently that things mown been done or else not done What is thilk prescience that comphendeth no certain thing ne stable. or else what difference is there between/ th● prescience of thilk jape worthy divining of Tyresie dyvinour that said/ All that I see qd ●e/ either it shallbe/ either it shall not be/ or else h●w moche is worth the dxuine prescience more than the opinion of mankind. If it so be that it deemeth the things uncertain as men done/ of the which domes of men the betiding nies not certain. but if so be that none uncertain thing ne may not been in him. that is right certain well of all things ● thenne 〈◊〉 the betiding certain of thilk thing which he hath wist before f●rmely to comen/ For which it followeth that the freedoms of counseilles a●d of the works of mankind nies noon Sigh that the thought of god which that seethe all things withouten error of falseness bindeth and constraineth 'em to a bytiding by necessity. And if this thing be once granted and received. That y● to say/ that there nies no free will/ thenne showeth it well/ how great destruction. and how great damage there followen of things of mankind For in idle been there than purposed and bihight medes/ to good folk/ and pains to bad folk. sith no moving of free courage voluntary ne hath naught deserved 'em. that is to say neither meed ne pain. and it should seem thenne that thilk thing is alder worst/ which that is now deemed for aldermoost just and most rightful. that is to say that shrews been punished. or else that good folk been guerdoned. The which folk seen that her proper will Ne assent hem not. to that one. ne to that other. that is to say. neither too good ne to harm/ but constrained 'em certain necessity of things to comen. than should there never be. ne never weren vice ne vertu/ but it should be confusion of all deserts medeled withouten discretion/ and yet there followeth another inconvenient. of the which there ne may be thought/ no more felonous ne more wik. than it is/ This that so as the order of things is led and cometh of the purveyance of god. ne that no thing is l●ueful to the conseylles of mankind. as who saith that men han no power to do no thing/ ne wilne nothing/ thenne followeth it that our vices been referred to the maker of all good. As who seith. thenne followeth it. that god aught to han all the blame of our vices/ sith he constraineth. us by necessity to done vices. then is there no reason to hopen in god. ne forto preyen god. For what should any wight hope to god/ or why should he pray to god. sith that the ordinance of destiny/ which that ne may not be inclined knitteth & streygneth all things that men may desiren/ thenne should there be done away thilk only alliance bitwix god & men. that is to say to hopen and to preyen/ But by the price of rightwiseness & of very meekness we deserven the guerdon of the divine grace which that is inestimable. that is to say. that is so great that it ne may not been full praised/ And this is only the manner that is to sayne hope and preyers/ For which it seemeth that men wol speak with god. And by reason of supplicaci●n been conjoined to thilk clearness that is not approached no rather. or that men seken it & impetrens it. And if men ne ween not that hope ne prayer● ne han no strengths by the necessity of things to comen y receyued/ what thing is there thenne by which we mow be conjoined & cliven to thilk sovereign prince of things. for which it behoveth by necessity that the l●●nage of mankind as thou song a little here before be departed and unjoined from his well and faillen of his beginning. That is to say god   

Que nam discors federa rerum. Causa resoluit qs tanta deus. Ueris statuit bella duobus. Ut que carptim singula constant. Eadem voluit nuxta nigari. etc  
WHat discordable cause hath to rent and unjoined the binding or afiance of things. that is to say the conjunctions of god & of man/ which god hath established so great battle bitwixen these two soothfast or very things/ that is to say bitwi● the purveyance of god and free-will that be together ● singler. ne that they ne will not be meddled ne coupled together/ but there nies no discord of very things. but they cleaven alway certain to hem self But the thought of man confounded and overthrow by the dark membres/ of the body ne may not/ by fire of his derked looking. that is to say by the vigour of his insight while the soul is within the body. known the dark thynne subtle knittings of things. but wherefore enchaufith it by great love to finden thilk notes of sooth/ ycovered/ that is to s●ye. wherefore enchaufith the thought of man by so great desire to know thilk notifications. that been hid under the coutures of sooth. wot I aught thilk thing/ that it anguishous desireth for to know. as who s●ith nay/ for noman ne travaileth for to wete things that he wot/ And therefore the text seith thus/ But who travaileth to weten things yknowe/ & if he know 'em not. what seeketh thilk blind thought. what is he that desireth any thing of which he wot right naught/ as who seith/ who soever desire any thing n●des somewhat he knoweth of it/ or else he ne could not desiren it. or who may follow thingis that ne be not wist/ & though that he seek the things where shall he find 'em. what wight that 〈◊〉 all uncunning & ignorant may know the form/ that is yfounde/ but when the soul beholdeth & seethe the high thought. that is to say god. thenne knoweth it together the some & singularitees/ that is to say the principles & every of 'em by 'em self/ But now while the soul is hid in the cloud and in the darkness of the membres/ of the body it ne hath not all forgotten hit self. But it wi●hh●ldeth the some of things/ and loseth the singularitees. then̄● who so that seeketh the soothness/ he nies in neither nowther habit/ For he wot not all. ne he ne hath not all forgotten But yet him remembreth the some of the things. that he withholdeth. and asketh counsel and retreteth things deeply yseyn before. That is to say the great some in his mind. so that he may adden the parts that he hath fory●ten to thilk parties that he hath withholden   

Tum illa vetus inquit. hec est de providencit querela Marcoque tullio cum divinacionem distribuit vehementer agitata. tibique ipsi res diu ꝓrsus multum quesita Sed haud quoque ab vllo vestrum hactenus satis etc  
THenne said she. This is quoth she the old question of the purveyance of god. & marcus tullius when he distribued the divination/ that is to say. in his book that he wrote of divynations he moved gree●ly this question. & thou th● self haste sought it moche. & utterly & long. But yet ne hath it not been determined & sped firmly & diligently of any o● you/ And the cause of this darkness & eke of t●is diff●culte is for that the moving of the reason of mankind ne may not meoven to that is to say applyen or ioy●en to the simp●icite of the divine prescience/ if that men mighten thinken it in any manner. That is to sayn that if men mighten thinken & comprehenden the things that god se●th himself/ thenne there dwelled utterly no doubt/ the which reason & cause of difficulties I shall assay at last to show and to speed when I have first yspended and y answered to thy reasons by which thou art moved/ for I ask why thou weenest that thilk reasons of 'em that assoillen thi● question ne be not speedful enough ne sufficient the which soltition or the which reason. for that it deemeth that the pscience is not of necessity of things to come As who saith/ any other way than thus. but that thilk things that the prescience wot before. ne may not unbetiden/ that is to say that they moten betide. but thenne if that prescience. ne putteth none necessity to things to comen as thou thyself hast confessed it & know a little here before What cause or what is it/ as who seith/ there may no cause be by which that the ends voluntary of things mighten be constrained to certain betiding. For by grace of position so that thou may the better understand this that followeth/ I suppose that there ne be no prescience. Thenne ●xe I quoth she in asmuch as appertaineth to that. shoulden thenne things that comen of fire will be censtreyned to betiding by necessity/ B. Nay quoth I/ P. Thenne againward quoth she. I suppose that there be prescience/ but that it ne putteth no necessity to things/ Thenne trow I that thilk same freedom. of will shall dwellen all hole/ and absolute & unbounden. but thou wilt say that albe it so. that prescience nies not cause of the necessite. of betiding to things to comen Algates yet it is a sign. that the things been to betiden by necessity/ By this manner thenne. all though the prescience han never be. yet algates. or at lest weigh it is certain thing that ends of betidinges of things/ to comen shulden be necessary. For every thing showeth & signifieth. only what the thing is/ but it ne maketh not the thing/ that it signifieth. For which it behoveth. first to show that no thing ne betideth/ that it ne betideth by necessity/ so that it may appear that the prescience is sign of necessity. or elliss if there ner no necessity/ certes thilk prescience ne might not be sign of thing that nies not. But certes it is now certain that the prove of this y sustened by stidfaste reason ne shall not been lad ne proved by signs ne by Arguments/ taken fro without/ but by causes covenable and necessary/ but thou mayst say/ how may it be that the things ne betiden not that been purveyed to comen/ but certes right as we trowen. that the things which that the purveyance wot before to comen ne be not to betiden. But that ne should we not demen/ but rather all though they shall betiden/ yet ne have they no necessity of her kind to betiden. And this mayst thou lightly apperceyven by this that I shall say. For we seen many things when they been before our eyen. right as men seen the Carter working in the turning and in the attempering or addressing of his carts or charryettes and by this manner. As who seith/ mayst thou understand of all other weakmen. is there then any necessity. as who saith in our looking that constraineth or compelleth any of thilk things to be done so. B. Nay quoth I/ For in idle and in vain. were all th●ffecte of craft/ if that all things weren moved by cons●reynyng of our eyen or of our sight. Phina. The thinger thenne quoth she that when that men dene hem/ ne han no necessity that men done 'em eke though same things/ first or they be done. th●y been to comen without necessity. For why there been some things to betiden of which the ends and the betidinges of hem been absolute and quite of all necessity/ For certes I ne trow not that any man would say this. that the things that men done now. that they ne were to betiden first ere they were dene. And thilk same things all though men hadden wist 'em before. yet they han free betidinges/ For right as science of things present ne bringeth in no necessity to things that men done. right so to the prescience of things to comen ne bringeth in none necessity to things to betiden. but thou mayst say that of thilk same it is doubted/ as whether that of thilk things that ne han none issues & bitidinges necessaries. if thereof may been any prescience. for certes they semen to discorden/ for thou weenest that if that things ben sayen before that necessity followeth hem And if necessity faileth 'em they ne might not been wist before/ & that nothing may be comprehended by science. but certain/ And if though things ne han n● certain betidinges been purveyed as certain. It should be darkness of opinion not soothfastness of science. & thou weenest that it be diverce fro the hoolnesse of science that any man should dame a thing to be otherwise than it is/ itself/ & the cause of this error is. that of all the things that evy wight hath know. they ween that though things been know only by the strength & by the nature of the things that been witted or know. & it is all the contrary/ for all that ever is know/ it is rather comprehended & know. not after his strength & his nature/ but after the faculty. that is to say the power & the nature of 'em that known/ & for that this thing should now show by a short ensample the roundness of a body. otherwise than the sight of the eye knoweth it/ & otherwise the touching the looking by casting of his beams waiteth & seethe from a far all the body together without meoving of itself/ but the touching cleaveth to the round body & moveth about the environing & comprehendeth the parties by roundness/ & the man himself otherwise beholdeth him And otherweyes' imagination/ and otherwise reason/ & otherwise intelligence. For the wit comprehendeth with out forth the figure of the body of man. that is unstablished/ in the matter subject. But the imagination comprehendeth only the figure without the matter. reason surmounteth imagination. and comprehendeth by universal looking the common speech but the eye of Intelligence is higher/ for it surmounteth the environing of the university & looketh over that by pure subtlety of thought. Thilk same simple form of man that is perdurable in the divine thought/ in which this aught greatly to be considered/ that the highest strength forto comprehenden things/ embraceth & containeth the lower strength. but the lower strength. ne ariseth not in no manner. to the higher strength. for wit ne may comphende nothing out of mat●er. ne the imagination ne looketh not the uniusal spieces. ne reason ne taketh not the simple form/ so as intelligence taketh it/ but intelligence that looketh all above. when it hath comphendeth the form/ it knoweth & deemeth all the things. that been under the form But she knoweth 'em in thilk manner. in the which it comphendeth thilk same simple form. that ne may never been known of none of that other. that is to say to none of though three foresaid strengths of the soul/ for it knoweth the uniusite of reason & the figure of imagination. & the sensible material. conceived by wit. ne it ne useth not/ ne of reason/ ne of ymagynacion ne of wit without forth. but it beholdeth all things. so as I shall say/ by a stroke of thought firmly without discourse of collation/ Certes reason when it looketh any thing universal it ne useth not of imagination ne wit/ and algates yet it comphendeth the things imaginable & sensible/ for reason is she that diffinissheth the universal of her conceitt right thus. Man is a reasonable two footed best/ & how so that this knowing is universal. yet nies there no wight that ne wot well/ that a man is a thing imaginable and sensible. and this same considereth well reason. but that nies not by imagination nor by wit/ but it looketh it by reasonable conception. also imagination albe it so that it taketh of wit the beginning to seen & fourmen the figures/ Algates all though that wit ne were not present/ yet it enuyroneth & comphendeth all things sensible/ not by resoune sensible of deming/ but by reason ymagynatif. sestow not thenne that all the things in knowing usen more of her faculty or of her power than they done of the faculty or power of things that been to known Ne that is no wrong/ for so as every judgement is the deed or the doing of him that deemeth. It behoveth that every wight perform his work. & his intention/ not of foreign power but of his proper power   

Quondam porticus attulit. Obscuros nimium senes Qui sensus et ymagines. E corporib extimis etc  
THenne the porch/ that is to say agate of the town of Athenes there as philosophers hadden congregation to dispute/ thilk porch brought sometime old men full dark in her sentences. that is to say philosophers that heighten stoiciens that wend that images & sensibilitees/ that is to say sensible imaginations/ or else imaginations of sensible things. were enprinted into souls fro bodies withoutforth As who seith thilk stoiciens wenden that the soul had be naked of himself/ as a mirror or a clean perchemyne so that all figures mosten first comen fro things frowith out into souls. and been imprinted into souls. right as we been wont sometime. by a swift poyntel to fixen letters enprinted in the smoothness or in the pleynesse of the table of wax or in the parchemyne that ne hath no figure ne note in it/ Blose. But now argueth boece against that opinion and seith thus/ But if the thriving soul ne vnplyt●th nothing. that is to say. ne doth thing by his proper moving. but suffereth and lieth subgiett/ to the figures and to the notes of bodies without forth/ and yieldeth ymag●s idle evil and vain in the manner of a mirror Whenes thriveth th●n̄●/ or whence cometh thilk knowing in our soul that discerneth and beholdeth all things. & whence is thilk strength that beholdeth the singular things/ or else whennes is the strength ● that divideth things yknowe and thilk strength that gathered together things divided and strength that chooseth the ●●trec●aung●d we●e/ For sometime it ●●ueth the heed/ that is to say/ that it ●●ueth up th ●ntencion to right high things. & sometime it descendeth into right low things. and when it returneth into himself. it reproveth & destroyeth the false things by the true things. Certes this strength is cause more efficient. and moche more mighty/ to seen and to known things/ than thilk cause that suffereth & receiveth the notes & figures ●●pressed in manner of matter. algates the passion/ that is to say the sufferance or the wi●● in the quick body goth before exciting & meoving the strengths of the thought/ right so as when that clearness smiteth the eyen and moveth 'em to seen or right so as voice or sown hurleth to the eeres. & comoeveth 'em to hearken. then is the strength of the thought moved & excited clepeth forth to semblable meovynges the spaces that it halt with in itself/ and addeth the spieces to the nootes. and to things without forth & medeleth the images of things without forth to things hid within himself   

Quod si in corporibus senciendis quamuis ●fliciant instrumenta sensuum forinsecus object qualitates. Animique agentis vigorem passio corporis antecedat.  
But what is that in bodies to be feeled. that is to say in the taking & in the knowleching of bodily things And all be it so that the qualities of bodies that be object fro without forth meoven & entalenten the instruments of the wits/ And albe it so that the passion of the body. That is to say the wit/ or the sufferance goth before the strength or the worching courage/ the which passion or sufferance clepeth forth the deed of the thought in itself. and moveth & exciteth in this mean while the forms that resten within forth/ and if that insensible bodies as I have said our courages nies not taught or imprinted by passion to know these things but deemeth and knoweth of his own strength the passion or suffrannce subject to the body much more than thoo things/ that been absolute & quite fro all talentes or affections of bodies/ as God or his Angeles ne followen not in decerning things object. fro with out forth. But they accomplisshen and speeden the deed of her thought. By this reason then there common many manner of knowings to divers and to differing substances. For the wit of the body/ the which wit is maked & despoiled of all other knowing. thilk wit cometh to beasts/ the which ne mown not meoven 'em self here & there. as oystres & muskels & other such shelfissh of the see/ that ●leuen & been nourished to roches. But the imagination cometh of remuable beasts th●t semen to han talon to fleen or to desiren any thing. but reason is all only. the lineage of mankind right as intelligence is all only the divine nature of which it followeth/ that thilk knowing is more worth than is other/ sin it knoweth by his proper nature/ not only his subject/ as who seith it ne knoweth not all only that ap●teyneth properly to his knowing. ●ut i● knoweth the subjects of all other knowings. but how shall it thenne be. if that wi●te & imagination striven ayein reasoning ● & sayne that of thilk universal thing that reason weeneth to seen that it nies right naught/ for wit & imagination say. that. that is sensible or imaginable. it ne may not been universal. thenne is there either the juggement of reason soothe/ ne that their ny● nothing sens●ble. or else for that reason wot well that many thinghes been subject to wit & to imagination. thenne is the concep●ōn of reason vain & ●●ls. which that looketh & comphendeth that/ that is sensible & singular as universal. & if that the reason would answer ayeinst these two. that is to say to wit & imagination/ & say. that soothly she herself that is to say reason. looketh & comprehendeth by reason of uniusalite both that. that is sensible/ & thate that is imaginable/ & thilk two that is to say wit and imagination/ ne mown not stretchen 'em self to the knowing of universalite/ for that the knowing of hem ne may not exceeden ne furmounten the bodily figures. Certes of the knowing of things men oughten rather yeven more credence to the more s●edfaste & to the more profit judgement/ In this manner striving thenne we that han strength of reasoning & of imagining & of wit. That is to say by reason & by imagination/ we would rather praise the cause of reason. as who seith than the cause of wit & of imagination/ semblable thing is it. that the reason of mankind ne weneth not that the divine intelligence beholdeth or knoweth things to come. but right as the reason of mankind knoweth hem/ for thou arguest thus/ that if that it ne seem not to men that some things han certain betidinges. they ne may not be wist before certainly to betiden. & then is there no pscience of thilk thingis. & if we trow that pscience be in these thingis. then is there nothing that betideth by necessity. but if we might han the judgement of the divine thought as we been ꝑ●oners of reason. right so as we han deemed that it behoveth by imagination & wit & bineth reason. right so would we deemen that it were rightful thing that manes reason aught to submit itself to be beneath the divine thought/ for which if we may/ as who seith that if we may I counsel that we enhance us in the height of thilk sovain intelligence. for there shall reason well seen that that it ne may not behold in itself. & certes that is thus/ in what manner the pscience of god seethe all things & diffinissheth all though they han no certain bitidingis/ ne this is non opinion/ but rather the simp●●cite of the sovain science. that is not shut within no manner of bounds   

Quam variis terras animalia permeant figuris Namque alia extento sunt corpe. pulueremque verrunt Continuumque trahunt vi pectoris incita sulcum S●nt quib alare leintas vaga verberetque ventos  
THe beasts passen by the erthes. by full divers figures/ For some of hem han her bodies straughte & crepen in the dust/ & drawn after 'em a trace or a fourgh continued that is to say. as nedders and snails. & other beasts by the wandering lightness of her wings beaten the winds. and overswymmen the spaces of the long air/ by most fleeing/ And other beasts gladden 'em self/ to diggen her traces or her steps in the earth with her going or with her feet. and to gone either by the green fields or else to walken under the woods/ And all be it so that th●u s●est. ●hat they disco●den by divorce f●urmes. algates her faces encl●ned hevyeth h●r dull wits/ only the lignag●●f man l●ueth h●gh●st his high heed/ & standeth light with his upright body/ and beholdeth the erth●s under him And but if th●u earthly man ware evil out ●f thy wit This figure amonesteth the that arrest the heaven with thy rig●t visage. & hast araised thy forehead to bearen upon high th● courage. so that thy thought ne be no● hevyed ne put low under foot sith that thy body is so high araised   

Quoniam igitur uti paulo ante monstratum est. onne quod scitur. nisi ex sua sed ex conprehencium natura cognoscitur. Int●●amur nunc quamtum fas. quis sit divine substancie status. ut que nam ●ciam scina etc  
Therefore thenne as I have showed a little here biforne that all thing that is wist nies not known by his nature propre/ but by the nature of 'em that comprehenden it/ late us looken now. in asmuch as it is leveful to us As who seith. late us look now as we may. which that is the estate of the divine substance. so that we may well know eke what his science is/ The common judgement of all creatures resonables. thenne is that god is eterne. late us considere thenne/ what is eternity. For certes that shall shown us together the divine nature & the divine science Eternyte thenne is perfect possession. & all together of life interminable/ and that showeth the more clearly by the comparison or collation of temporal things/ For all thing that liveth in time it is present & proceedeth fro preteritees into future's/ That is to say/ from time passed into time coming. ne there nies no thing established in time that may enbrasen together all the space of this life/ For certes yet ne hath it not taken the time of to morrow. and it hath lost that of yesterday/ And certes in the life of this day. ye ne liven no more but right as in this meovable and transitory moment. Thenne thilk thing that suffereth temporal condition/ all though that it never began to be/ ne though it never cease to be/ As Aristotiles deemed of the world. And all though the life of it be stretched with infinite of time/ yet algates nies it no such thing as men might trowen by right that it is eterne. for all though that it comprehend and embrace the space of the life infinite/ yet algates ne embraceth it not the space of the life all together/ For it ne hath not the future's that be not yet. Ne it ne hath no longer the preterite● that been done or passed. but thilk thing then that hath and comprehendeth together all the plenty of the life interminable. to whom there ne faileth naught of the future/ and to whom their nies naught of the preterit escaped or passed thilk same is y witnessed and proved by right to been eterne/ And it behoveth by necessity that thilk thing be alway present to himself and competent/ As who seith alway present to himself and so mighty that all be right at his plesance. and that he have all present the infinite of the meovable tyme. wherefore some men trowen wrongfully that when they hearen that it seemed to plato that this world had never bigyning of time that it never shall han failing. they ween in thilk manner that this world be maked eterne with his maker. as who se●th they ween that this world & god be maked to ●●der eterne & that is a wrongful weening/ for other thing it i● to be l●d by the life interminable/ as plato granted to 〈◊〉 wo●lde/● ot●er thing it is to embrace together all the presence of the life that is interminable which thing is clear & manifest to the divine thought ● ne it ne should not seem to us that god is elder than things that been maked by quantity of time/ but rather by the prosperity of his simple nature/ for this ilk infinite meovynges of temporal things folweth this psenta●y estate of this life immeovable & so as it ne may not contrefaiten ne feign it ne be evenlik to it for the immobility/ that is to say that is in the eternity of god. it faileth & fa●leth into moving fro the simplicity of the psence of god and dis●̄creasith in the infinite quantity of future & pterite And so as it may not han together all the plenty o● the life Algates yet for asmuch as it ceaseth new for to been in some manner/ yet it seemeth somedeal to us that it followeth & resembleth/ thilk thing that it ne may not attain to. ne fulfillen/ & bindeth itself to some manner psence/ of this little moment/ the which psence of this little & swift moment for that it beareth a manner image or likeness of the aye dwelling of god/ It granteth to such manner things as it betideth to/ that it seemeth 'em as these things han been/ & been. and for that the psence of such little moment ne may not dwell Therefore it ravished & took the infinite weigh of tyme. that is to say by succession/ & by this manner it is done/ for that it should continue the life in going. of the which life it ne might not. embrace the plenty of dwelling. And for thy if we woollen putten worthy names to things that followen plato. late us say then soothly that god is eterne. and that the world is perpetual/ Thenne sigh every judgement knoweth and comprehendeth by his own nature things that been subgiett unto him/ there is to god all ways an eterne and a presentarye estate. And the s●yence of him that overpassith all temporal moment dwelleth in simplicity of his presence/ And embraceth and considereth all the infinite spaces of times preterites and of times future's. And looketh in his simple knowing all things of preterit/ right as they were done presently right now/ If thou wolt then thinken and avysen the prescience. by which it knoweth all things. thou ne shalt not deemen it/ as prescience of things to comen/ But thou shalt deemen more rightfully that it is science of presence or of instance. that never ne faileth/ for which it is not cleped previdence/ but it should be rather cleped purveyance which that is established full fierce fro right low things. and from a fierce beholdeth all things. right as it were fro th● high height of things/ Whi askest thou then or why disputest thou thenne that thilk things been done by necessity which that been seen and known by the divine sight/ Sigh that forsooth men ne maken not thilk thing necessary which that forsooth men seen y done in her sight. For addeth thy beholding any necessity. to thilk things which that thou beholdest present. B. Nay quod I Phina. Certes quoth she then. if men mighten maken any dign comparison or collation of the presence divine/ and of the presence of mankind. right so as ye s●ne some things in this temporal presence. right so seethe God all thing by his eterne presence. wherefore this divine presence ne changeth not the nature of the property of things. but beholdeth such thinger present to h●m wa●d. as they shoulden betyd●n̄ to youward in time to comen. Ne it ne confoundeth not th● Iugg●mentes of things but by one sight of his thought he knoweth the things to comen as well necessary as not necessary. right so when ye s●ene to ged●● a man walk on the earth/ and the s●nne arisen in the heaven. All be it so that ye s●ene to g●d●e that one and that other/ Yet nevertheless ye dem●n and decernen/ th●t that one is voluntary. And that other is necessary Right so thenne the divine looking beholding all toenges under him ne troubleth not the quality of things which that been certainly present to him ward/ But as to the condition of time forsooth they been future. For which it followeth that this nies none opinion but rather a steadfast knowing strengthened by soothness. that when that god knoweth any thing to be. he ne unwote not that thilk thing wanteth necessity to be/ That is to say that when god knoweth any thing to betide. he wot well that it ne hath no necessity to betide/ and if thou seest here that thilk thing that god seethe to betide/ it ne may not unbetide As who s●ith it moat betide by necessity/ & that thou strain me to this name of the necessity/ certes I wol well confessen & byknowen a thing of full sad troth. but uneth shall there any wight mown seen it/ or come thereto/ but he be beholder of the divine thought. for I wol answeren to the thus/ that thilk thing that is future when it is referred to the divine knowing/ thenne is it necessary/ but c●rte● when it is understanden in his own kind men seen it utterly free & absolute fro all necessity. for certes th●r been two maneres of necessities. that oo necessity is simple as thus/ that it behoveth by necessity. that all men be mortal or deadly/ An other necessity is condicionel. as thus/ if thou wottest that a man walketh/ it behoveth by necessite that he walk. thilk thing thenne that any wight hath known to be/ it ne may not been none other than he knoweth it to be/ but this condition ne draweth not with her. thilk necessity simple/ for certes this necessity condici●nel. the proper nature of it. ne maketh it not/ but the adjection of the condition maketh it/ for none necessity constraineth a man to go/ that goth by his proper will/ albe it so that when he goth/ that it is necessary that he gooth. right on the same manner thenne. if that the purveyance of god seethe any thing psente/ thenne moat thilk thing be by necessity. although that it have noon necessity of his own nature/ but certes the future's that betiden by freedom of arbitrie/ god seethe them all togethers presents These things thenne if they be referred to the divine sight thenne been they maked necessary by the condition of the divine knowing/ but certes if thilk things been considered by 'em s●lf/ they been absolute of necessity/ And ne forleten not ne cessen not of the liberty of her own nature/ thenne certes withouten doubt all the things shoulden been done. which that god wot before. that they been to comen/ & betiden of free arbitre. or of free will/ that albe it so. that they betiden/ yet algates ne lose they not her proper nature in being By the which. first or they weren done. they hadden pour not to han betidde/ B/ Wh●t is this to say then quoth I that things ne be not necessary by her proper nature. so that they comen in all manners in the likeness of necessity/ by condition of the divine science. Phina. This is the difference quoth she. that though things which that I purposed the a little here biforne. That is to say the son arising. and the man walking. that there whiles that thilk things been done/ they ne might not been undone. natheless that one of 'em or it was done/ it behoveth by necessite that it was done. but not that other/ right so it is h●re that the things which that god hath present withouten doubt th●y shul●en been/ but some of ●em descendeth of the Nature of things/ as the son arising. And some descendeth of the power of the doers. a● the man walking/ B. thenne said I/ no wrong that if these things be referred to the divine knowing. thenne been they necessary/ And if they been considered by 'em self/ thenne been they absolute. fro the bound of necessity. right so as all things that appeareth or showeth to the witte●. if thou refer 'em to reason. it is universal/ And if thou look it/ or refer it/ to itself. thenne is it singular. but now if thou seyste thus. that if that it be in my power to changen my purpose. thenne shall I voiden the purueyannce of God.. when peradventure I shall have changed the things which that he knoweth biforne/ Philosophia/ Thenne shall I answeren the thus. Certes thou mayst well change thy purpose. but for as much as the present loathness of the divine purveyance beholdeth that thou mayst change thy purpose. and whether thou change it or no And whiderward that thou turn it/ thou ne mayst not eschew the divine prescience. right so thou ne mayst not flee/ the sight of the present tie/ all though that thou turn thyself by thy free will. in to divorce Actions. But thou mayst say again to this thus/ How shall it thenne be/ shall not the divine science been changed by my disposition. when that I will one thing now/ and now another thing. And thilk prescience ne seemeth it not to ●ntrechaunge stonndes of knowing As who saith. Ne shall it not semen to us. that the divine prescience entrechaungeth his divorce stonndes of knowing/ So that it know some time one thing And some time it knoweth the contrary of that thing Philosophia. No forsooth quoth she/ For the divine ●ight runneth biforne and seethe all the future's and clepeth 'em ay●yne. and returneth 'em to the proper prescience of his proper knowing/ Ne he entrechaungeth not so as thou wen●st the stonndes of his forknowing. as now this. now that. but he dwelling aye cometh before. & enb●aseth at oo stroke/ all● the mutations/ & this prescience to comprehenden & to seen all things. God ne hath not taken it. ●f the betidinges of things to comen/ but of his proper simplicity/ And hereby is assoiled thilk things that thou puttest a little here by forn. That is to say that it is unworthy thing to seen that our future's yeven cause of the prescience of god. For certes strength of the divine science. which that embraceth all things/ by his presentarye knowing establissheh man●re to all things/ And it ne oweth not to latter things. And sith that these things been thus/ That is to s●yne that necessity is not in things by the divine prescience/ thenne is th●re freedom of arbitre that dwelleth whole and unwemmede to mortal men/ ne the laws ne pourpos●n. not wicked medes and pains ●o the willyngiss of men that been unbounden and quite of all necessity. And god beholder and forwi●ter of all things dwells above/ And the present eternite/ of sight. runneth allewey● with the divers quality of our deeds dispensing or ordaining medes to good men/ And t●urmentes to wicked men. Ne in idle ne in vain. n● been there not pu●te in god hoops and prayers. that ne mown not been vnsped●full/ ne withouten effect. w●●n they been rightful. withstand then/ and eschew thou vices. worship/ and love thou virtues. Areyse thy courage to rightful ho●es Yield thou ●umble prayers and high. great necessity of prowess and of virtue is encharged and commanded to you if ye nil not dissimulen/ sith that ye worchen and done. that is to say your deeds & your works/ before the eyen of the jug that seethe and also that deemeth all things/ Deo gracias   
Explicit boecius de consolacione philosophy   

THus endeth this book which is named the book of Consolation of philosophy. which that boecius made for his comfort and consolation he being in exile for the common and public weal having great heaviness & thoughts and in manner of despair/ rehercing in the said book how Philosophy appeared to him showing the mutability of this transitory life/ and also informing how fortune and hap should be understonden/ with the predestination and prescience of God as much as may and is possible to be known naturally/ as a fore is said in this said book/ Which Boecius was an excellent author of divorce books craftily and curiously made in prose and metre/ And also had translated divorce books out of Greek into Latin/ and had been senator of that noble & famous cite rome. And also his two sons Senators for their prudence & wisdom. And for as much as he withstood to his power the tyranye of theod●rik thenne Emperor/ & would have defended the said cite & Senate from his wicked hands/ whereupon he was convict & put in prison/ in which prison he made this foresaid book of consolation for his singular comfort. and for as much as the stile of it/ is hard & difficile to be understand of simple persones Therefore the worshipful father & first foundeur & enbelissher of ornate eloquence in our english. I mean/ Master Geffrey Chaucer hath translated this said work out of latin in to our usual and mother tongue. Following the latin as nigh as is possible to be understand. wherein in m●ne opinion he hath deserved a perpetual laud and thank of all this noble royalme of england/ And in especial of them that shall read & understand it. For in the said book they may see what this transitory & mutable world is And whereto every man living in it/ ought to intend. Thenne for as much as this said book so translated is ra●e & not spread ne known as it is dign and worthy. For the erudition and learning of such as been Ignorannt & not knowing of it/ Act request of a singular friend & gossib of mine. I william Caxton have done my debuoir & pain tenprynte it in form as is here afore made/ In hoping that it shall prou●fite moche people to the weal & health of their souls/ & for to learn to have and keep the better patience in adversities ● And furthermore I des●re & require you that of your charity ye would pray for the soul of the said worshipful man Geffrey Chaucer/ first translator of this said book into english & enbelissher in making the said language ornate & fair. which shall endure perpetually. and therefore he aught eternelly to be remembered. of whom the body and corp● lieth buried in th'abbey of westminster beside london to fore the chapel of saint benet. by wh●● sepulture is written on a table hanging on a pylere hi● Epitap●ye maked by a Poet laureate. whereof the copy followeth &c   

Epitaphium Galfridi Chaucer. per poetam laureatum Stepha●ū surigonum ¶ Mediolanensen in decretis licenciatum  

Pyerides muse si possunt numina fle●●  
Fundere. divinas atque rigare genas  
Galfridi vatis chaucer crudelia fata  
¶ Plangite. sit lacrinus abstinuisse nephas  
Uos colu●● vivens. at vos celebrate sepultum  
R●ddatur merito gracia digna viro  
Grande decus vobis. est docti musa ma●●ris  
¶ Qua didicit melius ling●a latina loq●i  
Grande nownque decus Chaucer. famanque pavit  
Heu quamtum fuerat prisca britamna rudi●  
Reddidit insignem maternis versibz. ut iam  
¶ Aurea splendescat. ferrea facta prius  
Hunc latuisse virum nil. si tot opuscula vertes  
Dixeris. egregiis que decorata modis  
Socratis ingenium. vel fontes philosophy  
¶ Quitquid & archani dogmata sacra ferunt  
Et qscunque velis te●uit dig●●ssimus artes  
Hic vates. puo conditus hoc tumulo  
Ah laudis quamtum preclara britannia perdis  
¶ Dum rapint tantum mors odiosa virum  
Crudeles parce. crudelia fila sorores  
Non tamen extincto corpore. fama perit  
Uivet ineternum. vivent dum scripta poet  
¶ Uiuant eterno tot monimenta die  
Si qua bono 〈…〉 tas. si carmine dignus  
Carmina qui ●etinit tot cumu●ata modis  
Hec sibi marmoreo scribentur 〈◊〉 sepulchro  
¶ He maneat laudis sarcina sum●●● sue  
Galfridus Chaucer rates. et fam● poesi●  
Materne. ●ac sacra sum tumulatus humo   

Post obitum Caxton voluit te vivere cum  
¶ Willelmi. Chaucer clare poeta tuj  
Nam tua non solum compressit opuscula formis  
Has quoquesed laudes. ●●ssit hic esse tuas