3    "It suffiseth that I have schewyd hiderto the
4forme of fals welefulnesse, so that yif thou loke
5now cleerly, the ordre of myn entencioun requireth
6from hennes forth to schewe the verray
7welefulnesse."

8    "For sothe," quod I, "I se wel now that suffisaunce
9may nat comen by rychesse, ne power
10by remes, ne reverence by dignites, ne gentilesse
11by glorie, ne joie be delices."

12    "And hastow wel knowen the causes,"
13quod sche, "whi it es?"

14    "Certes me semeth," quod I, "that Y see hem
15ryght as thoughe it were thurw a litil clyfte, but
16me were levere knowen hem more opynly of
17the."

18    "Certes," quod sche, "the resoun is al redy.
19For thilke thyng that symply is o thyng withouten
20ony devysioun, the errour and folie of
21mankynde departeth and divideth it, and
22mysledeth it and transporteth from verray
23and parfit good to godes that ben false and
24inparfit. But seye me this. Wenestow that he
25that hath nede of power, that hym ne lakketh
26nothyng?"

27    "Nay," quod I.

28    "Certes," quod sche, "thou seyst aryght; for
29if so be that ther is a thyng that in ony partie
30be feblere of power, certes, as in that, it moot
31nedes be nedy of foreyne help."

32    "Ryght so is it," quod I.

33    "Suffisaunce and power ben thanne of
34o kynde?"

35    "So semeth it," quod I.

36    "And demestow," quod sche, "that a thyng
37that is of this manere ( that is to seyn, suffisaunt
38and mighty ) oughte ben despised, or ellis that
39it be right digne of reverence aboven alle
40thynges?"

41    "Certes," quod I, "it nys no doute that it
42nys right worthy to ben reverenced."

43    "Lat us," quod sche, "adden thanne reverence
44to suffisaunce and to power, so that we
45demen that thise thre thynges be al o thyng."

46    "Certes," quod I, "lat us adden it, yif we
47wiln graunten the sothe."

48    "What demestow thanne," quod sche, "is
49that a dirk thyng and nat noble that is suffisaunt,
50reverent, and myghty; or elles that it is
51ryght noble and ryght cleer by celebrete of
52renoun? Considere thanne," quod sche, "as
53we han grauntide hirbyfore, that he that ne
54hath nede of no thyng and is moost myghty
55and moost digne of honour, if hym nedeth ony
56cleernesse of renoun, whiche clernesse he myght
57nat graunten of hymself; so that for lak of
58thilke cleernesse he myghte seme the feblere
59on any side, or the more outcast." ( Glose. This
60to seyn, nay; for whoso that is suffisaunt,
61myghty, and reverent, clernesse of renoun
62folweth of the forseyde thynges; he hath it
63al redy of his suffysaunce. )

64Boece.     "I mai nat," quod I, "denye it, but I
65moot granten, as it is, that this thyng be ryght
66celebrable by clernesse of renoun and noblesse."

67    "Thanne folweth it," quod sche, "that we
68adden clernesse of renoun to the thre forseyde
69thynges, so that there ne be amonges hem no
70difference."

71    "This is a consequence," quod I.

72    "This thyng thanne," quod sche, "that ne
73hath nede of no foreyne thyng, and that
74may don alle thynges by hise strengthis, and
75that is noble and honourable, nys nat that a
76myry thyng and a joyful?"

77Boece.     "But whennes," quod I, "that any sorwe
78myghte comen to this thyng that is swiche,
79certes I mai nat thynke."

80Philosophie.     "Thanne mote we graunten,"
81quod sche, "that this thing be ful of gladnesse,
82if the forseide thynges ben sothe;
83and certes also mote we graunten that suffisaunce,
84power, noblesse, reverence, and gladnesse
85be oonly diverse by names, but hir substaunce
86hath no diversite."

87Boece.     "It moot nedly ben so," quod I.

88Philosophie.     "Thilke thyng thanne," quod
89sche, "that is oon and symple in his nature, the
90wikkidnesse of men departeth it and divideth
91it; and whanne thei enforcen hem to gete
92partie of a thyng that ne hath no part, thei
93ne geten hem neyther thilke partie that nis
94noon, ne the thyng al hool that thei ne desire
95nat."

96Boece.     "In whiche manere?" quod I.

97Philosophie.     "Thilke man," quod sche, "that
98seketh richesse to fleen poverte, he ne travaileth
99hym nat for to geten power, for he hath
100lever to ben dirk and vyl; and eek withdraweth
101from hymself manye naturel delites, for he
102nolde leese the moneie that he hath assembled.
103But certes in this manere he ne
104geteth hym nat suffisance, that power forleteth,
105and that moleste prikketh, and that filthe maketh
106outcaste, and that dirknesse hideth. And
107certes he that desireth oonly power, he wasteth
108and scatereth rychesse, and despyseth delices
109and eek honour that is withoute power, ne he
110ne preiseth glorie nothyng. Certes thus seestow
111wel that manye thynges failen to hym, for
112he hath som tyme defaute of manye necessites,
113and manye anguysshes byten hym;
114and whan he ne mai nat do tho defautes awey,
115he forletith to ben myghty, and that is the
116thyng that he moost desireth. And ryght thus
117mai I make semblable resouns of honours, and
118of glorie, and of delyces; for so as every of
119thise forseide thinges is the same that thise
120othere thynges ben ( that is to seyn, al oon
121thyng ), whoso that evere seketh to geten
122the toon of thise, and nat the tothir, he ne
123geteth nat that he desireth."

124Boece.     "What seystow thanne, yif that a
125man coveyte to geten alle thise thynges
126togidre?"

127Philosophie.     "Certes," quod sche, "I wolde
128seye, that he wolde geten hym sovereyn blisfulnesse;
129but that schal he nat fynde in tho
130thynges that I have schewed that ne mowen
131nat yeven that thei byheeten?"

132Boece.     "Certes no," quod I.

133    "Thanne," quod sche, "ne sholde men
134nat by no weye seken blisfulnesse in siche
135thynges as men wenen that they ne mowen
136yeven but o thyng sengly of al that men
137seken."

138Boece.     "I graunte wel," quod I, "ne no
139sothere thyng ne may be seyd."

140Philosophie.     "Now hastow thanne," quod
141sche, "the forme and the causes of fals
142welefulnesse. Now torne and flytte the
143eighen of thi thought, for ther shaltow
144seen anoon thilke verray blisfulnesse that I
145have behyght the."

146Boece.     "Certes." quod I, "it is cler and opene,
147theyghe it were to a blynd man; and that
148schewedestow me ful wel a litel herbyforn,
149whan thow enforcedest the to schewe me the
150causes of the fals blisfulnesse. For, but if I be
151begiled, thanne is thilke the verray parfit
152blisfulnesse that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt,
153myghty, honourable, noble, and
154ful of gladnesse. And for thow schalt wel
155knowe that I have wel undirstonden thise
156thinges withynne myn herte, I knowe wel that
157thilke blisfulnesse that may verrayly yeven on
158of the forseyde thynges, syn thei ben alle oon
159- I knowe dowtelees that thilke thyng is the
160ful blysfulnesse."

161Philosophie.     "O my nory," quod sche,
162"by this opynyoun I seie that thow art
163blisful, yif thow putte this therto that I
164schal seyn."

165    "What is that?" quod I.

166    "Trowestow that ther be any thyng in this
167erthly, mortel, toumblynge thynges that may
168brynge this estat?"

169    "Certes," quod I, "Y trowe it nought; and
170thow hast schewyd me wel that over thilke good
171ther nys no thyng more to ben desired."

172Philosophie.     "Thise thynges thanne,"
173quod sche ( that is to seyn, erthly
174suffysaunce and power and swiche thynges ),
175"outher thei semen lyknesses of verray good, or
176elles it semeth that thei yeve to mortel folk a
177maner of goodes that ne be nat parfyt. But thilke
178good that is verray and parfyt, that mai thei nat
179yeven."

180Boece.     "I accorde me wel," quod I.

181Philosophie.     "Thanne," quod sche, "for as
182moche as thou hast knowen whiche is thilke
183verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke
184thynges ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse ( that is
185to seyn, that be deceyte semen verray goodes ),
186now byhoveth the to knowe, whennes and
187where thow mowe seke thilke verrai
188blisfulnesse."

189    "Certes," quod I, "that desire I gretly and
190have abyden longe tyme to herkne it."

191    "But for as moche," quod sche, "as it
192liketh to my disciple Plato, in his book of
193In Thymeo , that in ryght litel thynges men

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194schulde byseche the help of God, what juggestow
195that be now to done, so that we may
196desserve to fynde the seete of thilk sovereyn
197good?"

201    "For as moche thanne as thow hast seyn
202whiche is the fourme of good that nys nat parfit,
203and whiche is the forme of good that is parfit,
204now trowe I that it were good to schewe in
205what this perfeccioun of blisfulnesse is set.
206And in this thing I trowe that we schulde first
207enquere for to witen, yf that any swich maner
208good as thilke good that thow hast dyffinysshed
209a litel herebyforn ( that is to seyn, sovereyn
210good ) may be founde in the nature of
211thinges, for that veyn ymagynacioun of
212thought ne desceyve us nat, and put us out of
213the sothfastnesse of thilke thing that is summytted
214to us. But it may nat be denyed that
215thilke good ne is, and that it nys ryght as a
216welle of alle goodes. For alle thing that is
217cleped inparfyt is proevid inparfit be the
218amenusynge of perfeccioun or of thing that is
219parfit. And herof cometh it that in every
220thing general, yif that men seen any thing
221that is inparfit, certes in thilke general ther
222moot ben som thing that is parfit. For yif so be
223that perfeccioun is don awey, men may nat
224thinke ne say fro whennes thilke thing is that
225is cleped inparfyt. For the nature of thinges ne
226took nat hir begynnynge of thinges amenused
227and inparfit, but it procedith of thinges that
228ben alle hole and absolut, and descendith so
229doun into uttereste thinges and into thinges

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230empty and withouten fruyt. But, as I have
231schewid a litel herebyforn that yif ther be
232a blisfulnesse that be freel and veyn and inparfyt,
233ther may no man doute that ther nys
234som blisfulnesse that is sad, stedefast, and
235parfyt."

236Boece.     "This is concluded," quod I, "feermely
237and soothfastly."

238Philosophie.     "But considere also," quod sche,
239"in whom this blisfulnesse enhabiteth. The
240comune accordaunce and conceyt of the
241corages of men proveth and graunteth that
242God, prince of alle thinges, is good. For, so as
243nothyng mai ben thought betere than God, it
244mai nat ben douted thanne that he that no
245thinge nys betere, that he nys good. Certes resoun
246scheweth that God is so good that it
247proeveth by verray force that parfyt good is in
248hym. For yif God nys swyche, he ne mai nat be
249prince of alle thinges; for certes somthing
250possessyng in itself parfyt good schulde be
251more worthy than God, and it scholde
252semen that thilke thing were first and eldere than
253God. For we han schewyd apertely that alle
254thinges that ben parfyt ben first er thynges that
255ben inparfit; and forthy, for as moche as that
256my resoun or my proces ne go nat awey withouten
257an ende, we owe to graunte that the
258sovereyn God is ryght ful of sovereyn parfit
259good. And we han establissched that the
260sovereyne good is verray blisfulnesse.
261Thanne moot it nedis be that verray blisfulnesse
262is set in sovereyn God."

263Boece.     "This take I wel," quod I, "ne this
264ne mai nat be withseid in no manere."

265    "But I preye the," quod sche, "see now how
266thou mayst proeven holily and withoute corrupcioun
267this that I have seid, that the sovereyn
268God is ryght ful of sovereyne good."

269    "In whiche manere?" quod I.

270    "Wenestow aught," quod sche, "that this
271prince of alle thynges have itake thilke sovereyne
272good anywher out of hymself, of whiche
273sovereyne good men proeveth that he is ful;
274ryght as thou myghtest thenken that God, that
275hath blisfulnesse in hymself, and thilke blisfulnesse
276that is in hym, were divers in substaunce?
277For yif thow wene that God have resseyved

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278thilke good out of hymself, thow mayst wene
279that he that yaf thilke good to God be more
280worth than is God. But I am beknowe and
281confesse, and that ryght dignely, that God
282is ryght worthy aboven alle thinges. And yif
283so be that this good be in hym by nature, but
284that it is dyvers from hym by wenynge resoun,
285syn we speke of God prynce of alle thynges,
286feyne who so feyne mai who was he that
287hath conjoyned thise divers thynges togidre.
288And eek at the laste se wel that a thing that is
289divers from any thing, that thilke thing nys
290nat that same thing fro whiche it es undirstonden
291to be diverse. Thanne folweth it
292that thilke thing that be his nature is divers
293from sovereyn good, that that thyng nys nat
294sovereyn good; but certes it were a felenous
295cursydnesse to thinken that of hym that no
296thing nys more worth. For alwey, of alle
297thinges, the nature of hem ne may nat ben betere
298thanne hir begynnynge. For whiche I mai concluden
299by ryght verray resoun that thilke
300that is begynnynge of alle thinges, thilke
301same thing is sovereyn good in his
302substaunce."

303Boece.     "Thow hast seyd ryghtfully," quod I.

304Philosophie.     "But we han graunted," quod
305sche, "that the sovereyn good is blisfulnesse."

306    "That is sooth," quod I.

307    "Thanne," quod sche, "moten we nedes
308granten and confessen that thilke same sovereyn
309good be God?"

310    "Certes," quod I, "Y ne may nat denye
311ne withstonde the resouns purposed; and
312I se wel that it folweth by strengthe of the
313premisses."

314    "Loke now," quod sche, "yif this be proevid
315yet more fermely thus, that there ne mowen not
316ben two sovereyn goodis that ben divers among
317hemself. For certes the goodis that ben divers
318among hemself, the toon is nat that that the
319tothir is; thanne ne mowen neither of hem
320ben parfit, so as eyther of hem lakketh to
321othir. But that that nys nat parfit, men
322mai seen apertely that it nys not sovereyn. The
323thinges thanne that ben sovereynly gode ne
324mowe by no weie be divers. But I have wel
325concluded that blisfulnesse and God ben the
326sovereyn good; for whiche it mote nedes be that
327sovereyne blisfulnesse is sovereyn devynite."

328    "No thing," quod I, "nys more sothfaste than
329this, ne more ferme by resoun, ne a more
330worthy thing than God mai not ben
331concluded."

Philosophie.     "Upon thise thynges thanne," quod
332sche, "ryght as thise geometriens whan thei han
333schewed her proposicions ben wont to bryngen
334yn thinges that thei clepen porismes or declaracions
335of forseide thinges, right so wol I yeve
336the here as a corolarie or a meede of coroune.
337Forwhy, for as moche as by the getynge of blisfulnesse
338men ben makid blisful, and blisfulnesse
339is dyvinite, than is it manifest and
340open that by the getynge of dyvinite men
341ben makid blisful. Right as by the getynge of
342justise men ben maked just , and be the gettynge
343of sapience thei ben maked wise, ryght so
344nedes by the semblable resoun, whan they han
345geten dyvinite thei ben maked goddes. Thanne
346is every blisful man God. But certes by nature
347ther nys but o God; but by the participacioun
348of dyvinite ther ne let ne distourbeth nothyng
349that ther ne ben many goddis."

350    "This ys," quod I, "a fair thing and a
351precious, clepe it as thou wilt, be it corolarie, or
352porisme, or mede of coroune, or declarynges."

353    "Certes," quod sche, "nothing nys fairere
354than is the thing that by resoun schulde ben
355addide to thise forseide thinges."

356    "What thing?" quod I.

357    "So, quod sche, "as it semeth that blisfulnesse
358conteneth many thinges, it weere for
359to witen whether that alle thise thinges
360maken or conjoynen as a maner body of
361blisfulnesse by diversite of parties or membres,
362or elles yif ony of alle thilke thinges ben swich
363that it acomplise by hymself the substaunce of
364blisfulnesse, so that alle thise othere thynges
365ben referrid and brought to blisfulnesse ( that
366is to seyn, as to the cheef of hem )."

367    "I wolde," quod I, "that thow madest me
368clerly to undirstonde what thou seist, and
369that thou recordidest me the forseide
370thinges."

371    "Have I not jugged," quod sche, "that blisfulnesse
372is good?"

373    "Yys for sothe," quod I, "and that sovereyn
374good."

375    "Adde thanne," quod sche, "thilke good that
376is maked blisfulnesse to alle the forseide

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377thinges. For thilke same blisfulnesse is
378demed to ben sovereyn suffisaunce, thilke
379selve is sovereyn power, sovereyn reverence,
380sovereyn clernesse or noblesse, and
381sovereyn delyt. What seistow thanne of alle
382thise thinges, that is to seyn, suffisaunce, power,
383and thise othere thinges, - ben thei thanne as
384membris of blisfulnesse, or ben they reffered
385and brought to sovereyne good ryght as alle
386thinges ben brought to the cheef of hem?"

387Boece.     "I undirstonde wel," quod I, "what
388thou purposest to seke, but I desire for
389to herkne that thow schewe it me."

390Philosophie.     "Tak now thus the discrecioun
391of this questioun," quod sche; "yif alle thise
392thinges," quod sche, "weren membris to felicite,
393thanne weren thei dyverse that on fro that
394othir. And swich is the nature of parties or of
395membres, that diverse membris compounen a
396body."

397    "Certes," quod I, "it hath wel ben schewyd
398herebyforn that alle thise thinges ben
399al o thyng."

400    "Thanne ben thei none membres," quod
401sche, "for elles it schulde seme that blisfulnesse
402were conjoyned al of o membre allone;
403but that is a thing that mai not ben don."

404    "This thing," quod I, "nys not doutous; but
405I abide to herknen the remenaunt of the
406question."

407    "This is opene and cler," quod sche, "that
408alle othere thinges ben referrid and
409brought to good. For therfore is suffisaunce
410requerid, for it is demyd to ben
411good; and forthy is power requirid, for men
412trowen also that it be good; and this same thing
413mowen we thinken and conjecten of reverence,
414and of noblesse, and of delyt. Thanne is sovereyn
415good the somme and the cause of al that
416oughte ben desired; forwhy thilke thing that
417withholdeth no good in itselve, ne semblance
418of good, it ne mai not wel in no
419manere be desired ne requerid. And the
420contrarie; for thoughe that thinges by here
421nature ne ben not gode, algates yif men wene
422that thei ben gode, yet ben thei desired as
423theigh that thei were verrayliche gode; and
424therefore is it that men oughte to wene by ryghte
425that bounte be the sovereyn fyn and the cause
426of alle the thinges that ben to requiren. But
427certes thilke that is cause for whiche men

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428requiren any thing, it semeth that thilke
429same thing be moost desired. As thus: yf
430that a wyght wolde ryden for cause of hele,
431he ne desireth not so mochel the moevyng to
432ryden, as the effect of his hele. Now thanne,
433syn that alle thynges ben required for the grace
434of good, thei ne ben not desired of alle folk
435more than the same good. But we han grauntide
436that blisfulnesse is that thing for whiche that
437alle thise othere thinges ben desired; thanne
438is it thus that certes oonly blysfulnesse is
439requered and desired. By whiche thing it
440scheweth cleerly that of good and of blisfulnesse
441is al on and the same substaunce."

442    "I se nat," quod I, "wherfore that men
443myghten discorden in this."

444    "And we han schewed that God and verray
445blisfulnesse is al o thing."

446    "That is sooth," quod I.

447    "Thanne mowen we concluden sykerly, that
448the substaunce of God is set in thilke same
449good, and in noon other place.

453Boece.     "I assente me," quod I, "for alle thise
454thinges ben strongly bounden with ryght ferme
455resouns."

456    "How mychel wiltow preysen it," quod sche,
457"yif that thow knowe what thilke good is?"

458    "I wol preyse it," quod I, "be pris withouten
459ende, yif it schal betyde me to knowe also togidre
460God that is good."

461    "Certes," quod sche, "that schal I undo
462the be verray resoun, yif that tho
463thinges that I have concluded a litel herebyforn
464duellen only in hir first grauntynge."

465Boece.     "Thei dwellen graunted to the," quod
466I. ( This to seyn as who seith, "I graunte thi
467forseide conclusyouns." )

468    "Have I nat schewed the," quod sche, "that
469the thinges that ben required of many folk ne
470ben not verray goodis ne parfite, for thei ben
471divers that on fro that othir; and so as iche
472of hem is lakkynge to othir, thei ne han no
473power to bryngen a good that is ful and
474absolut; but thanne at erste ben thei verraye
475good, whan thei ben gadred togidre als into o
476forme and into oon werkynge, so that thilke
477thing that is suffisaunce, thilke same be power,
478and reverence, and noblesse, and myrthe; and
479for sothe, but yif alle thise thinges ben alle o
480same thing, thei ne han not wherby that thei
481mowen be put in the nombre of thinges
482that oughten ben required or desired?"

483Boece.     "It is schewyd," quod I, "ne herof
484mai ther no man douten."

485Philosophie.     "The thinges thanne," quod sche,
486"that ne ben none goodis whan thei ben diverse,
487and whanne thei bygynnen to ben al o thing,
488thanne ben thei goodes - ne cometh it hem nat
489thanne be the getynge of unyte that thei ben
490maked goodes?"

491Boece.     "So it semeth," quod I.

492    "But alle thing that is good," quod sche,
493"grauntestow that it be good by the participacioun
494of good, or no?"

495    "I graunte it," quod I.

496    "Thanne mustow graunten," quod sche, "by
497semblable resoun that oon and good be o same
498thing; for of thinges of whiche that the effect nys
499nat naturely divers, nedes the substaunce moot
500be oo same thing."

501    "I ne may nat denye it," quod I.

502    "Hastow nat knowen wel," quod sche,
503"that alle thing that is hath so longe his
504duellynge and his substaunce as longe as it es
505oon, but whanne it forletith to be oon, it moot
506nedys deien and corrumpen togidres?"

507    "In whiche manere?" quod I.

508    "Ryght as in beestes," quod sche, "whanne
509the soule and the body ben conjoyned in oon
510and dwellen togidre, it es cleped a beeste; and
511whanne her unyte is destroyed be the
512disseveraunce the toon fro the tothir,
513thanne scheweth it wel that it is a deed
514thing, and that it nys no lengere no beeste. And
515the body of a wyght, while it duelleth in oo
516fourme be conjunccion of membris, it is wel
517seyn that it is a figure of mankynde; and yif
518the parties of the body ben so devyded and
519disseverid the ton fro the tother that thei destroyen
520unite, the body forletith to ben that it was
521beforn. And whoso wolde renne in the
522same manere be alle thinges, he scholde
523seen that withouten doute every thing is in
524his substaunce as longe as it is oon; and whanne
525it forletith to ben oon, it dyeth and peryssheth."

526Boece.     "Whanne I considere," quod I, "manye
527thinges, I se noon other."

528    "Is ther any thing thanne," quod sche, "that
529in as moche as it lyveth naturely, that forletith
530the talent or the appetyt of his beynge and
531desireth to come to deth and to
532corrupcioun?"

533    "Yif I considere," quod I, "the beestes
534that han any maner nature of wyllynge and of
535nyllynge, I ne fynde no beeste, but if it be
536constreyned fro withoute-forth, that forletith or
537despiseth the entencion to lyven and to duren;
538or that wole, his thankes, hasten hym to dyen.
539For every beest travaileth hym to defende and
540kepe the savacion of his lif, and eschueth deeth
541and destruccioun. But certes I doute me of
542herbes and of trees and I am in a doute
543of swiche thinges as ne han no felyng
544soules (ne no naturel werkynges servynge to
545appetites as beestes han, whether thei han
546appetyt to duellen and to duren).

547    "Certes," quod sche, "ne therof thar the nat
548doute. Now looke upon thise herbes and thise
549trees. They wexen first in suche places as ben
550covenable to hem, in whiche places thei mowen
551nat sone deye ne dryen, as longe as hir
552nature mai defenden hem. For some of
553hem waxen in feeldis, and some in mountaynes,
554and othere waxen in mareys, and
555othre cleven on roches, and some wexen
556plentyvous in soondes; and yif any wyght
557enforce hym to bere hem into other places, thei
558wexen drye. For nature yeveth to every thing
559that that is convenient to hym, and travailleth
560that they ne deie nat, as longe as thei han power
561to duellen and to lyven. What wiltow seyn
562of this, that thei drawen alle here
563norysschynges by here rootes, ryght as thei
564hadden here mouthes yplounged withynne the
565erthes, and sheden be hir maryes hir wode and
566hir bark? And what wyltow seyn of this, that
567thilke thing that is ryght softe, as the marie is,
568that it is alwey hyd in the seete al withinne, and
569that it is defended fro withoute by the
570stedfastnesse of wode, and that the outreste bark
571is put ayens the distemperaunce of the
572hevene as a deffendour myghty to suffren
573harm? And thus certes maistow wel seen
574how greet is the diligence of nature; for alle
575thinges renovelen and publysschen hem with
576seed ymultiplied, ne ther nys no man that ne
577woot wel that they ne ben ryght as a foundement
578and edifice for to duren, noght oonly for a tyme,
579but ryght as for to dure perdurably by
580generacion.
581    And the thinges eek that men wenen ne
582haven none soules, ne desire thei nat, iche
583of hem, by semblable resoun to kepyn that
584that is hirs ( that is to seyn, that is accordynge
585to hir nature in conservacioun of hir beynge
586and endurynge )? For wherfore ellis bereth
587lightnesse the flaumbes up, and the weyghte
588presseth the erthe adoun, but for as moche as
589thilke places and thilke moevynges ben covenable
590to everyche of hem? And forsothe every
591thing kepeth thilke that is accordynge
592and propre to hym, ryght as thinges that
593ben contrarious and enemys corrumpen
594hem. And yet the harde thinges, as stones,

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595clyven and holden here parties togidere ryght
596faste and harde, and defenden hem in
597withstondynge that thei ne departe nat lyghtly
598atwynne. And the thinges that ben softe and
599fletynge, as is watir and eyr, thei departen
600lyghtly and yeven place to hem that breken or
601divyden hem; but natheles they retorne
602sone ageyn into the same thinges fro
603whennes thei ben arraced; but fyer fleeth
604and refuseth alle dyvisioun.

605    "Ne I ne trete not here now of willeful
606moevynges of the soule that is knowyng, but of
607the naturel entencioun of thinges, as thus: ryght
608as we swolwen the mete that we resseyven and
609ne thinke nat on it, and as we drawen our breeth
610in slepynge that we witen it nat while we slepyn.
611For certes in the beestis the love of hire
612lyvynges ne of hire beynges ne cometh
613not of the wilnynges of the soule, but of
614the bygynnynges of nature. For certes, thurw
615constreynynge causes, wil desireth and embraceth
616ful ofte tyme the deeth that nature
617dredeth. ( That is to seyn as thus: that a man
618may be constreyned so, by som cause, that his
619wille desireth and taketh the deeth whiche
620that nature hateth and dredeth ful sore. ) And
621somtyme we seen the contrarye, as thus:
622that the wil of a wyght distourbeth and
623constreyneth that that nature desireth and
624requirith alwey, that is to seyn the werk of
625generacioun, by whiche generacioun only
626duelleth and is susteyned the longe durablete of
627mortel thinges. And thus this charite and this
628love, that every thing hath to hymself, ne
629cometh not of the moevynge of the soule, but of
630the entencioun of nature. For the purveaunce of
631God hath yeven to thinges that ben creat of
632hym this, that is a ful grete cause to lyven
633and to duren, for whiche they desiren
634naturely here lif as longe as evere thei mowen.
635For which thou mayst not drede be no manere
636that alle the thinges that ben anywhere, that thei
637ne requiren naturely the ferme stablenesse of
638perdurable duellynge, and eek the eschuynge of
639destruccioun."

640Boece.     "Now confesse I wel," quod I, "that Y
641see wel now certeynly withouten doutes
642the thinges that whilom semeden uncerteyn
643to me."

644Philosophie.     "But," quod sche, "thilke thing
645that desireth to be and to duelle perdurably, he

column 2

646desireth to ben oon. For yif that oon were
647destroyed, certes, beynge schulde ther noon
648duellen to no wyght."

649    "That is sooth," quod I.

650    "Thanne," quod sche, "desiren alle thinges
651oon."

652    "I assente," quod I.

653    "And I have schewed," quod sche, "that
654thilke same oon is thilke that is good."

655Boece.     "Ye, forsothe," quod I.

656    "Alle thinges thanne," quod sche, "requiren
657good; and thilke good thow mayst descryven
658ryght thus: good is thilk thing that every wyght
659desireth."

660    "Ther ne may be thought," quod I, "no more
661verraye thing. For eyther alle thinges ben
662referrid and brought to noght, and floteren
663withouten governour, despoyled of oon as
664of hire propre heved; or elles, yif ther be any
665thing to whiche that alle thinges tenden and
666hyen to, that thing muste ben the sovereyn good
667of alle goodes."

668Philosophie.     Thanne seide sche thus: "O my
669nory," quod sche, "I have greet gladnesse of
670the, for thow hast fycched in thyn herte the
671marke of the myddel sothfastnesse, ( that
672is to seyn, the prykke ). But in this thing
673hath ben discoveryd to the that thow
674seydest that thow wistest not a litel herbyforn."

675    "What was that?" quod I.

676    "That thou ne wistest noght," quod sche,
677"whiche was the ende of thinges. And certes that
678is the thyng that every wyght desireth; and for
679as mochel as we han gadrid and comprehendid
680that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle,
681thanne mote we nedys confessen that good
682is the fyn of alle thinges.

686    Thanne seide I thus: "I confesse and am
687aknowe it," quod I, "ne I ne se nat that men
688may seyn as by ryght that schrewes ne ben
689chaunged into beestes by the qualite of hir
690soules, al be it so that thei kepin yit the forme
691of the body of mankynde. But I nolde nat of
692schrewes, of whiche the thought crwel woodeth
693alwey into destruccion of gode men, that
694it were leveful to hem to don that."

695    "Certes," quod sche, "ne it is nat leveful
696to hem, as I schal wel schewen the in covenable
697place. But natheles, yif so were that
698thilke that men wenen ben leveful to schrewes
699were bynomyn hem, so that they ne myghte
700nat anoyen or doon harm to gode men, certes
701a gret partie of the peyne to schrewes scholde
702ben alegged and releved. For al be it so that
703this ne seme nat credible thing peraventure to
704some folk, yit moot it nedes be that
705schrewes ben more wrecches and unsely
706whan thei mai doon and parforme that
707thei coveyten, than yif thei ne myghte nat
708acomplissen that thei coveiten. For yif so
709be that it be wrecchidnesse to wilne to doon
710yvel, thanne is it more wrecchidnesse to mowe
711don yvel, withoute whiche mowynge the wrecchid
712wil scholde langwisse withouten effect.
713Thanne syn that everiche of thise thinges hath his
714wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, wil to don
715ivel and mowynge to don yvel), it moot
716nedes be that thei schrewes ben constreyned by
717thre unselynesses, that wolen, and mowen, and
718parformen felonyes and schrewednesses."

719    "I acorde me, " quod I; "but I desire gretly
720that schrewes losten sone thilke unselynesses,
721that is to seyn, that schrewes weren despoyled
722of mowynge to don yvel."

723    "So schollen thei," quod sche, "sonnere peraventure
724than thou woldest, or sonnere
725than they hemselve wene. For ther nis
726nothing so late, in so schorte bowndes of
727this lif, that is long to abyde, nameliche to a corage
728immortel. Of whiche schrewes the grete
729hope and the heye compassynges of schrewednesses
730is ofte destroyed by a sodeyn ende, or

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731thei ben war; and that thing establisseth to
732schrewes the ende of hir schrewednesse. For
733yf that schrewednesse makith wrecches, than
734mot he nedes ben moost wrecchide that
735lengest is a schrewe. The whiche wikkide
736schrewes wolde I demen althermost unsely
737and kaytifs, yif that hir schrewednesse ne were
738fynissched at the leste weye by the owtreste
739deth; for yif I have concluded soth of the unselynesse
740of schrewednesse, thanne schewith it
741clerly that thilke wrecchidnesse is withouten
742ende the whiche is certein to ben perdurable."

743    "Certes," quod I, "this conclusion is hard and
744wondirful to graunte; but I knowe wel
745that it accordeth moche to the thinges that
746I have grauntid herebiforn."

747    "Thou hast," quod sche, "the ryght estimacion
748of this. But whosoevere wene that it be
749an hard thing to accorde hym to a conclusioun,
750it is ryght that he schewe that some
751of the premysses ben false, or elles he mot
752schewe that the collacioun of proposicions
753nis nat spedful to a necessarie conclusioun;
754and yif it ne be nat so, but that the premisses
755ben ygraunted, ther nys nat why he
756scholde blame the argument. For this thing
757that I schal telle the now ne schal nat seme
758lesse wondirful, but of the thingis that ben
759taken also it is necessarie." ( As who seith, it
760folweth of that which that is purposed
761byforn. )

762    "What is that?" quod I.

763    "Certes," quod sche, "that is that thise wikkid
764schrewes ben more blisful, or elles
765lasse wrecches, that abyen the tormentz
766that thei han desservid, than if no peyne of
767justise ne chastisede hem. Ne this ne seie I
768nat now for that any man myghte thinke that
769the maneris of schrewes ben coriged and chastised
770by vengeaunce and that thei ben brought
771to the ryghte weye by the drede of the torment,
772ne for that they yeven to other folk ensaumple
773to fleen fro vices; but I undirstonde yit in another
774manere that schrewes ben more unsely
775whan thei ne ben nat punyssched, al
776be it so that ther ne be hadde no resoun or
777lawe of correccioun, ne noon ensample of
778lokynge."

779    "And what manere schal that be," quod I,
780"other than hath ben told herbyforn?"

781    "Have we nat thanne graunted," quod sche,
782"that good folk ben blisful and schrewes ben
783wrecches?"

784    "Yis," quod I.

785    "Thanne," quod sche, "yif that any good
786were added to the wrecchidnesse of any
787wyght, nis he nat more blisful than he that
788ne hath no medlynge of good in his solitarie
789wrecchidnesse?"

790    "So semeth it," quod I.

791    "And what seistow thanne," quod sche, "of
792thilke wrecche that lakketh alle goodes so that
793no good nys medlyd in his wrecchidnesse,
794and yit over al his wikkidnesse, for which
795he is a wrecche, that ther be yit another
796yvel anexed and knyt to hym - schal nat
797men demen hym more unsely thanne thilke
798wrecche of whiche the unselynesse is relevid by
799the participacioun of som good?"

800    "Why sholde he nat?" quod I.

801    "Thanne certes," quod sche, "han schrewes,
802whan thei ben punyschid, somwhat of good
803anexid to hir wrecchidnesse (that is to seyn, the
804same peyne that thei suffren, which that is
805good by the resoun of justice); and whanne
806thilke same schrewes ascapen withouten
807torment, than han they somwhat more of yvel
808yit over the wikkidnesse that thei han don, that
809is to seyn, defaute of peyne, which defaute of
810peyne thou hast grauntid is yvel for the disserte
811of felonye?"

812    "I ne may nat denye it," quod I.

813    "Moche more thanne," quod sche, "ben
814schrewes unsely whan thei ben wrongfully
815delivred fro peyne, thanne whan thei
816ben punyschid by ryghtful vengeaunce.
817But this is opene thing and cleer, that it is ryght
818that schrewes ben punyschid, and it is wikkidnesse
819and wrong that thei escapen
820unpunyschid."

821    "Who myghte denye that?" quod I.

822    "But," quod sche, "may any man denye that
823al that is ryght nis good, and also the contrarie,
824that al that is wrong is wikke?"

825    "Certes," quod I, "thise thinges ben
826clere ynowe, and folwen that that we han
827concluded a lytel herebyforn. But I preye the

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828that thow telle me, yif thow accordest to leten
829no torment to the soules aftir that the body is
830ended by the deeth?" ( This to seyn, "Undirstondestow
831aught that soules han any
832torment aftir the deeth of the body?" )

833    "Certes," quod sche, "ye, and that ryght
834greet. Of whiche soules," quod sche, "I
835trowe that some ben tormented by asprenesse
836of peyne, and some soules I trowe
837ben exercised by a purgynge mekenesse; but
838my conseil nys nat to determyne of thise peynes.

839    "But I have travailed and told yit hiderto for
840thou scholdest knowe that the mowynge of
841schrewes, whiche mowynge the semeth to ben
842unworthy, nis no mowynge; and ek of schrewes,
843of whiche thou pleynedest that they ne were nat
844punysschid, that thow woldest seen that
845thei ne were neveremo withouten the
846tormentz of hir wikkidnesse; and of the
847licence of mowynge to don yvel that thou
848preyedest that it myghte sone ben ended, and
849that thou woldest fayn lernen that it ne sholde
850nat longe endure, and that schrewes ben more
851unsely yif thei were of lengere durynge, and
852most unsely yif thei weren perdurable. And aftir
853this I have schewyd the that more unsely ben
854schrewes whan thei escapen withouten hir
855ryghtful peyne thanne whan thei ben
856punyschid by ryghtful venjaunce; and of
857this sentence folweth it that thanne ben schrewes
858constreyned at the laste with most grevous
859torment, whan men wene that thei ne ben nat
860punyssched."

861    "Whan I considere thi resouns," quod I, "I ne
862trowe nat that men seyn any thing more
863verrayly. And yif I turne ayein to the studies of
864men, who is he to whom it sholde seme that
865he ne scholde nat oonly leven thise thinges,
866but ek gladly herkne hem?"

867    "Certes," quod sche, "so it es - but men may
868nat. For they have hir eien so wont to the
869derknesse of erthly thinges that they ne may nat
870lyften hem up to the light of cler sothfastnesse,
871but thei ben lyk to briddes of whiche the nyght
872lightneth hir lokynge and the day blendith hem.
873For whan men loke nat the ordre of thinges, but
874hir lustes and talentz, they wene that either
875the leve or the mowynge to don wikkidnesse,
876or elles the scapynge withouten
877peyne be weleful.

878    "But considere the jugement of the perdurable
879lawe. For yif thou conferme thi corage to the
880beste thinges, thow ne hast noon nede of no juge
881to yeven the prys or mede; for thow hast joyned
882thiself to the most excellent thing. And yif thow
883have enclyned thi studies to the wikkide thinges,
884ne seek no foreyne wrekere out of thiself;
885for thow thiself hast thrist thiself into wikke
886thinges, ryght as thow myghtest loken by
887diverse tymes the fowle erthe and the hevene,
888and that alle othere thinges stynten fro withoute,
889so that thow nere neyther in hevene ne in
890erthe, ne saye no thyng more; thanne scholde it
891semen to the as by oonly resoun of lokynge that
892thow were now in the sterres, and now in the
893erthe. But the peple ne loketh nat on these
894thinges. What thanne? Schal we thanne
895approchen us to hem that I have schewed
896that thei ben lyke to beestes? And what
897wyltow seyn of this: yif that a man hadde al
898forlorn his syghte, and hadde foryeten that he
899evere sawhe, and wende that no thing ne faylede
900hym of perfeccioun of mankynde; now we that
901myghten sen the same thinges - wolde we nat
902wene that he were blynd? Ne also ne accordeth
903nat the peple to that I schal seyn, the whiche
904thing is sustenyd by as stronge foundementz
905of resouns, that is to seyn, that
906more unsely ben they that doon wrong to
907othere folk, than they that the wrong suffren."

908    "I wolde here thilke same resouns," quod I.

909    "Denyestow," quod sche, "that alle schrewes
910ne ben worthy to han torment?"

911    "Nay," quod I.

912    "But," quod sche, "I am certein by many
913resouns that schrewes ben unsely."

914    "It accordeth," quod I.

915    "Thanne ne dowtestow nat," quod sche,
916"that thilke folk that ben worthy of
917torment, that they ne ben wrecches?"

918    "It accordeth wel," quod I.

919    "Yif thou were thanne iset a juge or a
920knowere of thinges, whethir trowestow that men
921scholden tormenten, hym that hath don the
922wrong or elles hym that hath suffred the
923wrong?"

924    "I ne doute nat," quod I, "that I nolde
925doon suffisaunt satisfaccioun to hym that
926hadde suffrid the wrong, by the sorwe of
927hym that hadde doon the wrong."

928    "Thanne semeth it," quod sche, "that the
929doere of wrong is more wrecche than he that
930hath suffride wrong?"

931    "That folweth wel," quod I.

932    "Than," quod sche, "by thise causes and by
933othere causes that ben enforced by the same
934roote, that filthe of synne be the propre
935nature of it maketh men wrecches, it
936scheweth wel that the wrong that men
937doon nis nat the wrecchidnesse of hym that
938resceyveth the wrong, but the wrecchidnesse of
939hym that dooth the wrong. BurBut certes," quod
940sche, "thise oratours or advocattes don al the
941contrarie; for thei enforcen hem to commoeve
942the juges to han pite of hem that han suffrid
943and resceyved the thinges that ben grevous
944and aspre, and yit men scholden more
945ryghtfully han pite of hem that doon the
946grevances and the wronges: the whiche
947schrewes it were a more covenable thing that the
948accusours or advocattes, nat wrooth but pytous
949and debonayre, ledden tho schrewes that han
950don wrong to the jugement ryght as men leden
951syke folk to the leche, for that thei sholden seken
952out the maladyes of synne by torment. And
953by this covenant, eyther the entent of the
954deffendours or advocatz sholde fayle and
955cesen in al, or elles, yif the office of
956advocatz wolde betre profiten to men, it
957scholde be torned into the habyte of accusacioun.
958( That is to seyn, thei scholden accuse
959schrewes, and nat excusen hem. ) And eek the
960schrewes hemself, yif it were leveful to hem to
961seen at any clifte the vertu that thei han forleten,
962and sawen that they scholden putten adoun the
963filthes of hir vices by the tormentz of peynes,
964they ne aughten nat, ryght for the
965recompensacioun for to geten hem bounte
966and prowesse whiche that thei han lost,
967demen ne holden that thilke peynes weren
968tormentz to hem; and eek thei wolden refuse the
969attendaunce of hir advocattz, and taken hemself
970to hir juges and to hir accusours. For whiche it
971betydeth that, as to the wise folk, ther nis no
972place yleten to hate ( that is to seyn, that hate
973ne hath no place among wise men ); for no
974wyght nil haten gode men, but yif he were
975overmochel a fool, and for to haten

column 2

976schrewes it nis no resoun. For ryght so as
977langwissynge is maladye of body, ryght so ben
978vices and synne maladye of corage; and so as we
979ne deme nat that they that ben sike of hir body
980ben worthy to ben hated, but rather worthy of
981pite; wel more worthy nat to ben hated, but
982for to ben had in pite, ben thei of whiche
983the thoughtes ben constreyned by felonous
984wikkidnesse, that is more crwel than any
985langwissynge of body.

989    "Thus is it," quod I. "But so as thou hast
990yeven or byhyght me to unwrappen the hidde
991causes of thinges, and to discovere me the
992resouns covered with derknes, I preie the that
993thou devyse and juge me of this matere, and
994that thou do me to undirstonden it. For this
995miracle or this wonder trowbleth me ryght
996gretly."

997    And thanne sche, a litelwhat smylinge,
998seide: "Thou clepist me," quod sche, "to
999telle thing that is gretteste of alle thingis
1000that mowen ben axed, and to the whiche questioun
1001unnethes is ther aught inowh to laven
1002it. (As who seith, unnethes is ther suffisauntly
1003any thing to answeren parfitly to thy questioun.)
1004For the matere of it is swich, that
1005whan o doute is determined and kut awey, ther
1006waxen othere doutes withoute nombre, ryght
1007as the hevedes wexen of Idre, the serpent

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1008that Hercules slowh. Ne ther ne were no
1009manere ne noon ende, but if that a wyght
1010constreynede tho doutes by a ryght lifly and
1011quyk fir of thought (that is to seyn, by vigour
1012and strengthe of wit). For in this matere
1013men weren wont to maken questiouns of the
1014symplicite of the purveaunce of God, and of
1015the ordre of destyne, and of sodeyn hap, and
1016of the knowynge and predestinacioun devyne,
1017and of the liberte of fre wil; the whiche
1018thinges thou thiself aperceyvest wel of
1019what weighte thei ben. But for as moche
1020as the knowynge of thise thinges is a maner
1021porcioun of the medycyne to the, al be it so
1022that I have litil tyme to doon it, yit natheles
1023y wol enforcen me to schewe somwhat of it.
1024But although the noryssynges of dite of musyk
1025deliteth the, thou most suffren and forberen a
1026litel of thilke delit, whil that I weve to the resouns
1027yknyt by ordre."

1028    "As it liketh to the," quod I, "so do."