Part 19

so þat whane þe most[e] ardaunt loue of hys wijf brende þe entrailes of his brest. ne þe songes þat hadde ouer [[pg 107]] comen alle þinges ne myȝten nat assuage hir lorde 3033 orpheus.

[Sidenote: He bewailed the cruelty of the gods above, and descended to Pluto’s realm.]

¶ He pleyned[e] hym of þe godes þat were{n} cruel to hym. he wente hym to þe houses of helle

[Sidenote: There he struck his tuneful strings and sang, exhausting all the harmonious art imparted to him by his mother Calliope.]

{and} þere he tempred[e] hys blaundissyng songes by resounyng 3036 of hys strenges. ¶ And spak {and} song in wepynge alle þat euer he hadde resceyued {and} laued oute of þe noble welles of hys modir calliope þe goddesse.

[Sidenote: In songs dictated both by grief and love, he implored the infernal powers to give him back his Eurydice.]

{and} he song wiþ as mychel as he myȝt[e] of 3040 wepynge. {and} wiþ as myche as loue þat doubled[e] his sorwe myȝt[e] ȝeuen hym {and} teche hy{m} in his seke h{er}te. ¶ And he commoeuede þe helle {and} requered[e] {and} souȝte by swete p{re}iere þe lordes of soules in helle 3044 of relesynge. þat is to seyne to ȝelden hym hys wif.

[Sidenote: Cerberus, Hell’s three-headed porter, stood amazed;]

¶ Cerberus þe porter of helle wiþ his þre heuedes was cauȝt {and} al abaist for þe new[e] songe.

[Sidenote: the Furies, tormentors of guilty souls, did weep;]

{and} þe þre goddesses furijs {and} vengerisse of felonies þat to{ur}mente{n} 3048 {and} agaste{n} þe soules by anoye wexen sorweful {and} sory {and} wepen teres for pitee.

[Sidenote: Ixion, tormented by the revolving wheel, found rest;]

þan was nat þe heued of Ixion{e} yto{ur}mented by þe ou{er}þrowi{n}g whele.

[Sidenote: Tantalus, suffering from a long and raging thirst, despised the stream;]

¶ And tantalus þat was destroied by þe woodnesse of longe 3052 þrust dispiseþ þe flodes to drynke.

[Sidenote: and the greedy vulture did cease to eat and tear the growing liver of Tityus.]

þe fowel þat hyȝt voltor þat etiþ þe stomak or þe giser of ticius is so fulfilled of his songe þat it nil etyn ne tyren no more.

[Linenotes: 3022 _vnbynde_--vnbyndyn _bonde_--bondes 3023 [_orpheus_]--from C. _somtyme_--whilom 3024 _sorowe_--sorwe 3028 _dredles_--dredeles _to herkene_--forto herknen 3029 _had[de]_--hadde 3030 _þat_ (2)--omitted 3031 _most[e]_--moste 3032 _hadde_--hadden 3033 _assuage_--asswagen _lorde_--lord 3034 _pleyned[e]_--pleynede _godes_--heuene goodes 3035 _wente_--MS. wenten, C. wente 3036 _tempred[e] hys_--temprede hise 3037 _of hys_--C. omits _spak_--MS. spakke, C. spak _song_--MS. songe, C. soonge 3038 _alle_--al 3039 _oute_--owt _goddesse_--goddes 3040 _song_--MS. songe, C. soonge _mychel_--mochel 3041 _myche_--moche _doubled[e]_--dowblede 3042 _myȝt[e]_--myhte _ȝeuen_--yeue _teche_--thechen _in----herte_--omitted 3043 _commoeuede_--MS. comaunded, C. co{m}moeuede 3044 _souȝte_--by-sowhte 3045 _ȝelden_--yilden 3046 _his_--hise 3047 _cauȝt_--MS. cauȝte, C. cawht _new[e] songe_--newe song 3049 _anoye----sorweful_--anoy woxen soruful 3050 _þan_--tho ne 3051 _whele_--wheel 3053 _þrust_--thurst _hyȝt_--hihte 3054 _fulfilled_--fulfyld 3055 _songe_--song]

[Headnote: FIX NOT THE THOUGHTS ON EARTHLY THINGS.]

[Sidenote: At length Pluto himself relented, crying out, ‘We are overcome! Let us give him back his wife, he hath well won her by his song.]

¶ Atte þe laste þe lorde {and} Iuge of soules was moeued 3056 to misericordes {and} cried[e] we ben ouer comen q{uo}d he. yif[e] we to orpheus his wijf to bere hym co{m}paignye he haþ welle I-bouȝt hir by his faire songe {and} his ditee. [[pg 108]]

[Sidenote: But we will lay this injunction upon him. Till he escape the infernal bounds, he shall not cast a backward look.’]

but we wil putte{n} a lawe in þis. {and} couenaunt 3060 in þe ȝifte. þ{a}t is to seyne. þat til he be out of helle yif he loke byhynden hym [þ{a}t] hys wijf shal come{n} aȝeine to vs

[Sidenote: But, who shall give a lover any law? Love is a greater law than may be given to any earthly man.]

¶ but what is he þat may ȝeue a lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe {and} a strengere to 3064 hym self þan any lawe þ{a}t men may ȝeuen.

[Sidenote: Alas! having left the realms of night, Orpheus cast a look behind and lost his too-much-loved Euridice.]

¶ Allas whan Orpheus {and} his wijf were al most at þe termes of þe nyȝt. þat is to seyne at þe last[e] boundes of helle. Orpheus loked[e] abakwarde on Erudice his wijf {and} 3068 lost[e] hir {and} was deed.

[Sidenote: This fable belongs to all you, whose minds would view the Sovereign Good.]

¶ þis fable app{er}teineþ to ȝow alle who so euer desireþ or sekiþ to lede his þouȝte in to þe souereyne day. þat is to seyne to clerenes[se] of souereyne goode.

[Sidenote: For he who fixes his thoughts upon earthly things and low, must lose the noble and heaven-imparted Good.]

¶ For who so þat eu{er}e be so ouer 3072 come{n} þat he fycche hys eyen in to þe put[te] of helle. þat is to seyne who so setteþ his þouȝtes in erþely þinges. al þat euer he haþ drawen of þe noble good celestial he lesiþ it whan he lokeþ þe helles. þat is to 3076 seyne to lowe þinges of þe erþe.

EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.

[Linenotes: 3056 _Atte_--At _lorde_--lord 3057 _cried[e]_--cryde 3058 _yif[e]_--yiue 3059 _haþ_--MS. haþe _welle_--wel _faire_--C. omits _songe_--song 3060 _wil putten_--wol putte 3062 _byhynden_--by-hynde [_þat_]--from C. 3063 _to_--vn-to 3064 _gretter_--gret 3066 _were al most_--weren almest 3067 _last[e]_--laste 3068 _loked[e] abakwarde_--lookede abacward 3069 _lost[e]_--loste 3070 _þouȝte_--thowht 3071 _clerenes[se]_--clernesse 3072 _souereyne goode_--sou{er}eyn god 3073 _put[te]_--putte 3074 _setteþ_--sette 3075 _haþ_--MS. haþe]

[Headnote: THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 24 _b_.]]

*INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS.

HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE UULT{US}.

[Sidenote: [The 1^ma p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: When P. with grace and dignity had poured forth her songs, I, not quite quit of my load of grief, interrupted her as she was continuing her discourse.]

++Whanne philosophie hadde songe{n} softly {and} delitably þe forseide þinges kepynge þe dignitee of hir choere in þe weyȝte of hir wordes. I þan þat ne hadde 3080 nat al out{er}ly forȝeten þe wepyng {and} mournyng þat was set in myne herte for-brek þe entenc{i}ou{n} of hir þat entended[e] ȝitte to seyne oþ{er} þinges.

[Sidenote: All your discourses, O my conductress to the true light! have been very clear and unanswerable, both by the divine testimony which they carry along with them, and by thy irrefragable arguments.]

¶ Se q{uo}d I. þou þat art gideresse of verray lyȝte þe þinges þat þou 3084 hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere {and} so shewyng [[pg 109]] by þe deuyne lokyng of hem {and} by þi resou{n}s þat þei ne mowe nat ben ouercomen.

[Sidenote: Through the oppression of grief I had forgotten these truths, but was not wholly ignorant of them.]

¶ And þilke þi{n}g{us} þat þou toldest me. al be it so þat I hadde som tyme 3088 fo[r]ȝeten hem for [the] sorwe of þe wronge þat haþ ben don to me. ȝit naþeles þei ne were nat alouterly vnknowen to me.

[Sidenote: The principal cause of my trouble is this--that, whilst the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, evil exists and is allowed to pass unpunished.]

but þis same is namly a gret cause of my sorwe. þat so as þe gouernoure of þinges is goode. 3092 yif þat yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif þat yuelys passen wiþ outen punyssheinge.

[Sidenote: This, to say the least, is astonishing.]

þe whiche þinge oonly how worþi it is to ben wondred vpon. þou considerest it weel þi self certeynly.

[Sidenote: Moreover, while _vice_ flourishes _virtue_ is not only unrewarded, but trampled under foot by base and profligate men, and suffers the punishment due to impiety.]

but ȝitte to þis 3096 þing þere is an oþer þing y-ioigned more to ben ywondred vpon. ¶ For felonie is emperisse {and} flowreþ ful of rycchesse. and vertues nis nat al oonly wiþ outen medes. but it is cast vndir {and} fortroden vndir þe feet of felonous 3100 folk. {and} it abieþ þe to{ur}me{n}tes in sted of wicked felou{n}s

[Sidenote: Here is cause for wonderment, since such things are possible under the government of an omniscient and omnipotent God, who wills nothing but what is the best.]

¶ Of al[le] whiche þing þer nis no wyȝt þat [may] merueyllen ynouȝ ne compleyne þat swiche þinges ben don in þe regne of god þat alle þinges woot. 3104 and alle þinges may {and} ne wool nat but only goode þinges.

[Sidenote: _P._ It were indeed, not only marvellous, but also horribly monstrous, if, in the well-regulated family of so great a master, the worthless vessels should be honoured and the precious ones be despised:--but it is not so.]

¶ þan seide she þus. certys q{uo}d she þat were a grete meruayle {and} an enbaissynge wiþouten ende. {and} wel more horrible þan alle monstres yif it were as 3108 þ{o}u wenest. þat is to sein. þat in þe ryȝt ordeyne house of so mochel a fader {and} an ordenour of meyne. þat þe vesseles þat ben foule {and} vyle sholde ben hono{ur}ed {and} heried. and þe p{re}cious uesseles sholde ben defouled 3112 {and} vyle. but it nis nat so.

[Sidenote: For if the conclusions we have come to, be sound and irrefragable, we must confess that under God’s rule the _good_ are always powerful and mighty, and the _wicked_ weak and contemptible;]

For yif þe þinges þat I haue co{n}cluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole [[pg 110]] {and} vnraced. þou shalt wel knowe by þe auctorite of god. of þe whos regne I speke þat certys þe good[e] 3116 folk ben alwey myȝty. {and} shrewes ben alwey yuel {and} feble.

[Sidenote: that vice never passes unpunished, nor virtue goes unrewarded;]

ne þe vices ben neu{e}re mo wiþ outen peyne[;] ne þe vertues ne ben nat wiþ outen mede.

[Sidenote: that happiness attends good men, and misfortune falls to the lot of the wicked.]

and þat blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folke. {and} infortune comeþ 3120 alwey to wicked folke.

[Sidenote: These and many other truths of like nature shall be proved to thee, and shall put an end to thy complaints, and strengthen thee with firmness and solidity.]

¶ And þou shalt wel knowe many[e] þinges of þis kynde þ{a}t sholle cessen þi pleyntes. {and} stedfast þe wiþ stedfast saddenesse.

[Sidenote: Having shown you a picture of true felicity, and wherein it resides, I shall now trace out the way which will lead you to your home.]

¶ And for þou hast seyn þe forme of þe verray blisfulnesse by me þat 3124 [haue] somtyme I-shewed it þe. And þou hast knowen i{n} whom blysfulnesse is set. alle þinges I treted þ{a}t I trowe ben nessessarie to put[te] furþe ¶ I shal shewe þe. þe weye þat shal brynge þe aȝeyne vnto þi house 3128

[Sidenote: I will give your soul wings to soar aloft, so that all tribulation being removed, you may, under my guiding, by my road, and with my vehicle, return whole and sound into your own country.]

{and} I shal ficche feþeres in þi þouȝt by whiche it may arysen in heyȝte. so þat al tribulac{i}ou{n} don awey þou by my gidyng & by my paþe {and} by my sledes shalt mowen retourne hool {and} sounde in to þi contre. 3132

[Linenotes: 3078 _softly_--softely 3080 _choere in_--cheere {and} 3082 _set_--MS. sette, C. set _myne_--Myn _for-brek_--MS. for-breke, C. Forbrak 3083 _entended[e]_--entendede 3084 _lyȝte_--lyht 3085 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seid [_me_]--from C. 3086 _þi_--the 3087 _mowe_--mowen 3088 _som tyme_--whilom 3089 [_the_]--from C. _wronge_--wrong _haþ_--MS. haþe 3090 _don_--MS. done, C. don _were_--weeren 3091 _namly_--namely 3092 _goode_--good 3094 _wiþ outen_--w{i}t{h} owte 3095 _þinge_--thing 3097 _þere_--ther _ben ywondred_--be wondryd 3098 _flowreþ_--MS. folweþ, C. flowrith 3099 _rycchesse_--Rychesses _vertues_--vertu _wiþ outen_--w{i}t{h} owte 3101 _in sted_--in stide 3102 _wicked_--wikkede _al[le]_--alle _þing_--thinges 3103 [_may_]--from C. 3104 _don_--MS. done, C. doon 3105 _wool_--wole _goode_--good 3107 _grete_--gret _enbaissynge_--enbasshinge 3108 _alle_--al 3109 _ordeyne house_--ordenee hows 3111, 3113 _vyle_--vyl 3112 _heried_--he heryed _sholde_--sholden 3113 _þe_--tho 3114 _here byforne_--her byforn _kept_--MS. kepte, C. kept 3116 _good[e]_--goode 3117 _alwey_ (2)----_feble_--alwey owt cast {and} feble 3118, 3119 _wiþ outen_--w{i}t{h} owte 3119 _vertues_--vertuus 3122 _many[e]_--manye _sholle cessen_--shollen cesen 3123 _stedfast----stedfast_--strengthyn the w{i}t{h} stidfast 3124 _seyn_--MS. seyne, C. seyn 3125 [_haue_]--from C. _somtyme_--whilom 3126 _set_--MS. sette, C. I-set 3127 _put[te] furþe_--putten forth 3128 _weye_--wey _brynge_--bryngen _þi house_--thin hows 3129 _ficche_--fycchen 3130 _arysen_--areysen _don_--MS. done, C. ydoñ 3131 _paþe_--paath _shalt mowen_--shal mowe 3132 _sounde_--sownd]

[Headnote: VIRTUE NEVER GOES UNREWARDED.]

SU{N}T ETENIM PENNE. {ET} C{ETERA}.

[Sidenote: [The fyrste met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: I have nimble wings that enable the mind to rise from earth to heaven, to leave the clouds behind, to pass the region of perpetual flame, and to reach the starry mansion, journeying either by Phœbus’ radiant path, or accompanying cold and aged Saturn, or riding, as a soldier, with Mars.]

++I Haue for soþe swifte feþeres þat surmou{n}ten þe heyȝt of þe heuene whan þe swifte þouȝt haþ cloþed it self. in þo feþeres it dispiseþ þe hat[e]ful erþes. {and} surmou{n}teþ þe heyȝenesse of þe greet[e] eyir. {and} it seiþ þe 3136 cloudes by-hynde hir bak {and} passeþ þe heyȝt of þe regiou{n} of þe fire þat eschaufiþ by þe swifte moeuyng of þe firmament. til þat she a-reisiþ hir in til þe houses þ{a}t beren þe sterres. {and} ioygneþ hir weyes wiþ þe sonne [[pg 111]] phebus. {and} felawshipeþ þe weye of þe olde colde 3141 saturnus. and she ymaked a knyȝt of þe clere sterre.

[Sidenote: [Chaucer’s Gloss.]]

þat is to seyne þat þe soule is maked goddys knyȝt by þe sekyng of treuþe to comen to þe verray knowlege of 3144 god.

[Sidenote: Through every sphere she (the mind) runs where night is most cloudless and where the sky is decked with stars, until she reaches the heaven’s utmost sphere--]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 25.]]

and þilke soule renne[þ] by þe cercle *of þe sterres in alle þe places þere as þe shynyng nyȝt is depeynted. þat is to seyne þe nyȝt þat is cloudeles. for on nyȝtes þat ben cloudeles it semeþ as þe heuene were peynted wiþ 3148 dyuerse ymages of sterres. {and} whan þe soule haþ gon ynouȝ she shal forleten þe last[e] poynt of þe heuene.

[Linenotes: 3133 _heyȝt of þe heuene_--heyhte of heuene 3134 _haþ_--MS. haþe 3136 _heyȝenesse----eyir_--Rou{n}dnesse of the grete ayr _seiþ_--seth 3137 _hir_--his 3138 _fire_--Fyr _eschaufiþ_--MS. eschaufiþe 3139 _she_--he _hir_--hym 3140 _hir_--his 3141 _weye_--wey _þe----saturnus_--MS. saturnus þe olde colde 3142 _saturnus_--sat{ur}nis _she_--he 3143 _soule_--thowght 3144 _treuþe_--trowthe _knowlege_--knoleche 3145 _soule_--thoght 3146 _depeynted_--painted 3149-50 _and whan----she shal_--{and} whanne he hath I-doon ther{e} I-nowh he shal 3149 _haþ_--MS. haþe 3150 _þe last[e]----heuene_--the laste heuene]

[Headnote: VICE IS ALWAYS PUNISHED.]

[Sidenote: then pressing on she shall be prepared to see the true Source of Light, where the great King of kings bears his mighty sceptre, and holds the reins of the universe.]

{and} she shal p{re}ssen {and} wenden on þe bak of þe swifte firmament. and she shal ben maked p{er}fit of þe dredefulle 3152 clerenesse of god. ¶ þere haldeþ þe lorde of kynges þe ceptre of his myȝt {and} atte{m}p{er}eþ þe gouernementes of þis worlde.

[Sidenote: Here the great Judge, standing in shining robes, firmly guides his winged chariot, and rules the tumultuous affairs of the world.]

{and} þe shynynge iuge of þinges stable i{n} hy{m} self gouerneþ þe swifte carte. þat is to seyne þe 3156 circuler moeuyng of [the] sonne.

[Sidenote: If you at length shall arrive at this abode, you will say this is my country--here I was born--and here will I abide.]

{and} yif þi weye ledeþ þe aȝeyne so þat þou be brouȝt þider. þan wilt þou seye now þat þat is þe contre þat þou requeredest of whiche þou ne haddest no mynde. but now it remenbreþ me wel 3160 here was I born. here wil I fastne my degree. here wil I dwelle.

[Sidenote: And should you deign to look on the gloomy earth, you’ll see those tyrants, the fear of wretched folk, banished from those fair realms.]

but yif þe lyke þan to loken on þe derkenesse of þe erþe þat þou hast for-leten. þan shalt þou seen þat þise felonous tyrauntes þat þe wrecched[e] poeple dredeþ 3164 now shule ben exiled from þilke faire contre.

[Linenotes: 3151-2 _she_--he 3152-3 _of þe----of god_--of the worshipful lyht of god 3153 _þere haldeþ_--ther halt 3155 _þis worlde_--the world 3156 _carte_--cart or wayn 3157 [_the_]--from C. 3159 _whiche_--which 3161 _here_ (1, 2, 3)--her _born_--MS. borne, C. born _wil_ (1)--wol _wil_ (2)--wole 3162 _lyke_--liketh _derkenesse_--dyrknesses 3164 _wrecched[e]_--wrecchede 3165 _shule_--shollen _from_--fro]

[[pg 112]] [Headnote: THE GOOD ARE ALWAYS STRONG.]

TUNC EGO PAPE INQ{UA}M. {ET} C{ETERA}.

[Sidenote: [The 2^e p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: _B._ Ah! thou promisest me great things indeed!--but without delay, satisfy the expectations you have raised.]

++ÞAnne seide I þus. [owh] I wondre me þat þou by-hetest me so grete þinges. ne I ne doute nat þat þ{o}u ne mayst wel p{er}forme þat þou by-hetest. but I preie þe 3168 oonly þis. þat þou ne tarie nat to telle me þilke þinges þat þou hast meoued.

[Sidenote: _P._ You must first be convinced that the good are always strong and powerful and the wicked destitute of strength.]

first q{uo}d she þou most nedes knowen. þ{a}t good[e] folk ben al wey strong[e] {and} myȝty. and þe shrewes ben feble {and} desert {and} naked 3172 of alle strengþes.

[Sidenote: These assertions do mutually demonstrate each other.]

and of þise þinges certys eueryche of hem is declared {and} shewed by oþ{er}.

[Sidenote: For since good and evil are contrary, if good be powerful evil must be impotent.]

¶ For so as good {and} yuel ben two cont{ra}ries. yif so be þat goode be stedfast. þa{n} sheweþ þe fieblesse of yuel al openly. 3176

[Sidenote: And if the frailty of evil is known, the strength and stability of good must also be known to you.]

and yif þou knowe clerely þe freelnesse of yuel. þe stedfastnesse of goode is knowen.

[Sidenote: But to convince you I shall proceed to prove it from both these principles, establishing these truths, by arguments drawn first from one of these topics and then from the other.]

but for as moche as þe fey of my sentence shal be þe more ferme {and} habou{n}daunt. I wil goon by þat oon wey {and} by þat oþer {and} I wil conferme 3180 þe þinges þat ben p{ur}posed now on þis side {and} now on þ{a}t syde.

[Sidenote: Two things are necessary to every action--the Will and the Power; if either be wanting, nothing can be effected.]

¶ Two þinges þer ben in whiche þe effect of alle þe dedes of man kynde standiþ. þat is to seyn. wil {and} power. and yif þat oon of þise two fayleþ 3184 þere nis no þing þat may be don.

[Sidenote: A man can do nothing without the concurrence of his will, and if power faileth the will is of no effect.]

for yif þat wil lakkeþ þere nys no wyȝt þat vndirtakeþ to done þat he wol not don. and yif power fayleþ þe wille nis but i{n} ydel {and} stant for nauȝt.

[Sidenote: Hence, if you see a person desirous of getting what he cannot procure, you are sure he lacks power to obtain it.]

and þer of comeþ it þat yif þou se a 3188 wyȝt þat wolde gete{n} þat he may nat geten. þou mayst nat douten þat power ne fayleþ hy{m} to haue{n} þat he wolde. ¶ þis is open {and} clere q{uo}d I. ne it may nat ben denyed in no manere.

[Sidenote: And if you see another do what he had a mind to do, can you doubt that he had the power to do it?]

and yif þou se a wyȝt q{uo}d 3192 she. þat haþ don þat he wolde don þ{o}u nilt nat douten þat he ne haþ had power to done it.

[Sidenote: _B._ No, surely. _P._ A man, then, is esteemed powerful in respect of what he is able to do, and weak in relation to what he is unable to perform.]

no q{uo}d. I. and in þat. þat euery wyȝt may. in þat þat men may holden hym myȝty. as who seiþ i{n} as moche as a man is myȝty [[pg 113]] to done a þing. in so moche men halden hy{m} myȝty. 3197 and in þat þat he ne may. in þat men demen hym to ben feble.

[Sidenote: _B._ That is true.]

I confesse it wel q{uo}d I.

[Sidenote: _P._ Do you remember that I proved that the will of man, following different pursuits, seeks happiness only?]

Remembriþ þe q{uo}d she þat I. haue gadred {and} shewed by forseide resou{n}s 3200 þat al þe entenc{i}ou{n} of þe wil of ma{n}kynde whiche þat is lad by diuerse studies hastiþ to comen to blisfulnesse. ¶ It reme{m}breþ me wel q{uo}d I þat it hath ben shewed.