Part 39

++THanne seide I thus // I acorde me gretly to plato / for thow remenbrist {and} recordist me thise thinges yit] þe seconde tyme. þat is to seyn. first whan I lost[e] my memorie by þe co{n}tagioũs coniuncc{i}ou{n} of þe body wiþ þe soule. {and} eftsones afterward whan I lost[e] it co{n}founded by þe charge {and} by þe burden of my sorwe. ¶ And þan sayde she þus. ¶ If þou look[e] q{uo}d she firste þe þinges þat þou hast graunted it ne shal nat ben ryȝt feer þat þou ne shalt remembren þilke þing þat þou seidest þat þou nistest nat. what þing q{uo}d I. ¶ by whiche gouerme{n}t q{uo}d she þat þis worlde is gouerned. Me remembriþ it wel q{uo}d I. {and} I confesse wel þat I ne wist[e] it nat ¶ But al be it so þat I se now fro{m} afer what þou p{ur}posest ¶ Algates I desire ȝit to herkene it of þe more pleynely. ¶ þou ne wendest nat q{uo}d she a litel here byforne þat men sholden doute þat þis worlde is gouerned by god. ¶ Certys q{uo}d I ne ȝitte doute I it nauȝt. ne I nil neuer wene þat it were to doute. as who seiþ. but I wot wel þat god gouerneþ þis worlde. ¶ And I shal shortly answere þe by what resou{n}s I am brouȝt to þis. ¶ þis worlde q{uod} I of so many dyuerse {and} co{n}trarious p{ar}ties ne myȝten neuer han ben assembled in o forme. but yif þere ne were oon þat conioigned so many[e diu{er}se] þinges. ¶ And þe same diuersite of hire natures þat so discordeden þat oon fro þat oþer most[e] dep{ar}ten {and} vnioigne{n} þe þi{n}ges þat ben co{n}ioigned. yif þere ne were oon þat contened[e] þat he haþ co{n}ioigned {and} ybounde. ne þe certein ordre of nature ne sholde. nat brynge furþe so ordinee moeuynge. by places. by tymes. by doynges. by spaces. by qualites. yif þere ne were oon þat were ay stedfast dwellynge. þat ordeyned[e] {and} disposed[e] þise diuersites of moeuynges. ¶ and þilke þinge what so euer it be. by whiche þat alle þinges ben maked {and} ylad. I clepe hym god þat is a worde þat is vsed to alle folke. þan seide she. syn þou felest þus þise þinges q{uo}d she. I trowe þat I haue lytel more to done. þat þou myȝty of wilfulnesse hool {and} sounde ne se eftsones þi contre. ¶ But lat vs loken þe þinges þat we han p{ur}posed her-byforn. ¶ Haue I nat nou{m}bred {and} seid q{uod} she þat suffisaunce is in blisfulnesse. {and} we han accorded þat god is {and} þilke same blisfulnesse. ¶ yis forsoþe q{uo}d I. {and} þat to gouerne þis worlde q{uod} she. ne shal he neuer han nede of none helpe fro wiþoute. for ellys yif he had[de] nede of any helpe. he ne sholde not haue [no] ful suffisau{n}ce. ȝis þus it mot nedes be q{uo}d I. ¶ þan ordeyneþ he by hym self al oon alle þinges q{uo}d she. þat may nat ben denied q{uo}d I. ¶ And I haue shewed þat god is þe same good. ¶ It reme{m}breþ me wel q{uo}d I. ¶ þan ordeineþ he alle þinges by þilke goode q{uod} she. Syn he whiche we han accorded to ben good gouerneþ alle þi{n}g{us} by hym self. {and} he is a keye {and} a stiere by whiche þat þe edifice of þis worlde is ykept stable {and} wiþ oute corumpynge ¶ I accorde me gretly q{uod} I. {and} I ap{er}ceiuede a litel here byforn þat þou woldest seyne þus. Al be it so þat it were by a þinne suspeciou{n}. I trowe it wel q{uo}d she. ¶ For as I trowe þou leedest nowe more ententifly þine eyen to loken þe verray goodes ¶ but naþeles þe þinges þat I shal telle þe ȝit ne sheweþ nat lasse to loken. what is þat q{uo}d I. ¶ So as men trowen q{uo}d she {and} þat ryȝtfully þat god gouerneþ alle þinges by þe keye of his goodnesse. ¶ And alle þise same þinges as I [haue] tauȝt þe. hasten hem by naturel ente{n}c{i}ou{n} to comen to goode þer may no man doute{n}. þat þei ne ben gouerned uoluntariely. {and} þat þei ne conuerten [hem] nat of her owe{n} wille to þe wille of hire ordeno{ur}. as þei þat ben accordyng {and} enclinynge to her gouerno{ur} {and} her kyng. ¶ It mot nedys be so q{uo}d. I. ¶ For þe realme ne sholde not seme blisful ȝif þere were a ȝok of mysdrawynges in diu{er}se p{ar}ties ne þe sauynge of obedient þinges ne sholde nat be. þan is þere no þing q{uo}d she þ{a}t kepiþ hys nature[;] þat enforceþ hym to gone aȝeyne god. ¶ No q{uo}d. I. ¶ And if þat any þi{n}g enforced[e] hym to wiþstonde god. myȝt[e] it auayle at þe laste aȝeyns hym þat we han g{ra}unted to ben al myȝty by þe ryȝt of blisfulnesse. ¶ Certis q{uo}d I al outerly it ne myȝt[e] nat auaylen hym. þan is þere no þing q{uo}d she þat eyþer wol or may wiþstonde to þis souereyne good. ¶ I trowe nat q{uo}d. I ¶ þan is þilke þe souereyne good q{uo}d she þat alle þi{n}g{us} gouerneþ strongly {and} ordeyneþ hem softly. þa{n} seide I þus. I delite me q{uo}d I nat oonly in þe endes or in þe so{m}mes of [the] resou{n}s þat þou hast concludid {and} p{ro}ued. ¶ But þilke wordes þat þ{o}u vsest deliten me moche more. ¶ So at þe last[e] fooles þat so{m}tyme renden greet[e] þinges auȝte{n} ben asshamed of hem self. ¶ þat is to seyne þ{a}t we fooles þat rep{re}henden wickedly þe þi{n}g{us} þat touchen goddes gouernaunce we auȝte{n} ben asshamed of oure self. As I þat seide god refuseþ oonly þe werkes of men. {and} ne entremetiþ nat of he{m}. _p._ þou hast wel herd q{uo}d she þe fables of þe poetes. how þe geauntes assailden þe heuene wiþ þe goddes. but for soþe þe debonaire force of god disposed[e] hem so as it was worþi. þat is to seyne distroied[e] þe geauntes. as it was worþi. ¶ But wilt þou þat we ioygnen togedre þilke same resou{n}s. for p{er}auenture of swiche coniuncc{i}ou{n} may sterten vp some faire sp{er}kele of soþe ¶ Do q{uo}d I as þe list. wenest þou q{uo}d she þat god ne is almyȝty. no man is in doute of it. Certys q{uo}d I no wyȝt ne defendiþ it if he be in hys mynde. but he q{uo}d she þat is al myȝty þere nis no þing þat he ne may do. þat is soþe q{uo}d I. May god done yuel q{uo}d she. nay for soþe q{uo}d. I. ¶ þan is yuel no þing q{uo}d she. ¶ Syn þat he ne may not done yuel þat may done alle þinges. scornest þou me q{uo}d. I. or ellys pleyest þou or deceiuest þou me. þat hast so wouen me wiþ þi resou{n}s. þe house of didalus so entrelaced. þat it is vnable to ben vnlaced. þou þat oþer while entrest þere þou issest {and} oþer while issest þere þou entrest. ne fooldest þou nat to gidre by replicac{i}ou{n} of wordes a maner wondirful cercle or envirounynge of symplicite deuyne. ¶ For certys a litel her byforn{e} whan þou bygu{n}ne atte blisfulnesse þ{o}u seidest þat it is souereyne good. {and} seidest þat it is set in souereyne god. {and} þat god is þe ful[le] blisfulnesse. for whiche þou ȝaf[e] me as a couenable ȝifte. þat is to seyne þ{a}t no wyȝt nis blisful. but yif he be good al so þer wiþ {and} seidest eke þat þe forme of goode is þe substaunce of god. {and} of blisfulnesse. {and} seidest þ{a}t þilke same oone is þilke same goode þat is requered {and} desired of al þe kynde of þinges. {and} þou p{ro}euedest in disputynge þat god gouerneþ alle [the] þinges of þe worlde by þe gouernementys of bountee. {and} seydest þat alle þinges wolen ybeyen to hym. and seidest þat þe nature of yuel nis no þing. {and} þise þinges ne shewedest þou nat wiþ no resou{n}s ytake fro wiþoute but by proues in cercles {and} homelyche knowen. ¶ þe whiche p{ro}eues drawen to hem self hir feiþ {and} hir accorde eu{er}iche [of] hem of oþer. þan seide she þus. I ne scorne þe nat ne pleye ne desseyue þe. but I haue shewed to þe þinge þat is grettest ouer alle þinges by þe ȝifte of god þat we some tyme prayden ¶ For þis is þe forme of [the] deuyne substaunce. þat is swiche þat it ne slydeþ nat in to outerest foreine þinges. ne ne rec[e]yueþ no st{ra}nge þinges in hym. but ryȝt as p{ar}maynws seide in grek of þilke deuyne substaunce. he seide þus þat þilke deuyne substaunce torneþ þe worlde {and} þilke cercle moeueable of þinges while þilke dyuyne substau{n}ce kepiþ it self wiþ outen moeuynge. þat is to seyne þat it ne moeuiþ neuere mo. {and} ȝitte it moeueþ alle oþer þinges. but na-þeles yif I [haue] stered resou{n}s þat ne ben nat taken fro wiþ oute þe compas of þe þinge of whiche we treten. but resou{n}s þat ben bystowed wiþ i{n}ne þat compas þere nis nat whi þat þou sholde[st] merueylen. sen þou hast lerned by þe sentence of plato þat nedes þe wordes moten ben cosynes to þo þinges of whiche þei speken.

FELIX QUI POTERIT. {ET} CET{ER}A.

[Sidenote: [The .12. Met{ur}.]]

++Blisful is þat man þat may seen þe clere welle of good. blisful is he þat may vnbynde hym fro þe bonde of heuy erþe. ¶ þe poete of t{ra}ce [orphe{us}] þat somtyme hadde ryȝt greet sorowe for þe deeþ of hys wijf. aftir þat he hadde maked by hys wepely songes þe wodes meueable to rennen. {and} hadde ymaked þe ryueres to stonden stille. {and} maked þe hertys {and} hyndes to ioignen dredles hir sides to cruel lyou{n}s to herkene his songe. {and} had[de] maked þat þe hare was nat agast of þe hounde whiche þat was plesed by hys songe. so þat whane þe most[e] ardaunt loue of hys wijf brende þe entrailes of his brest. ne þe songes þat hadde ouer comen alle þinges ne myȝten nat assuage hir lorde orpheus. ¶ He pleyned[e] hym of þe godes þat were{n} cruel to hym. he wente hym to þe houses of helle {and} þere he tempred[e] hys blaundissyng songes by resounyng 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. {and} he song wiþ as mychel as he myȝt[e] of 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 of relesynge. þat is to seyne to ȝelden hym hys wif. ¶ Cerberus þe porter of helle wiþ his þre heuedes was cauȝt {and} al abaist for þe new[e] songe. {and} þe þre goddesses furijs {and} vengerisse of felonies þat to{ur}mente{n} {and} agaste{n} þe soules by anoye wexen sorweful {and} sory {and} wepen teres for pitee. þan was nat þe heued of Ixion{e} yto{ur}mented by þe ou{er}þrowi{n}g whele. ¶ And tantalus þat was destroied by þe woodnesse of longe þrust dispiseþ þe flodes to drynke. 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. ¶ Atte þe laste þe lorde {and} Iuge of soules was moeued 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. but we wil putte{n} a lawe in þis. {and} couenaunt 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 ¶ but what is he þat may ȝeue a lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe {and} a strengere to hym self þan any lawe þ{a}t men may ȝeuen. ¶ 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} lost[e] hir {and} was deed. ¶ 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. ¶ For who so þat eu{er}e be so ouer 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 seyne to lowe þinges of þe erþe.

EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.

INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS.

HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE UULT{US}.

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

++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 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. ¶ Se q{uo}d I. þou þat art gideresse of verray lyȝte þe þinges þat þou hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere {and} so shewyng by þe deuyne lokyng of hem {and} by þi resou{n}s þat þei ne mowe nat ben ouercomen. ¶ And þilke þi{n}g{us} þat þou toldest me. al be it so þat I hadde som tyme 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. but þis same is namly a gret cause of my sorwe. þat so as þe gouernoure of þinges is goode. yif þat yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif þat yuelys passen wiþ outen punyssheinge. þe whiche þinge oonly how worþi it is to ben wondred vpon. þou considerest it weel þi self certeynly. but ȝitte to þis 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 folk. {and} it abieþ þe to{ur}me{n}tes in sted of wicked felou{n}s ¶ 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. and alle þinges may {and} ne wool nat but only goode þinges. ¶ 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 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 {and} vyle. but it nis nat so. For yif þe þinges þat I haue co{n}cluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole {and} vnraced. þou shalt wel knowe by þe auctorite of god. of þe whos regne I speke þat certys þe good[e] folk ben alwey myȝty. {and} shrewes ben alwey yuel {and} feble. ne þe vices ben neu{e}re mo wiþ outen peyne[;] ne þe vertues ne ben nat wiþ outen mede. and þat blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folke. {and} infortune comeþ alwey to wicked folke. ¶ And þou shalt wel knowe many[e] þinges of þis kynde þ{a}t sholle cessen þi pleyntes. {and} stedfast þe wiþ stedfast saddenesse. ¶ And for þou hast seyn þe forme of þe verray blisfulnesse by me þat [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 {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.

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

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

++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 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 phebus. {and} felawshipeþ þe weye of þe olde colde saturnus. and she ymaked a knyȝt of þe clere sterre. þat is to seyne þat þe soule is maked goddys knyȝt by þe sekyng of treuþe to comen to þe verray knowlege of god. 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 dyuerse ymages of sterres. {and} whan þe soule haþ gon ynouȝ she shal forleten þe last[e] poynt of þe heuene. {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 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. {and} þe shynynge iuge of þinges stable i{n} hy{m} self gouerneþ þe swifte carte. þat is to seyne þe circuler moeuyng of [the] sonne. {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 here was I born. here wil I fastne my degree. here wil I dwelle. 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 now shule ben exiled from þilke faire contre.

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

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