Part 4

¶ Þis man þat su{m}tyme was fre to who{m} þe heuene was open 104 {and} knowen {and} was wont to gone in heuenelyche paþes. {and} sauȝ þe lyȝtnesse of þe rede sunne. {and} sauȝ þe sterres of þe colde moone. {and} wyche sterre i{n} heuene vseþ wandryng risorses yflit by dyuerse speres. 108 ¶ Þis man ouer comere hadde co{m}p{re}hendid al þis by noumbre. of accountyng in astronomye. ¶ And ouer þis he was wont to seche þe causes whennes þe sounyng wy{n}des moeuen {and} bisien þe smoþe water of þe 112 see. {and} what spirit turneþ þe stable heuene. {and} whi þe sterre ryseþ oute of þe reede eest. to falle in þe westren wawes. and what attempriþ þe lusty houres of þe fyrste somer sesou{n} þat hiȝteþ {and} apparaileþ 116 þe erþe wiþ rosene floures. ¶ And who makeþ þat plenteuouse autu{m}pne in fulle ȝeres fletiþ wiþ heuy grapes. ¶ And eke þis ma{n} was wont to telle þe dyuerses causes of nature þat weren yhid. 120

[Sidenote: But now, alas, he is constrained to keep his face to the ground.]

¶ Allas now lieþ he emptid of lyȝt of hys þouȝt. {and} hys nekke is p{re}ssid wiþ heuy cheynes {and} bereþ his chere enclined adoune for þe greet[e] weyȝt. and is constreyned to loke on foule erþe. 124

[Linenotes: 101 _gone_--goon 102 _bisines_--bysynesse _outen_--owte 103 _worldly_--wordely 104 _sumtyme_--whilom 105 _gone_--goon 106 _paþes_--paathes _sauȝ_--sawh _lyȝtnesse_--lythnesse _sunne_--sonne _sauȝ_--MS. sue, C. sawgh 107 _wyche_--which 108 _risorses_--recourses 111 _seche_--seken _sounyng_--sownynge 114 _ryseþ oute_--aryseth owt _falle_--fallen 115 _westren_--westrene 116 _fyrste_--fyrst 119 _eke_--ek 120 _dyuerses_--diuerse _yhid_--MS. yhidde 121 _lieþ_--lith _emptid_--emted 123 _adoune_--adown _greet[e] weyȝt_--grete weyhte 124 _loke----foule_--looken on the fool]

[Headnote: PHILOSOPHY ENLIGHTENS BOETHIUS.]

SET MEDICINE INQUIT TEMPUS.

[Sidenote: [The ij^de p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: More need of medicine than of complaint.]

++Bvt tyme is now q{uo}d sche of medicine more þen of compleynte. ¶ Forsoþe þen sche entendyng to me warde wiþ al þe lokyng of hir eyen saide.

[Sidenote: Philosophy addresses Boethius.]

¶ Art not þou he q{uo}d sche þat su{m}tyme I-norschid wiþ my 128 mylke {and} fostre[d] wiþ my meetes were ascaped {and} comen to corage of a p{er}fit man. ¶ Certys I ȝaf þe syche armures þat ȝif þou þi self ne haddest first caste [[pg 9]] hem away. þei schulden haue defendid þe in sykernesse 132 þat may not be ouer-comen. ¶ Knowest þou me not.

[Sidenote: She fears his silence proceeds from shame rather than from stupidity.]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 4 _b_.]]

*Why art þou stille. is it for schame or for astonynge. It were me leuer þat it were for schame. but it semeþ me þat astony{n}ge haþ opp{re}ssed þe.

[Sidenote: She finds him, however, in a lethargy, the distemper of a disordered mind.]

¶ And whan 136 sche say me not oonly stille. but wiþ-outen office of tonge {and} al doumbe. sche leide hir honde softely vpon my brest {and} seide. ¶ Here nis no p{er}il q{uod} sche. ¶ He is fallen in to a litargie. whiche þat is a comune 140 sekenes to hertes þat ben desceiued. ¶ He haþ a litel forȝeten hym self. but certis he schal lyȝtly reme{m}bren hym self. ¶ Ȝif so be þat he haþ knowe{n} me or now.

[Sidenote: To make his recovery an easy matter, she wipes his eyes, which were darkened by the clouds of mortal things, and dries up his tears.]

{and} þat he may so done I wil wipe a litel hys eyen. 144 þat ben derked by þe cloude of mortel þinges ¶ Þise wordes seide sche. and wiþ þe lappe of hir garment yplitid in a frounce sche dried[e] myn eyen þat were ful of þe wawes of my wepynges. 148

[Linenotes: 125, 126 _þen_--than 127 _al_--alle _saide_--seyde 128 _sumtyme_--whilom _I-norschid_--MS. I-norschide, C. noryssed 129 _fostre[d]_--fostered _my_--myne 130 _Certys_--Certes _ȝaf_, yaf 131 _syche_--swiche _ȝif_--yif _caste_--C. cast 132 _away_--awey _schulden haue_--sholden han 133 _not be_--nat ben _Knowest þou_--knowestow 134 _art þou_--artow 136 _haþ_--MS. haþe 138 _tonge_--tunge _doumbe_--dowmb _honde_--hand 139 _Here_--her 140 _litargie whiche_--litarge which 141 _sekenes_--sykenesse 141, 143 _haþ_--MS. haþe 144 _done_--doon _wil wipe_--wol wypen 146 _garment_--garnement 147 _dried[e]_--dryede _were_--weeren 148 _ful_--fulle]

[Headnote: BOETHIUS RECOGNIZES HIS PHYSICIAN.]

TUNC ME DISCUSSA.

[Sidenote: [The 3^de Met{ur}.]]

[Sidenote: Her touch dispels the darkness of his soul, just as the heavy vapours, that darken the skies and obscure the sunlight, are chased away by the north wind, causing the return of the hidden day, when the sun smites our wondering sight with his sudden light.]

++Þus when þat nyȝt was discussed {and} chased awey. derknesses forleften me. {and} to myn eyen repeyre aȝeyne her firste strenkeþ. and ryȝt by ensample as þe sonne is hid when þe sterres ben clustred. þat is to 152 sey whe{n} sterres ben couered wiþ cloudes by a swifte wynde þat hyȝt chorus. {and} þat þe firmame{n}t stont derked by wete ploungy cloudes. and þat þe sterres not apperen vpo{n} heuene. ¶ So þat þe nyȝt semeþ sprad 156 vpo{n} erþe. ¶ Yif þan þe wynde þat hyȝt borias sent out of þe kaues of þe contre of Trace betiþ þis [[pg 10]] nyȝt. þat is to seyn chasiþ it away {and} descouereþ þe closed day. ¶ Þan schineþ pheb{us} yshaken wiþ 160 sodeyne lyȝt {and} smyteþ wiþ hys bemes i{n} m{er}uely{n}g eyen.

[Linenotes: 149 _when_--whan 150 _myn_--myne _repeyre_--repeyrede 151 _aȝeyne_--omitted _her firste_--hir fyrst 152 _hid_--MS. hidde, C. hid _when_--whan 153 _sey_--seyn _when_--whan 154 _hyȝt_--heyhte _chorus_--MS. thorus _stont_--MS. stonde, C. stant 157 _þan_--thanne _wynde_--wynd _hyȝt_--hyhte 158 _sent_--isent 160 _þan_--thanne 161 _sodeyne_--sodeyn]

[Headnote: THE TRIALS OF PHILOSOPHY AND PHILOSOPHERS.]

HAUT[1] ALITER TRISTICIE.

[Footnote 1: MS. hanc.]

[Sidenote: [The 3^de p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: The clouds of sorrow being dispelled, Boethius recollects the features of his Physician, whom he discovers to be Philosophy.]

++Ryȝt so {and} none oþer wyse þe cloudes of sorowe dissolued {and} don awey. ¶ I took heuene. {and} 164 receyuede mynde to knowe þe face of my fyciscien. ¶ So þat I sette myne eyen on hir {and} festned[e] my lokyng. I byholde my norice philosophie. in whos houses I hadde conuersed {and} haunted fro my ȝouþe. 168 {and} I seide þus.

[Sidenote: He addresses her.]

¶ O þou maistresse of alle uertues descendid fro þe souereyne sete. Whi art þou comen in to þis solitarie place of myn exil. ¶ Art þou comen for þ{o}u art mad coupable wiþ me of fals[e] blames. 172

[Sidenote: She expresses her concern for him, and tells him that she is willing to share his misfortunes.]

¶ O q{uod} sche my norry scholde I forsake þe now. and scholde I not parte wiþ þe by comune trauaille þe charge þat þou hast suffred for envie of my name. ¶ Certis it nar[e] not leueful ne sittyng to philosophie to leten 176 wiþ-outen compaignie þe wey of hym þat is i{n}nocent.

[Sidenote: She fears not any accusation, as if it were a new thing.]

¶ Scholde I þan redoute my blame {and} agrisen as þouȝ þer were byfallen a newe þing. q. d. non. ¶ For trowest þou þat philosophi be now alþerfirst assailed 180 i{n} p{er}ils by folk of wicked[e] maneres.

[Sidenote: For before the age of Plato she contended against folly, and by her help Socrates triumphed over an unjust death.]

¶ Haue I not stryuen wiþ ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore þe age of my plato aȝeins þe foolhardines of foly {and} eke þe same plato lyuyng. hys maistre socrates 184 deserued[e] victorie of vnryȝtful deeþ in my presence.

[Sidenote: Of the inheritance of Socrates the rout of Epicureans and Stoics wanted to get a part.]

¶ Þe heritage of wyche socrates. þe h{er}itage is to seyne þe doctrine of þe whiche soc{ra}tes in hys oppiniou{n} of [[pg 11]] felicite þat I clepe welfulnesse ¶ Whan þat þe people 188 of epicuriens {and} stoyciens {and} many oþer enforceden hem to go rauische eueryche man for his part þat is to seyne. þat to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to þe defence of his oppiniou{n} þe wordes of socrates. 192

[Sidenote: Philosophy withstood them, whereupon they tore her robe, and, departing with the shreds, imagined that they had got possession of her.]

¶ Þei as in p{ar}tie of hir preye todrowe{n} me criynge {and} debatyng þer aȝeins. {and} tornen {and} torente{n} my cloþes þat I hadde woue{n} wiþ myn handes. {and} wiþ þe cloutes þat þei hadden arased oute of my cloþes. þei 196 wenten awey wenyng þat I hadde gon wiþ he{m} euery dele.

[Sidenote: Thus, clothed with her spoils, they deceived many.]

In whiche epicuryens {and} stoyciens. for as myche as þer semed[e] so{m}me traces {and} steppes of myne habit.

[Sidenote: [* fol. 5.]]

þe folye of men wenyng þo epicuryens 200 {and} stoyciens my *familers p{er}uertede (.s. p{er}sequend{o}) so{m}me þoruȝ þe errour of þe wikked[e] or vnkunnyng[e] multitude of hem.

[Sidenote: Philosophy adduces examples of wise men, who had laboured under difficulties on account of being her disciples.]

¶ Þis is to seyne for þei semeden philosophres: þei weren p{ur}sued to þe deeþ 204 and slayn. ¶ So yif þou hast not knowen þe exilynge of anaxogore. ne þe empoysenyng of socrates. ne þe to{ur}mentȝ of ȝeno for þei [weren] straungers. ¶ Ȝit myȝtest þou haue knowe{n} þe senectiens {and} þe Canyos 208 {and} þe sorancis of wyche folk þe renou{n} is neyþer ouer oolde ne vnsolempne. ¶ Þe whiche men no þing ellys ne brouȝt[e] hem to þe deeþ but oonly for þei weren enfourmed of my maneres. {and} semede{n} moste vnlyke 212 to þe studies of wicked folk. ¶ And forþi þou auȝtest not to wondre þouȝ þ{a}t I in þe bitter see of þis lijf be fordryuen wiþ tempestes blowyng aboute. [[pg 12]]

[Sidenote: It is the aim of Philosophy to displease the wicked, who are more to be despised than dreaded, for they have no leader.]

in þe whiche te{m}peste þis is my most p{ur}pos þat is to seyn to displese 216 to wikked[e] men. ¶ Of whiche schrews al be þe oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis gouerned wiþ no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by flityng errour folyly {and} lyȝtly.

[Sidenote: If Philosophy is attacked by the wicked, she retires within her fortress, leaving the enemy busy among the useless baggage, and laughing to scorn such hunters of trifles.]

¶ And if þei somtyme 220 maky{n}g an ost aȝeynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure leder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse i{n} to hys toure. {and} þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels vnp{ro}fitable forto taken. but we þat ben heyȝ abouen syker 224 fro al tumulte {and} wode noise. ben stored {and} enclosed in syche a palays. whider as þat chateryng or anoying folye ne may not attayne. ¶ We scorne swiche rauiners {and} honters of foulest[e] þinges. 228

[Linenotes: 163 _none oþer_--non oother _sorowe_--sorwe 165 _knowe_--knowen 166 _myne_--myn _festned[e]_--fastnede 170 _fro_--from 170, 171 _art þou_--artow 172 _mad_--MS. made, C. maked _fals[e]_--false 174 _parte_--parten 176 _nar[e]_--nere _sittyng_--sittinge 178 _þan_--thanne 179 _þing_--thing _q.d. non_--omitted 180 _trowest þou_--trowestow _alþerfirst_--alderfirst 181 _wicked[e]_--wikkede 182 _strife_--strif 183 _aȝeins_--ayenis _foolhardines_--foolhardinesse _foly_--folie 184 _eke_--ek 185 _deserued[e]_--desseruede 186 _wyche_--the which _seyne_--seyn 188 _welfulnesse_--welefulnesse 189 _oþer_--oothre 190 _go_--gon _eueryche_--euerich 191 _seyne_--seyn _to_--omitted _eueryche_--euerich 194 _tornen_--_read_ coruen, C. koruen 195 _wouen_--MS. wonne{n}, C. wouen 196 _arased_--arraced 197 _gon_--MS. gone, C. gon 198 _dele_--del 199 _myche_--moche _semed[e]_--semede {and}--or 200 _myne_--myn _wenyng_--MS. wevyng, C. weninge 202 _þoruȝ_--thorw _wikked[e]_--wikkede _vnkunnyng[e]_--vnkunnynge 203 _seyne_--seyn þ{a}t 204 _semeden_--semede _pursued_--MS. pursuede, C. pursued 205 _slayn_--MS. slayne, C. slayn 207 [_weren_]--weeren 208 _myȝtest þou haue_--myhtestow han 209 _sorancis_--sorans _wyche_--which _is_--nis 210 _oolde_--MS. colde, C. old 211 _brouȝt[e]_--browhte 212 _enfourmed_--MS. vnfourmed, C. enformyd _my_--myne _vnlyke_--vnlyk 213 _wicked folk_--wikkede foolk{e} _auȝtest_--owhtest 214 _wondre_--wondren _bitter_--bittre 216 _displese_--displesen 217 _wikked[e]_--wikkede _schrews_--shrewes 218 _oost_--glossed _acies_ in C. _grete_--gret 219, 222 _leder_--leder{e} 220 _flityng_--fleetynge _lyȝtly_--lythly _if_--yif 221 _aȝeynest_--ayenis 222 _to----rycchesse_, to gydere hise rychesses _toure_--towr 224 _heyȝ_--heye 225 _al_--alle _ben_--omitted _stored_--warnestored 226 _syche_--swich _þat_--omitted 227 _scorne_--schorne 228 _rauiners----þinges_--rauyneres & henteres of fowleste thinges]

[Headnote: THE AIM OF PHILOSOPHY.]

QUISQ{UI}S COMPOSITO.

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

[Sidenote: He who hath triumphed over fate, and remained insensible to the changes of Fortune, shall not be moved by storms, nor by the fires of Vesuvius, nor by the fiercest thunderbolts.]

++Who so it be þat is clere of vertue sad {and} wel ordinat of lyuyng. þat haþ put vnderfote þe prowed[e] wierdes {and} lokiþ vpryȝt vpon eyþer fortune. he may holde hys chiere vndiscomfited. ¶ Þe rage ne þe manace 232 of þe co{m}moeuyng or chasyng vpwarde hete fro þe botme. ne schal not moeue þat man. ne þe vnstable mountaigne þat hyȝt veseuus. þat wircheþ oute þoruȝ hys broken[e] chemineys smokyng fires. ¶ Ne þe wey 236 of þonder lyȝt þat is wont to smyte heyȝe toures ne schal not mouene þat man.

[Sidenote: Fear not the tyrant’s rage.]

¶ Wherto þen wrecches drede ȝe tyrauntes þat ben wode {and} felownes wiþ-outen ony strenkeþ.

[Sidenote: He who neither fears nor hopes for anything disarms the tyrant.]

¶ Hope after no þing ne drede nat. {and} 240 so schalt þou desarmen þe ire of þilke vnmyȝty tyraunt. [[pg 13]]

[Sidenote: He whose heart fails him, yields his arms, and forges his own fetters.]

¶ But who so þat quakyng dredeþ or desireþ þing þat nis not stable of his ryȝt. þat man þat so doþ haþ cast awey hys schelde {and} is remoeued fro hys place. {and} 244 enlaceþ hym i{n} þe cheyne wiþ whiche he may be drawen.

[Linenotes: 229 _clere_--cleer 230 _lyuyng_--leuynge _haþ_--MS. haþe _vnderfote_--vndir-foot _prowed[e]_--prowde 231 _may----chiere_--may his cheere holde 232 _manace_--manesses 233 _þe_--þe see 235 _hyȝt_--hihte _veseuus_--MS. vesenus _wircheþ_--writith 236 _broken[e]_--brokene _smokyng_--smokynge 237 _smyte_--smyten 238 _Wherto þen_--wharto thanne 239 _felownes----ony_--felonos withowte any 241 _schalt þou desarmen_--shaltow deseruien 243 _doþ_--MS. doþe, C. doth _haþ_--MS. haþe, C. hath _cast_--MS. caste, C. cast 244 _schelde_--sheld _remoeued fro_--remwed from 245 _whiche_--the which _be_--ben]

[Headnote: BOETHIUS SPEAKS OF HIS TROUBLES.]

SENTIS NE INQUIT.

[Sidenote: [The verthe p{ro}se.]]

[Sidenote: Philosophy seeks to know the malady of Boethius.]

++FElest þou q{uod} sche þise þinges {and} entren þei ouȝt in þi corage. ¶ Art þou like an asse to þe harpe. 248 Whi wepest þou whi spillest þou teres. ¶ Yif þou abidest after helpe of þi leche. þe byhoueþ discouere þi wounde.

[Sidenote: Boethius complains of Fortune’s unrelenting rage.]

¶ Þo .I. þat hadde gadered strenkeþ in my corage answered[e] {and} seide. {and} nedeþ it ȝitte q{uod} 252 .I. of rehersyng or of amonic{i}ou{n}. {and} scheweþ it not ynouȝ by hym self þe scharpnes of fortune þat wexeþ woode aȝeynes me.

[Sidenote: Is not she moved, he asks, with the aspect of his prison?]

¶ Ne moeueþ it nat þe to seen þe face or þe man{er}e of þis place (.i. p{r}isou{n}.).

[Sidenote: His library, his habit, and his countenance are all changed.]

¶ Is þis 256 þe librarie wyche þat þou haddest chosen for a ryȝt certeyne sege to þe i{n} myne house. ¶ Þere as þou desputest of[te] wiþ me of þe sciences of þinges touching diuinitee {and} touchyng mankynde. ¶ Was þan 260 myn habit swiche as it is now. was þan my face or [Interlinear: quasi d{ice}ret non.] my chere swiche as now.

¶ Whan I souȝt[e] wiþ þe secretys of nature. whan þou enfo{ur}medest my maners {and} þe resou{n} of al my lijf. to þe ensaumple of þe ordre 264 of heuene.

[Sidenote: Is this, he asks, the reward of his fidelity?]

[Interlinear: ironice] ¶ Is nat þis þe gerdou{n} þat I refere to þe to whom I haue be obeisaunt. ¶ Certis þou enfo{ur}medist by þe mouþe of plato þis sentence.

[Sidenote: Plato (de Rep. v.) says that those Commonwealths are most happy that are governed by philosophers, or by those who study to be so.]

þat is to seyne þat co{m}mune þinges or comunabletes weren 268 blysful yif þei þat haden studied al fully to wisdom [[pg 14]] gouerneden þilke þinges.

[Sidenote: [* fol. 5 _b_.]]

or ellys yif it so by-felle þat þe gouernours *of co{m}munalites studieden in grete wisdomes.

[Linenotes: 247 _Felest þou_--Felistow _ouȝt_--awht 248 _art þou_--artow 249 _wepest þou_--wepistow _spillest þou_--spillestow 252 _answered[e]_--answerede 255 _woode_--wood 257 _wyche_--which 258 _myne house þere_--myn hows ther 259 _desputest of[te]_--desputedest ofte 260 _þan_--thanne 261 _it_ and _þan_--both omitted 261, 262 _swiche_--swich 262 _souȝt[e]_--sowhte 263 _secretys_--secretȝ _my_--MS. me, C. my 264 _al_--alle 265 _gerdoun_--gerdouns 266 _enfourmedist_--conformedest 267 _mouþe_--mowht 268 _comunabletes_--comunalitees 270 _by-felle_--byfille 271 _in grete wisdomes_--to geten wysdom]

[Headnote: PHILOSOPHERS TO BE POLITICIANS.]

[Sidenote: The same Plato urged philosophers to take upon them the management of public affairs, lest it should fall into the hands of unprincipled citizens.]

¶ Þou saidest eke by þe mouþe of þe same 272 plato þat it was a necessarie cause wyse men to taken {and} desire þe gou{er}nau{n}ce of comune þi{n}ges. for þat þe gou{er}nementes of comune citees y-left in þe hondes of felonous to{ur}mento{ur}s Citiȝenis ne scholde not brynge 276 inne pestile{n}ce {and} destrucc{i}ou{n} to goode folk.

[Sidenote: Boethius declares that he desired to put in practice (in the management of public affairs) what he had learnt in his retirement.]

¶ And þerfore I folowynge þilk auctoritee (.s. platonis). desiryng to put[te] furþe in execusiou{n} {and} in acte of comune admi{ni}st{ra}c{i}ou{n} þo þinges þat .I. hadde lerned of þe 280 among my secre restyng whiles. ¶ Þou {and} god þ{a}t put[te] þee in þe þouȝtis of wise folk ben knowen wiþ me þat no þing brouȝt[e] me to maistrie or dignite: but þe comune studie of al goodenes.

[Sidenote: He sought to do good to all, but became involved in discord with the wicked.]

¶ And þer-of comeþ 284 it þat by-twixen wikked folk {and} me han ben greuouse discordes. þat ne myȝten not be relesed by p{ra}yeres.

[Sidenote: Consciousness of integrity made him despise the anger of the most powerful.]

¶ For þis libertee haþ fredom of conscience þat þe wraþþe of more myȝty folk haþ alwey ben despised of me for 288 saluac{i}ou{n} of ryȝt.

[Sidenote: He opposed Conigastus, and put a stop to the doings of Triguilla.]

¶ How ofte haue .I. resisted {and} wiþstonde þilk man þat hyȝt[e] conigaste þat made alwey assautes aȝeins þe p{ro}pre fortunes of poure feble folke. ¶ How ofte haue .I. ȝitte put of. or cast out 292 hy{m} trigwille p{ro}uost of þe kynges hous boþe of þe wronges þat he hadde bygon[ne] to done {and} eke fully p{er}formed. ¶ How ofte haue I couered {and} defended by þe auctorite of me put aȝeins p{er}ils.

[Sidenote: He put his authority in peril for the defence of poor folk.]

þat is to seine put 296 myne auctorite in peril for þe wreched pore folke. þat þe couetise of straungeres vnpunysched to{ur}mentid alwey [[pg 15]] wiþ myseses {and} greuaunces oute of noumbre.

[Linenotes: 272 _eke_--ek 275 _comune_--omitted _y-left_--MS. ylefte, C. yleft 276 _Citiȝenis_--citesenes _brynge inne_--bryngen in 278 _þerfore_--therfor _þilk_--thilke _desiryng_--desired 279 _put[te] furþe_--putten forth 280 _þo_--thilke 282 _put[te]_--putte 283 _brouȝt[e]_--ne browhte 284 _þe_--omitted _al goodenes_--alle goodnesse _comeþ_--comth 287, 288 _haþ_--MS. haþe 289 _saluacioun_--sauacioun 290 _þilk_--thilke _hyȝt[e]_--hyhte 290 _conigaste_--MS. coniugaste 292 _ofte_--ofte ek _ȝitte_--omitted 294 _bygon[ne]_--bygunne _done_--don 295 _couered_--MS. couerede, C. couered 296 _put_--MS. putte, C. put _seine_--seyn 297 _myne_--myn 298 _vnpunysched_--vnpunyssed 299 _myseses_--myseyses]

[Headnote: BOETHIUS DEFENDS HIS OWN CONDUCT.]

[Sidenote: I never deviated, he says, from the path of justice.]

¶ Neuer man drow me ȝitte fro ryȝt to wro{n}g. When I say þe 300 fortunes {and} þe rychesse of þe people of þe p{ro}uinces ben harmed eyþer by p{r}iue rauynes or by comune tributis or cariages.

[Sidenote: I felt for those that were wrongfully oppressed.]