When master hands like those ofGibbon and Hallam have sketched the life of Boethius, it is wellthat no meaner man should attempt to mar their pictures. They drew,perhaps, the most touching scene in Middle-age literaryhistory,—the just man in prison, awaiting death, consoled by thePhilosophy that had been his light in life, and handing down toposterity for their comfort and strength the presence of her whosesilver rays had been his guide as well under the stars of Fortune as themirk of Fate. With Milton in his dark days, Boece in prison couldsay,—.

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‘I argue notAgainst Heaven’s hand or will, nor bate a jotOf heart or hope; but still bear up and steerRight onward. What supports me, dost thou ask?The conscience, friend, to have lost them overpliedIn liberty’s defence, my noble task,Of which all Europe rings from side to side.’For, indeed, the echoes of Boethius, Boethius, rang out loud fromevery corner of European Literature. An Alfred awoke them in England, aChaucer, a Caxton would not let them die; an Elizabeth revived themamong the glorious music of her reign.

To us, though far off, they comewith a sweet sound. ‘The angelic’ Thomas Aquinas commented on him, andmany others followed the saint’s steps. Dante read him, though, strangeto say, he speaks of theConsolation as ‘a book not known by many.’ Belgium had hertranslations—both Flemish and French; Germany hers, Francehers, Italy hers. The Latin editors are too numerous tobe catalogued here, and manuscripts abound in all our greatlibraries.No philosopher was so bone of the bone and flesh of the flesh ofMiddle-age writers as Boethius. Take up what writer you will, and youfind not only the sentiments, but the very words of the distinguishedold Roman. And surely we who read him in Chaucer’s tongue, will notrefuse to say that his full-circling meed of glory was other thandeserved.

Nor can we marvel that at the end of our great poet’s life, hewas glad that he had swelled the chorus of Boethius’ praise; and ‘of thetranslacioun of Boece de Consolacioun,’ thanked ‘oure Lord Ihesu Cristand his moder, and alle the seintes in heuen.’The impression made by Boethius on Chaucer was evidently very deep.Not only did he translate him directly, as in the present work, but heread his beloved original over and over again, as witness the followinglist, incomplete of course, of passages from Chaucer’s poems translatedmore or less literally from the De Consolatione: I. The firste moevere of the cause above,Whan he first made the fayre cheyne of love,Gret was theffect, and heigh was his entente;Wel wist he why, and what therof he mente;For with that faire cheyne of love he bondThe fyr, the watir, the eyr, and eek the londIn certeyn boundes, that they may not flee.( Knightes Tale, p. That, that the world with faith, which that is stableDyverseth so, his stoundes concordynge;—That elementz, that ben so discordable,Holden a bond, perpetualy durynge;—That Phebus mot his rosy carte forth brynge,And that the mone hath lordschip overe the nyghte;—Al this doth Love, ay heryed be his myght!That, that the se, that gredy is to flowen,Constreyneth to a certeyn ende soHise flodes, that so fiersly they ne growenTo drenchen erth and alle for everemo;And if that Love aught lete his brydel go,Al that now loveth asonder sholde lepe,And lost were al that Love halt now to kepe.( Ibid. 244, 245.) IV. MUTABILITY DIRECTED AND LIMITEDBY AN IMMUTABLE AND DIVINE INTELLIGENCE. That same prynce and moevere eek, quod he,Hath stabled, in this wrecched world adoun,Certeyn dayes and duraciounTo alle that er engendrid in this place,Over the whiche day they may nat pace,Al mowe they yit wel here dayes abregge.Than may men wel by this ordre discerneThat thilke moevere stabul is and eterne.And therfore of his wyse purveaunceHe hath so wel biset his ordenaunce,That spices of thinges and progressiounsSchullen endure by successiounsAnd nat eterne be, withoute any lye.( Knightes Tale, vol. 92, 93.)Þe engendrynge of alle þinges quod she and alle þe progressiouns ofmuuable nature.

And alle þat moeueþ in any manere takiþ hys causes. And hys formes. Of þe stablenesse of þe deuyne þouȝt and thilkedeuyne thowht þat is yset and put in þe toure. Þat is to seyne in þeheyȝt of þe simplicite of god.

Stablisiþ many manere gyses to þinges þatben to don.( Chaucer’s Boethius, bk. THE PART IS DERIVED FROM THE WHOLE,THE IMPERFECT FROM THE PERFECT. For if hire (Fortune’s) whiel stynte any thinge to torneThanne cessed she Fortune anon to be.( Troylus and Cryseyde, bk. 142.)If fortune bygan to dwelle stable. She cesede þan to ben fortune.( Chaucer’s Boethius,.)(Compare stanzas 120, 121, p. 142, and stanza 136, p.

146, of‘Troylus and Cryseyde’ with pp. 31, 33, 35, and p. 34 ofChaucer’s Boethius.)At omnium mortalium stolidissime, si manere incipit, fors essedesistit.( Boethius, lib. Prose 1.) XII.

WORLDLY SELYNESSE. O, brotel wele of mannes joie unstable!With what wight so thow be, or how thow pleye,Oither he woot that thow joie art muable,Or woot it nought, it mot ben on of tweyen:Now if he woot it not, how may he seyenThat he hath veray joie and selynesse,That is of ignoraunce ay in distresse?Now if he woote that joie is transitorie,As every joie of worldly thynge mot fle,Thanne every tyme he that hath in memorie,The drede of lesyng maketh hym that heMay in no parfyte selynesse be:And if to lese his joie, he sette not a myte,Than semeth it, that joie is worth ful lite.( Troylus and Cryseyde, bk. 111, 112, vol. (1) What man þat þis toumblyng welefulnesse leediþ, eiþer he woot þatit is chaungeable. Or ellis he woot it nat. And yif he woot it not.what blisful fortune may þer be in þe blyndenesse of ignoraunce.(2) And yif he woot þat it is chaungeable.

He mot alwey ben adrad þathe ne lese þat þing. Þat he ne douteþ nat but þat he may leesen it. For whiche þe continueldrede þat he haþ ne suffriþ hym nat to ben weleful. Or ellys yif heleese it he weneþ to be dispised and forleten hit. Certis eke þat is aful lytel goode þat is born wiþ euene herte whan it is loost.( Chaucer’s Boethius,.). On dit la mort des ho mes estre eureuseQui ne vie nt pas en saiso n pla ntureuseMais des tristes mo ult souue nt appelleeElle y affuit nue / seche et pelee.Querimoniam lacrymabilem.

Wepli compleynte. Ma complainte moy esmouuant a pleurs.Styli officio. Wiþ office of poyntel. (que ie reduisse) p ar escript.Inexhaustus. Þat it ne myȝte not be emptid. Inconsumptible.Scenicas meretriculas. Comune strumpetis of siche a place þat menclepen þe theatre.

Cesribaudelles fardees. BOETHIUS DEPLORES HIS MISFORTUNES. 3 b.The fyrste Met ur. Car mi na qui q uonda m studioflore nte p eregi.Allas I wepyngBoethius deplores his misfortunes in the following patheticelegy.am constreined to bygynne vers ofsorouful matere. ¶ Þat whilom in floryschingstudie made delitable ditees.

For loo rendyng musesof poetes enditen to me þinges to be writen. And dreryv ers of wrecchednes weten my face wiþ v erray teers.¶ At þe leest no drede ne myȝte ouer-come þo muses.þat þei ne were n felawes and folweden my wey. Þat isto seyne when I was exiled.ypalage antithesisþei þat weren glorie ofmy youȝth whilom weleful and grene co nforten now þesorouful werdes of me olde man.Laments his immature old age.for elde is comen vnwarlyvpon me hasted by þe harmes þat I haue. Andsorou haþ comau nded his age to be in me.

¶ Heereshore ben schad ouertymelyche vpon myne heued. Andþe slake skyn trembleþ vpon myn emty body.Death turns a deaf ear to the wretched.þilkedeeþ of men is welful þat ne comeþ not in ȝeres þatben swete (.i. Mirie.) but comeþ to wrecches oftenyclepid. Of of.2 florysching—floryssynge3 rendyng—rendynge4 be—ben5 wrecchednes—wrecchednesseteers—teeres6 leest—leestemyȝt e ouer-come—myhte ouercomen8 seyne when—seyn whan9 youȝth—MS. Yowthe10 sorouful werdes—sorful wierdes i.

Fata12 sorou—sorwehaþ—MS. Haþebe—ben13 hore—hooreben—arnmyne—myn14 slak e—slakevpon—ofemty—emptydþilk e—thilke15 welful—welefulcomeþ not—comth nat16.i. Mirie—omitted¶ Allas allas wiþ how deef an eere deeþ cruelto urneþ awey fro wrecches and naieþ to closen wepyngeyen.When Fortune was favourable Death came near Boethius,¶ While fortune vnfeiþful fauorede mewiþ lyȝte goodes (.s.

Temp orels.) þe sorouful houre þatis to seyne þe deeþ hadde almost dreynt myne heued.but in his adversity life is unpleasantly protracted.¶ But now for fortune clowdy haþ chaunged hir disceyuablechere to me warde. Myn vnpitouse lijf draweþa long vnagreable dwellynges in me.Why did his friends call him happy? He stood not firm that hath thusfallen.¶ O ȝe myfrendes what or wherto auauntede ȝe me to be weleful:for he þat haþ fallen stood not i n stedfast degree. 19 tourneþ—tornethnaieþ—naytethwepyng—wepynge20 While—Whilfauored e—fauorede21 lyȝte—lyhte.s. Temporels—omittedsorouful houre—sorwful howr e22 seyne—seynhad de—haddemyne—myn23 haþ—MS. Haþechaunged hir disceyuable—chaungyd hyre deceyuable24 vnpitouse lijf—vnpietous lyfPHILOSOPHY APPEARS TO BOETHIUS.The firste p rose.IN þe mene whilePhilosophy appears to Boethius, like a beautiful woman, and of greatage.þat I stille recordede þise þingeswiþ my self.

And markede my wepli compleynte wiþoffice of poyntel. I saw stondyng aboue þe heyȝt of myheued a woman of ful greet reuerence by semblaunthir eyen brennyng and clere seing ouer þe comunemyȝt of men.

Wiþ a lijfly colo ur and wiþ swichevigoureand strenkeþ þat it ne myȝte not be emptid. ¶ Alwere it so þat sche was ful of so greet age. Þat men newolde not trowe i n no manere þat sche were of oureelde.Her height could not be determined, for there were times when she raisedher head higher than the heavens.þe stature of hir was of a doutous iugement. Forsu mtyme sche constreynede and schronk hirselue nlyche to þe comune mesure of men.

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And su mtyme itsemede þat sche touchede þe heuene wiþ þe heyȝteof hir heued. And when sche hef hir heued heyer schep ercede þe selue heuene. So þat þe syȝt of men lokyngwas i n ydel.Her clothes were finely wrought and indissoluble, but dark and dusky,like old besmoked images.¶ Hir cloþes weren maked of ryȝt delyeþredes and subtil crafte of p erdurable matere.

Þe wychecloþes sche hadde wouen wiþ hir owen hondes: as Iknew wel aftir by hir selfe. Declaryng and schewyngto me þe beaute. Þe wiche cloþes a derkenes of a forletenand dispised elde hadde duskid and dirkid asit is wo nt to dirken by-smoked ymages.On the lower hem of her garment was the letter Π and on the upperΘ.¶ In þe neþerestehem or bordure of þese cloþes me n reddenywouen in swiche a gregkysche.P. Þat signifieþ þe lijfactif. And abouen þ at l ettre in þe heyȝeste bordurea grekysche T. Þat signifieþ þe lijf contemplatif.A DESCRIPTION OF PHILOSOPHY.Between the letters were steps like a ladder.¶ And by-twene þese two l ettres þere weren seien degreesnobly wrouȝt in manere of laddres. By wychedegrees men myȝten clymbe fro þe neþemaste l ettreto þe ouermaste.Philosophy’s garments were tattered and torn, and pieces had beencarried violently off.¶ Naþeles hondes of su m menhadde korue þ at cloþe by vyolence and by strenkeþ.¶ And eueryche man of hem hadde born away sychepeces as he myȝte geete.In her right hand she bore her books, and in her left a sceptre.¶ And forsoþe þis forsaidewoman ber bookes in hir ryȝt honde.

And in hir leftehonde sche ber a ceptre. ¶ And when sche sauȝ þesepoetical muses ap rochen aboute my bedde.

And endytyngwordes to my wepynges. Sche was a lytel ameuedand glowede wiþ cruel eyen.Philosophy bids the Muses leave Boethius, as they only increase hissorrow with their sweet venom.¶ Who q uod sche haþsuffred ap rochen to þis seeke man þise comune strumpetis. fol. 4.of siche a place þat.men clepen þe theatr e.¶ Þe wyche only ne asswagen not his sorowes.

Wiþ noremedies. But þei wolde fede and norysche hem wiþswete venym. ¶ Forsoþe þise ben þo þat wiþ þornesand prykkynges of talentȝ or affecciou ns wiche þatben no þing frutefiyng nor p rofitable destroyen þecornes plenteuouse of frutes of reson.They may accustom the mind to bear grief, but cannot free it from itsmalady.¶ For þeiholden þe hertes of men i n usage. But þei ne delyuerenot folk fro maladye. But if ȝe muses hadde wiþdrawenfro me wiþ ȝoure flateries. Any vnkonnyng and vnp rofitableman as men ben wont to fynde comunely amongesþe peple.

I wolde wene suffre þe lasse greuously.PHILOSOPHY REBUKES THE MUSES.Philosophy is deeply grieved, because they have not seduced one of theprofane, but one who has been brought up in Eleatic and Academicstudies.¶ For-why in syche an vnp rofitable man myne ententesweren no þing endamaged. ¶ But ȝe wiþdrawen meþis man þat haþ ben norysched in studies or scoles ofEleaticis and of achademicis in grece.She bids the syrens begone.¶ But goþ nowraþer awey ȝe meremaydenes wyche ben swete til itbe at þe laste. And suffreþ þis man to be cured andheled by myne muses. Þat is to say by notful sciences.Blushing for shame they pass the threshold.¶ And þus þis compaygnie of muses I-blamed castenwroþely þe chere adou nward to þe erþe and schewyngby redenesse hir schame þei passeden sorowfuly þeþreschefolde. ¶ And I of whom þe syȝt plonged i nteres was derked so þat I ne myȝte not knowe whatþat woman was of so i mperial auctorite.Boethius is astonished at the presence of the august dame.¶ I wex ala-besid and astoned. And caste my syȝt adoune in to þeerþe. And bygan stille forto abide what sche wolde donafterwarde.

¶ Þo come sche nere and sette hir dounvpon þe vterreste corner of my bedde.Philosophy expresses her concern for Boethius. And sche byholdyngmy chere þat was cast to þe erþe heuy andgreuous of wepyng. Co mpleinede wiþ þise wordes þ at Ischal sey þe p ert urbac iou n of my þouȝt.

26 auaunted e—auauntedebe—ben27 haþ—MS. Haþenot—natstedfast—stidefast28 In þe mene—omittedrecorded e—recordede30 saw—MS. Sawhstondyng above—MS. Studiyng aboue, C.

Stondinge abouenheyȝt—heyhtemy—myn31 greet—gret32 brennyng—brennyngeclere seing—cleer seynge33 swiche—swych34 strenkeþ—strengtheit——emptid—it myhte nat ben emtedAl—alle36 wolde——trowe—wolden nat trowen37 iugement—Iuggement38 sumtyme—somtymeconstreyned e—constreynedeschronk—MS. Shronk39 lyche—lyk40 semed e—semedetouched e—towchede41 when—whanhef—MS. Hefheyer—hyere42 perced e—percedesyȝt—syhtelokyng—lookynge44 crafte—craft45 wouen—MS. Wouenowen hondes—owne handes46 knew—MS.

Knewhselfe declaryng—self declaryngeschewyng—shewynge47 derkenes—dirknesseforleten—forletyn48 dispised—despisedhad de duskid—hadde duskeddirkid—derked49 by-smoked—the smokedeneþerest e—nethereste50 þese—thise51 swiche—omittedgregkysche—grekyssh esignifieþ—syngnifieth52 heyȝest e—heyeste54 by-twene þese—bytwixen thiseþere—therseien—seyn55 nobly wrouȝt—nobely ywroghtwyche—whiche56 myȝt en clymbe—myhten clymbynneþemast e—nethereste57 ouermast e—vpperestesum—some58 hadde korue—hadden koruencloþe—clothstrenkeþ—strengthe59 born—MS. Bornaway syche—awey swiche60 geet e—getenforsaide—forseide61 ber—MS. Barbookes—smale bookeshonde—handlefte honde—left hand62 ber—MS. Baarsauȝ þese—say thise63 bedde—bedendytyng—enditynge64 ameued—amoued65 glowed e—glowedehaþ—MS. Hath66 seek e—sikeþise—thestrumpetis—strompetes67 siche—swichclepen—clepyn68 only ne—nat oonly nenot his—nat hiseno—none69 wolde fede—wolden feedennorysche hem—noryssyn hym72 ben—ne benfrutefiyng—fructefiynge73 cornes plenteuouse—corn plentyuos74 þe and ne—both omitted75 not—natif ȝe—MS.

Yif yehadde—hadden76 vnkonnyng—vnkunnynge78 peple—poeple79 syche—swhichemyne—myn80 weren—ne weerenȝe—ye81 haþ—MS. Hathben—bescoles—schooles82 goþ—MS. Goth83 wyche—whiche þat85 say—seynnotful—noteful86 I-blamed—Iblamyd87 wroþely—wrothlyadounward—downward88 redenesse—rednessesorowfuly—sorwfully89 þreschefolde—thresshfoldsyȝt—syhte90 derked—dyrkedmyȝt e ——knowe—myhte natknowen91 wex—wax92 a-besid—abaysshedcaste—castadoune in to—down to93 don—MS.

101 gone—goon102 bisines—bysynesseouten—owte103 worldly—wordely104 sumtyme—whilom105 gone—goon106 paþes—paathessauȝ—sawhlyȝtnesse—lythnessesunne—sonnesauȝ—MS. Sawgh107 wyche—which108 risorses—recourses111 seche—sekensounyng—sownynge114 ryseþ oute—aryseth owtfalle—fallen115 westren—westrene116 fyrste—fyrst119 eke—ek120 dyuerses—diuerseyhid—MS. Yhidde121 lieþ—lithemptid—emted123 adoune—adowngreet e weyȝt—grete weyhte124 loke——foule—looken on the foolPHILOSOPHY ENLIGHTENS BOETHIUS.The ij de p rose.Bvt tyme is nowMore need of medicine than of complaint.q uod sche of medicine more þen ofcompleynte. ¶ Forsoþe þen sche entendyng tome warde wiþ al þe lokyng of hir eyen saide.Philosophy addresses Boethius.¶ Artnot þou he q uod sche þat su mtyme I-norschid wiþ mymylke and fostred wiþ my meetes were ascaped andcomen to corage of a p erfit man. ¶ Certys I ȝaf þesyche armures þat ȝif þou þi self ne haddest first castehem away.

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Þei schulden haue defendid þe in sykernesseþat may not be ouer-comen. ¶ Knowest þou me not. fol. 4 b.She fears his silence proceeds from shame rather than fromstupidity.Why art þou stille. Is it for schame or for astonynge.It were me leuer þat it were for schame. But it semeþme þat astony nge haþ opp ressed þe.She finds him, however, in a lethargy, the distemper of a disorderedmind.¶ And whansche say me not oonly stille. But wiþ-outen office oftonge and al doumbe.

Sche leide hir honde softely vponmy brest and seide. ¶ Here nis no p eril q uodsche.¶ He is fallen in to a litargie. Whiche þat is a comunesekenes to hertes þat ben desceiued. ¶ He haþ a litelforȝeten hym self. But certis he schal lyȝtly reme mbrenhym self. ¶ Ȝif so be þat he haþ knowe n me or now.To make his recovery an easy matter, she wipes his eyes, which weredarkened by the clouds of mortal things, and dries up his tears. And þat he may so done I wil wipe a litel hys eyen.þat ben derked by þe cloude of mortel þinges ¶ Þisewordes seide sche.

And wiþ þe lappe of hir garmentyplitid in a frounce sche driede myn eyen þat wereful of þe wawes of my wepynges. 125, 126 þen—than127 al—allesaide—seyde128 sumtyme—whilomI-norschid—MS.

I-norschide, C. Noryssed129 fostre d—fosteredmy—myne130 Certys—Certesȝaf, yaf131 syche—swicheȝif—yifcaste—C. Cast132 away—aweyschulden haue—sholden han133 not be—nat benKnowest þou—knowestow134 art þou—artow136 haþ—MS. Haþe138 tonge—tungedoumbe—dowmbhonde—hand139 Here—her140 litargie whiche—litarge which141 sekenes—sykenesse141, 143 haþ—MS. Haþe144 done—doonwil wipe—wol wypen146 garment—garnement147 dried e—dryedewere—weeren148 ful—fulleBOETHIUS RECOGNIZES HIS PHYSICIAN.The 3 de Met ur.Þus when þatHer touch dispels the darkness of his soul, just as the heavy vapours,that darken the skies and obscure the sunlight, are chased away by thenorth wind, causing the return of the hidden day, when the sun smitesour wondering sight with his sudden light.nyȝt was discussed and chased awey.derknesses forleften me. And to myn eyen repeyreaȝeyne her firste strenkeþ.

And ryȝt by ensample asþe sonne is hid when þe sterres ben clustred. Þat is tosey whe n sterres ben couered wiþ cloudes by a swiftewynde þat hyȝt chorus. And þat þe firmame nt stontderked by wete ploungy cloudes.

And þat þe sterres notapperen vpo n heuene. ¶ So þat þe nyȝt semeþ spradvpo n erþe. ¶ Yif þan þe wynde þat hyȝt boriassent out of þe kaues of þe contre of Trace betiþ þisnyȝt. Þat is to seyn chasiþ it away and descouereþ þeclosed day. ¶ Þan schineþ pheb us yshaken wiþsodeyne lyȝt and smyteþ wiþ hys bemes i nm eruely ngeyen.

149 when—whan150 myn—mynerepeyre—repeyrede151 aȝeyne—omittedher firste—hir fyrst152 hid—MS. Hidwhen—whan153 sey—seynwhen—whan154 hyȝt—heyhtechorus—MS. Stant157 þan—thannewynde—wyndhyȝt—hyhte158 sent—isent160 þan—thanne161 sodeyne—sodeynTHE TRIALS OF PHILOSOPHY AND PHILOSOPHERS.The 3 de p rose.MS. Hanc.Ryȝt soThe clouds of sorrow being dispelled, Boethius recollects the featuresof his Physician, whom he discovers to be Philosophy. And none oþer wyse þe cloudes of sorowedissolued and don awey. ¶ I took heuene. Andreceyuede mynde to knowe þe face of my fyciscien.¶ So þat I sette myne eyen on hir and festnede mylokyng.

I byholde my norice philosophie. In whoshouses I hadde conuersed and haunted fro my ȝouþe.and I seide þus.He addresses her.¶ O þou maistresse of alle uertuesdescendid fro þe souereyne sete. Whi art þou comenin to þis solitarie place of myn exil. ¶ Art þou comenfor þ ou art mad coupable wiþ me of false blames.She expresses her concern for him, and tells him that she is willing toshare his misfortunes.¶ O q uod sche my norry scholde I forsake þe now.

Andscholde I not parte wiþ þe by comune trauaille þe chargeþat þou hast suffred for envie of my name. ¶ Certisit nare not leueful ne sittyng to philosophie to letenwiþ-outen compaignie þe wey of hym þat is i nnocent.She fears not any accusation, as if it were a new thing.¶ Scholde I þan redoute my blame and agrisen as þouȝþer were byfallen a newe þing. ¶ Fortrowest þou þat philosophi be now alþerfirst assailedi n p erils by folk of wickede maneres.For before the age of Plato she contended against folly, and by her helpSocrates triumphed over an unjust death.¶ Haue I notstryuen wiþ ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore þeage of my plato aȝeins þe foolhardines of foly andeke þe same plato lyuyng. Hys maistre socratesdeseruede victorie of vnryȝtful deeþ in my presence.Of the inheritance of Socrates the rout of Epicureans and Stoics wantedto get a part.¶ Þe heritage of wyche socrates. Þe h eritage is to seyneþe doctrine of þe whiche soc rates in hys oppiniou n offelicite þat I clepe welfulnesse ¶ Whan þat þe peopleof epicuriens and stoyciens and many oþer enforcedenhem to go rauische eueryche man for his part þat isto seyne. Þat to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to þedefence of his oppiniou n þe wordes of socrates.Philosophy withstood them, whereupon they tore her robe, and, departingwith the shreds, imagined that they had got possession of her.¶ Þeias in p artie of hir preye todrowe n me criyngeanddebatyng þer aȝeins.

And tornen and torente n mycloþesþat I hadde woue n wiþ myn handes. And wiþ þecloutes þat þei hadden arased oute of my cloþes. Þeiwenten awey wenyng þat I hadde gon wiþ he m euerydele.Thus, clothed with her spoils, they deceived many.In whiche epicuryens and stoyciens. For asmyche as þer semede so mme traces and steppes ofmyne habit.þe folye of men wenyng þo epicuryens. fol.

5. and stoyciens my.familers p eruertede (.s.p ersequend o)so mme þoruȝ þe errour of þe wikkede or vnkunnyngemultitude of hem.Philosophy adduces examples of wise men, who had laboured underdifficulties on account of being her disciples.¶ Þis is to seyne for þeisemeden philosophres: þei weren p ursued to þe deeþand slayn. ¶ So yif þou hast not knowen þe exilyngeof anaxogore.

Ne þe empoysenyng of socrates. Ne þeto urmentȝ of ȝeno for þei weren straungers.¶ Ȝit myȝtest þou haue knowe n þe senectiens and þe Canyosand þe sorancis of wyche folk þe renou n is neyþer oueroolde ne vnsolempne. ¶ Þe whiche men no þing ellysne brouȝte hem to þe deeþ but oonly for þei werenenfourmed of my maneres. And semede n moste vnlyketo þe studies of wicked folk. ¶ And forþi þou auȝtestnot to wondre þouȝ þ at I in þe bitter see of þis lijf befordryuen wiþ tempestes blowyng aboute.It is the aim of Philosophy to displease the wicked, who are more to bedespised than dreaded, for they have no leader.in þe whichete mpeste þis is my most p urpos þat is to seyn to displeseto wikkede men. ¶ Of whiche schrews al beþe oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. For it nis gouernedwiþ no leder of resoune.

But it is rauysched only byflityng errour folyly and lyȝtly.If Philosophy is attacked by the wicked, she retires within herfortress, leaving the enemy busy among the useless baggage, and laughingto scorn such hunters of trifles.¶ And if þei somtymemaky ng an ost aȝeynest vs assaile vs as strengere. Oureleder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse i n to hys toure.and þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachelsvnp rofitableforto taken.

But we þat ben heyȝ abouen sykerfro al tumulte and wode noise. Ben stored and enclosedin syche a palays. Whider as þat chateryng or anoyingfolye ne may not attayne.

¶ We scorne swicherauiners and honters of fouleste þinges. 163 none oþer—non oothersorowe—sorwe165 knowe—knowen166 myne—mynfestned e—fastnede170 fro—from170, 171 art þou—artow172 mad—MS. Makedfals e—false174 parte—parten176 nar e—neresittyng—sittinge178 þan—thanne179 þing—thingq.d.

Non—omitted180 trowest þou—trowestowalþerfirst—alderfirst181 wicked e—wikkede182 strife—strif183 aȝeins—ayenisfoolhardines—foolhardinessefoly—folie184 eke—ek185 deserued e—desseruede186 wyche—the whichseyne—seyn188 welfulnesse—welefulnesse189 oþer—oothre190 go—goneueryche—euerich191 seyne—seynto—omittedeueryche—euerich194 tornen— read coruen, C. Koruen195 wouen—MS. Wouen196 arased—arraced197 gon—MS.

Gon198 dele—del199 myche—mochesemed e—semedeand—or200 myne—mynwenyng—MS. Weninge202 þoruȝ—thorwwikked e—wikkedevnkunnyng e—vnkunnynge203 seyne—seyn þ at204 semeden—semedepursued—MS. Pursued205 slayn—MS. Slayn207 weren—weeren208 myȝtest þou haue—myhtestow han209 sorancis—soranswyche—whichis—nis.