Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" · Boethius
NUNC OMNES PARITER {ET}C.
ASSENCIOR INQ{UA}M CUNCTA. Boice. [Sidenote: [The 11 p{ro}se.]] ++I assent[e] me q{uo}d .I. For alle þise þinges ben strongly bounden wiþ ryȝt ferme resou{n}s. how mychel wilt þou p{re}isen it q{uo}d she. yif þat þou knowe what þilke goode is. I wol p{re}ise it q{uo}d I by price wiþ outen ende. ¶ yif it shal bytyde me to knowe also to-gidre god þat is good. ¶ certys q{uo}d she þ{a}t shal I do þe by verray resou{n}. yif þat þo þinges þat I haue conclude[d] a litel her by forne dwellen oonly in hir first[e] graunty{n}g. _Boice._ þei dwellen graunted to þe q{uo}d .I. þis is to seyne as who seiþ .I. graunt þi forseide conclusiou{n}s. ¶ Haue I nat shewed þe q{uo}d she þat þe þinges þat ben requered of many folke. ne ben nat verray goodes ne p{er}fit. for þei ben diu{er}se þat oon fro þat oþer. {and} so as eche of hem is lakkyng to oþer. þei ne han no power to bryngen a good þ{a}t is ful {and} absolute. ¶ But þan atte arst ben þei verray good whan þei ben gadred to-gidre al in to a forme {and} in to oon wirchy{n}g. so þat þilke þing þat is suffisaunce. þilk same be power {and} reuerence. {and} noblesse {and} mirþe. ¶ And forsoþe but alle þise þi{n}ges ben alle o same þing þei ne han nat wher by þat þei mowen ben put in þe nou{m}bre of þinges. þat auȝten ben requered or desired. _b._ ¶ It is shewed q{uo}d .I. ne her of may þer no man douten. _p._ þe þinges þan q{uo}d she þat ne ben none goodes whan þei ben diu{er}se. {and} whan þei bygynnen to ben al o þing. þan ben þei goodes. ne comiþ it hem nat þan by þe getynge of unite þat þei ben maked goodes. _b._ so it semeþ q{uo}d .I. but alle þing þat is good q{uo}d she grauntest þou þat it be good by p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n} of good or no. ¶ I graunt[e] it q{uo}d .I. ¶ þan mayst þou graunt[en] it q{uo}d she by sembleable resou{n} þat oon {and} good ben o same þing. ¶ For of þinges [of] whiche þat þe effect nis nat naturely diuerse nedys þe substaunce mot ben o same þinge.
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