Part 1

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œ (“oe” ligature) ȝ Ȝ (yogh) ħ ũ (h with bar, u with tilde: both rare)

The Sidenotes include a few Greek phrases:

ἕπου Θεῷ

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Linenotes refer to the Cambridge MS.; see end of Introduction. “H.” in the Linenotes is not explained; Skeat’s edition of Chaucer’s Complete Works says that it refers to MS. Harley 2421.

Text format:

In the printed book, line numbers were squeezed in wherever there was room. For the e-text, they have been regularized to the EETS-standard multiples of 4. Line divisions and page numbers were retained for use with the Index and linenotes, except that some very short words have been moved up or down to avoid awkward gaps. Headnotes have been moved to the nearest convenient line break.

Italics representing expanded abbreviations are shown in b{ra}ces. Other italics are shown conventionally with lines. Superscripts are shown with ^ (caret); they always continue to the end of the word. Oversized initial letters are shown with double leading ++ as ++A. In the Appendix, decorative final letters are shown with single + as dar+, sprong+. Italic thorn (þ) and yogh (ȝ) seem to have been unavailable to the printer; both letters have been formatted to match the surrounding text.

The inverted semicolon (rare) is shown in brackets as [;]. All other bracketed letters or letter groups are in the original.

In the primary text, anomalous spellings with initial “u” or non-initial “v” are not individually noted. Other errors, whether corrected or not, are listed at the end of the e-text.

For this e-text, Chaucer’s translation of the Consolatio is given twice: first as printed, with all notes and apparatus, and then as text alone.]

Chaucer’s Translation of BOETHIUS’S “DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIÆ”

EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY

Extra Series, No. 5

1868 (Reprinted 1889, 1894, 1895, etc., 1969)

Price 40s.

Chaucer’s Translation of BOETHIUS’S “DE CONSOLATIONE PHILOSOPHIÆ”

Edited From British Museum Additional MS. 10,340 Collated With Cambridge University Library MS. Ii.3.21

RICHARD MORRIS

Published for THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY by the OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS London New York Toronto

First Published 1868

Reprinted 1889, 1894, 1895, etc., and 1969

Extra Series, No. 5

Originally printed by Richard Clay & Sons Ltd., London and Bungay and now reprinted lithographically in Great Britain at the University Press, Oxford by Vivian Ridler Printer to the University

INTRODUCTION.

When master hands like those of Gibbon and Hallam have sketched the life of Boethius, it is well that no meaner man should attempt to mar their pictures. They drew, perhaps, the most touching scene in Middle-age literary history,--the just man in prison, awaiting death, consoled by the Philosophy that had been his light in life, and handing down to posterity for their comfort and strength the presence of her whose silver rays had been his guide as well under the stars of Fortune as the mirk of Fate. With Milton in his dark days, Boece in prison could say,--

‘I argue not Against Heaven’s hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer Right onward. What supports me, dost thou ask? The conscience, friend, to have lost them overplied In liberty’s defence, my noble task, Of which all Europe rings from side to side.’