Part 3

(Ibid. st. 244, 245.)

IV. MUTABILITY DIRECTED AND LIMITED BY AN IMMUTABLE AND DIVINE INTELLIGENCE.

That same prynce and moevere eek, quod he, Hath stabled, in this wrecched world adoun, Certeyn dayes and duracioun To 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 discerne That thilke moevere stabul is and eterne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And therfore of his wyse purveaunce He hath so wel biset his ordenaunce, That spices of thinges and progressiouns Schullen endure by successiouns And nat eterne be, withoute any lye.

(Knightes Tale, vol. ii. p. 92, 93.)

Þe engendrynge of alle þinges quod she and alle þe progressiouns of muuable nature. and alle þat moeueþ in any manere takiþ hys causes. hys ordre. and hys formes. of þe stablenesse of þe deuyne þouȝt [and thilke deuyne thowht] þat is yset and put in þe toure. þat is to seyne in þe heyȝt of þe simplicite of god. stablisiþ many manere gyses to þinges þat ben to don.

(Chaucer’s Boethius, bk. iv. pr. 6, p. 134.)

V. THE PART IS DERIVED FROM THE WHOLE, THE IMPERFECT FROM THE PERFECT.

Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool, That every partye dyryveth from his hool. For nature hath nat take his bygynnyng Of no partye ne cantel of a thing, But of a thing that parfyt is and stable, Descendyng so, til it be corumpable.

(Knightes Tale, vol. ii. p. 92.)

For al þing þat is cleped inperfit . is proued inperfit by þe amenusynge of perfeccioun . or of þing þat is perfit . and her-of comeþ it . þat in euery þing general . yif þat . þat men seen any þing þat is inperfit . certys in þilke general þer mot ben somme þing þat is perfit. For yif so be þat perfeccioun is don awey . men may nat þinke nor seye fro whennes þilke þing is þat is cleped inperfit . For þe nature of þinges ne token nat her bygynnyng of þinges amenused and inperfit . but it procediþ of þingus þat ben al hool . and absolut . and descendeþ so doune in-to outerest þinges and in-to þingus empty and wiþ-oute fruyt . but as I haue shewed a litel her byforne . þat yif þer be a blisfulnesse þat be frele and vein and inperfit . þer may no man doute . þat þer nys som blisfulnesse þat is sad stedfast and perfit.’

(bk. iii. pr. 10, p. 89.)

Omne enim quod imperfectum esse dicitur, id deminutione perfecti imperfectum esse perhibetur. Quo fit ut si in quolibet genere imperfectum quid esse videatur, in eo perfectum quoque aliquod esse necesse sit. Etenim perfectione sublata, unde illud, quod imperfectum perhibetur, extiterit, ne fingi quidem potest. Neque enim ab diminutis inconsummatisque natura rerum cepit exordium, sed ab integris absolutisque procedens in hæc extrema atque effœta dilabitur. Quod si, uti paulo ante monstravimus, est quædam boni fragilis imperfecta felicitas, esse aliquam solidam perfectamque non potest dubitari.

(Boeth., lib. iii. pr. 10.)

VI. GENTILITY.

For gentilnesse nys but renomé Of thin auncestres, for her heigh bounté Which is a straunge thing to thy persone.

(The Wyf of Bathes Tale, vol. ii. p. 241.)

For if þe name of gentilesse be referred to renoun and clernesse of linage. þan is gentil name but a foreine þing.

(Chaucer’s Boethius, p. 78.)

Quæ [nobilitas], si ad claritudinem refertur, aliena est.

(Boethius, lib. iii. pr. 6.)

VII. NERO’S CRUELTY.

No teer out of his eyen for that sighte Ne cam; but sayde, a fair womman was sche. Gret wonder is how that he couthe or mighte Be domesman on hir dede beauté.

(The Monkes Tale, vol. iii. p. 217.)

Ne no tere ne wette his face, but he was so hard-herted þat he myȝte ben domesman or iuge of hire dede beauté.

(Chaucer’s Boethius, p. 55.)

Ora non tinxit lacrymis, sed esse Censor extincti potuit decoris.

(Boethius, lib. ii. met. 6.)

VIII. PREDESTINATION AND FREE-WILL.