at it is nat l[e]ueful to
strechche hise brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // ?
strechche hise brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // ?
Chaucer - Boethius
reads _not nat_, to the confusion of
the metre. ]
[Footnote I-9: = ne wot nat = knows not. ]
III. THE CHAIN OF LOVE.
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 bond
The fyr, the watir, the eyr, and eek the lond
In certeyn boundes, that they may not flee. _
(_Knightes Tale_, p. 92. )
That ? e world with stable feith / varieth acordable chaungynges //
? at the contraryos qualite of element? holden amonge hem self
aliaunce perdurable / ? at phebus the sonne with his goldene
chariet / bryngeth forth the rosene day / ? at the mone hath
commaundement ouer the nyhtes // whiche nyhtes hesperus the eue
sterre hat[h] browt // ? at ? e se gredy to flowen constreyneth with
a certeyn ende hise floodes / so ?
at it is nat l[e]ueful to
strechche hise brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // ? at is
to seyn to couere alle the erthe // Al this a-cordaunce of thinges
is bownden with looue / ? at gouerneth erthe and see / and [he]
hath also commaundement? to the heuenes / and yif this looue
slakede the brydelis / alle thinges ? at now louen hem to-gederes /
wolden maken a batayle contynuely and stryuen to fordoon the
fasoun of this worlde / the which they now leden in acordable
feith by fayre moeuynges // this looue halt to-gideres poeples /
ioygned with an hooly bond / and knytteth sacrement of maryages of
chaste looues // And loue enditeth lawes to trewe felawes // O
weleful weere mankynde / yif thilke loue ? at gouerneth heuene
gouerned yowre corages /.
(_Chaucer's Boethius_, bk. ii. met. 8. )
Quod mundus stabili fide
Concordes variat vices,
Quod pugnantia semina
Foedus perpetuum tenent,
Quod Phoebus roseum diem
Curru provehit aureo,
Ut quas duxerit Hesperus
Phoebe noctibus imperet,
Ut fluctus avidum mare
Certo fine coerceat,
Ne terris liceat vagis
Latos tundere terminos;
_Hanc rerum seriem ligat,
Terras ac pelagus regens,
Et coelo imperitans amor. _
Hic si fraena remiserit,
Quicquid nunc amat invicem,
Bellum continuo geret:
Et quam nunc socia fide
Pulcris motibus incitant,
Certent solvere machinam.
Hic sancto populos quoque
Junctos foedere continet,
Hic et conjugii sacrum
Castis nectit amoribus,
Hic fidis etiam sua
Dictat jura sodalibus.
O felix hominum genus,
Si vestros animos amor,
Quo caelum regitur, regat.
(_Boeth. _, lib.
the metre. ]
[Footnote I-9: = ne wot nat = knows not. ]
III. THE CHAIN OF LOVE.
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 bond
The fyr, the watir, the eyr, and eek the lond
In certeyn boundes, that they may not flee. _
(_Knightes Tale_, p. 92. )
That ? e world with stable feith / varieth acordable chaungynges //
? at the contraryos qualite of element? holden amonge hem self
aliaunce perdurable / ? at phebus the sonne with his goldene
chariet / bryngeth forth the rosene day / ? at the mone hath
commaundement ouer the nyhtes // whiche nyhtes hesperus the eue
sterre hat[h] browt // ? at ? e se gredy to flowen constreyneth with
a certeyn ende hise floodes / so ?
at it is nat l[e]ueful to
strechche hise brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // ? at is
to seyn to couere alle the erthe // Al this a-cordaunce of thinges
is bownden with looue / ? at gouerneth erthe and see / and [he]
hath also commaundement? to the heuenes / and yif this looue
slakede the brydelis / alle thinges ? at now louen hem to-gederes /
wolden maken a batayle contynuely and stryuen to fordoon the
fasoun of this worlde / the which they now leden in acordable
feith by fayre moeuynges // this looue halt to-gideres poeples /
ioygned with an hooly bond / and knytteth sacrement of maryages of
chaste looues // And loue enditeth lawes to trewe felawes // O
weleful weere mankynde / yif thilke loue ? at gouerneth heuene
gouerned yowre corages /.
(_Chaucer's Boethius_, bk. ii. met. 8. )
Quod mundus stabili fide
Concordes variat vices,
Quod pugnantia semina
Foedus perpetuum tenent,
Quod Phoebus roseum diem
Curru provehit aureo,
Ut quas duxerit Hesperus
Phoebe noctibus imperet,
Ut fluctus avidum mare
Certo fine coerceat,
Ne terris liceat vagis
Latos tundere terminos;
_Hanc rerum seriem ligat,
Terras ac pelagus regens,
Et coelo imperitans amor. _
Hic si fraena remiserit,
Quicquid nunc amat invicem,
Bellum continuo geret:
Et quam nunc socia fide
Pulcris motibus incitant,
Certent solvere machinam.
Hic sancto populos quoque
Junctos foedere continet,
Hic et conjugii sacrum
Castis nectit amoribus,
Hic fidis etiam sua
Dictat jura sodalibus.
O felix hominum genus,
Si vestros animos amor,
Quo caelum regitur, regat.
(_Boeth. _, lib.
