medull{as})
hyr wode {and} hyr bark /
[Sidenote: And further, it is admirably contrived that the pith,
the most tender part of plants, is hid in the middle of the trunk,
surrounded with hard and solid wood, and with an outer coat of
bark to ward off the storms and weather.
hyr wode {and} hyr bark /
[Sidenote: And further, it is admirably contrived that the pith,
the most tender part of plants, is hid in the middle of the trunk,
surrounded with hard and solid wood, and with an outer coat of
bark to ward off the storms and weather.
Chaucer - Boethius
ei ne mowen nat sone dien ne dryen as longe as hire 2732
nature may defenden he{m}. ? For some of hem waxen
in feldes {and} some in mou{n}taignes. {and} o? ir waxen i{n}
mareis. [_A leaf lost here, and supplied from C. _]
[{and} oothre cleuyn on Roches / {and} soume waxen plentyuos 2736
in sondes / {and} yif ? {a}t any wyht enforce hym to
beryn hem in to oother places / they wexen drye //
[Sidenote: To everything that vegetates, nature gives what is
needful for its subsistence, and takes care that they should not
perish before their time. ]
For natur{e} yeueth to eu{er}y thing ? {a}t /
? {a}t is co{n}uenient to
hym {and} trauaylith ? {a}t they ne dye nat as longe as they 2740
han power to dwellyn {and} to lyuen //
[Sidenote: Need I tell you that plants are nourished by their
roots (which are so many mouths hid in the earth), and diffuse
strength throughout the whole plant, as through their marrow? ]
what woltow seyn
of this / ? {a}t they drawen alle hyr norysshynges by hyr
rootes / ryht as they haddyn hyr Mowthes I. -plounged 2743
w{i}t{h} in the erthes / {and} shedyn by hyr maryes (i.
medull{as})
hyr wode {and} hyr bark /
[Sidenote: And further, it is admirably contrived that the pith,
the most tender part of plants, is hid in the middle of the trunk,
surrounded with hard and solid wood, and with an outer coat of
bark to ward off the storms and weather. ]
{and} what woltow seyn
of this ? {a}t thilke thing / ? {a}t is ryht softe as the marye (i.
sapp) is / ? {a}t is alwey hidd in the feete al w{i}t{h} inne {and}
? {a}t it is defendid fro w{i}t{h} owte by the stidefastnesse of 2748
wode // {and} ? {a}t the vttereste bark is put ayenis
the destemprau{n}ce
of the heuene / as a defendowr myhty to suffren [[pg 98]]
harm /
[Sidenote: Admire, too, the diligence of nature in propagating
plants by a multiplicity of seeds, which are as a foundation for a
building, not to remain for a time, but as it were for ever. ]
{and} thus certes maystow wel sen / how gret is
the diligence of natur{e} / For alle thinges renouelen {and} 2752
pupllisen hem w{i}t{h} seed . I. -multiplyed / nether nis no man
? {a}t ne wot wel ? {a}t they ne ben ryht as a foundement {and}
edyfice for to duren / nat only for a tyme / but ryht as forto
duren p{er}durablely by generacyou{n} //
[Sidenote: Things inanimate incline to what is most suitable to
their beings, and to preserve continuance. ]
{and} the thinges ek 2756
? {a}t men wenen ne hauen none sowles / ne desir{e} they nat ech
of hem by sem[b]lable resou{n} to kepyn ? {a}t that is hirs / ?
nature may defenden he{m}. ? For some of hem waxen
in feldes {and} some in mou{n}taignes. {and} o? ir waxen i{n}
mareis. [_A leaf lost here, and supplied from C. _]
[{and} oothre cleuyn on Roches / {and} soume waxen plentyuos 2736
in sondes / {and} yif ? {a}t any wyht enforce hym to
beryn hem in to oother places / they wexen drye //
[Sidenote: To everything that vegetates, nature gives what is
needful for its subsistence, and takes care that they should not
perish before their time. ]
For natur{e} yeueth to eu{er}y thing ? {a}t /
? {a}t is co{n}uenient to
hym {and} trauaylith ? {a}t they ne dye nat as longe as they 2740
han power to dwellyn {and} to lyuen //
[Sidenote: Need I tell you that plants are nourished by their
roots (which are so many mouths hid in the earth), and diffuse
strength throughout the whole plant, as through their marrow? ]
what woltow seyn
of this / ? {a}t they drawen alle hyr norysshynges by hyr
rootes / ryht as they haddyn hyr Mowthes I. -plounged 2743
w{i}t{h} in the erthes / {and} shedyn by hyr maryes (i.
medull{as})
hyr wode {and} hyr bark /
[Sidenote: And further, it is admirably contrived that the pith,
the most tender part of plants, is hid in the middle of the trunk,
surrounded with hard and solid wood, and with an outer coat of
bark to ward off the storms and weather. ]
{and} what woltow seyn
of this ? {a}t thilke thing / ? {a}t is ryht softe as the marye (i.
sapp) is / ? {a}t is alwey hidd in the feete al w{i}t{h} inne {and}
? {a}t it is defendid fro w{i}t{h} owte by the stidefastnesse of 2748
wode // {and} ? {a}t the vttereste bark is put ayenis
the destemprau{n}ce
of the heuene / as a defendowr myhty to suffren [[pg 98]]
harm /
[Sidenote: Admire, too, the diligence of nature in propagating
plants by a multiplicity of seeds, which are as a foundation for a
building, not to remain for a time, but as it were for ever. ]
{and} thus certes maystow wel sen / how gret is
the diligence of natur{e} / For alle thinges renouelen {and} 2752
pupllisen hem w{i}t{h} seed . I. -multiplyed / nether nis no man
? {a}t ne wot wel ? {a}t they ne ben ryht as a foundement {and}
edyfice for to duren / nat only for a tyme / but ryht as forto
duren p{er}durablely by generacyou{n} //
[Sidenote: Things inanimate incline to what is most suitable to
their beings, and to preserve continuance. ]
{and} the thinges ek 2756
? {a}t men wenen ne hauen none sowles / ne desir{e} they nat ech
of hem by sem[b]lable resou{n} to kepyn ? {a}t that is hirs / ?
