[Linenotes: 1 _of_--MS. of of. 2 _florysching_--floryssynge 3 _rendyng_--rendynge 4 _be_--ben 5 _wrecchednes_--wrecchednesse _teers_--teeres 6 _leest_--leeste _myȝt[e] ouer-come_--myhte ouercomen 8 _seyne when_--seyn whan 9 _youȝth_--MS. þoȝt, C. yowthe 10 _sorouful werdes_--sorful wierdes [i. fata] 12 _sorou_--sorwe _haþ_--MS. haþe _be_--ben 13 _hore_--hoore _ben_--arn _myne_--myn 14 _slak[e]_--slake _vpon_--of _emty_--emptyd _þilk[e]_--thilke 15 _welful_--weleful _comeþ not_--comth nat 16 _.i. mirie_--omitted] ¶ Allas allas wiþ how deef an eere deeþ cruel to{ur}neþ awey fro wrecches {and} naieþ to closen wepyng eyen. [Sidenote: When Fortune was favourable Death came near Boethius, but in his adversity life is unpleasantly protracted.] ¶ While fortune vnfeiþful fauored[e] me 20 wiþ lyȝte goodes (.s. temp{or}els.) þe sorouful houre þat is to seyne þe deeþ had[de] almost dreynt myne heued. ¶ But now for fortune clowdy haþ chaunged hir disceyuable chere to me warde. myn vnpitouse lijf draweþ 24 a long vnagreable dwellynges in me. [Sidenote: Why did his friends call him happy? He stood not firm that hath thus fallen.] ¶ O ȝe my frendes what or wherto auaunted[e] ȝe me to be weleful: [[pg 5]] for he þat haþ fallen stood not i{n} stedfast degree. [Linenotes: 19 _tourneþ_--torneth _naieþ_--nayteth _wepyng_--wepynge 20 _While_--Whil _fauored[e]_--fauorede 21 _lyȝte_--lyhte _.s. temporels_--omitted _sorouful houre_--sorwful howr{e} 22 _seyne_--seyn _had[de]_--hadde _myne_--myn 23 _haþ_--MS. haþe _chaunged hir disceyuable_--chaungyd hyre deceyuable 24 _vnpitouse lijf_--vnpietous lyf] [Headnote: PHILOSOPHY APPEARS TO BOETHIUS.] HIC DUM MECUM TACITUS. [Sidenote: [The firste p{ro}se.]] [Sidenote: Philosophy appears to Boethius, like a beautiful woman, and of great age.] ++IN þe mene while þat I stille recorded[e] þise þinges 28 wiþ my self. {and} markede my wepli compleynte wiþ office of poyntel. I saw stondyng aboue þe heyȝt of my heued a woman of ful greet reuerence by semblaunt hir eyen brennyng {and} clere seing ouer þe comune 32 myȝt of men. wiþ a lijfly colo{ur} {and} wiþ swiche vigoure {and} strenkeþ þat it ne myȝt[e] not be emptid. ¶ Al were it so þat sche was ful of so greet age. þat men ne wolde not trowe i{n} no manere þat sche were of oure 36 elde. [Sidenote: Her height could not be determined, for there were times when she raised her head higher than the heavens.]