[Linenotes: 335 _whiche_--the whiche _one_--oon _somtyme_--whilom 339 _sumtyme_--whilon 340 _go_--gon _her_--hir 341 _wiþ-outen_--withowte _wolde not_--nolden nat 342 _defended[e]_--defendedyn _by_--by the 343 _seyne_--seyn _seyntuaries_--sentuarye 344 _was_--omitted _comaunded[e]_--comaundede 345 _voided[e]_--voidede _certeyne_--certeyn 346 _men_--me _merken_--marke 347 _hoke of iren_--hoot yren 348 _þe_--omitted _myȝt[e] be_--myhte ben 349 _þilk_--thilke 350 _þilk[e]_--thilke 351 _be_--ben _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd _haþ_--MS. haþe 354, 355 [_Certes----asshamyd_]--from C. 356 _auȝt[e]_--owte _haue had_--han had, MS. hadde] [[pg 17]] [Headnote: THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST BOETHIUS.] ¶ But axest þou in so{m}me of what gilt .I. am accused. [Sidenote: Boethius says he is accused of trying to save the Senate, and of having embarrassed an informer against the Senate.] men seyne þat I wolde sauen þe co{m}paignie of þe senato{ur}s. ¶ And desirest þou to here in what manere .I. am accused þat I scholde han distourbed 360 þe accuso{ur} to beren l{ett}res. by whiche he scholde han maked þe senatours gilty aȝeins þe kynges Real maieste. ¶ O meistresse what demest þou of þis. schal .I. forsake þis blame þat I ne be no schame to 364 þe (q. d. no{n}). [Sidenote: It is true that he tried to save the Senate, for he has and will have its best interests always at heart.] ¶ Certis .I. haue wold it. þat is to seyne þe sauuaciou{n} of þe senat. ne I schal neuer leten to wilne it. {and} þat I confesse {and} am a-knowe. but þe entent of þe accusour to be destourbed schal cese. 368 ¶ For schal I clepe it a felonie þan or a synne þat I haue desired þe sauuaciou{n} of þe ordre of þe senat. and certys ȝit hadde þilk same senat don by me þoruȝ her decretȝ {and} hire iugementys as þouȝ it were a synne 372 or a felonie þat is to seyne to wilne þe sauuaciou{n} of he{m} (.s senat{us}). [Sidenote: (Folly cannot change the merit of things.] ¶ But folye þat lieth alwey to hym self may not chaunge þe merit of þinges. [Sidenote: According to Socrates’ judgment it is not lawful to hide the truth nor assent to a falsehood.)] ¶ Ne .I. trowe not by þe iugement of socrates þ{a}t it were leueful 376 to me to hide þe soþe. ne assent[e] to lesynges. ¶ But certys how so euer it be of þis I put[te] it to gessen or p{re}ise{n} to þe iugeme{n}t of þe {and} of wise folk. ¶ Of whiche þing al þe ordinaunce {and} þe soþe for as moche 380 as folk þat ben to comen aftir our{e} dayes scholle{n} knowen it.