¶ How þat in þe p{re}se{n}t syȝt of god may ben acheued {and} p{er}formed swiche 404 þinges. as euery felonous man haþ conceyued in hys þouȝt aȝeins i{n}nocent. ¶ For whiche þing oon of þi familers not vnskilfully axed þus. [Sidenote: If there be a God, whence proceeds evil? If there is none, whence arises good?] ¶ Ȝif god is. whennes comen wikked[e] þinges. {and} yif god ne is whennes 408 comen goode þinges. but al hadde it ben leueful þat felonous folk þat now desiren þe bloode {and} þe deeþ of alle goode men. {and} eke of al þe senat han wilned to gone destroien me. whom þei han seyn alwey bataile{n} 412 {and} defenden goode men {and} eke al þe senat. Ȝit hadde I not desserued of þe fadres. þat is to seyne of þe senatours þat þei scholde wilne my destrucc{i}ou{n}. [Sidenote: Boethius defends the integrity of his life.] [Sidenote: [* fol. 6 _b_.]] ¶ Þou remembrest wele as I gesse þat whan I wolde [[pg 19]] don or *seyn any þing. þou þi self alwey p{re}sent reweledest me. 417 [Sidenote: He defended the Senate at Verona.] ¶ At þe citee of verone wha{n} þat þe kyng gredy of comune slauȝter. caste hym to t{ra}nsporten vpon al þe ordre of þe senat. þe gilt of his real 420 maieste of þe whiche gilt þat albyn was accused. wiþ how grete sykernesse of p{er}il to me defended[e] I al þe senat. [Sidenote: He spake only the truth, and did not boast.] ¶ Þou wost wel þat I seide soþe. ne I auaunted[e] me neuer in preysyng of my self. 424 [Sidenote: (Boasting lessens the pleasure of a self approving conscience.)] ¶ For alwey when any wyȝt resceiueþ p{re}ciouse renou{n} in auauntyng hym self of hys werkes: he amenusiþ þe secre of hys conscience. ¶ But now þou mayst wel seen to what ende I am comen for myne i{n}nocence. 428 [Linenotes: 397 _whiche_--which _sorwe_--sorw _haþ_--MS. haþe _witte_--wit 398 _schrewed[e]_--shrewede 399 _folies_--felonies _vertues_--vertu 400 _had[de]_--han 401 _done_--don _comeþ_--comth 402 _lyke to a_--lyk a 404 _syȝt_--syhte 405 _haþ_--MS. haþe 406 _innocent_--innocentȝ _whiche_--which 408 _wikked[e]_--wykkede 410 _bloode_--blod 411 _eke_--ek 412 _gone_--gon {and} _seyn_--seyen 413 _eke_--ek 414 _seyne_--seyn 415 _scholde_--sholden 416 _wele_--wel 417 _don_--MS. done, C. doon _seyn_--seyen 418 _þe_ (1)--omitted 419 _slauȝter_--slawhtre 420 _transporten vpon_--transpor vp 422 _grete_--gret _defended[e]_--deffendede 423 _seide soþe_--seye soth 424 _auaunted[e]_--auauntede 425 _when_--whan _preciouse_--presious] [Headnote: OF HIS FALSE ACCUSERS.]