¶ For þou drouppedest euery day in myn eer{e}s {and} in my þouȝt þilk comaundement of pictogoras. 456 þat is to seyne men schal seruen to god. {and} not to goddes. ¶ Ne it was no couenaunt ne no nede to taken helpe of þe foulest spirites. ¶ I þat þou hast ordeyned or set in syche excellence þ{a}t [þou] makedest 460 me lyke to god. and ouer þis þe ryȝt clene secre chaumbre of myn house. [Sidenote: His family and friends could clear him from all suspicion of the crime of sorcery.] þat is to seye my wijf {and} þe co{m}paignie of myn honeste frendis. {and} my wyues fadir as wel holy as worþi to ben reuerenced þoruȝ 464 hys owen dedis. defenden me of al suspecciou{n} of syche blame. ¶ But o malice. ¶ For þei þat accusen me taken of þe philosophie feiþe of so grete blame. [Sidenote: Because he has given himself up to Philosophy, his enemies accuse him of using unlawful arts.] ¶ For 467 þei trowen þat .I. haue had affinite to malyfice or enchau{n}tementȝ by cause þat I am replenissed {and} fulfilled wiþ þi techynges. {and} enformed of þi maners. ¶ And þus it sufficeþ not only þat þi reuerence ne auayle me not. but ȝif þat þou of þi fre wille raþer be blemissed 472 wiþ myne offensiou{n}. ¶ But certys to þe harmes þat I haue þere bytydeþ ȝit þis encrece of harme. [Linenotes: 448 _wolde_--wolden 449 _some_--som _beren_--baren _on honde_--an hand 450 _polute_--polut 451 _sacrelege_--C. _has_ sorcerie _as a gloss to_ sacrilege 453 _al_--alle 454 _had[de]_--hadde _byforne_--byforn 455 _drouppedest_--droppedest _myn_--myne 456 _þilk_--thilke 457 _seyne_--seyn _seruen_--serue _god_--godde 459 _helpe_--help _spirites_--spirite 460 _set_--MS. sette, C. set _syche_--swiche [_þou_]--thow 461 _lyke_--lyk 462 _house_--hows _seye_--seyn 463 _myn_--my 465 _owen_--owne _of al_--from alle _syche_--swich 467 _philosophie_--philosophre _feiþe_--feyth _grete_--gret 468 _had_--MS. hadde, C. had 473 _myne_--myn 474 _þere_--ther _harme_--harm] [[pg 21]] [Headnote: BOETHIUS DEPLORES THE POPULAR CENSURE.] þat þe gessinge {and} þe iugement of myche folk ne loken no þing to þe[de]sertys of þinges but only to þe aue{n}t{ur}e 476 of fortune. [Sidenote: Most people imagine that that only should be judged to be undertaken with prudent foresight which is crowned with success.]