Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/52

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xliv
Introduction

Book iv, prose 2.

'Yf any man then that can go, and an other to whom the natmall propertie of the feete is wanting, stryving with his handes, stryves so to walke, which of these ij suppose you more worth?' 'Perform the rest if that you will, for no man doutes but he is more of force that hath the vse of nature, than he that wantes it' 'But the greatest good,' said she, ' that is set before yll and good, the good desyre by naturall duty of vertue, the other by a scatterd desyre, and stryue to get that which is no proper gift, to such as will obtayne the greatest good. Dost thou think the contrary?' 'No,' quoth I, ' for that is playne that followes. For heerby may we gather that I graunted afore, good men to be mighty, and yll men weake.' 'Rightly hast thou discourst. And so, as phisicians ought to hope, that it is a signe of a helthy and Resisting Nature.'

The next version, written by a certain 'J. T.,' was printed in London in 1609 for Matthew Lownes, as the title-page tells us. The book' is dedicated to the Countess of Dorset. The metres are in tersa rima.

Book iii, metr. 2.

How the strict raines of al things guided are
By powerfull nature, as the chiefest cause.
And how shee keepes with a foreseeing care
The spacious world in order by her lawes,
And to sure knots, which nothing can vntie,
By her strong hand all earthly motions draws:
To shew all this we purpose now to trie
Our pleasing Verses, and our Musicke sound.
Although the Lybian Lyons often lie
Gentle and tame in willing fetters bound.
And fearing their incensed masters wrath
With patient lookes endure each blow and wound:
Yet if their iawes they once in blood doe bathe.
They gaining courage with fierce noyse awake
The force, which nature in them seated hath.
And from their neckes the broken chaines doe shake;

Then