[44] Boethius, Book IV.; Metre I. l ff.
[45] The Hous of Fame, II. 972-978.
[46] Boethius, Book II.: Metre VIII. l. 1 ff.
“That the world with stable feith varieth acordable chaunginges; that the contrarious qualitee of elements holden among hemself aliaunce perdurable; ... —al this acordaunce of things is bounden with Love, that governeth erthe and see, and hath also commaundements to the hevenes. And yif this Love slakede the brydeles, alle things that now loven hem to-gederes wolden maken a bataile continuely, and stryven to fordoon the fasoun of this worlde, the whiche they now leden in acordable feith by faire moevinges.”
The thought of love as the harmonizing bond between diverse elements is dealt with more poetically in Troilus and Criseyde, Bk. III. 1744-1757.
“‘Love, that of erthe and see hath governaunce,
Love, that his hestes hath in hevene hye,
. . . . . . . . . . . .
That that the world with feyth, which that is stable,
Dyverseth so his stoundes concordinge,
That elements that been so discordable
Holden a bond perpetuely duringe.
That Phebus mote his rosy day forth bringe,
And that the mone hath lordship over the nightes,
Al this doth Love; ay heried be his mightes!’”
[47] Skeat, Notes to Boethius, II.: Metre 9, 1. 14.
[48] 11.379-381.
[49] The Phisiciens Tale, C. 11-26.
[50] See [Appendix, I].