Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Boethius and Troilus

by Geoffrey Chaucer

of mortal thinges ne hadde never lordshipe of me; but

[I have wel desired] matere of thinges to done, as who seith, I

desire to han matere of governaunce over comunalitees, for vertu,

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stille, ne sholde nat elden;' that is to seyn, that [him] leste that,

or he wex olde, his vertu, that lay now ful stille, ne should nat

perisshe unexercised in governaunce of comune; for which men

mighten speken or wryten of his goode governement.

Philosophye. 'For sothe,' quod she, 'and that is a thing that

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