Thanne, whether that destinee be exercysed outher by some 65 divyne spirits, servaunts to the divyne purviaunce, or elles by som sowle, or elles by alle nature servinge to god, or elles by the celestial moevinges of sterres, or elles by the vertu of angeles, or elles by the dyverse subtilitee of develes, or elles by any of hem, or elles by hem alle, the destinal ordinaunce is y-woven and 70 acomplisshed. Certes, it is open thing, that the purviaunce is an unmoevable and simple forme of thinges to done; and the moveable bond and the temporel ordinaunce of thinges, whiche that the divyne simplicitee of purviaunce hath ordeyned to done, that is destinee. For which it is, that alle thinges that ben put 75 under destinee ben, certes, subgits to purviaunce, to whiche purviaunce destinee itself is subgit and under. But some thinges ben put under purviaunce, that surmounten the ordinaunce of destinee; and tho ben thilke that stably ben y-ficched negh to the firste godhed: they surmounten the ordre of destinal moevabletee. 80 For right as of cercles that tornen a-boute a same centre or a-boute a poynt, thilke cercle that is innerest or most with-inne ioyneth to the simplesse of the middel, and is, as it were, a centre or a poynt to that other cercles that tornen a-bouten him; and thilke that is outterest, compassed by larger envyronninge, is unfolden by 85 larger spaces, in so moche as it is forthest fro the middel simplicitee of the poynt; and yif ther be any-thing that knitteth and felawshippeth him-self to thilke middel poynt, it is constreined in-to simplicitee, that is to seyn, in-to unmoevabletee, and it ceseth to be shad and to fleten dyversely: right so, by semblable resoun, 90 thilke thing that departeth forthest fro the first thoght of god, it is unfolden and summitted to gretter bondes of destinee: and in so moche is the thing more free and laus fro destinee, as it axeth and holdeth him ner to thilke centre of thinges, that is to seyn, god. And yif the thing clyveth to the stedefastnesse of the thoght of god, 95 and be with-oute moevinge, certes, it sormounteth the necessitee of destinee. Thanne right swich comparisoun as it is of skilinge to understondinge, and of thing that is engendred to thing that is, and of tyme to eternitee, and of the cercle to the centre, right so is the ordre of moevable destinee to the stable simplicitee of purviaunce. 100
Thilke ordinaunce moeveth the hevene and the sterres, and atempreth the elements to-gider amonges hem-self, and transformeth hem by entrechaungeable mutacioun; and thilke same ordre neweth ayein alle thinges growinge and fallinge a-doun, by semblable progressiouns of sedes and of sexes, that is to seyn, 105 male and femele. And this ilke ordre constreineth the fortunes and the dedes of men by a bond of causes, nat able to ben unbounde; the whiche destinal causes, whan they passen out fro the biginninges of the unmoevable purviaunce, it mot nedes be that they ne be nat mutable. And thus ben the thinges ful wel y-governed, 110 yif that the simplicitee dwellinge in the divyne thoght sheweth forth the ordre of causes, unable to ben y-bowed; and this ordre constreineth by his propre stabletee the moevable thinges, or elles they sholden fleten folily. For which it is, that alle thinges semen to ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne mowen nat considere 115 thilke ordinaunce; natheles, the propre maner of every thinge, dressinge hem to goode, disponeth hem alle.
For ther nis no-thing don for cause of yvel; ne thilke thing that is don by wikkede folk nis nat don for yvel. The whiche shrewes, as I have shewed ful plentivously, seken good, but 120 wikked errour mistorneth hem, ne the ordre cominge fro the poynt of soverein good ne declyneth nat fro his biginninge. But thou mayst seyn, what unreste may ben a worse confusioun than that gode men han somtyme adversitee and somtyme prosperitee, and shrewes also now han thinges that they desiren, and now 125 thinges that they haten? Whether men liven now in swich hoolnesse of thoght, (as who seyth, ben men now so wyse), that swiche folk as they demen to ben gode folk or shrewes, that it moste nedes ben that folk ben swiche as they wenen? But in this manere the domes of men discorden, that thilke men that 130 some folk demen worthy of mede, other folk demen hem worthy of torment. But lat us graunte, I pose that som man may wel demen or knowen the gode folk and the badde; may he thanne knowen and seen thilke innereste atempraunce of corages, as it hath ben wont to be seyd of bodies; as who seyth, may a man speken and 135 determinen of atempraunces in corages, as men were wont to demen or speken of complexiouns and atempraunces of bodies? Ne it ne is nat an unlyk miracle, to hem that ne knowen it nat, (as who seith, but it is lyke a merveil or a miracle to hem that ne knowen it nat), why that swete thinges ben covenable to some bodies that ben hole, and to 140 some bodies bittere thinges ben covenable; and also, why that some syke folk ben holpen with lighte medicynes, and some folk ben holpen with sharpe medicynes. But natheles, the leche that knoweth the manere and the atempraunce of hele and of maladye, ne merveileth of it no-thing. But what other thing semeth hele 145 of corages but bountee and prowesse? And what other thing semeth maladye of corages but vyces? Who is elles kepere of good or dryver awey of yvel, but god, governour and lecher of thoughtes? The whiche god, whan he hath biholden from the heye tour of his purveaunce, he knoweth what is covenable to 150 every wight, and leneth hem that he wot that is covenable to hem.
Lo, her-of comth and her-of is don this noble miracle of the ordre destinal, whan god, that al knoweth, doth swiche thing, of which thing that unknowinge folk ben astoned. But for to constreine, as who seyth, but for to comprehende and telle a fewe thinges of the 155 divyne deepnesse, the whiche that mannes resoun may understonde, thilke man that thou wenest to ben right Iuste and right kepinge of equitee, the contrarie of that semeth to the divyne purveaunce, that al wot. And Lucan, my familer, telleth that "the victorious cause lykede to the goddes, and the cause over-comen 160 lykede to Catoun." Thanne, what-so-ever thou mayst seen that is don in this werld unhoped or unwened, certes, it is the right ordre of thinges; but, as to thy wikkede opinioun, it is a confusioun. But I suppose that som man be so wel y-thewed, that the divyne Iugement and the Iugement of mankinde acorden 165 hem to-gider of him; but he is so unstedefast of corage, that, yif any adversitee come to him, he wol forleten, par-aventure, to continue innocence, by the whiche he ne may nat with-holden fortune. Thanne the wyse dispensacioun of god spareth him, the whiche man adversitee mighte enpeyren; for that god wol nat 170 suffren him to travaile, to whom that travaile nis nat covenable. Another man is parfit in alle vertues, and is an holy man, and negh to god, so that the purviaunce of god wolde demen, that it were a felonye that he were touched with any adversitees; so that he wol nat suffre that swich a man be moeved with any 175 bodily maladye. But so as seyde a philosophre, the more excellent by me: he seyde in Grek, that "vertues han edified the body of the holy man." And ofte tyme it bitydeth, that the somme of thinges that ben to done is taken to governe to gode folk, for that the malice haboundaunt of shrewes sholde ben abated. And god 180 yeveth and departeth to othre folk prosperitees and adversitees y-medled to-hepe, after the qualitee of hir corages, and remordeth som folk by adversitee, for they ne sholde nat wexen proude by longe welefulnesse.
And other folk he suffreth to ben travailed with harde thinges, for that they sholden confermen the vertues 185 of corage by the usage and exercitacioun of pacience. And other folk dreden more than they oughten [that] whiche they mighten wel beren; and somme dispyse that they mowe nat beren; and thilke folk god ledeth in-to experience of himself by aspre and sorwful thinges. And many othre folk han bought 190 honourable renoun of this world by the prys of glorious deeth. And som men, that ne mowen nat ben overcomen by torments, have yeven ensaumple to othre folk, that vertu may nat ben overcomen by adversitees; and of alle thinges ther nis no doute, that they ne ben don rightfully and ordenely, to the profit of hem to 195 whom we seen thise thinges bityde. For certes, that adversitee comth somtyme to shrewes, and somtyme that that they desiren, it comth of thise forseide causes. And of sorwful thinges that bityden to shrewes, certes, no man ne wondreth; for alle men wenen that they han wel deserved it, and that they ben of 200 wikkede merite; of whiche shrewes the torment somtyme agasteth othre to don felonyes, and somtyme it amendeth hem that suffren the torments. And the prosperitee that is yeven to shrewes sheweth a greet argument to gode folk, what thing they sholde demen of thilke welefulnesse, the whiche prosperitee men seen 205 ofte serven to shrewes. In the which thing I trowe that god dispenseth; for, per-aventure, the nature of som man is so overthrowinge to yvel, and so uncovenable, that the nedy povertee of his houshold mighte rather egren him to don felonyes. And to the maladye of him god putteth remedie, to yeven him richesses. 210 And som other man biholdeth his conscience defouled with sinnes, and maketh comparisoun of his fortune and of him-self; and dredeth, per-aventure, that his blisfulnesse, of which the usage is Ioyeful to him, that the lesinge of thilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorwful to him; and therfor he wol chaunge his maneres, and, for 215 he dredeth to lese his fortune, he forleteth his wikkednesse. To othre folk is welefulnesse y-yeven unworthily, the whiche overthroweth hem in-to distruccioun that they han deserved.
And to som othre folk is yeven power to punisshen, for that it shal be cause of continuacioun and exercysinge to gode folk and cause of 220 torment to shrewes. For so as ther nis non alyaunce by-twixe gode folk and shrewes, ne shrewes ne mowen nat acorden amonges hem-self. And why nat? For shrewes discorden of hem-self by hir vyces, the whiche vyces al to-renden hir consciences; and don ofte tyme thinges, the whiche thinges, whan they han don hem, 225 they demen that tho thinges ne sholden nat han ben don. For which thing thilke soverein purveaunce hath maked ofte tyme fair miracle; so that shrewes han maked shrewes to ben gode men. For whan that som shrewes seen that they suffren wrongfully felonyes of othre shrewes, they wexen eschaufed in-to hate of hem 230 that anoyeden hem, and retornen to the frut of vertu, whan they studien to ben unlyk to hem that they han hated. Certes, only this is the divyne might, to the whiche might yveles ben thanne gode, whan it useth tho yveles covenably, and draweth out the effect of any gode; as who seyth, that yvel is good only to the might 235 of god, for the might of god ordeyneth thilke yvel to good.
For oon ordre embraseth alle thinges, so that what wight that departeth fro the resoun of thilke ordre which that is assigned to him, algates yit he slydeth in-to another ordre, so that no-thing nis leveful to folye in the reame of the divyne purviaunce; as who 240 seyth, nothing nis with-outen ordinaunce in the reame of the divyne purviaunce; sin that the right stronge god governeth alle thinges in this world. For it nis nat leveful to man to comprehenden by wit, ne unfolden by word, alle the subtil ordinaunces and disposiciouns of the divyne entente. For only it oughte suffise to 245 han loked, that god him-self, maker of alle natures, ordeineth and dresseth alle thinges to gode; whyl that he hasteth to with-holden the thinges that he hath maked in-to his semblaunce, that is to seyn, for to with-holden thinges in-to good, for he him-self is good, he chaseth out al yvel fro the boundes of his comunalitee by the 250 ordre of necessitee destinable. For which it folweth, that yif thou loke the purviaunce ordeininge the thinges that men wenen ben outrageous or haboundant in erthes, thou ne shalt nat seen in no place no-thing of yvel. But I see now that thou art charged with the weighte of the questioun, and wery with the lengthe of my 255 resoun; and that thou abydest som sweetnesse of songe. Tak thanne this draught; and whan thou art wel refresshed and refect, thou shal be more stedefast to stye in-to heyere questiouns.
PR. VI. 4. A. Ed. do; C. don. 5. C. meracle. 6. A. om. what. 13. A. Ed. Hercules. C. slowh; A. Ed. slough. 21. C. wyht. 22, 3. A. to the medicine to the. 25. C. norysynges. 27. C. A. weue; glossed contexo. 28. A. Tho; C. So. 30. A. progressiouns; C. progressioun; progressus. 48. C. Ed. infynyte; A. with-outen fyn. 49. C. dyuydyd; A. Ed. diuideth; distributa. 50. After tymes A. ins. departith (om. as). // C. lat; Ed. Let; A. so that. 52. Ed. be cleaped; C. A. is (see 54). 55. A. Ed. on; C. of. 57. C. om. a. 59. C. symplely. 60. C. Ed. ordinaunce; A. thou[gh]t. 61. C. stablely. 64. C. desponed. 65. C. weyther. C. destyn (miswritten). 67. C. A. sowle; glossed anima mundi. 68. C. om. the bef. vertu. 71. C. acomplyssed; A. accomplissed. 79. C. stablely. A. yficched; C. y-fechched; Ed. fyxed. 80. Ed. mouablyte; A. moeuablite. 81. A. Ed. om. of. 85. A. Ed. larger; C. a large. 86. C. Ed. fertherest; A. forthest. 91. C. A. fyrthest (see 86). 93. A. lovs; Ed. loce. 96. C. necissite. 103. C. mutasioun. 105. A. Ed. progressiouns; C. progressioun; Lat. progressus. 106. A. female. 107. A. unbounden; glossed indissolubili. 137. After bodies, A. has 'quasi non.' 139. C. om. 2nd a. 142, 3. A. om. and some ... medicynes. 148. A. leecher. 159. A. familier. 160. Ed. victoriouse; C. A. victories; uictricem. 164. C. sopose. 166. C. om. so. 176. bodily] A. manere. // A. om. the more ... by me; me quoque excellentior. A. has: the aduersites comen nat, he seide in grec, there that vertues. 186. C. corages (animi). // C. excercitacion. 187. All the (for that.) 188, 9. Ed. and some ... not beare; C. A. om. 191. C. of the; A. Ed. of. 195. A. ordeinly. 202. C. Ed. felonies; A. folies. 210. A. puttith; C. pittyth. // A. rychesse. 213. A. his; C. is. 219. C. A. punyssen; Ed. punysshen. 220. C. excercisynge. 222. A. Ed. accorden; C. acordy. 228. After maked A. ins. oftyme (not in Lat.). 232. C. om. studien. 235. A. by (for to). 238. C. assyngned. 240. A. realme (twice). 243. A. to no man. 247. C. wyl; A. while. 253. Ed. outragyous; C. outraious; A. om. 255. C. the lengthe; A. Ed. om. the. 257. A. refet. 258. C. stydefast.
METRE VI.
Si uis celsi iura tonantis.
If thou, wys, wilt demen in thy pure thought the rightes or the lawes of the heye thonderer, that is to seyn, of god, loke thou and bihold the heightes of the soverein hevene. There kepen the sterres, by rightful alliaunce of thinges, hir olde pees. The sonne, y-moeved by his rody fyr, ne distorbeth nat the colde cercle of 5 the mone. Ne the sterre y-cleped "the Bere," that enclyneth his ravisshinge courses abouten the soverein heighte of the worlde, ne the same sterre Ursa nis never-mo wasshen in the depe westrene see, ne coveiteth nat to deyen his flaumbes in the see of the occian, al-thogh he see othre sterres y-plounged in the see. And Hesperus 10 the sterre bodeth and telleth alwey the late nightes; and Lucifer the sterre bringeth ayein the clere day.
And thus maketh Love entrechaungeable the perdurable courses; and thus is discordable bataile y-put out of the contree of the sterres. This acordaunce atempreth by evenelyk maneres the 15 elements, that the moiste thinges, stryvinge with the drye thinges, yeven place by stoundes; and the colde thinges ioynen hem by feyth to the hote thinges; and that the lighte fyr aryseth in-to heighte; and the hevy erthes avalen by hir weightes. By thise same causes the floury yeer yildeth swote smelles in the firste 20 somer-sesoun warminge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes; and autumpne comth ayein, hevy of apples; and the fletinge reyn bideweth the winter. This atempraunce norissheth and bringeth forth al thing that [bretheth] lyf in this world; and thilke same atempraunce, ravisshinge, hydeth and binimeth, and drencheth 25 under the laste deeth, alle thinges y-born.
Amonges thise thinges sitteth the heye maker, king and lord, welle and biginninge, lawe and wys Iuge, to don equitee; and governeth and enclyneth the brydles of thinges. And tho thinges that he stereth to gon by moevinge, he withdraweth and aresteth; 30 and affermeth the moevable or wandringe thinges. For yif that he ne clepede ayein the right goinge of thinges, and yif that he ne constreinede hem nat eft-sones in-to roundnesses enclynede, the thinges that ben now continued by stable ordinaunce, they sholden departen from hir welle, that is to seyn, from hir biginninge, and 35 faylen, that is to seyn, torne in-to nought.
This is the comune Love to alle thinges; and alle thinges axen to ben holden by the fyn of good. For elles ne mighten they nat lasten, yif they ne come nat eft-sones ayein, by Love retorned, to the cause that hath yeven hem beinge, that is to seyn, to god. 40
ME. VI. 1. A. om. wys; Lat. sollers. 3. C. the souereyn; A. om. the. 5. C. clerke (!); for cercle. 7. C. cours (meatus); see 13. 9. A. dy[gh]en; C. deeyn, glossed tingere; Ed. deyen. 10. A. in-to (for in). 16. A. striuen nat with the drye thinges, but yiuen. 24. A. al; C. alle. // A. bredith; C. Ed. bereth; read bretheth (spirat). 31. C. om. the. 35. A. bygynnynge; C. bygynge.
PROSE VII.
Iamne igitur uides.
Seestow nat thanne what thing folweth alle the thinges that I have seyd?' Boece. 'What thing?' quod I.
'Certes,' quod she, 'al-outrely, that alle fortune is good.'
'And how may that be?' quod I.
'Now understand,' quod she, 'so as alle fortune, whether so it 5 be Ioyeful fortune or aspre fortune, is yeven either by cause of guerdoning or elles of exercysinge of good folk, or elles by cause to punisshen or elles chastysen shrewes; thanne is alle fortune good, the whiche fortune is certein that it be either rightful or elles profitable.' 10
'Forsothe, this is a ful verray resoun,' quod I; 'and yif I consider the purviaunce and the destinee that thou taughtest me a litel her-biforn, this sentence is sustened by stedefast resouns. But yif it lyke unto thee, lat us noumbren hem amonges thilke thinges, of whiche thou seydest a litel her-biforn, that they ne were 15 nat able to ben wened to the poeple.' 'Why so?' quod she.
'For that the comune word of men,' quod I, 'misuseth this maner speche of fortune, and seyn ofte tymes that the fortune of som wight is wikkede.'
'Wiltow thanne,' quod she, 'that I aproche a litel to the wordes 20 of the poeple, so that it seme nat to hem that I be overmoche departed as fro the usage of mankinde?'
'As thou wolt,' quod I.
'Demestow nat,' quod she, 'that al thing that profiteth is good?'
'Yis,' quod I. 25
'And certes, thilke thing that exercyseth or corigeth, profiteth?'
'I confesse it wel,' quod I.
'Thanne is it good?' quod she.
'Why nat?' quod I.
'But this is the fortune,' quod she, 'of hem that either ben put 30 in vertu and batailen ayeins aspre thinges, or elles of hem that eschuen and declynen fro vyces and taken the wey of vertu.'
'This ne may I nat denye,' quod I.
'But what seystow of the mery fortune that is yeven to good folk in guerdoun? Demeth aught the poeple that it is wikked?' 35
'Nay, forsothe,' quod I; 'but they demen, as it sooth is, that it is right good.'
'And what seystow of that other fortune,' quod she, 'that, al-thogh that it be aspre, and restreineth the shrewes by rightful torment, weneth aught the poeple that it be good?' 40
'Nay,' quod I, 'but the poeple demeth that it is most wrecched of alle thinges that may ben thought.'
'War now, and loke wel,' quod she, 'lest that we, in folwinge the opinioun of the poeple, have confessed and concluded thing that is unable to be wened to the poeple. 45
'What is that?' quod I.
'Certes,' quod she, 'it folweth or comth of thinges that ben graunted, that alle fortune, what-so-ever it be, of hem that ben either in possessioun of vertu, or in the encres of vertu, or elles in the purchasinge of vertu, that thilke fortune is good; and that alle 50 fortune is right wikkede to hem that dwellen in shrewednesse;' as who seyth, and thus weneth nat the poeple.
'That is sooth,' quod I, 'al-be-it so that no man dar confesse it ne biknowen it.'
'Why so?' quod she; 'for right as the stronge man ne semeth 55 nat to abaissen or disdaignen as ofte tyme as he hereth the noise of the bataile, ne also it ne semeth nat, to the wyse man, to beren it grevously, as ofte as he is lad in-to the stryf of fortune. For bothe to that oon man and eek to that other thilke difficultee is the matere; to that oon man, of encres of his glorious renoun, 60 and to that other man, to confirme his sapience, that is to seyn, to the asprenesse of his estat. For therfore is it called "vertu," for that it susteneth and enforseth, by hise strengthes, that it nis nat overcomen by adversitees. Ne certes, thou that art put in the encres or in the heighte of vertu, ne hast nat comen to fleten with 65 delices, and for to welken in bodily luste; thou sowest or plauntest a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins every fortune: for that the sorwful fortune ne confounde thee nat, ne that the merye fortune ne corumpe thee nat, occupye the mene by stedefast strengthes. For al that ever is under the mene, or elles al that overpasseth the 70 mene, despyseth welefulnesse (as who seyth, it is vicious), and ne hath no mede of his travaile. For it is set in your hand (as who seyth, it lyth in your power) what fortune yow is levest, that is to seyn, good or yvel. For alle fortune that semeth sharp or aspre, yif it ne exercyse nat the gode folk ne chastyseth the wikked folk, it 75 punissheth.
PR. VII. 1. A. Sest thou; C. Sestow. 5, 6. A. om. alle ... aspre. 7. Ed. guerdonyng; C. A. gerdonynge. // C. excersisinge. 16. A. ywened. 20. A. proche. 24. A. Demest thou; Ed. Wenest thou. A. al; C. alle. 26. C. excersiseth. C. corigit; A. corigith; Ed. corrygeth. 34. A. seist thou. 35. Ed. guerdon; C. A. gerdoun. C. Ed. demeth; A. deuinith; decernit. A. poeples; uulgus. 38. A. seist thou. 41. C. Ed. is; A. be. 49. A. om. or in ... vertu. 55. C. the stronge; A. no strong. 56. Ed. abasshen; A. abassen. 66. A. welken; Ed. walken; C. wellen; emarcescere. 69. A. Ed. corrumpe. C. Ocupye; A. Occupy. C. stydefast. 75. C. excersyse. 76. C. punysseth; A. punisseth.
METRE VII.
Bella bis quinis operatus annis.
The wreker Attrides, that is to seyn, Agamenon, that wroughte and continuede the batailes by ten yeer, recovered and purgede in wrekinge, by the destruccioun of Troye, the loste chaumbres of mariage of his brother; this is to seyn, that he, Agamenon, wan ayein Eleyne, that was Menelaus wyf his brother. In the mene 5 whyle that thilke Agamenon desirede to yeven sayles to the Grekissh navye, and boughte ayein the windes by blood, he unclothede him of pitee of fader; and the sory preest yiveth in sacrifyinge the wrecched cuttinge of throte of the doughter; that is to seyn, that Agamenon let cutten the throte of his doughter by the 10 preest, to maken allyaunce with his goddes, and for to han winde with whiche he mighte wenden to Troye.
Itacus, that is to seyn, Ulixes, biwepte his felawes y-lorn, the whiche felawes the ferse Poliphemus, ligginge in his grete cave, hadde freten and dreynt in his empty wombe. But natheles 15 Poliphemus, wood for his blinde visage, yald to Ulixes Ioye by his sorwful teres; this is to seyn, that Ulixes smoot out the eye of Poliphemus that stood in his forehed, for which Ulixes hadde Ioye, whan he say Poliphemus wepinge and blinde.
Hercules is celebrable for his harde travailes; he dauntede the 20 proude Centaures, half hors, half man; and he birafte the dispoylinge fro the cruel lyoun, that is to seyn, he slowh the lyoun and rafte him his skin. He smoot the briddes that highten Arpyes with certein arwes. He ravisshede apples fro the wakinge dragoun, and his hand was the more hevy for the goldene metal. 25 He drow Cerberus, the hound of helle, by his treble cheyne. He, overcomer, as it is seyd, hath put an unmeke lord foddre to his cruel hors; this is to seyn, that Hercules slowh Diomedes, and made his hors to freten him. And he, Hercules, slowh Ydra the serpent, and brende the venim. And Achelous the flood, defouled in his 30 forhed, dreynte his shamefast visage in his strondes; this is to seyn, that Achelous coude transfigure him-self in-to dyverse lyknesses; and, as he faught with Hercules, at the laste he tornede him in-to a bole; and Hercules brak of oon of his hornes, and he, for shame, hidde him in his river. And he, Hercules, caste adoun Antheus 35 the gyaunt in the strondes of Libie; and Cacus apaysede the wratthes of Evander; this is to seyn, that Hercules slowh the monstre Cacus, and apaysede with that deeth the wratthe of Evander. And the bristlede boor markede with scomes the shuldres of Hercules, the whiche shuldres the heye cercle of 40 hevene sholde thriste. And the laste of his labours was, that he sustened the hevene up-on his nekke unbowed; and he deservede eft-sones the hevene, to ben the prys of his laste travaile.
Goth now thanne, ye stronge men, ther-as the heye wey of the grete ensaumple ledeth yow. O nyce men, why nake ye youre 45 bakkes? As who seyth: O ye slowe and delicat men, why flee ye adversitees, and ne fighten nat ayeins hem by vertu, to winnen the mede of the hevene? For the erthe, overcomen, yeveth the sterres'; this is to seyn, that, whan that erthely lust is overcomen, a man is maked worthy to the hevene. 50
ME. VII. 4. A. Ed. om. he. 8. A. pite as fader. 16. A. yeld. 22. A. slou[gh]. 23. Ed. Arpyes; C. A. arpiis; glossed--in the palude of lyrne. 26. C. drowh; A. drou[gh]. 28. C. slowgh; A. slou[gh] (thrice). 28, 31, 37, 49. C. this (for this is). 29. A. etyn (for freten). 30. C. achelows (1st time); achelous (2nd); A. achelaus (twice). 34. C. he, glossed achelous; A. achelaus (om. he). 39. Ed. vomes (for scomes). 40. A. Ed. cercle; C. clerke (!). 48. A. mede of the. // A. Ed. the sterres; C. om. the.
BOOK V.
PROSE I.
Dixerat, orationisque cursum.
She hadde seyd, and torned the cours of hir resoun to some othre thinges to ben treted and to ben y-sped. Thanne seyde I, 'Certes, rightful is thyn amonestinge and ful digne by auctoritee. But that thou seidest whylom, that the questioun of the divyne purviaunce is enlaced with many other questiouns, I understonde 5 wel and proeve it by the same thing. But I axe yif that thou wenest that hap be any thing in any weys; and, yif thou wenest that hap be anything, what is it?'
Thanne quod she, 'I haste me to yilden and assoilen to thee the dette of my bihest, and to shewen and opnen the wey, by 10 which wey thou mayst come ayein to thy contree. But al-be-it so that the thinges which that thou axest ben right profitable to knowe, yit ben they diverse somwhat fro the path of my purpos; and it is to douten that thou ne be maked wery by mis-weyes, so that thou ne mayst nat suffyce to mesuren the right wey.' 15
'Ne doute thee ther-of nothing,' quod I. 'For, for to knowen thilke thinges to-gedere, in the whiche thinges I delyte me greetly, that shal ben to me in stede of reste; sin it is nat to douten of the thinges folwinge, whan every syde of thy disputacioun shal han be stedefast to me by undoutous feith.' 20
Thanne seyde she, 'That manere wol I don thee'; and bigan to speken right thus. 'Certes,' quod she, 'yif any wight diffinisshe hap in this manere, that is to seyn, that "hap is bitydinge y-brought forth by foolish moevinge and by no knettinge of causes," I conferme that hap nis right naught in no wyse; and I 25 deme al-outrely that hap nis, ne dwelleth but a voice, as who seith, but an ydel word, with-outen any significacioun of thing submitted to that vois. For what place mighte ben left, or dwellinge, to folye and to disordenaunce, sin that god ledeth and constreineth alle thinges by ordre? For this sentence is verray and 30 sooth, that "nothing ne hath his beinge of naught"; to the whiche sentence none of thise olde folk ne withseyde never; al-be-it so that they ne understoden ne meneden it naught by god, prince and beginnere of werkinge, but they casten [it] as a manere foundement of subiect material, that is to seyn, of the nature of 35 alle resoun. And yif that any thing is woxen or comen of no causes, than shal it seme that thilke thing is comen or woxen of naught; but yif this ne may nat ben don, thanne is it nat possible, that hap be any swich thing as I have diffinisshed a litel heer-biforn.'
'How shal it thanne be?' quod I. 'Nis ther thanne no-thing 40 that by right may be cleped either "hap" or elles "aventure of fortune"; or is ther aught, al-be-it so that it is hid fro the peple, to which these wordes ben covenable?'
'Myn Aristotulis,' quod she, 'in the book of his Phisik, diffinissheth this thing by short resoun, and neigh to the sothe.' 45
'In which manere?' quod I.
'As ofte,' quod she, 'as men doon any thing for grace of any other thing, and an-other thing than thilke thing that men entenden to don bitydeth by some causes, it is cleped "hap." Right as a man dalf the erthe by cause of tilyinge of the feeld, 50 and founde ther a gobet of gold bidolven, thanne wenen folk that it is bifalle by fortunous bitydinge. But, for sothe, it nis nat of naught, for it hath his propre causes; of whiche causes the cours unforeseyn and unwar semeth to han maked hap. For yif the tilyere of the feld ne dolve nat in the erthe, and yif the hyder of 55 the gold ne hadde hid the gold in thilke place, the gold ne hadde nat been founde. Thise ben thanne the causes of the abregginge of fortuit hap, the which abregginge of fortuit hap comth of causes encountringe and flowinge to-gidere to hem-self, and nat by the entencioun of the doer. For neither the hyder of the gold ne the 60 delver of the feeld ne understoden nat that the gold sholde han ben founde; but, as I sayde, it bitidde and ran to-gidere that he dalf ther-as that other hadde hid the gold. Now may I thus diffinisshe "hap." Hap is an unwar bitydinge of causes assembled in thinges that ben don for som other thing. But thilke ordre, 65 procedinge by an uneschuable bindinge to-gidere, which that descendeth fro the welle of purviaunce that ordeineth alle thinges in hir places and in hir tymes, maketh that the causes rennen and assemblen to-gidere.
PR. I. 1. C. by cours (wrongly); A. Ed. the cours. 4. C. whilom; A. som tyme. // the (2)] C. thy. 8. A. any (for any thing). // C. it is; A. Ed. is it. 9. C. Ed. to the; A. the to the; Cax. to the the (= to thee the). 13. C. and yit; A. Ed. om. and. 19. A. disputisoun. 19, 20. C. han be; Ed. haue ben; A. be. 22, 23. C. deffenysshe; but diffinysshed in 39. // C. glosses bitydinge by i. euentum. 24. A. knyttyng. 31. A. om. the. 33. C. -stondyn; A. -stoden. // C. meneden or meueden; A. moeueden (not in the Latin text). 34. I supply it. 35. A. om. the. 38. C. om. yif (Lat. quod si). 43. C. convenable. 50. C. to tylyinge; A. of tylienge. 52. A. fallen. 53. C. of nawht (de nihilo); A. for nau[gh]t. 55. C. of the feld (agri); A. in the erthe. // C. in the erthe (humum); A. in the felde. 57. A. abreggynge; C. abriggynge (but abreggynge 2nd time). 58. A. fortune (!), for fortuit; twice. 66. A. vneschewable.
METRE I.
Rupis Achemenie scopulis, ubi uersa sequentum.
Tigris and Eufrates resolven and springen of oo welle, in the cragges of the roche of the contree of Achemenie, ther-as the fleinge bataile ficcheth hir dartes, retorned in the brestes of hem that folwen hem. And sone after tho same riveres, Tigris and Eufrates, unioinen and departen hir wateres. And yif they comen 5 to-gideres, and ben assembled and cleped to-gidere into o cours, thanne moten thilke thinges fleten to-gidere which that the water of the entrechaunginge flood bringeth. The shippes and the stokkes arraced with the flood moten assemblen; and the wateres y-medled wrappeth or implyeth many fortunel happes or maneres; 10 the whiche wandringe happes, natheles, thilke declyninge lownesse of the erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge water governeth. Right so Fortune, that semeth as that it fleteth with slaked or ungovernede brydles, it suffereth brydles, that is to seyn, to be governed, and passeth by thilke lawe, that is to seyn, by thilke 15 divyne ordenaunce.'
ME. I. 1. A. om. and after Tigris. 3. A. om. bataile. 8. C. entrechaungynge, glossed i. alterni. 10. A. fortuned. 11. C. declynynge, glossed decliuitas. 13. A. om. that (2). 15. thilke] A. the.
PROSE II.
Animaduerto, inquam.
'This understonde I wel,' quod I, 'and I acorde wel that it is right as thou seyst. But I axe yif ther be any libertee of free wil in this ordre of causes that clyven thus to-gidere in hem-self; or elles I wolde witen yif that the destinal cheyne constreineth the movinges of the corages of men?' 5
'Yis,' quod she; 'ther is libertee of free wil. Ne ther ne was nevere no nature of resoun that it ne hadde libertee of free wil. For every thing that may naturely usen resoun, it hath doom by which it decerneth and demeth every thing; thanne knoweth it, by it-self, thinges that ben to fleen and thinges that ben to desiren. 10 And thilke thing that any wight demeth to ben desired, that axeth or desireth he; and fleeth thilke thing that he troweth ben to fleen. Wherfore in alle thinges that resoun is, in hem also is libertee of willinge and of nillinge. But I ne ordeyne nat, as who seyth, I ne graunte nat, that this libertee be evene-lyk in alle 15 thinges. Forwhy in the sovereines devynes substaunces, that is to seyn, in spirits, Iugement is more cleer, and wil nat y-corumped, and might redy to speden thinges that ben desired. But the soules of men moten nedes be more free whan they loken hem in the speculacioun or lokinge of the devyne thought, and lasse free 20 whan they slyden in-to the bodies; and yit lasse free whan they ben gadered to-gidere and comprehended in erthely membres. But the laste servage is whan that they ben yeven to vyces, and han y-falle from the possessioun of hir propre resoun. For after that they han cast awey hir eyen fro the light of the sovereyn 25 soothfastnesse to lowe thinges and derke, anon they derken by the cloude of ignoraunce and ben troubled by felonous talents; to the whiche talents whan they aprochen and asenten, they hepen and encresen the servage which they han ioyned to hem-self; and in this manere they ben caitifs fro hir propre libertee. The whiche 30 thinges, nathelesse, the lokinge of the devyne purviaunce seeth, that alle thinges biholdeth and seeth fro eterne, and ordeineth hem everich in hir merites as they ben predestinat: and it is seyd in Greek, that "alle thinges he seeth and alle thinges he hereth."
PR. II. 1. A. Ed. quod I; C. om. // C. Ed. acorde me; A. acorde wel. 2. C. of; A. or (wrongly); Lat. arbitrii. 3. C. hym; A. Ed. hem. 5. C. mouynges (motus); A. moeueuynge (!). 12. A. om. thilke. // C. to ben fleen; A. ben to fleen; Ed. be to flyen. 16. C. dyuynes; A. deuynes (as often in C). 17. C. wil nat I-coromped (uoluntas incorrupta); A. wil nat be corumped (wrongly). 18. C. myht (potestas); A. hath my[gh]t. 27. C. clowdes; A. Ed. cloude (nube). 27, 8. Ed. A. to the; C. om. the. 31. A. purueaunce. 34. The last clause, in the original, is in Greek.
METRE II.
Puro clarum lumine Phebum.
Homer with the hony mouth, that is to seyn, Homer with the swete ditees, singeth, that the sonne is cleer by pure light; natheles yit ne may it nat, by the infirme light of his bemes, breken or percen the inwarde entrailes of the erthe, or elles of the see. So ne seeth nat god, maker of the grete world: to him, that loketh 5 alle thinges from an heigh, ne withstondeth nat no thinges by hevinesse of erthe; ne the night ne withstondeth nat to him by the blake cloudes. Thilke god seeth, in oo strok of thought, alle thinges that ben, or weren, or sholle comen; and thilke god, for he loketh and seeth alle thinges alone, thou mayst seyn that he is 10 the verray sonne.'
ME. II. 3. A. inferme. 6. C. om. nat. 7. C. heuynesse (mole); A. heuynesses. 8. C. strokk, glossed i. ictu.
PROSE III.
Tum ego, en, inquam.
Thanne seyde I, 'now am I confounded by a more hard doute than I was.'
'What doute is that?' quod she. 'For certes, I coniecte now by whiche thinges thou art troubled.'
'It semeth,' quod I, 'to repugnen and to contrarien greetly, 5 that god knoweth biforn alle thinges, and that ther is any freedom of libertee. For yif so be that god loketh alle thinges biforn, ne god ne may nat ben desseived in no manere, than mot it nedes been, that alle thinges bityden the whiche that the purviaunce of god hath seyn biforn to comen. For which, yif that god 10 knoweth biforn nat only the werkes of men, but also hir conseiles and hir willes, thanne ne shal ther be no libertee of arbitre; ne, certes, ther ne may be noon other dede, ne no wil, but thilke which that the divyne purviaunce, that may nat ben desseived, hath feled biforn. For yif that they mighten wrythen awey in 15 othre manere than they ben purveyed, than sholde ther be no stedefast prescience of thing to comen, but rather an uncertein opinioun; the whiche thing to trowen of god, I deme it felonye and unleveful. Ne I ne proeve nat thilke same resoun, as who seyth, I ne alowe nat, or I ne preyse nat, thilke same resoun, by 20 which that som men wenen that they mowen assoilen and unknitten the knotte of this questioun. For, certes, they seyn that thing nis nat to comen for that the purviaunce of god hath seyn it biforn that is to comen, but rather the contrarye, and that is this: that, for that the thing is to comen, therfore ne may it 25 nat ben hid fro the purviaunce of god; and in this manere this necessitee slydeth ayein in-to the contrarye partye: ne it ne bihoveth nat, nedes, that thinges bityden that ben purvyed, but it bihoveth, nedes, that thinges that ben to comen ben y-porveyed: but as it were y-travailed, as who seyth, that thilke answere 30 procedeth right as thogh men travaileden, or weren bisy to enqueren, the whiche thing is cause of the whiche thing:--as, whether the prescience is cause of the necessitee of thinges to comen, or elles that the necessitee of thinges to comen is cause of the purviaunce.
But I ne enforce me nat now to shewen it, that the bitydinge of 35 thinges y-wist biforn is necessarie, how so or in what manere that the ordre of causes hath it-self; al-thogh that it ne seme nat that the prescience bringe in necessitee of bitydinge to thinges to comen. For certes, yif that any wight sitteth, it bihoveth by necessitee that the opinioun be sooth of him that coniecteth that 40 he sitteth; and ayeinward also is it of the contrarye: yif the opinioun be sooth of any wight for that he sitteth, it bihoveth by necessitee that he sitte. Thanne is heer necessitee in that oon and in that other: for in that oon is necessitee of sittinge, and, certes, in that other is necessitee of sooth. But therfore ne 45 sitteth nat a wight, for that the opinioun of the sittinge is sooth; but the opinioun is rather sooth, for that a wight sitteth biforn. And thus, al-thogh that the cause of the sooth cometh of that other syde (as who seyth, that al-thogh the cause of sooth comth of the sitting, and nat of the trewe opinioun), algates yit is ther 50 comune necessitee in that oon and in that other. Thus sheweth it, that I may make semblable skiles of the purviaunce of god and of thinges to comen. For althogh that, for that thinges ben to comen, ther-fore ben they purveyed, nat, certes, for that they ben purveyed, ther-fore ne bityde they nat. Yit natheles, 55 bihoveth it by necessitee, that either the thinges to comen ben y-purveyed of god, or elles that the thinges that ben purveyed of god bityden. And this thing only suffiseth y-nough to destroyen the freedom of oure arbitre, that is to seyn, of oure free wil. But now, certes, sheweth it wel, how fer fro the sothe and how up-so-doun 60 is this thing that we seyn, that the bitydinge of temporel thinges is cause of the eterne prescience. But for to wenen that god purvyeth the thinges to comen for they ben to comen, what other thing is it but for to wene that thilke thinges that bitidden whylom ben causes of thilke soverein purvyaunce that is in god?
65 And her-to I adde yit this thing: that, right as whan that I wot that a thing is, it bihoveth by necessitee that thilke selve thing be; and eek, whan I have knowe that any thing shal bityden, so byhoveth it by necessitee that thilke thing bityde:--so folweth it thanne, that the bitydinge of the thing y-wist biforn ne may nat 70 ben eschued. And at the laste, yif that any wight wene a thing to ben other weyes thanne it is, it is nat only unscience, but it is deceivable opinioun ful diverse and fer fro the sothe of science. Wherfore, yif any thing be so to comen, that the bitydinge of hit ne be nat certein ne necessarie, who may weten biforn that thilke 75 thing is to comen? For right as science ne may nat ben medled with falsnesse (as who seyth, that yif I wot a thing, it ne may nat be false that I ne wot it), right so thilke thing that is conceived by science ne may nat ben non other weys than as it is conceived. For that is the cause why that science wanteth lesing (as who 80 seyth, why that witinge ne receiveth nat lesinge of that it wot); for it bihoveth, by necessitee, that every thing be right as science comprehendeth it to be. What shal I thanne seyn? In whiche manere knoweth god biforn the thinges to comen, yif they ne be nat certein? For yif that he deme that they ben to comen 85 uneschewably, and so may be that it is possible that they ne shollen nat comen, god is deceived. But nat only to trowen that god is deceived, but for to speke it with mouth, it is a felonous sinne. But yif that god wot that, right so as thinges ben to comen, so shullen they comen--so that he wite egaly, as who 90 seyth, indifferently, that thinges mowen ben doon or elles nat y-doon--what is thilke prescience that ne comprehendeth no certein thing ne stable? Or elles what difference is ther bitwixe the prescience and thilke Iape-worthy divyninge of Tiresie the divynour, that seyde: "Al that I seye," quod he, "either it shal be, 95 or elles it ne shal nat be?" Or elles how mochel is worth the devyne prescience more than the opinioun of mankinde, yif so be that it demeth the thinges uncertein, as men doon; of the whiche domes of men the bitydinge nis nat certein?
But yif so be that non uncertein thing ne may ben in him that is right certein welle 100 of alle thinges, thanne is the bitydinge certein of thilke thinges whiche he hath wist biforn fermely to comen. For which it folweth, that the freedom of the conseiles and of the werkes of mankind nis non, sin that the thoght of god, that seeth alle thinges without errour of falsnesse, bindeth and constreineth 105 hem to a bitydinge by necessitee. And yif this thing be ones y-graunted and received, that is to seyn, that ther nis no free wille, than sheweth it wel, how greet destruccioun and how grete damages ther folwen of thinges of mankinde. For in ydel ben ther thanne purposed and bihight medes to gode folk, and peynes 110 to badde folk, sin that no moevinge of free corage voluntarie ne hath nat deserved hem, that is to seyn, neither mede ne peyne; and it sholde seme thanne, that thilke thing is alderworst, which that is now demed for aldermost iust and most rightful, that is to seyn, that shrewes ben punisshed, or elles that gode folk ben y-gerdoned: 115 the whiche folk, sin that hir propre wil ne sent hem nat to that oon ne to that other, that is to seyn, neither to gode ne to harm, but constreineth hem certein necessitee of thinges to comen: thanne ne shollen ther nevere ben, ne nevere weren, vyce ne vertu, but it sholde rather ben confusioun of alle desertes medled with-outen 120 discrecioun. And yit ther folweth an-other inconvenient, of the whiche ther ne may ben thoght no more felonous ne more wikke; and that is this: that, so as the ordre of thinges is y-led and comth of the purviaunce of god, ne that no-thing nis leveful to the conseiles of mankinde (as who seyth, that men han no power to 125 doon no-thing, ne wilne no-thing), than folweth it, that oure vyces ben referred to the maker of alle good (_as who seyth, than folweth it, that god oughte han the blame of oure vyces, sin he constreineth us by necessitee to doon vyces).
Thanne is ther no resoun to hopen in god, ne for to preyen to god; for what sholde any wight hopen to_ 130 god, or why sholde he preyen to god, sin that the ordenaunce of destinee, which that ne may nat ben inclyned, knitteth and streineth alle thinges that men may desiren? Thanne sholde ther be doon awey thilke only allyaunce bitwixen god and men, that is to seyn, to hopen and to preyen. But by the prys of rightwisnesse and of 135 verray mekenesse we deserven the gerdoun of the divyne grace, which that is inestimable, that is to seyn, that it is so greet, that it ne may nat ben ful y-preysed. And this is only the manere, that is to seyn, hope and preyeres, for which it semeth that men mowen speke with god, and by resoun of supplicacioun be conioined to 140 thilke cleernesse, that nis nat aproched no rather or that men beseken it and impetren it. And yif men wene nat that hope ne preyeres ne han no strengthes, by the necessitee of thinges to comen y-received, what thing is ther thanne by whiche we mowen ben conioined and clyven to thilke soverein prince of thinges? 145 For which it bihoveth, by necessitee, that the linage of mankinde, as thou songe a litel her-biforn, be departed and unioined from his welle, and failen of his biginninge, that is to seyn, god.
PR. III. 9. A. purueaunce. 14. A. om. that (1). 18. C. of; A. on. 24. C. om. it. // C. but; glossed s. aiunt. 25. C. om. is (1). // A. that therfore. 28. A. om. nat. // A. ypurueid. 28, 9. A. om. but it bihoveth ... y-porveyed. 32. A. whiche thinges (for 2nd the whiche thing). // C. weyther. 34. C. puruyaunce; glossed s. prouidencie. 35. C. it; glossed illud. 38. A. of thinges. 48, 9. A. om. the sooth cometh ... cause of. 53. C. Ed. that for that; A. for that that. 58. A. bitiden by necessite; C. has the gloss--s. by necessite. 60. A. om. certes. 60, 1. C. vp so down; glossed prepostere. 62. A. is the cause. 63. A. om. the. 64, 5. A. bitiden som-tyme. 71. C. at the laste; glossed i. postremo. 74. A. so that the. 75. A. om. biforn. 79. A. om. nat. // C. as it is; A. it is be. 82. A. om. be. 85. C. he; glossed s. deus. // C. they; glossed s. thynges. 86. C. vneschwably; glossed i. memorabiliter (!) 87. C. A. desseyued (twice). 92. A. don. 94. C. Iape worthi; glossed i. ridiculo. 100. A. om. ne. 102. C. he; glossed s. deus. // C. fermely; glossed i. firmiter. 106. A. om. this. 107. C. resseyuyd; A. receyued. 108. C. destruccyoun; glossed i. occasus. 110. C. Meedes to; A. medes of. 113. A. alther-worste. 114. A. alther-moste. 116. C. hir; A. the. // A. om. ne before sent. 120. C. dissertes; A. desertes. 121. For of the, read than; see note. 122. A. ne (for no). 128. A. om. us. 129. A. to han hopen. 135. A. preis. 136. C. desseruyn; A. deserue. 139. A. om. men. 142. Ed. impetren; C. impetrent (!); A. emprenten. // A. om. nat. // A. om. hope. 143. C. om. no. 144. C. I-resseyuyd (glossed i. graunted); A. y-resceiued. 147. C. thou; glossed s. philosophie. // C. her by-forn, libro 4^o metro sexto [line 35].
METRE III.
Quenam discors federa rerum.
What discordable cause hath to-rent and unioined the bindinge, or the alliaunce, of thinges, that is to seyn, the coniunccioun of god and man? Whiche god hath establisshed so greet bataile bitwixen thise two soothfast or verray thinges, that is to seyn, bitwixen the purviaunce of god and free wil, that they ben singuler 5 and devyded, ne that they ne wolen nat be medeled ne coupled to-gidere? But ther nis no discord to the verray thinges, but they clyven, certein, alwey to hem-self. But the thought of man, confounded and overthrowen by the dirke membres of the body, ne may nat, by fyr of his derked looking, that is to seyn, by the vigour 10 of his insighte, whyl the soule is in the body, knowe the thinne subtil knittinges of thinges. But wherfore enchaufeth it so, by so greet love, to finden thilke notes of sooth y-covered; that is to seyn, wherfore enchaufeth the thoght of man by so greet desyr to knowen thilke notificacions that ben y-hid under the covertoures of 15 sooth? Wot it aught thilke thing that it, anguissous, desireth to knowe? As who seith, nay; for no man travaileth for to witen thinges that he wot. And therfore the texte seith thus: but who travaileth to witen thinges y-knowe? And yif that he ne knoweth hem nat, what seketh thilke blinde thoght? What is he that 20 desireth any thing of which he wot right naught? As who seith, who so desireth any thing, nedes, somwhat he knoweth of it; or elles, he ne coude nat desire it. Or who may folwen thinges that ne ben nat y-wist? And thogh that he seke tho thinges, wher shal he finde hem? What wight, that is al unconninge and ignoraunt, 25 may knowen the forme that is y-founde? But whan the soule biholdeth and seeth the heye thoght, that is to seyn, god, than knoweth it to-gidere the somme and the singularitees, that is to seyn, the principles and everich by him-self.
But now, whyl the soule is hid in the cloude and in the derkenesse 30 of the membres of the body, it ne hath nat al for-yeten it-self, but it with-holdeth the somme of thinges, and leseth the singularitees. Thanne, who-so that seeketh soothnesse, he nis in neither nother habite; for he noot nat al, ne he ne hath nat al foryeten: but yit him remembreth the somme of thinges that he 35 with-holdeth, and axeth conseil, and retreteth deepliche thinges y-seyn biforn, that is to seyn, the grete somme in his minde: so that he mowe adden the parties that he hath for-yeten to thilke that he hath with-holden.'
ME. III. 1. C. vnioygnyd, glossed s. ne se compaciantur similiter. 2. C. coniuncciouns; A. coniunccioun. 3. C. man, quasi dicat, nullus. // C. which that god; A. Ed. whiche god (quis Deus). 6. C. deuydyd, quasi dicat, non est ita. 7. A. om. the. // C. thinges, s. prudencia et liberum arbitrium. 8. A. cleuen. 10. A. dirk. 12. C. it, s. anima. 13. A. note (Lat. notas). 16. C. it, s. anima. 18. After thus, A. adds--Si enim anima ignorat istas subtiles connexiones, responde, vnde est quod desiderat scire cum nil ignotum possit desiderare; but both C. and Ed. omit this. 21. wot] C. not. // C. nawht, quasi dicat, non. 24. A. om. that. 26. C. yfownde, quasi dicat, nullus. 29. A. Ed. principles; C. principulis. 34. A. nouthir habit. 36. C. retretith, i. retractat; A. tretith.
PROSE IV.
Tum illa: Vetus, inquit, hec est.
Thanne seide she: 'this is,' quod she, 'the olde question of the purviaunce of god; and Marcus Tullius, whan he devyded the divynaciouns, that is to seyn, in his book that he wroot of divynaciouns, he moevede gretly this questioun; and thou thy-self has y-sought it mochel, and outrely, and longe; but yit ne hath it nat ben 5 determined ne y-sped fermely and diligently of any of yow. And the cause of this derkenesse and of this difficultee is, for that the moevinge of the resoun of mankinde ne may nat moeven to (that is to seyn, applyen or ioinen to) the simplicitee of the devyne prescience; the whiche simplicitee of the devyne prescience, yif 10 that men mighten thinken it in any maner, that is to seyn, that yif men mighten thinken and comprehenden the thinges as god seeth hem, thanne ne sholde ther dwellen outrely no doute: the whiche resoun and cause of difficultee I shal assaye at the laste to shewe and to speden, whan I have first y-spended and answered to tho 15 resouns by which thou art y-moeved. For I axe why thou wenest that thilke resouns of hem that assoilen this questioun ne ben nat speedful y-nough ne sufficient: the whiche solucioun, or the whiche resoun, for that it demeth that the prescience nis nat cause of necessitee to thinges to comen, than ne weneth it nat that 20 freedom of wil be destorbed or y-let by prescience. For ne drawestow nat arguments from elles-where of the necessitee of thinges to-comen (as who seith, any other wey than thus) but that thilke thinges that the prescience wot biforn ne mowen nat unbityde? That is to seyn, that they moten bityde. But thanne, yif 25 that prescience ne putteth no necessitee to thinges to comen, as thou thy-self hast confessed it and biknowen a litel her-biforn, what cause or what is it (as who seith, ther may no cause be) by which that the endes voluntarie of thinges mighten be constreined to certein bitydinge? For by grace of positioun, so that thou mowe 30 the betere understonde this that folweth, I pose, per impossibile, that ther be no prescience. Thanne axe I,' quod she, 'in as mochel as apertieneth to that, sholden thanne thinges that comen of free wil ben constreined to bityden by necessitee?'
Boece. 'Nay,' quod I. 35
'Thanne ayeinward,' quod she, 'I suppose that ther be prescience, but that it ne putteth no necessitee to thinges; thanne trowe I, that thilke selve freedom of wil shal dwellen al hool and absolut and unbounden. But thou wolt seyn that, al-be-it so that prescience nis nat cause of the necessitee of bitydinge to thinges 40 to comen, algates yit it is a signe that the thinges ben to bityden by necessitee. By this manere thanne, al-thogh the prescience ne hadde never y-ben, yit algate or at the leeste weye it is certein thing, that the endes and bitydinges of thinges to comen sholden ben necessarie. For every signe sheweth and signifyeth only what 45 the thing is, but it ne maketh nat the thing that it signifyeth. For which it bihoveth first to shewen, that no-thing ne bitydeth that it ne bitydeth by necessitee, so that it may appere that the prescience is signe of this necessitee; or elles, yif ther nere no necessitee, certes, thilke prescience ne mighte nat be signe of thing that nis 50 nat. But certes, it is now certein that the proeve of this, y-sustened by stidefast resoun, ne shal nat ben lad ne proeved by signes ne by arguments y-taken fro with-oute, but by causes covenable and necessarie. But thou mayst seyn, how may it be that the thinges ne bityden nat that ben y-purveyed to comen? 55 But, certes, right as we trowen that tho thinges which that the purviance wot biforn to comen ne ben nat to bityden; but that ne sholden we nat demen; but rather, al-thogh that they shal bityden, yit ne have they no necessitee of hir kinde to bityden. And this maystow lightly aperceiven by this that I shal seyn. For 60 we seen many thinges whan they ben don biforn oure eyen, right as men seen the cartere worken in the torninge or atempringe or adressinge of hise cartes or charietes. And by this manere (as who seith, maystow understonde) of alle othere workmen. Is ther thanne any necessitee, as who seith, in oure lokinge, that constreineth 65 or compelleth any of thilke thinges to ben don so?'
Boece. 'Nay,' quod I; 'for in ydel and in veyn were al the effect of craft, yif that alle thinges weren moeved by constreininge;' that is to seyn, by constreininge of oure eyen or of oure sight.
Philosophie. 'The thinges thanne,' quod she, 'that, whan men 70 doon hem, ne han no necessitee that men doon hem, eek tho same thinges, first or they ben doon, they ben to comen with-oute necessitee. For-why ther ben somme thinges to bityden, of which the endes and the bitydinges of hem ben absolut and quit of alle necessitee. For certes, I ne trowe nat that any man wolde seyn 75 this: that tho thinges that men doon now, that they ne weren to bityden first or they weren y-doon; and thilke same thinges, al-thogh that men had y-wist hem biforn, yit they han free bitydinges. For right as science of thinges present ne bringeth in no necessitee to thinges that men doon, right so the prescience of 80 thinges to comen ne bringeth in no necessitee to thinges to bityden. But thou mayst seyn, that of thilke same it is y-douted, as whether that of thilke thinges that ne han non issues and bitydinges necessaries, yif ther-of may ben any prescience; for certes, they semen to discorden. For thou wenest that, yif that 85 thinges ben y-seyn biforn, that necessitee folweth hem; and yif necessitee faileth hem, they ne mighten nat ben wist biforn, and that no-thing ne may ben comprehended by science but certein; and yif tho thinges that ne han no certein bitydinges ben purveyed as certein, it sholde ben dirknesse of opinioun, nat soothfastnesse 90 of science. And thou wenest that it be diverse fro the hoolnesse of science that any man sholde deme a thing to ben other-weys thanne it is it-self. And the cause of this erroure is, that of alle the thinges that every wight hath y-knowe, they wenen that tho thinges been y-knowe al-oonly by the strengthe and by the nature 95 of the thinges that ben y-wist or y-knowe; and it is al the contrarie. For al that ever is y-knowe, it is rather comprehended and knowen, nat after his strengthe and his nature, but after the facultee, that is to seyn, the power and the nature, of hem that knowen. And, for that this thing shal mowen shewen by a short 100 ensaumple: the same roundnesse of a body, other-weys the sighte of the eye knoweth it, and other-weyes the touchinge.
The lokinge, by castinge of his bemes, waiteth and seeth from afer al the body to-gidere, with-oute moevinge of it-self; but the touchinge clyveth and conioineth to the rounde body, and moeveth aboute 105 the environinge, and comprehendeth by parties the roundnesse. And the man him-self, other-weys wit biholdeth him, and other-weys imaginacioun, and other-weys resoun, and other-weys intelligence. For the wit comprehendeth withoute-forth the figure of the body of the man that is establissed in the 110 matere subiect; but the imaginacioun comprehendeth only the figure withoute the matere. Resoun surmounteth imaginacioun, and comprehendeth by universal lokinge the comune spece that is in the singuler peces. But the eye of intelligence is heyere; for it surmounteth the environinge of the universitee, and looketh, 115 over that, by pure subtilitee of thoght, thilke same simple forme of man that is perdurably in the divyne thoght. In whiche this oughte greetly to ben considered, that the heyeste strengthe to comprehenden thinges enbraseth and contieneth the lowere strengthe; but the lowere strengthe ne aryseth nat in no manere 120 to heyere strengthe. For wit ne may no-thing comprehende out of matere, ne the imaginacioun ne loketh nat the universels speces, ne resoun taketh nat the simple forme so as intelligence taketh it; but intelligence, that looketh al aboven, whan it hath comprehended the forme, it knoweth and demeth alle the thinges 125 that ben under that forme. But she knoweth hem in thilke manere in the whiche it comprehendeth thilke same simple forme that ne may never ben knowen to none of that other; that is to seyn, to none of tho three forseide thinges of the sowle. For it knoweth the universitee of resoun, and the figure of the imaginacioun, 130 and the sensible material conceived by wit; ne it ne useth nat nor of resoun ne of imaginacioun ne of wit withoute-forth; but it biholdeth alle thinges, so as I shal seye, by a strok of thought formely, withoute discours or collacioun.
