[Sidenote: [The .12. p{ro}se.]]
[Sidenote: _B._ I am quite of Plato’s opinion, for you have now a
second time recalled these things to my remembrance which had been
forgotten, first by the contagious union of soul and body, and
afterwards by the pressure of my afflictions.]
++THanne seide I thus // I acorde me gretly to plato / for
thow remenbrist {and} recordist me thise thinges yit]
[Sidenote: [*_Addit. MS. 10,340, fol. 23._]]
*þe seconde tyme. þat is to seyn. first whan I lost[e] my
memorie by þe co{n}tagioũs coniuncc{i}ou{n} of þe body wiþ 2876
þe soule. {and} eftsones afterward whan I lost[e] it co{n}founded
by þe charge {and} by þe burden of my sorwe.
[Sidenote: _P._ If you will reflect upon the concessions you have
already made, you will soon call to mind that truth, of which you
lately confessed your ignorance.]
¶ And þan sayde she þus. ¶ If þou look[e] q{uo}d she
firste þe þinges þat þou hast graunted it ne shal nat 2880
ben ryȝt feer þat þou ne shalt remembren þilke þing þat [[pg 102]]
þou seidest þat þou nistest nat.
[Sidenote: _B._ What is that?]
what þing q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P._ It was, by what power the world is governed.]
¶ by whiche gouerme{n}t q{uo}d she þat þis worlde is
gouerned.
[Sidenote: _B._ With regard to that, I own I confessed my
ignorance, but though I now remotely see what you infer, yet I
wish for further explanation from you.]
Me remembriþ it wel q{uo}d I. {and} I confesse 2884
wel þat I ne wist[e] it nat ¶ But al be it so þat
I se now fro{m} afer what þou p{ur}posest ¶ Algates I
desire ȝit to herkene it of þe more pleynely.
[Sidenote: _P._ You acknowledged a little while ago that this
world was governed by God?]
¶ þou ne
wendest nat q{uo}d she a litel here byforne þat men 2888
sholden doute þat þis worlde is gouerned by god.
[Sidenote: _B._ I still cling to this opinion, and will give you
my reasons for this belief.]
¶ Certys q{uo}d I ne ȝitte doute I it nauȝt. ne I nil
neuer wene þat it were to doute. as who seiþ. but I
wot wel þat god gouerneþ þis worlde. ¶ And I shal 2892
shortly answere þe by what resou{n}s I am brouȝt to þis.
[Sidenote: The discordant elements of this world would never have
assumed their present form unless there had been a wise
Intelligence to unite them; and even after such a union, the
joining of such opposites would have disunited and ruined the
fabric made up of them, had not the same conjoining hand kept them
together.]
¶ þis worlde q{uod} I of so many dyuerse {and} co{n}trarious
p{ar}ties ne myȝten neuer han ben assembled in o forme.
but yif þere ne were oon þat conioigned so many[e 2896
diu{er}se] þinges. ¶ And þe same diuersite of hire
natures þat so discordeden þat oon fro þat oþer most[e]
dep{ar}ten {and} vnioigne{n} þe þi{n}ges þat ben co{n}ioigned.
yif þere ne were oon þat contened[e] þat he haþ co{n}ioigned 2900
{and} ybounde.
[Sidenote: The order that reigns throughout nature could not
proceed so regularly and uniformly if there were not a Being,
unchangeable and stedfast, to order and dispose so great a
diversity of changes.]
ne þe certein ordre of nature ne
sholde. nat brynge furþe so ordinee moeuynge. by
places. by tymes. by doynges. by spaces. by qualites.
yif þere ne were oon þat were ay stedfast dwellynge. 2904
þat ordeyned[e] {and} disposed[e] þise diuersites of
moeuynges.
[Sidenote: This Being, the creator and ruler of all things, I call
God.]
¶ and þilke þinge what so euer it be. by
whiche þat alle þinges ben maked {and} ylad. I clepe
hym god þat is a worde þat is vsed to alle folke. 2908
[Sidenote: _P._ As thy sentiments on these points are so just I
have but little more to do--for thou mayest be happy and secure,
and revisit thy own country.]
þan seide she. syn þou felest þus þise þinges q{uo}d she. I
trowe þat I haue lytel more to done. þat þou myȝty of
wilfulnesse hool {and} sounde ne se eftsones þi contre.
[Linenotes:
2875, 2877 _lost[e]_--loste
2878 _burden_--burdene
2879 _look[e]_--looke
2880 _firste_--fyrst
2883 _whiche_--which
_gouerment_--gou{er}nement
_worlde_--wordyl
2885 _wist[e]_--wiste
2887 _pleynely_--pleynly
2888 _here byforne_--her byforn
2889 _worlde is_--world nis
2890 _ȝitte doute_--yit ne dowte
_nil_--nel
2892 _wot_--MS. wote, C. wot
2892, 2894 _worlde_--world
2893 _answere_--answeren
2894 _many_--manye
2895 _myȝten_--myhte
2896 _þere_--ther
_many[e]_--manye
2897 [_diuerse_]--from C.
_hire_--hir
2898 _most[e]_--moste
2900 _þere_--ther
_contened[e]_--contenede
_haþ_--MS. haþe
2902 _furþe_--forth
_ordinee moeuynge_--ordene moeuynges
2904 _þere_--ther
_stedfast_--stidefast
2905 _ordeyned[e]_--ordeynede
_disposed[e]_--disponede
2907 _whiche_--which
_ben_--be
_ylad_--MS. yladde, C. I-ladd
2908 _worde_--word
_folke_--foolk
2911 _wilfulnesse_--welefulnesse]
[Headnote:
GOD IS ALL-SUFFICIENT.]
[Sidenote: But let us reflect a little more upon these matters.]
¶ But lat vs loken þe þinges þat we han
p{ur}posed her-byforn. [[pg 103]]
[Sidenote: Did we not agree that _Sufficiency_ is of the nature of
true happiness?]
¶ Haue I nat nou{m}bred {and} seid q{uod} she 2913
þat suffisaunce is in blisfulnesse.
[Sidenote: And have we not seen that God is that true felicity,
and that He needs no external aid nor instruments?]
{and} we han accorded
þat god is {and} þilke same blisfulnesse. ¶ yis forsoþe q{uo}d
I. {and} þat to gouerne þis worlde q{uod} she. ne shal he 2916
neuer han nede of none helpe fro wiþoute.
[Sidenote: For if he should, he would not be self-sufficient.]
for ellys yif
he had[de] nede of any helpe. he ne sholde not haue
[no] ful suffisau{n}ce. ȝis þus it mot nedes be q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: And he directs all things by himself alone?]
¶ þan ordeyneþ he by hym self al oon alle þinges q{uo}d 2920
she.
[Sidenote: _B._ It cannot be gainsaid.]
þat may nat ben denied q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P._ I have shown that God is the chief good; God must,
therefore, direct and order all things by _good_, since he governs
them by himself, whom we have proved to be the _supreme good_, and
he is that helm and rudder, by which this machine of the world is
steadily and securely conducted.]
¶ And I haue
shewed þat god is þe same good. ¶ It reme{m}breþ me
wel q{uo}d I. ¶ þan ordeineþ he alle þinges by þilke
goode q{uod} she. Syn he whiche we han accorded to 2924
ben good gouerneþ alle þi{n}g{us} by hym self. {and} he is a
keye {and} a stiere by whiche þat þe edifice of þis worlde
is ykept stable {and} wiþ oute corumpynge
[Sidenote: _B._ I entirely agree to this, and partly anticipated
your remarks.]
¶ I accorde
me gretly q{uod} I. {and} I ap{er}ceiuede a litel here byforn 2928
þat þou woldest seyne þus. Al be it so þat it were by
a þinne suspeciou{n}.
[Sidenote: _P._ I believe it; for your eyes are now more intent
upon these great truths relating to true felicity; but what I am
going to say is not less open to your view.]
I trowe it wel q{uo}d she. ¶ For as
I trowe þou leedest nowe more ententifly þine eyen to
loken þe verray goodes ¶ but naþeles þe þinges þat I 2932
shal telle þe ȝit ne sheweþ nat lasse to loken.
[Sidenote: _B._ What is that?]
what is
þat q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P._ As we believe that God governs all things by his
goodness, and that all things have a natural tendency towards the
_good_, can it be doubted but that they all voluntarily submit to
the will and control of their ruler?]
¶ So as men trowen q{uo}d she {and} þat
ryȝtfully þat god gouerneþ alle þinges by þe keye of his
goodnesse. ¶ And alle þise same þinges as I [haue] 2936
tauȝt þe. hasten hem by naturel ente{n}c{i}ou{n} to comen
to goode þer may no man doute{n}. þat þei ne ben
gouerned uoluntariely. {and} þat þei ne conuerten [hem]
nat of her owe{n} wille to þe wille of hire ordeno{ur}. 2940
[Linenotes:
2912 _han_--ha
2913 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
2916 _worlde_--world
2917 _none helpe_--non help
2918 _had[de]_--hadde
_helpe_--help
2919 [_no_]--from C.
2920 _al oon_--allone
2921 _ben denied_--be denoyed
2924, 2926 _whiche_--which
2925 _ben_--be
2926 _worlde_--world
2928 _gretly_--gretely
_here_--her
2929 _seyne_--seye
2931 _nowe_--now
2932 _naþeles_--nat[h]les
2935 _ryȝtfully_--MS. on ryȝtfully
2936 [_haue_]--from C.
2938 _goode_--good
2939 [_hem_]--from C.
2940 _nat_--omitted
_her_--hir
_owen_--owne
_wille_ (_both_)--wil
_hire_--hyr]
[Headnote:
ALL THINGS SUBMIT TO GOD.]
as þei þat ben accordyng {and} enclinynge to her gouerno{ur}
{and} her kyng. [[pg 104]]
[Sidenote: _B._ It cannot be otherwise. There would be no safety
for those who obey, if the discord of a portion were allowed.]
¶ It mot nedys be so q{uo}d. I.
[Sidenote: [* Fol. 23 _b_.]]
*¶ For þe realme ne sholde not seme blisful ȝif þere were a ȝok
of mysdrawynges in diu{er}se p{ar}ties ne þe sauynge of 2944
obedient þinges ne sholde nat be.
[Sidenote: _P._ Is there anything that follows the dictates of
nature that seeks to counteract the will of God?]
þan is þere no þing
q{uo}d she þ{a}t kepiþ hys nature[;] þat enforceþ hym to
gone aȝeyne god.
[Sidenote: _B._ No.]
¶ No q{uo}d. I.
[Sidenote: _P._ If there should be any such, it could not prevail
against him, who is supremely happy and consequently omnipotent.]
¶ And if þat any þi{n}g
enforced[e] hym to wiþstonde god. myȝt[e] it auayle at 2948
þe laste aȝeyns hym þat we han g{ra}unted to ben al
myȝty by þe ryȝt of blisfulnesse. ¶ Certis q{uo}d I al
outerly it ne myȝt[e] nat auaylen hym.
[Sidenote: Then there is nothing that either will or can withstand
this supreme good?]
þan is þere no
þing q{uo}d she þat eyþer wol or may wiþstonde to þis 2952
souereyne good.
[Sidenote: _B._ Nothing, certainly.]
¶ I trowe nat q{uo}d. I
[Sidenote: _P._ It is then the supreme good that governs and
orders all things powerfully and benignly.]
¶ þan is
þilke þe souereyne good q{uo}d she þat alle þi{n}g{us}
gouerneþ strongly {and} ordeyneþ hem softly.
[Sidenote: _B._ I am delighted with your _conclusions_, but much
more with your _language_; so that fools may be ashamed of their
objections to the divine government.]
þa{n} seide I
þus. I delite me q{uo}d I nat oonly in þe endes or in þe 2956
so{m}mes of [the] resou{n}s þat þou hast concludid {and}
p{ro}ued. ¶ But þilke wordes þat þ{o}u vsest deliten me
moche more. ¶ So at þe last[e] fooles þat so{m}tyme
renden greet[e] þinges auȝte{n} ben asshamed of hem 2960
self.
[Sidenote: [Chaucer’s gloss.]]
¶ þat is to seyne þ{a}t we fooles þat rep{re}henden
wickedly þe þi{n}g{us} þat touchen goddes gouernaunce we
auȝte{n} ben asshamed of oure self. As I þat seide god
refuseþ oonly þe werkes of men. {and} ne entremetiþ nat 2964
of he{m}.
[Sidenote: _P._ You have read the Poets’ fables, how the Giants
stormed heaven--how they were repulsed and punished according to
their deserts; but may we not compare our reasons together, for by
so doing some clear spark of truth may shine forth?]
_p._ þou hast wel herd q{uo}d she þe fables of þe
poetes. how þe geauntes assailden þe heuene wiþ þe
goddes. but for soþe þe debonaire force of god disposed[e]
hem so as it was worþi. þat is to seyne distroied[e] þe 2968
geauntes. as it was worþi. ¶ But wilt þou þat we
ioygnen togedre þilke same resou{n}s. for p{er}auenture of
swiche coniuncc{i}ou{n} may sterten vp some faire sp{er}kele
of soþe
[Sidenote: _B._ As you please.]
¶ Do q{uo}d I as þe list.
[Sidenote: _P._ Is God omnipotent?]
wenest þou q{uo}d she 2972
þat god ne is almyȝty. no man is in doute of it. [[pg 105]]
[Sidenote: _B._ No one doubts it.]
Certys
q{uo}d I no wyȝt ne defendiþ it if he be in hys mynde.
[Linenotes:
2941 _her_--hyr
2943 _realme_--Reaume
_seme_--semen
2945 _þere_--ther
2947 _gone aȝeyne_--goon ayein
2948 _enforced[e]_--enforcede
_myȝt[e]_--myhte
_auayle_--auaylen
2949 _aȝeyns_--a-yenis
2951 _outerly_--owtrely
_myȝt[e]_--myhte
_auaylen_--MS. aualeyne, C. auaylen
_hym_--hem
_þere_--ther
2952 _wol_--wole
_wiþstonde_--w{i}t{h}-stondyn
_þis souereyne_--his sou{er}eyn
2955 _softly_--softtely
2957 _sommes_--somme
[_the_]--from C.
2959 _last[e]_--laste
2960 _greet[e]_--grete
2960, 2963 _auȝten_--owhten
2961 _seyne_--seyn
2965 _of hem_--of it
_herd_--MS. herde, C. herd
2967 _disposed[e]_--desposede
2968 _seyne distroied[e]_--seyn destroyede
2971 _swiche_--swych
_some_--som
2972 _soþe_--soth
_list_--liste
2973 _is_ (1)--be
_man_--omitted
_is_ (2)--nis
2974 _defendiþ_--dowteth]
[Headnote:
EVIL HAS NO EXISTENCE.]
[Sidenote: _P._ If he is almighty, there are, then, no limits to
his power?]
but he q{uo}d she þat is al myȝty þere nis no þing þat he
ne may do.
[Sidenote: _B._ He can doubtless do all things.]
þat is soþe q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P._ May God do evil?]
May god done yuel 2976
q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: _B._ No.]
nay for soþe q{uo}d. I.
[Sidenote: _P._ Is evil nothing, since God, who is almighty,
cannot do it?]
¶ þan is yuel no þing
q{uo}d she. ¶ Syn þat he ne may not done yuel þat
may done alle þinges.
[Sidenote: _B._ Dost thou mock me or play with me, leading me with
thy arguments into an inextricable labyrinth, and enclosing me in
a wonderful circle of Divine Simplicity?]
scornest þou me q{uo}d. I. or ellys
pleyest þou or deceiuest þou me. þat hast so wouen me 2980
wiþ þi resou{n}s. þe house of didalus so entrelaced. þat it
is vnable to ben vnlaced. þou þat oþer while entrest
þere þou issest {and} oþer while issest þere þou entrest.
ne fooldest þou nat to gidre by replicac{i}ou{n} of wordes a 2984
maner wondirful cercle or envirounynge of symplicite
deuyne.
[Sidenote: For thou didst first begin with happiness, and didst
say that it was the sovereign good, and that it resided in God;
then, that God was that _Good_ and the perfection of happiness;
and, hence, thou didst infer that nobody could be happy unless he
became likewise a God.]
¶ For certys a litel her byforn{e} whan þou bygu{n}ne
atte blisfulnesse þ{o}u seidest þat it is souereyne
good. {and} seidest þat it is set in souereyne god. {and} þat 2988
god is þe ful[le] blisfulnesse. for whiche þou ȝaf[e] me
as a couenable ȝifte. þat is to seyne þ{a}t no wyȝt nis
blisful. but yif he be good al so þer wiþ
[Sidenote: Again, thou saidst that the very form of good was the
substance whereof God and happiness were composed, and that it was
the object and desire of all things in nature.]
{and} seidest
eke þat þe forme of goode is þe substaunce of god. {and} 2992
of blisfulnesse. {and} seidest þ{a}t þilke same oone is þilke
same goode þat is requered {and} desired of al þe kynde
of þinges.
[Sidenote: Thou didst prove that God rules the world by his
goodness, and that all things willingly obeyed him; and that evil
has no existence.]
{and} þou p{ro}euedest in disputynge þat god
gouerneþ alle [the] þinges of þe worlde by þe gouernementys 2996
of bountee. {and} seydest þat alle þinges wolen
ybeyen to hym. and seidest þat þe nature of yuel nis
no þing.
[Sidenote: These truths you established by forcible and natural
arguments, and by no strained and far-fetched reasons.]
{and} þise þinges ne shewedest þou nat wiþ no
resou{n}s ytake fro wiþoute but by proues in cercles {and} 3000
homelyche knowen. ¶ þe whiche p{ro}eues drawen to hem
self hir feiþ {and} hir accorde eu{er}iche [of] hem of oþer. þan
seide she þus.
[Sidenote: _P._ I have not deluded you, for by the Divine aid we
have accomplished our chief task.]
I ne scorne þe nat ne pleye ne desseyue
þe. but I haue shewed to þe þinge þat is grettest ouer [[pg 106]]
alle þinges by þe ȝifte of god þat we some tyme prayden 3005
[Linenotes:
2975 _þere_--ther
2976 _do_--C. omits
_soþe_--soth
_done_--don
2978, 2979 _done_--don
2980 _wouen_--MS. wonnen, C. wouen
2981 _house_--hows
2983 _þere_ (_both_)--ther
2987 _atte_--at
2988 _set_--MS. sette, C. set
2989 _ful[le]_--fulle
_whiche_--which
_ȝaf[e]_--yaue
2990 _ȝifte_--yift
_seyne_--seyn
2992, 2994 _goode_--good
2993 _oone_--oon
2994 _al_--alle
2996 [_the_]--from C.
2998 _ybeyen_--obeyen
2999 _no_ (2)--none
3000 _ytake_--I-taken
3001 _homelyche_--hoomlich
3002 _eueriche_--eu{er}ich
[_of_]--from C.
3004 _þe þinge_--the the thing
3005 _ȝifte_--yift
_some tyme prayden_--whilom preyeden]
[Headnote:
GOD IS LIKE A SPHERE.]
[Sidenote: I have proved to you that it is an essential property
of the Divine nature not to go out of itself, nor to receive into
itself anything extraneous.]
¶ For þis is þe forme of [the] deuyne substaunce. þat
is swiche þat it ne slydeþ nat in to outerest foreine
þinges. ne ne rec[e]yueþ no st{ra}nge þinges in hym. 3008
[Sidenote: Parmenides says of the Deity that _God is like a
well-rounded sphere_.]
but ryȝt as p{ar}maynws seide in grek of þilke deuyne substaunce.
he seide þus þat þilke deuyne substaunce
torneþ þe worlde {and} þilke cercle moeueable of þinges
while þilke dyuyne substau{n}ce kepiþ it self wiþ outen 3012
moeuynge.
[Sidenote: He causes the moving globe to revolve, but is himself
immovable.]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 24.]]
þat *is to seyne þat it ne moeuiþ neuere mo.
{and} ȝitte it moeueþ alle oþer þinges.
[Sidenote: If I have chosen my arguments from the subjects within
range of our discussion, do not let that surprise you, for, as
Plato has taught us, there ought to be an alliance between the
words and the subject of discourse.]
but na-þeles yif I
[haue] stered resou{n}s þat ne ben nat taken fro wiþ oute
þe compas of þe þinge of whiche we treten. but resou{n}s 3016
þat ben bystowed wiþ i{n}ne þat compas þere nis nat whi
þat þou sholde[st] merueylen. sen þou hast lerned by
þe sentence of plato þat nedes þe wordes moten ben
cosynes to þo þinges of whiche þei speken. 3020
[Linenotes:
3006 [_the_]--from C.
3007 _swiche_--swich
3009 _parmaynws_--a p{ar}manides
3011 _worlde_--world
3012 _while_--whil
_wiþ outen_--w{i}t{h} owte
3013 _seyne_--seyn
3014 _ȝitte_--yit
_oþer_--oothre
3015 [_haue_]--from C.
3016 _whiche_--which
3017 _wiþ inne_--w{i}t{h} in
3020 _cosynes_--MS. conceyued, C. cosynes
_þo_--þe
_whiche_--which]
[Headnote:
THE POWER OF MUSIC.]