[Sidenote: [The .3^de. p{ro}se.]]
[Sidenote: _B._ I am distracted by a more difficult doubt than
ever.]
++ÞAn seide I now am I co{n}fou{n}ded by a more harde
doute þan I was. what doute is þat q{uo}d she.
¶ For certys I coniecte now by whiche þinges þou art
troubled.
[Sidenote: God’s foreknowledge seems to me inconsistent with man’s
free-will.]
It semeþ q{uo}d I to repugnen {and} to contrarien 4440
gretly þat god knoweþ byforn alle þinges. {and}
þat þer is any fredom of liberte.
[Sidenote: For if God foresees all things, and cannot be deceived,
then that which Providence hath foreseen must needs happen.]
for yif so be þat god
lokeþ alle þinges byforn. ne god ne may nat ben
desseiuid in no manere. þan mot it nedes ben þat alle 4444
þinges bytyden þe whiche þat þe purueaunce of god haþ
sein byforn to comen.
[Sidenote: If God from eternity doth foreknow not only the works,
but the designs and wills of men, there can be no liberty of
will--nor can there be any other action or will than that which a
Divine and infallible Providence hath foreseen.]
¶ For whiche yif þat god
knoweþ by-forn nat oonly þe werkes of men. but also
hir conseils {and} hir willes. þan ne shal þer be no 4448
liberte of arbitre. ne certys þer ne may ben noon oþer
dede ne no wille but þilke whiche þe deuyne purueaunce
þat ne may nat ben desseiued haþ feled byforn
[Sidenote: For if things fall out contrary to such foreseeing, and
are wrested another way, the prescience of God in regard to
futurity would not be sure and unerring--it would be nothing but
an uncertain opinion of them: but I take it to be impious and
unlawful to believe this of God.]
¶ For
yif þat þei myȝten wryþen awey in oþer manere þan þei 4452
ben purueyed. þan ne sholde þer ben no stedfast p{re}science
of þinge to comen but raþer an vncerteyn
oppiniou{n}. þe whiche þinge to trowen on god I deme it
felonie {and} vnleueful.
[Sidenote: Nor do I approve of the reasoning made use of by some.
For they say that a thing is not necessarily to happen because God
hath foreseen it, but rather because it is to happen it cannot be
hid from the divine Providence.]
¶ Ne I ne proeue nat þilk 4456
same resou{n}. as who seiþ I ne allowe nat. or I ne p{re}ise
nat þilke same resou{n} by whiche þat som men wenen
þat þei mowen assoilen {and} vnknytten þe knot of þis
questiou{n}. ¶ For certys þei seyn þ{a}t þing nis nat to 4460
come for þat þe purueaunce of god haþ seyn it byforn{e}.
þat is to comen but raþer þe cont{ra}rie. ¶ And þat
is þis þat for þat þe þing is to comen þat þerfore
ne may it nat ben hyd fro þe purueaunce of god. 4464
[Sidenote: [* fol. 35.]]
[Sidenote: Now by this reason necessity appears to change sides.
For it is not necessary that the things which are foreseen should
happen, but it is necessary that the things which are to befall
should be foreseen.]
*{and} in þis manere þis necessite slydiþ aȝein in to þe [[pg 155]]
contrarie p{ar}tie. ne it ne byhoueþ [nat] nedes þat þinges
bytiden þat ben ypurueid. [but it by-houeth nedes /
þ{a}t thinges þ{a}t ben to comyn ben yporueyid] but as it 4468
were yt{ra}uailed.
[Sidenote: As if the question was, which was the cause of the
other--_prescience_ the cause of the necessity of future events,
or the _necessity_ the cause of the prescience of future events?]
as who seiþ. þat þilke answere p{ro}cediþ
ryȝt as þouȝ men trauailden or weren bysy to
enqueren þe whiche þing is cause of whiche þinges. as
wheþer þe p{re}science is cause of þe necessite of þinges to 4472
comen. or ellys þat þe necessite of þi{n}ges to comen is
cause of þe purueau{n}ce.
[Sidenote: But I will prove that, however the order of causes may
stand, the event of things foreseen is necessary, although
prescience doth not seem to impose a necessity upon future things
to fall out.]
¶ But I ne enforce me nat now
to shewe{n} it þat þe bytidyng of þinges y-wist byforn is
necessarie. how so or in what manere þat þe ordre of 4476
causes haþ it self. al þouȝ þat it ne seme nat þat þe
p{re}science brynge in necessite of bytydynge of þinges
to comen.
[Sidenote: For if a man sit--the belief in the sitting is true;
and, on the other hand, if the opinion is true of his sitting, he
must needs sit.]
¶ For certys yif þat any wyȝt sitteþ it byhoueþ
by necessite þat þe oppiniou{n} be soþe of hym 4480
þ{a}t coniectiþ þat he sitteþ. and aȝeinward. al so is it of
þe contrarie. yif þe oppiniou{n} be soþe of any wyȝt for
þat he sitteþ it byhoueþ by necessite þat he sitte
[Sidenote: In both cases there is a necessity--in the latter that
the person sits--in the former, that the opinion concerning the
other is true.]
¶ þan
is here necessite in þat oon {and} in þ{a}t oþer. for in þat 4484
oon is necessite of sittynge.
[Sidenote: But the man does not sit because the opinion of his
sitting is true, but the opinion is true because the action of his
being seated was antecedent in time.]
{and} certys in þat oþer is
necessite of soþe but þerfore ne sitteþ nat a wyȝt for þat
þe oppiniou{n} of sittyng is soþe. but þe oppiniou{n} is
raþer soþe for þat a wyȝt sitteþ by-forn.
[Sidenote: So that although the cause of truth arises from the
sitting, there is a common necessity in both.]
and þus al 4488
þouȝ þ{a}t þe cause of soþe comeþ of [þe] syttyng. and
nat of þe trewe oppiniou{n}. Algates ȝitte is þer comune
necessite in þat oon {and} in þat oþer.
[Sidenote: Thus may we reason concerning Providence and future
events.]
¶ þus sheweþ it
þ{a}t I may make semblable skils of þe p{ur}ueau{n}ce of god 4492
{and} of þinges to come.
[Sidenote: For allowing things are foreseen because they are to
happen, and that they do not befall because they are foreseen, it
is necessary that future events should be foreseen of God, or if
foreseen that they should happen; and this alone is sufficient to
destroy all idea of _free-will_.]
¶ For al þouȝ for þat þat þinges
ben to comen. þer-fore ben þei p{ur}ueid. nat certys for
þei ben p{ur}ueid. þer-fore ne bytide þei nat. ȝit naþeles
byhoueþ it by necessite þat eiþer þe þinges to comen 4496
ben yp{ur}ueied of god. or ellys þat þe þinges þat ben
p{ur}ueied of god bitiden [.s.] by necessite. ¶ And þis [[pg 156]]
þing oonly suffiseþ I-nouȝ to distroien þe fredome of
oure arbitre. þat is to seyn of oure fre wille
[Sidenote: But it is preposterous to make the happening of
temporal things the cause of eternal prescience, which we do in
imagining that God foresees future events because they are to
happen.]
¶ But now 4500
[certes] sheweþ it wel how fer fro þe soþe {and} how vp
so dou{n} is þis þing þat we seyn þat þe bytidinge of
temp{or}el þinges is þe cause of þe eterne p{re}science.
¶ But forto wenen þat god p{ur}ueiþ [the] þinges to comen. 4504
for þei ben to comen. what oþer þing is it but forto
wene þat þilke þinges þat bitiden som tyme ben causes
of þilke souereyne p{ur}ueaunce þat is i{n} god.
[Sidenote: And, moreover, when I know that anything exists, it is
necessary for my belief that it should be.]
¶ And
her-to I adde ȝitte þis þing þat ryȝt as whan þat I woot 4508
þat o þing is it byhoueþ by necessite þat þilke self þing be.
[Sidenote: So also when I know that an event shall come to pass,
it must needs happen.]
{and} eke þat whan I haue knowe þat any þi{n}ge shal
bitiden so byhoueþ it by necessite þ{a}t þilk[e] same
þing bytide.
[Sidenote: The event, therefore, of a thing foreseen must befall.]
so folweþ it þan þat þe bytydynge of þe 4512
þinge Iwist by-forn ne may nat ben eschewed.
[Sidenote: Lastly, if a person judge a thing to be different to
what it is--this is not knowledge, but a false opinion of it, and
far from the true knowledge.]
¶ And
at þe last[e] yif þat any wyȝt wene a þing to ben oþer
weyes þan it is. it nys nat oonly vnscience. but it is deceiuable
oppiniou{n} ful diuerse {and} fer fro þe soþe of 4516
science.
[Linenotes:
4437 _harde_--hard
4445 _haþ_--MS. haþ{e}
4446 _whiche_--which
4450 _wille_--wil
_whiche_--which þ{a}t
4451 _haþ_--MS. haþe
4453 _stedfast_--stydefast
4454-55 _þinge_--thing
4455 _on_--of
4456 _þilk_--thilke
4458 _whiche_--which
4459 _knot_--knotte
4461 _come_--comyn
_haþ_--MS. haþe
4464 _hyd_--MS. hydde, C. hidde
4466 [_nat_]--from C.
4467-8 [_but----yporueyid_]--from C.
4471 _þinges_--thing
4477 _haþ_--MS. haþe
4480-82 _soþe_--soth
4486 _soþe_--sooth
4487 _soþe_--soth
4488 _soþe_--sooth
4489 _soþe comeþ_--sooth comth
[_þe_]--from C.
4490 _comune_--MS. comme, C. comune
4493 _come_--comyn
4494 _to_--omitted
4494-95 _purueid_--MS. p{ur}ueide, C. p{ur}ueyid
4498 [_.s._]--from C.
4499 _fredome_--freedom
4500 _wille_--wil
4501 [_certes_]--from C.
4504 _purueiþ_--MS. p{ur}ueiþe
[_the_]--from C.
4506 _bitiden_--bytydden
_som tyme_--whilom
4509 _o_--a
_self_--selue
4510 _þinge_--thing
4511 _þilk[e]_--thilke
4513 _þinge_--thing
4514 _last[e]_--laste
4515 _nys_--is]
[Headnote:
FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN WILL.]
[Sidenote: If, therefore, a thing be so to happen that the event
of it is neither necessary nor certain, how can any one foresee
what is to happen?]
¶ wher-fore yif any þing be so to comen so þat
þe bytydynge of it ne be nat certeyne ne necessarie.
¶ who may weten [byforn] þ{a}t þilke þing is to come.
[Sidenote: For as pure knowledge has no element in it of
falsehood, so what is comprehended by true knowledge cannot be
otherwise than as comprehended.]
¶ For ryȝt as science ne may nat be medelyd wiþ falsnesse. 4520
as who seiþ þat yif I woot a þing. it ne may nat
be fals þat I ne woot it. ¶ Ryȝt so þilk þing þat
is conceyued by science ne may [nat] ben noon
oþ{er} weyes þan [as] it is conceiued.
[Sidenote: Hence it is that true knowledge cannot err, because
everything must precisely be what true knowledge perceives it to
be.]
For þat is þe cause 4524
whi þat science wa{n}tiþ lesynge. as who seiþ. whi þat
witynge ne receyueþ nat lesynge of þat it woot. ¶ For
it byhoueþ by necessite þat euery þi{n}ge [be] ryȝt as science
co{m}p{re}hendiþ it to be.
[Sidenote: What follows, then? How does God foreknow these
uncertain contingencies?]
what shal I þan sein. ¶ In 4528
whiche man{er}e knoweþ god byforn þe þinges to comen.
¶ yif þei ne be nat certeyne. [[pg 157]]
[Sidenote: For if he thinks that a thing will inevitably happen,
which possibly may not, he is deceived--but this is sheer
blasphemy.]
¶ For yif þat he deme
þat þei ben to comen vneschewably.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 35 _b_.]]
{and} so may be þat
it is possible þat þei ne shulle{n} *nat comen. god is 4532
desseiued. but nat only to trowen þat god is desseiued.
but for to speke it wiþ mouþe it is a felonous sy{n}ne.
[Sidenote: But if God discerns that just as things are to come
they shall come; if he knows that they may or may not come, what
sort of prescience is this, which comprehends nothing certain,
nothing invariable?]
¶ But yif þat god woot þat ryȝt so as þinges ben to
comen. so shulle þei comen. so þat he wit[e] egaly. as 4536
who seiþ indifferently þat þinges mowen ben don or
ellys nat don. what is þilke p{re}science þat ne comp{re}hendiþ
no certeyne þinge ne stable.
[Sidenote: Or how does divine prescience differ from human
opinion, if He hath an uncertain judgment of things, whereof the
events are uncertain and unfixed?]
or ellys what difference
is þer bytwixe þe p{re}science. {and} þilke iape-worþi 4540
dyuynynge of Tiresie þe diuino{ur} þat seide. ¶ Al þat
I seie q{uo}d he eyþer it shal be. or ellys it ne shal nat
be. Or ellis how moche is worþe þe diuyne p{re}science
more þan þe oppiniou{n} of mankynde yif so be þat it 4544
demeþ þe þinges vncerteyne as me{n} don. of þe whiche
domes of men þe bytydynge nis nat certeyne.
[Sidenote: But if there can be no uncertainty in his knowledge,
who is the source of all certainty; the event of all things which
he foreknows must be fixed and inevitable.]
¶ But
yif so be þ{a}t noon vncerteyne þinge may ben in hym
þat is ryȝt certeyne welle of alle þinges. þa{n} is þe 4548
bytydynge certeyne of þilke þinges whiche he haþ wist
byforn fermely to come{n}.
[Sidenote: Whence it follows that men have no freedom in their
designs and actions; because the Divine Mind, endowed with an
infallible foresight, constrains and binds them to a certain
event.]
For whiche it folweþ þat þe
fredom of þe co{n}seils {and} of þe werkes of mankynde nis
non syn þat þe þouȝt of god seeþ alle þinges w{i}t{h} outen 4552
erro{ur} of falsnesse byndeþ {and} co{n}streiniþ hem to a
bitidynge by necessite. and yif [this] þi{n}g be on-is
grau{n}tid {and} receyued. þat is to seyn. þat þer nis no
fre wille. þan sheweþ it wel how gret distrucc{i}ou{n} {and} 4556
how grete damages þer folwen of þinges of mankynde.
[Linenotes:
4518 _it_--hit
4519 [_byforn_]--from C.
4522 _fals_--false
4523 [_nat_]--from C.
_ben_--MS. by, C. ben
4524 _þan [as] it is_--MS. þan it is be
4527 [_be_]--from C.
4529 _whiche_--which
4534 _mouþe_--Mowth
4536 _shulle_--shullyn
_wit[e]_--wite
4538 _don_--MS. done, C. y-doon
4543 _moche_--mochel
_worþe_--worth
4549 _haþ_--MS. haþe
4550 _whiche_--which
4551 _mankynde_--man-kynd
4554 [_this_]--from C.
4555 _grauntid_--ygraunted]
[Headnote:
FATE UNDER THE CONTROL OF PROVIDENCE.]
¶ For in ydel ben þer þan p{ur}posed and byhyȝt medes
of goode folk. {and} peynes to badde folk. syn þat no
moeuynge of free corage uoluntarie ne haþ nat deserued 4560
hem. þat is to seyn neiþer mede nor peyne.
[Sidenote: Rewards and punishments now deemed just and equitable,
will be considered most unjust, when, it is allowed, that mankind
are not prompted by any will of their own, to either virtue or
vice, but in all their actions are impelled by a fatal necessity.]
¶ And it
sholde seme þan þat þilke þinge is alþer worste whiche
þat is nowe demed. for alþ{er} moste iuste {and} moste [[pg 158]]
ryȝtful. þat is to seyn þat shrewes ben punyssed. or 4564
ellys þ{a}t good[e] folk ben ygerdoned. þe whiche folk
syn þat þe p{ro}pre wille [ne] sent hem nat to þ{a}t oon ne
to þat oþer. þat is to seyn. neþer to good[e] ne to
harme. but constreineþ hem certeyne necessite of þinges 4568
to comen.
[Sidenote: Nor would there be such things as virtue or vice, but
such a medley of the one and the other as would be productive of
the greatest confusion.]
¶ þanne ne sholle{n} þer neuer ben ne neuer
weren vice ne vertue. but it sholde raþer ben co{n}fusiou{n}
of alle desertes medlid wiþoute discresiou{n}. ¶ And
ȝitte þer folweþ an oþer i{n}co{n}uenient of þe whiche þer 4572
ne may ben þouȝt ne more felonous ne more wikke.
[Sidenote: And from this it will follow--that since all order
comes of Divine Providence, and that there is no freedom of the
human will, that also our vices must be referred to the author of
all good--which is a most impious opinion.]
{and} þat is þis þat so as þe ordre of þinges is yledd {and}
comeþ of þe purueaunce of god. ne þat no þing nis
leueful to þe conseils of mankynde. as who seiþ þat 4576
men han no power to done no þing. ne wilne no þing.
þan folweþ it þat oure vices ben refferred to þe mak[er]e
of alle good. as who seiþ þan folweþ it. þat god auȝt[e]
han þe blame of oure vices. syn he co{n}streiniþ by 4580
necessite to don vices.
[Sidenote: Then is it useless to hope for anything from God, or to
pray to him.]
þan nis þer no resou{n} to han
hopen in god. ne forto p{re}ien to god.
[Sidenote: For why should men do either, when all they can desire
is irreversibly predestined?]
¶ For what
sholde any wyȝt hopen to god. or whi sholde he p{re}ien
to god. syn þat þe ordenaunce of destine whiche þat ne 4584
may nat ben enclined. knytteþ {and} streiniþ alle þinges
þat men may desire{n}.
[Sidenote: Hope and prayer being thus ineffectual, all intercourse
is cut off between God and man.]
¶ þan sholde þere be don awey
þilke oonly alliaunce bytwixen god {and} men. þat is to
seien to hopen {and} to p{re}ien.
[Sidenote: By reverent and humble supplication we earn divine
grace, a most inestimable favour, and are able to associate with
the Deity, and to unite ourselves to the inaccessible light.]
but by þe p{re}is of ryȝtfulnesse 4588
{and} of veray mekenesse we deserue þe gerdou{n}
of þe deuyne grace whiche þat is inestimable. þat is to
sein þat it is so grete þat it ne may nat ben ful yp{re}ised.
{and} þis is oonly þe manere. þat is to seyen hope {and} 4592
prayeres. for whiche it semeþ þat [men] mowen speken
wiþ god. {and} by resou{n} of supplicac{i}ou{n}
ben conioigned [[pg 159]]
to þilk clernesse þat nis nat app{ro}ched no raþer or
þat men byseken it {and} emp{re}nten it.
[Sidenote: If men believe that hope and prayer have no power
because of the necessity of future events, by what other way can
we be united, and hold fast to the sovereign Lord of all things?]
And yif men 4596
ne wene [nat] þat [hope] ne p{re}iers ne han no strengþes.
by þe necessite of þinges to comen y-resceiued. what
þi{n}g is þer þan by whiche we mowen be co{n}ioygned
{and} clyuen to þilke souereyne p{r}ince of þinges.
[Sidenote: Wherefore mankind must be dissevered and disunited from
the source of its existence, and shrink from its beginning.]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 36.]]
¶ For 4600
whiche it byhoueþ by necessite þat þe lynage of mankynde
as *þou songe a litel here byforne ben dep{ar}ted
{and} vnioyned from hys welle {and} faylen of hys bygynnynge.
þat is to seien god. 4604
[Linenotes:
4558 _medes of_--Meedes to
4560 _haþ_--MS. haþe
4562 _alþer worste whiche_--alderworst which
4563 _nowe_--MS. newe, C. now
_alþer moste iuste_--alder moost Iust
_moste_--most
4565-67 _good[e]_--goode
4566 _wille_--wil
[_ne_]--from C.
4571 _wiþoute_--w{i}t{h}-owten
4573 _þouȝt_--thoght
4574 _yledd_--MS. yledde, C. yled
4575 _comeþ_--comth
4577 _done_--doon
4578 _mak[er]e_--maker{e}
4579 _auȝt[e]_--owhte
4584 _whiche_--which
4588 _preis_--prys
_ryȝtfulnesse_--Rihtwessenesse
4589 _deserue_--desseruyn
4590 _deuyne_--MS. deuynes, C. dyuyne
4590-93 _whiche_--which
4591 _grete_--gret
4593 [_men_]--from C.
_speken_--speke
4595 _þilk_--thilke
4596 _emprenten_--impetrent
4597 [_nat_]--from C.
[_hope_]--from C.
4601 _whiche_--which
4602 _byforne_--by-forn]
[Headnote:
THE UNKNOWN CANNOT BE DESIRED.]