[Sidenote: [The 10^the p{ro}se.]]
++FOr as moche þan as þou hast seyn. whiche is þe forme of goode þat nys
nat p{er}fit. {and} whiche is þe forme of goode þat is p{er}fit. now
trowe I þat it were goode to shewe in what þis p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} of
blisfulnesse is set. {and} in þis þing I trowe þat we sholden first
enquere forto witen yif þat any swiche manere goode as þilke goode þat
þou hast diffinissed a lytel her byforne. þat is to seine souereyne
goode may be founden in þe nature of þinges. For þat veyne
ymaginac{i}ou{n} of þouȝt ne desceiue vs nat. {and} putte vs oute of þe
soþefastnesse of þilke þinge þat is su{m}myttid to vs. þis is to seyne.
but it may nat ben denoyed þat þilke goode ne is. ¶ and þat it nis ryȝt
as a welle of alle goodes. ¶ For al þing þat is cleped i{n}p{er}fit. is
proued i{n}p{er}fit by þe amenusynge of p{er}fecc{i}ou{n}. or of þing
þat is p{er}fit. {and} her of comeþ it. þat in euery þing general. yif
þat. þat men seen any þing þat is i{n}p{er}fit certys in þilke general
þer mot ben so{m}me þing þat is p{er}fit. ¶ For yif so be þat
p{er}fecc{i}ou{n} is don awey. men may nat þinke nor seye fro whe{n}nes
þilke þing is þat is cleped inperfit. ¶ For þe nature of þinges ne token
nat her bygynnyng of þinges amenused {and} i{n}p{er}fit. but it
p{ro}cediþ of þi{n}g{us} þat ben al hool. {and} absolut. {and} descendeþ
so doune in to outerest þinges {and} in to þi{n}g{us} empty {and} wiþ
oute fruyt. but as I haue shewed a litel her byforne. þat yif þer be a
blisfulnesse þat be frele {and} vein {and} inp{er}fit. þer may no man
doute. þat þer nys som blisfulnesse þat is sad stedfast {and} p{er}fit.
b. þis is concludid q{uo}d I fermely {and} soþefastly. _P._ But
co{n}sidere also q{uo}d she in wham þis blisfulnesse enhabiteþ. þe
co{m}mune acordaunce {and} conceite of þe corages of men p{ro}ueþ {and}
graunteþ þat god p{r}ince of alle þi{n}g{us} is good. ¶ For so as no
þing ne may ben þouȝt bettre þan god. it may nat ben douted þan þat [he
þ{a}t] no þing is bettre. þat he nys good. ¶ Certys resou{n} sheweþ þat
god is so goode þat it p{ro}ueþ by verray force þat p{er}fit goode is in
hym. ¶ For yif god ne is swiche. he ne may nat ben p{r}ince of alle
þinges. for certis som þing possessyng in hy{m} self p{er}fit goode
sholde ben more þan god. {and} [it] sholde seme þat þilke þing were
first {and} elder þan god. ¶ For we han shewed ap{er}tly þat alle þinges
þat ben p{er}fit. ben first or þinges þat ben inperfit. ¶ And for þi for
as moche as [that] my resou{n} or my p{ro}ces ne go nat awey wiþoute an
ende. we ouȝt[e] to graunten þat þe souereyne god is ryȝt ful of
souereyne p{er}fit goode. and we han establissed þat þe souereyne goode
is verrey blisfulnesse. þan mot it nedes ben [þ{a}t verray blysfulnesse
is] yset i{n} souereyne god. _B._ þis take I wel q{uo}d .I. ne þis ne
may nat be wiþseid in no manere. ¶ But I p{re}ie þe q{uo}d she see now
how þou mayst preuen holily {and} wiþ-oute{n} corrupciou{n} þis þat I
haue seid. þat þe souereyne god is ryȝt ful of souereyne goode. [In
whych man{er}e q{uo}d I.] wenest þou ouȝt q{uo}d she þat þis p{r}ince of
alle þinges haue ytake þilke souereyne good any where þan of hym self.
¶ of whiche souereyne goode men p{ro}ueþ þat he is ful ryȝt as þou
myȝtest þinken. þat god þat haþ blisfulnesse in hym self. {and} þat ilke
blisfulnesse þat is in hym were diu{er}s in substaunce. ¶ For yif þou
wene þat god haue receyued þilke good oute of hy{m} self. þou mayst wene
þat he þat ȝaf þilke good to god. be more goode þan is god. ¶ But I am
byknowen {and} confesse {and} þat ryȝt dignely þat god is ryȝt worþi
abouen alle þinges. ¶ And yif so be þat þis good be in hym by nature.
but þat it is diu{er}s from [hym] by wenyng resou{n}. syn we speke of
god p{r}ince of alle þinges feyne who so feyne may. who was he þat
[hath] co{n}ioigned þise diu{er}s þinges to-gidre. {and} eke at þe
last[e] se wel þat o þing þat is diu{er}s from any þing. þat þilke þing
nis nat þat same þing. fro whiche it is vndirstonde{n} to ben diu{er}s.
þan folweþ it. þat þilke þi{n}g þat by hys nature is dyuers from
souereyne good. þat þat þing nys nat souereyne good. but certys þat were
a felonous corsednesse to þinken þat of hym. þat no þing nis more worþe.
For alwey of alle þinges. þe nat{ur}e of hem ne may nat ben better þan
his bygy{n}nyng. ¶ For whiche I may concluden by ryȝt uerray resou{n}.
þat þilke þat is bygynnyng of alle þinges. þilke same þing is good in
his substaunce. _B._ þou hast seid ryȝtfully q{uo}d .I. _P._ But we han
graunted q{uo}d she þat souereyne good is blysfulnes. þat is soþe q{uo}d
.I. þan q{uo}d she mote we nedes graunten {and} confessen þat þilke same
souereyne goode be god. ¶ Certys q{uo}d .I. I ne may nat denye ne
wiþstonde þe resou{n}s p{ur}posed. and I see wel þat it folweþ by
strengþe of þe p{re}misses. ¶ Loke nowe q{uo}d she yif þis be proued
[yit] more fermely þus. ¶ þat þer ne mowen nat ben two souereyne goodes
þat ben diuerse amo[n]ges hem self. þat on is nat þat þat oþer is. þan
[ne] mowen neiþer of hem ben p{er}fit. so as eyþer of hem lakkiþ to
oþir. but þat þat nis nat p{er}fit men may seen apertly þat it nis nat
souereyne. þe þinges þan þat ben souereynely goode ne mowen by no wey
ben diuerse. ¶ But I haue wel conclude þat blisfulnesse {and} god ben
[the] souereyne goode. For whiche it mot nedes be þat souereyne
blisfulnesse is souerey[ne] dyuynite. ¶ No þing q{uo}d I nis more
soþefast þan þis ne more ferme by resou{n}. ne a more worþi þing þan god
may nat ben concluded. _P._ vpon þise þinges þan q{uo}d she. ryȝt as
þise geometriens whan þei han shewed her p{ro}posiciou{n}s ben wont to
brynge{n} in þinges þat þei clepen porismes or declarac{i}ou{n}s of
forseide þinges. ryȝt so wil I ȝeue þe here as a corolarie or a mede of
coroune. For whi. for as moche as by þe getynge of blisfulnesse men ben
maked blysful. {and} blisfulnesse is diuinite. ¶ þan is it manifest
{and} open þat by þe gety{n}g of diuinite men ben makid blisful. ryȝt as
by þe getynge of iustice . . . {and} by þe getyng of sapience þei ben
maked wise. ¶ Ryȝt so nedes by þe semblable resou{n} wha{n} þei han
getyn diuinite þei ben maked goddys. þan is euery blisful man god. ¶ But
certis by nature. þer nys but oon god. but by þe p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}s
of diuinite þere ne letteþ ne disturbeþ no þing þat þer ne ben many
goddes. ¶ þis is q{uo}d .I. a faire þing {and} a p{re}cious. ¶ Clepe it
as þ{o}u wolt. be it corolarie or porisme or mede of coroune or
declarynges ¶ Certys q{uo}d she no þing nis fairer. þan is þe þing þat
by resou{n} sholde ben added to þise forseide þinges. what þing q{uo}d
.I. ¶ So q{uo}d she as it semeþ þat blisfulnesse conteniþ many þinges.
it were forto witen wheþir [þ{a}t] alle þise þinges maken or conioignen
as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite of parties or [of]
me{m}bris. Or ellys yif any of alle þilke þi{n}g{us} be swyche þat it
acomplise by hy{m} self þe substaunce of blisfulnesse. so þat alle þise
oþer þinges ben referred and brouȝt to blisfulnesse. þat is to seyne as
to þe chief of hem. ¶ I wolde q{uo}d I þat þou makedest me clerly to
vndirstonde what þou seist. {and} þat þou recordest me þe forseide
þinges. ¶ Haue I nat iuged q{uo}d she. þat blisfulnesse is goode. ȝis
forsoþe q{uo}d .I. {and} þat souereyne goode. ¶ Adde þan q{uo}d she
þilke goode þat is maked blisfulnes to alle þe forseide þinges. ¶ For
þilke same blisfulnesse þat is demed to ben souereyne suffisaunce. þilke
self is souereyne power. souereyne reuerence. sou{er}eyne clernesse or
noblesse {and} souereyne delit. what seist þou þan of alle þise þinges.
þat is to seyne. suffisance power {and} þise oþer þinges. ben þei þan as
membris of blisfulnesse. or ben þei referred {and} brouȝt to souereyne
good. ¶ Ryȝt as alle þinges þat ben brouȝt to þe chief of hem. b.
I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d .I. what þou p{ur}posest to seke. but I
desijr[e] to herkene þat þou shewe it me. _p._ Take now þus þe
discressiou{n} of þis questiou{n} q{uo}d she. yif al þise þinges q{uo}d
she weren membris to felicite. þan weren þei diu{er}se þat oon fro þat
oþer. ¶ And swiche is þe nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris. þat
dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body. ¶ Certis q{uo}d I it haþ wel ben
shewed her byforne. þat alle þise þinges ben alle on þing. þan ben þei
none membris q{uo}d she. for ellys it sholde seme þat blisfulnesse were
conioigned al of one membre alone. but þat is a þi{n}g þat may nat ben
doon. þis þing q{uo}d .I. nys nat doutous. but I abide to herkene þe
remenaunt of þe questiou{n}. þis is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. þat
alle oþer þinges ben referred {and} brouȝt to goode. ¶ For þerfore is
suffisaunce requered. For it is demed to ben good. {and} forþi is power
requered. for men trowen also þat it be goode. and þis same þing mowe we
þinken {and} coueiten of reuerence {and} of noblesse {and} of delit. þan
is souereyne good þe soume {and} þe cause of alle þat auȝt[e] be
desired. forwhi þilke þing þat wiþ-holdeþ no good in it self ne
semblaunce of goode it ne may nat wel in no manere be desired ne
requered. {and} þe contrarie. For þouȝ þat þinges by hir nature ne ben
nat goode algates yif men wene þat þei be{n} goode ȝit ben þei desired
as þouȝ [þ{a}t] þei were verrayly goode. {and} þerfore is it þat men
auȝte{n} to wene by ryȝt þat bounte be souereyne fyn {and} þe cause of
alle þinges þat ben to requeren. ¶ But certis þilke þ{a}t is cause for
whiche men requeren any þing. ¶ it semeþ þat þilke same þing be most
desired. as þus yif þat a wyȝt wolde ryde for cause of hele. he ne
desireþ nat so mychel þe moeuyng to ryden as þe effect of his heele. Now
þan syn þat alle þinges ben requered for þe grace of good. þei ne ben
[nat] desired of alle folk more þan þe same good ¶ But we han graunted
þat blysfulnesse is þat þing for whiche þat alle þise oþer þinges ben
desired. þan is it þus þat certis only blisfulnesse is requered {and}
desired ¶ By whiche þing it sheweþ clerely þat good {and} blisfulnesse
is al oone {and} þe same substaunce. ¶ I se nat q{uo}d I wher fore þat
men myȝt[en] discorden in þis. _p._ {and} we han shewed þat god {and}
verrey blysfulnesse is al oon þing ¶ þat is soþe q{uod} .I. þan mowe we
conclude sikerly þ{a}t þe substaunce of god is set in þilke same good
{and} in noon oþer place.