[Sidenote: [The 10^the Met{ur}.]]
++O Comeþ alle to-gidre now ȝe þat ben ycauȝt {and} ybounde wiþ
wicked[e] cheines by þe deceiuable delit of erþely þinges inhabytynge in
ȝoure þouȝt. here shal ben þe reste of ȝoure laboures. here is þe hauene
stable in peisible quiete. þis al oone is þe open refut to wreches.
_Glosa._ þis is to seyn. þat ȝe þat ben combred {and} deceyued wiþ
worldly affecc{i}ou{n}s comeþ now to þis souereyne good þat is god. þat
is refut to hem þat wolen come to hym. _Textus._ ¶ Alle þe þinges þat þe
ryuere Tagus ȝiueþ ȝow wiþ his golden[e] grauels. or ellys alle þe
þynges þat þe ryuere herm{us}. ȝiueþ wiþ his rede brynke. or þat yndus
ȝiueþ þat is nexte þe hote p{ar}tie of þe worlde. þat medeleþ þe grene
stones (smaragd{e}) wiþ þe white (margarits). ne sholde nat cleren þe
lokynge of ȝoure þoȝt. but hiden raþer ȝoure blynde corages wiþ i{n}ne
hire dirkenesse ¶ Alle þat likeþ ȝow here {and} excitiþ {and} moeueþ
ȝoure þouȝtes. þe erþe haþ noryshed it in hys lowe caues. but þe shynyng
by þe whiche þe heuene is gouerned {and} whennes þat it haþ hys strengþe
þat chaseþ þe derke ouerþrowyng of þe soule. ¶ And who so euer may
knowen þilke lyȝt of blisfulnesse. he shal wel seine þat þe white bemes
of þe sonne ne ben nat cleer.
ASSENCIOR INQ{UA}M CUNCTA. Boice.
[Sidenote: [The 11 p{ro}se.]]
++I assent[e] me q{uo}d .I. For alle þise þinges ben strongly bounden
wiþ ryȝt ferme resou{n}s. how mychel wilt þou p{re}isen it q{uo}d she.
yif þat þou knowe what þilke goode is. I wol p{re}ise it q{uo}d I by
price wiþ outen ende. ¶ yif it shal bytyde me to knowe also to-gidre god
þat is good. ¶ certys q{uo}d she þ{a}t shal I do þe by verray resou{n}.
yif þat þo þinges þat I haue conclude[d] a litel her by forne dwellen
oonly in hir first[e] graunty{n}g. _Boice._ þei dwellen graunted to þe
q{uo}d .I. þis is to seyne as who seiþ .I. graunt þi forseide
conclusiou{n}s. ¶ Haue I nat shewed þe q{uo}d she þat þe þinges þat ben
requered of many folke. ne ben nat verray goodes ne p{er}fit. for þei
ben diu{er}se þat oon fro þat oþer. {and} so as eche of hem is lakkyng
to oþer. þei ne han no power to bryngen a good þ{a}t is ful {and}
absolute. ¶ But þan atte arst ben þei verray good whan þei ben gadred
to-gidre al in to a forme {and} in to oon wirchy{n}g. so þat þilke þing
þat is suffisaunce. þilk same be power {and} reuerence. {and} noblesse
{and} mirþe. ¶ And forsoþe but alle þise þi{n}ges ben alle o same þing
þei ne han nat wher by þat þei mowen ben put in þe nou{m}bre of þinges.
þat auȝten ben requered or desired. _b._ ¶ It is shewed q{uo}d .I. ne
her of may þer no man douten. _p._ þe þinges þan q{uo}d she þat ne ben
none goodes whan þei ben diu{er}se. {and} whan þei bygynnen to ben al o
þing. þan ben þei goodes. ne comiþ it hem nat þan by þe getynge of unite
þat þei ben maked goodes. _b._ so it semeþ q{uo}d .I. but alle þing þat
is good q{uo}d she grauntest þou þat it be good by p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}
of good or no. ¶ I graunt[e] it q{uo}d .I. ¶ þan mayst þou graunt[en] it
q{uo}d she by sembleable resou{n} þat oon {and} good ben o same þing.
¶ For of þinges [of] whiche þat þe effect nis nat naturely diuerse nedys
þe substaunce mot ben o same þinge. I ne may nat denye it q{uo}d I.
¶ Hast þou nat knowen wel q{uo}d she. þat al þing þat is haþ so longe
his dwellyng {and} his substaunce. as longe is it oone. ¶ but wha{n} it
forletiþ to ben oone it mot nedis dien {and} corrumpe togidre. ¶ In
whiche manere q{uo}d .I. ¶ Ryȝt as in beestes q{uod} she. whan þe soule
{and} þe body ben co{n}ioigned in oon {and} dwellen to-gidre it is
cleped a beest. {and} whan hire vnite is destroied by disseueraunce þat
oon fram þ{a}t oþir. þan sheweþ it wel þat it is a dede þi{n}g. {and}
þat it is no lenger no beste. {and} þe body of a wyȝt while it dwelleþ
in oon forme by coniuncc{i}ou{n} of membris it is wel seyn þat it is a
figure of mankynde. and yif þe partyes of þe body ben [so] diuide[d]
{and} disseuered þat oon fro þat oþir þat þei destroien vnite. þe body
forletiþ to ben þat it was byforne. ¶ And who so wolde renne in þe same
manere by alle þinges he sholde seen þat wiþ outen doute euery þinge is
in his substaunce as longe as it is oon. {and} whan it forletiþ to ben
oon it dieþ {and} p{er}issiþ. _boice._ whan I considre q{uo}d I many
þinges I see noon oþ{er}. ¶ Is þer any þing þanne q{uo}d she þat in as
moche as it lyueþ naturely. þat forletiþ þe appetit or talent of hys
beynge. {and} desireþ to come to deeþ {and} to corrupc{i}ou{n}. ¶ yif I
considere q{uod} I þe beestes þat han any manere nature of willy{n}ge or
of nillynge I ne fynde no þing. but yif it be constreyned fro wiþ out
forþe. þat forletiþ or dispiseþ to lyue {and} to dure{n} or þat wole his
þankes hasten hy{m} to dien. ¶ For euery beest trauayleþ hy{m} to
defende {and} kepe þe sauuac{i}ou{n} of lijf. {and} escheweþ deeþ {and}
destrucc{i}ou{n}. _b._ but certys I doute me of herbes {and} of trees.
þat is to seyn þat I am in a doute of swiche þinges as herbes or trees
þat ne han no fely{n}g soule. ne no naturel wirchynges seruy{n}g to
appetite as beestes han wheþer þei han appetite to dwelle{n} {and} to
duren. ¶ Certis q{uo}d she ne þer of þar þe nat doute. ¶ Now look vpon
þise herbes {and} þise trees. þei waxen firste in swiche place as be{n}
couenable to hem. in whiche place þei ne mowen nat sone dien ne dryen
as longe as hire nature may defenden he{m}. ¶ For some of hem waxen
in feldes {and} some in mou{n}taignes. {and} oþir waxen i{n} mareis.
[_A leaf lost here, and supplied from C._] [{and} oothre cleuyn on
Roches / {and} soume waxen plentyuos in sondes / {and} yif þ{a}t any
wyht enforce hym to beryn hem in to oother places / they wexen drye //
For natur{e} yeueth to eu{er}y thing þ{a}t / þ{a}t is co{n}uenient to
hym {and} trauaylith þ{a}t they ne dye nat as longe as they han power to
dwellyn {and} to lyuen // what woltow seyn of this / þ{a}t they drawen
alle hyr norysshynges by hyr rootes / ryht as they haddyn hyr Mowthes
I.-plounged w{i}t{h} in the erthes / {and} shedyn by hyr maryes (i.
medull{as}) hyr wode {and} hyr bark / {and} what woltow seyn of this
þ{a}t thilke thing / þ{a}t is ryht softe as the marye (i. sapp) is /
þ{a}t is alwey hidd in the feete al w{i}t{h} inne {and} þ{a}t it is
defendid fro w{i}t{h} owte by the stidefastnesse of wode // {and} þ{a}t
the vttereste bark is put ayenis the destemprau{n}ce of the heuene / as
a defendowr myhty to suffren harm / {and} thus certes maystow wel sen /
how gret is the diligence of natur{e} / For alle thinges renouelen {and}
pupllisen hem w{i}t{h} seed .I.-multiplyed / nether nis no man þ{a}t ne
wot wel þ{a}t they ne ben ryht as a foundement {and} edyfice for to
duren / nat only for a tyme / but ryht as forto duren p{er}durablely by
generacyou{n} // {and} the thinges ek þ{a}t men wenen ne hauen none
sowles / ne desir{e} they nat ech of hem by sem[b]lable resou{n} to
kepyn þ{a}t that is hirs / þ{a}t is to seyn þ{a}t is acordynge to hyr
natur{e} in conseruaciou{n} of hyr beynge {and} endurynge // For wher
for elles berith lythnesse the flaumbes vp / {and} the weyhte p{re}sseth
the erthe a-dou{n} // but For as moche as thilke places and thilke
moeuynges ben couenable to eu{er}ich of hem // {and} forsothe eu{er}y
thing kepith thilke þ{a}t is acordynge {and} propre to hym // ryht as
thinges þ{a}t ben contraryes {and} enemys corompen hem // {and} yit the
harde thinges as stoones clyuen {and} holden hyr partyes to gydere ryht
faste {and} harde / {and} deffenden hem in withstondenge þ{a}t they ne
departe nat lyhtly a twyne // {and} the thinges þ{a}t ben softe {and}
fletynge as is water {and} Eyr they departyn lyhtly // {and} yeuen place
to hem þ{a}t brekyn or deuyden hem // but natheles they retorne{n} sone
ayein in to the same thinges fro whennes they ben arraced // but fyr
[fleetħ] {and} refuseth alle deuysyou{n} / ne I. ne trete nat heer{e}
now of weleful moeuynges of the sowle þ{a}t is knowynge // but of the
naturel entenciou{n} of thinges // As thus ryht as we swolwe the mete
þ{a}t we resseyuen {and} ne thinke nat on it / {and} as we drawen owr{e}
breth in slepynge þ{a}t we wite it nat whil we slepyt // For certes in
the beestys the loue of hyr lyuynges ne of hyr beeinges ne comth nat of
the wilnynges of the sowle // but of the bygynnyngis of natur{e} // For
certes thorw constreynynge causes / wil desireth {and} embraceth ful
ofte tyme / the deth þ{a}t natur{e} dredith // that is to seyn as thus
that a man may ben constreynyd so by som cause that his wil desireth and
taketh the deth which þ{a}t natur{e} hateth {and} dredeth ful sore //
And som tyme we seeth the contrarye / as thus that the wil of a wight /
destorbeth {and} constreyneth þ{a}t þ{a}t natur{e} desireth / and
requereth al-wey // that is to sein the werk of gen{er}aciou{n} / by the
whiche gen{er}aciou{n} only / dwelleth {and} is sustenyd the longe
durablete of mortal thinges // And thus this charite and this Loue þ{a}t
eu{er}y thing hath to hym self ne comth nat of the moeuynge of the sowle
/ but of the entenciou{n} of natur{e} // For the puruyance of god hat
yeuen to thinges þ{a}t ben creat of hym / this þ{a}t is a ful gret cause
/ to lyuen {and} to duren / for which they desiren naturelly hyr lyf as
longe as eu{er} they mowen // For w[h]ych thou maist nat drede by no
manere / that alle the thinges / that ben anywher{e} / that they ne
requeren naturelly / the ferme stablenesse of p{er}durable dwellynge /
and ek the eschuynge of destruccyou{n} // B // now confesse I. wel
q{uod} I. that I. see wel now certeynly / w{i}t{h} owte dowtes / the
thinges that whylom semeden vncerteyn to me / P. // but q{uod} she
thilke thyng þ{a}t desiretħ to be {and} to dwellyn p{er}durablely / he
desireth to ben oon // For yif þ{a}t that oon weer{e} destroied //
certes beinge ne shulde ther non dwellyn to no wiht // that is sotħ
q{uod} I. // Thanne q{uod} she desirin alle thinges oon // .I. assente
q{uod} .I. // {and} I haue shewyd q{uod} she that thilke same oon is
thilke that is good // B // ye forsothe q{uod} I. // Alle thinges thanne
q{uod} she requyren good // And thilke good thanne [þow] maist descryuen
ryht thus // Good is thilke thing þ{a}t euery wyht desireth // Ther ne
may be thowht q{uod} .I. no moor{e} verray thing / for either alle
thinges ben referred {and} browht to nowht / {and} floteryn w{i}t{h}
owte gou{er}nour despoiled of oon / as of hir propre heued / or elles
yif ther be any thinge / to which þ{a}t alle thinges tenden {and} hyen /
that thing moste ben the souereyn good of alle goodes / P /. thanne
seyde she thus // O my norry q{uod} she I haue gret gladnesse of the //
For thow hast fichched in thin herte the myddel sothtfastnesse // that
is to seyn the prykke // but this thing hath ben descouered to the / in
that thow seydyst þ{a}t thow wystest nat a lytel her by-forn // what was
th{a}t q{uod} I. // That thow ne wystest nat q{uod} she whych was the
ende of thinges // and Certes that is the thing þ{a}t eu{er}y wiht
desireth // and for as mochel as we han gaderid / {and} co{m}p{re}hendyd
that good is thilke thing that is desired of alle / thanne moten we
nedes confessun / that good is the fyn of alle thinges.