[Sidenote: [The .2^de. p{ro}se.]]
++Þis vndirstonde I wel q{uo}d I. {and} accorde wel þat it is ryȝt as
þou seist. but I axe yif þer be any liberte or fre wil in þis ordre of
causes þat cliue{n} þus to-gidre in hem self. ¶ or ellys I wolde witen
yif þat þe destinal cheine co{n}streiniþ þe moeueuynge of þe corages of
me{n}. yis q{uo}d she þer is liberte of fre wille. ne þer ne was neuer
no nature of resou{n} þat it ne hadde liberte of fre wille. ¶ For euery
þing þat may naturely vsen resou{n}. it haþ doom by whiche it discerniþ
{and} demiþ euery þing. ¶ þan knoweþ it by it self þinges þat be{n} to
fleen. {and} þinges þat ben to desiren. {and} þilk þing þat any wyȝt
demeþ to ben desired þ{a}t axeþ or desireþ he {and} fleeþ [thilke] þing
þat he troueþ ben to fleen. ¶ wher-fore in alle þinges þ{a}t resou{n}
is. i{n} hem also is libertee of willyng {and} of nillynge. ¶ But I ne
ordeyne nat. as who seiþ. I ne graunte nat þat þis lib{er}tee be euene
like in alle þinges. forwhi in þe souereyns deuynes substau{n}ces. þat
is to seyn in spiritȝ ¶ Iugement is more clere {and} wil nat be
corumped. {and} haþ myȝt redy to speden þinges þat ben desired. ¶ But þe
soules of men moten nedes ben more free whan þei loken hem in þe
speculac{i}ou{n} or lokynge of þe deuyne þouȝt. {and} lasse free whan
þei sliden in to þe bodies. {and} ȝit lasse free whan þei ben gadred
to-gidre {and} co{m}p{re}hendid in erþely membris. but þe last[e]
seruage is whan þat þei ben ȝeue{n} to vices. {and} han yfalle fro þe
possessiou{n} of hire p{ro}pre resou{n} ¶ For after þat þei han cast
aweye hir eyen fro þe lyȝt of þe souereyn soþefastnesse to lowe þinges
{and} dirke ¶ Anon þei dirken by þe cloude of ignoraunce {and} ben
troubled by felonous talentȝ. to þe whiche talentȝ whan þei app{ro}chen
{and} assenten. þei hepen {and} encresen þe seruage whiche þei han
ioigned to hem self. and in þis manere þei ben caitifs fro hire p{ro}pre
libertee. þe whiche þinges naþeles þe lokynge of þe deuyne purueaunce
seeþ þ{a}t alle þinges byholdeþ {and} seeþ fro et{er}ne. and ordeyneþ
hem eueryche i{n} her merites. as þei ben p{ro}destinat. {and} it is
seid in grek. þat alle þinges he seeþ {and} alle þinges he hereþ.