[Sidenote: [The .3^de. Met{ur}.]]
++What discordable cause haþ to-rent {and} vnioigned þe byndyng or þe
alliaunce of þinges. þat is to seyne þe coniuncc{i}ou{n} of god {and} of
man. ¶ whiche god haþ establissed so grete bataile bitwixe{n} þise two
soþefast or verray þinges. þat is to sein bytwixen þe p{ur}ueaunce of
god {and} fre wille. þat þei ben synguler {and} diuided. ne þat þei ne
wolen nat ben medeled ne coupled to-gidre. but þer nis no discorde to
[tho] verray þinges. but þei cleuen certeyne al wey to hem self. but þe
þouȝt of man co{n}founded {and} ouerþrowen by þe dirke membris of þe
body ne may nat by fir of his dirk[ed] lokynge. þat is to seyn by þe
vigo{ur} of hys insyȝt while þe soule is in þe body knowen þe þinne
subtil knyttynges of þinges. ¶ But wherfore eschaufiþ it so by so grete
loue to fynden þilke note[s] of soþe y-cou{er}ed. (_glosa_) þat is to
sein wherfore eschaufiþ þe þouȝt of man by so grete desir to knowen
þilke notificac{i}ou{n}s þat ben yhidd vndir þe couerto{ur}s of soþe.
woot it ouȝt þilke þinges þat it anguissous desireþ to knowe. as who
seiþ nay. ¶ For no man ne trauaileþ forto witen þinges þat he woot.
{and} þerfore þe texte seiþ þus. ¶ [_Glosa_] Si eni{m} a{n}i{m}a ignorat
istas subtiles co{n}nexiones. r{espo}nde. vn{de} est q{uo}d desiderat
scire cu{m} nil ignotu{m} possit desiderare. ¶ But who traua[i]leþ to
wyten þinges y-knowe. and yif þat he ne knoweþ hem nat. what sekiþ þilke
blynde þouȝt. what is he þat desireþ any þinge of whiche he woot ryȝt
nat. as who seiþ who so desiriþ any þing nedis som what he knoweþ of it.
or ellys he ne couþe nat desire it. or who may folwen þinges þat ne ben
nat ywist ¶ and þouȝ [þ{a}t] he seke þo þinges where shal he fynde{n}
hem. what wyȝt þat is al vnknowynge {and} ignoraunt may knowe þe forme
þat is yfounde. ¶ But whan þe soule byholdeþ {and} seeþ þe heye þouȝt.
þat is to seyn god. þan knoweþ it to-gidre þe so{m}me {and} þe
singularites. þat is to seyn þe p{r}inciples {and} eueryche by hym self.
¶ But now while þe soule is hidd in þe cloude {and} in þe derknesse of
þe membris of þe body. it ne haþ nat al forȝeten it selfe. but it
wiþholdeþ þe so{m}me of þinges {and} lesiþ þe singularites. þan who so
þat sekeþ soþenesse. he nis in neiþ{er} nouþir habit. for he not nat
alle ne he ne haþ nat alle for-ȝeten. ¶ But ȝitte hym remembriþ þe
so{m}me of þinges þat he wiþholdeþ {and} axeþ cou{n}seil {and} tretiþ
depelyche þi{n}ges ysein byforne. [_Glosa_] þat is to sein þe grete
so{m}me in hys mynde. [_textus_] so þat he mowe adden þe p{ar}ties þat
he haþ forȝeten. to þilke þat he haþ wiþholden.