[Sidenote: [The 4^the p{ro}se.]]
++Þanne seide she. þis is q{uo}d she þe olde questiou{n} of þe
p{ur}ueaunce of god. {and} marcus tulius whan he deuided[e] þe
deuinac{i}ou{n}s. þat is to sein in hys booke þat he wroot of
deuinac{i}ou{n}s. he moeued[e] gretly þis questiou{n}. {and} þou þi self
hast souȝt it mochel {and} outerly {and} lo{n}g[e]. but ȝit ne haþ it
nat ben determined ne yspedd fermely {and} diligently of any of yow.
¶ And þe cause of þis derkenesse {and} [of this] difficulte is for þat
þe moeuynge of þe resou{n} of mankynde ne may nat moeue{n} to. þat is to
sein applien or ioygnen to þe simplicite of þe deuyne p{re}science. ¶ þe
whiche symplicite of þe deuyne p{re}science ȝif þat men [myhten thinken
it in any maner{e} / þ{a}t is to seyn / þ{a}t yif men] myȝte þinken
{and} co{m}p{re}henden þe þinges as god seeþ hem. þan ne sholde þer
dwellen outerly no doute. þe whiche resou{n} {and} cause of difficulte I
shal assaie at þe laste to shewen {and} to speden. ¶ whan I haue firste
[yspendyd / {and}] ansewered to þo resou{n}s by whiche þ{o}u art
ymoeued. ¶ For I axe whi þ{o}u wenest þat þilk[e] resou{n}s of hem þat
assoilen þis questiou{n} ne ben nat spedeful ynouȝ ne sufficient þe
whiche soluc{i}ou{n} or þe whiche resou{n} for þat it demiþ þat þe
p{re}science nis nat cause of necessite to þinges to comen. þan ne weneþ
it nat þat fredom of wille be distourbed or ylett by p{re}science. for
ne drawest þou nat argumentes from ellys where of þe necessite of þinges
to comen. As who seiþ any oþer wey þan þus. but þat þilke þinge[s] þat
þe p{re}scie{n}ce woot byforn [ne] mowen nat vnbitide. þat is to seyn
þat þei moten bitide. ¶ But þan yif þat p{re}science ne putteþ no
necessite to þinges to comen. as þou þi self hast confessed it {and}
byknowen a litel herbyforn{e}. ¶ what cause [or what] is it. as who seiþ
þere may no cause be. by whiche þat þe endes (exitus) uoluntarie of
þinges myȝten be constreyned to certeyne bitydyng. ¶ For by grace of
possessiou{n}. so þat þou mowe þe better vndirstonde þis þat folweþ. ¶ I
pose (inpossibile) þat þer ne be no p{re}science. þan axe I q{uo}d she
in as moche as app{er}teniþ to þat. sholde þan þinges þat comen of
frewille ben constreined to bytiden by necessite. {Boici}us. nay q{uo}d
I. þan aȝeinward q{uo}d she. I suppose þat þere be p{re}science but þat
ne putteþ no necessite to þinges. þan trowe I þat þilk self fredom of
wille shal dwelle{n} al hool {and} absolut {and} vnbounden. but þou wolt
sein þat al be it so þat p{re}science nis nat cause of þe necessite of
bitidynge to þinges to comen. ¶ Algates ȝitte it is a signe þ{a}t þe
þinges ben to bytiden by necessite. by þis manere þan al þouȝ þe
p{re}science ne hadde neuer yben. ȝit algate or at þe lest[e] wey. it is
certeyne þing þat þe e{n}dys {and} þe bitydynges of þinges to come{n}
sholde ben necessarie. ¶ For euery sygne sheweþ {and} signifieþ oonly
what þe þing is ¶ but it ne makiþ nat þe þing þat it signifieþ. ¶ For
whiche it byhoueþ firste to shewen þat no þing ne bitidiþ [þ{a}t it ne
bytydith] by necessite. so þat it may apere þ{a}t þe p{re}scie{n}ce is
signe of þis necessite ¶ or ellys yif þere nere no necessite. certys
þilke p{re}science ne myȝt[e] nat ben signe of þinge þat nis nat. ¶ But
certys it is nowe certeyne þat þe preue of þis susteniþ by stedfast
resou{n} ne shal nat ben ladd ne p{ro}ued by signes ne by argumentys
ytaken fro wiþ oute. but by causes couenable {and} necessarie ¶ But þou
mayst sein how may it be þat þe þinges ne bitiden nat þat ben ypurueyed
to comen. but certys ryȝt as we trowen þat þo þinges whiche þat þe
p{ur}ueau{n}ce woot byforn to comen. ne ben nat to bitiden. but [þ{a}t]
ne sholde we nat demen. but raþer al þouȝ [þat] þei schal bitiden. ȝit
ne haue þei no necessite of hire kynde to bitiden. {and} þis maist þou
lyȝtly ap{er}ceyue{n} by þis þat I shal seyn. but we seen many þinges
whan þei ben don byforn oure eyen ryȝt as men seen þe karter worken in
þe to{ur}nynge {and} in attempryng or in adressy{n}g of hys kartes or
chariottes. ¶ and by þis manere as who seiþ mayst þou vnd{er}sto{n}de of
alle manere oþir werkeme{n}. ¶ Is þere þanne any necessite as who seiþ
in oure lokynge [þ{a}t] constreineþ or compelliþ any of þilke þinges to
ben don so. b. nay q{uo}d I ¶ For in ydel {and} in veyne were alle þe
effect of crafte yif þat alle þinges weren moeued by constreynynge. þat
is to seyn by constreynynge of oure eyen or of oure syȝt. _P._ þise
þi{n}g{us} þan q{uo}d she þat whan men don hem ne han non necessite þat
men don hem. eke þo same þinges first or þei be don. þei ben to comen
wiþ out necessite. for whi þer ben so{m}me þinges to bytide of whiche þe
endys {and} þe bitidynges of hem ben absolut {and} quit of alle
necessite. for certys I ne trowe nat þat any man wolde seyn þis. þat þo
þinges þat men don now þ{a}t þei ne weren to bitiden. first or þei were
ydon ¶ and þilk same þinges al þouȝ þ{a}t men hadde{n} ywyst hem
by-forn. ȝitte þei han fre bitidynges. for ryȝt as science of þinges
p{re}sent ne bryngeþ in no necessite to þinges [þ{a}t men doon // Ryht
so the p{re}science of thinges to comen ne bryngeth in no necessite to
thinges] to bytiden but þou mayst seyn þat of þilke same it is ydouted.
as wheþer þat of þilke þinges þat ne han non endes {and} bytidynges
necessaryes yif þer-of may ben any p{re}science ¶ For certys þei seme to
discorde. for þou wenest þat yif þat þinges ben yseyn byforn þat
necessite folweþ hem. and yif ({et} putas) necessite faileþ hem þei ne
myȝten nat ben wist byforn. {and} þat no þinge ne may ben comp{re}hendid
by science but certeyne. {and} yif þo þinges þat ne han no certeyne
bytidynges ben ypurueied as certeyn. it sholde ben dirkenesse of
oppiniou{n} nat soþefastnesse of science [{and} þ{o}u weenyst þ{a}t it
be diu{er}se fro the hoolnesse of science / þ{a}t any man sholde deme a
thing to ben oother weys thanne it is it self]. and þe cause of þis
errour is. þat of alle þe þinges þat euery wyȝt haþ yknowe. þei wenen
þat þo þinges ben y-knowe al oonly by þe strengþe {and} by þe nature of
þe þinges þat ben ywyst or yknowe. {and} it is al þe contrarie. for alle
þat eu{er}e is yknowe. it is raþer comp{re}hendid {and} yknowe{n} nat
after his strengeþ {and} hys nature. but after þe faculte þat is to seyn
þe power {and} [the] nature of hem þat knowen. {and} for þat þis shal
mowe shewen by a short ensample þe same roundenes of a body .O. oþer
weyes þe syȝt of þe eye knoweþ it. {and} oþer weyes þe touchi{n}g. þe
lokynge by castynge of his bemes waiteþ {and} seeþ fro afer alle þe body
to-gider wiþ oute mouynge of it self. but þe touchinge cliuiþ {and}
conioigneþ to þe rounde body (orbi) {and} moueþ abouten þe environynge.
{and} comp{re}hendiþ by p{ar}ties þe roundenesse. ¶ and þe man hym self
oþer weies wyt byholdiþ hym. {and} oþ{er}weyes ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and}
oþer weyes resou{n}. {and} oþer weyes intelligence. ¶ For þe wit
co{m}p{re}he{n}diþ fro wiþ outen furþe þe figure of þe body of þe man.
þat is establissed in þe matere subiect. But þe ymaginac{i}ou{n}
[comp{re}hendith only the figur{e} w{i}t{h} owte the mater{e} / Resou{n}
surmou{n}teth ymaginaciou{n}] {and} co{m}p{re}hendeþ by an vniuersel
lokynge þe co{mmun}e spece (sp{eci}em) þat is in þe singuler peces.
¶ But þe eye of intelligence is heyȝer for it so{ur}mou{n}teþ þe
envirounynge of þe vniu{er}site {and} lookeþ ouer þat by pure subtilite
of þouȝt. þilk same symple forme of man þat is p{er}durably in þe deuyne
þouȝt. in whiche þis auȝt[e] gretely to ben considered þat þe heyest
strengþe to co{m}prehenden þinges enbraceþ {and} conteyneþ þe lower[e]
strengþe [but the lower{e} strengthe ne arysith nat in no maner{e} to
heyer{e} strengthe]. for wit ne may no þinge co{m}p{re}hende oute of
matere. ne þe ymagynac{i}ou{n} ne lokeþ nat þe vniuerseles speces. ne
resou{n} ne takeþ nat þe symple forme. so as i{n}telligence takeþ it.
but þe intelligence þat lokeþ al abouen whan it haþ co{m}p{re}hendid þe
forme it knoweþ {and} demeþ alle þe þinges þat be{n} vndir þat forme.
but she knoweþ he{m} vndir þilke manere in þe whiche it comp{re}hendiþ
þilke same symple forme þat ne may neuer be knowen to non of þat oþer.
þat is to seyn to non of þo þre forseide strengþes of þe soule. for it
knoweþ þe vniuersite of resou{n} {and} þe figure of þe ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
{and} þe sensible mat{er}ial conseiued. {and} þou wenest þ{a}t it be
diuerse fro þe hoolnesse of science. þat any man sholde deme a þing to
ben oþ{er}weyes þan it is it self {and} þe cause of þis erro{ur} {et}c’.
{vt sup}ra. by wit. ne it ne vseþ nat nor of resou{n} ne of
ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne of wit wiþ oute forþe but it byholdeþ alle þinges so
as I shal seye. by a strok of þouȝt formely wiþ oute disco{ur}s or
collac{i}ou{n} ¶ Certys resou{n} whan it lokeþ any þing vniu{er}sel it
ne vseþ nat of ymaginac{i}ou{n} nor of wit {and} algates ȝit [it]
co{m}prendiþ þe þinges ymaginable {and} sensible. for resou{n} is she
þat diffinisseþ þe vniuersel of hir conseite ryȝt þus. ¶ Man is a
resonable t[w]o-footid beest. and how so þat þis knowynge [is]
vniuersel. ȝit nys þer no wyȝt þat ne woot wel. þat a ma{n} is [a thing]
ymaginable {and} sensible ¶ and þis same co{n}sidereþ wel resou{n}. but
þat nis nat by ymaginac{i}ou{n}. nor by witte. but it lokiþ it by [a]
resonable concepc{i}ou{n}. ¶ Also ymaginac{i}ou{n} al be it so. þat it
takeþ of wit þe bygyny{n}g{us} to seen {and} to formen þe figures.
algates al þouȝ þat wit ne ware not p{re}sent. ȝit it envirouniþ {and}
co{m}p{re}hendiþ alle þinges sensible. nat by resou{n} sensible of
demynge. but by resou{n} ymaginatif. ¶ sest þou nat þan þat alle þe
þinges in knowynge vsen more of hir faculte or of hir power. þan þei don
of [the] faculte or of power of þinges þat ben yknowen. ne þat nis no
wronge. for so as euery iugement is þe dede or þe doynge of hym þat
demeþ. It byhoueþ þat euery wyȝt p{er}forme þe werke {and} hys
entenc{i}ou{n} nat of forein power[;] but of hys propre power.