BOOK V

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PROSE I.

_Dixerat, orationisque cursum._

She hadde seyd, and torned the cours of hir resoun to some othre thinges to ben treted and to ben y-sped. Thanne seyde I, 'Certes, rightful is thyn amonestinge and ful digne by auctoritee. But that thou seidest whylom, that the questioun of the divyne purviaunce is enlaced with many other questiouns, I understonde 5 wel and proeve it by the same thing. But I axe yif that thou wenest that hap be any thing in any weys; and, yif thou wenest that hap be anything, what is it?'

Thanne quod she, 'I haste me to yilden and assoilen to thee the dette of my bihest, and to shewen and opnen the wey, by 10 which wey thou mayst come ayein to thy contree. But al-be-it so that the thinges which that thou axest ben right profitable to knowe, yit ben they diverse somwhat fro the path of my purpos; and it is to douten that thou ne be maked wery by mis-weyes, so that thou ne mayst nat suffyce to mesuren the right wey.' 15

'Ne doute thee ther-of nothing,' quod I. 'For, for to knowen thilke thinges to-gedere, in the whiche thinges I delyte me greetly, that shal ben to me in stede of reste; sin it is nat to douten of the thinges folwinge, whan every syde of thy disputacioun shal han be stedefast to me by undoutous feith.' 20

Thanne seyde she, 'That manere wol I don thee'; and bigan to speken right thus. 'Certes,' quod she, 'yif any wight diffinisshe hap in this manere, that is to seyn, that "hap is bitydinge y-brought forth by foolish moevinge and by no knettinge of causes," I conferme that hap nis right naught in no wyse; and I 25 deme al-outrely that hap nis, ne dwelleth but a voice, _as who seith, but an ydel word_, with-outen any significacioun of thing submitted to that vois. For what place mighte ben left, or dwellinge, to folye and to disordenaunce, sin that god ledeth and constreineth alle thinges by ordre? For this sentence is verray and 30 sooth, that "nothing ne hath his beinge of naught"; to the whiche sentence none of thise olde folk ne withseyde never; al-be-it so that they ne understoden ne meneden it naught by god, prince and beginnere of werkinge, but they casten [it] as a manere foundement of subiect material, that is to seyn, of the nature of 35 alle resoun. And yif that any thing is woxen or comen of no causes, than shal it seme that thilke thing is comen or woxen of naught; but yif this ne may nat ben don, thanne is it nat possible, that hap be any swich thing as I have diffinisshed a litel heer-biforn.'

'How shal it thanne be?' quod I. 'Nis ther thanne no-thing 40 that by right may be cleped either "hap" or elles "aventure of fortune"; or is ther aught, al-be-it so that it is hid fro the peple, to which these wordes ben covenable?'

'Myn Aristotulis,' quod she, 'in the book of his Phisik, diffinissheth this thing by short resoun, and neigh to the sothe.' 45

'In which manere?' quod I.

'As ofte,' quod she, 'as men doon any thing for grace of any other thing, and an-other thing than thilke thing that men entenden to don bitydeth by some causes, it is cleped "hap." Right as a man dalf the erthe by cause of tilyinge of the feeld, 50 and founde ther a gobet of gold bidolven, thanne wenen folk that it is bifalle by fortunous bitydinge. But, for sothe, it nis nat of naught, for it hath his propre causes; of whiche causes the cours unforeseyn and unwar semeth to han maked hap. For yif the tilyere of the feld ne dolve nat in the erthe, and yif the hyder of 55 the gold ne hadde hid the gold in thilke place, the gold ne hadde nat been founde. Thise ben thanne the causes of the abregginge of fortuit hap, the which abregginge of fortuit hap comth of causes encountringe and flowinge to-gidere to hem-self, and nat by the entencioun of the doer. For neither the hyder of the gold ne the 60 delver of the feeld ne understoden nat that the gold sholde han ben founde; but, as I sayde, it bitidde and ran to-gidere that he dalf ther-as that other hadde hid the gold. Now may I thus diffinisshe "hap." Hap is an unwar bitydinge of causes assembled in thinges that ben don for som other thing. But thilke ordre, 65 procedinge by an uneschuable bindinge to-gidere, which that descendeth fro the welle of purviaunce that ordeineth alle thinges in hir places and in hir tymes, maketh that the causes rennen and assemblen to-gidere.

PR. I. 1. C. by cours (_wrongly_); A. Ed. the cours. 4. C. whilom; A. som tyme. // the (2)] C. thy. 8. A. any (_for_ any thing). // C. it is; A. Ed. is it. 9. C. Ed. to the; A. the to the; Cax. to the the (= to thee the). 13. C. and yit; A. Ed. _om_. and. 19. A. disputisou_n_. 19, 20. C. han be; Ed. haue ben; A. be. 22, 23. C. deffenysshe; _but_ diffinysshed _in_ 39. // C. _glosses_ bitydinge _by_ i. euentu_m_. 24. A. knyttyng. 31. A. _om._ the. 33. C. -stondyn; A. -stoden. // C. meneden _or_ meueden; A. moeueden (_not in the_ Latin _text_). 34. _I supply_ it. 35. A. _om._ the. 38. C. _om._ yif (Lat. _quod si_). 43. C. co_n_venable. 50. C. to tylyinge; A. of tylienge. 52. A. fallen. 53. C. of nawht (_de nihilo_); A. for nau[gh]t. 55. C. of the feld (_agri_); A. in the erthe. // C. in the erthe (_humum_); A. in the felde. 57. A. abreggynge; C. abriggynge (_but_ abreggynge _2nd time_). 58. A. fortune (!), _for_ fortuit; _twice_. 66. A. vneschewable.

METRE I.

_Rupis Achemenie scopulis, ubi uersa sequentum._

Tigris and Eufrates resolven and springen of oo welle, in the cragges of the roche of the contree of Achemenie, ther-as the fleinge bataile ficcheth hir dartes, retorned in the brestes of hem that folwen hem. And sone after tho same riveres, Tigris and Eufrates, unioinen and departen hir wateres. And yif they comen 5 to-gideres, and ben assembled and cleped to-gidere into o cours, thanne moten thilke thinges fleten to-gidere which that the water of the entrechaunginge flood bringeth. The shippes and the stokkes arraced with the flood moten assemblen; and the wateres y-medled wrappeth or implyeth many fortunel happes or maneres; 10 the whiche wandringe happes, natheles, thilke declyninge lownesse of the erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge water governeth. Right so Fortune, that semeth as that it fleteth with slaked or ungovernede brydles, it suffereth brydles, _that is to seyn, to be governed_, and passeth by thilke lawe, _that is to seyn, by thilke_ 15 _divyne ordenaunce_.'

ME. I. 1. A. _om._ and _after_ Tigris. 3. A. _om._ bataile. 8. C. entrechaungynge, _glossed_ i. alt_er_ni. 10. A. fortuned. 11. C. declynynge, _glossed_ decliuitas. 13. A. _om._ that (2). 15. _thilke_] A. the.

PROSE II.

_Animaduerto, inquam._

'This understonde I wel,' quod I, 'and I acorde wel that it is right as thou seyst. But I axe yif ther be any libertee of free wil in this ordre of causes that clyven thus to-gidere in hem-self; or elles I wolde witen yif that the destinal cheyne constreineth the movinges of the corages of men?' 5

'Yis,' quod she; 'ther is libertee of free wil. Ne ther ne was nevere no nature of resoun that it ne hadde libertee of free wil. For every thing that may naturely usen resoun, it hath doom by which it decerneth and demeth every thing; thanne knoweth it, by it-self, thinges that ben to fleen and thinges that ben to desiren. 10 And thilke thing that any wight demeth to ben desired, that axeth or desireth he; and fleeth thilke thing that he troweth ben to fleen. Wherfore in alle thinges that resoun is, in hem also is libertee of willinge and of nillinge. But I ne ordeyne nat, _as who seyth, I ne graunte nat_, that this libertee be evene-lyk in alle 15 thinges. Forwhy in the sovereines devynes substaunces, _that is to seyn, in spirits_, Iugement is more cleer, and wil nat y-corumped, and might redy to speden thinges that ben desired. But the soules of men moten nedes be more free whan they loken hem in the speculacioun or lokinge of the devyne thought, and lasse free 20 whan they slyden in-to the bodies; and yit lasse free whan they ben gadered to-gidere and comprehended in erthely membres. But the laste servage is whan that they ben yeven to vyces, and han y-falle from the possessioun of hir propre resoun. For after that they han cast awey hir eyen fro the light of the sovereyn 25 soothfastnesse to lowe thinges and derke, anon they derken by the cloude of ignoraunce and ben troubled by felonous talents; to the whiche talents whan they aprochen and asenten, they hepen and encresen the servage which they han ioyned to hem-self; and in this manere they ben caitifs fro hir propre libertee. The whiche 30 thinges, nathelesse, the lokinge of the devyne purviaunce seeth, that alle thinges biholdeth and seeth fro eterne, and ordeineth hem everich in hir merites as they ben predestinat: _and it is seyd in Greek, that_ "alle thinges he seeth and alle thinges he hereth."

PR. II. 1. A. Ed. quod I; C. _om._ // C. Ed. acorde me; A. acorde wel. 2. C. of; A. or (_wrongly_); Lat. _arbitrii_. 3. C. hym; A. Ed. hem. 5. C. mouynges (_motus_); A. moeueuynge (!). 12. A. _om._ thilke. // C. to ben fleen; A. ben to fleen; Ed. be to flyen. 16. C. dyuynes; A. deuynes (_as often in_ C). 17. C. wil nat I-coromped (_uoluntas incorrupta_); A. wil nat be corumped (_wrongly_). 18. C. myht (_potestas_); A. hath my[gh]t. 27. C. clowdes; A. Ed. cloude (_nube_). 27, 8. Ed. A. to the; C. _om._ the. 31. A. purueaunce. 34. _The last clause, in the original, is in Greek._

METRE II.

_Puro clarum lumine Phebum._

Homer with the hony mouth, _that is to seyn, Homer with the swete ditees_, singeth, that the sonne is cleer by pure light; natheles yit ne may it nat, by the infirme light of his bemes, breken or percen the inwarde entrailes of the erthe, or elles of the see. So ne seeth nat _god_, maker of the grete world: to him, that loketh 5 alle thinges from an heigh, ne withstondeth nat no thinges by hevinesse of erthe; ne the night ne withstondeth nat to him by the blake cloudes. _Thilke god_ seeth, in oo strok of thought, alle thinges that ben, or weren, or sholle comen; and _thilke god_, for he loketh and seeth alle thinges alone, thou mayst seyn that he is 10 the verray sonne.'

ME. II. 3. A. inferme. 6. C. _om._ nat. 7. C. heuynesse (_mole_); A. heuynesses. 8. C. strokk, _glossed_ i. ictu.

PROSE III.

_Tum ego, en, inquam._

Thanne seyde I, 'now am I confounded by a more hard doute than I was.'

'What doute is that?' quod she. 'For certes, I coniecte now by whiche thinges thou art troubled.'

'It semeth,' quod I, 'to repugnen and to contrarien greetly, 5 that god knoweth biforn alle thinges, and that ther is any freedom of libertee. For yif so be that god loketh alle thinges biforn, ne god ne may nat ben desseived in no manere, than mot it nedes been, that alle thinges bityden the whiche that the purviaunce of god hath seyn biforn to comen. For which, yif that god 10 knoweth biforn nat only the werkes of men, but also hir conseiles and hir willes, thanne ne shal ther be no libertee of arbitre; ne, certes, ther ne may be noon other dede, ne no wil, but thilke which that the divyne purviaunce, that may nat ben desseived, hath feled biforn. For yif that they mighten wrythen awey in 15 othre manere than they ben purveyed, than sholde ther be no stedefast prescience of thing to comen, but rather an uncertein opinioun; the whiche thing to trowen of god, I deme it felonye and unleveful. Ne I ne proeve nat thilke same resoun, _as who seyth, I ne alowe nat, or I ne preyse nat, thilke same resoun_, by 20 which that som men wenen that they mowen assoilen and unknitten the knotte of this questioun. For, certes, they seyn that thing nis nat to comen for that the purviaunce of god hath seyn it biforn that is to comen, but rather the contrarye, _and that is this_: that, for that the thing is to comen, therfore ne may it 25 nat ben hid fro the purviaunce of god; and in this manere this necessitee slydeth ayein in-to the contrarye partye: ne it ne bihoveth nat, nedes, that thinges bityden that ben purvyed, but it bihoveth, nedes, that thinges that ben to comen ben y-porveyed: but as it were y-travailed, _as who seyth, that thilke answere_ 30 _procedeth right as thogh men travaileden, or weren bisy to enqueren_, the whiche thing is cause of the whiche thing:--as, whether the prescience is cause of the necessitee of thinges to comen, or elles that the necessitee of thinges to comen is cause of the purviaunce. But I ne enforce me nat now to shewen it, that the bitydinge of 35 thinges y-wist biforn is necessarie, how so or in what manere that the ordre of causes hath it-self; al-thogh that it ne seme nat that the prescience bringe in necessitee of bitydinge to thinges to comen. For certes, yif that any wight sitteth, it bihoveth by necessitee that the opinioun be sooth of him that coniecteth that 40 he sitteth; and ayeinward also is it of the contrarye: yif the opinioun be sooth of any wight for that he sitteth, it bihoveth by necessitee that he sitte. Thanne is heer necessitee in that oon and in that other: for in that oon is necessitee of sittinge, and, certes, in that other is necessitee of sooth. But therfore ne 45 sitteth nat a wight, for that the opinioun of the sittinge is sooth; but the opinioun is rather sooth, for that a wight sitteth biforn. And thus, al-thogh that the cause of the sooth cometh of that other syde (_as who seyth, that al-thogh the cause of sooth comth_ _of the sitting, and nat of the trewe opinioun_), algates yit is ther 50 comune necessitee in that oon and in that other. Thus sheweth it, that I may make semblable skiles of the purviaunce of god and of thinges to comen. For althogh that, for that thinges ben to comen, ther-fore ben they purveyed, nat, certes, for that they ben purveyed, ther-fore ne bityde they nat. Yit natheles, 55 bihoveth it by necessitee, that either the thinges to comen ben y-purveyed of god, or elles that the thinges that ben purveyed of god bityden. And this thing only suffiseth y-nough to destroyen the freedom of oure arbitre, _that is to seyn, of oure free wil_. But now, certes, _sheweth it wel, how fer fro the sothe and_ how up-so-doun 60 is this thing that we seyn, that the bitydinge of temporel thinges is cause of the eterne prescience. But for to wenen that god purvyeth the thinges to comen for they ben to comen, what other thing is it but for to wene that thilke thinges that bitidden whylom ben causes of thilke soverein purvyaunce _that is in god_? 65 And her-to _I adde yit this thing_: that, right as whan that I wot that a thing is, it bihoveth by necessitee that thilke selve thing be; and eek, whan I have knowe that any thing shal bityden, so byhoveth it by necessitee that thilke thing bityde:--so folweth it thanne, that the bitydinge of the thing y-wist biforn ne may nat 70 ben eschued. And at the laste, yif that any wight wene a thing to ben other weyes thanne it is, it is nat only unscience, but it is deceivable opinioun ful diverse and fer fro the sothe of science. Wherfore, yif any thing be so to comen, that the bitydinge of hit ne be nat certein ne necessarie, who may weten biforn that thilke 75 thing is to comen? For right as science ne may nat ben medled with falsnesse (_as who seyth, that yif I wot a thing, it ne may nat be false that I ne wot it_), right so thilke thing that is conceived by science ne may nat ben non other weys than as it is conceived. For that is the cause why that science wanteth lesing (_as who_ 80 _seyth, why that witinge ne receiveth nat lesinge of that it wot_); for it bihoveth, by necessitee, that every thing be right as science comprehendeth it to be. What shal I thanne seyn? In whiche manere knoweth god biforn the thinges to comen, yif they ne be nat certein? For yif that he deme that they ben to comen 85 uneschewably, and so may be that it is possible that they ne shollen nat comen, god is deceived. But nat only to trowen that god is deceived, but for to speke it with mouth, it is a felonous sinne. But yif that god wot that, right so as thinges ben _to comen_, so shullen they comen--so that he wite egaly, _as who_ 90 _seyth, indifferently_, that thinges mowen ben doon or elles nat y-doon--what is thilke prescience that ne comprehendeth no certein thing ne stable? Or elles what difference is ther bitwixe the prescience and thilke Iape-worthy divyninge of Tiresie the divynour, _that seyde_: "Al that I seye," quod he, "either it shal be, 95 or elles it ne shal nat be?" Or elles how mochel is worth the devyne prescience more than the opinioun of mankinde, yif so be that it demeth the thinges uncertein, as men doon; of the whiche domes of men the bitydinge nis nat certein? But yif so be that non uncertein thing ne may ben in him that is right certein welle 100 of alle thinges, thanne is the bitydinge certein of thilke thinges whiche he hath wist biforn fermely to comen. For which it folweth, that the freedom of the conseiles and of the werkes of mankind nis non, sin that the thoght of god, that seeth alle thinges without errour of falsnesse, bindeth and constreineth 105 hem to a bitydinge _by necessitee_. And yif this thing be ones y-graunted and received, _that is to seyn, that ther nis no free wille_, than sheweth it wel, how greet destruccioun and how grete damages ther folwen of thinges of mankinde. For in ydel ben ther thanne purposed and bihight medes to gode folk, and peynes 110 to badde folk, sin that no moevinge of free corage voluntarie ne hath nat deserved hem, _that is to seyn, neither mede ne peyne_; and it sholde seme thanne, that thilke thing is alderworst, which that is now demed for aldermost iust and most rightful, _that is to seyn_, that shrewes ben punisshed, or elles that gode folk ben y-gerdoned: 115 the whiche folk, sin that hir propre wil ne sent hem nat to that oon ne to that other, _that is to seyn, neither to gode ne to harm_, but constreineth hem certein necessitee of thinges to comen: thanne ne shollen ther nevere ben, ne nevere weren, vyce ne vertu, but it sholde rather ben confusioun of alle desertes medled with-outen 120 discrecioun. And yit _ther folweth an-other inconvenient_, of the whiche ther ne may ben thoght no more felonous ne more wikke; _and that is this_: that, so as the ordre of thinges is y-led and comth of the purviaunce of god, ne that no-thing nis leveful to the conseiles of mankinde (_as who seyth, that men han no power to 125 doon no-thing, ne wilne no-thing_), than folweth it, that oure vyces ben referred to the maker of alle good (_as who seyth, than folweth it, that god oughte han the blame of oure vyces, sin he constreineth us by necessitee to doon vyces_). Thanne is ther no resoun to hopen _in god_, ne for to preyen _to god_; for what sholde any wight hopen _to_ 130 _god_, or why sholde he preyen _to god_, sin that the ordenaunce of destinee, which that ne may nat ben inclyned, knitteth and streineth alle thinges that men may desiren? Thanne sholde ther be doon awey thilke only allyaunce bitwixen god and men, that is to seyn, to hopen and to preyen. But by the prys of rightwisnesse and of 135 verray mekenesse we deserven the gerdoun of the divyne grace, which that is inestimable, _that is to seyn, that it is so greet, that it ne may nat ben ful y-preysed_. And this is only the manere, _that is to seyn, hope and preyeres_, for which it semeth that men mowen speke with god, and by resoun of supplicacioun be conioined to 140 thilke cleernesse, that nis nat aproched no rather or that men beseken it and impetren it. And yif men wene nat that hope ne preyeres ne han no strengthes, by the necessitee of thinges to comen y-received, what thing is ther thanne by whiche we mowen ben conioined and clyven to thilke soverein prince of thinges? 145 For which it bihoveth, by necessitee, that the linage of mankinde, as thou songe a litel her-biforn, be departed and unioined from his welle, and failen _of his biginninge, that is to seyn, god_.

PR. III. 9. A. purueaunce. 14. A. _om._ that (1). 18. C. of; A. on. 24. C. _om._ it. // C. but; _glossed_ s. aiunt. 25. C. _om._ is (1). // A. that therfore. 28. A. _om._ nat. // A. ypurueid. 28, 9. A. _om._ but it bihoveth ... y-porveyed. 32. A. whiche thinges (_for 2nd_ the whiche thing). // C. weyther. 34. C. p_ur_uyaunce; _glossed_ s. p_ro_uidencie. 35. C. it; _glossed_ illud. 38. A. of thinges. 48, 9. A. _om._ the sooth cometh ... cause of. 53. C. Ed. that for that; A. for that that. 58. A. bitiden by necessite; C. _has the gloss_--s. by necessite. 60. A. _om._ certes. 60, 1. C. vp so down; _glossed_ p_re_postere. 62. A. is the cause. 63. A. _om._ the. 64, 5. A. bitiden som-tyme. 71. C. at the laste; _glossed_ i. postremo. 74. A. so that the. 75. A. _om._ biforn. 79. A. _om._ nat. // C. as it is; A. it is be. 82. A. _om._ be. 85. C. he; _glossed_ s. deus. // C. they; _glossed_ s. thynges. 86. C. vneschwably; _glossed_ i. memorabilit_er_ (!) 87. C. A. desseyued (_twice_). 92. A. don. 94. C. Iape worthi; _glossed_ i. ridiculo. 100. A. _om._ ne. 102. C. he; _glossed_ s. deus. // C. fermely; _glossed_ i. firmit_er_. 106. A. _om._ this. 107. C. resseyuyd; A. receyued. 108. C. destruccyou_n_; _glossed_ i. occasus. 110. C. Meedes to; A. medes of. 113. A. alther-worste. 114. A. alther-moste. 116. C. hir; A. the. // A. _om._ ne _before_ sent. 120. C. dissertes; A. desertes. 121. _For_ of the, _read_ than; _see note_. 122. A. ne (_for_ no). 128. A. _om._ us. 129. A. to han hopen. 135. A. p_re_is. 136. C. desseruyn; A. deserue. 139. A. _om._ men. 142. Ed. impetren; C. impetrent (!); A. emprenten. // A. _om._ nat. // A. _om._ hope. 143. C. _om._ no. 144. C. I-resseyuyd (_glossed_ i. graunted); A. y-resceiued. 147. C. thou; _glossed_ s. philosophie. // C. her by-forn,