The boke of comfort called in laten Boetius de Consolatione philosophie. Translated in to englesse tonge

Sequitur Liber Quintus Boetij de cōsolatone Phie. (Book 5)

WHen she had sayd she gan her selfen hye To other thynges treted for to be your noble exhortation {quod} I Ful worthy hyt ys of hye auctoryte But yet whyle er as I remembre me ye dyd speke of dyuyne prescience How hard hyt ys I haue experyence ¶And al belapped wyth demaundes fele Encomberous to any mannes wyt Ful daungerous ys that mater wyth to dele But now I pray yow that ye say me yet yf happe be ought / what maner thyng ys hyt Phia) I spede me {quod} she for to pay my dette Of thynges that whyle er I the behete ¶And for to set the in a redy way So that thou myght retorne in to thy land Thys mater that thou askest sothe to say Though hyt be good to know & vnderstand Loo yet thys purpose that we haue on hand Somwhat hyt ys impertynent ther to And furdermore hyt ys to drede also ¶Lest of thy wayes that thou faynt & fayle As for thy Iorney that ys ouergone And lest thou suffyse not to thy traueyle To that thou hast hereafter for to done Boe{us}) Then drede ye not {quod} I let me alone For thys shal be ryght as a tyme of rest To hyre of thyng that me delyteth best ¶And namely syth your processe al a boute By dysputation so formally Concluded ys / hyt may not ben in doute Of that ye wyl enducen suyngly

Phia) Ryght as y^u wylt {quod} she ryght so wyl I And she be gan to declare in thys wyse what euer he be {quod} she y^t wyl deuyse ¶That happe ys suche a thyng that shold be fal wythouten cause or skyle of gouernaunce Than say I thus / that happe ys nought at al But an Idel name & of no vaylaunce Syth god hath set al thyng in ordynaunce Now shold there any place then be To worken thynges in vncertente ¶For tru••y nogh thys sentence hath be holde Loo that ther may no thyng be don of nought Thys sentence reuoked neuer faders olde Of one begynner al thyng must be wroght yet thys was not the conceyt of ther thoght Tho al thyng haue a maker pryncypal They dyd mene of subiect materyal ¶For that they put as for a fundament And that hath euer reson of nature Than wyl hyt suen clere and consequent Thys may wel perceyue euery creature yf any thyng were don by aduenture wythouten causes wher of to procede Than must hyt come of nought hyt ys no drede ¶But syth thys may not be in no maner Than happe may not be called sykerly Suche as we dyffyned haue whyle er Boecius) what ys ther than no maner thyng {quod} I That chaunce or happe ys called skylefully Or suche a thyng ther ys to folkē vnknowe wher to thes name belangeth as ye trowe ¶Phia) yes myne Aristoteles {quod} she

In hys boke of physyke naturel Breffely he sheweth what thyng hyt shold be Ful nye the truthe dyffyneth he hyt ful wel Boe{us}) And how {quod} I phia) Lo thys ys euery dele {quod} she that wryteth Aristoteles Of thys mater / & hyt ys no les ¶As often as ther ys a worke y wroght As for a certen purpos of entent And then of other causes vnbethoght Betydeth other wyse then was be ment Loo happe thys may be called verament As yf hyt lust a man to delffe hys lande And hydde theryn a somme of golde he founde ¶Of suche a thyng men demeth sykerly Loo that a soden aduenture hyt ys yet came hyt not of no thyng pardey But propre causes were be forn y wysse The concours of wych causeth thys But for hyt fel vnware & vnbethought Hyt semeth folke that happe ••ut hath y wroght ¶For but the telyer had dolue hys ground And eke the hyder put hyt in that stede Thou mayst wel seyn the gold had not be found As in that maner wyse hyt ys no drede Thes causes ben of aduenturous dede when that they mete & ben assembled so wythouten certen purpos to be do ¶For he that dalf & he that hyd hyt there Purposed not thou mayst suppose hyt wel That gold to haue ben found in that maner Neuer one of them bethoght hyt neuer a dele But ryght as I haue sayd hyt so befel

That in the same place where thes hyt hyd That other dalf & found as hyt betyde ¶Now then in short to make an ende of al And to make a fynal dyffynytion Loo hap ys suche a thyng that doth befalle No thyng purposed of entention Of dyuers causes metyng in to one In thynges that for somwhat were y wroght But vn to that that ys be falle / noght ¶But thys vnescheuable ordynaunce wyche that the wel hed procedeth fro Of the hye dyuyne purueyaunce wythouten wyche ther may no thyng be do That maketh thes causes to concurren so That al thyng desposeth kendly In propre place & tymes certenly

Metrum j. Capitulū ij.

Rupis achimenie scopulis.

Phia loquitur.

TIgris and Eufrates spryngeth bothe Out of a cragge rocke of Ermeny Out of one wel hed to say the sothe wher men ben wont to fyghten wonderly In flyght they harmeth them that sueth nye Ther sharpe dartes in ther brest fyxyng So when they fleyth ther foes moste noyng ¶Thes ryuers bothe ben dysioyned sone And renneth in to dyuers stremes grete And after that they fallen in to one where that they in a nother place mete The shyppes than & stockes that ther flete In ether of thes stremes doune a long Hyt happeth that they mete euer a mong

¶Thys water thus ImpLyeth & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Thus medelyng many chaunces fortunel But of that shevey erthe hyt so behappeth The wych thys water sueth / wete hyt wel That fletyng ordre ruleth euery dele Ryght so ys happe vnruled as demeth ye But neuertheles hyt hath a law of certente

Prosia ij. Capituln̄ iij.

Animaduerto inquam.

Boecius loquitur.

TO thys {quod} I ful wel acorde I can And y^t ye say I may hyt wel beleuen But in the ordre of thes causes than The wych so suyngly to gedres cleueu Thys wold I se / yf ye coude shew or preuen yf in out choys ys any lyberte Other elles that thys cheyn of destyne ¶Constreyneth al the mouyug of our wyt Phia) {quod} she in sothe then were hyt al a mysse That wyl I shew & clerely preuen hyt For why / no kend that resonable ys whythouten lyberte may ben y wysse For al that kendly reson vsen may May demen & dyscern hyt ys no nay ¶And by hym self he knoweth kendly what thyng ys to desyre & what to fleen And what thyng that he demeth verely That worthy ys desyred for to be That thyng loo seketh & desyreth he And what he Iugeth worthy to be forsake That wyl he leue / & that other take ¶Then euery thyng that reson hath certen Of wyl & nel hath lyberte ther to

But al y leke / in sothe wyl I not sayn For dyuyne substances standeth not so The Iugement ys wonder clere of tho Ther wyl ys incorrupt / ther myght ys prest And spedy to al that them leketh best ¶But moste in fredom ys the soule of man when he ys set in contemplation And fully fyxen al hys thoughtes can In hye dyuyne speculation And lesse yf that hys occupation In wordly thyng dystracteth ought hys mynde And lesse when flesly boundes doth hym bynde ¶But when a man ys geuen vn to vyce Than ys he vtterly bound & thralle When he hath set hys reson at no pryse And wylfully hath lete hyt fro hym falle Hys lyberte ys then lest of alle When that hys syght in wordly wrecchednesse Is cast fro lyght of souereyn sothfastnesse ¶He begenneth then to wexe derke & dulle Of that foule cloude of Ignorance Of foule affections than he shal be ful Encombred wyth the vyce of inconstance That trobeleth hym wyth anguysshe & greuance To wych when he consenteth in hys wyt In seruage then hym selfen hath he knytte ¶In maner of hys propre lyberte A caytyf ys becommen in conscience But neuer the later he that al may se As by hys hye eternal prescience Al thyng gouernyng by hys excellence He hyreth & seyth wel euery thought & dede

And so he wyl desposen for ther mede

Metrū ij.

Puro clarū lumie.

Phia.

THe noble poet hony mouthe Omere Loo of the sonne syngeth on thys wyse And sayth / for al hys bryght bemes clere The see / ne lande yet may he not suffyse To persen thorugh / so may we not deuyse Of hym that hath thys wyde world y wroght The heuy erthe hym wythstandeth noght ¶Fro fer & hye al thyng he seyth a none He ys not let by cloudes of the nyght For al that ys / was / or shal be done At ones ys hyt al beforn hys syght Syth he alone wyth hys bemes bryght So al thynges may behald & se We may wel sayn a very sonne ys he

Prosa iij. Capitulū v.

Tum ego en inquā.

Boecius loquitur.

I sayd then / a gretter doute now Confoundeth me then dyd be fore y wysse Phia) Of what {quod} she art y^u in doute now Now ryght in sothe coniect I what hyt ys Boecius) full hugely {quod} I repugneth thys That god may knowen al thyng er hyt be And that our wyl may stande at lyberte ¶Syth god be forn seyth al that shal be do And hys syght loo may be deceyued nought Of very fors then nede hyt must be so That prescience hath seyn y^t ys to be wroght And not only worke / but wylle & thoght Of euery wyght he knoweth plenerly Than ys no fredom in our arbytry

¶For why ther may be nother thoght ne dede That pnrueyaunce beforn ne seyth hyt al He fayleth not ther of / hyt ys no drede But al that euer he wote betyden shal Al that he seyth beforn hyt must befalle And yf hyt may be torned other wyse Hyt was not seyn be fore at my deuyse ¶Than shal thys be no very prescience But as an vncerten opynyon But sykerly thys were a foule offence Of god to felen that conclusyon And somme men supposeth that thys questyon May ben assoyled thus / as they beleue But ther resons can I not apprene ¶Loo thus they sayn / a thyng that shal betyde Betydeth not for god prouydeth so But god that thyng to commen doth prouyde And seyth beforn al thyng that shal be do And thus a geynward sholde the causes go That god foreseyth thys thyng y^t shal be wroght But of nede hyt shal vetyde nought ¶They sayn also that thyng y^t shal befalle In goddes syght prouyded ys hyt nede Loo thys aunswere assoyleth nought at al Thys doutful questyon hyt ys no drede Only to thys entente hyt doth procede Loo of ij. dyuers thynges to enquere wych of them the cause of other were ¶Whether that the prescience of god a lone Causeth thyng to fallen nedely Other elles thyng that nedes shal be don Loo causeth prescience in god on hye

Thys ys no very aunswere sykerly To that that I entend for to shew But neuertheles my purpose standeth true ¶How euer hyt standeth of thys ordynaunce That wych of thes the cause of other be A thyng that ys forseyn by purueyaunce Of nede hyt must betyde as semeth me Thogh hyt be so that thys necessyre Be not y caused of thys presc••ence As in effect ther ys no dyfference ¶As yf I sytte & thou supposest hyt Than nedes sothe ys thyn opynyon But my syttyng ys not caused yet As nedeful by thy estimation And ryght so yf thou torne hyt vp so downe yf thou supposest sothe of that I do Eke of necessyte than ys hyt so ¶Necessyte then must ther ben in bothe Vn to that poynt loo here we ben y broght In me of syttyng & in the of sothe yet wotest thou wel that therfore sytte I noght As for that sothe opynyon in thy thought But rather thus / be cause that I sate Loo thyn opyuyon was sothe in that ¶Than ys thys truthe caused of the dede And so in bothe ther ys necessyte Loo in the same wyse we may procede Of thys purueyaunce as semeth me For cause thes thynges shal here after be Ther fore by purueyaunce he seyth hyt al And yet ther fore doth hyt not befalle ¶And neuer the later al that shal betyde

Of god hyt ys prouyded nedefully And efte a geyn al that he doth prouyde Of nede hyt doth befallen certenly And al the fredom of our arbytry Loo thys suffyseth to destroyen clene Here apereth wel how masedly we mene ¶That aduenture of thynges temporel Shold causen hys eternal prescience But thys wold ben a foly thyng to fele wyth reson hath hyt no conuenyence For hyt wold suen of ther euydence That thynges past long tyme seyn Shold causen god that ys our souereyn ¶As yf I know a thyng that present ys whyle I hyt know nedes ys hyt so Ryght so a thyng that shal ben after thys yf I hyt know / of nede hyt must be do Hyt sueth wel we may not go ther fro And so my purpose may not be remeued That thyng prescite / may not ben exchued ¶For yf I deme thus of a certen thyng And ys not so / hyt ys no questyon Not only ys that conceyt no connyng But errour of a false opynyon And wonder fer ys that suspection And dyuers fro the trouthe as I suppose But ho can saue hyt wyth a beter glose ¶For yf ther shal a certen thyng be wroght And shal not fallen of necessyte But ys vncerten to betyde or noght Hyt ys not knowen to ben as semeth me For knouyng / wyth falshed may no wyse be

In no maner conioyned ne deceyued But hyt must ben that knouyng hath conceyued ¶And other wyse may hyt not be done For loo that ys the very cause why That in a knouyng errour ys ther none Syth trouth then standeth nedefully And knouyng comprehendeth verely what than a vayleth that we ben a boute How knoweth god a thyng that ys in doute ¶For yf that god a certen thyng deuyse For to be don that no wyght may exchwe And yet hyt may betyden other wyse A perylous errour here of wyl ther sue That goddes Iugement shold ben vntrue But loo of god oure hye souereyn Ful felones ys / thus to thynke or sayn ¶And yf he knoweth thynges for to ben So that they may betyde indyfferent As be or not be / then can I not seyn But thys ys an vncerten Iugement The prescience of god omnip••otent what thyng ys hyt I can hyt not defend That may no thyng in certen comprehende ¶Than shold ther be no maner dyfference As semeth in myne estimation Be twene the hye dyuyne prescience And Tyresyes dyuynation Of whom Ouyde maketh mention what euer I say she sayd / hyt shal be falle Other elles shal hyt not betyde at alle ¶what better shal thys purueyance be Than the opynyon of a mannes wyt

That demeth thynges in vncertente And so vncertenly betydeth hyt Ouer al thyng we must beleuen yet That god ys very welle & syker ground In whom no thyng vncerten may be found ¶Than euery thyng in certen shal betyde Thyt ys before seyn in hys purueyance Than ys no lyberte in mannes syde Ne in our chesyng ys no cheuysance Dyuyne thought may haue no varyance wythouten errour he behaldeth al And byndeth ous to thyng that must befal ¶And haue we ones fully geten thys He may perceuen ho so taketh hede Mannes lyffe in what myscheffe hyt ys And standeth euer in heuynesse & drede why shold ther any man receyuen mede Or any surfetour be put in peyn Al thys wyl semen but a thyng in veyn ¶Syth that no wylful meuyng of ther gost Of lyberte they nought deserued han And thynges that now ben cōmended most As very wrong they must be demed than For vertu to rewarden any man Or punyssshen any wycked skylefully Ther neyther hath deserued wyllyngly ¶But necessyte them hath constreyned To thynges that of certen must be done Than vyce & vertu ys but thyng y feyned Ne in our workes meret ys ther none But an vndyscrete confusyon Ther ys no thyng that wors may be thought

Syth al thyng in ordre forthe ys brought ¶Of purueyaunce / ne vn to mannes wyt No thyng ys lefful / & our vyces woode Loo vn to god they ben referred yet wyche that very auctor ys of al goode And furdermore yf that thys errour s••ode wherto sholde we prayen ought or trust when we may no thyng wynne that ous lust ¶yf al that euer we can desyre or say One certen ordre vnreuersed knetteth Then wherto sholde we hopen ought or pray Syth purueyaunce fayleth not ne fletteth That euery thyng so at a certen putteth Thys only marchaundyse ys voyded than That vsed ys be twene god & man ¶Prayer & hope shold ben vnprofytable But wyth the pryce of Iust humylyte we geteth of god a mede vnestimable For only that hath euer the maner be That euery man may haue hab••lyte wyth god to speke & neghen to that lyght That perced may not be wyth mannes syght ¶By very reson of thys prayer meke To hym we be conioyned verely Before or then we gete that we beseke And yf we sholde assenten vtterly That thyng to come must fallen nedefully Thys hope & trust of wyche we spoke beforn Is thyng of nought & al our labour loren ¶How sholde we then to that prynce a boue Aprochen or be knette by any mene yf that we may deserue of hym no loue

And al our labour ys not worthe a bene But al mankend standeth dysioyned clene As fro ther hed departed al wyth wrong Ryght as whyle er ye sayd in your song

Metrū iij. Capitulū vj.

Que nam discors.

Boecius loquitur.

WHat maner cause of wonder dyscordance So hath disioyned thus in thys maner Our lyberte & goddes purueyaunce That neyther may to other neyghen nere What god thys batayl hath deuysed here Be tweue ij. truthes here of haue I wonder That sothe y nogh ben whyle they ben a sounder ¶But loo they may not ben to gether set And yet dyscord in truthes ys ther none Ful certenly they ben to gedres knette But mannes soule that so ys ouergone Enclosed thus wythyn fless••e & bone That soppressed hath hyr fyry lyght That she yet may not lyften vp her syght ¶Thes sotel knottes to be holde & se The flesly boundes doth hyt so oppresse But why so feruently desyreth she The notes for to fynd of sothfastnesse And that she seketh so wyth besynesse wote she that her selfen knoweth hyt But ho desyreth a knawen thyng to wete ¶Ho may desyre a thyng & knoweth hyt nought yf he ne knoweth what seketh he so blynd Or ho may seke that ys not in hys thought Or yf he seke hyt / how shal he hyt fynde Or how shal he remembre hyt in hys mynde

How may he knowen when he fyndeth thys And wote not of what maner forme hyt ys ¶when that the saule ys sole & separat Behaldyng on that souereyn thoght on hye Then may he se / that now he may nat Al thyng in somme & also syngulerly But now she ys enclosed bodely Som part of thys syght she hath forlete But vtterly she hath not al forgete ¶For why the somme she haldeth as I trow But not so euery thyng in specyalte He than that thes trouthe wold know Al knoweth he not / thou mayst wel se Ne al the trouthe forgete hath not he But loo the knowyng of the general Maketh hym to labour for the specyal ¶Thys somme then wych she haldeth here In her thoght remembryng ofte a geyn She seketh in that souereyn myrrour clere whete euery sothe may syngul••rly be seyn Enforsyng hyr wyth labour & wyth peyn Forgeten thyng / yf that she may hyt fynde To put hyt to the tresour of hyr mynde

Prosa iiij. Capitulū vij.

Tum illa vetus inquā.

Phia loquitur.

SHe sayd then / thys ys an olde complaynt And a ful comen vsed questyon To Marcus Tullius hyt samed queynt As by hys boke of dyuynation He had ther wyth grete occupation And of thy self ful long hyt hath be soght And none of yow as yet ne fonud hyt nought

¶Ne suffysantly haue not declared hyt And sykerly the cause may thys be That the dyscours of a mannes wyt May not atteyn to so hye degre To demen of that hye symplycyte wyche ys in dyuyne purueyaunce He ys not sothly of that suffysaunce ¶And yf thys myght be thought or cōprehended Thou sholdest then be neuer a dele in doute But at last I hope I shal amend hyt yf that I may my mater bryng a boute Thys errour of thy hert to a voyden oute But fyrst I wyl a voyden & dyspreuen Conceytes / wyche the to thys errour meuen ¶But fyrst I aske the the cause why Thou holdest thys reson not effectuel Of them that shewen that your arbytry Algates in hys fredom standeth wel Syth presciens constreyneth neuer a dele By nede / thynges wyche that shal be done But ys contingeut for to ben or none ¶Loo makest thou any other argument Of thyng to fallen of necessyte But for cause that god omuipotent Knoweth hyt / that hyt shal here after be Hyt may not be vndone as semeth the And yet thys presciens causeth nought The same thyng of nede to be wroght ¶That graunted thou whyle er yf y^u haue mende why ys hyt then that voluntary dede So ys constreyned to a certen ende That thyng to comen must be fallen nede

But that I may the to the trouthe lede To se what sueth here by consequence I put thys case ther were no prescience ¶Wyl then thyn argument a vaylen ought The wych in prescience thou groundest so That thynges wych of fre wyl shold be wroght That any nede compelleth them ther to Thou wylt not trow that Boecius) I sayd no Phia) Now set we {quod} she prescience a geyn So that of nede hyt do no thyng constreyn ¶Than standeth absolute the same wyl Hole in hys lyberte / thys wotest thou wel But I suppose thou makest me thys skyle Though prescience necesseth neuer a dele Thyng to come in stoundes temporel Thou seyst hyt ys a very sygne true Of thyng that must as necessary sue ¶Ryght so thou myght concluden as by thys Though that ther were no prescience at al That thynges wych to come hyre after ys Necessaryly hyt must be fal For only euery sygne shewen shal A thyug that ys or after shal be seyn But yet that sygne maketh hyt not to ben ¶And yf that prescience a sygne were Of euery thyng that nedes must come Fyrst hyt nedeth ous to shewen hyre That no thyng falleth but nedes hyt must be done And yf hyt be not so than knowest thou sone That sygne may ther none be verely wythoute a thyng betokened be ther by ¶But to confirmen fully al a boute

And sadly to susteyn our entent we may not seke sygnes of wythoute Ne fyxe ous in a foreyn argument But of causes ful conuenyent And necessary / behoueth ous to procede yf that we sholde in our purpose spede ¶But thys thou wylt replyen here a geyn How may that thyng not fallen sayst y^u me wyche that ys prouyded & foreseyn By purueyaunce here after for to be As chaunce that I couth none other se But thyng that prescience doth prouyde we trowed that hyt were not to betyde ¶But rather thys entended I for to preue That thogh a certen thyng befal so yet of propre kende we do beleue So was hyt not necessed to be do Thys lyghtly mayst y^u vnderstanden loo As many a thyng▪ ys subiect to our syght The whyle hyt ys be forn ous present ryght ¶As when a charre ys ruled redely And how hyt torneth we be holde ful wel And so of other craftes suyngly Doth any thyng thys craftes men compelle Or any of thes workes canst thou telle Or yf they be constreyned to be wroght Boecius) Nay {quod} I they be compelled nought ¶Then ydel were the craft of any man yf euery thyng were compelled for to meue Phia) Syth thynges whyle they ben she sayd thē Ben not coacted to be / thou wylt beleue Loo by that same reson now mayst thou preue

That before tho same thynges be Not for to comen of necessyte ¶Ful many a thyng shal ben hyt ys no drede And ys to come hyt sueth wel by thys That vtterly ys absolute of nede I trow that no wyght thys wyl sayn y wys That any thyng that now in present ys was not to come vn to the tyme hyt fel Though they beforn of god were knowen wel ¶In sothe yet ben they frely to be falle For rygh as very knowyng & science A present thyng compelleth nought at al Ryght so hyt standeth eke of prescience As thou mayst se by leke conuenyence Though god thys thyng to comen doth prouyde yet ys hyt not compelled to beryde ¶But loo of thys y^u sayst me / doutest thou Syth thynges wych that shal here after ben Be not to come as necessary now How ys that thyng fore seyn thou canst not seyn Hyt semeth the that thys dyssoneth clene To foreseyn thyng hyt must nedes sue Necessyte / thou canst hyt not exchwe ¶And yf necessyte sholde be forfended Loo foreseyn ys ther no thyng vtterly Ne nought by knowyng may be comprehended But thyng that must betyden verely And yf ther ought betyde vncertenly And ys fore seyn ful certen as hyt were Thou sayst / no very knowyng ys ther there ¶But as a derke & opynable thyng And for to trowen other wyse or gesse Than very sothe / that callest thou no connyng

But a wenyng of vnstablenesse And loo the cause of al thys errour ys That ye trow the cause of knowlege to be In the thyng & not in the knower perde ¶But in contrary wyse hyt standeth ryght For euery thyng that knowen ys by wyt Hyt ys not knowen by hys propre myght But by hys myght that comprehendeth hyt As by exsample mayst thou felen yet For of a thyng that rounde ys verely Loo syght & felyng knoweth hyt dyuersly ¶The syght behaldeth the forme fro a fer At ones comprehendyng euery dele But he that feleth ys conioyned nere Vn to that compace for to know hyt wel Al a boute the sydes must he fele And al that roundnesse so he knoweth than Loo / dyuersly y knowen ys a man ¶The comen wyttes Iugen of wythoute Imagination a nother wyse And reson other wyse hyt ys no doute Intelligence passeth al thes Euery of them so as he may suffyse The comen wyttes knoweth nought at al But formes of subiect materyal ¶Imagenyng al only comprehendeth The forme of man as vnmateryally Reson then a bouen thys transcendeth Of mannes kende he demeth syngulerly wyth vnyuersal syght ful sotelly But al thes passeth yet intellygence As by a syght of heyer excellence

¶He passeth al a boue thes kendes here The compace of the vnyuersyte And he behaldeth in that exsampler The myrrour of the hye eternyte The forme of man in hys symplycyte But most hyt ys to taken hyde in thys That the same myght alway that hygher ys ¶Loo al the lower comprehendeth wel But they may ascenden nought a geyn To knowe & comprehende neuer a dele Of tho that ben a boue sothe to sayn For ther comen wyt may not vp attayn To thynges wych ben Immateryal They may perceyuen neuer a dele at al ¶And furdermore Imagination Vnyuersal kendes may not seyn Ne reson may haue none Inspection Of formes / wych that pure & symple ben Intelligence comprehendeth clene And as hyt were / behaldeth fro on hye Thes formes he perceyueth plenerly ¶Conceyuyng than thys forme pryncipal He demeth after / al that ys in man As he hath in the exsampler Ideal Conceyued / that none other may ne can The vnyuersyte of reson knoweth he than And also formes of Imagenyng And eke materyal sensyble thyng ¶And reson yet in thys he vseth nought Imagination ne comen wyt But wyth a sotel smytyng of the thoght Ful formally so he behaldeth hyt

And more plenerly to speken yet The souereyn hye dyuyne Intellygence Ouer al thynges hath prospycience ¶When reson doth behalden ought or se As in hys comen kende vnyuersal Imagenyng / no thyng yet vseth he Nether the comen wyttes neuer a dele And neuer the lesse he comprehendeth wel Al thyng that Imagenable ys And al that comen wyt may know y wysse ¶Thus reson hys conceytes strong & stable Of vniuersal loo deffyneth he Man ys a best ii. foted resonable Loo / thys knowyng as euery man may se Vniuersal must hyt nedes be And thys thyng also to euery mannes wyt Imagenable & sensyble ys hyt yet ¶But reson thys behaldeth kendly No thyng by Imagination Ne by the comen wyttes sykerly But only hath consyderation By dyscours & by conceyt of reson But thys Imagynation begynne doth In the comen wyttes hys workes in sothe ¶Formes for to shappen & deuyse And yet thes comen wyttes al wythoute Sensyble thynges / in a wondre wyse He seyth / & them compaseth al a boute Not sensyblely / hyt ys no doute But by Imagination of mynde Of knowyng loo / here mayst thou se the kynde ¶That not y^e myght of thyng that knowen ys

But propre myght / the knower vseth nede And skylefully for euery dome y wysse Loo of the Iuge / hyt ys the propre dede So than of reson / yf thou take good hyde The worke of man ys no foreyn myght But propre myghtes vseth euery wyght

Metrū iiij. Capitulū ix.

Quondā porticus attulit

Phia loquitur.

SOm tyme in the porches of Athenes were olde clerkes derke in ther corage wyche in ther tyme were called stoicenes That in the porches had maden ther stages Desputyng / that the formes & Images Of bodely substances / as they gessed were in to a mannes soule impressed ¶As men ben vsed to wryten & portrayen Letters in a pagyn fayre & clene In wych beforn were no notes seyn But thys a mased thyng ys for to mene For yf the soule of man / so as they wene Of hys propre myght Implyeth nought But suffereth to ben prented in hys thought ¶Subiected to tho notes as hyt were That bodyes doth in them enpressen so And veyn Images representeth there Ryght as a myrrour ys y woned to do But al thys knowyng whens cometh hyt fro By wych not only thynges corporal But also formes Immateryal ¶He seyth & so behaldeth singulerly As in her hye conceytes speculatyffe And knowyng thynges then suyngly

So he dyuydeth by a negatyffe And after wardes by an affyrmatyffe Thes same thynges that deuyded be Assembleth & a geyn compouneth he ¶And so thys way he enterchaungeth ofte For now to pryncypal proposytions Loo / hys entent he lyfteth vp a lofte And falleth after to conclusions Referryng then hys owne ententions And seyth what thynges wyl of other sue Repreuyng so the false by the true ¶Than ys he rather cause efficient And more of myght than thyng y^t lyeth oppressed In maner leke a mater pacyent That notes hath so in hym self Impressed But that thou haue thys mater more expressed Ther goth before a maner sufferance wythyn the lyuely bodely substance ¶wych that the myghtes of the soule excyteth And maketh the to vnderstande & lere As when that lyght in to thyn yeyn smyteth And maketh the for to behalden there Or when a voyce hath souned in thyn ere And so commoueth the to herken ought Then ben styred the myghtes of thy thoght ¶And thynges wyche that were yet kendely wythyn thy selfen hydde / hyt ys no doute Thou then applyest in thy fantasy To thes other notes of wythoute And thus remembryng in thy self a boute Tho foreyn Images then addeth he To formes wyche that hydde wythyn the be

Prosa v. Capitulum ix.

Quod si in corporibus.

Phia loquitur.

THough that obiect qualyteys than Cōmoue & styre oure foreyn Instrumentes wych I calle the comen wyt of man That of wythouteforth geueth Iugementes And goth before the gostly sentementes A maner sufferaunce corporal For to excyte the gostly myght wyth al ¶And styren so the worchyng of the mynde To formes wych arested so were wythyn So that the corage may them fele & fynde And thogh the wyttes al thys worke begynne The knowyng of thes bodyes for to wynne And bryngeth hym to a maner remembrance The soule ys subiect to no sufferaunce ¶But he demeth of hys propre myght Thes passions that in the body ben How moche more suche a gostly wyght That fully ys al absolute & clene In whom may none affection be seyn Of any thyng to be feled bodely Hys propre myght shal vsen kendly ¶And foreyn myghtes shal he vsen nought For to dyscerne obiectes of wythoute But by the worchyng of hys owne thought He wynneth hys conceytes al a boute And by the same skyle hyt ys no doute Ful many folde of knowyng mayst thou fynde In substances / dyuers in ther kende ¶The felyng may be called one of tho wyche haue bestes that ben vnmeueable

That wyt they haue al only & no mo As shelle fysshe & suche that cleuen stable In cleffes / as to them ys couenable And so suche other shylle fysshe of the see wyche in dyuers places norysshed be ¶But knowyng of Imagynation Meueable bestes haue & doth hyt sue The wych in maner haueth affection Som maner thyng to coueyt or exchwe But reson to dyscernen false & true Only to man hyt hath conuenyence As only doth to god Intellygence ¶Than ys hyt so as euery man may se That thys knowyng most worthy ys & hye wych of hys owne kendly properte Not only that perteyneth kendely Vn to hys owne knowyng properly He knoweth wel / but furdermore yet The subiecte knoweth he of euery wyt ¶But what yf comen wyttes stode a geyn And in thys wyse perauenture aunswere And wolde vn to dyscours of reson sayn Loo / that thys vniuersal / no thyng were That reson semeth he behaldeth there For al that euer Imagenable ys Or comen wyttes may perceyue y wysse ¶Hyt ys not vniuersal in no wyse Now / or the Iugement of reson than Must be sothe / yf he wyl thus deuyse That no thyng may be sensyble to man Or for he wote wel that thes wyttes han Subiectes many / dyuers / that they know

Hys owne conceuyng fallace must he trowe ¶When that he seyth & comprehendeth wel Thyng that sensyble ys & singuler Behaldyng hyt ryght as vniuersal To thys yf reson wold aunsweren here That she her self behaldeth wel & clere By reson of vniuersalyte Al that thes other may perceyue & se ¶For wyttes ne Imagynation May no way comprehenden sykerly Thes vnyuersal thynges of reson For they may not exceden proprely As by ther owne knowyng kendly Shappes & fygures corporal A bouen that may they no thyng at al ¶In knowyng then of thynges at the laste Hyt ys to geue credence to the Iugement That most perfet ys & stedefaste And we that haue thys reson excellent And comen wyt to demen thyng present And Imagination also Sholde we not reson here assenten to ¶But mannes reson ys y leke in thys As towardes dyuyne Intellygence Ryght as Imagenyng or wyttes ys To reson of a mannes conscience That weneth that dyuyne prescience May no maner thyng behalde as he troweth That ys to come / but as hym selfen knoweth ¶For loo / thys argument thou makest me yf thynges that hereafter shal be done Not certeyn ne necessary be

For knowyng may not fallen ther vpon For prescience sayst thou ys ther none And yf so ys that prescience be Ther falleth nought but of necessyte ¶But yf we myght parteners ben Loo / of the domes of dyuyne thought Ryght as we may by very reson seyn That Imagenyng suffyseth nought Ne comen wyttes to perceyuen ought The Iugement of reson as we deme Ful Iust hyt sholde mannes reson seme ¶To be subiect & vndercast alway Vn to dyuyne thought / I am certeyn A ryse we ther fore fully yf we may To that Intellygence souereyn And yf we may in to that hyght atteyn Loo there shal reson fele & knowen wel That in hyt self he may do neuer a dele ¶Loo / that ys thys as in what wyse & how The thynges that betydeth thus vncertenly Thys prescience seyth hyt wel y now Dyffyned in hys thought eternally Not by gessyng opynablely But by souereyn science of symplenesse whom termes may not closen ne compresse

Metrū v. Capitulum x.

Quam varijs terras.

Phia loquitur.

THes bestes in ther kendes dyfferent Ful dyuersly on erthe doth they glyden Somme on ther body strecchyng & extent Crepīg vpō ther brestes doune they slydē And in the dust a forwe they dyuyden

And somme by very lyghtnesse of ther kynde wyth ther wynges planeth in the wynde ¶And long spaces of the ayer on hye So in ther flyght / they swymmeth as hyt were And summe ben glad to kepe them selfen nye Thys grounde a low & sette ther stappes here In grene feldes / ther ys al ther chere And some to walke in wodes & forestes And thogh so be that al thes wylde bestes ¶Ben dyuers in ther shappes & fygure Al ther faces ben enclyned yet Vn to the grounde shewyng ther nature And the kendly dulnesse of ther wyt Loo / only kende of man reuerseth hyt For mannes hed a ryseth vp on hyght And euen vpryght hys body standeth streght ¶And vnder hym the erthe behaldeth he whether dotest thou / or art y^u in a sweuen Thou erthly man thy fygure techeth the That lyfteth vp thy vysage in to heuen And thy frount in to the ayer ful euen On erthly thyng thou sholdest not set thy loue But sette hyt holly in the heuen a boue ¶Ther sholdest thou be ther ys thy kendly place Thou hast of the erthe but thy bestly kende And yet loo thou wylt bryng thy selfen bace And so wyth bestes sette thy self behynde Lete not the noble nature of thy mynde Be plounged doune & to the grounde y pyght Syth that thy body standeth euen vpryght

Prosa vj. Capitulū xj.

Quoniā igitur vti.

Phia loquitur.

Syth euery thyng as I haue shewed now ryght That wyst or knowen ys in any way Hyt ys not knowen of the propre myght Of that self thyng hyt ys no nay But of the kendly myght / the sothe to say Of tho that doth hyt knowe or comprehende Now let ous then behalden & entende ¶So as oure symple kende may suffyse what thyng ys that astate of excellence Of dyuyne substance / & in that wyse Than somwhat may we know of hys science Thys ys the vsed general sentence Of al / that by reson doth dyscerne They say that god hym self ys eterne ¶But now what thyng ys thys eternyte Hyt nedeth fyrst to knowen sykerly And after that we may behalde & se The science and the nature plenerly So as we may suffysen symplely Of god that ys oure prynce & souereyn Eternyte ys thys as clerkes sayn ¶Hyt ys a perfet hole possessyon At ones of a lyffe intermynable Thys ys declared by comparyson Of thyng that ys by tymes varyable For al that leueth in tyme hyt ys vnstable Present yet ys / the tyme a gon ys passed To tyme comyng hyeth hyt ful fast Ther may no thyng be set in tyme & space As clerkes haue deuysed here be forn That al at ones may hys lyffe embrace For why as yet / he fayleth of to morn

And yesterday ys passed & forlorn And in the same day that present ys Of your lyffe ye haue no more y wysse ¶But thys moment transytory loo That thyng that hath thys dysposytion Hys tymes for to ouer passen so Though that hyt were of suche condytion By Aristoteles tradition That sayd thys worlde neuer beganne Ne neuer here after shal an ende han ¶Though that hyt myght as Aristotel semed To infinyte hyt selfen so extende Eterne hyt may not ryghtuously be demed Though hyt were infynyte wythouten ende At ones al hyt may not comprehende Ne clyppen al thes spaces temporel For of tyme to come yet hath hyt not a dele ¶But he that of the lyffe intermynable The fulnesse comprehendeth verely Possessyng hyt at ones perdurable Fro whom no thyng doth lacken verely For tyme to come he hath hyt presently Ne tyme passed fro hym ys ther none Is / & was / & shal be / al ys one ¶Eterne he may be called wel by ryght To hym self present and pereles And al way present ys be fore hys syght The moble space of tymes endles But they rehersen Plato / neuertheles Hys conceyt they reporteth al a mysse And of hys menyng fayleth foule y wysse ¶Loo Plato sayth thys worlde hath euer ybe

¶As clerkes haue deffyned / Tyme ys mesure of meuyng of be¦fore & after. Thys mesure ys takē most comēly after the meuyng of the E••noc∣tial vvhos meuyng ys the svvyftest that ys possyble. The vvych lyne ys deuyded in to CCC.lx. euen partes. Of vvyche partes / eueryche ys called a degre. The mesure of a rysyng of xv. degrees / ys called an houre naturel. The mesure of a rysyng of xxiiii. houres / ys a day na∣turel. The mesure of CCC. lxv. dayes & vi. houres of encresse and certen mynutes / ys called a yere. By vvych tymes: the perdurabelte of thys vvorlde of before & after / ys mesured vsyngly. Syth than that mesure of meuyng ys called tyme / then sueth hyt: that before the vvorlde meued / ther vvas no tyme: But god eternally ys / er any thyng meued: or any tyme vvere / and shal be after that al meuynges cesseth: For hys beyng ys mesured by no meuyng of before & after / for hymself ys vnmeueable / ne hys beyng hath no regard to before & after For al tymes present / passed / and to come: ben to hym verely present Ne hys beyng ys not mesured by successyon of tymes. For he hathe hys beyng vnmesured al at ones. vvyche ys called hys eternyte. Ther fore ys god called Inmensus. But the perdurabelte of the vvorlde ys mesured by meuyng of the heuen / vvyche ys called tyme: And len∣ger than heuen meueth / shal ther be no tyme. Than ys hyt so that the beyng of god ys called erernyte. The beyng of thys vvorld ys named perpetuyte. Then ys thys the conceyte of Plato sayng that the vvorlde hath euer ben / That ys to mene / as long as any thynge hathe meued. And as long as any thyng meueth: or any tyme ys / so long hyt shal endure in suche beyng as hyt novv hathe. And after that al meuyng and al tymes cesseth / the vvorlde renued shal endure in lyffe interminable. For so sayth our lorde. Ecce noua facio omnia.

¶Thys interminable lyffe / ys the eternal beyng of our creatour▪ to vvhō as to ther ende / al thyng shal be reduced: and at hym as at ther fynal ende: rest & abyde. Therfore sayth plato as ys in the texte al¦leged / that the vvorlde hathe euer ben: that ys to say: syth any tyme vvas. and hyt shal neuer vvhyle any tyme ys / cessen of hys menynge. So meuyng & tyme shal cessen bothe at ones. And the vvorlde then shal not ende by destruction or torne in to nought / for god and nature dyd neuer thyng in vayn. Ne god noughteth neuer thyng that he made but the corruption of one thyng / ys the generation of a nother thynge. So that at last euery corruptyble thynge retorneth in rounde in to the Elementes / that hyt vvas fyrst formed of. And ther fore the autor sa∣yth / that the entent of temporel thynges that so meuethe in rounde / casteth & entendeth by ledyng of nature / to counterfete the perdurable lyffe of god. For kendly euery creature coueyteth: to conforme hym to hys make / at lest in beyng. vvher fore of nature euery thynge vvyth∣standeth in that hyt may / hys ovvne corruption & diuision of hys par¦tes. And vvhen hyt ys corrupt and resolued in to hys fyrst mater / vvyche ys the elementes / vvych ben cleped the sedes of erthly thynges then ben they apte as they vvere be fore to be mater and to clothe other dyuers formes. And so ben they perpetuate / by ther chaungeabelte in

to an endles compate. For thes thynges yf they fayle in ther indiui∣dues / yet in ther vniuersalles they a bydeth euer: after tyme that they ones be. And the mater of the singulers / torneth into other thynges / after that nature vvorcheth. Than ys thys the conceyt of the clerke in the letter. Euery creature as ys before sayd / coueyteth of na¦ture / for to counterfete hys maker. But for canse thes erthly thyn¦ges of feblenesse and contraryoustey of ther mater / may not endure / but nedes be resolued / ther fore they take that they may of beyng / en∣duryng by successyon of tymes. vvhere that god endureth (not by tem¦poral successyon) but hathe hys beyng separate fro creatures al at ones so that tovvardes hym nought ys to come / ne nought ouer passed / But al that ys / vvas / and shal be: ys be fore hym present.

Than hauyng regarde to the eternyte of god / vvyche hath hys beyng al at ones vnmesured by successyon of tymes / ther ys no purueyaunce ne foresyght / but he seyth al by present knovvlege / & in hym / ys none other syght but connyng. For al knovvyng of present and passed / no∣teth imperfection of creatures that be passyng and corruptyble. And hyt nedeth nought / ne ys conuenyent / to conforme hys eternal insyght to oure temporal estimation / that al thyng demeth by before and after as vve haue ouer beynge. But hyt accordeth better / and ys more kendly / that the creature submytte al hys vvytte / and conforme al hys knovvyng holly to hys maker / vvyth oute vvhom he ys nought / can nought / ne hath nought at al / that ought ovveth to be cleped.

¶Syth hyt ys so then that euery Iugement / must sue the nature of the Iuge / that ys of hym that knovveth / hyt nedeth not thē to byn∣den thynges to falle necessaryly / ne to vvete the knovvyng of god for to compelle tho thynges to betyde / be cause that he seyth hyt presently as he al behaldeth / no more than for to vvyte me the meuyng of the sonne / by cause I se hyt meue / or for to vvyte me the deth of a man / by cause I se hym dye. For the meuyng of the sonne ys caused abso¦lutely of the fyrst ordynaunce of hym that made hyt for to meue.

But that I novv se hyt meue / hyt procedeth of my ovvne fre vvylle / presupposed that I haue my yees hole & lyberte to se al present obiectes that falleth to my luste.

And to an ende hyt shal neuer be brought They say therfore hyt hath eternyte As euen y leke wyth god that hath hyt wrought But yet al one in certeyn ys hyt nought A lyffe interminable for to lede As Plato thought hym self hyt ys no drede ¶Hyt ys a nother to enclosen al

At ones so thys lyffe intermynable For al that ys / or was / or euer shal At hym hyt ys present & permenable He fleteth nought but alway standeth stable Loo / of dyuyne thought the state ys thys No creature may ben y leke y wysse ¶And yet for that ye shal not demen here That god ys elder as in tyme of space Than creatures made of hys power But thys loo shal ye Iugen in thys case That god hym selfen alway ys & was Before / er any formed creature In propre symplenesse of hys nature ¶And the entent of thynges temporel That alway meueth so contynuelly They cast to counterfeten euery dele The perdurable lyffe of god on hy That chaungeth not but standeth presently But when hyt may not euen hyt self ther to Ther very stablenesse they falleth fro ¶And meueth then oute of symplycyte Decressyng oute of present then a none To Infinyte and endles quantyte Of tyme to come & tyme that ys a gonne But when he may not bryng hyt in to one Al hys lyffe at ones for to haue Hyt wylleth thus hyt selfen for to saue ¶And ther hyt may not ben a boute y brought So al hys lyffe at ones for to gete yet in as moche as hyt endeth nought Thys lyffe hyt doth not vtterly forlete But hyt semeth that hyt volde counterfete

The souereyn lyffe of god omnipotent In so moche as he somwhat hath present ¶And so hyt byndeth hym to a lytel stounde To haue a maner perdurablenesse In wyche no tyme of space may be founde But for hyt hath a maner lekelynesse Of the eternal lyffe that present ys Hyt semeth how so euer hyt flee or flete That in present euer a bydeth hyt ¶And for hyt may not after hys delyte A byden / but for suche a lytel space Hyt taketh alway of tymes Infynyte And for hyt may not al hys lyffe enbrace At ones / as hys princypal purpose was Passyng forthe the lyffe he kepeth so For cause he may ne canne none other do ¶And yf we sholde by names hym dyscerne To suen Plato where he sayd wel He sayd that god hym self ys eterne Loo / & the worlde shold be perpetuel Of thys mayst thou conceyuen then ful wel Syth euery Iugement that shal be true Hyt must the nature of hym selfen sue ¶To comprehenden thynges of wythoute And thastate of souereyn god on hye Stondeth euer in one hyt ys no doute Algates in hym selfen presently Hys knowyng then surmounteth sykerly Al thyng / that hath meuyng in dyfference A bydyng in hys symplycyte of presence ¶And so encloseth spaces Infinyte Of tyme that was & shal here after be

But to tho spaces hath he no respect But to hys owne hole eternyte By knowyng of hys hye symplycyte Al thyng in presens of hys syght He seyth hyt as hyt were do now ryght ¶yf thou consydre that prescience in thy thoug By wych he knoweth al thynges so Thys prescience shalt thou referren nought As to a thyng that after shal be do But very science shalt thou deme hyt loo Of present tyme that neuer faylen may Ne oute of presens passe neuer a way ¶For why hyt ys not called preuydence But rather ys hyt called purueyaunce That al thynges knoweth in presence In wych knowyng ther ys no varyaunce Fro our knowyng / hyt hath ful grete dystaunce For we behaldeth lo thynges here But fro on hye behaldeth he al in fere ¶Syth euery Iugement must suen than The nature of the knower kendely wherfore ys hyt that thou askest than That al must fallen necessaryly That seyn ys in dyuyne syght on hye Syth men the present thynges y^t they seyn Maketh nought / of nede for to ben ¶Loo / may thy syght of thynges here present Make them to fallen of necessyte Boe{us}) I sayd nay Phia) {quod} she ryght so hyt stent Of goddes purueyaunce / as semeth me Al tho ther may no comparyson be For the prescience of a mannes thought

To goddes prescience may be lekened nought ¶For ryght as ye behaldeth wyth your syght That in thys tyme present ys y don Rygh so he seyth in hys eternal lyght So / that thyng to comyng ys ther none As in hys syght / ne no thyng ouer gone wher fore hys prescience (hyt sueth wel) The nature of thynges chaungeth neuer a dele ¶For syth he seyth tho thynges presently Ryght as they shal here afterwarde befalle The Iugement of thynges sykerly Hys knowyng confundeth no thyng at al For al thyng that betyde here after shal whether nedeful or contingent be the ende At ones al he seyth hyt ys in hys mynde ¶Ryght as thou seyst a man go on the grounde And the sonne also in heuen a ryse And bothe thou behaldest in one stounde yet canst thou wel dyscernen & deuyse Loo that y^t thys man wych walketh in thys wyse He dothe hym self wyllyngly that dede But yet in sothe the sonne a ryseth nede ¶Ne the syght of god that ys so clere That al thyng doth hym be nethen se Of thes wordly thynges that ben here Destorbeleth neuer a dele the qualyte wyche in the syght of hys eternyte Ben present now / but to the syght of man Ther tyme they shal here afterwardes han ¶And here of cometh thys conclusyon That what he wote that shal here after sue Hyt ys no fallace nother opynyon

But very science suffysant & true By wych he knoweth y^t hyt ys not due As of necessyte to fallen so Bnt than thou sayst a thyng that shal be do ¶And ys prouyded in dyuyne thought Hyt may not vnbetyde / hyt ys no drede And thyng that so may be exchwed nought Than of necessyte / hyt falleth nede And so thou wolt me bynden to the dede As by thys worde / that ys necessyte And loo as truthe / I wyl hyt graunt the ¶But thys vnnethe may felen any wyght Ne wel conceyuen in thys erthly lyffe But yf he had a conceyt & a syght Of god / & fully were contemplatyue But vn to thys I aunswere the belyue when that thyng that so to comen ys To dyuyne science / referred ys ¶Loo / necessary ys hyt sykerly But in the maner of that propre kende whan that thou hyt behaldest verely Necessyte doth hyt in no wyse bynde For ij. necessyteys shalt thou fynde Of wyche that one ys symple / wete hyt wel And that other ys condycyonel ¶That euery man ys mortal of nature Thys ys necessyte of symplenesse But when thou knowest a man perauenture That walketh of hys owne wylfulnesse That mannes walkyng necessary ys wyth thys condytion y put ther to The whyle hyt ys y knowen to be so

¶For thyng that knowen ys in mannes thought As for the tyme hyt may none other be But thys condytion suffyseth nought wyth hym to drawen thys symplycyte For wel thou wotest that thys necessyte Cometh not of kendly dysposytion But of that accydent condytion ¶And necessyte doth hym not compelle To walken / he that walketh wyllyngly But whyle he goth / thys wyl I graunt wel Loo that he walketh uecessaryly And in the same wyse sykerly what purueyaunce as present doth prouyde So of necessyte hyt doth betyde ¶And yet that thyng as of hys propre kende Truly doth not of necessyte befalle But al that god behaldeth in hys mynde That so of lyberte betyden shal He behaldeth hyt as present al And so referred to dyuyne syght As necessary they ben a counted ryght ¶But thys ys only by condytion Of the knowyng of dyuyne wyt But when thes thynges haue relation Vn to ther owne propre kende yet Al absolutly then betydeth hyt No thyng compelled of necessyte Ne hyt forleteth nought hys lyberte ¶So than hyt shal befallen doutles Al that god to comen doth prouyde And moche thyng shal fallen neuertheles That only shal of lyberte betyde

So that they standeth fre fro eyther syde And though they be to come yet may we chese So propre nature doth they not forlese ¶Ther kende ys thys / be forehand er they were Of lyberte they myght haue ben vndo But what force ys hyt wylt thou say me hyre where they come of necessyte or no Syth of dyuyne science ys hyt so In al wyse hyt doth befallen thys Ryght euen as thyng that necessary ys ¶Loo thys / as I a lytel here beforn Purposed by exsample plenerly Of the sonne that ryseth by the morn And of a man that walketh wyllyngly Tyl tyme they be in doyng presently They may wel be vndon hyt ys no drede But that one was to betyden nede ¶But sykerly that other neded nought So al that he behaldeth as present Ryght so wythouten doute hyt shal be wrought But that the sonne ryseth verament Loo of necessyte hyt hath dessent But the man to walken or to gon Hys owne choys hyt standeth al vpon ¶Now then in thys we haue sayd but ryght That when thes thynges so referred be Vn to the knowyng of dyuyne syght Loo then they falleth of necessyte But referred to ther qualyte Ful absolute in lyberte they stonde As out of al necessary bonde ¶As al that apereth to the comen wyt

yf that they be referred to reson Vniuersal than in sothe ys hyt And yf thou set in thyn entention The properte of ther condytion So then thou felest hyt as synguler But yf hyt be (thou sayst) in my power ¶My purpose for to chaungen as me lust Loo than shal I a voyden purueyaunce By wyche the same ys knowen & wyst But I shal aunswere to thyn allegeaunce Thy purpose mayst thou chaunge at thy plesaunce But thys myght for to don or do hyt nought And al that dyuers chaungyng of thy thought ¶The very present truthe of prescience Euery dele behaldeth presently And thou mayst not a voyden hys presence No more than thou mayst a voyde verely The behaldyng of a present yee Thogh y^t thou woldest thy selfen torne or wende As leketh to the fre wyl of thy mynde ¶But here thou makest thys obiection yf goddes science may be chaunged so At my propre dysposytion As when I thys now / & now that may I do Than may I enterchaungen to & fro Loo hys science by stoundes at my wyl Nay for sothe / that mayst thou not by skyle ¶For why the knowyng of dyuyne syght Goeth before that thyng that shal befalle And before the propre presence ryght Loo of hys knowyng he retorneth al That euer was / or ben here after shal

Ne as thou wenest he altereth nought Hys presence by stoundes of thy thought ¶As now thys thyng & now y^t thyng to know But he abydyng euery wyt compaseth The chaungyng of thy thoughtes al a rowe wyth one syght al at ones he enlaceth He goth also before & al embraceth Hys myght also / that al comprehendeth And eke hys syght that to so fer extendeth ¶Al thynges to behalden presently He hath them not receyued so as we Of thyng that ys to comen suyngly But of hys propre hye symplycyte wherby hyt may ful wel assoyled be That thou whyle er a geynst me hast y put Vnsembly sayst thou ys hyt to thy wyt ¶That thyng to come of oure vnstablenesse Sholde the cause ben of hys science But of hys connyng loo the myght ys thys He closeth al wyth knowyng of presence Of dyuers tyme he hath no dyfference And al thyng in to certeyn hath he brought To thynges passed oweth he ryght nought ¶Syth hyt ys so / I may concluden now That in euery mortal creature The lyberte abydeth hole y now And standeth fully in ther owne cure And lawes wyche that medes doth mesure To tho men that ben good & vertuous And also peynes to the vycyous ¶Then for vnryght they may not ben arected Syth euery man hys owne wyl ys at

As by necessyte no thyng y letted But that he may deseruen loue or hate And god hym selfen sytte a boue algate And euery thyng he knoweth er hyt be As present in hys hye eternyte ¶In ous behaldyng euery thought & dede That ys / or shal be don / in ful certeyn And to the good men he desposeth mede And to the wycked punysshement & peyn To trust in god hyt ys no thyng in veyn And preyours / yf they ryghtuously be ledde Beleue hyt wel / they may not ben vnspedde ¶Wythstande thou vyce / & geue the to vertu To ryghtuous hope / thou lyft vp thy corage And for thy nedes / yf thou wolt persue Humble preyer sende in thy message Vp to thy god / hyt fayleth not hys wage Ne doute the nought / y^u shalt be spedde ful sone For he refuseth neuer a lowly boune ¶And loke that thou my counsel not forgete Dyssymule not / but do thy besynesse The nede ys thyn / also the charge ys grete That thau be founde in vertu & prowesse Syth al thy worke ys open & expresse Vn to the presence of the Iuge on hye That al thyng doth behalden plenerly

Explicit Liber Quintus Boecij De consolatione Phie.

Deo gracias.