e
iugeme{n}t of ?
iugeme{n}t of ?
Chaucer - Boethius
e body ?
e whiche witte is naked {and} despoyled of
alle o? er knowynges. ? ilke witte come? to bestes ? at ne
mowen nat moeuen hem self here ne ? ere. as oystres
{and} muscles {and} o? er swiche shelle fysshe of ? e see. 4896
? {a}t cliue{n} {and} ben norissed to roches.
[Sidenote: But imagination is given to such brutes capable of
motion, and having in some degree the power of desiring or
refusing. ]
but ? e ymaginac{i}ou{n}
come? to remuable bestes ? at seme{n} to han talent
to fleen or to desiren any ? inge.
[Sidenote: Reason, however, is the attribute of man alone, as
Intelligence is that of God. ]
but resou{n} is al only to
? e lynage of mankynde ry? t as i{n}telligence is oonly ? e 4900
deuyne nature.
[Sidenote: Hence His (i. e. God's) knowledge exceeds all other,
comprehending both what belongs to His own nature, and what is
comprehended by all inferior creatures. ]
of whiche it folwe? ? at ? ilke knowyng
is more wor? e ? an [th]is[e] o? er. syn it knowe? by hys
p{ro}pre nature nat only hys subiect. as who sei? it ne [[pg 169]]
knowe? nat al oonly ? at app{er}teini? p{ro}prely to hys 4904
knowynge. but it knowe? ? e subgit? of alle o? er knowynges.
[Linenotes:
4873 [_yif_]--from C.
4878 [_or the_]--from C.
_suffraunce_--MS. suffisau{n}ce, C. suffraunce
4879-80 [_goth----suffraunce_]--from C.
4883 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
4887 _quit_--quite
4888 _hys_--hise
4889 _discernynge_--MS. discryuyng, C. discernynge
_from_--fro
4893-94 _witte_--wit
4895 _mowen_--mowe
_here ne ? ere_--her {and} ther
4901 _whiche_--which
4902 _[th]is[e] o? er_--thise oothr{e}]
[Headnote:
THE POWERS OF SENSE AND IMAGINATION. ]
[Sidenote: But how shall it be then, if sense and imagination
oppose reason, affirming that the general idea of things, which
reason thinks it so perfectly sees, is nothing? ]
but how shal it ? an be yif ? at wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n}
stryuen a? eins resonynge {and} sein ? at of ? ilke
vniuersel ? inges. ? at resou{n} wene? to seen ? at it nis 4908
ry? t nau? t.
[Sidenote: For what falls under the cognisance of the senses and
imagination cannot be general. ]
for wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} seyn ? at ? at. ? at
is sensible or ymaginable it ne may nat ben vniuersel.
? an is ei? er ? e iugement of resou{n} [soth]. ne ? at
? er nis no ? inge sensible. or ellys for ? at resou{n} woot 4912
wel ? at many ? inges ben subiect to wit {and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
? an is ? e co{n}sepc{i}ou{n} of resou{n} veyn {and} fals
whiche ? at looke? {and} co{m}p{re}hendi? . ? at ? at is
sensible {and} synguler as uniuersele.
[Sidenote: But if reason should answer to this--that in her idea
of what is general she comprehends whatever is sensible and
imaginable; but as to the senses and imagination, they cannot
attain to the knowledge of what is general, since their knowledge
is confined to material figures; and therefore in all real
knowledge of things we must give the greatest credit to that
faculty which has a more steadfast and perfect judgment of
things. ]
and ? if ? at resou{n} 4916
wolde answeren a? ein to ? ise two ? at is to sein to wit
{and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} sein ? at so? ely she hir self.
? at is to seyn ? at resou{n} loke? {and} comp{re}hendi? by
resou{n} of vniuersalite. bo? e ? at ? at is sensible {and} ? at 4920
? at is ymaginable. {and} ? at ? ilke two ? at is to seyn wit
{and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne mowe{n} nat strecchen ne enhaunsen
hem self to knowynge of vniuersalite for ? at
? e knowy{n}g of hem ne may exceden nor so{ur}mou{n}te{n} 4924
? e bodyly figure[s] ? Certys of ? e knowyng of ? inges
men au? ten ra? er ? eue credence to ? e more stedfast {and}
to ? e more p{er}fit iugement.
[Sidenote: In a controversy of this kind ought not we, who possess
faculties of reason, &c. , to side with reason and espouse her
cause? ]
In ? is manere stryuynge
? an we ? at han streng? e of resonynge {and} of ymaginynge 4928
{and} of wit ? at is to seyn by resou{n} {and} by ymaginac{i}ou{n}
{and} by wit. [{and}] we sholde ra? er p{re}ise ? e cause
of resou{n}. as who sei? ? an ? e cause of wit or ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
[Linenotes:
4907 _a? eins_--ayein
4908 _vniuersel_--vniu{er}sels
4911 [_soth_]--from C.
4914 _fals whiche_--false which
4917 _wit_--witte
4918 _so? ely_--soothly
4923 _knowynge_--knowy
4926 _? eue_--yeuen
_stedfast_--stidefast
4930 [_and_]--from C.
4931 _or_--{and} of]
[Headnote:
REASON SHOULD SUBMIT TO INTELLIGENCE. ]
[Sidenote: The case is entirely similar when human reason thinks
the Divine Intelligence cannot behold future events in any other
way than she herself is capable of perceiving them. ]
semblable ? inge is it ? at ? e resou{n} of mankynde 4932
ne wene? nat ? at ? e deuyne intelligence byholde? or
knowe? ? inges to comen. but ry? t as ? e resou{n} of mankynde
knowe? hem.
[Sidenote: For thus you argue:--
What things are not necessitated cannot be foreknown; therefore
there is no prescience of these things, for, if there were,
everything would be fixed by an absolute necessity. ]
for ? ou arguist {and} seist ? us. ? at
yif it ne seme nat to men ? at so{m}me ? inges han certeyne [[pg 170]]
{and} necessarie bytidynges. ? ei ne mowen nat ben wist 4937
byforn certeynely to bytiden. ? a{n} nis [ther] no p{re}science
of ? ilke ? inges. {and} yif we trowen ? at p{re}science
ben in ? ise ? inges. ? an is ? er no ? inge ? at it ne 4940
bitidi? by necessite.
[Sidenote: If it were possible to enjoy the intelligence of the
Deity, we should then deem it right that sense and imagination
should yield to reason, and also judge it proper that human reason
should submit to the Divine Intelligence. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 38 _b_. ]]
but certys yif we my? te{n} han ?
e
iugeme{n}t of ? e deuyne ? ou? t as we *ben p{ar}son{er}s of
resou{n}. ry? t so as we han demed. it byhoue? ? at ymaginac{i}ou{n}
{and} wit ben byne? e resou{n}. ry? t so wolde 4944
we deme{n} ? at it were ry? tful ? ing ? at ma{n}s resou{n}
au? t[e] to su{m}mitten it self {and} to ben byne? e ? e deuyne
? ou? t.
[Sidenote: Let us, therefore, strive to elevate ourselves to the
height of the supreme intelligence--there shall reason see what
she cannot discover in herself; and that is in what manner the
prescience of God sees and defines all things; although they have
no certain event; and she will see that this is no mere
conjecture, but rather simple, supreme, and unlimited knowledge. ]
for whiche ? at yif we mowen. as who sei? .
? at yif ? at we mowe{n} I conseil[e] ? at we enhanse vs in 4948
to ? e hey? t of ? ilke souereyne i{n}telligence. for ? ere shal
resou{n} wel seen ? at ? at it ne may nat by-holden in it
self. and certys ? at is ? is in what manere ? e p{re}science
of god see? alle ? inges c{er}teins {and} difinissed al ? ou? ? ei 4952
ne han no certein issues or by-tydynges. ne ? is is non
oppiniou{n} but it is ra? er ? e simplicite of ? e souereyn
science ? at nis nat enclosed nor yshet wi? i{n}ne no boundes.
[Linenotes:
4938 [_ther_]--from C.
4939 _trowen_--trowe
4942 _parsoners_--parsoneres
4945 _mans_--mannes
4946 _au? t[e]_--owte
4947 _whiche_--which
4948 _? at yif_--yif ? {a}t
4949 _hey? t_--heihte
_? ere_--ther
4952 _? ou? _--MS. ? ou? t
4955 _no_--none]
QUAM UARIIS FIGURIS.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Various are the shapes of created beings. Some creep
along the ground and trace the dust in furrows as they go;]
++? E bestes passen by ? e er? es by ful dyuerse figures 4956
for so{m}me of hem han hir bodies strau? t {and}
crepe{n} in ? e dust {and} drawen after he{m} a t{ra}is or a
forghe contynued. ? at is to sein as addres or snakes.
[Sidenote: others with nimble wings float through the air;]
and o? er bestes by [the] wandryng ly? tnesse of hir 4960
wenges beten ? e wyndes {and} ouer-swymme{n} ? e spaces
of ? e longe eyer by moist flee[y]nge.
[Sidenote: some with their feet impress the ground, or tread
lightly o'er the meads, or seek the shady grove. ]
and o? er bestes
gladen hem to diggen her traas or her stappes i{n} ? e
er? e wi? hir goynge or wi? her feet. or to gone ey? e[r] 4964
by ? e grene feldes or [elles] to walken vnder ? e wodes.
[Sidenote: Though we see an endless variety of forms, yet all are
prone; to the earth they bend their looks, increasing the
heaviness of their dull sense. ]
{and} al be it so ? {a}t ? ou seest ? at ? ei
alle discorden by [[pg 171]]
dyuerse formes. algate hir{e} [faces] enclini[n]g heuie? hir{e}
dulle wittes.
[Sidenote: Man alone doth raise aloft his noble head; light and
erect he spurns the earth. ]
Onlyche ? e lynage of man heue? heyest hys 4968
hey? e heued {and} stonde? ly? t wi? hys vpry? t body {and}
byholde? ? e er? e vndir hym.
[Sidenote: Thou art admonished by this figure then, unless by
sense deceived, that whilst taught by thy lofty mien to look
above, thou shouldst elevate thy mind lest it sink below its
proper level. ]
[and] but-? if ? ou er? ely man
wexest yuel oute of ? i witte. ? is figure amoneste? ? e ? {a}t
axest ? e heuene wi? ? i ry? t[e] visage. {and} hast areised 4972
? i forhede to beren vp on heye ? i corage so ? at ? i ? ou? t
ne be nat yheuied ne put lowe vndir foot. sen ? at ? i
body is so heye areised.
[Linenotes:
4957 _somme_--som
4959 _forghe contynued_--forwh Ikonntynued
_addres_--nadris
4960 [_the_]--from C.
4963 _hem_--hem self
_stappes_--steppis
4964 _or to gone_--{and} to gon
_ey? e[r]_--eyther
4965 [_elles_]--from C.
4967 [_faces_]--from C.
_algate_--algates
_enclini[n]g_--enclynyd
4968 _Onlyche_--Oonly
_heyest_--heyeste
4970 _er? e_--erthes
4971 _oute_--owt
_witte_--wit
4972 _ry? t[e]_--ryhte
_hast_--MS. ha? e, C. hast
4973 _forhede_--foreheuyd
_on heye_--a heygh
4974 _foot sen_--foote syn]
[Headnote:
DEFINITION OF ETERNITY. ]
PR{O}SA VLTI{M}A.
QUONIA{M} IGITUR UTI PAULO ANTE.
[Sidenote: [The 6^te p{ro}se {and} the laste. ]]
[Sidenote: Since everything which is known is not, as I have
shown, perceived by its own inherent properties, but by the
faculties of those comprehending them, let us now examine the
disposition of the Divine nature. ]
++? Er-fore ? an as I haue shewed a litel her byforne ? at 4976
al ? inge ? at is ywist nis nat knowen by hys nature
p{ro}pre. but by ? e nature of he{m} ? at comp{re}henden it.
? Lat vs loke now in as moche as it is leueful to vs. as
who sei? lat vs loken now as we mowen whiche ? {a}t ? e 4980
estat is of ? e deuyne substaunce so ? at we mowen [ek]
knowen what his science is.
[Sidenote: All rational creatures agree in affirming that God is
eternal. ]
? e comune iugement of alle
creatures resonables ? an is ? is ? at god is eterne. lat vs
considere ? a{n} what is et{er}nite. For certys ? at shal 4984
shewen vs to-gidre ? e deuyne nature {and} ? e deuyne
science
[Sidenote: And eternity is a full, total, and perfect possession
of a life which shall never end. This will appear more clearly
from a comparison with temporal things. ]
? Eternite ? an is p{er}fit possessiou{n} {and} al
togidre of lijf interminable {and} ? at shewe? more clerely
by ? e co{m}parisou{n} or collac{i}ou{n} of temp{or}el ? inges. 4988
[Sidenote: Temporal existence proceeds from the past to the
present, and thence to the future. ]
for al ? ing ? at lyue? in tyme it is p{re}sent {and} p{ro}cedi? fro
preterit? in to fut{ur}es. ? at is to sein. fro tyme passed
in to tyme comynge.
[Sidenote: And there is nothing under the law of time, which can
at once comprehend the whole space of its existence. ]
ne ? er nis no ?
alle o? er knowynges. ? ilke witte come? to bestes ? at ne
mowen nat moeuen hem self here ne ? ere. as oystres
{and} muscles {and} o? er swiche shelle fysshe of ? e see. 4896
? {a}t cliue{n} {and} ben norissed to roches.
[Sidenote: But imagination is given to such brutes capable of
motion, and having in some degree the power of desiring or
refusing. ]
but ? e ymaginac{i}ou{n}
come? to remuable bestes ? at seme{n} to han talent
to fleen or to desiren any ? inge.
[Sidenote: Reason, however, is the attribute of man alone, as
Intelligence is that of God. ]
but resou{n} is al only to
? e lynage of mankynde ry? t as i{n}telligence is oonly ? e 4900
deuyne nature.
[Sidenote: Hence His (i. e. God's) knowledge exceeds all other,
comprehending both what belongs to His own nature, and what is
comprehended by all inferior creatures. ]
of whiche it folwe? ? at ? ilke knowyng
is more wor? e ? an [th]is[e] o? er. syn it knowe? by hys
p{ro}pre nature nat only hys subiect. as who sei? it ne [[pg 169]]
knowe? nat al oonly ? at app{er}teini? p{ro}prely to hys 4904
knowynge. but it knowe? ? e subgit? of alle o? er knowynges.
[Linenotes:
4873 [_yif_]--from C.
4878 [_or the_]--from C.
_suffraunce_--MS. suffisau{n}ce, C. suffraunce
4879-80 [_goth----suffraunce_]--from C.
4883 _seid_--MS. seide, C. seyd
4887 _quit_--quite
4888 _hys_--hise
4889 _discernynge_--MS. discryuyng, C. discernynge
_from_--fro
4893-94 _witte_--wit
4895 _mowen_--mowe
_here ne ? ere_--her {and} ther
4901 _whiche_--which
4902 _[th]is[e] o? er_--thise oothr{e}]
[Headnote:
THE POWERS OF SENSE AND IMAGINATION. ]
[Sidenote: But how shall it be then, if sense and imagination
oppose reason, affirming that the general idea of things, which
reason thinks it so perfectly sees, is nothing? ]
but how shal it ? an be yif ? at wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n}
stryuen a? eins resonynge {and} sein ? at of ? ilke
vniuersel ? inges. ? at resou{n} wene? to seen ? at it nis 4908
ry? t nau? t.
[Sidenote: For what falls under the cognisance of the senses and
imagination cannot be general. ]
for wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} seyn ? at ? at. ? at
is sensible or ymaginable it ne may nat ben vniuersel.
? an is ei? er ? e iugement of resou{n} [soth]. ne ? at
? er nis no ? inge sensible. or ellys for ? at resou{n} woot 4912
wel ? at many ? inges ben subiect to wit {and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
? an is ? e co{n}sepc{i}ou{n} of resou{n} veyn {and} fals
whiche ? at looke? {and} co{m}p{re}hendi? . ? at ? at is
sensible {and} synguler as uniuersele.
[Sidenote: But if reason should answer to this--that in her idea
of what is general she comprehends whatever is sensible and
imaginable; but as to the senses and imagination, they cannot
attain to the knowledge of what is general, since their knowledge
is confined to material figures; and therefore in all real
knowledge of things we must give the greatest credit to that
faculty which has a more steadfast and perfect judgment of
things. ]
and ? if ? at resou{n} 4916
wolde answeren a? ein to ? ise two ? at is to sein to wit
{and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} sein ? at so? ely she hir self.
? at is to seyn ? at resou{n} loke? {and} comp{re}hendi? by
resou{n} of vniuersalite. bo? e ? at ? at is sensible {and} ? at 4920
? at is ymaginable. {and} ? at ? ilke two ? at is to seyn wit
{and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne mowe{n} nat strecchen ne enhaunsen
hem self to knowynge of vniuersalite for ? at
? e knowy{n}g of hem ne may exceden nor so{ur}mou{n}te{n} 4924
? e bodyly figure[s] ? Certys of ? e knowyng of ? inges
men au? ten ra? er ? eue credence to ? e more stedfast {and}
to ? e more p{er}fit iugement.
[Sidenote: In a controversy of this kind ought not we, who possess
faculties of reason, &c. , to side with reason and espouse her
cause? ]
In ? is manere stryuynge
? an we ? at han streng? e of resonynge {and} of ymaginynge 4928
{and} of wit ? at is to seyn by resou{n} {and} by ymaginac{i}ou{n}
{and} by wit. [{and}] we sholde ra? er p{re}ise ? e cause
of resou{n}. as who sei? ? an ? e cause of wit or ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
[Linenotes:
4907 _a? eins_--ayein
4908 _vniuersel_--vniu{er}sels
4911 [_soth_]--from C.
4914 _fals whiche_--false which
4917 _wit_--witte
4918 _so? ely_--soothly
4923 _knowynge_--knowy
4926 _? eue_--yeuen
_stedfast_--stidefast
4930 [_and_]--from C.
4931 _or_--{and} of]
[Headnote:
REASON SHOULD SUBMIT TO INTELLIGENCE. ]
[Sidenote: The case is entirely similar when human reason thinks
the Divine Intelligence cannot behold future events in any other
way than she herself is capable of perceiving them. ]
semblable ? inge is it ? at ? e resou{n} of mankynde 4932
ne wene? nat ? at ? e deuyne intelligence byholde? or
knowe? ? inges to comen. but ry? t as ? e resou{n} of mankynde
knowe? hem.
[Sidenote: For thus you argue:--
What things are not necessitated cannot be foreknown; therefore
there is no prescience of these things, for, if there were,
everything would be fixed by an absolute necessity. ]
for ? ou arguist {and} seist ? us. ? at
yif it ne seme nat to men ? at so{m}me ? inges han certeyne [[pg 170]]
{and} necessarie bytidynges. ? ei ne mowen nat ben wist 4937
byforn certeynely to bytiden. ? a{n} nis [ther] no p{re}science
of ? ilke ? inges. {and} yif we trowen ? at p{re}science
ben in ? ise ? inges. ? an is ? er no ? inge ? at it ne 4940
bitidi? by necessite.
[Sidenote: If it were possible to enjoy the intelligence of the
Deity, we should then deem it right that sense and imagination
should yield to reason, and also judge it proper that human reason
should submit to the Divine Intelligence. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 38 _b_. ]]
but certys yif we my? te{n} han ?
e
iugeme{n}t of ? e deuyne ? ou? t as we *ben p{ar}son{er}s of
resou{n}. ry? t so as we han demed. it byhoue? ? at ymaginac{i}ou{n}
{and} wit ben byne? e resou{n}. ry? t so wolde 4944
we deme{n} ? at it were ry? tful ? ing ? at ma{n}s resou{n}
au? t[e] to su{m}mitten it self {and} to ben byne? e ? e deuyne
? ou? t.
[Sidenote: Let us, therefore, strive to elevate ourselves to the
height of the supreme intelligence--there shall reason see what
she cannot discover in herself; and that is in what manner the
prescience of God sees and defines all things; although they have
no certain event; and she will see that this is no mere
conjecture, but rather simple, supreme, and unlimited knowledge. ]
for whiche ? at yif we mowen. as who sei? .
? at yif ? at we mowe{n} I conseil[e] ? at we enhanse vs in 4948
to ? e hey? t of ? ilke souereyne i{n}telligence. for ? ere shal
resou{n} wel seen ? at ? at it ne may nat by-holden in it
self. and certys ? at is ? is in what manere ? e p{re}science
of god see? alle ? inges c{er}teins {and} difinissed al ? ou? ? ei 4952
ne han no certein issues or by-tydynges. ne ? is is non
oppiniou{n} but it is ra? er ? e simplicite of ? e souereyn
science ? at nis nat enclosed nor yshet wi? i{n}ne no boundes.
[Linenotes:
4938 [_ther_]--from C.
4939 _trowen_--trowe
4942 _parsoners_--parsoneres
4945 _mans_--mannes
4946 _au? t[e]_--owte
4947 _whiche_--which
4948 _? at yif_--yif ? {a}t
4949 _hey? t_--heihte
_? ere_--ther
4952 _? ou? _--MS. ? ou? t
4955 _no_--none]
QUAM UARIIS FIGURIS.
[Sidenote: [The 5^the Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Various are the shapes of created beings. Some creep
along the ground and trace the dust in furrows as they go;]
++? E bestes passen by ? e er? es by ful dyuerse figures 4956
for so{m}me of hem han hir bodies strau? t {and}
crepe{n} in ? e dust {and} drawen after he{m} a t{ra}is or a
forghe contynued. ? at is to sein as addres or snakes.
[Sidenote: others with nimble wings float through the air;]
and o? er bestes by [the] wandryng ly? tnesse of hir 4960
wenges beten ? e wyndes {and} ouer-swymme{n} ? e spaces
of ? e longe eyer by moist flee[y]nge.
[Sidenote: some with their feet impress the ground, or tread
lightly o'er the meads, or seek the shady grove. ]
and o? er bestes
gladen hem to diggen her traas or her stappes i{n} ? e
er? e wi? hir goynge or wi? her feet. or to gone ey? e[r] 4964
by ? e grene feldes or [elles] to walken vnder ? e wodes.
[Sidenote: Though we see an endless variety of forms, yet all are
prone; to the earth they bend their looks, increasing the
heaviness of their dull sense. ]
{and} al be it so ? {a}t ? ou seest ? at ? ei
alle discorden by [[pg 171]]
dyuerse formes. algate hir{e} [faces] enclini[n]g heuie? hir{e}
dulle wittes.
[Sidenote: Man alone doth raise aloft his noble head; light and
erect he spurns the earth. ]
Onlyche ? e lynage of man heue? heyest hys 4968
hey? e heued {and} stonde? ly? t wi? hys vpry? t body {and}
byholde? ? e er? e vndir hym.
[Sidenote: Thou art admonished by this figure then, unless by
sense deceived, that whilst taught by thy lofty mien to look
above, thou shouldst elevate thy mind lest it sink below its
proper level. ]
[and] but-? if ? ou er? ely man
wexest yuel oute of ? i witte. ? is figure amoneste? ? e ? {a}t
axest ? e heuene wi? ? i ry? t[e] visage. {and} hast areised 4972
? i forhede to beren vp on heye ? i corage so ? at ? i ? ou? t
ne be nat yheuied ne put lowe vndir foot. sen ? at ? i
body is so heye areised.
[Linenotes:
4957 _somme_--som
4959 _forghe contynued_--forwh Ikonntynued
_addres_--nadris
4960 [_the_]--from C.
4963 _hem_--hem self
_stappes_--steppis
4964 _or to gone_--{and} to gon
_ey? e[r]_--eyther
4965 [_elles_]--from C.
4967 [_faces_]--from C.
_algate_--algates
_enclini[n]g_--enclynyd
4968 _Onlyche_--Oonly
_heyest_--heyeste
4970 _er? e_--erthes
4971 _oute_--owt
_witte_--wit
4972 _ry? t[e]_--ryhte
_hast_--MS. ha? e, C. hast
4973 _forhede_--foreheuyd
_on heye_--a heygh
4974 _foot sen_--foote syn]
[Headnote:
DEFINITION OF ETERNITY. ]
PR{O}SA VLTI{M}A.
QUONIA{M} IGITUR UTI PAULO ANTE.
[Sidenote: [The 6^te p{ro}se {and} the laste. ]]
[Sidenote: Since everything which is known is not, as I have
shown, perceived by its own inherent properties, but by the
faculties of those comprehending them, let us now examine the
disposition of the Divine nature. ]
++? Er-fore ? an as I haue shewed a litel her byforne ? at 4976
al ? inge ? at is ywist nis nat knowen by hys nature
p{ro}pre. but by ? e nature of he{m} ? at comp{re}henden it.
? Lat vs loke now in as moche as it is leueful to vs. as
who sei? lat vs loken now as we mowen whiche ? {a}t ? e 4980
estat is of ? e deuyne substaunce so ? at we mowen [ek]
knowen what his science is.
[Sidenote: All rational creatures agree in affirming that God is
eternal. ]
? e comune iugement of alle
creatures resonables ? an is ? is ? at god is eterne. lat vs
considere ? a{n} what is et{er}nite. For certys ? at shal 4984
shewen vs to-gidre ? e deuyne nature {and} ? e deuyne
science
[Sidenote: And eternity is a full, total, and perfect possession
of a life which shall never end. This will appear more clearly
from a comparison with temporal things. ]
? Eternite ? an is p{er}fit possessiou{n} {and} al
togidre of lijf interminable {and} ? at shewe? more clerely
by ? e co{m}parisou{n} or collac{i}ou{n} of temp{or}el ? inges. 4988
[Sidenote: Temporal existence proceeds from the past to the
present, and thence to the future. ]
for al ? ing ? at lyue? in tyme it is p{re}sent {and} p{ro}cedi? fro
preterit? in to fut{ur}es. ? at is to sein. fro tyme passed
in to tyme comynge.
[Sidenote: And there is nothing under the law of time, which can
at once comprehend the whole space of its existence. ]
ne ? er nis no ?
