i byholdynge any
necessite
to ?
Chaucer - Boethius
e moeuable
tyme. wherfore som men trowe{n} wrongefully ? at whan ? ei heren ? at it
semid[e] to plato ? at ? is worlde ne had[de] neuer bygynnynge of tyme. ne
? at it neu{er}e shal haue faylynge. ? ei wenen i{n} ? is man{er}e ? at ? is
worlde ben maked coet{er}ne wi? his makere. as who sei? . ? ei wenen ? at
? is worlde {and} god ben maked to-gidre eterne. and it is a wrongful
wenynge. for o? er ? ing is it to ben yladd by lif interminable as plato
graunted[e] to ? e worlde. {and} o? er ? ing is it to embracen to-gidre
alle ? e p{re}sence to ? e lif interminable. ? e whiche ? ing it is clere
{and} manifest ? at it is p{ro}pre to ? e deuine ? ou? t. ne it ne sholde
nat semen to vs ? at god is elder ? an ? inges ? at ben ymaked by quantite
of tyme. but ra? er by ? e p{ro}prete of hys symple nature. for ? is ilke
infinit[e] moeuyng of temp{or}el ? inges folwi? ? is p{re}sentarie estat
of ? e lijf i{n}moeueable. {and} so as it ne may nat contrefeten it ne
feyne{n} it ne ben euene lyke to it. for ? e inmoeueablete. ? at is to
seyn ? at is i{n} ? e eternite of god. ? it faile? {and} falle? in to
moeuynge fro ? e simplicite of [the] p{re}sence of god. {and} disencresi?
to ? e infinite quantite of fut{ur}e {and} of p{re}terit. {and} so as it
ne may nat han togidre al ? e plente of ? e lif. algates ? itte for as
moche as it ne cesi? neuere forto ben in som manere it seme? somde[l] to
vs ? at it folwi? {and} resembli? ? ilke ? ing ? {a}t it ne may nat attayne
to. ne fulfille. {and} bynde? it self to som manere p{re}sence of ? is
litel {and} swifte moment. ? e whiche p{re}sence of ? is lytele {and}
swifte moment. for ? at it bere? a manere ymage or lykenesse of ? e ay
dwellynge p{re}sence of god. it graunte? to swiche manere ? inges as it
bitidi? to ? at it seme? hem ? at ? ise ? inges han ben {and} ben {and} for
[? {a}t] ? e p{re}sence of swiche litel moment ne may nat dwelle ? er-for
[it] rauyssid[e] {and} took ? e infinit[e] wey of tyme. ? at is to seyn by
successiou{n}. {and} by ? is man{er}e it is ydon. for ? at it sholde
continue ? e lif in goynge of ? e whiche lif it ne my? t[e] nat embrace ? e
plente in dwellynge. {and} for ? i yif we willen putte wor? i name[s] to
? inges {and} folwen plato. lat vs seyn ? a{n} so? ely ? at god is et{er}ne.
{and} ? at ? e worlde is p{er}petuel. ? an syn ? at euery iugeme{n}t knowe?
{and} comp{re}hendi? by hys owen nature ? inges ? at ben subiect vnto hym.
? ere is so? ely al-wey to god an et{er}ne {and} p{re}sentarie estat.
{and} ? e science of hym ? at ouer-passe? alle temp{or}el moe[ue]m{en}t
dwelli? in ? e symplicite of hys p{re}sence {and} embrace? {and}
considere? alle ? e infinit spaces of tymes p{re}terit? {and} fut{ur}es
{and} loke? in ? is symple knowynge alle ? inges of p{re}t{er}it ry? t as
? ei weren ydoon p{re}sently ry? t now ? yif ? ou wolt ? an ? enke {and}
avise{n} ? e p{re}science by whiche it knowe? al[le] ? i{n}ges ? ou ne
shalt nat demen it as p{re}science of ? inges to comen. but ? ou shalt
deme{n} [it] more ry? tfully ? at it is science of presence or of
instaunce ? at neuer ne fayle? . for whiche it nis nat ycleped
p{ro}uidence but it sholde ra? er be cleped purueaunce ? at is establissed
ful fer fro ry? t lowe ? inges. {and} byholde? from a-fer alle ? inges ry? t
as it were fro ? e heye hey? te of ? inges. whi axest ? ou ? an or why
disputest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilke ? inges ben don by necessite whiche ? at ben
yseyen {and} yknowen by ? e deuyne sy? t. syn ? at for so? e men ne maken
nat ? ilke ? i{n}ges necessarie. whiche ? at ? e[i] seen be ydoon in hir{e}
sy? t. for addi? ?
i byholdynge any necessite to ? ilke ? inges ? at ? ou
byholdest p{re}sent. ? Nay q{uo}d I. _p. _ Certys ? an yif men my? te maken
any digne comparisou{n} or collac{i}ou{n} of ? e p{re}sence diuine. {and}
of ? e p{re}sence of mankynde. ry? t so as ? e seen so{m}me ? inges in ? is
temp{or}el presente. ry? t so see? god alle ? inges by hys eterne
p{re}sent. ? wherfore ? is dyuyne p{re}science ne chaunge? nat ? e nature
ne ? e p{ro}prete of ? inges but byholde? swyche ? inges present to hym
ward. as ? ei shollen bytiden to ? ow ward in tyme to come. ne it ne
co{n}founde? nat ? e Iugement? of ? inges but by of sy? t of hys ? ou? t he
knowe? ? e ? inges to comen as wel necessarie as nat necessarie. ry? t so
as whan ? e seen togidre a man walke on ? e er? e {and} ? e sonne arysen in
[the] heuene. al be it so ? at ? e seen {and} byholde{n} ? at oon {and} ? at
o? er to-gidre. ? it na? eles ? e demen {and} discerne ? at ? at oon is
uolu{n}tarie {and} ? at o? er is necessarie. ? Ry? t so ? an [the] deuyne
lokynge byholdynge alle ? i{n}ges vndir hym ne trouble? nat ? e qualite of
? inges ? at ben certeynely p{re}sent to hy{m} ward. but as to ? e
condic{i}ou{n} of tyme for so? e ? ei ben fut{ur}e. for whiche it folwi?
? at ? is nis non oppiniou{n}. but ra? er a stedfast knowyng ystrenge? ed by
so? enes. ? at whan ? at god knowe? any ? inge to be he ne vnwoot nat ? at
? ilke ? inge wante? necessite to be. ? is is to seyn ? at whan ? at god
knowe? any ? inge to bitide. he woot wel ? at it ne ha? no necessite to
bitide. {and} yif ? {o}u seist here ? at ? ilke ? inge ? at god see? to
bytide it ne may nat vnbytide. as who sei? it mot bitide. ? and ? ilke
? inge ? at ? at ne may nat vnbytide it mot bitide by necessite. and ? at
? ou streine me to ? is name of necessite. certys I wol wel confessen
{and} byknowe a ? inge of ful sadde trou? e. but vnne? shal ? ere any wy? t
[mowe] seen it or comen ? er-to. but yif ? at he be byholder of ? e deuyne
? ou? te. ? for I wol answer{e} ? e ? us. ? at ? ilke ? inge ? at is future whan
it is referred to ? e deuyne knowy{n}g ? an is it necessarie. but certys
whan it is vndirstonden in hys owen kynde me{n} sen it [is] vtterly fre
{and} absolut from alle necessite. for certys ? er ben two maneres of
necessites. ? at oon necessite is symple as ? us. ? at it byhoue? by
necessite ? at alle men be mortal or dedely. an o? {er} necessite is
condicionel as ? us. yif ? ou wost ? at a man walki? . it byhoue? by
necessite ? at he walke. ? ilke ? inge ? an ? at any wy? t ha? yknowe to be.
it ne may ben non o? er weyes ? an he knowe? it to be. ? but ? is
condicioun ne drawe? nat wi? hir ? ilke necessite symple. For certys ? is
necessite condicionel. ? e p{ro}pre nature of it ne make? it nau? t. but
? e adiecc{i}ou{n} of ? e condic{i}ou{n} maki? it. for no necessite ne
constreyne? a man to [gon / ? {a}t] goo? by his p{ro}pre wille. al be it
so ? at whan he goo?
tyme. wherfore som men trowe{n} wrongefully ? at whan ? ei heren ? at it
semid[e] to plato ? at ? is worlde ne had[de] neuer bygynnynge of tyme. ne
? at it neu{er}e shal haue faylynge. ? ei wenen i{n} ? is man{er}e ? at ? is
worlde ben maked coet{er}ne wi? his makere. as who sei? . ? ei wenen ? at
? is worlde {and} god ben maked to-gidre eterne. and it is a wrongful
wenynge. for o? er ? ing is it to ben yladd by lif interminable as plato
graunted[e] to ? e worlde. {and} o? er ? ing is it to embracen to-gidre
alle ? e p{re}sence to ? e lif interminable. ? e whiche ? ing it is clere
{and} manifest ? at it is p{ro}pre to ? e deuine ? ou? t. ne it ne sholde
nat semen to vs ? at god is elder ? an ? inges ? at ben ymaked by quantite
of tyme. but ra? er by ? e p{ro}prete of hys symple nature. for ? is ilke
infinit[e] moeuyng of temp{or}el ? inges folwi? ? is p{re}sentarie estat
of ? e lijf i{n}moeueable. {and} so as it ne may nat contrefeten it ne
feyne{n} it ne ben euene lyke to it. for ? e inmoeueablete. ? at is to
seyn ? at is i{n} ? e eternite of god. ? it faile? {and} falle? in to
moeuynge fro ? e simplicite of [the] p{re}sence of god. {and} disencresi?
to ? e infinite quantite of fut{ur}e {and} of p{re}terit. {and} so as it
ne may nat han togidre al ? e plente of ? e lif. algates ? itte for as
moche as it ne cesi? neuere forto ben in som manere it seme? somde[l] to
vs ? at it folwi? {and} resembli? ? ilke ? ing ? {a}t it ne may nat attayne
to. ne fulfille. {and} bynde? it self to som manere p{re}sence of ? is
litel {and} swifte moment. ? e whiche p{re}sence of ? is lytele {and}
swifte moment. for ? at it bere? a manere ymage or lykenesse of ? e ay
dwellynge p{re}sence of god. it graunte? to swiche manere ? inges as it
bitidi? to ? at it seme? hem ? at ? ise ? inges han ben {and} ben {and} for
[? {a}t] ? e p{re}sence of swiche litel moment ne may nat dwelle ? er-for
[it] rauyssid[e] {and} took ? e infinit[e] wey of tyme. ? at is to seyn by
successiou{n}. {and} by ? is man{er}e it is ydon. for ? at it sholde
continue ? e lif in goynge of ? e whiche lif it ne my? t[e] nat embrace ? e
plente in dwellynge. {and} for ? i yif we willen putte wor? i name[s] to
? inges {and} folwen plato. lat vs seyn ? a{n} so? ely ? at god is et{er}ne.
{and} ? at ? e worlde is p{er}petuel. ? an syn ? at euery iugeme{n}t knowe?
{and} comp{re}hendi? by hys owen nature ? inges ? at ben subiect vnto hym.
? ere is so? ely al-wey to god an et{er}ne {and} p{re}sentarie estat.
{and} ? e science of hym ? at ouer-passe? alle temp{or}el moe[ue]m{en}t
dwelli? in ? e symplicite of hys p{re}sence {and} embrace? {and}
considere? alle ? e infinit spaces of tymes p{re}terit? {and} fut{ur}es
{and} loke? in ? is symple knowynge alle ? inges of p{re}t{er}it ry? t as
? ei weren ydoon p{re}sently ry? t now ? yif ? ou wolt ? an ? enke {and}
avise{n} ? e p{re}science by whiche it knowe? al[le] ? i{n}ges ? ou ne
shalt nat demen it as p{re}science of ? inges to comen. but ? ou shalt
deme{n} [it] more ry? tfully ? at it is science of presence or of
instaunce ? at neuer ne fayle? . for whiche it nis nat ycleped
p{ro}uidence but it sholde ra? er be cleped purueaunce ? at is establissed
ful fer fro ry? t lowe ? inges. {and} byholde? from a-fer alle ? inges ry? t
as it were fro ? e heye hey? te of ? inges. whi axest ? ou ? an or why
disputest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilke ? inges ben don by necessite whiche ? at ben
yseyen {and} yknowen by ? e deuyne sy? t. syn ? at for so? e men ne maken
nat ? ilke ? i{n}ges necessarie. whiche ? at ? e[i] seen be ydoon in hir{e}
sy? t. for addi? ?
i byholdynge any necessite to ? ilke ? inges ? at ? ou
byholdest p{re}sent. ? Nay q{uo}d I. _p. _ Certys ? an yif men my? te maken
any digne comparisou{n} or collac{i}ou{n} of ? e p{re}sence diuine. {and}
of ? e p{re}sence of mankynde. ry? t so as ? e seen so{m}me ? inges in ? is
temp{or}el presente. ry? t so see? god alle ? inges by hys eterne
p{re}sent. ? wherfore ? is dyuyne p{re}science ne chaunge? nat ? e nature
ne ? e p{ro}prete of ? inges but byholde? swyche ? inges present to hym
ward. as ? ei shollen bytiden to ? ow ward in tyme to come. ne it ne
co{n}founde? nat ? e Iugement? of ? inges but by of sy? t of hys ? ou? t he
knowe? ? e ? inges to comen as wel necessarie as nat necessarie. ry? t so
as whan ? e seen togidre a man walke on ? e er? e {and} ? e sonne arysen in
[the] heuene. al be it so ? at ? e seen {and} byholde{n} ? at oon {and} ? at
o? er to-gidre. ? it na? eles ? e demen {and} discerne ? at ? at oon is
uolu{n}tarie {and} ? at o? er is necessarie. ? Ry? t so ? an [the] deuyne
lokynge byholdynge alle ? i{n}ges vndir hym ne trouble? nat ? e qualite of
? inges ? at ben certeynely p{re}sent to hy{m} ward. but as to ? e
condic{i}ou{n} of tyme for so? e ? ei ben fut{ur}e. for whiche it folwi?
? at ? is nis non oppiniou{n}. but ra? er a stedfast knowyng ystrenge? ed by
so? enes. ? at whan ? at god knowe? any ? inge to be he ne vnwoot nat ? at
? ilke ? inge wante? necessite to be. ? is is to seyn ? at whan ? at god
knowe? any ? inge to bitide. he woot wel ? at it ne ha? no necessite to
bitide. {and} yif ? {o}u seist here ? at ? ilke ? inge ? at god see? to
bytide it ne may nat vnbytide. as who sei? it mot bitide. ? and ? ilke
? inge ? at ? at ne may nat vnbytide it mot bitide by necessite. and ? at
? ou streine me to ? is name of necessite. certys I wol wel confessen
{and} byknowe a ? inge of ful sadde trou? e. but vnne? shal ? ere any wy? t
[mowe] seen it or comen ? er-to. but yif ? at he be byholder of ? e deuyne
? ou? te. ? for I wol answer{e} ? e ? us. ? at ? ilke ? inge ? at is future whan
it is referred to ? e deuyne knowy{n}g ? an is it necessarie. but certys
whan it is vndirstonden in hys owen kynde me{n} sen it [is] vtterly fre
{and} absolut from alle necessite. for certys ? er ben two maneres of
necessites. ? at oon necessite is symple as ? us. ? at it byhoue? by
necessite ? at alle men be mortal or dedely. an o? {er} necessite is
condicionel as ? us. yif ? ou wost ? at a man walki? . it byhoue? by
necessite ? at he walke. ? ilke ? inge ? an ? at any wy? t ha? yknowe to be.
it ne may ben non o? er weyes ? an he knowe? it to be. ? but ? is
condicioun ne drawe? nat wi? hir ? ilke necessite symple. For certys ? is
necessite condicionel. ? e p{ro}pre nature of it ne make? it nau? t. but
? e adiecc{i}ou{n} of ? e condic{i}ou{n} maki? it. for no necessite ne
constreyne? a man to [gon / ? {a}t] goo? by his p{ro}pre wille. al be it
so ? at whan he goo?
