at nis nat
app{ro}ched
no ra?
Chaucer - Boethius
But
yif so be ? {a}t noon vncerteyne ? inge may ben in hym
? at is ry? t certeyne welle of alle ? inges. ? a{n} is ? e 4548
bytydynge certeyne of ? ilke ? inges whiche he ha? wist
byforn fermely to come{n}.
[Sidenote: Whence it follows that men have no freedom in their
designs and actions; because the Divine Mind, endowed with an
infallible foresight, constrains and binds them to a certain
event. ]
For whiche it folwe? ? at ? e
fredom of ? e co{n}seils {and} of ? e werkes of mankynde nis
non syn ? at ? e ? ou? t of god see? alle ? inges w{i}t{h} outen 4552
erro{ur} of falsnesse bynde? {and} co{n}streini? hem to a
bitidynge by necessite. and yif [this] ? i{n}g be on-is
grau{n}tid {and} receyued. ? at is to seyn. ? at ? er nis no
fre wille. ? an shewe? it wel how gret distrucc{i}ou{n} {and} 4556
how grete damages ? er folwen of ? inges of mankynde.
[Linenotes:
4518 _it_--hit
4519 [_byforn_]--from C.
4522 _fals_--false
4523 [_nat_]--from C.
_ben_--MS. by, C. ben
4524 _? an [as] it is_--MS. ? an it is be
4527 [_be_]--from C.
4529 _whiche_--which
4534 _mou? e_--Mowth
4536 _shulle_--shullyn
_wit[e]_--wite
4538 _don_--MS. done, C. y-doon
4543 _moche_--mochel
_wor? e_--worth
4549 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4550 _whiche_--which
4551 _mankynde_--man-kynd
4554 [_this_]--from C.
4555 _grauntid_--ygraunted]
[Headnote:
FATE UNDER THE CONTROL OF PROVIDENCE. ]
? For in ydel ben ? er ? an p{ur}posed and byhy? t medes
of goode folk. {and} peynes to badde folk. syn ? at no
moeuynge of free corage uoluntarie ne ha? nat deserued 4560
hem. ? at is to seyn nei? er mede nor peyne.
[Sidenote: Rewards and punishments now deemed just and equitable,
will be considered most unjust, when, it is allowed, that mankind
are not prompted by any will of their own, to either virtue or
vice, but in all their actions are impelled by a fatal necessity. ]
? And it
sholde seme ? an ? at ? ilke ? inge is al? er worste whiche
? at is nowe demed. for al? {er} moste iuste {and} moste [[pg 158]]
ry? tful. ? at is to seyn ? at shrewes ben punyssed. or 4564
ellys ? {a}t good[e] folk ben ygerdoned. ? e whiche folk
syn ? at ? e p{ro}pre wille [ne] sent hem nat to ? {a}t oon ne
to ? at o? er. ? at is to seyn. ne? er to good[e] ne to
harme. but constreine? hem certeyne necessite of ? inges 4568
to comen.
[Sidenote: Nor would there be such things as virtue or vice, but
such a medley of the one and the other as would be productive of
the greatest confusion. ]
? ? anne ne sholle{n} ? er neuer ben ne neuer
weren vice ne vertue. but it sholde ra? er ben co{n}fusiou{n}
of alle desertes medlid wi? oute discresiou{n}. ? And
? itte ? er folwe? an o? er i{n}co{n}uenient of ? e whiche ? er 4572
ne may ben ? ou? t ne more felonous ne more wikke.
[Sidenote: And from this it will follow--that since all order
comes of Divine Providence, and that there is no freedom of the
human will, that also our vices must be referred to the author of
all good--which is a most impious opinion. ]
{and} ? at is ? is ? at so as ? e ordre of ? inges is yledd {and}
come? of ? e purueaunce of god. ne ? at no ? ing nis
leueful to ? e conseils of mankynde. as who sei? ? at 4576
men han no power to done no ? ing. ne wilne no ? ing.
? an folwe? it ? at oure vices ben refferred to ? e mak[er]e
of alle good. as who sei? ? an folwe? it. ? at god au? t[e]
han ? e blame of oure vices. syn he co{n}streini? by 4580
necessite to don vices.
[Sidenote: Then is it useless to hope for anything from God, or to
pray to him. ]
? an nis ? er no resou{n} to han
hopen in god. ne forto p{re}ien to god.
[Sidenote: For why should men do either, when all they can desire
is irreversibly predestined? ]
? For what
sholde any wy? t hopen to god. or whi sholde he p{re}ien
to god. syn ? at ? e ordenaunce of destine whiche ? at ne 4584
may nat ben enclined. knytte? {and} streini? alle ? inges
? at men may desire{n}.
[Sidenote: Hope and prayer being thus ineffectual, all intercourse
is cut off between God and man. ]
? ? an sholde ? ere be don awey
? ilke oonly alliaunce bytwixen god {and} men. ? at is to
seien to hopen {and} to p{re}ien.
[Sidenote: By reverent and humble supplication we earn divine
grace, a most inestimable favour, and are able to associate with
the Deity, and to unite ourselves to the inaccessible light. ]
but by ? e p{re}is of ry? tfulnesse 4588
{and} of veray mekenesse we deserue ? e gerdou{n}
of ? e deuyne grace whiche ? at is inestimable. ? at is to
sein ? at it is so grete ? at it ne may nat ben ful yp{re}ised.
{and} ? is is oonly ? e manere. ? at is to seyen hope {and} 4592
prayeres. for whiche it seme? ? at [men] mowen speken
wi? god. {and} by resou{n} of supplicac{i}ou{n}
ben conioigned [[pg 159]]
to ? ilk clernesse ?
at nis nat app{ro}ched no ra? er or
? at men byseken it {and} emp{re}nten it.
[Sidenote: If men believe that hope and prayer have no power
because of the necessity of future events, by what other way can
we be united, and hold fast to the sovereign Lord of all things? ]
And yif men 4596
ne wene [nat] ? at [hope] ne p{re}iers ne han no streng? es.
by ? e necessite of ? inges to comen y-resceiued. what
? i{n}g is ? er ? an by whiche we mowen be co{n}ioygned
{and} clyuen to ? ilke souereyne p{r}ince of ? inges.
[Sidenote: Wherefore mankind must be dissevered and disunited from
the source of its existence, and shrink from its beginning. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 36. ]]
? For 4600
whiche it byhoue? by necessite ? at ? e lynage of mankynde
as *? ou songe a litel here byforne ben dep{ar}ted
{and} vnioyned from hys welle {and} faylen of hys bygynnynge.
? at is to seien god. 4604
[Linenotes:
4558 _medes of_--Meedes to
4560 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4562 _al? er worste whiche_--alderworst which
4563 _nowe_--MS. newe, C. now
_al? er moste iuste_--alder moost Iust
_moste_--most
4565-67 _good[e]_--goode
4566 _wille_--wil
[_ne_]--from C.
4571 _wi? oute_--w{i}t{h}-owten
4573 _? ou? t_--thoght
4574 _yledd_--MS. yledde, C. yled
4575 _come? _--comth
4577 _done_--doon
4578 _mak[er]e_--maker{e}
4579 _au? t[e]_--owhte
4584 _whiche_--which
4588 _preis_--prys
_ry? tfulnesse_--Rihtwessenesse
4589 _deserue_--desseruyn
4590 _deuyne_--MS. deuynes, C. dyuyne
4590-93 _whiche_--which
4591 _grete_--gret
4593 [_men_]--from C.
_speken_--speke
4595 _? ilk_--thilke
4596 _emprenten_--impetrent
4597 [_nat_]--from C.
[_hope_]--from C.
4601 _whiche_--which
4602 _byforne_--by-forn]
[Headnote:
THE UNKNOWN CANNOT BE DESIRED. ]
QUE NAM DISCORS
[Sidenote: [The . 3^de. Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Say what discordant cause looses the bonds of things? ]
++What discordable cause ha? to-rent {and} vnioigned ? e
byndyng or ? e alliaunce of ? inges. ? at is to seyne
? e coniuncc{i}ou{n} of god {and} of man.
[Sidenote: What power doth make these two great truths (_i. e. _
Providence and Free-will) contend, which when separate are plain
and clear, but united appear dark and perplexed? ]
? whiche god
ha? establissed so grete bataile bitwixe{n} ? ise two so? efast 4608
or verray ? inges. ? at is to sein bytwixen ? e p{ur}ueaunce
of god {and} fre wille. ? at ? ei ben synguler {and}
diuided. ne ? at ? ei ne wolen nat ben medeled ne
coupled to-gidre. but ? er nis no discorde to [tho] verray 4612
? inges. but ? ei cleuen certeyne al wey to hem self.
[Sidenote: The mind of man encumbered by the earthly body, can
never, with her cloudy sight, discover the subtle and close bonds
of things. ]
but ? e ? ou? t of man co{n}founded {and} ouer? rowen by ? e dirke
membris of ? e body ne may nat by fir of his dirk[ed]
lokynge. ? at is to seyn by ? e vigo{ur} of hys insy? t while 4616
? e soule is in ? e body knowen ? e ? inne subtil knyttynges
of ? inges.
[Sidenote: But why does man burn with ardour to learn the hidden
notes of truth? ]
? But wherfore eschaufi? it so by so
grete loue to fynden ? ilke note[s] of so? e y-cou{er}ed. (_glosa_)
? at is to sein wherfore eschaufi? ? e ? ou? t of man by so 4620
grete desir to knowen ? ilke notificac{i}ou{n}s ? at ben yhidd
vndir ? e couerto{ur}s of so? e.
[Sidenote: Why gropes he for he knows not what? None seek to know
what is known. ]
woot it ou? t ? ilke ? inges
? at it anguissous desire? to knowe. as who sei? nay. [[pg 160]]
? For no man ne trauaile? forto witen ? inges ? at he woot. 4624
{and} ? erfore ? e texte sei? ? us. ? [_Glosa_] Si eni{m} a{n}i{m}a
ignorat istas subtiles co{n}nexiones. r{espo}nde. vn{de} est
q{uo}d desiderat scire cu{m} nil ignotu{m} possit desiderare.
? But who traua[i]le? to wyten ? inges y-knowe.
[Sidenote: If he knows them not, what does he so blindly seek? ]
and yif 4628
? at he ne knowe? hem nat. what seki? ? ilke blynde
? ou? t.
[Sidenote: Who wishes for things he hath never known? ]
what is he ? at desire? any ? inge of whiche he
woot ry? t nat. as who sei? who so desiri? any ? ing
nedis som what he knowe? of it. or ellys he ne cou? e 4632
nat desire it. or who may folwen ? inges ? at ne ben nat
ywist
[Sidenote: Or if he seek, where shall he find them? Or if he find,
how shall he be sure that he has found what he sought for? ]
? and ? ou? [? {a}t] he seke ? o ? inges where shal
he fynde{n} hem. what wy? t ? at is al vnknowynge {and}
ignoraunt may knowe ? e forme ? at is yfounde.
[Sidenote: The pure soul that sees the divine thought, knows all
the secret chains of things. ]
? But 4636
whan ? e soule byholde? {and} see? ? e heye ? ou? t. ? at is
to seyn god. ? an knowe? it to-gidre ? e so{m}me {and} ? e
singularites. ?
yif so be ? {a}t noon vncerteyne ? inge may ben in hym
? at is ry? t certeyne welle of alle ? inges. ? a{n} is ? e 4548
bytydynge certeyne of ? ilke ? inges whiche he ha? wist
byforn fermely to come{n}.
[Sidenote: Whence it follows that men have no freedom in their
designs and actions; because the Divine Mind, endowed with an
infallible foresight, constrains and binds them to a certain
event. ]
For whiche it folwe? ? at ? e
fredom of ? e co{n}seils {and} of ? e werkes of mankynde nis
non syn ? at ? e ? ou? t of god see? alle ? inges w{i}t{h} outen 4552
erro{ur} of falsnesse bynde? {and} co{n}streini? hem to a
bitidynge by necessite. and yif [this] ? i{n}g be on-is
grau{n}tid {and} receyued. ? at is to seyn. ? at ? er nis no
fre wille. ? an shewe? it wel how gret distrucc{i}ou{n} {and} 4556
how grete damages ? er folwen of ? inges of mankynde.
[Linenotes:
4518 _it_--hit
4519 [_byforn_]--from C.
4522 _fals_--false
4523 [_nat_]--from C.
_ben_--MS. by, C. ben
4524 _? an [as] it is_--MS. ? an it is be
4527 [_be_]--from C.
4529 _whiche_--which
4534 _mou? e_--Mowth
4536 _shulle_--shullyn
_wit[e]_--wite
4538 _don_--MS. done, C. y-doon
4543 _moche_--mochel
_wor? e_--worth
4549 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4550 _whiche_--which
4551 _mankynde_--man-kynd
4554 [_this_]--from C.
4555 _grauntid_--ygraunted]
[Headnote:
FATE UNDER THE CONTROL OF PROVIDENCE. ]
? For in ydel ben ? er ? an p{ur}posed and byhy? t medes
of goode folk. {and} peynes to badde folk. syn ? at no
moeuynge of free corage uoluntarie ne ha? nat deserued 4560
hem. ? at is to seyn nei? er mede nor peyne.
[Sidenote: Rewards and punishments now deemed just and equitable,
will be considered most unjust, when, it is allowed, that mankind
are not prompted by any will of their own, to either virtue or
vice, but in all their actions are impelled by a fatal necessity. ]
? And it
sholde seme ? an ? at ? ilke ? inge is al? er worste whiche
? at is nowe demed. for al? {er} moste iuste {and} moste [[pg 158]]
ry? tful. ? at is to seyn ? at shrewes ben punyssed. or 4564
ellys ? {a}t good[e] folk ben ygerdoned. ? e whiche folk
syn ? at ? e p{ro}pre wille [ne] sent hem nat to ? {a}t oon ne
to ? at o? er. ? at is to seyn. ne? er to good[e] ne to
harme. but constreine? hem certeyne necessite of ? inges 4568
to comen.
[Sidenote: Nor would there be such things as virtue or vice, but
such a medley of the one and the other as would be productive of
the greatest confusion. ]
? ? anne ne sholle{n} ? er neuer ben ne neuer
weren vice ne vertue. but it sholde ra? er ben co{n}fusiou{n}
of alle desertes medlid wi? oute discresiou{n}. ? And
? itte ? er folwe? an o? er i{n}co{n}uenient of ? e whiche ? er 4572
ne may ben ? ou? t ne more felonous ne more wikke.
[Sidenote: And from this it will follow--that since all order
comes of Divine Providence, and that there is no freedom of the
human will, that also our vices must be referred to the author of
all good--which is a most impious opinion. ]
{and} ? at is ? is ? at so as ? e ordre of ? inges is yledd {and}
come? of ? e purueaunce of god. ne ? at no ? ing nis
leueful to ? e conseils of mankynde. as who sei? ? at 4576
men han no power to done no ? ing. ne wilne no ? ing.
? an folwe? it ? at oure vices ben refferred to ? e mak[er]e
of alle good. as who sei? ? an folwe? it. ? at god au? t[e]
han ? e blame of oure vices. syn he co{n}streini? by 4580
necessite to don vices.
[Sidenote: Then is it useless to hope for anything from God, or to
pray to him. ]
? an nis ? er no resou{n} to han
hopen in god. ne forto p{re}ien to god.
[Sidenote: For why should men do either, when all they can desire
is irreversibly predestined? ]
? For what
sholde any wy? t hopen to god. or whi sholde he p{re}ien
to god. syn ? at ? e ordenaunce of destine whiche ? at ne 4584
may nat ben enclined. knytte? {and} streini? alle ? inges
? at men may desire{n}.
[Sidenote: Hope and prayer being thus ineffectual, all intercourse
is cut off between God and man. ]
? ? an sholde ? ere be don awey
? ilke oonly alliaunce bytwixen god {and} men. ? at is to
seien to hopen {and} to p{re}ien.
[Sidenote: By reverent and humble supplication we earn divine
grace, a most inestimable favour, and are able to associate with
the Deity, and to unite ourselves to the inaccessible light. ]
but by ? e p{re}is of ry? tfulnesse 4588
{and} of veray mekenesse we deserue ? e gerdou{n}
of ? e deuyne grace whiche ? at is inestimable. ? at is to
sein ? at it is so grete ? at it ne may nat ben ful yp{re}ised.
{and} ? is is oonly ? e manere. ? at is to seyen hope {and} 4592
prayeres. for whiche it seme? ? at [men] mowen speken
wi? god. {and} by resou{n} of supplicac{i}ou{n}
ben conioigned [[pg 159]]
to ? ilk clernesse ?
at nis nat app{ro}ched no ra? er or
? at men byseken it {and} emp{re}nten it.
[Sidenote: If men believe that hope and prayer have no power
because of the necessity of future events, by what other way can
we be united, and hold fast to the sovereign Lord of all things? ]
And yif men 4596
ne wene [nat] ? at [hope] ne p{re}iers ne han no streng? es.
by ? e necessite of ? inges to comen y-resceiued. what
? i{n}g is ? er ? an by whiche we mowen be co{n}ioygned
{and} clyuen to ? ilke souereyne p{r}ince of ? inges.
[Sidenote: Wherefore mankind must be dissevered and disunited from
the source of its existence, and shrink from its beginning. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 36. ]]
? For 4600
whiche it byhoue? by necessite ? at ? e lynage of mankynde
as *? ou songe a litel here byforne ben dep{ar}ted
{and} vnioyned from hys welle {and} faylen of hys bygynnynge.
? at is to seien god. 4604
[Linenotes:
4558 _medes of_--Meedes to
4560 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
4562 _al? er worste whiche_--alderworst which
4563 _nowe_--MS. newe, C. now
_al? er moste iuste_--alder moost Iust
_moste_--most
4565-67 _good[e]_--goode
4566 _wille_--wil
[_ne_]--from C.
4571 _wi? oute_--w{i}t{h}-owten
4573 _? ou? t_--thoght
4574 _yledd_--MS. yledde, C. yled
4575 _come? _--comth
4577 _done_--doon
4578 _mak[er]e_--maker{e}
4579 _au? t[e]_--owhte
4584 _whiche_--which
4588 _preis_--prys
_ry? tfulnesse_--Rihtwessenesse
4589 _deserue_--desseruyn
4590 _deuyne_--MS. deuynes, C. dyuyne
4590-93 _whiche_--which
4591 _grete_--gret
4593 [_men_]--from C.
_speken_--speke
4595 _? ilk_--thilke
4596 _emprenten_--impetrent
4597 [_nat_]--from C.
[_hope_]--from C.
4601 _whiche_--which
4602 _byforne_--by-forn]
[Headnote:
THE UNKNOWN CANNOT BE DESIRED. ]
QUE NAM DISCORS
[Sidenote: [The . 3^de. Met{ur}. ]]
[Sidenote: Say what discordant cause looses the bonds of things? ]
++What discordable cause ha? to-rent {and} vnioigned ? e
byndyng or ? e alliaunce of ? inges. ? at is to seyne
? e coniuncc{i}ou{n} of god {and} of man.
[Sidenote: What power doth make these two great truths (_i. e. _
Providence and Free-will) contend, which when separate are plain
and clear, but united appear dark and perplexed? ]
? whiche god
ha? establissed so grete bataile bitwixe{n} ? ise two so? efast 4608
or verray ? inges. ? at is to sein bytwixen ? e p{ur}ueaunce
of god {and} fre wille. ? at ? ei ben synguler {and}
diuided. ne ? at ? ei ne wolen nat ben medeled ne
coupled to-gidre. but ? er nis no discorde to [tho] verray 4612
? inges. but ? ei cleuen certeyne al wey to hem self.
[Sidenote: The mind of man encumbered by the earthly body, can
never, with her cloudy sight, discover the subtle and close bonds
of things. ]
but ? e ? ou? t of man co{n}founded {and} ouer? rowen by ? e dirke
membris of ? e body ne may nat by fir of his dirk[ed]
lokynge. ? at is to seyn by ? e vigo{ur} of hys insy? t while 4616
? e soule is in ? e body knowen ? e ? inne subtil knyttynges
of ? inges.
[Sidenote: But why does man burn with ardour to learn the hidden
notes of truth? ]
? But wherfore eschaufi? it so by so
grete loue to fynden ? ilke note[s] of so? e y-cou{er}ed. (_glosa_)
? at is to sein wherfore eschaufi? ? e ? ou? t of man by so 4620
grete desir to knowen ? ilke notificac{i}ou{n}s ? at ben yhidd
vndir ? e couerto{ur}s of so? e.
[Sidenote: Why gropes he for he knows not what? None seek to know
what is known. ]
woot it ou? t ? ilke ? inges
? at it anguissous desire? to knowe. as who sei? nay. [[pg 160]]
? For no man ne trauaile? forto witen ? inges ? at he woot. 4624
{and} ? erfore ? e texte sei? ? us. ? [_Glosa_] Si eni{m} a{n}i{m}a
ignorat istas subtiles co{n}nexiones. r{espo}nde. vn{de} est
q{uo}d desiderat scire cu{m} nil ignotu{m} possit desiderare.
? But who traua[i]le? to wyten ? inges y-knowe.
[Sidenote: If he knows them not, what does he so blindly seek? ]
and yif 4628
? at he ne knowe? hem nat. what seki? ? ilke blynde
? ou? t.
[Sidenote: Who wishes for things he hath never known? ]
what is he ? at desire? any ? inge of whiche he
woot ry? t nat. as who sei? who so desiri? any ? ing
nedis som what he knowe? of it. or ellys he ne cou? e 4632
nat desire it. or who may folwen ? inges ? at ne ben nat
ywist
[Sidenote: Or if he seek, where shall he find them? Or if he find,
how shall he be sure that he has found what he sought for? ]
? and ? ou? [? {a}t] he seke ? o ? inges where shal
he fynde{n} hem. what wy? t ? at is al vnknowynge {and}
ignoraunt may knowe ? e forme ? at is yfounde.
[Sidenote: The pure soul that sees the divine thought, knows all
the secret chains of things. ]
? But 4636
whan ? e soule byholde? {and} see? ? e heye ? ou? t. ? at is
to seyn god. ? an knowe? it to-gidre ? e so{m}me {and} ? e
singularites. ?
