No More Learning

[Linenotes:
3959 _goode_--good
3960 _decline? _--MS. encline? , C. declynyth
3961 _wors_--worse
3962 _somme tyme_--somtyme
3965 _swiche_--swych
3967 _goode_--good
_mot_--moste
3971 _graunt[e]_--graunte
3973 _inrest_--Inneryste
3974 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_said_--MS. saide, C. seyd
3975 _determine_--det{er}minen
3978 [_ne_]--from C.
_vnlyke_--vn-lyk
3979 _lyke_--lik
3981 [_ben_]--from C.
_hool_--hoole
3984 [_and----medicynes_]--from C.
3991 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
3993 _wot_--MS. wote, C. wot
3994 [_? at_]--from C.
3995 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_miracle_--MS. mirache, C. myracle
_ordre_--MS. ordre of]

[Headnote:
GOD THE SOUL'S PHYSICIAN. ]

whan god ? at alle knowe? do? swiche ? ing. of whiche 3996
? ing [? at] vnknowyng folk ben astoned

[Sidenote: But, now let us notice a few things concerning the
depth of the Divine knowledge which human reason may comprehend. ]

but forto constreine
as who sei? ? But forto co{m}prehende {and} telle
a fewe ? inges of ? e deuyne depnesse ? e whiche ? at mans
resou{n} may vnderstonde.

[Sidenote: The man you deem just, may appear otherwise to the
omniscient eye of Providence. ]

? ? ilk man ? at ? ou wenest 4000
to ben ry? t Iuste {and} ry? t kepyng of eq{u}ite. ? e contrarie
of ? at seme? to ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce ? at al woot.
? And lucan my familier telle? ? at ? e victories cause
liked[e] to ? e goddes {and} causes ouercomen liked[e] to 4004
cato{u}n.

[Sidenote: When you see apparent irregularities--unexpected and
unwished for--deem them to be rightly done. ]

? an what so euer ? ou mayst seen ? at is don in
? is [world] vnhoped or vnwened. certys it is ? e ry? t[e]
ordre of ? inges. but as to ? i wicked[e] oppiniou{n} it is a
co{n}fusiou{n}.

[Sidenote: Let us suppose a man so well behaved, as to be approved
of God and man--but not endowed with firmness of mind, so that the
reverses of fortune will cause him to forgo his probity, since
with it he cannot retain his prosperity. ]

but I suppose ? at som man be so wel y? ewed. 4008
? at ? e deuyne Iugement {and} ? e Iugeme{n}t of mankynde
accorden hem to gidre of hym. but he is so vnstedfast
of corage [? at] yif any aduersite come to hym he wolde
for-leten p{er}auenture to continue i{n}nocence by ? e 4012
whiche he ne may nat wi? holden fortune.

[Sidenote: A wise Providence, knowing that adversity might destroy
this man's integrity, averts from him that adversity which he is
not able to sustain. ]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 31 _b_. ]]

? ? an ? e
wise dispensac{i}ou{n} of god spare? hym ? e whiche
man{er}e adu{er}site *my? t[e] enpeyren. ? For ? at god
wil nat suffren hym to trauaile. to whom ? at trauayl 4016
nis nat couenable.

[Sidenote: Another man is thoroughly virtuous, and approaches to
the purity of the deity--him Providence deems it an injustice to
oppress by adversity, and therefore exempts him even from bodily
disease. ]

? An o? {er} man is p{er}fit in alle
uertues. {and} is an holy man {and} neye to god so ? at ? e
p{ur}ueaunce of god wolde demen ? at it were a felony
? at he were touched wi? any aduersites. so ? at he ne 4020
wil nat suffre ? at swiche a man be moeued wi? any [[pg 140]]
manere maladie. ? But so as seide a philosophre [the
moore excellent by me]. ? e adu{er}sites comen nat (he
seide in grec[;]) ? ere ? {a}t uertues han edified ? e bodie 4024
of ? e holy man.

[Sidenote: Providence often gives the direction of public affairs
to good men, in order to curb and restrain the malice of the
wicked. ]

and ofte tyme it bitide? ? at ? e
so{m}me of ? inges ? at ben to don is taken to good folk
to gouerne. for ? at ? e malice habundaunt of shrewes
sholde ben abatid.

[Sidenote: To some is given a mixture of good and evil, according
to what is most suitable to the dispositions of their minds. ]

{and} god ? eue? {and} dep{ar}ti? to o? er 4028
folk p{ro}sp[er]ites {and} aduersites ymedeled to hepe aftir
? e qualite of hire corages {and} remordi? som folk by
adu{er}sites.

[Sidenote: Upon some are laid moderate afflictions, lest they wax
proud by too long a course of prosperity. ]

for ? ei ne sholden nat wexen proude by
longe welefulnesse.

[Sidenote: Others suffer great adversities that their virtues may
be exercised, and strengthened by the practice of patience. ]

{and} o? er folk he suffre? to ben 4032
trauayled wi? harde ? inges. ? For ? at ? ei sholden conferme
? e vertues of corage by ? e vsage {and} ex{er}citac{i}ou{n}
of pacie{n}ce.

[Sidenote: Some fear to be afflicted with what they are able to
endure. Others despise what they are unable to bear; and God
punishes them with calamities, to make them sensible of their
presumption. ]

and o? er folke dreden more ? en ? ei au? ten
? e wiche ? ei my? t[en] wel beren. {and} ? ilke folk god 4036
ledi? in to exp{er}ience of hem self by aspre {and} sorweful
? inges.

[Sidenote: Many have purchased a great name by a glorious death. ]

? And many o? er folk han bou? t honorable
renoune of ? is worlde by ? e pris of glorious dee? .

[Sidenote: Others by their unshaken fortitude, have shown that
virtue cannot be overcome by adversity. ]

and som men ? at ne mowen nat ben ouer-comen by 4040
tourment han ? euen ensample to o? er folk ? at vertue ne
may nat be ouer-comen by aduersites.

[[Transcriber's Note:
The sidenote "Others despise what they are unable to bear" does not
correspond to anything in the text. Skeat's edition includes the
phrase "and somme dispyse that they mowe nat beren" (Book IV,
Prose 6: _Ita Est Inquam_). ]]

[Linenotes:
3996 _alle_--al
_do? _--MS. do? e
_whiche_--which
3997 [_? at_]--from C.
3999 _mans_--mannes
4000 _? ilk_--thilke
4004 _liked[e]_ (_both_)--lykede
4005 _is don_--MS. is to don
4006 [_world_]--from C.
_ry? t[e]_--ryhte
4007 _wicked[e]_--wykkede
4010 _vnstedfast_--vnstydefast
4011 [_? at_]--from C.
_wolde_--wol
4015 _manere_--man
_my? t[e]_--myhte
4016 _wil_--wol
4018 _neye_--negh
4021 _wil_--wol
_swiche_--swych
4022 _manere_--bodyly
4022-3 [_the----me_]--from C.
4023 _? e aduersites----nat_--omitted
4024 _? ere_--omitted
4026 _don_--done
_to_ (2)--MS.
so
_to good----gouerne_--to gou{er}ne to goode folk
4028 _o? er_--oothr{e}
4030 _som_--some
4031 _sholden_--sholde
4033 _conferme_--confermen
4034 _corage_--corages
4036 _my? t[en]_--myhten
4037 _hem_--hym
_sorweful_--sorwful
4038 _o? er_--oothr{e}
4039 _worlde_--world
_of_ (2)--of the
4041 _o? er_--othr{e}]

[Headnote:
HOW PROVIDENCE DEALS WITH MANKIND. ]

[Sidenote: These things are done justly, and in order, and are for
the good of those to whom they happen. ]

? and of alle
? ise ? inges ? er nis no doute ? {a}t ? ei ne ben don ry? tfully
{and} ordeinly to ? e p{ro}fit of hem to whom we 4044
seen ? ise ? inges bitide.

[Sidenote: From the same causes it happens, that sometimes
adversity and sometimes prosperity falls to the lot of the
wicked. ]

? For certys ? at aduersite
come? some tyme to shrewes. {and} some tyme ? at ? ei
desiren it come? of ? ise forseide causes

[Sidenote: None are surprised to see bad men afflicted--they get
what they deserve. ]

{and} of sorweful
? inges ? at bytyden to shrewes. Certys no man ne 4048
wondre? . For alle me{n} wenen ? at ? ei han wel deserued it.

[Sidenote: Their punishment, too, may cause amendment, or deter
others from like vices. ]

{and} ? ei ben of wicked m{er}ite of whiche
shrewes ? e to{ur}ment som tyme agaste? o? er to done [[pg 141]]
folies. {and} som tyme it amende? hem ? at suffren ? e 4052
to{ur}mentis.

[Sidenote: When the wicked enjoy felicity--the good should learn
how little these external advantages are to be prized, which may
fall to the lot of the most worthless. ]

? And ? e p{ro}sp{er}ite ? at is ? euen to
shrewes shewe? a grete argument to good[e] folk what
? ing ? ei sholde demen of ? ilk wilfulnesse ? e whiche
p{ro}sperite men seen ofte serue to shrewes.

[Sidenote: Another reason for dispensing worldly bliss to the
wicked is, that indigence would prompt naturally violent and
rapacious minds to commit the greatest enormities. ]

in ? e whiche 4056
? ing I trowe ? at god dispensi? . for p{er}auenture ? e nature
of som man is so ouer? rowyng to yuel {and} so vncouenable
? at ? e nedy pouerte of hys house-hold my? t[e]
ra? er egren hym to done felonies.

[Sidenote: Their disease God cures by the medicine of money. ]

and to ? e maladie 4060
of hym god putti? remedie to ? iuen hym rychesse.

[Sidenote: Some men will cease to do wrong for fear, lest their
wealth be lost through their crimes. ]

{and} som o? er man byholdi? hys conscience defouled wi?
synnes {and} maki? co{m}parisou{n} of his fortune {and} of
hym self ? and dredi? p{er}auenture ? at hys blisfulnesse 4064
of whiche ? e vsage is ioyful to hym ? at ? e lesynge of
? ilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorweful to hym. {and} ? erfore
he wol chaunge hys maneres. and for he dredi?
to lese hys fortune. he forleti? hys wickednesse. 4068

[Sidenote: Upon others unmerited happiness is conferred, which at
last precipitates them into deserved destruction. ]

to o? er folk is welefulnesse y? eue{n} vnwor? ily ? e whiche
ouer? rowe? hem in to destrucc{i}ou{n} ? at ? ei han deserued.

[Sidenote: To some there is given the power of chastisement, in
order both to exercise the virtues of the good and to punish the
wicked. ]

and to som o? er folk is ? euen power to
punisse{n}. for ? at it shal be cause of continuac{i}ou{n} {and} 4072
ex{er}cisinge to good[e] folk. {and} cause of to{ur}ment to
shrewes.

[Sidenote: For as there is no alliance between good and bad, so
neither can the vicious agree together. ]

? For so as ? er nis none alyaunce bytwixe
good[e] folke {and} shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat
accorde{n} amo{n}ges hem self

[Sidenote: And how should they? Their vices make them at war with
themselves, rending and tearing their consciences, and there is
scarce anything they do, but what afterwards they disapprove of. ]

{and} whi nat. for shrewes 4076
discorde{n} of hem self by her vices ? e whiche vices al to
renden her consciences. {and} don oft[e] tyme ? inges ? e
whiche ? inges whan ? ei han don hem. ? ei demen ? at
? o ? inges ne sholde nat han ben don.

[Sidenote: Hence arises a signal miracle brought about by
Providence--that evil men have often made wicked men good. ]

for whiche ? inge 4080
? ilke souereyne p{ur}ueaunce ha? maked oft[e] tyme
[fair{e}] miracle so ? {a}t shrewes han maked oftyme [[pg 142]]
shrewes to ben good[e] men.

[Sidenote: For these latter having suffered injuries from the
former, have become virtuous, in order that they might not
resemble those whom they so detested. ]

[Sidenote: [* fol. 32. ]]

for whan ? at som shrewes
*seen ? at ? ei suffren wrongfully felonies of o? er shrewes 4084
? ei wexen eschaufed in to hat[e] of hem ? at anoien
hem. {and} retournen to ? e fruit of uertue. when ? ei
studien to ben vnlyke to he{m} ? at ? ei han hated.

[Linenotes:
4046 _come? _--comth
_some_ (_both_)--som
_? at ? ei_--MS. ? ei ? at, C. ? {a}t that they
4047 _come? _--comth
_sorweful_--sorwful
4050 _wicked_--wykkede
_merite_--MS. u{er}ite, C. m{er}yte
4051 _o? er_--oothr{e}
_done_--don
4052 _folies_--felonies
4054 _grete_--gret
_good[e]_--goode
4055 _sholde_--sholden
_? ilk_--thilke
4056 _serue_--seruen
_whiche_--which
4057 _dispensi? _--MS. dispisi? , C. dispensith
4059 _my? t[e]_--myhte
4060 _done_--don
4061 _rychesse_--Rychesses
4065 _whiche_--which
4068 MS. wrongly inserts _welefulnesse_ after _wickednesse_
4069-71 _o? er_--oothr{e}
4073 _good[e]_--goode
4074 _none_--non
4075 _good[e]_--goode
4076 _accorden_--acordy
4078 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_oft[e]_--ofte
4079 _don_--MS. done, C. don
4080 _sholde_--sholden
_whiche ? inge_--which thing
4081 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
_oft[e]_--ofte
4082 [_faire_]--from C.
_oftyme_--omitted
4083 _good[e]_--goode
4085 _hat[e]_--hate
_anoien_--anoyeden
4087 _studien_--omitted
_vnlyke_--vnlyk]

[Headnote:
EVIL IS OVERRULED FOR GOOD. ]

[Sidenote: It is only the Divine power that can turn evil to good,
overruling it for his own purposes. ]

? Certys ? is only is ? e deuyne my? t to ? e whiche my? t 4088
yueles ben ? an good. whan it vse? ? o yueles couenably
{and} drawe? out ? e effect of any good. as who sei? ? at
yuel is good oonly by ? e my? t of god. for ?