ou maist wel
chaungen
?
Chaucer - Boethius
an mot ?
ilke *?
inge be 5128
by necessite. al ? ou? ? at it ne haue no necessite of hys
owen nature.
[Sidenote: Since God beholds all future events proceeding from
free-will as actually present--these events in relation to Divine
sight are necessary--yet in relation to themselves they are
absolutely free. ]
but certys ? e fut{ur}es ? at bytyden by fredom
of arbitre god see? hem alle to-gidre p{re}sent? . ? ise
? inges ? an [yif] ? ei ben referred to ? e deuyne sy? t. 5132
? an ben ? ei maked necessarie to ? e condic{i}ou{n} of ? e
deuyne knowynge. but certys yif ? ilke ? inges ben considred
by hem self ? ei ben absolut of necessite. {and} ne
forleten nat ne cesen nat of ? e liberte of hire owe{n} 5136
natur{e}.
[Sidenote: All things which God foresees shall surely come to
pass; but some of these things proceed from free-will, which
although they happen,]
? an certys wi? outen doute alle ? e ? ing{us}
shollen be doon whiche ? at god woot by-forn ? at ? ei
ben to comen. but so{m}me of hem comen {and} bitiden of
[free] arbitre or of fre wille. ? at al be it so ? at ? ei bytiden. 5140
[Linenotes:
5121 _condicioun_--from C. , MS. _necessite_
5123 _nau? t_--nat
5125 [_gon ? at_]--from C.
_wille_--wil
5128 _mot_--MS. mote, C. mot
5131 _present? _--p{re}sent
5132 [_yif_]--from C.
_sy? t_--syhte
5137 _wi? outen_--w{i}t{h}-owte
5138 _whiche_--which
5139 _somme_--som
5140 [_free_]--from C. ]
[Headnote:
PROVIDENCE AND HUMAN INTENTIONS. ]
[Sidenote: yet do not thereby change their nature, as before they
happened they had it in their power not to happen. ]
? it algates ne lese ? ei nat hire p{ro}pre nature ne
beynge. by ? e whiche first or ? at ? ei were doon ? ei
hadden power nat to han bitidd.
[Sidenote: But it is a thing of no moment then, whether things are
necessary in their own nature or not, since by the condition of
the Divine knowledge they fell out as if they were necessitated. ]
_Boece. _ what is ? is
to seyn ? a{n} q{uo}d I. ? at ? inges ne ben nat necessarie by 5144
hire p{ro}pre nature. so as ? ei comen in alle maneres in
? e lykenesse of necessite by ? e condic{i}ou{n} of ? e deuyne
science.
[Sidenote: _P. _ The difference is explained in the instances
lately given you, of the man walking, &c. ]
{Ph}ilosoph{ie}. ? is is ? e difference q{uo}d she. ? at
? o ? inges ? at I p{ur}posed[e] ? e a litel here byforn. ? at 5148
is to seyn ? e sonne arysynge {and} ? e man walkynge ? at
? erwhiles ? at ? ilke ? inges ben ydon. ? ei ne my? ten nat
ben vndon.
[Sidenote: The event of the former was necessary before it befell,
whereas that of the latter was altogether free. ]
na? eles ? at oon of hem or it was ydon it
byhoued[e] by necessite ? at it was ydon. but nat ? at 5152
o? {er}. ry? t so it is here ? at ? e ? inges ? at god ha? p{re}sent.
wi? outen doute ? ei shulle ben.
but so{m}me of hem descendi? [[pg 177]]
of ? e nature of ? inges as ? e sonne arysynge.
{and} so{m}me descendi? of ? e power of ? e doers as ? e man 5156
walkynge.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Then I did not go from the truth when I said that
some things referred to the Divine knowledge are necessary, while
considered in themselves they are not under the bond of
necessity. ]
? ? an seide I. no wronge ? at yif ? at ? ise
? inges ben referred to ? e deuyne knowynge ? an ben ? ei
necessarie. {and} yif ? ei ben considered by he{m} selfe ? an
ben ? ei absolut from ? e bonde of necessite.
[Sidenote: In the same way everything that is an object of sense
is _general_ when considered in relation to reason--but particular
when considered by itself. ]
ry? t so [as] 5160
alle ? inges ? at appiere? or shewe? to ? e wittes yif ? ou
referre it to resou{n} it is vniuersel. {and} yif ? ou referre
it or look[e] it to it self. ? an is it sy{n}guler.
[Sidenote: But you may say--If I am able to change my purpose I
can deceive providence by changing that which she hath foreseen I
would do. ]
but now
yif ? ou seist ? us ? {a}t yif it be in my power to chaunge 5164
my p{ur}pose. ? an shal I voide ? e p{ur}ueaunce of god.
whan ? at p{er}auenture I shal han chau{n}ged ? o ? inges
? at he knowe? byforn. ? an shal I answere ? e ? us
[Linenotes:
5141 _ne_ (2)--C. in
5142 _whiche_--which
_were doon_--weeryn Idoon
5143 _bitidd_--MS. bitidde, C. bityd
5148 _purposed[e]_--p{ur}posede
5150 _ydon_--MS. ydone, C. I-doon
_my? ten_--myhte
5151 _vndon_--MS. vndone, C. vndoon
5151-2 _ydon_--MS. ydone, C. I-doon
5152 _byhoued[e]_--houyd
5153 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
5154 _wi? outen_--with-owte
_shulle_--shollen
5156 _doers_--doeres
5157 _wronge_--wrong
5159 _selfe_--self
5160 _from_--fro
_bonde_--bond
[_as_]--from C.
5163 _look[e]_--loke
5166 _? o_--the]
[Headnote:
GOD'S KNOWLEDGE FIXED AND UNCHANGED. ]
[Sidenote: _P. _ You may perhaps alter your purpose--but as
providence takes note of your intentions, you cannot deceive her;
for you cannot escape the divine prescience though you have the
power, through a free-will, to vary and diversify your actions. ]
? Certys ?
ou maist wel chaungen ? i p{ur}pos but for as 5168
mochel as ? e p{re}sent so? enesse of ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce
byholde? ? at ? ou mayst chau{n}ge{n} ? i p{ur}pose. {and}
whe? ir ? ou wolt chaunge it or no. {and} whider-ward
? at ? ou tourne it. ? {o}u maist nat eschewen ? e deuyne 5172
p{re}science ry? t as ? ou ne mayst nat fleen ? e sy? t of ? e
p{re}sent eye. al ? ou? ? at ? ou tourne ? i self by ? i fre
wille in to dyu{er}se acc{i}ou{n}.
[Sidenote: But you may say--Shall the divine knowledge be changed
according to the mutability of my disposition, and the
apprehensions of the Deity fluctuated with my changing purposes? ]
? But ? ou mayst seyn
a? eyne how shal it ? an be. shal nat ? e dyuyne science 5176
ben chaunged by my disposic{i}ou{n} whan ? at I wol o
? ing now {and} now an o? er. {and} ? ilke p{re}science ne
seme? it nat to enterchau{n}ge stoundes of knowynges.
as who sei? . ne shal it nat seme to vs ? at ? e deuyne 5180
p{re}science enterchaunge? hys dyuers stoundes of knowynge.
so ? at it knowe so{m}me tyme o ? ing {and} so{m}me tyme
? e contrarie.
[Sidenote: No, indeed! The view of the Deity foreruns every future
event, and brings it back into the presence of his own knowledge,
which does not vary, as you imagine, to conform to your caprices,
but remaining fixed, at once foresees and comprehends all your
changes. ]
? No for so? e. [q{uod} I] for ? e deuyne sy? t
renne? to-forne {and} see? alle fut{ur}es {and} clepe? hem a? ein 5184
{and} reto{ur}ni? hem to ? e p{re}sence of
hys p{ro}pre knowynge. [[pg 178]]
ne he ne entrechaunge? nat [so] as ? ou wenest ? e
stoundes of forknowyng [as] now ? is now ? at. but he
ay dwellynge comi? byforn {and} enbrace? at o strook 5188
alle ? i mutac{i}ou{n}s.
[Sidenote: This faculty of comprehending and seeing all things as
present, God does not receive from the issue of futurities, but
from the simplicity of his own nature. ]
and ? is p{re}sence to co{m}p{re}henden
{and} to sen alle ? inges. god ne ha? nat take{n} it of ? e
bitydynge of ? inges forto come. but of hys p{ro}pre symplicite.
[Linenotes:
5169 _so? enesse_--sothnesse
5170 _chaungen_--chaunge
5173 _sy? t_--syhte
5175 _wille_--wyl
5177 _wol_--wole
5179 _enterchaunge_--MS. enterchau{n}gyng, C. entrechau{n}ge
5181 _hys_--hise
5182 _somme_ (1)--su{m}
_somme_ (2)--som
5183 _sy? t_--syhte
5184 _to-forne_--to-forn
5186 [_so_]--from C.
5187 [_as_]--from C.
5188 _comi? _--comth
5190 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
AN ANSWER TO FORMER OBJECTIONS. ]
[Sidenote: Here, then, is an answer to your former objection--that
it is folly to think that our future actions and events are the
causes of the prescience of God. ]
? and her by is assoiled ? ilke ? ing ? at ? ou 5192
puttest a litel her byforne. ? at is to seyne ? at it is vnwor? i
? inge to seyn ? at oure futures ? euen cause of ? e
science of god
[Sidenote: For the Divine mind, embracing and comprehending all
things by a present knowledge, plans and directs all things and is
not dependent upon futurity. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 41 _b_. ]]
? For c{er}tys *? is streng? e of ? e deuyne
science whiche ? at enbrace? alle ? inge by his p{re}sentarie 5196
knowynge establisse? manere to alle ? i{n}g{us} {and} it
ne awi? nat to lattere ? inges.
[Sidenote: Since no necessity is imposed upon things by the Divine
prescience, there remains to men an inviolable freedom of will. ]
{and} syn ? at ? ise ? inges
ben ? us. ? at is to seyn syn ? at necessite nis nat in
? inges by ? e deuyne p{re}science. ? an is ? er fredom of 5200
arbitre. ? at dwelle? hool {and} vnwemmed to mortal men.
[Sidenote: And those laws are just which assign rewards and
punishments to men possessing free-will. ]
ne ? e lawes ne p{ur}pose nat wikkedly meedes {and} peynes
to ? e willynges of men ? at ben vnbounde {and} quit of
alle necessite.
[Sidenote: Moreover, God, who sits on high, foreknows all things,
and the eternal presence of his knowledge concurs with the future
quality of our actions, dispensing rewards to good and punishments
to evil men. ]
? And god byholder {and} forwiter of 5204
alle ? inges dwelli? aboue {and} ? e p{re}sent eternite of hys
sy? t renne? alwey wi? ? e dyuerse qualite of oure dedes
dispe{n}syng {and} ordeynynge medes to good[e] men. {and}
tourment? to wicked men.
[Sidenote: Nor are our hopes and prayers reposed in, and addressed
to God in vain, which when they are sincere cannot be
inefficacious nor unsuccessful. ]
ne in ydel ne i{n} veyn ne ben 5208
? er nat put in god hope {and} p{ra}yeres. ? at ne mowen
nat ben vnspedful ne wi? oute effect whan ? ei ben ry? tful
[Sidenote: Resist and turn from vice--honour and love virtue,
exalt your mind to God (the truest hope), offer up your prayers
with humility. ]
? wi? stond ? an {and} eschewe ? ou vices. worshippe
{and} loue ? ou vertus. areise ? i corage to ry? tful hoopes. 5212
? elde ? ou humble p{re}iers an hey? e.
[Sidenote: If you are sincere you will feel that you are under an
obligation to lead a good and virtuous life, inasmuch as all your
actions and works are done in the presence of an all-discerning
Judge. ]
grete necessite of
prowesse {and} vertue is encharged {and} comaunded to
? ow yif ? e nil nat dissimulen. ? Syn ? at ? e worchen
{and} doon. ? at is to seyn ? oure dedes {and} ? oure workes 5216
by-fore ? e eyen of ? e Iuge ? at see? {and} deme? alle [[pg 179]]
?
by necessite. al ? ou? ? at it ne haue no necessite of hys
owen nature.
[Sidenote: Since God beholds all future events proceeding from
free-will as actually present--these events in relation to Divine
sight are necessary--yet in relation to themselves they are
absolutely free. ]
but certys ? e fut{ur}es ? at bytyden by fredom
of arbitre god see? hem alle to-gidre p{re}sent? . ? ise
? inges ? an [yif] ? ei ben referred to ? e deuyne sy? t. 5132
? an ben ? ei maked necessarie to ? e condic{i}ou{n} of ? e
deuyne knowynge. but certys yif ? ilke ? inges ben considred
by hem self ? ei ben absolut of necessite. {and} ne
forleten nat ne cesen nat of ? e liberte of hire owe{n} 5136
natur{e}.
[Sidenote: All things which God foresees shall surely come to
pass; but some of these things proceed from free-will, which
although they happen,]
? an certys wi? outen doute alle ? e ? ing{us}
shollen be doon whiche ? at god woot by-forn ? at ? ei
ben to comen. but so{m}me of hem comen {and} bitiden of
[free] arbitre or of fre wille. ? at al be it so ? at ? ei bytiden. 5140
[Linenotes:
5121 _condicioun_--from C. , MS. _necessite_
5123 _nau? t_--nat
5125 [_gon ? at_]--from C.
_wille_--wil
5128 _mot_--MS. mote, C. mot
5131 _present? _--p{re}sent
5132 [_yif_]--from C.
_sy? t_--syhte
5137 _wi? outen_--w{i}t{h}-owte
5138 _whiche_--which
5139 _somme_--som
5140 [_free_]--from C. ]
[Headnote:
PROVIDENCE AND HUMAN INTENTIONS. ]
[Sidenote: yet do not thereby change their nature, as before they
happened they had it in their power not to happen. ]
? it algates ne lese ? ei nat hire p{ro}pre nature ne
beynge. by ? e whiche first or ? at ? ei were doon ? ei
hadden power nat to han bitidd.
[Sidenote: But it is a thing of no moment then, whether things are
necessary in their own nature or not, since by the condition of
the Divine knowledge they fell out as if they were necessitated. ]
_Boece. _ what is ? is
to seyn ? a{n} q{uo}d I. ? at ? inges ne ben nat necessarie by 5144
hire p{ro}pre nature. so as ? ei comen in alle maneres in
? e lykenesse of necessite by ? e condic{i}ou{n} of ? e deuyne
science.
[Sidenote: _P. _ The difference is explained in the instances
lately given you, of the man walking, &c. ]
{Ph}ilosoph{ie}. ? is is ? e difference q{uo}d she. ? at
? o ? inges ? at I p{ur}posed[e] ? e a litel here byforn. ? at 5148
is to seyn ? e sonne arysynge {and} ? e man walkynge ? at
? erwhiles ? at ? ilke ? inges ben ydon. ? ei ne my? ten nat
ben vndon.
[Sidenote: The event of the former was necessary before it befell,
whereas that of the latter was altogether free. ]
na? eles ? at oon of hem or it was ydon it
byhoued[e] by necessite ? at it was ydon. but nat ? at 5152
o? {er}. ry? t so it is here ? at ? e ? inges ? at god ha? p{re}sent.
wi? outen doute ? ei shulle ben.
but so{m}me of hem descendi? [[pg 177]]
of ? e nature of ? inges as ? e sonne arysynge.
{and} so{m}me descendi? of ? e power of ? e doers as ? e man 5156
walkynge.
[Sidenote: _B. _ Then I did not go from the truth when I said that
some things referred to the Divine knowledge are necessary, while
considered in themselves they are not under the bond of
necessity. ]
? ? an seide I. no wronge ? at yif ? at ? ise
? inges ben referred to ? e deuyne knowynge ? an ben ? ei
necessarie. {and} yif ? ei ben considered by he{m} selfe ? an
ben ? ei absolut from ? e bonde of necessite.
[Sidenote: In the same way everything that is an object of sense
is _general_ when considered in relation to reason--but particular
when considered by itself. ]
ry? t so [as] 5160
alle ? inges ? at appiere? or shewe? to ? e wittes yif ? ou
referre it to resou{n} it is vniuersel. {and} yif ? ou referre
it or look[e] it to it self. ? an is it sy{n}guler.
[Sidenote: But you may say--If I am able to change my purpose I
can deceive providence by changing that which she hath foreseen I
would do. ]
but now
yif ? ou seist ? us ? {a}t yif it be in my power to chaunge 5164
my p{ur}pose. ? an shal I voide ? e p{ur}ueaunce of god.
whan ? at p{er}auenture I shal han chau{n}ged ? o ? inges
? at he knowe? byforn. ? an shal I answere ? e ? us
[Linenotes:
5141 _ne_ (2)--C. in
5142 _whiche_--which
_were doon_--weeryn Idoon
5143 _bitidd_--MS. bitidde, C. bityd
5148 _purposed[e]_--p{ur}posede
5150 _ydon_--MS. ydone, C. I-doon
_my? ten_--myhte
5151 _vndon_--MS. vndone, C. vndoon
5151-2 _ydon_--MS. ydone, C. I-doon
5152 _byhoued[e]_--houyd
5153 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
5154 _wi? outen_--with-owte
_shulle_--shollen
5156 _doers_--doeres
5157 _wronge_--wrong
5159 _selfe_--self
5160 _from_--fro
_bonde_--bond
[_as_]--from C.
5163 _look[e]_--loke
5166 _? o_--the]
[Headnote:
GOD'S KNOWLEDGE FIXED AND UNCHANGED. ]
[Sidenote: _P. _ You may perhaps alter your purpose--but as
providence takes note of your intentions, you cannot deceive her;
for you cannot escape the divine prescience though you have the
power, through a free-will, to vary and diversify your actions. ]
? Certys ?
ou maist wel chaungen ? i p{ur}pos but for as 5168
mochel as ? e p{re}sent so? enesse of ? e deuyne p{ur}ueaunce
byholde? ? at ? ou mayst chau{n}ge{n} ? i p{ur}pose. {and}
whe? ir ? ou wolt chaunge it or no. {and} whider-ward
? at ? ou tourne it. ? {o}u maist nat eschewen ? e deuyne 5172
p{re}science ry? t as ? ou ne mayst nat fleen ? e sy? t of ? e
p{re}sent eye. al ? ou? ? at ? ou tourne ? i self by ? i fre
wille in to dyu{er}se acc{i}ou{n}.
[Sidenote: But you may say--Shall the divine knowledge be changed
according to the mutability of my disposition, and the
apprehensions of the Deity fluctuated with my changing purposes? ]
? But ? ou mayst seyn
a? eyne how shal it ? an be. shal nat ? e dyuyne science 5176
ben chaunged by my disposic{i}ou{n} whan ? at I wol o
? ing now {and} now an o? er. {and} ? ilke p{re}science ne
seme? it nat to enterchau{n}ge stoundes of knowynges.
as who sei? . ne shal it nat seme to vs ? at ? e deuyne 5180
p{re}science enterchaunge? hys dyuers stoundes of knowynge.
so ? at it knowe so{m}me tyme o ? ing {and} so{m}me tyme
? e contrarie.
[Sidenote: No, indeed! The view of the Deity foreruns every future
event, and brings it back into the presence of his own knowledge,
which does not vary, as you imagine, to conform to your caprices,
but remaining fixed, at once foresees and comprehends all your
changes. ]
? No for so? e. [q{uod} I] for ? e deuyne sy? t
renne? to-forne {and} see? alle fut{ur}es {and} clepe? hem a? ein 5184
{and} reto{ur}ni? hem to ? e p{re}sence of
hys p{ro}pre knowynge. [[pg 178]]
ne he ne entrechaunge? nat [so] as ? ou wenest ? e
stoundes of forknowyng [as] now ? is now ? at. but he
ay dwellynge comi? byforn {and} enbrace? at o strook 5188
alle ? i mutac{i}ou{n}s.
[Sidenote: This faculty of comprehending and seeing all things as
present, God does not receive from the issue of futurities, but
from the simplicity of his own nature. ]
and ? is p{re}sence to co{m}p{re}henden
{and} to sen alle ? inges. god ne ha? nat take{n} it of ? e
bitydynge of ? inges forto come. but of hys p{ro}pre symplicite.
[Linenotes:
5169 _so? enesse_--sothnesse
5170 _chaungen_--chaunge
5173 _sy? t_--syhte
5175 _wille_--wyl
5177 _wol_--wole
5179 _enterchaunge_--MS. enterchau{n}gyng, C. entrechau{n}ge
5181 _hys_--hise
5182 _somme_ (1)--su{m}
_somme_ (2)--som
5183 _sy? t_--syhte
5184 _to-forne_--to-forn
5186 [_so_]--from C.
5187 [_as_]--from C.
5188 _comi? _--comth
5190 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
AN ANSWER TO FORMER OBJECTIONS. ]
[Sidenote: Here, then, is an answer to your former objection--that
it is folly to think that our future actions and events are the
causes of the prescience of God. ]
? and her by is assoiled ? ilke ? ing ? at ? ou 5192
puttest a litel her byforne. ? at is to seyne ? at it is vnwor? i
? inge to seyn ? at oure futures ? euen cause of ? e
science of god
[Sidenote: For the Divine mind, embracing and comprehending all
things by a present knowledge, plans and directs all things and is
not dependent upon futurity. ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 41 _b_. ]]
? For c{er}tys *? is streng? e of ? e deuyne
science whiche ? at enbrace? alle ? inge by his p{re}sentarie 5196
knowynge establisse? manere to alle ? i{n}g{us} {and} it
ne awi? nat to lattere ? inges.
[Sidenote: Since no necessity is imposed upon things by the Divine
prescience, there remains to men an inviolable freedom of will. ]
{and} syn ? at ? ise ? inges
ben ? us. ? at is to seyn syn ? at necessite nis nat in
? inges by ? e deuyne p{re}science. ? an is ? er fredom of 5200
arbitre. ? at dwelle? hool {and} vnwemmed to mortal men.
[Sidenote: And those laws are just which assign rewards and
punishments to men possessing free-will. ]
ne ? e lawes ne p{ur}pose nat wikkedly meedes {and} peynes
to ? e willynges of men ? at ben vnbounde {and} quit of
alle necessite.
[Sidenote: Moreover, God, who sits on high, foreknows all things,
and the eternal presence of his knowledge concurs with the future
quality of our actions, dispensing rewards to good and punishments
to evil men. ]
? And god byholder {and} forwiter of 5204
alle ? inges dwelli? aboue {and} ? e p{re}sent eternite of hys
sy? t renne? alwey wi? ? e dyuerse qualite of oure dedes
dispe{n}syng {and} ordeynynge medes to good[e] men. {and}
tourment? to wicked men.
[Sidenote: Nor are our hopes and prayers reposed in, and addressed
to God in vain, which when they are sincere cannot be
inefficacious nor unsuccessful. ]
ne in ydel ne i{n} veyn ne ben 5208
? er nat put in god hope {and} p{ra}yeres. ? at ne mowen
nat ben vnspedful ne wi? oute effect whan ? ei ben ry? tful
[Sidenote: Resist and turn from vice--honour and love virtue,
exalt your mind to God (the truest hope), offer up your prayers
with humility. ]
? wi? stond ? an {and} eschewe ? ou vices. worshippe
{and} loue ? ou vertus. areise ? i corage to ry? tful hoopes. 5212
? elde ? ou humble p{re}iers an hey? e.
[Sidenote: If you are sincere you will feel that you are under an
obligation to lead a good and virtuous life, inasmuch as all your
actions and works are done in the presence of an all-discerning
Judge. ]
grete necessite of
prowesse {and} vertue is encharged {and} comaunded to
? ow yif ? e nil nat dissimulen. ? Syn ? at ? e worchen
{and} doon. ? at is to seyn ? oure dedes {and} ? oure workes 5216
by-fore ? e eyen of ? e Iuge ? at see? {and} deme? alle [[pg 179]]
?
