[Sidenote: So everything that is present to the eye of Providence
must assuredly be, although there is nothing in its own nature to
constitute that necessity.
must assuredly be, although there is nothing in its own nature to
constitute that necessity.
Chaucer - Boethius
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 5088
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} [[pg 175]]
discerne ? at ? at oon is uolu{n}tarie
{and} ? at o? er is necessarie. 5092
[Linenotes:
5066 _shalt_--shal
[_it_]--from C.
5068 _whiche_--which
5074-76 _sy? t_--syhte
5075 _whiche_--which
_? e[i]_--they
5085 _come_--comyn
5086 _of sy? t_--O syhte
5087 _he knowe? _--MS. repeats
5090 [_the_]--from C.
5092 _discerne_--discernen]
[Headnote:
THE NATURE OF DIVINE PRESCIENCE. ]
[Sidenote: The eye of God, seeing all things, doth not alter the
properties of things, for everything is present to him, though its
temporal event is future. ]
? 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. 5096
[Sidenote: When God knows that anything is to be, he knows at the
same time that it is not under the necessity of being--but this is
not conjecture, but certain knowledge founded upon truth. ]
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 5100
whan ? at god knowe? any ? inge to bitide. he woot wel
? at it ne ha? no necessite to bitide.
[Sidenote: If you insist that _what God foresees shall and must
happen; and that which cannot do otherwise than happen, must needs
happen_, and so bind me to admit a necessity, I must confess that
things are under such a restraint; but it is a truth that we
scarce can comprehend, unless we be acquainted with the Divine
counsels. ]
{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 5104
? 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] 5108
seen it or comen ? er-to. but yif ? at he be byholder of ? e
deuyne ? ou? te.
[Sidenote: For I will answer you thus. That the thing which is to
happen in relation to the Divine knowledge is necessary; but,
considered in its own nature, seems free and absolute. ]
? for I wol answer{e} ? e ? us. ? at ? ilke
? inge ? at is future whan it is referred to ? e deuyne 5111
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.
[Sidenote: There are two kinds of necessity--one simple; as men
must necessarily die--the other is conditional, as if you know a
man walks he must necessarily walk--for that which is known cannot
be otherwise than what it is apprehended to be. ]
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 5116
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. 5120
[Linenotes:
5093 [_the_]--from C.
5097 _whiche_--which
5098 _stedfast_--stidefast
_so? enes_--sothnesse
5102 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
5104 _bitide_--bide
5108 _sadde_--sad
_vnne? _--vnnethe
[_mowe_]--from C.
5109 _comen_--come
5110 _? ou? te_--thoght
_answere_--answeren
5113 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen
[_is_]--from C.
5117 _dedely_--dedly
5119 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
PRESCIENCE AND NECESSITY. ]
[Sidenote: But this condition does not infer the absolute
necessity, for the nature of the thing itself does not here
constitute the necessity, but the necessity arises from the
conjunction of the condition. ]
? 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} [[pg 176]]
of ? e condic{i}ou{n} maki? it.
[Sidenote: No necessity compels a man to walk who does so
willingly, but it must be necessary that he walk when he does step
forward. ]
for no necessite ne constreyne? 5124
a man to [gon / ? {a}t] goo? by his p{ro}pre wille. al be it
so ? at whan he goo? ? at it is necessarie ? at he goo? .
[Sidenote: So everything that is present to the eye of Providence
must assuredly be, although there is nothing in its own nature to
constitute that necessity. ]
? Ry? t on ? is same manere ? an. yif ? at ? e p{ur}ueaunce
of god see? any ? ing p{re}sent.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 40. ]]
? 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.
of hys ? ou? t he knowe? ? e ? inges to comen as wel
necessarie as nat necessarie. ry? t so as whan ? e seen togidre 5088
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} [[pg 175]]
discerne ? at ? at oon is uolu{n}tarie
{and} ? at o? er is necessarie. 5092
[Linenotes:
5066 _shalt_--shal
[_it_]--from C.
5068 _whiche_--which
5074-76 _sy? t_--syhte
5075 _whiche_--which
_? e[i]_--they
5085 _come_--comyn
5086 _of sy? t_--O syhte
5087 _he knowe? _--MS. repeats
5090 [_the_]--from C.
5092 _discerne_--discernen]
[Headnote:
THE NATURE OF DIVINE PRESCIENCE. ]
[Sidenote: The eye of God, seeing all things, doth not alter the
properties of things, for everything is present to him, though its
temporal event is future. ]
? 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. 5096
[Sidenote: When God knows that anything is to be, he knows at the
same time that it is not under the necessity of being--but this is
not conjecture, but certain knowledge founded upon truth. ]
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 5100
whan ? at god knowe? any ? inge to bitide. he woot wel
? at it ne ha? no necessite to bitide.
[Sidenote: If you insist that _what God foresees shall and must
happen; and that which cannot do otherwise than happen, must needs
happen_, and so bind me to admit a necessity, I must confess that
things are under such a restraint; but it is a truth that we
scarce can comprehend, unless we be acquainted with the Divine
counsels. ]
{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 5104
? 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] 5108
seen it or comen ? er-to. but yif ? at he be byholder of ? e
deuyne ? ou? te.
[Sidenote: For I will answer you thus. That the thing which is to
happen in relation to the Divine knowledge is necessary; but,
considered in its own nature, seems free and absolute. ]
? for I wol answer{e} ? e ? us. ? at ? ilke
? inge ? at is future whan it is referred to ? e deuyne 5111
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.
[Sidenote: There are two kinds of necessity--one simple; as men
must necessarily die--the other is conditional, as if you know a
man walks he must necessarily walk--for that which is known cannot
be otherwise than what it is apprehended to be. ]
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 5116
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. 5120
[Linenotes:
5093 [_the_]--from C.
5097 _whiche_--which
5098 _stedfast_--stidefast
_so? enes_--sothnesse
5102 _ha? _--MS. ha? e
5104 _bitide_--bide
5108 _sadde_--sad
_vnne? _--vnnethe
[_mowe_]--from C.
5109 _comen_--come
5110 _? ou? te_--thoght
_answere_--answeren
5113 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen
[_is_]--from C.
5117 _dedely_--dedly
5119 _ha? _--MS. ha? e]
[Headnote:
PRESCIENCE AND NECESSITY. ]
[Sidenote: But this condition does not infer the absolute
necessity, for the nature of the thing itself does not here
constitute the necessity, but the necessity arises from the
conjunction of the condition. ]
? 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} [[pg 176]]
of ? e condic{i}ou{n} maki? it.
[Sidenote: No necessity compels a man to walk who does so
willingly, but it must be necessary that he walk when he does step
forward. ]
for no necessite ne constreyne? 5124
a man to [gon / ? {a}t] goo? by his p{ro}pre wille. al be it
so ? at whan he goo? ? at it is necessarie ? at he goo? .
[Sidenote: So everything that is present to the eye of Providence
must assuredly be, although there is nothing in its own nature to
constitute that necessity. ]
? Ry? t on ? is same manere ? an. yif ? at ? e p{ur}ueaunce
of god see? any ? ing p{re}sent.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 40. ]]
? 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.
