e
p{ro}prete
of ?
Chaucer - Boethius
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.
[Sidenote: But since it cannot possess at once the whole extent of
its duration, yet, as it never ceases wholly to be, it faintly
emulates _that_ whose perfection it can neither attain nor
express, by attaching itself to the present fleeting moment,
which, because it resembles the durable present time, imparts to
those things that partake of it an appearance of existence. ]
{and} so as it ne may nat han togidre 5036
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 5040
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 5044
swiche manere ? inges as it bitidi? to ? at it seme? hem
? at ? ise ? inges han ben {and} ben
[Sidenote: But as it cannot stop or abide it pursues its course
through infinite time, and by gliding along it continues its
duration, the plenitude of which it could not comprehend, by
abiding in a permanent state. ]
{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 5048
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.
[Sidenote: If we would follow Plato in giving things their right
names, let us say that God is _eternal_ and the world
_perpetual_. ]
{and} for ? i yif we willen putte wor? i name[s] to ? inges 5052
{and} folwen plato. lat vs seyn ? a{n} so? ely ? at god is
et{er}ne. {and} ? at ? e worlde is p{er}petuel.
[Sidenote: His knowledge, surpassing the progression of time, is
ever present, containing the infinite space of past and future
times, and embraces in his clear insight all things, as if they
were now transacting. ]
? 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 5056
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 [[pg 174]]
dwelli? in ? e symplicite of hys p{re}sence {and} embrace?
{and} considere? alle ? e infinit spaces of tymes 5060
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
[Sidenote: Prescience is, then, a foreknowledge, not of what is to
come, but of the present and _never-failing now_ (in which God
sees all things as if immovably present). ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 39 _b_. ]]
? yif ? ou wolt ? an ? enke {and} avise{n} ? e
p{re}science by whiche it knowe? al[le] ? i{n}ges *? ou ne 5064
shalt nat demen it as p{re}science of ? inges to comen.
[Linenotes:
5032 _lyke_--lyk
5034 [_the_]--from C.
5039 _somde[l]_--somdel
5040 _fulfille_--fullfyllen
5041 _litel_--from C. , MS. lykly
5042 _whiche_--which
_lytele_--from C. , MS. lykly
5046 _ben_ (1)--yben
[_? at_]--from C.
5047 _swiche_--swych
5048 [_it_]--from C.
5051 _my? t[e]_--myhte
5052 _willen putte_--wollen putten
_name[s]_--names
5053 _so? ely_--sothly
5054 _worlde_--world
5055 _owen_--owne
5056 _so? ely_--sothly
5057 _al-wey_--al-weys
5058 _alle_--al
_moe[ue]ment_--moeueme{n}t
5063 _? enke_--thinken
_avisen_--auyse
5064 _whiche_--which
_al[le]_--alle]
[Headnote:
DEFINITION OF PRESCIENCE. ]
but ? ou shalt deme{n} [it] more ry? tfully ? at it is science
of presence or of instaunce ? at neuer ne fayle? .
[Sidenote: Therefore _foreknowledge_ is not so applicable a term
as _providence_--for God looks down upon all things from the
summit of the universe. ]
for whiche it nis nat ycleped p{ro}uidence but it sholde ra? er 5068
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.
[Sidenote: Do you think that God imposes a necessity on things by
beholding them? It is not so in human affairs. ]
whi axest ? ou ? an
or why disputest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilke ? inges ben don by 5072
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.
[Sidenote: Does your view of an action lay any necessity upon it? ]
for addi? ? i byholdynge any necessite to ? ilke 5076
? inges ? at ? ou byholdest p{re}sent.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No. ]
? Nay q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ By parity of reason it is clear that whilst you
see only some things in a limited instant, God sees all things in
his ever-present time. ]
_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}
of mankynde. ry? t so as ? e seen so{m}me ? inges in ? is 5080
temp{or}el presente. ry? t so see? god alle ? inges by hys
eterne p{re}sent.
[Sidenote: His Divine prescience therefore does not change the
nature of things--but only beholds those things as present to him
which shall in time be produced. ]
? 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 5084
shollen bytiden to ? ow ward in tyme to come.
[Sidenote: Nor does he judge confusedly of them, but knows at one
view what will necessarily and what will not necessarily happen. ]
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 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?
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.
[Sidenote: But since it cannot possess at once the whole extent of
its duration, yet, as it never ceases wholly to be, it faintly
emulates _that_ whose perfection it can neither attain nor
express, by attaching itself to the present fleeting moment,
which, because it resembles the durable present time, imparts to
those things that partake of it an appearance of existence. ]
{and} so as it ne may nat han togidre 5036
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 5040
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 5044
swiche manere ? inges as it bitidi? to ? at it seme? hem
? at ? ise ? inges han ben {and} ben
[Sidenote: But as it cannot stop or abide it pursues its course
through infinite time, and by gliding along it continues its
duration, the plenitude of which it could not comprehend, by
abiding in a permanent state. ]
{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 5048
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.
[Sidenote: If we would follow Plato in giving things their right
names, let us say that God is _eternal_ and the world
_perpetual_. ]
{and} for ? i yif we willen putte wor? i name[s] to ? inges 5052
{and} folwen plato. lat vs seyn ? a{n} so? ely ? at god is
et{er}ne. {and} ? at ? e worlde is p{er}petuel.
[Sidenote: His knowledge, surpassing the progression of time, is
ever present, containing the infinite space of past and future
times, and embraces in his clear insight all things, as if they
were now transacting. ]
? 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 5056
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 [[pg 174]]
dwelli? in ? e symplicite of hys p{re}sence {and} embrace?
{and} considere? alle ? e infinit spaces of tymes 5060
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
[Sidenote: Prescience is, then, a foreknowledge, not of what is to
come, but of the present and _never-failing now_ (in which God
sees all things as if immovably present). ]
[Sidenote: [* fol. 39 _b_. ]]
? yif ? ou wolt ? an ? enke {and} avise{n} ? e
p{re}science by whiche it knowe? al[le] ? i{n}ges *? ou ne 5064
shalt nat demen it as p{re}science of ? inges to comen.
[Linenotes:
5032 _lyke_--lyk
5034 [_the_]--from C.
5039 _somde[l]_--somdel
5040 _fulfille_--fullfyllen
5041 _litel_--from C. , MS. lykly
5042 _whiche_--which
_lytele_--from C. , MS. lykly
5046 _ben_ (1)--yben
[_? at_]--from C.
5047 _swiche_--swych
5048 [_it_]--from C.
5051 _my? t[e]_--myhte
5052 _willen putte_--wollen putten
_name[s]_--names
5053 _so? ely_--sothly
5054 _worlde_--world
5055 _owen_--owne
5056 _so? ely_--sothly
5057 _al-wey_--al-weys
5058 _alle_--al
_moe[ue]ment_--moeueme{n}t
5063 _? enke_--thinken
_avisen_--auyse
5064 _whiche_--which
_al[le]_--alle]
[Headnote:
DEFINITION OF PRESCIENCE. ]
but ? ou shalt deme{n} [it] more ry? tfully ? at it is science
of presence or of instaunce ? at neuer ne fayle? .
[Sidenote: Therefore _foreknowledge_ is not so applicable a term
as _providence_--for God looks down upon all things from the
summit of the universe. ]
for whiche it nis nat ycleped p{ro}uidence but it sholde ra? er 5068
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.
[Sidenote: Do you think that God imposes a necessity on things by
beholding them? It is not so in human affairs. ]
whi axest ? ou ? an
or why disputest ? ou ? an ? at ? ilke ? inges ben don by 5072
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.
[Sidenote: Does your view of an action lay any necessity upon it? ]
for addi? ? i byholdynge any necessite to ? ilke 5076
? inges ? at ? ou byholdest p{re}sent.
[Sidenote: _B. _ No. ]
? Nay q{uo}d I.
[Sidenote: _P. _ By parity of reason it is clear that whilst you
see only some things in a limited instant, God sees all things in
his ever-present time. ]
_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}
of mankynde. ry? t so as ? e seen so{m}me ? inges in ? is 5080
temp{or}el presente. ry? t so see? god alle ? inges by hys
eterne p{re}sent.
[Sidenote: His Divine prescience therefore does not change the
nature of things--but only beholds those things as present to him
which shall in time be produced. ]
? 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 5084
shollen bytiden to ? ow ward in tyme to come.
[Sidenote: Nor does he judge confusedly of them, but knows at one
view what will necessarily and what will not necessarily happen. ]
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 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?
