nat of
ymaginac{i}ou{n}
nor of wit {and} algates ?
Chaucer - Boethius
inge ne may ben comp{re}hendid
by science but certeyne. {and} yif ? o ? inges ? at ne han no certeyne
bytidynges ben ypurueied as certeyn. it sholde ben dirkenesse of
oppiniou{n} nat so? efastnesse of science [{and} ? {o}u weenyst ? {a}t it
be diu{er}se fro the hoolnesse of science / ? {a}t any man sholde deme a
thing to ben oother weys thanne it is it self]. and ? e cause of ? is
errour is. ? at of alle ? e ? inges ? at euery wy? t ha? yknowe. ? ei wenen
? at ? o ? inges ben y-knowe al oonly by ? e streng? e {and} by ? e nature of
? e ? inges ? at ben ywyst or yknowe. {and} it is al ? e contrarie. for alle
? at eu{er}e is yknowe. it is ra? er comp{re}hendid {and} yknowe{n} nat
after his strenge? {and} hys nature. but after ? e faculte ? at is to seyn
? e power {and} [the] nature of hem ? at knowen. {and} for ? at ? is shal
mowe shewen by a short ensample ? e same roundenes of a body . O. o? er
weyes ? e sy? t of ? e eye knowe? it. {and} o? er weyes ? e touchi{n}g. ? e
lokynge by castynge of his bemes waite? {and} see? fro afer alle ? e body
to-gider wi? oute mouynge of it self. but ? e touchinge cliui? {and}
conioigne? to ? e rounde body (orbi) {and} moue? abouten ? e environynge.
{and} comp{re}hendi? by p{ar}ties ? e roundenesse. ? and ? e man hym self
o? er weies wyt byholdi? hym. {and} o? {er}weyes ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and}
o? er weyes resou{n}. {and} o? er weyes intelligence. ? For ? e wit
co{m}p{re}he{n}di? fro wi? outen fur? e ? e figure of ? e body of ? e man.
? at is establissed in ? e matere subiect. But ? e ymaginac{i}ou{n}
[comp{re}hendith only the figur{e} w{i}t{h} owte the mater{e} / Resou{n}
surmou{n}teth ymaginaciou{n}] {and} co{m}p{re}hende? by an vniuersel
lokynge ? e co{mmun}e spece (sp{eci}em) ? at is in ? e singuler peces.
? But ? e eye of intelligence is hey? er for it so{ur}mou{n}te? ? e
envirounynge of ? e vniu{er}site {and} looke? ouer ? at by pure subtilite
of ? ou? t. ? ilk same symple forme of man ? at is p{er}durably in ? e deuyne
? ou? t. in whiche ? is au? t[e] gretely to ben considered ? at ? e heyest
streng? e to co{m}prehenden ? inges enbrace? {and} conteyne? ? e lower[e]
streng? e [but the lower{e} strengthe ne arysith nat in no maner{e} to
heyer{e} strengthe]. for wit ne may no ? inge co{m}p{re}hende oute of
matere. ne ? e ymagynac{i}ou{n} ne loke? nat ? e vniuerseles speces. ne
resou{n} ne take? nat ? e symple forme. so as i{n}telligence take? it.
but ? e intelligence ? at loke? al abouen whan it ha? co{m}p{re}hendid ? e
forme it knowe? {and} deme? alle ? e ? inges ? at be{n} vndir ? at forme.
but she knowe? he{m} vndir ? ilke manere in ? e whiche it comp{re}hendi?
? ilke same symple forme ? at ne may neuer be knowen to non of ? at o? er.
? at is to seyn to non of ? o ? re forseide streng? es of ? e soule. for it
knowe? ? e vniuersite of resou{n} {and} ? e figure of ? e ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
{and} ? e sensible mat{er}ial conseiued. {and} ? ou wenest ? {a}t it be
diuerse fro ? e hoolnesse of science. ? at any man sholde deme a ? ing to
ben o? {er}weyes ? an it is it self {and} ? e cause of ? is erro{ur} {et}c'.
{vt sup}ra. by wit. ne it ne vse? nat nor of resou{n} ne of
ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne of wit wi? oute for? e but it byholde? alle ? inges so
as I shal seye. by a strok of ? ou? t formely wi? oute disco{ur}s or
collac{i}ou{n} ? Certys resou{n} whan it loke? any ? ing vniu{er}sel it
ne vse?
nat of ymaginac{i}ou{n} nor of wit {and} algates ? it [it]
co{m}prendi? ? e ? inges ymaginable {and} sensible. for resou{n} is she
? at diffinisse? ? e vniuersel of hir conseite ry? t ? us. ? Man is a
resonable t[w]o-footid beest. and how so ? at ? is knowynge [is]
vniuersel. ? it nys ? er no wy? t ? at ne woot wel. ? at a ma{n} is [a thing]
ymaginable {and} sensible ? and ? is same co{n}sidere? wel resou{n}. but
? at nis nat by ymaginac{i}ou{n}. nor by witte. but it loki? it by [a]
resonable concepc{i}ou{n}. ? Also ymaginac{i}ou{n} al be it so. ? at it
take? of wit ? e bygyny{n}g{us} to seen {and} to formen ? e figures.
algates al ? ou? ? at wit ne ware not p{re}sent. ? it it envirouni? {and}
co{m}p{re}hendi? alle ? inges sensible. nat by resou{n} sensible of
demynge. but by resou{n} ymaginatif. ? sest ? ou nat ? an ? at alle ? e
? inges in knowynge vsen more of hir faculte or of hir power. ? an ? ei don
of [the] faculte or of power of ? inges ? at ben yknowen. ne ? at nis no
wronge. for so as euery iugement is ? e dede or ? e doynge of hym ? at
deme? . It byhoue? ? at euery wy? t p{er}forme ? e werke {and} hys
entenc{i}ou{n} nat of forein power[;] but of hys propre power.
QUONDAM PORTICUS ATTULIT.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}. ]]
++? E porche ? at is to sein a gate of ? e toune of athenis ? er as
philosophres hadde hir congregac{i}ou{n} to dispoyten. {and} ? ilke
porche brou? t[e] so{m}tyme olde men ful derke in hire sentences. ? {a}t
is to sein philosophers ? at hy? ten stoiciens. ? at wenden ? at ymages
[{and}] sensibilites ? at is to sein sensible ymaginac{i}ou{n}s. or ellys
ymaginac{i}ou{n} of sensible ? inges were{n} i{n}p{re}ntid in to soules
fro bodies wi? oute for? e. ? As who sei? ? at ? ilke stoiciens wenden
? {a}t ? e soule hadde ben naked of it self. as a mirour or a clene
p{ar}chemyn. so ? at alle fygures mosten [fyrst] comen fro ? inges fro wi?
oute in to soules. {and} ben inp{re}ntid in to soules. _Textus. _ Ry? t as
we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen l{ett}res
emp{re}ntid in ? e smo? enesse or in ? e plainesse of ? e table of wex. or
in p{ar}chemyn ? at ne ha? no figure [ne] note in it. _Glosa. _ But now
argui? boece a? eins ? at oppiniou{n} {and} sei? ? us. but yif ? e ? riuyng
soule ne vnpliti? no ? ing. ? at is to sein ne do? no ? ing by hys p{ro}pre
moeuynges. but suffri? {and} lie? subgit to ? e figures {and} to ? e notes
of bodyes wi? oute for? e. {and} ? elde? ymages ydel {and} veyne in ? e
manere of a mirour. whennes ? riue? ? an or whennes come? ? an ? ilke
knowyng in oure soule. ? at discerni? {and} byholde? alle ? inges. and
whennes is ? ilke streng? e ? at byholde? ? e syngulere ? inges. or whennes
is ? e streng? e ? at dyuyde? ? inges yknowe. {and} ? ilke stre{n}g? e ? at
gadere? to-gidre ? e ? inges deuided. {and} ? e streng? e ? at chese? hys
entrechau{n}ged wey for som tyme it heue? vp ? e heued. ? at is to sein
? at it heue? vp ? e ente{n}c{i}ou{n} to ry? t heye ? inges. {and} som tyme
it discendi? in to ry? t lowe ? inges. {and} whan it retourni? in to hym
self. it rep{re}ui? {and} destroie? ? e false ?
by science but certeyne. {and} yif ? o ? inges ? at ne han no certeyne
bytidynges ben ypurueied as certeyn. it sholde ben dirkenesse of
oppiniou{n} nat so? efastnesse of science [{and} ? {o}u weenyst ? {a}t it
be diu{er}se fro the hoolnesse of science / ? {a}t any man sholde deme a
thing to ben oother weys thanne it is it self]. and ? e cause of ? is
errour is. ? at of alle ? e ? inges ? at euery wy? t ha? yknowe. ? ei wenen
? at ? o ? inges ben y-knowe al oonly by ? e streng? e {and} by ? e nature of
? e ? inges ? at ben ywyst or yknowe. {and} it is al ? e contrarie. for alle
? at eu{er}e is yknowe. it is ra? er comp{re}hendid {and} yknowe{n} nat
after his strenge? {and} hys nature. but after ? e faculte ? at is to seyn
? e power {and} [the] nature of hem ? at knowen. {and} for ? at ? is shal
mowe shewen by a short ensample ? e same roundenes of a body . O. o? er
weyes ? e sy? t of ? e eye knowe? it. {and} o? er weyes ? e touchi{n}g. ? e
lokynge by castynge of his bemes waite? {and} see? fro afer alle ? e body
to-gider wi? oute mouynge of it self. but ? e touchinge cliui? {and}
conioigne? to ? e rounde body (orbi) {and} moue? abouten ? e environynge.
{and} comp{re}hendi? by p{ar}ties ? e roundenesse. ? and ? e man hym self
o? er weies wyt byholdi? hym. {and} o? {er}weyes ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and}
o? er weyes resou{n}. {and} o? er weyes intelligence. ? For ? e wit
co{m}p{re}he{n}di? fro wi? outen fur? e ? e figure of ? e body of ? e man.
? at is establissed in ? e matere subiect. But ? e ymaginac{i}ou{n}
[comp{re}hendith only the figur{e} w{i}t{h} owte the mater{e} / Resou{n}
surmou{n}teth ymaginaciou{n}] {and} co{m}p{re}hende? by an vniuersel
lokynge ? e co{mmun}e spece (sp{eci}em) ? at is in ? e singuler peces.
? But ? e eye of intelligence is hey? er for it so{ur}mou{n}te? ? e
envirounynge of ? e vniu{er}site {and} looke? ouer ? at by pure subtilite
of ? ou? t. ? ilk same symple forme of man ? at is p{er}durably in ? e deuyne
? ou? t. in whiche ? is au? t[e] gretely to ben considered ? at ? e heyest
streng? e to co{m}prehenden ? inges enbrace? {and} conteyne? ? e lower[e]
streng? e [but the lower{e} strengthe ne arysith nat in no maner{e} to
heyer{e} strengthe]. for wit ne may no ? inge co{m}p{re}hende oute of
matere. ne ? e ymagynac{i}ou{n} ne loke? nat ? e vniuerseles speces. ne
resou{n} ne take? nat ? e symple forme. so as i{n}telligence take? it.
but ? e intelligence ? at loke? al abouen whan it ha? co{m}p{re}hendid ? e
forme it knowe? {and} deme? alle ? e ? inges ? at be{n} vndir ? at forme.
but she knowe? he{m} vndir ? ilke manere in ? e whiche it comp{re}hendi?
? ilke same symple forme ? at ne may neuer be knowen to non of ? at o? er.
? at is to seyn to non of ? o ? re forseide streng? es of ? e soule. for it
knowe? ? e vniuersite of resou{n} {and} ? e figure of ? e ymaginac{i}ou{n}.
{and} ? e sensible mat{er}ial conseiued. {and} ? ou wenest ? {a}t it be
diuerse fro ? e hoolnesse of science. ? at any man sholde deme a ? ing to
ben o? {er}weyes ? an it is it self {and} ? e cause of ? is erro{ur} {et}c'.
{vt sup}ra. by wit. ne it ne vse? nat nor of resou{n} ne of
ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne of wit wi? oute for? e but it byholde? alle ? inges so
as I shal seye. by a strok of ? ou? t formely wi? oute disco{ur}s or
collac{i}ou{n} ? Certys resou{n} whan it loke? any ? ing vniu{er}sel it
ne vse?
nat of ymaginac{i}ou{n} nor of wit {and} algates ? it [it]
co{m}prendi? ? e ? inges ymaginable {and} sensible. for resou{n} is she
? at diffinisse? ? e vniuersel of hir conseite ry? t ? us. ? Man is a
resonable t[w]o-footid beest. and how so ? at ? is knowynge [is]
vniuersel. ? it nys ? er no wy? t ? at ne woot wel. ? at a ma{n} is [a thing]
ymaginable {and} sensible ? and ? is same co{n}sidere? wel resou{n}. but
? at nis nat by ymaginac{i}ou{n}. nor by witte. but it loki? it by [a]
resonable concepc{i}ou{n}. ? Also ymaginac{i}ou{n} al be it so. ? at it
take? of wit ? e bygyny{n}g{us} to seen {and} to formen ? e figures.
algates al ? ou? ? at wit ne ware not p{re}sent. ? it it envirouni? {and}
co{m}p{re}hendi? alle ? inges sensible. nat by resou{n} sensible of
demynge. but by resou{n} ymaginatif. ? sest ? ou nat ? an ? at alle ? e
? inges in knowynge vsen more of hir faculte or of hir power. ? an ? ei don
of [the] faculte or of power of ? inges ? at ben yknowen. ne ? at nis no
wronge. for so as euery iugement is ? e dede or ? e doynge of hym ? at
deme? . It byhoue? ? at euery wy? t p{er}forme ? e werke {and} hys
entenc{i}ou{n} nat of forein power[;] but of hys propre power.
QUONDAM PORTICUS ATTULIT.
[Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}. ]]
++? E porche ? at is to sein a gate of ? e toune of athenis ? er as
philosophres hadde hir congregac{i}ou{n} to dispoyten. {and} ? ilke
porche brou? t[e] so{m}tyme olde men ful derke in hire sentences. ? {a}t
is to sein philosophers ? at hy? ten stoiciens. ? at wenden ? at ymages
[{and}] sensibilites ? at is to sein sensible ymaginac{i}ou{n}s. or ellys
ymaginac{i}ou{n} of sensible ? inges were{n} i{n}p{re}ntid in to soules
fro bodies wi? oute for? e. ? As who sei? ? at ? ilke stoiciens wenden
? {a}t ? e soule hadde ben naked of it self. as a mirour or a clene
p{ar}chemyn. so ? at alle fygures mosten [fyrst] comen fro ? inges fro wi?
oute in to soules. {and} ben inp{re}ntid in to soules. _Textus. _ Ry? t as
we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen l{ett}res
emp{re}ntid in ? e smo? enesse or in ? e plainesse of ? e table of wex. or
in p{ar}chemyn ? at ne ha? no figure [ne] note in it. _Glosa. _ But now
argui? boece a? eins ? at oppiniou{n} {and} sei? ? us. but yif ? e ? riuyng
soule ne vnpliti? no ? ing. ? at is to sein ne do? no ? ing by hys p{ro}pre
moeuynges. but suffri? {and} lie? subgit to ? e figures {and} to ? e notes
of bodyes wi? oute for? e. {and} ? elde? ymages ydel {and} veyne in ? e
manere of a mirour. whennes ? riue? ? an or whennes come? ? an ? ilke
knowyng in oure soule. ? at discerni? {and} byholde? alle ? inges. and
whennes is ? ilke streng? e ? at byholde? ? e syngulere ? inges. or whennes
is ? e streng? e ? at dyuyde? ? inges yknowe. {and} ? ilke stre{n}g? e ? at
gadere? to-gidre ? e ? inges deuided. {and} ? e streng? e ? at chese? hys
entrechau{n}ged wey for som tyme it heue? vp ? e heued. ? at is to sein
? at it heue? vp ? e ente{n}c{i}ou{n} to ry? t heye ? inges. {and} som tyme
it discendi? in to ry? t lowe ? inges. {and} whan it retourni? in to hym
self. it rep{re}ui? {and} destroie? ? e false ?
