Part 38

{and} eke at þe last se 2520 wel þat o þing þat is diu{er}s from any þing. þat þilke þing nis nat þat same þing. fro whiche it is vndirstonde{n} to ben diu{er}s.

þan folweþ it. þat þilke þi{n}g þat by hys nature is dyuers from souereyne good. þat þat 2524 þing nys nat souereyne good.

but certys þat were a felonous corsednesse to þinken þat of hym. þat no þing nis more worþe.

For alwey of alle þinges. þe nat{ur}e of hem ne may nat ben better þan his bygy{n}nyng. 2528

¶ For whiche I may concluden by ryȝt uerray resou{n}. [[pg 91]] þat þilke þat is bygynnyng of alle þinges. þilke same þing is good in his substaunce.

B. þou hast seid ryȝtfully q{uo}d .I.

P. But we han graunted q{uo}d she þat 2532 souereyne good is blysfulnes. þat is soþe q{uo}d .I. þan q{uo}d she mote we nedes graunten {and} confessen þat þilke same souereyne goode be god.

¶ Certys *q{uo}d .I. I ne may nat denye ne wiþstonde þe resou{n}s p{ur}posed. 2536 and I see wel þat it folweþ by strengþe of þe p{re}misses.

¶ Loke nowe q{uo}d she yif þis be proued more fermely þus. ¶ þat þer ne mowen nat ben two souereyne goodes þat ben diuerse amoges hem 2540 self.

þat on is nat þat þat oþer is. þan mowen neiþer of hem ben p{er}fit. so as eyþer of hem lakkiþ to oþir.

but þat þat nis nat p{er}fit men may seen apertly þat it nis nat souereyne.

þe þinges þan þat ben 2544 souereynely goode ne mowen by no wey ben diuerse.

¶ But I haue wel conclude þat blisfulnesse {and} god ben souereyne goode. For whiche it mot nedes be þat souereyne blisfulnesse is souerey dyuynite. ¶ No 2548 þing q{uo}d I nis more soþefast þan þis ne more ferme by resou{n}. ne a more worþi þing þan god may nat ben concluded.

P. vpon þise þinges þan q{uo}d she. ryȝt as þise geometriens whan þei han shewed her p{ro}posiciou{n}s 2552 ben wont to brynge{n} in þinges þat þei clepen porismes or declarac{i}ou{n}s of forseide þinges. ryȝt so wil I ȝeue þe here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune.

For whi. for as moche as by þe getynge of blisfulnesse men ben 2556 maked blysful. {and} blisfulnesse is diuinite. ¶ þan is it manifest {and} open þat by þe gety{n}g of diuinite men ben makid blisful.

ryȝt as by þe getynge of iustice . . . {and} by þe getyng of sapience þei ben maked wise. 2560

¶ Ryȝt so nedes by þe semblable resou{n} wha{n} þei han getyn [[pg 92]] diuinite þei ben maked goddys.

þan is euery blisful man god. ¶ But certis by nature. þer nys but oon god. but by þe p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n}s of diuinite þere ne letteþ ne 2564 disturbeþ no þing þat þer ne ben many goddes. ¶ þis is q{uo}d .I. a faire þing {and} a p{re}cious. ¶ Clepe it as þ{o}u wolt. be it corolarie or porisme or mede of coroune or declarynges ¶ Certys q{uo}d she no þing nis fairer. 2568 þan is þe þing þat by resou{n} sholde ben added to þise forseide þinges. what þing q{uo}d .I.

¶ So q{uo}d she as it semeþ þat blisfulnesse conteniþ many þinges. it were forto witen wheþir [þ{a}t] alle þise þinges maken or 2572 conioignen as a maner body of blysfulnesse by diuersite of parties or me{m}bris. Or ellys yif any of alle þilke þi{n}g{us} be swyche þat it acomplise by hy{m} self þe substaunce of blisfulnesse. so þat alle þise oþer þinges 2576 ben referred and brouȝt to blisfulnesse. þat is to seyne as to þe chief of hem.

¶ I wolde q{uo}d I þat þou makedest me clerly to vndirstonde what þou seist. {and} þat þou recordest me þe forseide þinges.

¶ Haue I nat 2580 iuged q{uo}d she. þat blisfulnesse is goode. ȝis forsoþe q{uo}d .I. {and} þat souereyne goode. ¶ Adde þan q{uo}d she þilke goode þat is maked blisfulnes to alle þe forseide þinges. ¶ For þilke same blisfulnesse þat is 2584 demed to ben souereyne suffisaunce. þilke self is souereyne power. souereyne reuerence. sou{er}eyne clernesse or noblesse {and} souereyne delit.

what seist þou þan of alle þise þinges. þat is to seyne. suffisance power 2588 {and} þise oþer þinges. ben þei þan as membris of blisfulnesse. or ben þei referred {and} brouȝt to souereyne good. ¶ Ryȝt as alle þinges þat ben brouȝt to þe chief of hem.

b. I vndirstonde wel q{uo}d .I. what þou p{ur}posest to [[pg 93]] seke. but I desijr to herkene þat þou shewe it me. 2593

p. Take now þus þe discressiou{n} of þis questiou{n} q{uo}d she. yif al þise þinges q{uo}d she weren membris to felicite. þan weren þei diu{er}se þat oon fro þat oþer. 2596 ¶ And swiche is þe nat{ur}e of p{ar}ties or of membris. þat dyuerse me{m}bris compounen a body.

¶ Certis q{uo}d I it haþ wel ben shewed her byforne. þat alle þise þinges ben alle on þing. þan ben þei none membris q{uo}d 2600 she.

for ellys it sholde seme þat blisfulnesse were conioigned *al of one membre alone. but þat is a þi{n}g þat may nat ben doon.

þis þing q{uo}d .I. nys nat doutous. but I abide to herkene þe remenaunt of þe 2604 questiou{n}.

þis is ope{n} {and} clere q{uo}d she. þat alle oþer þinges ben referred {and} brouȝt to goode.