Part 40

¶ And forsoþe but alle þise þi{n}ges ben alle o same þing þei ne han nat wher by þat þei mowen ben 2680 put in þe nou{m}bre of þinges. þat auȝten ben requered or desired. b. ¶ It is shewed q{uo}d .I. ne her of may þer no man douten.

p. þe þinges þan q{uo}d she þat ne ben none goodes whan þei ben diu{er}se. {and} whan þei [[pg 96]] bygynnen to ben al o þing. þan ben þei goodes. ne 2685 comiþ it hem nat þan by þe getynge of unite þat þei ben maked goodes.

b. so it semeþ q{uo}d .I.

but alle þing þat is good q{uo}d she grauntest þou þat it be good by p{ar}ticipac{i}ou{n} 2688 of good or no.

¶ I graunt it q{uo}d .I.

¶ þan mayst þou graunt it q{uo}d she by sembleable resou{n} þat oon {and} good ben o same þing. ¶ For of þinges whiche þat þe effect nis nat naturely diuerse 2692 nedys þe substaunce mot ben o same þinge.

I ne may nat denye it q{uo}d I.

¶ Hast þou nat knowen wel q{uo}d she. þat al þing þat is haþ so longe his dwellyng {and} his substaunce. as longe is it oone. ¶ but wha{n} it 2696 forletiþ to ben oone it mot nedis dien {and} corrumpe togidre.

¶ In whiche manere q{uo}d .I.

¶ Ryȝt as in beestes q{uod} she. whan þe soule {and} þe body ben co{n}ioigned in oon {and} dwellen to-gidre it is cleped a 2700 beest. {and} whan hire vnite is destroied by disseueraunce þat oon fram þ{a}t oþir. þan sheweþ it wel þat it is a dede þi{n}g. {and} þat it is no lenger no beste.

{and} þe body of a wyȝt while it dwelleþ in oon forme by coniuncc{i}ou{n} 2704 of membris it is wel seyn þat it is a figure of mankynde. and yif þe partyes of þe body ben diuide {and} disseuered þat oon fro þat oþir þat þei destroien vnite. þe body forletiþ to ben þat it was byforne. 2708 ¶ And who so wolde renne in þe same manere by alle þinges he sholde seen þat wiþ outen doute euery þinge is in his substaunce as longe as it is oon. {and} whan it forletiþ to ben oon it dieþ {and} p{er}issiþ.

boice. 2712 whan I considre q{uo}d I many þinges I see noon oþ{er}.

¶ Is þer any þing þanne q{uo}d she þat in as moche as it lyueþ naturely. þat forletiþ þe appetit or talent of 2715 hys beynge. {and} desireþ to come to deeþ {and} to corrupc{i}ou{n}. [[pg 97]]

¶ yif I considere q{uod} I þe beestes þat han any manere nature of willy{n}ge or of nillynge I ne fynde no þing. but yif it be constreyned fro wiþ out forþe. þat forletiþ or dispiseþ to lyue {and} to dure{n} 2720 or þat wole his þankes hasten hy{m} to dien. ¶ For euery beest trauayleþ hy{m} to defende {and} kepe þe sauuac{i}ou{n} of lijf. {and} escheweþ deeþ {and} destrucc{i}ou{n}.

b. but certys I doute me of herbes {and} of trees. þat is 2724 to seyn þat I am in a doute of swiche þinges as herbes or trees þat ne han no fely{n}g soule. ne no naturel wirchynges seruy{n}g to appetite as beestes han wheþer þei han appetite to dwelle{n} {and} to duren.

¶ Certis 2728 q{uo}d she ne þer of þar þe nat doute.

¶ Now look vpon þise herbes {and} þise trees. þei waxen firste in swiche place as be{n} couenable to hem. in whiche place þei ne mowen nat sone dien ne dryen as longe as hire 2732 nature may defenden he{m}. ¶ For some of hem waxen in feldes {and} some in mou{n}taignes. {and} oþir waxen i{n} mareis. [A leaf lost here, and supplied from C.] [{and} oothre cleuyn on Roches / {and} soume waxen plentyuos 2736 in sondes / {and} yif þ{a}t any wyht enforce hym to beryn hem in to oother places / they wexen drye //

For natur{e} yeueth to eu{er}y thing þ{a}t / þ{a}t is co{n}uenient to hym {and} trauaylith þ{a}t they ne dye nat as longe as they 2740 han power to dwellyn {and} to lyuen //

what woltow seyn of this / þ{a}t they drawen alle hyr norysshynges by hyr rootes / ryht as they haddyn hyr Mowthes I.-plounged 2743 w{i}t{h} in the erthes / {and} shedyn by hyr maryes (i. medull{as}) hyr wode {and} hyr bark /

{and} what woltow seyn of this þ{a}t thilke thing / þ{a}t is ryht softe as the marye (i. sapp) is / þ{a}t is alwey hidd in the feete al w{i}t{h} inne {and} þ{a}t it is defendid fro w{i}t{h} owte by the stidefastnesse of 2748 wode // {and} þ{a}t the vttereste bark is put ayenis the destemprau{n}ce of the heuene / as a defendowr myhty to suffren [[pg 98]] harm /

{and} thus certes maystow wel sen / how gret is the diligence of natur{e} / For alle thinges renouelen {and} 2752 pupllisen hem w{i}t{h} seed .I.-multiplyed / nether nis no man þ{a}t ne wot wel þ{a}t they ne ben ryht as a foundement {and} edyfice for to duren / nat only for a tyme / but ryht as forto duren p{er}durablely by generacyou{n} //

{and} the thinges ek 2756 þ{a}t men wenen ne hauen none sowles / ne desir{e} they nat ech of hem by semlable resou{n} to kepyn þ{a}t that is hirs / þ{a}t is to seyn þ{a}t is acordynge to hyr natur{e} in conseruaciou{n} of hyr beynge {and} endurynge //

For wher for elles berith 2760 lythnesse the flaumbes vp / {and} the weyhte p{re}sseth the erthe a-dou{n} // but For as moche as thilke places and thilke moeuynges ben couenable to eu{er}ich of hem //

{and} forsothe eu{er}y thing kepith thilke þ{a}t is acordynge 2764 {and} propre to hym // ryht as thinges þ{a}t ben contraryes {and} enemys corompen hem //

{and} yit the harde thinges as stoones clyuen {and} holden hyr partyes to gydere ryht faste {and} harde / {and} deffenden hem in withstondenge 2768 þ{a}t they ne departe nat lyhtly a twyne // {and} the thinges þ{a}t ben softe {and} fletynge as is water {and} Eyr they departyn lyhtly // {and} yeuen place to hem þ{a}t brekyn or deuyden hem // but natheles they retorne{n} 2772 sone ayein in to the same thinges fro whennes they ben arraced //

but fyr [fleetħ] {and} refuseth alle deuysyou{n} /

ne I. ne trete nat heer{e} now of weleful moeuynges of the sowle þ{a}t is knowynge // but of the naturel entenciou{n} 2776 of thinges //

As thus ryht as we swolwe the mete þ{a}t we resseyuen {and} ne thinke nat on it / {and} as we drawen owr{e} breth in slepynge þ{a}t we wite it nat whil we slepyt //