Part 54

¶ Certys ryȝt so god disponiþ in hys p{ur}ueaunce singlerly {and} stably þe þinges þat ben to done. but he amynistreþ in many maneres {and} in dyuerse tymes by destyne. þilke same þinges 3892 þat he haþ disponed þan wheþir þat destine be excercised.

eyþer by so{m}me dyuyne spirites seruaunteȝ to þe deuyne p{ur}ueaunce. or ellys by so{m}me soule (a{n}i{m}a mundi). or ellys by al nature seruynge to god. or ellys [[pg 136]] by þe celestial moeuyng of sterres. or ellys by þe vertue 3897 of aungels. or ellys by þe dyuerse subtilite of deueles. or ellys by any of he{m}. or ellys by hem alle þe destynal ordynau{n}ce is ywouen or accomplissed. certys it is open 3900 þing þat þe p{ur}ueaunce is an vnmoeueable {and} symple forme of þinges to done. {and} þe moeueable bonde {and} þe temp{or}el ordynaunce of þinges whiche þat þe deuyne simplicite of p{ur}ueaunce haþ ordeyned to done. þat is 3904 destine.

For whiche it is þat alle þinges þat ben put vndir destine ben certys subgitȝ to p{ur}ueaunce. to whiche p{ur}ueaunce destine it self is subgit {and} vndir.

¶ But so{m}me þinges ben put vndir purueaunce þat 3908 so{ur}mounten þe ordinaunce of destine. {and} þo ben þilke þat stably ben yficched ney to þe first godhed þei so{ur}mou{n}ten þe ordre of destinal moeuablite.

¶ For ryȝt as cercles þat to{ur}nen aboute a same Centre or 3912 about a poynt. þilke cercle þat is inrest or moost wiþ-ynne ioineþ to þe symplesse of þe myddel {and} is as it were a Centre or a poynt to þat oþer cercles þat tourne{n} aboute{n} hym.

¶ and þilke þat is outerest compased by 3916 larger envyronnynge is vnfolden by larger spaces in so mochel as it is forþest fro þe mydel symplicite of þe poynt. and yif þer be any þi{n}g þat knytteþ {and} felawshippeþ hym selfe to þilke mydel poynt it is constreyned 3920 in to symplicite. þat is to seyn in to moeueablete. {and} it ceseth to ben shad {and} to fleti{n} dyuersly.

¶ Ryȝt so by semblable resou{n}. þilke þinge þat dep{ar}tiþ firþest fro þe first þouȝt of god. it is vnfolde{n} {and} su{m}mittid 3924 to grettere bondes of destine.

and in so moche is þe þing more free {and} lovs fro destyne as it axeþ {and} holdeþ hym ner to þilke Centre of þinges. þat is to [[pg 137]] seyne god.

¶ and if þe þinge cleueþ to þe stedfastnesse 3928 of þe þouȝt of god. {and} be wiþ oute moeuyng certys it so{ur}mounteþ þe necessite of destyne.

þan ryȝt swiche comparisou{n} as is of skilynge to vndirstondyng {and} of þing þat is engendred to þing þat is. {and} of tyme to 3932 eternite. {and} of þe cercle to þe Centre. ryȝt so is þe ordre of moeueable destine to þe stable symplicite of p{ur}ueaunce.

¶ þilke ordinaunce moeueþ þe heuene {and} þe sterres {and} attempreþ þe elymentȝ to gider 3936 amonges hem self. {and} t{ra}nsformeþ hem by enterchau{n}gable mutac{i}ou{n}. ¶ and þilke same ordre neweþ aȝein alle þinges growyng {and} fallyng a-doune by sembleables p{ro}gressiou{n}s of seedes {and} of sexes. þat is 3940 to sein. male {and} female.

and þis ilke ordre co{n}streyneþ þe fortunes {and} þe dedes of men by a bonde of causes nat able to ben vnbou{n}den (indissolubili). þe whiche destinal causes whanne þei passen oute fro þe bygynnynges 3944 of þe vnmoeueable purueaunce it mot nedes be þat þei ne be nat mutable.

{and} þus ben þe þinges ful wel ygouerned. yif þat þe symplicite dwelly{n}ge *in þe deuyne þouȝt sheweþ furþe þe ordre of causes. vnable to 3948 be I-bowed. {and} þis ordre constreyneþ by hys p{ro}pre stablete þe moeueable þinges. or ellys þei sholde fleten folily

for whiche it is þat alle þinges semen to be confus {and} trouble to vs men. for we ne mowe nat co{n}sider{e} 3952 þilke ordinaunce. ¶ Naþeles þe p{ro}pre manere of euery þing dressynge hem to goode disponit hem alle.

for þere nis no þinge don for cause of yuel. ne þilke þing þat is don by wicked folk nis nat don for yuel 3956 þe whiche shrewes as I haue shewed plentiuously seken goode. but wicked errour mysto{ur}niþ he{m}.

¶ Ne þe ordre comynge fro þe poynt of souereyne goode ne declineþ nat fro hys bygynnynge.

but þou mayst sein 3960 what vnreste may ben a wors co{n}fusiou{n} þan þ{a}t goode men han so{m}me tyme aduersite. {and} so{m}tyme p{ro}sperite. ¶ and shrewes also han now þinges þat þei desiren.

{and} now þi{n}ges þat þei haten ¶ wheþer men 3964 lyuen now in swiche hoolnesse of þouȝt. as who seiþ. ben men now so wise. þat swiche folk as þei demen to ben goode folk or shrewes þ{a}t it mot nedes ben þat folk ben swiche as þei wenen.

but in þis manere þe domes 3968 of men discorden. þat þilke men þ{a}t so{m}me folk demen worþi of mede. oþer folk demen hem worþi of to{ur}ment.

but lat vs graunt I pose þat som man may wel demen or knowen þe goode folk {and} þe badde.

May he þan 3972 knowen {and} seen þilke inrest attemp{er}aunce of corages. as it haþ ben wont to be said of bodyes. as who saiþ may a man speken {and} determine of attemp{er}aunce in corages. as men were wont to demen or speken of complexiou{n}s 3976 {and} attemp{er}aunces of bodies (q’ non).

ne it is nat an vnlyke miracle to hem þat ne knowe{n} it nat. ¶ As who seiþ. but is lyke a merueil or a miracle to hem þat ne knowe{n} it nat. whi þat swete 3980 þinges couenable to some bodies þat ben hool {and} to some bodies bittre þinges ben couenable. {and} also whi þat some seke folk ben holpen w{i}t{h} lyȝt medicines [{and} some folk ben holpen w{i}t{h} sharppe medicynes] 3984

but naþeles þe leche þ{a}t knoweþ þe manere {and} þe attemp{er}aunce of heele {and} of maladie ne merueileþ of it no þing.

but what oþer þing semeþ hele of corages but bounte {and} prowesse. {and} what oþer þing semeþ maladie 3988 of corages but vices.

who is ellys kep{er}e of good or dryuere awey of yuel but god gouerno{ur} {and} leecher of [[pg 139]] þouȝtes. þe whiche god wha{n} he haþ by-holden from þe heye toure of hys p{ur}ueaunce he knoweþ what is 3992 couenable to euery wyȝt. {and} leneþ hem þat he wot [þat] is couenable to hem.

Loo here of comeþ {and} here of is don þis noble miracle of þe ordre destinal.

whan god þat alle knoweþ doþ swiche þing. of whiche 3996 þing [þat] vnknowyng folk ben astoned

but forto constreine as who seiþ ¶ But forto co{m}prehende {and} telle a fewe þinges of þe deuyne depnesse þe whiche þat mans resou{n} may vnderstonde.