Part 64

++ÞE porche þat is to sein a gate of þe toune of athenis þer as philosophres hadde hir congregac{i}ou{n} to dispoyten. {and} þilke porche brouȝt so{m}tyme olde men ful 4828 derke in hire sentences. þ{a}t is to sein philosophers þat hyȝten stoiciens.

þat wenden þat ymages [{and}] sensibilites þat is to sein sensible ymaginac{i}ou{n}s. or ellys ymaginac{i}ou{n} of sensible þinges were{n} i{n}p{re}ntid in to soules 4832 fro bodies wiþ oute forþe. ¶ As who seiþ þat þilke stoiciens wenden þ{a}t þe soule hadde ben naked of it self. as a mirour or a clene p{ar}chemyn. so þat alle fygures mosten [fyrst] comen fro þinges fro wiþ oute in to 4836 soules. {and} ben inp{re}ntid in to soules. Textus. Ryȝt as we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen l{ett}res emp{re}ntid in þe smoþenesse or in þe plainesse of þe table of wex. or in p{ar}chemyn þat ne haþ no figure [[pg 167]] note in it.

Glosa. But now arguiþ boece aȝeins þat 4841 oppiniou{n} {and} seiþ þus. but yif þe þriuyng soule ne vnplitiþ no þing. þat is to sein ne doþ no þing by hys p{ro}pre moeuynges. but suffriþ {and} lieþ subgit to þe 4844 figures {and} to þe notes of bodyes wiþ oute forþe. {and} ȝeldeþ ymages ydel {and} veyne in þe manere of a mirour. whennes þriueþ þan or whennes comeþ þan þilke knowyng in oure soule. þat discerniþ {and} byholdeþ 4848 alle þinges.

and whennes is þilke strengþe þat byholdeþ þe syngulere þinges. or whennes is þe strengþe þat dyuydeþ þinges yknowe. {and} þilke stre{n}gþe þat gadereþ to-gidre þe þinges deuided. {and} þe strengþe þat 4852 cheseþ hys entrechau{n}ged wey for som tyme it heueþ vp þe heued. þat is to sein þat it heueþ vp þe ente{n}c{i}ou{n} to ryȝt heye þinges. {and} som tyme it discendiþ in to ryȝt lowe þinges. {and} whan it retourniþ in to hym 4856 self. it rep{re}uiþ {and} destroieþ þe false þinges by þe trewe þinges.

¶ Certys þis strengþe is cause more efficient {and} mochel more myȝty to seen {and} to knowe þinges. þan þilke cause þat suffriþ and resceyueþ þe 4860 notes {and} þe figures inp{re}ssed in manere of matere

algates þe passiou{n} þat is to seyn þe suffraunce or þe wit i{n} þe quik body goþ byforne excitynge {and} moeuyng þe strengþes of þe þouȝte. ryȝt so as whan þat 4864 clerenesse smyteþ þe eyen {and} moeuiþ hem to seen. or ryȝt so as voys or soune hurtliþ to þe eres {and} co{m}moeuiþ hem to herkne.

þan is þe stre{n}gþe of þe þouȝt ymoeuid {and} excitid {and} clepeþ furþe þe semblable 4868 moeuynges þe speces þat it halt wiþ i{n}ne it self. {and} addiþ þo speces to þe notes {and} to þe þinges wiþ out forþe. {and} medeleþ þe ymages of þinges wiþ out forþe to þe forme yhid wiþ i{n}ne hym self. 4872

Q{UO}D SI IN CORPORIB{US} SENCIEND{IS}.

*QUESTIO.

++But what þat in bodies to be{n} feelid þat is to sein in þe takynge of knowelechinge of bodyly þinges. and al be it so þat þe qualites of bodies þ{a}t ben 4875 obiect fro wiþ oute forþe moeuen {and} entalenten þe instrumentes of þe wittes.

and al be it so þat þe passiou{n} of þe body þat is to seyn þe witte [or the] suffrau{n}ce [goth to-forn the strengthe of the workynge corage / the which passiou{n} or suffraunce] clepiþ furþe þe dede of 4880 þe þouȝt in hym self. {and} moeueþ {and} exiteþ in þis mene while þe formes þ{a}t resten wiþ in forþe. and yif þat i{n} sensible bodies as I haue seid oure corage nis nat ytauȝt or enp{re}ntid by passiou{n} to knowe þise þinges. 4884 but demiþ {and} knoweþ of hys owen strengþe þe passiou{n} or suffrau{n}ce subiect to þe body.

Moche more þan þoo þinges þat ben absolut {and} quit fram alle talentȝ or affecc{i}ou{n}s of bodies. as god or hys aungels ne folwen 4888 nat in discernynge þinges obiect from wiþ oute forþe. but þei accomplissen {and} speden þe dede of hir þouȝt

by þis resou{n}. ¶ þan þere comen many manere knowynges to dyu{er}se {and} differy{n}g substaunces.

for þe wit 4892 of þe body þe whiche witte is naked {and} despoyled of alle oþer knowynges. þilke witte comeþ to bestes þat ne mowen nat moeuen hem self here ne þere. as oystres {and} muscles {and} oþer swiche shelle fysshe of þe see. 4896 þ{a}t cliue{n} {and} ben norissed to roches.

but þe ymaginac{i}ou{n} comeþ to remuable bestes þat seme{n} to han talent to fleen or to desiren any þinge.

but resou{n} is al only to þe lynage of mankynde ryȝt as i{n}telligence is oonly þe 4900 deuyne nature.

of whiche it folweþ þat þilke knowyng is more worþe þan is oþer. syn it knoweþ by hys p{ro}pre nature nat only hys subiect. as who seiþ it ne [[pg 169]] knoweþ nat al oonly þat app{er}teiniþ p{ro}prely to hys 4904 knowynge. but it knoweþ þe subgitȝ of alle oþer knowynges.

but how shal it þan be yif þat wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} stryuen aȝeins resonynge {and} sein þat of þilke vniuersel þinges. þat resou{n} weneþ to seen þat it nis 4908 ryȝt nauȝt.

for wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} seyn þat þat. þat is sensible or ymaginable it ne may nat ben vniuersel. þan is eiþer þe iugement of resou{n} . ne þat þer nis no þinge sensible. or ellys for þat resou{n} woot 4912 wel þat many þinges ben subiect to wit {and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}. þan is þe co{n}sepc{i}ou{n} of resou{n} veyn {and} fals whiche þat lookeþ {and} co{m}p{re}hendiþ. þat þat is sensible {and} synguler as uniuersele.

and ȝif þat resou{n} 4916 wolde answeren aȝein to þise two þat is to sein to wit {and} to ymaginac{i}ou{n}. {and} sein þat soþely she hir self. þat is to seyn þat resou{n} lokeþ {and} comp{re}hendiþ by resou{n} of vniuersalite. boþe þat þat is sensible {and} þat 4920 þat is ymaginable. {and} þat þilke two þat is to seyn wit {and} ymaginac{i}ou{n} ne mowe{n} nat strecchen ne enhaunsen hem self to knowynge of vniuersalite for þat þe knowy{n}g of hem ne may exceden nor so{ur}mou{n}te{n} 4924 þe bodyly figure ¶ Certys of þe knowyng of þinges men auȝten raþer ȝeue credence to þe more stedfast {and} to þe more p{er}fit iugement.

In þis manere stryuynge þan we þat han strengþe of resonynge {and} of ymaginynge 4928 {and} of wit þat is to seyn by resou{n} {and} by ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and} by wit. [{and}] we sholde raþer p{re}ise þe cause of resou{n}. as who seiþ þan þe cause of wit or ymaginac{i}ou{n}.

semblable þinge is it þat þe resou{n} of mankynde 4932 ne weneþ nat þat þe deuyne intelligence byholdeþ or knoweþ þinges to comen. but ryȝt as þe resou{n} of mankynde knoweþ hem.

for þou arguist {and} seist þus. þat yif it ne seme nat to men þat so{m}me þinges han certeyne [[pg 170]] {and} necessarie bytidynges. þei ne mowen nat ben wist 4937 byforn certeynely to bytiden. þa{n} nis no p{re}science of þilke þinges. {and} yif we trowen þat p{re}science ben in þise þinges. þan is þer no þinge þat it ne 4940 bitidiþ by necessite.

but certys yif we myȝte{n} han þe iugeme{n}t of þe deuyne þouȝt as we *ben p{ar}son{er}s of resou{n}. ryȝt so as we han demed. it byhoueþ þat ymaginac{i}ou{n} {and} wit ben byneþe resou{n}. ryȝt so wolde 4944 we deme{n} þat it were ryȝtful þing þat ma{n}s resou{n} auȝt to su{m}mitten it self {and} to ben byneþe þe deuyne þouȝt.

for whiche þat yif we mowen. as who seiþ. þat yif þat we mowe{n} I conseil þat we enhanse vs in 4948 to þe heyȝt of þilke souereyne i{n}telligence. for þere shal resou{n} wel seen þat þat it ne may nat by-holden in it self. and certys þat is þis in what manere þe p{re}science of god seeþ alle þinges c{er}teins {and} difinissed al þouȝ þei 4952 ne han no certein issues or by-tydynges. ne þis is non oppiniou{n} but it is raþer þe simplicite of þe souereyn science þat nis nat enclosed nor yshet wiþi{n}ne no boundes.

QUAM UARIIS FIGURIS.

++ÞE bestes passen by þe erþes by ful dyuerse figures 4956 for so{m}me of hem han hir bodies strauȝt {and} crepe{n} in þe dust {and} drawen after he{m} a t{ra}is or a forghe contynued. þat is to sein as addres or snakes.

and oþer bestes by wandryng lyȝtnesse of hir 4960 wenges beten þe wyndes {and} ouer-swymme{n} þe spaces of þe longe eyer by moist fleenge.