whan god þat alle knoweþ doþ swiche þing. of whiche [3996]
þing [þat] vnknowyng folk ben astoned But, now let us notice a few things concerning the depth of the Divine knowledge which human reason may comprehend. but forto constreine
as who seiþ ¶ But forto comprehende and telle
a fewe þinges of þe deuyne depnesse þe whiche þat mans
resoun may vnderstonde. The man you deem just, may appear otherwise to the omniscient eye of Providence. ¶ þilk man þat þou wenest [4000]
to ben ryȝt Iuste and ryȝt kepyng of equite. þe contrarie
of þat semeþ to þe deuyne purueaunce þat al woot.
¶ And lucan my familier telleþ þat þe victories cause
liked[e] to þe goddes and causes ouercomen liked[e] to [4004]
catoun. When you see apparent irregularities—unexpected and unwished for—deem them to be rightly done. þan what so euer þou mayst seen þat is don in
þis [world] vnhoped or vnwened. certys it is þe ryȝt[e]
ordre of þinges. but as to þi wicked[e] oppinioun it is a
confusioun. Let us suppose a man so well behaved, as to be approved of God and man—but not endowed with firmness of mind, so that the reverses of fortune will cause him to forgo his probity, since with it he cannot retain his prosperity. but I suppose þat som man be so wel yþewed. [4008]
þat þe deuyne Iugement and þe Iugement of mankynde
accorden hem to gidre of hym. but he is so vnstedfast
of corage [þat] yif any aduersite come to hym he wolde
for-leten perauenture to continue innocence by þe [4012]
whiche he ne may nat wiþholden fortune. A wise Providence, knowing that adversity might destroy this man’s integrity, averts from him that adversity which he is not able to sustain. ¶ þan þe
wise dispensacioun of god spareþ hym þe whiche
[* fol. 31 b.] manere aduersite *myȝt[e] enpeyren. ¶ For þat god
wil nat suffren hym to trauaile. to whom þat trauayl [4016]
nis nat couenable. Another man is thoroughly virtuous, and approaches to the purity of the deity—him Providence deems it an injustice to oppress by adversity, and therefore exempts him even from bodily disease. ¶ An oþer man is perfit in alle
uertues. and is an holy man and neye to god so þat þe
purueaunce of god wolde demen þat it were a felony
þat he were touched wiþ any aduersites. so þat he ne [4020]
wil nat suffre þat swiche a man be moeued wiþ any
manere maladie. ¶ But so as seide a philosophre [the
moore excellent by me]. þe aduersites comen nat (he
seide in grec;) þere þat uertues han edified þe bodie [4024]
of þe holy man. Providence often gives the direction of public affairs to good men, in order to curb and restrain the malice of the wicked. and ofte tyme it bitideþ þat þe
somme of þinges þat ben to don is taken to good folk
to gouerne. for þat þe malice habundaunt of shrewes
sholde ben abatid. To some is given a mixture of good and evil, according to what is most suitable to the dispositions of their minds. and god ȝeueþ and departiþ to oþer [4028]
folk prosp[er]ites and aduersites ymedeled to hepe aftir
þe qualite of hire corages and remordiþ som folk by
aduersites. Upon some are laid moderate afflictions, lest they wax proud by too long a course of prosperity. for þei ne sholden nat wexen proude by
longe welefulnesse. Others suffer great adversities that their virtues may be exercised, and strengthened by the practice of patience. and oþer folk he suffreþ to ben [4032]
trauayled wiþ harde þinges. ¶ For þat þei sholden conferme
þe vertues of corage by þe vsage and exercitacioun
of pacience. Some fear to be afflicted with what they are able to endure. Others despise what they are unable to bear; and God punishes them with calamities, to make them sensible of their presumption. and oþer folke dreden more þen þei auȝten
þe wiche þei myȝt[en] wel beren. and þilke folk god [4036]
lediþ in to experience of hem self by aspre and sorweful
þinges. Many have purchased a great name by a glorious death. ¶ And many oþer folk han bouȝt honorable
renoune of þis worlde by þe pris of glorious deeþ.
Others by their unshaken fortitude, have shown that virtue cannot be overcome by adversity. and som men þat ne mowen nat ben ouer-comen by [4040]
tourment han ȝeuen ensample to oþer folk þat vertue ne
may nat be ouer-comen by aduersites.
The sidenote “Others despise what they are unable to bear” does not correspond to anything in the text. Skeat’s edition includes the phrase “and somme dispyse that they mowe nat beren” (Book IV, Prose 6: Ita Est Inquam).
HOW PROVIDENCE DEALS WITH MANKIND.
These things are done justly, and in order, and are for the good of those to whom they happen. ¶ and of alle
þise þinges þer nis no doute þat þei ne ben don ryȝtfully
and ordeinly to þe profit of hem to whom we [4044]
seen þise þinges bitide. From the same causes it happens, that sometimes adversity and sometimes prosperity falls to the lot of the wicked. ¶ For certys þat aduersite
comeþ some tyme to shrewes. and some tyme þat þei
desiren it comeþ of þise forseide causes None are surprised to see bad men afflicted—they get what they deserve. and of sorweful
þinges þat bytyden to shrewes. Certys no man ne [4048]
wondreþ. For alle men wenen þat þei han wel deserued it.
Their punishment, too, may cause amendment, or deter others from like vices. and þei ben of wicked merite of whiche
shrewes þe tourment som tyme agasteþ oþer to done
folies. and som tyme it amendeþ hem þat suffren þe [4052]
tourmentis. When the wicked enjoy felicity—the good should learn how little these external advantages are to be prized, which may fall to the lot of the most worthless. ¶ And þe prosperite þat is ȝeuen to
shrewes sheweþ a grete argument to good[e] folk what
þing þei sholde demen of þilk wilfulnesse þe whiche
prosperite men seen ofte serue to shrewes. Another reason for dispensing worldly bliss to the wicked is, that indigence would prompt naturally violent and rapacious minds to commit the greatest enormities. in þe whiche [4056]
þing I trowe þat god dispensiþ. for perauenture þe nature
of som man is so ouerþrowyng to yuel and so vncouenable
þat þe nedy pouerte of hys house-hold myȝt[e]
raþer egren hym to done felonies. Their disease God cures by the medicine of money. and to þe maladie [4060]
of hym god puttiþ remedie to ȝiuen hym rychesse. Some men will cease to do wrong for fear, lest their wealth be lost through their crimes. and
som oþer man byholdiþ hys conscience defouled wiþ
synnes and makiþ comparisoun of his fortune and of
hym self ¶ and drediþ perauenture þat hys blisfulnesse [4064]
of whiche þe vsage is ioyful to hym þat þe lesynge of
þilke blisfulnesse ne be nat sorweful to hym. and þerfore
he wol chaunge hys maneres. and for he drediþ
to lese hys fortune. he forletiþ hys wickednesse. Upon others unmerited happiness is conferred, which at last precipitates them into deserved destruction. to [4068]
oþer folk is welefulnesse yȝeuen vnworþily þe whiche
ouerþroweþ hem in to destruccioun þat þei han deserued.
To some there is given the power of chastisement, in order both to exercise the virtues of the good and to punish the wicked. and to som oþer folk is ȝeuen power to
punissen. for þat it shal be cause of continuacioun and [4072]
exercisinge to good[e] folk. and cause of tourment to
shrewes. For as there is no alliance between good and bad, so neither can the vicious agree together. ¶ For so as þer nis none alyaunce bytwixe
good[e] folke and shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat
accorden amonges hem self And how should they? Their vices make them at war with themselves, rending and tearing their consciences, and there is scarce anything they do, but what afterwards they disapprove of. and whi nat. for shrewes [4076]
discorden of hem self by her vices þe whiche vices al to
renden her consciences. and don oft[e] tyme þinges þe
whiche þinges whan þei han don hem. þei demen þat
þo þinges ne sholde nat han ben don. Hence arises a signal miracle brought about by Providence—that evil men have often made wicked men good. for whiche þinge [4080]
þilke souereyne purueaunce haþ maked oft[e] tyme
[faire] miracle so þat shrewes han maked oftyme
shrewes to ben good[e] men. For these latter having suffered injuries from the former, have become virtuous, in order that they might not resemble those whom they so detested. for whan þat som shrewes
[* fol. 32.] *seen þat þei suffren wrongfully felonies of oþer shrewes [4084]
þei wexen eschaufed in to hat[e] of hem þat anoien
hem. and retournen to þe fruit of uertue. when þei
studien to ben vnlyke to hem þat þei han hated.
EVIL IS OVERRULED FOR GOOD.
It is only the Divine power that can turn evil to good, overruling it for his own purposes. ¶ Certys þis only is þe deuyne myȝt to þe whiche myȝt [4088]
yueles ben þan good. whan it vseþ þo yueles couenably
and draweþ out þe effect of any good. as who seiþ þat
yuel is good oonly by þe myȝt of god. for þe myȝt of
god ordeyneþ þilk yuel to good. For oon ordre enbrasiþ [4092]
alle þinges. so þat what wyȝt [þat] departiþ fro
þe resoun of þe ordre whiche þat is assigned to hym.
algates ȝit he slideþ in to an oþer ordre. Nothing occurs by the caprice of chance in the realms of Divine Providence. so þat noþing
nis leueful to folye in þe realme of þe deuyne purueaunce. [4096]
as who seiþ no þing nis wiþouten ordinaunce in
þe realme of þe deuyne purueaunce. Since God is the governor of all things, it is not lawful to man to attempt to comprehend the whole of the Divine economy, or to explain it in words. ¶ Syn þat þe ryȝt
strong[e] god gouerniþ alle þinges in þis worlde for it
nis nat leueful to no man to comprehenden by witte ne [4100]
vnfolden by worde alle þe subtil ordinaunces and disposiciouns
of þe deuyne entent. Let it suffice to know that God orders all things for the best. for oonly it auȝt[e]
suffice to han loked þat god hym self makere of alle
natures ordeyniþ and dressiþ alle þinges to good. And while he retains things created after his own likeness conformably to his goodness, he banishes evil by the cause of destiny out of his empire. while [4104]
þat he hastiþ to wiþhalden þe þinges þat he haþ maked
in to hys semblaunce. þat is to seyn forto wiþholden
þinges in to good. for he hym self is good he chaseþ
oute al yuel of þe boundes of hys communalite by þe [4108]
ordre of necessite destinable. So that those evils which you seem to see are only imaginary. For whiche it folweþ þat
yif þou loke þe purueaunce ordeynynge þe þinges þat
men wenen ben haboundaunt in erþes. þou ne shalt not
seen in no place no þing of yuel. But you are exhausted and weary with the prolixity of my reasoning, and look for relief from the harmony of my verse. ¶ but I se now þat [4112]
þou art charged wiþ þe weyȝte of þe questiou[n] and
wery wiþ lengþe of my resoun. and þat þou abidest som
swetnesse of songe. Take, then, this draught, with which when refreshed, you may more strongly proceed to higher matters. tak þan þis drauȝt and whan þou
art wel refresshed and refet þou shalt ben more stedfast [4116]
to stye in to heyere questiouns.
3823 byhyȝt—by-hyhte
3824 hidde—hyd
3826 preye—preey
diuise—deuyse
3827 do—don