4810 [is]—from C.
4813 witte—wit
4821 don—MS. done, C. doon
[the]—from C.
4822 yknowen—Iknowe]
no wronge—nat wrong
4824 werke—werk
4825 forein—foreyne
HOW OUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUTWARD THINGS IS GAINED.
[QUONDAM PORTICUS ATTULIT.]
ÞE porche þat Fallacious and obscure was the lore of the Stoics, is to sein a gate of þe toune of athenis
þer as philosophres hadde hir congregacioun to dispoyten.
and þilke porche brouȝt[e] somtyme olde men ful [4828]
derke in hire sentences. þat is to sein philosophers þat
hyȝten stoiciens. who taught that images of things obvious to the senses were imprinted on the mind by external objects, and that the soul is at first like a mirror or a clean parchment, free from figures and letters. þat wenden þat ymages [and] sensibilites
þat is to sein sensible ymaginaciouns. or ellys ymaginacioun
of sensible þinges weren inprentid in to soules [4832]
fro bodies wiþ oute forþe. ¶ As who seiþ þat þilke
stoiciens wenden þat þe soule hadde ben naked of it
self. as a mirour or a clene parchemyn. so þat alle
fygures mosten [fyrst] comen fro þinges fro wiþ oute in to [4836]
soules. and ben inprentid in to soules. Textus. Ryȝt
as we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen
lettres emprentid in þe smoþenesse or in þe plainesse of
þe table of wex. or in parchemyn þat ne haþ no figure [4840]
[ne] note in it. But if the mind is passive in receiving the impressions of outward objects, whence proceeds the knowledge by which the mind comprehends all things? Glosa. But now arguiþ boece aȝeins þat
oppinioun and seiþ þus. but yif þe þriuyng soule ne
vnplitiþ no þing. þat is to sein ne doþ no þing by hys
propre 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. Whence its force to conceive individual existences, to separate those things when known, to unite divided things, and to choose and change its path, soaring to the highest and descending to the lowest things—and returning to itself, to confute false things by the true? and whennes is þilke strengþe þat
byholdeþ þe syngulere þinges. or whennes is þe strengþe
þat dyuydeþ þinges yknowe. and þilke strengþe þat
gadereþ to-gidre þe þinges deuided. and þe strengþe þat [4852]
cheseþ hys entrechaunged wey for som tyme it heueþ
vp þe heued. þat is to sein þat it heueþ vp þe entencioun
to ryȝt heye þinges. and som tyme it discendiþ in
to ryȝt lowe þinges. and whan it retourniþ in to hym [4856]
self. it repreuiþ and destroieþ þe false þinges by þe
trewe þinges. This cause is more efficacious and powerful to see and to know things, than that cause which receives the characters impressed like servile matter. ¶ 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 inpressed in manere of matere Yet the sense in the living body excites and moves the mental powers; as when the light striking the eyes causes them to see, or as the voice rushing into the ear excites hearing. algates
þe passioun þat is to seyn þe suffraunce or þe wit
in þe quik[e] 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 commoeuiþ
hem to herkne. Then is the force of thought excited; it calls forth the images within itself, and adds to them the outward forms, blending external images with the counterparts concealed within. þan is þe strengþe of þe þouȝt
ymoeuid and excitid and clepeþ furþe þe semblable [4868]
moeuynges þe speces þat it halt wiþ inne 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 inne hym self. [4872]
4827 hadde—hadden
dispoyten—desputen