[The ferthe Metur.] QUID TANTOS IUUAT.
What deliteþ it ȝow to exciten so grete moewynges of hatredes and to hasten and bisien [the] fatal disposicioun of ȝoure deeþ wiþ ȝoure propre handes. þat is to seyn by batailes or [by] contek. for yif ȝe axen þe deeþ it hastisiþ hym of hys owen wille. ne deeþ ne tarieþ nat hys swifte hors. and [the] men þat þe serpentȝ and þe lyouns. and þe tigre. and þe beere and þe boore seken to sleen wiþ her teþe. ȝit þilke same men seken to sleen eueryche of hem oþer wiþ swerde. loo for her maners ben diuerse and discordaunt ¶ þei moeuen vnryȝtful oostes and cruel batailes. and wilne to perisse by enterchaungynge of dartes. but þe resoun of cruelte nis nat ynouȝ ryȝtful. wilt þou þan ȝelden a couenable gerdoun to þe desertes of men ¶ Loue ryȝtfully goode folk; and haue pite on shrewes.
[The fyfthe prose.] HINC EGO UIDEO INQUAM. ET CETERA.
Þus see I wel quod I. eyþer what blisfulnesse or ellys what vnselinesse is estab[l]issed in þe desertys of goode men and of shrewes. ¶ but in þis ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of goode. and somwhat of yuel. for no wise man haþ nat leuer ben exiled pore and nedy and nameles. þan forto dwellen in hys Citee and flouren of rychesses. and be redoutable by honoure. and stronge of power for in þis wise more clerely and more witnesfully is þe office of wise men ytretid whan þe blisfulnes and [the] pouste of gouernours is as it were yshad amonges poeples þat ben neyȝboures and subgitȝ. syn þat namely prisoun lawe and þise oþer tourmentȝ of lawful peynes ben raþer owed to felonous Citeȝeins. for þe whiche felonous Citeȝeins þo peynes ben establissed. þan for goode folk. ¶ þan I merueile me gretly quod I. whi [þat] þe þinges ben so mys entrechaunged. þat tourmentȝ felounes pressen and confounden goode folk. and shrewes rauyssen medes of vertue and ben in honours. and in grete estatis. and I desire eke to witen of þe. what semeþ þe to ben þe resoun of þis so wrongful a confusioun ¶ For I wolde wondre wel þe lasse yif I trowed[e] þat alle þise þinges were medeled by fortuouse hap. ¶ But now hepeþ and encreseþ myne astonyenge god gouernour of þinges. þat so as god ȝeueþ ofte tymes to good[e] men goodes and myrþes. and to shrewes yuel and aspre þinges. and ȝeueþ aȝeynewarde to goode folk hardnesse. and to shrewes [he] graunteþ hem her wille and þat þei desiren. what difference þan may þer be bitwixen þat þat god doþ. and þe hap of fortune. yif men ne knowe nat þe cause whi þat [it] is. it nis no merueile quod she þouȝ þat men wenen þat þer be somwhat folysche and confus whan þe resoun of þe order is vnknowe. ¶ But alle þouȝ þou ne know nat þe cause of so gret a disposicioun. naþeles for as moche as god þe good[e] gouernour attempreþ and gouerneþ þe world. ne doute þe nat þat alle þinges ne ben doon aryȝt.
[The fyfthe Metur.] SI QUIS ARCTURI SYDERA.
Who so þat ne knowe nat þe sterres of arctour ytourned neye to þe souereyne contre or point. þat is to seyne ytourned neye to þe souereyne pool of þe firmament and woot nat whi þe sterre boetes passeþ or gaderiþ his wey[n]es. and drencheþ his late flaumbes in þe see. and whi þat boetes þe sterre vnfoldiþ his ouer swifte arisynges. þan shal he wondren of þe lawe of þe heye eyre. and eke if þat he ne knowe nat why þat þe hornes of þe ful[le] moene waxen pale and infect by þe boundes of þe derke nyȝt ¶ and how þe moene dirk and confuse discouereþ þe sterres. þat she had[de] ycouered by hir clere visage. þe commune errour moeueþ folk and makiþ wery hir bacines of bras by þikke strookes. þat is to seyne þat þer is a maner poeple þat hyȝt[e] coribandes þat wenen þat whan þe moone is in þe eclips þat it be enchauntid. and þerfore forto rescowe þe moone þei betyn hire basines wiþ þikke strokes. ¶ Ne no man ne wondreþ whan þe blastes of þe wynde chorus betyn þe strondes of þe see by quakynge floodes. ne no man ne wondreþ whan þe weyȝte of þe snowe yhardid by þe colde. is resolued by þe brennynge hete of phebus þe sonne. ¶ For here seen men redyly þe causes. but þe causes yhid þat is to seye in heuene trouble þe brestes of men. ¶ þe moeueable poeple is a-stoned of alle þinges þat comen selde and sodeynely in oure age. but yif þe troubly errour of oure ignorance departid[e] from vs. so þat we wisten þe causes whi þat swiche þinges bitiden. certys þei sholden cesse to seme wondres.
[The syxte prose.] ITA EST INQUAM.
Þvs is it quod I. but so as þou hast ȝeuen or byhyȝt me to vnwrappen þe hidde causes of þinges ¶ and to discoueren me þe resouns couered with dirknesses I preye þe þat þou diuise and Iuge me of þis matere. and þat þou do me to vndrestonden it. ¶ For þis miracle or þis wondre troubleþ me ryȝt gretely. and þan she a litel [what] smylyng seide. ¶ þou clepest me quod she to telle þing. þat is grettest of alle þinges þat mowen ben axed. ¶ And to þe whiche questioun vnneþ[e]s is þere auȝt ynow to lauen it. as who seiþ. vnneþes is þer suffisauntly any þing to answere perfitly to þi questioun. ¶ For þe matere of it is swiche þat whan oon doute is determined and kut awey þer wexen oþer doutes wiþ-outen noumbre. ryȝt as þe heuedes waxen of ydre þe serpent þat hercules slouȝ. ¶ Ne þere ne were no manere ne noon ende. but yif þat a wyȝt constreined[e] þo doutes. by a ryȝt lyuely and a quik fire of þouȝt. þat is to seyn by vigour and strengþe of witte. ¶ For in þis matere men weren wont to maken questiouns of þe simplicite of þe purueaunce of god and of þe ordre of destine. and of sodeyne hap. and of þe knowyng and predestinacioun deuine and of þe lyberte of fre wille. þe whiche þing þou þi self aperceiust wel of what weyȝt þei ben. but for as mochel as þe knowynge of þise þinges is a manere porcioun to þe medicine to þe. al be it so þat I haue lytel tyme to don it. ȝit naþeles I wole enforcen me to shewe somwhat of it. ¶ but al þouȝ þe norissinges of dite of musike deliteþ þe þow most suffren. and forberen a litel of þilk delite while þat I weue (contexo) to þe resouns yknyt by ordre ¶ As it likeþ to þe quod I so do. ¶ þo spak she ryȝt a by an oþer bygynnyn[ge] and seide þus. ¶ þe engendrynge of alle þinges quod she and alle þe progressiouns of muuable nature. and alle þat moeueþ in any manere takiþ hys causes. hys ordre. and hys formes. of þe stablenesse of þe deuyne þouȝt [and thilke deuyne thowht] þat is yset and put in þe toure. þat is to seyne in þe heyȝt of þe simplicite of god. stablisiþ many manere gyses to þinges þat ben to don. ¶ þe whiche manere whan þat men loken it in þilke pure clerenesse of þe deuyne intelligence. it is ycleped purueaunce ¶ but whan þilke manere is referred by men to þinges þat it moeueþ and disponeþ þan of olde men. it was cleped destine. ¶ þe whiche þinges yif þat any wyȝt lokeþ wel in his þouȝt. þe strengþe of þat oon and of þat oþer he shal lyȝtly mowen seen þat þise two þinges ben diuers. ¶ For purueaunce is þilke deuyne resoun þat is establissed in þe souereyne prince of þinges. þe whiche purueaunce disponiþ alle þinges. but destine is þe disposicioun and ordenaunce cleuynge to moeuable þinges. by þe whiche disposicioun þe purueaunce knyteþ alle þinges in hire ordres. ¶ For purueaunce enbraceþ alle þinges to hepe. al þouȝ þat þei ben dyuerse and al þouȝ þei ben wiþ outen fyn. but destynie departeþ and ordeyneþ alle þinges singlerly and diuideþ. in moeuynges. in places. in formes. in tymes. departiþ [as] þus. so þat þe vnfoldyng of temporel ordenaunce assembled and ooned in þe lokyng of þe deuyne þouȝt ¶ Is purueaunce and þilke same assemblynge. and oonyng diuided and vnfolden by tymes. lat þat ben called destine. and al be it so þat þise þinges ben dyuerse. ȝitte naþeles hangeþ þat oon on þat oþer. forwhi þe ordre destinal procediþ of þe simplicite of purueaunce. for ryȝt as a werkman þat aperceiueþ in hys þouȝt þe forme of þe þing þat he wil make moeueþ þe effect of þe werke. and lediþ þat he had[de] loked byforne in hys þouȝt symply and presently by temporel þouȝt. ¶ Certys ryȝt so god disponiþ in hys purueaunce singlerly and stably þe þinges þat ben to done. but he amynistreþ in many maneres and in dyuerse tymes by destyne. þilke same þinges þat he haþ disponed þan wheþir þat destine be excercised. eyþer by somme dyuyne spirites seruaunteȝ to þe deuyne purueaunce. or ellys by somme soule (anima mundi). or ellys by al nature seruynge to god. or ellys by þe celestial moeuyng of sterres. or ellys by þe vertue of aungels. or ellys by þe dyuerse subtilite of deueles. or ellys by any of hem. or ellys by hem alle þe destynal ordynaunce is ywouen or accomplissed. certys it is open þing þat þe purueaunce is an vnmoeueable and symple forme of þinges to done. and þe moeueable bonde and þe temporel ordynaunce of þinges whiche þat þe deuyne simplicite of purueaunce haþ ordeyned to done. þat is destine. For whiche it is þat alle þinges þat ben put vndir destine ben certys subgitȝ to purueaunce. to whiche purueaunce destine it self is subgit and vndir. ¶ But somme þinges ben put vndir purueaunce þat sourmounten þe ordinaunce of destine. and þo ben þilke þat stably ben yficched ney to þe first godhed þei sourmounten þe ordre of destinal moeuablite. ¶ For ryȝt as cercles þat tournen aboute a same Centre or 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 tournen abouten hym. ¶ and þilke þat is outerest compased by 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 þing þat knytteþ and felawshippeþ hym selfe to þilke mydel poynt it is constreyned in to symplicite. þat is to seyn in to [vn]moeueablete. and it ceseth to ben shad and to fletin dyuersly. ¶ Ryȝt so by semblable resoun. þilke þinge þat departiþ firþest fro þe first þouȝt of god. it is vnfolden and summittid 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 seyne god. ¶ and if þe þinge cleueþ to þe stedfastnesse of þe þouȝt of god. and be wiþ oute moeuyng certys it sourmounteþ þe necessite of destyne. þan ryȝt swiche comparisoun as [it] is of skilynge to vndirstondyng and of þing þat is engendred to þing þat is. and of tyme to eternite. and of þe cercle to þe Centre. ryȝt so is þe ordre of moeueable destine to þe stable symplicite of purueaunce. ¶ þilke ordinaunce moeueþ þe heuene and þe sterres and attempreþ þe elymentȝ to gider amonges hem self. and transformeþ hem by enterchaungable mutacioun. ¶ and þilke same ordre neweþ aȝein alle þinges growyng and fallyng a-doune by sembleables progressiouns of seedes and of sexes. þat is to sein. male and female. and þis ilke ordre constreyneþ þe fortunes and þe dedes of men by a bonde of causes nat able to ben vnbounden (indissolubili). þe whiche destinal causes whanne þei passen oute fro þe bygynnynges 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 dwellynge in þe deuyne þouȝt sheweþ furþe þe ordre of causes. vnable to be I-bowed. and þis ordre constreyneþ by hys propre 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 considere þilke ordinaunce. ¶ Naþeles þe propre 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[e] folk nis nat don for yuel þe whiche shrewes as I haue shewed [ful] plentiuously seken goode. but wicked errour mystourniþ hem. ¶ Ne þe ordre comynge fro þe poynt of souereyne goode ne declineþ nat fro hys bygynnynge. but þou mayst sein what vnreste may ben a wors confusioun þan þat goode men han somme tyme aduersite. and somtyme prosperite. ¶ and shrewes also han now þinges þat þei desiren. and now þinges þat þei haten ¶ wheþer men 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 þat it mot nedes ben þat folk ben swiche as þei wenen. but in þis manere þe domes of men discorden. þat þilke men þat somme folk demen worþi of mede. oþer folk demen hem worþi of tourment. but lat vs graunt[e] I pose þat som man may wel demen or knowen þe goode folk and þe badde. May he þan knowen and seen þilke inrest attemperaunce of corages. as it haþ ben wont to be said of bodyes. as who saiþ may a man speken and determine of attemperaunce in corages. as men were wont to demen or speken of complexiouns and attemperaunces of bodies (q’ non). ne it [ne] is nat an vnlyke miracle to hem þat ne knowen it nat. ¶ As who seiþ. but is lyke a merueil or a miracle to hem þat ne knowen it nat. whi þat swete þinges [ben] couenable to some bodies þat ben hool and to some bodies bittre þinges ben couenable. and also whi þat some seke folk ben holpen with lyȝt medicines [and some folk ben holpen with sharppe medicynes] but naþeles þe leche þat knoweþ þe manere and þe attemperaunce 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 of corages but vices. who is ellys kepere of good or dryuere awey of yuel but god gouernour and leecher of þouȝtes. þe whiche god whan he haþ by-holden from þe heye toure of hys purueaunce he knoweþ what is 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 þing [þat] vnknowyng folk ben astoned 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. ¶ þilk man þat þou wenest 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 catoun. 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. but I suppose þat som man be so wel yþewed. 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 whiche he ne may nat wiþholden fortune. ¶ þan þe wise dispensacioun of god spareþ hym þe whiche manere aduersite myȝt[e] enpeyren. ¶ For þat god wil nat suffren hym to trauaile. to whom þat trauayl nis nat couenable. ¶ 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 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 of þe holy man. 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. and god ȝeueþ and departiþ to oþer folk prosp[er]ites and aduersites ymedeled to hepe aftir þe qualite of hire corages and remordiþ som folk by aduersites. for þei ne sholden nat wexen proude by longe welefulnesse. and oþer folk he suffreþ to ben trauayled wiþ harde þinges. ¶ For þat þei sholden conferme þe vertues of corage by þe vsage and exercitacioun of pacience. and oþer folke dreden more þen þei auȝten þe wiche þei myȝt[en] wel beren. and þilke folk god lediþ in to experience of hem self by aspre and sorweful þinges. ¶ And many oþer folk han bouȝt honorable renoune of þis worlde by þe pris of glorious deeþ. and som men þat ne mowen nat ben ouer-comen by tourment han ȝeuen ensample to oþer folk þat vertue ne may nat be ouer-comen by aduersites. ¶ 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 seen þise þinges bitide. ¶ For certys þat aduersite comeþ some tyme to shrewes. and some tyme þat þei desiren it comeþ of þise forseide causes and of sorweful þinges þat bytyden to shrewes. Certys no man ne wondreþ. For alle men wenen þat þei han wel deserued it. 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 tourmentis. ¶ 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. in þe whiche 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. and to þe maladie of hym god puttiþ remedie to ȝiuen hym rychesse. 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 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. to oþer folk is welefulnesse yȝeuen vnworþily þe whiche ouerþroweþ hem in to destruccioun þat þei han deserued. and to som oþer folk is ȝeuen power to punissen. for þat it shal be cause of continuacioun and exercisinge to good[e] folk. and cause of tourment to shrewes. ¶ For so as þer nis none alyaunce bytwixe good[e] folke and shrewes. ne shrewes ne mowen nat accorden amonges hem self and whi nat. for shrewes 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. for whiche þinge þilke souereyne purueaunce haþ maked oft[e] tyme [faire] miracle so þat shrewes han maked oftyme shrewes to ben good[e] men. for whan þat som shrewes seen þat þei suffren wrongfully felonies of oþer shrewes 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. ¶ Certys þis only is þe deuyne myȝt to þe whiche myȝt 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 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. so þat noþing nis leueful to folye in þe realme of þe deuyne purueaunce. as who seiþ no þing nis wiþouten ordinaunce in þe realme of þe deuyne purueaunce. ¶ 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 vnfolden by worde alle þe subtil ordinaunces and disposiciouns of þe deuyne entent. for oonly it auȝt[e] suffice to han loked þat god hym self makere of alle natures ordeyniþ and dressiþ alle þinges to good. while 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 ordre of necessite destinable. 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 I se now þat 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. tak þan þis drauȝt and whan þou art wel refresshed and refet þou shalt ben more stedfast to stye in to heyere questiouns.
[The syxte Metur.] SI UIS CELSI IURA.
Yif þou wolt demen in þi pure þouȝt þe ryȝtes or þe lawes of þe heye þund[ere]re. þat is to seyne of god. loke þou and bihold þe heyȝtes of souereyne heuene. ¶ þere kepen þe sterres by ryȝtful alliaunce of þinges hir olde pees. þe sonne ymoeued by hys rody fire. ne destourbiþ nat þe colde cercle of þe moone. ¶ Ne þe sterre yclepid þe bere. þat encliniþ hys rauyssynge courses abouten þe souereyne heyȝt of þe worlde. ne þe same sterre vrsa nis neuer mo wasshen in þe depe westerne see. ne coueitiþ nat to dyȝen hys flaumbes in þe see of [the] occian. al þouȝ he see oþer sterres yplounged in to þe see. ¶ And hesperus þe sterre bodiþ and telliþ alwey þe late nyȝtes. And lucifer þe sterre bryngeþ aȝeyne þe clere day. ¶ And þus makiþ loue enterchaungeable þe perdurable courses. and þus is discordable bataile yput oute of þe contre of þe sterres. þis accordaunce attempreþ by euene-lyke manere þe elementes. þat þe moyste þinges striuen nat wiþ þe drye þinges. but ȝiuen place by stoundes. and þat þe colde þinges ioynen hem by feiþ to þe hote þinges. and þat þe lyȝt[e] fyre arist in to heyȝte. and þe heuy erþes aualen by her weyȝtes. ¶ by þise same cause þe floury yere ȝeldeþ swote smellys in þe fyrste somer sesoun warmynge. and þe hote somer dryeþ þe cornes. and autumpne comeþ aȝeyne heuy of apples. and þe fletyng reyne bydeweþ þe wynter. þis attemperaunce noryssiþ and brynggeþ furþe al þinge þat brediþ lyfe in þis worlde. ¶ and þilk same attemperaunce rauyssyng hideþ and bynymeþ and drencheþ vndir þe last[e] deþe alle þinges yborn. ¶ Amonges þise þinges sitteþ þe heye makere kyng and lorde. welle and bygynnynge. lawe and wise Iuge. to don equite and gouerniþ and encliniþ þe bridles of þinges. and þo þinges þat he stireþ to don by moeuynge he wiþdraweþ and arestiþ and affermiþ þe moeueable or wandryng þinges. ¶ For ȝif þat he ne clepiþ nat aȝein þe ryȝt goynge of þinges. and ȝif þat he ne constreyned[e] hem nat eftesones in to roundenesse enclined þe þinges þat ben now continued by stable ordinaunce. þei sholde deperten from hir welle. þat is to sein from hir bygynnynge and failen. þat is to sein tournen in to nauȝt. ¶ þis is þe commune loue of alle þinges. and alle þinges axen to be holden by þe fyn of good. For ellys ne myȝten þei nat lasten yif þei ne come nat eftesones aȝeine by loue retourned to þe cause þat haþ ȝeuen hem beynge. þat is to seyn to god.