[Linenotes: 4437 _harde_--hard 4445 _haþ_--MS. haþ{e} 4446 _whiche_--which 4450 _wille_--wil _whiche_--which þ{a}t 4451 _haþ_--MS. haþe 4453 _stedfast_--stydefast 4454-55 _þinge_--thing 4455 _on_--of 4456 _þilk_--thilke 4458 _whiche_--which 4459 _knot_--knotte 4461 _come_--comyn _haþ_--MS. haþe 4464 _hyd_--MS. hydde, C. hidde 4466 [_nat_]--from C. 4467-8 [_but----yporueyid_]--from C. 4471 _þinges_--thing 4477 _haþ_--MS. haþe 4480-82 _soþe_--soth 4486 _soþe_--sooth 4487 _soþe_--soth 4488 _soþe_--sooth 4489 _soþe comeþ_--sooth comth [_þe_]--from C. 4490 _comune_--MS. comme, C. comune 4493 _come_--comyn 4494 _to_--omitted 4494-95 _purueid_--MS. p{ur}ueide, C. p{ur}ueyid 4498 [_.s._]--from C. 4499 _fredome_--freedom 4500 _wille_--wil 4501 [_certes_]--from C. 4504 _purueiþ_--MS. p{ur}ueiþe [_the_]--from C. 4506 _bitiden_--bytydden _som tyme_--whilom 4509 _o_--a _self_--selue 4510 _þinge_--thing 4511 _þilk[e]_--thilke 4513 _þinge_--thing 4514 _last[e]_--laste 4515 _nys_--is] [Headnote: FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN WILL.] [Sidenote: If, therefore, a thing be so to happen that the event of it is neither necessary nor certain, how can any one foresee what is to happen?] ¶ wher-fore yif any þing be so to comen so þat þe bytydynge of it ne be nat certeyne ne necessarie. ¶ who may weten [byforn] þ{a}t þilke þing is to come. [Sidenote: For as pure knowledge has no element in it of falsehood, so what is comprehended by true knowledge cannot be otherwise than as comprehended.] ¶ For ryȝt as science ne may nat be medelyd wiþ falsnesse. 4520 as who seiþ þat yif I woot a þing. it ne may nat be fals þat I ne woot it. ¶ Ryȝt so þilk þing þat is conceyued by science ne may [nat] ben noon oþ{er} weyes þan [as] it is conceiued. [Sidenote: Hence it is that true knowledge cannot err, because everything must precisely be what true knowledge perceives it to be.] For þat is þe cause 4524 whi þat science wa{n}tiþ lesynge. as who seiþ. whi þat witynge ne receyueþ nat lesynge of þat it woot. ¶ For it byhoueþ by necessite þat euery þi{n}ge [be] ryȝt as science co{m}p{re}hendiþ it to be. [Sidenote: What follows, then? How does God foreknow these uncertain contingencies?] what shal I þan sein. ¶ In 4528 whiche man{er}e knoweþ god byforn þe þinges to comen. ¶ yif þei ne be nat certeyne. [[pg 157]] [Sidenote: For if he thinks that a thing will inevitably happen, which possibly may not, he is deceived--but this is sheer blasphemy.] ¶ For yif þat he deme þat þei ben to comen vneschewably. [Sidenote: [* fol. 35 _b_.]]