[Sidenote: The assertion that nothing happens but by necessity, must be proved by arguments drawn from causes connected and agreeing with this necessity, and not from signs or foreign causes.] ¶ But certys it is nowe certeyne þat þe preue of þis 4708 susteniþ by stedfast resou{n} ne shal nat ben ladd ne p{ro}ued by signes ne by argumentys ytaken fro wiþ oute. but by causes couenable {and} necessarie ¶ But þou mayst sein how may it be þat þe þinges ne bitiden nat 4712 þat ben ypurueyed to comen. but certys ryȝt as we [[pg 163]] trowen þat þo þinges whiche þat þe p{ur}ueau{n}ce woot byforn to comen. ne ben nat to bitiden. but [þ{a}t] ne sholde we nat demen. but raþer al þouȝ [þat] þei schal bitiden. 4716 ȝit ne haue þei no necessite of hire kynde to bitiden. {and} þis maist þou lyȝtly ap{er}ceyue{n} by þis þat I shal seyn. [Sidenote: We see many things when they are done before our eyes; such as a charioteer driving his chariot, and other things of like nature.] but we seen many þinges whan þei ben don byforn oure eyen ryȝt as men seen þe karter worken in þe 4720 to{ur}nynge {and} in attempryng or in adressy{n}g of hys kartes or chariottes. ¶ and by þis manere as who seiþ mayst þou vnd{er}sto{n}de of alle manere oþir werkeme{n}. [Sidenote: Now, is there any necessity which compels these things to be done?] ¶ Is þere þanne any necessite as who seiþ in oure lokynge 4724 [þ{a}t] constreineþ or compelliþ any of þilke þinges to ben don so. [Sidenote: _B._ No. For if all things were moved by compulsion--the efforts of art would be vain and fruitless.] b. nay q{uo}d I ¶ For in ydel {and} in veyne were alle þe effect of crafte yif þat alle þinges weren moeued by constreynynge. þat is to seyn by constreynynge 4728 of oure eyen or of oure syȝt. [Sidenote: _P._ The things, then, which are done are under no necessity that they should be done; then first before they were done, they were under no necessity of coming to pass; wherefore some things happen, the event of which is unconstrained by necessity.] _P._ þise þi{n}g{us} þan q{uo}d she þat whan men don hem ne han non necessite þat men don hem. eke þo same þinges first or þei be don. þei ben to comen wiþ out necessite. [Sidenote: [* fol. 37.]] for whi 4732 þer ben so{m}me þinges to bytide of whiche þe endys {and} þe bitidynges of hem ben absolut *{and} quit of alle necessite. [Sidenote: These things therefore, although foreknown, have free events: for as the knowledge of present things imposes no necessity upon things which are now done, so neither does the foreknowledge of futurities necessitate the things which are to come.]