[Linenotes: 4774 _fro wiþ outen furþe_--w{i}t{h} owte forth 4776-7 [_comprehendith----ymaginacioun_]--from C. 4777 _comprehendeþ_--MS. co{m}p{re}hendynge 4778 _an_--omitted 4780 _heyȝer_--heyer{e} 4783 _whiche_--which _auȝt[e]_--owhte 4784 _heyest_--heyiste 4785 _lower[e]_--lower{e} 4785-7 [_but----strengthe_]--from C. 4787 _wit_--witte _oute_--owt 4791 _haþ_--MS. haþe 4793 _whiche_--which 4795-6 _non_--none 4796 _strengþes_--thinges 4798-4801 _and þou----vt supra_--omitted 4805 _collacioun_--MS. callac{i}ou{n}, C. collaciou{n} 4806 _wit_--witte 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] [Headnote: HOW OUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUTWARD THINGS IS GAINED.] QUONDAM PORTICUS ATTULIT. [Sidenote: [The 4^the Met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: Fallacious and obscure was the lore of the Stoics,] ++ÞE porche þat is to sein a gate of þe toune of athenis þer as philosophres hadde hir congregac{i}ou{n} to dispoyten. {and} þilke porche brouȝt[e] so{m}tyme olde men ful 4828 derke in hire sentences. þ{a}t is to sein philosophers þat hyȝten stoiciens. [Sidenote: 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 ymaginac{i}ou{n}s. or ellys ymaginac{i}ou{n} of sensible þinges were{n} i{n}p{re}ntid in to soules 4832 fro bodies wiþ oute forþe. ¶ As who seiþ þat þilke stoiciens wenden þ{a}t þe soule hadde ben naked of it self. as a mirour or a clene p{ar}chemyn. so þat alle fygures mosten [fyrst] comen fro þinges fro wiþ oute in to 4836 soules. {and} ben inp{re}ntid in to soules. _Textus._ Ryȝt as we ben wont some tyme by a swift poyntel to ficchen l{ett}res emp{re}ntid in þe smoþenesse or in þe plainesse of þe table of wex. or in p{ar}chemyn þat ne haþ no figure [[pg 167]] [ne] note in it. [Sidenote: 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 4841 oppiniou{n} {and} seiþ þus. but yif þe þriuyng soule ne vnplitiþ no þing. þat is to sein ne doþ no þing by hys p{ro}pre 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.