for whiche it folwiþ þat þis nis non oppiniou{n}. but raþer a stedfast knowyng ystrengeþed by soþenes. þat whan þat god knoweþ any þinge to be he ne vnwoot nat þat þilke þinge wanteþ necessite to be. þis is to seyn þat 5100 whan þat god knoweþ any þinge to bitide. he woot wel þat it ne haþ no necessite to bitide. [Sidenote: If you insist that _what God foresees shall and must happen; and that which cannot do otherwise than happen, must needs happen_, and so bind me to admit a necessity, I must confess that things are under such a restraint; but it is a truth that we scarce can comprehend, unless we be acquainted with the Divine counsels.] {and} yif þ{o}u seist here þat þilke þinge þat god seeþ to bytide it ne may nat vnbytide. as who seiþ it mot bitide. ¶ and þilke 5104 þinge þat þat ne may nat vnbytide it mot bitide by necessite. and þat þou streine me to þis name of necessite. certys I wol wel confessen {and} byknowe a þinge of ful sadde trouþe. but vnneþ shal þere any wyȝt [mowe] 5108 seen it or comen þer-to. but yif þat he be byholder of þe deuyne þouȝte. [Sidenote: For I will answer you thus. That the thing which is to happen in relation to the Divine knowledge is necessary; but, considered in its own nature, seems free and absolute.] ¶ for I wol answer{e} þe þus. þat þilke þinge þat is future whan it is referred to þe deuyne 5111 knowy{n}g þan is it necessarie. but certys whan it is vndirstonden in hys owen kynde me{n} sen it [is] vtterly fre {and} absolut from alle necessite. [Sidenote: There are two kinds of necessity--one simple; as men must necessarily die--the other is conditional, as if you know a man walks he must necessarily walk--for that which is known cannot be otherwise than what it is apprehended to be.] for certys þer ben two maneres of necessites. þat oon necessite is symple as þus. þat it byhoueþ by necessite þat alle men be mortal 5116 or dedely. an oþ{er} necessite is condicionel as þus. yif þou wost þat a man walkiþ. it byhoueþ by necessite þat he walke. þilke þinge þan þat any wyȝt haþ yknowe to be. it ne may ben non oþer weyes þan he knoweþ it to be. 5120 [Linenotes: 5093 [_the_]--from C. 5097 _whiche_--which 5098 _stedfast_--stidefast _soþenes_--sothnesse 5102 _haþ_--MS. haþe 5104 _bitide_--bide 5108 _sadde_--sad _vnneþ_--vnnethe [_mowe_]--from C. 5109 _comen_--come 5110 _þouȝte_--thoght _answere_--answeren 5113 _sen_--MS. sene, C. sen [_is_]--from C. 5117 _dedely_--dedly 5119 _haþ_--MS. haþe] [Headnote: PRESCIENCE AND NECESSITY.]