673PHIL.     Then spake phylosophy thus as one that
674began to speake by another principle. The generacion of all
675thynges, and the procedynges of natures mutabilitie, and all
676other thynge that moueth now taketh their causes, order,
677and fourme by the stedfastnes of gods wyll and pleasure. And
678the same, that is to saye: goddes wyll and plesure, beyng
679set fast in the towre, or profounde altitude of hys simplicitie or
680puritie, hath appoynted many maners or wayes, for thynges to
681be done: whych wayes or maners, when they be conceyued in the
682puritie of the dyuyne intelligence, it is named prouidence or
683ordynaunce. But when the sayde maner or wayes is referred by
684men vnto the thynge that mouethe and disposeth, it is called of
685olde folke, destinye. Whyche thynges, that is to say, prouidence
686and destenie, shal easely appere to be contrary thynges, yf a man
687wyll well consyder in hys mynde the strength of them both. For
688prouydence is the same deuyne or godly reason that is established
689in the soueraine hygh prynce of al thynges, which godly reso~ diiposeth
690and apointeth al things. But destinie is a disposicion,
691cleuyng vnto mutable or temporal thinges, by which dispositio~,
692prouide~ce knitteth al thinges in order. For prouide~ce embrasethe
693all thynges together in one, although they be dyuers and infinite.
694But destynye deuydeth all thynges being distributed in mouing,
695places, formes, and tymes, as thus. Thys explycacion or declaracion
696of temporall order, that appertayneth vnto destynye, being
697vnite or knytte together, in the syght of gods thought, is called
698prouydence or ordynaunce. But the vniting of such ordynaunce
699temporall, beynge deuyded and shewed in successyon of tymes,
700may be called destinie. Which destinie and prouydence,
701althoughe they be dyuers, yet the one of them dependeth vpon
702the other. For the order of destinie procedeth and commethe of
703the simplicitie or puritie of gods prouidence. For lyke as a
704workeman conceyuing in his mynde the forme or fashyon of the
705thyng that he is about to make, moueth and goeth aboute
706theffecte of his worke, and ledeth by temporal or bodily ordynaunces

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707the thing that he had conceyued symply and presently
708in his thought, euen so certainelye god by his prouidence or
709ordinau~ce disposeth and ordrythe singulerly and fyrmely al
710thynges that be to be done. But he mynystreth dyuersly and
711temporally the same thynges by destynye that he hath disposed
712or appoynted to be done. Then whether that destynye be exercised
713by certaine godly spyryts, attendyng vpon gods prouidence,
714or by the soule, or by nature, holye seruyng god, or by the celestiall
715mouinge or constellacion of sterres, or by the vertue of
716Aungels, or by the dyuers craftes and soteltyes of deuylles, or by
717anye of them, or by them all, the order of destinie is accomplyshed
718and done. Certes it is manyfest that gods prouidence
719is a stedefast and symple or pure forme or maner, of thynges to
720be done.
721    But destinye, is a mutable disposition and temporall order of
722the things that gods simplicitie or puritie hath appointed or
723suffered to be done. Whereby it happeth that all thynges that
724be vnder or subiect to destinie be also subiect and vnder gods
725prouidence and ordynaunce. To the whyche prouidence or ordynaunce
726destinye is subiecte it selfe. But some thynges that be
727subiecte and put vnder godes prouidence, and ordynaunces, doo
728excell and passe the order of destinye. Truely the thinges that
729be fixed and knyt faste nyghe to the godhed, do excell the order
730of mouable destynie, for as circles or wheles that do turne them
731selfe about one self centyr or poynte, the innermost circle next
732vnto the centyr or poynt, cometh and ioyneth next of al vnto
733that which is a lone in the myddell, and is as it were a certayne
734centyr or pointe to the other circles or wheles, that be set and
735placyd aboute, and be turned without the centre or poynt. And
736the vttermost cyrcle that is turned wyth a greater compasse,
737is set fourth with so muche more large spaces as it is distant by
738diuision from the myddle of the centyr, or poynte. But yf there
739be any thinge that knyttethe and vnytethe it selfe, to the same
740myddell centyr, or poynte, it is driuen into simplicitie, that is to
741sai: into a thinge pure and alone of it self, constant and immouable,
742and ceasseth to be seperate or to go at libertye. And
743so by lyke reason the thynge that departeth or goeth awaye
744ferthest from the fyrst thought of God, is wrapped with greater
745bandes of destynye. And soo much more is any thyng fre from
746distinye, as it is nere the same centyr, or poynte of thynges, that

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747is to saye nere vnto god. And yf the thynge doo cleue firmely
748to the hygh thought of GOD without mouing, truely it passeth
749the necessitie and power, of destinie.
750    Therefore like comparison or diuersitie as is betwene reasonynge,
751and vnderstandynge, and betwene the thinge engendred
752and the thynge that is, and betwene tyme and eternitie, and
753betwene the circle, and the middle centyr or poynt, euen so is the
754mouable order of destinye vnto the stedefast simplicitie or puritie,
755or gods prouidence and ordynaunce. The same order of destenye
756moueth heuen and the sterres, and tempereth the elementes together
757emongest them self and chau~geth them by enterchaungeable
758mutacions. And the same order of destinye renueth all
759thynges, growinge, springing and fallyng by lyke progressions of
760frutes and of sedes, that is to saye, of all beastes and growing
761thinges.
762    And thys order of destenye kepethe in and constraineth from
763liberty al mens actes and fortunes by a band of causes that can
764not be vndone or losed, which causes when they do procede from
765the immouable begynnynges of gods prouidence and ordynaunces,
766it behoueth that they be immutable. And so al thinges be well
767gouerned, as longe as the simplicitie or the onelye stedefastenes
768abydyng in the dyuine thought, sheweth fourth the immouable
769order of causes. And truly this order of the deuine prouidence,
770kepeth in, by his stedefastnes, thynges mutable of them selfe, and
771that otherwyse wold passe awaye casually and rasshely, if that
772restrayned not: wherby it happeth that although al thyngs seme
773confuse, darke, and troublesome to you that be not able to consyder
774thys order of thinges: the proper maner of gods prouidence
775directynge it selfe to good, disposeth and ordereth all thyngs. For
776there is nothyng done for the entente orof euil, not so muche of the
777same wicked folke. Which wicked folke (as it is shewed aboundauntlye
778before) do seke for good, but that wycked errour do
779peruert, and turne them from it, and not the order that cometh from
780the bosome of the high soueraign good, that is god, do turne anye
781man from his begynnynge, that is to saye from god. Certes what
782confusion may be more wycked, the~ that other whiles aduersitie and
783other whiles prosperite do happen vnto good folke, and also to
784wycked folke sometyme what they desyre, and sometyme the
785thynges that they hate and abhorre. Do men now liue in such perfection
786of mynde that suche folk as they do iudge to be good or euil

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787must nedes be suche as they doo iudge them? But mens iudgementes
788in this thynge do varye and not accorde. For the same
789folke that some me~ do esteme worthy reward, other agayne do
790deme to be worthy of ponyshmente. But let vs graunt that some
791ma~ may discerne and knowe the good or the euyl folke, maye he
792than know and se the inward condicion of mans thoughte as it hath
793bene wont to be sayd of the bodyes? That is to saye: maye a
794man knowe a mans thought, as men may knowe the complexion
795or outward condicio~s of the bodye? Certes is not this lyke a
796myracle vnto a man that knowethe not, whye that swete thynges
797agree well to hole folke, and bytter thinges to sycke folk? Also
798why some sycke folk be heled with gentle medicines, and other
799sick folke with sharp medicines. But the phisicion that knoweth
800bothe the maner and temperaunce of helthe and syckenes,
801meruayleth not therat. But what other thynge semethe to be
802the helth of mens mindes and thoughts, but onely vertue? and
803what other thynge semeth y^e sicknes of mens myndes and
804thoughtes, then vyce and syns. Who els is the keper of good
805folk, and expulser or suppresser of wickyd folke, but only god
806the ruler and the healer of mennes soules, whych god, when he
807beholdeth and loketh downe from the high towre of his prouidence,
808he knowethe what is conueniente and meete for euerye man, and
809geueth to euerye manne the thing that he knoweth is mete for
810him. Nowe hereof commethe thys notable myracle of the order
811of destinie, when that god (that knoweth all thynges) doeth the
812thynge that the ignoraunte people do wonder at. For to speake
813a fewe thynges of the profounde depenes of the godhed that
814mans resonne, may attayne vnto, the same man that thou demyst
815iust and kepyng equitye, and ryght, semeth contrarye to Gods
816prouidence that knoweth all thynges. And certes my familier
817felowe Lucan declareth, that the cause victorius, plesyth the gods,
818and the cause that is ouercome pleaseth Plato. Therefore what
819soeuer thinge thou seist donne here in this world contrary to the
820knowledge and expectacion of the ignoraunt folk, it is the ryght
821order of thynges, but to thy iudgement, it is a peruers confusion
822of thynges. But admyt that some man is so well learned or
823instructed, y^t both gods iugement, and ma~s iugement do agre in
824him together as one, but yet y^t he is weke minded or harted, that
825yf any aduersitie by chaunce happen vnto hym he wilbe clene
826turnyd from his vertue or innocensye, wherby he may not kepe

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827his fortune, then the wise dispensacion or prouidence of God
828spareth hym, whome aduersitie and trybulacion myghte empayre
829and make worse. And god wyll not suffer him to laboure that
830is not mete or able to laboure. Another man is absolute perfit
831in al vertues, holy and nere vnto god, so that gods prouidence
832woulde deme it wronge y^t he shulde be touched with any aduersitie,
833in so much that he will not suffer him to be vexed w^c any
834infyrmitie or sycknes of the body. For as a certayne phylosopher
835(more excellente by me) hath sayde: certes a true preistly man
836laboreth not, for vertues haue preserued the body of an holy ma~
837from aduersitie. And often tymes it happith that the cheyf
838thynges y^t be to be done, be geuen vnto good folke, that the
839wyckednes aboundyng in euyl folke, shold be oppressid. And
840god dystributeth and geueth to some folke nowe good, nowe euyll
841thinges, accordyng to the qualitie of theyr mind. And some good
842folke he greueth with aduersitie, leste that they should waxe
843proude, of long prosperitie. And other folke he sufferethe to be
844vexed with harde thynges, that thereby they may confyrme the
845vertues of their mynde, by the vse and exercyse of pacience.
846Some folke doo feare more then they ought to feare, y^e thing that
847they maye well suffer. And other dispisethe more then they
848oughte, the thyng that they cannot suffer, and god ledethe them
849into experience of them selfe, that is to saye: makethe them to
850knowe themselfe by aduersities. And manye haue optayned a
851worshypfull fame of thys worlde by the meanes of a glorious
852deth. And some that coulde not be ouercome by ponishment,
853haue shewed example vnto other, that vertue cannot be ouercome
854by aduersitie. And there EDITION: therc is no dout but that all these thynges
855be done ryghtfully, and ordynately, for the goodnes of them, for
856whome they seme to happen. For certes where as sometyme
857aduersities, and otherwhiles thinges desired, doo happen vnto
858wycked folke, noo man meruayleth therat, but iudgeth that it
859comethe of the causes thereof, that is to saye, for theyr
860wyckednes. Lykewyse of the ponyshmentes that happen vnto
861wycked folke no man meruaylethe, for all men doo thynke that
862they haue well deserued the same, and that theyr ponyshmentes
863doth aswell feare other from wyckednes, as causeth them to
864amend that be ponyshed. And the prosperitie that happen
865vnto wycked folke in worldly goodes sheweth a great argument
866and proufe vnto good folke, what they ought to iudge of such

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867prosperitie whych men doo se often tyme serue y wycked folke.
868In whych thing I thynke also the same to be ordeyned by god,
869that some mans nature is perchaunce so ouerturnyng and importunate
870vnto wyckednes, that the pouertie of his houshold may
871rather prouoke hym to stele, whose pouertie that goodnes of god
872cureth and releueth, wyth the medycyne or remedy of mony, and
873ryches. And another man perceyuing his owne conscience
874corrupt with wickednes, and consyderynge wyth hym selfe his
875prosperitie and welth, ferethe leste perchaunce the losse of the
876same prosperitie whiche is pleasaunt vnto hym, should turne
877hym to sorowe and heuines, and therfore he wyl chaunge his
878euyll maners and conditions, and forsake his wyckednes, for fear
879to lose hys prosperitie and riches. Prosperitie and ryches vnworthelye
880gotten hathe ouer throwen other into iust destruction
881accordelye. Some be permytted to haue power to ponysh, for
882that it shuld be an occasion of continuaunce of exercyse in vertue
883to good folke, and a ponyshment to the wycked folke. For as
884there is no concorde or argumente betwene good folke and
885wycked folke, euen so the wycked folke cannot agre emongest
886them selfe. And why not?
887    For all wycked folke do vary of them selfe by theyr wyckednes,
888that rendith their conscience, and doo often tymes suche thynges,
889that when they haue done, they themself do iudge that they
890oughte not to haue bene done. For whyche cause that hye
891prouydence of god, hath often shewed a gret myracle so that
892wycked folke, hath made wycked folke good folke. For when
893that some wycked folke do se that they suffer wronges of the
894wicked, they being moued with enuy and hatred of theyr
895wronges and hurtes, haue returnyd vnto the fruyte of vertue,
896that is to sai vnto goodnes, when they do studye to be vnlyke
897vnto the wicked whom they haue hated. Truely it is onely the
898power of god (to whome also euyll thyngs be good) when he in
899vsynge of those euyles, choseth oute theffecte of some goodnes,
900that is to say, when god turneth euyll to good. For order
901bindeth together all thynges, soo that what thyng departeth from
902the reson and order appointed to the wycked, the same thing
903must nedes fall into some other order, that is to saye: of the
904good, soo that nothinge be lefte to folyshnes, or oute of order in
905the kyngdome of gods prouidence or ordynaunce. The strong
906god hath done al thyngs in the world, when he sawe and behelde

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907before all worldes. And certes it is not lawfull for men eyther
908to comprehende with their wit, or to declare with ther spech all
909the causes of gods workes: It is sufficient only to behold thys
910that the same God, the maker of all natures, ordaynyng all
911things, disposeth them to good. And whyles that he hastethe
912to retayne and kepe the thynges that he hath made into his
913similytude and lykenes, that is to saye: in goodnes, he excludeth
914all wyckednes from the bondes of hys commenaltye of
915thys world, by order of necessite of destenie: whereby it happeth,
916that the euyl that men do thynke to abound in the world if
917thou considerest Gods prouidence, that disposeth all thynges,
918thou shalte perceyue that there is no euyll at all any where. But
919I se well nowe, that thou being of late sore burdned, w^c the wayte
920of thys difficulte question, and also weryed with the prolixitie or
921length of my reason, lokest for som swetenes of verses or metyr.
922Therfore take thys drafte, whereby when thou arte refreshed,
923and stronger, thou mayst ascende into hier questions.