¶ Ry[gh]t as a man dalf þe erþe by cause of tylienge of þe felde. { and} fond þere a gobet of [[pg 151]] golde by-doluen. þan wenen folk þat it is fallen by fortunous 4348 bytydyng. but for soþe it nis nat for nau[gh]t for it haþ hys p{ ro}pre causes of whiche causes þe cours vnforseyn and vnwar semiþ to han maked hap{ pe}.
[Sidenote: For if the tiller had not ploughed the field, and if the hider of the gold had not concealed it in that spot, the gold had not been found.]
¶ For yif þe tilier in þe erþe ne delue nat in þe felde. and yif 4352 þe hider of þe golde ne hadde hidd þe golde in þilke place. þe golde ne had[de] nat ben founde.
[Sidenote: These, then, are the causes of a fortuitous acquisition which proceeds from a conflux of encountering causes, and not from the intention of the doer.]
þise ben þan þe causes of þe abreggynge of fortune hap. þe whiche abreggynge of fortune hap comeþ of causes encountrynge 4356 { and} flowyng to-gidre to hem selfe. { and} nat by þe entenc{ i}ou{ n} of þe doer.
[Sidenote: For neither the hider of the gold nor the husbandman intended or understood that the gold should be found.]
¶ For neiþer þe hider of þe gold. ne þe deluer of þe felde ne vndirstanden nat þat þe golde sholde han be founde. but as I seide.
[Sidenote: But it happened by the concurrence of these two causes that the one did dig where the other had hidden the money.]
it bytidde 4360 { and} ran to-gidre þat he dalf þere as þat oþer hadde hidd þe golde.
[Sidenote: Chance, then, is an unexpected event, by a concurrence of causes, following an action designed for a particular purpose.]
Now may I þus diffinissen hap{ pe}. ¶ Hap{ pe} is an vnwar bytydyng of causes assembled in þinges þat ben don for som oþer þinge. but þilke ordre p{ ro}cedynge 4364 by an vneschewable byndynge to-gidre.
[Sidenote: This concurrence of causes proceeds from that order which flows from the fountain of Providence and disposes all things as to place and time.]
whiche þat descendeþ fro þe wel of purueaunce þat ordeineþ alle þinges i{ n} hir{ e} places { and} in hire tymes makeþ þat þe causes rennen { and} assemblen to-gidre. 4368
[Linenotes: 4318 _forþe_--forth 4322 _worde_--word 4323 _my[gh]t[e]_--myhte 4324 _left_--lefte 4325 _streyniþ_--constreynyth 4326 _soþe_--soth _no þinge_--nothing _haþ_--MS. haþe 4327 [_the_]--from C. 4330 _gynner_--bygynner{ e} 4331 [_the_]--from C. 4332 _[gh]if_--MS. [gh]it, C. yif _þinge_--thing 4335 _þat----ben_--þ{ a}t hap be _haþ_--MS. haþe _swiche_--swych 4338 _happe_--hap 4339 _hidd_--MS. hidde, C. hidd 4340 _whiche_--which 4342 _ney[gh]e_--nehg _whiche_--which 4343 _don_--MS. done, C. don 4344 _þinge_--thing 4345 _som[e]_--some 4346 _happe_--hap 4347 _of_ (1)--to _fond_--MS. fonde, C. fownde 4348 _golde_--gold _fallen_--byfalle 4349 _for_ (2)--of 4350 _haþ_--MS. haþe _hys_--hise 4351 _happe_--hap 4352 _tilier_--tylyer{ e} _delue_--dolue 4353 _hider_--hyder{ e} _golde_--gold _hidd_--MS. hidde 4353-4 _golde_--gold 4354 _had[de]_--hadde 4355 _fortune_--fortuit _whiche_--which 4356 _fortune_--fortuit _comeþ_--comth 4357 _flowyng_--MS. folwyng, C. flowynge _selfe_--self 4358 _doer_--doer{ e} _hider_--hider{ e} 4359 _deluer_--deluer{ e} _felde_--feeld _vndirstanden_--vndirstoden 4360 _golde_--gold 4361 _hidd_--MS. hidde, C. hyd 4362 _happe_ (_both_)--hap 4365 _whiche_--which 4366 _descendeþ_--MS. defendeþ, C. descendith _wel_--welle]