TRUTH INTUITIVE.

QUISQUIS PROFUNDA MENTE.

WHo so that sekith He who seeks truth with deep research and is unwilling to go wrong, should collect his slumbering thoughts, and turn the inner light upon the soul itself. sotħ by a deep thoght And
coueyteth nat to ben deseyuyd by no mys-weyes //
lat hym rollen and trenden with Inne hym self / the Lyht
of his inward syhte // And lat hym gadere ayein enclynynge 2836
in to a compas the longe moeuynges of hys
thowhtes / The knowledge that he seeks without he will find treasured up in the recesses of the mind. And lat hym techen his corage that he hath
enclosed and hyd / in his tresors / al þat he compaseth or
sekith fro with owte // The light of Truth will disperse Error’s dark clouds, and shine forth brighter than the sun. And thanne thilke thing that the 2840
blake cloude of errour whilom hadde y-couered / shal
lyhten more clerly thanne phebus hym self ne shyneth //
[Chaucer’s gloss.] Glosa // who so wole seken the dep[e] grounde / of soth
in his thowht / and wol nat be deceyuyd by false proposiciouns / 2844
that goon amys fro the trouthe // lat hym wel
examine / and rolle with inne hym self the nature and
the propretes of the thing // and lat hym yit eft sones
examine and rollen his thowhtes by good deliberacioun 2848
or that he deme // and lat hym techen his sowle that it
hat by naturel pryncyplis kyndeliche y-hyd with in
it self alle the trowthe the whiche he ymagynith to ben
in thinges with owte // And thanne alle the dyrknesse of 2852
his mysknowynge shal seen more euydently to [þe]
syhte of his vndyrstondynge thanne the sonne ne semyth
to [þe] syhte with owte forth / For when the body enclosed the soul and cast oblivion o’er its powers it did wholly exterminate the heaven-born light. For certes the body
bryngynge the weyhte of foryetynge / ne hath nat chasyd 2856
owt of yowre thowhte al the clernesse of yowre knowyng //
The germs of truth were latent within, and were fanned into action by the gentle breath of learning. For certeynly the seed of sooth haldith and clyueth
with in yowre corage / and it is a-waked and excited by
the wynde and by the blastes of doctryne // Were not truth implanted in the heart, how could man distinguish right from wrong? For where 2860
for elles demen ye of yowre owne wyl the ryhtes whan
ye ben axed // but yif so were þat the noryssynges of
resoun ne lyuede .I.-plowngyd in the depthe of yowre
herte // this [is] to seyn how sholden men demen þe 2864
sooth of any thing þat weere axed / yif ther neere a
Roote of sothfastnesse þat weere yplowngyd and hyd in
the nature[l] pryncyplis / the whiche sothfastnesse
lyued with in the depnesse of the thowght // So, if what Plato taught is true, ‘to learn is no other than to remember what had been before forgotten.’ and yif 2868
so be þat the Muse and the doctryne of plato syngyth
sooth // al þat euery whyht lerneth / he ne doth no
thing elles thanne but recordeth as men recordyn thinges
þat ben foryetyn. 2872

THE WORLD GOVERNED BY GOD.

TUM EGO PLATONI INQUAM.

THanne seide B. I am quite of Plato’s opinion, for you have now a second time recalled these things to my remembrance which had been forgotten, first by the contagious union of soul and body, and afterwards by the pressure of my afflictions. I thus // I acorde me gretly to plato / for
thow remenbrist and recordist me thise thinges yit]
[*Addit. MS. 10,340, fol. 23.] *þe seconde tyme. þat is to seyn. first whan I lost[e] my
memorie by þe contagioũs coniunccioun of þe body wiþ 2876
þe soule. and eftsones afterward whan I lost[e] it confounded
by þe charge and by þe burden of my sorwe.
P. If you will reflect upon the concessions you have already made, you will soon call to mind that truth, of which you lately confessed your ignorance. ¶ And þan sayde she þus. ¶ If þou look[e] quod she
firste þe þinges þat þou hast graunted it ne shal nat 2880
ben ryȝt feer þat þou ne shalt remembren þilke þing þat
þou seidest þat þou nistest nat. B. What is that? what þing quod I.
P. It was, by what power the world is governed. ¶ by whiche gouerment quod she þat þis worlde is
gouerned. B. With regard to that, I own I confessed my ignorance, but though I now remotely see what you infer, yet I wish for further explanation from you. Me remembriþ it wel quod I. and I confesse 2884
wel þat I ne wist[e] it nat ¶ But al be it so þat
I se now from afer what þou purposest ¶ Algates I
desire ȝit to herkene it of þe more pleynely. P. You acknowledged a little while ago that this world was governed by God? ¶ þou ne
wendest nat quod she a litel here byforne þat men 2888
sholden doute þat þis worlde is gouerned by god.
B. I still cling to this opinion, and will give you my reasons for this belief. ¶ Certys quod I ne ȝitte doute I it nauȝt. ne I nil
neuer wene þat it were to doute. as who seiþ. but I
wot wel þat god gouerneþ þis worlde. ¶ And I shal 2892
shortly answere þe by what resouns I am brouȝt to þis.
The discordant elements of this world would never have assumed their present form unless there had been a wise Intelligence to unite them; and even after such a union, the joining of such opposites would have disunited and ruined the fabric made up of them, had not the same conjoining hand kept them together. ¶ þis worlde quod I of so many dyuerse and contrarious
parties ne myȝten neuer han ben assembled in o forme.
but yif þere ne were oon þat conioigned so many[e 2896
diuerse] þinges. ¶ And þe same diuersite of hire
natures þat so discordeden þat oon fro þat oþer most[e]
departen and vnioignen þe þinges þat ben conioigned.
yif þere ne were oon þat contened[e] þat he haþ conioigned 2900
and ybounde. The order that reigns throughout nature could not proceed so regularly and uniformly if there were not a Being, unchangeable and stedfast, to order and dispose so great a diversity of changes. ne þe certein ordre of nature ne
sholde. nat brynge furþe so ordinee moeuynge. by
places. by tymes. by doynges. by spaces. by qualites.
yif þere ne were oon þat were ay stedfast dwellynge. 2904
þat ordeyned[e] and disposed[e] þise diuersites of
moeuynges. This Being, the creator and ruler of all things, I call God. ¶ and þilke þinge what so euer it be. by
whiche þat alle þinges ben maked and ylad. I clepe
hym god þat is a worde þat is vsed to alle folke. P. As thy sentiments on these points are so just I have but little more to do—for thou mayest be happy and secure, and revisit thy own country. þan 2908
seide she. syn þou felest þus þise þinges quod she. I
trowe þat I haue lytel more to done. þat þou myȝty of
wilfulnesse hool and sounde ne se eftsones þi contre.

GOD IS ALL-SUFFICIENT.

But let us reflect a little more upon these matters. ¶ But lat vs loken þe þinges þat we han purposed her-byforn. 2912
Did we not agree that Sufficiency is of the nature of true happiness? ¶ Haue I nat noumbred and seid quod she
þat suffisaunce is in blisfulnesse. And have we not seen that God is that true felicity, and that He needs no external aid nor instruments? and we han accorded
þat god is and þilke same blisfulnesse. ¶ yis forsoþe quod
I. and þat to gouerne þis worlde quod she. ne shal he 2916
neuer han nede of none helpe fro wiþoute. For if he should, he would not be self-sufficient. for ellys yif
he had[de] nede of any helpe. he ne sholde not haue
[no] ful suffisaunce. ȝis þus it mot nedes be quod I.
And he directs all things by himself alone? ¶ þan ordeyneþ he by hym self al oon alle þinges quod 2920
she. B. It cannot be gainsaid. þat may nat ben denied quod I. P. I have shown that God is the chief good; God must, therefore, direct and order all things by good, since he governs them by himself, whom we have proved to be the supreme good, and he is that helm and rudder, by which this machine of the world is steadily and securely conducted. ¶ And I haue
shewed þat god is þe same good. ¶ It remembreþ me
wel quod I. ¶ þan ordeineþ he alle þinges by þilke
goode quod she. Syn he whiche we han accorded to 2924
ben good gouerneþ alle þingus by hym self. and he is a
keye and a stiere by whiche þat þe edifice of þis worlde
is ykept stable and wiþ oute corumpynge B. I entirely agree to this, and partly anticipated your remarks. ¶ I accorde
me gretly quod I. and I aperceiuede a litel here byforn 2928
þat þou woldest seyne þus. Al be it so þat it were by
a þinne suspecioun. P. I believe it; for your eyes are now more intent upon these great truths relating to true felicity; but what I am going to say is not less open to your view. I trowe it wel quod she. ¶ For as
I trowe þou leedest nowe more ententifly þine eyen to
loken þe verray goodes ¶ but naþeles þe þinges þat I 2932
shal telle þe ȝit ne sheweþ nat lasse to loken. B. What is that? what is
þat quod I. P. As we believe that God governs all things by his goodness, and that all things have a natural tendency towards the good, can it be doubted but that they all voluntarily submit to the will and control of their ruler? ¶ So as men trowen quod she and þat
ryȝtfully þat god gouerneþ alle þinges by þe keye of his
goodnesse. ¶ And alle þise same þinges as I [haue] 2936
tauȝt þe. hasten hem by naturel entencioun to comen
to goode þer may no man douten. þat þei ne ben
gouerned uoluntariely. and þat þei ne conuerten [hem]
nat of her owen wille to þe wille of hire ordenour. 2940

ALL THINGS SUBMIT TO GOD.

B. It cannot be otherwise. There would be no safety for those who obey, if the discord of a portion were allowed. as þei þat ben accordyng and enclinynge to her gouernour
and her kyng. ¶ It mot nedys be so quod. I. [* Fol. 23 b.]
*¶ For þe realme ne sholde not seme blisful ȝif þere were a ȝok
of mysdrawynges in diuerse parties ne þe sauynge of 2944
obedient þinges ne sholde nat be. P. Is there anything that follows the dictates of nature that seeks to counteract the will of God? þan is þere no þing
quod she þat kepiþ hys nature; þat enforceþ hym to
gone aȝeyne god. B. No. ¶ No quod. I. P. If there should be any such, it could not prevail against him, who is supremely happy and consequently omnipotent. ¶ And if þat any þing
enforced[e] hym to wiþstonde god. myȝt[e] it auayle at 2948
þe laste aȝeyns hym þat we han graunted to ben al
myȝty by þe ryȝt of blisfulnesse. ¶ Certis quod I al
outerly it ne myȝt[e] nat auaylen hym. Then there is nothing that either will or can withstand this supreme good? þan is þere no
þing quod she þat eyþer wol or may wiþstonde to þis 2952
souereyne good. B. Nothing, certainly. ¶ I trowe nat quod. I P. It is then the supreme good that governs and orders all things powerfully and benignly. ¶ þan is
þilke þe souereyne good quod she þat alle þingus
gouerneþ strongly and ordeyneþ hem softly. B. I am delighted with your conclusions, but much more with your language; so that fools may be ashamed of their objections to the divine government. þan seide I
þus. I delite me quod I nat oonly in þe endes or in þe 2956
sommes of [the] resouns þat þou hast concludid and
proued. ¶ But þilke wordes þat þou vsest deliten me
moche more. ¶ So at þe last[e] fooles þat somtyme
renden greet[e] þinges auȝten ben asshamed of hem 2960
self. [Chaucer’s gloss.] ¶ þat is to seyne þat we fooles þat reprehenden
wickedly þe þingus þat touchen goddes gouernaunce we
auȝten ben asshamed of oure self. As I þat seide god
refuseþ oonly þe werkes of men. and ne entremetiþ nat 2964
of hem. P. You have read the Poets’ fables, how the Giants stormed heaven—how they were repulsed and punished according to their deserts; but may we not compare our reasons together, for by so doing some clear spark of truth may shine forth? p. þou hast wel herd quod she þe fables of þe
poetes. how þe geauntes assailden þe heuene wiþ þe
goddes. but for soþe þe debonaire force of god disposed[e]
hem so as it was worþi. þat is to seyne distroied[e] þe 2968
geauntes. as it was worþi. ¶ But wilt þou þat we
ioygnen togedre þilke same resouns. for perauenture of
swiche coniunccioun may sterten vp some faire sperkele
of soþe B. As you please. ¶ Do quod I as þe list. P. Is God omnipotent? wenest þou quod she 2972
þat god ne is almyȝty. no man is in doute of it. B. No one doubts it. Certys
quod I no wyȝt ne defendiþ it if he be in hys mynde.

EVIL HAS NO EXISTENCE.

P. If he is almighty, there are, then, no limits to his power? but he quod she þat is al myȝty þere nis no þing þat he
ne may do. B. He can doubtless do all things. þat is soþe quod I. P. May God do evil? May god done yuel 2976
quod she. B. No. nay for soþe quod. I. P. Is evil nothing, since God, who is almighty, cannot do it? ¶ þan is yuel no þing
quod she. ¶ Syn þat he ne may not done yuel þat
may done alle þinges. B. Dost thou mock me or play with me, leading me with thy arguments into an inextricable labyrinth, and enclosing me in a wonderful circle of Divine Simplicity? scornest þou me quod. I. or ellys
pleyest þou or deceiuest þou me. þat hast so wouen me 2980
wiþ þi resouns. þe house of didalus so entrelaced. þat it
is vnable to ben vnlaced. þou þat oþer while entrest
þere þou issest and oþer while issest þere þou entrest.
ne fooldest þou nat to gidre by replicacioun of wordes a 2984
maner wondirful cercle or envirounynge of symplicite
deuyne. For thou didst first begin with happiness, and didst say that it was the sovereign good, and that it resided in God; then, that God was that Good and the perfection of happiness; and, hence, thou didst infer that nobody could be happy unless he became likewise a God. ¶ For certys a litel her byforne whan þou bygunne
atte blisfulnesse þou seidest þat it is souereyne
good. and seidest þat it is set in souereyne god. and þat 2988
god is þe ful[le] blisfulnesse. for whiche þou ȝaf[e] me
as a couenable ȝifte. þat is to seyne þat no wyȝt nis
blisful. but yif he be good al so þer wiþ Again, thou saidst that the very form of good was the substance whereof God and happiness were composed, and that it was the object and desire of all things in nature. and seidest
eke þat þe forme of goode is þe substaunce of god. and 2992
of blisfulnesse. and seidest þat þilke same oone is þilke
same goode þat is requered and desired of al þe kynde
of þinges. Thou didst prove that God rules the world by his goodness, and that all things willingly obeyed him; and that evil has no existence. and þou proeuedest in disputynge þat god
gouerneþ alle [the] þinges of þe worlde by þe gouernementys 2996
of bountee. and seydest þat alle þinges wolen
ybeyen to hym. and seidest þat þe nature of yuel nis
no þing. These truths you established by forcible and natural arguments, and by no strained and far-fetched reasons. and þise þinges ne shewedest þou nat wiþ no
resouns ytake fro wiþoute but by proues in cercles and 3000
homelyche knowen. ¶ þe whiche proeues drawen to hem
self hir feiþ and hir accorde eueriche [of] hem of oþer. þan
seide she þus. P. I have not deluded you, for by the Divine aid we have accomplished our chief task. I ne scorne þe nat ne pleye ne desseyue
þe. but I haue shewed to þe þinge þat is grettest ouer 3004
alle þinges by þe ȝifte of god þat we some tyme prayden

GOD IS LIKE A SPHERE.

I have proved to you that it is an essential property of the Divine nature not to go out of itself, nor to receive into itself anything extraneous. ¶ For þis is þe forme of [the] deuyne substaunce. þat
is swiche þat it ne slydeþ nat in to outerest foreine
þinges. ne ne rec[e]yueþ no strange þinges in hym. Parmenides says of the Deity that God is like a well-rounded sphere. but 3008
ryȝt as parmaynws seide in grek of þilke deuyne substaunce.
he seide þus þat þilke deuyne substaunce
torneþ þe worlde and þilke cercle moeueable of þinges
while þilke dyuyne substaunce kepiþ it self wiþ outen 3012
moeuynge. [* fol. 24.] He causes the moving globe to revolve, but is himself immovable. þat *is to seyne þat it ne moeuiþ neuere mo.
and ȝitte it moeueþ alle oþer þinges. If I have chosen my arguments from the subjects within range of our discussion, do not let that surprise you, for, as Plato has taught us, there ought to be an alliance between the words and the subject of discourse. but na-þeles yif I
[haue] stered resouns þat ne ben nat taken fro wiþ oute
þe compas of þe þinge of whiche we treten. but resouns 3016
þat ben bystowed wiþ inne þat compas þere nis nat whi
þat þou sholde[st] merueylen. sen þou hast lerned by
þe sentence of plato þat nedes þe wordes moten ben
cosynes to þo þinges of whiche þei speken. 3020

THE POWER OF MUSIC.

FELIX QUI POTERIT. ET CETERA.

Blisful is Happy is he that hath seen the lucid spring of truth! Happy the man that hath freed himself from terrestrial chains! þat man þat may seen þe clere welle of good.
blisful is he þat may vnbynde hym fro þe bonde of
heuy erþe. The Thracian poet, consumed with grief for the loss of his wife, sought relief from music. ¶ þe poete of trace [orpheus] þat somtyme
hadde ryȝt greet sorowe for þe deeþ of hys wijf. His mournful songs drew the woods along; the rolling rivers ceased to flow; the savage beasts became heedless of their prey; the timid hare was not aghast at the hound. aftir þat 3024
he hadde maked by hys wepely songes þe wodes meueable
to rennen. and hadde ymaked þe ryueres to stonden
stille. and maked þe hertys and hyndes to ioignen
dredles hir sides to cruel lyouns to herkene his songe. 3028
and had[de] maked þat þe hare was nat agast of þe
hounde whiche þat was plesed by hys songe. But the songs that did all things tame, could not allay their master’s ardent love. so þat
whane þe most[e] ardaunt loue of hys wijf brende þe
entrailes of his brest. ne þe songes þat hadde ouer 3032
comen alle þinges ne myȝten nat assuage hir lorde
orpheus. He bewailed the cruelty of the gods above, and descended to Pluto’s realm. ¶ He pleyned[e] hym of þe godes þat weren
cruel to hym. he wente hym to þe houses of helle There he struck his tuneful strings and sang, exhausting all the harmonious art imparted to him by his mother Calliope. and
þere he tempred[e] hys blaundissyng songes by resounyng 3036
of hys strenges. ¶ And spak and song in
wepynge alle þat euer he hadde resceyued and laued
oute of þe noble welles of hys modir calliope þe goddesse.
In songs dictated both by grief and love, he implored the infernal powers to give him back his Eurydice. and he song wiþ as mychel as he myȝt[e] of 3040
wepynge. and wiþ as myche as loue þat doubled[e] his
sorwe myȝt[e] ȝeuen hym and teche hym in his seke
herte. ¶ And he commoeuede þe helle and requered[e]
and souȝte by swete preiere þe lordes of soules in helle 3044
of relesynge. þat is to seyne to ȝelden hym hys wif.
Cerberus, Hell’s three-headed porter, stood amazed; ¶ Cerberus þe porter of helle wiþ his þre heuedes was
cauȝt and al abaist for þe new[e] songe. the Furies, tormentors of guilty souls, did weep; and þe þre goddesses
furijs and vengerisse of felonies þat tourmenten 3048
and agasten þe soules by anoye wexen sorweful and sory
and wepen teres for pitee. Ixion, tormented by the revolving wheel, found rest; þan was nat þe heued of
Ixione ytourmented by þe ouerþrowing whele. Tantalus, suffering from a long and raging thirst, despised the stream; ¶ And
tantalus þat was destroied by þe woodnesse of longe 3052
þrust dispiseþ þe flodes to drynke. and the greedy vulture did cease to eat and tear the growing liver of Tityus. þe fowel þat hyȝt
voltor þat etiþ þe stomak or þe giser of ticius is so fulfilled
of his songe þat it nil etyn ne tyren no more.

FIX NOT THE THOUGHTS ON EARTHLY THINGS.

At length Pluto himself relented, crying out, ‘We are overcome! Let us give him back his wife, he hath well won her by his song. ¶ Atte þe laste þe lorde and Iuge of soules was moeued 3056
to misericordes and cried[e] we ben ouer comen quod
he. yif[e] we to orpheus his wijf to bere hym compaignye
he haþ welle I-bouȝt hir by his faire songe and
his ditee. But we will lay this injunction upon him. Till he escape the infernal bounds, he shall not cast a backward look.’ but we wil putten a lawe in þis. and couenaunt 3060
in þe ȝifte. þat is to seyne. þat til he be out of
helle yif he loke byhynden hym [þat] hys wijf shal
comen aȝeine to vs But, who shall give a lover any law? Love is a greater law than may be given to any earthly man. ¶ but what is he þat may ȝeue a
lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe and a strengere to 3064
hym self þan any lawe þat men may ȝeuen. Alas! having left the realms of night, Orpheus cast a look behind and lost his too-much-loved Euridice. ¶ Allas
whan Orpheus and his wijf were al most at þe termes of
þe nyȝt. þat is to seyne at þe last[e] boundes of helle.
Orpheus loked[e] abakwarde on Erudice his wijf and 3068
lost[e] hir and was deed. This fable belongs to all you, whose minds would view the Sovereign Good. ¶ þis fable apperteineþ to
ȝow alle who so euer desireþ or sekiþ to lede his þouȝte
in to þe souereyne day. þat is to seyne to clerenes[se]
of souereyne goode. For he who fixes his thoughts upon earthly things and low, must lose the noble and heaven-imparted Good. ¶ For who so þat euere be so ouer 3072
comen þat he fycche hys eyen in to þe put[te] of helle.
þat is to seyne who so setteþ his þouȝtes in erþely
þinges. al þat euer he haþ drawen of þe noble good
celestial he lesiþ it whan he lokeþ þe helles. þat is to 3076
seyne to lowe þinges of þe erþe.

EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.

THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL.

*INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS. [* fol. 24 b.]

HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE UULTUS.

Whanne When P. with grace and dignity had poured forth her songs, I, not quite quit of my load of grief, interrupted her as she was continuing her discourse. philosophie hadde songen softly and delitably
þe forseide þinges kepynge þe dignitee of hir
choere in þe weyȝte of hir wordes. I þan þat ne hadde 3080
nat al outerly forȝeten þe wepyng and mournyng
þat was set in myne herte for-brek þe entencioun of hir
þat entended[e] ȝitte to seyne oþer þinges. All your discourses, O my conductress to the true light! have been very clear and unanswerable, both by the divine testimony which they carry along with them, and by thy irrefragable arguments. ¶ Se quod
I. þou þat art gideresse of verray lyȝte þe þinges þat þou 3084
hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere and so shewyng
by þe deuyne lokyng of hem and by þi resouns þat
þei ne mowe nat ben ouercomen. Through the oppression of grief I had forgotten these truths, but was not wholly ignorant of them. ¶ And þilke þingus
þat þou toldest me. al be it so þat I hadde som tyme 3088
fo[r]ȝeten hem for [the] sorwe of þe wronge þat haþ ben
don to me. ȝit naþeles þei ne were nat alouterly vnknowen
to me. The principal cause of my trouble is this—that, whilst the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, but þis same is namly a gret cause of
my sorwe. þat so as þe gouernoure of þinges is goode. 3092

evil exists and is allowed to pass unpunished. yif þat yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif
þat yuelys passen wiþ outen punyssheinge. This, to say the least, is astonishing. þe whiche
þinge oonly how worþi it is to ben wondred vpon. þou
considerest it weel þi self certeynly. Moreover, while vice flourishes virtue is not only unrewarded, but trampled under foot by base and profligate men, and suffers the punishment due to impiety. but ȝitte to þis 3096
þing þere is an oþer þing y-ioigned more to ben ywondred
vpon. ¶ For felonie is emperisse and flowreþ ful of
rycchesse. and vertues nis nat al oonly wiþ outen medes.
but it is cast vndir and fortroden vndir þe feet of felonous 3100
folk. and it abieþ þe tourmentes in sted of
wicked felouns Here is cause for wonderment, since such things are possible under the government of an omniscient and omnipotent God, who wills nothing but what is the best. ¶ Of al[le] whiche þing þer nis no wyȝt
þat [may] merueyllen ynouȝ ne compleyne þat swiche
þinges ben don in þe regne of god þat alle þinges woot. 3104
and alle þinges may and ne wool nat but only goode
þinges. P. It were indeed, not only marvellous, but also horribly monstrous, if, in the well-regulated family of so great a master, the worthless vessels should be honoured and the precious ones be despised:—but it is not so. ¶ þan seide she þus. certys quod she þat were
a grete meruayle and an enbaissynge wiþouten ende.
and wel more horrible þan alle monstres yif it were as 3108
þou wenest. þat is to sein. þat in þe ryȝt ordeyne house
of so mochel a fader and an ordenour of meyne. þat þe
vesseles þat ben foule and vyle sholde ben honoured
and heried. and þe precious uesseles sholde ben defouled 3112
and vyle. but it nis nat so. For if the conclusions we have come to, be sound and irrefragable, we must confess that under God’s rule the good are always powerful and mighty, and the wicked weak and contemptible; For yif þe þinges
þat I haue concluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole
and vnraced. þou shalt wel knowe by þe auctorite of
god. of þe whos regne I speke þat certys þe good[e] 3116
folk ben alwey myȝty. and shrewes ben alwey yuel and
feble. that vice never passes unpunished, nor virtue goes unrewarded; ne þe vices ben neuere mo wiþ outen peyne; ne
þe vertues ne ben nat wiþ outen mede. that happiness attends good men, and misfortune falls to the lot of the wicked. and þat blisfulnesses
comen alwey to goode folke. and infortune comeþ 3120
alwey to wicked folke. These and many other truths of like nature shall be proved to thee, and shall put an end to thy complaints, ¶ And þou shalt wel knowe
many[e] þinges of þis kynde þat sholle cessen þi pleyntes.

and strengthen thee with firmness and solidity. and stedfast þe wiþ stedfast saddenesse. Having shown you a picture of true felicity, and wherein it resides, I shall now trace out the way which will lead you to your home. ¶ And for þou
hast seyn þe forme of þe verray blisfulnesse by me þat 3124
[haue] somtyme I-shewed it þe. And þou hast knowen
in whom blysfulnesse is set. alle þinges I treted þat I
trowe ben nessessarie to put[te] furþe ¶ I shal shewe
þe. þe weye þat shal brynge þe aȝeyne vnto þi house 3128
I will give your soul wings to soar aloft, so that all tribulation being removed, you may, under my guiding, by my road, and with my vehicle, return whole and sound into your own country. and I shal ficche feþeres in þi þouȝt by whiche it may
arysen in heyȝte. so þat al tribulacioun don awey þou
by my gidyng & by my paþe and by my sledes shalt
mowen retourne hool and sounde in to þi contre. 3132