[Sidenote: _P._ Is there any one who thinks that man can do all
things?]
¶ Is þer any wyȝt þan
q{uo}d she þat weniþ þat men mowen don alle þinges.
[Sidenote: _B._ No sane man can think so.]
No man q{uo}d .I. but yif he be out of hys witte.
[Sidenote: _P._ But men may do evil.]
¶ but 3332
certys sherewes mowen doñ yuel q{uo}d she.
[Sidenote: _B._ I would to God they could not.]
¶ ȝe wolde
god q{uo}d I þat þei ne myȝte{n} don none.
[Sidenote: _P._ Since he that can do good, can do all things, and
he that has power to do evil cannot do all things, therefore the
evil-doers are less powerful.]
þat q{uo}d she
so as he þat is myȝty to done oonly but good[e] þinges
may don alle þinges. and þei þat ben myȝty to done 3336
yuel[e] þinges ne mowen nat alle þinges. þan is þis open
þing {and} manifest þat þei þ{a}t mowe{n} don yuel ben of
lasse power.
[Sidenote: Let me add too that _power_ is one of the things to be
desired, and that all such things are to be referred to the chief
good (the perfection of their nature).]
and ȝitte to p{ro}ue þis conclusiou{n} þere
helpeþ me þis þat I haue shewed here byforne. þat al 3340
power is to be nou{m}bred amonge þinges þat men auȝten
requere. {and} haue shewed þat alle þi{n}ges þat auȝten ben
desired ben referred to good ryȝt as to a manere heyȝte
of hyr nature.
[Sidenote: But the power of doing evil has no relation to that
Good, therefore it is not desirable; but as all power is
desirable, it is clear that the ability to do evil is not power.]
¶ But for to mowen don yuel {and} 3344
felonye ne may nat ben referred to good. þan nis nat
yuel of þe nou{m}bre of þinges þat auȝte{n}.
[Sidenote: [* fol. 26 _b_.]]
*be desired. but
al power auȝt[e] ben desired {and} requered. ¶ þan is
it open {and} cler þat þe power ne þe moeuyng of shrewes 3348
nis no powere.
[Sidenote: It clearly follows from this reasoning, that the good
only are powerful while the vicious are feeble.]
{and} of alle þise þinges it sheweþ wel þat
þe goode folk ben certeynly myȝty. {and} þe shrewes ben [[pg 118]]
douteles vnmyȝty
[Sidenote: And Plato’s opinion is hereby verified that the _wise_
only have the power to do what they desire; the wicked may follow
the dictates of their lusts, but their great aim and desire,
_i. e._ HAPPINESS, they can never attain.]
¶ And it is clere {and} open þat þilke
sentence of plato is uerray {and} soþe. þ{a}t seyþ þat oonly 3352
wiseme{n} may [doon] þat þei desiren. {and} shrewes
mowen haunten þat hem lykeþ. but þat þei desiren þat
is to seyne to comen to souereyne good þei ne han no
power to acomplissen þat.
[Sidenote: The wicked may gratify their desires, thinking to
attain the chief good (for which they wish), but they can never
possess it, for impiety and vice can never be crowned with
happiness.]
¶ For shrewes don þat hem 3356
list whan by þo þinges in whiche þei deliten þei wenen
to atteyne to þilke good þat þei desiren. but þei ne geten
ne atteynen nat þer to. ¶ for vices ne comen nat to
blisfulnesse. 3360
[Linenotes:
3324 _shrewednesse_--shrewednesses
_clere_--cleer
3325 _nat----power_--nawht ne han no power
3326 _whiche_--which
_þat is_--of this
3327 _here_--her
3328 _nis_--is
3329 _soþe_--soth
3329, 3330 [_and thilke----quod I_]--from C.
3334 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_none þat_--non thanne
3335 _done_--doon
_good[e]_--goode
3336 _don_--MS. done, C. don
_done_--don
3337 _yuel[e]_--yuele
_þis_--it
3338 _don_--MS. done, C. don
3339 _ȝitte_--yit
_þere_--ther
3340 _shewed here byforne_--Ishewed her by-forn
_al_--alle
3341 _amonge_--among
3344 _don_--MS. done, C. don
3346 _auȝten be_--owhte ben
3347 _al_--alle
_auȝt[e]_--owhte
3351 _clere_--cler
3352 _soþe_--soth
_þat seyþ_--MS. but siþe, C. þ{a}t seyth
3353 [_doon_]--from C.
3355 _seyne_--seyn
3357 _whiche_--which]
[Headnote:
THE WICKED ARE UNHAPPY.]