[Sidenote: [The fyfthe p{ro}se.]]
++Þus see I wel q{uo}d I. eyþer what blisfulnesse or ellys what
vnselinesse is estab[l]issed in þe desertys of goode men {and} of
shrewes. ¶ but in þis ilke fortune of poeple I see somwhat of goode.
{and} somwhat of yuel. for no wise man haþ nat leuer ben exiled pore
{and} nedy {and} nameles. þan forto dwellen in hys Citee {and} flouren
of rychesses. {and} be redoutable by honoure. {and} stronge of power for
in þis wise more clerely {and} more witnesfully is þe office of wise men
ytretid whan þe blisfulnes {and} [the] pouste of gouerno{ur}s is as it
were yshad amonges poeples þat ben neyȝboures {and} subgitȝ. syn þat
namely prisou{n} lawe {and} þise oþer to{ur}mentȝ of lawful peynes ben
raþer owed to felonous Citeȝeins. for þe whiche felonous Citeȝeins þo
peynes ben establissed. þan for goode folk. ¶ þan I m{er}ueile me gretly
q{uo}d I. whi [þ{a}t] þe þinges ben so mys entrechaunged. þat
to{ur}mentȝ felounes pressen {and} confounden goode folk. {and} shrewes
rauyssen medes of vertue {and} ben i{n} hono{ur}s. {and} in grete
estatis. and I desire eke to wite{n} of þe. what semeþ þe to ben þe
resou{n} of þis so wrongful a confusiou{n} ¶ For I wolde wondre wel þe
lasse yif I trowed[e] þat alle þise þinges were medeled by fortuouse
hap. ¶ But now hepeþ {and} encreseþ myne astonyenge god gouerno{ur} of
þinges. þat so as god ȝeueþ ofte tymes to good[e] men goodes {and}
myrþes. {and} to shrewes yuel and aspre þinges. {and} ȝeueþ aȝeynewarde
to goode folk hardnesse. {and} to shrewes [he] g{ra}unteþ hem her wille
{and} þat þei desiren. what difference þan may þer be bitwixen þ{a}t þat
god doþ. {and} þe hap of fortune. yif men ne knowe nat þe cause whi þat
[it] is. it nis no merueile q{uo}d she þouȝ þat men wenen þat þer be
somwhat folysche and confus whan þe resou{n} of þe order is vnknowe.
¶ But alle þouȝ þou ne know nat þe cause of so gret a disposic{i}ou{n}.
naþeles for as moche as god þe good[e] gouernour attempreþ {and}
gouerneþ þe world. ne doute þe nat þat alle þinges ne ben doon aryȝt.