*¶ For þe realme ne sholde not seme blisful ȝif þere were a ȝok of mysdrawynges in diu{er}se p{ar}ties ne þe sauynge of 2944 obedient þinges ne sholde nat be. [Sidenote: _P._ Is there anything that follows the dictates of nature that seeks to counteract the will of God?] þan is þere no þing q{uo}d she þ{a}t kepiþ hys nature[;] þat enforceþ hym to gone aȝeyne god. [Sidenote: _B._ No.] ¶ No q{uo}d. I. [Sidenote: _P._ If there should be any such, it could not prevail against him, who is supremely happy and consequently omnipotent.] ¶ And if þat any þi{n}g enforced[e] hym to wiþstonde god. myȝt[e] it auayle at 2948 þe laste aȝeyns hym þat we han g{ra}unted to ben al myȝty by þe ryȝt of blisfulnesse. ¶ Certis q{uo}d I al outerly it ne myȝt[e] nat auaylen hym. [Sidenote: Then there is nothing that either will or can withstand this supreme good?] þan is þere no þing q{uo}d she þat eyþer wol or may wiþstonde to þis 2952 souereyne good. [Sidenote: _B._ Nothing, certainly.] ¶ I trowe nat q{uo}d. I [Sidenote: _P._ It is then the supreme good that governs and orders all things powerfully and benignly.] ¶ þan is þilke þe souereyne good q{uo}d she þat alle þi{n}g{us} gouerneþ strongly {and} ordeyneþ hem softly. [Sidenote: _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.] þa{n} seide I þus. I delite me q{uo}d I nat oonly in þe endes or in þe 2956 so{m}mes of [the] resou{n}s þat þou hast concludid {and} p{ro}ued. ¶ But þilke wordes þat þ{o}u vsest deliten me moche more. ¶ So at þe last[e] fooles þat so{m}tyme renden greet[e] þinges auȝte{n} ben asshamed of hem 2960 self. [Sidenote: [Chaucer’s gloss.]] ¶ þat is to seyne þ{a}t we fooles þat rep{re}henden wickedly þe þi{n}g{us} þat touchen goddes gouernaunce we auȝte{n} ben asshamed of oure self. As I þat seide god refuseþ oonly þe werkes of men. {and} ne entremetiþ nat 2964 of he{m}. [Sidenote: _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 q{uo}d 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 resou{n}s. for p{er}auenture of swiche coniuncc{i}ou{n} may sterten vp some faire sp{er}kele of soþe [Sidenote: _B._ As you please.] ¶ Do q{uo}d I as þe list.