[Sidenote: The principal cause of my trouble is this--that, whilst the absolute Ruler of all things is goodness itself, evil exists and is allowed to pass unpunished.] but þis same is namly a gret cause of my sorwe. þat so as þe gouernoure of þinges is goode. 3092 yif þat yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif þat yuelys passen wiþ outen punyssheinge. [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: 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 to{ur}me{n}tes in sted of wicked felou{n}s [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: _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 q{uo}d she þat were a grete meruayle {and} an enbaissynge wiþouten ende. {and} wel more horrible þan alle monstres yif it were as 3108 þ{o}u 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 hono{ur}ed {and} heried. and þe p{re}cious uesseles sholde ben defouled 3112 {and} vyle. but it nis nat so. [Sidenote: 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 co{n}cluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole [[pg 110]] {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. [Sidenote: that vice never passes unpunished, nor virtue goes unrewarded;]