[Sidenote: The wicked seek after no trivial things--which they fail to obtain; but they aspire in vain to the sovereign good, which they endeavour day and night to obtain.] ¶ Sherewes ne requere nat lyȝt[e] medes ne veyne gaines whiche þei ne may nat 3272 folwen ne holden. but þei fayle{n} of þilke some of þe heyȝte of þinges þat is to seyne souereyne good. ne þise wrecches ne comen nat to þe effect of souereyne good. [Sidenote: [* fol. 26.]] *þe whiche þei enforcen hem oonly to gete{n} by nyȝtes 3276 {and} by dayes. [Sidenote: The good attain the end of their desires, and therein their power is manifested.] ¶ In þe getyn[g] of whiche goode þe strengþe of good folk. is ful wel ysen. [Sidenote: For as you deem him a good walker that goes to the end of his journey, so you must esteem him powerful that attains his desires, beyond which there is nothing to desire.] For ryȝt so as þ{o}u myȝtest demen hym myȝty of goynge þat goþ on hys feet til he myȝt[e] come to þilke place fro þe whiche 3280 place þere ne lay no wey forþer to be gon. Ryȝt so most þou nedes demen hym for ryȝt myȝty þat getiþ {and} atteiniþ to þe ende of alle þinges þat ben to desire. by-ȝonde þe whiche ende þat þer nis no þing to desire. 3284 [Linenotes: 3226 _þilk_--thilke 3229 _owen_--owne 3231 _wilt_--wolt _herkene_--herkne 3232 _pleynely_--pleynly _denye_--denoye 3233 _moeuementȝ_--Moeuement 3237 _goþ_--MS. goþe _hys_--hise 3238 _gone_--goon 3239 _hys_--hise _whiche_--which 3240 _more_--the Moore _furþe_--forth 3242 _gone_--gon 3245 _good_--goode 3246 _uertues_--vertuus 3247 _whiche_--which 3248 _goode_--good 3253 _byfore_--by-forn 3254 _forto_--to 3255 _seke_--sike 3259 _wicked_--wikkede 3260 _come_--comyn 3261 _þilk_--thilke 3262 _deme_--demen 3263-4 _helpe_--help 3264 _whiche_--which _goþ_--MS. goþe 3265 _grete_--gret _vnneþ_--vnnethe _be ouercomen_--ben ou{er}come 3267 _þere_--ther _grete_--wikkede 3268 _þinges_--thing _ben_--is 3271 _Sherewes ne requere_--ne shrewes ne requeren 3272 _lyȝt[e]_--lyhte _veyne_--veyn _nat_--omitted 3276 _whiche_--which 3277 _getyn[g]_--getinge _whiche goode_--which good 3278 _ysen_--MS. and C. ysene 3279 _goþ_--MS. goþe 3280 _myȝt[e]_--myhte 3281 _þere_--ther _lay_--laye _forþer_--forthere _be_--ben 3283 _desire_--desired 3284 _þat_--omitted] [Headnote: THE WICKED HAVE NO REAL EXISTENCE.] [Sidenote: Wicked men, then, are destitute of those powers which the good so amply possess.]