[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.]