¶ But now hepeþ {and} encreseþ myne astonyenge god gouerno{ur} of þinges. 3780 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. 3784 [Sidenote: What difference is there, then, unless we know the cause, between God’s proceedings and the operations of Chance?] 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. [Sidenote: _P._ It is not at all surprising that you think you see irregularities, when you are ignorant of that order by which God proceeds.] it nis no merueile q{uo}d she þouȝ þat men wenen þat þer be somwhat folysche and confus 3788 whan þe resou{n} of þe order is vnknowe. [Sidenote: But, forasmuch as God, the good governor, presides over all, rest assured that all things are done rightly and as they ought to be done.] ¶ 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 3792 alle þinges ne ben doon aryȝt. [Linenotes: 3760 _goode_--good 3761 _haþ_--MS. haþe _nat_--omitted _leuer_--leu{er}e 3762 _þan_--MS. þat, C. than 3763 _redoutable_--MS. redentable, C. redowtable 3764 _stronge_--strong _clerely_--clerly 3766 [_the_]--from C. 3767 _neyȝboures_--nesshebors 3769 _lawful_--laweful 3771 _goode_--good 3772 [_þat_]--from C. 3775 _grete_--gret 3776 _to witen_--forto weten 3778 _trowed[e]_--trowede _alle_--al 3779 _were_--weeren _fortuouse_--fortunous 3780 _myne_--myn 3781 _good[e]_--goode 3782 _yuel_--yuelis 3783 _hardnesse_--hardnesses 3784 [_he_]--from C. _wille_--wyl 3785 _difference_--MS. differenee 3786 _doþ_--MS. doþe _hap_--happe 3787 [_it_]--from C. _it_--ne it 3788 _confus_--confuse 3789 _alle_--al 3791 _good[e]_--goode 3793 _ne_--omitted] [Headnote: THE HIDDEN CAUSES OF THINGS.] SI QUIS ARCTURI[8] SYDERA. [Footnote 8: MS. arituri] [Sidenote: [The fyfthe Met{ur}.]] [Sidenote: He who knows not that the Bear is seen near the Pole, nor has observed the path of Boötes, will marvel at their appearance.]