[Linenotes: 4518 _it_--hit 4519 [_byforn_]--from C. 4522 _fals_--false 4523 [_nat_]--from C. _ben_--MS. by, C. ben 4524 _þan [as] it is_--MS. þan it is be 4527 [_be_]--from C. 4529 _whiche_--which 4534 _mouþe_--Mowth 4536 _shulle_--shullyn _wit[e]_--wite 4538 _don_--MS. done, C. y-doon 4543 _moche_--mochel _worþe_--worth 4549 _haþ_--MS. haþe 4550 _whiche_--which 4551 _mankynde_--man-kynd 4554 [_this_]--from C. 4555 _grauntid_--ygraunted] [Headnote: FATE UNDER THE CONTROL OF PROVIDENCE.] ¶ For in ydel ben þer þan p{ur}posed and byhyȝt medes of goode folk. {and} peynes to badde folk. syn þat no moeuynge of free corage uoluntarie ne haþ nat deserued 4560 hem. þat is to seyn neiþer mede nor peyne. [Sidenote: Rewards and punishments now deemed just and equitable, will be considered most unjust, when, it is allowed, that mankind are not prompted by any will of their own, to either virtue or vice, but in all their actions are impelled by a fatal necessity.] ¶ And it sholde seme þan þat þilke þinge is alþer worste whiche þat is nowe demed. for alþ{er} moste iuste {and} moste [[pg 158]] ryȝtful. þat is to seyn þat shrewes ben punyssed. or 4564 ellys þ{a}t good[e] folk ben ygerdoned. þe whiche folk syn þat þe p{ro}pre wille [ne] sent hem nat to þ{a}t oon ne to þat oþer. þat is to seyn. neþer to good[e] ne to harme. but constreineþ hem certeyne necessite of þinges 4568 to comen. [Sidenote: Nor would there be such things as virtue or vice, but such a medley of the one and the other as would be productive of the greatest confusion.] ¶ þanne ne sholle{n} þer neuer ben ne neuer weren vice ne vertue. but it sholde raþer ben co{n}fusiou{n} of alle desertes medlid wiþoute discresiou{n}. ¶ And ȝitte þer folweþ an oþer i{n}co{n}uenient of þe whiche þer 4572 ne may ben þouȝt ne more felonous ne more wikke. [Sidenote: And from this it will follow--that since all order comes of Divine Providence, and that there is no freedom of the human will, that also our vices must be referred to the author of all good--which is a most impious opinion.] {and} þat is þis þat so as þe ordre of þinges is yledd {and} comeþ of þe purueaunce of god. ne þat no þing nis leueful to þe conseils of mankynde. as who seiþ þat 4576 men han no power to done no þing. ne wilne no þing. þan folweþ it þat oure vices ben refferred to þe mak[er]e of alle good. as who seiþ þan folweþ it. þat god auȝt[e] han þe blame of oure vices. syn he co{n}streiniþ by 4580 necessite to don vices. [Sidenote: Then is it useless to hope for anything from God, or to pray to him.] þan nis þer no resou{n} to han hopen in god. ne forto p{re}ien to god.