¶ Þo saide sche þus. wheþer wenest þou q{uo}d sche þ{a}t þis worlde be gouerned by foolisshe happes {and} fortunes. or elles wenest þou þat þer be i{n} it any 636 gouerneme{n}t of resou{n}. [Sidenote: _B._ By no means. The Creator presides over his own works.] Certes q{uod} .I. ne trowe not in no manere þat so certeyne þinges scholde be moeued by fortunouse fortune. but I wot wel þat god maker {and} mayster is gouerno{ur} of þis werk. [Sidenote: I shall never swerve from this opinion.] Ne neuer nas 640 ȝit day þat myȝt[e] putte me oute of þe soþenesse of þat sentence. [Sidenote: _P._ Yes! Thou didst say as much when thou didst declare man alone to be destitute of divine care.] ¶ So is it q{uod} sche. for þe same þing songe þou a lytel here byforne {and} byweyledest {and} byweptest. þat only men weren put oute of þe cure of 644 god. ¶ For of alle oþer þinges þou ne doutest nat þat þei nere gouerned by reso{n}. [Sidenote: Still thou seemest to labour under some defect even in this conviction.] but how (.i. pape.). I wondre gretly certes whi þat þou art seek. siþen þou art put in to so holesom a sentence. but lat vs seken 648 depper. I coniecte þat þere lakkeþ I not what. [[pg 27]] [Sidenote: Tell me how the world is governed.] but sey me þis. siþen þat þou ne doutest nat þ{a}t þis worlde be gouerned by god ¶ wiþ swycche gouernailes takest þou hede þat it is gouerned. [Sidenote: _B._ I do not thoroughly comprehend your question.] ¶ vnneþ q{uod} .I. knowe 652 .I. þe sente{n}ce of þi q{ue}stiou{n}. so þat I ne may nat ȝit answeren to þi demaundes. [Sidenote: _P._ I was not deceived, then, when I said there was some defect in thy sentiment.] ¶ I nas nat deceiued q{uod} sche þat þere ne faileþ su{m}what. by whiche þe maladie of p{er}turbac{i}ou{n} is crept in to þi þouȝt. so 656 as þe strengþe of þe paleys schynyng is open. [Sidenote: Tell me what is the chief end of all things; and whither all things tend.] ¶ But seye me þis reme{m}brest þou ouȝt what is þe ende of þi þinges. whider þat þe entenc{i}ou{n} of al kynde tendeþ. ¶ I haue herd told it somtyme q{uod} .I. but drerynesse 660 haþ dulled my memorie. ¶ Certys q{uod} sche þou wost wel whe{n}nes þat alle þinges ben comen {and} p{ro}ceded. [Sidenote: _B._ God is the beginning of all things.] I wot wel q{uod} .I. {and} ansewered[e] þat god is þe bygynnyng of al. [Sidenote: _P._ How, then, art thou ignorant of their end?] ¶ And how may þis be 664 q{uod} sche þat siþen þ{o}u knowest þe bygynnyng of þinges. þat þou ne knowest not what is þe endyng of þinges.