ME. II. 1. Ed. vayne; C. A. veyn. 2. A. Ed. in; C. on. 3. Ed. chayres; C. (_miswritten_) charyes; A. chayeres. 4. A. manasyng; C. manassinge. 8. A. troublynges; C. trwblynges. 9. C. hym (_for_ hem). 12. C. Ed. tyrannyes; A. tyrauntis. 14. A. wicked (_for_ wikkedly).
Seestow nat thanne in how grete filthe thise shrewes ben y-wrapped, and with which cleernesse thise good folk shynen? In this sheweth it wel, that to goode folk ne lakketh never-mo hir medes, ne shrewes lakken never-mo torments. For of alle thinges that ben y-doon, thilke thing, for which any-thing is don, it semeth 5 as by right that thilke thing be the mede of that; as thus: yif a man renneth in the stadie, _or in the forlong_, for the corone, thanne lyth the mede in the corone for which he renneth. And I have shewed that blisfulnesse is thilke same good for which that alle thinges ben doon. Thanne is thilke same good purposed 10 to the workes of mankinde right as a comune mede; which mede ne may ben dissevered fro good folk. For no wight as by right, fro thennes-forth that him lakketh goodnesse, ne shal ben cleped good. For which thing, folk of goode maneres, hir medes ne forsaken hem never-mo. For al-be-it so that shrewes wexen 15 as wode as hem list _ayeins goode folk_, yit never-the-lesse the corone of wyse men shal nat fallen ne faden. For foreine shrewednesse ne binimeth nat fro the corages of goode folk hir propre honour. But yif that any wight reioyse him of goodnesse that he hadde take fro with-oute (_as who seith, yif that any wight hadde 20 his goodnesse of any other man than of him-self_), certes, he that yaf him thilke goodnesse, or elles som other wight, mighte binime it him. But for as moche as to every wight his owne propre bountee yeveth him his mede, thanne at erst shal he failen of mede whan he forleteth to ben good. And at the laste, so as alle medes ben 25 requered for men wenen that they ben goode, who is he that wolde deme, that he that is right mighty of good were part-les of mede? And of what mede shal he be guerdoned? Certes, of right faire mede and right grete aboven alle medes. Remembre thee of thilke noble corolarie that I yaf thee a litel her-biforn; 30 and gader it to-gider in this manere:--so as good him-self is blisfulnesse, thanne is it cleer and certein, that alle good folk ben maked blisful for they ben goode; and thilke folk that ben blisful, it acordeth and is covenable to ben goddes. Thanne is the mede of goode folk swich that no day shal enpeiren it, ne no wikkednesse 35 ne shal derken it, ne power of no wight ne shal nat amenusen it, _that is to seyn_, to ben maked goddes.