_p._ þou hast wel herd q{ uo}d she þe fables of þe poetes. how þe geauntes assailden þe heuene wiþ þe goddes. but for soþe þe debonaire force of god disposed[e] hem so as it was worþi. þat is to seyne distroied[e] þe 2968 geauntes. as it was worþi. ¶ But wilt þou þat we ioygnen togedre þilke same resou{ n}s. for p{ er}auenture of swiche coniuncc{ i}ou{ n} may sterten vp some faire sp{ er}kele of soþe
wenest þou q{ uo}d she 2972 þat god ne is almy[gh]ty. no man is in doute of it. [[pg 105]]
Certys q{ uo}d I no wy[gh]t ne defendiþ it if he be in hys mynde.
[Linenotes: 2941 _her_--hyr 2943 _realme_--Reaume _seme_--semen 2945 _þere_--ther 2947 _gone a[gh]eyne_--goon ayein 2948 _enforced[e]_--enforcede _my[gh]t[e]_--myhte _auayle_--auaylen 2949 _a[gh]eyns_--a-yenis 2951 _outerly_--owtrely _my[gh]t[e]_--myhte _auaylen_--MS. aualeyne, C. auaylen _hym_--hem _þere_--ther 2952 _wol_--wole _wiþstonde_--w{ i}t{ h}-stondyn _þis souereyne_--his sou{ er}eyn 2955 _softly_--softtely 2957 _sommes_--somme [_the_]--from C. 2959 _last[e]_--laste 2960 _greet[e]_--grete 2960, 2963 _au[gh]ten_--owhten 2961 _seyne_--seyn 2965 _of hem_--of it _herd_--MS. herde, C. herd 2967 _disposed[e]_--desposede 2968 _seyne distroied[e]_--seyn destroyede 2971 _swiche_--swych _some_--som 2972 _soþe_--soth _list_--liste 2973 _is_ (1)--be _man_--omitted _is_ (2)--nis 2974 _defendiþ_--dowteth]
[Sidenote: _P._ If he is almighty, there are, then, no limits to his power?]
but he q{ uo}d she þat is al my[gh]ty þere nis no þing þat he ne may do.
[Sidenote: _B._ He can doubtless do all things.]
[Sidenote: _P._ Is evil nothing, since God, who is almighty, cannot do it?]
¶ þan is yuel no þing q{ uo}d she. ¶ Syn þat he ne may not done yuel þat may done alle þinges.
[Sidenote: _B._ Dost thou mock me or play with me, leading me with thy arguments into an inextricable labyrinth, and enclosing me in a wonderful circle of Divine Simplicity?]
scornest þou me q{ uo}d. I. or ellys pleyest þou or deceiuest þou me. þat hast so wouen me 2980 wiþ þi resou{ n}s. þe house of didalus so entrelaced. þat it is vnable to ben vnlaced. þou þat oþer while entrest þere þou issest { and} oþer while issest þere þou entrest. ne fooldest þou nat to gidre by replicac{ i}ou{ n} of wordes a 2984 maner wondirful cercle or envirounynge of symplicite deuyne.