thus in general ben good, and badnesse hath no being, as ye have
declared? I wene, if al things ben good, I might than with the
first way in that good have ended, and so by goodnesse have comen
to blisse in your service desyred.'
'Al thing,' quod she, 'is good by being in participacion out of
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the firste goodnesse, whiche goodnesse is corrupt by badnesse
and badde-mening maners. God hath [ordeyned] in good thinges,
that they ben good by being, and not in yvel; for there is absence
of rightful love. For badnesse is nothing but only yvel wil of the