I Genius the prest of love, Mi Sone, as thou hast preid above That I the Scole schal declare Of Aristotle and ek the fare Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht, am somdel therof destrauht; For it is noght to the matiere Of love, why we sitten hiere To schryve, so as Venus bad. Bot natheles, for it is glad, So as thou seist, for thin aprise To hiere of suche thinges wise, Wherof thou myht the time lisse, So as I can, I schal the wisse: For wisdom is at every throwe Above alle other thing to knowe In loves cause and elleswhere. Forthi, my Sone, unto thin Ere, Though it be noght in the registre Of Venus, yit of that Calistre And Aristotle whylom write To Alisandre, thou schalt wite. Bot for the lores ben diverse, I thenke ferst to the reherce The nature of Philosophie, Which Aristotle of his clergie, Wys and expert in the sciences, Declareth thilke intelligences, As of thre pointz in principal. Wherof the ferste in special Is Theorique, which is grounded On him which al the world hath founded, Which comprehendeth al the lore. And forto loken overmore, Next of sciences the seconde Is Rethorique, whos faconde Above alle othre is eloquent: To telle a tale in juggement So wel can noman speke as he. The laste science of the thre It is Practique, whos office The vertu tryeth fro the vice, And techeth upon goode thewes To fle the compaignie of schrewes, Which stant in disposicion Of mannes free eleccion. Practique enformeth ek the reule, Hou that a worthi king schal reule His Realme bothe in werre and pes. Lo, thus danz Aristotiles These thre sciences hath divided And the nature also decided, Wherof that ech of hem schal serve. The ferste, which is the conserve And kepere of the remnant, As that which is most sufficant And chief of the Philosophie, If I therof schal specefie So as the Philosophre tolde, Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde. Of Theorique principal The Philosophre in special The propretees hath determined, As thilke which is enlumined Of wisdom and of hih prudence Above alle othre in his science: And stant departed upon thre, The ferste of which in his degre Is cleped in Philosophie The science of Theologie, That other named is Phisique, The thridde is seid Mathematique. Theologie is that science Which unto man yifth evidence Of thing which is noght bodely, Wherof men knowe redely The hihe almyhti Trinite, Which is o god in unite Withouten ende and beginnynge And creatour of alle thinge, Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle. Wherof, as olde bokes telle, The Philosophre in his resoun Wrot upon this conclusioun, And of his wrytinge in a clause He clepeth god the ferste cause, Which of himself is thilke good, Withoute whom nothing is good, Of which that every creature Hath his beinge and his nature. After the beinge of the thinges Ther ben thre formes of beinges: Thing which began and ende schal, That thing is cleped temporal; Ther is also be other weie Thing which began and schal noght deie. As Soules, that ben spiritiel, Here beinge is perpetuel: Bot ther is on above the Sonne, Whos time nevere was begonne, And endeles schal evere be; That is the god, whos mageste Alle othre thinges schal governe, And his beinge is sempiterne. The god, to whom that al honour Belongeth, he is creatour, And othre ben hise creatures: The god commandeth the natures That thei to him obeien alle; Withouten him, what so befalle, Her myht is non, and he mai al: The god was evere and evere schal, And thei begonne of his assent; The times alle be present To god, to hem and alle unknowe, Bot what him liketh that thei knowe: Thus bothe an angel and a man, The whiche of al that god began Be chief, obeien goddes myht, And he stant endeles upriht. To this science ben prive The clerkes of divinite, The whiche unto the poeple prechen The feith of holi cherche and techen, Which in som cas upon believe Stant more than thei conne prieve Be weie of Argument sensible: Bot natheles it is credible, And doth a man gret meede have, To him that thenkth himself to save. Theologie in such a wise Of hih science and hih aprise Above alle othre stant unlike, And is the ferste of Theorique. Phisique is after the secounde, Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde To techen sondri knowlechinges Upon the bodiliche thinges. Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston, Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon That ben of bodely substance, The nature and the circumstance Thurgh this science it is ful soght, Which vaileth and which vaileth noght. The thridde point of Theorique, Which cleped is Mathematique, Devided is in sondri wise And stant upon diverse aprise. The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique, And the secounde is seid Musique, The thridde is ek Geometrie, Also the ferthe Astronomie. Of Arsmetique the matiere s that of which a man mai liere What Algorisme in nombre amonteth, Whan that the wise man acompteth After the formel proprete Of Algorismes Abece: Be which multiplicacioun s mad and diminucioun Of sommes be thexperience Of this Art and of this science. The seconde of Mathematique, Which is the science of Musique, That techeth upon Armonie A man to make melodie Be vois and soun of instrument Thurgh notes of acordement, The whiche men pronounce alofte, Nou scharpe notes and nou softe, Nou hihe notes and nou lowe, As be the gamme a man mai knowe, Which techeth the prolacion Of note and the condicion. Mathematique of his science Hath yit the thridde intelligence Full of wisdom and of clergie And cleped is Geometrie, Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte, Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte To knowe the proporcion Be verrai calculacion Of this science: and in this wise These olde Philosophres wise, Of al this worldes erthe round, Hou large, hou thikke was the ground, Controeveden thexperience; The cercle and the circumference Of every thing unto the hevene Thei setten point and mesure evene. Mathematique above therthe Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe, Which spekth upon Astronomie And techeth of the sterres hihe, Beginnynge upward fro the mone. Bot ferst, as it was forto done, This Aristotle in other thing Unto this worthi yonge king The kinde of every element Which stant under the firmament, Hou it is mad and in what wise, Fro point to point he gan devise. Tofore the creacion Of eny worldes stacion, Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle, So as these olde bokes telle, As soun tofore the song is set And yit thei ben togedre knet, Riht so the hihe pourveance Tho hadde under his ordinance A gret substance, a gret matiere, Of which he wolde in his manere These othre thinges make and forme. For yit withouten eny forme Was that matiere universal, Which hihte Ylem in special. Of Ylem, as I am enformed, These elementz ben mad and formed, Of Ylem elementz they hote After the Scole of Aristote, Of whiche if more I schal reherce, Foure elementz ther ben diverse. The ferste of hem men erthe calle, Which is the lowest of hem alle, And in his forme is schape round, Substancial, strong, sadd and sound, As that which mad is sufficant To bere up al the remenant. For as the point in a compas Stant evene amiddes, riht so was This erthe set and schal abyde, That it may swerve to no side, And hath his centre after the lawe Of kinde, and to that centre drawe Desireth every worldes thing, If ther ne were no lettyng. Above therthe kepth his bounde The water, which is the secounde Of elementz, and al withoute It environeth therthe aboute. Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi This soubtil water myhtely, Thogh it be of himselve softe, The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte; For riht as veines ben of blod In man, riht so the water flod Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines, Als wel the helles as the pleines. And that a man may sen at ije, For wher the hulles ben most hyhe, Ther mai men welle stremes finde: So proveth it be weie of kinde The water heyher than the lond. And over this nou understond, Air is the thridde of elementz, Of whos kinde his aspirementz Takth every lifissh creature, The which schal upon erthe endure: For as the fissh, if it be dreie, Mot in defaute of water deie, Riht so withouten Air on lyve No man ne beste myhte thryve, The which is mad of fleissh and bon; There is outake of alle non. This Air in Periferies thre Divided is of such degre, Benethe is on and on amidde, To whiche above is set the thridde: And upon the divisions There ben diverse impressions Of moist and ek of drye also, Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuo Ben drawe and haled upon hy, And maken cloudes in the Sky, As schewed is at mannes sihte; Wherof be day and ek be nyhte After the times of the yer Among ous upon Erthe her In sondri wise thinges falle. The ferste Periferie of alle Engendreth Myst and overmore The dewes and the Frostes hore, After thilke intersticion In which thei take impression. Fro the seconde, as bokes sein, The moiste dropes of the reyn Descenden into Middilerthe, And tempreth it to sed and Erthe, And doth to springe grass and flour. And ofte also the grete schour Out of such place it mai be take, That it the forme schal forsake Of reyn, and into snow be torned; And ek it mai be so sojorned In sondri places up alofte, That into hail it torneth ofte. The thridde of thair after the lawe Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe Of dreie thing, as it is ofte, Among the cloudes upon lofte, And is so clos, it may noght oute,- Thanne is it chased sore aboute, Til it to fyr and leyt be falle, And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle, The whiche of so gret noyse craken, That thei the feerful thonder maken. The thonderstrok smit er it leyte, And yit men sen the fyr and leyte, The thonderstrok er that men hiere: So mai it wel be proeved hiere In thing which schewed is fro feer, A mannes yhe is there nerr Thanne is the soun to mannes Ere. And natheles it is gret feere Bothe of the strok and of the fyr, Of which is no recoverir In place wher that thei descende, Bot if god wolde his grace sende. And forto speken over this, In this partie of thair it is That men fulofte sen be nyhte The fyr in sondri forme alyhte. Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth, And so the lewed poeple it demeth; Somtime it semeth as it were A Sterre, which that glydeth there: Bot it is nouther of the tuo, The Philosophre telleth so, And seith that of impressions Thurgh diverse exalacions Upon the cause and the matiere Men sen diverse forme appiere Of fyr, the which hath sondri name. Assub, he seith, is thilke same, The which in sondry place is founde, Whanne it is falle doun to grounde, So as the fyr it hath aneled, Lich unto slym which is congeled. Of exalacion I finde Fyr kinled of the fame kinde, Bot it is of an other forme; Wherof, if that I schal conforme The figure unto that it is, These olde clerkes tellen this, That it is lik a Got skippende, And for that it is such semende, It hatte Capra saliens. And ek these Astronomiens An other fyr also, be nyhte Which scheweth him to mannes syhte, Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth Upon a corde, as thou hast sein, Whan it with poudre is so besein Of Sulphre and othre thinges mo. Ther is an other fyr also, Which semeth to a mannes yhe Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe A dragon brennende in the Sky, And that is cleped proprely Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte, "Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte Fleth up in thair!" and so thei demen. Bot why the fyres suche semen Of sondri formes to beholde, The wise Philosophre tolde, So as tofore it hath ben herd. Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd: Of Air the due proprete In sondri wise thou myht se, And hou under the firmament It is ek the thridde element, Which environeth bothe tuo, The water and the lond also. And forto tellen overthis Of elementz which the ferthe is, That is the fyr in his degre, Which environeth thother thre And is withoute moist al drye. Bot lest nou what seith the clergie; For upon hem that I have seid The creatour hath set and leid The kinde and the complexion Of alle mennes nacion. Foure elementz sondri ther be, Lich unto whiche of that degre Among the men ther ben also Complexions foure and nomo, Wherof the Philosophre treteth, That he nothing behinde leteth, And seith hou that thei ben diverse, So as I schal to thee reherse. He which natureth every kinde, The myhti god, so as I finde, Of man, which is his creature, Hath so devided the nature, That non til other wel acordeth: And be the cause it so discordeth, The lif which fieleth the seknesse Mai stonde upon no sekernesse. Of therthe, which is cold and drye, The kinde of man Malencolie Is cleped, and that is the ferste, The most ungoodlich and the werste; For unto loves werk on nyht Him lacketh bothe will and myht: No wonder is, in lusty place Of love though he lese grace. What man hath that complexion, Full of ymaginacion Of dredes and of wrathful thoghtes, He fret himselven al to noghtes. The water, which is moyste and cold, Makth fleume, which is manyfold Foryetel, slou and wery sone Of every thing which is to done: He is of kinde sufficant To holde love his covenant, Bot that him lacketh appetit, Which longeth unto such delit. What man that takth his kinde of thair, He schal be lyht, he schal be fair, For his complexion is blood. Of alle ther is non so good, For he hath bothe will and myht To plese and paie love his riht: Wher as he hath love undertake, Wrong is if that he be forsake. The fyr of his condicion Appropreth the complexion Which in a man is Colre hote, Whos propretes ben dreie and hote: It makth a man ben enginous And swift of fote and ek irous; Of contek and folhastifnesse He hath a riht gret besinesse, To thenke of love and litel may: Though he behote wel a day, On nyht whan that he wole assaie, He may ful evele his dette paie. After the kinde of thelement, Thus stant a mannes kinde went, As touchende his complexion, Upon sondri division Of dreie, of moiste, of chele, of hete, And ech of hem his oghne sete Appropred hath withinne a man. And ferst to telle as I began, The Splen is to Malencolie Assigned for herbergerie: The moiste fleume with his cold Hath in the lunges for his hold Ordeined him a propre stede, To duelle ther as he is bede: To the Sanguin complexion Nature of hire inspeccion A propre hous hath in the livere For his duellinge mad delivere: The dreie Colre with his hete Be weie of kinde his propre sete Hath in the galle, wher he duelleth, So as the Philosophre telleth. Nou over this is forto wite, As it is in Phisique write Of livere, of lunge, of galle, of splen, Thei alle unto the herte ben Servantz, and ech in his office Entendeth to don him service, As he which is chief lord above. The livere makth him forto love, The lunge yifth him weie of speche, The galle serveth to do wreche, The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie, Whan al unclennesse is aweie: Lo, thus hath ech of hem his dede. And to sustienen hem and fede In time of recreacion, Nature hath in creacion The Stomach for a comun Coc Ordeined, so as seith the boc. The Stomach coc is for the halle, And builleth mete for hem alle, To make hem myghty forto serve The herte, that he schal noght sterve: For as a king in his Empire Above alle othre is lord and Sire, So is the herte principal, To whom reson in special Is yove as for the governance. And thus nature his pourveance Hath mad for man to liven hiere; Bot god, which hath the Soule diere, Hath formed it in other wise. That can noman pleinli devise; Bot as the clerkes ous enforme, That lich to god it hath a forme, Thurgh which figure and which liknesse The Soule hath many an hyh noblesse Appropred to his oghne kinde. Bot ofte hir wittes be mad blinde Al onliche of this ilke point, That hir abydinge is conjoint Forth with the bodi forto duelle: That on desireth toward helle, That other upward to the hevene; So schul thei nevere stonde in evene, Bot if the fleissh be overcome And that the Soule have holi nome The governance, and that is selde, Whil that the fleissh him mai bewelde. Al erthli thing which god began Was only mad to serve man; Bot he the Soule al only made Himselven forto serve and glade. Alle othre bestes that men finde Thei serve unto here oghne kinde, Bot to reson the Soule serveth; Wherof the man his thonk deserveth And get him with hise werkes goode The perdurable lyves foode. Of what matiere it schal be told, A tale lyketh manyfold The betre, if it be spoke plein: Thus thinke I forto torne ayein And telle plenerly therfore Of therthe, wherof nou tofore I spak, and of the water eke, So as these olde clerkes spieke, And sette proprely the bounde After the forme of Mappemounde, Thurgh which the ground be pourparties Departed is in thre parties, That is Asie, Aufrique, Europe, The whiche under the hevene cope, Als ferr as streccheth eny ground, Begripeth al this Erthe round. Bot after that the hihe wrieche The water weies let out seche And overgo the helles hye, Which every kinde made dye That upon Middelerthe stod, Outake Noe5 and his blod, His Sones and his doughtres thre, Thei were sauf and so was he;- Here names who that rede rihte, Sem, Cam, Japhet the brethren hihte;- And whanne thilke almyhty hond Withdrouh the water fro the lond, And al the rage was aweie, And Erthe was the mannes weie, The Sones thre, of whiche I tolde, Riht after that hemselve wolde, This world departe thei begonne. Asie, which lay to the Sonne Upon the Marche of orient, Was graunted be comun assent To Sem, which was the Sone eldeste; For that partie was the beste And double as moche as othre tuo. And was that time bounded so; Wher as the flod which men Nil calleth Departeth fro his cours and falleth Into the See Alexandrine, Ther takth Asie ferst seisine Toward the West, and over this Of Canahim wher the flod is Into the grete See rennende, Fro that into the worldes ende Estward, Asie it is algates, Til that men come unto the gates Of Paradis, and there ho. And schortly for to speke it so, Of Orient in general Withinne his bounde Asie hath al. And thanne upon that other syde Westward, as it fell thilke tyde, The brother which was hote Cham Upon his part Aufrique nam. Japhet Europe tho tok he, Thus parten thei the world on thre. Bot yit ther ben of londes fele In occident as for the chele, In orient as for the hete, Which of the poeple be forlete As lond desert that is unable, For it mai noght ben habitable. The water eke hath sondri bounde, After the lond wher it is founde, And takth his name of thilke londes Wher that it renneth on the strondes: Bot thilke See which hath no wane Is cleped the gret Occeane, Out of the which arise and come The hyhe flodes alle and some; Is non so litel welle spring, Which ther ne takth his beginnyng, And lich a man that haleth breth Be weie of kinde, so it geth Out of the See and in ayein, The water, as the bokes sein. Of Elementz the propretes Hou that they stonden be degres, As I have told, nou myht thou hiere, Mi goode Sone, al the matiere Of Erthe, of water, Air and fyr. And for thou saist that thi desir Is forto witen overmore The forme of Aristotles lore, He seith in his entendement, That yit ther is an Element Above the foure, and is the fifte, Set of the hihe goddes yifte, The which that Orbis cleped is. And therupon he telleth this, That as the schelle hol and sound Encloseth al aboute round What thing withinne an Ey belongeth, Riht so this Orbis underfongeth These elementz alle everychon, Which I have spoke of on and on. Bot overthis nou tak good hiede, Mi Sone, for I wol procede To speke upon Mathematique, Which grounded is on Theorique. The science of Astronomie I thinke forto specefie, Withoute which, to telle plein, Alle othre science is in vein Toward the scole of erthli thinges: For as an Egle with his winges Fleth above alle that men finde, So doth this science in his kinde. Benethe upon this Erthe hiere Of alle thinges the matiere, As tellen ous thei that ben lerned, Of thing above it stant governed, That is to sein of the Planetes. The cheles bothe and ek the hetes, The chances of the world also, That we fortune clepen so, Among the mennes nacion Al is thurgh constellacion, Wherof that som man hath the wele, And som man hath deseses fele In love als wel as othre thinges; The stat of realmes and of kinges In time of pes, in time of werre It is conceived of the Sterre: And thus seith the naturien Which is an Astronomien. Bot the divin seith otherwise, That if men weren goode and wise And plesant unto the godhede, Thei scholden noght the sterres drede; For o man, if him wel befalle, Is more worth than ben thei alle Towardes him that weldeth al. Bot yit the lawe original, Which he hath set in the natures, Mot worchen in the creatures, That therof mai be non obstacle, Bot if it stonde upon miracle Thurgh preiere of som holy man. And forthi, so as I began To speke upon Astronomie, As it is write in the clergie, To telle hou the planetes fare, Som part I thenke to declare, Mi Sone, unto thin Audience. Astronomie is the science Of wisdom and of hih connynge, Which makth a man have knowlechinge Of Sterres in the firmament, Figure, cercle and moevement Of ech of hem in sondri place, And what betwen hem is of space, Hou so thei moeve or stonde faste, Al this it telleth to the laste. Assembled with Astronomie Is ek that ilke Astrologie The which in juggementz acompteth Theffect, what every sterre amonteth, And hou thei causen many a wonder To tho climatz that stonde hem under. And forto telle it more plein, These olde philosphres sein That Orbis, which I spak of err, Is that which we fro therthe a ferr Beholde, and firmament it calle, In which the sterres stonden alle, Among the whiche in special Planetes sefne principal Ther ben, that mannes sihte demeth, Bot thorizonte, as to ous semeth. And also ther ben signes tuelve, Whiche have her cercles be hemselve Compassed in the zodiaque, In which thei have here places take. And as thei stonden in degre, Here cercles more or lasse be, Mad after the proporcion Of therthe, whos condicion Is set to be the foundement To sustiene up the firmament. And be this skile a man mai knowe, The more that thei stonden lowe, The more ben the cercles lasse; That causeth why that some passe Here due cours tofore an other. Bot nou, mi lieve dere brother, As thou desirest forto wite What I finde in the bokes write, To telle of the planetes sevene, Hou that thei stonde upon the hevene And in what point that thei ben inne, Tak hiede, for I wol beginne, So as the Philosophre tauhte To Alisandre and it betauhte, Wherof that he was fulli tawht Of wisdom, which was him betawht. Benethe alle othre stant the Mone, The which hath with the See to done: Of flodes hihe and ebbes lowe Upon his change it schal be knowe; And every fissh which hath a schelle Mot in his governance duelle, To wexe and wane in his degre, As be the Mone a man mai se; And al that stant upon the grounde Of his moisture it mot be founde. Alle othre sterres, as men finde, Be schynende of here oghne kinde Outake only the monelyht, Which is noght of himselve bright, Bot as he takth it of the Sonne. And yit he hath noght al fulwonne His lyht, that he nys somdiel derk; Bot what the lette is of that werk In Almageste it telleth this: The Mones cercle so lowe is, Wherof the Sonne out of his stage Ne seth him noght with full visage, For he is with the ground beschaded, So that the Mone is somdiel faded And may noght fully schyne cler. Bot what man under his pouer Is bore, he schal his places change And seche manye londes strange: And as of this condicion The Mones disposicion Upon the lond of Alemaigne Is set, and ek upon Bretaigne, Which nou is cleped Engelond; For thei travaile in every lond. Of the Planetes the secounde Above the Mone hath take his bounde, Mercurie, and his nature is this, That under him who that bore is, In boke he schal be studious And in wrytinge curious, And slouh and lustles to travaile In thing which elles myhte availe: He loveth ese, he loveth reste, So is he noght the worthieste; Bot yit with somdiel besinesse His herte is set upon richesse. And as in this condicion, Theffect and disposicion Of this Planete and of his chance Is most in Burgoigne and in France. Next to Mercurie, as wol befalle, Stant that Planete which men calle Venus, whos constellacion Governeth al the nacion Of lovers, wher thei spiede or non, Of whiche I trowe thou be on: Bot whiderward thin happes wende, Schal this planete schewe at ende, As it hath do to many mo, To some wel, to some wo. And natheles of this Planete The moste part is softe and swete; For who that therof takth his berthe, He schal desire joie and merthe, Gentil, courteis and debonaire, To speke his wordes softe and faire, Such schal he be be weie of kinde, And overal wher he may finde Plesance of love, his herte boweth With al his myht and there he woweth. He is so ferforth Amourous, He not what thing is vicious Touchende love, for that lawe Ther mai no maner man withdrawe, The which venerien is bore Be weie of kinde, and therefore Venus of love the goddesse Is cleped: bot of wantounesse The climat of hir lecherie Is most commun in Lombardie. Next unto this Planete of love The brighte Sonne stant above, Which is the hindrere of the nyht And forthrere of the daies lyht, As he which is the worldes ije, Thurgh whom the lusti compaignie Of foules be the morwe singe, The freisshe floures sprede and springe, The hihe tre the ground beschadeth, And every mannes herte gladeth. And for it is the hed Planete, Hou that he sitteth in his sete, Of what richesse, of what nobleie, These bokes telle, and thus thei seie. Of gold glistrende Spoke and whiel The Sonne his carte hath faire and wiel, In which he sitt, and is coroned With brighte stones environed; Of whiche if that I speke schal, Ther be tofore in special Set in the front of his corone Thre Stones, whiche no persone Hath upon Erthe, and the ferste is Be name cleped Licuchis; That othre tuo be cleped thus, Astrices and Ceramius. In his corone also behinde, Be olde bokes as I finde, Ther ben of worthi Stones thre Set ech of hem in his degre: Wherof a Cristall is that on, Which that corone is set upon; The seconde is an Adamant; The thridde is noble and avenant, Which cleped is Ydriades. And over this yit natheles Upon the sydes of the werk, After the wrytinge of the clerk, Ther sitten fyve Stones mo: The smaragdine is on of tho, Jaspis and Elitropius And Dendides and Jacinctus. Lo, thus the corone is beset, Wherof it schyneth wel the bet; And in such wise his liht to sprede Sit with his Diademe on hede The Sonne schynende in his carte. And forto lede him swithe and smarte After the bryhte daies lawe, Ther ben ordeined forto drawe Foure hors his Char and him withal, Wherof the names telle I schal: Erithes the ferste is hote, The which is red and schyneth hote, The seconde Acteos the bryhte, Lampes the thridde coursier hihte, And Philoges is the ferthe, That bringen lyht unto this erthe, And gon so swift upon the hevene, In foure and twenty houres evene The carte with the bryhte Sonne Thei drawe, so that overronne Thei have under the cercles hihe Al Middelerthe in such an hye. And thus the Sonne is overal The chief Planete imperial, Above him and benethe him thre: And thus betwen hem regneth he, As he that hath the middel place Among the Sevene, and of his face Be glade alle erthly creatures, And taken after the natures Here ese and recreacion. And in his constellacion Who that is bore in special, Of good will and of liberal He schal be founde in alle place, And also stonde in mochel grace Toward the lordes forto serve And gret profit and thonk deserve. And over that it causeth yit A man to be soubtil of wit To worche in gold, and to be wys In every thing which is of pris. Bot forto speken in what cost Of al this erthe he regneth most As for wisdom, it is in Grece, Wher is apropred thilke spiece. Mars the Planete bataillous Next to the Sonne glorious Above stant, and doth mervailes Upon the fortune of batailes. The conquerours be daies olde Were unto this planete holde: Bot who that his nativite Hath take upon the proprete Of Martes disposicioun Be weie of constellacioun, He schal be fiers and folhastif And desirous of werre and strif. Bot forto telle redely In what climat most comunly That this planete hath his effect, Seid is that he hath his aspect Upon the holi lond so cast, That there is no pes stedefast. Above Mars upon the hevene, The sexte Planete of the sevene, Stant Jupiter the delicat, Which causeth pes and no debat. For he is cleped that Planete Which of his kinde softe and swete Attempreth al that to him longeth; And whom this planete underfongeth To stonde upon his regiment, He schal be meke and pacient And fortunat to Marchandie And lusti to delicacie In every thing which he schal do. This Jupiter is cause also Of the science of lyhte werkes, And in this wise tellen clerkes He is the Planete of delices. Bot in Egipte of his offices He regneth most in special: For ther be lustes overal Of al that to this lif befalleth; For ther no stormy weder falleth, Which myhte grieve man or beste, And ek the lond is so honeste That it is plentevous and plein, Ther is non ydel ground in vein; And upon such felicite Stant Jupiter in his degre. The heyeste and aboven alle Stant that planete which men calle Saturnus, whos complexion Is cold, and his condicion Causeth malice and crualte To him the whos nativite Is set under his governance. For alle hise werkes ben grevance And enemy to mannes hele, In what degre that he schal dele. His climat is in Orient, Wher that he is most violent. Of the Planetes by and by, Hou that thei stonde upon the Sky, Fro point to point as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere. Bot overthis touchende his lore, Of thing that thei him tawhte more Upon the scoles of clergie Now herkne the Philosophie. He which departeth dai fro nyht, That on derk and that other lyht, Of sevene daies made a weke, A Monthe of foure wekes eke He hath ordeigned in his lawe, Of Monthes tuelve and ek forthdrawe He hath also the longe yeer. And as he sette of his pouer Acordant to the daies sevene Planetes Sevene upon the hevene, As thou tofore hast herd devise, To speke riht in such a wise, To every Monthe be himselve Upon the hevene of Signes tuelve He hath after his Ordinal Assigned on in special, Wherof, so as I schal rehersen, The tydes of the yer diversen. Bot pleinly forto make it knowe Hou that the Signes sitte arowe, Ech after other be degre In substance and in proprete The zodiaque comprehendeth Withinne his cercle, as it appendeth. The ferste of whiche natheles Be name is cleped Aries, Which lich a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure. And as it seith in Almageste, Of Sterres tuelve upon this beste Ben set, wherof in his degre The wombe hath tuo, the heved hath thre, The Tail hath sevene, and in this wise, As thou myht hiere me divise, Stant Aries, which hot and drye Is of himself, and in partie He is the receipte and the hous Of myhty Mars the bataillous. And overmore ek, as I finde, The creatour of alle kinde Upon this Signe ferst began The world, whan that he made man. And of this constellacioun The verray operacioun Availeth, if a man therinne The pourpos of his werk beginne; For thanne he hath of proprete Good sped and gret felicite. The tuelve Monthes of the yeer Attitled under the pouer Of these tuelve Signes stonde; Wherof that thou schalt understonde This Aries on of the tuelve Hath March attitled for himselve, Whan every bridd schal chese his make, And every neddre and every Snake And every Reptil which mai moeve, His myht assaieth forto proeve, To crepen out ayein the Sonne, Whan Ver his Seson hath begonne. Taurus the seconde after this Of Signes, which figured is Unto a Bole, is dreie and cold; And as it is in bokes told, He is the hous appourtienant To Venus, somdiel descordant. This Bole is ek with sterres set, Thurgh whiche he hath hise hornes knet Unto the tail of Aries, So is he noght ther sterreles. Upon his brest ek eyhtetiene He hath, and ek, as it is sene, Upon his tail stonde othre tuo. His Monthe assigned ek also Is Averil, which of his schoures Ministreth weie unto the floures. The thridde signe is Gemini, Which is figured redely Lich to tuo twinnes of mankinde, That naked stonde; and as I finde, Thei be with Sterres wel bego: The heved hath part of thilke tuo That schyne upon the boles tail, So be thei bothe of o parail; But on the wombe of Gemini Ben fyve sterres noght forthi, And ek upon the feet be tweie, So as these olde bokes seie, That wise Tholomes wrot. His propre Monthe wel I wot Assigned is the lusti Maii, Whanne every brid upon his lay Among the griene leves singeth, And love of his pointure stingeth After the lawes of nature The youthe of every creature. Cancer after the reule and space Of Signes halt the ferthe place. Like to the crabbe he hath semblance, And hath unto his retienance Sextiene sterres, wherof ten, So as these olde wise men Descrive, he berth on him tofore, And in the middel tuo be bore, And foure he hath upon his ende. Thus goth he sterred in his kende, And of himself is moiste and cold, And is the propre hous and hold Which appartieneth to the Mone, And doth what longeth him to done. The Monthe of Juin unto this Signe Thou schalt after the reule assigne. The fifte Signe is Leo hote, Whos kinde is schape dreie and hote, In whom the Sonne hath herbergage. And the semblance of his ymage Is a leoun, which in baillie Of sterres hath his pourpartie: The foure, which as Cancer hath Upon his ende, Leo tath Upon his heved, and thanne nest He hath ek foure upon his brest, And on upon his tail behinde, In olde bokes as we finde. His propre Monthe is Juyl be name, In which men pleien many a game. After Leo Virgo the nexte Of Signes cleped is the sexte, Wherof the figure is a Maide; And as the Philosophre saide, Sche is the welthe and the risinge, The lust, the joie and the likinge Unto Mercurie: and soth to seie Sche is with sterres wel beseie, Wherof Leo hath lent hire on, Which sit on hih hir heved upon, Hire wombe hath fyve, hir feet also Have other fyve: and overmo Touchende as of complexion, Be kindly disposicion Of dreie and cold this Maiden is. And forto tellen over this Hir Monthe, thou schalt understonde, Whan every feld hath corn in honde And many a man his bak hath plied, Unto this Signe is Augst applied. After Virgo to reknen evene Libra sit in the nombre of sevene, Which hath figure and resemblance Unto a man which a balance Berth in his hond as forto weie: In boke and as it mai be seie, Diverse sterres to him longeth, Wherof on hevede he underfongeth Ferst thre, and ek his wombe hath tuo, And doun benethe eighte othre mo. This Signe is hot and moiste bothe, The whiche thinges be noght lothe Unto Venus, so that alofte Sche resteth in his hous fulofte, And ek Saturnus often hyed Is in this Signe and magnefied. His propre Monthe is seid Septembre, Which yifth men cause to remembre, If eny Sor be left behinde Of thing which grieve mai to kinde. Among the Signes upon heighte The Signe which is nombred eighte Is Scorpio, which as feloun Figured is a Scorpioun. Bot for al that yit natheles Is Scorpio noght sterreles; For Libra granteth him his ende Of eighte sterres, wher he wende, The whiche upon his heved assised He berth, and ek ther ben divised Upon his wombe sterres thre, And eighte upon his tail hath he. Which of his kinde is moiste and cold And unbehovely manyfold; He harmeth Venus and empeireth, Bot Mars unto his hous repeireth, Bot war whan thei togedre duellen. His propre Monthe is, as men tellen, Octobre, which bringth the kalende Of wynter, that comth next suiende. The nynthe Signe in nombre also, Which folweth after Scorpio, Is cleped Sagittarius, The whos figure is marked thus, A Monstre with a bowe on honde: On whom that sondri sterres stonde, Thilke eighte of whiche I spak tofore, The whiche upon the tail ben bore Of Scorpio, the heved al faire Bespreden of the Sagittaire; And eighte of othre stonden evene Upon his wombe, and othre sevene Ther stonde upon his tail behinde. And he is hot and dreie of kinde: To Jupiter his hous is fre, Bot to Mercurie in his degre, For thei ben noght of on assent, He worcheth gret empeirement. This Signe hath of his proprete A Monthe, which of duete After the sesoun that befalleth The Plowed Oxe in wynter stalleth; And fyr into the halle he bringeth, And thilke drinke of which men singeth, He torneth must into the wyn; Thanne is the larder of the swyn; That is Novembre which I meene, Whan that the lef hath lost his greene. The tenthe Signe dreie and cold, The which is Capricornus told, Unto a Got hath resemblance: For whos love and whos aqueintance Withinne hise houses to sojorne It liketh wel unto Satorne, Bot to the Mone it liketh noght, For no profit is there wroght. This Signe as of his proprete Upon his heved hath sterres thre, And ek upon his wombe tuo, And tweie upon his tail also. Decembre after the yeeres forme, So as the bokes ous enforme, With daies schorte and nyhtes longe This ilke Signe hath underfonge. Of tho that sitte upon the hevene Of Signes in the nombre ellevene Aquarius hath take his place, And stant wel in Satornes grace, Which duelleth in his herbergage, Bot to the Sonne he doth oultrage. This Signe is verraily resembled Lich to a man which halt assembled In eyther hand a water spoute, Wherof the stremes rennen oute. He is of kinde moiste and hot, And he that of the sterres wot Seith that he hath of sterres tuo Upon his heved, and ben of tho That Capricorn hath on his ende; And as the bokes maken mende, That Tholomes made himselve, He hath ek on his wombe tuelve, And tweie upon his ende stonde. Thou schalt also this understonde, The frosti colde Janever, Whan comen is the newe yeer, That Janus with his double face In his chaiere hath take his place And loketh upon bothe sides, Somdiel toward the wynter tydes, Somdiel toward the yeer suiende, That is the Monthe belongende Unto this Signe, and of his dole He yifth the ferste Primerole. The tuelfthe, which is last of alle Of Signes, Piscis men it calle, The which, as telleth the scripture, Berth of tuo fisshes the figure. So is he cold and moiste of kinde, And ek with sterres, as I finde, Beset in sondri wise, as thus: Tuo of his ende Aquarius Hath lent unto his heved, and tuo This Signe hath of his oghne also Upon his wombe, and over this Upon his ende also ther is A nombre of twenty sterres bryghte, Which is to sen a wonder sighte. Toward this Signe into his hous Comth Jupiter the glorious, And Venus ek with him acordeth To duellen, as the bok recordeth. The Monthe unto this Signe ordeined Is Februer, which is bereined, And with londflodes in his rage At Fordes letteth the passage. Nou hast thou herd the proprete Of Signes, bot in his degre Albumazar yit over this Seith, so as therthe parted is In foure, riht so ben divised The Signes tuelve and stonde assised, That ech of hem for his partie Hath his climat to justefie. Wherof the ferste regiment Toward the part of Orient From Antioche and that contre Governed is of Signes thre, That is Cancer, Virgo, Leo: And toward Occident also From Armenie, as I am lerned, Of Capricorn it stant governed, Of Pisces and Aquarius: And after hem I finde thus, Southward from Alisandre forth Tho Signes whiche most ben worth In governance of that doaire, Libra thei ben and Sagittaire With Scorpio, which is conjoint With hem to stonde upon that point: Constantinople the Cite, So as the bokes tellen me, The laste of this division Stant untoward Septemtrion, Wher as be weie of pourveance Hath Aries the governance Forth with Taurus and Gemini. Thus ben the Signes propreli Divided, as it is reherced, Wherof the londes ben diversed. Lo thus, mi Sone, as thou myht hiere, Was Alisandre mad to liere Of hem that weren for his lore. But nou to loken overmore, Of othre sterres hou thei fare I thenke hierafter to declare, So as king Alisandre in youthe Of him that suche thinges couthe Enformed was tofore his yhe Be nyhte upon the sterres hihe. Upon sondri creacion Stant sondri operacion, Som worcheth this, som worcheth that; The fyr is hot in his astat And brenneth what he mai atteigne, The water mai the fyr restreigne, The which is cold and moist also. Of other thing it farth riht so Upon this erthe among ous here; And forto speke in this manere, Upon the hevene, as men mai finde, The sterres ben of sondri kinde And worchen manye sondri thinges To ous, that ben here underlinges. Among the whiche forth withal Nectanabus in special, Which was an Astronomien And ek a gret Magicien, And undertake hath thilke emprise To Alisandre in his aprise As of Magique naturel To knowe, enformeth him somdel Of certein sterres what thei mene; Of whiche, he seith, ther ben fiftene, And sondrily to everich on A gras belongeth and a Ston, Wherof men worchen many a wonder To sette thing bothe up and under. To telle riht as he began, The ferste sterre Aldeboran, The cliereste and the moste of alle, Be rihte name men it calle; Which lich is of condicion To Mars, and of complexion To Venus, and hath therupon Carbunculum his propre Ston: His herbe is Anabulla named, Which is of gret vertu proclamed. The seconde is noght vertules; Clota or elles Pliades It hatte, and of the mones kinde He is, and also this I finde, He takth of Mars complexion: And lich to such condicion His Ston appropred is Cristall, And ek his herbe in special The vertuous Fenele it is. The thridde, which comth after this, Is hote Algol the clere rede, Which of Satorne, as I may rede, His kinde takth, and ek of Jove Complexion to his behove. His propre Ston is Dyamant, Which is to him most acordant; His herbe, which is him betake, Is hote Eleborum the blake. So as it falleth upon lot, The ferthe sterre is Alhaiot, Which in the wise as I seide er Of Satorne and of Jupiter Hath take his kinde; and therupon The Saphir is his propre Ston, Marrubium his herbe also, The whiche acorden bothe tuo. And Canis maior in his like The fifte sterre is of Magique, The whos kinde is venerien, As seith this Astronomien. His propre Ston is seid Berille, Bot forto worche and to fulfille Thing which to this science falleth, Ther is an herbe which men calleth Saveine, and that behoveth nede To him that wole his pourpos spede. The sexte suiende after this Be name Canis minor is; The which sterre is Mercurial Be weie of kinde, and forth withal, As it is writen in the carte, Complexion he takth of Marte. His Ston and herbe, as seith the Scole, Ben Achates and Primerole. The sefnthe sterre in special Of this science is Arial, Which sondri nature underfongeth. The Ston which propre unto him longeth, Gorgonza proprely it hihte: His herbe also, which he schal rihte Upon the worchinge as I mene, Is Celidoine freissh and grene. Sterre Ala Corvi upon heihte Hath take his place in nombre of eighte, Which of his kinde mot parforne The will of Marte and of Satorne: To whom Lapacia the grete Is herbe, bot of no beyete; His Ston is Honochinus hote, Thurgh which men worchen gret riote. The nynthe sterre faire and wel Be name is hote Alaezel, Which takth his propre kinde thus Bothe of Mercurie and of Venus. His Ston is the grene Amyraude, To whom is yoven many a laude: Salge is his herbe appourtenant Aboven al the rememant. The tenthe sterre is Almareth, Which upon lif and upon deth Thurgh kinde of Jupiter and Mart He doth what longeth to his part. His Ston is Jaspe, and of Planteine He hath his herbe sovereine. The sterre ellefthe is Venenas, The whos nature is as it was Take of Venus and of the Mone, In thing which he hath forto done. Of Adamant is that perrie In which he worcheth his maistrie; Thilke herbe also which him befalleth, Cicorea the bok it calleth. Alpheta in the nombre sit, And is the twelfthe sterre yit; Of Scorpio which is governed, And takth his kinde, as I am lerned; And hath his vertu in the Ston Which cleped is Topazion: His herbe propre is Rosmarine, Which schapen is for his covine. Of these sterres, whiche I mene, Cor Scorpionis is thritiene; The whos nature Mart and Jove Have yoven unto his behove. His herbe is Aristologie, Which folweth his Astronomie: The Ston which that this sterre alloweth, Is Sardis, which unto him boweth. The sterre which stant next the laste, Nature on him this name caste And clepeth him Botercadent; Which of his kinde obedient Is to Mercurie and to Venus. His Ston is seid Crisolitus, His herbe is cleped Satureie, So as these olde bokes seie. Bot nou the laste sterre of alle The tail of Scorpio men calle, Which to Mercurie and to Satorne Be weie of kinde mot retorne After the preparacion Of due constellacion. The Calcedoine unto him longeth, Which for his Ston he underfongeth; Of Majorane his herbe is grounded. Thus have I seid hou thei be founded, Of every sterre in special, Which hath his herbe and Ston withal, As Hermes in his bokes olde Witnesse berth of that I tolde. The science of Astronomie, Which principal is of clergie To dieme betwen wo and wel In thinges that be naturel, Thei hadde a gret travail on honde That made it ferst ben understonde; And thei also which overmore Here studie sette upon this lore, Thei weren gracious and wys And worthi forto bere a pris. And whom it liketh forto wite Of hem that this science write, On of the ferste which it wrot After Noe5, it was Nembrot, To his disciple Ychonithon And made a bok forth therupon The which Megaster cleped was. An other Auctor in this cas Is Arachel, the which men note; His bok is Abbategnyh hote. Danz Tholome is noght the leste, Which makth the bok of Almageste; And Alfraganus doth the same, Whos bok is Chatemuz be name. Gebuz and Alpetragus eke Of Planisperie, which men seke, The bokes made: and over this Ful many a worthi clerc ther is, That writen upon this clergie The bokes of Altemetrie, Planemetrie and ek also, Whiche as belongen bothe tuo, So as thei ben naturiens, Unto these Astronomiens. Men sein that Habraham was on; Bot whether that he wrot or non, That finde I noght; and Moi5ses Ek was an other: bot Hermes Above alle othre in this science He hadde a gret experience; Thurgh him was many a sterre assised, Whos bokes yit ben auctorized. I mai noght knowen alle tho That writen in the time tho Of this science; bot I finde, Of jugement be weie of kinde That in o point thei alle acorden: Of sterres whiche thei recorden That men mai sen upon the hevene, Ther ben a thousend sterres evene And tuo and twenty, to the syhte Whiche aren of hemself so bryhte, That men mai dieme what thei be, The nature and the proprete. Nou hast thou herd, in which a wise These noble Philosophres wise Enformeden this yonge king, And made him have a knowleching Of thing which ferst to the partie Belongeth of Philosophie, Which Theorique cleped is, As thou tofore hast herd er this. Bot nou to speke of the secounde, Which Aristotle hath also founde, And techeth hou to speke faire, Which is a thing full necessaire To contrepeise the balance, Wher lacketh other sufficance. Above alle erthli creatures The hihe makere of natures The word to man hath yove alone, So that the speche of his persone, Or forto lese or forto winne, The hertes thoght which is withinne Mai schewe, what it wolde mene; And that is noghwhere elles sene Of kinde with non other beste. So scholde he be the more honeste, To whom god yaf so gret a yifte, And loke wel that he ne schifte Hise wordes to no wicked us; For word the techer of vertus Is cleped in Philosophie. Wherof touchende this partie, Is Rethorique the science Appropred to the reverence Of wordes that ben resonable: And for this art schal be vailable With goodli wordes forto like, It hath Gramaire, it hath Logiqe, That serven bothe unto the speche. Gramaire ferste hath forto teche To speke upon congruite: Logique hath eke in his degre Betwen the trouthe and the falshode The pleine wordes forto schode, So that nothing schal go beside, That he the riht ne schal decide. Wherof full many a gret debat Reformed is to good astat, And pes sustiened up alofte With esy wordes and with softe, Wher strengthe scholde lete it falle. The Philosophre amonges alle Forthi commendeth this science, Which hath the reule of eloquence. In Ston and gras vertu ther is, Bot yit the bokes tellen this, That word above alle erthli thinges Is vertuous in his doinges, Wher so it be to evele or goode. For if the wordes semen goode And ben wel spoke at mannes Ere, Whan that ther is no trouthe there, Thei don fulofte gret deceipte; For whan the word to the conceipte Descordeth in so double a wise, Such Rethorique is to despise In every place, and forto drede. For of Uluxes thus I rede, As in the bok of Troie is founde, His eloquence and his facounde Of goodly wordes whiche he tolde, Hath mad that Anthenor him solde The toun, which he with tresoun wan. Word hath beguiled many a man; With word the wilde beste is daunted, With word the Serpent is enchaunted, Of word among the men of Armes Ben woundes heeled with the charmes, Wher lacketh other medicine; Word hath under his discipline Of Sorcerie the karectes. The wordes ben of sondri sectes, Of evele and eke of goode also; The wordes maken frend of fo, And fo of frend, and pes of werre, And werre of pes, and out of herre The word this worldes cause entriketh, And reconsileth whan him liketh. The word under the coupe of hevene Set every thing or odde or evene; With word the hihe god is plesed, With word the wordes ben appesed, The softe word the loude stilleth; Wher lacketh good, the word fulfilleth, To make amendes for the wrong; Whan wordes medlen with the song, It doth plesance wel the more. Bot forto loke upon the lore Hou Tullius his Rethorique Componeth, ther a man mai pike Hou that he schal hise wordes sette, Hou he schal lose, hou he schal knette, And in what wise he schal pronounce His tale plein withoute frounce. Wherof ensample if thou wolt seche, Tak hiede and red whilom the speche Of Julius and Cithero, Which consul was of Rome tho, Of Catoun eke and of Cillene, Behold the wordes hem betwene, Whan the tresoun of Cateline Descoevered was, and the covine Of hem that were of his assent Was knowe and spoke in parlement, And axed hou and in what wise Men scholde don hem to juise. Cillenus ferst his tale tolde, To trouthe and as he was beholde, The comun profit forto save, He seide hou tresoun scholde have A cruel deth; and thus thei spieke, The Consul bothe and Catoun eke, And seiden that for such a wrong Ther mai no peine be to strong. Bot Julius with wordes wise His tale tolde al otherwise, As he which wolde her deth respite, And fondeth hou he mihte excite The jugges thurgh his eloquence Fro deth to torne the sentence And sette here hertes to pite. Nou tolden thei, nou tolde he; Thei spieken plein after the lawe, Bot he the wordes of his sawe Coloureth in an other weie Spekende, and thus betwen the tweie, To trete upon this juggement, Made ech of hem his Argument. Wherof the tales forto hiere, Ther mai a man the Scole liere Of Rethoriqes eloquences, Which is the secounde of sciences Touchende to Philosophie; Wherof a man schal justifie Hise wordes in disputeisoun, And knette upon conclusioun His Argument in such a forme, Which mai the pleine trouthe enforme And the soubtil cautele abate, Which every trewman schal debate. The ferste, which is Theorique, And the secounde Rethorique, Sciences of Philosophie, I have hem told as in partie, So as the Philosophre it tolde To Alisandre: and nou I wolde Telle of the thridde what it is, The which Practique cleped is. Practique stant upon thre thinges Toward the governance of kinges; Wherof the ferst Etique is named, The whos science stant proclamed To teche of vertu thilke reule, Hou that a king himself schal reule Of his moral condicion With worthi disposicion Of good livinge in his persone, Which is the chief of his corone. It makth a king also to lerne Hou he his bodi schal governe, Hou he schal wake, hou he schal slepe, Hou that he schal his hele kepe In mete, in drinke, in clothinge eke: Ther is no wisdom forto seke As for the reule of his persone, The which that this science al one Ne techeth as be weie of kinde, That ther is nothing left behinde. That other point which to Practique Belongeth is Iconomique, Which techeth thilke honestete Thurgh which a king in his degre His wif and child schal reule and guie, So forth with al the companie Which in his houshold schal abyde, And his astat on every syde In such manere forto lede, That he his houshold ne mislede. Practique hath yit the thridde aprise, Which techeth hou and in what wise Thurgh hih pourveied ordinance A king schal sette in governance His Realme, and that is Policie, Which longeth unto Regalie In time of werre, in time of pes, To worschipe and to good encress Of clerk, of kniht and of Marchant, And so forth of the remenant Of al the comun poeple aboute, Withinne Burgh and ek withoute, Of hem that ben Artificiers, Whiche usen craftes and mestiers, Whos Art is cleped Mechanique. And though thei ben noght alle like, Yit natheles, hou so it falle, O lawe mot governe hem alle, Or that thei lese or that thei winne, After thastat that thei ben inne. |