4357 flowyng—MS. folwyng, C. flowynge
selfe—self
4358 doer—doere
hider—hidere
4359 deluer—deluere
felde—feeld
vndirstanden—vndirstoden
4360 golde—gold
4361 hidd—MS. hidde, C. hyd
4362 happe (both)—hap
4365 whiche—which
4366 descendeþ—MS. defendeþ, C. descendith
wel—welle
[RUPIS ACHEMENIE.]
TIgris Where the flying Parthian doth pierce his pursuers with his shafts, there from the Achemenian heights flow the Tigris and Euphrates, but soon their streams divide and flow into separate channels. [and] eufrates resoluen and spryngen of a welle in
þe kragges of þe roche of þe contre of achemenye þere
as þe fleenge [batayle] ficchiþ hire dartes retournid in
þe brestes of hem þat folwen hem. ¶ And sone aftre [4372]
þe same ryueres tigris and eufrates vnioygnen and departen
hire watres. But should they unite again, in the impetuous stream, boats, ships, and trees would be all intermingled, whirled about; and blind Chance seems to direct the current’s course. and yif þei comen to-gidre and ben
assembled and clepid to-gidre in to o cours. þan moten
þilke þinges fletyn to-gidre whiche þat þe water of þe [4376]
entrechaungyng flode bryngeþ þe shippes and þe stokkes
araced wiþ þe flood moten assemble. and þe watres
ymedlyd wrappiþ or implieþ many fortunel happes or
maneres. But the sloping earth, the laws of fluids, govern these things. þe whiche wandryng happes naþeles þilke enclinyng [4380]
lowenes of þe erþe. and þe flowynge ordre of
þe slidyng water gouerniþ. So though Chance seems to wander unrestrained, it is nevertheless curbed and restrained by Divine Providence. ¶ Ryȝt so fortune þat
semeþ as [þat] it fletiþ wiþ slaked or vngouerned[e]
bridles. It suffriþ bridles þat is to seyn to ben gouerned [4384]
and passeþ by þilke lawe. þat is to sein by þe deuyne
ordinaunce.