Metre 8. [1]. It begins 'Quòd mundus stabile fide Concordes uariat uices; Quòd pugnantia semina Foedus perpetuum tenent.' The whole of this metre reappears in Troilus, iii. 1744-1764.
[6]. hath brought, hath led in, introduced: 'duxerit.'
greedy to flowen; the Lat. text merely has auidum; 'Ut fluctus auidum mare Certo fine coerceat.' The Lat. fluctus answers to 'hise flodes.'
[7]. ende, boundary: 'fine.'
[8]. termes or boundes, borders: 'terminos.'
[10]. Love: 'Et caelo imperitans amor.' On this passage is founded one in the Knightes Tale, A 2991-3.
[11]. slakede, were to relax. The last lines are:—
'Et quam nunc socia fide Pulcris motibus incitant,
Certent soluere machinam. Hic sancto populos quoque
Iunctos foedere continet: Hic et coniugii sacrum