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thou ne haddest not lorn hem. Shal I thanne only ben defended
to usen my right?
Certes, it is leveful to the hevene to make clere dayes, and,
after that, to coveren tho same dayes with derke nightes. The
yeer hath eek leve to apparailen the visage of the erthe, now
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with floures and now with fruit, and to confounden hem som-tyme
with reynes and with coldes. The see hath eek his right
to ben som-tyme calme and blaundishing with smothe water,