al-though that selde is ther any feith that fortunous thinges wolen
60
dwellen, yit natheles the [laste day] of a mannes lyf is a manere
deeth to Fortune, [and also] to thilke that hath dwelt. And therfor,
what, wenestow, [thar [thee] recche, yif thou] forlete hir in deyinge,
or elles that she, Fortune, forlete thee in fleeinge awey?
Pr. III. 2. A. om. nat. 4. A. tellen (for defenden). 6. C. bet (for beth); A. ben. 8. C. delysyos; A. deliciouse. 15. C. maledye. // C. noryssynges; A. norissinges. // C. sorwes; A. sorwe (Lat. doloris). 17. C. swych; A. swiche. 20. C. souerane; A. souerayn. 23. C. begunne; A. bygunne. 24. C. neysshebour; A. neyȝbour. // C. presyous. 26. A. om. tho that. // A. nere (for were). // C. fadyris. 27. C. castete; A. chastite. 29. C. lyste; A. lyst. // C. the; A. of. 30. A. thought (for youthe); Ed. youthe. 32. C. wel-; A. wele-. // C. frute; A. fruyt. 36. C. A semble; A. Ed. assemble. 37. C. peeple; A. poeple. 39. C. des-; A. de-. 40. C. bitwyen; A. bytwix; Ed. bytwene. 41. C. hihte; A. hyȝt. // C. A. Ed. all insert and before fulfuldest; I omit it, because it obscures the sense. 42. A. om. the and so. 44. C. to; A. of. 45. So Ed.; C. A. desseiuedest. 46. C. noryssede; A. norsshed; Ed. norisshed. // A. hast had (for bere away). // C. bar. 47. C. A. gerdoun; Ed. guerdon. 48. C. lye; A. leye; Ed. laye (Lat. ponere). 49. C. om. a. 50. C. blysse (wrongly); A. Ed. blisses. 51. C. art; A. Ed. nart. // C. blysse-; A. blys-. 53. C. the; A. tho (Lat. tunc). 57. C. dyssoluede; A. Ed. dissolueth. 59. C. al that thowgh; A. Ed. although that. // Ed. selde; C. ȝelde (= zelde); A. yelde (= ȝelde); Lat. rara. // C. fortune; A. Ed. fortunous. 62: C. weenestow; A. wenest thou. // C. dar; A. thar. // I supply thee. // C. recke; A. recche.
Metre III.
Cum polo Phebus roseis quadrigis.
Whan Phebus, the sonne, biginneth to spreden his cleernesse