[For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth],
15
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see.
†[Bernard the monk] ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in [minde].
†And to the doctrine of these olde wyse,
20
†Yeve credence, in every skilful wyse,
That tellen of these olde appreved stories,