Which Venus of hirself began;

Wherof that sche the name wan, 1440

Why men hire clepen the goddesse

Of love and ek of gentilesse,

Of worldes lust and of plesance.

Se nou the foule mescreance

Of Greks in thilke time tho,

Whan Venus tok hire name so.

Ther was no cause under the Mone[1623]

Of which thei hadden tho to done,