The Knight's Tale
Folio 42v
4 of 63 folios
And after þat right þus he seyde his wille
The ferste maner of þe cause aboue
Whan he ferst maade þe faire cheine of loue
2125
Gret was þeffect and heigħ was his entente
Wel wist he why and what þer of he mente
For with þat faire cheyne of loue he bonde /
The fyr . þe aier . the water and þe londe
In certeyn boundes þat þei may not flee /
2130
That same prince and þat same mouer qd he
Haþ stablissed in þis wrecchede world adoun
Certeine daies and dūacioū
To aƚƚ þat beþ engendred in þis place
Ouer þe whiche day þay may not pace
2135
Alle mowe þey yet þo dayes abregge
Ther needeþ nought non aucte to legge
For it is proeued by experience
But þat me list to declaren my sentence
Than may men wel by þis ordre discerne
2140
That þilke mouere stable is and eterne
Wel may men knowe but it be a foole
That euery partie darreyued from his hoole
For nature haþ nat taken his bygynnyng
Of no partye nor of cantel of a þing
2145
But of a þing þat parfyt is and stable
Descendyng so til it be corumpable
And þerfore for his wise purueance
He haþ so wel byset his ordinance
That specie of þinges and progressions
2150
Schullen endure by successions
And nought et erne wiþouten any lye
This maystow vnderstonden and seen at yhe
// Loo þe Ok þat haþ so long a norshing
Fro þe tyme þat it first bygynneþ to spring
2155
And hath so long a lijf as ȝe may see
Yet atte laste wasted is þe tree /
Considereþ eek how þat þe harde ston