The Knight's Tale
Folio 37v
52 of 54 folios
In certeine boundes þat þei maie nouht fle
2130
That same prince & þat meuer qd he
Haþ stabled in þis wrechede werlde adoun
To al þat ben engrendred in þis place
Ouere þe whiche daie þei maie nouht pace
2135
Aƚƚ mowe þei ȝute þo daies abrugge
There nedeþ none auctorite to lugge .
For it is proued be experience
Bot þat me lust declaren my sentence
Than maie men wele by þis order discerne
2140
That þilke mouere stable is & eterne
Wele maie men knowe bot it be foole
That euery partie darraiued frōme his hoole
For nature haþe nouȝt take his begynnynge
Of no partie nor of cantel of a thinge
2145
Bot of a thinge þat parfite is & stable
Descendeinge so to it be corrumpable
And þere for for . his wise purueance
He haþ so wele be sette his ordenance
That specie of þinges and progressions
2150
Schullen endure be successions
And nouht eterne wiþ oute any lye
Þis maystowe vnderstonden & seen att eye
Lo þe oke þat haþe so longe a norissheynge
Fro þe time þat it first biginneþ to springe
2155
And haþ so longe a lif as ȝe maye see
Ȝut att þe laste wasted is þe tree
Considereþ eke howe þat þe harde stone
Vnde owre fote on whiche we trede & gone
Ȝit wasteþ it as it liþe be þe weie
2160
The brode riuer som time waxeþ dreie
The grete townes see we wane & wende
Than ȝe see þat al þis þinge haþ ende
Of man & womman see we wele also
Þat nedeþ in oone of þe teremes tuo
2165
Þis is to seine in ȝouþe or elles age
He mote be dede þe kinge as schal a page
Som in his bede some in þe depe see .
Some in þe large felde as ȝe maie see .
There helpeþ nouht al goþe þat ilke weie
2170
Þan may .I. seie þat al þis þinge mote deie