[Sidenote: [The viij Met{ur}.]]
[Sidenote: This world, by an invariable order, suffers change.]
++THat þ^e world w{i}t{h} stable feith / varieth acordable
chaungynges //
[Sidenote: Elements, that by nature disagree, are restrained by
concord.]
þ{a}t the contraryos qualite of elementȝ 1680
holden among{e} hem self aliau{n}ce p{er}durable / þ{a}t pheb{us}
the sonne w{i}t{h} his goldene chariet / bryngeth forth the
rosene day / þ{a}t the mone hath {com}mau{n}dement ou{er} the
nyhtes // whiche nyhtes hesp{er}us the eue sterre hat browt // 1684
[Sidenote: The sea is thus kept within its proper bounds.]
þ{a}t þ^e se gredy to flowen constreyneth w{i}t{h} a certeyn ende
hise floodes / so þ{a}t it is nat l[e]ueful to strechche hise
brode termes or bowndes vp-on the erthes // þ{a}t is to seyn
to cou{er}e alle the erthe //
[Sidenote: This concord is produced by love, which governeth earth
and sea, and extends its influence to the heavens.]
Al this a-cordau{n}ce of thinges 1688
is bownden w{i}t{h} looue / þ{a}t gou{er}neth erthe {and} see / {and}
hath also {com}mau{n}dementȝ to the heuenes /
[Sidenote: If this chain of love were broken all things would be
in perpetual strife, and the world would go to ruin.]
{and} yif
this looue slakede the brydelis / alle thinges þ{a}t now
louen hem to gederes / wolden maken a batayle contynuely 1692
{and} stryuen to fordoon the fasou{n} of this worlde /
the which they now leden in acordable feith by fayre
moeuynges //
[Sidenote: Love binds nations together, it ties the nuptial knot,
and dictates binding laws to friendship.]
this looue halt to gideres poeples Ioygned
w{i}t{h} an hooly bond / {and} knytteth sacrement of maryages 1696
of chaste looues // And loue enditeth lawes to
trewe felawes //
[Sidenote: Men were truly blest if governed by this celestial
love!’]
O weleful weer{e} mankynde / yif thilke
loue þ{a}t gouerneth heuene gouerned[e] yowr{e} corages /
EXPLICIT LIB{ER} 2_^us_.
[Linenote:
1690 _hath_--H. he hath]
[[pg 63]]
[Headnote:
BOETHIUS IS COMFORTED BY PHILOSOPHY’S SONG.]
INCIPIT LIB{ER} 3^_us_.