[Sidenote: [The 2de Met{ur}.]]
++Allas how þe þouȝt of man dreint in ouer þrowyng depnesse dulleþ {and}
forletiþ hys p{ro}pre clerenesse. myntynge to gone in to foreyne
derknesses as ofte as hys anoious bisines wexiþ wiþ-oute{n} mesure.
þ{a}t is dryuen to {and} fro wiþ worldly wyndes. ¶ Þis man þat su{m}tyme
was fre to who{m} þe heuene was open {and} knowen {and} was wont to gone
in heuenelyche paþes. {and} sauȝ þe lyȝtnesse of þe rede sunne. {and}
sauȝ þe sterres of þe colde moone. {and} wyche sterre i{n} heuene vseþ
wandryng risorses yflit by dyuerse speres. ¶ Þis man ouer comere hadde
co{m}p{re}hendid al þis by noumbre. of accountyng in astronomye. ¶ And
ouer þis he was wont to seche þe causes whennes þe sounyng wy{n}des
moeuen {and} bisien þe smoþe water of þe see. {and} what spirit turneþ
þe stable heuene. {and} whi þe sterre ryseþ oute of þe reede eest. to
falle in þe westren wawes. and what attempriþ þe lusty houres of þe
fyrste somer sesou{n} þat hiȝteþ {and} apparaileþ þe erþe wiþ rosene
floures. ¶ And who makeþ þat plenteuouse autu{m}pne in fulle ȝeres
fletiþ wiþ heuy grapes. ¶ And eke þis ma{n} was wont to telle þe
dyuerses causes of nature þat weren yhid. ¶ Allas now lieþ he emptid of
lyȝt of hys þouȝt. {and} hys nekke is p{re}ssid wiþ heuy cheynes {and}
bereþ his chere enclined adoune for þe greet[e] weyȝt. and is
constreyned to loke on foule erþe.