[Sidenote: [The 2^de Met{ur}.]]
++IT likeþ me to shew[e] by subtil songe wiþ slakke {and} delitable
sou{n} of strenges how þat nature myȝty enclineþ {and} flitteþ
gouernementȝ of þinges ¶ {and} by whiche lawes she p{ur}ueiable kepiþ þe
grete worlde. {and} how she bindynge restreineþ alle þing{us} by a bonde
þat may nat be vnbounden.
[Sidenote: [j]]
¶ Al be it so þat þe liou{n}s of þe contree of pene beren þe fair[e]
cheines. {and} taken metes of þe handes of folk þat ȝeuen it hem. {and}
dreden her sturdy maystres of whiche þei ben wont to suffren [betinges].
yif þat hir horrible mouþes ben bi-bled. þat is to sein of bestes
devoured. ¶ Hir corage of tyme passeþ þat haþ ben ydel {and} rested.
repaireþ aȝein þat þei roren greuously. {and} reme{m}bren on hir nature.
{and} slaken hir nekkes from hir cheins vnbounden. and hir maistre first
to-teren wiþ blody toþe assaieþ þe woode wraþþes of hem. ¶ þis is to
sein þei freten hir maister.
[Sidenote: [ij]]
¶ And þe Iangland brid þat syngiþ on þe heye braunches. þis is to sein
in þe wode {and} after is inclosed in a streit cage. ¶ al þouȝ [þ{a}t]
þe pleiyng besines of men ȝeueþ hem honied[e] drinkes {and} large metes.
wiþ swete studie. ¶ ȝit naþeles yif þilke brid skippynge oute of hir
streite cage seeþ þe agreable shadewes of þe wodes. she defouleþ wiþ hir
fete hir metes yshad {and} sekeþ mournyng oonly þe wode {and} twitriþ
desirynge þe wode wiþ hir swete voys.
[Sidenote: [iij]]
¶ þe ȝerde of a tree þat is haled adou{n} by myȝty strengþe bowiþ redely
þe croppe adou{n}. but yif þat þe hande of hym þat it bente lat it gon
aȝein. ¶ An oon þe crop lokeþ vp ryȝt to heuene.
[Sidenote: [iiij]]
¶ þe sonne phebus þat failleþ at euene in þe westrene wawes retorniþ
aȝein eftsones his cart by a priue paþe þere as it is wont aryse. ¶ Alle
þinges seken aȝein in to hir p{ro}pre cours. and alle þinges reioisen
hem of hir retournynge aȝein to hir nature ne noon ordinaunce nis
bytaken to þi{n}ges but þat. þat haþ ioignynge þe endynge to þe
bygynnynge. {and} haþ makid þe cours of it self stable þat it chaungeþ
nat fro{m} hys p{ro}pre kynde.