[783] 784 myn] his AM ... B₂
[784] 785 schapþe S, F _the rest_ schape (schappe &c.)
[785] 827 _Paragraph at l. 830 in MSS._
[786] 838 seith] seie MC, AdΔ, W (say)
[787] 841 is also] seiþ also AdBT
[788] 856 and all(e) þe spices M ... B₂, W
[789] 892 for tacompten B
[790] 899 as I þe seye B
[791] 906 fode] þoughtes B _om._ AdT flode B₂
[792] 927 toforn AdBT
[793] 928 on] of EB₂, AdBT
[794] 946 I do] to do AM
[795] _After_ 964 Als wel be reson as be kinde etc. (1149 ff.) SAdBTΔΛ
[796] 973 To] In AM ... B₂
[797] 979 _margin_ gesta B
[798] 988 eek he was C, Δ
[799] 993 As] And AdBT stood al H₁ ... B₂, Ad, W
[800] 998 he] be AMXRB₂
[801] 1004 þis p. S ... Δ
[802] 1006 þe p. S ... Δ
[803] 1008 ffor AdBT
[804] 1010 these] þe AM ... B₂, H₃
[805] 1023 Habrahammes J, F _rest_ Abrahames (Abrahams &c.): _so_ 1039,
1046, 1073
[806] 1027 the] þis H₁ ... B₂
[807] 1030 Vnto þe helle BT In to helle JRB₂, Δ, W
[808] 1048 _margin_ Salomon. Qui obturat aures suas ad clamorem
pauperum, ipse clamabit et non exaudietur SBTΔ
[809] 1085 I drye] þey drye B
[810] 1089 his] þis (this) H₁, AdBTΔ (his S)
[811] 1098 hou _om._ S ... Δ
[812] 1100 Habraham JX, F _rest_ Abraham
[813] 1105 wold(e) M, B, W
[814] 1107 Than eny AH₁ Themeny M (_p. m._)
[815] 1109 of lyue X ... B₂, Ad, H₃ on liue Δ
[816] 1112 be holde JH₁RB₂
[817] _After_ 1146 SAdBTΔΛ _have the following six lines (omitting the
two_ 1147 f.), _and then insert the passage_ 665-964. _The text here is
that of_ S:--
Bot now a dai a man mai se
The world so full of vanite,
That noman takþ of reson hiede
Or forto cloþe or forto fiede,
Bot al is sett vnto þe vice
To newe and changen his delice.
And riht so etc. (_as_ 665 ff.)
[818] 1151 That man X ... B₂ (_not_ G), W
[819] 1155 _margin_ minus _om._ B
[820] 1186 let C, BT lete AJ, S, F
[821] 1209 non] anon EC, AdBT
[822] 1230 it is AM ... B₂
[823] 1233 Alþough B As þough AdT Thogh W
[824] 1245 no] þe B₂, AdBT þat M
[825] 1254 is] as A ... B₂
[826] 1257 wol(e) AH₁ ... B₂
[827] 1267 he] it G, B
[827m] 1267 _margin_ Sortilegio SBTΔΛ Sacrilegio AX ... B₂, FH₃ sacrilegis H₁
sacri legis M (_Latin om._ J, Ad, W)
[828] 1289 som men] somme (some &c.) A ... B₂
[829] 1293 _margin_ et de] et BT
[830] 1294 pikkes AdBTΛ
[831] 1312 of] to AM
[832] 1317 Ne] The B
[833] 1319 and] of B
[834] 1320 Chenbal B₂, SΔ Geubal AM Glenball H₃ Thenballe W
[835] 1359 red S, F rede AJC, B
[836] 1388 whilom how þerof AMX ... B₂ hou somtyme þ. J whilome therof
how H₁
[837] 1391 whiche SB which AJC, F
[838] 1419 which B
[839] 1432 of hem AdBT
[840] 1437 And] That AM ... B₂ (_not_ G)
[841] 1442 schope S ... Δ
[842] 1444 And ȝit AM ... B₂
[843] 1479 a _om._ AJMXGERCL
[844] 1481 was _om._ AdBT
[845] 1489 þe world AM ... B₂
[846] 1510 on] of AMG, H₃ _in_ Δ
[847] 1513 _margin_ Omina T, F
[848] 1516 in pes AdBTΔ (in his pes S)
[849] 1518 al _om._ AdBT
[850] 1520 ther] he AM
[851] 1524 statue A ... B₂, B
[852] 1536 þat place BT
[853] 1567 _margin_ Multi multa sciunt AH₁XGECLB₂ _Latin om._ JMR, AdB, W
[854] 1567 seiþ SBT
[855] 1581 As S ... Δ
[856] 1598 þe cas JM, Δ þa cas A
[857] 1602 He] His F He charged hem þei scholde harde H₁ ... B₂ (_but_
warde E)
[858] 1631 hath] had (hadde) AM ... B₂, W
[859] 1645 mihte (might) S ... Δ
[860] 1669 Which A
[861] 1680 and to þrete JH₁CB₂, Δ, WK
[862] 1691 al _om._ AM
[863] 1695 out] forþ H₁, AdBT
[864] 1696 nyh] right AdBT for wroth] and wroþ AM ... B₂ (_except_ C),
W wroþ T for worþ J
[865] 1700 and] but AdBT
[866] 1716 I wolde AMX ... B₂
[867] 1718 good skile] and skile S ... ΔΛ
[868] 1733 þe pensel G, B
[869] 1735 badd S bad A, B bed J badde F
[870] 1746 kest J, SB, F keste T kiste AC
[871] 1786 into] in A ... B₂ vnto W
[872] 1787 it so AM
[873] 1793 _margin_ de Egipto BT
[874] 1794 _margin_ fugiturus BT
[875] 1806 _margin_ ex] pro BT
[876] 1815 thei] he B
[877] 1817 toke (took &c.) A ... B₂
[878] 1828 to beholde (be holde) H₁, AdTB
[879] 1847 þe pleine AdBT
[880] 1875 And] He AdBT
[881] 1879 al] so S ... Δ
[882] 1883 leue R, AdBT
[883] 1931 thing] king B
[884] 1939 such AJC, B suche S, F
[885] 1954 wher þat A ... B₂ (_except_ E) ther as W
[886] 1993 fasteby J, F faste by AC, SB
[887] 1996 he _om._ AdBT
[888] 2016 als (as) wel XCLB₂, Δ(?), WK
[889] 2030 Towardes (Toward) god AdBT
[890] 2041 ȝe schol (schul) not of him AdΔ ye ne shalle of him H₁ I ne
schal of him AM
[891] 2046 mihte AJ, S miht F might C, B
[892] 2055 and he makþ BT and makeþ Ad
[893] 2061 the _om._ AM ... B₂, Δ
[894] 2062 putte AC, B put J, F
[895] 2071 wolde AJ, SB wold F
[896] 2083 noght misdo _om._ B
[897] 2089 and of cheualerie (chiualrie &c.) AM ... B₂, AdΔ, W
[898] 2091 that] þe AM
[899] 2136 Anoþer charme H₁ ... B₂
[900] 2141 hem B, K
[901] 2145 þer inne AdBT
[902] 2149 tho] so AdBT
[903] 2155 Wher þat AM ... B₂
[904] 2156 what] þat AM
[905] 2212 he _om._ B
[906] 2226 bifore (biforn &c.) M ... B₂ afore (aforn) Δ, W
[907] 2231 he wolde AdBT
[908] 2244 vnto AdBT
[909] 2247 sih (sigh, seyh) A, SB sihe F sye J
[910] 2255 schal] had H₁, AdBT
[911] 2257 no _om._ B
[912] 2299 apposeþ AMGB₂, W
[913] 2301 schold(e) SAdBT
[914] 2303 hast F
[915] 2314 of H₁GEC, S ... Δ, W if AJMXRLB₂, FK
[916] 2331 that _om._ AM ... B₂, WK
[917] 2345 dieules S, F dieueles A deueles J, B
[918] 2355 caste] caughte B
[919] 2357 S _has lost a leaf_ 2357-vii. 88.
[920] 2376 that _om._ AM
[921] 2383 An ende BT, F And ende AJMERL, Ad, K And þende CL And the
ende H₁ And sende X The ende B₂, W At ende Δ
[922] 2385 _margin_ Nota de Saule et Ph. _om._ AM, Δ
[923] 2403 so me A ... B₂, AdΔ euer me W
[924] 2417 But B
[925] 2433 Philophie F
[926] 2435 bokes AdBT, W
Incipit Liber Septimus.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 84=]
[Sidenote: [THE EDUCATION OF ALEXANDER.]]
i. _Omnibus in causis sapiens doctrina salutem_
_Consequitur, nec habet quis nisi doctus opem._
_Naturam superat doctrina, viro quod et ortus_
_Ingenii docilis non dedit, ipsa dabit._
_Non ita discretus hominum per climata regnat,_
_Quin, magis vt sapiat, indiget ipse scole._
I Genius the prest of love,
[Sidenote: Quia omnis doctrina bona humano regimini salutem
confert, in hoc septimo libro ad instanciam Amantis
languidi intendit Genius illam ex qua Philosophi et
Astrologi philosophie doctrinam Regem Alexandrum imbuerunt,
secundum aliquid declarare. Diuidit enim philosophiam in
tres partes, quarum prima Theorica, secunda Rethorica,
tercia Practica nuncupata est, de quarum condicionibus
subsequenter per singula tractabit.]
Mi Sone, as thou hast preid above
That I the Scole schal declare
Of Aristotle and ek the fare
Of Alisandre, hou he was tauht,
I am somdel therof destrauht;
For it is noght to the matiere
Of love, why we sitten hiere
To schryve, so as Venus bad.
Bot natheles, for it is glad, 10
So as thou seist, for thin aprise
To hiere of suche thinges wise,
Wherof thou myht the time lisse,[927]
So as I can, I schal the wisse:
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 85=]
For wisdom is at every throwe[928]
Above alle other thing to knowe
In loves cause and elleswhere.
Forthi, my Sone, unto thin Ere,
Though it be noght in the registre
Of Venus, yit of that Calistre 20
And Aristotle whylom write
To Alisandre, thou schalt wite.
Bot for the lores ben diverse,
[Sidenote: [THREE PARTS OF PHILOSOPHY.]]
I thenke ferst to the reherce
The nature of Philosophie;[929]
Which Aristotle of his clergie,
Wys and expert in the sciences,
Declareth thilke intelligences,[930]
As of thre pointz in principal.[931]
Wherof the ferste in special 30
Is Theorique, which is grounded
On him which al the world hath founded,
Which comprehendeth al the lore.
And forto loken overmore,
Next of sciences the seconde
Is Rethorique, whos faconde
Above alle othre is eloquent:
To telle a tale in juggement
So wel can noman speke as he.
The laste science of the thre 40
It is Practique, whos office
The vertu tryeth fro the vice,
And techeth upon goode thewes
To fle the compaignie of schrewes,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 86=]
Which stant in disposicion
Of mannes free eleccion.
Practique enformeth ek the reule,
Hou that a worthi king schal reule
His Realme bothe in werre and pes.
Lo, thus danz Aristotiles 50
These thre sciences hath divided
And the nature also decided,
Wherof that ech of hem schal serve.
The ferste, which is the conserve
And kepere of the remnant,
As that which is most sufficant[932]
And chief of the Philosophie,
If I therof schal specefie
So as the Philosophre tolde,
Nou herkne, and kep that thou it holde. 60
[Sidenote: [i. THEORIC.]]
ii. _Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summum:_
_Qui caput agnoscit, sufficit illud ei._[933]
_Plura viros quandoque iuuat nescire, set illud_
_Quod videt expediens, sobrius ille sapit._
Of Theorique principal
The Philosophre in special
The propretees hath determined,
[Sidenote: Hic tractat de prima parte Philosophie, que
Theorica dicitur, cuius natura triplici dotata est
sciencia, scilicet Theologia, Phisica et Mathematica: set
primo illam partem Theologie declarabit.]
As thilke which is enlumined
Of wisdom and of hih prudence
Above alle othre in his science:
And stant departed upon thre,
The ferste of which in his degre
Is cleped in Philosophie
The science of Theologie, 70
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 87=]
That other named is Phisique,
The thridde is seid Mathematique.
[Sidenote: [THEOLOGY.]]
Theologie is that science
Which unto man yifth evidence
Of thing which is noght bodely,
Wherof men knowe redely
The hihe almyhti Trinite,
Which is o god in unite
Withouten ende and beginnynge
And creatour of alle thinge, 80
Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle.
Wherof, as olde bokes telle,
The Philosophre in his resoun
Wrot upon this conclusioun,
And of his wrytinge in a clause
He clepeth god the ferste cause,
Which of himself is thilke good,[934]
Withoute whom nothing is good,
Of which that every creature[935]
Hath his beinge and his nature. 90
[Sidenote: Nota quod triplex dicitur essencia: Prima
temporanea, que incipit et desinit, Secunda perpetua, que
incipit et non desinit, Tercia sempiterna, que nec incipit
nec desinit.]
After the beinge of the thinges
Ther ben thre formes of beinges:[936]
Thing which began and ende schal,
That thing is cleped temporal;
Ther is also be other weie
Thing which began and schal noght deie,
As Soules, that ben spiritiel,
Here beinge is perpetuel:
Bot ther is on above the Sonne,
Whos time nevere was begonne, 100
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 88=]
And endeles schal evere be;
That is the god, whos mageste
Alle othre thinges schal governe,
And his beinge is sempiterne.
The god, to whom that al honour
Belongeth, he is creatour,
And othre ben hise creatures:
The god commandeth the natures[937]
That thei to him obeien alle;[938]
Withouten him, what so befalle, 110
Her myht is non, and he mai al:
The god was evere and evere schal,
And thei begonne of his assent;
The times alle be present
To god, to hem and alle unknowe,
Bot what him liketh that thei knowe:
Thus bothe an angel and a man,
The whiche of al that god began
Be chief, obeien goddes myht,[939]
And he stant endeles upriht. 120
To this science ben prive
The clerkes of divinite,
The whiche unto the poeple prechen
The feith of holi cherche and techen,
Which in som cas upon believe
Stant more than thei conne prieve
Be weie of Argument sensible:
Bot natheles it is credible,
And doth a man gret meede have,
To him that thenkth himself to save. 130
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 89=]
Theologie in such a wise
Of hih science and hih aprise
Above alle othre stant unlike,
And is the ferste of Theorique.
[Sidenote: [PHYSICS.]]
Phisique is after the secounde,
[Sidenote: Nota de secunda parte Theorice, que Phisica dicitur.]
Thurgh which the Philosophre hath founde
To techen sondri knowlechinges
Upon the bodiliche thinges.
Of man, of beste, of herbe, of ston,
Of fissch, of foughl, of everychon 140
That ben of bodely substance,
The nature and the circumstance
Thurgh this science it is ful soght,
Which vaileth and which vaileth noght.
[Sidenote: [MATHEMATICS.]]
The thridde point of Theorique,
[Sidenote: Nota de tercia parte Theorice, que Mathematica
dicitur, cuius condicio quatuor in se continet
intelligencias, scilicet Arsmeticam, Musicam, Geometriam
et Astronomiam: set primo de Artismetice natura dicere
intendit.]
Which cleped is Mathematique,
Devided is in sondri wise
And stant upon diverse aprise.
The ferste of whiche is Arsmetique,
And the secounde is seid Musique, 150
The thridde is ek Geometrie,
Also the ferthe Astronomie.
Of Arsmetique the matiere
Is that of which a man mai liere
What Algorisme in nombre amonteth,
Whan that the wise man acompteth
After the formel proprete
Of Algorismes Abece:
Be which multiplicacioun
Is mad and diminucioun 160
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 90=]
Of sommes be thexperience
Of this Art and of this science.
[Sidenote: Nota de Musica, que secunda pars Artis Mathematice
dicitur.]
The seconde of Mathematique,[940]
Which is the science of Musique,
That techeth upon Armonie
A man to make melodie
Be vois and soun of instrument
Thurgh notes of acordement,
The whiche men pronounce alofte,
Nou scharpe notes and nou softe, 170
Nou hihe notes and nou lowe,
As be the gamme a man mai knowe,
Which techeth the prolacion
Of note and the condicion.
[Sidenote: Nota de tercia specie Artis Mathematice, quam
Geometriam vocant.[941]]
Mathematique of his science
Hath yit the thridde intelligence
Full of wisdom and of clergie
And cleped is Geometrie,
Thurgh which a man hath thilke sleyhte
Of lengthe, of brede, of depthe, of heyhte 180
To knowe the proporcion
Be verrai calculacion
Of this science: and in this wise
These olde Philosophres wise,
Of al this worldes erthe round,
Hou large, hou thikke was the ground,
Controeveden thexperience;
The cercle and the circumference
Of every thing unto the hevene
Thei setten point and mesure evene.[942] 190
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 91=]
Mathematique above therthe
Of hyh science hath yit the ferthe,
Which spekth upon Astronomie
And techeth of the sterres hihe,
Beginnynge upward fro the mone.
Bot ferst, as it was forto done,
This Aristotle in other thing
Unto this worthi yonge king
The kinde of every element
Which stant under the firmament, 200
Hou it is mad and in what wise,
Fro point to point he gan devise.
[Sidenote: [CREATION OF THE FOUR ELEMENTS.]]
iii. _Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo,_
_Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat._
_Nostraque quadruplici complexio sorte creatur,_
_Corpore sicque suo stat variatus homo._
Tofore the creacion
Of eny worldes stacion,
[Sidenote: Hic interim[943] tractat de creacione quatuor
Elementorum, scilicet terre, aque, aeris et ignis, necnon
et de eorum naturis, nam et singulis proprietates singule
attribuuntur.]
Of hevene, of erthe, or eke of helle,
So as these olde bokes telle,
As soun tofore the song is set
And yit thei ben togedre knet,
Riht so the hihe pourveance
Tho hadde under his ordinance 210
A gret substance, a gret matiere,
Of which he wolde in his manere
These othre thinges make and forme.
For yit withouten eny forme
Was that matiere universal,
Which hihte Ylem in special.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 92=]
Of Ylem, as I am enformed,
These elementz ben mad and formed,
Of Ylem elementz they hote
After the Scole of Aristote, 220
Of whiche if more I schal reherce,
Foure elementz ther ben diverse.
The ferste of hem men erthe calle,
[Sidenote: Nota de Terra, quod est primum elementum.]
Which is the lowest of hem alle,
And in his forme is schape round,
Substancial, strong, sadd and sound,
As that which mad is sufficant
To bere up al the remenant.
For as the point in a compas
Stant evene amiddes, riht so was 230
This erthe set and schal abyde,
[Sidenote: Philosophus. Vnumquodque naturaliter appetit suum
centrum.]
That it may swerve to no side,
And hath his centre after the lawe
Of kinde, and to that centre drawe
Desireth every worldes thing,
If ther ne were no lettyng.[944]
[Sidenote: Nota de Aqua, quod est secundum elementum.]
Above therthe kepth his bounde
The water, which is the secounde
Of elementz, and al withoute
It environeth therthe aboute. 240
Bot as it scheweth, noght forthi
This soubtil water myhtely,
Thogh it be of himselve softe,
The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte;
For riht as veines ben of blod
In man, riht so the water flod
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 93=]
Therthe of his cours makth ful of veines,
Als wel the helles as the pleines.
And that a man may sen at ÿe,
For wher the hulles ben most hyhe, 250
Ther mai men welle stremes finde:
So proveth it be weie of kinde
The water heyher than the lond.
[Sidenote: Nota de Aere, quod est tercium elementum.]
And over this nou understond,
Air is the thridde of elementz,
Of whos kinde his aspirementz
Takth every lifissh creature,[945]
The which schal upon erthe endure:
For as the fissh, if it be dreie,
Mot in defaute of water deie, 260
Riht so withouten Air on lyve
No man ne beste myhte thryve,[946]
The which is mad of fleissh and bon;
There is outake of alle non.
[Sidenote: Nota qualiter Aer in tribus Periferiis diuiditur.]
This Air in Periferies thre
Divided is of such degre,
Benethe is on and on amidde,
To whiche above is set the thridde:
And upon the divisions[947]
There ben diverse impressions 270
Of moist and ek of drye also,
Whiche of the Sonne bothe tuo
Ben drawe and haled upon hy,
And maken cloudes in the Sky,
As schewed is at mannes sihte;[948]
Wherof be day and ek be nyhte
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 94=]
After the times of the yer
Among ous upon Erthe her
In sondri wise thinges falle.
[Sidenote: De prima Aeris Periferia.]
The ferste Periferie of alle 280
Engendreth Myst and overmore
The dewes and the Frostes hore,
After thilke intersticion
In which thei take impression,
[Sidenote: De secunda Aeris Periferia.]
Fro the seconde, as bokes sein,
The moiste dropes of the reyn
Descenden into Middilerthe,
And tempreth it to sed and Erthe,
And doth to springe grass and flour.
And ofte also the grete schour 290
Out of such place it mai be take,
That it the forme schal forsake
Of reyn, and into snow be torned;
And ek it mai be so sojorned
In sondri places up alofte,
That into hail it torneth ofte.
[Sidenote: De tercia Aeris Periferia.]
The thridde of thair after the lawe
Thurgh such matiere as up is drawe[949]
Of dreie thing, as it is ofte,
Among the cloudes upon lofte,[950] 300
And is so clos, it may noght oute,--
Thanne is it chased sore aboute,
Til it to fyr and leyt be falle,[951]
And thanne it brekth the cloudes alle,
The whiche of so gret noyse craken,
That thei the feerful thonder maken.
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 95=]
The thonderstrok smit er it leyte,
And yit men sen the fyr and leyte,
The thonderstrok er that men hiere:
So mai it wel be proeved hiere 310
In thing which schewed is fro feer,
A mannes yhe is there nerr
Thanne is the soun to mannes Ere.
And natheles it is gret feere
Bothe of the strok and of the fyr,
Of which is no recoverir
In place wher that thei descende,
Bot if god wolde his grace sende.
[Sidenote: Nota hic[952] qualiter Ignes, quos noctanter in Aere
discurrere videmus, secundum varias apparencie formas
varia gestant nomina: quorum primus Assub, secundus
Capra saliens, tercius Eges et quartus Daali in libris
Philosophorum nuncupatus est.]
And forto speken over this,
In this partie of thair it is 320
That men fulofte sen be nyhte
The fyr in sondri forme alyhte.
Somtime the fyrdrake it semeth,[953]
And so the lewed poeple it demeth;
Somtime it semeth as it were
A Sterre, which that glydeth there:
Bot it is nouther of the tuo,
The Philosophre telleth so,
And seith that of impressions
Thurgh diverse exalacions[954] 330
Upon the cause and the matiere
Men sen diverse forme appiere
Of fyr, the which hath sondri name.
Assub, he seith, is thilke same,
The which in sondry place is founde,
Whanne it is falle doun to grounde,[955]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 96=]
So as the fyr it hath aneled,
Lich unto slym which is congeled.
Of exalacion I finde[956]
Fyr kinled of the fame kinde, 340
Bot it is of an other forme;
Wherof, if that I schal conforme
The figure unto that it is,
These olde clerkes tellen this,
That it is lik a Got skippende,
And for that it is such semende,
It hatte Capra saliens.
And ek these Astronomiens
An other fyr also, be nyhte
Which scheweth him to mannes syhte, 350
Thei clepen Eges, the which brenneth
Lik to the corrant fyr that renneth
Upon a corde, as thou hast sein,
Whan it with poudre is so besein
Of Sulphre and othre thinges mo.
Ther is an other fyr also,
Which semeth to a mannes yhe
Be nyhtes time as thogh ther flyhe
A dragon brennende in the Sky,
And that is cleped proprely 360
Daaly, wherof men sein fulofte,[957]
‘Lo, wher the fyri drake alofte
Fleth up in thair!’ and so thei demen.
Bot why the fyres suche semen
Of sondri formes to beholde,[958]
The wise Philosophre tolde,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 97=]
So as tofore it hath ben herd.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo thus, my Sone, hou it hath ferd:[959]
Of Air the due proprete
In sondri wise thou myht se, 370
And hou under the firmament
It is ek the thridde element,
Which environeth bothe tuo,
The water and the lond also.[960]
[Sidenote: Nota de Igne, quod est quartum elementum.]
And forto tellen overthis
Of elementz which the ferthe is,
That is the fyr in his degre,
Which environeth thother thre
And is withoute moist al drye.
Bot lest nou what seith the clergie; 380
For upon hem that I have seid
The creatour hath set and leid
The kinde and the complexion
Of alle mennes nacion.
Foure elementz sondri ther be,
Lich unto whiche of that degre
Among the men ther ben also
Complexions foure and nomo,
Wherof the Philosophre treteth,
That he nothing behinde leteth, 390
And seith hou that thei ben diverse,
So as I schal to thee reherse.