QUANTAS RERUM FLECTAT. — Metrum 2
"It liketh me to schewe by subtil soong, with slakke and
delytable sown of strenges, how that Nature, myghty, enclyneth
and flytteth the governementz of thynges, and by whiche lawes
sche, purveiable, kepith the grete world; and how sche, byndynge,
restreyneth alle thynges by a boond that may nat be unbownde. Al
be it so that the lyouns of the contre of Pene beren the fayre
chaynes, and taken metes of the handes of folk that yeven it hem,
and dreden hir stourdy [maistre] of whiche thei ben wont to
suffre betynges; yif that hir horrible mouthes ben bybled (that
is to seyn, of beestes devoured), hir corage of tyme passed, that
hath ben idel and rested, repeireth ayen, and thei roren
grevously, and remembren on hir nature, and slaken hir nekkes
from hir cheynes unbownde; and hir mayster fyrst, totorn with
blody tooth, assaieth the wode wratthes of hem (this to seyn,
thei freten hir maister). And the janglynge brid that syngeth on
the heghe braunches (that is to seyn, in the wode), and after is
enclosed in a streyte cage, althoughe that the pleyinge bysynes
of men yeveth [hym] honyed drynkes and large metes with swete
studye, yit natheles yif thilke bryd skippynge out of hir streyte
cage seith the agreables schadwes of the wodes, sche defouleth
with hir feet hir metes ischad, and seketh mornynge oonly the
wode, and twytereth desyrynge the wode with hir swete voys. The
yerde of a tree, that is haled adoun by myghty strengthe, boweth
redily the crop adown; but yif that the hand of hym that it bente
leet it goon ageyn, anoon the crop loketh upryght to hevene. The
sonne, Phebus, that falleth at even in the westrene wawes,
retorneth ayen eftsones his cart, by a pryve path, there as it
is wont t'aryse. Alle thynges seken ayen to hir propre cours, and
alle thynges rejoysen hem of hir retornynge ayen to hir nature.
Ne noon ordenaunce is bytaken to thynges, but that that hath
joyned the endynge to the bygynnynge, and hath maked the cours
of itself stable (that it chaunge nat from his propre kynde).
