University of Virginia Library

Quid est homo secūdum formam nisi quedam arbor euersa cuius radicis sunt crines trinicus est caput cum collo, stipes est pectus cum alno, rami et vlne cum tibiis frōdes st. digiti cum artil. hoc est folium quod a vento rapiter, & stipula que a sole siccatur.

He sayeth what is a man, but in shape as a tre
Tourned vp so downe, as men may se
Of the whiche the rote, that therto belongeth
Is the heere on thyne heade, that theron hangeth
Than is the stocke nexte the rote growynge
That is thyne heade, with thy necke shewynge
The body of the tree, that is sette therto
Is thy brest, with thy wombe also
The bowes be thyne armes with thy handes
And the legges with thy fete, that thou on standes
Men may them braunches, by reason call
The toes, and the fete, with thy fynges all
Lyfe is the lefe, that hangeth nat fast
That wyll away, with the wyndes blast
And a man that is both yonge and lyght
Thoughe he be neuer so hardy in fyght
And comely of shape, and louely of chere
Yet syckenes and anger may hym dere
And his myght and fayrenes abate
And brynge hym soone, in to lowe state
And soone chaunge his fayre coloure
And make hym fade, as doth the floure
For a flour, that is fayre to mannes syght
Throughe stormes it fadeth, and leseth his myght
Angres and euylles, and myschyfes both
Ofte cōmeth to a man, that be hym loth
As feuers and dropsye, and Iaundyse also
[illeg.] and the gowte, and other euylles mo
That maketh his fayrenes, away for to wende
As stormes doth theyr floures shende
This shulde be euer ensample to vs
Therfore saynt Iob, in his boke sayeth thus.