SUNT ETENIM PENNE VOLUCRES MICHI. — Metrum
1
"I have, forthi, swifte fetheris that surmounten the
heighte of the hevene. Whanne the swift thoght hath clothid
itself in tho
fetheris, it despiseth the hateful erthes, and surmounteth the
rowndenesse of the gret ayr; and it seth the clowdes byhynde his
bak, and passeth the heighte of the regioun of the fir, that
eschaufeth by the swifte moevynge of the firmament, til that he
areyseth hym into the houses that beren the sterres, and joyneth
his weies with the sonne, Phebus, and felawschipeth the weie of
the olde colde Saturnus; and he, imaked a knyght of the clere
sterre (that is to seyn, whan the thought
is makid
Godis knyght by the sekynge of trouthe to comen to the verray
knowleche of God) — and thilke soule renneth by the
cercle
of the sterres in alle the places there as the schynynge nyght
is ypainted (that is to sey, the nyght
that is
cloudeles; for on nyghtes that ben cloudeles it semeth as the
hevene were peynted with diverse ymages of sterres). And
whan [that] he hath gon there inoghe, he schal forleten the laste
point of the hevene, and he schal pressen and wenden on the bak
of the swifte firmament, and he schal be makid parfit of the
worschipful lyght [or] dredefulle clerenesse of God. There halt
the lord of kynges the septre of his myght and atemprith the
governementz of the world, and the schynynge juge of thinges,
stable in hymself, governeth the swifte cart or wayn
(that is to seyn, the circuler moevynge
of the
sonne). And yif thi wey ledeth the ayein so that thou be
brought thider, thanne wiltow seye now that that is the contre
that thou requerist, of whiche thow ne haddest no mynde-""but
now it remembreth me wel, here was I born, her wol
I fastne my degree, here wol I duelle."" But yif the
liketh thanne to looken on the derknesse of the erthe that thou
hast forleten, thanne shaltow seen that these felonus tirantz,
that the wrecchide peple dredeth now, schullen ben exiled fro
thilke faire contre."
