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The high Astrapotent, auctor of all,
Vnder whos clayme conciste the clymates,
Whiche from his paleys and see emperiall,
The puissaunt prince, breker of Auremgates,
His owne sone, sent for werrys and debates
Atwene hym and man al rancour to release;
He graunt yow and yowres his precious pease.
Whiche peas oure first fadir by forfeture
Enlonged from hym and his posterite,
Thurgh envye and covert couieiture
Of the serpent, reuerser of verite;
Vnto that tyme that divyne charite
Sent embassiatours this werre shul cease
And man restored vnto his sayde pease.
Whan the reuerent regent of reames
His peple whiche were vnder seruitute
Had ouer-spradde with mercyful beamys,
The children of Israel—to thraldom Institute
In the land of Egipte without refute—
Moyses, thurgh goddis proteccyoun,
And Aaron lad them fro this subieccioun

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By the rede see, with divyne tuycioun—
Scripture specifieth the circumstaunce—
Towarde the provynce of promyssioun.
But now as of my matere a remembraunce
Towchyng his lawe—I meane in substaunce:
ffor litel they had of lawe of nature,
Therfor nedeful it was that by scripture
They had of his lawe parfit instruccioun
In voydeng the tourment of the vemous serpent,
Whiche men shuld be put to oblyvioun.
And herfor visited hem the orient
On Synai with hand most reuerent,
Wrote expresse in tablis also doutles
His lawe and commytted it to Moyses,
Which by theym, and goddis Informacioun,
In tokene that lawe shuld synne distroye,
To Israel made playne relacioun,
That the saide lawe, hadde in memory,
Shuld gyde theym into eterne glory!
That sych lawe so profitable is—
Lo! here am I, lawe, of me ye may nat mys.
By me ye may atteyne Ioye celestiall,
By me high princis rule theyr regiouns,
By me reigneth th'estate Emperiall,
By me are daunted these rebelliouns;
And shortly I chastice all transgressions
What by spirytuel and temporal lawe,
All transgressours bene holdyn vnder awe.