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GROUP B. (FRAGMENT II.)
§ 1. MAN OF LAW'S HEAD-LINK.
HARLEIAN MS. 7334 (British Museum).
Owre Hoste sawh þat þe brighte sonne [folio 71a]
The arke of his artificial day haþ I-ronne
The fourþe part of half an hour and more /
And þough he were nat depe in lore
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he wist it was þe þrettenþe day
Of april þat is messanger to may
And sawe wel þat þe schade of euery tree
was in þe lengthe þe same quantite
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That was þe body erecte þat caused it
And þerfore by þe schadwe he took his wit
That Phebus which þat schoon so fair and bright
Degrees was .xlv. clombe on hight
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And for þat day as in þat latitude
Hit was ten of þe clokke he gan conclude /
And sodeynly he plight his hors aboute
LOrdynges quod he I warne ȝou al þe route
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The fourþe party of þis day is goon
Now for þe loue of god and of seint Ion
leseþ no tyme as forþe as ȝe may
lordynges þe tyme passeþ night and day
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And steliþ fro vs what pryuely slepyng
And what þurgh necligence in oure wakyng
As doþ þe streem þat torneþ neuer agayn
Descendyng fro þe mounteyn in to playn
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wel can senek and many philosopher
Bywaylen tyme more þan gold in cofre
For losse of catel may recouered be /
But losse of tyme schendeth vs quod he
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