¶ The Sixte povne.
The syxte povne of grete renoun [¶ Sextus pedinus est bona sensuum disposicio et bona providencia que per ser|pentem designatur qui obturat aures suas ne de|cipiatur ab incantatore / vnam scilicet ex terra, al|teram ex cauda / Ita Mulier prudens obturat aures suas ne audiat deceptores /.]
I-callyd was by good reson
Substancyally, as in sentence,
Purveyaunce or providence,
To sen aforn what shal falle,
Nat oonly sugre but the galle
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Of worldly mutabylyte,
In Ioye and eke aduersyte,
Consydre by discresion
The sodeyn transmutacion
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Of al erthely felycite,
Whiche selde a-byt in o degre,
That wel ys him that kan beforn
The chaffe dessever fro the corn.
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And for this skylle, of entent,
This povne hath graven A serpent
Myd of his sheelde ful craftyly,
To signefye fynally
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That of Nature the serpent,
To eschewen al enchauntement,
Dooth to forn hys besy peyne
For to stoppe hys erys tweyne,
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By defnesse to make him stronge,
That the soote sugryd songe
Of thenchauntour by hys wyle
For lak of prudence him begyle,
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