O QUI PERPETUA.

O þou fadir creatour of heuene and of erþes þat gouernest þis worlde by perdurable resoun þat comaundist þe tymes for to gon from tyme þat age had[de] bygynnyng. þou þat dwellest þi self ay stedfast and stable and ȝiuest alle oþer þinges to ben moeued. ne forein causes necesseden þe neuer to compoune werke of floterynge mater. but only þe forme of souereyne goode y-set wiþ inne [þe] wiþ outen envie þat moeued[e] þe frely. þou þat art alþerfairest beryng þe faire worlde in þi þouȝt. formedest þis worlde to þe likkenesse semblable of þat faire worlde in þi þouȝt. þou drawest alle þinges of þi souereyne ensampler. and comaundedist þat þis worlde perfitlyche ymaked haue frely and absolut hyse perfit parties. ¶ þou byndest þe elementȝ by noumbres proporcionables. þat þe colde þinges mowen accorde wiþ þe hote þinges. and þe drye þinges wiþ þe moyst þinges. þat þe fire þat is purest ne fleye nat ouer heye. ne þat þe heuynesse ne drawe nat adoun ouer lowe þe erþes þat ben plounged in þe watres. ¶ þou knyttest to-gidre þe mene soule of treble kynde moeuyng alle þinges. and diuidest it by membres accordynge. ¶ And whan it is þus diuided it haþ assembled a moeuyng in two roundes. ¶ It goþ to tourne Page  88aȝein to hym owen self. and environeþ a fulle deep þouȝt. and tourniþ þe heuene by semblable ymage. þou by euenlyk causes enhaunsest þe soules and þe lasse liues and ablynge hem heye by lyȝt[e] cartes. þou sewest hem in to heuene and in to erþe. and whan þei ben conuertid to þe by þi benigne lawe. ¶ þou makest hem retorne aȝeine to þe by aȝein ledyng fijr. ¶ O fadir yif þou to þi þouȝt to stien vp in to þi streite sete. and graunte [hym] to enviroune þe welle of good. and þe lyȝte yfounde graunte hym to ficchen þe clere syȝtes of hys corage in þe. ¶ And scatre þou and to-breke [thow] þe weyȝtes and þe cloudes of erþely heuynesse. and shyne þou by þi bryȝtnes. for þou art clernesse þou art peisible to debonaire folke. ¶ þou þi self art bygynnynge. berere. ledere. paþ and terme to loke on þe [þat] is oure ende. Glose.