'And made hem of ther colour ffeynt,
ffor no cost, me lyst not spare,
But ther Rychesse I do repare,—
Line 3484
Whan hete off cold hath the [[the om. St.]] victorye,—
That Salomon in al hys glorye [Nec Salomon in omnia gloria sua. Mathei 6o (vi. 29).]
Was nat clad (I dar wel sey)
Halff so freschly as ben they;
Line 3488
Nor hys robës wer nat lyche
Off colour to the busshes Ryche,
Wych be clad in my lyffree,
ffro yer to yer, as ye may se. [The passage contained in ll. 3451-3492 extends over not quite six lines in Camb. It runs thus: The eerthe is of my robes, and in prime temps alwey j clothe it. To the trees j yeue clothinge and apparamens ayens somer. And sithe j make dis|poile hem ayen ayens winter, for to kerue hem oother robes and kootes seemynge alle newe, ther is neither brembel ne broom ne oother tre that j ne clothe ayen. Was neuere Salomon clothed with suich a robe as is a bush, p. 24.] [Stowe folio 66b]
Line 3492
'And who that taketh hed ther-to,
Al thyng that men se me do,
I do by leyser, by and by:
I am nat Rakel nor hasty;
Line 3496
I hate, in myn oppynyouns, [Subitas mutaciones odit natura]
Al sodeyn mutacyouns;
My werkys be the bettre wrouht,
Be causë that I hastë nouht:
Line 3500
I take recórd of dame Reson.
'And also ek in no seson
I slepë nouther day nor nyht;
ffor, of custom & of ryht,
Line 3504
I hate al [[alle St.]] maner ydelnesse,
Ouer al wher I am maystresse.
I am nat slowh, thorgh-out the yer, [2o celi & mundi]
To do my werk & my dever
Line 3508
Affter my power & konnyng;
And I make, with my werkyng,
Man & womman to speke a-ryht
Euery language, thorgh my myght; [folio 54b] [[C. & St.]]
Line 3512
ffovlys to flen, I teche also, [[C. & St.]]
And euery bestë for to go; [[C. & St.]]
ffysshes to swymmen in the see, [[C. & St.]]
