'Arystotyle, in thys debaat,
ffor to ben myn aduocaat
Line 3836
A-geyns yow in thys matere.
ffor your power al yfere [folio 59a]
Wer lost & gon (shortly to fyne,) [[C. & St.]]
Yiff no sonne ne dydë shyne. [[C. & St.]]
Line 3840
ffor your power wer al shent, [Stowe folio 72b]
Yiff the Roundë [[Rounde St., Round C.]] fyrmament,
The planétys, & ech [[eche St.]] spere,
And the bryhtë [[bright St., bryght C.]] sterrys clere,
Line 3844
Yiff I hem maade to cesse echon,
Than wer your power clene agon,
A-batyd, & set a-syde.
Wher-vp-on, lat be your pryde,
Line 3848
And gruchchet nat ageyn[e]s me,
Syth I ha [[have St.]] the sovereynte,
Lordshepe, & domynacïoun.
'And yt wer abusyoun—
Line 3852
Lych as wryteth Ysaye, [Nunquid gloriabitur securis/Ysaye xo capitulo]
And in hys book doth specefye,
A gret despyt (both fer & ner)—
Yiff a-geyn the carpenter
Line 3856
The Ex wer bold, by surquedye,
ffor to holden chauntpartye.
Yt wer a thyng ageyn[e]s kynde,
In Holy Wryt as ye shal fynde,
Line 3860
And a thyng off gret dysdeyne,
And yiff the pot sholde also seyn
To the potter that hym wrouhte,
And hys forme a-boutë brouhte,
Line 3864
Yiff he pleynede off [[on St.]] hys makyng,
Touchyng hys fason and werkyng,
Yt wer a thyng nat covenable.
'And evene lyk in cas semblable
Line 3868
Ye argue ageyn[e]s me,
Wych in effect nat ellys be
(ffor al your sotel argument)
But myn handwerk & instrument,
Line 3872
Wych I ha mad to helpen me, [Stowe folio 73a]
Nat off no necessyte, [folio 59b]
