'That al thy wordys (yt ys no nay,)
Line 5928
Be repreuáble founde in dede,
And verray fals, yiff thow take hede.
'Also to the I shal devyse [prose cap lxxxiv]
A preff in a-nother wyse,
Line 5932
By open demonstracyouns.
Hastow nat ben in thilkë touns,
Rome, [Grece, in Camb. prose.] and Athenys ek also,
And soiournèd in bothë two,
Line 5936
fful many a yer in bothë leyn,
The maner & the gretnesse seyn,
And be-holde ther gouernaunce?
Now yiff thow haue in Rémembraunce
Line 5940
By cler report off outher toun, [Stowe folio 108a]
Tel me thyn Oppynyoun,
What space of land they do contene, [folio 88b]
And yiff thy wyth may eke sustene, [[Stowe]]
Line 5944
I chargë the that thow me telle [[Stowe]]
What noumbre off clerkys ther-in duelle, [[Stowe]]
Off ther estate and ther degres, [[C. & St.]]
And the gretnesse of ther cytes.' [[C. & St.]]
Line 5948
Arystotyles answerede: [[C. & St.]]
'Certys,' quod he, 'to sey the sothe, [[C. & St.]]
They be gret and largë bothe, [[C. & St.]]
Round off compas, & ryht wyde, [[C. & St.]]
And many scolerys ther a-byde, [[C. & St.]]
Line 5952
And many a-nother craffty man,
As I ful wel Remembre kan.'
Sapience Axeth:
Quod Sapience, 'than pray I the,
O thyng that thow tellë me;
Line 5956
Touchyng ther makyng and byldynges.
Yiff thow hast al thys gretë [[gret C., grete St.]] thynges
Reportyd wel, on euery syde,
Wher hastow put hem to abyde?'
Line 5960
Aristotiles answerde: [Stowe folio 108b]
Quod he, 'with support off your grace,
I kan telle noon other place,
