"Off ther tyme they may nat erre,
As yt ys set, nyh nor fferre,
But that they shal, at certeyn space,
Retournë to her duë place,
Line 12532
At ther tyme, whan-euere yt be.
"But yt stant nat so with me,
No thyng at al, off my retour;
And causë why, ffor myn Errour
Line 12536
Hath no lymytacïouns;
ffor I, thorgh my transgressïouns,
So long [[longe St.]] tyme ther-in soiourne,
That I shal neuere ageyn Retourne
Line 12540
To entre the place that I kam ffro.
"Touchynge the boterflye also,
Therby, to myn oppynyoun,
I ha noon informacïoun
Line 12544
As off hys mevyng on the whel; [folio 191b]
ffor, at hys lust, (who lokë wel)
He may go slowh, he may go lyht, [Stowe folio 220a]
He hath .iiij. wyngës ffor the fflyht;
Line 12548
And whan he seth yt may avaylle,
He may chese, in hys travaylle,
At hys lust, abyde and reste
By good leyser, ffor the [[his St.]] beste:
Line 12552
Al thys consydred prudently,
I dar wel seyn, so may nat I."
Grace dieu:
'Myn exaumples, trewly,' quod she,
'May to purpos taken be,
Line 12556
Yiff thow aduertë wel ther-to;
ffor, set thys cas,—that yt be so
That thys planetys, in her mevyng,
May nat erre no maner thyng,
Line 12560
Nouther ffaylle, but in certeyn
To ther places retourne ageyn
ffro whenys they kam, On and alle;
Yet somme off hem, I sey, may ffalle
Line 12564
As yt be-ffyl, the trouthë wyst,
Whan seyn Iohan the ewangelyst
Sawh, among the sterrys alle,
