In hir hand (as I was war)
a gretë [[gret C., grete St.]] spoon also she bar;
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and as she reysed it a-lofte,
to hir mouth she putte it ofte. [[Blank in MS. for an Illumination.]]
And also (as to my reward,)
hir hed was turned ek bakward,
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that toforn (as I ha mynde,)
Was turned and ysette behynde.
[Grace Dieu]:
Quod Grace dieu a-noon to me, [folio 288b]
'at the eyë thou mayst se;
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this hous (yef thou canst espye,)
whilom was by masounrye
bilt, and founded spiritually [Stowe folio 366a]
by sent Benet, feithfully
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by lyne and level of masoun,
thorugh gostly foundacïoun,
for which, whilom parmanable,
it was tabidë the mor stable.
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'conceyve also, (by my doctryne,)
thyng that is maad by rule and lyne,
In it self hath more beaute
tendure, and mor stabilite.
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but whan the masoun was agoon,
the rulë wente, and that a-noon,
and the lynë stood nat faire
Whan the rulë gan apaire;
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and thus the rule, and ek the lyne,
bothe attonës gan declyne.
and feithfully, in this castel,
the rulë was nat kept ryght wel;
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for, sith the halt held this place, [[See 1. 23,444]]
al good rulë gan difface.
of vertu ek she is so bare,
the edifices to repare;
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for the old fundacïoun,
She hath nat but derisïoun;
She reccheth nat what-euere falle;
thaugh the stoonës fallen alle,
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