Boecius de consolacione philosophie

O stelli••eri conditor orbis Qui perpetuo nixus solio Rapido celum turbine versas. Legem{que} pati sidera co∣gis Ut nunc pleno lucida cornu Totis frīs obuia flammis Condat stellas luna minores Nūc obscuro pallid•• cornu Phebo {pro}prior lumina perdat etc

THou maker of the whele that bereth the s••er••es / whi∣che that art fastned to thy perdurable chayer. & tor∣n••st the heuen with a rauesshing sweyghe / And constrey∣nest the ster••es to suffre thy lawe / So that the mone som̄e tyme shynyng with her ful hornes meting with all the ••eames of the sonne her bedder. hideth the ster••es that been lesse / And som̄e tyme whan the mone pale. with her derke ••ornes approcheth th•• sonne / leseth her sightes / And that the euyn sterre Hesperu•• whiche that in the firste tyme of the nyghte bringeth firste her cold arising cometh efte a••en ••er vsed cour••. and is pale by the morowe acte rising of the sonne. And is thenne ycleped lucifer. Thou restrey∣nest the daye by shorter dwelling in the tyme of the cold

wynter that maketh the leues fall. thou deuidest the swift tydes of the night whan the hote somer is comen. thy might attemprith the variant seasons of the yere. So that Ze∣pherus the debonayr wynde bryngeth ayen in the firste so∣mer season. the leues that the wynde that highte Boreas hath refte awaye in Autumpne. that is to seye the laste ende of the somer. And the seedes that the sterre that hight Arcitures sewe bewaxen highe cornes. whan the sterre Si∣rius enchaceth hem / Ther is noo thyng vnbounden from this old lawe ne forletteth the werke of his propre estate O thou gouernour gouernyng alle thinges by certayne ende. why refusest thou onely to gouerne the werkis of men by dewe manere. why suffrest thou that slyding fortune tourneth so grete entrechaunges of thynges / so that anoy∣ous payne shuld duly punysshe felon̄s / punyssheth Inne∣centis / And folke of wicked maneres sitten in hyghe chayers. And annoyeng folke treden and that vnright∣fully on the nekkis of holy men. And vertue clere and shynyng. naturelly is hydd in derke derkenesses / And the rightfull man bereth the payne and the blame of the felon̄s / Ne the forswering ne the fraude couerd & kempt with a fals colour / ne annoyeth not to shrewdnes / The whiche shrewdnes whan hem liste vsen her strengthe / they reioyssen hem to putte vnder hem the souerayne Kynges / Whiche that the peuple with oute nombre dreden / O thou what som̄e ener thou be that knyttest alle bondes of thyn∣ges / loke on these wretches erthes / we men that ben not a ••oull partye. but a fayrre parte of so grete a werke. we been tourmented in this see of fortune. Thou gouernour

withdrawe and restreyne the rauisshing flodes. & fasten & ferme these erthes stable / with thilk bonde / with which thou gouernest heuen that is so large