26
Þat ȝe a-uowen verraie · & vertuus holden,
672Þat a man moste do · wiþ mihte of his armus,
A god holde ȝe him · helplich of grace,
presides over the arms. Þat haþ ȝour armus to ȝeme · & may ȝou ȝiue strenke.
Bacchus the drunkard, For bacus þe bollere · þat ȝe abowen alle,
676Englaymed was in glotenye · & glad to be drounke,
over the throat Ȝe callen him kepere of þe þrote · & kinde god holden,
[Fol. 213] & wis witiere of win · þat alle won bryngus.
Of Cupid, ye say Cupidus þe corsede · þat is in care punched,
680Ȝe worchen al worschipe · & in þis wise tellen—
672Þat a man moste do · wiþ mihte of his armus,
A god holde ȝe him · helplich of grace,
presides over the arms. Þat haþ ȝour armus to ȝeme · & may ȝou ȝiue strenke.
Bacchus the drunkard, For bacus þe bollere · þat ȝe abowen alle,
676Englaymed was in glotenye · & glad to be drounke,
over the throat Ȝe callen him kepere of þe þrote · & kinde god holden,
[Fol. 213] & wis witiere of win · þat alle won bryngus.
Of Cupid, ye say Cupidus þe corsede · þat is in care punched,
680Ȝe worchen al worschipe · & in þis wise tellen—
How he telleþ alixandre of his maumentrie.
[A picture. V.]
[A picture. V.]
that he loved lechery, Þat, for he leccherie louede · in his lif-time,
And þat folie fur · foundede on erþe,
A bryht btenninge brond · he bereþ on his hondis,
684And alle lechurus lust · of þe lem tendeþ.
And so ȝe sain þat he is · a soþ god iproued,
and presides over the stomach Þat haþ þe stomak in stat · stifly to kepe;
For þere þe hete þat men han · is holden wiþ-inne,
688 Þat enforceþ þe flech · folie to wirche!
Ceres, over the womb. Also, seggus, ȝe sain · þat ceres þe falce
Is a goodesse god · & gieþ þe wombe;
For hue tilede in hur time · on þe touh erþe,
692& whete soþliche sew · or any seggus ellus.
Venus, over the priory members. Ful verrai of vertue · venus ȝe holden;
& for hue lady was alosed · of leccherous dedeus,
Ȝe holden hure a goodesse god · þat haþ for to kepe
Þe preuey[1] membrus of a man · þat marke is of kingus.
697Iuno þe ioilese · ȝe iuggen for noble;
And þat folie fur · foundede on erþe,
A bryht btenninge brond · he bereþ on his hondis,
684And alle lechurus lust · of þe lem tendeþ.
And so ȝe sain þat he is · a soþ god iproued,
and presides over the stomach Þat haþ þe stomak in stat · stifly to kepe;
For þere þe hete þat men han · is holden wiþ-inne,
688 Þat enforceþ þe flech · folie to wirche!
Ceres, over the womb. Also, seggus, ȝe sain · þat ceres þe falce
Is a goodesse god · & gieþ þe wombe;
For hue tilede in hur time · on þe touh erþe,
692& whete soþliche sew · or any seggus ellus.
Venus, over the priory members. Ful verrai of vertue · venus ȝe holden;
& for hue lady was alosed · of leccherous dedeus,
Ȝe holden hure a goodesse god · þat haþ for to kepe
Þe preuey[1] membrus of a man · þat marke is of kingus.
697Iuno þe ioilese · ȝe iuggen for noble;
eo quod duodecim virtutes exercuit preliando. Bachum deum gutturis esse putas, eo quod ebrietatem primus inuenit; cupidinem esse deam (sic) dicis, eo quod fornicatrix extitit; tenere dicis facem ardentem cum qua libidinem exitat (sic) et ascendit [lege accendit], et ipsam deam iecoris existimas. Cererem deam ventris esse dicis; et venerem, eo quod fuit mater luxurie, deam genitaliam membrorum esse profers.
- ↑ MS. 'He proueþ'
