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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—
How he telleþ alixandre of his maumentrie.[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 falceIs 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 kepeÞe 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'
