| | The box tre or the ash tre ded or colde | |
| 445 | That sayde se o cruel goddis that gouerne | |
| | The worlde with bidydng of your word eterne | |
| | And writen in the tabyl of the athament | |
| | Your parlement and your etern gaudent | |
| | What is mankynde more vnto you holde | |
| 450 | Than is the sheep that ronkith in the folde | |
| | For slayn is man right as anothir beest | |
| | And duellith eke in prison and in arest | |
| | And hath siknesse and gret aduersite | |
| | And ofte tyme giltlees parde | |
| 455 | What gouernaylle is in this prescience | |
| | That giltlees turmentith Innocence | |
| | And yet encresith this al my penaunce | |
| | That man is bounde to his obseruaunce | |
| | For goddis sake to lettyn of his wil | |
| 460 | There as a beest may al his wil fulfil | |
| | And whan a beest is ded he hath no peyne | |
| | But aftir his deth man may wepe & playne | |
| | Though in this worlde he haue care and wo | |
| | Withoute doute it may stonde so | |
| 465 | The ansuer of this lete I to deuynes | |
| | But wel I woot that in this worlde gret pyne is | |
| | Allas I se a serpent or a theef | |
| | That many a trew man hath do myschief | |
| | Goon at his large & where hym list may turne | |
| 470 | But I muste be in prison thourgh saturne | |
| | And thourgh hym vnhappy and eek wood | |
| | That hath destroid wel nygh al the blood | |
