| | He hath so wel be set his ordenaunce | |
| | That specifieth of thingis and progressions | |
| 2150 | Sholden endure be successions | |
| | And nought etern withoute ony lye | |
| | This maist thou vnderstonde and se at ye | |
| | Lo the ook that hath so long a norisshynge | |
| | Fro the tyme that he begynneth to sprynge | |
| 2155 | And hath so long lif as ye may se | |
| | Yet at the laste wastid is the tre | |
| | Considereth how that the hard stoon | |
| | Vnder our feet / on whiche we trede and goon | |
| | Yet wastith it as it lith be the wey | |
| 2160 | The brood ryuer sumtyme wexith drey | |
| | The grete townes se we wane and wende | |
| | Than ye se that al thing hath an ende | |
| | Of man of womman se we also | |
| | That nedith in one of the termys two | |
| 2165 | This is to say in yongthe or ellis in age | |
| | He moot be ded the kyng as shal a page | |
| | Som in his bed som in the depe see | |
| | Som in the large feld as ye may se | |
| | Ther helpith nought . alle gon that ilke weye | |
| 2170 | Than may I say al thing mot nedes deye | |
| | What makith this but Iubiter the kyng | |
| | That is prince and cause of al thing | |
| | Conuertynge vs alle vnto his propre wil | |
| | For whiche it is darreyned soth to tell | |
| 2175 | And for agayns it no creature a lyue | |
| | Of no degre auaileth forto stryue | |
