(36) E2 verso-E3 recto (Page 68-69)

68 The Fabillis

Zyt neuertheles we may haif knawlegeing
Off God almychtie, be his creatouris.
That he is gude, fair, wyis and bening,
Exempill takis be thir iolie flouris,
Rycht sweit off smell, and plesant off colouris.
Sum grene, sum blew, sum purpour, quhyte, and reid,
Thus distribute be gift off his Godheid.

The firmament payntit with sternis cleir,
From eist to west rolland in cirkill round.
And euerilk planet in his proper spheir,
In mouing makand harmonie and sound.
The fyre, the air, the watter, and the ground.
Till vnderstand it is aneuch, I wis,
That God in all his werkis wittie is.

Luke weill the fische that swimmis in the se.
Luke weill in eirth all kynd off bestyall.
The foulis fair sa forcelie thay fle.
Scheddand the air with pennis grit and small.
Syne luke to man, that he maid last off all,
Lyke to his image, and his similitude,
Be thir we knaw, that God is fair and gude.

All creature he maid for the behufe
Off man, and to his supportatioun,
In to this eirth, baith vnder and abufe,
In number, wecht, and dew proportioun.
The difference off tyme, and ilk seasoun,
Off Esope 69

Concorddand till our opurtunitie.
As daylie be experience we may se.

The somer with his iolie mantill grene,
With flouris fair furrit on euerilk fent.
Quhilk flora Goddes off the flouris quene,
Hes to that lord as for his seasoun lent.
And phebus with his goldin bemis gent,
Hes purfellit and payntit plesandly.
With heit and moysture stilland from the sky

Syne haruest hait, quhen ceres that Goddes
Hir barnis benit hes with abundance.
And bachus God off wyne renewit hes
Hir tume pyipis, in italie, and france,
With wynis wicht, and liquour off plesance.
And copia temporis to fill hir horne,
That neuer wes full off quheit, nor vther corne

Syne wynter wan, quhen austerne eolus,
God off the wynd with blastis boreall,
The grene garment off somer glorious,
Hes all to rent, and reuin in pecis small.
Than flouris fair faidit with froist, man fall.
And birdis blyith changeis thair noitis sweit,
In styll murning, neir slane with snaw, and sleit.

Thir dalis deip with dubbis drounit is.
Baith hill and holt heillit with frostis hair.
And bewis bene ar bethit bair off blis,
Be wickit windis off the winter wair.