[Sidenote: Take, then, this draught, with which when refreshed, you may more strongly proceed to higher matters.]
tak þa{ n} þis drau[gh]t { and} whan þou art wel refresshed { and} refet þou shalt ben more stedfast 4116 to stye in to heyere questiou{ n}s.
[Linenotes: 4089-90 _good_--goode 4092 _þilk_--thilke 4093 [_þat_]--from C. 4094 _þe_ (2)--thilke _whiche_--which 4096 _realme_--Reame 4099 _strong[e]_--stronge _worlde_--world 4100 _no_--omitted _witte_--wit 4101 _worde alle_--word al 4102 _au[gh]t[e]_--owhte 4104 _good while_--goode wyl 4105 _haþ_--MS. haþe 4108 _of_ (1)--fro 4109 _whiche_--which 4111 _ben haboundaunt_--ben out{ ra}ious / or habowndant 4115 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak 4116 _refet_--refect _shalt ben_--shal be _stedfast_--stydefast]
[Sidenote: If thou wouldst explore the laws of the high Thunderer, behold the lofty heavens, where, bound by fixed laws, the stars keep their ancient peace.]
++Yif þou wolt demen in þi pur{ e} þou[gh]t þe ry[gh]tes or þe lawes of þe heye þund[ere]re. þat is to seyne of god. loke þou { and} bihold þe hey[gh]tes of souereyne heuene. 4120 ¶ þere kepen þe sterres by ry[gh]tful alliaunce of þinges hir olde pees.
[Sidenote: There the rosy Sun does not invade the moon's colder sphere. Nor doth the Bear stray from his appointed bounds, to quench his light in the western main.]
þe sonne ymoeued by hys rody fire. ne destourbiþ nat þe colde cercle of þe moone. ¶ Ne þe sterre yclepid þe bere. þ{ a}t encliniþ hys rauyssynge 4124 courses abouten þe souereyne hey[gh]t of þe worlde. ne þe same sterre vrsa nis neuer mo wasshen in þe depe westerne see. ne coueitiþ nat to dy[gh]en hys flaumbes in þe see of [the] occian. al þou[gh] he see oþer sterres yplounged 4128 in to þe see.
[Sidenote: Vesper always makes its wonted appearance at eve. Lucifer ushers in the morn.]
¶ And hesperus þe sterre bodiþ { and} telliþ alwey þe late ny[gh]tes. And lucifer þe sterre bryngeþ a[gh]eyne þe clere day.
[Sidenote: So mutual love moves all things, and from the starry region banishes all strife.]
¶ And þus makiþ loue enterchaungeable þe p{ er}durable courses. { and} þus 4132 is discordable bataile yput oute of þe contre of þe sterres.
[Sidenote: This concord in equal measures tempers the elements, so that the moist atoms war no more with the dry, nor heat with cold contends; but the aspiring flame soars aloft, while down the heavy earth descends.]