[Sidenote: [j]] [Sidenote: The Punic lion submits to man, and dreads the keeper's lash; yet, if he once taste blood, his savage instincts revive, and his keeper falls a victim to his fury.]
¶ Al be it so þat þe liou{ n}s of 1856 þe contree of pene beren þe fair[e] cheines. { and} taken metes of þe handes of folk þat [gh]euen it hem. { and} dreden her sturdy maystres of whiche þei ben wont to suffren [betinges]. yif þat hir horrible mouþes ben bi-bled. 1860 þat is to sein of bestes devoured. ¶ Hir corage of tyme passeþ þat haþ ben ydel { and} rested. repaireþ a[gh]ein þat þei roren greuously. { and} reme{ m}bren on hir nature. { and} slaken hir nekkes from hir cheins vnbounden. 1864 and hir maistre first to-teren wiþ blody toþe assaieþ þe woode wraþþes of hem. ¶ þis is to sein þei freten hir maister.
[Sidenote: [ij]] [Sidenote: If the caged bird though daintily fed, gets a sight of the pleasant grove where she was wont to sing, she will spurn her food, and pine for the beloved woods.]
¶ And þe Iangland brid þat syngiþ on þe heye braunches. þis is to sein in þe wode { and} 1868 after is inclosed in a streit cage. ¶ al þou[gh] [þ{ a}t] þe pleiyng besines of men [gh]eueþ hem honied[e] drinkes { and} large metes. wiþ swete studie. ¶ [gh]it naþeles yif þilke brid skippynge oute of hir streite cage seeþ þe 1872 agreable shadewes of þe wodes. she defouleþ wiþ hir fete hir metes yshad { and} sekeþ mournyng oonly þe wode { and} twitriþ desirynge þe wode wiþ hir swete voys.
[Sidenote: [iij]] [Sidenote: The sapling, bent down by a mighty hand, will resume its natural position as soon as the restraining force is removed.]
¶ þe [gh]erde of a tree þat is haled adou{ n} by my[gh]ty 1876 strengþe bowiþ redely þe croppe adou{ n}. but yif þat þe [[pg 69]] hande of hym þat it bente lat it gon a[gh]ein. ¶ An oon þe crop lokeþ vp ry[gh]t to heuene.
[Sidenote: [iiij]] [Sidenote: Though the sun sets in the western main at eve, yet by a secret path he takes his wonted journey toward the east.]
¶ þe sonne phebus þat failleþ at euene in þe westrene wawes retorniþ a[gh]ein 1880 eftsones his cart by a priue paþe þere as it is wont aryse.
[Sidenote: All things pursue their proper course, obedient to the source of order.]