{and} knowen 2264
whiche strondes
habounden
most of tendre fisshes or
of sharpe fisshes ?
Chaucer - Boethius
at hy?t tyrene.
[Sidenote: Men know where to look for white pearls, and for the
fish that yields the purple dye.]
{and} ouer ?is men knowen
wel ?e crikes {and} ?e cau{er}nes of ?e see yhidd in ?e 2260
floodes. {and} knowen eke whiche water is most plentiuo{us}
of white perles. {and} knowen whiche water habunde?
most of rede purpre. ?at is to seyen of a maner shelfisshe
w{i}t{h} whiche men dien purpre.
[Sidenote: They know where the most delicate of the finny race
abound and where the fierce sea-urchin is to be found.
]
{and} knowen 2264
whiche strondes
habounden
most of tendre fisshes or
of sharpe fisshes ?
at hy?ten echynnys.
[Sidenote: But where the Sovereign Good abides blinded mortals
never know, but plunge into the earth below to look for that which
has its dwelling in the heavens.]
but folk suffren
hem self to ben so blynde ?at hem ne recchi? nat to
knowe where ?ilk[e] goodes ben yhidd whiche ?at ?ei 2268
coueiten but ploungen hem in er?e {and} seken ?ere
?ilke goode ?{a}t so{ur}mou{n}te? ?e heuene ?
