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So likewise doth this river flow Forth of a little spring; Whose trot, Sir, I wot, Sir, You may stop with your hand, As you, Sir, I trow, Sir, Experience understand. LVIII. That quoth Experience, I do, And all ye said ken to be true, Since first when ye began; Quoth Skill and I the same approve, Quoth Reason then let us remove, This silly Slothful man. Wit and Experience, quoth he, Shall go before apace, The man shall come with Skill and me, Into the second place; Out-o’er now, you four now, Shall come into a band, Proceeding and leading Each other by the hand. LIX. As Reason order’d all obey’d, None were too rash, none were afraid, Our counsel was tight wise; As of our journey, Wit did note, We found it true, in every jot, Had blest the enterprise. For even as we came to the tree, Which as ye heard us tell, Could not be climbed so suddenly The fruit for ripeness fell; Which hasting, and tasting, I found myself reliev’d, Of sickness, and weakness. That mind and body griev’d.
FINIS.
