Note 202 — Chapter I
Reading edition
Both deal with agricultural subjects; the first gives the life of a grain of wheat, and the second may explain itself:
"Dieu sauve la charue,
God save the ploughe,
Et celui qui la mane.
And he the whiche it ledeth.
Primierement hairois la terre,
Firste ere the grounde,
Apres semer le blé ou l'orge.
After sow the whete or barley.
Les herces doivent venir apres,
The harrowes must come after,
Le chaclir oster l'ordure.
The hoke to take away wedes,
En Aoust le foyer ou faucher,
In August reap it or mowe it,
D'une faucille ou d'une faux."
There is no English rendering of the last line.