CAXTON'S TEXT.
[48]
[Sidenote: Leaf 163, back.]
O fader and founder of ornate eloquence
[Sidenote: and the Father and Founder of Eloquence,]
That enlumened hast alle our bretayne
To soone we loste / thy laureate scyence 332
O lusty lyquour / of that fulsom fontayne
O cursid deth / why hast thou þ^t poete slayne
I mene fader chaucer / maister galfryde
[Sidenote: mayster Galfryde Chawcer,]
Alas the whyle / that euer he from vs dyde 336
[49]
[Sidenote: Leaf 9 a.]
Redith his werkis / ful of plesaunce
[Sidenote: whose works are full of pleasaunce,]
Clere in sentence / in langage excellent
Briefly to wryte / suche was his suffysa[=n]ce 339
What euer to saye / he toke in his entente
His langage was so fayr and pertynente
It semeth vnto mannys heeryng_e_
Not only the worde / but verely the thynge 343
[Sidenote: whose language seems not only words, but truly things.]
[50]
Redeth my chylde / redeth his bookes alle
Refuseth none / they ben expedyente
[Sidenote: Read all his books; refuse none:]
Sentence or langage / or bothe fynde ye shall_e_ 346
Ful delectable / for that good fader mente
[Sidenote: he is delightful.]
Of al his purpose / and his hole entente
How to plese in euery audyence
And in our tunge / was welle of eloquence 350
* * * * *
THE ORIEL TEXT.
[51]
Beholde Oclyff in his translac_i_on,
In goodly langage and sentence passing wyse,
Yevyng the prince suche exortac_i_on 353
As to his highnesse he coude best devyse.
Of trouth, peace, of mercy, and of Iustice,
And odir vertuys, sparing for no slouthe
To don his devere, and quiten hym, as trouth 357
[52]
Required hym, anenste his souereyne,
Most dradde and louyd, whos excellent highnesse
He aduertysede by his writing playne, 360
To vertue p_er_teynyng to the nobles
Of a prince, and berith wyttenesse
His trety entitlede 'of regyment,'
Compyled of most entier true entent. 364
[53]
Loketh Also vppon dan Iohn lidgate,
My mastir_e_, whilome clepid monke of bury,
Worthy to be renownede laureate, 367
I pray to god_e_, in blis his soule be mery,
Synging 'Rex Splendens,' the heuenly 'kery,'
Among the muses ix celestiall,
Afore the hieghest Iubiter of all. 371
[Sidenote: Hill's Text.]
¶ Behold Ocklyf in his transslacion,[1]
[Sidenote 1: transflacion]
In goodly langage & se_n_tence passyng wyse 352
howe he gewyth his p_ri_nce such exortac_i_on
As to the hyeste he covld best devyse
Off trowt[=h] / pees / m_er_cy / & Iustyse,
& vertu, lettyng for no slowth 356
To do his devoyre & qvyte hy_m_ his trowth.
¶ Requyre hy_m_ As Agaynst his soverayn_e_,
moste Drade & loved, whose excellent hyenes
he advertysed by his wrytyng playn_e_ 360
To vertu ap_er_teynyng to nobles
Off a p_ri_nce, as beryt[=h] god wytnes,
hys treatye entytled of regemente,
Compyled of entyer trewe entente. 364
¶ Loke also than vpon Ioh_a_n lydgate,
My mayrster, whylom monke of bury,
worthy to be renomed As poete lavreate;
I p_ra_y to god in blysse his sowle be mery, 368
Syngyng / Rex splendens / _tha_t hevenly Kyrye,
Amonge _th_e mvses nyne celestyall[e]
be-fore _th_e hyghest Iubyter of all[e],