If that you rede a fatall scripture,

And can not moralyse the semilitude

Whych to theyr wyttes is so hard and obscure,

Than wyll they say that it is sene in ure

That nought do poetes but depaynt and lye,

Deceyvyng them by tongues of flatery.

But what for that? they can not defame

The poetes actes, whych are in effecte;

Unto them selfe remayneth the shame

To dysprayse that whych they can not correcte;