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