As that my mayster Chaucer sayth expresse,

'But temporel thing, that man may hurte and mayme';

100

Than is god stocke of vertuous noblesse;

And sith that he is lord of blessednesse,

And made us alle, and for us alle deyde,

Folowe his vertue with ful besinesse,

And of this thing herke how my mayster seyde:—

105

The firste stok, fader of gentilesse,