badnesse of the sentence take they litel hede or els non.

5

Soothly, dul wit and a thoughtful soule so sore have myned

and graffed in my spirites, that suche craft of endyting wol not

ben of myn acqueyntaunce. And, for rude wordes and boystous

percen the herte of the herer to the in[ne]rest point, and planten

there the sentence of thinges, so that with litel helpe it is able

10

to springe; this book, that nothing hath of the greet flode of

wit ne of semelich colours, is dolven with rude wordes and