of me, that I, so unworthily clothed al-togider in the cloudy cloude
of unconninge, wil putten me in prees to speke of love, or els
of the causes in that matter, sithen al the grettest clerkes han
had ynough to don, and (as who sayth) †gadered up clene toforn
hem, and with their sharpe sythes of conning al mowen, and
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mad therof grete rekes and noble, ful of al plentees, to fede me
and many another. Envye, forsothe, commendeth nought his
reson that he hath in hayne, be it never so trusty. And al-though
these noble repers, as good workmen and worthy their hyre,