[48]
[Sidenote: Leaf 163, back.]
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
* * * * *