[60]
As vnto me Age hath bede good morowe,
I am not able clenly for to gleyne,
Nature is feyne of crafte here eien to borowe, 416
Me fayleth clerenesse of myn eien tweyne;
Begge I may, I can no gleyn certeyn,
Ther-for that werke I wolle playnly remytte
To folke yong, more p_er_saunt clere of wytte. 420
[61]
And syke also, and in case ye fynde
Suche gleynes fresch as hath some apparence
Of fayre langage, yet take them and vnbynde, 423
And preueth what they beth in existence,
Coloured in langage, savory in sentence,
And dou[te]th not, my childe, wythoute drede,
Hit woll profite such thyng to se and rede. 427
[62]
Yit eft-sonnys, my child_e_, let us resorte
To the intente of our_e_ fyrst matier_e_
Digresside, somwhat fulle we wolld reporte, 430
And reuyue the lawde of them that were
Founders of our_e_ langage, thilke fadyrs dere,
Who-is soulis god [aboue] in b[l]esse inhaunce
That lusten so our_e_ langage to Avaunce. 434
[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]
¶ And unto my age bot good morowe
I am not able clerly for to gleyne,
Nature ys fayn_e_ of crafte her eyen to borow; 416
Me lakketh clernes of myn_e_ eyen twayn_e_;
Begge I may / gleyn_e_ I may not c_er_teyn_e_;
_ther_fore _tha_t werke I will[e] playnly remytte
To folk_is_ yong, more passyng clere of wyte. 420
¶ Seche ye _ther_fore, & in caas ye fynde
suche glenars fresshe as haue su_m_ apparens
Off fayer la_n_gage, yet take the_m_, & vnbynde,
& preve ye what _the_i be i_n_ existence 424
Colovred i_n_ langage, saverly i_n_ sentence,
& dowte not, my child, w_i_t_h_-owt drede
yt will[e] p_ro_fet to se such thy_n_g_is_, & rede. 427
¶ Ye, efte-soones, my child, let vs resorte
To _th_e yntent of yo_u_r fyrst matere
Degressed somwhat, for we wolde reporte
& revyue _th_e lawde of the_m_ _tha_t were
famovs i_n_ owr_e_ langage, thise faders dere 432
who_s_[1] sowles i_n_ blis, god et_er_nall[e] avaunce,
[Sidenote 1: The _s_ is by a later hand.]
_th_at lysten sone owr_e_ langage to enhavnce!