The firste stok, fader of gentilesse--
What man that claymeth gentil for to be,
Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse
Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee.
For unto vertu longeth dignitee, 5
And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme,
Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse,
Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free,
Clene of his goste, and loved besinesse, 10
Ageinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee;
And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he,
He is noght gentil, thogh he riche seme,
Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse; 15
But ther may no man, as men may wel see,
Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse;
That is appropred unto no degree,
But to the firste fader in magestee,
That maketh him his heir, that can him queme, 20
Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
1. Cx. first; Harl. ffirste; Ct. firste. T. gentilesse; _rest_ gentilnesse.
3. Cx. _om._ alle. 4. A. T. suwe; Harl. shew (_for_ sewe); Cx. folowe (!).
5. Cx. vertue; dignyte. 6. Cx. not; _rest_ nou[gh]t, nought, no[gh]te. 7.
Cx. mytor; A. T. Harl. Add. mytre. Cx. crowne; dyademe. 8. Cx. rightwisnes.
9. A. Ct. Ha. pitous; Cx. pyetous. 10. Cx. besynes. 11. A. Ageinst; T.
Ageynst; Cx. Agayn. Cx. _om._ the. Cx. honeste. 12. Cx. eyer; _rest_ heire,
heyre, eyre. 13. Cx. not; Ct. Ha. nought. Cx. though; Add. thogh. 14. Cx.
mytor; crowne. 15. Cx. _omits_ heir. Cx. holde; _rest_ olde; _but read_
old. 16. Cx. al; _rest_ as. 17. Cx. eyer.
18. Cx. degre. 19. Cx. first; mageste. 20. Ct. That maketh his heires hem
that hym queme (_omitting_ can); A. That maþe his heyre him that wol him
qweme; T. That makeþe heos heyres hem þat wol him qweeme; Add. That maketh
his eires hem that can him queme; Cx. That makes hem eyres that can hem
queme; _with other variations_. _I follow_ Cx., _supplying_ his, _and
putting_ him _and_ heir _in the singular_; _cf._ he _in_ l. 21. 21. Cx.
crowne mytor.
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