Fraunceys Petrark, the laureat poete,
Highte this clerk, whos rethoryke sweete
Enlumined al Itaille of poetrye,
As Linian dide of philosophye
Or lawe, or other art particuler; 35
But deeth, that wol nat suffre us dwellen heer
But as it were a twinkling of an yë,
Hem bothe hath slayn, and alle shul we dyë.
32. Hl. rethorique; Cp. retorique; Pt. retorike; E. Hn. Ln. rethorik.
36. E. _omits_ suffre us.
But forth to tellen of this worthy man,
That taughte me this tale, as I bigan, 40
I seye that first with heigh style he endyteth,
Er he the body of his tale wryteth,
A proheme, in the which discryveth he
Pemond, and of Saluces the contree,
And speketh of Apennyn, the hilles hye, 45
That been the boundes of West Lumbardye,
And of Mount Vesulus in special,
Where as the Poo, out of a welle smal,
Taketh his firste springing and his sours,
That estward ay encresseth in his cours 50
To Emelward, to Ferrare, and Venyse:
The which a long thing were to devyse.
And trewely, as to my Iugement,
Me thinketh it a thing impertinent,
Save that he wol convey en his matere: 55
But this his tale, which that ye may here.’
51. E. Hn. Emele; Hl. Emyl; Cp. Pt. Ln. Emel. 55. E. Hn. conuoyen;
_rest_ conueyen (-eye). 56. E. Hn. this his tale (_where_ this _is a
contraction for_ this is; _cf. mod._ E. ’tis); Hl. Pt. this is the
tale; Ln. this is tale.
[391: T. 7933-7957.]
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