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cellent poet in our tong buld (as it were Nature repugning) fpring and arife. For though it had been in Demofthenes or Homerus times, when all learning and excellencie of feiences flourished amonges the Greeks, or in the feafon that Cicero, prince of clo, quence amonges Latines, lived, yet had it ben a thinge right rare and ftraunge, and worthy perpetuall laude, that any clerke by learninge or witte coulde then have framed a tonge, before fo rude and imperfite, to fuch a fwete ornature and compofition; likely, if he had lived in thefe dayes, beinge good letters fo restored and revived as they be (if he were not empeched by the envie of fuch as may tolerate nothing whyche to understande their capacite doth not extend) to have brought it unto a full and finall perfection.

Wherefore, gracious foveraigne Lord, taking fuch delight and pleasure in the Workes of this noble clerke (as is afore mentioned) I have of a long feafon much ufed to rede and vifite the fame, and as bookes of divers imprints came unto my hands I eafily and without great studie might and have deprehended in them many errours, falfities, and depravations, which evidently appeared by the contrarieties and alterations. found by collation of the one with the other, whereby I was moved and stirred to make diligent ferch where I might find or recover any true copies or exemplaries of the faid bookes; whereunto in proceffe of time, nat without cost and pain, I attained, and nat onely unto fuch as feeme to be very true copies of thofe Workes of Geffrey Chaucer which before had beene put in print, but also to divers others never till nowe imprinted, but remaining almost unknown and in oblivion; whereupon lamenting with my felfe the negligence of the people that have been in this realme,

who doubtleff were very remiffe in the fetting forth or avauncement either of the hiftories thereof, to the great hinderaunce of the renoume of fuch noble princes and valiant conquerours and captaines as have been in the fame, or alfo of the works of memory of the famous and excellent clerks in all kinds of fciencestat have fourished therein (of which both forts it hath pleafed God as highly to nobilitate this ille as any other region of Christendome) I thought it in manere appertenaunt unto my dutię, and that of very honeftie and love to my country lought no leffe to doe, than to put my helping hand to the reftauration and bring-. ing againe to light of the faid Workes, after the truecopies and exemplaries aforefaid; and devifing with my felf who of al other were most worthy, to whom a thing fo excellent and notable should be dedicat, which to my conceit femeth for the admiration, noveltie, and ftraungeneffe, that it might be reputed to be of in the time of the Authour (in comparifou asa pure and fine tried precious or polished jewel out of a rude or indigeft mafle or matere) none could to my thinking occur that fince or in the time of Chaucer was or is fuficient but only your Majesty roiall, which by difcretion and judgement, as moft abfolute in wifedome and all kinds of doctrine, could, and of his innate clemencie and goodneffe would, adde or give any authoritie hereunto.

For this caufe, most excellent, and in al vertues most preftante Prince, I as humbly proftrate before your kingly eftate, lowly fupplie and befeech the fame that it woll vouchfafe to take in good part my poore studie and defirous minde in reducing unto light this fo precious and neceffarie an ornament of the tongue of this your realme, over-pitous to have been in any point loft, falfified, or neglected; fo that under the fhield of Volume I.

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your most royal protection and defence it may goe forth in publick, and prevaile over those that would blemish, deface, and in many things clearely abolish, the laud, renoume, and glorie, heretofore compared and meritoriously adquired by divers princes, and other of this faid most noble ifle, whereunto nat onely ftraungers under pretext of high learning and knowledge, of their malicious and perverse mindes, but alfo fome of your owne fubjects, blinded in follie and ignoraunce, doe with great studie contend.

Moft gracious, victorious, and of God moft elect and worthie Prince, my most dread foveraigne Lord, in whom of very merite, dutie, and fucceffion, is renued the glorious title of Defenfor of the Christen Faith, which by your noble progenitour, the great Conftantine, fometime King of this realme and Emperour of Rome, was next God and his apostles cheefly maintained, corroborate, and defended. Almighty Jefufend to your Highneffe the continuall and everlasting habundaunce of his infinite grace. Amen.

To the Kinges moft noble Grace, and To the Lords and Knightes of the Garter.

To you, welle of honour and worthinesse,
Our Chriften King, the heire and fucceffour
Unto Juftinian's devout tenderneffe,
In the faith of Jefu our redemptour;
And to you, Lordis of the Garter, floure
Of chevalrie, as men you clepe and call,
The Lord of vertue and of grace authour
Graunt the fruit of your lofe never appall.

O liege Lorde! that have the likeneffe
Of Conftantine, th' ensample and mirrour
To princes all, in humble buxomenesse
To holy church, Ó veray sustainour
And piller of our faith, and werriour
Againe of herefies the bitter gall,

Doe forth, doe forth, continue your fuccour,
Hold up Chriftis banner, let it not fall.

This ifle or this had ben but Hetheneffe
N'ad be of your faith the force and vigour ;
And yet this day the fiendis crabbedneffe
Wenith fully to catch a time and houre
To have on us your lieges a fharpe fhoure,
And to his fervitude us knitte and thrall;
But aye we trust in you our protectour,
On your conftaunce we awaitin all.

Commaundith that no wight have hardineffe,
O worthy King! our Chriften emperour,
Of the faith to difputin more or leffe
Openly emonges peple: her errour

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Springeth all day, and engendrith rumour.
Makith fuch law, and for ought may befall
Obferve it wele, thereto be ye doctour:
Doth fo, and God in glorie fhali

you

stall.

Ye Lordis cke! fhining in noble fame,
To which appropred is the maintenaunce
Of Chrift'is caufe, in honour of his name,
Shove on and put his foes to utteraunce;
God wolde fo, and fo wolde eke your legiaunce;
To the two aye prikith you your dewte.
Who fo nat kepeth this double obfervaunce
Of merite and honour naked is he.

Your file fayith [that] ye ben foes to thame;
Now kith of your faith the perfeveraunce,
In which an hepe of us ben halt and lame.
Our Chriften King of Englonde and of Fraunce,
And ye my Lordis with your alliaunce,
And other faithful peple that there be,
"Truft I to God thall quench al this noifance,
And this lond fet in high profperite.

Conqueft of high proweffe is for to tame
The wild wodeneffe of all this mifereaunce;
Right to the rote daily repe ye that fame."
Slepen nat this, but for God's ple faunce
And his mother, and in fignifiaunce
That ye ben of Saint George's livere,
Doth him fervice and knightly obeifaunce,
For Chriftis caufe is his well knowin ye.

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Stiffe ftand in that, and ye shall greve and grame

The foe to pece, the norice of diftaunce:1

That now is ernest turne it into game;
Now kithe of your beleve the conftaunce.

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