The prologue
THeprudent problems / & the noble werkes
Of the gentyll poetes in olde antyquyte
Vnto this day hath made famous clerkes
For the poetes Wrote nothynge in vanyte
But grounded them on good moralyte
Encensynge out the fayre dulcet fume
Our langage rude to exyle and consume
The ryght eloquent poete and monke of bery
Made many fayre bookes / as it is probable
From ydle derkenes / to lyght our emyspery
Whose vertuous pastyme / was moche cõmendable
Presentynge his bookes / gretely prouffytable
||To your worthy predecessour the .v. kynge Henry
whiche regystred is in the courte of memory
Amyddes the medowe of flora the quene
Of the goddes elycon / is the sprynge or well
And by it groweth / a fayre laurell grene
Of whiche the poetes do ofte wryte and tell
Besyde this olyue / I dyde neuer dwell
To tast the water whiche is aromatyke
For to cause me wryte with lusty rethoryke
Wherefore good souerayne / I beseche your hyghnes
To pardon me whiche do rudely endyte
As in this arte hauynge small intres
But for to lerne is all myn appetyte
In folowynge the monke whiche dyde nobly wryte
Besechynge your hyghnes and grace debonayre
For to accepte this rude and lytell quayre
¶ Explicit prologus.
OGod alone in heuen werynge crowne
In whose inspecte is euery regall se
Both to enhaũce & for to cast adowne
Suche is ye power of thỹ hygh magiste
Neyther hardynes treasour nor dygnyte
May withstande thy strength whiche is ĩ euery place
So grete and myghty is thy dyuyne grace
Two tytles in one thou dydest well vnyfye
Whan the rede rose toke the whyte in maryage
Reygnynge togyder ryght hygh and noblye
From whose vnyd tytyls and worthy lygnage
Descended is by ryght excellent courage
Kynge Henry the .viii. for to reygne doutles
Vnyuersall his fame honour and larges
Whiche hathe spousyd a fayre floure of vertue
Descended of kynges dame katheryn of Spayne
*******
A2By grace and prudens the peace to attayne
Wherfore Englonde thou nedes not complayne
Syth thou hast crowned