Ne worldlie luft, ne blinde profperitie, 24 And yeve me might, while I have life and space, My Lordis dere, why I'this complaint write Plantith the rote of youth in foche a wife 32 40 48 Takith alfo hede how that these noble clerkes 56 Taketh also hede that lordship ne estate Withoutin vertue maie not long endure; Thinketh eke how vice and vertue at debate Have ben and fhal while that the worlde maie dure, And evir the vicious by avinture Is ovirthrowe; and thinkith evirmore That God is Lorde of all vertue' and figure, 64 My maistir Chaucer, God his foulè fave! That in his langage was fo curious, He said, the fathir whiche is ded and grave Biqueth nothing his vertue with his hous To his childrin, and therefore labourous Ought ye to be, befekyng God of grace To yeve you might for to be vertuous, Thro whiche ye mightin have parte of his place. 72 Here maie ye se that vertuous nobleffe Cometh not to you by waie of aunceftrie, But it comith by lefull businesse Of honeft life, and not by flogardrie, Wherefore in youth Irede you edifie The house of vertue in foche a manere' Thinkith how betwixe vertue and estate In manne's foule, the which be full of corage; As that my maiftir Chaucer faieth expreffe, By your aunceftirs ye maie nothing claime, 96 But tempo'ral thing, that men may hurt or maime; Then is God flocke of vertuous noblesse, And fithe that he is Lorde of bliffidneffe, And made us all, and for us all ydeide, And of this thing herke how my maiftir seide: 1C4 "The first stocke, the fathir of gentilneffe, The firftè flocke was full of rightwifeneffe, And but his heire love vertue as did he Vicè maie be an heire to olde Richeffe, But there maie no man, as all men maie fe, III 118 Biqueth his heire his vertuous nobleffe, That is appropried unto no degre, But to the first fathir of majestie, That maketh his heiris 'hem that can him queme, All were he mitre, croune, or diademe." Lo! here this noble poete of Bretaine, How lightlie he in vertuous fentence 125 133 Many lordes have a manir now adaics, Though one fhewe hym a vertuous mattere, Ther fervent youth is of fo falfe alaies, That of that arte thei have no joye to here, But as a fhip that is without a stere Drivith up and doun without govirnaunce, Wenyng that calme would laftin yere by yere, Right fo fare thei for very ignoraunce. 141 For verie fhame! knowin thei not by refon That aftir an eb cometh a flode ful rage? In the same wife when youth paffith his fefon Cometh crokid and unweldie pallid age, And fone after the kalendes of dotage, And if her youth have no vertue provided All men woll faie Fie on ther vaffalage! Thus hath ther floth fro worship 'hem divided. 149 Boecius, as men may rede and se, Saieth in his Boke of Confolacion, What man defirith of vine or of tre Plentèous fruict in the repyng seson Muft er efcue to doe oppreffion Unto the rote while it is yong and grene; Thus maie ye fe well by that inclufion That youth vertulesse doeth mochil tene. Seeth there ayenft how vertuous nobleneffe, Rotid in youth with gode parfeveraunce, Drivith awaie all vice and wretchidnesse, As flogardrie, and riote, and diftaunce; 157 |