The prologue

THe prudent 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.

O God alone in heuen werynge crowne

In whose inspecte is euery regall se

Both to enhaũce & for to cast adowne

Suche is y^e 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

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By grace and prudens the peace to attayne

Wherfore Englonde thou nedes not complayne

Syth thou hast crowned openly in syght

This kynge and quene by good true loue and ryght

What sholde I shewe by perambulacyon

All this grete tryumphe of whiche reporte

Is made aboute nowe in euery nacyon

Vnto all this realme to be Ioy and comforte

Wherfore you lordes I