[45]

Excersise your self also in redyng_e_
Of bookes enorned_e_ with eloquence
[Sidenote:  Practice reading of eloquent books.]
Ther shal ye fynde / bothe plesir & lernyng_e_ 311
So that ye may / in euery good presence
Somwhat fynde / as in sentence
That shal acorde / the tyme to ocupy
That ye not nede / to stonden ydelly 315

[46]

[Sidenote:  Leaf 8 b.]

It is fayr / for to be comynycatyf
In maters vnto purpose acordyng_e_
[Sidenote:  It is right to talk pertinently,]
So that a wyght seme excersyf 318
For trusteth wel / it is a tedyous thyng_e_
For to here a chylde / multeplye talkyng
Yf it be not to the purpose applyed_e_
[Sidenote:  but a bore if the talk is irrelevant.]
And_e_ also with / goodly termys alyed_e_ 322

[47]

Redeth gower in his wrytyng_e_ morall_e_
[Sidenote:  Read Gower’s]
That auncyent[1] fader of memorye
[Sidenote 1:  Orig. anucyent.]
Redeth his bookes / called_e_ confessionall_e_ 325
[Sidenote:  Confessio Amentis.]
With many another vertuous trayttye
Ful of sentence / set ful fructuosly
That hym to rede / shal gyue you corage
He is so ful of fruyt, sente_n_ce and langage 329

* * * * *

THE ORIEL TEXT.

[48]

O Fader and Founder of eternate eloquence,
  That eluminede all this oure britaigne;
To sone we lost his lauriate presence, 332
  O lusty licoure of that fulsom_e_ fountaigne;
  Cursed deth, why hast thou this poete slayne,
    I mene Fadir chaucers, mastir Galfride? 
    Allas! the while, that eu_e_r he from vs diede. 336

[49]

Redith his bokys fulle of all plesaunce,
  Clere in sentence, in longage excellent,
Brefly to wryte suche was his suffesaunce, 339
  What-euer to sey he toke in his entent,
  His longage was so feyre and p_er_tinent,
    That semed vnto mennys heryng,
    Not[1] only the worde, but verrely the thing. 343
[Sidenote 1:  MS. But.]

[50]

Redith, my child, redith his warkys all,
  Refuseth non, they ben expedient;
Sentence or langage, or both, fynde ye shall 346
  Full delectable, for that fader ment
  Of all his purpos and his hole entent
    Howe to plese in euery audience,
    And in our_e_ tou_n_g was well of eloquence. 350

[Sidenote:  Hill’s Text.]

[Sidenote:  ff C lxiij back.]