od rewarde hym in lyfe perdurable

Amonge all thynges nothynge so prouffytable
As is scyence with the sentencyous scrypture
For worldly rychesse is often transmutable
As dayly dothe appere well in vre
[Th]et scyens a bydeth and is moost sure
After pouerte to attayne grete rychesse
Scyens is cause of promocion doubtles

I lytell or nought expert in poetrye
Remembrynge my youth so lyght and frayle
Purpose to compyle here full breuyatly
A lytell treatyse wofull to bewayle
The cruell swerers which do god assayle
On euery syde his swete body to tere
With terryble othes as often as they swere

But all for drede plonged in neclygence
My penne dothe quake to presume to endyte
But hope at laste to recure this scyence
Exorteth me ryght hardely to wryte
To deuoyde ydlenesse by good appetyte
For ydlenesse the grete moder of synne
Euery vyce is redy to lette ynne

I with the same ryght gretely infecte
Lykely to deye tyll grace by medecyne
Recured my sekenes my payne to abiecte
Commaundynge me by her hye power deuyne
To drawe this treatyse for to enlumyne
The reders therof by penytencyall pyte
And to pardon me of theyr benygnyte

Ryght myghty pr[yn]ces of euery crysten regy[on]
I sende you gretynge moche hertly & grace
Right wel to gouern vpright your domini[on]
And all your lordes I greete in lyke cace
By this my lettre your hertes to enbrace
Besechynge you to prynte it in your mynde
How for your sake I toke on me mankynde

And as a lambe moost mekely dyde enclyne
To suffre the dethe for your redempcyon
And ye my kynges whiche do nowe domyne
Ouer my comons in terrestryall mancyon
By pryncely preemynence and Iuredyccyon
In your regall courtes do suffre me be rente
And my tender body with blode all besprente

Without my grace ye maye nothynge preuayle
Though ye be kynges for to mayntene your see
To be a kynge it may nothynge auayle
Buy yf my grace preserue his dygnyte
Beholde your seruauntes how they do tere me
By cruell othes now vpon euery syde
Aboute the worlde launcynge my woundes wyde

All the graces whiche I haue you shewed
Reuoule in mynde ryght ofte ententyfly
Beholde my body with blody droppes endewed
Within your realmes nowe torne so pyteously
Towsed and tugged with othes cruelly
Some my heed some myn armes and face
Some my herte do all to rente and race

They newe agayne do hange m