note: MS. _here repeats_ werkys.]
Aboute the world all-most eternallie;
Lette his owne werkys prayse hym and magnifie;
I dare not preyse, for fere that I offende,
My lewde langage shuld rather appeyre than amend.

[58]

Lo, my childe, thes good faders Au[=n]cient
Repide the feldis fresshe of fulsumnesse,
The floures feyre they gadderid vp and hent, 402
Of siluereus langage the tresoure and richesse;
Who wolle hit haue, my litle childe, doutelesse
Must of hem begge, ther is no more to say,
For of our_e_ toung they were bothe locke and key.

[59]

There can no man ther_e_ fames nowe disteyne,
Thanbawmede toung and aureate sentence,
Men gette hit nowe by cantelmele, and gleyne 409
Here and there wyth besy diligence,
And fayne wolde riche the crafte of eloquence;
But be the glaynes is hit often sene,
In whois feldis they glayned haue and ben_e_. 413

[Sidenote: _Hill's Text._]

P) But his werkes his lavde must nede co_n_quere;
_the_i may never owt of reme_m_bravnce dye;
hys werkes shall[e] his name co_n_veye & bere
Abowte _th_e world almoste eternelly. 396
lete his own_e_ werk_is_ p_ra_yse hy_m_, & magnyfye;
I dare not p_ra_yse, leest for fere I offende;
My langage shuld rather_e_ apayer_e_ tha_n_ amend.

P) Loo, my child, this faders avncyente
Repen _th_e fyldes ffresshe of fulsomnes; 401
_th_e flowres fresshe thei gadered vp, & hente.
Off syluer langage _th_e greate ryches
who will[e] yt haue, my child, dowtles 404
Muste of the_m_ bege: ther_e_ ys no more to saye,
ffor of owr_e_ tonge _the_i were both loke & keye;

P) Ther ca_n_ no ma_n_ _ther_ werkes dysteyne:
The enbamed tonge & avreat sentence, 408
Me_n_ gete yt now by ca_n_telmele, & glene
here & ther_e_ by besy delygence,
& fayne wold reche _ther_ crafte of eloqvence;
& by _the_ gleyne ytt ys full[e] ofte sene 412
In whose fylde the gleners haue bene.

CAXTON'S TEXT.

[57]

But his werkis / his laude / must nede co_n_q_ue_re
[Sidenote: His works]
They may neuer / out of remembraunce dye
His werkis shal [=h]is name conueye & bere 395
Aboute the world_e_ / almost eternely
[Sidenote: shall bear his name about the world almost eternally.]
Lete his owe