416
Me lakketh clernes of myn_e_ eyen twayn_e_;
Begge I may / gleyn_e_ I may not c_er_teyn_e_;
_ther_fore _tha_t werke I will[e] playnly remytte
To folk_is_ yong, more passyng clere of wyte. 420

P) Seche ye _ther_fore, & in caas ye fynde
suche glenars fresshe as haue su_m_ apparens
Off fayer la_n_gage, yet take the_m_, & vnbynde,
& preve ye what _the_i be i_n_ existence 424
Colovred i_n_ langage, saverly i_n_ sentence,
& dowte not, my child, w_i_t_h_-owt drede
yt will[e] p_ro_fet to se such thy_n_g_is_, & rede. 427

P) Ye, efte-soones, my child, let vs resorte
To _th_e yntent of yo_u_r fyrst matere
Degressed somwhat, for we wolde reporte
& revyue _th_e lawde of the_m_ _tha_t were
famovs i_n_ owr_e_ langage, thise faders dere 432
who_s_[1] sowles i_n_ blis, god et_er_nall[e] avaunce,
[Sidenote 1: The _s_ is by a later hand.]
_th_at lysten sone owr_e_ langage to enhavnce!

CAXTON'S TEXT.

[60]

And vnto me / age hath bode good morowe
I am not able clenly / for to gleyne
[Sidenote: I cannot glean,]
Nature is fay[=n] of craft / her eyen to borowe 416
Me lacketh clerenes / of myn eyen tweyne
Begge I maye / gleyne I can not certeyne
[Sidenote: I can only beg:]
Therfore [th]^t werck / I wil playnly remytte
To folkis yong / more passyng clere of witte 420
[Sidenote: gleaning I give up to younger folks.]

[61]

Seche ye therfore / and in caas ye fynde
[Sidenote: If you find such gleaners,]
Such gleynors fressh as haue so[=m] appare_n_ce
Of fayr langage / yet take hem & unbynde 423
[Sidenote: unbind their sheaves:]
And preue ye / what they be in existence
Colourd in langage / sauerly in sentence
[Sidenote: their fair speech]
And doubte not my childe / withoute drede
It wil prouffite to see suche thingis & red[e][1] 427
[Sidenote: will profit you.]

[Footnote 1: A hole in the paper.]

[62]

[Sidenote: Leaf 11 a.]

Yet eft sones my child_e_ / lete vs resorte
[Sidenote: But let us return to our first subject.]
To thentente of yur first matere
Degressed somwhat / for we wold reporte 430
And reuiue the laude of hem that were
Famous in our langage / these faders dere
Whos sowles in blysse / god et_er_nel aua_u_nce
That lysten so our langage to enhaunce