t

I your requier ryght humbly
I e uous requier treshumblement

the gift of love without any further
L e don damour sans plus auant

of it to make any refuce
E n faire aulcun refusement

If ye do fynde in any wise
S e uous trouues aulcunement

of me service, but in trouth
D e moy seruice quen loyaulte

I gyve you leve utterly
U ous habandonne entierement

to wyll at all at your wyll
U oulloir du tout a uoulente

toward me to use of great rigour
U ers moy user de grant rigeur

and me to banysshe from all good hap
E t me bannir de tout bon heur

without more of me to have pite.
S ans plus de moy auoir pite.

Sola salus seruire Deo, sunt cetera fraudes.

Page 894

AN INTRODUCTORIE
TO THE LADY MARY.

For the honour of Mary
Pour lhonneur de Marye

God doughter to saynt Mary
filleule a saynte Marye

virgin and mother Jesu Christ
vierge et mere Jhesuh Crist

have these verses ben written.
ont ces verse este escripts.

MARIA.

glasse mesure shewynge
mirouer mesure monstrant

lenyng lovynge fulfilled
appuis amoureus assouuie

rose redde well smellyng
rose rouge redolente

that can nat vade yonge jolie
inmarcessible jeune jolie

amonge chosen exellente
entre eslytes exellente

for ever more be ye blessyd.
a tousjours mais soyez benye. Amen.

THE PROLOGUE.

How beit that I do nat, nat knowe how that many as well lerned in
good
Combien que ne ignore point que pluisieurs tant qualifiez es
bonnes

lettres as also well spoken in the frenche tonge (at the lest nat
beyng
lectres come aussy elegant en la langue francoise (au moins pour non
estre

naturall and borne of the lande and countrey) have composed, and written
rules and
naturel et natif du territoire et pais) ont composes et escripz
regles et

principles for introduction in the sayd tonge the whiche par aventure, as
principes pour introduction en la dicte langue les quelz peult estre, come

witnessed saint Hierome to Paulin, have tought before that they have ben
tiesmoigne saint Hierome a Paulin, ont ensegnes auant que auoir este

conynge, for how beit that arte is folower of nature folowyng her
right ny