By theyr wrytynge doth to vs appere

The famous actes of many a champyon

In the courte of fame renowned fayre and clere

And some endyted theyr entencyon

Cloked in coloure harde in construccyon

Specyally poetes vnder cloudy fygures

Couered the trouthe of all theyr scryptures

 So hystoryagraphes all the worthy dedes

Of kynges and knyghtes dyde put in wrytynge

To be in mende for theyr memoryall medes

How sholde we now haue knowledgynge

Of thynges past / but by theyr endytynge

Wherfore we ought to prayse them doubteles

That spent theyr tyme in suche good busynes.

 Amonge all other my good mayster Lydgate

The eloquent poete and monke of bury

Dyde bothe contryue and also translate

Many vertues bokes to be in memory

Touchynge the trouthe well and sentencyously

But syth that his deth was intollerable

 Prev. P 2/19 next