[6-text p 404]
As fer as reson axeþ hardely
.I. will ȝowe tel a tale whiche þat .I.
Lerened att Pādouse of a worþi clerke
As preuede be his worde and his werk
Line 28
He is nowe dede and nailed in his chist
.I. praie to god ȝif his soule good ryst
Fraunces Petrak þe Laureat poet
Hiht þis clerke whos rethorik swoet
Line 32
Enlumyned al. ytaile of Potrie
As Linian dide of Philosophie
Or lawe or oþer arte particulere
Bote þat wil nouht suffur dwell here
Line 36
Bot as it were a twynklinge of an eye
Hem boþe haþe and al schal we dye
Bot for to tell of þis worþi man
þat tauht me þis tale as he gan
Line 40
.I. seie þat wiþ hyhe stile first enditeþ
Or he þe body of his tale writeþ
A prohemye in þe whiche descriueþ he
Pymonde and of Saluces þe Contre
Line 44
And spekeþ of Appenyne þe hulles hihe
þat buen þe boundes of lumbardie
And of þe mounte vesulus in special
Where as þe poe out of a wel smal
Line 48
Takeþ his first springeinge and his sours
þat estward ay encreseþ in his cours
To Emel warde · ferrir and venise [folio 115a]
Whiche of longe þinge were to deuise
Line 52
And treuly as to my Iuggement
Me þenkeþ þat a þinge impertinent
Saue þat he wil con[u]eyn his matier
Bot þis is tale whiche þat ȝe maie hier
Line 56
Explicit prologus;
