(298)
¶ Allas! my worthi maister honorable, [folio 37b]
Line 2080
This landës verray tresor and richesse,
Deth, by thi deth, hath harme irreparable
Vnto vs doon; hir vengeable duresse
Despoilèd hath þis land of þe swetnesse
Line 2084
Of rethorik; for vn-to [fro vs to R.] Tullius
Was neuer man so lyk a-mongës vs.
Line 2086
(299)
¶ Also, who was hiër in philosophie
Line 2087
To Aristotle, in our tonge, but thow?
The steppës of virgile in poesie
Thow filwedist eeke, men wot wel y-now.
That combre-world, þat þe, my maistir, slow,
Line 2091
Wold I slayn were! deth was to hastyf
To renne on þe, and reuë the thi lyf.
Line 2093
(300)
¶ Deth hath but smal consideracïoun
Line 2094
Vnto þe vertuous, I haue espied,
No more, as shewith þe probacïoun,
Than to a vicious maistir losel tried;
A-mong an heep, euery man is maistried; [¶ Ecclesias|tici ijo. Mo|ritur doctus simul & in|doctus.]
Line 2098
With hire, as wel þe porre as is þe riche;
lered [Lered R, lerd H.] and lewde eeke standen al y-liche.
Line 2100
(301)
¶ She myghte han taried hir vengeance awhile,
Line 2101
Til that sum man had egal to thè be.
Nay, lat be þat! sche knew wel þat þis yle
May neuer man forth bryngë lyk to the,
And hir officë needës do mot she;
Line 2105
God bad hir so, I truste as for thi [the R.] beste;
O maister, maister, god þi soule reste!
Line 2107
