[The original leaf 39 of the Harl. MS. 4866 is out. It con|taind lines 2108-2160. They are inserted here from MS. Reg. 17 D vi.] (302. The Regement. From MS, Reg. 17 D vi, to line 2160.)
Now to my matere, as that I began: [folio 42]
Line 2108
There is a booke, Iacob de Cessoles,
Of þe ordre of Prechours, made, a worthy man,
That "the Chesse moralisèd" cleped is,
In which I purpose eke to laboure y-wis,
Line 2112
And here & there, as that my litell witte
Afforthë may, I thynkë tránslate it.
Line 2114
(303)
And al be it that in that placë square
Line 2115
Of the lystës, I mane þe eschekere,
A man may lernë to be wise & ware,
I, that haue auentured many a yere,
My witte there-in is but litill the nere,
Line 2119
Save that somwhat I knowe a kyngës draught;
Of other draughtës, lerned haue I naught.
Line 2121
(304)
And, for that among the draughtës euerychone
Line 2122
That vnto þe chessë appertenë may,
Is none so nedëfull vnto your persone
To knowe, as that of the cheertë verray
That I haue hade vnto your noblesse ay,
Line 2126
And shall, yf your plesaunce it be to here,
A kyngës draught, reporte I shall now here.
Line 2128
(305)
I am sure that the bookës allë thre,
Line 2129
Redde hath & seen your Innat sapience;
And, as I hope, her vertues folwen ye;
But vnto you compile I this sentence,
That, at the goode luste of your excellence,
Line 2133
In short ye may behold and rede
That in hem thre is skatered ferre in brede.
Line 2135
