(710)
Excellent prince, eeke on the holydayes [¶ Mandatum est, sabata sanctifices.]
Line 4964
Beth warë þat ye nat your conseilles holde;
As for tho tymës, [the tyme R.] put hem in deleyes;
Thenketh wel this, ye wel apayed be nolde
If your soggettes not be your hestës [by your hest R.] tolde,
Line 4968
Right so our lorde god, kyng & commaundour
Of kynges al, [alle R.] is wroth with þat errour.
Line 4970
(711)
¶ In þe longe ȝere be werkë daye [ben werke dayes R.] I-nowe,
Line 4971
If þei be wel despent, for to entende
To conseilës [counceiles R, conseils H.] : to god your hertë [hert H R.] bowe,
If ye desire men hir hertës bende
To yow. What kyng nat dredeth god offende,
Line 4975
Ne naght rekkéth do hym desóbeisaunce,
He shal be disobeiëd eeke perchaunce. [perchaunce R, perchaunche H.]
Line 4977
(712)
¶ The firstë fyndere of our faire langáge,
Line 4978
Hath seyde in caas sembláble, & othir moo,
So hyly wel, þat it is my dotáge
ffor to expresse or touche any of thoo.
Alasse! my fadir fro þe worlde is goo—
Line 4982
My worthi maister Chaucer, hym I mene—
Be þou aduóket for hym, heuenes [heuen R.] quene!
Line 4984
(713)
¶ As þou wel knowest, o blissid virgyne,
Line 4985
With louyng hert, and hye deuocïoun
In þyne honour he wroot ful many a lyne;
O now þine helpe & þi promocïoun,
To god þi sonë make a mocïoun,
Line 4989
How he þi seruaunt was, maydén marie, [folio 88a]
And lat his louë [soule R.] floure and fructifie.
Line 4991
