[6-text p 404]
As fer/ as reson axeth hardily
I wol yow telle a tale / which that I?
Lerned at Padwe / of a worthy clerk
As preued / by his wordes and his werk
Line 28
He is now deed / and nayled in his cheste
I prey to god / so yeue his soule reste [¶ pausacio]
¶ ffraunceys Pe[t]rak the lauriat poete
Highte this clerk whos Rethorik sweete
Line 32
Enlumyned al Ytaille of poetrie
As Lynyan dide / of Philosophie
Or lawe / or oother Art particuler
But deeth / þat wol nat dwellen heer
Line 36
But as it were / a twynklyng of an eye
Hem bothe hath slayn / and alle shul we dye [¶ pausacio]
¶ But forth to tellen / of this worthy man [folio 92a]
That taughte me this tale / as I bigan [¶ Est ad ytalie latus occiduum Vesulus ex ap|penini Iugis mons altissimus qui vertice nebula superans liquido sese ingerit etheri Mons suapte / nobilis natura padi ortu nobilis|simus qui latere fonte lapsus exiguo Orientem contra solem fertur &cetera ]
Line 40
I seye / that first with heigh stile he enditeth
Er he / the body of his tale writeth
A prohemye / in the which discryueth he
Pemond / and of Saluces the contree
Line 44
And speketh of Apennyn / the hilles hye
That been the boundes / of westlumbardye [¶ pausacio]
¶ And of Mount Vesulus / in special
Where as the poo / out of a welle smal
Line 48
Taketh his firste spryngyng and his sours
That Estward / ay encresseth in his cours
To Emeleward / to fferrare and Venyse
The which a long thyng were to deuyse
Line 52
And trewely / as to my Iuggement
Me thynketh it a thyng impertinent
Saue that he wole / conuoyen his mateere
But this his tale / which that ye may heere [¶ pausacio]
