'Off that they ffayllen in beyng,
That men sholden off hem deme
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They wer swych [[Outward were shuche St.]] lyk as they seme
Outward, as by ther feyned cher.
'But vertu, that stondeth euere cler,
Wyth couerture off no veyn laude,
Ys nat dyffacyd by no ffraude;
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And thogh that vyces, by fals ffame,
Off vertu som tyme haue A name,
Cler [[Clere St.]] vertu (who so loke wel)
Therby ys spottyd neueradel,
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But shyneth clerere & mor bryht,
That falsnesse may nat cloude hys lyht;
But in hys bryhtnesse doth endure.
'And thogh that I, off fals mesure
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(To shrowde yt by decepcyoun,)
Am I-callyd ther Resoun
At the Melle, by fals diffame,
My sylff ther-off am nat to blame;
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But rather sholde, (in many wyse,)
Off prudent folkys that be wyse,
Receyve worshepe & hihe renoun,
Lych my name, callyd Resoun.
Line 10664
'ffor Resoun, platly, nyhe nor ferre,
By no falsnessë may nat erre.
The name off vertu helpeth nouht
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Vertu voyde out off the thouht; [Stowe folio 188b]
And vertu wyl hym-sylff nat shrowde [folio 165a]
Wyth dyrknesse off no mysty cloude,
But shewe hym-sylff fforth openly:
My name ys Resoun, & swych am I.'
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Rude Intendiment: [[In Stowe's hand. Entendement St.]]
'Syker,' quod rude Entendëment,
'Wenystow I be so blent
That I knowe no maner thyng
Off thy sotyl Argwyng?
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'I knowe kanvas, I knowe sylk,
I knowe the flye dreynt in the mylk,
I knowe A mesour, fful & halff,
I knowe the kowh & ek the kalff,
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