The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

To the King's most noble Grace, and to the Lords and Knights of the Garter.

TO you wele of honour and worthiness, Our Christen King, y^e heire & successour Vnto Iustinians deuout tendernesse, In the faith of Iesu our redemptour: And to your Lords of the Garter, floure Of cheualrie, as men you clepe and call, The lord of vertue, and of grace authour, Graunt the fruit of your lose, neuer appall.

O liege Lord, that haue the likenesse Of Constantine, thensample and mirrour To Princes all, in humble buxomenesse, To holy Church, o veray sustainour And piller of our faith, and werriour, Againe of heresies the bitter Gall: Doe forth, doe forth, continue your succour, Hold up Christs banner, let it not fall.

This Isle or this had been but heathenesse Had be of your faith the force and vigour, And yet this day the fiends crabbedness Weneth fully to catch a time and houre, To haue on vs your lieges a sharpe shoure, And to his seruitude vs knitte and thrall: But aye we trust in you our protectour, On your constaunce we awaiten all.

Commandeth y^t no wight haue hardinesse, O worthy King, our Christen Emperour, Of the faith to disputen more or lesse Openly emong people: Her errour Springeth all day, and engendreth rumour. Maketh such law, and for ought may befall, Obserue it wele, thereto be ye doctour, Doeth so, and God in glorie shall you stall.

Ye Lords eke, shining in noble fame, To which appropred is the maintenaunce Of Christs cause, in honour of his name, Shoue on, and put his foes to vttraunce, God would so, so would eke your legiaunce, To tho two, aye pricketh you your dutie: Who so nat keepeth this double obseruaunce Of merite and honour naked is he.

Your stile saieth, ye be foes to shame, Now kith of your faith the perseuerance, In which an heap of us he halt and lame: Our christen King of England & of France, And ye my lords, with your alliance, And other faithfull people that there be, Trust I to God, shal quench al this noisance, And this land set in high prosperitie.

Conquest of high prowesse is for to tame The wild woodnesse of all these miscreaunce, Right to the rote daily repe ye that same, Slepen nat this, but for Gods pleasaunce And his mother, and in signifiaunce, That ye been of Saint Georges liuere, Doeth him seruice, and knightly obeisaunce, For Christs cause is his, well knowne ye.

Stiff stand in that, & ye shall greeue & grame The foe to peace, the norice of distaunce, That now is earnest, turne it into game, Now kithe of your beleeve the constaunce, Lord liege, & Lords haue in remembraunce, Lord of all is the blisfull Trinitie, Of whose vertue, the mightie habundaunce You heart and strength in faithfull vnitie.

Explicit.