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.

How love availeth more to a King, than Gold or Riches.

Gold faileth oft, but loue will abide, For life or death by a lords side, And the treasour shortly of a king Stondeth in loue aboue all thing, Farewell lordship both morrow and eue, Specially when loue taketh his leue, And who so list it Mirrour for to make Of knightly freedome, let him ensample take Of Adrastus, the manly king famous, So liberall and so bounteous Vnto his people at all times found, Which made him strong, his fomen to con∣found, And loue only, his enemies to werrey, All Greece made his bidding to obey, Of one accord to knightly by his side, All at ones to Thebes for to ride, For tauenge, sith they were so strong, The great injury and importable wrong Vnto his sonne, and to his next allie, As ye to forne haue heard me specifie. But whiles Greekes rest a time in pees, I will resort vnto Ethiocles, Which in Thebes warely hath espied, By his friends as he was certified Of the Greekes wholly the ordinaunce, Her purpose eke, and her purueyaunce, And thereof had in heart a manner drede, And first he tooke his counsaile and his rede