University of Virginia Library



Sexta Pars Haroldi.

[All hayle and be gladde/moste noble and Moder dere]

All hayle and be gladde/moste noble and Moder dere
Of Ihesu christe/Uirgyne moost pure and clene
Deseruynge oonly by grace/and lyuynge moost clere
To be of that dignytie/thou celestyall Quene
To perce the Heuyns/that beeth so serene
And next to the Trone/of the hygh Trinitee
Thou arte admytted/for to holde thy see.


[Nowe shaketh my hande/my pen waxeth dulle]

Nowe shaketh my hande/my pen waxeth dulle
For weryed and tyred/seynge this werke so longe
The Auctours so Rawe/and so ferre to Culle
Dymme and derke/and straunge to vnderstonde
And ferre oute of tune/to make trewe songe
The Storyes and yeres/to make accordaunt
That it to the Reder/myght shewe trewe and plesaunt.
But vnder correccion/all thynge may be borne
And so I remytte it/to suche as been experte
Prayinge to theym/as I haue done beforne
To fauoure and correcte/so that vnder couerte
Of theyr proteccion/this maye shewe aperte
Holsome and playne/fruytefull and profytable
And to the Reders/and herers Ioyous and delectable.
For were nat that/I durst nat farther wade
The streme is so depe/and therto so daungerous
But one thynge there is/that somwhat doth me glade
The great daunger/and storyes doughtous
Been ouerpassed/so that more bounteuous
The Auctours been/and more manyfestly
The storyes folowynge/they doon certyfy.
Wherfore as before/to you I dyd promyse
This .vii. parte nowe I woll take on hande
Besechynge alwayes/in moost humble wyse
The welle of bountie/that flowre moste odorande
By whose humylytie/man firste comforte fande
And was redemed/from his Captiuytie
This parte to fynysshe/she wyll myn helper be.
And brynge to ende/this werke that I haue take
On hande to wryte/oonly of entent
To brynge to lyght/and for it shulde nat shake
The olde honoure/that to Englande was ment
Of Famous wryters/whiche haue theyr duytes sent
Unto theyr folowers/all vyces to subdue
Honoure to meyntayne/and to exalte vertue.