The life of Cardinal Wolsey By George Cavendish, his gentleman usher. And metrical visions, from the original autograph manuscript. With notes and other illustrations, by Samuel Weller Singer |
 | II. |
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TH'AUCTOR TO HIS BOOKE. |
 | The life of Cardinal Wolsey |  |
170
TH'AUCTOR TO HIS BOOKE.
Crepe forthe, my boke, under the proteccion
Of suche as have bothe learnyng and eloquence;
Humbly submyttyng the to the correccion
Of worthy writers of virtuous excellence,
Besechyng all them, of ther benygn pacience
To take the meanyng, however the matter frame,
Of this thyn auctor, abasshed of his name.
Of suche as have bothe learnyng and eloquence;
Humbly submyttyng the to the correccion
Of worthy writers of virtuous excellence,
Besechyng all them, of ther benygn pacience
To take the meanyng, however the matter frame,
Of this thyn auctor, abasshed of his name.
For, first of all, whan I do behold
Of famous writers the goodly circumstance,
My quaking hand my penne unnethe can hold,
So dombe I ame of doctryn, lame of experience,
Stakeryng in style, onsavery of sentence,
Save oonly hope, that saithe withouten fayll,
That my well meanyng shall quytt my travayll.
Of famous writers the goodly circumstance,
My quaking hand my penne unnethe can hold,
So dombe I ame of doctryn, lame of experience,
Stakeryng in style, onsavery of sentence,
Save oonly hope, that saithe withouten fayll,
That my well meanyng shall quytt my travayll.
Thus, not presumyng of learnyng ne eloquence,
Hope made me shove the boote from the shore;
Desyryng no thyng for my fare or expence,
But only good wyll; I aske no more:
And for the hurt of envy that myght rore,
I shall set my shrowd for my defence,
Under the mantell of well wyllyng audyence.
Hope made me shove the boote from the shore;
Desyryng no thyng for my fare or expence,
171
And for the hurt of envy that myght rore,
I shall set my shrowd for my defence,
Under the mantell of well wyllyng audyence.
And pryncypally this my worke for to assist,
I humbly beseche that Lord that is eternall
To defend my penne that wrott this with my fist,
To be my savegard, my staffe, and my wall;
And consequently for feare least I shold fall
In the daynger of the learned and honorable sort,
I pray them all my lamenes to support.
I humbly beseche that Lord that is eternall
To defend my penne that wrott this with my fist,
To be my savegard, my staffe, and my wall;
And consequently for feare least I shold fall
In the daynger of the learned and honorable sort,
I pray them all my lamenes to support.
Least perchaunce the pleasaunt floode do faylle
Of witty writyng or sugred eloquence,
Followe, therfore, good wyll at the boots tayle,
Me to preserve in the waves of ignoraunce,
Socoured by hope of gentill sufferaunce:
Nowe hale uppe, skuller; God graunt me wynd,
And Jhesu defend me to my lives end.
Of witty writyng or sugred eloquence,
172
Me to preserve in the waves of ignoraunce,
Socoured by hope of gentill sufferaunce:
Nowe hale uppe, skuller; God graunt me wynd,
And Jhesu defend me to my lives end.
Whan thou, my boke, comest into the prease
Bothe of the wyse and learned multitude,
To excuse thyn auctor thou canst do no lesse,
Wantyng learnyng, and of utterance rude,
Which did never this enterprise entrude;
Trustyng other of wytt or learnyng,
But for an exercise, and non other thyng.
Bothe of the wyse and learned multitude,
To excuse thyn auctor thou canst do no lesse,
Wantyng learnyng, and of utterance rude,
Which did never this enterprise entrude;
Trustyng other of wytt or learnyng,
But for an exercise, and non other thyng.
| The life of Cardinal Wolsey | |