University of Virginia Library



Roberte Coplande boke prynter to new fanglers.

Newes/newes/newes/haue ye ony newes
Myne eres ake/to here you call and crye
Ben bokes made with whystelynge and whewes
Ben there not yet ynow to your fantasye
In fayth nay I trow and yet haue ye dayly
Of maters sadde/and eke of apes and oules
But yet for your pleasure/thusmoche do wyll I
As to lette you here the parlament of foules.
Chaucer is deed the whiche this pamphlete wrate
So ben his heyres in all suche besynesse
And gone is also the famous clerke Lydgate
And so is yonge Hawes/god theyr soules adresse
Many were the volumes ye they made more & lesse
Theyr bokes ye lay vp/tyll that the lether moules
But yet for your myndes this boke I wyll impresse
That is in tytule the parlyament of foules
So many lerned at leest they say they be
Was neuer sene/doynge so fewe good werkes
Where is the tyme that they do spende trowe ye
In prayers? ye/where? in feldes and parkes
Ye but where be bycomen all the clerkes?
In slouthe and ydlenesse theyr tyme defoules
For lacke of wrytynge/conteynynge morall sperkes
I must imprynt the parlament of foules.
Dytees/and letters them can I make my selfe
Of suche ynowe ben dayly to me brought
Olde morall bokes stonde styll vpon the shelfe
I am in fere they wyll neuer be bought
Tryfles and toyes they ben the thynges so sought
Theyr wyttes tryndle lyke these flemysshe boules
yet gentyll clerkes folowe hym ye ought
That dyd endyte the parlyament of foules.
Finis.


Lenuoy of R. Coplande boke prynter.

Layde vpon shelfe/in leues all to torne
With letters dymme/almost defaced clene
Thy hyllynge rotte/with wormes all to worne
Thou lay/that pyte it was to sene
Bounde with olde quayres/for aege all hoore & grene
Thy mater endormed/for lacke of thy presence
But nowe thou arte losed/go shewe forth thy sentēce
And where thou become so ordre thy language
That in excuse thy prynter loke thou haue
Whiche hathe the kepte frome ruynous domage
In snowe swyte paper/thy mater for to saue
With thylke same langage that Chaucer to the gaue
In termes olde/of sentence clered newe
Thā methe moche sweter/who cā his mȳde auewe.
And yf a louer happen on the to rede
Let be the goos with his lewde sentence
Unto the turtle and not to her to take hede
For who so chaungeth/true loue dothe offence
Loue as I rede is floure of excellence
And loue also is rote of wretchednesse
Thus be two loues/scryture bereth wytnesse.
Finis.