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heroical_a verse_n match_n with_o they_o chr._n oclan_n the_o author_n of_o our_o anglorum_fw-la praelia_fw-la but_o now_o lest_o i_o stray_v too_o far_o from_o my_o puopose_n i_o will_v come_v to_o our_o english_a poet_n to_o who_o i_o will_v i_o be_v able_a to_o yield_v their_o deserve_a commendation_n and_o afford_v they_o that_o censure_n which_o i_o know_v many_o will_v which_o can_v better_v if_o they_o be_v now_o to_o write_v in_o my_o steed_n i_o know_v no_o memorable_a work_n write_v by_o any_o poet_n in_o our_o english_a speech_n until_o twenty_o year_n past_a where_o although_o learning_n be_v not_o general_o decay_v at_o any_o time_n especial_o since_o the_o conquest_n of_o king_n william_n duke_n of_o normandy_n as_o it_o may_v appear_v by_o many_o famous_a work_n &_o learned_a book_n though_o not_o of_o this_o kind_n write_v by_o byshoppe_n and_o other_o yet_o sure_o that_o poetry_n be_v in_o small_a price_n among_o they_o it_o be_v very_o manifest_a and_o no_o great_a marvel_n for_o even_o that_o light_n of_o grieke_n and_o latin_a poet_n which_o they_o have_v they_o much_o contemn_v as_o appear_v by_o their_o rude_a versify_n which_o of_o long_a time_n be_v use_v a_o barbarous_a use_n it_o be_v wherein_o they_o convert_v the_o natural_a property_n of_o the_o sweet_a latin_a verse_n to_o be_v a_o bald_a kind_n of_o rhyme_v think_v nothing_o to_o be_v learned_o write_v in_o verse_n which_o fall_v not_o out_o in_o rhyme_n that_o be_v in_o word_n whereof_o the_o middle_a word_n of_o each_o verse_n shall_v sound_v a_o like_a with_o the_o last_o or_o of_o two_o verse_n the_o end_n of_o both_o shall_v fall_v in_o the_o like_a letter_n as_o thus_o o_o malè_fw-la viventes_fw-la versus_fw-la audite_fw-la sequentes_fw-la and_o thus_o likewise_o propter_fw-la haec_fw-la et_fw-la alia_fw-la dogmata_fw-la doctorum_fw-la reor_fw-la esse_fw-la melius_fw-la et_fw-la magis_fw-la decorum_n cuique_fw-la svam_fw-la habeat_fw-la et_fw-la non_fw-la proximorum_fw-la this_o brutish_a poetry_n though_o it_o have_v not_o the_o beginning_n in_o this_o country_n yet_o so_o have_v it_o be_v affect_v here_o that_o the_o infection_n thereof_o will_v never_o nor_o i_o think_v ever_o will_v be_v root_v uppe_o again_o i_o mean_v this_o tynkerly_a verse_n which_o we_o call_v rhyme_v master_n ascham_n say_v that_o it_o first_o begin_v to_o be_v follow_v and_o maintain_v among_o the_o hun_n and_o gothians_n and_o other_o barbarous_a nation_n who_o with_o the_o decay_n of_o all_o good_a learning_n bring_v it_o into_o italy_n from_o thence_o it_o come_v into_o france_n and_o so_o to_o germany_n at_o last_o convey_v into_o england_n by_o man_n indeed_o of_o great_a wisdom_n and_o learning_n but_o not_o considerate_a nor_o circum_fw-la spect_n in_o that_o behalf_n but_o of_o this_o i_o must_v entreat_v more_o hereafter_o henry_n the_o first_o king_n of_o that_o name_n in_o england_n be_v wonderful_o ertol_v in_o all_o ancient_a record_n of_o memory_n for_o his_o singular_a good_a learning_n in_o all_o kind_n of_o noble_a study_n in_o so_o much_o as_o he_o be_v name_v by_o his_o surname_n beaucleark_n as_o much_o to_o say_v as_o fayreclerke_n whereof_o perhaps_o come_v y_fw-fr e_o name_n of_o fayreclowe_n what_o knowledge_n he_o attain_v in_o the_o skill_n of_o poetry_n i_o be_o not_o able_a to_o say_v i_o report_v his_o name_n for_o proof_n that_o learning_n in_o this_o country_n be_v not_o little_o esteem_v of_o at_o that_o rude_a time_n and_o that_o like_v it_o be_v among_o other_o study_n a_o king_n will_v not_o neglect_v the_o faculty_n of_o poetry_n the_o first_o of_o our_o english_a poet_n that_o i_o have_v hear_v of_o be_v john_n gower_n about_o the_o time_n of_o king_n richard_n the_o second_o as_o it_o shall_v seem_v by_o certain_a conjecture_n both_o a_o knight_n and_o questionless_a a_o singular_a well_o learned_a man_n who_o work_n i_o can_v wish_v they_o be_v all_o whole_a and_o perfect_a among_o we_o for_o no_o doubt_n they_o contain_v very_o much_o deep_a knowledge_n and_o delight_n which_o may_v be_v gather_v by_o his_o friend_n chawcer_n who_o speak_v of_o he_o oftentimes_o in_o diver_n place_n of_o his_o work_n chawcer_n who_o for_o that_o excellent_a fame_n which_o he_o obtain_v in_o his_o poetry_n be_v always_o account_v the_o god_n of_o english_a poet_n such_o a_o title_n for_o honour_n sake_n have_v be_v give_v he_o be_v nert_v after_o if_o not_o equal_a in_o time_n to_o gower_n and_o have_v leave_v many_o work_n both_o for_o delight_n and_o profitable_a knowledge_n far_o exceed_a any_o other_o that_o as_o yet_o ever_o sâ—â—â—e_v his_o time_n direct_v their_o study_n that_o way_n though_o the_o manner_n of_o his_o stile_n may_v seem_v blunt_a &_o course_n to_o many_o fine_a english_a ear_n at_o these_o day_n yet_o in_o truth_n if_o it_o be_v equal_o ponder_v and_o with_o good_a judgement_n advise_v and_o confirm_v with_o the_o time_n wherein_o he_o write_v a_o man_n shall_v perceive_v thereby_o even_o a_o true_a picture_n or_o perfect_a shape_n of_o a_o right_a poet._n he_o by_o his_o delightsome_a vain_a so_o gull_v the_o ear_n of_o man_n with_o his_o devise_n that_o although_o corruption_n bear_v such_o sway_n in_o most_o matter_n that_o learning_n and_o truth_n may_v scant_v be_v admit_v to_o show_v itself_o yet_o without_o controllment_n may_v he_o gird_v at_o the_o vice_n and_o abuse_n of_o all_o state_n and_o gall_n with_o very_o sharp_a and_o eager_a invention_n which_o he_o do_v so_o learned_o and_o pleasant_o that_o none_o therefore_o will_v call_v he_o into_o question_n for_o such_o be_v his_o bold_a spirit_n that_o what_o enormity_n he_o see_v in_o any_o he_o will_v not_o spare_v to_o pay_v they_o home_o either_o in_o plain_a word_n or_o else_o in_o some_o pretty_a and_o pleasant_a covert_n that_o the_o simple_a may_v espy_v he_o near_a in_o time_n unto_o he_o be_v lydgate_n a_o poet_n sure_o for_o good_a proportion_n of_o his_o verse_n and_o meet_o currant_n style_n as_o the_o time_n afford_v comparable_a with_o chawcer_n yet_o more_o occupy_v in_o superstitious_a and_o odd_a matter_n than_o be_v requesite_a in_o so_o good_a a_o wit_n which_o though_o he_o handle_v they_o commendable_o yet_o the_o matter_n themselves_o be_v not_o so_o commendable_a his_o estimation_n have_v be_v the_o less_o the_o next_o of_o our_o ancient_a poet_n that_o i_o can_v tell_v of_o i_o suppose_v to_o be_v pierce_n ploughman_n who_o in_o his_o doing_n be_v somewhat_o harsh_a and_o obscure_a but_o indeed_o a_o very_a pithy_a writer_n and_o to_o his_o commendation_n i_o speak_v it_o be_v the_o first_o that_o i_o have_v see_v that_o observe_v y_o e_o quantity_n of_o our_o verse_n without_o the_o curiosity_n of_o rhyme_n since_o these_o i_o know_v none_o other_o till_o the_o time_n of_o skelton_n who_o write_v in_o the_o time_n of_o king_n henry_n the_o eight_o who_o as_o indeed_o he_o obtain_v the_o laurel-garland_n so_o may_v i_o with_o good_a right_a yield_v he_o the_o title_n of_o a_o poet_n he_o be_v doubtless_o a_o pleasant_a conceit_a fellow_n and_o of_o a_o very_a sharp_a wit_n exceed_a bold_a and_o will_v nip_v to_o the_o very_a quick_a where_o he_o once_o set_v hold_v next_o he_o i_o think_v i_o may_v place_v master_n george_n gaskoyne_v as_o pain_v full_a a_o soldier_n in_o the_o affair_n of_o his_o prince_n and_o country_n as_o he_o be_v a_o wytty_n poet_n in_o his_o write_n who_o commendation_n because_o i_o find_v in_o one_o of_o better_a judgement_n than_o myself_o i_o will_v set_v down_o his_o word_n and_o suppress_v my_o own_o of_o he_o thus_o write_v e._n k._n upon_o the_o nine_o eclogue_n of_o the_o new_a poet._n master_n george_n gaskoyne_v a_o wytty_n gentleman_n and_o the_o very_a chief_a of_o our_o late_a rymer_n who_o and_o if_o some_o part_n of_o learning_n want_v