XVI.

Gentilesse.

A BALADE, WITHOUT ENVOY,

FROM

SHIRLEY'S ASHMOLE MS. 59, BODLEIAN LIBRARY.

[This Balade occurs in a Moral Poem by Henry Scogan to Henry IV.'s sons. See the Parallel-Text, p. 427.]

308

GENTILESSE.

SHIRLEY'S ASHMOLE MS. 59.

GENTILESSE.

[Shirley's Ashmole MS. 59, leaf 27.]

(Headings to leaves 26 b & 27.) "Balade by Scoggan / // To be Kynges sonnes.'

// Geffrey Chaucier made peos thre balades nexst þat folowen // [in margin]

(1) (-esse, -e, -eme)

be first fader / and foundour of gentylesse /

1

What man þat claymepe / gentyle for to be /

Moste felowe heos traas / and alle heos wittes dresse /

Vertue to suwe and vyces / for to flee /

4

For vn-to vertue longe pe dignytee /

And nouzt þe reverse / sauely dar I. deeme/

Al were he mytre croune / or dyademe /

7

(2)

his first stocke / was grounde of rightwysnesse /

8

Truwe of his worde / sobur pitous and fre
Clene of his gooste / and loved besynesse
Ageinst þe vice of sloupe / in honestee

11

And but his heyre / love vertue as did he

He nys not gentyle / þaughe him ryche seeme

Al were he mytre / crowne or dyademe /

14

(3)

Vyce may wele be / an heyre til olde Richchesse
But þere may noman / as pou maist wele seeme
Beqweype his heyre / his vertuous noblesse / [Nam genus

þat is appropred / vn-to no degree

But to first fader/in magestee/

pat mape his heyre / him pat wol him qweme

Al were he mytre crowne or dyademe /

[No Envoy quoted, or known to exist.]

15

et proauos et
quæ non feci-
mus ipsi Vix ea
nostra voco.
in a late hand]

21

XVII.

Proberbs

FROM

SHIRLEY'S MS. ADDITIONAL 16,165,

BRITISH MUSEUM.

310

PROVERBS.

ADDIT. MS. 16,165.

PROVERBS.

[Shirley's MS. Addit. 16,165, leaf 246, back.]

XVIII.

Lack of Stedfastness.

A BALADE.

FROM

THE HARLEIAN MS. 7333,

SHIRLEY'S, OR COPIED FROM SHIRLEY.