Classic Poem

The prologue of Robert Coplande.

The godly vse of prudent wytted men
Can not absteyne theyr au n cyent exercyse
Recorde of late howe besily with his pen
The translatour / of this sayd treatyse
Hath him indeuered / in most goodly wise
Bokes to translate / in volumes large and fayre
From frenche in prose / of goostly exemplayre.

As is the flour of goddes commaundementes
A treatyse also called Lucydary
With two other of the seuyn sacramentes
One of christen men the ordinary
The seconde / the craft to lyue well and to dye
With dyuers other / to mannes lyfe profytable
A vertuous vse / and right commendable.

And nowe this boke / of Christes passyon
The which before / in langage was to rude
Seyng the mater to be of grete compassyon
Hath besyed hym that vyce for to exclude
In englysshe clere / with grete solycitude
Out of frensshe at Wynkyn de Wordes instaunce
Dayly desiryng / of vertues the fortheraunce.

Inuocacyon of Robert Coplande.

Almyghty god that dyed vpon the rode
Vs to redeme by thyne extreme doloure
And wylfully there shedde thy precyous blode
Of parfyte faythe distyll let downe thy shoure
Vs to endewe from all spottes of erroure
And stedy vs in goostly medytacion
Of thy grete payne of our conforte the floure
Suche werkes to vse that be to our saluacyon.