Contents
-BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD
Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
Thomas Hoccleve. 13689?1450?
13. Lament for Chaucer
ALLAS! my worthi maister honorable, | |
This landes verray tresor and richesse! | |
Deth by thy deth hath harme irreparable | |
Unto us doon: hir vengeable duresse | |
Despoiled hath this land of the swetnesse | 5 |
Of rethorik; for unto Tullius | |
Was never man so lyk amonges us. | |
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Also who was hier in philosophie | |
To Aristotle in our tonge but thou? | |
The steppes of Virgile in poesie | 10 |
Thou folwedist eeke, men wot wel ynow. | |
Thou combre-worlde that the my maister slow— | |
Wolde I slayn were!—Deth, was to hastyf | |
To renne on thee and reve the thi lyf… | |
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She myghte han taried hir vengeance a while | 15 |
Til that sum man had egal to the be; | |
Nay, lat be that! sche knew wel that this y1e | |
May never man forth brynge lyk to the, | |
And hir office needes do mot she: | |
God bad hir so, I truste as for the beste; | 20 |
O maister, maister, God thi soule reste! | |
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GLOSS: hier] heir. combre-worlde] encumberer of earth. slow] slew. |