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Here folowethe nexst a moral balade to my lord the Prince, to my lord of Clarence, to my lord of Bedford, and to my lorde of Gloucestre, by Henry Scogan, at a souper of feorthe merchande in the Vyntre in London, at the hous of Lowys Johan. My noble sonnes and eke my lordes dere, I, youre fadre called, unworthely, Sende unto yowe this balade folowing here, Writen of myne owen hande ful rudely; Yitte howe it be that I not reverently Have writen to yowre estates, yet I yowe prey, That myne unkonyng yee take benignely For Goddes sake, and herkyne what I seye. I compleye sore whane I remembre me The sodeyne age that is upon me falle; More I compleyne my mispent juventé, The whiche is inpossible ageine to calle; But comunely, the moste compleynte of alle Is foreto thenke that I have beon so nyce, And that I wolde no vertue to me calle In al my youthe, but vyces ay cheryce. Of whiche I aske mercy of Thee, Lord, That art Almighty Lorde in Magestee, Byseching Thee to make so even acorde Bytwene Thee and my soule, that vanytee Of worldely louste ne blynde prosperitee Have no lordship over my flesshe so freel: Thou Lord of reste and parfite unitee, Putte fro me vyce and kepe my soules heel. And gif me might, while I have lyf and space, Me to confourme fully to thy plesaunce; Shewe upon me th'aboundance of thi grace; In gode werkis graunte me perseverance; Of al my youthe forgete the ignorance; Gyf me gode wille to serve Thee ay to qweme; Sette ay my lyff affter Thy governaunce, And able me to mercy or Thou deeme. My lordes dere, why I this compleinte wryte To yowe, alle whome I love entierely, Is for to warne yowe, as I cane endyte, That tyme eloste in yowthe folely, Grevethe a wight goostely and bodely, I mene hem that to vyces list t'entende; Therfore I prey you lordes tendrely, Youre youthe in vertue shapethe to dispende. Plantethe the roote of youthe in suche a wyse That in vertue youre growing beo alweye; Looke ay, goodenesse beo in youre excercyse, That shal you mighty make, at eche assaye, For to withstonde the feonde at eche affraye; Passethe wisely this paraillous pilgrymage; Thenke on this worde and use it every daye: That shal yowe gif a parfyte floured age. Takethe heede alsoo, howe that theos noble clerkis Wrote in theire bookis of noble sapience, Seying that feythe is ded withowten werkis; So is estate withoute intelligence Of vertue; therfore, with diligence, Shapethe of vertue so to plante the roote, That yee thereof have ful exparience, To worship of youre lyf and soules boote. Thenkethe also that lordshipe ne estate, Withoute vertue, may not longe endure; Thenkethe also how vices and vertue at debate Have beon, and shal, whiles the worlde may dure; And ay the vicyous, by aventure, Is overthrowe; and thenkithe evermore That God is lorde of vertue and figure Of alle godenes: loke that yee folowe His lore. My maistre Chaucier, God his soule have, That in his langage was so curyous, He saide that the fader, nowe dede and grave, Beqwathe nothing his vertue with his hous Unto his sone; therfore, laborious Aught you to beo, beseching God of grace, To geve you might for to be vertuous, Thorughe whiche yee might gete part of His feyre place. Here may yee see that vertuous noblesse Comthe not to yowe of youre auncestrye, But it comthe thorugh leofful besynesse, Of honeste lyff, and noght of slougardery; Wherfore, in youthe, I rede you edefye The hous of vertue in soo wyse manere, That in youre age it may you kepe and guye Frome the tempeste of worldly wawes here. Thenkethe how bytwene vertue and estate There is a perfite blessed mariage; Vertue is cause of pees, vyce of debate In mannes soule; for whiche, with full corage Cherisshethe vertue, vyce to outrage, Dryveth awe, let hem have no wonnyng In youre soules; leese not the heritage Whiche God hathe give to vertuous living. Takethe heede also howe folkes of poure degree Thorughe vertue have be sette in gret honnour, And ever have lyved in gret prosperitee By cherisshinge of vertuous labour; Thenkthe also howe many a governour Calde to estate hath offt be sette ful lowe Thorughe misusing of right, and for errour; Therfore, I counsayle yowe vertue to knowe. By auncestrye thus may yee no thing clayme, As that my maistre Chaucier dothe expresse, But temporell thinge that man may hurte and mayme; Thane is Gode stocke of vertuous noblesse. And sithe that He is Lord of blessednesse, That made us alle and for mankynde that dyed, Folowe His vertue with full besynesse, And of this thinge herke howe my maistre seyde: "The first fader and foundour of gentylesse, What man that claymethe gentyle for to be, Moste felowe heos traas and alle heos wittes dresse, Vertue to suwe and vyces for to flee; For unto vertue longethe dignytee, And nought the reverse, savely dar I deeme, Al were he mytre, croune, or dyademe. "This first stocke was grounde of rightwysnesse, Truwe of his worde, sobur, pitous, and fre, Clene of his gooste, and loved besynesse, Ageinst the vice of slouthe, in honestee; And but his heyre love vertue as did he, He nys not gentyle, thaughe him ryche seeme, Al were he mytre, crowne, or dyademe. "Vyce may wele be an heyre til olde richchesse, But there may noman, as thou maist wele se, Beqweythe his heyre his vertuous noblesse; That is appropred unto no degree, But to first fadre in magestee That mathe his heyre him that wol him qweme, Al were he mytre, crowne, or dyademe." Loo here, this noble poete of Brettayne Howe hyely he, in vertuous sentence, The losse in youthe of vertue can compleyne; Wherfore, I prey yowe, doothe youre diligence, For youre estates and Goddes reverence, T'enprynte vertue fully in youre mynde, That whane yee come into youre juges presence, Yee be not sette as vertulesse byhinde. For yee lordes, of coustume nowe adayes, Thaughe one of you here of a gode matere, Youre unsure youthe is of so fals alayes, That of suche artes you list not to here. But as a shippe that is withouten stere, Dryvethe up and doune, withouten variaunce, Weoning the calme wol laste yeere by yeere, Right so fare yee, thorughe veray ignoraunce. For verray shame, knowe yee not, by raisoun, That affter an ebbe there comethe a flode rage? Right even so, whane youthe passethe his saysoun, Comthe croked and unweldy palled age; Soone affter that komthe kalendes of dotage; And of youre youthe no vertue have provyded, Alle folke wol seye: "Fye on youre vasellage!" Thus hathe youre youthe and slouthe you al misgyded. Boece, that clerk, as men may rede and see, Seythe in his Booke of Consolacyoun What man desyrethe to have of vyne or tree Plenty of fruyt in the riping saysoun, Most ay eschuwe to doone oppressioun Unto the roote whylest it is yonge and grene; Yee may wele see by this conclusioun, That youthe vertulesse dothe ay michil teene. Sithe, there ageinst, that vertuous noblesse Rooted in youthe, with goode perseverance, Dryvethe aweye al vyce and wrecchednesse, Al slogardrye, al ryots, and dispence; Seothe eke howe vertue causethe suffisaunce, And suffisaunce exylethe coveityse: Thus who hathe vertue hathe gret habondaunce Of wele, als far as raison can devyse. Takethe heede of Tulius Hastilius, That came frome povertee to hye degré Thorughe vertue; eke redethe of Julius The conquerrour, howe poure a man was he; Yitte thorughe his vertue and humanyté, Of many a lande hade he the governance: Thus vertue bringethe unto gret degree Eche wight that list do to him attendaunce. Rede there ageine of Nero vertulesse, Takethe heede also of proude Baltasare; They hated vertue, equytee, and pees. Looke howe Anthyocus fel frome his chare, That he his skyn and also heos boones totare; Looke what meschaunces they hade for theire vices! Who so that wil not by theos signes beware, I dare wele seye infortunate or nyce is. I cane more, but hereby may yee se, Howe vertue causethe perfyte sikurnesse, And vyces done exyle prosparitee; The beste is eche to cheesen, as I gesse. Dothe as yowe list, I me excuse expresse; I wil be sorye if that yee mischeese. God you conferme in vertuous goodnesse, So that thorughe necgligence yee nothing leese.

(see note) also; (t-note) father unskillfully group [of high rank] error (ignorance) listen to; (t-note) grieve; (t-note) (t-note) mourn; youth; (t-note) commonly; (t-note) Is to think; been so ignorant; (t-note) (t-note) always cherished (t-note) (t-note) agreement (t-note) lust (pleasure) nor; (t-note) frail; (t-note) perfect health; (t-note) give; time; (t-note) satisfaction; (see note) (t-note) good (t-note) always properly enable; judge; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) prescribe lost; foolishly; (t-note) person spiritually choose to be inclined to; (t-note) (t-note) spend (t-note) be; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) fiend; attack; (t-note) (t-note) prosperous; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) wisdom; (t-note) (see note) noble rank; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) honor; benefit; (t-note) high rank; (t-note) in opposition; (t-note) (t-note) embodiment teaching; (t-note) (t-note) skillful; (t-note) buried; (see note); (t-note) Bestows; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) give; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) proper idleness; (t-note) Therefore; advise (t-note) guide waves; (t-note) noble rank conflict expel; (t-note) away; dwelling; (t-note) inheritance; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) high office; (t-note) judgment; (t-note) (t-note) (see note); (t-note) (t-note) Therefore God is the source (t-note) diligence; (t-note) listen to (see note); (t-note) line pursue Whether he wear miter righteousness; (see note) generous spirit heir heir to; (see note) (t-note) (see note) appropriated to no rank makes; please expression; (t-note) lament; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) To imprint; (t-note) (t-note) custom; (t-note) (t-note) alloying; (t-note) desire; hear; (t-note) rudder (t-note) Assuming; (t-note) (t-note) raging; (t-note) (t-note) infirm; impaired; (t-note) comes the beginning; (t-note) (t-note) knightly behavior; (t-note) sloth; (t-note) Boethius; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) much harm; (t-note) Since, on the contrary; (t-note) idleness; debauchery; expense; (t-note) self-sufficiency; (see note) (t-note) (t-note) well-being (see note) rank; (t-note) Julius Caesar; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) Balthasar; (t-note) justice chariot; (t-note) tore; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) ignorant; (t-note) (t-note) security (t-note) (t-note) openly; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) lose