#And but I have her Mercy and her Grace, That I may seen her at the lefte way; I nam but deed there nis no more to say.#
#Alas, what is this wonder Maladye? For heate of colde, for colde of heate I dye.#
_Chaucer_’s first Book of _Troylus_, fol. 159. b.
And since we are a united Nation, and he as great a Poet, considering his time, as this Island hath produced, I will with due Veneration for his Memory, beg leave to cite the learned and noble Prelate, _Gawen Douglas_, Bishop of _Dunkeld_ in _Scotland_, who in his Preface to his judicious and accurate Translation of _Virgil_, p. 4. says,
Nane is, nor was, nor zit sal be, trowe I, Had, has, or sal have, sic craft in Poetry:
Than thou or I, my Freynde, quhen we best wene.
But before, at least contemporary with _Chaucer_, we find Sir _John Gower_, not baulking _Monosyllables_;
#Myne Herte is well the more glad To write so as he me bad, And eke my Fear is well the lasse.#
#_King Salomon_ which had at his asking Of God, what thyng him was leuest crave. He chase Wysedom unto governyng Of Goddes Folke, the whiche he wolde save: And as he chase it fyl him for to have. For through his Witte, while that his Reigne laste, He gate him Peace, and Rest, into his laste.#
#Peace is the chefe of al the Worldes Welth, And to the Heven it ledeth eke the way, Peace is of Soule and Lyfe the Mannes Helth, Of Pestylence, and doth the Warre away, My Liege Lord take hede of that I say. If Warre may be lefte, take Peace on Hande Which may not be without Goddes Sande.#[E]
[Footnote E: Besides the Purpose for which these Verses are here cited, it may not be amiss to observe from some Instances of Words contain’d in them, how necessary, at least useful, the Knowledge of the _Saxon Tongue_ is, to the right understanding our _Old English Poets_, and other Writers. For example, #leuest#, this is the same with the _Saxon_ leoꝼoꞅꞇ, _most beloved_, or _desirable_. #Goddes folke#, not _God his Folk_, this has plainly the Remains of the _Saxon_ Genitive Case. #Sande#, this is a pure _Saxon_ word, signifying _Mission_, or _being sent_. See the _Saxon Homily_ on the Birth Day of St. _Gregory_, p. 2. He ðuꞃh hıꞅ ꞃæꝺe ⁊ ꞅanꝺe uꞅ ꝼꞃam ðeoꝼleꞅ bıᵹᵹenᵹum æꞇbꞃæꝺ. He through his Counsel and Commission rescued us from the Worship of the Devil.]