IN tyme paſte whanne this warke was prynted, I can not very well coniecte, what was the cauſe therof, the prologue before was cleane altered. And by that mene it wold ſeme, that Gower dydde compyle it at the requeſte of the noble duke Henry of Lancaſtre. And all though the bokes that be wrytten, be contrary, yet I haue folowed therin the prynt copie, for as moche as it may ſerue both weyes, and bycauſe moſt copies of the ſame warke are in printe: but yet I thought it good to warne the reder, that the writen copies do not agre with the prynted. Therfore ſyr I haue prynted here thoſe ſame lynes, that I fynde in the wrytten copies. The whiche alteration ye ſhall perceyue beganne at the .xxiij. lyne in the prologue, and goth forth on, as ye ſe here folowynge.

¶ And thus I ſaye for theſe .lxx. lynes, there be as many other printed, that be cleane contrarye vnto theſe bothe in ſentence and in meanyng. And farthermore there were lette out in dyuers places of the warke lynes and columnes, ye and ſometyme holle padges; whiche cauſed, that this mooſte pleaſunt and eaſy auctor coude not wel be perceyued: for that and chaungynge of wordes, and miſord • ynge of ſentences, wolde haue maſed his mynde in redynge, that had ben very 〈◊〉 learned: and what can be a greatter 〈◊〉 • he vnto a noble auctour? And 〈◊〉 p •• iſe worthily vnto you the great 〈◊〉 of this auctour, I knowe my •••• ght moche vnable; ye ſhall your ••• we •• eine, whan ye ſhall ſe hym 〈◊〉 as I can) ſette forth in his owne •• ppe and lykenes. And this the mene 〈◊〉 I maye be bolde to ſaye, that if we 〈◊〉 • e • er haue ſene his counnynge 〈…〉 the whiche euen at the full do 〈…〉 •• at a clerke he was, the wor •• 〈◊〉 •• oſte famous and excellente 〈…〉 ••• er, that he wrote in the 〈…〉 m •• te ſpeciall warke, that is 〈…〉 and Creſeyde, do ſuffi ••• 〈◊〉 the ſame, where he ſayth:

〈◊〉 G • wer, this boke I directe 〈…〉 the philoſophical Strode: 〈…〉 ••• te, ther nede is, to correcte 〈◊〉 your be • ignites and zeles good.

〈◊〉 • he whiche noble warke, and many 〈…〉 the ſayde Chauſers, that neuer 〈◊〉 •• fore imprinted, & thoſe that very •• we m • n knewe, and fewer hadde them, •••• we of late put forthe to gether in a 〈◊〉 ••• ume. By the whiche wordes of 〈◊〉 , we may alſo vnderſtonde, that 〈◊〉 Gower were bothe of one ſelfe 〈◊〉 •• th excellently lerned, both great frendes to gether, and bothe a lyke ende • oured them ſelfe and imployed theyr tyme • o wel and ſo vertuouſly, that they dyd not onely paſſe forth their lyfes here • yght honourably; but alſo for their ſo doynge, ſo longe (of lykelyhode) as letters ſhal endure & continue, this noble royalme ſhall be the better, ouer and beſyde theyr honeſt fame and renowme. And thus whan they hadde gone theyr iourney; the one of them, that is to ſaye, Iohn̄ Gower prepared for his bones a reſtynge place in the monaſtery of ſaynt Marye Oueres, where ſomwhat after the olde faſſhion he lyeth ryght ſumptuouſly buryed with a garlande on his heed, in token that he in his lyfe dayes flouryſſhed freſſhely in literature and ſcience. And the ſame moniment, in remembraunce of hym erected, is on the Northe ſyde of the fore ſayde churche, in the chapell of ſaynte Iohn̄, where he hath of his owne foundation a maſſe dayly ſonge. And more ouer he hath an obyte yerely done for hym within the ſame churche / on fryday after the feaſte of the bleſſed pope ſaynte Gregory.

Beſyde on the wall where as be lyeth there be peynted thre virgins with crownes on theyr beedes / one of the whiche is wrytten Charitie / and ſhe holdethe this diuiſe in her honde.

¶The ſeconde is wrytten Mercye, whiche holdeth in her hande this diuiſe: O bone Ieſu fait ta mercy Al alme, dont le corps giſt icy.

¶ The thyrde of them is wrytten Pite, whiche holdeth in her hand this diuiſe folowynge.

¶And there by hongeth a table, wherin appereth that who ſo euer praith for the ſoule of Iohn̄ Gower, he ſhall ſo oft as he ſo dothe, haue a thouſande and fyue handred dayes of pardon.