| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Thomas Hoccleve. 1368–9?–1450? |
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| 13. Lament for Chaucer |
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| 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. |
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