309 [W. resteth here, that quick could never rest]

W. resteth here, that quick could never rest:

Whose heavenly giftes encreased by disdayn,

And vertue sank the deper in his brest.

Such profit he by envy could obtain.

5          A hed, where wisdom misteries did frame:

Whose hammers bet styll in that lively brayn,

As on a stithe: where that some work of fame

Was dayly wrought, to turne to Britaines gayn.

A visage, stern, and myld: where bothe did grow,

10  Vice to contemne, in vertue to rejoyce:

Amid great stormes, whom grace assured so,

To lyve upright, and smile at fortunes choyce.

A hand, that taught, what might be sayd in ryme:

That reft Chaucer the glory of his wit:

15  A mark, the which (unparfited, for time)

Some may approche, but never none shall hit.

A toung, that served in forein realmes his king:

Whose courteous talke to vertue did enflame

Eche noble hart: a worthy guide to bring

20  Our English youth, by travail, unto fame.

An eye, whose judgement none affect could blinde,

Frendes to allure, and foes to reconcile:

Whose persing loke did represent a mynde

With vertue fraught, reposed, voyd of gyle.

25       A hart, where drede was never so imprest,

To hyde the thought, that might the trouth avance:

In neyther fortune loft, nor yet represt,

To swell in wealth, or yeld unto mischance.

A valiant corps, where force, and beawty met:

30  Happy, alas, to happy, but for foes:

Lived, and ran the race, that nature set:

Of manhodes shape, where she the molde did lose.

But to the heavens that simple soule is fled:

Which left with such, as covet Christ to know,

35  Witnesse of faith, that never shall be ded:

Sent for our helth, but not received so.

Thus, for our gilte, this jewel have we lost:

The earth his bones, the heavens possesse his gost.