| Now preye I to hem alle that herkne this litel tretys or rede, |
| that if ther be any thyng in it that liketh hem, |
| that therof they thanken oure Lord Jhesu Crist, of whom procedeth al wit and al goodnesse. |
| And if ther be any thyng that displese hem, I preye hem also that they arrette it to the defaute |
| of myn unkonnynge and nat to my wyl, that wolde ful fayn have seyd bettre if I hadde had konnynge. |
| For oure book seith, "Al that is writen is writen for oure doctrine," |
| and that is myn entente. |
| Wherfore I biseke yow mekely, for the mercy of God, |
| that ye preye for me that Crist have mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes; |
| 1085 | and namely of my translacions and enditynges of worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in my retracciouns: |
| as is the book of Troilus; the book also of Fame; |
| the book of the XXV. Ladies; the book of the Duchesse; |
| the book of Seint Valentynes day of the Parlement of Briddes; the tales of Caunterbury, thilke that sownen into synne; |
| the book of the Leoun; and many another book, if they were in my remembrance, and many a song |
| and many a leccherous lay, that Crist for his grete mercy foryeve me the synne. |
| But of the translacion of Boece de Consolacione, and othere bookes of legendes of seintes, and omelies, and moralitee, and devocioun, |
| that thanke I oure Lord Jhesu Crist and his blisful Mooder, and alle the seintes of hevene, |
| 1090 | bisekynge hem that they from hennes forth unto my lyves ende sende me grace to biwayle my giltes and to studie |
| to the salvacioun of my soule, and graunte me grace of verray penitence, confessioun and satisfaccioun to doon in this present lyf, |
| thurgh the benigne grace of hym that is kyng of kynges and preest over alle preestes, |
| that boghte us with the precious blood of his herte, |
| so that I may been oon of hem at the day of doom that shulle be saved. |
| Qui cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto vivit et regnat Deus per omnia secula. Amen. |