| Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400). The Complete Poetical Works. 1894. | | | | The Minor Poems | | XIV. Gentilesse |
| | Moral Balade of Chaucer.
THE FIRSTE stok, fader of gentilesse— | |
| What man that claymeth gentil for to be, | |
| Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse | |
| Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee. | |
| For unto vertu longeth dignitee, | 5 |
| And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme, | |
| Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe. | |
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| This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse, | |
| Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free, | |
| Clene of his goste, and loved besinesse, | 10 |
| Ageinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee; | |
| And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he, | |
| He is noght gentil, thogh he riche seme, | |
| Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe. | |
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| Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse; | 15 |
| But ther may no man, as men may wel see, | |
| Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse; | |
| That is appropred unto no degree, | |
| But to the firste fader in magestee, | |
| That maketh him his heir, that can him queme, | 20 |
| Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe. | | | | |
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