ANCIENT TRANSLATIONS.
95
TERENCE.
Terens in Englysh, or the translacyon out of Latin into Englysh of the first comedy of Tyrcns callyd Andria. Supposed to be printed by J. Rastell[1].
- ↑ As the following metrical introduction to this play, relates chiefly to the improvements at that time supposed to have been made to the English language, I could not prevail on myself to suppress it.
The Poet.
The famous renown through the worlde is strong
Of poetys ornate that usyd to indyte
Of dyvers matters in theyr moder tong
Some toke uppon them translacions to wryte
Some to compile bokys for theyr delyte
But in our English tong for to speke playn
I rede but of few have take any gret payn.Except master Gowre which furst began
And of moralite wrote ryght craftely
Than master Chaucer that excellent man
Which wrote as compendious as elygantly
As in any other tong ever dyd any
Ludgate also which adournyd our tong
Whose noble famys through the World be sprong.By these men our tong is amplyfyed so
That we therin now translate as well may
As in any other tongis other can do
Yet the Greke tong and Laten dyvers men say
Have many wordys can not be Englyshid this day
So lyke wyse in Englysh many wordys do habound
That no Greke nor Laten for them can be found.And the cause that our tong is so plenteouse now
For we kepe our Englysh contynually
And of other tongis many wordis we borow
Which now for Englysh we use and occupy
These thingis have gyven corage gretly
To dyvers and specyally now of late
To them that this comedy have translate.Which all discrete men nov do besech
And specyally lernyd men to take no dysdayn
Though this be compylyd in our vulgare fpech
Yet lernyng thereby some men may attayn
For they that in this comedy have take payn
