Peter Alphonse

“ Arabs: "Suche a versifiour prudent and curteys but vnnoble of byrth to a kyng offred his vers; whos prudence noted the kyng hym with worship tooke. Therfor to this other versifiers envieden to overcome his gentilnes and kynred, gadreden toguyder and saiden vnto the kyng: "Sir kyng, whi this so vile of birth magnifieth [thow] somoche?" To this the kyng: "Whom yee han trowed to blame, the more yee han praised." He forsoth whiche was blamed to this he adjoyned: "Roses spryngen on thornes nat for that [2] they bien nat (f. 121b) blasfemed." Forsoth the kyng left hym with more worshipful giftes. ”