It is entitled _A Balade made by Chaucer, teaching what is gentilnesse, or whom is worthy to be called gentill._ The first stock-father of gentleness-- _ancestor of the race What man desireth gentle for to be [of the gentle._ Must follow his trace, and all his wittes dress _track, footsteps: Virtue to love and vices for to flee; [apply._ For unto virtue longeth dignity, _belongeth._ And not the reverse falsely dare I deem,[35] All wear he mitre, crown, or diadem.

_although he wear._ The first stock was full of righteousness; _the progenitor._ True of his word, sober, piteous, and free; Clean of his ghost, and loved busi-ness, _pure in his spirit._ Against the vice of sloth in honesty; And but his heir love virtue as did he, _except._ He is not gentle, though he rich seem, All wear he mitre, crown, or diadem.
Vicesse may well be heir to old Richesse, _Vice: Riches._ But there may no man, as men may well see, Bequeath his heir his virtue's nobleness; That is appropried unto no degree, _rank._ But to the first father in majesty, That maketh his heires them that him queme, _please him._ All wear he mitre, crown, or diadem.
I can come to no other conclusion than that by _the first stock-father_ Chaucer means our Lord Jesus..