Hoccleve's Works. II The minor poems in the Ashburnham Ms. Addit. 133. ... Edited by Sir Israel Gollancz |
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 | Hoccleve's Works. II |  |
IX. Balade to King Henry V.
“Ceste balade ensuante feust faite pur la bien venue du tresnoble Roy. H. le. vt., que dieu pardoint, hors du Roialme de France / cestassauoir sa dareine venue.”
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Victorious cristen Prince / our lord souereyn,Our lige lord ful dred and douted / we
youre humble and buxum liges treewe / seyn
Right thus / vn-to your rial dignitee:
Henri the .vthe. / welcome be yee!
welcome be your famous excellence,
Swerd of knyghthode / & flour of sapience!
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Yee been welcome / heir and Regent of France,Our gracious kyng / the ensaumple of honour!
Right feithfully / with hertes obeissance,
welcome be yee / worthy Conquerour,
which, no peril eschuyng / ne labour
In armes / knyghtly han yow put in prees,
And twixt two Remes / knyt han vp the pees!
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Your worthynesse / excedith & surmountithThe prowesse of kynges / & prynces alle!
Fame so seith / thus al the world acountith.
what may we seyn / or what may we yow calle!
we can for noon aart þat may happe or falle,
Your worthy deedes / as vs oghte / preise;
They been so manye / and so mochil peyse.
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Ignorance is vn-to vs swich a fo,If we dilate sholde / and drawe a-long
Your prys and thank / we kowden nat do so:
So litil seyn / we sholde / & do yow wrong,
Nat on our willes / but wittes along:
And syn þat ther-to oure intelligence
Souffysith nat / we keepe moot silence.
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But, souerein lord lige / as we seide aboue,welcome be your excellent hynesse
with al our spirites and hertes loue!
More welcome / than we can expresse!
Your hy presence is tresor & richesse
To vs ful greet / for why / to vs echone,
welcome be your peereles persone.
Cest tout.
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