Hoccleve's Works. I. The minor poems in the Phillipps Ms. 8151 (Cheltenham) and the Durham Ms. III. 9.: Edited by Frederick J. Furnivall |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V, VI. |
| VII. |
| IV. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. | [XVII.] Ceste balade ensuyante feust, par la Court
de bone conpaignie, enuoiee a lonure sire Henri Sommer, Chaunceller de
leschequer, & vn de la dicte Court. |
| XVIII. |
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| XX. |
| XXIV. |
 | Hoccleve's Works. I. |  |
[XVII.] Ceste balade ensuyante feust, par la Court de bone conpaignie, enuoiee a lonure sire Henri Sommer, Chaunceller de leschequer, & vn de la dicte Court.
1
Worshipful sir, and our freend special,And felawe, in this cas / we calle yow.
Your letre sent vn-to vs / cleerly / al
We haue red / & vndirstanden how
It is no wit to your conceit, as now,
Vse the rule foorth as we been Inne;
But al an othir rule to begynne:
2
Rehercynge how, in the place of honour,The Temple / for solace / & for gladnesse,
Wher as nat oghte vsid been errour
Of ouer mochil waast or of excesse,
First wern we fowndid to vse largesse
In our despenses / but for to exceede
Reson / we han espyed / yee nat beede.
65
3
Yee allegge eek / how a rule hath be keptOr this / which was good / as yee haue herd seyn;
But it now late / cessid hath, & slept;
Which good yow thynkith / were vp take ageyn:
And but if it so be / our Court certeyn,
Nat likly any whyle is to endure;
As hath in mowthe, many a creature.
4
Yee wolden, þat in conseruaciounOf our honour / & eek for our profyt,
Þat thentente of our old fundacioun
Obserued mighte been / & to þat plyt
Be broght as it was first / & passe al qwyt
Out of the daunger of outrageous waast,
Lest with scorn & repreef, feede vs swich taast.
5
Vn-to þat ende, .vje. shippes grete,To yeue vs han yee grauntid & behight,
To bye ageyn our dyner, flour or whete;
And besyde it / as reson wole, & right,
Paie your lagh / as dooth an othir wight,
þat by mesure rulith him, and gyeth,
And nat as he / whom outrage maistrieth.
6
In your letre / contened is also,Þat if vs list to chaunge in no maneere
Our newe gyse, ne twynne ther-fro ;
The firste day of May, yee wole appeere,
(Þat day yee sette be with vs in feere,)
66
This is theffect of your letre soothly.
7
To the whiche, in this wyse we answere:Excesse for to do / be yee nat bownde,
Ne noon of vs / but do as we may bere:
Vp-on swich rule, we nat vs ne grownde.
Yee been discreet / thogh yee in good habownde
Dooth as yow thinkith for your honestee!
Yee, and we all, arn at our libertee.
8
At our laste dyner / wel knowen yeeBy our Stywardes limitacioun,
(As custume of our Court axith to be,)
And ay at our congregacion
Obserued / left al excusacion,
Warned yee wern / for the dyner arraye
Ageyn thorsday next, & nat it delaye.
9
Be yow nat holde auysid in swich wyseAs for to make vs destitut, þat day,
Of our dyner / take on yow þat empryse,
If your lust be / dryueth excesse away.
Of wyse men / mochil / folk lerne may:
Discrecion mesurith euery thyng:
Despende aftir your plesance & lykyng!
10
Ensaumpleth vs / let seen / & vs miroure;As þat it seemeth good to your prudence,
Reule þat day / for the thank shal be youre;
Dooth as yow list be drawe in consequence;
We trusten in your wys experience;
But keepith wel your tourn / how so befalle,
On thorsday next / on which we awayte alle.
Cest tout.
| Hoccleve's Works. I. | |