University of Virginia Library

‘Sir emperour, vnder-stond me,
For leyer no schal ich holden be;
For ich it sigge for gret loue,
& þine worþschipe to held aboue:
Fif thousende siþe haue he maugre
Þat þe conseyl ȝaf to þe!
For he þe loueþ riȝt nouȝt
Þat in þat wille þe haþ y-brouȝt,
Þat þou to him ȝelde scholdest,
Bot þou þi sonde sende woldest.
No þenkestow nouȝt of þat baroun
Þat was of so gret renoun,
Hou þou sendest him to?
Oȝain no come he neuer mo.
He þe sent þe heued wiþ-outen more,
No durst neuer eft non com þore;
In þe world is kniȝt non
Þat þe message durst don.
For arwe no sigge ich it no-wiȝt:
Ȝif in min armes were so gret miȝt
Also ich hadde, & as ȝong were
As ich was hennes an hundred ȝere,
Þis ich message don ich wold,
For drede of deþ lete y nold.
Ac icham now a neld man,
Alle mine miȝtes ben now gan;
It is now gon mo þan fifti ȝer
Þat ich on rigge hauberk ber.
Ich ȝou sigge for soþe y-wis,
To lese a good man gret harm it is,
For ȝif he ani sendeþ þider,
His heued him schal comen hider.
Now ich haue mi wille y-sede;
Now ȝiue anoþer better rede.’