25. A BALLADE, IN DESPYTE OF THE FLEMYNGES.
[_]
[MS. Lambeth 84, leaf 201, back.]
And in despyte of þe Flemynges, an Englissh man made this English yn baladdys:
1
Off stryvys new, & fraudulent falsnesse,
Who-so lyst to seek out þe cheef occasioun,
Late hym resorte, & his wey[e] dresse,
In-to Flaundrys, streyght to the Blak Lyoun,
Whiche hathe compassed, be fals collusioun,—
Lyk in his standard as betyn is the signe,—
That meved his countre of presumpcioun,
Ageyn Ingelond frowardly to malygne,
2
Fyrst to remembre, the deede beryth wytnesse,
Of his fadyr mowrdred be tresoun,
How Herry the Fyfthe, of knyghtly gentylnesse,
Had of his dethe manly compassioun,
Leete digge hym vp, stank for corrupcioun,
Of a prynce a mercyable sygne.
But thou ageynward, be fals decepioun,
Madest Flaundrys ageyn Ingelond to malygne.
3
Thou madist an oothe, be gret avisynesse,
Vpon the sacrament at Amyas, in that toun,
Ay to be trewe, voyde of dobylnesse,
But vndyr the courteyne of fals collusioun
Thou gat at Araas an absolucioun,
Thy feyned feythe vp falsly to resygne,
Causyng Flaundrys, to ther confusioun,
Ageyn Ingelond prowdly to malyngne.
4
The pees purposyd at Araas, in soothnesse,
Whan our embassatourys, of hool affeccioun,
Cam goodly thedyr, dyd ther bysinesse,
To haue concluded a parfyt vnyoun
Twyxt to reavmus, for ful conclusioun,
Thou shewyng there a face ful benyg[n]e
Vndyr a veyle of fals decepcioun,
Record of Flaundrys, whiche falsly dothe malygne.
5
What hast thou wonne with al thy bysinesse,
And alle thy tentys to Caleys caryed doun,
Thyn ordynauncys, whiche cost gret rychesse,
Bastyle, and cartys of fagot gret foysoun,
Of thy gounnys the dredful noyse and soun,
Peyse al togedyr, with many anothyr sygne?—
Thy cowardly flyght, cokeney of a chaumpyoun
Whiche darst not fyght, and canst so wel malygne.
