University of Virginia Library

Decimus Nonus passus Alexandri.

Sire, we þe Bragmeyns blode birdis & othire,
A lowly lyfe in oure land we lede, and a clene.
All ydolatris in oure Ile ere vttirly devoidid,
& to na syn̄ vndire son̄ a-sent we vs neuire.
All þat ouire mesure is to mekill emell we declyne,
And nouthire couet we na corne bot þat vs kind leues,
Þat is þe filling of fode þat ilk flesch askis,
And þar-to suffirand oure-selfe & sobire as a mayden̄.
Hald we no hors for na harow ne na horned stottis,
Ne nauthire sondire we þe soile ne na sede sawis,
Seke we neuire no sustinance to saue with oure lyuys.
Set we na saynes in þe see ne sese we na fischis,
Ne nouthire hunt we ne hauke ne hent we na foules,
Bot sike as growis on̄ þe gronde with-outen gomes werke.
And þat we fede vs with in-fere & fillis full oure tables,
A dayntefull diete þat damage vs neuire.
Haue we no cures of courte ne na cointe sewes,
Swanes ne na swete thing to swell oure wames.
All superfluyte of soule & surfet vs wlattis,
To pegge vs as a peny hoge þat praysis noȝt oure laȝes.
Forþi failis vs all infirmit[e]s of ffeuyre & of ells,
Ne for na febill at we fele na fysyke vs nedis.
Vs mistris neuire na medcyne for malidy on̄ erthe,
Bot ay as fresche & as fere a[s] fisch quen he plays.
Oure lord has lemett vs elike þe lenthe of oure days,
For þar leues na lede in oure lande langire þan othire.
If he be sexti ȝere of sowme þat a segge lastis,
His successoure has bot þe same & þan þe saule ȝeldis.
We chaufe vs at na Chymmneys for chelis of wintir,
Ne comes na clathis on̄ oure corps for na cald wyndis.
We bede noȝt to blemysch oure blode with bodely dissires.
Perseuerance of pacience & pes we reserue;
Oure inward enmys ilkane we inwardly drepis,
Þat is to say, all þe syn̄ at solp may þe saule,
As surfet, surquidry, & slawth þe seuyn̄ all bedene;
So þat oure werraours without vs worthis noȝt at drede.
For wele sonere is a cite sesid, or a castell,
Þat segid is on̄ bath sidis [than] þat segid is with-out.
And þou wirkis bot on̄ þa witerward & worthis þaim ouire,
And suffirs so within þi flesche þe faes of þe saule.
And we sitt all-way so sure be sand & be wattir,
Þat na supowell vndire son̄ seke we vs neuire,
Ne schroude to scheld with oure schap bot þe schire banes,
And with þe braunches of þe bowis þat beris vs oure fodis.
Haue we na deliteable drinke of diuerse wynes,
Bot watir of a wale well or of a wild bourne.
And þat sullepe sire at sett all þe werde,
In him we lely beleue & in na laȝe ellis.
In all oure diȝans on̄ daies þat duke we comend,
Wele wenand in anothire werd to won̄ ay o-lyue.
And quat as pertenys to na profe vs plese noȝt at lesten̄,
Ne mekills mellis noȝt oure mouth bot mesure oure wordis.
Quen as we speke any spech we speke ai þe treuth,
And þan is still as a stane & stirs it na ferryn̄.
Riches ne no rede gold rose we þam nouthire,
Bot ay voide of enuy & of vayne thoȝtis.
Is þar na berne vs eblande biggir þan anothire,
Of land ne of lor[d]schip̄ bot all elike simple.
Þe pouert of oure person̄s for plente we hald,
Þe quilke is part vs, all þe pake be parcells euyn̄.
Is þar na brag in oure bondis ne bering of armes,
B[o]t ay perpetuall pes piȝt in̄ oure landis.
Ne nouthire Iugement ne Iayll ne Iustice of aire;
For dose na douth þar no dere to dome to be callid.
Ne custome in oure contre contraris oure laȝes,
Is þar na mercy ne methe in oure marche vsyd;
And I sall quethe þe forqui & quat is þe cause:
Þar dose na modirson̄ o-mys na mercy to craue,
For auyrice & errogaunce & all we devoide,
And to na licherous lustes leeue ve oure membris,
A-vowtri ne na vayne glorie ne na vice hauntis,
Ne neuire to-pliȝt worth a perle to-ponyscht be-fore.
Fynd we na faute in na freke þat vs emange duellis,
For ay on̄ reson & on̄ riȝt rewelle we oure-selfe.
Ne seȝes na segge of oure sede sodanly of lyue,
For þe aire within oure habitacle is ai vn̄-corumpid.
Nouthire to toly ne to taunde transmitte we na vebbis,
To vermylion̄ ne violett ne variant littis.
Oure paramours vs to plese ne pride þaim bewenes,
Nouthire ffurrers, filetts, ne frengs ne frettis of perle.
Is þam̄ na surcote of silke ne serkis of raynes,
Ne kirtils of camlyn̄ bot as þam̄ kynd leues.
Ne neȝe we neuire þaim on̄ niȝt to naite for na luste,
Bot for to sustayne oure sede & syn̄ ay to voide.
Make we na salues for na sares ne na somir-bathis,
Bot with þe wale dewe & with þe warme son̄.
Howe durst any be so bald to blemysche for schame
Þe hand-werke of þat hiȝe gode þat all oure happ̄e haues?
List vs na lordschips lache of ledis as oure-selfe,
For all oure libertes elike ere lante vs & paysed;
And to sett him in-to seruitute a syn̄ vs it thinke,
Þat god has fourmed to be free & to his face licknud.
Make we na vessall of virre ne of na clere siluir,
Ne store staned strenthis ne na stithe hames,
Manere mynstre, ne mote ne marbryn̄ werkis,
Bot duells here in disolatis in dennes & in cauys;
Ne nouthire housing we haue ay quils we here duell,
Bot at is fetid of flesch & of na fraunche piers;
Þat is þe carions kistis þat couers þe saule,
A full faynt forcelett & of fen̄ makid.
We ere na sailers on̄ þe see to sell ne to byi;
Ne rede we neuire na retorik ne rial to speke;
Bot certis in all simpilnes sett we oure wordis,
Þat latis neuire lesing in oure lippis spring.
Ne foloȝe we na ficesyens ne philisophour scolis,
As sophistri & slik thing to sott with þe pepill.
It is bot wiles & wrenkis at þai with dele,
And all þare fete & þar fare in falshede it endis.
Lufe we no laike in oure lede ne laȝand mirthis,
Bot quen̄ vs pleses to play we passe & we rede
Of þe actis of oure auncestours & of þar athill thewis;
And quen̄ we gamen suld & glade we grete & we pleyn̄.
And othire sertis wee see þat solace oure hertis;
First, þe faire firmament fichid full of sterres,
Þe rede son̄, quen̄ he ryses & rynnys in his sercle,
Þat all þe land with his leme lewis & cleres;
Þe playne purperyn̄ see full of prode fischis,
For tide ne for tempest it touchis noȝt oure kythis,
Ne neuire sondres oure soile bot sesis at þe brinkis.