Mayre, provost, shirreff, eche in his substaunce, And aldremen, whiche have the governaunce Over the people, by vertue may abyde, That noone oppression bee done to the pourayle. Thus as the people of prudent pollycye, Prynces of the right shal governe; The chirche preye; the juges justefye; And knighthode, manly, and prudently discerne, Til light of trouthe so clerely the lanterne, That rightewysnesse throughe this regyoune, Represse the darknesse of al extorcyoune. Thes be the tythinges wheeche that wee have brought: Troubles exylinge of wynters rude derknesse; Wherfore rejoye yowe in hert, wille, and thought; Somer shal folowe to yowe, of al gladnesse; And sithen she is mynistre of lustynesse, Let her be welcome to yowe at hir comyng; Sith she to yowe hathe brought so glad tythinge, The noble princesse of moste magnifisence, Qweene of al joye, of gladde suffisaunce, May I be nowe comen to youre hye excellence, Presenting yowe prosperous plesaunce, Of al welfare moste foulsome haboundaunce; As shee that hathe under hir demayne, Of floures fresshe, moste holsome, and sovereraine. L'ENVOYE TO ALLE THE STATES PRESENT. This Princesse hathe by favour of nature, Repared ageine that wynter hathe defade, And foolis loustely reviv---- Theire lusty notes, and theire ermenye glade; And under braunches, under plesant shade, Rejoyssing theire with many swete odours, And Zepherus with many fresshe odours, Copirted fayre, with motleye whyte and rede, All hilles, pleynes, and lusty bankes grene, And made hir bawme to fleete in every mede; And fury Tytane shewe oute heer tresses sheene, And upon busshes, and hawthornes kene, The nightingale with plesant ermonye, Colde wynter stormes nowe she dothe defye. On Parnoso, the lusty Muses nyene, Citheera with hir sone nowe dwellis, This sayson singe, and theire notes tuwyne, Of poetrye, besyde the cristal wellis, Calyope the dytes of hem tellis; And Orpheus with hees stringes sharpe, Syngethe a roundell with his temperd herpe. Wherfore to alle estates here present, This plesant tyme, moste of lustynesse, May, is nowe comen to fore yowe of entent, To bringe yowe alle to joye and fresshnesse, Prosparitee, welfare, and al gladnesse; And al that may youre hyenesse qweerne and pleese, In any parte or doone youre hertes eese. LONDON LICPENYE. [_From the Copy in the Autograph of John Stow, in the Harleian MS._ 542, f. 102.] In London ther I was lent, I saw myselfe where trouthe shuld be ateynte; Fast to Westminstar ward I went, To a man of lawe to make my complaynt; I sayd for Maris love, that holy seynt, Have pity on the powre that would procede; I would gyve sylvar, but my purs is faynt, For lacke of money I may not spede. As I thrast thrughe out the thronge, Among them all my hode was gonn; Netheles I let not longe, To Kyngs benche tyll I come; Byfore a juge I knelyd anon, I prayd hym for Gods sake he would take hede; Full rewfully to hym I gan make my mone, For lacke of money I may not spede.