Pees is the cheef of al the worldes welthe, And to the heven it ledeth eek the way; Pees is of soule and lyfe the mannes helthe 80 Of pestilence, and doth the werre away. My liege lord, tak hede of that I say, If werre may be left, tak pees on honde, Which may nat be withoute goddes sonde. With pees stant every crëature in reste, 85 Withoute pees ther may no lyf be glad; Above al other good, pees is the beste; Pees hath him-self, whan werre is al bestad; The pees is sauf, the werre is ever adrad. Pees is of al[le] charitè the keye, 90 Whiche hath the lyf and soule for to weye. My liege lord, if that thee list to seche The sothe ensamples, what the werre hath wrought, Thou shalt wel here, of wyse mennes speche, That deedly werre tourneth in-to nought. 95 For if these olde bokes be wel sought, Ther might thou see what thing the werre hath do Bothe of conquest and conquerour also. For vayne honóur, or for the worldes good, They that whylom the stronge werres made, 100 Wher be they now? Bethink wel, in thy mood, The day is goon, the night is derke and fade; Hir crueltè, which made hem thanne glade, They sorowen now, and yet have naught the more; The blood is shad, which no man may restore. 105 The werre is moder of the wronges alle; It sleeth the preest in holy chirche at masse, Forlyth the mayde, and doth her flour to falle. The werre maketh the grete citee lasse, And doth the lawe his reules overpasse. 110 Ther is nothing, wherof mescheef may growe Whiche is not caused of the werre, I trowe. The werre bringth in póverte at his heles, Wherof the comun people is sore greved; The werre hath set his cart on thilke wheles 115 Wher that fortune may not be beleved. For whan men wene best to have acheved, Ful ofte it is al newe to beginne; The werre hath nothing siker, thogh he winne. For-thy, my worthy prince, in Cristes halve, 120 As for a part whos fayth thou hast to gyde, Ley to this olde sore a newe salve, And do the werre away, what-so betyde. Purchace pees, and sette it by thy syde, And suffre nat thy people be devoured; 125 So shal thy name ever after stande honóured! If any man be now, or ever was Ayein the pees thy prevy counsaylour, Let god be of thy counsayl in this cas, And put away the cruel werreyour. 130 For god, whiche is of man the creatour, He wolde not men slowe his crëature Withoute cause of deedly forfayture. Wher nedeth most, behoveth most to loke; My lord, how so thy werres be withoute, 135 Of tyme passed who that hede toke, Good were at home to see right wel aboute; For evermore the worste is for to doute. But, if thou mightest parfit pees attayne, Ther shulde be no cause for to playne. 140