Cassodore, whos wryting is authorysed 330 Sayth: 'wher that pitè regneth, ther is grace'; Through which the pees hath al his welthe assysed, So that of werre he dredeth no manace. Wher pitè dwelleth, in the same place Ther may no deedly crueltè sojourne 335 Wherof that mercy shulde his wey[e] tourne. To see what pitè, forth with mercy, doth, The cronique is at Rome, in thilke empyre Of Constantyn, which is a tale soth, Whan him was lever his owne deth desyre 340 Than do the yonge children to martyre. Of crueltee he lefte the quarele; Pitè he wroughte, and pitè was his hele. For thilke mannes pitè which he dede God was pitous, and made him hool at al; 345 Silvester cam, and in the same stede Yaf him baptyme first in special, Which dide away the sinne original, And al his lepre it hath so purifyed, That his pitè for ever is magnifyed. 350 Pitè was cause why this emperour Was hool in body and in soule bothe; And Rome also was set in thilke honour Of Cristes fayth, so that the leve, of lothe Whiche hadden be with Crist tofore wrothe, 355 Receyved werë unto Cristes lore. Thus shal pitè be praysed evermore. My worthy liege lord, Henry by name, Which Engëlond hast to governe and righte, Men oughten wel thy pitè to proclame, 360 Which openliche, in al the worldes sighte, Is shewed, with the helpe of god almighte, To yeve us pees, which long hath be debated, Wherof thy prys shal never be abated. My lord, in whom hath ever yet be founde 365 Pitè, withoute spotte of violence, Keep thilke pees alway, withinne bounde, Which god hath planted in thy conscience. So shal the cronique of thy pacience Among the saynts be take in-to memórie 370 To the loënge of perdurable glorie. And to thyn erthely prys, so as I can, Whiche every man is holde to commende, I Gower, which am al thy liege man, This lettre unto thyn excellence I sende, 375 As I, whiche ever unto my lyves ende Wol praye for the stat of thy persone, In worshipe of thy sceptre and of thy trone. Nat only to my king of pees I wryte, But to these othre princes Cristen alle, 380 That eche of hem his owne herte endyte And cese the werre, or more mescheef falle. Set eek the rightful pope upon his stalle; Keep charitè, and draw pitè to honde, Maynteyne lawe; and so the pees shal stonde. 385 EXPLICIT CARMEN DE PACIS COMMENDACIONE, QUOD AD LAUDEM ET MEMORIAM SERENISSIMI PRINCIPIS DOMINI REGIS HENRICI QUARTI, SUUS HUMILIS ORATOR JOHANNES GOWER COMPOSUIT. Electus Christi, pie rex Henrice, fuisti, Qui bene venisti, cum propria regna petisti; Tu mala vicisti -que bonis bona restituisti, Et populo tristi nova gaudia contribuisti.