Bodleian MS. Vernon (about 1400), f. 4106. A! dere God, what mai þis be, Þat alle þing weres and wasteþ awai? Frendschip is but a vanyté, Vnneþe hit dures al a day. Þei beo so sliper at assai, 5 So leof to han, and loþ to lete, And so fikel in heore fai, Þat selden iseiȝe is sone forȝete. I sei hit not wiþouten a cause, And þerfore takes riht good hede, 10 For ȝif ȝe construwe wel þis clause, I puit ȝou holly out of drede Þat for puire schame ȝor hertes wol blede And ȝe þis matere wysli trete: He þat was vr moste spede 15 Is selden iseye and sone forȝete. Sum tyme an Englisch schip we had, Nobel hit was and heih of tour, Þorw al Cristendam hit was drad, And stif wolde stande in vch a stour, 20 And best dorst byde a scharp schour, And oþer stormes, smale and grete. Now is þat schip, þat bar þe flour, Selden seȝe and sone forȝete. Into þat schip þer longed a rooþur 25 Þat steered þe schip and gouerned hit; In al þis world nis such anoþur, As me þinkeþ in my wit. Whyl schip and roþur togeder was knit, Þei dredde nouþer tempest, druyȝe nor wete; 30 Nou be þei boþe in synder flit, Þat selden seyȝe is sone forȝete. Scharpe wawes þat schip has sayled, And sayed alle sees at auentur. For wynt ne wederes neuer hit fayled 35 Whil þe roþur mihte enduir. Þouȝ þe see were rouh or elles dimuir, Gode hauenes þat schip wolde gete. Nou is þat schip, I am wel suir, Selde iseye and sone forȝete. 40 Þis goode schip I may remene To þe chiualrye of þis londe; Sum tyme þei counted nouȝt a bene Beo al Fraunce, ich vnderstonde. Þei tok and slouȝ hem with heore honde, 45 Þe power of Fraunce, boþ smal and grete, And brouȝt þe king hider to byde her bonde: And nou riht sone hit is forȝete. Þat schip hadde a ful siker mast, And a sayl strong and large, 50 Þat made þe gode schip neuer agast To vndertake a þing of charge; And to þat schip þer longed a barge Of al Fraunce ȝaf nouȝt a clete; To vs hit was a siker targe, 55 And now riht clene hit is forȝete. Þe roþur was nouþer ok ne elm,— Hit was Edward þe Þridde, þe noble kniht. Þe Prince his sone bar vp his helm, Þat neuer scoumfited was in fiht. 60 The Kyng him rod and rouwed ariht; Þe Prince dredde nouþur stok nor strete. Nou of hem we lete ful liht: Þat selde is seȝe is sone forȝete.