_Son._ "No man better: next his father,--our Lord the Liege His father,--he is my good gracious Lord." _F._ "Well, Son! then will I me oblige, And God of heaven vouch I to record, That, if thou wilt be fully of mine accord, Thou shalt no cause have more thus to muse, But heaviness void, and it refuse. Since he thy good Lord is, I am full sure His grace shall not to thee be denied. Thou wotst well he _benign_ is and _demure_ To sue unto: not is his ghost maistried[352] With danger; but his heart is full applied To grant, and not the needy to warn his grace. To him pursue, and thy relief purchase. What shall I call thee--what is thy name?" _S._ "Occlive[353] (Father mine), men callen me." _F._ "Occlive? Son!"--_S._ "Yes, Father, the same." _F._ "Thou wert acquainted with Chaucer 'pardie?" (p. 402) _S._ "God save his soul! best of any wight." _F._ "Syn thou mayst not be paid in the Exchequer, Unto my Lord the Prince make instance That thy patent unto the Hanaper May changed be."--_S._ "Father, by your sufferance, It may not so: because of the ordinance, Long after this shall no grant chargeable Over pass. Father mine, this is no fable." _F._ "An equal charge, my Son, in sooth Is no charge, I wot it well indeed. What! Son mine! Good heart take unto thee. Men sayen, 'Whoso of every grass hath dread, Let him beware to walk in any mead.' Assay! assay! thou simple-hearted ghost; What grace is shapen thee, thou not wost. ----Now, syn me thou toldest My Lord the Prince is good Lord thee to; No maistery is to thee, if thou woldest To be relieved, wost thee what to do. _Write to him a goodly tale or two_, _On which he may disport him by night_, And his free grace shall on thee light. Sharp thy pen, and write on lustily; Let see, my Son, make it fresh and gay, Utter thine art if thou canst craftily; _His high prudence hath insight very_ _To judge if it be well made or nay._ Wherefore, Son, it is unto thee need Unto thy work take thee greater heed. But of one thing be well ware in all wise, On flattery that thou thee not found, For thereof (Son) Solomon the Wise, As that I have in his Proverbs found, Saith thus: 'They that in feigned speech abound, And glossingly unto their friends talk, Spreaden a net before them, where they walk.' This false treason common is and rife; Better were it thou wert at Jerusalem (p. 403) Now, than thou wert therein defective. Syn my Lord the Prince is (_God hold his life!_) To thee good Lord, good servant thou thee quit To him and true, and it shall thee profit. Write him _nothing that sowneth to vice_, Kyth[354] thy love in matter of sadness. Look if thou find canst any treatise Grounded on his estate's wholesomeness; Which thing translate, and unto his highness, As humbly as thou canst, it thou present. Do thus, my Son."--_S._ "Father! I assent,