Behold my hap, see how the seely rout On mee doo gaze,[390] and ech to other say: See where hee lyeth, but late that was so stout,[391] Loe how the power, the pride, and rich aray Of mighty rulers[392] lightly fade away: The king, which erst kept all the realme in doute, The veriest rascall now dare checke and floute:[393] [What moulde bee kinges made of, but carion clay?[394] Behold his woundes how blew they bee about, Which while hee liued, thought[395] neuer to decay.] 3. Mee thinke I heare the people thus deuise: Wherefore, _Baldwine_, sith thou wilt declare[396] How princes fell, to make the liuing wise, My lawlesse life[397] in no poynt see thou spare, But paynt it out, that rulers may beware Good counsayle, lawe, or vertue to despise: For realmes haue rules, and rulers haue a sise, [Which if they breake, thus much to say I dare[398] That eyther’s griefes the other shall agrise Till one[399] bee lost, the other brought to care.] 4. I was a king, who ruled all by lust, Forcing but light of[400] justice, right,[401] or lawe, Putting alwayes flatterers false in trust,[402] Ensuing such[403] as could my vices clawe, By faythfull counsayle passing not an hawe,[404] As pleasure prickt, so needes obay I must: Hauing delight to feede and serue the gust,[405] [Three meales a day could scarse content my mawe:[406] Mee liked least to torney or to just, To _Venus_ sport my fancy did mee[407] drawe:][408] 5. Which to mayntayne, my people were sore polde[409] With fines, fifteenes, and loanes by way of prest,[410] Blanke charters,[411] othes, and shiftes not knowne of olde, For which the commons[412] did mee sore detest:[413] I also solde the noble towne[414] of _Brest_, My fault wherein because mine vncle tolde, [(For prince’s actes may no wise bee[415] controlde)] I found the meanes his bowels to vnbrest,[416] [The worthy peeres, which his cause did vpholde[417] With long exile, or cruell death opprest.][418] 6. None ayde I lackt in[419] any wicked deede, For gaping gulles whome I promoted had, Would furder all in hope of higher meede: There can no king imagine[420] ought so bad, But shall finde some that will[421] performe it glad:[422] For sicknes seldome doth so swiftly breede, As humours ill doe growe[423] the griefe to feede: [Thus kinge’s estates of all bee worst[424] bestad, Abusde in welth, abandoned at neede, And nerest harme when they bee least adrad.] 7.