If I schal drawe in to my mynde [Sidenote: De statu regnorum, vt dicunt, secundum temporalia, videlicet tempore regis Ricardi secundi anno regni sui sexto decimo.[89]] The tyme passed, thanne I fynde The world stod thanne in al his welthe: Tho was the lif of man in helthe, Tho was plente, tho was richesse, Tho was the fortune of prouesse, Tho was knyhthode in pris be name, Wherof the wyde worldes fame 100 [Sidenote: =P. i. 7=] Write in Cronique is yit withholde; Justice of lawe tho was holde, The privilege of regalie Was sauf, and al the baronie Worschiped was in his astat; The citees knewen no debat, The poeple stod in obeissance Under the reule of governance, And pes, which ryhtwisnesse keste,[90] With charite tho stod in reste: 110 Of mannes herte the corage Was schewed thanne in the visage; The word was lich to the conceite[91] Withoute semblant of deceite: Tho was ther unenvied love,[92] Tho was the vertu sett above And vice was put under fote. Now stant the crop under the rote, The world is changed overal, And therof most in special 120 That love is falle into discord. And that I take to record Of every lond for his partie The comun vois, which mai noght lie;[93] Noght upon on, bot upon alle It is that men now clepe and calle, And sein the regnes ben divided,[94] In stede of love is hate guided, The werre wol no pes purchace, And lawe hath take hire double face, 130 [Sidenote: =P. i. 8=] So that justice out of the weie With ryhtwisnesse is gon aweie: And thus to loke on every halve, Men sen the sor withoute salve, Which al the world hath overtake. Ther is no regne of alle outtake, For every climat hath his diel After the tornynge of the whiel, Which blinde fortune overthroweth; Wherof the certain noman knoweth: 140 The hevene wot what is to done, Bot we that duelle under the mone Stonde in this world upon a weer,[95] And namely bot the pouer[96] Of hem that ben the worldes guides With good consail on alle sides Be kept upriht in such a wyse,[97] That hate breke noght thassise Of love, which is al the chief[98] To kepe a regne out of meschief. 150 For alle resoun wolde this, [Sidenote: Apostolus. Regem honorificate.] That unto him which the heved is The membres buxom scholden bowe, And he scholde ek her trowthe allowe, With al his herte and make hem chiere,[99] [Sidenote: Salomon. Omnia fac cum consilio.] For good consail is good to hiere. Althogh a man be wys himselve,[100] Yit is the wisdom more of tuelve;