Howe saye you to this, my lordes? Are not these playne recordes? Ye knowe as well as I, This[314] makes the comons crye, This makes theym crye and wepe, Myssevsing so theire shepe, Theire shepe, and eke theire beves, As yll or[315] wourse then theaves: Vnto a comonwealthe This ys a very stealthe. But you that welthe[316] this bete, You landlordes[317] that be grete, You wolde not pay so for your meate, Excepte your grasing ware so sweate, Or elles I[318] feare me I, Ye wold fynde remeadye,[319] And that[320] right shortlye. But yet this extremytie, None feles yt but the comynaltie: Alas, is there no remedye, To helpe theym of this[321] myserye? Yf there shuld come a rayne, To make a dearthe of grayne, As God may send yt playne For our covetous and disdayne, I wold knowe, among vs[322] all, What ware he[323] that shuld not fall And sorowe as he went, For Godes ponyshment? Alas, this were a plage[324] For poverties pocession, Towardes theire suppression, For the greate mens transgression! Alas, my lordes, foresee There may be remeadye! For the[325] comons saye, Thei have no more to paye: _Vox populi, vox Dei_; O most noble kyng, Consydre well this thyng! 4. And yet not long agoo Was preachers on or twoo, That spake yt playne inowe To you, to you, and to you, Hygh tyme for to repent[326] This dyvelishe entent [Of covitis the convente]: From Scotland into Kent This preaching was bysprent; And from the easte frount Vnto Saynct Myghelles Mount, This sayeng[327] dyd surmount Abrode to all mens eares, And to your graces peeres, That from piller vnto[328] post The powr man he[329] was tost; I meane the labouring man, I meane the husbandman, I meane the ploughman, I meane the[330] playne true man, I meane the handecrafteman, I meane the victualing[331] man, Also[332] the good yeman, That some tyme in this realme Had plentye of kye and creame, [Butter, egges, and chesse, Hony, vax, and besse]: But now, alacke, alacke, All theise men goo to wracke, That are the bodye and the[333] staye Of your graces realme allwaye! Allwaye and at leinghe Thei must be your streinghe, Your streinghe and your teme, For to defende your realme. Then yf theise men appall, And lacke when you do call, Which way may you or shall Resist your enemyes all, That over raging streames Will vade[334] from forreyn reames? For me to make judiciall, This matter is to mystycall; Judge you, my lordes, for me you shall, Yours ys the charge that governes all; For _vox populi_ me thei call, That makith but reherssall _De parvo_,[335] but not _de_ totall, _De locis_, but not locall: Therfore you must not blame The wight that wrot the same; For the comons[336] of this land Have[337] sowen this in theire sande, Plowing yt withe theire hande; I founde it wheare I stande; And I am but the hayne[338]