That wryttes yt newe[339] agayne, The coppye for to see, That also learneth me To take therby good hede My shepe howe for to fede; For I a shepherd am, A sorye poore man; Yet wolde I wyshe, my lordes, This myght be[340] your recordes, And make of yt no dreame, For yt ys a worthy realme, A realme that in tymes past Hath made the prowdest[341] agast. Therfore,[342] my lordes all, Note this in especiall, And have it in memoryall [With youre wysse vnyversall, That nether faver nor effection, Yowe grawnt youre protection To suche as hath[343] by election Shall rewle by erection, And doth gett the perfection Of the powre menes refection; Wiche ys a grett innormyte Vnto youre grasys commynalte; For thay that of latt did supe Owtt of an aschyn cuppe, Are wonderfully sprowng vpe; That nowght was worth of latt, Hath now a cubborde of platt, His tabell furnyscheyd tooe, With platt besett inowe, Persell gylte and sownde, Well worth towo thousand pounde. With castinge cownteres and ther pen, Thes are the vpstart gentylmen; Thes are thay that dewowre All the goodes of the pawre, And makes them dotysche davys, Vnder the cowler of the kenges lawys. And yett annother[344] decaye To youre grasys seetes alwaye; For the statte of all youre marchantmen Vndo most parte of youre gentyllmen, And wrape them in suche bandes That thay haue halle ther landes, And payeth but halfe in hande, Tyll thay more vnderstownde Of the profett of there lande, And for the other halfe He shalbe mayd a calfe, Excepte he haue gud frendes Wiche well cane waye bothe endes; And yet with frendes tooe He shall haue mvche to doe; Wiche ys a grett innormyte To youre grasys regallyte. Lett marchantmen goe sayle For that ys ther trwe waylle; For of one c. ye haue not ten That now be marchantes ventring men, That occupi grett inawnderes, Forther then into Flanderes, Flawnderes or into France, For fere of some myschance, But lyeth at home, and standes By morgage and purchasse of landes Owtt of all gentyllmenes handes, Wiche showld serve alwaye your grace With horse and men in chasse; Wiche ys a grett dewowre Vnto youre regall pawre. What presydente cane thay shewe, That fowre skore yeres agooe, That[345] any marchant here, Above all charges clere, In landes myght lett to hyre To thowsant markes by yere? Other where shall ye fynde A gentyllman by kynde, But that thay wyll ly in the wynde, To breng hyme fer behynde, Or elles thay wyll haue all, Yf nedes thay hyme[346] forstall? Wiche ys the hole decaye Of your marchantmen, I saye, And hynderes youre grasys costome By the yere a thowsant pawnde, And so marryth, the more petye, The comonwelth of yche sytte, And vndoth the cowntre, As prosse [?] doth make propertie; This matter most spesyally Wolde be loked one quiclye. Yett for ther recreation,