And as I passid in my preire[102] . ther prestis[103] were at messe, In a blessid borugh[104] . that Bristow[105] is named, In a temple of the trinite . the toune even amyddis,[106] That Cristis chirche is cleped[107] . amonge the comune peple, Sodeynly ther sourdid[108] . selcouthe[109] thingis, A grett wondir to wyse men . as it well mygth,[110] And dowtes[111] ffor to deme[112] . ffor drede comynge after. So sore were the sawis[113] . of bothe two sidis, Of Richard that regned . so riche and so noble, That whyle he werrid[114] be west . on the wilde Yrisshe, Henrri was entrid[115] . on the est half, Whom all the londe loued . in lengthe and in brede, And ros with him rapely[116] . to rightyn his wronge, Ffor he shulde hem serue . of the same after. Thus tales me troblid . ffor they trewe were, And amarride[117] my minde rith moche[118] . and my wittis eke:[119] Ffor it passid[120] my parceit[121] . and my preifis[122] also, How so wondirffull werkis . wolde haue an ende. But in sothe whan they sembled . some dede repente, As knowyn is in cumpas . of Cristen londis, That rewthe[123] was, if reson . ne had reffourmed The myssecheff and the mysserule . that men tho in endurid.[124] I had pete[125] of his passion . that prince was of Walis, And eke our crouned kynge . till Crist woll no lenger; And as a lord to his liage . though I lite[126] hade, All myn hoole herte[127] was his . while he in helthe regnid. And ffor I wuste not witterly[128] . what shulde ffall, Whedir God wolde geue[129] him grace . sone to amende, To be oure gioure[130] ageyn . or graunte it another, This made me to muse . many tyme and ofte, For to written him a writte[131] . to wissen[132] him better, And to meuve him of mysserewle . his mynde to reffresshe, Ffor to preise[133] the prynce . that paradise made, To fullfill him with ffeith . and ffortune aboue, And not to grucchen a grott[134] . ageine godis sonde[135] But mekely to suffre . what so him sente were. * * * * * PASSUS PRIMUS. Now, Richard the redeless[136] . reweth[137] on you-self That lawelesse leddyn youre lyf . and youre peple bothe;[138] Ffor thoru the wyles and wronge . and wast in your tyme, Ye were lyghtlich y-lyfte . ffrom that you leef thoughte,[139] And ffrom youre willffull werkis: youre will was channgid, And rafte was youre riott . and rest,[140] ffor youre daiez Weren wikkid thoru youre cursid counceill . youre karis[141] weren newed, And coueitise hath crasid[142] . youre croune ffor euere! _Radix omnium malorum cupiditas._[143]