A conclusion of this depending of keeping of the sea.
THAN I conclude, if never so much by landWere by carres brought unto their hand,
If well the sea were kept in governance
They should by sea have no deliverance.
Wee should hem stop, and we should hem destroy,
As prisoners we should hem bring to annoy.
And so we should of our cruell enimies
Make our friends for feare of marchandies,
If they were not suffered for to passe
Into Flanders. But we be frayle as glasse
And also brittle, not thought never abiding;
But when grace shineth soone are we sliding;
We will it not receive in any wise:
That maken lust, envie, and covetise:
Expone me this; and yee shall sooth it find,
Bere it away, and keepe it in your mind.
Then shuld worship unto our Noble bee
In feate and forme to lord and Majestie:
Liche as the seale the greatest of this land
On the one side hath, as I understand,
A prince riding with his swerd ydraw,
In the other side sitting, soth it is in saw,
Betokening good rule and punishing
In very deede of England by the king.
And it is so, God blessed mought he bee.
So in likewise I would were on the see
By the Noble, that swerde should have power,
And the ships on the sea about us here.
What needeth a garland which is made of Ivie
Shewe a taverne winelesse, also thrive I?
If men were wise, the Frenchmen and Fleming
Shuld bere no state in sea by werring.
Then Hankin lyons shuld not be so bold
To stoppe wine, and shippes for to hold
Unto our shame. He had be beten thence.
Alas, alas, why did we this offence,
Fully to shend the old English fames;
And the profits of England, and their names:
Why is this power called of covetise;
With false colours cast beforn our eyes?
That if good men called werriours
Would take in hand for the commons succours,
To purge the sea unto our great avayle,
And winne hem goods, and have up the sayle,
And on our enimies their lives to impart,
So that they might their prises well departe,
As reson wold, justice and equitie;
To make this land have lordship of the sea.
Then shall Lombards and other fained friends
Make their chalenges by colour false offends,
And say their chaffare in the shippes is,
And chalenge al. Looke if this be amisse.
For thus may al that men have bought to sore,
Ben soone excused, and saved by false colour.
Beware ye men that bere the great in hand
That they destroy the policie of this land,
By gifte and good, and the fine golden clothis,
And silke, and other: say yee not this soth is?
But if we had very experience
That they take meede with privie violence,
Carpets, and things of price and pleasance,
Whereby stopped should be good governance:
And if it were as yee say to mee,
Than wold I say, alas cupiditie,
That they that have her lives put in drede,
Shalbe soone out of winning, all for meed,
And lose her costes, and brought to poverty,
That they shall never have lust to goe to sea.
