Classic Poem

The sonne with his bemes of brightnesse
To man so kyndly is and norisshynge
That lakkyng it day nere but dirknesse.
Today he yeueth his enlumynynge
And causith al fruyt for to wexe and sprynge.
Now syn þat sonne may so moche auaille
And moost with somer is his soiournynge,
That sesoun bonteuous we wole assaille.

Glad cheerid Somer, to your gouernaille
And grace we submitte al our willynge.
To whom yee freendly been he may nat faille
But he shal haue his resonable axynge.
Aftir your good lust, be the sesonynge
Of our fruytes this laste Mighelmesse,
The tyme of yeer was of our seed ynnynge,
The lak of which is our greet heuynesse.

We truste vpon your freendly gentillesse,
Ye wole vs helpe and been our suppoaille.
Now yeue vs cause ageyn this Cristemesse
For to be glad. O lord, whethir our taille
Shal soone make vs with our shippes saille
To Port Salut. If yow list we may synge,
And elles moot vs bothe mourne and waille
Til your fauour vs sende releeuynge.

We your seruantes, Hoccleue and Baillay,
Hethe and Offorde, yow byseeche and preye,
Haastith our heruest as soone as yee may
For fere of stormes our wit is aweye.
Were our seed inned, wel we mighten pleye
And vs desporte and synge and make game.
And yit this rowndel shul we synge and seye
In trust of yow and honour of your name.

Somer, þat rypest mannes sustenance
With holsum hete of the sonnes warmnesse,
Al kynde of man thee holden is to blesse.

Ay thankid be thy freendly gouernance
And thy fressh look of mirthe and of gladnesse.
Somer, etc.

To heuy folk of thee the remembrance
Is salue and oynement to hir seeknesse.
For why we thus shul synge in Cristemesse,
Somer, etc. Ceste balade ensuyante feust, par la Court de Bone Conpaignie, enuoiee a lonure sire Henri Somer, Chaunceller de leschequer et vn de la dite court.

Worshipful sire, and our freend special
And felawe in this cas we calle yow.
Your lettre sent vnto vs cleerly al
We haue red, and vndirstanden how
It is no wit to your conceit, as now,
Vse the rule foorth as we been inne,
But al anothir rule to begynne;

Rehercynge how in the place of honour,
The Temple, for solace and for gladnesse,
Wheras nat oghte vsid been errour
Of ouer mochil waast or of excesse,
First wern we fowndid to vse largesse
In our despenses; but for to exceede
Reson, we han espyed yee nat beede.

Yee allegge eek how a rule hath be kept
Or this which was good, as yee haue herd seyn,
But it now late cessid hath and slept,
Which good yow thynkith were vp take ageyn.
And but if it so be, our court certeyn
Nat likly any whyle is to endure,
As hath in mowthe many a creature.

Yee wolden þat in conseruacioun
Of oure honour and eek for our profyt,
þat th'entente of oure old fundacioun
Obserued mighte been and to þat plyt
Be broght as it was first and passe al qwyt
Out of the daunger of outrageous waast,
Lest with scorn and repreef feede vs swich taast.

Vnto þat ende sixe shippes grete
To yeue vs han yee grauntid and behight,
To bye ageyn our dyner flour or whete,
And besyde it, as reson wole and right,
Paie your lagh as dooth anothir wight,
þat by mesure rulith him and gyeth,
And nat as he whom outrage maistrieth.

In your lettre contened is also
þat if vs list to chaunge in no maneere
Our newe gyse ne twynne therfro,
The firste day of May yee wole appeere —
þat day yee sette be with vs in feere —
And to keepe it yee wole be reedy.
This is th'effect of your lettre soothly.

To the whiche in this wyse we answere.
Excesse for to do be yee nat bownde,
Ne noon of vs, but do as we may bere.
Vpon swich rule we nat vs ne grownde.
Yee been discreet, thogh yee in good habownde.
Dooth as yow thynkith for your honestee.
Yee and we alle arn at our libertee.

At our laste dyner wel knowen yee
By our stywardes limitacioun,
As custume of our court axith to be,
And ay at oure congregacion
Obserued, left al excusacion,
Warned yee wern for the dyner arraye
Ageyn Thorsday next, and nat it delaye.

We yow nat holde auysid in swich wyse
As for to make vs destitut þat day
Of our dyner. Take on yow þat empryse.
If your lust be, dryueth excesse away.
Of wyse men mochil folk lerne may.
Discrecion mesurith euery thyng.
Despende aftir your plesance and lykyng.

Ensaumpleth vs, let seen, and vs miroure
As þat it seemeth good to your prudence.
Reule þat day, for the thank shal be youre.
Dooth as yow list be drawe in consequence.
We trusten in your wys experience.
But keepith wel your tourn, how so befalle,
On Thorsday next, on which we awayte alle. Cest tout.