Classic Poem

Of unite, shewynge of our kepynge of the see, wyth ane endely processe of pease by
auctorite. The xij. chapitule.

Now than for love of Cryste and of his joye,
Brynge yit Englande out of trouble and noye,
Take herte and witte, and set a governaunce,
Set many wittes wythoutene variaunce
To one accorde and unanimite,
Put to gode wylle for to kepe the see.
Ffurste for worshypp and profite also,
And to rebuke of eche evyl wylled foo;
Thus shalle richesse and worship to us longe;
Than to the noble shalle wee do no wronge,
To bere that coigne in figure and in dede,
To oure corage and oure enmyes to drede.
Ffor whiche they muste dresse hem to pease in haste,
Or ellis there thrifte to standen and to waste,
As this processe hathe proved by and bye,
Alle by reason and experte policie,
And by stories whiche preved welle this parte;
And elles I wolle my lyffe put in jeparte,
But many landes wolde seche here pease for nede,
The see welle kepte, it muste be do for drede.
Thus muste Flaundres for nede have unite
And pease wyth us, it wolle none other bee,
Wythine shorte while, and ambassiatours
Wolde bene here sone to trete for ther secours.
This unite is to God plesaunce
And pease after the werres variaunce;
The ende of bataile is pease sikerlye,
And power causeth pease finally.
Kepte than the see abought in specialle,
Whiche of England is the rounde walle;
As thoughe England were lykened to a cite,
And the walle enviroun were the see.
Kepe than the see, that is the walle of Englond,
And than is Englond kepte by Goddes sonde;
That is, for ony thinge that is wythoute,
Englande were at ease wythoutene doute.
And thus shulde everi lande one with another
Entrecomon as brother wyth his brother,
And life togedre werreles in unite,
Wythoute rancoure, in verry charite,
In reste and pese, to Cristis grete plesaunce,
Wythoute striffe, debate, and variaunce.
Whiche pease men shulde enserche with besinesse,
And knytt it sadely holdyng in holynesse.
The apostil seyth, if ye liste to see,
" Be ye busy for to kepe unite
" Of the spirite in the bonde of pease, "
Which is nedefulle to alle, wythouten lesse.
The profete bideth us pease fore to enquere,
To pursue it, this is holy desire.
Oure Lorde Jhesu seith, " Blessed mot they be
" That maken pease, that is tranquillite. "
" Ffor pease makers, " as Mathew writeth aryght,
" Shull be called the sonnes of God allemight. "
God yeve us grace the weyes for to kepe
Of his preceptis, and slugly not to slepe
In shame of synne, that oure verry foo
Mow be to us convers and torned too.
Ffor in Proverbis a text is to purpose,
Pleyne inowgh, wythoute ony glose,
" Whan mennes weyes please unto oure Lorde,
" It shalle converte and brynge to accorde
" Mannes enmyes unto pease verray,
" In unite, to life to Goddis pay. "
Which unite, pease, reste, and charite,
He that was here claude in humanite,
That came frome hevyne, and stiede up with our nature,
Or he ascendid he yafe to us cure,
And lefte wyth us pease ageyne striffe and debate,
Mote gefe us pease so welle iradicate
Here in this worlde, that after alle this feste
Wee mowe have pease in the londe of byheste,
Jerusalem, which of pease is the sight,
Wyth his bryghtnes of eternalle lighte.
There glorified in reste wyth his tuicione,
The deite to see wyth fulle fruicione,
He secunde persone in divinis is,
He us assume, and brynge us to the blisse.