Comyng to Poulys, ther he lighte a doune,
Entered the chirche ffulle demure of chere,
And ther to mete him withe procession
Whas the erchebisshope and the chauncellere,
Lyncolne, and Bathe, of hoole hert and entire,
Salisbury, Norwiche, and Ely,

In pontificalle arrayed richely.

Ther whas the bisshope of Rouchester allso,
The dene of Poulys, the chanons everychon,

Of dew os thei ought to doo,

On procession withe the kyng to goon,

And thoughe I canne not reherse hem on by oone,

3et dar I sey, as in ther entent,

To do theyre dever fulle treuly they ment.

Lyke ther estatis forthe thei gan procede,
Withe observauncez longyng for a kyng,
Solemplye gan him conveye in dede

Up into the chirche withe fulle devoute singing;
And whan he had made his offeryng,

The maier, the citizins, aboode and left him nouzt,
Unto Westmynster tylle they had him brought.

Where alle the covent, in copys richely,
Met withe him off custume as they oughte,
The abbot afftyr most solemplye,

1

Amonges the relykkes the septure ought he soughte Of Seynt Edward, and to the kyng it broughte, Though it were long, large, and of grete wighte,✓ Yet on his schulderis he bare it on heighte.

Into the mynsteris while alle the bellys rong,
Till he kome to the highe auter,

And fulle devoutly Te Deum ther whas song,
And the peple, glad of looke and chere,
Thanked God with alle her hertis entere,
To se their kyng withe two crownys schyne,
From two trewes trewly fet the lyne.

And aftyr that, this is the verray sothe,
Unto his paleys of kyngly apparaille,
Withe his lordis the kyng forthe gothe,
To take his rest after his travayle;

And than of wisdome, wiche may so moche avayle,
The mayer, the citezins, wiche alle this did see,
Bethe home repayred into her citee.

The schirevis, the aldermen in fere,

The Saterday alther nexte sewyng,

Their meyer presentyd, withe alle ther hertis entere,
Goodly to be resceyved of the kyng;

And att Westmynster confermed their askyng,
The meyre and thei withe fulle hoole entent,
Unto the kyng a gifft gan present.

The wiche gyfte they goodly han disposed,
Tooke an hampyr of gold that schene schone,
A M1. pound of gold therin closyd,

And ther withalle to the kyng they gone,
And ffylle on knees to-forne him everychone,
Fulle humblye the trouthe to devise,

And to the kyng the meier sayd on this wise:

"Most cristene prince and noble kyng, the good folke of youre most notable cité of Londone, other clepyd youre Chamber, beseching in her most lowly wise, thei mowe be recommaundyd unto youre highenes; and that it cane lyke unto youre noble grace to resceyve this litelle gift, geffen withe a good wille of trouthe and loughenes, as ever eny gyfft whas 30ven to eny erthely prince."

Be glad, O Londone, be glad and make grete joy! Citee of citees, of noblesse precellyng,

In thi begynneng callyd new Troy,

For worthinesse thank God of alle thing,
Wiche hast this day resceyved so thy kyng,
Withe many a signe and many an observaunce,
To encress thi name be newe remembraunce.

Suche joy whas nat in the consistori,

Made for the triumple withe alle the surpluage,
Whane Sesar Julius kom home withe his viciory,
Ne for the conquest of Sipion in Carthage,
As London made, in every maner age,

Oute of Fraunce att home komyng,

Into this citee of their noble kyng.

Of vij. thingis I prayse this cité,

Of trew menyng and ffeytheffulle observaunce,
Of rightewissnes, trouthe, and equité,

Off stabylnes, ay kept in lyegeaunce,

And ffor of vertu thou hast suche suffisaunce,
In this land here and other landes alle,

The kynges chamber of custum men it calle.

L'ENVOYE.

O noble meyer, be it unto your plesaunce,
And to alle that duelle in this cité,
On my rudnesse and on myne ignorance,
Of grace and mercy for to have pitee,
My simple makyng for to take at gree,
Considre this that in most lowly wise,
My wille were good for to do yow servise.

ON THE MUTABILITY OF HUMAN AFFAIRS.

FROM MS. Q. г. 8, fol. 25, in the Library of Jesus College, Cambridge. Other copies are in MS. Harl. 2251, fol. 15; MS. Harl. 2255, fol. 3; and MS. Ashm. 59.

ALL STANT IN CHAUNGE LIKE A MYDSOMER ROSE.

LAT no man bost of konning nor vertue,

Of tresoure, riches, nor of sapience,

Of worldly support; for all cometh of Jhesu-
Conseul, confort, discrecion, and prudence.
Provysion for sight and provydence,

Like as the Lorde of Grace list dispose;

Some man hath wisdome, some man hath eloquence:

All stant in chaunge like a mydsomer rose.

Holsom in smelling be the swete floures,

Full dilectable outwarde to the sight;

V

The thorne is sharp kevered with fresshe colours;
All is not golde that outward shewith bright.

A stokefissh boon in dirkenes zeveth a light; Twene fayre and foule, as God list to dispose; A difference betwix day and nyght:

All stant in chaunge like a mydsomer rose.

Floures open upon every grene,

When the larke, messengere of day,
Salveth the uprist of the sonne shene,
Most amerously in April and in May.
And Aurora, ageyne, the morowe gray,
Causith the daysy hir croune to unclose,
Worldly gladnes is melled with affray :
All stant in change like a mydsomer rose.

Atwene cokkowe and the nyghtingale

There is a maner of straunge difference; On fressh braunches syngith the wodwale; Jayes in musike have small experience; Clatering pyes, whan tha come in presence,

Most malapert there verdit to purpose; All thing hath favoure, breifly in sentence, Of soft or sharpe, like a mydsomer rose.

The royall lyon lete call a perlement,

All beestes aboute hym every on;
The wolf of malys, being ther present,
Upon the lambe compleynyd ageyn reson,-
Saide he maade his water unholsom,

His tender stomake to hinder and undispose,— Ravynours reyng the innocent is borne downe: All stant in chaunge like a mydsomer rose.