THE ENGLISH POLICY 



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 yee 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 : 



131 



A.D. 



c H37- 



[I. 198.] 



OfHaukin 



lions. 



Lombards are 

 cause enough 

 to hurt this 

 land, although 

 there zvere 

 none other 

 cause. 



Take colouring 

 of goods by 

 Lombards. 

 Alas for 

 bribes & gift 

 of good y feasts 

 & other 

 means, that 

 stoppen our 

 policie. 

 This is the 

 very state of 

 our time. 



