A.D. 



c - 1437- 



// is a mar- 

 vellous thing 

 that so great a 

 sicknes and 

 hurt of ye land 

 may have no 

 remedie of so 

 many as take 

 themselves 

 wise men of 

 governance. 



[I. 1 99 .] 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



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. 



An exhortation to make an ordinance against 

 colour of maintainers and excusers of folkes 

 goods. 



FOr this colour that must be sayd alofte 

 And be declared of the great full ofte, 

 That our seamen wol by many wise 

 Spoile our friends in steede of our enimies : 

 For which colour and Lombards maintenance, 

 The king it needes to make an ordinance 

 With his Counsayle that may not fayle, I trowe, 

 That friends should from enimies be knowe, 

 Our enimies taken and our friends spared : 

 The remedy of hem must be declared. 

 Thus may the sea be kept in no sell, 

 For if ought be spoken, wot yee well, 

 We have the strokes, and enemies have the winning : 

 But mayntainers are parteners of the finning. 

 We live in lust and bide in covetise : 

 This is our rule to maintaine marchandise, 

 And policie that wee have on the sea. 

 And, but God helpe, it will no other bee. 



Of the commodities of Ireland, and policie and 

 keeping thereof, and conquering of wild 

 Irish : with an incident of Wales. Chap. 9. 



ICast to speake of Ireland but a litle : 

 Commodities of it I will entitle, 

 Hides, and fish, Salmon, Hake, Herringe, 

 Irish wooll, and linen cloth, faldinge, 



132 



