THE ENGLISH POLICY 



So good that none of his predecessours 

 Was to him liche in prudence and honours. 

 Hee was fortunate and more gracious 

 Then other before, and more glorious : 

 He was beneth no man in holines : 

 Hee passed all in vertuous sweetnes. 

 Of English kings was none so commendable : 

 To English men no lesse memorable, 

 Then Cyrus was to Perse by puissance, 

 And as great Charles was to them of France, 

 And as to the Romanes was great Romulus, 

 So was to England this worthy Edgarus. 

 I may not write more of his worthines 

 For lacke of time, ne of his holines : 

 But to my matter I him exemplifie, 

 Of conditions tweyne and of his policie : 

 Within his land was one, this is no doubt, 

 And another in the see without; 

 That in time of Winter and of werre, 

 When boystrous windes put see men into fere ; 

 Within his land about by all provinces 

 Hee passed through, perceiving his princes, 

 Lords, and others of the commontee, 

 Who was oppressour, and who to povertee 

 Was drawen and brought, and who was clene in life, 

 And was by mischiefe and by strife 

 With over leding and extortion : 

 And good and badde of eche condition 

 Hee aspied : and his ministers als, 

 Who did trought, and which of hem was fals : 

 Howe the right and lawes of the land 

 Were execute, and who durst take in hand 

 To disobey his statutes and decrees, 

 If they were well kept in all countrees : 

 Of these he made subtile investigation 

 Of his owne espie, and other mens relation. 

 Among other was his great busines, 

 Well to ben ware, that great men of riches, 



i39 



A.D. 



c 1437- 



sanctitate 

 inferior - , omni- 

 bus morum 

 suavitate 

 prcestantior 

 fuerit. Luxit 

 ipse Anglis 

 non minus 

 memorabiliSj 

 quam Cyrus 

 Persis, Garo- 

 lus Francis 

 Romulus verb 

 Romanis. 



[I. 203.] 



