[Et qe nul estraunge en court eyt pussaunce, Ne qe le Rey saunz els de tere nul auaunce, Ne mette en baylle saunz lour ordinaunce, in the French MS. of the Heralds Office. And so also in one of Mr. Anstis's Copies, unless it be that it hath ey for eyt; but in the other of his Copies the pas|sage is read thus: Ke nul alyens en curt eust pussaunce, Si noun par assent de commun volyaunce. Et ke la Rays apres de terres nul auaunce, Si Englays ne sait et de la nessaunce.] Ne no men þat were strange in courte suld haf no myght,
Ne office to do no chance withouten þe comon sight.
þis þei did him suere, als he was kyng & knyght,
þat oth suld he were, & maynten wele þat right.
THE kyng was holden hard, þorgh þat he had suorn,
His frendes afterward, þo þat were next born,
þe com to him & said, "Sir, we se þin ille,
" þi lordschip is doun laid, & led at oþer wille.
" We se þis ilk erroure nouht þou vnderstode.
" It is a dishonoure to þe & to þi blode,
" þou has so bonden þe, þei lede þe ilk a dele.
" At þer wille salle þou be, Sir, we se it wele,
" Calle ageyn þin oth, drede þou no manace,
" Nouþer of lefe ne loth, þi lordschip to purchace,
" þou may fulle lightly haf absolutioun,
" For it was a gilery, þou knew not þer tresoun.
" þou has frendis inowe in Inglond & in France,
" If þou turne to þe rowe, þei salle drede þe chance.
¶ þe kyng listned þe sawe, at þat consail wild do, [Barones miserunt pro Sy|mone de `de [Dele.] monte forti.]
þe barons had grete awe, whan þei wist he wild so,
