The governance of England: otherwise called The difference between an absolute and a limited monarchy. A rev. text edited with introd., notes, and appendices by Charles Plummer.

Ther is no man hanged in Scotlande in vij yere to gedur ffor robbery. And yet thai ben often tymes hanged ffor larceny, and stelynge off good in the absence off þe owner þeroff. But þer hartes serue hem not to take a manys gode, while he is present, and woll defende it; wich maner off takynge is callid robbery. But þe Englysh man is off anoþer corage. Ffor yff he be pouere, and see another man havynge rychesse, wich mey be taken ffrom hym be myght, he will not spare to do so, but yff þat pouere man be right trewe. Wherfore it is not pouerte, but it is lakke off harte and cowardisse, that kepith the Ffrenchmen ffro rysynge.

THIS serche wich we nowe haue made, ffor to vnderstonde how harmefull it wolde be to the kynge, and to his reaume, yff his commons were pouere, hath be a digression ffrom the mater in wich we labour; þat is to say, ffor to vndirstonde howe the kyng mey best haue sufficient and perdurable livelod ffor the sustentacion off his estate. Wherfore it be houyth þat we nowe resorte to the poynte in wich we lafte, wich, as I remenbr, was this. We ffounde be grete causes, þat it was nedefull, þat all suche giftes