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.

CHAPTER XIII. ONLY LAK OFF HARTE AND COWARDISSE KEPEN THE FFRENCHEMEN FFRO RYSYNGE.

POUERTE is not the cause, whi the commons off Ffraunce rise not ayen thair souerayn lorde. Ffor þer were neuer people in þat lande more pouere, then were in owre tyme the commons off the contre off Caux, wich was tho almost diserte ffor lakke off tillers; as it now well apperith be the new husbondry þat is done þer, namely in grobbyng and stokkyng off treis, busses, and groves, growen whill we were ther lordes off the contray. And yet the said commons off Caux made a mervelous gret rysinge, and toke owre townis, castelles, and ffortresses, and slowe owre capitans and soudiours, at soche a tyme as we hade but ffewe men off werre lyinge in þat contray. Wich provith þat it is not pouerte þat kepith Ffrenchmen ffro rysinge, but it is cowardisse and lakke off hartes and corage, wich no Ffrenchman hath like vnto a Englysh man. It hath ben offten tymes sene in Englande, þat iij. or iiij. theves ffor pouerte haue sett apon vj or vij trewe men, and robbed hem all. But it hath not bene sene in Ffraunce, þat vj. or vij. theves haue be hardy to robbe iij. or iiij. trewe men. Wherfore it is right selde þat Ffrenchmen be hanged ffor robbery, ffor thai haue no hartes to do so terable an acte. Ther bith therfore mo men hanged in Englande in a yere ffor robbery and manslaughter, then þer be hanged in Ffraunce ffor such maner of crime in vij yeres.

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.