To kynges, prynces, and cytees gouernayle,
Gaue all theyr wyt in studye and dilygence,
Agayne mischeues to fynde and make defence.
And in the yere. viii. C. lxxx. and eyght,
All his ryches in fyue partes he [ganne] deuyde,
One part to men of warre to kepe his ryght,
An other parte to lande tyllers in that tyde,
The husbandry to mayntayne and to guide,
The thyrde part all [als.] churches wasted to restore,
The fourth vnto the studye of their lore;
And to the iudges and men of lawe well lerned,
The fyfte part [ful wysely he dispende,] [so of his goode he sende.]
To holde the lawe in [and.] peace truely gouerned:
Disposed thus he was the realme tamende.
This was a kyng [ful greatly to cōmende,] [gretly to recommende.] [Fol. C.xi.]
That thus could [couth.] kepe his lande from all vexaciō,
And not to hurte his commons by taxacyon.
¶ For truste it well, as God is now in heuen,
Who hurte the poore people and the commontee
By taxes sore [and] their goodes fro them reuen
[For any cause but necessytee,] [Or holy churche for theire speritualte.]
The dysmes to paye compell of royaltee,
Though they speake fast & mūble with the [their.] mouth,
Thei praie full euil with hert [hertis.] bothe North & South.
¶ The yere of Chryste. viii. C. lxxx. and thyrtene,
The duke Hastyne of Danes, euer vntrewe,
Destroyed the lande with hostes proude and kene,
By Easte and West, that all the lande did rewe,
Whome the [Than the.] kyng in batayle felly slewe,
After diuerse batayles amonge theim smyten,
In sondry places [there as] [as than.] it was well weten.
¶ In euery shyre the kyng made capitaynes
To kepe the lande with folke [men.] of theyr countree,
And shippes many [feel.] , & galaies lōg with chieftains,
And balyngers with bargys in [on.] the see,
With whiche he gate ryches greate quantyte;