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II. THE PRAISE OF KING HENRY V
The compleynt and lamentacion of the maker of thys for the Kynges deth, wt commendacion of his gouernance.
O gode lorde god, why lete thou so sone passe
This noble prynce, that in all Cristente
Had than no pere in no londe more ne lesse;
So excellent was his fortunyte
In florisshyng age of all fresh Iuuente:
That myght haue lete hym leue to gretter age
Tyll he had hole reioysed his herytage
Of Fraunce, all hole Guyen and Normandy,
Whiche thre wer his of olde inheritaunce,
And Angoy eke of full olde auncetry,
As Cronyclers haue made remembraunce;
For he was sette with myghty grete puisaunce
To conquere than the londe of all Surry, 4
That ys the londe of byheest proprely.
To whiche he than, and eke the Emperour,
Accorded wer withoute colusion
To Criste, goddes sonne, to gyfe thair hole labour
Fro tyme that thay myght make an vnyon
Betwyx Englonde and Fraunce by gode reson,
With helpe of other londes that wolde assent
To that vyage and conquest excellent.
O gode lorde god, that knew his hertes intent,
That was so sette for soules remyssion
To thyne honour by his attendement
To conuerte so that londe of promyssion;
Or elles it sette by Cristes hole permyssion
With Cristen folke, fayling thair conuersion
For thair foly and thayr peruersion.
O verry lorde, that arte omnipotent,
What hath Englonde so felly the offende,
This noble prynce, peerlesse of Regyment,
To Rauysshe so fro vs withouten ende?
O lorde, who shall Englond now defende?
Seth he is gone that was our hiegh Iustyse
For whom none durste his neyghbor than supprise.
Aboue all thynge he kept the lawe and pese
Thurgh all Englonde, that none insurreccion
Ne no riotes than wer withouten lese,
Ne neyghbours werre in fawte of his correccion:
Bot pesybly vndyr his proteccion
Compleyntes of wrongs alway in generall
Refourmed were so vndyr his yerde egall.