'A bettre swerd was neuere wrouht, [folio 123b]
Off princë nor off kyng ybouht;
ffor the swerd off goode Oger,
Off Rowland nor off Olyuer,
Line 7840
Was nat (for to reknen al)
Off valu, to thys swerd egal,
So trusty nor so vertuous,
To ffolk in vertu coragous.
Line 7844
ffor thys swerd haueth so gret myht, [Stowe folio 141a]
To ryche and povre for to do ryht,
And thorgh hys vertuous werkyng
Yiveth euery man hys ownë thyng:
Line 7848
A swerd mad for an Emperour,
And for euery gouernour,
And al that hauen regencie
A-boue other, or [[off St.]] maystrye,
Line 7852
Therby to gouerne ther meyne
And ther sogetys in equyte,
That noon do to other wrong
(Thogh he be myghty outher strong,)
Line 7856
By fforcë nor by vyolence,
Hys neyhbour to don offence.
'ffor thys swerd, in euery place,
Allë wrongys doth mAnace,
Line 7860
And techeth A manhys [[mannys St.]] body wel,
Not to be stordy nor rebel;
A-geyn the Spyryt, no thyng to seye,
But to be soget, and obeye;
Line 7864
And techeth A manhys [[mannys St.]] herte off ryht,
To louë god with al hys myght,
A-boue al other Erthly thyng,
As hym that ys most myghty kyng;
Line 7868
Eschewë ffraude, deceyt & guyle;
And that, by couert off no whyle,
He, in hys affeccïoun,
Off wyl nor off entencioun
Line 7872
Ne do no maner tyranye, [folio 124a]
Oppressyoun nor robberye;
And cheffly, that euery maner wyht
Gouerne and rule hym sylff aryht,
Line 7876
