'I affermë [[afferme yt St.]] boldëly
They be mesúrable and ffre,
And off ther port fful áttempre. [folio 222a]
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'I sey also (off ffals entent,)
To ffolkys that be neclygent,
That they in vertu be besy;
And to tyrauntys, ful boldëly
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I afferme, and sey hem thus,
That they off hertë be pytous;
I swere yt, for to make hem sure.
'And placys ful off old ordure,
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I kan strowhe with Rosshys grene,
That ther ys no ffelthë sene.
And I kan sette (or folk take hed) [Stowe folio 258b]
A Coyffe vp-on a skallyd heed:
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Thys myn offyce, and noon other;
'And at the kyngës hous, my brother,
I am welkomyd off euery man,
So wel to hem I plesë kan,
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ffor in that court ys no gestour,
I yow ensure, nor tregetour,
That doth to hem so gret plesaunce
As I do with my dallyaunce,
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They han in me so gret delyt.
'Yet for al that, myn appetyt
Ys to deceyue hem, grene and rype;
So swetly with my ffloute I pype,
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My song ys swettere, hem tagree,
Than off meremaydenys in the se,
Wych, with ther notys that they sowne,
Causë folkys for to drowne
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With ther sootë mellodye.
'My ryhtë namë ys 'Flatrye,' [[= Flaterye]]
Callyd 'cosyn to Tresoun,'
And by dyssent off lynë doun
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Eldest douhter off Falsnesse,
Cheff noryce off Wykkednesse;
And all thys oldë ffolk (certeyn)
Her-to-fforn that thow hast seyn,
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I excepte off hem neuere on, [folio 222b]
