Classic Poem

Anothere incident of kepynge of the see, in the tyme of the merveillouse werroure and
victorious prince, kynge Herry the v th , and of his grete shippes.

And yf I shulde conclude al by the kynge,
Henry the fifte, what was hys purposynge,
Whan at Hampton he made the grete dromons,
Which passed other grete shippes of alle the comons,
The Trinite, the Grace-Dieu, the Holy-Goste,
And other moo whiche as now be loste,
What hope ye was the kynges grette entente
Of tho shippes, and what in mynde he mente?
It was not ellis but that he caste to be
Lorde rounde aboute enviroun of the see.
And whan Harflew had his sege aboute,
There came carikkys orrible, grete, and stoute,
In the narowe see wyllynge to abyde
To stoppe us there wyth multitude of pride.
My lorde of Bedeforde came one, and had the cure;
Destroyde they were by that discomfiture.
This was after the kynge Hareflew had wonne,
Whane oure enmyes to besege had begonne,
That alle was slayne or take, by treue relacioun,
To his worship and of his Englisshe nacioun.
Ther was presente the kynges chamberleyne
At bothe batayles, whiche knowethe this in certayne;
He can it telle other wyse than I;
Aske hym, and wite; I passe forthe hasteleye.
What had this kynge of his magnificens,
Of grete corage, of wysdome and prudence,
Provision, forewitte, audacite,
Of fortitude, justice, agilite,
Discrecioun, subtile avisifenesse,
Atemperaunce, noblesse, and worthynesse,
Science, proesce, devocion, equyte,
Of moste estate his magnanimite,
Liche to Edgare and the seyde Edwarde,
A braunche of bothe, lyche hem as in regarde.
Where was on lyve a man more victoriouse,
And in so shorte tyme prince so mervelouse?
By lande and see so welle he hym acquite,
To speke of hym I stony in my witte.
Thus here I leve the kynge wyth his nobelesse,
Henry the fifte, wyth whome alle my processe
Of this trewe boke of pure pollicie,
Of see kepynge, entendynge victorie,
I leve endely, for aboute in the see
No better was prince of strenuite.
And if he had to this tyme lyved here.
He had bene prince named wythoutene pere.
His grete shippes shulde have bene put in preffe,
Unto the ende that he mente of in cheffe.
Ffor doute it nat, but that he wolde have be
Lorde and master aboute the rounde see,
And kepte it sure, to stoppe oure enmyes hens,
And wonne us gode, and wysely brought it thens,
That no passage shulde be wythought daungere
And his licence on see to meve and stere.