Classic Poem

A ffalse coloure in excusyng of prises.

Thane shalle Lumbardes and othere feyned frendes
Make her chalenges by coloure false of fendes,
And sey there chafare in the shippes is,
And chalenge alle, loke yf this be amisse.
Ffor thus may alle that men have brought to sorowe,
And ben excused and saved by false coloure.
Be ware, ye men that bare the grete on honde,
That they destroy the polycye of this londe,
By gifte and goode, and the fyne golden clothes,
And silke and othere, sey ye nat this sothe is?
Bot if ye hadde verry experience,
That they take mede wythe pryve violence,
Carpettis, and thynges of price and of pleysaunce,
Whereby stopped shulde be gode governaunce.
And if it were as ye seye unto me,
Than wolde I seye, allas, cupidite!
That they that have here lyves put in drede
Schal be sone oute of wynnynge, al for mede,
And lese here costes, and brought to poverte,
That they shalle nevere have luste to go to see.