LAK OF STEDFASTNESSE
Balade

Som tyme this world was so stedfast and stable, 
That mannes word was obligacioun, 
And now hit is so fals and deceivable, 
That word and deed, as in conclusioun, 
Ben no-thing lyk, for turned up so doun
Is al this world for mede and wilfulness, 
That al is lost for lak of stedfastnesse.

What makes this world to be so variable, 
But lust that folk have in dissensioun? 
Among us now a man is holde unable, 
But-if he can, by som collusioun, 
Don his neighbour wrong or oppressioun. 
What causeth this but wilful wrecchednesse, 
That al is lost, for lak of steadfastnesse? 

Trouthe is put doun, resoun is holden fable; 
Vertu hath now no dominacioun, 
Pitee exyled, no man is merciable. 
Through covetyse is blent discrecioun; 
The world hath mad a permutacioun
Fro right to wrong, fro trouth to fikelnesse, 
That al is lost for lak of stedfastness. 

Lenvoy to King Richard. 
O prince, desyre to be honourable, 
Cherish thy folk and hate extorcioun!
Suffre no thing, that may be reprevable
To thyn estat, don in thy regioun. 
Shew forth thy swerd of casteigacioun, 
Dred God, do law, love trouthe and worthinesse, 
And wed thy folk agein to stedfastnesse. 

Explicit.