I send you herewith a copy of an ancient ballad which I found this day
while in search of other matters. I have endeavoured to explain away the
strange orthography, and I have conjecturally supplied the last line. The
ballad is unhappily imperfect. I trust that abler antiquaries than myself
will give their attention to this fragmentary poem.
"A BALADE OF TROUTHE.
(Harl. MSS. No. 48. folio 92.)
"What more poyson . than ys venome.
What more spytefull . than ys troozte.[1]
Where shall hattred . sonere come.
Than oone anothyr . that troozte showthe.
Undoyng dysplesure . no love growthe. 5
And to grete[2] men . in especyall.
Troozte dare speke . lest[3] of all.
"And troozte . all we be bound to.
And troozte . most men now dothe fle.[4]
What be we then . that so do. 10
Be we untrewe . troozte saythe ee.[5]
But he y^t tellethe troozte . what ys he.
A besy foole . hys name shalle ronge.[6]
Or else he hathe an euyle tonge.
{135}
"May a tong . be trew and evyle. 15
Trootze ys good . and evyle ys navtze.[7]
God ys trootze . and navzt ys y^e devyle.
Ego sum veritas . o^r[8] lord tavzt.[9]
At whyche word . my conceyt lavzt.[10]
To se[11] our Lorde . yff[12] foly in hym be. 20
To use troozt . that few doth but he.
"To medyle w^t trouthe[13] . no small game.
For trouthe told . of tyms ys shent.
And trouthe known . many doth blame.
When trouthe ys tyrned . from trew intent. 25
Yet trouthe ys trouthe . trewly ment.[14]
But now what call they trouthe . trow ye.
Trowthe ys called colored honeste.
"Trouthe . ys honest without coloure.
Trouthe . shameth not in no condycyon. 30
Of hymself . without a trespasowre.
By myst and knowne . of evyle condycyon.
But of trouthe thys ys y^e conclusyon.
Surely good ordre there ys brokyne.
Where trouthe may not . nor dare be spokyne.[15] 35
"Trouthe many tyms ys cast.
Out of credence . by enformacyon.
Yet trouthe crepthe[16] out at last.
And ovyr mastrythe cavylacyon.[17]
That I besech Cryst . every nacyon. 40
May use trouthe . to God and man.
* * that he * not * syn * * ."
* * * * * *