Charles Brockden Brown (1771–1810). Edgar Huntley; or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker. 1857.
The Minor PoemsXV. Lak of Stedfastnesse
Balade.
SOM tyme this world was so stedfast and stableThat 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 dounIs al this world for mede and wilfulnesse,That al is lost for lak of stedfastnesse.What maketh this world to be so variableBut 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 stedfastnesse?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 permutaciounFro right to wrong, fro trouthe to fikelnesse,That al is lost, for lak of stedfastnesse.
Lenvoy to King Richard.
O prince, desyre to be honourable,Cherish thy folk and hate extorcioun!Suffre no thing, that may be reprevableTo thyn estat, don in thy regioun.Shew forth thy swerd of castigacioun,Dred God, do law, love trouthe and worthinesse,And wed thy folk agein to stedfastnesse.
Explicit.