La Male Regle de T. Hoccleve
(Vv.177-92)

Wher was a gretter maister eek than Y,
Or bet aqweyntid at Westmynstre Yate?
Among the taverneres namely
And cookes whan I cam eerly or late,
I pynchid nat at hem in myn acate
But paied hem as þat they axe wolde;
Wherfore I was the welcomere algate
And for a verray gentil man yholde.

And if it happid on the someres day
þat I thus at the tauerne hadde be,
Whan I departe sholde and go my way
Hoom to the Priuee Seel, so wowed me
Hete and vnlust and superfluitee
To walke vnto the brigge and take a boot
þat nat durste I contrarie hem alle three
But dide as þat they stired me, Got woot.

Balade to Sir Henry Somer
(April 1410)

Ceste balade ensuyante feust, par la Court de Bone Conpaignie, enuoiee a lonure sire Henri Somer, Chaunceller de leschequer et vn de la dite court.

Worshipful sire, and our freend special
And felawe in this cas we calle yow.
Youre lettre sent vnto us cleerly al
We haue red, and vndirstonden how
It is no wit to your conceit, as now,
Vse the rule foorth as we been inne,
But al anothir rule to begynne

[nine other stanzas follow]
(Hoccleve replies to a letter by Somer, who will be the ruler of the coming May Day feast)

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