good, but chyldren hath he none. 
    Some manne hath both, but he can get none health. 
    Some hath al thre, but vp to honours trone,
    Can he not crepe, by no maner of stelth. 
    To some she sendeth chyldren, ryches, welthe,
    Honour, woorshyp, and reuerence all hys lyfe: 
    But yet she pyncheth hym with a shrewde wife.” 
                                       SIR THOMAS MORE.

V. ENGLISH OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

37. Example for the reign of Henry VII, who was crowned on Bosworth field, 1485, and who died in 1509.

“Wherefor and forasmoche as we haue sent for our derrest wif, and for our derrest moder, to come unto us, and that we wold have your advis and counsail also in soche matters as we haue to doo for the subduying of the rebelles, we praie you, that, yeving your due attendaunce vppon our said derrest wif and lady moder, ye come with thaym unto us; not failing herof as ye purpose to doo us plaisir.  Yeven undre our signett, at our Castell of Kenelworth, the xiii daie of Maye.”—­HENRY VII:  Letter to the Earl of Ormond:  Bucke’s Classical Gram., p. 147.

38. Example for the short reign of Richard III,—­from 1485 to 1483.

“Right reverend fader in God, right trusty and right wel-beloved, we grete yow wele, and wol and charge you that under oure greate seale, being in your warde, ye do make in all haist our lettres of proclamation severally to be directed unto the shirrefs of everie countie within this oure royaume.”—­RICHARD III:  Letter to his Chancellor.

39. Reign of Edward IV,—­from 1483 to 1461.—­Example written in 1463.

“Forasmoche as we by divers meanes bene credebly enformed and undarstand for certyne, that owr greate adversary Henry, naminge hym selfe kynge of England, by the maliceous counseyle and exitacion of Margaret his wife, namynge hir selfe queane of England, have conspired,” &c.—­EDWARD IV:  Letter of Privy Seal.

40. Examples for the reign of Henry VI,—­from 1461 back to 1422.

“When Nembroth [i.e. Nimrod] by Might, for his own Glorye, made and incorporate the first Realme, and subduyd it to hymself by Tyrannye, he would not have it governyd by any other Rule or Lawe, but by his own Will; by which and for th’ accomplishment thereof he made it.  And therefor, though he had thus made a Realme, holy Scripture denyd to cal hym a Kyng, Quia Rex dicitur a Regendo; Whych thyng he did not, but oppressyd the People by Myght.”—­SIR JOHN FORTESCUE.

41. Example from Lydgate, a poetical Monk, who died in 1440.

   “Our life here short of wit the great dulnes
    The heuy soule troubled with trauayle,
    And of memorye the glasyng brotelnes,
    Drede and vncunning haue made a strong batail
    With werines my spirite to assayle,
    And with their subtil creping in most queint
    Hath made my spirit in makyng for to feint.” 
        JOHN LYDGATE:  Fall of Princes, Book III, Prol.