Now is mede þe mayde ; & no mo of alle

with bedellis & baylis ; brouȝt be-ffor þe kyng

The kyng called a clerk ; can I not his name

To take mede þe maydyn ; and make hir at ese

I shall asay hir my-self ; & sotheliche apose

what man on þis molde ; þat here where leuest

And if sche werche bi my witte ; and my wille ffollowe

I wolle ffor-gyue hir þis gilte ; so me god helpe

Curteysliche þe clerk þan ; as þe kyng hyȝte

Toke mede be þe medill ; & brouȝte hir in chambre

And þer was myrthe ; & mynstralcie . mede to plese

þei þat wonnen in westmynster ; wurschepen hir alle

Ientiliche with Ioy ; þe iustices Comen

Busked hem to þe boure ; þer þe bred dwellid

To komforte hir kyndely ; by clergise leue

And said morne þou not mede ; ne make þou no sorou

For we wisshenT þe kynge ; & þ{e}y wey schapen

To be weddid at þi wille ; & where þe leue likiþ

For al concience caste ; or crafte as I trowe

Mildeliche þann mede ; mercyed hem alle

Of her grette goodnesse ; & gaff he ichon

Coupis of clene gold ; & cupus of siluer

Ryngis with rubies ; & richesses many

þe leste man of hir meny ; a moton of gold

þan toke þey leue ; þese lordis at mede

with þat Comen clerkis ; to comforte hir þe same

And bodyn hir be blyþe ; ffor we ben þin owen

For to wirche þi wille ; þe while þou myȝth leste

hendeliche she þan ; by-hiȝte hem þe same

To loue hem lelli ; and lordis to make

In þe consistorie at court ; do calle ȝoure name

shall no lewdenesse lette ; þe lede þat I loue

That he ne worth ffrist auaunced ; ffor I am biknowyn

Ther kunnynge clekis ; shulle kloke bi-hynde

Than Come þer a conffessour ; Copid as a ffrere

To mede þe maydyn ; he medelid þese wordis

And said ffull softeliche ; in schrefte as it where

þouȝ lewde men & lered men ; had leyne be þe boþe

And ffalsenes had I-ffoulid þe ; al þis fifti wynter

I shal asoyle þe my-selue ; ffor a sem of whete

And also be þi bedeman ; & bere well þi massage

Amongis knyȝtis & klerkis ; concience to turne

þan mede ffor hir myssededis ; to þat man knelid

And schroue hir of his schrewnesse ; schameles I trowe

Tolde him a tale ; & toke him a nobill

For to be hir bedeman ; & hir brocoure als

þan he asoylid hir sone ; & sithen he said

we haue a wyndow in wirchinge ; wulle sittyn vs ffull hie

woldeste þou glase þat gable ; and graue þer-inne þi name

Sikir shuld þi soule be ; heuene to haueneT

wiste I þat quod þat womman I wolld not spare

For to be ȝoure ffrende ffrere ; & ffaile ȝow neuer

while ȝe louen lordis ; þat leccherie hauȝtenT

And lacken not ladies ; þat louen well þe same

It is a ffrelete of þe fflesshe ; ȝe ffynde it in bokis

And a cours of kynde ; wher-of we comen alle

who-so may schape þe slaundyre ; þe scathe is sone amendid

It is synne of þe Seuene ; is sonneste relessed

haue mercy quod mede ; of men þat it haunten

And I shalle kouere ȝoure kyrke ; & ȝoure kloyster do make

wallis do whiȝten ; wyndowis glasen

Do purtreye & peynten ; & pay ffor þe makinge

That euery man shall sey ; I am sister of ȝoure hous

And god to alle good ffolk ; siche gravinge deffendiþ

To writtyn in wyndowis ; of here willeT dedis

On auenture pride be peynted þer ; & pompe of þe world

For crist knowith þi concience ; & þi kynde wylle

And þi cost & þi coueytise ; & hoo þe catell auȝte

For-þi I leren ȝou lordis ; leueþ swyche werkis

To writyn in wyndowis ; of ȝoure well dedis

Or to greden after goddis men ; whan ȝe delen dolis

On auenture ȝe han ȝoure hire here ; & ȝoure heuene als

Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra

late not þi lifte half ; late ne raþe

witte what þou worchest ; with þi rith side

And þus bitte þe gospell ; good men do here almesse

Meyrs and maystres ; menes be bi-twyne

The kynge & þe Comunes ; to kepe well þe lawes

To punnysshen on pyleries ; & pynynge stolis

brousters & bakers ; bocheris and cokis

For þese arn men on þis molde ; þat moste harm worchen

To þe pore peple ; þat parcell-mele biggen

For þei punnyshen þe peple preuyliche & ofte

þei richen þoruȝ regraterie ; & rentes hem biggin

with þat þe pore peple ; shuld put in here wombe

For toke þei on truly ; þei tymbred not so hie

Ne bouȝte non burgages ; be {þe}ȝe ffull Certeyne

And mede þe maydyn ; þe meire hath be-souȝt

Of alle swyche sellers ; Syluer to take

Or presentes with-out pens ; as pecis of siluer

Ryngis or oþer richesse ; þe regrateris to meynteyn

For my loue quod þat lady ; loue hem ichon

And suffre hem to selle ; Sumdell aȝeyn reson

Saloman the sage ; A cermoun he made

For to amende meyris ; & men þat kepen lawes

And tolde hem þis tyme ; þat I telle þenk

Ignis deuorbit tabernaculam eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera & cetera .

That is ffiere shall ffalle & brenne ; al to blo asshes

The housis and þe homes ; of hem þat desiren

Ȝiftis or resseyues ; bi cause of her offices

The kyng ffro conceyll cam ; and callid after mede

and after sente hir als swyþe ; with sergauntes many

That brouten hir to boure ; with blisse & with Ioy

Curteysliche þe kyng þan ; comsed to telle

To mede þe mayde ; mellyþ þese wordis

Vnwittily womman ; wrouȝt hast þou ofte

And wers wrout þou neuer ; þan þoo þou ffals toke

but I ffor-gyff þe þis gylte ; and graunte þe my grace

henns to þi deþ-day ; do so no more

I haue a knyȝth concience ; cam late ffrom bi-ȝonde

if he willneþ þe to wyff ; wylt þou him haue

Ȝee lord quod þat lady ; lord ffor-bede ellis

but I be hooly at ȝoure heeste ; late hang me sone

And þan was concience callid ; to come & apere

by-ffor þe kyng & his Conceill ; as clerkis & oþer

knelynge concience ; to þe kyng lowted

To witte what his wille wore ; & what he do shulde

wylte þou wedde þis womman ; quod þe kyng . if I wolle asente

For she is ffayn of þi ffellawschepe ; ffor to be þi make

Quod concience to þe kynge ; crist it me ffor-bede

Er I wedde swyche a wyff ; woo me be-tyde

For she is ffrele of hir ffeiþ ; ffikell of hir {ffeith}speche

And makiþ men mysdo ; many score tymes

Trust of hir tresore ; betraieþ ffull many

wyues and wedowes ; wantownesse sche techeþ

And lereth hem leccherie ; þat louen hir ȝiftis

Ȝoure ffader ffelde ; þoru {ffaste} false be-heest

And haþe appoysond popis ; & peyrid holy chirche

Is not a better bawde ; bi him þat me made

bytwynne heuene & helle ; in erþe þouȝ men souȝtyn

For she is fekill of hir tayl ; tale-wyse of hir tunge

as Comune as a carte-wey ; to iche a knaue þat walkiþ

To monkys to mynstrallis ; to myssels in heggis

Sysouris & Sumpnours ; swiche men hir preiseþ

Shireues of Schyres ; where schent if sche nere

For she doþe men lese here lond ; & here lyff boþe

she letteþ passe presouneris ; & payeþ ffor hem ofte

And gyueþ þe Iayleris gold ; & grotis to-gedris

To vnffetere þe ffals ; ffle where him likith

And takiþ þe true by þe top ; & tieþe him ffaste

And hangyth him ffor haterid ; þat harme dede neuer

To be cursid in consistorie ; sche counttiþ not a rysshe

For she copiþ þe comyssarie ; & coteþ his clerkis

She is asoylid as sone ; as hir-self lykiþ

And may ny as moche do ; in a moneþ ones

as oure secret seel ; in Sixe Score daiez

For she is preuy with þe pope ; prouysoursP it knowen

For Sir Symonye & hir-silf ; seleth her bullis

she blessiþ þese bisschopis ; þouȝ þei be lewde

Prouendrith parsounes ; & prestis menteyneþ

To haue lemmanis & lotebies ; alle here lyf-daiez

And bryngen fforþ barnes ; aȝeyn ffor-bodyn lawes

Ther she is well with þe kyng ; woo is þe rewme

For she is ffauerable to þe ffals ; & ffouliþ truþe ofte

bi Ihesu with hir Iuellis ; ȝoure iustices she shendeþ

and lyeþ aȝeyn þe lawe ; & lettiþ him þe gate

þat ffeiþ may not haue his fforþe ; hir ffloreyns go so þi{n}kke

she ledeþ þe lawe as hir liste ; & loue-daiez makiþ

And doþe men lese þoru hir loue ; þat {lo} lawe myȝth wynne

The mase ffor a mene man ; þouȝ he mute here euere

lawe is so lordliche ; and loth to make an ende

with-out presentes or pens ; she plesiþ well ffewe

baronys and burgeyses ; she bryngith in-to sorowe

And alle þe Comunes in-to care ; þat coueyten to leuen in truþe

For clergie & couetyse ; she copleþ to-gedris

This is þe lyff of þat lady ; now lord gyue hir sorowe

And alle þat menteyn hir men ; mysshaunce hem by-tyde

For pore men mowen haue no power ; to pleyne hem þouȝ þey smertyn

Swyche a mayster is mede ; amongis men of good

þan morned mede ; and meued hir to þe kynge

To haue space to speke ; spede if she myȝth

The kyng graunted hir grace ; with a good wylle

Excuse þe if þou canst ; I can no more seye

For concience accuseþ þe ; to conge þe ffor euere

Nay lord quod þat lady ; leueþ him þe werse

whan ȝe witten witterly ; where þe wrong lyth

Ther þat myschef is grette ; mede may helpe

And þou knowist concience ; I cam not to schide

Ne depraue þi persoune ; with a proude herte

welle þou woste wernard ; but if þou wilte gabbe

þou hast hangid on myn half ; Eleuene tymes

And also gryped my gold ; geue it where þe likid

And why þou wraþist þe now ; wondir me þinkiþ

Ȝit I may as I myȝthe ; menske þe with ȝiftis

And menteyne þi manhod ; more þan þou knowest

And þou astT ffamed me ffoule ; by-ffore þe kyng here

For kyllid I neuer no kyng ; ne conceyled þer-after

Ne dede as þou demest ; I do it on þe kynge

In Normaundie was he not ; noyed ffor my sake

And þou þi-self sothely ; schamedist him ofte

Crope in-to a capan ; ffor colde of þi naylis

Wenyst þat wynter ; wolde haue durid euere

And dredest to be deed ; ffor a dyme cloude

And hyedest þe homward ; ffor hunger of þi wombe

with-oute pite piloure ; pore men þou robbist

And bare here bras at þi bak ; to Caleys to selle

Ther I lefte with my lord ; his lyf ffor to saue

I made his men mery ; & mornynge P letted

And I battered hem on þe bac ; & boldid her hertis

And dede hem hope ffor hope ; to haue me at wille

had I be marchall of men ; by marie of heuene

I durst haue leyd my lyff ; & no lesse weed

he shuld haue be lord of þat lond ; a lengþe & on brede

And also kyng of þat kyþþe ; his kyn ffor to helpe

The leest brolle of his blode ; a barons pere

Cowardeliche þou concience ; conceylistdist him þan

To leue his lordschepe ; ffor a litil siluer

That is þe richeste rewme ; þat reyn ouere-houeþ

It bicomeþ to a kyng ; þat kepeþ þe rewme

To ȝeue mede to men ; þat myldeliche him seruen

To Alyens AndC to alleC men ; to honoure hem with ȝifftis

Mede makyþ him to be loued ; & ffor a man holdyn

Emperours & erlis ; & alle manere lordis

For ȝifftis han ȝong men ; to renne & to ride

The pope & alle prelatis ; presentes vndirffongen

And meden men hem-seluen ; to menteyn here lawis

Sergauntes ffor her Seruyse ; we seen welle þe sothe

Taken mede of her maister ; as þey moun acordyn

beggers ffor her biddinge ; biddyn men mede

Mynstrallis ffor her myrthe ; mede þey asken

The kyng haþ mede of his mene ; to make pees in lond

Men þat techen childrin ; crauen of hem mede

prestis þat prechin þe peple ; to good asked mede

And masse-pens & her mete ; at þe male tymes

alle-kyns crafti men ; crauen mede {....}ffor her prentises

Marchauntis P & mede ; mote nede go to-gedris

No wiȝtt as I wene ; without mede may leffe

Quod þe kyng to concience ; bi crist as me þinkiþ

Mede is wel worthi ; þe maystrie to haue

Nay quod concience to þe kyng ; & knelyd to þe {.....}Erthe

þer ar two maner of medes ; my lord with ȝoure leue

þat on god of his grace ; graunteþ in his blisse

To þo þat well werchin ; while þei ben here

þe prophete precheþ þer-of ; & puttiþ it in þe sauter

Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo & cetera

lord who shall wonye in þi wonys & with þin holi seyntis

Or resten in þin holy hillis ; þis askiþ dauid

And dauid asoyliþ it him-self ; as þe sauter telliþ

Qui ingreditur sine maculla & operatur iusticiam

þoo þat entrin of o coloure ; & of on wille

And han wrouȝt werkis ; with rith & with reson

And he þat ne vseþ not ; þe lijf of vsurie

And enfformeþ pore men ; & pursueþ truþe

Qui peccuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram & munera set innocenter & cetera

And alle þat helpen þe innocent ; & halt with þe rithffull

wyth-oute mede dooþ hem good ; & truþe helpeþ

Swyche maner of men my lord ; schull haue þe ffrist mede

Of god at grett nede ; whan þei gon henns

þer is anoþer mede mesureles ; þat maystris desiren

To meynteyn mysdoers ; mede þei taken

And þer-of saiþ þe sauter ; in a salmes ende

In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextra eorum repleta est muneribus

and he þat gripeþ her gold ; so me god helpe

shall abie it bitterly ; or þe book lieþ

prestis & parsones ; þat plesinge desiren

That takyn mede & mony ; ffor messis þat þei syngyn

Takyn here mede hire ; as mathew vs telliþ

Amen Amen receperunt mercedem suam

That laboris and lewde ffo{rde}lk ; Taken of her maistris

It is no maner mede ; but a mesurable hire

In marchaundise is no mede ; I may it well avowe

It is a permutacioun apertely ; a peny-worþe ffor anoþer

and reddist þou neuer Regum ; þou recreyd mede

why þe venjaunce P ffelle on saul ; & on his childrin

god sente to saul be samuell þe prophete

þat agag of amalek ; & all his peple after

shulden die ffor a dede ; þat don had her eldris

For-þi said samuell to saul ; god him-self hotiþ

þe to be buxum at his bidding ; & his wille to ffullfille

Wynde to amelek with þin oste ; & what þou ffyndiste þer sle it

bernes & bestis ; brenne hem to dede

wydowez & wyues ; wommen & childrin

Mebles & vnmebles ; & al þat þou myȝth ffynde

brenne it bere it not away ; be it neuer so riche

For mede ne ffor mony ; loke þou distroye it

spille it & spare it not ; þou shalt spede þe better

and ffor he coueytid here catel ; & þe kyng sparid

For-bare him & his bestis ; boþe as þe bible wittenessiþe

Oþer-wise þan he was ; warned of þe proffeet

god seyde to samuel ; þat saul shulde die

And all his seed ffor þat synne ; schenffulliche ende

Swiche a mysscheff mede made ; saul þe kyng to haue

þat god hated him ffor euere ; & al his eires after

þe culorum of þis caas ; kepe I not to schewe

On auenture it noyede men ; non ende wolde I make

For so is þis world went ; with hem þat han powere

That who-so seiþ sothes ; is sonneste I-blamed

I concience knowe þis ; ffor kynde witte me tauȝte it

That reson shall regne ; & rewmes gouerne

And rith as agag had ; happe shull summe

Samuel shall sle him ; & saul shall be blamed

And dauid shall be deademed ; & daunted hem alle

And on Cristen kyng ; kepen hem alle

shall no mede be maister ; as she is nowȝ

& loue & lownesse ; and lewte to-gedris

þese shull be maistris on mold ; truþe to saue

And who-so trespassiþ aȝeyn truþe ; or takiþ aȝeyn his wille

lewte shall do him lawe ; & no lijf ellis

shall no seriauntes ffor her seruyse ; where a silken howe

Ne no pelure in his cloke ; ffor pledinge at þe barre

Mede of myssedoers ; makiþ many lordis

and ouer londis lawes ; rulyþ þe rewmes

and kynde loue shall come ȝitt ; & concience to-gedris

And make of lawe a loborere ; swiche loue shall arise

And a swiche a pees among þe peple ; & a profitte truþe

þat Iues shulle wene in her witte ; & wax wondir glad

þat moyses or messye ; by comyn in-to þis erthe

and haue wondire in here hertis ; þat men ben so truwe

alle þat beren baslard ; brode swerde or launce

ax oþer hachett or ony wepene ellis

shall be demed to þe deþ ; but if {it} he do it smythe

In-to sekill or to sithe ; to schare or to cultere

Confflabunt gladios suos in vomeres

Iche man to pley with a plow ; pikeis or spade

spynne or spred dung ; or spille him-self with sleuþe

Prestis & parsones ; with placebo to hunte

and dyng vppon dauid ; Iche day till euen

huntynge P or haukynge P ; if ony of hem vse

his boste of his benefice ; worþe by-nome him after

shall neiþer kyng ne knyȝth ; cunstable ne meire

Ouere-lede þe Comune ; ne to þe court sompne

Ne putte hem in panell ; to do hem pliȝte her truþe

But after þe dede is don ; oo dom shall rewarde

Mercy or no mercy ; as truþe wolle acorde

kyngis Couȝt & comune court ; consistorie & chapitle

all shall be but on court ; & o baroun be iusti{s}ce

þan wexe trwe tunge a tydi man ; þat tened me neuer

bataylis shulle non be ; ne man bere wepen

and what smyte þat any smyteþ ; be smyten þer-with to deþe

Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium

And er þis ffortune ffalle ; ffynde men shull þe werst

By sixe sunnes & a schippe ; & half a scheffe of arwes

and þe myddill of a mone ; shall make þe Iues to turne

and sarasynys ffor þat syȝt ; shall synge gloria in excelsis

For machometh & mede ; mysse-happe shulle þat tyme

For melius est bonum nomen ; quam diuicie multe

Als so wroth as þe wynd ; wex mede in a whyle

I can no latyn quod sche ; clerkis wotton þe sothe

See what salomon seiþ ; in sapience bokis

þat he þat ȝeueþ ȝiftis ; þe victorie wynneþ

and moche wurschepe had þer-with ; as holy writte telliþ

honorem adquiret ; qui dat munera & cetera

I leue well lady quod concience ; þat þi latyn be trewe

And þou arte like a lady ; þat redde a lesson ones

was omnia probate ; & þat plesid hir herte

For þat lyne was lenger ; at þe lynes ende

had she loked þat oþer half ; and þe leef turned

she shulde haue ffounde ffele wordis ; ffolwynge þer-after

Quod bonum est tenete ; truthe þat text made

And so fferde ȝe madame ; ȝe couude no more ffynde

þouȝ ȝe loked on sapience ; syttynge in ȝoure stodie

This tixte þat ȝe han tolde ; were good ffor lordis

and ȝou ffaylid a kunnynge clerk ; þat cowde þe leef haue turned

And if ȝe seke sapience eft ; ffynde shulle ȝe þat ffolwith C

a ffull tenffull text ; to hem þat takyn mede

and þat is animam autem auffert accipiencium & cetera .

and þat is þe tayl of þe texte ; of þat þat ȝe schewed

þat þouȝ we wynne worschipe ; & with mede haue victorie

þe soule þat þe soude takeþ ; by so moche is boundyn