I-browht by-fore þe kyng / with bedel & bayly
A-non þe kyng kallid a Clerk / y knowe not his name.
To take Meede þe Maide / & make hire a tese / at ese.
But y wille hire first a-sayȝe / & sotilly hire apose.
What wyȝe of þis world / þat she were levest.
¶ Þanne þe Clerk curteysly / dyde as þe kyng hym hyghte.
& fette furþ merthe with menstralcy / Meede with to plese.
¶ Summe þat whonen at westmenstre / worchepe þey hire make.
Ful Ientylly with Ioyȝe / of þe Iustises manye.
Busked hem boldly to hire bour / þere þe beerde dwelliþ.
To conforte hire konyngly / by Clergyes leve.
Þey seide moorne not Meede / ne make þou no sorwe.
For we wille wisse þe kyng / & þy weyȝe shape.
To be weddid at þy wille / & wher þe levest lykeþ.
¶ Þanne Myȝldely Meede / mercyed hem alle.
Of here grete goodnesse / & gaf to hem ecchone.
Cowpis / of klene gold / with cases of syluer.
For þe leeste of here men / hadde a motoun of goolde.
Þan lawhte þei here leve / þo Lordis at Meede.
& with þat kemen Clerkys / & confortid hire þe same.
& beedyn hire be blythe / For we ben þyn owene.
For to wirche þy wille / þe whyles þou may laste.
Þanne she dede hendely / & be-hyghte hem þe same.
To loven hem lelly / & Loordis hem to make.
For in þe constorie in þe court / I shal do cowþe ȝour name.
¶ Þanne com þere a Confessoure / was coped as a Frere.
& seyde ful softly / as in scryfte it where.
Þey leernede men / & lewede men / have leyn by þe boþe.
& þey Fals have defoulyd þe / þis fyftene wynter.
I shal a-soyle þe my-selue / for a seem of wheete.
& also ben þyn bedeman / & beere wel þyn name.
A-mongys Clerkys & knyghtys / here consyence to turne.
¶ Þan Meede for hire mysdedis / to þat man turnede.
& shrof hire of hire shrewidnesse / shameles y trowe.
Whan she hadde told hire tale / she took hym a noble.
For to been hire bedeman / & hire brokour alse.
¶ A-non he assoylyd hire soone / & sytthen he seyde.
We have a wyndowe wirchynge / wille sytte vs ful hyȝe
Wolde ȝe glase þat gable / & grave þere-In ȝoure name.
Sykirly sholde ȝoure soule / in-to hevene styȝe.
Þat y / y [ne] wolde do mende it / or make it at þe fulle.
/ / [¶] But god / to goode folk / swich grauynge defendiþ.
& wrytynge in wyndowis / of here wel-dedys.
For crist knoweth þyn consyence / & þyn kende wille.
Boþe þe coost & þy coueytyse / & who þe catel awhte.T
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera.
Leete nowht þyn lyft half / neyþir late ne rathe.
Weetyn what þou wyrchist / with þyn ryght syde.
/ / [¶] Meyȝres with here Macerys / þat meenys been be-twene.
Þe kyng / & þe Comounys / to kepen wel þe Lawys.
Boþe websteres & bakesterys / & bocheres & Cookys.
To þe poore peple / þat parcel-meel byggyn.
& poysene þe peple / pryvyly & softe.
Þey rychen þoru regratrye / & rentys hem byggyn
With þat þe pore peple / sholde pytte in here wombe.
For tooke þey on trewly / þey tyȝmbred not so hyȝe.
¶ But now þe Maide meede / þe Mayr haþ she prayed.
Of alle swiche selleres / syluer to taken.
Or presentys with-outyn pens / as pecys of syluer.
Or rynges or rycchesse / þe regratoures to meynghte / meyn[ten]e.
& suffreþ hem to selle / sumdel a-geyn resoun
/ / [¶] Kyng Salomon þe sage / a sermoun he made.
To a-Mende Meyȝhrys / & men þat kepe þe Lawis
& þus he tolde his teeme / þat y shal telle ȝou after.
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenterT
A-mong lettryd leedis / þis latyn ys to meene.
Þat feer shal falle & brenne / al to bloo askys.
Þe howses / & þe homes / of hem þat dysyren.
¶ Þanne þe kyng fram conseyl cam / & callyd after Meede.
& sente after hire swyþe / with sergauntys manye.
Þat browhtyn / browhtyn [hire] to bowre / wiþ blysse & with Ioyȝe.
/ / [¶] A-non þe kyng curteysly / comsed for to telle.
& to Meede þe Maide / he melede þese wordis.
Þou womman vn-wittyly / wrought hast þou ofte.
But worse wroughtist þou neuere / þan whan þou fals tooke.
But y forgyve þe þat gylt / & graunte þe myn grace.
Fram hens to þyn deþ-day / yf þou do so no moore.
/ / [¶] But y have a knyght hatte consyence / kam late fram by-ȝounde.
If he wilne þe to wyve / wilt þou with hym holde.
¶ Ȝee Lord quod þe Lady / oure Lord for-beede ellys.
But y be holly at ȝour heste / hyȝe hange / hange [me] soone.
/ / [¶] & þan was Consyence clepd / to comen & a-peren.
By-fore þe kyng & his cunseyl / as Clerkys & oþere.
¶ Þanne Consience knelynge / vnto þe kyng lowhtede.
To wete what his wille were / & what he do sholde.
/ / [¶] Wilt þou weddyn þis womman quod þe kyng / if she wille a-sente.
For she is of fair shapT / for to ben þyn make.
¶ Quod Consience to þe kyng / crist it me for-beede.
& er y wedde swich a wyf / woo me by-tyȝde.
For she is fykel of feyþ / & fals of hire speche.
& makþ men mys-doon / manye skore tyȝmes.
Boþe wyvis & wedewis / & wantowne wenchis.T
& lerneþ hem Leccherye / þat loveþ hire loore.
& she haþ y-poysoned popis / & a-peyred holy chirche
Þer is nawht a bettre bawde / by hym þat me maade.
By-twexe hevene & helle / þey men al erthe sowhte.
For she is tykyl of hire tayl / & talewyȝs of tunge.
& as comoune as cartewey / to ech knave of towhne.
She takþ MasonysT & Menstralys / & Meselys in heggys.
Boþe Sysoures & Sumnowres / swiche shulle hire preyse.
But Sherevis of Shyres / wheryn shent if she neere.
For she doþ men leesen here lond / & here lyf boþe.
& she leetyþ passe prisonerys / & payeþ for hem ofte.
& gyfþ þe gailer gold / & grootys to-gydre.
To vnfetere þe false / & flee where hym lykeþ.
& trewþe ys take be þe top / & teyȝed fyȝn faste.
& he hangyd for hatterede / þat harm dyde neuere.
To don curse in constorye / she a-counteþ not a resshe.
& she ys a-soyled soone / as hire-selue lykyþ.
¶ She may neeyh doon as myche / in a Moneþ ones.
As ȝowre secret seel / sire kyng / in sixe skore dayes.
For she is prive with þe pope / alle provisoures it knoweþ.
For Maister Symony & hire-selue / a-seelyn þe billys
& she blessiþ bisshopis / & beggerys she hateþ.T
& prestys she meynteneþ / with mennes wifes to deele.
& so ben browht forþ barnes / a-geyn for-boode Lawis.
/ / [¶] & þere she is weel with þe kyng / woo ys / to þat Rewhme.
For she is fauerable / to Fals / & defouleþ trewþe ofte.
& lyȝeþ a-geyn þe Lawhe / & lettyþ so þe gate.
Þat feyþ may not have his furþ / for Floreynys goo so þykke.
She leediþ þe lawe as she lyst / & swiche love-dayes makeþ.
Þat men leese be hire love / þat lawe wolde þey wonne.
Ȝee þe Mase for a meene man / þeyhȝ he moote euere.
For þe Lawe is so lordly / & looþ to make an ende.
With-outyn presentys or pens / it plesiþ but fewe.
¶ Boþe Baronys & burgeisis / she bryngiþ in sorwe.
& alle þe comonis in care / þat coueyten truthe.
For Clergye & Coueytyse / she cowpleþ to-gydre.
Þis is þe Lyf of þat Lady / oure Lord gyve hire sorwe.
& alle / alle [þat] hire meyntene & hire men / myschawnce hem by-tyȝde.
& prayede þe kyng to speke / speede if she myghte.
Þe kyng grauntyd hire grace / with a glad wille.
Excuse þe if þou canst / I can no moore . þis tyme.
For Consience haþ accused þe to kunge þe for euere.
Nay Lord quod þat Lady / now leve hym þe worse
Whan ȝee wetyn wyttyrly / where þe wrong lyggiþ.
For þere þat Mischeef ys gret / Meede may it helpe.
Ne deprave þy persone / with a prowd herte.
But wel þou woost wernard / but if þou wylle gabbe.
Þou hast hangid on myn half / eleuene tymes.
But why þou wratthest þe now / wondir me þynkyþ.
For ȝit y may as y myghte / menske þe with gyftys.
& meyntene þyn manhod / moore þan þou knowyst.
But þou hast defamed / defamed [me] foule / by-fore þe kyng heere.
¶ For in Normondyȝ þe kyng was nout / noyhed for my sake
For crope / Crope in a Caban / for cold of þyn naylys.
& wendist þat wynter / wolde have lasted euere.
& also þou dreddist to dyȝe / for a dym clowhde.
& hyȝedist homwarde / for hungir of þy wombe.
& bere here bras at þy bak / In Caleys to selle.
Þere y lefte with my Lord / his lyf for to save.
I made hise men meryȝe / & here Murnynge y lette.
I batered hem on þe bak / & bolded here hertys.
& dide hem hoppyn on hope / to have me at wille.
¶ Hadde y be Marchal of hise men / be Marie of hevene.
I durste haue leyd my lyf / & no lesse gage.
He shulde have / have [be] lord of þat lond / in lengþe & in brede.
& also kyng of þat kyþ / al his keen to helpe.
Þe leeste brolle of þis londT / a baronys peere.
¶ & þou Consience / cowardly / þou conseyledist hym þenne.
Þat ys þe ryccheste regne / þat reyȝn ouere-hoveþ.
It be-comeþ wel a kyng / þat kepiþ a rewhme.
To ȝyve Meede to men / þat menskly hym serue.
& alyenys & oþire men / to honoure hem with gyftys.
For Meede makþ hym by-loved / & a man y-holde.
¶ Emperoures / & Erlys / & alle erthely Lordis.
Þorghȝ ȝiftys have ȝoomenT / to ȝeerne & to ryȝde.
¶ Þe Pope also / of prelatys / presentys he vndir-fongyþ.
& þey Meede men hem-selue / to meyntene þe lawis.
& seruauntys for here seruyse / who can seyȝ þe sothe.
Take Meede of here Mayster / as þey moun a-corde.
& Menstralis for here merthe / meede / men hem profre.
/ / [¶] Þe kyng haþ Meede of hise men / to make pees in londe.
Preestis þat preche þe peple / of god þey aske meede.
& messe-pens & here meel / at here mete tyȝme.
Alle manere of crafty men / crave meede for here prentyȝs.
& Marchauntys & meede / muste nedys goon to-gydre.
No wyȝht as y wene / withoutyn meede may lybbe.
Now ys Meede worthy / þe Maystrie to have.
¶ Nay quod consience to þe kyng / & kneled on þe erþe.
Þere ben two manere of meedis / my lord be ȝour leve.
Þe firste is þat god of his grace / grauntyþ to his blysse.
To þo þat wel wirche / whilis þey ben on erthe.
Þe prophete prechiþ þer-of / & is pyt in þe Sawter.
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo atque quis requiescet in monte sancto eius . imocens / i[nn]ocens manibus & mundo corde.T
He seyþ Lord who shal wone in þyn wones / with þyn holy seyntis.
Er restyn on þyn holy hillis / þus askedeT dauyd.
/ / [¶] & dauyd asoyled it / hym-selue / as þe sawhter tellyþ.
Qui ingreditur sine macula & operatur iusticiam.
Þo þat entryn of o colour he seiþ / & also of o wille.
& haven wroght werkis / with ryght & with resoun.
& he wil nowht vse / þe lyf of vseryȝe.
& þo þat helpe þe Innocent / & holde with þe ryghtful.
Swiche manere of men my lord / shulle have þe for-seyd mede.
Of god / at his grete neede / whan þey goon hennys.
/ / [¶] Þe seconde Meede ys Mesourles / þat Maystris dysyren
To Meyntene mysdoerys / Meede þey taken.
& of hem seyþ þe sawhter / in a Spalmes ende.
C In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextra eorum repleta est muneribus.
He þat grypeþ so gold / so me god helpe.
Boþe prestys & parsones / þat preysynge dysyreþ.
Þey take Meede & Mone / for Masses to synge.
& þerfore is here Meede / as Seynt Mattheu vs tellyt
Amen dico vobis . receperunt mercedem suam.
/ / [¶] But þat Laboris & lewid men / taken of here Maystris.
It is no manere Meede / but a mesurable hyȝre.
Ne in Marchantdyse / is no meede / y may it wel a-vowe.
But reddist þou neuere regum / þou recreyȝede Meede.
Why þe vengaunce fel on / Saul & hise childryn.
God sente to Saul / be Samuel the prophete.
Þat Agag & Amalek / & al here peple after.
Shulden dyȝe for þe dede / þat doon hadde here eldres.
/ / [¶] Þus seyde Samuel to Saul / god hym-selue þe hoteþ.
Wende to Amelek with þyn oost / & what þou fynst sle it.
& beernes & beestis / brenne hem to dethe.
Mevable & vn-mevable / al þou may þere fyȝnde.
Brenne yt / bere it nowht a-way / be it neuere so ryche.
But spille it / & spare it nowht / & þou shalt spede þe bettre.
/ / [¶] & for he coueytyd here catel / & þe kyng he sparede.
& for-bar hym / & hise beestis / as þe book telliþ.
Othir-wyse þan he was / warned of þe prophete.
/ / [¶] Þan seyde god / to Samewel / þat savl sholde dyȝe.
Swich a Myschef / Meede made / kyng saul to have.
Þat god hatyd hym for euere / & alle hyse eyȝres after.
Þe construyng of þis caas / kepe y nowht expowne.
For hap if it noyede men / non ende wil y make.
For so is þis world went / with hem þat have powher.
Þat who-so seyþ hem here soþis / he ys sunnest blamed.
I knowe it wel quod consience / for wit me it tawhte.
Þat resoun shal reygne / & rewhmes gouerne.
& ryght as Agag hadde no harm / so happe shulle summe.
For Samvel shal fle / [s]le hym / & saul shal be blamed.
& dauid shal be dyademed / & adawntyn hem alle.
But boþe love & lowenesse / & lewte to-gydre.
Þese shulle be Maystris on Moolde / trewþe to save.
& who trespaseþ a-geyn trewþe / or takþ a-geyn his wille.
Lewte shal doon hym lawe / & no lyf ellys.
Shal no sergaunt for no seruyse / were a sylk howe.
Ne no pelewre in his cloke / for pletynge at þe barre.
But ofte Misdoeris þoru Meede / ys meyntened be lordis.
& þoru þe Lordys be Lawes / for to rewle þe rewhme.
& make of Lawe a laborer / swich love shal a-ryse.
Þat Iewis shulle wene in here wit / & waxe wondir glade.
Þat Moyses or Messye / be comen in-to erthe.
& have wondir in hertis / þat men be here so trewe.
Er ex or hachet / or ony wepene ellis.
Shulle be dampned to þe deþ / but he do it smythie.
In-to sykil or in-to sythe / to shar er to cultyr.
Et conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres.
Ech man shal pleyȝe with þe plowh /. or pykoyse or spade.
¶ Prestis & parsonys / with Placebo shulle hunte.
& dynggyn vpon dauid / euery day til eve
Huntynge or hawkynge / if ony of hem it vse.
For his boost / his benefyȝs / worþ by-nome hym after.
¶ Shal neyþir kyng ne knyght / ne Meyȝr ne constable.
Ouer leede þe comoune / ne to here court hem somowne.
Ne pitte hem in panel / to do plyghte here trewþe.
But after þe dede / þat is doon / o doom shal rewarde.
Er with Mercy / or with no Mercy / as trewthe wylle a-sente.
¶ Boþe kyngis court / & comoun cowrt / Constorye & chapetle.
Alle shulle be but .o. court / & .o. baroun be Iustise
¶ Ne þanne shulle no batailes be / ne no man shal bere wepne
Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium.
& er þis Fortune falle / men shulle fyȝnde þe werse.
C For þer shul be sixe sunnes & a ship / & half a shef of arwis.
For melius est bonum nomen habere quam diuicie multe
¶ Þo as wrothȝ as þe wyȝnd / wex Meede in a qwhyle.
Quod she y can lytyl latyn / clerkys knowe þe sothe.
Now see ȝee what salomon seyþ / In sapience bokys.
Of hem þat gyveþ gyftys / þe victorie wynneþ.
& myche worchepe haue þerfore / as holy wryt telliþ.
Honorem adquiret . qui dat munera.
¶ I leve wel Lady quod consience / þat þyn Latyn be trewe.
It was þus omnia autem probate / & þat plesede here herte.
For þat Lyȝne was no lengere / þan þe levis ende.
Hadde she lokyd on þe oþir half / & þe leef y-turned.
She sholde have fownde fele wordis / folwynge after.
Þat seyde quod bonum est tenete / Trewthe þat tyxt made.
& so feerde ȝee Madame / no moore cowhde ȝee fyȝnde.
Of þat ȝee seyȝe in Sapience / syttynge in ȝoure stodye.
& yf ȝee seke in Sapience eft / fyȝnde shal ȝee þat folweth.
& þeyȝ ȝe wynne worchepe / & of meT have þe victorye.
Ȝit þe sowle / þat þe syluer takþ / be so myche ys bownde.
NOw sesiþ seyde þe kyng þo / y suffre ȝow no lengere.
Ȝee shul sawhtle for-soþe / & seruyn me boþe.
Kysse hire now quod þe kyng / þou consience y hoote.
But if Resoun rede me þerto / rathere y wille dyȝe.
Rape þe to ryde a-non / & Resoun þat þou fecche.
& comawnde hym þat he come to me / myn conseil to here.
For he shal rewle my rewhme / & reede me to þe beste.T
& a-Cowntre with þe Consience / so me crist helpe.
How þou leernyst þe peple / boþe lerede & þe lewede.
/ / [¶] I am fayn of þis forward / seyde þat freke þanne.
& to resoun he rood ryght / & rownede in his ere.
& tolde hym as þe kyng seide / & sytthe he took his leve.
¶ I wille go a-rayȝe me quod Resoun / go reste þe þerwhile.
A-non he klepede Catoun his knave / ful curteyȝs of speche.
& also Tomme trewe tunge / þat tolde fewe talys.
Ne lesyngis to Lawhe of / for he lovede hem neuere.
He bad / go sette a sadil vpon suffre / tyl y se my tyme.
& let warroke hym with gyrtys / þat is with witty wordis.
& hange on hym þe hevi brydil / to holde his heed lowe.
/ / [¶] Þan Consience vpon his capil / cayreþ forþ faste.
& Resoun with hym rydis / rownynge to-gydre.
¶ A-non waryȝn wyȝsdom / & watte witty his feere.
Folwed hem faste / for þey haddyn to doone.
In þe Chekkeryȝe / & Chawncerye / to be dischargid þere.
Faste þey ryden for resoun / þat he wolde rede hem for þe beste.
For to saven here syluer / & hem fram shame & harmes.
& Consyence knew hem wel / þat koueytyse þey loveden.
& he bad resoun ryde faste / & recche of þem neythir.
For þere are whilis / in here woordis / & with Meede þey dwelle.
& þere as wratthe / & wranglynge is / þere wynne þey siluer.
& where þat love & lewte ys / þey leete nowht come þere.
For þey gyve nowht god / nowht .o. goos feedre.T
Contricio & infelicitas in uijs eorum.
Non est timor dei ante occulos / o[c]ulos eorum.
For god wot þey wille doon / moore / for a dosey / dosey[n] chykes.
Or for as manye Caponys / or for a seem of ootes.
Þan for þe love of oure lord / or for hise leve seyntys.
For Conciense knowe þey nowht / ne crist as y trowe.
As Consience hym kennede / til þey to þe kyng keme.
¶ Þan Curteysly þe kyng anon / kam a-geyn resoun.
& by-twene hym & his sone / he sette hym on þe deyȝse.
& wordeden wol wyȝsly / a long while to-gydres.
/ / [¶] & þanne cam pees to þat parlement / & pitte furþ a bylle.
How Wrong a-geyn his wille / hadde his wif y-taken.
& he ravysshid Rose / Reygnoldis leve dowhter.
& be-revede Margrete hire Maydenhed / mawgre hire wille.
& also myn gees & myn gryȝs / hise gadelyngys fecchen.
& y dar nowht for feere / fyghtyn ne chyden.
He borwid of me Bayard / & browhte hym a-geyn neuere.
& to / & for-staleþ myn feyrys / & fyghteþ in þe chepyng.
He brakiþ vp my beerne dore / & beryþ a-wey my whete.
& takþ me but a tayle / for teen qwarteris otes.
& ȝit he thretiþ me þerto / & lyggeþ by my Mayde.
I am nowht hardy for hym / vnneþe for to looke.
/ / [¶] Þe kyng knew wel he seyde soþ / for Conciense so hym tolde.
¶ Þanne wex wrong a-ferd / & wysdom he sowhte.
To make pees with hise pens / he proferede manye.
& seyde / hadde / hadde [y] love of þe kyng / lytil wolde y recche.
I seyȝ it to þyn-selue / þou shalt it wel fyȝnde.
For but yf Meede / it make / þy Mischeef is vppe.
For boþe þyn lyȝf & þyn londe / lyȝþ in his grace.
/ / [¶] Þanne whowede wrong / wyȝsdom ful ȝeerne.
To make his pees with pens / y-payed handy dandy
Þanne wit & wisdom a-non / wentyn to-gydres.
& token Meede myd hem / Mercy to wynne.
¶ Pees pitte forþ his heed / & his pate al blody.
With-outyn gylte god it whot / gat y þis skathe.
Boþe Concyense & þe comones / knowe wel þe soþe.
/ / [¶] & þerwhilis wit & wisdom / wentyn a-bowtyn faste.
To ouer-come þe kyng / with catel if þey myghten.
¶ Þe kyng swor by Cryst / & be his Crowne boþe.
Þat wrong for hise werkys / woo sholde þolye.
& nowht after þis sevene ȝeer / he se hise feet ones.
/ / [¶] A god whot quod Wisdom þo / þat were not þe beste.
But he a-mendis mowe now make / let Meinprise hym holde.
& if he have borghȝ of his bale / þey mowe bygge hym boote.
& so a-mende / þat is mys-do / & he shal do euere þe bettre.
¶ A-non wit a-cordit þerwith / & seyde þe same resoun
Þat bettre it were / þat boote / sholde bale doun brynge.
Þan bale be y-beete / & boote neuere þe bettre.
/ / [¶] & þanne gan Meede to Meke hire / & mercy by-sowhte.
& proferede pees a present / al of pure syluer
Have þis man of me quod she / to a-menden þy skaþe.
For y wille wage me for wrong / he wil do so no more.
¶ Þanne Pees pytously / prayede to þe kyng þere.
He wolde have mercy on þat man / þat mysdede so ofte.
For he haþ waged me wel / as wyȝsdom hym tawhte.
& y for-gyve hym my gilt / with a good wille.
So þe kyng a-sente þerto / y can seyȝ no bettre.
For Meede haþ maad myn a-mendis ./ y may no more aske.
/ / [¶] Nay quod þe kyng þo / so me god helpe.
Wrong wendiþ not so aweyȝ y wille first wete more.
For lowpe he so lyghtly a-wey / lawhen he myghte.
& eft þe boldere to be / to beetyn myne hewen.
But resoun have rewþe on hym / he shal reste in stokkys.
& þat as longe as he lyviþ / but lowhnesse hym borwe.
¶ Fele radde resoun þo / to have rewþe on þat shrewe.
Þat he myghte conseile þe kyng / & consience seyde after.
/ / [¶] Now rede me nowht / quod Resoun / ony rewthe to graunte.
Til Lordis & Ladijs / loven lovely trewþe.
& haten al harlotriȝe / to heren it / of Mowthis.
& til Peronellis pelure / be pit in hyre chiste.
& Chydene Chyrsynge / Chy[l]d[r]ene Chyr[y]synge / be chastysed with ȝerdes
& harlotis holynesse / be holde for vanyte.
& religyous rome renneris / recorde in here cloystre.
As seynt Benyght hem bad / & Bernard & Fraunces.
& til prechores prechynge / be previd on hem-selue.
& tyl þe kyngys conseyl / be þe comoune profyȝht.
& tyl þe Bisshopis barganoures / be beggerys in chambres.
& here hawkys & howndis / helpe relygyouse howsys.
& tyl Seynt Iemys be sowht / þere y shal a-sygne
Þat no man goo to Galys / but he goo for euere.
& also / Rome rennerys / for robberis be-ȝounde.
Bere no syluer ouer þe see / þat sygne of kyng sheweth.
Neyþir graue / ne vngraue / gold neyþir syluer.
Vpon forfeture of fee / who fynt hym at douere.
But he be Marchaunt . er his man / er Messager with lettris.
Er provysour or preest / er penaunt for hise synnys.
While Meede haþ þe Maystrie / in þe moot halle.
For y shal shewe ensample / as y see oþirwhyle.
I seyȝ it be myn-selue / quod he / if it so now were.
Þat y were kyng with crowne / to kepen þe rewme.
Sholde neuere wrong in þis world / þat y wete myghte.
Ben vnpunshid / in my powher / for pereyl of my sowle.
Ne getyn my grace þoru gyftys / so me god save.
Ne for no Meede have Mercy / but Meeknesse it made.
For nullum malum þe man / mette with inpunitum.
& bad nullum bonum / ben irremuneratum.
Leete ȝoure confessour sire kyng / construe þis clause vnglosid /
& if hewerke / he werke it in werk / y wedde þanne myne erys.
Þat Lawe shal be a laborer / & leede dunk to feelde.
& Love shal leede þyn Lond / as þe leevest lykyþ.
¶ Anon Clerkis & confessoures / cowpled hem to-gydre.
To construe wel clawse / [þis] clawse / al for þe kyngis profyȝt.
But not for confort of þe comoun / ne for þe kyngis sowle.
For y seyȝ Meede in þe Moot halle / on men of lawe wynke.
& þey lawhenge lope to hire / & leftyn aloone resoun.
¶ Sire Waryȝn Wyȝsdom / wynkede vp-on Meede.
& seide Madame y am ȝoure man / what-so my mowþ Iangle.
I stumble at floreynes quod þe freeke / þat y faile speche ofte.
¶ & anon Ryghtful recordid / þat resoun trewþe tolde.
& wit a-cordyd þerwith / & comendyd wel hise wordis.
A-non alle þe peple / in þe halle / & manye of þe greete.
Þey helden Meeknesse for a Mayster / & meede a manshid shrewe.
Þanne Love leet of hire lyght / & Lewhte wel lasse.
& cryeden so hyȝe / þat al þe halle hem herde.
But he be knowe for a kokewold / kytte of boþe oure erys.
¶ Þanne Meede Murnede faste / & made hevy cheere.
¶ Boþe a Sysour & a sumnour / þanne sewid hire faste.
& also a sherevis clerk / y shrewe alle þe rowhte.
A ofte have y quod she / holpe ȝow / at þe barre.
& ȝit neuere ȝeve ȝee me / þe worþ of a rysshe.
¶ Þanne clepede þe kyng Concyense / & so he dede resoun.
& recordid þat Resoun / hadde Ryghtfully shewid.
& wex wroothȝ with Lawe / for Meede made hym a-shamed.
& seyde þorghȝ ȝoure Lawe / as y leve / y lese fele cheetys.
For Meede ouer-Maystriþ so Lawe / & Michil trewþe lettyþ.
¶ But resoun shal rekne with ȝow / yf y reyghne a stounde.
& deme ȝow be þis day / as ȝee have disseruyd.
Mee / Mee[de] shal not menprise ȝow / be Marie qween of glorie.
I wille have lewte for Lawe / & leeve al ȝour Ianglynge.
& as alle wyȝes witnesse / wrong shal be demed.
¶ Sire quod Concyense to þe kyng / but þe comonys assente.
It ys ful hard by myn heed / her-to / to brynge it
Alle ȝoure londys leedys / to leede hem alle evene.
¶ By hym þat was reed on roode / quod Resoun to þe kyng
But if y rewle þus ȝoure rewme / reerde out my guttis.
If ȝee wille bydde Buxumnesse / to be assocyed tome / to me.
¶ Þerto y assente quod þe kyng / by seynte Marie my Lady.
To myn conseyle þat ȝee kome / a-mongys Clerkis & Lordis.
But redely resoun / þou ryde shalt not frome / fro me.
For as longe as y lyve / leeve þe y nylle.
& y graunte quod þe kyng / god for-bede þou fayle.
As longe / as oure lyvis laste / leeve we to-gydre.
/ / [¶] Thanne þe kyng with hise knyghtis / to þe kyrke wentyn.
To heryn Matinys of þe day / & a Messe after.
Explicit Passus Quartus.