Passus iijus / tertiusT
With bedellus and Baillifs . brouȝt bifore þe kynge
Þe kyng called a Clerk . can I nouȝt his name .
To take mede þe mayde . and make hire at ese
I shal assaien hire my-self . and sotheliche appose .
What man of þis molde þat hire were leueste
And {ȝ}if she worche by my wit{te} and my wille folwe
I wyl forgyf hire þis gilt{e} so me god helpe .
Curteselich þe Clerk þanne as þe kyng{e} h{..}yghte
To{.}k mede by þe mydul and bro{....}ghte hire into {a} chambre
And þere was murthe and mynstralcie mede to plese
Þei þat woneth at Westm{u}ynstre worshepeth hire alle .
Gentliche with ioye þe Iustices summe
Buskede hem to þe boure . þere þe burde dwelled
To conforte hire kyndlich . by clergise leue .
And saiden mourne{þ} þow nouȝt mede ne make þou no sorwe
To be wedd{.}ed a{..e}t þi wille and where þe le{..}ef liketh
For al conscience cast{e} or craft{e} as I trowe .
Mildeliche mede þanne merciede hem alle .
Coupes of clene gold . and Cuppus of siluer
Rynges with rubies . and richesses manye
Þe leste man of hire {.....}mayne a motoun of golde
Þanne lauȝte þei leue þise lord{..}es at Mede .
With þat comen clerkes . to conforten hire þe same
And beden hire be blithe . for we ben þine {n}owne
For to worche thi wille . while þou miȝt{e} laste .
Hendeliche heo þanne {.} bihiȝte hem þe same
To loue {...}hemT lelly . and lordes to make .
And in þe consistorie atte courte do calle {ȝ}yowre names
Shal no lewdenesse lette þe leode þat I louye
That he ne worth furst{e} auaunced{e} for I am biknowen .
Þere connynge clerkus shul clokke byhynde .
Þanne com{e} þere a Confessour copud as a Frere .
To mede þe mayden he melled þes word{.}es .
And saide ful softely in shryfte as it were .
Theiȝ lewde men and lered men had layne by þe boþe .
I shal assoille þe my-selue for a seme . of whete
And also be þi bedman and bere wel þi message
Amonges knyȝtes . and clerkes conscience to tourne .
Thanne mede for here mesdedes to þat man knelede
And shro{..}of hire of hire shrewdenesse shameles I trowe
Tolde hym a tale and toke hym a noble .
For to ben here bedman and hire brok{.r}our als
Þanne he assoillede hire sone and sithen he saide
We han a wyndowe a-worchinge wol sitten vs ful heiȝe
Woldest{e} þow glase þat gable and graue þere-inne þi name .
Siker shulde þi soule be . heuen to haue .
Wiste I þat quod þe womman I wolde nouȝt spare
For to be {.}youre freend{e} Frere and faille {ȝ}yow neuere
Whil {ȝ}ye loue lord{.}es þat leccherie haunteth
And lakkeþ nouȝt ladies þat loueþ wel þe same .
It is a frelte of Flessh {ȝ.}ye fynde it in bok{.}es .
And a cours of kynde . where-of we comen alle .
Who may skape þe sclaundre þe skaþe is sone amend{.}ed
It is theT synne of seuene sunneste relessed{e}
Haue mercy quod Mede on men þat it haunte
And I shal keuere {ȝ}yowre kirke {ȝ}yowre cloistre do maken
Wowes do whyten and wyndowes glasen
Do paynten {..}and purtreien and paie for þe makynge
Þat euerey segge shal sayn . I am sustre of {ȝ}yowre hou{..}se
Ac god to alle gode folk{e} such{e} grauynge deffendeth
To wryten in wyndowes . of hire wel-dedus .
On auenture pruyde be painted þere and pompe of þe worlde .
For crist knoweth þi conscience and þi kynde wille
And þi cost{e} and þi couetise and who þe catel ouȝte .
For-þi {.}I lere {ȝ}yow lord{.}es leue suche werkes
To writen in wyndowes of {ȝ}youre wel-dedes .
Or to greden aftur godes men whanne {ȝ}ye delen doles
An auenture ȝe haue ȝoure hire here and ȝoure heuen als
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextera .
Lat{e} nouȝt{e} þi lefte half late ne rathe
Wyte what þou worchest{e} with þi riȝt syde .
For þus biddeth þe gospell gode men do here almes .
Meires and macers þat menes be bitwene
Þe kyng{e} and þe comune . to kepen þe lawes
To punisshen on pilories . and pynynge stoles
Brewsters and baksteres . bochers and cokus
For þise arn men on þis molde þat most{e} harm{e} worcheth
To þe pore p{.}eple þat parcelmele buggen
For þe{.}i poysoun þe p{.}eple priueliche and ofte
Þei richen þorw regraterie and rentes hem biggen
W{iȝht}ith þat þe pore p{.}eple shulde putte in hire wombes
For took þei on truly þei tymbred nouȝt so heiȝe
Ne bouȝten non burgages be {ȝ}ye ful certein
Ac mede þe mayde þe mayre hath bisouȝt{e}
Of alle suche sellers siluer to take
Or presentz with-owten pens as peces of siluer
Rynges or othere richesse þe regrateres to mainteigne
For my loue quod þat lady loue hem {.}echone
And suffre hem to selle sumdel{e} aȝeins resoun
Sal{.}omon þe sage a sermon he made
For to amende maires and men þat kepen lawes
And tolde hem þis teme þat {.}I telle þenke
Ignis deuorabit tabernacla / tabernac[u]la eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera & cetera
Amonge þes lettr{...}ede ledes þis latin is to mene .
{...?...}Þe houses and þe homes of hem þat desireth
{...?...}Yiftes or yeresyeues bi-cause of here offices
The kyng{e} fro conseill{e} cam and called aft{.}er Mede
And of-sen{..}te hire alsswythe / als swythe with sergeauntz manye
Þat brouȝten hire to bowre with blisse and with ioye
Curtesely þe kyng{e} þanne comsed to telle
To mede þe Mayden melleth þes wordes
Vnwittely womman wrouȝt hast þow ofte
Ac worse wrouȝtest þow neuere þan þo þow fals tooke
But I forgeue þe þat gilt{e} and graunte þe my grace .
HenusLX to þi deþ-day do so namore
{.}I haue a knyȝt{e} conscience cam late fro biȝounde
{Ȝi}If he wilneth þe to wyf{f} wilt þow hym haue .
But I be holely at {ȝ}yowre heste lat hange me sone
And þanne was conscience calde to come and appiere
Bifore þe kyng{e} and his conseill{e} as clerkes and oþ{..}ere
Knelynge conscience to þe kyng{e} louted
To wite what {...}his wille were and what he do shulde
Woltow wedde þis womman quod þe kyng{e} {ȝ}if I wol assente
For she is fayn{e} of þi felawship . for to be þi make
Quod conscience to þe kyng{e} crist it me forbede
Ar I wedde such{e} a wif wo me bitide
For she is frele of hire faith fikel of hire speche
And makeþ men mysdo many score tymes
Trust{e} of hire tresor{e} treieth ful manye
And lereth hem leccherie þat loueþ hire {ȝ}yift{..}es
{Ȝ}Yowre fadre she fellede . þorw fals bih{i} —este
Is nauȝt a bett{ur}re baude by hym þat me made
By-twene heuene and helle in erthe þowȝ men souȝ{..}te .
For she is tikil of hire {....}tayl . talewys of hire tonge .
As comune as a cartewey . to ech{e} knaue þat walketh
To {..}Monkes to mynstrales . to meseles in hegges
Sisours and Sompnours . suche men h{..}ire praiseth
Shireues of shires . were shent {ȝ}if she ne{..}re
For she doþ men lesen hire lond . and hire lif boþe
She letteþ passe prisoneres . and paieþ for hem ofte
To vnfettre þe fals . flee where hem likeþ
And takeþ þe trwe by þe top{pe} . and tieþ hem faste
And hangeth hem for hattrede . þat harm{e} d{.}ide neuere
To be curs{...}ed in Consistorie . she counteþ nouȝt a risshe
For she copeth þe Comyssarie . and coteth his clerkes
She is assoilled as sone as hire-seluen liketh
And may neiȝe as moche do . in a monethe one
For she is priue with þe pope . prouisours it knoweth
For sire Symonye . and here-seluen seallen h{..}ire bulles
She bless{.}eth þ{...}ise bisshop{..}es . þeiȝ{e} þei ben lewde
Prouendreth persones . and preest{.}es mainteineth
To haue lemman{..}s . and lotebies al hire lif-day{..}es
And bringen forth barns . aȝeins forboden lawes .
For she is fauorable to þe fals . and fouleth trwþe ofte .
Bi iesus with hire iuweles {ȝ}yowr{.}e Iustices she shendeth
And lith aȝein þe lawe and letteþ hym þe gate .
She ledeþ þe lawe as hire lust{e} . and loue-days makeþ .
And doþ men lesen þorw here loue . þat lawe miȝte wynnen .
Þe mase for a mene man . þouȝ he mote hire euere .
Lawe is so lordliche and loth to maken ende
With-outen presentz or pens . she pleseþ wel fewe
Barouns and burgeis she bringeth in sorwe
And alle þe comune in kare þat coueyten lyue in truþe .
For clergie and couetise she coupleþ to-g{.}ydres .
{...?...}Þis is þe lif of þat lady now lord {ȝ}yeue hire sorwe .
And alle þat mainteineth here men meschaunce hem bityde
For pore men mowe haue no{n} power to playne þouȝ þei smerte .
Such{e} a maist{re}er is Mede . among{e} men of gode
To haue space to speke spede {ȝ}if she miȝte
The kyng{e} graunted hire grace . with a gode wille
Excuse þee {ȝ}if þow canst I can namore seggen .
For co{n}nscience accuseþ þe to congeye þe for euere .
Nay lord quod þat lady leueþ hym þe worse .
Whanne {ȝ}ye wyten witt{.}erly . where þe wrong{e} liggeth .
Þere þat meschief is gret{e} . mede may helpen .
And þow knowest{e} Conscience I cam not to chide
Ne depraue þi persone with a proud{e} herte
Wel þow wost wernard but {ȝ}if þou wilt{e} gabbe
Þow hast hanged{e} on myn half elleuen times
And whi þow wratth{edeste}est þe {þ...}now wond{..}er me þinkeþ
{Ȝ}Yit I may as I miȝte menske þe with {ȝ}yift{.}es
And mainteigne þi manhede . more þan{ne} — þow knowest{e}
Ac þow hast{e} famed me foule bifore þe kyng{e} heere .
For k{u}ylled{e} I neuere kyng{e} ne conseilled þere-aft{.}er .
Ne dede as þow demeste I do on þe kynge
Ac þou þi-selue soþely shamedest{e} hym often .
Crope in-to a kaban for cold{e} of þi nayles .
Wendest{e} þat wynt{.}er . wolde haue last{.}ed{e} euere .
And dreddest to be ded . for a dym cloude
With-oute pite pilour pouere men þow robbedeste
And bere hire bra{sse}s at þi bak . to Calays to selle
Þere I lafte with my lord . his lif for to saue
I made his men meri . and mournynge lette
I baterede hem on þe bak . and bolded hire hert{.}es
And d{...}ide hem hoppe for hope to haue me at wille
Hadde I ben marchal of his men . by marie of heuene
I durste haue layd{e} my lif . and no lasse wedde
And also kyng{e} of þat {....e}kyth . his kyn{ne} forto / for to helpe
Þe leeste broll{e} of his blode . a barouns piere
Cowardliche þow Conscience conseiledest hym þanne
To leuen his lordshipe . for a litul siluer
Þat is þe richeste rewme . þat Rain ouer-ouethLG
It bicometh to a kyng{e} . þat kepeþ a rewmeC
To {ȝ}yeue mede to men þat mekelich him serueth
Mede makeþ hym biloued . and for a man holden
Emperours and erles . and alle manere lord{.}es .
For {ȝ}yiftes han {ȝ}yonge men . to rennen and to ride
The pope and alle prelates presentz vndurfongen
And medeth men hem-selue to mainteine hire lawes
{.}Taken mede of hire maistres as þei mowe accorde
Beggers for here byddynge . bidden men mede
Mynstrals for here merthe . mede þei asken
Þe kyng{e} hath mede of his men to make pees in londe
Men þat techen children . craue of hem mede .
Prest{.}es þat precheþ þe p{.}eple . to gode asken mede
And masse-pens and here mete . atte þe mel-tymes
Alkynn{.}es crafti men crauen mede for hire prentys
Marchauntz and mede mote{n } ned{.}es go to-gidres
No wi{...}ght as I wene . with-outen mede may libbe{n}
Q{...h}uod þe kyng{e} to Conscience . bi crist as me þ{.}inketh
Mede is wel worthi þe maistrie to haue .
Nay quod Conscience to þe kyng{e} . and kneled to þerþe .
Þat on god of his grace . graunteþ in his blisse
To þo þat wel worchen . whil þei ben here .
Þe prophete precheþ þer-of and putte it in þe sautiere
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo .
Lord who shal wonye in þi wones . and with þine holy seintes
Or resten on þi holy h{.}illes þis askeþ Dauid .
And dauid assoilleth it hym-selue as þe Sautiere telleþ .
Qui ingreditur sine macula & operatur iusticiam
Tho þat entren of on colour . and of on wille
And han wrouȝt{e} werk{.}es . with riȝt and with resoun
And he þat vseth nauȝt{e} . þe lif of vsure
And enfourmeth pore men . and pursueth treuthe
Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram . & munera super innocentem & cetera
And alle þat helpeth þe innocent . and halt with þe riȝtful
With-oute mede doþ hem go{de}od . and þe treuthe helpeth .
Suche manere men my lord{e} . shal haue þis furste mede
Þere is an-other{e} mede mesureles þat maistres desireth
To mainteigne mysdoers mede þei take
And þer{e}of saith þe Sauter in a salmes ende
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt . dextera eorum repleta est muneribus .
And he þat gripeth h{.}ire gold{e} . so me god helpe
Shal abien it bitt{er}re or þe book lieth .
¶Prest{.}es and persones . þat plesinge desireth
Þat taken mede {f}orT monoye . for messes þat þei singeth
Taketh here mede here . as mathew vs techeth
Amen amen recipiebant mercedem suam .
That laborers and meneT folk . taketh of hire maistres
It is no manere mede . but a mesurable hire
In Marchaundise itT is no mede I may it wel avowe
It is a permutacioun apertly . on penyworth for anoþere .
Ac reddest þow neuere Regum þow recraide Mede
Whi þe veniaunce fel on Saul and his Children .
God sente to Saul by Samuel þe prophete
Þat agag of amalek and al{le} his p{.}eple aft{.}er
Shulden deie for a dede þat don hadde hire {.}eldres
For-thi saide Samuel to Saul . god hym-selue hoteth
The / be buxom{e} at his bidding his wille to fulfille
Wyd{o}ewes and wyues . wymmen and children
Moebles and vnmoebles and al þat þou miȝt{e} fynde
Brenne it bere it nouȝt away be it neuere so riche .
For mede ne for monoye . loke þow destru{...}ye it
Spille it and spare it nouȝt þow shalt spede þe be{...}ttre
And for he coueited h{.}ire catel . and þe kyng{e} spared{e}
Forbare hym and his best{.}es boþe as þe bible witnesseth
Oþ{.}er-wise {....}than he was . warned of þe prophete
God saide to Samuel þat Saul shulde deie .
And all{e} his seed{e} for þat synne . shenfulliche enden
Such{e} a meschief Mede . made Saul þe kyng{e} to haue .
Þat god hated hym for euere and alle his heirs aftur
The culorum of þis cas kepe I nouȝt to shewe
An auenture it noied men non{e} ende wil I make
For so is þe world{e} went . with hem þat han power{e}
Þat who-so saith hem sothes . is sonnest{e} y-blamed
Þat resoun shal regne . and rewmes gouerne
Samuel shal sleen hym . and Saul shal be blamed{e}
And dauid shal be diademed{e} . and daunten hem alle .
Shal namore Mede be maist{re}er as she is nouthe
Þise shul be maistres . on molde treuthe to saue .
And whoso trespasseth aȝein truthe . or takeþ aȝein his wille
Leute shal do hym lawe . and no lif elles .
Ne no pelure in his cloke . for pledynge atte barre .
Mede of mysdoers maketh many lordes
And ouer{e} lordes lawes {......}ruleth þe rewmes
Ac kynde loue shal come {ȝ}yet . and conscience to-gidres
And make of law a laborer{e} . such{e} loue shal arise .
And such{e} a pees among{e} þe p{.}eple and a parfit{e} truthe
Þat iewes shal wene in hire wit and w{.}exen wond{.}er glade
And haue wond{re}er in h{...}ire hert{.}es þat men ben so trwe
Alle þat bereth baslard{e} . brode swerd{e} or launce
Ax{e} oþer hachet . or {...}any wepen elles
Shal be demed to þe deth . but {ȝ}if he do it smythie
In-to sik{.}el or to sithe . to share or to Cultre
Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres . & cetera
Ech{e} man to play with a plo{ȝ}ugh . pikoise or {.}spade
Spinne or sprede donge . or spille hym-sel{ue}f with sleuthe
Prestes and persones . with Placebo to hunte
And dingen vpon dauid . eche a day til eue .
Huntynge or haukynge . {ȝ}if any of hem vse
His bost{e} of his benefice . worth bynome hym {.....}after
Shal neiþer kyng{e} ne kniȝt{e} . conestable ne maire
Ouer-lede þe comune ne to þe court{e} sompne
Ne putte hem in panel . to don hem pliȝte here truthe
But aft{.}er þe dede þat is don . on dome shal rewarde
Mercy or non mercy . as treuthe wil accorde .
Kynges court{e} and comune court{e} Consistorie and chapitele
Al shul be but on court{e} . and on baroun be iustice
Þanne worth trwe tonge a tidy man þat tened me neuere
Batailles shal non be ne no man bere wepne
Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium & cetera
And er þis fortune falle . fynde men shal þe worste
By syx sonnes and a shipp and half a shef of arwes
And þe mydul of a mone . shal make þe iewes to turne
And saracenes for þat siȝte . shullen synge Gloria in excelsis & cetera
For Mak{.}omete and me{..}de mysshapp shal þat tyme
For melius est bonum nomen quam diuicie multe & cetera
As wroth as þe wynd{e} . wex Mede in a w{.l.}hile
I can no latyn quod she . clerkes wo{te}ot þe sothe
Se what sal{.}omon {....}seith . in sapience bokes
Þat hij þat {ȝ}yeueth {ȝ}yiftes þe victorie wynneth
Honorem adquiret . qui dat munera & cetera. .
I leue wel lady quod co{n}nscience þat þi latyn{e} be truwe .
Ac þow art lik{e} a lady . þat redde a lessoun ones .
Was Omnia probate . and þat ples{.}ed h{.}ire herte
For þat line was no lenger . atte þe leues ende
Quod bonum est tenete . truthe þat texte made .
And so ferde {ȝ}ye ma-dame . {ȝ}ye couthe namore fynde .
Þo {ȝ}ye lo{.}ked on sapience sittinge in {.....}youre studie
Ac {ȝ}yow faillede a connyn{..e}ge clerk . þat couthe þe lef haue tourned
And {....}if ye seche sapience eft{e} . fynde shal {ȝ}ye þat folweth
A ful teneful tixte . to hem þat takeþ Mede .
And þat is animam autem aufert accipientium . & cetera
Þat þeiȝ{e} we wynne worshippe . and with mede haue victorie
Þe soule þat þ{..}e soude taketh by so muche is bounde
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cor
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# quia {...?...}
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# Rex est ex parte mede
# Replicacio consciencie
Nota
# the Culorum
x
# quod lex laborabit
# prophesiam
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# the Frere & mede in shryft
iijus passus
# vtrum Mede vult maritare cum conciencie
# Consciencie contradicit matrimonium et accusat Mede
cor
{...?...}C
iijus passus
# Excusacio medis
iijus passus
iijus passus
# prestes to lese ther beneffys For huntyng
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# propheciam de vj sunnis & a ship
# Responsio mede ad replicacionem
iijus passus