Passus tercius de visione vt supra
NOw is Mede þe mayde . and namo of hem alle
Wiþ Bedeles and with baillies . brouȝt bifore þe kyng
The kyng called a clerk . kan I noȝt his name
To take Mede þe maide . and maken hire atese / at ese
I shal assayen hire my-self . and sooþliche appose
What man of þis moolde . þat hire were leuest
And if she werche bi wit . and my wil folwe
I wol forgyuen hire þis gilt . so me god helpe
¶ Curteisly þe clerk þanne . as þe kyng hiȝte
Took Mede bi þe myddel . and broȝte hire in-to chambre
And þer was murþe & Mynstralcie . Mede to plese
¶ They þat wonyeþ in westmynstre . worshipeþ hire alle
Gentilliche wiþ ioye . þe Iustices somme
Busked hem to þe bour . þer þe burde dwellede
To conforten hire kyndely . by clergies leue
And seiden mourne noȝt Mede . ne make þow no sorwe
For we wol wisse þe kyng . and þi wey shape
To be wedded at þi wille . and wher þee leef likeþ
For al Consciences cast . or craft as I trowe
¶ Mildely Mede þanne . merciede hem alle
Of hire grete goodnesse . and gaf hem echone
Coupes of clene gold . and coppes of siluer
Rynges wiþ Rubies . and richesses manye
The leeste man of hire meynee . a moton of golde
Thanne lauȝte þei leue . þise lordes at Mede
¶ Wiþ þat comen clerkes . to conforten hire þe same
And beden hire be bliþe . for we beþ þyne owene
For to werche þi wille . þe while þow myȝt laste
¶ Hendiliche heo þanne . bihiȝte hem þe same
To louen hem lelly . and lordes to make
And in þe Consistorie at þe court . do callen hire names
Shal no lewednesse lette . þe leode þat I louye
That he ne worþ first auaunced . for I am biknowen
Ther konnynge clerkes . shul clokke bihynde
¶ Thanne cam þer a Confessour . coped as a frere
To mede þe mayde . he mened þise wordes
And seide ful softely . in shrift as it were
Theiȝ lewed men and lered men . hadde leyen by þee boþe
And Falsnesse hadde yfolwed þee . alle þise fifty wynter
I shal assoille þee my-self . for a seem of whete
And also be þi bedeman . and bere wel þi message
Amonges knyȝtes and clerkes . Conscience to torne
¶ Thanne Mede for hire mysdedes . to þat man kneled
And shrof hire of hire sherewednesse . shamelees I trowe
Tolde hym a tale . and took hym a noble
For to ben hire Bedeman . and hire brocour als
¶ Thanne he assoiled hire soone . and siþen he seide
We haue a wyndow in werchynge . wole sitten vs ful hye
Woldestow glaze þat gable . & graue þer-Inne þy name
Syker sholde þi soule be . heuene to haue
¶ Wiste I þat quod þat womman . I wolde noȝt spare
For to be youre frend frere . and faile yow neuere
While ye loue lordes . þat lecherie haunten
And lakkeþ noȝt ladies . þat louen wel þe same
It is a freletee of flessh . ye fynden it in bokes
And a cours of kynde . wher-of we comen alle
Who may scape sclaundreT . þe scaþe is soone amended
It is synne of þe seuene . sonnest relessed
¶ Haue mercy quod Mede . of men þat it haunteþ
And I shal couere youre kirk . youre cloistre do maken
Wowes do whiten . and wyndowes glazen
Do peynten and portraye . and paie for þe makynge
That euery segge shal seye . I am suster of youre house
¶ Ac god to alle good folk . swich grauynge defendeþ
To writen in wyndowes . of hir wel-dedes
Anauenture / An auenture pride be peynted þere . and pomp of þe world
For crist knoweþ þi conscience . and þi kynde wille
And þi cost and þi coueitise . and who þe catel ouȝte
¶ For-þi I lere yow lordes . leueþ swiche werkes
To writen in wyndowes . of youre wel-dedes
Or to greden after goddesmen / goddes men . whan ye dele doles
On auenture ye haue youre hire here . and youre heuene als
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra
¶ Lat noȝt þi left half . late ne raþe
Wite what þow werchest . wiþ þi riȝt syde
For þus byT þe gospel . goode men doon hir almesse
¶ Maires and Maceres . þat menes ben bitwene
The kyng and þe comune . to kepe þe lawes
To punysshe on Pillories . and pynynge stooles
Brewesters and Baksters . Bochiers and Cokes
For þise are men on þis molde . þat moost harm wercheþ
To þe pouere peple . þat parcelmele buggen
For þei enpoisoneT þe peple . pryueliche and ofte
Thei richen þoruȝ regratrie . and rentes hem biggen
Wiþ þat þe pouere peple . sholde putte in hire wombe
For toke þei on trewely . þei tymbred nouȝt so heiȝe
Ne bouȝte none burgages . be ye ful certeyne
¶ Ac Mede þe mayde . þe Mair haþ bisouȝt
Of alle swiche Selleris . siluer to take
Or presentz wiþ-outen pens . as pieces of siluer
Rynges or ooþer richesse . þe Regratiers to mayntene
For my loue quod þat lady . loue hem echone
And suffre hem to selle . somdel ayeins reson
¶ Salomon þe sage a sermon . he made
For to amenden Maires . and men þat kepen lawes
And tolde hem þis teme . þat I telle þynke
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera &c
¶ Among þise lettrede leodes . þis latyn is to mene
That fir shal falle & brenne . al to bloo askes
The houses and homes . of hem þat desireþ
Yiftes or yeresyeues . by-cause of hire Offices
¶ The kyng fro þe conseil cam . and called after Mede
And ofsente hire as swiþe . wiþ sergeauntz manye
AndT brouȝte hire to boure . wiþ blisse and wiþ ioye
¶ Curteisly þe kyng þanne . comsed to telle
To Mede þe mayde . he meneþT þise wordes
Vnwittily womman . wroȝt hastow ofte
Ac worse wroȝtestow neuere . þan þo þow Fals toke
But I forgyue þee þat gilt . and graunte þee my grace
Hennes to þi deeþ-day . do so namoore
¶ I haue a knyȝt Conscience . cam late fro biyonde
If he wilneþ þee to wif . wiltow hym haue
¶ Ye lord quod þat lady . lord forbede it ellis
But I be holly at youre heste . lat hange me soone
¶ And þanne was Conscience called . to come and appere
Bifore þe kyng and his conseil . as clerkes and oþere
¶ Knelynge Conscience . to þe kyng louted
To wite what his wille were . and what he do woldeT
¶ Woltow wedde þis womman quod þe kyng . if I wole assente
For she is fayn of þi felaweshipe . for to be þi make
¶ Quod Conscience to þe kyng . crist it me forbede
Er I wedde swich a wif . wo me bitide
For she is frele of hire feiþ . fikel of hire speche
And makeþ men mysdo . many score tymes
Trust of hire tresor . bitrayeþ ful manye N
¶ Wyues and widewes . wantounes she techeþ
And lereþ hem lecherie . þat loueþ hire ȝiftes
Youre fader she felled . þoruȝ false biheste
And haþ enpoisonedT popes . and peired holy chirche
Is noȝt a bettre baude . by hym þat me made
Bitwene heuene and helle . in erþe þouȝ men souȝte
For she is tikel of hire tail . and talewis of hire tonge N
As commune as a Cartwey . to ech a knaue þat walkeþ N
To Monkes to Mynstrales . to Meseles in hegges
¶ Sisours and Somonours . swiche men hire preiseþ
Sherreues of Shires . were shent if she ne were
For she dooþ men lese hire lond . and hire lif boþe
She leteþ passe prisoners . and paieþ for hem ofte
And gyueþ þe Gailers gold . and grotes togidres
To vnfettre þe fals . fle where hym likeþ N
And takeþ þe trewe bi þe top . and tieþ hem faste
And hangeþ hem for hatrede . þat harm dide neuere
¶ To be corsed in Consistorie . she counteþ noȝt a bene
For she copeþ þe Commissarie . and coteþ hise clerkes N
She is assoiled as soone . as hire-self likeþ
And may neiȝ as muche do . in a Monþe one
As youre secret seel . in sixe score dayes
For she is pryuee wiþ þe pope . prouisours it knoweþ
For Sire Symonie and hir-selue . seleþ hire bulles
¶ She blesseþ þise Bisshopes . þeiȝ þei be lewed
Prouendreþ persones . and preestes maynteneþ
To haue lemmans and lotebies . alle hire lif-daies
And bryngeþ forþ barnes . ayein forbode lawes
Ther she is wel wiþ þe kyng . wo is þe Reaume
For she is fauourable to fals . and defouleþ truþe ofte
¶ By Iesus . wiþ hire Ieweles . youre Iustices she shendeþ
And liþ ayein þe lawe . and letteþ hym þe gate
That feiþ may noȝt haue his forþ . hire floryns go so þikke
She ledeþ þe lawe as hire list . and louedaies makeþ
And doþ men lese þoruȝ hire loue . þat lawe myȝte wynne
The maze for a mene man . þouȝ he mote hire euere
Lawe is so lordlich . and looþ to maken ende
Wiþ-outen presentz or pens . she pleseþ wel fewe
¶ Barons and Burgeises . she bryngeþ in sorwe
¶ And al þe comune in care . þat coueiten lyue in truþe N
For clergie and coueitise . she coupleþ togidres
This is þe lif of þat lady . now lord ȝyue hire sorwe
And alle þat maynteneþ hire men . meschaunce hem bitide
For pouere men may haue no power . to pleyne hem þouȝ þei smerte
Swich a maister is Mede . among men of goode
¶ Thanne mournede Mede . and mened hire to þe kynge
To haue space to speke . spede if she myȝte
¶ The kyng graunted hire grace . wiþ a good wille
Excuse þee if þow kanst . I kan namoore seggen
For Conscience accuseþ þee . to congeien þee for euere
¶ Nay lord quod þat lady . leueþ hym þe werse
Whan ye witen witterly . wher þe wrong liggeþ
Ther þat meschief is gret . Mede may helpe N
And þow knowest Conscience . I kam noȝt to chide
Ne depraue þi persone . wiþ a proud herte
Wel þow woost wernard . but if þow wolt gabbe
Thow hast hanged on myn half . elleuene tymes
And also griped my gold . gyue it where þee liked
And whi þow wraþest þee now . wonder me þynkeþ
Yet I may as I myȝte . menske þee wiþ ȝiftes
And mayntene þi manhode . moore þan þow knowest
¶ Ac þow hast famed me foule . bifore þe kyng here
For killed I neuere no kyng . ne counseiled þer-after
Ne dide as þow demest . I do it on þe kynge
¶ In Normandie was he noȝt . noyed for my sake
Ac þow þi-self sooþly . shamedest hym ofte
Crope in-to a Cabane . for cold of þi nayles
Wendest þat wynter . wolde han ylasted euere
And dreddest to be ded . for a dym cloude
And hyedest homward . for hunger of þi wombe
¶ Wiþ-outen pite Pilour . pouere men þow robbedest
And bere hire bras at þi bak . to Caleis to selle
Ther I lafte wiþ my lord . his lif for to saue
I made his men murye . and mournynge lette
I batred hem on þe bak . and boldede hire hertes
And dide hem hoppe for hope . to haue me at wille
Hadde I ben Marchal of his men . by Marie of heuene
I dorste haue leyd my lif . and no lasse wedde
He sholde haue be lord of þat lond . in lengþe and in brede
And also kyng of þat kiþ . his kyn for to helpe
The leeste brol of his blood . a Barones piere
¶ Cowardly þow Conscience . conseiledest hym þennes
To leuen his lordshipe . for a litel siluer
That is þe richeste Reaume . þat reyn ouer-houeþ
¶ It bicomeþ to a kyng . þat kepeþ a Reaume N
To yeue mede to men . þat mekely hym serueþ
To aliens and to alle men . to honouren hem with ȝiftes
Mede makeþ hym biloued . and for a man holden
¶ Emperours and Erles . and alle manere lordes
For ȝiftes han yonge men . to renne and to ryde
¶ The Pope and alle þe prelates . presentz vnderfongen
And medeþ men hem-seluen . to mayntene hir lawes
¶ Sergeauntz for hire seruyce . we seeþ wel þe soþe
Taken Mede of hir maistres . as þei mowe acorde
¶ Beggeres for hir biddynge . bidden men Mede
¶ Mynstrales for hir myrþe . Mede þei aske
¶ The kyng haþ mede of his men . to make pees in londe N
And massepens and hire mete . at þe meeltymes
¶ Marchauntz and Mede . mote nede go togideres
No wiȝt as I wene . wiþ-outen Mede may libbe
¶ Quod þe kyng to Conscience . by crist as me þynkeþ
Mede is wel worþi . þe maistrie to haue
¶ Nay quod Conscience to þe kyng . and kneled to þe erþe
Ther are two manere of Medes . my lord wiþ youre leue
¶ That oon god of his grace . graunteþ in his blisse
To þo þat wel werchen . while þei ben here
The prophete precheþ þer-of . and putte it in þe Sauter
¶ Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo
¶ Lord who shal wonye in þi wones . and wiþ þyne holy seintes
Or resten in þyne holy hilles . þis askeþ Dauid
And Dauid assoileþ it hym-self . as þe Sauter telleþ
Qui ingreditur sine macula & operatur Iusticiam
¶ Tho þat entren of o colour . and of one wille
And han ywroght werkes . wiþ right and wiþ reson
AndC he þat vseþ noȝt . þe lyf of vsurie
And enformeþ pouere men . and pursueþ truþe
Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram . et munera super Innocentem &c
¶ And alle þat helpen þe Innocent . and holden with þe riȝtfulle
Wiþ-outen Mede doþ hem good . and þe truþe helpeþ
Swiche manere men my lord . shul haue þis firste Mede
Of god at a gret nede . whan þei gon hennes
¶ Ther is anoþer Mede mesurelees . þat maistres desireþ
To mayntene mysdoers . Mede þei take
And þer-of seiþ þe Sauter . in a Salmes ende
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt . dextra eorum repleta est muneribus
¶ And he þat gripeþ hir gold . so me god helpe
Shal abien it bittre . or þe book lieþ
¶ Preestes and persons . þat plesynge desireþ
That taken Mede and moneie . for masses þat þei syngeþ
Taken hire Mede here . as Mathew vs techeþ
Amen amen . Recipiebant mercedem suam
¶ That laborers and lowe folk . taken of hire maistres
It is no manere Mede . but a mesurable hire N
¶ In marchaundise is no Mede . I may it wel auowe
It is a permutacion apertly . a penyworþ for anoþer
¶ Ac reddestow neuere Regum . þow recrayed Mede
Whi þe vengeaunce fel . on Saul and on his children
God sente to Saul . by Samuel þe prophete
That Agag of Amalec . and al his peple after
Sholden deye for a dede . þat doon hadde hire eldres
¶ For-þi seide Samuel to Saul . god hym-self hoteþ
Thee . be buxom at his biddynge . his wil to fulfille
Weend to Amalec with þyn oost . & what þow fyndest þere sle it
Burnes and beestes . bren hem to deþe
Widwes and wyues . wommen and children
Moebles and vnmoebles . and al þow myȝt fynde
Bren it . bere it noȝt awey . be it neuer so riche
For Mede ne for monee . loke þow destruye it
Spille it and spare it noȝt . þow shalt spede þe bettre
¶ And for he coueited hir catel . and þe kyng spared
Forbar hym and his beestes boþe . as þe bible witnesseþ
Ooþer-wise þan he was . warned of þe prophete
God seide to Samuel . þat Saul sholde deye
And al his seed for þat synne . shenfulliche ende
Swich a meschief Mede made . Saul þe kyng to haue
That god hated hym for euere . and alle hise heires after
¶ The culorum of þis cas . kepe I noȝt to telle
On auenture it noyed men . noon ende wol I make
For so is þis world went . wiþ hem þat han power N
That who-so seiþ hem soþest . is sonnest yblamed
¶ I Conscience knowe þis . for kynde wit it me tauȝte
That Reson shal regne . and Reaumes gouerne
And riȝt as Agag hadde . happe shul somme
Samuel shal sleen hym . and Saul shal be blamed
And Dauid shal be diademed . and daunten hem alle
And oon cristene kyng . kepen hem alle .
Shal namoore Mede be maister . as she is nouþe
Ac loue and lowenesse . and leautee togideres
Thise shul ben Maistres on moolde . truþe to saue
¶ And who-so trespaseþ ayein truþe . or takeþ ayein his wille
Leaute shal don hym lawe . and no lif ellis
Shal no sergeant for his seruice . were a silk howue
Ne no pelure in his cloke . for pledynge at þe barre
Mede of mysdoeres . makeþ manye lordes N
And ouer lordes lawes . ruleþ þe Reaumes
¶ Ac kynde loue shal come ȝit . and Conscience togideres
And make of lawe a laborer . swich loue shal arise
And swich a pees among þe peple . and a parfit truþe
That Iewes shul wene in hire wit . and wexen wonder glade
That Moyses or Messie . be come in-to þis erþe
And haue wonder in hire hertes . þat men beþ so trewe
¶ Alle þat beren baselard . brood swerd or launce
Ax ouþer hachet . or any wepene ellis
Shal be demed to þe deeþ . but if he do it smyþye
In-to sikel or to siþe . to shaar or to kultour
Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres &c
¶ Ech man to pleye with a plow . Pykoise or spade
Spynne or sprede donge . or spille hym-self with sleuþe
¶ Preestes and persons . wiþ Placebo to hunte
And dyngen vp-on Dauid . eche day til eue
Huntynge or haukynge . if any of hem vse
His boost of his benefice . worþ bynomen hym after
Shal neiþer kyng ne knyght . Constable ne Meire
Ouerlede þe commune . ne to þe Court sompne
Ne putte hem in panel . to doon hem pliȝte hir truþe
But after þe dede þat is doon . oon doom shal rewarde
Mercy or no mercy . as Truthe wole acorde N
¶ Kynges Court and commune Court . Consistorie and Chapitle
Al shal be but oon court . and oon baron be Iustice
Thanne worþ Trewe tonge a tidy man . þat tened me neuere
Batailles shul none be . ne no man bere wepene
And what smyth þat any smyþeþ . be smyte þerwiþ to deþe
¶ Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium &c
And er þis fortune falle . fynde men shul þe worste
By sixe sonnes and a ship . and half a shef of Arwes
And þe myddel of a Moone . shal make þe Iewes to torne
And Sarzynes for þat siȝte . shul synge . Gloria in excelsis &c
For Makometh and Mede . myshappe shul þat tyme
For Melius est bonum nomen quam diuicie multe N
¶ Al-so wroþ as þe wynd . weex Mede in a while
I kan no latyn quod she . clerkes wite þe soþe
Se what Salomon seiþ . in Sapience bokes
And moost worshipe hadde þer-wiþ . as holy writ telleþ
¶ Honorem adquiret qui dat munera . &c
¶ I leue wel lady quod Conscience . þat þi latyn be trewe
Ac þow art lik a lady . þat radde a lesson ones
Was omnia probate . and þat plesed hire herte N
For þat lyne was no lenger . at þe leues ende
Hadde she loked þat ooþer half . and þe leef torned
She sholde haue founden fele wordes . folwynge þer-after
Quod bonum est tenete . truþe þat text made
And so ferde ye madame . ye kouþe namoore fynde
Tho ye loked on Sapience . sittynge in youre studie
This text þat ye han told . were good for lordes
Ac yow failed a konnynge clerk . þat kouþe þe leef han torned
And if ye seche Sapience eft . fynde shul ye þat folweþ
A ful teneful text . to hem þat takeþ Mede
And þat is Animam autem aufert accipientium &c
And þat is þe tail of þe text . of þat þat she shewed
That þeiȝ we wynne worship . and with Mede haue victorie
The soule þat þe soude takeþ . by so muche is bounde
Mynstrales for