fol. 14r (cont.)I
passus iiijus de visione vt supra
Passus iiijusQuartus
fol. 14vI
CessethL.4.1: The ornamental capital is five lines high, written in blue with red flourishes with two sprays. seith þe kynge · I suffre ȝow no lengere
Ȝe shal sauȝtne for-sothe · and serue me bothe
kisse hir quod þe kynge · conscience I hote
L.4.4KD.4.4
Nay bi criste quod conscience · congeye me for euere
But resoun rede me þer-to · rather wil I deye
And I comaunde þe quod þe Kynge · to conscience þanne
Rape þe to ride · and resoun þow fecche
L.4.8KD.4.8
Comaunde hym þat he come · my conseille to here
For he shal reule my rewme · and rede me þe beste
And acounte with þe conscience · so me cryst helpe
How þow lernest þe peple · þe lered and þe lewede
L.4.12KD.4.13
I am fayne of þat forwarde · seyde þe freke þanne
And ritte riȝte to resoun · and rowneth in his ere
And seide as þe kynge badde · and sithen toke his leue
I shal arraye me to ride quod resoun reste þe a while
L.4.16KD.4.17
And called cat..oun his knaue · curteise of speche
And also tomme trewe tonge · telle me no tales
Ne lesyng to lawȝe of · for I loued hem neuere
And sette my sadel vppon suffre · til I se my tyme
L.4.20KD.4.21
And lete warrok it wel · with witty wordes gerthes
And hange on hym þe heuy brydel · to holde his hed lowe
For he wil make wehe · tweyeL.4.22: LMR alone read tweye; most other B manuscripts have twies. er he be there
Thanne conscience vppon his caple · kaireth forth faste
L.4.24KD.4.25
And resoun with hym ritte · rownynge togideres
Whiche maistries Mede · maketh on þis erthe
One waryn wisdom · and witty his fere
+
Folwed hem faste · hauedL.4.27: The corrector's <+> in the left margin notes the omission of for þei from the beginning of the b-verse. R also lacks these words. to done
L.4.28KD.4.29
In þe cheker and atL.4.28: LCr2,3R have at, whereas most other B manuscripts read in. þe chauncerie · to be discharged of þinges
And riden fast for resoun shulde rede hem þe beste
For to saue hem for siluer · fro shame and fram harmes
And conscience knewe hem wel · þei loued coueitise
L.4.32KD.4.33
And bad resoun ride faste · and recche of her noither
Þere aren wiles in here wordes · and with Mede þei dwelleth
There as wratthe and wranglyngL.4.34: An otiose curl appears above the first <g>. is · þere wynne þei siluer
Ac þere is loue and lewte · þei wil nouȝte come þere
L.4.36KD.4.36α
Contricio & infelicitas in vijs eorum &c
Þei ne gyueth nouȝte of god · one go.se wynge
fol. 15rI
Non est timor dei ante oculos eorum
For wot god þei wolde do more · for a dozeine chickenes
L.4.40KD.4.38.1
Or as many capones · or for a seem of otes
Þan for loue of owre lorde · or alle hise leue seyntes
For-þi resoun lete hem ride · þo riche bi hem-seluen
For conscience knoweth hem nouȝte · ne cryst as I trowe
L.4.44KD.4.42
And þanne resoun rode faste  þe riȝte heiȝe gate
As conscience hym kenned · til þei come to þe Kynge
Curteisliche þe kynge þanne · come aȝein resoun
And bitwene hym-self and his sone · sette hym on benche
L.4.48KD.4.46
And wordeden wel wyseli · a gret while togideres
And þanne come pees in-to parlement · and put forth a bille
How wronge aȝeines his wille · had his wyf taken
And how he rauisshed Rose · Reginoldes loue
L.4.52KD.4.50
And Margarete of hir maydenhode · maugre here chekis
Bothe my gees & my grys · his gadelynges feccheth
I dar nouȝte for fere of hym · fyȝte ne chyde
He borwed of me bayard · he brouȝte hym home neure
+
L.4.56KD.4.54
Ne no ferthyngeL.4.56: The <r> in ferthynge was added after initial copying, perhaps in response to the corrector's marginal <+>. þer-fore · for nauȝteL.4.56: L is joined by MRF in reading nauȝte; other B manuscripts have ouȝt. I couthe plede
He meyneteneth his men · to morther myne hewen
Forstalleth my feyres · and fiȝteth in my chepynge
And breketh vp my bernesL.4.59: LHmWR read bernes, the reading of most C manuscripts. All other B manuscripts have berne. dore · and bereth aweye my whete
L.4.60KD.4.58
And taketh me but a taile · for ten quarteres of otes
And ȝet he bet me þer-to · and lyth bi my Mayde
I namL.4.62: LCM alone have nam. The other B witnesses read am. nouȝte hardy for hym · vneth to loke ·
The kynge knewe he seide sothe · for conscience hym tolde
L.4.64KD.4.62
Þat wronge was a wikked luft · and wrouȝte moche sorwe
Wronge was afered þanne · and wisdome he souȝte
To make pees with his pens · and profered hym manye
And seide had I loue of my lorde þe kynge · litel wolde I recche
L.4.68KD.4.66
Theiȝe pees and his powere · pleyned hym eure
+
Þo wanL.4.69: The corrector's marginal <+> may mark wan, a reading shared by R; most other B manuscripts have a form of wente. Not infrequently the evidence suggests that the corrector worked from a manuscript more corrupt than L's exemplar. wisdome · and sire waryn þe witty
For þat wronge had ywrouȝte · so wikked a dede
And warned wronge þo · with suche a wyse tale
L.4.72KD.4.70
Who-so worcheth bi wille · wratthe maketh ofte
I seye it bi þi-self · þow shalt it wel fynde
But if Mede it make · þi myschief is vppe
For bothe þi lyf and þi londe · lyth in his grace
L.4.76KD.4.74
Thanne wowed wronge · wisdome ful ȝerne
fol. 15vI
To make his pees with his pens · handi-dandi payed
Wisdome and witte þanne wenten togideres
And toke Mede myd hem mercy to winne
L.4.80KD.4.78
Pees put forþ his hed · and his panne blody
Wyth-outen gilte god it wote · gat I þis skaþe
Conscience and þe comune · knowen þe sothe
Ac wisdom and witte · were about faste
L.4.84KD.4.82
To ouercome þe kynge · with catel ȝif þei myȝte
Þe kynge swore bi crist · and bi his crowne bothe
Þat wronge for his werkis · sholde wo þolye
And comaunded a constable · to casten hym in yrens
L.4.88KD.4.86
And late hym nouȝte þis seuene ȝere · seen his feet ones
God wot quod wysdom · þat were nauȝte þe beste
And he amendes mowe make · late meynprise hym haue
And be borwgh for his bale · and biggen hym bote
L.4.92KD.4.90
And so amende þat is mysdo · and euermore þe bettere
Witt acorded þer-with · and seide þe same
Bettere is þat bote · bale adoun brynge
Þan bale be ybette · & bote neuere þe bettere
L.4.96KD.4.94
And þanne gan Mede to mengen here · and mercy she bisought
And profred pees a present · al of pure golde
Haue þis man of me quod she · to amende þi skaþe
For I wil wage for wronge · he wil do so namore
L.4.100KD.4.98
Pitously pees þanne · prayed to þe kynge
To haue mercy on þat man · þat mys-did hym so ofte
For he hath waged me wel · as wisdome hym tauȝte
And I forgyue hym þat gilte · with a goode wille
L.4.104KD.4.102
So þat þe kynge assent · I can seye no bettere
For Mede hath made me amendes · I may namore axe
Nay quod þe Kynge þo · so me cryst helpe
Wronge wendeth nouȝte so awaye · arst wil I wite more
L.4.108KD.4.106
For loupe he so liȝtly · laughen he wolde
And efte þe balder be · to bete myne hewen
But resoun haue reuthe on hym · he shal rest in my stokkes
And þat as longe as he lyueth · but lowenesse hym borwe
L.4.112KD.4.110
Somme men redde Resoun þo · to haue reuthe on þat schrewe
fol. 16rI
And for to conseille þe Kynge · and conscience after
That Mede moste be meynpernour · resoun þei bisouȝte
Rede me nouȝte quod resoun · no reuthe to haue
L.4.116KD.4.114
Til lordes and ladies · louien alle treuthe
And haten ..al harlotrye · to heren it · or to mouthen it
Tyl pernelles purfil · be put in here hucche
And childryn cherissyng · be chastyng with ȝerdes
L.4.120KD.4.118
And harlotes holynesse · be holden for an hyne
X
Til clerken coueitise be · to clothe þe pore and to fedeL.4.121: The marginal <X> is larger than typical and occupies the space of this line and the line below. The reason for it is not clear, unless it is intended to suggest that recordare should be boxed in red.
And religious romares · recordare in here cloistres ·
As seynt Benet hem bad · Bernarde and Fraunceys ·
L.4.124KD.4.122
And til prechoures prechyng · be preued on hem-seluen
Tyl þe kynges conseille · be þe comune profyte
Tyl bisschopes baiardes · ben beggeres chambres ·
Here haukes and her houndes · helpe to pore Religious ·
L.4.128KD.4.126
And til seynt Iames be souȝte · þere I shal assigne
That no man go to Galis · but if he go for euere
And alle Rome-renneres · for robberes of byȝende
Bere no siluer ouer see · þat signe of kynge sheweþ ·
L.4.132KD.4.130
Noyther graue ne vngraue · golde noither siluer
Vppon forfeture of þat fee · who-so fynt hym at Douere
But if it be marchaunt or his man · or messagere with lettres
Prouysoure or prest · or penaunt for his synnes ·
L.4.136KD.4.134
And ȝet quod resoun bi þe Rode · I shal no reuthe haue
While Mede hath þe maistrye  in þis moot halle
+
Ac I may shewe ensaumples · asL.4.138: The <s> in as was added in interword space later in response to the marginal <+>. The same error was marked and corrected in L.1.182. I se other-while
I sey it bi my-self quod he · and it so were
L.4.140KD.4.138
That I were kynge with crowne · to kepen a Rewme
Shulde neuere wronge in þis worlde · þat I wite myȝte
Ben vnpunisshed in my powere · for peril of my soule
Ne gete my grace for giftes · so me god saue
L.4.144KD.4.142
Ne for no Mede haue mercy · but mekenesse it make
L.4.145: A pointing hand is sketched in the left margin in slightly darker ink and with a finer pen point, probably a later addition. The hand is placed lower than the line group with the finger pointing upward to the paraph. For nullum malum þe man · mette with inpunitum
And badde nullum bonum · be irremuneratum ·
Late ȝowre confessoure sire Kynge · construe þis vnglosed ·
L.4.148KD.4.146
And ȝif ȝe worken it in werke · I wedde myne eres ·
+
That lawe shal ben a laborere · and lede a-felde dongeL.4.149: A corrector's <+> appears in the left margin, but no error is apparent.
And loue shal lede þi londe · as þe lief lyketh
Clerkes þat were confessoures · coupled hem togideres
fol. 16vI
L.4.152KD.4.150
Alle to construe þis clause · and for þe kynges profit
Ac nouȝte for conforte of þe comune · ne for þe kynges soule
+
For I seiȝe n...medeL.4.154: The third minim of <m> and the <de> in mede are overwritten in darker ink, probably in response to the marginal <+>. The original word is not recoverable. in þe moot halle · on men of lawe wynke
And þei lawghyng lope to hire · and lafte resoun manye
L.4.156KD.4.154
Waryn wisdome · wynked vppon Mede
And seide Madame I am ȝowre man · what-so my mouth iangleth
I falle in floreines quod þat freke · an faile speche ofte
Alle riȝtful recorded · þat resoun treuthe tolde
L.4.160KD.4.158
And witt acorded þer-with · and comended his wordes
And þe moste peple in þe halle · and manye of þe grete
And leten mekenesse a maistre · and Mede a mansed schrewe
Loue lete of hir liȝte · and lewte ȝit lasse
L.4.164KD.4.162
And seide it so heiȝe þat al þe halle it herde
Who-so wilneth hir to wyf · for welth of her godis
But he be knowe for a kokewolde · kut of my nose
Mede mourned þo · and made heuy chere
L.4.168KD.4.166
For þe moste comune of þat courte called hire an hore
Ac a sysoure and aL.4.169: The words and a have been badly rubbed, particularly the <d> and the article. The same rubbing affected the penultimate letters of comone in the preceding line. sompnoure · sued hir faste
And a schireues clerke · byschrewed al þe route
For ofte haue I quod he · holpe ȝow atte barre
L.4.172KD.4.170
And ȝit ȝeue ȝe me neuere · þe worthe of a russhe
The kynge called conscience · and afterwardes resoun
And recorded þat resoun had riȝtfullich schewed
And mowdilich vppon Mede · with myȝte þe Kynge loked
L.4.176KD.4.174
And gan wax wrothe with lawe · for Mede almoste had shent it
And seide þorw ȝowre lawe as I leue · I lese many chetes
Mede ouer-maistrieth lawe · and moche treuthe letteth
Ac resoun shal rekene with ȝow · ȝif I regne any while
L.4.180KD.4.178
And deme ȝow bi þis day · as ȝe han deserued
Mede shal nouȝte meynprise ȝow · bi þe Marie of heuene
I wil haue leute in lawe · and lete be al ȝowre ianglyng
And as moste folke witnesseth wel · wronge shal be demed
L.4.184KD.4.182
Quod conscience to þe kynge · but þe comune wil assent
It is ful hard bi myn hed · here-to to brynge it
Alle ȝowre lige leodes · to lede þus euene
By hym þat rauȝte on þe rode · quod resoun to þe kynge
L.4.188KD.4.186
But if I reule þus ȝowre rewme · rende out my guttes
Ȝif ȝe bidden boxomnesse
fol. 17rI
Ȝif ȝe bidden buxomnes · be of myne assente
And I assent seith þe kynge · by seynte Marie my lady
Be my conseille comen of clerkis · and of erlis
L.4.192KD.4.190
Ac redili resoun þow shalt nouȝte ride fro me
For as longe as I lyue · lete þe I nelle
I am aredy quod resoun · to reste with ȝow euere
So conscience be of owre conseille · I kepe no bettere
L.4.196KD.4.194
And I graunt quod the kynge · goddesforbodegoddes forbode it faile
Als longe as owre lyf lasteth · lyue we togideres
MED