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That lawe shal ben a laborer
And lede a-feld donge,

And love shal lede thi lond,
As the leef liketh."

Clerkes that were confessours
Coupled hem togideres,
Al to construe this clause,
And for the kynges profit,

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Ac noght for confort of the com-
Ne for the kynges soule; [mune,
For I seigh Mede in the moot-halle
On men of lawe wynke,
And thei laughynge lope to hire,
And left Reson manye.
Waryn Wisdom

Wynked upon Mede,

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And seide," Madame, I am youre What so my mouth jangle; [man, I falle in floryns," quod that freke, "And faile speche ofte."

Alle rightfulle recordede That Reson truthe tolde; And Wit acorded therwith, And comendede hise wordes,

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And the mooste peple in the halle,

And manye of the grete,

And leten Mekenesse a maister,
And Mede a mansed sherewe.

Love leet of hire light,

And leauté yet lasse,

And seiden it so heighe
That al the halle it herde,
"Who so wilneth hire to wif,
For welthe of hire goodes,

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But he be knowe for a cokewold, Kut of my nose."

Mede mornede tho,

And made hevy chere,

For the mooste commune of that

Called hire an hore.

Ac a sisour and a somonour

Sued hire faste,

And a sherreves clerk

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The kyng callede Conscience, And afterward Reson,

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And recordede that Reson
Hadde rightfully shewed;
And modiliche upon Mede
With myght the kyng loked;
And gan wexe wroth with lawe,
For Mede almoost hadde shent it;
And seide," thorugh lawe, as I
I lese manye eschetes;

Mede overmaistreth lawe,

And muche truthe letteth.

[leve!

Ac Reson shal rekene with yow,

If I regne any while,

And deme yow bi this day,

As ye han deserved.

Mede shal noght maynprise yow,

By the Marie of hevene!

I wole have leauté in lawe,

And lete be al youre janglyng; 2442

And as moost folk witnesseth wel, Wrong shal be demed."

Quod Conscience to the kyng, "But the commune wole assente, It is ful hard, by myn heed! Hertoo to brynge it,

Alle youre lige leodes

To lede thus evene."

[rode!"

"By hym that raughte on the

Quod Reson to the kynge,

"But if I rule thus youre reaume, Rende out my guttes,

If ye bidden buxomnesse

Be of

66

myn assent."

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"And I assente," seith the kyng, By seinte Marie my lady! By my counseil commune,

Of clerkes and of erles;
Ac redily, Reson,

Thow shalt noght ride fro me,
For, as longe as I lyve,
Lete thee I nelle."

"I am al redy," quod Reson, "To reste with yow evere; So Conscience be of oure counseil, I kepe no bettre."

"And I graunte," quod the kyng, "Goddes forbode ellis !

Als longe as oure lyf lasteth,
Lyve we togideres."

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Passus Quintus de Visione, ut

supra.

HE kyng and hise knyghtes
To the kirke wente,

TH

To here matyns of the day
And the masse after.

Thanne waked I of my wynkyng,

And wo was withalle,

That I ne hadde slept sadder,
And y-seighen moore.

Ac er I hadde faren a furlong,
Feyntise me hente,

That I ne myghte ferther a foot
For defaute of slepynge,

And sat softely a-doun,

And seide my bileve,

And so I bablede on my bedes,

Thei broughte me a-slepe.

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And thanne saugh I muche moore

Than I bifore of tolde,

For I seigh the feld ful of folk,
That I bifore of seide,

And how Reson gan arayen hym
Al the reaume to preche,
And with a cros afore the kyng
Comsede thus to techen.

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He preved that thise pestilences Were for pure synne,

And the south-westrene wynd
On Saterday at even

Was pertliche for pure pride,
And for no point ellis:
Pyries and plum-trees
Were puffed to the erthe,
In ensaumple that the segges
Sholden do the bettre;

Beches and brode okes

Were blowen to the grounde, 2508 Turned upward hire tailes,

In tokenynge of drede

That dedly synne er domes-day
Shal for-doon hem alle.

Of this matere I myghte

Mamelen ful longe;

Ac I shal seye as I saugh,
So me God helpe!

How pertly afore the peple

Reson bigan to preche.

He bad Wastour go werche, 2519

What he best kouthe,

And wynnen

his wastyng

With som maner crafte.

He preide Pernele

Hir purfil to lete,

And kepe it in hire cofre

For catel at hire nede.

Tomme Stowne he taughte

To take two staves,
And fecche Felice hom

Fro the wynen pyne.

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