fol. 9v (cont.)I
passus tercius de vi.....L.3.000: The rest of the word has been lost in the gutter.
vt supra
Passus iijustercius
N
NowL.3.1: The five-line ornamental capital is in blue with red flourishes and with two red marginal sprays. A small guide letter <N> appears in the left margin. is Mede þe Maide · and namo of hem alle
With bedellus & wiþ bayllyues · brouȝt bifor þe kyng
The kyng called a clerke · can I nouȝt his name
L.3.4KD.3.4
To take Mede þe mayde · and make hire at ese
I shal assaye hir my-self · and sothelich appose
What man of þis molde · þat hire were leueste
And if she worche bi my witte · and my wille folwe
L.3.8KD.3.8
I wil forgyue hir þis gilte · so me god help
Curteysliche þe clerke þanne as þe Kyng hight
Toke Mede bi þe Middel · and brouȝte hir in-to chaumbre
And þere was myrthe and mynstralcye · Mede to plese
fol. 10rI

L.3.12KD.3.12
L.3.12: The scribe put a cc paraph indicator here, but the rubricating scribe did not draw the paraph as usual. He may have missed it because he was looking for skipped lines between line groups, not applicable here because the line group begins the page. ¶ They þat wonyeth in westmynstre · worschiped hir alle
Gentelliche wiþ ioye · þe Iustices somme
Busked hem to þe boure · þere þe birde dwelled
To conforte hire kyndely · by clergise leue
L.3.16KD.3.16
And seiden mourne nought Mede · ne make þow no sorwe
For we wisse þe kynge · and þi wey shape
To be wedded at þi wille · and where þe leue liketh
For al conscience caste · or craft as I trowe
L.3.20KD.3.20
Mildeliche Mede þanne · mercyed hem alle
Of þeire gret goodnesse · and gaf hem vchone
Coupes of clene golde · and coppis of siluer
Rynges with rubies · and ricchesses manye
L.3.24KD.3.24
The leste man of here meyne · a motoun of golde
Thanne lauȝte þei leue · þis lordes at Mede
With that comen clerkis · to conforte hir þe same
And beden hire be blithe · for we beth þine owneL.3.27: Illegible scribbles appear in the right margin.
L.3.28KD.3.28
Forto worche þi wille · þe while þow myȝte laste
L.3.29: The scribe skipped a line as for a strophe break, but there is no <cc> to indicate further his intention. Hendeliche heo þanne · bihight hem þe same
To loue ȝowL.3.30: LR alone read ȝow; most other B manuscripts have hem. lelli · and lordes to make
And in þe consistorie atte courte · do calle ȝowre names
L.3.32KD.3.32
Shal no lewdnesse lette · þe leode þat I louye
That he ne worth first auanced · for I am biknowen
Þere konnyng clerkes · shul clokke bihynde
Þanne come þere a confessoure · coped as a Frere
L.3.36KD.3.36
To Mede þe mayde · he mellud þis wordes
And seide ful softly · in shrifte as it were
Theiȝ lewed men · and lered men · had leyne by þe bothe
And falsenesse haued yfolwed þe al þis fyfty wyntre
L.3.40KD.3.40
I shal assoille þe my-selue · for a seme of whete
And also be þi bedeman · and bere wel þi message
Amonges kniȝtes and clerkis · conscience to torne
Thanne Mede for here mysdedes · to þat man kneled
L.3.44KD.3.44
And shroue hire of hire shrewednesse · shamelees I trowe
Tolde hym a tale · and toke hym a noble
Forto ben hire bedeman · and hire brokour als
Thanne he assoilled hir sone · and sithen he seyde
L.3.48KD.3.48
We han a wyndowe a-wirchyng wil sitten vs welL.3.48: L alone reads wel; most other B manuscripts have ful. heigh
Woldestow glase þat gable · and graue þere-inne þi name
Siker sholde þi soule be · heuene to haue
fol. 10vI
Wist I that quod þat womman · I wolde nouȝt spare
L.3.52KD.3.52
For to be ȝowre frende frere · and faille ȝow neure
Whil ȝe loue lordes · þat lechery haunteþ
And lakkeþ nouȝt ladis · þat loueþ wel þe same
It is a frelete of of flesche · ȝe fynde it in bokes
L.3.56KD.3.56
And a course of kynde · wher-of we komen alle
Who may scape þe sklaundre · þe skaþe is sone amended
It is synne of seuene · sonnest relessed
Haue mercy quod Mede · of men þat it haunte
L.3.60KD.3.60
And I shal keure ȝowre kirke · ȝowre cloystre do maken
Wowes do whitten · and wyndowes glasen
Do peynten and purtraye · and paye for þe makynge
That eury segge shal seyn · I am sustre of ȝowre hous
L.3.64KD.3.64
Ac god to alle good folke · suche grauynge defendeth
To writen in wyndowes · of here wel-dedes
On auenture pruyde be peynted þere · and pompe of þe worlde
For crist knoweþ þi conscience · and þi kynde wille
L.3.68KD.3.68
And þi coste and þi coueitise · and who þe catel ouȝte
For-þi I lere ȝow lordes · leueþ suche werkes
To writen in wyndowes · of ȝowre wel-dedes
Or to greden after goddis men · whan ȝe delen doles
L.3.72KD.3.72
An auenture ȝe han ȝowre hire here · and ȝoure heuene als
Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra ·
Lat nouȝte þi left half · late no rathe
Wyte what þow worchest · with þi riȝt syde
L.3.76KD.3.75
For þus bit þe gospel · gode men do here almesse
Meires and maceres · that menes ben bitwene
Þe kynge and þe comune to kepe þe lawes
To punyschen on pillories · and pynynge stoles
L.3.80KD.3.79
Brewesteres and bakesteres · bocheres and cokes
For þise aren men on þis molde · þat moste harme worcheth
To þe pore peple þat parcel-mele buggen
For they ...?...poysoun þe peple · priueliche and oft
L.3.84KD.3.83
Thei rychen þorw regraterye · and rentes hem buggen
With þat þe pore people shulde put in here wombe
For toke þei on trewly · þei tymbred nouȝt so heiȝe
Ne bouȝte non burgages · be ȝe ful certeyne
L.3.88KD.3.87
Ac Mede þe Mayde þe Maire hath bisouȝte
Of alle suche sellers · syluer to take
fol. 11rI
Or presentz withoute pens · as peces of siluer
Ringes or other ricchesse · þe regrateres to maynetene
L.3.92KD.3.91
For my loue quod that lady loue hem vchone
And soffre hem to selle · somdele aȝeins resoun
Salamon þe sage · a sarmoun he made
For to amende Maires · and men þat kepen lawes
L.3.96KD.3.95
And tolde hem þis teme · þat I telle thynke
nota
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera &cL.3.97: A s. xvi hand has written nota in the right margin.
Amonge þis lettered ledes · þis latyn is to mene
That fyre shal falle and berne · al to blo askes
+
L.3.100KD.3.99
The houses and þe homes · of hemhem [þat]L.3.100: A <+> appears in the left margin marking the omission of þat after hem. desireth
Ȝiftes or ȝeresȝyues · bi-cause of here offices
The kynge fro conseille cam · and called after Mede
And ofsent hir alswythe · with seriauntes manye
L.3.104KD.3.103
That brouȝten hir to bowre · with blisse and with ioye
Curteisliche þe kynge þanne · comsed to telle
To Mede þe mayde · melleth þise wordes
Vnwittily womman · wrouȝte hastow oft
L.3.108KD.3.107
Ac worse wrouȝtestow neure · þan þo þow fals toke
But I forgyueL.3.109: LCot alone omit þee after forgyue. þat gilte · and graunte þe my grace
Hennes to þi deth-day · do so namore
I haue a knyȝte conscience · cam late fro biȝunde
+
L.3.112KD.3.111
Ȝif he wilneth þe to wyf · wyltow hym ....haueL.3.112: The word haue is a later addition over an erasure, which may also have partially obliterated a <+> in the right margin.
Ȝe lorde quod þat lady · lorde forbede elles
But I be holely at ȝowre heste · lat hange me sone
And þanne was conscience calde · to come and appiere
L.3.116KD.3.115
Bifor þe Kynge and his conseille · as clerkes and othere
Knelynge conscience · to þe kynge louted
To wite what his wille were · and what he do shulde
Woltow wedde þis womman quod þe kynge · ȝif I wil assente
L.3.120KD.3.119
For she is fayne of þi felawship · for to be þi make
Quod conscience to þe kynge · cryst it me forbede
Ar I wedde suche a wyf · wo me bityde
For she is frele of hir feith · fykel of here speche
L.3.124KD.3.123
And maketh men · mysdo · many score tymes
Truste of hire tresore · treieth ful manye
fol. 11vI
Wyues and widewes · wantounes she techeth
And lereth hem leccherye · that loueth hire ȝiftes
L.3.128KD.3.127
Ȝowre fadre she felled · þorw fals biheste
And hath apoysounde popis · peired holicherche
Is nauȝt a better baude · bi hym þat me made
Bitwene heuene and helle · in erthe þough men souȝte
L.3.132KD.3.131
For she is tikil of hire taile · talwis of hir tonge
As comune as a cartwey · to eche a knaue þat walketh
+
To monkes to mynstallesmynst[r]allesL.3.134: A <+> in the left margin appears to have been partly erased, but the error mynstalles for mynstralles was not corrected. The scribe made the same error at L.2.230 where it was also marked for correction, but the correction was not made. · to meseles in hegges
Sisoures and sompnoures · suche men hir preiseth
L.3.136KD.3.135
Shireues of shires · were shent ȝif she nere
For she doþ men lese here londe · and here lyf bothe
She leteth passe prisoneres · and payeth for hem ofte
And gyueth þe gailers golde · and grotes togideres
L.3.140KD.3.139
To vnfettre þe fals fle where hym lyketh
And ...?...takeþ þe trewe bi þe toppe · and tieth hym faste
And hangeth hym for hatred · þat harme dede neure
To be cursed in consistorie · she counteth nouȝte a russhe
L.3.144KD.3.143
For she copeth þe comissarie · and coteth his clerkis
She is assoilled as sone · as hir-self liketh
And may neiȝe as moche do · in a moneth one
As ȝowre secret seel · in syx score dayes
L.3.148KD.3.147
For she is priue with þe pope · prouisoures it knoweth
For sire symonye and hir-selue · seleth hire bulles
She blesseth þise bisshopes · þeiȝ.e þey be lewed
Prouendreth persones · a..nd prestes meynteneth
L.3.152KD.3.151
To haue lemmannes and lotebies · alle here lif-dayes
And bringen forth barnes · aȝein forbode l..awes
There ...she is wel with þe kynge · wo is þe rewme
For she is fauorable to þe fals · and fouleth trewthe ofte
L.3.156KD.3.155
Bi ihesus with here ieweles · ȝowre iustices she shendeth
And lith aȝein þe lawe · and letteth hym þe gate
That feith may nouȝte haue his forth · here floreines go so þikke
She ledeth þe lawe as hire list · and louedayes maketh
L.3.160KD.3.159
And doth men lese þorw hire loue · þat lawe myȝte wynne
Þe mase for a mene man · þouȝ he mote hir eure
Lawe is so lordeliche · and loth to make ende
With-oute presentz or pens · she pleseth wel fewe
L.3.164KD.3.163
Barounes and burgeys · she bryngeth in sorwe
And alle þe comune in kare · þat coueyten lyue in trewthe
For clergye and coueitise · she coupleth togideres
fol. 12rI
Þis is þe lyf of that lady · now lorde ȝif hir sorwe
L.3.168KD.3.167
And alle that meynteneth here men · meschaunce hem bityde
For pore men mowe haue no powere · to pleyne hem þouȝ þei smerte
Suche a maistre is Mede · amonge men of gode
Thanne morned Mede · and mened hire to the kynge
L.3.172KD.3.171
To haue space to speke · spede if she myȝte
The kynge graunted hir grace with a gode wille
Excuse þe ȝif þow canst · I can namore seggen
For conscience acuseth þe · to congey þe for euere
L.3.176KD.3.175
Nay lorde quod þat lady · leueth hym þe worse
Whan ȝe wyten witterly · where þe wronge liggeth
There þat myschief is grete · Mede may helpe
And þow knowest conscience · I cam nouȝt to chide
L.3.180KD.3.179
Ne depraue þi persone · with a proude herte
Wel þow wost wernard · but ȝif þow wolt gabbe
Þow hast hanged on myne half · elleuene tymes
And also griped my golde · gyue it where þe liked
L.3.184KD.3.183
And whi þow wratthest þe now · wonder me thynketh
Ȝit I may as I myȝte · menske þe with ȝiftes
And mayntene þi manhode · more þan þow knoweste
Ac þow hast famed me foule · bifor þe Kynge here
L.3.188KD.3.187
For kulled I neuere no kynge · ne conseilled þer-after
Ne dede as þow demest · I doL.3.189: LCM alone omit it after do. on þe kynge
In normandye was he nouȝte · noyed for my sake
Ac þow þi-self sothely · shamedest hym ofte
L.3.192KD.3.191
Crope in-to a kaban · for colde of þi nailles
Wendest þat wyntre · wolde haue lasted euere
And draddest to be ded · for a dym cloude
And hiedest homeward · for hunger of þi wombe
L.3.196KD.3.195
Wiþ-out ....pite piloure · pore men þow robbedest
And bere here bras at þi bakke · to caleys to selle
There I lafte with my lorde · his lyf for to saue
I made his men meri · and mornyng lette
L.3.200KD.3.199
I batered hem on þe bakke · and bolded here hertis
And dede hem hoppe for hope · to haue me at wille
Had I ben Marschal of his men · bi Marie of heuene
I durst haue leyde my lyf · and no lasse wedde
L.3.204KD.3.203
He shulde haue be lorde of þat londe · a lengthe and a brede
And also Kyng of þat kitthe · his kynne for to helpe
fol. 12vI
Þe leste brolle of his blode · a barounes pere
Cowardliche þow conscience · conseiledest hym þennes
L.3.208KD.3.207
To leuen his lordeship · for a litel siluer
That is þe richest rewme · þat reyne ouer-houeth
It bicometh to a kynge · þat kepeth a rewme
To ȝiue Mede to men · þat mekelich hym serueth
L.3.212KD.3.211
To alienes and to alle men to honoure hem with ȝiftes
Mede maketh hym biloued · and for a man holden
Emperoures and Erlis · and al manere lordes
for ȝiftes han ȝonge men · to renne and to ride
L.3.216KD.3.215
The pope and alle prelatis · presentz vnderfongen
And medeth men hem-seluen · to meyntene here lawes
Seruauntz for her seruise · we seth wel þe sothe
Taken Mede of here maistre · as þei mowe acorde
L.3.220KD.3.219
Beggeres for here biddynge · bidden men Mede
Mynstralles for here murthe · mede þei aske
Þe kynge hath mede of his men · to make pees in londe
Men þat teche chyldren · craue of hem mede
L.3.224KD.3.223
Prestis þat precheth þe poeple · to gode asken mede
And masse-pans and here mete · at þe mele-tymes
Alkynnes crafty men · crauen Mede for here prentis
Marchauntz and Mede · mote nede go togideres
L.3.228KD.3.227
No wiȝte as I wene · with-oute Mede may libbe
+
Quatȝ þe kynge to conscience · bi criste as me thy..nkethL.3.229: The letters <nk> are written over an erasure. A <+> in the left margin may have prompted the correction.
Mede is wel worthi · þe maistrye to haue
Nay quod conscience to þe Kynge · and kneled to þe erthe
L.3.232KD.3.231
There aren two manere of Medes · my lorde with ȝowre leue
Þat one god of his grace · graunteth in his blisse
To þo þat wel worchen · whil þei ben here
The prophete precheth þer-of · and put it in þe sautere
L.3.236KD.3.234α
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo
Lorde who shal wonye in þi wones · and with þine holi seyntes
Or resten onL.3.238: LMRF alone read on; all other B manuscripts have in. þi holy hilles · þis asketh dauid
And dauyd assoileth it hym-self as þe sauter telleth
L.3.240KD.3.237α
Qui ingreditur sine macula · & operatur iusticiam
Tho þat entren of o colour · and of on wille
And han wrouȝte werkis · with riȝte and with reson
And he þat ne vseth nauȝte · þe lyf of vsurye
L.3.244KD.3.241
And enfourmeth pore men · and pursueth treuthe
Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram & munera super innocentem &c ·
fol. 13rI
And alle þat helpeth þe innocent · and halt with þe riȝtful
Withoute mede doth hem gode · and þe trewthe helpeth
L.3.248KD.3.244
Suche manere men my lorde · shal haue þis furst Mede
Of god at a grete nede · whan þei gone hennes
There is an other Mede mesurelees · þat maistres desireth
To meyntene mysdoers · Mede þei take
L.3.252KD.3.248
And þere-of seith þe sauter · in a salmes ende
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextera eorum repleta est muneribus
And he þat gripeth her golde · so me god helpe
Shal abie it bittere · or þe boke lyeth
L.3.256KD.3.252
Prestes and parsones · þat plesynge desireth
That taketh Mede and mone · for messes þat þei syngeth
Taketh here mede here · as Mathew vs techeth
Amen amen recipiebant mercedem suam ·
L.3.260KD.3.255
That laboreres and lowe folke · taketh of her maistres
It is no manere Mede · but a mesurable hire
In marchandise is no mede · I may it wel avowe
It is a permutacioun apertly · a penyworth for an othre
L.3.264KD.3.259
Ac reddestow neuere Regum · þow recrayed Mede
Whi þe veniaunce fel · on saul and on his children
God sent to saul · bi samuel þe prophete
Þat agag of amaleke · and al his peple aftre
L.3.268KD.3.263
Shulde deye for a dede · þat done had here ealdres
For-þi seid samuel to saul · god hym-self hoteth
The · be boxome at his biddynge · his wille to fulfille
Wende to amalec with þyn oste · and what þow fyndest þere slee it
L.3.272KD.3.267
Biernes and bestes · brenne hem to ded
Wydwes and wyues · wommen and children
Moebles and vnmoebles · and al þat þow myȝte fynde
Brenne it bere it nouȝte awey · be it neuere so riche
L.3.276KD.3.271
For mede ne for mone · loke þow destruye it
Spille it and spare it nouȝte · þow shalt spede þe bettere
And for he coueyted her catel · and þe kynge spared
Forbare hym and his bestes bothe · as þe bible witnesseth
L.3.280KD.3.275
Otherwyse þan he was · warned of þe prophete
God seide to samuel þat saul shulde deye
And al his sede for þat synne · shenfullich ende
Such a myschief Mede made saul þe kynge to haue
L.3.284KD.3.279
That god hated hym for euere · and alle his eyres after
L.3.285: The rubricating scribe failed to note the original scribe's paraph indicator in the left margin, probably because the original scribe did not skip a line. The culorum of þis cas · kepe I nouȝte to shewe
fol. 13vI
An auenture it noyed men · none ende wil I make
For so is þis worlde went · wiþ hem þat han powere
L.3.288KD.3.283
That who-so seyth hem sothes · is sonnest yblamed
kynde wytt techeth
consyenceL.3.289: A s. xvi hand entered the gloss in the left margin.
I conscience knowe þis · for kynde witt me it tauȝte
Þat resoun shal regne · and rewmes gouerne
And riȝte as agag hadde · happe shul somme
L.3.292KD.3.287
Samuel shal sleen hym · and saul shal be blamed
And dauid shal be diademed · and daunten hem alle
+
And one cristene Kynge · kepen hem alleL.3.294: A <+> in the right margin prompted the original scribe to insert hem before alle.
Shal namore Mede · be maistre as she is nouthe
L.3.296KD.3.291
Ac loue and lowenesse · and lewte togederes
Þise shul be maistres on molde · treuthe to saue
L.3.298-303: This verse paragraph is bracketed in the left margin, though it is not possible to determine whether the s. xvi hand appearing elsewhere on this leaf is responsible. And who-so trespasseth ayein treuthe · or taketh aȝein his wille
Leute shal don hym lawe · and no lyf elles
L.3.300KD.3.295
Shal no seriaunt for here seruyse · were a silke howue
Ne no pelure in his cloke · for pledyng atte barre
Mede of mys-doeres · maketh many lordes
And ouer lordes lawes · reuleth þe rewmes
L.3.304KD.3.299
Ac kynde loue shal come ȝit · and conscience togideres
And make of lawe a laborere · suche loue shal arise
And such a pees amonge þe peple · and a parfit trewthe
Þat iiewes shal wene in here witte · and waxen wonder glade
+
L.3.308KD.3.303
ÞatL.3.308: The original scribe changed Þa to Þat in response to a <+> appearing in the left margin. The same spelling has been marked but not corrected at L.11.308 and L.15.19. Moises or Messie · be come in-to þis erthe
And haue wonder in here hertis · þat men beth so trewe
Alle þat bereth baslardeL.3.310: The scribe inserted the final <e> over an erasure, taking the space reserved for the punctus. brode swerde or launce
Axe orther[o]ther hachet · or eny wepne ellis
L.3.312KD.3.307
Shal be demed to þe deth · but if he do it smythye
In-to sikul or to sithe · to schare or to kulter
Conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres &c
Eche man to pleye with a plow · pykoys or spade
L.3.316KD.3.310
Spynne or sprede donge · or spille hym-self with sleuthe
presbiteri fundent
preces
L.3.317: A s. xvi scribe entered the gloss in the left margin.
Prestes and parsones · with placebo to hunte
And dyngen vpon dauid · eche a day til eue
Huntynge or haukynge · if any of hem vse
L.3.320KD.3.314
His boste of his benefys · worth bynome hym after
Shal neither kynge ne knyȝte constable ne Meire
Ouer-lede þe comune · ne to þe courte sompne
Ne put hem in panel · to don hem pliȝte here treuthe
L.3.324KD.3.318
But after þe dede þat is don · one dome shal rewarde
fol. 14rI
Mercy or no mercy · as treuthe wil acorde
Kynges courte and comune courte · consistorie and chapitele
Al shal be but one courte · and one baroun be iustice
L.3.328KD.3.322
Thanne worth trewe tonge a tidy man · þat tened me neuere
Batailles shal non be · ne no man bere wepne
And what smyth · þat ony smyteth · be smyte þer-with to dethe
Non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium &c ·
L.3.332KD.3.325
And er þis fortune falle fynde men shal þe worste
By syx sonnes and a schippe · and half a shef of arwes
And þe myddel of a mone · shal make þe iewes to torneL.3.334: A scribe, identified by Skeat as the original scribe, put a pointing hand in the right margin.
And saracenes for þat siȝte · shulle synge gloria in excelsis &c
L.3.336KD.3.329
For Makomet & Mede · myshappe shal þat tyme
For melius est bonum nomen quam diuicie multe
Also wroth as þe wynde · wex Mede in a while
I can no latyn quod she · clerkis wote þe sothe
L.3.340KD.3.333
Se what salamon seith in sapience bokes
That hij þat ȝiueth ȝiftes · þe victorie wynneth
& moche worschip had þer-with · as holiwryt telleth
Honorem adquiret qui dat munera &c
L.3.344KD.3.337
I leue wel lady quod conscience · þat þi latyne be trewe
Ac þow art like a lady · þat redde a lessoun ones
Was omnia probate · and þat plesed here herte
For þat lyne was no lenger atte leues ende
L.3.348KD.3.341
Had ȝeL.3.348: LB alone read ȝe; all other B manuscripts have she. loked þat other half · and þe lef torned
ȜeL.3.349: LB alone read Ȝe; most other B manuscripts have She. shulde haue founden fele wordis · folwyng þer-after
Quod bonum est tenete · treuthe þat texte made
And so ferde ȝe madame · ȝe couthe namore fynde
L.3.352KD.3.345
Tho ȝe loked on sapience · sittynge in ȝoure studie
Þis tixte þat ȝe han tolde · were gode for lordes
Ac ȝow failled a cunnyng clerke · þat couthe þe lef haue torned
And if ȝe seche sapience eft · fynde shal ȝe þat folweth
L.3.356KD.3.349
A ful teneful tixte · to hem þat taketh Mede
And þat is animam autem aufert accipientium · &c ·
And þat is þe taille of þe tixte · of þat þat ȝe schewed
...?...?...Þat þeiȝe we wynne worschip · and wiþ mede haue victorie
L.3.360KD.3.353
Þe soule þat þe soude taketh · bi so moche is bounde
MED