# Piers Ploughman (Wright)/Passus 19

Passus Decimus Nonus, explicit Do-bet, et incipit Do-best.
hus I awaked and wroot 12960
What I hadde y-dremed; And dighte me derely, And dide me to chirche, To here holly the masse, And to be housled after.
In myddes of the masse, Tho men yede to offryng, I fel eft-soones a-slepe; And sodeynly me mette That Piers the Plowman 12970 Was peynted al blody, And com in with a cros Bifore the comune peple, And right lik in alle thynges To oure Lord Jhesus.
And thanne called I Conscience, To kenne me the sothe; "Is this Jhesus the justere," quod I, "That Jewes dide to dethe? Or it is Piers the Plowman. 12980 Who peynted hym so rede?"
Quod Conscience, and kneled tho, "Thise arn Piers armes, Hise colours and his cote armure;​ Ac he that cometh so blody Is Crist with his cros, Conquerour of cristene."
"Why calle hym Crist," quod I, "Sithen Jewes calle hym Jhesus? Patriarkes and prophetes 12990 Prophecied bifore That alle kynne creatures Sholden knelen and bowen, Anoon as men nempned The name of God Jhesu. Ergo is no name To the name of Jhesus; Ne noon so nedeful to nempne By nyghte ne by daye. For alle derke develes 13000 Arn a-drad to heren it; And synfulle aren solaced And saved by that name. And ye callen hym Crist; For what cause telleth me? Is Crist moore of myght, And moore worthi name, Than Jhesu or Jhesus, That al oure joye com of?"
"Thow knowest wel," quod Conscience, 13010 "And thow konne reson, That knyght, kyng, conquerour, May be o persone. To be called a knyght is fair, For men shul knele to hym; To be called a kyng is fairer, For he may knyghtes make;​ Ac to be conquerour called, That cometh of special grace, And of hardynesse of herte, 13020 And of hendenesse, To make lordes of laddes Of lond that he wynneth, And fre men foule thralles That folwen noght hise lawes.
"The Jewes that were gentil men, Jhesus thei despised, Bothe his loore and his lawe; Now are thei lowe cherles. As wide as the world is, 13030 Noon of hem ther wonyeth But under tribut and taillage, As tikes and cherles; And tho that bicome cristene Bi counseil of the baptisme, Aren frankeleyns, free men, Thorugh fullynge that thei toke, And gentil men with Jhesu; For Jhesu was y-fulled, And upon Calvarie on cros 13040 Y-crouned kyng of Jewes.
"It bicometh to a kyng To kepe and to defende; And conquerour of conquest Hise lawes and his large. And so dide Jhesus the Jewes, He justified and taughte hem The lawe of lif, That laste shal evere; And defended from foule yveles, 13050 Feveres and fluxes,​ And from fendes that in hem were, And false bileve. Tho was he Jhesus of Jewes called, Gentile prophete, And kyng of hir kyngdom, And croune bar of thornes.
"And tho conquered he on cros, As conquerour noble. Mighte no deeth hym for-do, 13060 Ne a-doun brynge, That he naroos and regnede, And ravysshed helle: And tho was he conquerour called Of quyke and of dede. For he yaf Adam and Eve And othere mo blisse, That longe hadde y-leyen bifore As Luciferis cherles.
"And sith he yaf largely 13070 Alle hise lele liges Places in Paradis, At hir partynge hennes; He may wel be called conquerour, And that is Crist to mene.
"Ac the cause that he cometh thus With cros of his passion, Is to wissen us therwith That whan that we ben tempted, Therwith to fighte and defenden us 13080 Fro fallynge to synne. And so bi his sorwe, That who so loveth joye To penaunce and to poverte He moste puten hymselven,​ And muche wo in this world To willen and suffren.
"Ac to carpe moore of Crist, And how he com to that name, Faithly for to speke, 13090 His firste name was Jhesus; Tho he was born in Bethleem, As the book telleth, And cam to take mankynde, Kynges and aungeles Reverenced hym faire With richesses of erthe, Aungeles out of hevene Come knelynge and songe, Gloria in excelsis Deo, etc. 13100
"Kynges that come after Knelede, and offrede Mirre and muche gold, Withouten mercy askynge Or any kynnes catel, But knowelichynge hym sovereyn Bothe of lond, sonne, and see, And sithenes thei wente Into hir kyngene kith, By counseil of aungeles. 13110 And there was that word fulfilled The which thow of speke. Omnia cælestia terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Jhesu.
"For alle the aungeles of hevene At his burthe knelede, And al the wit of the world Was in tho thre kynges, Reson and rightwisnesse​ And ruthe thei offrede; 13120 Wherfore and why Wise men that tyme, Maistres and lettred men, Magi hem callede.
"That o kyng cam with reson, Covered under sense.
"The seconde kyng siththe Soothliche offrede Rightwisnesse under reed gold, Resones felawe. 13130 For gold is likned to leautee That laste shal evere.
"The thridde kyng tho kam Knelynge to Jhesu, And presented hym with pitee, Apperynge by mirre. For mirre is mercy to mene And mylde speche of tonge.
"Thre y-liche honeste thynges Were offred thus at ones, 13140 Thorugh thre kynne kynges Knelynge to Jhesu,
"Ac for alle thise preciouse presentz, Oure Lord kyng Jhesus Was neither kyng ne conquerour, Til he gan to wexe In the manere of a man, And that by muchel sleighte, As it bi-cometh a conquerour To konne manye sleightes, 13150 And manye wiles and wit, That wole ben a ledere. And so dide Jhesu in hise dayes,​ Who so hadde tyme to telle it.
"Som tyme he suffrede, And som tyme he hidde hym; And some tyme he faught faste, And fleigh outher while; And som tyme he gaf good, And grauntede heele bothe, 13160 Lif and lyme, As hym liste he wroghte. As kynde is of a conquerour, So comsede Jhesu, Til he hadde alle hem That he for bledde.
"In his juventee this Jhesus At Jewene feeste Water into wyn turnede, As holy writ telleth. 13170 And there bigan God Of his grace to do-wel. For wyn is likned to lawe And lif-holynesse, And lawe lakkede tho, For men lovede noght hir enemys. And Crist counseileth thus, And comaundeth bothe, To lered and to lewede To lovyen oure enemys. 13180 So at the feeste first, As I bifore tolde, Bigan God of his grace And goodnesse to do-wel. And thanne was he called Noght holy Crist, but Jhesu, A faunt fyn ful of wit,​ Filius Mariæ. For bifore his moder Marie Made he that wonder; 13190 That she first and formest Ferme sholde bileve That he thorugh grace was gete, And of no gome ellis. He wroghte that by no wit, But thorugh word one; After the kynde that he cam of, There comsede he do-wel.
"And whan he woxen was moore, In his moder absence, 13200 He made lame to lepe, And yaf light to blynde, And fedde with two fisshes, And with fyve loves, Sore a fyngred folk Mo than fyve thousand.
"Thus he confortede carefulle And caughte a gretter name, The which was Do-bet, Where that he wente, 13210 For deve thorugh hise doynges to here And dombe speke he made, And alle he heeled and halp That hym of grace askede. And tho was he called in contré Of the comune peple, For the dedes that he dide, Fili David, Jhesus. For David was doghtiest Of dedes in his tyme. 13220 The burdes tho songe,​ Saul interfecit mille, et David decem millia.
"For-thi the contree ther Jhesu cam Called hym fili David, And nempned hym of Nazareth, And no man so worthi To be kaiser or kyng Of the kyngdom of Juda, Ne over Jewes justice, 13230 As Jhesus was, hem thoughte.
"Wherof Cayphas hadde envye, And othere of the Jewes; And for to doon hym to dethe Day and nyght thei casten, Killeden hym on cros wise At Calvarie on Friday, And sithen buriede his body, And beden that men sholde, Kepen it fro nyght comeris 13240 With knyghtes y-armed, For no frendes sholde hym fecche. For prophetes hem tolde That that blissede body Of burieles risen sholde, And goon into Galilee, And gladen hise apostles, And his moder Marie; Thus men bifore demede.
"The knyghtes that kepten it 13250 Bi-knewe it hemselven, That aungeles and archaungeles Er the day spronge Come knelynge to the corps, And songen Christus resurgens,​ Verray men bifore hem alle, And forth with hem he yede.
"The Jewes preide hem be pees, And bi-soughte the knyghtes Telle the comune that ther cam 13260 A compaignie of hise apostles, And bi-wicched hem as thei woke, And awey stolen it.
"Ac Marie Maudeleyne Mette hym by the weye, Goynge toward Galilee In godhede and manhede, And lyves and lokynge, And she a-loud cride In ech a compaignie ther she cam, 13270 Christus resurgens.
"Thus cam it out that Crist over-coom, Recoverede and lyvede Sic oportet Christum pati et intrare, etc. For that that wommen witeth, May noght wel be counseille.
"Peter parceyved al this, And pursued after, Bothe James and Johan, 13280 Jhesu for to seke, Thaddee and ten mo, With Thomas of Inde. And as alle thise wise wyes Weren togideres, In an hous al bi-shet, And hir dore y-barred, Crist cam in, and al closed Bothe dore and yates,​ To Peter and to thise apostles, 13290 And seide pax vobis! And took Thomas by the hand, And taughte hym to grope, And feele with hise fyngres His flesshliche herte.
"Thomas touched it, And with his tonge seide, 'Deus meus et Dominus meus— Thow art my lord, I bi-leve, My God, lord Jhesu; 13300 Thow deidest and deeth tholedest, And deme shalt us alle, And now art lyvynge and lokynge, And laste shalt evere.'
"Crist carpede thanne, And curteisliche seide, 'Thomas, for thow trowest this, And treweliche bi-levest it, Blessed mote thow be, And be shalt for evere; 13310 And blessed mote thei alle be In body and in soule That nevere shul se me in sighte, As thow doost nowthe, And lelliche bi-leve al this, I love hem and blesse hem.' Beati qui non viderunt, etc.
"And whan this dede was doon, Do-best he taughte, And yaf Piers power, 13320 And pardon he grauntede, To alle maner men Mercy and forgifnesse,​ Hym myght to assoille Of alle manere synne, In covenaunt that thei come And kneweliched to paie To Piers pardon the Plowman, Redde quod debes.
"Thus hath Piers power, 13330 By his pardon paied, To bynde and unbynde, Bothe here and ellis where; And assoille men of alle synnes, Save of dette one.
"Anoon after an heigh Up into hevene He wente, and wonyeth there, And wol come at the laste, And rewarde hym right wel 13340 That reddit quod debet, Paieth parfitly, As pure truthe wolde; And what persone paieth it nought, Punysshen he thenketh, And demen hem at domes day Bothe quyke and dede. The goode to the godhede And to greet joye, And wikkede to wonye 13350 In wo withouten ende."
Thus Conscience of Crist And of the cros carpede, And counseiled me to knele therto. And thanne cam, me thoughte, Oon spiritus paraclitus To Piers and to hise felawes​ In liknesse of a lightnynge He lighte on hem alle, And made hem konne and knowe 13360 Alle kynne langages. I wondred what that was, And waggede Conscience, And was a-fered of the light, For in fires lightnesse Spiritus paraclitus Over-spradde hem alle.
Quod Conscience, and knelede, "This is Cristes messager, And cometh fro the grete God, 13370 And Grace is his name. Knele now," quod Conscience, "And if thow kanst synge, Welcome hym and worshipe hym With Veni creator spiritus."
Thanne song I that song, So dide manye hundred, And cride with Conscience, "Help us, God of Grace!"
And thanne bigan Grace 13380 To go with Piers Plowman, And counseillede hym and Conscience The comune to sompne; "For I wole dele to-day And gyve divine grace To alle kynne creatures That han hir fyve wittes, Tresour to lyve by To hir lyves ende, And wepne to fighte with 13390 That wole nevere faille.​ For Antecrist and hise Al the world shul greve, And acombre thee, Conscience, But if Crist thee helpe.
"And false prophetes fele, Flatereris and gloseris, Shullen come and be curatours Over kynges and erles, And Pride shal be pope, 13400 Prynce of holy chirche, Coveitise and unkyndenesse Cardinals hym to lede; For-thi," quod Grace, "er I go, I wol gyve yow tresor, And wepne to fighte with Whan Antecrist yow assaileth." And gaf ech man a grace To gide with hymselven, That ydelnesse encombre hym noght, 13410 Envye ne pride. Divisiones gratiarum sunt, etc.
Some he yaf wit With wordes to shewe, Wit to wynne hir liflode with, As the world asketh, As prechours and preestes, And prentices of lawe, They lelly to lyve By labour of tonge, 13420 And by wit to wissen othere As grace hem wolde teche.
And some he kennede craft And konnynge of sighte, With sellynge and buggynge​ Hir bilyve to wynne.
And some he lered to laboure, A lele lif and a trewe; And some he taughte to tilie, To dyche and to thecche, 13430 To wynne with her liflode Bi loore of his techynge.
And some to devyne and divide, Noumbres to kenne; And some to compace craftily, And colours to make; And some to se and to seye What sholde bi-falle, Bothe of wele and of wo, Telle it er it felle, 13440 As astronomyens thorugh astronomye, And philosofres wise.
And some to ryde, and to recovere That wrongfully was wonne; He wissed hem to wynne it ayein Thorugh wightnesse of handes, And fecchen it fro false men With folvyles lawes.
And some he lered to lyve In longynge to ben hennes, 13450 In poverte and in penaunce, To preie for alle cristene. And alle he lered to be lele, And ech a craft love oother; And forbad hem alle debat, That noon were among hem. "Though some be clenner than some, Ye se wel," quod Grace, "That he that useth the faireste craft,​ To the fouleste I kouthe have put hym. 13460 Thynketh alle," quod Grace, "That grace cometh of my gifte; Loketh that no man lakke oother, But loveth alle as bretheren.
"And who that moost maistries kan Be myldest of berynge; And crouneth Conscience kyng, And maketh Craft youre stiward, And after Craftes conseil Clotheth yow and fede. 13470 For I make Piers the Plowman My procuratour and my reve, And registrer to receyve, Redde quod debes. My prowor and my plowman Piers shal ben on erthe, And for to tilie truthe A teeme shal he have."
Grace gaf Piers a teeme Of foure grete oxen. 13480 That oon was Luk, a large beest, And a lowe chered; And Mark, and Mathew the thridde, Myghty beestes bothe; And joyned to hem oon Johan, Moost gentil of alle, The pris neet of Piers Plow, Passynge all othere.
And Grace gaf Piers Of his goodnesse foure stottes; 13490 Al that hise oxen eriede, Thei to harewen after.​ Oon highte Austyn, And Ambrose another, Gregori the grete clerk, And Jerom the goode. Thise foure the feith to teche Folweth Piers teme, And harewede in an hand while Al holy Scripture, 13500 With two harewes that thei hadde, An oold and a newe. Id est, vetus testamentum et novum.
And Grace gaf greynes, The cardynal vertues, And sew hem in mannes soule, And sithen he tolde hir names. Spiritus prudentiæ. The firste seed highte; And who so ete that, 13510 Ymagynen he sholde Er he deide any deeth, Devyse wel the ende; And lerned men a ladel bugge With a long stele, And caste for to kepe a crokke To save the fatte above.
The seconde seed highte Spiritus temperantiæ. He that ete of that seed 13520 Hadde swich a kynde, Sholde nevere mete ne muchel drynke Make hym to swelle, Ne no scornere ne scolde Out of skile hym bringe, Ne wynnynge ne wele​ Of worldliche richesse, Waste word of ydelnesse Ne wikked speche moeve; Sholde no curious clooth 13530 Comen on his rugge, Ne no mete in his mouth That maister Johan spicede.
The thridde seed that Piers sew Was spiritus fortitudinis. And who ete that seed, Hardy was he evere To suffren al that God sente, Siknesse and angres; Mighte no lesynges ne lyere, 13540 Ne los of worldly catel, Maken hym for any mournynge That he nas murie in soule, And bold and abidynge Bismares to suffre; And pleieth al with pacience And parce mihi domine; And covered hym under conseille Of Caton the wise: Esto forti animo, cum sis dampnatus inique.
The ferthe seed that Piers sew 13552 Was spiritus justitiæ. And he that ete of that seed, Sholde be evere trewe, With God, and naught a-gast, But of gile one; For gile gooth so pryvely, That good feith outher while Maye nought ben espied, 13560​ For spiritus justitiæ.
Spiritus justitiæ. Spareth noght to spille Hem that ben gilty, And for to correcte The kyng, if he falle In gilt or in trespas. For counteth he no kynges wrathe, Whan he in court sitteth To demen as a domesman, 13570 A-drad was he nevere Neither of duc ne of deeth, That he ne dide lawe, For present or for preiere, Or any prynces lettres; He dide equité to alle Evene forth his power.
Thise foure sedes Piers sew; And siththe he dide hem harewe With olde lawe and newe lawe, 13580 That love myghte wexe Among tho foure vertues, And vices destruye. For comunliche in contrees Cammokes and wedes Foulen the fruyt in the feld, Ther thei growen togideres; And so doon vices Vertues worthi.
Quod Piers, "Hareweth alle that konneth kynde wit, By conseil of thise doctours; 13591 And tilieth after hir techynge The cardynale vertues."​
"Ayeins thei greynes," quod Grace, "Bi-gynneth for to ripe, Ordeigne thee an hous, Piers, To herberwe inne thi cornes."
"By God! Grace," quod Piers, "Ye moten gyve tymber, And ordeyne that hous, 13600 Er ye hennes wende."
And Grace gaf hym the cros, With the croune of thornes, That Crist upon Calvarie For mankynde on pyned, And of his baptisme and blood That he bledde on roode He made a manere morter, And mercy it highte. And therwith Grace bi-gan 13610 To make a good foundement, And watlede it and walled it With his peyne and his passion, And of al holy writ He made a roof after, And called that hous Unitee, Holy chirche on Englisshe.
And whan this dede was doon, Grace devysede A cart highte cristendom 13620 To carie Piers sheves; And gaf hym caples to his carte, Contricion and confession; And made preesthod hayward, The while hymself wente As wide as the world is With Piers to tilie truthe.​
Now is Piers to the plow; And Pride it aspide, And gadered hym a greet oost, 13630 For to greven he thynketh Conscience and alle cristene And cardinale vertues, Blowe hem doun and breke hem, And bite a-two the mores; And sente forth Surquidous, His sergeaunt of armes, And his spye Spille-love, Oon Spek-yvel bihynde.
Thise two coome to Conscience, 13640 And to cristen peple, And tolde hem tidynges, That tyne thei sholde the sedes That Piers there hadde y-sowen, The cardynale vertues; "And Piers bern worth y-broke, And thei that ben in Unitee Shulle come out, and Conscience And youre two caples, Confession and Contricion; 13650 And youre carte the bileeve Shal be coloured so queyntely, And covered under sophistrie, That Conscience shal noght Knowe by Contricion Ne by Confession Who is cristene or hethene; Ne no manere marchaunt That with moneie deleth, Wheither he wynne with right, 13660 With wrong, or with usure.​
"With swiche colours and queyntise Cometh Pride y-armed, With the lord that lyveth after The lust of his body, To wasten on welfare, And in wikked lyvynge, Al the world in a while Thorugh oure wit," quod Pryde.
Quod Conscience to alle cristene tho, 13670 "My counseil is to wende Hastiliche into Unitee, And holde we us there; And praye we that a pees weere In Piers berne the Plowman. For witterly I woot wel, We beth noght of strengthe To goon agayn Pride, But Grace weere with us."
And thanne kam Kynde Wit 13680 Conscience to teche, And cryde and comaundede Alle cristene peple For to delven a dych Depe aboute Unitee, That holy chirche stode in Unitee, As it a pyl weere.
Conscience comaundede tho Alle cristene to delve, And make a muche moot, 13690 That myghte ben a strengthe To helpe holy chirche And hem that it kepeth.
Thanne alle kynne cristene, Save comune wommen,​ Repenteden and refused synne, Save thei one, And false men, flatereris, Usurers, and theves, Lyeris, and queste-mongeres 13700 That were for-sworen ofte, Witynge and wilfully With the false helden, And for silver were for-swore, Soothly they wiste it.
Ther nas no cristene creature That kynde wit hadde, Save sherewes one Swiche as I spak of, That he ne halp a quantité 13710 Holynesse to wexe, Some thorugh bedes biddynge, And some thorugh pilgrymages And othere pryvé penaunces, And somme thorugh penyes delynge.
And thanne wellede water For wikkede werkes, Egreliche ernynge Out of mennes eighen, Clennesse out of comune, 13720 And clerkes clene lyvynge, Made Unitee holy chirche In holynesse to stonde.
"I care noght," quod Conscience, "Though Pride come nouthe. The lord of lust shal be letted Al this lente, I hope. Cometh," quod Conscience, "Ye cristene, and dyneth,​ That han laboured lelly 13730 Al this lenten tyme. Here is breed y-blessed, And Goddes body therunder: Grace, thorugh Goddes word, Yaf Piers power And myghtes to maken it, And men to ete it after In helpe of hir heele Ones in a monthe, Or as ofte as thei hadde nede, 13740 Tho that hadde y-paied To Piers pardon the Plowman. Redde quod debes."
"How?" quod al the comune, "Thow conseillest us to yelde Al that we owen any wight, Er we go to housel?"
"That is my conseil," quod Conscience, "And cardinale vertues, That ech man for-gyve oother, 13750 And that wol the pater-noster. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, etc. And so to ben assoilled, And siththen ben houseled."
"Ye, baw!" quod a brewere, "I wol noght be ruled, By Jhesu! for al youre janglynge With spiritus justitiæ, Ne after Conscience, by Crist! While I kan selle 13760 Bothe dregges and draf, And drawe it out at oon hole Thikke ale and thynne ale,​ For that is my kynde, And noght hakke after holynesse. Hold thi tonge, Conscience! Of spiritus justitiæ, Thow spekest muche on ydel."
"Caytif!" quod Conscience, "Cursede wrecche! 13770 Un-blessed artow, brewere, But if thee God helpe. But thow lyve by loore Of spiritus justitiæ, The chief seed that Piers sew, Y-saved worstow nevere. But Conscience the comune fede, And cardinale vertues, Leve it wel, thei ben lost, Bothe lif and soule." 13780
"Thanne is many a man lost," Quod a lewed vicory.— "I am a curatour of holy kirke, And cam nevere in my tyme Man to me, that me kouthe telle Of cardinale vertues, Or that acountede Conscience At a cokkes fethere or an hennes. I knew nevere cardynal, That he ne cam fro the pope; 13790 And we clerkes, whan thei come, For hir comunes paieth, For hir pelure and hir palfreyes mete, And pilours that hem folweth.
"The comune clamat cotidie Ech a man til oother, The contree is the corseder​ That cardinals comme inne; And ther thei ligge and lenge moost, Lecherie there regneth. 13800
"For-thi," quod this vicory, "By verray God! I wolde That no cardynal coome Among the comune peple; But in hir holynesse Helden hem stille At Avynone among the Jewes,— Cum sancto sanctus eris, etc.— Or in Rome, as hir rule wole, The relikes to kepe; 13810 And thow, Conscience, in kynges court, And sholdest nevere come thennes; And Grace, that thow graddest so of, Gyour of alle clerkes; And Piers with his newe plow, And ek with his olde, Emperour of al the world, That alle men were cristene.
"Inparfit is that pope That al the world sholde helpe, 13820 And sendeth swiche that sleeth hem That he sholde save.
"And wel worthe Piers the Plowman, That pursueth God in doynge, Qui pluit super justos Et injustos at ones, And sent the sonne to save A cursed mannes tilthe, As brighte as to the beste man, Or to the beste womman. 13830 ​ "Right so Piers the Plowman Peyneth hym to tilye As wel for a wastour And wenches of the stewes, As for hymself and his servauntz, Save he is first y-served; And travailleth and tilieth For a tretour also soore As for a trewe tidy man, Alle tymes y-like. 13840 And worshiped be he that wroghte al, Bothe good and wikke, And suffreth that synfulle be, [Tyl som tyme that thei repenten]. And God amende the pope! That pileth holy kirke, And cleymeth bifore the kyng To be kepere over cristene; And counteth noght though cristene ben Killed and robbed; 13850 And fynt folk to fighte, And cristen blood to spille, Ayein the olde lawe and newe lawe, As Luc therof witnesseth. Non occides, mihi vindictam, etc.
"It semeth, bi so Hymself hadde his wille, That he reccheth right noght Of al the remenaunt. And Crist of his curteisie 13860 The cardinals save, And torne hir wit to wisdom, And to welthe of soule! For the comune," quod this curatour, "Counten ful litel​ The counseil of Conscience, Or cardinale vertues. But if thei seighe, as by sighte, Som what to wynnyng, Of gile ne of gabbyng 13870 Gyve thei nevere tale. For spiritus prudentiæ Among the peple is gyle; And alle tho faire vertues As vices thei semeth. Ech man subtileth a sleighte Synne for to hide, And coloureth it for a konnynge, And a clene lyvynge."
Thanne lough ther a lord, 13880 And "By this light!" seide, "I holde it right and reson Of my reve to take Al that myn auditour, Or ellis my styward, Counseilleth me bi hir acounte And my clerkes writyng. With spiritus intellectus Thei seke the reves rolles; And with spiritus fortitudinis 13890 Fecche it I wole after."
And thanne cam ther a kyng, And, by his croune! seide, "I am kyng with croune The comune to rule, And holy kirke and clergie From cursed men to fende; And if me lakketh to lyve by, The lawe wole I take it​ Ther I may hastilokest it have. 13900 For I am heed of lawe; And ye ben but membres, And I above alle. And sith I am youre aller heed, I am youre aller heele, And holy chirches chief help, And chieftayn of the comune; And what I take of yow two, I take it at the techynge Of spiritus justitiæ, 13910 For I jugge yow alle. So I may boldely be housled, For I borwe nevere, Ne crave of my comune, But as my kynde asketh."
"In condicion," quod Conscience, "That thow konne defende And rule thi reaume in reson, Right wel and in truthe, Take thow mayst in reson 13920 As thi lawe asketh. Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum, sed non ad deprædandum." The viker hadde fer hoom, And faire took his leeve; And I awakned therwith, And wroot as me mette. 13927