1994 Prospectus: Cambridge University Library Ll.4.14 (MS C) Sample Documentary Edition

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Passus tercius de visione

  	Now is Mede the maide .  and na ma of hem alle

 	With bedelles and with baillifs .  brought bifore the kyng

  	The kyng called a clerc .  kan I naught his name

  4	To take mede the maide .  and make hir at ese

  	I schal assaie hir my-self .  and sotheliche appose

  	What man of molde .  that hir were leuest

  	And if sho worche by my wit .  and my wille folwe

  8	I wole for-gyue hir this gilte .  so me god help

  	¶ph; Curteisliche the clerc .  as the kyng hight

  	Toke mede by the Midel .  and brought hir in-to chambre

  	And thare was mirthe and mynstralcye .  Mede to plese

 12	¶ph; Thay that wonyeth in westmynstre  worschiped hir alle

  	Gentiliche with Joie .  the Justices somme

  	Busked hem to the boure .  ther the birde dwelled

  	To conforte hir kyndly .  by clergies leue

 16	And saiden morne nouhte Mede .  ne make thow no sorwe

  	ffor we wisse the kyng  and thy way schape

  	To be wedded at thy wille .  and wher the leue liketh

  	ffor al conscience caste  or craft as I trowe

 20 	¶ph; Mildeliche Mede thanne .  Mercied hem alle

  	Of thayr grete goodnesse.  and gaf hem echone

  	Coupes of clene gold .  and coppis of siluer

  	Rynges with rubies .  and riches manye

 24	The leste man of hir meynge .  a moton of golde

  	Thanne laughte they leue .  thise lordes at mede

  	¶ph; With þat comen clerkes  to conforte hir the same

  	And biden hir be blithe .  for we beth thyn owene

 28	ffor to wirche thy wille .  the while thow myght laste

  	¶ph; Hendeliche sho thanne .  bihyghte hem the same

  	To loue hem lealy .  and lordes to make.

  	And in the consistorie atte Courte .  do calle youre names

 32	Schal no lewednesse .  lette the leode that I louye

  	That he ne worth first auanced .  for I am biknowen

  	Ther konnyng clerkes .  schul clokke bihynde

  	¶ph; Thane come ther a confessour  caped as a frere

 36	To mede the maide .  he melled this wordes

  	And saide ful softly .  In schrifte as it were

  	Thewe lewed men and lered men .  had layn by the bothe

  	And falsnesse haued yfolwed the .  al this fifty wynter

 40	I shal assoile the my-self .  for a seme of whete

  	And also be thy bedman .  and ber wel thy message

  	Amonges knyghtes and clerkes .  conscience to torne

  	¶ph; Thanne Mede ffor hir mysdedes .  to þat man kneled

 44	And schroue hir of hir schrewednesse .  schameles I trowe



  	Tholde hym a tale .  and toke hym a nobyle

  	ffor to ben hir bedeman .  and hir brocour als

  	¶ph; Thanne he assoilled hir sone .  and sithen he saide

 48	We haue a wyndow a worchyng .  wole sitten vs ful heigh

  	Woldestow glase þat gable .  and graue þerInne thy name

  	Siker scholde thy soule be .  heuen to haue

  	Wist I that quod þat womman  I wolde nought spare Nota bene

 52	ffor to be youre frende frere .  and faille yow neuere

  	While ye loue lordes .  that leccherie hauntes

  	And lakkes nought ladis  that loues wel the same

  	It is a frelete of flessche .  ye fynde it in bokes

 56	And a cours of kynde  wher-of we comen alle

  	Who may scape the sclaundre .  the scathe is sone amended

  	It is synne of seuene .  sonnest for-gyuene

  	¶ph; Haue mercy quod Mede  of men þat it hauntes

 60	And I schal kouere youre kike .  youre cloistre do maken

  	Wowes do whiten .  and wyndowes glasien

  	Do paynten and purtraie .  and paie for the makynge

  	That euery segge schal seye .  I am suster of youre hous

 64	¶ph; And god to alle good folk .  swich grauyng defendes

  	To writen in wyndowes .  of hir wel dedes

  	And auenture pride be peynted ther .  and pompe of the Worlde

  	ffor crist knoweth thy conscience .  and thy kynde wille

 68	And thy coste and thy coueitise .  and who the catell aughte

  	ffor thy I lere yow lordes .  leueht swiche werkes

  	To writen in wyndowes  of yowre wel dedes

  	Or to greden after goddes men .  whan ye delen doles

 72	On auenture ye han youre hire here .  and youre heuene als 

  	¶ph; Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra;

  	Late nought thy left half .  late ne raþe

  	Wite what thow worchest .  with thy right side

 76	ffor thus bit the gospel .  good men do . hir almesse

  	¶ph; Maires and maceres .  that menes ben bitwene

  	The kyng and the comune .  to kepe the lawes

  	To punisshen on pilories .  and pynyng stoles

 80 	Brewesters and baxters  bowchers and cookes

Copyright (c) 1994 by Hoyt N. Duggan, all rights reserved.

Last Modified: Friday, 23-Sep-1994 13:02:05 EDT