1994 Prospectus: Cambridge, Trinity College B.15.17 (MS W) Documentary Edition Sample

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Passus tercius de visione vt supra

	Now is Mede þe mayde .  and namo of hem alle

	Wiþ Bedeles and with baillies .  brou3t bifore þe kyng

	The kyng called a clerk .  kan I no3t his name

 4	To take Mede þe maide .  and maken hire at ese

	I shal assayen hire my-self .  and sooþliche appose

	What man of þis moolde .  þat hire were leuest

	And if she werche bi wit .  and my wil folwe

 8	I wol forgyuen hire þis gilt .  so me god helpe

	¶ph;Curteisly þe clerk þanne .  as þe kyng hi3te

	Took Mede bi þe myddel .  and bro3te hire in-to chambre

	And þer was murþe & Mynstralcie .  Mede to plese

12	¶ph;They þat wonyeþ in westmynstre .  worshipeþ hire alle

	Gentilliche wiþ ioye .  þe Iustices somme

	Busked hem to þe bour .  þer þe burde dwellede

	To conforten hire kyndely .  by clergies leue

16	And seiden . mourne no3t Mede .  ne make þow no sorwe

	ffor we wol wisse þe kyng .  and þi wey shape

	To be wedded at þi wille .  and wher þee leef likeþ

	ffor al Consciences cast .  or craft as I trowe

20	¶ph;Mildely Mede þanne .  merciede hem alle

	Of hire grete goodnesse .  and gaf hem echone



	Coupes of clene gold .  and coppes of siluer

	Rynges wiþ Rubies .  and richesses manye

24	The leeste man of hire meynee .  a moton of golde

	Thanne lau3te þei leue .  þise lordes at Mede

	¶ph;Wiþ þat comen clerkes .  to conforten hire þe same

	And beden hire be bliþe .  for we beþ þyne owene

28	ffor to werche þi wille .  þe while þow my3t laste

	¶ph;Hendiliche heo þanne .  bihi3te hem þe same

	To louen hem lelly .  and lordes to make

	And in þe Consistorie at þe court .  do callen hire names

32	Shal no lewednesse lette .  þe leode þat I louye

	That he ne worþ first auaunced .  for I am biknowen

	Ther konnynge clerkes .  shul clokke bihynde

	¶ph;Thanne cam þer a Confessour .  coped as a frere

36	To Mede þe mayde .  he mened þise wordes

	And seide ful softely .  in shrift as it were

	Thei3 lewed men and lered men .  hadde leyen by þee boþe

	And ffalsnesse hadde yfolwed þee .  alle þise fifty wynter

40	I shal assoille þee my-self .  for a seem of whete

	And also be þi bedeman .  and bere wel þi message

	Amonges kny3tes and clerkes .  Conscience to torne

	¶ph;Thanne Mede for hire mysdedes .  to þat man kneled

44	And shrof hire of hire sherewednesse .  shamelees I trowe

	Tolde hym a tale .  and took hym a noble

	ffor to ben hire Bedeman .  and hire brocour als

	¶ph;Thanne he assoilled hire soone .  and siþen he seide

48	We haue a wyndow in werchynge .  wole sitten vs ful hye

	Woldestow glaze þat gable .  & graue þerInne þy name

	Syker sholde þi soule be .  heuene to haue



	¶ph;Wiste I þat quod þat womman .  I wolde no3t spare

52	ffor to be youre frend frere .  and faile yow neuere

	While ye loue lordes .  þat lecherie haunten

	And lakkeþ no3t ladies .  þat louen wel þe same

	It is a freletee of flessh .  ye fynden it in bokes

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

	Who may scape sclaundre .  þe scaþe is soone amended

	It is synne of þe seuene .  sonnest relessed

	¶ph;Haue mercy quod Mede .  of men þat it haunteþ

60	And I shal couere youre kirk .  youre cloistre do maken

	Wowes do whiten .  and wyndowes glazen

	Do peynten and portraye .  and paie for þe makynge

	That euery segge shal seye .  I am suster of youre house

64	¶ph;Ac god to alle good folk .  swich grauynge defendeþ

	To writen in wyndowes .  of hir wel dedes

	An auenture pride be peynted þere .  and pomp of þe world

	ffor crist knoweþ þi conscience .  and þi kynde wille

68	And þi cost and þi coueitise .  and who þe catel ou3te

	¶ph;ffor-þi I lere yow lordes .  leueþ swiche werkes

	To writen in wyndowes .  of youre wel dedes

	Or to greden after goddes men .  whan ye dele doles

72	An auenture ye haue youre hire here .  and youre heuene als

	Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra

	Lat no3t þi left half .  late ne raþe

	Wite what þow werchest .  wiþ þi ri3t syde

76	ffor þus by þe gospel .  goode men doon hir almesse

	¶ph;Maires and Maceres .  þat menes ben bitwene

	The kyng and þe comune .  to kepe þe lawes



	To punysshe on Pillories .  and pynynge stooles

	Brewesters and Baksters .  Bochiers and Cokes