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4.036: Contricio et infelicitas in viis eorum &c.<br />
4.037: Thei ne gyveth noght of God one goose wynge:<br />
4.037: Non est timor Dei ante oculos eorum &c.<br />
4.038: For thei wolde do moore for a dozeyne chiknes<br />
4.039: Than for the love of Oure Lorde or alle hise leeve seintes!<br />
4.040: Forthi, Reson, lat hem ride, tho riche by hemselve —<br />
4.041: For Conscience knoweth hem noght, ne Crist, as I trowe.'<br />
4.042: And thanne Reson rood faste the righte heighe gate,<br />
4.043: As Conscience hym kenned, til thei come to the Kynge.<br />
4.044: Curteisly the Kyng thanne com ayeins Reson,<br />
4.045: And bitwene hymsel and his sone sette hym on benche,<br />
4.046: And wordeden wel wisely a gret while togideres.<br />
4.047: And thame com Pees into parliment and putte up a bill-<br />
4.048: How Wrong ayeins his wille hadde his wif taken,<br />
4.049: And how he ravysshede Rose, Reignaldes loove,<br />
4.050: And Margrete of hir maydenhede maugree hire chekes.<br />
4.051: " Bothe my gees and my grys hise gadelynges feccheth;<br />
4.052: I dar noght for fere of hem fighte ne chide.<br />
4.053: He borwed of me bayard and broughte hym hom nevere<br />
4.054: Ne no ferthyng therfore, for nought I koude plede.<br />
4.055: He maynteneth hise men to murthere myne hewen,<br />
4.056: Forstalleth my feires and fighteth in my chepyng,<br />
4.057: And breketh up my berne dores and bereth awey my whete,<br />
4.058: And taketh me but a taille for ten quarters otes.<br />
4.059: And yet he beteth me therto and lyth by my mayde;<br />
4.060: I am noght hardy for hym unnethe to loke!'<br />
4.061: The Kyng knew he seide sooth. for Conscience hym tolde<br />
4.062: That Wrong was a wikked luft and wroghte muche sorwe.<br />
4.063: Wrong was afered thanne, and Wisdom he soughte<br />
4.064: To maken pees with hise pens, and profred hym manye,<br />
4.065: And seide, "Hadde I love of my lord the Kyng, litel wolde I recche<br />
4.066: Theigh Pees and his power pleyned hym evere!'<br />
4.067: Tho wan Wisdom and Sire Waryn the Witty,<br />
4.068: For that Wrong hadde ywroght so wikked a dede,<br />
4.069: And warnede Wrong tho with swich a wis tale —<br />
4.070: "Whoso wereheth by wille, writhe maketh ofte.<br />
4.071: I seye it by myself — thow shalt it wel fynde:<br />
4.072: But if Mede it make, thi meschief is uppe;<br />
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