Alle rightfulle recordede That Reson truthe tolde; And Wit acorded therwith, And comendede hise wordes, And the mooste peple in the halle, And manye of the grete, 2400 And leten Mekenesse a maister, And Mede a mansed sherewe.
Love leet of hire light, And leauté yet lasse, And seiden it so heighe That al the halle it herde, "Who so wilneth hire to wif, For welthe of hire goodes, { 75} But he be knowe for a cokewold, Kut of my nose." 2410
Mede mornede tho, And made hevy chere, For the mooste commune of that court Called hire an hore. Ac a sisour and a somonour Sued hire faste, And a sherreves clerk Bisherewed at the route; "For ofte have I," quod he, "Holpen yow at the barre, 2420 And yet yeve ye me nevere The worth of a risshe."
The kyng callede Conscience, And afterward Reson, And recordede that Reson Hadde rightfully shewed; And modiliche upon Mede With myght the kyng loked; And gan wexe wroth with lawe, For Mede almoost hadde shent it; 2430 And seide, "thorugh lawe, as I leve! I lese manye eschetes; Mede overmaistreth lawe, And muche Truthe letteth. Ac Reson shal rekene with yow, If I regne any while, And deme yow bi this day, As ye han deserved. Mede shal noght maynprise yow, By the Marie of hevene! 2440 I wole have leauté in lawe, And lete be al youre janglyng; { 76} And as moost folk witnesseth wel, Wrong shal be demed."
Quod Conscience to the kyng, "But the commune wole assente, It is ful hard, by myn heed! Hertoo to brynge it, Alle youre lige leodes To lede thus evene." 2450
"By hym that raughte on the rode!" Quod Reson to the kynge, "But if I rule thus youre reaume, Rende out my guttes, If ye bidden buxomnesse Be of myn assent."
"And I assente," seith the kyng, "By seinte Marie my lady! By my counseil commune, Of clerkes and of erles; 2460 Ac redily, Reson, Thow shalt noght ride fro me, For, as longe as I lyve, Lete thee I nelle."
"I am al redy," quod Reson, "To reste with yow evere; So Conscience be of oure counseil, I kepe no bettre."
"And I graunte," quod the kyng, "Goddes forbode ellis! Als longe as oure lyf lasteth, Lyve we togideres." 2472
The kyng and hise knyghtes 2473 To the kirke wente, To here matyns of the day And the masse after. Thanne waked I of my wynkyng, And wo was withalle, That I ne hadde slept sadder, And y-seighen moore. 2480 Ac er I hadde faren a furlong, Feyntise me hente, That I ne myghte ferther a foot For defaute of slepynge, And sat softely a-doun, And seide my bileve, And so I bablede on my bedes, Thei broughte me a-slepe. And thanne saugh I muche moore Than I bifore of tolde, 2490 For I seigh the feld ful of folk, That I bifore of seide, And how Reson gan arayen hym Al the reaume to preche, And with a cros afore the kyng Comsede thus to techen. { 78}