"He has mad a statute, þat vs hard byndes,
"Of forfeture of frute, & rent þat vs fyndes,
"þat tende ne tuende half no partie
"þorgh gift to non salle lende, bot in his auowrie.
"Opon þat he giffes a solempne cursyng,
"Tille þo þat þer on liffes, without his wittyng.
"SIR clerke," said þe kyng, "þou has said folie, [Responsio Regis.]
"Hote is dette þing, þer treuth has maistrie.
"Bot if þe bulle vnfolden were red among vs here,
"ȝour hote salle be holden, als dette in þat manere.
"þou & alle þin salle help me as ȝe hight.
"ȝour hette wille I not tyne, bi Jhesu in Marie light.
¶ "Sir," þe bisshop said, "fulle gladly we wille, [Archiepi|scopus dixit.]
"þat our godes be laid ȝow to help at skille,
"þorgh leue of þe pape, þat has of vs powere,
"ȝour clerke ȝe þider rape with our messengere.
"Whan þei had schewed him alle our state & ȝour askyng,
"With his leue we salle help ȝow at his biddyng.
¶ "Certis," Sir bisshop, "terme ne wille I sette, [Responsio Regis.]
"To conseile with þe pope for þing þat þou me hette.
"Bot if þou wilt haf now respite in þis cas,
"Of ȝour hote conseile ȝow with þe clergie þat þou has.
"For ȝour hote is dette als to me,
"At Saynt Hillarimesse at Westmynster salle be,
"No lenger may I lette, me comes on ilk half werre,
"Of þat þat ȝe me hette gyues me þan ansuerė.
