(394)
¶ "Maffeith [Parde R.] ! þat werë wrong and villonye!
Line 2752
Þe lawe shal forthë, [forthe R, forth H.] thogh it fille on me."
Þe peple gan to rumble, & clappe & crye,
And the consulës preyed of þe Citee
The reuers; and [and R, om. H.] thus ouercome was he;
Line 2756
So at the last he sye non othir wey,
But in party he must hir lust obeye.
Line 2758
(395)
¶ "Now," quod he, "sithen [sithen R, sen H.] it may be no bet,
Line 2759
Sum what to yow, me conformë wol I,
So þat þe lawë shal al noght be let,
Thogh þat it myght obseruëd be fully:
Thus wol I, and none othir truëly [truly H R.] :
Line 2763
Oon of myne eyen wol I now for-go;
Mi sone anoþir; it shal be riȝt so.
Line 2765
(396)
¶ "We two wol hauë but o mannës sight."
Line 2766
Thus was done [it done R.] ; but naght al at the plesaunce
Of þe peple; but þei none othir myght.
Now if to-morowe fil þer swich a chaunce,
Shulde [Shulde R, Shul H.] men fyndë so iust gouernaunce?
Line 2770
Nay, nay! þis londe is al to scarce & lyte,
To fynde oon þat so iustly wolde hym quyte.
Line 2772
[§ 4. ON OBSERVING OF THE LAWS.]
(397)
¶ Prince excellent, hauë your lawës chere; [folio 48a] [¶ De legum obseruacione.]
Line 2773
Obserue hem, and offende hem by no wey!
Bi oth to kepe it, bounde is þe powere
Of kyng; and by it is kyngës nobley
Sustenëd; lawe is bothë [bothe R, both H.] lokke and key
Line 2777
Of suërtë; whil law is kept in londe,
A prince in his estate may sikir stonde.
Line 2779
