Þat here drede was for no gode.
Line 5468
Allë þey behelde hym faste,
And sawe hys coloure ofte ouer caste;
And wroth a-boutë, to and fro;
Hys bedde hym þoght wulde cleue on two;
And crydë with a loudë cry,
Line 5473
"Lordë, haue on me mercy!"
Þan spake a voycë yn þe sky,
Þat alle hyt herde þat stode hym by,
Line 5476
"Þou haddest neuer of man pyte,
Ne y shal neuer haue noun of þe."
Asswyþë he dëyd yn haste; [folio 37a]
Þere he shulde go, he ȝalde þe gaste.
Line 5480
Ȝe domës men þat þys chaunce here,
Yn þys talë mowe ȝe lere
what hyt ys to do euer wreche,
And to mercy no þyng reche.
Line 5484
Hauyþ yn ȝoure þoght, mercy, and se,
Þe pore mow nat so weyl as ȝe;
Beþ mercyáble for ȝoure prow
Þat God ne take veniaunce on ȝow.
Line 5488
Ȝyf þou haue be so coueytous
To mercs [mercye.] men ouer outraious,
And porë men, specyaly,
Þat ferde þe wers for þat mercy,
Line 5492
Sykyr mote þou be, syre styward,
Þy mercyment shal be ful hard.
Þy wreched soule þarfor shal dwelle;
Þy mercyment shal be þe þyne of helle.
Þou baylë, owest nat to take
Line 5497
(For drede of soule, and þyn oth sake,)
Þat þy lordes prow be þe lasse,
Ne noun of hys do harder stresse."
Line 5500
So shulde eche aturne seriaunt;
But many one holde no cunnaunt; [cuuinaunt.]
For, sum [some.] take ful greuusly,
Þat ful sore shal come hem by.
Line 5504
