Or presentes wiþ out pans: and oþer priue ȝiftis,
Haue rewþe of regratours: þat haue riche handis.
In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt.
"Loue ham for my loue": quod þis lady Mede,
"And suffer ham sum tyme: to syll aȝenes þe law".
Salamon þe sage, a sermond he made,
In amendement of mayres: and oþer stiwardes,
And wittenesse, [Sk. witnessyth] what worþ of hem: þat wol tak med.
V b.
Cf. E. E. T. S. 54, p. 52.
Sunt infelices, qui[a] matres sunt meretrices. [folio 13b]
Þere scho is weld [Sk. wel] wiþ ony kyng: wo is þe reme,
For scho is fauorable to þe fals: þe woch defouleþ trowþe.
By Iesus wiþ hir Iuweles: þe Iustice scho scheueþ;
Scho lyeþ aȝenes þe law: and letteþ hym þe gate,
Þat faiþe may [Sk. may not haue hus forþ: hure florines ...] haue no forþ: for florens goþ so þyck;
And ledeþ þe law as hir lust: þat lewte myȝt wyn, [Sk. abweichend, = 2 Verse.]
Ȝe mase [Sk. The mase] for a mene man: þeȝth he mote euer.
Law is so lordely: and loȝth to mak an ende,
Wiþ out presentes oþer pans: he pleseþ ful few. [folio 14]
Trew burgeis and bond: to noȝt scho bryngeþ oft,
And al þe comune in care: and in couetys;
Religioun scho al torent and out of rule to libbe.
Þere is [Sk. nys] cyte vnder sone: ne non so riche reume,
Þere scho is lowed or let by: þat last schal ony whyle,
Wiþ outen wer oþer wo: oþer wyked lawes
And costomes of couetys: þe comune to distrw.
Vnsittyng sufferans: hir suster, and hir sylf
Han al most mad: but Mary þe help,
Þat þe lond ne loueþ þe: and ȝit lest þyn ouen.
For clerkes and couetys: mede haþ knet togyders,
Þat al þe wit of þe world: is waxen to gyle.
Þus ledeþ þis lady þi lond: now, lord, ȝif hir sorow!
