(422)
¶ Let fauel passë; foule mot he falle! [¶ Qualiter quidam miles in exilium se posuit, quia leges bonas per se factas [per eum editas R.] vellet obser|uari.]
Line 2948
fforth in iusticë wol I now procede:
Þer was a knyght, I not what men hym [hym R, hem H.] calle,
A iuste man and a trewe in al his dede,
Which on a tyme, as þought him it was nede,
Line 2952
Þe froward peple by sharp lawës bynde;
lawës ful iust he made, and in streyte [steyte R, sharp H.] kynde.
(423)
¶ And when þei weren byfore hem I-radde, [hem radde . . . madde R, him I-rad . . . mad H.]
Line 2955
Þei [þe H, They R.] made hem wondir wroth, & seyden al
Þei weren not so nycë ne so madde [hem radde . . . madde R, him I-rad . . . mad H.]
To hem assent, for ought that [that R, om. H.] may befalle [befalle . . . thralle R, befal . . . thral H.] ;
They wolden nat hem to þo lawës thralle, [befalle . . . thralle R, befal . . . thral H.]
Line 2959
And wold han artyd þis knyght hem repele,
Makyng ageyn him an [an R, and H.] haynous querele.
Line 2961
(424)
¶ When he se þis, he blyuë to hem seyde:
Line 2962
"I [I R, He H.] mad hem naght, it was god áppollo;
And on my bak," quod he, "þe charge he leyde
To kepe hem; sirës, what sey ye here-to?
As he me chargid hath, riȝt so I do."
Line 2966
And vnto þat, answerd anone þe prees,
"We wol hem naght admitten doutëles."
Line 2968
(425)
¶ "Wel," quod [koth R (as usual).] he, "þenne is gode, or ye hem breke, [folio 51b]
That vnto god apollo I me dresse,
To trete of þis matere, and with him speke,—
With-owtyn him I may it naght redresse,—
Biseche him wol I, [I R.] of his gentilnesse,
Line 2973
Repele hem, [hem R, him H.] sen þat þei to streytë be,
And do my deuer riȝt wel, ȝe shul see.
Line 2975
