(434)
¶ ffor whan þe kyng, his cruel werk had seyne,
Line 3032
Þe craft of it commendith he ful wele;
But þe entent he fully helde a-gayne,
And seydë, "þou þat art morë cruel
Than I, þe maydenhede of this Iuel
Line 3036
Shalt preue anone; þis is my Iugëment."
And so as blyue he was þer-in I-brent.
Line 3038
(435)
¶ Men may sen here, how fauel hym enclyneth
Line 3039
Ay to his lordys lust, what so it be; [¶ Contra blanditores.]
Vnto þat ende he bysieth hym and clynyth, [pyneth R.]
And no consideracïoun hath he,
Thogh it be harmë to his lordys degre,
Line 3043
Or a-geyn feith, honour, or concïence;
In fals plesaunce is al his diligence.
Line 3045
(436)
¶ To what þing it be, if it his lorde lyke,
Line 3046
He him conformyth; he neuer denyeth
His lordës resouns, but a þank to pike,
His lordys wil and witte he iustifieth;
Whil fauel liueþ, no fals conseil dieth;
Line 3050
ffauel is wedded to plesaunt deseyt,
And in þat wedlok trewe is his conceite.
Line 3052
(437)
¶ Grounde of treson, o þou cursyd [cruell R.] fauel! [folio 53a]
Line 3053
How longë [longe R, long H.] shalt þou be a potestate?
In lordës courtes þou pleyest [courtes . . . curt . . . pleyest R, pleyst H.] þi parcel,
So þat it strecchith to þi lordys mate;
ffor þu hast neuer þi lordys estate
Line 3057
To hertë [hert H R.] chere, but al þi bysynesse
Is for þi lucre, and þi cofres warmnesse.
Line 3059
