(450)
¶ "Hast þou now slayn an othir man also?"
Line 3144
Now stood a foolë [foole R, fool H.] sage þe kyng byside;
And or þe kyng spak any wordës moo,
He to hym seidë, "[Now,] for god þat dyde,
Whi demen ye þis man an homicide?
Line 3148
He slow hym naght, for ye your self [self R, om. H (with a later 'selfe' overline).] hym slow,
And, by your leuen, [leve R.] I schal tellen how:
Line 3150
(451)
¶ "If þat þe lawë myghte his cours han had,
Line 3151
This man here hadde ben, for þe firste man, deed;
fforyeue hym now; and yif þat [þat, om. H R.] he be drad
To slee þe thriddë, þan girde of myn heed.
Now be avisëd wel; it is my reed,
Line 3155
How ye your pardoun grauntë, leste errour
Of nycë pitee be your áccusour."
Line 3157
(452)
¶ This kyng wel þoughtë þat he seide hym trouthe,
And chartirles gooþ þis man ful of drede;
And aftirward, of whos dissert was routhe,
The lawe hym yaf þat longëd to his mede.
My tale is doon; now sooþly it is nede
Line 3162
To grauntës to wiþstondë, þat procure
Meschévous deth to many a crëature. [folio 55a]
Line 3164
(453)
¶ Pitee auailith mochil, but naght þere;
Line 3165
ffor bet it is to sle þe mordreman,
Than suffre hym regnë, for he haþ no fere
His hand to vsë forth as he by-gan;
And in my cónceit, feelë wel I can,
Line 3169
That of suche pitee, is þe abstinence
Of gretter pite, for þe consequence.
Line 3171
