But me coumfortede off hyr grace.
And tho ryht in the syluë place
I sawh Anoon, Dame Resoun
Ascende to makë A Sarmoun
Line 2384
In ta pulpet that ther stood.
¶ 'Syrs,' quod she, 'yt wer ryht good [prose cap xxvi]
ffor your profyt, (yt ys no drede,)
Off my sarmoun to taken hede.
Line 2388
Ther was a swerd, yt ys no nay,
Delyuered yow thys samë day,
fforgyd sythë [[sythe St., syth C.]] go ful longe,
To kepë thentre wonder stronge,
Line 2392
And the passage of Paradys. [Camb.: that no sinnere entrede into the cuntre of which he is lord. Now vnderstondeth what swerd it is, how it is perilouse to fooles, p. 17.]
At which tyme was noon so wys [folio 38b] [[St. & C.]]
That entre myghte, ner comen In, [[St. & C.]]
But yiff it were by Cherubyn, [[ [Stowe folio 47a] ]]
Line 2396
Which at the gate was cheff porter, [[St. & C.]]
Holdynge that swerd ful bryht & cler, [[St. & C.]]
Folkys for to kepen oute. [[St. & C.]]
'And this swerd, yt ys no doute, [[St. & C.]]
Line 2400
Was to ffoolys ful peryllous, [[St. & C.]]
Swych as wern malycyous; [[St. & C.]]
ffor they ther-by wer made afferd,
And ypunysshed by that swerd.
Line 2404
Lyk ther gyltys & trespace
Thys swerd alway dyde hem manace.
The wych swerd (who that kan se,)
Ordeyned ys for thyngys thre: [[St. & C.]]
Line 2408
To punysshe folk as they dysserue, [[St. & C.]]
Poynt & egge, to hurte & kerue,
And with the platte, among to spare,
That ryht fro mercy be nat bare.
Line 2412
'The poynt yiveth fyrst entendement [Discrecio omni virtuti ordinem ponit, modum tribuit, decorem & perpetuitatem confert. Bernardus super Can|tica.]
That neuere no fynal Iugement,
Nor hasty execucyoun,
Be yove with-oute dyscrecioun,
Line 2416
In causys nouther hih nor lowe
