that folkë shuld them sparë nought,
to his presens till they were brought.
for he cast hym, anone ryght,
on them to done iustice and ryght,
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that they go no more at large;
and gave his porter eke in charge
forto shette the gatës sore,
that they entre there no more,
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nor that they have ther no chere.
and then I saughe a messagere
wher the kynge of custome dwells,
In the castell ryngë bells,
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for to maken ássemblé,
where the kynge set in his se,
of the ladyes that ther dwell,
(of whome to-forne ye have herd tell,)
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that suffred gret oppressyon
of Envy and Detraccïon,
of Scillas houndës, [[hounds St.]] by berkynge,
in th[e] absens of the kynge,
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of their drede and mortall rage,
wher-of they suffred gret damage.
'Madams,' quod this messegere,
'the kynge, most myghty of power,
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whiche hathe, in great charitie,
(in effecte, as ye shall se,)
and purposethe in his entent,
he hathe be longe from yow absent,
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(as ye know yowr-selffe full well,)
but of new, to this castell,
he is come for his pleasaunce;
and he hathe made an ordynaunce
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and statutës full covenáble,
to yow echon ryght profytable,
commaundynge yow, echon, in dede,
that, hens-forthe, ye ha no drede
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of your enemys, nor hevynesse, [Stowe folio 364b]
but that yow do yowr besynesse
(as it is the kyngës [[kyngs St.]] will)
yowr office truly to fulffyll,
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