Slouþe vn-tyme eft mon swete
When it is hot, and gloweþ as glede.
Stonde wiþ trouþe, and smyte an hete,
Þat god þonke ȝow for ȝoure dede.
Line 16
(3)
¶ Lawe ȝeueþ kyng lyf and leme;
To hasty slauȝt, and sodeyn fed,
Lawe ȝeueþ no grace to heme;
Morþere, ne treson, ne forcast ded,
Line 20
To ȝeue þere mercy, god forbed;
Þat fauour myȝt destroye a þede.
God in his lawe ȝaf moyses red,
Wiþ-oute he dampneþ þe dede.
Line 24
(4)
¶ In alle kyngdomes, here lawe is wryten;
For mede ne drede, þey chaunge it nouȝt.
In Engeland, as all men wyten,
Lawe, as best, is solde and bouȝt.
Line 28
Eche ȝeer newe lawe is wrouȝt,
And cloþe falsed in trouþe wede.
Fern ȝer was lawe; now nes it nouȝt.
We ben newe fangyl, vnstable in dede.
Line 32
(5)
¶ To stonde wiþ comons in here ryȝt,
Is hyȝest poynt of charite.
To quyte þat dede, no man myȝt,
Saue onely god in trynyte.
Line 36
Þouȝ þe comons vnkonnyng be,
God ȝeueþ ȝow neuere þe lasse mede.
Þat mede askeþ so heyȝ degre,
Nes non bot god may quyte þat dede.
Line 40
(6)
¶ Ȝet o wysdom mot ȝe lere,
Most profyt, and heyest honour;
Ȝoure tenauntes playntes ȝe mot here,
ffor þey kepen all ȝoure tresour.
Line 44
