MUNDUS. Lo, sirs, I am a prince perilous y-proved, I-proved full perilous and pithily y-pight: As a lord in each land I am beloved, Mine eyen do shine as lantern bright. I am a creature comely out of care, Emperors and kings they kneel to my knee: Every man is afeard, when I do on him stare, For all merry middle earth maketh mention of me. Yet all is at my hand-work, both by down and by dale, Both the sea and the land, and the fowls that fly: And I were once moved, I tell you in tale, There durst no[218] star stir that standeth in the sky, For I am Lord and leader, so that in land All boweth to my bidding bonnerly about. Who that stirreth with any strife or waiteth me with wrong, I shall mightly make him to stammer and stoop: For I am richest in mine array, I have knights and towers, I have brightest[219] ladies in bowers. Now will I fare on these flowers: Lordings, have good day. MANHOOD. Peace, now peace, ye fellows all about: Peace now, and harken to my saws, For I am Lord both stalworthy and stout, All lands are led by my laws. Baron was there never born that so well him bare, A better ne a bolde[r] nor a brighter of ble,[220] For I have might and main over countries far, And Manhood Mighty am I named in every country. For Salerno and Samers,[221] and Andaluse:[222] Calais, Kent, and Cornwall have I conquered clean, Picardy and Pontoise, and gentle Artois, Florence, Flanders, and France, and also Gascoigne. All I have conquered as a knight: There is no emperor so keen, That dare me lightly tene,[223] For lives and limbs I lene, So mickle is my might. For I have boldly blood full piteously dispilled: There many hath left fingers and feet, both head and face. I have done harm on heads, and knights have I killed; And many a lady for my love hath said alas. Brigand harness[224] I have beaten to back and to bones, And beaten also many a groom[225] to ground: Breastplates I have beaten, as Stephen was with stones, So fell a fighter in a field was there never y-found. To me no man is maked,[226] For Manhood Mighty that is my name. Many a lord have I do lame:[227] Wonder wide walketh my fame, And many a king's crown have I cracked. I am worthy and wight, witty and wise: I am royal arrayed to reven under the ris,[228] I am proudly apparelled in purpur and bis, As gold I glister in gear: I am stiff, strong, stalwart, and stout, I am the royallest readily that renneth in this rout, There is no knight so grisly that I dread nor doubt, For I am so doughtly dight there may no dint me dere, And the king of pride full prest with all his proud presence, And the king of lechery lovely his letters hath me sent, And the king of wrath full wordily with all his intent, They will me maintain with main and all their might: The king of covetise, and the king of gluttony, The king of sloth, and the king of envy, All those send me their livery. Where is now so worthy a wight? Yea, as a wight witty, Here in this seat sit I, For no loves let I Here for to sit.