To setten every man in reste. 3290 Thus with your hihe reverence Me thenketh that this evidence As to this point is sufficant. And touchende of the remenant, Which is the thridde of youre axinges, What leste is worth of alle thinges, And costeth most, I telle it, Pride; Which mai noght in the hevene abide, For Lucifer with hem that felle Bar Pride with him into helle.[518] 3300 Ther was Pride of to gret a cost,[519] Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost; And after that in Paradis Adam for Pride loste his pris: In Midelerthe and ek also Pride is the cause of alle wo, That al the world ne may suffise To stanche of Pride the reprise: Pride is the heved of alle Sinne, Which wasteth al and mai noght winne; 3310 [Sidenote: =P. i. 154=] Pride is of every mis the pricke, Pride is the werste of alle wicke, And costneth most and lest is worth[520] In place where he hath his forth. Thus have I seid that I wol seie Of myn answere, and to you preie, Mi liege lord, of youre office That ye such grace and such justice Ordeigne for mi fader hiere, That after this, whan men it hiere, 3320 The world therof mai speke good.’ The king, which reson understod And hath al herd how sche hath said, Was inly glad and so wel paid That al his wraththe is overgo: And he began to loke tho Upon this Maiden in the face, In which he fond so mochel grace, That al his pris on hire he leide, In audience and thus he seide: 3330 ‘Mi faire Maide, wel thee be! Of thin ansuere and ek of thee Me liketh wel, and as thou wilt, Foryive be thi fader gilt. And if thou were of such lignage, That thou to me were of parage, And that thi fader were a Pier, As he is now a Bachilier, So seker as I have a lif, Thou scholdest thanne be my wif. 3340 [Sidenote: =P. i. 155=] Bot this I seie natheles, That I wol schape thin encress; What worldes good that thou wolt crave, Axe of my yifte and thou schalt have.’ And sche the king with wordes wise Knelende thonketh in this wise: ‘Mi liege lord, god mot you quite! Mi fader hier hath bot a lite Of warison, and that he wende Hadde al be lost; bot now amende 3350 He mai wel thurgh your noble grace.’ With that the king riht in his place Anon forth in that freisshe hete An Erldom, which thanne of eschete Was late falle into his hond, Unto this knyht with rente and lond Hath yove and with his chartre sesed;[521] And thus was all the noise appesed. This Maiden, which sat on hire knes Tofore the king, hise charitees 3360 Comendeth, and seide overmore:[522]