And there I herde and understod The vois of god with wordes cliere Axende, and seide in this manere: “In what thing mai I best beguile The king Achab?” And for a while Upon this point thei spieken faste. Tho seide a spirit ate laste, “I undertake this emprise.” And god him axeth in what wise. 2650 “I schal,” quod he, “deceive and lye With flaterende prophecie In suche mouthes as he lieveth.” And he which alle thing achieveth [Sidenote: =P. iii. 175=] Bad him go forth and don riht so. And over this I sih also The noble peple of Irahel[1163] Dispers as Schep upon an hell, Withoute a kepere unarraied: And as thei wente aboute astraied, 2660 I herde a vois unto hem sein, “Goth hom into your hous ayein, Til I for you have betre ordeigned.”’ Quod Sedechie, ‘Thou hast feigned This tale in angringe of the king.’ And in a wraththe upon this thing He smot Michee upon the cheke; The king him hath rebuked eke, And every man upon him cride: Thus was he schent on every side, 2670 Ayein and into prison lad, For so the king himselve bad. The trouthe myhte noght ben herd; Bot afterward as it hath ferd, The dede proveth his entente: Achab to the bataille wente, Wher Benedab for al his Scheld Him slouh, so that upon the feld His poeple goth aboute astray. Bot god, which alle thinges may, 2680 So doth that thei no meschief have; Here king was ded and thei ben save, And hom ayein in goddes pes Thei wente, and al was founde les [Sidenote: =P. iii. 176=] That Sedechie hath seid tofore. So sit it wel a king therfore To loven hem that trouthe mene; For ate laste it wol be sene (2700*) That flaterie is nothing worth.[1164] Bot nou to mi matiere forth, 2690 As forto speken overmore[1165] After the Philosophres lore, The thridde point of Policie I thenke forto specifie [Sidenote: [THE THIRD POINT OF POLICY. JUSTICE.]] ix. _Propter transgressos leges statuuntur in orbe,_ _Ut viuant iusti Regis honore viri._ _Lex sine iusticia populum sub principis vmbra_ _Deuiat, vt rectum nemo videbit iter._