The paien herde and understod, And thoghte it was a wonder lawe. And thus upon here sondri sawe Talkende bothe forth thei wente. The dai was hoot, the sonne brente, 3250* The paien rod upon an asse, And of his catell more and lasse With him a riche trusse he ladde. The Jew, which al untrowthe hadde, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 195=] And wente upon his feet beside, Bethoghte him how he mihte ride;[1225] And with his wordes slihe and wise Unto the paien in this wise He seide: ‘O, now it schal be seene What thing it is thou woldest meene: 3260* For if thi lawe be certein As thou hast told, I dar wel sein, Thou wolt beholde mi destresse. Which am so full of werinesse, That I ne mai unethe go,[1226] And let me ride a Myle or tuo, So that I mai mi bodi ese.’ The paien wolde him noght desplese Of that he spak, bot in pite It list him forto knowe and se 3270* The pleignte which that other made; And for he wolde his herte glade, He lihte and made him nothing strange. Thus was ther made a newe change, The paien goth, the Jew alofte Was sett upon his asse softe: So gon thei forth carpende faste Of this and that, til ate laste[1227] The paien mihte go nomore, And preide unto the Jew therfore 3280* To suffre him ride a litel while. The Jew, which thoghte him to beguile, Anon rod forth the grete pas,[1228] And to the paien in this cas [Sidenote: =P. iii. 196=] He seide, ‘Thou hast do thi riht, Of that thou haddest me behiht To do socour upon mi nede; And that acordeth to the dede, As thou art to the lawe holde. And in such wise as I thee tolde, 3290* I thenke also for mi partie Upon the lawe of Juerie[1229] To worche and do mi duete. Thin asse schal go forth with me With al thi good, which I have sesed; And that I wot thou art desesed, I am riht glad and noght mispaid.’ And whanne he hath these wordes said, In alle haste he rod aweie. This paien wot non other weie, 3300* Bot on the ground he kneleth evene, His handes up unto the hevene, And seide, ‘O hihe sothfastnesse, That lovest alle rihtwisnesse, Unto thi dom, lord, I appele;[1230] Behold and deme mi querele, With humble herte I thee beseche; The mercy bothe and ek the wreche I sette al in thi juggement.’ And thus upon his marrement 3310* This paien hath made his preiere:[1231] And than he ros with drery chiere,[1232] And goth him forth, and in his gate He caste his yhe aboute algate, [Sidenote: =P. iii. 197=] The Jew if that he mihte se. Bot for a time it mai noght be; Til ate laste ayein the nyht,