"Nay, by Crist!" quod Conscience To Clergie, "God thee for-yelde; For al that Pacience me profreth Proud am I litel. Ac the wil of the wye, And the wil of folk here, Hath meved my mood To moorne for my synnes. The goode wil of a wight Was nevere bought to the fulle. 8410 For ther nys no tresour, for sothe, To a trewe wille. "Hadde noght Maudeleyne moore For a box of salve, {258} Than Zacheus for he seide _Dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus?_ = And the poore widewe For a peire of mytes, Than alle tho that offrede 8420 Into _gazophilacium_?" Thus curteisliche Conscience Congeyed first the frere, And sithen softeliche he seide In Clergies ere, "Me were levere, by oure Lord! And I lyve sholde, Have pacience perfitliche, Than half thi pak of bokes." Clergie of Conscience 8430 No congie wolde take, But seide ful sobreliche, "Thow shalt se the tyme Whan thow art wery of-walked, Wille me to counseille." "That is sooth," quod Conscience, "So me God helpe! If Pacience be oure partyng felawe, And pryvé with us bothe, Ther nys wo in this world 8440 That we ne sholde amende, And conformen kynges to pees, And alle kynnes londes; Sarsens and Surré, And so forth alle the Jewes, Turne into the trewe feith, And intil oon bileve." "That is sooth," quod Clergie, {259} "I se what thow menest; I shal dwelle as I do, 8450 My devoir to shewe, And confermen fauntekyns, And oother folk y-lered, Til Pacience have preved thee, And parfit thee maked." Conscience tho with Pacience passed, Pilgrymes as it were. Thanne hadde Pacience, as pilgrymes han, In his poke vitailles, Sobretee and symple speche, 8460 And soothfast bileve, To conforte hym and Conscience, If thei come in place There un-kyndenesse and coveitise is, Hungry contrees bothe. And as the wente by the weye, Of Do-wel thei carped; Thei mette with a mynstral, As me tho thoughte. Pacience apposed hym first. 8470 And preyde he sholde hem telle To Conscience what craft he kouthe, And to what contree he wolde.