With that comen clerkes To conforten hire the same, And beden hire be blithe; "For we beth thyne owene, 1410 For to werche thi wille, The while thow myght laste." Hendiliche heo thanne Bi-highte hem the same, {45} To loven hem lelly, And lordes to make, And in the consistorie at the court Do callen hire names; "Shal no lewednesse lette The leode that I lovye, 1420 That he ne worth first avaunced; For I am bi-knowen, There konnynge clerkes Shul clokke bi-hynde." Thanne cam ther a confessour, Coped as a frere; To Mede the mayde He meved thise wordes, And seide ful softely, In shrift as it were, 1430 "Theigh lewed men and lered men Hadde leyen by thee bothe, And Falsnesse hadde y-folwed thee Alle thise fifty wynter, I shal assoille thee myself For a seem of whete, And also be thi bedeman, And bere wel thi message Amonges knyghtes and clerkes, Conscience to torne." 1440 Thanne Mede for hire mysdedes To that man kneled, And shrof hire of hire sherewednesse, Shamelees, I trowe; Tolde hym a tale, And took hym a noble, For to ben hire bedeman And hire brocour als. {46} Thanne he assoiled hire soone, And sithen he seide, 1450 "We have a wyndow in werchynge Wole sitten us ful hye, Woldestow glaze that gable And grave therinne thy name, Syker sholde thi soule be Hevene to have." "Wiste I that," quod that womman, "I wolde noght spare For to be youre frend, frere, And faile yow nevere, 1460 While ye love lordes That lecherie haunten, And lakketh noght ladies That loven wel the same. It is freletee of flesshe, Ye fynden it in bokes, And a cours of kynde Wherof we comen alle. Who may scape sclaundre, The scathe is soone amended; 1470 It is synne of the sevene Sonnest relessed. "Have mercy," quod Mede, "Of men that it haunteth, And I shal covere youre kirk, Youre cloistre do maken, Wowes do whiten, And wyndowes glazen, Do peynten and portraye, And paie for the makynge, 1480 That every segge shal seye I am suster of youre house." {47} Ac God to alle good folk Swich gravynge defendeth, To writen in wyndowes Of hir wel dedes, An aventure pride be peynted there, And pomp of the world; For Crist knoweth thi conscience, And thi kynde wille, 1490 And thi cost and thi coveitise, And who the catel oughte.