"It bi-cometh to a kyng That kepeth a reaume, To yeve mede to men, That mekely hym serveth, To aliens and to alle men, To honouren hem with giftes; 1780 Mede maketh hym bi-loved And for a man holden. "Emperours and erles, And alle manere lordes, For giftes han yonge men To renne and to ryde. "The pope and alle the prelates Presentz underfongen, {56} And medeth men hemselven To mayntene hir lawes. 1790 "Sergeauntz for hire servyce, We seeth wel the sothe, Taken mede of hir maistres, As thei mowe acorde. "Beggeres for hir biddynge, Bidden men mede. "Mynstrales for hir myrthe, Mede thei aske. "The kyng hath mede of his men, To make pees in londe. 1800 "Men that teche children, Craven after mede. "Preestes that prechen the peple To goode, asken mede, And massepens and hire mete At the meel-tymes. "Alle kynne craftes men Craven mede for hir prentices. "Marchauntz and Mede Mote nede go togideres. 1810 No wight, as I wene, Withouten mede may libbe." Quod the kyng to Conscience, "By Crist! as me thynketh, Mede is well worthi The maistrie to have." "Nay," quod Conscience to the kyng, And kneled to the erthe, "Ther are two manere of medes, My lord, with youre leve. 1820 "That oon God of his grace Graunteth in his blisse {57} To tho that wel werchen, While thei ben here; The prophete precheth therof, And putte it in the Sauter, _Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo?_ = "Lord, who shal wonye in thi wones, And with thyne holy seintes, 1830 Or resten in thyne holy hilles? This asketh David; And David assoileth it hymself, As the Sauter telleth. _Qui ingreditur sine macula et operatur justitiam._ = "Tho that entren of o colour, And of one wille, And han y-wroght werkes With right and with reson; 1840 And he that useth noght The lyf of usurie, And enformeth povere men, And pursueth truthe. _Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad usuram, et munera super innoc. etc._ = "And alle that helpen the innocent, And holden with the rightfulle, Withouten mede doth hem good, 1850 And the truthe helpeth, Swiche manere men, my lord, Shul have this firste mede Of God at a gret nede, Whan thei gon hennes. "Ther is another mede mesurelees, {58} That maistres desireth, To mayntene mysdoers Mede thei take, And therof seith the Sauter 1860 In a salmes ende, _In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt, dextra eorum repleta est muneribus._ "And he that gripeth hir gold, So me God helpe! Shal abien it bittre, Or the book lieth.