"Preestes and persons That plesynge desireth, 1870 That taken mede and moneie For masses that thei syngeth, Taken hire mede here, As Mathew us techeth. _Amen, Amen, recipiebant mercede suam._ = "That laborers and lowe folk Taken of hire maistres, It is no manere mede, But a mesurable hire. 1880 "In marchaundise is no mede, I may it wel avowe, It is a permutacion apertly, A penyworth for another. "Ac reddestow nevere _Regum_? Thow recrayed Mede, Whi the vengeaunce fel On Saul and on his children? God sente to Saul By Samuel the prophete, 1890 {59} That Agag of Amalec, And al his peple after, Sholden deye for a dede That doon hadde hire eldres. "For-thi seide Samuel to Saul, 'God hymself hoteth Thee be buxom at his biddynge, His wil to fulfille; Weend to Amalec with thyn oost, And what thow fyndest there sle it, 1900 Burnes and beestes Bren hem to dethe, Widwes and wyves, Wommen and children, Moebles and un-moebles, And al thow myght fynde, Bren it, bere it noght awey, Be it never so riche, For mede ne for monee, Loke thow destruye it, 1910 Spille it and spare it noght, Thow shalt spede the bettre.' "And for he coveited hir catel, And the kyng spared, Forbar hym and his beestes bothe, As the Bible witnesseth, Oother wise than he was Warned of the prophete, God seide to Samuel That Saul sholde deye, 1920 And al his seed for that synne Shenfulliche ende. Swich a meschief Mede made Saul the kyng to have, {60} That God hated hym for evere, And alle hise heires after. "The culorum of this cas Kepe I noght to telle, On aventure it noyed men, Noon ende wol I make, 1930 For so is this world went With hem that han power, That who so seith hem sothest Is sonnest y-blamed. "Conscience knowe this, For kynde wit it me taughte, That Reson shal regne And reaumes governe, And right as Agag hadde, Happe shul somme, 1940 Samuel shal sleen hym, And Saul shal be blamed, And David shal be diademed, And daunten hem alle; And oon cristene kyng Kepen hem alle. Shal na-moore Mede Be maister, as she is nouthe; Ac love and lowenesse And leautee togideres, 1950 Thise shul ben maistres on moolde, Truthe to save. "And who so trespaseth ayein truthe, Or taketh ayein his wille, Leauté shal don hym lawe, And no lif ellis; Shall no sergeaunt for his service Were a silk howve, {61} Ne no pelure in his cloke For pledynge at the barre. 1960 Mede of mysdoeres Maketh manye lordes, And over lordes lawes Ruleth the reaumes.