"Leve wel, lady," quod Conscience, "That thi Latyn be trewe; Ac thow art lik a lady That radde a lesson ones, Was _omnia probate_, And that plesed hire herte; 2050 For that lyne was no lenger At the leves ende. Hadde she loked that oother half, And the leef torned, She sholde have founden fele wordes Folwynge therafter, _Quod bonum est tenete_; Truthe that text made. And so ferde ye, madame, Ye kouthe na-moore fynde, 2060 {64} Tho ye loked on Sapience Sittynge in youre studie. This text that ye han told Were good for lordes; Ac yow fayled a konnynge clerk That kouthe the leef han torned. And if ye seche Sapience eft, Fynde shul ye that folweth, A ful teneful text To hem that taketh mede; 2070 And that is _animam autem aufert accipientium, etc._, = And that is the tail of the text; Of that that she shewed, That theigh we wynne worshipe, And with mede have victorie, The soule that the sonde taketh By so muche is bounde." 2078 * * * * * {65} _Passus Quartus de Visione, ut supra._ "Cesseth," seith the kyng, 2079 "I suffre yow no lenger; Ye shul saughtne for sothe, And serve me bothe. Kis hire," quod the kyng, "Conscience, I hote." "Nay, by Crist!" quod Conscience, "Congeye me er for evere, But Reson rede me therto, Rather wol I deye." "And I comaunde thee," quod the kyng, To Conscience thanne, 2090 "Rape thee to ryde, And Reson thow fecche; Comaunde hym that he come My counseil to here, For he shal rule my reaume And rede me the beste, And acounte with thee, Conscience, So me Crist helpe! How thow lernest the peple, The lered and the lewed." 2100 "I am fayn of that foreward," Seide the freke thanne, {66} And ryt right to Reson, And rouneth in his ere, And seide as the kyng bad, And sithen took his leve. "I shal arraye me to ryde," quod Reson, "Reste thee a while." And called Caton his knave, Curteis of speche, 2110 And also Tomme Trewe-tonge,-- "Tel me no tales, Ne lesynge to laughen of, For I loved hem nevere; And set my sadel upon Suffre, Til I se my tyme, And lat warroke hym wel With witty-wordes gerthes, And hange on hym the hevy brydel To holde his heed lowe, 2120 For he wol make 'wehee!' Twies er he be there." Thanne Conscience upon his capul Carieth forth faste, And Reson with hym ryt, Rownynge togideres, Whiche maistries Mede Maketh on this erthe.