And thanne cam ther a kyng, And, by his croune! seide, "I am kyng with croune The comune to rule, And holy kirke and clergie From cursed men to fende; And if me lakketh to lyve by, {424} The lawe wole I take it Ther I may hastilokest it have. 13900 For I am heed of lawe; And ye ben but membres, And I above alle. And sith I am youre aller heed, I am youre aller heele, And holy chirches chief help, And chieftayn of the comune; And what I take of yow two, I take it at the techynge Of _spiritus justitiæ_, 13910 For I jugge yow alle. So I may boldely be housled, For I borwe nevere, Ne crave of my comune, But as my kynde asketh." "In condicion," quod Conscience, "That thow konne defende And rule thi reaume in reson, Right wel and in truthe, Take thow mayst in reson 13920 As thi lawe asketh. _Omnia tua sunt ad defendendum, sed non ad deprædandum._" The viker hadde fer hoom, And faire took his leeve; And I awakned therwith, And wroot as me mette. 13927 * * * * * {425} _Passus Vicesimus de Visione, et Primus de Do-best._ Thanne as I wente by the wey, 13928 Whan I was thus awaked, Hevy-chered I yede, And elenge in herte; I ne wiste wher to ete, Ne at what place, And it neghed neigh the noon, And with Nede I mette That afrounted me foule, And faitour me called: "Kanstow noght excuse thee, As dide the kyng and othere, That thow toke to thy bilyve, 13940 To clothes and to sustenaunce; And by techynge and by tellynge Of _spiritus temperantiæ_, And thow nome na-moore Than nede thee taughte, And nede he hath no lawe, Ne nevere shal falle in dette; For thre thynges he taketh, His lif for to save. "That is mete, whan men hym werneth 13950 {426} And he no moneye weldeth, Ne wight noon wol ben his borugh, Ne wed hath noon to legge; And he caughte in that caas, And come therto by sleighte, He synneth noght, soothliche, That so wynneth his foode. "And though he come so to a clooth, And kan no bettre chevyssaunce, Nede anoon righte 13960 Nymeth hym under maynprise. "And if hym list for to lape, The lawe of kynde wolde That he dronke at ech dych, Er he for thurst deide. So Nede al gret nede May nymen, as for his owene, Withouten counseil of Conscience Or cardynale vertues, So that he sewe and save 13970 _Spiritus temperantiæ_.