Of alegeaunce now lerneth . a lesson other tweyne, Wher-by it standith . and stablithe moste-- By drede, or by dyntis[144] . or domes untrewe,[145] Or by creaunce of coyne . ffor castes of gile,[146] By pillynge[147] of youre peple . youre prynces to plese; Or that youre wylle were wroughte . though wisdom it nolde; Or be tallage of youre townes . without ony werre, By rewthles routus[148] . that ryffled euere, By preysinge of polaxis[149] . that no pete hadde, Or be dette ffor thi dees . deme as thou ffyndist; Or be ledinge of lawe . with loue well ytemprid,[150] * * * * * Ffor legiaunce without loue . litill thinge availith. But graceles gostis[151] . gylours[152] of hem-self, That neuere had harnesse . ne hayle-schouris,[153] But walwed in her willis[154] . ffor-weyned[155] in here youthe, They sawe no manere sizth . saff solas and ese,[156] And cowde no mysse amende . whan mysscheff was vp, But sorwed ffor her lustus . of lordschipe they hadde,[157] And neuere ffor her trespas[158] . oo tere wolde they lete![159] * * * * * PASSUS II.[160] But moche now me merueilith[161] . and well may I in sothe, Of youre large leuerey[162] . to leodis[163] aboute, That ye so goodliche gaf[164] . but if gile letted,[165] As hertis y-heedyd[166] . and hornyd of kynde,[167] So ryff[168] as they ronne . youre rewme[169] thoru-oute That non at youre nede[170] . youre name wolde nempne,[171] In ffersnesse ne in ffoltheed,[172] . but ffaste ffle away-ward, And some stode astonyed[173] . and stared ffor drede, Ffor eye of the egle[174] . that oure helpe broughte. * * * * * Now liste[175] me to lerne . ho[176] me lere[177] coude, What kynnes conceyll[178] . that the kyng had, Or meued him most . to merke his liegis,[179] Or serue hem with signes[180] . that swarmed so thikke, Thoru-oute his lond . in lengthe and in brede, That ho so had hobblid . thoru holtes and tounes, Or y-passid the patthis . ther the prynce dwellyd, Of hertis or hyndis . on hassellis brestis, Or some lordis leveré . that the lawe stried, He should have ymette . mo than ynowe,[181] Ffor they accombrede[182] the contré . and many curse seruid,[183] And carped[184] to the Comounes . with the kyngys mouthe, Or with the lordis . ther they belefte[185] were That no renke[186] shulde rise . reson to schewe; They plucked the plomayle[187] . ffrom the pore skynnes, And schewed her signes[188] . ffor men shulde drede, To axe ony mendis . ffor her mys-dedis.[189] * * * * *