And comaunded a constable That com at the firste, To attachen tho tyrauntz, 1280 "For any thyng I hote, And fettreth faste Falsnesse, For any kynnes giftes, And girdeth of Gyles heed, And lat hym go no ferther; And if ye lacche Lyere, Lat hym noght ascapen Er he be put on the pillory, For any preyere, I hote; And bryngeth Mede to me 1290 Maugree hem alle."
Drede at the dore stood, And the doom herde, And how the kyng comaunded Constables and sergeauntz Falsnesse and his felawshipe To fettren and to bynden.
Thanne Drede wente wyghtliche, And warned the False, And bad hym fle for fere, 1300 And hise felawes alle.
Falsnesse for fere thanne Fleigh to the ffreres, And Gyle dooth hym to go, A-gast for to dye; Ac marchauntz metten with hym And made hym abide, And bi-shetten hym in hire shoppes To shewen hire ware, Apparailed hym as apprentice 1310 The peple to serve. { 41}
Lightliche Lyere Leep awey thanne, Lurkynge thorugh lanes, To-lugged of manye. He was nowher welcome, For his manye tales, Over al y-honted, And y-hote trusse, Til pardoners hadde pité, 1320 And pulled hym into house. They wesshen hym and wiped hym. And wounden hym in cloutes, And senten hym with seles On Sondayes to chirches, And yeven pardoun for pens Pounde-mele aboute.
Thanne lourede leches, And lettres thei sente, That he sholde wonye with hem 1330 Watres to loke.
Spycers speken with hym, To spien hire ware; For he kouthe of hir craft, And knewe manye gommes.
And mynstrales and messagers Mette with hym ones, And helden hym an half-yeer And ellevene dayes.
Freres with fair speche 1340 Fetten hym pennes, And for knowynge of comeres Coped hym as a frere; Ac he hath leve to lepen out, As ofte as hym liketh, { 42} And is welcome whan he wile, And woneth with hem ofte.
Alle fledden for fere, And flowen into hernes; Save Mede the mayde, 1350 Na-mo dorste abide. Ac trewely to telle, She trembled for drede, And ek wepte and wrong, Whan she was attached. 1355
Now is Mede the mayde, 1356 And na-mo of hem alle, With bedeles and with baillies Brought bifore the kyng.
The kyng called a clerk, 1360 Kan I noght his name, To take Mede the maide And maken hire at ese. "I shal assayen hire myself, And soothliche appose, What man of this moolde That hire were levest. And if she werche bi wit, And my wil folwe, I wol forgyven hire this gilt, 1370 So me God helpe!"