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And seide he wolde hire tale hiere；
He bad hire speke； and sche began：
〃Mi liege lord； so as I can；〃
Quod sche； 〃the pointz of whiche I herde；
Thei schul of reson ben ansuerde。
The ferste I understonde is this；
What thing of al the world it is；
Which men most helpe and hath lest nede。
Mi liege lord； this wolde I rede： 3250
The Erthe it is； which everemo
With mannes labour is bego；
Als wel in wynter as in Maii
The mannes hond doth what he mai
To helpe it forth and make it riche；
And forthi men it delve and dyche
And eren it with strengthe of plowh；
Wher it hath of himself ynowh；
So that his nede is ate leste。
For every man and bridd and beste； 3260
And flour and gras and rote and rinde；
And every thing be weie of kynde
Schal sterve； and Erthe it schal become；
As it was out of Erthe nome；
It schal to therthe torne ayein：
And thus I mai be resoun sein
That Erthe is the most nedeles；
And most men helpe it natheles。
So that； my lord； touchende of this
I have ansuerd hou that it is。 3270
That other point I understod；
Which most is worth and most is good；
And costeth lest a man to kepe：
Mi lord； if ye woll take kepe；
I seie it is Humilite；
Thurgh which the hihe trinite
As for decerte of pure love
Unto Marie from above；
Of that he knew hire humble entente；
His oghne Sone adoun he sente； 3280
Above alle othre and hire he ches
For that vertu which bodeth pes：
So that I may be resoun calle
Humilite most worth of alle。
And lest it costeth to maintiene；
In al the world as it is sene；
For who that hath humblesce on honde；
He bringth no werres into londe；
For he desireth for the beste
To setten every man in reste。 3290
Thus with your hihe reverence
Me thenketh that this evidence
As to this point is sufficant。
And touchende of the remenant；
Which is the thridde of youre axinges；
What leste is worth of alle thinges；
And costeth most； I telle it； Pride；
Which mai noght in the hevene abide；
For Lucifer with hem that felle
Bar Pride with him into helle。 3300
Ther was Pride of to gret a cost；
Whan he for Pride hath hevene lost；
And after that in Paradis
Adam for Pride loste his pris：
In Midelerthe and ek also
Pride is the cause of alle wo；
That al the world ne may suffise
To stanche of Pride the reprise：
Pride is the heved of alle Sinne；
Which wasteth al and mai noght winne； 3310
Pride is of every mis the pricke；
Pride is the werste of alle wicke；
And costneth most and lest is worth
In place where he hath his forth。
Thus have I seid that I wol seie
Of myn answere； and to you preie；
Mi liege lord； of youre office
That ye such grace and such justice
Ordeigne for mi fader hiere；
That after this； whan men it hiere； 3320
The world therof mai speke good。〃
The king； which reson understod
And hath al herd how sche hath said；
Was inly glad and so wel paid
That al his wraththe is overgo：
And he began to loke tho
Upon this Maiden in the face；
In which he fond so mochel grace；
That al his pris on hire he leide；
In audience and thus he seide： 3330
〃Mi faire Maide； wel thee be！
Of thin ansuere and ek of thee
Me liketh wel； and as thou wilt；
Foryive be thi fader gilt。
And if thou were of such lignage；
That thou to me were of parage；
And that thi fader were a Pier；
As he is now a Bachilier；
So seker as I have a lif；
Thou scholdest thanne be my wif。 3340
Bot this I seie natheles；
That I wol schape thin encress；
What worldes good that thou wolt crave；
Axe of my yifte and thou schalt have。〃
And sche the king with wordes wise
Knelende thonketh in this wise：
〃Mi liege lord； god mot you quite！
Mi fader hier hath bot a lite
Of warison； and that he wende
Hadde al be lost； bot now amende 3350
He mai wel thurgh your noble grace。〃
With that the king riht in his place
Anon forth in that freisshe hete
An Erldom； which thanne of eschete
Was late falle into his hond；
Unto this knyht with rente and lond
Hath yove and with his chartre sesed；
And thus was all the noise appesed。
This Maiden； which sat on hire knes
Tofore the king； hise charitees 3360
Comendeth； and seide overmore：
〃Mi liege lord； riht now tofore
Ye seide； as it is of record；
That if my fader were a lord
And Pier unto these othre grete；
Ye wolden for noght elles lete；
That I ne scholde be your wif；
And this wot every worthi lif；
A kinges word it mot ben holde。
Forthi； my lord； if that ye wolde 3370
So gret a charite fulfille；
God wot it were wel my wille：
For he which was a Bacheler；
Mi fader； is now mad a Pier；
So whenne as evere that I cam；
An Erles dowhter now I am。〃
This yonge king； which peised al；
Hire beaute and hir wit withal；
As he that was with love hent；
Anon therto yaf his assent。 3380
He myhte noght the maide asterte；
That sche nis ladi of his herte；
So that he tok hire to his wif；
To holde whyl that he hath lif：
And thus the king toward his knyht
Acordeth him； as it is riht。
And over this good is to wite；
In the Cronique as it is write；
This noble king of whom I tolde
Of Spaine be tho daies olde 3390
The kingdom hadde in governance；
And as the bok makth remembrance；
Alphonse was his propre name：
The knyht also； if I schal name；
Danz Petro hihte； and as men telle；
His dowhter wyse Peronelle
Was cleped； which was full of grace：
And that was sene in thilke place；
Wher sche hir fader out of teene
Hath broght and mad hirself a qweene； 3400
Of that sche hath so wel desclosed
The pointz wherof sche was opposed。
Lo now； my Sone； as thou myht hiere；
Of al this thing to my matiere
Bot on I take； and that is Pride；
To whom no grace mai betide：
In hevene he fell out of his stede；
And Paradis him was forbede；
The goode men in Erthe him hate；
So that to helle he mot algate； 3410
Where every vertu schal be weyved
And every vice be received。
Bot Humblesce is al otherwise；
Which most is worth； and no reprise
It takth ayein； bot softe and faire；
If eny thing stond in contraire；
With humble speche it is redresced：
Thus was this yonge Maiden blessed；
The which I spak of now tofore；
Hire fader lif sche gat therfore； 3420
And wan with al the kinges love。
Forthi； my Sone； if thou wolt love；
It sit thee wel to leve Pride
And take Humblesce upon thi side；
The more of grace thou schalt gete。
Mi fader； I woll noght foryete
Of this that ye have told me hiere；
And if that eny such manere
Of humble port mai love appaie；
Hierafterward I thenke assaie： 3430
Bot now forth over I beseche
That ye more of my schrifte seche。
Mi goode Sone； it schal be do：
Now herkne and ley an Ere to；
For as touchende of Prides fare；
Als ferforth as I can declare
In cause of vice； in cause of love；
That hast thou pleinly herd above；
So that ther is nomor to seie
Touchende of that； bot other weie 3440
Touchende Envie I thenke telle；
Which hath the propre kinde of helle；
Withoute cause to misdo
Toward himself and othre also；
Hierafterward as understonde
Thou schalt the spieces； as thei stonde。
Explicit Liber Primus
Incipit Liber Secundus
Inuidie culpa magis est attrita dolore；
Nam sua mens nullo tempore leta manet：
Quo gaudent alii； dolet ille； nec vnus amicus
Est； cui de puro comoda velle facit。
Proximitatis honor sua corda veretur； et omnis
Est sibi leticia sic aliena dolor。
Hoc etenim vicium quam sepe repugnat amanti；
Non sibi； set reliquis； dum fauet ipsa Venus。
Est amor ex proprio motu fantasticus； et que
Gaudia fert alius； credit obesse sibi。
Now after Pride the secounde
Ther is； which many a woful stounde
Towardes othre berth aboute
Withinne himself and noght withoute；
For in his thoght he brenneth evere；
Whan that he wot an other levere
Or more vertuous than he；
Which passeth him in his degre；
Therof he takth his maladie：
That vice is cleped hot Envie。 10
Forthi； my Sone； if it be so
Thou art or hast ben on of tho；
As forto speke in loves cas；
If evere yit thin herte was
Sek of an other mannes hele？
So god avance my querele；
Mi fader； ye； a thousend sithe：
Whanne I have sen an other blithe
Of love； and hadde a goodly chiere；
Ethna； which brenneth yer be yere； 20
Was thanne noght so hot as I
Of thilke Sor which prively
Min hertes thoght w