they) it is worthy
the good to commende, and the gilty desertes to chastice. There
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ben citezens many, for-ferde of execucion that shal be doon; for
extorcions by hem committed ben evermore ayenst these purposes
and al other good mevinges. Never-the-latter, lady, trewly the
meninge under these wordes was, fully to have apeched the
mighty senatoures, whiche hadden hevy herte for the misgovernaunce
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that they seen. And so, lady, whan it fel that free
eleccion [was mad], by greet clamour of moche people, [that] for
greet disese of misgovernaunce so fervently stoden in her eleccion
that they hem submitted to every maner †fate rather than have
suffred the maner and the rule of the hated governours;
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notwithstandinge that in the contrary helden moche comune meyny,
that have no consideracion but only to voluntary lustes withouten
reson. But than thilke governour so forsaken, fayninge to-forn
his undoinge for misrule in his tyme, shoop to have letted thilke
eleccion, and have made a newe, him-selfe to have ben chosen;
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and under that, mokil rore [to] have arered. These thinges, lady,
knowen among the princes, and made open to the people,
draweth in amendement, that every degree shal ben ordayned to
stande there-as he shulde; and that of errours coming herafter
men may lightly to-forn-hand purvaye remedye; in this wyse pees
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and rest to be furthered and holde. Of the whiche thinges, lady,
thilke persones broughten in answere to-forn their moste soverayne
juge, not coarted by payninge dures, openly knowlegeden, and
asked therof grace; so that apertly it preveth my wordes ben
sothe, without forginge of lesinges.
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But now it greveth me to remembre these dyvers sentences, in
janglinge of these shepy people; certes, me thinketh, they oughten
to maken joye that a sothe may be knowe. For my trouthe and
my conscience ben witnesse to me bothe, that this (knowinge
sothe) have I sayd, for no harme ne malice of tho persones, but
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only for trouthe of my sacrament in my ligeaunce, by whiche
I was charged on my kinges behalfe. But see ye not now, lady,
how the felonous thoughtes of this people and covins of wicked
men conspyren ayen my sothfast trouth! See ye not every wight
that to these erroneous opinions were assentaunt, and helpes to
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the noyse, and knewen al these thinges better than I my-selven,
apparaylen to fynden newe frendes, and clepen me fals, and
studyen how they mowen in her mouthes werse plyte nempne?
O god, what may this be, that thilke folk whiche that in tyme of
my mayntenaunce, and whan my might avayled to strecche to
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the forsayd maters, tho me commended, and yave me name of
trouth, in so manyfolde maners that it was nyghe in every
wightes eere, there-as any of thilke people weren; and on the
other syde, thilke company somtyme passed, yevinge me name
of badde loos: now bothe tho peoples turned the good in-to
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badde, and badde in-to good? Whiche thing is wonder, that
they knowing me saying but sothe, arn now tempted to reply her
olde praysinges; and knowen me wel in al doinges to ben trewe,
and sayn openly that I false have sayd many thinges! And they
aleged nothing me to ben false or untrewe, save thilke mater
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knowleged by the parties hem-selfe; and god wot, other mater
is non. Ye also, lady, knowe these thinges for trewe; I avaunte
not in praysing of my-selfe; therby shulde I lese the precious
secrè of my conscience. But ye see wel that false opinion of the
people for my trouthe, in telling out of false conspyred maters;
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and after the jugement of these clerkes, I shulde not hyde the
sothe of no maner person, mayster ne other. Wherfore I wolde
not drede, were it put in the consideracion of trewe and of wyse.
And for comers hereafter shullen fully, out of denwere, al the
sothe knowe of these thinges in acte, but as they wern, I have
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put it in scripture, in perpetuel remembraunce of true meninge.
For trewly, lady, me semeth that I ought to bere the name of
trouthe, that for the love of rightwysnesse have thus me †submitted.
But now than the false fame, which that (clerkes sayn)
flyeth as faste as doth the fame of trouthe, shal so wyde sprede
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til it be brought to the jewel that I of mene; and so shal I ben
hindred,
