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So pleinly as the trouthe stod；
He spareth noght； bot spekth it oute；
And so myhte every man aboute
The day of that solempnete
His tale telle als wel as he
To Themperour al openly。
And al was this the cause why；
That whil he stod in that noblesse；
He scholde his vanite represse 2410
With suche wordes as he herde。
Lo nou； hou thilke time it ferde
Toward so hih a worthi lord：
For this I finde ek of record；
Which the Cronique hath auctorized。
What Emperour was entronized；
The ferste day of his corone；
Wher he was in his real Throne
And hield his feste in the paleis
Sittende upon his hihe deis 2420
With al the lust that mai be gete；
Whan he was gladdest at his mete；
And every menstral hadde pleid；
And every Disour hadde seid
What most was plesant to his Ere；
Than ate laste comen there
Hise Macons； for thei scholden crave
Wher that he wolde be begrave；
And of what Ston his sepulture
Thei scholden make； and what sculpture 2430
He wolde ordeine therupon。
Tho was ther flaterie non
The worthi princes to bejape；
The thing was other wise schape
With good conseil； and otherwise
Thei were hemselven thanne wise；
And understoden wel and knewen。
Whan suche softe wyndes blewen
Of flaterie into here Ere；
Thei setten noght here hertes there； 2440
Bot whan thei herden wordes feigned；
The pleine trouthe it hath desdeigned
Of hem that weren so discrete。
So tok the flatour no beyete
Of him that was his prince tho：
And forto proven it is so；
A tale which befell in dede
In a Cronique of Rome I rede。
Cesar upon his real throne
Wher that he sat in his persone 2450
And was hyest in al his pris；
A man； which wolde make him wys；
Fell doun knelende in his presence；
And dede him such a reverence；
As thogh the hihe god it were：
Men hadden gret mervaille there
Of the worschipe which he dede。
This man aros fro thilke stede；
And forth with al the same tyde
He goth him up and be his side 2460
He set him doun as pier and pier；
And seide； 〃If thou that sittest hier
Art god； which alle thinges myht；
Thanne have I do worshipe ariht
As to the god； and other wise；
If thou be noght of thilke assisse；
Bot art a man such as am I；
Than mai I sitte faste by；
For we be bothen of o kinde。〃
Cesar ansuerde and seide； 〃O blinde； 2470
Thou art a fol； it is wel sene
Upon thiself： for if thou wene
I be a god； thou dost amys
To sitte wher thou sest god is；
And if I be a man； also
Thou hast a gret folie do；
Whan thou to such on as schal deie
The worschipe of thi god aweie
Hast yoven so unworthely。
Thus mai I prove redely； 2480
Thou art noght wys。〃 And thei that herde
Hou wysly that the king ansuerde；
It was to hem a newe lore；
Wherof thei dradden him the more；
And broghten nothing to his Ere；
Bot if it trouthe and reson were。
So be ther manye； in such a wise
That feignen wordes to be wise；
And al is verray flaterie
To him which can it wel aspie。 2490
The kinde flatour can noght love
Bot forto bringe himself above；
For hou that evere his maister fare；
So that himself stonde out of care；
Him reccheth noght： and thus fulofte
Deceived ben with wordes softe
The kinges that ben innocent。
Wherof as for chastiement
The wise Philosophre seide；
What king that so his tresor leide 2500
Upon such folk； he hath the lesse；
And yit ne doth he no largesse；
Bot harmeth with his oghne hond
Himself and ek his oghne lond；
And that be many a sondri weie。
Wherof if that a man schal seie；
As forto speke in general；
Wher such thing falleth overal
That eny king himself misreule；
The Philosophre upon his reule 2510
In special a cause sette；
Which is and evere hath be the lette
In governance aboute a king
Upon the meschief of the thing；
And that； he seith； is Flaterie。
Wherof tofore as in partie
What vice it is I have declared；
For who that hath his wit bewared
Upon a flatour to believe；
Whan that he weneth best achieve 2520
His goode world； it is most fro。
And forto proeven it is so
Ensamples ther ben manyon；
Of whiche if thou wolt knowen on；
It is behovely forto hiere
What whilom fell in this matiere。
Among the kinges in the bible
I finde a tale； and is credible；
Of him that whilom Achab hihte；
Which hadde al Irahel to rihte； 2530
Bot who that couthe glose softe
And flatre； suche he sette alofte
In gret astat and made hem riche；
Bot thei that spieken wordes liche
To trouthe and wolde it noght forbere；
For hem was non astat to bere；
The court of suche tok non hiede。
Til ate laste upon a nede；
That Benedab king of Surie
Of Irahel a gret partie； 2540
Which Ramoth Galaath was hote；
Hath sesed； and of that riote
He tok conseil in sondri wise；
Bot noght of hem that weren wise。
And natheles upon this cas
To strengthen him； for Josaphas；
Which thanne was king of Judee；
He sende forto come； as he
Which thurgh frendschipe and alliance
Was next to him of aqueintance； 2550
For Joram Sone of Josaphath
Achabbes dowhter wedded hath；
Which hihte faire Godelie。
And thus cam into Samarie
King Josaphat； and he fond there
The king Achab： and whan thei were
Togedre spekende of this thing；
This Josaphat seith to the king；
Hou that he wolde gladly hiere
Som trew prophete in this matiere； 2560
That he his conseil myhte yive
To what point that it schal be drive。
And in that time so befell；
Ther was such on in Irahel；
Which sette him al to flaterie；
And he was cleped Sedechie；
And after him Achab hath sent：
And he at his comandement
Tofore him cam； and be a sleyhte
He hath upon his heved on heyhte 2570
Tuo large hornes set of bras；
As he which al a flatour was；
And goth rampende as a leoun
And caste hise hornes up and doun；
And bad men ben of good espeir；
For as the hornes percen their；
He seith； withoute resistence；
So wiste he wel of his science
That Benedab is desconfit。
Whan Sedechie upon this plit 2580
Hath told this tale to his lord；
Anon ther were of his acord
Prophetes false manye mo
To bere up oil； and alle tho
Affermen that which he hath told；
Wherof the king Achab was bold
And yaf hem yiftes al aboute。
But Josaphat was in gret doute；
And hield fantosme al that he herde；
Preiende Achab； hou so it ferde； 2590
If ther were eny other man；
The which of prophecie can；
To hiere him speke er that thei gon。
Quod Achab thanne； 〃Ther is on；
A brothell； which Micheas hihte；
Bot he ne comth noght in my sihte；
For he hath longe in prison lein。
Him liketh nevere yit to sein
A goodly word to mi plesance；
And natheles at thin instance 2600
He schal come oute； and thanne he may
Seie as he seide many day；
For yit he seide nevere wel。〃
Tho Josaphat began somdel
To gladen him in hope of trouthe；
And bad withouten eny slouthe
That men him scholden fette anon。
And thei that weren for him gon；
Whan that thei comen wher he was；
Thei tolden unto Micheas 2610
The manere hou that Sedechie
Declared hath his prophecie；
And therupon thei preie him faire
That he wol seie no contraire；
Wherof the king mai be desplesed；
For so schal every man ben esed；
And he mai helpe himselve also。
Micheas upon trouthe tho
His herte sette； and to hem seith；
Al that belongeth to his feith 2620
And of non other feigned thing；
That wol he telle unto his king；
Als fer as god hath yove him grace。
Thus cam this prophete into place
Wher he the kinges wille herde；
And he therto anon ansuerde；
And seide unto him in this wise：
〃Mi liege lord； for mi servise；
Which trewe hath stonden evere yit；
Thou hast me with prisone aquit； 2630
Bot for al that I schal noght glose
Of trouthe als fer as I suppose；
And as touchende of this bataille；
Thou schalt noght of the sothe faile。
For if it like thee to hiere；
As I am tauht in that matiere；
Thou miht it understonde sone；
Bot what is afterward to done
Avise thee； for this I sih。
I was tofor the throne on hih； 2640
Wher al the world me thoghte stod；
And there I herde and understod
The vois of god with wordes cliere
Axende； and seide in this manere：
〃In what thing mai I best beguile
The king Achab？〃 And for a while
Upon this point thei spieken faste。
Tho seide a spirit ate laste；
〃I undertake this emprise。〃
And god him axeth in what wise。 2650
〃I schal；〃 quod he； 〃deceive and lye
With flaterende prophecie
In suche mouthes as he lieveth。〃
And he which alle thing achieveth
Bad him go forth and don riht so。
And over this I sih also
The noble peple of Irahel
Dispers as Schep upon an hell；
Withoute a kepere unarraied：
And as thei wente aboute astraied； 2660
I herde a vois unto hem sein；
〃Goth hom into your hous ayein；
Til I for you have betre ordeigned。〃
Quod Sedechie； 〃Thou hast feigned
This tale in angringe of the king。〃
And in a wraththe upon this thing
He smot Michee upon the cheke；
The king him hath rebuked eke；
And every man upon him cride：
Thus was he schent on every side； 2670
Ayein and into prison lad；
For so the king himselve bad。
The trouthe myhte noght ben herd；
Bot afterward as it hath ferd；
The dede proveth his entente：
Achab to the bataille wente；
Wher Benedab for al his Scheld
Him slouh； so that upon the feld
His poeple goth aboute astray。
Bot god； which alle thinges may； 2680
So doth that thei no meschief have；
Here kin