How Iustyce byfore the Iuge Pledyd ayene
the Chartre, Affyrmynge it Insuffysaunt
as for the Forsayd Sowle

capitulo xxxvi

What tyme that this Chartre was redde, Iustyce somwhat egrely loked vpon Misericord and sayde to hyr thus: `Suster', quod she, `Ye haue ful wel purchacyd for somme of pilgryms, but for this present pylgrym thy laboure but lytel auayleth, as semyng is to me.'

Thenne Reason and Trouth seyden to Iustyce `Sith it soo is that this maundement is dycretid pryncipally to the Prouost as Lyeutenaunt and Iuge at this tyme, and sythe secondly to vs that ben his assessours, pryncipally to hym this mater apperteyneth, wherfore in decisyon of stryf go we fast to hym and see what he seyth to this Chartre, and as he wylle that be done we shal applye vs fully withoute ayenseynge.'

Soo thenne at this poynt they ben accordyd and wente to the Prouost and toke hym this Chartre. Thenne sayd Iustyce to the Prouost thus. `Syre Prouost', quod she, `I doo yow to vnderstande that this present Lady Misericord, sauynge hyr systerhede, hath causyd in this Court grete annoye in taryenge oure iugementes in this present assyse, by cause of purchacyng of this letter, whiche ye see your^a self. Of what it shal auayle, it standeth at youre plesaunce. But me semyth for sothe that somme poyntes conteyned therynne ben not to be receyued, for they semyn geten and purchacyd by surreptyon and inportune prayer, whiche the Souerayne Kyng in his debonayrte can ne may nought werne. But it bylongeth to yow that ben his Lyeutenaunt for to doo riht and equyte, for why the offence is wonder grete ayenst that Lord that euer is perdurable, whoos Lordshyp and Soueraynte is withoute ende and mesure. Yf it so is thenne, that the present pilgrym shold haue peyn determyned enduryng for a tyme, I can not se wherof herafter shold me seruen my balaunce.'