d hath lest nede.
My lege lord, this wolde I rede:
The erthe it is, which evermo
With mannes labour is bego
As well in winter as in maie.
The mannes honde doth what he may
To helpe it forth and make it riche,
And forthy men it delve and diche,
And even it with strength of plough,
Wher it hath of him self inough
So that his nede is ate leste.
For every man, birde, and beste
Of flour and gras and roote and rinde
And every thing by way of kinde
Shall sterve, and erthe it shall become
As it was out of erthe nome,[21]
It shall be therthe torne ayein.[22]
And thus I may by reson sein
That erthe is the most nedeles
And most men helpe it netheles;
So that, my lord, touchend of this
I have answerde how that it is.
That other point I understood,
Which most is worth, and most is good,
And costeth lest a man to kepe:
My lorde, if ye woll take kepe,[23]
I say it is humilite,
Through whiche the high Trinite
As for deserte of pure love
Unto Marie from above,
Of that he knewe her humble entente,
His owne Sone adown he sente
Above all other, and her he chese
For that vertu, which bodeth pees.
So that I may by reson calle
Humilite most worthe of alle,
And lest it costeth to mainteine
In all the worlde, as it is seine.
For who that hath humblesse on honde,
He bringeth no werres into londe,
For he desireth for the best
To setten every man in reste.
Thus with your highe reverence
Me thenketh that this evidence
As to this point is suffisaunt.
And touchend of the remenaunt,
Which is the thridde of your axinges,
What lest is worth of alle thinges,
And costeth most, I telle it pride,
Which may nought in the heven abide.
For Lucifer with hem that felle
Bar pride with him into helle.
There was pride of to grete cost
Whan he for pride hath heven lost;
And after that in Paradise
Adam for pride lost his prise
In middel-erth. And eke also
Pride is the cause of alle wo,
That all the world ne may suffice
To staunche of pride the reprise.
Pride is the heved[24] of all sinne,
Which wasteth all and may nought winne;
Pride is of every mis[25] the pricke[26];
Pride is the worste of all wicke,
And costeth most and lest is worth
In place where he hath his forth.
Thus have I said that I woll say
Of min answere, and to you pray,
My lege lorde, of your office,
That ye such grace and suche