“Truth is best in all things,” she said at length.  “I have told thee now what Truth is, and may no longer linger.”  And so she made ready to go.  But the dreamer kneeled on his knees and prayed her stay yet a while to teach him to know Falsehood also, as well as Truth.

And the lady answered:—­

    “’Look on thy left hand and see where he standeth,
    Both False and Flattery and all his train.’ 
    I looked on the left hand as the Lady me taught. 
    Then was I ware of a woman wondrously clothed,
    Purfled with fur, the richest on earth. 
    Crowned with a crown.  The King hath no better. 
    All her five fingers were fretted with rings
    Of the most precious stones that a prince ever wore;
    In red scarlet she rode, beribboned with gold,
    There is no queen alive that is more adorned.”

This was Lady Meed or Bribery.  “To-morrow,” said Holy Church, “she shall wed with False.”  And so the lovely Lady departed.

Left alone the dreamer watched the preparations for the wedding.  The Earldom of Envy, the Kingdom of Covetousness, the Isle of Usury were granted as marriage gifts to the pair.  But Theology was angry.  He would not permit the wedding to take place.  “Ere this wedding be wrought, woe betide thee,” he cried.  “Meed is wealthy; I know it.  God grant us to give her unto whom Truth wills.  But thou hast bound her fast to Falseness.  Meed is gently born.  Lead her therefore to London, and there see if the law allows this wedding.”

So, listening to the advice of Theology, all the company rode off to London, Guile leading the way.

But Soothness pricked on his palfrey and passed them all and came to the King’s court, where he told Conscience all about the matter, and Conscience told the King.

Then quoth the King, “If I might catch False and Flattery or any of their masters, I would avenge me on the wretches that work so ill, and would hang them by the neck and all that them abet.”

So he told the Constable to seize False and to cut off Guile’s head, “and let not Liar escape.”  But Dread was at the door and heard the doom.  He warned the others, so that they all fled away save Meed the maiden.

    “Save Meed the maiden no man durst abide,
    And truly to tell she trembled for fear,
    And she wept and wrung her hands when she was taken.”

But the King called a Clerk and told him to comfort Meed.  So Justice soon hurried to her bower to comfort her kindly, and many others followed him.  Meed thanked them all and “gave them cups of clean gold and pieces of silver, rings with rubies and riches enough.”  And pretending to be sorry for all that she had done amiss, Meed confessed her sins and was forgiven.

The King then, believing that she was really sorry, wished to marry her to Conscience.  But Conscience would not have her, for he knew that she was wicked.  He tells of all the evil things she does, by which Langland means to show what wicked things men will do if tempted by bribery and the hope of gain.