De fait ou de volonte, putains,
Et qui, tres bien vous chercherait
Toutes putains, vous trouverait."

[These verses are but a coarser expression of the slanderous line
of Pope, that "every woman is at heart a rake."]

This naturally gave great offence; and being perceived one day, in the
King's antechamber, by some ladies who were waiting for an audience,
they resolved to punish him. To the number of ten or twelve, they
armed themselves with canes and rods; and surrounding the
unlucky poet, called upon the gentlemen present to strip him naked,
that they might wreak just vengeance upon him, and lash him through
the streets of the town. Some of the lords present were in no wise
loth, and promised themselves great sport from his punishment. But
Jean de Meung was unmoved by their threats, and stood up calmly in the
midst of them, begging them to hear him first, and then, if not
satisfied, they might do as they liked with him. Silence being
restored, he stood upon a chair, and entered on his defence. He
acknowledged that he was the author of the obnoxious verses, but
denied that they bore reference to all womankind. He only meant to
speak of the vicious and abandoned, whereas those whom he saw around
him, were patterns of virtue, loveliness, and modesty. If, however,
any lady present thought herself aggrieved, he would consent to be
stripped, and she might lash him till her arms were wearied. It is
added, that by this means Jean escaped his flogging, and that the
wrath of the fair ones immediately subsided. The gentlemen present
were, however, of opinion, that if every lady in the room, whose
character corresponded with the verses, had taken him at his word, the
poet would, in all probability, have been beaten to death. All his