And ȝede forþ lijk a lorel  al my lijf-tyme

Til I wexe wery of þe werld  & wilnede efte to slepe

And lenede me to a lenten  & longe tyme I slepte

And of cristis passioun & penaunce  þe peple ofte / of tauȝte

Reste me þere & rutte faste  til ramyspalmarum / ramys palmarum

Of gyrlesT of gloria laus  gretli me dremede

And how osanna bi orgonye  olde {men}folkT sungenC

Oon semblable to þe samaritan  & sumdel to peers plowman

Barfoot & on an asse bak  boteles gan prykye

Wiþ-outen spores or spere  spakliche he lokede

As is þe kynde of a knyȝt  þat comeþ to be dubbed

To gete hym gylt spores  & galaches ycouped

Þanne was feiþ in a fenestre  & criede . a fili dauid

As doþ an heraud of armes  whanne auntrous comeþ to iustes

Olde Iues of ierusalem  for ioye þei sungen

Þanne I fraynede at feiþ  what al þat fare bemente

And who schulde iuste in ierusalem  Iesus he seyde

And fecche þat þe feend cleymeþ  peers fruyt þe plowman

Is peers in þis place quod I  & he preynte on me

Þis iesus of his gentrice  wole iuste in peers armes

In his helm &Thabourioun  humana natura

Þat crist be not yknowenT heer  for consummatus est

In peers paltok þe plowman  þis priker schal ride

For no dynt schal hym dere  as in deitate patris

Who schal iuste wiþ iesus quod I  Iues or scribes

Nay . quod he þe foule feend  & fals doom & deþ

Deþ seiþ . he schal fordo  & adoun brynge

All þat lyueþ or lokeþ  in loond or in water

Lijf seiþ þat he lyeþ  & leiþ his lijf to wedde

Þat for al þat deþ can do  wiþ-inne þre dayes

To walke & fecche fro þe feend  peers fruyt þe plowman

And legge it þere hym likeþ  & lucifer bynde

And for to bete & adoun brynge  bale & deþ for euere

Þanne cam pilatus wiþ peple  sedens pro tribunali

To see how douȝtilich deþ schulde do  & deme her boþeres myȝtT

Þe Iues & þe iustises  aȝeyn iesu þei weren

And al þe court on hym criede  crucifige scharpe

Þoo putte hym forþ a pilour  bifore pilat & seyde

Þis iesus of oure Iues temple  iapede & dispisede

To fordo . it on a day  & in þre dayes after

Edifie it . eft newe  heer he stant þat seyde it

And ȝit maken it as myche  in al manere poyntis

Boþe as longe & as large  bi lofte & bi grounde

Crucifige quod a cacchepool  I waraunte hym a wycche

Tolle tolle quod an-oþer  & toke of kene þornes

And bigan of kene þorn  a garlond to make

And sette it sore on his hed  & seyde in envie

Aue raby quod þat ribaude  & þrew redes at hym

Naylede hym wiþ þre nayles  naked on þe rode

And poysoun on a pole  þei putte vp to hise lippes

And beden hym drynke his deþ yuel  hise dayes weren done

And if þat þou sutile be  help now þi-seluen

If þou be crist & kyngys sone  come doun of þe rode

Þanne schul we leue þat lijf þee loueþ  & wole not latte þee dye

Consummatum est . quod crist  & comsede for to swowe

Pitousli & pale  as a prisoun þat deyeþ

Þe lord of lijf & of liȝt  þoo leyde hise yen to-gyderes

Þe day for drede wiþdrow  & derke biganT þe sunne

Þe wal waggede & cleef  & al þe werld quauedeC

Dede men for þat dene  comen out of depe graues

And tolden why þat tempest  so longe tyme durede

For a bitter batayle  þe deed body seydeC

Lijf & deþ in þis derkenesse  her oon fordooþ her oþer

Schal no wiȝt wite witterli  who schal haue þe maystrie

Er sunday aboute þeT sunne risyng  & sanke wiþ þat til erþe

Summe seyden . þat he was goddis sone  þat so faire deyede

CAnd summe seyden . he was a wicche  good is þat we assaye

Wher he be deed or not deed  doun er he be taken

Two þeues also  þoleden deþ þat tyme

Vp-on a crosse biside crist  so was þe comune lawe

A cacchepolle cam forþ  & crakede boþe her leggys

And her armes after  of eiþer of þoo þeues

Ac was no boy so boold  goddis body to touche

For he was knyȝt & kyngys sone  kynde forȝaf þat tyme

Þat no harlot were so hardy  to leye hand vp-on hym

Ac þer cam forþ a knyȝt  wiþ a kene spere ygroundenT

Hyȝte longeus as þe letter telleþ  & longe hadde lorn his siȝt

Bifore pilat & oþer peple  in þe place he houede

Maugre hise many teeþ  he was maad þat tyme 

To take þe spere in his hand  & iuste wiþ iesus

For alle þei weren vnhardye  þat houeden on hors & stodenT

To touche hym or taste hym  or take hym doun of rode

But þis blynde bacheler þanne  bare hym þoruȝ þe herte

Þe blood spronge doun bi þe spere  & vnsperede hise yen

Þanne fel þe knyȝt vpon knees  & criede hym mercy

Aȝeyn my wille it was lord  to wounde ȝow so sore

He siȝhede & seyde  sore it me aþinkeþ

For þe dede þat I haue doon  I do me in ȝoure grace

Haue on me ruþe riȝtful iesu  & riȝt wiþ þat he wepte

Þanne gan feiþ felly  þe false Iues dispise

Callede hem caytyues  a-cursed for euere

For þis foule vilenye  veniaunce to ȝow alle

To do þe blynde . bete hym boundenT  it was a boyes counceyl

Cursede caytyues castyngT  knyȝthood was it neuere

To mysdo a deed body  bi day or bi nyȝt

Þe gree ȝit haþ he geten  for al his greet wounde

For ȝoure champioun chyualer  cheef knyȝt of ȝow alle

Ȝelte hym recreaunt rennynge  riȝt at iesues wille

For be þis derkenesse ydo  his deþ worþ avenged

And þe lurdeynes han ylost  for lijf schal haue þe maystrie

And ȝoure fraunchise þat free was  fallen is in þraldom

And ȝe cherles & ȝoure children  cheue schul ȝe neuere

Ne haue lordschip in hondeT  ne no loond tilye

But al bareyn be  and vsurie vsen

Which is lijf þat oure lord  in alle lawes acurseþ

Now ȝoure goode dayes been doon  as danyel prophecyede

Whanne crist cam . her kyngdam  & crowne schulde cece

What for feer of þis ferly  & of þe false Iues

I drowe me in þat derkenesse  to descendit ad inferna

And þere I sawe soþeli  secundum scripturas

Out of þe west cost  a wenche as me þouȝte

Cam walkynge in þe weye  to helleward sche lokede

Mercy hiȝte þat mayde  a meke þing wiþ-al

A ful benyngne beerde  & buxum of speche

Hir sister as it semede  cam softeli walkynge

Euene out of þe est  & westward sche lokede

A ful comeli creature  truþe sche hiȝte

For þe vertu þat hir folewede  a-feerd was sche neuere

Whanne þeise maydens metten  mercy & truþe

Eyþer axede oþer  of þis greet wonder

Of þe dene & of þe derkenesse  & how þe day rowede

And which a liȝt & a leem  lay bifore helle

Ich haue ferli of þis fare  in feiþ seyde truþe

And am wendynge to wite  what þis wondre meneþ

Haue no merueyle quod mercy  myrþe it bitokeneþ

A mayden þat hatte marie  & modir wiþ-outen felyng 

Of any kyns creature  conceyuede þoruȝ speche

And grace of þe holi goost  wexe greet wiþ childe

Wiþ-outen wemme in-to þis werld  sche brouȝte hym forþT

And þat my tale be trewe  I take god to witnesse

Siþ þis barn was born  been þritti wynter passed

Which deyede & þolede  þis day aboute mydday

And þat is cause of þis clipse  þat closeþ now þe sunne

In menyng þat man schal  fro merkenesse be drawe

Þe whyle þis liȝt & þis leem  schal lucifer ablende

For patriarkes & prophetis  han preched her-onT often

Þat man schal man saue  þoruȝ a maydenes helpe

And þat was tynt þoruȝ tree  tree schal it wynne

And þat deþ doun brouȝte  deþ schal releue

Þat þou tellest quod truþe  is but a tale of waltrot

For adam & eue  and abraham wiþ oþere

Patriarkes & prophetis þat in peyne liggen

LeueT neuere þat ȝon liȝt  a-lofte schal hemT brynge

Ne haueT out of helle  holde þi tunge mercy

It is but a trufle þat þou tellest  I truþe woot þe soþe

For þat is ones in helle  out comeþ it neuere

Iob þe propheet patriark  reproueþ þi sawes

Þanne mercy ful myldeliche  mouþede þeise wordis

Þoruȝ experience quod sche  I hope þei schul be saued

For venym fordoþ venym  & þat I preue bi resoun

For of al venym  foulest is þe scorpioun

May no medicyne helpe  þe place þere itT styngeþ

Til he be deed & do þerto  þe yuel he distruyeþ

Þe first venym is moostT  þoruȝ venym of hym-selue

So schal þis deþ fordo  I dar my lijf legge

Al þat deþ dide first  þoruȝ þe deuelis entysyng

And riȝt as þoruȝ gyle  man was bigyled

So schal grace þat bigan  make a good {seeþ}sighteT

Now suffre we seyde truþe  I se as me þinkeþ

Out of þe nyppe of þe norþ  not ful fer hennys

Riȝtwisenesse cam rennynge  reste we þe whyle

For he woot more þan we  he was er we boþe

Þat is soþ seyde mercy  & I see heer bi souþe

Where pees comeþ pleyenge  in pacience ycloþed

Loue haþ coueytid hir longe  leue I noon oþer

But he sente hir sum lettre  what þis liȝt bemeneþ

Þat ouer-houeþ helle þus  sche vs schal telle

Whanne pees in pacience cloþed  approchede nyȝ hem tweyne

Riȝtwisenesse hem reuerencede  for her riche cloþing

And preyede pees to telle hir  to what place sche wolde

And in hir gay garnementes  whom sche grete þouȝte

My wille is to wende quod sche  & welcomedeT hem alle

Þat many day myȝte I not see  for merkenesse of synne

Adam & eue  and oþere mo in helle

Moyses & many moo  mercy schul haue

I schal daunce þerto  do þow so sister

For iesus iustede wel  Ioye bigynneþ to dawe

Loue þat is my lemman  swiche lettres me sente

Þat mercyT sister & I  mankynde schulde saue

And þat god haþ forgyuen  & grauntede me pees & mercy

To be mannes meynpernour  for euere-more after

Lo heer þe patent quod pees  In pace in id-ipsum

And þat þis dede schal dure  dormiam & requiescam

What rauest þou quod riȝtwisenesse  or þou art riȝt drunken

Leuest þou þat ȝonder liȝt  vnlouke myȝte helle

And saue mannes soule  sister wene it neuere

At þe bygynnyng god  gaaf . þe doom hym-selue

Þat adam & eue  & alle þat hem suedenT 

Schulden deye doun-riȝt  & dwelle in pyne after

If þat þei touchedenT a tree  & þe fruyt eeten

Adam afterward  aȝens his defense

Freete of þat fruyt  & forsoke as it were 

Þe loue of oure lord  & his lore boþe

And folewede þat þe feend tauȝte  & his felawes wille

Aȝens resoun & riȝtwisenesse  recorde þus wiþ truþe

Þat her peyne be perpetuel  & no preyere hem helpe

For-þi . latte hem chewe as þei chosen  & chide we not sister

For it is bootles bale  þe bite þat þei eeten

And I schal preue quod pees  her peyne muste haue eende

And woo in-to wele . mowe  wende at þe laste

C For hadde þei wist of no woo  wele . hadde þei not knowen

For no wiȝt woot what wele is  þat neuere woo suffrede

Ne what is hoot hungre  þat hadde neuere defaute

If no nyȝt ne were  no man as I leue 

Schulde wite witterli  what day is to mene

Schulde neuere riȝte riche man  þat lyueþ in reste & ese

Wite what woo is  ne were þe deþ of kynde

So god þat bigan al  of his good wille

Bicam man of a maydenT  mankynde to saue

And suffrede to be sold  to see þe sorwe of deyeng

Þe which vnknyttiþ al care  & comsyng is of reste

For til modicum mette wiþ hymT  I may it wel auowe

Woot no wiȝt as I wene  what is . ynow . to mene

For-þi god of his goodnesse  þe first goom adam 

Sette hym {o?}InC solace  & in souereyn myrþe

And siþ he suffrede hym synne  sorwe to fele

To wite what wele was  kyndelich to knowe it

And after god grauntede hymself & toke adams kynde

To wite what he haþ suffred  in þre sundri places

Boþe in heuene & in erþe  & now to helle he þinkeþ

To wite what al woo is  þat woot of al ioye

So it schal fare bi þis folk  her folye & her synne 

Schal lere hem what langour is  & lisse wiþ-outen eende

Woot no wiȝt what werre is  þere þat pees regneþ

Ne what is wittirli wele  til welawey hym teche

Þanne was þer a wiȝt  wiþ two brode yen

Book hiȝte þat bewpeer  a boold man of speche

Bi goddis body quod þis book  I wole bere witnesse

Þat þoo þis barn was born  þer blasede a sterre

Þat alle þe wise of þis world  in oo witt acordeden

Þat swich a barn was born  in bethelem citee

Þat mannes soule schulde saue  & synne distruye

And alle þe elementis quod þe book  her-of beren witnesse

Þat he was god þat al wrouȝte  þe walkene first schewede

Þoo þat weren in heuene  token stella comata

And tendeden hirT a torche  to reuerence his birþe

Þe liȝt folewede þe lord  in-to þe lowe erþe

Þe water witnessiþ þat he was god  for he wente on it

Peter þe apostle  parceyuede his gate

And as he wente on þe water  wel hym knewe & seyde

And lo how þe sunne gan louke  hir liȝt in hir-selue

Whanne sche seyȝ hym suffre  þat sunne & see made

Þe erþe for heuynesse  þat he wolde suffre

Quakede as quyk þing  & al biquaschte þe roche

Lo helle myȝte not holde  but openede þoo . god þoolede

And lete out symoundis sones  to see hym hange on rode

And now schal lucifer leue it  þouȝ hym loþ þinke

For gigas þe ieaunt  wiþ a gynne engynede 

To breke & to bete adoun  þat been aȝeyns iesus

And I book wole be brent  but iesus rise to lyue

In alle myȝtes of man  & his modir gladye

And counforte alle hise kyn  & out of care brynge

And al þe Iuen ioye  vnioyne & vnlouke

And but þei reuerence his rode  & his resurreccioun

And leueT on a newe lawe  be lost lijf & soule

And þis I book witnesse  & ȝit myche moreT

Suffre we seyde truþe  I here & se boþe

How a spirit spekeþ to helle  & bit vnspere þe ȝates

A voyce loude in þat liȝt  to lucifer criedeT

Prynces of þis place  oppeneþT & vnloukeþ

For heer comeþ wiþ crowne  þat kyng is of glorie

Þanne siȝkede sathan  & seyde to hem alle

Swich a liȝt aȝens oure leue  lazar it fette

Care & cumbraunce  is comen to vs alle

If þis kyng kome in  man-kynde wole he fecche

And doT it þere hym likeþ  & liȝtliche me bynde

Patriarkes & prophetis  han parled her-of longe

Þat swich a lord & a liȝt  schulde lede hem alle hennys

Listeneþ quod lucifer  for I þis lord knowe

Boþe þis lord & þis liȝt  is longe a-goo I knewe hym

May no deþ hym dere  ne no deuelis quentise

And where he wole . is his weye  ac war hym of þe pereles

If he reue me my riȝt  he robbeþ me bi maystrie

For bi riȝt & resoun  þoo renkes þat ich haueT

Body & soule been myne  boþe goode & ille

If adam eete þe appel  alle schuldenT deye

And dwelle wiþ vs deuelis  þis þretyng he made

And he þat soþenesse is  seyde þeise wordis

And siþen isT ysesidT  manyT hundrid wynter

I leue þat lawe wole not  late hym þe leest

Þat is soþ seyde sathan  but I me sore drede

For þou gete hem wiþ gyle  & his gardeyn breke

And in semulaunt of a serpent  satte on þe appeltre

And eggedest hem to ete  eue bi hir-selue

And toldest hir a tale  of tresoun werenT þe wordis

And so þou haddist hem oute  & hidir at þe laste

It is not grayþeli geten  þere gyle is þe rote

For god wole not be bigylid  quod goblyn ne byiaped

We han no trewe title to hem  for þoruȝ tresoun weren þei dampned

Certis I drede me quod þis deuel  lest truþe wole hem fecche

Out of oure pouste  & leden hem hennysT

Þis þritti wynter as I wene  haþ he goon & preched

I haue assayled hym wiþ synne  & sum-tyme I-askede

Wher he were god or goddis sone  he ȝaf me schort answere

And þus haþ he trolled forþ  þis two & þritti wynter

And whanne I seyȝ it was so  slepynge I wente

To warne pilatis wijf  what donesT man was iesus

For Iues hateden hym  & han doon hym to deþe

I wolde haue lengþed his lijf  for I leuede ȝif he deyede

Þat his soule wolde suffre  no synne in his siȝt

For þe body . while it on bones ȝede  aboutenT was euere 

To saue men fro synne  if hem-self{ien} woldenT

And now I se where a soule comeþ  hidirward saylynge

Wiþ glorie &T greet liȝt  god it is I woot wel

I rede . we flee . quod he  faste alle hennys

For vs were better . not be  þan biden his siȝt

For þi lesyngys lucifer  lost is al oure pray

First þoruȝ þee we fellen  fro heuene so hye

For we leuedenT þi lesyngys  ylore we han adam

And al oure lordschip I leue  a loond & on water

Efte þe liȝt bade . vnlouke  & lucifer answerede

What lord art þou . quod lucifer  quis est iste

Rex glorie  þe liȝt soone seyde

And lord of myȝt &T mayn  & alle maneere vertues

Dukes of þis dymme place  anoon vndo ȝeise / [þ]eise ȝates

Þat crist may come in  þe kyngys sone of heuene

And wiþ þat breþ helle brake  wiþ belialT barres

For any wye or warde  wyde open þe ȝates

Patriarkes & prophetis  populus in tenebris

Sungen seynt iones song  ecce agnus dei

Lucifer loke ne myȝte  so liȝt hym ablente

And þoo þat oure lord louede  in-to his liȝt he lauȝte

And seyde to sathan lo heer  my soule to amendes

For alle synful soulis to saue  þoo þat been worþi

Myne þei been & of me  I may þe bette hem cleyme

Al-þouȝ resoun recorde  & riȝt of my-seluenT

Þat if þei eeten þe appel  alle schulden deye

I bihiȝte hem not heer  helle for euere

For þe dede þat þei diden  þi deceyt it made

Wiþ gyle þou hem gete  aȝeyn al resoun

For inT place paradice  in persoone of an addre

Falsli þou {fettest}feccestT  þing þat I louede

Þus iliche a lusard  wiþ a lady visage

Þeeflich þou me robbedest  þe olde lawe graunteþ

Þat gylouris be bigylid  & þat is good resoun

Ergo soule schal soule quyte  & synne to synne wende

And al þat man haþ mysdo  I may welT amende

Membre for menbre / me[m]bre bi þe olde  lawe . was amendes

And lijf for lijf also  & bi þeT lawe I cleyme itC

Adam & al his issu  at my wille her-after

And þat deþ in hem fordide  my deþ schal releue

And boþe quyke & quyte  þat queynt was þoruȝ synne

And þat grace gyle distruye  good feiþ it askeþ

So leue I not lucifer  aȝeyn þe lawe I fecche hem

AndT bi riȝt & resoun  raunsome heer my leges

Þou fettest myne in my place  aȝeyns al resoun

Falslich & felounlich  good feiþ me it tauȝte

To recorue / reco[uere] hem þoruȝ raunsom  & bi no resoun ellis

So þat þoruȝ gyle þou gete  þoruȝ grace is itT wonne

Þou lucifer þoruȝT liknesse  of a liþer addre

Getest bi gyle  þoo þat god louede

And in liknesse of a lede  þat lord am of heuene

Graciousli þi gyle haue quyt  go gyle aȝeyn gyle

And as adam & alle  þoruȝ a tre deyeden

Adam & alle þoruȝ a tre  schul turne aȝeyn to lyue

And gyle is bigyled  & in his gyle fallen

Now bigynneþ þi gyle  aȝeyn þee to turne

And my grace to growe  ay gretter & widder

Þe bitternesse þat þou brewe  brouke it inT þi-selue

Þat art doctour of deþ  drynke þat þou madest

For I þat am lord of lijf  loue is my drynk

And for þat drynk to-day  I deyede vp-on erþe

I fauȝte so me þristeþ ȝit  for mannes soule sake

May no drynk me moyste  ne my þrist slake

Til þe vendage falle  in þe vale of Iosaphath

Þat I drynke riȝt ripe must  resurreccio mortuorum

And þanne schal I come as a kyng  crowned wiþ aungelis

And haue out of helle  alle mannysT soulis

Fendis & feendkyns  bifore me schul stande

And be at my biddyng  where-so-euere me likeþ

And to be mercyable to man  þanne my kyndeT askeþ

For we been breþeren of blood  but not in baptisme alle

Ac alle þat been myne hole breþeren  in blood & in baptisme

Schul not be dampned to þe deþ  þat is wiþ-outen eende

It is not vsed in erþe  to hangen a feloun

OftenerT þan ones  þouȝ he were a traytour

And if þe kyng of þat kyngdom  come in þat tyme

Þere þe feloun schulde þoleT deþ  ouþerT oþer wise

ÞeT lawe wolde he ȝaue hym lijf  If he lokede on hym

And I þat am kyng of kyngys  schal come swich a tyme

Where þeT doom to þe deþ  dampneþ alle wikkede

And if lawe wole . I on hym lokeT  it lijþ in my grace

Wheþer heT deye or deye not  for þat þei diden ille

BeT any þingT . þe boldenesse of her synnes

I do mercy þoruȝ riȝtwisenesse  & alle my wordis beenT trewe

And þouȝ holi writ wole . þat I be wrokenT  of hem þat diden ille

Þei schul be clensid clerlich  & wasschen of her synnes

In my prisoun purgatorie  til parce it hote

And my mercy schal be schewed  to many of my breþeren

For blood may suffre blood  boþe hungry & a-cale

Ac blood may not see blood  blede . but hym rue

Ac my riȝtwisenesse & riȝt  schul rulen al helle

And mercy . al mankynde  bifore me in heuene

For I were an vnkynde kyng  but I my kynde helpe

And namelich at swich a nede  þere nedes help bihoueþ

Þus bi lawe quod oure lord  lede I wole from hennys

Þoo þat me louede  & leuede in my comyng

And for þi lesyng lucifer  þat þou leyȝ til eue

Þou schalt abye it bitterliT  & bonde hym wiþ cheynes

Astaroth & al þe route  hidden hem in hirnes

Þei dursten not loke on oure lord  þe boldest of hem alle

But lete hym lede forþ what hym likede  & leete what hym liste

Many hundred of aungelis  harpeden & sungen

Þanne pipede pees  of poysie a note

After scharp schoures quod pees  most schene is þe sunne

It is no weder warmer  þan after watry cloudis

Ne no loue leuer  ne more betterT freendis

Þan after werre & woo  whanne loue & pees been maystres

Was neuere werre in þis werld  ne wickednesse so kene

Þat ne loue & hym liste  to lawȝhyng ne brouȝte

And pees þoruȝ pacience  alle pereles stoppede

Trews quod truþe  þou tellest vs soþ bi iesus

Clippe we in couenaunt  & iche of vs kisse oþer

And latte no peple quod pees  parceyue þat we chiden

For impossible is no þing  to hym þat is almyȝti

Þou seist soþ quod riȝtwisenesse  & reuerenlich hir kiste

Pees & pees heer  per secula seculorum

Truþe trumpede þoo  & songe . te deum laudamus

And þanne lutede loue  in a loude note

Til þe day dawede  þeise damyselis dauncedenT

Þat men rongen to þe resureccioun  & riȝt wiþ þat I wakede

And callede kitte my wijf  & calot my douȝter

Ariseþ & reuerenceþ  goddis resureccioun

And crepeþ to þe crosse on knees  & kisseþ it for a Iuel

For goddis blessid body  it bare for oure bote

And it afereþ þe feend  for swich is þe myȝt

May no griseli goost  glide . þere it schadewiþ