LE SIÈGE HE L'ENFER ET LES CLOCHES DE PAQUES
A voys londe in that light ■ to Lucifer seide,
« Princes of this palys ■ prest vndo the gales,
For herecometh with coronne ■ the kynge of aile glorie
Thenne syhede Satan ■ and seide to helle,
« Suche a light a-geyns our leue ■ Lazar hit felle;
Colde care and comhrauncc ■ is corne to ous aile.
Yf this kyng corne yn ■ mankynde wol he fecche,
And leden hit ther Lazar is • and lightliche me bynde;
Patriarkes and Prophètes ■ han parlen hcr-of longe,
That suche a lorde and a lyght ■ shal leden liem aile
[hennés.
Ae rys vp Ragamoffyn • and reche me aile the barres That Belial thy bel-syre ■ beot with thy damme, And ieh shal lette tins lorde • and hus light stoppe; Ar we thorw bryghtnesse be blenl ■ barre we the gâtes. Cheke we and cheyne we ■ and ecbe chyne stoppe, That no light leope yn ■ at louer ne at loupe. And tbow, Astrot, bot ont ■ and baue oute oure knaues, Coltvng and al hus kynne • our catel to saur. Brynston boilaunt ■ brennyng out-castelh hit Al bot on hère heuedes • that entren ny the walles. Setteth bowes of brake ■ and brasene gonnes, And sheteth out shot ynowh ■ hus shultrom to blende ; Sette Mabon at the mangonel ■ and mulle-stones thro-
[weth, With crokes and with kalketrappes ■ a-cloye we hem
[echone! »
« Lusteneth, » quath lucifer* « for ich this lord knowe, Bothe this lord and this lyght • is longe gon ich knew
[hym.
May no detb tins lord dere ■ ne no deoueles qucvntise »...
« What lord art thu? » quath Lucifer; ■ a voys a-
[loude se y de, « The lord of myght and of mayn ■ that made aile
llnnges.
Duke of this dymme place ■ a-non vndo the gâtes, That Crist mowe comen in* the kyngessone of heuene. » And with that breth belle brake ■ with aile Beliales barres; For eny wye other warde ■ wyde oj)enede the gâtes. Patriarkes and prophètes ■ popidus in tenebris,
Songen with Sciât Iohan ■ « ecce agnus dei! » Lucifer loke ne myghte ■ so lyghte him a-l)lcnte ; And tho that oure lord louede ■ with that Iyght forth
[flowen..., Treuthe trompede the, and song • « Te Deum laudamm. » And tlien Iutede Loue- in a lowd noie,
« Ecce quam bon uni et quam iocundum est habita re frai ces in union! »
Tyl the day dawede ■ thèse damseles daunsede, That men rang to the resurrcceioun ■ and with thaï icli
[awakcde, And kallyd Kytte my wyf • and Kalote my doughter, « A-rys, and go renerence ■ godes resurreccioun, And creop on kneos to the croys ■ and eusse liit for a
[Iuwel, And ryghtfuUokest a relyk ■ non riccher on erthe. For godes hlesside body • hit bar for oure bote, And hit a-fereth the feonde ■ for such is the myghte, May no grysliche gost. glyde ther hit shadeweth! »
