LES DOUTES DES CLERCS ET LA FOI DES SIMPLES

On Gode Fridaye I fpde • a feloun was j saued, That had lyued al his lyf • with lesynges and with theftc ; And for he biknewe on ihe crosse • and to Cryste he

[schrof hym, He was sonnere saued * ihan seynt lohan the baptiste. And or Adam or Ysaye • or eny of the prophètes, That hadde yleine with Lucyfer • many longe yeres. A robbere was yraunceonned • ralher than thei aile, With-outen any penaunce of purgatorie* to perpétuel

[blisse.

Thanne Marye Magdaleyne • what wommandede worse? Or who worse than Dauid • that Vries deth conspired ? Or Poule the apostle • that no pitee hadde Moche crystene kynde • to kylle to deth ?

And now ben thise as souereynes • wjlh séantes in heuene, Tho that wroughte wikkedlokest • in worlde tho thei were. And tho that wisely wordeden • and wryten many bokes Of witte and of wisdome • with dampned soûles wonye

The doughtiest doctour • and deuynoure of the

[trinitee, Was Augustyn the olde • and heighest of the foure, Sayde thus in a sarmoun • I seigh it writen ones,

Ecce ipsi idioti rapiunt celum, vbi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur And is to mené to Englisshe men • more ne lasse,

« Aren none rather yrauysshed • fro the righte byleue Than ar this cunnynae clerkes • that conne many bokes; Ne none sonner saued • ne sadder of bileue, Than plowmen and pastoures • and pore comune labo-

frcrôs. »

Souteres and shepherdes • suche lewede lottes

Percen with a pater-noster - the paleys of heuene.

And passen purgatorie penaunceles • at her hennes-

, [partynge,

In-to the blisse of paradys • for her pure byleue,

That inparfitly hère • knewe and eke lyued.

Yee men knowe clerkes • that han cursed the tyme, That euere thei couthe or knewe more • than credo in

[deum patrem.

LE SIÈGE pE l'eXFER ET LES CLOCHES DE PAQUES

A voys loude in that light • to Lucifer seide,

« Princes of this palys • prest vndo the gâtes.

For hère cometh with coroune • the kynge of aile glorie

Thenne syhede Satan • and seide to helle,

« Suche a light a-geps our leue • Lazar hit fette;

Colde care and combraunce • is corne to ous aile.

Yf this kyng come yn • mankynde wol he fecche.

And Icden hit ther Lazar is • and lightliche me bynde;

Patriarkes and Prophètes • han parlen her-of longe,

That suche a lorde and a lyght • shal leden hem aile

[hennés. Ac rys vp RagamofTyn • and reche me aile the barres That Belial thy bel-syre • beot wilh thy damme, And ich shal lette this lorde * and hus light stoppe ; Ar we thorw bryghtnesse be blent • barre we the gâtes. Cheke we and cheyne we • and eche chyne stoppe, That no light leope p * at louer ne at loupe. And thow, Astrot, bot out • and haue oute oure knaues, Coltyng and al hus kynne * our catel to saue. Brynston boilaunt • brennyng out-casteth 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 ; Setle Mahon at the mangonel • and mulle-stones thro-

[weth, With crokes and with kalketrappes • a-cloye we hem

[echonel »

<( Lusteneth, » quath lucifer* « for ich this lord knowe, Bothe this lord and this lyght • is longe gon ich knew

[hym.

May no delh this lord dere • ne no deoueles queyntise »...

(( What lord art thu? » quath Lucifer; • a voys a-

[loude seyde, <( The lord of myght and of mayn • that made aile

[thynges.

Duke of this dymme place • a-non vndo the gales, 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 openede the gâtes. Patriarkes and prophètes • populus in tenebrisy

Songen with Seint lohan • « ecce agnus dei ! » Lucifer loke ne myghtc • so lyghtc hira a-blente ; And tho that oure lord louede • with that lyght forth

[flowen..., Treuthe trompedc the, and song • a Te Deum laudamm, » And Ihen lutede Loue* in a lowd note,

« Ecce quant bonum et quam iocundum est habitare fratres in ununi ! »

Tyl the day dawede * thèse damseles daunsede, That raen rang to the resurreccioun • and with that ich

[awakede, And kallyd Kytte ray w^f • and Kalote my doughter, (( A-rys, and go reuerence • godes resurreccioun, And creop on kneos to the croys • and eusse hit for a

[luwel, And ryghtfuUokest a relyk • non riccher on erthe. For godes blesside 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 ! »