Þat leuyd on Jhesu, weren euele at ayse,
Line 75
Sory men sche dede hem see:
For eyþir þey scholde don sacrefyse
To hys mawmettys I-maad off tree,
Off ston & bras, on alle wyse,
Eyþir þey scholde Imartyryd be.
Line 80
Sche com before þe emperour þere,
Þere as he made hys sacrefyȝe,
And grette hym al on þis manere,
Wordys sche spak boþe bolde & wyse:
"Jhesu Cryst be wiþ þe þen,
Line 85
Ryȝtwyse kyng & heyȝe iustyse,
Þat þolyd deþ ffor synful men
And hadde pousty for to ryse.
I speke off Jhesu of heuene wiþ-In;
Off alle kyngys he is fflour;
Line 90
Þat suffryd deþ for alle man kyn,
He is oure alle creatour.
Behold Jhesu, þe welle off wyt,
Sere Maxence, kyng & emperour!
Þis sacrefyse to hym doo it
Line 95
And seke hym wiþ þus mekyl honour!
But now me þynkiþ doost þou so nouȝt,
Þou wyrkyst on a werse wyse:
Þis folk, þat þou hast hedyr brouȝt,
Þou doost hem make þe deuyl seruyse.
Line 100
Al þat þey doo, wiþ-outen were,
To þese mawmettys vpon þis gyse,
A dysseyuaunce is to hem here,
Fykyl & fals & al fayntyse."
Þis emperour awondryd was
Line 105
Off þis maydyn, fayr off vyse:
Here stedefastnesse in herte he has,
And sayde to here wurdys ful nyse:
"Why dyspraysyst þou oure goddys so
And holdyst hem off so lytyl pryse?
Line 110
Iwis, so scholdyst þou nouȝt doo,
Me þynkiþ þou art no-þyng wyse.
Ȝyff þou were leryd off oure lay lel
And to oure scoles were entendaunte,
Þou woldyst saye we deden ful wel,
Line 115
And wiþ þy tungge þou woldist it graunte.
To myȝteful goddes þou þe take,
Swylk as Mahoun & Termagaunt,
