Fol weel were þese maystrys payde
& þey begunne to chaunge here moode.
But, þere Maxcence sat, in fay,
Line 205
For yre off herte he wax nyȝ wood
& askyd: or þey cowde ouȝt say
Agayn þat maydyn, þat þere stood.
Þenne bespak a maystyr anon,
Off ryche kynrede was he bore:
Line 210
"Sere kyng, I wene we haue mysgon,
Oþere resouns beþ betere vs fore.
For we schole trowe on Jhesu Cryst
Þat bar þe corowne maad off þorn,
As Kateryne haþ Itold fol tryst—
Line 215
Ful loþ vs were to be fore-lorn."
Alle to-gedere hem askyd he
Wheþer þey wolde here þouȝt ouȝt wende.
Þey sayden, on Jhesu þat deyde on tree
Þey wolde beleue wiþouten ende.
Line 220
He wax agreuyd, þat stoute syre,
He bad hem bynden feet & hande;
He swoor he scholde quyte here hyre,
Þey scholde(be) brend as brennyng brande. [Ms. brend.]
He garte hem caste al in gret feer.
Line 225
Gret myracle men myȝt þer see;
Here fax(!), here cloþis & here her [Ms. fax od. fay? st. face.]
Off wem were þey quyt & ffree.
Martyrdom þey suffryd þore
For hym þat deyde vpon þe tree;
Line 230
To heuene were here soulys bore,
In goddys frayry forto be.
Þoo bad þe emperour hys men:
"Bryngys forþ þat fayre may!"
And whanne sche com beforn hym þen,
Line 235
"Welcome, he sayde, par ma fay!
Hast þou ȝit þy counseyl tan
For to turne vpon my lay?
Haue mercy on þy fayre pan!
Me longis nouȝt don it away.
Line 240
Þou schalt be menskyd as a qwene,
Boþe in boure & eke in halle;
And in þy name I schal do clene
An ymage make, ryȝt fayr wiþ-alle,
And in þis burgh þenne schal it stande,
Line 245
And heyȝe & lowe schole loute it alle.
