Many a man þat gylt hadde non
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Was flemyd & prysounnyd for þat dede.
Before þis cruel emperour
Ful boldely com sere Purphury
And seyde hym, þere he sat ful sour,
Ryȝt ful off yre & felony:
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"I wole þe telle who dede þis dede,
Siþþe þou hast so gret desyr:
I, goddys seruaunt, wiþ-outen drede,
I haue beryyd hys martyr.
Þou was ful wood, wytles, sertayn,
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And lytyl þouȝtyst þou on þy dede,
Afftyr þat þou haddyst here slayn
Þe erþe whan þou here forbede.
In helle pyne schal be þy play
Wiþ-outen ende for þy qwed.
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To Jhesu Cryst I take me ay
And I forsake þy false red."
Þanne he began to crye & rore
And offten he callyd hym-selff caytyff,
As he hadde be woundyd þore
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Wiþ swerd, wiþ spere, or wiþ knyff.
Offten he sayde: "allas, allas,
Þat euere I was born off wyff!
Now Purphurye forsake me has
Wardayn off myn owne lyff."
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He hadde sorwe & care most,
Wundyr woo he was in wede.
He sayde: "now I haue hym Ilost,
Þe beste knyȝt off al my lede,
My beste help boþe fer & nere:
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Ouer-al he was at my moste nede.
Þe wyhche schal it abye ful dere
Þorwȝ whom he haþ don þis dede!"
Hys knyȝtys drowȝ þe knyȝt saunfayle
To & ffrom in preuyte:
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Þorwȝ whom it was & whos counsayle
Þat he wolde I-crystenyd be.
When þey hadde counsayllyd to & fram
Þe knyȝtys sayden: "now so wil we:
We take vs vnto crystyndam,
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For drede off deþ wole we nouȝt fle."
