¶ Þe queen and þe cros acord:
Þe queen bare first, þe cros aftirward,
To fecche folk fro hellward,
On holy steyres to styȝe vpward
Line 328
And reigne with oure lord.
XXXIX.
¶ A clerk fourmed þis figour
Of Maries sorwe to seiȝe summe,
As he had see in scharp schour,
Line 332
How cristes armes were rent and rune;
Þe cros is a colde creatour
And euer ȝit was deef and dum,
Þis tale florissched with a faire flour,
Line 336
Þis poynt I proue apocrifum;
¶ Witnesse was neuer founden
Þat euere crystis cros spak,
Ne oure lady leyde hym no lak,
Line 340
But forto dryue þe deuyll a-bak,
Men speke of Cristes wounden.
¶ A clerk fourmed þis fantasye,
On cristes steruyng stok to stere;
Line 344
Þat bare þe body all blody,
Whan deþes dent gan hym dere,
Þis Apocrifum is no foly:
In swich a lay dar þe naȝt dere
Line 348
Þat doþe man to seke mercy,
Wikked werkes awey to were,
¶ In tixte ful well is write:
A lombe [? clerk.] haþ larged all þis glose,
Line 352
Plenté speche þer-In to prose,
Þe counseill of þe cros to vnclose
Of Maryes woo to wite.
