And seyþ "blessyd be al mercyable!
Þey shul se God, and haue hym stable."
And þat shal y shewe ȝow by a knyȝt
Þat loued more mercy þan myȝt.
Line 3796
[The Tale of the Merciful Knight, and how the Crucifix kist him.]
Betwyxe twey knyȝtes be-ȝunde þe see
Fyl a grete cuntek to be; [A tale.]
Betwyxe hem fyl swyche wraþ & wo
Þat þe toon weyted þe toþer to slo:
Line 3800
Þey mette to-gedyr, y ne wote how;
Algate þe toon þe toþer slow.
Þys ychë slayn knyȝt had a chylde, [folio 26a]
A doghty bachelere, and a wylde;
Line 3804
þys ychë chylde toke hym to rede
For to venge hys fadrys ded;
He gate hym grete powere and myȝt
And beseged þe toþer knyȝt.
Line 3808
Þe toþer knyȝt perseyued hym wel,
And drogh hym to hys best castel.
Þo was he beseged so streytly,
Þat he durst come oute on no party
Line 3812
Of alle þe twelue [twel.] monþe with no deseyt,
So was he beseged streyte;
Messe ne matyns he ne herde
2Ne nagher to þe cherge2 [2_2 No neuer nagher to cherche.] he ferde; [ȝede]
Line 3816
And hyt was yn þe lentyn tyde,
when men shuld leuë wraþ & pryde.
Þan fyl hyt on þe gode fryday,
Þe knyȝt þat yn þe [Harl. omits 'þe.'] castel lay
Line 3820
loked oute, and say [sagh.] men go
To þe cherchë, to and fro;
Barfote to þe cherche þey ȝede,
To aske mercy for here mysdede.
Line 3824
