XXX.
Accusacio. Accusat demon peccatores et scribit
peccata eorum.
Saynt Bede tellis in 'Gestis Anglorum,' how at þer was a knyght in Englond̛ þat was a dughti man̛ in armys, bod he was corrupte in maners. And on̛ a tyme hym̛ happend to faƚƚ passand seke. And þe kyng come vnto hym̛, & comforthed̛ hym̛, & bad hym̛ be of gude chere. And [he] ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛ þat he myght nott, ffor he was passand ferd̛ þat hys seknes suld̛ cover on̛ hym̛. And þe kyng come to hym̛ a noder tyme & comfurthed̛ hym̛, & bad hym̛ take gude harte vnto hym̛ & be of gude chere. And he ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛ þat he myght not, for it was to late, for he said̛; "I am̛ demyd̛ & dampnyd̛; ffor a litle while or ye come in, [þer] was here ij fayr̛ yong men̛, and one sett hym̛ at my bed hede, & a noder at my fete. And þai said̛, 'This man̛ mon̛ dye. And þerfor̛ lat us se if we hafe any right in hym̛.' And þe tone of þaim tuke oute of his bosom̛ a buke writtyn̛ aƚƚ with gold̛ letters. And he soght aƚƚ þe buke þurgℏ, & he cuthe fynd̛ nothyng of me bod a few gude dedis þat I did in my yowthed̛, or I cuthe syn̛ deadlie; & þat he shewid̛ me, & I was passyng glad þeroff. And þan̛ þer come in ij fowle fendis, & þe tane of þaim broght with hym̛ a grete blak buke, and þer-in was wretten̛ aƚƚ þe evuƚƚ dedis þat evur I did̛. And þai said vnto þies ij angels; 'wharto stond̛ ye here al day with hym̛ þis? ye hafe no right in hym̛, for þis many yeris was þer nothyng of hym̛ wrettyn̛ in your buke.' Than̛ þe angels ansswerd̛ & sayd̛, 'Thai say suthe, & þerfor̛ go we hyne.' And þis done, þies fendis cuttys me in sonder with ij sharpe swerdis; and þe tone begynys at my fute, and þat other at my heade, & þai smyte me now on̛ myne eyn̛, & I hafe loste my sight, and now fro my fute