MORALITE.
Worshipfuƚƚ Seris, þis Emperour is þe Fadir of heuene. The city bisegid is þis wordle, the whicℏ is bisegid with develis, and with synnys; And aƚƚ þat were in þe Cite were in poynt to be loste, when aƚƚ þat were afore the passion̛ of Criste were in þe power of þe deviƚƚ, and myȝte not helpe hem selue. The yong knyȝt þat comytℏ to þe cite, scil. that is to sey, to þe wordle, is oure lord, þe doȝty werrour, ihesu criste, þat hadde noon armour, scil. manhode, vnto þe-time that he had gon vnto þe sepulcre, scil. þe wombe of the blessid virgin seynt Marie, by þe annunciacion̛ of the aungel, seying̘, Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te. Ecce concipies et paries filium, &c. And so he toke in þe wombe of þe virgin marie þe armure of the dede knyte, scil. kynde of þe first fadir Adam; And þer he foȝte with þe enemeys by his blessid passion, and deliuered the wordle, with aƚƚ mankynde, fro periƚƚ. And þenne he put þe armour aȝen in þe ertℏ, whenne his body was put in þe sepulcre. But þe Citeseyns, þat is to say, Jewis and paynyms, þoȝ þei were of peple þat crist come for to save, ȝit þei accusid him to pilat, and alegid þer aȝen hym, For þe Emperour and his lawe, this seying̘, Si hunc dimittis, non es amicus Cesaris, This is to sey, Iffe þou leve him, and sle him not, þou art not Frend neþer trewe to þe Emperour; for after þe lawe he owitℏ to be dede. But ȝit þe Iuge cowde not ȝeve dome him selfe, as þey askyd, but committyd him to hem aȝen; and þenne þei slowe him, and morderyd him; and in þe thirde day he ros fro his detℏ, and after ascendid vp to ioye and glorye, Ad quam nos perducat, qui cum Patre & Spiritu Sancto, &c.