Maxence haþ Isent hys sonde
Ouyr-al aboute in þis cuntree
Afftyr men wysest in londe,
Wiþ þe (to) stryue, as þou schalt see.
Be þat þy wurdys þey haue herd tel
Line 165
As Jhesu Cryst schal wysse þe,
Here trowþe schal ben in god ful wel,
And for hym schole þey martyryd be."
Ouer al þe world, þat was so wyde,
Hys messanger wente ful ȝare.
Line 170
Fyffty men he brouȝte þat tyde,
Grettest clerkys & wys of lare.
In al wysdom & eke latyne
Men sayde þat þey ryȝt redy wore
For to dysspute wiþ Kateryne,
Line 175
Þat Maxcense hadde wiþ-holden þore.
Amonges hem was þat mayden anon.
Þey desputyd wiþ here of many matere,
Here resouns sayde þey on be on,
Ylkon on hys beste manere.
Line 180
Þis maydyn, þat I haue off tolde,
Sche stood wiþ a stedefast chere,
In herte here resouns gan beholde—
Goddys aungyl was here fere.
Whenne þey hadden here resouns sayde,
Line 185
Euerylkone boþe more & lesse,
To ylke a poynt wiþ-Inne a brayde
Sche answerde wiþ wol gret mekenesse;
Al here deuys þenne sayde sche
Off god off heuene, þat oure lord ysse,
Line 190
Is & was & euere schal be—
Þe gospel took sche to wytnysse.
Of holy wryt sche tauȝte hem þore
And off Crystys Incarnacyoun,
And off a maydyn hou he was bore,
Line 195
And hou he suffrede passyoun,
And hou he sente hys postelys wyde
To brynge men to saluacyoun—
And crystene trowþe sche tolde þat tyde
And preuyd it hem wiþ pure resoun.
Line 200
Whenne þis mayden hadde Isayde
Alle here resouns, þat were so goode,
