Ac þe bischop rat aȝen, . and resons wole schewe,
Line 75
And seþ þat vele þider goþ, . ac aȝen comeþ bote fewe.
ȝif þe mon be stable . of þat he haþ ibede,
þe bischop wole lettres make . to þe priour of þe stude.
þe priour wole eke rede . vorto change is þouȝt;
Ac, whanne he siþ him studefast, . þat he nele leuen nouȝt,
Line 80
Mid gret procession . to þe put he worþ ibrouȝt.
And ȝif me ne mai þere . ȝut change is þouȝt,
Into chirche hi wolen him lede . & setten him on kneo;
þere he schal vif(t)ene dawes . in is orison beo. [Ms. vifene.]
þe procession schal turne aȝen, . as riȝt is to done,
Line 85
And after þe fiftene dawes(!) . bringen him þider eft sone. [Anders die and. Mss.]
Bote he come in certein time aȝen, . wiþ gret deol and sore
Heo torneþ aȝan, & siker beþ . þat he ne comeþ na more. [Ms. aȝan st. aȝen.]
HJt bi fel bi king steuens day, . þt now late was, [Ms. Eg. u. Bodl. haben hier eine Initiale.]
Of akniȝt, þat het owein, . awel wonder cas.
Line 90
To þe bischop to schrift . þat kniȝt owein com,
And repentaunce of is sunne . & deol and serwe nom.
þe bischop him gan to chide . vor þat he hedde mis do,
And seide, he was manne worst, . vorto sunge so;
Me ne miȝte do him such wo, . þat he nere worþi more.
Line 95
þe kniȝt mid sor herte . wep and siȝte sore.
Whanne, he seide, icham monne worst . & worst habbe ido,
To þe sunne þat grettest is . mest penaunce mot þer to,
Whanne among alle men . mest sunfol icham, alas,
Strengest penaunce ichulle take . þt euere ifounde was:
Line 100
Ichulle take godes grace . and in his name wende [folio 121]
To seint patrikes purgatorie, . sende what god me sende.
Ou, beu frere, quaþ þat bischop, . beo stille! whi seistou so?
Crist for bede þat þou neuer . such folie ne do!
Vnneþe comeþ ani aȝen . þat þider deþ wende;
Line 105
Nolde god þt þou it dust, . bodi and soule to schende!
And wend into religion, . & lef þer to þi liues ende:
And þou schalt þi sunne bete, . such grace god wole þe sende.
Certes, sire, quaþ þe kniȝt, . þow miȝt as wel beo stille,
Vor ichulle þat dede do, . do god bi me is wille;
Line 110
So muche as ichabbe iserued, . ine may habbe of wo;
þer fore sei what ischal, . vor siker ichulle it go.
