XXXVII. A dispitison bitwene a god man and þe deuel. [Ed. before in Engl. Stud. VIII, p. 260—275.]
Swiþe muche neode hit is [folio CCLXXXVIII]
Þat vche mon be war and wys
To kepe him from þe fendes lore—
ffor he fondeþ euer-more.
Line 4
And þat we mowen alle I-witen
As hit is in þe Bok I-writen,
I wol ow telle, as I con,
How þe fend tempteþ a Mon.—
Line 8
Hit was vppon an haly-day: In an heiȝ feste of þe ȝere; [In the MS. written in half lines.]
Muche folk was to churche gon: Godes word for to here;
Þe Preost of þe chirche vndude þe gospel
And lerede his parischens, as he couþe wel,
Line 12
And bad hem openly nyme good ȝeme
Hou þei scholden god wel queme
And schenden þe foule fend of helle,
Þat fondeþ euere iliche monnus soule to qwelle.
Line 16
Whon þe prest hedde I-spoken & don what he wolde,
Þe folk wente hamward, as riȝt was þei scholde.
A good mon þer was, þat hamward gon rake,
And þouȝte ful ȝeorne of þat þe prest spake;
Line 20
He eode be him one wiþ-oute fere ȝerne,
ffor no-mon of his þenkyng schulde hym werne.
ÞE wikked fend of helle þerof hedde onde
And hastiliche sende to him his sonde.
Line 24
His Messager redi was forte don his wille,
Him to bi-swyke, queynteliche & stille.
In þe wei he hym mette
And feire þenne he hym grette—
Line 28
