Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/225

XXII. THE TEMPTATION.

Sathan. Now Belyard and Belȝabub, ȝe der wurthy devele of helle,
  And wysest of councel amonges alle the rowte!
Herke now what I sey, a tale I xalle ȝow telle,
  That trobelyth sore my stomak: therof I have grett dowte.
Belyalle. Syr Sathanas, owre sovereyn, syre, with the wol we dwelle,
  Alle redy at thi byddynge to the do we lowte;
If thou have any nede of oure wyse counselle,
  Telle us now thi qwestyon alle out and oute;
            Sey al thi dowt be-dene.
Belsabub. ȝa, sere, telle us thi dowte by and by,
And we xul telle the so sekyrly,
That thou xalt knowe verryly
            What thi dowte dothe mene.

Sathan. The dowte that I have it is of Cryst i-wys;
  Born he was in Bedleem, as it is seyd,
And many a man wenyth that Goddes sone he is,
  Born of a woman and she a clene mayd.
And alle that evyr he prechyth, it is of hevyn blys,
  He wyl lese oure lawe, I am ryght sore afrayd;
ffayn wolde I knowe who were ffadyr his,
  ffor of this grett dowte I am sore dysmayd
            Indede.
If that he be Goddys childe,
And born of a mayd mylde,