Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/234

It is thi fawte and thou be lore,
  Haske thou mercy and thou xalt have.

Uppon thi neybore be not vengabyl,
  Ageyn the lawe if he offende;
Lyke as he is, thou art unstabyl,
  Thyn owyn frelté evyr thou attende.
Evermore thi neybore helpe to amende,
  Evyn as thou woldyst he xulde the;
Ageyn hym wrathe if thou accende,
  The same in happ wylle falle on the.

Eche man to othyr be mercyable,
  And mercy he xal have at nede;
What man of mercy is not tretable,
  Whan he askythe mercy he xal not spede.
Mercy to graunt I com indede;
  Whoso aske mercy he xal have grace;
Lett no man dowte for his mysdede,
  But evyr aske mercy, whyl he hath space.

Scriba. Alas! Alas! oure lawe is lorn!
  A! fals ypocryte, Jhesu be name,
That of a sheppherdis dowtir was born,
  Wyl breke oure lawe and make it lame.
He wyl us werke ryght mekyl shame,
  His fals purpos if he upholde;
Alle oure lawys he dothe defame,
  That stynkynge beggere is woundyr bolde.

Phariseus. Sere scrybe, in feyth that ypocryte
  Wyl turne this londe al to his lore;
Therfore I councelle hym to indyte,
  And chastyse hym ryght wel therfore.