Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/263

I have browth ȝow newe namys, and wyl ȝe se why
  ffor synne is so plesaunt to eche mannys intent,
ȝe xal kalle pride oneste, and nateralle kend lechory,
  And covetyse wysdam there tresure is present.

Wreth manhod, and envye callyd chastement;
  Seyse nere sessyon, lete perjery be chef;
Glotenye rest, let abstynawnce beyn absent;
  And he that wole exorte the to vertu, put hem to repreff.

To rehers al my servauntes my matere is to breff,
  But alle these xal everyth the dyvicion eternal;
Thow Cryst by his sotylté many materys meef,
  In evyrlastynge peyne with me dwellyn thei xal.

Remembre, oure servauntes, whoys sowlys ben mortalle,
  ffor I must remeffe for more materys to provyde;
I am with ȝow at alle tymes whan ȝe to councel me calle,
  But for a short tyme myself I devoyde.

Johannes Baptist. I, John Baptyst, to ȝow thus prophesye,
  That on xal come aftyr me and not tary longe,
In many folde more strengere than I,
  Of whose shon I am not worthy to lose the thonge.
Wherefore I councel the ȝe reforme alle wronge,
  In ȝour concyens of the mortalle dedys sevyn,
And for to do penawns loke that ȝe ffonge,
  ffor now xal come the kyngdham of hevyn.

The weys of oure lord cast ȝow to aray,
  And therin to walk loke ȝe be applyande;
And make his pathys as ryth as ȝe may,
  Kepyng ryth forth, and be not declinande.
Neyther to fele on ryth nor on lefte hande,
  But in the myddys purpose ȝow to holde,