ffor that in alle wyse is most plesande,
As ȝe xal here, whan I have tolde.
Of this wey for to make moralysacyon,
Be the ryth syde ȝe xal undyrstonde mercy,
And on the lefte syde lykkenyd dysperacion,
And the patthe betwyn bothyn, that may not wry,
Schal be hope and drede to walk in perfectly,
Declynyng not to fele, for no maner nede;
Grete cawsys I xal sheve ȝow why,
That ȝe xal sowe the patthe of hope and drede.
On the mercy of God to meche ȝe xal not holde,
As in this wyse behold what I mene;
ffor to do synne be thou no more bolde,
In trost that God wole mercyful bene.
And yf be sensualyté, as it is ofte sene,
Synnyst dedly, thou xalt not therfore dyspeyre;
But therfore do penawns and confesse the clene,
And of hevyn thou mayst trost to ben eyre.
The pathe that lyth to this blyssyd enherytawns,
Is hope and drede copelyd be conjunccyon;
Betwyx these tweyn may be no dysseverawns,
ffor hope withowtyn drede is maner of presumpcion.
And drede withowtyn hope is maner of dysperacion,
So these tweyn must be knyt be on acorde.
How ȝe xal aray the wey, I have made declaracion,
Also the ryth patthis, aȝens the comyng of oure Lord.
Here xal Annas shewyn hymself in his stage, be seyn after a busshop of the hoold lawe, in a skarlet gowne, and over that a blew tabbard furryd with whyte, and a mytere on his hed, after the hoold lawe; ij. doctorys stondyng by hym in furryd hodys, and on beforn hem with his staff of astat, and eche of hem on
