Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/311

To kylle a thowsand Crystyn I gyf not an hawe;
  To se hem hangyn or brent to me is very plesauns,
To dryvyn hem into doongenys dragonys to knawe,
  And to rende here flesche and bonys onto here sustenauns.

John the Baptyst crystenyd Cryst, and so he dede many on,
  Therfore myself dede hym brynge o dawe;
It is I that dede hym kylle, I telle ȝou everychon,
  ffor and he had go forth he xuld a dystroyd our lawe.
Where as Crystyn apperyth to me is gret grevauns,
  It peynyth myn hert of tho tretowrys to here;
ffor the lawys of Mahownde I have in governawns,
  The whiche I wele kepe, that Lord hath no pere!
            ffor he is God most prudent!
Now I charge ȝou, my lordys, that ben here,
Yf any Crystyn doggys here doth apere,
Bryng tho tretores to my hey powere,
            And thei xal have sone jewgement.

Primus miles. My sovereyn Lord, heyest of excillens,
  In ȝou alle jewgement is termynabyle;
Alle Crystyn dogges that do not here dyligens,
  ȝe put hem to peynes that ben inportable.
Secundus miles. Nothing in ȝou may be more comendable,
  As to dysstroye tho traytores that erre
Ageyn oure lawys, that ben most profytable;
  Be rythwysnesse that lawe ȝe must profferre.

Rex Herowdes. Now, be gloryous Mahownd, my sovereyn Savyour,
  These promessys I make, as I am trewe knyth!
Thoo that excede his lawys by ony errour,
  To the most xamefullest deth I xal hem dyth.
But o thyng is sore in my gret delyte,
  Ther is on Jhesus of Nazareth, as men me tellyth;