Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/405

Episcopus. Therfore oure wysdam was to schortyn his endyng;
  Who so clyme over hie he hath a foule falle.
Secundus Princeps. Ya, yit of on thing I warne yow at the gynnyng,
  His dame is levyng, Mary that men calle;
            Myche pepil halt hire wythall;
Wherfore in peyne of reprefe,
Yif we suffre hyre thus to relefe,
Oure lawys sche schal make to myschefe,
            And meche schame don us sche schalle.
Episcopus. A! sere, ye ben bolde i-now, art thou ferd of a wenche?
  What trowyste that sche myht don us agayn?
Tertius Princeps. Sere, there are other in the centre that clenche,
  And prechyn he is levyng that we slewe, they seyn;
And yif they ben sufferyd thus, this wille bredyn a stench,
  ffor thorow here fayre speche oure lawys they steyn.
And therfore devyse we now upon this pleyn benche,
  What is beste for to do hem for to atteyn:
            We are but loste, yif they reyn.
Episcopus. Why, let se than, sey me youre ententis.
Primus. Lete us preson hem, til here myght schent is.
Secundus. Bettyr is to slen hem wyth dentis.
Tercius. Nay, best is to hang hem wyth peyn.
Episcopus. Nay, seris, nowth so youre better avyse,
  Have in syth before what after may tide;
Yif we slewe hem it wolde cause the comownys to ryse,
  And rathere the devyl sle hym than we schulde that abyde.
But be that senstere ded Mary that fise,
  We shal brenne here body and the aschis hide,
And don here alle the dispith we can here devise,
  And than sle tho disciplis that walkyn so wyde,
            And here bodyes devyde.
Halde ye not this beste, as is sayde?