Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose

English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500; Great Britain -- History -- 14th century -- Sources

11. _Iesus [Without]._ _Attollite portas,
          principes_,
      Oppen vppe, ȝe princes of paynes sere,
      _Et eleuamini eternales_,
      Youre yendles ȝatis þat ȝe haue here.
      _Sattan._ What page is þere þat makes prees,     125
      And callis hym kyng of vs in fere?
      _Dauid [in Limbo]._ I lered leuand, withouten
          lees,
      He is a kyng of vertues clere.
      A! Lorde, mekill of myght,
      And stronge in ilke a stoure,                    130
      In batailes ferse to fight,
      And worthy to wynne honnoure.

      12. _Sattan._ Honnoure! in þe deuel way, for what
          dede?
      All erthely men to me are thrall;
      Þe lady þat calles hym lorde in leede            135
      Hadde neuer ȝitt herberowe, house, ne halle.
      _i Diab._ Harke, Belsabub! I haue grete drede,
      For hydously I herde hym calle.
      _Belliall._ We! spere oure ȝates, all ill mot
          þou spede!
      And sette furthe watches on þe wall.             140
      And if he calle or crie
      To make vs more debate,
      Lay on hym þan hardely,
      And garre hym gang his gate.

      13. _Sattan._ Telle me what boyes dare be so
          bolde                                        145
      For drede to make so mekill draye.
      _i Diab._ Itt is þe Iewe þat Iudas solde
      For to be dede, þis othir daye.
      _Sattan._ O we! þis tale in tyme is tolde,
      Þis traytoure traues<es> vs alway;               150
      He schall be here full harde in holde,
      Loke þat he passe noght, I þe praye.
      _ii Diab._ Nay, nay, he will noȝt wende
      Away or I be ware,
      He shappis hym for to schende                    155
      Alle helle, or he go ferre.

      14. _Sattan._ Nay, faitour, þerof schall he faile,
      For alle his fare I hym deffie;
      I knowe his trantis fro toppe to taile,
      He leuys with gaudis and with gilery.            160
      Þerby he brought oute of oure bale,
      Nowe late, Laȝar of Betannye,
      Þerfore I gaffe to þe Iewes counsaille
      Þat þei schulde alway garre hym dye.
      I entered in Iudas                               165
      Þat forwarde to fulfille,
      Þerfore his hire he has,
      Allway to wonne here stille.

      15. _Belsabub._ Sir Sattanne, sen we here þe
          saie
      Þat þou and _þ_e Iewes wer same assente,         170
      And wotte he wanne Laȝar awaye,
      Þat tille vs was tane for to tente,
      Trowe þou þat þou marre hym maye
      To mustir myghtis, what he has mente?
      If he nowe depriue vs of oure praye,             175
      We will ȝe witte whanne þei are wente.
      _Sattan._ I bidde ȝou be noȝt abasshed,
      But boldely make youe boune
      With toles þat ȝe on traste,
      And dynge þat dastard doune.                     180

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose

English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500; Great Britain -- History -- 14th century -- Sources

11. _Iesus [Without]._ _Attollite portas,
          principes_,
      Oppen vppe, ȝe princes of paynes sere,
      _Et eleuamini eternales_,
      Youre yendles ȝatis þat ȝe haue here.
      _Sattan._ What page is þere þat makes prees,     125
      And callis hym kyng of vs in fere?
      _Dauid [in Limbo]._ I lered leuand, withouten
          lees,
      He is a kyng of vertues clere.
      A! Lorde, mekill of myght,
      And stronge in ilke a stoure,                    130
      In batailes ferse to fight,
      And worthy to wynne honnoure.

      12. _Sattan._ Honnoure! in þe deuel way, for what
          dede?
      All erthely men to me are thrall;
      Þe lady þat calles hym lorde in leede            135
      Hadde neuer ȝitt herberowe, house, ne halle.
      _i Diab._ Harke, Belsabub! I haue grete drede,
      For hydously I herde hym calle.
      _Belliall._ We! spere oure ȝates, all ill mot
          þou spede!
      And sette furthe watches on þe wall.             140
      And if he calle or crie
      To make vs more debate,
      Lay on hym þan hardely,
      And garre hym gang his gate.

      13. _Sattan._ Telle me what boyes dare be so
          bolde                                        145
      For drede to make so mekill draye.
      _i Diab._ Itt is þe Iewe þat Iudas solde
      For to be dede, þis othir daye.
      _Sattan._ O we! þis tale in tyme is tolde,
      Þis traytoure traues<es> vs alway;               150
      He schall be here full harde in holde,
      Loke þat he passe noght, I þe praye.
      _ii Diab._ Nay, nay, he will noȝt wende
      Away or I be ware,
      He shappis hym for to schende                    155
      Alle helle, or he go ferre.

      14. _Sattan._ Nay, faitour, þerof schall he faile,
      For alle his fare I hym deffie;
      I knowe his trantis fro toppe to taile,
      He leuys with gaudis and with gilery.            160
      Þerby he brought oute of oure bale,
      Nowe late, Laȝar of Betannye,
      Þerfore I gaffe to þe Iewes counsaille
      Þat þei schulde alway garre hym dye.
      I entered in Iudas                               165
      Þat forwarde to fulfille,
      Þerfore his hire he has,
      Allway to wonne here stille.

      15. _Belsabub._ Sir Sattanne, sen we here þe
          saie
      Þat þou and _þ_e Iewes wer same assente,         170
      And wotte he wanne Laȝar awaye,
      Þat tille vs was tane for to tente,
      Trowe þou þat þou marre hym maye
      To mustir myghtis, what he has mente?
      If he nowe depriue vs of oure praye,             175
      We will ȝe witte whanne þei are wente.
      _Sattan._ I bidde ȝou be noȝt abasshed,
      But boldely make youe boune
      With toles þat ȝe on traste,
      And dynge þat dastard doune.                     180

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose

Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose

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