_Johannes._ My lorde God, this behovyth me nought, With myn hondys to baptyȝe the; I xulde rather of the have sought Holy baptym, than thou of me. _Jhesus._ Suffyr now, John, my wyl were wrought, Alle ryghtffullenes thus ffulfylle we; Me to baptyȝe take thou no dowthe, The vertu of mekenes here tawthe xal be, Every man to lere. And take ensawmple here by me, How mekely that I come to the, Baptym confermyd now xal be, Me to baptyȝe take thou no dwere. _Johannes._ Alle men may take example, lo! Of lowly mekenes evyn ryght here, Be oure Lorde God, that comyth me to, Hese pore servaunt and his sutere. Every man lere to werke ryght so, Bothe kynge and caysere, and grett empere; Be meke and lowe the pore man to, And put out pryde in alle manere— God dothe here the same! To thi byddynge, my Lord so dere, I me obey with gladsum chere, And baptyȝe the with watyr clere, Ever halwyd be thi name! _Spiritus Sanctus hic descendat super ipsum, et Deus, Pater Celestis, dicet in cœlo_, This is my welbelovyd chylde, Over whome my spryte doth oversprede! Clene, and pure, and undefylyd, Of body, of sowle, ffor thought, for dede! That he is buxhum, meke, and mylde, I am wel plesyd withowtyn drede; Wysly to wysse ȝow ffrom weys wylde, To lysten his lore alle men I rede, And ȝoure erys to herke. Take good heede what he dothe preche, And ffolwyth the lawys that he doth teche, ffor he xal be ȝour altheris leche, To save ȝow from develys derke. _Johannes Baptyst._ Here I se with opyn syght, The Sone of God that thou erte! The Holy Goost over the doth lyght, Thi faderes voys I here fful smerte. The childe of God, as I the plyght, That thou be, whilys I am qwerte, I xalle wyttnes to every whyght, And teche it trewly with alle myn hert; To sese it were grett synne. ffor Goddys sone I wurchypp the, ffrom hevyn, thin hyȝ magesté, Thu comyst hedyr ffrom dygnité, Mannys sowle to wynne. _Jhesus._ John Baptyste, thou be wyttnes, The trewthe loke that thou nat hyde; ffor now I passe forthe into wyldernes, The Holy Gost xal be my gyde. _Hic Jhesus transit in desertum, dicens, etc._ In whylsum place of desertnes, XL.ᵗⁱ days, a terme ful wyde, And ffourty nyghtes, bothe more and lesse, Withowtyn bodyly ffode ther to abyde; ffor man thus do I swynke. Into deserte I passe my way, ffor mannys sake, as I ȝow say, XL.ᵗⁱ nyghtes and xl.ᵗⁱ day, I xal nowther ete nor drynke.