_Johannes._ Ecce vox clamantis in deserto! I am the voyce of wyldernese, That her spekyth and prechyth yow to; Loke ȝe forsake alle wrecchidnesse! fforsake alle synne that werkyth woo, And turne to vertu and holynese! Beth clene of levyng in your sowle also; Than xalle he be savyd from peynfulnese Of fyere brynnyng in helle! If that ȝe forsak synne, Hevyn blysse xalle ȝe wyne, Drede ȝe not the devylles gynne, With angells xalle ȝow dwelle! Penitenciam nunc agite! Appropinquabit regnum cœlorum! ffor your trespas penaunce do ȝe, And ȝe xalle wyne hevyn Dei deorum! In hevyn blyse ye xalle wyn to be, Among the blyssyd company omnium supernorum; Ther as is alle merth, joye, and glee, Inter agmina angelorum, In blyse to abyde! Baptyme I cowncelle yow for to take, And do penaunce for ys synnys sake, And for your offens amendys ȝe make, Your synnys for to hyde. I gyff baptyme in water puere, That is callyd flom Jordon; My baptyme is but sygnysure Of his baptyme that his lyke hath non! He is a lord of gret valour, I am not worthy to onbokylle his schon; ffor he xalle baptyze, as seyth Scryptour, That comyth of hem alle everychone In the Holy Goost! He may dampne and he may save, Alle goodnesse of hem we have, Ther may no man his werkes deprave, ffor he is Lorde of myghtes most? _Hic accedit Jhesus ad Johannem, quem intuens Johannes dicat, digito demonstrans Jhesum, “Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi!”_ Beholde! the lombe of God is this, That comyth now here beforne; The wich xalle wasche the worlds mys, And save alle that that was forlorne: This same lombe forsothe it is, That of a mayd fulle clene was borne; Shamfulle deth this lambe i-wys Xalle suffer for us and be alle to-torne, And rent on a roode! He xalle suffer for mannys sake Lytylle rest, and moche gret sorow and wrake; Hys bake xalle be bowndyn to a stake, And betyn owt alle his bloode! _Jhesus._ John Baptyste, myn owyn good ffrende, That ffeythffully dothe preche my wylle; I the thanke with alle my mende, ffor that good servyse thou dost me tylle. Thy desyre is synne to shende, Alle synful lyff thou woldyst spylle; Thyn entente hath a good hende, The lawe of God thou dost ffulffylle This tyde. Baptym to take I come to the, And conferme that sacrement that newe xal be, In flom Jordon thou baptyze me, In watyr that is wyde.