Font li deables:--"de cest plait, Mal por mal, assez miex nous plest Que nous aillons au jugement Li haut jugeur qui ne ment. C'au plait n'au jugement sa mere De droit jugier est trop avere; Mais dieu nous juge si adroit, Plainement nous lest notre droit. Sa mere juge en tel maniere Qu'elle nous met touz jors arriere Quant nous cuidons estre devant. . . . . . . . En ciel et en terre est plus Dame Par un petit que Diex ne soit. Il l'aimme tant et tant la croit, N'est riens qu'elle face ne die Qu'il desveile ne contredie. Quant qu'elle veut li fait acroire, S'elle disoit la pie est noire Et l'eue trouble est toute clere: Si diroit il voir dit ma mere!" "In this law-suit," say the devils, "Since it is a choice of evils, We had best appeal on high To the Judge Who does not lie. What is law to any other, 'T is no use pleading with His Mother; But God judges us so true That He leaves us all our due. His Mother judges us so short That she throws us out of court When we ought to win our cause. . . . . . . . . In heaven and earth she makes more laws By far, than God Himself can do, He loves her so, and trusts her so, There's nothing she can do or say That He'll refuse, or say her nay. Whatever she may want is right, Though she say that black is white, And dirty water clear as snow:-- My Mother says it, and it's so!" If the Virgin took the feelings of the Trinity into consideration, or recognized its existence except as her Son, the case has not been reported, or, at all events, has been somewhat carefully kept out of sight by the Virgin's poets. The devils were emphatic in denouncing Mary for absorbing the whole Trinity. In one sharply disputed case in regard to a villain, or labourer, whose soul the Virgin claimed because he had learned the "Ave Maria," the devils became very angry, indeed, and protested vehemently:-- Li lait maufe, li rechinie Adonc ont ris et eschinie. C'en font il:--"Merveillans merveille! Por ce vilain plate oreille Aprent vo Dame a saluer, Se nous vorro trestous tuer Se regarder osons vers s'ame. De tout le monde vieut estre Dame! Ains nule dame ne fu tiez. II est avis qu'ele soit Diex Ou qu'ele ait Diex en main bornie. Nul besoigne n'est fournie, Ne terrienne ne celestre, Que toute Dame ne veille estre. Il est avis que tout soit suen; Dieu ne deable n'i ont rien." The ugly demons laugh outright And grind their teeth with envious spite; Crying:--"Marvel marvellous! Because that flat-eared ploughman there Learned to make your Dame a prayer, She would like to kill us all Just for looking toward his soul. All the world she wants to rule! No such Dame was ever seen! She thinks that she is God, I ween, Or holds Him in her hollow hand. Not a judgment or command Or an order can be given Here on earth or there in heaven, That she does not want control. She thinks that she ordains the whole, And keeps it all for her own profit. God nor Devil share not of it."