"Allas!" I seide, "that synne So longe shal lette The myght of Goddes mercy, That myghte us alle amende." 11360 I wepte for hise wordes. With that saugh I another Rapeliche renne forth, The righte wey he wente. I affrayned hym first Fram whennes he come, And what he highte, and whider he wolde; And wightly he tolde. 11368 * * * * * {348} _Passus Decimus Septimus, etc. et Secundus de Do-bet._ "Iam _Spes_," quod he, "aspie 11369 And spire after a knyght, That took me a maundement Upon the mount of Synay, To rule alle reames with, I bere the writ here." "Is it enseled?" I seide, "May men see thi lettres?" "Nay," he seide, "seke hym That hath the seel to kepe; And that is cros and cristendom, And Crist theron to honge. 11380 And whan it is enseled so, I woot wel the sothe, That Luciferis lordshipe Laste shal no lenger." "Lat se thi lettres," quod I, "We myghte the lawe knowe." Thanne plukkede he forth a patente, A pece of an hard roche, Wheron were writen two wordes On this wise y-glosed. 11390 _Dilige Deum et proximum tuum._ This was the tixte trewely, {349} I took ful good yeme; The glose was gloriously writen, With a gilt penne. _In his duobus mandatis tota lex pendet et prophetia._ "Ben here alle thi lordes lawes?" quod I. "Ye, leve me wel," he seide; And who so wercheth after this writ, 11400 I wol undertaken Shal nevere devel hym dere, Ne deeth in soule greve. For, though I seye it myself, I have saved with this charme, Of men and of wommen Many score thousand. "Ye seien sooth," seide this heraud; "I have y-founde it ofte. Lo! here in my lappe 11410 That leeved on that charme, Josue and Judith, And Judas Macabeus, Ye, and sixti thousand biside forth, That ben noght seyen here." "Youre wordes arn wonderfulle," quod I tho, "Which of yow is trewest, And lelest to leve so, For lif, and for soule? Abraham seith 11420 That he seigh hoolly the Trinité, Thre persones in parcelles Departable fro oother, And alle thre but o god; {350} Thus Abraham me taughte, And hath saved that bileved so, And sory for hir synnes. He kan noght siggen the somme, And some arn in his lappe. What neded it thanne 11430 A newe lawe to bigynne, Sith the firste suffiseth To savacion and to blisse? And now cometh _Spes_ and speketh, That aspied the lawe; And telleth noght of the Trinité That took hym hise lettres, To bileeve and lovye In o lord almyghty, And siththe right as myself 11440 So lovye alle peple.