"Lo! helle myghte nat holde, But opnede tho God tholede, And leet out Symondes sone To seen hym hange on roode. And now shal Lucifer leve it, Though hym looth thynke; 12580 For _Gigas_ the geaunt With a gyn hath engyned To breke and to bete a-doun That ben ayeins Jhesus. And I, Book, wole be brent, But Jhesus rise to lyve In alle myghtes of man, And his moder gladie, And conforte al his kyn And out of care brynge, 12590 And al the Jewene joye Unjoynen and unlouken, And but thei reversen his roode, And his resurexion, And bileve on a newe lawe, Be lost lif and soule." "Suffre we," seide Truthe; "I here and see bothe {385} How a spirit speketh to helle, And biddeth unspere the yates." 12600 _Attolite portas, etc._ A vois loude in that light To Lucifer crieth, "Prynces of this place, Unpynneth and unlouketh! For here cometh with crowne That kyng is of glorie." Thanne sikede Sathan, And seide to hem alle, "Swich a light ayeins oure leve 12610 Lazar out fette; Care and encombraunce Is comen to us alle! If this kyng come in, Mankynde wole he fecche, And lede it ther hym liketh, And lightliche me bynde. Patriarkes and Prophetes Han parled herof longe, That swich a lord and light 12620 Sholde lede hem alle hennes." "Listneth," quod Lucifer, "For I this lord knowe. Bothe this lord and this light, Is longe a-go I knew hym. May no deeth hym dere, Ne no develes queyntise; And where he wole is his wey, Ac ware hym of the perils. If he reveth me my right, 12630 He robbeth me by maistrie; For by right and by reson {386} The renkes that ben here Body and soule beth myne, Bothe goode and ille. For hymself seide, That sire is of hevene, If Adam ete the appul, Alle sholde deye And dwelle with us develes; 12640 This thretynge he made. And he that soothnesse is, Seide thise wordes. And sithen I seised Sevene hundred wynter, I leeve that lawe nyl noght Lete hym the leeste." "That is sooth," seide Sathan; "But I me soore drede. For thow gete hem with gile, 12650 And his gardyn breke, And in semblaunce of a serpent Sete upon the appul-tree, And eggedest hem to ete, Eve by hirselve; And toldest hire a tale, Of treson were the wordes; And so thow haddest hem out, And hider at the laste. It is noght graithly geten, 12660 Ther gile is the roote. For God wol noght be bi-giled," Quod Gobelyn, "ne by-japed; We have no trewe title to hem, For thorugh treson were thei dampned." = {387}