XI

“Of more & lasse in godeȝ ryche,”
Þat gentyl sayde “lys no Ioparde,
For þer is vch mon payed inliche,
Wheþer lyttel oþer much be hys rewarde,
For þe gentyl cheuentayn is no chyche,
Queþer-so-euer he dele nesch oþer harde,
He laueȝ hys gyfteȝ as water of dyche,
Oþer goteȝ of golf þat neuer charde;
Hys fraunchyse is large þat euer dard,
To hym þat matȝ in synne no scoghe
No blysse betȝ fro hem reparde,
For þe grace of god is gret I-noghe.

Bot now þou moteȝ me for to mate
Þat I my peny haf wrang tan here,
Þou sayȝ þat I þat com to late,
Am not worþy so gret lere.
Where wysteȝ þou euer any bourne abate
Euer so holy in hys prayere,
Þat he ne forfeted by sumkyn gate,
Þe mede sum-tyme of heueneȝ clere;
& ay þe ofter, þe alder þay were,
Þay laften ryȝt & wroȝten woghe
Mercy & grace moste hem þen stere,
For þe grace of god is gret in-noȝe.

Bot in-noghe of grace hatȝ innocent,
As sone as þay arn borne by lyne
In þe water of babtem þay dyssente,
Þen arne þay boroȝt in-to þe vyne,
Anon þe day with derk endente,
Þe myȝt of deth dotȝ to en-clyne
Þat wroȝt neuer wrang er þenne þay wente;
Þe gentyle lorde þenne payeȝ hys hyne,
Þay dyden hys heste, þay wern þere-ine,
Why schulde he not her labour alow,
Ȝy[rd] & pay hem at þe fyrst fyne
For þe grace of god is gret in-noghe?

Inoȝe is knawen þat man-kyn grete,
Fyrste watȝ wroȝt to blysse parfyt;
Oure forme-fader hit con forfete,
Þurȝ an apple þat he vpon con byte;
Al wer we dampned for þat mete,
To dyȝe in doel out of delyt,
& syþen wende to helle hete,
Þer-inne to won with-oute respyt;
Bot þer on com a bote as-tyt.
Ryche blod ran on rode so roghe,
& wynne [&] water, þen at þat plyt
Þe grace of god wex gret in-noghe.

Innoghe þer wax out of þat welle,
Blod & water of brode wounde;
Þe blod vus boȝt fro bale of helle,
& delyuered vus of þe deth secounde;
Þe water is baptem þe soþe to telle;
Þat folȝed þe glayue so grymly grounde,
Þat wascheȝ away þe gylteȝ felle,
Þat adam wyth inne deth vus drounde.
Now is þer noȝt in þe worlde rounde
Bytwene vus & blysse bot þat he with-droȝ
& þat is restored in sely stounde,
& þe grace of god is gret in-nogh.