The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 176v
3 of 14 folios
For as moche as we don a reuerence
To crist . and for we bere a cristene name
455
Ȝe putte on vs a cryme and eek a blame
But we þat knowen þilke name so
For vertuous we may it not say
Almachie answerde chese on of þise tuo
Do sacrifice or cristendom reneye
460
Þat þou mow now skapen by þat wey
At which þe holy blisful mayde
Gan for to laughe and to þe Iuge sche sayde
O Iuge confuse in þy nycete
Wolt þou þat I reneye Innocence /
465
To make me a wicked wight quod sche
Loo he dissimileþ here in audience /
He stareþ and woodeþ in his aduertence
To whom almachius O vnseely wrecche /
Ne wost þou nougħt how fer my migħt may strecche
470
Haþ nought oure mighty prince to me y ȝouen
Ȝe boþe power and auctorite /
To make folk to deyen and to lyuen
Why spekest þou so proudly þenne to me
I ne speke it nouȝt but stedefastly quod sche /
475
Nought proudly for I say as for my syde
I hate dedly þilke vice of pryde
¶ And if þou drede nouȝt a soþ to heere
Þan wol I schewen al openly by rigħt
That þou hast maad a ful gret lesyng heere
480
Þou sayst þy princes han ȝeue þe migħt
Boþe to sleen and eek for to quike a wigħt
Þou þat ne mayst but oonly lyf here byreue
Þou nast þerto neyþer power ne leeue
But þou mayst see þin princes han þe maked
485
Ministre of deþ for if þou speke of mo /
Þou lyest for þy power is ful naked
Do wey þy boldenesse seyde almachius þo And sacifise /