Piers Plowman - Maybe You Like It

Passus Seventeen
17.001: "I am Spes, a spie,' quod he, "and spire after a knyght
17.002: That took me a maundement upon the mount of Synay
17.003: To rule alle reames therewith — l bere the writ here.'
17.004: "Is it asseled?" I seide. "May men see thi lettres?'
17.005: "Nay.' he seide. "I seke hym that hath the seel to kepe —
17.006: And that is cros and Cristendom, and Crist theron to honge.
17.007: And whan it is asseled so, I woot wel the sothe —
17.008: That Luciferis lordshipe laste shal no lenger!'
17.009: " Lat se thi lettres,' quod I, "we myghte the lawe knowe.'
17.010: He plukkede forth a patente, a pece of an hard roche,
17.011: Whereon was writen two wordes on this wise yglosed;
17.012: Dilige Deum et proximum tuum —
17.013: This was the tixte trewely — I took ful good yeme.
17.014: The glose was gloriously writen with a gilt penne:
17.015: In hiis duobus mandatis tota lex penhet et prophete.
17.016: " Is here alle thi lordes lawes?' quod I. " Ye, leve me,' he seide.
17.017: "And whoso wet cheth after this writ, I wol undertaken,
17.018: Shal nevere devel hym dere, ne deeth in soule greve.
17.019: For though I seye it myself, I have saved with this charme
17.020: Of men and of wommen many score thousand.'
17.021: " He seith sooth,' seide this heraud, " I have yfounde it ofte.
17.022: Lo! here in my lappe that leeved on that charme —
17.023: Josue and Judith and Judas Macabeus,
17.024: Ye, and sixti thousand biside forth that ben noght seyen here!'
17.025: " Youre wordes arn wonderfulle,' quod I tho. " Which of yow is
trewest,
17.026: And lelest to leve on for lif and for soule?
17.027: Abraham seith that he seigh hoolly the Trinite,
17.028: Thre persones in parcelles departable fro oother,
17.029: And alle thre but o God — thus Abraham me taughte —
17.030: And hath saved that bileved so and sory for hir synnes,
17.031: He kan noght siggen the somme, and some arn in his lappe.
17.032: What neded it thanne a newe lawe to brynge,
17.033: Sith the firste suffiseth to savacion and to blisse?
17.034: And now cometh Spes and speketh, that hath aspied the lawe,
17.035: And telleth noght of the Trinite that took hym hise lettres —
17.036: To bileeve and lovye in o Lord almyghty,
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