The iuge Byddeth the Soule Plede for Hym Seluen And HowThe Sowle Maketh Excepcyon to EXCLUDEN Sathanas fro HisAccyon

Capitulo xvii

Anone ryght here with after the sownyng of a trompet I herd a voys that sayd in this wyse:

`The maner and the vsage of this present Court wyl that the pilgrym yeue answere for hym selue personelly and pleynley yelde acountes hou he hath done his iourneye. And other plee ne processe oweth none to be herd ne admytted in this place.'

But when I herd these wordys, whiche as me semyd wel the Iuge hym selue spack, hit lacketh but lytel that I ne had lete falle my burdon of hope and vtterly fallen in despayr, specyally syth my cause in hit self was nought defensable by ought that I couthe se. And nought for that, auayle what it myght, I thought that I wold defende my cause in my best wyse. Tho sayde I to the Iuge: `Ful gracious and noble Iuge Prouost of Heuene, hit semyd me sauyng youre Iugement that me oweth nought to answere to the accyon of these Sathanas infamed and condempned and by youre owne execucyon chacyd oute of Heuene. And namely also sythe that he hath ben alwey my personell enemy, and greuously pursued me^a in al that he couthe or myght ley for me in a wayte, and forstallyd my^b weyes, teldyng nettes, arrayng trappes and other engynes for to take me and deceyue with.

`And also I may alledge that he nys none acceptable persone that may to this Court oblyge hym self ne ley caucyon to pursue forth his accyon as he that is eternally condempned, by whiche caucyon he myght bynd hym self for to ansuere me yf that his accyon in dome be desalowed.

`And ferthermore also hit is no thyng vnknowen he is in hym self, and euer hath ben founde, an open lyer and autour of al falshede and vntrouthe euermore redy to do and say the werst.'