How Sathanas pledyth Ageyne,and Clepyth Synderesys to Wytnesse

Capitulo xviii

[15r] Thenne bygan to crye this cursyd Sathanas. `Thou shalt nought', quod he, `with suche delayes and excepcyons escape so lyghtely as thou wenyst. The ryght of Heuen is not of suche maner customme as is the ryght of this mortal Erth.

`I haue seysyne of accusement in as moche as my clamour is acceptyd in the Court when that I was assigned by the Iuge to purpose in my mater standyng here withoute. Than myght thou not seyn^a ne excepte ageynst me that I ne shal be herd of my compleynt, and namely syth wytnes opon trouthe that ther within is present, veray sothe it is that al that I haue sayd.

`And all were it so that of ryght other els by thyn excepcyon myn accyon were auoydyd that I personelly shold not be herde in thys present Court for myn vnsuffysaunce^b, here shal as fast come another whiche thou ne myht by no wey excepte ne withseyn. Thou shalt nought be so bold, for he loueth nought to lye, hit is not of his custome. He wyl accuse the of moche more than I can telle or seye, for he^c knoweth thy innermost of thy thoughtes, and soo doo nouht I, saue only by sygnes of thy werkes and of thy wordes withoute forth. And that me sore forthynketh.

`Come forth thou foule Synderesys¹⁵ and say what thou knowest of this fals pilgrym. For wel I wote thou hast not lernyd for to lye ne failen of the trouthe.'