| 1665 | This Somonour in his styropes hye stood; |
| Upon this Frere his herte was so wood |
| That lyk an aspen leef he quook for ire. |
| "Lordynges," quod he, "but o thyng I desire; |
| I yow biseke that, of youre curteisye, |
| 1670 | Syn ye han herd this false Frere lye, |
| As suffreth me I may my tale telle. |
| This Frere bosteth that he knoweth helle, |
| And God it woot, that it is litel wonder; |
| Freres and feendes been but lyte asonder. |
| 1675 | For, pardee, ye han ofte tyme herd telle |
| How that a frere ravysshed was to helle |
| In spirit ones by a visioun; |
| And as an angel ladde hym up and doun, |
| To shewen hym the peynes that ther were, |
| 1680 | In al the place saugh he nat a frere; |
| Of oother folk he saugh ynowe in wo. |
| Unto this angel spak the frere tho: |
| `Now, sire,' quod he, `han freres swich a grace |
| That noon of hem shal come to this place?' |
| 1685 | `Yis' quod this angel, `many a millioun!' |
| And unto Sathanas he ladde hym doun. |
| `And now hath Sathanas,' seith he, `a tayl |
| Brodder than of a carryk is the sayl. |
| Hold up thy tayl, thou Sathanas!' quod he; |
| 1690 | `Shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere se |
| Where is the nest of freres in this place!' |
| And er that half a furlong wey of space, |
| Right so as bees out swarmen from an hyve, |
| Out of the develes ers ther gonne dryve |
| 1695 | Twenty thousand freres on a route, |
| And thurghout helle swarmed al aboute, |
| And comen agayn as faste as they may gon, |
| And in his ers they crepten everychon. |
| He clapte his tayl agayn and lay ful stille. |
| 1700 | This frere, whan he looked hadde his fille |
| Upon the tormentz of this sory place, |
| His spirit God restored, of his grace, |
| Unto his body agayn, and he awook. |
| But natheles, for fere yet he quook, |
| 1705 | So was the develes ers ay in his mynde, |
| That is his heritage of verray kynde. |
| God save yow alle, save this cursed Frere! |
| My prologe wol I ende in this manere." |