oo;
?an was ?e Emperour swi?e woo,
And in his herte afli?th.
Page 63
948
(80)
? ?e Emperour ?oo speke bigan,
And seide vnto ?e body ?an,
?ere it lay in ?e herne; 951
'?ou? we ben Men of synful lijf,
Emperours we ben wi?
outen strijf,
Rome forto gouerne; 954
we
defenden
holy chirche
A?
eins hem ?at wolden wirche
Dedes stoute & sterne; 957
?erfore delyuer vs ?i book,
?at ?e poeple ?ere-on mowe look,
wisdom forto lerne.'
Page 64
960
(81)
? whan ?ai hadden so yseide,
Alexius, ?ere he was yleide,
Opened vp his honde; 963
To ?e pope wolde he nou?th forsake,
Bot lete hym ?oo ?e book vptake,
To rede ?
