“Full wrongfully begunnest thou,” quoth he, “And yet in wrong is thy perséveránce. Know’st thou not how our mighty princes free Have thus commanded and made ordinánce, That every Christian wight shall have penánce, But if that he his Christendom withsay, And go all quit, if he will it renay?”
“Your princes erren, as your nobley doth,” Quoth then Cecile, “and with a wood senténce Ye make us guilty, and it is not sooth: For ye that knowë well our innocence, Forasmuch as we do aye reverence To Christ, and for we bear a Christian name, Ye put on us a crime and eke a blame.
“But we that knowë thilkë namë so For virtuous, we may it not withsay.” Almach answered, “Choose one of these two, Do sacrifice, or Christendom renay, That thou may’st now escapë by that way.” At which the holy blissful fairë maid Gan for to laugh, and to the judgë said;
“O judge, confused in thy nicety, Wouldest thou that I rény innocence? To makë me a wicked wight,” quoth she, “Lo, he dissimuleth here in audience; He stareth and woodeth in his adverténce.” To whom Almachius said, “Unsely wretch, Knowest thou not how far my might may stretch?
“Have not our mighty princes to me given Yea bothë power and eke authority To makë folk to dien or to liven? Why speakest thou so proudly then to me?” “I speakë not but steadfastly,” quoth she, Not proudly, for I say, as for my side, We hatë deadly thilkë vice of pride.
“And, if thou dreadë not a sooth to hear, Then will I shew all openly by right, That thou hast made a full great leasing here. Thou say’st thy princes have thee given might Both for to slay and for to quick a wight— Thou that may’st not but only life bereave; Thou hast none other power nor no leave.