confessioun of felonye hadde ever Iuges so acordaunt in crueltee,
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that is to seyn, as myn accusinge hath, that either errour of mannes
wit or elles condicioun of Fortune, that is uncertein to alle mortal
folk, ne [submittede] some of hem, that is to seyn, that it ne enclynede
som Iuge to han pitee or compassioun? For al-thogh I hadde ben
accused that I wolde brenne holy houses, and strangle preestes
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with wikkede swerde, or that I hadde greythed deeth to al gode
men, algates the sentence sholde han punisshed me, [present],