Meditations on the Supper of our Lord and the Hours of the Passion, by Cardinal John Bonaventura the Seraphic Doctor. Drawn into English verse by Robert Manning of Brunne. (About 1315-1330.) Edited ... with introduction and glossary by J. Meadows Cowper |
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The þrydde poynt of þe soper.
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 | Meditations on the Supper of our Lord |  |
The þrydde poynt of þe soper.
The þryd poynt, man, haue yn mynde,How derwurly, afore hys ende,
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Hym self al hole vn to þy mete.
Whan he hadde wasshe here al þer fete,
And seten aȝen þere as þey ete,
A newe testament he gan sone,
Þe olde sacryfyce to fordone;
A new sacryfyce hym self he fonde,
And toke vp brede yn hys holy honde,
And to hys fadyr lyfte vpp hys ye,
He blessed and made hys precyus body;
To hys dycyplys he hyt ȝaue, and seyd,
“Þys ys my body for ȝow betrayed.”
Also of the chalys drynke he hem bad,
“Þys ys my blode þat shal be shad.”
Yn a memorand of hym with outyn ende,
He seyd, “makeþ þys yn my mende.”
Beholde, how trewly and how deuoutly
He comunde and conforted þat blessed meyny.
Þys mete shulde, most of any þyng,
Glade þy soule yn euery werchyng;
Þyn herte shulde brenne for grete loue,
Whan þou hyt takest to þy behoue;
No þyng more profytable, ne more chere,
Þan hym self ne myȝt he leue here.
Þat sacrament, þat þou seest þe before,
Wundyrfully of a mayden was bore,
Fro heuene he lyȝte for þe to deye,
He ros fro deþ to heuene to stye;
On goddys ryȝt honde he ys syttyng;
He made heuene and erthe and alle þyng;
He gouerneþ alle þyng swetly and best,
He þat þou seest yn þe prestes fest,
Yn whos powere onely hyt ys
To ȝyue þe blys, or endeles blys;
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Hyt ys goddys sone, quyk and dede.
With clene herte þou hym receyue,
For elles þy soule þou wylt deceyue.
| Meditations on the Supper of our Lord | |