A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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De septuagesima & eius institucione.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
De septuagesima & eius institucione.
Of Septuagesme speke we,
the which for lewet de-clare wol I
what worde septuegesme may be
and whi hit maad was wyterly.
the which for lewet de-clare wol I
what worde septuegesme may be
and whi hit maad was wyterly.
Septuagesme bygynnes that day
that alleluya closet is,
and lastes to the Setter-day
in the Ester weke i-wis.
that alleluya closet is,
and lastes to the Setter-day
in the Ester weke i-wis.
124
In quych time, soth to say,
sixty daies & ten þer bene,
that exposicioun is verray
of septuagesme with-out wene.
sixty daies & ten þer bene,
that exposicioun is verray
of septuagesme with-out wene.
Prima causa quare septuagesima instituta est.
Ion Beleth, þat a gret clerk was,
thre skilles showes, as I shal say,
qvi holi chirch ordeynt has
septuagesme thus vset ay.
thre skilles showes, as I shal say,
qvi holi chirch ordeynt has
septuagesme thus vset ay.
At holi chirch bigynnyng
sone after Cristes ascencioun,
holi fadirs then lyuyng
maden þis constitucioun,
sone after Cristes ascencioun,
holi fadirs then lyuyng
maden þis constitucioun,
That in worship of that day
that Crist from heuen to erth went,
Thursday shuld be honouret ay
As Sonday is with gode entent.
that Crist from heuen to erth went,
Thursday shuld be honouret ay
As Sonday is with gode entent.
ffor sithen our kynde so honoures was
And broȝt that day to heuen blis,
therfore, as boke mynde mas,
the mor thai worshipet hit i-wys,
And broȝt that day to heuen blis,
therfore, as boke mynde mas,
the mor thai worshipet hit i-wys,
And maden open processioun
Apostles dede to represent,
that thai did with deuocioun
to Oliuete quen þai with hym went.
Apostles dede to represent,
that thai did with deuocioun
to Oliuete quen þai with hym went.
But afterward ful mony a ȝer,
quen martirs wer so thik slayn,
to honour hor festes & make hom der
holi chirch was glad & fayn.
quen martirs wer so thik slayn,
to honour hor festes & make hom der
holi chirch was glad & fayn.
And laften þat solemnite
to honour sayntes & hor day,
for to gret charge hit had be
forto serue both, soth to say.
to honour sayntes & hor day,
for to gret charge hit had be
forto serue both, soth to say.
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Ȝet in recompensacioun
of þat solemnite lettide so,
holi chirch bi gode resoun
one weke of fastyng ordeynt tho
of þat solemnite lettide so,
holi chirch bi gode resoun
one weke of fastyng ordeynt tho
Bifore lent on forto be,
that al shuld not go out of mynde,
And septuagesme, leue ȝe me,
that weke þai calliden, as I fynde.
that al shuld not go out of mynde,
And septuagesme, leue ȝe me,
that weke þai calliden, as I fynde.
And so come this nome on plas,
septuagesme, as er saide I,
And holden that nome sithen it has,
As I fynde in trewe story.
septuagesme, as er saide I,
And holden that nome sithen it has,
As I fynde in trewe story.
Secunda causa quare septuagesima fuerat instituta.
Another cause alegge I may
qvy septuagesme ordeynt was,
In significacioun, soth to say,
As þe same Ion mynde mas,
qvy septuagesme ordeynt was,
In significacioun, soth to say,
As þe same Ion mynde mas,
ffor septuagesme in gode fay
may signifie for our trespas
time of our puttyng away
from paradise þat ioyful plas,
may signifie for our trespas
time of our puttyng away
from paradise þat ioyful plas,
ffor our forme-fadir syn
exilet vs from þat same blis,
til þat Crist come forto wyn
that wele aȝayn forsoth i-wys.
exilet vs from þat same blis,
til þat Crist come forto wyn
that wele aȝayn forsoth i-wys.
But al-þa[ȝ] Crist vs so for-boȝt
after our deth, ȝif we gode wer,
to come to blis, ȝet wold he noȝt
that Adam syn wer fully cler,
after our deth, ȝif we gode wer,
to come to blis, ȝet wold he noȝt
that Adam syn wer fully cler,
ffor qvo-ser lyuen most at lykyng,
wer neuer bout tribulacioun
sithen þe worldes bygynnyng
quyl body & soule to-geder be moun.
wer neuer bout tribulacioun
sithen þe worldes bygynnyng
quyl body & soule to-geder be moun.
126
Therfore fro time Adam did mys
til þe day of dome shal be
I may calle, forsoth i-wys,
time of trespas, leue ȝe me,
til þe day of dome shal be
I may calle, forsoth i-wys,
time of trespas, leue ȝe me,
And time also of exilyng
this world is now & euer ȝet was,
ffor ay qvil we ben her lyuyng
trauaile we han for our trespas.
this world is now & euer ȝet was,
ffor ay qvil we ben her lyuyng
trauaile we han for our trespas.
for al-thagh we thurȝe Cristes deth
when we deȝen comen to blis,
qvil in þe body is lif or breth
fulle rest shul we neuer haf i-wis.
when we deȝen comen to blis,
qvil in þe body is lif or breth
fulle rest shul we neuer haf i-wis.
And this time qvil we exilet bene
bi seuen days is ay turnyng,
And closet also bout wene
In seuen thousande ȝer rennyng.
bi seuen days is ay turnyng,
And closet also bout wene
In seuen thousande ȝer rennyng.
ffor after clerkes opinioun
from þe worldes bygynnyng
til Ihesu Cristes ascencioun
sex thousande ȝer wer, bout lesyng,
from þe worldes bygynnyng
til Ihesu Cristes ascencioun
sex thousande ȝer wer, bout lesyng,
And from thethen forth i-wys
til þe world shal endid be,
the seuen thousande taken is,
but after þat time witen not we
til þe world shal endid be,
the seuen thousande taken is,
but after þat time witen not we
Hou long þe world shal last i-wys,
for þat terme may no mon se
saue God hym-self, leues wel this,
by no gode autorite.
for þat terme may no mon se
saue God hym-self, leues wel this,
by no gode autorite.
But in this six eld, as I say,
we that vnwisely exilet wer,
to hope of ioy that lastes ay
restoret we wer in gode manere.
we that vnwisely exilet wer,
to hope of ioy that lastes ay
restoret we wer in gode manere.
127
After our doyng day for day
And gode lyuying qvil we ben her,
quen we ben dede, trist we may
thurȝe Cristes deth to won in fer,
And gode lyuying qvil we ben her,
quen we ben dede, trist we may
thurȝe Cristes deth to won in fer,
ffor thurȝe fulloght in gode fay
of Adams gylt we wesch vs cler,
then gostly exil went away
And we restoret to first power.
of Adams gylt we wesch vs cler,
then gostly exil went away
And we restoret to first power.
Therfore iche ȝer noȝt amys
vside is and alway has,
qven septuagesme bigunnen is,
time of exilyng & trespas,
vside is and alway has,
qven septuagesme bigunnen is,
time of exilyng & trespas,
We bigynnen to wayue i-wis
song of ioy & of solas,
Alleluya, nothing amys,
til time come representyng gras.
song of ioy & of solas,
Alleluya, nothing amys,
til time come representyng gras.
On pasch euen, ȝe sene wel þis,
Alleluya aȝayn mon tas,
And then bygynnes a newe blis
quen holi chirch þat mynde mas,
Alleluya aȝayn mon tas,
And then bygynnes a newe blis
quen holi chirch þat mynde mas,
But one alleluya bout mo
we syngen þen, to represent
that in þe sext eld thurȝe Crist tho
hope of fulle ioy we han hent.
we syngen þen, to represent
that in þe sext eld thurȝe Crist tho
hope of fulle ioy we han hent.
A tracte þen is after suyng,
the quych wel may signifie
that gret trauail her lyuyng
suffre we most continuely
the quych wel may signifie
that gret trauail her lyuyng
suffre we most continuely
To fulfille Goddis biddyng
til we moun com to his mercy,
ffor in þe seuent eld, bout lesyng,
dede bitides vs bodily.
til we moun com to his mercy,
ffor in þe seuent eld, bout lesyng,
dede bitides vs bodily.
128
then in þe eȝt eld, bout lesyng,
from deth to lif, as rede I,
er then no rest is ne lykyng
to no mon lyuyng fullily.
from deth to lif, as rede I,
er then no rest is ne lykyng
to no mon lyuyng fullily.
Septima etas est moriencium, octaua resurgencium.
So the sixt elde wonnen is
the wele from quich we wayuet wer,
the seuent eld þat is deth i-wys,
that bodily we most haue her.
the wele from quich we wayuet wer,
the seuent eld þat is deth i-wys,
that bodily we most haue her.
then afterward shal we not mys
the ioy þat is in heuen cler,
Ihesu bryng vs to þat blys,
that Mary of hir body ber!
the ioy þat is in heuen cler,
Ihesu bryng vs to þat blys,
that Mary of hir body ber!
Therfore that selue Seterday
that septuagesme shal endet be,
two alleluyas, in gode fay,
both to-gedir syngen we,
that septuagesme shal endet be,
two alleluyas, in gode fay,
both to-gedir syngen we,
In significacioun
that double merit shul we haue,
ȝif we godely lif moun,
our saule from syn forto saue.
that double merit shul we haue,
ȝif we godely lif moun,
our saule from syn forto saue.
Then septuagesme, as saide I,
that tokenys monkynde exilyng,
makes an ende al fullily
And we in ioy euer-lastyng.
that tokenys monkynde exilyng,
makes an ende al fullily
And we in ioy euer-lastyng.
[T]e[rti]a causa quare septuagesima est instituta.
The thrid cause assigne I may,
As ȝe fully leue moun,
qvy hit was ordeynt in gode fay,
was for representacioun.
As ȝe fully leue moun,
qvy hit was ordeynt in gode fay,
was for representacioun.
129
ffor septuagesme, with-outen wer,
representes subiectioun
that Iewes ten & sixty ȝer
hade in Babuloyn in bandoun.
representes subiectioun
that Iewes ten & sixty ȝer
hade in Babuloyn in bandoun.
And right as thay in that daunger
layden doun murthes, so in prusoun
als song of murthe we lyueng her
layn doun this tyme by gode resoun.
layden doun murthes, so in prusoun
als song of murthe we lyueng her
layn doun this tyme by gode resoun.
ffor as the Byble mynde mas,
Nabugodononosor the keng
took Ierusalem that holy place
And made in Babiloyne hor wonny[n]g,
Nabugodononosor the keng
took Ierusalem that holy place
And made in Babiloyne hor wonny[n]g,
And al was for hor owen trespasse
that thay ne deden Goddes biddyng,
thenne laft thay song and al solace
And sayden whil that was enduryng:
that thay ne deden Goddes biddyng,
thenne laft thay song and al solace
And sayden whil that was enduryng:
Quomodo cantabimus canticum in terra aliena.
‘Goddes song how schuld we syng,
thus lengyng in a straunge londe?
more mater we han of mournyng
whil we ben hoden thus in bonde.’
thus lengyng in a straunge londe?
more mater we han of mournyng
whil we ben hoden thus in bonde.’
But after in the sexte ȝere
leue thay haden to go aȝayne,
thenne maden thay murthe in hor maner,
and wer at Goddes byddyng bayn.
leue thay haden to go aȝayne,
thenne maden thay murthe in hor maner,
and wer at Goddes byddyng bayn.
therfore on pasche euen i-wys
one alleluy wel syngen we
to represent hor grete blys,
that in the sexty ȝere schuld be.
one alleluy wel syngen we
to represent hor grete blys,
that in the sexty ȝere schuld be.
But foor-as-muche as thay tho
trauaileden ten ȝere tenderly
fforto twynne Babiloyne fro
whit hor goddes that dyd hom ny.
trauaileden ten ȝere tenderly
fforto twynne Babiloyne fro
whit hor goddes that dyd hom ny.
130
In caryage from place to place
so hoom flyttyng that foolk in fere,
ther-fore holy chirche maas
a mynd ther-of in thys maner,
so hoom flyttyng that foolk in fere,
ther-fore holy chirche maas
a mynd ther-of in thys maner,
And one pasche euen solempnely
singyn a tracte no thyng amys
anone after the alleluy,
that tokenes trauayl wel i-wys.
singyn a tracte no thyng amys
anone after the alleluy,
that tokenes trauayl wel i-wys.
But thenne Setu[r]day nextte suyng
when septuagesme an ende maas,
two alleluyes boute lesyng
holy chirche togeder taas,
when septuagesme an ende maas,
two alleluyes boute lesyng
holy chirche togeder taas,
That ful ioy may singnyfy
when thay wer in hor londe in reste,
thenne might thay sing solempnely
this canticuler wel of the best:
when thay wer in hor londe in reste,
thenne might thay sing solempnely
this canticuler wel of the best:
Laudate dominum omnes gentes &c.
this time of takyng & exil
of Iewes that in thraldom wer,
tokens trauail & peril
whil we in world bene lyuyng her.
of Iewes that in thraldom wer,
tokens trauail & peril
whil we in world bene lyuyng her.
ffor riȝt as thay from that any
In þe sexty ȝer wer broȝt,
so in þe sext elde witerly
Crist of bitter bale vs boȝt.
In þe sexty ȝer wer broȝt,
so in þe sext elde witerly
Crist of bitter bale vs boȝt.
And as thay trauailet day by day
to flitte hor goddes home agayn,
so most we in this elde ay
In gode dedes to make vs fayn.
to flitte hor goddes home agayn,
so most we in this elde ay
In gode dedes to make vs fayn.
Then to þe seuent eld that deth is
nedelynges we most come to,
And then to perfite rest i-wys
ȝif we bifore woln godely do,
nedelynges we most come to,
And then to perfite rest i-wys
ȝif we bifore woln godely do,
131
And sing þer double Alleluy
euer-more with-outen ende,
To quych thurȝe his mercy
he make vs worthy forto wende!
euer-more with-outen ende,
To quych thurȝe his mercy
he make vs worthy forto wende!
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