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A Stanzaic Life of Christ

Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea

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iija ratio propter representacionem.

The thrid cause, ȝe mot be kent,
why sexagesme ordeynt was,
myȝt be wel to represent
that God forboȝt vs thurgh his gras.
To fulfulle, as was resoun,
bi long processe þat ilk plas
þat Lucifer, quen he fel doun,
thurȝe pride so foule lost has.
By ten I vnderstonde her
mon þat was made to ful aȝayn
An order lost by Lucifer
of angels that to hym wer bayn.

135

Then to fulfille þat tent plas
mon was made, as clercus sayn,
that Lucifer for his trespas
thurȝe pride lost, nys not to layn.
But quen that plas fulfillet is
that so was lorn for Lucifer,
then shal be domus-day i-wys
And general risyng, bout wer.
ffor þat plas, leue wel þis,
may wel be-token, as I say her,
the tent order þat diden omys
of angels þat wer most cler.
Also bi six I vnderstonde
the sex dedis of charite,
þat forto bryng vs out of bonde
God shewide sone, as ȝe shyn se.
Quich dedis I wil not wonde
to reherce, riȝt as did he
that with his frelie flesch wold fonde
of thraldom forto make vs fre.
The first was þe incarnacioun,
the secunde his natiuite,
the thrid his gret passioun,
the furth quen to helle went he,
The fift his resurreccioun,
the sext time worshipt wer we
qven our kynde atte Asscencioun
Abuf alle heuens havcet he.
Then sexagesme as I con say
endures, qvo-so wel wil seke,
riȝt into þe Wedenesday
þat is in þe Aster weke,

136

On qvich Wedenesday songen is
At þe bygynnyng of þe mas
this ilke selue offys
that I shal specifie er I pas:

Venite benedicti patris mei &c, expositio in lingua materna.

‘My fadir blesside, comus to me,
takes þe ioy that ordeynt is
to owe, er made was stone or tre,
In heuen þer-as is endles blis,’
So that, ‘wel done,’ þis shul þai her
And vsen þes wercus of mercy,
‘welcum to my fadir dere,’
As in Latyn now saide I.
Then heuen ȝates shul openyd be
that spouse to spouse may com þat way,
holi chirche, as er saide we,
to Crist as hit was wilnet ay.
Therfore we reden ȝe moun se
In þe epistle of þis Sonday,
in tribulacioun stif to be
And suffre as Paule did, soth to say:

Ad Corinthios Paulus: Libenter suffertis insipientes &c.

And in the gospel eke also
to gode dedis we counseiled bene,
worthy to God that we be tho
And make þis saide, as may be sene:

venite benedicti patris mei.

then holi chirche þat saide bifore
the first Sonday at mas
this offys, dredyng wonder sore
As ho in tribulacioun was:

137

Circumdederunt me gemitus mortis.

this secunde Sonday comfortid is,
And praies to Crist in this manere,
that he wil rise þat kyng of blis
weret fro wo þen þat þai wer:

Officium: Exurge, quare obdormis domine.

But in thre maners, as I fynde,
And for thre thinges, in gode fay,
holy chirch vs to vnbynde
by this offys wel moun pray:

Exurge &c.


ffor sum in holi chirch þer bene
that han gret tribulacioun
And neuer ouer-comen, as wel is sene,
ffor no maner temptacioun.
And for alle sich as moun do so
this offys songen is oright
to comfort hom in sich wo
And make hor langour more liȝt.
Other ther ben als, in gode fay,
that gret tribulacioun han,
but suffre hit moun þai by no way,
but in hit caȝt & sone tan.
And for alle sich it nedis i-wys
to syng þis offys exurge,
to make hom rise þat don omys
In fondyng sone so faynt to be.
The thrid þer ben, as rede I,
that ben not fondet with no wo,
ne ffallen not in no maner ny
but perseueraunt ay ben so.

138

And for alle sich þis ilke offys
Exurge songen is oright,
to haue perseueraunce, as best is,
In gode purpos þat þai ben piȝt.
And to þes degres thre
Acordes þe gospel of þis day,
that Crist expovnes, ȝe moun se,
hym-self expresly, soth to say.