 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Tiberius was made this ȝer
emperour after Octouian,
and eghten ȝer, withouten wer,
regnet er that Crist was tane,
emperour after Octouian,
and eghten ȝer, withouten wer,
regnet er that Crist was tane,
And after Cristes passion
fyue ȝer fully regnet he,
thas mas in alle, ȝe knowe moun,
euen twenty ȝer and thre.
fyue ȝer fully regnet he,
thas mas in alle, ȝe knowe moun,
euen twenty ȝer and thre.
Octouianes wyues sone he was
by a husbond ho hade bifore,
wise in armes in vche place,
and to world happy euermore.
by a husbond ho hade bifore,
wise in armes in vche place,
and to world happy euermore.
In lettrur he was ful cunnyng
and wonder slegh als, as I rede,
other then wille schop of-scho-wyng,
and his wille noght schowe til nede.
and wonder slegh als, as I rede,
other then wille schop of-scho-wyng,
and his wille noght schowe til nede.
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Mon that he louet, hit was semyng
alway wrotht whit as he wer,
and to hem that he louet no-thing,
made glad contennaunce and gode cher.
alway wrotht whit as he wer,
and to hem that he louet no-thing,
made glad contennaunce and gode cher.
In al his werkes wel abydyng
he was, as Iosephus witenesse her,
And as schowde by hys doyng
in w[or]lde lyuyng, as ȝe moun ler.
he was, as Iosephus witenesse her,
And as schowde by hys doyng
in w[or]lde lyuyng, as ȝe moun ler.
ffor in what lond, whitoute lesing,
that he made any officer,
he suffert hom alway so lenging
And neuermore chaunget in no maner.
that he made any officer,
he suffert hom alway so lenging
And neuermore chaunget in no maner.
And cause whi that so did he,
hit was the peple forto spare,
men asket what the cause might be,
And this was al-way his vnsware:
hit was the peple forto spare,
men asket what the cause might be,
And this was al-way his vnsware:
Nam procuratores, inquit, tanto dominantur grauius, quanto breuius.
‘ffor procuratoures and officeres,
the lasse wille thay han maistry,
the more greuouse bene of maneres
hor sugetes forto do any.’
the lasse wille thay han maistry,
the more greuouse bene of maneres
hor sugetes forto do any.’
And this ensaumple shewet he
to make hyt sothe that he con say,
of a mon that he con se
lay ones woundet in the way,
to make hyt sothe that he con say,
of a mon that he con se
lay ones woundet in the way,
Was bytten with fleghes bitterly,
come by a frende and for the best
steret these fleghes that diden hym ny
for to gete hym better rest.
come by a frende and for the best
steret these fleghes that diden hym ny
for to gete hym better rest.
Thenne sayde the seke mon to hym tho,
‘frende, thow dos me now grete wogh,
the fleghes that thow puttes me fro
now thay haden eten inogh,
‘frende, thow dos me now grete wogh,
the fleghes that thow puttes me fro
now thay haden eten inogh,
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‘And lasse thay greuet whil thay wer ful;
now wol thay, when thow art away,
hongrily take sadder pul,
and greue more then bifore in fay.’
now wol thay, when thow art away,
hongrily take sadder pul,
and greue more then bifore in fay.’
And right so in the selue maner
hit fares by officeres i-wys,
that hopen to stonde but one ȝer
nuyen the more and done amys.
hit fares by officeres i-wys,
that hopen to stonde but one ȝer
nuyen the more and done amys.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |