A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Secundo in eo, quod passio eius fuit iniusta.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Secundo in eo, quod passio eius fuit iniusta.
The secunde cause, I may wel say,
qwhi that hys payne more noyuse was,
for of thre poyntes false in faye
thay accuseden hym in that case.
qwhi that hys payne more noyuse was,
for of thre poyntes false in faye
thay accuseden hym in that case.
One was thay sayden that he forbede
ȝelde tribute to the emperour,
to the secunde thay token hede
that he vsurpet kenges honour,
ȝelde tribute to the emperour,
to the secunde thay token hede
that he vsurpet kenges honour,
185
The thridde for thay herden hym say
that he was God sone almight,
thus in thre poynntes that ilke day
thay accuset hym whit vnright.
that he was God sone almight,
thus in thre poynntes that ilke day
thay accuset hym whit vnright.
Therfore agayn þes poyntes thre
that thai accuset hym to be shent,
opon Gode Friday syngen we
thre excusaciouns hym present.
that thai accuset hym to be shent,
opon Gode Friday syngen we
thre excusaciouns hym present.
Popule meus quid feci tibi aut quis.
In quich excusaciouns thre
Crist vmbraides hom openly
of thre gode dedis þat don hade he
byfore to hom in gret any.
Crist vmbraides hom openly
of thre gode dedis þat don hade he
byfore to hom in gret any.
The first upbraideng he hom mas,
was how þat he of Egypt londe
deliueret hom from al manas,
ther-as bifore þai wer in bonde.
was how þat he of Egypt londe
deliueret hom from al manas,
ther-as bifore þai wer in bonde.
Vt patet in versibus: Quia eduxi te de terra Egipti, parasti crucem saluatori tuo.
The secunde repref hit was
hou þat he fed hom fourti ȝer
In desert & vncouth plas
with manna in meruelouse maner,
hou þat he fed hom fourti ȝer
In desert & vncouth plas
with manna in meruelouse maner,
And also did hom sich gras
to lede hom out of alle daunger
to hor cuntre, for any cas,
As men that wer to hym ful der.
to lede hom out of alle daunger
to hor cuntre, for any cas,
As men that wer to hym ful der.
Quia eduxi vos per desertum quadragynta Annis &c.
The thrid upbraide is hou þat heplauntide hom for his viner,
‘hou miȝt thai then so bitter be
to ordeyn croice so for me her?’
186
Quid vltra &c. Ego plantaui te &c.
Therfore first, þer-as thai sayn
that pay tribut wold he noȝt,
he vpbraides hom agayn
of tribute ȝift hou he hom broȝt.
that pay tribut wold he noȝt,
he vpbraides hom agayn
of tribute ȝift hou he hom broȝt.
Ther-as thay sayn he cald hym kyng,
thai shuld haue thonkid hym his gode dede,
that as kyng in myslikyng
In desert fed hom in gret nede.
thai shuld haue thonkid hym his gode dede,
that as kyng in myslikyng
In desert fed hom in gret nede.
Als thai repreuet hym that he saide
that verray Goddis son was he,
mich he miȝt better hom vpbraide
that he ȝaf hom londe in gret lee,
that verray Goddis son was he,
mich he miȝt better hom vpbraide
that he ȝaf hom londe in gret lee,
And his vineȝerd made hom i-wys,
quich vineȝerd I may vnderstonde
is Ierusalem, that flour is,
I-myddes þe worlde most esy londe.
quich vineȝerd I may vnderstonde
is Ierusalem, that flour is,
I-myddes þe worlde most esy londe.
Tercio quia ab amicis dampnatus est.
The thrid cause is, sithen he was
dampnet of hom þat shuld haue bene
his frendes kyndlie in that cas
And not sich sorowe on hym sene;
dampnet of hom þat shuld haue bene
his frendes kyndlie in that cas
And not sich sorowe on hym sene;
For las wonder had ben i-wys
ȝif he of enmys suffride hade
to quych he done hade er amys,
sich manas thaȝe he hade made,
ȝif he of enmys suffride hade
to quych he done hade er amys,
sich manas thaȝe he hade made,
Or of aliens & straungers
that had not knowen hym bifore,
but of his frendes & verray feres
he tholet that greuet mich þe more,
that had not knowen hym bifore,
but of his frendes & verray feres
he tholet that greuet mich þe more,
And of his frende als suffride he
that of on rote comen wer,
therfore þe Sauter ȝe shyn se
to hor dede wel acordes her.
that of on rote comen wer,
therfore þe Sauter ȝe shyn se
to hor dede wel acordes her.
187
Amici mei & proximi mei, aduersum me appropinquauerunt & steterunt. Item Iob xxxo capitulo: Noti mei quasi Alieni recesserunt A me.
‘Frendes & neghburs in gret nede
Aȝayn me stoden ful stifly,’
And frendis flowen, as Iob con rede,
As vncouth men in most any.
Aȝayn me stoden ful stifly,’
And frendis flowen, as Iob con rede,
As vncouth men in most any.
Of sich men also suffrid he
that he had don ful mich fore,
As sayn Ion writes, ȝe moun se,
the verray gospel ow bifore.
that he had don ful mich fore,
As sayn Ion writes, ȝe moun se,
the verray gospel ow bifore.
Iohannes viijo: Multa bona opera operatus sum vobis, propter quod opus vultis me occidere.
And Bede in is meditacioun
spekes to Crist in this maner
with ful gret deuocioun,
As in Latyn is writen her,—
spekes to Crist in this maner
with ful gret deuocioun,
As in Latyn is writen her,—
ffor write Latyn may I not spar
to sich as han vnderstondyng,
but after þe Latyn I wil declar
In Englisch, lewide to haue likyng.
to sich as han vnderstondyng,
but after þe Latyn I wil declar
In Englisch, lewide to haue likyng.
Beda: O bone Ihesu, quam dulciter cum hominibus conuersatus es, quam magna & abundantissima largitus es eis, quam dura & Aspera pro eis passus es, dura verba, duriora verbera, durissima crucis tormenta.
‘Swete Ihesu,’ sais sayn Bede,
‘how swetely to monnus likyng
with mon to help hym in gret nede
thi-self mon was with hom wonyng!
‘how swetely to monnus likyng
with mon to help hym in gret nede
thi-self mon was with hom wonyng!
‘Hou mich gode & quat plente
ȝyuen hom graciously þou has,
hard & sharp with hert fre
suffret forto gete hom gras,
ȝyuen hom graciously þou has,
hard & sharp with hert fre
suffret forto gete hom gras,
188
‘Harde wordes, harder betyng,
And, that hardest of alle was,
gret tourment on croice hongyng
after al this gret manas!’
And, that hardest of alle was,
gret tourment on croice hongyng
after al this gret manas!’
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