A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Tercio fuit eius passio multiplici vtilitate fructuosa.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Tercio fuit eius passio multiplici vtilitate fructuosa.
The thrid principal poynt of alle,
As I saide at bigynnyng,
was that his passioun wold wel falle
to be nedful in mony a thing,
As I saide at bigynnyng,
was that his passioun wold wel falle
to be nedful in mony a thing,
And frutful also in gode fay
In thre maners ȝe shyn se,
thaȝe hit [f]ul delful wer þat day,
nedful hit was as in thes thre.
In thre maners ȝe shyn se,
thaȝe hit [f]ul delful wer þat day,
nedful hit was as in thes thre.
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Triplex vtilitas, id est peccatorum remissio, gracie collacio & glorie exhibicio.
ffor mon-kynde bi his passioun
of Adam syn vnbounden was,
that calle I of syn remissioun,
the secunde poynt was gift of gras,
of Adam syn vnbounden was,
that calle I of syn remissioun,
the secunde poynt was gift of gras,
The thrid is ioy with-out endyng
that by his deth [h]e wonen has,
qven that we of this world shul wende
And mendet be of our trespas.
that by his deth [h]e wonen has,
qven that we of this world shul wende
And mendet be of our trespas.
Therfore saynt Austyn wel con say
that Ihesu Crist our saueour
with his deth wesch syn away
that was & is & als comyng.
that Ihesu Crist our saueour
with his deth wesch syn away
that was & is & als comyng.
Augustinus: Culpam deleuit Christus presentem, preteritam & futuram.
ffor syn that was don bifore
he forgaf at his deȝyng,
And syn þat then was greuyng sore
he droȝe men fro with his prechyng,
he forgaf at his deȝyng,
And syn þat then was greuyng sore
he droȝe men fro with his prechyng,
And grace he grantide to las & more
forto wayue syn comyng,
to alle men that in wille wore
to seche þat gras & hyt suyng.
forto wayue syn comyng,
to alle men that in wille wore
to seche þat gras & hyt suyng.
ffour skilles I fynde, in gode fay,
that his passioun nedful was,
As I shal expresly say,
And as saynt Austyn mynde mas.
that his passioun nedful was,
As I shal expresly say,
And as saynt Austyn mynde mas.
Augustinus: Modus nostre redempcionis fuit
acceptissimus ad placandum Deum, congruentissimus ad curandum morbum, efficacissimus ad extrahendum
genus humanum & prudentissimus ad expugnandum generis humani inimicum.
206
ffor to grete God it was i-wys
most acceptable & likyng,
And forto hele þat ferd amys
most couenable of any thyng,
most acceptable & likyng,
And forto hele þat ferd amys
most couenable of any thyng,
And forto bryng into blis
hit was most of power tho,
And most sleȝe way, leue wel this,
to ouer-come the deul our fo.
hit was most of power tho,
And most sleȝe way, leue wel this,
to ouer-come the deul our fo.
ffirst to preue his passioun
to God most acceptable was,
ȝe shyn se bi gode resoun
As saynt Ancelme mynde mas.
to God most acceptable was,
ȝe shyn se bi gode resoun
As saynt Ancelme mynde mas.
Anselmus: Nichil asperius & difficilius potest homo pati ad honorem Dei sponte & non ex debito quam mortem.
‘No thing’, he sais, ‘so bitter is
ne non so heuy to go tille,
As mon for God & heuen blis
to suffre deth with gode wille.
ne non so heuy to go tille,
As mon for God & heuen blis
to suffre deth with gode wille.
‘Ne more may nomon to God do
to plese hym with deuoutly,
then forto offir his lif hym to
And deth to suffir bodily.’
to plese hym with deuoutly,
then forto offir his lif hym to
And deth to suffir bodily.’
Therfore Paule sais bi Ihesu,
hym-self to God then offrid he
In sacrifyce his wille to sewe,
that swetly sauouret, leue ȝe me.
hym-self to God then offrid he
In sacrifyce his wille to sewe,
that swetly sauouret, leue ȝe me.
207
Ad. Ephesios iiijo: Tradidit semet ipsum oblacionem & hostiam Deo in odorem suauitatis.
But how þat Crist was sacrifise
to make his fader monnus frende,
& restoret vs to be hys,
I schal declare ow er I wende.
to make his fader monnus frende,
& restoret vs to be hys,
I schal declare ow er I wende.
Augustinus de Trinitate: Quid tam grate suscipi posset, quam caro sacrificii nostri corpus effectum sacerdotis nostri Christi? Vt qu[oniam] quatuor considerantur in omni sacrificio: videlicet cui offoratur & quid offeratur, pro quibus offeratur & quis offerat, exponitur in lingua materna.
‘what maner thing’, sais saynt Austyne,
‘more derworth may taken be
then Cristis body to suffre pyne,
that verray preste is, leue ȝe me?
‘more derworth may taken be
then Cristis body to suffre pyne,
that verray preste is, leue ȝe me?
‘And hauyng consideracioun
to four poyntes þat he con say,
I may preue þat his passioun
vnkyntt þe deulis bonde to-day.
to four poyntes þat he con say,
I may preue þat his passioun
vnkyntt þe deulis bonde to-day.
‘ffor mon þat offres he mot se
to qvom he offres, & quat thing,
for qvom that offrande eke shal be,
And qvo als makes that offryng.
to qvom he offres, & quat thing,
for qvom that offrande eke shal be,
And qvo als makes that offryng.
‘As towchinge offring maad this day,
Ihesu Crist that offring was,
offrer al-so in good faye,
for offering of hym-self he maas.
Ihesu Crist that offring was,
offrer al-so in good faye,
for offering of hym-self he maas.
‘To restore vs as he may
to his fader, that offering taas;
thus offring, offrer, sothe to say,
and offring-taker eke towe has.
to his fader, that offering taas;
thus offring, offrer, sothe to say,
and offring-taker eke towe has.
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‘the furthe was mon he offret fore
to make in hym as one to be,
to wone wihit hym for euermore
in heuen blisse, right as dose he.’
to make in hym as one to be,
to wone wihit hym for euermore
in heuen blisse, right as dose he.’
Also how and in quat maner
by Crist reconcilet so ben we,
saynt Austyn says, as ȝe schun here,
that Crist these four most nedely be.
by Crist reconcilet so ben we,
saynt Austyn says, as ȝe schun here,
that Crist these four most nedely be.
Augustinus: Christus est sacerdos, sacrificium, Deus & templum. Sacerdos, per quem sumus reconciliati, sacrificium quo sumus reconciliati, templum, quo sumus reconciliati.
ffor prest he was, I may wel say,
thurgh whom reconcilet we wer tho,
and sacrafice calle hym I may
that for vs suffert suche wo,
thurgh whom reconcilet we wer tho,
and sacrafice calle hym I may
that for vs suffert suche wo,
God also, that nys no nay,
to whom reconselet so wer we,
and temple hit was done in that day
withouten drede also was he.
to whom reconselet so wer we,
and temple hit was done in that day
withouten drede also was he.
For a gode mon of lyuyng
Goddes temple callet is,
therfore to calle hym so, methynke
I may say wel and not amys.
Goddes temple callet is,
therfore to calle hym so, methynke
I may say wel and not amys.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |